Chapter 234
Chapter 234
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 234
Chapter Title: The Crown Princess's Wedding Dress
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Of all people, the Crown Princess.
It was an opportunity so tremendous that if I participated even once in my life, I could say the gods themselves had blessed me. "Jackpot" didn't even begin to cover it.
Accepting immediately would be the normal response. In fact, I should accept right away.
But I calmed my rising excitement, took a sip of tea, and cooled my heated insides.
Why had Her Highness the Princess made this proposal to me?
I took pride in my skills and those of my staff.
dabbling in all sorts of things like an octopus with its tentacles everywhere, carving out our own slice of the pie—that wasn't something just anyone could pull off.
But when it came to a specific field or a narrow scope, we weren't as exceptional as we might seem.
And if that field was wedding dresses? We had no foothold at all.
Marriage was a tradition and culture passed down for thousands of years.
While the ceremonies and attire had evolved, there were no shortage of people whose families had dedicated generations to just this one thing.
For an ordinary noble's wedding dress, Adelaide and my past-life knowledge might let us cobble something decent together.
But royalty? That's a whole different story.
The moment "royal" gets attached, it stops being about making clothes and enters the realm of comprehensive art.
Royal dresses are the domain of artisans who've spent over a century, across generations, refining nothing but dresses—masters who deliberate endlessly whether to even take on the job.
These artisans are born different. From their first birthday grab, they pick the needle over the spoon, threading it instinctively.
Having made nothing but dresses since birth, the vibe they bring from sheer experience is overwhelmingly superior.
Even if I'd studied diligently and observed keenly to gain some insights, I could never match the meticulousness of someone who's spent decades on it—not a ten-year tailor, let alone a one-year novice.
Just looking at the process behind the wedding dress His Imperial Majesty wore made it clear: this was no territory for an upstart like me.
For starters, separate designers handled the dress, lace, frills, and veil. The dress trailed 4 meters, the head veil nearly 2. The decorative frills and lace alone took seven artisans from three ateliers four months.
And they didn't stop there. To beautify it further, they embroidered with gold-threaded needles, painted murals with gold and silver leaf, and embedded gems in the veil to mimic the Milky Way.
The pinnacle of human craftsmanship. At this point, it's not clothing—it's total art.
We could do it too, if we tried.
We just couldn't match their detail. It'd take half a year—no, a full year—invested solely in that one dress.
Factoring in skill-building, it'd be a year just to scrape similar quality.
That's why only hereditary specialists handle it.
One failure wipes out a year's work. Who'd dare?
And it wouldn't just be me at risk.
Master artisans who've handled nothing but needle and thread for thirty years—their reputations would crumble alongside mine. They'd only call on the utterly proven.
Me, inserting myself among them?
That's absurd.
Even if they threw down their needles and walked out, they'd be blameless—it'd be that insulting.
"I have one question."
I set down my teacup, lowered my gaze slightly, and spoke carefully.
"What are you curious about?"
"Is there a reason I have to handle the design? I believe in my skills, but I don't think I'm fit to meddle in Her Imperial Highness the Crown Princess's dress."
"You're right."
"...?"
She agreed so quickly it threw me off.
Someone who knows better wouldn't...
"My sister and niece are at odds over the wedding dress design. There's time until the engagement, but both are so stubborn it might not resolve."
"Well, that's understandable. It's a once-in-a-lifetime precious moment."
"The problem is their subordinates. It's stalled the schedule for more than a few people."
"Ah..."
The imperial family had been torn apart by infighting, and with His Majesty having few children, this was the first royal wedding in twenty years.
Dozens of artisans—gemcutters, tailors, embroiderers for gold leaf—were waiting on the design, but the family's dispute was dragging everything out. A nightmare all around.
And the emperor, who should mediate, was a party to the conflict. No one could complain.
"But why me, of all people, to resolve it?"
"In a way, you're the cause of the dispute."
"Pardon? I haven't done anything..."
"You haven't done anything. Your dress just became the seed of conflict."
"Dress...?"
Had any of my creations influenced wedding dresses?
Not Hayes's, and children's clothes wouldn't...
"You mean the one I made for Elizabeth?"
"You guessed it right away."
"But why...?"
It was a fine dress, no doubt.
One of my top three masterpieces, alongside Hayes's dress and maid outfit.
But enough to spark a royal feud? No way.
For evening gowns, maybe, but for a wedding dress? That's overkill.
"You think it's a bit much too?"
"Yes. By my standards, it's a masterpiece, but to influence a royal wedding dress...?"
"I thought so too. But our Alexandrine sees it differently."
"Could you tell me why?"
"Hmm~ I only heard through my sister, so it's not precise, but..."
Her Highness trailed off, squinting one eye as she recalled.
"Alexandrine wants a restrained dress—elegant and refined, not flashy."
"And His Imperial Majesty wants something flashy and sparkling?"
"Exactly. So their talks are going nowhere."
"Wow..."
Even a modest person makes weddings grand. For royalty to say that...
It was baffling.
A misstep could spark neglect rumors. Why risk it?
"She must have loved the dress you gave Elizabeth for the Founding Day. Alexandrine initially wanted you leading the design."
"Ugh..."
A disaster had loomed unseen and passed quietly.
If I'd been put in charge, the tailors would've sabotaged with slowdowns, or worse, gritted their teeth for revenge later.
A total rookie parachuted in, bossing them around? Unthinkable.
"Sister blocked that much, but Alexandrine won't budge on her vision. They've been at it for weeks."
"That's a headache."
"Haa..."
Her Highness nodded, sighed deeply, and propped her chin, gazing at the ceiling.
"If only there were a design to satisfy both. Even the top tailors and designers are stumped, so you're the only one left with a shot."
"How could I solve what the empire's best designers can't...?"
"Both my sister and Alexandrine believe in you. That's why there's a glimmer of hope."
"Hmm..."
I appreciated the trust, but this was tough.
Not a middle ground—extremes to satisfy simultaneously.
No single dress could do it.
For nobles or commoners, subtle design with lavish materials might work, but royalty wouldn't cheap out. Scratch that.
Then, staging to cover it...
Two possibilities.
Erase flashiness at key moments, or layer it on.
Neither easy.
What if magic?
"Is there magic to make someone sparkle, or change a dress's color?"
"There is, but I don't recommend it."
"Why...?"
"Sparkle spells risk igniting the dress. Color-changing could stain Alexandrine's skin with a mishap. Illusions avoid that, but allowing them risks assassins exploiting it. Forbidden."
"Oh no..."
No solutions.
I'd hoped magic meant AR-like effects...
No magic? Then classic staging, but nothing came to mind.
Sprinkle gold dust mid-feast?
It'd sparkle, but...
Gold dust, glitter...
"Hm?"
Wait. Maybe without magic?
Needs specific setup, but on/off sparkle is doable in reality.
With enough hands, plenty feasible sans magic.
If attempted, could satisfy both.
"Your Highness."
I met her gaze seriously.
"Thought of something?"
"I think there's a way to make a dress that looks both lavish and simple."
"Oh?"