****(POV)

"*Sigh* I feel old, you know…"

"Please! If a young man like you is feeling old, how am I supposed to feel? Dead?!"

The old noodle seller isn't wrong haha. It's just there have been so many changes here in the last two years. I was just drawing in the ruins of Eaglevein when I met a weird man. A very weird one that was accompanied by his wife.

My first reaction when I saw them was to ask myself if they were crazy to venture there. But then I remembered that I myself was in the process of painting a deadly bone dragon that wanted nothing more than to tear me apart. Still, it couldn't as it had to protect its master.

The man asked me if he could live nearby. I honestly answered that asking me was pointless, well something similar. I think the guy was just looking for an excuse to do it, asking me was rhetorical.

He then proceeded to invite me to his place, with drinks, food, and shelter included. At first, I thought he was trying to have me draw specific things, on the contrary. I had full reign over whatever I was creating. He didn't need anything specific.

How lucky am I to have stumbled upon such a big art lover?!

At first, I thought there was some kind of misunderstanding between us. The man was way too respectful! Well, it's nice from time to time but still. I have repeated that I am but a simple artist enough times by now that my throat is getting dry haha…well not really since drinks are included haha.

By now I am truly convinced the man doesn't expect anything from me. He simply has a great appreciation for art.

Recently, I've seen the city turn from a bigger town to almost a metropolis. One where countless beings roam the streets. There is still a poverty issue for sure since most people that come here do so in search of a safe Heaven.

All are poor ghosts lured in by the sweet promises of a mad man. Oh, don't get me wrong this city lord is actually great. He's mad because no one manages to understand the entirety of his vision, but he clearly knows where he is going.

As I'm slurping my noodles while drawing, I'm always drawing haha, I notice someone. He is a new merchant that is on the rise lately, or so I heard. I don't pay attention to that kind of stuff but I tend to hear about it from rumors. Well, not all rumors are accurate, I should know I've heard a few crazy ones about me.

I greet him and ask him his opinion on why there have been so many people here recently.

"Well, Sir, it's all because we need many men to confront the surroundings sects. Scattered the people are vulnerable but united they are unbeatable!"

"Oh? Then how would you describe how it's going as a merchant?"

"Honestly? A huge mess, but not as huge as it would normally be."

"Hehe, thanks to people like you, am I right?"

He gives a bashful smile.

"Thank you for noticing, Sir."

Now, I know for a fact this guy in front of me barely cares about art. I think he respects me just because of the city Lord. Not that it matters to me. Everyone can have their own set of values, who am I to judge haha?

That is when appears another guy vital to the city, the commander. This guy has an interesting backstory. He used to be nothing more than a gangster in the city, BBC something. What it stands for I have no damn clue.

Anyway, apparently, he changed over a new leaf after he had a close encounter with death. I'm not exactly sure what happened as he never gives much detail, but he almost got killed for pissing some amazing guy off.

Then he saw an opportunity to get an official position and he didn't let it slip. If I had to describe the man I'd say he is plain. He isn't powerful, he isn't smart, he isn't even hardworking! Is he incompetent? Not at all, that's the weird part.

He's great at delegating stuff to whoever is best suited to it. He always does his job, but he's lazy enough that he'll find the easiest way to finish it. Well, that's a type of intelligence, I guess.

"Hello, Sir!"

Another one that treats me super politely. He sits beside me.

"Sir, what do you think of our current maneuver against the Bright Sun sect's territory?"

He shows me some sort of tactical formation. I've never understood these guys. First, this is a public place, wouldn't there be spies here?! Second, why is he showing me this in the first place?! I do not understand, care nor have any affinity towards tactics.

For now, I'll just tell him that I don't know and….something is bugging me there. I shouldn't have, but I glanced at the scroll he is showing me. This formation seemed…skewed?

Once again I have no clue what any of it means, it simply looks bad from an artistic standpoint. If I remain with this image in my mind it will screw with my work. I'll keep thinking of that messed-up imagery!

It's fine I have a way to fix this easily. I get myself a blank canvas and I start drawing on it. I reproduce the same thing, but with a few changes. Great, now it looks more way more elegant than before. I'll be able to just focus on drawing my surroundings once more.

"S-sir! C-can I take this?!"

The formation I just drew? It's obviously worthless…why does he want to have it? Ah, I think I know. As much as the artist in me couldn't stand this messed-up picture of his, the strategist in him probably can't stand my amateur's work. After all, I simply care about the esthetics.

"Sure, take it. You can burn it if you want to. Just do so out of my sight, thank you."

"S-sir I would never! This is clearly very precious! Thank you, Sir!"

Kiss-ass haha. Oh well, I'll simply keep drawing.

That's when I hear a *CLANG!*

Out of the…is that the sewers?! Out of it comes…an unidentified humanoid?!

"MUAHAHAHAHA This KIM is back!"

It seems to be a young lady's voice. One wouldn't guess looking at the appearance. She is wearing a mask and …

"Oh, right! You guys should probably run! The slimes are coming!!! Muahahaha!"

What?! Slimes?!

Guess I'm drawing slimes today…

Maybe I should move back a bit. For some reason the way she said it makes me believe I should...