Kayama Esumi: Episode 0

In the world of art, there is a term known as a patron.

It generally refers to wealthy individuals who support artists, musicians, and other creators. The nature of this support varies wildly, from providing food and shelter to supplying project funds or commissioning specific works. Since these individuals often provide support to improve their own social standing or strengthen their privileges, it might be easier to think of them as sponsors in modern terms.

Of course, this is no different here in the Academy City of Kivotos. In the Trinity Autonomous District, where many wealthy residents live, a daily tug-of-war takes place as people scramble to discover talented artists. Perhaps because the district is so active in its factional politics, this struggle—where various motives, both good and bad, collide—is often seen as one of the defining characteristics of Trinity. Visitors from other districts usually look upon the spectacle with curiosity.

The Millennium Science School, which prides itself on cutting-edge technology, is much the same. It is said that they have patrons who support talented engineers, and much like Trinity, companies compete for exclusive contracts with gifted individuals.

Consequently, a saying has spread among patrons and outsiders alike: "If you are a patron who loves art, go to Trinity. If you are a patron who loves technology, go to Millennium." For better or worse, it serves as a symbol of the immense power held by the three major academies of Kivotos.

Now, let us return to the Trinity Autonomous District.

For a talented artist and a patron to join forces, one side must first make contact with the other. In this day and age, a robust internet environment makes it surprisingly easy to build connections, but unfortunately, it is just as easy to use those same means for fraud and impersonation. Therefore, people rarely rely entirely on the internet. Instead, artists and patrons find one another at the art competitions held several times a year within the Trinity district.

Naturally, the artist who takes the top prize at such a competition will be swamped with invitations from numerous patrons. Even those who narrowly miss out on an award may still be approached if someone sees potential in their future. While a few choose to remain freelance and refuse to sign contracts, such individuals tend to stand out even more, often making patrons even more desperate to recruit them before a rival faction can.

As a result, while violence and major incidents are avoided, the venues where these annual competitions are held are filled with an extraordinary intensity, echoing with the sounds of negotiations and high praise.

In the midst of all this, Kirifuji Nagisa, a member of the Junior High Section at Trinity General School, stood frozen in front of a single painting.

The canvas was approximately 723mm by 606mm, a size known as F20. Out of all the works displayed at the competition, it was the smallest. Furthermore, on the plate next to it—beside the artist's name and the title of the work—was the modest word: "Selected."

While the areas featuring award-winning works remained loud and crowded, the space around this particular painting felt unnaturally quiet and cold. No one else had stopped to look at it, and for some reason, no one even walked near it. To put it simply, it was the embodiment of silence.

Whether the cause was the "Selected" label or the aura radiating from the piece itself, Nagisa believed it was the latter.

Depicted on that F20 canvas was a single figure.

"......Is this an angel?"

An angel. A word referring to a being with wings on its back. Most students at Trinity General School fit this description; if you walk through the academy, you can find a winged girl for every two or three people you see. Nagisa herself has a magnificent pair of wings.

In this district, a winged student—an "angel"—is not a rare sight. Under normal circumstances, one would simply think, "Oh, they used a Trinity student as a motif." Yes, under normal circumstances.

"...But this isn't a Trinity student."

The figure on the canvas was a winged girl who looked about ten years old. She lacked the halo that every student in Kivotos possesses, so the difference was immediate. She was likely modeled after the angels found in the Bible or classical art. It was a rare choice for a work created in Kivotos, let alone in the Trinity district.

Furthermore, perhaps because she was still in the middle of her adolescent growth—though the concept of aging doesn't really apply to angels—she had a face that could be called neither beautiful nor cute. This angel wore an innocent smile that suited her appearance, and her gaze was fixed right here.

Yes, even though it was a painting on a canvas, the angel was looking.

It was as if the canvas was a boundary, and the angel was peering curiously into Nagisa’s world. Nagisa felt as if the angel might grab her arm and drag her inside if she were to reach out. Logically, she knew such a thing was impossible, but the work emitted an eerie aura that made her hallucinate that it was possible—or rather, that it was actually happening.

"As a painting, it is more than accomplished. Even if it was only 'selected,' the person who painted this might become something extraordinary in the future..."

The work radiated an aura so unsettling that it naturally drove viewers away. Honestly, if evaluated purely as a piece of "decoration," one could only describe it as "dreadful." However, if evaluated as a "presence," the work possessed an extremely high level of completion. It goes without saying that a work that attracts everyone is good, but a work that immediately plants a specific image in the mind of every viewer is equally superior.

Nagisa felt certain.

The painter who created this work would undoubtedly achieve great things. Even if it took a few years, they would become a giant in the field, making their name known through many masterpieces.

One might say it was a groundless confidence, but Nagisa decided to trust the values she felt. After all, she had come to this venue as a patron-in-training to find an artist. This was a perfect opportunity. She would reach out to the creator of this work and propose a contract. Though Nagisa was still in middle school and looked far too young—infantile, even—she was already laying the groundwork for the future in her mind.

(That said, where is the artist in question?)

It was all well and good that she could appreciate the angel's work in a state of near-monopoly without worrying about others, but the lack of people nearby meant she had no one to ask. Often, creators stand next to their award-winning works to offer explanations, but for works that were merely "selected" or haven't gathered a crowd, it isn't rare for the artist to be absent.

Nagisa looked left and right in a flustered manner, but then she felt a presence and instinctively looked behind her.

"Ah..."

As a side note, this competition venue separates works by displaying the winners in rooms or on specific floors, while other selected works are placed in the hallways. However, the venue itself is massive, so even the "hallways" are quite spacious. Specifically, they are wide enough that seven or eight large adults could walk side-by-side with room to spare. Because of this, the works are displayed on only one side of the hallway, while the other side is open as a rest area where people can take breaks or chat.

Standing there, leaning against the wall, was a girl who appeared to be roughly the same age as Nagisa.

No, she wasn't just standing. Much like the angel in the painting, she wore a smile and was staring straight at Nagisa alone.

Her hair was a pale blue, just short of her shoulders. She was short and thin. She had beautiful jade-colored eyes and a face so lovely it could only be described as that of a beautiful young girl. Setting aside the specific colors and shapes, her atmosphere was coincidentally identical to that of the angel in the painting.

"......Are you, by any chance, the artist of this work?"

Was it the resemblance that tipped her off, or was it pure intuition? Nagisa was surprised by the certainty in her own voice despite having no proof, but before she could retract the question, the girl gave a small nod.

"...That's right," she replied in a voice that was slightly lower than her appearance suggested. However, the smile that had resembled divine mercy was gone, replaced by a complicated expression and a shrug of her shoulders.

Nagisa couldn't tell what that attitude meant; after all, she was still just a young middle schooler. But it was clear she wasn't being rejected from having a conversation. Nagisa glanced at the plate next to the painting to confirm the artist's name, then took a couple of steps back to face the girl standing across from her properly.

"I have fallen in love with your work at first sight. Please, allow me to support you as your exclusive patron."

When Nagisa brought up the patron contract she had been planning since arriving at the venue, the girl looked as if she hadn't expected the topic at all. She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"...You, a patron? When you're barely any older than I am?"

"If you're going to say that, aren't you also the same age as I am, yet you've managed to get your work selected for an art competition full of veterans? Aren't we both doing things that don't suit our appearances?"

"...I suppose so."

"I am glad you understand. So, what do you say? I have high expectations for your talent as a painter. If there is any information, technology, or knowledge you require, I will be happy to provide it. My influence is limited while I am in middle school, but many of those restrictions will be lifted once I move up to the high school section."

"I see."

"Besides, since we are of the same generation, we can help one another... and, well, I believe this meeting isn't a coincidence, but fate."

"...You're more of a romantic than I thought."

"You might think me a dreamer, but I am still a young girl. I don't believe this is a bad deal for you, either... Why not walk this path together, Kayama Esumi?"

Kayama Esumi.

A girl who was roughly the same age as Nagisa, an outlier who had successfully had her work displayed in the competition despite only being "Selected." The encounter between Kirifuji Nagisa and Kayama Esumi—the girl who would later be hailed as a "Supernova" in the art world and become the most famous painter in the Trinity district—began at this very moment.

"...Sorry. No can do."

"...Eh?"

"Don't take it the wrong way. I just want to keep being a painter freely, without worrying about patrons or exclusive contracts... I'll consider it if it's strictly a business relationship, though."

"I—I see... I understand... Oh, in that case, could we be fri—"

"Sorry, but I'll pass on being friends, too. Let's just keep it at acquaintances."

"......Okay."

Unfortunately, their first interaction would remain a bitter memory for Nagisa for years to come...