Chapter 19: Revenge on Kaku-san

Translator Note:

Hi guys. Just a heads up. On Saturdays my job gets incredibly busy and I am 100% unable to touch the computer so, on those days, I won’t be able to progress at all.

Anyways, enjoy! 😀

—-

“It’s the Kuzunoha Company-sama, right? Do you have your merchant guild plate with you?”

[No, I lost it on the way. I will have one reissued for me at a later town, so just treat us as normal guests. No, lodge us as adventurers.] (Makoto)

Writing that, I take out my level 1 adventurer plate in the reception of the inn.

I decided that, from now on, if they were to ask me my social status, I would present myself with the name ‘Kuzunoha Company’ that I thought of, and show ‘my’ plate. Honestly, I feel that if we show Tomoe or Mio’s plates, it would only stir unnecessary trouble.

HmHm~ But isn’t this nice? I am Raidou-san, the heir of the Kuzunoha Company. <TN: Devil Summoner reference>

Is this my long awaited debut? I have become a summoner! -In a form that I do not desire…

—There is no houseboy in sight, and no test tubes. It is truly in name only—

Even though I long for it, I won’t hope for it. HAHAHA, this sounds like a riddle.

My two followers are monsters, so it’s fine if I call myself a summoner. In terms of race, they would be Dragon King and Wicked, maybe.

“So you lost it? What a misfortune. We only have the branch office of the merchant guild in this area after all. It must be quite inconvenient for you.”

[I traveled in a dangerous place, so it’s good that it just came to that. I originally didn’t plan to come to the borders after all.] (Makoto)

More like, I didn’t have plans on coming to this world.

“It’s good that you are fine. For you to be able to arrive at this base without any prior arrangements is close to a miracle, honorable guest.”

[It’s because my companions are skilled. I wish to get two rooms. Are they available?] (Makoto)

“Yeah, of course. However, we only have the most expensive room available. Is it okay with you?”

Tch, so that’s how it’s going to be. But the other inns don’t have a sky view. Due to the season, there are no proper rooms.

It is a bit shameful for me to say it, but an adventurer and a normal guest are a different quality of customers, so I would like some kind of distinction in their rooms.

To think that the established lodgings had so much popularity.

Ugh, I thought I would be able to get a room if I just said ‘how much gold would one honorable guest be for?’

[How much will it be?] (Makoto)

“Let’s see. It’s a lodging as an adventurer, so the caring of your carriage and horse will be more expensive.”

Ugh~, to have a merchant guild preference would have meant that the carriage would be counted as well.

“The lodging fee will be treated as that of an adventurer, so it will be slightly cheaper than when treated as a merchant.”

“And…”

It seems like he is having trouble saying something, this receptionist-kun. Little boy, from what *gal-game* did you come from? (TN: romance game for girls)

His fidgeting appearance fits him too well.

[What is it?]

“It’s about your cargo but…”

I nod and press him to continue.

“With an adventurer treatment, we will look after your carriage, but we can’t guarantee the safety of your cargo. I am truly sorry but, in the case of a robbery, we will not be taking responsibility for it.”

It was quite a difficult matter to say. Truly.

Well, an adventurer normally doesn’t leave in custody a carriage filled with luggage.

And in the case of merchants, the carriage is normally filled with goods. The responsibility that the inn would have to take would be big.

Moreover, this place…

The public order here is probably not that good. I have never heard about a refugee camp that has public order regulation.

[I don’t mind. In terms of my cargo, no matter what happens, I will not charge for responsibility.] (Makoto)

“Then, three people, and carriage care for 1 night. That will be 6 gold.”

So expensiiiive!!

Oh?!

Is the economic knowledge that the dwarfs taught me already a thing of the past?

I thought that the price of the lodgings would be in silvers at most.

In this world, the currency runs in silver and gold. And then there is the one called Moria-silver, a metal that has traces of magic power. If processed, it becomes a magic silver coin. 

I thought that Moria-silver was the pseudonym of mithril. It seems that in this world it’s a different thing. If it were the same thing, they would be able to make the adventurer plate into a magic coin after all.

By the way, there is an easy way to explain it in terms of current Japan.

Copper coin = 10 yen. Just how it looks.

Silver coin = 1000 yen.

Gold coin = 10,000 yen.

Is how it would go. Magic coins would be 1,000,000 yen. The yellow-gold coin is a piece of fine art and is super high class, like the koban*. It’s even said that you can make a castle with it. (TN: Koban is a former Japanese oval gold coin)

In the Edo-era there was something that was even more valuable than Koban and the exchange rates in those times was pretty similar. For example; stuff like 5 ryo of medium size and 10 ryo of large size.

A normal office worker’s salary would be 2-30 silver coins. I noticed that it felt pretty deflated.

Above all, it should be fine to just use gold normally. Because you have to change the silver into gold in order to buy, and that is troublesome.  I pray it’s just this place that is like this. Just because 1 gold coin is the same as 1 ryo, please spare me that the buying system will be just as troublesome.

Wa~ for one person to stay one night is 20,000 yen?

A frontier I want to enter but can’t and, even when I enter, I learn the harsh reality. Isn’t that way too much?

Moreover, there is no insurance for your carriage!

What should we do? Is a merchant supposed to come here with a broad-mind?* (Tn: prepared to “share” your goods)

But the gold I have is the money that the dwarfs gave me. They did tell me that it wasn’t necessary for them, so it’s okay for us to use it in any way we want, but…

If we sell our goods, will we be able to get enough money?

What a commoner I am.

“Then, for now, 10 days please.”

?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

I didn’t want to show my agitation, so I just slowly turned to the side.

There, I could see Tomoe-san with a wallet (that’s how it looks to me) and taking a gold coin and leaving it on the counter.

Taking 2 gold coins.

3 gold coins.

I could hear the BGM of hi~fu~mi. (TN: a Japanese song for shrine offerings. Maybe)

Where is your sense of money? I see~ there is no way you have that.

But you, your whole fortune is 100 coins, you know?

Are you just going to throw away 60 of them?

10 days of stay would be 600,000 yen, ahaha. Since when did I become such a celebrity?

600,000 to stay in this log-house.

“Certainly, then, let me guide you to your room.”

“Ah~ and also…” (Tomoe)

Tomoe stops the shota* from the counter with a prideful expression. This fool, what is she going to say now? (TL: a cute or handsome young boy)

“Yes?… hiiih!!”

“Waka is a kind one, but I am a bit short fused. You see, I get scolded a lot.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe takes out the plate that has a crazy level carved in it from her bosom, as if it was nothing, and continues. This looks like a threat…

“I have been looking at the inn for a while but…‘no vacancy’, huh. For us to be able to stay here is truly a blessing. Is the price reasonable?” (Tomoe)

“That is, of course. It is such a place and I consider that it’s the best place around here.”

The boy responds while trembling. Eh, this guy. He is a bit suspicious.

“That’s a relief. Because the last inn’s best room was 1 gold for 3 people a night, so I was a bit doubtful. I was just about to blow away the whole inn if there was any sort of deceit, you know? Fufufufu.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe is gently laughing. Only her mouth.

I thought she didn’t look at her surroundings. This girl, she is unexpectedly…

When I checked it out, Mio was also giggling. To laugh only with your mouth has a certain violent feel to it. Though the moment they open their mouths, I can only see them as disappointing girls.

“I will confirm it one last time-ja. In this place, it’s 6 gold a night, right?” (Tomoe)

“Uh… that is, um…”

So they were really overcharging us, huh. To pull off such a villainous act with a pretty face that looks like he wouldn’t be able to kill a bug.

No, it’s normal, huh. He is just a short male. Hmm, I can’t get used to this.

Not judging a single bit by appearance; I feel it’s a bit hard for me right now.

When I see a beautiful girl, my face still becomes loose. I am a man after all. I can’t help it, you know? I’m a fresh high-schooler.

Ah, now that I think about it, does this world have schools?

“I-It was 2 gold! I made a mistake, I am sorry!”

He made a buckling apology. But you know, even with that, a night is still over 60,000 yen, huh.

Hey. Just because I am wearing such a stylish mask, don’t go making the price 3 times higher, okay?!

If this place were like a palace, I would accept it though.

Just because it’s important to live under a roof, don’t go pulling this on me.

“Hohou~ quite the ‘mistake’ you made there, huh. Oops.” (Tomoe)

*Bakya!*

Tomoe slipped (faked) and her leg destroyed the floor.

The boy, who saw the hole, stood still; his face pale.

“Sorry, sorry. It looks like the floor was a bit old.” (Tomoe)

Of course that wasn’t the case. With the color of the boy’s face, one was able to infer it.

“Tomoe-san, please be careful, okay? Ah that’s right, boy-san. The remaining money, we will be taking it at a later time, so please do take care of it, okay?” (Mio)

Mio is also merciless. Now he has to hold onto the money for 10 days and take responsibility in safekeeping it -without a choice.

If there is less, or there are rumors that it has been stolen…

“No way?! I-I will be returning it right now so…!”

“No no, it’s a pain. Master doesn’t mind such an amount of money. I am looking forward to the meal. One that is fitting of the price -mealwise.” (Mio)

Mio sweetly smiles and the boy quickens his pace. If there is no will to receive it, then they will not forgive any objections. They told him to go ahead.

…

I have been thinking about it but…

These fellows that can move a conversation so smoothly, why is it that they caused a commotion in the guild?

I don’t understand. I can only feel deep evil intentions in their actions.

The boy stands still after showing us our room.

His face turns to me as if asking for salvation.

Are you a chihuahua?!

I will tell you now, I am not a dog but a cat man!

That’s not it.

Even if I am into dogs, I wouldn’t think about saving an evil chihuahua that tried to deceive me.

Hah~

Even though I decided not to sigh anymore… I ignore the face of the boy and enter the room that was shown to me.

—-

“Good grief. I didn’t know what would happen, but we were able to clear it up.” (Tomoe)

“That boy will probably be stiff from now on. He tried to gain large amounts of money and now he has to protect that money, ufufu.” (Mio)

“Tomoe and Mio, your personalities are pretty bad. The boy has fault in it as well, so I can’t say much though.” (Makoto)

We are already inside the room, so it should be fine to speak.

Of course, I am not expecting that the place is soundproof though. If I don’t talk loudly, the people outside shouldn’t be able to hear me.

“It looks like the price is a lot higher than what we heard it would be.” (Makoto)

“It’s a remote region after all. It seems like the service has some issues. so it can’t be helped.” (Tomoe)

“Yeah, the prices of products were an abnormality in itself. The water had a higher price than a knife. And the monsters’ fangs and claws were higher than the water.” (Makoto)

“Are they tasty?” (Mio)

“No, isn’t it because they are materials? Mio, let’s stop thinking of everything as food okay?” (Makoto)

She is an insatiable spider after all.

“The things that can only be obtained here are being sold at a really high price. After that we have the things that are hard to obtain. Then we have the common armor and protection. How warped, huh.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe is unexpectedly looking at things objectively.

It’s true that, in this place, normal weapons are really cheap. One of the reasons is most likely because the usability is low. A normal weapon will quickly be unusable and has to be changed constantly.

Special products and most likely their materials are being sold at truly high prices.

But it slightly preoccupies me.

Even if we call it normal equipment, there is the labor work as well, and it takes materials. With that, it’s still cheap.

And the pleasantries and commodities are fairly expensive.

I don’t like this. So even in other worlds, there is political influence.

“By the way, there seems to be a merchant guild. Is it okay for us to sell at our own convenience?” (Makoto)

“Fumu, there is certainly a branch section here as well.” (Tomoe)

“If it’s not okay, wouldn’t they have come to stop us?” (Mio)

With how things are, that is no good. It seems Mio isn’t that fit to do business.

“Then that would make the ‘I lost it’ words of Waka have issues. A company that doesn’t even know the common sense of the merchant guild; that would make the words of the heir lose credibility.” (Tomoe)

The one that was supposed to be stupid, Tomoe, unexpectedly said something I wanted to say.

“Well, that’s how it is. Mio, I am sorry, but could you go to that branch office and say some half-hearted thing like wanting to enter the guild, so you can get information about their rules and regulations?” (Makoto)

“Eh? Now? Like…right now, Waka-sama?” (Mio)

“Yeah. Because by tomorrow the information about you two will surely be spread all over the town. Today is the best time. Now, go go.” (Makoto)

“Geez, I get it. I will go do it.” (Mio)

Mio reluctantly left the room.

“How nice. You are truly learning how to use your followers. That’s how my rouko* should be” (Tomoe) (TN: Elder nobleman)

“I am not a rouko! If you guys didn’t stand out, we wouldn’t need to be doing things so stealthily, you know?” (Makoto)

“However, to investigate things after reaching your room, isn’t that the epitome of Mito Koumon?” (Tomoe)

Tomoe-san tilts her head. Like I have been telling you, please don’t go relating things to Koumon-sama.

“No no, it is not decided that there is an evil magistrate at this place anyways.” (Makoto)

“There should be one.” (Tomoe)

“Why are you so sure?!” (Makoto)

Is the world so ridden with evil?!

“The prices of the products are way too abnormal after all. No matter how I think about it, there must be something” (Tomoe)

She is seriously sharp. Could it be that, when she enters ‘period drama’ mode, her stupid neurons go away?

“You are quite something Tomoe.” (Makoto)

“You have noticed it as well, Waka. There is someone here gaining dirty money. In an unjust way~♪.” (Tomoe)

Don’t go ‘In an unjust way~♪’ on me -all happy.

“If Mio can catch onto something, we would be able to move more easily though…” (Makoto)

“It’s impossible. She is unaware of her surroundings, and she is pretty on guard. Maybe she would even come back while being tailed.” (Tomoe)

And why are you so happy about that?

I give up. It’s true that most of our cargo is pleasantries. So that makes it certain that it will be targeted.

Ah~ no good, it’s only been 15 minutes and I already feel like we are going the path of Mito Koumon.

“I honestly think that Tomoe is fit to play the part of evil magistrate or Echigoya.” (Makoto)

The ‘kukuku’ way of laughing she has suits her a lot.

More like, there are no people that correspond to the Mito Koumon family.

Aside from the aforementioned part.

“No matter how you see it, I am Kaku-san!” (Tomoe)

“Kaku-san is originally bare-handed!” (Makoto)

“Then a Kaku-san that uses swords!” (Tomoe)

“Anything goes?!” (Makoto)

Then it would be like the one who says ‘flying monkey named Gin-san’ wins! (TN: I didn’t understand this idiom. そしたらお前、飛び猿なお銀さんとか言ったもん勝ちになるだろうが！)

Uh~ I imagined it. Disgusting.

“Anyways, I will be going with Kaku-san, so I am counting on you!!” (Tomoe)

She is forcefully making me accept it!

“You… geez, yeah yeah, Kaku-san*” (Makoto) (TN: he uses the character 核 = Nuclear weapon, instead of 格)

For you to be Kaku-san is plenty; you bomb.

“I feel like the writing for yours was different!” (Tomoe)

What kind of sixth sense do you have?!

“I have my suspicions that you had some evil intentions when you caused a commotion in the guild.” (Makoto)

“Eh.” (Tomoe)

Don’t ‘Eh’ me! Why is it that it sounds like a confession?!

I can’t handle you!

So she really went period drama style and caused problems?

“So it’s ‘Eh’, huh? Tomoe~.” (Makoto)

“Hahahaha.” (Tomoe)

“Well, for now, let’s leave that aside. There is something I want you to do. Okay?” (Makoto)

“Hoho~ and that is?” (Tomoe)

“And then… and that’s how… and then we do this.” (Makoto)

“I see, that is…quite nice. It sounds interesting.” (Tomoe)

I felt like she would go along with it.

“Then, I’m counting on you.” (Makoto)

“As you will. I will prepare it as soon as possible-desu zo.” (Tomoe)

*knock*knock

Hm? Who could it be?

I exchange looks with Tomoe.

“Who is it?” (Tomoe)

“Mio-desu wa, is it okay if I open the door?”

“Yeah, I don’t mind-zo.” (Tomoe)

The return of Mio huh.

I stretch out a search [Sakai] on the surroundings.

There are 6 people surrounding the inn, huh. They move their bodies well. They can’t be amateurs.

To think she would really bring tailers.

“Ara, Waka. What is it? To suddenly stare at me.” (Mio)

What could it be~?

Tomoe seems to have noticed that a number of people have been following.

For now, they haven’t entered.

So it means that our cargo is still fine.

We have threatened the reception well, so the information won’t leak that fast.

But with how he is, I feel that he would be easily enticed by gold.

It’s still a high class inn though. I am counting on you, seriously.

“No, it’s nothing.” (Makoto)

“I have spoken with the merchant guild.” (Mio)

“Yeah, and?” (Makoto)

“It seems that we can’t open a business without the guild proof-desu wa. If we want a re-issue of it, we should go to Yadoriki town or a place called Tsige.” (Mio)

“The distance?” (Makoto)

“After passing three other towns it would take 1 month, or so I was told.” (Mio)

Towns. We have to pass 3 camps just like this one before finally reaching our destination?

That’s long. Not being able to get money before that is harsh. Even if these two do jobs, they are still E rank after all.

“Isn’t there any way to sell our things?” (Makoto)

“It seems that if we utilize the commercial area, there won’t be any problems.” (Mio)

“Commercial area?” (Makoto)

Was there such a place?

“It’s a place that belongs to the merchant guild and it’s a place where we can do middle wholesales. I wonder what middle wholesale means.” (Mio)

If you don’t know, please ask the guild while you were there, not me.

“It means that you can sell to other merchants as well. But, that is…” (Makoto)

I will be able to use them as reference to know the prices. It’s not fun to sell in a wicked place though.

“Well, it is true that we are carrying things that will go bad fast. Let’s go to that commercial area tomorrow and sell everything.” (Makoto)

It should make a decent amount of profit.

The day will finally be over.

After that, it will be eating and sleeping only.

As expected, there will be a lot of things to be done when you arrive in a town for the first time.

For today, let’s pass on going back to Asora and just quickly sleep.

“That’s right. To think you won’t mind about the tailers.” (Tomoe)

“Tailers?” (Mio)

“You have been followed” (Tomoe)

“I was?!” (Mio)

Well Mio is originally the type who wouldn’t evade things. She is the type who would receive it all and absorb it.

It’s to the point that I would even want to call her Hart-sama*. (TN: don’t know what the reference is)

“I will finish them off right now!” (Mio)

Mio walks determinedly to the window.

“No, it’s fine. Let them swim around, Mio.” (Makoto)

“But…!” (Mio)

“It’s fine.” (Makoto)

“Mu~” (Mio)

“It will soon be time for the meal. Let’s just enjoy it.” (Makoto)

It seems that the word meal has attracted the attention of Mio.

“That’s right, Tomoe.” (Makoto)

“What is it, Waka?” (Tomoe)

“For now, you will be on standby in the carriage. And for one night, I will be counting on you for the cargo. It looks like there is suspicious company. I can see a lot of movements trying to look for our carriage.” (Makoto)

“W-What did you say?!” (Tomoe)

“Because, aren’t you the Kaku-san? These types of things; they are the duty of Kaku-san you know~♪?” (Makoto)

“M-My meal?” (Tomoe)

“No-ne♪” (Makoto)

“A-Are you an Oni, Waka?!” (Tomoe)

“Don’t put a finger on the cargo, okay? It’s a given if you are part of a company after all.” (Makoto)

“A-A demon. A demon is here!” (Tomoe)

“Just how tired do you think I am because of you? Yes, this is an order!” (Makoto)

I have to show who has the authority here.

I don’t care if you call me an Oni or a Demon. Fuhahahahaha.

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