episode_0080

When I said I was exercising restraint, I meant it with 200% sincerity.

After everything I saw in my past life, would I be satisfied with just this much?

I want to throw away all pretenses and caring about what others think, and see people walking around in crop tops and shorts in the summer, and see people wearing dolphin shorts and T-shirts as pajamas instead of negligees.

But the reason I’m not doing that is because I know it’s too much to just suddenly pull out, so I’m controlling myself.

And yet, not even knowing that, you come to me out of nowhere and complain?

No, I can accept criticism and a bit of cursing as an extreme opinion.

But it was hard to tolerate coming to me and putting pressure on me with power.

This isn’t a healthy discussion, it’s just control.

I found the letters saying, “Aren’t you ashamed in front of the children?” more persuasive.

Because that is a bit shameful.

“Hoo…”

Thinking about it again makes me angry.

I roughly unbuttoned my shirt as if tearing off a couple of buttons, and tossed my jacket on the desk.

How do I have to make a mess here for that bastard to think he shouldn’t mess with me?

I had a rough idea.

One was to use the bulletin board in the west of the Imperial Capital.

The other was to use the masquerade ball at the end of October.

I decided to commit both, since I had decided to show that I wasn’t bluffing.

“Have you had dinner?”

As I was resting my chin on my hand with my eyes closed, sorting out my thoughts, the voice of Princess Elizabeth penetrated my ear as a slender hand came up to my shoulder.

“No.”

Opening my eyelids and looking up, I glanced at the princess standing next to me and shook my head.

The princess, staring at me with narrowed eyes, furrowed her brow and asked, as if wondering.

“Why, do you seem to be in a worse mood than before?”

“Don’t you ever have that? That experience of suddenly getting angry while sleeping after an argument.”

“I don’t usually have arguments like you do?”

“Model student, huh.”

I was envious.

I have a lot.

“Is everyone here?”

“Yes, they gathered a long time ago, but they were watching you because you seemed to be in a bad mood.”

“I’m a bit sorry about that.”

“If you’re sorry, loosen up your expression.”

“I don’t think I can do that.”

I shrugged my shoulders, raising one corner of my mouth.

I don’t know if the cause of my frustration would completely disappear, but even now, the old man who treated me like a kid came to mind, and my insides were boiling.

“Just keep your angry face on, you look creepy when you smile.”

“Okay.”

“And button up your clothes a bit, it’s a bit unsightly.”

“?”

I blinked my eyes and glared at the princess.

Considering how much of her chest is exposed, the princess is worse, so it was absurd that she was pointing this out.

“Are you one to talk?”

“This is basic for women.”

She seems to be getting more and more brazen…

“Are the employees waiting?”

“Huh…”

As I stared at her with squinted eyes, the princess pointed behind her and ran away to where the employees were huddled together.

Such a cowardly woman…

It’s annoying, but it’s also true that the employees are waiting, so I got up from my seat with my lips sticking out.

“I’m sorry for bothering you and preventing you from working while you’re busy. The reason I suddenly called you together is because I was lectured by a nobleman just now. As you can see from my expression, I’m really not in a good mood this time.”

“……”

The employees pursed their lips and subtly avoided my gaze.

Princess Elizabeth at least met my eyes, but she wasn’t the type of person to answer well at times like this, so the reaction was bland.

“So, is anyone curious about what that person said?”

I was going to say it even if they weren’t curious, but everyone was reacting so little that I deliberately asked the question.

“……”

Then, the employees began to look at each other, exchanging glances, and Duke Herbert and Princess Fani hesitantly raised their hands.

That appearance of receiving the angry gaze of the employer on behalf of the commoners, it can’t be anything but truly touching noblesse oblige.

“He told me to restrain myself. Well… I admit that I was a bit extreme this time, but I got upset because he tried to look down on me and threaten me. ‘Do you think the Emperor will protect you for the rest of your life? Do you think you have the world because the Emperor is backing you? Do you think nobles will benefit from being loyal to the Emperor?’ His remarks were a bit much, right?”

The employees’ faces stiffened.

In particular, the reaction of the three nobles was more intense than the others.

Since nobles inevitably encounter His Majesty the Emperor directly or indirectly, the fact that he was pressured by mentioning the Emperor must have felt terrifying.

“So… so what are you planning to do?”

“So, I’m going to show what it means for me not to restrain myself. I’m going to show a little bit how serious we are about clothes.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Duke Herbert, who had been cautiously watching, was delighted with a bright expression at the words that I would show my sincerity.

As expected, he was going to like it regardless of the aftermath.

“So, I’m going to adjust the schedule until the founding anniversary.”

I raised my left hand and spread out four fingers.

“First of all, from next week, I’m only going to accept orders for up to four sets of underwear.”

“Yes? Isn’t it absurd to reduce it when we should be increasing it? There are still nearly forty people on the waiting list.”

Princess Fani was startled and voiced her opposition, but I shrugged my shoulders and nodded.

“It’s unfortunate, but unless we can double the speed, we won’t be able to receive them all by the founding anniversary anyway.”

“That… that’s true. In that case, what are you planning to do with the spare time you create by doing that?”

“I’m going to make new clothes in the remaining time. I’m going to diversify the types of orders after the founding anniversary and increase the number of people.”

I was planning to maintain the level of receiving about five orders a week until this year and focus on internal stability, but now I was thinking of openly increasing the size.

Fortunately, there were many rooms left in the atelier, Walter and Elin were starting to do their part, and Adelheid’s speed was still unmatched.

“Isn’t the time too short to make new clothes with just that much time?”

“So, I’d like the tailors and Adelheid to come to work on weekends for the remaining four weeks until the founding anniversary.”

“Ah, if it’s that…”

“I’m fine with it.”

“Ah, I wanted something like this, I’m finally feeling like I’m sewing.”

The reaction to the words “come to work” was better than the words “reduce production.”

Weird guys.

But I liked it very much right now.

“Finish what you were doing today, and we’ll be going wild in earnest from tomorrow, so if anyone feels uneasy, tell me in advance, I’ll understand if you drop out.”

“Sir William.”

Princess Fani raised her hand at the words that it was okay to drop out.

“Speak.”

“I don’t oppose what you’re trying to do, but what if problems arise in the middle? Legal or public opinion issues. We can ignore it to some extent, but other people…”

Princess Fani asked, looking at the commoner employees with a worried voice.

The nobles had enough physique to endure to some extent, but the commoners could be swept away as they were.

So, I smiled and pointed at myself with my finger.

“Then sell me out. I’ll take all the responsibility. If people around you say anything, say, ‘William forced me to do it,’ and cry.”

“Is that okay…?”

“I’m fighting and getting angry and committing it, so I have to take responsibility.”

I’m jumping into a do-or-die situation, but the other employees aren’t.

I can stick my head out to show the noble faction, and if things go wrong, I can go to the monastery.

“But do you have to include ‘that bastard’?”

“Yeah, it’s super effective if you say it like you’re really frustrated and wronged.”

When blaming others, it was also important for the wronged person to act wronged.

If you shift the responsibility too gently, it seems like you’re making me a scapegoat.

So, you have to mix in swearing.

There’s nothing that fills the sincerity as much as swearing while crying.

“That’s a little cool…”

“Is this a leader…?”

“It would be nice if the thing he’s trying to do with his name on the line wasn’t just selling underwear.”

The moment some of the employees’ eyes sparkled and the atmosphere was about to heat up, Princess Elizabeth, who had been listening quietly, poured cold water on them.

It’s not good to suddenly get so high on copium, but isn’t there a more wonderful expression than selling underwear?

“Instead of selling underwear, please express it as ‘struggle for freedom of clothing choice’.”

“That’s really cool.”

“Haha~ I think so too.”

I burst out laughing at the princess’s appearance of shaking her head, saying it sarcastically.

Seeing the surprisingly proactive employees, I felt like my mood, which had been sinking to the bottom, was lifting.

“That’s all I have to say, do you have any more questions?”

“Don’t you tell us the details?”

“What, Herbert, do you want to be involved as an instigator too?”

“To be honest, I want to be involved a bit because you’re saying it’s a struggle for freedom.”

“Stop talking nonsense and do as you’re told.”

“Yes…”

I calmed down Herbert, who was properly high on copium, and waved my hand roughly.

“If you’re going to ask useless questions, go do your work.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, I understand.”

As I made a dismissive expression and issued an eviction order, everyone except Elizabeth and Emily headed back to their seats.

“Sir.”

“Yeah.”

“If you go out more violently than this, even His Majesty will have a hard time protecting you, is that okay?”

“Of course, I’m prepared to go to prison for a few months.”

“……”

The princess’s expression changed to something complex and subtle that was difficult to explain.

That feeling of wanting to say so many things but not knowing where to start.

Ah, could it be that she’s mistaking me for someone who’s all talk?

Well, the princess is also a bit of a dopamine addict, so I need to properly show her that I’m serious, not just acting.

“Emily.”

“Yes?”

“Where are the letters of protest that came today?”

“I put them in the corner of the workshop to take them home when you leave.”

“Tear them all up and throw them away.”

“Yes? Aren’t you going to reply?”

“Yeah.”

As she blinked her eyes and nodded, the blood slowly disappeared from Emily and Elizabeth’s faces.

“Are you serious?”

“Master, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“If you don’t do it, Emily, I’ll do it.”

I smiled and picked up the scissors on the desk.

My first step for the dopamine addict princess will be to ignore all the letters of protest that have come so far.

“W-wait, Master!”

“Sir William, wait a moment…!”

“Keuk…! Let go of me! I must show you the true extent of my determination… eup… eu-eup…!”

“I know your determination enough, so shut up and be quiet!”

Huh…? Is this not it?