Kays Translations

Chapter 143: “Testing the Effects of the Lotion (Part 2)”

—Meanwhile, in the town of Nosa—

This is the residence of Princess Sophia in the town of Nosa. The reception room.

After the completion of the lotion, I made an appointment to meet with Princess Sophia.

So, Agnis and I came to town, showed the “MAX Silky Smooth Lotion Premium” to Princess Sophia and Dorothy-sama, and explained its effects.

Princess Sophia was impressed, but Dorothy-sama seemed a bit skeptical.

So, we decided to have her actually try it out first.

We dropped a diluted version of the “MAX Silky Smooth Lotion Premium” on the back of Lady Dorothy’s hand to check if it suited her skin.

After confirming there were no issues, we handed her the whole bottle.

After that, Dorothy-sama moved to a separate room to use the lotion more thoroughly, and then—

“This… this is! What a wonderful sensation!”

—As soon as she returned, Dorothy cried out in delight.

“I must apologize for doubting you earlier, Alchemist-sama!”

And she did so while kneeling formally.

Dorothy deeply bowed her head, then smoothly slipped into a formal kneeling posture.

In the hero’s world, this was the very respectful “dogeza” posture—kneeling with one’s forehead on the floor—and she bowed again.

“This lotion has solved my worries! The areas that used to itch when I wore clothes now feel completely fine. No tingling, no prickling. It’s wonderful!”

“Alright, alright. You don’t need to kneel like that.”

“Y-Yes…”

Dorothy stood up.

Then, spreading her arms wide in front of me, she said:

“As an apology, I will offer myself as your test subject, Alchemist-sama. Please, go ahead and tickle me!”

“…Excuse me?”

“W-Well, according to Her Highness, you always personally confirm the effects of your magical items.”

“Yes, I did mention that,” Princess Sophia nodded in response to Dorothy-sama’s words.

“During your meetings with the Demon Lord and during the ‘Magic Beast Investigation,’ you were always at the front lines, personally verifying the effectiveness of the magical items you created. I passionately spoke of your courageous figure to Dorothy-sama.”

“So please, verify the effect of this lotion using me.”

Dorothy said this with sparkling eyes.

In other words, “Please tickle me,” apparently.

It seems Dorothy-sama was genuinely moved by the effects of the “MAX Silky Smooth Lotion Premium.”

She must have really struggled with sensitive skin.

She trained hard to sharpen her sense-detecting skills, and as a result, became extremely sensitive. I can’t even imagine how difficult that must have been.

Moreover, Dorothy-sama is the younger sister of the next Archduke.

For someone of such high status to offer herself as my test subject shows serious determination.

Honestly, I respect her for it.

And for me, having Dorothy-sama as a test subject is helpful.

If she’s that ticklish, she’s the perfect person to confirm the lotion’s effectiveness.

I’m also curious about how exactly the lotion changed her skin. In that case, I need to respond to her resolve as well—

“Yes! That experiment will be conducted by Agnis, Thor-sama’s loyal aide!”

—Just as I was thinking that, Agnis suddenly raised her hand.

“Things like that should be done by Agnis. Otherwise, Her Majesty or Mabel would get mad!”

“Is that so?”

“It is so!”

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

“And also…”

Agnis leaned in close to whisper in my ear.

“Her Highness Princess Sophia is standing behind Dorothy-sama with the lotion bottle in hand… It’s really bothering me. It’s like she’s saying, ‘I’m next.’”

“…True.”

When I looked in that direction, Princess Sophia quickly hid the bottle behind her back.

She wore a calm smile, but there was definitely something scheming about it.

“If Thor-sama were to tickle Dorothy-sama, and then Her Highness said, ‘Now it’s my turn,’ it would be hard to refuse. That would be very dangerous…”

“As expected of Agnis. A strategic mind straight from General Reisenga.”

“No, this isn’t a strategy or tactic. It’s a girl’s intuition.”

“…Intuition?”

“If I were in the same position, I’d be lining up behind Dorothy-sama, too—n-no, anyway, I believe it’s best for Agnis to conduct the experiment.”

“Got it. Then I’ll leave it to you, Agnis.”

And so, Agnis gently tested by tickling Dorothy.

Dorothy-sama stood with her arms spread wide, eyes closed, as if steeling herself.

When Agnis touched the back of her hand—

“How does it feel, Dorothy-sama?”

“I can feel Agnis-sama’s touch. But it doesn’t tickle at all.”

With a blink, Dorothy-sama’s eyes widened.

She nodded repeatedly, clearly moved.

“It’s as if I’ve returned to the time before I began training to heighten my senses. I’m being touched naturally and feeling it normally. My sensitive skin and ticklishness are completely gone!”

“How about your sense-detection skill?”

“That works normally. Thanks to the lotion, I can now control the sensitivity. This is amazing!”

Good.

It looks like the “MAX Silky Smooth Lotion Premium” is working exactly as intended.

Well, since it’s an item from the hero’s world, I wasn’t too worried.

Plus, the winged fairies—Pixies—all worked hard on this.

If it had failed, it would have been due to my own shortcomings. I’m really glad it succeeded.

“Now then, Agnis-sama, no need to hold back. Please, continue… Hmm? Oh my?”

──Or so I thought, when Dorothy tilted her head.

“Is something wrong, Dorothy-sama?”

When I asked, Dorothy touched around her armpit area and said,

“No, it’s just… the sensation inside my clothes…”

“Is it still prickly?”

“That part’s fine. I’ve been using a strong moisturizing lotion on the itchy areas.”

“…Huh?”

When I asked, Dorothy looked over at Princess Sophia.

In place of Dorothy, who was hesitating with an embarrassed expression, Princess Sophia spoke up,

“I shall explain on her behalf. Miss Dorothy has sensitive skin, so she was feeling an itchy sensation where the straps of her undergarments touch her skin.”

“I see…”

“Yes. That’s why she’s been wearing strapless underwear, but it seems there was still a bit of irritation. So she applied ‘MAX Silky Smooth Lotion Premium’ a little more thickly on the areas where it touches her skin.”

Princess Sophia explained calmly.

Dorothy’s earlobes turned bright red as she whispered into Sophia’s ear.

“…I see, the underwear slipped and is gradually falling down.”

“Y-Your Highness! Why are you saying it out loud like that!?”

“I have nothing to hide from Thor Canaan-sama!”

Princess Sophia declared confidently.

Decisively—and for some reason, with a great deal of dignity.

“Besides, to Dorothy-sama, Thor Canaan-sama is someone who helps her with her sensitive skin issues. He’s like a doctor. One should not feel embarrassed to report their symptoms to a doctor.”

“W-Well, yes… That might be true, but… wah, wahhh!?”

“Miss Dorothy?”

“N-No, it’s just… um, the underwear… It’s slipping further!? It won’t stop falling!?”

Dorothy clutched desperately at her chest.

Could it be…?

“Miss Dorothy, you said you used the lotion a bit thickly—did you dilute it with water? You didn’t use it undiluted, did you?”

“Of course not. I mixed water and lotion, about a 1:1 ratio…”

“…What?”

“Actually, I spilled a bit of the lotion on the table… and I didn’t want to waste it, so I used a cloth soaked in water from a dish to mix and apply it. I didn’t think it would be a problem…”

“Ah. That’s the cause, then. In that case, Agnis and I will step outside.”

I turned my back to Dorothy.

“While we’re gone, please wash off the lotion.”

“Eh? Eh? Eh?”

“A 1:1 ratio is practically undiluted. Your underwear is definitely going to fall off.”

“Eh—eeeeeeeh!?”

“We’ve already tested that, by the way.”

Diluting it with ten times the amount of water… that ratio wasn’t something we just guessed.

Mabel, Agnis, and I experimented and came up with it through trial and error.

It was a tough road to get there.

We tried using it undiluted on our hands, slipped, and couldn’t get back up.

Then Mabel, trying to help, slipped and fell with me.

Mabel’s underwear dropped straight down. We applied the lotion to Agnis and released fire magic to test how much heat the lotion could withstand. Because the lotion’s effects didn’t change with heat, Agnis ended up in quite a situation…

Honestly, if we hadn’t been engaged, it could’ve been a huge problem.

That’s how we figured out the proper ratio of 1 part lotion to 10 parts water.

“Please follow the instructions and dosage from now on. Understood, Dorothy-sama?”

“Y-Yes… I’m very sorry.”

“Alright, then Agnis and I will be waiting outside.”

After warning about the proper use of ‘MAX Silky Smooth Lotion Premium,’ Agnis and I stepped into the hallway.

Five minutes later—

“…I’m terribly sorry for the trouble.”

When we entered the room again, Dorothy bowed her head deeply.

“I’ve truly experienced the power of an alchemist’s item… with my own skin. I’m so sorry. I don’t think I deserve to use this lotion…”

“No, no, I made it for you to use. Please go ahead.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Of course. Thanks to this, I now understand that when giving it to others, it should be diluted tenfold first.”

Still, when you dilute it ten times, the quantity becomes a lot.

For people like Dorothy who use it regularly, managing it becomes troublesome. It takes up space, and you need a lot of bottles.

That’s why I gave it to her undiluted… but clearly, there needs to be an improvement.

So this wasn’t just Dorothy’s mistake—it was also mine.

After all, Mabel, Agnis, and I made plenty of mistakes during the lotion tests… Oh right, we agreed to ‘pretend those didn’t happen.’

Anyway.

“What will you do? If you promise to properly dilute it to ten times with water, I’ll give it to you as is. If that’s too hard, I’ll take it back and give you the diluted version.”

“Of course, I promise to follow the instructions properly!”

Dorothy nodded with a serious expression.

“On the honor of Dorothy Listan, I swear! If I lie or fail, I will accept any punishment!”

“Please allow it, as well, Thor Canaan-sama.”

Princess Sophia followed up on Dorothy’s words.

“I will personally ensure that Dorothy-sama uses the lotion correctly. Also, I will keep the secret of this lotion safe. So please, may we keep the undiluted lotion as it is?”

I see.

Well, if Princess Sophia is vouching for her, then it should be fine.

“I understand. Then, please use it carefully.”

In the end, I decided to give her the lotion in its undiluted form.

“If you dilute the contents of that bottle tenfold, it should last for a while. It might even help cure your sensitive skin. If it doesn’t, I’ll come up with a better solution.”

“Truly… thank you very much.”

“But I’m glad you were able to wash it off quickly. This lotion is quite potent, and it’s usually hard to remove. I’m impressed you managed to wash it off in just five minutes?”

…Huh?

Why are you averting your eyes, Dorothy-sama?

And why are you holding down your jacket and skirt…?

“I would also like to thank you on Dorothy-sama’s behalf.”

Princess Sophia stepped forward and bowed her head to me.

Meanwhile, Dorothy, her face bright red, was hiding behind Princess Sophia.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could I also receive some of that lotion?”

“Of course. There’s still a little left at the workshop, so if that’s okay with you—”

“That would be more than fine. In fact, just using it once should be enough—”

“…Your Highness Sophia?”

“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, I just remembered something important.”

As if it had just come to mind, Princess Sophia clapped her hands.

“We received new correspondence from Archduke Kharon. I shall relay the message to you as well, Thor Canaan-sama.”

With that, Princess Sophia retrieved a letter from the shelf.

She nodded toward Dorothy before opening it.

“It seems there’s been some movement in the Imperial Capital. As expected, the High Officials’ Council will also be conducting an investigation into ‘that box’. According to Archduke Kharon, a unit specializing in stealth and capture techniques will be deployed.”

“Stealth and capture techniques…?”

“I’ve heard of them when I was in the capital. They’re a special forces unit serving the imperial family.”

I see.

The Empire places importance on many types of strength—swordsmanship, magic, projectile weapons, and so on. It makes sense that the imperial family would employ a unit skilled in stealth and capture tactics.

“We will also be conducting our own investigation into ‘that box’. Dorothy-sama’s ‘Lady Omawarisan Unit’ will be in charge, so we should find some clues soon.”

“Y-yes. We’ll be handling that.”

Behind Princess Sophia, Dorothy nodded repeatedly.

“We don’t intend to cause any trouble for the Demon Lord’s territory. However, if something were to happen to us… and the cause is unknown, it could lead to confusion.”

“That’s why you’re sharing this information with us.”

“Our Grand Duchy and the Demon Lord’s territory have a friendly relationship, after all.”

Dorothy said that, offering a somewhat awkward smile.

Seeing that, Agnis also smiled.

Until now, the Demon Lord’s domain had no real allies to speak of.

So, for Miss Dorothy—related to Archduke Kharon—to call it a ‘friendly relationship’ must have made them happy.

“I understand. I’ll report all of this information to Her Majesty the Demon Lord.”

I said.

“And… just in case, I’ll also prepare countermeasures in the event something does happen.”

“Thank you very much, Alchemist-sama.”

“Oh, right. There was one more thing I meant to give you all.”

Princess Sophia took out several documents.

They bore the crest of the Grand Duchy and her own signature.

These are—

“‘Residence Permits’?”

“That’s right. I had them made so the people of the Demon Lord’s territory can freely enter and leave the town of Nosa and its surrounding areas. Of course, with Archduke Kharon’s approval.”

The documents contained the following statement:

‘The bearer of this letter is a dear friend of mine, Sophia Dolgaria.
I take full responsibility for both the bearer and their companions.
Please treat them with the utmost respect.’

There were several written notes, each bearing the names of me, Agnis, and Mabel.

As expected, there wasn’t one addressed to Rukie.

Well, if it had said something like “This person is Demon Lord Rukie Evergarde,” the townspeople would have been shocked. Can’t be helped.

“I was originally planning to give these to you after the meeting with Her Majesty the Demon Lord, but as a token of thanks for the lotion, I’ll hand them over now.”

“Thank you, Princess Sophia.”

“Thank you very much!”

Agnis and I both bowed our heads to Princess Sophia.

She really is incredible, Princess Sophia.

She’s showing through written correspondence that the Demon Lord’s Domain and the Grand Duchy are on friendly terms.

With this, exchange between the Demon Lord’s Domain and the towns and villages near the border should progress.

For us, this is more than we could have hoped for.

“I’ll inform Her Majesty the Demon Lord of this and make sure she thanks you properly.”

“No need, that lotion is thanks enough.”

“But that was just leftover stock. You deserve something more proper from Her Majesty—”

“The lotion will be fine.”

“…Your Highness?”

“I’d truly like to have just a little of that lotion. If Thor Canaan-sama could deliver it, that would be more than enough.”

“Y-Yes. If that’s all right with you…”

“It’s no problem at all. Yes, it’s a promise.”

Princess Sophia took my hand, hooked her pinky with mine, and began the “yubikiri genman” — a pinky promise passed down in the Hero’s World. With “yubikitta” (pinky cut), the promise was sealed. She smiled in satisfaction.

“Well then, if we receive any information about ‘that box,’ we’ll let you know right away.”

“Y-Yes. I’ll be counting on you, Princess Sophia.”

“Please do!”

Something about this feels a little off… but, well, whatever.

If Princess Sophia wants the leftover “MAX Silky Smooth Lotion Premium,” I don’t really mind giving it to her. She was originally in poor health, after all. She probably wants to take care of her skin.

With that, we left the mansion, being seen off by Princess Sophia and Dorothy-sama.

Sometime later—after we’d left the town of Nosa, Agnis suddenly stopped walking.

“…Thor-sama.”

“What’s wrong, Agnis?”

“Actually… I’d also like a bit of that lotion.”

“Huh? Didn’t you say, ‘It’s too hard to use, so you don’t need it’?”

She had quite a time during the testing phase.

The swimsuit made from “Earthweave Cloth”… no, I decided to seal away that memory.

“Just in case.”

With a serious expression, Agnis declared this.

“I think I should also train in handling that lotion, just in case. How should I put it… Princess Sophia seems to be coming up with a new way to use it…”

“I’m not really sure what you mean, but… yeah. That’s fine.”

I said it was leftover… but honestly, there’s still quite a bit left.

When I tried to use up all the fairy tears, it ended up making a large quantity.

It’s just sealed away because it’s hard to find a use for it.

“Also, you don’t have to be so formal about it. After all… we’re engaged, right? You can use it freely if you want.”

“…Thor-sama.”

For some reason, Agnis turned her head away with a pout.

“Thor-sama sometimes catches me off guard.”

“…I do?”

“You do.”

“Got it. I’ll be careful.”

“…No need to be careful.”

Saying that, Agnis took my hand.

“Even that side of you… Agnis accepts it. Because Agnis is… your fiancée.”

“…I see.”

“…Yes.”

Before I realized it, Agnis and I were holding hands.

We left the town and were on the way back to the Demon Lord’s Domain.

In the forest near the border, General Reisenga’s men were waiting for our return. If we keep walking like this, they’ll definitely see we’re holding hands. But somehow, I didn’t feel like letting go, and so, hand in hand, we stepped into the forest.

“…Hey, Agnis.”

“Yes, Thor-sama?”

“Your skin is already so smooth… do you really need lotion?”

“…Thor-sama, you really don’t understand a woman’s heart.”

Saying that, Agnis flashed an oddly fearless smile.

“That’s why, from now on, Agnis will… teach you, together with Mabel.”

“…Please go easy on me.”

“Yes, Thor-sama!”

And so, in the end, we stayed hand in hand all the way back to General Reisenga’s mansion.

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