Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Cyranda Silver Glasses
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After tidying up my insides following our magical romp, I examined the glasses Helen had gifted me.
The sparkling silver forming the frames had a faint mana imbued within it.
"There's mana in it? Don't tell me..."
"That's right. Frames made from Cyranda silver mined in the Cyranda mines."
It was a material that naturally held mana, making it a high-grade mineral even in alchemy.
More expensive than the same weight in gold, it was a treasure to any mage.
Spirit mages were no exception.
To think she'd embedded such a premium material into glasses.
The glasses themselves required considerable craftsmanship, making them an expensive luxury item, and then to inlay them with Cyranda silver on top of that.
"That must have cost a fortune."
"It's fine. It's a token of gratitude for your guidance, Teacher."
Having handed over the glasses, she blushed shyly and cleared her throat.
It was an expression I often saw in illusions, but in reality, it felt utterly unfamiliar.
A bit awkward, even.
"...When are you going to change that way of speaking?"
"W-What way of speaking? W-When did I change how I talk?"
Helen snapped back, reverting to her usual brusque, grumbling tone.
"No, it's nothing."
"A-Anyway, I didn't have custom lenses made since you said your eyesight's fine."
"Yeah, no lenses."
The glasses were hollow without lenses.
"I-I'll get lenses fitted later when I get the chance."
"You're not saying you bought just the frames and called it a day, right?"
"W-What are you talking about? Do you think I'd blow all my pocket money on something like this? I just picked something modest because giving you too big a gift at once might put you in a tough spot."
Her grumbling was adorable.
"Understood. So, heading out now?"
"Yeah."
"I'll treasure these glasses. Guess I'll only wear them in front of you, Helen."
"...Of course. Never wear them in front of other women."
Had my words stirred some strange possessiveness in her?
With that, she grabbed her coat and headed out.
"Oh, and today's events are our little secret, Teacher. Don't tell a soul."
"Don't worry. I'm not one to blab."
"...Yeah."
Helen flung open the door and hurried out like she was fleeing.
"I-I'll come by again."
"You're welcome anytime."
I saw her off as she left.
She dashed down the capital's streets as the sun set.
With the spirits' aid, her vanishing figure resembled that of a wandering monk.
"Glasses, huh."
Was it because she'd experienced the illusion of me as her bespectacled teacher?
Helen had developed a peculiar fixation on me wearing glasses.
She'd insisted I wear them whenever using illusions from now on.
'Seems she has a thing for the glasses look.'
Did I really suit them that well?
I stood before the mirror.
I slipped on the lensless glasses Helen had given me.
The silver rims gleamed, and my reflection stared back like some scholarly type, aura and all.
"Hmm... Do they suit me?"
Honestly, I had no clue.
Never worn glasses before, so I couldn't judge if they looked good.
One thing was certain, though: this look hit her strike zone dead-on.
"If she likes it, I should indulge her."
Even prickly customers deserved service.
'She hasn't gotten genuinely annoyed lately.'
In fact, incidents where she did were rare enough to count on one hand.
And even those were just her deliberately prodding me to rile me up.
I was about to take off the glasses.
Knock knock knock.
Someone rapped on the shop door late at night.
"Who is it?"
"Delivery."
A delivery at this hour?
The couriers usually wrapped up in the daytime and rarely worked evenings—what was this?
I opened the door, and there stood the familiar postal worker from before, hefting a large wooden box.
"Delivery for the mage."
"You guys work this late normally?"
"No, not when Her Majesty's grace doesn't extend into the night. But this one's special."
"I see."
I eyed the package in his hands.
A small wooden box, marked with a familiar emblem on the side.
The purple curtain symbol of the Illusion Magic School.
"From Master?"
"Spot on. Your master urgently requested a special delivery."
She really was impossible to predict.
Sending something without warning like this.
And convincing a courier to make a nighttime run? Classic Master.
"She insisted on delivery tonight no matter what. Couldn't say no. Haha. And she tipped nicely."
As I reached for the wooden box he offered, he looked at me and asked,
"Glasses, though?"
"Oh, a gift."
"Hmm, doesn't really suit you, Mage."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. They make you look kinda fierce."
"...I see."
I lowered my hand from the box and stared at him.
"Why are you—"
"Fun's over. Master."
"..."
The courier grinned.
"Where'd you catch on?"
"That a stickler for protocol would show up this late."
"Just from that?"
"And that you'd prepay postage to this guy—something you've never done before, not even once."
"..."
"Plus, the needless compliment on my looks. He never mentioned my appearance. Just casual greetings."
"Fair point. Doesn't concern me anyway."
With that, the courier's form shifted.
The weary young postal worker vanished, replaced by a stunning woman with blue hair.
A playful, fresh-faced beauty brimming with mischief.
She flashed a wry smile and sighed in mock disappointment.
"Sharper than I expected!"
Her youthful looks belied her mature speech. My pint-sized master smirked, cracking her knuckles.
"Disappointing. I really thought my latest illusion magic could fool you completely."
"You left clues on purpose, didn't you?"
"Did I now?"
Meiko shrugged innocently.
It was obvious she'd deliberately left gaps for me to spot.
"Not just playing around, then."
"I've been busy."
"...Still researching that depraved magic circle?"
"Yes."
"Facing desires head-on goes against Goddess Church teachings."
I couldn't exactly say the saintess was enjoying that depraved circle too.
No way I'd survive the fallout with a devout believer like her.
Plus.
'I can't say it's not just for show.'
She'd shut it down in a heartbeat.
"I'm keeping it in check."
"...Fine. I trust my capable disciple gets what I'm saying."
My young master clasped her hands behind her back and sighed deeply.
'Cute.'
Acting mature to avoid disdain from other faction heads and professors despite her age made her seem like a precocious kid.
A few years younger than me, yet behaving like some crusty old prof—the gap was endearing.
Like a child desperately trying to act grown-up.
"Did you find what you wanted?"
Meiko shook her head at my question.
"No. Couldn't find it. I scoured the jungle beyond the Witch's Forest for Bretilla Flowers—catalysts to empower illusion magic—but nothing."
Bretilla Flower.
The legendary purple bloom said to grant physical force when incorporated into a magic circle.
The holy grail every illusion mage coveted, dismissed by all factions for lacking physicality.
Rumors placed it in the jungle past the Witch's Forest at the empire's southeast edge, so Meiko had ventured there.
That's why she'd been gone for months.
She sighed heavily, coming up empty.
"Why were you after that flower?"
"...To stop illusion mages from being looked down on. With it, even illusions could wield real physical force."
Was it her sense of duty as faction head?
She was hypersensitive to others' gazes.
Always throwing herself into improving illusion mages' image.
'We're the only two proper illusion mages right now.'
I was content with illusion magic as is.
So what if no physical force?
Crafting illusions didn't need it.
Indirect physical effects were endless, depending on the caster's ingenuity.
Of course, it was a difference in vision between us.
Meiko dreamed of combat applications and practical daily aids via illusions.
"You still care about others' opinions?"
"Of course. Our faction gets scraps from government subsidies—barely enough as is."
They could barely afford cash-on-delivery postage.
That's why I ran the shop and moonlighted in alchemy—no budget from the faction.
The ragtag Illusion School.
"Why not focus on practical applications instead?"
"Max, you know how other mages treat us. I won't let my beloved illusion magic stay this way. It has the ultimate potential of any magic."
"..."
Determination filled Meiko's face.
"Ahem, enough gloom. I can't stay long."
"Off again?"
"Yeah. Gotta find that flower somehow. I've set up proper research facilities there now, so next time'll be smoother."
Hold on.
"Research facilities? Where?"
"In the village near the jungle, obviously."
"Where'd the money come from?"
"..."
Meiko averted her eyes at my question.
"Master, you didn't blow all the research funds I gave you, did you?"
"H-Hem, n-not all of it. A little left."
"...How much?"
"1...1..."
"Pardon?"
"1 gold."
"..."
What the—.
I'd given her 40 gold.
Enough for a year of lavish alchemy materials and research to spare.
Back in months, with just 1 gold left?
"T-Truth is, I dipped into the grant too."
"You touched the faction grant? Lord have mercy."
"N-Not much! 3...3 gold maybe?"
4 gold's reasonable.
Considering 1 gold's near a farmer's monthly wage—four months' pay—but still within bounds...
"40 gold."
"You blew 50% of the annual grant."
"...Sorry."
I'd admired her indignation over the pittance before.
Retract that.
"Hand over the remaining grant. I'll manage it."
"H-Hem... Left it in the forest."
"You didn't get mugged, right?"
"N-No, nothing like that."
"..."
Meiko fidgeted with her fingers, glancing around before asking,
"S-So, uh... Could I get some funds?"
"That why you're here?"
"...Yeah."
What to do with this irresponsible master of mine.