Gun-Ota - Special IF Side Story (IF series)
■’What if the one who bought Lute was Meiya’ story
Meiya Dragoon is the genius magic tool inventor.
That was common knowledge among the people of the Dragon King clan, who lived on the Dragon continent.
In reality, even if one looked all over the world, there was no other magic tool developer that had accomplishments that were comparable to those of Meiya.
Originally, to develop a new magic tool it took a colossal amount of time, money, and human resource.
However, during her enrollment at the magic university, Meiya invented the ‘Rainbow sword’.
It was a research project on the level of a nation’s, and yet, she accomplished it all by herself.
Of course, in the past there were many people who developed new magic tools like Meiya, but they were all trifling tools.
Tools that were a combination of existing magic tools, or a magic tool that could create fire to replace lighting matches.
On the other hand, the Rainbow sword developed by Meiya could switch the inserted magic stone, allowing the sword to change its attribute to fire, water, wind, etc...
The established theory and common knowledge of the time was that you couldn’t change the inserted attribute magic stone.
However, Meiya smashed that theory and made a sword that could switch its magic stone.
This announcement changed Meiya’s t.i.tle from magic stone professional to ‘Magic Stone Princess’.
When the Rainbow sword went on sale, the adventurers, the kingdom, some cities, legions, etc… all went out to buy it.
There was no end to the advantage of being able to change the attribute depending on the situation.
As a result, the Rainbow sword’s popularity boomed.
Possessing a Rainbow sword also became the status, the proof, of a first cla.s.s adventurer.
Furthermore, Meiya’s outstanding aspects weren’t just her brain.
Her face and figure were also attractive, enough to be a first cla.s.s model.
It was to the point of causing trouble.
The trouble was―a big store merchant who came from the Fairy continent to the Dragon continent to procure stocks fell in love the instant he saw Meiya’s beauty.
He was a capable young merchant; with just his quick wits and the mid-sized store inherited from his parents, he made it into a big store in just a few years.
He used his excessive fortune, the talking technique he cultivated from doing trade, and his good looks as weapons to approach Meiya.
He continuously praised Meiya’s beauty, promised to help sell magic tools she invented, and gave her expensive gifts.
Meiya took an interest in his att.i.tude and invited him to her mansion in the Dragon continent.
She hosted a dinner party as thanks for the gifts.
Maybe because of the alcohol, she was in a good mood, so she told to him.
“I am pleased. I will give you the right to invest in my research.”
Usually, it took an enormous amount of money to develop a magic tool.
For this reason, research and development were usually conducted by an organization of big store merchants, extremely rich people, or countries.
If an individual did it, it was typical to have financial supporters.
If the magic tool was useful and could be sold, the investors would have the right to get a certain percent of the revenue.
However, it was usually a fraud where they researched something that, even if completed, wasn’t profitable.
Due to that, magic tool researchers’ eyes usually would become bloodshot while trying to find a patron.
Generally, 99.9% of the time, a lone magic tool researcher did not have a patron.
In Meiya’s case, it was a different story.
The number of patrons who wanted to invest in the ‘Magic Stone Princess’ was overwhelming.
If a new magic tool was developed with that investment, they could receive a certain percent of the profit.
Naturally, it was such a privilege that if you were a merchant, even your uvula would turn into a hand to try to grab that privilege.
Since she was highly praised by someone not from Dragon race and she was tipsy, she gave him permission on a whim. However, the man misunderstood this.
He took the statement as ‘I want you to invest as Meiya Dragoon’s partner’.
In other words, she wanted him to fund the wife’s magic tool research as a husband.
TL note: oh boy…… - yuushing
From that day onward, he acted as if he was Meiya’s husband and spread the word around.
Meiya was furious.
She took back his right to invest in her research, and declared that she had absolutely no relation with him from there on.
She banned him from showing his face and even threatened him to not approach her.
The merchants dealing in magic stones and weapons quickly reacted to Meiya’s wrath.
So that they would not get banned from selling the magic tools she developed, they one-sidedly cut off any relationship with the man’s store.
Merchants dealing in other goods gradually withdrew as well.
The Dragon race people living in Fairy continent interpreted it as Meiya’s honor being hurt, and they tore down the man’s store.
They didn’t even care if they got arrested, they just kept attacking.
Due to that, customers didn’t dare go to his shop anymore.
The revenue plummeted, and the shops he had previously been doing business with also declined.
A wealthy merchant lost his fortune in an instant.
Afterward, this was widely spread amongst the merchants as a famous anecdote, ‘the Meiya Dragoon Investment Incident’.
In the house of that genius magic tool inventor Meiya Dragoon, nicknamed Magic Stone Princess, a new trader requested an audience.
He came all the way from the Fairy continent to Meiya’s house in the Dragon continent to request her to take a look at a boy and two magic tools.
Meiya was sitting on the sofa in the guest room, facing the trader and a slave boy who was standing behind him.
So that the slave boy could meet Meiya, he was bathed and was wearing clean clothes.
However, the collar on his neck was the proof that he was a slave.
“......And? What exactly is it that you wanted me to take a look at?”
Meiya spoke with a voice that sounded like she was in a bad mood.
There were many reasons for that.
Right now her new magic tool research wasn’t progressing.
In the midst of that, this guy came here using a connection and, being a little pushy, he requested that he ‘wanted to meet’.
As if that wasn’t enough, he seemed to want to sell her a slave child.
Regarding the slave trade, Meiya herself was neither for nor against it.
However, she didn’t want to get involved.
Since it wasn’t a nice thing to look at.
道具を発見したから是非見て欲しい』と懇願されたからだ。
Even so she still agreed to meet this slave merchant, because the introduction was from a merchant she was on friendly term with, and he pet.i.tioned that ‘I’ve discovered really wonderful magic tools so without fail I want you to take a look at them’.
(If it wasn’t for that, there’s no way I would meet a slave merchant.)
However, the magic tools he strongly recommended, it would be a lie to say she wasn’t interested in them.
Still, she guessed that they were just useless things branded ‘great inventions’ again.
A magic tool my acquaintance and I developed, or a magic tool discovered from ancient ruin, I want you to take a look. I want you to buy it. I want you to recognize my ability and take me as disciple―stuff like that.
Most of time, they were just trash.
(This time as well is probably nothing special. I’ll find fault in this slave merchant and ridicule him!)
Meiya smiled maliciously and recrossed her slender legs.
The slave merchant, who didn’t know of her intentions, gave a business smile and started advertising the magic tools he brought.
“I truly thank you for taking your precious time to see me! This time I have shamelessly intruded on you because I have discovered a valuable magic tool that I wanted the genius magic tool inventor to take a look at.”
“Enough with the saucy speech. What is it that you wanted me to see?”
“Yes, at once. Oi, Lute! Put the wooden box on the table.”
“.....Yes, master.”
The slave boy called Lute put two wooden boxes at his feet on the table in front of Meiya. When he opened the lid, it revealed two metal nuggets inside.
TL note : moist nugget, lel - yuushin
“? These are magic tools?”
When you get to Meiya’s level, you had the insight to discern ‘what kind of thing?’ a magic tool was with just one glance.
However, what the ones before her eyes were, she had absolutely no idea.
“Please don’t hesitate and feel it with your hands. The bullets have been removed so it won’t explode or anything.”
“.............”
There was a word the slave merchant said that Meiya didn’t understand, but apparently the magic tool before her eyes was some kind of weapon.
It seemed that, for now, it didn’t have this ‘bullet’ thing so it wasn’t dangerous.
While being a little nervous, Meiya reached for the small magic tool called ‘S&W M10 revolver’ first.
“! What an elaborately made magic tool!”
After tampering with the ‘S&W M10 revolver’ in her hand for a short time, she could already understand how advanced the magic tool, which had been a.s.sembled from many parts, was.
(Making such uniform grooves inside this small of a pipe…! I can’t even imagine how this was made! Furthermore, it’s made up of detailed parts…...The person who made this is a freak (word of praise)!)
TL note: the word is ‘hentai’, yes, he was praised as a ‘hentai’ by the one who rubbed a knife with her cheeks and almost came, who didn’t even realized that her cheeks were cut
It seemed to be a weapon, but as a weapon, it was too delicate.
It was more like a work of art, Meiya judged.
Axe and sword to strike, to smash the enemy, or to block an enemy’s attack.
With the exception of the bow, normal weapons were things like that.
However this magic tool, despite being made with metal, was made up from many small parts, so if you used it to block attacks, the chance of malfunction was high.
Holding doubt about his ideology, and horrified by the overly high tech, she branded the creator of this weapon a ‘freak (word of praise)’.
She picked up the bigger magic tool called ‘AK47’ next.
Compared to the revolver, this one appeared to be simpler, but just one look at the technological strength of this one still sent chills down her spine.
While she was shocked by the completely impossible to understand magic tools, the slave merchant made an even more shocking remark.
“This time, I want Meiya-sama to buy the boy who made these two magic tools, Lute.”
“......Yes?”
Meiya stared hungrily at the boy named Lute.
“......Maybe I misheard. You said the boy made these magic tools?”
“Yes, exactly so.”
The slave merchant a.s.serted with a smile.
Meiya’s face became red with anger.
“Enough with the joke! As if this illiterate looking slave could make something this high tech! And you said it’s a weapon, but how do you defeat enemy with this? I’m not so free that I can play with you. Please go home!”
“It is as Meiya-sama said, without seeing it first hand, you can’t understand the magnificence of these small arms, right? My mistake. I will demonstrate, can I use your garden?”
“..........”
Even though he received Meiya’s wrath full on, the slave merchant’s facial expression didn’t change and he still wore that business smile.
He had that much faith in the magic tools he had brought.
As a magic tool developer, it was impossible to not be interested in a magic tool he put that much faith in.
“......Understood. Let me see its performance. If it’s something worthless, I’ll immediately chase you out of my house.”
“Thank you! Well then, without further ado, I will prepare. Lute, I’m counting on you!”
“......Yes, I understand."
The slave boy, Lute, took the ‘S&W M10 revolver’ and ‘AK47’ out of the wooden box, and then headed for the courtyard with the instruction of the maids.
In the courtyard, he set up bricks five meters away and took out small cylinders from another box.
He inserted the small cylinders into the ‘S&W M10 revolver’ and ‘AK47’ one by one.
Meiya was puzzled and looked at the slave merchant.
“What exactly is he doing?”
“He’s loading exclusive cartridges into each gun.”
“Cartridge?”
“It’s hard to explain…...I think you will understand once you see it.”
After he finished preparing, Lute held out the ‘S&W M10 revolver’.
He aimed at the bricks that were about five meters ahead.
BANG!
“!?”
Meiya cowered at the sound of the unexpected explosion.
Meiya was shocked not just by the sound, but also by the destruction of the brick that was 5m away.
Lute continued to shoot all the bullets in the revolver.
Next he took the AK47 and aimed.
Fire!
Baang! Bababababababa!
This time, the bullets flew out continuously and smashed the bricks.
(Wha, whawhawhat was that!? What exactly was that!?)
Meiya was so shocked by the scene before her eyes, she went into a panic.
However, her pride was high, even amongst the dragon race.
She desperately tried to not show the shock on her face.
“How was it, Meiya-sama? Magic tools this rare are nowhere to be found, right? ―Meiya-sama? What’s wrong? Your legs are shaking”
“No, nononothing, it’s nothing, my legs are just shaking because it’s cold.”
“I think the weather is fine today though, the sun is also up and shining….”
“I, I, I’m just sensitive to the cold! Leaving that aside, those magic tools, and that slave boy who made them, I’ll b, b, buy them for you!”
“Really! Thank you very much!”
“It’s not like my legs shook because of the ‘guns’? and I’m buying the creator as well to understand them or anything, okay! I just thought that it was good material for killing time! Don’t misunderstand, okay!”
Meiya, being tsundere for the first time, paid the asking price in full, without haggling, and bought the two magic tools and their creator, the slave boy, Lute.
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About 3 months had pa.s.sed since Meiya bought Lute.
“Meiya-sama, the tea has been prepared.”
“Thanks, Lute. I’m coming.”
Lute’s magic prevention collar had been removed, and he was wearing the Dragon race’s traditional clothes, which were called Dragon Kungfu.
He called out to Meiya, who was in her own room.
The snappy att.i.tude she had when she first met him was nowhere to be found now.
Instead, she replied with a soft voice, as if she had been called by someone of the opposite s.e.x who she had given her heart to.
Meiya didn’t come out of the room immediately, checking her hair in front of the full length mirror, using her fingers to rub her cheeks, and checking her clothes carefully.
That Meiya Dragoon took the time to prepare her appearance, just to meet Lute.
If the other servants witnessed this, their hearts would probably stop due to the shock.
(Okay! I’m cute and beautiful today too!)
When she came out of the room, Lute was waiting in the hallway.
Meiya desperately controlled her face to keep it from becoming slack.
As the master, showing that kind of face to the other servants wouldn’t be good discipline.
With Lute leading the way, Meiya moved to the courtyard.
In the courtyard, the preparations for drinking tea were finished.
When she reached her seat, Lute pulled out the chair with experienced hands.
“Thank you.”
“Please, I’m Meiya-sama’s butler after all.”
Lute smiled and prepared the tea.
“Some fruits from the Fairy continent just came in today, so I tried making spring rolls, by rolling then deep frying them, it’s [Fried fruit spring rolls].”
“Oh my, looks delicious―Mmmn, the sweet and sour taste of the fruits and the crunchy skin texture made it so delicious.”
“Please, it’s nothing great.”
Even as Lute replied, his hands didn’t stop.
He was pouring chacha tea for Meiya.
Chacha―the light brown tea that was loved and mainly consumed in the Dragon continent; it resembled oolong tea.
Similarly to the scented tea often drunk in other continents, just a small mistake in the preparation process could make the taste drop.
That was why, even as he was speaking, he still seriously focused on the task so that he could make the best tea for Meiya.
Meiya happily stared at that serious face of his from the side.
From within her chest, the sound ‘kyun, kyun’ just kept playing, almost like a broken instrument.
“Here you go, Meiya-sama.”
“Th, thank you.”
Lute placed the tea he had earnestly prepared in front of Meiya, with a smile on his face.
Meiya heart almost stopped because of the smile that was directed at her.
(Jeez, Lute, you… on top of being cool, his smile is so cute it’s criminal! I almost forgot to breathe for a moment there! Jeez, this master-killer! But, I like this part of him toooooooooooooo~!!!)
TL note: kya-ha! ( > ω < )="" -="">
TL note: best girl! - rei_hunter
While screaming with all her might in her head, Meiya held her cool expression and took the newly brewed chacha tea.
“Nice smell. The taste is… very delicious, too. Compared to the beginning, you’ve improved a lot, haven’t you? With this, you’re plenty good enough to pa.s.s.”
“Thank you. This, too, is thanks to Meiya-sama and the other servants’ guidance.”
“No, it was all because Lute tried his best.”
Meiya sipped the tea Lute had brewed once again.
“Haaa~ It really is delicious.”
She leaned back and crossed her legs.
Soft rays of sunlight fell from the sky, and in the courtyard, little birds cheerfully chirped and flirted.
In her hands was the tea Lute had poured for her.
In front of her were his handmade tea snacks.
(This is happiness…… this is paradise…...)
TL note: no, paradise is in bed - a certain virgin translator
She looked at Lute, his eyes met with hers, and he smiled.
Her face went red till the tips of her ears, even she, herself, could feel that.
Meiya happily smiled back from the bottom of her heart.
(I really am glad that I bought Lute)
As she enjoyed sunbathing, Meiya recalled the day when she bought Lute.
After she bought Lute, she had him take a bath and a meal.
After the meal, they went to the living room, and while drinking tea, she listened to his story about why he had become a slave, and about the S&W M10 revolver and AK47.
He created the guns because he ‘wanted to save people in trouble and people looking for help’ in the future.
As for why he became a slave, it seemed that he got tricked by a rookie adventurer hunter and got sold.
Then, he taught her how to make the S&W M10 revolver and AK47.
(To think that these marvelous magic tools were made from that magic liquid metal, I can’t believe it)
Meiya was shocked by that fact, and she was also interested in the special characteristic of magic liquid metal that Lute had discovered, so she listened carefully.
Maybe Lute was happy with Meiya’s att.i.tude, because he talked like a broken dam.
In the past, he told Eru, who was like a parent to him, about the magnificence of magic liquid metal, but she didn’t have any interest in it.
He talked to Meiya as if venting that anger.
Lute also taught Meiya how to make smokeless gun powder with magic.
While requesting Lute to teach her, Meiya also learned the technique to make a gun.
To Meiya, that was a very happy time.
Ideas, techniques, profound knowledge―they were all exciting things that Meiya herself couldn’t even imagine.
At first, she couldn’t tolerate asking Lute to teach her, but she forgot that grudge soon after.
Lute’s teaching was that stimulating and wonderful.
(Ah~ah, I really am glad that I bought Lute!)
Meiya thought again, while eating snacks and drinking tea.
On a whim, she suggested.
“By the way, Lute, is there anything you want?”
“Something I want?”
“Be it goods, day off, or allowance, anything is fine. Lute has done so many things for me, this tea you brewed is delicious too. As a reward, if there is anything you want, just say it.”
“......Then, if it’s possible, can I send a letter?”
“Letter? Another strange request, I see.”
“I want to let the orphanage in the Fairy continent know that I’m safe and sound. I think they’re worried about me.”
Meiya understood Lute’s concern.
As expected, the people in the Fairy continent probably thought that he had been eaten by a monster already.
If Eru, who raised him like a parent, heard that, she would probably be very sad. It was easy to imagine.
Rather, Meiya regretted that she had not realized this faster.
“I understand! Let’s use express mail and deliver it immediately! That’s why, Lute, write your mail as fast as you can.”
“But, the cost of express mail is very high. We can just send it normally, normal is fine.”
“No need to mind that. Compared to the knowledge, techniques, and stories Lute taught to me, it’s nothing! That’s why, you don’t need to mind it.”
“Meiya-sama……”
Lute was moved by his master’s words and became teary eyed.
Satisfied with his att.i.tude, Meiya instructed other servants to prepare the tools needed to write a letter and an express mail service.
―But, little did she know that, later on, that decision would make her very sad.
TL’s face: (｀；ω；´)
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After Lute sent the letter to the orphanage, about one and a half years pa.s.sed.
Meiya was taught by Lute and practiced gun making today, too.
Lute just watched over her, while Meiya made an AK47 from scratch by herself.
Meiya finished making the final part, and a.s.sembled it on her own.
In the end, she completed one AK47 all on her own.
“How’s this, Lute?”
“If you’ll excuse me.”
Lute took Meiya’s newly made AK47 in his hands and fumbled around with it.
He pulled the c.o.c.king handle, flipped the selector lever up and down, and squeezed the trigger. He removed the magazine, and put it back in.
He placed it on the table, disa.s.sembled it into eight parts, and then a.s.sembled it again.
He did all the checks again, then nodded with a satisfied face.
“No problem. You pa.s.sed.”
“Really! I did it! I finally can make an AK on my own!”
“Congratulations, Meiya-sama.”
Lute clapped as if he was happy for his own achievement.
“To think you can make the AK47 by yourself this quickly, as expected of Meiya-sama.”
“Fufufu, that’s obvious. The one who taught me is excellent, after all.”
Meiya winked at Lute.
He understood the implication and made an embarra.s.sed smile.
“No, I just stood on the sidelines and instructed. It’s all due to your abilities, Meiya-sama.”
“Geez, Lute, being too humble will only come off as sarcasm, you know.”
“I’ve only spoken the truth.”
This time, it was Lute who winked back at Meiya.
Meiya smiled happily.
A voice cut into the happy conversation.
“Excuse me.”
A maid of the residence showed her face in the workshop.
Meiya frowned because their time alone was interrupted, but she couldn’t show that to Lute, so she tried to calmed herself down.
She waved her hand to signal the maid to continue.
“There is an A- rank magician who says that she wants to meet Meiya-sama, how should I reply?”
“A- rank magician?”
Meiya tilted her head in doubt.
There was no A- rank magician amongst her acquaintances.
There was one A rank magician though.
It was simple to turn them away, but they were an A- rank magician.
For the average joe, B+ rank was the limit.
A rank was a realm only a handful of people called ‘geniuses’ could enter.
Turning away someone like that without even hearing what kind of business they had with her could cause a scandal.
Even though she resented them for interrupting her time with Lute, she couldn’t flat out refuse, so she sighed.
“I understand, I will meet that person, so guide them to the guest room.”
“Certainly.”
The maid bowed and left the workshop.
Meiya sullenly inflated her cheeks.
“Jeez, what bad timing. Just when we had a good mood going.”
“It’s a guest, so it can’t be helped. We’ll continue with the AK later, let’s test fire it next.”
“Yes, so let’s wrap this up quickly. Of course, Lute, you’re coming with me, right?”
“Yes, certainly, Meiya-sama.”
Meiya smiled in satisfaction at Lute’s answer.
She returned to her room once to change clothes with the help of the maids, before heading for the guest room, where the guest was waiting.
Lute followed her like a shadow.
“!?”
The moment Lute entered the guest room and met the guest, he openly showed a discomposed expression.
“Lute-kun!”
Meiya noticed the change on Lute and was about to call out, but the guest was faster.
The guest was from the Beast race.
The ears on her head faced Lute, and her tail stood up.
Her hair was tied into long ponytail, and even though she was short, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were big.
Her wrists, waist, neck, etc. were so thin they looked like they were about to break.
She looked cute, but her figure was one that tickled the male instinct, a beauty.
Furthermore, she had the talent of an A- rank magician, it seemed.
She knew Lute’s name, and after looking at him, she made a face like she was about to cry.
Lute, too, made a nostalgic face, like he was seeing the hometown he thought he could never return to before him.
It was a face that he had never shown Meiya.
“......Looks like you two are acquaintances. For now please sit, I want to hear the story.”
“I, I’m sorry, I got excited…...”
Upon seeing Meiya’s calm att.i.tude, the girl realized she did something embarra.s.sing and sat down on the sofa, embarra.s.sed.
Meiya had Lute stand behind her before sitting down, facing the girl.
“Greetings, I am Meiya Dragoon of the Dragon race, B- rank magician.”
“Ni, nice to meet you! Sorry for suddenly intruding on you! I am called Snow, Beast race, White Wolf clan, A- rank magician!”
“Snow-san, is it? Looks like you know Lute.”
“Yes, Lute-kun and I came from the same orphanage, and promised to marry each other when we grow up!”
“I see, so it’s you…...”
Meiya knew about Snow.
She was ‘the childhood friend from the same orphanage who I promised to marry when grown up who went to a magic school’ that Lute had talked about.
However, Meiya only took it with a grain of salt.
The promise to marry was when they were small.
The other one was a genius magician, and they had been separated for many years.
The punchline of this kind of story usually was: they would marry fellow magicians of the same caliber and forget the promise.
As for why, if both parents were magicians, the chance of the child having a talent for magic was high.
That’s why n.o.bles, royalty, and people with influence usually married fellow magicians.
When Meiya studied at magician school, she had heard some similar stories.
A magician and normal person couple in a long distance relationship. In the end, the magician girl married a magician sempai who came from a n.o.ble house.
That was why she had thought that Lute wouldn’t be able to marry his magician childhood friend.
“So, Snow-san, who is Lute’s childhood friend and fiancé, for what reason did you come all the way from the magician school in the Fairy continent to here?”
“Eru-sensei―the one who runs the orphanage, told me that a letter saying something along the lines of ‘Lute-kun is alive, he was saved by Meiya-san and is doing fine’ came.”
“I see…...So you came to confirm if your childhood friend is actually doing fine or not?”
“No.”
Snow denied clearly.
She corrected her form, and faced Meiya head on.
“Meiya-san, thank you for saving Lute-kun from slavery! Not only that, but it was also written in the letter that you looked after him well, and that Meiya-san is his benefactor.”
“I was interested too, so I asked him to let me read the letter, but that was a little exaggerated. It’s true that I bought him from the slave merchant, but providing him with necessities was an obvious thing to do.”
“Even so, thank you!”
Snow bowed deeply.
“......That’s why, I know it’s rude, but I have to make a request. Meiya-san, please sell Lute-kun to me!”
“Snow-san, I’m sorry but I’ll have to decline.”
Maybe she had not thought that she would be refused, because Snow’s facial complexion changed.
She approached Meiya as if to implore to her.
“N, no way! I’ll pay 10 times―Uh~un, 100 times the price that you bought Lute-kun for! I’m an A- rank magician, I can definitely pay you, even though it may take a little bit of time. That’s why, please sell Lute-kun to me!”
“Snow-san, I’m sorry, but no matter how much you offer, I still can’t. To us, Lute is not just a servant anymore, he’s already a family member. Would Snow-san sell your family if you were told they ‘would pay 100 times more’? I definitely won’t sell my family.”
“!!!”
“Snow-san, even though you came all the way here, please leave for today. Lute, we’re going.”
Meiya stood up from the sofa and went back to where she came from.
“Lute-kun!”
Even Lute couldn’t disobey his master, so he followed behind Meiya while hearing Snow’s heartbreaking voice.
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Snow said ‘Tomorrow I will come again’ and left Meiya’s residence.
That night, the two of them talked in Meiya’s room by themselves.
Meiya sat on the sofa opposite of Lute.
“......It’s about the incident this afternoon, but honestly, what do you think, Lute?”
“What do you mean ‘what’?”
“Don’t you want to go back to your childhood fiancé?”
At that question, Lute showed a mortified expression.
“I am Meiya-sama’s servant, I don’t have the right to decide.”
“What if I permit you to go back?”
At that hypothetical question, a happy expression appeared on Lute’s face.
However, he judged that showing that expression to Meiya, who was his master, was betraying her, so he erased it in a panic. Still, it was already too late.
Meiya already knew the answer in his heart.
“I’m sorry, but I’m tired, so let’s call it a day.”
“―I understand. Well then, please excuse me.”
Lute bowed and left Meiya’s room.
Meiya, now alone, leaned back on the sofa and let out a sigh.
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Next day, at breakfast.
Meiya took her seat as usual.
After eating, she moved to the courtyard.
The weather was good, so she intended to read while leisurely drink tea, it seemed.
“Lute, won’t you make me a cup of tea?”
“Certainly, Meiya-sama.”
As Meiya asked, Lute prepared to make tea.
As they pa.s.sed by each other, Meiya ordered another servant.
Lute didn’t pay attention and went to the kitchen to do his own task.
He went to the kitchen, took out the Chacha leaves, and warmed up the teapot and cup in advance.
He threw away the warm water in the pot and put the Chacha leaves in. Then he poured in hot water. This way, it would bring out the flavor properly.
After finishing his preparations, he put the snacks on the tray and went back to the courtyard where Meiya was waiting.
Meiya received a book for reading from another servant, crossed her legs, and elegantly scan over it.
“I’ve made you wait.”
“It wasn’t that long, don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you. Well then, I will pour your tea at once.”
He had already thrown away the warm water in the cup, and he poured Chacha into it with experienced hands.
To get her seal of approval, he had practiced making her favorite Chacha for over a year without slacking. Now, he could do it with his eyes closed. He had mastered the way of her favorite Chacha.
“Excuse me.”
“Thank you.”
After he poured the cup of deep black Chacha, he promptly put it in front of Meiya.
Today’s snack were cookies that were a tribute from a certain famous shop. Since it didn’t taste too sweet, its fans ranged from common people to n.o.bles.
Meiya liked the snacks from this shop too, she was already a patron.
Meiya picked a cookie and moved it to her mouth.
The sweetness that spread in her mouth made her break out in a smile.
After wiping her hand with a handkerchief, she took a whiff of the tea Lute made, and brought it to her mouth.
She immediately frowned.
“......It’s terrible. Good grief, Lute, you couldn’t even make tea. I can’t believe it.”
“It, it can’t be! I made it just like usual……!”
Lute was surprised and panicked at the unexpected reaction.
Meiya ignored him and continued.
“Really, you lived here for more than a year and still can’t make a cup of tea, a truly good-for-nothing servant.”
“......I’m sorry, Meiya-sama.”
“I don’t need this bad of a servant on my grounds. Give me the usual.”
“Here, Meiya-sama.”
The waiting maid handed Meiya a doc.u.ment.
It was Lute’s servant contract doc.u.ment.
As he was wondering what she wanted to do with that, she suddenly started to tear the contract paper.
“Meiya-sama, what are you doing so suddenly!?”
After she had torn it to shreds, she dropped the pieces, which fluttered onto the table.
Meiya looked at Lute again and spoke.
“Lute, with this you’re no longer my servant. Go wherever you want.”
“Meiya-sama……”
“By the way the childhood friend-san who came yesterday is here too, she’s been at the gate since this morning. Said she wanted to talk to me. How troublesome, even though I look like this, I’m like, super busy, you know. On your way out, please tell her that ‘I don’t plan to meet, please don’t come here again’.”
Only then did Lute understand her intention, and he felt a hot surge of emotions swelling inside his chest.
At the same time, he realized that his eyes were watering.
Meiya went ‘Hmph’ and turned her back to Lute, re-crossing her legs.
Despite having her back turned to him, he spoke.
“Meiya-sama, thank you. This kindness, I definitely won’t forget it for the rest of my life. And the money you used to buy me, I will pay you back eventually.”
“Hmph, that kind of money is like small change to me. What do you take me for? I am the world-famous genius Meiya Dragoon, you know. Anyway, please go to the gate quickly. If your childhood friend-san stays in front of my gate any longer, strange rumours will spread, you know.”
“I understand. Finally, for this one year and a little longer, getting to stay by Meiya-sama’s side was really fun. Thank you for buying me from the slave merchant. Meiya-sama is more than ideal, the best master ever!”
“…………”
Meiya didn’t reply.
Lute bowed towards her back, and ran toward the gate with haste.
Toward his beloved childhood friend who was waiting in front of the gate.
Lute met Snow again, and told her that he had been freed.
They hugged each other while crying.
After they calmed down, they both gave deep bows toward Meiya’s house and disappeared into the town.
Meiya didn’t move from the courtyard, stayed in her seat, and heard the report.
The maid asked.
“Was that okay, Meiya-sama? Letting Lute go, I mean.”
After Lute told the maid that he was going to make tea and pa.s.sed by her, she was told to bring Lute’s contract doc.u.ment.
To think that the master, Meiya, would tear it didn’t crossed her mind at all.
Meiya answered with her back still turned toward the maid.
“It’s okay. Keeping a servant that makes tea this badly despite being here for over a year already would just affect my name.”
“......If it’s that bad, then why don’t you stop drinking it. Being too stubborn is bad for the body, and your happiness will also escape, you know.”
“It’s okay. Moreover, I’ve already received more than enough happiness…...”
She treated the tea Lute had made with care and continued to drink it.
When she finished the last drop, she looked up to the sky, as if to prevent her tears from falling.
“Haaa, geez…… it really tastes bad.”
The maid pretended that she didn’t see the gem-like tears rolling down Meiya’s cheeks.
TL’s face: (´；ω；｀)
In her heart, she had decided that Meiya Dragoon was the best master they had ever had.
ＥＮＤ
■Afterword
Truly, thank you for buying Gun-Ota volume 3!
The story this time was ‘What if the one who bought Lute was Meiya’.
At first, it was just Lute and Meiya being all ‘kya kya ufufu’, but somehow, it turned into this kind of serious, moving story.
I wonder what happened……!?
Well, Meiya is always treated as a ‘pity beauty’ in both the web and the light novel, so this kind of ‘good-girl end’ isn’t so bad.
In the real story, she’s still like that though. (LOL)
Well then, let’s wrap it up.
Next time, volume 4 will be a story about Lyss and Shia.
What kind of story should I write, I wonder.
Best regards next time too!