Lanqi's Painting for Sigrid

Within this secluded space, a towering lintel stood erect. Various mysterious antiques and paintings hung quietly upon the walls, as if harboring tales that transcended time and space. With only Lanqi and Sigrid present, the room spanning hundreds of square meters felt exceptionally spacious. Lanqi looked toward the sleeping Sigrid. Behind the master seat stood an array of glass bottles and decanters. From amber goblets to renowned liquors as clear as water, they refracted the midday light, making her figure at the center appear dazzling beyond compare. "Phew." Lanqi walked over to the easel, shifted it gently, and sat down not far from her in a corner of the gallery beside a window. These painting supplies might have been kept in Sigrid's home all along, or perhaps her direct retainer Gloria had prepared them in advance. "Meow." Boss Cat stayed curled on the floor, watching him paint just as he usually watched Lanqi craft cards. It was rare for him to dare sit this close to Lanqi. In this guy's hands, a paintbrush usually turned into a piece of heavy artillery. Seeing Lanqi paint so quietly actually made Boss Cat rather uneasy. Besides, could he really paint? After spending so much time with Lanqi, Boss Cat had never once seen him paint seriously. Lanqi stared at the paintbrush in his hand, as if sharing a silent exchange with it. "To think that one day I'd actually use you to paint," Lanqi finally murmured with a soft sigh. "..." Boss Cat wanted to say something, but held his tongue. "All right, time to make a fool of myself." Lanqi chuckled to himself. He composed the layout and set brush to canvas, his gaze toward the distant figure brimming with respect and reverence. Recalling every single day he had spent with Sigrid over these past two months brought repeated smiles to Lanqi's face. He was rarely so earnest. Every stroke felt as though it were recounting the story between them. Although he had never once painted Sigrid before, he didn't even need to look up at her sleeping face to capture her likeness on canvas. On this warm spring afternoon, Sigrid slept peacefully in the master seat. Lanqi picked up the skill that had grown rusty, a relaxed smile playing at the corners of his lips as he devoted his whole heart to depicting Sigrid. She looked like a queen, elegant and serene. Sitting opposite her, Lanqi silently guarded her slumber, unwilling to disturb this precious tranquility. It felt as though he had returned to those days of flight across the boundless winter snowfields—one person asleep, the other keeping watch, while the flow of time slowed to a gentle crawl. That had been a long journey along a desperate road. Though they could not see the shape of the future, neither of them had ever been afraid. The clock's hands ticked on and on. Waiting nearby, Boss Cat blinked in growing astonishment, his feline mouth hanging open. By the time the slanted golden afternoon sunlight filtered through the window, casting ripples of radiance through the gallery, Lanqi's painting was nearly complete. "Not bad." Smiling, Lanqi finished the final touch of detailing. He held the brush aloft, admiring the piece. Painting seriously truly made a difference—it looked far better. "Meow, meow?!" A hushed cry of disbelief sounded from the side. Boss Cat stared wide-eyed at Lanqi. He didn't dare wake Sigrid, but he truly had never imagined Lanqi could produce such a painting! After finishing his work, Lanqi set down the brush and glanced at Sigrid, who remained fast asleep in the high-backed chair. She was so peaceful in her dreams, as if all worries and anxieties had drifted far away. Lanqi bent down, carefully scooped up Boss Cat, stepped lightly around the easel, and walked past Sigrid, glancing back at her once more. Boss Cat rubbed gently against his chest. "All right, Boss Cat, time to go." Stroking the cat, Lanqi carried him out of Sigrid's gallery. ... Nearly a full turn of the minute hand later, a chime seemed to ring once more through Sigrid's gallery. Her eyelids fluttered, and waking on this spring afternoon, she slowly opened her eyes. It felt as though she had experienced a long dream. A comforting dream. Even after coming to, a faint trace of the memory lingered. "I slept for so long." Sigrid looked toward the clock and stretched deeply, feeling completely relaxed from head to toe. She stood up and walked toward the entrance foyer. It was likely Gloria, who would be bringing the crew from the Herrom Broadcasting Corporation here. Their purpose was to interview Sigrid and tour her private art collection. Opening the front door, she found her direct retainer Gloria standing outside with a group of people behind her. "Archbishop, the guests from the Herrom Broadcasting Corporation have arrived," Gloria introduced respectfully. Sigrid hardly needed Gloria to introduce the guest leading the group. It was Leora Franklin, host of the Protos Empire's nationally acclaimed program *Herrom Evening Show*—the very host who had conducted Luoqi McCarthy's interview. "Welcome, Miss Leora." Sigrid shook Leora's hand and led the television crew inside. "It is an honor to meet you, Archbishop Sigrid. If possible, I would also love to invite you and Mr. Luoqi McCarthy to appear on *Herrom Evening Show* together." "Heh heh, that will probably have to wait quite a while. After all, he's even busier than I am." The two chatted as they toured the gallery. Though she had only just awakened, Sigrid maintained her composure with effortless grace. In this space saturated with art and culture, a dialogue on beauty, history, and personal taste was about to unfold. Even Leora was struck by the grandeur and elegance of the gallery, absorbing every detail around her. Guided by Sigrid, they began their exploration of the collection, moving among artifacts and antiques while conversing from time to time. Sigrid responded to Leora's inquiries in detail with a warm, composed demeanor. "Why is there an easel over there? It looks like a freshly finished painting?" As Leora walked through the main hall of the gallery, her eyes immediately caught the easel standing by the window. "Care to guess who painted it?" Sigrid couldn't help but smile. She had slept so soundly that, upon being awoken by the doorbell, she hadn't even had a chance to look at the painting yet. Her intention from the start, however, had been to let everyone see Luoqi McCarthy's artwork. "Oh? Could it be..." Her curiosity piqued, Leora walked over with a mix of surprise and anticipation, the camera crew trailing close behind her. When they turned to face the easel, every one of them froze, struck utterly speechless. Even Leora, with over a decade of broadcasting experience, stared fixedly at the painting, unable to react for several moments. Only after a long while did their expressions light up with excitement as heartfelt praise poured forth one after another. "..." Sigrid was somewhat bewildered, unsure why Leora would react this way. She glanced at Gloria, who was following the crew. Gloria looked equally perplexed, as if asking: *Archbishop, did you not look at it yourself?* Sigrid promptly quickened her pace, walking around to an angle where she could see the canvas clearly. The moment the painting entered her sight, it was as if her entire world had been illuminated with brilliant color. Sigrid was left utterly stunned. On the canvas stood a tall, slender woman, her light-colored long hair cascading past her waist. Her eyes shone like stars in the night sky, yet also resembled blooming spring violets, and the innate aura she exuded was that of the sole queen of this world. Her overbearing yet tranquil gaze was like a pristine, transparent lake in which rested a sharp sword capable of piercing an opponent's heart. And yet... Hidden within those eyes was an indescribable tenderness. Even without asking, anyone from Herrom could guess that this painting was a gift from Luoqi McCarthy to Sigrid. Because this was Sigrid through Luoqi's eyes—a Sigrid who would only ever appear like this before Luoqi. She was born to be the center of all admiration, yet her heart belonged solely to you. [Portrait: Dedicated to Archbishop Sigrid] [Type: Artwork] [Rarity: Epic] [Tier: 1] [Those who admire this painting will recover a small amount of mental energy and stamina, and their respect for the Archbishop depicted will increase. There is a chance to permanently grant a slight increase to the maximum stamina attribute, once only.] ... At Herrom South Station, the sun dipped toward the horizon, and the concourse bustled with vibrant energy. High arched ceilings supported the massive curtain-wall structure. On the crystal screens visible every short distance along the halls, broadcasts from the Herrom Broadcasting Corporation were on display. Travelers bustled past, some rolling suitcases, others checking tickets in their hands, the air filled with the haste of itineraries and the anticipation of travel. Accompanied by three companions, Lanqi stepped onto the concourse pathway, heading toward the boarding platforms. At some point, murmurs began to ripple through the station. More and more people looked up toward the screens, their expressions filled with wonder, sparking a brief commotion throughout the hall. The glow of the screens cast shifting shadows through the surrounding space, drawing the eyes of passing travelers. Their gazes were held captive by the painting that had suddenly appeared on the screen. The artwork seemed to touch every viewer's heartstrings; whether hurried passengers or station attendants, all were moved by the spirit of the figure portrayed. "Whoa, isn't that Miss Sigrid? Who painted that!" Antanas was the first to notice the stir. Dropping her suitcase, she dashed over to stare at the nearest crystal screen. "Wait, didn't the King just go to see Miss Sigrid..." Sinora murmured in astonishment. "..." Pranay also noticed something was amiss and fixed his gaze upon Lanqi. With a slight smile, Lanqi said nothing. He looked up at the painting on the screen, but his gaze fell not on the portrait itself, but on the figure in the corner of the frame. "Whoa, King, you're actually this bold!" Antanas yelled in surprise as she ran back, shaking Boss Cat in her arms. By now, probably all of Herrom could tell who had painted it! "All right, all right, we need to go, or we'll miss the mana rail train to Lilom City." Lanqi pulled his suitcase and continued forward. "Do you have any other works?" Pranay asked curiously, walking beside Lanqi with his attention firmly fixed on him. "I did a casual sketch once, but it can't compare to this one in the slightest." Lanqi thought of the one back home and smiled, shaking his head. Pranay seemed to realize instantly who was depicted in that painting. In truth, Pranay's impression of Talia had always been that of an aloof demon princess. For some reason, around the King, she seemed to turn into a comedian. Oh well, it was rude to dwell on it. Once he returned with the King and met Talia, he would understand.