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Chapter 39: Slave’s Smile

 

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Lord’s manor. I was standing in front of the completed food printer.

The printer looked like a cube with sides measuring one meter and a hole directly in the middle of it.

「What do you do with this?」

Yuria asked me.

「Apparently you use it like this.」

I said and showed Yuria.

In my hand was a block the size of a rubik’s cube.

「This is?」
「This is a food cube that the food printer made. I could only make two due to lack of materials.」
「Is the material rare?」
「I wouldn’t say so. It only takes about 50 magic to make and the materials are pretty easy to collect. It’s just that we’re low on stock so I could only make a few.」
「You use these to make things?」
「Yes…here take a look.」

I said and placed the cube into the printer and began to operate it.

I input the necessary conditions and pressed start.

Then the printer whirred to life.

It made a sound as if parts were moving inside of it, then after a while it opened.

There was the finished product.

「What is this?」
「It’s a castella. It’s mellow, springy, and delicious.」
「……..」
「Well then, let’s make one more…」

I took the last cube and put it in the printer, then I performed the same operation.

「What is this one?」
「Baumkuchen. This is also delicious you know. You can bite it all at once or peel it off layer by layer to eat it.」
「Why’s there a hole in the middle? Is it necessary?」
「I dunno…」

Hmm…now that she mentions it, I wonder why Baumkuchen has a hole in the middle…

「Anyways, forget about that.」

Castella and Baumkuchen. I grabbed both of the desserts I’d just made.

I opened the DORECA menu and looked for the both of them inside of my item list.

The castella cost 20,000 magic and the Baumkuchen cost 15,000. Both of them cost far more than the shortcake.

However, each of these only cost me 50 magic to make with this.

The food printer itself cost me 100,000 magic initially.

It took time and effort to make this kind of investment first…but once I made it I realize how good of an investment it was. If I made around 10 desserts I’d have made back my entire initial investment.

Like this I’ll be able to mass-produce sweets and luxury goods.

Let’s do that one of these days.

「Master」
「Hm?」
「Are you eating those?」
「Hm? Well, since there are two of them I was thinking that the two of u——-」

I started to say but then I noticed how she was looking at the cakes.

「Master?」

Yuria had a strange look on her face…one of hesitation.

「…Yuria, help me.」
「Yes Master.」

Her hesitation was eliminated as soon as I ordered her.

She’s a good slave.
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The first town Akito.

Even though night has fallen, there were still lights through the town and people were moving around.

「Risha-san could you do something about the location of the wood house?」
「I understand I’ll move it a bit.」
「Risha-san, we’re 10 sets of clothes short.」
「Clothes? Ok, I’ll set out the magic circles.」
「Risha-san! This is bad! Some people who are bad at cooking broke the kitchen that Akito-san made!」
「Awawa, I can’t repair that! I’ll make a replacement stove so please use that!」

In the town Risha was working hard as Akito’s representative with her Slave Card (Normal).

She was working to provide shelter, clothes, and food to the newly booming population.

She was mimicking how she saw her Master work day in and day out…soaking in sweat from her efforts.

I called out to this admirable figure.

「Risha」
「Wha- what is it this ti——Master!」

Risha was surprised at my sudden appearance.

She was so surprised that she almost dropped her Slave Card and she fumbled it about until finally catching it.

「What’s wrong Master? I thought you had important work to……」
「I somehow dealt with it. Anyways, Risha…」
「Y-yes.」

I spoke to her with a serious look on my face and she seemed to wince a bit.

「Which do you like better…a rectangle or a circle?」
「……Huh?」
「Like I said, a rectangle or a circle? Which do you like better?」
「Umm…that is…uhhh…」

Upon hearing me repeat the question, Risha shook her head.

It appears as though she believed I wouldn’t ask her something useless.

「Of those two…I’d prefer the circle.」
「Your reason?」

I asked tentatively.

「Umm….because it’s similar in shape to my choker.」
「I see.」

It looks like her true intentions are peeking through a bit.

「Then…….Yuria.」
「Yes.」

I had brought Yuria with me and she took out a box.

Then she handed it to Risha.

「This is?」
「Open it and see.」
「Ok………..th-this is!」
「It’s a delicious dessert called Baumkuchen. You said you liked the circular one right?」
「Th-this is for me?」
「It’s a reward for your good work.」
「B-but….」
「Accept it. I’ll be going to deliver something to Mira as well.」
「To Mira as well?」
「Yeah, she should be working hard too.」
「Is that so…」

Risha looked at the Baumkuchen as a smile grew across her face.

—Magic has been charged by 10,000—

I didn’t receive the charge immediately after giving it to her but instead after she found out that Mira would also get something.

「It’s just like you.」

I patted Risha’s head and left the town with Yuria.
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On the way back to Ribek. Yuria and I were taking our time walking back together.

「Mira was happy too.」
「Yes.」
「She was the same as Risha, only letting herself be happy when she heard that Risha had gotten one too.」

I remembered handing Mira the castella.

Mira hesitated for a bit, but when she heard that Risha had received one, she gladly accepted.

And so my magic was charged by 20,000.

It’d been a while since I’d gotten a charge like that. I’m happy that I got to admire my wonderful slaves too.

…..which reminds me…

「Yuria」
「Yes」
「What would you like?」
「……..」
Yuria seemed to hesitate before answering.

「I won’t fuss over the taste or shape.」
「Fumu, so you say anything is fine——」
「But I’d be happy if I were to receive it as a reward for being useful to you Master.」
「I see.」

So she’s that type.

No, I really should’ve known that she’d say something like that.

We walked in silence for a while as I thought of what form I could best show my thanks and admiration for Yuria.

「Yuria」
「Yes」
「We’ll be working even harder from tomorrow onwards.」
「Yes」

Yuria answered without hesitation and nodded.

I thought I spied a secretive little smile that she let slip.

It didn’t charge my magic, but I was confident in what I saw.

I believe that before long an explosion of —1 million or so magic will come out.

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