Father Wants One Too
Father told me to come to his study, but when I said I’d go after finishing Grandmother’s cushion request, he reluctantly agreed.
I had Rosalina called in and asked her to make a cushion to match the chair.
She said making one piece from the backrest to the seat would be difficult, so she wanted to split it into two.
I told her to go with whatever method was easiest to sew, and to attach strings so the cushions could be tied to the chair.
“Young Master Reinhardt, making a sample is fine, but if this cushion request grows, you should commission a professional.”
She was right. I’d been giving Rosalina more and more work lately, even though her real job was being a maid, not making accessories.
“You’re right. I’ll look for a specialist. But this one’s for Grandmother, so I need it done urgently.”
“The Madam will be using it?”
“Yes. So please use a fabric that suits Grandmother’s tastes.”
“All the more reason to have a professional…”
“If we start searching now, it’ll take too long. Just this once, I’m counting on you.”
“... Understood. I’ll consult the Madam’s personal maids and make it.”
After finishing the discussion with Rosalina, I went to Father’s study, where the moment he saw me, he said I’d gone too far.
Rosa, Raziel, and Edgar were there as well.
“Father, still, the products we saw this time were good, weren’t they?”
“They were, but…”
“I’m doing all this to make the New Town a success. There’s no stopping now.”
“... Keep it to the New Town. Don’t add any more.”
“That’s my intention, but somehow, spin-off products keep popping up.”
“No excuses. Just say ‘Understood.’”
“Understood. I’ll do my best. By the way, Raziel, if we’re ordering cushions, which shop should we use?”
“You just agreed not to add more, and now you’re adding again.”
“They’re for the Ranan chairs. Father, you’d like one too, wouldn’t you?”
“Well… I suppose I would.”
Raziel gave a wry smile.
“Probably a general store.”
“Any shop you’d recommend?”
“I don’t really know any general stores. Perhaps you should ask Madam.”
“I’ll do that.”
“While you’re at it, could you also request covers for the cradles?”
“Covers for the cradles?”
“Yes. Instead of leaving them plain, making boy and girl versions with decorative covers would make them more charming.”
“You’re right. Rosa, remind me if I forget.”
“... Yes, understood.”
Her reply came about two beats late, but I decided to let it slide.
Father gave permission to build a separate office and meeting room for the administrative officers on the opposite side of the trading company.
He’d said to put them in the main building, but Damian and Rosetta would eventually move to the New Town, and Rosa had frequent meetings with the trading company.
It made more sense to keep them in the annex rather than constantly going back and forth.
I should probably find at least one more subordinate before Damian and the others leave.
“Sorry to call you back so soon after your return.”
“It’s fine. I expected it.”
“I see...”
—
Chris’ Point of View
I was currently summoned to the Chancellor’s office in the royal castle.
With the Chancellor were Duke Clondale and Uncle Davit.
“If no good ideas for the exhibition are coming up, why not just cancel it?”
“There are plenty of ideas, but they all end up imitating the one held in Westland.”
“That can’t be helped, can it?”
“True, but this is meant to raise public morale. I want it to succeed no matter what.”
“With all the vested interests involved, it’ll be difficult.”
“... Which is why I want your cooperation.”
“We’ve already stated our terms. They won’t change.”
“You mean providing development funds for the New Town?”
“Are you serious about that?”
If I agreed, the profits from the New Town would go straight to the royal family.
“Actually, Young Reinhardt has received many marriage proposals from several countries. High nobles, even royalty—but the royal family has been holding them back.”
“Marriage alliance?”
“Yes. We can’t allow him to be taken by another nation.”
“I’d heard Atre and Lucas caused a mess at the last royal party.”
“They did, and yet the proposals keep coming.”
So they want to use the exhibition to show that he’s already an active part of this kingdom’s core, and therefore off-limits, huh?
What a pain.
“That’s exactly the kind of thing Hardt hates.”
“I know. Our duty is to ensure he can keep working freely.”
“All Hardt can do is propose ideas. The rest is up to you. We won’t be involved in the exhibition itself.”
“That’s fine. But I’d like to speak with the administrative officer who managed the last exhibition—to hear about the preparations and lessons learned.”
“If it’s just once, that’s fine. Though the one in charge was a first-year officer—will that be acceptable for the castle’s officials?”
“Really?” “”Is that true?””
“... Understood. We’ll make sure to handle that matter carefully.”
Many would likely look down on it, thinking it must’ve been simple if a first-year handled it.
That kind of thinking would doom the exhibition to fail.
When doing something unprecedented, you need meticulous preparation and someone flexible enough to adapt as needed.
And even if his name wasn’t openly attached, this would still be a message to other nations. Failure wasn’t an option.
“Please continue not to interfere with Westland—or with Hardt.”
“If anyone did, Atre and Lucas would probably destroy this country.”
“No, with the other familiars around, it’d be much worse.”
“Hardt’s proposal benefits the Clondale Duchy, the Northtrad Marquisate, and the Southcourt Marquisate. You’ll be standing at the forefront—are you prepared for that?”
“You don’t hold back, do you?”
“You’re dragging us into this too?”
“Seems we really angered him during that last conversation.”
What do you think about this chapter?
