Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Runway Triumph and Sudden Inspection
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The Imperial Capital runway show wrapped up spectacularly.
"Um... Sir William, we've received a report."
"Perfect timing. I was just about to call it quits."
"Ah, yes..."
After circling the Imperial Capital once, the knights waiting in front of the Atelier confiscated the cart, the mannequins, and even the stockings—but I'd certainly drawn plenty of attention, so I was satisfied.
At this point, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I'd gotten my money's worth from the mannequins alone.
And the main goal—provocation—had been a resounding success.
"We're from the Imperial Capital Administrative Office. We're here for a surprise inspection, so we ask for your full cooperation."
Because the very next day, a sudden inspection team showed up at the Atelier.
There was no concrete evidence that the former Duke of Devonshire had orchestrated it, but the reasonable suspicion that he had was obvious enough.
With everyone busy preparing for Founding Day, there was no reason for officials to launch a surprise raid at a time like this.
"May I ask the reason for this inspection?"
"A report was filed."
"What kind of report?"
"We can't disclose that to protect the informant."
And anyone could see they were putting on a blatant show of having no real justification.
"I see..."
Well... up to that point, it wasn't entirely unreasonable, so I let it slide.
They could keep the informant secret to prevent retaliation, and they could withhold the reason to stop any evidence tampering.
This wasn't a world with Miranda rights or anything like that.
It was something I'd half-expected anyway, so I wasn't too thrown off.
If anything, I'd hoped they'd show up right on cue.
Princess Elizabeth and I had racked our brains in advance, anticipating something like this, and taken precautions.
It'd be a shame if all that preparation went to waste.
"Of course we'll cooperate. Please, come inside."
"Yes."
So I greeted them with a smile.
Go ahead and search, if that's what you want.
"Do you have your permits and business registration?"
"Right here."
The officials who entered the Atelier started by checking the paperwork,
"We'll search the premises now, so everyone step outside for a moment."
"?"
then went so far as to comb through the entire building—right in front of the watching Imperial Knights, no less.
"...Please continue to handle things this way from now on."
"Yes."
But just as I'd anticipated, they found nothing.
The expressions on those thoroughly rotten officials' faces were a sight to behold.
The Imperial Knights had been glaring daggers at them from earlier, so they'd probably hoped for something to turn up—but the moment nothing did, they knew it was over.
It was all their own doing.
No matter how much pressure some bigwig had put on them, they should've just gone through the motions. But pushing it with knights watching?
No one comes out of a search completely clean, and they probably wanted to look good—but they overplayed their hand and ended up with a new vulnerability.
"Have you finished your work here?"
"Yes..."
"Both of you are suspected of conducting an illegal inspection. You'll need to accompany the knights back to headquarters."
"......"
Ugh, served them right.
_
"Hm?"
As I finished up work and headed home to the townhouse, a single carriage pulled up right in front.
Carriages stopping in the nobles' district was nothing unusual, but the crest on this one was all too familiar—my family's.
I stopped short of going inside and fixed my gaze on it, giving Emily's shoulder a light tap.
"Emily, was anyone supposed to visit today?"
"No, I haven't heard anything special."
"Who could it be?"
Mother had said she'd come around Friday. Was it Princess Hayes?
Curiosity piqued, I approached the carriage.
"Young master, it's been a while."
"Yeah, it has."
John hopped down from the driver's seat and hurried to the door, bowing his head in greeting.
I raised a hand in return, but as he reached for the handle, he hesitated and glanced at me.
"Young master, sorry, but I need to open the door. Could you step back a bit?"
"Oh, my bad."
I'd gotten too close. Eyeballing it belatedly, I realized I was right in the way and took a generous couple of steps back.
"Thank you."
John gave a small smile and a nod, then lowered the handle and swung the door open.
The first thing that caught my eye was the light golden hair cascading straight down, swaying gently.
And peeking through it, a pale navy dress.
Her face wasn't visible yet, but anyone could tell it was Mother.
"Mother, you're early."
As she bent to step out, I called out and approached. She startled, her eyes flicking from John to meet mine.
"...William? Why are you waiting out here?"
"I saw the carriage on my way home from work and thought it'd be nice to go in together, so I waited."
"Hee hee~ What a pleasant coincidence."
She called it a coincidence as I offered my hand. Mother smiled warmly, took it gently, and carefully descended.
"You've gotten so much thinner in just a few weeks. Are you eating properly? Getting enough sleep?"
"Of course. It's just that work's been piling up."
"Goodness... Why do you go out of your way to make things hard on yourself? And why'd you have to inherit your father's hot-headed impulsiveness..."
"Haha..."
Her barrage of scolding started the moment our eyes met. I gave an awkward laugh and shifted my gaze back to the carriage door.
"It's been a while, sister-in-law."
"Oh, thank you. It has."
I greeted my sister-in-law, who was cradling her now-obviously pregnant belly—visible even through her puffed-out dress—with one hand, and offered my hand.
"You've changed a lot since last time. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine—everyone's been helping out. But how about you, young master? You look much thinner than before, just like Mother said."
"It's not just me, then. Your face, your neck—they're all so gaunt. William, take better care of yourself. Don't just focus on work."
"Yes, ma'am..."
Even my sister-in-law, who'd only glanced at me while stepping down, echoed Mother. Was I really losing weight?
I was already on the bigger side build-wise, so I couldn't afford to slim down more.
Maybe I should start exercising...
"Haa~"
Mother let out a small sigh as I rubbed my nape with a serious look, then turned to my sister-in-law.
"More importantly, Wilhelmina, aren't you cold? The sun's setting—how can you have your arms so exposed? Where's your shawl or cardigan?"
"The carriage was stuffy, so I gave it to Charlotte for a bit. We'll be inside soon anyway, Mother."
"Goodness..."
Looking displeased, Mother gestured to Charlotte, took the cardigan she was holding, and draped it over my sister-in-law's shoulders herself.
"It's only going to get chillier. You need to start being careful now."
"Ahaha..."
Seeing my sister-in-law clutch the cardigan and laugh awkwardly, I figured we'd be in for an hour of street-side nagging if I didn't intervene.
"Let's not stand out here—shall we head inside?"
"Yes, that's best."
_
We entered the townhouse, handed our luggage to the servants, and headed straight to the dining room with my brother.
Once inside, he seated Mother at the head, me to her left, and he and my sister-in-law to her right side by side. Then he stuck to her like glue, dripping honey from his eyes as he fussed over her.
"Have you been eating well lately? Nothing you've suddenly developed an aversion to?"
"Of course not. I never had morning sickness."
"That's a relief."
He sliced the meat on her plate for her, his eyes never leaving her face.
"Urgh..."
Watching them twisted something in my gut.
It wasn't jealousy or disgust—just this cloying sweetness that made my teeth ache and my skin crawl.
"Ah~"
"Goodness, dear, I'm not a baby. I can handle my own meal."
Thankfully, before my brother's doting got out of hand, she reined him in just enough to prevent a diabetic crash.
Her face was flushed with embarrassment, but the twitching corners of her mouth suggested she didn't mind.
Of course, a refusal was still a refusal, so my brother looked like a rain-soaked puppy as he carefully set down his fork and knife.
"Ah... yeah, sorry. Was I too much?"
"It's not that, but everyone's watching. Try to hold back a little."
"Got it."
Everyone's watching?
Does that mean it's fine if no one's looking?
Blood sugar spike incoming.
I narrowed my eyes and glanced sideways.
"Hee hee~"
Mother watched the couple fondly with a benevolent smile.
Our eyes met, and she dropped the smile to speak.
"By the way, William."
"Yes, Mother."
"Have you found a partner?"
"...Pardon?"
A partner?
Her sudden question furrowed my brow and parted my lips. Mother pressed her temples and continued.
"I mean a partner to attend the Founding Day event with."
"Oh."
Until now, Hayes and I had been each other's dates, so I hadn't worried about it. But now Hayes had betrayed me, leaving me without one.
Work had kept me too swamped to remember.
"I knew it, you idiot. What have you been doing without finding a partner yet?"
"Well, I was busy..."
"Busy?"
"No, never mind..."
The busyness was all my own fault—how could I use that as an excuse?
With nothing to say even if I had a hundred mouths, I hung my head like I wanted to die, looking dejected.
"Haa... What are we going to do? It's a week away—no one's available now..."
"I don't think a partner is strictly necess—"
"William, do you want to die by your mother's hand?"
"I was very short-sighted."
I'd wondered if skipping it once might be okay, but the blue aura flickering around Mother made me slam my head back down.
"William, forget patents and business. Spend the remaining time finding a partner—no fooling around. I'll look too."
"But we still need to talk about work..."
"If you don't want to shame me in a whole new way, grab anyone—a foreign noble, a demihuman noble, even some fallen noble from decades ago."
"Yeah, William, don't mess around. Listen to Mother."
"Y-yes, young master. A partner seems more urgent than work right now."
Mother radiating menace, backed by my brother and sister-in-law.
No time for bravado. I nodded vigorously.
"Yes! I'll find one somehow!"
Damn, what do I do?
I'd answered loudly, but no ideas came to mind.
"......"
Damn it...