Chapter 25.1

The Renslet Citadel, often called the High Tower, was not just the administrative center of the Northern Duchy but also its capital. The scale of the fortress surpassed that of most cities.

At the heart of this vast stronghold lay the Inner Castle, where the North’s highest-ranking figures resided. Within the Inner Castle was the “Palace of Glory,” a place where the Grand Duke of the North convened with their advisors to discuss matters of state.

The Palace of Glory was at once the royal court, the administrative office, and the Grand Duke’s residence.

Currently, I was in one of the countless rooms within the Palace of Glory.

The council chamber, where the day’s meeting had just ended, was now occupied by only two people: the ruler of this land and me.

“Ahem! Well… That was your first meeting, wasn’t it? You did well. Your input… was good. We will seriously consider your suggestions regarding the Empire.”

Arina was the first to break the awkward silence. Her tone betrayed her discomfort with the situation.

“It was an honor,” I replied, bowing my head at an appropriate angle.

“What kind of excuse do you think the Empire will offer if we press them?”

“If I were them, I’d blame it on the actions of rogue elements under the influence of black magicians.”

“Is that so? That makes sense…”

Arina fell silent after my brief response, and an awkward quiet filled the room once again.

“W-Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

Seemingly unable to bear the tension, Arina abruptly exited the room.

“…?”

I was now the sole occupant of the chamber.

She seemed to be in a better mood than when we met at the greenhouse earlier, but she’s still a bit stiff…

Left alone, I replayed our brief exchange in my head.

Why is she upset? Could it be… because of the witches clinging to me at the greenhouse?

That seemed the most likely reason.

As they say, judge a person not by their words but by their circumstances. Considering everything, this explanation fits.

What should I do? Ignoring this could spell serious trouble.

It was clear I needed to maintain some level of distance from Arina. Yet, cutting ties completely would be foolish.

Especially since her cooperation was crucial to my plans to safeguard the North.

On top of that, the ceremony to bestow my title was approaching, along with whatever additional rewards she might grant me.

I need to maintain just the right balance—keep it at the “budding romance” stage until I return to Earth.

It was a selfish thought, but I rationalized it as the best option for both of us.

I needed to return to Earth, and Arina had a realm to govern.

The ideal scenario would be gaining the ability to travel freely between Earth and this world…

The idea was borderline delusional, and I dismissed it as quickly as it came.

If such a possibility existed, the entity that brought me here would have already offered it.

Turning my attention back to the problem at hand, I pondered ways to lift Arina’s spirits.

Apologizing directly is out of the question.

Acknowledging the incident at the greenhouse would only make things worse, potentially framing the situation as jealousy over the witches.

So, what’s left?

After deliberating, I arrived at an age-old truth. I headed toward the golden carriage.

There’s nothing better than a surprise gift to appease an upset woman.

What should I give her?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

As I made my way to the golden carriage, my thoughts turned to what kind of surprise gift would suit Arina.

She seemed to enjoy the food last time.

I could recreate the Komakase experience I had served her back in Haven.

No, I shouldn’t risk alienating the High Tower’s chefs.

I shook my head at the idea.

Maybe I could make her some candy or a cake? Sweet desserts would be a rare treat in the North.

Honey was the only sweetener readily available in this era, so a dessert made with sugar would indeed be a precious gift.

The problem is, I don’t have sugar. While I could theoretically create a fantasy-world version of aspartame with alchemy…

I quickly dismissed the thought.

I lack the infrastructure, materials, and time to pull that off.

The constraints of reality reared their head.

What about making her a sword?

As a knight, a sword would certainly suit her. Besides, her weapon had sustained significant damage during the battle in the Demonic Abyss.

Though I had patched it up temporarily, full restoration would take time.

But creating a sword that meets Arina’s standards would take far too long. I don’t have the means to forge mithril or adamantium yet.

I rejected the idea.

Besides, she’s effectively starting over in terms of martial strength. Giving her a high-quality weapon now might encourage her to push herself too hard, which could lead to more trouble.

Most of my ideas hit a wall due to lack of infrastructure, resources, or time.

What good was having overwhelming expertise if I couldn’t bring it to life?

It felt like being a semiconductor engineer dropped into the 19th century.

“Hmmm… Hmmmmm…”

Lost in thought, I walked until the golden carriage came into view.

“That’s it!”

I suddenly stopped, an idea striking me like a bolt of lightning.

Something practical, swift to produce even with my limited resources, and certain to please Arina came to mind.

Inside the golden carriage.

The area that had once been a witches’ playground was eerily quiet. Isabelle must have given them strict orders to stay away.

Thanks to the peace and quiet, I could begin my work without interruption.

“Let’s see… The monster hides I got as payment instead of money in the Demonic Abyss… Ah, here they are!”

I opened a storage chest in the carriage and pulled out several hides.

“I’ll make her a bag.”

Spreading the hides, I sketched designs inspired by famous Earth luxury brands.

“First, sharpening.”

After finalizing the blueprint, I sharpened the tools I’d use to cut the leather.

Leathercraft requires constant cutting and thinning, so keeping the tools razor-sharp is essential.

Like hitting “Ctrl+S” to save your work, sharpening becomes second nature in leathercraft.

Swish, swish.

After sharpening, I began cutting the hides according to my blueprint. The blade, now honed to perfection, sliced through the material with ease.

Srrrk, srrrk.

With the pieces cut, I moved on to thinning the leather.

Thinning, or “skiving,” adjusts the leather’s thickness, playing a critical role in determining the bag’s texture, gloss, and overall quality.

It’s the hallmark of high-end leather goods; Hermes, for instance, owes much of its reputation to its skiving expertise.

Thud, thud, thud.