Chapter 55

‘Huh? I wasn’t making an excuse, though?’

As I fell silent, at a loss for words, Duke Ruthius beckoned the designer, Louis Blanc, with a flick of his finger.

“Here.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

Approaching, Louis swallowed nervously.

“Y-You summoned me?”

“My daughter tells me this boutique is the most famous in the capital.”

“…Y-You flatter me.”

“Are you saying it isn’t?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if my daughter was mistaken.”

“N-No, not at all! It’s the absolute truth! N-No one can match my designs! I am the best, not just in the capital, but in the entire empire!”

Louis’s trembling voice echoed loudly through the boutique.

He might have secretly believed he was the best, but at that moment, Louis was by no means boasting.

It was merely something he’d blurted out instinctively, terrified by a look that promised dire consequences if he didn’t answer correctly.

I suppressed a laugh.

‘This must feel like a bolt from the blue for him. Who would have imagined Duke Ruthius was the type to go shopping with his daughter?’

He’d likely heard the rumors that the Duke treated his daughter coldly, making this all the more unexpected.

He was probably cursing whoever started such baseless rumors.

A quick glance around confirmed that the other young ladies were just as surprised.

In a few days, rumors would surely spread that Duke Ruthius doted on me.

That would, in turn, lend credence to the rumor that he was spending an astronomical sum to establish a guild for his daughter.

At the same time, it would naturally draw the attention of Hunters.

Then, they would come on their own, without me even needing to advertise for guild members.

I took a prim sip of my tea.

“But why is the quality of your clientele so low?”

“I-I’m sorry! I really wanted to stop them… Pardon? Q-Quality?”

“It’s the person who completes the outfit. If the wearer is unsightly, even the most beautiful design is wasted. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Y-Yes, of course. You are absolutely right.”

“And knowing that, you simply stand by and do nothing?”

“No! Of course not! It’s just that… I-I wasn’t sure what Your Grace desired…”

“Have them removed at once. Furthermore, do not accept any other customers on the days my daughter visits.”

The boutique grew so quiet that not even the sound of breathing could be heard.

I could feel the young ladies, who had been thoroughly intimidated, bristle at the Duke’s words.

Among them, a young lady in a red dress calmly challenged him.

“Pardon me, Your Grace, but isn’t this an overreach of your authority in a commercial space open to all?”

“A valid point. Then I suppose I’ll have to make it so you have no choice but to leave.”

Duke Ruthius continued nonchalantly.

“I’ll buy everything in this boutique.”

“Y-You can’t just…”

“Is it forbidden?”

Duke Ruthius cut the young lady off, turning to Louis.

Louis glanced furtively at the young ladies before offering a gracious smile.

“Of course not. The items belong to whoever purchases them first.”

“There you have it.”

As Duke Ruthius looked back at her, the young lady bit her reddened lip.

“And what is your name?”

“…I am Camilla Hector, the second daughter of Count Hector. It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace.”

“Ah, so you’re the one. I’d heard there was a daughter in the Hector household obsessed with luxury goods.”

Everyone, myself included, turned to look at Camilla.

Camilla’s face turned beet red.

“Did Count Hector borrow money from me just to buy his daughter luxury items? A more frivolous reason than I imagined. I suppose I can collect on that debt now.”

“…!”

The color drained from Camilla’s face.

There wasn’t a noble alive who hadn’t borrowed money from Duke Ruthius.

That included not only her father, but the fathers of the other young ladies present as well.

This was because the Duke offered incredibly low interest rates and never pressed for repayment, even if one was late.

He was so generous with the nobility that rumors circulated he’d gone into money lending simply because he didn’t know what else to do with his wealth.

“Y-Your Grace…”

Her heart sinking, she opened her mouth to make an excuse.

But Duke Ruthius cut her off without mercy.

“Go home and tell your fathers I wish to see them. All four of you.”

Camilla and the other young ladies all turned pale.

Gone was the sight of them elegantly fluttering their fans and mocking me.

To think those haughty noble ladies couldn’t even make a peep.

Indeed, when it came to making others submit, power was far more effective than force.

“What are you standing around for? Are you not leaving?”

Duke Ruthius stared at Camilla with a cold gaze.

He wasn’t glaring, merely looking, yet Camilla flinched.

In the end, she tore at her fan, on the verge of tears, before rushing out of the boutique with the other ladies.

With the sudden exodus, the boutique instantly fell quiet.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Louis asked cautiously.

“Your Grace, what should I do with the merchandise? It will be difficult for you to take everything. There are many different items, and the dresses, in particular, are quite bulky.”

“What do others do in this situation?”

“This has never happened before… How about you select the items you like for now? I will have the rest beautifully packaged and sent to your estate.”

“That sounds acceptable. In the meantime, prepare more desserts. My daughter seems to enjoy them.”

“I’ll have them ready right away.”

Having pacified the situation with an unheard-of display of wealth, Duke Ruthius gestured arrogantly with his chin.

“Astell, pick out whatever you like.”

“Hmm… It seems power really is mightier than strength. They’re more afraid of you than they were of me.”

“It’s not me they’re afraid of, it’s my money.”

“In any case, thank you. Thanks to you, I can now speak with Louis in peace.”

“You’re welcome.”

Duke Ruthius gave a slight nod. He exuded the elegant grace of a true nobleman.

I gestured to Louis.

“Louis, would you care to sit here?”

Louis glanced at Duke Ruthius before gingerly perching on the edge of the sofa.

“Shall I help you with the dress fitting?”

“We can do that later.”

“Then, is there something else you wished to discuss with me…?”

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’m currently preparing to establish a guild. A guild exclusively for Hunters.”

“Oh, I-I see. I wasn’t aware. My apologies…”

“It’s fine. I’ve been thinking about various items for it, and one of them is a uniform. The plan is to provide one for every guild member.”

“For free?”

“Yes. But I’m not familiar with this field. That’s why I wanted to hear a professional’s opinion. What do you think?”

Louis’s eyes lit up.

“An excellent idea. There’s no better item for fostering a sense of belonging than a uniform.”

“In that case, what would be the most important factor in creating a uniform?”

“You said you’d be providing them to Hunters, correct? Then practicality would be the most crucial element.”

“Could you elaborate?”

“You would need a durable fabric that doesn’t stain easily. If possible, you might even consider enchanting it with magic.”

“Functionality is important, of course. But I believe it must be based on a beautiful, recognizable design. That’s why I came to you.”

“To me… you mean?”

“Louis Blanc, I want you to be in charge of the guild’s uniforms.”

“…A uniform made with my designs would lack practicality. The base cost would be extremely high, for one.”

“That is a needless worry. I am Astell Ruthius.”

“Ah!”

Louis let out a small gasp, but his expression soon turned regretful.

“It’s a very tempting offer… but unfortunately, I must decline.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Since this would be my first time venturing into this field, I would need to conceptualize and test various ideas, but I simply don’t have the time.”

“You’re that busy?”

“My schedule is booked solid for the next two years. I don’t see how I could possibly find the time.”

I nodded. As if I would have approached him without doing my homework.

I already knew Louis was busy; Zenia had told me.

I also knew that what Louis needed wasn’t money.

The empire held artists in low regard.

While painters and musicians were considered artists, designers were seen as little more than skilled merchants.

This was the very point I aimed to exploit.

“Is there any reason to continue running the boutique?”

“Pardon?”

“I told you I would invest in you. If you want to make dresses, make them for me. The same goes for accessories. I will buy anything and everything you create.”

“…Why would you go to such lengths for me?”

“An artist creates their greatest work when they can exercise their talents without any restrictions. I want to create that kind of environment for you.”

At my casual reference to him as an artist, a blush crept up Louis’s cheeks.

“Y-You think of me as an artist?”

“Aren’t you an artist? What else would you consider yourself?”

As I asked, feigning confusion, a wave of profound emotion washed over Louis’s face.

‘I knew it.’

What Louis needed was to be recognized as an artist.