A Voice from the Past
A few days had passed since my meeting with Shane.
As usual, after getting tortured by old man Gente, I was strolling through the streets.
Roll, roll, roll—the wooden wheels of my handcart rumbled along.
Soon, a woman's voice rang out across the street.
"Announcement from Sepi's Workshop! Come try out our latest magic tool before it's gone!"
A test run of a new magic tool.
As everyone knew, magic tools weren't cheap.
Even the bargain ones started at one gold coin.
With material costs being what they were, ten gold coins was nothing—most magic tools cost more than a decent mansion.
But there was one exception to that rule…
The prototype testing phase for new magic tools.
"What? Another one?"
"Sepi's Workshop? Never heard of it."
"Mom! What's that?"
"It's a magic tool, sweetie. Very expensive."
People started gathering at the woman's call—citizens intrigued by the rare event, and even some wandering adventurers edging closer out of curiosity.
These high-end items could turn into outrageously priced luxuries at any moment.
So everyone was happy to play guinea pig with a light heart, at least once.
"Come on, folks—this is your one and only chance to try the new magic tool today! No pressure, gather 'round!"
The woman shouted even louder as the crowd swelled.
I'd heard every workshop had a loudmouth promoter, but seeing one in action was a first.
That said, demoing a new magic tool right in the street?
It piqued my curiosity enough that I couldn't just walk away—I found myself peeking over.
Even under the pure white cloth draped over the handcart, the bulky outline of the magic tool was faintly visible.
In a city where slave traders had vanished, these booming voices filled the void, hawking magic tools with pride.
"And now, presenting Sepi's Workshop's latest masterpiece!"
Flutter—
With her voice rising even higher, she whipped off the white cloth covering the handcart.
"That's a magic tool?"
"What does it even do?"
"Beats me…"
What emerged from beneath the cloth was some unidentified magic tool.
Or rather, something that barely qualified as one.
Is that… a magic tool?
I couldn't help thinking it to myself.
At first glance, it was just a crude rectangular metal box.
Nothing more definitive came to mind.
Magic tools prioritized function over form, sure—but couldn't they pretty it up a little?
It left an odd sense of regret.
Undeterred by the crowd's mixed reactions, the woman pressed on energetically.
"Come on, who cares what it looks like? The real question is what it does—right?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"Pretty words don't mean much."
The mood sank despite her upbeat pitch, thanks to the tool's untrustworthy appearance.
"Heh heh heh."
As the lukewarm responses piled up, the woman let out a sly chuckle and paused dramatically.
"Better to see it once than hear about it a hundred times, eh? Anyone wanna help out?"
A hush fell after her words.
Her open palm extended toward a specific cluster of people.
And naturally, I was right in that group.
When asking for help from a crowd, they teach you in CPR training to single out one person.
Pick someone specific, don't make it vague.
"Ah! You there in the front—can you help?"
Just like that CPR guideline flashing in my head, she pointed at one identifiable guy.
Me.
"M-Me?"
I was the idiot gawking at the magic tool from the front row, after all.
"Yes, you! Won't ask anything tough—come on!"
With her urging, I got dragged onstage, ending up in front of the mysterious box.
The focused stares and atmosphere pulled me in, but I still had no clue what this thing was or what to do.
It doesn't explode or anything, right?
I just eyed the suspicious contraption skeptically for a moment.
Ignoring me, the woman stepped slowly toward the tool and spoke as if ready.
"I'll press this, so everyone else stay quiet. You just say whatever you want."
"Whatever I want…?"
Instead of explaining the tool, she just briefed me on my part.
Her sudden demand to say anything left my mind blank—I echoed her in confusion.
"Anything at all! Even a simple greeting."
Click.
Undaunted, she finished her instructions and mimed pressing something.
A small noise came from the back of the tool right after.
Then she turned to me silently.
This was wordless pressure: Say something.
Her blank smile was a little creepy.
Sales smiles could be terrifying.
"Uh, h-hello there."
I cleared my throat and let out a rough, witless greeting.
Click. Another small noise from the back.
Only then did the promoter's face brighten.
"Perfect! Thanks for the help! You can head back now."
A perfunctory thanks, and I returned to the crowd, blending into the ordinary stares.
She casually fiddled with the tool again.
The onlookers seemed thoroughly unimpressed.
"Now, let's press this…"
Grinning smugly amid the bored gazes, she hit a button on the back.
"Uh, h-hello there."
"Whoa! What was that?!"
"Did that come from the box just now?"
"Huh? That wasn't you saying it, right?"
The indifferent crowd erupted in an instant.
Adventurers gawked wide-eyed; citizens marveled at the talking tool.
One guy even poked my side to check if I'd done ventriloquism.
"Y-Yeah… wasn't me."
I played it cool answering from behind, but I was pretty shocked too.
It was my voice, crystal clear, no static.
It looked crude, but this was a perfect voice recorder.
I'd thought this world lagged far behind the 21st century, but apparently not in every way.
Some parts feel more advanced, glossed over with magic and magic tools…
As I pondered the differences between worlds,
the promoter draped the cloth back over the tool and announced,
"Worried your beloved husband or wife is cheating? Reserve yours now at Sepi's Workshop~!"
Her perky pitch was too grim to laugh off, even as a joke.
Roll, roll, roll—I stared dumbfounded as she wheeled away.
Would anyone actually buy it after that pitch?
Even potential customers for that purpose would flee.
"Weird stuff out there."
"But what do you even use it for?"
"Dunno? Maybe nobles would want it."
"Yeah, they have those kinds of scandals a lot."
"Could be pretty practical, heh."
The modest spectacle ended with folks dispersing, sharing their takes.
Adventurers, familiar with noble gossip, snickered that it might suit high society just fine.
Time to head home.
I turned toward home amid the scattering crowd.
Who'd have thought I'd witness an isekai voice recorder's debut firsthand?
With fresh wonder, I trudged onward, my training-sore body aching.
But my voice, now stored in that magic tool.
The chaos it would unleash…
I couldn't have imagined it then.
Sepi's Magic Tool Workshop.
A name known to anyone with even passing interest in magic tools, all thanks to its genius inventor.
Usually, the sign bore the owner's name.
But Sepi, the actual owner, seemed utterly indifferent.
The woman with loosely tied sky-blue hair sat buried in monster materials and gems, speaking to a girl without looking up.
"Balen, maybe ease up on developing magic tools and look outside once in a while…?"
"How can I? It's been forever since we got such fresh special organs from a monster! If I don't work fast, they'll lose their properties!"
The redheaded girl called Balen.
Her scarlet curls tied back, hollow eyes burning with mania.
"Sigh… how did she turn out like this…"
Sepi sighed deeply at Balen.
Seven years ago, she'd suddenly been saddled with the girl outside a research lab—a plain female mage no more.
"At least after this project…"
"I'm back~!"
As Sepi tried to say more in worried tones, a cheerful shout burst through the workshop door.
"Ah, you're back!? How'd it go?"
Balen, unmoved by Sepi's fretting, jumped up in her grubby state and greeted the returning cart-pusher.
"Hee hee, total success!"
"They were shocked, right? Lemme hear it too!"
They high-fived triumphantly, moving as one.
Then Balen eagerly activated the magic tool.
"Uh, h-hello there."
A man's ordinary greeting emanated from the tool.
The two women's faces froze.
"Huh?"
"That voice… sounds familiar."
To anyone else, just a normal guy's voice.
But not to them.
It dredged up buried memories.
And in that instant, they felt different things.
"Ah! It's the uncle!"
"How dare he show his face again…?"
One brimmed with joyful nostalgia.
The other burned with seething resentment.