episode_0179

Humans are creatures of stubbornness.

My mood was utterly ruined by everyone’s criticism and dissuasion, so I erased the option of retreat and just started executing the plan one by one.

First, I visited Hans Merchant and purchased a large quantity of denim and leather.

“Merchant, is about 300m of leather and denim possible?”

“Leather and… denim? You mean denim, not serge, right?”

“Yes, denim is correct. I’d like twill-woven cotton, dyed in a deep blue color.”

“Why bother with that cheap stuff… I’m worried that it will only pile up as inventory, is it okay?”

“It’s okay.”

“Hmm… Denim is non-refundable once you take it, okay? We don’t have anywhere to sell it either, so it’ll be troublesome if it piles up as inventory.”

“Yes, I understand.”

There was a minor incident where Hans Merchant, who doubted my sanity, asked if it was denim until the moment of signing the contract and even stipulated a no-refund clause, but in the end, I was able to obtain it smoothly.

Next, I visited Patrick at the smithy.

“Can you make spurs?”

“Spurs, you say? Hmm… I can make them, but… why are you suddenly looking for those?”

“I’m planning to handle riding clothes at the atelier, and I’m going to match the shoes as a set.”

“Well~ I’m happy if orders increase… but spurs might take a little longer, is that okay?”

“How long would this design take?”

“Ah~ The design is fancy, for this… about a day or two per pair? It’ll take about that much.”

“That’s enough, and can I just order one pair for now? I’ll pick it up in two days.”

“Of course.”

Patrick, a talented blacksmith prospect, could make anything.

After ordering sample spurs and leaving the smithy, I headed to the Tailors’ Guild.

“Can I get a craftsman who handles leather shoes?”

“Getting one isn’t difficult, but why are you looking for that at the Tailors’ Guild…”

“This is the only guild I know, what else can I do?”

“Well… I’ll narrow down some suitable places and let you know.”

I met the guild master, who was flustered by the crazy guy looking for a shoe craftsman at the Tailors’ Guild, but our kind guild master understood with a generous heart, so I was able to contact a craftsman who makes shoes.

And then, I prepared a new camera to take pictures with, and I hinted to the newspaper about when I wanted to place an advertisement, finishing the preliminary preparations.

Once the materials were prepared, the next step was to prepare the employees.

If I were to put in our noble tailor trio as is, there would be nothing to prepare, but even if it’s a leather jacket or vest, it’s a bit too much to allocate that trio to making denim pants and leather leggings.

The denim pants and leggings used in cowboy outfits have wide hems, so there’s no need to fit them perfectly.

If you’re careful around the pelvis, the rest can be made slightly larger.

Activity is the top priority.

So, this time it’s time to utilize Elin and the new faces.

“Welcome, everyone.”

I greeted the three people gathered in the corner room on the second floor, which I had rarely used until now, with a friendly greeting.

“Ehehe…”

One was Elin, who awkwardly smiled and slightly lowered her head.

“Ah, yes, nice to meet you.”

Next to her was a boy with brown hair and blue eyes, with an intellectual atmosphere, named Oliver J. Peter, one of the two apprentices chosen this time, and the fourth son of Baron Wharton.

In a place where initials are not commonly used, he was a friend who used a name with initials in a very unusual way, but it turned out that the initials were not initials, which was an even more unusual feature.

The reason for that was also very unique: Baron Wharton and the Baroness argued over whether to use ‘James’ or ‘Jonathan’ as the middle name, and just ended up using J.

When I first heard this, I thought they were joking and thought the kid was cheerful, unlike his appearance, but I was quite taken aback when it wasn’t.

It’s like joking around with a child’s name.

Of course, it’s not a huge problem because it’s a middle name…

“Nice to meet you too, boss.”

And next to Oliver, wagging his tail and laughing heartily, was a beastkin named Jurgen Lupus.

I thought he was a wolf just by looking at the last name lupus, but he said he was a dog beastkin.

His great-grandfather was a wolfdog, so his last name is Lupus.

I don’t know how I only picked such unique guys.

Well, whether they’re unique or ordinary, it doesn’t matter as long as they learn their job well and are sociable.

“Is this the first time I’ve properly arranged a meeting like this to see your faces?”

After exchanging superficial greetings, I sat down in a slightly relaxed posture and started with light conversation.

“Yes, Duke Howard has been too busy lately… so it’s been hard to see your face.”

“That’s right, it seems too hard to see the boss’s face.”

“Originally, I should have picked you and prepared right away, but I’ve neglected you for about 2 weeks. I’m sorry for neglecting you even though I took you in as apprentices.”

“No, you don’t need to be sorry. We’re receiving a lot of teachings from other people.”

“I heard that there are people who take in apprentices and only make them do chores for years, so a few weeks is nothing.”

“Thank you for understanding so generously.”

Unlike the unique naming process, they both had ordinary and unremarkable impressions, so I wondered if they would be able to endure well, but since Elizabeth and Duke Herbert picked them, they probably aren’t friends who lack adaptability.

As time passes and they adapt, their inner madness will pop out and they’ll fit in well here.

“Now I have some time to spare to pay attention to you and teach you this and that.”

“Yes, I will learn diligently.”

“Yes~”

“Did you have any questions while adapting for the past 2 weeks?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“Me neither.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Since there didn’t seem to be anything special to talk about, I quickly finished the introduction and small talk and straightened my posture.

As I straightened my back and changed my gaze to a serious one, the three friends in front of me also straightened their postures, met my eyes with nervous faces.

“Why do you think I asked you to meet me separately today?”

“Hmm…”

After confirming that the children were ready to listen, I started the story by throwing a question at the children.

Without any one of them taking the lead, the three, who furrowed their brows slightly and pondered, thought carefully in their own way and opened their mouths with faces of half-doubt.

“Isn’t it because of the greeting?”

“Did a new… job come up…?”

“Isn’t it because you’re going to teach us something new?”

“Oh~”

Jurgen seemed to have thought a little simply, but Oliver and Elin came up with pretty good guesses.

“What you said is all right. There was a sense that I couldn’t greet you properly because of this and that, and I gathered you here because there’s something I want to teach you in order to give you work.”

“New teachings, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Already? I haven’t learned anything in particular yet?”

“It’s not difficult, right…?”

“It won’t be too difficult, and I’m planning to teach you with enough time.”

The children showed different worries and expectations about new learning and challenges, but I wasn’t crazy enough to give work to children who hadn’t learned properly.

Of course, I’ll make them practice like crazy for about two months, but these kids will be able to do it.

I took out a piece of paper from the basket and spread it out on the table.

Then, a drawing of denim pants and leather leggings appeared on the paper.

“This is the clothes you have to learn this time. One is denim pants, and the other is leather leggings.”

The children’s eyes turned to the paper.

The three children, who were staring at the picture as if they were going to make a hole in it and nodding their heads from side to side, carefully opened their mouths while looking at me and each other.

“It doesn’t, seem difficult…”

“Eek!? Doesn’t it look very difficult?”

“There are many clothes that are more difficult than this, this is considered easy.”

“Really? I have to practice very hard…”

Jurgen’s tail drooped, deflated by the words of the two people who seemed confident.

I gently patted Jurgen’s head and offered comfort.

“Don’t worry too much, if you practice like crazy for a few months, you can reach a level similar to Elin.”

“Really? I trust only you, boss?”

“Yes, you just have to work hard.”

Maybe it’s because he’s a dog, but his mood went up quickly after only a few words.

After confirming that his tail was back up and a smile was on his face, I took my hand off Jurgen and poked the paper.

“You will be receiving tailoring and sewing training here from now on.”

“Yes.”

“Our first goal is to make these denim pants and leather leggings in the picture here wonderfully, and to have the skill to make them with satisfactory quality within a time limit of one day.”

“One day…”

“Until when do we have to raise our skills to that level?”

“If possible, within two months? Of course, it’s okay if it takes a little longer.”

“Hmm…”

I said it was okay if it took time, but the children’s expressions stiffened slightly.

Two months.

It’s not an easy period to master something, but there’s nothing that can’t be done if you practice like crazy.

Especially tailoring and sewing, where the practice time and number of times are directly proportional to a certain level.

“From tomorrow, I’ll teach you hard so that you can become people who can make these two clothes, so everyone, be prepared.”

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

“Yes…!”

Smiling and saying that I would start teaching them in earnest, the three people nodded their heads wildly and braced themselves.

Serious expressions and eyes are directed at me.

The eyes full of will were really pleasing.

“Do you have any more questions?”

“No.”

“I don’t have any either.”

“……”

There were no special questions.

With this, the employees’ preparation is also finished.

Now, all I have to do is teach the employees, make prototypes, and put them up for advertisement.

However, since I don’t have any materials prepared yet, I can start as soon as the leather and denim arrive…