Chapter 120 The Pink Devil
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It has been several days since Tina Badcage joined our shop’s circle. Having caused her to return home in the morning, I was trembling with fear that there might be some kind of contact from the Badcage family, but so far, there has been no word.
There was no point in living in fear, so today I invited her to hold our now-customary briefing session for the shop’s employees.
”Uh, well, so… Duke’s Daughter, Tina Badcage has agreed to help us with product experimentation…” I said.
”I look forward to working with you all, noja!” Tina replied with a spirited greeting.
The employees sent her a round of applause. Yeah, thinking about it again, what is this? They no longer have that cold look that says, ‘Has another woman been added?’ but rather an expression of resignation that says, ‘Well, do as you like.’
It didn’t seem like they truly had any hard feelings; during her last visit, they had helped care for her when her legs gave out, and even now, they were looking at her with warm eyes.
Or perhaps, it was a look of empathy, the kind that says, ‘Well, that’s how it goes, I get it.’ I have a slight worry that I’ve already been classified among them as some kind of ‘monster that seduces women,’ but since it’s starting to feel like a fact, I decided to keep my mouth shut.
”Hmph, that’s all well and good, but in the end, what happened with the procurement of Samon Mushrooms¹?” Tania asked.
As the applause died down, the adventurer elf Tania spoke with the detached air typical of a long-lived species. Lately, she has been silently producing Ddo-Buddy² for us, but I’m grateful because she calmly moves the conversation forward at times like this.
”Ah, yeah, about that…” I started.
”Let me explain this part,” Aerith said, stepping up.
Aerith, the young lady of the Garou Merchant Guild³ who had attended the social gathering with me, volunteered to explain. Negotiations with the Wives Association⁴—composed of upper-class wives—and their husbands who were being pushed by them, were to be left to her.
”To put the conclusion first, it seems we’ll be able to procure a small amount of stock, but for a fundamental solution, we’ll likely have to wait for relations with Coalmine⁵ to improve,” Aerith explained.
She began to speak, explaining how the members of the Wives Association, concerned about the stagnation of our shop’s production, were building an encirclement network against Coalmine.
”That is truly appreciated, noja. Thanks to that, I might be able to let my father and the others take it easy!” Tina added.
Tina joined in, explaining the current situation of the Badcage territory along with future prospects. Regardless of whether there is an outbreak of war, as time passes, Samon Mushrooms will likely become available again. Of course, it would be best if no war broke out at all.
”I see, so at any rate, we’ve done all we can. In that case, we have no choice but to focus on business,” Tania said.
”That’s right. Regarding that, let’s proceed with developing new products to secure sales in place of the items we can no longer produce. Specifically, high-end products for the ‘Wives Association’ that we’ve made a connection with this time,” I added.
As Tania summarized the point, I added my thoughts. I had originally intended to start working on high-end products for future development, but the discovery of a major customer base like the ‘Wives Association’ has made it even more important.
I intend to continue developing substitutes for the products using Samon Mushrooms, but their priority has become lower. This is partly because we’ve secured some stock, and partly because there’s a prospect for resolving the problem.
”I’ll be allowed to participate in the development too, right?” Satsuki asked.
”Yeah, just like I said during the social gathering,” I replied.
As I was explaining, Satsuki, the Court Mage, asked her question, and I nodded in response. I had promised her that she could participate in development as a thank you for joining me at the social gathering. I’ve been working her hard in the production department lately… Since she can move forward with her own research, she looks very happy.
”The ones planned for development are the ‘Wriggle-Wriggle Ddo-Buddy’ and the ‘Piston Machine’ from Kento’s ideas. Both are dildos aimed at even more complex movements than the Tremble-Ddo-Buddy⁶,” Satsuki explained.
”The ‘Wriggle-Wriggle Ddo-Buddy’ is a movement that combines a serpentine crawling motion like a snake with rotational motion. The Piston Machine⁷ features a Ddo-Buddy protruding from a fixed base that moves up and down,” I added.
”Or perhaps, we might complete the ultimate adult magic tool that can arbitrarily combine and switch between all movements: vibration, serpentine, rotation, and vertical! Multi-functional magic tool development is a research area that has become a bottleneck in various fields. If we succeed in developing this, our names will surely remain in the history of magic tool development—no, in the history of magic itself!” Satsuki shouted with passion.
Since I also plan to participate in the development department, I was explaining along with her, and Satsuki, her dreams expanding, spoke with burning eloquence. I felt like retorting to her, asking if she was really okay with her name being remembered alongside adult magic tools, but well, there was no need to dampen her spirits. I might have dyed her in our shop’s colors a bit too much…
”Unfortunately, I can’t ask Satsuki for ‘experiments,’ so I’ll ask everyone else to help as usual. Other than that, well, I might need to borrow Tania’s wisdom regarding magic circuits,” I said.
”Understood, leave it to me. Regarding materials, will it be the Adventurer’s Guild and the Tasogare Merchant Guild⁸ as usual?” Tania asked.
”Yeah, that’s right. Though for now, we don’t need any special materials; it feels like the money will mostly go into the mana stones for the power source,” I replied.
I added a few supplementary explanations and took a breath as Satsuki turned a little red at the calm conversation between Tania and me. The Samon Mushrooms problem and high-end product development—was there anything else to discuss? As I was thinking that, Sister Amelia quietly raised her hand.
”I have a small concern…” Amelia said.
”Ah, don’t worry about it, say anything. Feedback is very welcome,” I replied.
”If Satsuki-san and Tania-san have their hands full with development, there might be some anxiety regarding production. I’ll do my best too, but…” Amelia explained.
”Ah, sorry for putting a burden on you. Of course, I’ll adjust things so it doesn’t have an impact…” I said.
”No, it’s not that. I was thinking that we might as well let everyone focus on research and take the talk regarding production to our monastery,” Amelia suggested.
This was a troublesome proposal. For a while now, regarding production, Archbishop Trantestar of the Church of Demon-Subjugation⁹ has been giving off an aura like he wants a piece of the action. Specifically, it seems like a plan to turn the monastery into a ‘Ddo-Buddy’ production factory.
I wonder about this… It’s true that since we started selling in remote areas through the Tasogare Merchant Guild, production has been falling behind more often. It would be easy if we could leave that to the church, but I’m anxious about quality control and such leaving my hands.
In my previous world, I’d heard of many problems where quality deteriorated because work was passed to subcontractors, or the subcontractors suffered from being chased by deadlines. Or rather, because I was the one being jerked around by the intentions of the head office, I’m reluctant to be in the position of doing the jerking around.
”I understand Kento-san’s anxiety as well, but, well, I think it’s about time you listened to the proposal once. Actually, not just the Archbishop, but the Saint herself seems eager, and I’m worried it might cause you trouble eventually…” Amelia said.
”Ah, for example, the Saint directly barging in here…?” I asked.
”Yes…” Amelia replied.
I thought while comforting Amelia, who looked apologetic, telling her not to worry about it. Yeah, with that strangely light-hearted Saint and that strangely suspicious Archbishop, they could definitely do something. At any rate, it’s a fact that the production department is short-handed; I’ll make an appearance eventually.
”Alright, well, I’ll think about it. So, was there anything else we needed to do?” I asked.
”Yes, yes, yes! For me, the most important topic hasn’t even come up yet?” Laika asked.
In response to my question, this time the dog-beastman adventurer Laika raised her hand with a snap! It feels rare for her to raise her hand in a meeting like this. What could the most important topic be?
”The talk about making a baby with Lady Lily! Since the proposal, you’ve added two more females, aren’t you dragging your feet too much? I want you to think about those of us who are waiting in line!” Laika shouted.
At that perfectly sound argument that left me speechless, I reflexively looked at our shop’s experiment slave, Lily. She was quietly sipping tea. Come to think of it, I feel like I haven’t heard her voice once since this briefing session started.
”Ah, yeah. That’s right, yeah. Then, well, shall we start around tonight…” I muttered.
”I’m counting on you, Kento! Make sure you get her pregnant perfectly in one go!” Laika encouraged me.
Laika gave me encouragement while I had become strangely embarrassed. And as for the crucial Lily, she remained quiet as usual… It didn’t seem like she was angry. If anything, she seemed anxious…? While I was thinking that, one more person raised their hand. It was Duke’s Daughter, Tina Badcage.
”Um, I’m sorry if this dampens the mood, but could I ask one thing that’s been on my mind… noja?” Tina asked.
I didn’t think her hand would go up at this timing. I thought Tina had no intention of making babies due to various circumstances regarding the right of succession to the throne, and wasn’t interested in the ‘turn’ Laika mentioned… But her next words were something I never expected.
”That Lady Lily over there is a person of Coalmine, correct? Lord Kento, why are you keeping her as a slave… noja?” Tina asked.
”Pardon…?” I blurted out.
A dumbfounded voice escaped me. The first question was news to me, and the second was a question I could only answer with ‘because she was being sold.’ Lily is a person of the Coalmine Kingdom? It felt like ‘so what?’, but what was I being asked?
”No? From her bearing and such, I can see that she is likely of noble stock. She might be a child of a mistress rather than a direct descendant, but it seems she has received a proper education, noja,” Tina continued.
Tina’s analytical words followed. Come to think of it, I had avoided questioning her about her past. I had a faint suspicion of what Tina was saying, but I thought there was no need to ask if the person themselves didn’t want to talk.
”Um, it’s hard to say, noja, but if she’s from a family with a name, it could become an international incident. Does Lady Cecile-nee know about this… noja?” Tina asked.
Under the slavery system of this world, it was a possibility. A slave is not a person who has lost human rights, but someone bound by a disadvantageous contract. That’s why there are aspects where they are protected by the contract, but if Lily is truly the daughter of a powerful person, there should be appropriate protests from both herself and her relatives regarding her current position.
”Uh, for now, I’ve entered into a contract with her through a legitimate shop, but does Tina have some kind of basis for that…?” I asked.
”Yes, it would be fine if it’s just my imagination, noja, but that hair color is special to us people of the Badcage family,” Tina said while looking at Lily’s pink hair. And Lily, still holding the teacup in both hands, did not open her mouth.
”We are told stories and raised with them since we were young, noja. ‘If you don’t stay a good child, the Pink Devil will come from Coalmine…’” Tina muttered.”
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Summary:
Kento holds a staff meeting to introduce Tina as a new product tester. The group discusses the Samon Mushroom shortage and shifts focus toward developing high-end multi-functional magic tools for noblewomen. Laika pressures Kento to follow through on his promise to have a child with Lily. However, the meeting ends on a tense note when Tina reveals that Lily’s pink hair suggests she might be a noble from the rival Coalmine Kingdom, potentially a figure known as the ‘Pink Devil.’
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Character Insight:
Lily’s silence throughout the chapter takes on a heavy significance once her potential noble background is revealed. Her anxiety isn’t just about the ‘child-making’ mentioned by Laika, but the looming threat of her past catching up with her. Tina, despite her energetic exterior, demonstrates her noble upbringing by identifying the political risks Kento is unknowingly taking by keeping a high-profile ‘slave.’
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Behind the Scene:
The author uses the ‘Pink Devil’ lore to bridge the gap between the shop’s mundane business struggles and the larger geopolitical conflict between the Badcage territory and the Coalmine Kingdom.
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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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Amelia – The Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugating, who usually buys from Kento, has light blue hair.
• Trantestar – The middle-aged man Archbishop of Canarias and the initiator of the current trial. He is an alleged ally of Kento but remains suspiciously neutral.
• Laika – The beastwoman dog.
• 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.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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