Ascendance of a Bookworm (LN) - Volume 4.4 - Chapter 6

Request for the Gilberta Company

Having now acquired something new to research, Ferdinand once again started holing up in his workshop. He would come out only when it was time for me to assist him with his work, and come fourth bell, when I was no longer helping him, he would immediately lock himself away again. Eckhart had started to worry, since it had reached a point where Ferdinand was only eating one meal a day, but I didn’t think it was anything to fret about—that one meal a day ensured he would survive, at least.

“Still, I thought he would be long finished by now...” Eckhart murmured.

“We’ll be moving back to the castle after the spring baptism ceremonies, so I say we let him continue his research until then. We aren’t too backed up with temple work, and as long as he’s not going entirely without food, no one loses from this. I consider it fine for us to let him have a week to himself,” I said while cleaning up my slate board and pen. Far be it from me to deny him when I similarly wanted to spend my days reading in my room.

Eckhart returned a somewhat dissatisfied glare. “Rozemyne, you’re being surprisingly soft on Ferdinand. Would you put his lust for research over your own brother’s struggles having to accommodate it?”

“I’m not being soft on him; this is all for my own sake. Without his research, we will not be able to finish making our clothes for Schwartz and Weiss.” I also had my own plans, so I abandoned Eckhart and returned to my room; the Gilberta Company were due to arrive this afternoon, so I needed to move to the orphanage director’s chambers after lunch.

“Gil, Fritz. Have you prepared what I asked for?”

“Yes. Two kinds of wax, one viscous and rigid, the other runny and flexible; Heidi’s colored ink; and an assortment of miscellaneous goods, such as a pot for hot water, brushes, pens, cloth with resist-dyeing liquid, and some long chopsticks.”

I had ordered Gil and Fritz to prepare for the Gilberta Company visiting the workshop. An explanation alone was hardly going to suffice, so I was planning on showing them resist-dyeing firsthand.

“Thank you both. I will need to rely on you once again when the Gilberta Company arrives.”

“Understood.”

After a brief pre-meeting discussion, Gil went to meet the Gilberta Company at the gates, while Fritz returned to the workshop. Meanwhile, I sipped at the tea Fran had prepared and checked my room to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.

Not long after, Gil returned to the second floor with the Gilberta Company’s group. Five people in total were accompanying him: Otto, Corinna, Theo, Leon, and Tuuli.

The moment I made eye contact with Tuuli, she broke into a smile. That alone filled my heart with joy. She remained my angel, now and forever.

“We have come at your summons, Lady Rozemyne.”

Otto, Corinna, and Tuuli knelt in a row before me, with Theo and Leon kneeling behind them.

Theo was more or less Otto’s right-hand man—he supported Otto just as unilaterally as Mark did Benno. He and Otto had studied the etiquette necessary for visiting the castle together, so he fit right in here despite not having come very often.

Leon was a leherl in the Gilberta Company and knew me from my blue shrine maiden days. He had used to work with Lutz but stopped going to the workshop once the Plantin Company split from the Gilberta Company, so I hadn’t seen him in a long while. The last time I had, he had still looked a bit childish due to not having come of age, but now he looked fully like an adult.

After exchanging lengthy noble greetings, I suddenly remembered. After raising my hands to my chest, I smacked my right fist against my left palm. It was the spring greeting for merchants that Benno and Mark had taught me. Since we were here for business, I decided to give it a try.

“Blessed be the melting of the snow,” I said. “May the Goddess of Spring’s boundless magnanimity grace you all.”

Otto blinked in surprise before likewise smacking his fist against his hand. “Blessed be the melting of the snow. May the Goddess of Spring’s boundless magnanimity grace you.”

The other four repeated the same merchants’ greeting after Otto. It felt somewhat strange seeing Tuuli say it so smoothly.

“You may sit,” I said, gesturing to the Gilberta Company’s seats as Fran prepared more tea. “There are many orders to be made.”

Otto, Corinna, and Tuuli sat down, while Theo and Leon stood behind them. It wasn’t long before the warm aroma of tea started drifting through the air, and it was then that Monika brought in sweets. They were simple cookies for us to eat while discussing business. I demonstratively ate one of each so that the others could start eating as well.

Seeing Tuuli smiling happily at getting to eat sweet stuff satisfied me. Corinna, upon noticing that, smiled as well.

“Lady Rozemyne, what orders do you have for the Gilberta Company today?” Corinna asked brightly. “I am told you need more than just hairpins this time.”

“A personal chef of mine will be attending this summer’s Star Festival; I would like a hairpin for her to wear when the time comes. That said, despite being among my personnel, Ella is still a commoner. A hairpin that looks too expensive would stick out, and I assume it would not suit her outfit to begin with.”

“Indeed.”

“Furthermore, as I brought my personal chefs with me to the Noble’s Quarter, Ella was not able to attend her coming-of-age ceremony. This is going to be the first time her parents see her wearing formal clothes, and as I understand it, her husband’s parents will also see her during the festival. Tuuli, could you prepare a hairpin for a spring-born that would suit her?”

Tuuli knew Ella, since they had taught the orphans to cook together and participated in the pig-killing for the orphanage’s winter prep. She would doubtless be able to make a hairpin that suited her.

“Certainly,” Tuuli replied. “I have met Ella and understand what will suit her.”

That settled that.

“As far as I could tell from the podium during the winter coming-of-age ceremony the other day, almost every woman was wearing a hairpin,” I said. “I was impressed to see how far the Gilberta Company’s efforts have spread them throughout the city.”

Tuuli gave a modest, proud smile. “I also see that the number of women wearing hairpins at ceremonies is increasing by the year. I research which hairpins are the most popular so that I may make even better ones myself... although I did not see the recent coming-of-age ceremony, since I had to stay with my little brother.”

“Did something happen to him?” I asked, recalling my concern after not seeing Tuuli and Kamil at the doors. I thought they could have been sick.

“No, it’s just that he turns four this spring. Taking a toddler to see a ceremony is one thing when you can carry them, but he’s now old enough that he might rush into the temple if we aren’t careful, so we decided to keep him home. Children aren’t allowed in the temple before their baptism,” Tuuli replied.

Oh yeah... I remember not being allowed to go when Tuuli was baptized.

It wasn’t something that I had really considered, since my family had always carried Kamil up to the doors, but children weren’t allowed to enter the temple before they were baptized. In short, I wouldn’t get to see him again until his own baptism.

This sucks...

“But my parents wanted to see it no matter what, so I volunteered to watch over him. We were lucky it was on an Earthday when I didn’t have to work. We would have been in trouble had it been the coming-of-age ceremony of any other season,” Tuuli continued with a troubled smile. She had no doubt watched over Kamil so that Mom and Dad could see that I really had gotten better.

It makes sense. They couldn’t leave an almost four-year-old on his own.

It wouldn’t be easy for my parents to visit the temple from now on, since they couldn’t bring Kamil, which meant I would get even fewer chances to see them.

I don’t get to talk to Lutz and the others in the hidden room, and now I don’t get to watch Kamil grow up either. This is a little sad.

Tuuli opened and then closed her mouth, hesitant to speak, before finally steeling her resolve and giving me a comforting expression. “Um, Lady Rozemyne... My father mentioned that he has once again been hired to escort those going to Hasse. The soldiers were elated when they heard the news; it truly is one of their favorite assignments. I would like to thank you for your patronage as well.”

Her words snapped me back to reality. We were hiring the soldiers to bring the gray priests back from Hasse, which meant I would get to see Dad at the monastery again. That cheered me up a little.

“The soldiers Gunther leads are kind even to my gray priests and shrine maidens, and it is thanks to their consideration that I can trust them with this work. Tell Gunther that I look forward to his good service once more.”

“As you wish,” Tuuli replied with a relieved smile. It was a sight that healed my aching heart, and after a moment spent basking in her radiance, I set the sheet of paper with the armband design on it down on the table.

“Moving on—I would like the Gilberta Company to make these,” I said. Everyone leaned forward and peered down at the armband drawings with curious expressions.

“Lady Rozemyne, might I ask what this is?” Tuuli queried. She spoke with the utmost politeness, but the suspicion in her eyes made it clear that she was asking whether I was about to start something weird again. I personally didn’t consider it strange in the slightest, but her general assumption was correct. Armbands were essential items for members of my Library Committee.

I wrapped the design sheet around my arm. “I would like armbands with these characters on them to demonstrate membership to an organization. All members of the Library Committee will be wearing them.”

“They look a lot like the cloth bands people wear for funerals...” Tuuli said with a slight frown. I wasn’t sure what she was referring to; it must have been another custom from this world.

“Funerals, you say?”

“Yes. During funerals, those related to the deceased wrap black cloth around their arms. This armband reminds me of it.”

Oh, I see... I guess that’s a little concerning. Hopefully using a color other than black should avoid any further comparisons to funerals...

Giving up on the armbands entirely wasn’t an option. I wanted to be a Library Committee member, even if only in appearance. I wanted to have matching armbands with Schwartz, Weiss, and Hannelore.

“The armbands aren’t black, and there are going to be characters embroidered onto them, so I don’t believe they will feel much like funeral cloths,” I said. “Armbands have a pin, see, so they lock around the arm. Oh, I suppose I need to have Johann make (safety pins)...”

I set down the armband paper, took out my diptych, and then scribbled down “order safety pins from Johann.” I would need to speak to my Gutenbergs about it before leaving for Haldenzel at Spring Prayer.

As my thoughts drifted, Tuuli pointed at the kanji on the armband with an exasperated look. “Lady Rozemyne. Pardon me, Lady Rozemyne. What are these strange designs?”

“Oh, ah... Let’s say they are collectively the symbol for the Library Committee that I made up. The armband design you see here is already life-size, so just do the embroidery as you see it. You must not add or remove any lines whatsoever.”

We discussed the armbands further, during which I selected the color of the cloth and the embroidery thread that would be used. There were going to be four differently colored armbands in total. I wanted the variety so that Hannelore could select her preferred color and so that we could have ones that suited Schwartz’s and Weiss’s new outfits.

“Furthermore, I wish to order a new hairpin for this summer,” I continued. “The hairpins are popular even in the Royal Academy. I shall entrust the design to you, Tuuli.”

“Understood. You may count on me,” Tuuli said, confidently accepting the work order. I generally entrusted her with designing and selecting the colors for the hairpins; I had complete faith that she would make one that suited me.

After finishing my order, I gazed across the others from the Gilberta Company, one by one. Otto and Tuuli tensed up a little, anticipating one last thing. They were sensitive to my more subtle mannerisms after having spent so long with me.

“And finally, although I have already expressed my gratitude by letter, please allow me to thank you directly. I am incredibly grateful that you accepted such urgent orders in the winter, and the prince was exceedingly satisfied with the hairpin you produced. The archduke candidate who wore it was truly a sight to behold, and she drew more attention than any other graduating student. I am sure you will be receiving more orders from this point on as well.”

“We are honored.”

They seemed to be suspecting that I was about to drag them around on some unreasonable journey again... and they weren’t entirely wrong.

I smiled. “As a reward for your continued efforts, I would like to present the Gilberta Company with a new technology.”

“Erm...”

Tuuli and Otto looked at me with surprise, having been caught off guard. Corinna tilted her head gracefully, but her eyes were narrowed into the sharp look of a merchant.

“I wished to express my thanks for you completing an order from royalty, a truly unreasonable demand, but perhaps you would rather not receive it? If so, I would ask to be introduced to the Dyeing Guild.”

“Not at all! We will gratefully accept it.”

I wasn’t lying when I said that I wanted to express my thanks to the Gilberta Company, but in truth, I just wanted to get resist-dyeing spread ASAP, and I thought it would be quicker to work with the Gilberta Company than with guild members I had never met before.

“I will instruct you in a new manner of dyeing cloth, and I ask that you use it to prepare wearable clothes by next year’s winter. I intend to spread this as a trend in the near future.”

Tuuli widened her eyes a little, as if to say, “She really is being unreasonable again.” At the same time, Leon, who was standing behind Corinna as her assistant, leaned closer and asked for permission to speak. There was a distinct sparkle in his eyes.

“You may speak, Leon.”

“I thank you. Am I right to assume this new technology is not related to hairpins, but is instead a new way of making cloth?”

“That is correct,” I replied. “Although it would be more accurate to say this new method is not for making cloth, but for dyeing it.”

Upon hearing my explanation, Leon broke into a smile. I blinked, unsure why that made him so pleased, but Otto explained for me. Leon’s family apparently owned a store that sold cloth to the Gilberta Company, and they had connections to every dyeing workshop in the city. His family would make quite a killing if cloth incorporating this new dyeing method garnered a lot of attention.

“Shall we go to the workshop, then?” I proposed. “I will show you the process firsthand to supplement the explanation. Fran, summon Gil.”

Gil guided us to the workshop, and upon our arrival, everyone stopped working to greet us. I had everyone return to their duties, except Gil and Fritz, who were going to be performing the demonstration. Otto and Corinna looked around the workshop curiously, but Leon seemed more wistful. His eyes were on the tools used to swish paper, so I could guess he was remembering the past.

“Nostalgic, is it, Leon?”

“It is. I used to come here almost every day.”

“You may help today, if you so wish. The dyeing workshops will need more demonstrations like the one we are about to show,” I noted with a refined chuckle, at the same time signaling to Gil with my eyes. He nodded in response and then began to address those gathered.

“What we are about to demonstrate is a method used to draw art directly on cloth. We are not well-informed on local cloth production methods, so it is possible that you are already familiar with it,” Gil said preemptively before looking at me for confirmation.

I nodded and then gazed across those from the Gilberta Company. “There are many ways of weaving and embroidering cloth to make it more beautiful, but I have only ever seen cloth dyed a single color. Are there any technologies for drawing directly on cloth? Or perhaps certain ways in which cloth is folded and cinched with thread to create designs?”

“There was long ago...” Corinna said, placing a hand on her cheek. As it turned out, among the clothes left behind by the founder of the Gilberta Company had been some tie-dyed cloth. “This happened decades ago, but there was once an archduke candidate from Ahrensbach who wed into the duchy. She brought new cultural trends and technologies to Ehrenfest one after another, and these new trends in style required cloth of a solid color, which resulted in the technology for even dyeing being improved and embroidery growing in popularity. At the same time, it is said that the technology for dyeing subsequently degraded into what it is today.”

Nobles were generally the only ones who purchased cloth in bulk, and if all of noble society considered single-color cloth to be of the highest quality, it was only natural that all the dyeing workshops would make it their top priority. Tie-dyeing and the irregular colors it produced had consequently been abandoned in the blink of an eye, and judging by modern trends, I could see how that had happened.

“An interesting history. In which case, will there be craftspeople ready to return to old forms once I attempt to spread the dyeing technique again?” I asked.

“No, I believe they are all gone.”

The literacy rate among craftspeople was almost zero percent, which meant most didn’t leave behind records, and technologies were easily lost. This change of trends had happened long enough ago that pretty much all those who were alive back then had since passed away.

“Tie-dyeing is not especially difficult, so I imagine it will revive as soon as I start making orders. Individual workshops can perform any additional research at their leisure, although I would appreciate it if written records of any findings are made so as to not be lost again to the capricious tides of popularity. Perhaps I could ask the Dyeing Guild to handle that?”

“I will speak to the guild, as they may already have some records stashed away,” Corinna said. Leon nodded in agreement and jotted down a reminder on his diptych.

“In addition to tie-dyeing, I wish to introduce a method known as resist-dyeing. It may have existed in the past, but if it has also been lost, please revive it.” I pointed to two sheets of cloth, onto which Wilma had sketched flowers with soot pencils. As everyone looked at them with great interest, Gil and Fritz began tracing them with brushes tipped with melted wax, as we had discussed. “One need only put wax in the places one wishes to remain undyed and the places that one wishes to leave white.”

“Do we not need dye for the wax part?” Leon asked. I nodded in response; the stiff wax that Fritz had applied had started to crack as it dried, while the wax that Gil had applied hadn’t.

“This is the difference the type of wax makes,” I explained. “If you’re going to do resist-dyeing then please cooperate with a wax workshop to make wax with the right balance of ingredients.”

Leon grimaced, having experienced firsthand the endless trial and error of the Myne Workshop. Absorbing new technologies was no easy matter, especially considering that I simply taught the process; it was the professionals who needed to hone it to perfection.

“Fritz, crack the wax a bit more, if you would.”

Fritz struck the cloth to form more cracks. Then, he and Gil started smearing the colored ink that Heidi had invented over the wax. They used the rollers for mimeograph printing and were thus able to cover the handkerchief-sized cloths with red in no time at all. The areas where the wax had been added, however, remained undyed.

“Once the cloth has been dyed, the next step is to melt the wax. Wax melts when heated, no? One needs only submerge the cloth in boiling water once the dyeing is complete.”

Gil gripped the two pieces of cloth with the chopsticks, dunked them into a pot, dexterously stirred them around, and then pulled them out again. All the gray priests in the Rozemyne Workshop could already use chopsticks, since they were necessary in the paper-making process when handling bark and wood.

Fritz washed the heated cloth with cool water, squeezed it dry, and then spread it flat on the table. On one piece was a sharp white flower, while on the other was a flower with unusual cracks running through it.

“I believe that both of these styles are usable; it all depends on the customer’s preference. One can use tie-dyeing and resist-dyeing in tandem, and since colors grow darker when dyed several times over, one could, as an example, wax the petals of an illustrated flower to distinguish the color of flowers, leaves, and a background. Of course, you can embroider on top of all this as well.”

“I see,” Otto said with a nod. Behind him, Theo was desperately noting all this down. Assistants sure had it rough.

“You can use pliable wax to draw fairly precise, detailed art; or you can use stiff, cracked wax to create more unique patterns. I believe both are worth experimenting with.”

“How would you like your own new cloth to be dyed, Lady Rozemyne?” Corinna asked, causing me to fall into thought. I certainly liked tie-dyed cloth, but resist-dyeing was hard to ignore.

“I wish to support as many new technologies as possible, so I will order one piece of tie-dyed and one piece of resist-dyed cloth from each style of cloth that a given dyeing workshop in Ehrenfest owns. I wish for the dyes to be red, the divine color of winter, and I will select which cloth to use from those that are presented to me.”

“That will certainly liven up that dyeing workshop...” Otto said, his voice tinged with awe.

“It is my pleasure,” I said with a smile. “I know more ways of dyeing than the two we have shown you today, so I am open to discussing business once more.”