Cider just shrugged his shoulders even after seeing the Queen's reaction.
"To get to the point, what you'll see today is technology that splits one magic stone into two and utilizes the recovery properties of the cross-section. Professor Brandon Gale's laboratory here discovered that attraction occurs between precisely divided magic stones."
Applause poured out for Professor Gale. Esperanza had met that professor several times. It had been over a year already, but she hadn't known he was the person who had prepared this demonstration together.
"And as a result of additional research, we were able to create two magical devices that connect regardless of distance using that attraction."
He boldly omitted detailed principles to match the eye level of ordinary people who knew nothing. It was an excellent choice. A few people would have started dozing off if just two more sentences had been added here.
"Basically, everything from sending signals to communication and even location tracking is possible. This function is semi-permanent, and the connection is complete. Remote control is also possible. For instance, we could turn the phonograph in President Durand's residence on and off from this Augustus Palace. President Durand would have quite a headache, but it's possible. As long as they're connected."
The backs of the generals sitting with their arms crossed straightened vertically. The Prime Minister could be seen scolding them about something.
"Where there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. Connection is only possible one-to-one. Professor Gale's laboratory has conducted experiments dividing magic stones into thirds and quarters, but confirmed that sufficient attraction only occurs when divided in half. If anyone here is planning additional experiments, please keep this in mind."
Businessmen who had seemed ready to leap onto the stage cleared their throats.
Esperanza watched Cider demonstrate simple technology. It was similar to the communication devices they shared, but more complete in that there were no distance limitations. Esperanza's communication device was absolutely unusable at long distances.
The fact that Professor Gale was a magic stone researcher was something Esperanza already knew. Unless they had replaced the professor for this occasion just yesterday, this technology must be what Cider had planned to present at today's demonstration.
'Has his memory returned?'
There was no basis for certainty. He might have found the technology to use in the demonstration while rummaging through the study. But...
Esperanza slowly fidgeted with her fingertips. The technology could be figured out by other methods, but that habit of naturally placing her hand on his sleeve was something Cider without his memory couldn't have known.
What an annoying person.
'If he found his memory, he should have told me.'
From when exactly had his memory returned? It was certain that he who had been wary of Esperanza at first had become affectionate from some point. Whether his memory had returned from then, she didn't know.
If his memory had returned when they were rummaging through photo albums in the study... that would be really outrageous. Of course, finding his memory was a good thing, and it was even more fortunate that he seemed uninjured. Esperanza looked up at Cider with dissatisfaction.
There was also time to directly try using the communication devices they had brought, with the Queen taking the first turn. Duke Galliston, standing on the opposite side of the large hall, communicated with the Queen.
"Long-distance communication would be difficult to see here. Show other functions instead, if you would."
Professor Gale stepped forward and demonstrated various functions.
While everyone was focused on the professor's hands, Cider slipped back. Esperanza, who had no interest in the communication device, grabbed Cider as soon as he emerged from among the people.
"Your memory...!"
"Shh."
Cider, pressing Esperanza's lips with his fingertips, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and came out to the corridor.
"What happened?"
"It would be nice if my memory naturally returned, but that wasn't the case."
"That, I can tell by looking too."
At Esperanza's words through gritted teeth, Cider spoke in a slightly lower voice.
"So there was no other method. I drank it."
"The potion?"
Esperanza whispered-shouted.
"I said it was painful. Painful enough to make you faint. I told you not to drink it!"
"But it was more manageable than I thought."
"...Manageable enough for me to drink?"
"That's not the case."
Complete lies. Esperanza exhaled deeply.
"Doesn't it still hurt?"
"The pain was brief. I'm fine now and my memory is fine too. Now, we can't be out here long..."
Esperanza silently hugged Cider tightly. It should be okay for a moment.
Duke Galliston, who had been about to open the door and come out, hesitated. He closed the door again with a deep sigh.
"Let's go in now."
The demonstration was successful. The Queen and Grand Duke seemed pleased to receive gifts of accessories using magic stones, and businessmen asked with sparkling eyes if there were any thoughts of selling the technology. The Prime Minister also looked satisfied. It could be said that everything worth gaining from playing the fool at this bothersome event had been obtained.
At the time when gas lamps were being lit one by one on the dusky road, the steam carriage of the Avondale Count family also emerged from Augustus Palace.
Opening the bedroom door, Cider habitually turned on the automaton.
'Ah, his memory had returned.'
Esperanza, who had dried her wet hair in front of the automaton, looked back at Cider. Despite holding a book, their eyes met immediately.
"Come here."
When she grabbed the extended hand, her body was almost sucked into the bed. Esperanza burst into hollow laughter at the absurdity.
"What are you doing?"
"It's been a while."
"Whose fault is it that it's been a while?"
"My fault."
Only after a burst of laughter did it sink in. Everything had returned to normal. Both of them were considerably relieved by this fact.
Cider held Esperanza's shoulders and slowly stroked them. The thin nightgown hem wrinkled. Esperanza, who had been savoring the long-familiar sensation, looked up at Cider. Eyes full of affection. This too was familiar.
"You know what? I hate it when you're in pain."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"I understand there was no other method, but no, if I had just kidnapped Galliston..."
"Not a chance."
"Ah, right. Not a chance. Anyway!"
Esperanza deliberately rolled her eyes and glared at Cider. Cider tilted his head like a child who had secretly eaten candy.
"Sorry for worrying you. I should have obediently taken it when you first brought it, right? It would have ended quickly then."
"You suddenly collapsed, and I thought you were dying. How is that a good idea?"
Does drinking that potion return memory but make you stupid? Esperanza tapped Cider's forehead with her fingertips. Regardless, Cider just said annoying things.
"Right. You wouldn't have even gotten to feel like you were kissing another man."
"Ah, shut up."
She pinched the back of his hand hard but it didn't seem to hurt. He looked pleased. More than Esperanza even.
"You said it would be fine even without memory."
"I thought so. But living having forgotten such memories would be too wasteful. Don't you think?"
His thought that there would be no problem even without memory had been sincere. However, as forgotten memories returned one by one with excruciating pain, he humbly acknowledged that such thinking had merely been the product of ignorance. Without these memories, he would have been incomplete for life.
"Just try going to such strange places again."
Esperanza's voice also softened as her anger subsided. Cider was kissing the top of her hair when he suddenly exclaimed.
"What?"
At her question asked while only rolling her eyes upward, he reached out and grabbed Esperanza's wristwatch placed on the table.
"I said it probably wasn't just a watch."
"Why are you talking as if you didn't make it yourself?"
"The watch was made by a watch company, and what I made was... this."
It was the decorative parts on both sides of the watch. Both sides were designed to open, and inside were very small mechanical devices intricately intertwined.
Cider took out a magic stone from the drawer and inserted it into a groove in the middle of the device. When he turned on the switch, the device began to operate. Esperanza, who had been leaning her head against Cider and watching, realized that the magic stone was not a typical sphere but a hemisphere.
"This is that thing! What you showed at the demonstration!"
Now that she thought about it, the Queen and Grand Duke probably didn't really need functions like "sending signals," but there was a reason he had brought up that story before other functions. It was a function more necessary for Esperanza and Cider.
"You can use it in dungeons too. Never again will there be worrying because we can't contact each other like on the train."
He must have kept it in his heart even while pretending otherwise. Besides the train dungeon, there had been several times when problems arose from inability to communicate.
Esperanza recalled what Cider had said at the demonstration.
Complete connection.
"As long as nothing like this time happens..."
"My lady, I lost three years of memory but fell in love with you again in less than three days. Isn't that enough?"
"I'll think about that."
Burrowing into the familiar embrace, Esperanza muttered words she didn't mean. Cider also laughed as if understanding the unspoken feelings.