"Praise Rilielsa!"
"Praise the Wall God!"
The prospective father-in-law and son-in-law sat facing each other.
"Ah."
Mr. Bede sighed, his posture a little more relaxed than before.
Kallen did the same, leaning back a little.
Eunice came over with a tray holding two rolled hot towels. Using tongs, she handed one to her father and the other to Kallen.
Both men unfolded their hot towels with their fingers, gently shook them back and forth, then draped them over the backs of their hands.
Afterward, Mr. Bede wiped his hair with his towel, while Kallen laid his over his face.
"Eunice, your grandfather and your second uncle will be back soon. Prepare towels for them too."
"Yes, Father."
Once Eunice had left, Mr. Bede hung his used towel over the easel, stood up, and said,
"Young Master Kallen, I think we can talk in the study."
"Mm."
Kallen tossed his towel onto the easel too, but it failed to catch. It slipped down, smudging a patch in the middle and neatly separating the people beneath the eaves from the distant Opera House in the painting. The resulting image looked like two "worlds" within a single scene.
Standing behind Kallen, Bede marveled,
"This is artistic inspiration."
Kallen smiled. "It was just an accident."
Bede shook his head. "Many artists actually find their inspiration in accidents. They're simply too embarrassed to say so, or perhaps no one would believe them even if they did."
Kallen nodded. "I believe what artists say."
The two went up to the third floor and entered the study.
"Will you sit there, or shall I?" Kallen pointed to the seat behind the desk.
"That seat is yours, of course, young master." Mr. Bede bowed slightly and took a seat in front of the desk.
Kallen did not demur