Cider just shrugged his shoulders even after seeing the Queen's reaction.
"To get to the point, what you'll see today is technology that splits one magic stone into two and utilizes the recovery properties of the cross-section. Professor Brandon Gale's laboratory here discovered that attraction occurs between precisely divided magic stones."
Applause poured out for Professor Gale. Esperanza had t that professor several tis. It had been over a year already, but she hadn't known he was the person who had prepared this demonstration together.
"And as a result of additional research, we were able to create two magical devices that connect regardless of distance using that attraction."
He boldly omitted detailed principles to match the eye level of ordinary people who knew nothing. It was an excellent choice. A few people would have started dozing off if just two more sentences had been added here.
"Basically, everything from sending signals to communication and even location tracking is possible. This function is semi-permanent, and the connection is complete. Remote control is also possible. For instance, we could turn the phonograph in President Durand's residence on and off from this Augustus Palace. President Durand would have quite a headache, but it's possible. As long as they're connected."
The backs of the generals sitting with their arms crossed straightened vertically. The Pri Minister could be seen scolding them about sothing.
"Where there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. Connection is only possible one-to-one. Professor Gale's laboratory has conducted experints dividing magic stones into thirds and quarters, but confird that sufficient attraction only occurs when divided in half. If anyone here is planning additional experints, please keep this in mind."
Businessn who had seed ready to leap onto the stage cleared their throats.
Esperanza watched Cider demonstrate simple technology. It was similar to the communication devices they shared, but more complete in that there were no distance limitations. Esperanza's communication device was absolutely unusable at long distances.
The fact that Professor Gale was a magic stone researcher was sothing Esperanza already knew. Unless they had replaced the professor for this occasion just yesterday, this technology must be what Cider had planned to present at today's demonstration.
'Has his mory returned?'
There was no basis for certainty. He might have found the technology to use in the demonstration while rummaging through the study. But...
Esperanza slowly fidgeted with her fingertips. The technology could be figured out by other thods, but that habit of naturally placing her hand on his sleeve was sothing Cider without his mory couldn't have known.
What an annoying person.
'If he found his mory, he should have told .'
From when exactly had his mory returned? It was certain that he who had been wary of Esperanza at first had beco affectionate from so point. Whether his mory had returned from then, she didn't know.
If his mory had returned when they were rummaging through photo albums in the study... that would be really outrageous. Of course, finding his mory was a good thing, and it was even more fortunate that he seed uninjured. Esperanza looked up at Cider with dissatisfaction.
There was also ti to directly try using the communication devices they had brought, with the Queen taking the first turn. Duke Galliston, standing on the opposite side of the large hall, communicated with the Queen.
"Long-distance communication would be difficult to see here. Show other functions instead, if you would."
Professor Gale stepped forward and demonstrated various functions.
While everyone was focused on the professor's hands, Cider slipped back. Esperanza, who had no interest in the communication device, grabbed Cider as soon as he erged from among the people.
"Your mory...!"
"Shh."
Cider, pressing Esperanza's lips with his fingertips, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and ca out to the corridor.
"What happened?"
"It would be nice if my mory naturally returned, but that wasn't the case."
"That, I can tell by looking too."
At Esperanza's words through gritted teeth, Cider spoke in a slightly lower voice.
"So there was no other thod. I drank it."
"The potion?"
Esperanza whispered-shouted.
"I said it was painful. Painful enough to make you faint. I told you not to drink it!"
"But it was more manageable than I thought."
"...Manageable enough for
to drink?"
"That's not the case."
Complete lies. Esperanza exhaled deeply.
"Doesn't it still hurt?"
"The pain was brief. I'm fine now and my mory is fine too. Now, we can't be out here long..."
Esperanza silently hugged Cider tightly. It should be okay for a mont.
Duke Galliston, who had been about to open the door and co out, hesitated. He closed the door again with a deep sigh.
"Let's go in now."
The demonstration was successful. The Queen and Grand Duke seed pleased to receive gifts of accessories using magic stones, and businessn asked with sparkling eyes if there were any thoughts of selling the technology. The Pri Minister also looked satisfied. It could be said that everything worth gaining from playing the fool at this botherso event had been obtained.
At the ti when gas lamps were being lit one by one on the dusky road, the steam carriage of the Avondale Count family also erged from Augustus Palace.
Opening the bedroom door, Cider habitually turned on the automaton.
'Ah, his mory had returned.'
Esperanza, who had dried her wet hair in front of the automaton, looked back at Cider. Despite holding a book, their eyes t imdiately.
"Co here."
When she grabbed the extended hand, her body was almost sucked into the bed. Esperanza burst into hollow laughter at the absurdity.
"What are you doing?"
"It's been a while."
"Whose fault is it that it's been a while?"
"My fault."
Only after a burst of laughter did it sink in. Everything had returned to normal. Both of them were considerably relieved by this fact.
Cider held Esperanza's shoulders and slowly stroked them. The thin nightgown hem wrinkled. Esperanza, who had been savoring the long-familiar sensation, looked up at Cider. Eyes full of affection. This too was familiar.
"You know what? I hate it when you're in pain."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"I understand there was no other thod, but no, if I had just kidnapped Galliston..."
"Not a chance."
"Ah, right. Not a chance. Anyway!"
Esperanza deliberately rolled her eyes and glared at Cider. Cider tilted his head like a child who had secretly eaten candy.
"Sorry for worrying you. I should have obediently taken it when you first brought it, right? It would have ended quickly then."
"You suddenly collapsed, and I thought you were dying. How is that a good idea?"
Does drinking that potion return mory but make you stupid? Esperanza tapped Cider's forehead with her fingertips. Regardless, Cider just said annoying things.
"Right. You wouldn't have even gotten to feel like you were kissing another man."
"Ah, shut up."
She pinched the back of his hand hard but it didn't seem to hurt. He looked pleased. More than Esperanza even.
"You said it would be fine even without mory."
"I thought so. But living having forgotten such mories would be too wasteful. Don't you think?"
His thought that there would be no problem even without mory had been sincere. However, as forgotten mories returned one by one with excruciating pain, he humbly acknowledged that such thinking had rely been the product of ignorance. Without these mories, he would have been incomplete for life.
"Just try going to such strange places again."
Esperanza's voice also softened as her anger subsided. Cider was kissing the top of her hair when he suddenly exclaid.
"What?"
At her question asked while only rolling her eyes upward, he reached out and grabbed Esperanza's wristwatch placed on the table.
"I said it probably wasn't just a watch."
"Why are you talking as if you didn't make it yourself?"
"The watch was made by a watch company, and what I made was... this."
It was the decorative parts on both sides of the watch. Both sides were designed to open, and inside were very small chanical devices intricately intertwined.
Cider took out a magic stone from the drawer and inserted it into a groove in the middle of the device. When he turned on the switch, the device began to operate. Esperanza, who had been leaning her head against Cider and watching, realized that the magic stone was not a typical sphere but a hemisphere.
"This is that thing! What you showed at the demonstration!"
Now that she thought about it, the Queen and Grand Duke probably didn't really need functions like "sending signals," but there was a reason he had brought up that story before other functions. It was a function more necessary for Esperanza and Cider.
"You can use it in dungeons too. Never again will there be worrying because we can't contact each other like on the train."
He must have kept it in his heart even while pretending otherwise. Besides the train dungeon, there had been several tis when problems arose from inability to communicate.
Esperanza recalled what Cider had said at the demonstration.
Complete connection.
"As long as nothing like this ti happens..."
"My lady, I lost three years of mory but fell in love with you again in less than three days. Isn't that enough?"
"I'll think about that."
Burrowing into the familiar embrace, Esperanza muttered words she didn't an. Cider also laughed as if understanding the unspoken feelings.
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