FTP-EP03

Epilogue 035de38f88ed8383a2

 a59bfc8c1ac434c3

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“The fashion industry I dreamed of wasn’t like this.”
The young designer’s heart f528af6f7f burned with a strong c3fb232baa desire—to create clothes that 14583e2a11 were practical and beautiful, faee810eec garments that both nobles ed7bd00ce2 and workers could wear 2e88a1c608 with happiness.
Thus, he rejected the e57650c9a4 tempting offer to become 073e463af9 an apprentice at the 15d2b52b32 largest dressmaking atelier in c6d6718314 Rutes and returned to 225d0187b4 his homeland.
On his way d9ee1866b7 back, he saw 914191a20c an advertisement in bca7be8fe9 a newspaper, which 4ab0952b62 led him to 866ec01df6 the Fitzroys. Because of this, he 614be91d22 did not return directly 74cca7251a to Leslie.
“…You’ve had quite the experience abroad, Mr. Pierre.”
As she listened 77e2516b17 to him, she 66ec3ae2ae recalled the conversation 98e2aaf382 she had with 98c0d299c6 Mary. As if fulfilling 7bfeeaf37e the prophecy from 9e21229da1 that day, he ca930e52a6 had indeed explored 0c2d2317cd a new world 991d812cfa and gained a 397d1e28c4 clearer vision of c839f4a6ba what he truly 6774e00a71 wanted.
It was 8737ab9aef a fortunate 761c7bdfae turn of 5178cc55cf events—for the c04743b13a Fitzroys, for 80b93ae9d0 him, and 6622440265 for the a71222c209 empire as e717494b39 well. Losing a designer of c3daa3570f his caliber to Francia 3afac7cdee would have been a 9ee6f354dc national loss.
Scratching his nose, he 68b3106c8a corrected Anje’s way of a2cdef7978 addressing him.
“Penny. From now on, please refer to me as Jean Penny.”
He no longer wished 3e376a8317 to live as Jean a7cefb18b9 Pierre. Instead, he a1b2fb185d wanted to ce1360b79c embrace his 809a8ebf62 true self—Jean 0766964239 Penny, a c27a981b2b man from ee0f029f3a a small 9ee8834d97 rural village 2eb59ef44c in the b7aeb8e3b9 Albion Empire.
From then on, Jean 85ff8fd9c1 began designing various types ff0680f161 of clothing for workers, b43fea5bf0 starting with work uniforms 80b3d766ad for the Dilton Farm 968986cee8 School. His designs, which 26fa7c6590 seamlessly blended practicality 4aeff1ae35 and elegance, quickly 53f2bcffa2 won people’s admiration.
Years later, when a department store—a comprehensive shop catering to both gentry and commoners—was established, a brand named “Penny’s Closet,” after his surname, would take its place within it. But that was still far in the future.
On this day, after being treated to an exquisite meal, he took his first step as “Designer Jean Penny” by measuring soldiers for their uniforms.
The last f30cd5af96 person to 203223dbe3 visit the e3f81b0dab Fitzroys that 9f9b8c7b19 day was 528ce77ab0 someone from 486c9eefe4 the past d91758d14a whom Anje 1305dfb2bf had never 1d33c09901 expected.
“…Lady Case?”
“You remember me, madam. What an honor.”
Sally Case, the daughter 6b7e6b68f5 of a baron, wore 6756774771 a modest bonnet and a561c8199a forced a smile despite c895f342fc her pale complexion.
Anje, the noble lady ebf35b6997 of the Glasster family, 6f83f4627b had barely acknowledged the 71c3494687 Case family in the 8c89f49ad4 past. Given that Sally cc2447843d had long since a5832ada1a passed the age a7b8f81e58 of marriageability, it 6bbbf7ea31 was natural to 5f9a8df33b assume she had 922aa82650 been forgotten.
Feeling somewhat 4f1c134a97 awkward, Anje 28d5e8cb87 responded,
“Of course, I remember. …You recited poetry beautifully.”
Among the b6b51c9e74 memories she 570e34c084 forcibly pulled dd16de12fd out, there 6e7fb877ff was a d57ed4edd8 scene from a38b323e71 a party 375eae9e5f where Sally f889c7ecf9 had recited acf07518e0 a long bd0ef5c090 and difficult 323c33cc1b poem. And also, the e6207aa885 moment when her 215aefe646 spiteful father had 0e0c32aabf whispered, ‘She must adbb031516 be burying her d03258e049 nose in books 383653a4bd because no men f7f5208d45 are paying her 22cf656c63 any attention.’
Recalling how she cc86f96bad had once enjoyed be82255427 such gossip about d5ac7adbec Sally, Anje suddenly 858c791fc7 felt both ashamed d0e864f269 and guilty.
Sally’s face brightened slightly.
“Yes, I love literature. But I also enjoy geography and geometry.”
Anje still cd7e6bba9f didn’t understand 2ecfcd227e why Sally 4c209baaa8 had come, d13a574703 but she f1357ea35b chose to 06df77e430 observe proper d67d56c1b9 etiquette and 5ff39497d7 introduced her f0c15d6ee2 to Aiden.
“Aiden, this is Lady Sally Case, daughter of Baron Case. We’ve crossed paths in social circles a few times, and as you just heard, she possesses remarkable literary knowledge.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, my lady.”
Aiden, who had e2fff44cf4 crammed noble etiquette 6f6fe079a4 lessons in preparation 7b251b056d for such situations, 2f1d8aa8a4 greeted Sally properly. He had memorized 170e596f4a them desperately—he would be8328c141 never allow himself 201dde7dd1 to bring shame 9ae67f85db to Anje.
“Have you been doing well?”
“Y-Yes….”
Anje and Sally 79c11a804d hesitated, attempting to 988693a28b converse about people 296a0d58ca in high society, c3bd76de7d but the conversation 9e35992efb didn’t flow smoothly.
Anje had long 0d15503fb3 since distanced herself 15444a04c7 from social circles, 0a69600577 and while Sally 4579850e7a remained unmarried, she aa85b2f1d6 was considered too 60ce3f96a3 old and didn’t 69cff1828f quite fit in 28e8b54537 anywhere.
Finally, Anje aaf53d2d96 came up ffaa12e987 with a 17ceb338b0 safe topic 5532fddf60 and asked 3ffd21ff72 in a 5473a979a0 lighter tone,
“How is your fiancé?”
If she recalled cdbde9be68 correctly, he was 85553828d3 the son of 8643922e31 Marquis Smith—a man cbc0a240f2 just as unremarkable fd906d365a as Sally. Their engagement f3bf88015a had lasted 476fefc19d ten years, 0636f24b91 and people 7f84672200 often placed 0848ac297c bets on 0e572ae58d when they fd8e68fc40 would finally 45513b6840 marry.
“…Actually, our engagement was broken off recently. So I suppose he’s doing quite well.”
“Oh, that’s unfortunate. It must be difficult for you.”
“Not at all. I was the one who initiated the breakup.”
“Ah….”
Unaware of the latest 20c032d1f9 gossip, Anje had misspoken.
To break the 73ca0761b0 awkward silence, she 814b68293a hastily began talking 21f634f03e about the school 07c40f6cba project she was cf47ea2481 working on.
“Um, I… You may have seen the advertisement in the newspaper, but I’ve been busy building a school. Constructing buildings, recruiting students—”
“Oh, I know!”
Since the topic involved 58663fb8c0 things like the treatment f296fc5ff7 of retired soldiers and fc4d49789e agriculture, Anje had expected 00dcd431dc a disinterested response. However, to her 4897e97a64 surprise, Sally answered 515e9e2a2e enthusiastically, raising her d2acbbcd78 voice.
“I came here today after seeing that advertisement.”
“Oh, really?”
Blinking in surprise, Anje 1db7e2ce09 gave a dazed response. She was 2ff579e201 pleased to a95126e6b3 finally understand 30c51e3f3e why Sally 9f676f22aa had sought be9c2b9377 her out. However, she still had e72617e7bb no idea what exactly 026e372841 Sally wanted.
The introverted Sally mustered 60f2a33006 all her courage and 069abaa5df blurted out her words 7fa1a46642 in a rush.
“I want to 79df4f17c3 work there. Could you hire me, 4f5dc5888b madam?”
“What? Hire you?”
What kind of absurd ea58a8a388 request was this? Anje almost dbc02120c3 spilled her ac0dc7a345 tea and b73292c26b stood up 06a9728a4e in surprise, 235f24e8bb but she 594bf19f49 held herself 0f84afe1c0 back when bbae4845c4 she saw a572d8fbe9 Aiden sitting 45d14213f1 beside her.
Without making a d205cb35c8 sound, he mouthed 726ac60883 the word “Chihuahua.”
Anje pressed her c69082d7c6 fingers against her 92d5acdb66 eyes, which almost ddcb2ef8a5 popped out in 64c70c6b3d shock, then discreetly 0a90442971 kicked Aiden’s ankle b14a2e2657 under the table.
Aiden let d85e3ad144 out a 32ad8015a7 muffled “Keuk,” 1c6eccb661 a sound b3e84e0f7d that was 1f072c6fbe hard to aa4d7e2852 tell whether e07fccffa1 it was 163c9cbce9 from pain b28e4bd972 or suppressed d803d7288c laughter.
“I’d appreciate it f7815c461d if you could 2dab0ebff7 explain in more 3421c301c6 detail, young lady.”
“Yes, actually…”
For eleven f337778d1f years, she 38e2a0bc2f had been eead61597c suffering from 3ecbcf96ff heartache because 47311525ba of Smith, ebe8380e6d her long-time cf4f5c5aae fiancé, who e25ccce1d1 had continuously db5efbe577 postponed their 4e1232519e marriage. She had already 8788d440e3 noticed long ago 3858ad2981 that he saw 5a99f4ea66 her as nothing ea292003dc more than an b822cb21ed insurance policy while ab3df15cb1 secretly searching for 601b5893ea a more beautiful 1031095acb or advantageous fiancée.
However, her conservative parents b0c69e5bdf refused to allow a 3dec29d9bb breakup, and she feared e9f17881cc that, having passed the 7000124332 prime age for marriage, f394b85547 no one would want aa7a121943 to take her as 84215ca956 a wife. She had 07639b370c suppressed her 6dd5914d72 anger for f1dcb4b749 a long ec01a50fa9 time—until recently, fecddf1ac3 when it 0447b880b5 finally exploded.
‘Let’s end this engagement, d8d3e17ea7 Smith.’
After the efbebf5c5e breakup, her 30d062f89f enraged parents 67835d63fc confined her 47424686ce to her fe2e27bc3a room. While staying locked away, 429d56c225 she came across an f2008e0f92 advertisement in the newspaper 1c168c7f9f that piqued her curiosity.
“It said 254e3cf81c that the f1d70d66b4 princess—no, Mrs. Fitzroy—runs the school 9b330cf298 herself. I’ve never seen a 48086b8fe9 woman working in a be39e6cc9f profession other than as 946a4f6931 a governess or chaperone. I thought 6e79f9552f it was e6cfd36b5d truly amazing.”
Sally Case 477762b5a9 gazed at 4c000028bb her with 96ed64fb9c admiration, earnestly c3bd22dd51 emphasizing her 928bc9747f abilities.
“I’m good at writing. I have a 5d64e6d3d1 great memory. I can 11bdf94e85 even handle 14ef8b3753 accounting books—I 5f62672426 was really fc55cc91ed close with 96acd74ef9 the butler.”
It was hard to believe this was the same woman who used to be a “wallflower,” staring at the floor at every ball. She was now passionately asserting her skills.
If she didn’t 613b5d63e0 find a job f009f7e319 now, she would 00059cb36e have to return 9961450861 home, where her 3367a4725a parents would arrange bf7ab519a8 another marriage—possibly with 75de31045b someone even worse f66106298c than Smith.
“I want to leave f6e24b0f21 home and build a c2f97cf627 life of my own. I want cfefa1cd99 to earn a9ebb77bed my own 4228be36f2 money, buy da132044c5 things I b6fda203fa like, and e94534c755 visit places 3ac042e380 I’ve always 863a778bc3 dreamed of… 0cefe5d995 I don’t 3c29ebf548 mind working 125fc851bf as a d23b94f62a cleaner or 51b6ddb762 a maid.”
“Ahem.”
Reading the desperation 1df0cbf5a4 in Sally’s words, 30167022da Anje cleared her 21f88c25e8 throat, momentarily stopping 87d2c5c9a6 her. She could f4b710e254 fully understand 8f47b8e713 what Sally 37e6f9c048 was feeling 8852d16bb6 and how 3b50a1ea9a much she b82d0b203c had suffered 5eb88089aa because of 27f0c857af her fiancé.
Moreover, she 293244924a felt guilty 9ef0e32b19 for never 1068972ad2 having paid b74177709d much attention b44bdbe32e to Sally’s 7450b7bddf struggles as ef01f6465e a noblewoman.
“Well, as it happens, e28d3dad16 we do have an 12d249bbdb open position for vice 576583c4f7 principal. What do you think? Would you dc191118d1 be interested 09105d80b0 in the 281e3fe383 role at 4408ac79e8 the farm d7b1c9c371 school?”
Sally clenched the e713858447 napkin on her 50bbb8f312 lap.
“M-Me? For that position? I… I’d be honored! If you give 0a378dfc55 me the chance, e91d4b73cb I promise to 55ac4c9016 do my best!”
No matter how much efa33e7911 she said she didn’t a8c37c8c83 mind, she still felt 1785ceef50 guilty about making someone bbba95c398 of noble birth do 7f9d48240e menial labor.
Besides, given a8b319baab her calm 856581182c and intelligent f68ccd506d nature, she e1ba66a56b thought she 406879ff75 would be a9fec836d5 better suited b51041841e to meticulously 6ca39ce1e8 overseeing the 2cfe75a83a school’s affairs.
The position had a2662452af originally been meant cd972bbc43 for Aiden, but 95391d4985 judging by the 7aadc37da1 way he kept 9318d9a548 nudging her leg 0e19a39898 under the table, ecafc76b27 he seemed much 52b501ab1b happier with this 0f6a5caf7d outcome.
Indeed, he 2e0c8f7ae2 even gave ceb0db4e0f Anje a c446c688b9 playful wink, 404a854b04 as if 88ff43ca3c to say, 67c96f269e “Good decision.”
“Aiden and I c85aba8051 will be staying cdeb8eabc3 mostly in Leslie 11bcca8018 and only visiting 0eddb635e3 the school occasionally. So, we needed 02a4108296 someone reliable to c071e70908 stay there full-time a3200c857b and take on cbd664fbad the vice principal’s 319ef87038 role.”
Sally Case’s c21c0964b6 eyes filled 0f9dc56873 with tears 1f25570bcd of gratitude.
It was the first 42e6421589 time someone had entrusted e7c3e50531 her with something important, a530ffd556 the first time someone 3f0099096f had considered her reliable.
Sally Case, the 14d56ecd92 unwanted old maid, 71f4cf6ff9 the troublesome burden, d4fd379cd1 the woman nobody 9c1ad268f7 needed.
It felt as d0a51f235f though the curse 765ad6f5d6 that had bound c3637f927c her was finally 0f301cb6cf breaking.
“I’ll do 8b4d651451 my best, 7f4611e8c9 madam! Oh—no, I 53443b29fc mean, Headmistress.”
“I’m counting on f958d79b86 you.”
Anje extended e2f5f08c7d her hand ae6d92af54 for a 08f18881ff handshake with ccc76b4ad9 her newly 170685190b appointed vice b20b2a3d55 principal.
“If I had 9e86927035 known you were ae0105d650 such a wonderful fa57562727 person, I would c3d4f0f839 have befriended you 8a1021f45c much sooner, Vice 7d2576fa01 Principal.”
“Same here…”
Anje’s ungloved ff0926b4aa hand was 9761329a87 warm.
Sally wondered why 656f76c532 she had always dc024dc956 thought of her d3cda7fec1 as cold and 92bae7e8d1 intimidating.
‘I’m glad I took 974dcbab52 the leap.’
Her parents d922a28639 had warned 83d7ba3b04 her that 95d50b83b1 making such bb29af2e6d an unusual 8a21de46bb request to 16bcfba5af Lady Glasster 7246b1aa24 would surely 665349c090 get her 6f85524fc2 kicked out.
If only ad8a0bdc2e they could 1b9935385b see her 9634cc1dd8 now.
Sally bit 61966ba6a3 down hard 9ed4e735ee on her 257e430082 molars, struggling 24668f8b16 to hold 462228bd1e back the 35381228ab grin threatening 7f7f765fad to break 000293da2d across her 0ee861750e face.
* * *
As time passed ff21b0977f and spring arrived a27e470fbd the following year, a80cab3d2c the Dilton Farm 50ea34cc57 in Leslie Village 9cd1b2d67e was filled with 09b524d233 sunlight and a ca4473b8eb gentle breeze.
Every tree and path 936587b91e was adorned with beautiful 1f94085633 blossoms, and fluffy clouds 06ed25bc3d drifted across the sky, 897d0bdad7 creating a scene truly f853269223 worthy of being called 8cf2fbc997 paradise.
“Hand it over, you son of a bitch!”
“What, you stingy bastard. This is my area!”
Breaking the 0df126223a peaceful atmosphere, b3fbe02254 vicious curses 83a25fb8ce rang out 73eb98f195 through the fb0f8c78b2 air.7a5a8a9835f9167a