Chapter 20

That day, after drawing for a while, I took a break. Both Redgard and I were still recovering from our illnesses, so we shouldn't overdo it. ...If we run out of magic, we might die, so really, we shouldn't overdo it.

To avoid overdoing it, I decided to sleep outside again today. As soon as I took a blanket and went outside, the horses gathered around me as if they had been waiting. Yeah, thank you. I appreciate it.

"R-Really, is it okay for me to...?"

"Yeah. You're a benefactor to the horses, so it's fine. I think they pull you because of that."

Then, Redgard also decided to sleep outside.

When he came out, saying he wanted to see me surrounded by pegasi and unicorns because it would be interesting, he was also pulled and pushed by the horses and taken to the trees by the spring. So I also made a hammock for him.

Redgard cautiously made his way through the horses, lay down in the hammock, and covered himself with a blanket. ...Then, as expected, the horses timidly approached, snuggled under him, and stuck to his side.

"See? Right?"

"Wow... This is amazing. Such a warm welcome... The pegasi and unicorns here are amazing."

Redgard muttered this. That's right. The horses here are all good. When the horses are praised, I somehow feel happy too.

The next day, I started finishing the painting.

I placed darker colors in the areas that would be in shadow and more vivid colors where the shading was insufficient...

Watercolor painting is fun because you gradually layer colors, bit by bit. All the layers accumulate to form a single color, a single painting. It's enjoyable.

I can feel that what I'm doing isn't in vain, even if just a little.

...And I was working on the most important part of this painting... Redgard's eyes.

I tried to be as detailed as possible, yet clear.

The clothes and background were drawn quite roughly. Even the patterns were carefully detailed, but they were still quite pale. ...But the face couldn't be done roughly.

Especially the eyes. They are the first thing people notice. So I wanted to draw them as detailed, clear, and beautiful as possible.

...But.

"Which color should I use..."

I was struggling with the palette of paints and the test paper in front of me.

No matter what, I couldn't find a color that suited his eyes.

Paints, in general, lose their vividness the more they are mixed.

You could say they gain depth, but that doesn't work for expressing his glowing crimson eyes.

And the paints I have are all slightly different in color.

The color of red flower petals is different. It's not the color of red earth. Even the color of my blood doesn't quite fit.

...So, I'm a bit at a loss.

"Hey, Togo, are you okay?"

"Hmm..."

If you say all the colors are just slightly different, then that's true. But I don't want to compromise on that 'slight difference.' Especially for Redgard's eyes, I absolutely don't want to compromise.

What should I do? Should I go out to look for paints? But that's not the right approach...

...While I was hesitating.

"Kyu."

A sound came from outside the window.

"Oh, you're here too."

When I went outside, there was a red dragon. It landed with its crimson wings flapping and seemed to be enjoying being pet by Redgard.

"Sorry, Togo. I left this one at home... but it seems to have come here."

I remember he said the red dragon didn't have a good magic stone. It seems that to summon a creature, you need a gemstone that can serve as its home. You usually wear the gemstone to be able to summon the creature whenever you want.

So, until he could get the gemstone, the red dragon was supposed to stay in the garden of the mansion...

"Hey, hey, that tickles."

...The red dragon was licking Redgard's cheek and rubbing against him, looking very happy. Yeah. If it's this attached, it would be cruel to keep it away.

"Sorry, Togo. Can you wait a bit with the painting? I'll play with it for a while first."

"Sure."

While I watched the red dragon and the other summoned creatures, the fire wolf and the fire bird playing...

...Ah!

"What? Togo, what's wrong?"

I approached the red dragon.

Since I drew it with more than half of my blood, this crimson dragon seems to be somewhat attached to me. It just tilted its head when I approached, without attacking.

I looked at the red dragon and felt happy.

"This is the color!"

Redgard's eye color! This is it! The color of the red dragon's scales is exactly the same!

Now I had to act quickly. I immediately asked the red dragon.

"Can I have one of your scales?"

Just enough for the paint!

...In the end, the red dragon generously gave me a scale, one that was already peeling off its tail.

I also got Redgard's permission. He said, "It's going to shed anyway, so it's fine!" So I gratefully took the scale.

Now.

I immediately drew a tube of paint, stuck the scale on the color label, and made a very beautiful crimson paint.

Now, with this, I can finally complete the painting!

"Redgard!"

...But.

"Sorry, Togo! Wait a bit longer!"

It seems the red dragon and the fire spirits don't want to let Redgard go. Without a model, the painting has to wait a bit longer.

Yeah. Can't be helped. Can't be helped, but...

I want to finish it soon!

In the end, the painting was completed the next day.

But finally, the painting is complete. Finally. It took a long time to be able to draw, and it felt long since I started. It felt very long even after I got the crimson paint!

"Here we go."

"Okay."

I made sure to prepare for the collapse (meaning, I laid out a blanket, positioned myself where the horses could gather, and there), and added the final touch.

Now, the painting is complete.

...At that moment.

The watercolor painting trembled, and the lines gathered...

"Whoa!?"

I thought it was clinging to Redgard.

"...Ah."

He was moving his hands while looking at it intently. ...With both eyes.

"...Togo!"

Seeing his face filled with joy, I knew I had accomplished what I needed to. I did what I wanted to do.

I felt very happy.

"Hey! Togo! Hey! Stay with me!"

And I fainted again.

But I was prepared, so it's fine. Good night.

When I woke up, it was morning. Good morning. It seems I fainted in the morning and woke up the next morning.

I was on a hammock, surrounded by horses. Good morning. Thank you for always taking care of me.

After getting out of the hammock, I immediately went back to the house. I wanted to confirm it wasn't a dream...

"Hey, Togo! Good morning!"

...Seeing Redgard with both eyes and holding a book, I felt deeply relieved.

"You really run out of magic often... I'm impressed you can faint so easily. Normally, you wouldn't run out of magic so quickly. The magic would activate before you run out."

"Yeah. I'm glad. How are you feeling, Redgard?"

His words didn't really register. I was more concerned about his condition.

When I fixed the Pegasus's wings, they moved properly and it could fly...

"Yep. Perfect. My fingers move, and I can see!"

...I'm glad. It seems to have worked well. I'm really glad.

"Hey, Redgard."

"By the way, Togo."

As I was about to speak, Redgard bent down and looked into my eyes.

"Call me Redgard no more, Togo."

...Huh?

What does he mean? As I was confused...

He smiled broadly and said,

"Call me Fey. Let's be close friends, okay! Yeah!"

"...Close friends?"

"Huh? Aren't we close friends? We've faced death together! We help each other! Plus, we get along well and even the horses like us! So, differences in status or the world don't matter! We're close friends, right!"

Are we close friends? Is that what it means? Do we get along? Do the horses like us? ...Yeah, maybe we do. The difference in status is less of an issue because the difference in the world is bigger. Or maybe it's because he's that kind of person.

But... I can't really feel it. What is it? I've never had a 'close friend' before. Ah, my teacher is different. My teacher was a friend but also a teacher, so it wasn't really a close friend...

But we... somehow became close friends.

"Right, Togo. Right? Right?"

I was at a loss. I've never met someone like this. I don't know how to react.

...But he looked at me with hopeful eyes.

"...Fey?"

"Yeah! That's right! Great!"

...Yeah. I realized that calling him Fey is easier to pronounce than Redgard. I don't have to move my mouth much to make the sound.

So... from today, he's Fey. My close friend... apparently.

No, I still don't really feel it...

"Alright, let's go to my place, Togo!"

"Huh?"

"Breakfast can wait an hour, right! Yeah!"

"E...Eh?"

"Let's go! Move out!"

Before I knew it, I was grabbed by Redgard and dragged outside.

Then I was placed on the back of a fire wolf.

...Ah, this might be...

"Alright, pegasi and unicorns! Sorry, but I'm borrowing Togo! ...Okay! Let's go!"

The moment Fey said that...

The fire wolf started running at full speed.

"Too fast! It's too fast!"

"Huh? Is it? Then I'll slow down a bit?"

"Please do!"

The trees in the forest were streaming by at an incredible speed, which was... no, incredibly scary. Plus, it wasn't a straight path; it had to avoid trees, and sometimes use them as stepping stones, making it even scarier.

...But when Fey gave a signal, the speed slowed down. The wild running stopped, and I felt deeply relieved.

"...Ah, right."

In the midst of this, Fey, running alongside, suddenly remembered something.

"Do you want to become my personal artist?"

"We can talk about it when we get home! Just think about it carefully!"

...I slowly chewed on Fey's words... and realized.

Is this going to be a big deal, I wonder?

But even if I realize it, the fire wolf doesn't stop. My 'close friend' running alongside on a wolf doesn't stop either.

...Yeah.

It'll turn out how it turns out. Probably.