Ready-made Clothes

Yi Chen instinctively took half a step back, startled by the exceptionally outrageous and ungentlemanly words.

Moreover, Judging solely by the other person's voice and attire, it was impossible to determine their gender.

"That's not very suitable..."

Yi Chen refused immediately.

"Tsk~ I thought you'd be an interesting person, but I didn't expect you to be as boring as those gentlemen.

Being too restrained is no fun. We don't live very long in this world anyway... if we're also bound by various restrictions, it's just too miserable, isn't it? More miserable than lions in a circus.

By the way, how do you know Mr. Ivan?"

Just then, There was the sound of a hidden door opening on the second floor.

Yi Chen naturally ignored the strange person in front of him and hurried upstairs as quickly as possible.

However, The young man wearing a colorful mask followed suit, moving at almost the same pace as Yi Chen... even their footsteps overlapped completely.

Shopkeeper Ivan, leaning on his cane, emerged from the hidden door, looking somewhat tired.

The half of his face not covered by the mask was clearly much more haggard than yesterday.

His gaze immediately fell on the other person.

"Jin, are you also one of this batch of examinees?"

"Yes, Mr. Ivan.

Yesterday, when I moved into the temporary dormitory, I had a minor conflict with my roommate. I accidentally severed his tendons and caused severe bleeding... The follow-up treatment was quite troublesome and wasted my entire day."

"Oh...

You'll have to wait a moment. Mr. Berens was introduced by a good friend of mine. His clothing has just been completed and still needs to go through the final 'fitting.'

If there are any unsuitable parts, I'll still be busy."

"It's alright, I'm also very curious to see just how special the Gentleman's Skin is. Why don't I try it on in the fitting room outside?"

"Jin, restrain yourself..."

Shopkeeper Ivan gestured for Yi Chen to follow him alone.

The youth, known as Jin, could only tilt his head and wave goodbye.

Click~

The hidden door locked.

This was Yi Chen's first time going to the Tailoring Room.

The tungsten filament bulbs installed overhead buzzed like flies, providing a luxurious amount of light.

The interior was not the expansive, high-end space he had imagined, but merely a long, narrow room.

Every available space was filled with tools, equipment, and various fabrics.

1. A perfectly balanced sewing table made of some ancient wood, its surface feeling excellent to the touch and remaining free of sweat even with prolonged skin contact.

Various scissors and measuring rulers hung from wall hooks in front of the sewing table for easy access.

2. The wall cabinets were stacked with all sorts of fabrics and some less frequently used special tools.

3. At the other end of the room, there was a basin similar to those used for developing photographs.

Bottles of various unknown reagents were neatly arranged.

A thin wire was stretched across the top of the basin, holding some specially soaked and treated "skins" which would serve as important raw materials for clothing production.

4. Several tall, slender mannequin-like statues were also placed here, their heads still covered with white cloth. Their arm structures were carved with exceptional detail, even showing pores and nails of varying lengths.

They seemed to serve as Shopkeeper Ivan's "assistants" here.

"This place seems a bit cramped..." Yi Chen had to turn sideways to move slowly, afraid of bumping into any important tailoring props.

"A cramped space can compress the brain, enhancing focus and reducing the probability of errors and mistakes.

Follow me~ Your clothes are in a deeper area. Don't keep 'it' waiting."

Behind a wall cabinet in the tailoring room, there was actually another hidden door.

"Fitting Room"

A square, enclosed room of about ten square meters.

Candlesticks were placed in the four corners.

On the wall directly opposite the entrance hung an oval mirror with a gold rim.

A mannequin, identical to Yi Chen in body shape, height, even finger, navel, and rear dimensions, stood in the center.

However, This sculpture still lacked facial features, instead having a 'vortex' carved into the face as a replacement, with the depths of the vortex corresponding to Yi Chen's book emblem.

What adorned this sculpture was the finished garment, ultimately crafted from "Gentleman's Skin" as its raw material.

It consisted of:

1. Shirt: A white standard shirt with a rounded collar design, featuring adjustable cuffs in an ivy style and a pair of black armbands.

2. Vest: An essential piece for the retro British look, its original purpose was to cover the shirt, but now it has become an indispensable part of a gentleman's attire.

Made from Morata wool, it was a dark gray, a shade between black and white, with a triangular structure.

3. Trousers: High-waisted, single-pleat trousers with alternating black and gray stripes, providing support for the vest and seamlessly bridging the gap between the two.

4. Outerwear: Also the most crucial part of the attire, with two options: "Suit" or "Overcoat."

Both were black.

The Suit was commonly used for daily activities, such as everyday outings in Zion, studying, attending meetings, and so on. Its material could effectively purify the spirit, enhance mental agility, and further facilitate the establishment and display of gentlemanly qualities.

The Overcoat was primarily used for external investigations and battles against pathogens.

Its material could effectively isolate the effects of corruption and also adapt to an individual's combat style. Generally, it was where "Gentleman's Skin" was used the most.

Of course, this wasn't entirely fixed; there were also gentlemen who primarily wore suits for external investigations, exploration of the Gray Zone, or even rushed to the front lines.

As for leather shoes, socks, belts, ties, bow ties, or other external accessories, they were not included in the "Tailoring" scope and could be chosen according to the occasion.

Shopkeeper Ivan explained simply:

"The design focus of your outfit is on the 'interweaving of life and death' and 'emphasis on knowledge.'

First, by alternating between black and white, complemented by gray, I've highlighted the boundary between life and death.

Then, the most important aspect, knowledge, which is also the growth path you've chosen.

I've put considerable thought into incorporating knowledge into the suit's design.

It's a classic ivy league style, with natural narrow shoulders, a straight cut without front darts, and a single-breasted three-button closure with generous spacing. I personally suggest only fastening the middle button.

Because the "Gentleman's Skin" you brought is sufficient in quantity, I've used half of it for the suit's creation, which will help maximize your professional traits.

As for the overcoat, considering your origins, my design is a graveyard style.

It combines black goat wool, known as 'Son of Lucifer,' with Gentleman's Skin, adopting a design style that integrates ruggedness and stealth. Simultaneously, I've slightly increased the length and thickness of the fabric.

Try it on.

The suit and overcoat need to be tried on separately.

I believe an outfit this close to perfection will take root and grow on your skin like a rash, making you unable to resist."

"Okay..."

Yi Chen couldn't wait the moment he stepped into the fitting room and saw the finished garments.

During the fitting, he felt the fabric glide across his skin like the gentle touch of a maiden's fingers, fitting perfectly.

If the ready-made clothes he'd temporarily purchased in Easton Town after leaving the graveyard were already comfortable enough, then this fully custom-tailored outfit now

far surpassed the maximum value that the word 'comfortable' could describe.

Every inch of fabric, every fold and seam, appeared flawless and impeccable.

When he put on the outermost suit, the outfit immediately 'resonated' with Yi Chen, the wearer.

It was as if the threads woven into the clothing formed a deep connection with the body's blood vessels, nerves, and muscle fibers, creating a unified whole.

His brain was also activated under the suit's embrace.

Located at the back of Yi Chen's brain, the book emblem formed by the sulci, along with his heart and the entire outfit, began to beat in perfect unison at the exact same frequency.

"This is!"

Rows of "Ancient Script" appeared in his vision, in a state of flux.

Yi Chen was certain this was the first time he had seen such script, yet he could understand its meaning.

At the very top, the most prominent and bolded text provided crucial information:

[Profession: Student]

While writing this chapter, I looked up some suit-related literature, and it felt like returning to the painful days of studying.