Chapter 126: The Magic Flute Craftsman of the Restored World
Kanzaki Hoseki is a top-tier magic flute craftsman of the current generation who oversees the workshops under the Arachne Group umbrella.
As the breadwinner supporting his family of three—his wife and daughter—and as one of Tokyo’s foremost magic flute craftsmen, Kanzaki devotes himself daily to crafting magic flutes in his workshop.
The magic flute is a transverse flute whose origins trace back to the wind instrument ritual magic ceremonial tools created over 80 years ago by the rare master craftsman 0933.
While the wind instrument ritual magic ceremonial tools were experimental devices made to produce unpronounceable sounds, the magic flute is created for artistic purposes.
The all-gremlin-made flutes, created by fusing and elevating geometric gremlin technology with wind instrument ritual magical ceremonial tool techniques, appear at first glance to be transverse flutes assembled from colored glass parts with metal reinforcements at key points, but they are fundamentally different from glass flutes.
Unlike ordinary flutes, when played, the magic flute moves magic power in response to the sound (though it does not become magic).
And that sound is extremely distinctive. According to elders who have lived since the previous era, it is a “cyberpunk electronic sound.”
To those who do not know the previous era, it feels like a luxurious, magical sound; to those who do know the previous era, it feels like a nostalgic tone that reminds them of a time when magic did not exist in the world.
This duality is the unique charm that only the magic flute possesses.
Because the magic flute requires several large gremlins as materials for carving out parts, the raw material costs must inevitably be reflected in the product price, making them unavoidably expensive.
The delicate processing requires a long time, and even a skilled first-class craftsman can only produce about one per month at best. Moreover, magic flute craftsmen require nearly ten years of training before they become full-fledged, so production lines cannot be easily increased.
The combination of high prices and low supply has positioned the magic flute as a high-end instrument for affluent families. Apparently, pianos held this position in the previous era, and children of wealthy old families typically enjoy both piano and magic flute. If someone only enjoys the magic flute, you can safely assume they are from a newly wealthy family.
The magic flute workshop Kanzaki belongs to was originally a large, well-known company among the wealthy, but it fell into sudden decline after the Shadow-Shedding Epidemic wiped out its first-class craftsmen root and branch.
The Arachne Group, led by CEO the Spider Witch, purchased the entire workshop that had fallen into management difficulties due to the loss of technical ability making magic flute manufacturing difficult, and supported them until the craftsmen became proficient and technical standards returned to normal.
The veteran craftsmen who had been there since before the acquisition cannot hold their heads high before the CEO. Kanzaki, who joined shortly after the acquisition, still clearly remembers the atmosphere at that time. It was as if a steel spider thread had descended into hell.
The Arachne Group is a corporate group centered on a top-tier apparel brand selling spider silk, with high capital power and stability. They had more than enough strength to support the heavily deficit-running magic flute workshop for several years.
Under the CEO’s policy, the Arachne Group occasionally acquires companies in dire straits. It is almost like a charitable endeavor.
The Witch’s discerning eye is reliable; half of the acquired companies steadily recover over time and begin generating stable profits.
The remaining half fail to sprout even with generous support and collapse, but proper bankruptcy procedures are followed, and they also take care of employees’ reemployment.
Being acquired by the Arachne Group does not guarantee success.
However, failure in a form that allows for recovery is guaranteed.
There is no more grateful arrangement than this.
There are countless corporate groups larger than the Arachne Group. But in terms of stability and trust from subsidiary employees, Kanzaki believes none can match them.
Even companies growing rapidly like shooting down flying dragons, seemingly prosperous, often carry bombs internally. Clarnom Company, which went bankrupt during last year’s Tiamat disturbance, was one such large company that scattered this way.
Kanzaki is grateful to the Arachne Group and to the CEO who always steadily supports the magic flute workshop. He well remembers when his daughter was born, she gave him a congratulatory bonus and skillfully arranged things so he could take childcare leave without worrying about his subordinates. His gratitude is endless.
Therefore, he gladly responded to the rare summons from headquarters by the CEO.
The CEO would say if it was bad news, and wouldn’t give false joy if it was good news. She is a witch capable of consideration and attentiveness.
When Kanzaki visited the group headquarters in Wakaba City in response to the summons, the CEO was already waiting.
In the large conference room, a bamboo blind was lowered, creating the huge shadow of the seated CEO beyond it.
The Spider Witch is a giant spider. She extremely dislikes having her form seen.
Even when coming to the office, she is no exception; during meetings with employees, she is always beyond the blind.
Since even the secretary has never directly seen her form, among related parties she is sometimes called “Beyond the Blind, Before the Presence.”
“Good morning.”
“Good morning. Thank you for coming today, Kanzaki-san. Make yourself comfortable… you seem well.”
“Thank you. I am most glad to see the Spider Witch-sama also looking well.”
“Thank you… your daughter is in her second year of middle school this year, right? It must be quite difficult in many ways…”
“You remembered? That’s right. She’s at a cute age, but lately she’s become rather cheeky.”
After the two chatted amiably for a while about worldly matters, the Spider Witch moved her massive body heavily and shifted, signaling the transition to the main topic.
“This is more of a personal matter than a company matter…”
“What is it?”
“You received an approach from Representative Gushiken, right? From the Witch Party…”
“Yes, I did. It was around the end of last year, wasn’t it?”
When he confirmed, the CEO affirmed from beyond the blind.
The Witch Party is the largest faction in the opposition.
They had long held power after sliding from the Witch Assembly to become the ruling party with the establishment of the new Japanese government, but gradually lost centripetal force with the witches’ retirements, and fell to the opposition triggered by the political failure of the Second Generation Seer.
Representative Gushiken is the adopted daughter of the Tobacco Witch.
At the end of last year, she was the representative who approached the magic flute workshop about magic flute production for cultural revitalization policy.
At that time, terms could not be agreed upon, and they declined.
“Could you possibly accept that offer now…? You declined because accepting it would interfere with normal operations, right…?”
“Ah, yes. That’s the gist of it.”
“If you split personnel half and half with Akasui-mon Workshop… how would that be?”
When asked, Kanzaki quickly calculated in his mind and nodded.
“In that case, it should be fine. The question is whether the other party will accept, but from our side, we can manage somehow.”
“Actually, I’ve already approached Akasui-mon Workshop… they said they’d accept if we do…”
“Wow, you work fast! If that’s the case, there’s no problem.”
“Are you really okay? If it burdens the craftsmen, please tell me…?”
“No, no, not at all. The craftsmen would be delighted to be of service to the Spider Witch-sama!”
While not entirely without lip service, ninety percent was Kanzaki’s true, unfeigned sentiment.
The capable CEO had more or less taken care of all employees.
He couldn’t miss an opportunity to repay that kindness.
“But why now? Did something change since last year?”
“It’s really a personal matter… I have something I want to get through the Witch Party… I want to move the conversation along smoothly…”
“I see. So that’s how it was.”
She seemed reluctant to be pressed too deeply, so Kanzaki did not pursue further.
Essentially, it was probably a political deal: “I’ll accept your offer, so accept mine.”
Kanzaki is a magic flute craftsman. Not a politician. If the CEO says to do it, he would exert himself as a craftsman. He need not delve deeply into the circumstances behind the scenes.
The conversation concluded and Kanzaki took a breath, but an even larger, longer sigh was heard from beyond the blind.
“…Are you tired?”
“Ah, sorry. Did it look like that…? I’m fine, don’t worry…”
The Spider Witch answered normally as if nothing was wrong, but Kanzaki became concerned.
Since around last spring, the Spider Witch had seemed somehow brighter in atmosphere.
Instead, he had overheard that she sometimes moved extremely busily.
Even Transcendents who surpass humans get tired. Physically and mentally.
Especially the Spider Witch is a woman who worries about others’ opinions and carries mental burdens. It is not unreasonable considering her instincts as a witch.
“If I may be so bold…”
After a moment’s hesitation, Kanzaki cleared his throat and spoke.
“The Spider Witch-sama is liked by far more people than you yourself think. Please have confidence.”
“Hm… I hope so… thank you for your concern…”
Though he had intended to show consideration, he seemed to have forced the gesture of appreciating a subordinate’s concern instead, leaving Kanzaki feeling frustrated.
Whatever he said to a seasoned witch who had lived twice his years would be preaching to the Buddha. Even thinking so, he wanted to do something.
Kanzaki decided to bring up a topic he had kept hidden, thinking he would be intruding too much on the CEO’s private life.
“Ah—this is a change of subject, but actually, my daughter has recently become interested in biology.”
“Is that so…?”
“By biology, I mean she enjoys keeping living things and going out to look for them. She has also said she would like to meet the Spider Witch-sama.”
“…”
“My daughter loves spiders. She would never be frightened even meeting the Spider Witch-sama. I assert this as her father.”
“…”
“How about it, would you meet her just once?”
“…I’ll think about it.”
The Witch answered calmly.
What state of mind this answer came from, Kanzaki could not discern.
The Spider Witch always stands quietly beyond the blind.
Alone, in silence.
He had heard she has friends.
But he only hears of old friends who are witches or demonfolk.
Though he is still a young upstart with shallow wisdom compared to a witch, Kanzaki thinks new encounters would be good too. Because she is such a good witch.
With parental bias, his daughter is a good child. She would surely be a good encounter for the Spider Witch. And a good encounter for his daughter as well.
He wished that even a few more people who could touch hearts with the Spider Witch beyond that thin yet thick blind would appear.
With this wish, Kanzaki left the conference room.