NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12 - Episode 012: Headhunter, Family Drawing Time
Episode 012: Headhunter, Family Drawing Time
The next day,
Ack faced his large body towards a small desk in the inn’s room from morning.
“What are you doing?”
Tina, who had just woken up, peeked her face from the side and asked.
Ack’s body shivered at Tina’s sudden appearance.
“…I’m drawing.”
He managed to answer while hiding his surprise.
It seemed he was so focused that he didn’t notice Tina’s presence.
Despite his tough appearance, Ack also liked drawing. While traveling with the mercenary group, he often secretly drew fluffy monsters he saw or imagined various designs for future cafes.
Today, while drawing, he was thinking about the interior of a fluffy cafe and the design of tables and chairs to be used.
“It’s good. Amazing.”
Tina’s eyes sparkled as she looked at what Ack was drawing.
There were several patterns of the interior of the cafe and many types of chairs and tables drawn.
“Don’t you think it’s strange?”
To Ack, drawing as a big, tough man was embarrassing, just like liking cute things. In fact, after joining the mercenary group and growing larger during his growth period, he was laughed at by the members once. They might have just teased him a little, but Ack’s heart was deeply hurt, and since then, he stopped drawing or interacting with fluffy monsters in public.
This time, too, he had drawn secretly before Tina woke up.
While Tina didn’t seem like that kind of person, Ack couldn’t help but worry that she might laugh at him.
He didn’t feel fear on the battlefield, but the thought of being ridiculed for something he liked made him incredibly scared.
“What?”
Not understanding what Ack was saying, Tina looked puzzled.
To Tina, seeing Ack, who was so strong and could also draw, was just amazing. She admired him and had no intention of making fun of him.
“No, it’s okay.”
Ack shook his head with relief.
Indeed, Tina was not the type to make fun of people.
He hoped she would continue to grow up like that, so Ack didn’t say anything further.
And he decided to continue doing what he liked without hiding it from Tina.
“Wanna try?”
“Is it okay?”
Seeing Tina eagerly, he handed her the tools, and she looked up at him hesitantly.
“Yeah.”
He wanted Tina to experience the joy of drawing. And if possible, he would be happy if she came to like it.
There was no reason to refuse.
“Alright.”
Tina happily took the tools and lay on the bed, starting to draw something with joy.
“Kyuu?”
“Kuku?”
Snow, Chiffon and the others approached Tina, showing interest in her drawing.
“Would you like to try too?”
“Kyukyuu!”
“Ku!!”
Seeing this, Ack called out to Snow and the others, and they all rushed to him at once, expressing their desire to join.
Ack took out the tools from the magic bag and placed them in front of everyone.
Snow and the others started drawing on the paper skillfully with their mouths.
He was interested in what kind of pictures monsters could draw. He looked on with a smile as everyone drew for a while, and then Ack himself began to immerse himself in designing furniture and interior decorations.
“It’s done.”
After a while, Tina came over holding a paper.
There were two figures that seemed to be Ack and Tina, and monsters that seemed to be Snow, Chiffon and others drawn on it.
Their skills were obviously immature, but everyone was smiling and having fun, looking very happy. It was a heartwarming picture.
Realizing that Tina was enjoying her current life, Ack felt happy.
“You’re good.”
“Hehe, I’m glad.”
Smiling, he gently stroked Tina’s head with his large hand, and Tina smiled happily.
“Kyuu!!”
“Kukukuu!!”
Starting with Tina, Snow and Chiffon, as well as the other Bigtail monsters, also brought over drawings in their mouths.
Snow’s drawing consisted of simple circles, triangles, and squares. Chiffon’s drawing looked like it had been scribbled messily. Muffin’s drawing was reminiscent of Cubism, quite mysterious. Soufflé’s drawing depicted something with vibrant primary colors, resembling a powerful human figure. Roll’s drawing was vividly colored with various lines. And Torte’s drawing gave off a sense of darkness, with the paper completely blacked out.
Each drawing was very unique and somewhat perplexing.
However, seeing everyone smiling, I think they enjoyed drawing, and that’s what matters most.
“You’re all good at this,” Ack said, stroking everyone.
“Kyuuu!!”
“Kuuuuu!!”
Snow happily squealed and bounced around.
Tina, Snow, and the others having been praised, began drawing new pictures again.
Ack also resumed his designs.
“Phew.”
Taking a break and noticing how unusually quiet it was around, he turned around to see everyone had fallen asleep in the middle of drawing, showing contented sleeping faces.
“Hehe.”
Seeing this heartwarming scene, a chuckle escaped him.
Ack picked up his brush to capture this moment in a single painting.