01x09 - The Sins and Punishments of an Evil Merchant

[bunniefuu]

[door creaks open]

Hey, there!

Sorry I'm late!

Thank you for

having me here today!

Apologies for the inconvenience

but I was hoping you could

help us out once more.

[NEIA]

Yes!

Whatever I can do to help,

I will!

[SYLPHID]

Hmm.

So, what'll we do?

Now that the audit has failed,

we have to come up

with something quick.

[UCHIMURA] At least, we know

the gim is not at the guild,

and so, I've devised a plan.

I call it Operation

-Hm.

-Hm.

Dragon Strike!

DRAGON STRIKE

EPISODE 9: THE SINS AND

PUNISHMENTS OF AN EVIL MERCHAN

♪

I'm confused.

What is

"Operation Dragon Strike?"

[gasps]

-We did it, Uchimura!

-It turned out perfectly, too.

Thank you both

for taking caring of it.

Now then, let's hurry and

[Ulmandra growls]

[ULMANDRA]

And who's this woman here?

[NEIA]

I'm dead meat!

Ulmandra.

[SYLPHID]

Ms. Ulmandra,

this young woman is helping us.

She's working as a spy

for our side.

[ULMANDRA]

Hm?

-Oopsie Daisy!

-[SYLPHID] Right.

[SYLPHID] I guess Uchimura

does have a thing for lolitas.

I can't wait.

-Just show them!

-Oh, yeah, of course.

Behold! This masterpiece

took the Ogre Tribe's help

and we had to pull

an all-nighter, but

delicious, slow-smoked wyvern!

Huh?

[UCHIMURA]

Wow, look at that meat!

[OLULU]

It's a secret recipe

that uses a blend of herbs

to bring out the flavor.

[ULMANDRA] They say

it's an acquired taste,

but it's actually

super mouth-watering!

We've already

prepared a ton of it

to hand out to the people,

as well.

Let's distribute it

to the villages

and finally

solve this food shortage.

Operation Dragon Strike

for the win, right?

Hmm.

Oh, I see!

What a wonderful thing to do!

Please let me know if there's

any way that I can help

So, how do you plan

on giving it all out?

[UCHIMURA]

Oh, for that, we

-Uh?

-[SYLPHID] Wait,

we shouldn't talk now.

[UCHIMURA]

Huh, oh.

-[footsteps receding]

-[NEIA] Oh.

[NEIA]

I knew it.

She's suspicious of me.

But there's no way

I can back down now.

Hm.

Hmm.

Hmm.

This is it.

[door opens]

[door creaks shut]

[sighs]

[SYLPHID] Where do you think

you're going?

[gasps]

Well, well

so, I was right.

Have you no shame?

Fooling people,

lying to them.

Uchimura had faith in you.

Don't you care about that?

I don't want to hear this

from you right now.

-It's all your fault anyway!

-Wait, what?

[explodes]

[groans]

[NEIA] Of course, I was ashamed

of what I was doing

but someone like her,

blessed with a good life,

could never understand.

[VIPER]

Oh?

You don't say, smoked wyvern?

[NEIA] Yes, they plan to

start passing it out tomorrow.

[VIPER] I can't imagine

it replacing gim,

but I suppose

if their stomachs are full,

they won't be buying

at a high price anymore.

What a nuisance.

And where will

they hand it out?

[NEIA] They're planning to

start in the center of town.

[NEIA] The guild master

could easily sabotage that.

[groans]

-[grunts]

-[groans]

From what I could tell

they plan to start by

delivering in the suburbs first

and gradually

work their way in.

[VIPER]

Hmph.

[NEIA]

Always keep a grain of truth.

Hopefully,

that'll makes it much harder

to find the lie.

This is the most I can do

to resist right now.

♪

Taste the venom

of the oppressed, Master!

Oh, they're starting

from the suburbs, huh.

[chuckles]

You thought a sl*ve could

outsmart its master?

You little wench!

From the suburbs, you say?

Can't be!

Factoring in the cost

for transportation,

starting from the center

of town is the ideal choice.

Well, then perhaps,

they're trying to outsmart us?

-Mr. Uchimura might try--

-[VIPER] Nah.

Dennosuke Uchimura's smart.

He'd never make

such a simple mistake.

Were you duped?

Reading people is key.

I could tell he knew his stuff

at first glance.

He may be a softy,

but he isn't the type

to act irrationally.

That's why I trusted him

more than you.

-[NEIA] Hm.

-[VIPER] Eh.

[VIPER] If they're starting

the distribution tomorrow,

there's no need

to worry about it either way.

Why?

He's probably expecting us

to grow impatient,

so he can force our hand

to sell the gim for cheap, no?

Well, that's too bad.

Tomorrow morning,

the caravan will return.

When the citizens are

at the peak of starvation

they'll see

the horse-drawn carriages

full of gim, ready for market,

and will surely buy it,

even at a high price!

They would need to

get their provisions out faster

than we can sell our gim,

but they can't.

It was all for nothing!

They wasted so much

time and effort

to devise their scheme.

How freaking hilarious is that?

Their plan was always

destined to fail,

whether you pulled

any clever moves or not!

[laughing]

[NEIA]

It was all for nothing.

I should have just done

what I was told to do.

Dear, time to pay for that,

though I can't use

you as a spy now.

I know.

I'm gonna break your spirit.

[SYLPHID] You should hold off

on the distribution plans.

By now, Viper must

already know what we're doing.

I know you're not that dense.

Neia was a spy all along.

I knew from the start.

It was easy.

[SYLPHID]

It was?

When we first met her,

I saw a bruise on her chest.

I made a mental note.

Did you?

Also, when I told her

to pick out some cute clothes,

even though she's a demon,

she chose modest attire.

She was totally covered up.

So, that means,

she must have bruises

all over her poor body.

[SYLPHID] Hmm.

I see now.

You were testing her.

I thought you were

just checking her out.

-What?

-Um, not important, continue.

Uhh.

Where was I?

I think she's being

abused by Viper.

Thing is,

she never even

had to say a word about it.

Hmm.

No way.

You couldn't have known

she was a spy just from that.

[UCHIMURA] You're right,

what really convinced me?

-These.

-[SYLPHID] Eyes?

[UCHIMURA]

Yes.

In my old world

there were three colleagues

I was very close to.

-Good enough for me.

-Hey, Uchimura!

[UCHIMURA]

We all worked extra hard,

trying to change our

old-fashioned company's ways.

Then,

ego trips.

REGARDING THE CONTRACT WERE

YOU ABLE TO GET A CONTRACT?

PLEASE SEND

ME THE REPORT.

-[BOSS] You better not stop!

-I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[UCHIMURA]

Dismissal.

They demoralized us

with useless work.

It piled up every day.

And the spark in their eyes

completely gone.

They had the same eyes

as Ms. Neia.

The kind that tries

to read people's faces,

searches for how to get away

when cornered,

and desperately tries

to survive at all costs.

-[UCHIMURA] Hmm.

-[SYLPHID] So, that's why,

you showed her mercy

when you thought she was a spy.

You are just

a big softy deep down.

Well, even if that is the case

we're still in trouble.

Indeed,

all of our plans have been

exposed to our opponent.

So, that means

"We need to move fast."

Right? Bet Uchimura

is saying that right now.

However,

the caravan with the gim

has almost made its way

back here.

We will definitely

have time to sell out

before they have a chance

to distribute that wyvern meat.

We have the upper hand,

gentlemen.

[sighs]

I can't wait for tomorrow.

I want to savor the despair

on my big sister's face.

Plus,

there's one more little matter

I look forward to addressing.

♪

[UNDERLING]

Lord Viper!

It's important!

Please wake up!

Stop yelling!

It's much too early for that!

I really should

pull out your tongue!

[UNDERLING] I'm very sorry,

sir, but the gim is

[VIPER]

Huh?

If you're reporting

that it's arrived,

then don't bother.

The sale's already

been arranged.

No, it's still not here.

[VIPER]

So, it's late?

[scoffs]

Same old story.

Well, it's on its way.

The thing is, I'm not

so sure about that, sir.

See, the Demon Army

is distributing.

Huh? Did they start

handing out their smoked wyvern

earlier than we expected?

Um, no, sir, worse than that.

You see the Demon Army isn't

distributing the smoked wyvern,

but the gim!

You're kidding!

[OLULU] These are supplies

from the Demon Army!

Please line up

and wait your turn!

We have a ton of it, too!

Everyone'll get some!

[scoffs]

What is going on?

Where did the Demon Army

get that much gim?

-[SYLPHID] You want to know?

-What?

♪

[VIPER]

Hey, Sis,

why are you here?

Even if you are a giant idiot,

my half-brother deserves

to know what happened.

[grimaces]

All the gim in the country

has been monopolized

by the guild.

So, what could we do?

The answer is simple.

Do go on.

Importing it with some help.

We asked a skilled merchant

with a connection to Uchimura.

Then a demi-human friend

stepped in

to help us transport

large amounts of gim

via caravan.

It's all thanks

to Uchimura's network.

It let us procure

tons of grain quickly.

So, all the talk

of the smoked wyvern

was spread

just to throw us off?

[SYLPHID]

Oh, we made the smoked meat.

That same neighboring country

considers

smoked wyvern a delicacy.

And that's why

Uchimura didn't use it

to feed our people.

It was for bartering.

This gave the Demon Army

a surplus

without spending

a single gold piece.

That was always the objective.

Come on, please,

why won't you just give up?

It'd be impossible to import

that much gim

in such a short amount of time!

It's a lie!

You're bluffing!

Then Uchimura must have

stolen the gim from somewhere!

That's exactly

what I'd do, too.

Speak up!

Huh, Big Sister?

Between you and Uchimura,

he's light years ahead.

Uh.

We didn't have

time to import it.

Absolutely.

That's why we planned it

all in advance.

Ever since the day

you asked to meet with us.

Pretty crafty, huh?

Huh? Then why did he want

to buy it from me?

He even bowed down for it!

To quickly get food

for the people in need.

Importing it would take time,

so he worked with you

to keep people

from having to wait.

[VIPER] Huh.

Huh?

[SYLPHID]

Funny, isn't it?

Your petty tricks were

meaningless from the get-go.

You were dancing

right into his hand!

[Viper screams]

[SYLPHID]

Boo-hoo, you lost.

Gim is now something

anyone can get for free.

You invested your own money

into buying that gim, right?

Well, now your stock

is worthless

and you're flat broke.

[Viper laughing]

Oh, I'm flat broke, really?

You think you caught me

in your dumb trap?

How stupid are you?

Idiot,

this will barely

make a dent in my fortune!

Get back here!

[explodes]

-Oh?

-Oh?

You have guards?

Well, I bought us

more than enough time.

♪

♪

[SYLPHID] They're combining

magic and martial arts.

Must be fate.

I only brought this

in case

Uchimura ended up needing it.

Time to try this baby out!

[both grunt]

[thuds]

[grunts]

[grunts]

[SYLPHID]

It's a sword that utilizes

the Rosemarin to

absorb magical power

and then that

same energy is reused!

[groans]

Seems there's a slight

lag in the power.

I'll have to work on that soon.

[grunts]

Well, fine.

[wind gushing]

[groans]

[thuds]

[groans]

I don't need it

I'm plenty strong.

[VIPER]

Damn it!

This is a huge loss.

But I am the guild master,

so I'll recover.

As long as I'm in charge,

I can try again

as much as I like!

The public easily heats up

and cools down.

I just have to lie low

until this blows over, then.

Another chance to rise up

will come soon enough!

Huh?

[VIPER]

Uchimura and all the merchants?

[UCHIMURA]

Ah, Mr. Viper

we literally

just finished the vote.

-A vote for what?

-For this.

I must officially inform you

that you are no longer

master of this guild.

What, what do you mean?

We held a vote to see

what the merchants thought.

The majority of them

voted in favor

of your immediate dismissal.

That means you and your cronies

have been expelled

from the guild.

[grimacing]

Here they are.

Feel free to count them.

Screw your dumb votes!

[paper rustling]

There's no way

I will step down!

Who was it?

Who voted for my dismissal?

I'll find out.

You morons wrote

your names on the ballots!

-I'll make you all pay for--

-Don't you understand?

-[VIPER] Huh?

-Listen,

everyone here decided to vote

despite the risk.

[indistinct chatter]

-After they heard her story.

-Wha

Hm.

[door unlocks]

[door creaks open]

Huh!

[UCHIMURA]

Ms. Neia!

So, this is where you've been!

[NEIA]

Mr. Uchimura?

[clatters]

Thank you,

that's so much better.

Listen, can I ask you--

[UCHIMURA]

We don't have much time.

-What?

-Right outside of here,

I've gathered

all of the guild merchants,

and they've come to listen.

Do you understand

what I'm asking, Ms. Neia?

[NEIA]

Oh,

I do.

I'm ready.

Take me to the merchants

right away.

My body's covered in bruises

and Viper Lordpent

put them all there.

You can see that

he's wounded my body

but what you can't see

is what he's done to my mind.

And now,

he'll come for the guild

and try to take down

the country,

all just to make people suffer,

I mean, look what he's done!

Don't turn away.

Please help me stop his plans

and show him it's ours.

Let's take the guild

back from Viper!

[MERCHANTS]

Yeah!

Why do you lie all the time?

You're nothing to them,

profit's all they love!

No merchant's gonna

buy your sob story!

But they were listening.

These men still have hearts

even if they do prioritize

making money.

Neia,

you get how badly

you've screwed up, right?

You know

what'll happen to your folks?

-[NEIA] Shut up!

-Huh?

I'm not going

to obey you anymore, Viper!

I can protect my mother

and father myself!

[gasps]

As for doing business,

our country no longer

deals with Lordpents.

So, now you're the one

who's backed into a corner!

How's it feel?

[shudders]

[VIPER]

I beg of you, Mr. Uchimura.

Surely, you can understand!

I took a calculated risk,

planted a seed and watered it,

and it bore fruit for me.

You wouldn't take that away.

You and I are alike,

we nurture new ideas.

I don't mind working under you

for free, so please

[VIPER]

This guy is such a softy.

He knew about

Butagalian's tricks and deceit,

and I heard

he still forgave him.

I just need to win him over

and gain his sympathy.

give me a chance!

Please let me atone

for my sins, Mr. Uchimura!

You're begging me for atonement

but you're only out

to save yourself.

Why would someone

as arrogant as you

deserve another chance?

But you've hurt

far too many people now.

An eye for an eye.

As an Elite General,

I hereby arrest you.

You stupid clown!

Acting high and mighty

when you've got me down!

We're nothing alike!

I risked everything

to get where I am!

I'll never give it up!

All of this is your fault,

Uchimura!

[clanking]

[thuds]

[SYLPHID] Works perfectly

as a normal sword, too.

I've outdone myself.

I told you,

Uchimura is already

light years ahead of you.

You lose, Viper, again.

[Viper growling]

We'll investigate this,

and soon you will be

judged for it.

[VIPER] Do you really think

this is over?

It's true that

I incited those fools

into raising the price

of the gim but come on now,

I didn't lie!

I've been telling the truth

the whole time!

-What?

-[laughs]

[VIPER]

Everything's going to end!

It's coming for this country!

The calamity!

[laughs]

[groans]

-[SYLPHID] Get him out.

-[SOLDIER] Right!

[VIPER] The end is near!

It's coming!

[UCHIMURA]

The calamity, sounds grim.

[NEIA]

Um, Mr. Uchimura.

I wanted to say

I'm sorry for betraying you.

So, please,

I'll take my punishment now.

In that case,

come to the castle with us.

[exhales]

Huh, you need a secretary?

[UCHIMURA]

Yep.

I'd like you

to start working for me.

[NEIA]

But I was a spy and

Here's your chance

to start fresh.

You're a clever girl

who's much more useful

working for us than in prison.

-[NEIA] But

-Well,

I suppose that's not all.

I've actually

already made a deal.

A deal?

The guild's gim

was supposed to return

early this morning,

but it arrived late instead.

The wagon leading the caravan

toppled en route.

That's why the guild's shipment

didn't make it on time.

The one in charge

of that carriage

was your father.

-What?

-He loves you.

He betrayed the Lordpent Family

for your sake

and in exchange for cooperating

with the investigation,

he asked that we take you

into safe custody.

[NEIA] And that's why

I'll be working for you?

There's a lot to be done.

The guild must be entirely

rebuilt from the ground up

and that won't be

easy to pull off.

I need talented people

behind me who I can trust.

You will accept

the position, right?

Of course.

Thank you so much, sir!

I can't wait!

[knocking on door]

-Come in.

-Huh?

[OLULU]

Pardon the interruption.

It's about

the investigation schedule.

Olulu, perfect timing.

I'll introduce you.

This is our new secretary,

Neia.

Ah, I'm glad

we get to meet again.

I'm Olulu, welcome.

So awesome.

[chuckles]

I can't wait to

work with you, Big Sis!

How precious!

What should I do first?

I'll take care

of whatever you need!

Let's see,

I guess I could show you

around the castle a bit,

so please try to pay attention.

[NEIA]

Right!

♪

[song on radio]

[MASTER]

Well, look at you.

You seem to be in high spirits.

Yes.

It's so nice to see someone

get the spark

back in their eyes.

Almost like

you can see their soul.

[MALE COLLEAGUE 1]

Well, if it isn't Uchimura!

Long time, no see!

You should come join us

and have

a few rounds over here!

Sure!

[FEMALE COLLEAGUE]

So, I started my own business.

Well, a very small one.

I took over my parents' farm.

There's more to agriculture

than you'd think.

I'm still at our old company.

I stayed persistent.

Now, I'm in a role where

I can have a say in things.

Is that right?

And what are you doing,

Uchimura?

You know what,

I have a very rewarding

career these days.

[NEIA]

Mr. Uchimura,

can you hear me?

[UCHIMURA]

Uh

There's an urgent summons

from the Demon Overlord.

It sounds like

a real emergency.

[gasps]

[OVERLORD]

It's finally on its way.

The calamity.

[wings flapping]

A spark in the eye

is a beautiful thing,

SHIRUBE NAI TABI

RYUUN NAGAI

such a shame to lose it.

Neither hope for the future,

nor the dim, hazy light

of the red lantern.