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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Kirie's Inventions
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“You mentioned last time that you wanted one of my inventions, didn’t you?”
Kirie stood up and gestured to me.
“Come this way and have a look. I prepared them because I heard you were coming, my lady.”
That was the reason I’d given in my letter. A suitable excuse to visit this place.
He thought I had simply come today to receive my reward for letting him sleep in my bed last time.
I followed Kirie, pretending to listen intently to his explanation.
*'I'll be getting my reward later anyway.'*
In fact, ever since our last meeting, I had been agonizing over which magical tool to pry—no, receive—from him.
Then, I suddenly remembered a certain magical tool that the heroine, Aila, received as a gift from Kirie in .
It was an invention born of a near-miraculous probability, so much so that it could be called his masterpiece.
Kirie had nicknamed it God's Tear. It was a potion that could instantly revive even a person on the verge of death.
*'My life is precious. I will have it, no matter what.'*
My resolve burned, but it was impossible to get my hands on God's Tear right now.
Because Kirie wouldn't create it until much later.
So, my plan was to say there was nothing I wanted for now and aim for a later opportunity.
I relaxed a little when I saw Kirie pick up a rather tacky-looking fan.
I was confident I wouldn't be swayed, no matter what outlandish magical tool he showed me!
“This fan is a magical tool that allows you to feel cool for ten minutes with just a single wave. With this, you can get through even the most sweltering summer.”
…An impulse to just give up on God's Tear washed over me.
How often would a life-threatening crisis come, anyway? Surely not as often as the summer that comes once a year.
*'Ah! What am I doing?'*
I almost blurted out that I'd choose this fan, but I quickly shut my mouth.
No matter how great a magical fan was, how could I give up a miraculous elixir?
“Hmm, it's a nice item, of course, but I don't particularly want it.”
I forced myself to shake my head.
“Could you show me something else?”
“Really? It seemed as though you couldn't take your eyes off this fan.”
“I-It must have been my imagination.”
“Ah, yes. Then let's move on to the next item.”
Alright, I'll steel myself this time!
“This, as you can see, is an incense burner. However, what sets it apart from ordinary ones is that burning incense in it can prevent any insect from approaching. For your reference, regardless of the scent, as long as you burn it in this burner…”
“Excuse me, just a moment.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“Instead of a reward, can I just buy it with cash?”
“I'm afraid that would be difficult.”
Kirie looked troubled.
“All the magical tools in this room can only be produced in very small quantities due to circumstances like material procurement, so it's difficult to assign them a monetary value. And I, myself, am not keen on selling my handmade inventions for money.”
“I-I suppose so.”
In the novel, Kirie was a character who never lost his pride as a mage.
*'He sold as many replicas of his inventions as he wanted at the Forest of Illusions, but he never handed over the originals, even if a corrupt noble showed up with a pile of money.'*
For him to offer me an invention was purely a token of his gratitude.
But I want that incense burner like crazy!
For a long while, I weighed God's Tear against the F-killer incense burner in my mind before choosing God's Tear.
“Shom me annuver one.”
“Pardon? What was that? Ah, another item. Yes, please come this way.”
Kirie somehow managed to understand my words, which I'd spoken through clenched teeth to avoid giving in to temptation.
“This is an appetite-suppressing headband. I originally made it to increase the appetite of those suffering from illness, but somehow it had the opposite effect. However, if you have any plans to lose weight…”
“N-No, I don't! Next item, please.”
“This is a posture-correcting chair. Your posture will be corrected just by sitting comfortably in it. With this, your worries about your spine will be over…”
“N-Next!”
I had to reluctantly refuse all of these desirable items, one after another.
*'Seriously, is this a home shopping network? Don't mages usually invent things like weapons or armor for fighting monsters?'*
But for some reason, Kirie seemed to have focused on inventing things that would be extremely useful in daily life.
Because of that, I had to continue the arduous battle against my own impulse-buying desires.
After a trying time, Kirie's presentation of his inventions finally came to an end.
I wanted to beg him for everything, but I wasn't shameless or thoughtless enough to make such an unreasonable demand.
“This is a problem.”
But unlike me, who was feeling inwardly proud, Kirie's expression was dark.
“I never imagined that nothing would appeal to you, my lady.”
“Oh, that's not it! They were all wonderful. It's just that nothing struck me as 'the one'.”
“But if that's the case…”
He covered his forehead as if in dismay.
“What's wrong? I can just receive my reward later. It doesn't seem like a big deal.”
After I asked a few more times, Kirie confessed his true intentions.
“Actually, I have another favor to ask of you, my lady. That's why I wanted to win your favor as much as possible.”
I could easily predict what he would say next.
“I know this is a shameless request, but would it be possible for you to let me sleep in your bed one more time?”
That was the real reason I had visited the Forest of Illusions.
“Would you mind telling me the circumstances?”
I feigned ignorance and drew the story out of him.
“For about a week after we parted, my lady, I was able to sleep normally. But…”
It seemed Kirie was experiencing the exact same process as Raynerd and Yugen.
“Please! Help me get to sleep just one more time!”
“Will one time really be enough? If what you're saying is true, it seems like the same problem will just repeat itself.”
“W-Well, that…”
Kirie, his face pale, darted his eyes back and forth.
“If such a misfortune were to occur, I… I…”
He looked like he might burst into tears if I left him be, so I spoke up first.
“It's alright, Kirie! If that happens, I'll let you sleep in my bed again!”
“A-Are you serious??”
“You don't think I'd lie about something like this, do you? So please don't cry.”
“I wasn't crying, though.”
The color returned to Kirie's face.
“In any case, thank you. I don't know how to express my gratitude. I feel as though I'm constantly indebted to you.”
“Don't mention it. When you invent something I like later, I'll be sure to claim my reward.”
With God's Tear, which can't be bought even for a fortune.
“Um, although none of the magical tools here captured your interest, my lady, perhaps one of the products in the Forest of Illusions might.”
“You think so?”
“Let's go down and have a look. As my benefactor, you are no different from a distinguished guest who should receive the best treatment at our shop.”
“That's too much.”
“Please, choose whatever you like. I won't accept any money, of course.”
“I'd feel too bad about that.”
But contrary to the words of refusal leaving my mouth, my feet steadily followed Kirie out of the secret space.
How many people in the world would refuse something free? I, too, like free things.
“By now, my senior—that is, the manager—should be dealing with Grand Duke Hiklrid.”
Kirie said as he led me back to the VIP room.
“What did you tell the manager about me?”
“I didn't mention anything about the bed, so you can rest assured,” he replied confidently.
“I simply asked him to act as a go-between, explaining that I needed to meet someone personally but was worried about prying eyes due to rumors of being a playboy.”
“I see.”
“He may nag me from time to time, but as his junior, I can vouch that he is a trustworthy person.”
As we chatted, we soon arrived at the VIP room on the second floor.
Kirie once again pulled his hood down low, then summoned a clerk and instructed them to bring one of every type of product sold in the shop.
He also didn't forget to send someone to inform Sir Kalikseu, who would be waiting for me, that my shopping would take more time.
I happily looked over the various products the clerk showed me one by one.
The desire to take one of everything welled up inside me, but I decided to hold back for now.
*'The real Charlotte didn't really use magical tools that much.'*
If I suddenly returned with armfuls of them, it would look very strange.
It would be better to aim to increase my collection gradually and buy only the magical tools I need right now.
It was then that something caught my eye.
“Excuse me. What is that?”
The clerk, who was putting a few items back into a box, asked with some surprise.
“Pardon? Are you referring to this?”
“Yes. I was wondering why you didn't show it to me.”
“Ah, the assistant manager ordered me to bring all of our shop's products, but I was in the process of putting some away, as I thought they wouldn't interest a customer like yourself.”
“Hmm, you never know. Could you explain them all to me?”
“B-But these are not at all suitable for a noble young lady…”
“Please.”
A short while later, I was about to leave the VIP room with a velvet pouch in my arms.
I'd found it. The thing I needed right now!
What was inside this pouch was nothing less than the savior that would deliver me from my current trials and tribulations.
Kirie, on the other hand, had been making a strange face for a while, as if he couldn't understand my choice.