“Of course, you’re an artist. What else could you think of yourself as?”
The curious look on their face made it clear the words weren’t just empty flattery.
Louis bit his lip as a memory from the past came to mind.
“I heard the designer here is the illegitimate son of a noble. How lucky for him.”
“Exactly. Without his talent for design, he wouldn’t dare to face people like us.”
“Sure, people in high society recognize his dresses now, but I can’t help feeling uncomfortable every time I come here. Can you believe how expensive dresses made by an illegitimate son are? It’s ridiculous.”
“As the illegitimate son of a noble, how desperate must he be for money? Just wait it out. Trends never last, and soon Louis’s designs will fade too.”
The nobles adored his designs but still dismissed Louis as a person.
To his face, they called him “Mr. Louis,” but behind his back, they mocked him as low-born and money-hungry.
Not a single person saw him as an artist.
Some nobles even treated him like just a common tailor.
But when Astel called him an artist so naturally, he couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.
He had never met a noble like her before.
He had never met a noble like this before.
“Take my hand. I promise to support you in achieving whatever you desire.”
“…….”
“…”
“Let me say it again—don’t worry about the budget. I won’t interfere with your designs.”
“……Are you really willing to do all that? Just for a uniform?”
Of course, it was Duke Luthierus’s money.
Astel glanced at Duke Luthierus briefly before continuing.
“It’s not just that. To me, uniforms are incredibly important.”
“……I’d like to hear why.”
“No matter how fancy the guild is, I wouldn’t know how impressive it is unless I see it. But uniforms are different.”
“What makes them different?”
“When guild members walk around in them, they automatically promote the guild.”
Louis unconsciously nodded. Uniforms were indeed the best way to showcase a guild’s reputation.
“Recognizing the guild through uniforms is just the start. What I want goes beyond that.”
“What else is there?”
“People should feel envious, wanting to wear such uniforms. Who else in the capital could accomplish this but you?”
Louis swallowed hard.
Astel had hit the exact nerve of a desire he’d long given up on.
Designing dresses was enjoyable, but catering to nobles’ whims had grown exhausting.
He craved a new challenge but had no way to pursue it.
Above all, he wanted to break free from the fear of falling behind the trends.
“If I cancel all my appointments, I can temporarily close the boutique. But I’ll have to refund the deposits.”
“I’ll handle it. I’ll also compensate for any losses caused by closing your boutique.”
Louis looked at Astel with a dazed, almost blissful expression.
Her smooth, persuasive words left him speechless.
Now, he felt like he could risk everything—even his life—if she granted him just one more wish.
“Can I ask for one more thing? If you agree, I’ll sign a contract with you, Princess.”
“Go ahead. If it’s within my power, I’ll do my best to make it happen.”
“I believe only you, Princess, can make this possible.”
“What is it you want? You’ve got me curious.”
“Isn’t His Majesty throwing a party for the hunters?”
“Yeah, so?”
“I’d like to make the party outfits for you and Dante.”
Astel tilted her head, looking curious.
“Mind telling me why you want me to handle Dante’s outfit?”
“Honestly, it’s been my dream for Dante to wear a suit I designed.”
“……And?”
“It’s just that when partners are paired, they usually get their outfits from the same designer. That’s why I’m asking.”
“But I’m not planning on going to the party with Dante.”
“Did you two have a fight?”
“……Huh?”
“That’s serious. You can’t attend a party with someone else when you’ve got a lover, right?”
“……A lover? You think Dante is my lover?”
“Oh? Isn’t he? There’s a rumor you two are together.”
Astel suddenly glanced at Duke Luthierus, looking unusually cautious.
‘What’s up with her?’
Louis just stared blankly, clueless.
“Ahem…”
Just then, Duke Luthierus cleared his throat and set down his teacup.
—
Outwardly, Duke Luthierus seemed calm.
But I could tell he was far from pleased.
The veins on his hands and temples gave it away.
“Astel, since when were you lovers with the Second Prince? Last time I asked, you said you had nothing to do with him.”
Duke Luthierus asked quietly, his gaze fixed on me.
His tone was soft, but his eyes were sharp, piercing into me like thorns.
‘Why am I feeling so nervous? I have no reason to.’
But for some reason, I still felt uneasy.
I turned my head slightly, avoiding his gaze.
“D-Did I say that?”
“Forgotten already? Looks like you need the walnuts more than I do.”
“…….”
“…”
“It seems the designer misunderstood some silly rumor. Make sure you set it straight.”
“……Now that I think about it… maybe we are dating…”
“Astel!”
Duke Luthierus warned me sternly, but his words didn’t register.
If I introduce uniforms to the guild, it’s likely other guilds will follow the trend.
Not to mention the Emperor.
‘Who wouldn’t copy such a great idea?’
Thinking about that, I had to recruit Louis.
I couldn’t let the empire’s top designer be taken by another guild.
And then…
“Why don’t you wear a uniform, sis?”
“……Why?”
“I think hunters in uniforms look so cool. You should try wearing one. I can’t, even if I wanted to.”
“……I-I haven’t gotten one from the guild yet.”
“You’ll wear it when you do, right?”
“……Yeah.”
For Shinwoo, who dreamed of becoming a hunter, the uniform was a symbol of admiration.
That’s why he would praise the uniforms and beg me to wear one.
But I wasn’t a guild member.
1The guild leaders had agreed not to accept rank-one hunters, fearing it would give any single guild too much power.
Since I couldn’t join a guild, there was no way I’d have a uniform.
That’s why I couldn’t fulfill Shinwoo’s request to wear a uniform, and it left a pang of regret in my heart.
But at some point, Shinwoo started criticizing the uniforms.
“I don’t think uniforms are that great.”
“……All of a sudden?”
“Yeah, they’re not nice at all. I don’t even want to see one, so don’t ever wear it around me.”
“……Alright, got it.”
That sweet kid had figured it out—the reason I couldn’t wear a uniform.
Of course, I knew that wearing one now wouldn’t make him happy.
But I still wanted to wear one.
Even if it was too late…
‘I don’t care. Future me can deal with it.’
I decided to be bold.
“Louis, if you grant me this one wish, will you partner with me?”
“Of course.”
“Great. I’ll be in touch soon.”
“Oh! Thank you! I’ll be waiting!”
After finishing my talk with Louis, we left the boutique and walked for a bit.
I stole a glance at Duke Luthierus, who was silently walking beside me.
For some reason, he was particularly on my mind today.
‘Why is the carriage parked so far away…?’
In the capital’s bustling district, there were designated areas for carriages to park.
I used to think it was reasonable, but now I hated the walk to the carriage.
‘I wish I could go alone…’
It was obvious that Duke Luthierus was in a bad mood.
How could I not notice when he obviously sulking.
I knew that I could resolve this by just going back to the boutique and saying I wasn’t involved with Dante.
‘The problem is, I don’t want to.’
It’s not like anyone would be hurt, and all I had to do was attend one party with Dante.
Sure, the rumors would get nastier, and I might even be targeted by the young ladies fawning over Dante.
‘But so what? The rumors are already everywhere, and I’ve been hated enough.’
With one small leap of faith, I could fulfill a dream I’ve had my whole life.
‘Do you think I’m crazy enough to tell the truth?’
No matter how Duke Luthierus reacted, I decided to play it shamelessly.
“Your Grace.”
“Speak.”
“Please arrange for me to meet the Second Prince.”
“…….”
“…”
Duke Luthierus’s demeanor grew cold.
“Hmm… You can’t even meet him without someone else’s help? These days, I suppose young people call that kind of relationship a romance.”