Chapter 56
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Defective Sukkaki and Shadowy Deals
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Ian was in the middle of his audience and work hours. As usual, Kez had finished cleaning the mansion early and headed to the trading company.
“What about the recovered sukkaki?”
“Yes. I’ve put them in the underground warehouse.”
“Good. I’ll take care of retrieving them, so get back to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kez headed to the underground warehouse and inspected all the defective sukkaki. There were eleven in total, and just as the company staff had said, their once vibrant green bodies had turned a dull, sickly gray.
On top of that, their characteristically round, sparkling eyes were drooping like those of a sick patient.
They were definitely in poor condition. From the outside, they looked so much like the rock slimes that lived in underground caves that it was no wonder the noble ladies were furious about how ugly they’d become.
After all, the sukkaki’s explosive popularity among the nobility had a lot to do with their uniquely adorable appearance.
Kez picked them up one by one and began examining their states.
He was trying to find the cause of the breakdown in their contamination purification function.
“Sukkaki, look at me.”
The moment the words left his mouth, the defective sukkaki all turned to gaze at Kez.
They followed him without the slightest hesitation because Kez was their creator.
Just like imprinting in ducklings, alchemical creations exhibited a similar phenomenon.
“I want to see why you’ve ended up like this. Can you show me what you’ve eaten?”
“Suk... saak...”
The sukkaki at the front let out a weak, limp sound in response, then abruptly opened its mouth wide. Contaminated substances began spewing out from its gaping maw.
It was like a sewer backing up—all sorts of filth bursting forth. Kez’s eyes narrowed as he watched.
Because of the filth? No. Because of the acrid demonic energy that stung his nose.
Black magic after all.
His suspicion that the sukkaki had malfunctioned due to demonic energy had been spot on.
The sukkaki’s purification ability was originally derived from the cleansing power of water spirits. Naturally, it could purify demonic energy too. But if it failed to do so...
It must mean the contamination exceeded what it could handle.
This wasn’t the level of some novice dipping their toes into black magic.
“Sukkaki, are you in a lot of pain?”
“Suk... saak...”
“Just hold on a little longer. I’ll fix you up.”
“Suk... saak...!”
The sukkaki’s eyes welled up with what looked like tears, as if moved by Kez’s words.
They knew their creator cared for them.
That wasn’t wrong, but truthfully, his motives weren’t that pure.
Good thing it’s not irreparable. Once I fix the contamination purification function, they’ll be good as new. I’ll patch them up spotless and put them back on the official sales list.
The merchant mindset—always thinking of ways to repair and resell!
A true cold-blooded capitalist, you could say.
Except when it came to one person.
My lord, worry not. Thankfully, our Alchemi Trading Company has suffered almost no losses in this incident. No, we’ve seized the chance to spread our wings and soar. This humble servant will grasp this opportunity to grow the company even larger. I swear, I’ll expand it into a grand enterprise worthy of your satisfaction and offer it up to you.
He quickly organized his thoughts.
What did the list of eleven nobles, gleaned from the eleven defective sukkaki, mean?
These eleven are nobles who are still alive. That means they weren’t included in the emperor’s latest purge.
The implication was clear.
The emperor failed to eliminate all the black magic nobles.
He hadn’t fully eradicated the dark faction.
Some of them were still alive and well, extending their evil roots right in the heart of the empire. How grave was this?
But it was fine.
Now he knew.
I’ll offer this information in exchange for a secret deal with the imperial family. If I can secure their special favor...
Kez didn’t know the odds of success.
They might not trust some random merchant they’d never heard of.
But if it worked, the rewards would be beyond imagination.
If I gain the imperial family’s protection, Alchemi Trading Company can truly take flight. Heh heh heh.
Kez sorted his thoughts swiftly. His path forward was clear.
First, access. Who to approach?
The person the emperor trusts most. Yet the easiest to contact and read. And someone who was on the front lines of this purge.
Only one man fit all those criteria.
Kez immediately penned a letter. It was addressed to Captain of the Royal Guard Rodin.
Rodin tilted his head. A letter had arrived out of nowhere.
“What’s this?”
An anonymous letter. He opened it casually, but the contents were far too serious to dismiss lightly.
『Though many of the wicked have been judged, regrettably, evildoers still lurk alive and bold in the empire’s heart.
Are you not curious who they are? Do you not wish to uproot the wicked entirely?
I know who they are.
Those vile scum who dare pretend to be virtuous while tarnishing the empire’s name.
Sir Rodin, here is your chance. The perfect opportunity to earn glory.
Do you not wish for even greater trust from His Majesty?
Then come tonight to the address below. Cast aside suspicion, muster your courage, and you shall reap honors far beyond your current station.』
Rodin hurriedly folded the letter and pocketed it. Fortunately, no one had seen.
What nonsense is this...
He tried to brush it off, but he couldn’t. The thought lingered in his mind.
Even after executing so many, black magic scum remain?
His thoughts grew tangled. Should he believe it or not?
No. How could I trust some unknown sender?
He decided to ignore it, but he couldn’t.
Letters kept coming.
The next day, and the day after.
Ignoring his disregard, someone persistently sent the same message. Eventually, Rodin yielded to their tenacity.
I’ll have to meet them.
Late that evening, he went to the address with a single sword in hand.
It was a dim alley near the slums, but he had full confidence in his swordsmanship, so he feared nothing.
“You’ve come.”
A voice emerged from the shadows. It belonged to a short man cloaked in a black robe. His voice was distorted, likely by a voice-altering spell.
The mysterious figure, his face hidden by magic, spoke.
“Rest easy. It’s just me. And I have no combat ability. There’s not a speck of chance I could harm you, Sir Rodin.”
“How can I trust that?”
“If you can’t, feel free to bring your troops.”
“...I’ll trust you.”
“Ah, but don’t come closer. Just in case you decide to capture me.”
“What do you take me for?”
“Call it protecting myself. I’ve placed a portion of my information on that log over there. Check it and decide.”
Sure enough, there was a log beside the alley with a sheet of paper on top.
Rodin unfolded and read it, his eyes widening in shock.
“Th-this list... is it real?”
“Yes.”
“How can I believe it?”
“Whether you believe me is up to you. If not, nothing to be done. But if you do, our conversation can deepen.”
Silence fell. Rodin thought for a moment, then spoke.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Once our talk ripens, you’ll learn my identity.”
Rodin mulled over the words.
He means he’ll reveal himself if I agree to the deal.
Soon, his hesitation vanished.
“...What do you want?”
“Looks like you’re open to talking.”
In the darkness...
Kez’s smile deepened beneath his deeply pulled hood.
Time marched on, yet the brutal tension in the imperial capital showed no signs of easing.
The noble purges, thought to be over, were still ongoing.
“Sir Ian, have you heard the rumors? His Majesty has uncovered even more black mages.”
“Ah, yes, I have.”
It was lunchtime.
Bren’s words came as they ran into each other during a stroll after eating.
“His Majesty is truly admirable. His insight seems limitless.”
Ian didn’t fully agree with Bren, but he nodded anyway. He hadn’t known about this latest black mage roundup.
I thought we’d weeded them all out. Some nobles I missed must have survived.
It was possible. The capital was home to so many people.
Even the number of bureaucrats was beyond imagination. No matter how capable Ian was, he couldn’t scrutinize every noble and determine if they were black mages.
I even strengthened Lara and caught more after that... Still, there are that many left?
Ian clicked his tongue. They truly were vile pests.
Weed them out, and more kept sprouting like stubborn weeds.
Nothing to be done. I’m no superhuman. How could I root out every black mage hiding in the empire alone?
He felt no particular emotion about it. No guilt over missing some, no renewed zeal.
Just indifference.
Honestly, I’ve done plenty. What more do they expect?
In terms of contribution, he’d handled about 80%.
That was practically a one-man show.
The emperor even praised me and promised a secret reward. That’s enough.
He had no idea what the reward would be, but still.
How good would it be?
“More than that, I’m curious about something else.”
“Something else?”
“The sukkaki.”
“Sukkaki? What’s... Ah! You mean those household spirits or whatever?”
“Yes. Even the deputy director knows about them, I see.”
“Of course. No noble in the capital hasn’t heard of them.”
Sukkaki.
For days now, the name had been on every bureaucrat’s lips. They were spirits, more precisely, spirit-type homunculi that looked like slimes.
Or so the rumor went.
These tiny things could clean and run errands all by themselves? Combined with their cute appearance, word had spread to every corner of the capital.
Thanks to that, Alchemi Trading Company—the seller of the sukkaki—was experiencing explosive growth amid the tense atmosphere.
“Looks like you’ve taken an interest in sukkaki too, Sir Ian. Planning to buy one?”
“Huh? Well, interested, yeah, I guess.”
But Ian had no intention of buying.
His interest was of a different kind.
Another alchemist thought to make household spirits besides me.
The creator of the sukkaki was the head of Alchemi Trading Company.
Ian wanted to meet him.
Someone capable of mass-producing such homunculi had to be a skilled alchemist.
He wanted to exchange knowledge, so to speak.
“The other nobles rave about them. I finally splurged on one, and it’s fantastic.”
“Fantastic? Because it cleans so well?”
“That too, but not just that.”
“Then what?”
“My wife and daughter adore it. Heh heh.”
Bren’s face lit up with satisfaction.
“You know, my daughter hugs that little spirit all day. What’s so great about a tiny slime-like thing?”
“I see.”
Ian nodded. Come to think of it, Bren did have a young daughter.
“She used to beg for a dog not long ago, but now she doesn’t mention it. And she clings to me saying Daddy’s the best. Heh.”
Ian stared at Bren’s beaming face.
This guy looks like a total doting dad.
Fathers with daughters, huh.
“It’s brought peace to my home, you could say. Anyway, it’s great. So convenient. You should get one too, Sir Ian.”
“I’m good.”
“It’s really good. Well, if you don’t want to, no helping it.”
“I’m more interested in Alchemi Trading Company itself.”
“Ah, the trading company? They’re amazing these days. How do they come up with such ingenious products...”
Bren mumbled on, mostly about how incredible the company’s items were.
They really must be good. I’ll swing by after work.
Around 5 p.m. Ian left work early and headed not home, but elsewhere.
Moonlight Street, where Alchemi Trading Company’s headquarters was located.
“What brings you here?”
“Ah, I’m curious about your wares. I hear you have tons of rare alchemical inventions?”
“Yes! Plenty of those. Come on in!”
Guided by a staff member, Ian browsed the products and soon found himself stunned.
Special functional potions, catalysts for alchemy synthesis, everyday sundries, and more.
Most items looked familiar to him.
These are the ones I made?
How could he not recognize them? He’d created them himself.
Moreover, his senses—sharpened after self-reinforcement—detected it.
A faint trace of his own mana lingered on those inventions.
What the hell was going on?
Did someone raid the warehouse?
No, impossible. Even if Ian neglected warehouse management, he’d notice a theft.
The warehouse was untouched. He was sure.
Then what?
No visitors at home either.
No burglaries.
So?
Kez...?
Was this guy up to no good, embezzling or something?
Ian chuckled.
Nah, no way. Kez is loyal to me.
Ian solved the mystery about Alchemi selling his creations effortlessly.
He just asked Kez at home, and Kez confessed everything.
“Keruk. No excuses. I’ll tell you everything.”
How he’d planned it, executed it, and grown the company to its current state.
“So, Alchemi Trading Company is your creation, and you’re the head?”
“Y-yes. I’ve committed a grave sin. Sob!”
Ian was speechless as Kez banged his head and wept.
Out of anger?
No, sheer admiration.
While Ian was away, Kez had secretly set up a trading company, hired staff, sold products, and built it this big?
Is that even possible?
He couldn’t believe it, no matter how he thought about it.
Does that actually work?
Even dedicating every day—365 days a year—to it, most would fail.
Yet he’d done it with just mornings and short daytime stints?
In mere months?
This guy’s insane.
Ian looked down at the tearful, head-banging creature.
Yeah, definitely insane.