Chapter 430 - Backyard of Stray Priest ⑰
This is something briefly mentioned in Chapter 15, Episode 9.
Shortly after returning from the sea snake extermination, there was an announcement that Gladys-sama had safely given birth to a healthy baby boy. He is apparently a healthy child who is both mother and child healthy, cries well, and drinks milk well. It's good that he seems healthy.
At the Flatlands farm, we expanded the Boar Club and raised a grand celebratory toast.
"It seems Henry-sama and the others will rush to celebrate next month. They'll stop by here on the way, so we're going to put all the effort of the Class of 175 shops into making celebratory gifts."
Mary's breathing is quite rough with excitement.
"Even if you say put all our effort in, the Third Shop where you are is one thing, but my Second Shop where I'm the manager can't give gifts to foreign royalty."
Beatrix complains. The Second Shop is in a village in Regnentes. Even though the King of Regnentes, the Minister of Military Affairs, and the Lord have good memories of us, it's a gathering of serfs. It's beyond our station.
"The, the Second Shop can't be helped. But other than that, it's all our effort."
"Even if we put effort in, our products are for commoners, so we don't handle gifts for a princess from Medioland."
As Beowulf says, low prices are our selling point.
Incidentally, Mary had also researched celebratory gifts from nobles of various countries with whom we have exchange through trade.
"In every country, it seems the prominent great nobles send the most expensive items."
If a small or medium noble were to send a more expensive item than a great noble of their own country, they would be glared at.
To appeal that they know their place, they gather information in advance and, depending on the case, consult among those of equal rank. Working at the Royal Palace seems to involve a lot of worry.
Mary also plays a part in such information exchange between nobles, gathering information internally to ensure no unnecessary waves are caused. Of course, it's to put them in her debt.
"What is the market price?"
Will asked. In other words, Henry-sama and the others are also nearby. Not saying anything is probably a consideration. Magdalena-sama and Harris are busy with preparations for the Council of Lords in May and are not participating.
"The great nobles are luxurious. Especially Northern Gram and Primordia, since trade with the continent is flourishing, they seem to be ordering by ship."
Among them, there are nobles who prepare dedicated beds with gems embedded in golden pillars.
"Could it be Duke Hexham?"
Speaking of wealthy great noble acquaintances, Duke Hexham is about the only one. The previous generation's reception room furnishings and ornaments were also flashy items from the continent.
"Duke Hexham is an organ."
"Organ? What's that?"
"A musical instrument. It's a box-like instrument from the continent called an organ. It has many pipes and can make various sounds. That sound, well, it's truly, truly wonderful."
Mary seems to have heard the sound of an organ. Perhaps remembering it, she clasped her hands in front of her chest and closed her eyes entranced.
"It seems the one serving as the butler chose it. As expected of the number one noble in Northern Gram. It's romantic."
"Is that expensive?"
"Ufufu. The gold-made bed is more expensive. What's amazing about House Hexham is that it includes the performer."
The continent aside, on this island, organs themselves are rare. In fact, I had never seen or heard one.
Naturally, those who can play are also limited. Even that small number of performers comes along as a gift. However, Gladys-sama, after consulting with Roberts-sama, wishes to place it in the Royal Palace. Otherwise, the fortress in the Eastern Plains would exceed the Royal Palace.
"A human is a gift?"
Isn't that the same as a slave?
"That's not it."
Unable to watch, Eleanor-sama spoke up.
"Regarding the organ, there was a consultation with our Royal Family in advance. Actually, our Royal Family was also considering purchasing one. However, even if there is an instrument, there is no one to play it. House Hexham, hearing of this, decided to dispatch the performer as a teacher. Of course, the Northern Gram Royal Family is also aware."
It seems to be what's called cultural exchange. The Northern Gram Royal Family could have taken the lead, but perhaps they let the young head take the credit.
"The Northern Gram Royal Family's celebration is decided. It's Gram Blue."
The Gram Blue Mary speaks of seems to be a blue-colored gem. It's said to be a famous product that can be mined in the gem mine upstream on the Gram side. I understood the reason why Northern Gram uses blue gems for everything.
"Is the Royal Family giving anything?"
Beatrix asks Henry-sama.
"The gift as the Royal Family hasn't changed since long ago."
The Royal Family has fixed staples; for example, Sertoria, which has the Silver Mine, and Regnentes and Primordia give silver accessories; Medioland gives steel swords and knives with excellent sharpness called famous products; and Finis gives ornaments with gems embedded in carvings made from large magic beast fangs.
"The rest is personal. I plan to give a wooden sword. He'll be able to practice swordplay."
"I'll give a magic textbook. I intend to add some clever words on the back of the cover."
The couple is merciless. They must intend to train him from infancy.
"What about Miana?"
When Beowulf asked, Miana said she would give it together with us as a Fourth Shop employee.
Incidentally, the Third Shop is apparently a bib with the Class of 175 Shop embroidery.
"So, what are we making? Compared to a golden bed, the value will drop considerably, I think."
When Beatrix asked, Mary tilted her chin up and smiled. She must have confidence.
"A kigurumi. So the baby won't be cold. And so he'll be adorable."
I see. She thought it through. No noble or wealthy person would give something like that. It can be done together with the Third Shop's bib.
However, speaking of Class of 175 kigurumi, it's a boar, but isn't that a bit plain?
"It's the one with the child's stripes. That's cuter, right?"
"It's not bad, but isn't boar hair too stiff for a baby?"
It's Matilda. The Class of 175 boar kigurumi was made with Matilda at the center.
"What about a rabbit? It's soft and warm."
It's Keira. As the rabbit person-in-charge, she does rabbit gathering and rabbit breeding. Now, in the rabbit hutch Matilda made, she constantly breeds around ten rabbits. She plans to proceed with crossbreeding eventually.
"Yes! Just as Keira says. We'll use rabbit fur, dye the stripes, and make a boar kigurumi!"
Mary clapped her hands. She's high-fiving Keira, who raised her hand with a "Yay!"
Eleanor-sama, seeing that, smirks at Henry-sama. Eleanor-sama has her own boar. In other words, she can match with her grandson.
"C-Can you make one for me too? A normal boar is fine. If necessary, I'll go hunting now."
Henry-sama said. He seems to want to match too.
"Oh, Grandfather. You didn't do such play for me."
Miana is poking fun. Although they are quite far apart, they are both grandchildren.
"I often played horsey for you, didn't I?"
The bandits all looked down at once. Some were holding their mouths to keep from bursting out.
"Miana, aren't you going to wear a boar? When Roberts' son becomes able to crawl, you can play together in matching outfits."
Eleanor-sama prepared a trap while making it look like a follow-up.
Beatrix, noticing, looked at the sky, Beowulf checked her sword, and Mary looked composed.
"Ah, I want one."
"Then, let's go together now to bag the materials."
"Eh?"
My condolences. She was hauled away with Beowulf and went off in a bowl.
The materials were gathered. Henry-sama and the others caught three large boars, so we also made some for Wilson-san, the Third Shop employees, and the two who are set as Alraune triplets supporting the Fourth Shop. The part for Mary's disciple at the Second Shop was expected to be difficult, but it was approved by the Lord on the condition that it be worn only inside the shop. Incidentally, Henry-sama's part, Eleanor-sama's opinion that matching is better passed, so it was decided to be made in the Royal Capital.
With Matilda and Miana at the center, the kigurumi making began.
The design was handled by Beatrix and Mary. Rabbit fur was prepared by Beowulf, Bonnie, and Keira. They skinned it, removed the fat, tanned it, and shaped it. Dyeing was my job. Will and Lyudmila sewed several furs together, and Matilda and Miana finished it. The head is especially important, and the two in charge of finishing had many meetings with the two in charge of design to create it. We also put a small Class of 175 Shop embroidery on the butt.
"Even if we just attach a small one for the head, what about the tail?"
Rabbits and boars have tails that are too different.
There's no need to make it realistic, but even if we attached a rabbit tail to a human baby, it wouldn't be understood at all.
As a result of repeated discussions, the length was made to be recognizable as a tail, and it was made with yarn made by twisting rabbit hair together.
At the gift-giving venue at the Eastern Plains Corps headquarters in April, those dressed in boar kigurumi, including Henry-sama, were all assembled.
The Second Shop disciple, who couldn't come due to the influence of the class system, formulated herbs said to be good for postpartum recovery. Along with a message with a signature saying "Congratulations" written by himself, it was handed over with the kigurumi.
While Roberts-sama laughed loudly and Gladys-sama clapped her hands in joy, the healthy baby boy was wrapped in the boar kigurumi. The four Third Shop employees, in front of the object of admiration for women all over the kingdom, attached the bib with the Class of 175 Shop embroidery with hands trembling from tension.
As a later story, the kigurumi, as a result of being shown off boastfully by Gladys-sama to the envoys of various countries who brought celebratory gifts, apparently caused a flood of inquiries to the Royal Palace. After all, she is a princess from Medioland, the leader of the island, and a hero. The inquiries were passed directly to the Third Shop, becoming orders that could not be handled at all. At Mary's suggestion, rabbit breeding and child kigurumi making, and child stuffed animal making by the Third Shop employees' idea, were started as a new measure for the needy. For kigurumi, boars are for boys and fawns are for girls. Fortunately, Matilda and I go to the Royal Capital once a month. We also took Keira, the rabbit person-in-charge, and had her become a lecturer for rabbit breeding. As a result, employment for a certain number of people increased.
Before we knew it, in Sertoria, it became common for kigurumi to be sent from the mother's parents to newborns, but I suppose that's fine in its own way.