Temporal Pearls

"So, the Womb is too demanding," Seth explained to his father.

Adam was one of those super Anti-tech but he had no choice but to accept the changing world.

But being a sceptic, he dragged Seth and asked him all manner of questions and Seth was more than happy to oblige and tell him everything.

Adam got to admit it, he was amazed by what he heard but he stayed as sceptical as he was.

They were discussing more about the subject wh Sarah came into the room. "Seth… some people are here to see you!"

The duo concluded their conversation and Seth met the Guest. There were three of them, one was the grandson of Jessica Holmes, the Class C old woman who asked Seth to paint the party. And the two that accompanied him were reporters.

They came to have some conversation, more like an interview with Seth for two reasons. He was now Manuella Sefu's studt and also he got the atttion of Jessica Holmes. The meeting lasted hr before they left.

Seth sat there as he sighed with relief. This meeting has shown him something, Manuella Sefu is not a simple woman. Their value has considerable weight.

But why? Why are some artists so high in society?

"Seth!" He turned his atttion to the newcomer. It was his Aunt, the younger sister of his mother. "Good afternoon, Aunt!" Seth greeted.

She sighed and sat beside him, "Lady Jessica has rejected you. She claimed that the painting isn't up to standard." She explained while she consoled him.

Strangely, Seth wasn't bothered by that. "Well, things are moving faster than I can adapt. Those high classes are too demanding, so I think it was for the better. At least I wouldn't be bound by her." Seth said with gladness.

"Can you advise mom to stop ushering people to me? Perhaps… until I stabilize myself!" He pleaded.

Aunt Sami assumed that Seth might not take the news heavily but it turned out to him, the whole thing was a burd.

Seeing her with a thoughtful expression Seth consoled her, "I'm bound to be the best disciple Lady Manuella ever has, so these people will th be clicking on me!"

He th walked out and left for the workshop.

He didn't say that because of his Art Talt, but because he held something that Manuella will be dying to have. With that, he can rope her and ride on her fame fully.

.

.

.

"The lesson for today was Curve Lines. And this is the most important lesson that you all must master by heart. As every drawing out there was made up of connected curved lines. Your ability to manipulate the curves with talt and experice will raise your value as Painter."

The lecture was long and the 9 studts were either jotting down something or listing atttively.

To Seth, every lesson was like an epiphany to him. He was already improving as he saw all his tiny mistakes that he didn't understand how to rectify until now.

"Everyone, invt 0 differt curves that you can use in a painting!"

Her words sound weird to some of them but Seth was already imagining things and on his canvas, he already made a curves.

'This guy is talted!' Sally thought. She is sitting beside Seth and has be observing him, and apart from being very atttive, he was fast in catching on.

But she was not by any means slow. She quickly made some curves too.

As Manuella walked a, observing them, she smiled. Most of them have interpreted her differtly. However, others were lost, wondering how they could invt a curve.

"Start drawing, you have hour!" She announced as she walked out of the room.

Those that hav't started anything ran and glanced at others—that was wh they got what she meant.

Invting a new curve was easy, it's just making a curve, that's all that is needed. But they have to have an idea of what that curve can become if they decide to turn it into a drawing.

Seth has already had his 0 curves spread on the canvas, and with each curve, he already has something in mind. Th he began drawing!

Among the curves, he made a dove, a goose, another one was a person, th a rough stone, th a Rose leaf, th a Lily flower.

About 30 minutes later, he already has an unfinished gard on his canvas. If before, it was just a bunch of meaningless drawn curves, now there are plty of birds in a flower-filled gard.

hour later, Manuella was back and she wt a observing their drawings. Wh she came to Seth, she lingered with a smile before she walked away.

"No. Luis. No. Eve. No.3 Seth!" She announced.

This was her way of declaring those that passed the little test. And their drawings will be kept on the shelf for all to see.

Beath the canvas, Seth made his sign and wrote third. He was about to take it to the front Sally said, "Let me carry that for you!" Seth agreed.

She walked slowly as she read through everything before she put it on the display. She wasn't the only one with that idea. Others have collected the winners' paintings for in-depth observation.

The momt the three drawings were arranged, Seth found where his shortcomings were. His drawing was too common and easy.

" points for each of them. And zero for the rest. However..!" Manuella lingered as she observed their faces, "Observe the 3 paintings in minutes and tell me why I rank them the way they are now!" Th she walked out again.

This time, Seth and the two others were by the side while the rest were busy ogling the drawings.

mins later she came back and everyone sat down. She pointed at Sally, she was the one sitting opposite Seth.

"One reason why Seth Drawing was 3rd!" She asked. Sally gulped down and she read a bit of her jotting.

"Well… it was too common. It's a lot of birds, while the rest have some creativity in them!" She explained.

"Take a canvas and turn a, you have hour to repeat what he did if it was too common!"

Manuella said and th she looked at the person who sat close to Eve and she asked him why Eve was ranked in that position.

His explanation was more elaborate until Manuella cut him off, she was still not satisfied.

She asked all of them why this, why that, and in the d, she said they failed them all.

Sally, on the other hand, couldn't ev finalize half of what was asked to do.

"You said, it was too common!" Manuella asked her again. Receiving no answer, she left her be.

"The major differce was, The st was fresh in our sight and the curves were easily idtifiable and important. The nd was unusual but equally important. And the 3rd was more of repetition with distinct differces….!"

Th a session of lecture began. She dismantled the whole drawings and explained them while also asking many questions to the owners. Everyone was able to understand the reason for the ranking and how they would do better.

'I would have won this if I knew she wanted uniquess in it!' Seth lamts.

The first one was a bunch of people dancing a a campfire, but the way Luis drew them was uncanny with weird joints and body forms. Just like those cultural arts you don't see every day.

The nd one was a battlefield of beasts, 0 differt animals are at each other's throats.

The 3rd one half of it was birds, differt birds but they were similar one way or the other. That means his drawing was easier to replicate than the rest.

The lesson ded and everyone left. Seth sat there with a groan, he was dead tired. But he has to go back home.

Standing, his usual weakness hit him. He fell down with a sigh, now he has to call someone to take him back.