Chapter 26

Chapter 26
Chapter 26: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“Your expression?”

“Yes.”

Everything had been going smoothly until now, so why the sudden shift?

Could it be that the quality was lower than he had anticipated?

“I’ve taken the liberty of bringing them into the drawing-room for the time being.”

“I ought to head over then.”

Lion set aside his concerns and made his way toward the drawing-room.

Click.

The instant the door swung open…

“Oh dear.”

The expansive drawing-room had transformed into a regular boutique storage space, packed to the brim with all the gear they had hauled in.

‘No way, did they actually bring three whole mannequins by themselves? How…?’

And that wasn’t even all. Ceremonial robes, looking remarkably complete, were stacked in neat packages along one corner.

‘The preparations look exceptionally thorough.’

“Y-Young Master!”

Despite that, a look of distinct anxiety hung over Andrie’s features.

It mirrored the desperate expression of an office worker facing a mounting workload as closing time rapidly approached.

“What is the matter? Did the attire not turn out properly?”

“Not at all. Every single piece is finished. In this humble artisan’s judgment, they are absolute perfection without a single flaw to be found.”

With those words, he promptly pulled out one of the wrapped garments and held it out toward Lion.

“Here is your outfit, Young Master. It is a bit irregular, but would you mind trying it on right here?”

To be asked to change clothes so openly in the main sitting area—under ordinary circumstances, one might call it quite forward…

“Shall we?”

True to form, Lion raised no objections and swiftly changed into the attire.

Andrie busily smoothed out every trace of a wrinkle, fastened the buttons with practiced precision, and then wheeled a full-length mirror over to position it right in front of Lion.

“Oh.”

Was the old saying about clothes granting wings truly meant for moments like this?

The reflection staring back from the mirror suited him remarkably well.

No, to be precise, he looked quite… strikingly handsome.

Naturally, the cuffs and hems fell to the exact right lengths, and the tailored cuts hugged his frame in a way that accentuated his silhouette to the fullest.

On the whole, it appeared understated at a glance, yet a closer examination revealed subtle patterns woven into the collar and cuffs, lending it an undeniable aura of luxury.

And that was not all. The outer coat and jacket each carried distinct, individual designs that underscored their unique flair.

‘This is wonderful!’

The suit was phenomenal.

In fact, it was utterly flawless!

However.

『Top-Quality Suit Made by a Master Seamstress (★★★)』

* A masterpiece crafted stitch by stitch with hand-sewing using the finest fabrics by an artisan.
* It is a rare garment, one of few in the Empire.
* However, you won’t be able to wear it to the party. Something is missing.

Putting aside the fact that the rating stars matched the fabric tier at three stars.

‘…What on earth is missing?’

That simply did not make sense.

Lion inspected the garments once more from top to bottom.

There were no stray threads or clumsy stitching anywhere to be seen.

He checked for a missing inner lining, but that checked out fine as well. In truth, the craftsmanship was exquisite even on the reverse side, hidden from ordinary view.

Above all else, Andrie himself—the master artisan—had explicitly declared that the garment was ‘complete.’

Then why on earth was this message appearing?

‘Ah…!’

Lion finally grasped the root of the problem.

“My neck area feels rather bare.”

“Oh, as expected, the Young Master’s insight is truly remarkable! Indeed. While the garment itself is complete, there is nothing serving as a visual focal point. There is no necktie, bow tie, or cravat… not even a pocket square.”

Ah.

‘I completely overlooked it.’

My mindset had simply been too modern to remember.

Back when I wore suits in my previous life, a necktie was optional at best, and worn only during formal meetings, so leaving the neck bare felt far more natural to me.

That was precisely why it slipped my mind entirely.

I had failed to account for the customs required here.

And ideally, the style ought to vary depending on each individual’s persona.

Beyond just color and textile selection, the very shape—much like Andrie noted regarding ties and cravats—needed to be tailored to the wearer.

‘Grandfather would pull off a classic necktie… and Rikschel, naturally, a bow tie?’

Or perhaps a cravat adorned with gemstones, such as the one I caught a glimpse of once, would work brilliantly too.

‘…Huh? Wait a second.’

Lion paused mid-thought as he listened to Andrie’s ongoing murmur.

It was as though a sudden realization had struck him.

Namely, the exact conditions required to awaken a craft-oriented talent.

‘Necessity.’

In other words, the core trigger seemed to rely on how desperately an item was required in that exact moment.

For instance, when the blacksmithing aptitude first unlocked, a basic sickle and hoe had been absolute necessities for brewing potions.

And when the culinary talent blossomed, cooking oil was required to share wonderful breads and snacks with others.

Yet, his sewing skills had refused to budge no matter what he tried; practice alone had only brought incremental improvements.

So, what was the missing piece right now?

Naturally, it was…

“So, even now…?”

“Let us craft it.”

“Pardon?”

“Might I try making it myself?”

“…Pardon!?”

Andrie’s eyes widened to their absolute limits at Lion’s proposition.

“Of course, it might seem as though I am intruding upon your domain, but I really must—”

“How is it that you read my mind so effortlessly, Young Master!”

Eh?

“In truth, that was precisely what I came here to ask of you!”

Andrie fumbled hurriedly through his leather pouch and produced several swatches of material.

They were intricately cut patterns derived from various exotic textiles.

Elf hair silk, winter moth threads, and more. They had all been brought along in anticipation.

And in staggering quantities, too!

“Young Master, please combine your preferred elements to finalize your household’s attire! And…?”

And?

“If it is at all possible, I would be deeply grateful if you could add some hand-embroidery!”

“……!”

Embroidery upon a necktie?

While it might sound simple at first glance since it required far less cloth than a full suit, this was by no means an effortless undertaking.

‘It is easy enough to cobble something together roughly just for the experience.’

The real challenge lay in matching the standard set by master craftsman Andrie’s exquisite suit.

In particular, the neckwear category drew the eye immediately.

As the central accessory of formal wear, it demanded a high level of sophistication.

Consequently, precise details were mandatory, yet Lion was expected to fabricate it entirely on his own and stitch embroidered accents into the bargain?

Under normal circumstances, nobody would make such a daring request, let alone accept it…

“Is that precisely why you came here today of all days?!”

“Indeed. Today, I am here to pass down the methods for crafting various neckwear pieces.”

For the two of them, the concept of a break simply did not exist.

Their hands clasped tightly together in the air between them.

“I leave it in your capable hands!”

“I shall do my absolute best!”

“Though, if I may ask, what prompted you to make such an extraordinary request of me?”

“Ah, I neglected to mention that detail. In truth, I took the Lord’s measurements a few days back, did I not? That was when I happened to hear that the young lady whose garments I once tailored…”

Was Lion’s late mother.

Andrie proceeded with extreme caution.

“She offered her gratitude to a humble, obscure seamstress like myself…”

“…Grandfather did?”

This came as genuine news.

Patrick Asteri expressing actual gratitude was rare indeed.

“At that exact moment, it dawned upon me. This attire holds significance far beyond mere appearance; it serves as a garment binding the Lord and his grandsons together. Realizing there was a boundary I, an outsider, could never cross, I had no choice left but to make this impertinent plea.”

“And that is why you entrusted the task to me.”

“Yes. Precisely so.”

Andrie gazed steadily at Lion with an earnest expression.

“As a professional seamstress, I ought not to utter such words, but this is a realm beyond my personal reach. Yet you, Young Master, possess the capability. You most certainly do.”

In other words, Andrie was prioritizing the deeper emotional weight of the garments over any potential imperfections in the final result.

It must have required a tremendous amount of internal debate for a artisan of his caliber to make such an admission.

After all, anyone would naturally feel protective of their own craft, and if things went well, Andrie stood to gain numerous prestigious commissions from high nobility.

He was, after all, the personal tailor chosen by the Asteri Ducal House, far above ordinary craftsmen.

In truth, he could easily have kept the issue to himself.

Had Lion not been oblivious to the gap, Andrie could have quietly resolved the matter by fashioning the ties himself.

Indeed, the preparations would have continued smoothly without a hitch.

Yet, Andrie chose to center his request around Lion.

Around the symbolic meaning of clothing worn together as a family.

He was, without a doubt, an extraordinary designer.

‘Since matters have reached this point, I must throw myself into it wholeheartedly.’

Lion firmed his resolve.

Should he not at least strive to meet the faith Andrie had placed in him?

“I understand. Then let us proceed.”

“Very well.”

Without further ado, the pair set to work on the neckwear.

“First, we ought to settle on the primary design concept.”

“I had a specific direction in mind just a moment ago.”

Lion quickly sketched a rough outline in the notebook resting beside him.

“Oh, my. So you intend to grant the Lord an aura of immaculate dignity, and the Second Young Master an air of commanding authority?”

“Precisely. We must make it unmistakably clear that he is the designated heir.”

“Mhm. Even so, compared to the Duke, injecting a slightly fresher atmosphere would be wise.”

Since the Grandfather commanded such overwhelming status, leaning toward maximum neatness was the safest bet.

Thus, they decided to integrate family insignia accents onto a classic tie framework, while selecting a jeweled bow tie for Rikschel.

The flowing lines of the ribbon combined with sparkling gems would effectively communicate his precious status within the lineage.

“Then, Young Master, what style will you choose for yourself?”

“Hmm…”

That remained the sticking point.

Perhaps because Lion didn’t hold any particular attachment to accessories.

Nothing inspiring came to mind.

“I shall finish theirs first, and ponder mine afterward.”

“Undergoing such a process is wise. What one wears upon their own person is invariably the hardest to decide. Shall we commence with the more straightforward neckties then?”

Andrie laid out the prepared fabric patterns and began his instruction.

“The wide blade determines the overall visual impression, meaning it requires the most meticulous detailing. Next is the neckband portion, and the narrow tail piece acts as the spine of the tie. The remainder comprises the inner lining.”

“You describe the anatomy rather like a sword.”

“Ahem, speaking conventionally, those are the standard terms used in the trade… is the terminology a bit too martial here?”

“So long as I do not repeat it in front of Grandfather, it should be entirely fine, no?”

Lion brushed the thought aside with indifference.

Once he grasped the underlying pattern layout, the assembly process proved far more manageable than anticipated.

“Do you generally employ interfacing for these?”

“You have a sharp eye! Indeed. Typically, interfacing is utilized to provide stiffness, but with high-grade silkworm silk, pressing with an iron allows the folds to hold their crisp shape for extended periods without artificial stiffening.”

Ah, I see. Expensive fabrics truly made all the difference.

Following Andrie’s step-by-step guidance, Lion joined the outer panels, folded and pressed the seams flat, and then inverted the fabric, mastering the foundational techniques of construction.

“If you draw the inner lining slightly taut and align it precisely with the outer layer, the finish will be much cleaner. Yes, precisely like that!”

At last, securing the edges with pins and finishing with a blind stitch…

『An Overly Generous Tie』

* Compared to the luxurious materials, the craftsmanship of the maker is somewhat lacking in this tie.
* Nevertheless, it is not entirely inadequate.
* Upon closer inspection, minor flaws remain visible.

Though the item was technically complete.

“……”

“……”

Both of them knew the reality.

This was by no means a finished masterpiece; it was merely a practice run.

“Shall we move directly on to the next one?”