"Did you already get the black silk?"
When I told Jerry, the chief engineer, that I had brought back black silk from Morris, her eyes widened in shock, and her mouth dropped open.
"Yeah, I got it," I said.
The large wooden crates, carried by Morris's servants, were filled with piles of jet-black silk. There were ten crates, so it was quite a haul.
"How much did all this cost, Lord Seiou?"
"Oh, it was free," I replied.
"Free…"
Jerry looked like she might faint, and I quickly steadied her.
"Morris, the famously stingy merchant, gave all these expensive silk for free? I can't believe it," she said.
"It's true," I assured her.
Jerry clutched her head, dizzy with disbelief. She's had a tough time, hasn't she?
"What kind of trick did Lord Seiou use?"
"That's a trade secret," I said.
No way could I admit that I had Iris perform a sexual favor.
While Jerry was still reeling, the young seamstresses eagerly opened the crates and started handling the black silk.
