A month had passed, but not much had changed on Earth. Staying true to her passion, Alysha spent her days carving tiny pieces of wood and posting corresponding pictures on her artist page. These stunningly complex trinkets allowed her to challenge herself using minimal materials.
However, this barrage of posts left a different impression on the few fans who noticed. They all assumed she had stocked up for months before sharing the pictures, given how unbelievably detailed her works were. Only the studio members and those who visited the art exhibit knew the truth.
This isn't too big of a deal since her following is still small, but she is gaining traction among a niche circle. A few interested fans even reached out to buy some of her works. Alysha was ecstatic when she saw this and proudly shared the moment with her parents, who inwardly sighed with helplessness. At this rate, it would take a miracle for them to convince Alysha to explore other paths in life.
This event also spurred her to finalize her maker's mark: an elegant, yet tiny knife pattern consisting of three cursive lines. The design required the utmost control and precision to carve properly. Alysha spent two straight days practicing before she could consistently replicate it. Upon succeeding, she engraved it onto her already small tickets and prepared them for shipping.
Those who placed small orders received their wares in inconspicuous brown envelopes, while larger orders came in boxes slightly bigger than rectangular tissue boxes. The insides were filled with packing paper, ensuring the delicate tickets arrived intact. This was added under Finlosh's suggestion.
One of these buyers was the school's art teacher, who paid special attention to the rising artist. He had placed the largest order, totaling 12 pieces, which he later brought to class for an exhibit.
"As you can see, the details are truly remarkable. It takes an unbelievable level of skill to make these. I got my hands on these this weekend. Pass them around and admire the pure craftsmanship of these pieces. It's amazing! Now, believe it or not, we all know this artist. We saw some of her work on our field trip last month. Does anyone still remember her name?"
The teacher scanned the room, waiting for a volunteer, but only received blank stares. The kids were uninterested in the subject, more occupied by the trinkets circulating the room. The teacher inwardly sighed at this scene but didn't hold it against them. At this age, school was merely a way to pass the time, and art was their relaxing period.
At this moment, Nathan, the quiet boy in the grade, raised his hand. "Lah Say Eirepon," he calmly answered.
"Oh?" The teacher looked over with faint surprise. "That is correct. Did you know this because you have a good memory, or did her art leave an impression on you?"
'It would be stranger if I didn't know her. She's been teaching me carving for months,' Nathan thought with a mirthful smile. The corner of his eyes drifted to Alysha, who was dazedly staring off into space. Of all her customers, she did not expect her spirited art teacher to be one of them. On further thought, this made sense considering his reaction at the exhibit.
Alysha recovered from her trance and noticed Nathan subtly glancing at her. She flashed a light smile and accepted a trinket from a nearby classmate.
'I never thought I would see my own carvings under these circumstances. And under such high praise at that,' she thought amusingly, rubbing her thumb over the crevices.
At the same time, Nathan answered the previous question. "I like her works. They are so detailed."
The teacher's eyes lit up like fireworks in the night sky, comparable to meeting a good friend after a long separation. For a moment, he wanted to pour out his emotions in a lively discussion and engage with this like-minded spirit. However, he quickly quelled these impulses as they were unsuitable for this time and setting. In any case, the teacher developed a good impression of Nathan.
"I agree. That's why I had to bring these in!" The teacher followed up, his voice still containing hints of excitement. "You don't see this every day, even in the art circle, but now we do."
He fiddled with the projector and pulled up Alysha's social media page. "As you can see, all these pictures were posted in the last few days: 18 hours ago, 19 hours ago, 22 hours, and 2 days. They are all recent. Eirepon is sharing a lot of her work at a rapid pace. This is something to be excited about! She will become amazing one day, and we're here to watch it happen. Come on! Don't look so bored. The ability to see and appreciate art is much more than that!"
To this, one girl raised her hand and voiced her doubts. "But won't she eventually run out of pictures to share? Why should we care about this?"
"You're looking at the wrong things. It doesn't matter if Eirepon runs out of pictures. What she's bringing to the art scene is worth more than any picture. I believe this so much that I want you to look at her daily posts between now and the end of next week. Just look at it! You don't need to think about anything. Admire what she's putting out. I'll keep talking about this if you're interested. Otherwise, treat this as an easy homework assignment. Sound good?"
This conversation took place six days before Genji's return.
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At a modest café in town, beneath a patio table with an open umbrella, Alysha sat with her doodling book. Soft pencil scribbles sounded as warm light rays peeked through the canopy, illuminating her canvas. Beside her were Kosa and Helen, enjoying a casual chat. The group had gone out to get boba tea for a little break and some girls' time together.
Alysha, however, was too occupied by her doodles to enjoy the occasion. Since she started her artist account, she has been playing with possible designs for her trinkets. Her goal: create a model that was difficult enough to challenge her skills.
Unfortunately, her subpar illustration abilities made it difficult for her to outline properly. One could even say her sketches were indistinguishable from random scribbles. When she put the designs into practice, she couldn't even understand what she had drawn, let alone all the details. Alysha couldn't be good at everything, after all.
*Sigh* 'If only I could draw well,' she thought, resignedly snapping her book shut and leaning back to admire the clouds.
Kosa and Helen giggled at this scene, content that Alysha had finally taken a break. It had taken them way too long to reach this point.
"You don't need to think about carving all the time, you know? Learn to enjoy the little things in life," Helen advised. "There are many beautiful things you'll miss if you hole up in the studio."
"But I like what I'm doing," Alysha responded. "I want to put all my time into this."
"I don't think your mom will agree. She's very keen on a proper work-life balance." Kosa would be lying if she said there wasn't a hint of schadenfreude in her tone. After all, she had said the same thing when the agents were introduced. One could see how that turned out. It felt good to return those words to the family.
"But I don't consider this work," Alysha protested.
*Tsk tsk* "That's not going to fly with her," Kosa said, waving her finger. "Anyway, finish your drink, and let's head back."
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Alysha inwardly sighed and picked up her drink. "No need. I'll take it with me."
They walked back to the studio and prepared for Alysha's afternoon lectures. During this process, Genji appeared at the entrance. He waved to his acquaintances and headed toward Alysha's workspace.
"Hey, you're back," she greeted him.
"Yeah. Work has been rather calm this month."
"That's good. Should I use cherry or walnut?" Alysha held up two planks of wood.
"Does it matter?"
"Not really. I just wanted your opinion." Alysha admitted, playfully sticking her tongue out. "By the way, can you teach me to draw? That's the one thing I need to work on right now."
"Sorry, you're on your own. I haven't touched a pencil in forever."
"Oh. I was hoping you had a trick for this."
Genji thought for a moment before speaking. "Well, if you're up for it, why don't you treat the pencil like a carving knife? The paper might be thin, but it'll be like carving a wooden plank."
Alysha's eyes immediately lit up. "That's genius! How come I never thought of that?" She excitedly pulled out her doodle book and adjusted her grip, moving her fingers back from the tip. Then, with a few swipes of her wrist, the rough outline of a dragon appeared on the page. With this shift in mentality, her drawing style changed completely.
The details were still blurry, but they were better than her previous attempts. Now, all she needed was more practice, and the issues would resolve themselves. "There we go. Thanks, Genji. I'll use this approach more often when I get stuck. Things become much easier when I relate it to carving."
Meanwhile, Kosa, who had overheard the conversation, had more questions than answers. 'What the frick just happened? He made a weird suggestion, and you actually implemented it? What kind of weirdo are you? And isn't this the Return to Origin or something realm that those Wuxia novels like to mention? To use a stick as a sword, a leaf as a knife, and undeterred by one's weapon constraints? What are you teaching her anymore, Genji? She's supposed to be an innocent little girl, not a martial artist!'
Alysha eventually settled on cherry wood and backtracked out of the room. As they passed Kosa, the bodyguard regained her composure and chased after them.
They set up the supplies at the display table, and Genji took a seat. As the start time approached, the others gradually funneled into the room. Once everyone was seated, Alysha picked up her carving knife and began.
On the other side of the room, Nathan stared intently at Alysha's movements, wanting to capture every detail. The agents, however, angled their heads strangely, trying to keep Genji out of sight. More specifically, they wanted to avoid Astros, who was coiled around Genji's neck.
Amidst this oddity, there was also Kosa, who occasionally peeked at Astros from the corner of her eye. It was evident what she was doing, but Genji didn't pay much attention to her.
'So cute,' Kosa thought, completely distracted. 'I wonder how it would feel to bury my face in that fluffy tail.'
The female agent saw this and shivered in fear. Such was the consequence of falling for the ferret's charm. The scariest part was that the victim fully embraced this result and willingly sank deeper into the abyss. One mistake, and they would fall into eternal damnation. But from the victim's perspective, isn't this a form of paradise? What right did they have to stop people from looking at the ferret then? Would it really be that bad if the person wanted it?
*Sigh* 'Such messy thoughts. I must be truly bored to think about ethical issues now of all times.' The agent collected her thoughts and refocused on her surroundings. But before she could do anything else, she abruptly froze as Astros stood by her feet, blinking innocently at her with a snack in hand.
Astros tilted his head, curiously observing the strangely postured woman. The agent's heart thumped wildly, her breathing grew erratic, and a light blush crept over her face. 'Keep it together. Keep it together. Don't fall for it. You can't. You'll be screwed if you do.'
But no matter how much she chanted these mantras, she couldn't keep down the impulsive thoughts forming in her heart. The final straw was when Astros waved at her, testing if she was still zoned out.
'Eeeeeeeeeeek, HE'S SO ADORABLE!' In the end, the suppressed emotions burst out like a violent volcano, causing more harm than if it had gradually released the pressure.
Exhales of air grew audible as the agent gave in to her subconscious thoughts. Astros gave her one last look before transferring the snack to his mouth and hopping back to Genji. The agent's eyes followed Astros's every movement, more obsessed than a goblin seeing gold. A slightly perverted smile crept up on her face, releasing a thin strand of drool. Then a light giggle followed as she subconsciously reached for her phone to take a picture.
The other agents fell into despair upon seeing this. The demon's charm had claimed another victim.
Meanwhile, Genji gave the woman a strange look, wondering if she had always been like this. 'It really is the quiet ones that hide the weirdest quirks. Not like I'm one to talk, but you certainly don't see this often, especially from a government agent.'
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The next day at school, the art teacher called for volunteers willing to share their thoughts on Alysha's newest pictures. "Come on, don't be shy. I'm sure we all found something we like. This is a good opportunity to talk about yourself and get to know your classmates."
The silence lasted a few moments before a girl near the middle awkwardly raised her hand. "Ah, Amanda, come on up. Tell everyone about your choice and briefly explain why it is your favorite."
The teacher pulled up the portfolio and gave Amanda a laser pointer. She pointed to a picture near the bottom of the screen and began her talk. "I like this one because the pandas are really cute. If possible, I want something similar as a birthday gift."
"That's nice. Thank you for sharing. Class, give her a round of applause for going first." A halfhearted series of claps later, the teacher asked for a willing participant. Nathan chose to step up at this moment, prompting the teacher's eyes to sparkle. After last week's exchange, the teacher looked forward to what this like-minded boy would share.
Nathan didn't disappoint as he scrolled down to the very first picture. "This is my favorite because I was on my phone when she posted it. I was the first person to see her pictures. It immediately caught my eye because her style stood out from the rest. The way the lines are defined, the smoothness of the corners, and the unusual attention to detail—everything about it jumped out at me like a tiger. I was breathless."
The class was dumbfounded, unable to keep up with half of Nathan's words. Were they really in the same age group? If so, why was he so eloquent when they couldn't even conceive of such an explanation? Comparisons are truly disparaging.
"That is such a cool story," the teacher said, leading the applause. "I wish I had that experience as well."
As Nathan returned to his seat, he noticed Alysha giving him a knowing smile. He bashfully scratched his head and quietly sat down.
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Around the same time, Genji could be seen sharpening a carving knife back at the workshop. The soft scraping of metal whispered throughout the room, filling it with a tranquil chime.
Astros sat in the corner of the room, curiously watching Genji's rhythmic motions. The female agent could also be seen peeking at Astros, her mind wandering in la-la land. Her partners buried their faces in their palms, half from secondhand embarrassment and the other half to cover their eyes.
Genji scooped a handful of water over the blade and started his final procedures. At this moment, Helen and Finlosh entered the room holding some dull knives.
"Hey there. I heard that you're doing some maintenance. Mind if we join?" Helen asked.
"Go ahead," Genji replied without looking up.
"Thank you. By the way, can you teach us some tricks? The tools you give Alysha always seem to last longer than ours. None of us can figure out why."
The agents tensed at this question, as they suspected a supernatural cause. After all, it was almost unscientific that Alysha's knife could last so long, especially given the intensity of her work. But if this was revealed, they would have to take drastic actions. Just look at the mess the last time someone exposed themselves. They could not afford another such crisis.
"If you hold the knife at a constant angle and grind away all the irregularities, the edge will naturally be sharp. I also apply a special layer that protects the metal from chipping." Genji gave a perfunctory answer.
"But still, isn't the performance too exaggerated?"
"You wouldn't think so if you knew what material I'm coating it with. Let's just say it's rarer than gold." In a way, he wasn't lying. He never specified that the material wasn't supernatural—he just guided the listener into believing the contrary.
"Then isn't it wasteful to use it on a normal knife?"
"What else am I supposed to use it for, if not spoil Alysha?" This answer cut off any more questions, and the agents inwardly sighed in relief. Thankfully, the big shot knew how to shut down inquiries without raising too much suspicion, or they would have one hell of a cover-up to do today.
'Still, can you not give us such a heart attack next time? No wait, what next time? Better if this never happens again.'
A few hours later, school ended, and Alysha returned to the workshop. Kosa immediately noticed the agents' somber disposition but didn't think too much about it, dismissing it as another one of their mood swings. They've had plenty of those since Genji's last meeting.
"Whoa, Genji, you're sharpening knives again?" Alysha buoyantly asked, spotting the used whetstone on the counter.
"Yeah. Give it a try."
Alysha eagerly picked up her knife and a wooden block before bursting into action. Her hands wove across the air like graceful dancers, leaving minuscule wood scraps with each motion. Within minutes, a western dragon roaring on a mountain appeared in her hands. "Wow, so sharp. It's almost like I'm cutting butter!"
"As long as you like it."