âOh, youâve never seen a watch like this before, have you? There wonât be much demand for it compared to the product, so itâs not for saleâŠâ
âT-T-This⊠Did you make it?â
âMm.â Jeremy, who was shyly avoiding my gaze and wiping the tip of his nose, added, âIâm sorry I glared at you at first and acted so badly. I kept trying to apologize⊠Iâm a little too shy just to say it.â
ââŠâ
âIt was not your fault, but I was angryâŠâ
I closed my mouth and shook my head slowly.
âYou helped me with the workshop and kicked the baron out⊠Honestly, I never thought Iâd get this much help from you. There must have been a prejudice against nobles. Iâm really sorry about that tooâŠâ
âNo. You donât need to apologize. I-I fully understand.â
âRubette?â Jeremy, tilting his head at my reaction, looked down at the âgiftâ in his hand and quickly hid it behind his back. âD-Do you not like it? As expected, itâs a bit of an odd watch⊠Iâll ask my father to make you a big and pretty watch that you can put in your villa.â
âNo!â
I glanced behind Jeremy in contemplation.
âG-Give it to me⊠I really want that.â
âWhat?â
With his eyes widened, Jeremy took out the gift again, and I stuck out my left wrist in wait.
âPut it on.â
â⊠Rubette?â
âYou put in on the wrist, right?â
âH-How did you know? Hold your hand for a while. Iâll put it on you.â
Instantly blushing and delighted, Jeremy began wrapping the present around my wrist.
âThis is crazy.â
A âwatchâ made using a mechanical device was an object that required quite an elaborate production. Because the work was difficult, every watch made was inaccurate except for modest artisans. That was the reason Lubon watches were so popular. Because the Artisan Works family produced the most accurate watches in existence.
Since it was such a difficult thing to make, of course, the smaller the size, the more sophisticated work was required and the more time was spent. Therefore, with current technology, it was best to produce a pocket-sized pocket watch.
But this oneâŠ
âWristwatch!â
This âwristwatchâ that Jeremy gave me as a âgiftâ was a great invention that did not yet exist at this point.
âThere wonât be much demand? Jeremy, you idiot! Youâre saying this without knowing anything!â
Having lived in the 21st century, I knew better than anyone else.
WristwatchâŠ
It was not an exaggeration to say that it was a pronoun that was almost always mentioned for the first time when it comes to âexpensive itemsâ!
âDone!â
As I looked at the watch that fit my wrist perfectly, I squeezed Jeremyâs hand in excitement. âThank you, Jeremy. Thank you so much. I like it.â
â⊠Really?â
âGenius. You are a genius. This is a great invention that will make a mark in the watch business, no, in history. It should not be buried in Lubon.â
âHuh? W-What are you saying?â Jeremyâs lips twitched as if he liked my reaction but was embarrassed to hear it.
I barely lowered the corners of my mouth that had gone up too much and said, âI will let you make a lot of money with this.â
***
âSienna.â
âYes, my lady. In the name of Jeremy Works, we have submitted a patent application for a âwristwatchâ to the Imperial Family.â
âMmm. Thatâs great. Thatâs greatâŠâ
I smirked at Jeremyâs present on my left wrist.
A wristwatch with a pretty leather strap dyed light pink. It was made with the taste of a noble lady in mind.
âThis is so great!â
When I first talked about the commercialization of wristwatches, everyone in the studio, including Charlie, reacted with disdain.
Other than the concern that production took an enormous amount of time and labor, people had not yet used it, so they were worried about whether demand would be good compared to the price.
But IâŠ
âItâs never going to fail. Even if you donât believe it, I wonât let you lose money, so letâs pretend that youâre deceived and give it a go. I will support all of the labor costs, parts costs, and compensation for providing technology.â
I convinced them with confidence, and I succeeded.
Of course, I didnât encourage the commercialization of wristwatches without any benefit.
âThe contract?â
âHere it is. This is an exclusive production rights contract with <Blanc de Ruby>.â
âFufuâŠâ
Just as soon⊠I won a collaboration contract to exclusively produce and sell the watches for <Blanc de Ruby>.
âBut the studio said it would be better to revise the contract. Itâs something theyâre not sure if it will sell well, so it doesnât make sense that the lady supports all the production costs and only takes 10% of the income. I think so, tooâŠâ
âOh, Sienna.â I wiggled my index finger and added, âMy ultimate goal is to build trust with the workshop and renew it whenever the contract expires. It was easy to get exclusive production rights at first, but not later. Wristwatches will sell like hotcakes, and soon there will be no choice but to keep an eye on them here and there.â
âAha⊠Do you want to be so nice to them that they donât feel like working elsewhere?â
âThatâs right. Besides, even if I only take 10%, the profit will be enormous.â
âHow sure are you?â
I shrugged and said, âI have a strong hunch.â
âHmmâŠâ
âHey, trust me. Have you contacted the craftsman? Itâs going to be a very difficult task, do you think itâs possible?â
âAh, yes. I got a call right away from our collaborator, Hamilton Galacchio. The diamond of the size requested by you is quite small, so it is a bit difficult to work withâŠâ
âAh. Really?â
â⊠Naturally, but he said he wasnât famous for nothing and was confident it was possible.â
âWhoa, that got me for a second.â
I stroked my chest and Sienna suppressed her laughter and bowed her head.
Oh, Sienna⊠I thought she was a rigid woman, but she knew how to play pranks like this.
As I rolled my eyes at Sienna without hatred, I raised my wrist again and looked at my watch joyfully.
We would produce a top-notch wristwatch studded with diamonds and present it as the first high-end accessory for <Blanc de Ruby>.
âFufu⊠Ah! Sienna, come to think of it, thereâs a national holiday next month, right?â
âYes, lady. It is November 16th, the birthday of His Highness the Crown Prince. The second week of November is the festival period.â
âMmm, good.â I nodded, thinking of Lark and giggling.
***
The first month of Rubetria Diollusâs isolation in Lubon.
Lark van Rashmagh Descarde, the head of the investigation and the crown prince, who visited Lubon after a month, tilted his head at Rubetteâs face he hadnât seen in a long time.
âWow, Your Highness! Youâve become more handsome while I havenât seen you!â
â⊠Mm, I donât know if Iâve become handsome, but I do know that youâve become more beautiful.â
âItâs nice to hear even if itâs simply a greeting.â
âIâm serious.â
He felt the bottom of the pit of his stomach tingling.
It wasnât a bad feeling. Perhaps he was glad to see Rubetteâs face for the first time in a month.
âI really like Lubon. Let me guide you. Do you have time?â
âOh, thank you for the suggestion, but I donât have time. I have something to tell you, so I have to deliver it in a hurry and go back.â
âUh, I knew youâre busy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.â
Looking at Rubette who pouted with regret, Lark pondered for a moment.
Should he attend the nobility meeting in the afternoon or⊠Oh.
âWhat was I thinking? Itâs an important meeting.â
Lark shook his head and said, âI have an urgent agenda regarding the banking business, and I must present it to the aristocratic meeting today. Iâm sorry. Iâll make time for you again next week instead.â
âOoh, the banking business seems to be fine these days?â
For some reason, Rubette covered her mouth and smirked.
âMm. The deposit situation has improved quite a bit, so I can try out some of the plans I had in mind. To encourage institutional residents to save by applying a decent interest rateâŠâ
ââŠâ
While talking, Lark tilted his head, puzzled by Rubetteâs smiling face.
âIf the deposit situation is improving, it seems that there are big investors in the bank, right?â
âRight. According to the bank managerâŠâ Lark, who had been talking nonchalantly, paused and thought, then smiled. â⊠I heard that a very wealthy businessman patronizes the bank. Is that you by any chance?â
âAhem, yes. Thatâs right,â added Rubette, her nose all the way up. âI donât know who came up with it, but there is no other institution as convenient as a bank. It makes managing money easier.â
âHaa.â
As Rubette poked his shoulder playfully, Lark touched his forehead and smiled.
âThank you for everything.â
âFufu, if youâre gratefulâŠâ
âWhat, is there anything I can do?â
Seeing Lark immediately ask, overflowing with enthusiasm, Rubette rubbed her palms with a sinister expression.
âItâs not hardâŠâ
âYes, just say it.â
âAah! Right, right! Look at me! I should have given you a gift first!â Rubette, who was about to get to the point, said with a smile.
âFirst of all, happy birthday!â
ââŠ?â
Larkâs eyes widened at the sudden celebration. Soon, his mouth slowly opened. â⊠How did you know?â
Rubette tilted her head at Larkâs surprised expression.
âHow could I not know when itâs a national holiday?â
The birthdays of the emperor and his wife and the crown prince were designated as national holidays in the empire.
Embarrassed, Lark coughed, but Rubette took out something she had hidden with an excited expression. It was a small box.
âWhat? A gift?â
âYes.â
When he opened the box, he sawâŠ
âIs this⊠a watch?â
It was the first time he had seen it, but it was definitely a watch.
It was much smaller than a pocket watch, and unlike an object made for practicality, the diamonds embedded in it were splendid and beautiful.
âDoesnât it look a little odd? It is a pocket watch worn on the wrist. Iâll put it on you myself. Give me your hand.â
âUhâŠâ
Lark held out his left hand in bewilderment. Rubette lowered her head and put the watch on his wrist with great enthusiasm.
âCheers!â
A brilliantly shining watch fit perfectly on Larkâs wrist.
The diamonds densely embedded in the rim of the clock face were crafted with great care.
The cold-touch silver-colored steel that fit snugly around the wristâŠ
âFufu⊠I designed this myself with you in mind.â While Lark stared blankly at the watch, Rubette added with a bright smile, âThis is the one and only birthday present in the world.â