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n“You too.” Ryouma

nAfter accompanying Dinome-san in his boasting about his grandchild, Serge-san and I walked around town.

nThanks to Serge-san skillfully changing the topic, the sun was still high up when we left.

n“Still, he was really taken by you. Spectacular performance, Ryouma-sama.” Serge

n“Oh, no. All I really did was to avoid making the situation any worse. It was your ability that got us out of trouble.” Ryouma

nWhat is with this villainous-sounding exchange?

n“By the way, what are you going to do with that?” Serge

n“What indeed…” Ryouma

nWithin my hand was a small box that contained a gear. Dinome-san calls it ‘the early work of a future famous magic tools artisan’… I wonder if it’ll ever have value.

n“So how talented is his grandchild?” Ryouma

n“Hmm… From time to time, there are cases when a young child imitates his parents and ends up learning a spell. It’s rare, so it could certainly be a sign of talent, but whether that talent will continue to bloom in the future is another story…” Serge

n“Figures…” Ryouma

n“Dinome-dono is a lot mellower now, but in the past, he was a really difficult person. Although it was only really because of how much responsibility he felt for his work. He was also really strict on his disciples. So, even if he might be a little biased over his grandchild, if he thinks the child has potential, then that’s one more thing to look forward to.” Serge

nI hope those expectations don’t bear too heavily on Dinome-san’s grandchild, though.

n“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask this since a while ago, but where are your guards? Isn’t it dangerous for you to be walking around? This town’s public order is pretty bad.” Ryouma

nThe president of a company should have at least one bodyguard with him, but I don’t see even a single one with him.

nIt doesn’t seem like they’re just hiding either.

n“I’ve stayed at this town countless times already. There’s no real threat until the sun sets. And with the fair opening soon, security in town is tighter than usual. It should be fine as long as it’s a place with many people. If I do find myself victim to a pickpocket or a thief, well, that’s just because I wasn’t paying enough attention.

nBesides, some of the people I need to greet don’t like it when I bring people over. And… It’s not like I’m completely defenseless.” Serge

nAs he said that, he knocked against the buckle of his belt. At first glance, the belt seemed no different than your usual belt, but…

n“Is that a magic tool?” Ryouma

n“That it is. One of my collections. When fed mana, it can erect a defensive magic barrier. And this bracelet of mine is a magic tool that can conjure a smoke screen. Given these two magic tools, I can hide myself and gather people’s attention. People will think there’s a fire, so they’re bound to gathere. I may not be able to fight, but when it comes to protecting myself, I am more than prepared.” Serge

nI see. My worries were unneeded.

n“What will you be doing now, Ryouma-sama?” Serge

n“I need to find a place to spend the night. I’m here already, after all, so I figured I might as well look around first tomorrow before going back.” Ryouma

n“In that case, allow me to introduce you to the inn I’m staying at. It’s inexpensive and right in front of the main road, providing easy access to the stagecoaches.” Serge

nThanks to Serge-san’s assistance, I was able to find an inn quickly.

nSerge-san still had people to greet, so we parted ways and I went to the inn.

nBut before parting we promised to have supper and go through the fair together.

n30 minutes later.

nI managed to find an inn, but now I have nothing to do.

nNothing was in need of urgent attention, the magic tools fair was tomorrow, supper wasn’t until Serge-san returned, and the slimes have all been fed already; hence, there was nothing to do.

nIt would be a pain if I went out and happened into Serge-san again, so…

nYou know, at times like this, I really can’t help but realize just how useful phones were. I wish we had a magic tool like that.

nHmm… Magic tool. Speaking of which, since there’s nothing else to do, why don’t I try my hand at making one?

nThat spinning gear that I got before is still in my Item Box and I do have some iron in my Dimension Home. If I use my alchemy with it, I should be able to change it into various things. I don’t know if I can make something with just those, but if possible I’d like to make something that I can use in my day-to-day life.

nWhen I started thinking of a magic tool that fulfilled those conditions, it suddenly occurred to me.

n“…Huh? There’s actually quite a lot, aren’t there?” Ryouma

nElectric fan, ventilation fan, electric drill, a lawn mower that uses a rotating blade…

nRotating shafts can be found in wheels and carriages, which fall under my knowledge in woodwork 1, so I think I can just reuse those. The next question would be whether I can gather the necessary parts or not, and then… I wonder if I can somehow incorporate gears into it? The gears just rotate using mana, so they might actually be quite simple to make.

nHmm. I’ll think about it as I make it.

nLike that I went to work.

n“Ryouma-sama, are you here?” Serge

n“Huh?” Ryouma

nOh no! I lost track of time again!

nSerge-san’s back already.

n“Welcome back, Serge-san. Supper, right? I’ll be right there in a jiffy. Just give me a sec. I’ll just clean my room real quick.” Ryouma

nI didn’t want to keep him waiting, so I just threw all my stuff in my Item Box.

n“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Ryouma

n“Let us be off then.” Serge

nThe place Serge-san brought me too was a Japanese-bar-like store frequented by muscular men. Most of the customers seemed to be laborers considering how strong bodied they were. Serge-san was the one choosing the place, so I thought for sure he’d take me to a luxurious store, so I was really surprised to see a low-class store. But then again… He might be just trying to be considerate.

n1 – Probably related to his Woodworking Skill too.

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n“Oh, Serge-san! Will you be in your usual seat?” Female Waiter

nThe waiter here remembers Serge-san by face and name. It seems he’s a regular here.

n“Yes.” Serge

n“Alrighty then. Oh, what a cute child. Are you together with him? Is he your son?” Female Waiter

n“Excuse me!?” Ryouma

n“He’s… a customer.” Serge

nI know I look young, but having it thrown at my face like that really leaves one speechless.

nEven Serge-san is making a funny face.

n“Please follow me to the second floor then.” Female Waiter

nWe followed the waiter up the stairs.

n“? Oh.”

nWhen the door was opened, a refreshing wind blew past me. There were no walls nor windows in the second floor, only a roof and some columns to support it, leaving the city in full view. People could be seen below going to and fro the streets under the illumination of the lightings of the nearby buildings.

nThe place was like a beer garden with how noisy it was, but the tables were separated by a partition woven out of hide, so there was also a hint of calmness mixed into it.

n“Can I take your order?” Female Waiter

n“Two sets of the usual please. But before you serve it, I’d like to have a drink first. What wine do you have today?” Serge

n“You’re in luck, Serge-san. The head chef managed to snag some higher quality ale today.” Female Waiter

n“Then give me some snacks and a beer mug full of ale. How about you, Ryouma-sama?” Serge

n“I’ll have the same.” Ryouma

n“Ale then. I suppose you’ll be having that in a… glass?” Female Waiter

n“A beer mug will do. Don’t worry. This body has been blessed by Tekun-sama.” Ryouma

n“In that case, the first drink will be on the house.” Female Waiter

nI showed my status board as proof (just the part with the God of Wine’s Blessing), and the waiter suddenly said that.

n“…Is that okay?” Ryouma

nI was just planning to use my status board like a license or ID, but for some reason, it got turned into a coupon instead. I’m not sure how to describe what I’m feeling, but I hope this is alright.

n“For someone blessed by the God of Wine to visit our store on the very same day that our head chef just so happened to snag some good ale, this is clearly the God of Wine’s will!” Female Waiter

n“The quality of wine affects the sales of restaurants, so there are many of them that are superstitious.” Serge

n“…In that case, I shall gratefully accept.” Ryouma

n“Alrighty then! Please wait a moment.” Female Waiter

nI accepted the offer and sent the waiter on her way. I’ll just pay if something happens.

n“What a beautiful view.” Ryouma

n“This view is the town’s life itself.” Serge

n“But despite all this hustle and bustle, you can still see the stars so clearly. Maybe it’s because one of the lights is weak that it’s able to naturally blend in with the artificial lights.” Ryouma

n“Sorry to keep you waiting! Here are your ale and snacks.” Female Waiter

n“That’s fast.” Ryouma

n“This restaurant serves ale and snacks really quickly.” Serge

n“People ask for them all the time, after all! So, go ahead and drink as much as you want! We’ll serve them in a jiffy.” Female Waiter

nIt seems this store is making quite a bit.

n“Ryouma-sama, would you honer me a toast?” Serge

n“Of course.” Ryouma

n“Cheers!” Ryouma and Serge

nWe knocked our beer mugs against each other and drank from our respective mugs.

n“Mmm!” Ryouma

nAs soon as the ale entered my mouth, its delightful fragrance filled me. It was sweet like fruit, but there was some herb mixed in as well. Bubbles welled up around my mouth as the ale slid down my tongue and into my throat. With barely any bitterness or strength to the liquor, I allowed the ale to keep on pouring.

n“…PUHA! That’s really good!” Ryouma

n“You said it! It goes great with the snacks too… Yes. Very delicious.” Serge

nThe ale was accompanied with salted nuts. Probably lightly roasted as well, as they emanated a faint aroma.

nThe sweetness of the ale coupled with the aroma and saltiness of the nuts was truly a match made in heaven.

n“What a perfect combination to let loose after work.” Ryouma

n“Oh, we’re just getting started, Ryouma-sama. Wait till you have a taste of their meat.” Serge

nI’m looking forward to it. Hopefully, I don’t drink myself full before the meat arrives.

n“Fuu… By the way, were those magic tools in your room earlier?” Serge

n“You saw? How embarrassing. After our trip to Dinome’s Workshop, I couldn’t help but try my hand at it as well.” Ryouma

n“Oh! So, they really were magic tools. What kind of magic tool did you come up with?” Serge

nIt’s not a secret or anything, so I decided to show him the smaller ones of the tools I made.

n“What do you think?” Ryouma

n“…I say, Ryouma-sama, your imagination is truly unique. I’ve always felt that about you.” Serge

n“What do you mean?” Ryouma

n“For example, this ‘electric fan’ and ‘ventilation fan’ of yours. Both magic tools are meant to move wind, yes? Ventilation magic tools aren’t rare, but it’s very rare to see something that incorporates the rotation of a blade like yours does.

nAfter all, if all one wants to do is to move wind, then enchanting a tool with wind magic would more than solve the problem. That’s common sense among magic tool artisans. In doing so, not only do you save on the costs of making a blade, you also make it easier to mass produce your tool. Of course, there are also those who try to prioritize user-friendliness, but they’re a minority.” Serge

nHuh. I guess that was the cheaper way to do it.

n“This way of doing things is somewhat similar to the magic car though.” Ryouma

n“I agree. In the first place, magic cars were first invented based on a memo found in-between the pages of an important historical book. That memo contained ideas for several magic tools, but didn’t include any details. Fortunately, we were able to make some of them a reality.

nFor example, the ‘heater’ magic tool, which raises the temperature within a room, or the ‘air conditioner’ magic tool, which does the opposite. There’s also the ‘cooler box’ which cools food and keeps them fresh.

nAlthough these magic tools all function differently, they follow a similar philosophy to yours, Ryouma-sama. A philosophy most similar to the person who wrote that memo…” Serge

n…Based on that naming-sense, I’m guessing that person is an otherworlder like myself.

nOf course, I can’t tell him that, so I just nodded and did my best not to let anything slip.

n“Well, I didn’t really think I would be able to make something good right at the start.” Ryouma

n“Oh, actually. This one is pretty good.” Serge

n“Huh? This one?” Ryouma

nSerge-san pointed at one of the magic tools I laid out on the table. It was a misshapen music box that looked like a toilet paper holder with a small comb attached to it and an uneven surface.

nWhen mana is coursed through it, the gears within turn, and a children’s song can be heard playing from the uneven surface. But the melody played is nothing more than a simple tune that can be played with one finger on a piano.

n“You sure about that?” Ryouma

n“Of course. I’ve seen many magic tools as a collector, but a magic tool that can play music on its own is really interesting. It may not be very useful, but as a toy, I believe it has more than enough value. There are many nobles that fancy toys like these. If you take better care of the design, I’m sure it’ll sell.” Serge

nWhen Serge-san started talking in hushed voices, I knew for sure that he was serious.

nThe music box was invented around the middle ages in Earth’s Europe. But the prototype, Carillon (a church bell meant to inform people of the time 1), existed long before that. At least, that’s what I recall from one of my classes in college.

nAnyway, they took that prototype, made it automatic and outfitted it with a clock—

n—Wait. Didn’t the Jamil Household give me a magic tool clock? If I recall correctly, it’s supposedly so complicated that there was nothing else like it. 2

n“Are there really no magic tools like this that make sounds? Like for example, the bell church. I hear it a lot, and it would be a huge hassle if it was late for even a moment, so maybe something like this is used there?” Ryouma

n“…Nothing really comes to mind. Magic tool alarms that use a whistle are a thing, but a magic tool that gives a musical performance on its own aren’t. Normally, commoners would invite a travelling entertainer or a troubadour, while nobles would invite a musician if they wanted to listen to music.

nThe church bell is tended to by the friars and the nuns. It’s a systematic part of their lives, so there’s no magic tool to substitute for them. I haven’t really looked into it, though.” Serge

nSo, I guess they don’t have any recording technology? In that case, maybe a gramophone or a recorder would gather attention. I don’t need to think about that now, but I do understand that the music box is surprisingly valued in this world.

n“It seems you weren’t planning on selling it, but I think it would be a waste to just leave it to dust.” Serge

n“…If I were planning on selling it, how would that work? I can’t exactly mass produce it by myself.” Ryouma

n“Well, we…” Serge

n“Sorry to keep you waiting! Here’s the store’s special steak, Herb Pork.” Female Waiter

nOh, the food is here.

nThe fragrant aroma of the pork and the herb emanating from the steam really whets one’s appetite.

n“Let’s continue this topic after the meal.” Ryouma

n“Of course. More ale please.” Serge

nAs Serge-san ordered more ale, I quickly cleaned up my stuff on the table.

n1 – Author’s note.

n2 – See chapter 5 for the moment when he received the clock and chapter 8 when he talks about it. CTRL F ‘clock’ for your convenience.

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