Kays Translations

Chapter 60: Minato Ward Central Wholesale Market

Akinori Ebina is the manager of “Magic Stone Ebina,” a shop based in the Minato Ward Central Wholesale Market.

Minato Ward was once reduced to a wasteland by a great kaiju invasion.

However, if viewed optimistically, this also meant that a vast amount of land had been cleared.

After the reclamation operation a year and nine months ago, Minato Ward was returned to human hands. It is now protected by a curse-killing spell cast from the Tokyo Tower Watchtower, and urban development with well-organized zoning is progressing.

The political and economic sectors are being led by intellectuals who were mentored by the former administrator of Minato Ward, the vampire mage. The issuance of new currency and the commencement of trade with the Tohoku and Hokkaido communities have further accelerated development.

The Central Wholesale Market in Takeshiba, Minato Ward, has become a bustling trading hub in Tokyo, replacing the destroyed Toyosu Market. With over 80 stores, the market is packed with shops selling fresh seafood, restaurants, magic stones, monster materials, magic wands, magical beasts, and amulets.

Most of the stores are in prefabricated houses or shacks, but reconstruction into wooden buildings is progressing steadily. “Magic Stone Ebina,” run by Ebina, is one of the larger gremlin wholesalers. Thanks to good connections, his shop was prioritized for reconstruction and now operates from a respectable two-story warehouse-equipped store.

A market is also held in Bunkyo Ward at the end of every month, and it was once Tokyo’s primary trading center. But that is no longer the case.

The Minato Ward Central Wholesale Market operates year-round, with all shops open daily. Trade ships from the Hokkaido Monster Farms and the Tohoku Hunting Guild dock at Minato Ward’s well-managed harbor, making commercial transactions extremely active. The shift of Tokyo’s commercial hub from Bunkyo Ward to Minato Ward was a natural progression.

Before moving to Minato Ward, Ebina was just a humble gremlin scavenger. His main job was collecting gremlins that fell like hail during thunderstorms or dismantling electrical appliances to extract them, primarily selling to magic wand workshops.

However, upon relocating to Minato Ward, he took a leap of faith and established “Magic Stone Ebina,” a gremlin wholesale business—which turned out to be a major success.

As the production of magic staffs flourished, workshops required large quantities of gremlins. Buying gremlins of various sizes and amounts irregularly from individual sellers made planning difficult and added extra hassle.

This created a demand for gremlin wholesalers.

Gremlin scavengers and security teams who harvested gremlins from defeated monsters would sell their stock to wholesalers. In turn, the wholesalers would supply the workshops with gremlins of specific sizes, colors, and quantities in bulk according to orders.

Ebina adopted an aggressive initial investment strategy, offering the highest purchase prices in the market and prioritizing reputation over profit. His gamble paid off—his shop gained a reputation as “the go-to place for buying and selling gremlins.” Three months ago, he finally turned a profit and became one of the leading stores in the Central Wholesale Market.

Recently, thanks to his growing reputation, neighboring district witches—including the Eyeball Witch, the Setagaya Witch, and even the Seer Mage—have started selling gremlins harvested from high-tier monsters to him. His shop is now a prestigious supplier favored by Tokyo’s witch community.

At Magic Stone Ebina, gremlins smaller than 6mm in diameter are purchased at 250 new yen per kilogram, while those 7mm and above are bought individually at market price.

Currently, the price standards are as follows:

• The largest gremlins harvested from Class-C monsters, 10mm in size, with beautiful coloration and near-perfect spherical shape: 1,000 new yen each.
• Class-B (Rank 2–3) gremlins from power plants or high-voltage facilities, 15mm in size: 5,000 new yen each.
• Class-B (Rank 1) gremlins, 20mm in size: 10,000 new yen each.
• Class-A (Rank 3) gremlins, 30mm in size: 50,000 new yen each.
• Class-A (Rank 2) gremlins, 40mm in size: 180,000 new yen each.

Gremlins larger than 40mm are exceedingly rare and are highly prized as materials for powerful staff. Their price increases dramatically for every additional millimeter.

Although Magic Stone Ebina also accepts magic stone purchases, these items are so rare that Ebina has never seen them enter the general market. Rumors suggest they circulate in the underground trade, but avoiding involvement with the black market is the safest bet.

One chilly morning at the beginning of October…

Ebina woke up before dawn, opened the shop’s shutters, and began preparing for the day when he noticed an unusual black cloud in the sky.

It was far too dark to be a rain cloud, and it looked massive even from a distance.

The black cloud meandered as if it had a will of its own, traveling from the west to the east. Three small dots, resembling airplanes, followed closely behind.

As Ebina stood there, staring in bewilderment, his wife—dressed in pajamas—appeared beside him. Looking up at the sky with a slightly frightened expression, she murmured:

“Isn’t that what the Seer Mage was talking about?”

“Oh, the ‘Migration,’ huh? I heard it’s harmless, but still…”

“Ugh, what if it falls? Could we kill it with a spell?”

“Well, even if the security forces can’t handle it, the witches should be able to.”

It seemed like everyone shared their unease, as other shop owners preparing for the day also gazed restlessly at the sky.

Across Tokyo, fierce battles had been taking place in recent weeks. Class-A monsters capable of manipulating time had clashed with witches, turning the city into a battlefield.

Even Minato Ward had been invaded by an unnaturally fast Class-A monster. Requests for backup were sent to the Setagaya Witch, but she refused. The Eyeball Witch was also too occupied elsewhere to help. In the end, it wasn’t until much later that the Blue Witch arrived and effortlessly annihilated the threat.

Since the Aratake Group Incident, the Blue Witch had expanded her range of activity and was proving indispensable. While other witches struggled against dangerous monsters, she could dispatch them in an instant.

However, she primarily operated in Bunkyo Ward and rarely ventured to Minato Ward, making rapid assistance difficult.

While the witches were overwhelmed with Class-A threats, local security forces handled the lower-tier monsters.

Thanks to magic training techniques, the combat ability of security mages had increased significantly.

Ebina, being in the magic trade, had some knowledge of magic. One of the criteria for a combat mage was whether they could use the spell “Frozen Javelin.”

The Blue Witch’s “Frozen Javelin” was an exceptional attack spell—short cast time, high power, fast projectile speed, and efficient mana consumption. It required 15K mana to cast and could kill a Class-B (Rank 3) monster in one hit if aimed correctly.

The magic training method had created many “Frozen Javelin” users.

It also led to an explosion in the number of people capable of casting the 1K-mana spell “Shoot Aaargh” and the 2K-mana spell “Flame, Jin-Ga.” The general population, previously unable to use magic properly, now possessed basic self-defense capabilities.

With security forces no longer occupied with Class-C monster hunts, they could focus on Class-B threats.

This, in turn, freed up witches to concentrate on battling the anomalous Class-A monsters.

And with the rise in Tokyo’s overall magic level, demand for wands and other magical tools soared—along with the need for gremlins.

Magic Stone Ebina was reaping the rewards of this ripple effect.

One never knows what will lead to profits.

But one thing was certain—staring at the sky wouldn’t earn him any money.

Ebina urged his worried wife to help open the store. After a brief meeting with the arriving employees, he welcomed the first customer of the day—a gremlin seller.

With the “Migration” beginning today, the peak of the Class-A monster disturbances was over. Exhausted witches could finally catch a break.

Even the notoriously lazy Pebble Witch had left her internet café for the first time in years to help fight the monsters.

With the disappearance of the Class-A threats, trade routes would (relatively) return to safety.

And that evening, an even greater figure than the Eyeball Witch visited Magic Stone Ebina.

The Blue Witch.

As soon as the market grew restless, I knew that some celebrity had arrived. However, I was genuinely surprised when the Blue Witch, looking slightly exhausted as she walked through the crowd, stopped right in front of my shop.

For a brief moment, I worried—had I done something to anger the Blue Witch? But after quickly reflecting and finding nothing, I waved off my flustered staff, put on my best business smile, and stepped forward to greet her.

“Welcome, Blue Witch-sama. I am Akinori Ebina, the store manager. How may I assist you today?”

At my inquiry, the Blue Witch reached into the inner pocket of her impeccably tailored, high-quality robe and pulled out a note, reading it aloud.

“Thirty Gremlins, 40mm or larger. Also, as many green-colored Gremlins as you have, regardless of size. Re-melted and re-solidified ones are fine. And a few red ones as well.”

“Understood. We also have polishing agents—would you like any?”

“Hmm, I’ll take some of that too.”

“Thank you very much. The large Gremlins are in the back. Please, this way…”

After escorting the Blue Witch to the shop’s reception room, I noticed that my staff, who I had previously dismissed, had already prepared tea and snacks before discreetly leaving. I silently praised their initiative—if this deal with the Blue Witch went well, a raise would be in order.

From our conversation in the reception room, I gathered that the Blue Witch, though she did not reveal her name, had come to purchase supplies on behalf of Master Craftsman 0933.

If a connection with 0933 came as a result of the Blue Witch’s visit, then profit was secondary to the opportunity. However, lowering prices too much might leave the wrong impression, so I needed to strike a balance—just enough of a discount to make the deal feel rewarding.

After combing through our stock, I gathered thirty 40mm Gremlins and the requested colors. The Blue Witch seemed surprised.

“You have all thirty? I thought I’d have to visit multiple shops.”

“When it comes to a request from Blue Witch-sama, we do our best. Fortunately, we are also favored by the Eye Witch and the Seer Mage.”

“Oh, so this is the shop the Eye Witch mentioned. The quality… well, there’s no need to check. I’ll take them all. Would you prefer cash or barter?”

“We accept either. Since this is your first visit, I’m happy to offer a special price.”

The Blue Witch considered for a moment before pulling out a small bottle filled with shimmering sand and placing it on the table.

I was speechless.

As someone who deals in magic stones, I had only ever known about them from textbooks. It was said that magic stones possessed an indescribable, enchanting allure—an irresistible, mysterious glow.

And the sand in the bottle before me had exactly that.

My voice trembled.

“Could this be… magic stone dust?”

“You recognize it? These are shavings from polishing magic stones. Some small grains, about 1-2mm, are mixed in. I’d like to use this for payment.”

Receiving such an unexpected offer, I quickly ran the numbers in my head.

There was no way I could refuse. Magic stones were so rare that even dreaming of trading them was unrealistic.

A product so scarce it never entered the market. I could set my own price. I could even display it in a showcase to attract customers.

“Are you certain about parting with something so valuable?”

“It’s part of our inventory. There’s no issue. Besides, my benefactor is curious about its market value. Can you provide an estimate?”

“Ah, well… by weight… or perhaps by grain size… if we compare to Gremlin prices… um…”

“Is it enough for this purchase?”

“Ah! My apologies. Yes, it more than covers the payment. However, given its value, the trade would be unbalanced. I’d like to offer you a few more large Gremlins to make up for it.”

“No need. Thirty is fine. If the value is unbalanced, just set aside another thirty large Gremlins for me. Consider the excess payment as a deposit.”

“I understand. Thank you for your generosity.”

The negotiation with the Blue Witch concluded smoothly and successfully.

As she left with her purchase, my entire staff gathered to see her off. Once she was out of sight, we raised our heads and celebrated the major deal we had just secured.

This transaction would yield great profit, but more importantly, it would bring us an invaluable reputation and trust. As long as we didn’t anger her, the Blue Witch could be our best customer.

That night, as the store closed, my wife invited the staff out for a celebratory drink. She naturally assumed I would join.

“You, of all people, should be coming. You’re the manager.” 

She grumbled when I declined.

“I’ll cover the drinks. But today is the day I visit my sister.”

“Oh… right, that’s more important. Give her my regards, even if she won’t understand.”

“I will.”

While my wife and the staff went off to drink, I made my way to the docks alone.

With October here, the nights were getting colder. I turned up my jacket collar and held onto my hat to keep it from being carried away by the sea breeze.

When I arrived at the pier, she was already there, waiting.

A singing voice can be heard.

A pure, beautiful voice that does not belong to any human echoes over the moonlit water.

Perched gracefully on the edge of a docked trading ship, using her fish-like lower body as if it were second nature, the songstress who sings to the starry sky is known as the Mermaid Witch.

Her real name is Shiori Ebina. She is the elder sister of Akinori Ebina.

Since the day of the Gremlin disaster, everything about her has changed.

She should have been 45 years old, but now she looks no older than 18. Her once frizzy black hair has turned into lustrous golden locks, and her lower body has become that of a fish. Where she once wore either a tracksuit or a wetsuit, her attire now consists of a seashell bra and a coral hairpin.

“Hello!”

“Ah. Hello, Nee-chan.”

As soon as the Mermaid Witch spotted Ebina standing at the pier, she stopped singing and cheerfully waved at him. Ebina felt a pang of helplessness.

“Hello? Hello. Hello!”

“Hey, the Blue Witch came to the shop today. It was her first time buying a magic stone, and I was so nervous I might’ve been rude. What would you have done?”

“Hello.”

The Mermaid Witch gave a small bounce, drawing closer to Ebina with an enthusiastic nod.

Did she understand the conversation or not?

She used to work at an aquarium. While cleaning the electric eel tank, she was caught in an unfortunate mutation incident, fusing with an eel that had begun mutating at the same time.

She became something inhuman, gaining immense power said to rival even the Blue Witch—at least in the sea—but at the cost of losing her ability to speak.

Or rather, she could still speak, technically. But her vocabulary was reduced to a single word, and her comprehension was uncertain, making conversation impossible.

Before her transformation, she hadn’t exactly been the best sister.

When they went clamming, she always made him carry the bucket.

She took all his New Year’s money to buy a giant fish tank.

She monopolized the computer and never gave up her turn.

But those were childhood memories, and now, at this age, he could see the good in her too.

When he said he wanted to research marine life for a school project, she dropped everything to help him.

For his coming-of-age celebration, she took him to Okinawa and gave him a whale-watching tour that could rival professional guides.

She had never once forgotten that, when he was little, he had casually mentioned jellyfish were his favorite sea creatures. Every birthday cake decoration and Christmas scarf pattern had been jellyfish.

She loved the sea and everything in it.

Now, she was one with the ocean.

“Hey, Nee-chan. Are you happy now?”

“Hello.”

“I remember you used to say you wished you could live in the sea.”

“Hello~”

“You lost your ability to speak properly, and your thoughts and memories are all jumbled. Even now, I don’t know if you understand a word I say. But after all this, are you happy living in the ocean?”

“Hello.”

“I just… I don’t know.”

The Mermaid Witch listened intently to Ebina’s words, nodding along as if she understood.

She hadn’t lost everything—every full moon, she would seek out her younger brother, wandering the coast and singing.

She remembered her family.

“Hello!”

Suddenly, the Mermaid Witch clapped her hands with excitement, as if recalling something, and dove into the sea.

She emerged moments later, holding a soft, translucent, white-ish creature, and handed it to Ebina with a bright smile.

“Hello. Hello!”

It was a jellyfish.

The sea creature he had once, just once, said was his favorite.

A surge of emotion overwhelmed him, and Ebina began to cry.

Almost nothing remained of the sister he once knew. Everything about her had changed.

But some things, she still remembered.

She was still his sister.

Seeing his tears, the Mermaid Witch flustered, quickly grabbing some seaweed and gently dabbing at his face as if to wipe them away.

Ebina took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, then spoke.

“It’s okay, Nee-chan. Thank you.”

“Hello…?”

“I’m fine. I’m just glad to see you doing well. I’m doing fine, too. Business is good… Oh, right. My wife says hello. You probably don’t remember, but she came here with me once after we got married.”

“Hello.”

“And next year… we’re having a baby. You’re going to have a nephew or niece.”

“Hello!”

“When things settle down after the baby’s born, I’ll bring them to meet you. Until then, take care of yourself.”

As Ebina waved goodbye, the Mermaid Witch looked momentarily sad.

Then, reluctantly, she waved both hands energetically before leaping into the water, disappearing into the moonlit sea.

Some things in this world never change, while others do.

Ebina could only hope that the drastic transformation his sister had gone through was, in some way, a happy one.

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