Chapter 92: The Exhibition(4)
Chapter 92: The Exhibition(4)
I stood there, blankly watching the retreating figures of Cecile and Marie as they left to share a private conversation.
I had asked how long they would be, but they simply said it might take a while and told me to look around at the exhibits until they returned.
Based on the situation just now, I could guess roughly what they were going to talk about, but since there was no room for me to intervene, I had no choice but to stay put.
I knew they’d come back eventually if I just enjoyed the displays, but I couldn't help but be curious.
"Hmm..."
Is this what it feels like to start as a group of three and suddenly find yourself alone? I stared at the spot where Marie and Cecile had vanished before glancing around.
Though I was suddenly on my own, the streets were still bustling with people. Everyone seemed preoccupied with viewing the exhibits or fully immersed in enjoying the festival.
It meant that almost no one paid any mind to me being by myself.
Let’s just walk around for now.
Since Cecile said it would take a while, it would be better to look around than to just stand here. I began to walk, taking in the pieces I hadn't had a chance to see yet.
While statues lined the streets like buildings, paintings and other artworks were displayed throughout the village, offering a variety of sights. Moreover, it wasn't just physical art at the exhibition.
"Above the people are the nobles, above the nobles is the King, and the Kingdom exists because the State exists. However, it is undeniably the people who support that State. In other words, whether King or noble, they are nothing before the people. Yet, Count Crost, you are slandering the very foundation of this nation simply because they are an eyesore. Truly, the conduct of a proper noble. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Shut your mouth! How dare you mock me?!"
"Mockery? I am merely stating facts. I heard that people get angry when you poke at the truth, and it seems that's indeed the case."
There were also theater troupes performing on a central stage set up in the middle of the village.
To be clear, the Matrix Troupe wasn't the only one visiting the exhibition; even outside of professional troupes, there were actors who engaged in theater as a hobby.
One might think that because the stage was in the village square, the voices wouldn't be heard well over the crowd. However, perhaps due to some special magic or engineering, the actors' voices reached my ears with vivid clarity.
Furthermore, while they didn't have the massive scale of the Matrix Troupe, the actors' skills were excellent even by my standards, making it easy to get immersed.
For these reasons, quite a few people were watching the play. Judging by their attire, most of those sitting in the chairs up front were nobles, while those standing in the back were likely commoners.
I wonder what the nobles think when they see this.
The scene currently being performed was from the early part of Volume 8, a moment that represented both the light and shadow of the nobility.
It was a "cider" moment—a satisfying scene where a noble, feeling his vested interests threatened by Xenon, tries to trap him but ends up getting utterly humiliated instead.
One might assume most of the audience would be commoners, but surprisingly, a fair number of nobles were watching as well. They didn't look displeased at all; they were focused entirely on the play itself.
To be honest, as the original author, I was worried they might find it uncomfortable, but it seemed my fears were unfounded. In fact, many nobles had mentioned that the scenes in the beginning of Volume 8 gave them a lot to think about, so this might be an extension of that.
Even if someone causes a scene, the guards will stop them, so it should be fine.
I watched the play from a distance for a bit before moving on to see other things. There were far too many works on display to spend all my time on just one play.
Before long, I discovered a piece that caught my eye.
"Someone actually painted this."
There is a very famous meme in Korea called the 'Hectopascal Kick.'
It’s a scene where a girl delivers a dropkick to a boy who was causing trouble. The scene itself is iconic, but the word 'Hectopascal' had such a powerful ring to it that it ascended to meme status.
I had described that scene in detail in Xenon's Life. Mary, the protagonist and heroine, makes a grand, dignified entrance by delivering a refreshing dropkick to some thugs.
In this world, where most descriptions were plain and dry, such an extraordinary first appearance left a deep impression on many readers.
They really painted it well.
Since this was a medieval setting, the art style was inevitably different, but other than that, it was 100% identical to the Hectopascal Kick I knew.
There was Mary, her purple hair fluttering as she launched a dropkick at a thug, and the thug’s expression as he crossed his arms to take the hit.
The composition, the characters, the expressions—everything was perfect. It was the Hectopascal Kick itself.
Is there another reincarnator besides me?
The thought was so absurd it almost felt plausible. I looked down to see who the owner of this artwork was.
Like the statues I saw earlier, there was a plaque with an explanation.
First, the artist's name was Carls Zvasa. He was from the Minerva Empire, not the Ters Kingdom.
The reason he chose to paint this specific scene out of so many was that it revealed Mary's personality and identity all at once.
He also stated that, unlike other artists, he wanted to draw it in a slightly comical way to bring a smile to those who viewed the work.
Carls Zvasa... I should remember this name.
I committed Carls's work—which matched the Hectopascal Kick in my head perfectly—to memory and pulled out a notebook and pen. This was to ensure I wouldn't forget the name.
Later, after the exhibition ended, I would need to mention the names of a few artists so people would know I had attended. It was a necessity.
"Whew~"
"Eek?!"
As I was writing the name in my notebook, someone blew air into my ear. The sensation was beyond ticklish; it sent a shiver down my spine, forcing a bizarre yelp out of me.
I dug at my itchy ear canal and turned my head to see who had done such a thing.
As soon as I saw the culprit's face, I couldn't hide my disbelief.
"...Adel?"
"Haha. Fancy meeting you here!"
It was Adelia, who had left the mansion to see the exhibition before me. I looked at her with an exasperated expression as she gave me her characteristic cheerful, welcoming smile.
Usually, Adelia wore simple clothes even on weekends, but today, perhaps because of the festival, she seemed to have put a lot of effort into her outfit.
Her brown, neck-length bob and her makeup-free beauty were the same, but as they say, clothes make the person. Wearing a brown vest over a white shirt and leather pants that accentuated her legs, she was fully expressing her unique charm.
Aside from the clothes, the playful and energetic aura she had at the Academy hadn't faded at all.
"Where are the others? Why are you walking around all by yourself?"
Adelia asked in her signature husky voice, planting her hands on her hips.
I continued to poke at my still-tingling ear with a finger and replied grumpily.
"I have some business to take care of. What about you, Adel? Weren't you with my sister?"
"I was, originally. But Nicole vanished the moment I took my eyes off her."
"...Don't tell me you got lost?"
"No way. I didn't get lost; I just lost track of Nicole."
That's exactly what getting lost means. I let out a hollow laugh at Adelia, who was being more than just bold—she was being shameless.
Even though an exhibition was being held, our territory was on the smaller side. If she got lost here, I couldn't even imagine how she managed at the Academy.
When I laughed, Adelia seemed to realize how ridiculous she sounded and scratched her cheek with a sheepish grin.
"Well... anyway, can I tag along until I find Nicole? I'm such a klutz with directions that I can't even find my way back to the mansion."
"I don't mind if you just want to walk together. But is your sense of direction really that bad? You can't even find the mansion?"
"At the Academy, I once wandered around all day because I couldn't find my dormitory. Impressive, right?"
"That is absolutely nothing to brag about. Anyway, you're enjoying the exhibition, right?"
"I am, but..."
Adelia hesitated slightly at my question before flashing a bright smile. I felt an inexplicable sense of dissonance from that smile.
It felt strongly as if she was forcing it. Having just seen her genuine smile a moment ago, my suspicion grew.
"Yeah. I'm enjoying it just fine. You don't have to worry."
"Hmm... okay."
"What about you, cutie? This exhibition is being held in your territory. Doesn't it make you feel good?"
She was clearly trying to change the subject. Thanks to that, I caught on that there was some kind of story there, but I decided to play along.
Still, curiosity is curiosity. I continued the conversation to try and get a better sense of the situation.
"Of course it does. This is the first time in our territory's history that it's been this lively. I'm especially proud to see everyone enjoying the festival regardless of their race."
"Ah. Come to think of it, I've seen Demons here and there, not just Beastkin. I was really surprised. Demons usually go to great lengths to hide their identity."
"That's all thanks to Xenon's Life. What did you think of Demons before the book came out, Adel?"
"I didn't really think much of them. Demon or whatever, I was too busy trying to survive on my own to care about anyone else."
She said it in passing, but I couldn't just let it slide. It was a comment that allowed me to catch a glimpse, however brief, of Adelia's past.
It seemed she had a more complicated history than I thought. I’d heard that people who laugh a lot often have many internal scars.
Perhaps Adelia was one of them. I stared at the beaming Adelia for a moment before speaking quietly.
"Now that I think about it, where is your hometown? My sister told me you lived somewhere very far away."
"Uh... there is a place. It's a village without even a name, so it's hard to describe. Getting into the Academy in the first place was a stroke of luck."
Adelia replied, clasping her hands behind her head. The way her eyes shifted to the right made it obvious she was lying.
Between her beauty, which could never be mistaken for a commoner's, and her mannerisms, she was definitely connected to the nobility in some significant way.
I glanced at her as she lied and continued in a neutral voice.
"That's a shame."
"What is?"
"That you can't enjoy the festival with your family because it's so far away."
"Family..."
Adelia murmured meaningfully, then gave a short, dry laugh. Her voice was small and laced with a deep sense of longing.
Combined with her husky tone, the melancholy felt even stronger.
"You're right. Like you said, a festival like this should be enjoyed with family."
"... ..."
"It would be so much fun. Chatting with siblings, buying delicious food with parents..."
Her atmosphere and voice were completely different from her usual boisterous self. As her normally husky voice dropped an octave, it carried a subtle weight, and I could even feel the sorrow she had suppressed in her heart.
Did she perhaps lose her family in the past? It would be impossible to make such an expression otherwise.
I, too, had experienced losing my entire family in my previous life, so I knew exactly what kind of face a person makes in that situation. They look up at the sky just like Adelia, reminiscing about the past.
Times that seemed like ordinary daily life back then, but in hindsight, were happier than any other. Family members who were more reliable allies than anyone else.
I waited patiently while Adelia was lost in her memories. I had no intention of dragging her out of them by force.
"Hmm..."
But why are you suddenly looking at me? Adelia, who had been staring at the sky with wistful eyes, seemed to snap out of her thoughts and turned her gaze toward me.
Just as I was beginning to wonder why she was staring so intently at me with those sky-blue eyes, she smirked and spoke softly.
"It would be really nice to have a younger brother like you. I feel like I'd dote on you every single day."
"I'm not really into rowdy people like you, Adel..."
"Hey now. Don't be so cold. I'm actually very good to my siblings, you know? And if I had a cute brother like you, I'd want to protect you no matter what. I think I understand why Nicole treasures you so much."
"Uh-uh. Hands off. I'm a man with a girlfriend."
"She's not here right now. Just a little squeeze, okay?"
"No."
I firmly refused, blocking Adelia as she tried to cling to me like a weirdo. Adelia was likely just joking, as she was easily pushed back by my resistance.
Still, it seemed her wish for a brother like me was sincere, as she looked quite disappointed when I flatly rejected her.
"Tch. Is that how it's going to be between us? How cruel."
"And what exactly is 'between us'?"
"My friend's brother and my friend's sister?"
"That's what we call strangers."
"Aren't you being a bit too stingy?"
"I don't think the person who threw a ball at me the first time we met has any right to say that."
"...I'm really sorry about that."
Chatting with Adelia, we toured the exhibition and bought street food here and there. Naturally, I paid for everything.
Adelia had offered to pay, but as the son of the Lord, I wanted to decline at least that much.
Because of this, Adelia tried to sneakily pinch my cheeks as a thank you, but she backed off disappointedly when I gave her a stern warning.
"By the way, when are your girlfriend and the Demon Princess coming back?"
"I don't know. They said it would take a while... Huh?"
It happened while we were wandering around, leisurely eating chicken skewers. I noticed a crowd of people huddled together in one spot, which piqued my curiosity.
Adelia seemed to feel the same, as she fixed her gaze in the same direction and murmured in a puzzled voice.
"Is there something to see?"
"Most likely. Shall we go check it out?"
"Let's. I was getting bored anyway. Yawn."
Adelia finished off the remaining meat on her skewer all at once and tossed it behind her. She didn't just litter; there was a trash can behind her, and she aimed for it.
I made a strange face at her skill in landing the skewer perfectly in the bin without even looking, but only for a moment before I started walking toward the crowd.
As we got closer, the snippets of their conversation began to reach my ears.
"You're saying royalty from the Ters Kingdom has arrived?"
"Yeah. I heard it's the Crown Prince and two Princesses."
"That's unusual. To think Ters royalty would visit our Empire."
Inferring from the talk, it seemed that some VIPs—royalty, no less—had arrived from the Ters Kingdom.
Curious to see what they looked like, I craned my neck, but there were so many people that it was hard to even catch a glimpse of a face.
Just as I was about to give up and decide to see them later if I got the chance, I realized Adelia's reaction was anything but normal.
"Those guys... are here...?"
"Adel?"
Had she received some kind of great shock? Adelia's complexion turned rapidly pale, and her sky-blue eyes began to shake uncontrollably.
Even when I called her name, even when I grabbed her arm and shook her, Adelia just stood there as if nailed to the spot.
"Adel."
"... ..."
"Adel. Snap out of it."
"Ah? Ahh."
In the end, I pulled on her cheek to force her back to her senses. Adelia jumped in surprise when her cheek was pinched and blinked her sky-blue eyes a couple of times.
She then looked at me with a dazed expression before taking a long breath and forcing a wide smile. It felt strongly like a forced grin—a very awkward, hollow smile.
"S-sorry. I guess I spaced out for a second."
"Are you okay? Nothing's wrong?"
"Not at all. I'm the picture of health."
The fact that she was talking nonsense confirmed that something was definitely wrong. I thought about the Ters royalty who would be beyond the huddle of people.
Could Adelia be related to them? The fact that she looked like she’d lost her soul the moment she heard Ters royalty had arrived made it highly likely.
It seems there's a more complicated story here than I thought.
It would be best for me, and especially for Adelia, to get out of here quickly.
I grabbed the hand of the still-confused Adelia. I felt her flinch as I took her hand.
"...Cutie?"
"Let's not stay here; let's go somewhere else. There are too many people; it'll be hard to squeeze through anyway."
"Could... could we stay here for just a moment?"
"Why?"
"There's s-something I want to check. It's personal, so you go on ahead."
Adelia pleaded with me in a trembling voice. Her face was still pale, her eyes were shaking, and cold sweat was beginning to bead on her cheeks.
The fact that she was breaking into a cold sweat in such a short time was impossible to ignore, and her lips were even quivering. She wasn't just nervous; she was showing signs of an anxiety attack.
If this continued, I didn't know what might happen to her. When placed in a state of extreme anxiety, people often lose their ability to remain rational.
Both for her sake and to avoid getting caught up in something unnecessarily complicated, I firmly refused.
"No. Do you even know what state you're in right now? I don't know what's going on with those people, but I think it's best for you to go and calm down."
"N-no, absolutely not. It's a strictly personal matter, so let go. I just need to check for one second, just one second!"
Becoming desperate, Adelia told me to let go and swatted at my hand, but I ignored her and pulled her away. Perhaps because her anxiety was so severe, she couldn't seem to muster any real strength.
How anxious must she be for someone who served as a martial arts assistant instructor at the Academy to become this frail? If she were a stranger, I might have ignored it, but she was Nicole's precious friend, so I couldn't just leave her be.
"First, take a deep breath and calm your mind. I can feel your pulse racing just by holding your hand."
"I-is that so? Is it that bad?"
"Why don't you put your hand over your heart and think about it?"
At my suggestion, Adelia placed her hand on her chest. Realizing her condition belatedly, she took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.
It was just as I was about to let go of her hand.
"Adel-onni?"
A clear, youthful voice pierced through the air. At the sound of the very young voice, both I and Adelia turned our heads toward the source.
The first thing that caught my eye were sky-blue eyes, just like Adelia's. Not the deep blue of Marie or Lina, but a pale hue like aquamarine.
Next were the two people beside the girl. They were all handsome and beautiful, with sky-blue hair and eyes, exuding a unique aura.
The color was a stark contrast to my own red hair, making them seem even more mysterious.
"It's Adel-onni!"
In a moment where time seemed to stop, a girl as cute as a doll shouted Adelia's name, her eyes sparkling. At the same time, Adelia flinched and stumbled backward.
Just as the girl was about to step toward Adelia, someone grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.
The hand belonged to a woman with a stiff expression standing next to her. She wasn't wearing a dress, but a uniform a knight might wear. Combined with her ponytail, she exuded a mature charm.
"No."
"Eh? Hiriya-onni?"
When the woman in the uniform stopped her with a brief, blunt, mid-toned voice, the girl looked at her with a puzzled expression. Despite the girl's confusion, the gaze of the woman called Hiriya remained fixed on one spot.
If nothing else, it was certainly not a friendly gaze. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it contemptuous.
I slowly turned my head toward where that gaze was directed.
"... ..."
Adelia's sky-blue eyes, identical to those of the people in front of us, were shaking aimlessly.
Thump— Thump— Thump—
Even though I was only holding her hand, I could clearly feel her heart pounding violently.