Kayama Esumi: The Art Freak

"Welcome, Kayama Esumi-sama. Thank you so much for coming all the way from Trinity General School."

As the clerk, who wore a high-end suit with impeccable grace, gave a deep, formal bow, Esumi offered a polite, practiced smile and returned the gesture with equal courtesy.

"Not at all. Thank you for making time for me despite your busy schedule."

"Think nothing of it. To have the most talked-about painter in Trinity visit our company... we are more than happy to clear our schedule."

The clerk kept his pleasant smile but then asked with a look of concern, "By the way, was your journey here alright?" Esumi tilted her head, wondering what he meant.

"It might sound strange coming from us, since our headquarters are located here, but the Gehenna Autonomous District is extremely dangerous—practically lawless. We were worried you might have run into trouble on the way..."

"Ah, I see. I took the train from Trinity to Gehenna, so I didn't experience any issues. And as for the walk from the station to your shop, I had someone standing by the entrance over there to help me, so I didn't have to worry about being bothered. Please, don't be concerned."

"Oh? You brought a companion? Then our worries were indeed for naught. But why stay at the entrance? If they are with you, we would be more than happy to welcome them inside...?"

"I think you’ll understand once you see her."

Esumi smiled and gestured toward the entrance. The moment the clerk looked in that direction, his frozen smile vanished, and he let out a pathetic "Eep!"

Standing at the entrance was a girl with white hair, roughly the same height as Esumi, wearing a terrifying expression as she scanned her surroundings. She looked like a predator making absolutely sure no rival beasts were nearby... or perhaps she was just being exceptionally vigilant.

Outside the shop, the streets of Gehenna were as bustling as ever, but it seemed the people walking by were intimidated by her presence and were consciously giving the shop a wide berth.

"She certainly looks like she'd keep any unwanted trouble away," the clerk thought to himself. At the same time, he felt a strong urge to avoid interacting with her if at all possible.

"E-Esumi-sama, you certainly brought a reliable bodyguard... With someone like that by your side, I doubt anyone would dare approach you."

"Actually, she isn't my personal bodyguard. She’s just a Gehenna Academy student who was kind enough to help me when I almost got caught up in some trouble. We only met today."

"S-She's a Gehenna student? Well, that is certainly a Gehenna uniform, but I thought it was a disguise or something... But why would someone like that be accompanying you?"

It was a fair question. Everyone living in the Gehenna District knew about the long-standing conflict between Gehenna and Trinity. Even if she was a painter who remained neutral, no one would easily believe a Gehenna student was acting as an escort for a Trinity student like Esumi.

Esumi gave a troubled, wry smile but continued.

"For now, I've withheld my name and the fact that I'm from Trinity. This is an incognito visit, after all; there's no need to broadcast it. Besides, she hasn't pried into my identity, so I feel she’s someone I can trust."

"I see. That is a relief, then. I heard you'll be staying in the Gehenna District for about a week...?"

"Yes. Today is just a formal greeting, but I plan to head to my hotel after this to rest. Tomorrow, I'll be having business talks with your sales department. From the day after, I'm scheduled to tour the factory with the technical and development teams."

Though it was a week-long stay, she would only have five functional days once travel and prep were accounted for. Esumi had come here as a painter, not a student, to do "work." Since she had gone so far as to skip school, her eyes held nothing but professional passion.

"If it isn't too much trouble, could you inform the sales department that I've arrived safely?"

"Understood. I will pass the message along... However, there is one thing I must tell you regarding the sales department."

"What is it?"

The clerk frowned and lowered his voice, despite no one else being around.

"The truth is... since the start of this year, there's been an increase in our shipments being attacked during transit. The sales department has been buried under the response to those incidents lately."

"Now that you mention it, I did hear that while they used to only target cash, they're now stealing the products too. So those rumors were true..."

"You knew already? Ever since a student known as the 'Thunder Emperor' rose to prominence at Gehenna Academy, trouble has been popping up everywhere in the district. It’s embarrassing to admit, but if another incident occurs, tomorrow’s meeting might have to be cancelled. I'm worried we might end up wasting your precious time..."

"Please, don't worry about it. My time can always be made up later. If a problem arises that affects the company's future, please make that your top priority."

When Esumi spoke so kindly, the clerk seemed to find relief, and his voice regained its composure.

"Hearing you say that is a huge help. Our company will give its all to tackle this problem so we can live up to your generosity."

As expected of a shop that had survived in Gehenna for so long, they had no intention of giving up in the face of constant trouble. It was the merchant spirit of Kivotos; the clerk’s eyes were literally burning with motivation.

Esumi, internally convinced that tomorrow’s talks would go smoothly, then asked a bit hesitantly, "By the way..." Sensing her mood, the clerk straightened his back, radiating an "Ask me anything!" aura as he listened.

Then, Esumi’s polite mask vanished, and her eyes sparkled like an obsessed fan as she asked her question.

"Are there any art museums in the Gehenna District?"

1-2

"...Are you done?"

When Esumi stepped out of the shop, the white-haired girl who had been standing guard—Onikata Kayoko—asked with a look of concern. Esumi gave a small nod in response.

"I’m done. Today was just for greetings; the real work starts tomorrow. I need to head to my hotel and rest now."

"I see. Then I’ll need to stay by your side tomorrow, too."

"No, really, I’ll be fine..."

Esumi frowned slightly and gave a gentle rejection, but Kayoko shook her head firmly.

"You won't be fine. My assumption at the train was a mistake, but now that you've set foot in the Gehenna District, you need to be prepared. Unlike the thugs on that train, the people here are the worst kind—they'll wait for you to let your guard down and strike without mercy."

"Onikata, you're a freshman who just started at Gehenna a month ago, right? How do you know so much?"

"How? I was born and raised in this district. Unlike you, who came here knowing nothing just to visit a shop, I know everything about this place. Honestly, is there any benefit to you being alone when you could have a convenient local with you?"

"......None."

It was a logic so sound Esumi couldn't argue, but that didn't mean she could just let Kayoko tag along.

After all, Onikata Kayoko was a core character in the main story of Blue Archive, and one of the few "18-year-old student with repeating-a-year suspicions."

Esumi had come up with that title herself and it didn't mean much, but for someone trying to avoid getting tangled in the main plot, Kayoko was at the top of the "People You Must Never Meet in Gehenna" rankings.

Of course, Esumi knew Kayoko was genuinely worried about her. At this point in time, the legendary Prefect Team leader hadn't moved up to high school yet, and Kayoko seemed to be unaffiliated (though she appeared to be active as a freelancer). Without a major organization maintaining order, Gehenna would remain a danger zone.

Because of that, she felt she should follow Kayoko’s advice... but having already established connections with major characters like Kirifuji Nagisa and Misono Mika, she desperately wanted to avoid any more contact with the Blue Archive cast.

"...What about school? I’m going to be here for five days. If you follow me around that whole time, you'll be skipping classes. At this rate, you might actually fail your first year."

To be honest, Esumi—who was already missing a week of school—wasn't in much of a position to talk. And if the timeline was following the original game, Kayoko was bound to repeat a year for some reason anyway. Using failing as a threat was pointless against her destiny. Esumi’s argument lacked any real weight.

"Isn't that the same for you? A student my age staying in Gehenna for a week instead of being in school... normally, that’s impossible. Aren't you here without permission, too?"

Kayoko fired back with a perfect counter-argument, leaving Esumi speechless.

"I... I have permission."

It was a pathetic excuse to pretend she was different from Kayoko. In truth, Esumi only had "tacit approval," not "permission." Either way, the fact remained that her absence would likely impact her grades.

"By the way, you look like a well-bred student, but can you actually fight? You're stubbornly saying you're fine without me, but coming to the lawless Gehenna District alone must mean you're strong enough to take on a group, right?"

"Well... not as strong as you, but I can hold my own... yeah."

"...Sigh. I'm worried. Let me see the gun you use."

Following her instruction, Esumi opened her jacket.

It seemed Esumi was the type to favor handguns; she wore a shoulder holster and a hip holster, both on the right side of her body. Both were sturdy leather holsters that showed clear signs of use, suggesting her claim of being "able to hold her own" wasn't a total lie.

However, what caught Kayoko’s eye more than anything were the guns sitting in those holsters.

"...You use revolvers. But these are a bit..."

As Kayoko noted with interest, the guns in the holsters were all revolvers. But they weren't just any revolvers. They were vintage—from a very long time ago.

"Lefaucheux revolvers. You're the first student I've seen in Kivotos who uses these."

The Lefaucheux revolver.

In Esumi’s previous life, these were six-shot, single and double-action revolvers developed in mid-19th century France and used widely by both civilians and militaries. They were classified as "pin-fire" antique firearms. In Japan, which had strict gun laws, they were rare because they could be owned by anyone with the proper paperwork.

However, as the name suggested, the cartridges for these revolvers had a pin sticking out the back. The hammer would strike the pin to ignite the powder. Because the pins were exposed, the risk of accidental discharge was extremely high. They quickly became obsolete once the more common rimfire and centerfire cartridges were developed.

It seemed they suffered the same fate in this world. While revolvers weren't rare in Kivotos, almost no one chose to use pin-fire models. Even in Trinity, where vintage weapons were common, you’d never see someone using one of these.

Esumi’s guns appeared to have been modified to use modern cartridges, but because they were fixed-cylinder models where you had to eject and load rounds one by one, they still had the fatal flaw of leaving the user vulnerable for a long time during reloads.

In short, they were the worst possible weapons for the chaotic firefights common in Kivotos. Certainly not something someone fighting alone should carry.

Naturally, seeing Esumi arrive in the dangerous Gehenna District alone with what could only be called "antiques," Kayoko’s expression grew even scarier. It was enough to send a chill down one's spine.

"Hey... were you seriously planning to walk around Gehenna alone with just these?"

"...Well... um..."

"The reload is tedious and slow, you only have six shots, and you don't look like you have much combat experience. You have all these red flags and you know nothing about Gehenna... You really think you're okay without me?"

"............"

"Don't just stay quiet. Answer me."

Looking at Kayoko’s fierce expression, Esumi thought to herself that even the future Schale Sensei would probably run away barefoot. Raising her hands in front of her chest, she offered an honest apology: "Sorry. I was being reckless."

I'll say it plainly—I surrender.

After being bombarded with such sound logic, her only choice was to accept Kayoko’s company. As Kayoko said, her favorite weapons weren't suited for prolonged firefights, and while she knew Gehenna was dangerous from her past-life knowledge, she had clearly underestimated it.

At this point, Esumi decided to throw away her self-preservation and let Kayoko take care of her for the next week. It wasn't like they’d become best friends over just a few days.

"I’m glad you understand. You can be alone as much as you want in other districts, but while you're in Gehenna, please rely on me... I’m asking you."

"...Alright. Just for these five days."

With the apology and the permission to tag along, Kayoko’s anger seemed to subside slightly. Her expression didn't change, but she asked a different question.

"By the way, that holster on your right hip... the grip of the gun is pointing forward. Is that a cavalry draw?"

The cavalry draw.

This refers to a style where the gun's grip is pointing in the opposite direction from a standard holster.

There are many theories as to why this style exists. One is that cavalrymen used revolvers as backup weapons if they lost their sabers. To keep the guns from falling out while riding, they were worn high on the hip, which made them hard to draw normally. By turning the grip backward, they could grab it and use a twist of the wrist to pull the gun out more easily. Another reason was that since sabers were worn on the left, the gun was worn on the right with the grip reversed to make it easier to draw with the left hand.

However, this was Kivotos. No one fought on horseback, so very few students used this style. And yet, one of those few was standing right here.

"I’m just copying a movie I saw once... I usually use the one in the shoulder holster with my left hand, so I don't use this one much. Mostly just for quick-draws. I rarely handle a gun with my right hand."

"Is something wrong with your dominant hand?"

"...Well, I suppose I can tell you... In the past, I overworked my hand so much while painting that I severely damaged the nerves. Honestly, my right hand can only handle one or two shots before it hits its limit..."

"That's..."

"Simply put, my dominant hand is disabled."

In the world of Blue Archive, people from Kivotos have incredibly resilient bodies that can take bullets without much damage. Even if they get hit by a car, they can usually get right back up if they aren't hit in a vital spot. They can survive massive explosions with nothing but a brief fainting spell; their durability is almost comedic.

Their grip strength and core stability are also abnormal, allowing them to fire high-recoil weapons one-handed without a flinch. Some "muscle-heads" are even strong enough to flip tanks with ease.

But even with such a body, things were different for Esumi. To become the painter she dreamed of being, she had been training every day since she was a toddler. The problem was that she had overworked her hand during her most critical growth period.

She practiced sketching for over ten hours every day, followed by review sessions. Because she loved art with a passion that crossed into obsession, she ignored the risks to her own body. Her lopsided lifestyle, entirely consumed by art, slowly but surely eroded her physical health.

As a result of years of overwork, the nerves in her dominant hand were damaged, limiting her freedom of movement. A doctor’s diagnosis confirmed her grip strength was far below average, and she was warned that prolonged use of her dominant hand would result in intense pain.

Even now, as a professional painter, she spent most of her time sketching and painting through the pain. She took painkillers as often as she could, but it was like throwing a cup of water on a bonfire.

"...Even in that state, you still wanted to be a 'painter'?"

Kayoko, no longer surprised by anything, glanced at Esumi’s right hand and then looked at her face.

"I did... it's been my dream forever."

Esumi, however, wore a blissful smile.

She had become the painter she wanted to be at the cost of her hand. To Kayoko, it seemed like a self-defeating trade, but Esumi didn't see it that way. When asked why, she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"The world of art isn't so soft that you can become a painter without a sacrifice. That’s true for any field, but it’s far better than living with a disability and *not* being a painter. I didn't expect the pain to persist even while I'm working, but I see it as proof of how much I've dedicated myself to art, so I don't mind. If anything, I feel a bit of joy every time I feel the pain."

"...Just hearing that, your love for art sounds pretty insane."

Kayoko muttered this with a mix of exasperation and acceptance, and Esumi suddenly burst out laughing. It was a wide, genuine smile that seemed a bit out of place on such a refined, beautiful girl, but it was likely her "true" self. Kayoko found herself momentarily captivated by the smile, even as she was taken aback by the sudden outburst.

"Sorry, sorry. To an abnormal freak who loves art as much as I do, that’s a compliment. I just couldn't help but laugh."

"Hmph. Seriously... you’re a hopeless, crazy art otaku."

Despite her words, she looked somewhat satisfied as she stepped up beside Esumi.

"Well then, I guess I have to make sure I protect this mysterious, art-loving painter who came to Gehenna all alone with nothing but antiques."

"I can still use a gun with my left hand, you know. I don't intend to be a burden."

"I know. Besides, as long as I’m around, most trouble will steer clear of us anyway."

"I see... By the way, you're the first person I've ever told the secret about my right hand to. I was going to make it public this year anyway, but congratulations, Onikata. You've caught me in a secret."

"Considering you haven't told me your name or what school you're from, I think getting one secret in return is only fair..."

"Hehe. Unfortunately, I have no intention of ever telling you my name, so you’ll just have to settle for that."

"It’s unfair, but we’re only going to be together for five days, so I guess I can't help it..."

Normally, if someone is escorting you through Gehenna, you should at least give them your name. But Esumi, determined not to trigger any more "event flags" with Kayoko, refused to give it up. Praying from the bottom of her heart that her interaction with Kayoko would end here, Esumi stepped out into the streets of Gehenna with the girl by her side.

As a side note, after spending five days together, Esumi dragged Kayoko to art museums every single time they had a free moment. Since Kayoko didn't know her name, she started calling Esumi by the nickname "Art Freak."

Surprisingly, Esumi seemed quite happy with the name...