Chapter 186 An Exhausted Court Mage
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A few days had passed since those passionate nights with Tania, the elven adventurer, and Laika, the dog-beastman adventurer. However, Satsuki—the Court Mage who should have returned to the capital at the same time as the others—took significantly longer to finally grace my shop with her presence.
It seemed she had been cornered into a frantic schedule, forced to report on the ultra-compact magical weapons utilized during the war, commonly referred to as PHZ¹. And just as she cleared that hurdle, she was immediately thrust into practical application research, leaving her without a spare moment to sleep.
Judging by her performance on the battlefield, it’s clear that technology is intrinsically linked to future national defense. Although a ceasefire with the Coalmine Kingdom² has been established, the Canaria Kingdom³ has been subjected to relentless meddling from all quarters since the passing of the previous King and Queen. This research is likely an endeavor they simply cannot afford to neglect.
That said, as far as my shop is concerned, I wanted Satsuki back as soon as possible. Even Her Majesty likely wanted Satsuki to return to her original assignment—keeping an eye on this establishment—rather than getting bogged down in bureaucracy. Ultimately, she arrived at the shop as a messenger, looking so unsteady she seemed ready to collapse at any moment.
”Her Majesty is calling for you…” Satsuki said.
”Well, I expected as much,” I replied.
Satsuki didn’t even bother with a proper reunion greeting; she immediately lunged forward and clung to me. She let out a long, weary groan—the kind of sound one makes when sinking into a hot spring—and spoke while still buried in my chest. It appeared she lacked the energy to even savor the joy of our reunion; she was utterly spent.
”Welcome back, Satsuki…” I said softly.
”Ah… I-I’m home…” Satsuki whispered.
Pity welled up inside me as I stroked her back, rubbing my cheek against her black hair, which had lost its usual healthy sheen. She gave a faint, bashful reply. She was probably embarrassed about throwing herself at me without so much as a ‘hello.’
Honestly, if she could find even a shred of relief from her fatigue by being pampered, she was welcome to spoil herself as much as she liked. Though, before that, she probably needed food and sleep. I decided to whip up something that would be easy to digest even in her state of total exhaustion.
”What’s… this? ” Satsuki asked.
”It’s ‘Western-style Cold Udon⁴,’” I answered.
”West… ern? Cold… what? “
”It’s Western-style Cold Udon. They’re chilled wheat noodles tossed in a herb-infused sauce designed to aid digestion. Normally, it’s delicious with finely diced summer vegetables or a poached egg on top, but when you’re this tired, simple is better.”
”So, in short, it’s just thick-cut pasta? ” Satsuki asked.
”Well, the wheat variety, the grind, and the preparation method are all slightly different, but yeah—you can think of it as something along those lines.”
”I… see…” Satsuki said.
She looked skeptical at first, but the moment the udon hit her tongue, her face brightened instantly! she began inhaling the rest of the bowl, and by the time she was halfway through, she spoke with profound sincerity.
”Whenever I eat Kento’s mysterious cooking, it finally feels like I’ve actually come home…” Satsuki said.
”Tastes good, doesn’t it? ” I asked.
”The fact that it’s delicious is what’s so baffling. Seriously, why is everything you make so good? Is there some kind of secret trick? “
”If you want the serious answer, it’s tasting. If you taste your food properly, you won’t fail very often. Once you get the hang of it, you can make even new dishes taste great.”
”Is that really all there is to it? ” Satsuki wondered aloud. “By the way, what’s the ‘unserious’ answer? “
”Well, it’s not exactly unserious, but of course, it’s because I pour in a massive amount of love! “
”Oh, give me a break… Honestly, you’re such an idiot…” Satsuki muttered.
I blew a rapid-fire succession of air kisses toward her Western-style Cold Udon, causing Satsuki to blush and avert her gaze. It seemed she was quite pleased with the meal, despite her words.
”Well, regardless, I’m glad it was to your liking. You really seem like you’ve been through the wringer, huh? ” I said.
”Yeah, I really have. The battlefield was a nightmare, but things have been just as hectic since I got back…” Satsuki replied.
I sat and listened to her talk about work for a while. She touched on several topics: the development history of the PHZ (though she was notably vague on the finer details), the ‘death march’ she’d endured, and the various happenings at the capital since her return.
Apparently, she’s become the woman of the hour within the palace and is expected to spearhead applied research in collaboration with the other Court Mages. Because of that, while she’ll still drop by the shop, she won’t be here around the clock like she used to be; she’ll be constantly shuttling back and forth.
Regrettably, she had only come today to deliver a message and had to return to the palace shortly. I had been planning to throw a ‘Welcome Home’ party just like I did for Tania and the others, hoping we’d spend the night together, but it didn’t look like that was in the cards.
She mentioned wanting to continue her research on the Piston Machine⁵ she’d been developing—or rather, Her Majesty had explicitly commanded her to “keep at it”—but there was no telling when it would ever be finished…
”Oh right, Her Majesty also told me to find out what you plan to do from here on out. And also, to check if you’re angry with her or not,” Satsuki said.
”I can understand the first part, but are you sure you should be telling me that second bit? ” I asked.
”She actually told me to make sure I told you exactly that. It seems she’s judged that being honest with you will gain more favor than trying to spin some elaborate scheme,” Satsuki explained.
I couldn’t help but feel a bit conflicted hearing that, but well, she wasn’t wrong. Considering Her Majesty’s position, I’m sure there are many things she has to do against her will and things she has to say that she’d rather not.
There have been plenty of such instances in the past, but I’ve never turned her down. My head understands that if she says it’s necessary, then it usually is.
However, since I have my own standing and circumstances to consider, I still want the chance to negotiate. In those moments, being kept in the dark or having someone appeal to my emotions only breeds distrust. I’d prefer to keep things business-like; that way, I can remain objective.
”So? What’s going through that head of yours right now? ” Satsuki asked.
”Hmm, I was actually planning to hold our usual management meeting once you returned…” I said.
”Were you waiting for me? Now I feel terrible…” Satsuki sighed.
”No, in the end, I’d have to rethink things after hearing Her Majesty’s side anyway. This probably just saved us from having to do the work twice, right? “
”Yeah, thanks. You’re always so considerate,” Satsuki said.
Taking Satsuki’s words to heart, I tried to organize the various thoughts that had been floating around my mind. There was a mountain of things I wanted to do and things I absolutely had to do. Summarized, they looked something like this:
1. Lily’s childbirth and childcare (Top priority!)
2. Starting a family with Tina and visiting the Badcage House
3. War rewards (Titles, the Ddo-Buddy Palace⁶, etc.)
4. Various Church-related matters
- Optimizing the production system at the Canarias Convent⁷
- Instructing Sacred Artificer⁸ Nina-Mailse
- Establishing a distribution network through regional convents
5. Sales expansion into the Coalmine Kingdom and the Sylvaol Kingdom
- Collaboration with the Tasogare Merchant Guild⁹
- Potential need to coordinate with local merchant guilds in each kingdom
6. Product development (Piston Machine, etc.)
Technically, there’s even more. I want to fine-tune our domestic sales, and I need to start thinking about starting a family with Tania as well. Plus, once in a while, I need to take the time to roleplay as a suspicious shopkeeper and engage in some sexual harassment… Wait, no, that’s not a duty. That’s just the thing I want to do the most.
But seriously, looking at it objectively, am I way too busy? I expected things to pick up as the business grew, but I never imagined it would reach this level. The dream of a carefree life with a three-day work week felt miles away…
”Are you okay? ” Satsuki asked.
”No, yeah, I’m fine. I just realized your level of busyness is starting to feel like my own problem too,” I replied.
”Is that so…? ” Satsuki said.
Apparently, I had a pretty grim expression while I was lost in thought. Satsuki, who had completely polished off her Western-style Cold Udon, looked genuinely worried. When I explained what was on my mind, she mirrored my grimace.
”How should I put it… you really have it rough, don’t you? ” Satsuki sighed.
”I guess so… Well, I’ll just try to tell myself that being this busy is a sign of success,” I said.
With that, I went to wash the dish Satsuki had finished. When I returned, she glided over and snuggled up close against my side.
”This isn’t exactly a proper ‘thank you’ for the love-filled udon, but… want to recharge our batteries a little? ” Satsuki asked.
Satsuki spoke with a coquettish tilt of her head. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take things to the finish line, but Satsuki’s lips, which I hadn’t tasted in far too long, carried the refreshing flavor and aroma of herbs. It seemed my decision to skip the garlic for extra stamina had been the right call after all.
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Summary:
Satsuki returns to the shop utterly exhausted from her post-war research duties and military reporting. Kento provides comfort through his ‘mysterious’ cooking, serving a specialized cold udon dish that helps revitalize her. They discuss the Queen’s honest approach to their relationship and Kento’s growing, overwhelming list of responsibilities. The chapter concludes with a tender, herb-scented kiss as they briefly find solace in each other’s company.
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Character Insight:
Satsuki’s immediate physical reliance on Kento highlights her total exhaustion and the deep trust she places in him as her emotional sanctuary. Kento’s internal to-do list demonstrates his transition from a mere merchant to a pivotal figure in the kingdom’s economy and social fabric, showing a man who is beginning to realize the heavy price of his own success.
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Behind the Scene:
The ‘Western-style Cold Udon’ is a classic ‘isekai’ trope where the protagonist introduces a modern fusion dish to amaze the locals, often used here as a grounding emotional bridge between the characters.
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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.
• Laika – The beastwoman dog.
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
• 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.
• Nina-Mailse – A Sacred Artificer from the Holy City. She has short violet hair and wears thick glasses that somehow look stylish. She is attached to the Saint.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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