Ch. 5 Nymph for Art (1)
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 5 – Nymph for Art (1)
I am an artist who paints.
And recently, I’ve been suffering from severe creative block and insomnia.
“Ha… damn it. No. I need to draw.”
All paintings are born from imagination, and the way they are painted depends on the artist’s vision.
Paintings carry countless stories, ranging from real-life events to tales born purely from imagination.
But even though I wanted to paint those stories, those imagined tales, I couldn’t.
It was a case of creative block caused by a lack of stimulation.
*Boom!*
And then one day, a rebellion by a minority group sparked by a common war.
After the bombing, I saw a half-burned, mutilated corpse fly toward me, and I thought:
“This is it.”
That’s what I thought.
In the end, this was what I needed. I wanted stimulation, and in the process, I ended up crossing a line I shouldn’t have.
“Charge!!!!”
“””Waaah!!!!”””
Tens or hundreds.
No.
“Thousands…”
Even if I was rolling in a field of corpses, I found solace in the fact that I was aware of it.
In the midst of the massive whirlwind of war, I was moving forward.
At least I was alive, and that was enough to make me realize that this was a field of corpses.
But soon, a wave of disgust overwhelmed me, and unable to vomit among the dead, I ran out of the corpse-strewn field and retched into the grass.
“Huhu, huhuhu!!!”
It wasn’t the joy of being alive but the revulsion of simply existing, and the fear of not knowing when I might die made me not even want to think about dying.
I was just facing the miserable reality of becoming a worthless, insignificant human being.
I ran desperately to escape the pain.
I wanted to escape the pain of life!
I wanted to return to my hometown, my true home!!!
So I stretched and bent my legs, spread and stepped my feet, and repeated the motion.
If I kept running up the mountain, I would eventually reach the summit, and when I did, I would feel both joy and exhaustion, but ultimately, I would feel refreshed.
With the diamond sword I had earned and some combat rations, I ran blindly.
As I ran through the battlefield, I saw a massive tower made of stone or concrete.
It was so towering that I could see it at a glance, and I ran toward it with all my might.
“A wooden door…”
It was ordinary.
The doorknob was round, and I grabbed it, turning it sideways.
*Creak~! Creak~!*
The sound of wood grinding against metal echoed, and the door opened with a slightly ear-piercing screech.
Fortunately, the door wasn’t locked, so I entered the library without hesitation, filled with nothing but fear and a pessimistic view of my solitary life.
And the library showed me something new and taught me something.
“I never knew a library could be this beautiful.”
As an artist, I had visited many libraries.
To find inspiration or to paint scenes set in libraries.
The paintings I had created so far were filled with hope, beauty, and humanistic positivity.
But after everything I had experienced, it was clear that painting bright, hopeful scenes would be difficult.
Yet, this library, so bright and beautiful that it could soothe the heart of a wretched and insignificant human like me, was something I had never seen before.
It was more beautiful and grand than any library I had ever visited, even more beautiful than the National Library in the capital.
*This is material. This is inspiration. Yes, with these spiral stairs, climbing up and…!*
This was ecstasy.
The overwhelming ecstasy of a young teenager discovering grandeur and novelty.
Unable to contain the ecstasy, I lowered my head to the ground, wanting to let this stimulating emotion rise from my toes to the top of my head.
But something was strange.
*Oh, my clothes are clean?*
And without realizing it, I muttered something incomprehensible about this place.
“What is this place…?”
My suit, which had been drenched in blood, was now spotless, and the broken compass in my pocket was intact again.
I tried to calm my bewilderment by talking to myself.
*Only I should know about this. Such a precious place must never be discovered by anyone else!*
I had grown to love this mysterious, unnamed library.
It was clear that I loved knowledge and loved libraries.
And then, in the vast, silent library, a voice echoed from the second floor, soft yet clear enough to be heard.
“Welcome to the Butterfly’s Library.”
It was the voice of a young girl, mature beyond her years.
Looking toward the second-floor railing, I saw a gothic-style girl leaning against the railing, her chest resting on the edge.
“B, butterflies?”
What are butterflies?
Along with this, I questioned why the library was called the Butterfly’s Library.
The girl, with no significant change in expression, spoke to me in a soft, emotionless voice.
As she mentioned butterflies, butterflies that had only been on her shoulders suddenly appeared in the air and flew to her side.
They gathered around her, each fluttering in the same rhythm, but their wings were distinctly red and beautiful.
And this, too, felt like ecstasy.
*This is… beauty. Youthful yet mature, beautiful yet decadent, soft yet emotionless. Yes, this is what I was missing.*
I lowered my head slightly, avoiding the girl’s gaze, and stared at the floor, beginning to hate the paintings I had created so far.
They needed more emotion, but at the same time, they should have allowed viewers to interpret the emotions and stories within the paintings themselves.
That was truly important!
To think I could gain such insight in a library!!!
And as I succeeded in gaining this insight, I felt so grateful that I lifted my head and tried to smile brightly at the girl.
But then, the girl grabbed the railing with both hands and leaped over it, falling down to the side.
“Hop—!”
“Ah!!! Careful—!”
I didn’t want to see that beautiful girl turn into a butterfly with red wings.
I panicked and ran toward her.
*How could I lose such beauty!!!!*
*Thud~*
“…Huh?”
The girl landed softly and carefully, her eyes meeting mine as I rushed over in panic.
And with the same soft, mature tone, devoid of emotion, she continued.
“So, what brings you to the library?”
The girl floated down slowly, and her calmness allowed me to speak the truth.
“There was a war… I thought I had to survive. I saw a huge tower-like structure, and there was a door in front of it, so I ran inside. When I opened the door and entered… I found this library.”
My explanation was calm, but it was also filled with trembling and fear, worried that I might lose this beautiful girl.
“Um, is this really a library?”
And then, the delayed tension hit me, and I began to sweat profusely.
Breathing heavily while asking questions made me feel utterly pathetic.
But the girl, as if understanding this pitiful, foolish artist, taught me what I needed.
“There’s water over there, so drink some and then we can talk. You look exhausted.”
The girl pointed to the water dispenser behind me with her left index finger.
*That’s…*
It was a rectangular machine with a short, fat plastic container inserted into it, with rounded edges.
It looked like some kind of machine.
I glanced at it and then turned my head back to the girl.
In her right hand was a book, and on her left index finger, stretched out for the butterflies, rested red-winged butterflies, gently fluttering their wings.
“After you drink, come back and take your time to speak comfortably.”
The girl’s tone was slightly somber but carried a soft, calm quality.
And her expression remained blank.
*Ah, it’s okay. It’s fine. The girl is fine. So, calm down. Hoo…*
I barely managed to move my tense body and walked in the direction the girl had pointed.
“Huh?”
I didn’t know how to use it.
It had some kind of button? But it looked unusual.
I really had no idea, so I shamelessly went back.
And, ready to be scolded, I asked.
“…How do I use that?”
I closed my eyes tightly.
Because the girl seemed like a witch, a being of that sort.
“Take a paper cup, aim it under the hole, and push the button-like thing forward. Water will come out.”
Her unexpected kindness made me even more nervous.
So I went back, took a paper cup, and tried as she had explained.
*Drip, drip~*
*It’s real…!*
Just as she said, water came out, and I was amazed.
“Wow—!”
I almost let out a loud exclamation like a madman but quickly shut my mouth.
Then I glanced back cautiously.
*It’s a library. A library. And there’s a witch…*
So I had to hold it in.
I had to endure it.
This library, where even white noise seemed absent, felt like it existed solely for this atmosphere, and I could almost hear a voice in my ear, shouting at me to keep quiet.
I thought of the girl as a nymph, a small, cute being, and felt her beauty.
Suppressing my emotions, I began searching for books, solely for the purpose of the library.
If it was for the sake of creating the most perfect painting for everyone who viewed my work, I had the courage to accept anything, and I was determined to succeed…
In the end, my resolve brought change.
After drinking the water, I spoke to the witch.
“I want to find a book. Is there… something here that could help me survive?”
The question was vague but filled with desperation.
In response, she spoke with her usual simple, emotionless expression.
“Take your time and look around. This place is designed so that everyone can find what they need.”
She said indifferently, flipping through the pages of her book.
*Flutter, flutter~!*
And the butterflies flapped their wings a little more vigorously.
It was as if they were trying to conclude the conversation on my behalf.
“Understood…”
From this point on, I felt like I wasn’t myself.
“The most desperate thing I need… what I need the most…”
My eyes were open, but it felt like they were covered by someone’s soft, golden palms, and though I moved my arms and hands, it felt as if they were being controlled by an omnipotent, soft thread.
The book I found with those controlled hands and covered eyes piqued my interest.
“What’s this…? Lo, *Lolita*?”
It felt like a book that ‘drew my interest,’ something that ‘made me feel’ this way.
I needed to judge it, so I spent 30 minutes reading it carefully.
“Huhu—! Ugh!…”
And once again, unable to contain my emotions, I almost let out a cheer but held it in, making a muffled “Ugh!” sound as I closed the book and gripped it tightly in my right hand.
I had to let out my emotions.
So, I took the book and went down to the first floor, handing it to the girl.
“Th-this—”
“Yes. Take it.”
Her indifference was palpable.
And then I asked what was needed to borrow the book.
“The fee… um, do you accept… items in exchange?”
As soon as I finished speaking, she nodded.
*Thank goodness.*
I took out the diamond sword I had on my waist and placed it on the table.
“It’s as valuable as cash. It’s a diamond sword. I think… its value as an item should be sufficient…”
“Confirmed.”
It was a real diamond sword, but the girl still accepted it formally, her expression blank.
With this, I had obtained the book, and I held it tightly and shouted.
“Th-then, I’ll take my leave now! Thank you!!!”
“May that knowledge suit you well…”
As my shout echoed, I slowed my running steps and turned my head, shouting back.
“Yes!”
And so, I was able to obtain the book.
AlucardLovesFish
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