Chapter 70

"Hmm, about Charlotte..."

A few days after the bedding ceremony. Although I can't go outside yet, I can now move around freely within the room. It's a good life.

Jin has also returned to his regular duties, dragged back by Barry. He slips out right away, and we have our meals together in the morning, noon, and night. There's no time to feel lonely.

Now that I've been given permission to engage in rehabilitation activities, today I'm practicing embroidery. The maids have also joined in, and it's become a routine for us to chat while we embroider. There's a different kind of fun in these well meetings compared to tea parties. Lately, I've become quite well-informed about the love affairs within the palace. The hottest topic right now is Kiri and Barry, hehe.

"That's right. The head maid is also at a loss."

I smiled wryly along with the maids, who were also smiling wryly.

The head maid, Maria, recently had her second grandchild, and when I sent a congratulatory gift, it caused quite a stir. Huh, it was the first time I felt intimidated by numbers.

This time, the gossip was about the head maid's eldest grandchild, Charlotte.

Charlotte, when her younger brother was born, had a severe case of regression, which was quite a challenge. She was jealous and cried loudly, and her parents, grandparents were at a loss on what to do. However, the gift I sent to celebrate her becoming a big sister changed the situation.

I gave Charlotte a doll and a matching dress for playing house, which apparently ignited her enthusiasm as a big sister. She had previously seen her brother as an enemy, but through playing house, her maternal instincts awakened, and now she dotes on her brother, always looking for opportunities to take care of him.

If you only heard this, it might sound like a heartwarming sibling story, but the adults watching over them have their hands full. After all, Charlotte is only three years old. She tries to carry her brother, who can't even hold his head up. Once, she took him to the garden without anyone noticing and was swinging him around, which made the nursemaid almost faint. Charlotte is quite a handful.

"Charlotte isn't doing it out of malice... Carrying and taking care of the baby is fine as long as an adult is watching."

"Yeah, Charlotte probably wants to be like her mother and take care of the baby."

Oh, that's it... Look at this. A classic girl's toy.

"Hey, I want to cut today's embroidery session short because I need some help with something..."

The maids listened enthusiastically to my request. Yes, I love their enthusiasm.

"Alright, we'll get the preparations ready!"

After a brief discussion, the maids left to prepare. They move so gracefully, it's amazing to watch.

◇◇◇

Now, I'm making a baby doll.

The last time I gave Charlotte a girl doll, so this time I'll make a younger sister for it.

I quickly made a pattern and started making the baby doll from the leftover fabric from the previous project. My past experience with handmade crafts is coming in handy.

However, will this doll become part of a growing cast of characters? Will there be a dad, a mom, twin babies, or a boyfriend in the future? This is fun to think about.

While imagining the doll series, I sew the doll with a body-strengthening spell, like a sewing machine.

Kiri, who is always by my side, cuts out the fabric from my pattern and sews the baby doll's clothes without being told. My child is so considerate.

"The head maid praised your sewing skills."

Kiri's honest and bashful smile is adorable. I've been making her sew a lot as part of my hobby.

The baby doll is small, so it was quickly sewn. Yes, a doll in a costume is so cute. I made the eyes large, so they look very cute.

"Shina-sama, here are the materials...! So cute! Wow, it's done so quickly!"

"Kyaa! The doll is wearing a costume! So cute~"

"Let's put this costume on the doll too!"

The maids gathered around the baby doll, squealing and playing dress-up.

I started making a baby care set with the materials the maids had prepared.

First, the diaper. The mainstream here is cloth diapers, so I made a cute diaper cover. Even though it's for a doll, I didn't skimp and made it so it can be properly attached. Attention to detail is what excites the enthusiasts.

Next, the bib. To prevent the baby from drooling. Even though the doll doesn't drool, it's essential for realism.

Then, the baby carrier. To match Charlotte's dress, I used cute fabric and frills. I put the baby doll in the carrier, put it on myself, and confirmed that the doll wouldn't fall out. The maids applauded for some reason.

"I want to make a classic pram!"

"Pram?"

Kiri and the maids looked at me with "What's that?" faces.

"It's a must-have item for taking the baby for a walk. It looks like this."

I quickly drew an illustration of a pram on paper. The part for the baby is a basket, and the wheels and frame are made of wood or metal. Since a child will push it, light wood would be good.

Kiri and the maids looked at the illustration seriously and nodded in agreement.

"I'll contact Prince Lute, Lady Saria, and Barry."

"I'll contact the Queen and the head maid!"

"I'll inform the Tyrop family."

"Shina-sama, please explain the structure in more detail."

I was amazed by the maids' perfect coordination, and Kiri, who has been trained by Barry to handle paperwork, gently urged me to write down everything I knew about prams.

"Shina-sama, what kind of business opportunity is this?"

Kiri, who had already extracted everything I knew, left me speechless at Barry's crude comment. No, Kiri's interrogation is also scary.

"This is something the Tyrop Chamber of Commerce will be happy about..."

Barry smiled slyly, holding the pram design and the baby doll I had made. It's a sinister smile.

"Barry, I'll develop the product, but I don't want to handle contracts."

"Then I'll prepare a draft for you to review. Do you have a target price?"

"I have no idea."

"Hehe. This could be used for real babies as well. By changing the specifications, we could double the revenue..."

Barry's eyes turned to money as he muttered. I always leave that part to him. Kiri quickly stepped in to assist Barry. With the recent interrogation and her quick actions, she's becoming Barry 2.0.

"Oh, Shina, you've made something new?"

"Wow! Shina-sama, a new doll? So cute!"

Prince Lute and Lady Saria arrived. The Tyrop family's business is backed by Prince Lute. I'm grateful for their support.

For weapons, it's the King; for catching bad guys, it's Prince Alan; for monster repellents and food, it's Jin; for Tyrop family-related matters, it's Prince Lute. I rely on the Marita royal family in various ways. By the way, Prince Said is the overall supervisor, ordered by the King to oversee everything as the next king. It's a tough job.

"The Tyrop family has already sent word that they will bring a craftsman over soon."

"They're quick!"

"Thanks to Shina, the Tyrop Chamber of Commerce's sales have skyrocketed. They are now known for children's toys and clothing."

The Tyrop Chamber of Commerce mainly dealt with wine and food. This is a bold change in direction.

"There's a high demand for costumes and doll clothes, but it's hard to find seamstresses, so the supply is low. Seamstresses are mostly women who quit when they get married and have children."

Hmm, labor issues are similar in this world too.