Kays Translations

Chapter 458: The Water Boiler

Brother Alex and Sister-in-law Daniela looked around the workshop before heading towards the shop. They were apparently going to inspect the products being sold by the Heine Trading Company, so we parted ways for a while.

Come to think of it, they had mentioned at dinner yesterday that the stock of magic potions was running low. That was certainly cause for concern.

It made sense. Of the craftspeople affiliated with the company, only Fabienne and I could compound magic potions. If both of us were away for more than a month, the stock was bound to run out. I thought I had prepared plenty in advance, but that only showed how popular the Heine Trading Company’s potions had become.

I would have to discuss it with Fabienne. She probably wanted to spend several days with her family, so I needed to choose the timing carefully.

“Lord Julius, which glass pens were popular in the royal capital?”

“The ones whose colour changed gradually attracted a great deal of attention. The pens with sparkling gold leaf inside were popular too.”

“I see. Those were also the first items to sell out in our shop. I thought they might do well in the royal capital, and it appears I was right.”

So they had begun thinking not only about developing products but also about how well those products would sell. Many of them had once been stubborn craftspeople concerned only with their craft, but now they were looking at matters from a broader perspective. That was an excellent development.

After that, they proposed improvements to several magic tools. Every suggestion aimed to simplify, lighten or miniaturise a tool without reducing its original functionality.

Naturally, I approved them at once. The changes would lower production costs and make the tools easier to carry. We could sell them as new models.

Their final proposal was an entirely new magic tool.

“I see. A magic tool that boils water automatically.”

“Yes. We made a prototype, but it continued boiling until it became dangerous. We added a whistle to announce when the water had boiled, but people sometimes failed to notice even that, so it still caused problems…”

It seemed development had stalled there. An automatic water boiler would be extremely convenient and would probably be popular among household servants.

Even in ordinary homes, being able to boil water easily at any time could improve hygiene and perhaps help tea-drinking culture spread.

“May I take a look?”

“Of course. It is this way…”

“This is…”

It had clearly overheated; part of it had melted. The sound mechanism used the steam produced by the boiling water to make a whistle-like noise. It should have produced a high-pitched peep-peep.

The underlying idea was very good. They had come within a single step of completing it, but they had not noticed the final trick.

It would be a shame to shelve the project in this state. Perhaps I could offer one small suggestion. Of course, I had no intention of becoming directly involved.

“What if you used the steam pressure to switch it off automatically?”

“Switch it off?”

“Yes. Put the switch in the same place as the whistle.”

The idea was to have the steam pressure operate the shut-off switch. The mechanism itself was not especially difficult; the only delicate part would be adjusting the switch’s resistance.

Hmm? The craftspeople’s eyes suddenly widened. Why had everyone fallen silent?

“I see! I would never have thought of that. We only need to put the switch here. Who would have imagined using the steam pressure to operate it…”

“As expected of Lord Julius! This could work!”

“Let us begin the improvements at once!”

The craftspeople began talking excitedly. Just when I assumed they would perform the modifications themselves, they brought the materials and tools to me. Apparently, I was expected to improve it. Why?

But I could not resist their expectant expressions. With everyone looking at me like that, I could hardly say, “I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Keeping the prototype’s basic shape, I altered it into a slightly taller and slimmer form. It was made of iron. Copper would conduct heat better and boil the water faster, but it was also more expensive.

The goal was a convenient magic tool that even ordinary households could afford. This was an opportunity to make magic tools familiar to the general public. Once people became accustomed to them, their desire to buy other magic tools would surely grow.

I made it quickly and completed the device. Its name was simply Water Boiler. It shut itself off automatically when the water boiled.

“It’s finished.”

“This is incredible!”

“That was far too fast!”

“As expected of Lord Julius… You are on a completely different level.”

Ugh. Because I already knew the original idea, I had made it far too easily. I should have restrained myself and said, “Now refine it so that it is easier to use.” It was too late to realise that now.

“Lord Julius, let us test it at once!”

“Y-yes, let’s.”

The craftspeople, their eyes sparkling like the first star in the night sky, brought over some water. They poured it into the boiler and pressed the switch. The water immediately began to heat. As expected of the heating magic circle, it boiled quickly.

In no time, the water came to a boil and the switch clicked off. At the same moment, a melody played: pin-pirorin, pin-pirorin, pin-pirorin. It was a modified version of the sound used in the chime magic tool.

“The switch turned itself off…”

“A sound played…”

“That makes it easy to tell when it is ready!”

All the craftspeople began speaking excitedly at once. For some reason, I kept hearing them praise me.

But wait. The original idea for this magic tool had come from the craftspeople. I had merely made a few adjustments. It did not feel right for me to receive all the credit.

Wasn’t that strange? I looked at Nero, but he was giving me the same expression as the craftspeople—one that said, “As expected of Lord Julius.” How had it come to this…?

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