ETHTKE chapter 42

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“Everything’s ready, so all you need to do is relax!”

Anna’s enthusiastic shout made me swallow dryly for no reason. I had never once asked her to prepare anything, so it was obvious that this must be something Baek Yigang put her up to…

Ignoring the distrust in my eyes, Anna led me to a large door.

Judging by its size, it looked similar to the ones I had seen at the Department of Human Resources or the Magic Department.

“Where are we?”

“Hehe, Cheong Dowoon, prepare to be amazed!”

With a mischievous grin, Anna suddenly flung the door open.

And then, before my eyes…

“What the hell?”

The scene before me filled my vision, and a short curse involuntarily slipped out of my mouth.

Ah, so that’s why she wouldn’t tell me where we were headed.

“What are you lot doing? Move faster! If we don’t get the uniforms done in time, we’re all dead!”

“Who the hell embroidered this gold thread? Did you turn a dragon into a worm or what?”

“Sob, sob. Has anyone seen a sapphire brooch? If I catch the thief, I’ll crush them! Unless I die first, that is.”

“Does anyone know the rabbit’s size?”

“Who kissed the mannequin? Damn it, who did it?!”

There are many places in the Imperial Palace I would rather avoid, and the third on that list is…

“This is the proud tailoring room of the Dirzio Imperial Palace! It’s the third largest in the palace.”

…The tailoring room.

It’s not that I hold a personal grudge against it. It’s just that in the original story, even the calmest of the three princes found this place to be a nightmare.

And for good reason. The people here defy common sense.

It’s not that they can’t communicate; they simply won’t let anything go until it meets their standards of perfection.

Compromise? Not a chance.

These people believe that anything born from their hands must be, without exception, flawlessly beautiful.

Thanks to them, everyone in the Dirzio Imperial Palace is always dressed in what could be considered a masterpiece—or at the very least, high-quality clothing.

Still, I’m just a Wizard. Perhaps an ordinary designer won’t bother with me? I’ve heard that the tailoring room is also struggling with a shortage of staff, much like the Magic Department.

Usually, the higher-ranked designers handle more important clients, so I might not even qualify.

“The person assigned to handle Cheong Dowoon’s clothing is none other than Chief Designer ‘Rata.’ He is a legendary figure who has dressed successive crown princes!”

Anna’s cheerful announcement made my thoughts come to a screeching halt. No, perhaps ‘frozen solid’ would be a better way to put it.

I’m screwed… That’s the crazy person obsessed with clothes who used to handle the third prince! How could I not remember even a supporting character’s name?

Even in the original, every time an episode about the clothes Rata designed appeared, there were countless comments praising him.

In front of him, everyone—villains and protagonists alike—is equal. Even the most dignified main characters would lose their composure under Rata’s relentless measurements.

I’m sure Baek Yigang isn’t any different. And… neither will I be.

“Anna, the clothes are already made, right?”

“Of course. Today is Founding Day, after all. But since Rata is a universally recognized genius, mid-process adjustments are always possible.”

Anna smiled smoothly and delivered those terrifying words. The fact that mid-process adjustments were possible meant I could be stuck in this tailoring room for who knows how long.

“What do I need to do to avoid that?”

“Hmm, well… you’ll have to please Rata.”

“Me?”

“No, the clothes.”

Anna’s resolute reply left me speechless.

Wait, he made the clothes himself, and now he says he might not like them on me? Couldn’t he have made something that suits me from the start?!

“Rata prohibits anyone from wearing or even trying on clothes before they’re completed. It’s one of his rules.”

Anna quickly caught on to my disbelief and added an explanation as if it were second nature. Then, a bright expression appeared on her face.

“Rata!”

“Anna, it’s been a while. Your left collar is askew. Allow me to fix it.”

A slightly older man approached and, before finishing his greeting, adjusted Anna’s collar with his own hands.

It was a shockingly precise and swift motion. After he touched it, Anna’s attire looked as if it had been freshly tailored.

“Oh, thank you. More importantly, Rata, this is Cheong Dowoon. His Majesty specifically requested your assistance, so please take good care of him.”

Finally lifting his gaze from Anna’s collar, Rata scanned me with sharp eyes. No, rather than scanning, it was more like he was copying me with his eyes.

After examining me from head to toe as if he were committing every detail to memory, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Then, he slowly turned his body toward me.

“Bring it here.”

“Yes, Master.”

Rata, still with his gaze fixed on me, casually gave an order to his assistant standing nearby. The assistant, as disciplined as a soldier, quickly darted off somewhere.

“You have an even more perfect physique than I imagined. Such an outstanding body is perfect for making clothes scream. Very good, very good.”

With a satisfied expression, Rata nodded slightly, meeting my hesitant eyes with his own.

…For someone called ‘Master,’ his tone seems strange. Or is it just me?

“My apologies for the late introduction, Wizard. I am Rata, the chief designer of the tailoring room. Though I may be old, my eye for a good coat hanger remains sharp, so there’s no need to worry.”

“I am Cheong Dowoon.”

As Rata bowed, I instinctively bowed in return.

Anna often told me not to bow my head to just anyone, but this time she remained silent.

“Make way, make way!”

Then, a group of people began to clear a path with loud voices.

Four burly men, handling a long, plastic-like covering with careful hands as if it were a sacred relic, approached us.

“Remove the cloth.”

As soon as the valuable-looking item arrived, Rata gave his command without a moment’s hesitation.

Once the cloth was removed, its contents were revealed. A pure white shirt with intricate embroidery and a jacket adorned with countless gemstones, shimmering like waves.

Even at a glance, it was a very expensive-looking uniform.

“…Is that supposed to be mine?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But why…?”

There’s hardly a more pointless question than asking for a reason with the finished product right in front of you. Though I questioned, Rata offered no further response.

“Now, stay still.”

To him, I was nothing more than a coat hanger. His sharp, glinting eyes seemed to say, ‘Where do you think you’re going, coat hanger?’

Honestly, it was the most extravagant outfit I would ever wear in my life.

The roses were embroidered with gold thread, and the jacket was studded with jewels that sparkled like stars.

“It’s stunning! As expected of Rata!”

“It fits even better than I thought. Though it looks a bit tight around the chest, that actually makes it look better.”

“Indeed. It has that perfect tension, just the kind His Majesty… I mean, everyone loves!”

“We need to attach the imperial badge to the left chest, so it might be best to adjust it slightly so it doesn’t draw too much attention.”

As if they had rehearsed, Anna and Rata began to scrutinize me while making various comments.

I’m wearing it because they gave it to me, but is this really okay? Seriously, is it? Even the buttons on the chest are dangling. Are you all blind?

While Rata, who seemed possessed, muttered something to himself and stepped away to make mid-process adjustments, Anna cheerfully spoke up with a smile.

“Wow, Cheong Dowoon! That shirt is screaming! His Majesty will surely lo… I mean, the size is perfect!”

Rata returned soon enough. She measured my body this way and that, cutting and adding things boldly as she proceeded with her alterations.

The result? It became even more extravagant, and that was only the end of the first round of adjustments.

Since I hadn’t been allowed to chat while serving as a clothes hanger, I finally had a chance to ask the question that had been nagging at me all along.

“Excuse me, everything is fine, but… why am I wearing something like this? I’m not even royalty.”

Who in their right mind would dress an ordinary wizard in clothes embroidered with golden threads and adorned with all kinds of jewels?

To make matters worse, Rata is the royal court’s chief designer.

The one in charge of clothing for the royals! So why is someone like that making my clothes?

“You’re stating the obvious. You, the wizard, are meant to stand by the Crown Prince.”

Rata answered without hesitation, her eyes serious.

“So, just because I’m supposed to be next to His Highness, I have to wear something like this?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Her unwavering and firm expression showed she meant every word.

“But isn’t this too much for someone who isn’t even the protagonist…?”

It’s not just a pointless complaint; anyone who saw me would think I was some hidden fourth prince of the royal family.

“To be at His Highness’s side is to be in such a position. Although, no matter how extravagantly you dress, it won’t be as much as His Highness’s. I assure you, today, he will be the one who shines the brightest.”

Rata laughed cheerfully, telling me not to worry, but I couldn’t shake the small sense of discord I felt.

The fact that they spoke of Baek Yigang like this, even while the Emperor was still alive, meant that his influence on the current Dirzio royal family was tremendous.

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