episode_0114

A day passed, and after tailoring the fabric to fit the Centurion couple’s measurements, I handed it over to Adelheid.

Then, I spent the remaining time fiddling with cat ear headbands and frills, combining frilled cat ear headbands, while waiting for the maid and butler outfits to be finished.

“Um, Sir William?”

As I was attaching frills to the cat ear headbands and decorating them, Marie, who had been glancing at me from time to time with a hesitant look, cautiously approached and spoke.

“I have something I’m really curious about, is it okay if I ask?”

“Huh?”

Surprised by Marie’s words, I almost dropped the headband I was holding.

An employee approaching me first to ask a question?

Unlike the three nobles who spoke their minds, the commoner employees rarely said anything first, only glaring fiercely, but she was approaching me first to ask a question?

“Yeah, yeah, feel free to say anything. What is it?”

“You seem to care a lot about the tail, but why are you making the ears so haphazardly?”

“…?”

I blinked rapidly with a dumbfounded expression, wondering if I had misheard something.

Is this a question?

Or is it an attack disguised as a question?

Looking at her innocent expression and gently swaying tail, it seemed like just a thoughtless question, but the question really scratched me the wrong way.

I did put a lot of thought into the tail, but it’s not like I made the ears haphazardly…

“Wh-What do you mean by that?”

I smiled, even as my eyelids twitched, and asked again.

Even if the tone was aggressive, our employees wouldn’t have said something like that without any basis.

At least, that’s what I’ve gathered so far.

“I’m talking about the headband. Why is the frilled part in front of the cat ears?”

“Well, it’s easier to wear the headband that way. Caps get in the way because of the ears, and if you wear it behind the ears, it slides off easily.”

“But it’s also uncomfortable for us. The frills cover the ears, so we can’t hear well, and our emotional expression is restricted because the ears are covered.”

“Huh?”

Looking at Marie’s ears, with their backs visible, as she spoke with her tail standing straight up, I was shocked as if I had swallowed a bowl of red medicine.

Primates and humans have very few muscles for moving their ears, so they don’t know it well, but most mammals move their ears very elaborately.

Even the common cat can rotate its ears about 180 degrees, and can even point the left and right ears in different directions.

In addition, they can express emotions through the shape and angle of their auricles.

This characteristic extends to demi-humans, and most demi-humans with auricles can move them very flexibly, with very few exceptions.

So, what should demi-humans with ears on their heads do with headbands?

There’s no need to worry too much about the flat friend that serves to organize the hair.

But, accessories that cover a large area of the head like headdresses, or those with a high height like frilled headbands, get in the way of the ears.

“What kind of head ornaments do beastkin usually enjoy wearing?”

“None. Even if they do wear them, they don’t cover or hide the area around the ears.”

It was rational, but not the answer I wanted.

The idea that a maid’s head is empty is a terrible thing, like the claims of heretics. I’ve already compromised on the fullness of the skirt, and now you want me to use a plain headband?

Absolutely unacceptable.

But that doesn’t mean Marie’s opinion is unreasonable.

Rather, my opinion, which is based on taste, is more disadvantageous.

“Everyone, stop what you’re doing and gather in the center!”

I called the employees to the central table.

That’s because the little child in my heart is going to act up, saying that it doesn’t want to give in easily.

“Emily, lend me your headband for a moment. Marie, stand here next to me for a moment.”

“Yes.”

“Yes~”

While the employees, wearing puzzled expressions, gathered one by one, I received the headband from Emily, had Marie stand next to me, and waited for the employees to sit in front of the central table.

“What’s going on all of a sudden?”

“Marie and a headband are here.”

“Yes.”

As soon as Duke Herbert, who was the last to sit down after arranging his seat, started the conversation, I put the headband in front of Marie’s ears.

“Which one is better, this…”

And after showing the employees that appearance for about 5 seconds, I moved the headband behind her ears.

“Or this?”

“Nya?!”

Caught off guard by my appearance of asking a question with only the headband on and no explanation, Marie, flustered, let out a cat-like sound and laid her ears to the side.

I gritted my teeth and ignored Marie, who was directing her greatly dilated pupils at me, and waited for the employees to share their opinions.

“The former is prettier, but why are you asking such a question all of a sudden?”

“That’s right, what’s the reason for asking such a question?”

“Tsk…”

The quick-witted employees foiled my attempt to pass it through by snatching it.

“I’ll explain!”

Thanks to that, Marie puffed out her chest in a triumphant manner with her ears perked up.

“Beastkin don’t wear headbands that bother their ears. If frills stand up high like this, it’s uncomfortable for the ears in many ways, so they don’t wear them, or if they do, they wear them behind the ears so they don’t get in the way, even keeping them far apart.”

“Hoo…”

“But the headband that Sir William made has frills in front of the cat ears, right? So I said that a beastkin maid wouldn’t wear the headband like this, but Sir William seems to like it in the front better.”

“Hmm~ I see.”

At Marie’s explanation, the employees nodded and exchanged glances with each other.

With the president and the demi-human elements clashing, it seemed difficult to offer an opinion, so no one readily opened their mouths.

“…Marie, if something like frills covers your ears, how uncomfortable is it?”

Judging that it was difficult to give an opinion right now, Duke Herbert carefully raised his hand and asked.

“It’s itchy, and it feels like my ears are muffled… I can stand it, but it’s the kind of thing that bothers me once I notice it.”

“In that case, Sir William, is a headband really necessary? Is it really necessary to put something in that area when there are ears there?”

“That’s right, it might be okay without it.”

“That won’t do. Aprons and headbands are a big deal. Why else would I bother dressing Emily in a headband and apron even outside? A maid without those two is like a worship service without the Bible, like a church without the cross.”

“Hmm…”

Deep wrinkles formed on the employees’ foreheads.

Only faint groans flowed from the workshop, and the silence grew longer.

“…If a headband is absolutely necessary, I agree with Sir William’s opinion. If it’s something a maid will wear, practicality should be considered more, but this time it’s clothes for a noble disguised as a maid, so I think aesthetics should be considered more.”

Duke Herbert, who had a troubled expression and was gently rubbing the desk with his finger, was the first to open his mouth.

Then, Princess Fannie frowned and immediately opened her mouth.

“But Duke, this isn’t just any maid, it’s a beastkin maid. Shouldn’t we consider Marie’s opinion more?”

“I also want to support Marie’s opinion. Feeling physically uncomfortable isn’t a pleasant experience.”

“Th-That… If that’s the reason, th-then I, I also like Ma, Marie’s words…”

Princess Fannie, who was based on logic, Adelheid, who was speaking while wistfully looking at her previously injured fourth leg, and Elin, who agreed with the two, supported Marie’s opinion, causing the weight to shift dramatically at once.

“Keung…”

These masters of Tai Chi. It would have been easier to refute if Fannie or Adelheid were alone, but because the two of them were arguing by appropriately mixing reason and emotion, it was difficult to refute either side.

“But what does it matter if they’re not real ears?”

“Isn’t it better to have something pretty if you’re only wearing it for a short time even if it’s uncomfortable? You’re going to wear it to the ball, right?”

While I was racking my brains, Duke Herbert, who had neatly cut off emotions, and Caterina, who simply liked pretty things, joined in.

“That’s right, it’s a ball, and it’s good to be beautiful no matter what, so it’s better to wear it in the front even if it’s uncomfortable.”

“Was the tail hole also added because of beauty?”

Thinking that this was an opportunity, I added to the two people’s opinions, but the traces of my past tripped me up.

“…But frilled headbands are worn for aesthetic reasons rather than function, so isn’t it okay if they’re in the front?”

“That’s… that’s true.”

I almost lost my words as I felt my brain stop, but I was able to get over it somehow by using my wit.

I almost failed miserably and had my opinion organized without being able to use my skills.

“Hmm…”

The exchange of opinions entered a temporary lull.

Although we didn’t talk for very long, based on my experience so far, it didn’t seem like anyone was willing to back down.

Just looking at their expressions, they didn’t seem to be able to understand each other.

“What should we do?”

“Um… Walter, what do you think?”

“M-Me? M-Me… I just like pretty things…”

“Keueung… Then it’s a tie.”

If the number of people was different, we could follow the majority rule, but it just had to be a tie.

I briefly considered calling the servants or Sir Benyon on the upper floor to ask for their opinions, but quickly dropped the idea because it seemed like it would only intensify the argument since they weren’t employees or guests.

“Okay, I understand everyone’s opinions well. I’ll think about this a little more and listen to other people’s opinions. Thank you all for taking the time, and go back to what you were doing.”

“Yes.”

“Sir William, please make the right choice!”

I put the decision on hold for now and sent the employees back to their places.

Talking to the people here would only drag on and be meaningless, so I will supplement it with the opinions of the most important customer and the opinion of the employee who is away, and then make a decision.

If I made both without thinking, I could solve it simply, but the reason why I’m dragging this out is because I feel uneasy about letting the customer choose and ending it vaguely.

Should I say it feels like we don’t have a firm opinion of our own atelier?

So, even if I lose, I wanted to clearly decide on one of our opinions, either mine or Marie’s.

“……”

I usually deferred the choice to the customer, but this time, I was scratched by Marie’s words, “Why are you making it so haphazardly?” so it’s definitely not because I have a petty desire to see it through to the end.

Anyway, definitely not.