The Marquis’s wife, Anna, had brought her three daughters with her.
"I am Irene Lapi Kuzuma."
"I’m Mavis Eme Kuzuma!"
"And I’m Pamela Jas Kuzuma!"
The three girls pinched the hems of their skirts and performed elegant curtsies.
The eldest, Irene, was ten years old; she had bright brown hair and brown eyes just like her mother. Eight-year-old Mavis, the second daughter, took after her father with blonde hair and blue eyes. The youngest, seven-year-old Pamela, possessed brown hair and blue eyes.
"I am Shin."
"I am Reko."
"And I am Lise."
Jin and the others introduced themselves and bowed in return.
As a side note, Jin had previously heard that children were called by childhood names until they entered social circles around age ten, but that custom was limited to royalty. Among common nobility, childhood names were not used.
Lise began her examination immediately.
She started with the eldest daughter, Irene.
"Lady Irene is healthy. There are no latent factors present."
Hearing this, the Marquis and his wife looked visibly relieved.
"Lady Mavis is also fine. Similarly, I find no latent factors."
Their expressions softened even further.
Finally, Lise examined the youngest daughter, Pamela.
"...This is..."
"!?"
"...Lady Pamela has developed Mana Overload Syndrome. It hasn't manifested externally yet, however."
"What did you say!?"
"Ah... So it was true..."
Anna looked devastated. The Marquis’s face also clouded with sorrow.
"?"
Pamela herself didn't seem to understand the gravity of the diagnosis.
"Lady Pamela, have you been feeling unwell lately?"
Lise asked gently, but Anna answered for her.
"No. Her appetite is normal, and she seems perfectly fine when she’s playing."
"Have you already tested her magical aptitude?"
"Only Irene’s so far. We were told she has the potential to become a mage."
In this era, a "mage" was the general term for a magic-user.
While the term "magi" still existed, "mage" had become the mainstream term recently, with "magi" typically reserved for those who specialized in magical research.
(Language really does evolve over time,) Jin mused to himself.
"Oh... What are we to do, Dear?"
Anna’s worried voice snapped Jin back to the present.
Jin motioned for Reiko to follow him to a corner of the room. He whispered into her ear.
(Reiko, contact Laojun and have him send another bottle of that medicine.)
Since it was Reiko, she could read Jin’s intent perfectly just by the movement of his lips.
(Understood.)
Answering briefly, Reiko contacted Laojun through her internal manacam. Within thirty seconds, a small medicine bottle appeared in her hand.
Jin considered his next move. Handing it over right here would be far too suspicious.
(Since the symptoms haven't surfaced yet, I'll craft a magi-device to suppress the condition for now, then find a way to have her drink the medicine secretly later...)
In any case, Jin decided that he couldn't administer it in front of everyone.
"Your Excellency, as I mentioned earlier, I am capable of crafting a magi-device that suppresses Mana Overload Syndrome. If the young lady wears it, there should be no immediate cause for concern."
"O-Oh, that’s right! Master Shin, I’m counting on you! I don’t care what it costs. Please, save Pamela."
"I shall....Is there a workshop available?"
When Jin asked to start working immediately, the Marquis gave his permission.
"Of course. You may use the workshop inside this mansion. Feel free to use any materials you find there."
The steward, Question, added a clarification.
"It is the Craft Queen Workshop, which has been passed down through our family for generations....My Lord, are you certain?"
"Yes. I shall trust Master Shin and his companions. Ques, please show them the way."
"As you wish, My Lord....Master Shin, please follow me."
"Then, Your Excellency, if you will excuse us."
With that, the three of them were guided to the Craft Queen Workshop.
＊ ＊ ＊
"It is here....Since neither the previous generation nor the current one produced a magi craftsman, it has remained unused for about fifty years."
Question explained this to Jin. It seemed that as a branch house, Beena's bloodline had thinned, and their aptitude for magi-craft had declined.
However, the interior of the workshop was magnificent.
"The quality of the materials is excellent, and the tools are well-maintained."
There was no rust or discoloration to be seen; Jin suspected they had been treated with Stabilize.
"The Golem Maid Chief, Merine, cleans and maintains the facility regularly."
Since Merine was a golem maid created by Beena herself, she continued to fulfill that duty.
"Let’s see... Oh, this magi-crystal looks perfect."
Jin noted that since Blue Land had productive mines nearby and the House of Marquis Kuzuma now managed them, high-quality materials were likely easy to acquire.
In truth, the Marquis was against such favoritism and insisted on acquiring materials at market prices through official channels.
The stone Jin picked up was a light-attribute magi-crystal about the size of a thumb.
"I’ll use this one."
Jin made sure to inform Question. Even though the Marquis had said he could use "anything," it was often the case that those on-site had different ideas.
"And also, some of this mithril and copper."
"Yes, that is fine."
"Thank you."
With that, Jin began his work.
First, he added a small amount of copper to the mithril to create an alloy. It was what is known as "925 silver"—an alloy of 92.5 percent mithril and 7.5 percent copper. Otherwise known as sterling silver.
It was far more durable than pure silver.
Jin used it to craft a chain for a pendant. Yes, Jin was making a pendant this time rather than a bracelet.
He reasoned that since Pamela was still a child, she would quickly outgrow a bracelet.
Furthermore, the reason he chose mithril over ordinary silver was to ensure superior magical conductivity.
"...!"
As a steward of the House of Marquis Kuzuma, Question possessed a modicum of magi-craft knowledge. Watching Jin produce a delicate necklace chain in the blink of an eye made him want to scream in astonishment.
Oblivious to the steward's shock, Jin moved on to the pendant head.
Incidentally, the difference between a necklace and a pendant is that "necklace" refers to the entire category of accessories worn around the neck, while "pendant" comes from the word "pend," meaning to hang. It is an accessory that hangs from a chain.
A pendant is characterized by the chain or cord forming a "V-shape" under the weight of the ornament.
Jin processed the magi-crystal into a simple yet elegant teardrop shape and fixed it into a mithril setting.
"There, that should do it."
Before Question even realized what was happening, complex magi-formulae had been engraved into the magi-crystal. Combined with its natural clarity, the crystal now emitted a multifaceted brilliance.
(A technique that incorporates the magi-formula into the decoration itself... I have never heard of such a thing.)
Watching Jin’s crafting process was a non-stop series of surprises for Question.
"And finally..."
Applying a Surface Treatment to the mithril gave it a shimmering, silvery-white luster. With that, the work was finished.
Jin did not apply Stabilize.
While it would prevent oxidation and sulfidation over the long term, it also hindered magical conductivity.
He decided it would be better to simply ask the Golem Maid Chief, Merine, to keep it polished.
Roughly ten minutes had passed since they entered the workshop.
"The necklace and pendant for Lady Pamela are complete," Jin said, calling out to the still-paralyzed Question.