Chapter 167 The Midnight Queen
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So, anyway, I’ve decided to end the war.”
”What on earth are you talking about?” Her Majesty asked.
As I made my declaration, the Queen¹ spoke while rubbing her weary eyes, which were underlined with heavy dark circles. She wore a nightcap on her head and a pink nightgown with just a jacket thrown over it. She had clearly been right in the middle of her slumber.
* * *
After my meeting with the Archbishop concluded, I had immediately flown back home. From there, I made my way to the royal palace alongside Her Majesty’s maid, Muse-san, who had been waiting for my return.
By the way, the pregnant Lily is currently being looked after by Aerith of the Garou Merchant Guild² and Muse-san’s subordinates. While most of the hostiles have been suppressed, the guy who attacked me still hasn’t been apprehended…
Also, Sister Amelia has departed for the monastery. If I can just reach an agreement with the Queen here, I can launch the operation tomorrow.
”As I was saying, about the war—”
”Is this some form of harassment? It is, isn’t it? I feel terrible that we couldn’t resolve matters before they escalated, but if we hadn’t taken these steps, we never would have caught those people. I’ll prepare a proper apology later, so please, just let me sleep today…” Her Majesty muttered.
Poor Queen… I don’t harbor any personal grudges against her, and I have no desire to rob a woman nearing that ‘turning point’ in her skin’s age of her precious sleep. However, if the war ends, her workload will eventually decrease as a result. I need her to forgive me, just for tonight.
”I’m going to sell ‘Ddo-Buddy’³ in the Coalmine Kingdom⁴.”
”Huh…?”
”Once the women of the Coalmine Kingdom find they can’t be satisfied without ‘Ddo-Buddy,’ I’ll give them a choice bit of information: ‘If only there were no war, we could provide an even wider variety of goods.’”
”Huh…? What… come again?”
”Apparently, anti-war movements are already stirring over there due to the ‘Ddo-Buddy’ shortage.”
”W-Wait just a moment…”
”I’m doing it even if you tell me no. Got it?”
”I told you to wait!” the Queen snapped.
When I briefly outlined the strategy, Her Majesty hurriedly tried to cut me off. But my mind was already set. When I finished speaking and met her gaze with unwavering resolve, she actually flinched for once, biting her lip hard. Muse-san, the maid, stepped in to provide further context.
”Cecile-sama, this man won’t be stopped. He merely came here to follow protocol by informing you of his intent beforehand.”
”…Did the Coalmine Kingdom just step on a tiger’s tail?”
”Whether it’s the Coalmine Kingdom or the ‘Pink Clan’⁵, I couldn’t say. Let’s just be grateful we weren’t the ones to step on it,” Muse-san replied.
”True, there was a risk of that… No, given that he’s deploying his women to the front lines, the situation remains precarious even now…”
They continued their exchange while occasionally casting glances my way. I don’t consider myself such a dangerous specimen, but if they view me as a person who requires careful handling, I’ll take it. I kept my mouth shut and waited for Her Majesty to speak.
”…Do you require any assistance?”
”Not particularly. However, I’d like to promote the existence of the ‘Hot-Hot Ddo Buddy’⁶ over there. Demand seems high, and I suspect things would move much faster if there were others who noticed the potential, just as Her Majesty has.”
”What…? But that is… hmmm. Actually, regarding the ‘Hot-Hot Ddo Buddy’… or rather the ‘Hot-Shot-kun’⁷, it has recently been designated as our nation’s most critical military secret. Muse, fetch it.”
”Yes, I will bring it at once.”
Upon hearing my request, Her Majesty issued an order to Muse-san, who retrieved a single magic tool from the safe positioned behind Her Majesty. At a glance, it appeared to be the X-type flamethrower variant of the ‘Hot-Shot-kun’ originally developed at our shop.
”This is…?”
”It’s the Z-type ‘Hot-Shot-kun’ which Satsuki created. She used the magic circuits engraved on your staff to amplify its output. It is commonly known as the PHZ⁸—the Pat-to Hot-to Zetto.”
”Satsuki did that…? Do you mind if I examine the internals?” I asked.
”As long as you can restore it to its original state, I have no objections.”
With Her Majesty’s permission, I disassembled the PHZ. It certainly utilized the ‘phenomenon’ amplification circuits I remember engraving on a staff I’d made as a joke. To generate power from a cheap staff, I had designed it to bolster the magical ‘phenomenon’ itself, rather than relying on limited mana reserves.
”I see, Satsuki really put some thought into this… She’s integrating our shop’s latest tech quite effectively too. It’s user-friendly and packs enough punch… Ah, so the reason Tina was being forced to supply mages and scrap magic stones to the front was to facilitate the manufacture of these… No, wait, if that’s the case…!”
I realized something horrific and looked toward Her Majesty and Muse-san. Perhaps due to our earlier talk of tiger tails, they both twitched visibly. Honestly, having two women of their age react to me that way actually hurts a bit…
”W-What is it? Did something happen…?” Her Majesty asked.
”Are you forcing them to build these in the heart of a war zone…? And at such a pace that you’re conscripting mages from every corner of the country. Don’t tell me… the situation on the ground is becoming a catastrophe.”
”Well, I mean… hmmm. Do you also find it to be unreasonable, from your perspective?”
”It’s beyond unreasonable. It would take me a full week just to construct one of these. Even for Satsuki or Tania, one every three days would be the limit. If you’re using personnel who aren’t accustomed to this kind of precision work to assemble them…”
”If we are…?”
”To put it bluntly, the front lines must be a living hell.”
”H-Hell…”
She must have received reports to some degree. Her Majesty turned pale, muttering with a face that suggested the reality was finally sinking in. To me, that scene was even more vivid. Because it was exactly what our shop had endured during the re-release of the ‘Tremble-Ddo-Buddy’⁹.
Tania is likely pushing herself to the point of collapse. I hope Laika hasn’t started conversing with fairies… I’d bet Satsuki is starting to question the very meaning of her existence. If even our seasoned employees are being pushed to that edge, I don’t see how ordinary mages could possibly endure it.
”I’m using ‘Hot-Hot Ddo Buddy.’ Understood?”
”N-No, but you must understand…”
”Even if the internal schematic is discovered, the materials won’t be. Specifically, identifying the Pororo Snail’s shell¹⁰ is an nearly impossible task. Even then, refining it to the level of this PHZ requires clearing numerous technical hurdles.”
”B-But you see the problem, don’t you!? The sheer power of this ultra-compact magic weapon! If it were to fall into enemy hands, the possibility arises that these could be used for sudden attacks right in the middle of town!”
”Then when exactly is this war going to end!? When will the people falling apart to build these things finally find peace! Are you honestly telling them to just die for their country!?” I shouted.
”N-No one is saying such a thing! Don’t you dare preach to me about war, you’re just a magic shop owner! As time passes, production will scale! This is a war we can eventually win through sheer attrition!” the Queen yelled back.
”I’m telling you that’s impossible, you stubborn woman!!! The mages are going to drop dead soon, foaming at the mouth, and they’ll never wake up!!! Someone like you, who sleeps comfortably in a bed without ever seeing the front lines, couldn’t possibly understand!!!”
”Wh… Y-You! Who do you think you’re speaking to…!?”
It was a heated exchange of vitriol. Blood rushed to my head, and I vented the fury that had been festering inside me. For a fleeting moment, the thought ‘Ah, I might be executed for this’ crossed my mind, but I couldn’t stop myself. …If it comes to that, I’ll just seek asylum with the Church.
The Archbishop would likely assist. He certainly wouldn’t want me to end up like the creators of ‘Succubus King’s Incense’¹¹ or ‘Succubus Queen’s Amatory Fluid’¹². …I feel a bit disgusted by my own calculating nature, but so be it.
I closed the distance to the Queen and grabbed her by the collar, pulling her face in close to glare directly into her eyes. From the corner of my vision, I saw Muse-san tense up, but she didn’t move to intervene.
”We’re ending the war. Got it?”
”…! D-Do it then, if you think you’re capable!”
Her Majesty grabbed my collar in return. And then—thwack! She delivered a fierce headbutt, and my forehead collided with hers with a sickening thud. We had both pulled each other in, resulting in a collision of incredible force.
””~~~~~!!!””
Consequently, both of us ended up clutching our foreheads, doubling over in agonizing pain for quite some time…
* * *
”Are you alright, Cecile-sama?”
”…I am not alright. Prepare a cold compress or something to soothe this,” the Queen replied.
After Kento departed with his shoulders squared in a huff, the Queen answered her attendant’s inquiry while still clutching her throbbing forehead. The attendant signaled a subordinate to prepare the items. Eventually, while wiping her face with the towel provided, the Queen spoke.
”…It’s a little wet.”
”Haah…?”
As her lord spoke while restlessly rubbing her thighs together, her face and even her ears flushing a faint crimson—and not just from the impact—the attendant spoke with a look of sheer disbelief.
”I had no idea, Cecile-sama… that you were such a masochist. To think you’re an individual who could lose herself to lust while the fate of the nation hangs in the balance… Should I start looking for a new employer…?”
”Eiei, don’t look at me with those eyes!!! I am well aware this is no time for such thoughts!!! I simply felt, just for a moment, that he was… a fine man!!!”
Despite saying ‘just for a moment,’ the Queen stroked her forehead with a strangely lingering affection, causing the attendant to blink in astonishment.
”…Suppose he actually succeeds in ending the war. What sort of reward should we bestow upon him?”
”He doesn’t seem to have any shortage of women in his life, so a honey trap is likely off the table, don’t you think?” Muse asked.
”W-Who suggested such a thing! I have absolutely no intention of surrendering my body to a man like him!” the Queen snapped.
”And for my part, I never said anything about your body, Cecile-sama.”
”…!”
While considering that matters might be taking a turn for the worse, the attendant racked her brain. However, her train of thought was derailed by her lord.
”Well, if it were that simple, we wouldn’t be in this predicament…”
”Indeed. It would be best to view it as a fortunate bonus if he manages to become a viable bargaining chip.”
”Sigh… I am going back to sleep. I have a mountain of work awaiting me tomorrow, do I not?”
”Yes, quite a significant amount. So please, keep your ‘daily routine’ in moderation, understood?”
”I know that!”
”Then, good night, Cecile-sama.”
The attendant offered her bedtime salutation, silently hoping the world would soon stabilize enough for her beloved lord to indulge in her ‘daily routine’ to her heart’s content.
—
Summary:
Kento confronts Queen Cecile in her private chambers to demand an end to the war, proposing a plan to use his adult goods as economic leverage. During their argument, Kento realizes his employees are being overworked to produce magic weapons derived from his designs. A physical altercation ends in a mutual headbutt, leaving both in pain but sparking a hidden attraction in the Queen. Muse, the Queen’s attendant, observes her mistress’s growing obsession with concern and amusement.
—
Character Insight:
Kento’s protective nature toward his staff outweighs his fear of royalty, showing his shift from a mere shopkeeper to a man willing to challenge national policy. Cecile is portrayed as a lonely, overworked monarch who finds Kento’s lack of deference refreshing and even sexually stimulating. Her ‘daily routine’ implies a reliance on the shop’s goods to cope with the stress of the war, highlighting the practical influence Kento’s products have over even the highest level of leadership.
—
Behind the Scene:
The ‘PHZ’ pun (Pat-to Hot-to Zetto) references Japanese onomatopoeia for something happening suddenly (patto) and the ‘Z’ often used in high-spec Japanese product versions. The ‘daily routine’ is a polite euphemism for the Queen’s use of Kento’s adult tools.
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T/L:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Laika – The beastwoman dog.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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