In the end, Angell and Thornmoon reached an agreement:
The rental price of each Game Table would be settled at the Workshop's price, with a floor of 100 cents per session. Thornmoon could take a 20-cent cut. He would decide the rental terms and prices. If he negotiated a higher price with the owner of a rental location—for example, 150 cents per session—the extra amount, 50 cents per session, would belong to him. However, each month, he had to distribute as many Game Tables as Angell provided. Thornmoon would also be responsible for the staff who maintained and repaired the Game Tables and replaced the "Magic Crystal Boxes," while the Workshop would handle their training.
The contract was unexpectedly generous—so much so that Thornmoon suspected Angell had some ulterior motive.
But Thornmoon couldn't refuse.
The terms were simply too favorable.
In the end, with a sense of unease, Thornmoon signed a magical agency contract with Angell.
*
After Thornmoon left, Argumentative Cat finally couldn't hold back any longer:
"Wasn't your original plan to limit Game Table rentals to locations that got at least 300 plays a day, meow?"
Only then could they ensure that, in the eyes of outsiders, every Game Table would earn back its cost.
"That was a compromise because we didn't have enough staff," Angell replied. "Now that we have Little Blood, I think we can be bolder. With help from the Street Volunteer Committee, I think it's more worthwhile to take losses on a few Game Tables in exchange for distributing them over a much wider area. When there are Game Tables for Magic Gear on every street and in every alley, we'll have effectively taken over the platform. It'll be hard for anyone else to get in."
But the biggest problem with this plan was the existence of powerful agents.
"Hmph, you trust that Blood Elf, meow?" Mithril asked oddly.
"It's not trust. Our interests are aligned." Angell rubbed his dark circles. "That kid's shadow is much cleaner than I imagined, which means he's probably telling the truth. It can't be easy for such an innocent leader to support an organization, so if I give him a clean way to make money, he'll sell me his life..."
Wait a minute. Back when he was studying how to use Blood Pacts as a child, hadn't he tricked Little Blood into signing half of one?
...No, he'd better let that go. Back then, he hadn't understood what it meant and had thought it was just a simple game mechanic. In reality, it was something that shouldn't be used even on an enemy, much less an ally.
Angell thought it over and decided to pretend it had never happened.
He continued as if nothing were amiss, "Besides, we still control how many we ship. If the losses get too big, we can always call a halt in time."
"Who's 'we'?!"
Mithril had heard what it wanted to hear, so it turned its little head away and presented Angell with its rear.
Angell stared blankly for a moment before realizing Mithril was still angry.
"Come on, you're not that petty, are you?" Angell said in shock. "That was so many years ago! Your fur has completely grown back, hasn't it? Besides, I haven't even held it against you for not recognizing who I was!"
"You think that's something to be proud of?!" Mithril was furious.
It extended its sharp claws toward Angell.
Angell leaned back.
He decided to make peace with his cat.
"I'm sorry," Angell said, bowing his head to Mithril. "I was young and foolish back then (lying) and did something I shouldn't have. Forgive me! I'll buy you some dried fish later."
"Who likes dried fish? Do you think you're Enlise, meow?"
"Then how about Demon World Catnip? I have a special connection at the Mage Tower who can get me some!" Angell pleaded. "I'm sorry, Mithril. I really need you!"
"You sure had plenty to say to that Blood Elf. Seems like you can handle things just fine on your own, meow," Mithril said, its tone noticeably softening.
Angell couldn't pick up on such subtle changes in tone. He was genuinely panicking.
He rested his head on the table, facing Mithril's furry rear. "Little Blood is someone I know, but the others aren't! If I have to talk to too many strangers in a short period, I'll die!"
Just thinking about it made him want to wrap himself up in his little blanket!
Seeing this, Mithril named its price. "Hmph, catnip alone isn't enough! I want dried fish too, the all-natural kind from the Magma River in the Fourth Layer of the Demon World!" A mature cat, of course, wanted both!
"Fine!"
"And you have to make me a cat tree. A gigantic one, even bigger than the one the little brats use in the dormitory!"
"Didn't you say last time that you didn't want one... Fine, I'll order a gigantic one right away!"
"And—"
Mithril drew out the word and stared at Angell.
It actually felt that was probably enough, but Angell had agreed so readily that Mithril couldn't help feeling dissatisfied. It didn't feel as if Angell had truly learned his lesson.
After all, it had lost a whole patch of fur back then!
It hadn't dared to show its face for years!
Mithril gave Angell a once-over and finally came up with an idea. "Also, when we meet the guest in a moment, you have to do exactly as I say!"
"...All right?" Angell replied uncertainly.
Angell shivered. Suddenly, he had a bad feeling.
*
Now that Thornmoon had been chosen as their agent, many of the merchants could be handed over to him.
But there were some particularly important clients Angell couldn't avoid meeting.
Like Leisiphia Roy.
The Young Lady's pride was well-founded. As long as nothing happened to her family, she would always belong among the elite. There was no need for her to stoop to look down at the people below. Everyone had to give her special treatment.
Even now, after the Alchemy Workshop's entire first-floor storefront had been renovated, the spot by the window remained reserved. The Young Lady could lay out the carpet, table, chairs, tea set, and even the sideboard she had brought herself, separating herself from the common folk.
Angell had no intention of correcting the Young Lady's way of thinking.
She was a client, after all.
Besides, if someone like her played with Commoners, she would be unhappy, and so would everyone else.
So when such a Young Lady said, "I want it," even though Angell had already decided on a rental and distribution strategy and had no intention of selling any Game Tables, he still had to open his doors wide and welcome her with open arms.
An hour after Thornmoon left, the Young Lady arrived at the reception room on the second floor of the Alchemy Workshop, right on time for her appointment.
A Black Cat sat waiting to greet her on the rug by the door.
Leisiphia recognized it as the leader of all the Receptionist Cats. Several times, she had seen it hiding in a dark corner of the storefront while passing cats bowed respectfully to it.
But the Black Cat wasn't as cold and distant as usual. Instead, it spoke in an exaggerated tone:
"Welcome, esteemed Miss Roy. Your arrival is an honor for both me and my master."
As it spoke, it bowed its head, and a Black Robe Mage emerged from the reception room.
Oh my, he's so handsome!
Leisiphia's eyes lit up.
The Mage swept his blue-black bangs neatly back from the left side of his forehead, revealing a delicate, handsome face. His gaze was a little frightening, and there were unhealthy dark circles beneath his eyes, but his beauty made his gloomy air seem mysterious. His upright figure, slim waist, and long, straight legs only added to the effect. His body was like a clothes rack, making even the overly solemn Black Robe look dashing. The Star and Moon Pattern pendant of an Alchemist decorating his robe only enhanced his aura.
Even the servants who had initially opposed Leisiphia approaching the Black Robe wore appreciative expressions when they saw his appearance. Then they lowered their eyes, no longer daring to look.
Leisiphia spoke with dignified courtesy:
"Good day, new master of the Workshop. I'm delighted to see Magic Gear up and running again. As a daughter of the Roy House, I'd like to congratulate the Workshop on its revival on behalf of my family."
The Young Lady lifted her skirt and bowed formally. Her servants presented the opening gift.
In fact, the decision to bring a gift had been made at the last minute.
In theory, an Intermediate Mage deserved a king's bow. But in the Magic Era, the level of respect accorded to a Mage was strictly determined by their status, bloodline, education, field of study, and achievements.
Leisiphia had been taught to observe such distinctions.
Especially as the future Crown Princess Consort, her training placed great emphasis on aesthetics, connoisseurship, and judging people.
And since Leisiphia was greeting Angell as a noble, what followed would be a "proper transaction between people of standing."
Of course, that was exactly what Angell wanted.
Since he had to make an exception and sell a Game Table he couldn't otherwise sell to this noble Young Lady, how could he not offer her a special package?
Angell gestured for another Receptionist Cat to accept the gift, then gave the Young Lady a slight nod.
"Please forgive my master. He isn't accustomed to speaking, so I'll convey his meaning from here on," Mithril said. It leaped nimbly onto Angell's slightly outstretched arm and looked at Leisiphia with its mismatched eyes. "Please understand."
"Of course," Leisiphia replied with a smile.
She didn't find it strange.
There were all sorts of oddballs among Mages. The royal court's Grand Mage wore pajamas all day long, and Black Robes had even more eccentricities. Not wanting to speak wasn't much of a problem.
Especially since the one receiving her was an adorable Black Cat. That made it perfectly fine.
But Leisiphia had no idea that Angell was stiff as a board.
His forehead felt so bare!
His bangs, which had always covered it, had been swept back. The exposed skin felt cool and empty, making it impossible to settle down.
He could see too clearly, too!
His bangs had been a barrier, keeping him from making direct eye contact. Now he couldn't avoid it, and the gaze across from him was terrifying!
His collar, waist, and legs all felt uncomfortably tight!
Why would anyone willingly wear such an inhuman outfit?! Weren't robes better? Loose and comfortable, they suited any body type. He could wear whatever he wanted underneath, or nothing at all if he felt like it. The Black Robe kept him covered, so it wasn't like he was running around naked. But this outfit had a tie, a belt, and leather boots, and there were even straps around his thighs and arms. What kind of deranged S&M fetish was this?! He felt like he was trapped in a mousetrap! How could anyone stand wearing this thing all day?!
And all those jingling decorations!
What kind of queer came up with that?! They sparkled like they were trying to attract crows, and every little movement made them jingle or tangle together. He had to keep his body poised in an "elegant" posture at all times. Was this a torture device? It had to be a torture device! Did Alchemists really wear things like this every day?
Angell regretted it now.
He regretted it immensely.
If he'd known Mithril would make him wear such a ridiculous outfit, he'd have preferred to speak with Leisiphia face-to-face...
Just then, Angell's gaze met Leisiphia's. Facing the curious gaze of a girl who was actually only a year older than Enlise, he struggled to keep from looking directly back at her.
Don't look away. Whatever you do, don't look away.
These "respectable people" were all like bears. The moment you showed weakness, you were done for!
But it was still terrifying!
This was why he hated strangers most of all!
In Angell's mind, a little figure wailed. He wanted nothing more than to grab his little pillow and scurry straight back to his room. Only the little gap buried among his mountains of books ever made him feel safe.
Fortunately, none of this showed on his face. On the contrary, the unpleasantness of the situation made his dark eyes seem even deeper.
As if she'd just seen something indecent, Leisiphia blushed and was the first to turn her gaze away.
At that moment, Mithril asked:
"Miss Roy, I heard you were interested in our Magic Items?"
Leisiphia's attention was immediately diverted.
No matter how handsome a Black Mage was, she couldn't take one home and raise him. The Game Table, on the other hand, was something she had been longing for all month. She was determined to buy one.
But she had been taught from childhood not to reveal her preferences too eagerly.
"I heard you weren't planning to sell those products," Leisiphia asked.
"Of course we're not selling the test models," Mithril said, seeming very honest. "But those models turned out to be surprisingly popular, so my kind master has decided to rent them out to interested Players. They can have fun with them, and it'll also help promote our Workshop."
"Test models... Does that mean there's an 'Official Edition' too?" Leisiphia asked.
"Yes, Miss."
Mithril flicked its tail, and Angell raised his arm. A stack of papers fluttered up from the desk like butterflies and landed in front of Leisiphia.
She didn't need to open them. Images of all four seasons appeared on the pages.
"Clever as you are, Miss, I'm sure you've noticed that although the Workshop's Game Tables have four themes—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—they're actually parts of a single product. We separated them to test their performance. It's really one complete game, with a full story. What you've seen is only one part of it," Mithril explained. "But it's very difficult to fit so much content into inexpensive equipment. And we have people with ill intentions spying on us, so we had no choice but to separate it and test each part individually."
"So I can only play the whole game if I buy the Official Edition?"
Leisiphia asked. She curiously touched the image of a little bird on the page, and her eager expression was exactly like Enlise's.
When it came to games, there was no distinction between nobles and Commoners.
Angell had no intention of using the game's content to distinguish between Players, either.
"No, no, Miss Roy, you misunderstand. The Official Edition will also be available at the Workshop before long. Of course, there are certain requirements to qualify—but that's the Workshop's next promotional plan, and I'm afraid I can't reveal the details." The Black Cat spoke.
But for rich people, paying extra for certain custom services was only natural.
After all, Angell needed money to develop new games too!
Mithril used its paw to turn the pages in front of Leisiphia. "But as you know, when it comes to a Magic Item, even if two versions have the same functions, differences in their materials will affect the final result."
"First, there's the Standard Edition Game Table. Its materials are similar to those of the test model you saw in the Workshop. It's made from ordinary magical metal, and its Magic Crystal Box has limited capacity. That means the customer will need to buy special Magic Crystal Boxes from our Workshop regularly to replace it. They're not too expensive—about ten silver a month. Its Rune Core is made from ordinary materials, so its storage capacity is limited. It can hold about ten saves—that's a new term, meow. You'll understand once you play. And the Rune Core is fixed to the Game Table, so you can't replace it when we release new games."
Leisiphia slid the page aside without even looking at it.
She had only humored Mithril and let it finish because it was a cute little cat.
"Next, the one I'd most like to recommend is the Deluxe Edition Game Table. You'll have noticed that it looks different from the Standard Edition. It's a standalone design, with only one person able to play at a time, but it can connect with other tables for linked play!"
Leisiphia paused over the second page. The Game Table depicted on it looked somewhat like the Judgment Seat beside the Arena she had seen in the Workshop, but it was separate and exquisitely made, with finely curved lines and a distinctive design.
Unlike the clunky Game Table from before, the small "Judgment Seat" wouldn't take up much room. Even in her own bedroom, it could blend in cleverly with the decor.
—But wouldn't the steward and maids lecture her if she played in her bedroom?
Leisiphia thought with a frown.
Mithril noticed that Leisiphia was tempted and added, "The Deluxe Edition Game Table is special not only in appearance. It's made of precious Magic Crystal Ore, with a mana conductivity ratio of one to one. Its Magic Crystal Box has a much higher capacity and only needs to be replaced every six months. Our Workshop will also provide professional after-sales service. We'll maintain the Game Table when we replace the Magic Crystal Box. Its Rune Core is custom-made too, with unlimited storage."
"Hmm." Leisiphia gave no clear response.
She didn't really care about after-sales service. If she got tired of it, she could just replace it!
This one already appealed to her quite a bit.
But before Leisiphia could speak, Mithril pulled out the third page.
This was the main attraction!
The first two had only been groundwork, to make sure Leisiphia knew the options existed so she could "promote" them later.
"Lastly, this model is a special Custom Edition," Mithril said. "We offer several casing designs for customers to choose from, and we can modify the one they choose—"
"I want this one!" Leisiphia decided.
Mithril froze.
It still had a long list of features and special offers to explain!
This was the product Angell had specifically instructed it to sell to Leisiphia. The terms were so outrageous that Mithril had nearly thought them impossible, so it had spent days preparing, coming up with countless clever explanations for the battle ahead.
But... it had already succeeded?
Mithril looked completely bewildered, unable to accept what had happened.
It took several seconds to manage, "But it's very expensive and available in limited quantities. Some of the materials even need to be supplied by you before we can make it. And it'll take a while to finish..."
"Materials? Of course," Leisiphia said, admiring the image of the Game Table on the third page.
This was the right Game Table for Leisiphia!
As the Young Lady of the Roy House, how could she use the same thing as everyone else?
She had already figured out how she would customize it!
As for the Alchemy materials, it was basic common sense for customers to provide their own materials for special Magic Items.
But Mithril was deeply suspicious of the Young Lady's casual attitude. "Those are some very expensive alchemical materials!"
"What are they?" asked the maid standing behind Leisiphia.
She wore glasses and looked serious and scholarly.
"...They're on the fifth page."
Leisiphia pulled out the list of materials on the fifth page and handed it to the maid.
The maid looked it over and nodded to Leisiphia.
"Then I'll settle on this Game Table," Leisiphia said cheerfully. "By the way, you said the production time would be rather long. How long is that? If you can finish it within five months, I can give you twice as many materials."
"You're very generous..." Mithril said, twitching.
But there were still some important things they hadn't discussed!
You've bought it so decisively—what's this kitty supposed to do now?
Mithril flicked his tail, trying to force the conversation onto another track, but this time Angell didn't follow the cue Mithril had given him. Instead, he suddenly spoke:
"Five months... Were you born under the blessing of the Holy Spirit Fairy?"
His low voice echoed through the reception room. Leisiphia and her maids looked toward Angell as if the sound had struck them.
Leisiphia froze for a moment before she understood what Angell meant.
Her face flushed again. "Y-yes... My birthday is in five months. I'd like to receive the Game Table then."
"Of course," Angell said with a nod. "As my first customer, you'll also receive a special gift... I'll include it with the item you ordered, as a blessing from Cecilia to the Roy family."
"Really?!" Leisiphia asked excitedly.
Leisiphia wasn't usually the sort to get excited over presents.
As the future Crown Princess Consort and the Young Lady of the Roy House, she received countless gifts every year for her birthday.
But Angell was surely different.
He was the master of the Magic Gear, the mysterious Black Mage! His gifts were bound to be extraordinary.
Especially...
A blessing from Cecilia to the Roy family!
Wasn't that the blessing Grand Mage Cecilia had bestowed upon the Hero ancestor of the Roy family during the legendary war that had sealed the Abyss? That ancestor of the Roy family had gone on to defeat the Demon King, marry the Princess, and become one of the Central Kingdom's most important pillars!
For Leisiphia, who was going to marry a prince, there could be no better omen!
It took two coughs from the bespectacled maid behind her for Leisiphia to regain her composure.
She smiled demurely. "I'm very much looking forward to it."