Volume 7: The Inverted Man Chapter 46: Fully Automated Wishing Machine
Mashai County, Limon City.
Jasmin wrapped her scarf around her face and walked out the door of her apartment.
She had heard that the annual Limon Carnival had begun and wanted to go over to the town square to take a look.
This time last year, the carnival was not held because of the war, much to Jasmin’s disappointment, and after that, she suffered the biggest trauma in her life, and has been hiding at home, not daring or wanting to go out.
Perhaps it was because she had been self-absorbed for so long and had always been confined to such a cramped environment at home, Jasmin had been wanting to go out on the streets lately, wanting to walk around a bit, like she used to do.
With a glance, she saw herself now through the large glass windows of a street-side store:
All black, without a hint of miscellaneous colors, a long skirt that came down to her ankles, a hat with a net veil that covered most of her face, a scarf that was wrapped in layers from just below her eyes down to her neck, and a glove made of knitted wool on each of her palms.
This was very different from the cheerful and lively self that Jasmin remembered.
In that previous war, a shell had blown up the original home of Jasmin and her parents, and brought about a fire that burned her face and left her body traumatized everywhere.
If she hadn’t been lucky enough, Jasmin would have died from those severe injuries, but even so, she felt as if her life had been ended at that moment.
Now, with her nose burned off, leaving only two black holes, and a number of marks left by the flames on her face, neck, and hands, she could totally play the role of a demon if she were to walk in the darkness of the night.
One thing Jasmin remembered clearly was that the first night she moved into this apartment, she had finished cleaning her body in the communal washroom before bed, and had just stepped out of the doorway when she saw a teenager approaching, who had also seen her.
Illuminated by the scarlet moonlight, the teenager wore an expression of utter terror, as if at any moment he would jump up, turn around, and run wildly away.
In the end, he controlled himself and just took a few steps to the side, not daring to look at Jasmin’s face again.
This pierced Jasmin’s fragile heart, and from that day on, she stopped going out, and even if she had to clean her body, she would wait until late at night.
In this regard, she was very grateful in her heart to her parents, as they said nothing and worked hard to make ends meet, relying on their original savings and the job they had found later to barely support the family without Jasmin having to go out to get a paycheck.
After walking a short distance, Jasmin saw Limon Town Square, the main venue for the carnival.
The crowd of people there, the catharsis of all kinds of emotions, and the enthusiastic atmosphere there made Jasmin subconsciously stop in her tracks.
She didn’t dare to get closer, afraid of being noticed by her oddly dressed self, afraid of letting her scarf fall off if she wasn’t careful.
After a few seconds of hesitation, she came to a complete stop, found a clean spot on the street and sat down, gazing intently out over the town square.
I don’t know how long it took before Jasmin noticed that there was someone else around.
It was a young man in black robes and a tall bowler hat, like a magician from the circus.
The town square is over there …… Jasmin wanted to remind a sentence, but after opening and closing her lips a few times, she still did not open them.
She didn’t dare or want to talk to anyone.
However, the young man took the initiative to walk over, took off his bowler hat, and slightly bent over:
”Miss, do you know what this machine does?”
Machine? Jasmin subconsciously looked up, somewhat bewildered, following the young man’s gaze to the side.
A narrow closet-like machine stood there at some point under a gas streetlight.
It had a brass-colored surface, inlaid with a few pieces of glass with little transparency, and the gears, bearings, rivets, metal tubes, and other parts were directly exposed, giving it a very rugged look.
Jasmin withdrew her gaze and shook her head, indicating that she had no idea what the machine did.
At the same time, it expressed her intent to refuse to communicate.
”It’s called the ‘Fully Automatic Wishing Machine’.” The young man introduced with a smile, “It’s my invention that can automate the wish of the manipulator, by the way, I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Merlin Hermes, a wandering magician.”
”Fully automated wish-granting machine,” …… Jasmin realized she understood every word, but had no way of putting them together.
”You can try it, as the first to experience it, for free.” Klein, in the guise of Merlin Hermes, said with a smile.
Jasmin shook her head, refusing to communicate.
Not discouraged at all, Klein looked at the other party and said:
”For example, you can make a wish to change yourself back to your original appearance.”
These words were like a sharp arrow that shot into Jasmin’s heart, startling her so much that she stood up and scrambled back in an attempt to leave.
She suspected that the other woman had seen herself as she was now.
”How do you know a wish won’t come true unless you try? It’s not like it’s going to cost you anything.” Klein said in a not-so-quick tone as he watched her back.
Jasmin’s steps gradually slowed down and eventually stopped.
If she could change back to her original appearance, even if it required her to pay a large sum of money, she was willing to go after it.
But she knew that her heart’s desire was something that money couldn’t fulfill.
Without having to pay anything …… try it for free …… in case it comes true …… Jasmin’s mind thoughts rose and fell, and she slowly turned her body as if she was tempted by the devil.
”Really?” She asked in a raw voice.
Klein pointed to the machine:
”I can exit ten meters away, and all you need to do is turn the wrench on that machine.
”Without you having to remove your hat and scarf.”
That last statement hit Jasmin and she gave a quick nod and said:
”Good.”
When Merlin Hermes had withdrawn some distance, Jasmin approached the machine and carefully grasped the wrench on the “doorway”.
She was actually worried that she would be subjected to a prank if she turned it, such as getting water poured on her head – something that happened every year at Mardi Gras, and something she and her friends had done before – but she figured it was bearable compared to getting her wish granted.
Even if it turned out in the end that there would be no such thing as a good thing as wish fulfillment, this could be taken as her experience of Mardi Gras.
”Remember to make your wish before you turn.” Crane, not far away, reminded.
Jasmin settled down and said her wish almost silently:
”I want to change back to the way I was before I was burned by the fire.”
Nervously and expectantly, she turned the wrench.
The next second, the “door” of the “automatic wishing machine” opened, and a plain, log-colored cane stretched out and touched Jasmin’s forehead.
When Jasmin didn’t notice, there was a gold ring with rubies on her hand.
When the log-colored cane retracted into the “Automatic Wishing Machine”, the ruby-encrusted gold ring also disappeared.
With the sound of gears turning, Jasmin saw the door of the machine slowly close.
Is this the end? she thought, a little bewildered.
She hadn’t experienced wish fulfillment or mischief, it all seemed so strange.
”Congratulations, wish granted.” Klein walked back, clapping softly as a witness.
The wish was granted …… How is this possible …… Jasmin had just flashed such a thought when she suddenly felt something more under the scarf.
Where there had been only two black holes something topped it again!
Hesitantly and slowly, Jasmin raised her palm and touched her face hole, clearly feeling the presence of her nose.
And the experience as she breathed proved the same.
She turned sharply, her back to Merlin Hermes, and walked to a store down the street, casting her eyes on the glass windows by the glow of the gas street lamps.
Immediately afterward, she removed the layers of the scarf that wrapped around her face.
A young girl’s face with not-so-large eyes, not-so-stiff nose, not-so-plump lips, and a few freckles was reflected on the window.
Jasmin subconsciously raised her hand and covered her mouth, her eyes glowing and misting within.
After a few seconds, she raised her arm, wiped her face hole with her sleeve, and turned back to look at Merlin Hermes:
”You, are you a god?”
”I’m just a magician who likes to create miracles.” Klein smiled and pointed to the machine next to him, “The one you should be most thankful for is it, the ‘Fully Automatic Wishing Machine’.”
”Fully automatic ……,” Jasmin repeated subconsciously as her emotions stirred.
Klein nodded:
”Yes, the ‘Fully Automatic Wishing Machine’ that can run on its own without the help of others.
”You can understand it as a gas meter, and by putting in coins, you can grant wishes just like getting gas.
”The steps are simple, put in 1p, make your wish and turn the wrench.
”Remember, only three wishes can be granted.”
While explaining, Klein mentally laughed to himself:
If I die one day and become a seal, I hope it’s something like a “fully automatic wish-granting machine”.
–After leaving Constanton, the capital city of Mashai County, Klein changed the way of granting other people’s wishes to save himself from boredom:
One must always learn to have fun in a boring job.
It’s amazing …… Jasmin simply couldn’t find the words to describe what she was feeling inside.
All of her stirring emotions had settled down quite a bit as a result.
”Will it, I mean this ‘Fully Automatic Wishing Machine’, always be here?” Jasmin hesitantly opened her mouth to ask.
Klein smiled and said:
”It won’t.
”It may be here for three days, or maybe not so long, maybe when the sun rises it will be gone.
”But it won’t be gone forever, and maybe one day you’ll see it again around the corner of the street.”
Jasmin’s mind was so jumbled that it was hard to clear her thoughts, but she could only bow to the machine, earnestly:
”Thank you, Mr. ‘Automatic Wishing Machine’.”
Then, she bowed again to Klein:
”Thank you, Mr. Hermes.”
Before the words left her mouth, Jasmin instantly remembered what Merlin Hermes had just said, and asked with anticipation and surprise and rather embarrassment:
”Three wishes can be granted?”
”Yes, but after that it’s no longer free, you need to put in coins.” Klein replied not minding at all.