Drawn Mochi Volume 5 Chapter 10.2: A Stormy Competition*4

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　…As Lila said, I think I’ll have to ask Faye to do something about it. I’m not strong on relationships between aristocrats, and if it’s a something between aristocrats, I guess it has to be done between aristocrats.

　However, if that happens, Lila will definitely stop painting.

　On the contrary, I’m sure she’ll just wander off somewhere and disappear.

　Ms. Croix said that she lost her mother. Lila herself said, “I’m relieved.”

　If that’s the case… Maybe she really would just disappear… Just like that…

　I thought about it for a minute and felt really bad.

　I knew it was a bad idea. I like her paintings, and more than anything… I’d like to talk to her a little more. Properly. Not like this.

　Her way of thinking is something I don’t know. But I think it’s something I need.

　I don’t know what a reputation is, and I don’t know what it feels like to seek fame, but I’m sure I need it. I think I need it. Or maybe I don’t need it now, but I will need it someday.

　So I would like to talk more with Lila, who is questioning “evaluation” in a different way than I am, and who likes painting as much as I do. I would like to talk more with her.

　Hmmm… what should I do? How can I talk to Lila even after the competition is over and Fay goes out to sue Mr. Brompa? And how can I make sure that Lila will still be painting then?

　I have the forest. I can paint there as much as I want. But Lila may not want that. She might not be able to paint unless she has someone to protect her, like the Brompas. She might need art materials, a studio… and a place to be, a place to belong…

　…I don’t quite understand what Lila is planning to do.

　But she seems to be working to “end it all”, which means she’s going to throw everything away, and if she doesn’t want to throw it all anymore, she’s not going to be allowed to do that…

　…Hmm.

“Should I kidnap Lila?” (Tougo)

　I said this that day while having dinner in our room at the inn in the Royal Capital, and Fay choked and coughed.

“Are you alright?!” (Fay)

“No, are you okay? That’s not true… Are you okay? That’s my line…” (Tougo)

　Really. …Eh?

“You, kidnapping is a little bit weird, right? Well, you know that right?” (Fay)

　…Ah, I see. Yeah. It is useless.

　Ah, yeah! It’s terrible! It’s no good! I don’t know, I think I was trying to do something that normally I wouldn’t have done! Woah…!

“…my senses are becoming inhuman.” (Tougo)

“Maybe it’s because you turned into a spirit.” (Fay)

“I will be careful…” (Tougo)

　How can I say, hmmm… ever since I came to this world, I’ve gotten so many things that I wanted that my commonsense may have gone crazy. Or maybe it’s because I turned into a spirit…

“Anyway, why did you suddenly won to try kidnapping her?” (Fay)

　Fay, who had calmed down, asked me this. Well, if you ask me why…

“I didn’t want her to stop painting. Also, I’d like to talk to her more.” (Tougo)

　Then I told him what she had told me in the park. Lila said that if we sued her, the Brompas would be charged with a crime, and it would come to light that she had been ghost-painting, and that would cause problems with the museum’s “nameplate exhibit”.

　…when I told them about it, Fay, Ms. Croix, and Laocles all had complicated looks on their faces.

“I see. I see…” (Fay)

“I thought she might have a grudge against the Brompas, but that’s what this is all about, isn’t it? That’s what I thought. She’s pretty good, that girl.” (Croix)

“I don’t think it’s commendable to use Tougo and the Redgarde family for that purpose.” (Laocles)

　Each of them seemed to have their own opinion, and they all remained silent for a while.

“Maybe if things continue like this, Lila Raswald will be imprisoned for deceiving a noble. It would be fine if she was only imprisoned, but maybe they might just try keeping her quiet…” (Fay)

　Fay, who first opened his mouth a little later, said something like that.

　Really. Is this going to lead to such a thing like “keeping her quiet”? …I don’t like it.

“So, well… it’s not a very admirable way to go about it, but I can understand why you’d want to get Lila before she does. Of course, it’s a dangerous move.” (Fay)

“Yep.” (Tougo)

　That’s true. Yeah. Somehow, I felt like I had no choice but to do this… No, I know. I know it’s wrong to kidnap people. I know that, but…

“Well… I think it’s also a bad idea to just pretend the whole thing never happened… even if that’s what she wants to do.” (Croix)

　Next, Ms. Croix said that and tilted her head slightly in annoyance.

“Can something be done?” (Tougo)

“Yes. If she wants to do it. Yes, if she really wants to. If they have made arrangements in advance with the nobles who have allowed Lila to paint, they will be allowed to secretly ‘erase’ her so as not to damage their honor.” (Croix)

“We can’t let them erase her.” (Tougo)

“Yes. That’s why we ‘hide her in the forest.'” (Croix)

　I see. In other words, kidnapping someone? I wonder if it will end up there after all…

“But if you do that, we won’t be able to question the current state of the museum. As a girl like a storm, the result may leave her dissatisfied.” (Tougo)

“I guess… if she wants to get them sued even if it means risking her life, I think she should be allowed to do so.” (Laocles)

　For Lila, being told that nothing happened might be like me being told, “You’re not going to be able to paint for the rest of your life, but you’ll live a healthy life.” That’s not good.

“I think it would be better to kidnap her after she is incarcerated and put bail money on her. If you do that, of course they will be suspicious of you, but… Unexpectedly, the prison staff are disinterested and don’t care about the outside world. As long as you give them money, they’ll keep quiet.” (Laocles)

“That’s detailed.” (Tougo)

“Have you forgotten? I’m a criminal slave.” (Laocles)

　I see. Now that I think about it, Laocles was a criminal slave. I forgot.

　…That’s it.

“Maybe Lila will become a criminal slave too?” (Tougo)

“I don’t know. She’s criticizing the aristocrats, and it’s like complaining about the Royal Museum, right? It would be like complaining to His Majesty the King. I think it would be considered quite problematic, don’t you? I doubt she’ll get away with being a criminal slave.” (Fay)

　I thought that if she became a slave, I could just buy her and take her home, but apparently, it’s not that easy. [T/N: Not the right mindset. You’ve really became a spirit or you’ve been spirit-like for a while.]

“…In the first place, the aristocrats and Royal Family might just ignore the claims of a single girl. It would be fine if it remained in the memory of the people, but the people would not stand up against His Majesty the King. I don’t think it’ll be worth it.” (Fay)

“So, what the king says is absolutely true?” (Tougo)

“Well, that’s a strong point. He is the most important person in this country, right? Of course, even His Majesty the King may have some understanding of the people’s will, but it may be hard for him to accept that ‘don’t put a value on a nameplate’ in the museum.” (Fay)

　I see. I feel like I’m starting to get a little angry.

“If you’re going to complain about His Majesty the King, you’ll have to sacrifice yourself like Lila. The only person greater than the King is a god, right?” (Fay)

　I see. Sacrifice yourself, a god…

　…a god?

“Well, there is one that looks like a god, but I don’t know.” (Fay)

　I see, dragons are considered gods in some places… Right?