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C195: A LONG-ESTABLISHED BRAND
Not a single demon in the Demon Kingdom hasn’t heard about the tailoring brand Mixpider.
We even make the garments of our ruler, the Demon King.
Clothes are indispensable to a person’s life.
And the producer that stands at the top of it…
Is us, Mixpider.
I am a highly-skilled professional tailor among the many others belonging to Mixpider; Fleurety.
One day, I was summoned by the president of Mixpider’s product manufacturing association.
“Look at these clothes.”
The president and I are staring piercingly at the garment before us.
These aren’t made by us, they’re from the rising clothing brand that’s the talk of the entire nation lately—Noujou.
“Fleurety, do you understand how great they are?”
“No, sir, I don’t!”
I could tell that they’re great.
However, when asked to explain what exactly is great about it, I can’t put it into words.
As a tailor, this is substantially a declaration of defeat and a vexing one at that.
“Me too. It’s making my blood boil with frustration.”
First, its fabric.
I can tell that it’s a high-quality material, but what fiber is it made of?
Even the mana fibers we collect from four-star dungeons don’t have such a smooth and glittering finish.
I can’t comprehend what material is used at all.
Next, the seams.
How can they be so evenly spaced?
Is this even humanly possible?!
I can’t comprehend how this was sewn at all.
“The tailor of these clothes is far more skilled than we could ever imagine.”
“I bought them for research purposes, but they only made us depressed…”
And the two of us let out a deep sigh.
It’s been well over a hundred years since we, Mixpider, have reigned as the best tailor brand in the Demon Capital.
We have inherited this status from our predecessors and even earned the honor of being the official purveyor of the Demon King’s family through meticulous efforts.
And that hundred-year history is going to be destroyed by the newbie…
‘Noujou.’
Their artless, somewhat dud-like name of a brand has been spreading rapidly like wildfire, causing a sudden boom.
And it all started when Her Majesty Astres was seen wearing their clothes.
Now, this brand name has been etched into everyone’s mind as they are being sold to the general public as well. Even all the cool kids in the city are fighting over it to get first dibs on a Noujou product.
The new products we released have all been inferior to theirs.
“How horrifying! Our brand has only achieved 70% of its sales target this season. It’s our worst record ever!”
It’s a living nightmare for our president who is in charge of the brand.
“Father, have we figured out who the enemy is?”
“That’s ‘President’ to you when we’re at work. I’ve been making inquiries to Pandemonium Trading Company time and again, but I haven’t gotten any favorable response. They have their own obligations to their trade partner, after all.”
Aren’t we also selling wholesale clothes to their company?!
Ugh, this is why businessmen can never be trusted!
“Well, they’re also a bigshot who has been the royal family’s purveyor for ages. They’re no easy opponent you can beat with just a little pressure.”
“You and your timidness again, Father!”
“Having said that, we can’t resort to drastic measures either. What’s the biggest blow we could give them? It’s only to shut them out of our clothing line. But what if they use that as an opportunity to use Noujou’s products as a replacement?”
It would be a fatal blow to us!
I guess our only option is to compete against them both as famed tailor brands!
“But our future isn’t looking as bright. I mean, what was that presented to the prince?!”
The fact that I’m not involved in other work hurts me, but why did the President give the green signal to those disastrous, over-the-top clothes?!
“Huh? Wasn’t that nice? It was flashy enough to highlight His Highness’ dignity, don’t you think?”
Our artisans, who have been complacent with their long-time position under a veteran company, were overly disturbed by the sudden shake-up.
They pushed themselves way beyond their limits and made a big mistake by straying off the course they’ve been taking for so long just to find a way to sell better than Noujou.
“Anyway, if we don’t do something about Noujou, our brand value will only keep on decreasing. We need to find a way!”
However, both of us are already at our wits’ end just trying to come up with a breakthrough solution.
Ugh! Isn’t there an idea out there as invigorating as cutting cloth with scissors?!
“It’s okay!”
“Mom?!” “You!”
The one who broke into the office was Mixpider’s president’s wife and my mother.
She used to be the best Mixpider tailor, but now, she has given up that position to her daughter, me, to assist Father.
I thought she wasn’t here, where was she this whole time?
And why is she suddenly showing up now?
“I’ve been negotiating with Pandemonium Trading Company to meet Noujou’s tailor.”
“WHAT?!”
“I’ve succeeded in inviting them to Mixpider’s workshop.”
“WHAAAT?!”
You made it seem like nothing when Father had such a hard time trying to establish negotiations with them!
What kind of coercive move did you use, Mother?!
“It was just good timing, that’s all. The other party seems to have some ideas of their own. But this is our chance!” says Mother as she points at me.
“Fleurety, you’ll be representing us as Mixpider’s best tailor!”
“What?!”
“I’ve learned a little bit from my negotiations with the company that Noujou is a brand run by only one tailor.”
“Just one?!”
Well, a brand can run independently to maintain quality, but they must be very confident in their skills to make it work.
“No matter how good of a tailor you are, there’s a limit to how much you can do solo. That’s why I came up with a genius move!”
“?”
“We’ll make Noujou’s tailor join Mixpider!”
“?!”
Mother’s bold idea left me and Father… er, rather President speechless.
“We’ll take the reputation this rising brand has built up as well as their talented artisan! Doing so will bring Mixpider back to the top of the industry!!!”
True, if we do that, our brand will become more formidable and our fame will skyrocket.
Though it’s probably too audacious in Father’s eyes…
“That’s where you come in, Fleurety.”
“Huh? What am I supposed to do, Mother?!”
“When Noujou’s tailor comes to visit us, invite them to a contest with you. A sewing contest, of course.”
Wha…
Does she even hear herself?
“If you win, make your opponent join Mixpider. No matter who your opponent is, Mixpider’s number one tailor is you, the President’s beloved daughter!”
Maybe then, I, Father, and Mother can keep Mixpider running?
We’ve been through so many hardships and difficulties just to get to this point…
When I was a young girl, my family lived in the remote countryside, not here in the big city.
We were poor but content, living as a humble family of tailors.
The life of my family of four with my father, mother, and little sister is my most cherished memory.
However, that sweet life was destroyed by the invasion of the human army.
They destroyed the village we grew up in and were forced to flee for dear life and struggle as refugees.
I haven’t seen my sister ever since we were separated at that time.
I don’t even know where she is now.
After a long nomadic life, we migrated to the Demon Capital, relying only on the sewing skills that we have, and eventually joined a tailors’ association.
Over the course of more than a decade, we transferred to bigger and bigger associations until we reached Mixpider.
My mother and I made full use of our sewing skills to make a union president out of Father.
Our march will never stop.
We’ll overcome this obstacle by working together as a family!
“I will definitely win and make them join us!!!”
I’m sure news will eventually reach my sister’s ears as long as we keep making a name for ourselves in the Demon Capital!
“You’re right. I’ll talk this over with Pandemonium.”
“I know you’ll win, Fleurety. You’re our daughter!”
Thank you, Mother, Father.
I will definitely live up to your expectations.
The sewing techniques I’ve developed over the years will never lose, no matter who I’m up against!
And then, the mysterious tailor showed up at Mixpider’s main branch on the day of the meet-up,
“…Huh? Sis?”
“Batemy?! What’s going on?!”