Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Patrick's Shocking Truth
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Patrick's craftsmanship was no slouch, good enough to live up to his lofty confidence.
"How is it?"
"Pass."
So I pulled out the contract right away.
I wanted to poach Patrick completely and set him up with his own new forge, but that was too big a stretch, so I looped in Miss Isabella for the contract.
Patrick's official affiliation would switch to the clothing store, but he'd borrow her smelter's equipment and workspace for all his tools and operations.
A bit complicated, but a true win-win deal.
So we stamped it without any real disagreements.
"...Patrick, you're an adult?"
I discovered it while stamping: Patrick was older than me.
"Yes, I've been an adult for two years now."
Twenty-one, no less.
When Miss Isabella first brought him up and called him a kid, I'd assumed he was around my age or younger, but he was four years older.
"......"
I stared back and forth between Patrick and the contract, my eyes round as full moons.
A girlish face paired with a body full of subtle, rippling muscles; an innocent teen vibe, but actually a grown man?
"Wow..."
It was the most shocking thing I'd learned lately.
_
The day after uncovering Patrick's shocking truth.
I arrived at the workshop, opened the door, and stepped inside to find the employees—who had finished their short vacation and come in early—clustered together in the center of the workroom, waiting for me.
Unlike last week, when they'd gotten a head start on their own, this time they were all sitting quietly. That was because I hadn't clearly assigned what they'd be doing after the break.
"Good to see you all."
"Sir William, you're finally here!"
"We've been waiting."
As the door opened and they all turned to me, I greeted them, and the staff stood up with warm welcomes.
"No issues during your vacations?"
"None."
"We rested well."
"Good. Let's dive right in, then."
After exchanging the usual pleasantries, I headed straight to the table where they were gathered and took the head seat.
"No beating around the bush—I've got a few things to say about our plans going forward."
"Yes."
"Over the next few months, our core customer base will be human nobles. From October through the end of the year, the empire has a string of major events lined up, so clothing purchases spike hard during that stretch."
"October?"
Lady Elizabeth cut in with a voice full of doubt.
As I turned to her, she continued with an intrigued smile.
"August only has a week left, so you're saying we have to pitch ourselves to customers and finish production within a month? Isn't that too tight a schedule? Your reputation aside, we don't have much else to appeal to nobles with."
"Fair point, but I've got a surefire way to boost our recognition with customers."
"What's that?"
I pointed at Caterina.
"We've got Caterina. By mid-September, I'm running a newspaper ad for our store."
"You don't mean...?"
While everyone else looked baffled watching me and the lady, she grinned so wide it nearly reached her ears, her eyes twinkling.
"There was that magic tool that copies reality straight into a picture, right?"
"Exactly."
It produced crisp black-and-white images like high-res photos. A few shots cost as much as a dress, but the results were solid.
"If Caterina's plastered across nationwide papers, that'll grab eyes for sure, won't it?"
"It will."
"Has there ever been an ad like that?"
"Not yet—picture ads cost way more per unit."
"Then it'll definitely turn heads."
"So I finally get to model clothes? No more grunt work?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Yippee!"
As everyone nodded seriously, picturing Caterina's face in the papers, she alone beamed with innocent joy at finally getting to play model.
"In that case, Sir William."
I was smiling at her like she was an adorable puppy when Lady Elizabeth—who'd been huddled with Lady Panni and Lord Herbert—piped up again.
"What clothes are you planning to feature in the ad?"
"The bra and whatever Panni and Herbert are working on now. Indirectly, of course."
"Our clothes...?"
"Hmm..."
A ripple of unease spread through the staff.
Lady Panni and Lord Herbert's faces were especially priceless.
The others might just think, "Tight timeline, huh?" But those two knew the process inside out, so this probably looked impossible to them.
Sorry, but no choice.
If things had dragged on, I'd have eased up, but the staff showed grit first and dangled this slim but beautiful possibility in front of me.
You shouldn't have given me hope.
"To hit the papers in September, we need Panni and Herbert's clothes done by next week. Sorry, but Panni, Herbert, and Adelaide—you'll have to grind. The rest of you won't have much until those are finished, but pitch in to help them as much as you can."
"Yes."
After hearing their replies, I paused to collect my thoughts.
Racking my brain for anything else—nope, this covered the big picture.
Time for the details, then.
"Panni, Herbert?"
"Yes."
"How far along are you?"
"Designs are nearly finalized. Once we pick the fabric, we can jump right into production."
"Got it. What kind of feel for the fabric?"
"Smooth and glossy on the surface."
"Hmm... Okay, noted."
Not a tough ask.
Synthetics have that sheen, and silk has pretty luster too—mix 'em right.
"Panni, how much thread can you get right now?"
"If I rush, two pounds... er, one kilo."
"By when?"
"By the weekend."
"Make it happen—the sooner, the better."
"Yes."
"Herbert, in the meantime, draft the patterns to her measurements so we can overlay and trace the second they're ready."
"Understood. But the measurements...?"
I pulled a paper from my pocket and handed it to Lord Herbert.
"Use these."
"...Whose are these? The numbers scream ideal figure."
"Caterina's."
"Ah, makes sense. Impressive as ever."
I was shocked too at first.
Perfectly healthy, beautifully curvaceous—the ideal stats.
No wonder elves are icons of beauty; I felt it then.
Humans slave away for a body only a few achieve naturally—small wonder women envy them.
"Sir William, how do we make the fabric?"
"I cleared it with Lord Hans. Thread arrives, production starts to spec immediately."
"Ah, got it."
"Rest of you—nothing until the fabric's ready, so kick back. Practice sewing or embroidery, brainstorm new designs if you want, up to you."
"Yessir~"
"Alright, everyone—back to work."
_
After assigning Panni and Herbert, I got to work on bras to match the outfits.
With some prep sketches already done, I unrolled the pattern and pulled out fabric when Lady Elizabeth sidled up, looking intrigued.
She gingerly picked up a wire from the corner of the table and examined it curiously.
"This the stuff from Monday's order?"
"Yep."
"Bit small, but kinda like corset boning."
"Same role, pretty much—shapes the bust."
"Hmm~"
She nodded slightly with a hum and set the wire down.
"Looks like it could shape without the wire. Why bother? Seems a far cry from the natural look you're after."
"Some correction's inevitable. Hiding flaws and playing up assets is fine—till it goes overboard."
"I see."
I don't hate dressing up or makeup.
Chasing beauty's instinctual.
But overdoing it? No thanks.
Beauty matters, but less than health. Not worth wrecking your body over.
Moderation's key.
"So, how do you plan to promote these? Even with Caterina modeling, you can't just show them off. What's your trick?"
"Hmm..."
I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes.
Lady Elizabeth's eyes sparkled like she had to know now, but I wasn't spilling yet.
"Can't do corsets openly, but a few of our outer pieces can showcase them. That's the plan."
Full secrecy would just annoy her, so I dropped a hint.
"Something only our clothes can do? Like what?"
"Still a secret. Told you before—if I spill everything now, where's the fun? Puzzle it out till then."
"Ugh... Fine. Prize if I guess?"
Nothing planned, but...
I blurted the first thing that popped up.
"Model the next ad?"
"Pass."
She deadpanned, making her disgust crystal clear.
"Hmm..."
Now I kinda wanted to make her.
Someday, if the chance comes—let's see her reaction.
I drew a long line across the silk fabric.