Chapter 70 - 70 The Broken Glass
Steve and the others had visited the southern region of the Kingdom of Cascade at the invitation of Margrave Edward Hess Remington. Railways had also been laid in the south, making the journey to the regional capital Remington Land a comfortable train ride.
The reason for this invitation was the delivery of the high-class glass made by Steve. While the Oclair Trading Company usually handled deliveries, Margrave Remington insisted on it, so Steve ended up transporting it directly. Of course, the travel expenses were covered by the Margrave.
The reason this came to be was that Margrave Remington, having witnessed the development of the western and northern regions, wanted to establish a relationship with Steve. Unlike Margrave Cleiman, who still viewed Steve with hostility, Margrave Remington wanted to take advantage of Steve's benefits.
The south was mostly facing the sea, with no foreign countries connected by land.
Including the Kingdom of Cascade, they did not possess ships capable of transporting large-scale armies, and the concept of overseas territories was thin. However, the steamship currently under development was scheduled to be deployed to the south first, and its prototype testing was being conducted at the port owned by Margrave Remington.
Therefore, they were not in a situation where they were being eaten up as much as Margrave Cleiman was.
As for Steve, he had gone out with the feeling of "if it is an invitation, then so be it." Those accompanying him this time were Christina, Bella, Nancy, and Sherry.
Nancy had dyed her hair red just in case. While her face was not broken in the Kingdom of Cascade, in the territory of Margrave Remington, which had a large port, there might be people from foreign countries who knew Nancy.
There were opinions to leave Nancy behind in Archibalt Territory, but since magic might be dispelled if Steve was not around, she ended up traveling with Steve. This was done with the King's permission as well.
The reason Sherry was accompanying them was the possibility of eating delicious food. Even if she stayed home, she would be waiting for strict bride training by Abigail, so there was also a thought of escaping if she could.
The railways in the west and south were not directly connected, so they would have to transfer at the Royal Capital once. By this time, the Yellow Empire's spy network in the Royal Capital had already disappeared, so Nancy could enjoy the trip without any worries.
Sherry, enjoying the scenery visible from the train window,
"It's nice that my butt doesn't hurt like it does in a carriage,"
she commented.
Christina boasted about Steve regarding this.
"It is precisely because Lord Steve built the railway like this."
"I only provided the ideas and parts. In reality, it is the achievement of the Royal Research Institute, and if it were just me, I couldn't have gotten this far."
"You need not be so humble."
Christina said so, but in reality, Steve only knew the mechanisms taught at school, and the detailed parts were realized by the geniuses of the Royal Research Institute.
Therefore, Steve did not spread rumors that he had thought of it himself. Christina thought Steve should have highlighted his achievements more, but since Steve was fine with that, she did not say anything more.
The comfortable train journey ended upon arrival at Remington Land. The station in Remington Land was near the sea, and upon arriving at the station, the smell of the tide tickled their noses. Steve and Christina had experienced this smell before, but Bella and Nancy were excited by this first experience. Sherry, unable to get used to the smell, wrinkled her forehead and held a handkerchief to her nose.
"The smell is different."
"Sir, what is this smell?"
"It's the smell of the sea. It's called sea breeze, bringing salt from the sea. It's troublesome because it rusts iron and rots plants, but you feel like you've come near the sea with this smell."
"Oh, I see."
Bella immediately checked the rust on the weapon she carried for self-defense, but naturally, rust wouldn't appear at such a speed, so she felt relieved.
When they got off the station platform, a servant of Margrave Remington was waiting, and from there, they were guided to his castle in a carriage prepared by the Margrave.
When passing through the market on the way, a great bustle was visible.
"Let's do sightseeing after delivering to the Margrave."
When Steve said that, Christina nodded.
"We can't enjoy it until the work is finished. Especially since Lord Steve often gets involved in trouble."
"I didn't plan for anything to happen here."
Steve smiled bitterly.
He couldn't deny it, as even when they went to deliver clothespins to the Earl of Macintosh, they got involved in an unexpected incident.
Despite this, Steve arrived at Margrave Remington's castle without any incidents.
Greeted by Margrave Remington, they quickly took out the glass they had come to deliver and let the Margrave check it.
The shape was a wine glass, the color was lapis lazuli. Geometric patterns were carved on the surface.
Glass glasses inspired by Edo Kiriko were a status symbol in noble society, and they had been waiting in line for a long time. In this world where information transmission speed was slow, Margrave Remington learned of their existence quite late.
Orders were taken in order regardless of title, and finally, it was the Margrave's turn.
When the Margrave received the glass from Steve, he held it up to the light.
"Oh, this is wonderful."
The cup with geometric patterns carved by Steve's magic reflected the light and shone. Margrave Remington gazed at the light and the glass with a dazed expression.
He handled it so carefully that he hesitated to touch it with bare hands, placing a silk cloth between his hand and the glass.
After gazing at it for a while, Margrave Remington invited Steve and the others to a meal. They were going to try using the glass right away. Although it was a work of art, the thought was that it was a tool meant to be used, and drinking wine in high-class glass must be delicious, so he was licking his lips in front of others.
Steve and the others were also guided to a room with a long table prepared. Honestly, they would have preferred to avoid a stiff meal, but with the Margrave's invitation, they could not refuse.
The finest wine was opened, and it was poured into the glasses of Steve and the others and Margrave Remington.
Margrave Remington took a sip of wine.
"Delicious."
Saying that, he gazed at the glass.
The taste of the wine feeling one rank higher was a matter of mood, but that was exactly the role of the vessel in cooking.
Steve felt relieved that he had pleased him.
However, an incident still occurred when Steve was present. Just as they finished the appetizer wine, the dishes were served, but the plate slipped from the hand of a young maid who was trying to place it before the Margrave, striking the glass directly.
"Ah!"
Everyone shouted that.
The glass broke with a sound.
Margrave Remington, who had been frozen for a while, then angrily shouted at the maid like a raging fire.
"You! Do you know what you have done!"
"I am terribly sorry."
The maid prostrated herself on the spot and apologized to Margrave Remington. The maid naturally knew that Margrave Remington had been looking forward to today. She had broken that glass and felt she could not live. Or rather, she had sensed death.
"Someone! Take this woman to the dungeon! As punishment for ruining the precious work of Lord Archibalt, I will make her receive it later!"
With that order, soldiers immediately grabbed the maid on both sides. The maid continued to beg for forgiveness while crying.
"I am terribly sorry. Please, anything."
Seeing this, Steve remembered his past life. One of the employees had lifted a pallet carrying a mold with a forklift, and the mold slipped from the pallet, hitting the ground and breaking due to the impact.
The employee apologized profusely, but the veteran craftsman flew into a rage.
It was a mold just before delivery that had been painstakingly created.
Of course, there was financial loss, but the craftsman was angry because his work had been ruined. At that time, Steve had to bow his head to the client, and eventually, the employee who dropped it quit the company because he couldn't bear it.
He understood why the craftsman was angry, but for a while, he wondered what he could have done.
There was regret rather than anger there.
With such a past, Steve proposed to Margrave Remington.
"Lord Remington, we have not yet received payment for the glass, so let us remake it at our own responsibility."
"Lord, can you do such a thing?"
Steve said that, and in front of Margrave Remington, who looked as if he couldn't believe it, he picked up the broken glass and added glass again with magic. The glass was regenerated so beautifully that the broken parts were unrecognizable.
"Deciding the design and consuming a large amount of magic means it will take time for delivery. Since the design is already done, remaking it is just a matter of my magic. However, if this story spreads too much, repair requests for broken glasses will come in large numbers, so please keep it a secret."
"I understand."
Margrave Remington took the fixed glass. If the glass was fixed, the anger subsided.
"I shouted disgracefully in front of guests. Since the broken glass has been fixed, the crime of that person is considered null."
With that declaration by the Margrave, a relieved atmosphere flowed through the room. The maid herself, naturally, as well as the soldiers who were trying to take her away and the other maids, all felt relieved.
From Margrave Remington, who was in a good mood because the glass was fixed, Steve received the right to freely tour the regional capital tomorrow. The wish to feel the atmosphere of the regional capital in disguise without the title of Dragon Head Medal was granted.
The maid who broke the glass rubbed her forehead against the carpet on the floor and continued to express her gratitude to Steve, but Steve, feeling embarrassed, said "that's enough," yet the maid, who had escaped death by a hair's breadth, continued to do so forever.
For Steve, it was simply that he had made it with magic, and it was good that no human life was lost. If it came to this, he thought he should have mass-produced them and scattered them.
Although he couldn't do that now, as he would be hated by nobles who had already bought them at high prices.
Although there was a terrible accident, the rest ended with a delicious meal.
They were to sleep in a room prepared by Margrave Remington, but there the women's topic was about the maid who broke the glass.
There was only one large bed in the room, and everyone slept there.
To Margrave Remington, everyone who came with Steve this time was recognized as a wife candidate, but including Sherry was entirely a fault on the Margrave's side.
However, Steve and the others had not noticed this. The women were good friends despite everything, so no one found it strange.
Everyone sat on such a bed, reflecting on today's events.
Christina looked at Steve with a sharp gaze and said.
"That maid seemed to have fallen in love with Lord Steve."
"As an older sister, I feel sorry that my younger brother attracts endless female affection."
Sherry also looked at Steve with a sharp gaze.
"That is the doing of Lord's broad-mindedness."
"It's unavoidable because it's Steve."
Nancy and Bella viewed it positively.
"Having execution decided right in front of you is not a pleasant feeling, but I wonder if Lord Remington thought Lord Steve had feelings for that maid. From the standpoint of a noble, the glass and the maid's life are not balanced."
What Christina said was, of course, that the glass was heavier than the maid's life.
"Could that maid come to us naked tonight? I'd like to see Lord's face at that time."
Nancy said that and chuckled.
Christina was angry at what was funny, but the possibility flashed through her mind, making her anxious.
"Lord Steve, if that happens, will you take that maid back to the territory?"
"I won't do that."
"But if Lord Remington decided to give that maid to Steve, wouldn't he have fired her?"
"Older sister, don't say scary things. If that happened, wouldn't it be pitiful to abandon her?"
"See, you're full of intention to take her back."
Answering Sherry's hypothetical story, Steve's action of not being able to abandon the maid was exposed, and Christina's worry came true.
"Exactly."
"No, that's why it's strange for her to come naked. I believe Lord Remington is not that unreasonable to send such a maid to where his fiancée Christina is."
"What if he is unreasonable?"
"Bella, I wanted you to just nod there."
Steve panicked that Bella asked an unnecessary question. Christina waited anxiously to see how Steve would answer Bella's question.
At a loss for an answer, Steve covered his head with the futon and went to sleep.
The conversation of the women continued after that, but Steve slept with his ears covered.