Chapter 89

I think the current magnetic piercings are very convenient because they don’t fall off.

Yuri rolled the small, round mineral in his palm, poked it, and then turned to look back at Bright. Today, Yuri had come to the workshop to pass the time. Normally, doing such things would get him scolded, but Yuri didn’t get in the way and, in fact, often cleaned up and prepared drinks on his own, so he never received any complaints. ...Why this young man would go out of his way to be so helpful, even when playing, was a mystery.

"Isn't this a magnet? What do you mean it has no use?"

"Huh? Well, you can’t use it for accessories, the color is bad, and all that."

In response to Yuri’s question, Bright answered casually. Yes, what Yuri held in his hand was a magnet. It wasn’t as refined as processed magnets, but it still stuck and repelled when brought close. It wasn’t clear if it was the same as modern magnets, but it was definitely a magnet. Moreover, for Bright, a jeweler, magnets were not a necessary material. A friend had left it behind, apparently because it was too small to give to someone who needed it. In other words, it was considered scrap. And it was this magnet, which had been rolling around in a corner of the room, that Yuri had found and was now rolling in his palm.

Yuri tilted his head at Bright’s comment that it had no use. He had no choice but to tilt his head. Knowing that magnets, or magnets, could be applied to accessories, he understood this. They didn’t have to be used for decoration. Magnets could serve as excellent hardware for accessories.

"But it would be convenient to use as hardware."

"Huh?"

"I mean, as hardware."

While petting Luke, who was diligently cleaning the floor, Yuri explained, and Bright looked taken aback. It was knowledge and an idea that Bright had never heard before. However, he quickly recovered. Bright, who often brainstormed with a rather laid-back older sister, was tough and flexible in such situations.

...Compared to the recent request, "Please make cute accessories for Luke!" this was less impactful. That had been one of the biggest shocks of his life.

"How would you use it?"

"Use it as hardware for earrings, to clip onto the ear, or as hardware for necklaces, to attach the magnets at the back of the neck for easy on and off."

"...That’s pretty specific."

"I knew about them in my hometown."

He wasn’t lying. Yuri really did know about such accessories. Even if people looked at him skeptically, it was the truth. ...Except that his "hometown" wasn’t a foreign country or a distant land, but another world.

In fact, there were various types of magnetic earrings. They were especially popular among girls who couldn’t get their ears pierced. Unlike earrings, they looked like piercings. For girls who wanted to look a bit more grown-up, magnetic earrings were a welcome item.

As for necklaces, the selling point was that they could be easily put on and taken off by simply attaching the magnets at the back of the neck. Some chains even allowed for interchangeable pendants. It was quite difficult to put on and take off necklaces with hardware at the back of the neck, where you couldn’t see. Even with a chain that had some slack, it was still a hassle to check the hardware in front and then move it to the back. In such cases, the ease of use with magnets was a big plus.

Yuri took out a notebook from his school bag, which he always carried (or rather, which Allie told him to carry), and started drawing diagrams to explain to Bright. The notebook was a magical item, but he didn’t care about that. He just used it to draw. The same went for the mechanical pencil he used; he didn’t care that it was also a magical item. He only recognized it as a convenient tool that never ran out. Besides, he was relieved that he didn’t have to replace his familiar tools in this different world. Familiar tools were the best. It was difficult to do the same work with different tools. ...For example, he couldn’t write well with a pen that required dipping in an inkwell.

Incidentally, Yuri read and wrote in Japanese, but it seemed to be automatically translated, so it was understood by the people in this world. Conversely, the same applied to them. However, while he could understand the meaning of Japanese, what he saw was the script of this world, a chaotic situation. But since he understood the meaning, he didn’t mind.

"Use magnets like this for the hardware of earrings and necklaces."

"...I see. The necklace would be easier to put on and take off, and the earrings would be good because people who can’t get their ears pierced can use them."

"Exactly. With earrings, the hardware can sometimes pinch the ear and cause pain."

"Alright, then I’ll make a prototype."

Bright took the idea from Yuri, smiled happily, and started working on it. He picked up the magnet, which he had previously considered unnecessary, and began processing it, muttering to himself. The completed design was already in his head. Despite the muttering, there was no hesitation in his work.

Meanwhile, Yuri and Luke continued cleaning silently. Luke absorbed small metal fragments, while Yuri wiped shelves and equipment. They were used to this, so their teamwork was perfect. After all, they were master and familiar. ...What? Isn’t a familiar’s job to clean? Just give up on that. They were enjoying it.

Basically, Bright ran the small workshop alone. There was also living space in the back, and he lived there by himself. He could do basic housework, but it was impossible to keep the floor spotless while working, so it was normal for the workshop to have traces of work on the floor. However, since Yuri started visiting, the mess had decreased. It had decreased dramatically.

As a result, on days when Yuri didn’t visit, Bright sometimes asked the labor guild for cleaning help. The labor guild was similar to a temp agency in modern Japan. People registered with their skills and were dispatched when conditions matched. The forms of employment ranged from daily work to fixed-term contracts. It was also a side job for housewives.

However, the people Bright asked for help were not professional cleaners or housewives but aspiring adventurers who were trying to make ends meet by working part-time at the labor guild. ...He seemed to want to help them out.

By the time Yuri and Luke had finished cleaning the workshop, Bright was still engrossed in his work. Noticing that he had been working for a long time, Yuri decided to prepare tea in the workshop’s kitchen (separate from the living space’s kitchen). It was important to take a break when someone was working too hard.

"Bright, the tea is ready, so let’s take a break."

"...Huh?"

"Working too long is bad for your body. Taking regular breaks is essential."

"Alright, alright. You’re so stubborn about this. Hey, Luke, I’m taking a break, no need to pull."

"Quo."

"Ahaha, Luke also wants you to take a break, Bright?"

"Quo!"

Luke, who had been pulling on Bright’s clothes, understood that he was going to take a break and jumped happily. In fact, Luke was fond of Bright. Or rather, he was fond of the person who made his favorite accessories. So, he seemed to have developed the idea that he didn’t want Bright to overwork. ...Was it possible for a slime to be too smart?

The drink was tea from Bright’s house, and the snack was a bite-sized French toast that Yuri had brought from his school bag. He had made a lot of French toast with leftover bread crusts and cut them into bite-sized pieces for easy eating, storing them in his bag. Thanks to the time-stop function of the magical bag, they were still warm and freshly baked, even though he had made them a few days ago.

"Huh? What’s this?"

"It’s French toast made with bread crusts."

"Wow, you’re really talented."

Bright, impressed, ate the French toast one by one. The combination of the straight black tea and the sweet French toast was perfect. Noticing Luke staring intently, Yuri gave him a piece, and the slime happily absorbed and broke it down. A slime that could tell the difference was, in a way, aware that deliciousness was a virtue. Why, exactly?

When asked about the progress of the work, Bright said he had a rough idea. His spirit of always challenging new things was admirable. For now, he was focusing on the hardware design, putting the accessory design on hold.

"Once the prototype is done, I’ll push it to Leopold."

"Leopold?"

"Yeah. He’ll tell me about the usability, even the parts I didn’t ask about."

"...That’s true."

Leopold was the unbeatable older sister. She had no qualms about criticizing family members. Especially since she and Bright were colleagues, there was no way she would give a lenient evaluation. She would point out the flaws bluntly. On the other hand, if she liked something, she would praise it wholeheartedly.

For Yuri, providing ideas was one thing, but since he hadn’t actually used them himself, he couldn’t comment on that aspect. He loved cute and beautiful things, but he didn’t have the idea of wearing them himself. He enjoyed looking at them and seeing others adorned in them, but he didn’t want to be cute himself. It was a bit too much trouble.

Thinking about it, none of the women Yuri knew wore a lot of accessories. Working women only wore enough to not get in the way, and the adventurers in the clan hardly wore any. They might dress up a bit on their days off.

Upon reflection, the most fashionable person Yuri knew was the older sister, Leopold. What a surprise. The shop’s mascot, Reifa, was also fashionable in her own way, but she was a dignified and beautiful girl, so the style was different. The fact that the only flamboyant dresser was an older sister was a bit odd. Why?

"..."

"What’s wrong, Yuri?"

"Nothing, I just realized that the most fashionable person around me is Leopold."

"...Don’t worry about it. It’s the same around me."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

The two of them understood each other very well about the older sister’s obsession with beauty. It wasn’t that they disliked such a Leopold. They just found her impressive. Yuri enjoyed seeing Leopold dressed up beautifully, and Bright found it useful for his work, so there were no problems. However, the fact that the top in both men and women was an older sister gave them a distant look.

Later, after repeated fine-tuning with Leopold to test the usability, Bright began selling magnetic accessories, which gradually became popular. Convenience is important.

Magnetic earrings are very convenient for me since I can’t get my ears pierced.

I don’t dislike earrings, but they can hurt my ears.

And the magnetic necklace is incredibly convenient.

It’s so convenient it’s almost scary.

Looking forward to your feedback.