The Chief Priest, having acquired new research materials, had retreated entirely into the workshop — though he did emerge during the designated helping hours. The moment the fourth bell rang, he finished his work for the day and disappeared back inside.
Brother
"But if this seclusion continues…"
"The
His work wasn't falling behind, so nobody would be inconvenienced. Might as well leave him be for about a week, I said, while packing up the slate and stone stylus I'd brought along.
As I was thinking that I'd like a week of reading time myself, Brother Eckhart narrowed his eyes with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"
"I'm not being soft on the Chief Priest. It's for my own convenience. If the Chief Priest doesn't do his research, I won't be able to make Schwarz and the others' outfits."
After telling that to my worrywart brother, I returned to my room. The
"
"Yes. Two types of wax — high-viscosity and low-flexibility, and low-viscosity and high-flexibility —
I'd had Gil and Fritz set things up so the Gilberta Company could enter the workshop. Explanations alone would be difficult to understand, so I intended to show them wax-resist dyeing in person.
"Thank you, both. I'll ask again when the Gilberta Company arrives."
"Understood."
Once I'd finished the preliminary coordination, Gil headed to the gate to welcome the Gilberta Company, while Fritz returned to the workshop. I checked that I hadn't forgotten anything from what I'd brought from my room while drinking the tea
After a while, Gil arrived with the members of the Gilberta Company. The five who came up to the second floor were
The moment our eyes met, Turi narrowed hers and smiled happily. Just that alone made me feel incredibly happy. As always, Turi is my angel.
"Otto, Corina, and Turi of the Gilberta Company. At the summons of Lady Rozemyne, we present ourselves."
Otto, Corina, and Turi — the ones I would be conducting business with — took the front row, while Theo and Leon, in supporting roles, stood in the back. They lined up before me and knelt.
Theo was like Otto's right hand. Just as
Leon was a Gilberta Company apprentice whom I'd known since I was a blue shrine maiden. He'd been active alongside
After the lengthy noble greetings were concluded, I suddenly recalled something and pressed my right fist against my left palm in front of my chest.
"May blessings be upon the spring thaw. May the Goddess of Spring bring forth great bounty."
That was the merchant's spring greeting I'd learned from Benno and Mark. Since I intended to do business today, I thought I'd try the greeting I vaguely remembered.
Otto's eyes widened in surprise, and then he smiled softly, mirroring the gesture — pressing his right fist against his left palm in front of his chest.
"May blessings be upon the spring thaw. May the Goddess of Spring bring forth great bounty."
The other four repeated the same words after Otto. Seeing Turi perform a merchant's greeting as though it were the most natural thing in the world felt wonderfully strange to me.
"Please, have a seat. I have quite a number of requests to make."
I offered the Gilberta Company their chairs and had Fran serve tea. Otto, Corina, and Turi took their seats while Theo and Leon stood behind them.
Just as the gentle fragrance of tea began to fill the room, Monica arrived with sweets. I tasted each one and then offered them around. Today it was cookies that could be easily eaten during our business discussion.
Seeing Turi's face melt into a blissful expression after eating something sweet, I felt satisfied. Corina noticed this and relaxed her own expression.
"Lady Rozemyne, what kind of requests do you have today? I heard there were things other than hair ornaments…"
At Corina's gently tilted question, I explained that I wanted to commission hair ornaments for Ela.
"My personal chef has been decided to attend the Starbinding Ceremony of Summer. I'd like to find a hair ornament for her to wear then. Although she's my personal chef, Ela is a Commoner, so if I give her something too expensive, she'll feel self-conscious, and it wouldn't match her outfit, would it?"
"That's true."
I explained that because I had taken Ela to the Noble District, she hadn't participated in the adulthood ceremony, and that since this would be the first time her parents saw her in Festive Clothing, I'd like them to find a hair ornament that would look appropriately lovely.
"Turi, you know Ela, don't you? Could you find a hair ornament that would suit Ela, who was born in spring?"
"Certainly."
Turi knew Ela from the orphanage — they'd attended cooking classes together and worked together on the pork processing for the orphanage's Winter Preparations. She'd surely find something suitable.
"At the recent Winter Adulthood Ceremony, I was watching from atop the altar, and I noticed that the variety of hair ornaments had increased quite a lot. I was impressed that almost every woman was wearing one."
I remarked that it must be thanks to the Gilberta Company's hard work that they'd become so widespread, and Turi smiled with a hint of pride.
"I always notice during the religious processions how many more women are wearing hair ornaments now. I research which hair ornaments are most popular and make them accordingly. …I wasn't able to see the recent Adulthood Ceremony, though, because I was looking after my brother."
I'd been worried about Turi and Camil's absence. I'd wondered if maybe he'd fallen ill.
"Was something the matter with your brother?"
"No. Camil turns four this spring. He's reached an age where his parents can't keep holding him all the time, so he can't be taken to the
…Come to think of it, I'd been told that Turi's Baptism Ceremony couldn't be held there either.
Camil had been carried all the way to the door, so I hadn't thought much of it, but now I remembered that children who haven't had their Baptism Ceremony aren't allowed inside the Temple.
In other words, I wouldn't be able to see Camil until his Baptism Ceremony. How disappointing.
"The Winter Adulthood Ceremony was something both my parents really wanted to attend, so I took it upon myself to stay home and watch Camil." Turi smiled ruefully. "It was a relief that it fell on Earthday, when work is off."
She must have been looking after Camil so that Father and Mother could confirm that I was truly recovering.
…You can't leave a three- or four-year-old alone, after all.
I wouldn't even be able to catch a glimpse of Camil's growth anymore, and going forward, leaving Camil behind to come to the Temple wouldn't be easy either. The opportunities to see Father and Mother during religious ceremonies would surely decrease as well.
As I was feeling a little sad, Turi opened and closed her mouth several times before finally speaking in a comforting tone.
"Um, Lady Rozemyne. …My father mentioned that there was a request for a guard duty escort to
Turi's words jolted me upright.
This year, I would need to bring back the gray priests from Hasse, so I was planning to hire soldiers. It seemed I'd be able to meet Father in Hasse. My spirits lifted slightly.
"The soldiers under
"Understood."
Turi smiled, looking relieved. As I let that smile soothe me, I took out the armband pattern and spread it on the table.
"Also, this is what I'd like the Gilberta Company to make for me."
Everyone leaned in to look at the armband pattern, and they all wore puzzled expressions.
"Lady Rozemyne, what exactly is this?"
Her tone was polite, but Turi's skeptical blue eyes were clearly asking, "Are you about to do something weird again?" It wasn't weird, but she was more or less right. I believed this was an essential item for properly starting the work of the Library Committee.
I wrapped the pattern around my arm and explained how to wear it.
"Think of the armband as a mark showing that you belong to an organization. This is what the 'Library Committee' will wear."
"It looks a bit like the cloth from a funeral."
Turi said that with a slightly troubled look. I had no idea what she meant by funeral cloth.
"A funeral?"
"Yes. Those involved in a funeral wrap black cloth around their arms. It reminds me of that."
…So it seems funeral-like? That's a bit ominous. Well, as long as the color isn't black, it should be fine, right?
Abandoning the idea of armbands was not an option. I wanted to become a Library Committee member in name if nothing else. I wanted to match Schwarz and the others, and
"The color won't be black, and we'll have embroidery added, so I don't think it will give a funeral impression. You wear the armband around your arm like this, and pin it here… Ah, I need to have Johan make 'safety pins.'"
I set down the pattern for the moment and took out my writing slate, jotting down "Order safety pins from Johan." I also needed to speak with
While my thoughts were wandering, Turi let out a small sigh with an exasperated look.
"Lady Rozemyne, what is this strange pattern?"
"Ah, that's the mark I designed for the 'Library Committee.' This is actual size, so please embroider it just like this."
"Certainly."
Then I chose the fabric color and thread colors for the embroidery. Four armbands in different colors. I ordered them in various colors so that Schwarz and the others could match them to their outfits, and so that Hannelore could choose her preferred color.
"I'll also be counting on Turi for a new hair ornament for summer. It was very popular at the
"Certainly. Please leave it to me."
Turi accepted with a confident expression. The design and colors were fundamentally left to Turi. I believed that if it was Turi, she would create something that suited me.
After finishing the hair ornament order, I slowly looked over the members of the Gilberta Company. Otto and Turi's expressions sharpened slightly, as if wondering if there was more to come. Having known my true nature for so long, both of them were sensitive to my moods.
"Also, this was mentioned in my letter, but allow me to say it in person. I'm deeply grateful that you accepted the sudden winter commission. The prince who saw the hair ornaments was extremely satisfied. The young lady wearing the hair ornament Turi made was truly beautiful — she stood out the most among the Royal Academy graduates, so I'm sure many more orders will be coming your way."
"You honor us."
I sensed they were suspecting another unreasonable request, but it wasn't entirely wrong. I grinned.
"As a reward, I'd like to offer the Gilberta Company a new technique, for all the hard work you've done on my behalf."
"…Eh?"
Turi and Otto looked at me with expressions caught completely off guard. Corina tilted her head gently, but a merchant's sharpness was creeping into her eyes.
"I'm grateful that you took on the unreasonable task of fulfilling a royal commission, but is this perhaps unnecessary for the Gilberta Company? If so, I could share it with the Dyeing and Weaving Association instead…"
"No! We are most grateful."
The thanks directed at the Gilberta Company weren't a lie, but honestly, the wax-resist dyeing technique was something I needed spread quickly. Rather than dealing with unfamiliar association members, I'd much rather have it disseminated through the Gilberta Company efficiently.
"Please make fabric using this new dyeing method I'm about to teach, and have it ready to wear for the next winter social season. I'd like this to spread as a trend in the near future."
At my words, Turi's eyes widened slightly, as though she wanted to say, "I knew it was another unreasonable request." At the same time, Leon — who had been standing behind Corina in a supporting role until now — lit up and asked to speak.
"You have permission to speak, Leon."
"Forgive me. This new technique — is it not related to hair ornaments, but rather to making new fabric?"
"Yes. …I suppose you could call it a new dyeing method."
When I said that, Leon broke into a delighted grin.
Not understanding why Leon was so happy, I tilted my head. Otto explained for me. Leon's family ran a shop that supplied fabric to the Gilberta Company and had connections with every dyeing workshop in the city. If fabric made with a new dyeing technique gained attention, his family's business would profit as well.
"Then, let us go to the workshop. I'll demonstrate and explain in person. Fran, please call Gil."
When I stood up, everyone rose as well.
Upon arriving at the workshop guided by Gil, everyone paused their work to welcome us. I had those other than Gil and Fritz — who would be performing the demonstration — return to their tasks.
Unlike Otto and Corina, who looked around the workshop with curiosity, Leon gazed about with a nostalgic look in his eyes. His gaze was fixed on the papermaking tools, and I understood he was reminiscing about the past.
"You must be feeling nostalgic, Leon."
"Yes. I used to come and go here all the time."
"You're welcome to help out today as well. We'll need someone who can demonstrate at the dyeing workshop."
Chuckling softly, I gave Gil a nod. Gil nodded once and spoke.
"What we're about to do is a technique for directly painting designs onto fabric. I don't know much about fabric myself, so it's possible the Gilberta Company is already familiar with this technique."
After saying that, Gil looked at me for confirmation. I gave him a slight nod and then looked around at the Gilberta Company members.
"I've seen many beautiful embroideries and fabrics with unusual weaves, but I've only ever seen cloth dyed in a single color. Is there a technique for tying off sections with thread to create patterns, or for creating pictures?"
"…There was, a very long time ago."
Corina said that with her hand against her cheek. Among the garments left behind by the Gilberta Company's founder, some were apparently made with tie-dyed fabric.
"It's been several decades now, but there was a princess who came as a bride from
The ones who bought fabric in bulk were the nobility. If noble society declared that uniformly dyed cloth was the finest, every dyeing workshop would strive to dye uniformly. The tie-dye technique, which produced mottled results, fell out of favor in no time flat. Looking at current trends, I could understand how that had happened.
"So that's what happened. Then, if I wanted to revive dyeing as a trend, the craftsmen would still be needed?"
"No, I believe they're gone."
The literacy rate among craftsmen was practically zero. Naturally, most records were not preserved, so techniques were easily lost, and apparently most of the craftsmen from that era had already passed away.
"Tie-dyeing isn't that difficult, so if we commission it, couldn't it be revived relatively quickly? Perhaps research should be left to the workshop. However, I'd be happy if the technique could be written down so it isn't lost to the next trend. …Would it be better to have the Dyeing and Weaving Association handle that?"
"The association may have some records, so I'll reach out to them," Corina said. Leon nodded in agreement and made a note.
"Besides tie-dyeing, the other technique I intended to teach today is wax-resist dyeing. It may have existed before, but if it's been lost, please revive it."
I pointed at two pieces of cloth on which Vilma had drawn light flower sketches with a Soot Pencil. As everyone peered with interest at the cloth spread across the workbench, Gil and Fritz began applying melted wax with brushes, just as we'd coordinated.
"With wax-resist dyeing, you apply wax to the areas you don't want dyed — the parts you want to remain white — like this."
"So the waxed sections won't absorb the dye?"
I nodded at Leon's question.
The low-flexibility wax Fritz had applied began to develop fine cracks as it dried. Gil's cloth showed no such cracking.
"This depends on the type of wax. If you're going to do wax-resist dyeing, please collaborate with the wax workshop to create wax with just the right consistency."
Leon, who remembered the Mine Workshop from the days of our many trials and errors, grimaced for an instant. Incorporating new techniques was never that simple. I would teach them the method — the pursuit of optimization was up to the people on the ground.
"Fritz, add more cracks to yours."
At my instruction, Fritz tapped the cloth to create cracks.
Then Heidi's invented colored ink was painted on top. When rolled with the roller used in stencil printing, the wax repelled the ink, and the entire handkerchief-sized cloth turned a vivid red in an instant.
"After dyeing like this, you dissolve the wax. Wax melts when it gets hot, right? So once the dyeing is done, you submerge it in boiling water like this."
Gil used cooking chopsticks to place the two pieces of cloth into the pot, skillfully stirred them, and pulled them out. Since the gray priests of the Mine Workshop used cooking chopsticks when handling wood and bark for papermaking, they were adept with chopsticks.
Fritz rinsed the cloth taken from the boiling water in cold water, wrung them tightly, and spread them on the workbench — revealing one piece with a flower that had remained starkly white, and another with a flower featuring a fascinating pattern of cracks.
"I think either method is fine for expression. It comes down to the customer's preference. You can also combine tie-dyeing with wax-resist dyeing, and by dyeing multiple times, the color will gradually deepen, right? So if you apply wax to the petals again and dye once more, you can change the colors for the background, leaves, and flowers. Of course, you can also embroider on top of this."
"I see…"
Behind the nodding Otto, I could see Theo frantically taking notes. Being an assistant was no easy job.
"If you use the flexible wax and draw carefully, you can create quite detailed images. Or you can apply the low-flexibility wax over a wide area to create cracks and enjoy the resulting pattern. I think there's plenty of room for research."
"Lady Rozemyne, what method would you like to use for the new fabric?" Corina asked.
I thought for a moment. Both tie-dyeing and wax-resist dyeing were appealing, and neither was easy to give up.
"I'd like as many new techniques incorporated as possible. Could you prepare one piece each of fabric dyed with both tie-dyeing and wax-resist dyeing in red — the winter noble color — from a dyeing workshop in Ehrenfest? I'll decide which fabric to use from among them."
"That will certainly enliven the dyeing workshops," Otto said, looking impressed.
I smiled brightly. "I'm glad you're pleased. There are other dyeing methods besides tie-dyeing and wax-resist dyeing, so I'll be open to further business discussions."
I met Turi for the first time in a while and placed quite a few orders.
Regarding dyeing techniques, the work would fall to the dyeing workshops and the association, so the Gilberta Company itself shouldn't be too burdened. Their influence would grow, though.
The Gilberta Company was already quite busy with hair ornaments and rinshan.
Next up: summoning Gutenberg.