The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 90
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
this book is completely translated on luna kofi (advanced chapters for the website will follow)
“With that approach, we could create and sell an endless variety.”
Jean said, closing the record book he had been working on and engaging more seriously in the conversation.
Amber picked up a clean sheet of paper and a quill pen, sketching out the design of a ski. It was a broad, oval-shaped plank with a sharp edge at the bottom and mechanisms for securing both feet.
“I’ve never skied myself, but I still remember what they look like.”
“Should the edges be sharp?”
“Yes, the sharper, the better. If they get blunt, they won’t cut through the snow or ice properly.”
“Interesting…”
Jean also took out a sheet of paper and drew several skis, adding small illustrations on them.
Amber watched in amazement, surprised by how well Jean could draw.
“Why are you staring?”
“I was just wondering if there’s anything you can’t do, Jean.”
“Nothing at all.”
His answer was straightforward and confident, but she didn’t mind.
Though she knew less about Jean than she did about anyone else, they had found common ground in their discussion about skiing, and that made Amber happy.
“I’m thinking of sending a letter to Shadroch. There must be some people there who know about skiing. Let’s invite them to the North.”
“Do you think they’ll come?”
“They will. They’ll come because I’m asking.”
Her confident attitude, born from being a beloved princess, made Jean shake his head in amazement.
Jean, too, knew very little about Amber. It made sense, a close relationship between an aide and the Grand Duchess would only spark rumors.
Since the war ended, there had been no reason for them to be close, but sitting here, discussing the development of the North, felt like they were growing more familiar.
“We should find a suitable mountain to host skiing competitions.”
“Do you think we could plant camellias along the path?”
“Why not? Give the soldiers shovels in their right hands and hefty bonuses in their left, and they’ll move mountains by the next day.”
Jean opened the office safe, took out a rolled-up map, and spread it out.
The map was neither something used by commoners nor a generic map of the North kept in the capital. It was a detailed military map, marked with numerous paths, monster nests, and even the water sources at mountain peaks.
“Look at this mountain. This is Camellia Mountain. There’s a camellia grove on its mid-slope, but Camellia Mountain isn’t high enough for the competition.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
“But how about this mountain on the way to Hayum?”
Niflheim had many mountains.
Among them were rugged rocky mountains and gentle hills, but just from hearing about skiing, Jean had identified the perfect mountain for the competition.
It was the skill of someone who oversaw all the administration of Niflheim.
“Mount Cyprus. Yes, there’s a fairly large village nearby.”
“As you know from your visits, it wasn’t significantly affected by recent events.”
Since Amber had traveled extensively throughout the North, it was easier for Jean to discuss matters with her.
If he had to explain everything from the beginning, it would be time-consuming and frustrating. But since she wasn’t a lady who stayed put in the castle, their conversation was seamless.
Jean started to get excited.
“We should establish inns in this village. How about building five to start with?”
“Great idea. Use the gold from the mines to build them as large, luxurious, and comfortable as possible. We want people to come back.”
“Of course.”
Scratch, scratch. Jean’s quill moved quickly.
After pondering for a moment, Amber spoke slowly.
“When the skiing competition takes place, it won’t just be the athletes who come. Their families will come too.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. If there are children in the family, they’ll come too.”
“This is great. The potential for added value keeps increasing.”
Jean grinned widely and wrote, ‘Families mean more money’. Amber tapped the phrase and smiled.
“Let’s make monster dolls.”
“Pardon?”
“Monster dolls. Kids will love them. They come all the way here, but there’s not much for them to do. Parents will end up buying them a doll to keep them entertained. And if those dolls are of the legendary monsters of Niflheim?”
“They’ll sell well. Understood. I’ll price them affordably.”
It was nice not to have to explain everything in detail.
Amber nodded and continued.
“Let’s also make camellia pins and brooches. They would look cute on children. Or a mother and daughter could wear matching ones.”
“Hoo…that’s a brilliant idea.”
“In Shadroch, it’s common to see families doing that. It was incredibly charming.”
A country where culture and the arts flourish signifies that people can think about more than just survival.
Here, only nobles wore jewelry, but in Shadroch, even commoners could buy earrings or necklaces if they wanted to.
Of course, they were made of imitation gems, so there were inevitably many identical pieces. While nobles couldn’t tolerate someone else having the same item, commoners were different.
They often treated it as a kind of game, gifting identical items to their loved ones as a way to show affection.
