Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: I Became a Clothing Designer in Another World
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“You lot, do you know who I am to treat me like this?”
“Yes, Lord Sheffield. You handed a bribe to Her Highness the Princess. Her Highness Princess Victoria personally reported the matter to the Knights and His Majesty.”
“Bribe? Nonsense! It was just a gift!”
“Haa...”
Two days ago? No, maybe three?
My sense of time was shot, so I couldn’t say for sure when it started, but suddenly, the prison was filling up with highborn bluebloods.
There were some real heavyweights I recognized, and plenty of nobodies I wondered even counted as nobles, but the key point was that nobles were starting to get locked up in this hellhole of a dungeon.
Is this why they tossed me in here as the vanguard?
I’d already felt cheated being the only one rotting in this boring prison, so it wasn’t half bad seeing these guys dragged in one after another.
“Nngh...”
As long as they didn’t come barging in noisily at dawn like right now.
No, were they running some kind of crackdown? Prisoners were being hauled in like dried fish around the clock—night, day, dawn, morning, no exceptions.
With nothing but straw and a thin blanket to fight off the lumpy stone floor and the relentless chill seeping through the “natural” window slits, I was already at my limit. The noise was driving me insane on top of it.
“Is this any way to treat a noble?!”
“Just go in quietly. We’ll hear your side later...”
“Uwaaaah!”
“Tch...”
This, I couldn’t take.
I could stomach the whiners complaining about going in, but that belly-deep bellow crossed the line. The others had whined without shouting.
“Damn it.”
I shoved aside the blanket I’d huddled under, covering even my face, and tossed it like trash. Staggering to my feet, I lurched over to the bars and pressed myself close.
“Hey. Quiet down. Some of us are trying to sleep.”
“What? Who the hell are y—”
The guy, whining irritably as he turned, caught sight of my face and flinched, his shoulders jerking. He couldn’t finish his sentence.
His reaction was like bumping into a street bum.
It scratched at my pride a bit, but my current look was pretty rough, even to me.
No washing, no proper sleep, barely any food—and my scruffy beard-riddled face was covered in bruises to boot...
“Ah.”
A brilliant idea flashed in my head. I clamped my mouth shut and stared him down.
Then I eased the tension from my eyes and curled my lips into a sly grin.
“Heh heh... Hey.”
“W-what...?”
“Better play nice. Listen to the knight.”
“Hah, what nonsense...”
“Unless you wanna end up like me.”
“Wh-what...?”
I zombie-shuffled back to my spot.
“I-is that... for real?”
“We’re under no obligation to answer. Now, will you go in quietly?”
“Fine... I’ll go...”
Finally, some quiet.
Yesterday at dawn, shutting down that noisy prisoner had bought me immediate peace—but it also brought a new headache. The knights had realized they could use my sorry state. Now they’d pause at my cell every time to spook the new inmates. “Please cooperate quietly.” “Hah! We’re innocent...!” “You were brought in as criminals, so we can’t exactly coddle you—like that guy over there.” “Ung...?” Just like right now. “Ehey...” I was in the middle of dipping my bread in soup and gnawing it like a rat when they sniped me like this. Embarrassing. “Haum...” But hunger waits for no one. Ignore them or not, I kept chomping away with my teeth. I’d love to eat like a normal person, but if I wanted it fast, this was the only way. Take it slow to savor, and flies would swarm... “Kuhk...” Stuffing my face my way—zero manners, zero class—the unnamed noble watching me gradually turned pale as a ghost. “So please, cooperate.” “......” Just as the noble’s resolve hit rock bottom, the knight drove the nail home with an annoyed drawl. The noble nodded weakly and trailed after him. Another blueblood had caved to the intimidation. Pitiful, really. Their horrific future was set in stone anyway. Even without the knights doing much, this trash heap of a prison would turn them into beggars like me on its own. Bet they’d feel massively betrayed by then. “Hm...” I got a little anxious thinking about when the nobles learned the truth. Would it get noisy again? A bunch of them bitching at once... I set my bread down gently and scanned around. Anything for earplugs? Bread in my ears? Nah. Straw or blanket? Kinda iffy... “Aigh...” A sigh slipped out. No good options. Guess I’d just stuff my stinky socks in and sleep. “Sir William?” Lost in gloomy thoughts of the noisy future and sock-earplugs, someone called from the bars. I glanced up. There stood the captain, frowning with narrowed eyes fixed on me. “Captain? Long time no see.” “Ah, haha! It is you, Sir William!” I greeted first, and he finally smoothed the wrinkles from his brow with a grin. “Your appearance has gone to hell these past few days—I almost didn’t recognize you. Body holding up?” “Feels like I’m dying.” I made a gloomy face and shook my head. Body creaking, stomach growling, irritation and depression piled high everywhere. Tried staying positive, but the environment had its limits. “Still better than I feared. I figured you’d lost it by now. We’ve had reports of later nobles cracking.” “Can you blame ’em, looking like this?” “Haha.” I waggled my half-eaten bread, and the captain let out a hearty guffaw as he leaned toward the bars. He glanced around furtively and beckoned me closer. I chucked the bread into the soup bowl, dusted my hands, and shuffled up. He spoke in a low voice. “I’ve got good news for you, after all you’ve been through.” “Good news? What is it?” Special meal or something? Wait—prison “specials” meant execution, right? Or not in this world? Who knows. “Your release has been approved. You’re walking out of here right now.” “Huh?” Brain sluggish, I was still piecing together what “good news” could mean when the captain dropped a bombshell that blew past my guesses. “Eh...?” Thinking he was messing with me, I stared blankly and let out a dumb noise. He smiled and slid a key into the lock. Dream? I pinched my cheek. Beard yanked out with it—sharp sting. Real. “Not a dream...” “Surprised?” The prison—earlier than planned. Rode the knights’ escort carriage to the townhouse. “Suuuuuup~!” Stepping down in my filthy state, staring at the townhouse, my first move was to throw my chest wide and suck in a massive lungful of crisp, free-world air. “Hiyaa~” Late autumn chill filled me up, a fizzy rush like chugging soda straight from the bottle. “Haha~” Just breathing, and laughter bubbled out. Liberation hit different. Hell, the air tasted sweet. So good I wanted to linger outside savoring it. But stand around too long in this getup, and someone might report me as a vagrant. If I wanted more air, first fix this grimy mess. “Hoo~” I roughly straightened my clothes, patted down my matted hair and disastrous beard, headed to the entrance, and gingerly turned the knob, easing the door open as I slipped inside. “You there—who are you to barge into this house?” “Ah...” Caught by Emily the second I entered. Basket of clothes in hand—she’d been heading to the basement laundry. “Krrng...” I groaned and scratched my head. Last thing I wanted: family or staff seeing me like this... “Didn’t you hear me? Who are you to enter someone’s home without—eh...?” Too embarrassed to speak, standing there dumbly, she snapped in full fury—then her shoulders twitched, cutting her off. She covered her mouth gently, voice faintly trembling. “...Young master? Y-young master, right?” “Haha... I’m home.” “Ah...” She realized a beat late it was me, William. I gave an awkward greeting with a smile, and her eyes went wide as she slowly approached. Without a word, she patted me all over, then softly pulled me into a hug, burying her face in my chest. “E-Emily, I’m really dirty, it’s fine—?” “Just stay still.” Flustered, I tried to wriggle free, but she tightened her arms and warned me firmly. “Uh... okay...” She’d put it that way—backing out would be weird now. I carefully hugged her back. “You’ve been through so much.” “Nah, it was... bearable.” She held me silently for a while, then loosened her grip, patted my shoulder lightly, and encouraged me with a face tinged in gloom. I tried acting tough with a smile for her sake, but her expression hardened further, her patting hand gaining strength. “Young master, you don’t look okay at all.” She stared me down with piercing eyes, like she was demanding the truth. “...It was rough.” “Haa...” I dropped the act and averted my gaze. A deep sigh escaped her. “...Straight to the bath. I’ll prep the tub right away. I’ll tell everyone you’re back, so relax, got it?” “Ah, yeah.” After watching me with a complex look for a moment, she grabbed my wrist firmly and yanked me toward the bathroom. With Emily—10% gentler than usual—by my side, it finally felt like I was truly back in society. “Heh...” I gazed at her back and chuckled softly. For this alone, I absolutely couldn’t let myself end up in prison again. No matter what.