The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life
[Simon Attends the Meeting]
Translated by: ME
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*****
「I trust Your Excellency the Margrave and Lady Magnolia are in good spirits. I am Simon Campbell, chairman of the Campbell Trading Company. I have come as requested.」
As Simon offered his formal greeting, Servas immediately waved his hands dismissively.
「No need for such formalities. More importantly, I apologize for calling you all this way when you are so busy.」
「Not at all. It is a great honor... I also had the finished garments to deliver, after all.」
Magnolia returned the gentle smile Simon gave her.
「I'm truly shorry for making you come show far when you're show busy.」
「It is quite alright... regarding your request for scrap fabric and leftover thread—is this what you had in mind?」
Simon opened the bag he had brought and showed it to Magnolia.
「Yeth! Thank you vewy much for coming!」
Simon felt a sense of relief seeing her so happy. With a subtle nod from Magnolia, Lily quickly began spreading several patchwork items across the table.
「Simon-than, what do you think when you look at dhish?」
「...May I... pick them up?」
Simon’s eyes were glued to the patchwork before him. Magnolia smirked inwardly—*I thought so*—and gave a slow nod.
「Yes. Pleashe look at them closhely.」
Simon nodded and began to examine each piece thoroughly.
Small pieces of cloth were combined into geometric patterns, sewn together with meticulous care. Some used larger pieces, others tiny ones. There were bright color palettes and chic, muted ones. Some were unified in cool tones, others used different small floral prints, or were made by combining identical shapes. One piece combined cloth lace with pale shades of white and ivory... Each had a different atmosphere, yet they all possessed a rustic warmth that made Simon let out a soft sigh.
It was masterful handiwork.
Items like trivets, coasters, potholders, tea cozies, cushion covers, and tapestries were laid out on the table. The applications were endless. From daily necessities to large covers, the atmosphere could be changed entirely just by adjusting the fabric combinations, patterns, and colors.
And above all...
(She made these... out of scrap fabric?!)
He looked up to see Magnolia smiling brightly at him.
「I am always astonished by your ideas, My Lady...」
Magnolia gave a wry smile—technically, these weren't her original ideas—but she decided to proceed with the conversation.
「It'sh not for right now, but I'm planning to pwomote theshe as a new Azenda shpecialty shoon.」
「Not immediately?」 Simon repeated, as if confirming her words.
「Yes. I've just begun training people to make them. It taketh a lot of time to create them, show we need to build up a shertain amount of shtock befowe we can shtart.」
Looking at the pieces made of intricate parts, Simon understood. Depending on the product, some would require a significant amount of time. *A new specialty for the territory...* He felt like he already had one foot in the door just by hearing about it, but he wondered why she wasn't using the clothing stores within her own territory.
「...Why have you chosen us?」
「Becaushe you treat even a child with reshpect. We've met befowe. You'we honesht. You believe in commonersh and noblesh living together. And you can make a deshishion on new thingsh onshe you'we shure.」
—It was true; while most would ignore a toddler coming into their shop, he had treated her properly. Though, Simon admitted to himself that he had only done so because her background was solid, her guardian was present, and said guardian was someone impossible to snub.
Given such high praise, Simon wasn't sure he’d have the confidence to listen so seriously if a random four-year-old he’d never met brought him the same proposal.
「I'm not ashking you to deshide right now. However, building an indushtry requiresh the cooperation of many people. I want you to share your honesht opinion to help ush get shtarted.」
(...Hm? Is she asking me to argue for the utility of this project to persuade someone?)
While Simon was weighing Magnolia’s words, Servas spoke up.
「Simon, do you have a little time after this?」
「...Yes.」
There were few people who could say "no" to the Demon General. Simon tilted his head, wondering what was coming next.
「Then come with us for a while. It’s nothing much; just a quick explanation to some associates at the guild.」
「...Huh?」
(The guild?)
With that brief explanation, Servas stood up and placed Magnolia on his shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
「Right, let’s go.」
「Wait! Where?!」
Servas looked back and gestured for him to leave as he opened the door. Before he knew it, Simon was bundled into the Margrave’s carriage. As he was being consoled by the sympathetic looks of a small page and a young maid, the carriage driven by a cheerful guard set off with a light clatter.
***
And that was how Simon found himself sitting in a meeting room at the Commercial Guild of the Azenda Margraviate—a place that had absolutely nothing to do with him.
True to the word "associates," the large table was surrounded by representatives from clothing stores, fabric wholesalers, and sewing workshop unions. Additionally, the two guild leaders of the Azenda Margraviate were there, along with—for some reason—the representative of the slums.
(...How did it come to this??)
He tilted his head, stealing glances at the strange figure of the man who was both the Adventurer Guild Leader and the Magic Guild Leader.
(I’ll overlook the flashy, foreign-style clothes for a moment, but what is with that hair?)
Since many Adventurer Guild Leaders were former adventurers, it was common for them to have impressive physiques... but Simon blinked his brown eyes at the sight of the hair swaying left and right on top of the man's bald head.
The Commercial Guild Leader, looking like he’d swallowed a bitter bug, announced the opening remarks.
「My Magnolia is thinking of starting a new industry using scrap fabric and other waste materials. We are here to discuss the overview of the industry and the trading of materials.」
At Servas’s words, all eyes turned to Magnolia sitting beside him.
The union representatives had worn complicated expressions since the moment they entered the room and saw the familiar toddler. Some turned pale as they realized the child who had burst into their shops and workshops a while ago—the one they had dismissed half-heartedly—was actually a member of the Margrave’s family.
Prompted by her grandfather, Magnolia explained the overview with practiced ease. While keeping a serious eye on the various products spread before them, the representatives listened to the toddler's explanation with a touch of bewilderment.
「...Pardon me, but why waste materials? I would think using beautiful, new cloth would be better...」
One man voiced a reasonable objection. Though they didn't say it, most of the others likely felt the same.
「A lot of people and time go into making cloth. If it'sh shtill ushable, I want to ushe it. I hear it'sh currently ushed for patches or kindling. That'sh fine, but... if it can be reborn into a product, I thought that would be better.」
It was true that making cloth required effort. It went without saying that making a new product was better than burning it.
「Alshou, if it wash going to be thrown away, it meansh the material coshtsh are low. We can make thingsh for lesh than if we ushed expenshive cloth. In Azenda, we want to redushe the gap between people. Not by taking money from the rich, but by creating an environment where thoshe in need can work. We want to create a framework where wealth circulatesh.」
The adults’ eyes widened at the sheer scale of the vision. It could be taken as a dreamy sentiment, but it was not the kind of thing a toddler usually talked about. Yet, she didn't seem to be repeating a script; her fluid words suggested they were truly her own.
...The Margrave, his attendants, and even the guild leaders seemed used to it.
「Currently, a new business using a certain food is taking shape. That project is also moving forward with the people of the slums at the center, with the guilds, local farmers, and associated workshops all in sync. It will launch in full in the spring and will likely focus heavily on exports to foreign countries, not just within our own territory.」
Many in the room caught their breath at Servas’s words.
「However, because that is a matter involving public health, we aren't looking for much profit there from the start. We need a subsequent business to follow it.」
「Like I shaid, I'm not ashking to buy cloth you need. I only want to buy the pieshesh you don't need—the onesh you would burn.」
The union representatives continued to look confused.
「...They aren't really the kind of things we would sell...」
「But I can't jusht take them for free, right? You might feel unhappy if it continued forever.」
「「「「「「............」」」」」」
The representatives made subtle faces. Magnolia tilted her head.
「I think paying for the cloth ish the shmoothesht way for everyone to feel good. What ish it that bothersh you?」
In a sense, they were being offered money for trash. Why was there such resistance? Was it because they wanted her to buy expensive, regular cloth that would turn a higher profit?
「...With all due respect, business is not such a simple thing.」
「「「「「「「「............」」」」」」」」
(Ugh... déjà vu!)
Servas and Magnolia were both exasperated at having to go through this conversation again.
The guild leaders, Dan, and the three attendants who had witnessed the sauerkraut business negotiations looked away or shifted their eyes, watching the scene play out. Just as a strained atmosphere began to fill the room and Magnolia was about to speak, a calm, dignified voice rang out.
「...I believe they are well aware of that.」
Servas, Gai, and Dean stared at Magnolia, whose mouth was still wide open to speak; she quickly clamped it shut. The guild leaders looked at Simon as if they were watching something interesting.
「The Lord is the manager of this territory, is he not? A manager of something far larger and more complex than our businesses. Azenda is famous for having some of the lowest tax rates in Ascald... that is because the Margrave’s family has income as knights outside of territory management, and at the same time, because they are excellent at managing the land. Do you truly not know this, despite living here?」
It was true. While most lords lived off taxes from their people, both Servas and Claude held positions in the military alongside the Gilmore Knights. Their military status provided them with external income, ensuring the tax burden on the people remained remarkably light. Servas, Claude, and Sebastian put a great deal of thought into how they operated.
「Furthermore, they are trying to start a business for the sake of the people in need. What are you unhappy about? They are offering to pay for things you’d only burn. Items that are essentially worthless.」
Without being asked, Simon was providing seamless support. Magnolia had asked him to share his honest opinion to help get things started, but she hadn't expected him to be such a staunch defender.
...According to the all-knowing Gai, Simon’s family home was in Orsay, a town bordering Azenda. Furthermore, his brother was reportedly in a business and romantic relationship with the daughter of the Baron of Orsay... Since the Orsay family served as local governors, Simon likely knew the struggles of a ruling house, which was probably why the representatives’ words had rubbed him the wrong way.
「...Who are you, anyway?」
「My apologies for the late introduction. I am Simon Campbell. I run a boutique in the Royal Capital.」
「Why is someone from the capital...?」
「I have had the pleasure of doing business with Lady Magnolia before. Those items were also wonderful and sold out immediately. These items here are also quite magnificent. I would very much like to do business with her myself.」
「............」
The union leaders fell silent, looking back and forth between Simon and the patchwork on the table. Seeing Simon’s unexpected support, Magnolia opened her mouth to seal the deal.
「...The reashon we ushe shcrapsh ish becaushe the productsh are made with heart.」
「Heart?」 someone muttered. Magnolia nodded.
「I hear that in a dish-tant country, they have shimilar thingsh... but originally, they were made by sh-ewing together shcrapsh of children's closhesh, or pieshesh of fabric from memoriesh... they are made by sh-ewing together 'likesh' and 'feelingsh'...」
Regardless of the true history of patchwork, Magnolia believed that the appeal of handmade items lay in these kinds of stories.
「Mosht of the people practishing right now are 'mothersh.' The cloth ushed ish a shcrap of fabric that might have been shomeone’sh sh-unday besht. The mothersh sh-ew each shtitch with love. I think theshe warm itemsh fit the rushtic nature of Azenda perfectly.」
「I see... so each piece is like that...」
Having learned the concept, Simon picked up one of the items again and stroked it.
...Well, that was the concept. In reality, the one Simon was holding was a trivet Magnolia had made when she couldn't sleep, purely for explanation... but some things are better left unsaid.
「Cloth woven with heart, cloth dyed with heart. Thinking of the pershon who will ushe it, sh-ewing each shtitch with a gentle shpirit. I didn't call you becaushe I want to forthe you to help. I called you becaushe it would be unnateral if the people of the territory weren't involved.」
To be honest, she would be grateful if they participated. But for now, there was no rush; if they refused, it wouldn't be a disaster. She could get scraps from other territories or just rely on Simon. This was mostly a move to create the "precedent" that she had reached out to them. If they provided scraps locally, she’d save on transport costs—a win.
She also added "growing cotton" to her to-do list. You couldn't have patchwork without patchwork quilts, after all. Magnolia stared off into the distance.
「As a union, I would like you to put the word out to everyone. We won't force anyone to cooperate, but we would be happy if there are those who understand.」
With Servas’s closing words, the meeting came to an end.
***
「Simon-than, thank you vewy much.」
When she thanked him, Simon—who turned out to be quite the hot-blooded defender—gave her a troubled smile. Servas was nearby, holding an "after-meeting" with the guild leaders.
「No, I should be embarrassed... but it was a wonderful story. Not just the products, but if you can succeed in making this an answer to the poverty problem, it would be a magnificent move.」
「Thank you. Now, let's sh-ettle the payment. How much will it be?」
Simon tilted his head. He wouldn't have minded giving them away, but after hearing her story, he felt it was better to keep it as a proper transaction.
「I suppose it would be per bag or by weight...」
Magnolia thought it felt like selling second-hand clothes that didn't have much value—the kind where they buy anything for one copper per gram.
「Since we don't have a scale, let’s go by the bag. They were large bags, so how about one medium copper coin per bag?」
「...Is that cheap enough?」
They were quite large. Each bag must have weighed several kilos. Simon nodded.
「It is a fair price.」
「I sh-ee. By the way, about thoshe drawshtring bags we talked about—will you be taking them back with you?」
「...Please.」
Simon wondered how on earth this toddler came up with such an endless stream of ideas... but as he looked at the drawstring bags being spread across the table by the maid, his questions only deepened.
*****
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