Chapter 40
After observing the two of them for quite some time, Adrian soon found the reason.
Their atmosphere was different.
Having just spent time talking with them, he was able to notice it keenly.
The expression on Ines’s face, which had been so kind when she spoke to him, was gloomy.
The nature of their conversation was the same.
Cedric was the one leading most of the conversation.
In contrast, Ines only gave brief replies.
It was as though whenever one person took a step forward, the other stepped back by exactly the same amount.
That did not mean she hated or despised him.
Rather, the way Ines looked at Cedric…
‘She looks sad.’
She looked a little sad.
One person could not hide the love overflowing from his heart.
The other was struggling not to reveal her own feelings.
Adrian’s artistic instincts did not miss that fact.
Stealing glances at the loneliness in Ines’s eyes, Adrian unconsciously murmured to himself.
‘If it were me, I would never let Lady Ines wear such an expression.’
Then he was startled by his own thoughts and hurriedly shook his head.
Who was he to think such things?
People of high noble status all had circumstances of their own.
Knowing one’s place.
That was the most fundamental lesson about life he had learned while surviving in misery at the very bottom of the lower class.
However, the audacious thought that had once risen to the surface refused to disappear and continued drifting through Adrian’s mind.
***
Upon arriving at the entrance hall, the butler instructed the servants to remove the wrapping around the canvas.
The painting Adrian had brought was still sitting there like a forgotten piece of luggage.
If Ines had not said she wanted to see it, the painting would probably have been sent to the underground storage room where works of art were kept without even having its wrapping removed.
That was only natural, considering the countless gifts that arrived at the Angel Ducal Estate every single day.
The painting was so large that a grown man had to fully stretch both arms to reach its edges, so several servants had to help.
A short while later, the servants brought over a temporary display table and placed Adrian’s unwrapped painting on top of it.
“Oh.”
The butler let out a quiet exclamation.
The others who saw the painting reacted the same way.
The endless golden wheat field depicted in the painting captured everyone’s attention.
It was an ordinary scene, one commonly found in farming villages.
Such scenery was not something that would greatly impress nobles.
Since Adrian had not yet painted many works, there were still many shortcomings visible if one judged it objectively.
Nevertheless, like the others, Cedric found himself quite taken with the painting.
He even thought it would have been a shame if he had passed it by without seeing it.
Above all, he liked the colors that filled the entire canvas.
The color of the golden wheat field, softly rippling like Ines’s golden hair.
While Cedric was completely absorbed in appreciating the painting, Adrian was looking at something entirely different.
Naturally, he should have been watching Cedric’s reaction or examining his own work together with him.
Yet he simply could not take his eyes off Ines.
‘I hope Milady likes this painting.’
If one looked closely, the golden wheat field shared a similar hue with Ines’s golden hair.
In truth, this landscape painting had been inspired by thoughts of her.
He had done his very best, but now that he found himself showing the painting to Ines like this, he regretted not working even harder on it.
“Hmm.”
After silently studying the painting for quite some time, Cedric finally gave his brief impression.
“Lady Ines has introduced a remarkable person to me.”
“I like this painting very much, Adrian.”
As Cedric spoke, he turned his gaze toward Adrian.
Then he witnessed Adrian staring at Ines with passionate eyes.
‘What is this?’
Just as irritation began surging within his chest, Ines’s clear voice reached Cedric.
“Yes.”
“It truly is a wonderful painting.”
Only then did Adrian let out a deep breath, as though he had finally been reassured.
His expression also visibly relaxed.
He had been so nervous that, without realizing it, an old habit resurfaced as he wiped his sweaty hands on his jacket.
“Thank you!”
“I’ll create an even better painting next time.”
The words of gratitude that should naturally have been directed toward Cedric were instead addressed to Ines.
Cedric’s expression hardened at Adrian’s subtly irritating behavior.
Ines gently corrected Adrian.
“Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to thank the Duke instead?”
“Ah…”
Only after Ines pointed it out did Adrian realize his mistake.
When he hurriedly turned his head, Cedric was looking at him with an unreadable expression.
Adrian quickly lowered his head and thanked Cedric as well.
“Thank you, Duke Angel.”
“I became so excited because of my promise with Lady Ines that I ended up behaving rudely.”
“A promise?”
Another irritating remark came from the mouth of the irritating fellow.
At Cedric’s sharp question, the butler gestured to Adrian as though urging him to explain.
“Yes.”
“Lady Ines told me that if I became a great painter, she would allow me to paint the portrait of the Duchess of Angel.”
“I will continue working hard so that I may earn the honor of painting the portrait of Lady Ines when she becomes the Duchess of Angel.”
At Adrian’s answer, Cedric slowly closed and opened his eyes.
The words were so unexpected that he had to sort them out in his mind once more.
‘So that’s what it was.’
‘No wonder the way he looked at Ines had seemed so full of passion.’
‘Well.’
‘If he painted the portrait of the Duchess of Angel, he would have achieved tremendous success as an artist.’
Thinking that way, he could understand why Adrian had been gazing so passionately at Ines.
‘Still, the Duchess of Angel.’
It had quite a pleasant ring to it.
Just then, the wall on the landing of the grand central staircase leading to the second floor caught his eye.
It was the perfect place to hang a portrait of Ines.
Meanwhile, Ines was considerably flustered by Adrian’s sudden revelation.
“No, that was simply…”
If she said it like that, wouldn’t it sound as though she were confidently assuming she would become the Duchess?
She had only wanted to avoid disappointing Adrian.
However, it was already too late.
“The Duchess.”
Ines tried to explain herself to Cedric, who repeated those words with a satisfied expression.
But he gave her no chance.
“It has a pleasant sound.”
“Very well.”
“In that case, I’ll lend my support as well.”
Smiling at Adrian, Cedric spoke.
“Butler.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“I intend to unveil this painting at the New Year’s Ball.”
“Notify the organizing committee in advance.”
The butler could not help but be astonished by Cedric’s words.
The elderly man, who rarely showed much emotion, widened his eyes as he looked back and forth between Cedric and Adrian.
The same was true for Ines.
The only person in this room who did not understand the significance of Cedric’s announcement was Adrian.
The butler spoke up in alarm, trying to dissuade Cedric.
“Your Grace, are you serious?”
There were major social events held each season in Eltra.
The Feast Day of Saint Cristan that marked the beginning of spring.
The summer debutante season.
The autumn Harvest Festival.
And the winter Hunting Festival and the New Year’s Ball.
Among them, the New Year’s Ball was the grandest event of all.
Yet Cedric intended to unveil the painting of an almost unknown artist at such an event.
It was an extraordinary privilege unlike anything anyone had ever seen or heard of.
“Of course I’m serious.”
Cedric readily nodded at the bewildered butler.
His gaze briefly shifted toward Ines.
“If I’m going to support him anyway, it’s better to move quickly.”
He already knew that the nobles’ curiosity about the promising young painter sponsored by the Angel Ducal House had reached its peak.
He also knew they were hesitating to approach Adrian for fear of offending the Angel Ducal House.
“But aren’t you moving far too quickly…?”
Although he knew the Duke had already made his decision, the butler earnestly tried to persuade him once more.
Introducing a young painter who had completed only two paintings at the New Year’s Ball meant risking the prestige of the ducal house.
Cedric let out a short laugh, as though wondering why the butler worried so much.
The butler was as full of worries as he was loyal to the Angel family.
“Adrian.”
“Yes, Your Grace…”
The honorific “Your Grace” still felt as awkward on his tongue as the expensive clothes he was wearing.
Fortunately, he did not stammer.
“It seems you don’t understand at all why the butler is making such a fuss.”
Adrian cautiously nodded.
“Unveiling your painting at the New Year’s Ball means officially introducing you to noble society.”
Only then did Adrian stare blankly at Cedric with his mouth hanging open.
The vacant expression on his face pleased Cedric, causing a broad smile to spread across his lips.
The butler let out a deep sigh.
The Duke clearly understood the significance of unveiling the painting of an unknown artist at the New Year’s Ball.
Even so, the butler could not understand why he had made such a decision.
“Your Grace, no matter how I think about it, this is a hasty decision.”
“There is no need to rush.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to wait until he has produced more works before making such a decision…?”
“No.”
“There is every reason to hurry.”
“Otherwise, we won’t make it in time.”
“Pardon?”
“What do you mean by ‘make it in time’?”
“So that Adrian can complete the portrait of the Duchess of Angel by the time our wedding takes place.”
