TVBDS 14

Chapter: 14

Born into a family of watchmakers that had repaired the watches of the Loire royal family and nobles for generations, Emily inherited the skills of her ancestors.

No, it was beyond simply inheriting them.

She created machines that had never existed in the world before.

However, her great achievements would only be revealed after her death.

Because her twin older brother not only stole Emily’s accomplishments and claimed them as his own, but also used them to enter the Hall of Fame of the Royal Science Academy.

If it had not been for a descendant who eventually felt guilty and revealed the truth, and if it had not been for the mark she secretly hid, Emily probably would have died unable to close her eyes even after death because of her injustice.

‘But this time will be different. Emily, I need you.’

I knew very well how empty it felt to do all the hard work yourself, only for someone else to receive the praise and even take credit for it.

“An automaton that I cherish broke. Could you repair it? It was made here.”

Camille subtly handed over a business card with the name Charmeuse written on it.

Ah.

I was so rushed that I hadn’t even introduced myself.

The thing I brought was a doll of a writing girl that Father had given me as a birthday present.

At first glance, the doll looked no different from an ordinary porcelain doll.

However, hidden beneath the silk clothing was not a cotton body, but thousands of delicate mechanical gears.

When the mechanism was wound, the doll moved its arm and wrote the sentence:

“Happy birthday.”

It was an excessively luxurious gift for a young daughter.

“Oh my! This doll is something I sold. I remember it clearly.”

“Really?”

Of course she remembered.

After all, Emily was the person who created this doll.

“Father gave it to me as a birthday present, but I think it broke because it doesn’t write anything anymore. It’s something very precious to me…”

As I trailed off and lowered my gaze, a gentle voice comforted me.

“Oh dear… You must have been very upset.”

“Yeah…”

This was not a lie.

Even though I knew it could be repaired, when it came time to actually break it with my own hands, my hands had trembled.

“Could you wait a moment? Emily should take a look at it.”

While waiting for Emily, who disappeared into the workshop, Antoine and I slowly looked around at the clocks and various mechanical devices filling the store.

On the display shelves, luxurious creations made with generous amounts of gold, silver, and jewels sparkled.

A swan that moved its long elegant neck to drink water.

A noblewoman that played music when a punched card was inserted.

A knight holding a sword and fighting.

A clock shaped like a house with a brown roof where a cuckoo popped out exactly on the hour.

The delicate machines, whose creation process and operating principles were impossible to even guess, went beyond simply being fascinating.

They inspired awe.

Antoine was also at the age where he was naturally interested in things like this, so his fingertips kept twitching.

Hey, Antoine.

No.

Put your hands down.

So Emily made all of these.

And she had to watch with her own eyes as the praise that rightfully belonged to her was stolen away!

Seeing the countless certificates and medals hanging on the wall, each with Emily’s name written on them, made my chest feel so frustrated that I almost burst with anger.

“Wait, you said only the Charmeuse Viscount’s children came? Then why are you calling me out? Don’t you know I’m busy?”

“Emily! What kind of attitude is that toward guests?”

“Tch. It’s probably just some cheap toy they want repaired anyway… Ah, you’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you? I am Emily, the greatest watchmaker on this workshop street.”

I heard everything.

Idiot.

Unfortunately, the cloth curtain separating the workshop was far too thin to block his voice.

“Let’s see… You said your precious automaton broke? Hmm, hmm. Oh…”

It would later be revealed that, unlike Emily, Emil’s skills were merely enough to make a living as an ordinary watchmaker.

He was nowhere near skilled enough to run a workshop on this street.

However, judging only by his expression while inspecting the automaton, Emil looked like he deserved to have a statue erected in front of the Hall of Fame tomorrow.

“Can you fix it?”

“Ha! Are you doubting me right now? Something like this could be repaired even by the receptionist of our workshop, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Then can’t you just leave it to Emily from the beginning?”

“Wh-what? Hahaha, what a joke. I mean, that’s just how people say things.”

“Really…?”

What should I do?

I wasn’t joking.

They said repairing the automaton would take about a week.

They would contact me if it was finished earlier, so now all I had to do was wait patiently.

“What? You want me to leave it to you from the beginning? Ha! You’re just a child who doesn’t know anything!”

When Emil returned to the workshop, he immediately threw off his apron and exploded in anger.

There was no way he could refuse a request from the Charmeuse Viscount family, who had recently been making great profits through Eastern trade.

However, the moment he actually faced the machine, his mind went blank because he had no idea where to begin.

“Damn it… Hey! Emily!”

But there was always a solution.

If even the receptionist could repair it, then the receptionist could do it.

Just like always.

“Two days will be enough, right?”

“Two days? N-no, I can’t. I still haven’t finished repairing the farming machines… Those need to be done first.”

“Are you talking back to the master craftsman right now? Are you joking? Can’t you tell what’s more urgent?”

Of course the farming machines were more urgent.

Emily bit her lip and silently disagreed.

Wasn’t it obvious which was more important between a child’s toy and farming equipment that tenant farmers absolutely needed for their work?

Machines existed to improve people’s lives.

They should not be consumed merely as entertainment or amusement.

At least, that was what Emily believed.

However, her twin brother Emil seemed to think differently.

He removed practical functions and replaced them with gold, silver, jewels, and decorations.

Naturally, the price became so expensive that ordinary people could not even dream of buying them.

Meanwhile, their functions became simpler.

People in the guild had already begun quietly saying that Tonel Workshop should become a jewelry store instead of a watchmaker.

But Emily was the only one who did not know.

“You should be grateful that you’re lucky. Where else would there be an older brother who lets his younger sister, who would otherwise spend her entire life as a receptionist before getting married, handle work? You understand how much I trust you, right? Be thankful for this opportunity!”

And he was right in one sense.

Her grandfather and father allowed their cute granddaughter and daughter to play around in the workshop.

But they never allowed her to work there as an actual employee until the very end.

The reason she could still touch machines and study their principles like this was entirely because Emil allowed it.

In the end, Emily had no choice but to adjust the repair schedule.

“…Fine. I’ll finish it as quickly as possible.”

Returning to the corner of the workshop, Emily removed her receptionist apron and changed into her old, dirty work apron.

“Then, wouldn’t it be better to leave it to Emily from the beginning?”

For some reason, the serious expression and clear voice of the Charmeuse Viscount’s daughter remained especially vivid in her ears today.

“That’s right… If only that could really happen…”

With a sigh, Emily continued her work.

When she disassembled the automaton, a familiar mark engraved between the gears was revealed.