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Basket Making
「I’m back」
「Ara, you’re back so early」
「Excuse me」
「Ara ara, Kureto-san came over this time」
After suddenly showing myself from beside, Andre, Stella’s eyes widens, and she burst into laughter.
「I brought some chicken soup. Please have some if you’d like」
「That’s very thoughtful of you, thank you」
Andre seems to really like it too, so I bring the whole pot, still warm.
Perhaps she wants to drink it right away, as she brings it to the kitchen and pours some into a cup.
「Oh, the fireplace is on」
「We can’t get through winter without this after all」
The fireplace installed in the corner of the room is working.
The crackling sound of firewood bursting echoed inside the quiet house.
The warm flame flickers, creating irregular light and shadow inside the house.
It’s naturally warm when you get closer.
There's also a slight smokiness in the air, perhaps it’s due to the burning firewood, but that too can be said to have its own charm.
「Be careful not to get close, the sparks can burn holes in your clothes, you know?」
「Understood」
Although it is something indoor, it didn’t have that much different than a campfire outside, fundamentally. Following Andre’s warning, I stepped back a bit.
As I stare at the flickering flames of the fireplace, there's suddenly the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs.
「Ah! Kureto!」
「Hey there, Nina. Excuse me for intruding」
I can't see her figure so I thought she went out, but it seems like she's upstairs.
「Kureto-san brought some chicken soup, would you like some Nina?」
「Yes!」
Seeing Nina cheerfully nod, Stella pours some and brings it over.
I already drank enough back home so I only ask for some water.
「It’s warm and delicious」
「You can really taste the chicken’s umami」
Nina and Stella let out their impression of the soup as if in relief.
It seems the chicken soup I made suits their taste.
「Still, you went to Kureto-san’s house a little while ago, why return so quickly?」
Andre - who had visited my house to play a little while ago - comes back with me almost immediately.
It's natural for Stella to find it strange.
「Kureto said he wanted to see how you make a basket while we were talking about winter. I thought of showing him since Stella was making some」
Stella nods in understanding after Andre explains it, then she claps her hands while brightly smiling.
「Why don’t you try making it yourself instead of just watching, Kureto-san?」
「Eh? Me? That sounds interesting, but I’ve never made one before, you know?」
「All the more reason to make it then. Kureto-san might also have the talent to make a basket, let’s give it a try」
「Okay. Then, please teach me」
I might end up ruining material if an amateur like me tries to make it, but since Stella encourages me so, I decide to take her up on it.
「Come on, Kureto is also here, why don’t you join us too, Nina?」
「Eeehー, well.....fine」
Instead of giving a cheerful reply, Nina nods while making a subtle look on her face.
That's a rare, reluctant attitude from Nina.
She’s basically a bright girl, the type who seems to try anything if it looks interesting.
As I doubtfully look at her, Stella whispers to me.
「Her skill itself was not bad, but she just doesn’t seem suited to work that requires her to sit still」
「I see」
「She usually hates it, but she’s very obedient today because Kureto-san is here」
It seems like the reason she strongly encouraged me to participate is also to get Nina to join us too.
In Howling Village, women who are skilled in making baskets are popular, so this is probably a mother’s way to care for her daughter.
Perhaps it's because Stella has been making baskets until just now that there are already a lot of materials and tools for making them on the table.
「This branch is a little damp, isn’t it?」
「We soaked it in water to make it harder to break, to soften it」
I see, so it's a method to make it easier to weave, huh.
I hadn’t known that such a preparation is required to make a basket.
Strong branches and twigs from lilac, elm tree, asian hazel, and Japanese ash are used to make the bottom of the basket, while soft ones such as raspberry, rose, and clematis are apparently used to make the sides.
I have no idea they carefully used different trees depending on their characteristics.
「First, group the vertical strips into flat bundles of four and cross them over each other. Wind the long vines around the vertical, crossed strips to fix them in place――」
Seeing Stella weaving the branches and twigs while explaining, I also wove them to copy her.
However, I can't weave them neatly like Stella, weaving them smoothly.
Her branches wove through smoothly but mine don’t weave through the way I want them to.
「Ah, it broke」
I try again using a new branch after collecting myself together, but a loud snapping sound still resounds.
「It broke again!」
「Ufufu, that’s how it is at first. Don’t worry about it and please try it as many times as you want」
Stella looks at me struggling with a smile on her face.
It seems to be the path everyone took when making a basket. Although I feel considerable guilt for ruining the materials for making the basket, I decide to take up on her offer and continue.
「Kureto, it will become neater if you add a little more strength in that part 」
Just as I am weaving them while struggling hard, Nina gives me some advice.
When I try doing it as she said, the branch goes through perfectly and neatly.
「Oh, you’re right. Thank you, Nina」
「Ehehe」
Nina smiled shyly when I sincerely thank her.
Once the base is done, the next step is weaving the branches around it. I continue weaving the branches on the sides so the basket can start to stand up straight.
「It feels like making a basket at this point」
「Yes, I also like this process the most, gradually making it shape」
At first, I wondered whether it was possible to make a basket with this method? I had my doubts, but as Stella and Nina said, the shape seemed to start taking shape.
Seeing the shape of the basket starting to form is interesting as I continue weaving.
Once I have woven it until it's tall enough to the desired height, I sharpen the remaining vertical strips with a knife and insert them into the gaps. And now a fine basket is complete――
「Doesn’t look good」
The basket I made is uneven in shape and weave. It's also warped in places, even when placed on the table, the left side starts leaning to the side.
「No no, Kureto-san is quite talented for a beginner」
「Is that so?」
「Since people who are not good at it will not be able to form the shape no matter what. I think Kureto-san has an impressive talent since you were able to complete it」
「Right, right! Even I gave up! I think it’s amazing Kureto can unexpectedly do it!」
It's my first time making a basket, but the experienced Stella and Nina said those so it might be so. Seeing the basket with poor craftsmanship, I feel like my depressed mind lightens.
「Still, the basket Nina made is good, isn’t it」
The basket placed in front of Nina is neatly woven and pretty, with no distortions, different from mine.
「Ehー? Is that so? But, compared to the ones kaasan made, mine is ordinary」
At Nina’s reply, my eyes turned toward Stella’s.
There's a fine basket over there.
The weave is so neat and orderly that it hardly seemed handmade. Above all, the entire silhouette is pretty, and you can't feel any distortions at all. It's so stylish with its patterned design on the side.
While we are struggling to make one, she's already making one with a variation, with a different shape.
Honestly, she is a pro already. It's at a level where it can be sold at a specialty store in the royal capital.
You will end up falling into self-deprecation, and your work will not be worth that much with such a mother close by, so it's understandable.
「That might be so, but it’s still amazing for Nina to be able to make such a product considering your age. Having seen all sorts of products in the course of my merchant work, but Nina’s basket is on the level that could be sold」
「Eh, really!?」
「Yeah, really」
If anything, Nina’s basket is far better in quality if you went around the nearby town and compared it to the baskets sold there.
「Heeー, so it’s like that! Ehehe」
Nina broke into a smile when I tell her that fact.
It seems that she is happy knowing that her skill in basket making is higher than she had previously thought.
She continues to make a new basket while humming, seemingly in a good mood.
Stella gives me a small nod, seeing her appearance like that.
Rather than lacking in will, she's probably just lacks self-confidence and motivation.
It might be easier to accept it when a third-party observer says that to her rather than someone close to you
Whether she is good at making baskets or not, what matters most is that Nina has started to enjoy making them. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
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