What Adi just said made me choke, I stammered as I struggled to think of an excuse. Looking at him, he appears to be unamused by my staggering display.

“Master Adi, I thought I asked you to leave!”

I turn around to see Hearth, striding her way to us. Her every step made loud stomping noises. She is followed by a group of housemaids, housekeepers, and servants. Their entourage is reminiscent of a violent criminal gang.

“Big Sis!” I quickly stand, blocking Hearth’s path, “Please, be reasonable!”

“Be reasonable? He stole blouses from everybody’s laundry and cut holes in them so he could wear them and show the world his– the design is absurd, Arys!”

I was taken aback, “Wait, how many blouses are we talking about?” 

Hearth spread her arms, “He stole from all of us!” her band of angry women cheered for her.

I glanced at Adi, “W-what!”

“Strip his clothes, make him march to the plaza, and let’s throw rocks at him!” one of Hearth’s raging cheerleaders shouted. They all shout in agreement.

“Look, lady Hearth, he even smashed your father’s marble bust!” another one of them points at the mess I made.

We all turn our heads to look. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed menacingly.

“Master Adi, you’re testing my patience!” Hearth’s fist trembles.

“Wait, please,” I pleaded, but I stopped once I realized something, “W-why are you calling him master?”

“It doesn’t matter!” Hearth was about to cast her magic.

“Because I thought her magic!” Adi proudly claims, “Before I was Adi the Fashionable, no, no– Before I was Adi the Painter, I was Adi the Mage!”

Adi hops forward and does a few hand movements before his clothes start swiftly burning. The ashes crumble and are blown away by the wind. Leaving behind the naked body of a healthy old man.

Everybody, including me, screamed in terror. I hid behind Hearth, she raised her hands, and a magic circle appeared as she cast a spell.

Hearth’s voice still in shock, “Bomba!”  I closed my eyes. I heard a loud explosion.

“Ah, I forgot to wear my robe,” Adi said before he was blasted away by Hearth’s spell.

Adi flew a few feet away from us, landing on a hedge, where gardeners are seen working nearby. The spell did not do damage to the gravestone and the surrounding area. It only affects the intended target. 

Soon after, the women dispersed. The gardeners covered Adi with a sheet, they waved at Hearth.

“Sorry, you can leave him there for now!” Hearth said apologetically while waving back at them.

“D-don’t you think it’s a bit… overkill…” I nervously let out a chuckle.

“Adi is much stronger than he looks,” she grabs my hand, “Arys, why are you talking to that old weirdo?” 

We started walking, “Uh… I was hoping he could help me find someone, help me paint a portrait?”

Hearth nodded, “I heard from Barth,”

We leisurely try to make our way to the hedge where Adi still lies, “Sis, who is this Adi, why is he your master?”

“When I was four years old, I had a large amount of mana in me, I was casting random magic spells, and Mom and Dad were desperate for help.” she grins in nostalgia, “I was so young but I can still remember,”

“What happened?”

“A weird old painter was peddling his artwork in the village back then, offered to teach me the basics, and here we are,” she said as we got closer to Adi, upon closer look, his impact made a crater.

“Strong as ever my favorite student,” Adi dusts himself off, “Sorry about the crater, I had to make myself a barrier. Surely, your handymen can take care of it?”

“Master Adi,” Hearth cheerfully smiles, “You need to leave,”

“I will! But I can’t leave with someone like your brother needing something from me, am I right?”

I cleared my throat, “Bis Sis, I know you are in charge of what goes in and out of the house but I would like to request something!”

“What is it, Arys?” she asked.

I figured if I were to learn how to use magic and make a detailed picture of my father, I would need Adi’s help. Else, I won’t learn anything about him and his exploits in this world.

“He wants me to teach him magic!” Adi answered. He brushed his eyebrows, “And I don’t want to!”

“W-what?!” flabbergasted, I take a step forward, “Why not?!”

“Arys, are you sure you want him to teach you?” Hearth’s voice sounded unimpressed, “There are other better mages that can teach you…”

“Rude!” Adi cried out, “I have you know that I taught you how to suppress your mana in a day! I can teach him how to cast attack spells right now!”

“It’s all about the student, Master Adi,” somehow, Hearth’s tone was threatening.

“But why? Why won’t you teach me?!” I followed up on my question.

“You’re not interesting enough. Even if you are, you can’t afford me!” he said, I was stunned and hurt, “Besides, I am no mage, I am a pioneer in fashion! Gone are the days when men and women wear boring old tunics!”

“Well, my charisma can do some work, but how much are you asking?”

“A bajillion marks!” Adi shouted, I turned to Hearth if he was serious, “I am in terrible debt,”

“C-can we afford that, Big Si–”

“No.”

“Beat it, kid. I’m off turning Godglade into the kingdom’s finest cultural center for fashion!” Adi smiled proudly.

“But Godglade is already a cultural center!” I said, “Godglade doesn’t need more bored highborn freeloaders peddling useless and ugly outfits!” I continued desperately.

“Bah!” Adi dismissed my statement, “I am no highborn smug, I am Adi the Fashionable!”

I whined, “But aren’t you a little too old to be a fashion icon!”

“Age is just a number!” he refutes,  “According to the elves at least, hmm…” Adi strokes his chin. “Don’t you think they’re fascinating, the elves? Have you met one?”

I stomp on the ground, “I don’t care about the elves, why change the subject all of the sudden!?”

“It’s because I’m old! I can’t keep up with conversations, ooh look at me! Bla, bla, bla,” Adi mockingly scoffs.

I turn to Hearth for help, I put on the puppy eyes.

She looked away, “No.”

I turn my attention back to Adi, who is adjusting his top wear that exposes his nipples, “Are we done here, I got places to be, kid.” he smiled, “People and meat, or to meet, whatever the saying goes.”

At this point, my mind is going haywire. “How about I ask you to paint someone?”

“No, my painting portrait days are over!”

I fell on my knees, “Please! Please, teach me how to use magic! I just want to find someone, someone from my dreams!”

“Your motivations don’t matter and dreams are stupid!” Adi said in indifference, he turned around, “Farewell,”

I grit my teeth, “If dreams are stupid then why do you want to be a mere tailorist!”

My words echoed. Adi froze, his fists shaking in contempt. The wind blows and it sends shivers down my spine. I felt his anger seeping out of his body.

“Mere?!” he loudly exclaimed while facing me once more, “How dare you imply that being a tailor, master of weaving fabrics into wearable artwork, is a mere practice that a man pursues!?”

I stepped up and thrust my chest out, “Because the man is simply the artwork!”

Adi stammered dumbfoundedly, Hearth is still motionlessly unimpressed, and I continued to come up with pretentious artistic excuses.

“You pursue perfection with magic, paintings, and now fashion…” my voice bellowed, “Because you simply want to be an artist!”

Adi gasped, he slowly approached, “You’re right…”

“But how dare you call yourself an artist if you refuse to do the one thing that artists must do!”

Adi kneels before me, “Tell me!”

I sneer, victory is mine, “An artist paints the canvas that begs to be painted, and a tailor sews the fabric that wants to be worn!”

Mouth agape, Adi clings to me, “Tell me, please!”

“And a master teaches the student that wants to be taught!” I shouted exceptionally, it roared throughout the estate.

Adi’s lips flutter in astonishment, “I understand…”

“Do you!?”

“Yes!” Adi said, almost as if he was about to cry, “I understand!”

It didn’t take long before he broke down and started weeping, his old, wrinkled face contorted in such anguish of finally understanding the weight of his responsibilities as a master of magic. I hope.

“Will you teach me,” I placed my hands on his shoulders, “Master?”

He quivered, “Yes!” his voice shrieking, “Yes, I will teach you magic!”

Tears breached my eyes and soon I joined his weary weeping. It is a beautiful day indeed. I glanced at Hearth who watched all of it unfold.

I could almost hear her whisper, “Boys are so pathetic…”