Ascendance of a Bookworm

I am Touri, 8 years old.

I was just relieved that my sister Mine decided to go to the temple as a witch apprentice. I don't think I'm going to die eating myself, or being thrown into an orphanage as a gray witch anymore. I was scared when Mine was going to be gone, but I'm really glad that's gone.

The next day, when my father and mother were called to the temple, Mine was going to Mr. Benno's shop to consult on measures to combat the clergy. Finally, I went out to say that I was going to set a date to meet with Master Corinna.

Mine was the only one invited before, and I left a message, but he asked me to come with him this time.

Oh, look forward to it. My mine is a sisterly child! I'm so proud of you for going to Master Corinna's house, for being a fellow at the workshop. Ugh.

Master Corinna has had his own workshop since he was an adult, and he's amazing enough to take orders from nobles and make costumes. For a needle apprentice like me, I'm an admirer who wants to be like that one day, much farther than that blue sky.

The fact that my lovely husband asked me to marry him so enthusiastically is also told among my needle buddies, like the story of the bard. Rumor has it that Corinna abandoned herself as a merchant for the sake of Corinna, abandoned the property she has built and proposed, and that Corinna, who is so loved and cherished, is an ideal consolidation for a girl.

What kind of person is Master Corinna? Mine said he was a sweet, beautiful guy.

"I'm home, Touri. Mr. Corinna told me you were welcome. He said he'd be here tomorrow afternoon."

Did he rush back a little, let his breath bounce and Mine jumped into the front door? After saying that with a full smile, Mine goes to the spot.

"Mine!?

"Ugh......, I wanted to teach Thuri early, did I try too hard? I'm sorry."

"You'll have more trouble not being able to go tomorrow. Have a seat and rest."

I leave my weight at the table in a hellish way, and Mine sits down. The glossy blue hair fell off saggily.

Mine tries a lot of things, and although he has a little strength, he doesn't get stronger at all, and he doesn't get bigger. I can't help but worry because I only look like I'm about 4 at all times.

Even alongside Lutz of the same age, he only looked like a brother and sister, and lately he was more and more depressed when he was burned to look after two younger kids when he went to the woods.

Mine is not weak because he eats, but seems to remain weak even when his eating heals. Lutz said during this time that he's not like Frieda, who's the same illness.

"... Mmm, a little better?

Grasping and holding his temples, Mine stood up and began to move afterwards.

Place sunny clothes, hair decorations and thin needles carefully folded and wrapped in cloth to avoid getting dirty in my favorite bag that I made myself. When I realized it was tomorrow's preparation, I asked Mine.

"Mine, what about me? What am I supposed to get ready for?

"Um, nothing in particular...... because of this, shall we go clean it up with a phosphor?

"Yeah!"

A phosphor made by me, washing mine and my hair. I didn't wash myself this often before, but lately I'm starting to think I need to look good.

Even in the workshop, when customers arrive, they guide them and act as talkers because they are all beautiful people.

"You know, Mine. Today, for the first time, I've been entrusted with a guide."

"Really? Good for you, Touri"

"Thanks to Mine."

When I was dissatisfied that Mine only had the job of face-to-face with customers, I said, "The customer's business is the first impression that matters. Because merchants are naturally careful. Anyway, if you're just behind making it, if you want to sell your face to customers, you should also be careful with dirt and fitness," he noted from the merchant's point of view.

Others also told me that customers can wear good work clothes and if they don't want to get dirty, they should wear aprons with them up to their sleeves. If you take it off before I show you around, you'll be wearing beautiful work clothes.

Once Mine's advice was taken in, the job of putting a face on the customer began to come around.

"I'm home."

As we were politely wiping our hair as we talked to each other about today's events, my mother returned. I see the two of us wiping our hair and combing it with a shovel, and I look lightly into my eyes.

"Oh, are you using a phosphor?... Could it be?

"Yeah, 'cause I'm supposed to go to Mr. Corinna's tomorrow"

Having heard Myne's words, her mother pushes her cooking number against us and begins to wash her hair eagerly with a serious look. Before I met Master Corinna, I knew very well what I wanted to do to make her as clean as possible, so Me and Mine decided to take turns with you shoulder to shoulder.

"Tomorrow I'm going with a new summer outfit I just got made"

"Nice. That looks cool and cute."

The extra cloth that didn't make mine sunny became my summer clothes. Unlike Mine, I'm growing fast, and I can't get my clothes on in no time.

There wasn't enough cloth to make it my garment, so I sew some types of cloth together like patchwork only in the hem part of the skirt to make it long enough. That sounds decorative, pretty cute, my favorite.

Does Master Corinna think you're cute, too?

The next day we left the house early so that we could keep up with our promises, even at the speed of Mine.

As we cross the central square to the north, the clothes of the people we go to get more colorful and the people who use plenty of cloth start to come out. I rarely come to the north side, so I looked down at my clothes and worried if I was floating from around.

My mother also looks a little concerned about the human eye with me. Mine alone is full of energy with no shards of tension. It's too late to walk, though.

"Corinna's house is above Benno's shop."

That's what they said and I noticed. Mine walks around here on a daily basis with Lutz, although I didn't really feel it because we're just asking about the daily events. There was no way I was nervous.

"Oh, what can I say to you?

"First, it's nice to meet you, isn't it? And then, thank you for inviting me, or something? My daughter's looking out for you. It's for Benno and Marc."

Mine returns the answer to her nervous mother. Did you remember at the gate or at the store that we would not normally use greetings, but that they would come out soon? No stray at all.

"Mine, what about me? What can I say hello to?

"Thuri just needs to be laughing cutely. I was looking forward to it, because there's no one in Touri who's not happy about it."

That's what Mine said with a laugh.

Me and my mother walk practicing the words of greeting. Mine, who walks in apprenticeship clothes, looking at us with pleasure, is familiar to this area, unlike me.

I felt like I was in a bit of a hurry, regrettably weird mood when I felt there was a Mine figure I didn't know about.

"Hello, Corinna ~"

Unlike my mother, whose nervousness rises and her blubber trembles every time she climbs a staircase, and me, whose legs move cuckoo, Mine knocks on the door in a way she's used to.

Wait a minute. I'm still ready for my heart!

"There you are, Mine. Welcome, Mayne's mother and sister. This is Corinna. Please come in."

It was a lovely, adorable woman who opened the door for me before I was ready for my heart. He was much younger and prettier than I imagined.

Light cream-colored hair, like a collection of moonlight, is glossy, and softly narrowed, silver-like, gray-like eyes look very gentle. It was an ideal style that looked pale and flaccid throughout, but very stylish, with a good exit and a cuddly crease around the waist.

"Dear Corinna, nice to meet you. My name is Aefa, mother of Mine. Thank you for inviting us today."

Say the greeting your mother was practicing earlier by gently bending her knees and letting her hips drop a little. I also greeted my mother, imitating her.

"Nice to meet you, Master Corinna. I am Touri. I was very excited. It's good to see you."

"I was looking forward to it too. Mine's sunny clothes were very noticeable and lovely from a distance, so I wanted to show you. I'm sorry I said that."

I laugh with Master Corinna when she smiles so quietly. A smile as warm as the spring sun.

"Please wait here. I'll make you some tea."

The room passed by Master Corinna also seemed to be the room where you work, with lots of beautifully embroidered cloth and sample clothes made by Master Corinna. Very luxurious room with lots of decorations. There are two tables to talk to and perhaps to work on the back. I can't compare it to ours, which can do it all in the kitchen.

Oh, lovely!

My mother and I nail our eyes to clothes and colorful tapestries decorated on the walls. I didn't expect to see anything so beautiful.

Look around, one by one. All work is polite, colors are vibrant, and the garment design being decorated is completely different from the garment I'm wearing. Ha, and sighed with admiration, and I stared at the garment that was being adorned.

"Beautiful... How can I make clothes like this? I can't think of anything. I thought it was practice?

"Technology is important, but it's also important to see a lot of good stuff to come up with."

Mine turned his golden eyes to this one as he bluffed his legs about the seat only one person looked tired. I turn to unexpected words.

"Mine, what do you mean?

"That we have to observe carefully what clothes the rich people prefer and what the current fashion is. Mr. Corinna was born rich, surrounded by nature and good things. That's why I know the good stuff."

"So you're saying I can't do it?

When I dropped my shoulder feeling like they said it was no use trying, I sifted and shook my head as Mine said, "No, I'm not."

"It may be important to go to the woods on your day off work, but if possible, you should take a walk north of Central Square. There's rich people walking, and there's plenty of stores for people like that, right? Because there are people in different clothes. I think it would be helpful to compare them and look at the popular colors and designs."

Even if I ever went to the woods on my day off, I never went north. Only to the extent that I can count with one hand have I ever been north of Central Square. If you go where the rich are, you have the information you can get about the epidemic among the rich. I didn't even realize that.

"And then again, these tapestry patterns and these embroidered flowers, they can be picked in the woods, right? If you look at this, it's useful when you think about design."

"... ok. I'll try."

Mine looks at clothes and ornaments in a completely different way from mine. Is the difference between me and Mine that floats as beautiful the difference between a craftsman and a merchant?

I began to stare at Master Corinna's work with a little restraint in my floating mind and no skill I could steal even now.

"Well, Touri. It would be a little embarrassing to be seen so still."

While Master Corinna said so, she came into the room with a working woman downstairs.

"It's very rare because it's the type of clothing I don't see. I'm a needle apprentice, but I still can't count on something as big as clothes..."

Recently, I've finally been able to let myself sew discreet parts of the product, but it's still a long way off to sew my own clothes.

"Fundamental practice is important. If you can't get your seams together and sew carefully, it won't be beautiful clothes."

"I'll do my best. Um, Master Corinna. How is this part sewn up?

"This is..."

While the working woman brought tea and sweets to prepare for the table, Master Corinna explained each piece of clothing to me. Soon my mother will stop by and listen with me. Mine alone remained sitting at the table not so interested.

"Enjoy, please."

"I'll have it."

Master Corinna recommended that I take a sip of tea. Unlike our tea, the aroma is amazing. Looks like it's spreading through your mouth.

"Yum!"

"I'm glad you like it."

Master Corinna smiles nicely in my voice. Looking next door to me to ask my family for their consent, my mother looked delicious but couldn't help but wonder about the price, and Mine had her eyes lightly closed to taste it with a lukewarm look.

"Here you go, too"

It gently pushes out a plate of sweets with fruit and honey on top of the thinly baked bread-like dough. I took the one that was cut, and put it in my mouth.

Um, yummy, but if this is it, the treats Mine taught me are better.

Mine taught me how to cook at Frieda's during this time, and I've got sugar instead. And they make crêpes, compotes, cookie modokies, and sweets I don't know about together.

He wants to make a treat called pudding if it gets a little colder. They're not suitable for summer because they have to be chilled.

I marinate sugar, fruit and alcohol in the kettle and make something else. It's going to be a sweet winter with plenty of summer flavors trapped in it. Looking forward to it now.

"It's sweet and delicious. I knew I'd be jealous to use plenty of honey."

Master Corinna laughed bitterly when Mine said so while eating sweets.

"If that bothers you, you can buy it, right? Brother Benno looked bitter."

"Except for the pennies and the workshop money."

After eating sweets, I quickly started spreading my sundress. Mother and Mine show their sunshine and explain how to fix it. Master Corinna observes as she takes her sunny clothes and looks closely at them, flipping them over and rolling their hems.

"I'm surprised you're fixing this."

"It's easier than sewing it back from scratch."

Listening to Mine's explanation, Master Corinna writes something on the wooden plaque. It looked just like Mine used to write on stone slabs and paper. Somehow I feel like I should remember the letters, too. I felt something cooler about that.

"This is the hair decoration. I've never seen anything like it."

Master Corinna grabbed Mine's hair ornament with such a grunt. White little flowers shake loosely.

"I made these big white flowers."

"Yes, very beautifully done, Touri."

Praised by Master Corinna, I fall apart from him. White fingertips peek at the flowers.

"This hair decoration is very nice. … I would like to take an order in my workshop and make it, okay?

Master Corinna smiled quietly and tilted her neck.

I didn't expect you to like it as much as I would like to make it in Master Corinna's workshop, and I am wrapped in emotion and gratitude. I felt pah bright and I said, "Of course!" And I tried to say, Mine shook his head before that.

"Depends on the terms."

"Hey, hey, Mine!?

Because of this I could not believe Mine, who conditioned my offer from Master Corinna, and I peeled my eyes a little, but Mine lifted up his hand and took control of me.

"Hair decoration is an important winter hand job, and it's a source of income, so I can't give you any more permission. If you really want to make it, if you don't buy me the rights, I'm in trouble."

Mine's head chilled slightly at his words. Indeed, hair decoration is a very large source of income. Having earned my money during the winter months, I can no longer think of stopping Mine.

"Well, please talk to Brother Benno."

When Master Corinna rang the bell, a working woman showed up and went to get Mr. Benno. Soon I began to hear footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Corinna, they seem to have called, but what... Oh, you're Mine's family. Nice to meet you. I'm Benno, Corinna's brother."

Is this Mr. Benno, whom Mine takes care of?

He has reddish brown eyes with a gentle appearance for light-colored habitual hair like milk tea. Mr. Benno's smile was similar to that of Master Corinna, and in his first greeting he had the impression that he seemed a sneer and a good person.

"It's Aefa, Mine's mother. My daughter always takes care of me."

"It's Touri. Hello."

Following my mother who greets me, I also greet her in a hurry. Mr. Benno, smiling nicely and nodding gently, looked down at Mine and raised his brow gently.

"Mine, now what?

"Mr. Corinna has asked for it. They want the right to hair decoration. How much can you buy it for?

"A business meeting?

"It's business."

Hmm, the look on Benno's face, who nodded one thing, suddenly changed and scared me. The moment I became a merchant's face, the atmosphere changed galloping. Sitting in a chair in a slightly messy motion, he looks at Mine with a gleaming eye.

"How about this?

When Mr. Benno stood up a few fingers, Mine laughed with a hoot of nose.

"He said it wouldn't sell for that kind of money. Better sell it to Frieda."

Mine takes Benno, who has a frightening atmosphere even as he watches him on the side, for granted, without changing his expression at all. Instead, they look like they're sticking together as delights.

"What I made at Mine Workshop is supposed to be sold by Lutz, right?

"What you made at the Mine Workshop, right? It doesn't include rights or recipes, does it?

"Wow!

Mine just laughed nicely and tilted his neck, even though my mother and I on the same table were freaked out by the power of Mr. Benno yelling like he was furious.

"Speaking of which, Mr. Benno. How much does a Lincoln end up selling for? Frieda said that when you sell rights to new things like no other, from big gold coins, is the market? Sounds like you've given it away a lot cheaper before, doesn't it? Ugh."

I was listening, but for the first time, I saw Mine as a merchant. When I see it, I hear it's a big difference, or I'm drained out of my temper by Mine, who interacts with scary adults in such an atmosphere.

I don't know what to do, I'm scared of our sister.

I've never seen Mine work like this before, even though it was at home, it fevers as soon as it moves, and the help is as useless as ever. To be honest, I'm surprised.

I'm looking to apprentice a merchant at Mr. Benno's shop, and I'm not following my body, so I thought you said you'd stop, but you really wanted to? I feel it fits so well.

"Come here, it's going to take a long time."

"Huh? Huh?

Master Corinna stood up softly and headed to the table behind the room.

My mother and I stood up softly after each other and followed Master Corinna. Though I'm worried about Mine, it's not the kind of atmosphere that allows us to get in even here.

"Brother Benno, it looks like a lot of fun, so it's going to be a long time.... Still, Mine is amazing. I can't believe I can talk business with that brother."

Master Corinna squeaks as she glares at the other table. For the first time I have known the awesomeness of Mine.

I'm Mine's sister, but you didn't know.

"Shall I leave the business story to you and talk about sewing this one? We were just talking about skirt shapes, weren't we?

"Yes! Please"

At the other table, we talk about business, and at this table, we talk about sewing while we have tea. Master Corinna told me about the clothes and decorations that are now fashionable among the nobles.

There seem to be many different ways to sew, and I can't immediately think of any form of skirt when I hear the name Pa. Words of sewing that don't come up at all when you're talking to fellow apprentices in the workshop appear one after another in Master Corinna's story.

"What is that?

If you ask a question, Master Corinna will teach you kindly. Glad to hear it, but a little pitiful.

Every year since I started my apprenticeship job, I never thought I knew more about things. I'm just listening to you, and you're understudying sewing, and I'm saddened. I don't think customers will be entrusted with making clothes if they don't practice and study more.

"This is the shape of the dress that's starting to fashion."

That's what Master Corinna said and showed me the dress I'm making specially. Sounds like a dress for your nobleman's tea party. Exhale an exclamation at the glossy yarn fineness of the fabric and the stunning embroidery stabbed by the way.

"Very nice. But I can't believe the dress is dictated for each use. It just seems like a waste to me."

"Yeah, right. But when we go to bed, when we go out, when we do dirt work, we all wear different clothes, right? Because I have money, and that's what's even more detailed."

"Heh..."

Talking about that, I heard Gatan and the sound of him getting up from his chair at the other table.

When I turn my gaze to my surprise, I see Mr. Benno and Mine both rise up and face each other a little further from the table.

"You, you're out of cuteness."

"And this is the gift of Mr. Benno's education."

"Damn, you're being extra wise..."

"Buying information from multiple routes and improving the accuracy of information is fundamental to the merchant, right?

With that said, they're smiling and shaking hands like there's something full of them. Somehow I felt like black stuff coming out of their backs and holding each other back.

Yeah, I'll never be a merchant.

Seeing the exchange between the two of them and thinking so, a little Mine found us and rushed over.

"I'm settled, so teach Mr. Corinna how to make hair decorations, Mother"

With that said, Mine comes to this table. Mine thanked Master Corinna for the cold tea she prepared and reached out.

"Ha, my throat is dry"

"Good day. How much did you end up settled? That's why I have this pricing."

After Mine had glimpsed my mother and me, he put up some fingers and showed them to Master Corinna. Master Corinna takes a small breath and stares at those fingers.

I guess it's a unique sign of a merchant. I don't know what that means. I can't help but itch a little.

"It's part of Mr. Corinna's workshop, and they make him create hair decorations all year round. And he said he'd sell it exclusively."

"Still, that's all you took from Brother Benno so often."

Master Corinna saw Mine as impressed. Apparently the finger movement indicated the amount as expected.

"Hey, Mine. How much is it?

I'm interested in what the hell amount of money the right to hair decoration would be, and I'll ask Mine. Mine looked at me with a very troubled face, looked at my mother, looked at Master Corinna, and roared - much smaller.

"Is it an unspeakable amount?

"It's a fair price, and I can't tell you, but I don't want to tell you..."

"Tell me," Mine said several times, saying so in a badly toothed tone, and Mine muttered small and bossy, without concealing the look of reluctance.

"... one large gold coin and seven small gold coins"

"Huh!? Did you say gold?

I thought it was about a big silver coin, even if it was expensive, and I was struck like I had been hit in the head full of guts and force by too many different digits of money. My mouth snaps all the time. My mother was also looking at Mine with a slight face.

"It sounds like an amazing amount, but considering it as a transfer of rights, it's a fair price. It's not Mr. Benno, and I didn't do it. Besides, this is Mine Workshop money, not my personal allowance."

Waving his butterflies, Mine desperately makes excuses one word after another, but I don't understand Mine's nerves being able to exchange such a lot of money flat out.

'Cause it's big gold, right? Says it's not personal money, but how much the hell does Mine have!?

Could Mine have been, in fact, amazing!? I knew business was better than the temple, right?

My lack of study, depth of sewing and my sister's awesomeness...... I was overwhelmed by so many things that my visit to your home ended.