Chapter 90 Duke’s Daughter, The Hot-Shot Heater, and the Forbidden Goods
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Badcage Duke House. I’d heard of them, of course. A noble house with territory in the northern key areas, second only to the Royal Family in power within the Canaria Kingdom. Lately, they’d become infamous for their political flip-flopping—first betraying the Royal Family after the deaths of the previous King and Queen, then siding with them afterward. It sounded contradictory, but the reason was simple enough. The Duke’s younger brother had been the one to betray the Royals, and the Duke himself had purged him.
Apparently, the betrayal stemmed from royal blood entering the Badcage House two generations prior. The younger brother, unable to inherit the family headship, had laid claim to the throne. Being a soldier in the Royal Capital with military power at his disposal, he’d thought he could succeed. But the Duke, understanding his brother’s ambition all too well, had admirably quashed the revolt before it could even begin.
And now, standing before me, was the only daughter of that super-excellent and super-loyal Duke—a silver-haired, red-eyed noblewoman who spoke with a peculiar “noja” at the end of every sentence.
”I am Tina Badcage, noja! I humbly ask that we get along anew!” she declared with a smile.
”A-Ah, yes… I am Kento, the proprietor of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest’. I look forward to your acquaintance, I do,” I replied, my voice slipping into involuntary formal speech. The moment had shifted from delightful to professional in an instant.
Lady Tina, still holding the ‘Tremble-Buddy’ in her hand, swung it excitedly as she praised the ‘Hot Pop-kun’. “This truly is a magnificent magic tool, noja! Our Badcage territory is closed off by snow in the winter, so heating magic is essential, noja. Otherwise, one must wear thick overcoats until they’re round and fluffy. To think that such an annoyance could be alleviated by a method like this! The men at the border fortresses all give their thanks, noja!”
”That is good to hear. I thank you for your high praise,” I said, trying to keep my tone modest.
”Good, good, no need to be so reserved! You may act as you were before, noja! Regarding the ‘Hot Pop-kun’, the ‘N-Type’ is wonderful, but the ‘X-Type’ is also magnificent. The sight of the men from Colmine, mistaking the jets of flame for magic and being thrown into a panic, is something I wish I could show you, noja!”
Her enthusiasm was infectious. I couldn’t help but smile at her excitement. Ah, right—the Badcage territory was a key location in the north, situated along the border with the Colmine Kingdom. Their forces, alongside the Royal Army, were involved in its defense. If war broke out, someone like me, with near-zero combat ability, would be utterly finished. I’d prefer to avoid any involvement, but I couldn’t deny a small curiosity about the efficacy of the magic tools I’d created.
”I see, that is good. I was told to have it ready by winter, so parts of it were rushed, but I’m glad to hear it’s functioning well. I wrote warnings about it, but have there been any cases of low-temperature burns from the N-Type or accidents with the X-Type?” I asked, leaning forward slightly.
”Hmph! Everyone had trouble handling them at first, but the fact that we were able to test them thoroughly before the main winter was a great advantage. Your urgency was well worth it, noja,” she replied with a confident nod.
Lady Tina went on to praise the ‘Hot Pop-kun’ further, mentioning how it had found a use for the pelts of the ‘Fire-Rat’, previously nothing more than troublesome monsters, and how its production indirectly stored magic power, reducing the burden on precious ‘Magic-users’.
When the conversation turned to the complexity of the internal structure—simple mechanism, but difficult adjustments due to materials like ‘Pororo Snail Shells’ and ‘Metag Stones’—and the precision of the external structure, I finally brought the conversation to a halt.
”Please tell those parts to the other developer as well. She should be working in the back right now,” I said, gesturing toward the living space that doubled as a workshop.
”Oh! I must meet with her by all means, noja!”
I called for Satsuki, who had been diligently mass-producing the ‘Vibrating Stopper-kun’. She looked flustered at the sight of the Duke’s daughter but quickly composed herself.
”This is Satsuki, a Court Magician. She was dispatched from the Royal Palace and helped develop the ‘Hot Pop-kun’ with me. Her contribution to adjusting the external structure, in particular, was significant,” I explained.
”Hmph, as expected of a Court Magician appointed by Your Majesty, noja! That work is truly splendid!” Lady Tina exclaimed, turning her praise toward Satsuki.
Satsuki, initially bewildered, gradually began to look pleased, her cheeks flushing slightly. It must have been the first time she’d received such direct feedback from a customer. I hoped it would serve as encouragement for her.
”The fact that I was able to come to the Royal Capital this time is thanks to the ‘Hot Pop-kun’, noja. The enemy soldiers, seeing the ‘Magic-users’—who are actually the X-Type ‘Hot Pop-kun’—appearing in unknown locations during the snowbound winter, decided they did not want to fight, and so the northern border has a little breathing room. I have come here to prepare for the start of a possible war after spring, noja,” Lady Tina explained.
”Hold on, if you’ve come here for such an important reason, is it really alright for you to be loafing about in a place like this…?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
”Hm? Far from loafing, this is an important public duty that is close to the main business, noja. If a war truly begins in the spring, our territory will be thrown into chaos. Before that, I must seek cooperation from the other nobles for supplies and personnel. If I don’t bring a good souvenir or a common topic of conversation, the discussions will not proceed. The merchandise and the topic of this shop are exactly what is needed, noja.”
Astonishingly, my shop’s ‘Buddy’ tools were being used as political tools. Lady Tina mentioned that she’d attended several social gatherings since arriving in the Royal Capital, and the conversation had revolved entirely around the ‘Buddy’ tools. It was the perfect topic for the wives of Court Nobles to discuss with the wives of regional nobles—a way to break the ice and transition to more serious matters.
The world of nobles was indeed quite troublesome. Still, I couldn’t help but imagine the scene: high-born ladies, elegantly dressed and savoring luxurious meals, secretly chattering excitedly about the ‘Buddy’ tools. Or perhaps the young ladies whose faces flushed red at the frank talk of the elder wives, admonishing themselves for being ‘improper’ yet listening in with curiosity.
It felt like a distant matter, yet it concerned my shop’s products. For that matter, the ‘Garou Merchant Guild’ must be incredibly busy right now… Managed by Mister Ouka, the father of Lady Aerith—the wolf beast-person I’d mentioned earlier—it was a high-end store catering to nobles and the wealthy. They were the most suitable agent for my products, and I suspected the nobles’ ‘connection’ was channeled through them.
Looks like I’ll have to pay a visit to the ‘Garou Merchant Guild’ for various reasons…
While I was lost in thought, Lady Tina’s relentless praise of Satsuki seemed to have ended. Satsuki bowed deeply and returned to her work.
”A-And so, noja? I was hoping you could sell me the item from before, noja…” Lady Tina said, her voice softening.
”Hm? Oh, the number one ‘Buddy’ and the ‘Breaking the Melon’s Rind’ tool. But, are you really sure? I thought Duke’s daughters were supposed to save such things until marriage…” I replied, raising an eyebrow.
”Aah, normally that would be the case, noja… You don’t know, do you? It’s half decided that our Badcage Duke House will be dissolved.”
”Eh!?” I blurted out, utterly flustered. Was this really something a mere magic tool shop owner should be hearing?
”Well, perhaps ‘dissolved’ is an exaggeration, noja. You should know this, but since the political upheaval, Her Majesty the Queen has declared she will remain single for life, and at least until His Highness Prince Roland inherits the throne, she will seek neither a partner nor children.”
”That is a famous story, but… Ah, I see,” I murmured, piecing it together.
”Hmph, the Royal Family’s blood also flows in our Badcage Duke House, noja. If I were to bear a child, that child would also acquire the right of succession to the throne. Above all, since Her Majesty, Lady Cecile-nee-sama, has shown such resolve, I could not possibly seek a partner or children so easily, noja.”
”So that’s why you said ‘at least ten years’ earlier…. That is, well, it’s a complicated thing to hear…” I replied, feeling a vague sense of unease.
”That’s how things are, noja, so as a small consolation, could you, um, sell me that, o-oh, the ‘Buddy’ tool and the, h-hmm, ‘Breaking the Melon’s Rind’…? noja?” she asked, her cheeks flushing.
In the end, I sold the ‘Virginity Loss Set’ to Lady Tina, who had confessed with a mix of determination and embarrassment. As I watched her leave the shop, I couldn’t help but wonder what other surprises the noble world—and my little magic tool shop—had in store for me.
—
Summary:
Lady Tina Badcage, daughter of the powerful Duke of Badcage, reveals she is in the Royal Capital using ‘Buddy’ tools as a political tool to secure alliances for a potential border war, and due to her family’s royal bloodline issue, she is sacrificing marriage/children, ultimately purchasing the ‘Virginity Loss Set’ from Kento as a consolation.””
—
Character Insight:
Tina Badcage demonstrates a strong sense of duty and loyalty to the Royal Family, willing to sacrifice her personal life and future to avoid further succession conflicts, which adds a surprising layer of tragic nobility beneath her enthusiastic and somewhat frivolous outer persona. Kento is shown to be a reluctant participant in high-level politics, prioritizing the practical functionality of his tools while grappling with the weighty secrets of the nobility.””
—
Behind the Scene:
The internal conflict within the Royal Family and high nobility, specifically the Queen’s decision for a childless reign, is the driving force behind Tina’s actions and her need for the shop’s product, illustrating how Kento’s creations unexpectedly intersect with major political events.””
—
T/L:
¹ [‘Breaking the Melon’s Rind’] > A term referring to the act of removing a person’s virginity. It is a highly descriptive euphemism ↩
Notes:
• 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.
• Tina Badcage – Silver-haired, red-eyed woman with a very formal, old-fashioned way of speaking, often ending sentences with ‘no ja’. She is the only daughter of the Duke Badcage, tasked with guarding the North for the Canaria Royal Family. She is described as a beauty. Her inexperience suggests a slender build, and her dress is likely formal and aristocratic, though not explicitly stated.
• 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.
• Soi – An old professor from Ajire seminary, the first to raise a question. Looks like wizardly.
• 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.
• 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.
• Roland – he younger brother of Queen Cecile and the heir apparent to the Canaria throne. Clean, golden-blonde hair, same color as the Queen, innocent, beautiful face that could be mistaken for a girl but dressed in a boy’s formal wear.
• 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.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply