Chapter 111 Social Gathering ④
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Is it you? The man who has been selling those strange magic tools lately…!”
At the social gathering hosted by Lady Tina Badcage. While I was dealing with people who wanted to hear about our shop, a middle-aged man with squared shoulders approached me. He had hair streaked with white, a magnificent mustache, and luxurious attire. He was clearly a high-ranking official.
”Lord Samoro…!”
Baron Madrant, who had been talking to us until just a moment ago, hurriedly bowed and cleared the way. He then blended into the crowd as if he couldn’t bear to be caught up in the scolding. His wife, Lady Jane, looked a bit dissatisfied, though.
”Hmph! Noble blood groveling to such a person… how slack things have become!!!”
Apparently known as Marquis Samoro, he spat those words out while glaring toward the departing Baron Madrant. The nobles who had spoken to us so far were only Barons or, at best, Viscounts, so this was a big player appearing.
”Well, well, Lord Samoro. I trust you are in good spirits,” Aerith said.
Aerith, who had been clinging to my right arm, stepped forward and gave a bow, saying that to Marquis Samoro, who looked anything but in good spirits. It was a perfect smile, neither fawning nor flattering.
”The Garou Merchant Guild¹, I see… So it was true that one of the capital’s leading high-end shops is on intimate terms with a shady magic tool shop…!”
”I am Aerith, daughter of Ouka. With all due respect, ‘Harvest’² is a shop recognized by the Beast-person Association³ and Her Majesty. Please refrain from making careless remarks,” Aerith said.
”That is precisely what is wrong! Honestly, what could Her Majesty be thinking…!”
Marquis Samoro spat those words out while fuming. While I thought, ‘It’s a problem even if you’re that angry,’ I felt the same vibe from him as I did from Cardinal Mork, whom I met during the ‘Ddo-Buddy Trial.’
How should I put it… it felt like he was being pushed around by a young female boss. He seems like a man who’s had a lot of hardships… well, maybe I shouldn’t be the one thinking that, considering I’m the cause. Let’s see, what did I do back then? I think the (pseudo) Saint handled it for me?
However, Her Majesty isn’t here, and I don’t actually know what kind of person he is. As I was considering how to respond, my left sleeve was tugged.
”Prime Minister Dan Samoro, Marquis Samoro. He is a heavyweight of the court who has continued to support Her Majesty since her enthronement,” Satsuki whispered.
Satsuki whispered in my ear from the left side, taking over for Aerith who was facing the Marquis. I see, the Prime Minister. That’s a very high-ranking official indeed. And as expected, the possibility of him being the type of middle-aged man who gets pushed around seems high.
”I have seen you at court before…” Marquis Samoro said.
”Pardon me, my greeting is late. I am Satsuki, a Court Mage. Currently, by Her Majesty’s order, I am assisting with research at his shop,” Satsuki said.
”Hmph, the prestige of Court Mages has truly fallen to the ground…”
Satsuki stepped forward and bowed. Left behind, I wondered what I should do. No, I know, I have to greet him.
I’m very reluctant, but if I just let him have his way, I might lose customers like Baron Madrant. Or rather, I can’t just stay silent when Aerith and Satsuki are being insulted.
”It is an honor to meet you. I am Kento, the owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest.’ May I call you Lord Samoro?”
”I have no name to give to the likes of you! A dweller of the shadows should act like one and stay quiet, yet you have the gall to show your face in a place like this…!”
Yeah, he’s certainly a nagging old guy, but I wonder what he’s so angry about. I don’t recall… well, I actually have plenty of ideas.
”I have two things I wish to say. First, I am indeed a dweller of the shadows, and my shop is a shady one. However, I must ask you to retract your words regarding Aerith and Satsuki. They are exceptionally talented and diligent, and neither the Garou Merchant Guild nor the Court Mages deserve such words from you.”
”You…!”
”I said I have two things. Is interrupting someone’s speech something done by one of noble blood?”
I put my arm out in front of Marquis Samoro, who tried to raise his voice mid-sentence, and held up two fingers to stop him. His lips twisted into a ‘gununu’ scowl, but I continued without worry.
”One more thing, I did not sneak into this place. I petitioned Lady Duke Badcage’s daughter, Tina through the Garou Merchant Guild and have come here by invitation. Isn’t it strange for you to find fault with that?”
I thought this was a bit cunning, but I tried to persuade him by bringing up Tina-jou’s name. Since her name was mentioned, he probably couldn’t just keep shouting; the Marquis’s ‘gununu’ intensified. Veins literally bulged on his forehead.
”Such arrogant talk…! Because of you, at your shop, my wife, my daughter…!”
Marquis Samoro growled in a low voice that couldn’t be heard by the surroundings. Ah, this is bad. Because of the ‘logical punch’ the shady owner of the shady shop accidentally threw, he was on the verge of erupting.
Let me state my excuse. I tried to stop him. For the honor of him, his wife, and his daughter, I tried to cut off the words that were coming. But well, it’s a question of how many people can accept a restraint from the person they’re trying to vent their anger on.
”BECAUSE OF YOU, MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE BECOME SLUTS WHO KEEP SLIMES IN THEIR ASSHOLES!!!! dazo…!!!”
The shout of His Excellency Marquis Samoro echoed…!!! dazo…!! dazo……! I wouldn’t say the entire grand hall, but the people nearby definitely heard him perfectly.
If this were a movie and I were the director, I would have captured his image perfectly with camera one, camera two, and camera three, showing it in three cuts. That’s how much silence and stillness—an unbearable ‘pause’—dominated the people there.
What should I do about this disaster? The savior that I, and everyone around me, was seeking eventually appeared from the crowd with a bright red face.
”I was wondering what you were doing leaving me alone, and this is it…!”
She was a woman with an atmosphere of a beautiful mature woman, her flaxen hair mixed with some white, but it was clear she must have been quite a beauty when she was young. Upon noticing her arrival, Marquis Samoro’s face went from bright red to deathly pale in an instant.
”A-Adeline! T-This, you’re wrong!”
”How am I wrong! Who and who are sluts!?”
”I-It’s a misunderstanding! I don’t actually think that, i-it’s just a general statement…?”
Marquis Samoro’s desperate excuse. The eyes of the woman called Adeline, who apparently keeps a ‘Slime-kun’⁴ in her asshole, sharpened.
”Can you say the same thing to Her Majesty the Queen! In the first place, it’s your fault for always being preoccupied with work!!!”
”N-No, well…”
”Everything regarding Collette is your fault too! Saying you won’t give her to a half-baked man and not even bringing her any marriage proposals…!”
The panicked Marquis Samoro, the angry Adeline-sama, the heated lovers’ quarrel (?). While knowing we shouldn’t listen, we couldn’t even leave this place, and we stood there not knowing what to do.
Eventually, Adeline-sama, who seemed to have vented her frustration by nearly pulling her husband’s ear off, looked around and said.
”Ahem. I have memorized the faces of everyone here. Not a single person is to leak what they just saw or heard! Is that understood!?”
We could do nothing but nod our heads repeatedly…
* * *
”That was intense…” I said.
”It was intense, wasn’t it…” Aerith replied.
”It was intense, wasn’t it…” Satsuki asked.
After that, Adeline-sama apologized to us for causing trouble (making her husband apologize too), and after casually asking about the high-end ‘Slime-kun,’ she left the area. I should add that her ears were dyed red the whole time. I’m not sure who that information benefits, though.
”Uh, so Adeline-sama is a customer of the Garou Merchant Guild, then?” I asked.
”No, Adeline-sama sometimes buys regular products, but she has never shown interest in the Master’s products… It’s unlikely to be the Tasogare Merchant Guild⁵ either, so she’s probably using some means to purchase them at the main store…” Aerith replied.
I see, is it the Queen’s pattern? In the beginning, the Queen also ordered her maid, Muse-san, to buy products from our shop. In that case, it was inevitable from the start that our products would develop the assholes of wives and young ladies…
While thinking that I’ve developed terrifying products, I consider whether it’s possible to revise the future sales policy. I want to do something to avoid creating victims like Marquis Samoro, but it seems a bit impossible…
While I’m thinking about that, Satsuki gazes intently at me. Before I know it, Aerith is looking at me the same way.
”You get angry in that way, don’t you,” Satsuki said.
”Eh…?”
”It didn’t feel bad,” Satsuki said, smiling mischievously.
She’s probably talking about the ‘logical punch’ I threw at Marquis Samoro. I only intended to assert what needed to be asserted, but being told that, I realized I was actually quite angry.
”Master, Aerith feels like she wants to eat your ears right now…♡”
”W-What kind of mood is that…”
While realizing my own ears were a little hot, I had a hard time soothing Aerith, who was expressing her affection in a strange way. …This is also a story I’m not sure who benefits from.
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Summary:
During a social gathering, Kento is confronted by the furious Prime Minister, Marquis Samoro, who insults his shop and companions. Kento stands his ground with a series of logical arguments, accidentally causing the Marquis to lose his temper and scream that his wife and daughter are obsessed with Kento’s adult goods. The Marquis’s wife, Adeline, intervenes, leading to a public scolding and an embarrassing domestic dispute. After the incident, Aerith and Satsuki express their admiration for Kento’s defensive stance.
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Character Insight:
Kento demonstrates a growing sense of responsibility and protection for those close to him, refusing to let high-ranking nobles trample on Aerith and Satsuki’s dignity. Marquis Samoro is revealed to be a classic ‘stressed-out middle-aged man’ trope, overwhelmed by both his professional duties and the sexual liberation of his family members caused by Kento’s products. Satsuki’s observation of Kento’s anger suggests she is starting to see a more authoritative and attractive side to his personality.
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Behind the Scene:
The use of the sentence-ending particle ‘dazo’ by Marquis Samoro is a common way in Japanese fiction to denote a high-status, slightly archaic, and authoritative male speaker. The concept of ‘logical punch’ (正論パンチ) is a popular internet slang term in Japan for when someone uses undeniable logic to effectively ‘knock out’ an opponent in an argument.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Tina Badcage – Silver-haired, red-eyed woman with a very formal, old-fashioned way of speaking, often ending sentences with ‘no ja’. She is the only daughter of the Duke Badcage, tasked with guarding the North for the Canaria Royal Family. She is described as a beauty. Her inexperience suggests a slender build, and her dress is likely formal and aristocratic, though not explicitly stated.
• Samoro – A middle-aged Marquis and Prime Minister with a lot of white hair, a magnificent mustache, and luxurious attire. He is a key figure in the court who has supported the Queen since her enthronement.
• Madrant – A baron nobleman from the south who previously purchased a ring from Aerith. He is eager to learn about Kento’s new products.
• Jane – Baron Madrant’s wife, who pressures him to secure products from Kento’s shop.
• 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.
• Ouka – The middle-aged head of the Garou Merchant Guild, known for leather goods and accessories. He is a prominent figure using his own family’s experience to advocate for the ‘Tremble Ddo-Buddy’. Have gray wolf ears and wear merchant attire.
• Mork – A central figure in the ‘Inquisition.’ Acts panicked and constantly looks sideways, seemingly pressured by the masked Inquisitor. He represents the rigid, fear-based opposition to the protagonist’s products.
• 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.
• 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.
• Adeline – Marquis Samoro’s wife. She has flaxen hair mixed with some white and possesses the atmosphere of a beautiful mature woman.
• Muse – Cecile’s trusted attendant and chief maid, Muse handles sensitive, discreet tasks like espionage and product acquisition. Have sharp, black eyes, wearing maid uniform, and have expressionless face.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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