Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 147: Experimenting with the Hair Piece and the Strongest Formation (Part 1)
“It’s finished. This is the ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece’ from the Hero World.”
“…Is this the item I asked for?”
“When I wear this, it hides my ears and horns, right…?”
A few days after receiving the request, I showed the new hairpiece to Mabel and Erte-san.
We were in the living room at home.
On the table were two hairpieces.
One was for Mabel, and the other for Erte-san.
Mabel and Erte-san were both staring at the hairpieces with surprise.
That was probably because they looked like ordinary hair extensions.
Normally, no one would think these could hide horns or elf ears.
But this is a powerful transforming hairpiece that uses the same technology as the ‘Body Pillow.’
“Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece” (Rarity: ★★★★★☆)
(Attribute: Water-Water, Wind-Wind, Light)
Thanks to strong water attributes, it has a smooth texture and flexible transformation ability.
Thanks to strong wind attributes, it has excellent breathability.
The light attribute allows the surface color and patterns to change freely.
A hair extension-type hairpiece created through alchemy.
The embedded magic stones are preloaded with Mabel and Erte-san’s magical power.
Using that power, the hairpiece takes on the appearance of their natural hair.
It uses the same system as the previously made ‘Body Pillow.’
(Since the area that transforms is small, it can maintain transformation for long periods.)
The “Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece” is meant to be attached near the ears or horns.
It’s highly breathable, so it doesn’t affect hearing.
Once attached, it transforms to hide the original ears or horns and creates human-like ears or smaller horns. Since it is constantly supplied with the user’s magic, there’s no time limit for use.
Comes with a safety mechanism.
Physical damage resistance: ★★
Durability: 1 year
“So, that’s how it works. Erte-san, would you like to try it on?”
I handed the hairpiece to Erte-san.
“There’s a clip at the base of the hairpiece, so attach it by clamping it onto your hair. One on each side, around where your horns are.”
“I-I understand.”
Nodding, Erte-san attached the hairpiece above her ears.
As she clicked the clip into place—
“…Something’s… squirming on top of my head.”
“Here’s a hand mirror.”
“Thank you… Huh? Eh, eeeeeeh?!”
Erte-san’s eyes widened as she looked into the mirror.
The hairpiece was automatically covering her horns.
In the blink of an eye, her horns were hidden within her hair. What remained was hair styled into a bun.
Then, part of the hairpiece transformed into the shape of horns.
They were much smaller than her original ones—about half the length of a thumb.
They peeked out just a bit from behind her ears.
“T-This is… me? I look just like a human…”
In an instant, Erte-san had completely changed her image.
From a horned demonkin woman, she now looked like a human.
As expected, items from the Hero World are amazing.
Just as the ‘Mail-Order Catalog’ description said, it “naturally covers parts you’re concerned about.”
No false advertising here. That’s the magic of Hero World items…
“What do you think, Erte-san?”
“It’s strange. My horns have shrunk… but it doesn’t feel unnatural at all.”
Staring into the hand mirror, Erte-san muttered in amazement.
“My original horns are naturally hidden within my hair. The horns created by the hairpiece feel just like the real thing. It’s incredible…”
“Mabel, what do you think?”
“There’s no sense of artificiality at all… I’m amazed.”
Mabel’s eyes were wide with surprise.
“The horns made by the ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece’ don’t look fake at all. It really feels like Erte-san’s horns just got smaller.”
“It’s amazing how much your appearance can change with just one hairpiece…”
Erte-san moved the hand mirror around, checking her horns and hair.
She looked serious… but the corners of her mouth were slightly curved.
Yeah. Looks like she likes it.
“You can adjust the horn size.”
I continued explaining.
“By channeling magic into the magic stone and tapping it, the horns will extend or shrink. I’ll explain how later, so please adjust it to your preferred size.”
“O-Okay.”
“Also, as a safety feature, you can switch to a no-horn appearance.”
“A safety feature?”
“Yes. Use it when you want to completely pretend to be human.”
That function was added just in case.
Erte-san will be working at the trading post from now on.
People living in the borderlands might be used to different races, but some of the people from the Empire might be hostile toward demons or demi-humans.
To prepare for encounters with such individuals, being able to appear fully human will be very useful.
The people of the Empire know little about non-human races.
If she looks the same, they won’t be able to tell whether Erte-san is human or not.
It should help her fool them and get through dangerous situations.
“…You thought that far ahead, Alchemist-sama?”
“I believe this ‘Hairpiece’ has many possible uses.”
I think it might even be useful to Princess Sophia.
If we give her a ‘Hairpiece that lets her disguise as an elf,’ she could escape from those targeting the human… Princess Sophia…
It’s quicker to put on than the ‘Cosplay Pajamas,’ and much less bulky.
It’s an excellent item that can even handle unexpected trouble.
That’s what this “Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece” is all about.
“…And that’s why I think this, along with the ‘personal alarm’ and ‘hair dryer,’ belongs in the top three security items.”
That’s what I explained to Erte-san and Mabel.
“Of course, we’ll be making new items in the future, so the top three might change. But for now, I think this one makes the cut.”
“…A-As expected of you, Alchemist-sama.”
“…So this ‘Hairpiece’ is also suited for danger avoidance.”
Both Erte-san and Mabel widened their eyes in surprise.
I shrugged and said,
“Well, either way, I plan to give this to Princess Sophia too. She can use it when she visits the Demon Realm for fun. And knowing her, I’m sure she’d enjoy disguising herself as an elf or a demon… at least, that’s what I think. What do you think, Mabel?”
“Yes. I feel the same way as you, Thor-sama.”
Mabel nodded.
She’s met Princess Sophia multiple times too.
She must know that the princess is quite friendly.
“If Princess Sophia disguises herself as an elf, and Erte-san and Mabel disguise themselves as humans… and if they start moving back and forth between the Demon Realm and the borderlands, I think it would deepen the exchange between the people in the borderlands. That’s what I’m hoping for.”
Before I realized it, I found myself saying all that aloud.
“If that exchange continues… then maybe eventually, the people of the borderlands won’t care about racial differences anymore… That’s what I’m wishing for.”
A princess from the grand duchy, occasionally appearing as an elf—
A demon like Erte-san, who works at a trading post, sometimes taking on a completely human appearance—
If that sort of interaction becomes normal, maybe the people of the borderlands will stop worrying so much about appearances or races.
The local lord, Princess Sophia, is pretending to be an elf just for fun.
It would really reduce resistance against demons and demi-humans.
If that happens, exchange between the Demon Realm and the borderland people will surely expand.
We’ll gain more allies for the Demon Realm too.
Even now, Princess Sophia and Dorothy-san are pretty much already on our side.
“…Well, that’s what I’ve been thinking.”
“…………”
“…………”
Huh?
Why do both Mabel and Erte-san look so dumbfounded?
“Thor-sama… You had that kind of hope riding on this hairpiece!?”
“Y-Yeah. I mean, I hope it turns out that way.”
“A-Amazing! Thor-sama!”
Mabel grabbed my hand, clearly moved.
Her fingers were slender and a little cold.
She knelt in front of me, looked up, and said:
“I-I’m truly glad I met you, Thor-sama. I’m proud to be able to assist you. I never imagined this ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece’ held such meaning…”
“Of course, the hairpiece’s original purpose is to let you and Erte-san move freely between the human world and here.”
“I-I know. Still… even so.”
“And also, wanting to increase understanding of the Demon Realm is part of my goal to ‘surpass the Hero.’”
The otherworldly Hero who was once summoned changed this world.
It was his fault that demons and demi-humans were driven to the northern lands.
It’s also because of him that the Empire became a strength-focused nation, and why interactions between humans and the Demon Realm decreased.
So by encouraging exchange between people from the Demon Realm and the borderlands, we’re also working to rebuild the world that the Hero changed. It’s part of surpassing the Hero.
At least, that’s what I believe.
“Anyway… Sorry, Erte-san. I went off topic.”
I turned to Erte-san.
“In any case, I believe this ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece’ will be useful to you. Please use it to shorten the distance between yourself and the people of the borderlands.”
“Thank you very much. I’ll treasure it.”
Erte-san murmured with what seemed like genuine emotion.
She placed a hand on her chest and bowed.
Then, as if something suddenly occurred to her, she said:
“Also… I think your vision is admirable, Alchemist-sama. However… I do have one concern.”
“A concern… something you’re worried about?”
“Yes. It’s about the risk of this hairpiece being lost or stolen.”
Erte-san said:
“This allows disguising as a human, demon, or demi-human. If it falls into the wrong hands… someone might use it to infiltrate the Demon Realm. I believe we should prepare countermeasures.”
“…I see.”
She had a point.
Using this hairpiece, a human could disguise as a demon or demi-human—and vice versa.
It makes visual distinctions meaningless.
Thinking about it that way… yes, countermeasures for theft or loss are absolutely necessary.
“As expected of Erte-san. A brilliant insight.”
“N-No… I feel bad as if I’m criticizing something you went to the trouble of making…”
“Not at all. I’d prefer to hear lots of feedback. It can even help improve future magic items.”
“Y-Yes. I’m relieved to hear that.”
“Then let me explain how to use the anti-theft system built into this hairpiece.”
“Yes. Please explain how the anti-theft—huh?”
Erte-san’s eyes widened in surprise.
“U-Um, Alchemist-sama?”
“Yes?”
“You already built in countermeasures?”
“Of course. Just in case something like this happened, I incorporated an anti-theft system into the ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece.’”
“T-Then… why did you praise me!?”
“Eh, well, because it was still a valuable opinion.”
“…I-I see…”
“Also, people like you, who give critical feedback on items, are extremely valuable. Just like how Chancellor Lord came up with the idea for the ‘spherical cleaning robot,’ if you keep sharing ideas, Erte-san, maybe someday I’ll get a hint that leads to creating something truly extraordinary.”
“…………”
Huh? Erte-san?
Why are you leaning your forehead against the wall and sighing?
Why are you slowly shuffling toward the pillar…?
“…That’s right. This is the kind of person the Alchemist-sama is. No wonder Uncle Kelve gets headaches…”
“Um, Erte-san? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Cooling my head on the stone wall helped me calm down.”
“I’m glad. Well then, let me go ahead and explain how the anti-theft system works.”
I pointed to the magic stone at the base of the “Natural Volume-Enhancing Hairpiece.”
“At the base of this hairpiece, two magic stones have been embedded. The larger magic stone is the source of magical power used to transform the hairpiece itself. The other one is for registering magical power.”
That one, attached to the metal fitting, was a really tiny magic stone.
Erte-san’s magical power had been registered into the magic stone meant for registration.
“In order to activate the ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing-Enhancing Hairpiece,’ it must be worn by the person who initially registered their magical power. If someone else puts it on, dummy horns or ears won’t appear.”
“I see… As expected of the alchemist.”
“However, just in case that wasn’t enough, I’ve added another safety mechanism.”
I took out a random magic stone and poked it with my finger.
“You see the magic stone on the hair clip part, right? By tapping it with your fingertip, you can control the length of the horns. If you don’t know this, the hairpiece is basically useless.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Try tapping the magic stone with your finger—tap tap.”
“…Tap tap. Ah… the horns extended a little.”
“To shrink them, tap rapidly—tap-tap-tap. Do it quickly.”
“I did it. So this is how it works…”
“Once you get used to it, you should be able to freely extend or shrink the horns.”
“Tap tap… tap-tap-tap. I see. This is quite interesting.”
“This is the second safety mechanism.”
“If someone doesn’t know how to use it, they won’t be able to disguise themselves as a demon or demi-human. In order to transform—tap tap, tap tap…”
“Exactly. Random tapping won’t activate it.”
“I think that’s a wonderful safety feature.”
“Right? Even if someone tries to use it without knowing the proper way—tapping it continuously like tap-tap-tap-tap-tap or tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap…”
“Yes. Even if someone taps like tap-tap-tap-tap-tap or tap-tap-tap-tap-tap…”
“──It’ll just go haywire and won’t let you disguise as a demon or elf. It’s safe.”
“──It only causes a malfunction and can’t be used for disguise. That makes it safe… huh?”
Whoosh.
Erte-san’s horns grew.
Downward. Like the branches of a tree.
The horns wrapped themselves around Erte-san’s arms.
“A-Alchemist-sama!? My arms are restrained!? I can’t move at all!?”
“T-Thor-sama, what is the meaning of this!?”
Oops. I explained things in the wrong order.
“This is the third safety mechanism. If someone tries to use it without permission, it restrains the user.”
“H-How can I release it!?”
“I’ll release it. Mabel, hold Erte-san’s body.”
“Y-Yes.”
Mabel wrapped her arms around Erte-san’s waist to support her body.
Then, I reached toward Erte-san’s ear. I pinched the magic stone on the hairpiece with my fingers and pressed it. A long press for ten seconds.
Shurun.
The hairpiece stopped moving, and Erte-san’s horns began to shrink.
In several dozen seconds, everything returned to normal.
“…This is the third safety mechanism of the ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing-Enhancing Hairpiece.'”
“…………”
“If someone tries to use it after stealing it, the horns and ears extend and restrain the wearer.”
“…………”
“I think it’s a safety feature that prevents misuse and simultaneously apprehends the culprit—two birds with one stone… is that not acceptable?”
Come to think of it, Erte-san is also responsible for evaluating the magic items I make.
If that’s the case… maybe this was too much.
It went haywire and restrained Erte-san, after all.
I guess it can’t be helped if the ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing-Enhancing Hairpiece’ gets banned…
“…No, I think it’s a necessary safety mechanism.”
To my surprise, Erte-san quietly nodded.
“This is something that would be terrible if stolen. I understand your reasoning, Alchemist.”
Sitting on the floor, holding her chest, Erte-san wore a calm expression.
She was surprised, but it seems she still appreciated it as a safety mechanism.
“However… was there no other kind of safety feature? That’s the only thing that concerns me.”
“Well…”
“Yes. I understand this is a highly advanced item, so it’s not easy…”
“That’s true. Mabel’s hairpiece only works for someone wearing a specific accessory. Maybe I should’ve used the same system?”
“Wait a minute. There’s such a system!?”
“Ah, yes.”
Mabel always wears her ‘Pendant of the Water Spirit Stone.’
Her ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing-Enhancing Hairpiece’ is keyed to activate only when that pendant is worn.
“T-Then, why is mine the kind that malfunctions if you press it wrong!?”
“Because you go to more dangerous places, Erte-san. So I thought the safety mechanism should be stronger.”
“U-Ugh… th-that is… reasonable.”
“And besides, don’t you think having horns grow and restrain enemies looks cool?”
“M-Mmm… it is… barely reasonable!”
Erte-san nodded with a “hmm, hmm, hmm” kind of expression.
“I understand. Then, since I also have a bracelet, could you make it the safety mechanism for the ‘Natural Volume Hairpiece’?”
“Understood.”
“And… please leave the system where the horns extend to restrain enemies as is.”
“Is that all right?”
“I-I believe I understand romance to some extent as well. I can see that it’s cool. Being with the Alchemist-sama… it feels like that sense might go out of control, which is a little scary…”
Saying that, Erte-san fell deep into thought.
Then, she straightened her posture and said,
“Well then, let me thank you again. Thank you for granting my wish.”
Erte-san bowed deeply to me.
When she raised her face, she had a somewhat bashful smile.
“I understand the Alchemist-sama’s feelings now. By using this ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing ,’ I promise to do my utmost for the sake of friendship between the Demon Lord’s domain and the people of the borderlands!”
With a serious expression, Erte-san made that declaration.
And so, Erte-san’s version of the “Natural Volume-Enhancing ” had finally reached the stage of practical use.
Using the experiment as a reference, I should now move on to creating the version for Lukie.
Though… it might be better to start after things settle down with the trading post.
Rukie did say she wanted to see the hairpiece in person to inspect it.
It would be better for both of us to do it when we can make time.
“Well then, next let’s test Mabel’s ‘Natural Volume-Enhancing .’”
“…Um, Thor-sama.”
Holding the silver “Hairpiece” in her hand, Mabel looked at me as if pleading.
“As for me… if possible, I’d like you to see me putting it on when we’re alone.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’ll be wearing this when I go with you to the ‘Town of Nosa’…”
Blushing slightly and looking a little embarrassed, Mabel added,
“I’d like you to check if it looks natural when paired with different outfits, and worn in various ways… Thor-sama, I’d like your opinion as much as possible, in as many styles as possible.”
“I see. Yeah, got it.”
I nodded.
“Then, how about tonight? After we finish General Reisenga’s request.”
“Y-yes. Tonight would be perfect. Thank you very much!”
I already had plans during the day, after all.
Today, I’m supposed to show General Reisenga the ‘Traffic Cone’ formation.
I was originally planning to do it at the trading post, but the general said, “I’d like to confirm the safety first.”
I’m not planning to do anything particularly dangerous though.
This formation is just a modified version of the ‘Traffic Cones’—with some cones styled after the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Kirin. The only other thing is aligning the formation with the cardinal directions.
Also, when we tested with a few cones, it just changed the flow of magical energy. Well, we hadn’t activated the cones’ intimidation ability at that time, though.
Knowing the general, he’s probably thinking about whether this could be used in actual combat.
As expected of one of the strongest warriors in the Demon Lord’s domain.
The experiment is scheduled for this afternoon.
The location is a grassland near General Reisenga’s mansion.
I figure the general and Agnis are probably starting preparations by now.
“Well then, shall we head out too?”
“Yes, Thor-sama.”
“Th-then, as the official in charge of the trading post, allow me to accompany you as well.”
And so, the three of us headed to where the general and Agnis were.