Lonely

After Jerome ordered a maid to get a magic contract for his and Georgia's agreement, he filled it with his conditions before giving it to her.

"I am to listen to the business strategies needed and if I am to disobey, the contract is nulled." The woman read out loud.

"We could have a fifty-fifty share of income from the collaboration collection that we'll launch." She read some more while the young lord just listened.

"If you have any objections, you can just tell me."

"Why do I have to listen to you?" She frowned, tilting her head.

"Have you been successful in launching your designs?" He asked back.

The brunette couldn't answer and so, Jerome continued, "Have you sold any designs just because you think they're pretty?"

Her silence gave the black haired man the sign to keep going, "I am not saying that I want to be in control, though if you think that you aren't making any progress with your designs because they're not good, that's where you're wrong."

Georgia looked at him in shock but she did not say anything, "They're good actually, way ahead of time. That is why we have to get the customers to get used to them little by little. We will use the modest but unique ones first. Actually, thank you again for your gift..." Jerome smiled at her as he thought of a marketing idea.

"I am to be welcomed into the noble society by the royal family in the near future and I think that'll be a great opportunity to introduce your designs. As of the moment, I will give you any resources that you need. Design and make clothes that you want but keep them modest first... We'll have the people like them and soon, once they're hooked with your designs, they'll end up loving the rest of it. You won't even notice how it'll slowly break the social and traditional norms in clothing and fashion."

The woman was shocked at how the young lord was able to think ahead, she took a deep breath before she fixed something in the contract before signing it, "Sixty-forty... I think you deserve to get the 60% of the profit."

Jerome was confused, "But don't you need the profit to be independent?"

Georgia looked down, "To be honest, I know how to make dresses and I want to break the confining restraints of the traditional norms however, I'm not as smart as you are when it came to business... I don't mind giving you the larger share if you don't mind me relying on you."

The noble man smiled with assurance, "Do not worry, I'll help you."

"I'm also paying for your thinking skills and the resources you'll provide me, I think it was a fair share... I think."

Jerome chuckled, "Thank you. Do you have a studio of your own?"

The woman shook her head, "Actually I do everything at home... It was a bit messy but I can manage."

The young man raised an eyebrow at that, but when he went to check on Georgia's place. Her description of 'a bit messy' was an understatement.

There are walls of rolled fabrics that hid the actual walls, piles of used ones on the floor and on the table, her tools and equipment were scattered everywhere, there are also cups of tea and coffee everywhere that Jerome worries for her health.

"Are you... even living?" The black haired man asked.

Georgia chuckled, "Living just well and fine! I eat pastries twice a day, the vendor pass by my home every morning."

"Morning? Then you eat in the morning then... afternoon?"

"Morning and evening, only morning if I passed out in the evening."

Jerome looked at her in disbelief, "Pack up, you're working in the shop. I'll even have a room built for you, you are also to eat when the attendants give you food, I don't want to have a business partner as a corpse."

The young noble gestured for his attendants to help Georgia who looked guilty, "Don't worry about the fabrics, my attendants will bring them to the shop. For now, take a rest and I'll contact you once your studio is finished."

Georgia smiled at him, "Goodbye, my lord!"

The black haired man waved goodbye to her and left. He then took the bouquet he bought earlier before coming to the woman's home while the coachman waited for his orders, "I'll be taking a walk for a moment, you can wait at the market."

The man nodded and left with the carriage, Jerome on the other hand went on his way, a location in his mind as he walked.

'This place isn't originally my world but somehow... it became my home.' He thought to himself as he walked to the outskirts. He looked around and noticed how nothing much has changed for the two years he was gone.

He noticed it on the way to Georgia's house, that her place was closer to his home back then and closer to the cemetery where his parents were buried.

Jerome already made it a plan to visit them today since it was the day he's blessed to be a noble that was why he came to check on Georgia's place as well. Hitting two birds in one stone.

The young man took some slow strides to the cemetery, he already memorized where his parents are since he always comes to visit them when he was still working at the mine.

He would tell them his plans, his experiences, and his feelings. At the moment, he looked down at his parent's tombstones before placing the bouquet down.

Even though he wasn't really from this world, these people were the ones who raised, cared and loved him as he grew.

Whenever he felt scared of the future, making him anxious of what to do since he felt lost in a world where he wasn't really from, his mother would comfort him without even asking why he felt scared.

His father would often teach him about many things, making him realize that the man was teaching his son things that he already made mistakes on.

They were the ones to keep him on the ground and made him feel as if he belonged in this world.

Jerome smiled at their tombstone, "I'm back... sorry if I wasn't able to visit lately... I was so busy but... here I am now, a noble." He began to tell them not caring if he was met with silence.

Though he believes that the wind blowing every time he talks to them was them trying to communicate.

Back in his former world, he took it for granted that his parents were alive and wanted to immediately live independently. He was never close with them due to the fact that he was more focused on his life, studying and working away from his parents.

He also hangs out with his friends more than his family, that's why he had so much regret.

He never even checked up on them and just talks to them when there are events. He loves his parents and they love him too, but the world where he came from just made him focus more on how he'll be successful and its not that much different now.

The only difference is that his parents in this world are no longer there to watch him be successful, he knew that they'll die sooner in the story and he thought he won't be bothered by it but of course he did. They're his family here and the ones who introduced this world to him, much how parents introduces their children to the world.

Jerome sighed and sat down the ground, "I visited the Festival with a friend last time... I forgot that it was a masquerade and I didn't notice that it was much smaller than I remembered... maybe it was because I was younger then that I thought it was a huge event. I also danced at the center... I always ask the both of you to dance with me back then but you two get too shy... don't worry, it wasn't as romantic than I expected..." He chuckled.

"I also met many new people, interesting ones and I saved a lot of people too... at least I hope so." He began to tell all that happened for the last year and a few months ago.

"You wouldn't even believe me if I told you I met the crown prince... He was unbelievably annoying..." Jerome sighed with a smile as he looked at their graves, "I miss you guys..."

He missed his parents in his previous world, Jaz and even his parents in this world.

He wouldn't admit it out loud but he felt lonely.