Surviving The Fourth Calamity

It took Carpenter a few minutes to understand what Russell was talking about, and then she realized how chaotic Gilbert’s emotions must be.

Their teacher was always thorough in his actions and rarely changed the airship settings without providing a manual.

”Why is that?” She couldn’t help but mutter, ”Going to the Sia Tower...”

”We are Hainarson, Carpenter.” Russell suddenly spoke softly while squatting on the ground, ”Although we haven’t experienced how tragic the past was... Once upon a time, Hainarson was the Nicholson of the Defense Tower.

In the presence of those powerful enough to crush us all with a snap of their fingers, we were indeed powerless. Yet, at least, we don’t need to show our advantages.

Ha~ especially anything related to art.

Carpenter, what you saw in Dark Enigma Town—the nobles there who had absolutely no artistic vision... only pursued special colors and materials, without considering any combinations or color differences—were not special cases caused by the decay of the Tower of Dark Enigma.

In this world, most nobles and mages have long abandoned the pursuit of beauty and even lost their legacy.

The reason why the Hainarson Clan is the exception is that, during that dark time, the Defense Tower was the only Magic Tower that insisted on painting flowers of the heart.

They had their persistence, so... they also chose to face the fate of death because of this persistence.

After that, art ceased to exist in people’s lives... because most people thought that too much sensibility, especially when it overwhelmed rationality, would make one impulsive.

However, our Hainarson Clan, although constantly trying to incline the family towards rationality, still... you see, they can’t even give up teaching young children an art analysis class.

They would tell us, although that flower has gone extinct, how beautiful its existence once was. Even if the painting already made us astonished, it still isn’t one-tenth of the original.

They would let us listen to some music and sigh, never hearing the flavor of the past again... such songs can only be performed by people with dreams in their hearts.

Children born in Hainarson are always surprising everyone with their choices, which is inseparable from these things we encountered since childhood.

Carpenter, when we chat, including Felis, what generally comes to mind if we mention a bouquet of roses?”

”Roses? Red roses or white roses?” Carpenter instinctively asked, ”Plus a little... ah... I think I understand what you mean.”

”You don’t understand.” Russell stood up, ”Are you thinking, those outside can’t understand why such bright red roses need some fine little flower branches as accompaniment?”

Seeing Carpenter nod silently, Russell sneered, ”But, Carpenter, even in the Tower of Dark Enigma, most people don’t know what a rose is.

I checked, the Magic Garden in the Tower of Dark Enigma doesn’t have rose flowers at all... for some reasons, the Magic Garden here focuses more on practicality.

Even blooming plants must bear very useful fruits... do you understand? At least provide some comfort in eating.

So, many mid-high tier mages, if they haven’t visited other Magic Towers, and don’t like looking at some past albums, they wouldn’t even know there once was a beautiful flower in this world, called a rose.

Not to mention what color it is.

How could they imagine or discuss something that doesn’t exist?”

”Isn’t there that kind of art album in the Great Library?” Carpenter was a bit confused, ”I remember you took it and admired it for a long time!”

For Russell, looking at such albums after meditation is a good rest.

Russell gently sat on the sofa and shook his head slightly: ”That’s because Master Gilbert likes looking, so he copied them from the Great Library.

But a few days ago when organizing books and comparing with the Great Library catalog, I discovered that Master Gilbert is the only one who copied it over the past few hundred years.

After him, there haven’t been any records of copying.”

Carpenter couldn’t understand at all: ”How can such beautiful albums go unnoticed?”

”Because they never know there’s such beauty in the world... Or they don’t want to see all that’s been; they only want to know what they can achieve in the future.

Life is already bitter, exhausting and numbing, forcing one to find pleasure in what they know.

Look, the reason we’re interested is because we knew from a young age.”

Though what he said was a bit convoluted, Carpenter, who grew up with Russell, could certainly understand.

She tilted her head thinking: ”You speak with such feeling, and indeed convincingly, even why Felis made such choices makes some sense.

But I always feel you’re not such a sentimental person.

Ah... so, the sentimental one is our teacher, right?

Then if someone asks why our teacher hides in the room and won’t come out, this answer will suffice, won’t it?

For the rose he will never see but always cherishes? Our teacher chose to linger alone... um... yearning?”

Russell’s lips curled slightly, barely controlling the impending smile: ”Hm... saying it like this is fine, saves people from thinking we Hainarson Clan still hold grudges over past events.”

Carpenter frowned: But saying so proves their teacher’s dissatisfaction with Sia Tower, doesn’t it?

Strange... what exactly are Russell and the teacher up to?

Moreover, with this behavior, is it that Master Gilbert wants to naturally fade out after entering Sia Tower, avoiding interaction with those people?

Carpenter couldn’t fully grasp it but didn’t plan to pursue it further,

Since Russell dared to publicly say so, and Master Gilbert didn’t come out to oppose... Russell isn’t typically a person who acts on his own, so it proves this was indeed the teacher’s intention.

She just needs to follow through.

Then Carpenter belatedly realized... they aren’t in the Side Tower now, and the Isolation Array hasn’t been activated, their conversation may have been heard by those who should or want to listen.

Truly, it seems a period of unrest is ahead, having just rediscovered her true self, is it time to start the performance of life again?

Rather fitting, she can slowly build various personas for herself.

Learn to portray various human facets, yet not fully engrossed in the act, to allow her to control the Illusory Realm, rather than become the so-called master within it.

One realization she just had... perhaps it will change her current thoughts in the future, but during this still immature period, Carpenter feels it’s best to arrange her Illusory Realm with an attitude of being in yet out.

Of course, before that, she needs to strive to learn painting techniques and the combination of various colors.

Looking around the hall, Carpenter waved her hand: ”Get up, my sofa isn’t ready yet! It only has one layer of sofa cover.”

”Light purple cotton fabric, already looks lovely!” Russell expressed his uncertainty.

”But this cotton fabric, I saw only two bundles in the warehouse!” Carpenter said calmly, ”Only enough to match the whole room.

So, it can’t just be sat on.”

”What... do you mean?”

”Therefore, I want to add some gray linen backrests and cushions. This way, it can prevent the sofa cover from accidentally getting damaged.

Also, such bright color needs to avoid frequent washing!”

Russell watched Carpenter covering the sofa with blankets, truly confused: ”Why don’t you directly use gray fabric covers then?

That way you can change a set every day without issue?”

”What a joke! Light purple is so pretty, how could I not use it?” Carpenter clicked her tongue, ”Really, you can’t even tell which is prettier?

Then you can’t claim you learned better than me.”

”But... isn’t it all covered?”

”What are you saying? See how the gray highlights the ethereal elegance of light purple!” Carpenter nodded with satisfaction.

Russell felt a bit dazed... between the two of them, the one with better artistic talents indeed seemed to be him, right?

Carpenter is chasing the beauty of subtlety, isn’t she?

But how come he completely can’t feel this subtle beauty is better than the previous set of light purple?

Even though Russell had long noticed his sister was not just a cute and obedient creature differing from him, it was his first time completely failing to comprehend Carpenter’s thoughts.

With Carpenter’s daily whims and momentary designs, their departure date was drawing closer.

Russell truly didn’t expect Ulrich hadn’t come looking for them... he obviously knew that after Master Gilbert leaves this time, they won’t see each other for a long while.

So he couldn’t resist knocking on Master Gilbert’s door.

”You ask about Ulrich?” Hilbert tilted his head to glance at him, and quickly understood the child’s concerns, ”He just knows what he should do.”