tknogi

There's been less crying at night lately.

Is the woman who left me that print still here?

I'm busy! Hold on!

I'm coming! Stop knocking!

I believe I said I wasn't going to your 'Relocation Festival'—

Good evening, Mr. Devlin. We meet again.

You...

Feeling any better?

Your complexion seems brighter. I take it you've been sleeping well.

Why did you come here? I told you—

Now, it won't do to dig up a lady's shame, would it?

You said you were busy? Have you been painting?

...Just trying out a new technique.

That's good to hear.

I don't have any questions for you today. Instead, I brought you something. Here.

Flowers?

Yes, I picked them from that hill I mentioned, at around dusk. They still carry the dew on them.

Ordinary flowers, bland colors, unrefined forms... there's no beauty here. They're worthless.

Oh, I didn't bring them for you to admire.

What?

I would like to ask that you paint a still life of them.

And why would I ever paint something so mundane?

Did you enjoy those Higashinese prints?

I grew up in Higashi. When I went into town with my family, I often saw artists lined up before the great manors, presenting their proudest works to the master of the house.

I had the chance to see many fine paintings, and learned a thing or two about art appreciation.

I picked a few to bring with me when I left Higashi, but admiring art by oneself can be so dull. All the better if they could help someone else in need.

Don't you agree?

...Give me the flowers. I'll paint them.

Now what?

Since I'm the one commissioning, perhaps I should lay them out myself.

It's messy inside...

And it's cold outside. Would you rather keep chatting here?

...Come in.

Well, you certainly weren't exaggerating when you said it was messy.

I don't see any room for the flowers.

They handed out a lot of useless supplies. I didn't want to waste time cleaning up when it's just a temporary place anyway.

That won't do. A comfortable environment helps one feel at ease, which is crucial for painting.

Let me help you clean up. For the sake of the painting.

There's no need for that.

Hm, where should I start?

Hey!

What's all this over here?

Don't touch that! I'll do it myself!

20 minutes later.

Just... put that stack of sketch paper over there.

See, that wasn't so bad, was it? This place is finally fit for habitation.

What a bother... Oh.

The facing of the canvas, the height of the easel, and the position of the flowers...

I caught a glimpse of your room when I went in with you that day. It was very tidy.

I restored it from memory. You didn't take the still life of the flowers hanging on the wall, so I put these where it was.

Do you feel uncomfortable with anything?

No... it looks just like before the Catastrophe...

This is what I saw when I turned on the lights after coming back from practice every night... Sometimes I could smell Frau Perry making her soup downstairs.

I never had any, but... it feels warm and fuzzy.

I hope it makes you comfortable.

But... I never saw these sketches in your room.

I gave them to Frau Perry to dispose of. I didn't expect her to pack them into the suitcase.

Ha. That's how my supplies got ruined. All to save these worthless sketches.

May I have a look?

Suit yourself. Just practice sketches, barely above scrap paper.

There are some beautiful landscapes here. Hills, cliffs, meadows... and the setting sun at dusk.

Frau Perry probably thought the same as you. 'Oh, how nice.' So she ruined everything.

Not at all. The depiction of the sunset in these sketches far surpasses the painting that you left at the academy.

Worthless.

...You've seen many Catastrophes, haven't you?

Yes.

Then you understand that all the sunsets, all the eventides, all the sights of the world are nothing in comparison to one.

I had developed techniques never before seen in Leithanien, combining colors in beautiful and novel ways, perfectly capturing light and shadow in the moment...

But they rejected it!

They said it wasn't elegant enough, wasn't detailed enough... those were the pretexts they used to block me from exhibitions.

I thought I wasn't good enough, so I did everything I could to hone my skills. I didn't care about the critics. All I cared about was Herr Leon's approval.

Do you know what he said when I finally showed him the finished sunset I was so proud of?

He said, 'Your paintings don't move me anymore.'

Later I understood that it wasn't a matter of technique. I just wasn't meant to make this sort of painting.

When I saw the prints you gave me yesterday, for a moment I traveled back in time, to when I would fervently try out any new technique. But I came to my senses the moment I put brush to canvas.

I couldn't do it... I couldn't paint such mundane scenery no matter how much I'd changed, because that's not what I live for.

I have the technique, all I need is a more suitable subject, something stunning, to create a true masterpiece. Then they'll understand.

A sunset? Pah.

The day I picked up the paintbrush, I was destined to travel this path, to dedicate my life to painting the most magnificent sight in the world—

A Catastrophe.

I see.

I appreciate all that you've done. I'll be leaving once I finish your commission.

Chasing the next Catastrophe?

Yes.

If you don't want them anymore, do you mind if I take these sketches?

If it pleases you. Personally, I'd rather see them all burnt.

I'll take my leave then.

What's that commotion outside?

That scent... it's familiar...

Frau Perry's soup!

You're up, Herr Devlin!

What are you doi—

It's the Relocation Festival! Tsukinogi's Post-Catastrophe Mutual Aid Group organized it. It's a day that everyone can relax.

And your drawings have given the festival such an artistic bent!

Drawings... <i>my</i> drawings?

He looks up to see threads swaying in the air.

An innumerable number of threads, linking the many sheds together.

From them hang numerous sketches, fluttering in the wind.

His sketches.

I've told you so many times that your drawings are beautiful, and people should see them, but you would never have any of it.