He exchanged a glance with Elias before turning back to her.
"We came to show you the robes we made- exactly according to your designs."
At his words, Ruby sat up straighter, interest sparking in her red eyes.
Elias carefully opened the bag, revealing a neatly folded, luxurious-looking robe.
Elias scratched the back of his head, looking a little apologetic.
"We could only make two or three robes a day... so in total, we managed around thirty robes. Is that okay? We weren’t able to make more..."
His voice trailed off, his face falling slightly, but Ruby’s eyes widened in shock.
"Are you kidding me?!" she exclaimed. "Thirty is too much! You two did an incredible job!"
She turned to look at the neatly stacked robes in front of her, her fingers tracing the fine stitching.
Each piece was far superior to the ones she had personally made ones that had taken her over two weeks just to complete.
The rich variety of fabrics caught her eye. The dark-toned robes exuded an elegant, luxurious beauty, while the softer tones radiated warmth and grace.
And most importantly her designs had been applied perfectly.
Every unique pattern and detail she had envisioned was flawlessly embroidered onto the fabric.
It wasn’t just good. It was exceptional.
Ruby smiled, nodding in approval. "These are really good."
Behind her, Milo, Karl, and Julian had also come to inspect the robes.
Milo’s eyes sparkled as he ran his hands over the soft fabric. He especially loved the deep red robe, which had the same rich shade as Ruby’s striking red eyes.
Karl also looked at the robes with wide eyes. Those are prettier than the ones he is wearing and even more beautiful than what rich people wear.
Julian simply observed, his green eyes taking in every detail. He could already see that these robes would sell well.
Rowan grinned, feeling relieved. "Thanks, Miss Ruby! You have a great vision."
However, Elias hesitated before speaking up. "But Miss Ruby... if you’re planning to sell at the Diamond Moon Festival, isn’t thirty robes too little?"
The excitement in the room dimmed slightly.
Elias looked genuinely concerned. "Even if we sell all of them, the revenue might not be enough to make a good profit."
Ruby frowned, her mind quickly shifting into problem-solving mode.
"Hmm... you’re right," she sighed. "And I haven’t even found a proper workplace for the company yet."
A deep silence filled the room as everyone realized the challenge ahead.
But after a moment, Ruby smiled.
"Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out." Her tone was confident, firm. "For now, you both just keep making more robes. And tell Ethan to prepare the bills."
Rowan and Elias exchanged glances before nodding. "Alright, Miss Ruby. We’ll continue working from home."
Milo, still admiring the robes, clutched the red one in his arms.
"Wife, this one is my favorite," he whispered, hugging it.
Ruby chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Then maybe I’ll let you wear it first."
Milo’s face lit up. "Really?! Yay!"
Ruby then stood up, stretching slightly. "Alright, let me get your work salary."
She disappeared into her room and returned with a small pouch filled with coins.
Normally, wages were given on a monthly basis, but as she looked at Rowan and Elias—she noticed how much thinner they looked compared to last time.
The dark circles under their eyes, the exhaustion in their posture, the sheer effort they had poured into each robe...
They had clearly worked overtime, pushing themselves to create perfect pieces.
Without hesitation, Ruby handed them 140 coins—70 each.
Rowan and Elias stared at the coins in their hands, their fingers trembling slightly.
For a moment, they didn’t say anything.
And then huge smiles broke across their faces.
This wasn’t just money.
"Thank you, Miss Ruby!" they both said, bowing deeply, their voices filled with genuine gratitude.
For people like them who had known hunger, poverty, and endless struggles—
Every single coin meant the world.
Now, they could repair their small house, buy a feeding bottle for Nono, maybe even get him a toy.
For the first time in a long while, they could breathe.
"Alright, we’ll take our leave now," Rowan and Elias said, preparing to stand up.
However, Julian spoke up before they could even move.
"Stay and have breakfast with us." His tone was calm, but there was no room for refusal.
Rowan and Elias quickly shook their heads. "Oh no, that’s alright! We don’t want to trouble you—"
"It’s not trouble," Julian interrupted, already standing up. "You both worked hard. At least eat before you go."
Ruby raised an eyebrow, but she smirked slightly, amused at how Julian wasn’t giving them a choice.
Rowan and Elias looked at each other hesitantly.
But before they could protest further—
Milo grabbed Elias’s hand, his eyes big and pleading. "Stay! I want to eat with you!"
Karl, who had been watching the whole exchange, grinned. "Yeah, don’t act all polite now. You worked all night, didn’t you? Eat first, then leave."
Rowan and Elias sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright, we’ll stay..."
And just like that, they ended up sitting at the dining table with everyone.
Julian quickly brought out food..simple but hearty dishes.
As they ate, Rowan and Elias slowly relaxed, enjoying the rare comfort of a full, peaceful meal.
Julian, as usual, was quiet but observant, making sure their plates were never empty.
Milo happily chatted between bites, telling them silly stories while Karl casually stole pieces of fruit from Ruby’s plate, earning a sharp glare.
By the time breakfast ended, Rowan and Elias looked much more refreshed.
"Thank you for the meal," Rowan said, bowing slightly.
Elias nodded, a small, grateful smile on his face. "It was really delicious. We’ll get going now."
"Good," Julian said, satisfied. "Now you won’t collapse on the way home."
As they left, Milo waved enthusiastically. "Come back soon!"
And with that, they disappeared down the road, their hearts lighter than when they had arrived.
Inside, Ruby stretched and exhaled.
"Well, that was nice."
Karl smirked cutely. "Yeah. But wife, you should thank Julian. He forced them to stay."
Ruby glanced at Julian, who was pretending not to hear.
She shook her head with a chuckle. "Alright, alright. Good job, Julian."
Julian simply hummed in response, but the slight upturn of his lips didn’t go unnoticed.
And just like that another day passed.
—To be continued...🪄