[V7C25] A Persuasive Item
Translated by Jodas 7: To the NorthRukiye was at a loss for words, unable to respond to this person’s sudden question. The white-haired silver-eyed person, seemingly struck by a sudden realization, lifted the hood of their cloak back over their head.
Then, in the same tone as before, repeated their question.
“What is that you’re drawing here?”
“It’s nothing special… I was just jotting down ideas for things I’d like to make.”
“I want to see.”
Rukiye was confused. This person looked to be a similar age to Rukiye, but she didn’t get the feeling like she was talking to a person her age.
Their silver eyes stared at Rukiye without blinking.
“…Go ahead.”
She wasn’t opposed to showing them her idea book. She didn’t get the impression that this person wanted to steal her ideas.
The fingers that latched on to the sketchbook were elegant, pale, and beautiful. She was confident that these were not the hands of an artisan.
(Is that a man’s hand…? It’s bigger than my hand, but it also looks a bit like a woman’s hand too.)
White fingertips flipped through the sketchbook’s pages.
Silver eyes followed every rough sketch drawn and every letter of description written in the sketchbook.
“Why?”
All of a sudden, the person opened their mouth.
Their white fingers pointed at some letters in the sketchbook.
“Why change the color?”
That was her rough idea for weaving string into a decorative thread.
The white fingertips indicated a line that was cut off at set intervals and the words ‘Change the hue of threads’ written beside it.
“I wanted to make an accessory to wear around your wrist. So a typical woman’s arm is this big around, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then, if I changed the color at these intervals, then you would see a pattern no matter what angle you looked at it from.”
The white-haired head under their hood tilted to the side.
It looked like they didn’t understand very well, so Rukiye took a test piece she’d made out from her bag.
It was a bracelet made from primarily red threads. She wrapped it around the white-haired person’s wrist.
“Look, like this. This is how you’re supposed to wear it.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So, try looking at it from different angles.”
The white-haired person brought their left hand up to eye-level and twisted their wrist around.
Then, satisfied, they muttered.
“It’s a flame.”
“I made it with that sort of design in mind. I wanted to emulate the strange way that a flame changes color as it flickers.”
Their silver eyes swayed. Since those eyes had such a rich, beautiful hue to them, they almost looked to be watering up.
What paints, what combination of colored threads, what glass or metal would she have to use to recreate the color of those eyes?
The white-haired person took a long, deep sigh.
“The threads are no flame. Yet, this is undoubtedly a flame. It lights a flame in the hearts of any who catch sight of it, the product of hard work to that end…”
They ran the fingers on their right hand gracefully across the swaying bracelet on their left wrist.
Enjoying the way that it felt. Tenderly loving it.
“This accessory has a persuasive power.”
The corners of Rukiye’s mouth twitched nervously.
What does she do? This was bad — she couldn’t contain her excitement.
“…If you like it, you can have it. It was just a test piece, though.”
“Really? Is this not a treasured rarity? I have nothing on me of comparable value to give you.”
“Your words alone are enough.”
Their silver eyes widened a little, and Rukiye could see her reflection inside.
When they did that, they looked a little younger than before. It was, as if—
(Ah, right… They remind me of Tia.)
The tendency to say whatever came to mind, For better or for worse. That feeling to them that resembled pure innocence but wasn’t quite the same thing. That was something she felt from both Tia and this white-haired person.
That was why she had a feeling that this person’s praise and flattery was no lie.
“I’d been starving for complements for longer than I realized. You’ve given me more than I could ask for. Thank you.”
“Can words truly satisfy hunger?”
“A hunger of the heart, if you will.”
Rukiye replied flatly, but her response seemed to make an impression on this person.
“…How deep.”
Rukiye started to feel a little embarrassed, so she packed her sketchbook back in her bag.
The white-haired person was still staring at the bracelet tied around their left wrist. Apparently they liked it a lot.
All of a sudden, their face lifted up with a start, like they noticed something.
“I hear the sound of creation.”
‘What the heck is that?’ She thought, but Rukiye soon understood.
From out of nowhere, she could hear the sound of a piano.
As if drawn by the sound, the white-haired person walked off in a daze.
Half of her wondered ‘Is this person going to be okay?’ while the other half was simply interested in the sound of the piano.
The curiosity got the better of her, and Rukiye decided to follow.
While walking behind them and a little to the side, Rukiye asked the white-haired person.
“Do you like music?”
“All things humans make are beautiful.”
“…Are you some kind of artist?”
For whatever reason, she felt like his distinctive roundabout way of speaking was the hallmark of an artist.
But, when the white-haired person swung around to face Rukiye, their voice was stiff.
“No. Such a being is the farthest from what I am.”
Then perhaps they were an idle noble who enjoyed collecting artworks? If that were the case, she would expect them to have one or two people accompanying them.
(A noble who snuck out of their manor… Could be possible.)
Eventually, once they could hear the sound of the piano clearly, the white-haired person came to a stop.
In front of them was a relatively fancy looking house just outside of town.
A window on the first floor of the house was left open, and inside she could see the form of a person playing the piano. It looked to be a man around the age of thirty with pale blond hair.
(He’s playing really well.)
This was not the kind of performance you’d hear from an amateur playing for a hobby. This performance had the sound of a man who’d honed his talents for years. If music-loving Tia were around, she’d surely be delighted.
“Who is that person?”
The white-haired person asked Rukiye.
“I don’t know, I don’t live in this town.”
“I see.”
The white-haired person grabbed hold of an old lady who happened to be passing by and asked her the same question.
The stupendously friendly old lady answered his question with a smile.
“Ah, Mr. Hinkel is a pianist. They call him ‘the Blind Pianist.’ Years ago he used to be a big performer out towards the Center of the Empire, you know? But now he’s retired.”
Blind. Certainly, that pianist was playing with his eyes closed.
His smoothly moving fingers played a popular love ballad.
“Recently, it sounds like he’s found a girlfriend. His playing has gotten so much livelier since then, it’s just so wonderful~.”
Even after the song ended, the white-haired person stood completely still, soaking in the last reverberations of the music.
They looked just like Tia when she listened to a performance she liked by Spiremaster Alto.
Rukiye looked up to the skies.
(…The clouds are gathering.)
They’d been blessed by good weather so far on this trip, but it looked like tomorrow might see some rain.
Rukiye called to the white-haired person as they still stood there motionless.
“Can you get home by yourself?”
Rukiye’s mental theory that this white-haired person might be a noble sneaking out of their house was getting stronger.
She didn’t expect to take them all the way to their home, but she felt like it would probably be better if she could bring them to their guard or companion if they had one.
“No need, someone will come for me in due time.”
“…I see. Then, I’ll be going.”
If they had someone coming for them, then they should be fine.
Rukiye lifted her bag and the white haired person lightly waved their left hand.
“O girl who presented me with the gift of beautiful flame. I wish for you to continue creating. For that is a valuable pursuit that only you can accomplish.”
That must have been their way of saying words of encouragement like ‘Keep working hard to make more cool stuff!’ or something.
Feeling half embarrassed and half pleased, Rukiye smiled bitterly and waved her hand in response.
“Okay, I’ll do my best. Thank you.”
Then, she turned her back on the white-haired person and walked off.
As she walked, she entertained herself wondering what materials she would need to replicate that pure white hair and melting, drowning silver eyes.
(That piano performance was also super good… I’d say that was time well spent.)
Now that she had the chance, maybe she should try letting Tia know about that pianist.
On the other hand, she worried that Tia might barge into that pianist’s house and cause trouble for him.
When she got like that, Wren couldn’t do much to stop her, and Sevil was more likely to join her in barging in and requesting a song than to put a stop to it. What a troublesome trio they were.
As she thought about such things, she caught sight of the trio in question outside of the inn. And it looked like Oliver was with them.
Noticing Rukiye’s arrival, Tia waved her hand in big, sweeping motions.
“Rukiyeee! You see, they said the weather’s looking iffy tomorrow so we’re gonna head out early!”
“Got it. I’ll hurry and pack my bags.”
Rukiye sped up her pace towards the inn, then suddenly stopped and stared at Tia.
White hair and amber eyes. Her slightly elongated eyes widened ever so slightly towards Rukiye.
“Pyofu? Rukiye, what is it?”
“It’s nothing.”
As she thought, she looked a little bit like that white-haired person.
She couldn’t put exactly what it was into words, but…
The white haired person, and Tia.
—She had a feeling that both of them were the same kind of creature.