Volume 2 Chapter 22 Second New Year's in Another World II
"Cain! What are you making?"
As Cain was splitting wood with Gardy, Alice suddenly appeared, as if out of nowhere.
"Elder Sister Alice!? When did you... uh, I'm making an oven for the New Year's Eve dinner party, to bake sweet potatoes."
He answered with a racing heart, caught off guard. Gardy seemed just as surprised, eyes wide open.
"But isn't a sweet potato roast supposed to be over an open fire?"
The familiar question made Cain and Gardy burst into laughter.
"What's so funny? Did I say something weird!?"
Alice pouted and huffed in anger, hands on her hips.
"Oh no, Lady Alice. It's just that your question was exactly the same as the one I just asked. My apologies."
Gardy bowed deeply in apology.
"Is that so? Well, can't be helped then. Now, tell me why it's not an open fire."
Her anger gauge had gone down, but she wasn't letting go of her doubts.
"This is a stone oven. Heating the stones makes it bake Satsumas even sweeter than usual. Elder Sister Alice."
"Really! Even sweeter than last time! Hey, how much sweeter?"
Alice, who loved sweets, leaned in eagerly to confirm with Cain.
"Um, it's close. I can't give an exact amount, but personally, I'd say about 1.5 times sweeter."
Alice's eyes sparkled as she hung on Cain's every word.
"But, did you need something else?"
Cain gently pulled away from Alice, subtly changing the subject.
"Oh right! Elder Brother Arthur and Brother Benjamin were looking for you."
"I see. I'll head back for now then. Gardy, meet back here about 2 hours before the New Year's Eve dinner party starts. See you later."
Cain left in a hurry. Alice seemed fascinated by the stone oven, lingering to examine it from all angles.
* * *
Cain, who had forgotten where each of them was calling from, finally learned that Arthur was in Luke's office by asking every maid he met.
He knocked on the office door and waited for permission to enter.
"Come in, Cain."
"Elder Brother Arthur, did you call for me? Elder Sister Alice mentioned it."
"Were you busy with something? I need a favor. I hope to use the 'bathhouse' before the New Year's dinner party and would like your cooperation. Even our mother has mentioned wanting to use it beforehand."
"No problem. Just let me know when."
Leaving Arthur, who still had a mountain of paperwork, Cain set off to find Benjamin. He guessed the library was a likely spot and headed there, only to find Luke and Lydia deep in conversation with Randolph over some documents. He quietly excused himself to not disturb their heated discussion.
"Hm, where could Elder Brother Ben be? Maybe in his room?"
He hurried to Benjamin's room and knocked on the door.
"Is that you, Cain? I've been waiting. Come on in."
"Excuse the intrusion, Elder Sister Alice said you called for me. Oh, is Elder Brother Chris with you as well?"
As Cain opened the door, he saw Benjamin and Chris spread out sheepskin papers on the desk, deep in conversation.
"Ah yes, we were about to continue our discussion on [Magic Inscription] from yesterday. Have you been busy?"
Benjamin gently checked in with Cain.
"I was wondering if there was anything interesting going on if you didn't show up, Cain. I told Chris you'd be coming, so we were waiting together."
Chris cheerfully addressed Cain.
"Elder Brother Ben, I'm the one who should apologize. I'm late for the continuation of yesterday's discussion. But more importantly, Elder Brother Chris, why does my arrival make things interesting?"
"He always found it fun when Bro Benjamin and Cain got together. They'd talk and make interesting things. Something new always came out. That made him really excited."
He was gently rocking the chair he sat on.
"Alright, both of you, enough joking around. Let's start. We don't have much time today. If we run late, we'll miss out on the nice feast. Yesterday, I explained how to use the 'draw [Mana] from the magic stone' grammar. Today, I'll explain how to put [Mana] into the magic stone instead."
As Benjamin spoke, he took out some slightly bluish sheepskin parchment, a magic stone, and a silver plate from his usual bag.
"First, this is the 'absorb [Mana]' grammar I made for my magic stone. It's similar to the 'draw [Mana]' grammar, but the place you put the magic stone and some of the characters are different."
While explaining, Benjamin pointed at the circle and '++<' drawn on the parchment.
"This '++<' is the grammar that pulls [Mana] from a person and makes the magic stone absorb it."
Usually quiet Benjamin spoke louder to explain.
'Huh? Isn't that symbol a plus and a less-than sign?'
Cain tilted his head, staring at the symbol Benjamin pointed to.
Character Notes:
Alice - Cain's Elder Sister, from the second wife.
Benjamin - The second son from the first wife, wise and calm, experienced in magic.
Arthur - The first son from the first wife, boisterous and teasing, affectionate.
Luke - Cain's father.
Lydia - Cain's Stepmother.
Chris - Third son from the first wife, earnest and impressed by Cain.
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