Giolla was stunned upon hearing the little boy's words and seeing the work of art he had painted. Suddenly, the pride she had in her painting skills, which had long been better than anyone else she had encountered, collapsed like a house of cards.
One of the hardest things in the world was accepting the difference in individual abilities. It was inevitable that people would compare themselves when they saw the achievements and abilities of others, and when comparing themselves, a person could always find someone more beautiful than themselves, stronger, or more talented.
For Giolla, however, this was the first time she had experienced the difference in talent with another person. She had never been interested in anything other than art, and with the people around her, there was no comparison; it was a crushing victory for her.
Now, seeing the overflowing talent of the little boy in front of her, Giolla felt inferior to someone in the field of art for the first time. The strange sensation produced a strange expectation in her. Her emotions were surging, and her eyes were lighting up.
With her throat somewhat dry from the sudden and strange emotion that invaded her, she said,
"Who are you? How can you paint like that?"
Orion's existence was completely mysterious to her; she didn't understand how such a young boy could paint better than her, but this world was full of crazy things, so it never occurred to her to deny what was right before her eyes.
Orion looked at the favorability screen on the system and saw that Giolla's opinion of him had gone from -25 to 25. He had risen 50 points in one fell swoop!
Orion sighed in relief to see that his gamble had paid off. In truth, the only way to get close to Giolla in the beginning was through art, and his extravagant entry into her life had undoubtedly made a great impact on her.
He calmed his emotions and answered
"Hello, my name is Orion Lysander, I'm 4 years old, and I'm self-taught!"
Orion didn't blush when he said he was self-taught; after all, the fact that the system had given him painting skills similar to those of an artistic icon had to be kept a secret.
Hearing Orion admit that he was only four years old and had taught himself, Giolla's ego suffered another major blow. How could anyone paint like that without practicing for many years? Was this child born with a paintbrush in his hand?!
Giolla calmed her emotions as best she could, sighed softly, and stepped down from the large rock from which she had been watching Orion.
She approached the painting the child had painted and looked at it carefully, completely losing herself in her artistic appreciation.
He didn't interrupt her and waited by her side in silence for a long time. Finally, she sighed again and looked away from the beautiful painting, returning her gaze to the small boy who only came up to her waist.
With the evidence before her, she couldn't help but admit that the little boy in front of her was undoubtedly a great prodigy in the field of painting, and that his future was limitless.
Somewhat awkwardly, she reached out and placed her hand on Orion's head, then, trying to muster a friendly smile, said in a somewhat odd tone of voice:
"Well—Well, you really are a talented boy. My name is Giolla, and I'm also an artist."
It had been a very long time since she had tried to ingratiate herself with another person, or interacted kindly with anyone. For the past few years, she had been completely antisocial, and had almost forgotten what a normal conversation was.
Had she continued on her normal path, her personality would undoubtedly have been completely distorted, and her very person would likely have transformed into something else, at least psychologically.
Even though she recognized Orion's great talent and sensed that his level was superior to hers, her pride, which had been a fundamental part of her personality for so long, didn't allow her to put herself in a subservient position. Even if she established a friendly relationship with the little boy, she had to be in a dominant position!
After all, she was an adult, and an expert in art; there was no way she would bow her head and admit defeat in front of a child!
Orion showed no negative reaction to Giolla treating him like a little boy; after all, that's what he was! He just nodded, not trying to escape the beautiful woman's grasp. He knew she had no ill intentions toward him, at least not now that he had demonstrated his artistic talent.
Orion thought about the mission description he had received from the system.
*Mission 02 - Frustrated Artist
Description: The character named Giolla has been traveling the world in search of the essence of art. Since she was a child, her intense sensitivity to the arts has caused her personality to become eccentric. Over time, her personality has become increasingly distorted, and she is now on the verge of collapse.
Objective: Help Giolla satisfy her desire for knowledge about art, and help her stabilize her personality by showing her the beauty of the world.
*
Obviously, I couldn't complete this mission in a day or two; I would have to be in contact with her for a long time before Giolla could satisfy her desire for knowledge about art and her personality would stabilize.
With this in mind, he continued his conversation with the beautiful woman in front of him.
"Wow! An artist! Here in this small town, there are no artists. I've never had anyone to talk to about my ideas and inspirations, and I don't even have the materials to paint. I've learned to paint with anything I can get my hands on, although this is the first time I've used my own blood, hehe."
Giolla listened to the little boy's words and immediately felt a sense of connection with him. She, too, had grown up in an environment where there was almost no art. Her first contact with painting had come thanks to a globetrotting artist, who had briefly visited her village and given her her first brushes and paints.
When the globetrotting artist left, Giolla continued practicing her art in solitude, under the disapproving gaze of her family, a renowned warrior family.
Now, hearing that the boy who had amazed her with such a beautiful painting was having an experience similar to the one she had, she couldn't help but feel that this was a predestined encounter. Perhaps the gods had taken pity on her and sent someone to help her in her spiritual and artistic quest!
"Ridiculous! How can such a great talent be buried in this small town lost in the middle of nowhere? Don't worry, kiddo, I'll get you off this island right now! You'll come with me to travel the world and expand your horizons!"
Giolla said somewhat excitedly, taking Orion's arm and preparing to head to her boat and leave the island. She couldn't let this kid's genius go to waste!
Orion listened to the sexy woman's response, and for a moment, his mind didn't react. However, after a few seconds, his neurons finally connected, and he realized that the situation was unfolding in a direction he hadn't expected!
He didn't want to leave his home island; his parents were here and needed his protection. Besides, he wanted to one day make this island his base of operations. Why would he suddenly leave on a trip around the world to improve his art? He didn't want to be an artist!
While he didn't dislike art and greatly enjoyed painting and drawing, his ambitions lay elsewhere. He wanted to reach the pinnacle of power in this world and change it for the better. He really didn't have time for a field trip.
It seemed that his words had unwittingly overstimulated the frustrated artist Giolla.
In fact, ever since he had received the mission, he had been designing in his mind possible scenarios and ways to approach the problem and solve it. One could say that his words were quite dishonest or even manipulative, since his sole objective was to complete the mission and he hadn't truly considered Giolla's feelings.
In his mind, the sequence would unfold as follows: he would demonstrate his painting talent, she would ask about his techniques, and he would teach her all the painting techniques on planet Earth, doing a bit of ideological work in between, to "fix" her personality.
However, it had backfired. In his eagerness to complete the system's mission, he had forgotten that he was dealing with a real person, flesh and blood, who thought and felt. Giolla was not a static existence that he could manipulate to his liking to accomplish his mission.
On the contrary, the beautiful woman's strong personality made her even more unpredictable and volatile. Orion's plans had to be continually updated in real time, or only defeat awaited him.
Somewhat agitated, he tried to talk some sense into Giolla.
"Miss Giolla, I really don't want to leave my house; I was just making trivial comments."
"No! No one who can paint like that could be a liar! Surely it's your family who opposes your career as an artist and wants to suppress you, right? That's why you don't have any painting materials and have to use your own blood, right? Hmph! Don't worry, before I leave, I'll go and massacre your entire family to avenge you!"
"No, no, no, sister, you're assuming too much!" Orion said to himself inwardly
"Miss Giolla, I'm truly telling the truth. I love my parents and I don't want to abandon them!"
"Ha! All artists are liars by nature! Don't worry, as soon as I eliminate your parents, we'll set sail immediately!" said Giolla, raising her other hand, which was holding the painting made by Orion . She seemed to be striking the pose of someone rousing herself to embark on a fun adventure.
Orion began to sweat profusely, and his mind raced.
He couldn't help but say "Duck" several times in his mind and think that maybe he shouldn't have overstimulated the unstable woman so much.
Finally, seeing that the village's small houses were already visible and that Giolla seemed to have no intention of stopping, Orion decided to kick the table and change the script. When dealing with a person without common sense, it was best to act erratically!
"Giolla, everything I told you is actually a lie. I apologize, but I can't keep lying to you."
Giolla looked at him out of the corner of her eye, but didn't stop. She seemed to be saying, "If you have something to say, say it now and don't waste my time. Otherwise, prepare for the massacre in your home."
"The truth is, I knew I would find you here a long time ago. My intentions in approaching you weren't pure. You see, I'm not really interested in art at all. What I'm interested in is you."
Orion had changed the way he spoke, and his tone was more austere. He usually had a habit of sounding a little more childish when he spoke. He had started doing this voluntarily when he was younger, so as not to create a stark contrast between his appearance and his way of speaking. After all, he didn't want his parents to worry that their son was possessed or something similar. Over time, this habit of speaking in a more childish tone had become something unconscious, and he did it involuntarily.
However, now his expression and way of speaking were completely those of an adult, creating a contrast with his small frame that made him look somewhat funny.
Giolla didn't stop, but the speed at which he walked slowly slowed down, as if waiting for Orion to continue his words.
"Actually, the reason I approached you is... I'm madly in love with you, Giolla!!"
Orion dropped a huge bombshell, but it didn't have the impact he'd hoped for. Giolla looked at him somewhat strangely; a little boy declaring his love for her was an extremely bizarre image, and it didn't generate any positive emotions in her. After all, although her personality was a bit distorted, she didn't have any strange sexual inclinations. In that respect, she was a normal woman, with normal tastes!
"I see you're a somewhat precocious child, but you must respect your elders. Otherwise, I'll have to spank you," the woman said in a serious tone.
Orion completely ignored her warning and continued attacking with his words. If one attack didn't work, he would attack twice; if two didn't work, he would attack as many times as necessary! He didn't believe he was incapable of defeating the unstable woman in a dialectical competition.
"Giolla, I'm not really a child. My soul is that of an adult, even though my body is like this. Let me tell you my story." Orion paused briefly, and Giolla finally stopped, interested in the child's words.
Orion took a deep breath, opened his eyes, showing a firm expression, and began to tell a string of lies without blushing.
"My story begins in my previous life, a thousand years in the past. I lived a full life and reached the pinnacle of art, being recognized as one of the great masters of painting worldwide. However, my life wasn't happy. At the end of it all, there was nothing.
I then wanted to start a family and experience a more worldly happiness, but I could never find a woman who was compatible with me. Resigned, I lived a miserable existence, wandering the world and practicing my art wherever I went. However, an artist cannot live without motivation, because the art withers. And that's what happened to me: my art began to distort, and my paintings became increasingly grotesque and absurd."
Orion paused briefly to catch his breath, while Giolla ruminated on his words carefully, and felt like he was describing her own life. At least the part about the loss of motivation and the distortion of his art. She couldn't help but put herself in Orion's shoes, which made the story even more vivid.
Orion continued with his fictional tale.
"One day, I had an encounter that would change everything. There was a mermaid prophetess who could see the future. She told me I would never find love. At least not in this lifetime. Hearing those words from the mouth of such a prestigious figure, I felt like my world was falling apart, and I was on the verge of collapse."
Giolla, who was completely immersed in the story, closed her eyes, imagining the pain of the unfortunate artist in the story.
"Luckily for me, her prediction didn't end. She told me that I could find love in my next life. She told me that my beloved would be named Giolla, an artist going through the same thing as me, and that I would find her in the first few years of my new life. She then told me that she could help me preserve the memories of my past life, so that when I met my potential true love in my next life, I wouldn't miss the chance to love her. I accepted without hesitation and ended my life, traveling through time until I got here. For almost 5 years, I was waiting for your arrival every day, until finally, today you appeared. When I saw you, I knew you were my beloved. A simple glance was enough to reach that conclusion, and I couldn't help but be inspired to paint again. Today, I painted my most beautiful painting, which is only a tiny reflection of the beauty of the true woman whose image I was trying to capture with my clumsy painting techniques. Here I am, after a thousand-year journey, just to look into your eyes and tell you that I love you."
Orion finally put an end to his incredible and completely false love story. If such a story had been heard by anyone in his previous life, they would undoubtedly have said it was the most cliché thing they had ever heard. But in this world where literature was not as developed and the communication of stories was not as fluid, Orion's words managed to make Giolla doubt for the first time.
Was Orion telling the truth? Was he really a reincarnated soul?
He saw that she still wasn't entirely convinced, so he added a little more fuel to the fire.
"Think about it, Giolla, how could a child my age have such extensive knowledge of painting if he hadn't lived a long life? All my knowledge was acquired throughout my life as an artist, and most of the painting techniques I know have been lost in the river of time."
Hearing this, Giolla's conviction about the veracity of Orion's story increased enormously. If there was one thing she considered important, it was her artistic talent, and the appearance of a little boy who was better than her had undoubtedly been a huge blow to her. However, if the boy were actually a famous painter who had been reincarnated in the little boy's body, it would all make sense. In that case, she wouldn't be forced to admit that she was inferior in talent to him.
That small, seemingly superfluous detail was what finally made Giolla accept the rest of Orion's story, no matter how far-fetched it sounded. In this magical world, there were too many crazy things that she had seen with her own eyes to dismiss Orion's story as false.
The way she looked at the little boy changed completely. If before she had looked at him with admiration but from a position of dominance, now she looked at him with passion, curiosity, and from a position of equity.
"It's true. A child could never have such skill. So, you traveled a thousand years just to see me?" Giolla said, somewhat moved by her own words.
Orion cheered inwardly, relieved that his lies had worked and Giolla had believed his story. This way, his parents would no longer have to face a sudden and unjustifiable massacre.
"That's right, Giolla. I've come to declare my love for you and take you as my wife. However, with my current body, it's impossible for us to have a relationship. But if you're willing to wait for me, we can be together in the future. In the meantime, I'd like you to stay here with me. We could talk about art and get to know each other better over time."
Giolla listened to Orion's proposal and blushed slightly. She had no experience with relationships between a man and a woman, as she had always focused on painting. Now that this old reincarnated painter was making such a direct proposition, she couldn't help but feel shy.
"I'm willing to wait for you, but… I'm already 35. I'm afraid that by the time you reach adulthood, I'll be too old for you."
"Don't worry about that, Giolla. I've traveled a thousand years just to be with you. How could I reject you because of your age? Besides, you're such a beautiful woman that you'll surely maintain that beauty in the future. You'll only become more elegant with time, like a fine aged wine."
Giolla heard Orion's flattering words and felt a great sense of happiness. She had never felt anything like that because of someone else's words. It was similar to the feeling of joy she felt when she could capture her inspiration on canvas.
"Very well then... I'll be in your hands in the future," Giolla said in a soft voice.
"Of course, Giolla! I promise we'll have a good future together," Orion replied with a smile.
He looked at the system screen and saw that Giolla's favorability had reached 50 points. She obviously wasn't entirely convinced, but the progress he had made in such a short time was worthy of recognition.
If everything continued like this, he would probably be able to complete the system mission soon and reap the wonderful rewards!