Chapter 57

...What should I do? I'm in a bind. A nude painting. A nude painting, huh? Uh, a nude... I've never drawn one, or even seen one, haven't I...

"How about it? Right now, nude paintings are quite the trend in the capital. After all, a woman's body is the ultimate art. Especially someone like Cloa, it would surely be a magnificent piece of art."

...Huh?

"Huh? A, a nude painting... of, of Cloa?"

"Yes. Please draw Cloa."

When I glanced at Cloa, she was smiling without any sign of unease. Imagining her perfect body, wrapped in a dress, beneath the dress...

...Wow.

What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?

I can feel the blood rushing to my face. My face is hot. This is completely obvious, isn't it, what I'm thinking? What should I do? I might be seen as a pervert. But I can't do anything about my red face, and I'm just flustered. I can only look down to avoid being seen.

"Hehe, what a cute boy."

Being called a boy is embarrassing, but there's nothing I can do...

"Um... How do you feel about having your daughter's nude painting done, sir?"

While I was flustered, Fay asked the question I wanted to know. She's really reliable. Thank you.

"Would you think it inappropriate for a father?"

Then, Feen said with a thin smile, looking at Fay. It was challenging.

"Well, um... hmm"

Fay laughed a bit and tried to dodge the gaze...

"...No, I do think so."

Then, as if reconsidering, he said seriously. ...This is also a challenge.

Then Feen laughed.

"Hahaha. Quite an interesting young man. Your straightforwardness and the strong sense of justice I see beneath it are truly wonderful."

Shayla said, and then continued with a wry smile.

"Cloa is technically a foster daughter, but it's just a pretense to protect her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'll leave that to your imagination."

She smiled and ended the conversation. ...Huh, what does that mean?

"Ah, I see... Hey, Togo. What do you think?"

Even when asked, I still don't quite understand the situation...

...Hmm.

"...Um, is it okay with you, Cloa?"

Since I don't understand, I decided to ask her directly.

"Yes, of course."

...But, she answered so casually.

In this situation, I feel like a fool for being so flustered.

"...Fay, is it okay?"

"Hm? Well, if you're okay with it, I think you should take it. Cloa said it's fine."

Fay seems to have some thoughts from the conversation with Shayla, but in the end, it seems the most important thing is Cloa's will.

Yeah. Then, it's settled.

"Then, I'll take it. I don't have much confidence, but..."

I decided to take on this job.

After that, we returned to the party for a while. Fay was subtly dodging people who tried to talk to him, and I pretended to be unwell again... somehow, we managed to get through the party.

...And then.

"Please take good care of Cloa."

We were left with Cloa.

"Um, are you sure it's okay?"

"Yes. She wants it, so please."

I asked just to be sure, but both Shayla and Cloa were smiling. Hmm, is it really okay?

"Um, do you have any specific requests for the painting? Materials, size, style..."

"Nothing. I'll leave it all to you. Please draw the best nude painting you can."

That's a problem. I thought at least some specifications would help... hmm, this is really a bind. I guess I just have to do my best...

"I'll be looking forward to the finished piece."

After Shayla left, only we and Cloa were left behind.

...Hmm.

"Um, it's late, so let's stay overnight and leave tomorrow... is that okay, Cloa?"

"Yes. I'll follow your lead."

Does Cloa seem used to this kind of situation? It was sudden, but she doesn't seem flustered or nervous, quite calm. Rather, we seem more flustered.

"...Well, we have an extra room. It's perfect. Then, let's stay overnight and leave tomorrow! It's settled!"

But Fay is working hard, which is a relief. If it was just me and Laocles, we might have just panicked...

We returned to the inn. Since there are four bedrooms, we assigned the extra one to Cloa.

...And then.

"...Right away?"

"Yeah."

I started drawing Cloa right away.

"I can't let this opportunity pass."

For now, I'll just do a quick sketch since Cloa must be tired today. But, there's no option of not drawing. Yeah.

I spent a few minutes drawing Cloa, and it was like a dream.

It's really fun to draw. It was fun drawing Laocles too, but drawing Cloa is a different kind of fun.

A woman's body is different from a man's, I think. The bones and all...

Interestingly, while drawing Cloa, I understand Laocles' body better. Seeing Cloa's curves makes me realize how straight Laocles' body was...

Yeah, after drawing Cloa to my heart's content, I want to draw Laocles again. Or, I want to draw them side by side.

"Hey."

At that moment, Laocles spoke to me.

"Come to my room before you go to bed."

"Then I'll go to bed too. Good night. Don't stay up too late, okay?"

"Eh? Ah, yeah."

Laocles and Fay said, and they probably went to their respective rooms. I heard the door open and close behind me, so they must have gone to their rooms.

...Is there something they need? Hmm.

Well, if Laocles has something to talk about, I should go early. He probably wants to sleep early since he has to operate the Alicorn tomorrow.

"Um, Cloa, that's it for today..."

So, I decided to stop here for today. Yeah, it's fine. There's still plenty of time. We have two months, so there's no need to rush today.

Then Cloa giggled and said,

"Oh, do I not need to undress?"

...Uh.

"Um... Not yet. I want to understand the shape of your body through your clothes first."

"Really? Wouldn't it be better to see the real thing?"

"No. I want to understand the structure and features to some extent first. That way, I can draw faster."

When I said that, Cloa looked a bit puzzled. Hmm, maybe she's used to being a nude model. If so, it might be rude, but I'm still curious.

"...I don't want to keep you in that state for too long. So, I'll practice a bit to draw faster."

Cloa smiled and went to her bedroom. I was called 'cute boy' again, but yeah, that's fine. I am a cute boy, after all.

After that, I packed up my materials and saw Cloa off to her room. I sharpened some pencils for later, and then went to Laocles' room.

...Then.

"Hey, Togo. You're pretty quick."

For some reason, Fay was there.

"...What's up?"

"I called you. I had something to talk about."

"Yeah. ...By the way, Cloa thinks this is my room. We pretended to go to the opposite rooms earlier. Then, Laocles came over through the window. Right now, my summoned creatures are making a racket in Laocles' room."

...Hmm, what does that mean?

"In short, we're wary of Cloa."

"Eh?"

...Eh?

"Cloa's story is too perfect. I told Laocles about how we ended up bringing Cloa along. While you were keeping Cloa as a model, Laocles and I had a talk..."

"That woman is suspicious."

"...That's the conclusion we reached."

When did these two get so close?

After that... I feel like they had quite a conversation while I was drawing, but what does it mean?

"First, the story is too perfect."

"Yeah, I agree."

It's too perfect. Having such a beautiful person and lending her for two months is too perfect. Yeah.

"Considering that, it's probably to get close to you and get information about me and the Red Dragon from you."

"Oh, I see..."

Yeah, that makes sense. If I stay with you for a long time, some information about the Red Dragon might come up. Especially over two months, even more so.

"...I've never heard of the Shayla family having a foster daughter. Such a beautiful woman would surely be a topic of conversation somewhere, but I've never heard of it. So, she was probably made a foster daughter recently... most likely, a mistress. The way she hinted at it."

"Or, to make us think she's a mistress and avoid further investigation."

Wow... So, that's what it was. That's why Fay had a complicated look. A mistress... Hmm, that explains her behavior somewhat.

"Still, it's strange that they targeted you instead of me..."

"Maybe they thought you were easier to approach, or that directly targeting the main target was too straightforward."

Indeed, I am easier to approach. Yeah, I'm aware of that.

"Or, Togo himself might be the target... but that seems unlikely."

Regarding the Giolene family, I've heard they handle things carefully. Meaning, they don't want my story to leak. ...So, it's unlikely I was targeted. If there's a reason, it's because I'm Fay's close friend.

"Either way, she has some purpose in getting close to us."

"Maybe she was supposed to get close to me, but fell in love with Togo at first sight... who knows."

I see. Hmm...

...Cloa is very beautiful, but beautiful people have their own issues. I guess. As they say, beautiful flowers have thorns...

"So, Togo, we talked with Laocles... well, it's not good for you, but we decided to be wary of Cloa for now."

"Yeah, I think that's fine."

I value Cloa as a model, but since her purpose is unclear, it's necessary to be cautious. Yeah. Drawing and being cautious are separate things.

"...So, Togo, what do you want to do from now on?"

"Eh, what do you mean..."

Cloa is suspicious. She might be a spy. I understand that. But...

"...I want to draw."

I really want to draw Cloa.

"Yeah! I thought so!"

Then Fay said happily. Laocles also chuckled and muttered, "I thought so."

"Still, leaving you at the Redgard estate... well, since Cloa is probably after information about the Redgard family, it's a bit..."

Yeah, I understand.

"So, here are two options."

Fay said, holding up two fingers.

"One is to use a house on the outskirts of the Redgard territory as your studio. You and Cloa will stay there for two months."

...Yeah. I see. That way, at least information won't leak to anyone else. It's a bit much to have a house prepared like that, though.

"And the second is... to take Cloa to the forest where you live."

"Hmm... Is that okay? There are horses there. If people find out there are many horses, won't poachers come again?"

The thing I'm most worried about with going to the forest is the horses.

The horses have suffered before. I don't want them to suffer again. I don't want them to suffer ever again.

"Well, I don't think we need to keep it a secret. If Cloa is really investigating us, she probably knows there are Pegasi and Unicorns in that forest."

...I see. The poachers who targeted the horses knew there were horses in that forest, and probably some information leaked when they sold the horses' wings and horns.

I don't know much about the underground world, but... the information about the horses is probably known to the right people. So, it's too late to worry about it now.

"...But, the fact that a human lives in that forest might be new. So, the problem might be that Togo's existence is revealed, more than the Pegasi or Unicorns."

"But, I might not be enough to protect you alone. There are Unicorns in the forest. They might serve as some deterrent."

"Yeah. If the Unicorns show how much they trust Togo, no one would dare to harm him."

"From the forest, it would be difficult to contact anyone. It would significantly limit the other party's actions. It would be easier to gather evidence and capture them."

...This is quite a serious conversation. Is it okay to have this conversation? And when did Fay and Laocles get so close?

"So, what do you want to do, Togo?"

"Yeah. I want to go to the forest."

Fay listened to my preference, but my preference was the forest from the beginning. Plus, after hearing their opinions, I still think it's better to take Cloa to the forest.

...Plus.

"Her eyes are a beautiful emerald."

"...Oh?"

"I think the forest suits her."

The background is important.

"...Well, if you're happy, Togo, let's go to the forest. I'll try to check on you as much as possible. Yeah, I'm curious about what Cloa will be like after two months with you."

"Maybe, if she's treated like this, the poison will be drawn out from her..."

...Yeah. Well, that's settled then.

We decided to return to the forest.

Laocles went back to Fay's room through the window. He's going to sleep there tonight as part of the Cloa strategy.

"Then, Togo, go to bed early."

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to drawing, so I'll get a good night's sleep."

I decided to go back to my room. No matter what Cloa is thinking, she is beautiful. So, I'm looking forward to drawing her.

...I might be too excited to sleep.

"You really love drawing, don't you..."

"Yeah."

I love it.

I felt happy and said goodbye to Fay, then went back to my room.

The next morning,

We left the inn and returned to the forest.

"We're heading to the Redgard territory, right?"

"Yeah. You'll be living in Togo's studio for a while. Is that okay?"

"Yes, it's fine."

Cloa will ride with Fay on the Red Dragon. Laocles and I will ride the Alicorn.

We flew, took a break, chatted a bit with Cloa, and then flew again...

We arrived at the forest.

"Alright! We're here!"

My house in the forest was as usual, surrounded by horses, and bamboo was growing.

The horses immediately showed interest in Cloa, as if saying, "What's this new one?"

"...Um, are you surprised?"

"Yes, very..."

While surrounded by horses, Cloa had a look of... "This is unexpected."

Yeah, sorry.