The Versatile Master Artist

Lady Detective Cat truly brought the painting knife to life like flowers in bloom.

Kelly thought that the textbook-like painting knife technique she had seen before was the imagined limit of what this technique could achieve.

Now,

at the height of mastery,

further advanced.

This painting was infused with vibrant energy by Detective Cat. All the scenes from the Little Prince fairy tale were blended into the vibrant colors of the paint.

Every clever stroke of the knife and every layer of color by the painter were seeds of connection with the real world scattered into the illustrations.

Continuously growing with the gaze of the readers.

The communicative feel of the painting is the exclusive domain of the top art masters, and even then, it’s seen in only a few rare treasures.

Even among the existing works of Da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo, those that can sufficiently engage with the audience are less than a third.

Throughout the ages, which Italian painter has been able to inject life into religious works, such as the miraculous images of Yahweh and the Holy Mother Mary?

He would immediately become the most dazzling star in the eyes of the entire Pope State.

”This cover design is so clever, retaining the composition of the new original by Saint-Exupéry and infusing new charm with the painting knife—1+1 is greater than 2.”

”Mom, mom, this fairy tale book is made so beautifully.”

”It’s so nice. No matter what outside reviews say, I think the production level of this set of illustrations is still excellent, better than the Townesman version. To be honest, I’ve always found the original author’s children’s sketches to look a bit silly.”

”Magical skill.”

”...”

Customers continually enter the bookstore, picking up the fairy tale book from the entrance shelf.

From the initial silence, to surprise, to the current shock.

The voices of discussion among those entering the bookstore become increasingly loud, with everyone holding a physical copy of The Little Prince unable to resist sharing their opinions with those around them.

The sounds of praise are unending.

Some comments are quite professional.

The group of readers willing to come to Oxford Street to attend the first-day book signing event, like that international student from Royal Holloway, University of London who happened to join in the excitement, are ultimately only a minority.

The vast majority are originally fans of Saint-Exupéry or the translator Charlie Hawke.

Many people are very familiar with the text and plot of The Little Prince.

Whether an illustration truly matches the classic and fits the tone of the entire work.

A casual glance and everyone’s heart can tell them the answer.

”Everyone, please don’t block the entrance. Attention, attention. Readers attending the book signing event, please proceed to the reading hall inside. Mr. Charlie Hawke from the University of Oxford, the book’s translator, is preparing to start the presentation over here.”

The broadcast of staff guiding customers rings out.

Inside Waterstones, there is a quite spacious reading hall, with many light-colored beanbag sofas in an IKEA style placed on the carpet.

At the podium in the front, Dean Hawke, with a pen for signing and a new edition of The Little Prince beside him, looks down at the manuscript in the folder.

Unlike celebrity endorsements,

the book signing event doesn’t start off with shouting for book sales.

This would seem too commercial, lacking literary sentiment.

Dean Hawke will first give a small speech, sharing some personal insights and experiences about translating this work, engaging in some communication with the readers.

The time won’t be too long, about twenty minutes.

Kelly found a corner sofa to sit quietly. She looked around.

Oxford Street Waterstones’ area for customers to read and drink coffee is considerably larger than ordinary bookstores.

About the size of a small tiered lecture hall.

In just a few minutes, the reading hall capable of holding many people was already filled to the brim with customers pouring into the bookstore, with even the gaps in the back crowded with onlookers.

There are so many people!

Kelly stuck out her tongue.

Once people were mostly seated, Dean Hawke took out the manuscript and began his speech.

”Ahem, thank you all for attending this book signing event. Readers, you are probably not unfamiliar with me, and there isn’t much need to introduce The Little Prince. I know there were some not very pleasant incidents during the book’s release process the other day. But being able to translate and publish this world classic that has sold over one hundred million copies...”

Kelly’s attention was not on this esteemed translator.

Having a seat, listening casually, after a few uttered words.

The blonde girl took a deep breath, and amidst the pounding heartbeat, opened the long-awaited book of The Little Prince.

[When I was six years old, I saw a remarkable illustration in a book about the primeval forest, it depicted a boa constrictor swallowing a wild beast. I drew it over again...]

The words entered her sight.

Except for the expensive collector’s edition sets and some valuable hardback comics, most books in Waterstones have no plastic film protecting the covers.

This bookstore serves both as a library and an art-themed café.

A large portion of the store’s profits comes, besides books, from the money customers spend on cakes and coffee while resting and reading here.

As long as there’s no damage, regardless of purchase, customers can freely take books here to read.

Kelly opened the first page of the book.

The first sentence in the opening line of The Little Prince is Saint-Exupéry reminiscing about his childhood illustration story.