There is a technique called Yuzen, a traditional dyeing method.
“This day has finally come to challenge this…”
Jill received a request from Ionia. She had been hesitating about what to make and how to dye the silk fabric she bought from Matthew, so this theme came as if it had been sent at the perfect time.
For now, Jill sent Ionia and the others home and began preparations in her workshop. She didn’t want her Yuzen dyeing work to be seen by too many eyes yet.
That said, it wasn’t that Jill didn’t want to share her methods. Although she confidently said, “I can do it,” she was uncertain if she could achieve a satisfying level of quality. She didn’t want to be observed until she reached that level. She found herself acting confident out of a rebellious feeling against the assumption that “no one can do it.”
“Before I begin, I need to review it one more time.”
Jill activated Acacia and called up the book she had in mind.
This book had a somewhat different feel from the others.
It had a calm atmosphere, unlike the other books with glittering covers.
The title read, “Learning about Japanese Kimonos ~ The Technique of Yuzen Dyeing.”
The books Jill had read so far were hobbies as well as design books, featuring easy-to-read, fun text layouts and beautiful photos, all combined to attract readers with the thought, “This looks fun, I want to try making it.”
However, “Learning about Japanese Kimonos ~ The Technique of Yuzen Dyeing” was on the verge of being an academic book. The kimonos in the book were beautiful, but unlike the others, there was no air of casual enjoyment. It was a sturdy book, written plainly with facts and techniques.
Reading this, Jill was fired up.
This level of difficulty was suitable for testing the skills she had cultivated so far. Furthermore, she found the technique of Yuzen dyeing itself very intriguing.
On Argenes Island, it’s common to decorate dresses with embroidery using various colored threads. It’s also common to create patterns by weaving fabrics using a combination of vertical and horizontal threads.
However, the technique of dyeing fabric as if painting a picture, like in Yuzen dyeing, was almost non-existent. While there were some designs that utilized dyeing, they were generally limited to repeated patterns using stencils or creating patterns by folding and dyeing, such as with snowflake shibori. If she could pull this off, it would undoubtedly draw attention.
“If I can do this, I’ll be able to bring so many more ideas to life… though it looks pretty difficult.”
Yuzen dyeing involves a more complex process than the dyeing techniques Jill had handled so far.
First, a draft is drawn with blue ink, then glue is carefully applied along the draft. The areas where the glue is applied won’t be dyed, leaving a white outline—this is a characteristic of Yuzen dyeing. You could say it’s like “masking with glue.”
Next, the areas within the outline are colored in like a painting. However, since silk tends to bleed, you need to dry the fabric by heating it as you work. The dried areas must also be protected with glue. Diligent and careful work is required to dye each color.
Then comes the process of dyeing the entire fabric, the background color of the artwork.
The process includes steaming the fabric to set the color, washing out impurities, and applying a protein treatment to prevent bleeding. However, the basic steps are drawing the outline, coloring the picture, and then dyeing the entire fabric.
Once a mistake is made, recovery is difficult. It requires the calmness to assess when the color is fixed and the boldness to keep working methodically.
But Jill had magic that could solve all these issues at once.
“Still, with *liquid manipulation* and *drying*, I can simplify this process quite a bit. It’s still going to be tough, though.”
Jill had an incredible level of control over her magic. Even things like branding marks on horse armor could be instantly replicated if there was a design to imitate. Jill could manipulate liquid and heat with an unimaginable degree of precision, shaping them exactly as she envisioned. Once she had created the image in her mind, repeating the process became easy.
Jill rarely showed this ability to other wizards. Even if she did, for those who only saw magic as a weapon, it would be nothing more than a parlor trick, and to her mother, Bazarde, it held no value. However, when the goal wasn’t something like “attacking something,” it was an extraordinary skill.
“Alright then, let’s give this a shot!”
◆
While Jill was engrossed in fabric-making, Maureen wasn’t exactly idle. She had to take care of Jill, who was holed up in the workshop, and she also had tasks that Jill had asked her to handle.
“Maureen, how are things going on your end?”
“Ah, more or less everything’s ready.”
Jill peeked into the kitchen and smiled with satisfaction at Maureen’s results.
Some were filled with a bright red jam, while others contained a green powder made from some kind of leaves. Besides being edible, the materials had little in common. If you had to describe them in one word, you could only say that they were “a colorful array of ingredients.”
“But what are you going to do with these? Planning on making some sweets?”
“Yes, that’s right. We had macarons the other day, didn’t we?”
“Ah, the ones my brother brought.”
“While they’re delicious with jam like that, I thought I’d show you how I enjoy them.”
Jill casually made a bold statement.
It was the kind of confidence that said, “Can I make something better than the store-bought ones? Yes, I can.”
Maureen had begun to understand Jill’s quirks.
When Jill said things like “my way” or “the way I like to make things,” she wasn’t exaggerating or lying.
It was the phrase she used when she was about to share a true culinary masterpiece.
“Well, I can’t wait to see it. But is it okay to reveal such a treasured recipe so casually?”
“Yes. Since my true identity has been exposed, I have a lot on my mind.”
Jill had revealed her true identity herself.
However, from that point on, neither her behavior nor attitude had changed, and Maureen and the others followed suit.
There was no awkwardness or discomfort in the air.
Despite the differences in their social standings and ways of life.
Even so, everyone seemed to find their current relationship ideal.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Honestly, even though I worked in the knight order, I hated all the formality. I was constantly getting pay cuts or suspensions.”
“Uh, sorry, is this where I should be laughing?”
“Of course it is.”
Maureen grinned broadly, and Jill laughed along with her.
“By the weekend, the fabric and clothes will be finished, so I was thinking of inviting everyone for a tea party. As an apology for all the secrets and to express my gratitude for everything.”
Saying that, Jill handed four sheets of paper to Maureen.
“What’s this…?”
For once, Maureen accepted the papers with rare, respectful formality.
The papers were invitations required to visit this mansion. With these, you could travel safely without being attacked by monsters on the way. However, the ones Maureen received weren’t simply written for passage purposes.
They were formal invitations to an official tea party, written with elegant brushstrokes.
“One is for you, Maureen. The others are for Matthew, Garda, and Ionia. I’m sorry to ask this of my guest, but could you deliver the remaining three for me?”
