Reincarnation into the Barrier Master

Even though it was still late autumn, the city of Agartha was already covered with snow this year, and winter came earlier than usual. Nevertheless, the city was filled with the lively voices of people shoveling snow, and there was not the slightest sign of shivering from the unseasonably cold weather. And right after the new year, the people were even more enthusiastic and excited. It was no wonder, then, that the capital was holding its once-a-year grand event.

Every year, on the fifth day of the new year, the nobles of the city of Agartha arrive to greet the New Year. This custom has been continued since the time of Juka, but for a while after Rinos became king, the nobles who did not obey him sometimes boycotted the greeting. However, in the last few years, this has stopped and the nobles have ostensibly shown their obedience to the king. Around this time, a kind of exhibition of their products was held in the capital.

It all began with a casual remark made by Rinos a few years ago.

Whenever the nobles visited Rinos, they always brought tribute in the form of local products from their own lands. At first he had ordered that there was no need to do so, but the nobles were too proud to stop them. The large amount of local products that came to Linos every year were, surprisingly, often not distributed in the capital of Agartha.

"It would be quite profitable if we held a kind of product exhibition and sold them, wouldn't it?"

Rinos happened to see a fur coat delivered by the Count of Saracenia, and he was so impressed with the quality of the workmanship that he couldn't help but say something like, "I've never seen such a coat before. Inspired by these words, the count brought a large quantity of furs with him the following year and, with Linos' permission, sold them to the people of the city in a corner of the guesthouse grounds, where they were well-received throughout the city. This led to a large number of orders from the people of the city, and the Count was able to make a large profit.

The nobles of Agartha took notice of this and applied to Rinos for permission to open a stall, and he allowed them to open the plaza in front of the main gate and hold a product exhibition there only during the New Year period when the nobles gather there. Naturally, Linos' wards were put up there, and no matter how cold the day was, the temperature inside the wards was kept constant. This is one of the reasons why the exhibition was a great success during the period when it was held in the city.

This year, there was a man who was drawing a portrait in a corner of the exhibition hall. Needless to say, he is King Maintia of Hradime. He was selling the paintings he had done since he came to Agartha, and also drawing portraits of the people who visited there.

He had always loved to paint, and his ability to complete a portrait in a few minutes with his excellent brush strokes caught the attention of visitors. Moreover, the gentle personality of Wang was very attentive to his customers, and his store quickly became prosperous. Because customers brought customers, and at the same time, he painted beautiful people more beautifully and not-so-beautiful people in their own way, his paintings were especially appreciated by women, and nowadays there is a long line of people waiting for his paintings.

"Hmmm, nice!　Beautiful!　It's wonderful!"

"Oh, no. I have buck teeth. ......

"That's a good point!　That's your beauty!　That's fantastic!　I like your smile!"

He happily runs his paintbrush with such compliments. Next to him, Patterson and his friends were selling the king's paintings. The name on the painting was "Echigoya," but since it was painted by the king himself, they were determined not to sell the work at a discount, regardless of its reputation, so they charged a very steep price for it. Despite this, however, the painting gradually sold out, and by the last day of the exhibition, only a few copies remained, and they were sold out. His paintings were not considered by the general public, but for some reason, the unusual people often stopped by and bought the paintings immediately, which were not cheap.

"Excuse me."

On the same day, a young man appeared in front of Patterson and the others tending to the store. He appeared to be a student-looking man with a young face. The man opened his mouth, looking straight at the picture beside Patterson with his clear eyes.

"I'd like to sell you this painting called . ......"

"Awe, sir. But ...... the price is 8000G. ......"

Patterson opens his mouth with a dubious expression. The man looks away for a moment at his face, but then looks at Patterson again and opens his mouth with an expression as if he has made up his mind to do something.

I work for the Agartha Medical Research Institute, my name is Takeichi. Right now, I have only 1000G in my pocket. I am very sorry, but can't I pay the rest of the money in monthly installments?　I can bring 1,000 G per month.

Patterson, who had not taken loan payments into consideration, looks puzzled. Then a carefree voice came into their ears.

"I don't care."

The voice belongs to its creator, King Maintia. He hands the painting to the visitor, gets up slowly, approaches Takeichi, takes the painting from the display and hands it to him carelessly.

"What?　No,...... the painting will be done after you finish paying for it,......"

"Okay. You want to see it, don't you?"

"Yes, I would like to see ......."

"Then you can take it home and look at it. You can bring the money when you have it."

"Oh, thank you very much!"

Takeichi bows repeatedly with a surprised expression on his face. The king looked at him with satisfaction and nodded repeatedly.

"You are very generous, Mainty ...... no, Echigoya-san."

Rinos, who had come through the crowd of people in the crowded hall, called out to them. He smiles at the woman sitting in front of him, moving his paintbrush busily, and opens his mouth.

If you like my painting, that's fine. It's nice of you to take the time to get my paintings.

"I don't know if that's how it works. I was curious to see how many of your paintings are selling. ...... seems to be selling for the most part. But you are not taking any money as you said before, are you?"

"Don't worry. Patterson and his team are strictly enforcing the rules there. Besides, I started drawing portraits just for fun, and it's turning out to be more popular than I thought it would be. It's selling better than I expected. I'll probably be able to pay you back most of the money I owe you."

"Really?"

To be honest, I didn't really expect this a**h*le to make enough money to pay us back. No one has come to this store to buy a painting since a few minutes ago. Probably, his paintings are very popular only among a few enthusiasts. While I was thinking about this, I saw a picture hanging upside down at the back of the store.

"Huh?　What is that painting that's been turned upside down?"

"Oh, that. No, I'd be willing to sell it, but Patterson says no."

Wang paints his head in embarrassment. Me and May approach the painting that is turned upside down, look at it casually, and exclaim.

"Is this a ...... painting?"

When I looked at it, I saw a beautiful painting of a nude woman, as realistic as if I were looking at a photograph. May looked at it and stared at it seriously as if she wanted to confirm that it was really a picture.

"Yes. "Yes. It was definitely painted by the king. But it cannot be sold.

"Why not?　It's such a beautifully painted picture. Shouldn't it sell right away?"

"No, you can't. The painting is modeled after ...... Noreen."

"What?　Noreen?"

We couldn't hide our surprise because he looked like a different person, not the familiar okame face we were used to seeing. The king of Maintia spoke to us in his usual easygoing tone.

Noreen is always with us. I can't help but end up with this kind of finish.

"Are you sure, Noreen?"

"What are you talking about?

The king is speaking with a straight face. Apparently, in his eyes, Noreen really is the most beautiful woman in the world. He must really have bad eyesight.

The king is going to sell this painting. But Noreen is now the King's consort. The queen's skin must not be shown to the public. That's why I have firmly forbidden it.

Patterson speaks to me with a troubled look on his face.

"Well, of course. Come to think of it, I don't see Noreen."

Yeah. Noreen is here."

The king patted his belly in embarrassment.

"What?　Are you serious?　Haven't you been in Agartha for only about three months?"

Patterson opens his mouth apologetically to my surprise.

"That ....... The king, who makes Noreen ...... harder and harder every night."

"Yes, Patterson. How do you know all this?"

"It's ....... I hear voices all the time, every night. ......"

"A-ha-ha!　You heard me!　This is a bit of a bummer."

As I listened to the silly squire's story, I alternately looked at King Maintia and the painting, sighed, and opened my mouth.

"But it's such a waste. With the quality of this painting, it would have sold for a good price. It's a nice painting.

"No!　That is not true!　This will never sell!"

"Uh-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh, ha-huh."

Suddenly I hear May laughing. Involuntarily, we turn to look at her.

"May, what's going on?"

"Is this a painting?　Yeah, ...... is ....... It's a nice picture. No, I said. ....... It's funny. Hahahahahahaha."

Mei has a very cute smile on her face and is giggling. For some reason, her innocent smile soothed my heart a little.

......That night, I was sleeping with Siddy.

She sleeps a little differently. She always sleeps with her face in my palm. Perhaps because of her small size, it was difficult for her to sleep with a normal pillow, but there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that my arm pillow ...... was for Rico only, and she stubbornly did not ask for it. After trying various ways, we found that my palm was the most suitable for her.

That night, I was sleeping with my left palm cupping Sadie's face and my right hand holding her back.

It was a quiet night. But the silence was suddenly broken. It was Sadie who broke the silence.

She suddenly gets up on the bed. An unusual feeling woke me up too.

"What's wrong, Sadie?"

"......"

"Sidi?"

She stares into the darkness, not moving a muscle. I woke up to see what was going on, and just as I did, she muttered in a small voice.

The house is shaking. Soon ...... soon .......5,4,3,2,1 "

Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do.

The house shakes slowly and loudly with a rumbling of the earth.

"It's all right. It will stop soon.

...... the area has regained its usual quiet, as if the previous tremors had never happened.

"Sidi......"

"...... will shake again tomorrow morning at 5:40:21. But it will be small. The rest will be ....... The rest is ....... Tsk!　My head is ....... Mr. Linos: ....... What is wrong with me....... I'm kind of scared......"

She slowly nuzzled her face into my chest. I hugged Sadie. Her body was still and sweaty.