“… Phew-”

As the warm tea passes down my throat and enters my body, I feel as if my body is melting away.

I don’t know what it’s blended with, but the mountain-like floral scent wakes me up.

In the current situation, I think I can somehow resolve Hayes’ request, which feels overwhelming.

I racked my brain, which had finally become a little more relaxed, and thought hard about the best way to help Hayes.

As I quietly rolled my head, when the black tea in my cup was about half gone, I called Hayes with a relieved smile.

“Hayes.”

“huh.”

“Let’s just give up on changing the dress.”

“what?”

Hayes’ face, which had brightened for a moment at the mention of his own name after a long silence, now twists into a grim expression.

“Hey, are you kidding me?”

“There is a very logical reason, so listen.”

I put my teacup down on the table and asked Hayes, who was glaring at me with a sullen expression.

“How much time was left until the banquet?”

“…a little more than a month.”

“I could make a dress in a month, but would a hastily made dress be beautiful enough to catch Confucius’s eye right away?”

“If my brother shows great creativity…”

“Even if you have a great design, you can’t make it. You know very well that a beautiful dress requires a lot of money and time.”

“Well, if I were to spend all my own money on that…”

“Sabi?”

I raised one corner of my mouth and pointed at Hayes’ dress.

“The dress you’re wearing right now costs about 5 gold. It’s a comfortable dress to wear at home, you know. But the dress you want is a dress meant to win Confucius’s heart. Do you think you can do it without your parents’ help?”

“Ugh…”

Hayes, who wears dresses every day, knows best how ridiculous a hastily made dress is.

So, he’s biting his lower lip like that and can’t even refute it.

“So, give up on the dress and find another way.”

“Then what other methods are there?”

“Tighten the corset to the limit to reduce the waist and accentuate the chest. How about tightening it to about 18 inches?”

“haha…”

The life drains from Hayes’ face.

Hayes muttered in a listless voice, staring into space with blurry eyes.

“That… I’ve already done it…”

“What was the result?”

“…”

“I… I’m sorry…”

When I didn’t get a reply, I lowered my gaze and checked Hayes’ chest while offering an apology.

A chest that is solid for its age, but lacks in absolute terms.

“…don’t look.”

Hayes covered his chest with his hand.

If it grows a little more, it could be used as a weapon, but can’t you wait a little longer?

“How about waiting just a year? Looking at your mother and sisters, it seems like you have high expectations for the future, too.”

“But what if another woman steals Confucius within a year?”

“Hmm…”

I wanted to tell him that his worries were unfounded, but considering Confucius’s age, it was difficult to say that he was at ease.

A 19-year-old royal secretary with a secure future. Even though his family’s status is a bit low, he is a good person himself, so he is a potential groom. There will be many people targeting him, from women on the verge of marriage to girls just entering puberty.

“Then there is no other way…?”

“You muster up the courage to confess to Confucius. If confessing is difficult, it would also be a good idea to ask your father or mother to formally show their love.”

“If I confess first, wouldn’t it seem a bit… presumptuous? And, a political marriage feels like it’s being pressured by family… I prefer natural encounters…”

“You want to develop a good relationship, right?”

“huh…”

“Haa~”

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

I understand how you feel, so I don’t want to say anything, but I feel a little lost.

A seduction method that a man can prepare in a month, as he loves it to death.

It seems Confucius is also interested in Hayes, so if he just sends one clear signal, it seems like he has a chance of winning…

If I can’t even bare my chest or confess, should I at least bare my legs?

“Hey, do you have pretty legs?”

“The legs? I think they’re okay… but why?”

“okay?”

I picked up the bell on the table and shook it gently.

Then he took out a notebook from his pocket, wrote a few simple drawings and lines of text, and tore the paper.

As the paper was torn from the notebook, the door opened and Emily and Leticia, who had been waiting in the next room, entered the room.

“Did you call?”

“If there’s anything you’d like to ask, please let me know.”

“here.”

I thrust the paper at Emily.

And pointing at Hayes with his finger, he gave orders to Emily and Miss Leticia.

“You two, take Hayes to the closet right now and find out what’s written on the paper I just gave you.”

“I… Master?”

“why?”

“Isn’t this too sensitive…? Do we really need to invite the young lady into the closet and check?”

“Yes, I’ll ask you to do this, since it’s an important matter that will affect Hayes’ life.”

Hayes, who had been watching us blankly while sipping tea, asked me a question with a puzzled expression at Emily’s slightly reddened ears and hesitation.

“Brother, what are you trying to do now?”

“If you’re not sure what to wear and have a positive attitude, you’ll have to rely on your legs.”

“Bridge? What does that mean?”

“I’m telling you to flaunt your curves by fluttering your skirt in a vulgar way.”

“What, what what?”

Hayes’ face turned red.

“You, you crazy bastard! How could you do something so reckless! You pervert! You rascal! A horny dog! Isn’t Confucius that dirty?!”

“under-“

I chuckled as I watched Hayes jump up from his seat, swear at me, and curse at me.

“If you don’t like it, then don’t. Is it my business? It’s your business. I don’t know anymore.”

“What? Wait, hold on a sec, oppa! Wait, don’t give up like this. Help me!”

“If you don’t like this and you don’t like that, and this doesn’t work and that doesn’t work, how am I supposed to help you?”

“The bridge is too sudden, please give me some time to think about it…”

 

“I’ll give you 5 seconds.”

“5 seconds!? Too short…”

He spread his fingers wide towards Hayes and quietly folded one.

Hayes’s eyes tremble violently as he realizes the meaning of the finger.

“This is…!”

Hayes started to groan as he wrapped his head.

I pressed Hayes, folding my fingers one by one leisurely, whether I did or not.

When I had folded all my fingers like that, I shook my fist and asked in a teasing tone.

“So, what’s your answer? Will you? Or won’t you? If you won’t, then quickly turn around…”

“Oh, I get it! Just do it! Just do it!”

Hayes shouted and nervously walked towards the closet.

“Wise choice, Emily, Miss Leticia? Please, I need you to be very honest with me.”

“Yes, I understand.”

_

As I was leisurely waiting, drinking tea, Emily, her ears bright red, came out of the closet first and approached me.

“master.”

“Are you done?”

“yes…”

“How was it? Hayes said he was fine, but is he really?”

I accepted the paper Emily politely held out with both hands, slowly looked through its contents, and asked Emily questions.

“Do I really have to say that?”

“Then should I check it myself?”

“ha…”

Emily sighed heavily.

I know it’s embarrassing to describe a woman’s legs in detail, but I can’t dissect my sister’s legs.

As I stared at Emily, who was hesitating, Emily closed her eyes tightly and swallowed hard.

“…Your skin is spotless and clear, you have no body hair, no fat, and you are tall and slender.”

“Really? Leticia agrees, right?”

“yes.”

“Hmm~”

Then you can use your legs.

Now, all that’s left is to wrap up the legs nicely and take them to Confucius.

I waited for Hayes to come out of the closet, picturing an outfit in my head.

“ha-“

“Thank you for your hard work.”

A moment later, Hayes and Leticia came out of the closet.

As soon as he came out of the closet, Hayes met my eyes and glared at me fiercely with his eyes wide open. Then, with a look of displeasure on his face, he opened his mouth.

“So, why did you make Emily and Leticia voyeurize my legs? If it’s for some strange reason, you better be prepared.”

“I wonder if your legs are really pretty.”

“Are you really out of your mind?”

“Since self-evaluation is unreliable, the most accurate way to assess your appearance is to have others evaluate you.”

“Ha- You’re really a pervert…”

Hayes muttered in an annoyed voice, covering his face with both hands.

Hayes, who had been standing there for a moment, collecting his emotions, glanced at me through his slightly parted fingers and then asked a question hesitantly.

“…So, what is it?”

“Don’t worry too much, it’s a line that even Confucius would like. If you decorate it nicely, I think even Confucius would fall for it in one go.”

“okay…?”

I can see Hayes’ lips twitching between his hands.

“Then is there a way to seduce Confucius through this bridge?”

“Of course, there is no man who doesn’t like pretty legs.”

“Do you only trust me, oppa?”

“okay.”

“So, what should I do?”

“I need to make my legs look pretty first.”

Since she’s usually covered by a dress, she can show off her devastating charm with just her bare legs, but if we’re going to seduce Confucius for sure, we need to give her a weapon that will make her legs stand out even more.

I declared confidently, chuckling.

“Hey, when you meet Confucius, wear stockings.”

“what?”

Silk see-through stockings with a garter belt.

I was confident that I could definitely snipe Confucius with this.