Chapter 7: Prepare Gifts

The awkwardness that had arisen quickly dissipated. A person who served noble aristocrats were accustomed to maintaining their composure in various situations. What mattered most at the moment was knowing the source of the spider silk fabric.

Complimenting her, the woman said, “So, it’s true that magical spider silk can be woven into fabric. Miss Aresia, you are quite knowledgeable. I have never seen such a beautiful fabric before. Is this spider silk fabric made by alchemists?”

Aresia calmly replied, “No, I had it woven by a skilled textile worker. It’s not the work of an alchemist.”

The lady quickly processed this information in her mind.

Her eyes lit up as she asked, “Could this be a new type of fabric produced by the Duke’s household?”

Aresia glanced and nodded in response. Sensing the lady’s reluctance to delve further, she wisely refrained from asking more questions. After all, now that she knew the fabric belonged to the Duke’s household, she could inquire discreetly if she wanted to.

Returning to the topic at hand, the lady asked, “Miss Aresia, what do you plan to make with this fabric? It is light and cool, perfect for summer clothing, but the color is a bit plain. It could benefit from some additional hues. By the way, we have skilled embroiderers in our shop. They can add your desired patterns to the fabric.”

The stack of spider silk fabric was all in a pearly white color, which was elegant but not quite in line with the current trend of vibrant colors. If there were some variations in color, it would indeed be more appealing.

Aresia pointed to several bottles of dye placed nearby and said, “These are dyes, each with specific instructions. Take them back and find a dyer who can help me dye this fabric.”

The colors of the dyes were indicative of the shades the fabric could acquire, making them easily identifiable.

Finding a dyer from a local workshop in the Duke’s household would be straightforward. However, the lady, being the owner of a tailor shop, had acquaintances with skilled dyers. It wouldn’t be difficult for her to recommend a suitable one.

The woman’s eyes lit up even more upon hearing about dyeing. She overlooked the minor flaw of the fabric’s lack of color, realizing that it was already perfect.

Aresia arranged the ten pieces of fabric. Four of them were used to make two sets of nightgowns, two sets of long skirts in school uniform style, and the remaining scraps were used to make socks or similar accessories. For more fitted clothing, she didn’t have them custom-made by outsiders but left a piece of fabric for the servants to make.

The remaining five pieces of fabric were prepared for her father and brother.

Aresia’s feelings towards her relatives were actually quite complex. On one hand, they belonged to another world, and her biological parents – though they had long passed away – were not her true family in her rational mind. On the other hand, they were indeed her parents and carried the memories of the Duke’s daughter, which she inherited.

Regardless of the complexity, she made sure to consider them first.

Whether the Duchess was present or not, she would wait until the spider silk fabric was woven before leaving it for her. As for the Duke, her father, and her brother who were in the legion camp, where they trained every day. As the weather gradually became warmer, the breathable and cool spider silk fabric would be suitable to make a few shirts and pants for them as replacements with some defense.

Moreover, this spider silk fabric was thin and impervious to water and ordinary weapons couldn’t damage it. After adding a few magic arrays, its defensive power would increase, comparable to lower-grade magic armor.

Aresia pointed to the fabric arrangement and said, “My father and brother’s measurements should be available at your shop. If they are not, please, ask the steward.”

The woman nodded repeatedly, indicating her understanding, but she knew she didn’t really need to ask the steward. It was just a polite gesture, and she also want to ask further about the spider silk fabric.

Aresia asked, “This spider silk fabric is made of magical material. Can regular tools be used to cut and sew it? Does your shop have magical tools for tailoring and sewing?”

The woman nodded and replied, “Yes, we have them. In our shop, we even have a complete set of magical tools for making winter cloaks and similar items using monster hides. We don’t lack any necessary tools.”

During the winter season, clothing made of wool fabric was highly sought after by the nobles. What they really liked were garments made from the fur and hides of various magical creatures. Cutting and tailoring monster hides required special tools that regular ones couldn’t handle. Fortunately, their shop had a complete set of magical tools.

Aresia nodded and said, “Thank you very much.”

Afterward, Aresia left and asked one of the attendants to find the steward.

The steward had always been attentive to Aresia’s requests. He even went to the extent of personally inspecting the spider silk fabric that had arrived for the tailor’s work. When he heard that the tailor wanted to meet him, he didn’t seem surprised or bothered.

“Good morning, Steward Aaron.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Cameron.”

Mrs. Cameron first inquired about any necessary alterations to the Duke’s measurements and its son before eagerly asking about the spider silk fabric.

“Yes, we have indeed produced the magical spider silk fabric. Unfortunately, the entire stock has already been used by Miss Aresia. As for when it will be available for sale to the general public, will depends by Miss Aresia’s decision.”

Upon seeing the quality of the spider silk fabric, Steward Aaron knew it will be in demand in no time.

Aresia have talked about selling it to the masses but Steward Aaron advised her not to sell it at the time being.

He informed her that it would be better to hold off on external sales and wait a little longer.

Wait for what? Specifically, He is waiting for feedback from the Duke and Duchess.

Aresia specifically instructed Steward Aaron to prepare a surprise for the Duke and her brother, without informing the Duke himself. They believed that once they received this gift, they would quickly realize the uniqueness of the fabric. At that point, Steward Aaron was confident that, at the very least, the high-ranking officers of the Gryphon Legion would be willing to spend money on purchasing this fabric.

Suggesting that selling it to tailors who would then promote it to the nobles would highlight the preciousness of the fabric. But, the fabric’s magical nature made it somewhat wasteful to be used solely for clothing and formal attire. It should be sold as a magical item, not just as fabric.

— As for how Miss Aresia can make such fabric, Steward Aaron, being unfamiliar with magic, didn’t delve too deep into the matter, as it was something the Master should consider.

Aresia was impressed by his reasoning and accepted his suggestion, abandoning her initial sales plan. However, the decision to make clothes for her parents and brother remained unchanged. The only change was that now Mrs. Cameron knew how to approach it, understanding that Aaron was the one in charge.

Mrs. Cameron heard the steward excuses, and although she was prepared for them, she still felt regretful. She tried to persuade the stewards to change his mind, but he remained firm in his attitude. It was clear that there were still some items in stock, but he did not completely refuse.

“If Duke’s Mansion is selling this fabric, and the price is reasonable, you can be the first tailor who will bought this fabric.”

Mrs. Cameron understood that Duke’s Mansion must have other plans. Although she didn’t have any evidence, she was certain that she had secured a promise from Duke’s Mansion to be the first tailor who will bought the fabric. This would elevate their tailor shop to a new level in Holy Lotean.

Mrs. Cameron didn’t want to continue arguing, so she politely exchanged pleasantries and took her leave.

She quickly returned home to urge her husband to personally oversee the production of this batch of silk fabric. The sooner it was completed, the better!

As Mrs. Cameron left, the steward went to find Aresia.

“Miss, Mrs. Cameron has already left.”

“I understand.”

Aresia had already prepared enough magic potions and had no plans to enter the laboratory again for now. She sat with a magic book, organizing her thoughts while flipping through its pages, comparing the differences in magic between the two worlds.

Indeed, the magic in this world had developed differently. There were certain magical materials that were abundant here but had become extinct in the other world. She found a section in the book that introduced these materials and listed experimental procedures to try different combinations.

Apart from that, there were other matters to consider.

The silk brought by the adventurers was increasing, and the ten weavers they had hired could not possibly weave all of it. Furthermore, they needed specialized workers to handle the silk. Hiring more people was necessary, but they were not suitable to be placed in the Duke’s mansion. They needed to find another suitable place for them.

Aresia’s idea was to establish a textile factory directly, recruiting enough weavers in one go to stabilize the silk fabric production.

“It’s better to let Aaron handle this matter entirely. It will cost a bit more, but it’s worth it.”

Aresia didn’t want to deal with the details of this matter. Establishing the silk fabric production was primarily to create a profitable business, allowing her to obtain enough magic materials without relying on the Duke’s mansion. She didn’t want to manage it herself and risk straining her already busy schedule.

The steward is willing to take over and handle the business.

Once given permission, he enthusiastically throws himself into busy work. His efficiency is impressive, and the industries owned by the Duke’s household are thriving. The factories that have been managed without interruption are put to immediate use. With these factories already in operation, the trusted steward is adept at handling the situation. There is a need to recruit new workers for the machines, and this will keep the steward busy for a considerable amount of time.

As the steward busies himself, there is no one to oversee what Aresia is up to.

Everyone is busy preparing because the Duke and the young Master return is approaching.

The spider silk clothes customized by Aresia were rushed by the tailor and delivered just in time for the Rogest father and son.

Among the items delivered, there were shirts and trousers for the Duke’s and the young Master.