-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Magic Tool Merchant
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The main building of the Marquis Etoile's estate was one of the largest mansions in the capital, and it had several annexes as well.
Among them, my favorite space was the glass garden.
With a sofa, a table, and even a bed placed in the center, it was a place that made you feel as if you were in a forest.
Having changed into a light dress, I headed straight for the garden.
I flopped onto the bed, kicked off my shoes, and shouted to my maid.
“Ten macarons and some black tea. And bring me a cake with lots of strawberries.”
“Yes, yes. Right away.”
It had been a while since I’d craved something this sweet.
*Huu*, I sighed, getting up and sitting on the sofa. Now it was time to relieve some stress.
In the blink of an eye, my favorite desserts were set out on the table.
A cake piled high with strawberries and fresh cream. Colorful macarons. And with freshly brewed black tea joining them on the table, everything was perfect.
‘Goodbye to high society.’
I can't even begin to describe the stress I endured trying to survive in a world full of people who beat around the bush, offered empty compliments, and then stabbed each other in the back.
I no longer want any part of the whole process of facing people and making conversation.
Ryan and Kaysen, who turned a deaf ear and ostracized me no matter how hard I tried; the female lead, Reshuan, whose cluelessness and incompatible personality were suffocatingly frustrating—goodbye to you all.
Whatever happens to the original story, I'm just going to live my life with my cats and die of old age.
I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner.
Perhaps I was burdened by the pressure of having to maintain a social life, a holdover from my modern-day self.
There was no need for that.
“What should I do at home...”
But it was true that the life of a noble in a book, which lacked all the conveniences of modern society, could be tedious.
I needed things to help me endure this reclusive life. Things like a smartphone, a computer, a projector.
Just then, an idea flashed through my mind.
“Magic tools. I'll have magic tools made.”
Tools imbued with magic. I'd heard you could even commission magicians to invent specific items if you wanted.
Of course, magic tools were astronomically expensive and considered ominous, so even most nobles didn't use them...
But for me, Marso Etoile, it was a different story.
Marquis Etoile had neglected the daughter his wife left behind when she died, but he never spared any expense in supporting her. He had loved his wife so much that seeing Marso, who resembled her so closely, was agonizing, yet he couldn't bring himself to abandon her completely.
It was a tragedy that he knew so little about Marso that he didn't even realize a completely different person had taken her place, but for me, it was a blessing.
The bottom line was, I had more than enough money.
So I planned to pour that money unstintingly into my comfortable, reclusive life.
“Leti.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“I want to meet a magic tool merchant.”
And so, I immediately put my thoughts into action.
The wealth of the Etoile Marquisate all came from its magic stone mines. The marquisate was wealthy, owning two of the only five magic stone mines in existence.
The other two belonged to the royal family, and the last one was owned by the Epekel Marquisate, the family of the protagonist, Reshuan.
Magic stones were primarily used to craft wands for the Imperial Palace magicians who served the Emperor.
Furthermore, their beautiful purple hue made them popular as decorations, often carved into lantern-like shapes.
The capital's palace, adorned with magic stones, was hailed as the most beautiful building in the empire.
Magic tools were items made by processing magic stones. If you took a raw, purple magic stone to a magician, they would process it into the desired shape.
Mysterious items like carriages that moved quickly without a horse to pull them, or machines that could record voices, were all made through the combination of magic stones and magicians.
But unfortunately, in this world, magic tools were not yet very developed.
Magic tools were very useful, but not only did they require magic stones to make, their performance also varied wildly depending on the magician's skill.
Besides, magicians were hardly going to welcome magic tools that allowed people to use magic without them.
High-ranking magicians hated magic tools, which threatened their very existence. As it was, magicians were often considered ominous because of the power they possessed.
It was an inevitable consequence that their prices skyrocketed.
Conservative nobles also looked down on horseless carriages and recording devices.
After all, the world got along just fine without magic tools.
The Emperor and the nobles disparaged magic tools.
They spread false rumors that magic tools were cursed and that no one used them.
But such false rumors had little effect on me.
Cursed, over a mere recording device? The things I was planning to commission would be far beyond the level of a simple recorder.
Above all, magic tools were a lottery ticket.
Why? Because later on, one of these magic tools, the "horseless carriage," would cause a huge sensation when Ryan and Reshuan used it on a date.
That incident would clear the stigma that magic tools were cursed, and they would start selling like hotcakes to nobles who loved rare items.
As a result, the imperial family, which held a monopoly on magicians, would profit even more.
They even gained fame when it was revealed that various tools made from them were used to suppress magicians.
In a society that shunned magicians, a magic tool that could subdue them was an irresistible temptation.
The high-ranking magicians eventually bowed to money.
"It was too much money to refuse..." A story perfectly suited for this capitalist society, isn't it?
And I had more than enough wealth to make it happen.
***
My faithful maid, Leti, found a merchant who sold magic tools in no time. It was surprising. I thought it would be a little more difficult... It was so fast it was as if the merchant had been looking for me.
Ah, of course, I hadn't taken a single step out of the house. When you say something, you have to stick to it.
Besides, Ryan and Kaysen were likely watching me, and I didn't want to give them any reason to find fault.
The merchant sent word that he wanted to meet and speak with me in person. I readily accepted. Everything proceeded smoothly.
And today was the day the said merchant was to visit the Etoile estate.
Lounging on the sofa in the drawing room, I wore a serious expression.
The appointed time was two o'clock. The current time was 1:58. But there was no sign of the merchant.
“Did I get scammed?”
I hadn't expected to find a magic tool merchant so quickly. After all, many people avoided them. If there's no demand, there's no supply.
“Still, I thought it would be easier since this is the Etoile Marquisate.”
Since the Etoile family owned magic stone mines, I figured a merchant would come running as soon as they heard I was looking for one. But to be scammed like this.
I grumbled, watching the second hand tick toward two.
It seemed I'd have to wait a bit longer to add some fun to my reclusive life.
Maybe I should start by redecorating the house. I like minimalist white furniture, but the furniture here was too opulent.
Who cares what others think? As long as I do what I want, that's all that matters. I'm not going to care about my reputation anymore.
Just the thought of it made me feel better. I smiled faintly and picked up my fork.
“First, let's eat some cake.”
The moment I cut into the fruit cake in front of me, a man appeared before my eyes.
‘...What?’
That's right. A man descended from thin air.
...He can teleport into the mansion? That would mean he's quite skilled.
As I sat there dumbfounded, the man, whose face was obscured by a robe, greeted me.
“Hello?”
His voice was soft and beautiful.
Why is he speaking so informally right off the bat? As a girl raised on Confucian values, this was absolutely unacceptable.
My face hardened, and I was about to spit out some clichéd line like, "Do you know who I am?" when I saw the man remove his robe and clapped a hand over my mouth.
“...What the.”
The unexpected words slipped out on their own. It was a visceral reaction.
His fine silver hair sparkled like the highest quality diamond.
He had a beautiful face that could have made him everyone's first love at a glance, but his impression was anything but gentle.
His cat-like, upturned eyes with double eyelids, paired with his sanpaku gaze, exuded a decadent aura that immediately captivated the eye.
It was like looking at a dangerous, poisonous plant that lures people in with its beautiful appearance but can kill at any moment with the venom hidden within.
And yet, it was so alluring you couldn't help but reach out.
...A person like this actually exists?
The man gazed at my dazed face for a moment, then smiled as brightly as a flower.
“The name's Darcy. I'm a magic tool merchant and a magician.”
...Who is this handsome man?
