Chapter 242
Chapter 242
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 242
Chapter Title: The Easiest Way to End a Stagnant Discussion (3)
They say even the toughest ox horn comes off with one swift yank, so with my mind set on clearing it all out at once, I immediately went to visit the elders in charge of the underwear.
"Are you all facing any difficulties, sirs?"
"Us?"
Wearing a friendly smile, I tossed out a question befitting my role as design overseer for the first time in two weeks and two days.
This was honestly embarrassing, but the veil and dress teams had been pulling so much aggro that I hadn't been able to pay them much attention...
Of course, I hadn't completely dumped the work on them—I'd checked in midway on how they were conceptualizing the designs, and there hadn't been any major issues, but you never know.
Even the quiet ones at school or work end up causing massive disasters you can't handle.
These were master craftsmen among masters, so the odds were slimmer than one in ten thousand—or even one in a hundred million—but it wasn't impossible.
"We're fine, no problems here."
"We're proceeding exactly as explained before—petticoats and stockings first, and we're continuously getting feedback on the fit from Her Highness the Crown Princess."
"I see. It's a huge relief that even you gentlemen are handling it without a hitch."
"We don't have any fights over designs, after all."
"I hear some of you even bicker over materials."
I gave an awkward laugh and scratched my head, prompting Baron MacDougall to glance toward Lady Clarice and Sir Richards, who were bickering again in the distance.
"Eh, that's just them losing their marbles. Aging gracefully is the role of us 'elders.'"
"Ugh..."
A true adult. A beacon of light.
I'm not sure if it was a trick of my eye, but it looked like a halo was shimmering behind Baron MacDougall.
"Tsk tsk... The moment I start senile like that, I'll retire."
As I unilaterally appointed Baron MacDougall as my honorary mentor in my mind, he shook his head slowly and clicked his tongue.
"So, have those stuffy old fogeys fiddling with the dress finalized the design?"
"Fortunately, they wrapped it up today."
"Today? Good grief, they dragged that out forever over a single neckline... So, which of those blockheads won?"
"Marquis Walks's proposal was adopted."
"That's great news. That friend Baron Troton keeps insisting on exposing the shoulders when underwear's tricky enough as is—such selfish bastards."
Grumbling but unable to wipe the smile from his face, Baron MacDougall leaned crookedly against the backrest.
"We're planning to follow Her Highness the Crown Princess's opinions to the letter, so keep an eye on those senile fools over there. Her Highness emphasized comfort over design for the underwear anyway."
"Understood."
With underwear being something that just needed to match the dress color neatly and didn't require much design fuss, Baron MacDougall seemed utterly relaxed as he waved his hand lazily.
"Do the rest of you share Baron MacDougall's thoughts?"
"Pretty much."
"No reason to go against Her Highness's wishes, right?"
"I see."
The other elders nodded lightly in agreement with Baron MacDougall.
True to form, they were the type who diligently did their jobs even without a finalized design.
No matter the group project, it's rare for everyone to be villains.
There are always some who work away quietly like beavers.
And if everyone is a villain?
Then you hop off that group project train right away.
Or blow all their heads off.
Just sitting there grinning like idiots is criminal enough.
"If there's nothing more to say..."
"Howard Young Lord, I have one question for you."
As I turned to step away from the elders who seemed done talking, Sir Stephen narrowed his bleary eyes and cautiously raised a hand to stop me.
"Please, ask away, Sir Stephen."
"That, uh..."
Sir Stephen leaned down, fumbling under the desk, and pulled out a piece of ivory-colored fabric, spreading it on the table.
"Oh? What's this doing here...?"
At first I had no idea, but up close, it was synthetic fiber fabric.
Familiar from the atelier, but seeing it here was a pleasant surprise.
Never thought I'd encounter it at a wedding dress production site, of all places.
"How did you come by this?"
"Thought I'd try using it for this corset project."
"For the corset?"
"Yes. Figured its durability and elasticity would help improve the comfort."
"Hmm~ But isn't it a bit tricky for use in the finest garments?"
In my past life, all sorts of synthetic fibers covered up flaws and brought advantages, making them great tools, but here the varieties were still limited.
So the downsides stood out clearly.
Elasticity was a huge plus for everyday wear, enough to overlook issues, but for top-tier clothing, it wasn't much of an advantage.
Dresses for dukes or royals weren't just clothes—they were works of art.
Custom-made, they didn't need to stretch much, prioritizing beauty and luxury over comfort, even if it meant some sacrifice.
Underwear did need comfort focus, but it had the worst synergy with synthetics.
Underwear clung to skin with high friction, so it needed low irritation and good sweat absorption.
"That's the problem. The texture's worse than expected, static buildup is bad, moisture absorption is poor..."
Synthetics had the exact opposite properties.
Well, the ones used here as synthetic fibers, anyway...
Unless the witches developed new fibers fixing those flaws, it was a distant prospect.
"I just can't get a feel for how to use it, but you've used it the most out of all of us."
"Yes."
"Any ideas on how to make use of it?"
"Ideas..."
It wasn't that there were no ways to use it.
"I know three off the top of my head, but I'm not sure if they'll satisfy you, sir."
"Tell me anyway. Her Highness's intentions come first."
"Well... One is blending synthetic fibers with silk or cotton to improve comfort a bit. Two is using just a tiny amount in barely visible areas. Three is making the laces for tightening the corset out of synthetic fiber."
"......"
Sir Stephen's brow furrowed at the three suggestions.
"Your ideas aren't much different from what I came up with..."
"Since it's not fabric meant for such an important occasion..."
Synthetics were yarns for daily wear or active moments.
Using them in a wedding corset was nonsense from the start—no wonder good ideas were scarce.
"Personally, wouldn't it be better for Her Highness to endure a bit of discomfort for just one day rather than forcing a comfort upgrade?"
I cautiously suggested ditching the synthetics, but Sir Stephen shook his head and shrugged.
"Personally, I agree, but since it's a commission, we should cater to Her Highness's wishes as much as possible."
"That's a fair point."
Obvious, really—I'd just seen too many elders lately stubbornly clinging to their artisan pride.
"Alright, got it."
Sir Stephen winced, scratching his head vigorously as if it ached.
Sorry I couldn't be more help.
"I'll keep mulling it over and let you know if I think of anything good."
"No need. This is plenty. Unless new fabric appears, no fresh ideas will come from tinkering. Don't waste time on it."
"Still, to just let it go like..."
"Overcoming ambiguity with handiwork is what makes an artisan, right? We've got time, so we'll manage somehow."
"Ooh..."
His pride in craftsmanship and sincerity toward the client were impressive.
Watching this, it felt like I'd gained another honorary mentor.
"I'll be rooting for you."
"Haha, thanks."
I bowed my head in genuine admiration, and Sir Stephen chuckled lightly.
_
Unlike the mainstream dress and veil, the sidelined underwear and gloves didn't need much scrutiny.
Just material questions and worries about harmonizing with the dress—that was it.
Mostly simple stuff that wrapped up quickly, so I resolved them on the spot.
Strictly speaking, they were more curiosities than problems, so "resolved" felt off, but whatever...
They were settled, at least.
"We should be able to handle things ourselves from here, Count Howard. You've done us a great service."
"No, it's all thanks to your excellence, sirs."
With the roadblocks constantly stalling progress yanked out and the designs fully finalized, I could step down from my design overseer role after just under three weeks.
It had been a nominal position with no real authority, so stepping down or not made little difference.
Not a long time, but man, it had been exhausting.
At least the frequency would drop now—should be bearable?
"Heh heh~"
Maybe because I'd been suffering so much lately, just thinking about it made me happy.