#757 Facing Youth

It’s me, the style maestro.

It appears that Batemy is bringing in some fresh blood.

For a long time, the clothing department has depended solely on her talents, but since she’s considering marriage and starting a family, relying solely on her might lead to trouble.

It seems the age has come when a team fashions clothes.

Though we had the goblins assisting when short-staffed, it’s about time we transitioned to a team system.

On the flip side, I can’t help but question why we didn’t adopt a team system earlier. Nonetheless, let’s throw ourselves into supporting Batemy’s new venture.

Perhaps, introductions are in order.

As the owner, I should make a point of meeting the new residents of the farm.

“Hey, hey, hello there.”

That’s how I planned to greet them, but...

“You cheapskateeee! We’ve parted with three promising newcomers, so trading them for just one sewing machine is a fair deal, righttttt?!”

“Don’t kid around; we both know the worth of a sewing machine! If you want to haggle, bring me at least a hundred capable peopleeeeee!!!”

“Eeeeeeep! This is... this is Noujou HQ?! The place I’ve always dreamt offfffffff!!!”

...

I was taken aback by the chaos that broke out when I appeared.

What’s happening?

Batemy is in an intense struggle with a woman I don’t recognize.

Next to them, another unfamiliar young woman is in tears.

And beside her, two more youngsters stand, looking shocked.

What in the world is happening?

***

A break was needed to restore calm.

I was introduced to everyone.

Firstly, our clothing designer, Batemy.

Then her sister, Fleurety, a designer for a renowned fashion brand in the Demon Capital.

And thanks to her, three newcomers joined us.

First, the girl who had been crying earlier, Shalanthea. 

Next, a sharp-looking guy with glasses, Kit.

And finally, a shy girl who hadn’t spoken at all, Amaryllis.

“Um, I’ve brought these three in exchange for a sewing machine per our agreement.”

“I never agreed to that.”

This is human trafficking; stop it!

Fleurety’s insistence is vehement, demanding the sewing machine at any cost.

But we categorically refuse human trafficking, so naturally, we don’t accept her proposition.

“Um, I am the master of this farm. I’m the most influential person here, so if you have any problems, please let me know. I’ll make sure you enjoy working here.”

“Then give us the sewing machine!”

“Enough of that.”

I brushed off the persistent Fleurety and turned to the remaining three.

Each of them is young, but their expressions are quite distinctive.

Having welcomed many young newcomers to our farm before, my first impression of them was, “Here comes some more with genuine potential.”

“Um... May I ask something?” 

“What is it?”

The sharp-looking guy with glasses asks, “They mentioned this is the Saint’s Farm. So, does that mean you’re the saint?”

“What? What do you mean?” reacts Shalanthea, who seems to operate solely on impulse.

“You don’t know?! Don’t you know about the Saint’s Farm being talked about worldwide?!”

“I’m only interested in fashion and nothing else.”

“If you don’t understand current affairs, you won’t survive in the fashion industry either! It’s a mythical, uncharted place! No one has ever reached it, but it’s said to contain any treasure one could dream of! Yes, treasures amounting to everything in the world!!!”

Is that what the world thinks about this place?

I’ve heard the rumors indirectly, but hearing them directly from someone feels different.

They paint our farm as some mythical location, but it’s not that extraordinary.

There’s no sacred sutra or vast treasure here.

All we have is a sewing machine.

Is that what’s so great about it?

“Um, up until now, Batemy has made all our clothes, but she’s going to be busy, so she won’t be able to focus solely on our work. That’s why we’ve brought you three on board to help. We look forward to working with you.”

“Question! Why will she be busy?”

“She’s getting married.”

At this, someone’s eyes widened in surprise: Batemy’s sister, Fleurety.

“What? No one told me about this.”

“Because it’s none of your concern, duh.”

“Getting married? To whom? Some local maggot?”

“Why would I marry an insect? He’s a Demon King’s Army colleague and an heir to a noble family.”

“Kwhaaaaaaat?!”

Her sister lets out an odd scream!

Goodness, it’s terrifying!

“I’m still single, yet my little sister’s marrying such a catch? Aren’t you supposed to preserve your virtue until your older sibling gets settled?!”

“Why should I wait for you? If I did that, I’d never get married!”

“What do you mean by thaaaaaaaaaaat?!”

Let’s consciously ignore this unpleasant sibling spat and focus on the promising young people instead.

“Batemy is working on her wedding dress, and at the same time, she’s making dresses for three other brides-to-be. Even for her, it’s becoming too much to handle, so we need your support.”

“Yes, we understand!”

The first to respond is the energetic girl, Shalanthea.

“It’s like a dream to work for the famous Noujou brand! I’m so glad I left Mixpider; this place is so much better!”

Her words seem disingenuous, but, well, let’s leave it at that.

Their real work begins tomorrow, so for today, let’s give them a tour.

The treasures of the farm are not just limited to the sewing machines!

What else could they be excited about? 

“How about this?”

“What is thaaaaaaaaaaat?!”

What I reveal is pure white fabric, softly glowing.

Its smooth touch is characteristic of silk.

“It’s silk. An exceptional product that’s only made on this farm!”

“This fine texture...! This smooth touch...! So this was the fabric used in Noujou clothing that remained unexplained no matter how much we researched!”

Yes, you’ve got that right.

We have silkworm monsters from the dungeon that produce silk for us, which we then spin and weave into fabric.

The goblins mainly do the weaving.

“This is just regular silk, but if the evolved Adamantine Silkworm in our farm spins with all its might, it becomes adamantine silk that can repel any magic.”

“Incredible! This farm itself supports the remarkable works of Noujou!!!”

By the way, the wedding dresses that Batemy and others will wear are made from adamantine silk.

It’s a farm tradition that wedding dresses must be made from it.

“To become brides who can fend off any difficulty,” they say, as a good luck charm.

“There’s more! Let’s show them the elves’ workshop! Their pottery and wooden statues are also highly valued works of art!!!”

That will surely inspire those in the clothing business.

While showing them around and leaving the quarreling sisters behind, we encounter something troublesome.

The dwarves have visited the elves’ workshop again.

Two races perpetually at odds over their artistic philosophies.

“Ah, Lord Saint! You’ve arrived just in time! I’ll prove to these unsophisticated elves what real beauty is once and for all! Please bear witness!”

“That’s my line! I’ll prove the stupidity of the dwarves who rely on gimmicks once and for all! True beauty resides in nature!!!”

Oh dear...

Their relentless debates could corrupt the pure sensibilities of these young talents.

We must retreat and protect their youthful sensitivity!

“Where are you going, Lord Saint? Oh, those young folks there seem quite creative! Let me tell them a good story!”

“No, our elven natural art theory suits young talents like them! If they’re influenced by dwarves now, they’ll become mere craftsmen!”

Don’t bother these kids!

If you want to argue, keep it between yourselves!

This place may be too dangerous for our new residents’ young and flexible minds.

***

After everything was done, the guide, Fleurety, left.

“No, no! I can’t leave without the sewing machineeeeeeeee!!!”

It was tough to see her off.