ICLWKIWML 64

Chapter 63

Aria swallowed back the curse that had risen to her throat.

The teacup slipped from Taylor’s hand, the clack of porcelain against the table deepening the icy silence.

“You must know how I ended things with Carotia’s Claude.”

‘And she has the nerve to shamelessly ask for more pay?’

Aria’s mind was spinning quickly.

“Of course. I heard there was a misunderstanding back then. If an apology is needed, I’ll do it in my mother’s place.”

“……”

“And if you require compensation, I can offer that as well, as much as you like…”

Taylor let out a dry laugh.

Everything about her mirrored Regina Hart—her mother—who believed money could resolve anything in the world.

“I think you’re mistaken. That wasn’t a misunderstanding—it was a false accusation.”

“……”

“Your mother ruined the life of a promising Claude.”

“……”

“And if that wasn’t enough, she crushed every atelier that fell out of her favor. And now, even Frill Blue Rose…”

Aria faltered for a moment when Taylor even brought up the Kaelyn incident, but she wasn’t someone who would back down so easily.

Casting her eyes around once, Aria then lowered her head without the slightest hesitation.

“I acknowledge those parts, and I apologize.”

It wasn’t an official apology, just a private one. But if that could win over someone as influential as Taylor to her side… such apologies, Aria could make a hundred, a thousand times without issue.

Seeing this, Taylor slowly curled up one corner of her lips.

Everything was going exactly as she intended.

“If you want to apologize, words aren’t enough. Shouldn’t you at least give up Carotia’s Claude position?”

“……”

“I’ll save that apology for then. I appreciate you coming with a scout offer, but I think this has been a wasted trip.”

“……”

“I don’t work with people who lack ability.”

Aria’s face flushed bright red at the realization that she had been toyed with all along.

Never in her life had she suffered such an insult.

As Taylor rose from her seat, Aria spat words that were more curse than threat.

“Remember well what you did today.”

“……”

“The day will come when you kneel before me, begging to work under me.”

Her tone was closer to a threat now, far removed from her earlier poise.

But Taylor, unfazed, simply swept her gaze mockingly over Aria.

“That’ll never happen. My career doesn’t need padding with some stint at Aria Atelier.”

She started to leave but stopped abruptly in front of Aria.

“Oh, and one more thing that’s been bothering me. A piece of advice.”

“……?”

Taylor bent slightly, whispering low by Aria’s ear.

“Do you really think the dress you’re wearing suits your face?”

Straightening again, she looked Aria over from head to toe with sheer contempt.

“You don’t even know the basics, and you dare call yourself a Claude.”

“……!”

Aria’s face turned past crimson into a ghostly pale, as if she had just seen an apparition.

Unable to hold it back, she filled the room with a shrill cry.

“So that’s how you protect your pride, huh…?”

“……”

“Working under someone who never even attended the Academy, and you dare look down on me?”

Taylor chuckled leisurely, watching the flustered Aria.

Then, leaning forward once more, she fixed Aria with the unblinking eyes of a predator.

Aria flinched at the gaze. Taylor’s hand lifted, flicking a loose thread on her dress.

“You can’t even do a proper overlock stitch from the Academy, unlike our Claude.”

“……”

“Our Claude.”

“……!”

If Frill had been there, she would’ve soared with joy at that title.

In truth, Taylor had never once called Frill a “Claude” to her face.

She had an aversion to such sentimental words.

Yet, in front of others, she was nothing but a hopelessly doting master when it came to her only disciple—Frill.

Frill, the one and only student Taylor would ever have.

Whenever Taylor thought of her, a satisfied smile would unfailingly grace her lips.

If not for Frill, Taylor wouldn’t even have bothered to attend this meeting today.

As she passed the ashen-faced Aria, Taylor quietly inclined her head toward a man nearby.

Beneath the shadow of his hat, his eyes gleamed—like someone who had just discovered a fascinating gem.

Yurihad set his teacup down calmly as he walked past Aria, a bitter laugh escaping him.

He had known she was rotten, but not to this extent.

Her endless layers of misdeeds—she was like an onion, with more vileness revealed the deeper you peeled.

But more than Aria’s wickedness, what piqued Yurihad’s interest was the mention of Frill.

‘So Frill is at that level…’

The fact that Taylor was working at Frill Blue Rose was astonishing in itself.

But to hear such words from the notoriously exacting Taylor’s own mouth?

It made Yurihad doubt his own ears.

From the first time he’d visited Frill Blue Rose, he had known she was an extraordinary woman.

But the more he learned, the more remarkable she became.

By the time he entered Yurihad Palace, the disguise magic that had altered his body dissolved, and his true form returned.

Truthfully, when he first received the letter claiming Carotia’s Claude’s identity would be exposed, he’d nearly tossed it aside, unwilling to bother.

That is, until he saw the sender’s name—Taylor.

Once he confirmed it was the Taylor he thought it was, his eyes lit up.

He had always wanted to meet the famed Claude everyone whispered about.

And to think, such a great figure was working in someone else’s atelier?

‘And of all places, Frill Blue Rose?’

It was a combination too intriguing to resist.

And today, the information he had gleaned here was more than useful.

His emerald eyes gleamed ominously in the dark—like a predator who had just found a fascinating prey.

A carriage rolled toward the atelier from outside the window.

I had been staring blankly outside for a while, so at first the movement felt unreal.

But when the carriage finally stopped at Frill Blue Rose—

—and Teacher Taylor stepped out, I shot up from my seat.

When I went out, Clurné’s expression was sour.

She tried to hide it, but her troubled face gave her away.

Then, Teacher walked into the atelier, her steps almost light with excitement.

“Why are you all still here? Haven’t you gone home yet?”

Even her tone was brighter than usual, as though something good had happened.

Clurné stiffened further at the sight.

Of course, I believed with all my heart that Teacher would never betray us.

But still, anxiety gnawed at me.

‘Did Teacher really accept the scout offer?’

And yet, I couldn’t understand.

‘Of all places, Aria Atelier?’

I thought of asking directly, but stopped. Surely, there must be a reason.

Still, I must not have hidden my expression well.

Sharp-eyed Teacher noticed at once, her gaze settling on me.

“Did something happen today?”

Just then, Ribonne stepped forward.

Her eyes were red, tears threatening to spill.

“Teacher, please don’t go!”

At once, the air froze.

‘How did Ribonne find out?’

Unlike Clurné, Ribonne was prone to emotional outbursts.

She was known as a Taylor fangirl for how devotedly she followed her.

So her reaction wasn’t surprising.

Turning my head, I caught Clurné’s startled eyes. It didn’t seem she was the one who told Ribonne…

Then I recalled the strange noise near the door when I’d been talking to Clurné earlier.

So Ribonne must have overheard.

The staff looked bewildered at first, but quickly caught on and fell silent.

Then, Teacher’s laugh filled the room.

It was natural she would be displeased, having been doubted.

But instead—

Teacher stood tall and even forced out a teardrop.

“Clurné, I told you not to say anything, but you couldn’t hold it in, could you…”

It wasn’t her fault. She hadn’t told Ribonne.

But Clurné hung her head like a sinner, not uttering a single defense.

“I’m sorry.”

Returning to her usual sternness, Teacher’s gaze swept the staff before resting on Ribonne.

“Ribonne, I don’t know what you think you heard… but—”

“……”

“As long as Frill is the Claude of this atelier, I will never leave.”

“……!”

Relief washed over the room in an instant.

Ribonne blinked in dazed disbelief, and Clurné looked the same.

After all, it was the first time Teacher had openly said something so sentimental.

Everyone knew she detested sappy lines.

I was just as stunned.

I’d never craved recognition or felt the need for it…

But hearing those words made my chest feel warm and tight.

It wasn’t entirely unexpected. Teacher had always judged me on my skills alone.

She had taken me on as her assistant and welcomed me as her staff member purely because of my ability.

Still, to hear her say it out loud for the first time today—it moved me.

Perhaps it was silly to feel so touched by such words, but I truly did.

After dismissing the staff, Teacher summarized her encounter with Aria as we headed toward the private workshop.

“She tried to lure me with a scout offer. With my outstanding skills, I expected as much. But she only offered double, so I turned her down.”

“If she’d offered more, would you have gone?”

“I might’ve been tempted.”

Teacher burst into laughter at my wide-eyed reaction.

And at that, I too finally relaxed.

‘Honestly… she really knows how to play with my nerves.’

She seemed in unusually good spirits today.

The truth was, when we first brought her to the capital, we had offered the highest salary imaginable.

But she rejected it all.

Her one condition was simple:

“To make Frill Blue Rose the finest atelier in the Empire.”

Since then, she had only taken the base salary, refusing anything more.

Of course, I had been setting aside the full salary we’d offered back then.

She had claimed she would never work anywhere less than the best, but I knew her real reasons.

Partly revenge against Aria and the Hart family who had once cast her aside.

Partly her burning desire as a designer to raise the Empire’s best atelier.

…And, though I felt embarrassed to admit it aloud, I believed her trust in me had played a part too.

Regardless, I understood all of it without needing her to spell it out.

Whatever her reasons, it was clearly a challenge she had taken upon herself.

Coming back to the capital with the bitter memories of Carotia must have been no easy decision.

I suddenly recalled the dress I’d seen at the Imperial Palace exhibition, labeled with Regina’s name.

The question burned on my lips, but I held it back.

If Teacher hadn’t spoken of it first, she had her reasons.

With a faint smile, she pushed open the door to the workshop.

And I knew my task clearly:

To work like a dog, until the day we stood at the very top.

Once inside, Teacher returned to her usual strict demeanor, as though her earlier words had been nothing but a dream.

Over sweet cookies and a strong Americano, I relayed the updates from the long meeting.

By the time the desserts and coffee were gone, so was my endless report.

Teacher flipped through the design compendium, a smile tugging at her lips.

“So, children’s wear, is it?”

That smile—it was like looking in a mirror.

I knew exactly what it meant.

My intuition whispered:

“This project will be a success.”

The production began swiftly, based on the compendium.

The finished pieces looked as though they had stepped straight out of its pages.

Children’s wear, with its inherent cuteness, was paired with “similar looks” to add charm and catch the eye.

The designs displayed on mannequins were the result of long hours of effort.

Careful planning, seasoned experience, and trendy style—

—and Taylor’s advice on top of it all.

The combined result was a masterpiece among masterpieces.

It felt vain to say it myself, but anyone with an eye would surely agree.

Even the staff, though silent, were filled with eager anticipation.

The season’s preparations seemed to be wrapping up smoothly.

That is, until just before the launch.

The days of hopeful anticipation ticked by.

But at the end of it came not light, but another sun—

—dragging in a storm of worry.

Launch D-15

“Strange rumors are going around lately.”