Drawn Mochi Volume 5 Chapter 8.2: A Stormy Competition*2

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　I had a strange dream.

　I dreamed of a storm. Let’s see, there was a big storm and I was stuck in the woods.

　I was caught in the rain and wind and couldn’t move at all. It’s as if I’m frozen in place. The pressure of the wind is painful. I can’t breathe.

　As I was being blown by the storm, I suddenly felt like my body was being released… I was floating in the air. Well, will I be blown away? Where will I be blown to? I don’t know what to say, this feeling. Am I so fluffy that I could be blown away by a storm…?

　The pain from before is gone, but now I’m being blown around by a storm with nothing around me, and it’s getting colder and colder. Moreover, I can’t get down to the ground at all as the storm blows me up and rolls me up.

　Moreover, I ended up reaching the Royal Capital while being blown away by the storm. At this point in my dream, I was worried, thinking, “How am I going to get back to the forest after this?”

At that time, for some reason, it seemed that neither the Houou nor the Pipe Fox were nearby. No, I should have drawn something and asked them to give me a ride to the forest, but in the dream, I did not think that far ahead. Well, dreams are like this, aren’t they?

　As I was being flown around with uneasiness in my chest, I saw people in the Royal Capital.

　They were blown away by the storm and rushed into their houses. It seemed that no one else had to be hoisted up and floated through the air like I was.

　The people of the Royal Capital were all inside their houses, and I was the only one in the Royal Capital who had been blown down by the storm and couldn’t get down to the ground.

　It’s kind of cold, I’m worried because the ground is far away, and there’s no one to help me. As I was wondering what to do… Suddenly, I saw a figure in the Royal Capital.

　It was Lila. Below me, Lila was looking up at me.

　Despite being exposed to the storm, she didn’t even go inside the house, just looking at me.

　I waved my hand, wanting to tell her something. It’s strange for a guy who is floating in the storm to do this, but I waved anyway. I’ll stay here.

　…Lila laughed a little and said in a voice that was as loud as the storm itself,

“You’re weird!” (Lila)

　…When I woke up, I wasn’t wearing a blanket. I see. No wonder I was cold.

　And, judging from the state of the bed I was on, I figured out that apparently the Pipe Fox had seen me wrapped up like sushi in a bamboo mat and had gotten into the gap between me and the blanket. Next time when I wrap myself with the blanket, like sushi, it might be better to leave a gap for the Pipe Fox, or to wrap the Pipe Fox within the blanket from the beginning. Otherwise, it will be tight and painful.

And it seems that Houou, who saw me being squeezed by the Pipe Fox, thought that I must be too tight to breathe, so he unwrapped the blanket to make it easier for me and the Pipe Fox who are squeezed together. However, the blanket was not put back on me after that, so I guess I re-experienced the coldness of the storm in my dream.

　…I see. Things like that are often reflected in dreams.

　And I felt like I had a bit of a cold.

　It’s not that bad, but my throat is sore, and my nose is runny. Also, my thoughts are slow.

“…Well, you should feel better. Go to sleep, for now.” (Laocles)

“Yep…” (Tougo)

　Yesterday, I felt like I had a cold, even though Laocles gave me a bath and Ange gave me milk tea. I’m sorry.

“This is not the time to be feeling unwell…” (Tougo)

“If you still feel unwell, it is as expected, you are sick.” (Laocles)

“Is that how it is?” (Tougo)

“That’s how it is.” (Laocles)

　…I don’t really understand the idea that I should be feeling unwell because I am sick, but when he says that’s how it is, it makes me feel like that’s the case, so it’s strange.

“…I had a dream. A dream of a storm.” (Tougo)

“A storm even in your dreams?” (Laocles)

“Yep.” (Tougo)

　I talk to him from my bed, and Laocles listens with a wry smile.

“I was blown away by the storm.” (Tougo)

“…because you were fluffy?” (Laocles)

“I wasn’t. It was just a dream… And then I was blown to the Royal Capital.” (Tougo)

　Laocles has an expression saying, “I see”, but I just said it’s just a dream!

“The capital was empty and empty. Everyone was inside their houses to escape the storm. …but only Lila was standing alone in the middle of the street.” (Tougo)

　Having been in the middle of a storm, I know what I’m talking about. Lila must have been cold and helpless in that storm. But she was standing there.

“And then she looked at me and kind of happily said, “You’re weird!” in a loud voice. I was kind of happy about that. And when I woke up, my blanket was not on me. The end.” (Tougo)

　When I ended the dream, Laocles chuckled and lightly poked the Houou that was beside me around the belly, telling him to put the blanket on me when I was not under it. Yes, that would be nice. Thank you.

“…It’s a dream just like you.” (Laocles)

“Is that so?” (Tougo)

　I’m not light enough to be blown away in a storm. When I looked at Laocles with those thoughts in mind… Laocles has a gentle smile.

“You don’t seem to be very angry with Lila Raswald.” (Laocles)

“Eh?” (Tougo)

　Laocles leaves the room without answering my question.

“Go to sleep. I’ll wake you up when Fay and Croix return.” (Laocles)

“……okay.” (Tougo)

　…Once the door to my room was closed, I thought for a moment.

　I see. I’m not really angry at Lila.

　I wonder why… She’s doing bad things, well, sure, and I’m a victim of that, but am I not in the mood to be angry because I’m not interested in fame… Or do I just not care about her methods that much? No, uh, I don’t. I know it’s bad to exhibit under someone’s name.

　Other than that… I don’t dislike her that much? No, but that’s strange. I don’t know much about her. That’s what I thought when thinking about the motif. So, it’s not like that, it’s supposed to be…

　Ah, maybe because of that picture…

　Then, before I knew it, I was asleep. Or rather, it is correct to say that I was “awake” when I noticed. I was asleep before I knew it, and then I woke up.

　…While I was sleeping, I had a somewhat fluffy dream, perhaps. I don’t remember much, but I feel like it was buried in fluff.

　Then I looked around the bed, and sure enough, there was the Pipe Fox with its tail fluffed up around my neck, and the Houou was curled up on my stomach. Mmmm, fluffy.

　My head had become light and my sore throat was almost gone. However, it was already evening. I had slept from morning to evening.

　…But, well, it can’t be helped. Because it’s just the way it is.

　It can’t be helped, I told myself, as I cuddled the Pipe Fox’s tail on the bed to relax.

“Are you awake?” (Laocles)

　Laocles came in. And behind him…

“Hey, Tougo! You called a storm, and you caught a cold!?” (Fay)

“That’s just like you, but please take care of yourself, okay? Promise.” (Croix)

　…Fay and Ms. Croix are back!

Then I decided to listen to what Faye and the others had to say while drinking the contents of the fruits that had somehow found their way onto the windowsill (probably brought by the Ryuu).

“To put it simply, Lila Raswald has published works using the names of many people other than you.” (Fay)

　Fay said that… And then made a complicated expression.

“I’ve heard that many of them are ‘commissioned’ to use a different name. And that’s either from the person with the name or the people around them.” (Fay)

“In other words, they are commissioned by an aristocrat to paint a picture, and it is displayed in a museum or entered in a competition under the name of the aristocrat.” (Croix)

　…Well, that means… like a ghostwriter, right?