The Mech Touch

As a craftsman himself, Ves recognized the skill and attention the bespoke tailor poured into his work. The old man had worked on many different materials extracted from a diverse selection of huge cats.

Ordinarily, Ves had to wait in line before the tailor started with his order. However, the tailor instantly set aside his current orders as soon as he received the opportunity to work with the remains of a Crown Cat!

\"The fibers of a Crown Cat are some of the most difficult materials to work with.\" The tailor explained. \"In many cases, they require extensive treatment and trimming in order to make them workable. The same goes for their hides. Only the lightest, most flexible and most pristine layer of leather can be worked into a garment suitable for humans.\"

\"My order must have given you a lot of headaches.\"

\"Oh, not at all! I can count the amount of times I've worked with materials taken from Crown Cats with one hand. These magnificent creatures are worthy of commemoration, and it is a dream of every tailor on this planet to work with materials derived from these famous beasts!\"

Ves understood the tailor's sentiments. In some way, he considered his Devil Tiger project in a similar light. The challenges he set for himself pushed his abilities to the limit and stimulated him into developing many new solutions.

The sense of satisfaction in developing and completing such an exceptional work represented a seminal moment in his professional development!

Soon enough, the artisan finally completed his work. He carefully raised his final piece and placed it together on a table where identical pieces already rested.

\"It is done.\"

A luxurious ensemble of clothing presented to Ves. From fur tufted boots to a rich and formal looking coat that imitated some of Zeigra's majesty, the entire outfit earned Ves and everyone else's appreciation!

\"Wow!\" Imon Ingvar uttered. \"Boss, do you have any spare materials? I want an awesome outfit as well!\"

Casella Ingvar quickly swatted her brother's head. \"Be reasonable! You haven't participated in the hunt. You are not entitled to any of the spoils. Besides, custom outfits like these are hunting trophies in themselves! They're not as valuable if more copies of them exist!\"

She was right. Ves purposefully ordered the ensemble to impress the people he would meet in the future. Though the outfit already looked impressive in itself, those who were part of the Galactic Hunting Club or were aware of his hunting achievement would certainly recognize its significance!

Wearing a garment made out of the materials extracted from Zeigra's remains was the same as wearing a hunting trophy on his body!

Hopefully, wearing his new outfit would finally put an end to instances where elite figures and exclusive establishments refused to do business with him. He was tired of being treated as a nobody due to his lack of reputation!

While Ves still didn't completely comprehend high society's obsession with reputation, he knew he would definitely make a strong statement if he showed up with this impressive outfit!

\"Where is the changing room?\"

Moments later, Ves emerged from his changing room looking completely different than before. Whereas Ves already looked quite decent with the formal business clothes that Gavin prepared every morning, this time he truly came across as a dignified leader!

The complete ensemble consisted of a long overcoat, a detachable hood, a fur-tufted cape, a robust pair of pants, a soft and pale dress shirt, a tight-fitting jacket suit, a shiny, dark pair of boots, a velvety pair of gloves, a thick leather belt with a buckle fashioned out of treated bone, and most peculiarly, a pair of decorative furry cat ears.

That last option perplexed everyone who saw him emerge from the changing room!

\"You look really good, but… what's with the cat ears?\"

\"I like them. Why not? Don't I look good, Benny?\"

\"You do, but.. the cat ears make you look weird.\"

While his overall outfit was colored in the same shade of Zeigra's original rust-red coat, the tailor artfully varied the shade between the different pieces. The old man also added some silver accents in the decorative frills and designs to break up the monotone look.

Though his other subordinates didn't have the courage to express their doubts, Ves could read their dubious expressions well enough.

If not for the cosmetic cat ears, Ves would have made a very dignified impression on everybody!

He smirked. What his subordinates didn't know was that he deliberately sought to elicit this reaction. While he wanted to appear impressive, he didn't want to come across as stiff and formal.

One of the key means of protecting himself was to paint himself as an eccentric mech designer! Indulging in strange and weird hobbies such as wearing fake cat ears on top of his head served as distractions that helped deflect attention to his many secrets!

\"Do you think my cat ears are fine in their original color tone, or do they look better if they are dyed in black to match my hair?\"

\"Meow.\"

\"Yeah. You're right. The contrast looks weird.\"

Despite that, Ves opted to keep them in their original red-rust shade. The more confounding he looked, the more he could take advantage of the confusion he sowed!

\"I see you have prepared an extra pair of cat ears.\" Gavin pointed out.

\"Yup. Don't you think they would make a lovely present for Gloriana?\"

\"Uhhh…\"

No one wanted to wade in that minefield!

Ves ignored his perplexed subordinates and turned to the tailor. \"A great work like this surely bears a name.\"

The man smiled as one fellow artisan to another. \"Indeed. I call it the Pride of Dusk. Each Crown Cat is a prideful beast, but from what I have ascertained from the battle footage I've glimpsed, Zeigra is especially prickly when it comes to his pride. The cat fought majestically to the very end! Even in his death throes, I observed the stubborn pride that made him die unresigned.\"

\"Pride of Dusk.\" Ves rolled the name off his lips. \"That's a very solemn name.\"

\"Dusk represents a sunset. Don't you think the shade of Zeigra's coat matches the shade of the sky of a fading sun?\"

\"Dusk also symbolizes a fall and the ending of an era. Zeigra's reign as the king of his hunting zone has come to an end at the hands of humans.\"

\"Mmhmm. Very aptly put, Mr. Larkinson. Take care not to suffer the same fate. I hope my work will serve as a continuous reminder that while pride and hubris has their benefits, take care not to indulge yourself to the point of becoming conceited. I have served many impressive clients such as you. A distressingly large proportion did not meet a good end due to their own arrogance.\"

Ves casually waved aside the words of warning. \"That will never happen to me. I'm always humble!\"

\"Ahem!\"

\"Did you want to say something, Benny?\"

\"N-No, boss! I have to say that you look really good in your outfit! Personally, I think you could switch up your outfit but keep the overcoat. It adds the most gravitas to your appearance.\"

He nodded. \"Good suggestion.\"

The tailor approached Ves and carefully inspected the fit, making quick adjustments here and there with his strange tools.

\"Your new garments should all be very durable.\" He said. \"While they aren't capable of absorbing shock or absorbing heat like actual combat armor, they won't damage easily if exposed to enemy fire or extreme environments. With proper care, my work will easily last for centuries!\"

\"Did you add anything else to my outfit?\"

\"No. Upon your request, I've left out all the usual components that my clients routinely wish for me to add. Mind you, it will get very hot for you if you step outside my shop dressed like this. The lack of climate controls embedded in my work will result in overheating!\"

Ves smirked. \"That's not a problem for me. My body is more than capable of handling some excess heat.\"

If there was one unintentional benefit that he enjoyed from Dr. Jutland's experimentation on his body, it was that his Jutland organ made sure that his body never grew too hot.

In fact, when his body encountered a chill, his Jutland organ was even capable of outputting some heat to warm up his body to an extent!

After he received some instructions on how to care for his outfit, Ves bid goodbye to the artisan and brought his subordinates out onto the streets.

The impact his appearance made became immediately evident. The handful of shoppers and locals within the vicinity immediately drew their eyes at him and his distinct outfit.

All of them pretty much recognized that his clothes had been made from the remains of the Crown Cat that recently died!

Ves indulged in his vanity for a moment before he entered the aircar in order to head to his next destination.

He and his group arrived at a large facility which emanated a very strong chemical stench. Different from the tailor's workshop, the place that Ves headed to next smelled a lot more industrial!

\"Are you able to cope, Nitaa?\" He asked with some concern as he knew his bodyguard possessed a sensitive nose.

\"I've endured much worse. I'm also capable of blocking my nostrils whenever I wish, sir.\"

\"That sounds handy.\"

The director of the facility greeted Ves and guided the new arrivals to one of the work halls. Though his new ensemble attracted a lot of attention from the director and the surrounding workers, they quickly went back to work.

Ves and his followers soon came into view of a giant, partial skeletal prop!

\"Are those Zeigra's bones?\"

\"Indeed, Mr. Larkinson! We have already prioritized our work on the remains you've brought to our company. While we are still in the early stages, I promise you that Zeigra will look as formidable when he was still alive!\"

\"You claim you can treat and solidify Zeigra's original flesh, right?\"

\"Correct. Admittedly, it's our most expensive treatment, and the remains of Crown Cats are some of the hardest to transform. While Lady Miralix has waived all the fees relating to this commission, we can't accelerate this time-consuming process. It will be more than worth it at the end, though.\"

\"I can imagine recreating the head takes time as well.\"

\"Indeed. We are in the process of cloning a lot of tissue, but much of the head will still consist of imitation material. Some of the bones and tissue found in Zeigra's head is simply too difficult to reproduce in our labs. The cost will become incredibly prohibitive as well. I doubt Lady Miralix would want to be on the hook for so much money.\"

\"I've already taken that in mind.\" Ves replied. \"As long as the illusion of a whole body can be conveyed, then this imperfection won't matter in the greater scheme of things.\"

He could already imagine placing the complete mounted beast in the expansive lobby of the headquarters of the LMC. The sight of such a savage, frozen Crown Cat served as an excellent contrast against the display models already placed at the Mech Nursery.

\"When will it be complete?\"

The director mentally made some calculations. \"Three months, maybe four if we encounter any serious complications. Crown Cats are very demanding to mount, and Zeigra's hide and body parts did not arrive in the best possible condition. Repairing all of the cuts and holes in the hide is a massive endeavor.\"

That sounded longer than Ves expected, but good work should never be rushed.

\"If you do complete it, please send it on a secure shipment back to my company headquarters in the Bright Republic. Is that doable?\"

\"Certainly! We have shipped our mounted huge cats to clients all over the star sector! Please rest assured that our work will safely arrive at your intended destination within half a year!\"

That was just about the time that Ves returned home, so the timing worked out.

\"That's great. Please inform me if there are any delays.\"