Bab 17: 17 : Tattoo Artist

As Ria settled herself opposite Eric, a hush fell over their corner of the camp. The whispers of the other disciples, tinged with skepticism and mockery, drifted through the air.

"Is she an idiot? Drawing patterns from the Mad Witch twigs requires strong Qi force," one of the female disciples commented, her voice loud enough for others to hear.

"What can she do? There's no one else interested in her." Another girl continued, her voice laced with jealousy. However, her words failed to garner the expected laughter. Many in the camp knew that numerous male disciples had shown interest in Ria and tried to speak with her since their journey to the spirit forest began.

"I wouldn't even let that ugly servant touch my hand." An underling of Richard took this chance for cursing Eric.

Ria, however, appeared unaffected by their comments. She sat calmly opposite to Eric, her eyes reflecting trust and affection as she extended her arm towards him. The warmth of his touch seemed to envelop her, creating an invisible barrier against the spiteful remarks.

Madam Frost, observing the disciples from a distance, frowned slightly. She too was under the impression that creating intricate patterns with the Mad Witch plant's twigs required a substantial amount of Qi, something she doubted Eric, with his low cultivation, possessed.

Unaware of the attention they were drawing, Eric focused on the task at hand. He controlled the weightless twig floating in the air with a mere gesture of his finger. Holding Ria's fingers gently with his hand, he began to tap the twig with the other a hand middle finger, orchestrating its movements with precision.

As Eric softly whistled a tune, an ethereal form of Qi flowed with the melody, guiding the movement of the twig and its secretion on Ria's skin. With precision he controlled each and every dot of print on her snow white delicate skin.

As the time passed, a beautiful rose flower began to appear on Ria's wrist. The colour of ink is changing based on amount of Qi he used to control the Mad Witch plant's twig.

Madam Frost who is observing everyone's design from a distance, drawn towards Eric as she couldn't believe the detailing and accuracy of colour pattern on the rose flower tattoo.

The pattern that emerged was a stunning Red rose with a long green stack, covered with a thorns on its side. It was a symbol of their bond – the rose represented Ria, beautiful and resilient, while the thorn symbolized Eric, ever present to protect and support her.

Madam Frost, with her keen eyes and vast experience, recognized the complexity of the pattern. Intrigued, she made her way towards them, her curiosity piqued.

"Let me take a look" she requested as she held Ria's hand to take closer look, her tone indicating both surprise and interest. "I wasn't aware you had such skill in Qi control."

Eric looked up at Madam Frost, a modest smile on his face. "It's just a small technique, I learned from my mother. She taught me this art when I'm twelve years old." Eric replied without showing any pride.

"Could you draw a pattern for me?" Madam Frost requested while checking out the rose petal's pattern.

"What would you like me to draw, Madam Frost?" Eric asked, his voice calm and respectful.

"Draw my sword on forearm," she replied, a hint of excitement in her tone. She presented her weapon for him to observe, its blade gleaming in the morning light.

Eric studied the sword intently, taking in every detail. Then, with a focused gaze, he began to work. His fingers moved with precision, guiding the Mad Witch plant's twig as it danced across Madam Frost's skin, leaving behind a trail of vibrant black with silver lining.

One by one, the disciples, drawn by the growing buzz, congregated around Eric to witness his craftsmanship. Even those who had previously scoffed at him couldn't help but marvel at the intricate design taking shape on Madam Frost's arm. The sword emerged in exquisite detail, its blade etched with runes and its hilt adorned with jewels, a perfect replica of the real weapon.

Princess Lanner, intrigued by the commotion, abandoned the half-finished tattoo by Richard to observe Eric's work. Her arrival only added to Richard's growing frustration and embarrassment.

As Eric completed the design, Madam Frost looked down at her forearm in awe. The tattoo was not just a mere drawing; it was a work of art, capturing the essence of her beloved sword.

She reached into her spirit ring and pulled out ten Rank 3 spirit stones, offering them to Eric as a token of her appreciation. "Your skill worth more than this, accept my small gift" she said, her voice filled with admiration.

Eric, however, gently declined the offer. "I didn't do it for money, Madam Frost. It was my honour to create something worthy of your beauty." Eric said in polite tone.

A sweet smile appeared on Madam Frost's cheeks after hearing his compliment.

Richard, unable to contain his envy, scoffed loudly. "You could live for years without working with that money. Clearly, he doesn't understand the value of money," he commented sarcastically.

Eric, unfazed by Richard's remark, remained silent. His attention shifted as Princess Lanner extended her hand towards him, the average design by Richard evident on her skin.

"Could you correct this for me?" she asked, her request conveying a mix of authority and request.

As Eric set to work on enhancing the princess's tattoo, the crowd around them watched in silent admiration. The air was charged with a subtle shift in dynamics, as those who had once underestimated Eric began to see him in a new light.

Ria stood at one end, observing Eric who is drawing the tattoos meticulously for everyone according to their request. For some reason she didn't liked to see those people surrounding Eric.

Especially when one of the girl requested Eric to draw her name on the back collar bone, she stared at Eric angrily. But thankfully, Eric politely rejected her request by saying his Qi ran out.

Note: Thank You for reading... One more chapter is on the way... Stay Tuned.

Your's lovingly,

PETERPAN