Chapter 12
“Two… Two? Just two…? That’s…”
Henri’s eyes widened in shock.
He had considered a 70:30 split, but it seemed the ratio he had in mind wasn’t even on the table.
“Does it feel like a loss?”
“Well, even so, to produce a dress, there’s labor costs, materials, and other expenses… You should at least give three…”
“This is just the base design.”
Belia waved the design sketch Henri had once drawn right in front of her.
“So far, the trend for ‘Debutante of the Year’ dresses has lasted only a year. Why? Because they just changed colors and accents on designs already available in the Empire. Right?”
She took a sip of juice.
“So with only slight modifications to existing designs, they lost popularity within a year. But this? This design is the foundation. Dresses based on this design will bring an entirely new trend to the Empire.”
Belia held the blueprint out to Henri.
“Does this look like a one-year trend to you?”
Henri gulped.
Belia sighed.
She saw Henri flinch noticeably.
“And the ones who want this dress aren’t just debutantes. You’ve been getting inquiries from noble ladies too, haven’t you?”
Belia spoke, recalling how beautiful her mother had looked that day.
“Y-yes…”
Henri answered softly, gauging Belia’s expression.
She reached out and picked up the papers Henri had brought.
“Ah, that’s…”
“Look at this. Tsk, tsk. Just reading the contract makes it clear—you underestimated me. This isn’t something to sign for just one year, right?”
Belia looked at Henri.
His face reddened, as if she had uncovered something shameful.
“Our family runs a business too, so I get what you were thinking. Salons are businesses, so of course you want maximum profit. Right? But still, there’s something called business ethics.”
She smiled innocently.
“Don’t argue—just go with the contract I brought. The one I gave you. You know too, don’t you…? Even at an 80:20 split, just how much success your salon will see.”
Henri gulped again.
It was a 20-year contract.
His hands trembled as he touched the contract.
In truth, Belia was right.
His original plan was to sign a one-year contract, then release modified versions to register with his salon later.
He thought she was just a naive sixteen-year-old who didn’t know any better.
But contrary to his expectations, she clearly understood the value of design. Henri looked embarrassed.
“And Henri, if you sign this contract, you’ll receive design protection under the name of House Arphedi. You get what that means, right?”
“Pardon?”
“No salon would dare try to copy the design.”
Belia smiled sweetly.
‘Design protection.’
Henri’s thoughts started racing.
Design protection meant that the dress could only be produced by Peltrom and would be safeguarded directly by the marquis’s family.
He checked the clause in the contract and nodded.
Under the Marquis’s protection, no salon would dare steal the design.
As a satisfied smile crept across Henri’s face, Belia smiled, content.
She quickly moved on to the next topic.
“By the way, your Peltrom Salon has been operating in the capital for a long time, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, since the previous generation. We’ll be celebrating our 60th anniversary soon.”
“Then you must know a lot of workshop artisans?”
“Workshops?”
Henri tilted his head at the sudden change in topic.
“Yes, well, I know quite a few. We contact them when we need to add embellishments to dresses besides jewels.”
“Then find a craftsman who can make this.”
Henri took the blueprint she handed over.
“This is…”
It wasn’t a dress, but something decorative. It was a very unfamiliar shape—something he had never seen before.
“What is this?”
Belia leaned forward.
“A very, very important blueprint. Something that will shake up the Empire’s social scene.”
“Excuse me?!”
“You need to find a craftsman who can make that. Hm, I don’t have a sample to give just yet, so find a leather workshop artisan and see if it’s possible to produce. If you find someone suitable, I might entrust them with other business too.”
“Wait, other business?”
“Yes. If that happens, Peltrom Salon will become the leading trendsetter in the capital.”
Belia finished with a predator’s smile.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Let’s formally sign the dress contract then too.”
After Henri left, Belia was alone as she reviewed the blueprint she’d handed to him earlier.
Last night, the moment she heard that the textile business was now an official family operation, she summoned the merchant guild’s jewelry designer and completed the blueprint with his help.
It turned out far more refined and beautiful than she remembered, and she was very pleased.
“A bag.”
Belia recalled the item that had once taken the Empire’s social scene by storm in her previous life.
The bag—elegant and stunning in appearance—quickly became a luxury item, and it was the key product in the textile business.
Currently, in the Empire, bags were purely practical.
They were only used to carry things. They were bulky and rough in design, typically used by porters—far removed from nobility.
However, after the princess from the Maritime Kingdom arrived carrying a bag, everything changed.
“The issue is who carries it.”
No matter how luxurious and beautiful it looked, it wasn’t easy to erase the prejudice against bags in a single stroke.
In her previous life, the charming and bold princess carried it, so it had been easy.
But this time, it was different.
“There needs to be the right event…”
“Young Lady!”
“Su?”
Su came rushing into the room, panting.
“A letter just arrived!”
“A letter?”
Belia tilted her head, wondering what kind of letter made her rush in like that.
“What is it?”
Belia’s eyes widened when she saw the golden envelope Su handed her.
“A letter from the Imperial Palace!”
“Why would the Crown Prince send me something?”
Belia stared hard at the letter.
An invitation from the Crown Prince… It didn’t feel good.
And the envelope behind it wasn’t any better.
Surprised by the letter from the Imperial Palace, Su also held an invitation from the Duke of Doltan’s tea party.
“Is this all because of the debutante ball?”
She had received invitations from the Duke of Doltan before, but never one like this.
Fresh roses were enclosed with the invitation—clearly a sign that her presence was required.
It was a bit—no, very annoying. But she couldn’t refuse an invitation from someone of higher status.
Especially not a golden envelope, which signified the Imperial Family.
“Young Lady, should I prepare a separate dress?”
“I can’t exactly not go… So yes, get it ready. But still, I lost the title of Debutante of the Year, so I get why the Doltan family would invite me… But why would the Imperial Palace?”
“Why? It’s tradition for the Debutante of the Year to dine with the Crown Prince!”
“Oh, right. That’s a thing?”
“Of course! Ah, but Young Lady, you’re usually so modest that I don’t think any of your current dresses would be appropriate. If we’re to prepare two new ones, time is tight. I’ll contact the salon right away!”
Belia nodded at Su’s excitement.
“Alright. Then I’ll head out for a bit.”
“Where are you going?”
“To see Father.”
“The Marquis?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Su looked startled.
Belia stood up, not noticing Su’s reaction.
“I’ll be back.”
“Young Lady!”
Belia turned around when Su urgently stopped her.
“Hm?”
She looked at Su as if to ask what was wrong.
“What is it?”
“Um… Are you going to the Marquis’s office?”
“Yes. Why?”
“It’s been a really long time, hasn’t it?”
Su scratched her head awkwardly.
Belia’s face turned flat.
“Now that you mention it… It has been a while. Actually, have I ever even been to his office…?”
Belia tried to remember.
Su looked at her with growing unease.
“I don’t recall.”
“Will you… be alright?”
Su asked cautiously.
“Why? Am I not allowed in the office? Was there such a rule in our family?”
At Belia’s question, Su frantically waved her hands.
“N-no! Not at all! It’s just, um…”
She rolled her eyes around, thinking.
“You just… almost never go. That’s all. Haha, just saying.”
“Well, that was anticlimactic. Anyway, I’ll be back. Oh, and I have an appointment with Songb later this afternoon, so I’ll be out again.”
Leaving behind a visibly anxious Su, Belia stepped out of the room.
