It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 176

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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500 Years as Just an Extra,

The Original Story Still Won’t Begin

Episode 176

“Oh my….”

Seeing Termion approaching through the glass window, Ailesia let out a quiet exclamation of admiration.

Wearing only a white shirt and formal pants, his long limbs and solid physique were clearly visible. He was truly like a walking pictorial.

And why does his expression look so bright? It’s as if he was waiting for her.

“Welcome.”

“Did you miss me that much?”

“Pardon?”

“You’re greeting me so warmly, which is unusual.”

She threw out a deliberately mischievous joke, but unlike before when he would have been flustered and frowned or changed the subject, he smiled leisurely with a grin.

“Let’s say it’s about half true.”

“…If it’s true then it’s true, if not then it’s not, what’s this ‘half’ business.”

Why does hearing that make me feel disappointed for no reason? When Ailesia shot him a sharp look, Termion gestured lightly as if telling her to come in quickly.

“Are you all ready?”

“More or less. I just need to fix my hair before we go out.”

“What about the dress? Do you like it?”

“Don’t go falling for me when you see it.”

“As if.”

…There’s no need to be so serious about it. Somehow I feel like I’m being teased instead since earlier.

However, Termion’s following words were enough to fluster her instead.

“You’re someone who looks good in anything you wear. Your natural beauty is so outstanding.”

“Huh?”

It was such an unexpected comment that she made a foolish sound.

While Ailesia stood frozen in bewilderment, Termion picked up the problematic item that had been hanging on the mannequin.

“This, do you happen to know what it is?”

“Hm?”

“I can roughly figure out the other clothes, but I have no idea what this string is. It’s too fancy to be just for draping or tying.”

“Pffft.”

Even so, calling it a string, really.

Though I suppose it would look that way to people here.

A necktie made with a black base embroidered with gold and silver thread in the pattern of the Retis family crest. It was a new invention that didn’t exist in this world.

Maybe a cravat or muffler, but men rarely wear anything around their necks here.

“This is called a necktie.”

“A necktie?”

“I’ll teach you, so stand up straight.”

“Pardon?”

“Geez, just stay still.”

Ailesia stepped closer, raised Termion’s shirt collar, and fastened the top button that had been undone.

‘This is my first time putting one on someone else too.’

So… was this how you do it? It had been so long that I wasn’t sure about the length.

“Ah, this should be about right.”

She tied and untied the necktie a couple of times, then finally seemed to get the hang of it as she slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

‘…This is driving me crazy.’

Though he was trying to act nonchalant, Termion felt like his heart might burst.

The touch of fingers brushing over the thin shirt, the blue eyes that didn’t even blink as she concentrated.

He couldn’t take his eyes off Ailesia’s face, which had come so close that just tilting his head slightly would close the distance.

“After tying it like this, you pull here like this.”

Tug.

The moment her hand touched the hollow between his collarbones, Termion barely suppressed the urge to swallow hard.

Surely she can’t feel my heartbeat. If she did, I’d really have nothing to say.

“Finally, you lower the collar to tidy it up. How’s that, doesn’t it look great?”

“….”

“Um, Termion?”

“Yes? Ah, yes.”

“What’s wrong, even if it’s your first time, why are you spacing out like that.”

“…It’s fascinating.”

When had she taken it out? Ailesia had floated the large mirror she used in the air.

The expression “fascinating” wasn’t entirely a lie. Though it was just a long piece of cloth added over the shirt, his reflection in the mirror had quite a different atmosphere than before.

“This is called a necktie?”

“Yeah. It’s something men wear when attending formal occasions in my hometown.”

Strictly speaking, it’s not Korean tradition, but there’s no need to get into the details, right?

By this world’s standards, Earth could be considered my hometown.

“Hometown…. Wait, then all the other clothes too?”

“I did all the basic designs. Though Madam Merisa was the one who made them.”

“…I didn’t know you had knowledge of men’s clothing as well.”

“Hehe, witches are naturally good at everything.”

Seeing her place her hands on her hips and show off proudly made him smile naturally.

His heart too full to speak, Termion stroked the necktie with his hand several times.

“When you take it off, you do it like this.”

Ailesia grabbed the bunched-up knot and pulled straight down on the hidden part below it.

Why was she undoing the necktie that had been tied so well? Before he could wonder, her words continued.

“Now try doing it yourself.”

“What?”

“The necktie, you need to know how to tie it yourself. I can’t do it for you every time.”

“…Couldn’t you teach a maid instead?”

Feeling somewhat disappointed, he tried a petty act of rebellion, but Ailesia burst into laughter as if asking what he was talking about.

“What are you saying when you don’t even have maids attend to you? And in my hometown, you don’t casually ask someone of the opposite sex to tie your necktie.”

“Why not?”

“When a woman who isn’t family ties a necktie for a man, it’s seen as having a somewhat special meaning.”

“A special meaning… I see.”

“Well, this isn’t my hometown, so it probably doesn’t matter.”

Even while saying that, Ailesia personally raised his shirt collar and put the necktie around his neck.

“Don’t get distracted and remember this well. Got it?”

“If you’re going to do that.”

“Hm?”

“…Never mind.”

“What, how anticlimactic.”

Termion pressed his lips tightly together and lowered his head slightly.

He almost lost focus watching Ailesia’s soft, slender white fingers move, but he barely maintained concentration by secretly biting his tongue.

Just before Ailesia pulled the knot tight, he carefully placed his hand over hers.

“Hm?”

“I’ll try from the beginning again, so please watch.”

“You want to?”

He adjusted the left and right lengths of the necktie, then moved his hands quite skillfully.

Finally, as he was about to lower the collar and tighten the knot, this time Ailesia grabbed his hand.

“The order is wrong.”

“Pardon?”

“You need to finish the knot first and then lower the collar. Before tightening it completely, you have to hold it like this so the shape comes out nicely.”

“Ah.”

“And you have to be careful not to let it stick out from the back of the collar. Even without a mirror, you can tell by feeling it with your hands.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Despite his calm reply, the corners of Termion’s mouth were slightly raised.

Did Ailesia know? That with his keen eye, copying something like this was nothing at all.

He had only pretended to make mistakes because he wanted to feel her touch once more.

“Can I just put the rest of the clothes on top?”

“That’s right, but since this is your first time, I’ll give you a simple explanation.”

“Take your time, we still have plenty of time.”

Would there ever come a day when she would take care of his necktie every time?

Would I then become someone special to you?

Termion secretly let out a sigh while entertaining such uncharacteristic fantasies.

Just past 2 PM, carriages finally began arriving in front of the Imperial Palace.

Though the great nobles who could be called bigwigs had not yet shown themselves, there were quite a few nobles chatting here and there throughout the Grand Banquet Hall.

“Did you hear the rumors?”

“Of course. It’s been noisy since the beginning of the year because of it, hasn’t it?”

There had been a brief commotion when Madam Merisa, the most famous designer in the Imperial Capital, suddenly declared that she would ‘not accept additional orders for the time being.’

And the next day, the large banners hung at Merisa’s fashion shop and the seal carved next to the signboard were enough to put an end to people’s questions.

“Who would have known that it would become the exclusive dress shop of the Retis Grand Duchy.”

“I heard the reservation waiting list is already overflowing. They say they’ll resume normal operations from February, but there’s no confirmation on the order.”

“I heard they’re introducing a different system instead of first-come, first-served.”

“It’s possible for that place, unlike other dress shops. Even if problems arise, who could dare to lodge a complaint?”

The Noble Ladies’ interest naturally shifted to the Retis Grand Duchy.

More than a few people had witnessed Grand Duke Retis personally visiting the dress shop, and above all, the identity of the women who accompanied him was the biggest topic of conversation.

“I heard there were as many as four of them together.”

“One was definitely a knight, and one seemed like a court lady. I don’t know the identity of the other two though.”

“If it’s the young girl with black hair, wouldn’t that be the Grand Duchess?”

“It’s been about 10 years since she left for recuperation due to health problems, so the age would roughly match.”

“Then the remaining one is…?”

Before they knew it, several nobles who had quietly approached upon hearing their conversation had gathered around them. Not only women, but also quite a number of young men.

It was while they were sharing each other’s eyewitness accounts or rumors they had heard through the grapevine.

“Excuse me. If it’s alright, may I join in for a moment?”

The person who asked for permission in a gentle voice was an ash blond man wearing a monocle.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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