The Statue Master Loses His Mind

After the meal.

A master sculptor, dressed in a suit and renowned for his sculptures, strode confidently into the square.

Standing close, I carefully observed the figures and demeanor of Dugu Qing, Fern, Frieren, Stark.

Villagers drove horse-drawn carts to transport fine-textured white marble from the nearby mountains and placed it in the square.

Fern looked at the four life-sized marble slabs and suddenly thought of something.

Stone statues have a very long lifespan! They might even last for thousands of years.

Since that's the case, the pose we take is very important; we need to think about it carefully.

Ideally, it would be so that Dugu Qing, a thousand years later, would be struck by the memory of all the joyful moments they shared.

"Respected adventurers! Please stand together and strike a suitable pose so I can observe you."

The master sculptor took his easel and sat down in the chair.

"It's starting already? This is my first time being a model, I'm so embarrassed!"

Stark walked awkwardly to the sculptor, his face slightly flushed, unsure of what to do with his hands, and nervously touched his nose.

Dugu Qing strolled forward, standing in the first row. His long blue robe made him seem like the embodiment of hope, and his ethereal aura spread out, healing hearts.

Fern naturally stood to Dugu Qing's left, while Frieren glanced at Fern and then stood to Dugu Qing's right.

Surrounded on three sides by Dugu Qing, Fern, and Frieren, Stark stomped his feet in frustration.

"I'm not just a bystander!"

He stood on tiptoe, straightened his back, craned his neck, widened his eyes, and solemnly struck an intimidating pose.

As the master sculptor observed the four figures posing, studying their forms from different angles and perspectives, inspiration struck him.

Especially Dugu Qing; when he saw Dugu Qing, his body seemed to be possessed by God of Wine and Venus, and his inspiration exploded uncontrollably.

Her face flushed slightly, she wore a strange expression, occasionally screaming loudly, occasionally bowing her head and stomping her feet... it was quite a spectacle.

Fern stood there aloof, then suddenly remembered something, and raised her snow-white hand.

"Wait, master, which of my poses do you think is more beautiful?"

As she spoke, Fern summoned her wand, twirled around, and struck different poses.

The master stopped his reverie and observed Fern's movements.

In the first pose, Fern holds his wand in one hand and looks up at the sky.

The second pose: Fern stands on one leg, gripping his wand tightly with both hands, as if he were fighting a monster.

In the third pose, Fern kneels on one knee and extends a flower crown to Frieren.

The fourth pose: Fern makes a peace sign with her right hand, a gentle smile on her face.

In the forty-fifth pose, Fern embraces Frieren, her red lips slightly parted, as if she is saying something that pleases people.

The sculptor was terrified.

What's going on? Are you shooting a photo album here?

One moment he's standing on one leg like a golden rooster, the next he's kneeling to offer flowers, then he's strolling through the streets...

Please, this is a grand and prestigious statue! It's meant to be placed in a public square for people to remember and admire!

How can you strike dozens of different poses? That's outrageous!

"Fern, take your time choosing, I'm going to get some milk tea."

Fern's movements, as if filming a music video, extinguished the tension and anxiety in Stark's heart. He waved and walked towards the nearest milk tea shop.

Dugu Qing loves beauty. While Fern was choosing a suitable pose, he also seriously considered what pose he should strike!

This is my first time carving a stone statue, so I have to be very careful!

Frieren is a seasoned veteran. Having been subtly influenced by Himmel in her early years, she doesn't take a mere few dozen positions seriously at all.

She sat by the fountain with her arms crossed, relaxed and serene, waiting for Fern.

After striking only a few dozen poses, Fern's inspiration not only didn't run dry, but instead exploded like a geyser.

The forty-sixth pose: her face flushed with pink, she raised her hand and threw a flying kiss.

The forty-seventh posture: hands on hips, chest out, head up, looking straight ahead.

The forty-eighth pose: shyly lifting her hair, gazing alluringly into the void.

Seeing Fern's unbridled behavior, the sculptor finally lost his temper and furiously slammed his fist on the table in front of him.

Damn it, he shouldn't have taken this job in the first place. Otherwise, he wouldn't have wasted so much time and suffered so much...

"Fern, just like Himmel!"

Gazing at Fern, Frieren couldn't help but recall the scene from many years ago when Himmel racked her brains trying to come up with the right pose for the statue.

Different times and different protagonists, but the problem they're grappling with is the same.

Frieren's lips curved into a very slight upward curve. She never expected that Fern and Himmel could look so alike. What a coincidence!

"Haven't you made your choice yet?"

Stark drank a cup of milk tea, ate some oden, and took a walk around the village. He tamed a wild horse that had gone mad, only to find that Fern was still posing. He was speechless.

"I've made my choice. I think the first position is more suitable."

Fern smiled faintly.

"Bang~"

As soon as he finished speaking, the sculptor fell off his chair, and the table finally shattered into pieces on the floor.

Frieren and Dugu Qing suppressed their laughter and helped the master up.

The master looked at the two gratefully, wanting only to finish this order quickly so he would never leave the house again.

Humans! They're terrifying.

Dugu Qing returned to the center position, with Frieren and Fern standing on either side of Dugu Qing, and Stark Dugu Qing behind him.

This time, Fern didn't try anything funny; she simply gripped her wand gently, standing tall and graceful.

The master sculptor, with lightning speed, drew the initial sketch, noted down everyone's clothing and demeanor in his notebook, and unceremoniously chased them away.

The world returned to peace, the master craftsman's brow relaxed, he picked up his carving knife, and officially began his work.

Seven days later, under the master sculptor's chisel, the statue's magic began to operate efficiently.

A jade statue that would take an average human several months or years to carve was completed in just seven days, an efficiency that can only be described as miraculous.

Dugu Qing, Frieren, Fern, Stark all wore excited expressions as they looked at the lifelike statue standing in the square.

"So people really do appreciate defeating monsters!"

"So beautiful, the master truly lives up to his reputation."

"The jade statue was carved in just one week. This master's skill is truly remarkable! Perhaps a few hundred years from now, he will be hailed as a grandmaster and recorded in history books!"

"By the way, where is that master?"

The crowd searched for the master's figure, but could not find him for a long time.

The Flower Village stepped out from the crowd and once again expressed his sincere gratitude.

Dugu Qing, Fern, Frieren, Stark accepted everyone's thanks, waved goodbye to Flower Village, and embarked on their journey once again.

Next stop, destination, the magical city of Auwest, let's go.