Chapter 187 Lord Harvest
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A few days after receiving the message from the Court Mage, Satsuki, I paid a visit to the office of my usual acquaintance, Her Majesty Queen Cecile Canaria.
Seated behind her characteristically opulent and tasteful desk, Her Majesty looked weary, yet her expression was remarkably refreshed. It was understandable, given that the war which had long tormented her had finally reached its end, but even so…
”Ah, you’ve arrived, Kento. How is business?” Her Majesty asked.
She addressed me with such genuine friendliness that I instinctively braced myself. Was Her Majesty always the type to initiate small talk like this? She was even beaming at me with a smile comparable to the time I presented her with the ‘Premium Slime-kun.’
”Eh? Er, well, thanks to you, business is booming… Is Your Majesty also… in good spirits?” I replied.
”Heh heh, why the sudden formality? It’s quite unlike you,” Her Majesty said, laughing.
She was definitely in a celebratory mood. I wanted to tell her that she was the one acting out of character. Had the sheer workload finally pushed her over the edge?
”Um, if you’re feeling exhausted, would you like to try some of my shop’s vitality supplements? Not the kind that makes you horny, just a standard one to give you some energy…”
”I am tired, yes, but not to that extent. Though, I’ll take you up on that libido-enhancing one once my schedule clears up,” she replied.
Apparently, she wasn’t so exhausted that she’d lost her edge. The way she casually requested the ‘horny’ supplement proved she was the same heavy user of our products as ever.
”Come now, there’s no need to start acting reserved at this stage. Not long ago, you pressed me so vehemently that we even bumped foreheads, did we not?”
”Ah—about that, I really am sorry…” Kento muttered.
Now that I think about it, this was the first time I’d seen her since that incident. Wait, is this leading into an execution pattern? No, the vibe doesn’t feel like that at all.
”I have no need for apologies. In fact, by any objective measure, I am the one who should be offering both apologies and thanks. I’m sorry for the immense hardships I forced upon you…” Her Majesty said.
”No, well, the three of them made it back safely, so it’s fine…”
”Umu. Gratitude is best demonstrated through action rather than mere words,” the Queen replied.
Her Majesty nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. Ah, it seemed she was simply in a fantastic mood, and my worries were unfounded. It might be rude to say, but I actually feel more secure when Her Majesty has that sharp, piercing gaze rather than a smile.
”To be perfectly honest, I no longer know what sort of reward I should bestow upon you. Your contributions to this war were truly monumental. First and foremost, you gave your consent to send your own employees to the front lines.”
Her Majesty raised a single finger toward me. It seemed that, just as Satsuki had hinted, she intended to speak candidly without any secrets.
That ‘first achievement’ was something I only agreed to under duress, and since the girls were the ones who did the heavy lifting, it’s debatable if I should take the credit, but I’ll take the win.
”Next, your cooperation in the development of the ultra-miniature magic weapon, colloquially known as PHZ¹. Without that invention, there’s no telling how the tide of battle would have turned.”
Her Majesty raised a second finger. I felt like the credit for that belonged to Satsuki since she did the actual development, but I’d heard the magic circuits I designed were the key, so I just nodded along silently.
”Finally, the way you swayed the hearts of the people in the Coalmine Kingdom² through the sale of ‘Ddo-Buddy’³. I never truly imagined things would play out exactly as you predicted…”
Her Majesty raised a third finger, a distant look appearing in her eyes. Well, I suppose I can take honest credit for that one? Based on what I’ve heard regarding the ceasefire negotiations, our shop’s merchandise was a major player there as well.
”I’m just glad I could be of assistance.”
”Umu. It is a feat worthy of the title ‘Hero of the Nation,’ despite you never setting foot on the battlefield… though I doubt you have any interest in such prestige,” the Queen said.
”Ah, well, yeah. Not to be blunt, but given what our shop actually sells, prestige is a bit of a lost cause at this point.”
”Heh heh, I suppose so. For my part, I would have preferred it if I could manage you with honors, but if you say so, there’s no helping it.”
Her Majesty shook her head with a resigned sigh. I mean, think about it—my greatest contribution was destabilizing an enemy nation by selling them “Ddo-Buddy.” And even that would’ve been a no-go without the help of the Tasogare Merchant Guild⁴ and the Church of Demon-Subjugation⁵.
If I’d pulled some ‘one-man army’ stunt on the field, maybe I’d be demanding a victory parade. But unfortunately, the only thing I actually did with my own two hands was inspect the “Ddo-Buddy” inventory.
In the end, I’m just a magic shop owner, nothing more and nothing less. Her Majesty seemed to understand that perfectly, as she nodded and moved the conversation toward the rewards.
”Now then, I recall we had three prior agreements. First, I shall compensate you for the revenue lost during the time you would have been open for regular business. Furthermore, I shall provide every possible assistance when you build that manor with the ridiculous name.”
Her Majesty lowered the fingers she’d been using to tally my achievements. To be honest about the revenue, I actually cleared more profit selling in Coalmine than I would’ve during a normal business cycle.
However, with future expansion in mind, it’s a simple fact that you can never have too much capital. To think that a business I started with protection money squeezed from back-alley thugs would grow to handle such massive sums…
And that “manor with the ridiculous name” she mentioned was the Ddo-Buddy Palace⁶. I’d named it after the ‘Herring Mansions’ or ‘Yellowtail Mansions’ from my old world—lavish estates built in a single generation by successful traders.
If I’m going to have a lot of kids in the future, I’ll need a big place. With Her Majesty’s backing, I’ll have a lot of creative freedom. It’s a total ‘new money’ move, but I hope it turns out well.
”And that leaves the matter of the peerage… I believe I told you to consider whether you’d accept it. Have you reached a decision?”
”Yes, I’ve decided to accept,” I replied.
”My, that was more straightforward than I expected. You seemed quite worried about being tethered to the state…”
It was true; accepting a title and becoming a noble meant being woven into the country’s social fabric. I’d worried it would make it harder to move as freely as I used to, but…
”I talked it over with some friends, and it seems like there are plenty of situations where having a title would be more convenient. Besides, if you’re willing to give a peerage to someone who’s been as rude as I have, surely You, Your Majesty, are prepared for what comes next?”
”Umu, that is true. I have already accounted for your whims and the trouble you tend to cause. As long as you keep running your shop in this country, I won’t complain, nor do I intend to make any unreasonable demands of you. I’m not keen on you barging in on me in the middle of the night again, after all.”
So that was the deal. With Her Majesty’s level of tolerance, even a master-servant relationship shouldn’t be a problem. I could tell she was being incredibly considerate of me and that she genuinely valued my presence.
”In truth, I would like to grant you the rank of Count, but that title is reserved for landed nobility. It is established law that Court Nobles may only rise to the rank of Viscount. Will that suffice?”
”Yeah, I’m not looking to be that big of a deal anyway.”
”Umu. Then we shall need a name… I am open to suggestions, though I have one in mind already.”
”Can I hear yours first?” I asked.
At my request, Her Majesty grinned and beckoned me closer. When I approached, she told me to lean in even more. Once I was right there, she grabbed my ear and whispered to me.
”─────”
Actually, because our faces were so close, I was suddenly reminded of just how beautiful Her Majesty is, and I completely blanked out; I didn’t actually catch what she said. But when she let go and asked, “What do you think? I had no choice but to nod frantically.
”Umu. Then from this day forward, you shall be known as Kento Harvest⁷!”
As my new name was declared with great fanfare, I couldn’t help but think she actually had pretty decent taste.
—
Summary:
Kento meets with Queen Cecile Canaria following the conclusion of the war and finds her in a remarkably jovial mood. They review Kento’s unorthodox yet vital contributions to the victory, ranging from magical engineering to psychological warfare via adult goods. Kento ultimately decides to accept a peerage, trusting in the Queen’s pragmatic and flexible nature. He is officially dubbed Viscount Kento Harvest, a name reflecting the literal ‘harvest’ of his various successes.
—
Character Insight:
Kento’s acceptance of the peerage marks a significant moment of growth, showing he has transitioned from a wary outsider to a trusted pillar of the kingdom who values his rapport with the Queen. Cecile, for her part, demonstrates her brilliance as a ruler by rewarding merit over social standing, effectively binding a high-value asset like Kento to her side through respect rather than force. Their interaction remains uniquely informal, highlighting a bond that transcends the typical monarch-subject dynamic.
—
Behind the Scene:
The ‘Harvest’ surname is a bit of a pun on the bounty Kento has brought to the kingdom and himself. The concept of the ‘Ddo-Buddy Palace’ mirrors the Japanese ‘Nishin Goten,’ symbolizing how a niche trade can lead to massive historical wealth. The Queen’s casual request for adult goods despite her regal status serves as the chapter’s primary comedic relief.
—
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.
• Cecile – A high-ranking, powerful woman in the capital who possesses the authority to regulate business and commerce, particularly concerning moral or public order issues. She is currently investigating Kento’s shop, ‘Harvest.’ Have long golden hair, elegant, and wearing expensive white dress with gold accesories.
• 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.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply