Drawn Mochi Volume 2 Chapter 1.2: The Mochi I Draw Becomes a Mochi

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 I was taken to Fay’s house, where I was welcomed enthusiastically by his father and brother.

 

 

“Tougo! Welcome!” (Van)

 

“I heard about it from my brother in his letter! Thank you very much!” (Roses)

 

 

 I was a little surprised because they were like this even before I entered the entrance. No, I was very surprised. I wonder if these people have been waiting at the door all this time…?

 

 

“Come on, come on, don’t just stand there talking, come inside! Is breakfast ready yet?” (Roses)

 

“Oh! I’m hungry.” (Fay)

 

“I see. What about you Tougo?” (Van)

 

“……maybe a little.” (Tougo)

 

“Oh good! Go ahead and eat a lot!” (Van)

 

 

 …That’s how I ended up visiting the Redgarde family again.

 

 Umm… I don’t need that much breakfast…

 

 

 In the end, I ate quite a lot. I’m surprised at myself. I’ve been eating a little bit more, a little bit more, as recommended, and before I knew it, I’d eaten a lot.

 

 But I don’t feel bad about it. Because the food at Redgarde’s home is very delicious.

 

 Also, it’s fun. Fay says something, his brother chides him, and his father laughs at him. Or, his brother comes up with an idea, his father responds, and Fay comes up with something better. Listening to such conversations was kind of fun in itself.

 

 …It’s refreshing to have a lively and fun atmosphere at the dining table.

 

 

“All right, Tougo. Eat a lot! You should eat a little more, maybe.” (Fay)

 

“Hmm… yes.” (Tougo)

 

 

 I think Fay probably said that because of my body shape. I am definitely in the “skinny” category when my BMI is measured. Sometimes, I’m too skinny. Yes, I am a little concerned about my body. But just because I eat a lot doesn’t mean I can easily gain weight. There are people who try to force themselves to eat, but they don’t gain weight. Well, it’s still true that I don’t eat much.

 

 

“Hmm… Tougo. You don’t usually eat much, do you?” (Van)

 

“No, I do eat.” (Tougo)

 

“Oh, father, you can’t rely on what he’s eating. He’s someone who is satisfied with a piece of fruit.” (Fay)

 

 

 Yes. I was immediately exposed by Fay.

 

 

“That’s not good. You should eat something substantial.” (Van)

 

 

 I immediately made Fay’s father’s face cloud over. I felt sorry for him when he looked at me like that, but I couldn’t help it if I didn’t eat. I had skipped lunch almost every day since I became a high school student, but that was for the sake of drawing pictures.

 

 

“Ah, father. You can’t say that to him. He seems to forget a lot of things when he paints. So, it can’t be helped.” (Fay)

 

 

 …yes.

 

 The things I draw, and the things I forget when paintings, are things that can’t be helped.

 

 But it’s nice to hear someone other than me say it. ……

 

 Fay is a good person. Really.

 

 

“Oh my, was that so? Then…” (Van)

 

 

 Fay’s father didn’t even think for a moment, just looked at me and said nonchalantly,

 

 

“Tougo. If it’s okay with you, why don’t you come live in the mansion?” (Van)

 

 

“Huh?” (Tougo)

 

“I don’t know. You seem to be young. If you would prefer to be sheltered by someone, my family will take care of that. I can take care of your food and sleep. Then you can relax and paint.” (Van)

 

 

 Live—in this mansion. So, I can spend my time painting…

 

 I was at a loss when he suddenly suggested that.

 

 

“Well……” (Tougo)

 

 

 …I look around.

 

 Sitting at the same table, Fey, his brother, and his father. And the servants are also smiling at me. I don’t feel bad.

 

 I don’t, but… if they ask me if it’s okay for me to be here, I feel like I don’t belong.

 

 This lovely family is not my family.

 

 

“… because there are still a lot of horses in the forest…” (Tougo)

 

 

 So I decided to say so.

 

 It was a very kind offer, but I felt like I shouldn’t accept it… No matter how I felt about it. Not that I didn’t want to, but I just felt like I shouldn’t, somehow.

 

 

“I see. Come to think of it, I heard you were liked by Unicorns and Pegasus, right?” (Roses)

 

“I’ve heard about that from Fay too. I also heard that because of Tougo, Fay caught the poachers.” (Van)

 

 

 Oh, they heard stories about horses.

 

 

“It is rare for a man to be favored by a pegasus, but it is even rarer for a man to be favored by a unicorn. Yes, indeed, it would be a shame for them to pull you away from the forest like that, wouldn’t it?” (Van)

 

 

 Fay’s father said and laughed. Good thing I turned down the offer even if I thought he might be offended. Apparently, this family resembles Fay, and everyone seems to be a straightforward and reasonable person.

 

 

“Well, it can’t be helped. I thought it would be kind of fun if you came to live in our house. Well, just come visit us often.” (Van)

 

 

 …Apparently, everyone is just like Fay.

 

 Yes. I will. If you thought it would be fun, I’m honored to hear that.

 

 

“By the way, Tougo. Did you think about what I said earlier?” (Fay)

 

“Huh?” (Tougo)

 

 

 And then, in the midst of the enthusiastic welcome, breakfast, and the offer to live here, I forgot to mention that there was also this.

 

 

“Why don’t you become our family painter?” (Fay)

 

 

“Um, well, you see, the horses are in the woods.” (Tougo)

 

“No, no, you don’t have to live with us. But it’s okay if you want to be our exclusive painter?” (Fay)

 

 

 I looked at Fay’s brother and father and they were just smiling at me. It seems that the conversation is something they are fine with.

 

 

“What? How about it?” (Fay)

 

“Even if you say…” (Tougo)

 

 

 I was troubled by Fay’s shining gaze.

 

 

“What does a ‘family painter’ do…?” (Tougo)

 

 

 So I decided to ask him for more information.

 

 

“A house painter is a painter who is hired exclusively by our family. The painter paints for our house, or commissions from other places throughout the house. The Redgarde family provides the living and working funds. We will pay for the paintings separately. Of course.” (Fay)

 

“Oh.” (Tougo)

 

 

 I had a vague idea of what to expect, but it was a rather outrageous story. In other words, he is asking me to accept them as a patron. I was told that they would become my patron, right?

 

 I think this kind of talk should be given to professionals, not to amateurs like me who can barely be called amateurs…

 

 It’s a bit outlandish and unreal.

 

 

“The good thing for you is, well, you’ll have a steady stream of money. And the work for you will go through us, so we’ll be there to find you work.” (Fay)

 

“I see.” (Tougo)

 

“On the other hand, the bad thing for you is… you won’t be free. You’ll be doing commissioned work for us, so you won’t be able to devote all your time to what you want to draw.” (Fay)

 

 

 I don’t think that would bother me too much. I don’t care what I paint, as long as I get to enjoy my time drawing.

 

 

“And if you want to work for a house other than ours, then you’re going to be a bit of a liability. So, for example, if you want to be a painter for the Royal Castle, it would be better not to have a contract with the Redgarde family. There are plenty of bigger and better houses out there, even if it’s not a royal family.” (Fay)

 

 

 Well, I don’t have any idea what a royal castle is, and I don’t have any idea what other noble houses are, so I don’t care…

 

 …It turned out to be outrageous. I’m in trouble.

 

 

“Your abilities are a bit too rare. So I’m sure there will be plenty of bad guys out there who will try to take advantage of you! And Tougo will never be able to make that kind of decision on your own, will you? Maybe. Right? What do you think? We can take care of that too, you know?” (Fay)

 

 

 Yeah, I can’t do that. I’m confident that I can’t tell the difference between a bad person and a non-bad person. That’s right. Sorry about that.

 

 …Really. If I am going to live in this world, I am going to interact with people to some degree.

 

 And of course, the world is not all good people like the Redgardes. …There are also people like the poachers and people on the black market.

 

 But I certainly wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Maybe I’m the gullible type.

 

 In that light, I would certainly be very grateful if the Redgardes would take care of me…

 

 …Hmmm.

 

 Isn’t this good?

 

 

 I’m probably not good enough. I know my skills. I’m not going to an art prep school, I’m just painting. At least, I don’t think I’m good enough to do it professionally. I don’t have the confidence.

 

 And I feel a little sorry to be indebted to the Redgarde family. I know they feel indebted to me, but still, it’s a little too much for me to sort out my feelings.

 

 …and there is something in my mind that is holding me back. It’s hazy, it’s stuck in my chest, it’s stuck. I think that’s what’s holding me back.

 

 And I’m sure… I can’t put my feelings into words yet.

 

 

 …But that’s okay.

 

 It doesn’t matter right now what my feelings are.

 

 I have enough reasons for refusing, even if I take into account the fact that they don’t take shape.

 

 

“You see, the picture of me that Tougo drew, you used it to heal my injuries, didn’t you? So, please draw another portrait of me!” (Fay)

 

 

 Fay is laughing as he says this, but…

 

 

“……well.” (Tougo)

 

 

 I am now facing a problem that I have been neglecting for so long.

 

 

“I have no guarantee that my paintings will remain as paintings…” (Tougo)

 

 

 Yes. The materialization of the picture is not always a matter of my intention to make it materialize, and there is a good chance that the picture will materialize by accident.

 

 Even if I don’t intend to make it into a mochi, if I draw a mochi, it will become a mochi.

 

 In other words, I may not be able to draw a “picture”.

 

 …Before my feelings, I can’t do a painter’s job, can I? I’m not sure how I feel about that.

 

 

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