“...What is wrong, Young Master?”
Workshop Master Edgar spoke in alarm as he looked at Eugene, who had frozen after reading the contract.
‘What is this? Is there some kind of magic on it that paralyzes whoever reads it?’
If so, that could be a problem.
The Magnus Family’s internal conflict was severe, and for whatever reason, the Family Head was effectively standing by and watching it happen.
And although Young Master Eugene, the Family Head’s illegitimate child, had a weak position, he was an eyesore.
Was that not simply the nature of an illegitimate child’s position?
Therefore, the other siblings of the family might have sent an order disguised as a customer, with assassination magic placed on the letter to kill Eugene.
‘Damn it, I was careless!’
In any case, they needed to take action.
Edgar hurriedly checked the cheque.
“Ghk….”
Then he froze beside Eugene.
“Is the amount satisfactory, Mr. Eugene Magnus?”
The Katiere Family’s representative asked.
“...”
Eugene silently nodded.
With this amount, they could expand the workshop’s facilities and even bring in new people.
On top of that.
‘And I can learn new magic.’
It was enough money to borrow new spellbooks from the Magnus Family’s Infinite Library.
“Yes, this is more than enough for the down payment.”
Eugene nodded as he spoke.
“Then, regarding the detailed conditions….”
“The supply volume and production schedule are basically written in the order form, but if you need time, they can be adjusted. Of course, if you supply it faster, we will provide an additional payment.”
“Understood. Then let us conclude the contract….”
“Ah, there is one more condition.”
The representative spoke.
“A condition…? What is it now…?”
“It is not a demanding request. Our Family Head said that she would like to meet Mr. Eugene Magnus once and have a conversation. Would you be able to make time for her?”
“Time…?”
To be honest, Eugene was not particularly drawn to the idea.
Eugene Magnus was in a position where he could be put in danger at any time.
That was why he did not particularly enjoy meeting people.
However.
“...If I refuse?”
“The contract will be dissolved.”
“Hmm….”
“Our family is aware that the internal circumstances of the Magnus Family are complicated. From the moment you leave this workshop until the moment you return, we guarantee that not a single scratch will appear on your body.”
“If that is the case….”
Eugene was not especially knowledgeable about rumors, but he knew a certain amount about the Katiere Family’s reputation.
After all, if one dealt in jewels, objects that were light, valuable, and easy to plunder, bloodshed was unavoidable.
That was why, if this family guaranteed his safety, it was trustworthy.
“...Understood. Please guide me.”
In any case, it would be good to become acquainted with them through this opportunity.
If someone of the Katiere Family Head’s stature was looking for him, there had to be a reason. And Eugene needed to seize any opportunity he could.
***
Thus, Eugene went to the Katiere Family’s territory.
Before he left.
“Workshop Master, we have received a contract, so please hire some new people. Two should be enough.”
He did not forget to have Edgar hire people as well.
At present, the workshop was being run by Eugene and Edgar alone, and it was gradually becoming too much.
They needed people who could at least handle miscellaneous tasks.
‘For a family of jewel merchants, they have no hesitation about spending money.’
Eugene thought that as he looked around the carriage he was currently riding in.
The carriage Eugene usually rode had poor mana efficiency, was old enough to creak everywhere, and shook whenever it encountered uneven terrain.
More than anything, the seats were hard, so sitting in it made his backside hurt.
But the carriage sent by the Katiere Family had soft seats, and perhaps because it had been given a great deal of stabilization magic, it definitely shook less.
‘I need to make money quickly and replace my carriage first….’
Whatever he did, he needed money first.
After some time had passed.
Eugene arrived at the castle in Katiere territory.
“Wow….”
The moment he entered through the castle gate, an exclamation escaped Eugene’s lips.
A splendid garden, beautifully arranged from the entrance onward, greeted him.
Low green shrubs were embroidered with flowers in as many colors as the gems handled by the Katiere Family. Beyond them, a statue stood proudly atop a fountain. It depicted an elegant woman wearing various accessories such as necklaces, earrings, and rings, holding the Katiere Family’s symbol—a bitten apple—in her hand.
The frightening thing was that the statue was pure white marble without the slightest blemish, while the garden shrubs had been trimmed into a maze-like shape with perfectly sharp edges.
‘How much money would it take to maintain a place like this?’
The castle in Magnus territory was large as well, but perhaps because of the Family Head’s preferences, it did not spend so much money on outward appearances.
In that regard, even for Eugene, who came from a distinguished family, this sight was quite unfamiliar.
The interior of the castle was no less unfamiliar.
Gems whose value he could not even begin to guess, along with accessories made from those gems, were displayed in cases or hung unprotected from statues scattered throughout the castle.
It was interior design that proclaimed to the fullest that they were a family of jewel merchants.
It looked like a place where gold, silver, jewels, and treasures were scattered around without any security.
‘On the contrary, only people who do not value their lives would touch things like that.’
There had to be a reason they displayed such things so confidently, as if inviting people to steal them.
Especially for a family of jewel merchants, strict security was inevitable.
Therefore, anyone who valued their life should not touch those gems.
“If you wait here, that will be sufficient. I will inform Ms. Ellen.”
After being guided to the reception room, Eugene sat on a sofa upholstered in smooth blue velvet and blankly looked around.
‘It is extravagant here too.’
An elaborate, splendidly patterned carpet covered the marble floor, and a low golden table sat on top of it. The light from the chandelier hanging from the ceiling reflected off the table and marble floor, dazzling enough to hurt his eyes merely by looking at it.
It felt completely different from the relatively frugal and drab atmosphere of the Magnus Family.
‘...Do their eyes not hurt living in a place like this?’
As he thought that.
“It seems you are not used to an atmosphere like this?”
Someone spoke to him amid the heavy scent of perfume.
She was a woman with a glamorous appearance who looked to be in her early to mid-twenties.
She wore a slim, dark red dress that exposed her shoulders, and her blonde hair was swept up. Perhaps because of that, the black-metal necklace and earrings set with rubies stood out more clearly against her pale skin.
Her makeup was not heavy, but her features were distinct enough to leave a strong impression. She was the kind of beauty who would make someone instinctively turn back for another look after passing her on the street.
“You are….”
“My name is Ellen Katiere. You are Eugene Magnus, correct?”
“Yes. I am Eugene Magnus, manager of the Magnus 43rd Workshop. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ellen Katiere.”
Eugene spoke as he extended his hand for a handshake.
He showed an appropriate degree of courtesy.
Though she was the Katiere Family Head, he represented the workshop.
From the position of a representative, he did not want to begin by bowing his head.
“...You are unexpected for someone from the Magnus Family.”
Ellen’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she soon smiled, took his hand in greeting, and sat on the sofa beside him.
‘...Unexpected?’
Did that mean his other damned blood relatives at least behaved with more courtesy?
It did not seem likely, but since Eugene did not know how they behaved outside the family, he did not say anything about it.
As Ellen watched him.
“It appears social conversation does not particularly interest you.”
Ellen spoke with her eyes narrowing slightly.
“...It does not mean I have no interest in you, Ms. Ellen. Please understand that I am simply not used to an atmosphere like this.”
“I understand. It seems that Mr. Eugene is closer to a capable alchemist than a young master of the Magnus Family.”
“Are you disappointed?”
“Not at all. If anything, I prefer that.”
Ellen gave an alluring smile.
“There is no point in dragging out a conversation with someone like you. Then let us get straight to the point.”
With a smooth gesture, she handed Eugene a document.
“...An employment contract?”
“Yes. I am offering for Mr. Eugene to become an alchemist affiliated with the Katiere Family. The conditions are written in more detail in the contract, but I can guarantee that you will receive treatment that is in no way lacking for this industry.”
As she said, the conditions written in the contract were too good to believe were being offered to an alchemist who had only just produced a single result through alchemy.
That made Eugene even more puzzled.
“...Why offer such conditions?”
“Any valuable gem is cheapest when it is purchased as rough stone.”
“How can you be so certain…?”
“That is my job. And if I am wrong, the cost is mine to bear.”
It was a kind of buying at the bottom.
Hearing that made Eugene hesitate even more.
‘If I become the Katiere Family’s exclusive alchemist….’
The Katiere Family was a very large family because it dealt in jewels and precious metals.
Entering under its wing meant receiving the protection of such a family.
Considering that Eugene had suffered thus far because he had no family that could protect him from behind, accepting this contract could resolve many of the problems he faced.
It meant escaping the troublesome family conflict and living a new life.
Of course, the 43rd Workshop where he worked would be in a difficult position, but money had come in and new equipment had been acquired, so they would be able to manage many things on their own.
He would feel a little sorry for Edgar, who had struggled alongside him, but perhaps this might be better for Edgar too.
But.
“...I must decline.”
Eugene returned the contract proposal to Ellen.
The reason was simple.
‘Honestly, I'm afraid of what comes after.’
The order for Eugene to become the manager of the Magnus 43rd Workshop had come from Isaac Magnus, the Family Head of the Magnus Family.
And he had said that if Eugene failed to handle this work properly, he would erase Eugene from this world.
If Eugene accepted this offer and entered under the Katiere Family, how would the Family Head take it?
Furthermore, Eugene had heard various rumors about Isaac.
-Isaac Magnus is a man who clearly distinguishes favors and grudges. I heard that he repays kindness twofold and enemies tenfold.
Family conflict was not the issue.
What if the Empire’s greatest alchemist made Eugene pay the price for “abandoning his duty and running away”?
‘It will be difficult to die peacefully.’
At the very least, Eugene wanted to meet his second death peacefully.
“I expected as much. It is not easy to bring someone from the Magnus Family over. It is regrettable, but it cannot be helped.”
Ellen took the contract from Eugene’s hand and immediately tossed it into the fireplace.
The contract turned to ash in an instant.
‘...It is a little disappointing.’
But Eugene still had work to do now.
“Then, regarding this aluminum supply contract….”
“That is completely unrelated. If I broke it off on a whim at this point, I would be making an enemy of an alchemist who can create metal like this. Why would I do something so foolish?”
Ellen spoke while holding a lump of aluminum that Eugene did not know where she had obtained.
Seeing that, he suddenly became curious.
“...By the way, what do you plan to do with the aluminum our workshop will supply?”
“Of course, what our Katiere Family does best. You must have seen plenty of it on your way in.”
She meant making accessories.
But with aluminum?
“I think not only I, but other families would react similarly. This cold yet refined feeling… and the delicate grain on the surface has a sharp sensation, almost as though one might be cut simply by touching it. The designers affiliated with our family are already bursting with ideas and pouring out all sorts of designs. I am already looking forward to the day I can hold the finished products in my hands.”
“Ah, um….”
It seemed to be an area that Eugene, who had come from Earth, found difficult to understand.
“More than anything, the fact that it is a new and rare metal that has never existed before is important. This industry cannot survive without constantly creating something new. The Katiere Family, in particular, is in a position where we must press forward even more.”
Hearing that, Eugene felt he understood a little better.
On Earth in his previous life, before a method for mass-refining aluminum was discovered, its production volume had been low, so it had been treated as a precious metal.
He had heard that Napoleon loved aluminum so much that he had a crown made of aluminum and received honored guests with aluminum tableware, while serving everyone else with gold tableware.
If aluminum occupied such a position in this world, it made sense for it to be treated as a precious metal.
“However, I do have a concern at the moment.”
Ellen spoke.
“Since it is a new metal, I believe we need to design with a new sensibility. But aluminum feels so different from the metals we have handled until now that it seems we are unable to design accessories that properly reveal the refinement inherent in the material.”
As she said, taking the designs of existing gold or silver accessories and making them in aluminum would probably not look very impressive.
“Do you perhaps have a good idea, Mr. Eugene? I think it would be good if it looked new and fresh, at least.”
“An idea… hmm.”
Eugene had no particular knowledge of design.
No, what kind of accessories was one supposed to design with aluminum in the first place?
If it had been electronics, it might have been easier.
There had been a company in his previous life that made computers, monitors, and smartphones using a refined design centered on the distinctive texture of aluminum. Eugene had used many of that company’s products, but….
“...Apple?”
The word slipped from Eugene’s mouth before he realized it.
“Apple…? Do you mean we should make apple-shaped accessories? That may be worth considering as well. Apples are our family’s symbol, after all. Emphasizing that while presenting a new material could also….”
“No, not that. I mean a design with this kind of feeling….”
Eugene picked up a pen nearby and explained the company’s distinctive designs, in which straight lines and curves were blended together, as he drew.
But as he spoke.
‘...This suits electronics, not accessories, does it not?’
That thought occurred to him, so he stopped at an appropriate point.
“Uh… that is all I can think of for now. I am not a design specialist….”
“Wait a moment.”
Ellen’s usual composed expression had completely vanished. With a startled face, she picked up the sheet of paper Eugene had drawn on.
Then.
“...To think there is such a refined sensibility….”
She muttered in a trembling voice.
“Uh… Ms. Ellen?”
“Wait. I think I need to show this to our designers quickly…. Thank you, Mr. Eugene! Then I will see you again later!”
Ellen Katiere hurriedly disappeared.
“...What was that? Was it really that impressive?”
Left alone, Eugene muttered in confusion.
***
Afterward.
Eugene returned to the workshop and quickly got to work.
Thanks to hiring people, he could leave small tasks to the new workers. As a result, he was able to produce aluminum faster than before.
After finishing the work and sending off the aluminum.
‘But what kind of accessory designs could they possibly be thinking of…?’
The question suddenly occurred to him.
From Eugene’s perspective, he could not predict at all what sort of products would emerge.
‘Aren't they going to fail? Well, we have supplied the goods, so it's not our concern….’
***
The Katiere Family’s castle had a huge banquet hall.
And Ellen Katiere, the Family Head, regularly held banquets there, inviting nobles regardless of gender.
“Hello, Xian Ronefelt. It has been a long time since I last saw you.”
“Have you been well? How has your husband been lately…?”
The nobles gathered in the banquet hall were asking after one another’s well-being and conversing about various things.
Yet even as the banquet began and the mood grew livelier, its host, Ellen Katiere, was nowhere to be seen.
‘...What is going on? Could she be ill?’
As that thought began spreading among the people gathered in the banquet hall.
“I am sorry. I am a little late.”
The host, Ellen Katiere, entered the banquet hall with a greeting.
“Hello, Ms. Ellen. Have you been well…?”
The nobles who turned to greet her were suddenly engulfed in silence.
‘...What is that? I do not think I have ever seen anything like it before.’
Ellen Katiere was wearing accessories of a design they had never seen in their lives.