Chapter 96 - Shadow (19)

"Good heavens, a waiting list for Art Club interviews..." Georgia muttered to herself in disbelief while flipping through documents. 

Twenty-one still remained. Art Club applicants had always been very few, and it was normal to process them immediately when volunteers appeared. This was the first time they needed to schedule separate times for entrance interviews.

Knock knock

When the next applicant knocked, Georgia said, "Yes, come in."

A girl with ash-gray hair entered and politely greeted Georgia with her hands clasped.

"Hello." 

Georgia spoke while tapping her quill pen, "Yes, sit down."

Georgia checked the application of the student who entered wearing glasses.

Just because applications increased didn't mean they could accept everyone thoughtlessly. The Art Club's usable space and budget were limited, and there was a limit to how many people Georgia could manage. So she needed to be more deliberate.

"Lilith Izelius?"

"...Yes."

Georgia appreciated Lilith's face with deep eyes for a moment.

Beyond having looks that would attract attention from the opposite sex, from an aesthetic perspective, her facial lines like her eyes and nose bridge were quite beautiful.

Baby-like fat was still visible on her face, suggesting she hadn't lived a hard life.

The Izelius family boasted one of the Empire's top fortunes. They were a business family owning most gold mines in the Empire and extended their reach into various fields based on this.

"Hmm.... A young lady from an Imperial noble family. You must have been cherished as the first mage to emerge from the Izelius family in a long time."

"..."

The Izelius family was originally an ancient mage bloodline with deep ties to Eternia. The first head of household, Bereta Izelius, was a high-ranking mage who served as chancellor at Eternia hundreds of years ago. Though the mage bloodline dimmed and family business changed over generations, eventually parting ways with Eternia.

Producing another mage from that family was quite an encouraging event.

"May I ask why you applied to the Art Club?"

"Throughout my life, I've only met people my parents wanted me to meet, and only learned hobbies they wanted. Now I want to do what I want to do."

Compared to previous applicants, it wasn't a bad answer. At least she didn't openly say she came to see one boy.

"No other purposes besides that? Like looking for someone?"

"...I think finding people you match well with is important too. This is a group activity, and you can't learn everything alone."

"Hmmmmm... Just in case, if you're here looking for that first-year Combat Department boy, he's not here. He moved somewhere else."

"...Pardon?"

"Well, anyway. Have you tried drawing before?"

"My magic teacher said people who draw well also draw magic circles well, so I practiced occasionally. That's really all."

"Good. Not bad."

People who started purely because they liked drawing were rare. Even Georgia herself got into it by drawing herb illustrations. Better than someone pretending to be pure.

Lilith fidgeted with her hands as if something was weighing on her mind. Georgia glanced at her while scanning documents and said.

"Are you nervous? Why be nervous about this? It's not like you'll die if you fail."

"..."

Checking her record in the documents, she wasn't transferring from another club. She seemed to have chosen the Art Club after considerable deliberation.

"Good. You're fine. You can go now. Tell the next person to come in as you leave."

"..."

***

"Hey!"

While heading to the Art Club greenhouse for drawing practice, a sharp woman's voice pierced my ears.

I looked around. The campus was empty due to the early morning. And just as I was about to leave again, another shout hit my ears.

"Wait, wait! You there!"

The voice came not from the walkway but from behind garden trees where my sight couldn't reach.

Following the voice calling me, I saw a female student sitting behind a tree.

She was wearing tight training clothes and holding her ankle with a troubled expression.

"Whew, I'm so glad someone's passing by at this hour. I was running because of something urgent and twisted my ankle, could you help me?"

What a strange situation, running around in such a place at this hour.

"...How can I help you?"

She stretched out both arms and said, "Help me up for a moment."

I grabbed one of her arms and slowly lifted her. Then we moved slowly with arms around our shoulders.

She limped along and then said as if it wasn't working, "The shoulder height difference makes it hard. Isn't there another way?"

"If you wait a moment, I'll bring you a potion."

She bit her lips several times before speaking anxiously, "Tsk, I have something urgent so there’s no time to waste. Um... if you could just take me to the dance practice room, do you know where it is?"

No other options seemed apparent.

"...I'll carry you on my back."

"Ah, would that be okay? I'm really skinny so it won't be heavy."

When I bent slightly, she quickly leaned against my back and wrapped her arms around my neck.

After lifting her up, she pointed a direction with her finger and continued speaking, "Go straight that way then turn beside the main hall."

"...Alright."

After going like that for a while, I could sense something was wrong.

She pressed her body against me more than necessary and her arms around my neck gradually moved down to feel my chest area. Come to think of it, she said dance club practice room... something felt off.

"No, it's not that... but you're quite sturdy despite your appearance. Combat Department?"

"Yes."

"You must be good at physical work."

"..."

"No, I just said something random because you're too quiet. Sorry."

We continued like that for a while and turned at the main hall corner.

And at that turned alley, we encountered a completely unexpected person.

It was Art Club Vice President Zenia. She waited with crossed arms as if knowing someone would come there.

I stopped abruptly upon seeing her.

Zenia greeted us with a gentle smile.

"Hello."

"...?"

When we stood there blankly, Zenia greeted the girl again.

"Hello, Senior Mila?"

Then the girl on my back answered sullenly, "Ah... Zenia, hello."

"Damian, please put Senior Mila down."

Then the female student released her hands and slid down from my back. Though she said she hurt her leg, now she was standing fine and watching Zenia's reaction. She looked like someone caught stealing.

"Senior Mila. May I take Damian with me?"

"Ah, ah! Yes, sure. I'll be going. Hey... thanks for carrying me!"

She clearly showed fear of Zenia. Like that, Mila disappeared as if running away. J

Why is that senior so nervous around Zenia? 

Zenia, who had been watching Mila leave, approached me. Then, she grabbed my collar with both hands and shook me roughly.

"How come boys never know how to refuse? How are you going to live being this naive? If you got dragged to the Dance Club like that, you would have crossed a river of no return, you know? Did you like that pig girl feeling you up? Huh? Did you enjoy it?"

...Something seemed suspicious, but I didn't know their harassment would take this form of making advances.

"Please calm down."

Just what happened in the Art Club's past to cause such a hysterical reaction?

Zenia released her hands and cleared her throat, perhaps embarrassed by showing excessive excitement.

"Ahem, anyway I was waiting because I had a bad feeling... as expected."

"..."

"Can't let you roam free until this week. Let's go to the greenhouse. I'll teach you how to mix paints."

***

"What? When did Fabella get here?"

Fabella and several unknown female students had arrived early at the greenhouse waiting for the noon class.

Zenia brought easels, palettes, and paint containers and seated me beside her.

"Now, new guy. You don't know how to use paint, right?"

I nodded.

"First, what do you want to draw? Decide that."

Though what I had planned had quite a large proportion of figures, strictly classified it was a landscape.

"A landscape."

"Good. This is what you'll draw."

Zenia placed an apple on a still-life stand and said, "Draw this apple. Mix red and yellow well to find the right color. You learn color mixing with this. After mastering all the reds, gradually expand to other colors. Understand? You need to develop a sense for color combinations. Landscapes come many many steps after that."

"..."

I received a painting crash course from Zenia until noon. I was confident in tasks requiring precise hand skills and sense.

Zenia had me draw while she repeatedly went out and came back, and each time she saw my drawing she suspected I had asked someone else to draw for me.

"What is this, did you learn somewhere before?"

"It's thanks to your good teaching."

"..."

After finishing the Art Club's noon class, Zenia taught me for two more hours.

Then, Zenia shot me suspicious looks and said, "You're not actually an expert pretending to know nothing to deceive us, are you?"

"...No."

"You're the first person like this... I don't know what to think. At this point, you could probably do landscapes however you want."

She spoke as if she hadn't expected her teaching to be this effective, then returned to the dormitory.

I planned to practice drawing a couple of times and throw them away. I’d paint properly once I got a feel for it.

I stayed in the greenhouse completely focused only on drawing practice. Tracing memories, I lightly drew out Wiesel's forest and Silveryn's mansion one by one.

The members who had stayed drawing in the greenhouse like me left one by one.

And when the sun began to set, only Fabella and I remained in the Art Club.

Sunset light seeped into the greenhouse, and all that could be heard was the sound of brushstrokes.

I changed canvases and began sketching for serious work.

The sound of Fabella far behind me bothered my nerves.

I didn't know why. Just, Fabella's sound. No, just being alone in the same space with her felt completely unwelcome. If I thought about it overnight, I might figure out why it felt unwelcome. But I didn't even want to think about that.

In the middle of working, the sound of brush rubbing from behind suddenly stopped.

She got up from her seat and slowly approached me with footsteps.

Standing before me, she spoke calmly and carefully, "You're drawing very diligently..."

"..."

"The lake sketch is quite pretty... The scenery looks nice too."

"..."

"I like scenery like this too... May I ask... what you're drawing?"

"Just a landscape."

"The Riora region...? Or Seton?"

"..."

"Who's the person sitting on the blanket...?"

Why is she suddenly acting friendly?

I didn't answer. There was no reason or need to. I just wished she wouldn't pay attention to my work.

When I didn't answer, Fabella changed the conversation, seeming a bit flustered.

"Ah, I guess... I asked something unnecessary. Sorry for disturbing your concentration... Would you like me to bring you some tea?"

"No, I'm about to pack up and leave."

I stopped sketching and immediately packed my things. I left the greenhouse without looking back.

After walking quite a way, I realized I had left my work concept notebook in the greenhouse from leaving in such a hurry.

And when I looked back, Fabella was still standing in front of my canvas. With her face deeply bowed.

Since it wasn't an important item, I didn't go back.

I headed straight for the labyrinth.