Chapter 466 Tending the Shop
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Please, come again soon!”
”…!”
As I waved at her retreating back, the young woman-clutching one of our shop’s bags to her chest-hurried toward the exit. The bell above the door gave a light tinkle as she stepped outside, her fast walk breaking into a jog as she vanished down the alleyway.
It had been a while since I’d handled the counter myself. She was another customer I’d never seen before. It seemed that while I was away from my shopkeeping duties, the demographic had undergone a subtle shift.
”Phew. Well, that was a reaction…”
Most of these new customers seemed to have their guard down, only to be visibly startled when they saw a man sitting at the workbench we used as a register. When I tried to strike up a conversation-or rather, when they stammered, “W-why is there a man in here!?”-I could pretty much piece together the situation.
In short, they either didn’t know I was the owner, or even if they did, my sister-in-law Flearis-san had been covering the shop so often lately-and other members had filled in during the busy season before that-that the shop no longer had a “male” image.
Of course, the regulars hadn’t vanished. Even today, several customers who’d caught wind of the new products for the Wielope Empire¹ dropped by. Though, since they were here seeking new heights of pleasure, they looked a bit skeptical when they saw the “glowing sticks” I was offering.
On the flip side, those specific products were a hit with the newcomers. For those who couldn’t bring themselves to say the words “Dildo-Buddy”² or name specific aphrodisiacs, they ended up settling on the “Night Light Wand” as a safe alternative.
I’d originally developed those for the Wielope Empire, where people are much more prudish about s*xual matters than they are here, but it turned out there was a dormant demand in our country as well. I thought I’d already saturated the local market, but it seems there were still plenty of modest women who hesitated to buy “adult magic circuits”³.
”How are things going, Master?”
”Oh, hey. It’s fun-actually, it’s a real eye-opener. If I don’t do business with the customers directly, I risk misreading the market trends.”
My love-slave⁴ Lily-san popped her head out from the living area in the back. Lately, we’d been living entirely at the Mansion, but today she was indulging my selfish whim: ‘I want to mind the shop, but I don’t want to be away from the kids.’
That meant, of course, my love-elf Tania-san and my love-dog Laika-san were here too. The two of them peered out behind Lily-san.
”You’re as diligent as ever,” Tania-san said, sounding impressed. “Normally, once someone earns this much, they’d leave the storefront to subordinates and stay as far away from the counter as possible.”
”Is it diligence, or does he just want to flirt with the ladies?” Laika-san countered, her eyes narrowing. “It’s very Kento-like, honestly.”
Tania-san was praising me, while Laika-san had accurately pegged my ulterior motives. Well, okay, my “dirty mind” was a big part of it, but it wasn’t a lie that I wanted to hear the customers’ feedback-or that I just liked playing the part of the “shady shopkeeper.” …Really, it’s true!
”Sorry for making you all put up with my selfishness,” I said.
”Please, Master, ask as much as you like,” Lily-san replied. “As I told you yesterday, this is your shop, after all.”
”Indeed,” Tania-san added. “Besides, I don’t care where we are. As long as you’re here, and everyone else is here, that’s more than enough for me.”
”Look at Big Sis, getting all sentimental,” Laika-san teased. “But I get it. The big house is nice, but a cozy place where everyone’s squeezed together is fun, too.”
”Heh, thanks. How are the kids?”
”Fast asleep ssu,” Lily-san said.
I took a break from the counter and headed into the living area. I’d know the second a customer arrived thanks to the bell on the door. I couldn’t exactly mind the shop while carrying the kids-I’d feel awkward, and I doubt a customer wants to buy an adult magic circuit from a guy holding a baby-but I could certainly dote on them during the quiet spells.
”What, all three of them are down?”
”Yes. Momo-chan was so happy to be back here that she wore herself out,” Lily-san explained.
”Yeah, I could hear her. It’s probably good to spend time here once in a while.”
I’d heard my daughter Momo-chan’s voice from the shop- ‘tanochii! So fun!’ -so I knew she’d been in high spirits. It was actually pretty funny seeing the customers’ faces when they realized there was a baby in the back.
Right now, Momo-chan was in the crib gifted to us by the Queen Her Majesty, sound asleep alongside my son Wakaba-kun and my daughter Mikan-chan. With the pink, spring-green, and orange colors all lined up, it was quite the sight. Of course, it’d be even more wonderful once gray and silver were added to the mix.
They were angelic when awake, but when they slept, their cuteness hit a whole different level. Sometimes they’d sleep like logs, their breathing soft and rhythmic, and other times they’d wiggle their tiny limbs. It was irresistible. I found myself leaning over the edge of the crib, staring at them with a goofy grin.
”They really are cute…” Laika-san whispered, leaning in. “I thought the pups in the pack were cute, but when it’s my own, or Tania’s, or Lily’s… it’s just so much more!”
”Umu. I didn’t want children for a long time, but this is quite something,” Tania-san agreed. “It makes me want to line up ten more of them.”
”Fufu, with Master, that will happen in no time,” Lily-san teased. “Don’t you think it’ll be twenty or thirty soon enough?”
”Ahahaha! The more the merrier!” Laika-san laughed.
”It sounds like quite a handful, though,” Tania-san muttered.
My wives clearly felt the same way. We snuggled up together to watch the babies. I kept my mouth shut regarding the “thirty children” comment, but at this rate, I suspected there wouldn’t be a year without a baby’s cry in our house for the next decade. Actually, knowing us, it’ll probably be longer than that.
Well, that was fine too. To make that happen, I needed to keep raking in the gold so the kids could grow up in peace. I decided to head back to the shop for some more “market research.”
”Alright, I’m heading back out for a bit. Call me if anyone needs a diaper change.”
”Understood. Good luck with ‘work,’ okay?” Lily-san said with a smile.
”Yeah.”
I was doing it for fun, and since I didn’t need to be at the counter anymore, I didn’t really need to work hard, but Lily-san’s encouragement made my motivation surge anyway. I guess I’m just a simple guy.
Back in the shop, I didn’t feel like sitting at the workbench right away, so I took a slow walk around. This interior was exactly how I’d painstakingly set it up back when I was broke. I’d made some upgrades, of course, but looking at the shelves reminded me of when I first repaired them.
There was the magic circuit that puffed out weirdly colored smoke-useless, purely for the “suspicious” aesthetic. There were the flasks of strangely colored oil-also useless, but they looked the part.
Some of those early experiments led to big breakthroughs; others were total dead ends. I remembered making the wand that served as the prototype for the “Ultra-Miniature Magic Circuit” here. Maybe I’d try making something weird and nonsensical again, just for old time’s sake.
I sat at the bench and rummaged through the material shelves Lily-san had kept organized for me. My workspace was just as I’d left it. What should I make? A wand was too cliché. Maybe a charm? Or a talisman?
I lost myself in the work for a while, stopping to help the occasional customer, then coming back to the circuits. I was just starting to think about closing up for the night when-
”WAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAH!”
The sound of crying erupted from the living area. First Mikan-chan, then Wakaba-kun, then Momo-chan-all joining in almost simultaneously. Just as I started to stand up to see what was wrong, I heard the tinkle-tinkle of the front door opening.
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Summary:
Kento returns to his original magic shop to perform shopkeeping duties while his family stays in the back. He realizes that his customer base has shifted toward modest women interested in ‘Night Light Wands.’ The chapter ends with his children crying and a mysterious visitor entering the shop.
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Trivia:
- Kento’s shop was originally perceived as a place with no male presence recently due to his sister-in-law Flearis.
- The ‘Night Light Wand’ was originally a product for the Wielope Empire but found a market at home.
- The kids (Momo, Wakaba, Mikan) are sleeping in a crib given by the Queen.
- Kento is still keeping up the ‘shady shopkeeper’ persona with useless decorative items like colored smoke
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Character Insight:
Kento shows growth in balancing his business ambitions with paternal care, expressing a desire to be near his children even while working. His wives show a deepening bond, discussing the possibility of a much larger family.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author often uses these ‘intermission’ chapters to ground the power-scaling of the protagonist back into his civilian life as a shopkeeper.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Flearis – A member of the diplomatic envoy and guard. Has pink hair. Lily’s sister or Martin’s younger foster sister. Has pink hair. Member of the covert unit. Displays a cold, almost vengeful pragmatism when reporting her sister’s words to Martin.
• 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.
• 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 – Lord Harvest—the unassuming owner of the Harvest magic tool shop (with a discreet adult goods side). An isekai’d Japanese salaryman resembling Kazuma Satou, with dark hair and basic magic for crafting. Recently triumphed over a Great Dragon; now juggles his harem, tinkering, and ties to Amelia and the Queen at Ddo-Buddy Manor.
• Momo – The newborn daughter of Kento and Lily. She has pink hair and her father’s ear and eyebrow shapes. Very energetic and vocal for an infant. Approximately one year old. Capable of standing on her own and mimicking simple words. Energetic and affectionate. The shopkeeper’s eldest daughter who has recently started speaking.
• Wakaba – Newborn son of Kento and Tania. A half-elf magic user with large Mana Circuits. Has squishy cheeks, tiny fingers, and soft floppy ears. Emits magical discharges when throwing tantrums. The newborn son of Kento and Tania. Has green hair and elf ears.
• Mikan – Kento’s daughter. Orange-themed. The protagonist’s newborn daughter. Described as having a cheerful, oblivious expression. The shopkeeper’s newborn daughter.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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