Chapter 39 - 39

Not long after, the designers came back into the reception room, each panting.

I was surprised they appeared so quickly, but they hadn't gone far.

'...Grandfather called them, so they couldn't just leave, but they were too scared of Charlize's aftermath or tyranny to go far, so they lingered around the area?'

A reasonable guess.

The designers' expressions showed hope that I had called them back.

I sat cross-legged and tapped my lips with my fingers.

My eyes curved beautifully.

Someone audibly gulped.

"Can you make anything?"

"Yes, yes! We can!"

"Please use our atelier, Biak!"

"We can do anything, no matter how unconventional!"

"Shh."

I looked around the now-quiet room with satisfaction.

Then, with a slight gesture, I called a nearby knight.

Today, Jet was nowhere to be seen, so another knight hesitantly approached.

"You, go and bring the designer belonging to the Dukedom of Lemut."

"...Pardon?"

I thought as I spoke, 'Oops'.

...Does that ducal house even have an exclusive designer?

Would that man have something like that?

He'd probably use the money for Aria's treatment.

'But a ducal house wouldn't have no designer at all.'

I rolled my eyes.

I quickly retracted the order I had just given.

"Ah, cancel that. Find out which designer makes the Duke of Lemut's clothes and bring them here."

"...C-Countess."

"Now."

The knight tried to say something, but seeing my sharp gaze, quickly bowed his head.

I didn't feel sorry for that knight.

Because he was one of the ones who had lifted me and dragged me away.

No, didn't all of them except Jet participate in forcibly taking me away?

'So the only useful one among the escort knights is that guy...'

Thanks to the knight running off in a panic, perhaps.

It didn't take as long as I thought for another designer, as pale as the knight, to be brought into my reception room.

Looking at the clock, I was quite surprised.

'I thought it would take longer than half a day...'

My fiance, thankfully for some reason, said he would attend the banquet with me, but there's a problem.

That man surely won't care about his clothes.

Of course, I'm not saying he dresses shabbily.

Always clean and neat, he'll dress appropriately for himself.

But the standards set by the tyrant brother won't be just any standards. He must have set them based on my fiance's situation.

So, what if my fiance comes dressed as he usually does, and then gets kicked out of the banquet due to the tyrant's trick?

A promising situation could be ruined.

Not just ruined, but death.

'That can't happen.'

Besides, would that man just stay put if he gets kicked out?

He'd be like 'What an opportunity!' and shout even louder for a breakup.

Oh, my!

I lifted my head sharply.

"You, you remember your client's measurements, right?"

The designer in charge of the Duke of Lemut, who was about to greet me the moment our eyes met, flinched.

He quickly nodded eagerly. 'Yes, yes, yes!' with a trembling voice as a bonus.

"Good. Give them the Duke of Lemut's measurements."

"...Yes. Pardon?!"

The designer in charge of the Duke of Lemut was a man with a timid impression.

He trembled, not knowing what to do.

But when I stared at him intently, he eventually closed his eyes tightly and approached the other designers, divulging all the measurements.

"You are all... renowned designers recognized by my grandfather, right?"

"..."

I smiled sweetly.

"Then making a single suit of men's clothing should be a piece of cake."

"C-Countess...!"

"You've heard the measurements."

I wiggled my finger.

"Make it."

The designers turned pale.

Unable to refuse my order, yet unable to escape, they were in a dilemma.

I gestured to Susan next to me.

"Bring 'that'."

"Yes, Countess!"

While waiting for the knight to bring my fiance's designer, I had given prior instructions to Susan and the maids.

Soon, the door opened, and Anna and Bess entered, followed by servants carefully carrying something.

As soon as it was set up, I spoke again.

"This is the dress I will wear at the upcoming Goddess's blessing banquet. Make a suit of men's clothing that will match this."

Even to me, who has Charlize's memories and knowledge, the dress was incredibly beautiful and well-made.

So how much more to the eyes of professionals.

I could feel the designers' eyes wide with surprise, and some even with envy, as they frantically examined the dress.

'Charlize sets the trends.'

Whether they like it or not, her notoriety is also fame, and young ladies her age secretly curse her while envying her.

The reason Grandfather called so many atelier owners and designers and had them bring a bundle was clear.

Moreover, I could also see how to use them.

"Grandfather will probably only order from the atelier I choose from now on."

"...A-are you saying that if we make the men's clothing and are chosen... you will only order from that atelier in the future?"

Someone dared to ask.

I didn't answer, just smiled, but that would have been seen as a positive sign to them.

"Well, it wouldn't be bad to settle down for a while with this opportunity, would it?"

At my words, the designers' eyes seemed to pop out stars.

Gasp, I was startled.

I averted my eyes from those who were gasping or fidgeting like puppies in front of a bone, pretending to be calm.

"Do you have any special instructions for my fiance's clothing?"

"Pardon? Yes? Oh... Well..."

"Tell them."

My fiance's designer nodded awkwardly.

As soon as permission was given, the designers surrounded the man.

He looked at me like prey caught by a pack of starving hagfish, but.

I'm sorry. But they probably won't hurt you...

Fighting...

Soon after, I subtly tossed a pouch of gold coins to my fiance's designer as payment for being dragged here or as hush money. His expression changed.

'Just give me orders!'

Then, I announced the deadline to the designers who were shaking the man down for every last bit of information.

"Pardon? C-Countess, but that deadline is..."

"Hmm?"

They all seemed to think it was tight, but when I looked at them with my arms folded, no one objected.

It seemed that, despite being tight, it wasn't a completely impossible date.

Actually, I didn't want to give such a tight deadline either, but...

This is all because of that tyrant brother and his nonsensical, weird whims.

I didn't want to deal with so many people anymore, so I ordered them to leave, which was what the designers also wanted, so they packed up and left quickly.

After everyone was gone.

Surrounded by luxurious items, I didn't look at any of them, just stared at the table.

Soon, I picked up the letter on the table. I fiddled with it.

Even looking at it, I can't believe it.

That he would contact me first and say he would attend with me.

'Does he sense some kind of opening?'

Joy and pride surged within me.

It felt like my beloved coin, which I ended up never using and lost to death, was appearing before my eyes.

It feels like the countless splendid and luxurious items filling this room will unfold in the world I return to as well.

Right, maybe the wind is finally at my back.

'I just need to prevent the tyrant brother's whims and Grandfather's nonsense...'

As I was happily reading the letter for a while, I suddenly lifted my head.

The items filling the room were still there.

All of them were the kind of items that would be called 'luxury goods' in the world I came from.

So why did they look a little different?

With so many, no, too many luxury goods laid out before me, instead of being happy, strangely, it was an odd experience of losing interest.

'...Maybe because Charlize's things don't feel like mine?'

* * *

The next day.

Unlike the previous two days when I woke up late, today I woke up early.

"Countess?"

"I'll wear this."

The maids, not only finding my early rising strange, followed me to the fitting room as a matter of course, busily nodding as they looked at the clothes I pointed to.

The three of them nodding in unison looked like three baby birds, so I stifled a laugh.

"I have somewhere to go. You don't have to come with me."

"Oh! Then... does that mean we can accompany you?"

I didn't say that?

Is it because of the memories?

Before I knew it, Charlize's tone had stuck to me like my own.

I slightly frowned but told them, 'Do as you please.'

So, dressed in my clothes, I boarded the carriage.