I Became a Clothing Designer in Another World - Chapter 15

The moment I saw Hayes's head bobbing up and down, I gestured to Emily to lower her skirt and opened my mouth.

"I think of this as a kind of confirmation."

"Confirmation?"

"It's just my personal feeling, but the Duke seems to be interested in you, too, in a positive way."

"... Really? That's how it looks to you, Oppa?"

"Yeah, it's definite based on my experience of watching other people at banquets."

According to the teenage romance data I've accumulated while working as a wallflower specialist for a long time, there were several unusual signs between the two of them.

Like him recognizing Hayes immediately in the dark terrace, or the fact that they've had several meetings since then.

If I were in that situation, I would have already chugged a bowl of kimchi soup and imagined having grandchildren.

How can you resist when a nineteen-year-old noona with a guaranteed successful career shows interest in you?

Of course, I'm too chicken, so I'd probably just freeze up while imagining it.

"So, change your thinking a little, and instead of seducing the Duke, you're trying to sound him out."

"Sound him out?"

"At the banquet, can you be alone with the Duke? It doesn't have to be long, five minutes is enough."

"I can do that much."

Hayes answered with a somewhat confident voice and nodded.

"When you're alone with the Duke, take off your shoes on the pretext that your feet hurt, or ask him to take them off for you on the pretext of the corset, make an excuse to show your legs somehow, it would be even better if you actually broke the heel."

"What does that have to do with sounding him out?"

Hayes tilted her head slightly and asked.

"Because men have a tendency to get stupid when they see something sexy, their hearts weaken, they want to take care of you for no reason, and they start imagining having grandchildren."

"Where is there such a stupid person?"

"......"

I wanted to say that there was one right in front of her, but I just gave a faint smile and shrugged.

I'm telling her common sense and a secret that will be helpful for life, with a lot of resolve, and it's all her fault if she can't take it.

"Anyway, the important thing here isn't showing your legs, it's the Duke's reaction when you make such a suggestion."

"Reaction?"

"See if the Duke genuinely shows reluctance to your suggestion, or if he's just pretending to dislike it."

"And?"

"If the atmosphere feels strange, quietly back off, and if the atmosphere feels good, subtly throw out this and that story, you can praise the Duke, or casually drop a story about your ideal type."

"And? What happens after that?"

"You don't need anything after that, your body will move on its own if the atmosphere is set well."

"Hmm..."

Hayes still had a dubious expression, as if she didn't trust my plan, but I was sure.

If it's a man and woman who are in their prime and have feelings for each other, they're bound to catch fire even if you just give them a slight push, you should rather pray that they don't cause an accident that day.

Because it's only a matter of time before a kiss leads to cuddling belly to belly.

"If you don't understand, imagine the Duke looking at you with a passionate gaze."

"The Duke......"

Hayes closed her eyes slightly.

Hayes, who had been sitting quietly with a peaceful expression at first,

"...!"

After a little time passed, Hayes suddenly shuddered her shoulders, blushed her earlobes, fidgeted her thighs, and opened her eyes in surprise.

"Ugh... I, I think I know what you mean..."

"Right?"

Hayes, who stuttered and avoided my gaze, moved her uneasy eyes from side to side.

As expected, teenage delusion.

The effect is amazing.

"It seems pretty good, right?"

"Hmm... I'm not sure yet, but I think it's worth a try."

An ambiguous answer.

I don't want to make it if she's not going to wear it for sure...

"Really? Then come back in two weeks."

Since the other person is my younger sister, I have to put up with some time wasted.

I need to do her a favor at times like this so that she grows up obediently later and listens to me well.

"Two weeks? Does it take that long?"

"Then should I make it roughly? It took me three days to make one of those?"

"No, no! I'm sorry, I can wait as long as it takes."

Hayes, who was startled, shook her head wildly from side to side.

"Then I'll start working on it right away."

"Okay, thank you."

_

If it took three days to make one stocking, it would be enough to make two in a week, but the reason I asked for two weeks was because I wanted to decorate the stockings more.

Personally, I like plain stockings with no pattern much more, but in aristocratic society, even gloves must have minor decorations.

Even if it's a stocking that no one will see, it had to have simple decorations or patterns.

So, I got an extra week to put embroidery on it.

"Here, take a look."

Two weeks had passed as promised, and it was the day I handed over the completed stockings.

"Wow...!"

Hayes, who faced the roses and vines made of pure white thread that started at the ankle of the stockings and continued to the knee, reflexively exclaimed and stared blankly at the stockings.

"Is it okay?"

"Yeah... but this embroidery, did Oppa embroider it?"

"I embroidered it because I thought you'd hate it if it was too plain, is it not good?"

"What? No, it's so pretty, I was wondering if you had someone else do it..."

"I'm pretty good at it."

I deliberately shrugged and boasted, because there would be no chance to hear Hayes's praise otherwise.

"Yeah... you're really good."

"......"

And Hayes's heartfelt admiration that came back made the landlady in my heart turn a large ladle of poppy.

It's so thrilling, I'm going crazy.

"Keuheuh..."

"Oppa, can I try wearing this right now?"

As I was slightly intoxicated by my own awesomeness, Hayes pointed to the dressing room and asked carefully.

"Do whatever you want, but you have to be careful when you wear it because the fabric is thin."

"Okay, I got it!"

As I gave a simple precaution and nodded, Hayes entered the dressing room with Leticia with a bright smile.

And after a very short while.

"Kyaa! What should I do!"

"Milady, you're so pretty...!"

"At this rate, the Duke will definitely like it, right?"

"100%, he'll definitely like it!"

The two of them burst into an uproar in the dressing room, and the noisy voices continued for a while.

"Hehe..."

Hayes came out of the dressing room.

Hayes had a smile that seemed like it would never fade on her face, and approached me with the stockings held as precious as a treasure in her hands.

As I looked at Hayes, who was smiling slyly with an expression that she was very satisfied, Hayes opened her mouth with a slightly excited look.

"Oppa, until yesterday, I was half in doubt? I was thinking, even if the stockings are pretty, isn't it too much of a fuss?"

"Yeah."

"But, after trying these on once, I think I understand a little bit what you said last time."

"Really?"

"This can't fail."

"..."

I was rather embarrassed because the customer satisfaction was about to pierce the sky.

It's not that much, no matter what.

"I'm glad you're satisfied."

"This is the best, I'll definitely come back after getting into a deep relationship with the Duke for Oppa's sake."

"Ehm... yeah, good luck, it'll work out well."

"Okay, thank you Oppa, if this goes well, I'll serve you as my brother for the rest of my life."

"......"

Is this okay...?

___

The day of the banquet has arrived.

My makeup was unusually good today, the corset was tightened as much as I wanted, I wore a petticoat with no frame so I could sit down, and I properly wore the secret weapon that Oppa gave me.

It's no exaggeration to say that it's the most beautiful moment in my life besides the wedding, but I was so nervous that I was going crazy while heading to the Bravebrook Viscount's residence.

"Haa..."

"Milady, are you nervous?"

As I took a shallow sigh with a trembling heart, Leticia, who was sitting next to me, carefully grabbed my hand.

"Everyone helped me so hard, what if I make a mistake?"

"That can't be, you can definitely succeed, because you're very beautiful right now."

"Really?"

"That's right! You're very beautiful right now."

"See, Augusta also says so."

Augusta, who was sitting across from me and fiddling with her apron, nodded repeatedly in agreement with Leticia's words.

"How beautiful am I?"

"If I were a man, I would have proposed to you right away."

"Me too!"

"Too bad, that's not going to happen, I'm going to marry Duke Lennox."

"Hehe~ That's too bad."

"Hehe~ I'm sorry."

My trembling heart calms down a little at Leticia and Augusta's jokes.

When I slightly raised the corners of my mouth and smiled at the two of them, Leticia and Augusta also softly curved their eyes and smiled.

As the three of us were looking at each other and melting the tension, the carriage shook greatly and stopped.

"Milady, we have arrived."

And a small side window in the front opened slightly and the coachman's voice was heard.

"Charles, thank you."

"Milady, just a moment."

I gave a light greeting to the side window and stood up from my seat, and Leticia began to tidy up the hem of my dress that had been disheveled from sitting down.

"It's done."

"Thank you, Leticia..."

"I can get help from Augusta, and you should be worried about the Duke, whom you'll meet soon, not me."

"That's right, Milady should only worry about the Duke."

Augusta, who stood up from her seat, patted her chest with her hand as if to trust her.

"I feel so reassured."

Thanks to them, I gained confidence.

I straightened my back and neatly overlapped my gloved hands in front of my navel.

"Hoo..."

I took a light breath and glanced at Leticia and said.

"Let's get off now."

"Yes."

Augusta opened the carriage door and quickly got off, holding the door from the outside so that it wouldn't close.

Next, Leticia got out of the carriage with the coachman's help, and then I got out of the carriage.

The first thing that greeted me as soon as I got out of the carriage was the warm spring sunshine.

As I was frowning at the dazzling light, Augusta unfolded a parasol and blocked the sunlight.

"Oh my..."

A clearer view thanks to the parasol.

As I slightly turned my head and looked around, Duke Lennox's figure stood out among the Viscount's people who were welcoming guests at the entrance of the mansion.

With a soft smile and a warm gaze on his face, I slowly and gracefully approached the Duke.

Step by step.

The closer I got to the Duke, the more intensely my heart, which I had barely calmed down, began to race.

"Lady Hayes."

When we got close enough that each other's voices could be heard clearly.

The Duke, who met my eyes, brightened his complexion and called my name.

I drew an arc with the corners of my eyes at such a Duke and bowed slightly.

"Duke Lennox, it seems like it's been a while since I've seen you again, have you been well?"