Chapter 54: A Spy in the Tailor Shop?

“What the hell is someone like this doing crawling in here?”

I filtered out the applicants with questionable conduct during the interviews.

It wasn’t discrimination against the lower class.

I simply excluded anyone whose status window contained the word “evil deed.”

More than half were eliminated at once, but that didn’t bother me.

There were plenty of applicants anyway.

‘Not a single one has a registered skill, though.’

While checking their character information windows, I occasionally spotted people with impressive abilities.

For example, Princess Eustia had “One Followed by Heavenly Fortune.”

Kuro Allegan, whom I’d put in charge of the trading company, possessed the skill “Employee Exploitation.”

The most recent one I’d seen was the criminal Bassett’s “Acting.”

There had to be talented tailors among them with decent skills.

But people like that rarely changed jobs.

The industry was small; they didn’t want to risk burning bridges.

A bad reputation made reemployment difficult if they ever got fired.

“Too bad, but it can’t be helped. I don’t absolutely need a master tailor anyway.”

I only planned to have a few suits custom-made.

The rest would be mass-produced according to standard sizes.

I was launching the Enpher Empire’s first ready-to-wear clothing business.

‘I’m shifting the paradigm.’

It wouldn’t matter if no highly skilled tailor applied.

I could just hire people with decent dexterity and train them.

I gave a subtle nod to Butler Tobias Wilkin.

It was the signal to send in the next interviewee.

Soon, a nervous-looking young man cautiously opened the door.

His brown hair was tied back in a tight ponytail, giving him an oddly masterful air.

“Pleased to meet you. Please, take a seat.”

“Y-Yes? Yes.”

But that was just my imagination.

Judging by his flustered demeanor, he clearly wasn’t an experienced tailor either.

Still, just in case, I immediately pulled up his character information window.

<Character Information>

Name: Martin

Identity: Commoner

Position: Apprentice Tailor

Relationship: No prior acquaintance

Status: Slightly nervous from unfamiliar spying, admiring the astonishing sight, contemplating an evil deed.

Skill: Designer

Overall Ability: A

‘Oh?’

I let out a quiet gasp inside.

He was the most promising person I’d seen so far.

I almost blurted out that he was hired, but I kept my mouth shut for now.

His status raised some red flags.

‘He came here to spy? And he’s debating whether to commit an evil deed. What’s with this guy?’

Regardless, I had to continue the interview, so I asked the standard questions.

“Have you ever worked as a tailor?”

“I’ve picked up the basics here and there by watching others.”

“You haven’t made clothes yourself, then?”

“Yes, but I buy fabric and sew clothes for my family.”

“So you do have some experience.”

“That’s right. I’ve been buying tools while doing odd jobs. I want to learn properly.”

“If you’re hired, you won’t need to worry about tools. The factory provides everything.”

“Oh! Really?”

Martin’s face lit up as he looked around the room.

Not a single other applicant had reacted like that.

They were all desperately trying to prove their diligence to get the job.

But this guy was different.

He scanned the interior of the lodging and the view of the Carius duchy visible through the window with clear curiosity.

‘If he really came to spy, he wouldn’t have eyes like that.’

He also wouldn’t stare so openly.

Then, something strange happened.

Martin’s character information window, floating in midair, updated in real time.

‘Huh? It can do that?’

Amazingly, the words “spying” and “evil deed” vanished from the status tab.

Curiosity and anticipation filled their place instead.

It wasn’t hard to guess why the change occurred.

‘He’s had a change of heart.’

A spy infiltrates a place, finds it too good to leave, and decides to stay.

It was a plausible story.

Since he’d approached with bad intentions, I was admittedly a little wary.

On the other hand, this worked out well.

Highly skilled tailors rarely moved anyway.

Absorbing a spy like this wasn’t a bad option.

‘Besides, nothing he does will escape my eyes.’

With the employee management window, I could monitor everything he did.

I wrapped up the conversation briefly.

“If you work hard, I’ll take care of you to the end.”

“Uh… yes.”

“So show me your trust. The dormitories are still under construction, so you’ll be able to move in a few months.”

“Will they be similar to this building?”

“That’s right. I’m not the type to skimp on employee welfare. Start coming to work tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir!”

Martin answered energetically, grinning as he left.

I smirked and muttered to myself.

“I’m curious what that guy will do.”

He didn’t seem that foolish.

But you never know.

People sometimes make stupid choices even when the outcome is obvious.

Midias was growing explosively.

Vargas’s laboratory, employee dormitories, ranch, clothing factory, and more were all being built at the same time.

Materials were pouring in from everywhere, rendering even the well-paved roads useless.

Conflicts were bound to arise here and there.

‘I’d love to coordinate everything myself, but…’

The situation didn’t allow it.

It was time for me to head to Delriat.

“Please take care of things.”

“Don’t worry too much, Your Grace. I’ll do my very best.”

“Yes, I’m counting on you, Butler Xavier. Take care.”

I lightly waved to the butlers who had come to see me off.

Just as the carriage was about to depart the Carius duchy,

A thunderous cheer suddenly rang out from somewhere.

“Your Grace! Come back soon!”

“I’ll be waiting with gratitude!”

The entire hillside was occupied by employees cupping their hands around their mouths and shouting.

Some couldn’t hold back their emotions and were openly sobbing.

“For such a wonderful person to have to travel that far and suffer…”

“Sniff! I pray for your safety wherever you go.”

Judging by the scale, nearly all the workers had shown up.

I hadn’t expected such a grand send-off.

‘Honestly, I haven’t done that much for them.’

I’d merely shared a bit of the wealth I’d gained for free after possessing this body.

And it wasn’t like I’d only lost out.

I’d made a fortune through various businesses.

Yet they reacted like this—their lives must have been incredibly harsh until now.

I stared blankly out the window when the coachman suddenly spoke up.

I think his name was Brandon.

The very man who’d teared up because I hadn’t stepped on his back when getting down from the carriage.

“Your Grace, may this humble one say something?”

“Yes, speak freely.”

“You’re a little puzzled why everyone is acting like that, aren’t you?”

“I can’t say I’m not.”

“It’s all because Your Grace gave them hope and trust.”

The coachman smiled warmly and chattered excitedly.

There might be jobs that pay well somewhere.

But an employer who remembers subordinates’ birthdays and special occasions? None.

He praised me until his mouth went dry, and I couldn’t help feeling my face flush.

Praise makes even whales dance, but doing it right in front of the person is a bit much.

“Thank you for thinking of me that way instead of seeing me as an easy mark.”

“Oh no, never! If anyone took Your Grace lightly and tried to deceive you, they’d get beaten to a pulp.”

“Ohtōt!”

Thanks to Brandon’s theatrics, a pleasant smile tugged at my lips.

This was proof I’d been doing well so far.

‘Let’s not lose this original mindset.’

Whether the world was dark fantasy or hell, I would walk the right path.

I leaned back against the seat, renewing that resolve.

The journey remained remarkably smooth for over a week.

Perhaps because we had an escort, no bandits or monsters dared approach.

Then, while crossing the western part of the empire,

Clunk!

The carriage rounding a corner suddenly slowed sharply.

“Ugh! My apologies, Your Grace.”

Uncle Brandon quickly glanced back to check on the passengers’ safety.

Cordell McNeil and I possessed superhuman physical abilities.

No matter how sudden the situation, we could respond adequately.

“We’re fine. What’s going on?”

“It looks like there’s been a landslide. The road is completely blocked.”

I stuck my head out the window.

The long trail that had stretched ahead was gone, replaced by a mountain of dark earth.

“We’ll have to find another route. Can we detour?”

“It’s a bit dangerous. We’d have to pass near the lava zone.”

“Ah…”

The Magreta volcano in the western empire was famous for its sudden magma eruptions.

Usually, passing right beside it was fine, but occasionally it blanketed the entire area in an instant.

If unlucky, you could die without even a scream.

That was the kind of accident Brandon was warning about.

“Better to pioneer a new path. Or dig like mad.”

We could just clear the blockage.

It might take a few days, but we had a reliable musclehead with us, didn’t we?

When I gave him a meaningful look, Cordell made a horrified face.

“Your Grace? You’re not going to tell me to shovel, right?”

“I haven’t even opened my mouth yet. Don’t jump to conclusions.”

It definitely seemed like that’s what you were thinking. Just to be safe, I’m a knight of the Carius family, not some—

“—”

“I know. Black something.”

“Agent.”

“Anyway, you’re saying you won’t shovel?”

“Wow! Look at this. You were totally going to make me!”

I shrugged lightly.

Then I stepped out of the carriage and gazed west.

The Magreta volcano was eerily calm.

Yet an inexplicable unease crept up.

‘Calm before the storm, they say. No need to take the risky route.’

Pioneering a completely new path would be insanely difficult.

If it were open plains, maybe, but this was a narrow mountain trail.

Why had we taken this route in the first place?

Because avoiding the Magreta volcanic zone would more than double the travel time.

It was rough, but this was the shortcut.

Rattle!

I opened the carriage’s cargo hold and pulled out a shovel.

‘We can’t do this or that. The only answer is to break through head-on.’

Time to show the divine shoveling skills of a reserve sergeant…

Ah, right—I got exempt from reserves after passing the police exam.

Anyway, my skills haven’t rusted.

“No, Your Grace, how can you do this kind of work?”

Brandon approached, face pale as a sheet.

A duke holding a shovel—who wouldn’t be shocked?

But I wasn’t the type to act superior because of status or push all the work onto others.

“It’s fine. We do what needs to be done. And we’re not exactly in a position to get help, are we?”

“Ah…”

Thud! Shunk!

Whether Uncle Brandon fidgeted or not, I started shoveling.

With practiced motion and strength, the pile of earth cleared rapidly.

Then I heard grumbling behind me.

It was Cordell McNeil’s disgruntled voice.

“Are you seriously doing this?”

“Why?”

“If you step up personally, what does that make me?”

“A trash knight who just stands there watching his escort target take the lead?”

“You aimed for that. You totally did.”

Cordell shook his head and began shoveling too.

Soon Brandon arrived with ropes and sacks.

He planned to tie rocks and roll them down the slope.

And right at that moment—

Thud! Clang!

Aargh!

As I thrust the shovel blade in hard, a sharp metallic sound rang out, followed by a scream.