kscans

Chapter 74 - The Box of Memories and a Quiet Rest

Mireille started with processing the Moonshadow Wolf eyeballs, which seemed like they would be completed the fastest.

After this, it was just a matter of relentless polishing. She repeated the fine work, aiming for a soft finish so as not to damage the eyes.

Picking them up with tweezers, peering through a microscope, she polished them bit by bit, a task so delicate it wouldn't even scratch a finger. But if she overdid it, they would be immediately scratched and become unusable.

Furthermore, as she poured her mana in, spreading it out, they slowly began to harden. However, they were very thin and brittle. If she applied too much force, they would likely crack immediately.

To fix this instability, she soaked them in water rich with mana, encouraging them to set.

Fortunately, since each one was small, the mana consumption wasn't great. But she needed two lenses per person. The number was enormous, and the work was so detailed it frayed the nerves.

Mireille continued to make Night Vision Lenses, endlessly.

*

Meanwhile, Leonhard was rummaging through the wooden boxes on the fourth floor, trying not to disturb her.

All the remaining wooden boxes seemed to be Ariel's personal belongings. Inside, there were many things that looked like alchemy recipes, but there were also regular cooking recipes and books on child-rearing.

So that a child's heart may grow kind. It seemed she often read educational books with titles like that.

(I heard from Mireille that Ariel was troubled by her own different actions and thoughts. Maybe she thought she could create a similar environment, even if just a little.)

There were also things that seemed to be Mireille's from when she was young, like play-pretend toys, dolls, and drawings. In those drawings, Ariel appeared in almost all of them. Sometimes, a man who seemed to be Darius was also there.

Mireille probably wasn't conscious of it, but Ariel and Darius must have been like parents to her.

But...

Even with such a warm family, Darius was choosing another noblewoman, Ariel claimed she didn't understand love and wished for them to part, and she was hoping for Mireille to become independent.

Or rather, looking at how she interacted with Mireille, even if it was a little off, all I can feel is love...

(Of course, I'll do my best to be wanted by Mireille, and I'm confident I can build a happy family, but.)

Before I knew it, my fantasies of the future were starting to run wild again.

(At times like these, I'm glad I'm a commoner.)

If I can be with Mireille, I don't need social status. Even if I face harassment from Julius and the noble society, I'm glad I wasn't born a noble.

"Hah..."

I let out a deep sigh. I still haven't been able to tell Mireille about Darius's future.

Until now, I had sympathized with Darius's unfulfilled pure love. But if I think about it carefully, no, even without thinking, the environment Ariel received from the country is far too pitiful.

That being said, it's someone else's love life. There's nothing I can do.

In that case, this box of memories should be used when Ariel safely returns, so the two of them can reminisce and make flowers of their memories bloom.

The remaining recipes filled one wooden box. This amount would be easy to bring back to the base, or to read here.

When Leonhard carried the box down to the third floor, the workroom had become a rather horrifying sight, with golden eyes lined up and floating in rows.

"You've got to be kidding me."

I couldn't help but mutter.

"Oh, Leonhard-san. Over here, I think the Night Vision Lenses are almost done."

Mireille looked up, her eyes red and bloodshot.

"Your eyes this time?"

"I've been doing so much detailed work, my eyes hurt."

"I bet. I brought what looks like recipes... Time for a break."

Leonhard smiled, and Mireille let out a sigh of relief.