Chapter 16

That night, a banquet was held at Evans' family home in honor of Bertine.

Relatives from nearby gathered, numbering about twenty or so. In the grand hall, a large table, resembling thick slices of a massive tree, was placed, and the seats of the round, backless chairs were cushioned with thick pads woven from plant fibers.

Bertine was seated next to Bruno, with a corner between them.

Bruno alone was seated in a chair with a backrest and armrests.

"Everyone, this young lady is Bertine, who helped Evans in Ibit. Please treat her with respect during her stay."

Bertine felt nervous as the people at the table stared at her, but the manners ingrained in her as a marquise's daughter reflexively resurfaced. She smiled gracefully and bowed elegantly.

"Evans is a big eater, so it must be quite a task to feed him, right?"

"If you're going to house Evans, the attic will be enough."

"If Evans tries anything inappropriate, kick him out!"

Teasing words rained down from all directions.

Evans, scratching his head, mumbled, "I'm also useful as a bodyguard, you know," but no one was listening.

"Then, let's raise a toast to Bertine's kindness!"

"To your health!"

The short, cylindrical glasses were filled with a pale yellow, cloudy drink. After taking a sip, Bertine noticed a fragrant aroma. It was the scent of star fruit.

"Delicious! This is star fruit wine, isn't it?"

"Oh, you know star fruit?"

"Yes, I tasted it in the orchard earlier."

A man in his forties, who had quickly emptied his glass and was refilling it from a handled jug, spoke to her.

"Even the star fruit with a red interior is delicious when made into wine."

"Is that so? I'd love to try it."

As they were talking, the dishes were brought in.

Roast suckling pig, whole fried river fish, grilled tamauri, and emu stew. The main dishes were meat-based, with side dishes of steamed potatoes, large boiled flower buds, and various fruits.

The skin of the roast suckling pig was crispy, sprinkled with rock salt, and wrapped in fragrant green leaves, which made the meat juice-rich and the leaves' refreshing aroma delightful.

According to the man next to her, the tamauri meat was grilled after being repeatedly coated with a spicy sauce. The meat was tender and the fat was sweet and delicious.

The emu meat, cooked in a soup, was as light as chicken breast. It was even more enjoyable when dipped in a sweet and salty nut paste, making it easy to eat several pieces.

"Imperial people usually dislike unfamiliar meats. But you seem fine with it?"

"Yes, Bruno. If it's delicious, I don't mind even if it's unfamiliar. All the meats are delicious, but the texture of these steamed potatoes is especially wonderful."

"Right? Try them with your favorite sauce. I like the sauce made from crushed river crabs."

"Then I will... Wow! It's so delicious. The rich flavor of the crab goes well with the potatoes."

"It also pairs well with the wine."

As she ate all the dishes without reservation, a door at the back of the hall opened, and five men entered, playing unfamiliar instruments. Behind them, female dancers followed.

"Hey! We've been waiting for you!"

Whistles, claps, and cheers rang out from all directions, and Bertine turned to watch.

The dancers had their hair neatly tied up in buns and wore necklaces with elaborate designs around their necks. They were all dressed in tight, scarlet dresses that emphasized their figures.

Each held small, circular metal percussion instruments in their hands, and as they danced to the music, they shook the instruments, making a "ching-ching" sound.

"Oh..."

As she watched, an elderly man nearby spoke to her.

"Do you like the southern dance?"

"Yes! It's beautiful."

"This is a dance performed to welcome important guests. It's not usually shown to imperial people. You are being treated specially."

The dancers twirled and shook their instruments, moving through the audience.

Bertine watched the dance intently. The dance itself was beautiful, but as someone who ran an accessory shop, she couldn't take her eyes off the luxurious necklaces that sparkled on their chests. The scarlet fabric was also intriguing.

"The designs of the necklaces are similar, yet each is different."

"Yes, the size and shape can be anything. The makers create them as they like."

The necklaces, made of many parts forming an inverted triangle pointing towards the chest, were not made of gemstones but sparkled with a complex array of colors in the lamplight.

As the performance reached its climax, the dance became more intense. The women, who were spinning so vigorously that it was almost dizzying, gradually gathered at the front of the hall and struck a pose, coming to a sudden stop. Despite the exertion, no one was breathing heavily.

(That must take a lot of self-control to stop so abruptly.)

Bertine could sense the years of practice that had gone into their performance.

The dancers broke into smiles at the enthusiastic applause. Bertine clapped until her hands hurt.

"Those could sell well, don't you think?"

"What do you mean, Bert?"

"Those necklaces, Evans. They are luxurious and have a design not found in the empire."

"They wouldn't sell in the empire. They are an old, traditional design."

"That's what you call tradition. Change the materials, and they could sell. Could I use those designs as a reference? They are all beautiful. And I'd like to know about the dye used for that deep scarlet. I've never seen such a rich shade before."

As they were talking, a dancer in her late teens approached.

"Evans! You were rumored to be dead, but you're alive!"

"Don't go around saying I'm dead, Meira. I'm alive. Bertine saved me."

Meira, the woman called, bowed to Bertine. "Thank you for taking care of Evans."

"So? Is Evans coming back?"

"No, I'm not. I intend to pursue my path in architecture."

"No one will order that fairy-tale house. It's time to come back to reality."

"No, I won't. I won't return until I build my ideal home."

Sensing a potential argument, Bertine quickly intervened.

"Meira, by the way, who made those necklaces? The designs are wonderful."

"You can tell? All the dancers' necklaces today were made by me. I'm good at this kind of thing."

Bertine leaned in to examine the necklace.

"What are the materials? They look like shells."

"You're observant. The white ones are mother-of-pearl from the coastal region, the purple ones are amethyst, the black ones are onyx, and the red ones are red spinel. The gemstones were all flawed and sold cheaply."

Bertine carefully examined the design and thought, (This could work.)

She had once learned the basics of business from her father by selling her handmade accessories to specialty stores. While the materials were important, the design was equally crucial. This luxurious design, with the right materials, could be something even high-ranking nobles in the empire would be happy to buy.

"Meira, could I buy the designs of the necklaces the dancers wore today? One large silver coin per design?"

"Buy the designs? And one large silver coin each? Not the necklaces themselves?"

"Yes, I want to replicate the designs."

"You don't need to pay. Feel free to copy them. I just made them up."

This might be why the Southern Confederation is exploited by the empire.