A while after that, I‘m practically not doing anything special.

  I’m in no hurry to do some gardening. This means that I’m enjoying the slow life after returning.

  Well, since I’ve no need to worry about the smaller things, I have no intention to mind about anything now.

  There’s a saying that “Carefree time can’t continue forever“. I have been relaxed for quite a long time. So it feels like I would need to do something soon. For example, check about my custom accessory.

  「Yosh, I shall see the progress」


  Therefore, I travelled towards Phillipe’s magic tool workshop.

  I entered into the door which is not locked even today and sent a greeting. Leaving aside the merchandise displayed near the entrance, I moved towards the interior portion of the workshop. In that place was the figure of Phillipe who held his tools while wrenching and striking a bracelet.

  「Oo~h, it seems it’ll be done soon」


  When I greeted him, the hand that was moving stopped for a while. Phillipe turned his head and pointed his sharp line of sight towards me.

  「It’s Eiji huh. You came at the right time. It seems that I can finish it by today.」


  「O~h, really. That’s cool, then allow me to wait for a while. I want to see my newly made accessory.」


  「No problem. But, try to be quiet so that you won’t distract me.」


  「It’s okay, I’m not a child you know.」


  Phillipe laughed when he saw my face and then resumed his work. Though I wanted to ask what the meaning of that laugh was, I shut my mouth since he started working on the bracelet with a tool that looked like a tweezer, which shined at its pointed end, with a serious expression.

  Screwdriver-like tools and pincer-like tools, something similar to sandpaper sheet, there are so many tools on top of the working table. It seems he makes magic tools by using these equipment.

  The raw materials are also on the table. The core of Manticore and the other materials have already lost their original form and have started to take the shape of the tools. Some of the materials looked disordered at first glance starting with the watery, jelly-like material that was used to bind things gathered.

  Sometimes his movement looked delicate, other times his actions were coarse. The manufacturing process seemed to be a splendid work even in the eyes of an amateur. The activity of watching an experienced manufacture made me feel good. I was looking silently at his work for a while after that. Finally, Phillipe raised his face.

  「A bit more and it’ll be done」


  「O~h, that’s great. I have really come at the right time, haven’t I?. Nevertheless, you’re really skillful. I wish my hand can move that skillfully.」


  「It’s not something to brag about. Rather, the considerations for the design of the tool and the actual process of manufacturing the desired magic tool. But, there are so many things to consider apart from the necessary points above… And Eiji, you brought that to me.」


  「I see. If that was the case, I am grateful.」


  「Yeah, me too」


  「Ah, you are just honestly thanking me…」


  When he said that with a serious look, I was troubled on how to react to it. Since it’s almost completed, I noticed his slightly admiring attitude towards me. This one also didn’t explicitly say his gratitude.

  When I’m thinking about that while I looking at the red hair of Phillipe who was about to go back to his work again, the sound of the door being opened reached my ears.

  When I turned to look towards the entrance, three persons quickly entered the….. GEH.

  「Well, well, to think that I would meet the most unexpected person at the place of the magic tools maker.」


  The person spoke with a mocking tone. The one looking towards my direction was none other than Grael Treize. The attitude of this man, who wore a big white collar when I had met him some time ago, didn’t change even in the slightest.

  「It’s been a while, Grael-san. You’re looking for magic tools too? 」


  But, since I didn’t have any kind of dispute with him until now, I replied normally. I did not even intend to show a rough attitude.

  He said that he would teach me some lesson but, he hasn’t done anything yet. If it ended up peacefully and was left as a joke, then it would be for the best.

  「Why must I have to tell that to someone like you? That aside, what are you doing in this place? The one I have business today is with that man.」


  Grael walked until he arrived in front of Phillipe while brushing me away who came to greet him with a natural movement. Though I am already trying to resolve the misunderstanding peacefully, this guy’s truly~.

  「It’s been a while, Phillipe. I’m astonished that you still doing such shabby work in this kind of place」


  Phillipe looked at Grael with a sidelong glance but returned to his work again while answering him,「What do you want? I already have cut my relationship with people of secret agent, what made you to come to this place? 」


  「Geez, you’re same as ever huh. Know a bit about something like social position.」


  「I don’t know about something like that, at least, the current Grael isn’t in the same chain of command with me. So, I have no need to hear you jabbering」


  Phillipe took his stand right away.

  Are they acquaintances?It seems that they’re not in good terms with each other. I can clearly discern that feeling.

  「I discovered something during the investigation. Since that useless chap is complaining that analyzing it is impossible, I came to let you to analyze it. Well, this is the item.」


  Several items like short sword and sphere are being placed on top of the desk.

  「The item investigation of secret agent huh…… Fu~h. I see, you understand what I like huh. Interesting, I’ll do that later. Come another day.」


  「N? I couldn’t hear it properly, did I just mishear it? Though I specially came to this place, what do you mean by another day? 」


  Grael furrowed his eyebrows while glaring at Phillipe.

  「Do it now, Phillipe.」


  「I refuse. The work that I do now is at the best part. Though the item that you brought interesting by my evaluation, I’ll do it only at my own pace.」


  「Even if it’s this great me’s order?」


  「This kind of thing is what I hate the most. That’s why I left the court service. Though when I was in the organization that time, I was not obliged to obey the order of higher-ups since I was in an independent division. I’ll make the item that I want to make and will investigate the item that I want to investigate. That’s my style. But, if you’re coming as an『Ordinary guest』, I’ll examine them only after I get interested in the magic tools or the treasures that are brought.」


  On the contrary, Phillipe looked at Grael with eyes as if scoffing at him.

  Grael’s expression became crooked.