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Premonition of Love (2)
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A little walk from the street stall tent, we arrived at the workshop. The magic tool workshop of the Earth Sage, Gnome-sama. It seemed that she spent day and night creating products here. It was a fairly large room. Covered in dust, it could hardly be called a clean workshop. A ladder was leaned against the wall of the room, and though there was no second floor, there was a loft-like space. Tools and finished products were haphazardly piled up there.
“Can’t you let me examine your right arm in detail?” (Gnome)
“No, you’re suddenly asking me that…” (Lost)
Gnome-sama suddenly hit me with this as she turned around.
“I don’t really understand it either. Well, when I apply force, light particles shoot out and my body floats, so I often use it in battle…” (Lost)
“Light particles?! A new type of thruster system? Hmmm… It’s also strange that your body floats just with the side engine on the right.” (Gnome)
Gnome-sama stared intently at my right arm and wrist, repeatedly rubbing them. My arm was being touched by a little girl.
“Still, I can’t believe a launcher is contained in such a thin wrist… Hmm, this is some kind of converter. It’s transforming mana into ether and firing it off…” (Gnome)
“Uhm…” (Lost)
“This feels like romance! Sorry, but I need you to remove that right arm for me.” (Gnome)
“No way!” (Lost)
Unlike Sylphid-sama, this spirit was a bit wild.
After inspecting my right arm thoroughly, perhaps satisfied or perhaps thinking about something else, Gnome-sama sat down on a sofa at the back of the workshop and began to cross her legs.
“So, Lost, I hear you’re looking for a surprise present?” (Gnome)
“Well, yeah, something like that…” (Lost)
“Ha-ha~… By the look on your face, you’re probably talking about a lover, huh?” (Gnome)
A smirk appeared on her childish face. The term ‘lover’ is incorrect, but well, I’d be happy if we could become something like that.
“W-What?” (Alba)
Upon hearing that, Alba-san once again blushed and started wriggling. In this case, it’d be better to ignore Alba-san so we wouldn’t end up talking unnecessarily.
“We’re not at that point yet, but, well, Lost is insisting—” (Alba)
“No, I’m just thinking of getting a small gift for the half-elf girl! It’s not for her birthday or some special day, so it’ll just be something light!” (Lost)
“Hmm, a half-elf, huh? So, it’s not for me, it’s for Shia’s—” (Alba)
“Heh-heh-heh, I see. What a feminine guy, coming up with a gift from a man like that.” (Gnome)
Could this be what they call adolescence? One of those secondary sexual characteristics I often see in books. If so, it can’t be helped that it’s feminine. After all, I’m a boy!
“Alright, let’s make a deal… If you let me examine your right arm, I’ll specially make a magic tool for your present.” (Gnome)
“Eh, really?” (Lost)
I can’t believe I’d get a magic tool made by the sage herself. That would truly be a surprise. If that happens, Shia will definitely be happy. But, how exactly is she going to examine my right arm—?
“But when you say examine, you’re not going to cut off my right hand or anything, right?” (Lost)
“Of course not. Just lie down here in the workshop for one night. However, I will charge a little bit for making the magic tool.” (Gnome)
Ah, that’s true. Nothing is free. The exorcism shield cost 15 million solid, so it’s probably not something that will be made for me for free.
“So, what does this half-elf girl want?” (Gnome)
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it, but… I’m still unsure.” (Lost)
Gnome-sama squinted her eyes and smirked as she looked at me teasingly.
“Women, you see, they fall for a man’s masculinity.” (Gnome)
“Masculinity?” (Lost)
“Yeah, you know, what you’d call manliness.” (Gnome)
A little girl like her talking about manliness… No, but Gnome-sama has lived for many years despite her appearance. I shouldn’t be fooled by her looks.
“A man has to chase romance. You need to show that romance to the woman, and she’ll fall for you immediately.” (Gnome)
I see. But, would it not be bothersome to give a gift showing my manliness? Or is it that showing my hesitation in choosing would be unmanly? I chose this gift, so I should just give it without a word… Is that manliness?
I don’t understand.
“Fine. Follow me. I’ll show you what manly romance really is, you feminine Lost.” (Gnome)
I wonder what a little girl knows about manly romance, but she’s a sage, so I won’t sweat the details.
With that, Gnome-sama uncrossed her legs and stood up gracefully, walking further into the workshop. Alba-san and I tilted our heads but followed her. The further we went, the dustier it got.
—
The magic tool workshop was surprisingly vast. The further we went in, the bigger the space became. And there, were large machines whose purpose I couldn’t even guess.
“First, let me introduce this. It’s my pride and joy.” (Gnome)
She pulled out something that looked like a cannon… no, it wasn’t that. It was a cylindrical object with various accessories attached. It had a hand grip so it could be held, and a trigger at the fingertips, making it a large, barrelled weapon.
—Virginal Arms (Plucked Keyboard Style Shotgun). Your body will likely explode, so be prepared.
Wide hall. A woman in black clothes with white hair. Red eyes. The barrel aimed at her.
I have a headache. What is this déjà vu? This time it’s extremely strong.
“This is called a railgun. Since the Metal Skeleton was discovered in the labyrinth, I got my hands on the electric bone elements. I use electromagnetic induction to launch the projectiles. It’s incredibly powerful.” (Gnome)
“Metal Skeleton… Now that I think about it, we did hunt them a lot. I never thought those bones would be used like this.” (Lost)
Gnome-sama aimed the railgun at the wall and fired without hesitation. After a charging sound, a loud crash echoed, and a large hole appeared in the wall of the workshop.
“Heh-heh-heh, do you feel the romance?” (Gnome)
Gnome-sama turned around proudly.
“There’s no way I could give something like this to a girl!” (Lost)
“What? You don’t get this romance?” (Gnome)
“Do you even need that masculinity?” (Alba)
Alba-san was also stunned by the sight.
“It’s an incredible amount of power. With this, you should be able to win Shia’s heart.” (Gnome)
“Win her heart? No, you’re trying to kill her!” (Lost)
After that, Gnome-sama proudly showcased all sorts of magical tools, rocket punches, bowling drills that dig into the ground at high speed, chainsaws for cutting down trees… countless weapons I had never heard of before.
According to Gnome-sama, swords, spears, axes, and pickaxes were relics of the past. The weapons of the new era had to be like this… But these were terrifying weapons.
What kind of weapons must the Arsenal Volga be if it was created by someone like her?
After a while of showing us her romance, Alba-san suddenly clapped her hands as if remembering something.
“By the way, I heard something the other day when I was shopping with Shia…” (Alba)
“What is it? Is it a hint of something you want?” (Lost)
Alba began to talk about what happened one day.
—
“It’s way too hot today. Don’t you think such weather is bad for shopping?” (Alba)
“That’s not true. In fact, it’s the opposite.” (Shia)
Alba-san walked lazily down Market Street, while Shia gave her advice.
“When the weather is good, shopping is more efficient. But, on days like this, it’s best to have a parasol.” (Shia)
“Sunshade?” (Alba)
“An umbrella to block the sunlight.” (Shia)
“Are you going to use an umbrella even though it’s not raining?” (lba)
“Alba-san, you seem strong against the sunlight, but if I get too much exposure, I’ll get sunburned.” (Shia)
“I see, that’s an inconvenient body.” (Lost)
So, Alba-san lazily followed Shia as she walked behind her.
“Doesn’t Shia have a sunshade?” (Alba)
“Even though I want one, it’s not really something worth going out of my way to buy.” (Shia)
—
“That’s the story. Shia said she wanted a sunshade.” (Alba)
Alba-san, good job. She really did extract exactly what Shia wanted. That’s it. Azarigrad, where the sun shines glaringly. And Shia, who is fair-skinned and weak to sunlight, loves shopping. So, I’ll give her a sunshade as a surprise present. It’s the perfect present carefully chosen with Shia in mind.
“Hmm, a sunshade to block the sunlight…” (Gnome)
Gnome-sama, upon hearing that, was thinking something. A
ctually, I don’t think I need to bother Gnome-sama to make a sunshade. I could probably just buy one myself.
“Gnome-sama, so I’m going to buy a sunshade, and as for the magic tool…” (Lost)
“No!” (Gnome)
“Eh?” (Lost)
Gnome-sama pointed at me and declared firmly. Her strong gaze made me feel embarrassed for thinking of giving such a simple sunshade.
“Romance for men is about ideas, you know? I brought you here because I wanted you to understand that.” (Gnome)
“Even so…” (Lost)
“A simple sunshade would be boring! It has to be a custom-made one, made by me!” (Gnome)
She’s more like a craftsman than a sage or spirit. Despite her appearance as a little girl, she’s way too obsessed with details.
“First, to block the sunlight, we can apply dark magic. If we enchant the umbrella so that when it opens, darkness spreads underneath, then no matter how hot the sun is, the person holding it will never be exposed to sunlight.” (Gnome)
We don’t need to shut out the sunlight completely like that!
Gnome-sama, somehow pulling it out of nowhere, started drawing up the structure of the umbrella on a blueprint, writing down what kind of magic to add to it.
“Well, that’s something I never thought of.” (Alba)
Alba-san nodded thoughtfully, crossing her arms.
“Since we’re talking about a hot day, how about having water come out of the handle of the umbrella? I’d want to drink water on a hot day. I can’t use water magic after all.” (Alba)
“Huh?!” (Lost)
“That’s a good idea, let’s go with that. We’ll add a faucet to the handle of the umbrella, and when you twist it, water will flow out. A brilliant idea. Alba, you’re getting more creative.” (Gnome)
With that, Gnome-sama and Alba-san started brainstorming a custom sunshade, leaving me behind.
“And it wouldn’t be complete without a railgun! Let’s make it so that a railgun can be shot from the tip of the umbrella. We can use the bones from the Metal Skeleton to form the basic frame.” (Gnome)
“Eh… Eh?!” (Lost)
“Now that we’ve got water and lightning, how about adding fire magic too? Since it’s a perfect opportunity. Wouldn’t it be cool if flames could shoot out from each of the tips of the umbrella’s spokes?” (Alba)
“That’s a great idea. Fire magic would be a booster! If flames shoot from the tips of each spoke, we could even make it a rocket that can fly through the sky!” (Gnome)
A weapon I couldn’t even begin to comprehend was about to be created.
—
“Lost, I finished it…” (Gnome)
The next day, when I visited the magic tool workshop with anxiety, Gnome-sama, who seemed to have stayed up all night, came out with dark circles under her eyes.
I feel bad that she went this far for me. But, you know, there’s something called an unwelcome favor in this world. I never asked for a mysterious weapon like that.
The sunshade Gnome-sama handed me still kept its shape as an umbrella. But once you knew its functions, anyone would be terrified.
“Let’s do a little experiment… come over here…” (Gnome)
Perhaps because she was extremely tired, Gnome-sama spoke in a lackluster tone.
So, we tested the performance of the umbrella. First, we opened it like a normal umbrella.
Up until this point, it was just a normal sunshade. It created some shade and provided a cool feeling.
However, the problem is the three buttons on the rod inside and the faucet on the handle that you grip tightly. If you fold the umbrella once, point it down, and turn the faucet on the handle, water will come out endlessly from the tip. Well, this might be okay. It could still be forgiven as just a little inconvenience.
Next, the three buttons on the pole. The first one is a black button. If you press it, complete darkness will spread under the umbrella. With this, no sunlight can penetrate at all. Also, from the outside, only darkness can be seen, so no one will even know who’s holding the umbrella.
The second one is a blue button. Pressing it will release a railgun from the tip of the umbrella. After a charging sound, a loud crash will follow, and its destructive power will turn any target into pieces.
The third one is a red button. Pressing it will make flames shoot out from each of the spokes. If you push it harder, the umbrella will gain buoyancy and start flying through the air. The person holding it can freely fly through the sky while holding the umbrella.
“How’s that… here’s another one of my masterpieces…” (Gnome)
“Ah, um… thank you…” (Lost)
“Ha, for a huge loss, it’ll be 500,000 Solido.” (Gnome)
It was a rip-off. I had to spend all my savings to buy that umbrella.
—
I named the custom sunshade Higasa Volga. The new weapon created by the Earth Sage, Gnome-sama. Its performance was beyond the understanding of ordinary people, and it would be a weapon that would make a madman go crazy with joy.
I wrapped a ribbon around it and attached a message card that said “Surprise!” before placing it on Shia’s front doorstep. Now, I just had to wait for Shia to return home. When she came back, I would jump out and explain that I had bought a weird weapon, but it could be used as a sunshade, so I wanted her to try it out.
That’s the only way I could do it.
Then, Shia Randall appeared as usual.
As usual, she walked home slowly with shopping bags in hand.
“……..” (Shia)
I held my breath and waited. Shia noticed the Higasa Volga. She picked it up and started reading the message card.
Now!
“Surprise!” (Lost)
I jumped out.
“Lost-san?” (Shia)
Ah, when she looks at me with those eyes, I get so nervous. What was I planning to say after jumping out and saying surprise? No, what’s important is that I get her to smile. It doesn’t matter about the contents of the gift, just the act of giving a surprise gift. That’s the only thing left.
But Shia, more than I expected, had a hard expression and didn’t smile.
“What is this?” (Shia)
“Ah, well, I bought a weird weapon, but when I looked closely, it seemed like it could be used as a sunshade, so…” (Lost)
“Well, it’s obviously a sunshade.” (Shia)
That’s true. From the outside, it definitely looks like a sunshade. Anyone who buys it as a weapon would just be a weirdo. It would look like I mistook a sunshade for a weapon!
Shia looked at the faucet on the handle, then opened the umbrella to check its shape.
“Are you giving me this?” (Shia)
“Y-yeah, since the sun has been strong lately and I thought you might be weak to sunlight…” (Lost)
“…” (Shia)
And as usual, she gave me a cold, annoyed look.
Oh well, failure.
“What’s this button?” (Shia)
Shia noticed the switch on the pole of the open umbrella.
“Ah, I was going to explain, but――――” (Lost)
Before I could say anything, Shia pressed the button.
It seems like she pressed the blue button. The tip of the umbrella was aimed at me.
“Ah, wait, wait!” (Lost)
After a charging sound, a railgun was fired at me from the tip of the umbrella…!
“Not good, I’m going to die!” (Lost)
I instinctively braced myself, but due to fear, my legs gave out and I ended up sitting down. I tightly closed my eyes.
*――Paaaan!*
However, immediately after, what rang out was the dry sound of a cracker. The bullet fired at me wasn’t an electromagnetic guided one. Tiny colored paper and colorful strings rained down on my head.
“Heh…” (Shia)
Not a railgun? What are these pieces of paper?
“Hah…” (Shia)
Then, I made eye contact with Shia. Her mouth was curled into a grin. But even that grin was quickly broken, and Shia burst into loud laughter.
“Ahahaha!” (Shia)
At that moment, I saw Shia genuinely laugh for the first time.
““Surprise!!”” (Shia/Everyone)
Immediately after, four people jumped out, Taurus, Yustin, Alba-san, and Gnome-sama. In that instant, I understood. The one who was surprised by the surprise was me.
I see, everything was according to plan. All the things up until now, I had been manipulated. But for what purpose?
“Th-this is―――” (Lost)
“How pathetic, Lost. To think you didn’t even notice.” (Yustin)
Now that I think about it, it was Yustin who proposed the surprise present.
“It was quite an enjoyable little event. You should have understood that I don’t usually go around markets, I prefer going to the labyrinth.” (Yustin)
Alba-san, who had suddenly appeared at the market, claiming it was her day off.
“I thought you seemed a bit down lately, so I thought I’d add a little spice. How was it?” (Taurus)
So, Taurus was also behind the scenes. And Gnome-sama… why was she involved?
“I was a latecomer. I got to watch something fun. Kukukuku…” (Gnome)
Ah, I see. Now I understand. Everyone was playing me for a fool and making me the laughingstock. Thank you for playing with my feelings for Shia…
—
At the late-night Simnon Tavern. By now, coming here every night has become part of my daily routine. I sat at the counter, absentmindedly staring at the empty plate, sighing.
“Haa…” (Lost)
I understand everyone’s feelings. They probably tried to cheer me up by surprising me because I seemed down.
My feelings for Shia are serious, and they shouldn’t have taken advantage of those feelings. Hmm… wait a minute. Does that mean Shia has known about my feelings from the beginning?
If that’s the case, what am I supposed to do? I can’t face her.
“Did you know? They say a strange monster has been showing up at the market lately.” (Adventurer)
“Oh, yeah. They say it’s someone holding a parasol, blending into the darkness. Apparently, it even shoots fire and flies through the sky.” (Adventurer)
“They say it’s a blue-haired woman.” (Adventurer)
*―――Gii…… Gii-gi*
The sound of the latch creaking. The tavern’s swing door opened and closed, opened and closed. From there, a girl with blue hair walked in.
“Hii… That’s her… the monster…” (Adventurer)
The adventurers were stunned by her appearance. Each one made a face of disgust and called this angel a monster. That blue-haired monster angel walked over to me.
“Oh, Lost-san.” (Shia)
“What is it, Shia-san?” (Lost)
I slumped over the counter and turned away. I didn’t feel like facing her.
“Thank you for the present. I’m using it carefully.” (Shia)
“Seems like it.” (Lost)
Apparently, even though it was a prank, she accepted the gift and was using it. That alone made me happy.
If it would make her smile, I’d gladly play the fool. Well, the scene of her flying with the parasol is quite absurd though. The Higasa Volga still has both the railgun function and rocket booster function. I spent a lot of money on it, so I had Gnome-sama make sure it was a proper item. Buying such a weapon for the girl I like… I might be a freak.
“They say you’re being called a monster in town.” (Lost)
“Yeah, it seems so.” (Shia)
Shia replied nonchalantly, calmly, in her usual tone.
Even though she knows my feelings. Isn’t that unfair? If she just leaves me hanging like this, I don’t even know what to do. Or maybe she’s the type who wants me to confess properly. According to Yustin, many girls want to hear the words clearly. But thinking about what comes after that, it takes courage to say it. If I get rejected, it would be awkward, and we wouldn’t be able to stay together like this.
While I was thinking deeply with my head lowered, Shia came around behind me and gently placed her hand on my shoulder. I could feel her mouth near my nape.
“Monsters like us, let’s get along.” (Shia)
She whispered softly. I felt my face turn bright red and buried it even deeper.
Come to think of it, Shia was the first one to call me a monster. And now, she’s the one being called a monster. All thanks to my gift.
“Hm… get along?” (Lost)
“Yes.” (Shia)
I turned to look at Shia.
“What do you mean?” (Lost)
“It means what it means.” (Shia)
She dodged the question.
Well, I got to see her smile, so I guess that’s enough for now. I guess we’ll take one more step in our relationship after we both grow a bit more.
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