The day after the dyeing competition was for taking measurements and placing clothing orders. Today, it wasn't
Of the three candidates I'd suggested,
...Brunhilde had said that Turi's design could really shine with this one.
I couldn't manage to make Mother my exclusive tailor, but at the very least, I wanted the clothes made using Turi's design.
"I offer my sincerest gratitude to Lady Rosemine."
According to Corina, yesterday's dyeing competition had been a tremendous success.
The noble ladies had decided to place orders with workshops and artisans through their own exclusive trading companies. This earned high praise from the various large shops that had been worried about the
The fabrics that artisans had desperately dyed were accepted by the high-ranking nobility, and new dyeing techniques had taken root in Ehrenfest. The artisans who received the title of "Renaissance" from my mother and
"Because Lady Rosemine didn't award the title of Renaissance, the artisans have become fired up for the next season. I've heard that some young artisans have even started studying painting, using the fabrics Lady Rosemine selected as reference."
Until now, dyeing artisans had needed the skill to dye fabric beautifully in a single, even color without any mottling. But if you wanted to create patterns using wax-resist dyeing, you also needed artistic talent.
"Some artisans who dyed the fabrics this time drew the pictures themselves, but others had artisans from art workshops draw the flower designs for the dyeing, and some even had tailors who make embroidery patterns draw pictures of flowers and nuts for them. The world of dyeing is about to change in a big way."
Artisans were eagerly taking on the challenge of new dyeing techniques. That was wonderful and a good thing, I thought as I spoke up.
"Single-color fabric is still necessary for making clothes, so please make sure the dyeing and weaving association pays attention to ensure that single-color fabrics don't disappear from Ehrenfest."
Chasing trends at the cost of losing essential skills would be problematic. Just as the princess from
"I will convey that to the dyeing and weaving association."
While nodding at my words, Corina's hands were busy taking measurements, moving briskly along. As I listened more carefully, the numbers had changed just a bit. Apparently, I had grown slightly.
...Yes! I've gotten a little bigger in a year!
Trying not to show it too much, I was secretly trembling with emotion when Corina held up one of the fabrics Brunhilde had selected against me and smiled meaningfully.
"Lady Rosemine's eye for things is truly extraordinary."
"Eh?"
"This fabric was dyed by
...No. It wasn't me. It wasn't me at all.
I'd narrowed down the candidates, but the one who made the final selection was Brunhilde.
...Aaagh! My family love was completely defeated by Brunhilde!
If I'd known this fabric was Mother's, I would have awarded the title of Renaissance too, but since I'd personally declared "no recipient this time," I couldn't go back on it now.
I was disappointed that I hadn't been able to select it with my own eyes, but I was genuinely happy that I could have my winter clothes made from fabric dyed by Mother.
"You liked the summer clothes, so could you make winter clothes with a similar feel?"
"Of course."
With a knowing smile that said she'd expected this all along, Corina accepted the request. I'd already told my mother and my mother-by-marriage that I wanted to "establish balloon-style skirts as the current trend." Lieselote had also said they were cute and wanted to copy them, so balloon-style skirts it would be for a while.
"Ah, and please ask Turi to make a hair ornament to match these clothes as well."
"Of course."
Once the measurements were done and the orders for clothes and hair ornaments were placed, I had to return to the
Back at the Temple, I reported to the Chief Priest about what had happened at the dyeing competition. When I told him about my conversation with
"It's easy for you to say you want to make them, but for a chef to handle ingredients they've never worked with before is incredibly difficult."
Summarizing the Chief Priest's lengthy explanation, it came down to this: my personal chef wouldn't know how to handle Ahrensbach's mysterious ingredients.
If you didn't know the proper processing methods, the chef could be in danger. New ingredients from this place were treated as hazardous materials, plain and simple.
...Come to think of it, there had been quite a few ingredients that needed special processing.
There were things like the garlic-like bulb that had to be crushed beforehand, and mushrooms that danced if you didn't grill them first—surprisingly many ingredients that could cause real trouble if you didn't know about them.
"In the past, Ahrensbach ingredients were occasionally offered as tribute to
Because the Chief Priest couldn't trust Aurelia, the fish were going to remain just out of reach. I hurriedly tried to explain.
"Lady Aurelia isn't a bad person. She was terrified—so scared she was practically ready to let go of her veil..."
"You fool. This is exactly why people say your perspective is too narrow. Think about it—not just Aurelia herself, but everyone around her as well."
With the Chief Priest's absolute refusal, I felt like crying.
...The fish was so close I could practically taste it, and now I was being put on hold? That was too cruel!
"Chief Priest. Researching Ahrensbach's ingredients is necessary not only to help Aurelia adapt to Ehrenfest, but also to prepare new trends. This is truly... I'm desperate. I want fish. I want fish so badly. Grilled with salt is fine. We can slowly research complex seasonings later. For now, all I want is salt-grilled fish."
All I needed was to squeeze a seasonal citron over the salt-grilled fish. That's how close I was.
My desperate plea made the Chief Priest press his fingers to his temples.
"At first you do dress it up nicely with talk of helping Aurelia adapt and preparing new trends, but in the end, isn't this just about satisfying your own appetite? ...Sigh. You really never change. It makes me feel like my education has been completely pointless."
"Thanks to your education, I have changed, Chief Priest. If I hadn't changed, I would have crashed at Aurelia's house together with
I was being properly obedient, after all. The people around me might think poorly of me, but I felt I'd grown quite a bit.
I puffed out my chest to convey the ways in which I'd grown, only to be scolded with, "The growth I'm looking for is far beyond that level."
...Well, yes, that was fair.
"At any rate, I'll ask
The Chief Priest began counting on his fingers all the things I might do.
...This is bad. He's seen right through me.
Lately, since my attendants accompanied me, I'd been getting permission to travel between the Temple and the castle even without the Chief Priest's approval. I'd been pondering whether I could slip away for some fish along the way, but he'd figured it out.
...Does the Chief Priest have mind-reading abilities?
When I glanced up at the Chief Priest, he made a disgusted face.
"I'm just listing things my problematic subordinate with a history of escaping has done in the past, but it seems you can relate."
...Father, you're the worst!
"Not only that, but everything you're thinking is written all over your face. Just because you're in the Temple, don't let your guard down too much."
"Ugh."
Unlike when I was in the castle, it was true that I tended to relax more in the Temple—to let my guard slip. While I was holding my cheeks and trying to put on a proper noble expression, the Chief Priest let out an exasperated sigh.
"You seem to conveniently forget things when it suits you, but you are still prohibited from contact with Aurelia.
Come to think of it, he was right. We'd chatted quite pleasantly at the tea party, so I'd completely forgotten, but I'd been told not to contact her. Still, Aurelia didn't seem that dangerous, and I really wanted to eat fish.
...If I had no supervisor, I couldn't make contact. So what should I do? I just needed to have a guardian supervising, right?
I lightly slapped my own cheeks, straightened my back, and put on a noble smile.
"Before the harsh winter arrives, threatening to cover all living beings in this land beneath the intense emotions of the Life God
I even tried inviting the Chief Priest with a refined, noble air: "Won't you join us, Chief Priest?" But he glared at me and promptly rejected the idea.
"If rumors spread that Aurelia is trying to introduce Ahrensbach cuisine in Ehrenfest, the former Veronica faction will eagerly flock to her. I won't put Elvira through any more unnecessary trouble."
With that, I was told to wait until the movements of those around her could be fully assessed. The fish remained out of reach.
...My fish was drifting away. The fish. Ohhh.
And so, after several days of trying to persuade the Chief Priest only to fail each time, I received word from Mother that the papermaking workshop was ready.
Since the papermaking workshop only taught the most basic method of making paper, one month would be more than enough. They'd be able to return before the Harvest Festival.
I took four gray priests from the Mine Workshop and the personnel that the Plantan Company needed to establish the Plant Paper Association to Le-lessas by riding beast.
The gray priests assigned as instructors to the papermaking workshop consisted of those with experience staying in Ilkner and those who had interacted with commoners in the town of Hassé. Since Dapplo from the Plantan Company was also there, there wasn't much to worry about. Still, I repeatedly emphasized that the gray priests should be treated carefully—as my personal property, not to be handled carelessly.
In addition to the papermaking workshop dispatch, I was busy selecting the priests who would swap with Hassé for the winter, arranging Winter Preparations for the orphanage, checking on printing progress, and before I knew it, the Harvest Festival season had arrived.
Since Wilfried and Charlotte were helping with the Harvest Festival too, the range I personally had to cover was considerably narrower. The Chief Priest told me to simply visit the same places he'd gone during Spring Prayer, and so my route for the Harvest Festival was decided.
In addition to my assigned territory under direct jurisdiction, I would need to travel to Greshell to welcome the
The official assigned for tax collection this time was a high-ranking noble not from the Eustachius family. He was
"Will Lady Rosemine be traveling by riding beast?"
When traveling with Blue Priests, the rule was always to use horse-drawn carriages. Since it was a long journey and personal luggage was needed, carriages were essential for nobles too. The official apparently hadn't expected riding beasts for a temple ceremony, so I explained my usual Harvest Festival method.
"Luggage and Attendants travel by carriage, but we ride by riding beast." It was a travel method decided with my physical condition in mind, so I told the official he could travel by carriage if he preferred, but it turned out he wanted to ride by riding beast as well.
...It's faster than a carriage and less tiring, after all.
After a few minor discussions, we set off for the Harvest Festival. Since the Harvest Festival was a religious ceremony held outside the city, the apprentices stayed behind at the castle to keep watch. Only
"This isn't my responsibility, Judith."
Damuel said helplessly, and Angelica nodded in agreement.
"That's right. Rather than looking at Damuel so enviously, you should focus on getting stronger so you can serve as a guard. Shall I ask Master to give you a special training session?"
"I've been told to work on my hitting accuracy, so I'll focus on that."
Once Judith was satisfied, all that remained was to delegate tasks for the duration of our absence.
The knight apprentices would basically have intensive training every day. The purpose was to strengthen teamwork with those around them. At the same time, it served as training for the hunting tournament. During the Harvest Festival, a hunting tournament was held for the castle's Winter Preparations.
"Please hunt plenty for us."
"Yes."
"For the two scribe apprentices, I'll need copies of the
"Understood."
"Attendants, please finish the embroidery. I'm planning to show it to
"Understood."
After delegating tasks for the time we'd be away, my gaze settled on Brunhilde.
"Brunhilde, you had proposed that all the girls wear hair ornaments at the Noble Academy's promotion ceremony and social gathering, didn't you? Please select hair ornaments for this year's female students."
I gave instructions for all of them to be priced at around one small silver coin each.
"Those would be hair ornaments for lower or middle-ranking nobles. They're not befitting for Lady Rosemine."
"I always wear my usual ornaments plus two more. I simply don't want lower-ranking nobles struggling with the cost. And to keep things fair, I plan to distribute them to upper-ranking nobles as well. Those who already have their own hair ornaments can wear two of their own, or just their own is fine."
When I said that, Brunhilde enthusiastically set about selecting ornaments that would match everyone's hair color. With this, the retainers back at the castle wouldn't be at a loss for things to do while I was away.
During the Harvest Festival, only
After sending off the carriage, I gave instructions to the remaining Saam and
Upon arriving at Hassé, the Harvest Festival began immediately. It seemed to be another good harvest, and the villagers welcomed me with great joy. While I went through the
When the ceremonies were over came the Bolf match. It was intense again this year. The poor Bolf being kicked around was rather pitiful, but no one besides me seemed to care.
Even at the Harvest Festival in Hassé, as a child I had to leave the festivities early. I left the tax collector at Hassé's winter lodge and made my way to the small temple.
"Lady Rosemine!"
Though I couldn't drink alcohol, the small temple was already in full celebration. The gray priests, of course, but even the soldiers gave me a warm welcome. I changed out of my ceremonial clothes and headed for the dining hall, which had become the banquet venue.
"The small temple's fields also had a great harvest. I suppose it's because Lady Rosemine's Magic Power has saturated the area?"
Tull said happily as he showed me the vegetables. They were more impressive and appetizing than the vegetables I'd seen during my commoner days.
"We've prepared the best vegetables to send to the Temple for Lady Rosemine. Please share them with the Temple's orphanage too."
Leafy vegetables spoiled easily, so they were preserved in oil or rubbed with salt and stored in jars as pickled vegetables, but root vegetables were to be harvested early the next morning and prepared as cargo right away.
Perhaps because they'd started farming, the gray priests from Hassé's small temple looked more tanned and healthy than the gray priests who had just arrived from Ehrenfest's orphanage.
"Unlike Tull and the others who grew up in Hassé, the gray priests from Hassé who had never done farm work must have had a terribly hard time with the unfamiliar labor?"
"Yes. But the vegetables turned out delicious. When I see the vegetables I grew myself on the table at every meal, I feel so much happier than when I used to just wait for handouts and go hungry."
The orphanage in Ehrenfest had fewer Blue Priests, and divine blessings had dwindled. Everyone was constantly hungry.
Back then, they couldn't even do something as simple as growing their own food, the gray priest said with a small smile. Seeing them rejoice over the things they could now do made even me happy.
After encouraging the gray priests, I moved on to where the soldiers were. This was a precious chance to talk to people from the lower city. I decided to ask about how the lower city had changed.
"How has the lower city been since the Entwickelung? I've heard reports from the commercial guild's Guild Master and from the Plantan Company, but I'd like to hear a different perspective."
From the merchant's perspective, merchants from other territories had increased and it was a whirlwind of activity. Profits had apparently soared. Of course, there were plenty of points to improve, but they'd felt good results from the cleaned-up lower city and the invitations to the Italian restaurant.
"Were there any problems like deteriorating security, or non-merchants suffering disadvantages?"
When I asked the soldiers for their input, they eagerly shared their observations.
"The population grew and large quantities of goods were being sold, so prices went up. Jobs increased too and wages rose a bit, but before the pay went up, it was pretty tough."
"It was summer, so we could go to the forests and gather food if needed, but if this keeps up every year, it might get rough."
"I got the impression that bars and restaurants were always packed. It was the first time I'd seen that many people in the city, and it was quite a shock."
Words poured out of the soldiers one after another. I noticed Fran diligently writing everything down on a writing board. I pulled out my own and jotted down some of the opinions.
Not just merchants themselves but their servants as well—it seemed a considerable number of people had entered the city. The south side was the Artisan Way, and some merchants had apparently come to investigate how goods were being made, but unfamiliar merchants were viewed with suspicion and were hardly ever let into the workshops.
"The artisans said they were suspicious-looking. Plus, work kept pouring in one after another, and everyone was busy, so they were quite the nuisance."
"The city had an energy like nothing before. Along with that, there were more small quarrels, and the soldiers at the East Gate had a rough time of it."
The main road from the East Gate to the West Gate, where many travelers passed through, was constantly crowded. There were apparently many small incidents at restaurants and bars where soldiers had to be called.
But overall, things had gone smoothly.
Since there was nothing significantly different from the merchants' reports, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"The merchants say it's thanks to all you soldiers patrolling and providing guidance that the lower city has stayed clean and beautiful, and everyone was able to adapt to the new lifestyle. Thank you so much. And I hope you'll continue to support us going forward."
"It's our pleasure. Without Lady Rosemine's advice, we wouldn't have been so thorough with our patrols and public awareness efforts. In all likelihood, the lower city would have fallen apart. Please don't hesitate to reach out if anything comes up."
Father tapped his left chest twice, and I returned the same gesture.
...Good. I was able to properly protect everyone in the lower city.
I couldn't make it to Greshell.
And while I was at it, I couldn't make it to the fish either.
Will the day ever come when I can convince the Chief Priest and eat fish?
Next time, I'll go to Greshell to welcome the Gutenberg.