Chapter 527: A Meaningful Smile

After enjoying a leisurely tea with Sophia-sama and Erwin-sama, I returned to my room. It seemed this was the first time either of them had tried gathering materials, and both frowned as they admitted it was more difficult than they had anticipated.

“It might be tough for beginners,” I said. “Especially with medicinal herbs—there are several weeds that look very similar. I suppose it’s one of the herb’s survival strategies. To hide, they blend in with ordinary weeds.”

Like us, they had found a few antidotal herbs, but magical herbs remained elusive.

I had expected as much. To obtain magical herbs, one would have to venture deeper into the forest. Perhaps tomorrow, we could send a small, elite group to the forest’s heart—though Erwin-sama might object.

In that case, Fabienne would have to stay behind. Lionel would need to be on guard during that time.

With still some hours before dinner, I decided to focus on making phonographs next. Perhaps two, one for Sophia-sama and one for Giovanni-sama. This would be my second time crafting them, so it should go smoothly.

The real challenge lay in the recordings. Calling a local orchestra would be ideal, but that wasn’t feasible on such short notice. How would we handle that? Well, I reasoned, Sophia and the others would figure it out. A classic case of delegating everything, really.

Back in the room, I began assembling the phonographs immediately. With all the materials at hand, the construction itself wasn’t a problem. The problem was that making them identical to the prototype would result in plain, unremarkable magical devices—hardly suitable as gifts for royalty.

Even for Giovanni-sama’s presentation to the king, the appearance needed to be impressive.

“Fabienne, I think we should add some decorations, don’t you?”

“That might be wise. Ultimately, it will be the royal family handling it, correct?”

“I suppose so. Though I’m not sure if Giovanni-sama will actually part with his copy.”

Knowing Giovanni-sama as I did, I had a feeling he wouldn’t. He would probably display it proudly at home, treating it as a sacred relic from me.

Even showing it off to the king? That was bold, but not beyond Giovanni-sama.

“In that case, we should make three in total, including one for the king,” I decided.

“…That makes sense. We can’t make things difficult for Giovanni-sama. His version should match ours. If we tell him it’s identical to mine, he’ll be thrilled.”

Fabienne and Nero both watched me, their mouths pressed into tight lines. Understandable. Giovanni-sama’s devotion to me was clearly reflected in their expressions.

First, I crafted three phonographs in identical form. Then, I worked on shaping each exterior with sheet metal to give them a more refined, three-dimensional finish.

The phonograph for Sophia-sama I adorned with roses and a holy sword. I was particularly proud of the rose detail. Fabienne complimented it, so I added roses to the ones we used as well. She was ecstatic.

For the gift destined for the king, I incorporated the Spencer Kingdom’s flag and national flower, subtly weaving the letters of “Spencer” in an anagram-like pattern. This would clearly mark it as royal property—and no thief could mistake it for anything else.

“That’s done. Now we just need to decide on the music to record. An orchestra would be ideal, but…”

“You really are remarkable, Julius-sama. To finish crafting a magical device before dinner is astonishing. And it’s right here before our eyes,” Fabienne said.

“Well, it’s not my first time making one. Once you’ve done it, it’s manageable.”

Both Fabienne and Nero smiled—smiles that carried a hint of mischief. It was a little unsettling. Did they think I wasn’t human? No, that couldn’t be it.

More pressing was the music. Without a recording, there was no demonstration possible.

“Calling an orchestra now is difficult. Why not play the piano yourself, Julius-sama?”

“Me? I’m not a musician. Would anyone enjoy my performance? Besides Giovanni-sama, I mean.”

Again, those enigmatic smiles from Fabienne and Nero. A little intimidating, I must admit. Were they silently judging me? If they had something to say, they could just speak up—I wouldn’t get mad.

“Julius-sama, your piano playing is on par with, no, even surpasses professional musicians. Everyone would be delighted,” Nero insisted.

“I think that’s an exaggeration, Nero. And please, don’t tell anyone I played the piano. Fabienne, that goes for you too.”

Fabienne hesitated. I had never seen her make such a face. Did she really like my playing that much? It seemed the effort I had put into honing my piano skills had paid off.

If they were so insistent, then I would perform. It would be perfect for demonstrating the phonograph.

So, until dinner arrived, I played various pieces on the piano in the room. Every piece was met with delight, making them suitable for the recording.

When it was finally time for dinner, we carried the phonographs to the dining room with satisfied smiles. The cooks were busy arranging the dishes, and it seemed dinner itself wouldn’t be ready for a little while.

Sophia-sama and Erwin-sama had already arrived, so I decided to present the phonograph first.

“Sophia-sama, the phonograph is complete. Here, please accept it.”

Each phonograph was unique, so there was no risk of confusion. I handed her the one crafted just for her. Lionel, who had quietly come to stand beside me, looked on in astonishment. Seeing the other two phonographs on the shelf against the wall, his surprise deepened.

“Julius-sama, when did you… have time to make all three?”

“Apparently, I did, Lionel.”

We whispered a bit, but then I realized Sophia-sama and Erwin-sama weren’t reacting. Did they not like it? Fabienne tugged at my sleeve, guiding my gaze toward them.

…Both of them were frozen, staring intently at the phonographs. I didn’t think it was that shocking. Perhaps I was the only one thinking that.