Drawn Mochi Volume 2 Chapter 6: Sword and Jewel *1

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　From that day on, my life with Laocles began.

　Laocles eventually woke up in the late afternoon and came to my house.

　He said he had slept too much, but I didn’t really care. I don’t mind it, because I have also slept for about 10 days. Half a day doesn’t count as too much sleep at all.

　I was not going to have a meal with only fruits, because Laocles needed to eat.

　So, I drew bread.

　Then there was ham. Both of them are very big chunks.

　No, it’s too much trouble to draw them one by one, so I drew them at …….

　So, our meal is bread, ham, fruit, and water. That’s how we started our meal.

　I say we started… but I don’t think it will change in the foreseeable future. I think it’s going to stay the same for the time being. Bread, ham, and fruit for the time being. Probably.

　Since I can only draw a limited number of pictures of Laocles, I spend the rest of the time practicing the control of magic.

　I’ll be careful not to materialize while drawing something like a still life.

　First of all, I have to be careful not to put magic into each stroke.

　Fay told me that I must be putting magic power into each stroke while I was drawing. So, I don’t need to use a magic stone or something like that. I think it would be magic without using a magic stone or something like that.

　Well… I can do it. I hope. Well, I can’t help it. Since, I’m painting, I should at least get into fixing it.

　But it seems that the problem is that along with my enthusiasm, I also put magic into the picture. …So, I try to be conscious of what I am doing while painting so that I don’t put the magic power flowing inside me into the picture.

　However, this is not going well.

　First. I was painting a peach. It is very difficult to express the hairs on the skin of a peach using only pencil and watercolors. But that’s what makes it fun.

　…Drawing very, very carefully, so as not to channel magic power. Still, seriously, without pulling back, I just draw. It was very difficult. Although, I’m being very careful about controlling my magic power. Fay said, “You’ll get used to it and you’ll be able to do it,” but I’m still far from that point.

“Achoo!” (Tougo)

　…And the moment I sneezed, I lost focus and it materialized.

　Oh no.

　While peeling and eating the peach,

　Next, leaves.

　One withered leaf and one green leaf. it’s fun to express the difference in texture between the two, the dry and distorted look of the withered leaf and the freshness of the green leaf.

　…but.

“……ugh.” (Tougo)

　There was an itchy feeling while I was drawing. This is the feeling I get when I suppress my magic. It seems that this will also settle down after getting used to it, but it seems that I am not used to it yet.

　I can’t do anything about it, so I grabbed the candle that Fay lent me.

　The more the candle glows, the more the itchiness inside me subsides.

　…In order not to materialize the picture, it seems to be good to release the magic power that has accumulated like this.

　But.

“Oh.” (Tougo)

　Did I make a mistake in how I released it, or did I end up filling it up with magic power while I was drawing? Two leaves appeared on top the paper.

　Next. The next one is a rock.

　It’s just a rock, but it’s surprisingly difficult.

　Natural rocks come in all shapes and sizes, and their materials are not uniform. They are made of a mixture of various minerals, and they are a lot of fun to draw because of their textures.

　But I can’t enjoy it too much. I shouldn’t put magic power into the brush.

　I was careful not to put magic power into my brush…

“Hey, Master.” (Laocles)

“Huh?” (Tougo)

　The stone materialized when I was startled by the sudden voice of Laocles.

　…hmm.

　Laocles generally doesn’t come into my room, especially when I’m painting. Since, I asked him not to come in.

　But even so, he came in…

　…Laocles silently points to his left wrist with his right index finger, just a little bit. Yes, I know. Yes, that’s right. Time for the changing.

“Thank you.” (Tougo)

　While I was replacing the sealing stone, Laocles watched in silence. And when I’m done, he puts my meal on a small table near the door and silently leaves.

　…he doesn’t talk much. He only calls me “master” or “hey”.

　So, I don’t really know much about him.

　But, well, if he himself doesn’t want to talk, I think it’s okay. Talking to someone is not necessarily necessary.

　It would be fun for me if he would talk to me sometime. But, well, he might say it’s too much to ask.

　I’m getting enough work out of him at this point. He’s the one who helps me remember to change the sealing stone, and even though he says he can’t do housework, he prepares meals and makes sure I eat twice a day.

　Of course, he doesn’t seem to be a good cook, and he doesn’t make anything elaborate. Well, that’s what I had heard.

　The meal he just left for me was just a piece of bread that he had sliced, with ham that I had drawn and cheese that Fay had left. But I like it because it’s quite tasty. Above all, it’s easy to eat.

　Leaving the materialized stone aside, I immediately eat.

　The salty cheese and juicy ham go well with the savory bread. My drink is water. I think it’s something they brought from the fountain. Yes, that’s enough. I am very satisfied.

　I get sleepy after eating. It can’t be helped. Teacher told me that eating stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and produces acetylcholine, which makes me sleepy. I was sleepy while he said that. I still remember though.

　I can’t help it, so I’m going to sleep. I can’t help but feel sleepy after eating, there’s really nothing I can do.

　…But for the time being, I will go and talk to Laocles before going to bed.

　Laocles was outside. I get the feeling he’s outside most of the time.

“I’m going to sleep.” (Tougo)

“Sure.” (Laocles)

　Laocles just looked at me and started moving his body again.

“Good night.” (Tougo)

“Night.” (Laocles)

　It seems that Laocles is still awake. As for what he does outside, he… chops firewood, fetches water, and even does the laundry, but he spends a lot more time doing something… training his body.

　Yes. He is working out.

　It’s wonderful. It’s really wonderful. Not many other models are this serious.

　…He works out not for me, not to maintain his physical beauty, he says.

　But when I asked him about it, he said he was restless. Yup. He says that if he doesn’t work out, he doesn’t feel comfortable.

　Well, I understand how he feels because I also feel restless when I’m not painting. Maybe.

　I can see Laocles from the window of my room.

　In the moonlight, I can see the movement of his muscles, the tautness of his skin, and his well-proportioned body. He is moving… but he looks like a really well-made sculpture.

　Now, Laocles is apparently swinging. He is holding a long piece of firewood and swinging it.

　…Come to think of it, he said, “All I can do is fight.” No, in spite of that, he’s been asked to prepare the meals, do the laundry, and inform me about the replacement of my sealing stone for the sealing tool.

　But “All I can do is fight.” means… I think that he used to fight before he became a slave.

　I wonder how he fought. A sword? Yes, he looks good in one. Laocles fighting with a sword, shield, and armor. It would be like a scene from Greek mythology, wouldn’t it? Hmmm, I’d like to draw something like that someday.

　… Well, after I learn to control my magic, I guess. I’ll do my best.

　So, I practiced hard to control the magic power.

　When I drew Laocles, I practiced so that I could control the magic. I practiced even when I was drawing something other than Laocles. If possible, I even want to practice when I was eating or bathing.

　…Oh, by the way, I haven’t made the bath yet. I want to make it soon, but only after I have practiced.

　So, I practiced all the time for about 10 days.

　Then, strangely enough, it stopped being so itchy even when I held back from channeling magic power.

　Finally, I was able to draw a “the mochi I draw does not become a mochi.”

“I did it.” (Tougo)

　I showed Fay the finished picture.

　It was a picture of assorted fruits. It was a pencil sketch colored with watercolor. …I gave it my all.

“Oh! You finally made it! Congratulations!” (Fay)

　Fay was happy to see my drawing and, most of all, I’m sure, my face. Yes, I am sure he is very happy now. He has a very happy expression on his face right now.

“I see. So, now, you can stop the painting from materializing as long as you wear the sealing tool?” (Fay)

“Yes.” (Tougo)

　Yes. Now I can finally paint.

　I can draw, but…

“Then let’s go get the next magic stone! The next time I am in the market for a new stone, I should get one with a slightly weaker seal.” (Fay)

　…Oh.

　Oh, I see. This training is not the end of it, is it?

　…right.

　It looks like my training will continue.

　A little dejected, I go to Fay’s house to see the doctor there again.

　By the way, Laocles was to come with me. Laocles wears a slave collar, so he can’t be away from me for more than a certain period of time. So, when we go out like this, we go together.

　…And this excursion was a little different from the usual.

“Um, can someone give me a ride to Fay’s house?” (Tougo)

　I ask the horses in front of me.

　I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to do that, but I’m going to have to learn how to get around without relying on Fay’s summons.

　…Thinking that, I wondered if there was any horse who could carry me, so I called all of them…

“It was more than I expected.” (Tougo)

　I’m surrounded by horses.

　I’m being squeezed.

　…Yeah, this was more than I expected.

　In the end, it was hard to choose one horse. The horses are all good guys, so they all came up to me and said, “Go ahead and ride me.” Yeah, so it was tough.

　Still, I decided to ask the nearest horse, Pegasus, to let me ride on his back.

“Hey, Tougo. You don’t use a saddle?” (Fay)

“Huh?” (Tougo)

“I mean, are you sure that’s the way you want to ride?” (Fay)

“Yes.” (Tougo)

　I clung to the horse with my stomach flat against his back. This is probably the most stable way to ride.

“…Have you ever gone horseback riding?” (Fay)

“Almost never.” (Tougo)

　I think I rode a pony at a ranch once, but that was about it.

“How about we practice sometimes? I’ve never seen a guy who rides a Pegasus like you…” (Fay)

“Hmm……” (Tougo)

　…I’d rather be practicing magic control than riding, and practicing painting more than both, but I can’t help it. I’ll practice riding too, so the horses won’t make fun of me.

　And so, we arrived at Fay’s house. It’s been a while. I’ve been holed up in the woods for a while, practicing magic control.

“The doctor is coming tomorrow. He is preparing the next magic stone. So, you want to stay the night? That would make my father and brother happy.” (Fay)

　Hmmm… I wonder if I’m just freeloading off them.

“Then, please take care of me.” (Tougo)

　But it’s troublesome to go back again, so let’s stay with Laocles today. The Pegasus didn’t seem to like the Redgarde family’s stables and ended up staying in the courtyard. He was fascinated by the various flowers, which he had probably never seen in the forest, and wagged his tail and flapped his wings. Well, he seems to be behaving himself, so I guess he’ll be fine.

“Then what are you going to do today? Shall we go to town after this?” (Fay)

　I look at Fay’s excited look and think.

　The town is certainly a fun place to visit. Maybe we should see more than just painting.

　Or even buy something you need in town…

　Oh.

“I want to buy food.” (Tougo)

“Hmm? Oh, okay. Let’s go there.” (Fay)

“Before that, I want to go to a pawn shop.” (Tougo)

“……Hmm?” (Fay)

　…It’s time to stop relying on the Redgardes for all of my finances.

　There is talk of a family painter, but apart from that, I think it would be better if I could take care of myself.

“If I paint jewelry or something and materialize it, it will sell, right?” (Tougo)

　I want to make some money.

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