We went to a room that was left as it was when we prepared the lunch earlier.
Tirnanog and I, and also Auguste our guest of honor, made a bee line to the big table.
Auguste looked on with great interest at Gilbert’s belongings that were piling up on the chair that was pushed to the corner.
“Magic scrolls and Flora Magica ill.u.s.tration book, huh. This place is like a mage’s workshop.”
“Yes, that’s roughly correct.”
Gilbert was an alchemist who had also took a cla.s.s about magic, so it was not that far from the truth.
Scrolls and ill.u.s.tration books were the belongings of Gilbert’s partner who was a mage.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
While I was talking with Auguste about such a thing, Harold who was wearing an ap.r.o.n came into the room.
On the hand-made silver tray, there were porcelain tea cups with a blue pattern on them that had just been created by Gilbert as prototypes.
The painting was simple due to making it in a hurry, but the fine brushwork was something to be expected from a craftsman.
The teapot was a porcelain made of white ceramic glaze which generally appears on the market.
He probably wanted to mold the prototype in a short time, so he avoided making a teapot with complicated shape.
This made the exquisiteness of the material used for the cups stood out.
Harold arranged the cups in front of each person and poured in the tea.
The dark orange color drawn by the tea he chose further complemented the whiteness of the porcelain.
“Here you go, Your Highness Auguste.”
“Heeh, I thought it was a jade bowl cut out from a mutton fat jade from the distance, but it’s not. This is an artifact.
Of course it’s not pottery either. It’s too thin and it’s obvious if I compare the color tone.
I remember. I have seen something similar to this in the treasury.”
Auguste raised the corner of his lips a little and smiled happily.
“Erica, the one who was hiding the white porcelain alchemist I heard from rumors, was it you?”
“No way. We were just collaborating when I met him by chance.”
“That was also……a mysterious coincidence, huh.”
As expected, I couldn’t say that our connection was made by chance while I was crushing my death flag.
I laughed ambiguously to gloss over it.
Auguste lifted the cup and brought it to his mouth quietly with graceful movements.
This prince’s style looked like a beautiful girl as usual, he became a painting just by drinking tea.
A certain cat would have wanted the still of such a scene.
While he was putting down the cup in his hand, he murmured calmly.
“Speaking of porcelain, I thought that it was only ridiculous items that seemed to be held in the treasury.
For example, a large vase about a person’s height, or a big plate where a crouching child can hide their entire body.
However, this one is like a jewel that fits in my hand.”
“I’m pleased that you like it.”
“Aa, the tea is also wonderful.”
Since it would be wasteful if it gets too cool, I also sipped my tea.
This black tea was a summer-pick Darjeeling that smells like muscat grape.
Refreshing and had a strong flavor.
The smell and taste that the royal aristocracy of Ignitia seemed to like.
“And this picture is also very beautiful. It’s a white ceramic with blue pomegranate pattern.”
“You have discerning eyes. This is a cla.s.sic pattern that was prevalent in the eastern continent, Zygos1, a long time ago, Your Highness.”
Harold added complementary information to Auguste’s careless remarks.
Thanks to painting with Gilbert, Harold was also getting deeper into the eastern culture.
“And then? How much should I buy this for?”
Auguste said straight away, while sending a provoking stare.
Although I thought that royalty and t.i.tled n.o.bility with eyes for the beautiful would really get into porcelain, this starting topic was too to-the-point.
I reflexively wanted to shrink back, but I regained my composure and replied.
“This is still an experimental prototype, so we cannot sell it.
In any case, as this will be the main industry of the Nibelheim territory, you should be able to purchase vessels tailored to a variety of uses.”
“I see, that’s a shame. I can’t wait for the commercialization.”
“And besides, we plan to offer Auguste-sama a better vessel than this one.”
When I said so with a light smile, Auguste gazed into my eyes with a surprised expression.
“An offer? I feel somewhat included, but what are you plotting?”
“No, no, we just want to offer such things like large vase, ornamental plate, and tableware. It’s enough for us if you can use it normally.”
“Hm, it’s an especially rare beautiful vessel. It’s wasteful for the royal family to be the only one who enjoys this.
If this is used for tableware anyway, I would like to use it in a special place. I see……to make me think so, that’s your intention, huh.”
Auguste narrowed his eyes and looked at me confidently.
As expected he was a person with a good judgement.
“Erica, you are going to let the royal family know about the existence of porcelain in the continent.”
“Yes. I’m saved since this conversation will be quick.”
Auguste seemed to enjoy the secret plan.
It seemed that my strategy to fuel his curiosity and made him interested was successful.
“I would like to popularize porcelain as a product used by every level, not just as collections of the royal aristocracy.”
“Every level approach, huh……to what extent?”
“Literally every person can use it without distinguishing between rich and poor.”
“If we approach from that angle, the culture itself will change.
That is very interesting, how can we spread it to the people?”
“Trends come down from the top. If the royal family uses porcelain tableware, the n.o.blemen who saw it would also wish for it.
Then, you would want a distinguished family in each field to enter and exit the n.o.blemen’s houses.”
“Hmm, if every distinguished family uses it, it will also spread to the people, huh.”
The future where everyone would use porcelain, which Gilbert had envisioned in his mind.
What I was about to do was a little boost for that future.
“Sounds good. I may as well ride on your plan.”
“Thank you very much, Auguste-sama.”
“However, if I am to use it at a ceremony or a banquet, I would like a basis that can convince my father.”
“Should I explain its advantages and origin? Or is it for tea ceremony procedures?”
“If anything, I would like it to be appropriate for tea ceremony.
Perhaps if we show the actual thing, it would be easy for my father to attract individual interests.
However, in order to move His Majesty the King, I need another push.
To be more precise, I want a basis for my father to convince his retainers.”
Indeed, there was a reason for that demand.
Silverware was the main material used for the current banquet.
Although it had already become a mere formality by the advancement of magic, there were meanings in using silver such as to prevent poisoning2.
If it turned into tableware made of porcelain suddenly, they would want a reason.
One should hide one’s original aim and induced people’s consciousness with a topic that was easy to sympathize with.
If we needed such scenario, there was nothing but that subject matter.
“Without Auguste-sama, the porcelain could never be made again……how about it?”
“Ooh~, that’s interesting, but you cannot lie, lies are—”
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare. That’s the truth, you know?”
I briefly told Auguste the story of Gilbert’s escape.
Auguste was listening with an unreadable, mysterious expression.
“Hm, so the man named Gilbert of the Turm family was in the Island of Messenger at that time, huh.
What a strange coincidence.”
Auguste closed his eyes as he sipped his black tea from the thin porcelain cup.
His long eyelashes cast shadows on his white cheeks.
“Speaking of Turm family, is that the wealthy merchant family of Knot Reed, who was descended from a distinguished family of mages, that deals with shipbuilding and marine transportation?”
“And also maritime insurance and weapons production.”
“One of the most prominent northwestern family who owns Water Palace and is producing influential people in various fields.
The Turm family will declare Ignitia’s position as benefactor by offering porcelain as a form of repayment to the debt of grat.i.tude received by their youngest son.
I see, it’s a good card. A lot of lords will be convinced.”
Auguste smiled like a bad person.
I slowly shook my head.
“Seen from the backside, it may be so.”
“Hou, in that case, how is it seen from the frontside?”
“Their important son had saved someone’s life unknowingly.
If they listen to this story, the King and the Queen will be pleased as well.”
I remembered Palug’s joy and said so.
Auguste averted his eyes from me, and sipped his black tea to gloss over it.
There was an embarra.s.sed air somehow, and I felt that his cheeks were red.
“No way, that kind of approach is……”
“If you listen to the story as it is, that’s the kind of interpretation you should get, you know?”
“That’s true, but I was talking about the political influence……aah, jeez, you win.”
Auguste switched to a friendly smile.
Somehow I could feel that he was happy from the bottom of his heart.
The chaos that he caused had unexpectedly helped someone, for him, it had to be a pleasant thing.
“Well then, on the occasion of my victory, may I be impudent for a bit longer and request something else?”
“Oops, there’s no chance to be careless, huh. Well, you can ask me as much as you want.”
“Could you allow us to stamp the crest of the Ignitia royal family in all the works made in the furnace of Turm and Nibelheim as a proof of loyalty to the Ignitia royal family?”
It was something that I often saw in the previous world.
With this, we could receive the unprecedented honor of royal family’s seal in the workshop.
It was the so-called royal warrant.
“I see, you can add special value to the porcelain.
As the royal family, we can demonstrate our power by hinting at our involvement in the porcelain production by gathering the tasteful technology.
Besides, since we are going to use whatever porcelain offered to us, the one with the highest rating is better.”
“You’re very quick on the uptake, this saved me some trouble.”
“Alright. I will talk to my father.
Well, since there is no reason for my father to refuse, as long as we can talk, I will be able to get the approval quickly.”
“Thank you once again, Auguste-sama.”
I bowed to Auguste.
Harold, who had been listening to our conversation quietly, sighed in relief.
“Uhaah……that was somewhat amazing, it surprised me.
I thought we were only going to sell it, then suddenly we got the honor to offer it to the royal family.
Something like rewriting our culture, and including the awe-inspiring crest of the royal family in the porcelain among other things.”
“I’m glad, Harold. The Nibelheim family will also be saved with this, right?”
“It feels unreal……everything went without a hitch in such an anticlimax way……”
Harold sighed deeply again, wiping his forehead with his sleeve.
It seemed that he was getting too nervous, he was sweating badly.
But, well, I was able to pull out overwhelmingly favorable conditions in our transaction, so it was good.
On the other hand, Auguste was enjoying his tea with a relaxed appearance.
“Well~, I was wondering what sort of conspiracy I would be involved in, but it was kind of normal.”
“There are other good stories for Auguste-sama. This is the blue used for painting this porcelain, but in reality—”
Then we talked about using cobalt oxide for restoring the stained gla.s.s of the church, tasted the tart we forgot to eat, then Harold who regained his state began his tourist guide recommendation for Town of All Kinds of Goods for Ignitian people, Auguste saw the workshop’s golems, all in all we had a nice chat.
I was looking at everyone’s faces, and felt relieved that the destruction of the Nibelheim family could be avoided if the situation went as it was.
☆
The time was early evening, and orange light was coming from outside the window.
Our long and fun tea ceremony was about to end soon.
I asked Auguste.
“I think that I will return to Water Palace soon, what about Auguste-sama?”
“Nn~, that’s right. The dragon has returned temporarily, so I think I will enjoy going downstream in a boat.”
“Then, let’s go together—”
Just as I tried to reply.
The grounds shook violently in a big way.
Earthquake?
I became concerned, because almost no earthquake ever occurred on Ichthyes continent.
Unlike the volcanic archipelago where I lived in my previous life, there were only few active volcanoes and faults here.
No, to begin with, I felt that this way of shaking was different from an earthquake. Then what was it?
“The ground is shaking……?”
“Oops, in such cases, you shouldn’t panic.
The tremors won’t be limited to only one time. Let’s open the doorway now.
Harold, you are to check the places where fire is likely to break out.”
In contrast to Harold, who was feeling shaken, Auguste was calm.
The moment each of us tried to move according to his instructions, a roaring sound like a lightning strike reverberated.
The slatted shutter was rattling by the wind which blowed violently outside the workshop.
Tirnanog started running quickly and opened the door without being frightened by the roaring sound.
Heated air flowed in from the opening of the entrance.
“What!? What happened!!”
『Look at that! The other side!』
Tirnanog pointed outside the building.
We ran towards him and saw the abnormal sight.
On the other side, there was a huge fire pillar rising.
Torrent of fire was blowing up to the sky.
In the periphery of the fire pillar, I could see the sparkling remnants of a magic circle that was fading away.
Was it a magic accident at some workshop, or was it a spontaneous discharge of fire magic?
『This is not the atmosphere of a forest fire.』
“Why……on the other side there is only an ancient ruin……”
I felt chills running through my spine as I heard the words that came out of Harold’s mouth.
Exchanging glances with Tirnanog, he seemed to have noticed it too.
Magical flame, ruins.
The ominous keywords were all present.
Perhaps, it seemed that we were too late in dealing with this.
a.s.suming that the place where the incident happened was in the aforementioned ruins of military weapons, was Actorius-sensei okay?
Actually, this was a very dangerous situation, right?
“Your Highness Auguste, Erica, make sure to escape to my family’s castle.
I will not let any of you get injured even by chance!
I will prepare the horses!”
Harold said so and ran to the stable.
Auguste slung his bag around his shoulder, and Tirnanog was also preparing to move quickly after lifting a heavy bag.
I watched the porcelain that was left in place, but as soon as I heard the footsteps of the horses, I left the room with both of them.
As long as there were Gilbert’s technology and the material of the Nibelheim territory, it could be reproduced as much as we want.
The horses on Gilbert’s grounds were a dapple-gray horse and a black horse.
Harold rode on the gray horse with Auguste.
I rode on the black horse with Tirnanog.
『Erica, stop worrying about it. Your safety is the top priority.
Trust the gray mage. He is excellent regardless of his appearance, isn’t he?』
“You’re right, thank you.”
I nodded a little after hearing Tirnanog’s words.
While hiding the anxiety in my chest, we let the horses galloped to the Castle of Light.
1 Zygos means Libra in Greek. It’s the name of the eastern continent. So now we have Ichthyes (Pisces), Karkinos (Cancer), and Zygos (Libra).
2 Silver is said to be able to reveal poison, although it only works if the poison was sulfur based, because silver tarnishes on contact with sulfur due to its reactivity.
By the way, from now on, Cascadia will be Casketia. This was actually me mistranslated since the beginning. キャスケティア is obviously Casketia =__= this is why you should check hundreds of times and not take google translate at face value.