“Louise.”

Alec’s voice reached me.

He glanced at me and then shifted his gaze to someone approaching us.

A woman covered in thread and lint stood nearby, looking both anxious and somewhat hopeful.

“Hello. I’m Diana, the manager of this factory,” she said.

The manager?

I felt a sense of relief, as this was someone I had been eager to meet.

“I see. It’s nice to meet you. And everyone else, too.”

I looked around the factory.

Now that the machines had stopped, my voice echoed clearly throughout the space.

I glanced at Alec, and he too addressed the workers.

“I’m Alec.”

“And I’m Louise. You might know us as the Duke and Duchess of Brent. As you’ve probably heard, we are now the new owners of Howard Textiles.”

The workers shifted their gaze between Alec and me.

Their eyes flickered with curiosity, and some of their faces flushed slightly.

To them, a change in ownership and the arrival of the new owners were not everyday occurrences.

I continued, though I, too, felt a bit nervous.

“Don’t worry about what Langdon said earlier. The ownership of this factory has indeed been transferred to our family.”

There was no response from the workers.

Their uncertainty, nervousness, and curiosity were palpable, and I could feel it all.

As I scanned the workers, I saw men and women of all ages. There were even boys and girls who seemed barely in their teens.

It was impossible not to feel pity.

There were over twenty factories like this one—how many people and their families depended on these places for their livelihoods?

I looked up at Alec, linked arms with him, and turned back to address the workers.

“This factory will now be called Brent Textiles. And it’s not just the name that will change; many things will. First, we’ll start with the building itself.”

The workers’ eyes wavered. They seemed to be thinking, *Surely not?*

Alec and I already knew exactly what they were hoping for.

For years, the workers of the textile factories had been fighting against the owners over the harsh working conditions.

The aristocrats used to mock them, saying, “If you don’t like working at a textile factory, why not do something else?” But the real problem wasn’t the workers—it was the factory owners who ran their operations with such inhumane conditions.

Even if an employer gave a pittance for the workers’ labor, was that not still exploitation?

Does violence only count if it involves physically harming someone?

I had no sympathy for a world that blamed the workers while justifying such abusive employers.

Taking a deep breath, I spoke again.

“I’ve seen what you’ve been wanting all this time. I know how frustrated you must have been with the lack of any compromise. But now, Marcel is dead, and Langdon holds no power. My husband and I will not stand by and let these factories remain as they are.”

With that, I sighed as I looked around the inside of the factory.

The small, high windows barely let in any light. And I had heard that some foremen used to patrol the factory with whips, though those men had fled somewhere.

Feeling a surge of emotion, I continued speaking.

“We will make sure that you all can work in a clean and comfortable environment. We’ll ensure that you have plenty of rest time, and we’ll even provide meals during your shifts.”

“…!”

The workers gasped, their eyes widening in disbelief.

Their collective amazement was as loud as thunder.

I didn’t feel pleased seeing their reactions—rather, I felt a deep sadness.

To me, these were basic rights.

Yet, among the murmurs of astonishment, I could hear whispers of disbelief: ‘Is that really possible? Surely this can’t be true.’

“Is it… is it really true?”

Diana’s trembling voice broke through the silence, and I turned to look at her.

“If you really do that… we’d be willing to dedicate our lives to your factory,” she said, tears welling in her eyes.

I smiled gently at her.

“Since we need to renovate the factory building, why don’t we start by giving everyone a break? Of course, it’ll be paid leave.”

“…!”

“Oh my.”

“What is happening?”

The workers’ amazement echoed even louder.

Now, they seemed to believe we were truly going to improve the working conditions.

“Thank you… thank you so much. Where do people like you even come from…”

Diana covered her mouth with her hands, tears streaming down her face.

I watched her with a slight smile.

Seeing the joy on their faces, I was reminded of how fulfilling it is to make others happy.

“Thank you!”

“You two are our saviors!”

The workers’ voices were like a chorus of applause, their gratitude ringing out as we left the factory amidst cheers.

***

‘…Ha. This feels so strange.’

On the way back home, I felt my heart racing, like I’d taken the wrong medicine.

All we did was visit the factory, yet my chest felt tight with emotion.

Was it because I had absorbed so much happiness from all those people?

As we sat drinking tea back at the mansion, James spoke in a voice thick with emotion, tears welling in his eyes.

“You two are truly remarkable. The workers at the factory were so moved.”

“…It’s nothing. We just did what anyone should,” I said, trying to seem indifferent as I sipped my tea.

After all, the textile factory would soon be our main source of income, and I found myself running a business I never thought would be part of my life.

Improving the workers’ conditions was just the bare minimum—hardly anything to be praised for yet.

‘Even just doing the basics will bring in more money than the entire empire could count…’

I still couldn’t believe I had gained one of the most successful textile factories in the empire from a simple wager.

James continued speaking.

“You’ll earn the respect of so many. The admiration of the workers is the same as earning the hearts of the people of Rilt. After all, so many citizens are part of this industry.”

“…Haha.”

I gave a small laugh.

James’s praise felt exaggerated—too much, really.

But it was true that Brent Textiles employed a significant number of workers.

Suddenly, a good idea crossed my mind, and I called out to Alec.

“Alec.”

“Yes?”

“There’s something I’d like you to do. You’re so good with numbers and bookkeeping, aren’t you? Could you take a look at the factory’s ledgers? We’ll need to reassess the material costs and set new wages for the workers.”

“Ah, understood.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled slightly at Alec’s willing response.

Knowing that he would handle the factory accounts put my mind at ease.

After finishing my tea, I decided to rest in my room for a while.

Alec had briefly reviewed the ledgers before heading back to the factory to check the inventory.

Since this was a crucial time for us as new factory owners, it made sense for him to do the inspection personally.

As the sun began to set, there was a knock on the door, and one of the servants entered.

“My lady.”

“Yes?”

“Lady Marianne has sent you a letter.”

“Really?”

What could this be about at this hour?

I approached the servant and took the letter.

I had made a promise to Marianne to visit the North in exchange for a gift of polar bear fur.

I unfolded the letter and read its contents.

Louise, I have something I’d like to discuss with you in private. Could we meet somewhere in secret, away from others?

I stared at the letter for a moment.

What could Marianne want to talk about in secret?

The meeting location was written at the bottom of the letter.

Was this about the trip to the North?

Puzzled, I called for a carriage and left the estate.

Since it didn’t seem necessary to keep the meeting a secret, I told the servants truthfully when they asked where I was going.

‘…What could it be?’

Was Marianne about to share some confidential matter with me?

Was I finally about to make a real friend in high society?

From our previous meetings, I had felt that Marianne was a kind and genuine noblewoman.

Up until now, I hadn’t really formed any deep connections with other noble ladies, but with Marianne, it felt like we could truly understand each other.

The destination was a mansion located on the outskirts, near the border between the capital and the surrounding area.

“We’ve been expecting you, Madam. Please, come in,” said the servant, who greeted me upon my arrival.

I glanced up at the mansion’s exterior before stepping inside.

It didn’t seem like it was lived in daily, but the mansion had an old, stately appearance.

Inside, it was filled with ancient statues and antiques, decorating the space like a museum.

I had heard that Marianne had several properties she used for storing her collection, and this seemed to be one of them.

How very fitting for her.

As I took in the atmosphere, the servant stopped in front of a door and knocked.

After a moment, the door opened, and the servant stepped aside to let me in.

“Please, enter, My Lady.”

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories