Let’s Make Saving a Habit - Chapter 88

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 88
In the future timeline, Duchess Papiope had adopted three children.
But this time around, with me as the last one, it was somewhat odd that she hadn’t brought anyone else.
Aiden seemed to want to change the subject, as he answered my earlier question.
“Isn’t it obvious why Duchess Papiope won’t adopt a third child?”
“Why?”
“Because there’s Lucian to inherit the succession. There’s no need to bring in another and create discord.”
“Hmm, then shouldn’t she have not brought me, the second child, either?”
“…Perhaps she initially intended to pit you two against each other for the succession, but changed her mind after seeing you two get along so well.”
“Ah, that could be it.”
Thinking about how the relationships between Lucian, Elysion, and Rosemary weren’t particularly good in the future timeline, it made sense.
“Besides, now that I have Father, there’s no need to adopt. We can just make children instead… Mmph!”
Aiden hastily covered my mouth and pleaded earnestly with a flushed face.
“Please, let’s not talk about this anymore.”
Ah, his reaction is delicious.
I nodded, thinking of how delighted Aiden would be if he heard my thoughts.

✦ ✦ ✦
The next day.
I had business to request from the Magic Tower, so I went to find Elysion.
But the moment he saw me, his bright smile faded when he noticed my escort knight, and he furrowed his brow.
“Tania, when you come to the Magic Tower, I’d prefer you come alone or bring Aiden as your escort.”
“Why? Let Father rest too.”
“In the first place, why is a monster tamer escorting you? Shouldn’t he be with the Monster Subjugation Squad?”
Then Raspi, who had been receiving Elysion’s piercing gaze, calmly spoke up.
“I’m not an Ability User—I joined the Knight Order based on my swordsmanship skills, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Papiope has lost quite a few people.”
Currently, my escort knights were Aiden and Raspi—two people total.
The two of them took turns escorting me, though occasionally they escorted me together.
Because of this, whenever Raspi accompanied me to the Magic Tower, Elysion always showed his displeasure.
But his jealousy was so endearing that I couldn’t help but bring Raspi along.
I gazed at Elysion with a broad smile.
At seventeen, his appearance hovered at the boundary between boyhood and young manhood.
Before, I hadn’t seen him as a romantic interest, so I felt no flutter in my heart.
But gradually, as he drew closer to how he looked in the future timeline, I felt genuinely pleased.
Lately, I even felt closer to the current Elysion than before.
It seemed I used to visit the future version of Elysion quite often in the past.
But recently, I couldn’t even remember when I last went to see him…
After finishing my idle thoughts, I noticed an intense battle of wills unfolding between Elysion and Raspi.
I hastily separated the two and ordered Raspi, my escort knight, to stand down.
“Raspi, I need to talk with Elysion alone. Wait outside for me.”
“Yes, understood.”
Raspi, who seemed absolutely unwilling to back down, complied with my words without hesitation.
I knew it wasn’t proper to speak to someone that way, but he reminded me of a loyal hound.
Suddenly, I recalled what Grandfather had said at the Ability User Underground Auction House.
[Why do you spend all that money just to set them free?]
[Because that way, with low probability, you can acquire a lifelong loyal servant who won’t hesitate to offer even their own life.]
[What if they simply leave in gratitude?]
[Then I’ve simply saved one person’s life.]
Grandfather was right.
Though unintentional, I had gained a lifelong loyal servant that day—one I’d never need to worry about stabbing me in the back.
I pulled Elysion’s chair out from under him and sat down as I spoke.
“Elysion, don’t be so harsh with Raspi. He’s just doing his job.”
But he merely shrugged his shoulders, as if to say he’d done nothing wrong.
“Tania, so what business are you here to commission today?”
“Do you think I only come to the Magic Tower when I have work?”
“Yes.”
“Exactly. I’m planning to build something called a department store, and there’s something I really want included in it.”
As I stated my purpose so shamelessly, Elysion looked at me in disbelief. Then he let out a short laugh and asked.
“Well, that’s just like you. So what exactly is this department store?”
“A place where multiple shops are gathered together so people can purchase a variety of goods all in one location.”
Elysion’s brow furrowed.
“That sounds like it would require quite a substantial scale. Where are you planning to build it?”
“In the Capital, of course. There are plenty of nobles with money to spend.”
“Where’s the money to build it coming from?”
Elysion shook his head, as if regretting that he’d asked the question himself.
“Right, you must have more than enough.”
He was correct.
I was constructing a massive building the size of a department store using my personal funds, without any outside investment.
I felt oddly proud and spoke as if praising myself.
“How about it? A beautiful fourteen-year-old woman with plenty of money and excellent status. A first-rate bride candidate, right?”
“Everything’s perfect except the fourteen-year-old part. When exactly are you going to grow up?”
“Says you, who isn’t even an adult yet either.”
According to Imperial law, adulthood was reached at eighteen years old.
Elysion still needed one more year to become an adult.
“I’ll be soon, but you….”
He stared at me intently, then his expression grew somewhat melancholic as he muttered something quietly.
“At this rate, I’ll develop feelings.”
“What did you just say? You spoke too quietly for me to hear.”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Elysion, who claimed it was nothing, let out a series of heavy sighs as if to say I should listen.
I wasn’t sure why he was acting that way, but if I’m being honest, I had plenty to say myself.
Six years had passed since I began watching over young Elysion, wondering when he would finally grow.
I didn’t realize I was gazing at him with such warmth as he finally began to show the bearing of a young man.
As I glared at his grumbling form, Elysion snatched the chair from under me and perched himself diagonally on the desk before speaking.
“I got sidetracked again while talking. So what exactly do you want to put in this department store?”
“An escalator.”
“…I don’t know what that is, but I can tell it won’t be easy to make.”
“No, you can do it. A genius mage destined to succeed the Magic Tower Master! Where will your talents lead you…!”
In truth, a future version of Elysion had once created an escalator for me upon my request.
I had already confirmed that he would be capable of making it.
It looked remarkably similar to modern designs, with one exception.
Instead of electricity, it ran on magical power.
I pulled out the escalator blueprint I’d roughly copied from the future and opened my mouth.
“Think of it as moving stairs—I have a rough blueprint here.”
I’d given up on copying every detail due to the limits of my physical stamina.
The process of viewing the blueprint in the future, memorizing it, returning to the present, and drawing it out.
Just copying it had required me to repeat save and load an incalculable number of times.
Elysion’s eyes grew distant as he examined the blueprint I offered.
“So that’s what caused all that commotion a while ago….”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“It was just nonsense, so you can ignore it.”
“How boring.”
“But Tania, where did you get this blueprint from?”
“I copied it through future foresight.”
“Ah, you did it like that…?”
Elysion looked remarkably displeased for some reason.
I shrugged and pointed to the escalator blueprint.
“An escalator is a device that carries you to whatever floor you want just by stepping onto those stair-like platforms.”
“…Is it really necessary?”
“The department store I’m planning to build has five floors, and I don’t think the nobles will climb the stairs themselves. It’s exhausting, after all.”
“…They have legs as a blessing, so why can’t you just tell them to use the stairs?”
Elysion seemed thoroughly unconvinced.
Then again, even when I’d asked him in the future, he’d worn that same expression of ‘Why on earth would you need this?’
I grabbed Elysion’s arm and looked up at him with sparkling eyes.
“I’m asking for your help, Sion.”
“Just words?”
“Come on, what kind of relationship do we have if it ends with just words?”
At that, Elysion asked with hopeful eyes and a sly smile.
“Hmm, if it doesn’t end with just words, what will you give me?”
“Money piled on real thick.”
“….”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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