Chapter 104 Anxiety and Antidotes꞉ A Royal Invitation to Trouble？
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Wh-wh-what on earth am I going to do?” I stammered, my voice trembling with a frantic sort of energy. “I went and got carried away and built a flamethrower¹… it’s all my fault!”
”C-calm down! Calm your chest, Kento!” Satsuki cried, her own face pale with a cold sweat. “I’m certain Her Majesty is already aware, but I shall make a formal report regardless! It is that dreadful Coalmine who is to blame—your Hot-Shot-kun¹ did nothing wrong!”
After Sera-chan of the Tasogare Merchant Guild² had departed, Satsuki and I were left in a state of sheer, unadulterated panic. I took Satsuki’s advice to heart, though perhaps in a more literal sense than she had intended. I reached out and pulled Lily, my faithful test subject slave who had been resting during her break, into a firm embrace. I began to distract myself by gently poking at her soft, ample chest.
”What in the name of Merlin are you doing at a time like this?!” Satsuki shrieked, her face turning a vivid shade of scarlet.
”I’m calming my chest,” I replied, my voice already sounding significantly more grounded. “Yes… I can feel my composure returning already.”
”You utter buffoon! You moron! You hopeless lecher!”
Satsuki hoisted her wand high, looking very much as she had the first day we met, prepared to deliver a physical rebuke. However, because Lily was currently acting as my human shield—or rather, my living stress relief—the wand stayed in the air. Lily, who was quite accustomed to being her master’s ’emotional stabilizer,’ spoke up with her usual poise.
”Master, it is quite useless to fret over Hot-Shot-kun now,” Lily said calmly. “We must leave that matter entirely in Her Majesty’s hands.”
”Well, yes, I suppose that’s true, but…” I began.
”More importantly,” Lily continued, cutting through my hesitation with sharp logic, “the real problem our shop faces is what we shall do when our current stock of Samon Mushrooms³ inevitably runs dry.”
I felt as though I had been struck by a particularly heavy book. I had no clever rebuttal for such a sound argument. My only real talent lay in crafting adult magic tools; if only I could weave grand spells to blast my problems away, life would be much simpler. Alas, such abilities had not been bestowed upon me.
”Hrmm. Even if the war ends by summer, our stock won’t last that long,” I mused, scratching my head. “I refuse to lower our quality by skimping on ingredients. That means I either have to develop products using alternative materials, or our customers will simply have to make do with whatever is left on the shelves.”
”I suppose those are our only options,” Lily noted. “Fortunately, the ‘an*l-type’ products we are about to launch shouldn’t be affected, so that is a small mercy.”
I began to mentally juggle my inventory. I was starting to understand why some merchants were tempted to relaunch old products with ‘new and improved’ labels, but I knew that would be the beginning of the end. My shop had grown on the fervent support of women who trusted my quality. To betray that sincerity would be to lose everything.
”Right, it’s settled then,” I announced, my resolve hardening. “Satsuki, you go and tell the Queen that this situation is causing problems even for us.”
”Understood, leave it to me!” Satsuki replied, looking relieved to have a task.
”As for the Samon Mushroom shortage, I’ll focus on finding a substitute. I might be cooped up in the laboratory for a while, so I’m counting on all of you!”
My dependable staff gave me a chorus of enthusiastic responses. To gather my strength for the work ahead, I buried my face in Lily’s chest, ignoring the renewed indignant huffing from Satsuki.
* * *
”Darling! Your Aerith has arrived!”
The following day, while I was hunched over a botanical encyclopedia in my lab, Aerith of the Garou Merchant Guild⁴ bounded into the room, her tail wagging so vigorously it was practically a blur.
”Ah, Aerith. Good to see you. Your tail is looking particularly charming today,” I said, looking up from my notes.
”Eek…! Thank you so much!” Aerith squeaked, her face lighting up. “I spent ever so long brushing it last night while I was thinking of you, Darling!”
She slid up beside me, whispering into my ear with a suggestive lilt that hinted her night had been quite ‘productive’ in other ways as well. I pulled her warm, eager body into a hug and gave her a steady pat on the head.
”Coming to see me two days in a row? You’re quite the attention-seeker, aren’t you?”
”Do you dislike it?” she asked, her ears drooping slightly. “If I’m being a nuisance, I shall try to be more careful…”
”Not at all, you’re more than welcome. I’d have you come every day if you could. I’m just worried your father might get angry with me.”
”Oh, Darling… Father did look a bit lonely, but Mother was busy fussing over him and making him feel better, so I’m sure he’s fine.”
I felt a strange sense of kinship with the man. Even a stoic, middle-aged merchant would likely turn into a wagging puppy if pampered by Aerith’s beautiful mother. I briefly wondered if I might end up with a new brother-in-law soon, but decided that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Being the ‘mysterious uncle’ figure was a role I quite admired.
Aerith’s voice dropped a register, turning serious. “I heard the news. You’re having trouble sourcing Samon Mushrooms, aren’t you?”
”Yeah. It’s a vital ingredient for several of our bestsellers, but the conflict in the north has strangled the supply lines.”
”I wish I could help,” Aerith said, her wolf ears flopping sadly. “But our guild doesn’t really deal in those sorts of specialty goods…”
She looked so genuinely pained that I couldn’t help but shower her with head pats and kisses on the forehead until she was glowing again.
”H-however!” Aerith exclaimed, her face flushed from the affection. “I was thinking… perhaps you could find someone to help at the upcoming social gathering? There may be northern nobles or merchant guilds who have been quietly stockpiling Samon Mushrooms.”
I paused. It was a brilliant point. The mushrooms were used as a food delicacy as well as a magic catalyst; people would certainly be hoarding them in anticipation of a price hike.
”It just so happens that Tina Badcage⁵-sama, the only daughter of the Duke Badcage⁵, is hosting a party very soon. Most of the attendees will be people with ties to the Badcage family, and she herself is right at the heart of the northern troubles. You might be able to negotiate a trade, or at least secure a priority contract for when the fighting stops.”
”Badcage…?” My ears perked up at the name. I remembered a certain silver-haired girl who spoke with a very peculiar, archaic ‘noja’ lilt. “Wait, I know her.”
”You do?” Aerith blinked in surprise.
”Keep it under your hat, but she’s actually a regular customer of mine.”
”Oh, how wonderful! That makes things so much easier!” Aerith’s ears stood straight up, and her tail resumed its frantic wagging. “It is a high-society event hosted by a Duke, so the barrier to entry is quite high, but we absolutely must go!”
I hesitated. “Er, just one thing… am I even allowed at a party like that? I’m just a shopkeeper.”
”Hehe, leave that to me. I’ll show you that the name of the Garou Merchant Guild carries quite a bit of weight. Besides,” she added with a mischievous glint, “there is a secret network of ‘Ddo-Buddy’ enthusiasts. If the creator himself attends, many of those ladies would be absolutely thrilled.”
”Is that so…?” I muttered.
I recalled that since I started selling my specialized tools, I’d had several anonymous, high-profile fans purchasing through the Tasogare Guild. The thought that some of those elegant, dressed-up noblewomen might be my secret fans made my heart—and other parts of me—race with excitement.
”I’m so happy I can finally be of use to you, Darling!” Aerith said, her finger tapping her lip as she mentally began planning. “We’ll need to find you the perfect outfit, and I’ll need a dress to match… and I should make a list of guests you need to talk to…”
Her adorable focus and the way her tail swayed in thought were too much for me to resist. I felt a familiar surge of heat.
”I hate to add to your busy schedule, but could you do one more job for me?”
”Of course! Aerith will do anything for her Darling!”
”Good. As you can see, I have a few prototypes for a new aphrodisiac… I need someone to help me verify the effects.”
Aerith’s body heat seemed to spike instantly. “In that case… please, use this Aerith to your heart’s content…!”
Suffice it to say, the subsequent ‘experiment’ was an overwhelming success for both parties involved.
—
Summary:
Kento panics over the unintended military use of his ‘Hot-Shot-kun’ flamethrower. Lily points out the more pressing issue: a looming shortage of Samon Mushrooms due to northern conflicts. Aerith visits and suggests attending a high-society party hosted by Tina Badcage to find new suppliers. Kento realizes he has secret fans among the nobility and ends the day ‘testing’ new medicines with Aerith.
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Character Insight:
This chapter highlights Kento’s dual nature: he is terrified of his inventions’ destructive potential yet remains a shrewd businessman who prioritizes customer satisfaction. Aerith shows her worth not just as a love interest but as a strategic partner, leveraging her guild’s influence and her social knowledge to help Kento navigate noble politics. The mention of Tina Badcage suggests that Kento’s previous ‘adult’ business dealings are about to collide with high-stakes diplomacy.
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Behind the Scene:
The ‘Hot-Shot-kun’ (Kaki-kun) is a recurring joke where Kento’s ‘toys’ are misunderstood as weapons of mass destruction by the fantasy world’s military.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Satsuki – A talented Court Mage who was forced to analyze the shop’s adult magic tools. Miranda’s granddaughter. Now she’s the new worker at Harvest, a development she finds both humiliating and surprisingly fulfilling due to the rapid progress in her research under Kento’s guidance. Has long black hair, palace mage robe, and staff.
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
• Lily – the sl*ve and primary experiment subject for the magic shop, ‘Harvest.’ She has striking pink hair, Blue eyes, medium breasts, which the Protagonist associates with being ‘wanton’. She has a working knowledge of magic, which she kept hidden from the slave trader.
• Sera – A young, earnest salesperson from the Tasogare Merchant Guild, Kento’s supplier. She is characterized by her braided brown hair, large round glasses, and freckles. She’s serious about her job and easily flustered, especially by Kento’s adult goods business. Looks like Onodera from certain series.
• Aerith – A wolf beast-person and Ouka’s daughter. She is intensely attracted to Kento’s creative genius and is not shy about showing her interest. Have gray fur hair and tail, wearing elegant dress.
• Tina Badcage – Silver-haired, red-eyed woman with a very formal, old-fashioned way of speaking, often ending sentences with ‘no ja’. She is the only daughter of the Duke Badcage, tasked with guarding the North for the Canaria Royal Family. She is described as a beauty. Her inexperience suggests a slender build, and her dress is likely formal and aristocratic, though not explicitly stated.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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