Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 21: Lending a Hand
I’m happy that the princess liked the manga so much and want to fulfill her request, but… with my current NP being so limited, it’s hard to give away more as a gift.
“…I’m sorry, but it’s difficult under the current circumstances. I think I’ll be able to provide it by next month, so could you wait until then?”
“Next month…? I understa—No, I can’t wait! You mentioned something about a skill—what kind of skill is it? I’ll give you all the support you need!”
She stood up straight, puffing out her chest as she made this declaration. While her offer is appreciated, there’s really nothing she can help with when it comes to earning more NP. Besides, I don’t want to solve everything by relying on the princess’s power.
“…Well, it’s not something I need to keep secret, so I’ll explain briefly. My skill is called [Otherworldly Farming], and it allows me to grow crops in fields created by the skill and convert them into a special currency. I used that currency to buy the manga I gave you.”
“I see… So what should I do? If you need more manpower, I can call upon the kingdom’s knights to help!”
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t want to force anyone to help. I’m grateful to both you and the king, but please refrain from using royal authority here.”
When I said this, the princess visibly drooped. I had expected her to argue back, so her subdued reaction caught me by surprise.
“…I apologize. You came here to live a rural life, so it wouldn’t be right for me to impose the power of the royal family. Does that mean there’s nothing I can do to help, and I’ll just have to wait until next month?”
“If Her Highness the Princess herself wants to help, I’d be glad to accept. But I think it’s best to wait until next month.”
“Me? Doing farm work? But if I wait until next month…”
I had assumed she wouldn’t even consider doing farm work, but… it seems she’s seriously contemplating it as a way to get the next volume quickly.
“Princess, farm work isn’t something you should be doing. So please just wait at the royal castle until nex—”
“Understood. I’ll help with the farm work. That will satisfy you, right?”
Her unexpected decision left me utterly speechless. Was she really that hooked on the manga?
“W-Will this really be okay? If I let the princess do farm work, won’t the king be furious…?”
“Of course, that’s a possibility. But… heh, I’m just kidding. My father wouldn’t get angry over something like this. He’s the one who had this villa built because he wanted me to enjoy nature. I rarely ever go outside, so if he hears about this, he might actually cry with joy.”
If that’s the case… I guess it’s fine?
I’m not entirely sure, but since I brought it up, it’s hard to tell her not to help now.
“In that case, I’ll repay you with books for the help you provide.”
“So, it’s essentially labor. I have to work for something I can’t simply buy… This actually sounds fun.”
The princess—or rather, Velvet—smiled cheerfully.
Right now, she seemed excited by the novelty of it all, but I couldn’t help worrying about whether that enthusiasm might turn into dissatisfaction once she got used to it… Well, if that happens, I’ll just ask her to wait, as originally planned.
“So, how many hours do I need to work to earn one book?”
“It’s not by the hour but by the day. If you work for three days, I’ll give you one book.”
“Three days for just one book?! Is that… normal?”
“I don’t know if it’s normal, but considering the currency I earn, that’s the limit.”
“…I understand. Three days of farm work sounds tough, but I’ll endure it if it means I can read the next volume.”
If you think about it in terms of wages in Japan, three days of work for a single manga volume would be equivalent to earning about 200 yen a day. It’s an absurdly exploitative rate, but since NP is hard to come by and otherworldly goods are about 30 times more expensive, it can’t be helped.
“You’re free to come work anytime, but please ensure the three days are consecutive. That’s my only condition.”
“In that case, I’ll start working tomorrow. I want to read the next volume as soon as possible.”
“Understood. I’ll be expecting you. By the way, will you be commuting from the royal castle?”
“That’s the plan, but if it gets too troublesome to return, I might stay here at the villa. Oh, and don’t call me ‘Princess.’ Just call me Velvet.”
“Velvet-san… All right. I look forward to working with you.”
To my surprise, the princess—no, Velvet-san—agreed to help out.
I’m still uneasy about letting the princess of this country do farm work, but having extra hands on deck is certainly a welcome change.
Looks like I’ll need to put even more effort into my work now.