Chapter 44: Code Names and the Refrigerator, Improved

The mock magic swords, now integrated with enhanced magic circles for sharpness, could no longer be casually referred to as mock magic swords. Thus, they received individual code names.

The mock magic swords with a priority on duration were named “Felis Type 1,” those prioritizing sharpness were named “Enhanced Felis Type 1,” and the mock magic spears were named “Felis Type 2.”

By the way, the name “Felis” was derived from the scientific name for a cat, “Felis.”

Selfers insisted that since Isamu developed them, he should be the one to name them. However, Nicolette suggested whether they couldn’t choose names related to cats, leading Isamu to come up with these names somehow.

The development of Felis Type 1 greatly excited the members of the Knight Order. However, there was one person whose excitement soared even higher – Julius, the eldest son of the Klaufeldt family.

Julius was still just ten years old. He rarely crossed paths with the others except during breakfast, and he appeared to be a bright and reserved young boy.

According to Annemarie, this was in line with Julius’s image. While he had decent athletic abilities, he didn’t seem to have much interest in martial arts like swordsmanship and combat skills.

During breakfast, when Selfers was discussing the results of test cuts and showing the real mock magic swords, Julius became deeply interested.

“Father, if I were to join the Knight Order, would I be able to use these magic swords?” 

He asked Selfers with shining eyes.

Selfers, who never expected to be asked by his son about joining the Knight Order, responded with a question. 

“What? Julius, are you interested in magic swords?”

“Yes! Don’t they look like the sacred swords carried by the heroes in epic tales? I would love to try using them!”

Even though they were just mock magic swords, in Julius’s mind, they were on the level of sacred swords.

“Alright, it’s not necessary for you to join the Knight Order, but if you seriously practice swordsmanship and become proficient in handling these magic swords, I will grant you the privilege,” 

For whatever reason, Selfers was pleased that his son had developed an interest in swordsmanship. He said it with a smile as he squinted his eyes.

“Really? Thank you! From today, I will devote myself to swordsmanship even more!” 

Julius responded, clearly delighted with his father’s conditional approval.

Seeing how happy Julius was, Isamu chimed in.

“Then, when Julius-kun becomes proficient with the mock magic swords, I’ll present you with an original one.”

This statement raised Julius’s excitement even further. 

“Isamu-sama, is it really true? That’s amazing! Having my very own magic sword is like a dream! I’ll work hard, so please look forward to it!”

“Sure, work hard on your swordsmanship,”.

“I understand!”

Selfers watched his son, who was now full of enthusiasm, and couldn’t help but smile.

From that day on, Julius began to focus more on swordsmanship, just as he had declared. When the news of Isamu planning to present Julius with an original magic sword spread throughout the Knight Order, it turned into a widely circulated rumor.

By the time the rumor reached Isamu’s ears, it had evolved into something that said, “The most skilled swordsman in the territory would be recognized and given a personalized magic sword.”

While Selfers heard the rumor as well, he decided to leave it be, thinking that it was an amusing story without causing harm. After this incident, the Knight Order of the Klaufeldt territory saw a significant increase in the length of their voluntary training.

Meanwhile, alongside the experiments with mock magic swords, they were also customizing refrigerators using urethane foam (temporary).

Just as Isamu had feared, it appeared that refrigerators didn’t have anything like temperature-sensing sensors; they operated based on a simple structure that continuously emitted cold air.

As a result, they abandoned the idea of developing an energy-efficient refrigerator and decided to customize refrigerators along two lines.

“This one is the ‘large refrigerator’ with an increased capacity, while this one is the ‘high-performance refrigerator’ with enhanced cooling power,” 

Two prototypes were sitting in front of Eto as he said this.

“For the larger one, we tried several different sizes, and this size was determined to have the same cooling performance as the current model.” 

Guido pointed out, from a chef’s perspective, that if you simply increase the size and the cooling rate changes, it will be extremely difficult to handle and people won’t be able to buy it.

Therefore, they were looking for a size that would provide the same cooling sensation.

As a result, it was found that a size about 1.5 times the size was the perfect cooling method.

Previous refrigerator boxes had the capacity of a one-door refrigerator for a single person, so now the capacity has been reduced to that of a slightly smaller two-door refrigerator..

“So, in the case of the high-performance refrigeration unit that can produce ice at the temperature requested by Isamu and at the maximum size, it’s not this size.”

Conversely, the powerful refrigeration unit designed to freeze at a smaller size was about the size of a mini-fridge found in a business hotel. Even if they made it smaller, they had concluded that it wouldn’t get any colder because the temperature of the generated cold was already fixed.

“That’s great! If it can make ice properly at this size, it’s perfect, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. It’s smaller and takes more time compared to an ice maker, but it’s expensive, and the fuel efficiency is also poor. I have a feeling this could sell well.”

They actually wanted to create a freezer with lower temperatures, but unfortunately, the cooling performance of a regular refrigerator reached its limit when it came to producing ice over an extended period.

Even if they made it smaller, the temperature produced by the refrigerator was limited. It was probably around -1 or -2 degrees Celsius.

However, the price of a separate ice maker was more than three times that of a regular refrigerator, and it consumed magic stones at a voracious rate within a few days. On the other hand, with the modified refrigerator using the existing magic circle, the magic stones would last for just under a month.

There was enough demand for such a substitute, and it would likely extend the shelf life of products such as meat and fish.

“So, are we good to release both of these? Since the magic circle is an existing item, there is no need to register it, and I think it is easier to sell than a stove” 

Willem, who had taken on more administrative tasks asked, holding a memo in his hand.

“Yes. However, I’m considering that it might be better to release these as joint-developed products rather than as our own products,” 

“Joint-developed?” 

“Yes. If these products hit the market, I believe the sales of existing refrigerators will likely plummet. It may not affect ice makers as much as refrigerators, but there will still be an impact. Consequently, companies currently selling refrigerators will see a sharp decrease in sales. As for magic stoves, there isn’t much competition, so it should be fine,”.

“I understand that, but isn’t it natural for good products to sell, and there’s not much we can do about it?” 

Willem asked, still not fully grasping Isamu’s point.

“It’s true, but I don’t intend to make a fortune with this. There are plenty of other products we can develop. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to joint-develop these to gain favor rather than monopolize them and attract the attention of other companies and nobles?” 

“Ah kukuku, I see now. I see what you mean. ‘This kind of product,’ you say. With Isamu-san’s abilities, selling favors like this might be a small price to pay. It’s quite interesting. Typically, when a new magic tool is created, people go to great lengths to monopolize it and maximize profits. Yeah, joint-development sounds good, doesn’t it?” 

Willem, who had been puzzled, now seemed to fully understand and agree.

“The final decision will depend on Selfers-san and Nicolette-san, though. Can I communicate this policy then? By the way, how many companies and noble houses are making refrigerators?” 

“Well, among the major ones, there are about three companies. Nearby, I think the Kalenberg family put a lot of effort into it,” 

Willem responded. Given the connections he had throughout the kingdom through magic circles, he was quite knowledgeable about the situation.

For Isamu, who is completely ignorant of the circumstances of this world, this is a blessing.

“Kalenberg? That’s the family you mentioned before, right? Are they known for artifacts?” 

“Yeah, that’s right. They have a large ruin near Bellecoure, so I’ve had dealings with them quite a few times. I believe the original refrigerator was also an artifact that came from that ruin,” 

“I see, a local family… In that case, let’s consider the Kalenberg family as the top candidate for joint-development. Please pass this along to Selfers-san and the others,”

“Understood. I’ll communicate this with them and finalize the plan, considering the Lord and Lady as well.” 

The following day, after hearing the report from Willem, the lord and lady of the territory were somewhat surprised by the proposal. Their initial impression seemed to be that it was a waste. However, after hearing Isamu’s statement about “this quality of product,” they burst into laughter and wholeheartedly accepted the proposal. And so, regarding refrigerators, they decided to initiate joint-development efforts centered around the Kalenberg family.

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