Chapter 1001: The Encounter with the Rose Princess ④

With Camellia-san acting as her interpreter, we managed to finish Rosemary-san’s self-introduction and entered the exhibition booth.

As I expected, the booth was fairly empty, partly because the number of visitors was limited by the advance reservation requirement.

And just as I had expected, the inside had a museum-like atmosphere, with exhibits placed at regular intervals and explanations written about them.

Anyway, we decided to go around checking them in order…… and found ourselves in a place where there was some kind of colorful and oddly shaped jar.

According to the explanation, it seems to be a one-of-a-kind vase that was created by the God of Art as commemoration after the 10th Festival of Heroes ended.

……To be honest though, I have no clue what’s so great about this.

[……Hmmm, art sure is a difficult thing. I don’t really understand it.]

[It’s probably a great piece of art because it’s displayed here…… Lilia-san, do you understand this?]

[Eh? M- Me?]

Luna-san, who seemed to have the same impression as I did, muttered, and Aoi agreed with her before turning the conversation to Lilia-san.

[Yes, I was just thinking that if it’s the noble Lilia-san, you should be knowledgeable with arts like this.]

[I- I suppose so. I think it’s a wonderful art piece.]

This is just a hunch, but I don’t think Lilia-san understands it either. No, of course, the noble Lilia-san probably had seen a lot of such art pieces, and I’m sure she would know what’s good and bad…… but I don’t think she understands this jar either.

I mean, Lilia-san is a person who basically doesn’t tell a lie, so it was obvious that she was flustered.

[Ohh, as expected of Milady. So, what exactly is so wonderful about it?]

[W- What exactly?]

And there, knowing full well that Lilia-san also didn’t understand much, Luna-san gleefully gave chase.

[……I- Its colorfulness, I suppose?]

[Oh my…… That’s a very rough impression of yours.]

Well, to be honest, I don’t know what to think of this either, other than it’s a weird jar. It’s so colorful, so squishy and distorted, and I don’t have any idea why.

As I was thinking about this, Hina-chan turned to Sky-san and spoke.

[Sky-san, do you understand this?]

[No, to be honest, I just think it’s a weird jar. I heard that people in the know would understand it…… Well, I think that’s what art is all about. I think it’s okay to just think of such things as kinda amazing.]

[Indeed, that certainly sounds like the correct answer.]

I agreed with Sky-san, who said she didn’t understand it either. Indeed, people who don’t understand art wouldn’t understand this at all.

In fact, it seems that everyone else doesn’t really understand it either, and perhaps, someone who knows about art can tell me how to look at this thing……

[What’s that, Eri? Errr…… “This jar represents the winning works of the art contests held at the Festival of Heroes in order, and from the bottom to the top, it represents the characteristics of the works from the first to the tenth contests”? Ahh, that’s why it’s so colorful and intricately shaped huh.]

Rosemary-san whispered in Camellia-san’s ears, and Camellia-san passes it on so we can hear it too. I see. Indeed, if you look at it that way, it seems to be divided into ten layers from the bottom, some parts looking like sculptures while some parts look like oil paintings.

[……”I think it’s a masterpiece that expresses the changes in art over the 100 years, and by deliberately disfiguring the shape of the mouth of the jar, it shows that art will continue to change in the future”…… I see, as expected of Eri. Such thoughts were imbued into that artwork huh.]

[That’s a wonderful explanation. Compared to a certain Duchy’s head, I could certainly sense the difference in status.]

[……Luna, you should be prepared when we leave this exhibition booth.]

It seems like Rosemary-san has a deep knowledge in art, and thanks to her easy-to-understand explanations, I feel like I’ve changed the way I look at this jar.

An artwork representing change, and how it will continue to change…… It seems to be an ambitious work filled with such expression that art changes with the times, and it really feels like a great jar.

[Camellia-san, you’re well-informed with art?]

[………………….]

What’s troublesome about Rosemary-san is that not only does she not speak, she doesn’t even nod because she’s completely frozen in place.

Seriously, if I don’t have my Sympathy Magic, it’s going to be very difficult for me to understand her emotions. At any rate, the only person Rosemary-san can talk to in this situation is Camellia-san, so Camellia-san acting as an interpreter is a must.

Seriously, how should I say this…… As she said it would take 16 hours for her to get used to me, I guess it would still take some time for her to open up.

Serious-senpai : [It kinda feels like she’s a really vigilant cat.]

? ? ? : [Perhaps, once she opens up to him, she’ll be able to have a normal conversation with him, but I guess she’s the type that takes a long time to take that first step.]