Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 54: Madam Clarissa
“Where is this invention you claim was made specifically for honorable duels?”
The first to speak was Carlton Bennison, Director of the White Sand City Patent Office. Naturally, as a man whose livelihood revolved around patents and inventions, his interest in this matter far outweighed that of the Deputy Chief of Police standing beside him.
“It’s right here.”
Marlon lifted his right hand slightly. The suitcase that had previously been in Musa Mein’s grasp was now firmly held in his own. Under the collective gaze of everyone present, he knelt and placed it gently on the ground. The faint clink of the metal locks echoed as he unfastened them, and with calm composure, he drew out a fresh copy of the patent application — the Crystal Visual Projection System, completed only the night before.
He had asked Adela to transcribe two backup copies, just in case. He hadn’t expected one of them to come in handy so soon.
“My apologies,” Marlon said with a faint, embarrassed smile, “the patent hasn’t been formally approved yet, so I can only show you the written description for now.”
He extended the document toward them. To his mild surprise, both men — the Director and the Deputy Chief — reached for it at the exact same time, their eyes gleaming with curiosity. It was clear that neither wanted to wait even a second to discover what sort of invention this “device for honorable duels” could possibly be.
And so, before the stunned onlookers, the Director of the Patent Office and the Deputy Chief of Police each clutched one corner of the patent file, glaring at one another like two angry bulls. Both refused to let go. The air between them was thick with pride and irritation.
From the looks of it, the brawnier Deputy Chief had the upper hand. His large fingers gripped more than half of the document, leaving the scholarly Director straining futilely against him.
“Gentlemen! Gentlemen, please—maintain your gentlemanly composure!”
Inspector Bernard, unable to bear the sight any longer, raised his voice in protest.
“Hmph! Brute strength and nothing else. Fine, I’ll let you read it first. Not that a muscle-bound fool like you could understand a word of it!”
Defeated in strength, Director Bennison released the file with a disdainful sniff, his gaze sharp as a dagger as he looked up at his rival. He seemed to truly believe the man across from him was a brainless barbarian.
“Tch. And you’re a waste of breath — all talk, no substance.”
The Deputy Chief sneered triumphantly, slapping open the pages as if they were the spoils of war. The rustle of paper filled the air as he began to read through the Crystal Visual System documentation.
With Marlon’s gentle guidance, the man soon found the section he was most interested in — the part that described, in painstaking detail, how the projected world would provide an experience indistinguishable from reality, and how participants could never truly die within it.
“Ha! Excellent! This is marvelous!” The Deputy Chief burst out laughing, his booming voice echoing through the room. “With this, my dear, enchanting Madam Clarissa will have no reason to worry about my safety anymore!”
He laughed until tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. Then, in a gesture of mock magnanimity, he smacked the patent document flat against the Director’s chest like a brick.
“Here! As a true gentleman, I’ll let you take a look now!”
The blow, though delivered with paper, carried the weight of his muscled arm. The frail Director staggered, his legs trembling violently. For a fleeting moment, the thought of drawing his pistol and shooting the insufferable brute flickered through his mind. But with the crowd surrounding them, he had no choice but to swallow his fury.
Fine, he thought bitterly. I’ll read this so-called invention of young Marlon’s first… and then we’ll see who has the last laugh.
“You insufferable barbarian!” he spat, his voice trembling with anger. “You call yourself a gentleman? I will not stand idly by while Madam Clarissa continues to suffer your crude harassment! Never!”
His righteous indignation spent, the Director finally began flipping through the patent documents, his eyes darting across the pages while Marlon patiently re-explained the concept—this time for the Director’s benefit, though he knew perfectly well the man had been eavesdropping all along.
I’m basically a salesman at this point, Marlon thought wryly. A tireless, smiling salesman… though I’m not even doing this for money—
Then, halfway through that thought, a spark ignited in his mind.
Wait. Why not for money?
His eyes widened slightly. If I can get these two to buy into the idea of “virtual honorable duels,” why shouldn’t I build an entire business around it? A paid service for nobles who want to duel safely, with all the thrill and none of the risk—!
It hit him like lightning. This isn’t just an invention. It’s a gold mine.
These aristocrats already spent fortunes — thousands of gold coins — hiring priests capable of resurrecting them after duels gone wrong. Surely, they’d pay a modest five lant, or even fifty, to experience a fully immersive, risk-free duel in a virtual world!
And that was just the beginning. The possibilities unfurled in his mind like a grand tapestry.
What if I turn it into a tournament? A virtual combat championship! Fighters from across the land competing in a grand spectacle — their likenesses later immortalized as playable characters in the world’s first interdimensional fighting game!
His pulse quickened. Yes! That’s it! I can’t make other types of games yet, but a fighting simulator—there’s no reason I can’t start there!
Once the thought took root, it grew unstoppable. A virtual tournament. Crowds. Fame. Profits. His imagination painted a future so bright it nearly blinded him.
But for now, all of that depended on one thing: convincing these two pompous duelists to delay their match and test his system first.
As his plan solidified, Marlon’s gaze changed. The two men before him — who only moments ago had seemed like puffed-up roosters fighting over a scrap of paper — now appeared to him as two glittering piles of living gold.
“Gentlemen,” he said with deliberate calm, “for the sake of your personal safety—and to spare the lovely Madam Clarissa unnecessary grief—I strongly suggest postponing your honorable duel for just two days. I believe the lady, concerned as she is for your well-being, would wholeheartedly approve of my proposal.”
Two days. That was all he needed. In that time, his patent would clear its review—or fail—and he could complete the world’s first full-holographic combat simulator.
And truthfully, he didn’t care whether Madam Clarissa was flesh or phantom.
A soft, teasing voice drifted into his ear, laced with laughter and the faintest trace of perfume.
“Yes, I quite agree with that suggestion! Our dear little Marlon—you’re simply adorable. So thoughtful, so clever… I like you—well, your idea, at least.”
The sound made the corners of Marlon’s lips twitch upward. It seemed his plan was already taking root.