Chapter 76

A few days later.

To say that it was unexpected would be a bit rude, but during these few days, Prince Francesco had not caused any particular trouble and had spent his time peacefully.

To put it dramatically, it could be said that this was a victory for Zenjiro's strategy. Basically, Prince Francesco, who was a creature with curiosity for limbs, also possessed a sufficient sense of pride and responsibility as a weapon and jewelry craftsman. Taking advantage of this, Zenjiro had entrusted him with a job.

Of course, he didn't assign him work without meaning. The item Zenjiro had requested from Prince Francesco was undoubtedly something he needed right now.

"Hello, I kept you waiting, Emperor Zenjiro. Here is the item you requested. Please take it and check it."

The blond prince, sitting properly on the sofa in the reception room, said this with a confident smile and placed the item on the table.

"It's already finished? As expected, Prince Francesco."

Zenjiro's words of praise were not entirely flattery. In fact, when he had asked a silver craftsman in the 'Craftsman's Garden' to make a similar item, it took much longer.

"Yes. The making itself is simple. However, it was quite challenging to make such thin and uniform silver wire from high-purity silver."

The item Prince Francesco, who was puffing out his chest, presented was 'silver wire.' To be precise, it was a thin piece of silver drawn into a thread and covered with a thin cloth.

Holding the requested item, Zenjiro said to Prince Francesco in a sincere tone, which was bright but not frivolous, different from his usual manner.

"Since you requested the highest possible purity of silver, I used silver from my homeland. I believe it has the flexibility to bend to some extent without breaking, as you wished, but there is a limit, so please be careful when bending it."

"Thank you. I'll try it out right away."

Zenjiro, who received the long silver wire, thanked the blond prince with a smile.

The purpose of the silver wire, of course, was to create a magnet. The silver wire coil he had used so far had managed to create an electromagnet with a dry cell as a power source, but it would overheat and stop conducting electricity if he increased the number of coils even slightly.

With this, he could make a better electromagnet. Once he had an electromagnet, he could mass-produce permanent magnets.

With magnets, he would have another method to remove metal components from the silica sand used to make glass. This would bring him one step closer to transparent glass.

"However, will you still not tell me what you plan to use this silver wire wrapped in cloth for?"

The blond prince, who stared straight at Zenjiro with his intense curiosity fully exposed, received a wry smile in return.

"No, I'm sorry, but I can't. I will make it up to you in some way."

Explaining the use of the silver wire, which involves the structure of an electromagnet and electricity itself, to someone who doesn't even know much about it, would be quite troublesome. Besides, since it ultimately connects to the state secret of glass manufacturing, it's the right judgment to keep it secret.

Prince Francesco, who seemed to have anticipated Zenjiro's answer, said,

"I see, that's a shame."

While saying this, he quickly regained his composure and said to Zenjiro,

"Then, about the reward for this time, how about one of those gems as payment?"

With a cheerful face, Prince Francesco, who made a greedy request, made Zenjiro's face twitch for a moment.

Of course, the reward had been discussed and agreed upon when the job was commissioned. Bringing up the discussion again in this situation was a rather impolite and shameless act, but over time, Prince Francesco had secured a position where such behavior was tolerated, even if it was a sigh.

However, while his impolite behavior was tolerated, it didn't mean that the content would be accepted.

"Prince Francesco. The agreed reward was unprocessed red coral, which you also agreed to. I cannot accept a change in the reward after the fact."

Zenjiro deliberately put strength in his eyes and said this in a blunt tone.

But Prince Francesco, who was not fazed by Zenjiro's eye contact,

"Ahaha, as expected. I just had to say it. Oh, what a shame."

He showed a completely innocent smile and scratched his head.

The phrase "like a nail in rice bran" or "pushing against a shop curtain" came to Zenjiro's mind. He no longer felt like pointing out Prince Francesco's every action.

On the contrary, since Zenjiro needed to get to the bottom of Prince Francesco's intentions in this setting without Princess Bona, he decided to use this conversation as an entry point to steer it towards his goal.

"Still, that's not fair. The rewards don't match."

"Is it about the rewards? If so, Emperor Zenjiro, please give me two gems. I'll make a magical tool that you want with one of them, and in return, I'll take the other gem. How about that?"

"Prince, that's not a deal I can make with you. It's a significant matter that requires the consent of both governments."

"Yes, I understand that. Oh, how frustrating. If I had the gems, I could make so many magical tools I've wanted to make for a long time! It's so frustrating to have this opportunity right in front of me and not be able to do anything!"

Prince Francesco's eyes showed a strong desire that he couldn't hide.

This might be a feeling that only a few people who are both capable and enthusiastic about the creation of magical tools can understand.

Originally, making a magical tool, even a simple one, takes several months, and a large-scale one can take several years.

Therefore, the number of magical tools a single user of the Shalowa royal family can create in a lifetime is inevitably limited.

However, a talented and enthusiastic magical tool maker like Prince Francesco has countless ideas for magical tools he wants to create. The more he grows as a craftsman and a user of the bestowal magic, the more types of items he can make, but the number of items he can actually create is limited to about one a year.

While making one, ten ideas for items he wants to make are born, and while making two, a hundred ideas come to mind.

He had encountered the exceptional bestowal material, the glass bead, while harboring such a dilemma.

The magical tool 'Future Compensation' that Prince Francesco created last time was a major project that would normally take years to complete. The pleasure of creating it in just a few days had stayed with him.

"I've had this idea for a long time. It's a magical tool I came up with on my own, and I think I can make it. A magical tool for 'bestowal magic.' If this magical tool is completed, even people who are not of the Shalowa royal family can easily make simple mass-produced magical tools, which I think will greatly accelerate the creation process. However, my grandfather and father get angry and say, 'You must not make that!' with a changed expression.

"But here, where my grandfather and father can't see, it's a good opportunity.

"The dual kingdom has a lot of deserts. At the very least, I want to put the mass production of 'water creation' magical tools into operation."

"Prince, please calm down."

Pressed by the pressure of Prince Francesco, who continued to talk excitedly, Zenjiro leaned back slightly on the sofa and tried to stop him. He felt that there was a tremendous bomb mixed in Prince Francesco's words, but pursuing it deeply from Zenjiro's position might be counterproductive.

(I'll report this to Aura later.)

While Zenjiro was thinking this in his head, Prince Francesco continued to talk.

"Anyway, I have a lot of things I want to make. In that sense, I really get along with Bona. Although, in Bona's case, unlike me, she is more passionate about jewelry than magical tools. I also make weapons and armor. If you give me the gems, I can make a magical weapon for your protection, Your Majesty.

"Also... how about this? When Prince Carlos grows a bit more, I could teach him the basics of bestowal magic. I think I could get a considerable number of gems in return for that."

Prince Francesco casually brought up the topic Zenjiro wanted to discuss, making Zenjiro reflexively straighten his back.

"Prince Francesco. Is that a secret matter? A secret arrangement for you to teach Zenji the basics of bestowal magic?"

Without the composure to hide his tension, Zenjiro asked, and Prince Francesco, with a puzzled look,

"Huh? If you want to keep it secret, I'm not against helping you personally, but I don't think it makes much sense. Before I came here, my grandfather, the current king, and my father, the next king, were already discussing when to spread the news about Emperor Zenjiro's lineage to minimize domestic and international unrest."

He casually revealed the internal affairs of his country. It was hard to tell how much of it was true because he said it so easily, but if it was true, it meant that the dual kingdom had already decided to make a public announcement from the beginning.

There couldn't be a royal family that would tacitly allow the bloodline magic of their country to spread to other countries. Considering this, Prince Francesco's words had sufficient credibility.

"Then, the Shalowa royal family will announce my lineage? The secret treaty between the Kingdom of Carpa and the dual kingdom stipulated that it should be kept secret, didn't it?"

With a deliberately stern look and a strong tone, the consort of the Kingdom of Carpa asked, and the prince of the Shalowa-Gilbert dual kingdom answered with an unbroken cheerful smile.

"Yes, that's right. But my grandfather and father don't seem to think the secret treaty will be kept. Will Emperor Zenjiro really spend his life without taking a single concubine?"

Zenjiro was the one who was at a loss for an answer.

"That... is what I wish."

This response was undoubtedly Zenjiro's true feeling, but he also understood that the circumstances around him would not allow it.

Aura, who possessed the kindness to fulfill Zenjiro's wishes as much as possible, also had the judgment of a king who prioritizes the country's interests above all else. And Aura was not a foolish king who would tip the balance of emotion and national interests in favor of emotion. Zenjiro understood this well.

"That's Emperor Zenjiro's personal opinion, then."

"Yes, that's right."

Therefore, Zenjiro had no choice but to nod in response to Prince Francesco's confirmation question.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

While Zenjiro was entertaining Prince Francesco in one of the palace rooms, his wife, Aura, was still in the harem's living room.

It was not uncommon for Zenjiro to relax in the harem while Aura worked in the palace, but the reverse was very rare.

Of course, it made sense. Originally, most of Zenjiro's work was as a representative of Queen Aura. If Aura could relax in the harem, there would be no need for Zenjiro to work in the palace.

However, Aura's first duty today was to be held in the harem. Therefore, after changing into her third formal attire for work, the queen was spending the time before the guests arrived leisurely.

"Hmm, I haven't watched it alone in a while."

Muttering this, the queen, still sitting on the black leather sofa, picked up the remote control from the table.

The queen's handling of the remote control was already quite familiar. The light came on in the television mounted on the wall of the spacious living room. Of course, there were no television signals in this world, so what was displayed was the image from a DVD that Zenjiro had brought.

Leaning back in the sofa with her right elbow on the armrest, the queen was engrossed in the television.

What was currently playing was a modern drama (to be precise, it was a drama that had been broadcast on television during Zenjiro's student days, so it was about ten years old in Japan, but a decade was not a significant difference). The sound from the machine did not work with the 'Word Spirit,' so the Japanese content was completely incomprehensible to Aura, but the images alone were captivating.

"No matter how many times I watch it, it's fascinating. The streets and people of a different world. A civilization that is clearly different but shares common elements. Everything is a new stimulus."

Modern Japan and the Kingdom of Carpa in the southern continent. The differences were too numerous to list, but the beings living there were "the same humans," close enough to reproduce.

When intelligent life forms of the same species build a civilization, there are certain common elements.

The queen looked at the screen with a gaze that carried more than just interest, searching for something that could be incorporated into her own country.

"The general clothing culture is not so different from ours. After all, if you ultimately pursue ease of dressing and movement, you will end up with a similar shape."

To be precise, the clothing culture that had been transmitted from the northern continent and the Western clothing on Earth were basically the same in shape.

On the other hand, while the traditional clothing of the Kingdom of Carpa was worn daily, the traditional Japanese clothing, the kimono, was rarely worn as everyday wear in modern Japan.

Fortunately, a rakugo performer appeared in this drama, so the kimono appeared relatively frequently on the screen.

"This is the traditional clothing of my husband's country. Hmm, it has some common elements with our country's clothing, but it is clearly a different item. Well, my husband himself said he has never worn it, so there's no point in trying to recreate it here."

As she said this, Aura remembered something Zenjiro had said before: "I don't want to wear a kimono myself, but I like women in kimonos."

"...Should I call a tailor and have a woman's kimono made?"

Such words slipped out of Aura's mouth. Since this was a modern drama, women in kimonos did not appear often, but Zenjiro's collection of DVDs included period dramas. Making a kimono based only on the appearance of the characters would be quite a challenge, but a tailor attached to the royal family should be able to make something that looked like it.

Of course, even if a perfect woman's kimono were made, whether Aura could wear it was another matter.

After all, Aura had a physique that completely contradicted the conditions for a beautiful kimono wearer: "broad shoulders," "wide shoulder width," and "large breasts." It might look better if she wore it a bit loosely.

While thinking about such things, the queen continued to watch the drama, even though she couldn't understand the words. In the middle of it, she tried to say a word she could hear.

"Tiger"

The word spirit correctly replaced the word spoken by Aura with a word in this world. To Aura's ears, the unfamiliar word "Tiger" and the word for "tiger" in the Western language of the southern continent sounded simultaneously.

"I see, 'Tiger' means tiger."

Tigers were animals that did not live in the southern continent, which was dominated by reptiles. However, their existence was surprisingly well-known through books and paintings that flowed in from the northern continent. At the same level as the Japanese of the Edo and Heian periods knew tigers through hearsay, Aura also vaguely knew about tigers.

"Tiger"

She tried pronouncing it again. This time, too, the word spirit worked without fail.

It was interesting to learn the language of the different world where her husband was born and raised. It might be "useless effort" for the queen, but such playful aspects were surprisingly important in life. If one lived only for efficiency, the heart would eventually wear out, and efficiency would be impaired.

As the queen gradually got into the spirit, she tried to say another word she could hear.

"Annoying, huh"

...The word spirit did not work.

"...Hmm? Did I pronounce it wrong?"

The queen tilted her head in a puzzled expression.

The magic of the word spirit, which was almost omnipotent in translation, apparently did not handle puns.