Chapter 82
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It’s a name I don’t want to hear.
I want to forget everything.
Regardless of my feelings, Chloa continues talking.
「When research or inventions compete, in most cases, they simply race to see who can complete it first, aiming to monopolize the profits.
However, when multiple unknown technologies or theories are needed, making completion difficult, and when completion promises enormous wealth, competing parties may share their discoveries with each other, assigning mutually agreeable evaluations, to aim for faster completion.」
Anon nods vigorously, leaning forward to listen intently to Chloa’s words, even with his hood on.
「In such cases, both parties use each other’s discovered theories to progressively research what’s needed next and aim for development. When the target item is completed, they decide on profit distribution based on the previous evaluations.」
My gaze wanders and meets Sensei’s eyes. She’s looking at me with a concerned expression.
「This was also the case with the ‘Crane’s Guidance’.」
Ah, I see.
Chloa’s competitor was—
「Princess Puffy was my research competitor.」
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「Come to think of it, this country’s princess was indeed said to be a genius. She was skilled in politics and had also achieved success in the field of magic research. I’ve heard about her accomplishments many times.」
Anon adds to Chloa’s explanation.
When I first met her, she said she was researching the 「global stagnation of magic development.」
「I’m embarrassed to say that at the time, I thought I was the most excellent in this field, so Princess Puffy gave me quite a shock,」 Chloa says.
In the image, Chloa’s childlike face shows a somewhat mature expression of embarrassment, as if looking back on a past blunder. It’s an unusually grown-up expression for such a youthful face.
「So, we temporarily researched together in an almost joint development setup. She was incredibly kind and intelligent.」
If I asked her to teach me something, she would teach me anything.
To me, who knew nothing about this world, she patiently and kindly taught me over and over until I understood.
Sometimes she would puff out her chest proudly with an 「Ehen,」 and when I praised her, she would blush and laugh shyly with an 「Ehehe.」
She was probably excellent as both a princess and a researcher. But the her I knew was a girl of her age, more compassionate and considerate than anyone else.
「I respected her. She truly was, as rumored among the people, noble and always compassionate towards her subjects.」
「Such things—」
The words escape my mouth before I can stop them.
That’s right. I know such things.
She was always thinking about her people.
How to improve everyone’s lives, how to solve problems if they arose, she was always—
「Such things?」
Chloa asks curiously at my words.
The eyes of Anon, Chloa, and Sensei turn to me.
「No, it’s nothing.」
I can’t bring myself to say anything more.
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Chloa regains his composure and continues.
「I’ve talked a lot about her, but the period I actually researched together with Princess Puffy wasn’t that long. About two weeks, I’d say.」
What is Chloa trying to say?
I’ve already received words of gratitude, isn’t this conversation over?
「Then, surprisingly, Princess Puffy, before our joint development, obtained and understood the content of my papers that had been submitted to the Magic Guild up to that point, and discovered the method to unlock the Area Safety, which was the most difficult part of developing the ‘Crane’s Guidance’ – all of this in just about a week.」
I can’t help but remember.
Puffy’s soft, cheerful smile was so cute. Back then, I was lonely every day and was encouraged by her presence many times.
Chloa’s story is about right after the Hero summoning. So she was gritting her teeth and working hard behind that smile she showed me?
「It’s shocking, isn’t it? To accomplish in just one week what had puzzled me for so long.
At the point when she unlocked the Safety, even if I had completed it alone from that point on, adding to my research up to then, I couldn’t have claimed even a 50-50 split with her achievements.」
Chloa speaks in one breath.
It seems like he’s talking with the emotions of that time still fresh in his mind.
「Despite that, Princess Puffy said that when the ‘Crane’s Guidance’ was completed, she would be satisfied with just 20% of the patent usage fees that were supposed to go to her and me.」
I don’t know how much 20% would be, but if Chloa is satisfied with it, it must have been a modest and humble offer.
「Princess Puffy said:
‘I know how many people have been saved by your clan, Vienetta. Your development will surely benefit this country – and by extension, its people.’
When I heard that, I was overwhelmed with emotion – there really are feelings that can’t be put into words.」
Anon responds with, 「Oh ho, is that so?」 His intentions are unclear.
「In exchange, she presented one condition.」
「Condition?」
I repeat like an idiot.
「The condition she presented was the name of the ‘Teleport Device’.
She wanted it to be named exactly as she said when it was completed.」
So the name given to this thing is—
「’Crane’s Guidance’ – this name was given according to the condition she presented.」
No more,
「At that time, there were no video magic devices, so it was just a voice conversation, but when I asked her about the origin of the name—」
No more,
「She said it was named after the ‘crane,’ an animal that left an impression on her from a fable in another world, while its function was inspired by the ‘plane,’ a flying vehicle from another world.」
Please, no more—
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I won’t say a single thing about her in this conversation.
This is beyond reason now.
I want to abandon all thoughts about her. My thoughts are scattered and chaotic, it’s painful. I can’t bear it anymore.
If Anon and Chloa become suspicious of my state of mind and I have to talk about what happened then—
「The reason the prototype’s completion has dragged on until now is because she suddenly withdrew from development, and I also fell seriously ill.」
Why did she withdraw from development?
That’s—
「Some time after that, whether it was for some business or volunteer work, I’m not sure what Princess Puffy needed money for, but she approached me with an offer to sell the ‘Portal Area Security Unlock Theory’.」
—It must have been for Ryūgūin.
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We always divided equally the money and treasures obtained from dungeons other than the three I had conquered completely alone.
They had Mika and Angie over there.
So in effect, he was receiving 75%.
Everyone should be free.
They can love whoever they want.
The same goes for how they use their money.
I have no right to blame them.
That’s what I thought.
But that was wrong.
Ryūgūin’s extravagance was beyond compare to mine.
For him, a life of debauchery was the norm.
I heard that he once rented out all the women in the country’s finest high-class brothel, not just for a night, but for an entire week.
He would buy out expensive dresses from noble-exclusive stores at the women’s request, sparing no expense on decorations, precious metals, or anything else.
And there’s one episode that clearly illustrates his wasteful habits.
There was a legendary alcohol that even royalty desperately wanted. This alcohol, said to be made by the secret techniques of Elder Dwarves, was valued at one platinum coin per drop. I once had a conversation with Ryūgūin when he was happy about obtaining it.
「Shopping is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thinking like that, it was a cheap purchase. It was truly a good buy,」 he said.
Later, when I was shopping and asked the merchant about the price of the alcohol Ryūgūin had obtained, it was an eye-popping amount.
But his words 「cheap purchase」 were, in a sense, true for him.
Because for him, money was something that appeared without him doing anything.
I, who had delved into dungeons, and Mika and Angie who received distributions from me, had given him, who contributed nothing, enormous amounts of money.
And I knew.
The money obtained from dungeon conquests shouldn’t have been enough to maintain his extravagance.
That’s why I knew that Puffy was providing ‘exploration support’ only to Ryūgūin.
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Even so.
Was Puffy supporting Ryūgūin to the extent that she herself had to resort to raising funds?
「I thought there must have been some mistake, but Princess Puffy seemed desperate for money and said any price would do, so I asked my brother and we managed to buy it immediately, even though it was a bit of a stretch.」
The money paid from Chloa to Princess Puffy might have gone straight into Ryūgūin’s pocket.
Chloa is a well-bred, dutiful boy.
He proposed to transfer the rights to the ‘Crane’s Guidance’ and several prototypes directly to me. Although I hesitated, I decided to accept it gratefully, partly due to Anon’s admonition.
However, since I’m incapable of various management tasks, we settled on having Chloa’s clan continue to manage the rights to the ‘Crane’s Guidance’, with me receiving a few percent of it.
I should be happy, but I’m far from it. I can’t reconcile my feelings and find it incredibly difficult to maintain a proper expression.
Being natural – being as usual – has never been so challenging.
Not only did Anon and Sensei worry about me, but even Chloa, from a distance, asked multiple times if I was alright.
I wasn’t alright.
「Sorry, Chloa. Let’s meet again. I’m kind of busy and tired.」
I decided to leave the final discussions with Chloa and the upcoming strategy meetings with the Arrogance and Virtuous factions to Sensei and Anon.
「See you. I’m leaving the rest to you.」
I’m returning to my assigned room.
Right now, I don’t want to think about anything.
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Even lying on the bed, I can’t gather my thoughts.
Puffy had been providing financial support to Ryūgūin at the cost of herself. She must have known what it was being used for.
That fact keeps tightening around my chest.
I’m not saying I wanted her to support me too.
What I truly wanted was Puffy’s smile.
And if there was just one word, 『Ichiro! You did well!』, that would have been enough for me.
—Like you, I will strive to be able to hold my head high and be proud of myself.
She said that.
—I will carve out my own world.
She definitely said that.
Can she hold her head high now?
Is she proud of herself now?
Is she still carving out her world?
On that day of departure.
The Puffy who jumped into Ryūgūin’s arms was no longer the Puffy I knew.
Unable to bear it, I close my eyes.
I hear the mournful cry of a crane.
A pure white crane’s back recedes into the darkness.
The girl who cried at the fable is no longer here.
She’s no longer here.
The crane has already taken flight.
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