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Translator: Kazumi
Editor: Kabur & Silavin
It was a time when the reception of the Elves and the Vermilinia Clan into the tower had been completed and was temporarily settled.
Kousuke was groaning in front of the control panel monitor.
It had been quite some time since he had been in that state.
Mitsuki decided it was time to call out to Kousuke.
“What are you so worried about?”
Kousuke was startled by Mitsuki’s sudden approach, and then looked uncomfortable.
“I was looking for something I could install. There’s something, but I don’t know what it’s used for.”
“Oh. What is it?”
Mitsuki asked, and Kousuke pointed to a certain part of the monitor.
When Mitsuki checked it, she found the name of an item written there.
<Just a Stone>
Mitsuki thought for a moment, tilted his head, then turned to Kousuke and said.
“This?”
“Yes. Just a stone. It’s labeled as such, but if that’s here, then there’s definitely a purpose to it! I couldn’t figure that out.”
Kousuke said, and his expression became lost in thought again.
Mitsuki, seeing this, was unable to remark, even though it looked like she was about to.
That “Isn’t it just an ordinary stone?”, or so she thought.
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“So that’s what the Lord is doing now?”
Kouhi looked at Mitsuki with a stern look in his eyes when Mitsuki told him what had happened.
“No, because it’s hard for me to say.”
Mitsuki said, and their gazes turned to Kousuke.
Kousuke was propped up on a desk with a monitor on it.
If it had been a comic book, there would have been a drawing of steam on his head.
By all accounts, it was a picture of overthinking and running out of energy.
Reconfirming this, Kouhi let out one sigh and said to Mitsuki.
“All right. I’ll go tell him.”
“Please do. I can’t do it.”
Kouhi let out another sigh as he saw Mitsuki clasp her hands together, and he went straight up to Kousuke.
“Master.”
“…Hmm? Oh, Kouhi. What?”
“Why don’t you take a little rest, and don’t be too hard on yourself?”
Kouhi said, and Kousuke groaned and shook his head.
“No, I think I’m getting close to figuring something out.”
“I see.”
“I see!!!!”
“What is it?”
Kouhi looked slightly surprised at Kousuke’s sudden outcry.
“Think about it, Kouhi, and see if you can come up with something. It’s this…”
Saying this, Kousuke pointed at <Just a Stone> as he did with Mitsuki.
“Ugh…? Ah, eh, um…”
Seeing Kousuke’s expression, Kouhi became a little more slack-jawed and coughed deliberately.
“Well, um… I can’t think of anything out of the blue, so I’ll give it some thought.”
“Yes! Please do.”
Kouhi returned to Mitsuki with an indescribable expression on his face as Kousuke happily responded.
Kouhi was greeted by Mitsuki with a warm and innocent look.
“What is it?”
“Hmmm. Nothing.”
Kouhi stared at Mitsuki teasingly for a while, and then said.
“Anyway, let him think about it as much as he wants for now.”
Kouhi suggested, and Mitsuki agreed.
“I guess so. I’m sure she’ll figure it out on her own eventually.”
“That’s right. It’s better for Master to realize it on his own.”
They both decided to accept the situation together.
After this, they never asked or suggested anything to Kousuke about this matter.
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Because of the low unit price, Kousuke tried everything possible.
He placed it just on the ground, or on top of a growing tree. He even tried putting it in the water.
There were some places where it was not possible to place it, but since it was just an object and could be placed almost anywhere, he placed it wherever he could think of.
However, <Just a Stone> was simply a stone, and no significant changes occurred.
Still, Kousuke did not give up.
He was no longer concerned only with it being “Just a Stone”, but he continued to set up “Just a Stone” in various places whenever he had a chance.
Up to this point, it had passed the point of willfulness and had become mere habit.
“Hmm? What is this?”
Shrein tilted her head at what looked like a map that Kousuke was drawing manually.
“Oh, I’m writing this down, so I don’t forget where I’ve placed the stones.”
Hearing this, Shrein’s expression turned to dismay.
“What? You’re still doing this? Why don’t you just give up?”
“What do you mean! Why should I just give up?”
“There’s no point to this.”
Shrein tilted her head, but Kousuke continued with a scowl.
“Yes, yes. But you know, it’s alright to make mistakes in this kind of thing.”
“Is that so? A mere stone is just a stone, right?”
“That may be so, but maybe not! If there’s even a chance, it’s worth a try!
“Is it possible?”
“It is possible.”
Kousuke nodded back at Shrein, who tilted her head once more.
Shrein left the control room with her head tilted back, and noticed Kouhi and Mitsuki looking at her.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing. I just thought maybe Shrein could help.”
Kouhi nodded next to Mitsuki as she said this.
“?”
“It’s okay. It’s our business. It’s not a big deal.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Don’t mind it.”
Kouhi and Mitsuki nodded in agreement, and Shrein headed off to check on Vermilion Castle with a question mark on her head.
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In the end, the installation of <Just a Stone> continued until Kousuke was satisfied.
At the end, it was partly because he left it as if everyone had already given up and was doing it again.
As for its conclusion.
“<Just a Stone> is just a stone!”
It was.
“What the heck. So, that’s what it ended up being.”
“Yes, it did. It’s kind of frustrating to hear you say it like that.”
Kousuke’s expression became complicated as Shrein came to look at him with a slightly stunned expression.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, that’s what I’m thinking, so kindly let me know if you notice anything else.”
“Well, okay… but, isn’t it useless at this point?”
“Don’t call it useless. There is no such thing as a waste of time. If you do something, and it fails, that’s one result.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I am sure about it.”
Kousuke reminded Shrein, who tilted her head.
Kousuke was not being stubborn, but he thought it was important to actually try, even if he knew he would fail.
In case something else might happen as a result of doing so.
It was more important than anything else to make sure of that.
Kousuke emphasized that even if you know something is wrong in your mind, there would be a world of difference between actually trying it out and just imagining it.
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