1 — My Brand

“Let’s go to the duchy’s pride and joy today—the mines.”

I completely slept in for once, exhausted after all the fuss of the day before. After I ate breakfast, Mr. Fisalis cheerily announced that we were going to go take a tour of the mines.

“The mines? The ones with the rubies, right? We passed them on the way here.”

“Yep, we did. But I want to show you how our rubies are produced, and I also want to see how the mine and their gem processing techniques are going,” Mr. Fisalis explained, flipping through some paperwork.

He was talking about processing techniques and difficult stuff like that, but seeing where they actually dig the jewels out...! We didn’t have any glamorous resources like that back at home, so I was kinda excited!

“Okay! It’ll be my first time going to a mine. I’m looking forward to this!”

“Alright. We’ll leave as soon as we can, then.”

And so we quickly got ready and headed to the mines. Since today was going to mainly be observation, Rohtas came with us.

We hopped into the carriage and left Le Pied, heading to the mines which lay a bit closer to the capital.

Just as I’d thought when we passed them a few days ago, the mine was in a rocky mountain area, and the reddish-brown terrain plus the lack of any trees or grass made it look like a complete wasteland. I could make out holes here and there in the rock face. Were those holes where they mined the gems out?

“This is my first time seeing anything like this. There’s lots of holes in the mountains... What are they for?”

“Those are for accessing the actual mining sites deep underground. They dig so many because they’re always searching for the richest mineral veins. Since the mine itself is old, the shafts have become quite the underground maze. If anyone wandered inside, they might never find their way back out.”

While we watched, trolleys full of rocks and dirt trundled out to the workshops, and empty ones were sent back into the mines. Workers were constantly rushing in and out.

They’re working so hard to dig up wonderful jewels while we just stand here!

“Oi! You’ve gotta focus—this is dangerous!”

“We’ve got lots comin’ out that hole today.”

“Send this trolley down that shaft—”

“Okay!”

I could hear the workers’ vigorous calls back and forth. Since they were laboring in what looked like a wasteland, they seemed that much more lively and powerful in contrast.

We watched as they washed and selected the rocks they brought out. People in white robes held the rocks to heat and looked at them through thick lenses, doing some sort of research that I didn’t understand. As we walked around the facility, Mr. Fisalis explained everything to me.

According to him, all of the workers here lived in a village close by that was built exclusively for them, and they came to work every day. They mined the ore carefully by hand, and anything they dug up was sent to Le Pied for processing.

By the way, I wasn’t allowed into the mine shafts themselves, since they were too dangerous. It was kind of boring, only getting to peek in from outside, but I didn’t want to get in any trouble, so I listened.

Sometimes, Mr. Fisalis and Rohtas would stop and begin to discuss things like ruby yields or the location of new shafts. Since I didn’t know much about that, I just let Mr. Fisalis lead me around by the hand.

Ooh, a pretty rock.

While the two of them were off in their own little world talking, I would look around. Suddenly, my gaze stopped on a startlingly blue stone. How’d they get something this vividly blue out of this desolate red landscape?

When I bent down to pick it up, Mr. Fisalis spoke up. “Oh, a trash sapphire.” Since we’d been holding hands, I must have tugged on his.

“Trash?”

“Yeah. This mine produces both rubies and sapphires, but they process the smaller sapphires into rubies and distribute them. Rubies are far more rare, after all. The artificial rubies are worth a lot less than natural ones, but there’s still demand for them. The rock you’re holding is a trash sapphire—one that couldn’t be processed,” he explained, having crouched down beside me.

What? Sapphires turning into rubies? Is that some kind of magic!?

While I looked around in shock, I saw lots of other blue stones lying on the ground. From the way they were being treated, they must have all been trash sapphires, too. What a waste!

“I can’t go into detail about how they’re processed into rubies, because it’s a duchy secret, but that’s how it is. That was the purpose of the facility we just saw,” Rohtas quickly added.

Had we? Ah, maybe he’s talking about the place with all the workers in white robes. We must’ve rushed through since the process was so very hush-hush. I get it.

Wow~ I didn’t know that... Sapphires really have potential, huh! But while I was shocked by that, my common sense kicked in.

“You don’t really focus on the sapphires?” He’d mentioned that the sapphires were more common, so why didn’t they?

When I asked him this question, he replied, “That’s right. We have so many, so they’re not rare. Our focus is on rubies...” He stared into my eyes.

I tilted my head, trying to figure out why he’d drifted into silence at the end of his sentence, only for him to continue—this time addressing Rohtas. “Hmm. How about we put some focus on the sapphires, Rohtas?”

“I see... If we distribute the ones we’d normally process into rubies as just sapphires instead, it will make sure the rubies stay rare. If all goes well, the sapphires may even cover for any unforeseen drops in ruby production.”

Way to go, Rohtas. He didn’t falter at the sudden question.

“Okay. How about the quality?”

“They’ve been sufficiently high quality up until now,” Rohtas replied, leafing through the documents in his hands. Mr. Fisalis stood up, looking at them too.

“Then we can do it.”

“Yes.”

And so, they decided to put some effort into the sapphires, too. What a big change, just because I picked up a pretty rock! Oh no—is this really okay!? Ah, but Rohtas said it was, so... I guess it must be? Whatever—if it puts money in the duchy’s coffers, it’s good.

I’d been sitting there kinda flustered listening to their back and forth, only for Mr. Fisalis to pull me up. What? I looked up blankly, not knowing what he wanted to do, and he gave me a big smile.

“And...”

“And?” I said, confused.

“And...?” Even Rohtas was confused.

“Viola’s eyes are exactly the color of sapphires. Let’s call our highest quality gems ‘Viola Sapphires’!”

“Guh.”

Wait, wait, are you serious, Mr. Fisalis!? I just made a weird sound, there!

“Guh?” Mr. Fisalis must have been really surprised, because he repeated what I’d said, giving me a puzzled look.

“No, wait, that’s kinda super embarrassing! Let’s think of a better name—don’t rush into this!”

I’m gonna tone it down as much as I can! Naming a jewel after your wife? I mean, if I was some kind of super bombshell, it’d be fine. It’d be cool to have something with my name that’d outlast me, in that case, but I’m so plain! There’s no reason for me to have my name on anything whatsoever. Ah, I can’t stand this!

“It’s not embarrassing at all! It’s just great branding!” Mr. Fisalis was all smiles, seemingly having no intention of changing it despite my protests. He was practically sparkling.

Oww. Stop! This is too painful.

Plus.

“That’s a wonderful name. It will definitely become popular.”

Grin.

Even Rohtas is agreeing with a smile, but he should be putting a stop to this! Why are you agreeing!? Ghhrhahh!! If they really do get popular in Rozhe as ‘Viola Sapphires,’ we’re totally going to get pitying looks. Ugh... Going out in public’ll get even more difficult... Maybe I should just give up on public life. Huh, wait, that’d be good! Wait, no, Viola!

“It’s INCREDIBLY embarrassing! I’m totally against this!” I did my best to resist, but...

“Let’s give Viola the revenue as well.”

“Understood. I’ll have preparations made to put everything under Madam’s name.”

“She’ll never need to worry about her spending money ever again that way.”

“Yes.”

Mr. Fisalis and Rohtas just kept going, ignoring me completely. Why won’t anyone listen to me at times like this~! Someone, please, stop them...

Once things were officially(?) underway for sapphire distribution, we left the mines and returned to Le Pied to see how they were processed.

I’d caught a glimpse of the jewelers’ street when we’d been here yesterday, but we’d only passed by. Apparently, rubies and large sapphires were processed at proper gem cutting shops. The excess stone and dirt were removed back at the mining facilities and the raw gems were then brought into town to be polished to their proper sparkle. That was the job for the jewelers in Le Pied—they did the cutting.

Once the gems were finally cut, merchants would come from Rozhe and elsewhere to buy them and use them in the production of things like necklaces and hairpins. Then, finally, they’d be sold to the aristocracy.

That’s it for today’s High Society Field Trip report—with your host, Viola!

But nevermind that.

Once we finished observing the gem cutting workshops and were finally back outside, I noticed there was a simple little general store across the street.

“Oh, that place looks cute.”

“Hm? Ah, wanna go have a look?”

“Can I?”

“Go ahead.”

Now that I had Mr. Fisalis’s permission, I popped into the shop and immediately saw that they were selling handmade hair ornaments and brooches. Each one had tiny stones set into geometric shapes or floral patterns. Every red and blue stone was bright, and they were all beautifully and carefully made. The stones themselves weren’t just glued on, but were set with proper metal prongs, and angled so that the light hit them just perfectly.

Normally, it would be difficult to see the shine in stones that small, but the craftsmanship made it so they caught the sparkle from all the other gems around them, synergizing in deep hues.

This is some pretty high-quality craftsmanship, isn’t it? But they aren’t from some fancy artisan, but just a normal general shop. Anyway, I’m more shocked by the fact that I actually figured all that stuff out! Back at my family home, I only ever wore jewelery when I had to go to a party. And all of the jewelery had been ancient hand-me-downs from Grandmother and Mother. The gems were good quality, but the designs were, um... Aha☆

I’d been wearing high-quality gems more often since marrying into the Fisalis family, so I must’ve learned a bit. Shocking, I know.

But that aside...

“They’re so pretty!”

“The simple look is nice.”

Every single item was different, and the diversity was so interesting.

After Mr. Fisalis and I made a lap around the little shop, I picked up a hair ornament that I liked.

“We make our accessories out of discarded rocks from the mine and jeweler’s across the street,” the cheerful old lady at the counter told me.

So they use those trash stones!? That’s great! That’s exactly what my ‘waste not, want not’ heart wanted to hear! And they’re all so cute, I just can’t handle it!

And on top of that, the lady told me that townspeople with nowhere to go collected the stones and made them, as a way of providing for themselves. They were quite popular, too, and they were being sold wholesale in nearby towns.

As the wife of the duke, of course I’d have to buy some after hearing all that!

It was time for me to shamelessly suck up to my husband. I picked up a hair ornament that I liked, and looked up into his wonderful dark-brown eyes...

“You want that, don’t you? Any others you like? We could bring them back as souvenirs for everyone at the manor,” he said with a smile.

It worked perfectly. Go, little devil Viola! After buying some for the maids back home too, I headed back to the carriage, pleased with myself.

But while I was walking, all smiles, I heard...

“When we get back to the villa, I’d like to work out the details for the sapphires.”

“As you wish.”

Mr. Fisalis and Rohtas were still talking about that. I’d forgotten all about the ‘Viola Sapphires’ being set in stone, so to speak.

...My retreat from public life is getting closer!