#227. It is suicidal.
* * *
Hermann was a genius.
From an early age, he could make any sculpture with just a knife.
Fortunately, he met an outstanding teacher and his talent blossomed further, so he was already called one of the worldâs leading sculptors at the age of 20.
From giant stone statues in temples to jewelry the size of fingernails, ice sculptures and metaphysical sculptures.
His talent was demonstrated in all fields related to sculpture, and when he reached his 30s, it was hard to find competitors anymore.
Still, he wasnât complacent.
When he could move his hands, he sculpted, and when his hands were busy, he devised new sculptures.
Is it because of that hard work?
Even when the Iron Age opened and players with all kinds of artistic skills appeared, he was able to keep his position as a top-notch sculptor.
That is until something goes wrong with the body.
âThe doctor said it was because I was overexerting myself.â
Hermann held up a tin cup.
Then, looking at the coffee that was still showing slight shaking in the cup, he continued talking quietly.
âNow I have to pay the price for not resting when I needed to rest since I was young and forcing my body to move even when it was difficult.â
diligence of effort.
it is obviously necessary
However, excessive effort is like a crowd, and great tenacity means enduring until the body is broken.
When I was young, it didnât matter.
On the contrary, I believed that if I did not, my skills would not improve.
However, as he gradually grew older, the price of his efforts came not from improving his skills but also from various diseases and deterioration of his health.
very little, gently.
Nonetheless, consistently.
Problems such as sore bones, sluggish hand movements, and shortness of breath arose one by one.
And as his health deteriorated, so did his ability as a sculptor.
Thanks to his strong stamina and natural talent, he was able to work hard even while suffering from a disease for several years, but that was a story until three years ago.
After stubbornly working his body, which had already reached its limits, he found it difficult to even hold a coffee cup, so he had no choice but to let go of the piece.
âI am no longer a sculptor. Itâs just something thatâs already retired and enjoying the rest of its life.â
Herman sighed.
There is no regret for the efforts made when you were young.
Because of that effort, he was able to become the best sculptor.
However, if you realized that the human body is a consumable after all, and excessive effort is an act of cutting the expiration date of that consumable.
What if I had a little more time to spare instead of impatiently trying to be the best?
I couldnât help but feel that way sometimes.
ââ¦So you said you were looking for the wrong person?â
âexactly.â
It was for a while that I was locked in remorse.
After hearing Limonâs question, Hermann came to his senses and shook his head.
Then he said to Limon, who was sitting across from him with his arms crossed.
âIâm sorry for making you fool around.â
âYou have no reason to apologize.â
âIf I had made it clear why I was retiring, this wouldnât have happened.â
He said that it was a mistake to stay silent without telling him about his illness because he didnât want to let people know that he was retired.
Hermann, who had spoken quietly, added one more word.
âItâs not meant to be an apology, but Iâll introduce you to a skilled sculptor instead.â
âNo need.â
A white-haired girl sipping warm cocoa in the seat next to Limon.
Embarrassed by Ainshaâs blunt answer, Herman soon realized something.
ââ¦I apologize if I have offended you, Chairman Ainsha. Come to think of it, it was too rude to say it in front of you.â
Herman smiled bitterly.
Although she looks like a little girl, she is the owner of Tiamat.
From music to pictures, movies, books and plays. He was the chairman of a large company that had absolute influence on almost all businesses related to culture and art.
In the field of culture and art, where it is difficult to predict the outcome, the words of the White Dragon Clan, who read the future, were like an oracle.
I said I would introduce you to another artist in front of Ainsha.
It was like bragging about his sword skills in front of the sword master.
However, contrary to Hermannâs thoughts, Ainsha did not reject his offer because her pride was hurt.
âIt doesnât mean that. Literally no need.â
ââ¦what do you mean by that?â
âMingyan Zhang Senaf. Iâve already met them all. But all were not enough.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Hermann was a little surprised.
Those mentioned by Ainsha are top-notch sculptors.
Even when he was active, they represented the arts of each country and were rather famous than him in certain fields.
âWhat pieces are you trying to entrust, so that even they are not enough?â
âHmm⦠Itâs complicated to explain in detail.â
Take a moment to scratch your cheeks.
Limon put his hand in his bosom.
Then, he took out a glass case containing a deep gold carving knife and put it on the table.
âLetâs try this once.â
ââ¦As I already said, Iâm not in a body that can sculpt.â
âdoesnât care. Once you hold it, youâll know what to do.â
Giving a carving knife to a sculptor who canât carve.
For a while, I put on a suspicious expression.
After seeing Ainsha nodded expressionlessly, Herman reluctantly reached out, convinced that this was not meant to make fun of him.
And the moment I opened the glass case with trembling hands and picked up the carving knife inside.
Wei Ying.
ââ¦!â
Hermanâs eyes widened.
This is because the dark gold carving knife was suddenly disassembled like a puzzle, reassembled, and transformed into a size that fit his hand.
It is also the most familiar form he used in his heyday.
âAs expected, there are minimum qualifications.â
âOf course. He is the worldâs best sculptor. If it wasnât this much, I wouldnât even come.â
Unlike Herman, who was flustered, Limon and Ainsha reacted calmly.
It seemed like a familiar sight.
He calmed down his embarrassment thanks to the two people having a casual conversation.
âWhat is this?â
âIâll explain later, so do as Iâm told.â
âWhat do you meanâ¦?â
Hermann could not finish the question.
This is because the golden glow that flowed from the tip of the carving knife gathered in the air and created two masses of light.
On one side is a square cuboid.
A round ball on one side.
At the same time, what floated beneath it was a letter made of light with an arrow pointing from a rectangular parallelepiped to a ball.
= >
ΤÎλεια μÏάλα
(perfect ball).
ââ¦the perfect ball? Shall I cut this cuboid the same as the ball next to it?â
Herman, who had been working as a sculptor for many years and could make out the Greek written in a slightly archaic style, blinked.
After hesitating for a moment, he stabbed the cuboid floating in the air with a carving knife.
hard.
Hermann was taken aback.
This is because the translucent cuboid mass made of light was cut by a knife with a vivid sensation as if it were a real object.
Even without putting any burden or repulsive feeling on your own hands.
It was an experience he hadnât felt in a long time since he had to feel quite a bit of pain and trembling just by holding a cup.
So it was.
It was the fact that Hermann began to cut the light mass as if possessed.
The fact that he could redo a piece he hadnât touched for the past few years made him move his hands unconsciously.
clunk hard.
The cuboid is cut away.
little by little.
But precisely and elaborately.
As the sweat dripped down, the cuboid gradually turned round.
However, the mass of light did not disappear even after it was completely rounded. As if it was still lacking, I only urged his hand, emitting a golden light.
In order to meet the âperfectionâ required by the light, Hermann gritted his teeth and moved the carving knife again.
Quick!
âahâ¦!â
Hermann lamented.
The moment the hand shook and the carving knife that was cutting the light slipped very finely.
It was because the mass of light shattered and disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place.
Experience as a sculptor at the pinnacle of talent called genius, plus a mysterious carving knife that automatically transforms into an appropriate shape and reduces the burden.
Even after mobilizing all of them, he was not able to completely overcome the disease in the end.
It was the sound of applause that he heard right after that awakened his mind after staring in vain.
clap clap clap
âExcellent.â
ââ¦Are you kidding me?â
âNo, I mean it seriously.â
Limon shook his head.
Then he pointed to Hermanâs hand, which was still slightly shaking, and continued.
âHonestly, I didnât know if I could make it that far with my hands.â
âI agree. Awesome. If I had done a little more, I would have passed the first stage.â
Limon with a serious face and Ainsha talking expressionlessly.
Realizing that they were sincerely admiring them only after looking at them gently, Hermann straightened his frown.
And asked quietly.
âChairman Ainsha, was this what you wanted to ask of me?â
âThatâs right.â
âAt this level, even Senaf and Ming could have done it.â
âIn fact, we did the first step. But step 2 failed. And he said only you could do it.â
ââ¦So how many levels are there?â
âStep 3.â
ââ¦â
Herman swallowed a groan.
From the outside, itâs a simple piece that just cuts the light of a cube into a sphere.
But he knew.
What Light wanted just now was a âperfect ballâ.
That it was a âperfectâ piece that did not allow errors of even a hundredth of a millimeter, let alone a millimeter.
Even this alone requires a level of terrifying precision that can engrave Buddhist scriptures on grains of rice.
What if there are 2nd and 3rd stages after that?
It was also understandable that other top-notch sculptors raised a white flag and declared impossible.
âEven for me, this is impossible.â
That was why Hermann had no choice but to shake his head.
It was difficult even to pass the first stage with his hands, which were already difficult to sculpt.
âYouâd better go see Cassen. As a player, she will be able to easily pull off transcendent sculptures that challenge the human limits.â
âItâs not possible.â
âHave you met her already?â
âno. But no players.â
When Herman frowned again at Ainshaâs blunt answer.
Limon suddenly asked.
âHey, sculptor man. When did you just say that it was impossible?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âIâm asking if itâs impossible even if it was your home in the prime of your life before you got sick like now.â
Hermann was silent for a moment at the surprise question.
In fact, if he was in his prime, he wouldnât have given up without trying like this no matter what the second stage was.
No, I would rather have said it.
If it is an impossible piece for you, no one else will be able to do it.
ââ¦Itâs already meaningless.â
âWhat if it doesnât make any sense?â
âWhat do you mean?â
âCould you do it if we treat your illness?â
the moment I heard that.
Hermann involuntarily hardened his face.
And after looking at Limon with fearful eyes, he said firmly.
âDonât fool me with useless nonsense.â
âDonât be so presumptuous already. Arenât you certain that there is no cure for your disease?â
âNo, Iâm sure.â
Herman cut it off.
And he revealed the reason why his illness could never be cured and why he had to give up everything and retire three years ago.
âBecause even the Holy Lord could not cure my disease.â
As he was a world-class sculptor, the money Hermann had accumulated was not small.
And as a result of generously using the property to treat the disease, he was able to enjoy the privilege of receiving the treatment of the divine lord.
Not only was it difficult to even move at one time, but it was also why he, who was almost in the midst of life and death, became this healthy.
But in the end thatâs all.
Even the divine lord, who is at the pinnacle of healing skills, could not completely cure Hermannâs disease.
However, Limon was not disappointed when he heard Hermannâs self-deprecating words about who could cure him.
I just quietly opened my mouth.
âWell, I canât assume that someone else canât cure a disease that the Holy Lord canât cure.â
âStop talking nonsense. Who the hell can cure a disease that even the holy lord couldnât cure?â
Hermann was dumbfounded.
To him, who had personally experienced how great the divine lordâs skills were, Limonâs words sounded like nothing more than bluffing.
But next moment.
He couldnât help but be embarrassed in a different way.
ââ¦no way.â
âChairman Ainsha?â
âItâs too dangerous. Itâs suicidal. Iâd rather have one shot of poison.â
ââ¦?â
Looking at Ainsha, who actively opposed Limonâs words with an expressionless face, Herman was puzzled.
I would have understood if I had said âabsurdâ, but I couldnât figure out why they called that opinion âdangerousâ.
Isnât it like knowing someone who can really cure your illness?
âThere is no other way.â
Limon shrugged his shoulders while receiving the gazes of Herman, who was puzzled, and Ainsha, who shook his head.
The divine lord is definitely the best healer in the world.
Itâs to the point where I can make a joke saying that anyone can be revived as long as theyâre not dead.
But she is a healer after all.
He is not a doctor with specialized medical knowledge, even though he can make even severed limbs sprout and cause cripples.
So it was.
Thatâs why Limon had no choice but to suggest a solution with a very disapproving face.
âI donât know if itâs trauma treatment, but you, the Seven Dragons, are the worldâs best experts in medicine and medicine to treat illness.â