Author: TA☆KA	Original Source: Kakuyomu / Syosetu
Translator: Jiro	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

Her response made me realize that the people of this country—or at least this village—lived by the principle that they should use whatever they had if it was sufficient. They didn’t feel the need to go out of their way to use Magic Tools.

Even so, the standard of living wasn’t that low—it was quite modern. At the very least, it wasn’t medieval or anything. I’d say it felt like we were in the 19th century. However, the lack of internal combustion engines gave things a slightly odd vibe.

Maybe that was the reason. A world where Magic Technology had advanced in place of internal combustion engines?

(What was this worldview called again?)

By the way, I couldn’t use the Magic Tools. It was wrong to say that I couldn’t use them. I just wasn’t able to activate them. In other words, I didn’t have the authority to switch the main power on or off.

I could only use what was already activated. Let’s take the shower for instance. If the Magic Tool was already turned on, I could make the water run, and I could adjust the water temperature. However, if I were alone, I wouldn’t be able to activate the Magic Tool, and thus I wouldn’t be able to use it.

You needed to be officially qualified to activate Magic Tools. There was an entire national certification system, officially recognized by Aurora, known as the “Magic Technician Qualification Examination.”

To be honest, the name sounded as far from fantasy as possible, but I assumed that the exam’s content may be more fantasy-like. If a person passed the examination, a Magic Seal corresponding to their qualification grade would be recorded in their etheric body. Once imprinted with this seal, items restricted to only qualified personnel, such as Magic Tools, could be activated by that individual.

Apparently, with a Fourth Grade Magic Technician Certificate, one was allowed to activate Magic Tools. Those who’d attained the Third Grade could fill Magic Cells with Mana, which was a vital skill for daily life.

Second Grades and above were even allowed to maintain and develop Magic Tools.

Holding a Second Grade certificate meant you wouldn’t struggle to make a living. It seemed that the village’s Magic Tool Shop owner was a Second Grade Magic Technician. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to run his business.

(Huh? Then what about the First Grade?)

It turned out that First Grade holders were practically deities! The difference between the Second and First Grades was enormous.

Those who reached the First Grade gained permission to develop entirely new Magic. Supposedly, experimenting with unregulated or potentially dangerous Magic was strictly prohibited by the country; as such, once one became a First Grade holder, they were allowed to perform such research. Moreover, First Grade holders were qualified to teach at the highest educational institutions, such as universities¹.

In fact, Professor Henry Jameson was a First Grade Magic Technician!

For the record, all the adults in the Cloud family were Third Grade holders. Since anyone in the house could refill the Magic Cells, we didn’t need to worry about them running out of Mana.

That knowledge gave me a sense of relief, but what really surprised me was learning that not only Sir Howard but also Miss Sonia and Miss Elrose could use Magic.

Furthermore, the qualification could be obtained in major cities and the Royal Capital, so if one entered a high school in a major city, they could take the Magic Technology lessons and obtain the qualification that way.

If the level of the school one was applying to was high, they’d immediately obtain the certification by just passing the entrance exam. As a result, nearly 100 percent of students in our village pursued enrolling in high schools in major cities.

This also meant that none of the children currently in the village could activate Magic Tools. However, Cara and her friends, who were set to leave for further studies after the summer, were expected to return with their certifications in hand.

Hmph! And just so you know, I wasn’t the least bit frustrated over this! Okay?!

◇◇◇

It was a typical summer afternoon, and as usual, I was kidnapped by Mia right after finishing up the post-lunch cleaning.

On sunny days, she would drag me outside without fail, and even on rainy days, she would spend time with me in my room. Honestly, there wasn’t a single day that passed without me meeting her.

Mama Sonia and Papa Howard seemed genuinely pleased that I got along so well with the village kids. They always welcomed Mia warmly.

Additionally, Bibi was always there to show me around the village.

No matter where we went, she greeted everyone cheerfully and explained things about the various village facilities. She was collected and really dependable. If I had to pick, I’d say I trusted her the most.

Mia, on the other hand, was my comfort zone.

Even when I began panicking over something, I’d immediately settle down if she was there. Especially since her bust, or breasts, or b̲o̲o̲b̲s̲ were there… My inner old man couldn’t help but revel in this bliss!

During the first half of summer vacation, Mia often took me along everywhere, but Cara and the other older girls would often kidnap me as well. It even made me wonder if they knew where Mia and I were headed, as they almost always managed to catch us at our destinations!

The first time Cara and the others abducted me, they dragged me straight to someone’s house.

After which they began the dress-up game.

At first, I was completely embarrassed when they made me strip down to my underwear. I’d even grown teary-eyed and hidden in a corner. But even in such moments, if Mia’s chest was nearby, I’d recover quickly.

I felt that my sense of shame and my girlish mind had become pronounced ever since coming here. If I’d still been a man, I would’ve never felt such embarrassment or gone to hide in the corner with teary eyes. Just that alone was proof that I was changing.

So, after eventually stripping me of my clothes, I was then made to change one by one into costumes that the three girls had brought with them.

From a normal costume to a boyish one, to a ridiculous one, to a funky one. All of the girls seemed delighted and were laughing their heads off. If they had phones, they would’ve snapped a ton of pictures of me!

Especially Alicia! She would bring clothes that left me wondering where she even got them and whether she was maybe genuinely passionate about this type of thing.

I was fine with Gothic Lolita stuff. The punk-style outfit with lots of leather belts was surprisingly cool, despite being a bit cringey! But where on earth had she gained that outfit with the shredded leather here and there? It made me question if it was something that The Conqueror of Century’s End would wear or if it was some sort of bondage outfit with it looking like it was going to reveal the most important parts².

But from this, I realized one thing—the outfit with the tiered skirt, ribbons, and countless layers, my absolute favorite, was the most extravagant ensemble I had ever worn.

It made me feel like a princess from a fairytale or someone from the Takarazuka Revue³. I couldn’t resist becoming thrilled myself. I awakened to the fact that I actually liked this kind of thing.

I found myself admiring my reflection in the mirror over and over again, from different angles. Spinning around, I delighted in how the soft cherry-colored fabric of the skirt caught the light, spreading a gorgeous rose-pink glow with every movement. Without realizing it, I kept twirling and posing alone in front of the mirror.

Before I knew it, the older girls were flailing around as if they were about to die from sheer excitement. Mia turned bright red, breathing heavily while calling my name over and over, which was honestly a little scary. Even Bibi, who had come with us that day, blushed and made an awkward expression.

I suddenly came to my senses, overwhelmed by embarrassment. Since we were at Jessica’s house that day, I let out a high-pitched scream, “Unyaaaaa!” and dove straight into her bed, trying to hide myself.

But right after that, they forcibly dragged me out of bed, and the older girls and Mia began teasing me endlessly.

I found myself being squished and rotated between soft, squishy bodies. I was going dizzy. In the middle of all of it, I felt hands touching me in various places and even in some weird ones!

(Mia, those are your hands, aren’t they!! I only realized it recently, you know!)

Still, I couldn’t exactly complain, considering I was pressing myself into Mia’s soft curves without restraint either.

And so, in what felt like the blink of an eye, we spent the first half of our summer vacation passed in these boisterous days.

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Footnotes:

Robinxen: This world building is utterly bizarre but I will allow because my magitech soul is satisfied.
TL/N: The Conqueror of Century’s End is a reference to the character Raoh from the anime/manga Hokuto no Ken.
TL/N: Takarazuka Revue is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.