episode_0144

Realizing the importance of appearance, I left the store and headed straight to the research and development headquarters.

The researchers, who had all collapsed from exhaustion while making the grindstone, had regained their stamina and were now focusing on research and development. And, a new task was posed to the researchers who had recovered their physical strength.

“Yes? Are you saying that we should pay more attention to appearance when making products in the future?”

“That’s right. I saw an improved product being sold this time, and the appearance of the product was an important factor in sales.”

“No… … . How important is appearance? … .”

The researchers seemed to not yet feel or understand the importance of product appearance. This appears because they only focus on research and development and do not pay any attention to sales.

We decided to remind these researchers of the importance of appearance. I had prepared in advance for that, so it wasn’t difficult.

I took out the two swords I had prepared in advance. The skeletons were instructed to handcraft two separate swords.

“Now, there are two swords here. If you had to buy one of two swords, which would you buy? When the price is almost the same.”

“… … .”

The researchers did not respond to what I said. However, it wasn’t because it was difficult to answer. Because I was able to understand it very well.

Of the two swords I held out, one was very plain and unadorned, and the other was very flashy.

A shiny sword face, a character line starting from the guard to the end of the blade, a blade bent at about 45 degrees at the tip, a guard that resembles a bird’s wing and is even studded with jewels, etc. It looked very elegant.

“What do you think? Don’t you feel like swinging it around once? If I hold this and swing it just once, yay! Isn’t one form a joke? Don’t you hear the same thoughts? Or do you just want to show off by wearing this in front of girls?”

Some researchers seemed to have similar thoughts to what I said, so I nodded without realizing it.

“That’s what’s important. Making people who see this product feel like they want to buy it at least once.”

Researchers appear to have finally realized the importance of appearance.

“No matter who you are, try making a sword in a shape that you want to swing at least once. The same goes for other items. It would be nice to make things like shields that make you feel like you can overwhelm your opponent just by holding them up, griddles that make you feel like you can properly grill meat, and kitchen knives and cutlery that housewives would definitely want.”

“Yes! Let’s give it a try!”

“However, keep in mind that the difficulty of production should not be too high or the appearance of the produced product should not be detrimental to the quality or utility. I made it because it was a stylish sword, but it shouldn’t be cumbersome when swinging or stabbing, right?”

“Don’t worry! Boss!”

I nodded as I saw the researchers answering energetically. The researchers must have realized the importance of appearance, so even if I no longer cared, they would have created a nice appearance on their own.

Of course, there was no way I could create something with an outstanding appearance right now, so I turned around so I could focus on my research.

“Would you like to draw something like flowers that housewives would like? My wife really likes flowers.”

“Oh, my wife is similar. Or should I make the blade like lace? Anyway, as long as you grind the raw part properly, there shouldn’t be any problem in cutting anything. My wife loves lace so much that she even tries to put lace on my clothes.”

“Then let’s apply both. Wouldn’t it be nice to make a kitchen knife with a lace-like blade and flowers on it? But how do you carve flowers? I’ll have to research that first. The kitchen knife is too thin to make an engraving.”

As I turned, I left behind the sounds of researchers discussing, which I heard at the same time, and walked towards the store.

While understanding the customer base that would mainly purchase improved products, I planned to reward Jienna for making them realize the importance of appearance.

However, an unexpected answer came back from Jiena, who was trying to give her a reward. Since he often appeared to be obsessed with money, I tried to give him a generous amount of cash, but he asked for something else as a reward.

“… … Who are you? The Jiena I know is not an elf who would refuse money!”

“No, boss! Isn’t that too much?”

For a moment, I thought that someone disguised as Jiena was pretending to be Jienna, but looking at the clearly felt stigma, I realized that it was Jienna herself.

Seeing Jiena pouting her lips, I said I was sorry and lightly stroked her cheek. That alone seemed to make Jiena feel better, so she returned her protruding lips to their original position.

“That’s because you liked money. Isn’t that right?”

Moreover, when I pointed out what she had shown so far, Jiena rolled her eyes as if she had nothing to say. Even though I laughed at that sight, I still felt puzzled.

“But, you really won’t accept any money? why not? You saved up so much money to escape slavery.”

“I wonder if it would be meaningful to escape slavery now. Anyway, I’m not Giena Caneuff, I’m Gienna Still, right?”

I naturally nodded at Jiena’s words. Since she had a slave certificate, it was true that she was a slave, but no one could treat her as a slave. It was the same as having the status of a lord’s wife while being a slave at the same time.

“And… … . There are some good things about being a slave.”

“There is such a thing?”

“Yes. Our boss, who gets on fire when he hears the word ‘master’, can be called ‘master’, right?”

Jienna wrapped her arms around the back of my neck as if she was being held in my arms and brought her face close to me, whispering lightly, “Master.” At Jienna’s actions, I felt like I was burning for no reason, just like she said. It was very disappointing that this was a store and that it was still open for business.

“It’s like a nice Canf.”

“I’m not a caneuff, I’m a still?”

I was thinking about taking Jiena, who made a soft smile, to the mansion right away, but then I poked Jiena in the side! stabbed Jienna, who had left with a hissing sound, pouted her lips again.

I laughed lightly at that and changed the topic of the story.

“So how are you going to use the money you’ve saved so far?”

“Change the conversation… … .”

Jienna looked at me as if she was glaring. Of course, that gaze quickly changed to softness.

“I don’t plan on writing it right now. I have a wish to collect more and save my compatriots who are enslaved.”

I couldn’t say anything when Jiena said that she would use the money she had been saving to get rid of her slave status for her people. The price of slave elves was expensive, and it was not possible for me to purchase all slave elves.

However, as if Jiena had figured out what I was thinking, she waved her hand and said that it was just a wish. He added that he had no intention of causing me any trouble.

Still, the atmosphere between us was still a little awkward. In the end, this time Jienna took the initiative and tried to change the topic of the story.

“You said earlier that you would give a reward. Can you give me something else instead of money?”

“Something else? Is there something you would like to receive?”

“What I want is to decorate the garden.”

“Garden? Are you talking about the garden in our mansion?”

“Yes. It’s a mess because we haven’t hired a gardener yet. There are places where the grass isn’t growing, and strange vines are growing… … .”

Although I felt puzzled when Jiena said that she wanted to decorate a garden, I nodded. Since they were trying to find a gardener anyway, there was no problem in not looking for a gardener and letting Jienna use it as she pleased. After all, it’s my house.

“But, do you know how to decorate a garden?”

“There are prejudices people have about elves, and some of them are true. I don’t know where and when the idea of insisting on a vegetarian diet originated, but it is true that we grow plants well and are plant-friendly.”

Jiena’s words reminded me of the time I returned after purchasing her at the slave market. It was like Jienna, who said that elves were prejudiced against eating only vegetarian food.

Anyway, after saying that another prejudice against plants was true, Jiena ran somewhere and brought back a small flower pot. In that pot was growing a plant with countless round leaves. Even as someone who is not familiar with things like gardening, I felt that they managed it quite well.

In particular, I was feeling full of vitality, which can be felt sensitively as a warlock. It wasn’t particularly useful because it was the life force of a plant.

“I raise it. It’s not an easy plant to grow, but I worked hard to grow it. how is it? It’s pretty, right?”

“It’s pretty. At that point, you can grow your garden the way you want. If you need anything, let me know.”

“It’s okay! You can also use skeletons, and all the necessary tools are available in the store. You just need to buy seeds.”

I don’t know if it was because she could now decorate the mansion’s garden however she wanted, but Jiena smiled as if she was very happy.

And, as if she was really looking forward to tending the garden, Ziena started tending the garden that evening. On the way to the mansion, he received seeds and seedlings of various plants from merchants and continued to sow them and plant them throughout the garden.

Thanks to this, the garden, which had felt desolate, was suddenly filled with the energy of life. Green sprouts filled the garden, and small saplings were also growing near the wall.

“… … It’s really well decorated. Plants are growing well too.”

“Because I’m an elf too.”

It was a joy to my eyes to see that the once barren garden had gone from being very tidy to being beautifully decorated.

Colorful flowers gathered together to decorate the garden, and the rock that was left to make a fountain was covered with vine plants, giving off a strange charm. When you look at each one, they are unique, but when you look at everything, there is also a strange harmony.

“But you also planted firewood and flowers?”

“Yes. I plan to grow it hard and use it as firewood later. When I was young, I loved staying warm in the winter by lighting a fire in the stove with the firewood flowers I grew myself.”

“There is something about staying warm in the winter with firewood flowers that you grow yourself.”

I wondered if that was what a self-sufficient, leisurely life was like. After a lot of time had passed, it seemed like it wouldn’t be a bad idea to live that kind of life with Jienna and Amy. Instead of concentrating on work like now, go somewhere quiet and spend your time very leisurely.

But it was something that couldn’t be achieved right now. There was so much work to do.

“Master… … . The village chief has arrived… … .”

And, as if to prove that I had a lot of work to do, the village chief came to visit me. It was clear that he had come to report that he had completed the investigation into the territory residents that I had instructed.