As of today, February 15, 2025, Volume 10 of the Living in Another World by Commissioning manga adaptation has been released.
Thanks to all of you, the series has surpassed one million copies in total sales. Truly, thank you so much!
This story features the members of the town band who appeared in Episode 42: Rehearsal, I Don’t Like Its Sound.
TN: Yeah, like the previous one, this is basically a promotion of both the last volume of the light novel and the latest manga volume.
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Snowflakes drifted gently through the streets as the employees of MSG(Magical Sawadi Group) once again found themselves caught up in the whims of their company president, Sawadi Slayra.
「We’re back—」
After pulling a vending cart through the town all morning—its weight seemingly unchanged no matter how much we sold—I returned to the central district’s office, where my old friend from our band days, Alp, sat by the fireplace.
Back in the day, I played the bass drum while she played the snare, the two of us keeping the rhythm of the band together.
As soon as Alp saw me, she got up and walked over, grabbing a dry cloth hanging by the fireplace and gently rubbing down my damp hair and tail.
「Good work, Muhara. How much did you sell?」
「Maybe two. What about you, Alp?」
「Not even one~! I mean, seriously, ‘Valentine’s Week of Love’ just came out of nowhere…」
That’s right. Valentine’s.
Last month, our president suddenly had the idea and declared, “For one week only, we’re going to sell sweets (chocolates)!”
Stores, night markets, and restaurants were all stocked with the product, complete with printed signs explaining the event, but apparently, that wasn’t enough—so us cart vendors got dragged into it as well.
From what I heard from Vice President Chicken, this whole thing was actually for his daughter, Lacus-sama. But honestly, there’s a limit to how far a doting parent should go… Give us a break already.
「Think Lacus-sama will have any luck?」
「Her crush is a childhood friend, right? And she’s gorgeous, so I’m sure she’ll be fine.」
Apparently, when the president found out that Lacus-sama was struggling with how to approach the person she liked, he came up with this whole “Give chocolate to the one you love!” event.
Hunt-san from Product Development and our external advisor, Seele-san, were worked to the bone figuring out how to even make chocolate, and for a while, they both looked half-dead.
Well, at least the president got his share of punishment—Vice President Chicken ordered Roast-san to put him in a joint lock as payback. Did that make him reflect on his actions?
…Yeah, probably not.
As Alp continued drying my hair, the office door suddenly burst open, letting in a sharp gust of winter air.
And along with the cold came a blur of movement—a gust of wind given form—the famous Idaten of the postal division, Kakra.
「Great job, you two! How are sales going over here?」
「Not great. What about you, Kakra?」
「Wasn’t the postal division planning to sell while making deliveries?」
「Oh, absolutely. I’m just here to restock! When I asked the gentlemen, ‘Would you like some chocolate delivered with your love letter?’ they went nuts for it! Sold like crazy.」
「Ahh… That’s a smart approach.」
I’d heard that Kakra was one of the top performers in the postal division, and this was probably why—quick thinking and sharp instincts.
「Over in the West District, they’re doing sample sales. Opening a few boxes and letting customers try a little before buying.」
「That’s an option too, huh…」
Even if it looks like a lump of black stone, the taste itself isn’t bad.
It’s got a ton of oil and sugar, but thanks to the choco beans they imported all the way from the southern regions, there’s a slight bitterness that keeps it from being overwhelmingly sweet.
As I mulled over our next move, Alp suddenly leaned in, peering into my face.
「Hey, Muhara, should we try something too?」
「Huh? Hmm… Yeah, if we don’t sell more, our bonus evaluations are gonna take a hit…」
「You two used to be in the band, right? What if you played some music to draw in a crowd?」
「Music, huh…」
As Kakra stuffed more neatly boxed chocolates into her bag, she suggested the idea.
For Alp, who still played in a small band on the side, that was one thing, but for me… I wasn’t so sure.
I looked up, lost in thought, when I caught sight of Alp’s eyes sparkling at the idea. She clapped Kakra on the shoulder.
「Kakra! That’s brilliant! If we play near the carts, we can attract people!」
「Wait, what?」
「Why didn’t I think of that? Right, Muhara? It makes perfect sense!」
She was already nodding to herself enthusiastically.
I guess standing out in the cold, trying to sell chocolates that no one was buying, had been wearing on her too.
「Come on, Muhara! Let’s do it! I can grab the instruments right now.」
I hated to kill the excitement, but… that was a steep order.
「Uh, Alp, we both played drums. That’s just drum and drum. And I haven’t touched an instrument in over ten years…」
「Then you be the vendor! Someone has to sell while the rest of us play.」
「I mean… I guess that works.」
Alp was getting more and more into it, her excitement growing by the second.
Was she counting how many people she could call in? She was mumbling something under her breath, ticking off names on her fingers.
Then, with a decisive Alright! she clapped my shoulder.
「Alright, Muhara! I’ll go talk to the former band members at the other branches today. Let’s all meet here at the Central District branch first thing tomorrow morning!」
「Eh?」
「I’m off!」
With that, Alp dashed off at a speed that could rival Kakra’s.
But… a performance, huh?
Even after the slave liberation and corporate restructuring, the MSG still kept its music corps, though those guys were currently touring the garrisons.
Which meant the only ones she could gather would be former band members like me.
Tomorrow, huh…? This is all so sudden. Will it really work out?
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In the end, the people who showed up at the Central District branch the next morning were… well, an interesting bunch.
First, there was me, the vendor. Then, Alp, who would be playing the washboard. We were joined by Sheena, a flutist from the first generation of the Schenker Music Corps.
Next, there was Sitou, one of Alp’s current bandmates, who played the southern lute (banjo).
And lastly, an elderly man who, according to rumors, was once a musician bought by the president in the past, along with one of his students from the opera troupe.
「What a… completely uncoordinated bunch.」
「Come on, let’s just give it a shot!」
Alp was practically bursting with energy from the get-go.
She’d apparently already gotten permission to perform at the park near the Gemini Theater, so we packed up and headed there to start our show.
The performance piece? A song from ‘Too Late’, the first-ever production by the Schenker Opera Troupe.
Of course, we didn’t have nearly enough instruments.
So, before anything else, the elderly musician sketched out a rough arrangement, and we spent some time practicing before diving into the actual performance.
The metallic clang of a washboard struck with iron claws laid down the rhythm. The rapid, cascading arpeggios of the banjo filled in the structure. The flute wove its melody over the top. And, just barely holding it all together, the voices of the singers carried the tune.
There were stumbles and mistimings, of course, but with trained vocalists anchoring the performance, it was at least listenable.
Despite being a makeshift band thrown together at the last minute, we managed to attract a crowd almost immediately—probably thanks to our proximity to the theater.
After each song, we’d explain the whole Valentine’s event, and during the next number, I would dart out from the stall and move through the crowd, selling chocolates.
With the promise of another song holding their attention, people actually listened to our pitch—and unlike yesterday, sales were going way better.
「It’s Valentine’s Week! Why not gift your loved one a sweet treat?」
「Neechan, what’s this ‘Valentine’ thing all about?」
「No idea!」
The president said something like, “It’s named after a saint of love.”
But honestly, spreading stories about some nonexistent saint feels more like a problem in itself.
Anyway, we took a lunch break in between and managed to sell about thirty chocolates before wrapping things up by late afternoon.
To be honest, I think this whole Valentine’s event is a total flop. But then again, the president is the type to mix in a bunch of minor failures before occasionally hitting a home run… so I guess it can’t be helped.
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The next day, we gathered in front of the sales office for another round of performance-based selling, and this time, the crowd had grown even larger.
The singer had changed to a different member of the opera troupe, but the elderly musician remained the same.
New additions included Nromana, a wash-tub bass player from Alp’s band, and a guitarist with chestnut-colored hair—apparently Sitou’s husband.
I couldn’t help but wonder if it was really okay to involve people from outside the Magical Sawadi Group(MSG) in something like this… Well, if they weren’t expecting any payment, that was their own household’s concern.
With more instruments in the mix, our initial practice session was more thorough, and even during the actual performance, the musician gave detailed feedback after every song.
「Hey, guitar boy, you’re rushing a little.」
「Huh? Really?」
「Yeah. Try moving next to the wash-tub bass and listen more carefully.」
Meanwhile, I kept busy selling as much chocolate as I could.
Since we were performing in the same spot as yesterday, more people came to watch.
Some customers even returned, saying, 「That chocolate was delicious,」 and ended up buying more. By the end of the day, our sales had doubled compared to the previous day.
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The day after that, even more people showed up.
A young violinist who played as a hobby, Alp’s son—whom she had taught to play the drums—and a trumpet-playing girl who was apparently the daughter of someone in the postal division.
The singer had changed again, with two different opera troupe members joining us this time.
The elderly musician seemed delighted to have more instruments to work with. On the way to the park, he meticulously went over the arrangements with each performer.
But when we arrived, we found a few drunks holding bottles of distilled liquor, eagerly waiting for chocolate.
「My wife bought this for me yesterday, and man, it goes great with booze.」
「If it’s that good, I gotta try it for myself. Right?」
「We waited all day for this, just holdin’ out till evening.」
「Not much else to do in winter, huh?」
Judging by their build, they were probably adventurers.
Our own adventurer crew barely did anything but train during the winter, after all.
But if chocolate really paired well with alcohol, maybe we could use that angle to boost sales.
I took a small sip of liquor from one of the drunks and tried it with the chocolate.
It did make the drink smoother—almost mellow.
「This… might actually work.」
「It’s so great!」
「This is a breakthrough! I’m a snack-pairing genius! Ngahaha!」
Leaving the rowdy drunks and the practicing band behind, I hurried back to the sales office and requested a stall that sold distilled liquor to be sent over.
And that gamble paid off spectacularly.
「This sweetness smooths out the alcohol—it’s the perfect pairing! Hey, you there, young man! Yes, you! And you too, ma’am! You ladies over there as well! No charge for just a taste! Just try a bite! This chocolate is only available for a limited time—get it while you can!」
While my companion with the liquor stall was loudly calling out to passersby, I took on the role of demonstrator, handing out small pieces of chocolate.
Many people, after just one bite, found themselves wanting more. The chocolate and liquor sold like crazy together.
The customers who bought drinks stayed to enjoy the performance, and the musicians, energized by the lively atmosphere, played with even more enthusiasm.
Word spread that a rare and delicious treat was being sold, drawing in more and more people. As the growing crowd attracted even more onlookers, the momentum continued to build.
Thanks to that perfect storm of events, we completely sold out of chocolate by evening.
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The day after that massive success, there was no one in front of the sales office in Central Town.
Alp and I each pulled a cart loaded with chocolate and set out.
When we arrived at the usual square, we found the band had doubled in size compared to the previous day and was already deep in rehearsal.
Things had really gotten out of hand…
「Violin on the right! Listen carefully to the sound!」
The elderly musician barked instructions at the assembled band, which now had music stands and sheet music prepared.
Excited by the growing number of instrumentalists drawn in by the rumors, he had even gone as far as bringing in Shiiro-san, the legendary former star actress and leader of the opera troupe.
The Shenker Opera Troupe had grown so popular that they were now performing beyond just Torquiba.
Was she here to observe and learn?
Standing beside the elderly musician were several other well-known actors.
With yesterday’s huge success and this many people playing music from the morning, there was no way this wouldn’t attract attention.
Sure enough, spectators were already starting to gather in the square.
Amidst the growing excitement, I turned to Alp, who was setting up the stall beside me.
「Alp, you sure you don’t want to join the band?」
「Yeah… Yesterday, Muhara seemed really overwhelmed. Sorry, I’ve been the only one having fun every day.」
「I don’t mind. You’re the one who started this, so you could’ve just stayed with them.」
「I’ve had plenty of fun already. Besides… a band has to support each other, right? If I’m the only one enjoying myself, Leona-san will scold me again.」
Alp said that with an open, carefree smile.
It was the same smile she had back when she was struggling on Shenker Street, getting torn apart by our strict conductor, Leona-san, but still giving it her all.
I see… The band that ran itself ragged for Sawadi-sama’s wedding had been reformed, and I wasn’t playing drums anymore…
Yet Alp still saw me as a fellow band member.
That thought made me feel oddly self-conscious. I wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out.
So instead, I simply stood beside her, in the same city, facing the same direction, smiling the same way as we did back then.
Looking at the lively, bustling band, I wondered—if I had kept going, would I have been standing there with Alp right now?
Not because I was too busy… Not because I had done all I could…
But because the road ahead seemed too long, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to walk it to the very end like Alp could. That was why I had stepped away from the path of drumming.
Even so, the joy I felt back then still lingered in my heart.
And now, as an adult, I finally understood—
Even if I couldn’t walk the path to the end, even if I couldn’t make a living from it…
As long as I kept going, days like this would come again.
「Going back to the start and doing it over, huh…」
That was what Leona-san used to say when we were kids, when neither of us could get the drumbeats right and ended up on the verge of tears.
Saying it out loud, a wave of nostalgia filled my chest.
As I opened a box of chocolate, I could almost feel the mallets in my hands again—gripped so tightly that my skin had blistered and bled.
Just for a little while… Maybe next time, I’ll try playing the taiko drum again.
「If I do that, I’ll really be starting over from scratch…」
「What?」
「Nothing.」
Would Alp practice with me if that time ever came?
As I turned to glance at her, I caught her staring at me, her lips pursed slightly.
Well, for now, I had to focus on work.
And so, Alp and I threw ourselves into selling chocolate, losing ourselves in the moment.
Before we knew it, Valentine’s had come and gone.
And with that grand success, the event of selling chocolate for only one week a year became an established tradition.
Just like the band we had once started, the event—where music, alcohol, and chocolate came together—would continue on for many, many years to come.
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