Chapter 27

Chapter 27
Chapter 27: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

Fortunately, the case of the bow tie proved to be significantly simpler.

Arrange two ribbons overlapping each other, press them to form a butterfly shape, secure the center with stitches, and finish by mounting a jewel.

Finally, construct a choker sized to the neck, loop it so the length matches precisely, and the task is complete.

『Decent Bow Tie』

-It remains straightforward.

-There is nothing specific to critique.

“Next is the embroidery process… though the techniques vary widely. Do you have any patterns in mind?”

“Hmm. I do have an idea that occurred to me.”

Lion sketched a basic design into his notebook.

It featured a branch laden with leaves.

“Oh, wonderful. Embroidered branches can be rendered with such elegance! May I ask the meaning behind this motif?”

“I was considering how to integrate the family crest into a neckpiece.”

He called it embroidery, but Lion envisioned it as a form of brand emblem.

Namely, the family seal.

Yggdrasil, the Tree of Knowledge.

Since stitching the entire grand tree would be excessive, the leaves clinging to a single branch served as the alternative.

“At any rate, since the leaves connect directly to the branch, the intention is to signify that our family remains eternally bound together.”

……While those words held genuine sentiment, it was also the most advanced design Lion could realistically execute with high craftsmanship at that stage.

“Goodness me, to conceive of such deep symbolism in this brief span!”

Andrie pressed her hands to her mouth in astonishment and eagerly detailed the technique for stitching branches and foliage.

“The texture is paramount. Regardless of how minute the detail may be, any deficiency will make the work appear crude.”

“Hmm.”

The core objective was to capture both the natural, irregular roughness of organic elements and the sleek texture of the leaves sprouting from them.

Achieving this demanded dedicated practice.

“Grant me three days. I shall have everything finalized by then.”

By that point, all preparations were scheduled for completion.

It would be the eve of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.

Even so, Andrie showed no signs of anxiety.

Instead, her expression radiated absolute confidence in Lion.

“Understood.”

For some reason, Lion shared that optimistic intuition.

Having a clear objective made the path forward feel distinct.

Thus, three days elapsed.

Lion set to sewing with intense concentration.

He had long since exhausted the template Andrie provided, leading Lion to draft his own patterns.

『Normal Tie』

-It is ordinary.

-The embroidery possesses no distinct traits.

Sting!

He pricked his fingers on the needle quite a number of times.

This happened because Lion deliberately chose not to utilize the Magic Repair Kit.

‘That serves as a crutch of sorts, doesn’t it?’

He believed that relying too heavily on visual assists would stunt his personal growth.

He resolved to withhold its use until at least a competent tie was produced.

Stubbornness, if one cared to call it that.

『Slightly Ordinary Tie』

-It appears somewhat improved, yet remains ordinary.

-An unmistakable amateur touch lingers.

“Sigh.”

Naturally, as a human, Lion could not entirely avoid a sense of frustration.

Isn’t a subtle prick more aggravating than a blunt impact?

Stubbing a toe on a sharp corner hurts far worse than taking a dull blow.

Truthfully, around the tenth time he punctured his finger, he contemplated compromising.

The labor yielded slow progress, while the continuous fine motor work left his shoulders rigid and his eyes strained.

Yet, refusing to yield and enduring a few more pricks brought a breakthrough…

“Hmm? This feels right.”

The sensation… is not unfavorable.

He felt no irritation, experiencing something akin to sudden enlightenment.

In fact, a strange sense of enjoyment began to take root.

‘Could I be… losing my mind?’

『High-Quality Tie』

-A neckpiece crafted by an amateur whose skill now matches the caliber of the materials.

-A promising future lies ahead.

However, that self-doubt faded as tangible results began to materialize.

Before long, Lion reached a proficiency where pricking his fingers occurred only rarely during a project!

What started as five or six incidents initially dropped to just one or two after further practice.

Eventually, the punctures ceased altogether.

By that stage, his stitch intervals remained remarkably consistent even without the aid of the Magic Repair Kit.

『Through effort that found joy amidst bloody pain, a new talent has bloomed!』

『New Talent: Seamstress』

『Seamstress Proficiency Apprentice Lv.1 achieved.』

…….

『Seamstress Proficiency Apprentice Lv.2 achieved.』

…….

『Achievement “Gaining Momentum” completed!』

『3,000 Shillings acquired.』

『Seamstress Proficiency Apprentice Lv.3 achieved.』

At last, the Seamstress talent had awakened.

That implied…

Gulp.

Lion swallowed hard and retrieved the Magic Repair Kit from his inventory.

The needle, still dull and rusted until it made contact with cloth.

He sensed he was finally ready to employ it.

The piles of ties accumulating in the room’s corner served as proof of his dedication.

Lion immediately resumed crafting with the Magic Repair Kit.

Swish, swish.

The sole sound in the chamber was the thread piercing the fabric repeatedly.

Even intervals and uniform sounds.

That alone signified that Lion’s execution had advanced substantially.

And that was not all.

Previously, he had to monitor guidelines meticulously while stitching, but now he executed smooth, flawless lines without conscious effort.

Naturally, the quality of the neckwear surged dramatically.

『High-Quality Tie (★)』

-A neckpiece fashioned by a seamstress whose capability now meets the standard of the materials.

-It is durable and features neat embroidery.

Eventually, items bearing stars began to emerge, and once his output reached a sufficient volume…

『The value of the tie increases due to the Artisan’s Touch!』

The moment arrived.

The trait responsible for elevating product tiers, ‘Artisan’s Touch,’ had triggered.

“Now is the time!”

Lion proceeded to embroider the completed ties.

The previously awkward branches now assumed a dignified form, while the leaves displayed a dense, vivid texture.

All of it stood as the fruit of grueling labor and perseverance.

『Finest Tie (★★★)』

-A neckpiece that shines in any setting! Despite its potentially modest design, the striking embroidery transforms it into a captivating masterpiece!

-The craftsmanship exceeds what should be expected of an Apprentice Seamstress! A piece worthy of proud display anywhere.

……Complete.

He had accomplished it!

Lion gently lifted the freshly finished tie and approached the mannequin bearing his grandfather’s suit.

As he carefully knotted the neckpiece into place…

Fsssh!

『Two fitting pieces evolve into a single set!』

『The synergy of the works adds (★)!』

『Finest Suit Set (★★★★) crafted by a Master Seamstress』

-A masterpiece woven stitch by stitch from elite fabric using hand-sewing techniques.

-A rare garment, counted among very few within the Empire.

-Worn at any gathering, it radiates an unchallenged elegance and authority that commands absolute respect.

『Set effects are activated upon wearing.』

-Set Effect 1: Maintains the wearer’s body temperature against sudden environmental fluctuations.

-Set Effect 2: Grants immunity to a designated threshold of physical and magical impacts.

-Set Effect 3: “Asteri Family Aura” applied continuously.

“Huh.”

Lion stared at the suit ensemble in disbelief.

The parameters defied logic.

While the attributes of “Archmage’s Benevolent Love” were notable enough, the garments themselves not only boosted performance but also projected an actual “aura” as a decorative property!

Most encouraging of all was the fact that the pieces Lion personally worked on gained bonus attributes.

This suggested the strong possibility that future class-specific attire might unlock unique properties as well.

“And this, perhaps…”

『Great Tailor Achievement completion: 1/3』

……A significant milestone might well be within reach.

Lion glanced toward the Shillings resting quietly in his inventory.

A grand total of 84,000 Shillings.

“A respectable yield.”

If momentum held, the Shilling Shop could finally celebrate its official launch.

“Hoo. Good. Steady yourself.”

Rushing guarantees failure.

Composing himself, Lion immediately set about crafting Rikschel’s bow tie, succeeding in producing a three-star item in considerably less time than the standard tie.

Once again, draping the garment over Rikschel’s designated mannequin triggered a set effect matching the tier of his grandfather’s attire.

『Great Tailor Achievement completion: 2/3』

“……”

Only a single step remained.

Only his own piece was left.

“Hmmm.”

How should he proceed?

Lion still lacked a concrete design concept for his personal neckwear.

To be precise, he remained uncertain what style suited him best.

‘Would it be simpler to wear nothing at all?’

Yet, as the central figure of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, could he realistically attend without an accessory?

“In that case, let us aim for maximum simplicity.”

Lion rifled through the pattern drafts Andrie had left behind.

Ties, bow ties, cravats… all shared the trait of constricting the throat.

“……Haa, should I simply trim it down?”

Lion muttered to himself while examining a long tie.

He recalled seeing short, neatly clipped neckpieces featured at award ceremonies in the past.

What were they termed—a cropped tie?

“I can likely adapt this layout.”

Seeming momentarily inspired, Lion cut the tie pattern flat, finishing only the terminal end with an angled slice.

In truth, the design possessed little complexity.

It consisted merely of a short band fastened around the neck, secured at the center with a jewel.

“That means the jewel will serve as the focal point.”

Lion moved toward the jewelry box he had utilized when creating Rikschel’s bow tie.

By chance, he uncovered a rather handsome brooch.

‘Did this belong to my grandfather?’

Unlike other crafted accessories, it carried an aged aesthetic, yet its purple hue complemented a minimalist cropped tie perfectly.

Lion swiftly trimmed the fabric and utilized the brooch as a central clasp.

This time, the creation proceeded without excessive deliberation, yet the resulting aesthetic promised an unexpectedly high level of refinement.

“How peculiar.”

Did this stem from improved skill? Or simply because the concept happened to hit the mark?

A flawed design would hardly attain a high ranking.

Had that occurred, the milestone would have been delayed indefinitely, yet he felt no hesitation whatsoever.

“Ah, whatever.”

I am executing my own vision in any case.

Lion deliberately abstained from checking the item tier.

He feared becoming overly fixated on the rank.

He felt he had already fulfilled his obligations regarding the garments entrusted to Andrie’s household, so the outcome should suffice.

Then, as he secured the piece onto the mannequin…

『Great Tailor Achievement complete!』

“Huh?”

……It is finished?

『Great Tailor Achievement accomplished!』

『15,000 Shillings acquired!』

The achievement was unlocked.

Furthermore, he received a bonus of 15,000 Shillings.

The sum barely crossed the threshold required to open the Shilling Shop, yet the funds that had remained blocked arrived all at once!

However…!

『You have achieved an impossible milestone that exceeds your current proficiency level!』

『Acquire 10,000 Shillings as a bonus!』

“What?”

Wait, then…!

Lion checked his inventory interface.

And verified the total.

Total Shillings owned: 109,000 Shillings.

Sufficient.

The prerequisites for launching the Shilling Shop were fully satisfied!

Instantly, the space before him illuminated, and a notification window materialized accompanied by a chime.

『Congratulations!』

『The Shilling Shop officially opens as your balance exceeds 100,000 Shillings!』

『All inventory items are now accessible.』

『Would you like to proceed?』