Chapter 415

Unveiling the Furisode
It took about a week to complete the furisode, but the sandals were a lost cause.
The time was short, so it couldn’t be helped.
I decided to go with my usual boots for the footwear.

Once the outfit was complete, I had Marquis Vardmoi inspect it.
He was supposed to check if anything seemed off.
Although, I doubt he had expected a furisode to show up when asking for a dress.

“Hm, so this is the formal attire from the country you once lived in?”

“Yes. Among the clothing collectively referred to as ‘kimono,’ this one is called a ‘furisode.’”

“Furisode, huh. The sleeves are long—so that’s where the name comes from?”

“I wonder? I’m not sure about that part myself.”

“Well, no matter. Still, it’s quite a luxurious dress. The entire garment is made to resemble a painting, with vivid colors and embroidery. Is that how they usually are?”

“That’s pretty typical for a furisode. It’s a garment for unmarried women, worn on festive or special occasions, so I think that’s why it’s so ornate. I believe the most formal version for married women is… the black tomesode, if I recall correctly?”

“There are many types, then. But a dress is still a dress.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Understood. That will do for your dress. The issue is… after you return.”

“After I return?”

What does he mean by that?
I didn’t understand what Marquis Vardmoi was getting at.
Curious, I asked, and it turns out he meant that news of the furisode would likely spread from the northern kingdom all the way to the duchy.
In other words, it would reach Princess Rodenlight’s ears.
Yeah, that’s a problem.

“Ahh, I’ll have to make one for Princess Rodenlight too, won’t I?”

“You’ll need to ask whether she wants one first. This is a rather unorthodox kind of dress, and since it’s made of multiple layers, all in silk, the embroidery and dyeing alone would be very expensive. The question is whether she considers that a necessary expense for social purposes.”

“That’s true. I’ve been using all-purpose dye liberally just because I can, but if you were to make it through ordinary means, just the dyeing would cost a fortune.”

“Indeed. That color sample book you have—I couldn’t make much sense of it myself, but this ‘furisode’ seems to be divided into many hues, yes? Otherwise, you couldn’t achieve such vivid colors that shift so naturally. Even I can imagine as much.”

Of course he’d notice.
I used about a hundred applications of the all-purpose dye just for this one outfit.
There’s no way anyone else could get this level of coloration.
Still, it wouldn’t be right to hoard this technique all to myself, so I’ll have to talk to Alizée about that when I return.
If I team up with some dye artisans, I should be able to broaden what’s possible.
Definitely something to discuss.

“Well then, your dress is ready. Preparations to depart for the land where the king’s brother resides are underway, correct?”

“Yes. I had everything moving along in parallel with the furisode’s creation.”

“Very good. Then you leave the day after tomorrow.”

The journey to the northern lands is finally here.
I’ll be traveling with a large escort, including the Kiblinki Saltas, but I can’t let my guard down.
I’m a little scared of what kind of trip this will be—but I’ve made up my mind to face it.

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