Chapter 271 The Unreliable Adventurer ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
With the “Stampede”¹ crisis looming and four women-Tania, Laika, Aerith, and Tina-all carrying my children, I spent my days racing from place to place, trying to live up to my responsibilities.
It was during one of my usual stops at the Adventurer Guild to check on procurement that I was hit with a staggering reality.
”Wait… the materials haven’t been gathered!?” I exclaimed.
It was true. The materials I’d requested through the guild were barely trickling in. While they were open-ended requests with no hard deadlines, the Canarias Convent²-which had essentially become a “Ddo-Buddy”³ mass-production plant-didn’t have enough raw stock to keep the lines moving. The receptionist informed me that the next shipment would effectively exhaust our entire inventory.
In the world of adventuring, a failed request isn’t exactly rare. Clients are usually briefed on the risks, and most people understand that’s just the nature of the business. However, my requests offered great pay for low-risk work; they had never gone unfulfilled before.
”Not even the Pororo Snail shells? Or the Red Slime fluid!?” I pressed.
”I’m so sorry, Kento-kun…” Marm-san, the guild receptionist, said as she bowed her head in a deep, apologetic arc. “I knew I had to break the news to you eventually, but…”
I was too panicked to offer her any words of comfort. I just stood there, stunned. This was arguably the greatest crisis my shop had faced since its grand opening.
Pororo Snail shells are the heart of the “vibration mechanism” in products like the “Tremble-Ddo-Buddy.” I also use them for the heating elements in our “Hot-Shot-kun” magical heaters.
But the Red Slime bodily fluid is even more vital-it’s the primary material for the “Ddo-Buddy” chassis itself. These materials are irreplaceable. Without them, nearly half of my catalog becomes impossible to manufacture.
And if I can’t manufacture, I can’t export to the Coalmine Kingdom or the maritime nation of Sylvaol. My entire plan for the “Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere” would crumble. We’re talking about more than just a “big loss”-this is a total disaster.
”Can you… can you tell me exactly what’s going on?” I asked, my voice trembling as I tried to keep my composure.
Marm-san nodded solemnly. “Of course. Though I suspect you’ve already guessed. First and foremost, the ‘Stampede’ is causing a massive shift in monster habitats,” she explained.
”Is it really that severe?” I asked.
”It is. Red Slimes lived closest to the capital, didn’t they? When the monsters from deep in the forest start crawling toward the outskirts, the weakest ones-the slimes-get hit the hardest. Lately, they’ve vanished from their usual spots entirely,” Marm-san replied.
Marm-san sighed, resting a hand against her cheek. I never thought the day would come when you couldn’t find a single Red Slime around the capital walls.
Back when I was an adventurer, they were everywhere. They were actually the first monsters I encountered when I arrived in this world. Watching them bounce and jiggle around the city walls felt like being dropped into a classic RPG; I remember how much it pumped me up.
Of course, to a normal person, they were still a threat. Back then, armed only with a knife, it took me hours to bag one. They’re surprisingly quick, and if one slams into you, you’re going to end up eating dirt.
The city had tried culling them once, but they reproduced so fast that the population would reset by the next morning. Eventually, people just threw in the towel and accepted the slimes as part of the local scenery.
The secret to their numbers is likely as*xual reproduction-splitting like amoebas to multiply. As for food, they can dissolve and digest just about anything, including common weeds. In a way, they were my comrades; we both survived on a “wild grass full course” when I first got here.
And now, thanks to the Stampede, they’re gone.
”We don’t know if the forest monsters are so starved they’re eating the slimes, or if the slimes are just hiding,” Marm-san continued. “We’ve actually had some reports of them fleeing into the forest to get away from the predators.”
”And the adventurers are too busy dealing with the immediate threats to go on a slime-hunting expedition into the deep woods… is that it?” I asked.
Marm-san nodded again, looking pained. That explained the rest of the shortage.
”The labor shortage is also critical. Any adventurer skilled enough to hunt Pororo Snails has been diverted to frontline defense. Even the rookies who used to farm Red Slimes are being used as porters for the military. Besides, no rookie is going to risk the deep forest right now,” Marm-san said.
I had no comeback for that. After all, I was partially responsible for that labor shortage by knocking up A-rank powerhouses like Tania and Laika. I looked up at the ceiling, rubbing my forehead.
Where do I even start? I need to talk to the Merchant Guild Tasogare⁴ about logistics. Then there’s the Canarias Convent.
Could I ask the Sisters to gather the materials? No, bad idea. Not all of them are fighters, and pulling them off the assembly line would just create another bottleneck.
I’ll have to go apologize to my royal clients, Queen Cecile and Crown Princess Ierse, as well. They aren’t the type to fly into a rage, but this is going to seriously delay the Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere.
I had planned to go full throttle as soon as the Stampede settled down, but now… Ah, I need to contact the “Hot-Shot-kun” factory in the territory of Duke Badcage, too. I’ve already pushed them so hard that even the Duke’s elderly retainers are working the floor. I don’t want to worry Tina in her condition-maybe I should talk to Sebastian the butler instead?
”Um… Kento-kun? Are you okay?” Marm-san asked with genuine concern.
I must have had a thousand-yard stare, feeling like a corporate rookie back in my old world, preparing for a “grand apology tour” after a massive screw-up.
”I’m not okay, but… I’ll figure something out. It is what it is,” I said. “I might not be able to drop by every day for a while. Just tell the guys not to push themselves too hard.”
”I will. You take care of yourself too, Kento-kun,” Marm-san replied.
”Yeah. Thanks,” I said.
I left the Adventurer Guild and started making the rounds. I’ll hit everyone I can today, then request audiences with the Queen and Princess for tomorrow.
As I began my frantic damage control, I realized there was a solution-a “forbidden card” I could play. I could simply ask Tania the Elf and Laika the Beastman to go get the materials.
As experts, it would be an easy job for them. Even Lily, my precious “experiment” slave, has more than enough combat ability, even if she’d take a bit longer.
But Tania and Laika are pregnant. And while Lily insists she’s fine, she only just gave birth recently. She has our daughter, Momo, to look after. I can’t send her into the woods for weeks on end.
Then there’s Lily’s stepsister, Flearis, but she’s the personal bodyguard for the Crown Princess, and I can’t borrow her for long. Which leaves…
”Oh, wait. There is one more person, isn’t there? An adventurer I can count on… well, ‘count on’ might be a stretch,” I muttered.
—
Summary:
Kento discovers a severe supply chain disruption at the Adventurer Guild. The looming ‘Stampede’ has shifted monster habitats, making essential crafting materials for his adult goods shop nearly impossible to source. He realizes his own personal life has contributed to the local labor shortage.
—
Trivia:
- Kento is responsible for the labor shortage because he got the top-tier adventurers pregnant.
- The Canarias Convent is the primary manufacturing hub.
—
Character Insight:
Kento is experiencing a ‘salaryman PTSD’ flashback, feeling the weight of professional failure. He is balancing his desire to be a protective father/partner with his need to sustain his business empire.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses business management tropes (supply chain, labor shortage) to ground the fantastical ‘Adult Shop’ premise in high-stakes reality.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• Marm – The attractive, red-haired, tanned receptionist at the Adventurer’s Guild. She wears a uniform that emphasizes her ‘nice body.’ She is kind and acts like a supportive ‘big sister’ figure to Kento. Looks like Mirajane Strauss from certain series.
• 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.
• Ierse – The Crown Princess and wife of Gilliam, originally from a foreign land. She is described as lively and healthy with a unique charm. She wants to cheer up her husband. Has long haired hair.
• 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.
• Momo – The newborn daughter of Kento and Lily. She has pink hair and her father’s ear and eyebrow shapes.
• Flearis – A member of the diplomatic envoy and guard. Has pink hair.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply