55

Arthur turned around and Lady Morgan held her hands out to him. Sitting in her hands was the wooden paint brush that she had showed him earlier when they were still inside the painting.

"This is for you. Please take it back to the adventurer's guild with you. The guild can decide whatever they want to do it," Lady Myra said.

Arthur's brows curved upwards and he accepted the magical artifact that was handed to him. The paint brush was much heavier than he expected. Arthur studied the paint brush and trailed his finger down the brush's wooden grain before putting it away.

Arthur pocketed the brush and he lifted his face up to ask Lady Myra, "Lady Myra, don't you want to hold onto the paint brush? After all, you have gone through a lot to acquire it."

Lady Myra smiled a rueful smile, "That I did but it is also undeniable that I do not have the power to control it. In that case, I know I should not have held onto something so powerful. What if I end up getting trapped in yet another painting, I am sure the guild doesn't have that many capable adventurers such like yourself sitting around to come rescue me." Lady Myra laughed but the tone she employed sounded like she was being sincere with the compliment that was weaved into the joke.

Arthur accepted the compliment silently. There was a slight frown on Arthur's face that suggested he was caught in some contemplation. After a while, he promised Lady Myra, "Lady Myra, I will help you drop the paint brush off at the adventurer's guild. Trust that it'll be in good hands."

"Thank you, Arthur." Lady Myra said with an approving smile. She thanked Arthur again before they parted ways.

Arthur left Lady Myra's house and made his way back to the adventurer's guild. After he left the upscale part of the city where Lady Myra's house was located, he noticed a great increase in the size of the crowd.

People were milling about the city and studying them, Arthur frowned. There was something off about the scene that he saw. 'Why are there so many people in adventuring gears?' Arthur thought to himself.

These were not normal citizens that walked up and down the street. These were adventurers carrying staves, knives and wearing armor that caught the glint of the sun in the sky.

While Arthur was wondering what was happening, someone jostled into him from behind. Arthur steadied himself and he heard a male voice say from behind him, "I'm sorry for knocking into you like that. Are you alright?"

Arthur lifted his head and a young man with sun-bleached hair and a smile as bright as the sun was looking back at him. He had a warm presence about him. Arthur smiled and said, "It's alright, I'm fine."

Hearing that, the young man apologized once more to Arthur before turning and was about to walk away when Arthur called after him, "Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?"

The young man turned around to say, "Of course not. Ask away."

"Do you know why are there suddenly so many adventurers around Celestia? Is there a gathering of some sort?" Arthur asked.

The young man looked at Arthur and a brief frown crossed his face before he answered, "Based on what you're wearing, I assume you're an adventurer yourself. Perhaps I was wrong. Either way, the large crowd is due to the upcoming annual tournament that will be held at Celestia's coliseum. Many adventurers came from all the corners of the world to participate in it. I too shall be trying my luck this time."

Shock was frozen on Arthur's face. 'Wait a minute?! The annual tournament?! Last time when I went on the tour around the city with the people from the adventurer's guild, they told me that was going to happen one month later. So what just happened?!'

The young man was confused when he saw the shock on Arthur's face. Then, it dawned on him. "Have you just arrived at the city? If you're really an adventurer, perhaps you should try your luck at the tournament. The entry test will be held for another few weeks and then it'll be the start of the actual tournament.

"Good luck to you if you're participating. I'm sorry for bumping into you earlier but I need to go. Nice to meet you and good day." Then, the young man turned and walked away.

Arthur stood where he was and what the young man said did not really register in his mind. He was still too hung up over the shocking discovery. The time he spent inside the paintings wasn't that long, or at least, he didn't think so but then based on what Lady Myra said when Arthur found him, perhaps the speculation he made then was correct.

'Based on what Lady Myra said, I realize time flows slower inside the painting but perhaps it flows even slower than I imagined.' Time flowed differently inside the painted world. It had been a month since he entered the painted world, that was a reality that he would need to accept.

After Arthur came to terms with that truth, he looked up and realized the young man from earlier was already gone. He looked around and eventually his gaze settled on the coliseum. 'The tournament he said...'

Eventually, Arthur shook his head with vehemence. 'Nah, there's no reason.'

Then, he carried on with his journey. However, instead of heading right back to the adventurer's guild, Arthur took a detour and walked towards one of the more secluded spots around town.

It was a clearing surrounded by shrubs and the light dappled through the canopies of the nearby trees.

Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out the paint brush that he had just received from Lady Myra. He placed the paint brush before him and he closed his eyes.

Arthur searched for his inner voice and before long, the hub bub of the city life around him fell away and he found himself stranded inside the Voice Library.