I’ll Be the Heroine’s Competent Divorce Partner - Chapter 89

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 89

After everyone had thoroughly examined the samples.

The moderator made an announcement.

“Now we will begin voting. Please vote for whichever of the two garments appears better able to protect against the cold.”

Twenty staff members from the National Defense Supply Department.

Four members of the Petno garrison.

And the second lieutenant as well.

A total of twenty-five people proceeded with the voting.

Since the total number of people was odd, there was no need for a revote.

Finally, the voting ended.

“The results are…”

The moderator looked around once and declared in a calm voice.

“Bella Dress Shop, twenty-two votes. Bremont Dress Shop, three votes.”

Really?!

The soldiers couldn’t hide their surprised faces.

Honestly, even when voting, they hadn’t particularly expected anything.

They had just thought this voting itself was merely a formality.

But when their votes were truly reflected.

And the Bella Dress Shop sample they had chosen received an overwhelming number of votes…

‘Really… can we actually choose the winter clothing we want?’

Anticipation gleamed in the soldiers’ eyes.

Meanwhile, Thomas, who confirmed those voting results, bit down on his molars with all his might.

Because if he didn’t, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to contain his anger and would start shouting wildly.

‘No, they didn’t say it would be decided by voting alone.’

Thomas tried his best to calm down.

When the samples were revealed earlier, it was true that the atmosphere around Bella Dress Shop had been good.

But this public tender project would combine scores from external evaluators in addition to the votes.

So there was definitely a chance for a comeback…!

“Also, the voting scores from the Petno garrison, who will actually wear the winter clothing, will receive double the point adjustment compared to other votes.”

In that moment, Thomas felt dizzy as if he’d been struck in the head.

He creakily raised his head.

…What?!

But whether Thomas was shocked or not, the moderator calmly continued speaking.

“Adding the scores from the evaluation panel that came out earlier… Bella Dress Shop, 85 points. Bremont Dress Shop, 27 points.”

In that instant, Thomas felt as if something had snapped in his head.

“Therefore, Bella Dress Shop has been selected as the contractor for this public tender project.”

“This is a lie!”

At the same time, Thomas raised his voice loudly.

People’s gazes instantly focused on him.

“We, we are the dress shop that has been handling the northern army’s clothing all along.”

As Thomas spoke stammering, flames suddenly flared in his eyes.

He savagely pointed his finger at Penelope.

“Bella Dress Shop is a women’s clothing shop without even military supply experience! For such a business to defeat us is really absurd…!”

But then.

A cold voice rang out.

“Having such thoughts is why you lose.”

It was Crown Prince Joshua.

Thomas couldn’t hide his flustered expression.

“Your, Your Highness…?”

“Even when explaining the design earlier.”

A blade-like question stabbed into Thomas’s ear.

“Do you realize you didn’t explain anything about the clothing at all?”

“Pardon?”

“Instead, you only listed your past experience.”

Cold violet eyes stared directly at Thomas.

“But this is a place to evaluate winter clothing, not a venue to display credentials, isn’t it.”

“That, that’s…!”

Speechless, Bremont only opened and closed his mouth.

But Joshua’s words weren’t finished yet.

“Anyway, since the voting is over, there’s no need to wait any longer. Knights.”

Knights?

Wasn’t that a name that didn’t fit a voting venue at all?

Bewilderment appeared on people’s faces.

Along with that, Joshua declared firmly.

“Thomas Bremont, take that man away immediately.”

Thomas doubted his own ears.

‘Why on earth?’

But this was neither a joke nor a prank.

Crash!

The voting hall door opened and knights came rushing in.

Thomas, who had been standing there dumbfounded, only came to his senses belatedly after the knights had firmly bound his arms.

“Let go, let me go!!”

But the knights didn’t release Thomas.

Thomas, who had been struggling wildly, raised his voice like a scream.

“Your Highness, what exactly did I do wrong for you to do this!”

“Do you really not know the reason?”

“…”

Facing Joshua, who didn’t even twitch an eyebrow, Thomas was struck speechless.

The Crown Prince twisted up the corner of his lips.

It was cold mockery.

“Bribery, violence and assault toward competitors, illegal business participation. Should I say more?”

The surroundings became quiet.

“…”

“…”

All color drained from Thomas’s face.

“That, that’s…!”

“Even though you’re a criminal, the tender process itself had to be fair, so I waited for the results to come out. And it seems the results are already out.”

The Crown Prince slightly raised his head.

A blade-like command fell down.

“You’ll have plenty of opportunity to make your defense in court from now on. Take him away.”

“Yes!”

The knights who bowed their heads dragged Thomas away.

“Please, Your Highness the Crown Prince! I am…!”

Thomas struggled violently and tried somehow to escape from the knights’ grasp, but it was completely useless.

People watched Thomas being dragged away like a dog with surprised rabbit eyes.

Thud!

The door closed.

And so Thomas disappeared from the scene.

The shocked people began to chatter noisily.

“What on earth is this about, bribes?”

“And violence and assault too?”

The gazes of the people who had been in confusion for a while gradually turned toward Penelope.

More precisely, they landed on her injured right arm.

The people weren’t fools.

If Penelope were to be injured, who would benefit the most?

Guessing that answer was very easy.

Moreover, even though a person had been dragged away before their eyes, Penelope wasn’t flustered at all.

That calm face, as if she had received advance notice.

It was natural that doubts arose in people’s hearts.

‘Could it be that the reason Miss Penelope was injured like that is…?’

* * *

“Ha, to think it would be such an obvious situation.”

Joshua, having grasped the full story, couldn’t help but burst into bitter laughter.

It was obvious military supply corruption.

Thomas had bribed the northern commander and had been in charge of producing the uniforms for the Petno garrison for several years.

Naturally, since he had given bribes, he needed to see new profits, so the garrison uniforms inevitably became even worse in quality.

As a result, only military cloaks continued to be supplied to the Petno garrison.

The reason was simple.

Cloaks required almost no tailoring costs, so the production cost was low.

Reducing costs by using only cheap fabric was a bonus.

However, one newly connected company here touched Joshua’s nerves.

“…The Hesus Trading Company.”

The name of the trading company that had joined hands with Bremont Dress Shop to supply military cloak fabric.

The problem, however, was that this trading company was owned by none other than Marquis Bartsen.

His dear uncle, that is.

In fact, there was no evidence that Marquis Bartsen had been heavily involved in this matter.

However.

‘The Hesus Trading Company’s supply items are… fabric.’

His neat brow furrowed deeply.

There was one fabric that only the Hesus Trading Company could supply at a very cheap price.

Because that fabric was a specialty product of Marquis Bartsen’s territory.

That fabric was fundamentally unsuitable for making military uniforms.

The cloth would easily deteriorate with just a little friction.

Of course, it wasn’t without advantages.

The fabric itself was very light, so it was quite comfortable when tailored into everyday clothes.

Even the soldiers didn’t have any particular complaints about the comfort of wearing the uniforms.

However, the problem was that the top priority for the Petno garrison uniforms was ‘protection from cold.’

That fabric was inadequate for blocking the cold.

But Bremont Dress Shop had specifically chosen that fabric to make the uniforms.

The replacement period for military cloaks became excessively short.

And that also meant, in other words.

‘The only large-scale buyer for that fabric is… the Petno garrison.’

Only Bremont Dress Shop had been consistently making large quantities of clothing with that fabric.

Also, the marquis and the northern commander had been acquainted for a long time.

‘What if, in order to sell that fabric in large quantities.’

Joshua’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

‘…He had been turning a blind eye to the collusion between the northern commander and Bremont Dress Shop all this time?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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