After an All-Nighter

The heights of magic-items are endless.

Still, if I try hard, I can kinda read them. Did I just learn Magic-Item Crafting as a skill? I'm a genius. Thanks, Goddess.

"Want to make something too, Dea-kun? We don't have tools, so if you draw an array on parchment, I'll 'print' it onto wood."

"I want to try!"

"Great. There's parchment, ink, and pens in the pirates' house — use all you want."

We're just using it for play, so duplicating is fine!

We lost track of time tinkering with magic-items.

 

*

 

"Karina-neesan, this next, please!"

"Ooh, what's this? Was this in the textbook?"

"I combined several arrays. The light should spin around the array!"

"Awesome! Dea-kun, you're a genius! Output — huh, not moving."

"Ah! Sorry, these lines are connected… failed."

"I'll fix just that. Tweak, tweak… It moved! The light's spinning!"

"Yay!"

We hugged in the thrill of success. Then Dea blushed.

"S-sorry, I got carried away."

It's fine! You're cute!

"But spinning light alone isn't useful."

"We could make a clock, maybe tune the rotation speed."

"True. But the magic stone cost for a clock is a problem — ah."

"Hm?"

"O-Onee-san! What about the meeting time with my sister!?"

Gah! Looking outside storage — early afternoon.

… We pulled an all-nighter! It's noon already!

We didn't set a time, so… it's fine, right? It totally is, right? Eek.

"Q-quickly, Dea-kun! Your sister's probably here already!"

"Yes — um, you have ink on your face!"

"You've got ink on your hands and face too! Aaaand, mass ink-removal magic!"

After a night of summoning and erasing ink, I can target ink only — wahaha!

"Okay! Let's go!"

"Right!"

Dea took my hand.

With optical camouflage, we popped to the front of the lord's castle. I remembered Maria told us to come through the front this time!

"Excuse me! I'm expected by — er — by the former lord's wife!"

"Hn? Who are — ah! My apologies, we were informed. An escort will arrive shortly!"

"Okaay."

Phew. We made it, and Maria had told the gate guards.

"We almost left my sister waiting…"

"We were having so much fun we got carried away, huh."

We laughed. From the sister's point of view, not so funny — but forgive us.

"By the way, I've got more ideas to try—"

"Oh! Then I'll bring up an array I found in the golem analysis—"

We were mid-chat when one of the bathhouse aunties came to guide us.

"Kari-chan! I was afraid you weren't coming!"

"Ahaha, sorry, Auntie. We played all night and only just realized — then rushed over. Let's go to his sister!"

"Good grief — pace yourselves. Hm? That one's an elf too… Well, if they're with you, I've no reason to refuse. This way."

Hm? Isn't Dea-kun the main event… I looked at him again — still in a one-piece.

They haven't noticed it's Dea. And Dea forgot he's in a one-piece.

My plan had been to have him warm his socks until the last moment, then whip them off here to embarrass him while I collect them, but…

… This is funnier. I'll keep quiet!! (After an all-nighter.)