Volume 6, Chapter 2 – Laplace’s Big Toy

No… Lianne, you really didn’t need to spend that money.

Listening to Lianne’s exceptionally proud tone, Fia’s smile twitched slightly. Leaving aside the fact that the idea originally came from her, shaved ice was a difficult dessert to promote as a signature product. After all, this world had no cold-chain technology; shaved ice could only be made and eaten on the spot. This meant it was difficult to spread and could only be sold around the royal capital. Although Blossom was large enough and had countless nobles, it was still too much of a stretch to make it a signature product.

Not to mention, the Witch Sanctuary was located in the suburbs of Blossom. To sell shaved ice, they would have to acquire a shop in the city center, near the noble district. The price for a shop in that kind of location would be not much less than what it cost to acquire the Witch Sanctuary’s manor.

Fia pretended not to see the Watcher—who was still lying over the back of the sofa, panting—and offered a polite suggestion.

“But the storage requirements for this kind of dessert are too high. In the summer, it will melt after just a short time, affecting the taste. Doesn’t that mean it can only be made-to-order and can’t be spread very far? Besides, nobles aren’t like commoners; they won’t eat while walking down the street. If you really want to make this dessert a product, you’ll have to acquire a larger space in a district near the noble street, allowing customers to enjoy the dessert right inside the shop after buying it.”

“Ah…”

After Fia’s reminder, Lianne’s black-mist-form body froze on the spot. For a moment, Fia felt as if she had heard the sound of a beautiful dream shattering.

“Y-You’re right. I was only thinking about it being popular, I didn’t consider so many practical things at all… That would require a large extra sum of money to acquire the venue, and we’d also have to apply for a permit for long-term residence near the noble district…”

The more she spoke, the smaller her voice became. She had clearly lost all her enthusiasm and was starting to back down.

Fia, feeling a sense of guilt, couldn’t help but console her.

“I can help you solve the long-term residence permit. You shouldn’t be short on money for the shop, but if you are, I can lend you some. Also, since you’ll have your own shop near the noble district anyway, you might as well sell some other desserts. The nobles in the royal capital circle aren’t like those in remote areas; they should be very willing to try new things. Polish the flavor a bit. Even if you can’t make it a bestseller across the Silvar Kingdom, becoming a product that’s popular in the royal capital is still good. It’s worth a try.”

“More importantly, you all can use this opportunity to win the trust of the nobles. Bill it as ‘Witch’s Desserts’ from the very beginning, use it as a gimmick. Once people accept the name, they will slowly dilute their hostility towards witches and start associating witches with desserts.”

“This…”

Lianne sat up straight in her black-mist form, resting her chin on a hand-like appendage to think. “I have indeed been wanting to announce our identity as witches to those around us recently, but I planned to do it gradually, starting by gaining the acceptance of the people nearby. If we associate witches with desserts, won’t that just cause the desserts to not sell? I feel like the nobles in that area will just chase us away.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll vouch for you. No one will dare to chase you away. I will be staying in the royal capital during the Saint Alexia Festival. There will be no shortage of noble tea parties and banquets. I will try to recommend the Witch’s Desserts to them.”

“Won’t that negatively affect you, Lady Fia? The Wasteland just fell not long ago, and everyone in the royal capital is in a panic. Some are already thinking about moving away. To announce your relationship with us at a time like this, I’m afraid…”

Lianne asked worriedly.

“Don’t worry,” Fia smiled elegantly. “Rumors stop at the wise. Once everyone realizes you are not the witches of rumor who spread death and fear, they will naturally accept you. Besides, I’m not afraid of what people say. Those rumors won’t affect me in the slightest. You can go all out.”

Silvar Kingdom is not Cold Night. Power here is highly centralized, and I have absolute say. People’s rumors can’t change anything. The witches are all women with tragic pasts. Helping them is my own justice. If I were to abandon my principles just because I’m afraid of what others might say, I’d rather just hang all those people who are dissatisfied with me.

“If you put it that way, Lady Fia…” Lianne swallowed a non-existent gulp of saliva, her tone gradually firming up. “I will do my utmost and not betray your trust!”

“It’s not just for me, but for yourselves. Is there anything else?”

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“Yes! Heart-Core has recently cobbled together an incredible magical apparatus. I think that thing will definitely be of great benefit to your Kingdom. You had best go take a look at it.”

“An incredible magical apparatus… I understand. Let’s go see it.”

To be given such an evaluation by the sixth-rank Lianne, it shouldn’t be underestimated. Fia stood up, then glanced at the trainee witch who had brought the silver tray and had been standing guard behind Lianne this whole time.

She wasn’t looking at this trainee witch because the witch had been sneaking admiring glances at her, but because the white uniform the trainee witch was wearing was very distinctive. Fia had wanted to comment on it ever since she ran into the trainee witch in the hallway. This uniform was virtually identical to the student uniforms often seen in magic academy scenes in fantasy manga from another world. It was exceptionally eye-catching.

To be more specific, it was a sailor-style top, mainly white with solemn red accents, paired with a pleated skirt that was mainly red and reached just to the knees. Added with a ribbon sash at the waist and the exposed fair arms and well-proportioned calves, it was full of a girl’s delicacy and youthfulness. It was a wonderful outfit that made one want to promote it nationwide.

“Is there something about this trainee witch that displeases you?”

“No, it’s not that. This uniform is new, isn’t it?”

“Yes. This was Heart-Core’s suggestion. He said this kind of clothing makes it easier to win the goodwill of outsiders. And it’s true. After our trainee witches started wearing this clothing, called a ‘student uniform,’ they are often mistaken for the young ladies of noble families by passersby. More and more people are willing to help us. Not only have men started to pursue the trainee witches, but there are also noble young ladies who want to buy the clothes from us. They think this attire is very ‘trendy.’”

At this point, Lianne’s voice sounded slightly troubled. “Perhaps I am too old; I cannot understand what ‘trendy’ means. This attire isn’t conservative, but it’s not revealing either. It’s somewhat indecent, yet it’s not like the outfits of Cold Night’s dancers, which are designed to attract men. It also lacks the elegance of a formal dress and doesn’t have the enhancement effects of a magic robe. It’s… subtle, in all respects. And yet, it’s called trendy. Young people these days, their tastes are truly baffling.”

No, no, Lianne, this is the only kind of clothing that suits girls of the trainee witches’ age.

Fia gave Laplace’s suggestion a thumbs-up in her heart. As expected of her compatriot, he hadn’t shamed the Human Alliance.

She said, feigning seriousness.

“Isn’t this quite good? Take the knowledge you heard from Laplace, make it into a real product, and sell it to those who are interested. In any case, you have the extra manpower and the assets moved from the Witch Sanctuary to allow for trial and error. It’s fine to try and make it into an industry, just like the desserts. If you don’t embrace the trend, you’ll be left behind on the shore, you know.”

“Mmph. Thank you for the reminder, Lady Fia. I will try to accept it.”

“Speaking of which, Lianne, do you have any in stock? I’d like a few pieces too.”

Not only could I try them on, but I could also have Claire and my companions try them on. That felt like a scene that would be very exciting.

“Yes, I will go prepare them right now—”

“Preparing them later is fine. Let’s go see the magical apparatus Laplace made first.”

“I understand. Then, Miss Watcher over here…”

Lianne looked back at the Watcher. At some point, the Watcher had returned to normal and was standing quietly by the sofa. If one hadn’t seen her true colors revealed earlier, anyone would have thought she was a self-disciplined, holy, and solemn high-ranking priest.

Just like me with my Eldest Princess appearance, the impression we give when we speak versus when we don’t is completely opposite. Fia said expressionlessly.

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“Watcher, come with me.”

“Yes.”

Soon, Fia and the Watcher, led by Lianne, arrived at the large warehouse where Laplace was. The Knowledge-Seeking Demon General, who had fled earlier, was standing right next to Laplace’s demon.

Rather than calling this place—which was large enough to fit a standard soccer field—a warehouse, Fia felt it was more like a factory. The ceiling was over twenty meters high, and the floor was covered in all kinds of metal materials. Piles of steel (if that’s what it was) were stacked everywhere along the walls. In addition, there were over thirty Warlocks in men’s uniforms, all sweating profusely, helping out here. Under Laplace’s command, they were using magic to weld metal materials together. The lively sound of hammering echoed throughout the workshop, raising the temperature considerably. The acrid smell of metal welding was nostalgic.

“It hasn’t even been a month since I left, and this place has changed so much.”

Previously, the trainee witches all lived together in a simple wooden shed. Now, there were rows of dormitories built from brick and tile. Fia also saw many other buildings currently under construction. Judging from the scale and building materials, Lianne had taken her advice and was beginning to construct a splendid building suitable for meeting with nobles.

“We finally have a place to settle down, so of course we must cherish it. Besides, building houses on the ground is much cheaper than building shelters underground. We are not Friede; we don’t have to worry about money. We cannot lose face for you.”

“So this is a workshop specifically for Laplace to conduct magical research?”

“Yes. The Heart-Core is always researching things I cannot understand. To be honest, having him immersed in research all day is more reassuring to me than him being idle.” This was probably like the difference between knowing a child is playing with building blocks in a room, versus turning around to find the child has slipped into the bedroom and is completely silent. The former is reassuring; the latter makes one’s heart skip a beat.

“Oho! It’s Her Highness! You’ve come at the perfect time! Come and see what I’ve made!” Before Fia even reached him, Laplace’s demon, appearing as a bipyramid, shouted in a friendly and enthusiastic voice. If Laplace’s demon had arms and legs, he would undoubtedly be waving his arms excitedly and rushing over to Fia.

Quickening her pace, Fia arrived beside Laplace’s demon, who was emitting a faint white light. Just as before, the light from Laplace was not blinding; instead, it gave people a warm feeling.

“What did you make?”

Fia crossed her arms and asked curiously. She had already recognized that Laplace’s demon was a complete gag-character, so her words carried a slight smile and a teasing tone.

“Don’t tell me it’s something indecent.”

Speaking of indecent, I’ll have to disguise myself later and go to the Magician’s Association to promote magic wands.

“This is a cross-century invention! Your Highness! I guarantee, the magic casters from the Elf Tower will all look at me with new eyes, maybe even kneel and beg me to be their master!”

Laplace said excitedly, his white light flickering. The Warlocks standing nearby were also brimming with pride.

“From your tone, it sounds like you’ve had some conflicts with the magic casters from the Elf Tower?”

“More than conflicts! Those guys look down their noses at people! Not only did they reject the borrowing permit I submitted to them, but they also called me a country bumpkin magician who hasn’t seen the world! How dare they look down on me! I am irreconcilable with them!”

“Ahem, Laplace, I must remind you that Her Highness is the administrator of one of the three main Elf Towers.”

The Knowledge-Seeking Demon General covered what should have been his mouth, his tone filled with embarrassment.

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Suddenly, the white light on Laplace went completely dim. Only after a long moment did he make a sound.

“Huh? Her Highness is from the Elf Tower?”

“I have no interest in the Elf Tower. Just tell me what you were saying.” Seeing that Laplace was about to start rambling, Fia waved her hand to skip the topic. “What did you make?”

“Right, right! I almost forgot the important part!” Laplace’s demon hurriedly commanded the Warlocks who had stopped to rest. “Quick, go and bring out my great, cross-century invention for Her Highness to see! Hey! Be careful! Don’t you dare break it!”

Under Laplace’s command, the Warlocks went to a large object in the center of the workshop, which was covered by a black cloth. At first, Fia thought it was some kind of magic doll or magic puppet, common on the World Tree Continent. But when she caught a glimpse of the obvious steel wheels and the laid-out iron rails beneath the cloth, this incredibly heavy, two-person-tall object made Fia’s eyes light up.

As the black cloth was pulled away, an extremely primitive—or perhaps, a model—black mechanical contraption appeared before Fia. Fia, of course, recognized what this thing was called: a steam locomotive. The towering smokestack and the round, horizontal boiler were extremely obvious features.

What surprised Fia was that she could sense a strong and complex magical aura from this locomotive, which should have been steam-powered. It seemed it wasn’t as simple as just a steam engine.

“How about it? Aren’t you surprised? With this, the Silvar Kingdom’s soldiers can be transported in droves from the northern part of the Kingdom to the southern part in just a few days. If it were a bit more powerful, ramming a great dragon with it wouldn’t even be a problem!”

You’ve been reading too much weird stuff.

Fia retorted in her mind.

However, she did not deny the practicality of this thing. If steam locomotives could truly be operated for military use, transporting tens of thousands of soldiers to the front lines overnight would not be out of the question. Having been to Cold Night, she knew that information traveled extremely slowly in this world. If such a facility had been given to Chazo, Nola would have been defeated long before her support could arrive.

Laplace continued to explain, gesticulating wildly.

“The gunpowder experiments I was conducting earlier couldn’t be continued because of this world’s damned rules. So I thought, if gunpowder is a no-go, maybe I can approach it from a physical angle. I saw that boiling water could push a kettle lid, so I figured a steam engine should be possible. And so, I gave it a try.”

“And you succeeded?”

“No, I failed.”

As if cursing this world’s gods, Laplace clicked his tongue in frustration.

“I used magic and this world’s Mithril alloy to make a steam engine prototype, but for some reason, the steam couldn’t push the piston. It wasn’t a lack of force, but rather a rule that prevented it from being pushed. Strange, right? It can push a kettle lid, but the same principle doesn’t work on something with a slightly mechanical structure. It’s as if another, invisible force is stopping it. I tried various other metal materials and fuels after that, but it still didn’t work.”

“So I thought, if the problem is likely with the rules, then perhaps I should start by understanding the rules. I hypothesized: could it be that the thing I made didn’t contain magic, which is why it clashed with this world’s rules? If I incorporated some magic into it, perhaps it would be permitted by the rules.”

“So I made numerous modifications to the boiler, tried to use magic power as the energy source, and changed the fuel to those black magic crystals we dug up in the great desert. And it actually worked! Although I haven’t tested how many people it can carry, it’s definitely a product that defines an era. As long as you can toss magic crystals into it, even a normal person can operate it. And because it’s magic-powered, it doesn’t produce thick smoke!”

“I see…”

Fia nodded lightly.

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Just as Lianne had said, this was an incredible magical machine. Even Fia couldn’t help but marvel. Although I could probably make it myself, my time and energy are limited. It’s most appropriate to have Laplace handle it.

However, the Knowledge-Seeking Demon General at the side quickly poured cold water on the idea. He stroked his chin while examining the magic-powered locomotive. “The idea is good, but how many magic crystals does it consume per kilometer? If it consumes too many, the cost will exceed the original cost of war, making it completely unworthwhile. Speed and distance are also problems. And the production rate of magic crystals is far from impressive.”

“Th-I haven’t tested that yet. Right now, I can only guarantee that it can run, I can’t guarantee its efficiency. But as long as we’re willing to improve it, it will eventually get better!”

As Laplace gave this assurance, he glanced at Fia, intentionally or not. Although Laplace had no facial expression, Fia felt as if he wanted to say something.

“…Your Highness, I have an impudent request. I cannot support this endeavor alone. In the past, I was immersed in researching souls and neglected to learn the other magic of this world. If you could provide assistance, perhaps let the magic casters from the Elf Tower lend me some books, I—”

This guy definitely coordinated with the Knowledge-Seeking Demon General. They’re deliberately putting on a show, one singing harmony while the other sings lead, just to get me to provide assistance.

Fia waved her hand.

“You, just ask directly next time. No need to beat around the bush. I approve. I will send people from the Elf Tower to assist you in your research. I will also appropriate funds in the Kingdom’s name to give you more opportunities for trial and error. However, I have one condition: the results of your research can only be given to us. You cannot resell or give them to others.”

“But of course!”

“Then there is no time to waste, Your Highness. I shall accompany you to the EIf Tower right now…”

The Knowledge-Seeking Demon General rubbed his hands together eagerly.

Fia laughed in exasperation.

“I’ve finished saying pretty much everything I needed to. Let’s go.”

With that, Fia turned to the bewildered Lianne and smiled.

“Lianne, I think your Witch Sanctuary will be accepted by the public very soon. Desserts can be a side business.”

Lianne tilted her head in confusion.

“You mean…”

“You’ll understand in the future. Developing this thing is far more profitable than making desserts.”

If this can truly be rolled out at a low cost, it’s only a matter of time before the Witch Sanctuary becomes a Kingdom department on par with the Elf Tower.

As for now, I should head back to the Royal Castle. Saying hello to Father and Mother Yulisha is what’s important. Elves need to balance work and rest. It’s a rare festival, so now is time to relax.

Walking out of the workshop, Fia envisioned the future of the Saint Alexia Festival and stretched long and contentedly.