The Ideal Sponger Life Series

HOLY KNIGHTS AND TENACIOUS MERCENARIES CLASH ON THE NORTHERN BATTLEFIELD

The ragtag force led by mercenary captain Jan finally comes into contact with the Knights loyal to the northern Church. The difference in military strength is overwhelming–will Jan’s clever plan close the gap, or is it an impending disaster on the battlefield? Meanwhile, Zenjiro and Freya find themselves unexpectedly drawn into the outbreak of war in a foreign land. Will they be able to outmaneuver the ambitious Princess Anna?

THE STORMCLOUDS OF WAR LOOM OVER THE NORTHERN LANDS

After a daring transoceanic voyage, Zenjiro and the gang have arrived in Pomorskie, a port city along the coast of the northern continent. He’s not there for long before uncovering a hidden conflict: The Church’s holy knights are plotting an all-out attack on the city. Before Zenjiro can depart, he’s interrupted by the sudden appearance of local royalty: the young Princess Anna, who possesses the magical power of flight. Is Zenjiro going to get dragged into a war?!

INTRIGUE IN THE MYSTERIOUS NORTH!

After a long voyage across unfamiliar seas, Zenjiro and the crew of the Glasir’s Leaf arrive in the port town of Pomorskie. In a foreign land largely dominated by a church that worships dragons, Pomorskie uniquely allows for freedom of religion, making it a hotbed of intrigue and possibility. A chance encounter with a mercenary, an urchin, and a firebrand priest sees Zenjiro once again swept up in the heated currents of international affairs!

SETTING SAIL FOR A NEW AGE OF ENCHANTMENT

The royal family of Capua has at long last perfected their secret method for producing crystal marbles–objects which can be used to help create enchanted items more quickly and more powerful than ever before. Even if trading them away is bound to make Capua rich, Zenjiro can’t help but feel a sense of dread, since it brings the world one step closer to an age of large-scale magical manufacturing and the end of the current world order. Perhaps the answer to this dilemma lies with taking on a second concubine…even as his first concubine, princess Freya, prepares to take a journey with Zenjiro across the wide expanse of the northern sea.

TO SAIL THE COLD AND NORTHERN SEA

A new era has come for the Kingdom of Capua, as Queen Aura delegates great powers to her new Prime Minister and Grand Marshal. And even though the Queen is still expecting her second child, Zenjiro is preparing for a very long voyage across the sea to the mysterious and icy Northern Continent. With the ocean teeming with monsters and the route demanding passage through treacherous waters, it’s time for some special preparations, both magical and otherwise. It won’t be long before it’s time for Zenjiro to show his strength as a diplomat once again!

A DEAL TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

Princess Freya has arrived in the Twin Kingdoms, aiming to purchase enchanted items for her journey home. Lucrezia smells an opportunity–she advises the foreign princess to negotiate a deal with her own Broglie family. But just when things seem to be headed towards a smooth conclusion, the Marquis Broglie produces an unexpected treasure. It’s a magical item of incomparable value, a Relic from the White Empire of yore! Just what kind of ulterior motive is at work here?!

A PRAGMATIC PRINCESS IN THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT

After navigating the succession dispute within the Twin Kingdoms, Zenjiro’s visit home is unfortunately short-lived. He swiftly returns abroad with a gift from Queen Aura to Prince Francesco—marbles which carry incredible value in the arts of enchantment. Speaking with the man, he learns of a new revelation that could change the fate of the entire world! Not long after, Princess Freya visits the Kingdoms to request a magical item of her own. What could a northern princess from the realm of technology and progress want from the enchanters of Sharou?

A SALES PITCH FIT FOR ROYALTY

As a visitor to the royal court of the Twin Kingdoms, Zenjiro swiftly got caught up in the intrigue of a royal succession. Not all is as it seems, and even innocent gestures carry hidden meanings. To survive the dangers, Zenjiro has no choice but to design a brand-new magical item that will amaze the rich and powerful of this foreign realm. Any mistakes here could ripple all the way back home to Capua and change the fate of his whole family. It’s time for Zenjiro to dust off his long-dormant skills in business and make a sales pitch fit for a king!

INTRIGUE IN THE TWIN KINGDOMS

When Zenjiro came to the Kingdom of Capua, he hoped for a laid-back sponger’s lifestyle, but now he’ll do anything to protect his wife and children. With a new baby on the way, he’s traveled abroad to the Twin Kingdoms, hoping to secure a magical healer to help with childbirth. Yet no sooner did he arrive than the king declared his intent to abdicate the throne! A royal succession is never a simple affair, but Zenjiro is at risk of being used as a pawn in the intrigues of foreign royalty. Hidden truths lurk behind public facades in a nation where the ancient traditions of the desert struggle against newfound feudal customs. When a shocking revelation threatens to draw the Kingdom of Capua even further into local affairs, Zenjiro’s not about to take it lying down!

A ROYAL INHERITANCE

With his wife Queen Aura now expecting another child, Zenjiro is dead-set on obtaining a magical healer to help her with the delivery. To obtain one, he has no choice but to travel to the Twin Kingdoms and treat with the King of Sharou. Yet no sooner does he arrive than the king makes a shocking announcement about the future of the crown! Fending off one charming guest after another, Zenjiro will need all his wits to avoid getting swept up into the murk of royal intrigue.

POWER OVER SPACE AND TIME

Queen Aura’s second child is coming, and with it comes all the perils of politics and pregnancy. Having a baby in a world without modern medicine can be a frightening enterprise, and Zenjiro is committed to doing whatever he can to protect his beloved wife. That goal in mind, he resolves to master the challenging magic of Teleportation. With that power, Zenjiro could summon the finest magical healers of the Twin Kingdoms in the blink of an eye, but learning such an advanced spell will take all his grit and determination. Meanwhile, the nobles of the kingdom plot to use Aura’s absence from public duties to claim new powers and privileges for themselves…

THIS WEDDING IS A BATTLEFIELD

Not all is well at the Kingdom of Capua’s most important wedding. In the dead of night, a soldier from the foreign delegation sneaked into forbidden rooms for reasons unknown. While Knight-Captain Kristiano steadfastly denies that his man ever trespassed, tensions quickly escalate to the level of an international incident. Kris may look down his nose at Zenjiro as a “mere merchant,” but with the reputation of his friends and allies on the line, Zenjiro’s sure to have a plan up his sleeve!

RIVALS REUNITED

Zenjiro and Princess Freya travel across the kingdom to a very important wedding. With General Pujol set to marry the daughter of an influential lord, it ought to be a day of celebration. Instead, the affair is riven with tension when a foreign dignitary arrives: the notorious Martin Nadal. This matchless commander is the old wartime rival of Pujol himself. Can the old soldiers put aside their differences, or is Martin’s appearance only the first step in a broader political game?

A NORTHERN AFFAIR The time has come for the towering, fearsome General Pujol to tie the knot. The wedding ceremony is set to take place far from the capital, and circumstance demands that Queen Aura stay close to the throne. That means Zenjiro has to go in her place, which comes with its own problems. Tradition requires he take a woman with him as his escort; whoever is chosen will be considered a candidate to become his concubine. Unexpectedly, Princess Freya declares her interest in the role. Is this foreign princess trying to ensnare Zenjiro in a second marriage?

AGGRESSIVE NEGOTIATIONS Zenjiro finds himself alone in the city of Valentia, serving both as representative of the queen and special envoy to the visiting Princess Freya. Negotiations on an important trade deal have barely begun when alarm bells ring out across the city, warning of an impending attack. The swarm of wyverns that General Pujol had been tasked with defeating suddenly appears at Valentia! In his haste to gather the troops, Zenjiro just might make a terrible mistake…!