Chapter 32: The Dyer and a Boat
BERTINE was at the dyer’s, having been summoned there by the owner.
“Now, then, Seilo. Tell me about this request of yours,” she said.
“I’d like your permission to mix other colors into this dye you always have me use.”
“That is welcome news indeed, because I myself was wondering if it would be possible to create a color other than the scarlet,” Bertine responded. “Though I am concerned about what would happen to the glow with other colors.”
“I agree. It would be a complete waste to eliminate the soft glow, so please allow me to test out various recipes,” Seilo said. “It will be difficult, but I think I can find a solution.”
Cecilio had introduced Bertine to this dye shop. An older man and a young artisan ran it. They never asked her questions about the dye’s ingredients because Cecilio had warned them not to.
“Excellent, I would appreciate it,” Bertine said with a smile. “You can experiment however you wish to, as I have ample supplies for the dye. Shall I bring you the undiluted solution tomorrow?”
“Yes, thank you. Hugo, we have her permission.”
“I sure hope we can make lots of colors, boss,” Hugo responded.
“I’ll see you two tomorrow then.”
Bertine left the dyer’s shop with that parting greeting. If they could produce colors besides the vivid scarlet and dark red they’d managed so far, she knew she could sell even more fabric. And those sales would bring her one step closer to achieving her goal: establishing a small hotel where the Empire’s wealthy nobles would want to stay for long periods of time. They would naturally want to spend their coin there as well, which would allow Bertine to hire many people.
Despite her aim to keep the hotel relatively small, building and running it would be a feat in itself. Bertine herself wasn’t confident in her ability to make this enormous dream come true. But her heart danced at just the thought of furthering this tremendous goal.
So she spoke to Dorothée about her dream while sipping on a cup of tea. Her maid questioned her curiously.
“But why a hotel, my lady?”
“Dorothée, have you already forgotten the number one source of income for San Luenne’s royal family?”
“Ah, I see the light.”
“Yes, indeed, the high-class hotel managed by the organization under the royal family’s direct control. Although I have to admit I myself had forgotten about it until after I came up with my own hotel idea,” Bertine confessed.
“Oh! Then you mean to strike back at the royal family with your hotel!”
“I do. Except their hotel is a long-standing one with many affluent regulars from the Empire, so my challenge to them would be akin to a sardine confronting a whale. But even a massive school of sardines poses a threat… On second thought, that’s not necessary. It’s my dream to run a hotel. A small one tucked away in a verdant paradise. Exciting, don’t you think?”
Dorothée gazed off into the distance. “We would be awakened in the mornings by the cries of wild birds, hm?”
“And we could take tea on the terrace as we watch flocks of emus.”
“That sounds wonderful, my lady. Absolutely enchanting!”
“Evance’s fairy-tale buildings will take center stage there,” Bertine said.
“So you intend to bring his fantastical designs to life?”
“Yes. Don’t you think people will be fascinated by his unusual work?”
“I do!” Dorothée agreed.
Bertine giggled, singing her own praises. “I’ll sell all those fabrics to the Empire as well as the jarred goods. Then I’ll use those proceeds to build a hotel and make even more money. Perfect, isn’t it?”
“My lady, do take care with your expression.”
“Oh, dear. Did I look so sinister?”
“Quite.”
Building and operating a hotel required someone who understood the whole project well enough to lead it. Bertine keenly wanted to consult with her father on the matter because of his vast experience in managing one, but she feared attracting her stepmother’s attention. As the queen’s younger sister, the woman might very well relay any hearsay, and Bertine didn’t know what kind of awful things the queen might do in turn.
“It will be a roundabout route, but I have no choice except to ask Luca if he can introduce me to someone knowledgeable about the hotel business,” Bertine said.
“A sound idea, my lady, considering his position as the manager of a world-class hotel in the imperial capital.”
“The only problem is whether or not imperial talent will deign to visit the Federation to teach me how everything works.”
“Also a good point,” Dorothée nodded. “After all, imperial citizens are quite prejudiced against the Federation.”
Bertine frowned, gazing anxiously at the ceiling. “Oh, before all that though, I need to think about how to jar all the seafood Nilda and Carlito mentioned.”
“Bumpfish and giant clam, yes?” Dorothée asked.
“There must be other delectable seafood as well. Perhaps I should take a trip there and see for myself.”
“If you’re referring to His Excellency’s birthplace, isn’t it quite far from here?”
“Yes. Evidently, a round-trip journey by coach takes a month and a half. The continent truly is enormous. In comparison, the Kingdom of San Luenne might as well just be a cramped dot on the map.”
If Bertine built her hotel in the hinterlands she fell in love with, a one-way journey from Ybit, which lay in the center of the Federation, would take two weeks. Longer with bad weather. All this meant difficulty for the Empire’s current stock of working nobility to venture so far out for leisure. The distance from the Empire to the Federation’s southlands also needed to be taken into consideration for retired nobles.
Would the affluent elderly even be willing to make such a long journey? Or should I target the younger generation? But they may not have enough financial freedom either.
Older aristocrats were flush with coin and time while lacking vitality and stamina. The younger ones had time and stamina, but were restrained financially. The working ones had both coin and stamina, but lacked the time because of their duties. So which bracket should she target?
Bertine found herself enjoying tackling the problem despite not even having the capital yet for her venture. It was a pleasure missing from her life when she was the marquess’s daughter.
“First things first, we’ll visit His Excellency’s hometown,” Bertine decided. “I must sample the grilled bumpfish and fried giant clams.”
Before she went on her trip though, she needed important information in advance, such as where the best delicacies could be found and general points to note. Bertine decided to consult Ignacio, Cecilio’s secretary. She set out at once for the government building and found herself approached by an unknown man en route.
“Excuse me! I just wanted to say I really enjoyed the dragon’s egg marmalade the other day! Please let me know if you ever decide to sell it officially here in the capital. I will most certainly be a regular customer!”
He was one of the civil officials who had participated in the tasting event Bertine and His Excellency had arranged in his office a while ago.
“Thank you very much,” she responded. “Would you like me to have a jar delivered to you today? Each variety costs five large copper coins.”
“Wow! I can taste the fruits of my home for so little? If you let the receptionist know when you stop by, I’ll be there right away. My name is Daniel and I work for accounts.”
“Understood. I’ll be sure to mention Daniel in accounts then. The delivery will take place later today, so what would you like?” Bertine asked.
“All of them. Two jars of each flavor, please!”
She thanked him and bade him farewell with a smile. When she arrived at the reception area, she asked if it would be possible to meet with Ignacio. Fortunately for her, the man himself walked past just then carrying a mountain of documents.
“Lady Bertine, how may I help you? If you’re looking for His Excellency, he’s currently on an inspection and will be away from Ybit for a week.”
“No, I’m here to see you actually, Ignacio,” Bertine said. “I’d like to visit His Excellency’s hometown in search of local delicacies, so I thought you might tell me anything important I needed to know before I go.”
“Oh. The Callisto district? You are aware it’s located in the country’s southernmost tip, yes? Are you sure you want to go there?” he asked.
“Well, I have a feeling I’ll be able to think of ideas on how to package its local flavors after I’ve sampled them myself.”
“You truly are something else…” Ignacio’s expression was both astounded and intrigued.
“Without a husband or children, I can do what I please,” Bertine reminded him. “So it’s only natural I would want to get started on something once I’ve made up my mind, you know.”
“I see. Then please follow me to my office.”
There, Bertine received a pleasantly surprising bit of information. About a ship.
“By coach, it will take about three weeks to reach the Callisto district from Ybit. But if you go by boat via the Saran River, it shouldn’t take more than ten days,” Ignacio explained. “Hm, though it might prove a bit tricky for women. Rough men from the Empire take the same route to head for the ore mines there, so the journey on the boat may be difficult, especially on the way back to the Empire.”
“Ten days, you say? From Ybit to the Federation’s southernmost point? Truly?” Bertine asked to be sure.
“Yes. Unlike carriages, where it’s necessary to stop and rest the horses, the ships sail without pause. Through the night as well. Although I would like to stress I’ve never seen a woman on one of these ships…” he trailed off.
“Thank you very much! This is wonderful information. Where can I board the ship?”
“There’s a harbor in Ybit. Lady Bertine, I must tell you that sleeping won’t be easy. You’ll all be in the same cabin, you see.”
Bertine grinned at him and raised her right hand, fingers curled into a light fist. “That will not pose any problem. I’ll put up with such sleeping arrangements for the sake of business.”
“Even so…”
“I have an extremely capable escort, so there’s no need for you to worry. Besides, in the eyes of society, I’m no longer a marquess’s daughter. I have nothing of value to my name anymore.”
“Oh…well then.”
After Ignacio gave her a detailed overview of the Callisto district, Bertine cheerfully left. He stared after her, frowning in thought. I have a feeling His Excellency will reprimand me for telling her something I shouldn’t have.
“Excellent! I now have a potential prospect for shortening the travel time between the Empire and my hotel. Ignacio truly is an outstanding individual.”
Bertine’s mood was terrific.