Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 649

Chapter 649 A Worthwhile Visit

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Before coming to Daskmoor Manor, Leander had assumed this would be a simple errand. At most, he expected to deliver the proposed names, listen to a few comments from the Duchess of Duskmoor, and then quietly leave. Never once had he imagined she would begin asking about his earlier work with the Ministry of the King’s Works.

Then again, after thinking it over, the questions were not entirely surprising.

The Royal Weaving Bureau supplied silks, brocades, ceremonial velvets, and court garments for the royal household. A duchess like Elowen naturally would have an interest in fine fabrics and elegant craftsmanship.

Perhaps she merely wanted to know what styles were currently fashionable in Vanelle.

The thought crossed his mind quietly, though none of it showed on his face. His expression settled smoothly back into calm professionalism as he answered, “Your Grace is correct. I spent several years assisting the Ministry of the King’s Works, and during that time I was involved in a number of affairs connected to the Royal Weaving Bureau in Vanelle.”

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As he spoke, Scarlet entered carrying fresh coffee.

Leander heard the soft approach of footsteps and glanced over instinctively. The moment he saw her, his attention lingered without meaning to.

She wore a pale lavender gown layered beneath a fitted short jacket of the same shade. The fabric itself was plain and unremarkable, but her figure carried the clothing with effortless grace, turning something simple into something unexpectedly elegant.

Scarlet stepped beside the table and turned slightly as she lowered the tray.

From that angle, Leander saw her clearly for the first time.

Her hair had been gathered into a simple twisted knot secured with nothing more than a slim silver pin. Tiny pearl earrings rested beneath her ears, delicate as drops of cream.

Her features were soft and refined, with a graceful nose and smooth jawline that suited her calm expression perfectly.

One hand steadied the lid of the cup while the other tilted it carefully, allowing warm amber coffee to pour into the waiting cups. Steam drifted upward between her slender pale fingers, and for a brief moment the entire scene looked alinost unreal, like something painted onto parchment,

Elowen’s voice broke the silence gently.

“I’ve recently been thinking about a few matters involving textiles and weaving, so I was wondering whether Leander might be willing to advise me on a few things.”

Leander came back to himself a beat later and inclined his head respectfully.

“If Your Grace has need of me, I’ll gladly help however I can.”

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Chapter 649 A Worthwhile Visit

Elowen rested one hand lightly against the arm of her chair. “What exactly did you oversee while working at the bureau?”

Leander answered carefully, “I once served as deputy overseer there for a time. Most of my responsibilities involved managing yearly production quotas and coordinating the bureau’s daily operations. Nothing particularly glamorous, honestly. It was mostly a matter of passing orders along and making sure the different workshops stayed organized.”

Elowen’s interest visibly sharpened. “Yearly production quotas? Roughly how much cloth does the bureau produce in a normal year?”

“That depends on the court’s needs,” Leander explained. “During ordinary years, production usually stays around five thousand bolts. But when the royal household is preparing for major ceremonies such as weddings, jubilees, or coronation feasts, the numbers can easily double.”

He paused briefly before continuing.

“The bureau alone doesn’t have enough craftsmen to handle that kind of dernand, so during especially busy years part of the work is distributed to private weaving houses throughout the kingdom. The crown supplies the silk and dyes, while the workshops are paid according to completed production.”

Elowen listened attentively and nodded thoughtfully before asking another question.

“And how many craftsmen currently work under the bureau?”

Leander considered for a moment. “At its height, the Vanelle bureau operated more than three hundred looms and employed over a thousand craftsmen. But over the past few years, His Majesty has encouraged restraint throughout the court, so expenses have been reduced and several divisions were dissolved.”

He continued steadily, “At present there are probably around two hundred looms remaining, along with seven or eight hundred craftsmen. The workers are divided according to duty. One division focuses on fabrics intended for the royal household itself, while another produces ceremonial cloths used for noble rewards and official gifts. Each workshop handles its own responsibilities separately.”

“Seven or eight hundred…” Elowen repeated softly, as though carefully weighing the number in her mind. Then she asked, “Where do these craftsmen come from? Are they trained by the crown?”

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“Most belong to hereditary trades,” Leander replied. “The skills are passed from one generation to the next within the same families. Occasionally the bureau recruits especially talented artisans from private guilds or village workshops, but those cases are relatively rare.”

He spoke more easily now that the topic had turned fully professional.

“Each craftsman specializes in something different. Some focus solely on weaving, others on dyeing. others on embroidery patterns or decorative detailing. The work is divided very precisely.”

Elowen listened quietly until he finished before continuing again.

“And who decides the designs?”

“The Royal Household Office approves the primary concepts first,” Leander explained. “After that, the bureau refines the patterns and prepares the full production drafts for the craftsmen. Fabrics intended for

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Chapter 649 A Worthwhile Visit

5 Pearls

the royal residence go through especially strict review. Sometimes the designs are revised repeatedly before His Majesty finally approves them.”

A faint smile crossed his face.”

“When His Majesty happens to be in a particularly good mood, he’ll occasionally suggest color pairings himself. Though honestly, the bureau’s designs have grown somewhat repetitive in recent years. The same motifs keep appearing over and over again. Crowns, gryphons, ivy scrollwork, heraldic crests. There’s very little that feels genuinely fresh anymore.”

That part, Elowen already knew.

She had seen enough pieces produced by the Royal Weaving Bureau to understand exactly what he meant.

At the same time, however, Leander had begun realizing something else.

The Duchess of Duskmoor clearly was not asking these questions out of simple curiosity about fashionable fabrics.

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