02x19 - The Unruly Merchant

[bunniefuu]

The students are exhausted, too.

Some mutants appeared among
the students, after all.

It caused quite the commotion.

They've been regarding each other with
caution and can't return to their own rooms.

They couldn't be more anxious.

That all ends today. Are you two ready?

Time to act.

Season Two

Night Nineteen The Unruly Merchant

Night Nineteen The Unruly Merchant

You're looking better than I expected.

Sir!

How are you feeling?

We're fine.

What's the situation in the city?

Not good.

The number of mutants hasn't gone down,

and support from other nations
hasn't arrived yet.

Sir, let us help exterminate the mutants.

We can fight them, too.

Calm down. That would be suicide.

But...

We just want to help.

We fought Ilumgand, didn't we?

The headmaster has ordered me to go

to the northeastern section where
the merchant's guild is located.

What if this place is
attacked while I'm gone?

If more students mutate,
everyone in the dorms will be k*lled.

Do you still want to go?

We'll stay.

Hm?

We'll stay here.

We'll work together to defend this place.

For Shiki-san, too.

I'm encouraged to hear that.
I'm counting on you.

Let's do this.

Yeah.

We'll protect the dorms.

Yeah.

Aqua and Eris, look after them.

Aw, man. We gotta babysit the newbies?

Hey!

Those are the two the
young master summoned.

Rembrandt must be here, too.

Mio, don't do anything to
the guild representative.

I wouldn't dream of it.

Even if he's been attacked by monsters,
I won't do anything at all.

Y-You should help him if he's being attacked.

Very well.

Why did she look away?

Kuzunoha-dono!

Are my daughters all right?

They haven't joined the fighting, have they?

Don't worry. I assigned some dependable
people to secretly watch over them.

Good.

We meet again, Kuzunoha.

I feel slightly dizzy and nauseous.

He's definitely my least favorite
person after the goddess.

I heard you'd be joining
the extermination squads.

Was your shop all right?

No, it was destroyed.

There was no damage to my employees
or merchandise, though.

I see. I'm glad they're all right.

What? Glad they're all right?

He seems rather different from
last time, doesn't he?

Not even he can act so feisty after you
loaned us such dependable guards.

Right?

Silence!

But to think you employed
such monstrous servants...

I revealed your circumstances only to him.

I figured it would make
things go more smoothly.

I saw signs of looting on my way here.

What's the extent of the damage
the merchant's guild is aware of?

We don't know the specifics.

Without adequate forces,
there's nothing we can do.

He's a real pain in the rear, isn't he?

I keep telling him we'll be
fine as long as you're—

Pat, enough already!

Pat?

Oh, because his name is Patrick?

Anyway, this is how the
merchant's guild is holding up.

He's handling it better than most, too.

More than a few guild members
have suffered such massive losses

that they've lost their minds.

It's not a pretty sight.

We'll take over exterminating
mutants in this area.

If you can get in touch with them, you can
have your personal forces return here.

So this isn't even a threat to you.

We took care of about fifteen on our way here.

What?

Also, in this area...

Nine mutants remain.

No new mutants have appeared.

The academy has identified the
accessories causing the mutations,

so I ask that you assist
with retrieving those.

She'll fill you in on the specifics.

Who, me?

You have our full cooperation.

He's like a completely different person.

Nine mutants remaining, right?

Yes, including those currently
engaged in combat.

Once we take care of those,
let's make it a contest between you two.

Your prize will be...

How about if I fulfill one
request from the winner?

What?!

A-Are you sure about that?

No taking it back later.

Yeah. Try to limit your request to
something I can actually fulfill.

I wouldn't dream of doing
anything so ignoble.

Young Master, prepare yourself.

Who is that man?

Zara, you're sweating b*ll*ts.

More than fifty mercenaries defeated
four mutants in three days.

Yet he claims to have beaten fifteen?

But he's just a boy who
was frightened by me.

It was time you learned your lesson.

Who is Kuzunoha actually?

As you know, he's a naïve
and inexperienced merchant.

Pat, cut the crap.

He seemed that way because you
only looked at the surface.

I was hoping you'd see past
that. You disappoint me.

He's so naïve, he doesn't know the
first thing about being a merchant.

How to talk to other merchants,

laying the groundwork for future endeavors,

establishing prices based on the market...

He understands less than half of that.

"Sell quality goods as cheaply as possible."

That's truly all he has on his mind.

Selling quality goods as cheaply
as possible is the basis of trade.

Didn't we say the same thing
when we became merchants?

Yes, but such naïveté won't get you far.

Breaking into vested interests requires
utilizing and k*lling people with money.

Trade isn't about ideals.
It is firmly rooted in reality.

You're right, but after
learning of their strength,

how many merchants could
negotiate honestly with them?

Are you saying we should use violence
to bend trade to our desires?

We can't, Pat. The goddess would punish
us swiftly for such selfish behavior.

Are you sure her punishment would reach us?

I bet on it not reaching us.

So no matter what anyone says, I won't stop
supporting the Kuzunoha Trading Company.

You think their insolence
will go unpunished?

A man needs to be insolent
to make his ideals reality.

He's reaching beyond trade
to create an organization

that removes illness and
curses from the world.

Getting involved in such a great
undertaking isn't so bad.

To put it in a way that makes me
sound like the man you know,

"It's worth betraying anything
to seize this golden egg."

Even hyumankind—no, the goddess herself?

If money is everything
and profits make right,

then isn't betrayal part of business, too?

But what you're proposing is...

I know. If that's what you really think,
then make money off of the w*r.

But neither you nor I have
profited off of w*r.

I lost my entire family to w*r.

I lost my brother and his wife.

Since then, you and I have traded like mad,
relying only on ourselves and money.

I know. That's why Kuzunoha
irritates me so much.

You should visit Tsige sometime.
It'll change your thinking.

I'll have my daughters show you around.

You mean Shifu-chan?
She's grown quite beautiful.

What? I didn't say anything about Shifu.

Did you think I meant Shifu,
who looks just like your old flame Lisa?

N-No, I...

We're the best of friends.
I trust you completely.

Did you really think I'd say that? Get over her!

Don't, Pat! Stop!

We'll hit the northwestern section next.
That's the craftsmen's neighborhood, right?

Yes. The academy is taking care of
the more affluent neighborhoods.

They couldn't be more obvious.

Young Master, I've finished
collecting accessories.

I provided the guild representative
with food, water, and blankets.

I told him to mention the Kuzunoha Trading
Company's name when he distributed them.

Good work.

I'm surprised Zara-san
accepted those conditions.

He gets to save the townsfolk for free.

Even if he weren't a merchant,
he'd accept our terms.

By the way, Mio is in an oddly good mood.

I'm having Mio and Shiki
play a bit of a game.

They're competing to see
who can defeat more mutants.

Take this.

I see. Judging by her behavior...

Yup. Mio is winning 4-2.

I've agreed to fulfill one
request from the winner.

What?!

What kind of unbelievably
extravagant prize is that?!

That's the first I've heard about it!

Because I asked you to handle the guild.

Now, time for work.

Wait! I demand an explanation I can accept!

I may have understood that,
but I can't accept it!

In other words, I insist that
you hear my request, as well!

Young Master!

For now, I'll head toward
the northwestern section.

Wait, I've already called in
help over there, though...

Come at me.

The great Mondo will take you on.

Behold the forest ogres'
ultimate technique.

Death by tree!

My tree-planting campaign's
coming along nicely.

Mondo.

The bosses are on their way here.

Oh, yeah?

I'm sure my unworthy students
have been causing trouble for them.

It pains me to have to meet them.

By "students," do you mean Aqua and Eris?

The boss doesn't care about that.

I'm relieved to hear that.

The least I can do is live up to
the young master's expectations.

What's the aim of the ones who
unleashed these creatures?

Don't they know the young
master would quash them?

Beats me. I certainly don't
know how demons think.

All we have to do is whatever
the boss needs us to do.

You're right. By fighting like this...

We make ourselves useful!

Yeah!

You lot!

What are you doing?

What do you mean?

The same thing everyone else is doing.

If you're still mobile, go assist
the extermination forces!

You call yourselves academy students?!

What is it, Eris?

The headmaster has lost his mind.
He's trying to use the newbies.

What should we do? The young
master told us to protect them.

I've got a nice idea.

We'll use our k*ller technique
to protect the entire dormitory.

K-k*ller technique?

No way! Absolutely not!

Fine. Then I'll do it myself.

What? Can you cast that yourself?

Of course. There's also a solo version.
I need to borrow your mana, though.

Come on, give it to me.

Then hurry up and—

You fell for it.

M-My body...

Now let's hold hands.

No! Stop! Let go!

Glitter, diamond of the heart!

Move, body! Please! Move, move!

k*ller technique: Cocyt—

Enough! I'll complete the spell!

k*ller technique: Cocyt—no, wait!

Take this! Floral Tribute Ice Prison!

Hey, Eris.

Don't talk to me.

How are we gonna get out?

I'm sorry!

I'll make sure those idiots
are punished harshly!

It's not your fault, Mondo.

Shiki, they've got food in the dorms, right?

Yes. They should be fine for several days.

You heard him.

Come on, raise your head.

I appreciate your magnanimous words!

Anyway, what should we do?

Break it? Leave it alone?

Wouldn't it be fine to leave it the way it is?

It's needlessly hard.
Breaking it would be a pain.

It doesn't taste very good, either.

I agree. Depending on the
situation at the academy,

they may attempt to send students to battle.

You're right. I'll ask Aqua
and Eris what happened later.

Tomorrow, we'll liberate the remaining
sections and continue distributing supplies.

We don't know which nation will
send supplies and troops first,

but once they take over,
our job will be done.

Then the hyumans of the city will realize
they're at w*r with the demons.

What? You're going to expose the demons?

No, the academy will discover the truth.

I did a little something to the
accessories we collected.

They should notice within a couple of days,

even if the people examining them are idiots.

But isn't it bad for us if they
find out demons are behind this?

The Kuzunoha Trading Company is
suspected of associating with demons.

Nobody would believe that anymore.

After all, we're heroes who
did everything in our power

to evacuate citizens and
exterminate many mutants.

I see.

These three truly are dependable.

So, why did you two cast this spell?

W-Well, because...

You went along with Eris's crazy plan?

Something like that.

Yup.

But Young Master, I've been wondering,
how did you get inside the barrier?

Eris knows.

Like a mole.

So, anything else to report?

Nothing in particular.

No, there is something.

What?

There's probably some kind of mastermind
where all the luxurious houses are.

A mastermind?

They're using some kind of special
equipment to attract mutants there.

Must be tough being rich.

That's an affluent area.
The academy is focusing its efforts there.

Thanks, Eris. I appreciate it.

You're too kind. Please forgive Aqua
for casting her barrier, as well.

What?!

I'm not mad. Do you two want to leave?

I'll take you with me.

I-I'm fine for now.

I've got a bad feeling about outside...

Two forest ogres,

young enough to fear the wrath

of their mad teacher.

Kuzunoha-dono.

Did you just return?

Kuzunoha-dono—rather, Kuzunoha-sama.

I've come to understand a fraction of
your power through this disturbance.

Oh, right. The important people in the
city know what we've been up to.

Limia, Gritonia, and Laurel
have a request for you.

We'd like you to restore our
telepathy as soon as possible.

Naturally, we swear not to mention the
Kuzunoha Trading Company's name.

Restoration of telepathy, huh?

If I wanted to, I could do
that right away, but...

This is the ability of the demihumans
known as forest ogres, right?

What an incredible barrier.

How delightful that we're capable of
surprising even the great Banshoku-dono.

So, will the Kuzunoha Trading Company
cease its activity tomorrow?

That's the plan. Then we'll just be left
with some troublesome cleanup to do.

Troublesome, huh?

Have you told Makoto-kun about that?

If we told him now, things could end poorly.

We've decided to handle
it ourselves this time.

I see.

It's troublesome indeed.

We were surprised to learn there was someone
other than demons sneaking around.

The demons had a collaborator
other than the blue-skinned one.

Mio will deal with them tonight.

So scary.

You're not going to let them explain
themselves or protect them?

I doubt we could use a demihuman
who hates hyumans so much.

Besides... One moment.

Yes, that's fine. I'll leave the method up to you.

We'll speak again later.

A telepathic message? From whom?

The young master.

He merely asked me if he could
restore telepathy in the city.

What?

Is there a problem with that?

You'll get to see some
pretty fireworks soon.

I see. Now, huh?

You're hiding something, aren't you?

You'll see once the telepathy is restored.

But you know, Tomoe...

Maybe destiny is real.

How truly strange.

It's the young master.

What's this?

A single shot.

He masters every skill he learns.

Did he just take out the devices
planted by the demons?

There are ways to restore telepathic
communication without destroying it.

Good grief. The demons spent
months preparing those devices.

Well, good for them.

A state of emergency was declared
when telepathy was restored?

What's going on?

We're under attack.

Under attack?

By demons, Sairitsu-dono.

We believe demons were responsible
for this incident, yes, but...

No, the royal capital.

And the imperial capital.

Our nation's hero and the
priestess of Laurel accompanying her

are probably fighting them.

E-Even Chiya-sama?

Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?

It doesn't make sense for the
royal capital to be under attack.

What is the royal army—

Silence!

We don't know the specifics.

But the reality is that demons are
marching on the imperial capital.

They appeared from
several directions at once.

In our nation, they appeared by Star Lake.

That puts them just outside
the royal capital.

Just how many secret plans do they have?

C-Could it be...

Was the disturbance in Rotsgard a decoy?

Probably.

It's probably a coincidence so many
guests gathered here this year.

But if telepathy was
restored with this timing,

then it's unlikely Kuzunoha
is a spy for the demons.

I'm relieved to learn that, as well.

Given the circumstances, we must have
Kuzunoha teleport us to our nations.

Kuzunoha, we must speak with you.

It's very important.

Night Twenty:
"The Utterly Hateable Good-For-Nothing."

Next Time

The Utterly Hateable Good-For-Nothing