I Was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but That World Is at Peace

Slumped where she had collapsed, Marie stared at the teleportation magic tool with eyes full of despair.

[……Um…… how much would you estimate this is worth?]

[There can be variation depending on the spell formula…… Ahh, there’s a manual here. Fumu…… I see…… Lady Marie, I believe this uses a nearly up-to-date magic formula. It’s probably the type that can readily transfer between the Human Realm and the Demon Realm.]

[H- Hyiiih……]

[No matter how you estimate it, I’d say it’s on the order of several hundred white gold coins……]

[Awawawawawa…… T- That’s easily worth more than our estate!?]

Hearing the maid’s words, Marie trembled and turned deathly pale. To be frank, it was an ultra-luxury item she’d never seen before, and just hearing the estimated price drained the color from her face.

[T- T- T- This is the return gift? No, no, no!? I mean, a ripple costs about 2R each! The ripples I sent were at most 6 or 7 copper coins…… and the return gift is several hundred white gold coins…… I- It’s just so expensive, I’m terrified. U- Umm, you’re not my personal maid or anything, but please……]

[Yes, rest assured. Until Master returns, I will guard Lady Marie and the teleportation magic tool. That said, an item of this class is so prohibitively valuable that almost no one would try to steal it, and even those who might would likely avoid it because the risk is too great……]

A teleportation magic tool more valuable than the Ritch Barony’s manor…… It couldn’t just be left here, so for now, it would be stored in Marie’s magic box, but possessing something so high-end terrified her.

It wasn’t that someone was targeting her or that burglars would break into the Ritch Barony, she was simply uneasy because it was so extravagantly expensive.

[……Um, Lady Marie. Is there a possibility that that esteemed one desires you…… as a woman, and sent such a luxurious gift as an indirect gesture?]

[Definitely not. It’s not just that Miyama Kaito-sama isn’t the sort to buy a woman with money…… but fundamentally, I’m not worth this much. Not out of self-deprecation, but objectively, the fourth daughter of a poor Barony wouldn’t command several hundred white gold coins. Even if I were an unparalleled beauty, it wouldn’t be possible. If anything, I’m someone the Ritch Barony finds somewhat difficult to handle.]

The Ritch Barony didn’t have much power as a noble house. They didn’t have the means to provide suitable positions or marriage matches for all their children.

In practice, the Eldest Son, who is the heir, and the Eldest Daughter, entrusted with managing the estate…… and perhaps the Second Son and Second Daughter as their assistants, can be provided for by the Barony, but beyond that, most must find work on their own.

As for Marie, she was studying accounting and aiming for a national certification; if she could pass the difficult exam, she might get into the estate’s accounting department, but it’s a narrow gate and quite difficult.

[If I don’t get the national certification, I’ll probably take an office job at some trading company…… Either way, it’s likely I’ll end up with a status similar to a commoner. We have few connections, so marriage prospects are unlikely…… The Ritch Barony is poor but not destitute, so they wouldn’t arrange marriage or an affair for money, but even if that were the case, I’d only be worth one white gold coin at best, two would be an exceptionally high price. This teleportation magic tool is completely out of proportion.]

[I see…… then why not become a maid in the future?]

[Being a maid is harder than getting the national accounting certification…… Besides, I can’t use magic, so it’s impossible for me.]

In this world, a maid is considered an elite profession, someone who possesses knowledge, skill, and combat ability at the highest level. There is a vast difference between an ordinary servant and a maid, only those who pass the strict examinations of the World Maid Association are permitted to call themselves maids.

Naturally, they are highly paid. The Ritch Barony employs a fair number of ordinary servants, but due to the high wages, they can only afford to hire five maids.

[……Then that means this really is a return gift for the ripples, isn’t it? Truly astounding.]

[……My stomach honestly feels like it’s twisting into knots. He said he bought the materials and had it made himself, but the magic crystal itself is already unbelievably expensive, isn’t it?]

[A crystal of this size, with over 90% purity, is not just costly but also nearly impossible to obtain without strong connections in the magic crystal trade. Processing something of this size requires top-class craftsmanship as well. Among magic tool trading companies, only the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company would likely be able to handle stock of this class with ease.]

[Well, Miyama Kaito-sama is Kuromueina-sama’s lover. His ties with the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company would be quite strong…… Um, just to confirm…… would it be unacceptable…… to claim this as Barony property instead?]

[He presented it to you, Lady Marie, did he not? In that case, for the Barony to take possession of it would come across as an insult to him……]

[I thought so…… but now my assets have surpassed Elder Brother’s and Elder Sister’s…… I really…… really feel sick to my stomach.]

If asked who the rightful owner of this teleportation magic tool was, the answer was obvious: since Kaito gifted it to Marie, for anyone else to claim it would risk being seen as an affront to him.

That meant the teleportation magic tool could only belong to Marie, and the Baron and his wife would surely conclude the same. Marie’s mind understood this…… but her stomach rejected it entirely, sending sharp, stabbing pain as if to voice its protest.

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<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [Maids are the chosen elite…… W- Well, leaving that aside, for the sake of easy calculation: if we value the teleportation magic tool Kaito gifted at around 300 white gold coins, and the ripples Marie gave at about 6 copper coins…… that works out to a 50,000-fold return gift…… No wonder her stomach is screaming. And it should be about time for the Baron and his wife to return, right?]