episode_0003

Having been permitted to touch her body on the condition of finishing quickly, I searched for a measuring tape, opened a book I had bought in the past, and began preparing to measure her body dimensions.

You might think there’s not much to prepare when it’s just measuring lengths with a tape measure, but since this is my first time making custom-made clothes, I only vaguely know which parts to measure.

Referring to the book, I checked each area to be measured on a roughly drawn human figure on pure white paper. Then, I stood up, unfolded the measuring tape, and approached Emily.

“Ready?”

“…”

Emily, her eyes wide, nodded with a determined expression, as if making a patriotic decision.

“Can you spread your arms out a little? Just enough for a fist to fit in your armpit.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll start with the pelvis.”

I pondered where to start and just chose the lowest point.

I wrapped the measuring tape around her largely, then tightened it firmly, reading the number where the tape met.

Originally, you’re supposed to do it with the feeling of placing it on the skin, but since I’m measuring over her clothes now, a larger size will come out if I don’t tighten it firmly.

“Hngh…”

As I tightened the tape measure, my hand slightly pressed against her pelvis, and a delicate moan faintly mixed into Emily’s breath.

Reading the numbers on the tape measure, I said as nonchalantly as possible, “It’ll be over soon, so please bear with it.”

“Young Master, contrary to your appearance, your touch is quite rough.”

“Uh…”

I was speechless.

There was no room for excuses, as I had indeed acted violently.

As I gaped with a dumbfounded expression, unable to find words, Emily smiled brightly and said playfully,

“Hehe… Just kidding, but it’s a little ticklish, so I’d appreciate it if you could be gentle.”

For a moment, her soft smile and calm voice made me almost mistakenly think she was really okay.

However, her restless fingers and ears, flushed red as if about to explode, clearly revealed the embarrassment Emily was trying to hide.

“Hmm…”

This is dangerous.

Her trying to act like she’s okay, even though she’s embarrassed, tickled my heart.

I thought the atmosphere would become awkward because of my mistake, but an unexpected blow from the start brought a crisis.

The blow that burrowed in, taking advantage of my carelessness, changed the need to finish quickly for Emily’s sake to the need to finish quickly because I was in danger.

“… I’ll be careful.”

I suppressed my trembling lips and stiffened my expression as I released the tape measure.

My ears and the back of my neck were burning, and I wondered if hiding my expression would even be meaningful, but I figured it would be better than openly showing my agitation, so I transferred the numbers onto the paper.

_

“Hoo…”

Having measured all the necessary parts, ending with the left wrist, I let out a breath that felt warmer than warm, almost hot.

The tension eased, and fatigue and dizziness washed over me.

Just 5 minutes.

It was only 5 minutes from the start of the measurement at the hips to the end, but it felt as long as 50 minutes, subjectively.

“Is it over now?”

Stretching my back, I massaged my neck while throwing the tape measure and paper onto the desk. Emily, who had maintained silence since bursting into a bright smile, opened her mouth.

Emily’s face was as tired as mine.

I smiled at such Emily.

“Yeah, I’ve figured out everything I need.”

“I see, you’ve worked hard.”

“What hard work? You’ve worked harder to go along with my stubbornness.”

“… Haha.”

Emily, her pupils slightly shaking, smiled awkwardly and subtly avoided my gaze.

“……”

I watched Emily’s reaction and gave a bitter smile.

Now that my head had cooled down, I realized all too clearly that I had acted like a brute towards Emily today.

Belatedly, a sense of guilt washed over me.

“Tsk…”

I lightly clicked my tongue and opened the top drawer of the desk.

A cloth wrapper was sitting alone among the miscellaneous items.

I picked it up and closed the drawer.

“Take it.”

“Yes?”

“I said take it.”

Then, I placed the wrapper in Emily’s hand, who was standing with a bewildered expression.

“What is this…?”

“Cookies.”

The contents of the wrapper were cookies that my mother had passed on to me yesterday, saying they were too sweet.

Originally, I was planning to eat them with tea during tea time, but I thought it might be okay to give them to Emily as an apology, so I gave them to Emily as they were.

It’s not like I can’t drink tea just because there are no cookies.

“Eat them with your colleagues, or secretly by yourself, it’s up to you. I’m giving them to you as an apology for doing so many things I’m sorry for today.”

“Still, this is…”

“Don’t refuse and take them, or I think I’ll really feel sorry.”

“Thank you.”

Emily put the wrapper in her pocket and bowed her head.

It would be easier on my mind if she showed even a slightly cold attitude, but the more polite Emily was, the more uneasy I felt.

“Then, is there anything else I can help you with today?”

Scratching her cheek out of awkwardness, Emily glanced at the desk and opened her mouth.

Hearing Emily’s question, I immediately shook my head.

“No, there isn’t. Could you possibly come again tomorrow morning?”

“Yes, I have to come to change your bedding anyway.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Emily lifted the corners of her mouth, wearing a subtle smile on her face.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Yeah, sorry for bothering you.”

“If you’re sorry, please be careful next time.”

“I got it.”

“Then, Young Master, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

Emily left a polite greeting, closed the door, and disappeared.

As soon as Emily disappeared, I turned my back to the door, headed to the desk, and picked up a pen.

“Hmm~ Shall we get started now…”

I have to work hard, even for Emily’s sake!

_

“… ……”

Someone whispers in my ear with a gentle voice.

I wonder if they’re waking me up, but the voice is too kind to be so, and it makes me fall into an even deeper sleep.

It would be okay to fall asleep using that voice as a lullaby.

“……!”

“Tss… Ugh…?”

A voice tinged with annoyance.

Following that, the gentle touch of a hand gripping the back of my neck made me hurriedly swallow the drool that was running down my chin and open my eyes.

“… Emily?”

Emily is standing next to me, looking down at me, rubbing and kneading the back of my neck.

I didn’t call Emily, so why is Emily standing here?

Blinking my hazy eyes, I stared blankly at Emily. Emily, giggling, slightly bent her knees to meet my eye level and said,

“Yes, it’s Emily.”

“Why… why are you already here? It’s still dawn…?”

“Well, because it’s morning.”

“Morning…?”

I turned my head and looked out the window.

The sun has fully risen, and the blue, blue sky comes into view.

“Huh?”

“Young Master, when did you sleep yesterday?”

“Um… I leaned over for a bit when dawn broke… I blinked, and Emily was here.”

“Even when I called you, you didn’t answer, and you didn’t show up for breakfast, so I came to find you.”

“Breakfast time?”

If it’s breakfast time now, I’ve slept for at least two hours.

“Oh dear… this is a problem.”

“Why is that?”

“I was going to rest for a bit and fix the strange parts, but I fell asleep…”

“…?”

Emily’s and my eyes turned to the desk.

A black one-piece dress, a pure white apron, and a hairband were neatly stacked where our gaze landed.

“… Did you make this in one day?”

“Yeah, I made it in a hurry, so the finish is a bit rough, but you can wear it right now.”

Honestly, even I thought it was quite impressive.

I didn’t expect I could make it wearable enough in just one day.

“No way…”

Gazing at Emily with a proud smile, I saw Emily, who was muttering in disbelief, carefully picking up the dress and turning it around to examine it one by one.

Emily, thoroughly inspecting the seams, sleeves, and hem, looked so determined, like a soldier searching for landmines.

I watched such Emily with a pleased expression, then lightly threw out a word.

“Do you want to try it on?”

“Yes?”

“Since you’re here anyway, it’ll be easier if you try it on and adjust any parts that don’t fit, so you don’t have to do the work twice.”

“… Me?”

Emily gaped like a broken machine, then tilted her head like a dumb puppy, pointing at herself with her finger.

I clearly said I was making clothes to give to Emily, but she’s acting like she’s hearing it for the first time. Could it be that she thought it was a joke?

This is a bit offensive.

“Let’s try it on quickly.”

“Um… well, Young Master, it’s too sudden, so a little…”

“Do you know where the dressing room is? Put it on there and come back.”

“Young Master?”

I didn’t care what Emily was saying and bent down to pull out the box hidden under the desk.

I roughly dusted off the dust piled up on the box, opened the lid, and took out the black Mary Jane shoes and white socks inside the box.

“Change into these shoes, and are you barefoot by any chance?”

“Why are you asking that…?”

“If you’re barefoot, wear these too.”

I neatly placed the Mary Jane shoes and socks on top of the apron and held them out to Emily.

“What are you doing? Take them.”

“Can’t I wear them later? The Lord and Lady are waiting in the dining room.”

“If Emily doesn’t change her clothes quickly, your parents will be very angry.”

Emily, who was hugging the dress tightly, flinched her shoulders.

I feel sorry for Emily, but even if I skipped the meal and pretended not to know, I wouldn’t be the only one getting scolded.

The class system is truly unreasonable, so if the person above makes a mistake, the person below gets scolded together.

My mother will only scold me, but the head maid is a different story.

“My arms are starting to hurt.”

“… I understand.”

The clever Emily was quick to surrender.

After neatly folding the dress and receiving the other clothes on top of it, Emily trudged towards the dressing room.

I’m so excited to see what she’ll look like.