NOVPUBPerhaps at the beginning, when they encountered each other near the Temple, they hadn’t noticed one another. But from that moment on, their story had already begun.
When counting the experiences and the changes that happened this year, getting closer to his retirement goal became easier to recall the moment he first set it.
It felt like waking from a dream, or from intoxication—the memory of that beautiful time seemed like a dream bestowed by the Goddess of Destiny, ethereal and elusive.
On the contrary, his memories as Lanci were more real and had never changed.
The timer on the wall of the conference room kept ticking away.
The audience outside Shadow World, who could only watch the figure of the examiner and the back of the easel, whispered to each other, filled with anticipation. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝙗.𝒄𝒐𝒎
What would become of today’s contentious exam was probably about to be revealed very soon.
Until dusk settled a shade darker outside the Sacred Silvervine Colosseum, perhaps stepping into the time of sunset, Lanci’s painting was finally complete.
He stood up, spun the easel around, and faced it towards the audience.
On it was a woman with grey hair.
A pigeon flying past obscured her face.
But if one looked closely, they could still glimpse her faint golden pupils.
The more it was like this, the more curious people became about what she really looked like.
It wasn’t until they got even closer that they could see clearly—
She was watching you too.
Just this fleeting glimpse was enough to stay with someone forever.
[Portrait·Enigmatic Beauty]
[Type: Artwork]
[Grade: Epic]
[Rank: 1]
[Any creature that appreciates this painting will feel a definite improvement in mood, with a chance to receive a small boost to Spiritual Magic within the next 24 hours.]
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In that instant, Tata, who had been sitting motionless across from him as the model, couldn’t hide a trace of emotion in her eyes.
Although she was no longer surprised by Lanci’s Epic paintings, this one made her heart skip a beat.
Only she knew that this painting matched the first one Lanci had made of her in some ways.
As if their encounter had two facets, viewed from different perspectives.
And the person standing across from this painting’s perspective, looking at her, was none other than Lanci.
Countess Rosalinda’s anxious heart settled the moment she saw the painting.
"Examiner, do you have the guts to score him anything below 100?"
She let out a relieved smile, looking towards Lockins on the live feed screen.
Rosalinda finally understood why Lanci was so confident!
It’s not so much that the score ceiling is 100, so the painting could only be crudely rated as 100.
The judgment of Lanci’s artistry by the Cardmaker’s Association wasn’t actually accurate; to say he was a mere Compass Warrior was wrong—he should be considered an exceptionally unconventional Compass-type contestant.
Sacred Silvervine Colosseum, in various venues.
After the painting was unveiled, the entire Colosseum fell into a bizarre silence. Everyone seemed so stunned by the sight before them that they even held their breath.
Finally, from a corner, a rousing cheer erupted.
This cheer gradually ignited the atmosphere inside the arena, and soon more spectators stood up and joined in.
The approval, the debates, the mood—all surged.
"The concept of this painting transcends those of his previous works, filled with surreal romanticism, using unusual visual elements to challenge the viewer’s conventional understanding of reality."
"Perhaps the examiner wanted to explore the themes of hiding and revealing, of seeing and being seen, while also provoking thoughts about identity, existence, and metaphors."
Many in the audience seats could no longer sit still and began discussing excitedly.
"It symbolically reflects the artist’s contemplation on an individual’s role in society and the human tendency to hide their true self."
"Who could this examiner be? It wouldn’t be Migaya in disguise, would it?"
"No, no, that’s impossible. Migaya is an all-rounder, and she’s not as exaggerated in painting as this person!"
Lockins’ face immediately darkened. He said nothing, fell silent for a moment, and then cut off the live feed.
Rosalinda also smiled at Lanci, signaling that his seat as the main examiner was waiting for him.
He was right in his scoring today.
And today, he was the authority.
In contrast, Lockins had become the real fool, and jokes about him were likely to spread in the Western Hub henceforth.
On this Sunday night, it wasn’t just the end of the Platinum Level Card Maker exam. In the Sacred Silvervine Colosseum, at least ten thousand people were shouting, whistling, clapping, and cheering at the same time, creating an unprecedented clamor.
Having witnessed a miracle, everyone could hardly contain their excitement, and lavish praise echoed throughout the venue for a long time.
...
Minutes later, elsewhere.
The corridor leading out of the Sacred Silvervine Colosseum.
Carlen was hurrying down the path.
Her eyes began to be clouded by bloodshot veins, full of unwillingness and anger.
But her steps turned a bit frantic as she looked back and hastened her pace.
However, she suddenly stumbled as if she had hit a mountain and fell to the ground.
Suddenly, standing before her was a grey-haired woman, accompanied by a man wearing a silver mask.
"You’re not trying to escape, are you?"
Tata bent down, staring into Carlen’s evasive eyes, and asked.
"Tata, don’t scare her," said the man in the silver mask, patting Tata on the shoulder with some concern while also casting an apologetic look at Carlen.
"The, examiner?"
Carlen asked somewhat uncertainly.
