Β©WebNovelPub
Ascendance of a Bookworm-Chapter 64 - Contract with Freida
Chapter 64: Contract with Freida
Itβs raining today. Thereβs no doubt about it, itβs raining today. π§πeππ€eππoπ«ππ‘.ππ¨ο½
The patter of heavy raindrops hitting the wooden shutters of the kitchen window causes my shoulders to slump as I sit there, eating my breakfast. Just like Freida had been laughing about, and just like Benno had been growling about, it is definitely raining. Thereβs no helping it, then! Since itβs already been determined that Iβm going to have to go to Freidaβs house, at the very least Iβm going to try my best to get at least a little bit of good information out of her.
Lutz will be there too, so everything will be fine.
I take a hard hunk of millet bread, soak it in some of last nightβs leftover soup, and chew soggily on it. I use the last of my bread to wipe off my plate, then, having finished breakfast, start looking around the room. I let out a long sigh.
βI want to bring some sort of present, but we really donβt have anything here that I could bring to that house, do weβ¦β
Freidaβs house is already full of the kinds of things the nobility keep in their houses. Thereβs nothing here that I could possibly give to a girl who already has everything.
Tuuli gulps down some water, then looks at me, head tilted to the side.
βWhat about some βsimple shampooβ? She was really happy when you brought her some last time, right?β
βHmmβ¦ itβs gone on the market already, so Benno told me that if I was going to keep making some for myself, then I canβt be giving it away as much as I want.β
βOh, I see. And itβs raining, too, so you canβt pick any flowers or anything like thatβ¦ yeah, thatβs kind of a problem.β
Tuuli uses a little bit of water from the water jug to wash off her plate as she talks to me. When she finishes rinsing it, she starts hurrying to get ready to head off for work. Our mother has already left, and our father is currently fast asleep after coming home late from the night shift. I start washing my own plate as well, trying to keep my voice down.
βIf only we could have decided this a few days in advance. Then I could have gone to the forest on a sunny day and picked some fruit to take with meβ¦β
Bennoβs been so accommodating towards Lutz. Heβs been so accommodating towards me as well, helping me set up Ma?neβs Workshop so that I can keep thinking up new product ideas. Lately, Iβve been really trying to avoid doing anything that will make him angry. Sure, Iβve carelessly let slip a few secrets while chatting, and sure Iβve fallen prey to my own desires and just kind of arbitrarily made a few things, but none of that was intentional. Thereβs no way that I actually wanted him to be angry at me. So, if I want to avoid his wrath, rinsham is out. Anything at all to do with paper is out. If I bring a new dessert recipe, then both Freida and Ilse would be happy, I think, but Benno would absolutely get angry, so thatβs out, too.
Well, now that Iβm not going to be his apprentice, it really is entirely my own business who I give my sweets recipes to, I think, but it would still be more trouble than itβs worth.
As I hum thoughtfully to myself, a loud knock comes from the kitchen door. Tuuli, looking just about ready for work and having just finished putting on a thick cape that has been treated with oil and wax to ward off the rain, heads towards the door.
βHello, whoβs there?β she says.
Ah, I guess Lutz is a little early today, I think to myself, as I put away my clean plate. Suddenly, Tuuliβs startled voice rips through the kitchen.
βFreida?! Why are youβ¦?!β
As soon as I hear those entirely unexpected words, I snap my head around to see Frieda standing outside our front door, accompanied by an attendant. Despite the rain, she is dressed as magnificently as ever, and her attendant wears a tidy uniform. They clash horribly with the impoverished backdrop of my home, emphasizing just how poor my family really is.
βI have been so excited ever since I woke up that I just couldnβt stand it, so Iβve come to pick Ma?ne up,β she says, smiling sweetly.
I hear an undercurrent of βdid you think Iβd let you escape?β buried in those words, and a shiver runs down my spine. I want to look away and pretend not to have seen any of this, but I canβt just flee and leave Tuuli behind.
βWhoa,β says Tuuli, smiling as she waves me over, βyou must have been really excited to come all this way in this kind of rain!β
Tuuli, youβre an angel. Donβt lose any of that purity.
βAh, but it is exactly because of the rain that I have come! I couldnβt possibly ask frail Ma?ne to walk outside in weather like this. I have a carriage waiting for us on the main road.β
It seems she thought I might have refused to come because I didnβt want to catch a cold in the rain. I canβt help but be a little impressed with her level of preparation.
βWhoa,β says Tuuli, an innocent envy showing on her face, βa carriage?! Wow, Ma?ne, luckyyy!β
Freida looks over at Tuuli, noticing that sheβs carrying her things for work.
βOh my,β she says, slightly tilting her head to the side, βbut are you not leaving for work, perhaps?β
βThatβs right,β replies Tuuli, a twinge of regret in her voice. βIβve got to get going soon.β
Frieda glances away momentarily as if thinking about something, then suddenly claps her hands together, a meaningful smile floating across her face.
βWell, if thatβs the case, perhaps we can drop you off along the way.β
βWhat?! Really?! I can ride the carriage too?!β
Tuuliβs face lights up immediately. A carriage is the kind of thing that poor people like us would ordinarily never get to ride on. I understand her excitement perfectly. It looks like I donβt have any choice but to get ready to go immediately.
βTuuli, Iβve got to go get Lutz,β I say.
βAh, thatβs right! Iβll go run and get him.β
βOh,β says Freida, βbut, if Lutz comes along, then you wonβt have anywhere to sitβ¦β
Tuuli sets down her bags and starts to dart out the door when Freida apologetically stops her. At this point, whenever I go out, Lutz comes along with me as my minder. But, if Lutz comes with us, then Tuuli wonβt be able to ride in the carriage, and will have to back out.
βHuh? Um? β¦Then, Iβ¦ canβt go?β
Her brief glimmer of home turns to despair. She hangs her head, looking like sheβs on the verge of tears. As I frantically try to figure out what to say to comfort her, Freida smoothly steps in. She takes Tuuliβs hand and then, and then, gives her a gentle smile.
βTuuli, today, Ma?ne is my responsibility. Iβll take care of picking her up and dropping her off. I can promise you that I will take extra care to make sure she does not fall ill. So, why donβt you ride along with us?β
ββ¦Ma?ne,β says Tuuli, βif youβre riding in the carriage, then you wonβt get tired, and you wonβt get soaked in the rain, you know? So itβll be fine if Lutz doesnβt go with you today, wonβt it?β
Like hell itβll be fine!!
Thatβs what I want to say, but I canβt win against Tuuliβs pleading stare. Thereβs no way I can tell her to go walk to work because Iβd be in trouble without Lutz there with me. Even just seeing how happy she looked to be able to ride in a carriage gets in the way of that idea. I donβt want to go to Freidaβs house by myself, but I just canβt turn her down.
ββ¦Yeah, itβll be fine, Tuuli. You should come with us!β
βThanks, Ma?ne. Iβll go and tell Lutz, so you get ready.β
Tuuli, in high spirits, runs off towardβs Lutzβs house, a spring in her step. The sound of her footsteps quickly recedes into the distance, leaving only the tapping of the rain against the shutters. I glare fixedly at Freida, who just used my sister against me to get Lutz excluded.
βFreidaβ¦β
βYour sister seems quite happy, does she not?β
βYouβre right. β¦Haahhh, I guess I donβt have a choice. Iβm the one that didnβt tell her no, after all.β
I was the one who wasnβt able to toss Tuuli aside, so I canβt really blame Freida any more than this. I get my tote bag ready, thinking to myself how angry Lutz and Benno are going to be with me for acting without thinking again.
βSorry,β I say, βbut I wasnβt able to get a gift ready for you.β
βOh my, but today youβre giving me a day of your time, are you not? Having the opportunity to speak with you is more than enough.β
She laughs airily, looking the very picture of a girl whoβs delighted to be able to play with her friend, but I know very well that Freida is no ordinary, innocent little girl.
βMa?ne,β says Tuuli, βI told Auntie Karla about us. C'mon, letβs go! Iβm gonna be late.β
Tuuliβs smiling face and bouncing gait immediately disperses the gloomy atmosphere hanging between me and Frieda.
βWell then, shall we?β
We shut the door and head outside. Here, rain gear tends to consist of a thick mantle and a wide-brimmed hat. Of course, this isnβt able to protect perfectly against it, so it gradually gets soaked through if the rain is heavy or you need to be outdoors for too long. Today, though, weβre only going as far as the main street, through narrow alleyways, so I donβt have to worry about getting drenched.
βQuickly now, get on.β
I hurriedly board the carriage waiting for us at the main road, taking off my hat and mantle and setting them next to me. Freidaβs attendant sits outside, next to the driver, leaving just the three of us inside the carriage.
βWhoa,β says Tuuli, βis this what a carriage looks like on the inside?β
βCome, Tuuli, sit!β says Freida. βWould bringing you to the central plaza work for you?β
βYeah, the place Iβm going is on the craftsmenβs road but itβs really close to the plaza.β
Freida urges Tuuli to sit as she looks gleefully around the carriage. I sit between the two of them. This carriage looks like it was built to seat two adults, but it fits three children just fine, with a little room to spare. When the carriage starts to move, it shakes and sways just as much as I remember, but unlike the time Iβd ridden with Benno and the guild master, Iβm sitting in a proper seat, so I donβt think Iβm about to be flung into the air.
βItβs almost time for the baptismal ceremonies, is it not? Ma?ne, what will you be wearing, perhaps?β
βOh, sheβs going to be wearing my hand-me-downs,β says Tuuli, βbut weβve altered it so much that it doesnβt look like a hand-me-down anymore. It looks really extravagant!β
Tuuliβs chest swells with pride as she answers Freidaβs question for me. During the winter, Tuuli helped our mother with the alterations from time to time, so thereβs a few more decorations on the dress then there were before.
ββ¦Extravagant?β
βI canβt really describe it, but I think itβs got kind of a different feel to it. Mom worked really hard on it, so itβs very cute!β
Itβs likely that Freida, having just seen the condition of our house, is having trouble imagining what βextravagantβ would look like for us. She has an expression of wonder on her face, but weβre really not lying. Plus, thereβs a big difference between what people around here usually think βalterationsβ means and what I did, so itβs difficult to explain.
βYour clothing is really fluffy and amazing, too, Freida!β says Tuuli. βI want to try wearing something like that somedayβ¦β
βWhy, thank you very much. So, did you perhaps make yourself a new hairpin?β
Freida, happy to hear Tuuliβs compliment, turns the subject towards hairpins. Apart from the one Iβd made for Freida, every hairpin so far has been differently-colored variations on the same design. However, it seems like she canβt imagine that me making a hairpin for myself that looks exactly like all of the other ones out there, and is curious about what that might be.
βOh, itβs a gift for her,β says Tuuli, βso I worked really hard on making it. Itβs got three big flowers, like the ones we made for you.β
βThen, Ma?neβs hairpin will match mine, perhaps?β
Freida looks at me, a little doubtfully, her head tilted to one side. Tuuli seems like she canβt really figure out how to properly explain it, so she tugs on my sleeve, looking troubled.
βWell, theyβre white, and they sway, so even though the big flower are the same, they donβt really match. Right, Ma?ne?β
βWe used unbleached thread, so theyβre more of a cream color, although from a distance they look white. Weβve added some smaller flowers as well, but thereβs still a few more differences between yours and mine. You should look forward to seeing it! Right, Tuuli?β
βYeah, if we tell you all about it now, then youβll have nothing to look forward to.β
Tuuli covers her mouth, hiding an impish grin. Freida looks like sheβs been caught up in it, grinning too.
βWell, then I really am looking forward to it! Iβll be watching for you outside.β
As we talk about the baptismal ceremonies, a row of workshops, where Tuuli works, comes into view around a corner. The carriage comes to a halt, and Tuuli puts on her mantle and hat. She grabs her bag full of tools, then shoots me a brief worried glance.
βDo not worry,β says Freida. βI will look after her the very best I can.β
βTuuli,β I say, βgood luck at work today!β
βThanks for letting me ride in your carriage, Freida. Ma?ne, Iβm off, but donβt cause any trouble!β
She gives us a big wave, then takes off running towards the workshop. We wave goodbye, and the carriage starts clattering forward once again.
***
βWelcome, Ma?ne. Glad you could make it. I baked some pound cake today, and Iβd love to hear what you think of it.β
When we arrive at Freidaβs house, Ilse the cook is waiting for us. Weβre led to the parlor, where tea and pound cake has been set out for us. I take a bite and immediately start to melt. The moist batter has been baked to a perfect shade of golden brown, and, perhaps because Ilse has adjusted for the ovenβs peculiarities, the cake itself is much more delicious than it was last time.
βDelicious~β¦ This is way tastier than it was before! You did an excellent job tweaking the recipe.β
βIβm happy to hear you say that! Iβm curious, can you think of anything to make it even better?β
βImprovement? β¦Ummm, I think itβs delicious enough already, though?β
I take another bite of cake, savor its sweet flavor, and ponder for a moment. I know that she could plate it extravagantly when she serves it, or she could change the flavor by adding dried fruits or grated citrus peel, but I also know that just telling her this might be the kind of information provision that would get Benno mad at me.
Hmmm, if I do something, Benno will probably get mad, and this really is delicious even if itβs so simple, so there wouldnβt be any problems at all if I were to just stay quiet, but I really do want to help this extremely eager chef to improve her work.
βWell, itβs not an improvement, exactly, butβ¦ how about I tell you about it in exchange for a bag of sugar?β
I recall seeing a bag in the kitchen that looked like it contained about one kilogram of sugar. When I ask for that, Ilse looks over at Freida, who actually has the right to decide.
βA bag of sugarβ¦ would it be okay to give it to her, Miss Freida?β
βYes, of course.β
βAlright, I have the young ladyβs permission, so! Tell me!β
The sheer ravenous force behind Ilseβs curiosity makes me squeak in momentary fright, but then I open my mouth to speak.
βIf you grate ferigine peel and add it to the batter, thatβll change both the smell and the taste, and itβll still be delicious. You could add other things, too, and those will change the flavor as well. As for what exactly to put in and exactly how much, please do some experimentation on your own. Iβll tell you this as a bonus, too: if youβre going to bring this out to serve to nobles, then you could thoroughly whip heavy cream and make a fringe around the edge of the cake, then decorate it with fruit to make it look really extravagant.β
βHm?! Iβm going to try that!β
Ilse gasps, then immediately stands up and leaves the room. Suddenly left behind, Freida and I blink a few times, then smile wryly.
βMy apologies, Ma?ne, for showing you, my guest, such a sight. Ilse is usually so calm and composed, but as soon as she sees a new recipeβ¦β
βItβs good to be eager to learn. If she tries her hardest, then just that will increase the number of tasty things out there, wonβt it?β
A zeal for studying is something to be admired. I think that spreading tasty things throughout the world would be a very happy thing, so I definitely want to try experimenting with a lot of different things to try to create new kinds of sweetness.
βCome to think of it,β I say, around a big mouthful of pound cake, βwhy are you apprenticing at the merchantsβ guild? Arenβt you going to be opening a shop in the noblesβ quarter? Can you really be an apprentice if youβre not going to actually be an employee?β
Itβs already been arranged for Freida to go live with the nobility when she grows up, so I hadnβt even considered that sheβd be apprenticing at the merchantsβ guild.
Freida takes a sip of her tea. βItβs something I asked my grandfather for. Itβs so that I can both study and make connections for when Iβll be living in the noblesβ quarter. When I open my shop, Iβll be doing so all by myself. I canβt go about thinking that it actually is a job that one person can do on her own, so I need to make as many personal connections as I can.β
βAll by yourself? You wonβt, uh, have any attendants, like Jutte?β
βNobody but myself will be allowed to stay in the noblesβ quarter. Although, when I go there, my partner will have prepared some attendants for me, so it is not like Iβll be living entirely on my own.β
Even still, I canβt imagine that any attendants sheβll have in the noblesβ quarter will be at all familiar with economics or business management. Having a young woman who has just barely entered adulthood suddenly stripped of her allies and made to open a shop by her selfβ¦ isnβt that a little too harsh? Canβt they let her have even one person to consult with?
βOne person definitely cannot run an entire shop by herself,β she continues. βMy family will be allowed in and out of the noblesβ quarter to deliver supplies and the like. They wonβt be by my side the entire time, but itβll be reassuring, will it not?β
ββ¦I guess so.β
I canβt imagine that itβll actually be that reassuring, but I can see that Freida is fighting hard for her own destiny, looking straight ahead down her path. I canβt really say anything besides to agree with her. The very grown-up way of thinking and speaking that sheβs learned are her weapons and armor. She must keep determinedly polishing them so that she can survive in the unknown world that waits for her.
βSo, in order to make sure that I am able to handle whatever might occur after I establish my shop, Iβm apprenticing with the guild and helping out at my familyβs shop.β
βYouβre amazing, Freida. I can tell that youβre putting a ton of thought into all these things thatβll be happening so far in the future.β
When I say that, she immediately gets a very stern expression on her face. She looks at me very seriously, then after a moment of silence, opens her mouth to speak.
βThereβs something Iβd like to ask you as well. May I?β
βSure, go ahead.β
Ahh, here it comes, the main question, I think. Itβs pretty obvious what sheβs about to ask me. I smile, urging her on.
βWhat in the world are you thinking? Ma?ne, by all rights, should you not have extracted yourself from Bennoβs employ and come to work with us? Iβve been waiting for you to do this. If youβre seeking connections, then coming here wouldβ¦β
If I were seeking any connections with the nobility, then it would be much better for me to rely on Freida and the guild master than on Benno. This is something Otto pointed out to me as well. I think anyone would realize this. Working at a shop that already has a deep connection with the nobility would of course better my chances of finding a favorable solution, even if only a little. Freida made her offer with a self-confidence thatβs grounded in her familyβs history and influence. Now, her tone of voice is just a little fiery, and a hint of an unspoken impatience is showing through in her eyes.
βSummer is just around the corner, yet you havenβt made any move at all. Have you truly given any thought to what we discussed? If youβre not given to a noble as soon as possible, then the way things are going, youβllβ¦β
Freidaβs complaint is based on her concern for me, since I have the same devouring disease that she does. Even if I am brought to a noble, itβs not a guarantee that Iβll be able to immediately form a contract. I actually feel a little self-conscious over how much sheβs worrying about me, if her feeling that this needs to be quickly rushed through is being amplified by her overbearing nature.
I chuckle, returning Freidaβs even stare.
βYou know, Freida. After thinking about it a lot, I decided that I want to be with my family, even if it means wasting away.β
ββ¦Huh?β
Freida freezes up, her eyes wide and mouth open. Her lips tremble, just a little, and she weakly mutters, βI canβt believe itβ¦β
βIβve halfway given up already. Since Tuuli started crying, I told her that Iβd keep looking for some way to survive somehow, but thereβs no other way to live with the devouring except to make a contract with a noble, is there?β
Iβm sure that the guild leader, in order to save his granddaughter, would have used every scrap of his influence, his money, his connections, and every other useful thing he had to frantically search for every solution he could. He would have bought some time by gathering up magical tools in order to keep searching for any better method than making a contract. Not finding anything, he must have given up on his search and turned towards finding a noble who would grant a contract with the most favorable conditions, thinking that that was the only way forward. The answer is obvious.
ββ¦I donβt know of any.β
βHonestly, Iβve been wondering if I might be able to find another magical tool somewhere that I could use, but I donβt think I want to make a contract with a noble. Thereβs no substitute for magical tools if I want to do something about the devouring, is there?β
βIf I knew of anything, Iβd already be using it.β
She gives me an irritated glare, and I shrug my shoulders.
βI know, right? So, the question I wanted to ask you today is if itβs possible at all to buy magical tools from someone who isnβt a noble? Or maybe, could I make magical tools on my own, or somethingβ¦ thatβs not possible, is it?β
I was thinking that if I couldnβt find any magical tools then I should try making some myself, but, unfortunately, none of the books Iβd read as Urano contained any methods for creating magical tools. These concepts did exist in fantasy novels and games, but I donβt think that I can use any of those as reference material. Also, thereβs no workshop here in the city that produces magical tools.
βYou need mana in order to make magical tools, and since only the nobility have mana, theyβre the only ones who can make them. So, the only people who know the methods for making magical tools are behind those castle walls.β
βAlright. β¦Iβd been thinking that if I knew how to make them then I could just do it myself, but I guess it really is impossible.β
If only mana-possessing nobles could make them, then any workshop for making them would be on the other side of those tall ramparts. Iβd been hoping that if I could just learn the manufacturing methods, then I could use all of my funds to make something happen, but I guess I really was just being na?ve, after all.
ββ¦I hadnβt even considered making my own,β says Freida.
βThatβs because youβre from a rich family,β I say, giggling. βIn my world, if I decide that I want something, then if I donβt make it myself I wonβt ever get it, so the very first thing I thought of was whether or not I could figure out how to make it myselfβ¦ you know.β
Rinsham, paper, soot pencils, and chopsticks were all things that I needed, so I was driven to make them myself, as much as I was able.
βIs your family that important to you?β she asks, quietly. βYouβre not scared of being swallowed up by the fever?β
βUmm, how do I put this. I donβt want to die, but Iβm not really scared of it, I donβt think.β
Iβve already died once. Being able to live out Ma?neβs life is just a bonus granted to me by God. I finally managed to make my life actually fun to live, but that opinion hasnβt fundamentally changed.
ββ¦I donβt have any books right now, so my family is the only important thing I have. Iβm not choosing to die, Iβm choosing to be with my family. Thatβs all.β
βBooks?β
βYeah. Iβve actually saved up quite a bit of money, so I wonder if I could buy one, maybe?β
I tilt my head, pondering, while Freida gives me a worried smile.
βIf books are what youβre after, then shouldnβt you go to the noblesβ quarter after all? There should be many there, should there not?β
βAaah, if a contract said that I could read books as much as I wanted, then Iβd probably sign it on the spot, but do you really think a nobleman that would keep me around as a pet would let a poor commoner like me read something so valuable?β
βThe more I think about your living conditions, the more difficult they seem.β
From a nobleβs perspective, Iβm just a commoner from a city with a low literacy rate. Even though I know how to read, it still wouldnβt be out of the ordinary for them not to want me to touch any of the expensive, precious books that they themselves own. If I were to read them on my own, then theyβd surely get mad. Plus, to a certain extent, I know myself. If thereβs a book in front of me, thereβs a good chance that Iβll lose all sense of reason. I can easily imagine myself leaping at a book and provoking someoneβs wrath.
ββ¦So, Iβve been thinking that, until I die, I want to try to set up some way to mass-produce books, but this seems really hard. When I think about how short my lifespan is thanks to the devouring, I get halfway to just giving up. Iβm causing so much trouble for my family, so right now I want to earn as much money as I can so that I can leave it behind for them when Iβm gone.β
As I light-heartedly joke about this, Freidaβs light brown eyes suddenly flash with light.
βThen, perhaps youβd like to sell me the rights to your pound cake recipe?β
I look at Freida, whose eyes definitely have that merchantβs gleam now, and hum thoughtfully to myself. A pound cake is a very basic kind of sweet, but perhaps a time-limited monopoly might not be a big problem. Permanently giving her all the rights, like I did with Benno and the rinsham, would be problematic. It would undoubtedly get in the way of developing and spreading new sweets.
ββ¦If I were to ask for five small gold coins for the right to monopolize sales on pound cake for one year, how would that sound?β
βIβd take that offer, of course.β
She didnβt even hesitate for a moment.
ββ¦What do you mean, 'of courseβ? Did I make it too cheap?β
βYes, thatβs right. The rights to monopolize sales on a completely unprecedented new good, like pound cake or plant-based paper, could easily be worth more than a large gold coin.β
βA large gold coinβ¦β
Once again, it seems like Benno might have conned me into selling him all of my information for dirt cheap.
βWould you like to raise the price?β
βNah, thatβs fine. Itβs only for a year, after all. Iβll sell you monopoly rights for five small gold coins.β
Iβm not comfortable with raising a price after I already made my offer, so I shake my head.
βWell then, letβs write up a contract.β
βHuh? You mean, a magical contract?!β
Did this just get real scary? Am I going to have to see blood again and put innocent bystanders at risk? I start trembling uncontrollably, but Freida just lets out an amazed sigh.
ββ¦Ma?ne. Contract magic is not something that you can use so easily. Itβs something that you use when your opponent has both overwhelming magical and political power, putting you at an enormous disadvantage, and you need to use an extremely expensive magical tool in order to secure your profits. In our case, a regular contract written on formal contract parchment would be sufficient, would it not?β
βI guess youβre right.β
Since my first ever contract was a magical one, I guess my intuition might have been a little skewed. However, if what Freida is saying is correct, then why would Benno use a magical contract with Lutz and I, who possess neither magical nor political power? This is a mystery.
βNevertheless, how do you know about magical contracts, since theyβre so rarely used?β
ββ¦Mister Benno will get mad if I tell you, so itβs a secret.β
βOh my, youβre learning, arenβt you!β
She giggles to herself as she reaches for a bell on a nearby table. When she rings it, Jutte slips into the room, making barely a sound.
βPlease get a written contract ready for us,β says Freida.
On the parchment that Jutte prepares for us, Freida uses a feather pen to outline the terms of our contract. Compared to the wooden pen that I bought, her quill certainly does look impressive, but I wonder if itβs just my imagination that it looks hard to use? To Freida, who is an apprentice at the merchantβs guild, this is ordinary, everyday work. For me, having been here for a while, this is something Iβm at least familiar with. After we go over the contract to make sure thereβs no discrepancies, we touch our guild cards together to finalize the deal.
βWhy did you decide on a year?β asks Freida.
βAfter a year, everyone will know that your shop is where pound cake was invented, wonβt they? Also, by then, I think sugar will have spread around to more people, so Iβm trying to leave some room for new entries into the market.β
βNew entries?β
βIf the recipe is announced, then the number of competitors will multiply, and weβll quickly start seeing new kinds of sweets, wonβt we? Delicious sweets make people happy, so if thereβs a lot of different people making them, and they start spreading everywhere, then I think thatβll be a good thing.β
βHah, you really donβt care at all about your own profits, Ma?ne. Being a merchant doesnβt suit you.β
Freida and I sign our names at the bottom of the contract parchment. With that, the contract between me and Freida to guarantee her monopoly rights for a year is complete.
βBut, well, me announcing the recipe in a year does require that Iβm actually around then, doesnβt it? If Iβm not, then Iβll leave that job to you.β
βHmph! I put my own profits above all else. If you want that recipe announced, then youβd better still be here next year to announce it yourself!β
She huffs, turning her head away. She looks like she might be on the verge of tears.