Chapter 195 - A Fashion Conference Among the Drunkards

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"Announcement! We're preparing next year's Auratello! Our goal is to produce a hundred times as much by summer!"

Lucia announced this with such enthusiasm that her voice was a little higher than usual. Perhaps she was already drunk.

Looking at her hands, Dahlia noticed that the glass of red wine she had been holding earlier was already empty.

"That's impressive. The people at the clothing workshop must be working really hard."

"Absolutely! They're working incredibly hard! We have all sorts of uses for it, from knights' underwear to the linings of noblewomen's dresses. But our goal is to make it affordable enough that even commoners can buy at least one piece by next summer!"

As the developer of the Auratello, Dahlia was delighted to see it becoming more widespread.

And a hundred times the current production was an astonishing figure.

However, neither the workforce nor the equipment could possibly increase a hundredfold overnight, so Dahlia could only imagine how much hard work it would take.

"Auratello? That's that cool fabric, right? Having something like that in summer would be a real blessing. The people at the Courier Guild would love it."

"Lucia, is everything going smoothly?"

"Yes! We've also managed to extend the usage life of Auratello by about three times, so it lasts much longer. We're currently researching ways to make it easier to peel off and whether we can apply multiple layers. The people at the breeding facilities are doing their best with the Green Slimes, so we should have enough in time. We've also increased the number of people handling production, which has made things considerably easier. But apparently, the royal palace division is having a hard time because only people with noble titles are allowed to handle those orders. They're practically wishing they would just hand out noble titles!"

"Ahaha! Noble titles that can be handed out? That would certainly be convenient!"

Mena laughed, but Lucia was probably only half joking.

When supplying goods to the royal palace, everyone involved also needed to have their identities and backgrounds officially vouched for. On top of that, there would undoubtedly be countless specifications and inspections covering everything from design and comfort to safety testing.

"Are you working on anything else new?"

"Right now, we're fully occupied with Auratello and our winter and spring collections. But once we get past this busy period, I'd like to make more stylish underwear and some beautiful lingerie, too. We wouldn't necessarily have to use Auratello for those. I want to create things that everyone can enjoy, regardless of whether they're nobles or commoners, men or women."

"Do you think ordinary people would buy something so extravagant and expensive? I especially doubt it would appeal to men."

"It's not like we live in an age where commoners have to settle for plain, simple things. And isn't it strange for men to wear nothing but drab clothes, too? Don't you get tired of seeing the same designs and colors all the time?"

"I've never gotten tired of what I wear, and I've never had any problems with it."

Dahlia had expected Fermo to struggle with Lucia's question, but he answered without the slightest hesitation.

"We live in a country and an era where we can wear whatever we like! So why not enjoy wearing it—and dressing other people in it, too? Besides, plain clothes are a safe choice, and modest designs are popular, but having nothing else gets boring. It's dull! I want people to have all sorts of different options!"

"Ah, so, Workshop Manager Fano, you see clothing and lingerie as essentially the same thing?"

"Exactly! You get it, Mr. Grill!"

Lucia really did seem to be getting drunk. Mena simply smiled at the mispronunciation of his name.

"Mezzena and Grieve are both a little difficult to pronounce, aren't they? If you don't mind, please just call me 'Mena.'"

"Then you can just call me 'Lucia,' too. And you don't have to worry about how you speak to me. I only became a workshop manager by chance, and I'm a commoner. This is just how I normally talk."

"Then I'll speak freely!"

It seemed the two had hit it off. Somehow, they seemed rather alike.

"Still, underwear isn't something you normally show to other people, you know."

"You show it when you want to show it! Besides, as a merchant, you care about everything from the packaging to the box a product comes in, don't you, Chairman Gandolfi?"

"Well, that's true. When it comes to accessories, both the design and the box matter. I suppose it's the same thing. Oh, while we're at it, you can call me Fermo, too. Gandolfi is probably a bit of a mouthful."

Noticing that Lucia was having even more trouble pronouncing names, Fermo made the suggestion.

"Fermo! Then you can call me 'Lucia-chan,' too!"

"...L-Lucia-chan."

"Yes! That's perfect!"

Fermo covered his eyes, his shoulders trembling. It seemed Lucia had suddenly started acting a whole lot more familiar with him.

"Anyway, I think you men understand the importance of packaging even better than we do. Just imagine this: if your lover or wife were wearing a white frilly nightgown versus a black camisole, those would give you completely different impressions, wouldn't they?!"

"L-Lucia!"

Wait. Why was she bringing this up with all the men here?

Dahlia had hoped someone would stop her, or that everyone would simply laugh it off. Instead, she was met with a row of thoroughly serious expressions.

"...They're absolutely different. There's just no comparison."

"...Yes. They certainly are."

"Ivano-san, Fermo-san..."

All Dahlia could do was call out the names of the two men who had answered so earnestly. Unfortunately, it did nothing to rein them in.

"Dahlia, don't try to stop me. This is a serious discussion about products!"

"A-Alright, Lucia."

The blue-green eyes staring straight at her were completely glazed over.

Before worrying about stopping her or not, Dahlia just wanted to make a desperate escape.

"Hair color and eye color are classic choices. You can't go wrong with those, right?"

"Definitely. White and black are the basics, of course, but I'd also recommend soft colors that suit the person wearing them."

"I agree with Mr. Ivano. Personally, I also think designs with a bit of playful flair would be nice. Something with a deep cut accented by lace, or layered pieces that offer an occasional tantalizing glimpse."

"Mena! Tell me more about that! I want specifics!"

Undeterred by Lucia's enthusiastic reaction, he proceeded to elaborate on his ideas.

"For example, you could lower the cut dramatically around the chest or back and decorate it with lace. Or, like the trousers from the neighboring kingdom, you could have a layered hem with a deep slit, so that just a little shows when the wearer walks..."

"Mena, wait! Let me draw that! I'm going to sketch it!"

Lucia pulled a small sketchbook out of her bag.

She immediately began sketching out designs. Even drunk, she was remarkably good at drawing.

The man answering Lucia's questions seemed to have quite a few preferences of his own.

As words like collarbones and thighs flew back and forth, Dahlia seriously wondered whether they should simply offer Mena up to the Tailors Guild.

"And I don't think we can leave out ribbon designs and string styles, either!"

"Hey, Mena... That's enough."

Marcella cut Mena off in a somewhat intimidating voice just as he was about to elaborate further on his personal preferences.

"Whyy? You've bought all sorts of things for Irma yourself, haven't you, Marcella-san? As for your preferences..."

"S. T. O. P."

Marcella grabbed Mena's head with his large hand.

"I'm serious! That hurts! You're going to crush my head!" Mena began to protest, but nobody came to his rescue.

Hoping the conversation would end there, Dahlia silently took a sip of wine.

Without a word, Volf, sitting beside her, poured her another glass of red wine.

"...There's nothing wrong with daring lingerie like that, but I still think you can't go wrong with a white blouse and a navy-blue skirt."

"Agreed. I prefer something that doesn't try too hard to be unconventional. Like a simple spaghetti-strap dress with minimal decoration."

"If we're talking about sheer impact, a white dress on a rainy day is unbeatable."

"I see. I can understand that, but personally, I think a woman wearing my shirt is the ultimate."

"Oh, so that's your preference..."

Ivano and Fermo were huddled together as they chatted. They seemed to be getting drunk as well, and their voices were growing rather loud. Naturally, Dahlia could hear every word.

"Sir Volf! What about you? What's your preference?"

"...I don't have any particular preference when it comes to the exterior..."

Caught off guard by Lucia suddenly directing the question at him, Volf never once lifted his eyes from his glass.

He simply emptied his glass of white wine, looking utterly uninterested.

What did he even mean by the exterior? Was he completely uninterested in clothing, caring only about what was underneath?

Well, perhaps what was underneath really was more important. But if so, what exactly did he prefer? Was he perhaps a fan of a woman's waist after all? The thought made Dahlia feel a dull headache coming on.

Why was she even bothering to investigate Volf's preferences?

She must be getting drunk herself.

Perhaps she should step outside for a while, sober up, and collect herself.

"I think I'll just step out and freshen up..."

"Dahlia~ I know you've been through a lot, but that's all in the past now, isn't it? You should try to be a little more open-minded and tolerant. Men and women might approach these subjects from slightly different angles, but understanding both sides could help us create not only more attractive clothing, but better magical tools, too."

"Maybe you're right, but..."

Her friend's blunt words hit a little too close to home. Dahlia couldn't deny that there was some truth to them, but it was still a subject she found difficult to deal with.

"Besides, Dahlia, you've been avoiding even conversations about romance this whole time. Well, it doesn't seem like there was ever any love or affection involved, even when you were engaged."

"Well, that's..."

She couldn't deny it, but admitting it outright left her feeling rather miserable.

And the fact that everyone else had suddenly fallen silent made things even more uncomfortable. They were undoubtedly worried about hurting her feelings.

"Hey, Dahlia, isn't there some kind of outfit you find particularly cool or attractive? It doesn't have to be underwear, either."

"...Hmm."

"At this point, you can even just name someone and say, 'That's the kind of outfit that really suits them.'"

Volf's uniform from the Monster Subjugation Corps and the armor she had seen him wearing at the royal palace were both impressive.

However, she didn't want to admit that those were the outfits she thought suited him best.

His casual clothes looked good on him, too, but that was more a matter of the man himself. Besides, she felt embarrassed at the thought of bringing up Volf's name.

There was only one other person who came to mind.

"...Maybe someone wearing work clothes while earnestly doing their job?"

"Wait, Dahlia. Who's the person you had in mind?"

Feeling an inexplicable sense of defeat, Dahlia confessed.

"...My father."

In the now-silent room, Lucia began smacking the table repeatedly.

"Oh, come on! You're not an elementary school student anymore! At the very least, you should be able to name one or two handsome or wonderful men! I can't believe you came up with Mr. Carlo! Even Mr. Tobias would have been a better answer..."

"Why would you bring up his name here?! I couldn't think of anyone else, so what was I supposed to do?! Besides, can you name anyone you think is wonderful?"

"Of course I can!"

In response to Dahlia's impulsive retort, her friend clenched her right fist and launched into her answer.

"Lord Fort's three-piece suits for royal palace functions. They're so impeccably tailored, and yet the way he moves is so elegant. It's absolutely captivating. I'm sure a knight's uniform would suit him, too. And those unusual linen shirts he wore a few times over the summer were wonderful. They gave him such a different look. His dress shirts since autumn began have been handsome, too. Lord Fort has such long, beautiful fingers, so I bet gloves would look great on him. I'm sure a coat and boots would suit him as well, so I can't wait for winter. Even his everyday outfits are wonderful. I often find myself staring at him in admiration!"

"Lucia..."

Was it unrequited love, or simply admiration?

As Lucia repeatedly praised Fort, a married nobleman, Dahlia couldn't help feeling a little sorry for her.

"Also, that guard at the entrance to the Tailors Guild! His uniform suits him perfectly, and he looks incredibly handsome standing there. He's quite stylish, too. The color of his pocket square changes every day. I can't wait to see him in his winter overcoat! And the woman at the reception desk on the far left—she's tall and has such a lovely figure. The way she walks is wonderful. I bet she'd look great in both a pencil skirt and trousers! Oh, and Mr. Fermo's jacket today looks fantastic on him. It gives him such an imposing air! I definitely think a double-breasted suit suits him better. Ah, and Mr. Ivano! Ever since he started wearing three-piece suits, he's become so much more handsome! Lord Fort really has an eye for these things!"

"Lucia..."

Dahlia wanted that fleeting sadness back.

But then again, this was just how Lucia had always been.

Before she knew it, everyone was smiling as though they completely understood.

"Thank you for the compliments. You really do love clothes, don't you, Lucia-san?"

"I absolutely do. But clothes are only meaningful when someone wears them. You can't build a house without a foundation, can you?"

Lucia replied cheerfully to Ivano's smile.

"That's certainly true. A business can't function without both buyers and sellers, after all."

"Accessories and magical tools are the same. Without someone to use them, all the creator has is a prototype."

As the men reflected on the matter, Marcella handed Lucia a glass of fruit wine.

"I thought you'd say clothes mattered more than what was underneath, Lucia-chan."

"That's mean, Marcella-san! Maybe I'll go tell Irma on you!"

"No, I think Irma would agree with me."

"I'm starting to think so, too..."

Amid the laughter and casual chatter, Volf, sitting beside Dahlia, murmured quietly.

"The Monster Subjugation Corps wouldn't have a reason to exist if monsters stopped appearing. But for everyone's sake, it'd be better if they didn't appear at all."

Now that he mentioned it, that was certainly true.

If monsters and humans each had their own territories, the Monster Subjugation Corps would have no reason to intervene.

Adventurers might still hunt monsters to collect materials, though.

"That's true. The world would be at peace then."

"Yeah. Though I'd be out of a job."

"In that case, you could always come work for my trading company. I'll be waiting for you."

Those words had slipped out before Dahlia could stop herself, but they were genuinely what she felt.

Come to think of it, even if they were friends, saying such a thing to Volf, a member of a Count's family, was probably rather presumptuous.

But before Dahlia could panic, the corners of his mouth curved into a broad U-shaped smile.

With one of the most beautiful smiles Dahlia had ever seen from him, Volf replied.

"If I ever leave the Corps, I'd be delighted to take you up on that offer, Chairwoman Rossetti."

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