Chapter 195 – Craftsmen and Banquets

“…And so, our first order will be for delivery to the royal family and the Royal Castle.”

Since King Melvin’s order was for the shop, we decided that instead of me making the items myself, we would deliver products made by the craftsmen.

I explained the current situation to the craftsmen Miriam had gathered from the masters of the Commerce Guild. As expected, there were quite a few Dwarves among them. The location was the Eastern District. We had gathered in one of the shops Miriam had found for this explanation. Since the back of the shop had a garden, we planned to use that area as our workshop.

“The royal family right from the start…”

“That’s quite the promising business.”

The craftsmen were visibly excited.

Yeah. I’m hoping this will serve as good motivation for them. You couldn’t ask for a better first job.

“With that said, here are the product samples.”

I removed the cloth and showed the craftsmen the product samples. I presented them both as finished products and disassembled into their individual materials and components so they could be put together.

Since many of these items didn’t exist elsewhere, I wanted them to first understand what they were. The best way to help them understand the products was to actually handle and play with them. There was also the aim of helping them bond with each other.

“Hmm? This thing… was it made using Magic for shaping and polishing…?”

“We do use Magic for minor processing sometimes too… but this is on a whole other level…”

Given their profession, they seemed to focus on different aspects. They held the billiard balls up to the light to examine their spherical surfaces, lined up the patterns on the backs of the cards, all with serious expressions.

“We’d like you to make these. I imagine I’ll bring other prototypes in the future as well. And also—please incorporate this design by firing or engraving it onto the products.”

I placed a stone medal on the table. Seeing the design, the craftsmen nodded in understanding.

“Looks interesting. If they can show us something this good made with Magic, we professionals can’t afford to lose.”

“Yeah. Seems like worthwhile work.”

“Please try playing with them and testing them out. I think it will help you see what areas need attention to make them better quality.”

When I said that, the craftsmen grinned and began enjoying themselves in their own ways—reading the rules and throwing darts, starting card games, turning the shaved ice machine.

One Dwarf craftsman chugged a carbonated drink and rolled his eyes. His beard made eating cotton candy difficult, and his fellow craftsmen were pointing and laughing at him… Well, it’s good that they seem to be enjoying themselves.

“How does it seem?”

Miriam asked me as I finished my explanation.

“We’ll have to see their skills from here on out… but they seem reliable.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Miriam smiled.

The fact that they could tell things were made with Magic suggested they had considerable experience. If their observational skills are sharp, they should produce good quality work, and they seemed highly motivated too.

“So, does this mean we’re mostly ready for the shop opening?”

Alfred smiled.

“Yes. The sign is finished too.”

It was a hanging sign with the logo. Made from copper plate with an impressive finish… Viola had processed this for us.

The shop’s name was Brightwelt Labyrinth Trading Company.

It was a derivative of Brightwelt Workshop, since we would be distributing products made at the workshop. Alfred had said he wanted the “Labyrinth” part to pair with Boundary Theater, so I incorporated it.

I was also thinking that, going forward, we could provide some employment for the Labyrinth Village residents and the Orphanage children. I also thought that if having the Trading Company’s products in the Royal Castle generated buzz, we might get more orders, but we’ll see how that goes.

“So, while it’s not exactly for the opening celebration… I’d like to invite Alfred, everyone, and Miriam-san to my home. What do you think?”

It felt like keeping a promise. When I said that, Miriam’s eyes sparkled.

“Thank you for having us today.”

Heather, the Adventurer Guild receptionist, bowed politely. Three people had come from the Adventurer Guild: Auria, Oswald, and Heather. Forestbird, Justia, and Dominique were with them too.

Heather had originally had quite a bit of contact with me, and recently she’d been doing work related to the theater as well.

“Please, this way.”

“Oh my.”

When Cecilia came to guide them, Auria’s eyes widened slightly.

“I am Auria. Pleased to meet you, friend of the forest.”

Cecilia had looked somewhat nervous, but Auria was the one to smile and extend her hand.

“The pleasure is mine. Lady Auria.”

Cecilia also smiled and took her hand.

“Though, I should say I haven’t returned to the forest in quite some time. It’s presumptuous for one like me to call myself a friend of the forest.”

“I’m in a similar situation.”

“I see. Then we are both living in the same land now. If you ever have any troubles, feel free to consult me anytime.”

“Thank you.”

Auria was easygoing, so they seemed to have broken the ice successfully. Elves who have left the forest and grown accustomed to human settlements don’t tend to stick strictly to racial customs. They’re aware of them, of course, but among them, Auria is special—she has a particularly deep understanding.

The invited guests continued to arrive. The breakdown of the banquet guests was as follows: from the workshop, Alfred, Viola, Talcott, and Miriam. Then the Dwarf master craftsman. Plus Ophelia and Cindy. From the Moon Temple, Head Shrine Maiden Penelope, and from the Orphanage, Director Sandra. From the Knight Order, Mildred, Chester, and Mercedes. The fact that there were also Labyrinth Village residents… made it quite a large, lively gathering.

…Well, I hadn’t initially planned for it to be this grand. But after inviting just a few people, it quickly snowballed.

Well, only a portion of the workshop members would be staying overnight.

The recreation room and the central courtyard were prepared with food made by Grace, Cecilia, Mihaela, and the Labyrinth Village residents. They had been preparing since morning, so it was quite lavish. There was roasted bird stuffed with herbs, among other creatively prepared dishes.

“To commemorate our opening, I’m truly happy to have you all gathered here today. It may be a modest affair, but I hope you will enjoy yourselves.”

After that greeting and a bow, applause rose from the attendees.

“I think you’d find listening to their performance more enjoyable than my boring speech, so I’ll hand it over to them.”

Saying that, I bowed once more and stepped down from the edge of the fountain.

As my greeting ended, Irmhild and the others began their performance. It was a bright, cheerful melody fitting for a banquet. Just listening to it made one feel merry—they were truly impressive.

“That’s quite rare! Well, everything in this mansion is rare, but… Getting to hear their performance before the next full moon is a real privilege.”

Miriam’s eyes were sparkling. Her gaze was fixed on the drum set Sheila was playing. Exchanging smiles with Irmhild, Sheila looked like she was having a great time playing.

“It’s several types of percussion instruments combined into one. With a certain level of skill, one person can handle the percussion section like that. In Sheila’s case, it’s less about skill and more about her innate Dexterity.”

“I see…”

While using ear muffs incorporating Wind Magic to protect their hearing from the drum volume, Sheila’s rhythm remained precise. Her drumstick handling was also splendid. It was possible precisely because of her excellent Dexterity and reflexes.

“Are you planning to sell that as a product too? Though it might be better to wait until the shop is established and we have some breathing room.”

“Yes. I think it’s groundbreaking. I have some musician acquaintances, so I thought I’d ask for their opinions sometime.”

Even as she said that, Miriam seemed to have some conviction about it.