Chapter 393

Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes

Hook-Nosed Predicament

Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, illuminating the room. Two figures lay on the scarlet canopied bed.

「Uh… ow…」

Holding his head, a hook-nosed man lifted his body up. He was more or less fifty, with a body that severely lacked exercise. And he was naked.

「What happened last night? Where am I?」

He rubbed his blurry eyes and looked around. He found himself in an unfamiliar bed with someone.

「Wh-What?!」

A blond woman whom he had never seen before was sleeping next to him.

「What is going on? What happened yesterday? I think I went to the meeting with Count Ron… Then while waiting, I had tea… and then…」

He couldn’t remember what happened afterwards.

「O-Oh, no…」

Count Ron usually sent his servant when summoning someone, but this time only a letter was sent. Since it had the Count’s family crest on it, he didn’t doubt its authenticity.

He finally realized that he was in a bad spot. The summons was fabricated. A stranger lay beside him, and he was naked. It only meant one thing.

「I have to get out of here!」

Zepetta rolled out of the bed and realized he was naked down as well. His clothes were strewn across the floor as if he couldn’t wait last night. He was about to collect them when the door flung open.

「You defiled my daughter’s chastity!」

I know this man, Zepetta thought. I believe he’s Baron Patta. Barons are the lowest ranked of all nobility, desperate to climb up the ladder. And he was cozying up with the conservatives.

「Seize this adulterer! He’ll regret bedding the daughter of a noble!」

「W-Wait—」

Soldiers stepped into the room. Baron Patta couldn’t hold back his grin.

They got me. Zepetta realized he was deceived. By seducing a nobleman’s unmarried daughter, he committed adultery. He knew this was the Minister of the Right exacting revenge. Patta sacrificed his daughter to bring him down.

「On your feet!」

Pulled up on both sides, Zepetta dropped his clothes. He felt drained. Perhaps there was some drug in his tea yesterday, or he realized that resisting was futile.

「What a disgraceful body.」

「At least cover your lower half so the lady of the house doesn’t see that filthy thing of yours.」

Laughter erupted from the men. Zepetta’s mind was somewhere else.

Think. Think. Think.

He was in a serious predicament. But his quick wits had pulled him through situations like this before. Zepetta had the obstinacy of a merchant. He didn’t care if others saw his lower parts. He wouldn’t even lose a copper coin.

When Nino arrived at Full Stomach Diner, the Beastman manager’s eyes opened wide. He didn’t expect the merchant to actually deliver kounatsu.

「I, uhh… apologize for calling you a liar and accusing you of stealing recipes.」the Beastman said, bowing.

It was almost midnight, and business was already closed. Only staff remained inside, tidying up. Even after a hard day’s work, the manager didn’t seem tired at all.

「I-It’s fine! Please raise your head! It’s kinda bothering me.」

「I really do feel bad.」

「I do think your doubts were well-founded. No one would think bandits actually attack wagons carrying kounatsu. But apparently Luna the rank S adventurer took care of them.」

「So I heard. Adventurers coming to the diner were talking about it.」

The manager raised his head, and Nino looked relieved.

「I just want to build a trusting relationship with you. I’m still pretty much unknown here in the capital…」

Nino sounded somewhat bitter. He was a newcomer in the capital, with low credibility. In fact, the manager didn’t believe him at first.

「Thank you for bringing me kounatsu.」the Beastman said.「With this many kounatsu, I can create a new menu. Kounatsu are great. They tell you that summer has come. Let’s make it so that when summer comes, the people think of kounatsu!」

「Y-Yes, sir!」

Nino’s hooked nose reddened, tears welling up in his eyes. It was the moment he realized that he was glad to become merchant. His job was more than just passing goods from left to right and making money off of it. His goods improved people’s lives, gave them hope, and even had the power to change the world. He became a merchant to experience that feeling.

「Are you staying in the capital for a while?」the manager asked.「I’m done for the day, but I can start making kounatsu dishes again tomorrow.」

Nino chuckled.「I-I’d prefer something different. I’d been smelling nothing but kounatsu these past few days.」

「Right! I didn’t realize that!」the Beastman laughed, then stopped.「Your firm is called Zepet Trading, right?」

「Uh, yes. What about it?」

「Is it related to Count Zepetta?」

Nino’s pleasant mood suddenly vanished. He felt his throat dry up.

「No.」the merchant said.「Did something happen to the Count?」

「That’s good, then. I heard this from the adventurers. You know about the stricter inspection, right?」

「Y-Yeah. It’s why I arrived here this late.」

「There’s something fishy going on inside the palace.」

「What do you mean?」

「The Imperial Guards apparently stormed Count Zepetta’s residence this morning. There was no battle or anything. People are saying the strict inspection and the guards raiding the place is related.」

Nino was silent, his face pale.

「Hey, what’s wrong?」

「Uh… I’m just a little tired from the long journey.」

「Of course. Sorry for keeping you. Sleep well.」

「I will. Thank you.」

Nino bowed and left the diner. It was already midnight. The streets were completely quiet.

「Imperial guards in Count Zepetta’s residence?」

He started at a brisk walk, to a jog, and eventually broke into a run as he made it to the main street.

「What happened, Father?!」