Chapter 2782: Chapter 2783: Walking with the Beast

Kaier: "To avoid forgetting, I drew the part of the mural that I remembered and kept it."

Angel originally wanted to suggest using illusion techniques for Kaier to simulate the mural, but since he had already drawn it, it saved some effort.

Kaier: "Wait a moment, let me find it."

Kaier closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, leaving only the index and middle fingers stretched out, faint energy fluctuations dissipated from between the fingers.

After about half a minute, the energy reached its peak, and finally, a Space Rift appeared in front of Kaier.

Seeing the Space Rift appear, Kaier let out a long breath.

In the next second, Kaier performed a "hand tearing the rift."

The initially small slit expanded under Kaier’s effort into an opening the size of half a person.

Looking inside this opening, you could see a pile of things as high as a mountain. Most were books, and there were some low-level materials, all messily placed. If Kaier hadn’t opened it on the spot, one might even think it was a pile of garbage.

Perhaps opening a private space in front of outsiders for the first time, Kaier showed a bit of embarrassment: "Inside are the goods from my shop... I, I usually organize it, but I was in too much of a rush this time and forgot."

"I’ll go find the painting now." Kaier was eager, with half of his body already inside the rift.

From the rift, sounds of rummaging could be heard; it seemed Kaier was searching for that so-called "painting." However, to those present, Kaier seemed more like he wanted some place where others couldn’t see his face to quiet down...

On the other side, Vay looked into the space through the rift: "This space doesn’t quite look like a Spatial Artifact... Besides, although there’s a Space Rift, the surrounding space hasn’t changed in stability at all."

Angel also felt it didn’t look like a Spatial Artifact, as Spatial Artifacts don’t need that long to open.

He vaguely sensed some familiarity, as if the space knowledge infused in him had mentioned similar spaces. However, this type of space shouldn’t be within an apprentice’s ability.

At this point, Dox patted Vay’s shoulder: "Don’t overthink it. It’s a private space passed down to Kaier by his mentor, Esos."

"Private space?" Vay was stunned for a moment.

"You can think of it as Esos transferring a well-constructed stable space to Kaier through magic pattern means... you can’t envy it."

Dox’s last sentence was rather emotional. Saying Vay couldn’t envy it was probably expressing his own feelings.

He didn’t have such a large space when he was an apprentice.

Even though this kind of private space has many limitations, such as taking a long time to open and not being able to use personal spiritual power due to attachment to the original owner’s spiritual power to search for items, one has to directly reach inside and search one by one like Kaier to find stuff, which is purely usable as a big warehouse.

But even so, Dox envied such a large portable warehouse.

Although he had a Spatial Artifact, the space inside was too small. If possible, he would indeed prefer such a private space with flaws.

At worst, items that need urgent use could be placed in One-time Spatial Capsules, while those not that urgent could be stacked in a private space.

While Dox was emotional, Angel also showed an enlightened expression.

So, it’s the private space inherited from Esos; it makes sense now.

Though this event was minor, for Angel, it was another enlightenment: even after being infused with a significant amount of spatial knowledge beyond ordinary people, when it comes to real situations, it might still fall short.

Knowledge isn’t just about remembering; it also requires thorough understanding and practical application. After all, real situations often need multi-faceted problem consideration, from details, background, relationships, personal abilities, and so on, performing comprehensive evaluation to ascertain the ultimate truth.

After Dox’s sentiment, he suddenly thought of something: "Speaking of which, more than his private space, I’m actually more curious about his claimed painting... could it be one he painted himself?"

Vay: "What do you mean? Is his painting skill not good?"

Dox paused for a moment: "It’s not about painting skill; it’s just very special, hmm... special."

Although half of Kaier’s body was inside the space rift, he heard the outside discussions: "No, it’s not painted by me. I found a painter in the Royal Capital of Laksum Principality with the excuse of a dream to have the painter help me paint it."

Upon hearing it was done by a professional painter, Dox breathed a long sigh of relief.

If it were really painted by Kaier, probably besides Kaier himself, others present wouldn’t understand... Kaier was excellent in many ways, except he had some "slight" flaws in painting.

Not long after, Kaier emerged from the rift, already holding a framed painting in his hand.

With a flick, the space rift successfully closed. — Opening a private space takes time, but closing it is easy.

"Found it, here it is."

Kaier held the framed painting to his chest, signaling everyone to look.

However, everyone’s attention was drawn to a piece of parchment falling from the back of the frame.

The parchment floated gracefully from behind the frame and spread evenly on the ground, clearly showing a strange space structure constructed with thick and thin strokes.

Next to it were a lot of space analysis formulas.

"Is this the structure of space tricks?" Vay asked curiously.

Kaier followed everyone’s gaze and lowered his head, only then noticing the parchment spread on the ground. Seeing the image on the parchment, his expression was slightly awkward.

He stammered "uh" a few times and then remained silent.

However, though Kaier didn’t speak, there was no way Dox, the professional debunker, would remain silent.

"Didn’t I say earlier that his painting is very special? This is his painting." Dox said: "Earlier he asked me about some Magic Blood Ore names, and I asked him to bring it over or draw the appearance. What he gave me was this kind of space structure diagram with a bunch of formulas attached, who the heck understands that!"

After saying this, Dox looked toward Kaier: "Isn’t this your so-called mural diagram?"

Kaier’s face was full of embarrassment, but he nodded: "Uh, this is just my casual sketch. I had a painter draw the line draft."

Kaier gestured for everyone to look at the framed painting.

If ignoring the parchment on the ground, the painting in the frame was indeed very normal and realistic.

But now everyone understood why Dox said one couldn’t evaluate Kaier’s painting as good or bad but rather "special."

As Kaier was embarrassed, Angel walked up and picked up the parchment from the ground.

After studying it closely for a moment, he handed it back to Kaier: "Nicely done."

Angel’s casual compliment left Kaier stunned. This was the first time someone said his painting was nice.

Dox looked at Angel in surprise: "You understand it?"

Angel said nothing, just smiled faintly.

Understand? Who could understand it!

Even though he couldn’t understand it, Angel didn’t find the painting on parchment "ugly." Angel’s art appreciation crossed the aesthetics of two universes.

Solely judging from the painting on the parchment, it really wasn’t ugly. The formulas beside it were arranged very systematically, likely arranged by Kaier for his own understanding.

Just like Kaier enjoys cryptographic paintings, his painting is akin to a cipher unique to himself.

This kind of painting cannot be judged for its quality, but in terms of privacy security, it’s absolutely first-rate.

Although a painting doesn’t necessarily require privacy security, achieving excellence in this aspect at least indicates that the painting has its merits. Furthermore, the painting itself wasn’t ugly; Angel’s praise was sincere.

He had read many inspirational stories on the holographic tablet about unconventional painters being cursed in their era, yet in another, they were revered as gods. Although he knew these were merely inspirational tales, relating it to Kaier’s situation provided at least a palatable story; if Kaier’s painting were something like "infant scribbles, matchmen," that would be another story.

Praise was meant to give Kaier some confidence.

Whether it’s understandable is secondary.

As Kaier looked on with excited eyes, Angel shifted his gaze to the framed painting.

Admittedly, this painting was what truly qualified as art.

It could even be called a photograph, so realistic; from the mural’s details to the wall’s mottled texture, almost every aspect was considered.

Purely in terms of realism, Angel couldn’t compare to this painter.

However, beyond the painting’s technique, they were more interested in the content within. What did Kaier see in the mural to make him feel it was related to the Panic Realm?

The mural’s content was simple and reminded Angel of a fairy tale Jon had once told him as a child.

It was a tale of a prince cursed to become a beast, lonely in his castle waiting for "true love." Eventually, a kind-hearted princess arrives; during their dance, a kiss transforms the beast back into a handsome prince.

The mural’s content resembles the first half of this fairy tale.

If this painting were to be named, it might be called: "Walking with the Beast."

In the scene, a head-raised, bipedal lion-like beast carries on its shoulder a slender, carefree youth — while non-human traits are visible, let us tentatively refer to her as "human."

The girl’s head rests casually by the beast’s ear, seemingly whispering.

Despite being just an image, such a relaxed, ambiguous atmosphere was conveyed through the painting.

It’s as if bubbles of love floated around the girl and beast in the painting.

That’s why Angel thought of the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" upon seeing this artwork.

On first glance, this painting doesn’t appear special. Beauty and Beast pairings aren’t unique to Earth’s fairy tales; similar stories exist in this world. Human creation of love stories forms a cycle, fundamentally similar across worlds.

But upon deeper inspection, one finds this painting’s unique aspects.

First, the girl, who possesses a physiological structure like butterfly wings beneath her arms; akin to the webbing among certain amphibian toes, a thin membrane.

This thin membrane under her arms resembles wings yet lacks flight capabilities.

This humanoid species of intelligent life is typical of Panic Realm’s "Butterfly-winged people."

And the lion-like, bipedal beast beneath her initially appears as an ordinary magical creature; but ignoring the thick mane, one sees a swaying golden stalk atop the beast’s head.

Look at Earl Mi’s swaying blue lantern flower atop his head, and then at the swaying golden stalk — one can basically understand this lion-like beast, like Earl Mi, is also an awakened demon.

Once like the girl, a butterfly-winged person or perhaps another race of Panic Realm. But now, it has awakened and become what ordinary people of Panic Realm fear most — also what awakened demons least wish to confront... an awakened demon.

One might call it the new generation of demon too.

Awakened demons are craftier and greedier than demons. Panic Realm’s demons are willing to consume beasts, feeding on beasts and humans alike. Awakened demons, possibly due to former demon origins and regular beast consumption, have become sick of it; they prefer to devour humans.

Hence, awakened demons pose greater threats to Panic Realm’s Indigenous People than demons.

One could say awakened demons and Indigenous People are born foes.

But now, the mural depicts a completely different scene.

Awakened demons peacefully coexist with Indigenous People, perhaps in love?

How could this be possible?

"Are you sure this mural is real? Not imagined by you?" Dox asked.

Kaier affirmed seriously: "I assure you it’s authentic."

Dox eyed Kaier for several seconds before speaking in a low voice: "Could it be the mural’s artist drew haphazardly?"

This question stumped Kaier; he pondered then said: "The mural’s material is Star Color Stone, although it quickly loses color due to air exposure, investigation suggests the mural dates around the New Calendar 3800."

Dox: "Age of Meteorite Gold?"

Kaier nodded: "Probably a mural from the Age of Meteorite Gold. Murals, if autobiographical or biographical, could be falsified. But this mural is not biographical; it’s a record-style mural."

"The chances of falsification should be low, right?"

Dox: "So you mean..."

Kaier thought for a bit: "I can’t confirm my speculation, but might it be possible awakened demons have ways to live normally with ordinary people in Panic Realm?"

"Simply, Panic Realm’s remoteness from the Southern Domain limits our understanding, leading to misconceptions. Actually, Panic Realm in its entirety might be more complex?"

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