The morning of the third day since I was badly injured had come.
My body felt light, and the pain was gone.
[I’m finally healed.] (Lugh)
The wounds I sustained while analyzing the Fruit of Life had healed.
Without leaving any burn marks or scars on me.
This was thanks to my father’s adequate treatment.
The forceful self-healing enhancement provided by【Rapid Recovery】would’ve left some scars.
Physical appearance was one of the most important elements for an assassin.
First impressions were crucial to butter up the targets, and sadly, looks did matter. Disfiguring scars and burns would be a huge handicap.
[And if I didn’t have【Rapid Recovery】, I would’ve surely been bedridden for years.] (Lugh)
I suffered injuries so critical that it took three days for my body to recover.
By nature,【Rapid Recovery】multiplied my natural healing ability by a hundred. So the fact that I was bedridden for three days, in spite of having become more resilient as I had become more proficient with it, showed how considerable my injuries were.
[I’ve also grown strangely accustomed to this power.] (Lugh)
The power of the Fruit of Life, of which a bit entered my body, had totally become a part of my flesh and blood. Although I put a lid on it, I could still feel my connection to it.
Currently, there were nothing but advantages.
Still, I couldn’t let my guard down. It was practically as if I was attached to a bomb.
Which is why I had to find a way to deal with it.
I used the sound recording function of my communication device to see if I had received any important calls in the past three days.
I got only one. From Maha.
Tarte told her what happened to me and asked me to call her when I was awake.
I immediately used my communicator.
She’s pretty busy herself, so she probably won’t have the time to answer, but I could send her a voicemail specifying the times when she can call me back.
However, what happened next defied my expectations.
Just one second after I made the call, Maha picked it up.
I could guess that she had been holding on to her communicator all along.
[Are you feeling better!?] (Maha)
[Yeah, I’m fine now. And even stronger than before.] (Lugh)
[I see. I was really worried about you. I even thought about casting my work aside and rushing over.] (Maha)
[Why didn’t you?] (Lugh)
[Because this is the battlefield you put me in charge of, Lugh-niisan.] (Maha)
[That’s a good girl.] (Lugh)
She did what needed to be done. It was easy to say, but very few could actually do it.
And having a subordinate who could make the right decisions at all times was really helpful. I could trust and rely on her.
[You know I don’t like it when you treat me like a child.] (Maha)
[Sorry, force of habit. Was that all you wanted to call me about?] (Lugh)
[No, I also got what you asked me to get for you. Jewelry for a necklace, as well as gemstones made of three different kinds of minerals for a ring: a diamond, an emerald, and a sapphire. I also got some mithril.] (Maha)
[Thanks a lot.] (Lugh)
[I’m sorry. I was hoping to procure special grade articles for all of them, but all I could find for the emerald and the sapphire were only first-class gems.] (Maha)
[Don’t apologize, it’s better if the emerald and the sapphire are first-grade.] (Lugh)
Special-grade emerald and sapphire accounted for less than 5% of the total volume mined.
And I asked her to get them as soon as possible, so I didn’t blame her for failing to find them.
Besides, as a matter of fact, I could cover the difference between special-grade and first-grade with technology.
[Say… Can I ask you a question?] (Maha)
[Sure.] (Lugh)
[The necklace is a present for Esri-sama. And I know you said that the rings would serve as engagement rings, but… why did you need three different gemstones for it? Were you planning to design them so one ring is adorned with two gems?] (Maha)
Her voice was mixed with anxiety and hope.
She had the answer in her heart, and she wanted it to be true.
[No, I’m simply gonna make three rings. For the first one, I’ll use diamond for its overwhelming yet elegant radiance, the appeal of its aspect changing depending on the way it’s cut, and its highest level of solidity representing strength of will. It fits my image of Dia perfectly. So I’ll use the diamond for her engagement ring.] (Lugh)
[It’s pretty different from the image I have of diamonds. Yes, they have a unique glitter, but if I had to say, I mostly thought of them as being used in industry for their hardness. And on the market, they’re only considered second-rate gemstones.] (Maha)
[I told you, their appearance changes depending on how they’re cut.] (Lugh)
This world didn’t have the technology to polish diamonds. They were extremely hard materials, and difficult to process.
And rough diamonds weren’t really attractive.
In fact, even in my former world, diamonds weren’t highly valued as gems until the art of diamond-cutting was established.
But in my case, I was capable of cutting diamonds impeccably.
I would make this one more beautiful than any other gems, as befitting of Dia.
[I would love to see it once it’s finished. And so, what about the other gems?] (Maha)
[The emerald suits my image of Tarte. Jade-colored, with a warm radiance, and comforting to have by your side. That’s what Tarte represents for me, and that’s why I went for an emerald. Emeralds aren’t simply beautiful gems. They have a healing effect on the soul.] (Lugh)
[You’re right, Tarte does have that air about her. I feel so at ease when she’s around. And… What about the sapphire?] (Maha)
Maha’s voice was trembling. She sounded pretty nervous.
Guess I should stop teasing her now.
[Sapphire is a gemstone with a beautiful, calm, and sophisticated blue color. Its blue glow flickers and gives it a bewitching allure. Since you’re always collected, smarter and prettier than anyone else, I thought a sapphire would be the ideal gem for you. …To be honest, I was going to make it a surprise for you the next time we would meet. But considering the way you asked me about it, I had to tell you now.] (Lugh)
I could hear her inarticulate voice coming from the other side of the terminal.
For a moment, there was no response.
It seemed that she was desperately trying to contain her overflowing emotions.
[…Um… Thank you. I’m looking forward to the ring.] (Maha)
[I’ll make the best rings ever. Also, could you come over to my house next week or the week after? I’d like to introduce you to my parents soon. We’re getting engaged, so this is an essential step. I’ll give you the ring then.] (Lugh)
[I’ll find the time to come. How many days would it take to get there and back by carriage? I think it would be hard to adjust my schedule.] (Maha)
[I’ll fly over and pick you up. I can make the round trip in a day, so if you can clear your schedule for a day, it won’t be a problem.] (Lugh)
[In that case, I can work something out. I’ll definitely be there.] (Maha)
[I’ll be looking forward to it. I’ll set the date.] (Lugh)
And that was the end of the transmission.
I see. So she got all the gems.
[I should finish the design while I’m at it.] (Lugh)
I walked to my desk.
During my assassinations, I often assumed the identities of art dealers and designers, so I had enough knowledge and skills for this kind of design.
Let’s go for the ones that will bring out the best in the girls.
A week later, the gems and mithril I asked for arrived mixed in with the regular mail from Orna, which my mother subscribed to.
I picked them up and took them to the workshop I had built specifically for manufacturing.
[Girls, I don’t think it’s very interesting to watch me make ornaments…] (Lugh)
[But it makes me so curious!] (Dia)
[Me too! This is exciting!] (Tarte)
Tarte and Dia said that they wanted to observe my work, so I let them do as they wanted.
First, I processed the gems themselves.
Some gems were already beautiful as they were, but other gems like diamonds could only shine when they were processed.
In fact, in my former world, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds were called the four major jewels. In this world, however, the value of diamonds was really low.
And as for rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, only less than 5% of the total excavated amount were recognized as special-grade, while the remaining 95% weren’t so highly valued.
[Guess I’ll start with the sapphire.] (Lugh)
[That one isn’t special-grade, right? Are you sure you’re fine with it?] (Dia)
I expected no less from Dia.
She could instantly tell that this gem wasn’t special-grade, but only first-grade.
[Yeah, it’s alright. I’ll upgrade it soon.] (Lugh)
The difference between a first-grade sapphire and a special-grade one was the intensity of the blue color, and the absence of internal impurities.
The blue color of unprocessed sapphires was almost always too pale, and the gemstones themselves often contained internal impurities. However, only 5% of the total amount of sapphires excavated was sufficiently deep blue and free of impurities.
Therefore, only those 5% were considered authentic sapphires, while the rest were considered stones of little value.
And the stones I was able to obtain this time were pale in color, lacked elegance, and had a few impurities in them.
No doubt whoever wore them as they were to aristocratic social gatherings would be ridiculed as puny nobles who couldn’t afford genuine jewels and chose to wear imitations for appearance’s sake.
However, even if they were first-grade, with a little bit of processing, I could turn them into special-grade articles.
[【Precision Flame】. ] (Lugh)
This was a fire spell I had modified for pinpoint precision.
I used the flame to heat the material.
Sapphire could be heated up to 1,600°C to induce a chemical reaction in it.
Said reaction gave the gemstone, which looked much paler than a special-grade sapphire, a darker color, and removed its internal impurities.
Of course, simply making it darker wasn’t going to be enough.
I was aiming for a density that would bring out the best of the sapphire’s vibrant blue.
So I craftily used an earth spell to put the finishing touch on it.
[So what do you think, Dia? Looks like a special-grade, right?] (Lugh)
[Yup, that elegant blue does belong to a special-grade gem. This is incredible, it’s like magic.] (Dia)
[That’s because it was magic. Well, I could’ve also processed it without using magic, though.] (Lugh)
[Also, this is the finest shimmering blue ever. I’ve never seen such a clear glow before.] (Dia)
[Glad you could tell. Yeah, it sparkles.] (Lugh)
Also, there was one more feature I insisted on.
The beauty of the sapphire wasn’t only in its bright blue color.
The silk inclusions in it, which looked like silken threads inside the gemstone, were the secret behind its sparkling blue glow.
A sapphire of exceptional quality needed not only a deep blue color, but also a sparkling blue radiance.
Normally, the silk inclusions would disappear after heat treatment. Because they were nothing more than thin needle-like rutiles, which melted away under high heat.
Therefore, even in my former world, a naturally dark blue, unblemished sapphire that didn’t require heat treatment was considered a genuine sapphire, which could be sold for several times its base value.
No amount of science or technology could recreate a sparkling blue like that. That’s why genuine sapphires were so rare and so hard to find on the market.
But with my magic, I could cheat. All I had to do was magically insert the rutiles after the heat treatment.
I added them after so I could calculate the right way to give the best glittering blue.
[This is truly a magnificent blue gemstone. So this is called a sapphire.] (Tarte)
[Yup, that’s right. But this isn’t just any sapphire. I mean, even I have never seen a sapphire as beautiful as this one before. This is a national treasure.] (Dia)
[It’s the best because unlike the ones found in nature, this one was processed to perfection.] (Lugh)
The difference between natural gems and processed gems was the ability to give them the ideal shape.
This one was pale blue, so I could give it the ideal blue color by making it darker, and calculate how to make it sparkle.
With the right engineering, processed goods could outshine natural ones. This gem was, without a shadow of doubt, the most beautiful sapphire in the world.
[Now that I’m done with the sapphire, next is the diamond. It’s gonna be dangerous, so don’t get too close.] (Lugh)
I chanted a new spell.
10 cm of water gushed out from my fingertip and remained still. That water then rotated at ultra-high speed while carrying diamond dust in it.
[Could you tell us about that spell?] (Dia)
[That one is called【Water Blade】. I mix diamond dust in a stream of ultra high pressure water, and make it spin. With the water pressure and the hardness of diamond, it can easily cut through even swords of the highest grade. For instance… Go pick that failed gun at the edge of the workshop and throw it at me.] (Lugh)
[Um… Okay.] (Dia)
Dia threw the gun at me.
It was made with iron-based alloy. And I showed them how I slashed it in midair.
Iron being cut without any resistance like butter was a surreal sight.
[That sharpness is terrific, am I right?] (Lugh)
[I’d even say, it’s insane.] (Dia)
[Diamond is impossible to process without something like this. Seeing that I have no metal harder than diamond at my disposal, I use diamond to process diamond.] (Lugh)
It was a most rational decision.
I got to work right away.
I had an exceptional piece of diamond in front of me.
I slashed the gemstone that was considered second-rate in this world repeatedly with my【Water Blade】.
This spell could cut through even the hardest diamond ever.
[Lugh-sama is so skillful with it.] (Tarte)
[I can’t even see his hand anymore. I wonder how many dozens of times he’s going to slice it.] (Dia)
In a state of extreme concentration, I ran my blade dozens of times.
And finally, it was complete.
The diamond cut I went for was the round brilliant cut, the most famous and royal of them all.
When one thought of diamonds, this was the first shape that came to mind.
It was the culmination of hundreds of years of effort to make people see diamonds in the most beautiful way. I considered it to be the epitome of perfection. In fact, no more beautiful cut had been invented in centuries.
You could call it foul play to bring this kind of innovation into this world, but for Dia, I’d do it again.
[It’s done.] (Lugh)
[Oh my gosh…! This is a diamond? I can’t believe it.] (Dia)
[It’s so beautiful, I can’t stop admiring it.] (Tarte)
The two of them were mesmerized by the beauty of this diamond.
[This is the true charm of diamonds. They don’t shine if they’re left as is. But with the right cut, they can sparkle with a thousand fires.] (Lugh)
The beauty of diamond, which had been reigning as the king of jewels since the creation of diamond-cutting, wasn’t just for show.
[…That was really taxing. Both heating a sapphire and cutting a diamond do put a lot of stress. I think I’ll take a break before moving on to the emerald.] (Lugh)
Either of them were exceedingly difficult tasks.
Even the slightest mistake would’ve been irreparably harmful to the appeal of the jewels.
[It’s just a thought, but if you sold diamonds like this one, you could amass a real fortune, don’t you think? It’s so pretty and all. Yet it would be sold for cheap since it has a low value on the market, so I think you could really turn a profit with it.] (Dia)
[I agree. I have never seen such a marvelous jewel before. I think it would definitely sell among the wealthy and the aristocracy.] (Tarte)
I smiled bitterly.
[I bet it would. If I commercialized it, Orna could reign supreme over the jewelry industry.] (Lugh)
I could envision that future.
In fact, in my former world, the jewellers who owned diamond concessions ruled over the whole industry.
That was how valuable diamonds were.
[From the way you said it, I guess you’re not up for it, even though it would be perfect for Orna’s clientele.] (Dia)
[If I only thought in terms of business, then yeah, it would be a good idea. But I want you to be the only one to wear diamonds, Dia.] (Lugh)
Dia was the only one in the world I allowed to wear diamonds.
Sure, someone else would eventually master the diamond-cutting technique someday, but until then, I wanted it to shine only for Dia.
That was my wish.
[…You know, Lugh, you say some amazingly arrogant lines sometimes.] (Dia)
[Do you hate it?] (Lugh)
[Not at all, I love it!] (Dia)
Dia hugged me.
All my hard work was worth it.
Now, time to finish the rest of my work. And make the best rings ever.
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