As more time passed, the initial tension began to melt away, and the conversation grew increasingly lively. Just as I had seen when I visited Lilia-san’s estate, Kuro was naturally sociable and kind. Though the noble ladies had been paralyzed by her title as one of the Six Kings at first, they gradually opened up as they grew more familiar with her true character.
"Come to think of it, Kuromueina-sama..."
"Oh, you can just call me Chrome. What’s on your mind, Cornelia-chan?"
"Thank you, Chrome-sama. This may not be the most appropriate topic for a tea party, but since I have the rare honor of meeting you, I wanted to express my gratitude. Because you and the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company made your educational materials for magic tool technicians public, the Sharon Trading Company is finally able to implement a Technical Intern system."
"Oh, that’s wonderful. That’s exactly what I was hoping for, so I’m glad to hear you’re actually putting it into practice."
Cornelia-sama was referring to the Technical Intern system that my own parents were currently utilizing. I had assumed it was an initiative exclusive to the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company, but it seemed Kuro had shared the entire curriculum and training resources with other firms as well.
"The system Mom and Dad are using—you made all of that public?"
"Yeah. The original goal was to increase the number of magic tool technicians among humankind. We piloted it at my company first, and once it seemed solid, we shared it with everyone else. If I just hoarded all the talent at Seditch, the industry wouldn't grow. I wanted other companies to adopt it so we could increase the total number of human technicians. That way, healthy competition will push everyone to improve, and magic tool technology will advance across the entire Human Realm."
"It truly is a magnificent endeavor. The reality is that humankind lags far behind the Demon Realm in the field of magic tool creation. Humans with advanced technical skills are incredibly rare, so we are deeply grateful that you provided us with the proper educational methods and materials. The Sharon Trading Company doesn't have the massive capital of Seditch, so we can only take on a small number for now, but we plan to begin recruiting Technical Interns very soon."
"Mhm, mhm. I’m really looking forward to seeing those people grow and watching the community of technicians expand."
Kuro genuinely wanted to see magic tool technology flourish. She had even released some of her patents for free. The fact that various companies were now producing recording and video magic tools likely meant she was providing technical assistance to them as well.
In that moment, I truly felt the quiet dignity she possessed as the Creator of Magic Tools.
"By the way, they told me they were doing okay, but how are Mom and Dad really doing?"
"Akari-chan and Kazuya-kun are amazing. Since recording and video magic tools are based on technology from your world, Kaito-kun, we have to find ways to reproduce those effects through magic formulas. Those two already know exactly what the 'finished product' is supposed to look and act like, so they’ve been a massive help. There’s even talk that once they gain a bit more experience, we might put them in charge of their own team."
When I had asked Mom and Dad, they gave me humble, low-key answers like, "We’re working in a super white environment," but based on Kuro’s tone, they were actually quite successful. It made me happy to hear they were doing so well.
"The Sharon Trading Company is a major firm among the magic tool traders based in the Human Realm, and they even handle teleportation magic tools. I’m also looking forward to seeing their technical staff grow," Elis-san added.
"I see. So, among all magic tools, teleportation tools are the ones that are especially expensive and difficult to handle?" I asked.
"That’s correct. Between the complexity of the formulas and the requirement for high-quality magic crystals, teleportation tools are the absolute pinnacle of magic items. Even among the nobility, many Baron and Viscount families don't actually own one."
Elis-san’s explanation made it easy to understand. Teleportation magic tools were essentially the equivalent of hundreds of millions or even billions of yen. No matter how much of a noble someone was, they weren't something one could buy on a whim.
"My family doesn't own one either," Marie-san admitted. "Because of that, even traveling to the capital is quite an ordeal."
"Having one versus not having one makes a massive difference, doesn't it? By the way, Marie-san, how did you get here today?"
"I’m ashamed to say that the Baron Rich territory doesn't have a city large enough to host a teleportation gate. We also don't have the financial leeway to hire a mage who can use teleportation magic. I had to travel by carriage to a city with a gate, use that to reach the capital, and then rent a carriage once I arrived. For this party, however, Marquis Daughter Elis was kind enough to send a carriage to meet me at the capital’s gate, so I arrived in her personal transport."
That made perfect sense. Teleportation gates only existed in major cities. If you didn't have a personal teleportation tool, you had to travel to a gate city, warp to the capital’s gate, and then travel again from there.
Considering the income, teleportation shops would naturally only operate in large cities with high foot traffic. For those living in rural areas without the means to teleport, moving around the world must be incredibly taxing.
Serious-senpai: "Marie is diligently stacking up those stomach pain flags... Feed the Stomach Pain Devil information like that, and he'll punch you right in the gut with a face-full of 'goodwill'..."
Stomach Pain Warrior Biographies III
Ryze Rea Sinfonia Stomach Pain Power: 1 star (Including the Breakwater) Attraction: 1 star (Including the Breakwater) Durability: 5 stars Piteousness: 3 stars Amount of Stomach Medicine: 1 star Lack of Appearances: 5 stars
The Current King of the Kingdom of Sinfonia. Since Kaito lives in the Kingdom of Sinfonia, the foundation is firmly in place for him to suffer constant stomach pain... however, the vast majority of the Stomach Pain Incidents that occur in the kingdom are absorbed by Lilia. Because Lilia acts as a breakwater, Ryze rarely becomes a direct victim. This is a testament to the sheer suction power of the Strongest Stomach Pain Warrior, but it also means his own Stomach Pain Power is the weakest in his class. Does the food you eat at the cost of your sister’s stomach taste good, Your Majesty?
Chris Dia von Alcreasia Stomach Pain Power: 5 stars Attraction: 4 stars Durability: 3 stars Piteousness: 5 stars Amount of Stomach Medicine: 4 stars Future Risk: 7 stars
The Current Emperor of the Arclesia Empire. Among the three monarchs, she is likely the one who takes the most stomach-punching body blows from Kaito. During the Arclesia Empire Founding Anniversary Festival, the number of blows she sustained in a short period was staggering, earning her a high rank in Stomach Pain Power. Naturally, Lilia was caught up in it as well. Although she gave off a calculating aura when she first appeared, she has softened up as her romance ponkotsu traits emerged. Consequently, her stomach is now constantly under fire. Furthermore, the Stomach Pain Devil has recently been extending his influence toward the nobility of the Arclesia Empire, leading to grave concerns regarding future developments.
Laguna Dia Hydra Stomach Pain Power: 3 stars Attraction: 6 stars Durability: 6 stars Piteousness: 3 stars Amount of Stomach Medicine: 1 star Possibility of Resigning as King: 1 star
The Current King of the Hydra Kingdom. As the Hero Party's Problem Child (the lost one) and Super Problem Child (the chivalrous thief) have been very active lately, she finds herself struggling quite often. She did technically encounter a stomach pain incident of apocalyptic proportions when Shiro raided the festival... but as that happened in a parallel world and Laguna did not inherit those memories, she effectively dodged the biggest blow. Lilia, of course, inherited the memories and took a cross-world body blow from the parallel timeline. Laguna is quite sensible, so the conditions are ripe for her to be toyed with by K-Cases, but she possesses enough shrewdness to dodge the worst of it. While she suffers many minor aches, her ability to avoid the major ones means her Stomach Pain Power remains relatively low despite her high attraction.