06-37 Each One, Afterwards 2
Content warning: mentions of sexual assault.
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The night passed, and it was now the following morning.
Beana was still worrying. More precisely, without sleeping all night before she noticed morning had come.
The Royal Secret Maid Lisa who was serving Beana sitting on a chair leaning against the backrest and sleeping.
“…Morning, huh.”
Beana muttered softly, left the room to wash her face.
The washroom was nearby in the hallway. There there was an artesian well from which water always flowed out.
Being March in the spring, the water was neither cold nor warm, a suitable temperature for her to rinse her mouth and wash her face. Then she realized she forgot to bring a towel.
But just then, from beside her someone presented her with a new towel.
“…Thanks.”
Must’ve been some maid, Beana thought, and took the towel without checking who it was, then she dried her face. Only after she opened her eyes did she realize it was Jin.
“…Jin.”
“Good morning, Beana.”
“G-good morning.”
For some reason it was a bit awkward. Beana then waited for Jin to rinse his mouth and wash his face.
“Jin.”
“What’s wrong, your eyes are all red. Did you not sleep well?”
After being asked so Beana hesitated for a moment, then,
“…Earl Kuzuma, he proposed to me.”
She confessed. To that, Jin replied,
“Oh, right.”
And to his reply, Beana said,
“Jin, you knew?”
“Yeah, I heard it from Elsa last night.”
“From Elsa, I see.”
Elsa looked downwards and looked like she was about to talk but then closed her mouth again, until finally after repeating that process multiple times,
“Hey, Jin…what do you think?”
After great pains she managed to voice the question.
“About Earl Kuzuma’s proposal, huh… I…congratulate you.”
“Eh…”
“Kuzuma’s a good person. He isn’t injust and doesn’t discriminate, and the people under his rule also think so. Looking at his employees too, there’s no one odd. If you were to marry him, no one would look down on you, I think.”
“…”
“Even the Prince asked you to be his partner with such enthusiasm. I’m sure that Kuzuma can bring you happiness.”
“Jin…”
From his words, she could sense Jin’s feelings towards Beana. However, it wasn’t romantic love. It was familial love, moreover like towards a little sister.
She completely understood it. She was made to understand it.
“H-hey, Beana?”
For a moment she looked down, but when she raised her head she was smiling. Then,
“Thanks, Jin. I’ve come to my decision. I’ll accept the Earl’s proposal.”
She said. And then, she suddenly hugged Jin,
“Jin, I like you.”
She said only that and separated from him, then,
“Thanks for everything until now. From now on, let’s keep on being good friends.”
She said that and ran off.
Jin didn’t really know what to think of Beana’s behavior just now, and was left behind dumbfounded.
＊ ＊ ＊
Mine was pondering.
Mine knew that Elsa –of whom she had thought “she’s a child, just a child”– had, before she knew it, grown to the verge of adulthood; now she was wondering what to do.
She had obscured the truth from Elsa by saying ‘had an adult relationship’, while in fact it had been a more overbearing, one-sided development. She had been forced against her will. One time after the other.
Remembering that, her mistrust of nobles and mistrust of men gained strength.
And now what to do with Elsa after this.
She was born a noble’s daughter, and furthermore she had two elder brothers so her fate was to sooner or later be married into another family.
If her partner was a good person and loved Elsa it would be fine, but.
“That person…”
She unconsciously spoke out loud.
“…Doesn’t think of Elsa as just a tool.”
＊ ＊ ＊
“Now then, Reinhardt-dono, Jin-dono, go ahead.”
Jin and Reinhardt were explaining the countermeasures against [Subordination Rewriting Magic] to the Minister of Magic Kelhidore and other officials from the magic department.
First Reinhardt explained the way of sheltering the Magi Device with materials that resist letting Magic Energy through. For now the carapace of an Armor turtle was effective.
“Oh, I see, if you think about the materials a little it is simple to do.”
Materials that dampened Magic Energy could be put to use as it is, however it just required a bit of time for remodeling. In addition, as the dimensions of mass-produced Magi Device models’ cases were known, mass producing the dampeners would also be feasible.
Next was Jin’s explanation.
“With the intention of not letting Magic Energy inside, I developed this Shield Case.”
Jin said, and took out the sample he prepared and placed it on the table.
“The surroundings are made out of Mithril that easily lets Magic Energy diffuse through it. On the contrary, that means it doesn’t easily emit the Magic Energy it has absorbed.”
“Indeed, reasonable.”
“Leaving it like that, since something unexpected could happen if it was to saturate, so a Magi Formula that, along with converting magic to Magic Energy, releases Magic Energy into the surrounding air has been carved on it.”
“Oooh.”
The Minister of Magic Kelhidore made an approving sound.
“Finally as insurance, having a Magi Tool that naturally absorbs released magic it should be good.”
Jin showed the Magi Recorder and brought the explanation to an end, and Kelhidore gave a round of applause.
“Nay, it’s excellent work, Jin-dono. Your method is reliable but expensive and time-consuming. Reinhardt-dono’s method is simple to do and also has a high performance. How about using Jin-dono’s technique for important and high-powered battle golems, and Reinhardt-s technique for the rest of them?”
No one objected to Kelhidore’s proposal.
＊ ＊ ＊
It took until nearly dusk for Jin and Reinhardt to be released from the task of guiding the remodeling of the golems.
“Jin, how about we go wash off the sweat from the work?”
Reinhardt said and invited Jin to bathe. Jin who loved bathing agreed without a second thought. They headed straight to the bathroom.
The dressing room always had towels at the ready, and maids came to take the stripped clothing and wash them, then dry them using magic.
“Aah, my fatigue just disappears.”
For almost a whole day, just continuously offering guidance was enough to tire them.
“Indeed. However, I preferred your bath in Kunlun Island.”
Reinhardt said that the hot spring whose water came from underground instead of a hot bath whose water was heated felt better. Jin agreed. The feel of the water was different.
“It’s good if Beana finds happiness.”
Reinhardt muttered a few words while immersed in the hot water.
“You heard?”
“Uh-huh, at noon from Lewis.”
Louis was Earl Kuzuma’s name.
“Surely if it’s Earl Kuzuma he can make Beana happy. I hope so.”
“I think so too.”
Reinhardt then kept talking.
“Tomorrow’s Elsa’s birthday though.”
“Eh? That’s awfully sudden.”
Jin was surprised as Reinhardt said so. Certainly, some time ago in Elias Kingdom’s capital Borgia it was said that her birthday was coming soon, so he had a hunch.
“Sorry. Telling you about it got delayed under the confusion of the golem party and other complications.”
“There’s that gem you bought for her that one time and it should be enough, but…”
Jin thought. Then, he remembered about the object that Elsa was interested in which looked like a pretty dagger.