On the way back from Elise’s shop, I was strolling through the city when a particular shop caught my eye. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, just a typical general store.
What drew me in was a product displayed there—an accessory case with a rose motif. The moment I saw it, the person who immediately sprang to mind was Illness-san.
Since she had provided so much advice and cooperation while I was developing my original blend, I’d been looking for a way to thank her. This seemed like the perfect gesture.
I could tell just by looking at it that it was a high-quality piece. Knowing how much Illness-san loves roses, it felt like an ideal gift.
Having made up my mind, I stepped inside and approached the shelf with the rose cases, only to be stopped in my tracks by the tag.
"Complete Made-to-Order — Price: Five Gold Coins"
Wait, what? That was expensive! The "made-to-order" part was one thing, but that price... it was the equivalent of about five million yen. It felt wildly overpriced for a trinket box in a general store.
As I stood there, paralyzed by the shock, a woman who appeared to be the store manager spoke up, likely sensing my bewilderment.
"Excuse me, sir. Are you looking to purchase that accessory case?"
"Oh, uh, yes. I was considering it, but I see it’s made-to-order only."
"Indeed. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we have quite the backlog. Even if you placed an order today, it would likely take several years before it’s ready..."
"Several years?!"
A several-year wait? That was incredible. Was this some legendary masterpiece?
"Yes. This item is crafted by the Rose Princess Rosmiel herself. However, because she is the sole producer, she limits us to only one order per month. Lady Rosmiel is a notoriously prickly individual, and we must be careful not to offend her."
"I see..."
"Furthermore, I have to handle the ordering myself. When I tried delegating it to another staff member once, the Lady wore a look of profound displeasure. Since then, I’ve made it a rule to handle the orders personally. Between that extra effort and her own restrictions, we have to limit the quantity."
Wasn't she just stiffening up because she was nervous about meeting a stranger? Far from being "prickly," she was actually incredibly kind. But because her extreme shyness made her face go rigid when she was tense, it seemed the world at large saw Rosmiel as a haughty and difficult person.
Still... I wondered if I could bypass the wait if I talked to her directly? It sounded like the shop was only limiting orders to one per month out of an excess of caution. Rosmiel had her own life, of course, so I wouldn't force her, but I decided to at least reach out and ask.
I stepped out of the shop and sent a Hummingbird to Rosmiel. My magic power didn't allow for a long, detailed explanation in a single go, so I had to send the message in several parts.
A reply came back almost immediately. "It’s easy to make, so I can prepare as many as you’d like if you need them." After exchanging a few more messages and expressing my gratitude, we agreed that since she could have it finished in a day, I’d go pick it up tomorrow.
I think I’ll bring some samples from my black tea brand along with the original blend tea leaves as a thank-you when I visit.
Serious-senpai: "Wait just a second! Original blend aside, aren't you just moving toward another tea party where you can flirt with Illness?!"