Chapter 92

Sapphire's home welcomed a new baby.

Upon hearing this, we immediately decided to rush over to celebrate.

Those going to Sapphire's home are me, Fay, Fay's older brother, and... Lian and Ange.

It seems that Sapphire's wife said, "If there are children who modeled for these angels, I would like to meet them." Lian and Ange, dressed in outfits made especially for this day, were a bit nervous as they rode the phoenix and flew over.

"... Angels riding blue birds, huh. That sounds nice."

Fay, who was riding the red dragon, looked on with delight. I, too, clung to the phoenix while watching the siblings... Yes, it's very nice. Blue birds, bluer than the sky, each carrying an angel. Yes, it's nice. Very nice. I want to draw this. I'll draw it later.

"Wow... amazing! It's like my garden has turned into a mythical world!"

As the dragon, phoenix, and two phoenixes landed in the garden, Sapphire, who had come out to greet us, looked at us with a face full of surprise and happiness. "Please come in."

"Sapphire! Congratulations!"

Fay's older brother, who had just dismounted the red dragon, immediately ran over, and the two of them happily held hands.

"Thank you, Roseth! Now I'm a father! Hehe, it's a profound feeling!"

While their conversation continued, we stood a bit back... but then, Sapphire noticed Fay, me, and the Celeste siblings and his face lit up.

"Oh, you must be... the two angels?"

Lian and Ange, called "angels," were shyly fidgeting... but then, Lian presented the package he was holding to Sapphire.

"Congratulations on the baby's birth!"

As Lian said this nervously, Sapphire smiled and thanked him, accepting the package.

"Oh, this is...!"

As he opened the package, his expression brightened again.

... The gift we brought for the baby was a blanket. A blue blanket.

It was a blanket made by directly pasting phoenix feathers (or rather, fallen feathers?) onto paper in a collage. Because the texture of the feathers remained, it was soft, light, and very warm despite being thin.

There's a story that blue birds bring happiness, so I thought it would be nice if this blanket could bring happiness to the baby.

"It's very beautiful! ... Is this a blanket made from angel feathers?"

"Well, these are the feathers of these children."

When Ange said this while fidgeting, Sapphire looked at the phoenix and tilted his head in interest.

"What kind of bird is this? Roseth, is this bird from your place?"

"No... this bird lives in the Spirit Forest."

Fay's older brother chuckled and winked at me. Hmm, he's quite skilled.

"I see. You, who came riding on such a beautiful bird, are truly like angels. I would like you to meet my child and my wife. My wife has been looking forward to meeting you."

Sapphire might have sensed something, but he didn't ask further and invited us into the house. I was a bit nervous, and the angel siblings were even more nervous as we entered the mansion.

... And then, we met the baby and the baby's mother.

"Nice to meet you. You're the one who drew that painting?"

"Yes. ... Congratulations on the birth of your child."

"Hehe, thank you. ... And you two are the angels, right?"

The gentle woman, holding the baby in her arms, sat on a fluffy sofa and smiled at the angel siblings.

"Amazing. You really look like angels. It's strange that you don't have wings. Can I see your faces more clearly?"

"Eh, um, well..."

Lian, in particular, was very nervous and flustered. But it seemed that even this made Sapphire's wife happy. She chuckled and patted Lian and Ange's heads.

"I hope this child grows up to be as wonderful as you... No, as long as he grows up healthy, that's enough."

Sapphire's wife spoke to the baby, who had a puzzled look on his face but seemed to understand that someone was talking to him and moved happily.

"... Um, can I touch the baby's cheek?"

Ange, who had been watching the baby, timidly asked. Sapphire's wife then lowered the baby a bit and said, "Of course."

... And Ange gently, gently touched the baby's cheek.

"... It's chubby."

"Hehe. Yes, it is."

"Can I touch it too?"

"Yes, gently."

Lian also touched the baby and then made a profound expression.

"... It's soft."

The baby, though touched by strangers, didn't cry. Instead, he reached out to the angel siblings and gripped their fingers, making happy sounds.

"Oh, this child seems to like the angels. He looks so happy."

"The baby is cute. Beautiful."

"Right... The fairies will probably like this too."

Looking at the baby, Ange and Lian said this.

... It seems that the fairies who had taken up residence in Sapphire's garden had already taken a liking to the newborn baby. When I looked closely, there were many fairies outside the window, watching the baby. It's nice to see them so happy.

After thoroughly admiring the baby, we were shown around the proud garden of the Ouskaia family and greeted the fairies... and then we decided to leave.

As we were being seen off in the entrance hall...

"I love this painting."

Sapphire's wife said, looking at the painting and smiling.

... It's a bit intimidating, but the painting I drew is properly displayed in the entrance hall. Hmm, it's a bit intimidating, to say the least.

"When this child was in my womb, I often felt frustrated and anxious... but looking at this painting calms me down. See, the angels in this painting have such beautiful expressions. Looking at this painting makes me feel at ease."

She smiled and turned to me.

"It's hope. This painting has shown me a hopeful future. I have many worries... but it reminds me that there are also many wonderful things."

... This is even more intimidating. It's a great compliment. Yes, it's a great compliment. It's invaluable and precious.

"Also, you know. This child seems to like this painting too. Even when he's crying, if I bring him in front of this painting, he stops crying."

The baby was playing happily in her arms. ... But this might be due to the fairies waiting around the painting, secretly soothing the baby. Yes, the fairies seem to be quietly soothing the baby.

"Thank you. Young painter. I really love this painting!"

... But... it's very nice to hear this.

It's intimidating and a great compliment, and I wonder if it's okay... but I'm really happy.

"Hey, can you draw another one? I like your paintings."

"Yes, of course. I'll draw it right away. What kind of painting would you like?"

"Oh, really? I'm so happy! Well, then, a painting of the forest would be nice. This child won't be able to go out for a while until he grows up a bit..."

After hearing various requests from her, I decided to take on the next commission. I feel like I'm always drawing forest paintings. Well, that's fine.

"But, is it okay? You must have many other commissions, right?"

"It's fine, I don't have that many."

"You... I think you could reach higher places if you wanted. I think you could get much bigger commissions than ours... but is this okay for you? I'm happy, though."

Sapphire's wife said this, a bit jokingly but also worried about me.

So, to reassure her... and more importantly, to confirm it for myself, I said:

"Yes, I don't really like high places."

Yes, if I have to find a place to belong, I prefer it not to be high up.

It might be attractive to be seen by many people and to be something special among all... but I prefer to find a place to belong in the corner of someone's heart.

Yes, I like small spaces. Maybe the same goes for the recognition I receive.

A few days later.

We received a letter and a package from Sapphire.

The contents of the package were a beautiful tea set, tea, and cookies. It seems to be a thank-you gift for the blanket. Curoa immediately made tea using these items. It's delicious with milk, so I added milk and drank it. ... It tastes so happy.

While drinking tea and nibbling on cookies, I watched the fairies, who were eating the cookies and discussing how to improve their own cookies... and I recalled the contents of Sapphire's letter.

... Sapphire's letter was a thank-you note for our visit and a thank-you note for the blanket we gave to the baby.

The blanket was well-received by the baby. It seems that when wrapped in it, the baby falls asleep quickly. Sapphire wrote that the "blanket that brings happiness from angels" was a wonderful gift.

... When his wife tried wearing it, she reported that she had sweet dreams. Yes, that's great. I hope the mother and child stay healthy.

Then, about the commissioned painting. In addition to the one ordered by his wife, another one was ordered. This time, it's a painting of fairies... because she saw fairies having a festival in the garden.

Yes, they are there. Your garden is full of urban-style fairies...

... However.

There was one thing in Sapphire's letter that caught my attention.

"I heard that a painter named Togo Uesora is in the capital. However, I don't have the impression that Togo is in the capital, so I'm writing this to confirm. If you're not painting in the capital... it might be that a fake of you has appeared."