Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Tail and Ears Prototype
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I took the frames for the tail and headband from Patrick, stopped by Prince Hans's textile workshop on the way back to buy some fur, and returned to the atelier.
"Mari, could you prepare 5 meters each of silk and a basket of cotton, please?"
"Yes!"
"Phew..."
After asking Mari to gather the other materials, I sat down at the workbench and let out a light sigh as I inspected the fur.
Like highly elastic materials, fur is one of those tricky fabrics to handle.
The reason is simple: the hair.
To avoid damaging the fur, you have to limit scissor use. To prevent hair damage, you can only cut in a specific direction. And to keep the hair intact, you need precise cuts that cleanly separate just the leather.
Plus, during work, you have to brush it periodically to keep the hair from tangling or flying off, all while constantly mindful of the hair direction as you cut.
And when you move on to sewing...
It's an exhausting dance with the fur and thick leather.
Of course, if you ask if this process is difficult, I'd say no.
There are endlessly more challenging materials and techniques out there.
It's just annoying.
But to me, this annoyance feels like the hardest thing in the world.
I'd rather deal with intricate, flashy hand movements...
"Hmm..."
I narrowed my eyes and slowly brushed the fur, checking its condition and the parts I'd need to cut.
One pelt should be enough for a single tail with a bit left over.
Maybe make a bracelet with the scraps?
A wrist adorned with fluffy fur, a maid striking a cat pose and hissing "Shaaak!"...
"Tch."
I shook my head quickly to dismiss the idea. It didn't fit.
It might suit someone like Emily or Caterina, but it clashed with the head maid's character.
Unlike those two, who had a playful or haughty side, the head maid was stern and dignified.
She needed something with gravitas—an aura like a tiger, or at least a leopard.
I set aside ideas for the scraps and put down the brush.
"Sir William, what's this?"
"It's not the usual fur for clothes, is it?"
As I finished brushing and laid the fur flat on the workbench, Mari and Caterina—who had set down the materials I'd requested in one corner—showed interest in it.
"This is cat... uh... well..."
It hit me a bit late.
Is it okay to handle cat fur in front of Mari?
She's not a full cat, but she's a cat beastkin.
A cat person, right?
Mari leans more human in appearance, but there were other cat beastkin with super fluffy fur.
Exaggerating a bit, you could call them bipedal cats.
And here I was, working with cat fur in front of them?
It felt awkward all around.
"Uh... Mari, do you have any aversion to certain animal furs? Like cat or tiger...?"
"No? Why would I, when I'm not even cat beastkin? Do you feel uncomfortable looking at monkey bones, Sir William?"
"Oh, really? Good."
I'd cautiously broached the subject, and Mari just shook her head nonchalantly.
Contrary to my worries, she didn't seem fazed by cat fur at all.
After all, animal hide is the best way to capture an animal's essence, so I'd been concerned she might refuse to use it. Thankfully, no such issue arose.
As I grinned and set the cat pelt on the workbench, Caterina, standing beside Mari, shot me a displeased glance.
"Sir William, you didn't ask the tree-loving me if linen or cotton would be okay, but you sweetly check with Mari?"
"...?"
I stared blankly at Caterina, then twisted my lips in bewilderment at her incomprehensible words.
"...No, you're not a tree beastkin or anything. What's that got to do with trees?"
In a world full of sub-races, there were a rare few like tree folk or grass folk.
Alraune tied to flowers, or tree-like wood folk existed, but elves didn't fit any of that.
They were just long-eared humans who loved nature.
"Hmph, my hair color is exactly like leaves."
"Good grief, what nonsense is this?"
I eyed the grinning, nonsensical Caterina with half-lidded eyes.
"If you want to be treated like a plant that badly, should I weave some cloth from your hair right now?"
"Eeeek~ Save me~"
I flicked her swaying hair as I spoke, and Caterina pretended to scream while backing away with Mari.
"Ha."
I chuckled at Caterina, who was extra playful today for some reason, and flipped over the fur on the workbench.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After busying myself with the fur and silk for a while, I finished prototypes for the tail and ears, then cut a tail hole in a maid outfit I'd snuck from home.
The reason I made prototypes instead of the head maid's directly was to check if the tail hole—a detail born of my personal whim—was comfortable.
"Mm... Good. Caterina!"
Confirming the tail slid perfectly into the maid outfit without any gaps, I called for the one who'd try it on.
"Yes!"
Caterina, who had been sitting blankly near Adelaide taking a break, jumped up at my voice and trotted over energetically.
"What's up?"
"Time for you to do your old job."
"My old job?"
"Put this on and give me some feedback."
"Okay! I'll change right now!"
I handed her the maid outfit and tail for fitting, and she snatched them with a bright smile before dashing out of the workshop.
"Hey, wait... Oh man."
I tried to call her back since I still had explanations, but she'd already vanished.
She must be thrilled to play mannequin again after so long.
Sorry I haven't given her this fun task lately...
"Emily."
"Got it."
It'd be hard for her to figure it out alone without instructions, so I sent Emily, who was watching nearby, after her.
And as I took a moment to sip some tea and catch my breath, Caterina and Emily returned to the workshop in under five minutes.
"Sir William! All dressed!"
Caterina approached, unable to hide her excitement, the cat ear headband perched on her head. She stood before me and proudly lifted the hem of the maid outfit, swaying it gently.
The maid outfit looked cute, and the ears were positioned nicely, but what I wanted to see was the tail.
So I nodded vaguely and twirled my finger.
"Turn a bit to the side. Can't see the tail."
"Like this?"
"Yeah, perfect."
As Caterina turned about 45 degrees and stuck her hips out like a duck, the cat tail poking from her backside came into view.
Appearance-wise, it passed.
The seam was well hidden, and the tail held its shape without drooping.
Movement might change that, but at rest, it perfectly captured the sway of a cat's tail as it strode proudly.
"Mm~ Good. Now don't just stand there—do something."
"Yes~ Like this?"
At my words, Caterina, who had been standing awkwardly, bent her waist further, raised her clenched fists to her chest, and struck a pose.
She mimicked a cat swiping its front paws to catch something.
The kind of move any cat-eared girl would do—cute, sure, but...
What was this about?
"...What're you doing?"
I frowned and asked, and Caterina blinked in confusion.
"You said to do something, so I posed."
"Sigh..."
I'd meant for her to move around vigorously to test...
Well, it was cute, so count it as a bonus. I scratched my head lightly and gave new instructions.
"Move around to check if the tail feels uncomfortable."
"Ah~ Got it."
Caterina finally understood and grinned, starting to sway her hips and walk this way and that.
"Hm~ I see..."
As I watched the tail sway subtly with her movements, Caterina seemed to get competitive, humming through her nose and ramping up to bigger, faster motions.
"Hup! Ha!"
"Hey, hey, stop! That's enough."
When she started jumping wildly around the workshop, shaking her tail furiously, I halted her.
The tail had dipped slightly horizontal from the intense movement.
I eyed it and asked Caterina,
"How is it? Any discomfort or weirdness?"
"Overall fine, but jumping or shaking my hips hard makes the tail-attached underwear wobble uncomfortably."
"Mm, no problem."
"Huh?"
I nodded, brushing off her nitpick as overly picky.
Anything would shake if you thrashed like that.
The fact it only shook when she tried hard meant no real issue.
At a ball, they'd dance, but no nobles would twerk or can-can there.
If they did, the outfit wouldn't be the problem.
No one's shaking their butt next to someone waltzing.
"Anything else uncomfortable?"
"When walking, cool air slips in through the tail hole a bit."
"Hmm~ Anything more?"
Not a big deal unless outdoors.
"Nope, that's it."
"Hmm..."
No other issues.
For the head maid's, just tweak the design prettier, and done.
Not many changes, so I could finish the outfit and all by tomorrow or the day after.
"Okay, great. Thanks for the help. That outfit's yours now."
"Really? Thank you!"
I smiled and left the prototype's fate to Caterina.
Then, grabbing a pencil, I dove into sketching the main patterns for the head maid couple.
"Hm hm~"
Everything going smoothly.
A hum escaped naturally, and the pencil felt incredibly light.