Jill felt slightly unconvinced but didn’t feel bad about it either.
Perhaps her feelings were conveyed, as those around her seemed to wear somewhat heartwarming expressions.
“By the way, Lady Jill, I appreciate the tea, but…”
“Oh, yes. Is there a preference you have?”
“No, it’s not the taste of the tea but the vessels that interest me. If it’s not too much trouble, could you show me the repaired ones? I’d like to see a few lined up if possible.”
“The kintsugi cups? Sure, just a moment.”
When Jill signaled to Maureen, she nodded slightly and promptly brought them over.
About five sets of kintsugi cups, stored in a box, were laid out on the table.
“Oh… This is truly fascinating…!”
Scott, deeply impressed, gazed at the kintsugi cups with sparkling eyes.
Lady Emily, seated next to him, smiled confidently.
“What do you think, Grandfather? Aren’t they splendid?”
“Indeed… Despite the visible damage, there’s an inexplicable elegance to them. But, is it only gold?”
“Now that you mention it, this is the first time I’ve seen something other than gold.”
At this question, Jill nodded and responded.
“I experimented a bit and created some finished with silver, as well as others coated with red lacquer.”
Among the five sets displayed, three were restored with gold filling the cracks.
One was a plate repaired with silver instead of gold.
And the final one was a cup whose cracks were covered in red lacquer.
Actually, Jill had been experimenting with various techniques of lacquer and kintsugi while running her shop, using instructional books as her guide.
What she was showing Scott and the others this time were some of those prototypes.
“I used silver instead of gold because I thought gold might interfere with the painted design. This cup, being a bright yellow from the start, seemed like it would clash with gold or silver, so I repaired it with red lacquer.”
“Marvelous… I’m sure Grandmother would be delighted with this.”
Jill couldn’t help but ask in response to Lady Emily’s cryptic words.
“Grandmother, you say?”
“Yes… Actually, I came here today to discuss something with you.”
◆
Scott’s wife, Madam Charlotte, was a frugal woman.
She wasn’t miserly. For example, she always kept an eye on whether her husband’s attire was appropriate, whether the manor was presentable, or whether hospitality for guests was satisfactory.
However, when it came to her own belongings or meals, she was extremely modest. She refused expensive gifts from her husband and children. Although she had to have clothes made from expensive fabrics for formal occasions or accompanying her husband on official duties, her jewelry was minimal—limited to pieces Scott himself begged her to accept.
Originally, Madam Charlotte was born the eldest daughter of an impoverished noble family. After losing her father at a young age, she worked as a maid at the royal court to support her younger siblings. Her principle of “spending in accordance with one’s position but not indulging in personal luxuries” had remained unchanged even after marrying Scott and raising children and grandchildren.
Yet, there was one item outside of gifts from her family that she treasured dearly.
It was a broken teacup.
“She has always enjoyed tea, and her interest inspired me to learn about it as well. But unlike me, tea seems to be her sole true hobby. Apparently, she saved up bit by bit while also sending money to her family to buy tea utensils when she was younger.”
“And this cup broke?”
“Yes… it must have been about ten years ago. A new maid mistook it for something meant for guests and brought it back to the kitchen. She accidentally dropped it while washing it.”
“I see…”
“Charlotte didn’t blame the maid and instead said, ‘It was my own carelessness,’ and put the broken cup away. I offered to have it repaired, but she said, ‘If strange chemicals are used to fix it and it becomes unusable for dining, it’s better to leave it broken.’”
“Every household has cups or plates that are broken and just left like that, don’t they…”
Jill had a faint premonition that she would eventually face such requests.
She had anticipated the demand for repairing ceramics to make them usable again.
What she hadn’t expected was that the request would come directly from the lord of the estate.
“Actually, when Grandmother saw the cup and saucer I bought last time, she seemed very intrigued. That’s why I came to consult with you.”
“I see… Do you have Madam Charlotte’s cup here? If you don’t mind, I can take it into my care.”
“Oh, that’s a relief. So… I’d like to ask something: do you think something other than gold would be better for fixing the cup?”
“Silver or red lacquer, like the examples I showed earlier, would also be fine. However, gold is the most durable, so if you want it to last a long time, I’d recommend gold. Ultimately, it comes down to the preference of the person using it.”
“I see, I see.”
Scott smiled warmly.
“Ah, right, you mentioned she’s frugal.”
“Yes… While she doesn’t mind others dressing up or using fine items in public settings, she’s extremely modest when it comes to her personal belongings. If using gold for the repair is necessary, it’ll be easy enough to justify. But silver and red are tempting options too… Though, personally, I think gold suits white porcelain best.”
Scott muttered nervously, a hint of apprehension in his tone.
Lady Emily interjected playfully, clearly entertained.
“It’s fine, Jill. The only reason Grandfather is so nervous is that he’s always the one who ends up accidentally angering Grandmother. She’s not really that scary.”
“That may be true, but still…”
“In any case, we’re thinking of giving her the repaired cup as a birthday present next month. We just want to make sure it suits her taste and isn’t too ostentatious.”
It was a challenging request. While they didn’t want it to be too flashy, a repair that seemed clumsy or overly handmade wouldn’t do either. It would require a delicate balance.
That they trusted Jill with such a difficult task was something to be grateful for. At the same time, she thought it might turn out to be quite an enjoyable project.
“Understood, leave it to me.”
“Ah, thank you so much.”
Scott nodded with visible relief at Jill’s straightforward response.
◆
“Ugh, I was so nervous…”
After the guests left the shop, Maureen and Carol rolled their necks and shoulders as if trying to ease tension. Hosting distinguished guests was inherently exhausting, and when it was the lord of their town, the stress was even greater. Jill couldn’t help but sympathize with them.
“Thank you both. Please take it easy and rest.”
“In the end, it turned out to just be a work request. I was wondering what it was all about,” Maureen said with a sigh that sounded equal parts relief and exasperation.
“No… I think the kintsugi request was secondary. They probably just wanted to meet me in person.”
“Really?”
“It’s just a guess,” Jill replied with a faint smile.
Lord Scott had likely heard about Jill’s character from various people. He must have wanted to confirm whether that information was accurate. At least, Jill thought that was what she would do in his position.
“Well, for my part, I just focus on creating good work. Lord Scott and Lady Emily seem to have taken care of various matters, so I’m happy to have a chance to repay the favor.”
“A true craftsman, huh,”
Maureen said with a wry smile.
At that moment, Carol voiced a question.
“But how are you planning to repair it? It seemed interesting beyond just using gold.”
“No, this time I plan to repair it normally with gold. That’s probably what Lord Scott intends as well. …But, somehow, it feels like just that isn’t quite enough.”
Jill placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought.
This time, there was no need for anything overly ornate.
Frankly speaking, it would be a hindrance.
“But… wouldn’t adding something unnecessary actually make it worse? I mean, that’s just my amateur opinion.”
“Exactly, that’s the problem…”
Apparently, Carol shared the same thought as Jill.
While nodding at the discussion, Jill placed the cup she had received on the table and gazed at it.
It was a celadon teacup with a pale, light green hue and a serene appearance.
The design resembled overlapping tulip petals, trimmed evenly at a certain height. The saucer was similarly shaped with overlapping petals arranged into a circular form.
Both were tragically broken. The saucer only had cracks and chips, but the cup was split into about three pieces. It was enough to make the repair worthwhile.
“Considering the color and the way it’s broken, simply repairing it would restore it into a beautiful piece. …There’s not much room for additional touches.”
“Then isn’t it fine as it is? Overthinking it might not help, don’t you think?”
“That’s true. First, let’s focus on fulfilling the request properly.”
Jill said this, but she still seemed slightly unsatisfied.
She wanted to add just a bit more creativity.
That desire radiated from Jill, and Maureen and Carol, noticing it, chuckled softly.
