Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Frilly Hairband
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The video recording magic device originally carried a strong image of office supplies.
Its main purpose was to record group conversations, like in meetings or trials. Think of it as having the feel of an official document rather than a postcard or personal letter.
The seller must have gone off track with their marketing. If it had been promoted for personal use, like preserving memories the way Doria did, it probably would have sold way more by now.
At the very least, Mayches would have thrown a fit about the money much earlier.
"This many... when do you even plan to use them...?"
I stared with weary eyes at the egg-shaped pebbles that filled one entire wall of Mayches's study.
Where did he stash all the books? Was Mayches done studying altogether?
Free from stereotypes, Mayches put his realization straight into action. The drive of successful people really was something else.
Mayches patted my shoulder as if to say not to worry at my mumbling, then gave a completely off-topic reply.
"I'll try to hold back."
"Hold back on what?"
"The urge to record every single moment..."
"..."
Thanks to Doria's hobby perfectly matching her employer's tastes, she scored another bonus bigger than her monthly salary.
It seemed her enthusiasm—buying the devices out of pocket—had deeply touched her wealthy employer.
"You bought that bag out of pocket too?"
Doria had started wearing a small bag crossbody-style.
She needed to carry the pebbles everywhere now, ready to record footage at a moment's notice. Her apron pockets, already stuffed with essentials, had gotten too bulky.
I felt bad that she was wasting money on unnecessary things at her workplace, where she came to earn it.
But Doria just smiled brightly and patted the bag.
"No, the Count gave it to me for work!"
Hmm... maybe it was time for me to start protesting this rampant invasion of privacy...
In any case, the atmosphere at home was warming up nicely.
Which meant it was fine for me to casually ask Mayches something like this.
"I want to visit the academy where you go, Brother."
No matter how I thought about it, that was the only way to meet all of Mayches's friends at once.
I had even prepared five different scenarios to convince him, in case he asked what I meant by "visit?"
"..."
But for some reason, Mayches looked utterly shocked.
I tried to read his expression.
He hadn't figured out I was scheming to enroll at Repitelips, had he?
Repitelips Academy's Third Magic Lab was currently boasting an unprecedented population density.
Students who had heard the news crowded into the lab, peering excitedly at the corner with thrilled expressions.
If anyone spoke too loudly, they all raised index fingers and shushed them.
Then they sneaked another glance at the corner.
Through the white, transparent rectangular barrier, fine ash-gray hair fluttered into view.
"What kind of research is he doing?"
"It's the first time I've seen Count Mayches use magic outside the curriculum."
"He's famous for healing spells too, but above all, isn't the Count a genius at magic?"
"I'm a total layman when it comes to magic, so I can't tell... Oh, Lady, you're well-versed in magic, right? Do you know what the Count is making?"
The lady who was asked looked somewhat pale.
She rubbed the back of her neck and muttered.
"Well, I don't really... Why on earth is he making that?"
"Pardon?"
Just as the viscount's daughter sensed something off in the context and was about to ask again—
Mayches unclenched his fist.
Hwaa—
A round orb of light floated up above his long, white fingers.
The glowing sphere rippled, then something small and light—almost like an afterimage—dropped onto Mayches's palm and melted into the air.
It was none other than a pastel sky-blue, frilly, ruffled hair tie.
A wave of murmurs rippled through the students like a tide.
"It's a gift, right? Has to be a gift!"
"His hair's too short to wear it himself anyway!"
"Who could it be, the one getting a gift from Lord Mayches...!"
But some people's faces turned ashen the moment they saw Mayches's gift.
In particular, the advanced practical magic professor suddenly clutched his defensive magic bracelet and broke into a cold sweat.
A few had already gone pale during the layered casting of Mayches's spell and bolted from the room. One of them had rushed off to fetch the headmaster.
Meanwhile, amid the excited buzz around him, Mayches looked sad.
His thin rose-petal lips pressed together indifferently when new arrivals burst into the Third Magic Lab.
"Hey, Mayches! Recommendation unfit! What're you doing? Why aren't you at the cafeteria?"
Yan pushed through the crowd, snickering, and approached Mayches.
Mayches's mind, which had been plotting to renovate the mansion again and gild Aiel's room entirely, came to a screeching halt.
Mayches what...?
The headmaster panicked under the eyes suddenly turning his way.
The advanced practical magic professor shot the headmaster accusatory glares, as if he'd finally found the culprit.
"No! It's not like that! I'm not that irresponsible! It's not unfit—it's omitted at the person's own request!" the headmaster protested, waving his hands wildly in all directions.
Just as the headmaster was about to tell Yan to watch his words and avoid misunderstandings—
Daluh Dea entered the magic lab at a rare brisk pace.
"Calipan and I talked it over seriously, and we concluded that you being deemed unfit for recommendation is all your own karma—no one else's fault. In other words, the consequences of your actions in front of your innocent little sister. Mayches, you know what karma is, right?"
Daluh spoke in the tone of someone delivering great news.
Calipan, who had spent the entire class scheming new ways to tease Mayches, entered grinning ear to ear.
But his face fell into horror upon seeing the scene.
"Brother Mayches, what are you doing right now?"
Bamper and Jayhan followed through the entrance.
The crowd parted like the miracle of Moses, and Bamper's eyes widened.
"Mayches, oh... why are you making something so vicious-looking?"
"It's fine; activation phrase isn't set yet."
Yan and Daluh, who had been messing around, now looked confused and asked for explanations.
As Bamper asked a spirit to erect a wide wind barrier for everyone's safety, Calipan picked up a pen rolling on the lab table.
Calipan flicked the frilly hair tie Mayches had placed on the table.
"It's got at least thirty insane attack spells layered on it. It's screaming warnings everywhere that touching it won't kill you cleanly. Who makes a defensive artifact like this?"
"Anyone with decent aura sense would turn pale and dodge it."
Only then did Yan and Daluh realize the frilly hair tie was a gift meant for Aiel, soon to leave the mansion.
Pity instantly filled Yan and Daluh's eyes.
"Smart kids like you never learn. You really don't get how your extreme attitude led to this mess?"
"He doesn't seem to, so let me spell it out: karma isn't like discount coupons you can cash in just because you've racked up a ton."
Mayches was annoyed by their words but couldn't argue back.
Last Sunday evening, Mayches was beside himself with worry.
The time to return to the academy was approaching, but there was no sign of Aiel asking him again to be her recommender.
Even when Grenji hinted at it indirectly, Aiel just looked like she had no idea what he meant.
That was when Grenji and Mayches realized something was wrong.
As the two gathered in the study to discuss what had gone awry, Doria came to them.
She held a torn scrap of paper in her hand.
*Greetings. Time has swiftly passed from the cold winter into the cusp of spring, where flower buds begin to sprout—*
It was the opening of the touching speech Aiel had prepared to persuade Mayches's friends.
It seemed like a failed draft because spring didn't fit the convention.
Grenji was baffled by the text, but Mayches's brilliant mind seized on one possibility the instant he read that line.
"We might have misread the reason for the enrollment rejection?"
So she's asking someone else besides me to recommend her...?
Mayches had already felt something off about how unusually sweet Aiel had been all morning at breakfast.
At first, he thought she was beating around the bush to ask him again, but on second thought, it was the attitude of someone caring for a pitiful child, not making a request.
Mayches shocked himself with his own hypothesis and denied it.
Just as the desire to launch "I'm still kicking" show-off phase two bubbled up in his chest—
Doria nailed the coffin shut.
"Pardon? Lady Aiel's enrollment application was rejected? Why? You sent the recommendation documents, so it couldn't be a missing file..."