CH 262

Day 64 – Midday, Souvenir Store, the Capital Outskirts Branch

With an appeal from the Royal Girl and a request from Merimeri-san he gave in. The Middle-Aged Man of the Second Division will stick to the defense of the Capital, openly siding with the Second Prince. He seemed very against the idea, but hearing the condition 『No harm should come to the citizens』, he went deep in thought, and then finally nodded in agreement.

This should get the Second Prince motivated. The nobles that were still on the fence will also side with the Second Prince. And with this the Confederation will act as well. We can bait them.

Keeping a souvenir store is a tough job. Even now, I’m dripping with sweat, as I’m procuring goods from the Royal Palace. And what good timing, the barrels of oil and wine that were bought at the Souvenir Store a short while ago were carried in. Let’s bring them back and sell them again.

「Armored Pres-san, could you please pack up all of the barrels? I’ll go and restock on the flour a bit. We just sold some so the stock is running low? And since they were just sold, they should be coming soon? Honest work is so tough, right? It is such diligent accumulation of hard work that makes the difference~.」

Hm? The answer is a Flat Gaze, even though I’m toiling away to keep the transportation industry running? I’m working super hard, you know? I mean, it’s the third time I’m coming to restock today, it’s really hectic? No matter how many times I restock, the stuff gets bought and carried back, so I once again have to come to restock, but even if I take it back, it will be sold again and return here, so I have to restock again, it’s a perpetual cycle of transportation labor?

Taking a hidden passage I procure the merchandise and carry it back. By now I know my way around pretty well. Hidden passages also get recorded by the skill『Map』, so things get more convenient with each new visit. But even if I spot a hidden passage, finding the entrance is another matter entirely, so quite often I’d spot one with 『Space Perception』but can’t get inside, so it’s pretty tough.

The castle seems to be buzzing with rumors. The Middle-Aged Man from the Second Division has just declared that they will come under the Second Prince command to defend the Capital, as long as the promise of『No harm should come to the citizens』is kept. This will give sweet dreams to the Second Prince and his backing. This will give them hope.

I tried to investigate the situation in the Royal Palace, since I’m already here for restocking, but everything seems quiet for now, rather, with the Second Division’s pledge to provide defense an air of tranquility can be felt. Nobles and officials of the Second Prince’s faction, and the Merchant Confederation agents are happily conspiring together. What a heart-warming sight. I mean, it will ultimately lead to my pockets getting filled, so it is a good thing.

The Confederation is transporting goods to the Kingdom through a canal. With this, large quantities of goods will be carried by merchant ships into the Capital.

Now the Kingdom will enter a stalemate, and the Theocracy will be forced to shed blood. The only one winning is the Confederation, is what they will think. That source of those hopes is the Second Division. Now, they absolutely can’t afford to harm the citizens.

The Capital’s formidable defensive power combined with the forces of the Second Division will turn it into the strongest fortress. If the Merchants Confederation also takes care of provision the city will not fall. That’s the dream that they had, seeing the ray of hope for it to become reality.

People love to dream, that’s why they can’t give up. Even though an unreachable hope is nothing but despair? Even though that is bait, a trap? Let’s dig in? Sort of?

「Pirates! Pirates appeared in the canal. A few ships had their cargo stolen. It apparently was an absurdly fast iron ship.」

Looks like they began, Pirates of Geekean!　Somehow, hearing that name alone makes me want to sink them, but well, with Slime-san tagging along they are unsinkable.

「Immediately send an urgent request for additional supplies with priority on foodstuff. Without food the Capital will fall.」

「Request the Confederation to send ships for naval combat. Letting the pirates roam free will further increase damages.」

If they aren’t willing to give up, there is no choice but to send more. Naturally, I’ll be taking that too?

Of course, even if it comes to naval combat, they won’t be able to catch up to the Steam and Magic-powered hybrid armored vessel, nor win in battle with it. That is a mysterious high-power warship that can’t really be made even if one tries. Yup, we tried, and got a catapult instead, so we loaded it on the ship as well. A 5km range catapult firing high-speed warheads. Someday, I’ll launch the Geeks with it!

Over here too, there is no one who can stand up to my Magnate System! I mean, I can restock as much as I want with completely free passage, and the goods that I just restocked are immediately sold, making me richer, while the imports are currently being plundered in the canal. This has to be the perfect supply system.

If this continues for a long time, the Confederation will fall, if it stops sending supplies the Capital will be recaptured. If that happens, profits will disappear, but if they refuse to give up, they have no other choice but to come to the Souvenir Store for purchases. A flawless business model.

「Stored goods have disappeared again! We are currently searching for them.」

「It’s impossible to enter the palace, so search inside. Make sure to avoid causing any harm to the citizens!」

「Interruptions in transportation and storage could lead to delays in distribution for the people?」

「This must be avoided. We finally got the Second Division on our side. Distribution shouldn’t be stopped.」

Seems like an uproar. In other words, this could bring me profits. The Second Division’s proclamation seems to be effective after all. Now the Confederation lost their way out. They can only keep sending and buying more.

If they won’t preserve the Capital, then everything they already invested will be for naught, after all, they haven’t seen any returns on their investments yet. And the more they drag this one, the higher their losses will mount, in other words it’s a marvelous and gorgeous plan where I’m the only one who continuously gets richer? Thank you very much?

However, there are this many hidden passages in the Royal Palace, but no one is coming to investigate them, is this alright? Find one with『Space Perception』and you are free to go wherever you please? Not only do I have free access to secret information, but it even comes with Live Feed of events? The entrance looked worn out and not maintained properly, so those might be forgotten hidden passages. Let’s make a map while I’m at it and sell it to Royal Girl.

The people from the Confederation are still making a fuss, but they don’t have any choice but to keep supplying? After all, there are only two options. If they pull back – fine, if they don’t – thank you for the treat. No matter how much they are going to bring in I’m going to take it all, so they can only keep bringing in more? Yup, it will never end. If anything is going to end it will have to be the Confederation.

But merchants are sly. They must surely have some sort of insurance in place.

If things go well, both plans will work, if one fails, they will still be in profit due to the other one. They are incredibly talented when it comes to money-making schemes, if only they stuck to commerce there would’ve been no issues, but they just had to poke their heads into politics. Judging that they will profit more from authority and rights, they decided to start handling lives instead of money. But those things actually don’t have physical substance? Merchants without wares on hand. Merchants that have nothing but money and authority can be destroyed with goods. Take away their wares, exhausting their funds, sealing away their power. Merchants that don’t trade in anything can just die while still having nothing on their hands. It’s a natural course of things that the only thing awaiting merchants that have nothing to sell is ruin.

But they must have some sort of back up plan. Getting twofold or threefold returns on their investments from it, they are definitely coming for their profits. That won’t work. Allowing them to profit will be our loss. Victory or defeat doesn’t matter. Making them go into the red is what’s important. That’s what will divide the Confederation, diminish their power, and will make them hesitant about getting involved with the Kingdom ever again, the strongest threat.

They must have some sort of a scheme that would allow them to salvage profits from this situation. Even if this one fails, they will certainly make their profits from there. That’s why it’s insurance. And they should be distributing the risks. Right now, when the Kingdom and the Theocracy are so busy with each other, is a perfect chance to infiltrate the beastmen’s country.

On the waterway they will be devastated by the pirates, even losing their cargo to them, that being the case, they will have to give up on the Capital. They must be planning to plunder the beastmen’s country until then, capturing as many slaves as they can. Surely, they must already be acting on that.

But those Pirates are going to Job Change to Bandits? After all, the owners of that ship are the geeks? And it’s pretty common for those who are called geeks to be huge fans of animal ears. That’s why they will go into the woods. Piracy is just a bonus, their main goal is there, so they are definitely coming.

After all, the opponents want beastmen slaves. Therefore, they will definitely attack beastmen settlements, killing those that resist, and selling off the rest. A slave hunt.

Then they can get screwed. The geeks might be big fans of animal ears, but it’s not like they have any attachment to merchants or soldiers? After plundering contraband as pirates they will turn to hunt slave hunters, you know?

That’s why the Geeks were sent away on this errand, and that’s precisely why it had to be them.

「The Confederation seems to want to attack the beastmen’s country to get slaves, so I want to do some slave hunters hunt, wanna come? It will be a human versus human situation that will certainly lead to humans getting killed? It’s fine if you don’t want to come, since Slime-san is going anyway, but there is a chance that Slime-san might not make it in time to meet the real target after that, so I’m inviting you just in case? Or rather, you’d probably be mad later if I didn’t tell you? I guess?」

「「「「Thanks for telling us, we are going. Otherwise, coming to this world and getting stronger was all for nothing.」」」」

And having said that, they left. Naturally, I had Slime-san and the Idiots come along as well. Each beastmen has extremely high individual combat ability. There is no way a unit attacking them could be weak. Without a doubt, they will be far more dangerous than the Kingdom’s troops.

But they went despite hearing that. They are already there, you know? And they are angry? They seldom get angry, but they were furious? They even had serious looks, which couldn’t be more unusual. After all, they understand the pain of being bullied, mistreated, and abused. They also understand the bitterness of having that which belongs to them snatched away and destroyed. Yearning for another world all the time, they finally got the power after coming here. Enough power to reach herohood. But what’s more important, they lived while constantly having their eyes on another world. I mean, they love animal ears? Yup, they are angry? Very angry.

They almost certainly will have to kill people, even so, they said that they’ll go. It’s nothing as cool as having resolve, they simply can’t tolerate or forgive this. That’s why they went.

「The only condition is that you don’t hold back. The Idiots are coming too, but don’t conceal anything and go all out, okay? Or rather, you said that You’ll Go All Out If You Go To Another World, so do it? Sort of?」 [1]

「「「「Got it.」」」」

They don’t push themselves when they are on their own, but they also can’t get serious when in a group. They aren’t defense specialists at all, this is the reverse of that. I mean, they were bullied all the time? There is no way they aren’t angry? There is no way they aren’t crying? There is no way they aren’t suffering? There is no way they aren’t vexed? There is no way they aren’t bitter? There is no way they don’t hate it? There is no way they can give up? And here is finally the strength that they wished for? It’s the guys that seriously came to the very real another world for it? They are definitely angry. Deep inside they are enraged by unjust suffering.

「So finally, they are getting angry, huh. But well, one day, they had to get that out? As they say, silence makes irritation grow, so it’s about time they stop fuming in silence? For real? That’s why it’s better for them to get angry for real, they kept enduring it for way too long. Enduring it for so long, they got used to it, and can’t get angry for their own sake anymore, by now, they probably can get angry only for the sake of others (animal ears). They are too afraid of giving in to the rage? That’s why it’s better for them to get angry, right?」

(Nod-Nod)

Moreover, I had the Idiots come with them just in case. I’m sure those Idiots will be set loose in the woods, allowed to run free. With no one watching, they have nothing to worry about. Letting the idiots actually do as they please. They definitely will do something idiotic. That’s why it’s definitely going to be alright.

And there definitely must be some sort of an ace with the hunting party. After all, beastmen are strong, strong enough for people to say that there is nothing scarier than a beastmen protecting their family or friends. There is no way there wouldn’t be anyone in that squad capable of overwhelming that, there is no way they wouldn’t have weapons or traps for that. Yeah, but there is also no chance they can beat Slime-san? That can’t be done? That’s like, how should I put it, impossible? After all, that is a serious Slime-san.

That’s why I entrusted the beastmen to them. And since they were entrusted with that, it is as good as over.

I can stick to just ripping them off over here. Will they give up or will they run out of money first? That’s the question. But until then I can just keep ripping them off. And that is the heaviest blow to those greedy money-worshipping cheap bastards that call themselves merchants. Were they actually trading it wouldn’t be an issue at all, but since they are fake-merchants who can only move money and people around, without creating or dealing in anything, losing money would lose them the ability to influence people, after which they can only self-destruct. I mean, people that do nothing, only profiteering from intrigues are not merchants at all? Since they aren’t dealing in goods, it makes sense that their wares disappear? And no one would be bothered if people that don’t create, transport, or trade in anything were to suddenly disappear.

It is because they thought that war and finances are separate things that they get targeted. They never considered that someone might do to them what they are doing to others. Even though they kept manipulating war with finance, and coercing commerce with military power, they were convinced that they are fine, after all, war and finance are two separate issues, or so they thought.

You started the war, you know? So you will have a war (economical destruction)?

[TL Notes:

[1] *Cough* mushoku tensei *Cough*