Chapter 18: A Timepiece Fit for a Duke.

“It suits you well.”

The overall design of that watch was derived from the magic circle that goes inside it. Of course, looking at the design alone, there were parts omitted so one couldn’t properly infer the magic circle, and parts deliberately extended. As a result, a watch was completed that had absolutely no meaning magically but was stylish in design.

I was extremely pleased that the watch completed with my design was a perfect fit for the Duke.

Since only design drafts that I couldn’t bear to look at with open eyes kept coming out, I eventually rolled up my sleeves. I could understand why the watchmakers secured by the Duke were facing closure. Their processing skills weren’t bad, but their design skills were terrible.

The watch containing 128 diamonds was only for the Duke, and the most expensive product released to the market consisted of 64 diamonds. Of course, entry-level products without diamonds attached to the exterior were also prepared. The beautiful and hassle-free watch quickly became the talk of the town.

“Here, this is the statement you’ll receive.”

When watch sales got on track, the Duke handed me a genuinely long statement. Guessing it wasn’t a bill I had to pay, I could receive it with a beaming smile.

“Oh my god.”

But the moment I saw the numbers on the long statement, I had no choice but to exclaim.

“Kind and benevolent Duke.”

“So the number of adjectives modifying me increases as the unit of numbers increases.”

“Kind, benevolent, and astute Duke.”

I could only blame my lack of vocabulary for not being able to attach more varied modifiers.

That was the amount I was to receive. Every element I meddled with had turned into money and returned.

The highlight was on the very last line.

“Kind, benevolent, astute, and handsome Duke, the watch truly suits you well.”

The design I made was also converted into money and returned, and that amount was worthy of adding one more modifier. Because it was enough to change the number of digits of the total amount.

Even though the watch business revived the local economy of Westell, the Duke’s base, and raised the value of his name, it wasn’t welcomed by everyone. As expected, some nobles were negative about the Duke’s watch business.

Another name for nobles was ‘those who do not work.’ Literally, they did not work. At least outwardly. The traditional income source for nobles was real estate. They leased the land inherited from their ancestors and lived off the proceeds.

They criticized the Duke for building a business himself.

If you ask whether all nobles ate well and lived well, could that be possible? Some failed in investments, some were scammed, and some squandered their wealth recklessly and lost their fortunes.

There were also those who neither invested, got scammed, nor lived extravagantly, but lost their fortunes sitting still because they didn’t fit the flow of the era where industries were booming.

Those who especially raised their voices in opposition to the Duke’s business were these declining nobles. Preaching that working lowers the prestige of nobles while wearing worn-out clothes in a declining household wouldn’t even tickle anyone’s ears.

If there were those declining by lagging behind, on the other side, there were bound to be those sensitive to the flow of the times.

At a point where stories of tourists coming just for the watch available only in Westell became common, as the rumor spread widely that the Duke would release watches in the capital too, they salivated.

Beyond simply leasing prime land, those who sat straw bosses and got directly involved in businesses all had a hand in the jewelry market.

They had no choice.

As I experienced myself, magic was truly the god of the machine, Deus Ex Machina itself. It could gloss over insufficient technology plausibly.

To make a usable product, magic was ultimately needed, and for that, gems were essential.

What the jewelers frequenting the Duke’s study wanted was one thing. The right to sell watches.

The rumor about releasing watches in the capital was spread intentionally. Although the jewelers in the capital had bloodshot eyes, there was no volume to go around to them.

The Duke, who had business sense, naturally planned to operate directly managed stores. This was a matter where I didn’t even need to open my mouth. As soon as he heard the news that a certain watchmaker completely ruined a watch while trying to repair it, the Duke said first that he would sell only through directly managed stores for strict quality control and guaranteed repair assurance.

He didn’t forget consideration for Westell, which would lose its exclusive sales rights.

“If we sell watches in the capital Noberten as well, tourists in Westell will decrease. We should create a countermeasure. If we want to prevent people in the tourism industry from resenting me. How about creating a line sold only in Westell? Using amethyst as decorative stones would be good, and a design symbolizing Westell’s lake would also be nice.”

It was doubtful enough to wonder if the Duke also had a past life on Earth like me. But recalling the times he drank coffee without straining it, the suspicion quickly faded. Then the remaining conclusion was just that the Duke had good adaptability.

Considering the nobles who foamed at the mouth asking how the Duke could do business or hid secretly sending only agents, the Duke was definitely an outstanding person. Though one might evaluate him as reckless.

What the Duke wanted from jewelers was a stable supply of diamonds. And the nobles behind the jewelers would eventually comply with the Duke’s demands.

The news that diamond mines were discovered in the New Continent was bad news for them. A state-run company created by the Prime Minister was the owner of the mines, and as soon as news broke that rough stones over 200 carats were discovered there, diamond prices began to plummet. Not to mention the price of melee diamonds, which didn’t have great commercial value. If they didn’t want to go bankrupt due to blocked cash flow despite being profitable on paper, they had no choice but to sell to the Duke.

Most of the diamonds they supplied would be used for watches, but a part had another use.

Making a magic circle that absorbs the Duke’s pheromones. To prepare for his Rut.

This could be called a gift sent by the King to the Duke. Since it’s a magic circle obtained from the necklace worn by the King’s spy disguised as Count Umbra’s servant.

The Duke separated the magic circle that reduces the influence of pheromones from the reverse engineering diagram of the necklace I drew. He didn’t stop at simply restoring it but even researched a more efficient magic circle.

“Are you perhaps a Master, Duke?”

The Duke had said that a master-level mage could improve the old magic circle of that necklace. Was that remark back then referring to his own skill? Did I take such a genius as a standard? Strength naturally entered my eyes.

“No way.”

The Duke frowned, asking what nonsense I was talking about.

“It’s just that I’m a bit more familiar with it because it’s magic I’ve pondered over for a long time.”

I remembered. The broken gem fragments scattered beside the Duke who had passed his Rut.

“Since the time is coming again, I must prepare. Though I don’t know exactly when it will come, or if such efforts will be useful.”

The Duke speaking of his Rut was cynical. It must be because he hadn’t received proper rewards despite trying for a long time. He didn’t show the same ferocity as when he first told me about the Rut.

However, I felt like I could see his wounds. Even if the phenomenal recovery ability during the Rut healed his bloodied body in an instant, the fact that wounds were inflicted doesn’t disappear.

To realize that magic circle, the subtle colors of melee diamonds must be properly classified. In that part, I will be of help.

But the words coming from the Duke’s mouth were not about the magic circle.

“When the Rut starts, you take charge of the watch business.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll give instructions in advance, but I can’t do anything about unexpected situations. Whether it turns into porridge or rice, there needs to be a final decision maker.”

“What will you do if I make a mess of it?”

“It would be my fault for entrusting it to someone who messes up even when provided with top-quality ingredients. If a time comes when a really urgent decision must be made, use my seal in the study. This is an order.”

The Duke even used the word ‘order’ directly. I pointed out a realistic problem to him.

“What will you do if I run away with that seal?”

Then the Duke made an amused expression.

“Unfortunately, a recognition magic is cast on the seal. Even if I register you as a temporary manager, if you really try to use it for something absurd, well, for example, if you try to stamp the sale contract of this mansion, a quite interesting magic will manifest.”

“I won’t sell it, this mansion.”

“Wise.”

“By the way, can’t you tell me what magic is engraved?”

It was pure curiosity of a novice mage. Naturally, the Duke didn’t answer my question.

“Find out yourself.”

“Are you telling me to try pretending to stamp a real mansion sale contract?”

“It means improve your magic skills. In that sense, let’s work hard today too.”

That day too, I was rolled around until I lost consciousness.

After going through two more lessons since then, only today barely becoming able to walk out on my own feet in a sane state, I don’t know when I’ll be able to find out the magic of that seal.

Actually, I’m not really curious about the seal’s magic. Because I will absolutely not write a sale contract for this mansion.

Not because I’m trying to keep my promise, but because I don’t want to kill the goose that lays golden eggs. Is an employer who pays for a single plausible idea and design draft modifications common?

I deserved to be paid well for the Duke’s watch, which I designed from start to finish, but I know I was paid generously.