After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 42

The next day.

Ayla walked into the drawing room and smiled with satisfaction upon seeing Madame Jan, the dressmaker who had come from the fashion house to the townhouse.

Last night, she had given Dex a list of several fashion houses she had been eyeing.

She had asked him to arrange for one that could start work immediately, and he had managed to secure Madame Jan from Dior Fashion House, the one she wanted most.

Jan, who had also spotted Ayla, approached with a smiling face and greeted her.

“It’s been a while, Princess. I heard you were staying at the First Prince’s townhouse, but it’s a pleasure to see you here. Though late, congratulations on your marriage to His Highness the First Prince.”

“Thank you, Jan.”

Ayla smiled, accepting Jan’s greeting without further explanation.

Judging by Jan’s reaction, Leo must have had a good talk with her father to ensure she wouldn’t be returning home.

“The reason I asked you to come today is to commission outfits for the people here.”

“The people here…?”

“Yes. Outfits for everyone here, including His Highness, myself, the Knights’ uniforms, and the servants’ work clothes.”

“Pardon?”

Jan’s jaw dropped.

Although she was a veteran in this industry, she had never heard of or seen such an order.

However, Ayla had no intention of waiting for Jan to understand.

There were many outfits needed immediately, but the production time was ridiculously short.

“I’d like to prioritize three or four formal dresses for His Highness and me. You don’t have to sew them yourself, but I need you to be responsible for the design, supervision, and inspection. I’ll decide on the Knights’ uniforms after reviewing several designs and samples. As for the servants’ work clothes, I’d like them to be appropriately modified for each role but still have a sense of unity. Design them so that we can place additional orders at any time, even if the servants change. I’ll order two sets per person for easy management. Your designers can work on the Knights’ uniforms. You can use outside help for sewing the work clothes, but they must be neat and durable. However, Dior must be responsible for the design and inspection. Do you understand?”

“Yes? Yes, Princess.”

“Additionally, I need outfits for Count Eisenfelt, the First Prince’s aides, and the Count’s daughter to wear at the Imperial Capital banquet. They are esteemed guests from Eisenfelt, so I want them to look sophisticated. Can you do it?”

“How long do I have exactly…?”

“As soon as possible, right? You’ll have to call in everyone you can and work day and night in shifts. I’ll check the importance of each task and make sure you create them in order. About ten outfits need to be completed within a week. By the way, if you can’t do it, I’m thinking of dividing the order among other fashion houses. It may be an unreasonable request, so you can refuse. But if you say you can do it and then there’s a problem, I won’t tolerate it. Understand?”

Jan quickly calculated in her head at Ayla’s gentle but firm tone.

Thanks to Ayla’s clear specification of the scope and permissible limits, it wasn’t difficult to estimate the schedule.

She was confident that she could complete about ten outfits within a week if she even put the trainees among her designers to work, and Jan finally nodded.

“I’ll do it, Princess.”

“Good. I know your skills are well-known, but it’s good to be clear. I intend to be second to none in the Imperial Capital when it comes to fashion, along with the First Prince’s people. Even the outfits worn by the servants in His Highness’s townhouse. So, no half-measures. Can you, do it?”

“If you entrust it to me, I will do it perfectly.”

Jan’s eyes gleamed sharply.

She had been hearing that she was skilled in the Imperial Capital for quite some time, but she hadn’t been able to achieve great success due to the established fashion houses’ turf wars and the backing of the privileged who favored them.

If she could pull this off, it would be a piece of cake to spread her name even further.

Jan wasn’t stupid enough to kick away the opportunity that had been thrown right in front of her.

“Good. While the people who came here are taking measurements, shall we look at the outfits and design books you brought?”

“Of course, Princess. I’ll prepare them right away.”

Jan’s hands were fast, and Ayla’s eyes were even faster.

Soon, the drawing room began to bustle with people who had come to have their measurements taken. While Jan’s staff took and recorded their measurements, Ayla worked with Jan to modify and review the designs, adding details.

Bella, who had come to have her measurements taken, watched curiously for a long time before returning, saying it was boring. Diana, with her swollen face, made various criticisms and bitter remarks before storming off in a huff. Leo, who appeared late, had his measurements taken and watched Ayla concentrate before disappearing. Meanwhile, Ayla finally looked up after a long time when the staff gaped at the Count’s enormous physique.

Her whole body creaked from being in the same position for so long.

“Whew. You’ve worked hard, Jan. Shall we stop here for today?”

“Shall we? You’ve worked hard too, Princess.”

Jan, who was gathering her materials with a tired face, exclaimed in admiration.

“Aside from how quickly you work, your eye for design is remarkable. The designs are much better after modifying them according to your suggestions, Princess. The details are also meticulous.”

“I’m glad. I have one last request…”

“Please, say anything, Princess.”

Ayla asked the maid who had been assigned to attend to her to bring what she had prepared.

The maid quickly brought a dress, one of the dresses that Dex had hastily procured when she arrived here.

“This is…”

“You recognize it. It’s a dress that was hastily bought, but it turned out to be made by Dior.”

“I remember. A man came and hurriedly bought several dresses. He took a few dresses that had been canceled and some ready-made clothes that had been made as samples… Ah, come to think of it…”

“That’s right. It was probably His Highness’s aide who you met earlier.”

“Ah… It was meant for the Princess.”

Doubt flickered in Jan’s brown eyes before quickly disappearing.

She wondered why the Princess, who was staying at the First Prince’s townhouse, needed clothes so urgently…

“What would you like me to do with it?”

Ayla felt satisfied with Jan’s attitude, who quickly erased her doubts, and opened her mouth.

Not only her skills but also her attitude was to her liking.

“The Empress is holding a small party in two days. There isn’t enough time to make a new dress, so I’d like you to alter this dress as a matter of urgency. Would that be alright?”

“Of course, I’ll be happy to do it. I have your measurements, Princess, so please tell me the direction of the alterations you want, and I’ll take them into account.”

“The length is ambiguous. I’d like you to add the same fabric to lengthen the skirt and cover the whole thing with lace, adding pearl embellishments. Make the shoulder line a little longer. Remove some of the embellishments in the front and make it look more elegant.”

“Understood, Princess. I’ll send it to you by tomorrow afternoon.”

Jan, who had hurriedly stood up, said that she had no time to linger and quickly left with her people.

Only then did Ayla, who had returned to her room to rest, mutter blankly.

“…Is this really okay?”

Leo had told her to do whatever she wanted, no matter how much it cost, so she had started by solving the urgent clothing problem…

Even if it was Leo and the people here, she felt uncomfortable trying to get her own clothes with his money.

“I wish I had one too, a mine…”

Even if it wasn’t a mine, she needed something, anything, that could generate a steady income.

Above all…

“I don’t feel like buying the Empress’s gift with his money.”

She knew that the reason Leo had been forced to leave for the North was because of the Second Prince Edward, who was born to the Empress.

Since it was customary to bring a thank-you gift when invited by the Empress, she couldn’t go empty-handed.

“Should I borrow from Vivian…”

I should go see Vivian tomorrow.

With that decision, Ayla leaned deeply into the back of the sofa she was sitting on.

All the muscles in her body seemed to be screaming.

‘There’s still some time until dinner. Should I rest for a bit…?’

Ayla, who had closed her eyes for a moment due to fatigue, regained consciousness only after darkness had completely enveloped the outside of the window.

She wondered how many hours she had slept.

As she got up, twisting her body this way and that because it was contorted from leaning on the sofa, a loud rumble echoed from her stomach.

It was so loud that she felt embarrassed even though she was alone.

“…Umm. I should eat something.”

Ayla scratched her cheek and left the room.

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