CH 20.1

“Haaa…”

“Ara… It’s rare for Takumi to sigh,” Iris said, while peering into my face with a terrifyingly coquettish gesture.

Iris, a violet-haired military strategist of Black-winged knights, had a feminine demeanor. His pale skin, slender frame, and charming smile and behavior made him appear more feminine than a real woman, despite the fact that he was a man.

My assignment for the day was to help Iris with some of the order’s accounting and clerical tasks. Although Iris was a strategist, he also took the initiative in performing these chores that chamberlains normally performed. As a result, he and I were working together in the barracks’ office. 

“Sorry, I’ve been a little bit distracted. It’s nothing big really.”

“Is that so? Well, it’s a good time to take a break! I’m working with Takumi today, so I’ve brought all kinds of snacks!”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

My shoulders were already stiff from staring at papers for so long. After pushing the papers to one side of my desk, I accepted Iris’s offer of pastries. It was a baked pastry that resembled the madeleines from my original world. With each bite, the soft sweetness spread throughout my mouth, apparently from a syrup made from reduced fruit wine and sugar-soaked wisteria. Normally, I would find the taste a little too sweet, but after a long day of filing, it hit all the right spots.

“This is yummy.”

“I’m glad. Sugar prices have recently dropped, so I am really happy that baked goods are now more affordable.”

Iris, who was smiling and stuffing pastries into his mouth, looked adorable. Iris, it seemed, enjoyed sugary treats. Then, as I continued to stare at him, the words Iris had spoken earlier popped into my head.

“How is it that sugar is so cheap?” 

“Of course its thanks to the potions!” Mass production lines for potions are now in place.”

“Eh?”

I’m sorry, Iris-san. But even though I’m told the obvious, I just couldn’t understand why sugar is cheaper than it should be.

“The other countries that want to buy potions from us have given Ritzheim Magic Kingdom preferential tariff treatment. Not on everything imported, though. That’s why sugar is so cheap these days,” Iris explained, winking at me. 

“Oh, that’s why…” I finally figured out the whole story.

Thanks for explaining it so clearly to me, Iris!

“Is that why His Majesty the King commended Gazelle and Felix the other day?”

“Hmm, that’s right. The fact that they discovered the method for refining potions was enough reason to be commended, but some aristocrats sidelined Gazelle solely because of his commoner background. But, given that this country has received preferential treatment in exchange for exporting the potion to other countries, would not it be bad if the government did nothing for them?” 

“Other countries may be wondering, ‘Why has not the person who developed such a revolutionary product received a national commendation?’ or something along those lines, I guess.”

To my right, Iris gave a slight nod as I continued to place my hands on my chin in thoughtful contemplation. Iris turned to face me after taking a bite of the pastries in his hand.

“That’s part of it, but… It’s more correct to say that they were afraid of being confronted if they ever said, ‘If that’s the extent of the goods, we shouldn’t need to give them preferential treatment.’”

“…Hmm.” 

The more I hear, the more I truly realize how glad I am that I kept out of the public eye on this potion development thing!

Yes, a potion—a magic potion capable of curing the subject’s wounds in the blink of an eye. I was the one who taught Gazelle and Felix how to make this good-to-drink, good-to-apply medicine.

Well, I may have taught them, but I simply passed on my knowledge from the game to them!

The potion, which was created using the knowledge gained from playing the game, had now spread throughout the magical kingdom of Ritzheim, and farms and factories had even been set up to mass produce it. It should be noted that the two people who developed this potion were Gazelle and Felix. 

The reason is simple. No one would trust a potion created by me, a suspicious newcomer! And, there’s also me being indebted to Gazelle and Felix…

Yesterday, too, I was shamed by roping their help in solving the demerits of the cursed sword… So I wanted to give something back to them in my own way. I was thinking that if they had the achievement of developing the potion, they might be able to get a raise in salary or something. After hearing Iris’s account, however, I realized just how much trouble had been caused for the pair of them.

I’m really sorry! Sorry, Gazelle, Felix!

“But I’m glad that Felix’s family finally acknowledges him now.” 

“…Hmm?”

Iris, having just finished his baked pastry, made an odd remark.

I then asked, blinking my eyes, “What are you talking about? Felix?”

“Ara. I wonder if Takumi was unaware.” 

“No, I didn’t know.”

“Felix was almost disowned when he left home.”

Ehhh?

I was taken aback by Iris’s unexpected words to the point I almost choked on my baked pastry. 

In between bites of my pastry, I nervously asked Iris, “Is that, a question I’m allowed to ask you?”

“Eh? Ah, I see. Takumi really doesn’t know. It’s okay. If it’s this story, everyone in the Black Winged Knights knows it.”

“Is that so.”