Time flowed on, and with the blink of an eye, it was now the end of May. During these past two months, every day Renji spent part of his free time in the meditative state, while the rest of the time was used to either practice stonecarving or read. There were many books in the library of Keito Institute, and Renji managed to enlarge his knowledge by reading them.
May 29th. Morning.
Renji, Yori, Giichi, and Ryūji stood in the square in front of the Yamazaki Gallery. A nearby carriage contained within it three wooden crates. Though during these past two months, Renji had actually managed to produce nine new sculptures, since this was his first time delivering art to the gallery, Renji just wanted to get a taste of how it all worked and thus only brought three.
"Carry those three boxes," Yori directed. Some servants from Yori's clan began to lift and move the crates. "Third bro, come with me." Yori clearly was quite familiar with this road, and he headed directly towards the side of the Yamazaki Gallery.
The Yamazaki Gallery took up a lot of space, and to the side of the main entrance, a few hundred meters away, there was an unremarkable door; standing in front of it was a middle-aged man dressed in warrior attire. When he saw Yori striding in his direction, his eyes lit up, and he immediately hurried over, smiling as he paid his respects and said, "Young master Yori, welcome!"
Smiling, Yori nodded. "I imagine you already know why I am here. This is my good friend, Renji. These three sculptures are his. Where are your servants? Have them carry the sculptures inside."
"Please wait." The middle-aged man smiled and nodded.
Before long, some movers emerged from the hallway, and the middle-aged man smiled in Renji's direction. "Young master Renji, in accordance with the rules of our Yamazaki Gallery, you need to leave your identification behind. You only have to let us jot down the details of your Keito Institute student identification.
The student identification of Keito Institute was far more than enough proof. Drawing out his student identification, Renji passed the identification papers. The middle-aged man glanced them over, his eyes momentarily clouded over. However, his astonishment was clear with the next lift of his gaze to Renji. "Fifth grade?"
Renji's grade was very visible on the identification papers. As a magus of that rank, to be able to reach such a high rank was quite surprising for someone of that young age.
The brother of mine is one of the two ultimate geniuses of Keito Institute. Last year, during the end-of-year exams, he reached the title of magus of the fifth rank when he was fourteen years old, Yori couldn't help saying proudly.
One of the Keito Institute's only two ultimate geniuses? The middle-aged man formed a clear mind and immediately showed great obsequiousness. After he recorded down Renji's particulars, he made a mark on each of the three crates.
Young master Renji, everything is handled. All you have to do, young master is come back in a month and collect your remuneration." The middle-aged man smiled.
In a month? I don't have any time next month. Can we delay it to three months hence?" Renji asked. In a week or two, Renji was planning to head to the Mountain of Magical Monsters and on this trip he was planning on spending two months or so there.
"No hurry. So long as your sculptures sell, you are welcome to come at any time to receive your money." The middle-aged man nodded.
Yori frowned. "Hrm? What is going on? I could of sworn in the past, before you accepted any sculptures you would go through the contents of the box first. Why aren't you inspecting it this time?"
He further explained, "The reason we inspect the insides of the crates is to prevent unscrupulous people from sending us some already-damaged sculptures. If we are unable to detect the damage, they might claim that the damage was caused by the gallery and try to extort us. With those three specific sculptures having been delivered by young master Renji and yourself, young master Yori, I have no feelings of concern. I am certain a person of your standing, young master Yori, would never demean oneself to such an act.
The middle-aged man knew full well what he was doing. What kind of person was Yori? Extorting the Yamazaki Gallery or something? The money, he could probably extract at best, wouldn't amount to pocket change anyway. And the creator of these sculptures was known as one of the two ultimate geniuses of the Keito Institute: Renji. How could people like them lower themselves to such base actions?
….
Day shifted into night. City's main road of East Solara Kingdom City, Fragrant Pavilion Avenue.
Luminus Night Paradise's third floor.
Renji and other three shared a room. Night in the Kingdom City was constantly full of bustle. But night within the Luminus Night Paradise showed the dire meaning of obscurity and fully developed in busy-ness. The women's coquettish laughs incessantly sounded out, and the heroic, roaring laughter of men also continuously sounded out. Within the private room, four bros drank as they chatted idly; at each of their sides, a delicate and pretty girl sat.
"Second brother, third brother, I'm going to go to sleep, while fourth brother is too. You two." His arm hung over the shoulders of a woman with long emerald-green hair; Yori's mouth reeked heavily of spirits.
"That's enough, boss Yori. Shut up, all right?" Renji cut off Yori's words.
Yori and Ryūji exchanged a look before a scornful gaze returned to Renji and Giichi. And then, each of them hugging the waist of his companion, Yori and Ryūji left the private room.
It was here that Renji and the gang had very often come for the last two years.
Generally, Yori and Ryūji would go off to have fun, while Renji and Giichi would at most drink a little and chat with the girls.
"Young master Renji, we've known each other for two years now, but you…." The green-haired girl seated next to Renji said in an unhappy voice.
Renji couldn't help but get a headache. "Ira, if you are tired, you can go back and get some rest. I guarantee that when the time comes, you won't receive a single copper coin less than you deserve." Renji had no choice but to say coldly. This caused the girl called Ira to no longer dare speak anymore.
Indeed, it was rather seldom that anyone would come to the Luminous Night Paradise and only drink.
A white light shone from the Celestial Dragon Ring and transformed into Kaiya Tanaka. Kaiya Tanaka, face wreathed in smiles, looked at Renji. Jestingly, he said, "Hey, Renji. With such a girl before you, why have you got such a foul look on your face? Alas, I, a venerable Saint-level Grand Magus, am now just a bodiless spirit. I don't have the ability to touch a woman even if I want to, and you.you punk.act in such a manner?
"""
"Grandpa Kaiya."
Renji said with his brows furrowed in discontentment, speaking mentally to Kaiya Tanaka.
Kaiya Tanaka pursed his lips. "You've never gotten a taste of a woman. If you'd taken any, you wouldn't be acting in this manner."
Renji raised his head and stared outside the window, no longer paying any more attention to that lecherous old Kaiya Tanaka. The cold outside air blew on his face and helped Renji to calm down.
"The Mountain of Magical Monsters. What is it like, inside it?"
One or two weeks from now, Renji was to set off on his journey. Although at the Keito Institute Renji got to hear many of the legends concerning the Mountain of Magical Monsters and heard much from Kaiya Tanaka, too, he had never been himself. Therefore, Renji had only his imagination to rely upon while trying to picture the Mountain of Magical Monsters. "In a week, let's go." Renji had made up his mind, staring out the window with his sights on the boundless night sky.