episode_0042

I don’t have much to say about the friend called triangular underwear, or briefs.

First of all, it’s not my taste, and personally, I prefer thongs to briefs.

That’s because I’m the one looking, so I preferred things that barely covered the important parts rather than covering a wide area so clumsily.

And the second reason is that there is no one who can wear it even if I make it.

Because the clothes are so complicated, nobles have to have servants accompany them to the bathroom during banquets to attend to their clothes, so how can they wear underwear?

Unless I build it up for a few years. Right now, it’s clothes that only a few dozen female knights can wear.

If it were a torn triangular panty, there would be a little bit of demand, but it was too extreme of a friend to come out publicly in the light, not in the shade.

I want to walk a tightrope on the precarious line between legal and illegal, not become someone who openly commits illegal acts.

So this time, I worked with the feeling of creating a work with embroidery rather than clothes.

The important parts were finished with thick fabric, and the other parts were decorated with fluttering lace and embroidery to make it as colorful as possible.

I deliberately used several colors of thread to match the real color of the flowers embroidered with thread.

I spent my time making underwear when my hands were bored, engraving the catalog, and writing letters to my mother one more time, and it became the third Monday of July.

I packed my mannequin and a pile of questionnaires and papers and headed to the coffee house in the morning.

After getting out of the carriage, I wondered how far I had come, and when I looked inside the store through the window.

I rubbed my eyes once and doubted if I was seeing things.

The seats that were available were already full from the start, and people were crowded between the tables and on the walls.

I expected that many people would come, but the problem was the gender ratio.

“Emilie.”

“Yes.”

“Am I seeing this right?”

“You’re probably right.”

I pointed to the coffee house crowded with women and said.

“Is that scene of women crowding around real? Almost nine out of ten are women?”

“That’s what it looks like to me too.”

“Ha- this isn’t going to be easy…”

I chuckled hollowly and muttered quietly.

I thought there would be more women.

If you pick who is more familiar with sewing between men and women, of course, women would be more familiar.

The basic requirement is to be able to do embroidery, and if you are not familiar with it, there is a problem.

However, I expected it to be around 7:3 at most.

Because if you move beyond the hobby area and enter the professional part, there are many men as well.

“Young master, did you put a condition on it that they have to be engaged?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Then why are only women gathering like that? Most of them seem to be young ladies.”

“I don’t know either.”

I was the most curious.

I could find out right away if I went in and asked, but the gazes of the people peeking at me through the window are too prickly.

Eyes like hyenas ready to tear me apart the moment I walk into the coffee house.

“I don’t want to go in, I wonder if I can run away?”

“Young master, are you confident you can face the young ladies with their eyes turned over? What if there are mana awakeners among them…”

“Ouch-”

I hated being dragged around like a child by delicate young ladies even more.

And it would spur on the crazy rumors surrounding you.

Like ‘Honorary Knight in a love triangle in the imperial capital in broad daylight.’

“Let’s go, Charles, I’ll leave the mannequin to you.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I entrusted the mannequin to Charles, mustered up my courage, and moved my steps into the coffee house.

When I pushed the door made of luxurious wood, as it was a place where nobles gathered, the sound of the bell hanging on the door rang throughout the store, and people’s attention was focused on me and Emilie.

Before I opened the door, it seemed like there was some conversation going on, but now it was so quiet that I could hear breathing.

“Haha…”

I already felt suffocated, but I tried to smile casually and glanced around the store.

Hundreds of eyes mixed with interest and anticipation were focused on one place, which felt bizarre.

If I kept still, those people would rush at me first, so I managed my expression and moved to the center of the store.

“Nice to meet you, I’m William Henry Howard, Honorary Knight.”

– Clapping!

As soon as I stood in the center of the store, I bowed slightly after a brief greeting.

Then, light applause erupted from all over the store, and people greeted me happily.

When the applause subsided a bit, I raised my head and straightened my back.

“I think everyone came after seeing the job advertisement I posted in the newspaper, and before we talk specifically, I would like to tell you a few precautions.”

The gazes of the people who had been looking at me with calm eyes became sharp, and people began to listen as if not to miss a single word.

“Today, I plan to select about three people to work with me, I can hire more if my work is on track, but today I plan to hire only three people, so if you don’t agree with my thoughts, or if you think you are ambiguous in terms of skill, I will drop you mercilessly.”

I gestured to Charles, who was standing near the door holding the mannequin.

Then, Charles, who came quickly with hurried steps, put the mannequin on the table next to me and quickly disappeared into the corner.

“Gasp…”

“Oh my…”

“The contents of the newspaper…”

When people checked the mannequin wearing a bra and panties, there was a brief commotion, but when I shut my mouth and stood still, people quickly became quiet and focused on me again.

The reaction was weaker than I expected.

The reaction was closer to being happy to know the truth rather than being surprised.

I was a little embarrassed.

It shouldn’t be like this.

I suppressed the uneasy feeling that things seemed to be twisted from the start and continued to speak.

“I’m going to make clothes like this in the future, clothes that break down existing social norms and pursue new attempts and changes.

Because of that, until what I’m trying to do stabilizes, there will be a tough schedule, you may have to work after the sun goes down, or you may have to work before the sun rises, but the monetary compensation will not be satisfactory, no, it will be incredibly insufficient.

Also, you will receive sharp gazes and criticism from people who hate what I do, and if you fail, this job may follow you like a tag for the rest of your life.”

I paused for a moment after continuing my long speech, and slowly looked at the people in the coffee house.

A very small number of people frowned and showed uneasy signs, but most of them were listening to my story with calm expressions.

“That’s why I want to mainly receive people who can endure firmly for several years, so if you are worried about the unstable factors that will occur in the future, or if you have not received permission from your family, I am not going to accept you, so I hope you will go back in advance.”

I said that and waited for a few seconds with my mouth shut.

Then one or two people started to get up, and now people should be leaving like a tide following them…

After about five people left, no one got up even after waiting for a few minutes.

“Excuse me, did everyone leave?”

“……”

Even to my question, the people in the store quietly watched me and kept their seats.

“I’ll ask you one last time, did everyone leave?”

“It seems like it, so I wish you would start soon.”

I tried to urge them one more time in the hope that at least a few more people would leave, but a duchess wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sipping tea elegantly answered on behalf of the people in the coffee house.

I clung to the thin and frail hope that it was just the duchess’s own thoughts.

“We have no intention of leaving.”

“That’s right.”

Other people nodded as if they agreed and waited for my next words.

Roughly 100 people, even excluding servants.

To think that so many people are crazy people who have received family permission and welcome low wages and overtime work.

“I understand…”

I nodded with a sullen expression.

“In 10 minutes, I’ll talk to you one by one.”

_

I declared that I would have some preparation time and immediately moved my body to the corner of the coffee house, and whispered to Emilie, who was standing in the corner with Charles, in a trembling voice.

“What should I do?”

“Even if you ask me, I can’t do anything but smile awkwardly.”

“I guess so…”

I didn’t expect any solution because I just said it.

I’m just annoyed that I have to interview close to 100 people one by one.

Even with crazy people who run to me saying they want to work with people who spit out strange sounds or cause trouble like salmon.

“Haa… First, I’ll use one of the private rooms as a place to interview, and use the table in front of it as a waiting area, Charles, stand at the entrance and when I ring the bell three times, let the people closest to that table in, and Emilie, please assist me by my side.”

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

I can’t do nothing because I’m annoyed and anxious, so I gave instructions to Charles and Emilie with a look on my face that I was about to die from exhaustion.

Then the two nodded and started putting the things they brought into the private room.

“Haa…”

I sighed as I watched the two people moving busily.

It’s been a long time since I felt like my energy was running out even though I didn’t do anything.

“Emilie, is the store owner still there?”

“Yes, they’re still busy preparing drinks and snacks.”

“Okay.”

I nodded and headed to the counter.

It was the first time that black tea and cookies with lumps of sugar were so tempting.