✔DROP!! A TALE OF THE FRAGRANCE PRINCESS

Volume 4, Extra 02: To See Someone Happy

(Laras Perspective)

I sighed as the wooden prototype pencil in my hand broke.

Unfortunately, this is also a failure.

Ill leave it to you, Lara, Ojou-sama asked me to make a pencil. Since Ive nearly reached the final stages, Ive made no progress with this.

I had no difficulty in saying that the lead was complete. The combination of graphite and clay, the temperature at which to heat the lead, and the solvent for fixing the lead to the wood I was able to discover those with the help of the Onee-samas from the magician wing.

And yet

I cant believe that this handy pencil sharpener is going to turn into my enemy

Until recently, I sharpened the pencil with a knife and adjusted the pencil when the lead got buried in the wood, and I couldnt write anymore. However, Ojou-sama lightly said, Lets make a pencil sharpener so itll be easier to sharpen, and she taught me about a tool which can sharpen part of the wood by making a hole in a small piece of wood that was the size of my thumb, attach blades, and sharpen the pencil by turning it. It was able to shave wood thinly using little power like a planer.

When I heard about it, Ronnie just happened to be nearby. He had said, Then, lets make one, and made me a sample but, that super useful tool that shaves pencils easily has posed me with a challenge.

I have no problems when I shave the wood with a knife, but when I turn the pencil in the tool to sharpen it, the wood that had been stuck together get stuck in the blade sometimes, and the wood might crack if I forcefully turn it. That wasnt all, but I ended up with a lot of defective products.

I wonder if theres not enough pressure when the wood is being glued together. I cant see any gaps at a glance

I was going to use stronger pressure, but its probably still not enough. Or is there some other problem? I wanted to complete this as soon as possible because Ojou-sama went through great pains to think of this for the children, but it hasnt been going well. Theres nothing wrong with using it for writing, so should I just give up on the pencil sharpener and get them to shave it with a knife? Or should I just close my eyes to the defective products that are mixed in, and they can just use what they can?

However, if possible, I want to make the best product I can think of from the beginning. If bad rumours circulate from the early stages, then it would be hard to recover.

By the way, there is a writing tool which uses graphite in this world. However, its mainly used for painting and are cut up into specific sizes. But, unlike the pencil that Ojou-sama thought of, its wrapped in cloth like a stone and used like that. It was challenging to write with under normal circumstances and was hard to hold since it got tiny the more you use it. Plus its costly. Apparently, the reason is that they took too much graphite when it was discovered.

There is that situation, so its normal to write with a pen and ink. On the other hand, pencils which are made with a mixture of graphite, are going to be excellent writing tools which are easy to hold and cheap.

Yes, only if I complete it.

Alright, lets put a little more force next time.

If Ojou-sama is doing her best for the children, then I also want to contribute. So I have to do my best like Ojou-sama.

I made up my mind, and there was a knock at the laboratory door.

When I answered, the door opened quietly. It was Ojou-sama, the owner of this laboratory.

Youre here early today, Lara.

Ojou-sama, you too. Didnt you have class this morning?

I did. But I finished everything that I was supposed to study today.