Chapter 514 A Hundred Rivers Pay Homage to the Sea ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”…Just who on earth is that person?”
I’d been listening to Rafuoro of the Evening Calm merchant guild recount the adventures(?) their fleet experienced on the Southern Continent. And then there was this final, enigmatic figure… this “messenger of a certain individual.”
”We don’t know… The guild’s top brass might have the full story, but neither I nor the sailors have been told a thing.”
”So, they have a reason to stay under the radar…”
Well, it made sense. Usually, if you’re commissioning an entire fleet just to haul a load of adult goods, you don’t exactly want your name on the front page. But that kind of over-the-top, rule-breaking move was exactly what screamed “high-born” about this mysterious “certain individual.”
”Is it the wife of some massive merchant house? Or someone connected to a Landlord or a King…”
”Yes, that’s exactly what everyone back home is thinking. Because of it, both the upper crust and the commoners are in a total uproar behind the scenes.”
He paused to correct my terminology, mentioning that their King is actually referred to as a ‘Governor’¹, or so Rafuoro said. A ‘Governor,’ huh… Of course, that’s a translation of a word from this world into a concept from my old one; it suggested a regional administrator rather than a true sovereign.
Apparently, a superpower was born on the Southern Continent several hundred years ago. Even though that empire had long since collapsed, the local lords still technically functioned as subordinates to that ancient King (or Emperor). Well, the fine print didn’t really matter to me.
”Is it that rare for an influential person from the opposite continent to send a messenger here?”
”Rare doesn’t even cover it. Generally, the people over there tend to look down on us. Aside from the occasional letter, it’s been over a decade since an actual ‘messenger’ set foot on our soil…”
Whether that was frequent for intercontinental travel or rare given the amount of trade was a matter of perspective. To me, it felt like the latter. But if those people believed that “traveling is for those of low status,” then the behavior tracked.
What didn’t track was the person who sent a ship specifically for adult toys. Normally, you’d assume the toys were just a cover—a front for some dark, ulterior motive. (No, let’s not talk about how usually you’d hide the adult goods, not the other way around, okay?) When I voiced that thought, Rafuoro nodded in agreement.
”Exactly! That’s what the guild realized, too. It’s why everything is in such a mess. The reason I was so late in talking to you was purely because of that chaos.”
”Man, sounds like a nightmare… Wait—is that why that ambassadorial team that visited us the other day felt so… lackluster?”
”…I can’t speak for the ambassadors, but it’s highly likely. I hear the Royal Palace is currently pulling out all the stops to entertain this person.”
”They’ve even been invited into the Palace?”
”Yes. She apparently tried to decline, but the Palace wasn’t about to take ‘no’ for an answer…”
I finally had the big picture. Some noble “messenger” with a thing for adult goods arrived in Sylvaol and caused a diplomatic meltdown. Because of that, my country—sitting at the bottom of the priority list—got ghosted. Still, given that salesmen from the major guilds were still sniffing around separately from Rafuoro and his group, we weren’t totally invisible.
The real kicker was that this person was specifically gunning for my inventory. Should I see this as a golden opportunity or just a giant pain in the neck? Sylvaol was clearly losing sleep over it, but my stance was already set.
”Well, you’ve certainly got my attention.”
”I knew you’d say that, Master Kento.”
Rafuoro said with a grin. He’d successfully hooked me on the Southern trade, just like he wanted. Given the circumstances, I didn’t even mind. But now it was time for the actual business.
”So, what are their demands? And what’s your plan?”
”I appreciate you getting straight to the point. Regarding the client, we’ve already fulfilled their first request: delivering every single product we could get our hands on to this ‘certain individual’ back on the Southern Continent.”
”Oh, so that’s why you said the fleet already set sail?”
”Precisely. Capturing the heart of this ‘individual’ is the priority. We even staffed one ship entirely with female sailors who are… intimately familiar with ‘Harvest’ products.”
”Now that you mention it, Fati said there was such a ship… I didn’t realize they’d be playing such a pivotal role.”
”Yes… well… they gained a significant amount of… ‘insight’ into the merchandise during the previous voyage…”
Rafuoro said that with his eyes wandering a bit awkwardly. (Well, it’s hard to say out loud that they are sailors who spent their idle time at sea diligently masturbating.) It’s a truly interesting story, but I’ll leave it alone without prying.
Meanwhile, Fati of the Sound of the Sea guild had been silently nodding along. She shot me a look of pure pride. (Yeah, considering the situation, I feel like it’s not really something to be proud of, but for a girl who dreams of the high seas, I guess any successful predecessor is a hero.)
Regardless, having power users on the inside was a blessing. Most of my stock is intuitive, but items like the “Slime-Pal” definitely benefit from a demo.
(I could almost see them now—out on the ocean, “deepening their product knowledge” by diligently exploring the wonders of self-pleasure and girl-on-girl flings. Man, I never realized how much I’d regret not having clairvoyance until this exact moment.)
”But the ‘messenger’ didn’t go back with them?”
”No. We had to let her crew rest before they could even think about another crossing. But that wasn’t the only reason.”
”Hm, is there an ulterior motive after all?”
”No, it’s not like that… It’s just that when she spoke with our headquarters, she heard that here at the ‘Harvest’ main branch in Canaria, new inventions are being churned out constantly. It seems her curiosity got the better of her…”
That made sense. The stuff we ship to Sylvaol is mostly the basics—the standard D**do-Buddies to the Anl series.
I remember that not only the “Wriggly-type D**do-Buddy” and the “Night Light Wand” developed a while ago, but even the “Warm D**do-Buddy” hadn’t been sent yet. (Well, there’s also the reason that the ‘Warm’ model has higher demand in the north than in the south, but either way, the words ‘new product’ carry a corresponding amount of Mana Circuits². Even for the ‘messenger,’ if she doesn’t investigate thoroughly for her master, it won’t be worth the effort of crossing the sea.)
”Alright, then let’s put together a care package of all our recent releases. I’ve got more coming down the pipe soon, too—we can keep those flowing as they’re ready.”
”T-That would be a lifesaver…”
”And we need to figure out how to push these to the general public in the South. Between that and the rising demand in Sylvaol, I’ll need to see if we can scale up production.”
”Yes, thank you for your consideration…”
I kept laying out the strategy, but Rafuoro’s energy was flagging. For a guy who had been practically vibrating with ambition a minute ago, he was acting weirdly cagey.
”By the way, don’t sweat those big guild guys. They haven’t come here, and I’ll tell the others not to give them the cold shoulder.”
”Ah—yes… We’ve been doing our absolute best to block them so as not to cause trouble for ‘Harvest’ like we did before…”
”I know you’ve been working hard. It’s paying off.”
”Yes, I am humbled…”
He was still being incredibly choppy. I decided to just blunt-force the truth out of him.
”…Is there something else?”
”Yes, well… It’s just that… this ‘messenger’… she’s requested a personal visit to ‘Harvest’…”
”…We’re talking state-guest level of ‘requested,’ aren’t we?”
”…Most likely. Our government will probably be sending a formal petition to Her Majesty the Queen.”
”…And if anything goes wrong, we’ll buy the resentment of Sylvaol, won’t we?”
”…The chances of that are… not zero.”
”…So what am I supposed to do?”
”…I couldn’t possibly say.”
And just like that, my shop—and by extension, my country—was now on the hook to welcome a mysterious “messenger” of unknown origin. I’m happy they came all this way seeking our products, but God… what a massive pain in the ass.
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Summary:
Kento learns from Rafuoro that a mysterious messenger from the Southern Continent has arrived in Sylvaol, seeking his adult goods. This has caused a massive diplomatic stir, leading to a request for a formal visit to Kento’s shop, ‘Harvest’. Kento balances the business potential against the massive political headache of hosting a state-level guest.
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Trivia:
- The term ‘Governor’ is a remnant of a collapsed superpower empire on the Southern Continent.
- Sylvaol is essentially prioritizing this mysterious messenger over its diplomatic relations with Canaria.
- A ship of female sailors has already gained ‘practical experience’ with Kento’s goods to act as demonstrators.
- The Southern Continent people generally have a superior attitude toward Kento’s region
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Character Insight:
Kento shows his pragmatism, immediately identifying business opportunities but also the ‘pain in the ass’ nature of high-level politics. Rafuoro is stressed by the scale of the situation, while Fati shows aspiration for the maritime life.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The author uses the ‘Governor’ (太守) title to imply a complex historical background for the Southern Continent, hinting at a larger world beyond the immediate setting.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Rafuoro – A slender Sylvaol merchant of the Evening Calm (Yuunari) Guild, with thin vermillion hair, pale skin and a lanky, skeletal frame, exudes calm poise surpassing even Fati. He meticulously secures trade advantages with the Southern Continent through shrewd, ambitious diplomacy.
• Kento – Lord Harvest, a dark‑haired Japanese salaryman who looks like Kazuma Satō, runs the magic shop Harvest. He wears a left‑ring band, lives in the Dildo‑Buddy Mansion’s basement with Amelia, and secretly runs an adult‑circuit network beneath his legitimate business. From another world he designs adult magic circuits—including the Night‑Glow Wand—holds a 7‑for‑7 impregnation record, is tied to the Queen, recently won a Great Dragon, and balances entrepreneur, strategist, and reluctant patriarch.
• Harvest – Kento Harvest, a gaunt scholar in a tattered academic coat, wields low‑mana circuits and masters Academy systems. He runs an adult magic‑circuit shop, crafting rare components with cold calculation, valuing brand trust. He has multiple lovers/slaves and several children.
• Fati – Dark, bruised‑crimson hair tied with a bandana crowns a sun‑kissed bronze‑skinned Sylvan woman, a Sound of the Sea merchant guild member. She handles domestic sales, nods to Rafuoro’s plans, dreams of leading an all‑female crew, and speaks informally as “atai.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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