Chapter 344 The Western Trade Sphere, Or Rather… ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So, let me get this straight,” King William said, his voice dripping with dry sarcasm. “If I join this ‘Western Trade Sphere’ of yours, you’ll grant me the exclusive rights to peddle these… lewd magic circuits?”
We were deep in the weeds discussing the “Western Trade Sphere”¹—or, as I called it, the Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere. King William had just been given the grand tour of my inventory, and his reaction was exactly what I expected. I wasn’t under any illusions that he’d jump for joy and shout, “Hooray! I can’t wait to corner the market on Ddo-Buddies!”
”Exclusive rights alone wouldn’t be enough of a ‘sweetener,’ Your Majesty,” I replied. “This is trade, after all. It can’t be a one-sided export. We need a flow of goods in both directions. And for the record, it’s not the ‘Western Trade Sphere.’ The official title is the Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere… or, if you’re feeling ambitious, the Great Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere.”
”The… the Phall-…”
King William choked on the word, falling into a stunned silence. He shot a look at Queen Cecile, his expression a complicated mess of confusion and a silent plea for help. She, however, ignored him completely. Having already been through the wringer today, the King seemed to have reached a state of zen-like resignation. Fine, his face said, if the world is ending, I might as well hear the rest of this nonsense.
”First,” I continued, “I want to buy monster materials harvested within your borders.”
”Hmm? I mean, I don’t see why not, but wouldn’t the shipping costs be prohibitive?” William asked.
”I’m willing to pay a premium. My mentor is a world-class authority on monster anatomy, and I need as many diverse specimens as possible for my own research,” I explained.
”Monster parts, eh? I assume you’re looking for more than just common hides and horns.”
”Exactly. Freshness is key. If I can get whole carcasses, my research will move much faster. And if I may be so bold, I believe your kingdom is currently struggling with a manpower shortage for monster culling? I’m prepared to subsidize a portion of the guild fees for any adventurers you hire,” I said.
”Muu…”
This was Phase One of the Ferguson Charm Offensive. Between the recent Stampedes and the restless monsters roaming their lands, the Crown had to be bleeding gold trying to keep the lords happy and the roads safe. Turning a recovery expense into a profit margin was a deal no king could refuse.
”Of course, I’m not looking for a one-off transaction. If we develop a viable product from your materials, I’ll be looking for a long-term supply chain,” I added.
”…Then it all hinges on your research. What exactly do you need right now?” the King asked.
”Let’s see… Red Slime fluid, Amara Toad poison sacs, and Caramel Spider silk would be a great start. On the botanical side, I’m looking for Marian-strain Daidu roots and some Mugen-Grass. I can provide a full manifest later.”
This was Phase Two. It was a legitimate trade proposal, modeled after my success with the Coalmine Kingdom. We already take their Fire Rat hides, turn them into Hot-Shot-kun² warming pads, and export them back.
The ecology of the Kingdom of Ferguson is remarkably similar to our own – maybe they’re on the same latitude, if that’s even a thing here. That makes them a perfect secondary source for materials. Honestly, I might even start sourcing my Fire Rat hides and Samon Mushrooms from them too. It’s called risk diversification. If I’m going to scale this business, I need more than one person to lean on when prices fluctuate.
”And finally – and this might be the biggest draw of all – wouldn’t you like to pull the rug out from under the Sylvaol merchants?” I asked.
The King’s eyes snapped to mine. The “Ddo-Buddy” shock faded, replaced by the sharp, calculating gaze of a monarch. “Go on,” his eyes commanded.
”The Sylvaol merchant guilds have already sent scouts to sniff around my shop. Specifically, Merchant Guild Uminari and Merchant Guild Yuunari. They’re sharp, I’ll give them that. They know a goldmine when they see one,” I said.
”…Both are mid-tier players,” William mused. “They’re trying to break the stronghold of the great guilds. Your products are worth the gamble, and you’re playing them against each other.”
”I wonder. At least, both seem confident in their sales destinations, and for my shop, the connection with Sylvaol is hard to discard. However, I don’t want them to take advantage of me. I think the market could use one more competitor to keep everyone honest.”
”So,” William said, letting out a sudden, sharp laugh, “you want me to clutch a ddo in each hand and charge into the southern trade routes?”
He didn’t literally have to clutch them, but I liked his spirit. I knew Ferguson had been eyeing the southern markets for years; I just didn’t realize how hungry they were for an opening.
The play was simple: bypass the half-finished North-South route and use the established East-West lines to move product into Ferguson. From there, the King could do whatever he wanted – sell them locally, export to the Western Island Nations, or push south as he suggested. He could even wholesale them back to Sylvaol for all I cared. Once I made the sale to Ferguson, my profit was locked in.
Of course, the price would go up by the amount of the detour, but until the direct route was finished, it wouldn’t be a dealbreaker. And in a world without Antitrust Laws, I held all the cards on pricing anyway.
I also had Merchant Guild Tasogare to think about. They needed two things: time and money. Money to keep the lights on while they built the North-South route, and time to actually finish it. If Ferguson joined this trade, both should be sufficiently secured.
”I have one condition,” I said, my tone shifting. “Restore the trade routes. Now. With total urgency.”
”…I don’t need a lecture on that. My kingdom knows how important the roads are. But restoring routes that border many territories takes time,” William replied.
”Then your understanding is flawed. A trade route is the carotid artery of a nation. Right now, your country’s body is wide open and bleeding out. That blood is your time, your gold, and your people. If the blood stops flowing, the patient dies. This isn’t ‘important,’ Your Majesty. It is a code red. You are in cardiac arrest.”
”Muu…”
At the words of a mere Viscount from another country, King William didn’t snap in anger. Instead, he fell silent and stroked his chin. When I heard how long it took his envoy to get here, I knew they were moving too slowly. They lacked a sense of crisis.
In our country, Merchant Guild Tasogare is struggling because they relied so heavily on the East-West trade, but it must be the same within Ferguson. There have to be guilds there racking their brains over the same problems.
”You sound just like Unia,” William muttered.
”Eh?”
”On the road here, looking at the miserable state of the highways… she said the same thing. She said the kingdom was a ship with a hole in the hull. If we didn’t plug it, the cargo would rot, and the ship would sink.”
”I see. Then I’ve overstepped. If you have her counsel, Your Majesty should rejoice in your good fortune,” I said.
”Umu. My only regret is that she’s still so young. Another two or three years and I could have brought her into this room…”
The King glanced at the “Ddo-Buddy” on the table with a look of pure loathing. I, on the other hand, was thanking my lucky stars. If Lady Unia had been in this room, she would have realized I had no intention of actually cutting ties with the Sylvaol guilds.
”So,” I asked. “What’s the verdict?”
”Fine. My kingdom is in. We will join your… ‘Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere,’ or whatever it is.”
And so, with the addition of the Kingdom of Ferguson, the Great Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere began its march across the world.
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Summary:
The protagonist successfully negotiates with King William to form the ‘Great Ddo-Buddy Economic Sphere.’ By leveraging Ferguson’s need for monster culling and their desire to outmaneuver rival merchants, the MC secures a new trade route and raw materials. The chapter ends with the King reluctantly agreeing to the vulgarly named partnership to save his kingdom’s economy.
The protagonist successfully negotiates an economic alliance with King William of the Ferguson Kingdom. By framing adult goods as a high-value export and offering to subsidize monster hunting, he secures a supplier of rare materials and a new trade route. The King reluctantly accepts the ‘Ddo-Buddy’ branding for the sake of his kingdom’s recovery.
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Trivia:
- The MC is using the King to subsidize monster hunting costs for his own research.
- The ‘Ddo-Buddy’ name is a pun on ‘Ochin-buddy’ (p**is buddy), causing the King physical distress.
- The MC is secretly double-dealing with the Sylvaol guilds while claiming to the King that they are competitors.
- Unia’s earlier assessment of the kingdom’s infrastructure perfectly mirrored the MC’s modern economic metaphor.
- The ‘Hot-Shot-kun’ mentioned is a recurring product made from Fire Rat hides.
- The ‘Ddo-Buddy’ name is a crude pun the King struggles to say.
- The protagonist is secretly playing multiple merchant guilds against each other.
- The Ferguson Kingdom is currently suffering from a post-Stampede economic crisis.
- Unia (Lady Unia) is a young girl whose sharp insights parallel the protagonist’s own metaphors.
- The protagonist is using the East-West route to bypass the unfinished North-South route
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Character Insight:
The MC shows his ruthlessness by using the King’s economic desperation to force a high-speed infrastructure project, while the King shows growth by swallowing his pride and the ‘Ddo-Buddy’ brand to ensure his nation’s survival.
The protagonist displays a ruthless business acumen, willing to reprimand a King to ensure trade stability. King William shows growth by swallowing his pride and accepting ‘lewd’ goods to save his people’s livelihoods.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Economic Sphere’ (経済圏) terminology is a parody of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, but replaced with lewd goods.
The author uses the ‘blood/artery’ metaphor to ground the high-fantasy politics in relatable, visceral imagery, contrasting the crude comedy of the products with the serious reality of nation-building.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Cecile – A queen 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.
• Marian – A ‘Mother’ and supervisor from the Church of Demon-Subjugation. Her appearance and demeanor defy the Church’s purported ‘chastity,’ instead she has wavy purple long hair, busty, black nun, tear mole under eye, and monroe walk. She has arrived with a clear purpose: to confront Kento about the ‘Devil’s Stick.
• Unia – The third daughter of the house of Duke Greiter. Has blonde hair tied in an intricate style, dol-like beauty, and expressionless face.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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