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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: An Amusing Spectacle
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Lumina squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them. With a resolute gaze, she moved the crayon across the paper without hesitation.
A few moments later.
“With this level of skill… five hundred million gold?”
Evelyn muttered, unable to tear her eyes from the finished drawing.
The drawing’s title and appraised value were known, but its exact appearance remained shrouded in mystery.
It was said that the drawing could only be viewed in Duke Heart’s office, a place an ordinary person would never have occasion to visit.
And as for questioning the staff of the Heart Duchy, they were all tight-lipped.
For some reason, even the appraisers kept their mouths firmly shut, leading to rampant speculation about how Lumina had actually depicted Duke Heart.
As a result, the assumption that it was a painting so captivating it would enthrall anyone at a single glance spread like a legend.
But the truth was…
“You’re joking, aren’t you, Lady Lumina?”
Leah chimed in.
The reply was firm.
“I’m not joking. It was a quick drawing, but I poured all my talent into it. Father prefers this kind of art.”
The two young ladies couldn't believe their ears.
They knew full well that Duke Heart lacked humanity, but they’d never heard he lacked an aesthetic sense as well.
Just how blinded by affection was he to threaten someone into appraising a drawing like this at five hundred million gold?
“So, I’ll take it that you are withdrawing your offer for me to be your exclusive lady-in-waiting.”
Lumina had drawn herself.
She had figured that rather than butcher someone else's likeness, she might as well just sketch her own face and be done with it.
And this was the reaction she got, even before revealing the subject of the drawing.
‘It’s probably better if they never find out who I drew.’
Everyone present, though ignorant of what Lumina had drawn, now clearly understood one thing: she was doted on by that devilish duke.
“Interesting.”
Arabelle stared at the drawing, which was completely at odds with her own refined tastes.
A white circle.
On it were two pink circles, dotted like strawberries.
And framing it were long strokes of a whitish color, neither brown nor yellow.
Beneath it was a pink triangle, with an indecipherable, squiggly curve drawn on either side.
More had been drawn around it to fill the white space of the paper, but it was all still unidentifiable.
Arabelle wondered if this was a joke, but Lumina's expression was so earnest that it didn't seem to be a prank.
‘So Duke Heart looked at a drawing like this and thought it was valuable.’
Arabelle rested her chin on her hand and lowered her gaze.
She would one day bring Duke Heart to his knees, but for now, he was stronger than her. If he deemed this valuable, there had to be a deeper meaning to it.
‘There must be a meaning I’m not aware of. I’ll probably understand it once I’ve defeated Duke Heart.’
Arabelle had spent her entire life in an environment that pursued perfect beauty.
She had never tolerated even the slightest distortion.
Yet looking at this drawing—not just slightly distorted, but completely warped—felt surprisingly refreshing.
It somehow resembled the vacant-looking Lumina, which was so absurd it was almost amusing.
‘Lumina. As expected, she’s a class below me.’
Arabelle’s assessment of Lumina remained unchanged. She felt that making Lumina her exclusive lady-in-waiting and bending her to her will would be satisfying.
However, she didn’t offer the position again.
She was merely making a temporary concession, seeing as Lumina had such a powerful backer.
“I’ll be taking this.”
“Pardon?”
Lumina was genuinely flustered.
First Duke Heart, and now Arabelle.
She couldn't understand why these great figures, who had spent their lives surrounded by magnificent masterpieces, were showing interest in a mere scrap of paper.
“Or would you rather be my exclusive lady-in-waiting?”
“…Please, take it, Your Highness.”
Lumina set aside her questions.
Well, if she wants it, I should give it to her.
This wasn’t her bowing to cruel authority. She was giving it of her own free will.
“You’ve provided quite an amusing spectacle, so I’ll let it slide for today and just take this. But there won’t be a next time.”
If Lumina had crumbled under Evelyn and Leah’s pressure, sobbing like a squashed pastry, Arabelle would have found the sight so distasteful she would have forced her to become her lady-in-waiting.
Ignoring Duke Heart or anyone else.
Putting aside her disappointment, Arabelle gave Lumina a smile that felt ominous.
If there was something Arabelle wanted, she always got it.
In one form or another, without fail.
***
After obtaining the drawing, Arabelle became more lenient.
She ended the tea party as if there was nothing more to discuss.
‘I’m free.’
Through this tea party, Lumina had managed to shape public opinion in the direction she desired.
‘Evelyn and Leah are ladies from prominent families, so they’ll spread the word about me well at other gatherings.’
She hadn’t come across as a pushover during the tea party. Nor had she been utterly crushed.
So they wouldn’t be able to speak ill of her.
However…
‘…They’ll probably spread the story a little too positively.’
Lumina had left a much stronger impression on them than expected.
The tea party ended like that, but Lumina couldn't return to the duchy right away.
It was because of a conversation she’d had with Arabelle before leaving.
“This is naturally your first time visiting the Imperial Palace, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Then you should see the gardens of the Emerald Palace before you leave. You must have already seen all of my gardens upon your arrival, so it’s only right I introduce you to the next most beautiful place.”
Arabelle seemed to believe that Lumina, completely enchanted by the palace scenery, would accept the position of exclusive lady-in-waiting.
Lumina was about to refuse.
“Will you be my exclusive lady-in-waiting?”
“I was just hoping to see the Emerald Palace gardens. Thank you for the suggestion.”
The Emerald Palace had been the late Empress’s palace.
Considering the various sinister rumors surrounding the Empress’s death, she wondered if it was truly all right to wander around such a place.
However, surprisingly, the reaction was that it was fine to tour the gardens freely.
It was entering the palace building itself that was difficult.
‘I’ll pretend to look around for a bit and then head back.’
Thanks to Arabelle’s consideration, Lumina found herself walking with Ash through the otherwise deserted garden.
Just then, a handkerchief, carried on the wind from somewhere, fluttered like a bird before her eyes and landed nearby.
“Would you pick up my handkerchief?”
The wind hadn’t carried only the handkerchief.
A melodious voice drifted from the direction the wind was blowing.
Turning her head, Lumina discovered a man standing like a painting beneath the deep shade of a tree.
He was a young man who looked to be three or four years older than her.
Although his back was slightly hunched, his long, slender limbs kept him from appearing stooped at first glance.
And his frail yet beautiful face was cast in deep shadow.
It was enough to make his violet eyes appear black for a moment, and he gave an impression as delicate and melancholic as his voice.
“It’s a precious item to me. Please.”
When Lumina simply stood there, he asked again.
He was leaning on a cane, and his stance was awkward.
It seemed that despite the short distance, he had deliberately asked for her help because of his leg.
However, such a task was not Lumina’s to perform.
Ash, who stood behind her, stepped forward to pick up the handkerchief instead.
Lumina stopped him.
“Sir Ash. It’s all right. I’ll do it.”
The unknown man’s gaze had been fixed precisely on Lumina from start to finish.
The request was meant for her.
After picking up the handkerchief, Lumina handed it to him, maintaining a proper distance.
As it happened, she stood just outside the shadow, as if a line had been drawn.
“My younger sister embroidered this herself. It’s the only one in the world. Thank you.”
He raised the corners of his mouth as if genuinely pleased.
But Lumina didn’t fully believe his words.
“Greetings to the Star of the Empire. I am Lumina von Heart.”
Because he was Arabelle’s older brother.
Lumina lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and curtsied politely.
Her form was flawless.
“You recognized me at once.”
“I would not dare commit the disrespect of failing to recognize Your Highness.”
With the same silver hair as Arabelle and the violet eyes that symbolized the imperial family, it would have been too much to expect her not to recognize him.
Lumina carefully recalled the imperial family tree.
She vaguely remembered hearing that the first prince had a belligerent personality.
‘Then he must be the second prince.’
The second prince, Eliot, was the subject of unsavory rumors related to the empress’s death.
But aside from that, his presence was so faint that most people simply reacted with, “Oh, that’s right. Princess Arabelle isn’t the second child.”
“Were you enjoying the gardens?”
“Yes, thanks to Her Highness the Princess’s generosity, I was taking a brief look around.”
“Even after our mother passed away, Arabelle has taken great care of it, so you can enjoy a different atmosphere each season. I also visit often whenever I miss our mother.”
“…I see.”
Eliot spoke of personal matters in a soft, gentle voice, expressing a sense of intimacy.
“You said your name was Lumina.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“It’s a lovely name, and it suits you well. When Arabelle told me about you, I never imagined such an adorable young lady. I’m quite surprised.”
With a gentle smile, Eliot expressed his favor toward Lumina without the slightest change in his expression.
