Drawn Mochi Volume 2 Chapter 27: Chick-Colored Hope *2

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“Fay!” (Tougo)

　Fay was in the courtyard. He was playing with the Red Dragon in the garden at dusk, and one of them maybe both of them were tinted with the color of the sunset, making them look even redder than they were before.

“Um, there’s something I want to ask you.” (Tougo)

　I had to ask before I could say anything else.

　I said this, and Fay looked a little confused, then he and the Red Dragon tilted their heads together. I’m so glad you guys are so close.

“Um, what expectations do you have of me?” (Tougo)

“Expectations? What do I expect from you? You’re a one-of-a-kind guy, you know. I’m also looking forward to our friendship! …and, of course, drawing pictures, as a painter.” (Fay)

　I asked nervously, and Fay replied without a hair of delay.

“…you don’t mean making paintings materialize?” (Tougo)

“Yeah. I want to hang your drawings in my mansion. Of course, it’s the ones that don’t materialize! I don’t want the picture I put on display to suddenly start moving, you know!?” (Fay)

　I was kind of taken aback.

　I should have known that, but when he said it again, I felt like I was losing strength. I was sure I knew that, but when he said it again, I was left like this.

“Um… it seems like a strange thing to ask, but is it because you like me…?” (Tougo)

“Well, I don’t know, is that way right…? I mean, you’d rather give work with a good guy than with a jerk. …I don’t understand what this means.” (Fay)

　Saying that, Fay scratched his head, while looking into the sky, and thought for a moment… then said.

“Look, you drew a picture of me, didn’t you? When I saw that, I thought, ‘This kind of picture should be a decoration. It’s kind of soft and looks fun.’” (Fay)

　Fay smiled happily as he said this and then nodded with a serious look on his face.

“That’s why I wouldn’t ask for someone I don’t like.” (Fay)

“……I see.” (Tougo)

　Was delighted. Very. But at the same time, I am also worried.

“…I’m not good at drawing.” (Tougo)

“I don’t think so.” (Fay)

“I don’t think you should be able to make a living by painting. There are many people who have studied at art universities and still can’t make a career out of painting. I am definitely not as good as them.” (Tougo)

　After saying “art university,” I wondered if people in this world would understand my words. But somehow, it seems that the meaning was conveyed to Fay. Fay tilted his head… Then he grinned.

“Honestly, I don’t know if a painting is good or bad. I’m sure there are paintings by famous artists that I won’t notice unless I am told.” (Fay)

　Yeah… somehow, I feel like he would.

“But that’s how you evaluate a painting, isn’t it? I already said ‘This is amazing!’ in a loud voice and that’s a win, right?” (Fay)

　…I have been told something incredibly shocking. But… Well, I can’t argue with that!

“So, if all you’re worried about is whether you’ll do a good job or not, then throw all that doubt away and come to us! I don’t know if your paintings are good or bad, but I like them. And I’m ready to say in a big voice, ‘This is a great picture!’ Besides, if there’s a job you don’t like, why not turn it down? You don’t have to worry about money. And if you can’t make a living at it, like I said before, you can feed yourself at my house!” (Fay)

　That’s very encouraging. Very much.

　But I don’t understand why he is saying this much.

　What do you mean, “feed yourself”? I don’t know why he’s going so far as to say that. What did he like so much? Is it the painting? Yeah, I don’t know that either.

　What should I do? I’m getting scared all over again. What is this?

“…I don’t know what it’s like to be an aristocrat. But it seems to me that, in the sense of the nobility, feeding one or two people is nothing special.” (Laocles)

　I was confused, and Laocles advised me from the side.

“Just think of it that way. Our values are too different. It’s no use thinking about it.” (Laocles)

　…This is another shocking thing he said to me, but I can’t refute it either…

　… I’ve thought about it, but I still can’t help but keep dreaming in this world.

　So, I can’t give up now. It’s too late.

“I think I will fail. At least, I probably won’t be as successful as many people want me to be. I don’t want to live my life as a magician in a castle, and I don’t want to become a millionaire. I probably won’t be able to paint a picture that will be recognized around the world, achieve a high position, and maybe even help you guys make a name for yourselves.” (Tougo)

　I wondered if I was being sly, but still felt it would be too dishonest to become a family painter without saying this, so in the end I gave my reasons in an excusable manner.

“I am probably not very good at aggressively marketing my paintings either. Maybe there are some jobs I can’t do well because I don’t feel like it.” (Tougo)

　I know that it is not easy to do so, although I admire it. I am not good enough. I don’t have the guts to go out and sell. I probably don’t have enough determination to make a breakthrough. That’s why.

“That’s why I think I’m going to fail. I can’t succeed.” (Tougo)

“Okay. That’s fine.” (Fay)

　Fay said and laughed happily.

“It’s absolutely not interesting if you become a court magician in the royal castle, it’s a waste!” (Fay)

“…Isn’t it a waste.” (Tougo)

“Oh, such a waste!” (Fay)

　I see. So, it’s a waste for me to be a magician in the royal castle?

　Isn’t it the other way around? Shouldn’t you tell me that it’s a waste to draw pictures.

　Tell me I’m doing something useless and tell me I’m wasting my time on something that I don’t know how long I’ll be stuck with.

　…I’m happy beyond words. Is this Okay? For something like this to happen.

“But… Did you really think about it? Are you sure? Like I said earlier, I’m a bit unsure if I can really protect you even if I make a contract with you.” (Fay)

“I don’t need protection. I’ll try to protect myself. …I’d be most happy if you’d allow me to keep painting.” (Tougo)

“Heh… I don’t understand you. But it’s okay. If you said it’s okay, then it is.” (Fay)

　Fay tilted his head with a look of not understanding. I’m not trying to get you to understand me. It doesn’t matter. He’s not even trying to convince me try to make him understand me, he’s just willing to accept my choice without question.

“And then… I don’t want to say it, but well, we’re the territory lord of this kind of territory, so we can’t help Tougo succeed as a painter. In that case, I think it would be better to become a painter of the royal castle or something…” (Fay)

　Fay suddenly lost his confidence and said something a little strange. You were so reliable until just now. Is this what happens when you focus on yourself?

　…Yeah, maybe I can’t talk like this to other people either.

“…I’d rather have someone who laughs and complains with me when I fail than someone who makes me succeed.” (Tougo)

　I am not interested in success. There is no need to dislike it, but I am not desiring it. So, I don’t need you to make me succeed.

　I just want you to be with me instead. It would be better if you don’t look at me when I fail and say, “You see that,” “I don’t need to say that,” or “That’s what happens when you draw pictures.”

　…It would be great if you wouldn’t make fun of what I’ve chosen to get, if you wouldn’t be disappointed, if you’d just laugh and be frustrated.

“Will Fay fail with me?” (Tougo)

　I asked, looking up into Fay’s eyes, which were higher than mine.

“Yeah! Let’s fail together! So that means, from today on, you’re my best friend and our family painter at the same time! Yes!” (Fay)

　Fay said that with a big smile on his face, grabbed my hand, and shook it.

　…I felt kind of drained. Yeah, maybe I’m “becoming fluffy” as Laocles would say.

　Maybe I was thinking a lot, scared, anxious and nervous… Yup. I’m getting nervous and flustered. It doesn’t seem realistic at all.

“…Is it okay that something like this, like a dream, happened?” (Tougo)

“That’s fine fine! You should also chase your dreams! I made my dreams come true, thanks to you! So now it’s your turn to make your dreams come true! Dreaming is free, but if you can make it come true, why not? Right?” (Fay)

　I thought I saw the Red Dragon appear from behind Fay and smile. I’m not sure about the expression on a dragon’s face, but I think it’s a smile.

“Ah, that’s right. If you get a job, you can’t refuse even if you don’t like it, why don’t you just do something like paint the phoenix as a chick again? No, because that story was so much fun. I’m looking forward to that, too, to be honest.” (Fay)

　…Uh, yeah. I see. …If I enjoy it, that’s fine.

　It’s fine, but…

　…Yes. It’s okay with just that.

　I’m looking forward to it.

　I’m anxious, scared, and unsure about trying to make drawing my job. …Still, I’m looking forward to it.

　Then I crawled under the covers and tried to sleep. But I couldn’t sleep because my eyes were too awake.

　Because I became a painter. I have become a person whose job is to paint.

　I was excited, anxious, scared, and very much looking forward to it. Feeling my heart beating much faster. …I look forward the morning. I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t sleep. It can’t be helped.

　The light coming in through the window was quite bright. The morning sun shines on everything, turning it either golden or a dazzling soft yellow.

　Looking at it, I thought… it’s the color of a chick. The Phoenix chick is orange like the setting sun, but not the color of a normal chick.

“It’s the color of a chick…” (Tougo)

　I mumbled, and Laocles, who was sleeping on the bed next to me, flinched.

“…you’re awake?” (Laocles)

　It seems I woke him up. Sorry.

“Um, I didn’t sleep.” (Tougo)

　Laocles looked at me quizzically… but I couldn’t help but smile when I looked into his eyes, which looked a little sleepy.

　When he was awake, they are the color of the winter morning sun, and even like a thunderstorm when he was fighting, but now that he was a little sleepy… they seemed to be a different color.

　The color in his eyes is the color of the morning sun, the color of thunder… the color of a chick!

“It’s the color of a chick…!” (Tougo)

“Chick? …what are you talking about?” (Laocles)

　Laocles had a quizzical look on his face, but then, perhaps because I was having so much fun, he began to laugh along with me.

　I was filled with a sense of happiness, as well as a strangely uplifted mood after an all-nighter.

　As I approached the window, I could see the entire landscape was the color of a chick.

　I will probably never forget this view for the rest of my life. It was the view on the morning of my starting day. Even if the day comes when I have to return to my original world, I will never forget it. Always.

　The world shining in the chick-colored morning sun is a gentle shade, yet dazzling. It’s like a newborn chick.

“The color of a chick, huh? You certainly look chick-colored right now.” (Laocles)

　And apparently, as I approach the window, I, too, have the color of a chick, tinted by the morning sun. Laocles is laughing.

　…In a sense, I am like a newborn chick right now, so maybe this shade is very appropriate.

　I then formally signed the paperwork with Fay’s father and became the Redgarde family’s official family painter… which is a big deal.

　…I’m nervous. I’m not sure what to expect, but I’m also looking forward to it. I’m going to do my best.

“Well, Mr. Tougo. I’d like to commission a painting from you right away.” (Van)

“Yes.” (Tougo)

“For my first commission, I would like a portrait of the Redgarde family. We don’t have any portraits of the whole family.” (Van)

　…It seems that I will be allowed to paint whatever I want as soon as possible.

　I am very happy. Really.

　…I received a commission, but I decided to go back to the forest.

　I left my painting materials in the forest, but my models are only available for a limited time. I apologize to Fay and his family, but I decided to do this one first.

“You’re going to paint our pictures! Wow, I’m so excited!” (Carnelia)

“Are you sure you want me in it?” (Intarlia)

“Yes.” (Tougo)

　…I’ll get my reward, so I get Ms. Intarlia and Carnelia to model for me and draw them right away.

　I’m having fun. It’s a lot of fun.

　Carnelia can’t stay still for very long, so we took moderate breaks while I painted her.

　And while the models are taking a break.

“…When I was asked to be a model for a painting, I thought I was going to be asked to be painted as a nude woman.” (Intarlia)

“eh”

　Ms. Intarlia told me something outrageous.

　Nude paintings. Not a rough sketch, maybe, but a bona fide nude painting.

　…No, don’t, don’t even think about it. I might become a degenerate.

“Hahaha. By the looks of it, it’s like you didn’t even think about it!” (Intarlia)

“Yes……” (Tougo)

　When I bought Laocles, some of those women were there, but… nudes, yeah, uh, maybe much later… I’d like to practice sometime, but, um, let me practice on muscles first….

“But, well, I’m glad that Lord Tougo is such a gentleman. If you had asked me to take off my armor and clothes, I would have resisted, even if you had been a great benefactor.” (Intarlia)

“I would not say such a thing.” (Tougo)

　Only nude models are allowed to be models for nude paintings. I think it’s useless unless you’re a person with that kind of occupation.

“I see. Well, if you ask me, I’ll obey whether I resist or not.” (Intarlia)

　…Um, uh, that kind of thing, please don’t say that…

　Somehow, when the break is over.

“It seems that it is popular in the royal capital. I don’t know what that means at all.” (Intarlia)

“Huh? Popular?” (Tougo)

　I couldn’t think straight because of the abrupt comment.

　Ms. Interlia smiled cheerfully at me and said.

“The painting of a nude woman.” (Intarlia)

　…I see.

　Um… Will this trend come here too?