Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 24
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 24
Andrie grew extremely excited, exactly as expected.
“My goodness, this is—!”
He checked the new tools one by one, muttering to himself at an almost frightening intensity.
Special scissors invented by some academic society, a sewing machine that produced beautiful stitches—Lion couldn’t even follow what he was saying.
“What shall we do with the old things? Still, I’ve grown rather attached to those tools…”
“All of it! Every last piece! I would be grateful if you would throw it all away!”
Oh, really?
Well, it was said that an artisan never blames his tools.
But then, wouldn’t an artisan of his caliber already own decent tools anyway?
How frustrating it must have been to lack them.
As though decades of pent-up frustration were melting away at last, Andrie laid a hand over his heart and released a long, deep breath.
“Truly! Truly, thank you, young master. I swear I will do everything in my power to produce a masterpiece.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
Truthfully, he wanted to say that Andrie could take it easy, but the materials and the artisan’s skill were so extraordinary that he couldn’t help feeling a little greedy—hoping a fine piece would come out of it.
And also…
‘I really would like to lend a hand with making those ceremonial robes, after all.’
Lion added casually,
“So, when you have time, could you teach me too?”
“Pardon?”
“Tailoring, I mean.”
“I-I could hardly presume to teach you, young master.”
“You, brother?”
Andrie’s and Rickshel’s mouths opened at the exact same moment.
“Absolutely not! What if you were pricked by a needle? It’s dangerous.”
“Well, yes, I could certainly teach you, but… when you first learn to sew, your hands do get pricked quite badly, and a sewing machine is a rather accident-prone device, young master.”
Opposition, just as he’d expected.
“Calm down. I’m not asking you to teach me anything difficult right away. I’d just like to try it out lightly.”
“Hm, may I ask your reason?”
“While choosing fabric and talking with you, I got an indirect sense of your skill and passion, Andrie. In the process, I came to realize that garments aren’t made with ordinary discernment. And in a situation like that, I thought that if I, the one commissioning the clothes, knew nothing of tailoring, I might die without ever truly understanding your painstaking efforts.”
His eloquence truly flowed like a smoothly flowing stream.
Rickshel, who had been caught by it before, had to shake his head several times to avoid being spellbound again.
He failed, of course.
‘I-it’s not wrong.’
Wasn’t it actually right?
Brother’s discernment truly begins from places like this.
The already enchanted Rickshel judged coolly… or so he thought.
“Isn’t it only when you know the technique and can read the creator’s intent that the wearer truly understands how to approach the garment?”
“Exactly right!”
Andrie had been enchanted long ago.
Because every word was true, a hundred times, a thousand times over!
“How can you think like that! Certainly, every single stitch—what technique was used, how the pattern was drafted—every bit of it carries intention! Of course, you may wear it comfortably without knowing, but the difference between knowing and not knowing is immense…”
“…”
Andrie’s words showed no sign of stopping.
He seemed to have been quite profoundly moved…
“Ah, at any rate, I shall teach you everything!”
“Good. But first, measure Rickshel and give him what he needs. I’ll just watch for now.”
“Yes! Please watch, and feel free to try things yourself as much as you like!”
By now, a sort of fierce loyalty had taken hold of Andrie.
Feeling a little burdened by it, Lion used Rickshel as an excuse to send Andrie off.
The workmen fixing the door had already taken the hint and cleared out.
‘I don’t know where they brought those people in from, but…’
They were quite disciplined, which certainly made things easier.
At any rate, being able to act without anyone watching was a good opportunity.
Instead of heading toward all the gleaming new tools, Lion walked over to where Andrie kept a stack of patterns he had already drafted.
[Old Cotton Pants Pattern of the Artisan]
-The fabric quality is extremely poor.
-Loose threads are sticking out.
‘Amazing, even looking at it again. How on earth did he make clothes like that with this kind of fabric?’
Marveling once more at Andrie’s skill, Lion began fitting the neatly organized pattern pieces together this way and that.
“So you just join them like this, right?”
Maybe because it was a pants shape, the construction didn’t seem too difficult.
‘Shall I try sewing it?’
Lion glanced at the sewing machine.
If he used that, joining the pattern pieces would certainly be quick, but…
but he’d need to have used a sewing machine before for that to work.
‘And somehow, it feels like I shouldn’t use a convenient tool before I’ve even learned properly.’
You need the fundamentals first before you can use the tools,
don’t you?
‘Hand sewing first, of course.’
As it happened, sewing tools were of course abundant here.
And they were the new ones Rickshel had brought…
but there was something usable, as luck would have it.
Lion took out the thread and needle from his inventory.
[Repair Set]
-A fallen nameplate, an insole—it can repair anything!
-However, fallen grades cannot be repaired.
-An item belonging to an artisan who realized the limits of his talent. Can repair all artisan-grade items, but master-grade items are impossible.
This was the very Repair Set he had received as a bonus at the magic tool shop with Rickshel.
If not now, when would he ever use it?
‘And I’m curious, you know.’
Just how far its repair range extended.
For what it was worth, it was an artisan’s possession. And reading the description, an artisan of considerable skill, right on the verge of becoming a master.
It was a little old, and seemed like it would hurt quite a bit if he pricked himself, but if he simply didn’t get pricked, that was that.
He had some confidence of his own.
In his days living in the semi-basement, sewing had been a necessity, not a choice.
Shirt buttons, of course, and holey socks—even torn underwear had to be stitched up.
‘Of course, the sewing area is much bigger compared to things like that, but…’
He figured things would work out somehow as he went along.
If not, he could always practice back at the mansion.
With a light heart, Lion threaded the needle and brought it to the old pattern.
Then…
“Huh?”
The appearance of the needle—so old it seemed about to crumble and leave rust stains—changed.
The reddish rust vanished, the blunted tip sharpened to a keen point, and the thin body even took on a luster.
“…Not bad.”
Did it only recover its original form when touched to something repairable?
Magic tools really were fascinating things.
Resolving to visit that magic tool shop again someday, Lion carefully began to sew.
Naturally, the start was not easy.
The thread was tied too loosely and the beginning came undone, or he set the spacing wrong so it wasn’t even.
But…
“This is kind of fun, actually.”
He had braced himself for the possibility that fiddling with such tiny things would be stifling and irritating, but far from it—his mind grew calm instead.
With a little more concentration, his crooked spacing evened out and he began to pick up speed.
And then—
“…!”
What was this?
He was starting to see something.
On the parts he hadn’t sewn yet, thin guideline-like marks began to appear.
‘Is this also the power of the magic tool?’
At any rate, it was perfect for a beginner to practice with.
Without refusing the benefit, Lion put his best into each and every stitch.
Then…
[Cotton Pants Pattern (Completion 80%)]
-The fabric quality is poor, but it hasn’t frayed.
-With a little refinement, it looks like it could become a decent finished product.
A fairly respectable item had come out.
Now if he just did a bit of finishing work here and turned it inside out, an ordinary pair of pants seemed ready to be completed.
‘Easier than I thought?’
Just as he was thinking of trying
another one—he sensed a presence.
“Mm? Finished already?”
“Yes. It’s been a while, actually.”
Rickshel, already done with his measurements, had been watching from beside Lion.
“You must have waited. You should have said something.”
“You were concentrating, brother. I couldn’t possibly disturb you.”
Rickshel, who earlier had been negative about the sewing, had turned quite favorable in the face of Lion’s persuasion and actions.
And as for the tailor…
he was silently examining the pants Lion had made, turning them this way and that.
“You started from this end. For a first attempt, your skill is… hmm. Oh…”
It seemed he had intended to begin with a light compliment, but his expression gradually grew serious, and at last he let out a strange exclamation of wonder.
And finally—
“Good heavens! Dear me! This is what I forgot!”
“Huh?”
“Oh dear, to have overlooked such a basic thing! A sewing machine is, after all, simply a tool made for convenience!”
“Isn’t that exactly the case…?”
“Ah! As they say, bespoke ceremonial robes are fundamentally about hand-sewing! I nearly forgot, making only ready-made garments!”
He came to a realization all by himself, flipped open the sketchbook on the desk, and began to draw something.
It seemed his inspiration had exploded yet again.
“…”
Even Lion, who had been happily sewing just moments before, couldn’t break into Andrie’s world.
No, it was more that he didn’t really want to break into that one.
‘Well… I’ve tried it out, so I should come back another time.’
Lion glanced sideways at Rickshel and spoke.
“…Shall we head back for now?”
“Let’s. You have dinner scheduled with the family head today, after all.”
“Ah. Right! Yes. We mustn’t skip dinner. Absolutely!”
Leaving Andrie behind, the two brothers naturally took their leave.
* * *
“My lord. The young masters have arrived, they say.”
“They’re late.”
Only at the news that the children had arrived did Petrick set down his fountain pen and make his way to the dining hall.
For someone who had just remarked they were late, his steps were rather quick—he seemed to have been waiting for this dinner hour quite eagerly.
‘I can’t remember the last time.’
Days when the direct family line gathered together were rare.
The busiest among them was, of course, Petrick Asteri.
It was only because of this coming-of-age ceremony that he was staying at the mansion; ordinarily, it would be no exaggeration to say he lived in the imperial palace.
It had already been fifty years since the war against the demons ended.
Many problems still remained.
Scattered remnants of the demons kept appearing, along with the traces they left behind.
There were new developments to consider as well.
All of it fell to Petrick to handle.
Was that all?
Somehow, he had also ended up mediating relations between houses on behalf of the incompetent Emperor, and taking charge of coordinating with the Criminal Underworld and the Temple.
In practice, he was handling even the Emperor’s duties, so even having two bodies wouldn’t have been enough.
Occasionally, he wished to spend time with his grandsons, whom he cherished so dearly, but he could not catch two rabbits at once.
He simply believed that all of this was the path to protecting his family, and endured it.
In fact, thanks to Petrick’s efforts, nothing had happened for fifty years.
But—
But perhaps because of his age, or perhaps because Lion’s behavior had suddenly grown so affectionate, he found himself nursing a desire to spend the rest of his years in peace.
‘How much longer do I even have to live?’
Ah, of course, the life expectancy of an 8th-Circle mage rivaled that of the elves, a race famous for their longevity.
Petrick might well outlive even Lion or Rickshel, but even an 8th-Circle Archmage couldn’t help it when emotion welled up.
“Hrm. Still, I must do what needs doing.”
At the very least, he wanted the treasures his daughter had left behind to live peacefully, doing as they wished.
Doing only what they wanted, without worrying about food or the kingdom.
Simply. Happily. In a field of flowers.
Then he felt he could have no lingering regrets.
Soon arriving at the dining hall, Petrick looked upon the table laden with magnificent dishes, and his grandsons seated across from each other.
Among them, the elder, Lion, was chatting with Rickshel with the most relaxed expression in the world.
‘That child’s potential must be hidden.’
Having resolved himself firmly, Petrick slowly took his seat.