Episode 101
Mesh answered excitedly.
“After we exhibited the rocking chair at the Tortona auction last time, we’ve received orders not only from nearby Timore but also from the capital, and even from the far-off Kingdom of Hashitind! We’ve already received advance payments for quite a few orders and have been diligently managing them. Here, we even have the ledger.”
I skimmed through the ledger my teacher proudly presented.
Among the orders from Timore and the capital, there were even some names I recognized, which felt incredibly novel.
“Are there people who have already received their chairs? What’s the reaction?”
“They find it tremendously entertaining! It seems many use it more as a toy than for tending to children, and because of that, we’re getting many inquiries about whether we can make automatic swings as well…”
Mesh paused for a moment, glanced subtly at Phoebe, and then added,
“The Magic Tower Lord specifically emphasized that today is the final consultation before the birth, so I’ll return to discuss this matter after the baby is born.”
Creating an automatic swing required, above all, the cooperation of the Magic Tower Lord, so Mesh was right.
Anyway, Ren wouldn’t let me start a new business venture now, nor would he help.
“Alright, good.”
Mesh opened another chest.
Inside, surprisingly, were numerous small baby items.
“What are all these?”
I asked, picking up a small rabbit doll.
The long-shaped doll, designed to be easy to hold, emitted a soft bell sound each time it was rocked side to side.
“My wife gathered with relatives and made these diligently,” Mesh said, seeming somewhat embarrassed. “The craftsmanship might differ somewhat from that of professionals, but considering the sincerity, please…”
Before he could even finish, I exclaimed,
“They’re so pretty! I love them!”
“Thank you, Madam.”
Mesh bowed and opened another chest.
This one was filled with ornaments that looked expensive at a glance.
Startled, I looked at him again.
“Mesh, even these…”
He shouldn’t know who I am, but I am a princess, after all.
‘Where does it happen that a princess of a nation receives such an excessive amount of lavish gifts from humble furniture artisans?’
Seeing this, Mesh waved both hands.
“These aren’t my gifts, Madam. Other artisans pooled their resources, each preparing one or two items. I merely brought them as a representative, thinking it might be inconvenient for you to meet each one personally.”
Hearing that, I looked inside the chest again.
‘Silk with precious patterns, glasswork ornaments, bronze crafts, even a child’s quill pen and ink…’
Tears welled up in my eyes at the items that reflected the artisans’ sincerity.
“…I tried to give them work so they could live well, but instead, I’ve incurred a debt. I’m a stranger here; if I leave this place, I’ll have no way to repay it.”
“Please don’t say such things to me,”
Mesh quickly replied.
“I have received immeasurable kindness from you, Madam. If my business grows and I lack manpower, I will share the surplus with others without greed and strive for the development of Edessa’s furniture craft. Thank you so much.”
I had to speak coldly on purpose.
“Acting as if we’ll never meet again.”
Mesh bowed repeatedly.
“That couldn’t be. If rumors spread of the baby’s birth, I will rush here immediately. Of course, I won’t be able to come all the way here to see the baby, but I’ll at least wave a congratulatory flag at the hotel entrance. Stay strong until the end, Madam.”
Mesh clenched his fist in a show of encouragement and then withdrew.
As I was examining the gifted items one by one, I picked up the rabbit doll again.
‘Its shape is a bit crooked.’
But I really liked the clear bell sound, and the clumsily embroidered features grew more endearing the longer I looked.
Phoebe, perhaps feeling the same, said with moist eyes,
“I thought they were just merchants always thinking about making money, but this is unexpected. They probably don’t even know Your Highness is a member of the Imperial family.”
“…Indeed. I’m so grateful. I hope I can repay them someday.”
I shook the rabbit doll once more.
Ding, ding.
It seemed this small bell sound even reached the baby in my womb.
The robust baby kicked powerfully without any warning, causing me to gasp and bend my waist just a little.
“It must be a son…”
Phoebe’s face as she said this seemed to pity me greatly, which actually made me burst out laughing.
I giggled and retorted,
“It might be a daughter with tremendous strength.”
A week later, the Imperial Capital.
On the exact one-month anniversary of his ascension as Emperor, Rurik publicly proclaimed Helena Garnier as the Saint.
The ceremony was jointly led by the most renowned monastics within the Empire: Abbot Tool of Toul and Abbot Didio of Caesarea.
For a week after the ceremony, grand banquets continued.
Among the existing clergy, none had saintly power high enough to merit the title of Saint, so all the Empire’s citizens rejoiced greatly.
Wherever people gathered, stories of the Saint flowed.
“God sent the Saint to protect our Emperor!”
“Even us uneducated commoners know how precious a child is!”
Along with the emergence of the new Saint, Rurik’s long years of sacrifice, for which he was called the ‘Emperor’s Sword,’ also became widely known.
It was the tail end of winter.
With the Imperial Castle even opening its warehouses to provide feasts, songs of celebration never ceased throughout the capital.
On the final day of the banquets, Abbot Didio of Caesarea looked at Helena with disappointed eyes.
“You’re staying at the Imperial Castle…?”
As the very person who had accepted Helena, who was once nothing, into the monastery, he seemed genuinely sorry to leave her behind at the Imperial Castle.
At that moment, the new Emperor intervened, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
“It is my wish. I want Saint Helena to assist me closely, just as she has done until now.”
However, the young Emperor’s gaze and attitude clearly suggested something more.
The Imperial monastic order did not forbid clergy from marrying.
‘If this leads to the birth of a Her Majesty the Empress from Caesarea, that too would be an honor.’
Didio could only clear his throat and withdraw.
Rurik provided a luxurious room for Helena, and she took up residence in the Imperial Castle rightfully, in her capacity as a monastic and the Saint.
She instantly became extremely busy.
There were so many guests requesting audiences that she had to accept applications and schedule them in order, just like the Emperor.
However, Rurik noticed that Helena often seemed anxious and worried about something.
‘Is the sudden attention too burdensome for her?’
He had grown up in the Imperial Castle as an unwanted child, alongside Louise.
Thus, he understood the desire to avoid people’s attention better than anyone, and he was sincerely concerned for Helena, who seemed to be suffering.
“Did you, perhaps, want to go to the monastery? Are you upset that we sent Abbot Didio back alone?”
Helena flinched at his question and shook her head.
“No, Your Majesty. That’s not it…”
When Rurik looked at her quizzically, she spoke cautiously.
“Actually, I keep thinking about Her Highness, the youngest Princess. She couldn’t even come for Your Majesty’s coronation… she must be so curious…”
Rurik let out a deep sigh.
“I feel the same. Should we take a day to go see her together? With the Magic Tower Lord’s help, we could go and return quickly.”
But Helena waved her hands dismissively.
“There are too many eyes watching. It’s difficult for Your Majesty to leave your post now. And in the future, when I become Empress, I will have even more duties.”
Then, checking Rurik’s expression, she cautiously asked,
“What if… I went alone for a short while to visit Her Highness the Princess?”
Rurik looked troubled.
Helena quickly added,
“If Her Highness’s health condition permits, we could even bring her back with the Magic Tower Lord’s help then.”
The finely trembling red eyes met Helena’s gaze.
Finally, Rurik asked,
“…Do you truly wish to do that?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I beg you.”
Louise was his sister, so it wasn’t really something Helena needed to beg for.
He ran a hand through his hair and said,
“Truthfully, it’s been so long since I’ve seen her, I don’t know how much I yearn for her. I want to go see her together, but leaving for Flavi right after my ascension wouldn’t look good…”
Flavi was one of the Empire’s several vassal states, so it would certainly draw attention.
Helena pleaded again.
“I’ll be back within a week, Your Majesty.”
Once she becomes Empress, leaving the Imperial Castle won’t be easy.
‘This might be her last trip. She refused to go to the monastery, yet she’s willing to go see Louise…’
Feeling grateful, Rurik nodded.
“I’ll attach the Imperial Guard. I’ll contact the Magic Tower Lord for you.”
Physician Zita moved the expected delivery date forward by one day.
As this was already the second time just this month, Len reacted sensitively and questioned him.
“Why do you keep moving it earlier?”
