Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Dalpi's Vacation
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I never thought there'd be someone in this world who hated taking a break.
Even the most diligent and hardworking person prefers Sunday over Monday, right?
"If I'm not here, who'll handle the housework? You can't possibly expect Ian to do it. I guarantee you, if Ian tries the dishes, every plate in the kitchen will end up shattered. Fine, let's say we eat out a hundred times over. Logness has plenty of great restaurants. But what about the laundry and cleaning?"
"More importantly, I'm the one recording and managing your schedule. Haven't you been swamped since becoming the Tower Master? I think you need someone by your side to tell you what needs doing, day after day. Not to mention dealing with VIPs or running errands—do you really think you can manage all that alone without me?"
Is this what they call a workaholic?
Dalpi shoved a laundry list of reasons why she couldn't possibly take time off.
Her presence was undeniably important.
Even with Nob AI's help, I only had one body.
Things had gotten busy in all sorts of ways since reviving the Metal School.
I needed at least one person assisting me like a secretary.
Dalpi always performed that role to perfection.
She was an SSS-class maid who even flawlessly handled the piled-up housework after hours.
Sure, it'd be inconvenient without her.
"But you'll be fine for a week. Stop making a fuss and go rest already."
What was I supposed to do? Don't argue with the boss.
The boss says rest, so you rest.
"Hoo..."
My resolve was rock-solid.
Dalpi finally relented.
"Sigh, I don't know what you're scheming, but I'll let it slide just this once."
"Good."
She changed into casual clothes.
The kind of ordinary outfit you'd see on any street.
Maybe because it was the first time seeing her in anything but a maid uniform.
She seemed like Dalpi, yet not quite Dalpi.
"Feel free to swoon as much as you like."
"Hm."
Now I could finally see the curves that had been hidden under that baggy maid dress asserting themselves.
Should I just tell her to work in this from now on?
"If you keep staring at my chest like that, even I get embarrassed."
Oh.
"If you're at it, my legs would appreciate some attention too. They're my best feature."
What.
For once, she was saying something perfectly normal.
Dalpi demurely swept her hair back.
And then.
"As I mentioned before, feel free to touch if you want."
It had been ages.
Since Dalpi had looked straight at me with those sultry eyes.
Her voice was like a whisper.
Laced with sensuality.
I instinctively took a step back.
But.
She closed the distance in an instant.
Not content with that, she leaned in close to my ear.
"This is your privilege, young master."
"......"
When she went all out to seduce me like this.
She was a vixen if there ever was one.
Her lavender eyes were especially vivid today.
Framed by thick lashes, they sparkled like a sunlit beach.
Silence fell.
In this awkward, sleazy atmosphere utterly unlike her usual self.
Her pale pink lips parted casually.
"You're always such a scaredy-cat about this stuff. But do you know something?"
Dalpi gave a faint smile.
And then.
In a voice brimming with utter confidence, she declared to me.
"You can never win against me anyway."
With that, the cheeky maid.
Bowed her head politely, asking me to take good care of the mansion for the week.
I watched her leave through the front door, thinking.
What a fox.
That was my assessment of Dalpi.
***
"The maid's nowhere to be seen today. She usually gives me snacks when we run into each other."
"Dalpi's on vacation."
"Oh, really?"
As usual, Etira greeted me when I arrived at the Golden Magic Tower.
Our Metal School's standard hours were 9 to 6.
Saturdays and Sundays off, of course.
Once all tasks were done, you were free to research, study, or head home.
Unless we hit the stage of mass-producing magic artifacts.
Right now, aside from artificial mithril production, there wasn't much else, so things were pretty relaxed.
The work itself didn't require that many people to begin with.
According to Nob AI's stats.
For a wizard fully trained in all production processes.
It only took two people to make 100kg of artificial mithril per month.
With me and Etira included, we had twenty wizards in the Metal School.
Simple math: fourteen were basically idle.
So yeah, our Metal School was hands-down the best cushy job in the Justina Kingdom right now.
Anyway.
It was 8:30 a.m. now.
Maybe because my old black company drilled into me that "arriving thirty minutes early is standard."
I'd gotten used to showing up thirty minutes early.
"I got here an hour ago. Anyway, vacation... No wonder the trash bins were overflowing today."
"Huh? She did that too?"
"We used to take turns, but one day I come in and the bins are spotless. Turns out the maid empties them after we leave."
Etira in front of me, too.
I had no idea why everyone around me was so hardworking.
"She even comes in on Saturdays to clean every floor by herself before leaving. Tell her to take it easy. Or hire help."
I got an earful from Etira.
Honestly, I felt wronged.
*-Thirty minutes, and it's done perfectly.*
*-Don't make a fuss. Save the money for hiring and buy some candy instead.*
She wouldn't listen even if I told her not to.
It was frustrating and upsetting.
But of course, she had no way of knowing the feelings of an employer with a cheeky maid.
"I'll try convincing Dalpi if I can."
"?"
Anyway.
As I chatted idly with Etira in front of the lobby.
"Tower Master, Etira, good morning."
"Oh, Devlin. Hello."
"Good morning."
Devlin, the next most knowledgeable about artificial mithril after me and Etira in our Metal School, approached with a wave.
He'd once mentioned synthetic diamonds in his interview.
His passion for mithril outshone anyone else's.
Honestly, it wasn't that hard at first.
Once you learned the methods and tricks, mithril production was straightforward and simple—almost boring.
Yet his eyes always sparkled.
Maybe because he was a blacksmith's son.
He was the ultimate metal lover among everyone I'd met.
"Tower Master, I have a question."
"Oh, go ahead."
Devlin politely asked if there was a reason so many more people than necessary were assigned to artificial mithril production.
He could've been more blunt than that, but the kid had impeccable manners.
"Please enjoy this downtime while it lasts."
"Pardon?"
"There's a reason for it. Let's do our best today too."
"Y-Yes... I'll do my best."
Devlin bowed to us and headed up to the tenth floor.
"Etira."
"Yeah?"
"If we exclude ourselves, I'd say Devlin's the one to oversee artificial mithril production entirely."
I nodded.
Nob AI and I agreed 100% with that assessment.
We could trust the metal lover Devlin with it.
His reputation in the school was solid too.
"So what do we do from now on?"
"Huh?"
Etira stared at me blankly.
"You know our school is the weirdest among all the schools in the kingdom right now, right?"
"Of course."
Even accounting for being a fringe school, the Metal School stood out.
The difference from mainstream schools.
Flame School focused on war, Life School on biology, Celestial on pure mana.
Illusion School on illusions, and so on—each had a defined theme.
They researched and developed spells and artifacts to advance their specialty.
Fringe schools weren't much different.
But us? Metal in name only.
We weren't like materials engineering, focused on new materials.
We had no signature spells at all.
Just magic artifacts.
So it made sense Etira would say that.
"Don't worry. It starts now."
The old Metal School failed.
It couldn't overcome its various issues.
They got wiped out like dogs, basically.
But the Metal School under me would reach a different end.
Right, Nob AI?
『Yes. Of course.』
Our Metal School's theme was everyday life.
We'd make super convenient, fun stuff and flood the kingdom with dopamine.
I glanced at the clock.
8:50 a.m.
Time to get to work.
Payroll for the staff, performance bonuses—gotta handle the books.
And make a gift for Dalpi.
"Have a good day."
"You too."
I headed to the Tower Master's office.
***
Haniel yawned as she walked home.
The sky was already dark.
"You worked hard today, miss."
"You too, Ian."
Exhausted after studying and discussing Basic Pathology—the material Ester had passed to the Life School wizards—with the kingdom's medical society doctors all day.
"Dalpi's on vacation starting today, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
With the maid who handled all the housework taking a break.
*'Heh heh, time to show off my skills.'*
As the only woman currently in the mansion, Haniel had no choice but to step up.
If you recalled how she'd done housework in place of sick servants back when she was healthy and young, it was totally doable.
She couldn't burden her busy Tower Master little brother with chores.
Whiiir—
It was when she opened the front door.
A strange noise came from somewhere.
"Hm?"
Finding it odd, they looked around and pinpointed the source.
"Sis, welcome home?"
Rarely, Ester was wearing a frilly apron, holding something that looked like an elephant trunk.
At this point, it wasn't even surprising.
"What wild invention is this time...?"
"A vacuum cleaner."
He casually introduced yet another outlandish gadget.