CH 6.07

Evershal, which I visited again after a long while, was no longer deserted. Since all the ground was plowed the bushes and weeds disappeared, it became beautiful. In addition, based on the basic blueprints I gave, the architects Lacius hired had discussions and built facilities here and there.

It wasn’t filled with stuff yet, but it was nice to see that there were already small shops.

“I should call out the merry-go-round first.”

I found a large empty lot and made the plane land there. Lacius came down with a huge canvas, then I put the painting on the easel.

“Is the merry-go-round the first?” 

“Yes, I haven’t explained the details, have I?”  

“Yes.”

“Look, this is a merry-go-round. And this painting is a Ferris wheel. I’m still in the middle of painting the spinning cups and the Vikings. The lake and the rowing boats are also yet to be finished.”

And the popular roller coaster is still a long way off. Lacius looked at the merry-go-round with slightly confused eyes. He seems to have some idea of what it is because of its name, but since he hasn’t actually seen it, he probably was not sure.

“Alright, shall we call it out and see?”

I raised my arms and concentrated.

Come out, come out. 

‘As I wanted, as I imagined.’

May it be materialized.

At my wish, a bright light came out of the painting.

Something like a golden veil slips out of the canvas, creating a very small merry-go-round. It was small enough for fairies to ride it. Then it flew up to the sky following my hand gestures that looked as if I was conducting an orchestra. I flicked my finger lightly toward the merry-go-round that settled in the middle of the vacant lot. Then, as always, the wooden horse grew and became as big as a real horse.

“Wow.”

“That’s amazing.”

I can’t believe such a big thing was really built. The only problem was the rapid drop in my body temperature.

I quickly unfolded a thick wool shawl and wrapped it around my cold body. Tremble, tremble. But even that was to no avail. The coldness seems like an unstoppable symptom.

I felt my fingertips freeze and tried to control my trembling body.

“You should stop here for today.” 

At that time, Lacius noticed my condition and wrapped his arm around my waist.

“Let me hold you.”

“Y-Yeah, please do. T-Thank you.”

Lacius is fine, he’s doing this because I’m feeling cold alone. Overcoming a bit of my embarrassment, I buried my head in his arms.

“Ha… Warm.”

Lacius was really a fever-stricken man. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have dared call out something this big since Cat. I enjoyed his warmth like a man sitting in front of a fire in the middle of winter.

“You’re freezing.”

“No, I can endure it. It’s a lot less cold thanks to you.”

Lacius looked into my eyes. He seemed to have a lot to say, but he was choosing to swallow it. No matter what he says, he knows I won’t listen. I forcibly moved my body away from him even though I didn’t want to. 

‘Doing one per day would be a better choice for my body, but it would be too slow. ‘

The amusement park must be completed before summer arrives. The amusement park operates even in midsummer, but of course, spring was the best time. So as not to miss the timing, I had to draw the rides diligently and call two at once.

“I feel better now that I have some tea.”

“Are you really alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

I felt better after drinking lemon tea from the magical thermos bottle Theobalt packed for me.

After taking a break like that for a while, I put the next painting on the easel.

My project is called ‘Roller Coaster Game into Reality!’*.

*(in case some may get confused: Her project to bring various rides into this world is called “Roller Coaster Game into Reality”. It’s not the name of the painting she’s going to call out.)

It is not easy because it is a project in which I am in charge of the planning alone, I must be careful.

‘If I call this out, I’ll have to ride both and see if they’re functioning properly.’

My mind was already engrossed in the amusement park I was going to create myself. A big lake, with an aquarium built on both its bottom and top, and even the mermaids that will live in the lake.

In addition to the rides on land, it will provide people with plenty of other things to see. Even people in the most rural areas will look forward to coming to the amusement park when they hear about it.

“Come on, come out. Great Ferris Wheel!”

You don’t know how much effort was put into every detail of this painting. I stretched out my hands in anticipation. I was sweating a bit, but just like before, a golden veil flowed out without any problems.

But the very next moment.

“Heu, Heughh!”

An overwhelming feeling of exhaustion hit my body. My eyes blurred as if I had been punched dozens of times, and dizziness struck me as if I had caught a fever.

“Shay!”

I can feel the surprised Lacius immediately supports me. I felt it intuitively amid momentary chills and blurry vision.

Uhh… S-Something’s wrong.

An intense coldness that was incomparable to the previous one struck me. If the previous one felt like a severe winter, I feel like I’m deep in the Antarctic sea this time. I’m naked and due to the heavy rocks tied to my ankles, I’m sinking deeper and deeper. It felt like I was sinking to the bottom of that deep sea.

“Ughhh!”

“Shay, stay with me. We’re going home right now, just hang in there!”

The urgent voice of Lacius sounded like it came from afar. Perhaps it is a stupor due to the sudden drop in my body temperature; I was sucked into the darkness.

* * *

“I should have stopped her no matter what”

In a quiet room. In the silence when even a breath could not be heard, there was Lacius. 

He looked at the woman lying as if dead on the bed with sorrowful eyes.

The person who always showed a lively smile is now unconscious without any strength left. She was breathing weakly as if it would stop at any moment. It was even visible to the naked eye that her whole body was shaking.

“It’s not your fault, My Lord.”

“… No. I should have stopped her. I should have told her to take care of herself more.”

If Shay had been his real fiancée, he would have had more rights. He would have the right to talk about her health and be genuinely concerned about it. However, he, who was just a fake fiance, had no right to say more than a word.

It’s what she wants to do, it’s the process she chooses, it’s what she decides.

What qualifications does he have to tell her to slow down a bit?

He honestly didn’t expect that it would be this worst.

“Any information you gathered about painting wizards?”