Amaku Yasashii Sekai de Ikiru Ni Wa – 17
“First, you place five pieces of red square paper, about 10x10cm, on top of each other.
Then, you fold the paper at 1cm intervals so it ends up looking like the folds you would find in a fan.
Once the paper has been folded into a long rod-like shape, fold it in half to create a fold mark.
Using a same coloured string, red in this instance, tie around the center of the paper where the fold mark was made.
Then spread each folded piece of paper open like a ribbon towards different directions.
If you do it like this . . . it is easy.
The paper rose is now complete!”(Doyle)
I throw the finished rose behind me to Luce. At the entrance ceremony, there were many flowers that looked similar to the rose I just threw. Luce is caught off guard and panics while trying grab the paper rose with both hands.
“If you pull the ribbon that is binding the paper together, it will all come apart like petals floating to the ground. Give me some green paper so I can make another. See, this is quite easy. I want to make 100 of these flowers using all the various colours in this box. Will you guys help me? Of course, I mean you too Ballad.”(Doyle)
I say so while sipping the tea Ballad made me.
While I was giving the explanation on how to make the paper rose, Ballad had come back with the tea and served it to all the guests.
I ask Ballad and company to help me make 100 of these flowers.
“Please leave it to me! I, Ballad, will put 110% into making these flowers!”(Ballad)
“Thanks, I am counting on you.”(Doyle)
“Please leave it to me . . . but where did Master Doyle learn these kinds of crafting skills?”(Ballad)
“Oh . . . Well, when I was little I was bored and saw someone on the streets once do this. I asked him to teach me as a way of pa.s.sing time . . .”(Doyle)
“So amazing!”(Luce)
I am surprised at Luce’s sudden outburst at my answer to Ballad’s question.
“This is wonderful Master Doyle! This, right here, will cause a revolution in the paper market! The possibilities are endless! Up until now, paper was always used for writing notes or letters, but no more! With this creation, you have opened my eyes to a wealth of opportunities. We can use this for many different types of ornaments and gifts! We can also use these flowers on the dresses of ladies. This will sell!”(Luce)
Luce, who gently raises the flower up to the sky, begins to speak of the many possible uses for construction paper. He terrifies us with his merchant spirit. His friends that are beside him all fall down from surprise. Luce has never spoken like this for as long as I have known him as he is usually calm and composed.
“Ah, I don’t think this will be suitable for ornaments as it is just paper after all. Will it not be easily crushed or damaged by water?”(Doyle)
“Please do not worry about that! I can prepare several countermeasures for issues as simple as those. This paper will cut costs immensely, goldsmiths and silver workers will be put out of work, and for an added bonus, there are so many possible colours! There is no mistake that many women will want products made from this paper!”(Luce)
Luce . . . that is just a paper rose. (Doyle)
“Yes, I do agree that women will be delighted by these things.”(Ballad)
“I think my mother will be very pleased with them”(Solcier)
“Would it please a lady forgemaster of a blacksmith workshop?”(Jeff)
“Yes, I believe that she would be delighted as well.”(Solcier)
A conversation is blossoming out in front of me.
By the way,
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the order in which they spoke was Ballad, Solcier, Jeff, and Solcier again.
Luce is still looking at that paper rose in his hand with the eyes of a merchant.
I try to imagine the royal ball being filled with ladies wearing flowers and accessories made from this paper, which would probably look like some elementary schooler made them . . . . It just gives me this weird and complicated feeling.
Is it ok to spread something like this? (Doyle)
I only just start to think of these kinds of things, but there is no stopping Luce once the only son of one of the world’s most influential companies has decided on something.
I meant this to be a jab at Leopardo, a ploy to make him join me.
I seem to have thrown a stone into an ocean and that ripple is now going to cause a tsunami in the social circles of the n.o.bility.
This is definitely deviating away from my original goal.
My original goal was to use these flowers to create a chance to bring Leopardo to my side.
I already have prepared a different gift that I know he will actually want. It is something my other mother figure Meryl had given me a long time ago.
I know he will bite at this offer for sure, but I can’t just give him that item as it will cause other problems. I decided to camouflage that item with 100 paper roses while trying to make a playful jab at him.
In this world, giving 100 red roses is a means of proposal.
However, I do not want to get cut by Gray’s blade so I decided to mix in other various colours.
I did not think that Luce would find this paper to be such an amazing product.
“h.e.l.lo? Come back to this world you guys.”(Doyle)
I tell the four people here to come back to reality. The people who are talking about what kind of gifts they can make or have with this . . . and Luce laughing maniacally in the corner.
I ask the four of them to listen to me.
“Well before you guys do all that, please help me make 100 of these flowers with all these colours. Since we have 5 people here, we will each do 20 pieces.”(Doyle)
“Umm . . . can we take some of this paper home or send it to someone as a gift?”(Jeff)
“I also want to do this.”(Solcier)
“It is fine with me. We have a lot of paper here so whatever we have left over you can use, as long as Luce permits it.”(Doyle)
“Yes, it is fine to take some, I have no worries as long as you are using them as gifts and presents. Also with your families and homes I believe they will not care to research these or steal these things either. Of course, I mean that to you as well Master Doyle, Sir Ballad . . . if there are any people you would like to gift these to, please go ahead. It was all originally Master Doyle’s idea.”(Luce)
“Well, I would like to give these as a present to my mother.”(Ballad)
“Please go ahead.”(Luce)
Luce gives Ballad a thumbs up
Luce also gives permission to Jeff and Solcier.
It seems that Ballad wants to give these to his mother . . . this is quite rare.
“Well, let us get started with making 100 of these.”(Doyle)
“Yes sir!”(Ballad/Luce/Solcier/Jeff)
We start to make the flowers I will give to Leopardo to bring him over to my side.
“By the way, who are you giving these flowers to, Master Doyle?”(Jeff)
Jeff, who is silently making the paper flowers, asks me out of curiosity who I am giving these flowers to. For some reason the other 3 people are surprised at Jeff’s words and stiffen up.
I do not know why they have stiffened up, but I answer Jeff without give it too much thought.
“Oh . . . I am giving these to Leopardo. I am using this to rope him into joining my side.”(Doyle)
“Oh, is that so, I d-“(Jeff)
“Eh!”(Luce/Solcier/Ballad)
The three people interrupt Jeff who was satisfied by my answer.
“What is up? Why are you three so noisy?”(Doyle)
I look at the 3 who had suddenly shouted and are now standing up from their chairs.
“What? I thought you were going to give this to the Saint Serena!”(Solcier)
“What are you talking about Solcier! There is a person much more suitable to be gifted these flowers!”(Luce)
“It is as Luce says! Master Doyle will use these flowers to propose to Princess Claire!”(Ballad)
“It is exactly as Sir Ballad says! Or rather, Master Doyle, who other than Princess Claire would you give these flowers to! I can procure some incredibly rare herbs for you to give to that stupid pharmacist!”(Luce)
“It is as Luce says! Master Doyle! You must give this flower bouquet to Princess Claire. This is not for Leopardo! This can only be for the Princess!”(Ballad)
These three are condemning me so fiercely.
Solcier was first, but Luce and Ballad’s words hurt me the most. In fact, this is the first time since I was born that Ballad has ever yelled at me.
Giving Claire a bouquet of paper . . .
I would understand if it was freshly picked flowers but paper? Does that not seem too poor? (Doyle)
“ . . . won’t it be rude to give a princess paper flowers?”(Doyle)
“What are you thinking! I will soon make this product the hit product of this world, and Princess Claire will be the first woman to receive such a gift personally from the product’s creator! How could she not be pleased!”(Luce)
“It is as Luce says! Master Doyle had personally invented this product and has personally made the flowers with his own hands. The princess will be ecstatic!”(Ballad)
“There is no way she would be happy from this.”(Doyle)
“No! She will definitely be most pleased! I am betting my life on this!”(Luce)
“Well . . . that . . .”(Doyle)
“Yes! Master Doyle! We will make the flowers for Leopardo here. Please go over there and work on the bouquet for the princess!“(Luce)
“No, but . . .”(Doyle)
“It is as Luce says. We will also make bouquets for Madam Serena and Ma’am Meryl. I will even deliver them myself. Thus, please go and make the bouquet for the princess!”(Ballad)
The two who say this take the blue rose I am working on and put it on their table. When I look back to my table I see only red, pink, yellow, orange and the bright green sheets of paper on it. When did they change out the paper?
“Here are 14 sticks. The princess is 14 this year so please work on making 14 flowers.”(Ballad)
Isn’t the number 14 bad luck, or was it 13? (Doyle)
While I am thinking this, I feel a huge amount of bloodl.u.s.t generated from behind me. I slowly turn around to look at Luce and Ballad. With the amount of bloodl.u.s.t they give off, I can almost visualize their stands; it is like that manga I used to read with all those poses.
I start to work on the flowers for Claire, and as soon as they see me working on it, they go back to their table to work on the flowers.
They keep using the dark colours like purple or black though.
Wait, you guys.
What kind of colour choice is that?
Are you guys trying to curse Leopardo?
It is a gift you know. (Loyde)
Is what I want to say, but . . .
“Master Doyle! Your hands have stopped!”(Ballad)
I give up all resistance when Ballad is able to notice I have stopped working even though he is not facing me and I can only see his back . . . Scary. Angry Ballad is scary.
I start to seriously think about what are the best colours to use for Claire’s bouquet.
I use pink and white paper to make the flowers for Claire. I believe these colours represent her the most.
While I am making them, I get a sudden thought.
What if Claire does not like this and starts to hate me. (Loyde)
This thought disappears instantly when I think about what Luce and Ballad said.
“She will be absolutely pleased!”(Luce/Ballad)
She told me she would wait for me forever. I hope she smiles when she receives these flowers.
Claire is the one person in this world who should always be happy. Her smile is the greatest thing in this world and suits her the most.
I remember the moments when she showed me her brilliant smile. I pick up the last of the red, pink and white paper to make the final flower for her.