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Day 64 – Morning, Souvenir Store, the Capital Outskirts Branch
Yesterday we were too tired from running day and night, and it was already too late, so we went to bed immediately after bath. As expected, he had the bath for girls prepared. Naturally, we went to sleep in a normal room, not that dangerous room with nothing but a giant bed covering the entire floor, a step on which would pull one into the Maidenhood Kill Zone. We are maidens.
「Good morning, Haruka-kun. Also, it was so natural that I forgot to ask yesterday, but what is this fortress? Putting such a thing right in front of the Capital, are you trying to have a Castle VS Castle brawl? Why would you want the castles to fight by themselves? Also if a stranger saw『Souvenir Store, the Capital Outskirts Branch, King of?』 they’d think that 『King of』is the name of the store, you know?」
「Ah, morning, pres, you are a prez today too, huh. The breakfast is ready and there are tsubuan manju for the first 30 too, the Boot Camping person seems to be accepting reservations, looking very ONE MORE SET. Actually, the store is going to close up pretty soon, so does it even need a name?」
He just made it yesterday, and he is about to close it already? Well, it’s true that the original plan was to hole up back in the Frontier, since Haruka-kun is going to welcome them alone, he must be planning to go back. And he has no intention of remembering even the name of the store that he himself made!
But before us stands the Capital, its gates shut, prepared for defense. Inside is the Second Prince and the Second Division of the Royal Army, who will have to be either persuaded or eliminated. We might be unable to suddenly launch an attack on it, but we have the Princess here, so at least attempting negotiations should be possible, but we can’t make any moves on our own until Omui-sama arrives. However, the Royal Prince will also come, which smells like a bother.
Waking up one day and finding out that a fortress popped up right under your nose overnight, most people would come to take a look or investigate what happened. Or rather, they actually came. A government official came with a group of soldiers for protection.
「Here is a written permit personally issued by the acting King, His Excellency Royal Prince, the store was made with the purpose of distributing magic stones which the Capital currently has in deficit. As we are expected to welcome large merchant groups the size reflects that, and having to handle large quantities of magic stones we are also equipped with defensive walls as a safety measure against bandits. Naturally, if the Second Prince Kzaryusveli-sama, who is about to ascend the throne as the new King, would say that our presence cannot be tolerated, we will humbly obey, close down the store, and immediately return to the Frontier? After all, we merely were entrusted with selling magic stones and commodities to the Capital at reasonable prices. 」
A flawless script. The Capital must be starving for magic stones, and they also can’t argue against a permit issued by the current King. And what’s the most important, they seem to be in the urgent need of provision and arms. That’s why even if they want to shut down a suspicious store, they can’t afford to do that. Even if they managed to loot it, that would be the end of it, forever cutting off new supply of the goods. In that case, accepting the deal is more profitable, or rather, is the only choice they have.
I’m glad we came in such a hurry. The script might be perfect, but Haruka-kun was planning to handle those negotiations. The envoy from the Capital probably would’ve ended up as the Kingdom’s official envoy to the Shadow Realm. What made him think that he can negotiate with his language and logic destruction ability? And how come the person capable of writing such a perfect script becomes like that when he opens his mouth? Thank goodness we made it in time.
And by the time the officials were done with the inspection, or rather, negotiations, Haruka-kun and company came with new stock. They apparently secured a reliable supply route.
However, the girls that went to assist with stocking up are looking at him with a flat gaze? This is a flat gaze from being taken aback.
「No, I mean, since there is a lock, wouldn’t you want to open it? On top of that, the enchantment gives complete protection from invasion and then there is a device infinitely spawning traps? I felt that if I don’t go now, there won’t be a chance like this ever again. I mean, if a keyhole appears, you will stick a key in it, right? See, I did nothing wrong? Stockpiles are there, so of course I’m going to restock~! Kind of? No, you got it all wrong, I merely walk in, take the stuff, and then sell it. It’s the basics of commerce. And it’s not like I’m breaking in, I’m properly using a key to enter, being able to open the place with a key certainly must mean that it’s fine to enter? If it opens you open it, and if opened you go in, and if there is something you’d take it with you, so I didn’t do anything wrong? This is a natural economic activity, stock up, sell, when run out, restock? I mean, they just bought it, so they definitely have it in stock? And since I have a key it must probably mean that it’s fine to freely take it? I guess? For sure? Probably? For suren’t? Kind of?」
The biggest obstacle to capturing the Capital and the largest issue, the absolutely impregnable Capital Diorer and Diorer Royal Palace, the cause of that is magic protection. The Kingdom’s greatest artifacts and the Royal Family’s most prized relics, 『Ultimate Lock (Protection) – Complete Blockade of Designated Area, Complete Protection, Complete Intrusion Denial』and『Everlasting Trap – Continuously Creates Traps in Designated Area』, these two ultimate defensive systems.
When blockaded, it becomes impossible to infiltrate the Capital or destroy it. And if one somehow managed to slip inside, it still will be impossible to get through the infinitely spanning traps. There is nothing one can do without the key to『Ultimate Lock』, a perfect hole-up strategy. A drawn-out siege in an attempt to starve the defenders is the only existing option.
And yet he went in, took food, arms, armor, and came back. It’s that 『Magic Key – can open any lock of level MAX and lower』that he found in the Great Dungeon and was complaining about having no way to use it. It seems he used an item from the lowest floors of the Great Dungeon to unlock their greatest artifact and the most prized relic『Ultimate Lock』.
Here we thought that the strongest dungeon items found on the lowest floors of the Great Dungeon are to be used in dungeon exploration, but turns out, it was for the purpose of the souvenir store’s inventory replenishment, which is actually a plain pillaging.
And then there are perpetual traps, that wouldn’t let unauthorized pass, spawned by『Everlasting Trap』, covering the entire area, that won’t trigger because he has 『Trap Ring – Automatically Disarms Traps』. The assault souvenir store’s supply supervisor, who cannot be denied from entering and whose intrusion cannot be blocked, turned out to be their worst opponent imaginable!
「He simply walked in, simply opened the lock, and was simply taking the stuff, so we simply helped him, but if you think about it, that was simply a crime!」
When one approaches the magic barrier surrounding the Capital, a keyhole would appear. It’s impossible to enter without unlocking it first, so they probably didn’t have any guards on alert. The only person capable of unlocking it or granting access for passing is the one in possession of the key, is what they must’ve thought. The keystone of the Kingdom’s defenses, hailed in legends and passed down through generations of the Royal Family, these are counted among the best artifacts on the entire continent.
Thinking about it normally, no one should be able to enter from outside, but sometimes, an irrational supply manager can appear out of nowhere, so you should keep guards around, or it’s plain carelessness. But well, even if there were guards around, the only future that would’ve awaited them is a very pitiful one, but having absolutely no one around is just negligence.
Casually walking all the way up to the location where 『Everlasting Trap – Continuously Creates Traps in Designated Area』was installed, he apparently went and『Accidentally picked it up? Kind of?』and brought it with him as if it’s nothing. The Kingdom’s most prized relic and the greatest artifact was forcibly passed through and picked up. If this is not pillaging, then everything in this world is a lost article.
And so, with free access to the impregnable Capital Diorer and Diorer Royal Castle, he went around, casually plundering it. Looks like his talk about securing a reliable supply route was about securing a reliable invasion route, hm? It isn’t really wrong?
「I mean, he seized the throne, so those must be seized goods? Since the goods are seized they don’t really belong to the Second Prince? That’s why I confiscated the seized goods, diligently carrying them off bit by bit, dripping with sweat? If this is a crime then worker ants are a bunch of international criminals? I mean, I worked very hard carrying everything? See? I did nothing wrong? I’m just a highschool boy doing honest transportation work?」
Haruka-kun seems like he is tough on criminals, but in fact, he is performing criminal acts on criminals. At a glance, it might seem like he is doing a good thing, but it’s the same thing as scamming swindlers out of their money, and there is actually no virtue involved at all, but since he is using that money for good it appears as a nice thing, a terrifying psychological illusion.
And with crowds of people arriving, the sales have begun. The girls, tempted by dresses, and sweets were all hired under payment-in-kind agreement. I mean, he was making crepes! It’s apparently a trial product without fresh cream, but it was available only to the people that signed the employee contract! So everyone was hired. That’s how everyone will end up eventually Tamed, you know? The crepes were delicious.
The business is booming! With bulk purchases from the Capital even souvenirs are flying off the shelves. Commoners, soldiers, nobles, people are bustling out from the Capital, which is supposed to be on lockdown to prevent invasion.
「No more than one manju per person! No buying up!」
「Here you go, the Frontier Wooden Swords 5 Set and a mushroom doll as a gift. There are six different mushroom dolls in total, do your best to gather them all.」
「Handle large scale orders from the officials in the back. Send bulk purchases from the general public at the counter in the back too.」
「Thank you for waiting. Here. Three hamburgers, two potatoes. Your reservation voucher please.」
「Today’s Special~, Medical Potion (F) for only 3,000 Ere~? The usual prince is 4,000 Ere~… Probably?」
The flow of people doesn’t stop at all, one after another they line up and make purchases.
It’s different from the Frontier, or rather, it’s the opposite of it. They have money, but no goods. The supply can’t keep up with the demand. Meanwhile, weapons and gear are needlessly piling up, some people are coming to sell pretty good stuff. Just how many lives would have been saved if the Frontier had those, just how less miserable the livelihood of the Frontier could’ve been if only they bought their goods.
「Financial Capital isn’t circulating properly, pointless regulations and taxes from nobles are killing the flow, and without it everyone is bound to suffer. That’s why me still being penniless, despite all my hard work, must be the nobles’ fault, so there should be no issue with taking from the Capital. I’m going to sell it back anyway, making for a proper circulation, so it’s a good thing, you know? I mean, everyone is gladly paying up? And I’m very glad about getting richer? Sort of?」
The most terrifying thing about this, is that for a moment, he might sound like he is saying something nice, but when one properly listens to his words, it’s just an irrational rambling about ripping people off, and yet in the end, it for some reason seems like he was doing the good thing, which somehow translates into positive results. That’s what’s really scary!
「The Frontier pennants are all sold out! Only a few mushroom pennants left.」
「Deep-fried mysterious bird meat 4 packs, croquette 2 packs, the total err, is 5,200 Ere.」
「We got buckets, baskets, tubs, and pots. They are on display at the right corner in the back. The stock is limited.」
Crafting at ultra-high speed Haruka-kun mass-produces the goods that are in shortage, fulfills individual requests, cooks, and when he has time goes to the Capital to replenish the inventory. The giant flour barrel that was purchased by the Second Division, found its way back into the store, that’s why the stock doesn’t decrease. Or rather, it was taken from the Royal Palace’s storage to begin with.
「The merchants’ alliance, the Confederation, must be backing them. Otherwise, the Capital, with that huge population and no ability to produce food by itself, would’ve immediately dried up the moment they shut the gates? In other words, the Confederation is smuggling provision into the Capital to support the Second Prince, which I will receive in turn, so it makes me a happy man too? What a nice thing?」
In that case, the Confederation will end up shouldering all the losses alone. Even if they support the Capital by smuggling, Haruka-kun is the one who will end up profiting. And the Capital too doesn’t have any other choice but to purchase more from Haruka-kun. They are going to run out of money and goods, so more aid will be necessary. But that also will be stolen by Haruka-kun. That’s why the Confederation will end up having their resources endlessly devoured by Haruka-kun until they decide to pull back from the Kingdom.
They will end up taking huge losses even from a short term support for the Capital. Long term, the Confederation will have its assets completely devastated. What makes this especially nasty, is that the Merchant Confederation is going to lose money over the scheme that they started up to make money. Military involvement will have the force annihilated, economical involvement will have them robbed, and if they try to put pressure politically they will be simply ignored. Nothing but grief will come out of getting involved with this. The best approach is staying away, I mean, there is a god of poverty specializing at ripping people off. He is capable of snatching everything without taking a thing. He is neither a raging conqueror nor a vicious demon king, nor an immoral cult leader, simply a rip-off specialist. Getting involved with him can lead to only one obvious result, if that is not to your liking, not getting involved is the only option.
「The Confederation is a commercial union, so even if I keep ripping them off, it will amount to nothing compared to the funds they possess? But it’s important that they take losses, no one is going to give money if all that means is losing it, you know? LIke, obviously? They invest because they think they will profit from this, if they take a hit from that, anyone would lose the desire to invest. And losing money will also impact their ability to fight. Not to mention, that since it’s a commercial union, if they lost money due to someone’s orders, it will naturally lead to infighting? If we want to put pressure on the Confederation, then making them take losses, and preventing them from profiting is the way to go. Despite calling themselves the Merchants Confederation they are using too much political strength in their business, that’s why they are going to suffer from commerce, that’s why they are going to get ripped off with trade, and lose even their political power. They are taking commerce too lightly. After all, profiting and commerce are two separate things.」
He is making profits by trading. Rights, interest, funds from other people, his business needs none of that. That’s why he can’t be shut down. So the only choices are two: crush him through military or political power, but even if attempted, it will only result in misery. I mean, that girl that is earnestly stuffing bags is the Dungeon Emperor, that one hurriedly carrying merchandise is Sword Princess, the one selling hamburgers is the young lady of the Frontier, and then there are shop assistants of over level 100. This has to be the strongest souvenir shop on the continent. Rather, if a souvenir store more powerful than this exists, there is an issue there.
That’ll be a peerless souvenir war of souvenir stores!