Chapter 95

When called a "fake," I don't know, I get kind of stuck on how to react.

When I look troubled, the other person starts to make a face like, "This isn't the reaction I expected." Behind "Tougo Uesora," his friends, I guess, are looking a bit troubled.

Well... maybe I should ask the people behind him rather than the "Tougo Uesora" in front of me to understand the situation.

"Hey, why don't you say something, fake!"

But the "Tougo Uesora" in front of me seems to not want me to get close to his friends. Hmm. I see. This is troublesome. Besides, since I was told to say something, I should probably say something. Well.

"...Are you also Tougo Uesora?"

"Huh?"

For now, I asked what I should have asked first. Then, the person in front of me made a rather anticlimactic face.

"Well, I thought it might be the same name and all..."

"What are you talking about! You're the fake! You're trying to deceive people by using Tougo Uesora's name, right!?"

"But... even if you say that..."

Now I'm really in a bind. It's fine, isn't it? Even if it's the same name. Rather, I think this is the point of resolution.

No matter what he says, I am Tougo Uesora, and he probably isn't... Hmm.

...The more I think about it, the less I understand.

What I don't understand is why the "Tougo Uesora" in front of me is using that name. What kind of feelings and circumstances led him to use my name?

The people behind him might know, but "Tougo Uesora" is a bit in the way to go ask. ...Then.

"Um, should we talk alone?"

Maybe it's better to hear it from him first, in an environment where he feels comfortable.

"...Alone?"

"You seem to have trouble talking when your friends are around."

When I whispered this to his puzzled face, he hesitated a bit... then turned around and said to his friends,

"I'm going to talk this out with him. You guys go home!"

...Yeah. For now, we have an agreement.

Then, "Tougo Uesora" and I went into a nearby café. It's the place where I had duck dinner with Fai.

...When we entered the café and sat down, Kuroa and Fai came in and sat at a nearby table casually. Hmm, professional skills.

"Excuse me, one Spark Juice."

Then I ordered from the waitress. The one Fai was drinking. I was curious about the taste, so I ordered it.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Um, ah... then, the same."

"Tougo Uesora" looked confused but ordered the same as me. Yeah. I think it's easier to talk with a drink.

...Then, while waiting for the ordered juice to be brought, "Tougo Uesora" was fidgeting. He tried to say something, then clammed up, and tried again, then clammed up.

Well... I don't understand his situation or his feelings, so I don't know what he's thinking, but from his appearance, he seems uncomfortable. Yeah.

And if he feels uncomfortable... well, probably, we're not just two painters with the same name by coincidence. Probably.

"...Um, can I ask your name?"

Since we're here, I might as well ask for the name while waiting for the drink. Otherwise, I can't even call him by name.

"Because, Tougo Uesora."

"Your real name. Not your pen name."

When I said that, he made a face like he was hesitating, like his spirit was deflating... and reluctantly said,

"...Lucien Pupure."

"Got it. Nice to meet you, Lucien."

As soon as I said "nice to meet you," the waitress brought the juice. I thanked her, took it, and placed a glass in front of me and Lucien.

When I tried to sip through the straw, surprisingly, it was a carbonated drink. Oh, so there is carbonation in this world. I was surprised. Indeed, it is Spark Juice.

While enjoying the slightly citrusy taste and the carbonation, Lucien didn't touch his juice and looked at me intently, saying,

"...What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Your name."

Oh, right. He introduced himself, but I haven't yet.

"Kuukou Tougo. Real name. I don't use a pen name."

When I replied, Lucien made a slightly frightened face and fell silent.

...Did I make him nervous? Hmm.

"Um, I don't have any intention of suing you or anything."

"Huh?"

So, I said that first, and Lucien looked surprised. ...Next to us, Fai and Kuroa also looked surprised. Yeah, sorry.

"But I want to know the reason. Why are you using the name 'Tougo Uesora' to draw? ...Can you tell me?"

Lucien seemed to have thought a lot. But by the time I finished drinking more than half of my juice, he finally started to talk.

"I've already told my friends. I'm Tougo Uesora."

"...Why?"

Thinking it was probably the people behind him earlier, I didn't understand the reason. When I asked, Lucien made a rather uncomfortable face and said resignedly,

"I thought using the name Tougo Uesora wouldn't get me caught..."

"Um..."

Even if it wouldn't get you caught, didn't you not have to use the name? I don't understand why you used it in the first place.

"Um, do you draw?"

"No."

Oh, I see... Well, this is getting more and more confusing!

"How much?"

When I was confused, Lucien suddenly said,

"How much will you take to draw under my name? The Pupure family can hire you!"

...I really don't understand!

"Um, first, I'm already employed by the Redgard family, so I can't go to your family."

"Then money!?"

"Second, I don't need money. I don't particularly need it."

When I answered, Lucien's expression twisted, and he looked down at the juice on the table.

"...But I've already told my friends. I'm Tougo Uesora, and my paintings are getting popular in the capital."

While his answers have been a bit off the mark... well, there's nothing I can do. If this is the only answer I get, I have to make some assumptions.

I thought... and came to a conclusion.

"So, you used my name because you wanted to be famous?"

As soon as I said that, Lucien glared at me.

"...Is that so bad?"

"Um... I don't think it's a good thing."

If we're talking about good or bad, well, I think it's probably bad. Yeah. No, since no one has been inconvenienced so far, it might be fine... but Fai and the others might be troubled in the future, and my name might end up in a mess, so in that sense, it's bad. Yeah.

"Um... did you want your paintings to be evaluated?"

"Anything would have been fine! But paintings seemed to have a certain class, right?"

Is that so? ...Is that how it is? Hmm, class...?

"...How about we draw together?"

"No way! Are you kidding me!"

No, I was serious, but is he that angry? ...Is it that big of a deal to him?

"But if paintings have a certain class, don't you think you should draw?"

"Because! Anything would have been fine! Paintings, music, hunting results, anything! As long as it leads to my evaluation!"

...It seems.

Lucien really wants to be evaluated.

But it's not that he wants his paintings to be evaluated.

...Does the evaluation of paintings lead to his own evaluation? Does he want to be evaluated himself, not his paintings?

Hmm... I don't understand...

While I was thinking, Lucien started to fidget and finally said in a raised voice,

"What, what are you going to do? Demand money? That's why you wanted to talk alone here... wouldn't it have been better to talk where your friends are? Or are you going to expose me later!?"

I understood that he raised his voice out of fear. I could see a hint of fear in his eyes.

...He doesn't want his friends to expose him. He's afraid of that.

"No, I thought it would be easier for you to talk alone, rather than with your friends..."

When I said that, he looked relieved. But he also had a face that said, "Is this okay?"

I sucked on the straw and finished my juice. The fizzing carbonation was delicious. When I sucked up the last bit of juice from the ice, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. This was delicious. I want to bring it back to the forest as a souvenir. ...Do horses like carbonated drinks? I think fairies would be happy.

...I was satisfied with the juice, but Lucien hadn't touched his at all. He must be very nervous.

He had a face like he was trying to say something but was hesitating, and he didn't even touch the glass, just let his gaze wander.

Then, I might as well ask.

"...So, are you going to continue using the name 'Tougo Uesora'?"

Since there's no point in hesitating, I decided to ask directly.

Lucien looked at me in surprise, our eyes met... then he made a frightened face, looked down, and shook his head.

"...I'll stop."

"Got it."

Then, it's fine. If he decides and does it, I think it's the best for me.

Maybe I should help him maintain his reputation or help him get the reputation he wants... but I'll discuss that with Kuroa and Fai.

Then, Lucien, who had been looking down, raised his face and pleaded to me with a desperate look.

"...I'll stop using your name. I'll pay money. So, please, don't sue..."

"I don't have any intention of suing. And I don't need money."

When I answered, Lucien looked relieved and slumped in his chair.

"...Well, to my family and the people in my house, and my friends..."

"I won't tell them."

"Really? You won't sue anyone? You won't tell anyone?"

"Yeah. It's fine. If you say you'll stop using 'Tougo Uesora.' Oh, and I need to know the extent of where you used the name. I don't know what kind of impact it might have, and if we need to cover up, it's necessary, right?"

When I answered, Lucien made a face like he couldn't understand at all.

"...If you sue, you'll get money."

"I already said, I don't particularly need money."

Lucien always tries to solve things with money. Is this how people in the city interact?

"But..."

"How about I let it go for the price of this juice?"

Since we're here, I might as well be a bit greedy. Lucien is probably more used to this kind of interaction.

In the end, Lucien paid for my juice. Since I decided to let it go for that, I think he felt it was settled.

Then, I learned from him who he had used the name "Tougo Uesora" with, so I'll check later to see if there are any problems. ...If there are no problems, it's fine. Yeah.

After parting with Lucien and walking a bit, I met up with Laocrates. He seemed to have been waiting for me.

"How did it go?"

"He said he'll stop using 'Tougo Uesora.'"

"...Is that all?"

"Yeah. Was it bad?"

When I asked, Laocrates smiled a little and shook his head.

"If it's a lie a child told to satisfy their self-esteem, this is enough. After all, the lie is already known to be a lie."

...It's already known? So, that's... Ah, right. That's why Lucien's friends behind him looked troubled.

Maybe Lucien came to me because his friends said, "The real one is in the square. You should admit your lie." I hope they said it a bit more gently.

...Maybe because I haven't been affected yet, I think this way, but I don't want Lucien to suffer too much for his lie.

Is this a naive way of thinking? Is it because I don't understand the value of evaluation?

There are mountains of things to worry about, but... well, there's nothing I can do. For now, I think this is