Maria made some more sandwiches and put them in the kitchen, just because she was worried that she would be hungry in the afternoon, as she was used to eating three meals a day. Now, if Simon needed it, she would naturally take it out.
"No, these are enough." Simon shook his hand. He was full, but the food was so delicious that he couldn't stop eating. She was worthy of being the woman he liked...
He once again praised Maria's cooking skills, thinking that even in the palace, it was impossible to eat such delicious food.
In response, Maria could only smile awkwardly but politely.
After lunch, everyone went about their own business. After a while, the housekeeper informed Maria that the tailor had arrived.
The tailor was the personal tailor for the Gonzalez family, living in a nearby town. Upon receiving the butler's notice, he spent the entire morning gathering his tools before rushing over with his apprentice. Along with the tailor, a shoemaker had also arrived. They not only brought fabrics and leather to create custom clothing for Maria, but also brought a few ready-made outfits and shoes.
This was a timely solution for Maria, who had been wearing Eleanor's clothes, which didn't fit well and had no replacements. The clothes and shoes they brought were just right—Maria suspected they might have known her measurements in advance and made adjustments accordingly, considering how well the waistline and shoe size fit.
Maria's main requirement for the shoes was comfort. She couldn't get used to the clown-like pointed shoes that were in fashion at the time. She requested the shoemaker to remove the excessively long pointed tips and opted for a style more akin to modern leather shoes.
"If possible, could you raise the heel a bit, something like this?"
To help the shoemaker understand her request, Maria asked the butler for parchment and used a quill to draw a pair of shoes with block heels.
"The heel shouldn't be too high, about three centimeters—roughly the width of three fingers placed together. Also, I'd like some anti-slip patterns carved on the sole, like these."
She quickly sketched a few common designs on the side.
"Is it possible to make these?"
The shoemaker carefully examined the parchment. Though Maria wasn't a professional artist, she had some training in the arts, so her drawings were clear and easy to understand. While pointed shoes had become fashionable in Europe by this time, they weren't as exaggerated as they would be in later centuries, so the shoemaker had experience with making rounded leather shoes. However, he had never made shoes with heels before.
Nevertheless, the shoemaker assured her, with his professional expertise, that such shoes could indeed be made.
He cautiously asked Maria, "My lady, what material should the heel be made of? Wouldn't gold or silver be too heavy?"
The shoemaker was the best in the entire Andalus County and had fulfilled many orders for the noble ladies who were fond of embedding numerous gemstones and gold or silver into their shoes. He assumed the lady before him, Maria, might have similar tastes.
"Gold or silver?" Maria's lips twitched slightly. "No, I think wood will do just fine. You can try using some sturdy yet lightweight wood. If that doesn't work, just make a regular sole."
"And what about decorations?" the shoemaker asked.
"No, just plain leather will be fine. No need for anything too fancy," Maria replied as she glanced down at her shoes. If she required such flashy footwear, she could easily make them herself.
The shoemaker also glanced at her shoes. In fact, since the moment he saw Maria, his eyes kept drifting toward her footwear. It was the first time he had seen shoes like these—they were not made of leather, yet their craftsmanship was something he had never encountered before.
Maria then drew a few more shoe designs, ordering both ankle boots and long boots. The shoemaker indicated that, aside from the sole, which he needed to carefully consider, everything else could be made. Satisfied, Maria inquired about the price.
Since Maria's shoes didn't require excessive decoration and primarily used leather, they weren't overly expensive. However, she placed a large order and demanded high-quality leather, so after calculating, the shoemaker quoted a price of ten silver coins.
Maria had already figured out that, at this time in Europe, although the names of currencies varied by country, the exchange rates were consistent: 1 gold coin = 20 silver coins = 200 large copper coins.
The purchasing power of these currencies was surprisingly strong for that era.
One copper coin is enough for an adult civilian's daily food expenses (two meals), although in reality civilians may not earn one silver coin a month, and they are more accustomed to bartering most of the time.
So the price of ten silver coins offered by the shoemaker is not cheap.
But Maria, who has a small gold mountain, can afford it.
She directly took out a small piece of gold and gave it to the shoemaker: "Can I pay with this?"
The gold Maria got from the system was in the shape of modern gold coins, and it was 50g a piece according to the standard of the 21st world, and the weight of the gold coin at this time was about 5 grams, that is, Maria's one gold coin can be exchanged for 10 gold coins.
That is to say, she is now a super-rich woman.
Even Simon, as a Duke, only earned around 5,000 gold coins a year from his estate. When Maria realized this, her jaw nearly dropped. After that, she no longer worried about running out of money.
Before meeting the shoemaker, Maria had specifically asked the system to help her divide one gold coin into ten equal parts. Now, she took out one piece, which was perfect for paying as a single gold coin.
In reality, due to the varying circumstances of different countries, the gold coins of the Iberia Empire were slightly under the standard 5 grams, typically around 4.5 grams. Moreover, due to limitations in craftsmanship, they didn't even meet the later 24-karat pure gold standard. Therefore, the piece of 100% pure gold Maria offered was far more valuable than a regular gold coin.
The shoemaker couldn't immediately tell the purity of the gold, but after taking it in hand, he could clearly feel that it was heavier than the gold coins he was used to handling. After biting the gold to confirm its authenticity, he was overjoyed and began to flatter Maria's generosity. However, he mentioned that he didn't have enough silver coins on him, so he might need her to send someone with him to fetch the change.
Maria intended to tell him that he could just bring the change the next time he delivered the shoes, thinking that such a reputable shoemaker wouldn't cheat her. But before she could speak, Pedro, the butler, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward. He took the gold from the shoemaker's hand and respectfully said to Maria, "Miss Maria, the Duke has instructed that all your expenses within the castle are to be covered by him."
In other words, Maria didn't need to pay; Simon would cover her costs.
Maria immediately refused, saying, "No, I'm already very grateful that the Duke allows me to stay here temporarily. How could I let him pay for my expenses? I'll cover these costs myself."
Pedro tried to persuade her a few more times, but seeing her firm stance, he had to give up. However, he did not return the gold to the shoemaker. Instead, he pulled out ten silver coins from his own pocket, handed them to the shoemaker, and then gave another ten silver coins back to Maria.