Who is the Strongest Appraiser?

After this there won't be any skipped chapters even if bits and pieces were already translated in the LN.

Chapter 29

"It's just that perfume is difficult to get people to pick up," Leo said.

Yuri nodded in agreement with Leopold's murmuring words, while Relei and Tifana looked at them with expressions that seemed to say, "What can you do?" Today, when Leopold came to play, he kidnapped Yuri to have a tea party with him in the garden of the hideout. He was kidnapped while they were discussing what to have for lunch.

Leopold's reasoning at the time was, "You can't let Yuri make dinner every day! Get off your butt and do it yourself sometimes!!" Yuri had been in charge of cooking since she came to the hideout. He was happy to do it, so they let it slide, but it was true that he never had a day off.

...There was a time when Ari tried to give Yuri a break, but she was about to cry with a look of a small animal and asked, "...Am I in the way?" So they let her continue helping. For Otomen, having their beloved housework taken away from them is apparently as painful as a child lamenting having their game taken away...probably.

"Even just the idea of buying perfume makes me hesitate, and on top of that, Leone-san's prices are quite high..."

"Relay-chan, it's not needlessly expensive, you know? I carefully select my materials and choose the scents very carefully."

"I understand that, but it's still out of reach for a lot of people, you know~"

"...That's why I sell even small bottles that you wouldn't find in normal shops."

Leorei smiled wryly as she spoke, while Leopold muttered with a slight pout.

In reality, the perfume Leopold made was known for its high quality. However, it was sold at a reasonable price compared to its cost. It was without a doubt a high-quality perfume, and many people in the capital city of Draherun used it. Some even came to buy it for their own special, original blend. Despite his incredible skill, Leopold remained humble and was a craftsman who deserved praise in his own way.

"However, due to her invincible drag queen nature, only those who can withstand it approach her.

(TL: My mtl just spat out ‘invincible drag queen nature’, which I was not expecting LOL.)

In the first place, ordinary people don't use much perfume. To be precise, they don't understand how to use it well. Only slightly wealthy people wear it, but ordinary commoners don't use it. Rather, they can't use it. And the adventurers here don't use it because they are concerned about the smell that could get picked up by beasts.

Leo constantly complains about this. He claims that the perfume he makes can also be used to eliminate body odor. In addition, there are combinations of scents that certain monsters avoid. He insists that there should be many ways to use it, but no one agrees with him because of its few uses and high price.

Leo, as usual, vents his frustration. Tifana soothes him. Relei drinks tea while laughing in a troubled way. While watching the three women, Yuri murmured alone.

"Why don't you just use an aroma pendant?"

[“...Huh?”]

Yuri repeated once again, "Aromatherapy pendant." It's an accessory designed to enjoy the fragrance of perfume. The metal container is attached to the pendant top, and a cloth soaked in perfume is placed inside it. The container is sealed so that the cloth doesn't fall out and the perfume doesn't leak, but there are holes to allow the fragrance to escape. The structure is not that difficult, and some are even handmade.

Yuri had never used one, but she remembered that the women in her family were delighted to buy and improve them, enjoying various perfumes. By the way, Yuri liked regular aromatherapy candles, especially the ones that lit up dark rooms. This is just a side note.

"...Yuri-chan, what is that?"

"It's a pendant with a metal container inside that you can fill with perfume-soaked cloth. It releases a lasting fragrance with just a few drops."

"I have to go to the craftsman's shop right now!"

"Huh?"

"Leopold firmly grabbed Yuri's arm and pulled her up. Leopold may have a delicate and beautiful appearance for a man, but he is a man, so it is easy for him to lift up the small and slender Yuri. However, he didn't go as far as carrying her on his back, perhaps because he didn't want to go that far.

"Leone-san, please calm down, calm down!"

"Leone, Yuri is surprised. How about explaining it before we move?"

At their words, Leopold came back to his senses. He seemed to have been overwhelmed by the information that had been given to Yuri. He apologized with his usual smile and then seated Yuri. He looked like his usual self.

"Have you ever used that aroma pendant, Yuri-chan?"

"No, I haven't. But I have seen someone using it."

"Do you understand its structure?"

"It wasn't a particularly complicated structure. In extreme cases, if you can make a pendant top that can hold a cloth soaked in perfume, then that's it."

"I see."

Leopold smiled gently. Lelei and Tifana thought, ”'Oh no, we're going to become kidnappers...” Yuri didn't notice anything was wrong. It was a pity that the efforts of the trainees who were working hard to prepare lunch for Yuri might go to waste. It was Camille's turn to cook today, but everyone was doing their best to show their appreciation to Yuri. The possibility that their efforts might be in vain was too sad.

However, if asked if they could stop Leopold, who was full of motivation, they could only answer “no.”

“Can you explain that to the craftsman?”

“... Huh?”

“Let's go, Yuri-chan!”

“Uh, um, Leone-san...??”

While Yuri was confused, Leopold dragged him away. Yuri went along without resistance, simply because he was a natural airhead. Lelei and Tifana waved goodbye to Yuri, knowing that they couldn't stop Leopold once he had made up his mind.

Thus, Yuri was kidnapped by Leopold and taken to the jewelry craftsman who took care of Leopold's accessories. Many of the ornaments he wore were one-of-a-kind. For the fastidious and flamboyant Leopold, he couldn't tolerate any decorations that didn't suit his taste.

"Ah, I see. So, you're going to make a container at the end of the pendant?"

"That's right~"

The accessory craftsman's name was Bright. He was a young and up-and-coming craftsman. However, he was born as the son of a craftsman who was good at metal processing, so he had been making small things since he was a child. And he was more of an artist type. He not only wholesale mass-produced items to stores but also made one-of-a-kind items that contained specific requests. Leopold apparently sympathized with each other's uncompromising obsession.

Furthermore, there was a masculine side to Leopold, who didn't care if he was an O-neesan or not... rather, he recognized him as a colleague who brought him work requests, so he excluded any other attributes. It was a common thing among craftsmen.

"Well then, should it be a tube shape?"

"It doesn't have to be a tube shape, but more like, you know, a pop-open..."

"Pop-open?"

"Well, um..."

"Okay, so basically, you're saying that you want to create a container at the end of the pendant?"

"Yes, that's right."

The name of the accessory craftsman is Bright, a young up-and-coming craftsman. However, he was born as the son of a craftsman who was skilled in metalworking, and apparently he had been making small things since he was a child. And he was more of an artist type. He not only sells mass-produced items to stores, but also makes unique one-of-a-kind items that incorporate detailed requests. Leopold apparently sympathized with each other's uncompromising commitment to their craft.

Furthermore, there is a righteous side to Bright that doesn't care whether Leopold is a drag queen or not. ...Rather, he recognizes him as a fellow who brings him job requests, so he excludes any other attributes. This is a common thing among craftsmen.

"Okay, so do you want it to be cylindrical?"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be cylindrical, but like, a design that opens up like a locket pendant..."

"Opens up like a locket pendant?"

"Um..."

Somehow, Yuri conveyed his image with gestures. In other words, it's like a locket pendant. In addition to the design of making it cylindrical with a lid, if it's made in the shape of a heart and the top lid opens, you can put fabric in it from there. If such shapes can be created, the designs will become more diverse.

Bright is pleased with the new accessory development. Leopold thinks that this might be a way to utilize perfume. When they made a trial product, it was decided that Leopold's shop would handle the product. After all, what's important is the perfume that is put inside. The aroma pendant is not just a decoration. It's an item for enjoying the fragrance of perfume.

Once Yuri finished explaining everything, the two of them happily discussed the design of the pendant. What kind of material to use, what kind of design is easy to use. They are in high spirits, leaving Yuri behind.

Feeling bored and left out, Yuri decided to move on his own. What he did was to start cleaning without permission. He asked Bright about it, but only half-heartedly, and got permission. So he took out the cleaning tools from his student bag that he always carries with him and started cleaning the workshop. It doesn't matter if it's someone else's workplace. If he can clean it, he enjoys doing it. That's the way of life for an otomen.

And so, when the two of them were taking a breather from their excitement...

"Hey, I don't remember my workshop being this clean."

"Yuri-chan, it was you? I told you to take a break sometimes, why are you cleaning?"

"Huh? But Bright-san said it was okay to clean..."

"You said that?"

"No, I don't remember."

"You did say it."

Bright couldn't complain as he smiled at Yuri, so he thanked her for the cleaning. Leopold was holding his head. In a sense, he recognized Yuri as someone who loves work. However, that's not the case. Yuri doesn't like work, but he loves housework. For him, housework is just like playing, a hobby.

After that, while drinking the tea Yuri made, they continued to talk about the prototype of the aroma pendant. Leopold and Bright were mainly the ones talking, and Yuri only gave her opinion when asked. ...However, Yuri understood the mood well enough not to voice her thoughts about why they were getting so excited.

Later, Leopold visited their hideout with the completed prototype, and Yuri was presented with one as well.