Episode 64: Neither Too Close, Nor Too Far
I had brought a meat pie made from the leftover beef from the other day.
No, wait… think about it.
The edible portion of one cow exceeds 200kg, you know?
You can’t possibly consume 200kg of meat without distributing it to the entire neighborhood, let alone just friends.
I acted cool and butchered a cow to gain favor from Shio, but now I regret it because of how troublesome it is! But, well, Shio was happy… Maybe I’ll do it again…?
“Oh, perfect timing. I butchered one of our cows the other day and made meat pies. Everyone, please have some.”
“Oh, oh, is this a bribe now? Trying to buy your way into our good graces with something like this?”
Maurice from the Crimson Brigade said, but he was half-smiling.
Maurice himself doesn’t hold any grudges against me; he’s simply asserting, “Everyone else is working seriously, so you should too.”
He doesn’t seem to have any complaints about my personality, and he gladly accepted the meat pie I offered.
Conversely, if I had actually given money here as a “bribe,” Maurice would have been furious. He’s a serious guy, after all.
“…Wh-What the hell?! This is ridiculously delicious?!”
Maurice was surprised.
Well, yeah.
It’s a pie made with marbled beef that has been selectively bred, various fresh vegetables, spice, and high-quality wheat. Even royalty in this world can’t get their hands on something like this.
I handed out pies to everyone attending the meeting, and… they all seem surprised.
“…Tch! Indeed, if you put out something of this quality, we’re out of business! Your idea of wanting to keep a distance from the Guild is the right one. Sorry for denying it outright.”
Maurice, who devoured the meat pie as is, clicked his tongue and said sulkily.
Oh, he’s understanding.
As a craftsman, he didn’t want to lie or deceive about the “product,” whether it’s cooking or anything else.
He acknowledged the high quality of the product I made and, on top of that, said that my actions were correct.
“The White Brigade also agrees with Andrews-san’s attitude. Everyone, please take a look at the clothes Andrews-san is wearing.”
Madame Orianne of the White Brigade, the mistress of the textile workshop, stroked the sleeve of my clothes.
“Unseen craftsmanship… the fabric’s weave is completely different. The shape of the clothes is also completely different. The ornaments are beautiful, yet understated. It has class.”
Ah, well, yeah.
This world has a Medieval Europe feel to it.
My attire is from the early modern to modern era, so it probably looks avant-garde.
“…If such wonderful things become popular, we’ll be in trouble. But, looking at it from this detached position, we might be able to imitate what we can and create our own new products. In that sense, I would be very grateful if he could continue to belong to the Guild.”
Madame smiled.
Hmm, she looks to be in her fifties, so I can’t say I’m attracted to her, but I do think she’s a beautiful woman.
Excluding Granny Mary of the Emerald Covenant, the other leaders, all old men, had attitudes like, “Well, if Madame says so…”
Madame seems to be liked by the old men as a heroine, or like “that girl they admire.”
Indeed, she’s a classy beauty, and they seem to have a long relationship… so the middle-aged men had their youth, too.
“Ah… anyway. I intend to remain in the Guild for a long time, but I don’t intend to rise to the top. I may not be able to attend meetings often, but I’ll show my face as much as possible when I’m free. I’ll say it again, I have no intention of antagonizing anyone. I won’t go as far as saying let’s be friends, but please don’t become enemies. Let’s start with a consultation!”
I concluded.
…Everyone seems to have understood.
“…Even so, if you’re going to be registered with the Emerald Covenant, even in name only, we’ll need you to do something, you know?”
Here, Granny Mary opened her mouth.
“Thinking you’d say that, I bought ‘Boar Mushrooms,’ ‘Hyne Sol Root Tubers,’ and ‘Cinnamon’ in the Royal Capital. I’ll share them with the Emerald Covenant.”
But I’m not careless about that sort of thing.
I brought a leather bag filled to the brim with dried black mushrooms, ginger-like roots with pink cross-sections, and an assortment of cinnamon.
“…Hmph, knowing that this summer will be hot, you’ve obtained medicinal herbs that are effective against heatstroke, is that it?”
“That’s right.”
“…Not bad. Hey, Ralph, what are you doing! Carry it to the basement!”
“Y-Yes! I understand, Granny!”
“I told you not to call me Granny in front of people, you idiot!”
“Uwaa, I’m sorry! Apothecary Chief!”
And as usual, her grandson Ralph-kun gets yelled at.
Hmm, the usual.
“…Well, what can I say? This guy is a useful craftsman, even for the Emerald Covenant. Ralph is still unreliable, but I’ll train him to be a proper apothecary while I’m still alive. Once I do, he should be able to handle this guy.”
Oh, there it is.
Granny Mary’s insult-like defense.
In other words, she’s saying that she’ll raise her successor, Ralph-kun, to the point where he can work with me, so please overlook various things.
Granny Mary is the oldest member in all the Guild’s meetings.
The others can’t disregard her opinion.
“Well, if Granny Mary says so…”
“From the start, I’ve trusted both Mary-san and Andrews-san.”
“Tch, a filthy half-demon, huh?… Well, it’s nothing to do with us! Andrews, was it? Don’t bring any trouble here?!”
“I have nothing to say. In the end, it’s enough if you can forge iron.”
…Is that all?
“Then, I look forward to working with you all. Ah, are there any announcements?”
“Ah, I’ll explain that.”
I listened to the Guild’s rules… well, the neighborhood association’s odds and ends, from Ralph-kun, who had returned, and that was the end of the day.