IBMV 40 (Patreon)

"Ah yes. Did you come for Anna? She must be talking to Ms. Isabella right now...… Shall I get her?"

Perhaps they were talking about work? Then I shouldn't interfere.

"It's okay. I'll wait while looking at the clothes."

The clerk said with a friendly smile,

"Then, would you like to take a look at the new dresses?"

"Sure."

From the dresses the clerk showed me, I picked a few that I liked.

Since I was shopping, time flew by in an instant.

Still, Anna and Isabella were nowhere to be seen.

Reluctantly, I went up to the second floor.

Dozens of sketches were scattered on the table, and Anna and Isabella were talking passionately.

"It's a good idea, but I don't know if it has any marketability."

"It's something you don't know unless you try it."

"Right. But isn't that too experimental? The black dress...…."

Then, Isabella spotted me and stopped talking.

"That's it for today. We have a visitor."

Anna raised her head when she heard there was a guest.

"Princess!"

Her voice was joyful, and I was happy to hear her greeting me. Anna walked up to me quickly.

"How have you been, Anna?"

When I asked, Anna nodded her head. There was a look of concern in her black eyes.

"Are you all right now, milady?"

"Yes, as you can see, I am very healthy now."

Anna seemed to have heard of the assassins. She gritted her teeth as she said,

"Someone dares —at the princess……. No matter who it is, they won't die gracefully."

A vicious energy emanated from her.

If the person responsible was before her, she looked capable of striking them dead.

I smiled softly, grateful for her care.

"You look busy; didn't I interrupt you?"

"It's alright, I'm almost done with my work."

"Then, would you like to have dinner with me afterwards?"

It was Isabella who answered me. She asserted while winking at Anna,

"Anna, you should call it a day."

"Huh? But I still have to...…."

"You worked without rest on the holidays. I don't want to become a vicious boss because of you, so go quickly."

The way she talks, Isabella seems to be taking care of Anna in her own way. I helped her.

"Yes, sometimes you have to have days off."

"Well, if the princess said so… … ."

When I joined in, Anna eventually accepted Isabella's suggestion.

* * *

The restaurant, decorated with splendid décor, was filled with well-dressed nobles.

Anna looked around and asked,

"I don't know if it's okay for me to come to a place like this."

"What can't you do? Anna's style is very elegant."

"Do you think so?"

"Of course."

While waiting for the food I ordered to come out, I said to Anna.

"Did Anna design the clothes you are wearing right now?"

Anna was wearing a dress with frills and almost no embellishments.

She nevertheless did not look plain or bland. Instead, she looked elegant and straightforward.

Anna confessed,

"I've been thinking about it for a while, but the Princess gives off a pleasant feeling."

"Haha…… is that so?"

It's more like I've read the original story this world is based on rather than giving off a good feeling.

I changed the topic while drinking the red wine that was served with an appetizer.

"What were you talking about with Isabella earlier?"

I didn't mean to hear it, but Isabella referred to a black dress, and it caught my interest.

"You want to try making a black dress, right?"

"Yes. Black is an elegant and attractive color. I don't think there's any reason not to design it as a party dress."

Anna sighed a little after she spoke confidently. She added,

"But, Mrs. Isabella doesn't seem to understand what I was envisioning."

Well, indeed, that's the way it was.

In this era, there was still a strong perception that a black dress was for mourning. Many thought it was inappropriate to wear it to a party or get-together.

"I could try making it as an experiment, but they said that it wouldn't suit customers' tastes."

"So…… Are you going to give up?"

"Of course not. I'll try and carry on,"

she said with a determined attitude.

This is how Anna is.

I like people who don't easily bend their beliefs.

"Then let's make it our own. Don't worry about the production cost. I will help you."

"Yes……?"

Anna asked as if surprised. After a moment of contemplation, she shook her head.

"Thank you for your words, but I can't ask the princess for any more help."

I said while poking the scallops appetizer with a fork,

"There seems to be some misunderstanding. I want to invest in you. It's not a selfless favor. I'll make money, so I'm going to help."

Her clothes may be shunned at first.

People instinctively feel repulsive to unfamiliar things.

But eventually, they would appreciate the clothes she made.

And perhaps, later, call her clothes revolutionary.

Because the clothes she will make are styles that have never been seen before.

If she takes one more bold step, she will surely be able to leap to a higher place than she is now.

I decided to push Anna's back forward, who was hesitant.

"What say you? Would you like to work with me?"

It wasn't difficult to predict what Anna would say.

Because she is the type of person who doesn't miss an opportunity when it comes.

Sure enough, after thinking for a while, Anna gave her answer.

"Alright."

As she grinned, she added,

"If it's going to be a business partnership with someone I like, there's no reason not to."

* * *

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