Unexpected (4)
Unexpected (4)
"I would like to paint the two of you."
At that utterly unexpected answer, Claire's long lashes swept down and back up in one slow blink.
"...You wish to capture the professor and me in a painting?"
"That is correct."
A voice without a tremor, a perfectly steady heartbeat.
None of the reactions of a person telling a lie.
The killing intent and hostility that had been aimed at Le Coléon eased considerably.
To think she wants to paint me and the professor...
Now that she thought about it, they had never once taken a proper photograph together, let alone a video. Plenty of chances must have existed, so why had the thought never crossed her mind?
After a brief internal debate, Claire found the answer on her own.
Happiness.
Simply being with the person she had fallen in love with for the first time filled her with so much happiness that she could not think of anything else. And perhaps because the chance to preserve a memory with him had just presented itself, Claire's gaze carefully drifted behind her.
"The price."
Baek Woo-jin spoke almost before her eyes could even land on him, and Claire felt as though he had seen right through her. The thought flustered her for no good reason.
"If you wish, I will give you everything Raven has."
Le Coléon answered as if she had been waiting for the question.
Claire could tell the woman was sincere, which surprised her considerably. From a purely corporate standpoint, Raven ranked among the top ten companies in the world in sales of Awakened armaments.
"I will think about it. Come find me again after the auction ends."
"Thank you."
Le Coléon offered another polite bow, then departed quietly via the same elevator she had arrived in.
"Claire."
At the sound of her name, Claire turned back around. Baek Woo-jin was patting the seat next to him with his palm. She coughed lightly and settled down beside him.
"You're going to accept it...?"
"There's no reason to refuse."
Hearing his answer, the corners of Claire's lips turned up ever so faintly.
**
The second auction session came to an end.
It didn't appear today either.
Forgetting Spring Water.
Unlike the fairy situation, this was a necessary item. One could even call it a price that required no cumbersome steps or preparations.
I just hope it hasn't leaked out somewhere else.
Aside from clashing with underworld factions, I hadn't really interfered with the proper flow of the story. Still, small ripples could spread across a lake and grow, and it wouldn't be strange if those minor shifts spawned unexpected variables.
It's like a grand machine of countless gears—even if only Ha-na's stops, everything goes wrong.
In that regard, Le Coléon's deal proposal was both a surprise and an extremely welcome one.
A way to check the items ahead of time without waiting another two days had walked straight up to me. No reason to kick it away. And her goal isn't even to own the painting—it is the act of painting itself, which makes refusing even less sensible.
Above all, the woman at my side wanted it.
I turned my head and looked down at Claire, who was resting against my shoulder.
...This seems like it would suit Miss Ha-na.
...Hmm... they haven't even disclosed the proper effects.
...I will purchase it first and consult Lord Vuar afterward.
With a serious gaze fixed on the screen, she had swept up every pill and elixir that appeared in the auction. I knew the reason was to give them to Baek Ha-na and the other children, so all I saw was someone precious beyond words.
Ding—
At the chime from behind us, Claire, who had been leaning against me quietly, straightened up. I had told her several times that she didn't have to, but this was one habit no amount of scolding could fix.
"Sit beside me."
"Yes."
Le Coléon approached without a single footstep—whether out of habit or an effort to show us the utmost respect, I couldn't tell—and sat down silently on the next sofa.
"I would like to see the items for the remaining two days in advance."
"I will have them prepared immediately. And if there is something you desire, I will have an agent arrange proxy bidding and deliver it to you as quickly as possible."
I could feel she was willing to give her life if need be.
"I'll keep the finished painting on my side."
"Of course. I will be content as long as I can paint the two of you."
"Also, I would like two more paintings done."
"...To paint the two of you, I would gladly do hundreds or thousands more."
Her pulse quickened, her pupils grew, and her breathing became rough.
The prospect of painting a few more pictures of me and Claire had excited her into this state.
Le Coléon Arju Raven.
A middle-aged woman in a black dress reminiscent of a raven.
A figure who never appeared in the story—never so much as mentioned.
Yet here she was, sitting before me, proposing a deal.
It felt like peering at a face that had always been hidden beneath a veil. A different sensation from seeing new sides of Claire. Still, one thing was certain: it didn't feel bad.
Probably because, unlike pests like Ben Stiller who didn't know their place, she was genuinely showing every courtesy.
"The additional pictures will include one more person besides her."
"That is fine. As long as I can paint the two of you, I am content."
A satisfactory answer.
"Where will you paint?"
"I shall paint wherever you wish. The pose is up to you as well. I will fit my schedule to your preferred time."
"Then the one picture you wanted—we'll do it here after I've checked the goods."
"Ahh..."
Le Coléon clasped her hands together as if in prayer and rose from her seat, trembling slightly.
"If you'll wait ten minutes... no, five. I will have the items moved here at once."
She asked for our understanding and left.
"Claire."
"Yes, Professor."
"It's just the two of us now."
"...Woo-jin."
She let out a small cough and sat down beside me again.
"She said she'd leave the pose to us. I'll leave it to you."
"...Excuse me?"
She had been staring quietly ahead, but now looked up at me with wide eyes. Still, no matter how hard she looked, my answer wasn't going to change.
"We still have time. Use it to think it over."
"That... uuh... Understood..."
The fingers resting on her knee twitched.
Outwardly she showed signs of distress, but I spent the moments enjoying the private battle inside her—clearly agonizing over what to choose—while I waited for Le Coléon to return.
·
·
·
As promised, Le Coléon returned after exactly four minutes and thirty-seven seconds, bringing with her several blindfolded staff and the items bound for the auction.
"I'll bring them in order, so please take your time looking them over. And here is a catalog listing the items' names and opening bids."
I scanned the catalog once, then handed it to Claire.
While I sat on the sofa waiting for the Forgetting Spring Water to appear, Claire got up. Catalog in hand, she began meticulously examining each object.
"This has far too much impure energy."
"Tsk. They dare put this junk up as a treasured sword?"
"Celestial Heart Incense... it has a calming effect on the heart."
"Th-this... Paryeom...!!"
Maybe she had forgotten I was sitting right behind her. Claire murmured to herself as she quietly set aside the pieces that caught her eye. Over ten items had already been pulled back behind her.
"This is the last."
The elevator doors opened and Le Coléon returned, carrying the final tray herself. At the same time, I reached out with my mana.
A round glass bottle, smaller than a fist, flew straight into my hand.
A round bottle. Liquid that glows softly, as if it holds the sky itself.
Its shape matched the information in those memories exactly.
More importantly, I could feel the same unknown, strange energy as the Rift crystal and the Scales that had undone the god's seal.
It was here. Good.
The Forgetting Spring Water that erases all memories of its drinker.
It erases memories. Entirely different from simply making someone forget. What is merely forgotten can always resurface someday. The Forgetting Spring Water leaves no such possibility—it wipes everything clean.
It's a secret draught that leaves the body intact but reverts the brain alone to that of a newborn. Not that anyone would actually call this a secret draught.
"Be sure to bring me this one."
"Absolutely. I will secure it."
Le Coléon approached carefully and took the Forgetting Spring Water away. Not long after, Claire finished sorting through the items.
"Then allow me to fetch my tools."
"Ah, as for tools..."
Le Coléon opened a small pouch and began pulling out everything she needed for painting, setting it up piece by piece.
"Preparations are complete. All that's left is for you both to assume a comfortable pose."
At that, I called to the woman standing blankly before me.
"Claire."
"......"
At my call, Claire's blue eyes grew a little larger.
"...I would like you to choose the pose."
I watched Claire, who had clearly already decided on a pose in her head but couldn't bring herself to ask for it, and laughed quietly to myself.
"Is that all right?"
"Doesn't matter to me."
Given permission, Le Coléon smiled brightly and took a smartphone out of her pocket. She approached us and held it out.
"First, if you would remove your glasses and sweep your hair back, like you did in this video."
The screen showed a recording of a very familiar scene.
"Haah. To paint this divinely bestowed face myse—"
"Hold on."
I cut Le Coléon off and stood up.
"We're pushing this back a bit. This evening."
"Eh? Ahh, yes. That is fine."
Le Coléon, who had been utterly worked up, looked a little disappointed but she asked no further questions.
"Claire."
"...Yes. Professor."
When she answered with the highest form of address, I had no choice but to give an order.
"Guide me to the nearest temple of the God of Amusement."