Chapter 394 Warehouse Organization
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
While all of that was unfolding, the “education” of the dashing lady, Viscount Ray Nixfen-sama, were progressing smoothly in more ways than one. Meanwhile, I had my own hands full; her father, Mr. Tail, apologized for that legendary hangover, and I even found myself invited to a drinking session with the “Trio of Fathers”-Duke Badcage, Mr. Ouka, and Mr. Tail. It was quite the ordeal.
Regardless, the plans for the mass-production factory in the Nixfen territory and the monster breeding experiments are looking promising. With the Viscount’s cooperation secured, negotiations for opening the North-South Trade Route are finally gaining momentum.
Specifically, we are in discussions with Merchant Guild Tasogare¹, joined by Fati-san from Merchant Guild Uminari² and Rafuoro-kun from Merchant Guild Yuunari³. Merchant Guild Tasogare had been so hyper-focused on the East-West Route that they were essentially paralyzed, but the Adventurer’s Guild and the Beast-person Association have stepped in to provide much-needed leverage.
The usual faces-now well-acquainted with the shop’s unique brand of chaos-are working in total unison. Or, to be more precise, I secured their cooperation by offering a variety of “incentives” to help them hold their own against the rival guilds of Sylvaol. And, naturally, one of those conditions involved a certain request…
”Developing new products, huh… I really need to get my head in the game,” I muttered to myself.
”Yes, we are expecting great things from you, Kento-san,” Suu-san replied.
”The Guildmaster is practically vibrating with anticipation. Don’t let us down, Kento-kun,” Marm-san added with a wink.
I made my way toward the “testing area,” which had been entirely reclaimed by crates and now functioned as a makeshift warehouse. Looming behind me and turning up the pressure were Suu-san, the stunning secretary of the Beast-person Association, and Marm-san, the Adventurer’s Guild receptionist.
Both had officially become experimental collaborators for the shop under the “Project Harvest”⁴ initiative, but today wasn’t about testing. Monster materials had begun arriving from the Ferguson Kingdom to the west much faster than anticipated. The women were there to supervise the haul.
I had previously prodded King William-heika of Ferguson to expedite the restoration of the East-West Trade Route. In exchange for our kingdom’s logistical support, I had demanded that we be allowed to purchase the materials from any monsters culled during the clearing of the road.
King William-heika had clearly wasted no time after returning home. The supply convoys had likely barely finished unloading their relief goods before they were packed to the brim with these materials for the return trip.
”Goodness, what a gruesome sight…” Suu-san said, shielding her eyes.
”Yeah… I’m more used to this than most, but it’s still not a pleasant view,” Marm-san agreed, her voice muffled behind her hand.
I watched the brawny workers unload the frozen cargo-thud, thud-as they hauled what were, effectively, monster carcasses. Even with freezing magic suppressing the rot and the stench, most people wouldn’t want to be within a mile of this place.
”You say that, but to me, this is a literal gold mine,” I countered. “Collecting this many diverse monster materials would normally be impossible, no matter how much gold you threw around.”
”Well, I suppose that’s true, but…” Suu-san trailed off.
”Isn’t it just that nobody else is crazy enough to try?” Marm-san asked.
”Now, now. Just imagine: hidden in this pile is a magic circuit⁵-one that provides a brand of pleasure no one on this continent has ever felt. Doesn’t that get your heart racing? Doesn’t it make you… tingle?”
”…!”
The change in atmosphere was instant. Talk about a quick turnaround; both Suu-san and Marm-san instinctively pressed their thighs together, swallowing hard as a hungry glint entered their eyes. They immediately scurried off to start barking orders at the workers to speed things up. Thanks to that, the unloading was finished in record time. I mean, I’m not complaining, but…
I suppose I’m the one to blame for being so obsessed with the research. With the Queen-heika’s backing, I’ve basically been given a license to go wild. In any other era, a man hoarding piles of monster corpses to craft “suspicious” magic circuits would have been burned as a heretic.
I wasn’t the only one with a screw loose, however. I had a partner who was just as-if not more-obsessed with this field than I was. He appeared halfway through the unloading, his stride much lighter than usual.
”Kukuku… you actually pulled it off!” he cackled.
”Glad you could make it, Master. As you can see, it’s a massive haul,” I said.
It was my alchemy mentor, Kogima Pigole-shi. The man is the undisputed authority on monster material utility-the very man who taught me my trade. My bet that he wouldn’t be able to resist this many research subjects had paid off; he even gave me a rare, “Well done!”
”Alright, Kento! First, we identify the species and start the general taxonomy! And don’t you dare forget to log the inventory!” Kogima-shi commanded.
It was a rare moment. He didn’t call me “brat” or “worthless apprentice.” He used my name. I felt a surge of genuine pride, shouting a “Yes, sir!” that echoed my days as his live-in pupil as we got to work.
Managing materials was my entire life back then. I still remember the absolute thrashing I’d get if I let even a scrap of hide go to waste. My entire philosophy on inventory was forged by him.
Kogima-shi has a few “aesthetic” rules, the first being classification by habitat. His theory is simple: if you know where a monster lives and what its natural enemies are, you understand its biological abilities.
Plus, it makes it much easier to reorder specific parts later. Even if we weren’t using the material for the monster’s original function, he always taught me to look for the most intuitive application first.
To keep things organized, I had the materials sorted by the carriages they arrived in. By moving them into the warehouse in that order, the habitat-based classification basically handled itself. The real work was digging through the jumbled piles to sort them by species and making them “lab-ready,” while simultaneously logging the “market stock.”
This was another of Kogima-shi’s quirks. Having spent years in poverty, his mantra was that not even a single slime should be wasted. It also prevented the ultimate professional sin: accidentally ordering more of something you already had in the back.
”Hm? Is this an adult Scented Swamp Lizard? They aren’t supposed to be indigenous to the Frete Plains…” Kogima-shi muttered, poking at a specimen.
”Is the migration really that widespread?” I asked.
”It depends on the numbers, but it’s likely not a sorting error. It seems if they find a suitable bog, they can thrive anywhere, native or not,” he replied.
Unlike me, the old man has his own “Underground Alchemist Network.” He likely has colleagues in Ferguson feeding him intel. Thanks to him, we could piece together the ecological collapse happening over there.
As we worked, it became clear that the rumors were true: a massive monster migration was underway. With enough data, we could map their trajectory. That was information we could actually sell back to the Ferguson kingdom. Knowing the monsters’ path would let them hunt more efficiently and spot dangers before they hit. It would help recoup my costs and speed up the trade route’s recovery.
We spent the rest of the day sweating over crates and ledgers. The ladies from the Association and the Guild headed home once the wagons were empty, but we kept going until the sun dipped below the horizon. Sorting this volume of material isn’t a one-day job.
”Master, it’s getting late. Won’t your wives be worried?” I asked.
”Hm? Ah, so it is. I suppose I got a bit carried away for a man my age…” Kogima-shi said, stretching his back.
”Why not? If you took the research away, there wouldn’t be much of the great Kogima left, would there?” I joked.
”Kukuku… listen to you. I should wrap those words in a bow and give them right back to you!” he laughed.
The Master was in such a good mood he just laughed off my jab. But he was right. If we weren’t obsessed with magic circuits, neither of us would have the status, the wealth, or the relationships we have now.
That thought stayed with me. After the Master left, I stayed behind-something I haven’t done in a while-and spent the night working alone in the silence of the warehouse.
—
Summary:
Kento secures the cooperation of various merchant guilds and associations to open the North-South Trade Route. A massive shipment of monster materials arrives from the Ferguson Kingdom as part of a trade deal with King William. Kento and his mentor, Kogima Pigole, spend the day classifying the materials and discover evidence of a large-scale monster migration.
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Trivia:
- The materials are a byproduct of clearing the East-West Trade Route in Ferguson.
- Kogima Pigole’s wives are mentioned, implying he is polygamous or has a complex domestic life.
- Kento identifies that monster migration data is a valuable commodity he can sell back to Ferguson.
- The ‘Scented Swamp Lizard’ found in the Frete Plains is a key indicator of the migration’s extent
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Character Insight:
Kento experiences a rare moment of pride and nostalgia when his mentor uses his name instead of a derogatory term. This highlights the depth of their bond and Kento’s lingering desire for professional validation from his teacher.
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Behind the Scenes:
The habitat-based classification system reflects a ‘biological’ approach to alchemy often found in crafting-focused isekai, where materials aren’t just components but parts of an ecosystem.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Nixfen – A viscount aristocrat who has started manufacturing and selling adult goods similar to Kento’s products in the Royal Capital’s pleasure district. He is described as a ‘pretty boy’ or ‘gentle-looking man’ (yasao) but is a territory-holding noble likely trained in combat.
• Ouka – The middle-aged head of the Garou Merchant Guild, known for leather goods and accessories. He is a prominent figure using his own family’s experience to advocate for the ‘Tremble Ddo-Buddy’. Have gray wolf ears and wear merchant attire.
• Tail – Former Viscount Nixfen and Ray’s father. A master craftsman with rugged, calloused, and scarred hands. Stern expression, socially awkward, and proud of his family’s ‘specialized’ trade.
• Ray – A Viscount with flaxen-gold hair in a men’s wolf cut. Possesses a sweet mask and a prince-like aura. It is revealed at the end that Ray is actually a woman. She has started manufacturing and selling adult goods similar to Kento’s products in the Royal Capital’s pleasure district.
• Rafuoro – Merchant from Sylvaol, member of Merchant Guild Yuunagi. Thin vermillion hair, pale skin, lanky/skeletal build.
• Fati – Woman Merchant from Sylvaol, member of Merchant Guild Uminari. Dark, bruised crimson hair, bandana, sun-kissed bronze skin.
• 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.
• Suu – Secretary for the Royal Capital Beast-person Mutual Aid Association and a cat beast-person. Sample No. 19 in Kento’s report. She steps up as the first witness for the defense. Wears glasses and a tight suit.
• Marm – The attractive, red-haired, tanned receptionist at the Adventurer’s Guild. She wears a uniform that emphasizes her ‘nice body.’ She is kind and acts like a supportive ‘big sister’ figure to Kento. Looks like Mirajane Strauss from certain series.
• Kogima – Kento’s alchemy master. A middle-aged man who is a henpecked husband to his wife, Josephine.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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