kscans

Chapter 162 - The Arts Theater, the Little One, and... Whoa!

"How should I put this..."

"Don't say it..."

"It's quite all right. There are no words to possibly describe it."

Huddled in a living room, sitting directly on the floor with their heads hung low, were the nobles of the Doras-Fabido Kingdom. Their country was situated directly north of the Table of the Gods. They gazed upon the miniature garden they had received as a gift from the Table and recalled the events that had transpired in Frontier.

They remembered a vast forest that had been transformed into a public square, with paths of red brick laid without a single gap. It overflowed with people of all statuses, and here and there, children were crouched down, drawing pictures. They were not using charcoal or pencils, but creating magnificent paintings that burst with vibrant colors. They wore thin boards suspended from their necks by string, their faces etched with intense concentration. Stunned, the nobles had looked around and realized that people were enjoying art everywhere.

Some were even using easels, fully engrossed in creating what looked like professional oil paintings.

"Paintings... Are they really something one can create so casually?"

"No, the children's work seems a bit different, does it not? It is vibrant, but it lacks the depth of an oil painting."

"Either way, the pigments must be the same. They are not something that can be used so freely."

Arcadia was a world with scarce plant life. Therefore, dyes were typically derived from insects or minerals. Naturally, this meant one had to commission adventurers for collection or specialists for mining, and then further commission artisans to process them into pigments. The cost was astronomical. To use such a precious commodity so freely for painting was a privilege reserved exclusively for the upper class.

What is this country? Those children, by all appearances, are commoners, are they not? How did they obtain paints and brushes?

Even art supplies had to be purchased from specialized craftsmen. Since so few people could paint, everything was custom-made.

Unable to imagine a world beyond their own frame of reference, the nobles could only stand there in bewilderment.

Invited guests were given guides and explanations by the Little One and her companions, which would have cleared up such questions. But these nobles had come on their own, so they had no one to ask. Unfamiliar with the country of Frontier, its city, and its people, the nobles from the Doras-Fabido Kingdom wandered about in confusion until they finally managed to reach the Arts Theater. With the tickets given to them by the Little One in hand, they approached what looked like a reception desk.

"These tickets are for the evening performance, which is in about two hours."

Having overlooked the time printed on the tickets, the three men glared at the receptionist. They were nobles, and they showed their honest indignation at not getting their way. However, a knight standing beside the desk intervened. A knight accustomed to the arrogance of those of high status had been deliberately stationed there.

"My apologies. The admission time for the theater hall is fixed. However, there are many other enjoyable things to see within the theater besides the play, so please, feel free to look around."

With a charming smile, the knight politely guided the three men inside. He wore a magnificent white uniform with red accent colors. The well-used, heavy spear on his back made the Doras-Fabido nobles' eyes widen.

This man is undoubtedly a proper knight. Is this building so important that a man of his station is assigned to guard it?

Exchanging nods with just their eyes, the three men followed the knight into the theater and were greeted by such a dense display of paintings lining the corridor that they gasped in astonishment. No matter which way they turned, they were met with a flood of art. And when they received an explanation for a particularly large, eye-catching painting, they were shocked a second time.

The Lord of the Forest... And to be able to paint it with such precision, it must have been done from a very close distance.

A monster classified as a disaster.

"The Queen is a kind soul. She loves children and even helps guard the royal capital's orphanage."

Huh? The three nobles stared blankly at the knight, question marks practically floating over their heads. The knight looked at them with a nostalgic softness in his eyes.

Ah, that's right. We used to make faces just like that a few years ago.

It was a sweet, gentle memory. The twins had soared through the sky, filled with joy and excitement. The fear he had once felt toward the monsters that followed them now seemed like a distant dream.

"That is correct. They are monsters. But in Frontier, they are cute little spirits that mingle with the people."

Cute?!

The three men's faces stiffened in horror.

Their reaction was perfectly normal, but the knight, who was already thoroughly steeped in the Little One's brand of mental pollution, stated it as if it were nothing.

"Indeed. Look, there are some over there, you see?"

At his words, the nobles spun around and saw a honeybee flying above the art exhibition area beyond the corridor. They turned pale and recoiled with a small yelp. Looking more closely, they saw honeybees here and there. In the shadow of a pillar, on top of a light fixture, and even one fearsome specimen sitting proudly among the display stands.

"Because they are here, we can perform our guard duties with peace of mind."

They couldn't believe the knight who was smiling so serenely.

They're monsters, aren't they? Don't they attack people? They're incredibly dangerous!

But as the three men entertained these thoughts, the people admiring the art would notice the honeybees and casually pat them on the head. "Good work," they would say, or "How are you?" They spoke to them as if they were close neighbors or mischievous children.

The knight gave a wry smile to the frozen nobles.

This was the daily reality of Frontier now.

The people of the royal capital had grown completely accustomed to the giant honeybees striding about everywhere. In fact, they had reached the point of giving them allowances and asking them to do jobs. For a single slice of pound cake, the honeybees would undertake tasks like carrying luggage or acting as guards. The little spirits had a weakness for sweets.

"I'm just heading over to the other side of the fields. Would you come with me?"

"I need this carried to my house. Could I ask you to help?"

The honeybees happily complied with the requests from the people who approached them so casually. In the roughly eight years since Chihiro's memories had awakened, the honeybees, led by their Queen, had firmly established their citizenship.

The knight explained this, but the nobles from Doras-Fabido couldn't process it. Still confused, they admired the art on display, their eyes widening at the sales booths, and sighed at the magnificent products available.

"Commoners buy these things...?"

"Are these not all high-quality goods? What? This porcelain plate is three silver coins? Is that not a mistake for three large silver coins?"

The three were dumbfounded.

They were being made to truly understand the meaning of having technical skill and being wealthy. Things that were rare and expensive in other countries were mass-produced in Frontier, thanks to its close relationship with Flowers, and were not at all uncommon.

As they listened to a rough explanation from the knight, their minds already overloaded, a lively voice reached their ears. It was a cute, high-pitched voice. A child... probably a girl.

"Ah, it's that time already."

The knight glanced toward the theater entrance and said, "Excuse me," as he started walking. The three men followed him somewhat absentmindedly and realized that the voice, which was growing clearer, was singing a song.

"♪ A city of fun, a city of lo~ve, Frontier of dre~ams, the capital of flowe~rs ♪"

On a small, round stage set up in front of the theater, about thirty centimeters high and two meters in diameter, two girls were singing cheerfully. The knight's eyes softened as he wrapped a copper coin in a small piece of paper and tossed it toward the stage. Other adults listening to the song were also throwing similar paper-wrapped coins. After they finished singing, the children picked up the thrown money, looking delighted, and swapped places on the stage with other children.

What in the world is going on?

The knight glanced at the Doras-Fabido nobles, whose faces could produce nothing but question marks, and explained that it was time for the Song Square.

"Children can sing as they please, and the audience gives them a little spending money. A copper coin wrapped in paper is appropriate. You wrap it like this and twist it. It's commonly called an ohineri."

The knight showed the three men the ones he had prepared.

"Is it something like a minstrel's performance?"

"It's not quite so grand as that. But the children singing their hearts out are adorable, so people tend to gather around this time."

It was a festival, after all. Even in Frontier, there were poor people. The Little One had come up with this method, wanting to at least give the children enough of an allowance to enjoy the food stalls. Simply giving them money directly wouldn't be right, and some children might feel hurt by receiving charity.

"So, you know, we should just make a few places where they can earn some money if they work hard."

The Little One had prepared other places where children could earn pocket money, like helping at food stalls or cleaning the forest park. Being short on funds during a festival was just too sad. Among these, the Song Square also served as a recruitment ground for the theater troupe. That was why it was held at a fixed time. Vocal projection, volume, acting ability. Though small, it was a respectable stage where one could be seen by a large audience. The courage to sing there, the charm. Those were innate talents. It was a place to scout for future actors. And the songs they could sing were also decided. They were new songs, with lyrics and music solicited from the public, created to commemorate the opening of the Arts Theater. They were free to sing any of the five available songs. Since they were new, everyone was hearing them for the first time. It was fair.

Though still stunned, perhaps due to their noble pride, the Doras-Fabido nobles hurriedly wrapped copper coins in paper. In a place completely opposite them stood the Little One and her friends.

Katsumi stared intently at the stage with dubious, half-lidded eyes.

"Unless I'm imagining things, that song sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it?"

"...I really didn't think it would be submitted to the selection committee."

"? Isn't that a parody of a Kilfan song? Hero, you presented it as an example, right?"

That was right. Arcadia had no popular music in the style of ballads. Minstrels relied on their singing and acting skills to captivate audiences, but it was too much to ask of an amateur. Other than that, there were only nursery rhymes or songs based on local folklore. So, the Little One had solicited songs meant to be performed for an audience. But it was a concept that didn't exist. Everyone was perplexed and asked what kind of songs they should create, so the Little One had sung a parody of her favorite song as an example. She had been completely unaware that someone had written it down and transcribed it into musical notation. Kilfan, which had been visited by Japanese people for generations, naturally had many Japanese songs preserved. From military anthems and oldies to J-pop and anime songs. That's why Chihaya knew those kinds of songs too.

"Still, you're pretty old-fashioned. You weren't even born back then, were you?"

"That's rich coming from you. You weren't born in that era either. Don't underestimate the digital generation. Fujiyama Ichiro is super famous, you know."

"I was a grandpa and grandma's girl. I can even sing 'The Sinking of Submarine No. 16' in its entirety if you want."

"That was a hundred years ago. You're lying about your age, aren't you?"

"I don't want to hear that from you, mister I-know-it-too."

The two of them continued their conversation, which remained as incomprehensible as ever to Chihaya.

Oblivious to the Little One and her friends, the three from Doras-Fabido passed the time and then watched Hamlet.

The result was complete and utter exhaustion. They all collapsed, worn out, in their inn rooms.

"...It's impossible. I don't understand any of it."

"In any case, let's go again tomorrow. I want to do some shopping."

"I agree. It was a mistake not to bring our attendants. We intended to travel incognito, after all."

The brilliantly colored art and merchandise. They had wanted every single piece, but when they considered how they would carry it all back, they couldn't bring themselves to buy anything. They were also curious about the endless rows of stalls surrounding the area. It was a festival on an unbelievable scale.

"I'm tired. Please prepare a bath."

The attendant who was asked to do so nodded willingly, then turned back to his masters as if he had just remembered something.

"Speaking of which, I heard there is something called a private bath. It's said to be a large tub with a magnificent view overlooking the forest park. Apparently, you can see the stars at night, too. Shall I try to make a reservation?"

Intrigued by the attendant's story, the three from Doras-Fabido asked him to make a reservation and found that there was an opening available immediately.

And then, for the umpteenth time, astonishment assaulted the three men.

"All we can do is laugh at this..."

"A bathtub... isn't this a pond? Ten people could fit in here."

"What an extravagance. I heard it was heated with magic, but to think magic could be used in this way."

It was a large bath where they could stretch their legs and soak comfortably, with a spacious washing area equipped with benches. The warm water and the slightly cool breeze felt pleasant. Before the three relaxing men stretched a panoramic view of the forest park. The twilight deepened in color, and one by one, stars began to twinkle. The towels were made of fluffy terrycloth. This too left them wide-eyed. Frontier was a bundle of wonders, no matter where they looked.

Wanting to think no more, they surrendered themselves to the warm water. Then, a faint buzzing sound reached their ears.

Puzzled, the three men looked around, and what suddenly appeared before them was the disaster-class, famous honeybee.

"Uwaaahhh?!"

As they scrambled to the washing area with a clatter, the honeybee approached, hovering slowly so as not to startle them. Looking closely, they saw something hanging from the honeybee's neck. The three men squinted and then, feeling their strength leave them, collapsed to their knees.

<>

On the board with those words written on it were several menu items, with a pencil attached by a string. It seemed the honeybees were in charge of flying around the open-air baths and making deliveries.

The three men were beyond words.

Timidly and in silence, they took the pencil and chose some unfamiliar items to order. For drinks, something called atsukan and reishu, and for snacks, atarime and raisin butter, three servings of each. They watched the honeybee fly away with a buiin sound, and the three men looked up at the starry sky with indescribable, dubious expressions. When the various items were delivered, they were once again left speechless.

Reflecting on that week, the nobles from Doras-Fabido were all uncharacteristically quiet as they were rocked by the Honeybee Carriage.

"The inn... the food and the room's furnishings..."

"The city and its people... and the fact that they turned an entire forest into a park..."

"The art on display, the event called theater... all of it, and this miniature garden, too!"

Everything surpassed their own country to such a degree that comparison itself was audacious. The three had experienced firsthand the unfathomable terror of the nation called Frontier.

"We must report to the palace... Their Majesties are underestimating them far too much."

As they nodded at each other gravely, the world began to move, unbeknownst to them.

Everyone would come to know of Frontier and strive to learn its technology and culture. Not to mention its magic power and spells, they would try to imitate everything, down to its lifestyle and daily customs.

But the Little One of today did not know of the future where she would look up to the heavens in exasperation at the groups of border nations arriving one after another.

"If you're going to come, come all at once!"

Let us offer a prayer for the Little One's amusing future, where she lets out a great roar, a~iii~♪