Chapter 31
“I heard he painted an extraordinary picture. They say that’s the reason he secured the sponsorship of the Angel family.”
“Huh? Wait a moment. A painter? That’s different from what I heard. I was told it was because the Duke was extremely fond of a teacup.”
“A teacup? Is that really true? That’s the first I’ve heard of it. Tell me more.”
The young lady who brought up the teacup story gently fluttered her fan, enjoying the attention focused on her.
She relayed to those around her what the owner of the teacup shop had told her.
Then the young lady standing opposite immediately acted as though she knew about it and continued her story.
“Ah, that shop! I’ve heard of it. The one that opened in the southern district, right? Can you obtain that artist’s teacups there?”
“I asked the owner about that as well. Unfortunately, he said that only that single teacup was ever made.”
“My goodness. It must be such a rare item to catch Duke Angel’s eye. Then what about the painting?”
“I heard it’s the same with the painting.”
In these stories, Adrian’s poverty was being disguised as the mysterious and secretive temperament of a true artist.
In reality, he had simply been too poor to properly create his works.
Ines secretly smiled.
Unlike her previous life, which had ended in tragedy, Adrian’s success was already practically guaranteed.
The mere fact that he was receiving the sponsorship of the Angel ducal family had already attracted this much attention from the nobles, so there would surely be ample demand for his works in the future.
The fire in the brazier gradually weakened.
The attendant serving Ines, who was warming herself alone by the fire, quickly added more firewood.
As she absentmindedly watched the flames blaze up once more, Ines naturally recalled Cedric riding off on horseback.
“Haah.”
A sigh escaped her lips.
Just thinking about how she should persuade Cedric, who had promised to teach her horseback riding, was already giving her a headache.
Why did things keep turning out this way?
The more she tried to avoid him, the more everything became tangled.
The more actively she tried to avoid him, the more fate followed her like a shadow and inevitably guided her back to Cedric’s side.
“Horseback riding, of all things.”
Was it because she had seen horses she thought she would never encounter again?
Or was it because of Tan, who had approached her despite having no memories and affectionately nudged his head against her as if asking to be doted on?
The memories she had been trying to forget unsettled her heart.
August, who always wanted to dash off like a storm, was Cedric’s favorite horse, but he was unsuitable for riding lessons.
Cedric would place her on the gentle and patient Sorel while he rode Tan and taught her horseback riding.
She remembered how the jealous August would sulk just as he had done today whenever he saw that scene.
Thanks to Cedric’s kind instruction, her riding skills had become quite impressive.
‘How should I refuse this time?’
Should she pretend to have no interest in horseback riding?
Or should she reveal her abilities and show that she had absolutely no need for lessons?
Unable to make a hasty decision, Ines stared at the campfire as it crackled and gradually consumed the logs before her eyes.
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It was around the time when even the people who had been chatting endlessly were beginning to grow bored.
From far away, the leading hunting party finally came into view.
The people gathered together rushed out of the tent in a wave to see who had arrived first.
Ines also blended into the crowd and slowly stepped outside.
“Miss Ines.”
Ines, who had been looking down at the ground while sorting through her tangled thoughts, was startled when her name was suddenly called and looked up.
Dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward her.
At the very front of the leading group stood a large brown horse.
Sorrel, carrying a snow-white fox on his back, snorted proudly as though showing off.
Cedric leapt down from the horse’s back and strode toward Ines without the slightest wobble.
“I promised that I would catch a fox and make a scarf for you.”
Standing directly before her, Cedric smiled broadly and gently narrowed his eyes.
“I’ve caught one, just as promised.”
“A promise…?”
You merely made that vow on your own.
She should have said that.
But there were too many eyes watching her, so Ines only managed to move her lips slightly.
Her quiet voice never reached Cedric.
“I’m glad I rode Sorrel instead of August after hearing your advice, Miss Ines. If I had ridden August as planned, I might have ended up getting struck by an arrow.”
As everyone became increasingly tense while chasing the swift snow fox, more and more hunters hastily fired their bows whenever they spotted even the slightest white object moving.
It was something they had failed to consider before the actual hunt began.
“That’s certainly fortunate. Then, if you’ll excuse me…”
Wanting to end the conversation quickly, Ines responded in a small voice.
However, Cedric had absolutely no intention of letting her go.
“This is all thanks to your thoughtful suggestion, Miss Ines. Please come with me. I’ll show you the fox.”
For several weeks, he had gone on numerous mock hunts to prepare thoroughly.
Cedric had desperately wanted to catch the snow fox.
The reason was simple.
He had heard that it was the hunting gift most desired by women in high society.
He used to think it was childish watching people shower gifts on women they liked.
But once he found himself in that situation, he realized he wasn’t any different.
He wanted to give her only the very best.
It was a simple yet unmistakable expression of affection.
Cedric wanted Ines to be pleased by his accomplishment.
“I hope it will help someone like you, Miss Ines, who is especially sensitive to the cold.”
“Yes… thank you.”
Unlike the excited Cedric, Ines’s reaction remained lukewarm.
That was because of the young ladies around them, who were glaring at this situation with eyes full of jealousy.
Once her engagement with Cedric was broken, he would marry one of the women present here.
It would not be good to appear unnecessarily close to him.
Unable to reject Cedric’s affection yet unable to happily accept it either, Ines stood there awkwardly.
At that moment, the noisy sound of hoofbeats echoed from afar.
The other nobles who had participated in the hunting festival were beginning to arrive one after another with large game animals.
The attention of those who had been watching Cedric and Ines with great interest scattered.
Everyone rushed off to greet the nobles who were about to arrive.
Some had caught magnificent stags with large antlers, while others had brought back wolves.
There were even those who had caught small rabbits or raccoon dogs.
As the surroundings quickly became lively and noisy, the only people who seemed out of place and awkward were Ines and Cedric, who continued watching her.
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“Oh. That is quite an impressive stag.”
The one who had caught the deer was Count Greenwood.
People gathered around him and admired the size of the stag’s antlers and body.
The prey truly was remarkable, but they were also trying to flatter him and gain his favor.
Yet no reply came from Count Greenwood.
Puzzled, the nobleman standing beside him followed the direction of the Count’s gaze.
There stood Ines and Cedric.
“Ah. Duke Angel arrived before the Count. He caught a snow fox. He was just saying he intended to present it to Miss Ines as a gift.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Count Greenwood observed the situation with interested eyes.
Ines had inherited every bit of his wife’s beautiful appearance.
However, her personality was completely different.
She resembled neither him nor his wife in that regard.
Still, the Count knew exactly where her gentle and meek nature had come from.
It was because, after his wife passed away from an epidemic when Ines was still very young, he had failed to properly care for his daughter.
Although he told himself it could not be helped, whenever he looked at his daughter, frustration made him speak harshly to her.
Always so fragile and unreliable.
He wished she possessed even a little of the firmness her aunt had, but in that respect she had inherited nothing at all.
His daughter’s unrequited love was famous throughout high society.
He was well aware that many people mocked and looked down on his timid and quiet daughter whenever she was beyond his sight.
He could not simply ignore them.
Yet pretending not to know and scheming behind the scenes did not suit his temperament either.
Even if he did that, it would merely reduce the whispers spoken openly before him, while both Ines’s reputation and the Greenwood family’s prestige would still end up in ruins.
A more fundamental solution was needed.
The reason he had pushed aside all the sons of families close to his own and specifically reached out to Cedric Angel was not solely for political gain.
Humbling those socialites who mocked his daughter was also one of the reasons he could not ignore, along with the minimal affection he held for her as a father.
“Truly unexpected.”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing at all.”
The words had slipped out of his mouth before he realized it.
Count Greenwood casually brushed the matter aside.
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