Kays Translations

Chapter 204: An Unannounced Visitor

There was only one thing to do after I returned to the townhouse. That's right: make the shower magic tools. Once they were finished, I would have to pay visits to Axel's and Ijidol's homes. Of course, that was one of my aims too. Operation: make sure their parents remember my face.

Somehow, this sounded like I was going to introduce myself to the parents of a future bride. That's not what this is, right?

I thought about making one and taking it to the orphanage too, but they probably couldn't bathe very often. Baths cost at least some money, after all. Even with financial support, a bath was still a luxury. It would probably be difficult.

Come to think of it, did Axel and Ijidol have baths in their homes? They hadn't objected when I said I would make showers for them, so they probably did. Both of their parents seemed to hold reasonably important positions in the Knight Order and Mage Corps. That was probably why the two of them had been allowed to take part in training at the castle.

A magic-tool-making kit had been prepared in my room at the townhouse. I was glad I'd had one prepared the last time I came to the royal capital. I could start working right away.

I'd only been making magic medicine lately. Would I still be all right at this? Yeah, it looked fine. I used my Craft skill and quickly put together the shower magic tools.

Would the materials for improving the icehouse arrive tomorrow? It might be difficult to arrange them the very next day. If they didn't arrive, I was going to have time on my hands. Tomorrow I would just spend the whole day watching everyone make the Panacea again.

That's it. I could go and install the showers at Axel's and Ijidol's homes. If that was the plan, I'd better hurry and finish them.

The next day, as soon as I finished inspecting the compounding room, I headed for Axel's house. There were no problems with the Panacea. Everyone seemed to have followed the schedule I had made the night before. The people looking after the pots seemed a little tired, but everyone else looked energetic.

“That will be House Holmqvist.”

“Oh, that's quite a nice house.”

Axel's home was a little way out towards the suburbs, but it had a small garden as well. A house this size in the royal capital had to be worth a considerable amount of money. His family seemed fairly well-off.

Bang, bang. Without an appointment, I launched a surprise attack on Axel's house. I was glad the servants had looked up where Axel and Ijidol lived in advance. I could hear children's voices from inside.

“Who is… it?”

“Hey, Axel. It's been a day.”

“Julius?! Why are you here?”

I showed the bewildered Axel the shower magic tool. That should be enough for him to understand everything. Apparently reassured once they realised I was someone their brother knew, Axel's younger brother and sister clung to his legs and stared at the magic tool with great interest.

“…Are magic tools something you can make in a single day?”

“Uh… well, yes?”

“Julius is the only person who can do that, right?”

I could feel Axel staring at me, but I desperately avoided looking in his direction. Careless! I'd been careless!

While we were doing that, Axel's mother appeared. She was a slightly plump woman who looked warm and comforting.

“Axel, is he someone you know?”

“Uh, well, um… This is Lord Julius. He's the one who's always taking care of me.”

“Oh! How terribly rude of us.”

His mother hurriedly bowed her head. While she was at it, she pushed Axel's head down with one hand too. Ah, I had messed up. Maybe arriving without an appointment really had been a bad idea. I hadn't meant to frighten anyone, but now that I thought about it, I was a noble. And a fairly high-ranking noble at that.

“Please raise your head. Axel is always helping me, so I don't mind at all. I'd be grateful if you treated me the way you normally do.”

At my words, she raised her head. Axel's younger brother and sister continued staring at me with open curiosity.

“See? I told you so.”

“Axel! Mind the way you speak.”

It looked as though getting them to treat me normally was going to be difficult. Oh, right. I couldn't let this take too long. I still had to visit Ijidol's home after this. I would send someone ahead and make an appointment just in case. If I wasn't careful, Ijidol might end up getting burned.

“Anyway, let me install it right away. Don't worry, it'll be over in no time.”

“What are you talking about?” Axel's mother asked.

“Remember? I told you over dinner. Julius said he'd install a shower for us.”

His mother made an expression that practically said, Huh? What? But Axel took me by the hand and led me to the bathroom. His younger brother and sister followed behind us, their eyes sparkling.

I installed the magic tool in one corner of the bathroom. It shouldn't get in the way much in this position. I had designed the top of the main unit so things could be placed on it, which meant they could put towels, soap, and the like there.

Once I attached the pipes to the wall, it was finished. Since it was for indoor use, I had made it compact, but as long as a large number of people weren't using it at once, it should work perfectly well.

“All right. Installation complete.”

“Aren't you way too good at this?”

“Heh-heh-heh. I am the inventor, after all.”

“Why don't you just become a magic-tool maker already?”

Reality was merciless. Axel gave me a half-lidded stare. After I taught him how to use it, he immediately said he wanted to try it. But taking a shower first thing in the morning… Well, I suppose there was nothing wrong with that.

“What do you want to do?”

“Since we have the chance, let's have all four of us get in together. Mother, have some towels ready!”

With that, Axel began taking off his younger brother's and sister's clothes. Well, I suppose it was fine. Was it fine? His sister was here too… But I bathed with Rosalia, so maybe it was fine. I would tell myself we were still at an age where it was allowed.

The shower was extremely popular. Axel's mother even used it afterwards.

“It's great being able to wash off sweat so easily. It's easy to wash your hair too. This is really good. Why aren't these being sold?”

“They are being sold in my territory. It looks like they just haven't reached the royal capital yet.”

“Is it really all right for us to receive such an amazing magic tool?”

Axel's mother furrowed her brow uneasily, so I answered with a smile. I didn't want to make her worry. This was simply a token of my gratitude for Axel spending a day protecting me.

“Of course. I made it to bring here, after all. Even if you refused it, I wouldn't have anywhere else to take it.”

“Hmm? Then what are you going to do about Ijidol's place?”

“Don't worry. There's another one exactly like it in the carriage.”

“…Can I call you the Great Magic-Tool Maker?”

“Don't.”

Axel's mother watched our exchange with a warm expression. Had I managed to reassure her a little? Axel was an important friend of mine. I wanted us to stay close from now on too.

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