Chapter 19

It's a bit shorter due to the way the story is structured.

Two boys were practicing embroidery, stitch by stitch, during their free time after dinner.

"Thinking about it, I have a question."

"What is it?"

Kain muttered while looking at the fabric filled with stitches in the embroidery hoop. The fabric was sewn with 5-millimeter stitches at equal intervals.

"What's the difference between a running stitch and a regular straight stitch?"

"What do you mean... This is a straight stitch, isn't it?"

Even though Ilvaleno had never done embroidery, he had mended things at the orphanage and recognized Kain's embroidery practice as a straight stitch.

"‘Bring the needle up from under the fabric, 5 millimeters to the side, and then push the needle down from the top of the fabric. Next, 5 millimeters to the side, bring the needle up from under the fabric. Repeat this as straight as possible.’ I tried to do it exactly as it said."

"That's a straight stitch."

"Is my reading wrong...?"

"If the thread is thick enough to look like a pattern, even if you're just sewing normally, it can be considered embroidery, right?"

"That's it!"

Satisfied, Kain flipped the page and was about to try a new stitch. Ilvaleno had started the border with a chain stitch after transferring the design onto the fabric.

"What's the difference between a backstitch and a running backstitch?"

"Again? ...This is a running backstitch..."

"Let's call this a backstitch in the embroidery world."

"Sounds good to me."

Kain sewed backstitches from one end of the fabric to the other, then turned and sewed backstitches back to the other end, repeating this process. As the stitches filled the fabric, his stitches became more even and straight. Kain, looking at his embroidery hoop again, muttered, "Alright," and removed the fabric to put in a new one.

"Pretty methodical, will you be able to finish by the next meeting with this approach?"

Ilvaleno asked while looking at the fabric Kain had removed. In his own embroidery hoop, about a third of the fabric was filled with threads over the design's outline. He seemed to be using a chain stitch to fill the design and increase the width.

"Slow and steady wins the race. It's better to master the basics first, so it will be easier in the long run."

"I think that's amazing about you..."

"What do you mean, 'amazing'?"

"Thinking you're doing this to stop the engagement between Lady Dian and the Crown Prince, I can't really admire you for it."

To begin with, it was questionable whether there was really an intention to introduce the Crown Prince to a noble lady, and even if there was, Ilvaleno thought other noble ladies would probably be invited as well. In that case, there was no guarantee that Dian would be chosen, and he didn't think it was necessary to do such embroidery just to follow her.

If he said this honestly, Kain would probably say something like, "There's no way a girl cuter than Dian would be chosen!" and wouldn't accept it, so he didn't say it out loud.

"Well, it's one of the reasons. It's better to be able to do something than not. Even you, Ilvaleno, could teach embroidery to the girls at the orphanage if you learn it."

"..."

"Being able to embroider could increase your job options. You might even get a promotion if you're hired as a seamstress instead of just a general helper."

"...Master Kain."

"If you put your wages into the orphanage, you could also contribute fabric and embroidery threads. The adults at the temple wouldn't take them away."

The other day, when they visited the orphanage to read a story, the picture book Kain had given, "Learning to Read," was gone.

Even though books were relatively common, they were expensive for commoners. Selling a used book could bring in a decent amount of money.

The children didn't say anything, but Kain thought the adults at the orphanage had sold it.

Ilvaleno removed the fabric he was working on from the hoop and put in a new one.

"I'll start from the basics too."

"Alright."

The two of them continued to stitch the fabric with their needles.

The sound of cutting the thread after sewing to the end and threading it under the fabric echoed.

"Master Kain, thank you."

Ilvaleno muttered, still looking down at the fabric.

"You're welcome."

Ilvaleno, still looking down, didn't notice Kain's happy smile in response.