A Creative Alchemist Enjoys His Freedom – After Being Banished from His Hometown, He Is Now Free to Create Magical Items with Incredible Effects Under the Control of the Demon King - Episode 53

Episode 53: “Thinking about trade and distribution in the Demon King’s territory”

　──Thor’s point of view──

　A few days after we visited the Western Forest,

“Sorry to keep you waiting.The light-winged fairy (pixie) Soleil came to help with the experiment!”

　Light winged fairy (pixie) Soleil came to my room.
　Her complexion and skin tone were much better than before.
　The body, whose magical circulation had improved, was shining faintly.
　The clothes of the magic woven fabric of light seemed to be almost transparent.

“Soleil will use any light offensive magic for the alchemist-sama. So so, please give me your orders!”
“Thank you. I will contact His Majesty the Demon King before the experiment.”

　I immediately had the winged fairy fly over to deliver the message.

    The experiment on the 『UV-cut Parasol』 was to be carried out in the presence of Demon King Luquier.

　The reply came back quickly.
　It seemed that Luquier and the others were already preparing to depart.
　Soon, the Demon King Luquier and Chancellor Kelve-san would arrive in Raizenga territory.

“I can’t believe Her Majesty Luquier Evargard and His Excellency the Chancellor are coming here together!”
“I, I’m nervous.”

　Upon receiving the news, General Raizenga and Agnis hurriedly began preparing a welcome party.
　It was rare for both Luquier and Kelve to come to the territory together, so we all decided to welcome them together.
　Besides me, Mabel, and the people of the Raizenga territory, the winged fairies were also invited to the party.

　That was why I suggested creating a space for the winged fairies at the party venue.
　I thought that if we created a space by the window where no one could see and placed beverages and snacks there, even the shy winged fairies would be able to join the party.
　If it was near a window, the fairies could get in and out easily.

“I see! As expected of Thor-dono. I’ll arrange for it right away!”

　General Raizenga agreed without hesitation. He was a good guy.
　If we left it to the General, the welcoming party would be a great success.

　After the party was over, an experiment on the 『UV-cut Parasol』 was scheduled to take place that same day.
　That was what mattered to me.
　According to the letter from Luquier, it seemed that the Empire was going to do something again near the border, so before that happened, I wanted to test whether the parasol could block light-attribute magic.

　Therefore──

“It’s okay if I don’t attend the party. Mabel.”
“How could that be?! Thor-sama.”

　Mabel looked at me with a shocked face.

　This was my room, located in a corner of the General’s mansion.
　A few more days had passed since then, and today was the day of the party.
　Luquier and Chancellor Kelve had already arrived at the mansion. I met them and talked to them.
　After that, Mabel started to prepare to join the party──

　It seemed I couldn’t be absent after all.

“Okay. I’ll explain why I don’t want to go to the party, so listen carefully.”
“Yes, Thor-sama.”
“A long time ago, I attended a party for the children of aristocrats in the Empire.”

　I said that.
　Mabel looked as if she had just realised something.
　It seemed she also understood why I was not good at parties.

“This was when I was still in the Duke’s household. The people in the party were all children of nobles, and they all had strong fighting skills.”
“……I can understand.”
“The Empire is a society where those who have the ability to fight are respected. I didn’t have any fighting skills, so… I didn’t have a very good experience at that party. My father… Balga Regus, was there too.”

　I remembered very well what he said to me when the other kids looked down on me. I didn’t want to remember it, but I couldn’t forget it.
　I swore that when I became a parent, I would never say such things to my children.

“That’s why I feel I’m not good at parties. Of course, I know that the people of the Demon King’s territory don’t look down on me, but I just don’t feel like it…”
“I have a favour to ask, Thor-sama. Could you please create a magic item that will take me back to the past?”

　Mabel suddenly said.

“Then I will go back to the past, and I will release attack magic on those who insulted Thor-sama. Of course, I will be gentle. I don’t want to expose the young Thor-sama to such a cruel sight…”
“Wait, wait, wait.”

　Mabel’s eyes were scary. Actually, she was serious.
　An item to return to the past… surely didn’t exist in the hero’s world.
　Even if there was one, it probably wouldn’t be at a level I could make.

“I can’t let Mabel do that.”
“……I’m sorry”
“Anyway, that’s why I’d like to skip the party.”
“I understand. I will convey that to Her Majesty the Demon King.”
“Sorry”
“Her Majesty will be disappointed…”

　Mabel said, shrugging her shoulders.

“Her Majesty said, 『I want to brag about Thor’s achievements at the party.』”
“……Eh”
“As soon as you arrived in General Raizenga’s territory, Thor-sama accomplished the great feat of winning over the winged fairies to your side. The winged fairies had never even come out into the open before and had never interacted with the people of the Demon King’s territory…”

　Well, yeah, that was certainly true.

　But I only provided the fabric.
　The clothes were made by Mabel, Agnis, and the dressmakers from the castle.
　I thought my contribution was maybe half of it at best.

“But if you say you don’t like parties, Thor-sama, then I guess there’s no other way.”

　Suddenly, Mabel looked up.

“Luquier-sama may be disappointed, but it can’t be helped. This time, Luquier-sama will be wearing only the mask of 『Recognition Inhibition』 and a black dress… She is looking forward for Thor-sama to see her…”
“…Mabel?”
“Now that I think about it, this party will be the first time Agnis-sama will be wearing a dress. She hasn’t been able to attend parties up until now because of her tendency to burst into flames. I’m sure the dress made of the earth magic woven fabric that Thor-sama gave her will look great on her…”
“……Um, just a moment.”
“And, you see, I’m embarrassed to say it, but I was also able to borrow a dress. Of course, it’s not something I can brag about to Thor-sama… but, but, but.”
“………………Mabel”
“Yes, Thor-sama.”
“I surrender.”

　I raised both hands.
　It was impossible if she said this much. I couldn’t refuse.
　Actually, I would really love to see Luquier, Agnis, and Mabel in dresses.
　There was no way I was going to miss this.

“If that’s the case… I’ll join the party too. Can you prepare some clothes?”
“I understand, Thor-sama.”

　Mabel took out my clothes from the closet.
　It was what I was wearing when I was sent from the Empire to the Demon King’s Territory. I would have to get a new dress made soon.

“Actually, I was planning to make a new item during the party.”
“What were you planning to make, Thor-sama?”
“I wanted to create an item that would be helpful with distribution.”

　I answered Mabel while flipping through the 『Mail Order Catalogue』.

“After Luquier-sama came, I had a chance to talk with the Chancellor, right? I heard it at that meeting. It is said that the Demon King’s territory and a human town near the border are conducting trade.”

　Although the Demon King’s territory and the Empire didn’t have any official trade between the countries, it seemed that transactions at the town level were normally carried out.
　There were some crops and minerals that could only be found in the Demon King’s territory, and some that could only be obtained in human territory.
　Apparently, carts went back and forth from time to time to transport it.

　I wasn’t sure if the Emperor and aristocrats of the empire were aware of this.

“I suggested it when I heard about it.『If we gave the winged fairies an ultra-compact simple warehouse, it would make trading easier.』”

　I said.
　Mabel’s eyes lit up.

“I-it’s true; you’re right. If that were to happen, it would make transporting supplies much easier.”
“Right”

　I continued.

“Even a winged fairy could set up an ultra-compact simple warehouse, right? I thought that if they could transport goods and packages there, it could completely change the way the Demon King’s territory distributes goods.”

　If a waggon travelled along the highway, it might catch the eyes of Imperial soldiers.
　But if a winged fairy were to just move around carrying an ultra-compact simple warehouse, no one would notice.
　All we had to do was move the merchants of the Demon King’s territory secretly and join them before they did their business.

　According to Luquier, the Empire would soon begin military training near the border.
　Even in such a case, I thought we could trade this way without the soldiers over there noticing.

“──So, that’s what I proposed to the Chancellor, Kelve-san.”
“What did His Excellency the Chancellor say?”
“It’s no good because it would change distribution too much.”

　The Chancellor started holding his head in the middle of the conversation, so I thought it might not work, but it turned out to be as expected.
　But there was nothing I could do about it.
　The reason for rejection was something I could understand.

『Everyone will be surprised, and if we lose the simple warehouse, we will be in a big trouble!』

　──That was what the Chancellor said.
　I knew everyone would be surprised.

    I was told this during the 『Demon Beast Gargarossa Subjugation Battle』, that luggage transportation cargo also served the purpose of letting others know that 『We are properly carrying the weapons and food necessary for the battle.』

　So using a simple warehouse and saying, 『I don’t really understand, but I’ve brought a lot of items.』 It would give them a sense of uneasiness.
　Well, if a merchant (with a winged fairy) started displaying a huge amount of goods without even a cart, people were bound to be surprised.
　They would be worried about whether the products on display were genuine or not.

　That was why it was difficult to use a 『Simple  Warehouse』 for business purposes.
　That was the conclusion of Chancellor Kelve-san.

　There was one more thing the Chancellor said.
『If you are going to continue to use the simple warehouse, it would be better to have a sturdy lock.』

　Simple warehouses were so convenient that they posed a high risk of being stolen.
　So it was better to have a sturdy lock.
　Even the Demon King’s castle had locks, but considering how convenient a simple warehouse was, we needed something stronger.

　Plus, with a strong lock, it could even be used to transport regular cargo.
　In case they were attacked by thieves in human territory, they wanted a lock and key mechanism that was durable, prevented their belongings from being stolen, and was easy to use.

“So, during the party, I was going to make a strong locking mechanism.”
“Is there such a thing?”
“Yeah. I found something that looked like it.”

　I flipped through the pages of the 『Mail Order Catalogue』.
　On it was a black chain wrapped in something like a tube.

────────────────────

　Protect your motorcycle or bicycle with the 『Earth Lock』 that connects to the ground!

　Have you ever had your newly purchased motorcycle or bicycle stolen?
　With our chain lock, you no longer have to worry!

　The special alloy chain is resistant to heat and cold and is impervious to any blade.
　Since it has a combination lock, it cannot be opened by anyone who does not know the number.
　The moment an evil person touches this chain lock, he or she will despair at its formidability.
　Of course, anyone who knows the number can easily open and close it.

　It’s long enough that you can even tie it to a street tree or building pole!
　It is also possible to 『Earth Lock』 something important to you, tethering it to the earth.

　Your beloved car will be powerfully tied to the earth and will not budge unless you can move the earth.
　This is truly the strongest locking system!

　Enjoy a safe and secure life with this 『Chain Lock』 that can also be earth-lock!

────────────────────

“As for this 『motorcycles and bicycles』 thing… I don’t really know.”
“Something like a waggon?”
“Maybe. If I look, I might be able to find some information. I’ll look into it later.”
“But I’m more interested in this term, 『Earth Lock』.”
“I know. I was wondering about that too.”

　I nodded.

“I’ve read about Earth in documents. It’s a world where heroes exist.”
“There are records in the Demon King’s territory too. It seems that all the heroes came from a world called Earth.”
“So, this catalogue says, 『By connecting it to a roadside tree or a building pillar, you can earth lock it,』 and 『Your beloved car will be powerfully tied to the earth and will not budge unless you can move the earth.』 In other words──”
“…Please wait, Thor-sama.”

　Mabel’s face was pale as she looked at the catalogue.
　I understood how she felt.
    If what was written in the 『Mail Order Catalogue』 was correct, then this 『Chain Lock』 had incredible powers.

“In other words… this chain lock has the ability to bind matter to the earth.”

　I realised my voice was tensed.
　This 『Chain Lock』 was close to being the strongest item for sealing and tying things down.
　The earth itself could be used as part of the item.

“Can this chain lock really connect matter to the earth?”
“Maybe. I think the chains probably make you one with the earth.”
“But, I can’t believe it. I can’t believe that’s possible.”
“That’s true. But there’s a saying in the Empire that is spoken about heroes.”

　I read out a passage from the legend of the heroes that remained in the empire so that Mabel could understand.
　I was sure it was something like that.

『No one can stop the hero’s progress.』

　The hero entered all sorts of places and continued to fight against demon beasts and demons.
　Neither high mountains nor deep valleys, nor even the Demon King’s barrier, could stop the hero’s progress.
　In other words──

“The only way to stop the hero is to literally tie him to the ground. So I think this 『Chain Lock』is also an item to stop a rampaging hero.”

　I guessed such items were necessary in the world of heroes.
　It was not unreasonable. There were even items like 『UV-cut Parasol』 .
　In a world where people who cross paths with demon kings and dragons live, such a deterrent was probably necessary. That was why there was the 『Earth Lock』.
　In order to stop the hero’s movements, it was necessary to borrow the power of the earth itself.
　Otherwise, even large objects like wagons could be carried away easily… It was a frightening world. The world of heroes.

“Of course, this chain lock can be used not only to connect to the earth but also as a normal lock. So I thought it would be good to lock the door of the 『Simple Warehouse』…”

　Saying that, I closed the page of the 『Mail Order Catalogue』.
　I put the 『Ultra Compact Simple Warehouse』 on the desk into the pocket of the clothes Mabel had prepared for me…

“But I’ll try out this 『Chain Lock』 after the party and the 『UV-cut Parasol』  experiment are over. I won’t be able to relax until I put those away.”
“I understand…huh? Thor-sama, did you just say 『Try out』…?”
“Ah, more importantly, I’m looking forward to seeing Mabel in a dress!”

　I quickly changed the topic.

“Mabel is cute in her maid uniform, but sometimes I want to see her in other clothes too. Yes. I guess that’s why I’m going to the party this time.”
“…Thor-sama…”
“Come to think of it, when it was decided to have a party, I gave you a water-attribute magic woven fabric. Did you make a dress out of that?”
“No, no… that’s…”

　Mabel suddenly blushed.

“I was thinking of making it into a dress, but… I’ve failed a bit.”
“Failed?”
“… Water magic-woven fabric changes shape to fit the body, right?”
“That’s right. Water changes shape to fit the container it’s in, and that image is added to the magic woven fabric.”
“So the clothes that I made ended up being very clearly defined by the shape of the body.”
“I see”

　Indeed, the water magic woven fabric changes shape to fit the body.
　So when you make clothes, you can see the shape of your body…

“It’s my fault. I asked the tailor to save the magic woven fabric I received and make clothes that Thor would be happy with… but then he ended up making clothes that looked like a swimsuit.”
“Okay. Let me check it out.”
“……Eh?”
“Maybe we can improve it. For example, we could weaken or strengthen the water attribute that was added when creating the magic woven fabric. If there are any flaws, I want to improve them as much as possible. Therefore, I want Mabel to actually wear the dress.”
“I-I understand… if that’s what Thor-sama wants.”

　With that, Mabel left the room.

　A moment later, she returned, carrying a sky-blue dress.
　Then she told me to turn my back to her and started to get changed in the corner of the room. I heard the sound of the maid uniform falling to her feet. Then came the sound of clothes rustling.

　I remembered the words of the tailors who came from the Demon King’s Castle.
　They also said that we needed to be careful with the water-attribute magic woven fabric.
　When they made clothes out of that, the lines of the body became more obvious, so they needed to decorate it with ribbons and frills.

　It wasn’t a problem, as the winged fairies love ribbons and frills.
　But that didn’t take into account Mabel’s having to make the dress.

　I should have thought more about Mabel. She was the person closest to me.
　I was still inexperienced──

“…It’s okay if you turn to me. Thor-sama.”

　Suddenly, Mabel’s voice came.
　I turned around and saw Mabel in a dress.
　It was beautiful.

　The sky-blue dress suited Mabel’s fair skin well.
　I also thought it was bold and cool that the skirt only went down to above the knees.
　Or rather, Mabel really saved the magic-woven fabric. The dress had no ribbons or frills. It only had thin shoulder straps. It really looked like a swimsuit.
　The water-attribute magic fabric changed shape to fit Mabel’s body, so l could even clearly see the shape of her br3asts and belly button… yup.

“…Thor-sama… could you please say something?”
“I think it’s pretty and cute. It suits you well… however .”
“……however?”
“I don’t think it’s right for Mabel to wear this in front of other people…”

　Those words came out of my mouth naturally.
　I was surprised at how much I felt.

“I, I see… That’s right.”

　Mabel smiled, looking very happy.

“I understand. Then, I will only wear this dress in front of Thor-sama. Actually, since it has become more like a swimsuit, I will wear it when swimming or doing work that might get my clothes dirty.”
“Y-yeah. I think that would be good.”
“Y-Yes.”
“……Hmm”
“…I understand. I’ll do that.”

　Anyway, it turned out there was room for improvement in the magic-woven fabric. I had to research this later.

　With that in mind, I continued to look at Mabel’s 『Water Magic Woven Fabric Dress』──
　Mabel, unable to back out any longer, spun around in front of me, fluttering her short skirt──

　Before long, it was time for the party to begin.