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On the other hand, in the imperial capital of the empire.

一方、帝国帝都にて。

 

On the other hand, in the imperial capital of the empire.

一方、帝国帝都にて。

Two small to medium-sized trading companies have disappeared. There are many trading companies in the empire, and it doesn’t have much impact on the general public. Most of the shops and businesses have been bought by other trading companies, and even the familiar shops have only changed owners.

中小規模の商会が２つ消えた。帝国において商会は何個もあり、一般人に対して大した影響はない。店や商売自体も、大部分は他の商会に買われており、行きつけの店もオーナーだけが変わった形だ。

 

However, there were some. Just a few products had completely disappeared.

しかし、一部。ごく一部だけ、完全に消えた商品があった。

 

“What? There’s no ‘Demon’s Horn’?”

「何？　『鬼の角』が無いだと？」

“Yes, we sincerely apologize. The production and sale of that medicine have been discontinued…”

「はい、大変申し訳ありません。こちらの薬は生産・販売が終了いたしまして……」

 

At the counter of the pharmacy, a nobleman who had secretly come to buy a love potion clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. He was an old man, well past middle age, with grandchildren.

薬屋のカウンターに、こっそり媚薬を買いに来た貴族が不満げに舌打ちをする。初老を超え、孫すらいる爺だった。

He was a regular user of the love potion ‘Demon’s Horn’.

彼は媚薬『鬼の角』の愛用者だった。

 

“How about other medicines? For example, how about this ‘宿走り’? Just one sip will make any woman act like a cat in heat! I guarantee she’ll run straight to the inn. Plus, it has a contraceptive effect—”

「他の薬はいかがでしょうか？　例えばこちらの『宿走り』なんていかがでしょう。一口飲ませるだけで、どんな女性も発情期の猫獣人のようになりますよ！　すぐさま宿に走ること請け合いというやつです。しかも不妊効果もあり――」

“…I want a male stamina enhancer.”

「……男向けの精力剤が欲しいのだが」

“Then how about this ‘反太ッ刀’? By increasing mana concentration, it promotes blood flow improvement and fatigue recovery, which can lead to enhanced male functions. It’s marketed as making you as strong as a bent sword—”

「ではこちらの『反太ッ刀』はいかがでしょうか。マナ濃度を高めることで血流改善や疲労回復を促進し、男性機能の向上につなげる効果が期待できます。反った剣のようになるという謳い文句で――」

“I’ve already tried that! It barely works at half capacity!”

「それはもう試したのだ！　よくて半分程度にしかならぬ！」

 

Bang! The nobleman slammed the counter. The shop was sparsely populated, but the loud noise drew attention, and the old nobleman pulled his robe deeper over his head in embarrassment.

ダン！　と貴族がカウンターを叩く。人気の少ない店内だったが、大きな音に注目が集まり、気まずげにローブを深く被る老貴族。

 

“…The strongest one, that was ‘Demon’s Horn’, right!? Is there no stock!?”

「……一番強いヤツ、それが『鬼の角』だったろ！？　在庫はないのか！？」

“I’m terribly sorry, but we have zero stock… All the remaining medicines were bought up as soon as they were discontinued.”

「もうしわけありません、在庫もゼロでして……販売終了と同時に、在庫に残っていた薬は全て買い占められてしまったのです」

“Who is that scoundrel!?”

「その不届きものはどこのどいつだ！？」

“I’m sorry, but I cannot disclose customer information…”

「申し訳ございません、お客様の情報なので明かすことは……」

 

The old nobleman gritted his teeth. However, he made an effort to remain calm.

ギリッ、と歯を食いしばる老貴族。しかしつとめて冷静を装う。

 

“I’m not trying to rob you. I just hope to negotiate and obtain it. Tell me.”

「何も、強盗しようというわけではない。交渉をして譲ってもらえればと思っているだけだ。教えよ」

“Well… but…”

「いや……しかし……」

“Oh, was this gold coin yours? You dropped it.”

「おっと、この金貨は君のだったか。落としていたぞ」

“…just a certain esteemed person.”

「……さる尊いお方、とだけ」

 

After handing over a single gold coin, the old nobleman clicked his tongue again at the information he received.

金貨１枚を握らせ、引き換えに得たその情報に、何度目かの舌打ちをする老貴族。

The fact that the person referred to him as ‘esteemed’ suggests they are of royal blood. That makes negotiation difficult.

貴族の自分を相手にしても『尊いお方』ということは、皇族ではないか。それでは交渉も難しい。

 

“Ugh… What about the factory!? Who was making this medicine!?”

「くぅぅ……工場などは！？　この薬を作っていた者は！？」

“It seems the ranch owned by the previous trading company has disappeared, making reproduction hopeless.”

「前の商会主が持っていた牧場が消えたらしく、再生産は絶望的だそうです」

“I’ll pay any amount! Where did the trading company owner go!?”

「金ならいくらでも出す！　商会主はどこにいった！？」

“He went bankrupt and is now working for another trading company…”

「破産し、今は別の商会で下働きを……」

“I’ll provide the funds! We can create a new ranch!”

「儂が金を出す！　新たに牧場を作らせればいいだろう！？」

 

In this way, the merchants were forced to revive by the nobles who needed ‘Demon’s Horn’, and they would gather the demon slaves they had previously sold.

このようにして商人は『鬼の角』を必要とする貴族たちから強制的に再起させられ、前に売り払った鬼族奴隷達を集めることになる。

 

 

And just when the slaves had gathered completely, the merchant vanished with the money, and by the next day, the demon slaves that were supposed to be left behind also disappeared like smoke, leading to the merchant being internationally wanted as an investment fraudster—but that is another story.

そして、きっかり奴隷達が集まり切ったその時に、金をもって姿をくらませ、翌日には置いていかれたはずの鬼族の奴隷達も煙のように消えてしまい、商人は投資詐欺師として国際指名手配されることになるのだが――それはまた別の話。

 

 

 

(Announcement below)

（以下お知らせ）

Volume 2 is now on sale, so please buy it.

２巻発売中なので、買ってね。

Look for the cute Dia-kun drawn by Ixy-sensei!!

Ixy先生の描いた可愛いディア君ちゃんが目印だぞ！！

 

Also, the pirate captain has become quite cute (self-regulation for spoiler prevention).

尚、海賊の船長があんな可愛いことになっていますが（以下ネタバレ防止のため自主規制）

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