Benno’s Request
“With the galley proof done, we need to compare it with the manuscript and correct any mistakes. The more people doing this, the better, since there are going to be mistakes no matter how careful you are.”
Once the typo checking was done, the galleys were corrected and another proof was printed. Only once all of the mistakes were confirmed to have been fixed would we begin printing in bulk, and this process of typesetting and correcting any mistakes formed the repetitious bulk of printing.
“I am very satisfied with this printing press. I would like to order an identical one to send to Hasse.”
“Th-Thank you very much,” Ingo and Johann replied with nervous smiles. Zack, however, looked somewhat unsatisfied, likely because he hadn’t been involved in the actual construction.
Don’t worry, Zack. I have a lot more schematics for you to make.
In any case, by spreading the things I wanted around the world at once, I was causing some serious repercussions in all sorts of places. My influence was more significant than I ever would have thought, and that influence would undoubtedly create fierce competition between workshops, which wanted to make as much profit as possible. As a result, the Gilberta Company would get even more work, as they served as my representative and an intermediary between me and the workshops.
The problem is, I can’t just choose one workshop to give my exclusive business to.
I let out a sigh. Zack’s creativity and skill when it came to drawing up blueprints was very important to me, but so was Johann’s technical ability that flawlessly brought those schematics to life. There was no way to avoid giving work to them both, but the inevitable conflict this would cause between workshops was pretty rough.
It would be so much easier if they just combined their workshops into one.
I contemplated the idea for a moment, then looked over at Zack. “What would I need to do to make you the foreman of a new workshop, Zack?”
“Wha?!”
Zack immediately looked at me with wide eyes, while Ingo and Johann regarded me with bewildered stares as though I had morphed into some kind of talking feybeast. It seemed pretty clear that my suggestion was a little out of the ordinary, so I hurriedly explained my thought process.
“I simply figured that Zack and Johann establishing a workshop together would make it a lot easier for me to order things from them both.”
Since I couldn’t just give one of their workshops my exclusive business, my idea had been to establish a smithy containing only my personal craftsmen.
“Zack and Johann are from different smithies, so taking orders and distributing the pay has been a bit of a pain, right? Well, Zack is sociable and has a bright, active imagination, so I think he would be well suited to becoming a foreman, while Johann could provide his excellent skills to complete the ultimate workshop.”
“Hold on, hold on. Johann and I are both leherls, which means that, while we can inherit our current workshops—assuming our respective foremen choose us after we’ve gotten our beruf certifications, of course—we can’t become the foremen of new workshops.”
“Wait, really?”
Zack and Johann went on to explain that, while the contracts signed by lehanges were generally for three years of work, those signed by leherls tied them into a lifetime of employment with that particular workshop. This was done to help the workshop grow, but it also meant that leherls couldn’t go on to own workshops themselves. In other words, no matter where you went, people wanted to keep skilled workers to themselves.
“A leherl can have their contract nullified if they’re deemed useless or cause too many problems, but Zack and Johann are making a lot of money for their workshops,” Ingo added, providing the perspective of a foreman with a workshop. “I doubt their foremen are gonna let them go.”
Ingo had apparently aimed to become a foreman since he was a kid, having been confident in his skills from a young age and given some amount of support from his parents. He declined the leherl contracts offered to him and instead signed on as a lehange with various workshops to hone his talents.
“I see... So that means it wouldn’t be feasible for me to establish a smithy exclusively for my Gutenbergs,” I lamented, at which point Johann repeatedly nodded in agreement. “It’s a shame, though. There were many large projects that I’d wished to start on, and I thought that having my own personal smithy would make giving the orders much easier. But I suppose that simply isn’t an option.”
“...Large projects?” Zack asked hesitantly.
I nodded. “Indeed. Would you care to design a (hand pump) for me so that we might draw water from the wells much more easily? I am willing to buy the schematic from you without hesitation. My intention is to give said schematic to the Smithing Guild for safekeeping, as this way, anyone will be able to make (hand pumps) for themselves in the future.”
“But... why?”
“Because the invention will earn more profit than a single workshop could ever use, and I would much rather it spread across the world at once. The struggle of drawing water is experienced universally, is it not?”
“Still, I don’t understand why you would publicize the schematics,” Zack replied. “You should always try to monopolize as much of the profit as you can.”
He and all the other craftsmen looked positively baffled; they were so used to prioritizing earnings for their own workshops that they simply could not understand my desire to begin circulating convenient quality of life products.
Well, if all commoners think the same way about this, maybe I should figure out a way to earn profit from it just so the craftsmen can understand me better. Maybe I could use this as an opportunity to popularize the concept of a royalty fee...
“While I shall allow the Smithing Guild to manage the schematics, I won’t be releasing the (hand pumps) for free. I intend to sign a magic contract to the effect that, for each one made, Zack and I will be paid a small fee—for designing the product and inventing it, respectively.”
“...I see. That’ll get you some profit while spreading the product around for sure,” Ingo replied, nodding a few times while stroking his cheek. Zack also nodded in understanding now that I was talking about being paid.
“What exactly is this thing that you’re talking about, Lady Rozemyne? I can only guess it’s as weird as everything else you’ve come up with.”
“Well, yes. You’re right. It’s pretty weird.”
I explained the theory behind the hand pump’s operation as best and as simply as I could. Back in my Urano days, I had researched the subject during a social studies class in which we compared life in the past and present. My group had tasked me with heading to the library and doing the research, which was somewhat of a treasured memory since I was so rarely trusted with things.
That said, I hadn’t actually made a pump myself. The best I could do was draw out a rough illustration and provide a broad explanation, but Zack listened on regardless, his gray eyes shining with competitive light.
“So, when you move this part here, these parts move and open the valve... Okay. I think I get it. I’ll try drawing up some designs.”
“Do your best, noble Gutenberg.”
I tapped guild cards with Lutz to pay the remaining fees for the printing press, the cost of the new printing press that would be sent to Hasse, and the down payment for the hand pump schematics. I would leave dividing the money between the craftsmen, delivering the reports to the guilds, and so on to the Gilberta Company.
“Lady Rozemyne, Master Benno was entrusted with this,” Lutz said, handing a letter to Gil, who then gave it to me.
I opened it right then and there, and inside was a brief message stating that Hugo wished to become a court chef. It seemed that he had finished training his successor in the Italian restaurant.
“If possible, he would like to receive your introduction,” Lutz added.
It ultimately fell on the archduke to decide who to hire as a court chef. Sylvester had previously given him a direct, off-the-record invitation, but no formal documents had been shared or signed; without me throwing in a word for him, he probably wouldn’t even be able to enter the castle or the Noble’s Quarter again.
“In the end, he didn’t find a new partner before the Star Festival...”
...Oh, right. His girlfriend rejected him or something. What with Hugo and Damuel, it feels like every guy around me has been getting turned down recently.
Feeling sad about how unsuccessful everyone around me was with romance, I looked toward Lutz. “Please tell Benno to send Hugo with you next time so that we might discuss this in person.”
“As you wish.”
Three days later, Benno and Lutz visited the orphanage director’s chambers with Hugo in tow. He had been made to wear his best outfit and was practically shrinking in fear as his eyes frantically surveyed his surroundings. It was honestly kind of funny seeing him like that. He had never come up to the second floor when he had been working here as my chef, so I could tell that he felt out of place.
After we finished exchanging our greetings and had taken our seats, Fran came over to pour our tea. Like a proper noble, I sipped my tea first and took a demonstrative bite out of the new sweets that Ella had prepared. She had put her all into making them upon hearing that Hugo would be coming—langues de chat separated by cream and jam made from seasonal fruit. She really had been burning with motivation to show her former teacher just how much she had grown.
Nicola had told me this information, laughing all the while.
“Here you are. These are new sweets prepared by Ella.”
In an instant, Hugo’s small, anxious expression morphed into that of a chef. He straightened his back and examined the sweets with narrowed eyes before picking one up, giving it a closer look from various angles, and placing it in his mouth.
As he swallowed, his expression turned into a frown. “Gah! She’s improved too friggin’ much...” he murmured, vexed. It seemed that Ella’s all-out attempt to make the best sweets ever had successfully wounded Hugo’s pride.
“So, Hugo wishes to become a court chef now...?” I asked, broaching the subject.
Benno nodded. “I am told he received an invitation from the archduke himself, but no formal documents were provided. We hoped that you might send word of his decision for us, Lady Rozemyne.”
“Is the Italian restaurant prepared to lose Hugo? What did the co-owner, Freida, have to say about this?” I asked.
As it turned out, both Benno and Freida had agreed that an Italian restaurant chef going on to become a court chef in the castle would bring nothing but good publicity for them.
“I see. In that case, I have no qualms about sending word that Hugo may become a court chef.”
Benno sighed in relief, then crossed his arms in front of his chest with a word of gratitude. Hugo did the same.
I gave them a brisk nod, then glanced at Hugo for some final confirmation. “Please understand, though—you will receive entirely different accommodation from when you were staying in the castle to teach the other court chefs my recipes. You will not begin as a teacher, but rather as an entry-level cook. Is that acceptable to you? At the moment, you hold the prized position of head chef at the Italian restaurant. Becoming a court chef will send you back to the bottom.”
“Even so, this is what I want,” Hugo replied, determinedly clenching his fists in his lap.
“Furthermore, the recipes that I have taught you up until now have been protected by magic contracts. You will no longer be able to spread new recipes once you are hired as a court chef, and I cannot predict how the other chefs will treat you.”
“Master Benno said that, too. But I still want to do this,” Hugo said. His resolve was as firm as iron; he wanted to become a court chef no matter what position it put him in.
“This is also important, but if you enter the Noble’s Quarter as a court chef, you will no longer be able to return to the lower city without your boss’s permission. You have a family, do you not? Are you okay with being separated from them? Have they agreed to this?”
Benno lowered his eyes a little, knowing that I had been forced to leave my own family, but Hugo was unfazed. He simply responded that he desired to become a court chef, even if that meant leaving his family.
“Why do you so strongly wish to become a court chef? I’m curious, since you didn’t seem so invested in the power that the position offered before. Are you unsatisfied with the Italian restaurant? You may tell us if you are having any particular issues as a chef, so that we might correct them for both you and the others.”
“No, I don’t have any problems with the workplace. It’s just, well... It’s kind of a personal reason, and...” Hugo trailed off uncomfortably, at which point Benno started to explain for him, his serious expression belying the amusement in his eyes.
It turned out that Hugo’s ex-girlfriend had started dating one of his neighbors, and seeing them acting all lovey-dovey every single day had driven him to want to leave his home and become a court chef as soon as possible.
Oh... So it didn’t just end with him getting rejected, huh? That’s... That’s honestly pretty sad.
“If you wish to find a new special someone, it would be much wiser to continue working in the Italian restaurant; I am certain you are much more likely to find someone else there. As you surely know already, the court chefs are almost exclusively men.” I had researched the castle’s kitchens out of concern over Ella going there, so I already knew what the male:female ratio was like.
My observation made Hugo grunt uncomfortably, then firmly shake his head. “I’ve already decided to dedicate my life to cooking!”
“It is your life, Hugo; as long as you don’t make a choice you will regret, I am happy to assist. But if you wish to become a court chef solely to escape your current home and workplace, I am willing to hire you with room and board as my personal chef. How does that sound?” I asked with a smile.
Hugo’s eyes bulged at the offer. As far as I was concerned, it would be a waste for a chef as skilled as him to be stuck doing low-level manual labor in the kitchen. Not to mention, as he was going to be leaving the Italian restaurant either way, I would much rather get him under my wing to avoid having to teach my recipes to yet more people.
“I was considering hiring more personal chefs, as Ella is struggling to manage everything on her own. You two have already spent much time together, and I know that your skills are more than satisfactory. You also won’t have to start at the bottom in my kitchen.”
“Er, but... I told my family that I’m going to become a court chef, and I’m quitting the Italian restaurant, too. Backing down now would just be kinda...”
Lame, and laughable to anyone who heard. In short, his pride as a man was at stake.
“Becoming my personal chef would mean following me as I travel between the castle and the temple, which, from a lower city perspective, is practically the same as being a court chef.”
Hugo blinked, froze for a moment, and then shook his head.
Ahh, he’s uncertain. Good, good. Time to pile on the pressure and make him bend.
“Plus, you would not be wasting any of the knowledge you previously acquired. Your position would allow you to make all the recipes you have already learned, as well as potential new ones—I intend to send new recipes to the Italian restaurant as well, after all. Oh, and not to mention, in my service, you will have access to the newest cooking utensils before anyone else.”
Hugo’s eyes flickered to and fro, his interest drawn to the new cooking utensils. Benno, who was sitting beside him, watched on silently with an amused grin creeping onto his face.
“You may also request to go to the lower city while I am staying at the temple. That would surely bring comfort to your family, would it not?”
Hugo’s head was swaying side to side, as if mirroring his wavering heart. One more push would do it.
“Not to mention, my kitchen has Ella. Nicola and Monika often work there as assistants, too. Would you not rather work in a kitchen full of cute girls than the stuffy, man-filled one in the castle?”
“Lady Rozemyne, I think I’ll take you up on your offer.”
He finally folded with a deadly serious look on his face, signing the contract through Benno, who was holding a hand over his mouth to contain his laughter. And thus, Hugo, too, became my personal chef.
“I’ll have your room prepared by tomorrow, so have your things ready. Monika, take Hugo to the High Bishop’s chambers and show him the kitchen. He need only see where he is going to work.”
“As you wish. Hugo, please follow me.”
At that, Monika led Hugo out of the orphanage director’s chambers. In stark contrast to when he had come in, he looked so pleased that I thought he might even start humming along the way.
After watching Hugo disappear down the stairs, I turned to Benno. “I’ve settled on a date for training Otto and the others.”
The training would be done while I was at the castle during the Archduke Conference. My temple attendants were permitted a fair amount of flexibility while I was away, so that would be the perfect opportunity for them to instruct others.
Meanwhile, I would be reading as many books as I wanted in the castle book room... or at least, I deeply wished that was the case. Ferdinand had instead instructed me to join Wilfried in performing Mana Replenishment while the archduke was absent and attending the conference.
“I thank you greatly for your consideration during these busy times,” Benno said, glancing toward the hidden room. He probably wanted to talk about something else in there, so I gave a prompt nod and stood from my seat.
“Damuel, Gil—we are moving to the other room.”
And so, I entered the hidden room with Benno, Gil, and Damuel, taking a seat once we were inside. Benno sat down as well and met my gaze, at which point he dropped his superficial merchant smile to reveal a sharp scowl.
“Did something happen, Benno?”
“You know I’ve been doing more business with nobles lately, right?”
“Yes. Lutz tells me about your complaining through Gil all the time,” I replied.
It turned out that Elvira approaching him while we were selling learning materials at the castle had led to the Gilberta Company getting an immediate surge in noble connections, and they had been up to their elbows in work ever since.
“I’m getting more and more inquiries about the learning materials made by your workshop. Not just from nobles, either—from rich commoners as well. And that’s made the owners of other large stores run complaining to the Guild about how the Gilberta Company’s supposed to be a clothing store,” Benno said, scratching his head with a sigh.
“I’ve spread too far out,” he continued. “Other stores normally wouldn’t get up in arms about something like this, but you’re involved with it all, and every new business I step into is raking in obscene amounts of profit. People are being increasingly obnoxious about how much business I have with nobles now.”
When combined with Freida and the guildmaster getting involved, the fact that Benno wasn’t really visiting the Italian restaurant much had given other stores the impression that he was merely another investor. But even had this not been an issue, Benno’s decision to stay involved with me had gotten him increasingly more work in the printing industry and thus more noble customers, leaving the other large store owners clamoring for a piece of the pie.
“Barely any of my new noble customers even realize that the Gilberta Company is a clothing store, which is gonna make it harder for Corinna and Renate to take over. That’s why, once you’ve finished training Otto, my plan is to split off from the Gilberta Company and make a store solely for the printing business. This can hopefully be done before that new fashion you’re trying to spread hits the scene.”
Benno’s plan was to divide the store in two so that the profits he was earning from me weren’t concentrated on a single business. I wasn’t sure whether that would actually work, but I wasn’t an expert on inter-merchant relationships and didn’t really have a reason to disagree.
“So you, Mark, and Lutz are going to start a new store specifically for books?”
“Yeah. All the big store owners who want in on this new industry that the archduke’s started are each going to be sending a lehange to this new place,” he explained.
As it turned out, the real reason he was splitting the store was because he didn’t want those outsider lehanges in the Gilberta Company, but I didn’t understand why he was being forced to accept them in the first place. Truly, the world of merchants was a mysterious place.
“What do you need me to do, then?”
“I need a name. Could you think something up that makes it clear to everyone that the new store has your backing?”
Benno explained that the Gilberta Company’s founder had started by requesting a store name from a noble. They were told to use the name “Gilberta,” which the founder actually adopted as their own name as well.
“Um... Does that mean the new store’s going to be called the Rozemyne Company? Is your new name going to be ‘Rozemyne’ too, Benno?”
“I’m not taking the name. And if you are gonna give me one, at least make it male! But to answer your question, no, it doesn’t have to be your name. You can come up with whatever you want.”
Unperturbed by Benno’s outburst of anger, I started considering ideas. I had already used “Gutenberg” as a title for people, but there was nothing stopping me from using the name of someone else involved with the printing industry. And of course, I knew more than a few such names.
“It would be confusing for the store to have the same name as the Rozemyne Workshop, so what about going with the Plantin Company instead?”
“...Where’d that name come from?”
“It’s a secret,” I said with a pleased smile, knowing full well that he wouldn’t understand the reference even if I explained it to him.
Christophe Plantin was a man who had dedicated his life to printing books and notably produced the Plantin Polyglot Bible. Incidentally, Plantin’s printing workshop in Belgium was considered a World Heritage Site; the Plantin-Moretus Museum was actually located there, and I had wanted to see it with my own eyes someday.
“Plantin, huh? Well, I’ll just be glad you didn’t go with Gutenberg again.”
“They come from a similar place. But more importantly, Benno, I really think you should start going by the name ‘Plantin’ now.”
“Never.”
He shot me down instantly. But on second thought, it would be confusing to actually have him change his name like that, so this was fine with me. The more important thing was learning from Plantin’s example and advancing the printing industry such that we could have twenty printing presses working at full throttle all at once.
“Benno, Benno. Let’s make as many books as we can and sell them at the Plantin Company. I want a workshop that can fit twenty whole printing presses inside.”
I would be fine with either a new printing workshop or expanding the existing Rozemyne Workshop to fit more printing presses. But my most purest of dreams only made Benno grimace hard, then flick me on the forehead.
“Didn’t the High Priest tell you to learn some patience?”
“Oh, right, he did. Gotta contain myself... Or, actually, can I just stay like this? I’d much rather go nuts.”
“Of course you can’t, idiot!”
Benno unleashed his thunder, and as he started grinding his knuckles against my head, a sense of peace and nostalgic solace washed over my heart. Oh, how I’d missed these days.
...B-But I wouldn’t mind him being a little more gentle! Not grinding so hard would be nice, too! Please!
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