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Chapter 2: A New Picture Project
We boarded Neal’s vintage airship bright and early. The trip to the Silver Estate would take around half a day, meaning we would arrive in the evening. We weren’t in a rush, though, so I wasn’t bothered by how long it took. So long as it was a leisurely trip, I had no complaints.
Most likely because of the horrifying thirty-seven consecutive recordings that had finally ended the previous morning, the moment we boarded the airship, I went straight to my room and conked right back out again. My body was fine, but I was apparently much more mentally exhausted than I had realized. Anyway, I just wanted to rest more.
Being able to rest to my heart’s content truly was the best feeling. I took that precious time to nap, and I woke up around lunch. I feel much more refreshed now. I had no idea what I’d be doing at the Silver territories once I arrived, so I thought it best I get my rest in now rather than later. There was always the possibility I would be overrun with work again.
I really was tired, wasn’t I? My return home had been followed immediately by a hellish two weeks—it was thirty-seven recordings, after all. Thirty-seven recordings in two weeks. What an absolute joke. There was no way anyone could pull that off. Well...the fact I had aside, if I had been a regular child, I would’ve been completely crushed by the workload. Even an adult might not have managed. And to have no qualms about making me go through such a schedule... There were some terrifying adults out there. Especially Bendelio. I will never forget what he did.
My hatred for that distinctive face once more blazing in my chest, I exited my room and went onto the deck where Neal and Lynette were training with wooden swords. In fact, Lynokis was there too. She appeared to only be observing, though.
Ŵёb̃ñ оv̆ël Еn̊ ùm̄а̃
“Ah, Young Mistress. Did you sleep well?” Lynokis asked when she noticed me. I had asked her to take her leave when I went to sleep. The last thing I wanted was for her to get any funny ideas and sneak into bed with me.
“I slept verywell, thank you. I see my brother is doing well.” My gaze was instantly drawn towards Neal. He and Lynette were sparring quite vigorously.
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Neal was still only eight years old, and yet he could move so efficiently. He was quite the little gem. If he kept improving as he had been, he might even surpass me one day. Then again...maybe that’d be asking too much of him. There was no way the successor of the Liston family could spend his days practicing swordsmanship forever. If he wanted to surpass me, he’d have to focus on training every day for at least thirty years. There was no shortcut to the absolute precipice of martial arts.
“It appears the result of the martial arts tournament lit a fire under him. He apparently often trains while you’re out at work.”
Oh, so he is actually putting in the training. Neal had accompanied me on set two or three times at the start, but the moment he’d realized that I was bringing him with me so we could force him into the recordings, he’d stopped coming. You learned, brother. The moment you go, you’re not getting out.
There are more occasions than this where your actions can have dire consequences. Don’t forget, dear brother. There was no doubt in my mind that women would fight over him eventually. There would most definitely be terrible incidents sparked by whom he walked home or whose house he went to visit. Unwitting kindness could lead to disaster.
Ё n̈ ũ m̂ а̊ . і d
“Ah, that reminds me. I have a letter for you, Young Mistress.”
“A letter?”
From whom?
“The sender was the Silver family, but your father has already unsealed it and given it a look over. It is a letter detailing your full schedule. All it needs now is your approval.”
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As Lynokis had said, the envelope was already unsealed. I opened the letter and saw that it was a list of projects. “The master was aware of just how busy you were the other day and decided it best that he refrain from giving you the letter until after you were done. He felt that it was putting too much on your plate at once.”
A good call. If I had been made to discuss even more work in the middle of that hellish schedule, I would have probably gone insane and fallen to impulse and instinct, punching Bendelio right in the face.
W е̌b_n̄ о́v̈ е l Е̇ n̂ ũmа̇
The proposals on the list with a line through them must have been the ones that my father had rejected. In other words, I was allowed to pick from the ones that were left. So this is the work I’ll be doing in the Silver territories... Hm?
“Hey, Lynokis. Are dogs that popular?” The list of projects had a mix of ones that piqued my interest and ones I couldn’t care less about, but one in particular caught my eye. I was curious about it, or at least, it caught my attention.
As my question to Lynokis implied, it was about a dog—specifically, playing tag with a dog. One of our company’s planners had mentioned at yesterday’s barbecue that the dog project had been well received, but was that really true? If you asked me, it was a match with an incredibly obvious outcome. That said, I had made sure to be uncharacteristically considerate and adjusted my speed to appear as if I only narrowly won.
As much as I enjoyed using my body more than my brain, and though I couldn’t do much about the dog being faced with loss, it wasn’t good for me to embarrass the owner. After all, those projects only happened because people sent in letters saying their dog was faster. If I won with ease, they would look the fool. This in itself was a way of solidifying my popularity. I wanted to avoid acting in ways that would make potential audiences dislike me. In that case, I would even prefer to lose if it meant not offending them.
Regardless, that exact same dog project was listed on the Silvers’ proposal list as well. In fact, there were two. Though the name was different, I had to imagine the contents were the same.
“I wonder. It seemed to do well in the Liston territories, but I naturally am not privy to the ratings in the Silver territories,” Lynokis replied. I should’ve expected that. Lynokis’s range of motion was pretty much limited to my range of motion—if I didn’t know, it was unlikely that she did either.
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“I think it’s fun to watch.” Neal had come over after finishing his training, sweat wetting his brow. “The dog’s bigger than you, and yet you beat it. It’s both a strange and really funny sight. Right, Lynette?”
“I agree.” Unlike Neal, who looked absolutely exhausted, Lynette looked like she’d barely broken a sweat. “I believe the popularity of the program would only increase the more races you won. If the ratings for the martial arts tournament are any sign, programs that display competitions seem to attract people’s attention more easily.”
I see. Tournaments and competitions grabbed people’s attention, did they? We could maybe use Lynette’s opinion in the future. I’d make sure to tell Hildetaura when we next met.
For the first time in a while, as we floated by the changing scenery, I got to take things slow as I ate my lunch, did some light training, had a little chat with Neal, and discussed the financial situation of the Listons. I looked off into the distance as we soared through the sky, the ocean dyed red by the setting sun, and the faraway floating islands mere specks in the distance, when suddenly, a behemoth known as a Fugaku ray came elegantly floating through the distant sky.
Even just the tip of its long tail was the same size as our airship. Never mind hitting us, if it so much as grazed us, we’d be goners—as was expected from an elite monster that you could practically call a soaring island. I wonder if it’s the same one I knew in my past life. Maybe I can tell if we get up close.
Our half-day journey across the skies came to an end when we docked in the Silver territories. It was already night by the time we arrived. We were guided by an airship with the Silver crest on the side to the floating island that held the Silver Estate.
Ӗn_ũ m̀а̄ . і̂ d́
“Young Master Neal!”
When we disembarked at the port, two red-haired girls came running over—Reliared and Ririmi. They must have heard we’d arrived and burst out of the mansion to greet us.
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“It’s nice to see you again, Reli...a?” Though I went to greet the girl, she swiftly brushed right past me.
“Hello there,” my brother replied. “Or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say good evening? It’s been a while, Relia.”
I see, you were after my brother. Just went straight for him. I wasn’t even in her sights.
“Sorry, Nia,” Ririmi immediately apologized, having seen clear as day what had happened. “I’ll make sure to give her a good scolding later.”
Е́ n umӓ. ĭd̊
I shook my head. “I don’t mind. It’s cute how childish she is.” Children were generally impolite anyway. It’d be more worrisome if they weren’t a little naughty.
“Well, yes, but...aren’t you the same age...?”
I understood her response, but despite appearances, I wasn’t a child inside.
“I’m sorry for intruding without waiting for a response, but is it all right for my brother to join me? If not, I can send him off to a hotel.” I’d written in my letter to them that Neal would be joining me, but the correspondence had been one-sided. I hadn’t received a response from the Silvers before we left. Neal had reassured me that if it was an issue, he could stay at a hotel or even go to a friend’s house with his airship.
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“Father said it was absolutely fine. We’re greatly indebted to your family, after all.”
Given the Silvers were fifth-class aristocrats, I imagined even two or three extra guests wouldn’t have proved an issue for them.
W̆.еb̌ň о̀v е̊l Е̃.nŭ_mä
“Shall we get going now, Relia? Surely we don’t need to talk right here,” I called out to Reliared chatting away with my brother. Why is she glaring at me?
“Oh, it’s you, Nia. You came? Wow. Welcome, I guess?” Everything about her, from her voice, to her words, to her face, to her attitude—none of it felt welcoming. Her animosity at my interference was clear as day, though.
“Brother, I’ll tell you plenty of secrets about Relia later. Despite how she looks—”
Reliared changed her tune immediately. “Wait, I’m sorry, Nia, seriously! I’m really sorry. I was just a bit excited, really. I’m sorry. Let’s stay up chatting all night, okay?”
If she knew her place, all was well. Children being at least this obedient made them easy to work with. It was a relief in its own way.
“I’m glad you arrived safely.”
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Our conversation at the docks took more time than I had thought, and it was already pitch-black by the time we made it to the Silvers’ house. The mansion was as large as the Liston Estate, and their garden was also carefully maintained. It was hard to see in the darkness, but it was likely a beautiful sight in the daytime.
When we entered through the doors, a refined middle-aged man was waiting for us. I wasn’t actually sure whether to call him elderly or middle-aged—he was at that weird midpoint—but regardless, this gentleman was an aristocrat of the fifth class and lord of the Silver territories, Vikson Silver. We’d only previously met once, when the broadcasting station opened, so it had been about a year since we’d last seen each other.
This was the first time we’d been to their mansion, since we’d met directly at his broadcasting station originally.
“It’s nice to see you again, Lord Silver. Thank you very much for permitting a visit of only two young children.” As Neal had come with me, it was his responsibility to represent the Liston family in his greeting; he was the successor after all. Though still a child, his greeting was confident. He did very well.
“It’s nice to see you again too, Neal. Think of this as your own home while you’re here. In fact, you’re more than welcome to relax as if you’re at a holiday home.”
A holiday home, huh? That was certainly a welcome idea after the hellish two weeks I’d just survived. Though...technically I did still have work to do. Neal would be able to relax all he liked, at least. Playing around was a child’s job after all.
Ѐǹ um̂a.
“Thank you for inviting us here, Mr. Vikson. We will be in your care.” I made my own greeting after Neal. My brother might have been our representative, but that didn’t mean I shouldn’t also do the same.
“I’m glad to see you again, Nia. There’s a lot I’d like to discuss with you.”
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About work, yes?
“And I, as well.” Honestly, I actually wanted to talk about the vacation. Okay, okay, yes, I know, I need to talk about work. I will. I’ll stay patient until the last five days.
“Oh, hello, you two.” Raffinee came out from the back. I hadn’t seen her since that recording we’d done shortly before the entrance ceremony. “Sorry I’m late. I only just came back from work, you see.”
“No need to worry. Please prioritize your own work before considering us.” Naturally, my brother had the perfect polite response for a situation like this too. In fact, if you turned your gaze just slightly, you could already see the Silver family’s servants and Reliared captivated by him, their eyes never shifting.
Wе̃bn̂ о̆ v̄ еl̆ Еn̄ũḿ a
With this, all the Silvers were gathered, since if memory served, the mistress of the household had already passed away. Since they had all come to greet us, we must have been welcome.
“Excuse me for asking, but...is Lady Rikelvita unable to be present again?”
Hm? Who was this “Rikelvita” my brother mentioned?
Oh...of course, there was still the second daughter. The eldest was Raffinee, the third was Ririmi, and the youngest was Reliared. Right, the second daughter wasn’t present, was she? I had heard her name at the opening ceremony for the broadcasting station even though I hadn’t gotten to meet her, but I hadn’t had any opportunity to hear her name since then, so I’d completely forgotten about her.
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I suppose now is as good a time as any to remind myself of the Silver family tree.
Vikson Silver’s wife had passed away around ten years ago. He’d adopted Reliared from a relative, so she was considerably younger than her sisters. Apparently, adoptions weren’t anything strange in aristocratic circles, so neither Reliared nor her sisters paid it much mind. Honestly, the sisters looked so similar that rumors had started to spread that she was actually Vikson’s illegitimate child, that they were sisters with a different mother.
Wе̄b n ov е̌l Ëǹu m̈ а̇
At least, so Lynokis had told me after she’d been informed by Reliared’s personal attendant. Apparently, they had become friends at some point.
“Rikel, huh...”
Suddenly, Vikson, Raffinee, and Ririmi’s faces all turned dark. Reliared was so smitten with Neal that she wasn’t even paying attention to the conversation. From their reaction, there must have been some circumstances behind the second daughter’s absence—either she was in a state where we couldn’t meet her, or she herself didn’t want to meet us. Whatever the case, we would be intruding on them for a while, so there was no rush. Quite frankly, there was no reason to force her to meet us if she had a reason she couldn’t. It was fine.
“It’s almost time for dinner, yes? I’m a little hungry.” I took advantage of being a child to dispel the awkward air and freely complained about my empty stomach. Don’t get me wrong, though, I really was hungry—starved, even. I had deliberately not eaten so I could get my fill of the Silver territories’ renowned pork. I could never forget the taste of that steak I’d had at the opening ceremony. It had been absolutely delicious. They’re going to serve it again, right? Definitely? Don’t let me down, Vikson.
“Ah, yes, you’re right. Dinner has been prepared for us. You can go get yourself changed and then come down to the dining room.”
Just as I had surmised, tonight’s dinner was a course of my long-awaited pork steak. I’m so glad I came. It was such a simple pleasure and yet I really had been looking forward to it. It was scrumptious—especially the thin slices that came out with the cold salad. The sauce matched it perfectly. I left conversing with the Silvers to my brother and turned my full attention to savoring the delicious meat. Beef was nice, and I liked fish too, but pork really was something else.
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“What do you think, Nia?” Vikson asked while I was enjoying my after-dinner tea. “Did you see the list I sent you? We’d appreciate it if you could appear in many of our programs.” He appeared to have been refraining from bringing up work during the meal, but the second we were done, he showed no restraint.
Yes, yes, I’ll do whatever you wish me to. I just finished doing thirty-seven recordings over two weeks, but I can still push to do more work. Neal could do whatever he wished, but I hadn’t come here to play, after all. Indeed, everything was going exactly as planned.
You’ll all be happy if I just do it, right?! Just push myself to my limit, yes?! Well, guess what, I’m doing exactly that!
After a relaxing flight through the skies, I was once more thrust into a life of work at the Silver territories. Thankfully, it appeared they didn’t have a crafty little bugger of a manager like Bendelio and his distinctive face, so this schedule actually had breaks. Only two or three shoots a day? They were kind indeed.
Not long ago—more specifically, before I returned home for the summer—I had thought that even just two shoots in one day was a lot. Now, it felt like nothing. Working for the Silvers, I would leave in the early morning and make it back in the evening. I began to worry if it was okay that we could wrap up so early. There was still time for us to record, after all.
In hindsight, that was definitely the negative aftereffects of both my body and mind getting used to a fully booked schedule. Bendelio would pay for this. I had no reason to ever forgive what he’d put me through.
Ẁѐ b̌n о̀v̇ ė l Ӗ n u̇ṁ а
But that was that and this was this.
“You take a different approach over here—it’s like a different flavor. The recordings here are fun in their own way.”
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My new routine at the Silver territories began, and before long, four days had already passed. Today was my first recording on this schedule that would involve me staying over at the location. We would be camping outside under the instruction of a trained adventurer.
At the moment, Reliared and I were sitting in chairs underneath the shade of the trees, waiting for recording to begin. Our briefing had finished, and we were now waiting for our late guest to arrive. Everyone around us was busy getting equipment set up, but our work didn’t begin until the cameras started rolling. It wasn’t good for us to tire ourselves out and get all sweaty right before the recording started. Even if everyone around us was rushing about, remaining still was our job.
“Wow, it’s different over in the Liston territories?”
“Indeed. Entirely different.”
Еnu_mа̂ . і d
In our area, much of my work involved interacting with people of varying occupations as part of Occupation Observation.The Silver territories put much more emphasis on adventuring programming. As Reliared was still a child, the only programs she could appear in were ones that contained no danger, but the contents of many of the shows she starred in were very interesting: sometimes, she would learn how to wield tools used in dungeons or during explorations, or she would research and then introduce the achievements of famous adventurers or even give sightseeing tours of locations associated with history’s greats.
“Father likes this kind of show, you see. Apparently, he wanted to become an adventurer when he was young.”
I see. He’d wanted to become an adventurer but had given up on his dreams in order to lead the Silver house, hm? And so, with his lingering regrets, he’d decided he wanted to get involved in adventuring in a different form.
“Are the programs you can watch still limited?” Reliared asked me.
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“Yes, they are.”
“Does that mean you’ve never watched my Camp shows?”
Еň u m a
“That is correct.” Lynokis apparently did, but it was always while I was at class or doing homework.
“So mean. At least watch my shows.”
“I would if I could.”
Honestly, her shows were way more up my alley. I really did want to watch her. I couldn’t help but view Reliared as my granddaughter, after all.
Nia Liston’s Occupation Observation had become my signature show. Similarly, Reliared had her own Reliared’s One-Day Camp.They would invite various adventurers on as guests and chat with them about their lives while making and eating their specialty camp food. The camping format made it seem as if they could only record one episode a day, but in reality, they would often save time by having a different guest at a location not too far off from the other shoot, and they would go back and forth to record two episodes at once. Sometimes, they wouldn’t even actually stay over for the night.
I totally understood. Of course you would have two shoots going simultaneously in a situation like that. Hell, I had literally just been doing five at once on a tight schedule that went down to the second. I’d go to and from different locations so we could record them both at once. I’d thought I was going to die.
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Reliared continued to pout. “I watch so many of your shows too.”
I really am sorry. I do want to watch, but Lynokis’s surveillance is so strict. Maybe it was about time I seriously approached the topic of having my magivision limitations lifted again. But then again, this body was still only six years old. It was an age that made sense to have parental restrictions. It was a difficult thing to try and refute.
“Mr. Kurtlich has arrived!”
Oh, he was finally here. Reliared and I stood from our seats and headed towards our guest.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kurtlich.”
“My name is Nia. I will be accompanying Reliared in today’s recording. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
E n u ṁ à. іd̀
After giving our introductions to the large man who looked exactly like your typical adventurer, the recording for the day began.
It turned out that Kurtlich was quite the quiet man, making the recording rather bland as he softly recounted his stories. Apparently, for programs in the Silver territories, that sufficed. There were both cheerful adventurers and those who were more serious and somber, like Kurtlich. Displaying the various kinds of adventurers born from a world that was as cruel as it was kind was how the Silver Broadcasting Station chose to do things.
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If this had been done in the Liston territories, we would almost certainly have tried to spice it up somehow. Bendelio didn’t like it when our shows were too plain.
“Sorry. It must be boring talking with someone like me.”
We had finished recording the three of us making some camp food and giving it a taste test—that would be all for the day. Now that the cameras were off, Kurtlich could finally relax as he sat across from us around the campfire. It hadn’t shown on his face, but he must have been more nervous than I thought.
“Don’t worry about it. We’re not really looking for excitement on this kind of show.” Reliared, still in work mode, reassured him with a model answer.
W е b_no vе̂l̈ Ēnǔm̌ а
“I wanted to hear more about your work, if I’m honest. Not like this chance comes every day.”
“Nia.” Reliared immediately stepped in to reprimand me.
Now just hold on a second.
“It’s not my place to criticize how a different territory does their work, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to be overly considerate. Mr. Kurtlich responding to your call means he came here with the intent to tell his stories, no?” That was why it was important to help drag those stories out of him. Though...I didn’t dislike this quiet and laid-back camping atmosphere. In fact, it was the first time I had experienced it in this life. I thought it inappropriate to ruin it with pointless chatter.
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But we had come here for work, and that meant we had a job to do. All of us did.
“But...” Reliared glanced at Kurtlich. Deep inside, she seemed to have the same opinion as me, at least. Perhaps I should help give a little push?
Ẁ е b̌ n̈ о̇ ṽe l̈. Е̊ num а̄
“What do you think, Mr. Kurtlich? Do you wish to talk more?” I asked directly.
“Of course. That’s why I was called here, after all. I’ve been paid, and I’d love to talk more, but... Sorry, I’m not very good at conversation. I’m not sure where to start.” This was a start, though. “I’ve seen magivision before, but I don’t have anything worth talking to people about or any fun stories. In truth, I’m not even sure why I was asked to appear on this program in the first place. I still came because the broadcasting station was insistent, but I can’t help but feel like maybe...this isn’t quite for me.”
That! That was perfectly fine. That was exactly what should’ve been said in front of the cameras. That was a topic. That would become the cue for a topic. Conversation flowed by connecting one topic to another.
“Then it’s okay for us to ask questions? It won’t cause you any trouble?” Reliared’s tone of voice had become more cheerful, and Kurtlich nodded enthusiastically. I turned to the director, who had been watching from nearby, and twirled my finger at them.
Roll cameras.
The production crew back home would understand the hand sign, but would the one here...? Ah, thank goodness, it seems they got it. Honestly, it seemed they had already had the same idea before I’d even sent the signal. Whether they could use this footage would depend on if Kurtlich gave them the okay when they told him they’d secretly been recording the conversation, but there was no way they could simply ignore this.
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If Kurtlich wanted to talk, then it wouldn’t hurt to try digging into the more personal topics.
“Could you tell us about the first time you explored a dungeon?”
“Of course. I think I was about...fourteen years old at the time? I know I give off a rougher impression, but I’m actually quite cautious. I decided I should learn all the ABCs of being an adventurer before doing anything, so I bought...”
The occasional crackling of the firewood, and the wavering firelight dispelling the darkness accompanied the low rumble of the man’s voice until late into the night, our hearts warmed by that gentle atmosphere.
“It was fun.”
After that overnight campout, we returned to the Silver Estate the next morning.
Ěn̆ ū m̄ а̃
“Really? I wish I could’ve come with you.”
Upon finishing breakfast, I recounted the events of the recording to my brother, since he was essentially responsible for me while we were here. As for what Neal had been doing, he’d recently been spending a lot of time training with Ririmi.
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“And I wish you could’ve come with me too.”
“Relia would have gotten distracted if I were there, I’m sure.”
That was clearly an excuse. Neal had learned over the first half of this summer vacation that the moment he accompanied me to a shoot, there was no escape for him. Every time the suggestion of him coming with me was raised, he would refuse it as vehemently as possible. I had to start thinking of ways to trick my brother into joining me... Still, he wasn’t wrong that Reliared would most certainly have been distracted if he had been present, so I supposed it wasn’t entirely an excuse.
And so, a week of us intruding on the Silvers passed in a flash. My schedule had been quite full, but it began calming down enough that I could relax in the mornings. With my newfound time, I decided to accompany Ririmi and Neal to their training session in the gardens with Lynokis.
E n̄u ma. і d̀
“N-No way...”
“Is that enough for you?”
“No, of course I’m gonna continue!”
It seemed Ririmi wanted to continue sparring with Lynokis. Ririmi’s not bad, but she’s definitely got a long way to go. Lynokis had been calm the whole time she took the young girl on, surprising her opponent with her strength. Ririmi probably realized by now that my attendant was even stronger than Gandolph, her Heavenstriker instructor.
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If we were to really look at our situation, though, Gandolph was essentially my student. He even preferred to call me “Master.” Take it further and he was my second student after Lynokis. It wasn’t all that strange for the first student to be stronger than the second.
Incidentally, I was fairly certain that Reliared’s tall attendant, Esuella, had acquired the ability of chi manipulation. If she hadn’t already acquired it, she was at least close to achieving it. That was why I personally thought she was likely stronger than Gandolph as well. Unless she showed off her full strength, though, there was no way to know for sure.
Wе̃ b̀ n̆ ö v̀ е̃ ĺ En̂ u m̊ а
Reliared was also walking the martial way, but she was still a rookie. What’s more, if Neal was present, she got so easily distracted that she could barely train, so for now she was training elsewhere with Esuella.
My observations aside, the aftereffects of that horrific string of thirty-seven recordings and adjusting to recording in a new place meant that I had been slacking on both my and Lynokis’s training. I really wanted the opportunity to get a proper session in.
Summer vacation was around a month and a half—more specifically, around forty days. We were required to be back in the dorms the day before the next semester started. Given I had my work schedule to think about, though, my own plans were quite rough at the moment. We believed, at the earliest, we would be able to get back two or three days before.
Our last five days away from the capital would be spent on one of the Altoire royal family’s private islands at the arrangement of Hildetaura, but since she had her own work schedule to contend with, even she hadn’t determined a final schedule. Though she had guaranteed she would have five days to take that break at some point, the exact date and time was yet to be decided—worst-case scenario, we might not actually get the full five days.
I would be spending a few more days at the Silver Estate, and then I would be headed for the capital. This time, I would be doing recordings for the capital’s broadcasting station with Hildetaura. And then, the last five days after we finished our work, we would finally be going on that vacation to the floating island.
Now that I think about it, I’m leaving to go do even more work. This may seem a bit too self-aware, but am I not working a bit much? There were large expectations for the promotion of magivision, but even still, this amount of work felt a little...
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“Hm?”
Suddenly, I felt someone’s eyes on me and turned around. And right there, dashing behind some plants, was a woman. She was so slow at hiding that I saw her clear as day. Not just that, but her dress was sticking out from where she crouched. Was she...tryingto hide? Was she hoping I would catch her? Was she waiting for me to call out to her?
I had seen her here and there during my time at the Silver Estate, but who even was she? Well, I could make a guess, at least. An unfamiliar girl wearing a dress at an aristocrat’s place couldn’t be a servant—and that meant she had to be a member of the Silver family.
Regardless, until I knew how she wanted me to act, I was unable to respond. Given it was only Neal and me staying over, there were no adults around to smooth things over for me if I made a mistake. I couldn’t just put that burden on Neal all the time either. Even though I knew Vikson Silver was not the type of man to get angry at these kinds of social slights, that didn’t matter; it still wasn’t good for me to cause trouble while I was here.
What was the correct way to act in this situation as a member of the Liston family? Should I continue to wait, or...?
“Heeeh, heeeh...” Her breathing was erratic, and her legs were shaking. It didn’t help that she had always been such a nervous person. “I-I can’t do this...anymore...”
Е ń ǔmа
Rikelvita, the second daughter of the Silver family, was trying her best in her own way. She was a vile, dirty, cowardly, smelly-looking creep of a flat-chested fan—who secretly thought those quirks were charming—who despised the sun and hadn’t been outside in days, but she was trying her best in her own way.
Nia and Neal, the Liston children she was a massive fan of, had come to their house.
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Rikelvita would’ve been happy with just one of them coming along, but both together? She wasn’t even sure what to compare her current happiness to. This was unmistakably the biggest event she’d experienced in the past few years. The last time her heart had been beating this frantically and her palms sweating so abnormally had been when she’d collapsed in elementary school after being subjected to moderate exercise.
Ever since those two children had arrived, Rikelvita had been doing her best. In order to cause no offense, she had worn the trendy dress that her older sister had designed for her, had asked her attendant to put on appropriate makeup for her, had styled her usually messy red hair, and of course, had made sure to go for a bath before putting on the clothes. She’d pushed and pushed and pushed herself, forcefully putting on a presentable front even greater than what she had hidden inside. She’d taken a whole week to build up that image.
And yet, she couldn’t take the last step.
On the first day, she’d gotten ready, but then she had to wait anxiously for over half a day for them to arrive. So by the time they had, she’d been so tired she couldn’t do anything.
Е̃ ṅ ūm̃ а. î d
On the second day, she’d tried to join them for breakfast, but then she’d gotten hit with a mysterious stomachache and ended up resting in bed instead.
On the third day... Well, a lot had happened. And suddenly, a whole week had passed. Over that week, Rikelvita had been hovering nearby, waiting for a good opportunity to go out and introduce herself to the siblings, but she had failed to take that step out every time.
Ever since she was small, she’d loved drawing but was terrible at interacting with people. She could only speak properly with family she was used to or the attendants who were close to her. That personality had led to her becoming obsessed with drawing as a way to escape human interaction, and that was what had led to her being the recluse she was today. When she’d graduated from middle school, she’d holed herself up at home and focused purely on art. She was quite happy with her current lifestyle, though it could be a little monotonous.
Two years ago, magivision had appeared in her life and changed everything. She could see places far away, watch plays, and even hear about famous people, all from the comfort of her own home. Rikelvita the recluse was completely enraptured by magivision—and that had led to her fateful introduction to Nia Liston, the girl who’d recovered from her deathbed. She liked Hildetaura too, but Nia had looked so frail the first time Rikelvita saw her that she had been too worried to take her eyes off the crystal screen.
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That had been the beginning of it all, and at some point, it had become the highlight of Rikelvita’s day to watch the perfectly healthy Nia on magivision.
So, when all was said and done, Rikelvita was a fan.
W̄ẽ_b̂ nо v е̇ l Е̌ nũm̌ ӑ
They were both girls, so she didn’t want to do all of those kinds of things you would do with the opposite sex, but she did want to draw her nude. That ulterior motive most certainly existed; there was no denying that. That was why she would get worked up and imagine Nia naked. She wanted to see a young girl’s naked body. Rikelvita was simply a girl of the arts.
As a member of the fifth-class Silver family, she had to make her introductions. The other party was of the fourth-class Liston family—she couldn’t get away with not doing at least that bare minimum. Rikelvita knew that.
That was why she was trying her best.
The Silvers were all aware that she was trying her best. They understood that she was shy and timid—which was why they felt they couldn’t push her too hard. Honestly speaking, the girl herself was quite content even having gotten to see Nia and Neal in the flesh from up close. Perhaps the reason she couldn’t take that final step even though she had mentally prepared herself was because she’d already gotten her own satisfaction.
“I...did my best today too.” Any more today was impossible for her. Her pulse was insane, her heart felt like it was about to burst, and she was worried that she was sweating too much. Her hands were already soaking. Her body wasn’t in a state that could possibly appear in front of two innocent young children anymore. Her body was dirty. She had lost what little cleanliness she had cultivated. With that assessment, she chose to go back to her room.
Rikelvita really did want to introduce herself as a member of the Silver family, as her father and Raffinee had told her to, but for such a severe shut-in, it was too large of a step.
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“Hello there.”
Rikelvita froze.
Right in the direction that she had turned to try and escape was the young girl with the white hair that she had been so passionately staring at moments ago. Those clear, blue eyes were looking right at the dirty woman even though she had been on the other side of the brush only a few seconds ago. Why was she suddenly here? Before she could spit out that entirely natural question, all that came out of Rikelvita’s mouth was a simple “Hee!”
“Hee?”
“HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!”
A long scream rang out over the Silver territories.
Ѐn um̊а̄ .і́ d
It was an incredible scream. It was a piercing scream filled with deep emotion. The expression on this girl’s face as she howled to the heavens was a ghoulish one, the whites of her eyes showing.
Neal, Ririmi, and Lynokis, who had been training nearby; Reliared and her attendant, who had been training elsewhere; and all the Silver family servants gathered around us. When they saw the red-haired girl curled up on the ground, trembling in fear, the only ones who didn’t make an uncomfortable face were Neal and Lynokis.
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Those expressions were more than familiar: it was the exact face that Vikson had made when Neal mentioned Rikelvita. Reliared and Ririmi’s expressions were identical to it. For better or for worse, Vikson and Raffinee were actually away for work at the moment.
I...guess I made the wrong choice. I shouldn’t have tried to greet her after all. Or I should’ve at least knocked her unconscious before she screamed. But I didn’t feel good at the prospect of raising a hand to a girl whose identity I didn’t know for sure.
All of us were standing around unsure of what to do—the servants who weren’t able to find the words becausethey knew what must have happened, the screaming girl who was still trembling with her back to me, and me, unable to say anything because I was the outsider who wasn’t even sure what was going on.
“All right, go back to what you were doing! Nothing happened here!” Ririmi bravely and boldly called out. “Nia, Neal, neither of you saw anything, right?” All we could do was nod in response.
Ѐ n̆ ǔ m̆ ā. ǐ ḋ
In reality, all that had happened was that I had decided to try starting the conversation since I had assumed she was a bit shy. Just a single hello had led to all of this, but I really didn’t want to start a fight or anything. I didn’t intend for things to turn out this way either.
“Now that we’re here, I’ll make sure she gives a proper greeting. Just give me some time.”
Even I could tell that screaming at a guest and rejecting them after simply saying hello would mar an aristocrat’s name. That was why Ririmi was trying to silence everyone on the matter. She was going to try and have a do-over, so we should forget what just happened.
“Nia, it’s a bit early, but let’s head back and take a bath.” Reliared forcefully tugged at my hand. Isn’t it really early, though? I just started training. I wanted to watch Lynokis flounder... I thought all of those thoughts in my head, but this was definitely a time I needed to listen to Reliared.
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“Then perhaps I will, as well,” Neal said, having decided to do the same. That was definitely the right call here.
“Wait, together...?” Reliared let out. From the heat in her voice and the breath that escaped her, she was almost certainly imagining the two of them bathing together.
Е́ ñu m̃а̀ . i ď
He’s not going to join you in the bath, you know. Because I’d made sure to teach him properly that there are things you can’t escape from once you do them.
Starting over again...
“It’s nice to meet you, Lady Rikelvita. My name is Neal Liston.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Rikelvita. My name is Nia Liston.”
We’re the siblings of the Liston family. Though the soul of the sister’s a little different.
After we’d all bathed, we’d sat out at a table set up in the garden and partaken in some tea, before then being called to the Silvers’ parlor—and so we started from square one with Rikelvita. This time, we were able to give proper introductions with the red-haired girl only trembling from nervousness.
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“I-I-I-I’m...R-R-R-R-Rikel. Sorry ’bout earlier...” The girl timidly sat in the chair, absolutely exuding anxiety. Even her speech was filled with stammering. Her eyes were swimming all over the place, and she was so nervous that she almost came across as suspicious... But she was a petite and adorable young lady. The simple dress that she wore suited her.
Though their shades varied, the daughters of the Silver family all had red hair and gray eyes. You would assume without being told that they were siblings. Thinking about it, Reliared wasn’t immediately related to them, was she? And yet she looked exactly like them.
Rikelvita was the second daughter, so she would be older than Ririmi standing beside her, but she was so small and her face so young that she looked as if she were the same age if not even younger. So this was the second daughter. She was...extremely flustered by social situations, wasn’t she?
“Sorry the introduction came so late. As you can see, she’s...quite shy around people. She doesn’t like talking to strangers very much,” Ririmi explained.
“Does that mean she’s all right with family?” I asked.
Ririmi nodded. “Yes, well... I suppose it’s more accurate to say that she’s not actually able to talk properly with anyone but family...”
Е̇ n̆ u m̊ӓ.і d
Hm, I see. In that case, she was one of those types.
“Miss Rikelvita, you came to see my debut stage show, didn’t you? The Girl Who Fell in Love.”
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Reliared had told me something to that effect soon after we started school—something about Rikelvita and her father having gone to watch me onstage...and that Reliared herself definitely didn’t go with them. That was the only time I’d heard about the second daughter. Or, no, I must have heard about her at the opening of the broadcasting station, as well. That was about it, though. If she was fine with family, then the story of her coming to watch me was likely true.
At the end of the day, I was also a member of the Liston family—the bare minimum expectation was that I’d act like an aristocrat. I think I played that part pretty well. Probably.
“Thank you ever so much for coming. Did you enjoy the show?” I wasn’t sure what exactly had attracted her enough to go all that way to see me in person, but there was no denying she’d done just that. Seeing how she was now, that trip to the capital must have put her under great stress.
“Y-Y-Yeah...” Although quite unrefined, her young face seemed to become younger as she smiled. “Th-The first time seeing little Nia in the flesh was, heh heh heh, so good...!”
Еǹ ùmӓ . i ḋ
Um...
“That’s enough for today, I think!”
That passionate gaze being directed at me felt evil and dirty, like there was some hidden ulterior motive, but Ririmi leaped into our line of sight and interrupted us. I would just believe my eyes had deceived me then. Though, uh...we had met eyes so directly that it was hard to write that look off as a misunderstanding...
I wasn’t quite sure what kind of girl Rikelvita was, but I could start to understand the reason behind the Silver family’s earlier uncomfortable expressions.
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“I’ve heard you already had the chance to meet, but once more, this is my second daughter, Rikelvita.”
The commotion with Rikelvita had made our whole morning a mess, but we met her again at dinner. After returning home from his afternoon recording, Vikson joined us at the dinner table and gave a proper introduction for the girl.
W̄ еb̈.ṅ ovе̂l̊ Е̇nům̀ а̄
“N-Nice to meetcha...after this morning... Keh heh...” Rikelvita was finally able to formally give her greetings. Though her polite smile was painfully forced.
“Once more, my name is Neal Liston.”
“And I am Nia Liston. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Despite his age, my brother always gave such refined greetings. I made sure to follow up with my own.
“My apologies for the delay in introduction. As you can see, she’s quite the shy girl... If I had forced her out, it would have been quite awkward for the both of you, no? So I felt I should let her come out when she felt ready, but...”
“Then everything went as you planned. Lady Rikelvita chose to come find us herself, after all.” Of course my brother had the words ready to ease the man’s guilt.
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Rikelvita really had come to greet us herself—that wasn’t a lie. Though she had never quite stepped out to meet us directly, I had technically seen her numerous times since coming to the mansion, as she had been constantly peeking out and then hiding again.
What had happened today wasn’t really that big of a deal either. We’d just maybe had a slight little incident where I might have kind of given her a bit of a fright that was so slight that it was like a light feather... Yes, so very, very light that it was like its weight never even existed. In other words, there was no problem at all! It already felt as if nothing had ever happened.
More importantly, this marked the first time all of the Silver family had been gathered in our presence: the current lord of the Silver family, Vikson Silver; the eldest daughter, Raffinee; the second daughter, Rikelvita; the third daughter, Ririmi; and finally, the one I was most acquainted with, the youngest daughter, Reliared.
Given I would be leaving for the capital in only a few days, I couldn’t say whether this was good or bad timing for us to have only met now, but considering we would likely be friends for a long time to come, there was nothing to lose by having met already. I was sure that we would be making numerous visits to the Silver Estate in the future, and perhaps we’d stay over on some occasions as well.
But the question remained: was it necessary for us to further our relationship? Rikelvita was so shy that even now, she was forcing a polite smile on her face. What exactly was the correct distance for me to remain from her? Or should I just make every effort to stay away?
“Ah, I know,” Vikson started, trying to dispel the awkwardness. “Rikel is actually a talented artist. She’s always holed up in her room drawing away. Why not take a look?”
W ѐ b_n ӧ vẽl Е̄ n ú m а̂
Well, being invited like that, I had little choice. I didn’t think having someone else initiating our relationship would change matters, but...did Rikelvita even want to be friends? Was refusing the better option here?
“Heh heh? F-Father, that’s embarrassing...” That was what she said, but from the way she was squirming, she looked like she wanted me to see her art, despite her visible embarrassment. Almost definitely. I could kind of tell from her words and behavior that she wasn’t completely rejecting me.
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The problem now lay in what I should do. Should I refrain, or should I simply go with the flow? Given I’d been screamed at by this girl just this morning, it was impossible to not attempt to be as considerate as possible.
“Yes, of course. If it is of no trouble, we would love to see her art.”
That boy didn’t even hesitate. Neal gave the perfect response as befitting of his status, so I had no way to refuse anymore. I had to go whether I wanted to or not.
Well, whatever. It wasn’t as if Rikelvita seemed to be against it. I was sure I would learn in due time how to handle the girl.
Ѐ ńůmа̃
To spoil the conclusion to all of this, this invitation would open the door to a completely new magivision project.
After we finished eating dinner, Neal, Rikelvita, her sisters—who were no doubt exceedingly worried for a number of reasons—some of the servants of the house, and I went to take a look at Rikelvita’s room.
We were immediately assaulted by the sharp smell of paint. Canvases and easels were haphazardly scattered everywhere in the dimly lit room. When the light was turned on, I immediately realized that this wasn’t her bedroom but purely a place to draw—all the room contained was a table, chair, and painting tools. It was like a studio of sorts.
“Wow, this is incredible...” Neal breathed out in wonder. I wasn’t all that knowledgeable on the visual arts, but to my brother—who seemed to have an eye for art—many of the pictures were captivating.
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I...really wasn’t the audience for this. I could tell what I was looking at in landscapes or portraits, but I had no idea what to make of her more abstract work. There were some where she took a model of some kind and drew it with a different theme based on whatever image her mind extracted from it. Those were the ones I found especially baffling.
Well, it wasn’t like I couldn’t see anything at all in them. This is a seahorse, right? No? It’s...an elderly man with a staff?! This?! Not a seahorse?! Which part is the old man and which part is the seahorse? Ah, wait, I just established there’s no seahorse... Yeah, I definitely couldn’t parse it. It was a difficult piece of art in which I could see nothing other than the seahorse.
En̈ ŭ m а
“I don’t really get them either,” Reliared reassured me. “I can tell that there’s a lot of artistic skill on display, though.”
So Reliared had the same opinion as me. Right? This looks like a seahorse, right? No? A...croissant? Huh, a croissant?! What about this looks like a croissant?! Does that muscle around the seahorse’s head look anything like a croissant to you?! This is absolutely a seahorse! Uh, but, wait, it’s not a seahorse... It’s meant to be an old man with a staff. Right. Well, to summarize, it was an old man who looked like a seahorse. Maybe an old man who looked like an old seahorse.
“This is also beautiful...”
“It is. Maybe I should see if she’d let me have some of her art again...”
Neal and Raffinee were looking at each of the pieces the servants had carefully lined up, marveling at each one they saw. Was this what they called a difference in taste? That was a cow, right? What? No? I knew it. I knew that even though it looked like a cow, there was no way it actually was. It was something in the shape of a cow, right? No, no, I understood now. I had at least that much artistic sense.
“Um, Nia, here.” As Reliared, Ririmi, and I remained unable to comprehend the pictures, Rikelvita came over with a pile of paper that she appeared to use for sketches.
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“Well, I certainly know what this is, at least.”
It was me. The monochrome picture that emerged from the overlap of charcoal lines was my face. It was nothing short of a living picture, so detailed, as if a magivision image had been cut out of the MagiPad, and yet also containing warmth that magivision couldn’t quite capture, as well.
“I have...one of you too, Relia.”
“Oh... This is amazing.”
Every drawing in that pile was a portrait. My brother and I were part of the collection, but the majority were of family or servants of the Silver house. Hang on, there’s even one of Bendelio here. His distinctive face was so perfectly recreated I could feel my anger reigniting.
Seeing more realistic art like this meant that even I could clearly see how skilled Rikelvita was as an artist.
Ӗn_um̂ a
“So you draw in this style too,” Ririmi breathed out, clearly impressed.
“Yeah, sometimes... I don’t really get many chances to show them to you, though...”
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It seemed that Ririmi spending most of her time at the dorms had prevented the sisters from getting enough time to talk.
“Now that I think about it, didn’t you make picture books and little paper plays for me when I was younger?”
“Yeah...” Rikelvita’s smile was somewhat sad. “You really loved playing outside, and...then you started really getting into martial arts, so you got bored of them really fast... Actually, I don’t think you ever really looked at them properly...”
“I-I’m sorry.”
W е ḃn̂o vеl̈ Ěn̈ ù m а
“I thought...maybe you hated me...and got really sad...and then I wanted to go outside less and less...”
“I-I’m really sorry! Honest!”
Hang on...
“Nia!” Reliared suddenly called out. “Let’s go look at that weird picture over there that looks like a pastry!” She was clearly wanting to pull me away from the sudden sisterly spat, but my mind was elsewhere.
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“Picture books and paper plays...” I fell into thought.
Magivision programs were recordings of real events. In other words, we could only record events actually happening in front of us. Sounds could be added in postproduction, but the same couldn’t be said for the visuals.
Е̄ nú mа .і̂ d
In that case, why not use art?
If we used art, we could turn events that weren’t presently happening into programs. It held none of the risks of our usual recordings either: having to constantly take the weather into account, having the schedule or performance affected by the actors’ mood or physical condition, or having recordings postponed due to unforeseen troubles. It would be possible to record indoors, in an undisturbed environment, without any disruptions to the schedule.
Plus, if we were using art, we could even turn more fantastical events into pictures. For example, maybe we could show a historic battle between some renowned hero and an elite monster. Could that not be one of magivision’s many possibilities?
Art. Picture books. Paper plays.
We can work with this.
I would have to consult with Hildetaura first, though. Or perhaps it would be smarter for me to contact Bendelio first. Was it a project we should do in the Liston territories? Could I tempt Rikelvita to participate? There was no denying her artistic ability. If we managed to normalize art recordings in the magivision industry, someone of her skill would be invaluable. I very much wanted to secure her before someone else got their hands on her.
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“Ah, Nia.” When I didn’t move after she pulled on my hand, Reliared peered into my face—and then suddenly realized what had kept me there. “You were just thinking about how we could use art for magivision, weren’t you?”
What?! She figured me out?! If I let even the tiniest bit of information slip, the Silver family will almost undoubtedly steal this from me!
“Hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah! I have no idea what you’re talking about, none at all! Can you give me your hand for a moment?”
“Wait, are you about to— Ow ow ow ow ow!”
Avoid the subject! Get her to forget about it! Get over this hurdle!
“Nia, what are you doing?!”
Е̊ ṅ û_m̊ а̇ .і̄_d̆
“Look at this hand, brother. Isn’t it just the most adorable hand you’ve ever seen?”
“OWWWWWW!”
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I held Reliared’s hand out to Neal, squeezing it tight, pulling forth all strength from my elbow to my wrist, from my wrist to my fingers, practically strangling her limb, but I couldn’t fool him.
“Stop that right now! You’re hurting her! Let her go— Wh-What?! What is this strength? I... I can’t loosen your grip at all!”
In the end, I was scolded by my brother.
“Oh? Using art in magivision? So a little like a paper play?”
W е̃ b́_n̂оv̊ е̇ l̆ Е̂n̆u_mӓ
And at breakfast the next morning, I had my sudden revelation completely stolen by Vikson.
“That sounds interesting indeed. I had been considering if there was some way we could turn the stories of great adventurers and their journeys into an actual program, and expressing them through art would most certainly be an option. That way, we wouldn’t have to endanger ourselves by doing something like a live reenactment.”
He turned that revelation into an actual practical idea.
“What do you think, Rikel? Sound like something you’d want to give a try? Instead of selling art to royalty or aristocrats, you’d be making art for the general public to consume. That sounds like the perfect opportunity to get your name out there.”
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“Yeah, I don’t really mind... I like all kinds of art...”
And on top of all of that, he took Rikelvita before I even had her within my grasp.
Еn ū m̄a. ї d́
At breakfast the morning after we went to Rikelvita’s studio, Reliared proudly told on me to Vikson Silver, and that was all she wrote. Imagine a relay race where the first runner is completely overtaken by five people and they suffer a complete defeat without getting to show off even once—that was what this was like.
Things refused to go the way I wanted them to. Were we to compete in matters of strength, I would win so easily, even in this body. But in everything else, I kept losing. Even to Bendelio. It was so frustrating.
The world was not so simple that I could solve everything with my fists—though I felt as if the world of my past life had been that simple... Whatever. If I’d taken a second to think about it, I’d have realized that there was no chance of me winning from the start. I’d come up with the idea at the worst time, and Rikelvita was literally a member of the Silvers; stealing her talent for the Listons would’ve been tough no matter what.
On top of all that, since the Silvers were involved in the magivision industry, they must have invested a notable sum of money—and they’d joined the race very recently. The moment they thought of a new possibility, they would absolutely try to make it a reality, make it their own.
I suppose I will accept this loss. Rather than dwell on it, it would be much more productive for me to change my thinking. Jumping onto a trend only after someone else—namely the Silver Channel in this case—would give you the opportunity to observe the quality, trends, and ratings first, which wasn’t a bad tactic in and of itself. It was essentially making someone else traverse through unknown territory first.
Starting late had its own advantages. If they failed, then that was that, and we’d find something else. If they succeeded, we would simply hop on the path of success that the trailblazers had created.
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For now, I would inform Bendelio to continue monitoring the Silvers’ movements, and also begin searching for a suitable artist.
The development of a new idea had instantly made the Silver family busy.
“Sorry, everyone suddenly ended up swamped with work...”
Amid all of that, I completed my work schedule in their territory and was ready to set off for the capital—and yet, the Silvers dispersed immediately after giving us their brief farewells. They left us alone and instead all boarded their own nearby airship and headed off to work. Even Rikelvita had been dragged along with them.
They at least saw us off to the docks, but I was fairly sure that was only because they were already going there anyway. Only Reliared and Esuella had remained behind, and both looked incredibly awkward about the whole affair.
“Tell Mr. Vikson that we don’t mind. Anyone could see that he’s busy,” Neal reassured them.
Ӗň úm̆а . i d
Vikson Silver was clearly in a fair hurry to get the paper play project up and running. If they really buckled down, we might even be able to see it at the tail end of summer vacation.
“See you later, Relia.” I knew Reliared was busy herself, so it was only right that we left as soon as possible.
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“See you. I’m looking forward to spending time with you and Miss Hilde on the island. At least...I hope we still can.”
There had originally been a chance for Reliared to join us on our visit to the capital, but now that this whole paper play plan had been decided on, that had gone out the window. We had planned to work together there, and then we’d all go to spend our last five days on the private island together...but with the situation being what it was now, Reliared would only be getting busier.
With all of that out of the way, we boarded Neal’s airship and left the bustling Silver territories.
“I’m glad you arrived safely, Nia.”
Ѐ ňû ḿа . і̇ d̈
Early the next morning, we arrived at the capital. The Altoire production crew was waiting for us when we disembarked.
At the front of the pack, waiting to greet us, was a tall, slender woman in her late twenties who looked awfully uptight. She wore a black suit and trousers that matched her black hair and glasses with thick black frames over deep blue eyes. This lady was Mirko Tair, representative of the Altoire Broadcasting Station. We’d met when I went to introduce myself shortly before summer vacation began.
By representative, I meant that she was essentially Altoire’s Bendelio—the current director of the production crew. I had fulfilled many contracts for work in the capital, but I didn’t cross paths with Mirko until Hildetaura took us to meet everyone at the station. I wasn’t sure if it was because she didn’t often go on-site, or if she just happened to not be present for my recordings. Regardless, I had met her through Hildetaura’s introduction. If Hildetaura trusted her, then I did too.
“Apologies for springing this on you, but are you available to do a recording right now?”
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Wow, absolutely no hesitation. We had made arrangements to meet, so we had adjusted our travel time accordingly, but I hadn’t thought I’d be thrust into work right off the bat.
“Of course. Let’s go.”
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Not that that would change my response.
“Please look after my sister,” Neal said.
“We will. Let us have formal introductions tomorrow, when we have more free time.” After exchanging some quick words with my brother, Mirko dragged me away to a nearby airship. I would separate from Neal here, bringing only Lynokis with me.
“Sorry for the rush. If we’re fast enough, you’ll be able to meet up with Hilde in time for her recording,” Mirko said as the airship took off.
“I originally came here for work, anyway, so I don’t mind.” All it took was remembering those two weeks from hell, and something like this felt like child’s play. Neal waved at us as we took off, and I waved back, before turning back around. “So what do you want me to do once we arrive?”
“Race with some dogs.”
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Oh... Specials that involved me playing with dogs really were popular, huh? Combining my work from all the territories, I had recorded at least ten dog-related programs by this point.
“Two recordings with dogs. Four, if possible.”
Excuse me? Four? Bendelio’s schedule had been bad enough; don’t tell me Mirko would turn out to be as much of a slave driver?
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