Chapter 50
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I possessed the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 50
After obtaining information about Partanium from the Grand Duke, I immediately set my plan in motion.
I made sure to send a letter to the Magic Tower along with my wish token, complete with sketches and descriptions of the tumbler's design and function.
I'd been anxious about whether it might take too long, but the mysterious power of magic did not betray me.
"Miss! Something arrived from the Magic Tower!"
Had it been two days already?
While the Grand Duke remained secluded within the palace, I was taking tea with Ashley when I bolted upright at the long-awaited news.
"Already?"
"Yes! Huff, huff... Here it is!"
Bonita, breathing heavily as though she'd run without pause, set a letter and a moderately-sized box upon the table.
First, I opened the well-sealed envelope.
The letter stated that they accepted my wish token and would provide Partanium as needed, along with a note that they were sending a sample they had produced for testing purposes.
'It was the right call to take the risk and break through the barrier.'
Recalling my past efforts, I smiled with satisfaction.
Next came the box.
As I peeled away the soft cushioning material, a metal cup lay revealed in all its captivating glory.
"My, it looks just like an ordinary cup on the surface."
"They said it has a mysterious function that maintains the temperature of the liquid inside, so I thought it would have a more grandiose appearance."
"Hehe... this is still just a sample, after all. Once the design is finalized, it will be crafted far more beautifully."
I let out a soft laugh at Bonita's fussing and gently traced my fingers across the cup's surface.
The tumbler's surface, which bore a faint bluish hue, felt distinctly different from the stainless steel cups I was accustomed to.
Yet somehow, it seemed to suit the atmosphere of the manga all the better for it.
With trembling hands, I lifted the sample and gazed at Bonita and Ashley with an expression brimming with emotion.
"Once we engrave the illustration and the Ghost Duke's signature here, it will be complete."
Of course, I still needed to test whether the sample functioned properly and decide on the final design....
'Hehehehe, in any case, the finish line is in sight.'
There was no need to produce in large quantities.
Partanium refining required substantial initial costs, and merchandise like this thrived on scarcity value.
In fact, releasing too many at the outset would likely result in losses.
'A reasonable quantity would be around one hundred units—would that be enough?'
The moment I wondered if that was too few, I recalled the frenzy from the blackout curtain incident.
The readers' relentless orders and the Workshop operating without respite.
Those days when I couldn't even sleep from the overwhelming workload.
'...Should be fine, right?'
Deliberately ignoring the creeping sense of unease, I pulled the cool tumbler close to my chest.
* * *
That afternoon, I hastily began testing the tumbler under the guise of teatime.
"Alright, let's see how it works."
The teapot, which I'd just brought to a rolling boil, was now in my hands.
'First, I need to pour the tea and wait a bit....'
As I tilted the kettle, hot steam rose up and the contents poured into the tumbler.
Splash.
Once the tumbler was about half full and I confirmed there was no deterioration inside, I closed the lid.
Now I just had to wait a few hours, check the contents, and the test would be complete.
"Sigh, I hope the results turn out well."
Feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion, I staggered toward the bed without thinking.
That's when I finally noticed the chaotic state of my bed.
Draft letters I'd been working on, books related to Partanium, draft contracts to send to the Magic Tower....
It was truly a sight that could bring tears—evidence of such fierce effort.
I sighed, tidied up a bit, then plopped myself down in the empty space.
Not long after, Bonita entered the chamber carrying a snack tray.
"Miss, I've prepared some simple sandwiches for you."
"Thank you, Bonita."
By now, even in the Imperial Palace, eating meals on my bed had become second nature.
I took a large bite of a sandwich and found myself thinking.
'First, I'll set the tumbler aside and finish sketching more design concepts.'
As Bonita quickly cleared the empty plate, she glanced at the sketches scattered near the table and asked me.
"Oh my, did you draw all of these yourself?"
"Somewhat?"
"It's nothing new to say, but Miss, it seems there's nothing you can't do."
Listening to Bonita's sincere admiration, I let out an awkward laugh.
'Bonita, if you work at a certain Korean company, you end up being able to do everything.'
A place where the joke about getting hired as an accountant but somehow becoming a design master was actually based in truth.
Suddenly struck by a memory from my past life, I shook my head and refocused on my work.
'I have several tumbler designs, but which one would be more practical here?'
Considering portability, I thought it might be better to hold just one cup's worth rather than a large capacity.
But my past self was a body that ran on large coffees instead of IV fluids.
Since I was already accustomed to venti sizes no matter what I drank, anything too small felt like a waste.
After wrestling with this for a while, I decided to casually ask Bonita, who was waiting nearby.
"Bonita."
"Yes, Miss!"
"If someone carried a cup like this around, would a larger size be better, or a smaller one?"
At my question, Bonita thought for a moment before offering her opinion.
"I think a smaller size would be better. If you had to carry a large cup around, you'd also need to carry a larger bag, which would be inconvenient."
Well, that made sense.
Considering the culture of this world, it was still uncommon to hold a large cup in hand and drink from it while walking about.
In a place where neither nobles nor commoners typically carried large bags, a venti-sized tumbler or larger would likely just become a burden.
Using Bonita's answer as a guide, I began sketching tumbler designs in smaller sizes, one after another.
How many designs had I sketched with my pen? I rubbed my weary eyes with the back of my hand.
Somewhere along the way, the sunset had settled over the world outside.
"Oh no, what about the tea?"
Realizing that more time had passed than I'd anticipated, I hurried toward where the tumbler sat.
Then, after drawing a few deep breaths, I slowly placed my hand on the tumbler's lid.
The result was....
"Oh...!"
A complete success.
Pale wisps of steam rose from within the tumbler, leaving moisture on my face.
It seemed to have even better functionality than the ones I'd used back in Korea?
Partanium, which I'd thought was utterly useless, turned out to be this practical!
I silently cheered and brought the tumbler to my lips.
Indeed, the reward for patience is always sweet.
After savoring the tea for a moment, I gestured toward Bonita beside me.
"Bonita, could you bring me a fresh sheet of stationery?"
"Yes! Of course!"
The functional test had passed with flying colors, so all that remained was to formally commission the Magic Tower.
Once I received the stationery, I quickly wrote a brief note of thanks for their swift work, then moved to the main purpose.
Tumbler sample functional test complete, product design and surface pattern designs enclosed.
And most importantly, the quantity.
'But is one hundred really okay?'
I'd settled on the number while emphasizing the rarity value of merchandise, yet my worries wouldn't easily fade.
Confronted once again with this problem that circled back like a Möbius strip, I gripped my hair in frustration.
Should I prioritize the rarity value, or place a larger order to actually make some money?
Furrowing my brow as I deliberated, I pressed each character firmly onto the stationery.
Tumbler quantity request: 100 units
Filled entirely with my selfish desire to never be this busy again.
Thus, suppressing the creeping anxiety that rose within me, I folded the letter and designs together and placed them in an envelope.
"Bonita, could you send this for me?"
"Yes, I'll deliver it right away!"
As the envelope disappeared from my hands, a sense of liberation washed over me as if I'd just crossed a massive mountain.
'I won't work anymore....'
Thump.
I moved to my bed and collapsed onto it sprawled out.
Never dreaming that I would soon come to regret this very decision.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org