Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 60: The Nouveau Riche with Deep Foundations
“Hahaha—! Respect the old, cherish the young! Marlon, my friend! I never would’ve thought that you, of all people, could be so sharp-tongued and merciless!”
Claw Druid Master, the druid known for his wild temper and even wilder laughter, pounded the floor with his heavy fists. His shoulders shook with mirth as Marlon recounted, in that perfectly calm ‘none of my business’ tone of his, what had happened earlier that day at the city plaza.
The druid’s laughter came out in wheezing bursts until tears pricked his eyes. “But—hahaha—ah, but I like it! I like it!”
“Master Conchita, this isn’t harshness at all,” Adela said with a cheerful smile, her eyes bright with loyalty as she tried to defend Marlon’s character. “It’s that old man who brought misfortune upon himself!”
In Adela’s heart, there was no one in the world—except for her father—who was more good-natured or upright than Marlon. If something went wrong, it could only be the fault of that pompous old fool, Benjamin von Stein.
“That’s exactly why I said I like it!” The Claw Druid Master thumped the floor again, his booming voice filling the Blossom Courtyard like rolling thunder. “These self-righteous old fossils—always wanting both prestige and profit! The moment someone dares touch their interests, they hide behind divine authority to crush their opponents. Hah! To humiliate them so thoroughly that they’d rather ‘end themselves’ out of shame—that’s true justice!”
If the house hadn’t been built sturdy enough, the druid’s relentless pounding might well have shaken it apart.
“Unfortunately,” Marlon replied with a shrug, his tone mild though his eyes carried a glint of thoughtful caution, “that old Barrier Master Benjamin proved patient enough to endure humiliation. He chose to apologize publicly and accepted a week-long punishment—cleaning the city plaza under everyone’s gaze.”
To the onlookers, Marlon’s demeanor appeared unbothered, almost indifferent. Yet deep down, he harbored a quiet certainty that Benjamin von Stein—and the powers behind him, the Barrier Masters’ Guild and the Von Stein family—wouldn’t let the matter rest so easily.
In the foreseeable future, the guild whose business had been snatched away would inevitably strike back at his proud creation: the Projection Virtual Glory Duel.
Still, Marlon wasn’t afraid. Not anymore.
After all, he was now a devout follower of the God of Contracts and Machinery. Under the solemn blessing and approval of Elder Priest Lisp Copperbeard, the invention had received divine endorsement—an unshakable mark of legitimacy.
But trouble was trouble, nonetheless. Like a toad squatting on one’s foot—it couldn’t really hurt you, but it was disgusting enough to make you wish it gone.
“Marlon, my friend,” the Claw Druid Master finally said, his laughter subsiding into a grin, “you seem worried about retaliation from the Von Stein family and the Barrier Masters’ Guild?”
“A little,” Marlon admitted honestly, nodding once. “After all, they’ve been deeply rooted in White Sand City for generations, while we’re merely the newly risen upstarts.”
“Upstarts? Marlon, my friend, you greatly underestimate the power you can now rely upon.”
The Claw Druid Master leaned forward, his expression sharp with conviction. “Think carefully, Marlon! Your guardian, young Bernard, is from the prestigious Yebler family. Your business partner, Ivna, is the city’s largest publisher. You have ties to the formidable Church of the Contract and Machinery. You’re on good terms with the mayor himself, and can even seek aid from the State Secretary if you wish!”
The druid began counting on his thick fingers, each point landing with the weight of fact. “Most importantly—you have the people’s trust. You hold influence, my friend, the power of public opinion itself!”
To the druid, Marlon wasn’t some shallow nouveau riche. No—he was a terrifyingly well-connected young man whose roots were spreading faster than anyone realized.
If the Barrier Masters or the Von Stein family wanted to launch a counterattack, they would first have to consider very carefully whether it was worth the risk.
In the most likely outcome, it would be the Von Stein family that compromised first, leaving the guild to fend for itself. After all, the so-called “Barrier Masters’ Guild” was nothing more than a handful of local enchanters bound together to monopolize the market—a loose alliance at best.
Of course, that was the ideal scenario. There was always the chance that some brainless fool within their ranks would make a reckless move.
“Marlon, my friend,” the Claw Druid Master said suddenly, “if you truly remain uneasy, I can offer you another layer of protection—join our Druidic Order. Become a follower of the Forest Goddess!”
“Become a follower of the Forest Goddess?” Marlon blinked, uncertain. “But I already declared publicly that I’m a devotee of the God of Contracts and Machinery. Wouldn’t switching allegiance now be… inappropriate?” He hesitated, lowering his voice. “Wouldn’t that make Elder Lisp Copperbeard want to kill me?”
That last part, of course, was his real concern.
“Marlon, my friend!” The druid’s brow twitched. “Your ignorance of theology makes me want to throw you into the Monastery of Knowledge and Thought for three years until you learn better!”
The Claw Druid Master let out a long-suffering sigh, shaking his head in exasperation. “Listen carefully—The God of Contracts and Machinery belongs to the Ilorogon Pantheon, which is allied with the Quinn Pantheon. That means their followers are perfectly free to honor deities from the allied pantheon! There is no conflict!”
“Hah? You can do that?!”
Marlon’s eyes widened in disbelief. He’d only ever memorized the gods’ names and domains; he’d never bothered to study the nuances of faith itself.
“Master Marlon, Master Conchita is right,” Adela nodded earnestly. Her inherited memories from her mother confirmed the druid’s explanation—the divine alliances were indeed real.
“Well then, what are we waiting for!” Marlon sprang to his feet with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Come on, Old Conch! Make me a follower of the Forest Goddess right now! Truth is…”—he leaned in conspiratorially, lowering his voice—“I’ve always been a green-loving pacifist at heart, an environmentalist, really.”
The Claw Druid Master rolled his eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t fall out. “Marlon, my friend, even the ghosts wouldn’t buy that nonsense. If you’re a peace-loving environmentalist, then pigwomen would be climbing trees by now!”
In modern slang, that translated roughly to: “Oh, please—who are you trying to fool? If I believed you, pigs could fly!”
Having lived with Marlon for over a month, the druid knew full well that the young man’s greatest passions were gourmet food and sketching bizarre mechanical inventions—not hugging trees.
“Come on, Old Conch,” Marlon said with a pitiful expression, “just play along for once… it won’t kill you.”
The druid groaned, covering his eyes as if shielding himself from Marlon’s shameless antics. He was well and truly defeated by the young man’s irrepressible mischief.
Meanwhile, the little fox-girl Amy and Adela burst into laughter, their clear, bell-like giggles echoing through the Blossom Courtyard and out into the evening air.
“A-Ah… Master Marlon, I’ll go prepare the tea and pastries!” Adela managed between laughs, holding her aching stomach. “If I remember correctly, Elder Lisp and his companions—the goblin gemsmith and the dwarven blacksmith—will be here before nine, right?”
As she staggered toward the kitchen, still giggling, her words lingered in the air.
Indeed, since Marlon had established contact with Elder Priest Lisp Copperbeard, the dwarf had taken it upon himself to find the craftsmen Marlon needed. Warm-hearted as ever, he had promised to bring them over personally that very evening.
“Mhm. And I’ll have to stop by the orphanage later,” Marlon mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “I still owe Musa the schematics for the Little Tyrant—the miniature Projection Duel Machine. I want him to add a blood-colored rune array to its design. So, Old Conch, once we’re done with all that, then we’ll talk about me becoming a follower of the Forest Goddess…”