After testing the magic communicators in the lab to confirm they were functioning properly, Altair brought these magical versions of modern smartphones to the living room.
The sound of water in the background had faded, replaced by the soft rustling of fabric against skin, indicating that his wives had finished their baths and were now getting dressed. The gentle friction of fabric was followed by a soft snap, likely from putting on some intimate clothing that needed to be pulled up and then released.
Hmm, having such keen hearing wasn't always a good thing. It made it easy to overhear some... interesting sounds.
Altair sternly reprimanded himself in his mind, though the lecherous grin on his face betrayed his thoughts. He placed the communicators on the living room table.
Just as he finished setting them down, the bathroom door opened. Hestia and Saeko stepped out, both wearing pajamas and with towels draped over their heads to dry their hair.
"Altair, we're done! You can go in now," Hestia called out cheerfully as soon as she saw him in the living room.
"No rush. Hestia, Saeko, come over here. I have something to show you," Altair replied.
"Okay! Coming!" Hestia bounced over to Altair and plopped down on his right side, while Saeko sat down on his left.
Once they were seated, Altair handed each of them a magic communicator. He then picked up the towel from Hestia's head and began drying her hair.
"What is this thing?" Hestia asked, holding the device and examining it curiously. She had never seen a phone before and couldn't figure out what it was.
"Altair, is this a phone?" Saeko, being from a more modern era, recognized it, though the phones she was familiar with weren't as advanced.
"It is a phone, but not the kind you're used to," Altair explained as he continued drying Hestia's hair. "It's a magic phone I modified based on modern smartphones. It's powered by magic and has two main functions: voice calls and video calls. According to the range of the base stations I designed, it can maintain perfect communication within three kilometers outside of Orario. I didn't install any storage features because I don't plan to include them for now."
"Considering that some people might have low magic reserves or even no magic at all, which would make long calls difficult, the back cover of this phone can be opened to use magic stones from the first floor of the Dungeon as an additional energy source."
Magic stones from the first floor of the Dungeon were practically worthless, and the monsters there were weak. Even novice adventurers could easily farm them with a bit of caution.
"Since the phone doesn't have many features and is mainly for communication on the surface, one magic stone can keep it running for a week on standby. Even with continuous use, it can last at least a full day."
"That sounds amazing!" Hestia exclaimed. Though she didn't fully understand phones, the idea of real-time communication impressed her.
"Exactly. I'm planning to open a shop to give our Hestia Familia a new direction for development," Altair said, finishing with Hestia's hair and turning to dry Saeko's.
"I've reached a cooperation agreement with the Loki Familia. When they go on expeditions in the future, we'll join them. This way, Saeko and I can gain more experience and knowledge about the deeper levels of the Dungeon, preparing us for when we reach higher levels."
"Mm, even though Loki is annoying, you're right, Altair. Your and Saeko's safety in the Dungeon is what matters most to me."
"So this new direction is something I want you to take charge of, Hestia," Altair said, smiling at her.
"This way, when Saeko and I are in the Dungeon, you won't be bored."
"Wow! That's fantastic! Thank you, Altair!"
Hestia immediately threw her arms around Altair's neck, hanging onto his back.
"Also, I've prepared a few special communicators," Altair added, pointing to the remaining phones on the table.
"What's different about these?"
"They look the same, but these are powered by curse energy instead of magic," Altair explained, detailing the curse communicators. Both Hestia and Saeko were amazed.
"As long as you're standing on the earth, you can communicate over unlimited distances, even in the Dungeon? That's incredible!"
"Exactly. However, the curse energy needs to be replenished periodically. A full recharge, combined with the properties of curse energy and the influence of ley lines, can last at least a week of continuous use. And since we won't be using it all the time, it'll be more than enough for daily communication with you, Hestia, even when Saeko and I are on expeditions with the Loki Familia."
"In short, no matter where we are, we'll always be able to stay in touch."
"Altair, you're amazing!"
Hestia tightened her grip around Altair's neck, nuzzling her cheek against his in sheer joy.
"So, should we celebrate Altair's new invention?" Hestia suggested.
"Hestia, didn't we just celebrate earlier tonight?" Altair asked, remembering the celebration they had before leaving the Campione world for his new skill gained from Apollo's attention.
"It's fine! We can celebrate again!" Hestia insisted. It was clear she loved festivities, especially when it involved her family.
"Hestia, we can't celebrate right now. We're running low on ingredients in the kitchen. We'll need to go to the market tomorrow morning to restock," Saeko interjected, shattering Hestia's plans. But Hestia wasn't deterred.
"Hmm... alright, no celebration tonight. Tomorrow, Saeko and I will go to the market, and we'll celebrate tomorrow evening!"
"Sounds good. Tomorrow, you and Saeko can go to the market, and I'll look for a shop to rent nearby. Once we hire a few staff, we can open the store."
"Deal!"
And so, another happy day passed for the Hestia Familia.
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