NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 29
Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?
I had already experienced a similar discomfort once before in Salt, so realizing this idea only now felt almost unfair.
‘I started with just a simple eye patch.’
But the cheap eye patch made from discarded monster leather was too thick, making my face feel stuffy. Because of that, I often ended up with breakouts the next day.
So my next choice? Blackout curtains!
Not only did they block out the light, but they also provided excellent insulation. In my dreary life as a slave, they were a small but precious source of comfort.
The only downside? They weren’t exactly aesthetically pleasing.
‘Since I just roughly stitched together discarded pieces of leather, calling it a curtain was a bit of a stretch.’
At the time, it didn’t matter because they were for my use only.
But now, a few people naturally came to mind as potential recipients—Bonita, Aide Liam, even my merciless employer…?
Since this was meant to be a gift, I didn’t want to make it as haphazardly as before.
I couldn’t exactly expect them to hang a ragged curtain in their rooms, even if it was a gift.
‘…There has to be a better material.’
As I stared blankly at the steaming soup in front of me, Bonita’s worried voice broke my thoughts.
“Do you not have an appetite?”
“Bonita, do you know of any cheap and thick fabric?”
“Huh? Fabric?”
She blinked at my sudden, off-topic question.
“I’m not sure about fabric… but there’s plenty of leather.”
“Oh, right. Blaire Duchy has a lot of monsters, doesn’t it? Are there any discarded materials?”
“Hmm….”
Bonita fell into deep thought, her expression serious, before suddenly looking up as if she had remembered something.
“What about Poletta leather?”
As expected, she didn’t disappoint.
“Poletta leather?”
“A flock of Poletta has nested at the base of the Iscard Mountains. They often come down to attack livestock or ruin crops.”
Poletta was a common beast in Salt as well.
Individually, they weren’t that strong, but since they traveled in packs, herbalists who entered the mountains during their breeding season sometimes ended up injured—or worse.
“Their population has grown so much in recent years that we conduct regular cullings. But their byproducts, including leather, are hard to dispose of.”
“Really? What’s the leather like?”
“It’s not very elastic, and it doesn’t breathe well.”
“Not breathable?”
Since curtains also serve as insulation, a fabric that let too much air through wouldn’t be ideal.
Based on what I had heard so far, Poletta leather sounded like a great material.
Feeling a sudden spark of inspiration, I asked excitedly,
“What about the pattern?”
“Oh, the pattern? It used to be considered quite elegant, so there was some demand for it as rugs. But since better materials exist, no one really wants it anymore.”
“Oh? Where can I see it?”
“Young Lady, you should at least finish your meal first!”
Bonita shook her head as I looked ready to jump up.
“And the Grand Duke would probably know best about these things.”
“…He knows about this kind of stuff?”
I highly doubted leather collecting was one of his hobbies.
Just as I was considering the Grand Duke’s unexpected interests, Bonita added,
“Well, since he leads the hunting parties himself.”
“Oh.”
That was news to me.
Should I go ask him directly?
Aside from brief discussions about our comic book business, I hadn’t interacted with him much since the Magic Tower incident.
If I could make proper blackout curtains, maybe it could even help him too.
“Thanks, Bonita.”
I smiled at her as I scooped up a spoonful of now-cooled soup. She smiled back, though her dark circles were nearly touching her chin.
‘…Do I look that bad too?’
Seeing her so worn out tugged at my heart.
It only reinforced my belief in the necessity of blackout curtains.
* * *
“Why are you suddenly interested in Poletta leather?”
His voice sounded utterly exhausted.
And his face… even more so.
It had been a while since I last saw him, but he looked particularly haggard today.
Since he had accepted my sudden request for a meeting without hesitation, I had assumed he was free. But the towering stack of documents beside him suggested otherwise.
At this point, I had to wonder if he was only indulging me because I was making good money for him.
As I studied him with a hint of sympathy, a thought crossed my mind.
‘He still looks good, though.’
The slight darkness under his eyes only made him look more mysterious.
I must have been staring for too long because his voice pulled me back to reality.
“Princess?”
“Oh.”
Realizing I had been silently gazing at him, a strange embarrassment crept up on me.
“S-Sorry. I was just lost in thought….”
“You were thinking about something else while sitting in front of me?”
Strictly speaking, I had been thinking about him, so it wasn’t exactly “something else.” But I couldn’t very well say that out loud, so I frantically waved my hands.
“No, I mean… I’m sorry….”
“Forget it. Let’s get back to the question. Why are you looking for Poletta leather?”
It wasn’t an unusual material to ask about, but he seemed particularly curious about my reasons.
This time, I answered without hesitation.
“I heard Poletta leather is considered useless in the duchy. I wanted to see if I could develop it into something more practical.”
“There’s an overabundance of it, so I’ll have Liam set some aside for you. But what exactly are you planning to use it for?”
“Uh….”
I had an obvious answer.
You can’t sleep, I can’t sleep, and no one in this manor is getting enough rest.
So I want to make blackout curtains with the excess Poletta leather.
It was a simple explanation, but for some reason, I hesitated.
Maybe I didn’t want him to know I was doing this out of pure goodwill.
Shaking my head, I took a step back.
“It’s not the right time to share that yet.”
“…Not the right time?”
His brows furrowed slightly.
“Yeah. I’m still in the planning phase.”
“But surely you could share at least a rough idea?”
“Well… I prefer not to raise people’s expectations before I have something solid.”
“……”
“……”
“…Fine. Do as you wish.”
Huh?
Huhhh?
‘What was that?’
His voice was as composed as always, yet somehow, it sounded like he was sulking.
I brushed off the odd feeling and quickly bowed my head.
“Th-Thank you.”
“Alright. You may go.”
Just as I was about to leave, his voice called me back.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
He studied me with an unreadable expression before speaking slowly.
“…Once you have a clearer idea, will you tell me then?”
His unexpected behavior left me momentarily puzzled.
But this was a surprise gift—I couldn’t ruin it now.
“Hmm, probably not.”
“…I see.”
His lips pressed into a thin line before he silently turned back to his documents.
As I stepped out of his office, I paused just outside the door, lost in thought.
‘Was he disappointed?’
Logically, there was no reason for him to be, yet his subtly downcast tone left me feeling strangely unsettled.
Still…
‘It’s probably just my imagination.’
Dismissing the thought, I headed off to find Liam.