Chapter 162 Anti-War ‘Ddo-Buddy’
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Sera-chan of the ¹Tasogare Merchant Guild had just told me, “I’ll do anything for the sake of the ‘²Ddo-Buddy'(?).” While I could certainly say that making pure girls utter the names of my products is my very reason for living, this time, my conscience was actually aching a bit….
”S-Sera! You don’t have to go that far! Do you understand? This is that Kento-san we’re talking about! Y-You’ll surely be drugged with aphrodisiacs and have ‘this’ and ‘that’ done to you…!!!”
The manager, Badatt-shi, said as his usual villainous face contorted. Hey, what on earth do you think of me?! I almost shout that out instinctively, but I reflect on my own actions and hold my tongue.
The fact that I’ve drugged many women with aphrodisiacs and done ‘this’ and ‘that’ to them is an undeniable truth, after all…. Or rather, I just finished doing exactly that last night.
”It’s fine, Manager…. The time has finally come for me to repay the debt of gratitude for you teaching me the trade from scratch, even though I was just a young girl who didn’t know if I’d be useful. For the sake of the merchant guild and my comrades, I can endure whatever fate awaits me…!” Sera said firmly.
”S-Sera…!” Badatt cried out.
”No, I’m not going to do anything that horrible…. Even Sera-chan, what do you take me for…?”
”Eh…!? Y-You’re not going to do it…?” Sera asked, sounding surprised.
”Sera!?” Badatt exclaimed.
As I interjected into the two who were getting worked up on their own for some reason, Sera-chan looked disappointed, while Badatt-shi looked shocked upon seeing her reaction.
Well, I wouldn’t mind doing it if that’s what’s desired, but without the excuse of it being for ‘business,’ it’s a bit awkward, or rather, embarrassing….
”E-Err, well, since the Tasogare Merchant Guild has been good to me, I’ll cooperate as much as possible. So, how exactly is our product going to help rescue Gannet-san and Rigol-san, the couple hiding out in ³Coalmine?”
I steered the conversation back on track after it had started heading in a strange direction. Sera-chan looked dissatisfied and Badatt-shi remained wary, but they seemed inclined to answer. The two looked at each other, and then Sera-chan opened her mouth.
”As I mentioned earlier, Gannet-san and the others were saved by devotees of the ‘Ddo-Buddy.’ They didn’t save the two out of pure kindness alone. They are hoping that by saving them, they can obtain products from ‘⁴Harvest.’”
Ah, I see. It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the fate of those two lies in the grip of the ‘Ddo-Buddy.’ Hmm, though the ‘Ddo-Buddy’ is usually the one being gripped….
”Furthermore, the devotees wish for an early resolution to the war, and apparently, they are using the products to increase their numbers. They send what few products they could bring out to the wives of influential people, and if they like them, they tell them, ‘If a ceasefire is reached, even more amazing products could be obtained…’ and so on.”
Extraordinary news: ‘Ddo-Buddy’ becomes a bridge to peace. No, the war hasn’t ended yet, so maybe it’s more like it’s becoming a symbol of the anti-war movement…? Either way, it’s so absurd it makes me dizzy, but if it truly leads to the end of the war, that would be a major development.
Come to think of it, over on this side, there’s also an organization(?) called the ‘⁵Wives Association’ that favors our shop’s products…. I feel like they’d get along well with the ‘devotees’ over there, so maybe it will work out surprisingly well….
”Yeah, I understand the situation. In that case, let’s cooperate. Actually, the monastery has also brought up wanting to increase production of goods for Coalmine, so we might be able to ask the Church to handle the transport.”
This is what they call a timely boat. I still need to consult with the Archbishop, but the Church is also an organization that advocates for anti-war. There shouldn’t be any major obstacles.
And so, I ended up discussing the sale—or rather, the proselytization—of products in Coalmine with the Tasogare Merchant Guild a step ahead of schedule. Since it’s not a regular sale, there won’t be any profit, but our shop will make some concessions there. If I can even get the Church to chip in some money, the losses shouldn’t be too great.
Once the war ends, Tania and the others will return, and Tina, who had been feeling wilted, will be happy. I can also fulfill Sera-chan’s request—killing three birds with one stone. I’ll overcome a hurdle of that level.
After a while, I left the Tasogare Merchant Guild. Badatt-shi thanked me many times, and at the end, Sera-chan secretly whispered into my ear while blushing, “A woman never goes back on her word.”
I headed home with a light step. It was after noon when I left the Badcage estate, and since I had been talking for quite a while at the Tasogare Merchant Guild, it was already evening.
Just in case, I had someone pass along the message in the morning that I would be late, but I’ve been away from home for over a full day. I probably won’t get scolded, but I’m worried about the pregnant Lily. I should head straight home without any more detours.
Heading toward the setting sun, I passed through the street where stalls had begun selling alcohol. The shopping district was starting to close up for the day. Adventurers who seemed to have finished their day trips walked in the opposite direction from where I was going. They were likely going to have a celebration at the stalls.
By the time the sun had hidden behind the castle walls, I reached the entrance of the familiar back alley. Since the path becomes narrow around here, the surroundings grew even darker, and my pace naturally quickened.
I wonder what’s for dinner. I should make it a bit lavish as an apology for being away. If Aerith or Sister Amelia have stayed over, I’ll have to prepare their portions too.
Ah, thinking about it that way, should I have bought something on the way back…? Well, there should still be plenty of ingredients left. I’ll go shopping tomorrow…. It was while I was thinking of such things.
Twitch…!
A strange chill ran down my spine. It was a danger signal I hadn’t felt in a long time since I quit being an adventurer. And it was even more intense than the time I accidentally encountered a Giant Bear and nearly died—!
Thump…!
Reflexively dodging, I heard the sound of something piercing the cobblestones where I had been standing. It was likely a blowgun needle. My accelerated thoughts automatically deduced the enemy’s weapon.
Cold sweat poured from my entire body, and I got goosebumps. A sound like a siren wailed loudly inside my head. Who on earth, and why. I don’t recall being hated… well, not to that extent, but I didn’t think I’d be suddenly attacked in the dark.
If it were a robber, they wouldn’t go out of their way to attack an inhabitant of the back alleys. Most likely, they are specifically targeting ‘me.’ If so, this is bad. I managed to dodge by a fluke just now, but I don’t feel like I can avoid the next one.
Should I run to the house, or head back to the shopping district? I don’t even know where the enemy is. I can’t make a judgment. Someone like me can’t do anything about this. However, my instincts tell me that if I stop, I’m done for. I start running as if tumbling forward.
Tap, tap, tap…!
The sound of something piercing behind me again. The chill increases. I feel the enemy’s irritation at being held up by a man of this caliber.
Should I scream? If it’s the residents of the back alleys, they’ll help me. But what if they get dragged into the crossfire too? That split second of thought was fatal.
”Don’t move.”
An unexpectedly high-pitched voice from behind. A chilly, cold, hard sensation against my neck. It’s likely a knife. The enemy seemingly lost their patience and came to finish me off themselves. However, I wasn’t killed without a word. Should I call that lucky? What do I do, what should I do….
I rack my brain, but nothing comes to mind. I’m certain that if I move, I’ll truly be killed. Fighting back is out of the question. Talking is probably a bad idea too. Without being able to steel my resolve, I just stand there frozen. At that moment, something flies in from the front.
Whoosh…!
”Tch…!”
Brilliantly grazing my ear, a mass of blue flames targeted the enemy. Unfortunately, it was dodged, but I was released without injury.
”Kento-san…!” Amelia cried out.
”A-Amelia…!?”
Sister Amelia rushed toward me as I fell to my knees on the spot. Why is she here…. Was she on her way home? For that, she had targeted the enemy without hesitation, and it seemed she knew I was being attacked.
Amelia crouched down as if to protect me, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings. Then, she let out a small sigh. It seemed the enemy had given up and fled.
”Sorry, you saved me…”
”No…. More importantly, Kento-san, please calm down and listen. Actually, Lily-san is…!” Amelia said urgently.
”Did something happen to Lily!?”
I reflexively grabbed Amelia. Could it be that the comrades of the person from just now…!? If anything happened to Lily, I—I—!
”Lily-san is—”
Amelia said so in a hushed voice.
—
Summary:
Kento negotiates with the Tasogare Merchant Guild to use his adult goods as a diplomatic tool for peace in Coalmine. While heading home, he is suddenly ambushed by a mysterious assassin in the back alleys. Sister Amelia arrives just in time to repel the attacker with magic. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger as Amelia prepares to deliver urgent news regarding the pregnant Lily.
—
Character Insight:
Kento’s internal conflict regarding his ‘degenerate’ products continues to grow as they become political symbols. Despite his self-deprecation, his protective instincts for his family (Lily) and his community are his primary drivers. Amelia’s timely intervention suggests she has been keeping a closer eye on him than previously thought, highlighting her role as a protector in the shadows.
—
T/L:
Notes:
• Sera – A young, earnest salesperson from the Tasogare Merchant Guild, Kento’s supplier. She is characterized by her braided brown hair, large round glasses, and freckles. She’s serious about her job and easily flustered, especially by Kento’s adult goods business. Looks like Onodera from certain series.
• 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.
• Badatt – The 7th-generation manager of the long-running Tasogare Merchant Guild. Despite his fat, oily, ugly bastard, have multiple rings appearance, he is a competent and respected manager who listens to his employees. He is a man of ‘good sense’ but is overwhelmed by the explicit nature of Kento’s products and the ensuing chaos.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Amelia – The Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugating, who usually buys from Kento, has light blue hair.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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