♚♚♚
IN any event, Rock tailored the werewolf count’s clothing in five days. Then she sent a messenger to Ebel’s manor to inform him that his order was ready, to which he replied he’d immediately come to retrieve them.
Rock sent Phoebe home early again on the day Ebel was scheduled to arrive.
“Is it just me or are you hiding a lot from me lately? Introduce me if you’ve got yourself a man.” Phoebe tried to pry more information out of Rock, but she left the store without much fuss this time.
The dapper gent with burnt sienna hair appeared right after her departure.
“Sorry about the other day, Rock.” The moment Ebel saw Rock, he apologized for his rude behavior. However, unlike when he was a werewolf, his expression this time was awfully bright and cheery.
“Don’t be… I stopped minding already,” Rock answered with a superficial smile, hiding the fact that she hadn’t slept well the past few days because of him. Even if he saw through her exhaustion, she could just chalk it up to being busy with work.
In any case, they moved on to talking about the job instead.
She handed Ebel the shirt, vest, and trousers she had finished sewing. He gingerly spread out each piece of clothing and meticulously examined every inch. After confirming the finishing details on every stitch, hook, and the sash belt, he exhaled deeply.
“Your masterful skill impresses me every time. You’re impressive for one so young, Rock.”
“You honor me with your compliments, Your Excellency.”
“Do you have any interest in becoming my exclusive tailor outright?” Ebel placed his hands on the counter and leaned toward Rock, who was standing on the opposite side. “I want to hire you to live and work in my manor. Naturally, I will pay you wages corresponding to your excellent skills. I will also prepare a room for you to live in and assign you a maid.”
If she considered only the money and nothing else, that was an extremely attractive offer. But Rock laughed off the count’s invitation.
“I am afraid your offer is wasted on me. I have this shop to tend to, after all.”
Rock cared more for this clothing shop, established with the money her father left for her, than her own life. She didn’t want to walk away from it—no matter the opportunities elsewhere.
And aside from that, she had a hunch that getting further involved with the young count would not be good for her. She couldn’t shake the feeling he’d easily unravel all the things she had obstinately held to until now.
“…That’s most unfortunate.” Ebel stared regretfully at Rock’s imperturbable smile. But he quickly recovered and took the chance to hold her hand. “Allow me to alter my invitation, then.” The young man’s large hand wrapped around Rock’s dainty one calloused from working with needles all day. “The other day you asked me if I make a habit of hitting on men, yes?” Ebel asked the frozen Rock with a dashing smile.
“Y-Yes…I guess I did.”
“I thought it over and came to the conclusion that I’ve always been different. It’s foolish for me to get hung up over my partner’s gender.”
“…Pardon me?” Rock’s voice cracked.
Ebel paid it no heed, continuing his wooing with his golden eyes glittering. “Rock, I fell for you. I don’t care if you are a man—let me court you.”
“Y-You jest!” The color drained from Rock’s face at this unexpected love confession.
She had gone to great lengths to disguise herself precisely to avoid these situations, but he just obliterated the whole point of pretending to be a man. He eliminated the ability to use her gender as a reason to turn him down.
Meanwhile, Ebel’s heart-stopping golden eyes were watching her. Between the twinkle in his eyes and the smile dimpling his handsome face, his high spirits made it easy to imagine his werewolf tail wagging—Rock carelessly found herself captivated by his face too.
“I KNEW IT! Rock, you brought a man home with you!” Phoebe, who Rock thought had gone home, barged into the shop as if she were waiting for this moment. She scowled at the man holding Rock’s hand until she saw his face, and her eyes bulged. “Count Mateus!”
“Indeed, I am Ebel Mateus,” the count said, introducing himself while still firmly holding Rock’s hand. Then he asked, “Who is this lady—nay, gentleman? They appear to be a lady at least— Anyway, who is this?”
“M-My shop assistant, Phoebe,” Rock answered politely. And then she candidly turned to Phoebe for help. “Phoebe! What should I do?! His Excellency is trying to woo me!”
“Woo you? …Your Excellency, you are aware this child is a young man, despite his looks, I hope?”
“Of course. I am wooing him with that knowledge,” Ebel affirmed unwaveringly. “I care not whether Rock is a man or a woman.”
“…Uh-huh. Well, if you think you can win him over, why don’t you just go ahead and try?” Phoebe drawled, sounding exasperated, and headed for the door.
“Hello?! Phoebe?! Aren’t you going to save me?” Rock cried out, earning a shrug from Phoebe.
“Do something about it yourself. He’s not the first customer to put the moves on you.”
“What…?” Ebel gawked at Rock. Phoebe’s comment apparently had the unintended consequence of lighting a fire inside him. Flames of jealousy blazing in his golden eyes, he importuned Rock. “The possibility of others trying to seduce you hadn’t even crossed my mind… Please, Rock, choose me!”
“Uh, simmer down, Your Excellency! You’re putting me on the spot!”
✦ ✦ ✦
♚♚♚
BY all appearances, His Excellency the Count was serious about Rock. Phoebe could tell by the look in his eyes. Now how was the trickster tailor going to respond to his feelings?
“…A count, eh? If things go well, she’ll marry into the purple,” Phoebe muttered to herself after retreating outside the shop alone. She spied on the couple inside.
Ebel was insistently closing the distance between himself and Rock, while she turned bright red at his pursuit. She was an innocent girl, completely ignorant of all things related to love.
“That’s why I told her to disguise herself as a man.”
Phoebe was worried sick about Rock’s defenselessness. She had offered on multiple occasions to teach Rock how to handle men but was always gently turned down.
“In any case, I have to help that child find happiness,” Phoebe quietly muttered, taking advantage of the deserted street to voice aloud her thoughts.
The count appeared to have fallen for Rock regardless of her gender. That would be splendid if it was the truth, but Phoebe couldn’t shake the possibility this was just a temporary fancy for the toff.
Making sure of his feelings might be a part of my job too, Phoebe thought with a sigh.
“Count Mateus, I’m going to see just how good of a match you are for our daughter.”
That whisper reached no one’s ears but the street cats’.
Phoebe returned to the shop wearing the usual expression of a beautiful woman.
The werewolf count and tailor Rock weren’t the only ones living double lives in the imperial capital.