Olga's dress, however, had not been dyed with Tyrian purple; Franz had no taste for wasting money. In fact, it had been dyed with purple yam, thanks to several Japanese swindlers.
The Japanese swindlers had noticed the scarcity of purple garments in the Austrian Empire. They brought in some purple yam from Japan, dyed cloth using a special folk method, then sold it at exorbitant prices to Austrian merchants and officials.
The swindlers had nearly succeeded, but unfortunately, word reached Franz. Once the Shogunate received the news, it promptly dealt with the matter. Every last swindler was brought to justice, along with their so-called secret recipes.
The dyeing materials were almost entirely foodstuffs, so there was no need to worry about toxicity. The only problem was that this dye faded with extreme ease. It did not even need washing—leave the clothes sitting for a few days, and their color would change.
This was naturally due to oxidation, but it was not a serious issue. As long as it was kept in a vacuum, discoloration could be prevented.
And it was perfectly ordinary for an empress to wear a garment for only one day. As long as the dress held out through the opening ceremony, it would be flawless.
Clearly, Franz had succeeded. Olga became the focus of every noblewoman and young lady at the opening ceremony. Even Queen Victoria could not help but cast a sidelong glance her way—after all, even she did not own a dress so expensive.
Prince Albert saw the envy and jealousy in his wife's eyes and quietly comforted her.
"What is there to envy? Have you forgotten the tale of the beheaded queen? The Austrians are still just as incapable of learning their lesson."
Only after hearing Prince Albert's words did Victoria withdraw her gaze.