Chapter 388: Unequivalent Exchange?

“And so…”

…

“I wonder if the Kuzunoha Company’s representative himself, that is the storm of this era, participating in the food stalls competition and disturbing the gift stalls is okay?”

“Hahahaha.” (Makoto)

This is strange.

I thought it was going well in the middle though.

The Resily Company splendidly won the selection gathering and obtained the right to open a store in the newly made suburb station.

That fourth tasteless and odorless rice was the core of it.

By mixing that and cooking it with the sweet corn grains, it made it have a taste like okowa <steamed glutinous rice. Has a unique chewy texture and sweetness>. It made it easy to indulge as an onigiri.

Yeah…I really couldn’t lie and tell Essen and Orosha that the rice of Asora is from Lorel and give them some, so I pondered quite a lot about what to do.

As always, nothing good happens when I bring the crops of Asora over here.

It ends up being pretty okay after manufacturing it and turning it into food or pastries, but it is not realistic to give the Resily Company already cooked rice for the rice they need.

The mixed okowa miracle was something that happened while I was going around the festival kind of booths that were called gift stalls that had games like arrow targeting, ball targeting, and lotteries. At that time, Essen had managed to make a mix that could turn the tables.

The careful Orosha and the active Essen; I think they are a good combination for the company.

And well, I watched over them as the mysterious rice lover mania Rama-san.

The two of the Resily Company that have obtained high evaluations for the taste, ability to spread by word of mouth, and the price have opened the dreamed doors.

When it was about time for me to leave, the owners of the gift stalls for some reason chased after me and pushed me into the trial products assembly hall.

At the time when I was standing out a bit for being called a cheating bastard and having their grudges thrown at me, Batoma-san found me and I explained the current situation to him.

“…Even if you laugh and look the other way, it won’t erase what happened, you know?” (Batoma)

I was brought to a different room, and Batoma-san was glaring at me like a deva.

It is a fact that I simply served to give some opinions and help out a bit, and the two of the Resily Company were also brought here.

I messed up. Sorry.

I hid my identity in order to not drag them into any trouble, and yet, I ended up doing it.

I have to at least get through this in a way that doesn’t trouble them.

I say that, but I didn’t really do anything that would be detrimental to the Batoma Company and the powerful companies.

That talk about disturbing the gift stalls is a lie, and even if the Resily Company rides the waves, it shouldn’t trouble Batoma-san.

“Well, I ended up helping out after seeing those two promising people worrying in front of my store.” (Makoto)

“Ended up?” (Batoma)

“I thought this would be a chance to spread the rice culture in the city.” (Makoto)

“And?” (Batoma)

“It wouldn’t be detrimental for either of us, and it doesn’t sound bad to cooperate.” (Makoto)

“Hey, Raidou, that onigiri dish is something that originated from your place, and it is a source of profit for the store that your woman made, right?” (Batoma)

“It is preserved food that suits adventurers, and I thought that if it spreads with the Resily Company, the variations will increase, and the market as a whole would widen.” (Makoto)

“Are you the embodiment of charity?!” (Batoma)

Batoma-san raised his voice.

But it isn’t unfavorable to me, so t-there’s no need to be scared…

I don’t think there is.

“I do feel sorry that I kept silent about it. But I really do think that it ended up with a result that’s not detrimental for the Batoma Company too.” (Makoto)

“Yeah, you could say that. You simply cut a bit of your profit to here.” (Batoma)

“Ah, that’s…” (Makoto)

“Let’s leave aside the numbers.” (Batoma)

“…I can only agree to that.” (Makoto)

Batoma-san sighed heavily at my response.

“Looks like my daughter Ates has been under the care of your place lately.” (Batoma)

“She was a friend of ours that would talk with us at the times when we were at the Adventurer Guild after all.” (Makoto)

But well, I didn’t know until recently that she was the daughter of Batoma-san though.

Ates has quite the stout personality despite appearances.

She is the type that doesn’t give up even if she complains.

Even if something were to happen to the Batoma Company, I am sure she will end up supporting her family.

I feel like this father of hers will be making a comeback though.

He is a skilled merchant that’s able to create factions in Tsige after all.

…When thinking about it like that, this father and daughter are impressive.

“…I see. When the Rembrandt Company told me they wanted to have my daughter help out, I had my suspicions that maybe they would be using her as a hostage, but it looks like that was groundless fear.” (Batoma)

“Someone like me can’t predict what the profession of an idol will turn out to be in the future, but I think Rembrandt-san took her in because he saw that she had the talent for it.” (Makoto)

“It is a bad habit of mine to feel happy by my daughter being praised, but…I will thank you honestly here.” (Batoma)

“No need.” (Makoto)

“And so, what’s the meaning of this? Is it your…pity for me who is struggling?” (Batoma)

When Batoma-san said the words ‘struggling’, the two of the Resily Company opened their eyes wide.

So he hasn’t shown this face of his to his comrades and subordinates, huh.

No, I myself didn’t know that he was suffering.

I did get a report from Shiki about the fact that the bad side of the Alliance Company was showing up, but I felt like it wasn’t in a situation that would be bad in an immediate future.

“Sorry for putting it this way, but I don’t think that helping out one company that was on the very edge of the hierarchy would affect the Batoma Company. About the gift stalls, it is false accusations, but to think that would turn out into an attack on the Batoma Company for such a small thing…” (Makoto)

I of course have no feelings of pity at all either.

“…Well, if you look at it as a whole, that is.” (Batoma)

“As for my reason, the main one was to cultivate the future of rice. About the gift stalls, I ended up having a lot of fun on the target game ones, and I might have overdone it a bit without noticing.” (Makoto)

“I heard you were getting ridiculous scores one after the other without using Skills, and would clean out all the prizes.” (Batoma)

“It was properly written that I can’t use Skills after all. And so I used my regular ability to challenge the games, and that was the result, you know.” (Makoto)

“They are complaining that they were scammed perfectly with a method that doesn’t leave any traces or proof, but…this is…” (Batoma)

Batoma-san flipped through several petitions, and looked at me with a bitter smile.

“Sorry, but as I have said, they are all false accusations.” (Makoto)

“Right. But there’s the small bow, the ball bow, and throwing arrow; are you a long range genius?” (Batoma)

“Well, I am unexpectedly good at aim and shooting.” (Makoto)

I am at my best with bow and arrow though.

“You really are a mysterious man in all shapes and forms. About this matter, fuuh, I will just have to acknowledge it. It has been made clear that Mio is your woman after all. You are not denying it at all.” (Batoma)

“Thank you ver—pffft?!” (Makoto)

“Now then, in that case, you two dunces of Resily, what’s left is what to do about you guys.” (Batoma)

“Aah, about that! I simply made contact with them without telling them at all that I am Raidou of the Kuzunoha Company. The two are not at fault at all! Rather, they are victims just by being here…” (Makoto)

It would be too pitiful to have the guys of the Resily Company suffer from this.

I want to protect them somehow.

“As if that’s possible.” (Batoma)

“Eh?” (Makoto)

“Oi, the big dunce. Orosha, was it?” (Batoma)

“Y-Yes?!” (Orosha)

“You, did you really think of Rama-san as some convenient rice maniac? Hm?” (Batoma)

Batoma-san?

“…”

“I think I am being tolerant by giving you at least a chance here. Did you know about this face and name?” (Batoma)

“…I did. I could tell he was Raidou of the Kuzunoha Company at a glance…-ssu.” (Orosha)

“The other guy! What about you, Essen?” (Batoma)

“I noticed the moment I met him. But there was no rule about not getting help from outside though.” (Essen)

How can this be?

This is such an embarrassing farce.

So I had been completely exposed?!

Moreover, by the two!

“I didn’t ask that. You two knew about my relationship with Raidou, yet you clung for the help of Raidou. Is that right?” (Batoma)

““…Yes.””

“You didn’t think…you had some big balls there?” (Batoma)

“I-I did t—” (Orosha)

“We were aware that we were at the very edge! We did it while fully prepared!” (Essen)

“Bro Ets?!” (Orosha)

“…Hoh?” (Batoma)

“Fortunately, Mio-san also didn’t think of onigiris as her own specialty! We prepared ourselves thinking that this is where we have to fight on! I am sorry Boss, but we have no regrets!” (Essen)

Essen…

You put so much on the line for onigiris?

Alright, if we get out of this properly, I will try my best to have more kinds of rice come into Tsige.

“…Doesn’t…” (Batoma)

“?” (Makoto)

Batoma-san furrowed his brows and muttered something really low.

“It just doesn’t go as I want.” (Batoma)

He said it one more time.

This time, I could pick it up clearly.

Words I am used to hearing and a phrase that I think of every now and then.

“Keeping the young spirited ones like these two, and throwing out the trash that have no hope; that was the intention of the selection gathering system…” (Batoma)

“Boss?” (Orosha)

“I thought Essen would be on the trash side though. This is the kind of moment that reminds me how clouded my own eyes are.” (Batoma)

And so he muttered.

Batoma-san explained to us that the selection gathering will be a regular thing and not just a one-off thing.

The creation of the Alliance Company that would bring in the weak companies that would simply be eaten up by the big ones, and gather factions.

But looking back at it, it was slowly changing from a relaxing place to further their craft into a place for sloth, and would degrade the hard working ones, and even parasites began appearing here and there.

Of course, that bad influence was only a small part of it, and the current state is that the strong points shine brighter than the bad ones.

That’s why Batoma-san acted as if he didn’t notice, but at the time when he was thinking about moving the whole force of the Batoma Company to improve, he was faced with the heavy reality that Alliance Company had turned into heavy shackles.

Bad natured people and people who want to gain favor from Batoma-san because of his daughter Ates that has been working well as an advertisement tower in the country of Tsige were showing up.

“That’s why I had the intention of cutting down all the idiots that were shouting with a straight face that my daughter is an angel and categorizing them as trash. But once I investigated it, they may be fervent fans, but they were not pieces of trash that would take unfair advantages in the market and would bring harm to my daughter.” (Batoma)

“The Ang—Ates-ojousan is a splendid woman that has provided many with hopes and dreams!” (Essen)

“Yeah. I have mixed feelings about it, but I can tell that there’s no ill intent.” (Batoma)

Ooh, it feels like things are going to be wrapped up peacefully.

“Boss-san…thank you very much!” (Orosha)

“But relying on the knowledge of the Kuzunoha despite knowing full well their relationship with the Batoma Company… And also forming a subcontract with a craftsman that’s under the influence of them is something that I just can’t overlook.” (Batoma)

““!””

I-It was the bad route!

Or more like, what’s that about a craftsman that’s under our influence?!

“We haven’t asked a craftsman of the Kuzunoha Company to do work for us! -ssu.” (Orosha)

Really!

This is false accusations part 2!

“…Essen.” (Batoma)

“Yes?” (Essen)

“You requested a woodworker craftsman named Carol to make containers, right?” (Batoma)

C-Carol.

Seriously?

It is true that she is deeply connected to the Kuzunoha Company.

“? Yes. I found a craftsman by coincidence outside the market that had some nice stuff lined up.” (Essen)

“That person is someone that’s in terribly good relations with the Kuzunoha Company. She at a glance looks like she isn’t affiliated to anyone though.” (Batoma)

“Wa?! No way! The world is so small!” (Essen)

You tell me.

And here I was surprised thinking there were woodworkers as skilled as Carol in Tsige.

Batoma-san’s way of saying things was also pretty crafty.

‘At a glance looks like she isn’t affiliated to anyone’ he says. It is not like the Kuzunoha Company has taken her in or is exclusive to us.

And the reality is that Carol has been opening up business in the plaza at fixed times to sell her works, and she should have had workings with other companies.

“…You won’t be telling me you don’t know Carol, right, Raidou?” (Batoma)

“It is a craftsman that’s coming and going from our place. She is free though.” (Makoto)

“You must be thinking this is silly, and I honestly think that as well in this instance. But it leaves a bad example. Representatives of the Resily Company, Essen and Orosha.” (Batoma)

““…””

“I will look after you guys like family until you open store at the station and when you have made the necessary preparations.” (Batoma)

““!!””

“But…” (Batoma)

““!””

“You will be exiled from your affiliation with the Batoma Company.” (Batoma)

“Boss-san, does that mean…” (Orosha)

“Yeah, you will be going independent. Put some backbone and make your castle -your business- into a success.” (Batoma)

So it is like…it is bad, but not bad…?

The two will be opening their business as it is, and will be able to fight their way back.

So they will simply be getting aid from the Batoma Company for a limited period of time.

“Thanks!!” (Essen)

It must have been an unexpected result for Essen, he lowered his head deeply.

Orosha also follows suit.

For the careful Orosha, having their backing gone might not be a situation that would make him raise his hands in celebration, but it is true that they managed to escape the worst.

“…I actually would want guys like you to open business and have you grow on and on, making the influence of the Batoma Company in this city…no, in this country even bigger. Tch, things really don’t go as I want. The sea of pus from relatives is a pain.” (Batoma)

“…Boss-san.” (Essen)

“Yeah?” (Batoma)

“One day…one day we will surely open a store in the center here. When that happens, please show up at our store again!” (Essen)

“…I won’t be showing up unless you bring out stuff that’s tastier than what the Kuzunoha have. The stations that are in between Tsige and Koran is the best location. If you mess up, you will be a laughingstock. Orosha, look after the footing of that idiot that can only look forward.” (Batoma)

“Yes, understood-ssu!!” (Orosha)

…

So you understand the personalities of those two properly, huh, Batoma-san.

The Batoma Company, huh.

This person also has his own justice and believes.

There’s no guarantee that this will connect to success, but it does feel comforting seeing it.

Rembrandt-san and the other tops of the big companies have been giving out those kinds of vibes recently.

“Tch, it is true that the profit this time around was good for our place, but…I am not feeling good. It feels fuzzy. Hey, you can go now. Leave, you dunces! Raidou, your face is already well known around the city, so if you are going to do something, at least give the word! Okay?!” (Batoma)

I was the one who said that no one’s losing from this, but thinking about the fact that my cover was blown from the very beginning, and was faced with an embarrassing situation, I feel like I suffered quite the loss here.

Well, Mio managed to get her hands on rice with amusing taste, so that’s fine I guess.

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