My rest this afternoon was delightful, truly delightful - I didn't dreamt of anything. There was nothing more that I wanted, after all, I had everything worth while, snuggled closed and wrapped by my arms.
After a hour or so of rest, I woke up once more. She was still in my arms, resting her back against me gently. I smile and lean down, kissing her head and whispering. "...Thank you"
She moved ever so slightly against me, cuddling into my arm, which was wrapped around her waist.
I chuckled lightly. "I love you."
She blushed a lovely shade of pink. She inclined her head forward before finally replying. "I... love you too."
I cuddled into her more affectionately, which made her tense for a second, before melting against me.
We laid in that position until I decided that it was time to get back to work, because the sooner it's done - the sooner I will rest again. "Love," I said gently. "Could you let go of me?"
"No!" She quickly shot back, soft but stubborn.
Her pout was adorable. "You don't make it easy, do you?" I teased, but my heart wasn't resisting her. Instead I rolled slightly back, hugging her with both arms. She squeaked in surprise, then melted against my chest, face buried.
Oh, the closeness... It fills me with peace and love.
"Alright, fine... Five more minutes." I murmured, moving lower so we are more face to face.
We stayed like this for a while, not sure if the five minutes have passed but, eh... whatever - this is nice. It wasn't me who reminded her - it was her. She let go of me reluctantly, turning and sitting on the edge of the bed.
I just nodded - after all, it was both of us that needed to go do work now.
I sat down beside her, looking at her slightly guilted expression. "Don't be sad - I will always be here for you."
"It's not that. It's difficult... to let go sometimes." She replied, her expression softening as she met my eyes.
I kissed her forehead, my own chest lighter than before. "That makes two of us."
With that, I stood up and moved to the chair on which I had settled my clothes for outside. I got out of my home-wear and switched it for my out-wear.
Eris' eyes followed me through the whole process, quiet, thoughtful.
When I caught her gaze, I couldn't help but grin. I walked over, leaning down so the distance between us closed. A quick kiss. "See you later, dear. I'm off to finally work with joy again. Love you!"
Her cheeks flushed, but her smile was radiant. I didn't wait for her answer - I wanted to carry her expression with me.
I closed the door once I have left the room. Moments later I heard the coin pouch being moved or picked up.
---
The first place I headed to was the mansion, since I needed to find Kazuma, that's probably where he is. I left my home, thinking about moving in, before going in Acat and taking on the manual control and driving off.
The drive there was as peaceful as before, nothing new here.
---
When I reached the mansion, I got out of Acat and went inside. "Hey guys, I'm home!"
There was no reply.
I went to the living room and found Aqua lazing on the couch with a bottle of bubbly in hand. She sat up and looked at me. "Huh?"
"Huh?" I looked at her the same way she's looking at me.
After a moment of awkward staring, she finally said. "What?"
"Where's Kazuma?" I asked.
"Guild." She simple said before tossing herself back down on the couch and waving me off dismissively.
With a sigh, "thanks," I left the mansion and got back in Acat, rolling into town.
But first I'd make a detour to announce my renewed optimism.
"I have arrived!" I announced, barging in Wiz's shop, the bell ringing.
"Svetislav! You look better. I was worried you seemed so down." Wiz's head popped up from behind the counter, her face lighting up instantly.
"I was," I admitted. "But I think I'm finally back on track."
"That's wonderful!" she said, clasping her hands together.
"Indeed," came a smooth, theatrical voice from the back. Vanir emerged, brushing dust from his gloves. "And here I was thinking you'd keep sulking forever. But alas, our revolutionary returns with new vigor!"
I chuckled, walking to him while pointing at him for a second. "You're not wrong."
We dapped up, Vanir tilting his head. "Oh? Dare I say a certain goddess has something to do with this renewed spark of yours?"
Wiz gasped softly. "Vanir!"
"What?" he said innocently, raising his hands. "It is my duty to state the obvious. Besides, it's delightful to see."
I gave him a wide-eyed stare, nodding slightly. It was clearly a gesture that we are going to talk later.
Wiz beamed at me. "I'm glad you and Aqua are getting along well!"
"Yep!" I said quickly, not even blinking, supporting her delusion.
From the side, Vanir whispered to himself, holding his chin in his hand while a smile was painted on his face. "Great follow-up."
I shot him a look but kept the smile plastered for Wiz. "So anyways, Imma get going, I have to check on Kazuma."
"Alright, see you!" Wiz said cheerfully, giving me a wave.
I stepped outside, the shop bell chiming behind me. But the sound of careful footsteps followed.
Vanir matched my pace.
"Don't edge the concept," I muttered flatly.
"Ahhh," he exhaled with mock sympathy, "but you misunderstand me, dear inventor. I promised in that delightful little contract to keep her identity secret. That much is ironclad." His gloved hand tapped his mask, his voice lowering. "But nowhere did either of you demand silence about the... connection."
I stopped mid-stride, facing him squarely.
"You're right," I admitted. "But can we update that contract a bit? Just between us three. To keep her identity, the connection between us and all information about her."
For once, Vanir didn't answer immediately. He tapped his chin, considering me with more weight than usual.
"You ask a devil to bind themselves twice." His words hung in the air, sharp but thoughtful. "And yet... you have earned that much."
I raised a brow. "So that's a yes?"
"Yes. Between you, her and I... It stays sealed. Unless," he added, "you give me a reason to believe silence does you more harm than good. I am no liar - but I am a pragmatist."
"Fair enough," I said, smirking despite myself.
Vanir simply smiled. "Now go on. I will not shed more of your time."
"Alright, see you later."
And just like that I was walking towards the guild.
Once there, I entered and saw Kazuma at one of the tables, drinking something.
"Yo, Kaz!" I said, moving towards him.
He turned to me. "What's up?"
"I went to Vanir about the product that we would be making."
"Great, so he has found a craftsman ship."
"Yep. Now listen. I will come to the mansion tonight, would you mind showing me the process of making a lighter?"
Kazuma raised his brows, surprised. "Already, huh? You don't waste time."
"You know me."
"Fair." He crossed his arms, tilting his head as if weighing my request. "The process isn't hard, but it is tedious. Lots of little steps, and if you miss one - worthless scrap."
"Details don't scare me," I reply, "besides, I need to understand it myself before i can even thing of streamlining it. As I like to say - everything needs to go through your hands first if you want to improve it."
Kazuma sighed. "Fine. Tonight, after dinner. I'll show you the whole process from start to finish. But." He jabbed a finger towards me, "you're bringing your own materials. I'm not eating into my batch."
"Deal," I nodded once.
"Also," he added, smirking, "you owe me a drink. Teacher's fee"
"Done. But don't expect the expensive stuff," I shot back with mock seriousness.
Kazuma chuckled and gave me a casual wave. "Alright then, see you. Just don't show too late, i ain't waking to teach you."
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. See you later."
And just like that, I went back to Wiz and Vanir.
Where I announced myself and sat down, talking with Vanir for random topics - well, mostly him - I was drawing a schematic for a lighter of my own, fueled by bio-diesel. Inspired by my old days of playing Minecraft Create mod with add-ons. The Diesel Generators add-on at that. It did had a pretty cool lighter, which you simply needed to fuel yourself and then use.
I sat on the table, notebook before me, my charcoal pencil, which I had to make manually, scratching on the pages.
"Hoh? So your tinkering roots reach back to that peculiar world of blocks and contraptions. Fascinating! I had assumed yours obsession was merely with fire and its containers, but no - you've unearthed a lineage of thought."
"Lineage makes it sound too grand," I muttered, sketching a tiny valve assembly. "It was just a game. Messing around with moving parts, power loops... but it stuck."
Vanir stood up, leaning over my shoulder to examine the sketch. "A lighter fueled by... what did you call it? Bio-diesel? Organic fire-blood distilled from nature itself. Hoh hoh, I can already see the marketing pitch: 'harness the crops of the field to light your smoke or stove!'"
"Bit long," I said, adjusting the nozzle angle on the page.
"Details, details," Vanir waved a hand before going back to sit opposite of me. "In commerce, the right aesthetic makes the masses overlook clunky phrasing. Though... hmm..." He tapped his chin. "It does raise questions of scalability. Will every commoner be willing to maintain such a fuel source?"
"I'm not actually planning mass production," I replied, eyes still on the blueprint. "Just... testing ideas. The industrial stuff excites me, but I lite when it feels personal. Like an extension of myself."
Vanir chuckled low, folding his arms on the table. "And yet, every creator who says such things inevitably sets the world ablaze with their extensions. Today a hobbyist, tomorrow an empire."
Wiz, who had been dusting the shelves, looked over with a bright smile. "That sounds nice though, doesn't it? An empire of inventions that helps people?"
"Yes, yes, delightful for them," Vanir drawled, "until our dear Svetislav is drowned in contracts, patents, and petty lawsuits from jealous rivals. Ahh, the sweet scent of ambition!"
I gave him a teasing look. "You sound almost eager for that future."
He spread his hands innocently. "What can I say? Watching mortals wrestle with the fruits of their own genius is endlessly entertaining. And also delicious."
I shook my head, finishing the sketch with a final line and settling the chunk of charcoal in my astral storage. "I think I liked it better when you were mocking my mood swings."
"Oh, worry not," Vanir said smoothly, "I can multitask."
I leaned my head on my palm and tapped the side of my head.
"Alright, olive oil's easy. Plenty of that. But the actual fuel... ethanol? Methanol? Ugh, what was it again??"
I muttered it under my breath like an incantation gone wrong.
Vanir's head tilted, amusement radiating even without visible eyes. "Hoh? Our great visionary, conqueror of steam and sparks, felled by the names of alcohols? Truly tragic."
I glared at him. "Do you know how many sleepless nights I've spent trying to remember formulas from a world that doesn't even exist here?"
He leaned on the table, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial purr. "Ethanol, my industrious friend. The same delightful brew that fuels drunkards and lamps alike. Produced not from oil, but from fermentation. Grains, fruits, sugars - let them rot properly and they shall reward you."
Wiz blinked, setting down a jar she'd been rearranging. "So basically... wine?"
"Yes, yes!" Vanir spread his arms theatrically. "Strip the spirit of its intoxicating soul, and it becomes a clean-burning servant for your machines. Alchemical distillation! Of course, you mortals prefer to waste it on singing terribly in taverns." He said the last part while waving dismissively.
I rubbed my temple. "So all I need is sugar-rich crops and a distillation setup. Simple in theory, pain in practice."
"Ah, but therein lies your true delight," Vanir said smoothly. "For you are not a man who seeks ease, Svetislav. You are a man who craves a puzzle to devour. Admit it - your fingers itch at the thought of cobbling together a still from scrap."
I gave him a begrudging smile. "...Maybe."
"Ha!" He clapped his hands. "There it is. That dangerous gleam in your eyes. If you succeed, the lighter will burn hotter, cleaner, and longer. If you fail, you'll stink of half-rotten grape mash. Either way, I win."
"Of course," I muttered, closing my notebook.
Now my focus shifted on what I would have to do - grape is rich in sugars, so if i use that I could also make a wine factory, which reminds me of Aqua's idea.
"You know, this reminds me - Aqua once told me to make a wine factory. Probably cuz she wants free booze." I leaned back, crossing my arms and chuckling to myself. Ahh, good times...
Vanir barked out a laugh. "Ahh, the goddess of hangovers herself. A noble suggestion - if only for her own liver." After this he leaned back forward, supporting himself on his elbows. "Do you see? Your ethanol supply chain has already been blessed by divine foresight. All you must do is disguise a fuel refinery as a wine factory, and everyone will cheer you on. Truly ingenious!"
I gave him a flat look, seeing where all of this would go. "...You just want to see the chaos when people realize they can't actually drink half of what I make."
"Oh no, no," he wagged a finger, "they can drink it. They simply shouldn't. Big difference."
Wiz looked nervously at us. "That sounds dangerous..."
"Dangerous?" Vanir's grin sharpened. "My dear Wiz, it sounds hilarious."
I look Wiz straight in the eyes and say. "Wiz, do you mind if I borrow your brewing equipment for a bit? I need to make ethanol."
Her hands flew up to her cheeks. "E-ethanol? You mean... alcohol?" She fidgeted. "I... suppose I could, but please don't blow up the shop."
Vanir leaned in with a devilish grin. "Oh-ho, I like where this is going. Science and sorcery all in one neat little package. Carry on, inventor, carry on!"
We moved to the backroom. I squeezed some orange in the flask and gave energy to it, there was probably yeast in there. The smell instantly began to change. Because of it I was able to stop the process. And so now I had orange wine. I raise my hand and take a sip. I made a weird expression. "Early stage vinegar." So now I simply needed to separate everything.
I transformed everything that isn't ethanol into information, leaving me with a pure colored liquid. After this, I poured olive oil in it, stirring until something happened. I had made bio-diesel.
"Alright, back to the table, I need a lighter, and I already have a design prepared." I said with a smirk, moving back to the front room of the shop, and sitting down.
Opening my notebook, I began by making the mechanism casing, It was simple, a string was would when you pour in the fuel, which then pushes it back out, the button on the side it simply to flick flint and steel! and lit the light mist which sprays out of the nozzle.
The casing was nothing that complex, a brass rectangular shape with no sharp edges and a cap, which I could open with a simple motion of the wrist.
Wiz stared wide-eyes, hands on her mouth. "T-that's... that's dangerous!"
"Dangerous," I said with a smirk, pouring the biodiesel into the reservoiv, "and beautiful."
Vanir chuckled as he saw me playing with the lighter cap. "And entirely unnecessary, which makes it perfect."
I held the lighter up, finger on the button. "Now... check this shit out."
Click
A mist sprayed from the nozzle, before inevitably igniting in a sharp, bright glame that dangced with unnatural life.
The fire wasn't that big, because the string didn't have enough power, but it was practical.
Wiz yelped, nearly stumbling back. "I-It actually works?!"
I snapped the cap closed with a satisfying clack, killing the flame instantly. I twirled the lighter between my fingers. "Oh, it does."
Vanir simply sat there, delighted. "Glorious!" He murmured.
I looked out of the window, the setting sun casting beautiful shadows on the streets. "...It seems it's my time to leave."
Vanir tilted his head. "Ah, the hero departs, leaving behind flames both literal and metaphorical." He spread his arms dramatically. How poetic."
I stood up, before stepping up.
Without missing a beat, Vanir met me halfway. Clap. A firm dap, clean and crisp. "Splendid!" he laughed, squeezing my hand before pulling away. "A true partnership of chaos and innovation."
And so I moved to the door. "Thanks guys, it was more fun than I expected."
Her expression softened, and she gave a warm little smile. "You're always welcome here. Just... please, no more brewing experiments without warning, alright?"
"No promises," I said.
And just like that I went out. I headed towards the guild.
Like always, it was buzzing with noise, adventurers already half-drunk through the night had barely started. I scanned the tables until I spotted them - Kazuma, Megumin, Darkness and Aqua huddled together, halfway through a meal.
"Yo!" I called, waving as I strode over.
Kazuma looked up mid-bite. "Yo. Took you long enough."
I dropped onto the bench beside them, leaning forward with a satisfied sigh. "Can you blame me? Had a great day. Real productive."
Megumin perked up immediately. "Productive how? Did you blow something up without me?!"
I chuckled and reached into my pocket. "Not quite, but close." With a flick of my wrist, the lighter cap opened with a nice metallic sound. I pressed the button and a flame appeared.
"See?" I said proudly, holding it steady. "Portable, Practical, and beautiful. Look at that brassy shine."
Megumin gasped. "It's like... like carrying a tiny explosion at your fingertips!"
"You stole that from me." Kazuma said, giving me a side glare.
"Yeah, but I am not selling it so-"
Darkness looked impressed. "Mind if I test it?"
"Sure, ahead." I gave her the lighter.
"As I was saying. It's for personal use, can't I be a bit unique?" - I shrugged.
Then after a little silence had settled I turned to Aqua, who had been blinking in awe like a child. "Oh, and Aqua - remember when you told me to make a wine factory?"
Her head snapped towards me, eyes wide. "You mean-?!"
"The wine factory might be coming to life soon," I said casually, leaning on the table like it was no big deal.
She slammed her palms down rattling the mugs. "FINALLY!!!"
Kazuma pinched the bridge of his nose. "Dear god, you're just encouraging her."
I just laughed.
And so the night went pretty well, after dinner I went with them to the mansion, where Kazuma taught me how to make the lighter... It was genuinely too simple. Just place and screw the things together.