Elf Koushaku wa Noroware Reijo wa Iyaiya Metoru

The bell rings, signaling the end of today’s work.
At the same time, Hydrangea stood up and cared for Quince. He warns him to leave within five minutes and make him back down.

The Magic Division basically doesn’t allow overtime work. Because the division does not give each person with workload that left them stay behind.
The departments that can’t finish their work on time are replaced or increased the personnel.

It started five years ago with his father’s reign. The results were seen immediately. First, there are fewer people who took time off due to poor physical health, and fewer people retired. Labor costs were also reduced, overall it was a good thing. And yet, no overtime ban was conducted in other workplaces.

Since the start of Hydrangea’s reign, those who finish their work early are allowed to leave without staying at the workplace. He have been asked by other departments about this matter, “How is it?”.

It seems that finding work when there is no work to be done is also a splendid job. Furthermore, by forbidding overtime eliminates the opportunity for individual efforts and not giving the chance to evaluate them is detrimental to the organization.

Hydrangea thought that this might be the difference between the dispositions of the Magic Divion and other organizations.

The upper management of the Magic Division looks at the quality of work given to individuals.
There is no point in finishing a job early if it is incomplete.
On the other hand, if they work overtime to make sure the work is perfect, they will have to reevaluate the efficiency of the work.
What is important is to use the time effectively and finish it perfectly. Those who can do that are highly valued in the Magic Division.

Standing by the window, he watches the lights turn off in one room after another, and when the last light in the last room was turned off, his work for today is over.
After that, Hydrangea moved to a certain place using transfer magic.

◇◇◇

He arrived in front of a hut with a thatched roof deep in the forest.

“…… Magic shop, it’s me”

When he called out from the front door, a hoarse old man’s voice replied.

“Who is it……? Recently, there are a lot of bad wizards who deceive old people, I’m having trouble with it”

“I am Duke Laudense, Hydrangea of Liliphiltia”
“Oh, oh! So it’s Hydrangea boy. Come in”

This exchange is the usual “appointment”. The old man enjoys doing small plays, so he goes along with him.
By the way, the situation changes every time.
Last time, it was a new villager who just arrived and an old man who was very strict with him. Hydrangea does not understand what is so fun about this.

The old man runs a magic shop. Magic shop is a store that sells goods related to magic, and he is the shopkeeper.
His name and age are unknown. His appearance was covered by a clock that hides his whole body, and he wears a thick hood, so he doesn’t know what he looks like.
However, Hydrangea’s father and grandfather said that this place is the best store in the world. Hydrangea himself also thinks so.

At first glance, the store looks small, but it has a lot of products.
Magic stone lamps hung from the ceiling, illuminating the goods in the store magically.
The shopkeeper is fond of saying that he handles everything related to magic, from magic books to magic tools, and even the ingredients for magic potions.
Today, he came to pick up the rod that he had ordered.

“Today is the appointed day, is it already done?”
“Of course”

The shopkeeper brought a long and narrow leather-lined wooden box from the back of the store.

“Here it is”

He placed it on the cashier table and opened the cover. It was a rod about the length of a conductor stick, with a golden handle and a round ruby at the tip.

He picked up the rod decorated with non-heated ruby. As an option, it was as light as a feather.
There are many wizards who hurt their hands by swinging the rod too much. That’s why he set it specially.

“Hmm. It’s a good item.  Without a doubt, it is definitely a ruby rod”

He took out a leather bag containing gold coins from his pocket and placed it on the cashier table. A heavy thud sounded.

Inside it was white gold coins. One piece is worth about the same as the average salary in Magic Division.

“10…… 20…… It’s sufficient”

The ruby rod with the size of a conductor stick that Hydrangea ordered is decorated with the finest gems, the handle is made from sacred tree that contains a lot of magic power, and the surface is coated with gold.

The material is first-rate, but the size is for beginners.

“Is it a gift?”
“Well, something like that”
“Ruby is a good match for a strong-willed woman. Is it correct?”
“Well, sort of”
“Then, take this as a bonus”

The shopkeeper picked up a fist-sized egg from the shelf.

“What is this?”
“The egg of a mythical beast. I don’t know what’s inside it”

The eggs haven’t hatched for ten years, so it has been bough and returned repeatedly and remain in the store.

“I guess it didn’t hatch because the customers who have bought it were all men. I’m sure if it was taken to women, it would hatch quickly”
“As if something like that could happen”
“Well, I don’t know”
“Are you sure it’s still alive?”
“It’s alive”

He gave it as free gift, saying that if it hatched, he could use it as a familiar.
When he was about to took it in his hand, he felt a thumping heartbeat. It was so strong that he could not believe it had been inside the egg for ten years.

“See, it’s alive, right?”
“Yes, how strange”

Violette was holding Pomeranian when they had just met, so she must be fine with animal.
He don’t know if the egg will hatch or not, but he accept it gratefully.

“Then, I will come again”
“Next time, bring the ruby’s young lady with you”
“If I ever feel so”

Saying so, Hydrangea returns to the private chambers of the Duke Laudense house with transfer magic.

◇◇◇

After he returned home, he called Verbena to hear her report.

“Madam spent all days in the study of magic books and reading them happily”
“I see”
“She was talking about how she wanted to learn magic as soon as possible while looking at me with sparkling eyes”

Apparently, she has honest attitude towards everyone except Hydrangea.

“When was the curse lifted?”
“Well, that’s……”

It was past noon when she returned from her cat to her human form. Until then, it seems Verbena and the maid were the one turning the pages for her.

“She lamented that she couldn’t do anything with her cat’s paws”

Cat paws are the best.

The round and plump shape, the supple claws, and the amazing fluffy feel of the paws. All of them are wonderful.

Cat paws are probably the most beautiful hand in the world. Hydrangea believes so.

“And so, where is my wife now?”
“She is still in the basement study reading the magic books eagerly”
“What about dinner?”
“She already ate. I took it to the basement though”
“The air is not good down there. Next time, have her eat in the dining room”
“Understood”

If she was in the basement study, then it would be perfect. Thinking so, he took the rod and the egg and went to see Violette.

“Are you going on foot?”
“It would be terrible if I suddenly appeared while she was absorbed in reading book”
“Well, that would be terrible, indeed”

He went to the basement study with Verbena.

“Umm, do you want me to bring that wooden box?”
“No, it’s fine”

The rod itself is not heavy, but the wooden box is heavy. And so, Hydrangea decides to carry it.

“Come to think of it, did you ask her if there is something she wants?”
“Yes. She pointed a book in the study with a big smile on her face”
“I see”

She didn’t seem to feel any particular need for dresses or jewelry.
When thinking that she was a wife that doesn’t need money, he arrived at the door leading to the basement.
He opened the heavy iron door and went down the dark stairs.

“It’s dark here. Make sure you put more light”
“Yes”

The darkness was not a problem if Hydrangea the only who uses it. After all, elf have good night vision.
But it was dark for Violette and the maid, and they probably couldn’t see their step.

In front of the study, a maid was waiting. When she noticed Hydrangea’s presence, she stepped away from the door and moved closer to the wall.

The door was immediately opened when Verbena called out.

“Verbena, let’s go back to the private room── Kyaaa!”

Violette jumped out at the time as the door opened.
She immediately touches Hydrangea who was standing right in front of her and turns into a cat.

“U-Ugh～!”
“Are you an accident faker?”
“Because I don’t think you’re so close to the door!”

She always contradicts everything.
Every time they saw each other, they would argue.
Hydrangea felt Verbena’s reproaching look at his attitude piercing his back, so he decided to move on to the main topic.

“I have something good to tell you”

As he said this, Violette turned her doubtful gaze on Hydrangea.
It’s easy to tell that she has zero trust in him.