Chapter 19 Mira loses her precious ______.

It’s been a while since the training session began. The aide of Solomon, Suleiman, went to look for the still missing Mira and Luminaria. Knowing how it looks from the outside, he tried to call them near the women’s toilet but even then he heard only two noisy voices instead of an answer. When he at last dared to peek inside, they were das.h.i.+ng around while leaving phantoms behind.

Thinking he was overworked, Suleiman tried to shake his head while pinching his forehead. Needless to say, a female scientist who happened to visit the toilet at this time considered him a pervert.

But she also became completely stunned by the sight of the top of the Tower of Sorcery, Luminaria the Elder inside.

However, Luminaria decided to finish the training due to that and their long visit to toilet was finally over. As a result, Mira managed to learn the 【Mirage Step】. Of course her technique a bit rough due to the lack of experience but it could be fixed with frequent practice.

Together with Solomon they went to a large banquet room and ate dinner. This time the presence of the usual servants prevented them from talking about anything outside of daily topics.

The content of dinner was extremely gorgeous and, being the most excited, Mira was asking “What’s that?” all the time. It tickled the motherly instincts of one of maids and she began to fuss around her explaining the content of dishes and wiping around her mouth.

And Luminaria got her turn after the meal.

She offered to enter the bath and, hearing “Indeed, I’ve got exhausted. A long bath sounds nice for me.” in answer, forcibly s.n.a.t.c.hed Mira.

Left to himself Solomon went to the men bath alone.

“Why must I enter the bath together with thee?”

“Why not? The bathtub is large enough. Since we finally met again after such a long time, let’s do some naked socializing!”

Mira and Luminaria stood in the changing room of a large bath. Contrary to Luminaria, who already adeptly folded her clothes and placed them on the shelf, Mira was still struggling with her robe that was adjusted by her aide Litaria and Mariana.

“Good grief. Let me help.”

Luminaria approached Mira and with practiced hand began to untie one ribbon after another. At the same time, the object of her dignified obsession was voluptuously demanding for attention right before eyes of Mira.  Of course Mira could not handle staring directly at that scenery so she quickly moved her glance to a side.

After the hard effort of Luminaria, twelve ribbons were lined up on the shelf. The robe that was hemmed up with them returned to its original form. After undoing the last ribbon at her chest, the collar opened up to her shoulders and, looking at the moderately bulging b.r.e.a.s.t.s of Mira, Luminaria beamed a smile.

“Not too big and not too small. Really, the contents match your taste too.”

“Drop the subject already…”

Mira pulled her robe to move to a corner of the room and, retracting her hands, reluctantly started to undress it.

Dressed in the Nymph Raiment and bloomers Mira appeared from under of that phony magic girl style robe. It made Luminaria to make another attack. Mira who was dressed in the celestial maiden’s robe of feathers and bloomers appeared from beneath that bogus magical girl style robe. Seeing this Luminaria was pressed to make another attack.

“Mixing a see-through negligee with such old-styled bloomers… You came here literally yesterday and are already displaying that striking growth. With that pace you’ll get to my level really soon.”

The combination of immature yet bewitching see-through garment with apparently far away from eroticism bloomers was a discovery for Luminaria. Although it could require somebody like Luminaria to find something strange in it.

Mira, throwing away her robe at that pervert, hurriedly stripped away the rest of her clothes and ran to the bathroom.

Luminaria carefully folded the robe, put it on the shelf and followed her.

The bathroom was luxurious and gorgeous, enough to not be an embarra.s.sment for a residence of the king. Water from a hot spring filled the large bathtub, ascending through a fountain at the middle and, attracted by the gravity, rained down like a shower all over the place.

This bathroom was open to guests. For that reason, a lot of things were stuffed inside which contributed to the appearance of a other worldly country at first sight, which could be seen just from the look of a fully joyful Mira.

“This is ridiculous! This indeed is ridiculous!”

Shrilly laughing Mira was struck with rain under the fountain. In no time her hair was soaked and clung to her skin; drops of water, going down her soft skin, fell to the floor.

In this absurdly expensive bathtub spa which screamed overkill, Mira, kicking the overflowing water around, bustling here and there, was fully enjoying herself.

“Looking at that, this behavior surely matches the current appearance. Well, he was childish to start with anyway. But are you really fine with that, Dunbalf?”

Muttering that to herself, Luminaria watched over the frolic Mira without being particularly against that.

After having enough fun or, rather, rest in the bath the refreshed Mira returned to the changing room and wiped herself with a towel.

Her previous outfit that was left on shelf was put to laundry and a change of clothes was left instead.

Mira took the change of clothes in her hands, unfolded it and froze in that pose. It was because the change of clothes was a sky-blue dress with frills. This outfit was not ordered by Solomon or Luminaria. Simply put, a maid chose this dress with all her devotion as something that would look the best on Mira.

But the problem did not end there. Rather, a strike overshadowing a mere dress was right next to it.

White panties arranged with a small ribbon. It was not overly decorated but precisely due to that it could bring Mira’s charm to the next level. It was like the panties were saying that there is no need for unnecessary things, simple panties are all that you need, that it’s enough to reach supremacy… or, rather, to strike into a peculiar hobby.

Mira in a hurry opened her inventory to look for something else instead but, like she already confirmed last night, she just reconfirmed that there was no place to run.

“What? Do you still hesitate? Quit it right now. It will not end anyway. Making a reaction each time only makes you tired.

Luminaria got out of water a bit later and, while changing into the prepared outfit, said that while looking at the frozen Mira holding a dress and panties. She instantly understood the situation.

“Still…”

Muttering that, Mira pointed her glance at Luminaria and, widely opening her eyes, glared at the robe of Luminaria.

“How did thou got a robe?”

“I often stay here. That’s why there is plenty of spare clothes for me.”

“If so, can thou lend me some please? This is really over the limit.”

“In no way does my size fit you. Besides, it surely suits you so calm down and put it on. Or rather, do you want me to help? ”

Luminaria sidled up to Mira with a suspicious smile.

“No thank thou!”

With those words Mira escaped to the opposite side of the locker room and, making a large breath to gain determination, put her head through the dress.

Feeling discomfort with her wet hair being locked inside the dress, Mira forcibly pulled out her s.h.i.+ning silver hair with a hand.

And now only the panties were left. A fierce battle between panty-less faction and giving-something-up faction began in the mind of Mira. The giving up group attacked with the shortness of the dress. Panty-less group desperately defended with the former Dunbalf image and the three letters “man” in the heart. However, this conflict where sides could never reach a compromise, was meant to be prematurely finished by one person.

“Are you sti-ill on that?”

Saying that, Luminaria simultaneously took the panties from Mira’s hand, squatted down and held it near Mira’s legs.

“Hey, lift a leg.”

“No… way…”

“He-ey, do it already.”

Urging Mira, Luminaria was poking her leg. With a somewhat reluctant feeling Mira slightly lifted one leg and, quickly sticking one side of the panties through, Luminaria urged again with “Hey, now the other one.” Mira with resignation lifted her other leg, and was dressed with panties. The same way she already experienced with the drawers.

Forced to abandon something prosperous, Mira with a feeling of having achieved enlightenment left the changing room.

Getting a message from Solomon that he waits at the office from the alert maid outside of the locker room, under the lead of Luminaria they reached the office.

Luminaria knocked the door and Suleiman who was in the office opened the door and bowed with “We had been waiting for you.”

Then he, pa.s.sing them, left the office and without a sound closed the door.

“Excuse me for the trouble.”

Languidly tossing doc.u.ments he had in his hands to a corner of the table, Solomon, leaning on a back of chair, throw a look and made a large breath.

“You look very pretty.”

“Yeah, it extremely suits her.”

Saying that, Solomon and Luminaria had the edges of their mouths lifted in smiles. This dress was not ordered by Solomon. He just ordered maid to bring anoutfit that would look the best on Mira. This maid presented similar cute dresses to her little sister on each payday. That’s why Solomon bothered to find for her to make such order.

“Humph. Quit with it already. Also, what’s with thou? Thou look tired.”

“Well, I am tired. And that’s even despite Suleiman helping me big time.”

“Is he that good?”

“I’m horrified from just thinking what would have happened if he was not here.”

Exchanging that light talk, Mira, like she was drawn to it, turned to sofa and put her whole weight on it.

“Well, about the things we’re going to do now.”

With that preface Solomon took a single sheet of paper from the table. It listed the amount of refined and sealed gems for the following experiments with the Accord Cannon.

“The experiments with the Accord Cannon require 30 refined gems and 35 sealed lighting gems. Also I want you to make flame, water, earth, ice, wind, light sealed gems, 5 of each. Can you do it please? All the materials are ready.”

“Hmm. It’s quite a lot. Thus, which rank of sealed gems do thou need?

“As high as possible but with materials we have fifth grade probably would be the limit.”

The rank of sealed gems shows the amount of power contained inside. First is the highest, seventh is the lowest. Furthermore, due to the limits of materials, first-grade sealed gems and bases for them are quite scarce.

“Well, I’m fine with it. But in this case, perhaps it’s faster to return to the Tower. As for the refined gems, there should be more than thou can possibly use in the storeroom. And there should be a reasonable amount of sealed gems too.”

“Uhe. Just as expected from you. If you could come earlier, the research would be progressed much further. Or, rather, it would be already completed.”

“If thou needed it, thou could just ask Mariana. Even without me she can enter there too and I left the managing of items to her too.”

There is a storeroom in the private rooms of the Tower. To enter this storeroom, you need to pa.s.s the private room. Only the Elder of the tower and his aide can enter it. In the other words, even without Dunbalf he could ask to Mariana to bring it. That’s what Mira meant.

“Erm… about that. One time I tried it, to ask if there are any refined or sealed gems in the storeroom. And if there was some, if I could possibly get some.”

“So you already did it. What, did thou already run out of them?”

“Ah, well. She had no intention of listening to me at all. It belongs to Dunbalf and she will not give any, even to me. Dunbalf will definitely come back and my mission is to defend all of the Tower till it happens so he will not face any troubles. …She cried when she said that. I could not force her with a order.”

“Just like he said. I was with him that time. With that tenacity, she was ready to defend it till her death.”

“So that’s why…”

Mira thought again about Mariana who waited for her return for such a long time.

(I should tell it at least to her.)

 A lonesomely looking girl with sapphire-like hair with a downcast expression came to mind. Probably no one else can cheer her up. She did not want to leave this girl crying. Realizing that, Mira came to a decision that this was more important than one short moment of shame.

“Well, that’s what we have. The amount I said earlier is enough for now. All materials are in the refining room. I will guide you there later.”

“Hmm. Then I will make it all before I sleep.”

“Those words can make our refiners to pa.s.s out.”

Luminaria who was sitting on the desk supported her bent body with her hands and said that with a really blissful smile. Refiners in this castle are working tirelessly around the clock. Mira’s demonstration of refining speed would definitely make them pa.s.s out without any hope for recovery.

“…I will order to bring materials and a refining stand to your bedroom instead.”

Solomon, having that scene in mind, told her that he will prefer her to quietly refine alone. Answering with “I don’t mind”, Mira got the apple olè from her inventory and made a gulp.

“But, thou understand. If thou need it so much, then being able to do it yourself is better, right?”

“That is, you know, much better, but advancing a skill is rather hard. With the current production pace our hands are already full. Is there any good method?”

“Well, it depends on your efforts. Do thou have paper and a pen?”

“Yeah, err. Here.”

Solomon got a fountain pen from the table and parchment from a shelf and gave them to Mira.

“Wait a minute.”

After accepting it Mira, using the wall nearby as a support, drew figures and symbols on the parchment.

“Well, something like that. Later, show it to those refiners please.”

“H-mm. What’s the heck. I can’t get it at all.”

s.n.a.t.c.hing the parchment from Mira, Luminaria pulled a wry face after playing a staring-out game with figures and symbols, and gave the parchment to Solomon.

“It is …hmm. I do understand that it is about refining. Do I need to simply show it, right? Fine.”

“Yeah, I leave it to thou.”

The figures and symbols Mira drew on the parchment were a schematic of a new refining stand she invented and designed a while ago. She scribbled it, specially mentioning abbreviated fine details on the margins. And later it made an enormous effect to the magic engineering.

“So, in this case let’s talk about the tomorrow. All arrangements for the carriage are already done, you can depart for the underground graveyard at any time.”

“Isn’t it quite early? I’d love to do it slightly slower.”

“Do you? Fine, you can freely stay here if you wish. I made early arrangements for your sake.”

“For my sake?”

Mira threw a dubious glance on Solomon. She couldn’t think about any merits of early departure.

“Yeah. If you stay here for a bit longer, my maids will be delighted I believe. But I don’t think that you will be so glad.”

“What’s that? What are thou talking about?”

“I heard from the chief maid that after seeing your robe they were excited with inspiration and it looks like all the maids are making an outfit for you.”

“I will leave at dawn tomorrow.”

“Ha ha. I got it. Then I will tell it to them.”

There is no way that outfit inspiration by a phony magical girl-style costume would be decent. Mira promptly decided to run away.

“They have weird hobbies…”

Saying that with amazement, she made a small yawn.

“Oh, is it sleepy time already?”

Fiercely staring at the teasing Luminaria, Mira actually started to drop her eyelids due to sleepiness.

“A lot of things happened today.”

Drinking the last gulp of the apple olè , Mira yawned again with a large stretch .

“Well, let’s leave off here for now. It was fun to talk again after a long time.”

“Yeah, thou told me about all that so it was worth for me to come here too.”

“Since me and Luminaria still have some discussion to do, a girl outside of the door will show you the bedroom.”

“Fine, I got it.”

Mira, quietly leaving the bottle from apple olè on the sofa, stood up and went to the door.

“Good night then.”

“If you want to wake up early, do not overdo with your tonight activities and sleep properly.”

“Do not mix me up with thou. Good night.”

Under the looks of slightly smiling Solomon and grinning like usual Luminaria, Mira with a bedtime greeting left the office.