Lorenzo rested his hands on his knees, quietly looking at the canvas before him, at the painting in front of him.
The brushes and paints lay quietly beside him. Simonetta stood behind him in silence, not disturbing Lawrence.
He sighed.
"In the end, it's been too long since I last picked up a brush."
"Perhaps I should occasionally try to reclaim some of Chaldea's spare time."
Rubbing his wrist, Lawrence gently shook his head.
Simonetta did not dare speak, though she was somewhat puzzled.
She thought the painting was quite good, didn't she?
Florence beneath the setting sun came vividly to life on the canvas, tranquil and peaceful, just like a real street scene.
Even with Simonetta's limited appreciation for art, she could tell that this was an exceptionally fine work.
"Mr. Romani?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka opened the rooftop door and glanced outside, spotting Lawrence sitting quietly before the painting.
"So you really were up here. But you're painting?"
He walked over to Lawrence's side.
"Ah, it's Florence."
He stood beside Lawrence, studying the painting intently, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.
"I feel like this painting is especially lonely."
After observing it carefully, Fujimaru Ritsuka offered that assessment.
Simonetta's eyes widened.
H-How could he tell!? That was amazing!
No matter how she looked at it, it was just an ordinary cityscape. How had he seen that sense of loneliness in it?
He had to be guessing, right?
Simonetta gave Fujimaru Ritsuka a couple of uncertain looks.
"Perhaps it's because I've gotten rusty?" Lawrence looked at his hands, tilting his head as he thought. "No... perhaps it's simply because my state of mind has changed."
It was true!?
Simonetta's mouth fell open.
"When I was old. Well, old enough, I suppose—around the time I was about to die. By then,