x
Walking down the road from the other side, I saw the water flowing down the mountain from the top of the mountain. It is estimated that the snow melted down the mountain which is covered by snow all year round. The track that has been left by the water flowing for many years on the hard stone. It is true that the water is worn through the stone. A small amount of exposed ore shines in the river under the refraction of sunlight in water. As Sorey, Edna and Velvet start approaching the town, the river began to become looming as if someone wanted to design the river to be traceless. It is covered by the forests on the way and Marlind, their destination, is after the forest. Whether it is natural or designed, it is uncertain. In design, to have a mysterious journey of searching before entering the entrance indeed an interesting concept. Certainly, such a concept would not be applied to the town entrance except for some isolated place like Tewks and Elysia.
Thanks for the isolated place, Sorey and Velvet still have a lot of things needed to learn in order to live in this age even they woke up 2 months ago.
“By the way, do you guys have a mobile phone? So I may add your number.” Edna suddenly thinks of the issue of mobile phone and asked while showing hers.
“No, what is it?” Sorey immediately attracted by technology.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGoj6JSYsf
“We haven’t seen anything like this in the places we’ve been.” Velvet tried to find something like the phone in her memory.
“Actually, I saw it once in Ladylake,” Sorey added.
“......It is a portable device that enables people to directly contract to anyone if you have their number. It is very general among the public, even for us Seraphim agree with its convenience. How come you haven’t seen it and you only saw it once?” Edna taunted how unenlightened the teens are.
“We’ve been to Ladylake but most of our time was in the Lost Tower,” Velvet still doesn’t believe the device is popular in that way.
“I see….the lost tower…..the place is too poor to have the devices then.” Edna rolled her eyes up as she thinks of Zaveid when they mentioned the place.
“It sounds very cool!” Sorey is excited about the device.
“Yes, for its convenience I want to buy you one, but I am invisible, and you don’t have enough money, right?” Edna doubted if they have enough money.
“How much is it?”Velvet asked for the general price.
“The cheapest price will be around 150000 galds,” Edna stated indifferently.
“........Well...we don’t have much money.” Sorey is a bit down for the news.
“How did you get one?” Velvet doubted how come the seraph was able to get one if she is invisible.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NLRj6iyWW
“Ask a Shepherd to buy me one, or just take it myself, I am nearly invisible,” Edna answered in joy.
“And you are not going to get us one with your invisibility?” Velvet replied sarcastically when she heard the answer.
“No, you have to follow the human rules.” The sentence just makes the teens be down again.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTPMeOLdk5
“.........Fine.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7nshhjHQq
“...a...haha…..”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGvA8Y2geT
Isn’t this double standard?
“Edna, you become like humans?” Sorey is surprised that Edna actually be familiar with human technology and recommend us to have one too.
“Nope, that’s a thing I won’t change my point of view even after 500 years.” Edna decisively answered.
“But you know so much about human’ inventions.”
“Like what they created doesn't mean that I like humans.They have never changed in essence.” Edna responded indifferently.
“Oh…..”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjqqq8dSdo
“But I am glad that you never change,” Edna added with a tiny voice.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYhiBfyivl
“eh?”
“And your clothes……..still the one from 500 years ago?” Edna noticed Sorey’s clothes are the same one from 500 years ago.
“Yes, and?” Sorey inexplicably tilted his head. Originally, they have more clothes but Sorey is too kind that he gave away their clothes package to the poor children he met in Lost Tower, and Velvet didn’t disagree with it, as a result, they are wearing their ancient clothes again.
“And Velvet, don’t tell me your outfit is from 1500 years ago.” Edna felt unbelievable.
“Hmm, yes, what’s wrong?” Velvet doesn’t find any problem.
“Are you a girl?!” Edna thought this is completely unacceptable from the human standard when she is wearing the same one from at least 500 years ago too.
“Well, yes.” Velvet still doesn’t find any problem.
“Err…… I can’t take you two idiots, we buy the clothes as soon as possible after we arrive Marlind!” Edna rolled up her eye.
“But what about the money?” Velvet concerned the prices after hearing the high prices of the phone.
“I have my own, and you guys just go hunt some breast around the forest for some galds! The clothes are much cheaper than the mobile phone now.”
“Why is she getting crazy to this?” Velvet still doesn’t find any problem.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYTH13omxd
“I don’t know, but good to have new clothes anyway?” Sorey still doesn’t find any problem too.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI61TOAcPF4
“Agreed.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c8fNBxzk0
-------------------------------------------
Marlind becomes a much larger town from 500 years ago. All houses become concrete boxes, but they are designed in a similar building style with the ancient one to have the feeling of a whole and also for the artistic feeling, to show it is the city of the great tree. Although it is not a town as large as Ladylake, the city feels bigger in space. There is much more public space for people activity. I see painters drawing for families or couples in the park, also people sing while they are having a picnic on a lawn. Some stalls are selling figure-like candy to children. Sorey asked the hawker how the candy is made, he answered that with the Sugar paste, pigment, Cornflour, and creativity will do. Still, somebody just sits on a bench with stressful expression. Comparing to Ladylake, people live in here spread a relaxing atmosphere, they live with their art. The spirit of art has been passed on, with historical buildings in the town.
Heard that there is the latest version of Celestial Record and Sorey is going to buy one in the town.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPItxcLzYKk
Just when he wants to walk towards one of the book stores, Edna pulls him back.
“Sorey, Velvet, to the boutique!” Edna exclaimed.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BsmTXUihE
“Ur er..?!!! Wait! Let me go!” Velvet sent a lovely moaning sound not normally hear.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihfs1NHNv0
“No, new clothes are the particularly necessary item for you, Velvet,” Edna added while continuing to pull Velvet and walking towards the boutique at high speed.
“...Fine...Fine….I will come with you, just don’t walk so fast!”
“Wait, the….the Celestial Record!!”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vSn7wsBAM
“Go for it later, now the clothing first!”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcMvgD5xWe
Sorey’s struggle seems useless in front of Edna, he just recalled, the Earth seraphim can perform extremely strong force like to crush rocks.
Sorey and Velvet both dragged by Edna to the boutique, any effort to struggle is useless.
“Welcome. Oh my lord! What may I help you?” The receptionist greeted them politely.
“Yes, please find some clothes that suitable for these two people.” Sorey is pretty surprised that the shopkeeper is having a conversation with Edna.
“Ok, this way please.” the shopkeeper politely invited them to follow her. She then quickly chooses some clothes for them.
For Sorey, it is a simple white shirt with a pair of blue jeans. he changed the chosen clothes and come out of the changing room.
Velvet is slower than Sorey, he can hear some mumbling from the room, like: “What? That….I…..”
“I won’t let you out if you don’t get change. Look, Sorey is waiting for you.” Edna responded as soon as she heard the mumbling.
“......fine………..”That is the final sentence they heard from the room. Seems Velvet can’t do anything to Edna if Edna insists to do.
After a while, Velvet finally came out with an off-the-shoulder dress. It is a tiered mini-skirt in black and white colors with the external corset. She put her hands behind her and lowered her head. She looks shy as if a late flower seems to hide behind the green leaves. Sorey will say that is a pretty cute expression from her, but he doubts that why would she not shy when she is wearing the old outfit that is much exposed than this.
“Wow…...You are beautiful! Velvet!” Sorey said without a second thought after seeing Velvet came out with her new dress. It is not like that Sorey judge a woman by her outlook, in fact, he always judges people by what he got from their behavior. However, this is different, it is really shocking when seeing a tomboy wearing girly. She never wears clothes like that, she used to dress casually, all wearing pants and shirts, and would not pay attention to the degree of breakage of clothes. Thus he is amazed by her girly look. What’s more, the dress shows her beauty in its way.
Maybe Lailah would say “The layers of dress show the youthful and joyful vitality in Velvet that should present on a girl in her age. The strapless design will be refreshing and it shows her quiet sexiness, show off with temperament and not arrogance!” Something Sorey would not understand at all.
There’s a saying that ‘Fine feathers make fine birds. The tailor makes the man.’ and this is describing Velvet at this moment.
“Tha…....Thanks, Sorey….You look good too…...but this is not convenient in moving...a large degree.” The blush on Velvet’s face was deeper and her ears were red after hearing Sorey’s appreciation. She still doesn't want to look at Sorey or Edna. The long eyelashes are moving gently, and she is so shy that she is going to shed tears because she is being the spotlight in the shop now.
“Learning to walk casually with a dress is also an important lesson for girls nowadays, plus you may just wear shorts under the dress, it is not a problem,” Edna suggested carefreely and seems very satisfied with Velvet’s expression. The sentence becomes persuasive when Edna is always wearing a dress that is short like a super mini-skirt.
Edna then asks for the price, it seems that there is some left in the budget, so she tells them to choose one more set of clothes themselves. Sorey chose a T-shirt and short and Velvet chose T-shirt and pairs of trousers.
“Let’s not say Sorey’s, your sense of fashion choice is really just like my brother said in the letter.” Edna teased when she saw the choice from Velvet.
“Just what did he said in the letter?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkylDYo6ux
“Choosing clothes only base on mobility and flexibility.”
“Well…..that true…….but these clothes allow big move and may be worn in all seasons…..”
“Ah, blah blah blah...I am not going to hear that….you are surely a special type.” Edna signed. Sorey doesn’t understand why is she disappointed at all.
After paying the clothes, they left the shop. As an observant adventurer, Sorey found that there is a mark on the signboard while it is not existing in other shops, so he asked: “Edna, is there a meaning by that mark?”
“Good observation, Sorey. That is a mark for that the shop also capable of serving seraphim or working with seraphim. It is a concept originally formed by Rose just after you. You know, she is a businesswoman and it is then developed by her teams and the after generation.”
“Wow……….” Sorey is amazed by the whole things, hope that he may see that in other districts since he didn’t see one in Ladylake.
“Now shall we go to the Art Museum?” Edna asked.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQztSBxzYyi
“I am fine.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFfEjYNNxI
“I am fine too but I remembered that you don’t seem really interested in art. Why would you suggest to go there.” Sorey asked.
“......You said you want to know about what happened in the past 500 years, then you may see it yourself in the Gallery. The artworks somehow reflect the living of people at that time, I think start studying history in this way is more efficient for illiteracy from ancient times, isn’t it?” Edna teased.
“We are able to read a little though...Thanks, Edna! Let’s go there!”
There only one building is particularly recognizable to Sorey in the town, it is the Dumnonia Museum, and they are approaching it. Great effort must be applied to see it remains almost the same like 500 years ago, and he sees the extended parts which constructing with the similar style as the original part, guess that more artworks are stored there now. Sorey explored it with his companions to purify the malevolence that time, and sadly most of the artworks are destroyed in that time, but he is sure that it becomes better now for the wealth in the town.
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNpxIiyini
Unlike the last time Sorey went here that the door left open just a crack to welcome them to enter, this time, the door is fully open that they can see through the lobby directly. The fascinating and bright circumference is very different from the previous time Sorey came. It was very eerie and horrible, it was neglected to repair, full of debris, holes and spider webs and it can only be illuminated by the only light that came in through the window. Now is how an art gallery truly should be. Speaking of it, Sorey has never really been to the museum. Where he had been being the tainted places and the tainted ruins, so now when he comes in and sees its original appearance, sees it is working and people are enjoying it, his heart is inextricably excited. The other two companions seems indifferent to it though.
“Wow, fantastic!” Sorey is too excited to stop himself from shouting and jumping for joy.
Then he gets an umbrella poke from the Earth Seraphim and a gaze from Velvet, oh, actually, the gazes from many people in the Art Museum. Sorey forgot that he should be silent in an Art museum to not cause a disturbance in it, now the security guard come here to hint that they should be silent. Sorey apologized with embarrassment and buy tickets in the ticket office.
Seems Sorey’s shout isn’t bad at all, it led a notice from an acquaintance. A helmeted Normin, Attak, comes here with its cute sound of footsteps.
“Oh! Young Shepherd! You come back again! Lailah isn’t with you though……” Attak exclaimed his joy with Sorey’s arrival but expressed his disappointment with the Lailah’s absence. Attak is really affectionate that even if Lailah said that they only have one-time encounter and she would dodge his swoop every time, he still likes her so much.
“Umm, sorry, Lailah is not here, maybe she is traveling with the Shepherd of this generation,” Sorey answered.
“So you are not a Shepherd now?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTespYeZ242
“Yeah, you can call me Sorey. I am traveling Edna and Velvet here. I want to know about the things happened during the past 500 years.”
“Hehe, then I can introduce the artworks for you, Sorey! I am familiar with every artwork in this Museum, I can definitely help you.” Attak claimed a self recommendation. Sure, for Attak who is passionate about art must have a deep realization to all artworks.
“Yes! Then please!”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwubS6YS3b
“How great, you get a guide just after a while entering the museum,” Edna commented while showing a smirk, like cheering for the trouble of being able to explain.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6gxZUzupb
Another companion says nothing but rolled up her eyes, she thinks of the days that Eizen or Eleanor came automatically started discussing the architecture or art in the ruins, so long and monotonous to her like a lullaby that she almost became sleepy if she concentrated on it.
“Oh? You are an acquaintance of Attak, then you can have a free offer today!” The officer saw us talking to Attak refund the ticket money to us, which I felt embarrassed and I tried to refuse the offer. By his persistence, I accepted the offer at last and I am glad that there is more people who possessed a high enough resonance to see the Seraphim.
“You are really lucky, Sorey.” Velvet commented for all the things just happened. Meeting an acquaintance after a shout and then got a guide and a free offer, how can you say it not lucky?
“Ha...ha, well, kind of.”
“Great that we buy new clothes, or I can’t imagine what will it be Velvet.” Edna teased.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqr63iVBDJk
“Why are you particularly mentioning my name on it?” Velvet questioned.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCDrGjk9WU
“Wearing the ragged clothing just like a weird stray, that will only make us suspicious.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqnI5dMWbO
“.....I suppose you are right.”Velvet could not answer back.
“Well, we have to be decent inside a museum indeed.” Sorey tried to get the atmosphere peaceful again.
Attak is pleased to explain to me the development of art. He said that many different schools have evolved, and the people have begun to focus on the conservation of cultural relics and art. The art is less burned because of political factors, but smuggling is indispensable. To be honest, there are several paintings here that have to be taken back at the underground auction site.
Passing through the wooden door with carving, they entered the exhibition atrium, some people stop in front of the displayed drawings to appreciate them and some people stand in front of the statues and thinking the meaning behind.
In the first chamber they entered, the meditative classical music is playing in the room, reinforcing the classical theme in the exhibition. They see drawings about the thriving and prosperous Era or the lives of the rich. People like the hullabaloo and luxury, so are the painters.
“Seems a joyful moment in the painting,” Sorey commented in front of a painting of a dancing ball on the street.
“Yes. The painter uses brushstrokes of realism and fantasy colors to come to the beautiful environment. The painting described a ball with the crowd drawn, the crowds are moving, the colors are jumping, the excitement is extraordinary, giving a strong impression of joy and balancing the fantasy and realism. It described the festive mood of people in Rolance” Attak explained.
“Looks even more cheerful than the Sacred Blade Festival,” Sorey commented as remember the festival he had.
“After...war?”
“The darkest hour is just A Ball the dawn. If you learned the history in Ladylake, you knew there was war occur after Alisha and Sergei died.” Edna said indifferently.
“.......? Yes…I see, let’s go for the next painting.” Wait, is it a pun?
“What is this drawing, I somehow feel the warmth from lights in the drawing,” Sorey asked as he saw the drawing of a concert.
“It is a flute concert, guess that it was a too luxurious thing in the Age of chaos but it appeared again after it. The realistic techniques are reflected in every detail in the picture. The fantastic music, exquisite lamp, fluttering flute, twinkling candlelight, each kind of elements constructed the picture harmoniously and the picture shows the upper social atmosphere in that time.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPH8eHsRAw
The painter concentrated on how to show the atmosphere in the picture so he used many handlings in the color to show the lighting in the scene. The yellow color of the hustle and bustle contains a few flashes of brilliance, the warmth is focused in the center of the picture, the dark brown background gradually extends outwards, the piper holds the flute, and the scene is beautiful.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mFgynCc2I
The beautiful notes in the lyrical melody flow throughout the frame, and the luxurious society harmoniously gathered together in a graceful manner creates visual and auditory beauty in the drawing.” Attak explained. As stated by Attak, those were drawings in the prosperous period of Rolance after the War of Aggression between Hyland and Rolance after a hundred of years Sorey gone.
“Not presents in my time either.” Velvet commented.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAudo3yNFMo
“When was your time by the way?” Attak asked curiously.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUHizOtQDS
“Hmm, not sure, but likely be the Asgard Unification Period, or maybe older than Edna……” Sorey answered. The idiotic boy gets another umbrella poke from the earth seraph. Edna minded to talk about her age and Sorey never learns from it.
“Huh?” It is quite a shocking fact for Attak to know.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibiOJRB1sr
“Look, we may not on the same age. Age Asgard wither her, nor custom stales her infinite creativity.” Edna said while pointing to a portrait painting on the wall.
“Indeed! Nothing wither her beauty and creativity!” Attak pumped up that he can’t wait to introduce them the drawing.
By just looking at it, it is a portrait painting drawing a fair lady dressed in a red and white long-sleeved dress. Seems it used a special technique to draw her hair that the lady in possessed a long straight silver hair with hints of green and red that certainly not a characteristic possessed by a human, and it is tied back in a high ponytail behind a red and gold headband. She has mysterious and smiling green eyes, like the prime lord, formed a pact with Sorey.
“It is…. Lailah!” Despite the drawing is not exactly showing Lailah appearance, most of the parts are similar to Lailah.
“Correct! There is a short story behind it. It is called La Gioconda* (A Carefree woman), drawn by a man successfully saw the Seraphim for a moment with the help of the Shepherd. The painter was impressed with Lailah when he saw her. Well, of course, Lailah is always radiating with glamour and charm! Sad that his resonance is not enough to let him continue to see Seraphim, he can’t see her after the Shepherd left the place.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L8UwnJjMe
However, Lailah is so charming and beautiful, her image left in his mind. Thus, the painter drew out the lady in his mind again, when his memory has not started fading yet, to record and share her beauty. Then he may remember her even if he started being forgetful by age, he may see her every day even if they are parted.
The characters in the painting are elegant in sitting, the smile is subtle, and the background is deep in layering, and the painter's strange smoke-like brushstroke of “unbounded gradient coloring method” is used in the background. The painter tries to make the rich inner feelings and beautiful appearance of the characters ingeniously combine. For the key parts of the face and lips, such as the lips and the lips, the special part of the face is also focused on the precise and implicit dialectical relationship to achieve the charm of the environment, thus making La Gioconda* has a mysterious and fascinating charm, and the dreamy smile is called "mysterious smile" by many art historians.” Attak talked fluently and endlessly about things behind the painting.
Somehow Sorey felt the explanation is longer than the other painting and he thought the painter’s story is similar to Attak’s feeling towards Lailah. Guess the explanation is more subjective, he can hear that Attak becomes infatuated with the painting and the smile it depicted that he repeated the lips for three times. Anyway, Edna successfully handled the issue for Sorey carelessly said about Velvet is a person from Asgard Unification Period by bluffing it out with Lailah.
“While people were in the prosperous state in Rolance, there were poor situations happened inside Hyland, sarcastically, the poor presented in Rolance too. The painters sympathized with the poor but they are helpless to it, thus the painters recorded the scene of poor farmers, the life of poor families, to criticize the government and the society at that time.” Attak returned to a normal state and is leading us to the next exhibition zone.
In the next zone, it is showing paintings of the stories of the poor people.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2byRa1P713
Some of the drawings are talking about the beautiful things among the poor, like one of the drawings recorded a Teenager blowing soap bubbles. The young boy who dressed in poor but tidy clothing is blowing soap bubbles from indoors to the outside. His eyes concentrate on the bubbles he is blowing. He seems young that be only 3 to 4 years old, blowing the bubbles while squatting on the window sill and squinting from inside to outside. His eyes are full of hope for the outside world. The drawing is showing a very ordinary and simple subject. a kind of leisurely and comfortable life in the lower level family. The children lived a happy and simple life even if they are poor.
Some paintings recorded the real scene of poor working life. One of the artworks: Gleaner, drawing 3 farmers picking up tassels in the farm at nightfall. As explained by Attak, the work silently confesses the poverty and hunger of the peasants, anxiety, and mourning, and implies a strong sense of social criticism. Some even drew the extreme situation like a Slave Auction. It recorded the female slave be taken off her clothes, naked standing on the stage and being auctioned, the audience is competing for bidding. They extend their fingers and conceal the price of slaves. The female slaves look at it all, listening to the fate of her ......The painting is showing the selfishness of human that Edna and Velvet are both not giving any comments on the paintings.
Except for a drawing depicting two children who are dependent on each other.
Attak explained, One is a blind sister, and another smaller girl who is snuggling in the arms of a blind woman is her little sister. While looking up at the rainbow in the sky, the little girl is explaining the beauty of nature to the blind woman. The clouds are empty, the wilderness is golden, the air is moist, and there are several cattle and sheep walking on the trails in the distance. There are birds flying up and down. The blind woman can only listen to the explanations of her little sister. She can't even feel the butterfly resting on her shawl, but she seems to have smelled the fresh air and heard the voice of the soul in the wilderness.
“......I’m going for a walk.” This time, Edna turned her head and left alone to see other drawings, different from the response when she sees other drawings. The siblings in the painting is blond hair, maybe Edna is touched by the scene with her memories reacting with it when she thinks of her little memories being with her brother.
“...Edna? Wait.” Sorey is just planning to go after Edna when he just noticed Edna walked away for a certain distance.
“Leave her be, Sorey. Sometimes people need time alone.” Velvet suggested.
“That’s the best things I can do right now?” Sorey believed it is for the best now as Velvet suggested.
“Yes, and if you worry about her, I can go after her. I think I can realize how she feels at this moment.”
“...Ok, I am counting on you. I do know it is easier to talk between girls.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCkI0awSXV
------------
Velvet walks around the museum as she followed the last trace she saw Edna and she caught Edna sitting on a bench in front of a statue of a sleeping dragon.
“Here you are.” Velvet approached Edna.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZiScHcWWO
“...So I am.” Edna turned her head.
“May I sit?” Velvet sat next to Edna as she received a nod.
“.......Thinking of your brother?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3L4HZj7HW
“......Yes.” Edna said nothing more after a ‘Yes’.
“It’s fine because I think of my families too.” Velvet talked when looking at a far distance to the ceiling.
“You have siblings?”
“Eizen didn’t tell you in the letter?” Velvet smirked.
“Although he told many things, not everything,” Edna stated in a somehow annoyed tone.
“Should I be glad that he left me some privacy…...I had a sister and a little brother who as old as the age you look… also, a brother after my sister was married.” Velvet stated longingly.
“What kind of person is your brother?” Edna is curious about Velvet since she could hardly think of a reason for Velvet to concern her.
“.......He used to be a very erratic person, but he was very responsible and very considerate for us, he acted like both our brother and father. He always stayed outside because of work. He said that he would come back for dinner in the morning. In the afternoon, he might not be able to come back because of an accident. He would send his seraphim to inform my little brother and then he told me about it. However, after all, he was the pillar of the family, I couldn't complain too much.” Velvet hesitated for a moment, then she stated it with fondness in her eyes.
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJePZF1YhP
“...But you still kept waiting for him?” Edna asked and looked at Velvet after she talked about her family.
“Yes, and I wanted to share his responsibility too as an elder sibling at the same time, I did what I could for the best.”
Velvet did have a brother that somehow similar to Eizen in the aspect that they didn’t come back home in always, but both Velvet and Edna kept waiting for their brother. Edna is surprised that there is actually similarity between Velvet and herself and she is also surprised for seeing such facial expression from Velvet, she starts to realize the reason for Sorey’s and Eizen’s comment to Velvet.
“You loved him,” Edna stated.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhEtUaHRWi
“....Yes, I loved all my family.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsHWRNCwJz
Edna noticed a subtle wry smile from Velvet, then she gets it that Velvet’s families all died. Yeah, why not, no human could live for a thousand year or more, even if they formed an oath. Edna won’t ask for their ends, that’s an unspoken agreement between them.
“...and so as I” Edna stated lightly.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzdUnxX00A
“.....Sorry, seems like I am saying my things all the way.” Velvet supposed herself to hear Edna out if she has anything wants to say.
“I’m fine. Glad to know that someone actually knows how I feel, despite being a human.” Edna relieved in her temporary sorrow.
“That’s great. Let’s go back, Sorey must be worrying about you.”
“Right.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygkB2AXpRU
--------------18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79ebsJi6uB
“ You’re back! Edna!” Sorey exclaimed as he saw Edna is coming.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVAxMCpf6J
“Yes, continue, shall we?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLlwvZgLjM
“Definitely,” Sorey answered gladly as he was too worried to appreciate any artworks while waiting.
The next theme introduced by Attak is about the religious theme, the stories of the Shepherds and the Empyreans. Sorey and Edna can see paintings of some familiar scenes they had seen, they are about the journey of many Shepherds and most of them are featuring the story of the Grand Shepherd who is very famous even in nowadays.
“During the war of Irredentism which started by Hyland, some places isolated itself from the country as their former colony. At any time, turbulence and uneasiness, people rely on religion for spiritual sustenance, so some people used the position of the Pope to embezzle national sovereignty. Under the situations with unresolved wars of Irredentism and national divisions, the Holy War was launched in the name of God. At last, the war was settled, and the religion was further enhanced. The religion became a very important cultural element of the World. Which leads many paintings featuring the religion as their theme, we called the period as the Period of cultural unification. The time after it was the Renaissance and the industrial revolution raised, which let a great evolution in both cultural and technical development in human civilization. Now here are the paintings in the period of cultural unification.” Attak explained the history of art with the wars.
“This painting draws the Last Supper of the Grand Shepherd with his companion, drawing the Grand Shepherd in the center and his Squires and Seraphim sitting beside him, eating peacefully and joyfully to relieve their nervousness to the final battle to the Lord of Calamity. The drawing used the technique of one-point perspective to naturally extend the room. In the drawing, it shows it is at twilight to symbolize the end of the journey and also the new beginning after an end, saying that the Grand Shepherd started a new Era with himself. Of course, it is only an image of the painter that there was such a scene in the journey of the Grand Shepherd.” Attak explained the concept of the paintings would be only imagination.
“So who is the grand Shepherd?” Sorey asked for a Shepherd mentioned to be famous.
“The Grand Shepherd is referring to the one who purified Maotelus, so it is your title,” Edna explained.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNBLsqlfx8
“Eh? So it is me in the drawings?” Sorey surprised and looked at the picture again.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbT1PdeOcE0
“Looks different.” Velvet commented coldly. Indeed, the one in the picture looks more handsome.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKHumJ3l5k
“Well, people imagined and drew depended on the description in the Celestial Record. There were no photos for reference taking, so there will be different faces.” Attak added.
Sorey looks into the picture and tries to distinguish the characters in it, some of them look familiar but some are too different.
“Wouldn’t this happen to be Edna?” Sorey asked as he pointed to an elegant lady dressed in noble while bringing an umbrella with her. If not referring the umbrella with her, Sorey can’t recognize the character at all for the large difference in age and face.
“Looks like it is.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNr4T4Shot
“What? Disagree?” Edna teased.
“No…..maybe it is like that for the future look of Edna grown-up version…...” Sorey mumbled.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpQSFY2SyC
“Sorey….Edna is at least 1600 years old.” Velvet murmured to Sorey, then he can only give a strange smile after hearing that.
“Hey, Velvet. What did you talk to Sorey?” Edna asked with a ‘beautiful’ smile while holding her umbrella.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SFm4V65xf
“Nothing. I wonder if we should take care of the elder.” Velvet looked at a random elder walking alone with a stick in the museum.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEodA5IN18
“.......” Edna gazed at Velvet while still holding her weapon.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWF9pMljpeY
“Hmm…..To say, Edna still looks the same as before, I remembered that Seraph can change their outlook by their thought, then why aren’t you change?” Sorey asked to change a better topic.
“Firstly, my brother said I am cute in this way. Secondly, I am used to waiting for one with this look. Thirdly, I hope to be recognized immediately.” Edna answered with a hidden message that she maintained the outlook to wait for Sorey.
“Thank you, Edna.” Sorey sincerely is grateful to Edna after he gets that she seems to wait for him.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlyHXWLP3c
“Do not get cocky!” Then Sorey gets the second umbrella poke from Edna.
In the theme section of the Shepherd, there are some exhibits belonging to modern archaeology. It is said to have been excavated from the ruin of thousands of years ago. With the help of modern technology, there are ways to discover the remains buried deep underground by the fierce changes in the earth’s crust and chaos assaulted the entire continent in that time. Inside the showcase, there is a painting based on the murals of the relics and a copy of the notes in it, the original is kept elsewhere. Accordingly, they are historical relics at the end of Asgard Unification Period. On the mural, there is a woman who is said to be the naming person of Maotelus, As a Shepherd, after the end of the dispute between the Lord of Calamity and the former Shepherd. Then the story of her journey began to help the people during the period of the national civil war while restoring the faith of Seraphim to human and strengthening the faith to Maotelus. She was commended as a savior in the form of a saint-like figure in that time, but it did not record her last, only her name: Eleanor Hume.
“Is that?” Sorey asked.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmARkCqAHGZ
“Yes…..the one I told you.” Velvet answered.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUwcjUvABa
“Hoped that she did not to be desperate with humanity. Human beings are very fragile, and there are many examples in which the Lord of Calamity are caused by the despair of the Shepherds.”
“She would not despair in humanity, not after seeing a Lord of Calamity nearly despaired before her, not when there were friends supporting her.”
“Despite the murals didn’t record her end, you have faith in her.” Edna doubted.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T4LDwdneF
“Despite being an exorcist, she was a trustworthy companion to me, I believed that she held her promise to me at last to take care of Maotelus. And she always looks at the problems and figures ways to solve it. I don’t think that she will despair so easily after what she learned and fought with Maotelus there with her.” Velvet answered confidently.
Lastly, Attak leads them to an exhibition zone in a completely different atmosphere with those before it, many technical drawings and models are displayed.
“Actually, most of the works and concepts here were created by the master I mentioned before, he was the one painted La Gioconda* and Last Supper*. His tenacious implacability in art, science and other aspects led him turned into a hellion. The works shown here are honored to be a great basis for human great development in the Renaissance and the industrial revolution.” Attak told a shocking fact to Sorey.
“A Hellion?!”
“But, certainly not a bad one, he said although some of his sense lost after being a hellion, he had a stronger body and higher concentration to complete his works. He was a pretty close friend with me.”
“Maybe he is another human as a weirdo, like those my brother had traveled with,” Edna commented.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApTowyigD9
“Most of the artist are weirdos.” Attak laughed.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87BbDG6XqG
“Well, I had an old acquaintance just like the one you mentioned. His name is Kurogane. He became dae...hellion, because of his relentlessness to create a blade to best the power of another sword called Stormhowl.”
“We would like to hear about it!.” Sorey and Attak said at the same time.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoTFmBq1zh
“I guess he would be glad if there are more people to remember a blacksmith like him when I first met him with my companion, he was said to ambush swordsmen and break their blades. Well, he became our blacksmith forever to repair our tools and forge swords for the swordsman of my companion after we defeated him. He first forged his head into a blade, hope that it can best the sword, but it was unsuccessful.” Velvet started to tell the story of Kurogane briefly.
“Forged his head into a blade?! Did he die after it?” Sorey exclaimed.
“No, he still lived after doing it, guess that because of his persistence as a hellion. He tried to forge a new blade with the hardest material we learned at that time, but still, be unsuccessful. At last, he lived to forge himself into a blade for the swordsman in my team. To respond his wish, the swordsman defeated his rival who holding sword Stormhowl.”
“Wow. That’s the relentlessness break through all limitation…..” Sorey commented.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWkVmiJW18
“My friend didn’t have the relentlessness like this, at least he didn’t turn himself into an artwork.”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDse9hAvHIr
“The world is really full of freaks,” Edna commented.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FbCjUBafC
“And the world is where allow different kind of freaks to exist together.” Velvet responded.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmpzZ9G2ZF
“Attak, what happened after your friend?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriRW9OWxyS
“He is forever creating his works, but one day he stopped. He said he feels like losing himself gradually so he wanted to accomplish his last wish before the worst happened.” Attak stated.
“Last wish?”
“Remember the lady in La Gioconda* he drawn? He wanted to see her again, so he started a journey to find her. I didn’t follow him after, so I don’t know the end either.” Attak stated slightly in lonely tone.
“I believed he found Lailah at last and got purified too.” Sorey comforted.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQPk0tQeoQ
“I think so.”
After a really long journey of artworks, Sorey, Velvet, and Edna stated their gratitude to Attak and just planning to visit other places in Marlind.
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXbyLG8fCA
“Bieeeen!! Are you…...are you Velvet?!!” exclaimed an annoying voice.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3YqR0v1Zp
“Huh?!” Velvet turned back her head and shocked as someone recognized her, she thought there will not be one to know her except Maotelus.
----------------------------------------------TBC-----------------------------------------------
A.N. (New record in length in the Author note XDD)18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAif6uSBoGP
As the story told it is in a modern age just like us, I would like to include more elements from our real world….The initial concept came from the end of TOZX that Sorey had the adventure with Mikleo in the modern age( some modern buildings are shown).......The shop concept came from another fanfiction on pixiv called Lilium. And well, I want to show Velvet’s cute side to Sorey and her shy expression is really cute!
Sometimes I really feel that I am stupid, that I have created a problem for myself. Maybe I would be forced to solve the problem quickly if it appeared in the exam or I would choose to write the other topics directly, but this time I can’t think of anything else. I suppose I am somehow affected by the surrounding gloomy atmosphere……
This was just a short chapter about some daily life clips (original word count: 1314), but I feel that I have to write about the art gallery when I let the team come here, and there should be more interactions between them. There are also reasons to study Edna. I found that she has two different attitudes towards Mikleo and Sorey. She will tease Mikleo but she is less likely to tease Sorey (since jokes aren’t really effective on Sorey). When the team needed the Great Strength to break the rock in order to investigate the fake Elixir, Edna said she will lend her power if Mikleo begs her, but when Sorey bowed for it, she immediately said that Sorey didn't have to. I was still watching the first half of TOZ so I didn't see it all, but there are several times mentioned that Sorey is similar to Eizen in some aspects which lead Edna to have a special attitude towards him. In fact, I also used this to establish a subtle relationship between Edna and Velvet.
Also, the artworks mentioned in the story are referred from the famous paintings in reality but not all of them completely the same one.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0oqq1hty2
For example: *1: La Gioconda is drawing Lailah instead of Mona Lisa, Last Supper is already the different story behind, and the painter had an obviously different background if you were referring him as Leonardo da Vinci.
Also brief history settings in the setting:18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03DEoplo95
There are two known big countries in the world: Hyland and Rolance. First, Rolance launched a War of Aggression after Rose, Alisha and Sergei died, sadly the one after them couldn’t fully stop the war from the breaking out. After the Rolance’s victory, it gots lands from Hyland and it entered a period of prosperity. After the prosperity, Hyland launched revenge, the War of Irredentism, to recover their lost land.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCYgkJbZsN
During the time, some places isolated itself from the country as their former colony because of great cultural difference and they developed their unique culture (something like how the republic city formed in the Avatar: Legend of Korra).
For the chaotic time again, people rely on religion for spiritual sustenance. There were people being the Clergy turned into hellions, they used the position of the Pope to embezzle national sovereignty18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEGTzwm5fN
( like what happened when Runette Forton succeeded in Zestiria).18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUcpfiuS9l
Under situations with unresolved wars of Irredentism and national divisions, the Holy War was launched in the name of God. At last, the war was settled, while the Hellionized one secretly assassinated by someone then, and the religion was further enhanced as a result of the Holy War. The religion became a very important cultural element of the World. For the monotonous theme in that time, the period is called Period of cultural unification. The time after it was the Renaissance and the industrial revolution raised, which let a great evolution in both cultural and technical development in human civilization.
(Basically, the history here is a version with reference in the real history in our world while messing with other settings proposed on it).
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmSoDPZVbM
