Chapter 45 - A Busy Tailor and a Hidden Find
Ophelia and the other adventurers joined us soon after, and one of Siegrune's former colleagues also came along. Her name is Ortlinde, and she used to be a scout in the knight’s order, excelling in reconnaissance, surveillance, and information gathering. Because of her background, she quickly became friends with Josephine, who handles the Kikyo Society's information. With a professional on the team, Josephine should have an easier time.
As a former elite knight, Ortlinde also has stealth skills, which complement Josephine's similar abilities. I'm looking forward to them working well together. By the way, Ortlinde is still a bit of a secret, and we haven't introduced her to the regular members yet. But that will happen soon enough.
So, we arrived at the familiar clothing store, Brillonvest. This is where our Kikyo Society's black and white coats are made, by a talented workshop.
"Sorry to take over the place again."
"Oh, not at all. It’s always a pleasure. With so many of you, it’s actually more convenient for us to have the place to ourselves."
I exchanged a brief greeting with the usual staff. A few days ago, we discussed having a large group visit, and they kindly reserved the afternoon for us today.
We needed to take measurements and finalize designs for Ophelia and the apprentices who don’t have coats yet. Even though the apprentices haven’t officially been promoted, we want to boost their morale by giving them the coats.
We’re giving both black and white coats, so they’ll each have a set. We’re starting with one coat per person for now.
Rosabel-san and Colette-san were just picking up their new coats. They immediately put them on, showing off their new black robes. It seems they chose to make the black ones first, which is a bit surprising.
"We've always worn white robes. Now that we're in a villainous organization, the black robe looks pretty good, doesn't it?"
"Hehe, what do you think?"
Colette-san, too, donned a black robe and struck a pose next to Rosabel-san. She looked surprisingly good in it. I wonder if it’s just the change, or if they really do look better in black. Speaking of which, what do they mean by a "villainous organization"?
The robes they’re wearing are more like full-length robes rather than coats. The Kikyo emblem on the back and the magical thread embroidery on the inside are all complete. They should be very satisfied with both the performance and the comfort.
The owner of Brillonvest, Torietta-san, isn’t here. She’s been leaving the workshop to her disciples lately, now that they can handle the workload and the business is thriving. Instead, she’s been focusing on her hobby of making clothes. The staff mentioned this a while ago.
We stopped providing the black and white metallic threads we used to give as payment. Too much circulation could cause unforeseen problems, so we discussed it with Torietta-san. Instead, we agreed to provide a variety of other metallic threads.
For personal projects, Torietta-san can have as much metallic thread or scrap metal as she wants, since she’s not selling them. She uses her ample funds to buy all sorts of threads, fabrics, and components, and then creates whatever she fancies.
She keeps gifting me items she makes, like the backpack and combat gloves I use for training. They feel like they were made just for me. When I asked her, she said something about my presence inspiring her creativity, though I don’t quite understand what she means.
In any case, she’s given me so many items—clothes, accessories, and even armor—that I don’t need to buy anything myself anymore. I have more clothes and undergarments than I know what to do with. They’re all top-notch, so I can’t just throw them away, and they fit me perfectly, so I can’t give them away. It’s a bit of a dilemma.
Her creations are also shown to her disciples, which helps improve their skills. As a master, she’s fulfilling her role well. She’s probably in her workshop right now, working on something.
We left the cost estimation to the usual staff and the cashier, with the final payment to be settled later. Given the large order, it will take quite a while for everything to be completed. Brillonvest’s artisans have improved their production speed and increased their numbers, but it will still take a while.
After handling the necessary tasks, I left the shop. Torietta-san is probably engrossed in her work, so I decided not to disturb her, even though I wanted to say hello.
Rosabel-san and Colette-san were still showing off their new robes to the apprentices, acting like kids. I left them to it and headed out. Sixth Avenue was as lively as ever.
The Kikyo Society’s members on duty today should be patrolling nearby, though I can’t see them from here. I thought about looking for them but remembered a conversation with Torietta-san earlier.
"Hey, one of your long-time disciples has opened their own shop."
"Really? That’s great for them. But it must be tough for you, losing a skilled worker."
"Well, it’s a bit of a loss, but we’ve got plenty of new disciples. We support them, of course."
The new workshop is run by a skilled artisan. It’s good news for the economy.
Brillonvest is still the best clothing store in Sixth Avenue, if not all of Exembra. But they’ve been turning down more work because they’re so busy, partly due to our orders. They’re our go-to store for more than just coats.
One of Torietta-san’s disciples has opened a new clothing store, which is already quite popular. It’s a small shop at the end of Sixth Avenue, and I have some free time, so I decided to check it out.
The shop was at the very end of Sixth Avenue, down a small alley. It looked like they were on a break, but the door was open, so I went in. A quick greeting seemed appropriate.
"Hi there."
"Ah! Lady Yukarinowe, you’ve come!"
He was in the middle of cleaning, which is a good sign.
"I heard you’re getting good reviews."
"Well, I still have a long way to go compared to my master."
He’s a rabbit-eared man, like Torietta-san. I’ve seen him at Brillonvest before but never spoke to him. Facing him now made me a bit uneasy, but I decided not to let it show.
"I’ll be by soon to collect protection money, so be prepared."
I said it jokingly, but he seemed to take it in stride. Maybe he’s a good guy.
He mentioned that he already has a disciple and is working to grow his business. It’s a busy time for him.
"Is today your day off?"
"Yes, I was planning to focus on production, but the materials are delayed."
"I see. So you’re just waiting for them to arrive."
"Exactly. By the way, would you consider providing metallic threads for my store?"
He had a hopeful look, but I wasn’t sure.
"The black and white ones are out of the question."
"Of course, I understand."
His disappointment was clear, which made me feel a bit guilty. But I decided to give him a chance.
"I can’t provide those two, but I might be able to help with others."
"Really? That’s great! I’ll make sure to ask."
"I can’t promise to meet all your requests, but we can discuss it. What kind of items do you specialize in?"
"Anything you bring, I’ll be grateful for. I’ll even offer a good price."
His store, being a disciple of Torietta-san, mainly focuses on traveler and adventurer gear, especially for men. He’s also skilled in making bags, which are in high demand. He’s even getting offers from merchants to expand his workshop and take on more disciples. Impressive for someone who just started.
I probably won’t shop here, but I hope he does well.
"Alright, I’ll be going now. I’ll have someone bring the metallic threads, and we’ll settle the payment then."
"Thank you! I look forward to it!"
Despite the challenges, he seemed genuinely excited. Since I had no pressing matters, I decided to wander around a bit more. It’s rare to have some alone time.
Most of the time, I’m with someone, so this is a treat. I walked through the quieter end of Sixth Avenue, where the workshops and production areas are. Most stores on Sixth Avenue are just storefronts, with the workshops elsewhere. This area is full of such workshops.
The sounds of machinery and work filled the air. I stopped at a small garage with a worn sign that read "Dominic Cruel Workshop."
Curious, I peeked inside and saw what I was looking for: a motorcycle. It was similar to the one Rosabel-san and Colette-san arrived on, a bit clunky and in the middle of being repaired or built. There were several more in the back.
I wanted to buy one or have one made. Memories of rides with a biker uncle came to mind. It was an American cruiser, sleek and stylish. I wanted something like that.
I called out, but no one answered. I tried again, and after a moment, I heard someone approaching.
"Coming, coming! Who’s there?"
A balding, elderly man with a barrel-shaped body and colored goggles appeared from the back. He seemed friendly and welcoming.
"So, you’re interested in these? They’re fun magic devices, but not many people ride them. Welcome to the club!"
Indeed, motorcycles are rare in Exembra. Most vehicles are used by merchants for work, and personal ownership is uncommon. The idea of a vehicle for leisure is quite novel.
"Do you make two-wheeled magic devices here?"
"Sure do. It’s more of a hobby than a business, but want to give it a try?"
"Can I?"
"The back is a scrapyard. It’s spacious, perfect for a test ride."
I didn’t expect to try it, but I decided to go for it. The scrapyard was a mix of garbage and materials, about the size of a gym. Surrounded by workshops, it was a perfect place for a test ride.
"You ever ridden one before?"
"Only four-wheeled vehicles, but not two-wheeled ones."
"Easy enough, just follow my lead."
The motorcycle, powered by a magic stone, was eco-friendly and clean. The controls were simple, and I had no trouble riding it after my experience with a jeep.
We rode slowly, following the old man. The wind against my skin felt great, and it was surprisingly fun. I imagined how much better it would be outside the city at higher speeds.
But maybe it wouldn’t go very fast, which would be a bit disappointing.
After two laps, I stopped as slowly as I had started.
"Wasn’t that fun?"
He grinned, looking almost like a kid.
"Yes, it was. Say, old man, I have a request."
I was more determined to buy one now.
"Call me Dominic. I have a proper name."
"Alright, Doc."
"Don’t call me that."
Mechanics are called 'Doc'—it’s a no-nonsense nickname. I wasn’t giving in on that.
"Doc, do you make these motorcycles?"
"Motorcycles? You mean the magic cycles?"
"Right. I have a specific design in mind. Can you make it for me?"
"Interesting. The ones here are optimized for magic efficiency, but you want a different shape?"
"I don’t know the technical details. I’ll sketch it out, and you can see if it’s possible."
Doc brought paper and a pen, watching intently as I sketched. I recalled the sleek, wild design of the cruiser I remembered. It was black with silver accents.
I drew and redrew until I was satisfied. Doc was impressed but a bit annoyed.
"Good job. Let me make some adjustments."
He quickly revised the design to improve the magic efficiency.
"Better? I kept it close to your original, but it’s a bit more streamlined."
I preferred a more mechanical look, but I trusted his expertise.
"Fine. How much difference does the magic efficiency make?"
"About ten percent longer run time with the adjustments."
"That’s a big improvement. What about compared to the optimized ones?"
"Those are about thirty percent more efficient. Your design is unique and stylish, but the efficiency is lower."
Thirty percent is significant, but I can manage with spare magic stones or by replenishing the power myself. If it can be refueled while riding, that would be even better.
Doc continued, "I was getting bored with efficiency, anyway. This will be a nice change. But it won’t be cheap."
He seemed to doubt I could afford it, but I’m not worried.
"Money isn’t an issue. Just make it the best you can."
"You’re rich, aren’t you? Your clothes are top-notch."
He finally noticed my appearance.
"Yes, and I have specific requirements. We need to discuss the details."
"Great, this will keep me busy. I’ll do my best!"
I laughed, "I look forward to it!"
We spent more time discussing the details, and it took several days to finalize the design. My design required custom parts, so it would take a while to complete.
I made some unreasonable requests, but Doc was willing to accommodate them. It might take until the seasons change, but I’m excited for the finished product.
After paying a deposit, Doc was eager to start on a prototype. I can’t wait for it to be done.