Eirin's Art Classroom (1)

Eirin jolted awake in an instant, frantically scanning her surroundings. Still groggy from sleep, she couldn't spot me right away.

With me gone from where I should have been lying beside her, her separation anxiety flared up again. Her expression turned desperate.

"Young master? If you're not here, then where..."

But I was right there next to her. I'd slipped out of bed for a moment and was sitting at the table in my room.

Eirin finally noticed me at the table and let out a huge sigh of relief. She quickly tried to mask her embarrassment, composing her features.

"You didn't sleep more, did you? I'm sorry... I must have dozed off without realizing..."

"No, it's fine. I ordered you to, so you did well. As I said, rest in this room all day today."

Eirin nodded silently at my words. But then she realized her hair and maid outfit were a total mess from being under the covers, and she panicked again.

The perfect maid Eirin always kept her appearance and attire impeccable. She hurriedly said to me,

"Young ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠master... May I go to my room for a bit? My outfit isn't proper."

Compared to the cosplay maid outfit for nighttime service, it was quite neat. But Eirin's standards were strict.

Even that disheveled look exuded a different kind of charm from her usual self. I rejected her outright.

"No. Stay like that."

At my response, Eirin's expression grew even more urgent. Her face flushed deep red, and after a long pause, she finally said in resignation,

"Then... at least the bathroom..."

She was mortified by the request. We'd been cooped up in my room for a while, so nature was calling, no doubt.

"Use the bathroom in my room. No need to go far."

"B-but... Young master's bathroom... How could I use it here..."

As she squirmed in embarrassment, I added,

"I have no interest in eavesdropping on anyone's private bodily functions. My bathroom is well-insulated. No sounds will leak out, so don't worry."

Of course, that wasn't entirely true. My perverse curiosity did wonder about that sound...

Unfortunately, my mansion was built with meticulous care, so sounds from the bathroom really wouldn't escape.

Eirin bowed politely to me and headed into the bathroom. I glanced at the clock—it was 2 p.m. The darkness outside had dulled my sense of time.

'Lunchtime's already passed.'

I summoned Roberto the butler, ordered lunch, and asked him to bring paper and pencils.

"Paper, you say? Are you planning to send a letter, young master?"

"No, not a letter. Roberto, something spacious for drawing on, if possible."

"Ah, artistic pursuits. I'll prepare it immediately."

Roberto grasped my intent at once. He soon returned not just with paper and pencils, but a full array of professional art supplies that any painter would envy.

'Feels like I've become a pro artist.'

Easels, sketchbooks, even 4B pencils perfect for drawing—and he'd sharpened several of them.

"I brought the ones you usually use, young master."

Come to think of it, my body's previous owner, Yulian, had always fancied ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠himself an artist.

He even had a personal atelier at the Pantheon, so it wasn't surprising the mansion had all these supplies.

'Must have been frustrating for Eirin, watching that from the sidelines.'

Moreover, Eirin seemed to have avoided drawing altogether out of consideration for Yulian.

Yulian had once beaten Philip, son of master tailor Otto, out of jealousy over his clothing designs.

Anyone could see Eirin's skill was superior. Refraining from showing her own work had been wise.

'But now it's not that worthless Yulian anymore. When Eirin comes out, I'll have her draw to her heart's content with these tools.'

In the modern world, art therapy was a thing for relieving stress. This could be the perfect gift for Eirin.

Roberto left the room. But Eirin lingered in the bathroom. Growing bored waiting, I recalled something I needed to check.

I activated a trait via the system.

This trait, activated back in Reinhyme for the changing room play, had been neglected since arriving at the Pantheon. I'd focused on combat traits instead.

To harness Jedin's power, I needed to develop all six orders' abilities evenly. Interactions with party members I'd choose from each were key.

For instance, the alchemist trait: My lecture demo and squad mission alchemy spurred Chloe on.

In the combat order duel, my swordplay pushed Lucia to unleash her hidden blade again.

These interactions raised my trait proficiencies and grew my party members.

Later, the Pantheon's hidden six grand temples and their trials would surely benefit from members like Lilia.

'So I should probably get started on the arts thing too.'

I had to pick at least one party member from the arts order as well.

But linking arts to monster subjugation was tricky. In Demon King Slayer, arts students were just porters at best—cheerleaders if pretty.

Even the protagonist struggled to develop arts traits with the game's system alone.

'Do I have to do performance art with monster corpses like Instructor Mithers?'

Still, I already had arts-related traits, and a personal atelier at the Pantheon. I'd find a way to raise proficiency.

With Eirin showing no sign of emerging soon, I decided to test the trait.

I started drawing with the artist trait active.

Eirin finally emerged from the bathroom. I'd wondered if she was constipated—a rude thought for such a beauty—but that wasn't it.

Her outfit was back to its usual pristine state. Her eyelashes were neatly done, lips a soft pink, skin tone evenly composed.

'She was doing her makeup.'

The artist trait let me notice instantly. Perhaps due to my improved drawing skill, the already beautiful Eirin looked even more radiant.

Her natural beauty usually hid any makeup, but now it was obvious she'd put effort in.

A clear sign she was aware of me as a man. Our vibe today was different, after all. Eirin was a woman too.

"You're late, Eirin. You haven't eaten lunch, so let's eat first."

She glanced at me drawing and nodded. Back at the margrave's mansion, sharing meals felt awkward to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her.

But now she was used to it.

Today felt off, though.

Her expression during our side-by-side meal was anything but normal.

"What's wrong, Eirin?"

"N-nothing. Chef Lois's skills seem to improve daily. The taste surprised me for a moment."

She was dodging. That's when I realized she could see my drawings from her seat.

My sketchbook was filled with sketches. I understood her panic.

They were utterly atrocious, by any standard.

'Even by this era's standards, they're incomprehensible.'

I'd drawn simple still lifes from my room. But the results were trash-tier.

Squid. Octopus. Tentacle horrors. Worse than a child's scribbles—pure chaos.

'Even with the artist trait, this is the output.'

It only granted aesthetic sense, not skill. The original Yulian's talent must have been rock bottom.

No matter what I tried, it came out like that. The flower vase at the end was the least awful.

Eirin's face paled in real-time at the childish mess. Then I caught on.

She was desperately holding back laughter.

"You don't have to hold it in, Eirin. Even I know they're terrible."

"I-it's not... th-that... I... Hup..."

Distracted by replying, she clamped her mouth shut.

"I was trying to copy the flower vase on the table. The result surprised even me."

"Fl-flower... vase... Pfft!"

She couldn't hold it anymore. "Flower vase" was the trigger.

No wonder—my tentacle monsters shared zero resemblance to a vase. Pure mayhem.

"S-sorry... Heh... But... th-that as a fl-flower... vase... Haha!"

I let her laugh freely. It was a rare sight on her usually stoic face—a reward for me.

Unable to eat properly amid the giggles, we soon cleared the table. I told her,

"Even I admit they're funny. But a maid mocking her young master's art? How rude."

My tone shifted 180 degrees from moments ago. As her face grew serious, I continued,

"So now I want to see your drawings. A maid skilled enough to mock mine must be better. Draw my portrait."

I set the trap tight, ensuring no escape. If she hid her talent to spare my feelings after my tentacles, it'd be pointless.

'She can't half-ass my face.'

Eirin had no choice but to comply. But drawing held deep meaning for both of us. Even seated at the easel with pencil in hand, she hesitated.

"For your art... How could a lowly maid touch these sacred tools?"

"Doesn't matter. If you're skilled enough to mock your young master, prove it right here. Draw."

I placed a chair before her and sat as her model. With no way out, her eyes turned serious.

She began sketching me.

Eirin's result was astonishing. Like her dream portrait of Lilia, she captured my likeness perfectly with just a pencil.

Far more detailed than a photo. An angelic yet demonic allure, masterfully rendered.

No exaggeration—just my essence, pure and profound.

'Just viewing it boosts trait proficiency this much.'

An unexpected harvest. Eirin herself seemed stunned by her work, excitement breaking her stoic mask.

"Do you like it, young master?"

How could I not? The artist trait with aesthetic sense confirmed its excellence.

'Eirin is indeed the key to the arts order.'

Her reaction was great too. Though she hid it, she'd clearly wanted to draw.

She was utterly immersed, barely breathing. My hunch was right.

I nodded in satisfaction.

"Far better than mine. Who knew you had such talent, Eirin. I love it."

Her face bloomed with joy at the praise. But recalling my awful drawings, she quickly hid it.

"No, young master. Compared to your flower vase... that masterpiece... mine falls short."

"Nonsense. I know my drawings suck."

Eirin looked sheepish. In that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠moment, viewing her portrait gave me an intuition. Even with my poor skill, something drawable existed.

'The trait senses it. Redrawing might yield better than those tentacles.'

But saying so risked misunderstanding. Time for some shameless acting.

"Eirin, seeing your art gives me inspiration. I'll draw again now."

"Really, young master? If there's anything I can—"

That was the response I wanted. In my gentlest tone, I said,

"Then, shall you take off your clothes, Eirin?"