Chapter 3 – Part 2

The new attendant polishing the shoes innocently asked,

“Why is there a competition? Aren’t they father and son anyway?”

“You don’t understand! Didn’t you read last week’s newspaper feature on the Rose Palace dressing room? It said Duke Oscar’s outfits for this social season were the epitome of classical beauty. Compared to that, our Prince…”

“He just asks for something comfortable.”

Hearing this, Yanni wiped his eyes with his hand.

The new attendant belatedly tried to console him.

“Hey, but His Highness did choose his clothes himself the day before yesterday. Even though it was just a plain white top.”

The attendant, who had finished brushing the spring jacket, interjected,

“Besides, the day before that, he chose traditional Southern Kingdom attire. That was truly remarkable!”

“It was so daring, you couldn’t even tell if he was wearing it or not.”

It was no consolation at all.

Yanni buried his face in his hands and took a deep breath.

Seeing this, the new attendant cautiously suggested,

“Shall I go to the Rose Palace and borrow a few of Duke Oscar’s clothes?”

Yanni exploded at the foolish suggestion,

“Are you out of your mind? Do you think those clothes would suit His Highness? The two have completely different impressions. Duke Oscar is like a rose in everyone’s eyes, but our Prince is more like…”

At that moment, Crown Prince Adrian’s voice suddenly resonated through the dressing room,

“Am I not like a rose?”

The attendants were thrown into a panic and bowed their heads.

“Your Highness!”

“When did you arrive…”

No matter how much they regretted their careless chatter, it was too late.

Adrian asked again,

“Explain to me why I am not like a flower.”

Among the attendants, the senior Yanni gathered his courage and stammered out a response,

“It is not that Your Highness is not like a flower, but perhaps a different flower…”

“A different flower?”

The attendants, drenched in cold sweat, dared not speak.

Growing impatient, Adrian got to the point,

“My advisor once said that only those who constantly refine themselves can bloom into a single flower.”

He then turned to the attendant who had spoken earlier,

“Do you know how to achieve that?”

Yanni, singled out by the Crown Prince, stuttered,

“Y-yes? Are you asking me, Your Highness?”

“Indeed.”

Despite trembling under the Crown Prince’s intense gaze, Yanni sensed this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

His fate as the head attendant of the Crown Prince’s dressing room hung in the balance.

Yanni carefully composed himself and began,

“Of course, Your Highness can bloom into your own unique flower.”

“Really?”

Yanni didn’t miss the brief sparkle in Adrian’s eyes.

“How could I possibly lie to Your Highness? However, the process might be a bit demanding…”

“I am willing to endure it. What must I do?”

Yanni’s heart leaped with surprise and joy at the Crown Prince’s response.

‘Is this a dream or reality?’

He didn’t know why His Highness suddenly cared about his attire, but he couldn’t miss this chance.

Before the Prince changed his mind, he needed to prepare a plethora of spring and summer clothes.

Yanni hurriedly led Adrian to the mirror in the dressing room.

“Please stand here, Your Highness. I will first take your measurements.”

“We measured them last winter. Must we do it again?”

“To tailor your new spring attire and alter your recent clothes to fit the new measurements, we need to measure them again. To ensure a perfect fit, it’s best to take new measurements at least once a month.”

“I see. Very well.”

Adrian readily accepted the expert’s advice.

Yanni instructed the new attendant to take the Crown Prince’s measurements while he busily retrieved a stack of thick catalogues.

There were so many that the short Yanni was nearly hidden behind the pile.

Adrian asked,

“What are all these?”

“These are the latest fashion catalogues aimed at this social season, Your Highness. All from reputable and skilled tailors, though their schedules are likely full. However, if you summon them, they will drop everything and come.”

Yanni explained as he laid the catalogues out on the shelf.

Adrian reached out and flipped through one of them. Each page featured detailed sketches and fabric samples.

Despite browsing through several catalogues, everything looked the same to the untrained eye of Adrian.

He decided to trust the expert.

“Select a few and summon them to the palace.”

“Yes, Your Highness! Also, we have received some exceptional fabrics recently. Would you like to see them? The green silk from the Western Kingdom is particularly rare and of high quality.”

At the mention of green, Adrian thought of Erica’s warm olive eyes and agreed readily,

“Very well. Bring it here.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Yanni felt like he was walking on air.

The moment he had dreamed of was finally within reach.

How many years had it been since he entered the Crown Prince’s palace with grand ambitions?

‘Even though His Highness shines without embellishments, I couldn’t give up on this dream.’

He had long awaited the day he could fill the dressing room with clothes that would enhance the Crown Prince and present the finest selections to him.

‘The day His Highness leads the capital’s fashion is near!’

Yanni clenched his fists and silently cheered.

That day, Adrian measured his dimensions and glanced through a few fabrics before leaving.

Left in the dressing room, Yanni moved busily.

He handed over the clothes to be altered to the attendants and selected the attire to recommend to His Highness the next day.

“Finally, we can move beyond the usual plain styles he prefers.”

Yanni grinned mischievously.

* * *

The next day.

After a restless night, Yanni rode out as soon as dawn broke.

There was no other choice if he wanted to knock on the door of the best tailor in the capital at this time.

A dressmaker peeked through the slightly open door and said,

“Sorry, but today is a holiday. And we’re fully booked with appointments for the spring ball that’s in a month. Try another tailor.”

As the door was about to close again, Yanni quickly wedged his foot in and shouted urgently,

“I come from the Crown Prince’s Palace! Can you come to the palace today?”

The door swung wide open.

“You came from the palace? Please, come in, sir!”

The change in attitude was remarkable.

The dressmaker seated Yanni on the best sofa and served refreshments. He quickly called for the head designer.

“Ms. Petrina!”

A woman with dark circles under her eyes from overwork responded without turning around,

“I told you not to disturb me because I’m busy!”

“But it’s a servant from the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

“They probably just came to drop off measurements again. How am I supposed to make clothes without seeing the person who will wear them? I have to comply, but it’s so frustrating…”

Petrina grumbled.

Everyone in the industry knew that the Crown Prince never summoned tailors to the palace.

The Crown Prince, who had little interest in clothes, usually relied on the palace’s sewing room.

It wasn’t uncommon for a servant from the Crown Prince’s Palace to place orders with the city’s tailors, but they never summoned them directly to the palace.

The dressmaker whispered excitedly,

“This time it seems different. He asked if they could come to the palace today!”

“Asked if they could come to the Crown Prince’s Palace? Of course, that’s possible!”

Petrina jumped to her feet.

If what the dressmaker said was true, this was a monumental opportunity to become the first designer summoned by the Crown Prince.

Petrina hurried to the reception room to meet Yanni.

Yanni and Petrina hit it off immediately. They didn’t even need to introduce themselves.

Yanni, who bore a striking resemblance to the famous ‘Laurel of the Rose Palace,’ was recognized instantly by Petrina, while Yanni had no interest in Petrina’s name.

The only important thing was the Crown Prince’s clothes, and on that matter, their opinions matched perfectly.

In no time, they had made all the necessary arrangements.

Yanni returned to the Crown Prince’s Palace first, and Petrina agreed to meet him at the palace an hour later to present herself to the Crown Prince.

Petrina barked orders to her staff,

“You there, pack all the spring and summer menswear samples into the carriage. And you, gather the fabric samples, take everything over there and load it into the carriage. Move quickly!”

Petrina herself went to the workshop to gather her supplies.

Everything proceeded smoothly, like a well-oiled machine.

Precisely one hour and thirty minutes later.

Petrina, alongside Yanni, was in the reception room near the dressing room of the Crown Prince’s Palace, awaiting an audience with the Crown Prince.

Several items ordered by the Crown Prince’s Palace that day were made on the same day, thanks to the dedication and overtime efforts of the tailor’s staff.

The remaining items were sent to the Crown Prince’s Palace as soon as they were completed.

* * *