Chapter 210: Entering the Mainz Kingdom (2)

The lodging we were shown to was far more worthy of being called a reception hall than the so-called reception halls or VIP rooms of the Marie Kingdom along the road. Surprisingly, the curtains of the room, the tablecloths, and the sofa covers were all silk fabrics. Even going into the bedroom, everything that touched the skin of the bed was silk. The reception halls of the Marie Kingdom... no, let us stop saying that. All the lodgings along the road had been cotton. Of course in the Rear Palace the royalty used silk, but except for the head maid and the higher-ranking maids the ordinary maids wore cotton. And from the capital all the way to the border I had never once seen silk fabrics at the various inns. Entering the Mainz Kingdom and suddenly being flooded with silk fabrics felt like awakening. This is where the disparity of wealth shows itself, isn’t it.

I believe the people who had been in that room earlier under Director Hōkun, even though it was ceremonial dress, had all been wearing silk. The director is of course expected, but for even low-ranking officials to be supplied with silk ceremonial dress by the nation is an impressive thing. This must be an expression of the nation’s financial leeway.

"Lily, let me ask — does the Marie Kingdom have a silk-weaving industry?"

At my question Lily said,

"Ah, Robby-sama noticed after looking at the furnishings in this room. Yes, these must be products of the Mainz Kingdom’s silk-weaving industry. The Marie Kingdom also has a silk-weaving industry, but in both quality and quantity the Mainz Kingdom overwhelmingly surpasses it. Therefore a large amount of silk fabric is imported from the Mainz Kingdom. It is more expensive than Marie Kingdom products, yet members of the royal family, high-ranking nobles, and wealthy merchants all use Mainz Kingdom silk goods. Silk fabric is a symbol of status, so everyone wants to use good things."

"Is that so? Then do lower-ranking nobles never wear silk?"

"I do not think as everyday wear. Normally it is cotton or linen. If a lower-ranking noble possesses silk fabric, would it not be only a single set of formal wear for when they appear before His Majesty the King?"

"What!?"

"That is how it is. It is that precious."

"And of course that is paid for out of one’s own pocket?"

"Of course it is out of one’s own pocket. There is no way one would receive it from the nation. In my own house, while my parents were still alive, my mother would mend my father’s clothes. She would sew the holes made by insects so that they could not be noticed. My grandmother used to say proudly that those clothes had been newly made in my grandfather’s time. For a knightly house, newly making such clothes is a major event. Formal wear of that kind for appearing before the king is inherited across many generations, so the style is whatever was fashionable at the time, and the appearance differs considerably. Therefore when one newly makes them one shows them off. Yet even if they are old, if they are of luxurious make one flaunts them and says things like ’These clothes of mine are from fifty years ago’ or ’These clothes of mine were made in the time of the head of the house three generations ago.’"

It somehow began to sound like poor-man’s pride.

"But the Mainz Kingdom soldiers earlier were wearing silk clothes. Is that also out of their own pockets?"

At my question Lily tilted her head with a "muuun?" and said,

"Certainly now that you mention it, all of those people earlier were wearing the same uniform. The style was also unified, so perhaps they are government-issued. To receive clothes from the nation is an amazing thing. I am envious. My late mother worked hard at side jobs trying to newly make formal wear for my brother to appear before the king, but she passed away before she could accomplish it."

It had become a little damp.

At that moment there was a knock on the door of the room. The one who entered was a young female maid. Even though this was called a lodging, because it was a corner of the checkpoint I had thought only men would be here, so I was surprised that a young girl was present. The maid also seemed a little surprised the moment she entered the room. Was it because the principal guest was a child like me?

The maid’s clothes were, as expected, cotton. Yet unlike the unfashionable maid uniforms of the Marie Kingdom they were a cute style with a tightly cinched waist, many frills in a gothic-lolita fashion. An apron was properly attached and there were abundant frills. The cuteness of the curtsey when she entered was beyond words!! Honestly, I was delighted. My great favorite. I had wanted to dress Stevie in this. Uuun, Stevie was not the cute type, so ahem ahem. Lily... might be a little heavy?

"I have brought tea,"

she said while pushing a cart and entering. Is this also government-issued? Lily seemed to have thought the same thing and said,

"There is something I would like to ask you, the maid. May I?"

Suddenly questioned by Lily the maid looked surprised, yet immediately showed a smile — ah, the dimples are cute.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Is that maid uniform something you received from the nation?"

"Yes? This?"

The maid pinched the hem of her skirt.

"This is an item lent by the country. The ribbon differs according to the maid’s rank."

She pointed to the ribbon at her collar.

"Looking at the color one can tell the maid’s rank. From the bottom it changes white, yellow, red, blue, and the head maid of the Royal Palace wears purple. I am yellow, so second from the bottom."

She even taught us things we had not asked.

"Who decided that maid uniform?"

When I asked the maid said,

"I do not know the details, but it seems it was decided by a person who transferred from another world long ago. Apparently the clothes the maids had been wearing until then were called ’terribly uncool!’ and that person made them themselves and showed them, and the queen of the time took a liking to them and adopted them, or something like that?"

Queen of the Mainz Kingdom, good job.