Master.
To Ruby, Dolores was the sky.
She looked down upon her.
A sky that embraced her and protected her.
But the sky's heart always seemed cold.
She always held Ruby in her arms and showed her only a warm world.
Yet Ruby felt there was something she was hiding.
Ruby was young, but she was a bright child who knew all of it.
Then one day, Ruby's sky became warm.
Her master's face, which had more expressionless days than smiling ones.
Had recently become brighter.
And what she was most glad and relieved about was.
That she no longer entered that room.
Ruby knew of that room.
She didn't know exactly what was inside.
But every time her master went into that room and came out, her eyes were hollow.
That was so terrifying.
The biggest reason the sky changed was, of course.
"Lululu~"
This boy, who was dancing with a hammer in his hands as if thrilled right before her eyes.
His name was Lionel.
He was Ruby's first friend as well.
Or perhaps, family.
He made her master's hands warm.
He even taught her how to tie her shoelaces.
'He made her smile brightly again.'
He must be the same age, or close to it.
She didn't understand how that was possible.
Ruby studied magic.
For her master. Because she wanted to be of help someday.
But for now, she couldn't do anything.
She couldn't cure her master's illness.
Nor could she warm her cold hands.
But the boy in front of her had done it. It wasn't so much envy as, what should she say...
Whoosh whoosh.
"I'm cool, right?"
The thought he had just been holding inside.
Yeah, she admitted it.
"...Yeah."
"Huh?"
Honestly speaking, he was cool.
***
The schedule ahead was roughly conveyed to me by Dolores.
I wondered if we were stopping by the orphanage again.
But I had left thinking I wouldn't return in the first place.
Of course, I had no luggage to pack, so it didn't matter.
The villa would be handled by them, probably.
'Goodbye, Eric.'
I do miss you. Our Big Mac.
Your big bro will earn a lot of money. Let's meet someday.
I'm using the gloves well.
It might be obvious, but apparently the time to Duchess Dolores's territory is shorter than the distance from this plaza to the orphanage.
That place was the countryside, and this place was a full city.
We naturally got into the carriage.
The carriage carrying Ruby's magic books was connected behind like a luggage cart.
My hammer was held securely in both hands.
"...Lionel, shall I hold it for you?"
"No, I'm fine."
Dolores asked, but he refused.
"I need to get used to it in my hands from now on."
"I see."
Actually, right now.
I am very, very antsy.
If you bring something to a person addicted to a certain act.
They tend to think of nothing else at first.
'I want to try something, anything, quickly.'
Powder in my pocket, a hammer in both hands.
I had materials and tools, but doing it here right away would draw too much attention.
Inside the carriage were a table, a fruit basket, and a curtain rod.
Aha, what would happen if I enchanted the curtain rod?
Wouldn't it become a bit sturdier?
[What do I do, phew… 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭]
Yuna, I'm kidding.
I passed the time with such lame jokes.
I closed my eyes and placed the Enchant Hammer on my lap.
Hold on. When we arrive at the estate, she said she'd thankfully make me a workshop.
Even without a workshop, frankly, I could just lie on the street and do it.
Let's not decide what to hammer right now.
What's a bit worrying is that the community said equipment can be destroyed too.
"We'll arrive soon."
"Yes."
Please hurry.
The carriage ran.
The lights of Ariel Plaza grew distant.
The scenery outside the window darkened again.
Ruby had already fallen asleep with her face buried in a book.
Dolores also had her eyes closed. I didn't know if she was sleeping or resting.
Serene moonlight seeped in through the curtain.
The hammer on my lap shook slightly with the vibrations.
Then.
The moonlight outside the window grew stronger.
Wondering if the moonlight had grown stronger, I slightly opened the curtain.
Moonlight, my foot. Lamps were lined up in neat rows along both sides of the road.
The lamps stood so long the end wasn't visible.
Where the lamps ended.
"......"
There was an iron gate.
A giant gate opened on both sides, and its height seemed to exceed three carriages.
A crest was carved above the gate, probably something of Dolores's.
As we passed the iron gate, the scenery changed again.
"Hey."
"Huh?"
Ruby had woken up at some point.
Because I was just staring outside like a country bumpkin, she let out a small laugh.
"This is Master's estate."
"Yeah, I know."
I know that too.
"......"
I turned my head again.
What's with her?
Anyway, after passing the iron gate, street trees lined the way, and between them I could see buildings with red roofs.
Lit windows. People lived here.
It's a village.
I had actually read some romance fantasy novels, but I never thought I'd see a village on an estate from one in person.
Yuna, how is it from a woman's perspective? You like romance fantasy.
[I can't really see right now.]
Heh heh heh.
She's still worried. I guess I was a bit harsh.
And so we rode for a long time again.
The end of the uphill road.
Finally, a huge building came into view.
"Shall we get ready to get off?"
"Yes."
Dolores gently smiled and stroked my head.
The building shone under the moonlight.
Several pointed spires, and a fountain in front of the mansion.
It felt exactly like a mansion straight out of a fairy tale.
It wouldn't be wrong to call it a castle.
"We've arrived."
Dolores said with a smile.
"This is our home."
"Thank you..."
"Huh?"
This is probably the life of the top 0.1 percent.
To think I'd live in a place like this...
I no longer envied the world I used to live in.
The carriage stopped, and when the door opened.
A man stood at the mansion's entrance.
A monocle and a white beard. His back was straight, and a black suit suited him well.
By the flow of things, this person must be the butler. Perfectly fantasy-like.
"Welcome, Your Grace."
"Sebas. It's been a while."
"I am relieved that you seem to have returned comfortably, Your Grace."
The butler called Sebas bowed politely and shifted his gaze to Ruby.
"Welcome as well, Lady Ruby."
"Yeah, I'm back."
Ruby nodded half-asleep.
Then the butler's gaze came to me.
Just as I was about to greet him, thinking he probably didn't know me yet.
"Lord Lionel. It is an honor to meet you."
"Ah... yes? Oh, yes... hello."
It seems everything had already been discussed.
"I will move the books to Lady Ruby's study."
"There are Lionel's things too. Please set aside only what's loaded in the front seat to the workshop."
"Yes. I will do so."
What, I have books too?
This is the first I've heard of it. Besides, he just said workshop...
When Sebas gestured, two servants waiting behind headed to the luggage cart loaded with books behind the carriage.
Then, a servant approached.
She reached her hand toward my hammer.
"I will take it to the workshop for you..."
Who are you?
When I instinctively hid the hammer behind me and became wary, she bowed her head with surprised eyes.
Ah, sorry. She definitely didn't mean any harm.
I was just so startled for a moment. I thought she was trying to take it again.
I'm a bit sensitive because I was tormented by Yuna in the past.
"Ah, yes yes. Thank you."
Maybe my reluctance to part with the hammer left an impression.
Dolores covered her mouth and laughed.
The truth was a bit different, though.
"A meal is prepared. Please come inside."
A meal.
According to Yuna, it was 7 PM.
It was just the right time for dinner.
Dolores walked and looked back at me.
"Hungry?"
"...Ah, yes."
Actually, I'm not hungry.
Since food isn't what's important right now.
Dolores led the way, and Ruby and I followed behind.
As we entered the mansion, a high ceiling and chandelier caught my eye.
The floor was marble. Paintings hung on the walls.
I wanted to ask about the workshop, but the timing never came up well.
After the meal would probably be the most appropriate timing.
We walked through the mansion's hallway.
The hallway's width seemed wider than the orphanage building I used to live in.
It'll take some time to get used to it.
Before I knew it, we arrived at a door.
Creeeak.
The door opened smoothly.
Two maids standing on either side bowed their heads and held the door.
The place beyond the door seemed to be a dining space.
"...Wow."
Countless plates were set on the long table.
Meat, bread, soup, fish, fruit, and dishes I couldn't name.
Tableware for three people was set.
What was my past life again? I can't remember.
Ruby was already sitting up in a chair.
Judging by her sparkling eyes, a meal like this wasn't an everyday thing.
Not that she expected it.
Dolores sat down and said.
"Because today is a special day."
She looked back and forth between me and Ruby.
"Lionel, welcome."
"...Thank you."
I sat down.
A maid placed a white cloth over my lap.
Ruby was already tearing into bread.
I also picked up a fork.
I cut a piece of meat and put it in my mouth.
"......"
It's delicious.
Enough to make me cry.
I remembered the past week of eating hard bread with corn soup.
[Bro, are you crying?]
Yeah.
I really cried.
***
I finished the meal.
My stomach was full and sleep was coming, but that wasn't important right now.
"It would be impossible to learn the whole layout at once."
Dolores said as she walked down the hallway.
"Today I'll show you only the second floor."
Ruby rubbed her eyes and followed.
When we went up the stairs and entered the second-floor hallway, moonlight from the garden shone through the windows.
"The white door at the far end."
Dolores pointed to the end of the hallway.
It was clearly different from the other doors. It was painted white, and the doorknob was silver.
"That's my room. If I call it an office... would that be a bit hard? It's where I stay during the day."
Office confirmed.
I nodded.
Dolores moved and stopped in front of a door around the middle.
"This is Ruby's room."
When she opened the door, a rather cozy room was visible.
"Originally Ruby was supposed to sleep here too..."
Dolores looked down at Ruby and smiled slightly.
"Because we still sleep together."
Ruby's face turned bright red.
"...Th-that's because Master is scared when sleeping..."
"Is that so?"
"It was!"
I don't know what kind of nonsense that was.
She's a kid. I should let it slide.
"Yeah, right."
Oops, my true nature.
"Hmph..."
Dolores let out a small laugh and headed to the next door.
Right next to Ruby's room.
"And."
She stopped in front of the door.
She looked back at me.
"This is Lionel's room."
The door opened.
It was spacious. The bed was big, and the window view was good.
Everything was there, and a lamp was lit on the wall.
Good, everything was good.
But.
"......"
Dolores peered into my face.
"You don't like it?"
"No? No, I really like it."
"......"
Did she notice?
"So there's somewhere else you want to see?"
"...Yes."
Dolores let out a small laugh.
She turned around, unable to hold back her laughter.
"Ruby, do you want to see it too?"
"Yeah."
"Everyone, follow me."
Dolores walked ahead.
We went down the stairs, and when she opened the mansion's back door, the night wind rushed in.
A garden visible right away, and a path leading into darkness paved with stone.
Ruby walked holding Dolores's hand.
I reached for her other hand...
Squeeze.
It was caught.
We walked along the path for about one minute.
A little away from the main building, there was an annex.
A brick house, with one chimney.
And above the door.
A small sun emblem was carved.
They went this far for me.
"......"
Dolores stopped in front of the door.
"Want to open it?"
I grabbed the doorknob.
Creeeak.
At the moment the door opened.
Click.
A soft light turned on inside.
Orange lamps, one, two. Lights came on in order along the wall, filling the space.
"......"
First of all, there was a furnace estimated to be worth at least 300 million.
Next to the furnace was an anvil that would probably be in the TOP 10 furniture a modern person would least likely see in real life.
Tools hung on the wall.
And various other materials that would be hard to explain one by one.
And.
On the workbench, two hammers were laid side by side.
The Earthbone Hammer and the Enchant Hammer.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes."
I answered immediately without looking back.
I slowly turned my head and looked at Dolores.
Once again, the man swears loyalty to the one who recognized him.
"I'll do my best."
So, this life is yours, Dolores.
It's cringey, but that's how I felt right now. This time, even Yuna didn't butt in.
Instead of answering, Dolores leaned against the doorframe and smiled quietly.
"You don't have to go that far."
"......"
Dolores took a step closer and crouched in front of me.
Our eye levels became equal.
"Don't overdo it. Slowly."
"......"
She brushed my bangs.
"Got it?"
No.
"...Yes."
Dolores stood up as if satisfied.
"Shall we go back now?"
Dolores and Ruby turned around, but.
I didn't move from my spot like a siege tank.
Rather, I slowly backed toward the hammer.
"I'm sorry, but."
"Yes."
"Could you give me one piece of equipment that's okay to throw away?"
"...Huh?"
And.
I grabbed the hammer.
"Because I'm itching to do it."
Which hammer, you ask?
Damn it, of course it was the Enchant Hammer.
***
Dolores and Ruby left with dumbfounded expressions.
"You're to come back to your room and sleep before the lamp goes out, got it?"
"Yes."
"I'll leave the garden lights on for a long time."
"Yes."
"...But if you're scared to return to the mansion at night, call Sebas. If you shout loudly, he will definitely come."
"Yes."
Dolores's worries poured out one after another, but.
Honestly, I wondered if I would even go back today.
"...I'm going. Lionel."
She left with Ruby, looking a little pitiful.
I didn't know why she felt that way.
Since transmigrating to this other world, I was living the most decently.
I looked down.
The equipment Dolores had brought was right there.
-----------------------------
[Chore Gloves][☆☆☆☆☆]
[Compatibility][-/0]
-----------------------------
So-called grunt-work gloves.
In all my life, this was the first time I'd seen equipment without even flavor text.
If it's too crappy, it seems even that is missing.
It didn't matter to me right now.
"Phew..."
What I had to do was, of course, Enchant.
I carefully untied the pouch Henrik had handed me.
And.
Sssss...
I sprinkled a pinch of blue powder on the gloves.
You might think it's a waste, but I changed my thinking a little.
It's my first time, and I can't risk trying it on good equipment right away and having it blow up.
Practice is done with cheap stuff.
Whirrr...
I held the Enchant Hammer.
-----------------------------
[Target Equipment: Chore Gloves]
[Powder Held: 1.3g]
[User Proficiency: None]
-----------------------------
[Attempt enhancement?]
-----------------------------
Yes, I'll try.
[0:00:10]
This time, I wasn't spacing out.
A circle appeared.
From the outside, a circle slowly shrank and followed.
The two circles approached. Slowly.
I aimed exactly for the moment they overlapped.
Clang!
A rainbow-colored light flashed.
[Marvelous!]
This is it... This is what I'm talking about...
My body remembers.
This doesn't even need to go to the brain; it's a spinal reflex.
The next circle appeared.
The position changed, but it didn't matter.
I read the shrinking circle and catch the moment it overlaps.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
[Marvelous!]
[Marvelous!]
[Marvelous!]
[0:00:01]
[0:00:00]
Those frantic 10 seconds passed.
-----------------------------
[Total Results]
[Marvelous] [7]
[Excellent] [1]
[Good] [0]
[Poor] [0]
[Terrible] [0]
-----------------------------
[Final Success Rate 93%]
[Failure Rate 7%]
-----------------------------
[Attempting......]
-----------------------------
93%.
Unless there's probability manipulation, this will work.
-----------------------------
[Enhancement Success!]
-----------------------------
[Chore Gloves][☆☆☆☆☆]
[Enhance +0 → Enhance +1]
-----------------------------
"Phew..."
A faint light rose from the gloves.
What was strange was that even with Weight Reduction magic written on it, the sensation when actually swinging the hammer was exactly the same.
[Apparently the granted magic assists with weight.]
I see.
It's like something else carries it for you, maybe.
But, Yuna.
"There's something extremely regrettable right now."
Enhance +1 or Weight Reduction magic wasn't what mattered right now.
First, the difficulty is too easy.
And.
"There's no music."
I raised my head and looked at Yuna.
"Some music, please."
The reason I couldn't get all perfect was definitely because of the music.
[......]
"Play it quickly."
[...Okay...]
Yuna's hologram wavered slightly.
After a moment, music filled the workshop.
The song played softly.
If there's no music in a Rhythm Game, it's just labor.
BPM and such can be adjusted later.
That was when.
[Rhythm Game started! I'll let you know once every 30 minutes.]
"Huh?"
"......"
[You're turning it off after 2 hours. Promise me, Oppa~]
I remember.
Back when I started gradually cutting down on games, to measure how long I played.
I had scripted it so that Yuna would automatically call out when I started a Rhythm Game.
A notification every 30 minutes. Forced shutdown after 2 hours.
If I didn't set this, I'd play until 4 AM.
However.
"Yuna."
I opened my mouth with a benevolent smile.
[...Huh?]
"You can turn that off."
[Why...?]
"It's work now."
[......]
"I can't be bound by time."
Because.
I'm a pro.
Staying up all night like a pro was only natural.
[Kyaaaaah!!]
Using Yuna's scream as background music.
I picked up the hammer again.