Volume 6 Chapter 13 Neodymium
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Director Melon! Here, look at this. This is it-neodymium!¹“
Mr. Saruza burst into the director’s office of the Melon Research Institute² within the Yōmo Estate. Without skipping a beat, he marched up to my desk and set down a small, nondescript piece of metal.
”Oh, that magnet you were talking about?” I asked. “We already have magnets in this world, you know.”
”They’re nothing like this. Look, these two pieces are already stuck together. Do you think you can pull them apart?”
”Please,” I muttered. “Give me those.”
I gripped the two metal fragments and pulled with everything I had. They didn’t even twitch.
”Mr. Saruza, are you sure this isn’t just one solid chunk of metal? You’re not trying to pull one over on me, are you?”
”Hahaha! I thought you might say that,” Mr. Saruza laughed. “But try this.”
He demonstrated how to slide the pieces in opposite directions. With a sharp, metallic snap, they finally came apart.
”Incredible force, isn’t it?” Mr. Saruza said. “This is a super-powered magnet from the other world. About six months ago, a PC I’d been waiting for finally arrived through the Spirit Clan’s regular shipment. I don’t know if the climate didn’t agree with it or if our local mana-leak interfered with the power supply, but the thing fried almost instantly. I hated to see it go to waste, so I stripped it for parts. I found this inside the hard disk drive.”
”I don’t really follow all that technical talk,” I said. “But what are you going to do with it? It’s far too powerful just for pinning notes to a board.”
”It’s invaluable whenever you need high magnetic force in a small form factor,” Mr. Saruza explained. “Think of the possibilities-axial motors, linear actuators, maybe even railguns. But for now, as you said, all I can do with this scrap is stick paper to an iron plate. That’s why I’ve come to you, Director Melon. Is it possible to mass-produce these using your alchemy? If we can, I’d also like to be able to mold them into custom shapes.”
”Hmm. I can’t give you a definitive answer without testing it first,” I replied. “But we’d need a practical application before we can even think about finding a research sponsor.”
”I suppose you’re right,” Mr. Saruza said. “If we pitched this for military use, do you think Sir Aaron would provide the funding?”
”Absolutely not, Mr. Saruza,” I said firmly. “My institute avoids military contracts whenever possible.”
”Is that so? Well, I’ll try to see if I can make something work within the director’s current budget then.”
”Hey! I don’t have any budget left for that!” I shouted.
”Oh? But Director,” Mr. Saruza teased, “last year you were quite invested in those… rubber prototypes, weren’t you?”
”Ah-! Hey! That’s a secret!”
I felt the heat rush to my face. I immediately ordered Mr. Saruza to zip it.
I still don’t fully understand the cause, but my alchemy has always been poor at transmuting liquids or organic substances. At one point, at Big Sister El’s request, I tried to transmute rubber, but the quality was embarrassing. However, a few years back, Kashiwagi Yuuta began harvesting high-quality natural latex from the trees he planted in the Kashiwagi Territory. El was delighted and started using it for her lingerie designs. Even though I’m a middle-aged woman in my thirties, I’ll admit I had a few daydreams about a rendezvous with Yuuta. I got so carried away that I used the materials to manufacture those items.
In the end, Lady Beyond talked me out of them. She insisted that even though she’d met Yuuta, she hadn’t used those herself. She even told me that the next time I saw him, I should let him dote on me to my heart’s content with them… but with the tragedy that befell Mother Akari, I couldn’t bring myself to think about it.
I wanted to go to her immediately, but she had been recuperating at a hospital in the Imperial Capital for so long. I couldn’t cross the border, so I had to rely on the occasional update from Kashiwagi Karin.
Then, recently, I received word from Big Sister Puruun. Mother Akari’s condition had stabilized enough for her to be moved to the Kashiwagi Territory. Sir Aaron had personally arranged a caravan to escort her from the capital. It made sense; officially, she was still Sir Aaron’s legal wife. They were expected to pass through the Yōmo Estate soon, which meant I would finally be able to see her.
Three days later, I heard that the caravan had arrived at the Lord’s Manor. I dropped everything and rushed there. I found Sir Aaron in the lobby, taking a break with his guards and speaking with Sir Yōmo.
”Ah, Melon,” Sir Aaron said. “It’s been a while. I trust you’ve been well?”
”I have… but Sir Aaron, where is Mother Akari?” I asked.
”She’s already resting in the back suite,” Sir Aaron replied. “I’ll have a soldier show you the way.”
The guard led me to the bedroom. Mother Akari was lying in bed, her eyes open, slowly looking around the room. A doctor and nurse were at her side. When I asked if I could speak to her, they told me it was fine as long as I kept it brief.
”Mother Akari? It’s Melon. Do you recognize me?” I asked, leaning in close.
”…Me… lnn…” she whispered.
She feebly reached out her right hand. I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing it with both of mine. Her eyes stayed locked on my face, and I felt as though she was trying to smile. She knew. Even if she couldn’t speak, she knew who I was. Oh, God. Why does someone like her have to go through this?
I looked around the room, and a sudden wave of irritation hit me.
”Excuse me… where is Karin?” I asked the staff. No one seemed to know.
What is that girl doing at a time like this?! I was fuming. I told Mother Akari I’d see her later and marched back to the lobby. I found Sir Aaron and demanded to know why Karin wasn’t with them.
”Don’t worry,” Sir Aaron said, his voice unusually evasive. “Karin is attending to her own work.”
”Don’t worry?!” I snapped. “There isn’t a single job more important than staying by the side of your own mother in this state. What are you hiding from me this time?”
”I’m sorry, Melon,” Sir Aaron sighed. “This isn’t the place. I’ll explain everything tonight.”
I knew he was hiding something. I forced myself to stay calm and walked away.
* * *
That night, I was called to Sir Yōmo’s study. Sir Yōmo and Sir Aaron were both waiting for me.
”Wait… Karin went on an errand for the Spirit Clan’s chieftain?”
I couldn’t believe my ears when I first heard it. Surely anyone else could have gone in her place! But as Sir Aaron explained the details, the reality of the situation began to sink in.
”So,” I said, trying to wrap my head around it, “the Demon Clan and the Elves stole the World Tree-Yggdrasil³-from the Spirit Clan ages ago and hid it? They drove the Spirits to the edge of the continent, and now they’ve realized they don’t actually know where the tree is? That is spectacularly incompetent!”
”I agree with you completely, Melon,” Sir Aaron replied. “But we’ve been at odds with the Spirit Clan for nearly ten thousand years. Now, thanks to Emperor Balmstra’s efforts, we finally have a chance for real dialogue. We have to seize this opportunity. By working with the Spirits to solve the mana depletion caused by the World Tree’s abnormality, we might finally find a way for the three races to coexist.”
”I understand that,” I said. “But you didn’t have to send Karin right now. You should have let her stay with Mother Akari until she reunited with Yuuta. It’s too cruel.”
”Karin was the one who insisted,” Sir Aaron explained. “She wants to uncover the secret of the World Tree and solve the mystery behind the disaster that took Akari. She believes that if she doesn’t, Shusaruzaria will never be able to come home from the other world in peace. She trusted me to look after her mother so she could do this.”
”…I see,” I said softly. “I understand, Sir Aaron. Please, take good care of Mother Akari. And as for the World Tree investigation-the Melon Research Institute will provide whatever help we can. Just say the word.”
”It’s a weight off my mind to have your support,” Sir Aaron said with a smile. “I’ll hold you to that. As for Akari, leave her to me. I will see her safely back to Yuuta, so the two of them can finally live in peace.”
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Summary:
Mr. Saruza introduces Melon to neodymium magnets salvaged from a broken PC, sparking a discussion on mass production and alchemy. Melon meets the recuperating Akari, who is being transported back to the Kashiwagi Territory by Sir Aaron. Finally, Melon learns that Karin has embarked on a high-stakes diplomatic mission to the Spirit Clan to locate the lost World Tree, Yggdrasil.
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Trivia:
- The neodymium magnets come from a PC salvaged from the ‘other world’.
- Melon had previously tried to transmute rubber for ‘specialty items’ intended for Yuuta.
- Karin is missing from Akari’s side because she chose a mission to solve the mystery of the disaster.
- The Demon Clan and Elves actually lost the location of the World Tree after stealing it.
- Shusaruzaria is currently in the ‘other world’ and needs the World Tree mystery solved to return safely
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Character Insight:
Melon struggles with her professional identity versus her personal feelings for Yuuta, shown through her embarrassment over the rubber transmutations. Sir Aaron shows a more diplomatic, statesman-like side, prioritizing world-saving dialogue with the Spirit Clan over family optics.
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Behind the Scenes:
The introduction of neodymium magnets signals a shift toward integrating Earth-like technology into the fantasy world’s infrastructure.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Melon – Puruun’s younger sister who is close with Ms. Akari and wants Yuuta and Ms. Akari to be together and have children.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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