Chapter 41
Cedric glanced discreetly at Ines.
A portrait of her.
Why had he never thought of it sooner?
It would surely make an excellent wedding commemorative gift.
“To be honest, there are quite a few painters under House Angel’s patronage who are more skilled than you. However, since you came recommended by Miss Ines, I’d like to entrust the portrait to you. Adrian, do you understand what I mean?”
Adrian pondered for a moment.
In the end, however, he honestly shook his head.
For Adrian, who had lived his entire life as a commoner, it was not easy to grasp Cedric’s true meaning right away.
The butler finally let out a deep sigh from beside him and added an explanation.
“Adrian, I warned you before. I told you that in order to survive in noble society, not only your talent but everything visible to others is important.”
This time, Adrian nodded.
He remembered those words clearly.
The butler had said that unless he corrected his timid behavior, his tendency to lose confidence so easily, and all those flaws, it would be no different from tarnishing the reputation of Ines, who had recommended him.
“The New Year’s Ball is a grand event.”
“It means that everyone from the highest-ranking nobles to the lowest-ranking nobles will gather in one place.”
“If you make even a single mistake there… Ha.”
Nobles were notoriously fickle.
If it was not the very best, if it was not the genuine article, it would never catch their attention.
The very best or the very worst.
People’s judgment of Adrian would be completely polarized.
He could sprout wings and soar into high society in a single leap…
Or the exact opposite could happen.
‘That isn’t the concern of a painter.’
The reputation of House Angel, to which he had devoted his entire life, could also suffer.
To the butler, who could not tolerate even the slightest blemish upon House Angel’s name, Cedric’s decision was inevitably displeasing.
The color quickly drained from Adrian’s face as he understood the butler’s words.
As Adrian turned pale from nervousness, Cedric’s voice reached him.
“If this alone is enough to make you so nervous, then perhaps, just as the butler said, this New Year’s Ball may truly be too much for you.”
“Adrian, if you lack confidence, then give up now.”
“I am merely giving you an opportunity.”
“You are the one who must bear the risks.”
At Cedric’s words, the butler’s expression became noticeably lighter.
As if urging him to accept the Duke’s offer, he subtly signaled Adrian.
“However, there won’t be another opportunity.”
“Nobles are fickle and do not wait long.”
“If you cannot become the very best, then there is absolutely no reason for me to commission you to paint the Duchess of Angel’s portrait.”
“There won’t be another opportunity…”
Hearing the Duke’s words, Adrian felt as though he had been struck on the head with a hammer.
If he had once lived solely to paint the scenery of Lake Verota, then now that the painting was complete, what kept Adrian alive was his burning desire to paint Ines’s portrait.
Adrian’s gaze turned toward Ines.
Caught in the unfolding situation before her eyes, Ines was unable to hide her bewilderment.
The moment he looked at her, his heart instantly calmed.
Miss Ines’s portrait.
To obtain that opportunity, he would do anything.
Although the color had not yet returned to his pale face, the uncertainty in his eyes had vanished, replaced by unwavering determination.
“Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”
“I will definitely live up to Your Grace’s expectations.”
‘Unexpected.’
Cedric inwardly admired him, thinking he possessed more resolve than expected.
His voice trembled terribly, but there was not the slightest hesitation within it.
“Good.”
Only then did the corner of Cedric’s lips curl upward.
“I’ve seen your painting.”
“You may return now.”
“I already have plans with Miss Ines.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Adrian bowed deeply.
Then he raised his head and greeted Ines, who was standing beside Cedric.
“Miss Ines.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I will do everything I can to make sure I don’t disgrace you.”
“I’ll become a completely different person before the New Year’s Ball.”
“There, I will prove that neither Your Grace nor Miss Ines misjudged me.”
He was so motivated and passionate that it was hard to imagine this was the same Adrian as usual.
‘He’s being a little excessive.’
There was nothing wrong with what he was saying.
He was merely expressing his gratitude to the two people who had completely changed his life.
The problem was his eyes.
Adrian’s crimson eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at Ines.
There was something strange about that gaze.
It made one think that it was not solely because of his determination to paint her portrait.
Just as Cedric was beginning to find it irritating, Ines’s voice, once again drawing a firm line with razor-sharp precision, reached his ears.
“You should be saying that to Duke Angel, who gave you not only patronage but such a great opportunity.”
“I merely wrote you a letter of recommendation.”
“Don’t confuse the person you should truly be grateful to.”
“Ah… Yes.”
In a way, they were unusually cold words coming from her.
Unlike in the corridor, Ines’s words felt nothing but cold.
The light that had been shining in Adrian’s crimson eyes disappeared in an instant.
Seeing Adrian like that, Ines felt a slight sense of guilt.
Even so, she could not take back her words.
The reason she had agreed in the corridor when Adrian asked for the chance to paint the Duchess of Angel’s portrait was because it had been nothing more than an empty promise that she had assumed would never come true.
Watching Adrian repeatedly direct his gratitude toward her instead of Cedric, Ines felt increasingly uncomfortable.
Just as much as Cedric did, Ines wanted Adrian to live a life completely unrelated to the Greenwoods.
The only connection between them should remain the trivial fact that she had written him a recommendation letter to House Angel.
She worried that if he became associated with her, he might meet the same fate as the other artists who had been executed under the charge of producing rebel propaganda.
This was for the best.
After all, the woman in the Duchess of Angel’s portrait that Adrian would eventually paint would not be her.
That was why she needed to make things perfectly clear now.
Just like a chick that mistakes the first thing it sees after hatching for its mother, she had to make sure Adrian would no longer become attached to her.
Meanwhile, seeing Ines respond with such uncharacteristic coldness, Cedric’s displeasure toward Adrian gradually faded.
He even let out an awkward chuckle.
‘What a foolish thought.’
Although it was merely gratitude toward his benefactor, the truth was that he had not enjoyed seeing Adrian stare so intensely at his future fiancée.
Still, he was nothing more than a commoner painter.
Without Cedric’s patronage, he would have starved to death long ago.
Even if Adrian harbored feelings he should not have for Ines, there was no way he could ever become a threat.
No.
The fact that he had even entertained such thoughts for a moment was, in itself, an insult to Ines.
Seeing her cold demeanor for the first time, Cedric dismissed the absurd notion from his mind.
“Let’s wrap things up here.”
“I don’t think I can spare any more time because of my appointment with Miss Ines.”
Cedric stepped closer to Ines before speaking to Adrian.
“Butler, take good care of the painting.”
“It must be displayed at the New Year’s Ball.”
“…Yes. Understood, Your Grace.”
“And prepare a carriage for Adrian to ride home.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I can simply take a public carriage on my way back.”
At the mention of a public carriage, Cedric glanced at Ines for no particular reason.
Remembering their first date, a faint smile escaped his lips.
“No.”
“I’ll have one prepared for you, so ride back in it.”
“…Thank you.”
“Then, Miss Ines, this way, please.”
“The stable keeper should already be waiting.”
Placing her hand on the arm Cedric offered, Ines looked toward Adrian.
Seeing that Adrian could not hide how hurt he was made her feel uneasy.
“Adrian.”
“Yes, Miss Ines.”
“I’ll be looking forward to your painting.”
“Show everyone your best at the New Year’s Ball.”
“Make sure the opportunity Duke Angel gave you wasn’t wasted.”
In the end, Ines spoke those few words.
They sounded like nothing more than ordinary words of encouragement without any special meaning.
Yet the moment she finished speaking, vitality immediately returned to Adrian’s face.
“Yes! Understood.”
“I definitely will!”
As Adrian’s voice brightened, a cold glint appeared on Cedric’s face.
Adrian’s tendency to react so excessively to every single word Ines said certainly did not seem normal.
“Let’s go now, Duke Angel.”
Embarrassed by Adrian’s overwhelming reaction, Ines wanted to leave.
Cedric gave a slight nod before escorting her toward the front entrance.
Until the two of them completely disappeared through the door, Adrian repeatedly raised his voice, promising that he would absolutely do exactly as she had said.
To Ines, they had merely been casual words spoken without much thought.
But for him, that alone was enough.
‘She said she’s looking forward to it.’
The precious person who had acknowledged him for the very first time.
He did not want to disappoint her expectations.
Repeating Ines’s words over and over in his mind, Adrian clenched his fist tightly.
