Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: The Necktie's Debut
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It was a morning shortly after December had begun.
"Hmm..."
Even though there was no particular news he needed to report to the emperor, Frederick had shown up unannounced at the Imperial Palace bright and early. In the waiting room next to the audience chamber, he awaited his turn with a stiffer expression than usual, repeatedly fiddling with the back of his neck.
A place he had once visited more often than his own home.
And people he had once seen more frequently than his own wife.
This wasn't a moment to feel tense, but the reason he couldn't sit still, constantly adjusting his collar and neck, was the unfamiliar garment he was wearing for some reason. The odd sensation at the nape of his neck was to blame.
"Ahem."
Frederick glanced at the thin, long strip of cloth around his neck, cleared his throat lightly, and gently grasped it.
A navy strip of fabric made by folding silk multiple times.
'Was it called a necktie...?'
Recalling the name his son had introduced, Frederick stared blankly at the still-unfamiliar piece of cloth.
Necktie.
A garment that adorned the neck in place of a cravat.
The evening before, his son had shown up with eyes sparkling, presenting it as a gift. Frederick had put it on out of courtesy, but the necktie wasn't quite to his liking.
The pressure felt stronger than expected.
The resulting stuffiness.
However, these were inevitable discomforts for anything worn around the neck, so he could tolerate them.
There were far more uncomfortable garments than a necktie, and he'd worn those without much complaint. This level of unease hardly qualified as discomfort for him.
What truly bothered Frederick was the shape of the necktie itself.
Its appearance evoked images of a noose used in executions or by elves on the northern plains, stirring a sense of displeasure.
"Next time, I should ask him to tweak the shape a bit..."
Muttering softly to himself, Frederick released the necktie, straightened his collar neatly, and crossed his arms.
He then glared sharply at the audience chamber door, which had remained closed for thirty minutes, while lightly shaking his leg.
'It should be opening any moment now...'
He had come first to see the emperor, expecting only one person ahead of him and a quick audience. But the meeting was dragging on longer than anticipated, and Frederick was starting to feel bored.
"Tsk..."
Clicking his tongue in regret—he should have made an appointment—he glanced up at the ceiling.
"Count Hume, you may enter the audience chamber."
"Understood."
It was about ten more minutes before Frederick was allowed in.
He straightened his clothes lightly, followed the imperial attendant into the chamber, walked to the center with his head slightly bowed, and knelt on one knee.
"Frederick William Howard, Count Hume, comes before His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness the Consort to deliver the national letter."
"Good, rise and speak freely."
"Yes."
A ceremonial greeting.
The emperor waved it off dismissively, then rested his chin on his left hand, watching Frederick stand with a sly smile.
"It's been a while since I've seen you in the audience chamber. You always claim to be too busy to even pretend to hear my summons, so what wind blew you here today?"
"The establishment of the Witch Management Bureau under the Ministry of Magic has entered its final stages, so I've come to report on it."
"Any peculiarities?"
"None. Everything is proceeding according to plan."
"Hm?"
The emperor wrinkled his nose and tilted his head slightly, eyeing Frederick with clear puzzlement.
"You ignore my calls to the death, and you came all this way for something that trivial?"
"I figured Your Majesty's patience was wearing thin, so I thought I'd show my face before you started sulking from neglect."
"Frederick, after all these years, do you think such lies will work on me? You're not here because of me—you've got something to say yourself."
"Actually, my son gave me a gift, so I came to show it off."
"Hah..."
The emperor let out a hollow laugh at the brazen, almost impudent response.
"You finally grace the audience chamber after ages, just to rub it in? You damned fool."
"One man's too busy fawning over his wife to spare a thought for his parents, while another dotes so thoughtfully. I'm green with envy."
"Haha~"
Frederick flashed a pleased smile at the emperor and consort openly displaying their jealousy with their grumbling.
His smile was so smugly relaxed and happy that the imperial couple contemplated smacking him, but that would feel like admitting defeat. Instead, they turned their heads away with displeased expressions.
"So, what gift did William give you to drag your heavy rear all the way here to brag?"
"This."
Eager to move past the topic, the emperor's question prompted Frederick to point at the cloth around his neck.
"Hmm~ So that's the gift... I thought you and Helen had picked up some new perverse hobby, but it's nothing like that."
"Pardon? Perverse hobby—what do you...?"
The consort and Frederick both shot puzzled looks at the emperor.
"It looks like a dog collar, so I figured you'd developed a taste for that sort."
"Your Majesty..."
"Sigh..."
Having heard the emperor's nonsense, the consort and Frederick simultaneously pressed their foreheads in exasperation, staring at him pityingly.
"Be honest—didn't you two think the same?"
"No."
"Please maintain some dignity, Your Majesty."
"Tch tch, making a fuss over nothing. No wonder wives don't care for such stuffy men."
"......"
The emperor grumbled lightly at the men scolding him and painting him as the odd one.
Hearing this, Frederick and the consort exchanged glances, nodded lightly, and smiled faintly as they spoke.
"Your Majesty, did you always see me as some stuffy, boring fellow?"
"It seems Your Majesty isn't fully satisfied with the consort."
"What?"
The emperor's eyes widened in sudden surprise as the two men teamed up against him.
Neither the consort nor Frederick would miss such an opening. Sensing his falter, they immediately adopted somber expressions and murmured with pursed lips.
"I'm truly heartbroken. I've always loved Your Majesty the most, yet you dislike me... Well, I'm over ten years your senior, so I suppose it's natural you'd start seeing me as a dull old man."
"Time is a harsh foe indeed. After more than twenty years, even Your Majesty—who once loved her so dearly—must be feeling bored by now."
"True enough, but what can be done? It's the woman's failing for not satisfying him."
"We should have tried harder..."
"Hoo..."
"......"
Finally irked by the two men's well-synced teasing, the emperor narrowed his eyes, pouted, and crossed his arms.
Glancing sharply at the consort, he issued a final warning in a low voice.
"Consort, if you keep mocking me like this, I'll have to prove you wrong by making a Princess Elizabeth."
"...My apologies."
The consort swiftly backed down at the emperor's threat, now free of any restraints, and fell silent.
Frederick, who had been grinning at the exchange, hurriedly wiped his smile and bowed his head to avoid the emperor's gaze when the consort retreated after one shot.
"You petty things."
Scolding Frederick lightly with a sour expression, the emperor leaned back in his throne.
He then looked at Frederick and tapped his own neck with a finger.
"Enough of this useless chatter. So, what's the name of that dog collar you wanted to brag about?"
"It's not a dog collar—it's a garment called a necktie."
"Straightforward name... Did William make that one personally? Or is Atelier planning to sell it soon?"
"I don't know the exact schedule, but he said it would be on sale soon."
"That's fortunate. I rather like the design and was thinking of gifting one to the consort."
"No need—I'll make sure one is gifted to Her Highness the Consort."
"To the consort? Why?"
"Her Highness's birthday is in a few days. He prepared it for that occasion."
"Heh heh~ Excellent, splendid."
The emperor clapped lightly, beaming with satisfaction at the offer of a free one.
"Are you that pleased? It's not particularly unusual, so you might be disappointed if your expectations are too high."
"Haha, do I look like someone who has grand expectations for clothes? I just look forward to seeing the consort with a collar on—in front of everyone."
"......"
"Grabbing the necktie and tugging her lightly would be amusing too. Aren't you curious what face she'd make?"
"No, not at all."
"Would Helen react the same if you did that to her?"
"I have no desire to handle my wife roughly..."
"Tch, so dull..."
When Frederick firmly drew the line and shook his head, the emperor pouted.
"If you won't play along with my jokes and just brag about your gift, then be off with you."
Irritably waving him away, the emperor signaled the attendant behind him to escort Frederick out.
"In that case, I'll take my leave."
"Good. I'm looking forward to the necktie, so don't forget to deliver it for the consort's birthday."
"Yes."
Smiling, Frederick rose, bowed deeply to the emperor and consort.
He then turned on his heel and exited the audience chamber under the attendant's guidance.
"Heh heh..."
The direction was a bit off, but the emperor's reaction was quite positive overall.
Thinking William would be delighted to hear about it, Frederick loosened his necktie slightly and stepped out of the Imperial Palace.