Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: Patterns Through the Guild
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I left the gift for Her Highness the Crown Princess to Elizabeth and, after deliberating with my staff on what clothes to spread far and wide across the world, decided to first distribute the manufacturing methods for two garments.
Those were the brassiere and the girdle.
The brassiere was selected because demand was insanely high yet profits weren't substantial, and the girdle because it took forever to make, but even without us producing it, the profits would still be huge.
The other clothes seemed more profitable if we kept them exclusive for now, so they were excluded from consideration.
There were no disagreements, so we wrapped up deciding on the distribution targets in under twenty minutes.
The real headache that had plagued us wasn't that—it was how to share the manufacturing methods with others.
If we were just dumping the methods out there, we could use newspapers or pamphlets or whatever.
That would be the most efficient way to spread them, reaching the entire Empire.
But using newspapers or pamphlets meant the methods would reach huge capitalists or tailors employed by major houses too.
Families wealthy enough to hire private tailors weren't that common, so that wasn't a huge issue, but massive capitalists could use their money and manpower to crush small businesses. Letting the methods flow to them unchecked just felt wrong.
What if scum like the Devonshires badmouthed us to our faces but copied us behind our backs to rake in profits?
I had no desire to hand-feed them such a nightmare scenario with my own hands.
That might sound hopeless, but there was exactly one way to filter it while still sharing with small businesses.
The guild.
To me, guilds felt straight out of fantasy novels, but they were actually pretty mundane labor organizations.
Because, despite the name, they were a mix of cartel, labor union, and cooperative.
Roughly speaking, they gathered industry folks to monopolize techniques, networked old-timers, smashed outsiders encroaching on their turf, and exploited newcomers under the guise of "apprenticeships."
Of course, I've spiced it up to make them sound villainous, but they did serve a purpose back in the day.
They acted as cartels but also as labor unions and cooperatives.
In eras with weak consumer power or administration, they enabled minimal management for artisans and shops, and gave commoners leverage against lords or the state. Not entirely bad.
Even now, with big capitalists ignoring everyone and wreaking havoc in the market, guilds helped small-scale artisans scrape by.
So, they were perfect for spreading methods to small businesses.
I had people backing me who dwarfed any guild, and the Atelier handled recruitment, design, and tech development in-house, so I'd shoved guilds to the back of my mind. But Walter, who'd job-hunted before, mentioned it, jogging my memory.
The moment I thought of the guild, I packed up patterns and documents and headed straight for the Seamster's Guild.
"Is this the place?"
"The sign says Seamster's Guild right there."
"Oh, right."
We arrived at the guild building about an hour before lunchtime.
"A guild in quite the pricey building..."
I'd expected a shabby, small setup for small businesses, but it was near the center and impressively large.
It might've been bad if they were desperate, but this solid state was fine.
It meant many artisans and shops followed the guild.
If I could communicate well with them, spreading the patterns would be smooth.
"Let's go in."
Confirming Emily had gotten out of the carriage with the basket, I gave her a nod and charged into the guild building.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Inside, proving the exterior wasn't all show, staff and artisans bustled about, chatting away.
"Oh~ What brings you here, sir?"
As I nodded approvingly and scanned the interior, a teenage boy who looked like an errand runner scurried up with a somewhat servile bow.
"This is the Seamster's Guild, right?"
"Yes! It is! We handle both seamsters and tailors!"
"I see."
Even though I'd read the sign, his novel-like greedy-merchant vibe made me question if I'd wandered into the wrong place. But he shook his head vigorously, confirming I hadn't.
"Are you here to find an artisan for a commission, sir?"
"No, I'd like to meet the guild master."
"Did you make an appointment?"
"Nah, just showed up."
"Hmm... That might be difficult..."
"Hmmm..."
I narrowed my eyes, lightly stroking my chin as I stared at him.
I knew showing up unannounced was my fault, but I had no way to contact them first.
Turning back after just booking an appointment felt annoying, but forcing my way seemed off too.
"What's your name?"
"...O-Oliver."
"Oliver, huh. Not a bad name."
While learning his name, I rummaged in my pocket and pulled two shiny silver coins from the leather pouch inside.
"Oliver, hold out your hand for a sec."
"Pardon?"
Bending down, I dropped the coins onto his bewildered outstretched palm, curling his fingers around them securely, then whispered low in his ear.
"Go to the guild master or vice-master right now and say, 'The second son of the Count Hume family, Baron Howard, has come and wishes to meet the guild master.' Do what you want with the little rocks in your hand."
"Rocks? Uh... Huh?!"
He frowned at "rocks" and peeked, then his eyes bulged at the gleaming silver, mouth agape as he gawked at me.
Three days' wages as a tip in one go—clearly overwhelming.
"Got it?"
"Y-Yes, sir! Leave it to me!"
I patted the dazed Oliver's shoulder with a lazy smile, and the sharp kid clutched the coins to his chest before beelining for the guild master's room as instructed.
"G-Guild Master! Someone from the Count Hume family! Baron Howard is here! He wants to see you!"
He flung open the door without knocking and bellowed it loud enough to echo through the guild, almost verbatim.
"Oliver, what nonsense is this first thing in the morning?"
"A real noble came!"
"Hah, why would a noble come to this dump? Howard, no less? The one under His Majesty's favor lately? You drunk?"
"Ow! Just come see! You'll know when you do!"
"Hey! Hey!"
The brief commotion ended with Oliver dragging the guild master out by force.
"Ha... Oliver, you want a beating this bad... Huh...?"
The middle-aged guild master, hair swept back, yelled at Oliver for dragging him, but froze pale as a ghost upon locking eyes with me calmly watching at the entrance.
"Are you the guild master?"
"A-Ahem... Aren't you Howard, the hottest tailor in the Imperial Capital these days? I'm Gilbert Taylor, head of the Seamster and Tailor Cooperative Guild."
He snapped to attention at my question, plastering on a fake smile and giving a curt nod.
"Nice to meet you."
"Haha~ The honor is mine. But what brings a noble to our humble guild?"
His tone and expression dripped prickly hostility, though not overt.
To them, I was just another market-wrecking big capitalist. Unavoidable.
And with my conscience, I had no urge to deny it.
"I came to collaborate with the artisans under your guild."
"Collaborate? You seem to be running fine without us... What kind...?"
Not a commission, but collaboration.
His eyes darted, trying to read my intentions.
"Our Atelier's business is booming so much lately that we're short-staffed with work piling up. It's a real headache."
"So, you need manpower?"
"No, that's our problem to solve. Anyone with a conscience wouldn't poach from the guild, right?"
"Haha, bold moves for someone saying that."
"Business startup necessities. Anyway, I'm not here to oppose you—I'm here to share work."
"Sh-Share...?"
His momentum deflated at "share work."
Suspicion lingered in his eyes, but a faint spark of expectation flickered.
"Well... I can't go into details here, but if we click, we might share something—work, or a bit of... know-how."
"!"
At the hint of leaking designs or techniques,
the guild master flinched, swallowed hard, and grabbed Oliver beside him.
"O-Oliver! Take the g-guest to the parlor! No, I'll do it— you, grab the best refreshments in the guild... No, just sweep up everything!"
"Y-Yes!"
"Lord Howard? Shall we continue in the parlor?"
"Hmmm~"
I eyed the guild master, who flipped to deference like turning my palm.
Quick to bend when it suited—not bad timing.
Just a tad sleazy in execution.
"Of course."
He didn't seem the stubborn type to let pride cost him gains, so I nodded lightly.
"This way, then!"
"Mm."
Unlike his earlier arrogance, now utterly polite, he bowed and led to the parlor.
I followed slowly with a satisfied smile.
We hadn't talked properly yet, but I could tell he'd be reasonable.