Chapter 5
After finishing his preparations, Asher hurriedly boarded the carriage. Perhaps because it was just past noon, the sunshine outside was warm enough to dazzle the eyes.
“The weather is so nice…”
Despite the brightness that would make others frown, Asher couldn’t take his eyes off the window the entire time until they arrived at the plaza.
“We’ve arrived.”
As the carriage stopped, Toms knocked and opened the door. Asher stepped out of the carriage with Toms’s escort and took a deep breath. He felt the refreshing air filling his lungs completely.
Since his possession, Asher had only been to the plaza once. Even then, it was to visit his father’s trading company through Shaki. But Shaki, disliking such tedious tasks, never took him out again. Instead, he would give Asher books every day as if he should stay home for safety. Seizing this opportunity, Asher looked around the plaza with sparkling eyes.
“Toms. Look over there. The cat is wearing a hat.”
Asher gazed at cats playing with children on the street with amazement. Whatever was so amusing, laughter constantly erupted from the children’s mouths. Feeling inexplicably happy, he stared at them until Toms signaled that they should move on.
“This is the place you mentioned, young master.”
“Yes.”
The building was magnificent, befitting a tailor shop renowned in the plaza. Seeing the line of people waiting, a testament to its word-of-mouth popularity, Asher blinked with curiosity.
“I made a reservation.”
“Thank you.”
Asher gave a small eye smile to Toms, who had thoughtfully made a reservation at the tailor shop. Having spent more time with Toms and Jan, Asher no longer felt uncomfortable around them.
“Asher?”
Just as Asher was about to enter the tailor shop, someone called his name as if they knew him. The slender man with faint freckles on his face was unfamiliar to Asher. As he blinked in confusion, Toms approached and whispered just loud enough for Asher to hear.
“It’s Baron Varhan, eldest son of the Christo County family.”
Only then did Asher respond with a brief “Ah…”
Baron Varhan was the person who would trap Luke in this hunting competition. He was also someone that Crown Prince Nerfa, who disliked Luke, had recruited in advance.
Finding this encounter rather unpleasant, Asher wanted to avoid him, but out of courtesy, he greeted him while maintaining his distance.
“Yes.”
His tone was unmistakably stiff to anyone who heard it. Varhan slightly wrinkled his face at Asher’s response, which was quite different from before.
“We agreed to speak informally with each other. If you suddenly switch to formal speech, what does that make me?”
Despite Varhan’s forced smile, Asher remained silent. He just slightly nodded his head as if he had a busy schedule and tried to walk past him. However, Varhan grabbed Asher’s arm, stopping him.
“How can you just leave like that? We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
Asher’s fine brows furrowed at the emotions seeping through Varhan’s grip. A sticky feeling mixed with considerable irritation. Sensing emotions that went beyond goodwill, crossing into something excessive, Asher hurriedly shook off the captured arm.
“Asher?”
Varhan seemed quite bewildered by Asher’s reaction, unable to hide his displeasure. He made a face that suggested he didn’t know how to interpret the situation and took a hollow breath.
“I’m sorry, but if you have something to say, it would be better to speak separately next time. As you can see, I have pressing matters to attend to.”
Asher continued speaking calmly while forcibly suppressing his unpleasant feelings.
He wasn’t sure how Varhan had become close with Asher before, but the most important thing was that he shouldn’t associate with him going forward.
Even in the original story, when Asher associated with him, Luke misunderstood and they grew distant. When Luke was injured at the hunting grounds due to Varhan, Luke misunderstood that Asher had participated in it, since Varhan and Asher were close friends. Wanting to leave a good impression on Luke, Asher shook his head as if such a situation was dreadful.
“Then I’ll see you next time. Goodbye.”
Asher cut the conversation short and entered the tailor shop. He took out the handkerchief kept in his inner pocket and wiped the area where Varhan had touched.
If there had been disinfectant here, he might have sprayed it on that area. Toms approached the uncomfortable-looking Asher and spoke quietly.
“I apologize. I should have intervened first; it was my negligence.”
“No, Toms. It’s okay.”
Asher smiled kindly with a face that exuded gentleness.
He didn’t particularly want to twist the original story, but he wanted to cut ties with people who weren’t good for him. Especially if they were people who would hurt Luke…
“Welcome.”
A woman who recognized Asher greeted him kindly. She seemed to be Selena, the owner of the tailor shop.
“We’ve been waiting for you. May I ask what you’re looking for?”
“Ah… Nothing extravagant, but I came to look at handkerchiefs and thread.”
“Then would you come this way? We just received new thread that glows in the dark when it catches light.”
At the word “glow-in-the-dark,” Asher’s eyes widened roundly. Then, with brightly curved eyes, he smiled.
“Glow-in-the-dark sounds wonderful. Please give me one in each color.”
“Yes, could you wait a moment? I’ll bring them out right away.”
Asher smiled as if to say she could take her time, and looked around the shop. As expected of a tailor shop, there were many colorful and eye-catching clothes. Then he slowly approached, unable to take his eyes off the accessories placed on a shelf.
Asher couldn’t close his mouth at the sight of numerous beautifully crafted ornaments that adorned like flowers showcasing their splendor. As he slowly browsed, his gaze stopped at star-shaped cufflinks. Somehow, they seemed like they would sparkle more and suit Luke well. But since he wasn’t even sure if Luke would accept the handkerchief, Asher just stared at them contemplatively.
“Beautiful, aren’t they? They’re the only pair of cufflinks of their kind in the empire.”
The only pair of cufflinks in the world. With those words, Asher felt his heart beating rapidly. Finally, unable to resist the temptation, he paid for them along with the handkerchief and placed them in a small box. Thinking that someday there would be a day to give them to Luke, Asher smiled happily.
*
After buying the handkerchief and thread, Asher took out a design he had kept in his drawer. It was the emblem of the Blake Grand Ducal Family. Although he wasn’t confident he could do it, Asher decided to try his best.
But his body didn’t move as well as he thought. It took quite a long time to thread the needle, and he didn’t know where to start. In the end, Asher had to call Jan to learn how to do it before he could begin.
So, whenever he had time, Asher would sew slowly. Though his craftsmanship was clumsy, he felt a sense of satisfaction seeing the pattern gradually taking shape.
“Still, it’s the effort that counts…”
Asher looked at his finger that had been pricked many times while sewing. As a result, his finger was wrapped with a white cloth.
With the hope that Luke would like it, Asher didn’t give up and diligently embroidered. When it was finally completed, Asher called Jan from outside. Everything was inadequate for his first attempt, but he showed the handkerchief to Jan, who entered the room with an excited heart.
“Jan! Look at this. I finally completed it.”
“It looks really great!”
Pleased by Jan’s response, Asher beamed with a bright smile. As they say, even a whale dances with praise, so Asher quickly pointed to the pattern and asked Jan.
“What does this look like to you?”
Jan held his words for a moment at Asher’s question. He seemed to want to say something but couldn’t speak rashly. Seeing this, Asher gave him an encouraging look as if to say it was okay.
“Well…”
“Well?”
Seeing Asher echoing his words with sparkling eyes, Jan averted his gaze with a pressured look. Then he slowly parted his lips and said.
“An o-owl.”
“…”
“Or if not, perhaps a… falcon?”
He had carefully chosen his words, not wanting to make a mistake, but it seemed even that was wrong as Asher’s expression turned gloomy.
“…I wish I had more dexterity.”
“No, young master. This is all because I lack a discerning eye.”
“It’s okay, Jan. At least you got the type of bird right.”
Seeing Asher trying to remain positive, Jan felt a surge of guilt.
“I’m sorry, young master…”
“You don’t need to apologize like that. It turned out better than expected, so I’m quite satisfied.”
Although it was his first work, with crooked eyes, a misshapen beak, and wings—everything was rough—but to his eyes, it was simply beautiful. Asher stroked the embroidered pattern and said to Jan.
“It’s an eagle. A very brave and magnificent eagle at that.”
“…”
“While we’re at it, could you give me that pouch I asked for?”
Only then did Jan hand over the pouch he was holding and quietly said.
“I may not have the eye to recognize it, but His Highness the Grand Duke will recognize it at a glance.”
“…Jan.”
“It really is a magnificent piece.”
Pleased by Jan’s compliment, Asher raised the corners of his mouth gratefully. Earnestly hoping that, as Jan said, Luke would like it, Asher placed the embroidered handkerchief inside the silk pouch.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
