"Good afternoon,"
"Pretty lady," the man said while turning his position facing Alice.
The two of them staring deep inside of the opposite eyes. With an elegant move, Alice bowing and return the greeting.
"Good day," Alice said with a little bow.
With a smile on her face, she added, "May I join here?"
"Ah, yes with pleasure," The man responding with a little bow to her.
"And I'm the one that supposed to ask your permission. May I join?" Add the man.
"Yes, of course. This is still the part of the academy, so everyone is allowed to use this place,"
Without further ado, Alice walking closer setting the place with cloth that she brought. Alice putting the hamper down but not opening it yet. With a glance Alice staring at the man full of curiosity, glancing between him and his canvas. In his canvas, there was a sketch of building and scenery based on his point of view. She unconciously stared longer between him and his canvas longer than she originaly want.
Conscious at the fact, the man glancing over without turn around.
He closed his eyes, and smile carved on his face, "Did my drawing caught your attention that much?" He said.
"Oh my, I didn't realize that I'm staring at it too much,"
"Am I perhaps bothering you?" Ask her.
"Oh no, it's the opposite, I'm happy that someone interested to what I'm do,"
"I see,"
The man change his position turning to the side and facing Alice, "It's a little late but, I'm Wein Curtis, one of the scholarship grantee," he said.
"If I'm allowed to give myself a title, I'm a street artist," added Wein.
"I'm Alice, due to a complicated circumstance I can't give you my surname," said Alice.
Wein nodding, "I see."
"Even though the student here know who you are, you are still didn't give your surname when introduced,"
"W-well, it can't be helped. It's my family request to not tell my surname for security reason," Alice facing the other side.
Her face blushed a little because of shame that not giving her surname is a pointless.
"I see,"
"It's hard being a princess, no?"
Wein added while his hand still moving make a sketch.
"Yes, certainly. Keeping my smile, and all makes me tired,"
"I see,"
When the talk ended, Wein dropped his pencil. He began to move his hand and reach his bag. Alice noticed what he do but she keep his ignorance because deep in her heart she's know that preying other's circumstance are impolite. When Alice curious about what did Wein do and deep in thought, Wein pull out a book. It's a sketch book.
"Do you want to see my other work, princess?" Wein said with one finger pointed at the sketch book.
With a smile, Alice took it. When she opened it, the first page of the book was a scenery of stone bridge. The bridge was cutted in half because the page can't load all of the bridge, the sketch of the bridge was from below of the bridge. It seem, Yusa drew it when he rested at embankment near the bridge. The second page was a horse drawn carriage with the driver that still control it. The third page was an orphanage with four kids that playing tag.
So far, the page that she see is a beautiful scenery. A gentle smile carved on her face while flipping the page. However, after a while. Her fingers that at first eager to flipping it halted.
It's not a painting, it's not a photo, the one that Alice look are a clean sketch. A single boy facedown at the alley, with a crow that accompany him to his slumber. Her eyes widened, and she hold her breath for a while. Her hand trembling, Alice know that what Wein drew is a reality and she accepted it as a fact.
"He's a boy from slums, his mother is a prostitute and his father a drunkard. In that alley, he was beaten-up because he's stealling a single bread," Wein explained the situation to Alice.
His eyes looking at the distance, reminiscing the day when he found a dead young body at the back of the street. Alice fell silent, her eyes tremble and her fingers feel numb. But with a little courage that still left, she's flipping through the page. A woman that carried her dead children, a single guy with skinny body, a prostitute that lost her limbs, many of sorrow and tragedy that has been keeped inside that book. Like a pandora box.
"Anything can be happen,"
"If you're strong then you will survive,"
"And you need money to be strong,"
Wein said with a distance look on his face without batting an eye to Alice. Alice still silent, she can't argue back to what he said. She know that many people suffer and many people died because of this rotten Kingdom. She's ashamed of her helplessness and she ashamed with the fact that she can't do anything.
"I think it's time for me to go," Wein said.
Alice snapped from her deep thought and looking at the person who will leave. She's put a smile as if everything is under control, however a sorrow still manifest in her eyes. Wein packing his tools and bowing to the princess. But the princess only gave him a silent gaze. When the person already take his leave, Alice snapped and realize that his sketch book still in her hand.
"E-excuse me! Your book,...." Said Alice. She's waving the book in her hand, showing it to him.
Wein turned arround and smile, after that he's continue his walk and showing his back to Alice, "You can keep it, maybe that book have more value to you than me,"
A breeze blowing, as if escorting the man back to his home. However, Alice still looking at him without a reason.
'Maybe that book have more value, huh,'
'And the strong one will survive,.....' thought her.
When the back of the man can't be seen anymore, deep in the forrest stood a single girl. She's standing still behind the trees waiting. When Wein passed, she called out to the man.
"Brother,...."
Wein turned arround, glancing at the Beatrice with a lonely look at his face.
"The seeds has been sowed, until the time comes, the farmer only can waiting," Wein said.
Beatrice fell silent; she knows what her brother means. But her heart can't take it, seeing her friend tarnish her beautiful face with the sorrowful look. A good hearted princess, that beeming with her smile now drowning herself in a sorrow swamp. Dragging her feet as if all of it are her fault. Wein know what his sister thinking, but he can't canceled the mission.
"Beatrice,...."
"A hunter will be deemed useless without a resolve, and we know how hard it is to get a little resolve," Wein said.
His look that put on a distant face loosened and put a lonely smile. Beatrice frowned, her hand clenching hard and she averted her face to the ground gritted her teeth in agony. Slowly, Wein walked approaching Beatrice and reach his hand to her head. He patted her head with a gentle move.
"We all know the pain," added Wein.