The Projector, and then…

 
 
 ☆
 
 
 My territory, the Ainsworth County.
 Currently, there is no magic tool workshop within the territory.
 
 Therefore, if I am to continue making magic tools in my territory from now on, I will need to set up a workshop from scratch.
 
 Shishou-sama, who recommended Duncan as the new workshop’s chief, had this to say at the very end.
 
 “The things I have to do are tonnes. I’ve got to set up mass-production for the magic rifles, and some merciless disciple has already forced on me several things to develop, so I literally can’t keep up. You’re the only one I can rely on to set up the new workshop. ——— Be resolved.”
 
 “A merciless disciple, huh…”
 
 Having said that, the two of them glared in my direction.
 
 “So, why are you looking this way like that???”
 
 When I protested, the two of them let out a sigh at the same time.
 
 Having sighed, Duncan grumbled 『Can’t be helped』 and lifted his face.
 
 “Got it. I understand. I’ll take on the workshop in the County. In exchange, you’ll get the necessary things and personnel?”
 
 There was no longer any hesitation in his expression.
 
 Shishou-sama gave Duncan a slap on the back, and I gave a deep nod.
 
 “We’ll gather everything you need. Please send your requirements to Sofia first. It’ll be waiting in the County… Welcome, Duncan. I have high expectations of you.”
 
 In response to my words, he replied with an unusually bashful 『Yeah』.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 The main agenda for the meeting ended.
 
 Thereupon, I asked Otou-sama to let me make an announcement.
 
 “As everyone is aware, we succeeded in developing the 『magic stone stabilisation device』 the other day. The completed samples made using the prototype machine were so good that we’ve currently gotten teacher Godwin to begin production of the mass-production facilities. Our plans predict that we will begin operation after one month.”
 
 The attendees raised voices of cheer at this.
 
 “As a matter of fact, during the process of developing this equipment, we discovered a certain phenomenon. What you are about to see is one part of that. ——— Anna, Loretta, could you close the curtains?”
 
 ““Understood!””
 
 Having given a cheerful response, the two of them headed to the curtains.
 
 Soon the curtains were drawn over both windows, and the hall became dim.
 
 
 
 Then, I took out a certain something from my bag.
 
 “That is… a magic stone? Though it looks like it’s undergone stabilisation treatment.”
 
 I nodded at Otou-sama’s question.
 
 “It is as you say. Through a certain idea, I directly stabilised this magic stone myself. ——— Well then, please watch.”
 
 Standing up from my chair and holding the magic stone in my left hand, I put my right hand into my bag once again and took out a flashlight-shaped magic tool, set it up, and pressed the switch.
 
 Click.
 
 ““Oooh…””
 
 That moment, everyone gasped.
 
 The magic power light emitted from the flashlight shone on the magic stone, and the light penetrating the magic stone shone on the wall.
 
 And what was projected on the wall was ———
 
 
 
 “… Coco and Mel?”
 
 Hearing Hubert-nii-sama’s murmur, I nodded, saying 『That’s correct』.
 
 Reflected on the wall was a tableset spread out in the mansion’s garden, and quietly seated upon that table were the teddies.
 
 “Is this a painting? ——— No, this is far too realistic.”
 
 Graham-nii-sama stared intensely at the wall and groaned in deep-thought.
 
 Of the two buttons lined up on the flashlight, I pressed the second one.
 
 Click.
 
 Then what was next projected was ———
 
 “This is… isn’t it me?”
 
 It was Anna, my dearest attendant, smiling at me with the mansion in the background.
 
 “O-, Ojou-sama, it’s too embarrassing! Please go back to the previous one!!”
 
 “But you’re so cute…”
 
 “That’s not the problem!”
 
 I unwillingly pressed the first switch.
 
 With a click, the image of Coco and Mel was once again projected on the wall.
 
 ““……””
 
 While Anna and I were playing around, nearly all the attendees were staring wide-eyed at the wall and the thing I held in my hand.
 
 Eventually, Otou-sama shook his head slightly, his expression that of disbelief, and looked at me.
 
 “Letty, would you care to explain?”
 
 “If you’re fine with only as much as I understand.”
 
 In response to Otou-sama’s request, I smiled sweetly and nodded.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Ever since seeing the memory of myself in Coco and Mel’s magic stones, I’ve had a hypothesis about this phenomenon.
 
 『For appropriately stabilised magic stones, they can posses the function of a memory device』
 
 And then,
 
 『When exposed to magic power under pressure, that function can be activated』
 
 An unconventional idea, one which probably no one up till now had thought of.
 
 Yet in reality, Coco and Mel had memories of me engraved in them, and were also able to invoke previously used spells with their magic circuit boards removed.
 
 In Shishou-sama’s 『magical sword』 story too, he said that the spell sword with a broken circuit managed to activate spells.
 
 Since there are this many examples, there’s no reason not to try it out.
 
 I shut myself in my laboratory in the main territory for a while, and trying every means possible, I added magic power pressure, recorded its behaviour at that time, and built up considerations.
 
 
 
 What I could conclude from that, was that it wasn’t such a difficult topic.
 
 When a strong magic power is momentarily applied to a magic stone, the surrounding scene gets recorded.
 
 And then, when exposed to a magic power light of the same wavelength as that when it was recorded, one is able to project that image outside.
 
 That phenomenon is what I just announced to everyone.
 
 For now I made a flashlight-type magic power light emitter device^[1] and manually shone it at the magic stone, but it is possible to put the magic stone and emitter device in one box as a magic tool.
 
 The 『Slide Projector』.
 
 A machine that projected things like pictures and letters onto a wall in a dark room.
 It might be similar to the film projectors in cinemas.
 
 And now that we’ve come this far, you can see what comes next.^[2]
 
 
 
 “I was thinking of making a 『camera』.”
 
 Having roughly explained the theory behind the magic projector^[3], I told Otou-sama about this.
 
 “Kamehrah?”^[4]
 
 “Yes. A camera. It’s a machine that photographs people and scenery like what’s projected on the wall now, and I was thinking I’d like to be able to transcribe the photographed picture onto special paper or metal plates.”
 
 “Transcribe?! You can do even that???”
 
 I replied to Duncan, who had begun leaning forward in excitement.
 
 “We’ll develop it from now on. Honestly, I won’t know till I have a go at it. However, if we use Mistreel well, I think there’s nothing we can’t do.”
 
 “… that’s one of the requests Missy asked of me.”
 
 Shishou-sama said that with a sour face.
 
 “Now now, Shishou-sama. If this development goes well, we can use this finished 『photos』 to post perfect recruitment posters that are filled with impact! It’ll have tremendous effect on craftsmen recruitment.”
 
 “Seriously. At this rate, you’re just running into things one after the other. You should really look after the elderly a bit.”
 
 My teacher’s grumbles resulted in a burst of laughter spreading across the room.
 
 
 
 “That’s all for my announcement. ——— One last thing, and it needs discussing, but is that fine, Otou-sama?”
 
 “What is it?”
 
 “There was a proposal from Sofia to change the name of Prigracim, the capital city of Ainsworth County. I’ve heard that when nobles are given their first territory, they’ve had this long-established custom of giving the capital city a new name.”
 
 Hearing what I had to say, my father nodded and went “hm”.
 
 “Certainly, I have heard there was such a custom… So, have you decided on a name?”
 
 Yes. I thought of various ones but couldn’t come up with a good name… so I thought, what about going with 『Cocomel』?”
 
 That instant, I heard the sound of laughter being held back coming from where my brothers were seated.
 
 “I-, I guess that’s fine. It’s easy to understand.”
 
 Hugh-nii-sama said that, with his hand held to his face, and Graham-nii-sama next to him said
 
 “Yeah. I think it’s a good name that’s easy to remember,”
 
 while in the same pose as Hugh-nii-sama.
 
 “Even though I did my best to think of it…”
 
 I sulked.
 
 Otou-sama nodded with a smile on his face.
 
 “Hm. It’s a nice, adorable name, just like Letty. I also approve!”
 
 And so, even though I wasn’t happy about it for some reason, the name of my town was decided upon.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Then the next 5 months.
 
 While coming and going between Owlforest and Cocomel, I spent my days starting up the new workshop and developing new magic tools.
 
 Thankfully, the camera’s development was going well, and thanks to the recruitment posters using photos put up in the Royal Capital Workshop, we were able to gather a large number of craftsmen.
 
 The ignition of the furnace in the new workshop was also safely completed.^[5]
 
 The seasons changed from autumn to winter.
 
 And then, round about when the signs of spring began drifting in the air.
 
 While I was in Cocomel, summons via magic communications came through from His Majesty.