Laocles is an excellent model. If I asked him to stay still, he would stay still for half an hour, and if I asked him to stay still for an hour, he would stay still for an hour. He would just blink, but that’s it… What an excellent living plaster statue.
There is one frustrating thing, though. I’m not used to drawing people yet, so the only thing I can draw in the time that Laocles can sit still is his face.
But then again, many plaster casts are only from the neck up. So I guess I’ll start from here.
…I would like to paint his whole body once I can draw more quicker.
However, I decided not to paint more than three Laocles in a day, because it would be very tiring to remain motionless. No, not me, but for Fay.
“Think about Laocles’s body, too. He won’t disobey your orders and won’t move an inch. It’s painful for me to watch him.” (Fay)
I see. I’m happy to see him, but I can’t help it. I want Laocles to be healthy, so I decided to stop drawing so many pictures of him at once.
If I could, I would have painted him for a total of 12 hours, with a few breaks in between. …But it can’t be helped. He may look like a plaster statue, but he’s alive.
I was taken care of by the Redgardes that day, but the next day I went back to the forest. On our way back, Fay lent us his fire spirit, and Laocles and I rode it home. When we arrived at the forest, the two fire spirits went home again. How clever.
“…What is this place?” (Laocles)
“A forest with a lot of horses.” (Tougo)
Laocles, on the other hand, was a bit surprised at the forest. Well, it’s all horses here, you know.
We continued on our way, weaving our way through the horses. The horses seem to be very interested in Laocles. I simply explained to the horses that I will draw him. I wonder if that satisfied the horse. The unicorns would never approach Laocles, but the Pegasi would come up to him and sniff him. Laocles is having trouble with the sniffing. Well, get used to it.
Pushing through the horses, we finally came to the front of the house.
“This is my house. Please use it as you see fit. There is a guest room, so you can sleep there.” (Tougo)
“Come in,” I said, inviting Laocles inside.
He is taller than me and taller than Fay, so the house might be a little cramped.
Maybe the bed is too small. Then I’ll have to draw a new one and materialize it.
I was thinking,
“I’m good right there.” (Laocles)
Laocles indicates outside through the open doorway.
There it is… the remnants of the roof I built for the horses to shelter them from the rain.
It’s the roof that was once destroyed by the poachers and their accomplices, but for the time being, a new one has been built properly. It seemed easier to create a new one than to fix the broken one. The horses are going to the new one.
…And Laocles seems to be saying that he will sleep on the broken roof.
“Um… do you like being outside?” (Tougo)
“Are you an idiot?” (Laocles)
When he asked me about it, I could only say I am an idiot. Yep.
“Don’t try to sleep under the same roof as a slave who has murdered.” (Laocles)
While saying so, Laocles has a complicated expression.
He is telling me to be wary of him, but… hmmm, is he really someone I should be wary of? I feel that someone who reminds me to be vigilant is not a bad person by any stretch of the imagination. Is this way of thinking wrong?
“Um… You have a collar so I’m fine.” (Tougo)
When I asked that, Laocles was silent. He remains silent and stares at me.
…Hmmm, he has no intention of retreating, it seems.
Fay also said, “He has a collar, so it’s okay,” but he’s worried, so it can’t be helped.
“I’m not particularly wary of you. But if you’re worried about it, fine, we’ll split the house.” (Tougo)
I relented. I felt that Laocles looked a little relieved at that moment. No, his face was almost expressionless the whole time. Yes, he really looks like a plaster statue.
“Wait for me. I’ll give your house out soon.” (Tougo)
So I decided to give him a new house.
“… what are you talking about?” (Laocles)
“Oh, if I faint, please put me in the hammock outside. Maybe the horses will carry me, but…” (Tougo)
“……Hey.” (Laocles)
Laocles looks around at the horses, then at me as I take out my art supplies, and he looks at me like he’s at a loss.
Yeah, he is still worried about not having a home. Probably, I think. I’ll build him a house soon.
I’m sure the grace period until I faint should have been a little longer. I started drawing more things than when I materialize my house, and when I also materialize the Red Dragon. From my experience so far… Mainly when I healed a horse, but apparently, the more I draw, the slower I faint… that’s my feeling.
So, here’s a little challenge, let’s try to get one house out in one day.
He looks restless as he watches the horses, so let’s build a house a little further away from my house and the spring. A little further away, yet still within the effect of the slave collar. In other words, not too far from me.
I walk around at random and find a good piece of land. Okay, this is the place.
I immediately put up the foundation there. …Yes. The feeling is different from before. It’s much easier than before. I can do it.
“……What happened?” (Laocles)
“I laid the foundation.” (Tougo)
Laocles was surprised that the picture materialized, but I quickly painted the next one.
…Nothing. Don’t draw the posts and beams and then the walls, just get a house out of the way from the start. If I faint, it will probably be for a day or two.
In my head, Fay is saying, “Be really careful!” but I’m going to ignore it. I’m sorry if I run out of magic and collapse again.
……And so, a house with cream-colored plastered walls and a dark gray roof was completed.
It is a little smaller than my house. But, well, the ceiling is higher than mine, so you’ll have to forgive me.
But still, I may have grown up. I still haven’t fainted even after I put the house out like this now.
“Um… let me put the rest of the furniture out tomorrow. Just get the bed out and then I’ll go to bed too.” (Tougo)
I then took the liberty of putting the bed out in one of the rooms in the house, which I decided to call a bedroom. It was a big bed, big enough to fit his large body with room to spare. The cloth and the soft texture of the bed were well-expressed. The bed was soft and fluffy. Good.
“… I don’t understand.” (Laocles)
And Laocles was left alone, but… well, that’s just fine.
“I’m this kind of person. I hope that’s a good introduction.” (Tougo)
When I said that, he… hesitantly nodded.
“… Apparently I was bought by an outrageous person.” (Laocles)
Laocles said so with a slightly cramped expression.
Yes. It’s great that you understand.
After all, I didn’t pass out that day.
But I was so tired that I had to sleep in the hammock outside again as the horses pulled me along.
I wondered if Laocles was sleeping well. I wonder if he is using the bed I created for him.
…I’ll ask him about that tomorrow. I will. Good night.
Good morning.
When I woke up and went outside, the giant bird was bathing in the spring. It’s been a while.
I said hello to the bird and the horses, took a quick dip, and then headed to Laocles’ house.
…I knocked on the door but there was no answer, so I quietly asked to look in the window from the back of the house.
The window, which is not even curtained yet easily shows me the inside of that room and Laocles sleeping on the bed…
Yep. Laocles was still sleeping.
…He seems to be sleeping soundly. Yeah. I wonder if I was tired. I wouldn’t have been able to relax much in a prison-like room.
Oh, and maybe I drew too much yesterday.
…yes.
Please sleep well for a while longer. Sleep well.
