Maximum Exposure
Maximum exposure! The impact of Franche entering the ballroom clad in Andrea’s dress was nothing short of sensational. The nobles gathered at the party turned their heads in unison, whispering excitedly about her gown and her new clothing venture.
"I believe we've made quite the impression," she murmured.
"This is a resounding success, my Lady."
Franche took her first steps forward, her expression wearing a mask of haughty confidence. *Click. Clack.* In the sudden hush that fell over the ballroom, the sharp tapping of her heels was the only sound that remained.
As she reached the center of the hall, the first to greet her were the Second Prince and the Third Princess.
"A pleasure to see you, Lady Descartes. Is that the very dress you spoke of yesterday?"
"So you weren't boasting for nothing. You certainly have every right to be confident."
Franche offered a subtle smirk as she curtsied in perfect accordance with imperial etiquette.
"Thank you for your kind interest. I only hope the garments we offer meet your high standards."
"How could they not! I have never seen a design like this in the entire Empire."
"It is even more breathtaking up close. I am half-tempted to commission my next gown from the very artisan who crafted this masterpiece."
The prince and princess showered her with endless praise. Seizing the perfect opportunity, Franche slipped in a new piece of information.
"Every single garment in our boutique is produced under the direct supervision of the master designer who created this piece. And for special commissions, the master will craft them personally."
Franche smiled warmly as she continued.
"I believe I promised to present you both with a gift? If you visit Franche's Clothing Store in District 13 of the Descartes Duchy, that very master will design them for you himself."
"Oh?" The prince nodded in fascination, while the princess remained utterly captivated by the dress. Everything was going exactly according to plan.
"I shall make it a point to visit your boutique, Lady Franche."
"I will accompany you as well."
"I am deeply honored by your interest."
After wrapping up the conversation gracefully, Franche moved on. Most of the people she encountered were the noble ladies and young misses she had met the previous day. The air was filled with compliments for her dress and eager inquiries about Franche's Clothing Store.
And then...
"Franche."
She came face-to-face with Duke Descartes. Franche bowed her head in a quiet, respectful greeting.
"Is that dress the result of your efforts?"
"It is, Father."
"So your claim that you would surpass Frida was not an empty boast."
His expression remained entirely blank. Even when presented with such an astonishing result, not a single line on the Duke's face shifted. Would it kill him to crack a smile?
"As promised, I will grant you my full, unconditional support for your business."
"Thank you, Father. I will strive to exceed your expectations."
"There is no need for thanks. This is an achievement you earned yourself. Have more confidence."
If someone told me this was a conversation between an entry-level employee and a department head rather than a father and daughter, I would have believed them without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Eden and Line, standing right beside him, look absolutely miserable.
Did Franche's business success strike a nerve? What a pathetic pair. Instead of cheering on their younger sister, they were standing there with sour grimaces.
"Now, I have many guests to greet, so I shall take my leave. I look forward to your future endeavors."
The Duke departed to mingle with the other nobles. Eden shot Franche a sharp, lingering glare before following in his father's footsteps. Line, however, lingered behind.
"Where on earth did you source that dress?"
"It was crafted at my own workshop, brother."
"And you expect me to believe that?"
Line's face contorted, his temples and jaw twitching with irritation. He must have been absolutely certain that Franche's business would crash and burn.
"You obviously bought a dress from Frida and are lying through your teeth, claiming it was made at your workshop."
What kind of utter nonsense is he spewing now?
"Do you truly think I would tell a lie that could be disproven so easily?"
"With your lack of education? It's highly likely."
"You go too far, brother."
"That is because this whole situation is utterly absurd!"
Line huffed, his chest heaving with indignation as he pressed on.
"An uneducated, inexperienced child like you bringing forth a masterpiece like this on her very first venture?"
"Perhaps I simply possess a natural talent for business. Or perhaps my eye for design is simply superior?"
"..."
Line narrowed his eyes, glaring at Franche with cold hostility. The atmosphere between them grew dangerously tense.
"There are far too many suspicious details here. First, the rumors surrounding the Young Duke of Persia, then your sudden breaking of the marriage alliance, and now this business venture. None of this is at a level I can believe you achieved on your own."
What's this? Has he noticed something? He doesn't strike me as particularly sharp like Seldas, though.
"You got lucky this time, so do not dare try anything foolish again. Eden and I are watching your every move. If you cause even a single scandal, I assure you, there will be no next time."
He spun on his heel, walking away after spitting out his piece. Why are these brothers so utterly obsessed with tearing Franche down? And who does he think he is, talking about "no next time"? What a joke.
Is there some other reason they hate Franche so much?
Franche had told me before that her mother passed away the moment she was born, and that they loathed her for it.
But would they really go this far just because of that?
There had to be another reason they were still acting like complete lunatics even after reaching adulthood. If they truly despised and persecuted her solely for her birth, then they were just pathologically broken bastards.
I don't know if I'll ever have the chance to dig into it, but...
No matter how much I pondered, it made no sense, so I decided to ask Franche directly.
"My Lady, why exactly does he despise you to such an extent?"
"I told you before, didn't I? Because of my mother..."
"I doubt that is the only reason. Is there nothing else that comes to mind?"
Franche tilted her head in confusion.
"Well... if it isn't that, I really don't know. They have been like that since I was a child."
Hmm. There were absolutely no clues to go on. I would have to peer directly inside Eden or Line's skulls to find out.
The Duke might be involved in some way, but...
I didn't have the luxury of wasting my precious time on those two anyway. I was already busy enough raising Franche. Why bother learning the history of two useless troublemakers?
"But why do you ask?"
"It just seemed a bit odd."
"Odd how?"
"It's nothing. Please forget I mentioned it."
"Oh, come on, now I'm curious."
Well, if the opportunity ever arose, I would find out eventually. It wasn't like I was going to actively go out of my way to search for it.
"In any case, we still have some time before His Imperial Majesty arrives, so let's go meet the other nobles. We need to maximize our promotional efforts."
"Yes, my Lady," I replied, falling into step behind her.
The first group of nobles we approached was a circle of countesses and young ladies who were frequent patrons of Frida Clothing Store. It was a gathering centered around the families of various counts.
"Lady Franche, your dress is absolutely magnificent!"
"What you said yesterday was indeed the truth!"
"If I visit your boutique, could I obtain a gown as exquisite as that one?"
The nobles showered her with endless flattery, desperate to catch any crumbs of favor she might throw their way. Franche offered a polite smile and answered them graciously.
"Franche's Clothing Store is always open to welcome you. I am certain it will suit your tastes perfectly, as we carry a wide variety of designs."
The noblewomen's faces lit up with delight at her words. The conversation flowed smoothly from there, revolving entirely around Franche's new boutique.
"Now, if you will excuse me, I must take my leave to greet the other guests."
"Ah, of course! Thank you, Lady Franche! We will be sure to visit District 13!"
Moving gracefully through the crowd, she continued to mingle with various nobles, keeping the conversation steered toward her business. After a long while...
"Whew... let's take a short break."
"Yes, my Lady. Shall I fetch you a drink?"
"No, I'm fine."
Franche let out a long, heavy sigh, finally catching her breath.
"But His Imperial Majesty has yet to make his entrance. Quite a bit of time has passed."
Indeed. I pulled out my pocket watch to check the time. It was nearly four o'clock—far later than scheduled.
"Could something have happened?"
"Surely not. If something that serious had occurred, the entire Empire would be in an uproar."
Hmm. A strange, unsettling feeling washed over me.
"And yet, neither the Crown Prince nor that Saintess are anywhere to be seen."
"You're right. I fully expected the Saintess to approach us the moment we arrived."
Something was definitely off. No matter how much time passed, the Emperor did not appear, and the Crown Prince, who should have been hosting the event, was nowhere to be found. And Somire was missing as well.
Is their absence connected to the Emperor's delay?
It was highly suspicious that even Somire was missing. Surely she wasn't plotting something behind the scenes? An ominous anxiety gripped me.
Lately, just thinking about Somire gives me a headache.
I casually scanned the room, keeping my guard up while eavesdropping on the surrounding conversations.
— "Have you been keeping well?"
— "Lady Descartes has brought an absolutely marvelous dress."
— "What are your thoughts? Regarding the Lady's business..."
— "I plan to invest. Now is the best time, while the entry barrier is low."
— "That Lady Descartes is indeed as mad as the rumors say."
The dominant topic of conversation was Franche's business, interspersed with mundane pleasantries. Amidst the chatter, I even caught Asil's voice, predictably spewing venom about Franche.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary, but...
Still, I couldn't afford to let my guard down. Knowing how unstable Somire was, there was no telling what she might pull.
It was then.
"His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor, enters!"
*Clack!* The massive arched doors swung open, and knights clad in gleaming golden armor parted to the left and right. Through the center of the path, the Emperor marched forward.
Golden hair reminiscent of a lion's mane. Sharp, dark eyes. A towering, muscular build that defied his middle age. An overwhelming aura of majesty radiated from his very stride.
Seeing him in person after only viewing him in the game is surreal.
He looked exactly like his in-game graphic. Having received countless quests from him in my past life, I felt an odd sense of familiarity.
"His Majesty has finally arrived."
"Should we go pay our respects?"
"I must go with Father. Wait here for a moment."
Franche rose from her seat and made her way toward Duke Descartes. While the Duke seemed to welcome her presence, Eden and Line scowled, casting looks of pure disdain as if even this displeased them.
Those two are nothing if not consistent.
Well, I could leave the rest to Franche. Given everything she had achieved so far, she would handle herself perfectly. Besides, the Empress would likely be the first to take notice of the dress.
I might as well enjoy the party food.
I grabbed a plate, piled it high with meat, and sat down at a table. Shoving food into my mouth like a man possessed, I kept a watchful eye on Franche.
Hm?
Now that I looked closer, Somire and the Crown Prince were standing right behind the Empress, who was beside the Emperor. So they were together. I hoped they hadn't been plotting anything bizarre.
Just to be safe, I should listen in.
I focused all my senses on my hearing. Instantly, the conversation between the Emperor and the nobles became crystal clear.
— "I greet the Sun of the Empire."
— "A pleasure to see you, Duke Persia, Duke Descartes."
Contrary to my anxieties, the conversation was perfectly ordinary. They merely exchanged formal greetings and discussed recent affairs. Seeing the Crown Prince and Somire move away after paying their respects, it seemed they weren't planning any immediate mischief.
After smoothly concluding his conversation with the Dukes—the very pillars of the Empire—the Empress, as expected, turned her attention to Franche's dress.
— "Lady Descartes, your gown is truly striking. Is it a new release from Frida?"
— "No, Your Imperial Majesty. It is a creation from the clothing business I have recently launched."
— "Is that so? The craftsmanship is on an entirely different level from any gown I have seen before."
— "If Your Majesty desires, I would be honored to have our workshop's master designer craft a custom piece as a gift for you."
Judging by the flow of the conversation, everything was going swimmingly. Our brand ambassadors were now the Empress, the Second Prince, and the Third Princess. If we couldn't succeed with this lineup, we might as well pack up and go home.
The business pitch continued to yield excellent results. The Empress showed immense interest in the gown, her favor clearly won by the offer of a bespoke gift. Once the conversation concluded, Franche walked back toward me with a triumphant smile.
"It went perfectly. Her Imperial Majesty promised to visit our boutique herself."
"That is incredible, my Lady. The rumors will spread like wildfire through high society."
"And once they see the building itself, the deal will be sealed. There is nothing like its architecture in the entire Empire."
Was it finally time to rake in the gold? We had spent so much time and overcome so many obstacles just to get this first step right.
"Now, all that's left is to watch the gold pour in."
"Indeed. We are finally seeing the fruits of our first venture."
Franche and I locked eyes. I could see she was barely holding back her sheer exhilaration, and I was doing the same.
"I want to scream with joy right now, but we are in a ballroom."
"Shall we clink our glasses instead?"
"Let's. To commemorate our very first step."
*Clink!* We tapped our champagne glasses together and downed them in one go. Now this was the sweet taste of success.
"Jin."
"Yes, my Lady?"
"Thank you."
"...Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"
Perhaps the alcohol was already getting to her head. A soft flush crept onto Franche's cheeks as she gazed at me with a faint, lingering smile. Her eyes held an strangely intense, almost sultry warmth.
"My life began to change the moment you arrived. And I know it will continue to change."
Her hand reached out slowly, gently caressing my cheek. Her fingers traced a path downward, sliding past my jawline until they rested softly against my collarbone.
"I'm in your hands... my very own prince?"