Chapter 37
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Chapter 37
Chesa could no longer bear to watch and covered her eyes with her hands.
'She's always been like this.'
She had forgotten because Miya had behaved more demurely in front of the witch Lichesia.
The twins blinked blankly as they observed Miya's exuberant greeting.
Ishuel turned to Karha and asked.
"Why is she talking like that?"
"I have no idea."
"Hmm, could she be ill? Or perhaps born with some kind of affliction?"
"That's not it!"
An indignant Miya suddenly thrust her head forward.
"Look at this!"
The fake ears attached to her head perked up.
She seemed to expect a reaction like "Oh, a beastkin!" or something similar.
But the twins' response fell far short of her expectations.
"She seems to have mental issues."
"Yeah. Should we just go?"
Beside Karha, who was already preparing to leave as if he'd been waiting for this moment, Ishuel laughed brightly.
"Well, it doesn't matter since we're not making clothes with our tongues."
Miya's face fell.
"That's so mean...."
Hata, who had been hanging back because she disliked talking with Miya, finally stepped forward.
"That's enough!"
Hata placed both hands firmly on her hips.
And with an expression of considerable anger, she declared.
"These are guests that Hata brought here. If you keep this up, Hata will get angry!"
"Y-yes.... I apologize...."
Miya meekly returned to speaking like a human.
Discouraged, she removed the cat ears from her head and the claws from her hands.
She seemed to have lost interest since the twins' reaction was so underwhelming.
"Welcome...."
Miya greeted them weakly.
Compared to her spirited entrance, the greeting now seemed withered and deflated.
"Please.... look at the clothes.... look at many of them...."
She pushed up her slipping glasses and vaguely gestured toward the garments displayed throughout the Dressmaking Establishment.
Ishuel examined the clothes one by one with a sharp gaze.
The coldness in his eyes that had emerged from Miya's boisterous entrance gradually softened.
True to her nature as the proprietor of an Underworld Dressmaking Establishment, Miya's designs were remarkably bold.
Yet they possessed delicate nuances, and the garments themselves were of exceptional quality.
Every material used in the clothing was of the highest grade.
In truth, it was Miya who funneled virtually every coin earned from selling clothes directly into purchasing materials for making them.
'But the clothes turn out so beautiful because of it.'
Though her methods were decidedly peculiar, Miya was a monster of talent—equally masterful at crafting men's wear, women's wear, and children's garments.
Her skill was undeniable, so Ishuel found himself genuinely impressed.
After surveying the shop, Ishuel leaned his face against Chesa with a soft tap.
"What do you think?"
He whispered the question, and Chesa leaned in to murmur her reply into his ear.
"It's amazing."
"Should we entrust the work to her?"
"Yes."
As the two of them huddled together whispering, Karha smoothly inserted himself into the conversation.
Chesa whispered to him as well.
"She said she'll do it."
Their whispers had been loud enough that he'd heard everything anyway.
Karha chuckled at the redundancy of the explanation.
Ishuel approached Miya, who was leaning against the counter with a vacant expression.
"I'd like to commission garments for a gala."
"How many days until the gala?"
Miya asked flatly.
Ishuel, who readily tolerated a certain degree of rudeness and eccentricity so long as the craftsmanship was exceptional, smiled faintly and provided the remaining timeframe.
"I need one formal adult suit, three children's formal outfits, and an infant's dress—five pieces total."
Miya's mouth fell open.
I couldn't divulge the details, lest word spread that a demon was involved.
The reservation to keep the shop open had been made under Hata's name, not Lichesia's.
So Miya knew only that a client of considerable standing was coming.
But now a commission far grander than anticipated had materialized.
Seeing Miya's stunned expression, Ishuel calmly stated his true request.
"I understand that creating new garments from scratch is difficult. Would alterations be possible instead? I'd like to add embellishments and modify the design somewhat."
The better dressmaking establishments in the Capital were already fully booked through the gala itself, unable to take on alterations.
"Hmm, that's tricky, but..."
Miya propped her elbow on the counter and rested her chin in one hand.
Her eyes narrowed as she made her demand.
"Show me your face, my lord."
Ishuel, utterly unabashed about displaying his appearance, confidently drew back the hood of his robe.
With a soft rustle, luminous platinum hair cascaded elegantly in the shop's light.
The moment her gaze met his—eyes like crimson jewels framed by thick lashes.
"I'll do it!"
Miya vaulted over the counter.
She bounced excitedly, circling around Ishuel.
"Oh my, how could you! You should have removed that hood from the start!"
Ishuel silently beckoned Karha with a finger.
Karha sighed—a soft exhalation—and without complaint, lowered his hood.
"Kyaaaa!"
Miya clutched her face in both hands, utterly enraptured.
And finally.
Ishuel revealed Chesa's face with a flourish, as if presenting a grand finale.
Miya pressed her palms together respectfully, then uttered a vulgar exclamation.
"...Insane."
She murmured rapidly, her eyes sparkling with fervor.
"Adorable. Adorable. So adorable. Impossibly cute, right? Seriously, isn't this criminal? If cuteness is a crime, should I go to prison? But then, should I turn myself in instead?"
I understood why she was so captivated.
She adored Lichesia's face with unbridled enthusiasm.
But now, a miniature version of Lichesia had appeared.
There was no way she could dislike it.
Fortunately, she refrained from openly remarking that the child resembled the bewitching Lichesia.
Though truthfully, she seemed too overwhelmed to form such thoughts.
Ishuel snapped his fingers to rouse the dazed Miya from her stupor.
A sharp, crisp sound echoed through the room.
"Manager, snap out of it. I'll tell you what aesthetic I'm envisioning, so keep it in mind while you—"
Ishuel stopped mid-sentence.
Miya, who had been giggling mindlessly just moments before, suddenly fell silent, her eyes widening with unmistakable fear.
The terror she displayed was immediate, as if etched into her very instincts.
As though the snap of his fingers had been some kind of signal.
Silence descended upon the Dressmaking Establishment.
Even Ishuel seemed taken aback by Miya's excessive reaction.
Chesa observed Miya's response with keen attention.
The frozen Miya thawed only after a moment had passed.
"...Oh, no, no, it's nothing."
She shook her head vigorously.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she called out cheerfully once more.
"I just remembered something else. Please, tell me about the costume aesthetic!"
Miya retrieved paper and a pencil.
She moistened the pencil tip with her tongue as she diligently recorded Ishuel's specifications.
"The color palette overall—black, silver, and crimson. The young lady's dress should be radiant. The third young master's attire should feel ornate with plenty of embellishments...."
Her handwriting sprawled across the page in such chaotic scrawls that it resembled cipher text.
"I'll have the costumes sent over as soon as you return home today."
"Yes, yes. I should be able to finish everything by the morning of the banquet. Since there may be adjustments needed after trying them on, I'll deliver them personally that day. I'd be grateful if everyone could wait at home."
Miya, who had been pouring out words in a torrent, glanced sideways at Ishuel.
"By the way, do you have a budget in mind...?"
A flutter.
Ishuel set a single sheet of paper down on the counter.
It was a blank check.
Ishuel spoke generously.
"Do whatever you want."
"I shall dedicate my loyalty to you from this day forward, Young Master."
Miya bowed deeply and accepted the check.
Chesa glanced at it with slight unease.
'A blank check? Isn't she going to drain an entire fortune?'
She was anxious because she knew Miya was obsessed with the art of dressmaking.
Yet with the one who paid so thoroughly satisfied, there was nothing to say.
Ishuel emerged from Miya's Dressmaking Establishment looking immensely pleased.
With an expression as though he could go without food for the next four days and still feel full, he praised Hata.
"Thank you for introducing me to such a wonderful shop."
"I'm glad you were satisfied."
"You've lifted a great burden from my mind. Come visit the Basilian Mansion next time. I'll make sure to treat you to a meal."
"Yes! Are you heading home now?"
"I suppose I should."
They exchanged warm words and parted ways with Hata.
Hata disliked being separated from Chesa, but she had much to do—quickly wrapping the hat and transforming back into a puppy to return to the Basilian Mansion, and so on.
Thus, she reluctantly made her way back to the Hat Shop.
"A perfect outing."
Nestled in the arms of a delighted Ishuel, I moved my feet briskly to escape the Underworld when it happened.
Suddenly, Karha moved.
He drew two blades and swung them, and Ishuel shielding Chesa in his embrace—both occurred almost simultaneously.
Clang!
The iron net that fell from the sky was severed by Karha's blade.
"What the—! Did he just cut it with his sword?"
"Ugh, Sipul, what are you doing? Shoot the arrows already!"
"If the arrows hit, the merchandise gets damaged!"
Men armed with crossbows, nets, chains, and weapons appeared atop the shop buildings on both sides of the street.
The moment they appeared, the shop owners quietly shut their doors, and the pedestrians swiftly vanished.
Ishuel's face hardened into an expressionless mask as he muttered.
"...Slave Hunters."
Chesa sighed in Ishuel's embrace.
So that's why it felt so quiet.
"Heh."
This is what the Underworld should be like, after all....
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org