Chapter 28 - The Magical Tool Shop, "Goddess’ Right Eye"
"How was 'The Silver Branch'?"
"It was very enjoyable."
As sunlight reflected off the gray cobblestones, they talked while walking toward the next store.
"It’s been a little over a year since I visited with my father. Since then, everyday magical tools like water heaters and hair dryers have become more compact. I was impressed by the improved efficiency. In stores that cater to the general public, they still sell older, slightly larger models.”
"So they’ve gotten that much smaller. But wouldn’t making them too small make them inconvenient?"
"A few centimeters make a significant difference. It also depends on the user. For adult men, the current size might be just right, but children have smaller hands. For instance, it might allow kids to use a hairdryer independently at an earlier age. For older individuals, they could use it on their own for a longer time."
"I see. That makes sense."
Volf was wearing his hooded cloak again. Although Dahlia had said she didn’t mind, he claimed it was because the sunlight was too bright.
"I’d like refrigerators to be larger, though."
"Yeah, I like to drink chilled alcohol in summer. When I’m with the Mage Division, there’s plenty of ice, but it waters down the ale..."
"Summer always makes you crave ale, doesn't it?"
In this country, sixteen was the age of adulthood, and drinking alcohol was permitted from that age.
Dahlia had started drinking with her father occasionally after her coming-of-age birthday.
Her father could hold his liquor well—a king snake. She felt she had inherited some of that tolerance.
"Don’t you chill ale bottles by submerging them in buckets of ice water?"
"With all those king snakes and sea serpents around, the ale disappears too quickly to keep up.”
"Oh, in that case, a refrigerator really is necessary."
"I’d love for the Chivalric Order’s budget to be used for that."
It seemed the Chivalric Order was full of heavy drinkers.
And budget constraints appeared to be a universal concern.
"What did you think of the magical tools for nobles?"
"They were incredible. I didn’t expect so many types of anti-eavesdropping magical tools. The accessories were also amazing. They seemed to pack quite a bit of firepower, and while I couldn’t figure out how the overlapping enchantments worked, the technique of embedding dual layers in such small items was remarkable.”
"Did anything catch your eye?"
"The lamp with a fairy crystal. Its mechanism intrigued me."
"So that's how it appears from a magical toolmaker's perspective. I thought its purpose was to enhance artistic value, judging by its appearance.”
"Fairy crystals have recognition inhibition effects. From the front, it looks like a regular beautiful lamp, but as you move around it, it can appear transparent or project illusions. It makes observing someone unnoticed much easier."
"Dahlia, you’re not secretly working in intelligence, are you?"
He had asked her this before. Was it really such an odd thing?
The lamp already existed, after all. Using it as a kind of magic mirror seemed like an obvious idea for any craftsperson.
"I’m not. Besides, with technology like that already available, I’d assume the royal castle has it by now. People inside might just not realize it."
"That’s unsettling. Maybe I should stop asking about this now."
Volf’s laugh grew a little bitter.
As they continued talking, they arrived at another magical tool store, the Goddess’ Right Eye.
The storefront was polished white marble, adorned with columns carved with a goddess and flowers, and a pure white door decorated with gold vine patterns.
It looked intimidatingly high-class. If she had been alone, she wouldn’t have considered stepping inside.
"This is the Goddess’ Right Eye. The owner is also a magical toolmaker and holds the rank of baron.”
"Really? Do you know the owner’s name?"
"I think it’s Ozwald Zola-san.”
“In that case, he’s the developer of the cooling fan.”
"So the cooling fan was Ozwald-san's creation? I had no idea."
The cooling fan was a summer appliance that used water and wind magic stones to produce a cool breeze.
Since Dahlia had known it since childhood, Ozwald must have been a magical toolmaker for a long time.
Incidentally, it was her father who had told her about the cooling fan’s creator.
Every summer, he would sit in front of the cooling fan, drinking ale while shaking his voice in gratitude, exclaiming, "Thank you, Ozwald Zola!" Even now, she wondered if that was really the best way to enjoy drinking.
"Welcome, Volfred-sama. I see you’ve brought along a lovely young lady today."
As they passed through the door, a middle-aged man dressed in a black suit and white gloves gave a courteous bow.
The man’s hair was a deep gray, neatly combed back, he had narrow silver eyes and wore silver-rimmed glasses.
His refined appearance resembled that of an elegant silver fox.
"It’s been a while. This is Lady Dahlia Rossetti, a magical toolmaker who has been of great help to me."
"Thank you for the introduction. Rossetti-sama, I am Ozwald Zola, the proprietor of this establishment. Please feel free to call me Ozwald."
"My name is Dahlia Rossetti. I’m still new to this field, so I hope to learn much. Please, call me Dahlia."
Ozwald narrowed his already fine silver eyes further and studied Dahlia closely.
"Forgive me for asking, but is your father Carlo Rossetti?"
"Yes, that’s correct. Did you know him?"
"We went to high academy together, and I often saw him at the baronial meetings... His passing was truly unfortunate. Please accept my condolences and try not to let it weigh you down."
"Thank you for your kind words."
It seemed that Ozwald also knew her father. She hadn't known before that they had attended high academy together.
"Now then, please come in. Feel free to look around. Lady Dahlia, I’d very much like to hear your thoughts as a magical toolmaker."
"I’m still just a beginner."
Ozwald smiled at her, his eyes narrowing further, and gestured for her to proceed deeper into the shop alongside Volf.
The shop was spacious, but the display was arranged with more space between each magical tool compared to the previous store.
The carefully curated items ranged from everyday magical tools to accessories, exuding a sense of quality. While each item had an explanatory parchment attached, there were no price tags in sight, which was somewhat intimidating.
"This appears to be a new type of anti-eavesdropping magical tool."
"Yes, it’s designed as cufflinks. It activates naturally when placed on a desk. You can choose the gemstones and metal colors to match your attire."
"Is this one a wall-mounted cooling fan?"
"Yes, that’s correct. Due to the layout of corridors, it is often more practical to utilize the walls, so I created this model."
Exploring the latest magical tools was immensely enjoyable.
Whenever she or Volf paused to examine something, Ozwald would approach smoothly and provide an explanation upon request, demonstrating an uncanny knack for timing.
This store also had a wide selection of accessories. Not just double enchantments, but even triple enchantments were displayed as if it were the norm.
The designs were even more intricate than those at the "Silver Branch." Designs incorporating gemstones were particularly abundant.
"A single ring has enchantments for anti-poison, anti-petrification, and anti-confusion... That’s incredible."
"For knights and adventurers, lightweight equipment is essential during battles. This particular piece was crafted by an alchemist."
Though Dahlia didn’t fully understand how it was made, she could tell it required a significant amount of mana.
Creating three separate rings would have been cheaper, but for those prioritizing lightness, as well as for those who wield swords or bows, wearing too many rings was undesirable. Even adding a single ring would have significantly affected the feel of the grip.
Volf agreed with this reasoning.
Similarly, there was demand for bracelets with double or triple enchantments to reduce the number of items worn.
Since combat was a matter of life and death, it was undoubtedly an important consideration.
After browsing through various sections of the shop, they made their way to the farthest corner, where a large white apparatus stood. Cool air emanated from it.
"This is my latest model of cooling fan, powered by ice. It circulates the air in the room with a breeze, cooling it with ice magic stones before returning the air. It’s expected to be available starting this summer."
"...This is incredible!"
Without thinking, Dahlia's voice grew louder.
She was incredibly impressed by the cool, refreshing breeze coming from the new air cooling fan. It was almost like an air conditioner from her previous life.
Unlike the air cooling fans powered by water and wind magic stones, which increased humidity and were unsuitable for paperwork, this model addressed the issue completely. It would be invaluable for rooms in royal castles or administrative offices where documents were handled.
"Does it use two types of magic stones, ice and wind?"
"Yes, you insert them here."
Ozwald opened the front of the white apparatus to reveal its interior.
"The craftsmanship on these pipes is exceptional. The tight curves must have been particularly challenging."
"Yes, it took over 200 failed attempts before I settled on the right material and design."
As a magical tool craftsman, she could tell that combining the rigid, vertically compressed figure-eight curves in such a precise and regular pattern was incredibly difficult. It must have taken a great deal of research to finalize both the material and the technique for crafting it.
This kind of craftsmanship, she thought, her father could likely have done, but for her, as she was now, it would be impossible.
"This is really amazing... This air cooling fan is perfect for environments where moisture would be a problem. It’s ideal for paperwork and study rooms."
“Thank you. I’m glad you understood its intended purpose.”
At that point, Ozwald straightened his posture and cleared his throat.
"Volfred-sama, my apologies. I became so engrossed in my conversation with Lady Dalia that I neglected you."
Behind them, there was a young man standing a step back, watching them with an observant gaze.
"M-my apologies!"
“Please, don’t worry about me. Continue your discussion."
He spoke with a smile, but his golden eyes seemed to lack any genuine warmth.
It was a magical tool shop, not a weapon store. Perhaps he was starting to get bored by now.
"Volfred-sama, would you like to see the support accessories you ordered?"
"Yes, please."
The items were support accessories for combat, chain-type ankle bracelets. They were said to have two dual enchantments each, one for anti-poison and anti-anemia, and the other for anti-petrification and anti-confusion.
Though Dahlia initially wondered why anklets, it was explained that legs were less likely to be lost in battle than hands. She reluctantly accepted this reasoning.
At Ozwald’s call, a male attendant dressed in the same black suit and white gloves arrived.
After a brief discussion, the attendant and Volf left for a separate room to adjust the sizing.
"I’ll be right back, Lady Dahlia."
Volf said before heading upstairs.
Comments
Post a Comment