Chapter 52
The group moved to the reception room at Lana's Flux Trading Company.
All the company's employees had already gone home, so Lana prepared the tea herself.
Normally, that was Cliff's job, but Cliff's palate was such that he claimed all tea tasted like leaves, so Lana couldn't entrust him with preparing it.
"It'll be a lot of work with this many people. I'll help."
Isaac Walker was the one who called out to Lana as she prepared the tea in the kitchen.
Lana gave him an awkward smile and shook her head.
"No, please make yourself comfortable."
Isaac acted friendly toward Lana, but she was always secretly troubled over how she should respond to him.
After all, his public identity was Felix Ark Ridill, the second prince of this country.
But if she called him "Your Highness" and treated him according to his station while he was secretly serving as Monica's self-appointed apprentice, the people around them would discover his identity. Neither Isaac nor Monica would want that.
That was why Lana treated Isaac like a friend's older brother.
(...Though being called an "older brother" is probably not what he wants.)
The relationship between Isaac and Monica was extremely complicated. There was no doubt, however, that Isaac cared deeply for Monica.
Lana tried not to interfere in that area. Of course, if Monica ever came to her for advice, she was more than willing to help.
Lana closed the lid of the pot after pouring in the hot water, then turned back to Isaac and bowed.
"Um, about Cliff... My secretary, Clifford Anderson, was extremely rude. As the head of the company, I would like to apologize."
"Anderson? ...Could he be from Anderson Trading Company?"
"Y-yes, he's the company president's son... Um, you're familiar with it?"
To be honest, Lana hadn't expected the second prince to remember the name of a single trading company.
Isaac gave a small laugh at Lana's undisguised surprise.
"Anderson Trading Company is famous."
Clifford's family company, Anderson Trading Company, had built a fortune through food-preservation technology based on ice magic.
It was said that no one could rival Anderson Trading Company when it came to transporting fresh food, making it the pinnacle of the transportation industry.
But apparently, this business using ice magic had once become a source of friction among the country's nobility.
In the past, magic had been a technology kept secret and monopolized exclusively by the royal family and nobility.
Around a hundred years ago, it gradually became available to ordinary people as well, but the belief that "magic is a technology for the privileged" remained deeply rooted.
For that reason, Anderson Trading Company, which conducted such a large-scale business using this special technology, was disliked by conservative high-ranking nobles.
And when one spoke of conservative high-ranking nobles, one was speaking of the faction supporting the second prince, led by Duke Clockford.
"Anderson Trading Company didn't get along with the conservative Duke Clockford. Quite a few people in the second prince's faction even advocated boycotting Anderson Trading Company."
What had happened to Anderson Trading Company, despite being so hated by the second prince's faction?
The answer lay in the fact that fresh meat and fish were being delivered to Serendia Academy, which was under Duke Clockford's influence.
People couldn't resist delicious or convenient things. Through that "convenience," Anderson Trading Company had forced the conservative nobles—even Duke Clockford himself—to acknowledge its worth.
And Clifford was the son of the president of that Anderson Trading Company.
"I've heard that Mr. Anderson, the company president, is fond of new things. And apparently his wife is from the desert people."
"...Yes, Cliff's mother is from Shezaria."
The people of Shezaria were also known as the desert people. With hair as black as the night sky, dark skin, and sharply defined features, they had an appearance that made them easy to recognize at a glance.
"So that's why he dresses like that."
"............"
Lana was at a loss for words. If she explained the circumstances surrounding that, as well as Clifford's personality, the tea would surely have gone completely cold.
As Lana fell silent, Isaac lifted the pot of tea and poured it evenly into the cups. His movements were fluid.
"I'll wait here. I don't think anyone there knows what the Second Prince looks like, but just in case."
"Then I'll prepare another guest room for you."
He was, after all, the second prince; she couldn't very well have him wait in the kitchen.
But Isaac shook his head and gave a small shrug.
"I'm just Isaac Walker right now. If you prepared a splendid guest room for me, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?"
"But..."
"I'm here because I want to be, so it's no trouble. If anything comes up, call me. I'll come running right away."
Although he had the same appearance as he had at Serendia Academy, there was something about the smiling Isaac that made him seem unusually approachable.
＊ ＊ ＊
In the reception room, Mr. Pollock, the embroiderer, and the brothers Antony and Theodore had hit it off over a lively discussion about drinking. Apparently, Pollock had taken a liking to the brothers.
Monica was huddled awkwardly in the corner of the sofa, while Clifford, despite being a secretary, was sprawled in a chair with an oddly arrogant air.
Suppressing the urge to give him a little tap on the back of the head, Lana distributed tea to everyone.
"There are many things I'd like to say, but... Pollock-san, could you accept this embroidery proposal? If you don't start soon, we won't finish in time."
"Hmph. Let's see it, then."
Lana handed the design proposal to the overbearing Pollock with a scowl.
Pollock examined the design proposal with bulging eyes, then abruptly let go of it, dropping it onto the floor.
"No good. Do it over."
Lana desperately choked back the urge to yell.
After taking a single deep breath, she asked in a low voice,
"...Could you tell me why?"
"I told you many times. You haven't studied enough."
Having said that, Pollock began picking his ear, his attitude making it seem as though Lana wasn't even worth speaking to.
"Could you give me a more specific reason? The calculation of the amount of magic to imbue in the embroidery should be correct. And this pattern actually existed in the past..."
"Ah, no good, no good. No good at all."
"That's why I'm asking you to tell me what's wrong!"
"Haaah, young people these days don't research anything for themselves, then immediately demand to be told everything. That kind of attitude cheapens the magical-tool industry. Huh? Do you understand, you sheltered little miss?"
Lana bit her lip and fell silent.
A sheltered young lady—that was how most people viewed Lana.
Lana had only been able to establish her company thanks to her father's financial support. The same was true of her personnel and connections.
There was nothing Lana had accomplished entirely on her own.
Even so, Lana had studied economics and the handling of magical tools in her own way.
(What do you mean...? What do you mean...?)
Pollock gave a condescending snort at Lana, who was trembling with clenched fists as she held back her tears.
"So all you had to do was cry and beg Daddy, and everything you wanted came true, didn't it? Calling yourself a company president is laughable..."
"...I think the way you're putting that is mean."
The one who spoke up was Monica, who had been huddled in the corner of the sofa.
Pollock glared at Monica with his bulging eyes.
"Little miss, amateurs shouldn't stick their noses into a craftsman's business."
"...This robe's shape is a design originating with the 〈Rete School〉. The magical formula woven into the embroidery, however, belongs to the 〈Kuyura People〉. Since the 〈Kuyura People〉 were wiped out by mages of the 〈Rete School〉, it would be strange to put 〈Kuyura People〉 embroidery on a 〈Rete School〉 robe... Is that what you're trying to say?"
Monica spoke without hesitation and stared expressionlessly at Pollock.
That profile belonged not to the usual unreliable Monica, but to the 〈Silent Witch〉—the foremost mage in this country.
Lana, Antony, and Theodore all stared at Monica in stunned silence. Clifford alone remained expressionless.
Pollock stroked his braided beard and grinned.
"Ho? Looks like you've brought along someone who knows a thing or two. Little miss, if you've even dabbled in magic, you must understand the history of persecution faced by the 〈Kuyura People〉. The fusion of old and new was the theme of this robe, wasn't it? But I won't sew even a single stitch of embroidery that disregards history!"
"...So it just needs to be historically sound?"
Monica pressed the point in a firm voice.
When Pollock nodded, Monica looked at Lana.
"Lana, is the robe's shape set in stone?"
"Y-yes."
"Then I'll draw every pattern that can be used on this robe without causing a problem. Pick the one that best suits your vision for it, Lana."
Lana was speechless.
Monica spoke as though it were nothing, but this was by no means a simple task. The patterns into which magical formulas could be woven were extremely complex.
In Lana's place, Theodore, who had been listening to the conversation, asked his brother,
"Hey, brother. How many of those are there, roughly?"
"Hmm... I can only handle magic swords, but I know there must be an enormous number. Probably more than a hundred?"
"No."
Monica shook her head while keeping her eyes on the design proposal.
"About thirteen hundred."
Antony's eyes widened, while Theodore blinked rapidly.
Then Clifford, who had been silent until now, looked at Monica with emotionless eyes and spoke.
"Impossible. You can't do it."
"I can. It's just a matter of drawing the shapes I remember... It's not difficult for me at all, so..."
She broke off, then shifted from a blank expression to a bashful one and lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers.
Then, mouthing the words a few times, she spoke in a small voice.
"...So, um... if Lana relied on me... I-I'd be happy."
Those words shook Lana to her core.
Oh, come on, come on! Lana repeated silently as she roughly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I should warn you, I'm picky about designs. I might have you drawing until morning."
"That's okay. I'm good at that sort of thing."
Monica lowered her brows and let out a small, breathy laugh. Seeing that smile so characteristic of Monica, Lana naturally felt her own smile return.
Lana turned to Clifford with an extremely smug expression.
"Hey, Cliff! My friend is super reliable!"