kscans

Chapter 160 - The Arts Theater and the Little One

"This is, again..."

After the opening ceremony, the guests who had been looking up at the Arts Theater were guided inside by the King and Queen of Frontier.

And they were left speechless.

The tunnel-like passage leading from the entrance to the main building's doors. On both walls, numerous paintings were displayed in two tiers. The guests' eyes were captivated by the transparent watercolor paintings, a rarity in Arcadia where oil painting was the mainstream.

"Displayed here are sketches submitted by the general public. From elementary school children to the elderly. Each one is a masterpiece drawn with their own unique feelings."

A flood of overflowing colors.

Everyday scenes, forests, and flowers. There were portraits of people and animals, and in the center of the rows of unique paintings was a square picture that reached from the ceiling to the floor.

"That is a large painting... Is it a bee?"

In the center of the right wall was a picture of a giant honeybee.

"The Lord of the Forest of the royal capital. Queen Melda."

A murmur of admiration rippled through the crowd, and the King of Castrato, who had been staring intently, suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"Here... is that a seam? Could it be that this is not a single painting?"

Noticing a faint strangeness in the spot the King of Castrato was pointing to, the people all looked up.

"You have a keen eye. That is correct. Multiple artists were in charge of different parts, and they were combined to create a single picture."

A huge painting that rose from ceiling to floor. The guests, who had thought it was a mural painted on the wall, held their breath at the magnificent artwork. The giant honeybee was painted so precisely that it looked as if it might start moving at any moment.

This is a Lord of the Forest... an intelligent monster.

The nobles who had never seen a Lord in person were doubly surprised to hear that this painting was life-sized.

"Dividing it into multiple pieces like this makes storage easy. It is convenient as we can display a wide variety of pictures depending on the season or event."

With a mural, once it's painted, it's done. Subsequent maintenance and storage are also a concern, making it unsuitable for a place that is planned to be open to the public. Although a stately rope made of rope was stretched out in front of the painting as a boundary, you never knew what small children might do. Children were known for doing the unexpected. Therefore, to be able to respond to any situation, apprentice knights were stationed at intervals of about ten meters. Five of them were regular knights. They guarded all the art in the building, from the first floor, which was open to the public, to the specialized area on the second floor, which was open to nobles, and up to the jewelry on the third floor. Unconcerned by the knights, the guests who stepped into the main building gasped once again. A sea of paintings decorated the entire wall, and at regular intervals, sculptures and miniature gardens were displayed. It was these miniature gardens that caught the eyes of many.

"This is magnificent... Is it a small city?"

"That one seems to be the academy city. My, how exquisitely it is made."

"This... could it be the inn where we are staying?"

Colorful little models. At the Castle of Sweets, they had seen various things made of sugar and candy, but these were made with such precision it was as if they were looking down from high in the sky. In the midst of this, Crown Prince Marcello, who had been staring intently, noticed something and his eyes widened in surprise.

"This...! Isn't this the royal capital of Flowers?"

Hearing his astonished voice, the other royals also stared at the miniature gardens on display. And from the characteristic buildings, they realized that the royal capitals of their own countries were on display.

"As expected. In commemoration of this occasion, we have created miniature gardens of all of your royal capitals. They have been prepared as souvenirs. Please take them with you when you leave."

Little One smiled gracefully.

If Crown Prince Marcello had not spoken up, no one would have noticed.

It had been half a year since he started soaring through the sky with Dark and the others. Crown Prince Marcello had seen his own country's capital from above many times and knew it well. He could not help but smile at the familiar sight of his capital. The other royals who knew that Little One was a creature who roamed the skies sighed in admiration, thinking, so this is what our country's capital looks like. But unlike the royals, the nobles who did not understand this logic were struck by a chill that froze their very souls. The nobles looked at the King and Queen of Frontier and Little One with horrified gazes.

They know? The royal capital is depicted with such precision. Frontier must be well-acquainted with our other lands as well.

The miniature gardens served to show them that Frontier knew their country's geography completely. The nobles, who at last seemed to understand the terror of this, were glanced at by the royalty of each country, who smirked.

So you finally know your place. We would be fortunate if you realized the shortness of your own measuring stick.

By now, various things must be flashing through the nobles' minds, the honeybee carriage they rode in, the royal palace they toured, the academy, the orphanage. All those things that were remarkably more refined compared to their own countries.

Frontier was on a completely different level from other countries.

It was fine if they could not catch up now. Just knowing this and developing a desire to catch up was a great gain. The nobles that each country had brought with them were the key figures who supported the apex of their nations. If their consciousness changed, the country would change. No matter how much they tried to explain, the abnormality of Frontier could not be conveyed in words. Seeing is believing. It was quicker to see it directly.

...In the unlikely event that their consciousness was not reformed even after this, it could only be said that they were thoroughly unsuited for politics. It was a fatal flaw for a key noble who governed the country. They would have no choice but to relinquish their position to someone with more aptitude.
The royalty of each country looked at the nobles with quiet but sharp gazes. Unaware that they were being put through a sieve of selection, the nobles stood dumbfounded, their jaws dropped in amazement.

After enjoying the public art to their hearts' content, the guests' eyes fell on the sales booths at the back of the first floor, on the left and right sides.

"These are the sales booths. The art displayed on the first floor can also be bought and sold here. The left is the booth for lifestyle goods. The right is the booth for cooking goods."

At these words, the people scattered to look around.

Beautifully designed stationery and miscellaneous goods. Intricately crafted tableware and cutlery. Each person's eyes widened at the various items crowded together.

"This is beautiful. A glass pen. The design of grapes and vines is magnificent."

"This cup. There is a picture on the inside. Why?"

"When you drink from it like this, the picture appears. It is a small touch of playfulness."

The people listened to the explanations with cheerful interest, and upon hearing that they could be purchased, they bought this and that. But among them, a crude murmur was heard.

"...Is this not porcelain? How extravagant."

"Is it alright to display such expensive items? The commoners are no better than thieves."

Little One was at a loss for words at the ill-natured comments of the nobles. Upon seeing such lively and enjoyable goods, was that all they had to say? She could not help but sigh.

My people are different from yours, nyo.

To the other countries, where the people were in such dire straits that they could not show any interest in art, the existence of commoners who enjoyed hobbies and pastimes must be unbelievable. The children of Frontier, who were looking forward to the opening of the Arts Theater and had been saving up their allowance every day.

"I want a ribbon. I want to buy a ribbon made of pretty lace knitting with embroidery on it."

"I want a mug! I want one with a picture of a cute little bird on it!"

The excited chatter of the children and the adults watching them with fond smiles. The people of Frontier, young and old alike, were swelling with anticipation upon hearing that masterpieces created by ordinary craftsmen would be on display. Such pleasures could only be had when one's life had some leeway. The nobles of other countries, who looked down on commoners as thieves, would not understand.

However, Little One had no obligation to explain this to them. She calmly brushed off the contemptuous words with her fan and guided the guests to the second floor.

An elegant staircase with brass handrails. At the top of it awaited a solemn space, different from the first floor.

"These are artworks by professional craftsmen. The finest craftsmanship in Frontier. Please enjoy them to your heart's content."

The many works of art were said to be not for sale.

Admission to this area was charged, and there was an atmosphere that set it apart from the freely accessible area on the first floor. Weighty paintings and intricate sculptures. As the people let out sighs of admiration, something particularly vibrant caught their eyes.

It was kimonos and rolls of cloth.

The people were utterly astounded by the flock of cloth rolls fluttering across the special booth, which had been set up with the cooperation of Kilfan.

"Is this... cloth?"

"A picture on cloth? How on earth...?"

"It is not just the pictures. This hair ornament, and... flowers and... a ball? Is that a ball made of thread?"

A mannequin modeled after a person. On its coiffed head were lavishly displayed ornaments of tsumami-zaiku and silk thread craft. Various kimonos of brilliant colors and sashes generously woven with gold and silver threads. These unknown ornaments captivated the guests' sight.

"These are the traditional garments of Kilfan. My mother is from Kilfan, so they are very familiar to me."

At the special booth, there were specialized kimono sellers and craftsmen who spoke of the different weaving and dyeing techniques and explained how the ornaments were made.

"Like this, cotton is formed into a ball with thread, and then embroidery is stitched onto it. Precisely, to form a pattern."

"For this, we pinch a thick piece of cloth that serves as the core to create the shape. The made parts are connected to form flowers and dangles..."

"This is called Yuzen-dyeing, where the craftsman's hand-painting is used directly as the pattern. The dyeing technique? ...That is a secret♪"

The people listened intently to the various explanations, completely absorbed in this new culture.
And then they noticed.

Little One's dress was similar to these items from Kilfan. The kimono worn by the person from the kimono shop in front of them fit snugly around the body, with a wide sash tied at the back like a flower. However, the dress Little One was wearing had the same crossover front and long, bag-like sleeves, but its loose, billowing skirt was that of a dress. The crossover collar was also lavishly decorated with lace, giving it a different feel from the simple shape of the kimono shopkeeper's attire.

"Her Highness the Princess's attire seems to be similar to this..."

At the softly spoken words, Little One's eyes curved into plump arcs.

"Did I not tell you that my mother is from Kilfan? This outfit is a new style of dress created to suit Frontier, called Japanese-style Gothic."

Little One rustled the hem of her skirt and performed a graceful curtsy. Hearing that it was a collaboration between Frontier and Kilfan, the guests instinctively held their breath.

For them, who considered it good to protect and inherit old traditions, new things were met with strong aversion. Things that deviated significantly were mercilessly rejected, and to accept another culture was outrageous, an act tantamount to an insult.
In front of them was a girl who casually overturned all of that, and the people were at a loss for words.

The dress she wore certainly had a shape reminiscent of Kilfan's traditional garments. And yet, it did not lose the dignity of a splendid dress, and the elegant designs of the dyeing and stitching brought the unconventional dress together with refinement. By old standards, it was an extremely bizarre dress. But it was unquestionably beautiful.

A large tsumami-zaiku ornament decorated her jet-black hair. A magnificent peony, and small flowers spilling forth. The dangling ornaments that swayed with every movement were also a luxurious masterpiece.

If asked to judge it in a cultural sense, the answer would undoubtedly be no. This was Frontier, not Kilfan.

Their inner conflict must have shown on their faces.

Sensing the meaning behind the nobles' gazes, the King and Queen of Frontier smiled softly.

"Is she not beautiful? She is our lovely and proud daughter."

Does Frontier approve of this?

The Queen's attire was a contrast to Little One's. Standing next to the queen, whose lavish dress correctly followed the culture of the central region, Little One giggled.

From an outsider's perspective, it was a peculiar sight.

At the sight of Frontier, which accepted this, the guests once again felt a sense of threat.

Oblivious to the inner conflict of the people from other countries, the members of Frontier, who were used to Little One, headed for the third floor.

The third floor was the jewelry area.

The guests were astounded for a third time by the glittering array of gems housed in the rows of glass cases.

"This is the top floor of the Arts Theater. The jewelry floor."

A wide variety of gems were on display, from delicately cut loose stones to unpolished rough stones, and in the center of the floor sat a rock larger than a person. However, even that rock was a rough gemstone. Peeking inside through a large crack, one could see sparkling crystals growing all over the rock's interior.

"This is a rough stone donated by Flowers. Thank you very much, Crown Prince Marcello-sama."

Crown Prince Marcello responded to Little One's soft smile with a slight raise of his eyebrows and a smirk.

"It is nothing. It is of no great importance. We have several others of this quality."

The nobles of each country could not hide their astonishment at the intimate conversation between the two. The long and deep friendship between Frontier and Flowers was famous even in other countries. The history of their exchange went back at least a thousand years. Amidst this, Kilfan, which had been founded with the backing of Frontier, joined the fold, and faced with a disparity unlike that with other countries, the nobles of Donautil and Castrato were flustered.

At this rate, Flowers and Kilfan would get a step ahead of them.

Unaware of the state of mind of the two countries, driven by blatant agitation, Little One guided the guests to a large box seat in the center of the third floor. It was only for royalty, the other nobles were guided to the box seats to the left and right of the central one. Katsumi and Chihaya were there as well. Formally, only Little One was of royal status.

Rows of seats lined the interior.

In the center of the sixteen-seat royal box sat the King and Queen of Frontier. To their left and right were Crown Prince Marcello and King Masahad. The other royals were seated according to rank, and Little One sat at the far right end, with Romel beside her. It was a place befitting Little One, who was only quasi-royalty in status, but Marrow, sitting next to Masahad, and Charles, next to the King of Castrato, were pouting.

"Why is Chihiro at the lowest seat? Come here. There is a seat open."

Reacting to Marrow's words, Charles's eyes narrowed sharply.

"I think my bride should come and sit on my lap. Here."

The King of Castrato mercilessly slapped away Charles's innocently extended arm.

"That's enough, Charles. The princess is Prince Regent Romel's fiancée."

Charles looked up at his brother, who spoke to him as if to a child, with an awkward upward glance. At the same time, Marrow was being nudged by Masahad.

"You too. Do not speak so carelessly. Inviting a lady in front of her fiancé is beyond the pale. Restrain yourself."

Marrow turned away, not bothering to hide his sullen face.

Little One smiled wryly at the two of them and looked up at Romel. Romel also nodded magnanimously and praised Little One.

"Good work. This is the culmination of the theater project you have been waiting for. I have high expectations."

"Yes! It's been such a long time."

Little One gazed at the stage with deep emotion. In front of the stage with its thick drop curtain, the audience of lower-ranking nobles was crowded. Not only the nobles of Frontier but also nobles from various countries who had come of their own accord for this day. There were also many nobles from other countries who had declined the honeybee carriage. They seemed to have hesitated about attending the performance before the royalty, but Little One had persuaded them, saying that they had come all this way and she would be delighted if they would attend, and presented them with tickets for today. She planned to send them home by honeybee carriage, as they had come by land. As a drink was brought before Little One, a high-pitched bell rang out, and the lights in the hall suddenly went out.

The heavy drop curtain slowly rose.

As everyone held their breath and the audience watched in quiet anticipation, the first play in Arcadia began.

The proof of Little One's efforts was now premiering.