I Became a Clothing Designer in Another World - Chapter 36
"Stop bowing and lift your head, I don't have a hobby of talking to the back of people's heads."
"Yes, thank you."
At His Majesty's words, I popped my head up like a mole in a Whac-A-Mole game.
His Majesty, seeing me like that, raised one corner of his mouth and chuckled.
"Ha- The Imperial Palace, teeming with sly old foxes, was boring, but it's refreshing to have a chick like you visit. Your brother is like a slow ox, so he's no fun."
Speaking gently, His Majesty slowly moved to the throne, plopped down, rested his chin on his right hand, and looked down at me.
"How is Helen doing?"
"Both my mother and father are doing well."
"Doing well?"
The Emperor widened his eyes as if he couldn't believe it.
"Leaving me abandoned in the Imperial Capital while they enjoy themselves in the territory, those impious people are very annoying."
The Emperor, with the corners of his mouth turned down as if displeased, glanced out the window and grumbled.
"I should appoint her as one of my maids sometime."
"Your Majesty, I don't want to, I don't want to see Count Hume rolling around in the audience chamber."
"Wouldn't that be interesting?"
"If separate rooms are fine, then please do so."
"That's... difficult."
The Prince Consort, startled and wide-eyed, vehemently opposed the Emperor's words with a look of utter disgust.
The Emperor, who had been speaking with a smile at first, made a sulky expression and nodded at the Prince Consort's genuinely disgusted appearance.
"Let's deal with the Hume couple's crime of impiety later, and continue the story about the clothes that child made."
"That would be good."
His Majesty's gaze, which had been directed at the Prince Consort, turned back to me.
I began to feel nervous from the languid but weighty gaze.
"I like both the new uniform and the underwear you made."
"Thank you for seeing it favorably."
"However, the problem is the production of the underwear. If it's not you and the wizard Heini, there is no one who can make this underwear the same. If this problem is not solved, the underwear cannot be adopted. Do you have any solutions?"
"If we can solve the production problem of hooks and eyes for the underwear, anyone who can sew can make it without any problems. However, since this is not my area of expertise, I need to ask the wizard Heini."
"Hmm... I see."
The Emperor nodded slowly and glanced at the attendant.
"Prepare what I told you about the other day."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
At the Emperor's command, the attendant bowed and left the audience chamber.
Watching the attendant leave, the Emperor dropped his chin from his right hand, straightened his back, and looked at me with sharp eyes as he spoke.
"I will give you an order."
"Yes, please command me."
I knelt down and bowed my head.
"I, William Henry Howard, will adopt the improvements you proposed as they are. From today onwards, the female knights' uniforms of the Imperial Knights will be changed to the uniforms devised by the Gongja, and the underwear will also be provided as devised by the Gongja."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"The Gongja, who knows the most about the production of underwear to be given to the knights, will be in charge of solving and supplying this problem."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Also, William Gongja, I highly commend you for improving the treatment of the Imperial Knights and acknowledge you as an honorary knight of the Imperial Knights."
"...!?"
I was so surprised by the sudden and absurd story that I almost raised my head in shock.
An honorary knight is a honorary position with no special rights, responsibilities, or land given, as the name suggests, but it was not simply a title with only a name.
Receiving the title of honorary knight of the Imperial Knights meant that His Majesty the Emperor was keeping an eye on that person.
That in itself creates invisible authority and power.
It was definitely not something to give to a 17-year-old unemployed man with no right to succession.
If I received this, chaos was certain, and the future of being tormented in the midst of that chaos flickered before my eyes.
"Are you serious...?"
It was an impious act to argue while His Majesty was giving orders, but since I couldn't understand it at all, I questioned His Majesty's decision with a trembling voice.
"Yes, I appoint you as an honorary knight."
"Even so..."
"Is there any problem?"
The words 'I don't think this is right' did not come out.
Because I realized that I shouldn't say any more due to the Emperor's cold voice, the hardening atmosphere, the tingling on the crown of my head, and the sudden feeling of suffocation.
"Hoo..."
I closed my mouth tightly, took a deep breath, shook my head slightly, and opened my mouth.
"No, I am deeply grateful for your grace."
"Good."
Along with the Emperor's reply, which was filled with satisfaction, I heard the sound of someone getting up from their seat.
"Give me the sword."
"Here it is, Your Majesty."
Following the voices of the attendant and His Majesty, I heard footsteps.
"......"
As I swallowed and listened to the approaching footsteps, His Majesty's feet came into view at the end of my vision.
"William Henry Howard, the second son of Count Hume."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The sword, encased in its scabbard, tapped my shoulder.
"Helena, the mother of tens of millions of imperial citizens and the rightful ruler of the empire, bestows upon you the duties and rights of a knight, and in my name, I appoint you as a knight."
"William Henry Howard, as a loyal knight of His Majesty the Emperor, I pledge my allegiance."
As I recited the oath of allegiance as I remembered it, following His Majesty's words, the sword tapped my left shoulder and then my right shoulder.
"Sir William shall receive the sword bestowed by me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
I still had my head facing the floor and raised both hands above my head as if supporting the sky.
Then, the sword gently rested on my hands.
"I am deeply grateful for your grace!"
"Hmm, lift your head."
When I lifted my head, His Majesty's eyes looking down at me came into view.
His Majesty, after making eye contact with me, smiled and patted my shoulder as he bent down slightly.
"I look forward to your future endeavors."
"Yes... Your Majesty."
__
"Your Majesty, isn't an honorary knight too much?"
After everyone except the attendant had left the audience chamber, I looked at the Emperor and said in a worried voice.
The Emperor looked at me with an indifferent expression and nodded his head slowly.
"It is too much."
"Then why?"
"I think a change is needed."
The Emperor squinted his eyes as if bored and looked at the entrance of the audience chamber.
"It's time for the nobles to get some young blood, it would be great if those guys would be sensible and step down... but the greedy old men's butts are too heavy, so I planted a small seed."
"He is not incompetent, but he is still lacking, will it be okay?"
"I don't expect much from him."
The Emperor gave a sly smile.
"It's enough if he just works hard with me as his backing and scratches the nerves of those stubborn old men."
"Isn't that the hardest thing to do?"
"So you don't think he can do it?"
"I'm worried because I think he'll do too well."
I was even more worried because I saw the outfit that Frederick's son brought today.
If he made a mistake, he might offend the church.
The Emperor must have liked it, but there were many things that crossed the line.
"If possible, I hope the young people will see William and become more daring together."
"I think you have too big of a dream."
"Dreams are originally big."
The Emperor smiled happily and made eye contact with me.
"He's the son of Count Hume, so he'll do a great job."
"Haa..."
I sighed deeply and rested my head on my left hand.
I could clearly see Count Hume and his wife going crazy.
_
As the saying goes, uneasy premonitions never fail. When the rumor spread that I had received the position of honorary knight from His Majesty the Emperor, the Imperial Capital became very noisy.
"William, what... what is going on? What are these letters?"
"I don't know either."
Starting with my brother, who was flustered by the sudden barrage of letters and questions from other nobles,
[William, what are you doing in the Imperial Capital?]
My mother's letter, with a handwriting that was scattered as if she had written it in a hurry, and
[Deep interest in Sir William...]
Even invitations to tea time from young ladies I didn't know.
The attention of all the nobles in the empire was focused on me.
If I locked myself in the house, an endless stream of letters would arrive, creating a letter hell, and if I went outside, nobles who had followed me with a pretense of coincidence would cling to me.
The life of a superstar that I didn't want, prevented me from going to the south after work, so I had no choice but to deal with the nobles who clung to me persistently.
From my point of view, where I don't crave people's attention and rather fervently desire indifference, this situation was too difficult.
If I went out, attention was focused on me, and guests kept visiting the house, so my energy was constantly drained and my body and mind were exhausted.
I thought I was really going to die if I stayed like this, so I had no choice but to choose a temporary escape.
To a place where ordinary nobles couldn't even get close.
"That's what happened."
"I see... I understand what the situation is."
Heini, who had greeted me with a bewildered expression at first, nodded at me with a sullen expression after hearing the explanation.
Then, she frowned slightly and tilted her head, saying in a voice full of questions.
"But why me?"
I smiled awkwardly and told her the reason.
"Well... I don't have anyone I can call a friend."
"Oh... dear..."
Heini looked at me as if she was looking at a pitiful animal.
"There is also an order from His Majesty the Emperor, can I stay for a few days?"
"Well... it's a humble place, but do as you please."
"Thank you..."