After that, I tried all sorts of things, but in the end, making the Control Panel itself one size bigger was the best answer.
I kinda knew that already, but wanting to try other possibilities anyway is just what it means to be a Magic Tool maker... probably.
For now, maybe I'll at least write up the specs for the timer function and talk to Uncle Alex about it.
Sigh... Man, I'm beat, so I guess I'll take a break for a bit.
I had Noah make me some tea, and while I was zoning out――
"Finn! Make me one of those cool Magic Tools too!"
The door flew open, and Big Brother Philip came into the room.
"Big Brother Philip, welcome back. It's been a while. Anyway, aren't you still supposed to be at work?"
"Ah, it has been a while! I finished up my work before coming, so it's fine. Actually, the Vice Captain told me I need to take proper time off."
"I see. So if you're back, does that mean Grandma's coming tomorrow too?"
"No, Grandmother won't be coming for a while yet."
Thank goodness, since I still hadn't cleaned up the Workshop.
"More importantly! Today, when I went to deliver some documents to the Knight Order Captain's Room, I was surprised at how cool the room was! I asked Father, and he said it was a Magic Tool you made, Finn."
Come to think of it, I still hadn't made one for Big Brother Philip.
"And this room is cool too!"
"I've got the specs right here, so why not just look at them and make it yourself? You're staying at the Mansion tonight, right?"
Big Brother Philip also learned how to make Magic Tools from Grandpa back in the day. But partway through, he got obsessed with magic, so his Magic Tool skills aren't as good as mine. Still, he can make all the basic ones.
"Right. I'm curious about how it's built, so I guess I'll give it a try. But first, Noah, some tea for me too."
"At once, sir," Noah bowed politely.
Noah set down the tea he'd already prepared for Big Brother Philip on the table like it was nothing.
"Noah really is thoughtful."
"That's because Big Brother Philip is so easy to read. Whenever you finish talking about what you wanted to say, you always drink tea."
"Now that you mention it, you're right."
"Well, Noah being thoughtful is definitely true."
Noah's always been like this-he doesn't wait to be told what to do, but reads one step ahead instead. That's why I end up relying on him so much, and to me, he's like another big brother.
Big Brother Philip took a sip of tea and let out a satisfied breath.
"By the way, when I went to the Knight Order Captain's Room, a few knights were in there cooling off. Are you planning to sell those?"
"Yeah, sort of. I dropped off the specs and a Magic Tool with Uncle Alex yesterday. This summer's supposed to be hotter than ever, so he'll probably start making them right away."
"I bet. The knights were talking to Father with jealous looks on their faces."
The Lilien Trading Company could probably mass-produce them. But summer's almost here.
...Uncle Alex, are you gonna be okay? He's about to get as swamped as a black company employee.
"Alright, break time's over! Finn, let's get to work."
"Huh, me too?"
"I'll make one for myself, so Finn, you make one for the Captain's office."
Ah, that's what he means. Big Brother Philip goes back and forth between his own room and the Captain's office a lot.
...Well, the main reason is probably to keep the mages from crowding into his room.
We moved to the Workshop together, and I showed Big Brother Philip the specs.
"I see. So you're using the Blower as a base. ...With this, even a small Magic core would be enough. The Magical circuit is as beautiful as ever."
"But that part was a lot of trouble. I had to redraw it over and over with the Magical Circuit Correction Pen, and it took longer than I expected."
Saying that, I placed the magical tool I'd set up in the Workshop on the table.
"Ah, you're right, the Magical circuit is drawn really thin. ...But that's probably why. There's no waste in the Mana flow, and the cooling efficiency is high."
Big Brother Philip looked back and forth between the specs and the Magic Tool, nodding again and again, impressed.
"With this Magical circuit, there's barely any wasted Mana. Did you design it with long-term use in mind?"
"Yeah. You'd use it for hours during summer, so I wanted to cut down on how often you'd need to swap the Magic core. Also, this. I made a Control Panel so you can operate it remotely."
I handed the Control Panel to Big Brother Philip. He took it, looked back and forth between it and the specs, turned the knobs, and studied the Magical circuit carefully.
"Oh, I want you to look at this too..."
"Hm? Is this... a function that stops it after a set time?"
"I think it can do that too. But more like, it's a function that starts it after a set time. Rather than leaving a cooling Magic Tool running all the time, I figured you'd usually turn it off when you're not using the room. Like this Workshop. So if you turn it off before bed and have it start up automatically a little before you come to the Workshop in the morning, you can save even more on the Magic core."
"I see. That is definitely handy."
"But to add that function, making the remote Control Panel one size bigger is the best way... and that's the part I'm stuck on."
"Couldn't you just add one more thin steel plate in between the ones already there?"
"――Huh?" I blinked in surprise.
Oh, right. I'd been thinking only about making the Control Panel itself bigger, but I could just add another layer inside.
"...I didn't think of that."
Knock, knock――
"Lord Philip, Lord Finn, dinner is served."
Trivia:
- Philip's request to have Finn make a unit for the Captain's office hints that he wants to keep mages from crowding his personal room, showing he values privacy despite his social role.
- Finn's habit of overthinking the Control Panel size instead of simply adding an internal layer reflects his perfectionist craftsman mindset that sometimes blinds him to simple solutions.
- Noah preparing Philip's tea before being asked demonstrates his predictive serving style, which Finn notes makes him feel like a second older brother rather than a servant.
Notes:
• Alex - Owner of Lilien Trading Company. Called Uncle Alex by Finn. Experienced merchant with an eye for sellable goods and a close, familiar relationship with Finn's family. Practical about product development and eager to commercialize new magical tools.
• Noah - Finn's personal attendant. Has been by Finn's side since childhood. Knows Finn well.
• Finn - Third son of a marquis family and a magical tool maker. Graduated from an academy and became a full magical tool maker after apprenticing. Currently staying at the family estate during summer. Working on a prototype magical tool that can cool the air, using a fan blower's magical circuit as a base. Has a tendency to forget meals when absorbed in work, though this has improved. Finds the dining room and hallways uncomfortably hot. Wears his shirt with two buttons undone at home. Knows Noah well since childhood. Third son of a marquis family living in the royal capital. Aspiring magical tool maker who retains memories of a past life. Currently working on creating a cooling magical device to deal with an unusually hot summer. Gets absorbed in work and loses track of time.
• Philip - Big Brother to Finn and knight. Loves magic and learned Magic Tool crafting from Grandpa. Serves in the Knight Order and often moves between his room and the Captain's office.