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chapter 5




Context: ‘Water Trade’ (lit. mizushoubai水商売) also is also a traditional euphemism for nighttime entertainment in Japan, such as hostess clubs, bars, cabarets. It’s also a euphemism for risky businesses and ventures, especially those with high turnover.
Volume 1 Short Story: Aqua’s Water Trade
“Kazuma-san, Kazuma-san, take a look at this!” said Aqua as she handed something to me.
“What the heck is this? Some sort of magic potion?”
What she handed me was a rather mundane bottle carrying some sort of fluid.
“Well, you could call it that. This is the super-effective and precious holy water that I’ve made with half-a-day’s effort! I’m planning to sell this for 10,000 Eris. Do you think that’s reasonable?”
So she wasn’t playing around yesterday when she shoved her hand into the fountain and churned the water around?
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“The kids can’t play in this heat if you hog the fountain for yourself, so you’re troubling the townsfolk.”
“It’s the duty of us adults to teach children the cruel reality and unfairness of this world though. Anyway, would you like a bottle? I’ll give you a discount, Kazuma-san.”
I raised the bottle above my head, taking a peek at it under the sunlight.
“So this is… your broth? What kind of effect could this have anyway?*
“Don’t liken a goddess like myself to dried fish would you? As for the effects; well, it’s basically purified fountain water, so I guess you could just drink it when you’re thirsty?”
“—”
“Hey stop! Don’t throw it away! There are some other effects too! You can use it to water the crops, clean silverware, and if you throw it in a nest of ants, it’s even possible to wipe them all out!”
How is this different from plain water?
“Now that I think about it, they don’t have mineral water in this world do they? If we named it ‘Aqua’s tasty water’ or something like that and advertise it as ‘Water that infants can safely drink’, it might be possible to sell it…huh. 10,000 Eris for one bottle is way too much though, why don’t we lower the price a little bit?”
“I don’t really want to sell mineral water directly later with a goddess for a low price, but there’s no way around it I guess. By the way, why don’t you help me sell this water? You don’t have any particular abilities or powers, but your tongue is quite sharp isn’t it? It’s a good chance to make good of one of your few merits.”
“Hey, are you trying to pick or fight or sell water here? Make it clear would you!?”
That said, I ended up helping her out once she said she’d give me a cut of the profits.
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We set up store at a restaurant in town. If it was at a classy restaurant where the customers were peculiar about taste, then maybe they would like some mineral water.
–Or so we thought.
“It’s not selling…” said Aqua dejectedly as she carried a bin filled with bottled water.
Just as I started to worry, as pure water made through magic should have been well-received—
“Ah—! God of water!”
Aqua was startled when she heard the term ‘god of water’ and quickly surveyed her surroundings.
I was surprised that there were people in this town who would call Aqua a goddess—
However, it turns out that was not the case.
“Oh god of water, thank you for your hard work as always! Would you please be so kind to grant me some water?”
“Sure, I don’t mind! Allow me to show you my power! ‘Create Water’-!”
The voices came from lady from the diner and a middle-aged man dressed in magician’s robes.
The man pointed his hand at a bottle and filled it up using magic.
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From the looks of it, this is the guy that was called the ‘god of water’.
After the lady from the diner thanked the man, he calmly walked away.
Aqua and I approached the lady from the diner and called out to her.
“May I have a moment? Who is this ‘god of water’ that you called out to earlier?”
“Oh my, do you not know? That man is a former magician who gave up on being an adventurer. That said, he can really only use elementary-grade magic. His hobby right now is dressing like that and giving out drinking water. Water made with magic is very pure, so really is quite helpful. No one knows the name of that man, so we all just call him the ‘god of water’.”
Hearing what the lady said, Aqua suddenly sprinted off.
“Hey you, who gave you the permission to sell water here!? And what is it that you think you’re doing letting yourself be called the ‘god of water’ without my permission!? Apologize this instant! Apologize to the goddess of water right now! Also, don’t forget to ask for money whenever you give out water and bring it to the goddess of water’s Axis cult!”
It’s technically not wrong to say that he’s selling water, but her choice of words and tone reminds people of the other ‘water sale'[1] and makes her look like a delinquent demanding protection fees for her racketeering business.
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“What…! Has the dark organization finally made a move in an attempt to take hold of my power!? But you do have a point, it’s quite possible to make this a business.”
“Alright, it’s fine for you to make it a business, but don’t forget to make donations okay? If not, you might receive divine punishment from the wonderful and beautiful goddess of water.
After a brief dispute with the man, Aqua sat down on the ground at the side of the street, her arms around her knees, and began discussing business.
This girl who started discussing business with a middle-aged magician-cosplayer—
Even so, is apparently a goddess, it seems.
TL Notes:
[1] (Copy of context statement) ‘Water Sale’ (lit. mizushoubai水商売) also is also a traditional euphemism for nighttime entertainment in Japan, such as hostess clubs, bars, cabarets. It’s also a euphemism for risky businesses and ventures, especially those with high turnover.