Chapter 136 Rethinking the Business Plan
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”And that’s why the mobilization order has been issued…” I said.
After being summoned by Her Majesty for the first time in a while, I returned to the shop, gathered the employees, and told them what had happened at the royal palace.
As a result, the Elf adventurer Tania, the Dog-kin adventurer Laika, and the Court Mage Satsuki would be sent to the front lines. Our shop’s production and development capabilities would be significantly weakened.
I had managed to negotiate a decent amount of compensation, but it was still a blow to the shop, and I was worried about the three of them. It was a report filled with such regretful thoughts, but…
”Ah, it happened later than I expected. It seems the current generation is either quite competent or just plain stubborn,” Tania said.
”I’ve got to maintain my weapons. Oh, and my Ddo-Buddy¹ too! It’s been a while since I’ve had to deal with my ‘heat’ on my own… Tania-neesan, will you help me if things get dangerous?” Laika asked.
”Hmm? Well, if there’s no other way. More than that, I feel like borrowing some of Kento’s personal belongings would be more effective… Oh, Satsuki, is this your first time at the front? Steel yourself; mages are worked to the bone, you know,” Tania replied.
”I’ll be fine. I participated in some light skirmishes last year, so I generally know my role. More than that, it’s a shame that the research has to stop. We finally got a sample for the ‘two-hole’ version ready…” Satsuki said.
”You’ve already gotten that far? We haven’t even released the single-hole one yet, have we?” Laika asked.
”Well, I just got a bit carried away…” Satsuki replied.
”Ah, two holes feel really good, after all. You just couldn’t wait, could you?” Laika said playfully.
”N-No, that’s not it! I just thought of a way to connect the circuits, so I wanted to give it shape before I forgot…!” Satsuki shouted, blushing.
”Right, right, I get it, I get it,” Laika said.
”You don’t get it at all! Laika-san!” Satsuki snapped.
Yeah… maybe I’m the only one taking this too seriously? Despite my somber resolve in delivering the news, I was taken aback by the three of them acting as noisy as ever. Watching me, they smiled gently.
”Don’t make that face, Kento. This is normal for me, and Laika and Satsuki are always prepared. You might not know this, but we are actually very strong,” Tania said.
”That’s right! Whether it’s a dragon or a cyclops, it’s a piece of cake! We’d even knock the soldiers from Coalmine² flat!” Laika added.
”More importantly, don’t go making any too-interesting inventions while I’m gone, okay? And keep the new girls to a minimum,” Satsuki said.
Is this what they call the composure of the strong? They might be being considerate of my pathetic self, but more than that, they seemed genuinely relaxed.
Come to think of it, back in my adventurer days, the thugs used to tell me until they were blue in the face: “If you’re scared, you’re dead.” Behaving as usual and dealing with things calmly in times like these is surely the mark of a warrior.
”Yeah, I understand. It’s not like my worrying will change anything. Anyway, I’ll be praying for your safety every day,” I said.
”Heh, knowing that makes me feel like I have the strength of a hundred. It’s not bad to have someone waiting for your return,” Tania replied.
”Ah! When we get back, give us a reward, a reward! Like the right to have Kento all to ourselves for a whole day! Oh, but by then, Lily-sama’s belly will be big, so it might be tough…” Laika said.
”No, I’ll definitely make it work, so look forward to it and come back safely,” I promised.
”I-It’s not like it’s anything special; it’s within the scope of my original duties anyway…” Satsuki muttered.
A cheerful Tania, a tail-wagging Laika, and a tsundere Satsuki. Yeah, if it’s unavoidable, it’s better to wait while creating something to look forward to. That thought lightened my heart a little.
I probably should have promised Tania and Laika ‘baby-making,’ but if they return on schedule, the first one probably won’t even be born yet. More importantly, it felt like I’d be setting a bad flag, so I kept my mouth shut to break it before it could start.
”Oh, right, one more thing. That needlessly elaborate staff you’re always making—could you lend it to me?” Tania asked.
Tania was talking about the staff I’d been working on for a long time, packed with magic circuits. Did I start making it right around the time Tania began helping out at our shop? It had finally reached completion just a short while ago.
I’d started it thinking I should make some regular magic tools as a magic toolmaker, but making a normal staff was boring. So, I aimed to use technology to strengthen cheap materials—a bit of a backwards project, really.
”No, the staff you usually use has better performance than that, doesn’t it? I don’t think it’s a good idea to fight with a staff you’re not used to…” I said.
”Oh, it’s fine. I wasn’t thinking of it for combat, but as a lucky charm… and a companion for the night. Since you wrote those circuits so obsessively, I’m sure it’ll help me feel you close by and make things progress smoothly,” Tania said.
”…It’s dangerous, so don’t go inserting it or anything, okay?” I warned.
”Umu. I’ll stick to just sandwiching and rubbing it,” Tania said with a dead serious face.
Sandwiching and rubbing, huh… Well, it’s not something I could sell anyway, so it’s fine, but I never thought it would become an adult magic tool.
…Since it’s my work, maybe I should have added some nicely shaped protrusions. I’ll consider that a point for improvement next time.
”Nee-san, that’s cheating! Let me use it too!” Laika cried.
”M-Me too… N-No, that’s not it! I’m just curious about the magic circuits Kento wrote…!” Satsuki stammered.
”Satsuki aside, Laika isn’t a mage, so she probably won’t understand the lewdness of this staff. Think of something with more of a scent. Like underwear, for example,” Tania suggested.
”Of course I’m taking panties too, but the scent fades the more you use them!” Laika replied.
”I don’t think it’s lewd! I just want to feel the trace of his magical energy for a bit… Wait, that’s not the purpose!” Satsuki cried.
Between the staff being called lewd and the panties being taken, there was a severe lack of a straight man to call them out. Still, seeing this scene made me feel that I had to protect the shop properly so that this daily life could return again.
* * *
”And so, for a while, the three of us will have to manage somehow,” I said.
After the explanation, Tania and the others immediately headed to the Adventurer’s Guild and the royal palace to hear more details. Now, it was time for a discussion with the ones staying behind: Lily, the experimental slave, and Sister Amelia.
By the way, I’ll set up a separate time to talk with Aerith from the Garou Merchant Guild³. She has her own work to worry about, and I can’t ask her to help with production. I might ask her to be a pinch hitter if Lily’s feeling unwell, though.
”Morning sickness hasn’t started yet, so you don’t need to worry about me that much, you know?” Lily said gently.
”You mustn’t, Lily-san. You have to put your own body first. It’s okay; I’ll work twice as hard for everyone else’s sake!” Amelia said, full of determination.
These two also had much stronger nerves than I did. Especially Amelia, who would likely bear the heaviest burden, was showing great motivation. I felt sorry but grateful. I had to do my best too.
”For now, I’ll handle minding the shop. I want Lily to rest, and Amelia is the one who can make the most Ddo-Buddies among us. Lily, I’d like you to handle inspections within a reasonable range, and I’ll help either while minding the shop or after we close,” I suggested.
”Master, please don’t push yourself too hard either, okay?” Lily asked.
”The responsibility is heavy, but I’ll do my best!” Amelia replied.
For the time being, the shop operation itself should be manageable. We have more customers than before, but originally, I ran this place almost entirely on my own. It’s not impossible. The problem is…
”Next is the portion for sale to other shops and regions…” I muttered.
”That’s true… No matter how hard I try, I don’t think I can even reach half of our usual production. I suppose we have no choice but to explain the situation and ask them to wait…” Amelia said, furrowing her brow.
She achieves considerable productivity, but producing with magic versus producing with whatever ‘divine miracle’ she uses involves a different level of efficiency. Well, there is a solution, if you could call it that…
”But Master, you’re thinking of something, aren’t you?” Lily asked, hitting the nail on the head.
”Eh? Is that so, Kento-san?” Amelia asked.
”Yeah, well, sort of…” I replied.
Lily had called it perfectly, and I found myself troubled again. For some reason, due to personal feelings and social ethics, I wasn’t very keen on it…
”Look, we talked about it a little while ago, didn’t we? About what Archbishop Trantestar is planning…” I said.
”Ah…” Amelia muttered.
Understanding what I was trying to say, Amelia made a complicated face. I know exactly how you feel… Namely, the plan to turn the monastery into a ‘Ddo-Buddy Manufacturing Factory.’
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Summary:
Kento informs his staff that Tania, Laika, and Satsuki have been mobilized for war, which will weaken the shop’s production. To his surprise, the girls are unfazed and even make light of the situation, requesting personal rewards and ‘lucky charms’ for their return. After they leave to prepare, Kento discusses the remaining workload with Lily and Amelia. To maintain production levels, he reluctantly considers the Archbishop’s plan to use the monastery as a factory.
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Character Insight:
This chapter highlights the stark difference between Kento’s modern-world anxieties and the hardened mindset of his fantasy-world companions. While Kento worries about their safety and the shop’s ‘damage,’ Tania and the others display a ‘warrior’s composure,’ treating mobilization as a routine professional obligation. This shift forces Kento to step up as a leader and protector of the shop’s ‘daily life,’ while also grappling with the ethical dilemma of mass-producing adult goods through religious institutions.
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Behind the Scene:
The ‘two-hole’ sample Satsuki mentions refers to a double-penetration sex toy, indicating that the shop’s R&D is becoming increasingly specialized despite the looming war. The mention of ‘setting a flag’ is a common meta-commentary in Isekai novels, where the protagonist actively tries to avoid clichés like the ‘one last job’ trope that leads to character death.
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T/L:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Amelia – The Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugating, who usually buys from Kento, has light blue hair.
• 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.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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