Kays Translations

Chapter 5: Villainous aristocrat is given modeling magic

The next day,

I didn’t head to the fields for work; instead, I holed up in my room, engrossed in my tasks. 

I had been scolded by my mother recently, but my creative inspiration seemed boundless.

Unfortunately, it appeared that I, as a person, couldn’t resist that desire.

“Big brother, what are you working on this time?”

Perhaps it’s the age when she wants to know everything.

Wendy, done with her studies, entered my room and peered at the cluttered table.

“Uh, well, um, how should I explain this…”

There was no way I could explain to a young child that I was making weapons for killing people.

What would a Japanese person imagine upon hearing the word ‘weapon’?

A katana? While it carried romance, what I was creating was a contemporary, indisputably powerful weapon.

Yes, a gun.

Even so, without precise machining skills, it turned out to be a simple and crude structure.

It’s just a gun that looks like a staff with a handle attached to an iron tube. It’s far from being a machine gun.

The real ingenuity lies in the bullets. 

I’ve enchanted iron balls about the size of marbles with explosive magic. 

When you pull the trigger, magic flows into those iron balls, making them incredibly powerful.

Well, there’s a high risk of misfire, so it needs improvement, but…

Oh, dear, dear. How was I going to explain this to Wendy? I’ll have to come up with some convincing deception here.

“It’s a surprise for after it’s finished, you know.”

“Oh, come on, onii-sama, you’re so mean… Is there nothing I can help with?”

“Hmm, it requires bloodline magic like enchantment and shaping magic, you see.”

Only I, who inherited my mother’s bloodline, can use bloodline magic like enchantment and shaping magic. 

It’s just the way it is, a matter of lineage that can’t be changed.

“Mmm, I wish I could be helpful too.”

“You’re already plenty helpful. Mostly for motivation, you know.”

Being observed by my adorable sister oddly makes me work more efficiently.

“Aww, I want to try using bloodline magic too. Then I could create things together with you, onii-sama!”

“Hahaha, that’s quite…quite…”

“Onii-sama?”

“…”

“Onii-sama?! Your face looks weird!!”

Why, why didn’t I realize it earlier?

It’s there, isn’t it?

Anyone can use magic if they channel their magical energy, the kind of magic exclusive to my mother’s bloodline.

“That’s right, there’s that option!!”

Bloodline magic is a respectable kind of magic. It’s the target of enchantment magic.

I immediately crafted a spatula using shaping magic. I enchanted shaping magic onto that spatula with enchantment magic.

“…With this.”

I infused magic into the spatula and lightly touched the iron ball I had prepared as a material.

Instantly, the iron ball twisted and deformed like butter under the spatula’s touch.

“Haha, my prediction was right on point.”

The shaping magic, which previously required direct manipulation by hand, could now be used through a tool.

Processing techniques would undoubtedly move up a notch.

By creating molds with tools enchanted with shaping magic, it would be possible to mass-produce the necessary parts.

Improvements to magic-powered motorcycles should also progress smoothly.

Huh? Wait a minute? If shaping magic can be applied, maybe…

“Could it be… enchantment magic too?”

If enchantment magic could be applied to objects, wouldn’t anyone be able to use enchantment magic? 

If that were possible, it might be feasible to mass-produce swords and armor enchanted with magic, wouldn’t it?

—I shuddered at the thought.

Magical tools-turned-armaments were precious and had the convenience of easily empowering even the weakest soldiers.

…It’s probably best not to enchant enchantment magic with enchantment magic.

It’s a miracle that no one noticed this possibility until now.

“Onii-sama? Is something wrong?”

“Nope. With just a few words from you, Wendy, one of my worries was solved!! It feels amazing!!”

“…? I don’t quite understand, but if you’re happy, then I’m happy too!!”

My stepsister truly was an angel.

Probably the kind that attracted good fortune.

“I know, I’ll make anything for Wendy as a gift!! Is there anything you want?”

“Huh? Um, even if you ask me suddenly…”

“Come on, anything you’ve been struggling with, like during the time with the hairdryer?”

“Ah!!”

Oh, it seems there is something.

“It’s not something I want, but there’s something Martha-san has been struggling with!!”

“Martha-san?”

Martha-san was an elderly maid who handled the cleaning, laundry, and cooking around the house all by herself.

In a world where medical technology without relying on healing magic hadn’t advanced even a bit, reaching the age of seventy was a surprisingly long life. 

Yet, she was still an active and hardworking grandmother.

“Actually, Martha-san has been complaining about severe rough hands due to the water work recently. Laundry, in particular, has been tough on her.”

“…I see.”

There were no washing machines in this world. 

Frantically scrubbing dirt away with washboards was the norm here.

Alright, let’s make something for her!!

“Wait a moment. Let’s see, using a motor… Might as well add a spin-drying feature. Alright, let’s make it a retro-style washing machine with rollers. And while we’re at it, let’s attach a drying feature similar to a dryer’s…”

In just a matter of minutes, the item was complete.

“Tere-teretere, the washing machine with rollers!”

“Onii-sama, how do you use this?”

“Well, watch. First, press this switch while channeling magic through it.”

“Wow, water came out!!”

“And then, press the other switch, and the motor spins the items inside like crazy!! Dirt should come off!! Probably!!”

Honestly, I wasn’t sure how fast it needed to spin to get the dirt off, so I made it spin at high speed anyway.

Later, Wendy went to fetch Martha-san and presented her with the washing machine.

Martha-san was incredibly surprised.

With this, perhaps Martha-san’s rough hands would improve even just a little.

…I heard about it later. 

The motor spun so fast the washing machine went berserk.

Martha-san requested a retake with a deeply apologetic expression.

From now on, I should conduct thorough tests before handing anything to someone.

An explosion would indeed be a major disaster.

A few days later,

Father, who had settled in the forest with hunters to eradicate the wild dogs, returned to the mansion in a panicked state.

“Something terrible has happened!! Goblins have established a settlement in the nearby forest!!”

“W-What?!!”

Mother, who had been organizing documents, let out a scream-like cry, sweat forming on her forehead.

Goblins.

The threat of these small green demons was encroaching upon the Drana territory.

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