Chapter 510

Lily’s Technical Manual
“So, you’ve got a Magic Tailoring manual?”

Lord Vic interjected, having been listening.

“I’d prefer if you sold that among the nobles of McFarlane first.”

Well, I figured as much.

“How detailed is this manual?”

“If you follow the instructions, you can learn the basics within three to six months. From there, it’s about gaining experience through making more complex garments.”

“And all you need are patterns and fabric?”

“That’s right. Though you’ll go through quite a lot of materials.”

“Hm… with a manual that refined, I’d really like it restricted to McFarlane—or at least Vardmoi. But then again, this could clash with existing industries.”

Exactly.
Learning Magic Tailoring requires a substantial initial investment. And after that, you’d be competing directly with established artisans.
In my case, I created a niche with women’s undergarments and enchanted garments, but that’s not something ordinary tailors can easily do.
Most would only be able to compete on price, and while Magic Tailoring allows for faster production than hand-sewing, especially for mass production, it doesn’t necessarily beat experienced hand-sewers in every aspect.

“But with a manual like that, it would be wasteful not to utilize it. Priscilla, any ideas?”

“Well, if Miss Lily is confident enough to offer it as a trade item, it must be highly polished. In that case, we could differentiate between ‘hand-sewn garments’ and ‘Magic Tailoring garments’ in Vardmoi.”

“Differentiate… how exactly?”

“Miss Lily, Magic Tailoring struggles with small accessories, correct?”

“Yes, precisely. It’s efficient with fabric but making small accessories requires custom patterns, which is tedious. For items like handkerchiefs or scarves, it’s usually faster to make them by hand.”

“Priscilla, if that’s all, wouldn’t common tailors be phased out?”

“Of course not. Magic Tailoring also struggles with high-end fashion.”

“High-end fashion? But Lily can make elegant dresses and furisode with ease.”

“That’s because Miss Lily is exceptional. The average person doesn’t have the knowledge to design patterns for formal dresses. The fabric must be cut to flow naturally, without wrinkles or awkward folds. It’ll take over a decade for Magic Tailoring practitioners to master such skills. Moreover, high society values both innovation and tradition in their attire.”

“I see… Lily’s dresses are fresh in design but retain the elegance of McFarlane formal wear. Furisode are a completely different style, yet they exude cultural grace. Replicating that won’t be easy.”

“Exactly. In the meantime, traditional tailors can aim for even higher levels of craftsmanship, producing garments that go beyond standard patterns using special techniques.”

Hmm… the discussion was heating up nicely.
If I mentioned that I also had an enchantment textbook ready, I wonder how things would go…
Better to stay quiet for now.

What do you think about this chapter?