Chapter 79
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
I'm a homebody who ended up possessing the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower. Chapter 79 Knock, knock. The largest studio within the Annex Building of the Blaire Grand Duke Residence, where painters worked. At the sound of someone knocking on the door, Ashley sprang up from her seat.
"Who is it?"
"It's Bonita."
"Oh, please come in."
As I opened the door, Bonita stepped inside, cradling a hefty stack of documents in her arms. Hanging neatly from her other arm was a basket containing warm cookies still steaming and freshly squeezed orange juice from early this morning. Ashley quickly rushed forward to take the documents from her.
"These are...?"
"Marigold sent them. April made some additional revisions."
"I thought so. I've been waiting for these."
Though they spoke in veiled language, both Ashley and Bonita knew exactly what the hefty stack of documents contained. What Bonita had delivered to Ashley at April's request was the next story installment of "Safety Regulations of the Goedam Duchy."
In other words, this was the plot outline Ashley would now need to work on through sleepless nights, creating storyboards.
"Just a moment."
After asking for permission, Ashley quickly skimmed through the documents. The content used cipher, but since I knew the rules, understanding it wasn't difficult. And once again, I could feel reassured.
"Baroness Fabron's skill is truly remarkable."
It wasn't that she was ever late with deadlines, but Baroness Fabron had a habit of sending packages a day or two ahead of schedule. Because of this, April's work schedule also accelerated accordingly, so receiving it right on the deadline actually felt like getting it late. However.
"Is there anything that needs revision, or anything to pass along to April?"
"No. It's perfect!"
The finished work I received was so excellent that even a later delivery would have been understandable. The previous installment of "Goedam Duchy" had wrapped up cleanly, with one major incident and all its plot threads perfectly resolved. Because of this, I had worried that transitioning into a new episode might feel slightly awkward... But Baroness Fabron proved that concern to be unfounded. 'How on earth did the Young Lady manage to find someone like this?' I nodded, once again impressed by how April possessed the remarkable ability to discover talent and place them exactly where they were needed.
"That's a relief. By the way, Ashley, while it's good to concentrate, please eat these while you work."
Bonita carefully unpacked and laid out the snacks she had brought.
"There's quite a rumor going around the Grand Duke Residence. Apparently, none of the painters are getting proper sleep."
"Ah, haha... Well, with so many helpers suddenly gone, it's turned out this way."
Both Ashley and the other painters. The fact that all the employees of the Grand Duke Residence were working themselves to exhaustion was largely due to the sudden absence of the junior painters.
"Phew, you must be under considerable stress. But surely good people will return soon, yes? Let's just hold on a bit longer!"
At Bonita's encouragement, Ashley managed a weak smile. Yet her mind continued to race with thoughts. 'I can sustain this for at most a month.' Working oneself to exhaustion was never sustainable. It was true that once the painters began receiving proper wages, their living conditions improved and color returned to their faces. But managing such an overwhelming workload day after day was an arduous task. Ashley swallowed a sigh, desperately hoping the day would never come when she'd have to voice her regrets to April Salt. * * * Thump! After affixing my seal to the final document, I gazed at the mountain of paperwork covering my desk and exhaled deeply.
"Finally, it's done...."
From this morning until now—a time when I would normally have finished lunch and been enjoying dessert. I had remained at my desk without a single break, working the entire time.
"I need to rest."
My mind was dangerously overheated, so I quickly threw myself onto the bed. Yet even as I did, my thoughts naturally began organizing everything that had transpired. First, the blackout curtains. 'The refund amount was smaller than expected.' I knew better than anyone just how massive the crowds had been at Lady Rainy's Leather Workshop. Baroness Fabron had also mentioned that the Imperial Capital's newspapers had given the incident extensive coverage, her expression betraying concern. Given that foreign nations had even published major articles about the blackout curtain refund incident, we had anticipated the refund scale to be enormous. Yet surprisingly, the actual refund amount fell short of even 10% of total sales. Of course, we had put considerable effort into our preparatory work. We first revealed how hygienically we cleaned and processed the blackout curtains, and sent consumers letters detailing the manufacturing process. Furthermore, at the end of the letter, we promised that refunds could be processed without requiring customers to visit the Blaire Grand Duke Territory, making efforts to restore trust. Though we did stipulate that since the product's use of monster leather was not a defect, we would only refund 70% of the purchase price. After that, the number of people seeking refunds dropped dramatically. 'Perhaps everyone has become unable to live without blackout curtains?' When morning arrives, dazzling sunlight streams in, forcing one's eyes open whether desired or not. No one would welcome such an experience. Yet users of blackout curtains had discovered an incredibly simple method to avoid that glare. Once people experienced convenience, they could never return to their former lives—an immutable truth, unless an overwhelmingly superior alternative existed. 'Many people would rather endure the inconvenience of sunlight than accept monster leather on their windows, but some would actually prefer it.' Of course, given that roughly 10% of consumers harbored aversion to monster leather, there was a need to find alternatives, even if they cost more. But that was a challenge for the future, not an urgent problem requiring immediate resolution. So perhaps I could simply think it through carefully.
"Sigh...."
Unlike the blackout curtains, which had moved closer to resolution through various means... there were still many problems I hadn't yet addressed. First was the matter of staffing the busy painters. Second was the persistently negative public opinion regarding the thermal bottles, showing no signs of improvement. Moreover, as the blackout curtain incident faded, Elegance Young Lady began submitting articles to every newspaper and magazine, exaggerating the counterfeit thermal bottle problem as though it were a defect in the genuine product. Other journalists, riding this wave, joined in the sensationalism, with everyone adding their voices to the controversy. 'Until now, I lacked clear understanding of the internal situation within the Cletan Empire, making it impossible to address these issues proactively.' Of course, I was better than average at understanding administrative tasks I'd handled in Salt or widely known facts. But I had absolutely no knowledge of where rumors in the Cletan Empire originated or how they spread, and I was vulnerable to the sensitive information shared among the nobility. Those were things I could only learn by diving directly into the high society of the Cletan Empire. So I made a decision. 'Even though I'm an introvert....' A bone-deep introvert whose energy drains five times faster than average when meeting strangers in unfamiliar places!
"Marquise Embrose, there's something I'd like to ask for your help with."
To cut to the result, I ended up receiving an invitation to Marquise Embrose's party. The ostensible theme was refinement and a book club, but it was actually a gathering of devoted noble ladies and young ladies who adored the comic series 【Goedam Duchy Safety Guidelines】. And my request was to be invited not as a distant branch member of the Blaire Grand Duke House, but as one of the creators of the comic series 【Goedam Duchy Safety Guidelines】. That was exactly what I had asked of Marquise Embrose. In that case, I could easily gain favor at the gathering and slip into the group. 'I have a plan for everything, you see.' Since I was departing tomorrow, I needed to pack my luggage to avoid being late. But should I lie in bed just a little longer? My stomach rumbled because I'd skipped meals while working, but getting up from this comfortable bed felt equally agonizing. Then. Knock, knock.
"Ah, Miss! Are you awake?"
Bonita's slightly trembling voice came from outside.
"Hmm? Bonita, what's the matter?"
Perhaps because I'd experienced all sorts of things recently. I hurriedly got up and approached the door, wondering if something else had happened. But then.
"His Grace the Grand Duke has sent you a mountain of dresses and accessories!"
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org