Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 292: The Prince’s Request – Revised
Lured by the promise of Rainbow Crystals, Rest agreed to help improve the roads in Andrew’s territory, just as requested.
Fortunately, he was already used to this kind of work.
He had obtained a wonderful gift for his fiancée, and as a bonus, he was gaining a favor from the second prince and future duke. It was a hassle, sure—but he figured the deal wasn’t all that bad.
However… once the roadwork was finished and it was finally time to receive the Rainbow Crystals, he came to a painful realization—he’d been played.
“This is the mine where the Rainbow Crystals were discovered. Take as much as you like.”
Prince Andrew said.
“A mine…? Wait—there are monsters down there!”
Rest exclaimed.
Andrew led him to a hole about five meters wide.
It had originally been dug as a well, during which the Rainbow Crystals were discovered. But when Rest peered into the hole, he saw something writhing in the depths.
“Centipedes… right?”
Below, there were giant centipede-like monsters.
Each was around three meters long. Dozens of them—each as big as a crocodile—were slithering and wriggling at the bottom of the pit.
Seeing monsters bigger than humans packed together like that didn’t just invoke disgust; it triggered a primal fear for one’s life.
(If I fell in there… I don’t even want to think about it…)
“Care to explain what’s going on here?”
Rest asked, half-lidding his eyes in irritation.
Andrew spread his arms with an awkward smile.
“Like I explained earlier, we were digging a well and happened to discover Rainbow Crystals. So we dug deeper—but apparently, we accidentally broke into a monster nest. The centipedes started pouring out. It’s been a real problem.”
“……”
“Luckily, they seem to hate light. They won’t come out in the open very often. Some workers got injured during the excavation, but no one died. As long as we keep the metal cover on the hole at night when there’s no sunlight, we’re fine.”
“You’re not seriously going to ask me to deal with this, are you?”
“Of course not, I’ll hire adventurers to take care of them.”
Andrew said smoothly, still smiling.
“However, we don’t know how many there are. And if they’re left to rampage, they could end up crushing the Rainbow Crystals. That would lower their value. A real shame.”
“……”
“If only there were a talented and generous mage around who could handle the situation quickly. Wouldn’t that be convenient?”
It was perfectly clear what he was getting at.
So clear, in fact, that Rest felt a strong urge to punch him—rank and status be damned.
“If you could somehow deal with it, you’d be free to take all the Rainbow Crystals you want from this mine. As much as you can carry.”
“Tch…”
Rest bit back the complaints that were about to leave his mouth.
He was irritated—but being able to take as many Rainbow Crystals as he wanted was an incredibly tempting offer.
These crystals were rare and limited in supply—you couldn’t just throw money at the problem and expect to get some.
(I am being used for convenience… but if I think about it logically, I’m still coming out ahead.)
Road construction and monster extermination weren’t really a big deal for Rest. They took time and effort, sure, but they weren’t truly burdensome for him.
(He’s got a good sense for this kind of negotiation… He never pushes too far. If he made an unreasonable demand, I could flat-out refuse. But instead, he always hovers right at that line where I can’t say no.)
Maybe this was what made someone a capable ruler.
Hard to believe this guy was Rodel’s brother—they were worlds apart when it came to how they handled people.
“…Fine. I’ll do it,” Rest said with a heavy sigh.
“But if there aren’t enough Rainbow Crystals in the end, I’m really going to be pissed off, got it?”
“If that happens, I swear I’ll procure more from elsewhere—even if it comes out of my own pocket. I’ll swear it in the name of the royal family.”
“…If you’re that serious about it, then I guess it’ll be fine.”
With a deep furrow in his brow and a lingering sense of dissatisfaction, Rest agreed to take on the centipede extermination.