Chapter 74: Phaethon
They say there's a box inside everyone's heart. A box cut off from the outside world. A box where no one can enter, where you won't be judged, where only you can exist.
When you're in pain, when you're suffering alone, when you have to protect yourself from the outside world so desperately...
Or
When you have secrets that you cannot reveal, when you feel so very exhausted, when you want to be alone so that you won't risk your heart; there's a mysterious box where you can hide.
They say everything you ever wish for and everything you ever want to hide is inside this seemingly tiny box, like a different version of Pandora's box.
Safe, yes, and soothing. Very much so. Like how Elpis felt after she was left behind in Pandora's box in the mythology. Yet it was undeniably full of things that might make you forever uneasy.
Be that as it may, Euclid used to believe it was untrue until he himself began to feel emotions he once merely imitated.
Emotions he noticed far too late.
Once you notice something, you begin to notice it even more.
Like when you notice your favorite color is yellow, you notice that color everywhere. No, your eyes look for it everywhere.
In the sky, among the flowers at the side of the road, at places you see briefly while passing by….
You just…notice.
That's what happened to Euclid when he noticed he was suffering.
Even if it wasn't the kind of suffering that brought sorrow, it taught him what regret is, what hesitation is.
He felt a great deal of burden in having so many secrets he cannot reveal yet. Keeping them made him exhausted.
When that feeling reached its peak, he wanted to be alone, yet at the same time he wanted to see the very person he had to keep those secrets from. That's why Euclid began to believe in his own box inside of him.
His version of Pandora's box.
It was ironic.
Euclid glanced at his wrist, bounded by a glowing golden thread.
His ocean blue eyes retraced the thread, slowly, deliberately. He lifted his head in slow motion as he finally fixed his eyes on the other end of the golden thread.
A soft and emotional melody of a violin reminding him of a city of stars and a love confession of a first love resonated in the large music room.
Golden hair pulled up in a ponytail by a long aquamarine blue ribbon Euclid himself gifted, half-closed yellow golden eyes most hidden by side bangs falling over her face like a waterfall, rosy lips curved upward into a satisfying smile….a girl resembling the sun itself elegantly played a violin as if only she and the violin existed in the world.
Euclid couldn't take his eyes off of her.
That was the only person who forced him to come out of his box. The only person he couldn't resist to follow. The only person who let him forget all the nonsense about his emotions and boxes.
The captivating melody cleansed his soul with warmth and yarning, shattering any lingering instincts to hide inside that hidden box.
Her one hand went up and down with grace, another traced the strings like handling delicate petals. She was so enchantingly beautiful while she played her eternal melodies that his dragon instincts wanted to cherish her as a rare treasure, keeping her away from any gaze that might cover her beauty.
"Wow…Senior Kyriaki is really good at playing the violin."
"I heard she's good with string instruments."
"You know nothing. Her piano skills are as good as this, not to mention her flute skills… top notch!"
"Woah…she's really good with magic and swords too."
"What is she not good at?"
"That's just how dragons are."
"Nah…you know Senior Theodoros couldn't even play twinkle twinkle little star with a piano."
"Pfft…really?"
Hushed whispers reached his dragon ears from all directions. While enjoying the beautiful violin, he could help but think;
'I wonder what they'd think if they knew Ria killed a bunch of Frogmen with that same violin.'
Euclid allowed a faint smile to linger on his lips.
"Hmph! I may be weak against a piano, but I am a god when it comes to a brush!" The scent of fresh earth and rosemary herbs took over the surroundings air, only detectable through dragon senses.
The voice, childlike and pouting, immediately told Euclid of who the owner was.
"Yes, God of doodles, I assume." Euclid's eyes never left Kyriaki as he replied.
"Ugh! They are not doodles, I tell you!"
"Yes. Yes."
"Hey! Listen to me, will you? How can you not recognize the most beautiful dragon in the world even if it was a sketch?!"
"If you are saying that doodle is Ria, then it means you are insulting the royal family. Theodoros, you do know that's a crime, right?"
"...why did you assume it was The Crown Princess?"
The violin stopped, coming to a steady and skillful ending. The people around lifted their hands and clapped enthusiastically to an artist that took pride in her art.
As soon as the melody ended, Euclid swiftly left the scene. He had no intention of gaining Kyriaki's attention at the moment.
Tak.Tak.Tak.
His light steps mixed with those walking around the hallway to an unmatched rhythm.
"Hey, Euclid! Take me with you!" Theodoros ran behind him, comically waving his hand. His brown hair, tinted with champagne hue at the edge, bounced up and down like an excited golden retriever's fluffy fur.
Euclid wasted no time with the silly hatchling. He completely ignored him and didn't even hide he was purposefully ignoring him. They navigate through the busy hallway. Theodoros chattering excitedly about his crush while Euclid just walked with no thought in particular.
Their destination was the Art room, as this was scheduled for their optional courses.
Click.Click.Click.
Euclid let the security system scan his data such as his iris, DNA, mana signature and finally entered the passcode to his personal workshop the moment he entered the Art room.
"Go away." Saying sternly to Theodoros without even giving him a glance, Euclid slipped into the room, leaving the troublesome and goofy hatchling to stand before the door with a dumbfounded expression.
Leaning against the door, the Pteron-Dragon hatchling sighed deeply.
Then, his ocean blue eyes scanned the room with indifference.
It was a spacious room. Full of Art supplies such as various colors and brands of paint baskets, crayons, pencils, oil paints and so on. Natural elements and chemicals halfway through turning into unique color paints, brushes of various sizes and materials, frames and high quality canvas imported from all over the world gave off a living trace of someone who very much loved their job.
Finished works hung on the walls. Some small, some considerably large. Some bigger than a Fae-Dragon hatchling.
Lush green forests, neon lit cities, shimmering oceans, dark northern lands with Aurora…humans, beastkin, animals...sometimes, dragons.
The most noticeable was the paintings of his mother—whom he's working on getting close to currently, and Kyriaki—whom he absolutely had to get close to.
Those beautiful pieces, drawn beautifully, almost unrealistically, hung on his walls. One glance and any experienced painter would praise the skill of the artist, for each single one of those frames were made of excellent qualities. Each could be called suitable for their respective piece.
Upon closer observation, it could be seen that some pieces were covered in pure white clothes while some were on full display.
From pencils, water colors, oil colors only worked on canvas and paper to modern computers and screens only for graphic design and digital arts, the workshop had it all.
It was clean, unlike most workshops used by painters, artists with imaginations.
Yet there were traces of life. Traces only left behind when it was used frequently.
Then came the fragrance of fresh paint, canvas and…
Euclid's attention shifted slightly.
The fragrance of sweet azalea flowers in the refreshing spring mixed with the aroma of grapes.
Every Dragon has a sensitive nose that can even recognize the distinct body scent of other people. And Euclid immediately recognized who had been in this place before his arrival.
A smile as pure as untouched spring water bloomed on Euclid's lips. His eyes shimmered in unbridled glee, his heart pounding as fast as when he watched his beloved playing violin a moment ago.
How can he ignore the scent of his own Apomero?
Kyriaki had been here. Around an hour ago at most.
Strangely, it made him happy.
Euclid gave strength to his legs, moving to the place where her scent is the strongest. He paused midway. His eyes rested on a small box, with a yellow ribbon.
A pale yellow—almost ivory—card of high luxury was tucked under the box. Just enough for him to notice.
Euclid tilted his head.
First, he picked up the box and reached out to the ribbon that was tightly binding it.
With a single motion, the ribbon was undone.
What came to his view upon unboxing was something Euclid never expected.
Two tassel earrings made of gold silk, long enough to reach his shoulders easily, held together by gold hooks and jump rings were neatly placed inside the box.
Under the earrings, a bolo tie made its presence known. The tie cord was a type of braided golden leather cord, as expected. And the bolo tips were pure gold. A big yellow diamond occupied the adjustable bezel, designed into a golden eagle.
Even at a glance, it looked to be a carefully chosen gift. But what made him truly shocked was something else entirely.
[[Ding!]]
His system, a holographic screen of pure gold and platinum, displayed the true value of his gift.
[[
Category: Artifact
Type: Set, Growth type (growth with the user)
Rank: SSS+
Effects: +10% boost in sense stat, +10% boost in defense stat, +10% Mana regeneration, +10% charm (bonus), perfect stealth (bonus), activation of SSS+ rank protection shield when biological functions are shut down and the user is in danger (bonus), ??? (Bonus), ??? (Bonus).
Description: A set artifact of earrings and a bolo tie, made especially by a high dwarf for four years, pouring down their careful craftsmanship and high expectations. Made solely after a request from The Crown Princess of Dragons, Kyriaki, to be given as a gift to her potential Apomero. A growth type artifact that grows when the user ranks up. Each rank up will enhance the existing effects of the artifact and unlock the hidden abilities. When used as a set, it gives various kinds of bonus and buff.]]
'Ah…'
Euclid felt his heart pounding more rapidly, his Apomero symbol resonated with his feelings, shimmering under his dress shirt dimly.
With a smile reaching his ears, he picked up the card.
「An early graduation gift.
—Ria—
P.S: You can give it a name if you want.」
If there was a way to smile more widely, Euclid would have done exactly that at the moment. If one had seen him, they'd have sworn that flowers were blooming behind him, scattering petals around as if it was pure spring.
'A name…' Euclid glanced at the box. This time with an air of thoughtfulness.
[[Ding!]]
[[Would you like to name the Artifact?]]
'A suitable name for a valuable gift….hmmmm~'
He rolled his ocean blue eyes
"Phaethon."
The word slipped out of his tongue without restraints.
The moment he recalled Kyriaki's rare smile and shimmering sunlit eyes, that was the word that came to his mind.
In Drakonic, Phaethon means "The Shining One"
Isn't that very fitting for the dazzlingly golden accessories and the person who gifted them?
[[You've chosen "Phaethon" as the name of the artifact]]
[[Would you like to register the name?
Yes/No]]
"Yes"
Euclid watched as the name on the screen changed with delight.
Just as he was about to wear his new gift with excitement, his hand froze.
It was accurate to say his whole body froze, including his smile.
His frozen blue eyes were fixed on something far away. At the corner of the workshop.
A standing easel, Lonely from other artworks, stood alone at the far corner besides a fake window. Presumably a finished art was stably held by the tilted easel, half covered in a clean white cloth.
Artificial sunlight poured out of the large windows, casting a long shadow of the easel beneath the floor. It felt as real as the real sunlight, as it danced over the artworks like invisible fairies.
The exposed half of the artwork stood out from the brightness came with the artificial sunrays.
Euclid's eyes unwillingly scanned it.
In the exposed part of the painting, all an outsider could see were dead bodies and body parts of various races, discarded weapons strained with various colors of blood scattered around. Broken earth, torn space, magically terraformed environment; those spoke volumes.
Amidst it all, a man laid on a woman's lap. His face buried in the arms of the woman, hidden by the desperate clinging. It was as if she was refusing to let go, as if she was trying to hold onto something invisible.
The man had an unhealable hole on his chest, plumping golden blood like a flood. His blood wetted the woman's pure white uniform. His body was lying limp like it was on the verge of turning into sparkling pollen like Mana particles.
The woman's loose hair scattered around them, shimmering like golden thread even amidst the gloomy world. The man's long hair, white like pure snow and edge tinted with aquamarine, was mixed with hers.
Nothing could be seen above the woman's chest as a cloth was draped over the painting piece. One could only imagine the expression she might be making underneath. Or who she really was.
Euclid's gaze paused briefly on the man's earrings.
It was almost unnoticed at first glance. But as the one who painted it, he knew each brush stroke, each color, each second he melted into this very painting.
The dangling earrings on the dying man's ears, golden like the sun, was a familiar design to him.
Flick!
Euclid flicked his fingers lazily and the wind responded to his gesture. The cloth moved, completely covering the painting without any gaps.
Euclid took a deep breath, and glanced back at Phaethon.
He felt complicated, although it was brief.
Suddenly, he wanted to see Kyriaki.
Euclid hurriedly put on his new gift, thinking about the new Mission they were about to go on as Fifth year students of EESOP.
Shamelessly pushing back his purpose of visiting his workshop, Euclid turned around to leave immediately.
The door opened just as easily as when he entered through it. The moment he closed it, he got a glimpse of the now covered piece of painting at the corner.
Euclid felt his chest tightened.
Confusingly painful.
Just like the first time he saw Kyriaki.
She might think their first meeting was at the empty hallway, a day before their awakening ceremony.
But Euclid knew it wasn't true.
Their first meeting was…
Was it way before then?
Or is it far into the future?
At first he was merely curious since it was enough to evoke emotions in him.
But now, he wanted answers.
And there's only one entity who could give him those answers.
Euclid made a mental note to pray before his next mission starts.
∆ ∆ ∆
Hello there!
I'm back with volume 02!!! I have a brand new arc for you guys to read. Probably a boring arc, but a new one nevertheless!
I shall name this…
I dunno
Senior academy arc(?), Hatchling arc(?), F around and find out arc(?)
Well whatever it is, I'm back!!!
Omniverse_Observer