01x15 - Sugar Confections in the Service of Others

[bunniefuu]

I want the Paige Workshop to participate
in this year's festival selection.

If we do, then perhaps this workshop will,
just like the old days—

No.

What?

We will not participate.

Oh, but...

But why? It would serve as an opportunity
to rebuild this workshop!

Because it was decided
by the previous master.

It was decided?

We are the ones who used to create the
Holy Beginnings Festival sugar confections.

But the previous monarch changed
the policies around them.

The selections began
and we were never once chosen.

What?

The one who decided to stop
participating was the last master,

my father.

The royal family and the kingdom's religion
look down on the Paige Workshop.

This was my father's way of opposing them.
I cannot be the one to change that.

Why were you never chosen again?

This conversation is over.

If you'll excuse me.

I think there is a reason for it.

There is some reason why the Paige
Workshop stopped being chosen!

Right now, the workshop is
in need of something!

I would like you to allow us to participate
in the selection so we can find what that is!

I cannot change my father's policies.

It isn't just my father's policies.

That which we have inherited
from past masters must not be changed.

But what will you do if past masters
were mistaken in their decisions?

Mistaken?

You're trying to tell me that the decisions
made by past masters were mistakes?

That's disrespectful, Anne.

I think that everyone makes mistakes.

But that isn't something to be ashamed of.

Anne, do you realize what you're saying?

You are insulting our workshop.

You're saying that we are
perpetuating past mistakes,

that our traditions are mistakes.

But Mister Glen, right now,
you are insulting me.

What?

Right now, I am the Master of Artisans
of the Paige Workshop.

And yet you just said "our workshop."

The way you said it sounded to me as though
I am not a part of the Paige Workshop.

In truth, you are not one of our artisans.

No! I am an artisan of the Paige Workshop!

You said that I was,
that you had high hopes for me,

that I had responsibilities
as a silver sugar master!

Which is why, as a silver sugar master,
I am trying to fulfill my responsibilities.

I am trying to rebuild the workshop!

Because that is my job!

Elliott?

It's nothing. I'm sorry.

I will escort Anne out.

If you discuss this any further,
I think Mister Glen might have an att*ck.

But Mister Collins!

Come, come. You can continue this next time!

My, that was splendid!

To think that you would defy Mister Glen.

We could never even imagine such a thing!

If you think that there's something wrong
with what Mister Glen is saying,

then you could offer
your opinion, couldn't you?

If we thought there was
something wrong, that is.

Everyone who's still here either feels
a deep debt of gratitude toward Mister Glen,

or a deep sense of admiration for him.

My mom was a cook here at the main house.

She raised me and my older sister on her own.

But when I was seven,
she fell ill and couldn't work anymore.

The one who extended a helping hand
to me back then was Mister Glen.

Being a child, I wasn't much help with
anything, but he took me on as an apprentice.

He even paid me wages.

Everyone here is like me in some way.
They're here because Mister Glen is here.

Everyone?

Yes. Everyone.

Excuse us.

May we have a moment?

It should work now.

Thank you so much!

We'll hurry and prepare your meals.

Sorry to bother you while you're working.

If that's how you feel,
then you should have done it.

But you're the one in charge of
the maintenance for it, right?

Honestly. You've been this way
since you were a child.

What? Orland, you've been here that long, too?

That's right! The two of us have known
each other quite a long time, you know?

My dad was an artisan here.

When my dad d*ed,
Mister Glen took me in. That's why.

And the reason he doesn't cut his hair
is because he made a wish. Right?

What?

He wants Mister Glen
to be cured of his illness.

Hey!

What's going on here? A fight?

I'm so hungry!

What's this?

Uh-oh. The scary one is here.

King used to be a ruffian so tough
that no one could handle him.

And then Mister Glen hired him.

That was all a long time ago.

I suppose that the way he accepted me
and Nadir is the same, in a sense.

He took you in when you couldn't pay your
tuition anymore. Am I remembering rightly?

Yes. He acknowledged me for who I am,
in spite of my being obstinate.

Yeah. I mean, he even took in
a foreigner like me.

Mister Glen really is broad-minded, isn't he?

Anne, we should go, too.

Yes.

Is something wrong?

Mister Glen values pride and history.

Everyone adores and follows him.

I was wondering if some things are hard to see
precisely because they're so dear to you.

If only everyone's feelings
could link together properly.

Well... there are some things that
no one can do anything about.

But those are the times when people put
their wishes into sugar confections, right?

Now, let's go eat dinner!

Everyone, gather around!

What's this?

I've started wanting to feel
some silver sugar in my hands.

Orland, King, if you could
continue your work, please.

Nadir, Valentine, make something
from this and show it to me.

I want you to show me your skills!

Putting their wishes into...

Incredible!

Surprising, isn't it?

This thing of Valentine's is his favorite
shape. According to him, it's math.

Nadir says the more detailed
the work is, the more he loves it.

Customers who fell in love with that aspect of
his work have come to request pieces from him.

I can see that happening. I really can.

Mister Glen!

Mister Glen! You should be lying down!

I'm all right.

The wonderful scent of silver sugar...

When I come here, my spirits are lifted.

Orland, King, Valentine, Nadir, and Anne.

I say this as the master of the Paige Workshop.

Our Workshop has rejected the idea of
the Holy Beginnings Festival selection process.

However, this year,
I think we should participate.

Is it all right for us to participate?

Just once.

If we are not selected,
then we will never participate again!

Anne, we will also have you leave this place.

And that fairy will, of course, belong to me.

It is true that I chose you
to be our Head of Artisans.

And you said that you would take
responsibility for your position.

Yes, sir.

I take full responsibility as the Head
of Artisans for the Paige Workshop.

The way I did that to her, I must...

Challe!

Have you finished your work?

No.

There's something I wanted to tell you, Challe.

Earlier, Mister Glen decided that

we can participate in the selection
for the Holy Beginnings Festival.

But...

What is it?

If we aren't chosen, I will have
to quit my work here.

And he won't give your wing back to me, Challe.

But I told him that would be fine...

because I think that entering
the selection is necessary.

And that's why...

If you feel it is necessary, then it is fine.

Are you sure? If we aren't chosen
in the selection, then you'll...

You told me to trust in you and wait.

So, whatever you do...

I will trust and wait.

Challe...

Thank you. I'll do my very best.

And even if we aren't chosen, don't worry.

No matter what happens, I will not
fail to retrieve your wing, Challe.

I am not worried.

I see.

Well, now!

I know this is sudden, but the magnificence
that is myself has remembered an urgent matter!

I'll be heading back now,

but you both should stay
a little longer and look at the lake!

It's the perfect weather for holding hands
and hugging and even kissing!

What? Mithril Lid Pod!

I'll be going! Do your best,
you two! Anne, in particular!

I never asked for your advice!

No, that's not it! I don't know
what he's talking about, do you?

No idea whatsoever!

Wait right there, Mithril Lid Pod!

What kind of sugar confection would be
worthy of the Holy Beginnings Festival?

Maybe a motif using the Twelve
Patron Saints or the founding king?

What? I don't like things that are too big.
They're clumsy and unattractive, right?

Besides, statues of saints are boring.

Plants are better because you can
use colors, don't you think?

Plants in the winter?

If the founding king is the standard,
then we'll do that.

Um, well...

The bigger the better!

No, we'll do plants!

I want to do something really detailed!

Wait just a moment!

The founding king.

Everyone, you're only talking about
what you're imagining

based on what you want to make!

What?

Aren't you going to entrust
the selection piece to one of us?

Oh, that's right! Please excuse my rudeness.

King, you have it wrong.
Anne is going to make it.

Really?

No, but...

Until now, each job has been
entrusted to a single artisan,

but this time, I'm thinking of
changing the way things are done.

Changing?

That's right!

The five of us will decide
what sort of sugar confection to make,

and then I thought the five of us
would make it together.

The five of us?

I don't think all of
our perspectives will align.

And why is there any need
for them to align in the first place?

I've been thinking about this.

Anything that everyone decides is good...

will have everyone's
best aspects packed into it, won't it?

And I thought that it might be something
that a lot of people would choose.

If such a thing exists.

We won't know until we search for it!

But what do we do?

We can gab like this all we want,
but we'll never agree on anything.

The things we want to make
and the things we like are just too different.

Well, is there anyone who knows

what has been made for
the Holy Beginnings Festival in the past?

It would be nice if we could
find a hint within that information.

Now that you mention it...

These are the journals of previous
generations of masters.

They aren't things I would
ever want to read, though.

Why not?

You'll know once you take a look.

Sorry, I have things to attend to.

I'll be back tomorrow!

I'll help you out after I've returned.

All right! Let's divide them up and read them!

If we read them together,
we'll be done in no time!

I don't know about that.

Is this some kind of incantation?

These journals are old,
so the speech patterns are old, too.

These are difficult to read.

I can't read 'em.

I can't either! Even if I tried
until I d*ed, I couldn't!

I can read them.

I can manage them, too.

I can, too. So, three of us.

The selection is in less than two weeks.
What should we do?

All we can do is divide them up and read.

Three is better than none. Let's get started.

I-If you would, please.

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

It's all right.

That looks like difficult reading.

Hal, you can read it?

No.

To read something like this, you have to
have gone to school and studied in earnest.

In that case, Miss Bridget
might be able to read it!

I haven't seen her lately, though.

Apparently, she hasn't left her room at all.

Really? Going out a bit
would be better for her.

That's true.

Who's there?

Challe?

I'm sorry. It's me, Anne.

Miss Bridget, there's something I was
hoping you might help me with, so I...

Help you?

Yes. We're reading the previous
masters' journals, but it's difficult.

So, I thought that if you
would help, Miss Bridget...

If I helped, would Challe come here?

That's up to Challe...

so I can't answer that.

If Challe won't come...

then I won't help.

I understand.

W-Wait!

Here!

As I thought of you, Miss Bridget...
I ended up making a little bird.

For me?

I don't want it.

If you don't like it, then please
break it and dispose of it.

You know that I couldn't possibly
do something like that!

That's why I can't accept it!

I will never accept it.

Orland?

What were you doing there?

What about you?

I... wanted to give this to Miss Bridget.

And I thought that she might
help with reading the journals.

You really are unpretentious, aren't you?

She would never accept that from you,
and she'll never help you.

But, Orland, you were taking that
to Miss Bridget, too, weren't you?

This is a simple apology.

An apology?

The one who stole Challe's wing
and put it by Mister Glen's pillow was me.

What? Wait. That was you, Orland?

Why? I mean...

And Miss Bridget said it was
a spot no one else knew about.

They've forgotten, that's all.

Long ago, when we were little,
we often played together.

Back then, she even showed me
where her secret hiding spot was.

So that's why...

She was going to become
a sugar artisan, so we were comrades.

She said that's why we
should share our secrets, too.

She was a good, cheerful child.

And yet...

Bridget as she is now is the worst.

Watching her infuriates me.

The way she treated Challe was the same.

That's why I took the wing.

So, the thing that changed Miss Bridget was

having the path of
a sugar artisan forbidden to her?

Why, even though we're both girls,

is it all right for me,
but not for the master's daughter?

If the master's children become
sugar artisans, they inherit the workshop.

Being the master is hard enough work.
It would be even harder for a woman.

You know the situation that
our school is in, don't you?

Mister Glen didn't want to
put his daughter in a position

that he knew was so difficult.

There it is again.

Each person's emotions
aren't linking properly with reality.

Well, there are some things
that no one can do anything about.

But those are the times when people put
their wishes into sugar confections, right?

That's right.

All a person can do is wish.

For me?

Say, Orland.

You made that for Miss Bridget, didn't you?

Orland, you can make really impactful pieces,

but when it's for Miss Bridget's sake, then
you can make lovely pieces like this, too.

If it's in service of someone else, then...

What we've learned from reading the journals...

is that the sugar confections
the Paige Workshop wanted to make...

and the opinions of the kingdom's religion
sometimes conflicted and caused issues.

That's how the festival
selection process was created.

So, what does that mean?

That we have to make a piece that will
curry favor with the kingdom's religion?

Not at all.

Let's make something we all want to make.

To help Mister Glen!

Mister Glen made the decision
to enter the selection

because he wants to protect the workshop.

So I think we should make
something to help Mister Glen,

to help the workshop continue.

There, in the Saint Lewiston Bell Church,

Mister Glen will see
the sugar confection on display...

and he'll feel proud and happy.
Let's make that kind of a piece.

The Holy Beginnings Festival, huh?

Now that I think about it,

Mister Glen always hopes for snow
on the night of the festival.

He says that snow will lead us
into a whole new world.

I've heard that snow is
a motif that Mister Glen favors.

So, Mister Glen likes snow?

In that case, let's make snow!
Let's make the snow that Mister Glen loves!

Someone! Someone come quickly!

Please! Anyone!

Hey, that's...

Mister Collins!

Sugar Confections in the Service of Others

The First Silver Sugar