Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Hey, hey, Master, are you really sure about this?”

On the way to the atelier, Melua peered anxiously into my face.

“If you mean practice, I’m planning to do more once I get back to the dorm. I don’t think I’ve caught up just because of today’s session.”

At my answer, Melua blinked in confusion and came to a stop. For some reason, she let out a long sigh.

Had I misunderstood something? I intended to take this seriously since I’d agreed to it, but I was still an amateur. Maybe there was a difference in perspective between me and people like Estea. Still, I wouldn’t know unless I asked.

“…Was there something wrong with that?”
“That’s not what I meant~! I’m talking about Marie’s magic cannon!”

Melua swayed dramatically and raised her voice a little.

Her answer was completely different from what I had expected, and I let out a relieved, awkward laugh.

“Oh. If it’s that, I already have the blueprints drawn up. We might need a bit of trial and error, though.”
“Huh? What did you just say?”

Melua immediately leaned closer, as if straining her ears.

“…We might need a bit of trial and error?”

Thinking she hadn’t heard me properly, I repeated myself. But Melua vigorously shook her head and fiddled with her ear using her pinky finger.

“No, no, no! I’m pretty sure I heard something about blueprints just now!?”
“Yeah, I did say that.”

Ah, so that was what had surprised her.

After all, I had been busy repairing Hom’s guitar, so she was probably worried I hadn’t had time to think about the magic cannon. It would be better to reassure her.

“Actually, since the engineering department classes were open-ended projects, I already came up with several possible designs based on what you told me yesterday.”
“You came up with several designs!? Wha—! Seriously, my master is unbelievable! That’s way too insane!”
“…Is it?”

As always, Melua’s threshold for surprise seemed unusually low.

It didn’t feel like she was just flattering me, either. Which probably meant that, without realizing it, I had gone overboard again.

“That’s exactly my point! I mean, I’m a Special-Class Alchemist, you know? Before I met a genuine genius like you, Master, people used to call me the Genius Beautiful Girl Alchemist and I totally owned that title! But then… then this happens! How are you doing in a day or two what I couldn’t figure out after a whole year!?”

Melua rattled all that off in one breath, making her feelings perfectly clear.

It wasn’t jealousy.

It was admiration.

That was very much like Melua. And honestly, it made things easier for me too, since it meant I could act naturally around her.

“Well… I’ve always liked thinking about this sort of thing. Besides, I already have a stockpile of ideas.”
“Who stocks up on magic cannon ideas!? More importantly, who even thinks about building one themselves!?”

Ah, right.

This era was relatively peaceful.

The very idea of developing weapons was probably unusual. It wasn’t as though I could explain that I had lived through the Great Human-Demon War in a previous life and had received requests for weapons and magical devices from not only humanity but even the Kamut.

“Well… with Hom planning to enter the military department, I figured something like this might be useful someday.”
“Aaah, it’s Hom again~. She’s way too spoiled! I’m so jealous!”
“If Blood Grail isn’t enough, I could always make something else for you too.”
“No way!”

Melua reacted as if she’d been caught completely off guard. She stiffened upright and stared at me with wide eyes.

“Really?”

I thought she didn’t need to hold back, but if this was her way of showing consideration, there was no point forcing the issue. When I pressed her a little further, she fidgeted awkwardly before finally seeming to resign herself.

“Ugh… I know you’ll probably think I’m greedy for saying this, but honestly… if it’s something you made, Master, I’d want just about anything.”
“…Haha.”

Her honesty was so absolute that I couldn’t help laughing.

“Then I’ll make something customized specifically for you, Melua. That way, it’ll feel worthwhile for me too.”
“Really!?”

Both of Melua’s Pure Eyes sparkled with golden light.

It wasn’t quite as obvious as with Alfe, but the way their Pure Eyes shone whenever they were happy seemed to be something they shared.

“Of course. Though I’ll probably be using materials from the atelier—”
“Come on! Use as much as you want! Seriously, treat them like water!”

With that, Melua broke into a radiant grin and happily threw open the door to the atelier.