Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Perverted Sketch
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The continuous stream of negative feedback had left me feeling pretty down.
"Where's the problem? I just don't get it..."
"......"
As I muttered to myself while staring at the drawing, the atmosphere around me turned icy in an instant.
"What's with everyone?"
"Ah, no, it's nothing."
They were acting like something was obviously up, yet insisting it was fine, which made my brow furrow.
"Just tell me casually what's wrong. Who's gonna bite?"
"No, sorry..."
"Eek..."
"My mistake..."
"...?"
Every person I made eye contact with averted their gaze and apologized, deepening the wrinkles on my forehead.
Seeing their reactions just moments ago, this sudden change was only making me feel worse...
"Tch..."
It seemed pointless to keep pressing the staff for answers, so I clicked my tongue and turned my eyes back to the drawing.
As I pondered whether to completely overhaul the design, Lady Elizabeth approached and lightly tapped my shoulder.
"What?"
"Lord William, calm down. Everyone's scared."
"Huh?"
I hadn't raised my voice at all, so her telling me to calm down left me flustered, tilting my head. The lady smirked and pointed at my face.
"Not surprising, as the son of Count Hume. Right now, you look like you could tear someone apart."
"Me? My face looks like that right now?"
I blinked vacantly and gently rubbed between my brows with my hand.
Truth be told, in our family, I had the second mildest face.
So I'd never heard anyone say my expressions were scary in my life, making this claim of a fierce look utterly baffling.
"How about now?"
"Much better."
I vigorously rubbed my face to loosen the stiff expression, then asked Lady Elizabeth, who nodded slowly as if it was passable.
"How much effort did you put into it to show such intense emotion?"
"It's not that. The bad reactions just got me a bit down, but I really thought it was fine."
"Oh... And that was your 'down' face?"
"Yeah."
"I'm curious what your angry face looks like."
"Me too."
I'd thrown tantrums or gotten momentarily irritated plenty of times, but actual anger was rare, so even I didn't know.
Mother always looked at me fondly, but seeing this reaction made me realize our family's standards were pretty skewed.
"Anyway, getting down over others' reactions means you have no idea what's wrong with it, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then, may I ask a few questions?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
"What's the purpose of this?"
"I thought it'd be nice to combine stockings and a garter belt, and with the material Lady Pannier found, it seemed feasible."
"What's it called?"
"Pantyhose."
Lady Elizabeth's eyebrow twitched dramatically at the clothing's name.
She slightly furrowed her brow, looking bewildered as she asked,
"What's a panty?"
"Uh..."
I felt awkward and scratched the back of my head.
Why doesn't she know this?
I'm sure I showed it to her before...
"Ah."
Thinking back, I had shown it.
But I'd only shown it.
I'd never properly explained what panties were, so it was natural she didn't know.
They were still drawers at this point.
Broadly speaking, they were panties, but I didn't want to call those baggy, pumpkin-like things for men panties.
In my mind, pumpkin panties were only acceptable for children's dress-up fashion.
So, deciding this was the perfect chance to define panties here, I confidently pointed to the prominent panties in the drawing.
"We call underwear like this panties."
"It looks similar to what you put on the mannequin last time."
"Yeah, exactly that."
The lady nodded with a soft smile, as if finally understanding, but then tilted her head at me with wide, sparkling eyes.
"But if it's pantyhose, why wear panties with it?"
"Er..."
I didn't know the reason either.
In my past life, everyone wore them that way, so I just thought it was standard.
If I had to guess, synthetic fibers have terrible moisture absorption, are slightly rough, and sheer, so without panties, it'd be incredibly uncomfortable?
"More importantly, why are the panties under the stockings? There's a hole, so it seems you considered 'that issue,' but the panties make it look really uncomfortable."
"I don't know either, I just..."
In my past life, people wore panties under pantyhose, so I drew it that way without thinking.
I wanted to explain that this was the common way, but I'd just be seen as crazy, so despite feeling a bit wronged, I nodded along appropriately.
After all, it was my fault for not respecting this society's norms and sensibilities.
"A-Any other questions?"
"Is sheer clothing a family tradition?"
"W-What?"
"If I recall correctly, Countess Hume sells sheer silk stockings at her boutique. As her son, were you influenced by her?"
"Ah, that was my suggestion."
"Lord William suggested it?"
"Yeah."
Lady Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, and one corner of her mouth quirked up.
"You have a thing for legs?"
"...I don't hate them."
It was my preference, but too embarrassed to confirm or deny.
"If you say so, I'll take your word for it."
My acting wasn't great, so she didn't seem fully convinced, but mercifully dropped it.
"Anyway, that's all I wanted to ask."
"So no more problems then."
"Right, no issues. The outfit itself isn't that strange. If you consider it combining garter belt and stockings, the silhouette is similar, and sheerness is fine— these days, every lady has at least one pair of sheer stockings."
"Oh, really~?"
Hearing that sheer stockings sold well at Mother's boutique lifted my spirits, curving my lips upward.
I knew they'd be a hit. My prediction was spot on.
"But the drawing looks perverted."
"Huh?"
But Lady Elizabeth followed up, instantly crushing my budding excitement.
My rising lips drooped, and my lower lip pouted slightly.
Undeterred, she poked the drawing with her finger and continued.
"The different color on the stockings to mimic the garter belt is a common detail, so that's fine. But the belly fat pressing against the stockings, or the skin dimpling from the panty straps— isn't that too explicit? And why the shading and sheen? Are you trying to show the clothes or a woman's legs? Usually, you sketch the essentials simply then make a pattern, right?"
"True."
Her points weren't wrong, but I had reasons for drawing it that way, so I shrugged indignantly and countered.
"But this way, it matches how it'll feel when worn. Isn't accurately conveying the feel a good thing?"
"Pardon?"
The lady's eyes widened as she tore her gaze from the drawing to meet mine.
"How would you know the feel for a first-time garment? And you only saw Lady Pannier's fabric once, right?"
"Ah."
Her observation left me speechless.
There was no way I could know the feel of something I'd never made.
As my eyes wavered in confusion, she stared piercingly and pressed on.
"What puzzled me most about the drawing was, 'What on earth was Lord William basing this feel on?' The fabric Lady Pannier showed wasn't sheer and felt like rubber with insane elasticity."
"....."
"But this drawing is sheer with no rubbery feel at all. It's like you drew it assuming a new fabric with perfect texture and properties exists."
"...It's just a draft. Can't I include some hopeful elements? Lady Pannier said witches can extract various materials from black oil, right?"
"Yes, but your drawing is too specific—that's the issue. You're designing like you already know the end result."
"It's just something from my imagination."
"Hmm~"
The lady narrowed her eyes with a hum, her gaze sharpening.
"......"
I met her stare with a smile of my own.
The staff, who had been watching our exchange with fascination, slowly sensed the oddity as the mood chilled.
Thankfully, our staring contest didn't last long.
"Well... you must have your reasons. We've talked too much just between us."
It was thanks to the lady realizing we weren't alone and conceding first.
"Yeah. Anyone else have opinions?"
"I agree with Lady Elizabeth."
"I think Lord William's design is fine."
"What if you toned down the sexiness a bit...?"
"Got it."
Thanks to the lady covering most of it, the others' opinions weren't particularly insightful.
"Alright, let's wrap this up and get back to work. Thanks everyone for your honest feedback."