bakapervert

Orc Harem Vol 1 Chapter 4

Added 2021-06-21 22:33:46 +0000 UTC

Chapter 4: Those Who Want to Shoot the General Should Shoot the Horse First

After going to the commerce guild and gave the sample, we went to the carpenter’s place that we requested for distributing the posters.

And then, we safely returned home and ate lunch together with Kururu.

「It feels good. I still remember the faces of those mean uncles when they saw the posters that Ork created.」

「What’s more that was after they made those snide remarks as they pleased as soon as we entered the room.」

At the commerce guild, the people there followed the template and gave us some unpleasant remarks. I wanted to ask them whether they intentionally come there just to say that.

I already knew from the start, but as expected, it seems that seeing a successful newcomer really provoke jealousy.

「Hee, is that so? I also wanted to see that. After all it’s me who created the color printing machine.」

Kururu made a smug face with her fox ears pointing straight.

She has the qualification to look like that.

It’s really just like Kururu how some bread scrap is slovenly stuck around her lips.

「Thanks for your hard work. Also, the carpenters are going to come later to take the posters.」

「Ah, if it’s that, they had come just now so I handed the posters to them. This is the signature.」

「Thanks. No, wait, this is……don’t tell me, they are going this far?」

I got a headache.

I know that they don’t like newcomer, but as expected this is just unexpected.

「Ah, umm, did I do something wrong?」

「This signature……most likely it was impostor who came to take the posters. It’s not Kururu’s fault. It’ll be unfair to ask you to notice something like this.」

「How do you know it’s a fake!?」

「The carpenter that signed contract with us is a branch store with their main store located at the west city. What’s more I heard they only just started here recently and all their workers come from the west. But, the way this letter is simplified is a unique habit of someone who has been in this city for long……I’ll try checking, but nine out of ten this signature is from a fake.」

Kururu’s face went pale.

「No way-, I’m sorry, even though we finally managed to prepare all those posters」

「I told you. It’s not Kururu’s fault……well, we just need to reprint the posters.」

「We aren’t going to catch the criminal and take back the posters?」

「I’ll request an informant I know to find out the culprit, but let’s give up on taking back the posters.」

「Yep, I guess so. Surely they have destroyed the posters already.」

There was no way for Kururu to know, but I had taught Tita various dirty tricks too during me teaching her to be merchant, so she can imagine it.

「2000 posters are simply bulky and get in the way, and they will serve as proof if found. They must have burned it away immediately. It will be faster to give up on taking back the posters and reprint 2000 more right away.」

The appointed time in our contract with the carpenters is in three more days.

It’ll be very tricky to produce 2000 posters in three days. After all we will have to print 600 per day. One poster will take five minutes, and I have only made three printing machines.

Ten posters will take one hour and multiplied by three results in thirty posters. If they are operated by ten hours, we will get 300 per day. We won’t make it in time at all like that.

「For now let’s call all the part-timers who made the first 2000. We will ask them to reprint for the full 24 hours in turns. Meanwhile Kururu and me will produce more printing machine. If we can finish two more within today, we should barely make it in time.」

Even if we can only produce 300 posters in the daytime, we will get 600 if we do it for the whole day. And then if we also increase the number of the printing machine, it will be cutting it really close, but calculation wise we should make it.

「I’ll make it right away-」

「This is a fight against time, let’s work hard! Tita, go to the carpenter’s place and confirm the truth, after that order for ink and paper. If it’s Zacharic Company then they should be able to prepare them right away. I’ll show up at Ork Company at once and gather the part-timers. Kururu, work on increasing the printing machines.」

「「Yes-」」

Now then, for now it’s a small consolation that they steal the posters today and not tomorrow or later.

I didn’t mention it in order to give the two a sense of urgency, but it’s not like we need to finish all 2000 posters within three days.

It takes time to distribute and put up the poster. For now we will finish the posters that will be used for faraway city first.

The posters for nearby cities can be prepared later.

Even the carpenters won’t distribute all the posters at once. They should have decided the schedule by also taking into account of the trouble that might happen. They surely can agree if we ask them to wait for several days longer.

If pressed I can also simply ask people of different profession to add more manpower for the distribution.

……Considering that, we actually have quite a lot of leeway.

But well, I want to fulfill the contract smartly, for the sake of Ork Company’s image.

In the end, business was equal to trust. If a bad reputation that my company is loose when it come to schedule spread, it will make it harder to get more works later.

(Right now our first priority is the poster’s reprinting but……I’ll definitely find the culprit of this harassment and make them pay.)

In order to make the 2000 posters, everyone in Ork Company has done their best desperately. I had checked all the printed posters and the result only has that degree of different coloring even when using a printing machine of that level because everyone did their job carefully and patiently.

The culprit trampled on that feeling.

That’s unforgivable.

If they’re a merchant, they should fight as a merchant through business.

I bit my lip and began doing what I have to do after that.

◇

Three days later, the scheduled day in the contract with the carpenter arrived.

As I thought, my apprehension was true. Our posters were taken by imposter and we needed to reprint.

Yesterday I had sent all the posters that we had printed until then to the carpenters. They said that if there are that many, they can start working. They said that they can wait for several more days for us to send the rest, even so we are continuing to give our all in order to make it in time.

And then…….

「The pile over here has passed the check. All of them are fine.」

「This one is also alright!」(Kururu)

The check for the last pile of the printed posters has ended. Even if we are in a great hurry, it’s no good if there is defective product get mixed in. Even if we have no time, we still check the product’s quality.

「We made it in time just barely.」

「As expected, adding two more machines were a great help.」

「I thought that it was hopeless already when we ran out of paper at the middle.」

「……Thank god Ork made them right on the spot, the papers.」

Actually, someone monopolized the papers for making poster and we had insufficient paper even after borrowing Zacharic Company’s power.

It must be a harassment too.

「Well, regardless of everything, we make it in time. And look, speak of the devil.」

Visitors came to Ork Company. The carpenters that Tita contracted came to take the remaining posters.

They are large man whose arms look like they are as big as Tita’s torso.

Kururu watched them in suspicion.

「It’s not a fake this time right?」

Tita smiled wryly seeing Kururu like that and opened her mouth.

「It’s fine. Because, it’s the boss himself.」

The large man laughed hearing that.

「You have it rough here eh, Ork Company. I heard what happened, that’s why I came personally to take the items.」

His voice has a gentleness that is unimaginable from his appearance.

「Our thanks……check the items.」

「Sure. You guys, start counting.」

They efficiently check the quality of each poster, count the amount, and pack them.

They work faster and more accurately then we can surely because they are pro.

「Yosh, the number is exactly like in the contract, and there is no defective item. The rest will be our work. Leave it to us.」

「Be careful of harassment. There is no guarantee that your place won’t get targeted too.」

「Aa, there is no worry of that. We are newcomer here, but our main company is an authority at Zanalid. There is no idiot who will turn the whole Zanalid into enemy and can’t do business there anymore.」

Certainly it’s just as he said.

Putting it another way, what happened this time is because Ork Company is still being underestimated.

This is an alarming situation.

「That’s reassuring.」

「Then, we’re going. You’re going to make a stall at the festival right? I’m looking forward to what the up-and-coming Ork Company will sell.」

I replied with a vague smile.

I wanted to do that, but there is no leeway for that.

I see him off. With this we can finally feel relieved.

「Haa, it’s finally over.」

「I’m tired. This is really bad for the heart.」(Kururu)

The two girls sat down.

They had worked really hard.

I opened the window so that fresh wind can at least blow in and we can have a change of mood. Birds entered inside at that timing.

One is a carrier pigeon, and the other one is a hawk monster with golden plumage.

Both of them have letter tied on their leg.

First I opened the letter from the carrier pigeon.

「It’s from the informant. Fumu……as I thought, it was those senile old fools who did the harassment.」

「Of course they are.」

「Those cowards!」(Kururu)

As expected from someone who I have paid a lot of money to, he’s doing a great job. I have a yearly contract with this informant. Normally he is searching all over the world for information about beautiful girls that fulfilled my preference.

Now that I’m making him spending time for this matter means that his time to search for beautiful girl is reduced.

Those senile old fools, unforgivable.

「And the other one」

「That bird is incredible.」(Tita)

「It’s a monster after all, and what’s more it’s a high ranked one. In this city, perhaps there is less than a hundred people who can survive if they get targeted by it.」

「It’s absurdly dangerous then! The magic power it’s clad in is outrageous-」(Kururu)

「Well, in the past when fellow demon races were embroiled in war against each other to obtain hegemony, this monster was selectively breed in order to guarantee that letter will definitely reach the one it’s addressed to. The monster has to be at least this powerful and can fly two times faster than sound for that. Less than that and it’s out of the question.」

That era was no different than an end-of-century era. Only a monster that was at least this strong could be entrusted with sending letter.

「Who in the world used this kind of bird to send letter to us?」

「It’s from the great sage Merlin Enlight. I asked him for healing my magic circuit before.」

I opened the letter.

An extremely short sentence is written there.

『Busy. Do it yourself somehow.』

Tita and Kururu who are peeking from behind made an expression that is a mix of shock and astonishment.

「That’s really cold.」

「Isn’t that too cruel? Even though Ork-san is his disciple.」

「No, in this person’s case, he is telling me, don’t take the easy way out, do something about it yourself. You should be able to using what I taught you……or something like that.」

「You really know him well Ork.」

「I have known him for long after all. I know that he is a kind but strict person. Even so, just this time I need to prioritize speed over my own growth.」

After all an opponent that I won’t be able to defeat without borrowing the spirit king’s power is waiting around the corner.

「What now……Ork-san’s wound can’t be healed except by the great sage right?」

「Yeah, that’s why I picked at his weakness. There isn’t just one letter see?」

Yes, there is one more letter attached at the other leg of the golden eagle monster.

「Who is it from?」

「It’s from the one who inherited alchemy from the great sage, the Enlight of Gold, Nicola Enlight. She is a dwarf girl.」

「Uh, for some reason my rivalry spirit is blazing up hot.」

I smiled wryly. At present Kururu can’t even hold a candle against Nicola Enlight. After all the great sage is unrivaled if it’s just at the field of alchemy.

I read the letter from that girl.

「Yosh, it looks like the great sage Merlin Enlight is going to come to the festival.」

「Why?」

「I had exchanged letters with Nicola. I told her that here there will be the biggest festival in the world, where rare items and famous items from all over the world will gather, making it the greatest festival. With that Nicola also instigated her sisters. Merlin Enlight is soft with his five daughters. If they begged to him, even that great sage will get off his ass.」

As might be expected from an alchemist, Nicola is interested with both science and chemistry. I’m inferior to her if compared in blacksmithing and alchemy properly.

But, I have ideas from the world of my previous life. Those ideas can’t be reached with the development of the proper technique in this world. Something like that is more precious than any treasure for her. I was able to position myself as her mail friend by stimulating her thirst for knowledge using that.

I became her mail friend in order to make her fall for me……isn’t the reason. I simply wanted her knowledge of alchemy that she inherited from the great sage.

「That method, it’s really nasty isn’t it?」

「I guess it’s quite like Ork-san to do that. Or rather, umm, Ork-san, do you have a feeling for Nikola-san? As a woman.」

「……To be honest, I’m interested, I’m interested to her but, how should I say it, both of us feel a kind of respect toward each other, as an expert or as a researcher, so I think our relationship is different from male and female relationship.」

Yes, because I approached her for her alchemy and both of us got engrossed into it, her position inside me has already settled into that kind of role.

「Ork-san isn’t simply being scared to his idiot father the great sage aren’t you?」

「If that’s all then I’ll struggle to try persuading the great sage even if I have to risk my life. After all it’ll fire me up even more the harder it is!」

「Certainly, that sounds right.」

「Ork-san really did risk your life at the time with Tita-san and also with me. If Ork-san is serious with this person, then you’ll surely give it a try even if the opponent is the great sage.」

「That’s how it is. It’s impolite to try laying my hand on her even though I can’t have that kind of feeling for her. I’m friend with her……well, I don’t know whether the great sage also think the same though……Wind Raiment.」

I used the bypass and somehow completed a magic. The three of us got enveloped in wind’s protection. This is the simplified version of my favorite wind magic that boosted my defense and speed, but this one is specialized for protection.

The next moment, a shadow broke through the window.

After that, there was a shockwave and the room became in tatters.

It was a sonic boom from something that far surpassed the speed of sound.

That something spread out its wings in front of me.

「This one is bigger than Ork-san’s golden hawk. It’s mana is also amazing.」

「Ahaha, this is, it’s, scary.」

The two of them were completely scared.

It couldn’t be helped. The golden hawk is a monster that rivaled the few powerful people in this city, but this thing might be able to win even if those people ganged up on it. This is a monster that could destroy a city.

But, there is a letter tied on its leg. It held its leg toward me to urge me to take it quickly.

「Ork, could it be, this bird」

「It’s the great sage’s familiar. A homunculus that the great sage personally created……I don’t know whether it’s right to call a hawk as homunculus but, it’s that kind of creature.」

「Unbelievable. This is, just outrageous.」(Kururu)

「That person has familiars of this level by the hundreds.」

The two of them fell silent.

Hundreds of monsters that can destroy a city by their lonesome. Him alone rivaled the military might of a country. Even words like one-man army felt hackneyed to be used to describe him.

I read the letter from such monster.

「Fumu, I’m going to the festival because my daughter pestered me. I’ll kill you if you lay your hand on my daughter. Prepare the limited sweets not just for several people, but also for souvenir. That’s the condition for the healing.」

「Umm, what is this limited sweets?」

「The stall I’ll create will sell the best limited edition dessert in the world that can only be eaten here. I wrote in my letter to Nikola that I’ll put some of them aside for the great sage if he heal me……and so the great sage yielded after his daughter begged to him.」

「A person who seems like he can destroy the world will change his mind just from his daughter’s pleading!?」(Kururu)

「That’s the only weakness of that person.」

To shoot the general, shoot the horse first.

My tactic succeeded.

And then, with this I have a reason to make a stall.

If I get refused by the great sage here, I would have to focus on recovery and wouldn’t have any free time to run a stall.

「And so, let’s develop the best dessert in the world now.」

「……You are really suicidal Ork. You claimed that you have the best dessert in the world even though you haven’t thought up anything before this?」

「Perhaps I’ll get murdered if I failed in making that dessert, because I made his daughter disappointed.」

I know the risk.

Now then, let’s make a sweets that is absolutely impossible for this world.

……Let’s see, that one will be nice.