CHAPTER 19………………………………………………………..
“What are you people! What on earth are you doing here?!”
“W-well….”
Kautz stammered as the leaves in his hands were quickly snapped.
I stepped forward instead.
“We didn’t mean to break the leaves. We were just curious about them and wanted to take a look.”
Kautz, who had been stunned, finally agreed loudly.
“What the lady says is correct. We just wanted to look…”
The man’s face, twisted with anger, began to relax.
Seeing the small girl standing before him, it was clear she was noble.
Her dress was made of expensive fabric, which was obvious to anyone familiar with dyes.
He straightened himself slightly and spoke politely.
“If that’s the case, I apologize. There are so many people snooping around me that I misunderstood.”
“No, it’s our fault for coming in without permission first.”
The man brushed his tired-looking face with his hand.
“I don’t know how you ended up here, but please go on your way. You seem to be a young lady from a respectable family.”
As he was about to leave, Kautz called out.
“Um, your name is…?”
The man instinctively said his name in response to the sudden question.
“Kusen… Kusenio-man.”
Kautz’s face gradually showed surprise.
She gave him a curious look.
“Have we met somewhere before?”
The man shook his head.
“Not at all. I’ve lived here all my life. Sometimes people mistake me for my father, but that’s all.”
“…Huh!”
Kautz covered her mouth in shock.
“What’s wrong, Kautz?”
“Ah, Miss… this man is…”
Then I realized.
He was the man Kautz had mentioned last night.
“Miss, there’s a family in Patra that has been making purple dye for generations. When I was young, I saw the father. By now, perhaps the son has taken over.”
Kautz greeted him happily.
“I’ve seen your father before. I asked him about making dye at that time.”
Kusen’s expression twisted again.
“So, that’s why you came looking for me? To make a deal? Hah, but it won’t be easy.”
He left, leaving a look that seemed to dare anyone to try.
I gave Kautz a glance and slowly followed him.
He glanced back at the noise, narrowing his brow, but didn’t stop us.
Inside the large building, the unique smell of dye filled the air.
It seemed he was finishing up the work that had started early in the morning.
“Kautz, isn’t this strange?”
“What is, Miss?”
“There’s only one man working in this huge workshop.”
“Oh my, you’re right.”
Kautz and I looked at him in bewilderment.
Kusen sat on the floor, meticulously cleaning the machinery.
From the visible parts to the hidden grooves, his delicate hands worked with precision, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
“Why does he spend so long cleaning?”
Kautz let out a small laugh.
“Like father, like son.”
“Hm?”
“To get pure dye, even a tiny impurity can ruin it. When I experimented at magic school, it was the same. This simple-looking task is very important.”
“I see.”
“Maybe that’s why there are no other workers here.”
She added with a shake of her head, “They just couldn’t endure it.”
Indeed, few could last under such a meticulous master.
Quite some time passed.
“Kautz, let’s go.”
The attendants waiting outside would start looking for me.
Today’s session ends here.
Back at the mansion, I secretly instructed Kautz to investigate the Patra region.
A few days later, she returned with valuable information.
“So, several trading companies have approached this man, Kusen?”
“Yes.”
“Of course, just like I wanted, others wanted to trade with him too. So, what happened?”
Kautz clicked her tongue before speaking.
“They all gave up and canceled the contracts.”
“What?”
“Kusen works so perfectly that if the dye comes out even slightly lighter in color, he pours it all out on the spot. And if he doesn’t like the fabric, he burns it entirely. The traders who invested money were left frustrated and helpless.”
“I see.”
“So now, Kusen hasn’t made a contract with any trading company.”
Tsk, Kautz munched on a piece of cookie, finally enjoying a snack after days of traveling the region.
I handed her my share and asked,
“Kusen is extremely picky, huh?”
“Yes. That’s why the purple fabric from Patra only produces a few pieces a year, but each batch sells for a huge sum.”
I nodded, recalling another perfectionist I knew.
Duke Getre Kerace.
Even when furious, he couldn’t tolerate a crooked teacup.
But there was someone as strict as him here as well.
‘It would be interesting to see them together.’
A strange thought hit me in the middle of a serious situation.
Suddenly, a bright idea flashed in my head.
“That’s it! Kautz!”
“Yes, Miss.”
“I have to meet Kusen immediately.”
“What? Right now?”
“Yes!”
“And after meeting him?”
“Make the contract!”
“Wha—?”
Kautz’s eyes widened in shock.
I smiled at her.
“I just thought of a very good plan.”
A few days later, under the pretext of a magic lesson, I headed to the Patra region again.
The first time was hard, but the second and third times were easier.
Ignoring the knights, we went straight to the lake where Kusen was.
As expected, he was there.
Kusen’s face twisted as soon as he saw us.
“Kusen, I have something to say.”
“A noble lady coming to such a humble place… What is it this time?”
“How can I make a deal with you?”
Kusen’s sly smile vanished.
I exhaled deeply from my core and looked up at him.
This was a one-on-one, all-or-nothing situation.
Kusen had dealt with countless traders before.
I could not appear easy to sway.
“Surely, you, a young lady, wouldn’t be doing this yourself. Who sent you here?”
I felt a pang inside.
I had already set up a trading company with Kautz as the representative.
Its name: Beljour—meaning “beautiful but strong” in the Imperial language.
Since I was only thirteen, I couldn’t take the lead, so I used underground channels.
It cost a lot since the owner didn’t handle the procedures directly, but that was fine.
All my allowance had been spent, but through this company, I could earn dozens, even hundreds of times more.
However, even as the company’s owner, I couldn’t face him directly.
I was just a thirteen-year-old girl.
“Someone far, far away in the family requested it.”
I could feel Kautz swallowing nervously beside me.
“Anyway, Kusen, I’ll let you meet your best customer.”
“What do you mean, Miss?”
Kusen looked down at the girl who seemed half his size.
He had no idea what this daughter-like girl was talking about.
Not only that, but a girl who wasn’t even of age yet was proposing a deal to him.
He had never experienced this in his life.
Sweat gathered on his calloused hands.
Then, a clear voice rang in his ears.
“You’ve never met a customer who buys the fabrics you make yourself, have you?”
“……”
Seeing Kusen silent, I felt reassured.
He was like a master artisan living apart from the world, creating art.
Someone who had walked steadfastly his whole life deserved proper treatment.
“Trust me. I’ll let you meet the best customer. You can decide afterward.”
Kusen felt strange.
Even if she was a noble, she was just a young girl.
He didn’t need to take her seriously.
Yet her words carried weight.
He couldn’t deny it—he found himself nodding without realizing.
He was also curious—who was this “best customer”?
“Fine. Then come to the city in exactly two days. Bring your best, most perfect fabric.”
After saying that, I left.
I didn’t even notice how I walked.
All the tension I’d held back surged through me.
Though I had initiated the proposal, I half-doubted myself.
Would this plan succeed, or fail?
Still, if it failed, I’d lose nothing.
The only way to find out was to take action.
