Chapter 388: Unequivalent Exchange? (1/2)

“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 . 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?