Chapter 98 A Royal Capital Date with the Beast-Eared Young Lady꞉ Part One, Exploring the Hidden Gems of the Back Alleys
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”It is a bit of a walk, are you sure you will be alright?”
”Yes,” Aerith replied, her voice bright. “I am a beast-person, after all. I have quite a bit of confidence in my legs.”
Aerith, the daughter of the Garou Merchant Guild¹, had come to inspect my workshop – or perhaps it was a visit of a more social nature. When I had invited her on a date, she had stood there for a moment, quite stunned, before her grey tail began to wag with the frantic energy of a dog anticipating its afternoon stroll.
It occurred to me that I really should have prioritized deepening our friendship over explaining my business policies. Despite my claims of taking responsibility, I had spent far more time with Satsuki, the court mage I had met long after her.
We were worlds apart, quite literally. She was a beast-person, I was a mere human; she was a lady of high standing, and I was but a commoner. Beyond that, we were man and woman, born of different worlds entirely. Of course, the latter two points applied to everyone else in my life too, and Laika, being a dog-type beast-person, ticked three of those boxes herself.
”Still, those shoes might make it difficult, won’t they?” I said. “If you like, you can use me as a walking stick.”
”Oh…♡ In that case, I shall take you up on your kind offer,” Aerith said.
As I offered my arm, Aerith clung to it with an air of pure delight, winding her own arm around mine. She was wearing white pumps that complemented her light blue one-piece dress perfectly. They were certainly more practical than high heels, but they still looked ill-suited for a long trek, and I felt a pang of worry about her ruining them.
While I was lost in thought, she didn’t miss the chance to subtly lace her fingers through mine. She beamed at me, her tail wagging so vigorously I half-expected it to fly off. For a fleeting moment, I had a vision of a dog trotting along with a leash clamped firmly in its teeth.
To an onlooker, we must have looked a most peculiar pair: a dignified, strikingly beautiful young lady and a perfectly ordinary man with nothing to recommend him. We were the definition of an mismatched couple. Yet, Aerith didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
”Hehe! You know, this is my very first date,” she said with a giggle.
”Oh, really?” I asked, surprised.
”Yes. Ever since I entered my ‘heat’ period, my fiancé fled, and there has been no one willing to walk the public streets with me,” Aerith replied.
”…Then I am truly honored,” I said. “I only hope I can escort you properly.”
”My, I am already enjoying myself quite enough♡,” Aerith said, casting a pair of glossy, enchanting eyes toward me.
She spoke lightly, as if she had long since made peace with her past. Being born into a noble family certainly had its ups and downs; she had clearly faced her share of hardships.
I decided right then that I would make this a wonderful date for her. The only trouble was, I hadn’t actually decided where to take her. A girl of her standing would already know every fashionable spot I could think of.
That narrowed my choices considerably. My best bet was a hidden gem – the kind of place a normal person wouldn’t know about or would be too hesitant to enter. I had plenty of those in mind. When I first opened my shop, I had spent a great deal of time scouting various locations to see what I could learn for my own business.
Since then, visiting suspicious-looking shops had become something of a hobby. I wasn’t just role-playing a shady shopkeeper for show, you see; I genuinely enjoyed being both the owner and the patron of such eccentric establishments.
”Well then, shall we?” I said.
”Yes♡,” Aerith replied.
And so, our first date began.
—
Our first stop was a certain general store. It wasn’t the sort of place that sold charming trinkets; rather, it was a suspicious little hole-in-the-wall that looked as though someone had haphazardly swept up a mountain of random items from every corner of the world. In my old world, it would have felt like the most chaotic of second-hand shops.
”Is… is this the place?” Aerith asked, her voice wavering.
”It is. You probably know more about high-quality goods than I do, given what you usually wear,” I explained. “So, I thought it might be fun to try a bit of treasure hunting for a change.”
”Treasure hunting…?” she whispered.
”Exactly. Treasure hunting,” I said, leading her inside.
At the entrance stood a large, garish carving that looked like a totem pole designed with exceptionally poor taste. Aerith gave a small start of fear and pulled my arm closer to her chest.
Once inside, we were greeted by a collection of stuffed monsters. I recalled the owner saying they were trophies from his youth, or perhaps from regular adventurers who frequented the shop. It was an overwhelming sight, but if one looked closely, there were treasures hidden amongst the dross: furniture made from rare timber and accessories crafted from unusual minerals.
Of course, if you didn’t have a discerning eye, you’d end up with a piece of junk. But for someone like Aerith, whose family dealt in high-end jewelry, that wasn’t a concern. Her face soon flushed with excitement as she spotted a comb made of Kamara Birch³ lying carelessly on a shelf.
”Oh, I knew bringing you here was a good idea. Let’s make sure to grab that,” I said.
”What!? No, I couldn’t! Such a luxury!” Aerith cried. “It is a beautiful piece, but a comb of Kamara Birch is something even our shop has trouble procuring!”
”It’s fine, really. The old man who runs this place is greedy, but he’s kind to customers who know their stuff and to the residents of the back alleys,” I said.
”Who are you calling greedy? You’ve certainly grown a big mouth, haven’t you, brat?” a voice grumbled.
”It’s the truth, isn’t it, Old Man Gan? It’s been a while… or maybe not,” I replied.
”It’s only been since the last neighborhood meeting. Have you gone senile in your youth?” the man snapped.
Emerging from the back of the shop was a short, hunched old man with white hair and a beard that nearly swept the floor. He looked every bit the stubborn, eccentric character that suited such a shop.
”Aerith, this is Old Man Gan. He’s the coordinator for the merchant association in the back alleys. His real name was… Gan-dolf? Or was it Gan-dalf…?” I pondered aloud.
”It is Ganmaref. You have a good eye to notice that comb, young lady,” Ganmaref said.
”Oh, I am Aerith. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ganmaref…,” Aerith said, bowing despite her confusion.
The bearded old man narrowed his eyes and nodded. It seemed she had been accepted as a proper customer.
”Hey, old man, how much for the comb?” I asked.
”Hmm? Well now, as a token of our new acquaintance for such a lovely lady, I think I shall let her have it for free,” Ganmaref replied.
”What!? Oh, I couldn’t possibly!” Aerith exclaimed.
”Then it would just be a gift from you, wouldn’t it?” I interjected. “I’m the one giving this to Aerith, so let me pay for it.”
”Hmph! Young lady, you’d best stay away from this man. He’s the sort of villain who drags multiple women into his shady shop to keep him company,” Ganmaref warned.
”You old goat… Unfortunately for you, Aerith knows all about that. She was just visiting my shop a moment ago,” I said.
”What, so she’s already been tricked? Young lady, if you ever grow tired of this man, just say the word. I’ll use my authority as the head of the association to shut his shop down for good,” the old man said.
”You don’t even have that kind of authority… Just tell me the price already!” I shouted.
After some bickering, I managed to purchase the Kamara Birch comb from Old Man Gan. The price was surprisingly low, leaving Aerith blinking in shock as she looked back and forth between us.
When I asked if he could wrap it, the old man simply pointed to some scraps of paper and bags nearby, telling me to use whatever I liked. I picked out the finest-looking paper, wrapped the comb, and handed it to Aerith.
She watched the whole exchange with wide eyes, but after a moment, she accepted it. “Thank you so much. I will treasure it,” she said to both me and Ganmaref. I thanked the old man and we stepped back out into the street.
”Was that really alright…?” she asked tentatively.
”It’s fine. I help him tidy up his warehouse sometimes, and I mix up some medicine for his back pain when it flares up. In the back alleys, we all look out for one another. Besides, his shop is more of a hobby than anything else,” I explained.
For someone from the upper echelons of society like Aerith, this kind of relationship was clearly foreign. The look of surprise on her face was incredibly cute. She tucked her arm back into mine as we continued our stroll.
”So the back alleys have their own merchant association as well…” she mused.
”Indeed. I hear it used to be just a gathering of thugs, but now it’s an organization officially recognized by the palace. We even have a neighborhood association, though it’s pretty much the same group of people,” I said.
”It is so different from the association my guild belongs to… It feels a little like the Beast-person Association²,” Aerith noted.
”Well, it’s certainly not a gathering of high-end boutiques. It’s a group of neighbors who see each other every day, helping each other out for reasons that go beyond profit,” I said.
”How lovely. Perhaps my great-grandfather, or even his father, relied on such a community…” she wondered.
”Oh? Was your great-great-grandfather an adventurer, then?” I asked.
”Yes. I was told he retired when my great-grandfather was born and laid the foundation for the Garou Merchant Guild,” Aerith replied.
Aerith then shared a bit about the history of her guild. Her great-great-grandfather had originally been an adventurer who came to the royal capital dreaming of success.
When his son was born, he hung up his sword and opened a shop for adventurers with his old comrades. The fur-processing techniques passed down through his family were exceptional, and eventually, they began to attract high-society clients. Over generations, they expanded into other luxury goods, leading to the guild they are today.
It was a classic success story of the capital, the kind one hears often.
”Hmm, that sounds a bit familiar, doesn’t it?” I said.
”Hehe. Yes, I feel as though I am standing right next to someone very much like him right now,” Aerith laughed, pressing her chest against my arm.
Taking her to a stubborn old man’s shop right at the start had been a gamble, but she seemed to be enjoying herself more than I expected. I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
—
Summary:
The protagonist takes Aerith, the daughter of the Garou Merchant Guild, on their first date. They visit a chaotic, suspicious general store in the back alleys run by a stubborn old man named Ganmaref. Despite the store’s rough exterior, Aerith finds a rare Kamara Birch comb, which the protagonist buys for her. The experience gives Aerith a new perspective on community and reminds her of her own family’s humble beginnings as adventurers.
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Character Insight:
This chapter highlights Aerith’s genuine and humble nature; despite her high social standing, she finds joy in ‘treasure hunting’ in a cluttered shop and deeply appreciates a modest gift. The protagonist shows his ‘shady’ but community-oriented side, revealing his deep roots and respect within the back alley society. Their interaction suggests a growing emotional intimacy, moving beyond a mere business or ‘responsibility’ based relationship.
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Behind the Scene:
The author uses Ganmaref as a comedic nod to famous fantasy wizards (Gandalf and Ganondorf) while grounding him in the gritty reality of the merchant world. This chapter bridges the gap between the protagonist’s world of shady business and the high-society world Aerith occupies.
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T/L:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.
• Laika – The beastwoman dog.
• Ganmaref – A short, elderly man with a curved back. He has white hair and a beard that reaches nearly to the floor. He is a stubborn and sharp-tongued shopkeeper who serves as a coordinator for the back alley’s merchant association.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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