Chapter 42 The Beginning of Summer
As soon as the Founding Festival ends, the capital's temperature spikes drastically.
People walking on the sun-baked stone paths, shimmering with heat waves, all have tough expressions, looking visibly worn out.
Still, the west side near the sea is better off; the central district with its tall buildings and noble town/streets are even hotter due to poor ventilation.
But I had tasks to attend to, and quitting the military sure seemed like a good decision now.
"I'm back! It's so hot out there, even for just a little while!"
Yuruyana, returning from outside, entered the shop, tilting his face up to the mail in his hands.
"Welcome back."
"I hate summer──the sunburns, the makeup melting off in sweat, it's the worst!"
He dumps envelopes and flyers on me like it's a sale, then wipes the sweat-soaked silver hair from his face and hooks it behind his ear.
"You could just cut your hair if it's too hot."
"But my master said this length is what makes my cuteness stand out the most, right?"
"Huh."
For a few months now, since Yuruyana started using my place as his 'base,' I've stopped finding the need to snark at his endearing boasts.
The guy, with a face that could outshine the summer sun, pouts in dissatisfaction, but he seems too frustrated to ask for a retort, opening his mouth only to close it again.
I guess that's a win for me.
"I'm thirsty."
Watching Yuruyana retreat to the back, I, as usual, sorted through the flyers until one ad caught my hand.
"..."
"What's up? Another sketchy product flyer?"
As I stared, Yuruyana came back with a homemade sauce he'd chilled in the fridge.
I might as well have some too.
The unique aroma mingled with a refreshing lemon scent that's perfect for summer.
"Arcane Bicycles, I was thinking they're pretty cool."
The flyer, in black and white, depicted a clunky vehicle with oversized tires front and back.
"Arcane Bicycles? Wouldn't an Arcane Car be more convenient?"
"I want an Arcane Car too, but there's nowhere to put it... It's not that, though. Sure, they're convenient for getting around, but that's not it..."
I could go on and on about how badass this rugged, exposed mechanical beast looks tearing through the wind at full throttle, but knowing Yuruyana, none of it's gonna click.
"Tsukumo, you could probably build something like this yourself."
"...No way. Between ordering parts, safety checks, and getting road permits, it's way cheaper to just buy one."
"You're thinking about it right now, aren't you?"
Of course I am.
I've seriously mulled this over at least 3 times since I was a student.
"I kinda prefer the Arcane Car, actually ── it's got a roof. Though nothing beats a store-bought ride. Hey, why is it so cool in here anyway?"
Leaning on the counter like a worker clocking out, chugging down a glass of vivid red liquid like it's the best thing ever, Yuruyana's hair had already bounced back to that silky, flawless shine.
"Because there's air conditioning."
I pointed up at the grate fixed in the ceiling.
Hidden inside was a modest-sized machine.
"Air conditioning? Isn't that different from a fan?"
"A fan just spins blades to push air around. Air conditioning takes in air, cools it down, and blows it back out."
It's kinda like a food dehydrator in how it works.
The dehydrator uses a Salamander core to blow hot air, while the air conditioner uses a beast core from the snowy tundra to blow cold air.
"Huh, wish stuff like this was more common."
Usually, air conditioning means slapping ice behind a fan to cool the breeze.
Sure, it's convenient anywhere, but you have to haul around heavy ice all the time and deal with melting water──total pain.
"Now that you mention it, I don't think I've seen this kinda air conditioning anywhere else..."
Customers rotating through here always look like they've been revived the moment they step inside.
Grandfather's custom AC definitely stands apart from the mass-produced stuff you find widely.
But seeing that not even the diner we've been loyal to all these years has one, it must be pricey to mass-produce.
Makes sense though──there aren't any snowy tundras in this country, after all.
Plus, it guzzles magic power, so you have to constantly refill a storage tank, making it a hard sell.
"Can magic be used to cool things down too?"
"I can cool my body, sure, but keeping an entire room chilled for hours? That's a crazy amount of mana to burn."
Most magic drains your mana all at once when you cast it.
If it's just something internal like body强化, that's one thing, but continuous external output?
Not really feasible.
"Guess this place is way more comfortable than the castle in the summer, huh?"
"They might have a different cooling system in the castle, though."
A court Arcanist's role isn't just protecting the palace and the royal family; it's about pioneering new magic research too.
Heat is every person's enemy, so there must be some kind of solution out there, right?
"I'd bet that even the princess is lying around, all listless right now."
"Maybe..."
Betting's just talk; we're not about to get any news from the folks down in the town.
I gaze up at the ceiling, swirling the remnants of my sauce, feeling the return of calm, everyday life.
"It's peaceful."
"What, seriously? Peaceful enough that you can't even afford a 2-wheeled Arcane Art?"
"Yeah, seems like it..."
To be honest, those speed-focused iron steeds in the flyer are a luxury item, pricier than a workhorse Arcane Car.
If you're not pulling in some big jobs, they're way out of a commoner's reach.
"Hope we get another request like the dryer soon."
"What if we marketed to the nobles?"
"Like I have the charm for that."
"Charm's just something you practice."
The charmer tried a polished gesture and a twinkling wink, but it's just not happening.
No matter how hard I try, it's just not me.
I give the flyer one last look, then fold it up and toss it in the trash.
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