NOVEL NEXT Chapter 87.2
Magnet, Earrings, And Necklace
As a result of this, on days when Yuuri didn’t come, Bright started occasionally hiring cleaning services from the temp guild. The temp guild was basically the equivalent of a temp agency in modern Japan. People registered with their specific skills and were dispatched when a job fit their profile. The work arrangements varied, from day labor to fixed-term contracts. It even provided side jobs for housewives.
However, the ones Bright hired weren’t professional cleaners or experienced housewives. Instead, he requested rookie adventurers—those juggling work with the adventurers’ guild, trying to make ends meet. …For some reason, he just felt like helping them out.
Now, even after Yuuri and Rooks finished scrubbing the workshop until it gleamed, Bright was still deeply immersed in his work. Realizing how long Bright had been at it, Yuuri took the initiative to prepare tea in the built-in kitchen (separate from the living area’s kitchen, the workshop had a small one of its own). Supporting people who pushed themselves too hard by making them take breaks was, most likely, the correct way to care for them.
“Bright-san, I made tea, so let’s take a break!”
“Huh?”
“Working nonstop isn’t good for your health. Regular breaks are essential.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re really stubborn about that. Hey, Rooks, stop pulling on me—I’ll take a break!”
“Kyuu!”
“Haha, Roo-chan wants you to rest too, Bright-san!”
“Kyui!”
Rooks, who had been tugging on Bright’s clothes, jumped with joy when Bright finally agreed to take a break. The truth was, Rooks was quite fond of Bright—because, after all, Bright had crafted Rooks’s favorite piece of equipment. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that Rooks held Bright dear for that reason. Having developed this attachment, Rooks now didn’t want Bright to push himself too hard. …What was up with this unusually smart slime?
The tea was from Bright’s personal stash, but Yuuri brought out some bite-sized French toast from his school bag as snacks. He had made them using leftover bread crusts, carefully shaping them into small pieces for easy snacking, and stored them in secret. Thanks to his magic bag with a time-stopping function, the toast remained as warm and fresh as if it had just come out of the pan, despite being made a few days ago.
“Hm? What’s this?”
“French toast made from bread crusts.”
“Wow. You really are good at stuff like this.”
Bright ate the toast with ease, clearly impressed. The straight black tea and sweet French toast made a perfect pair. When Rooks stared intently at the snack, Yuuri gave the slime a piece, which it happily absorbed and broke down. This was no ordinary slime—it clearly understood the value of tasty food. Why, though?
When Yuuri asked about the progress on Bright’s project, Bright responded that he had a general idea of what he wanted to do. His drive to always tackle new challenges was impressive. For now, he was setting aside the design of the accessories to focus on figuring out the structure for the metal parts.
“Once I have a prototype, I’ll pawn it off on Leone.”
“On Leone-san?”
“Yeah. He’ll give feedback on things I didn’t even think to ask about.”
“…That’s true.”
Leopold—better known as Leone—was an unbeatable onee. He had no sense of holding back when dealing with close acquaintances. Given that he considered Bright a work partner, there was no chance Leone would sugarcoat his feedback. He would be brutally honest about any flaws, but if he liked something, he’d praise it without hesitation.
While Yuuri could contribute ideas, he wasn’t the one using the items, so that aspect was beyond him. Though he loved cute and beautiful things, he didn’t feel the urge to wear them himself. He simply enjoyed observing beautiful things and seeing them on people who suited them—it wasn’t about making himself look cute. In a way, it was a bit complicated.
That said, none of the women Yuuri knew wore much jewelry. The ones working jobs only dressed up minimally to avoid hindrance, and the adventurers in his guild rarely accessorized. They might dress up a bit on their days off, but that was about it.
Come to think of it, the most fashion-conscious person Yuuri knew was Leone. What a revelation. The accessory shop’s poster girl, Leafa, was stylish in her own way, but she was more of a dignified beauty, which felt different. The fact that the most flamboyantly dressed person Yuuri knew was Leone… What even was this?
“…”
“What’s up, Yuuri?”
“I just realized that Leone-san is the most fashion-conscious person I know.”
“…Don’t worry. It’s the same for me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
The two shared an unspoken understanding: the passion onee like Leone had for beauty was terrifying. It wasn’t that they disliked him; they just found his dedication impressive. Yuuri enjoyed seeing Leone elegantly dressed, and Bright found him helpful in his work, so neither of them had any issues with him. But the fact that Leone ranked at the top among both men and women for style left them both with distant looks in their eyes.
Later on, after fine-tuning the accessory based on feedback from Leone, Bright released a magnet-style accessory. It gradually gained popularity. Convenience, after all, was everything.