"Treasury, huh?

　Come on, come on, come on, a light rain muddies the sky with lead.
　The rain landed softly on the ground and soaked into the soil.
　Gazing blankly out the whitish window, I was enjoying a leisurely tea party in Lilac's private room today.

"Yes. Can I ask you a favor?

　Lilac put the cup back in the saucer and asked very lightly.
　The natural expression on Lilac's face was stern, and the way she looked up at me, as if she was looking into my eyes due to the difference in our sitting heights, was not something she was aiming for.

　Maybe it's because he's relaxed, or maybe it's because he doesn't need to play games.
　Perhaps it's both.
　I'm just asking for things honestly. Because it was such a friendly question, Futa smiled, charmed by it.

Of course. Just .......

　He nodded.
　I don't have time for anything else. I'd rather not have her ask me for anything.

　However, it was quite natural for Futa's smile to fade.

I don't know if I can be of any help.

　"I don't know if I can help you," Futa said, scratching his cheek.
　Lilac's request was to be present at the locking of the treasury.

　Several times a year, the treasury is inspected (tested).
　At the same time, there are times when adjustments (maintenance) and improvements (updates) are made by the court mages, and this time Hura had just offered to make such improvements (updates).

　Locks, not just treasure vaults, are something that evolve with the times.
　The battle between the thief and the guardian is always a battle of technology, and the key is the "game" that determines the difference in technology.

　That is not to say that there is no reason to make the treasury, where the precious treasures of the royal family lie, the scene of the battle, but it is precisely because there are things to be protected and things that may be stolen that technology advances.

　This time, as an example, Hura has improved the magic lock that protects the new treasury, and that's why she wanted to make this change.

It's not that hard to do.

　Lilac smiled.

It's not that the royal family doesn't trust Hura. It's just that they have to be there for formalities. If it's between Hura and me, they won't complain about having Huta as a substitute. That's all I'm saying.
Is that so?
Yes. Well, to be honest, I'm not really interested in the history of the royal family or the high class treasures that are being talked about.
The treasury of the royal castle has an image of glittering gold and silver. ......
"No way.

　Lilac shrugged her shoulders.

If there was such a thing, I would have sold it immediately.
Yeah, .......
Why do you need to accumulate money when you're so strapped for cash?
That's true, but ...... something like this, the royal jeweled sword, ......
If you have such a thing, you can certainly consider giving it to the winner of the sword fight.
I don't like it. Lilac-sama, I'm really not interested.
"Mm-hmm.

　Futa threw himself back on the sofa.

　But if the place was of such little interest to Lilac, then she would not have to feel self-conscious.
　Locking the treasure vault and attending to its improvements.
　It didn't seem like a big deal, since she wasn't going to be there herself, and more importantly, it was something that Lilac could ask for at a tea party.

I'll take care of it then.
"Yes. If I'm not going, you should be.

　There was a certain trust in that statement.

But what does Mr. Hurrah think?
What do you mean?
Well, he thinks it's too important to improve.
Oh, sure.

　Lilac nodded her head, "You're right.

　It may sound old-fashioned, but it is the duty of the court mage to inspect the treasury.
　The royal family's presence is also a duty, but it is rather appropriate, Lilac said.

　Originally, it was a strict rule, but a few decades ago, a distant relative with no time on his hands took it on out of inertia.

Originally, I was there, but things have changed.
...... Oh, because I'm working with Mr. Hura.
I see.

　In the past, you never knew where a court mage would take you. Only the royal family has the authority to enter the treasure vault at all times.

　She would go there every time she wanted to avoid any traps being set there, but things are different now.
　At least our interests are aligned. Lilac wasn't that worried, and she was fine with Futa being there as insurance.

"And then there's that. I thought it would be a good idea to have Futa take a look at the treasure room.
"What do you mean?
It's not that there's anything special about it, it's just that ...... it's better to know than not know. I could show you the way, but it would be a bit awkward. It's a good idea to take a look at the timing when you can legally get in.
...... I'm not sure, but I understand.
That's fine for now.

　Lilac smiled loosely and nodded.







But I was just thinking...


"Master Lilac?
As far as Hurrah's concerned, maybe he just wants to enjoy his keywork.
Ah, .......















Welcome, Mister Huta!　Welcome to my lock exposition!
............ You were right, Master Lilac.

　From the very first words that greeted him, Futa was already convinced that Lilac's prediction was right on the money.

　This is a treasure house.
　It was in the basement, accessed by a different staircase from the prison, and was a rare place in the castle that Futa had never visited.

　To be precise, he had come here only once for a walk, but when he was told that the treasure house was just ahead, he turned right around. It's not good publicity to have a princess' guest hanging around the royal treasury.

　--The pimp's reputation is as good as dead, but that's about it.

What are you going to do at the expo? ......
You've got my attention!　Look at all these locks!

　A wave of the hand and translucent locks appear.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a mage.

I'm not sure what to say. There are a lot of them. ......

　There are many variations in design, but the shape is orthodox. They can be bolted on, and they all have keyholes.

　There was little that Futa could tell about the quality of them.

"Oh, you don't like keys?
I've never heard much talk about whether you like locks or not. ......
Huh. So you're saying that you yourself are a master key that can open any woman's door with ease?
What do you mean by that?　I don't know. I'm scared.
I don't know, I'm scared. You've unlocked his mind, haven't you?
You're the first person I've ever simply found annoying.
Oh, that's unusual. Well, that's a compliment to me, since I'm usually annoying by the second I meet you.
"No, this is too invincible.

　You'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this.

I'll start with a quick check of the doors.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

　I'm sorry to be the one to witness this, but Huta has very little knowledge of magic.
　He has no idea what he's doing, and he's too lazy to do anything about it, so he glances into the treasure room.

There's not much in there, is there?
I guess so. I've heard that even in the treasury, the items that can be sold for money have already been sold off. The rest is mostly important to the country's history and ...... things that are personally dear to the king and his successors. There is no such thing as a ...... secret of His Highness that Futa-dono might be interested in.
I almost kicked him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa.

　I'm not sure what to make of it.

　I'm not going to say that I'm not curious about his secret. But even so, there's nothing to force you to uncover it.
　Huta looked at the white eyes on his happy back.

　Then he suddenly asked.

"Well, thank you for what you did the other day.
"Oh, what are you talking about? The maid's a witch.
"Well, yeah. I don't know how to put it.

　Looking back, I still feel uneasy.

　Even though the suffering that struck her wasn't life-related as Hura said after all. If she hadn't been told that the method of registration would reduce her lifespan, she would still be able to live happily - and probably regret it someday.

"Basically, magic requires a price. The greater the benefit, the greater the price. I'm sure you're aware of that, right?
"...... Yes, I do. It's a hell of a thing.

　It brings back freshness to rotten things. A messy room can be restored in an instant. Easily record sounds and images.

　That kind of power can't be small.

I've been doing a lot of research since then, and I've enlisted the help of a friend to help me gather some data. ...... If Hurrah has any information, I'd like to hear from you.
Of course.
Thanks.

　I nodded hawkishly and turned around.
　He nodded humbly and turned around. The smile on his face did not show his true colors.

　Hurrah said to Futa head on.

I hope you and I can be friends for a long time.
"......?　Oh, thank you.

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

　If you're not sure what you want to do, you can always ask for help.

　Hura puts her hand on the closed door of the treasure room.

　With a gust of wind that resembled a torrent of fighting spirit, the magical light vanished from this place.



All right, it's done. If you force it open, it will explode.
You sure about that, treasure house ......?
No, I've set it so that all the blasts come to the front.
You're good at that, .......
Let's go back. What's next, Mr. Futa?
Nothing much.
Let's go out for a bit!
......, are you sure you're up for this?
"Ha-ha-ha, you're on vacation until I come looking for you!

　Hura said something outrageous and moved ahead of him.
　Futa sighs and follows behind.


　--It's another story that this treasure house will be the cause of a commotion.







And by the way, what's the cost of the magic in this key?
"Hmm. It's simple.

　It's a simple matter," Hura said, raising the corners of her mouth as if to say, "I'm glad you asked.

It's very expensive to refine.
............ Who's money is it going to cost?
Who's money is that? - The government's, of course!