Baby Squirrel Is Good at Everything

Pirina’s lips twitched in irritation as she was cut off. She let out a mocking laugh and spoke with a sneer.

“Oh? So you finally understand? Well, I suppose it took you a while. You don’t have much of an eye for these things yet.”

“No.”

“…What?”

“I don’t think that at all.”

Pirina’s lips twisted in amusement as she fanned herself, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Oh? Really? This victory banquet isn’t just going to be attended by the locals who are used to this level of refinement.”

As a grand event, nobles from major territories across the kingdom were expected to send representatives.

“Do you really think you can prepare a sophisticated banquet without my help?”

For once, Pirina’s arrogance wasn’t entirely unfounded.

Hmph! I came perfectly prepared from the capital.

With the true master of the Aslan household returning, Count Zelot’s influence—who had been acting as a steward—was bound to dwindle.

That meant she had to plant as many of her people as possible before his authority shrank further.

Offering to help with the banquet preparations was simply another part of her plan.

A large banquet requires many hands.

Slipping in a few so-called ‘experts on capital trends’ wouldn’t be difficult at all.

“I even brought an artisan who crafts tea desserts favored by the royal family.”

This artisan had been specially supported by the Queen to infiltrate the Aslan household.

Royal tastes dictated the trends of the entire kingdom.

While fashion and customs typically trickled down from the capital to the frontier cities months later, debuting royal preferences in a northern banquet was a rare and prestigious opportunity.

“A royal supplier?”

“I heard that such artisans are booked years in advance, even for banquets in the capital.”

The surrounding staff murmured in surprise.

Encouraged by their reactions, Pirina looked down at Beatty triumphantly.

“Now do you understand? Even in this backwater region, a refined capital noble like myself can bring dignity to—”

“We don’t need it.”

“…What?”

For a moment, Pirina thought she had misheard.

But she hadn’t.

Beatty repeated herself clearly, her voice unwavering.

“We don’t need your help.”

“Hah! Do you still not get it? The people I brought are experts on the latest capital trends. Do you have any idea how valuable that is—”

“There’s no need to bring in trends from the capital.”

Hearing her offer rejected once again, Pirina bit her lip in frustration.

Beatty stood her ground and spoke confidently.

“We can start a trend here.”

“…What?”

Pirina burst into laughter, as if she had just heard the most ridiculous nonsense.

Hah! She’s still just a child. She has no idea what she’s talking about.

Smirking, Pirina raised her chin and spoke condescendingly.

“You’ll come begging for my help soon enough… But don’t worry, I am merciful.”

“……”

“I look forward to seeing you realize your mistake and running back to me.”

Laughing aloud, Pirina turned and left.

Beatty didn’t bother responding.

Beg her for help? Please.

If there was anyone who knew Pirina’s true nature, it was her.

Watching her aunt’s retreating figure with an expression of indifference, Beatty suddenly heard Carl’s voice beside her.

“Want me to cut her down?”

At first, he had held back, thinking Tailfur wanted to handle things herself. But after that, he had barely restrained himself, with his hand constantly twitching toward his sword, only stopping each time Tailfur shot him a look.

But Pirina’s constant arrogance was getting on his nerves.

As Beatty frantically shook her head—because, obviously, she couldn’t let her brother become a kin-slayer—

“……”

Aether, meanwhile, silently observed Pirina’s retreating figure and then turned his gaze toward Beatty with an unreadable expression.

Later

“My lady!”

“Ah, Johanna.”

Beatty flinched slightly upon meeting Johanna’s tearful eyes.

“Huff… My lady, you are so kind. Truly…”

For the next while, Beatty found herself drowning in a flood of praise—‘the cutest, the most beautiful, the kindest, the most thoughtful’—to the point where she inwardly wondered who Johanna was even talking about.

Once Johanna finally calmed herself, she spoke hesitantly.

“But, my lady…”

She seemed to struggle with how to phrase her words.

“I am deeply grateful that you care so much for the North. But actually…”

…Actually, we really are behind on trends!

People from other regions always mock us for looking outdated.

Not that we care about the opinions of fragile nobles who would cry if they had to spend even one day in the mountains…@@novelbin@@

But how do I say this in a way that won’t hurt the young lady’s feelings or dampen her enthusiasm?

As Johanna deliberated, Beatty, understanding her hesitation, gently patted her hand.

“Don’t worry.”

“Huh?”

“We’re really going to make the North set the trend.”

Rustle, rustle.

Speaking with unwavering confidence, Beatty dug into her acorn-shaped bag and pulled something out.

Actually, I had prepared this in case I needed to convince people during the meeting…

But unexpectedly, the proposal had passed almost unanimously, so she hadn’t even needed to use it.

“Johanna.”

Swish.

Holding up a large bundle of thread, Beatty’s black eyes sparkled as she asked,

“Are you good with ropes?”

On the Day of the Banquet

“How long has it been since a banquet was held in the Ducal Estate?”

“With the war finally over, it’s finally starting to feel real.”

As the guests chatted excitedly in the grand hall, Count Muscat surveyed his surroundings.

Hmph. It’s large, sure…

As a noble with lands near the capital, he found the event somewhat underwhelming.

The grandeur of the ducal estate itself was impressive, but a banquet was about offering a unique and novel experience.

There’s no way these northern folks have any sense of refinement.

Although he had made the long journey to avoid getting on the Aslan family’s bad side, he had no expectations for the banquet itself.

I suppose I’ll have to find some way to compliment this event… Ugh, that’s going to be a pain.

With that mindset, Count Muscat walked toward the banquet hall—when something at the entrance caught his eye.

“…Hmm?”

Narrowing his eyes, he carefully examined the peculiar decoration hanging above the entryway.

“…Rope?”

Unlike the usual lacework seen in aristocratic halls, thick ropes had been intricately woven into elegant knotwork, forming decorative tassels draped across the entrance.

“This… I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

By incorporating something as rugged as battlefield ropework into delicate banquet decorations, it created a striking balance between boldness and beauty.

“…Hah. And here too?”

As Count Muscat stepped inside, his gaze swept across the hall, noting the walls and banquet tables adorned with the same distinctive patterns.

He wasn’t the only one.

Throughout the room, guests from various regions murmured in intrigue, taking in the unique aesthetic of the decorations.

The nobles of the North, seeing their reactions, smirked with satisfaction.

“Heh. Look at them. Their eyes are practically popping out.”

“Of course. This was designed by none other than— Wait, what was it called again?”

“Sigh. You fool. Macramé.”

“Right, right. Macramé. What a perfect blend of strength and elegance!”

“It suits the North’s character perfectly.”

Beaming with pride, the northern nobles collectively declared,

“All thanks to our young lady!”

A Few Days Ago

At the banquet planning meeting, Beatty unveiled the sample she had prepared.

“This is my proposal for the new banquet decorations—macramé.”

“…Macramé?”

“Have you heard of it?”

As murmurs filled the room, Beatty lifted a small rope and demonstrated.

“You create patterns by tying knots in different ways.”

“Ooh, I’m good at tying knots.”

“Hah! Back in my day, I tied up prisoners so well they couldn’t even cut through the ropes with a blade.”

“…Can you stop exaggerating?”

Most of the vassals present had experience in war, and soon, the conversation turned into a contest of who could tie the best knots.

“I once tied up a prisoner so well that even a sword couldn’t cut the ropes. He had no choice but to come crawling back, begging me to untie him.”

“Oh, please. That’s nothing! Back in my day—”

Amidst their boasting, Beatty observed them with a confident expression.

They were all so used to handling ropes that it almost seemed second nature to them.

With a steady voice, she spoke up.

“All of you are skilled at tying knots, aren’t you?”

“Of course!”

“That’s a testament to the effort you’ve put into defending the northern borders.”

The young lady’s well-placed flattery immediately had the vassals grinning in satisfaction.

“What I’m suggesting is that we incorporate this northern characteristic into the banquet hall itself.”

“…The banquet hall?”

“Yes. If we decorate the hall using rope knotwork, it will allow guests to experience the bold, untamed spirit of the North.”

“The bold spirit of the North…”

Hearing their land described in such a dignified manner, the vassals nodded in approval, their expressions pleased.

“This single decoration will completely transform the atmosphere of the banquet.”

Beatty was sure of it.

After all, it was about to happen very soon.