episode_0168

“Emily, the interview for the applicants is today, right?”

“Yes, you’ve scheduled to interview twelve people in the morning and fourteen in the afternoon, totaling twenty-six applicants, at the atelier.”

The applicants’ interviews were scheduled as quickly as possible, and they were notified that it would be on January 6th, ten days after the acceptance letters were sent.

Thanks to this, two people who had difficulty adjusting their schedules were eliminated, and the applicants had only about a week to prepare. However, I advertised in the newspaper a month and a half ago, so if they had been idle until now, it would be their fault.

Opportunity is always given to those who are desperate, meticulous, and prepared.

Originally, I wanted to gather them in December, but there were applicants who needed about three days to come to the capital, so I had no choice but to give them ten days.

“Right… Then I shouldn’t forget to take this.”

I also didn’t waste the ten days, so I stuffed the papers summarizing the applicants’ backgrounds into my bag and left the house.

No, I was about to leave.

“Eek!”

“Whoa, jeez…!”

As soon as I opened the door, I heard a sharp scream right in front of me.

Startled by the sudden sonic attack, I flinched and frowned.

Wondering who on earth was launching such a terrible provocation in the morning, I narrowed my eyes and scanned beyond the door. Hayes, crouching right in front of the door and trembling, caught my eye.

“Hayes?”

“Hng…”

Hayes, who had screamed but was more surprised than I was, who had been attacked, stood up tearfully when I called her name.

“Ugh… Why are you coming out so suddenly…!”

“Want to get hit?”

“S-Sorry, I was too surprised too…”

Hayes lightly wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes with her finger and shouted.

I was so dumbfounded that I repeatedly clenched and unclenched my fists, and thankfully, Hayes’ reason quickly returned.

“What brings you here today? More importantly, where’s my brother-in-law? Are you alone?”

“It’s a weekday, so of course he’s working, you stupid brother. And do you think I’m stuck with Lennox all day long?”

“Since you came to the capital, I thought you were always together like a sword and its scabbard.”

“Ha, you’re the last person who should be saying that, aren’t you? Why are you doing this to me when you’re with Her Highness the Princess every day?”

“……”

She’s a colleague, so of course, we’re together every day.

I wanted to say that, but when I thought about what happened during the last Founding Day celebration, it didn’t seem entirely wrong, so I shut my mouth.

“Ahem, so why did you come so early in the morning? Did something happen?”

“No, you asked me what I wanted for my birthday, right?”

“You could have just replied by letter, why bother coming all the way here?”

“It’s a bit frustrating to talk about it in a letter. There are so many things I want to ask? No, it’s complicated? So I came to solve it quickly.”

“How much is she trying to rip off her brother…”

I glared at Hayes, who was very diligently trying to get a birthday present, with narrowed eyes and pouted.

It seems like now that I’m out of unemployment and earning some money, she’s determined to rip me off.

All that fuss about respecting and honoring her brother didn’t even last a few months.

Can’t a sister and brother get along harmoniously after all…?

“Just listen to me once. I think you’ll understand my feelings if you hear it, brother?”

“Okay, tell me.”

Even though I was displeased, I nodded because listening to the story didn’t require much effort.

If the story seems too shameless, I can just mess with the gift.

I was willing to waste time on useless things anytime to keep my sister in check.

“Brother, I’m having my engagement ceremony this spring.”

“Ah, right, it was in April, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

An engagement ceremony held a year after the engagement was discussed.

It’s not even a wedding, and you might wonder why they dragged the engagement ceremony out this long, but it’s all because of me.

If my sister has her engagement ceremony before her older brother has someone, the other side would feel burdened.

People who know me well know that the reason for my engagement problem is entirely my fault, but people who don’t know me well might think that our family is mistreating me.

But as soon as the Emperor started to create an atmosphere of putting Elizabeth and me together a few months ago, my mother, as if she had been waiting for it, immediately set the engagement date and spread the news around like crazy so that it couldn’t be canceled.

The Bravebrook viscount family was a bit taken aback by my mother’s sudden change of attitude, but they understood after the Founding Day celebration and immediately ordered an engagement dress.

There is no better reason for an engagement to drag on than between the imperial family and a commoner.

Of course, it was a blatant way of pressuring me to continue the good atmosphere with Elizabeth, but I didn’t feel so bad because it meant that Hayes didn’t have to be considerate of me.

There is no existence as ugly and trashy as a brother who blocks his sister’s future.

“I told you to choose a birthday present, so why are you suddenly talking about the engagement ceremony?”

“It’s annoying to celebrate two events, and there’s not a big difference between my birthday and the engagement ceremony. Plus, there are too many people to celebrate birthdays with at the beginning of the year.”

“That’s true.”

“So, instead of a birthday present, just make me a dinner dress to wear at the engagement ceremony.”

“Ah, that.”

Come to think of it, I promised to make Hayes a pretty dress.

Hayes brought it up at a good time since I have some free time.

“Okay, how should I make it for you? Do you have anything in mind?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“You little…!”

“No, no violence…!”

As soon as I saw Hayes smiling innocently, I almost flicked her forehead even though everyone was watching on the street.

Fortunately, I regained my sanity as soon as I raised my fist to head height, so it didn’t hit Hayes’ head, but if it hadn’t been on the street, I would have just slammed it down.

“Hey, you came to have a dress made, so how can you not have anything in mind? Do I have to open up your head to see?”

“Brother, I’m not trying to tease you. I was wondering how long I would have to tell you before you could make it. There are so many things I want to do, so I think it will take a long time to think about it.”

“Hmm… It’s a dinner dress, so why are you choosing so seriously? You can just pick something pretty.”

“I want to try out one of the designs I want to wear at my wedding then. I have to try on various things before that day comes to choose the best dress.”

“You’re already worrying about your wedding even though it’s at least a year away? You still have half a year left.”

“How can it already be when I don’t even know what color to make it?”

“I guess…”

Unlike my past life, where I wore a white dress most of the time, it’s not a rule here yet that white is a must.

You’re free to wear anything as long as it’s not all black, which is funeral fashion.

Although people prefer bright colors, dark colors like navy blue or crimson are often seen as well. People with blonde hair and fair skin like Hayes can wear anything as long as it’s not bright yellow or a light beige similar to their skin, so it was difficult to choose.

“When exactly is your engagement ceremony?”

“April 18th.”

“Hmm~ A little over three months left…”

I carefully looked at Hayes.

Light blonde hair and jade-colored eyes like my mother.

Her face is slowly starting to feel like a mature woman instead of a girl.

Her body was already at a level where it could be considered an adult.

Although the curves have become stronger due to recent rapid growth, if I can properly catch the part where the waist floats, she will look good in any style of clothing.

Less to worry about means I can make the clothes in a relaxed manner.

I can make it in a month if it’s simple, and in two months if it’s complicated.

“Are you coming to the territory for our parents’ birthdays?”

“Yeah, of course. I’m planning to stay in the territory from my birthday until the engagement ceremony to prepare for the engagement ceremony.”

“Then let me know by our father’s birthday. I can make it for you with plenty of time from then on.”

“Okay, thank you!”

When she was given a generous month, Hayes smiled brightly and grabbed my hand, shaking it up and down.

Sigh, she’s so cute when she acts like this, but I don’t know why she acts so prickly usually…

“Then there’s nothing more to talk about, right?”

“Yeah, I was going to decide everything today if you were short on time, but since that’s not the case.”

“Hmm~ Then can I go to work now?”

“Yeah!”

Hayes moved to the edge of the stairs and cleared the way that she had been blocking.

I lightly patted Hayes’ head and left the house, getting into the carriage.

“Charles, let’s go. Please go quickly since we’re a bit tight on time.”

“Yes, I understand, young master.”

_

After going to the atelier, I checked the waiting room on the second floor and moved to the room next door to start preparing for the interview step by step.

Even though the preparation was only to lay out the prepared materials and the evaluation form and call Elizabeth and Duke Herbert, it was still preparation.

“The criteria are mainly what’s written there, but you can ignore it if you think they just feel good. The important thing is to pick good people.”

“Okay.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And…”

“Ah, wait… Ahh…!”

I was sitting down Herbert on the left and Elizabeth on the right, and talking about how to proceed with the interview, when suddenly I heard Emily’s urgent voice from beyond the door.

Wondering if an immoral interviewee had appeared, I raised my head and looked at the door. At the same time, the door of the interview room was roughly opened, and a priestess who seemed to have a very high status and two knights entered the interview room.

“…?”

“Hmm…”

Taken aback by the priestess who suddenly appeared, I blankly stared at them. The priestess lightly snorted and slowly looked around the room.

And when her head was turned about halfway, the priestess, who made eye contact with me, narrowed her eyes, stared intently with a cold gaze, and opened her mouth.

“William Henry Howard, nice to meet you. I am Bianca Vitale di Luca, a bishop of the Holy Kingdom.”

“Ah, yes… Nice to meet you. What brings you here, Your Excellency the Bishop…”

“I’ve heard so many interesting rumors about you. So much so that they’ve reached the Holy Kingdom and the Papal State.”

“……”

I felt a dizzying sensation at Bianca Bishop’s words.

Is this it…?

“Do you perhaps have time to talk?”

“I have something urgent to do today, could you wait for a moment?”

“Well… I’m not just any priest, so wouldn’t this matter be more urgent?”

Bianca Bishop smiled meaningfully and subtly took out the symbol of the Inquisitor from her bosom and then subtly put it back in.

“Huh…?”

Why, why is that here?

The Inquisitor is someone more difficult to encounter than His Majesty the Emperor, but that rare person was right in front of me.

More importantly, am I… a heretic? I may be a bit lacking in faith, but I don’t think I’ve ever done anything that could be called heresy…?

My body and brain felt frozen because I didn’t know how to react to the absurd situation.

“Well, if you’re really busy, we can specially make time for you, though it might be a bit violent.”

Bianca Bishop, who seemed to have taken my blank expression differently, emphasized certain words and created an oppressive atmosphere.

“……”

And, taking Bianca Bishop’s words as a signal, the two knights standing behind her put their hands on their sword hilts and slightly lowered their stance.

I don’t understand what’s going on at all, but it was certain that things had gone wrong a lot.

If I stubbornly sit here, I’ll be dragged out like a dog on a leash.

“Elizabeth, Herbert. I’ll leave the interview to you.”

I whispered quietly to the two of them and stood up.

“Are you okay?”

“It would be worse if I didn’t cooperate, right?”

“… Be careful.”

“Nothing will happen.”

Then, Elizabeth grabbed my wrist and looked at me with worried eyes, but I shrugged my shoulders, let out a faint laugh, and lightly patted Elizabeth’s shoulder.

Even though I have plenty to confess, I haven’t done anything crazy enough to be called a heretic, so I wasn’t too worried.

Leaving the aftermath to the two of them, I obediently approached the priest.

“Hehe~ Thank you for cooperating so readily.”

Bianca Bishop, who seemed to be in a very good mood at my willingness to follow without resistance, spun around.

“Haha…”

What should I do now…