SHC62_C62_ARCHIV3_Chapter 62: Kids in the “Why?” Phase Are Unstoppable
C62
Chapter 62: Kids in the “Why?” Phase Are Unstoppable
Things had gotten unexpectedly heavy earlier, but in the end, the takeaway was simple: avoid making careless enemies, and do everything I can not to end up on the front lines.
So, standing before the stunning material gifted to me by Her Highness, my heart was absolutely soaring.
I mean, it sparkled like stars—even though it was just fabric! Depending on how the light hit it, it glimmered like diamonds. This was it. I had to make something with it.
What I wanted to try was something I’d seen in a musical from my past life—a hair ornament worn by the heroine called the **“Sisi Star.” It was a ten-pointed star made by layering two five-pointed ones, decorated with dazzling crystals like Swarovski. There were twenty-seven of them in total. With this cloth, I thought I might just be able to recreate them using tsumami-zaiku.
**SISI STAR
But this time, making the pieces wasn’t enough—I had to document the process as well. I needed to turn the techniques into written instructions and submit them to His Majesty along with the final product. This process resembled submitting a comprehensive proposal.
This meant that I called in a few special guests!
First: Rottenmeier-san, who’s well-versed in documentation.
Second: Elise, our household seamstress. I’d already decided she’d be the first at House Kikunoi to learn tsumami-zaiku.
Third: Our generous sponsor, Lara-san, who provided the glowing magic stones.
Also joining: two elf gentlemen who were extremely interested in the technique.
And finally—my emotional support chick, Regulus-kun.
“Is Ree, am I really a little chick?”
“Well, that’s what Her Highness called you. And Lara-san too.”
“Do you like me, Nii-ni?”
“I do. You’re soft and fluffy and super cute.”
He puffed his cheeks a little in protest, but hey—cute is cute. I ruffled his signature fluffy blond hair, and he giggled, so his mood seemed fine.
“Ageha-kun,” said one of the elf men, “don’t you think our introductions were kind of... barebones compared to Lara’s?”
“Not at all.”
“Aa-tan, are you secretly mad that we kept begging to watch?”
“Nope. Not even a little.”
Honestly, though—trying to make tsumami-zaiku while explaining it and teaching someone? That takes serious focus. And these two wouldn’t stop with the questions from the start: “What’s this?” “What’s that?” Even while I was just gathering tools!
And for the record, the introductions were for Elise.
“Fwaaah, the elf nobles are so close... right here...”
“You’ve been living under the same roof with one for months now.”
“Yes, but actually talking to them this close is super rare, you know?”
Fair enough.
Elise had this slow, dreamy way of speaking, but she was lightning-fast when it came to work. According to Utsunomiya-san, she was the best seamstress in her village. She was also extremely nimble, quickly picking up friendship bracelet weaving the moment I demonstrated it to her. That’s why I’d decided she’d be the first to learn tsumami-zaiku.
Since this was delicate work that also took up space, we set up in the dining hall with its big table. Kanade-kun couldn’t join today—his parents had asked him to babysit his little brother.
“Okay, tsumami-zaiku always starts with deciding on the design.”
“So you pick the shape ahead of time?”
“Exactly. Whether you use pointed folds or round ones, the way you pinch and fold the cloth changes.”
Since the product was going to be a 27-piece set, each piece had to be really tiny.
Once the size and design were set, it was time to cut the cloth. Honestly, it felt kind of wrong cutting into something so sparkly.
To give a past-life comparison, each piece was about the size of a 500-yen coin—small enough to stay light but still look fancy.
I folded the tiny squares into pointed petals using tweezers, gluing each one. It was repetitive and time-consuming work.
As I was debating how to speed it up, I noticed six curious eyes staring at me.
“Marumaru-chan, do you have to dry those?” (Lara)
“Yep. Once dry, I glue the first layer to the base, then dry it again before moving on to the next layer.”
“Sounds time-consuming.”
“Very.”
“Want us to dry them with magic?”
“You want to, don’t you?”
They nodded enthusiastically.
So I let them help—asking them to be gentle enough not to damage the fabric.
According to Romanov-sensei, elves are descended from fairies, who were descended from spirits. Because of that lineage, they love the same kinds of things spirits do—beautiful, sparkly, magical things.
Is this divine cloth made by the gods? Check. Did someone craft it with the "blue hands" that spirits favor? Double-check.
It was like waving catnip under a kitten’s nose.
I’d shown them origami once before, and now it made sense why they’d been so enamored.
Anyway, while the petals were drying, I checked Elise’s folding technique and Rottenmeier-san’s written instructions.
Elise, being naturally dexterous, had nailed both the round and pointed folds. Rottenmeier-san’s manual was also top-notch—detailed enough that even a beginner could follow it.
Once dry, I used tweezers to carefully assemble the petals layer by layer.
It required intense concentration, but just as I settled into the rhythm, the two elf men leaned in close to observe once more, casting shadows over my hands.
Rottenmeier-san frowned, clearly ready to intervene—when suddenly—
“Grown men should know better than to behave so unattractively.”
“Guh!”
“Gah!”
Lara-san had grabbed them both by the collars and was dragging them away, their squeaks sounding like squashed frogs.
“Thanks.”
“I’m your sponsor. Let me help where I can.”
She even blew a kiss.
Too cool.
Elise, watching from the side while working, was starry-eyed.
“Laaaara-sama is sooo dreamy...”
“Agreed.”
“Romanov-sama and Viktor-sama are gorgeous too, but Lara-sama is just so much more! Swoon...”
It’s true. The three elf nobles were all stunning, but in different ways:
Regulus-kun would probably grow into Lara’s brand of handsomeness. Utsunomiya-san had more of Viktor’s vibe.
Honestly, this mansion has a weirdly high percentage of beautiful people.
Even Elise, with her fluffy chestnut curls, looked like a porcelain doll.
Meanwhile... I’m the lone white pig here.
Realizing this cruel truth, I stared blankly into the distance as I worked.
Then the elf men slithered back, this time aiming for Elise—probably too scared to come near me again thanks to Lala.
Even Regulus-kun started inching closer, watching them.
“Senseis said no bothering, right? So why are you bothering?”
“Oh, come now, Regulus-kun. We're not bothering anyone.” (Romanov)
“Yeah, Re-tan, we’re just looking.”(Viktor)
“But Lara-sensei said no. Why?” (Regulus)
“We’re really not bothering—”
“Then why did she say it?”
“Well, that’s because—”
“Why?”
Boom.
A toddler’s ultimate weapon: the never-ending “Why?” barrage.
Thanks, Regulus. I used that perfect opening to power through the final steps.
The last piece was placing the glowing magic stones in the center of each flower. According to Lara-san, the stones changed color depending on the wearer’s emotions, but that was it—they were just pretty, not magical. She’d kept them stashed in the corner of her magic bag because they were basically useless.
Carefully, I placed the stones—my work’s grand finale.
And since I was making the Sisi Star, I couldn’t help but hum the final number from Elisabeth, the musical where the ornament originated. It praised Empress Elisabeth’s eternal beauty and ended with cries of “Éljen!”—Hungarian for “long live!”** (Eunie: does anyone know the title? I'm not sure if its curtain falls like what goo old google-sensei said. i also can't find the complete list of songs for elisabeth japanese ver >.<)
I paused to take a breath, and Viktor clapped.
“You should sing that for the Empress.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, didn’t you write a song with her name in it?”
“Wait... the Empress’s name is Elisabeth?”
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