Based on the advice Sieg-san gave me, I thought about a gift for Lilia-san's birthday.
I thought about giving Lilia-san an accessory because she hardly wears one... But since I have lots of time to prepare, I decided to prepare something a little more elaborate.
However, the only problem is that I'm not sure if I'll be able to prepare what I have in mind...
[...A music box magic tool?]
[Unnn. Do you think it's possible to make something like that?]
So, I'm going through what I do as usual... In times that I'm in trouble, I would ask Kuro's help.
I asked Kuro, who showed up in my room at night as usual, and after I summarized the situation to her, I asked.
[Unnn. Rather, they are used for high-class presents, so my company also deals with them. Of course, there's also regular music boxes, but magic tools are more popular because they are more compact and can hold various mechanisms.]
[I see.]
As expected, the music box itself seems to exist in this world, and they're often used as presents.
This is very important information... I learned about this when I first asked about the calculator. If I use a magic tool to recreate a machine from my world, she will be more surprised before she could even feel happy, and there's also complicated stuff involved like patents.
So, it's better to use a product that exists in this world and is somewhat famous.
[I think a music box as a present is a great idea. If you want to add some elaborate trick in it, should I make it for you?]
[Ahh, no... Actually, I'm wondering if I could make that magic tool?]
[Kaito-kun?]
Of course, if I ask Kuro, she'll be able to make the greatest music box in the world. However, this music box will be my present to Lilia-san as a gesture of gratitude.
There's no reason why I can just have Kuro make it for me.
[Unnn. I'd like to make it on my own as much as possible... No, of course I don't know much about how to make it, so I'm sure I'll have to ask Kuro and Alice for help...]
[Hmmm. Let's see... The technique used for a magic tool's music box function itself is very simple, and since Kaito-kun can do simple writing these days... Unnn, it should be alright. I'll teach you how to write the difficult parts.]
[Ohh, that would be great. Thanks.]
I'm still receiving magic lessons from Kuro, and thanks to that, I'm making a lot of progress as well.
I can't make a magic tool from scratch yet, but I can add simple actions to the original magic formula.
According to Kuro, the music box magic tool isn't that difficult, and the difficulty is just right for a novice magic tool maker to challenge.
[Then, you could consult Shalltear with the design of the box and other stuff, so how about we learn the magic technique used?]
[Yeah, alright!]
[So, Kaito-kun, what "song" are you going to place in it?]
[...Eh?]
After nodding with a smile, I heard the words Kuro told me, making me stiffen in place... Song? The music itself...?
[...Ah.]
[Could it be... You haven't thought of that at all?]
[...Ugghhh…]
[Kaito-kun... You do know we can't make it without at least some score, right?]
[It's as you say...]
(T/N: Score is that paper filled with tadpoles.)
Her argument is so good that I can't even make a sound to refute at all. I'm thinking about making a music box, but I didn't even think that music boxes have music in them... I'm an idiot...
Seeing me slumping my shoulders, Kuro let out a slightly troubled smile and spoke to me in a gentle tone of voice.
[Well, let's just study the basic techniques for today. You can try to find a song starting tomorrow, okay?]
[U- Unnn... Thanks.]
[I'll do whatever I can to help you, so let's do our best!]
[...Yeah!]
Very reassuring and thankful words... Whether it's Sieg-san or Kuro... I really got wonderful lovers.
Anyhow, I'm going to Alice's miscellaneous goods store tomorrow to consult with her about making a music box. I'll also consult with her about the music while I'm there.
Alice herself has always been my escort, so I don't have to go to the miscellaneous goods store if I just want to talk to her... She has a workshop there, so I think going in her workshop would inspire this blank slate in my mind.
The 26th day of the Earth month, the day after I decided to make a music box. I came to Alice's grocery store and was dumbfounded after I explained the situation to her.
[...You were trying to make your own music box, but didn't think about the music at all... Kaito-san, you're sometimes forgetful huh.]
[Guhh... I don't have any words to snap back to that.]
[Ahaha, however, it's pretty hard to choose a song, you know... Duchess Lilia had quite the discerning ears after all.]
[Eh? I- Is that so!?]
I listen to Alice's words as she tells me with a chuckle, I ask back in astonishment.
I'm not really that familiar about the music of this world, and the music of the original world is impossible for me to recreate, as I can't even read the notes properly.
[That's because Duchess Lilia is still a former royalty, so her standards need to be at least around the musical performance by the royal orchestra.]
[Mnghhh... How troubling. I only know a couple of songs from this world...]
[Now, now, that's where this Alice-chan, known as the "Music Prodigy", comes in.]
[...I've never heard that you're ever known for that.]
A slight smile forming around her mouth, the self-proclaimed music prodigy Alice, smugly posed... What is this… She stinks of dubiousness...
Alice then crouches behind the counter and starts rummaging through something.
[Errr, where did I place it again... It's been a long time since I used it... Ahh! Here it is!]
[That is... a violin?]
Pulling out what looked like a violin from behind the counter, Alice looked at it from various angles to check it out for a bit.
Perhaps, she had casted a State Preservation Magic on it before. After lightly moving her finger to remove it, Alice props up the violin by her arm as I look at her, confused.
[...The theme is love, and the tune would be pop. That should be good, right?]
[Alice? Huh!?]
I was about to ask her what she was going to do, but I immediately became speechless.
Alice moved her hands and began to play... The sound that echoed from that violin sounds so overwhelming, even for me, who isn't very knowledgeable about music.
The gentle, harmonious echoing melody, sometimes lonely, sometimes bright and cheerful, seems to captivate me, deeply resonating into my heart.
What in this song? Anyway, it's a really good song... This song makes me feel so relieved, I couldn't help but close my eyes and listen to it.
As Alice continued playing for a few minutes, when the song ended, I couldn't help but reflexively clap my hands.
[Something like that, I guess?]
[That was a great song! What's that song's title?]
[Eh? "I composed it just now", so I still haven't decided on a title yet.]
[...Huh? Eh? Eeehhhh!?]
She made that just now!? That amazing song was just an impromptu song!? U- Unbelievable. What the heck is she... What kind of things does she have in her head?
In front of the astonished me, Alice pulls out a clean sheet of paper and smoothly writes a score using her free hand in the blink of an eye. This woman is a freaking monster...
[A- Alice... You can also compose music?]
[Eh? Yeah, well, I can generally do most things. I can use all the instruments, and I've written about "2000 songs" before...]
[....]
Seriously, what is with Alice's incomprehensibly high specs? I feel like she could make as much money as she wants if she really just wanted to.
When I was thinking about this, Alice turned her face away, and quietly spoke, sounding a bit lonely.
[...Well, I've generally mastered all of them. What I only have... is a disgusting amount of time after all...]
[...Alice?]
[It's nothing! Let's start thinking about the design of the music box. Since Kaito-san is going to make it yourself, we don't want it to be too complicated, but at the same time, we want to make sure that it still holds some mechanisms in it.]
[Y- Yeah...]
Truly, Alice is still a mystery to me, even now that I'm close to her.
Even though I knew the secret that her true identity was the Phantasmal King, it feels as if there was something deeper than that... However, this is probably not the best time to ask. I'm sure Alice doesn't want to answer either.
One day, when Alice's heart is ready... I wish... I could hear it from her though.
Dear Mom, Dad——- I've decided to make a music box for Lilia-san's birthday present. To be frank, I'm new to everything, but with the advice of various people, somehow——- I think I'd be able to finish it.
**********
{Author's Notes}
You could say that this topic is the second thing that Kaito has splendidly forgotten.