36. Painfully Beautiful

"That's a … great idea," Grace forced a stiff smile. "But I'm afraid I won't be able to capture it according to your expectations. I'm afraid of ruining it."

Shaking his head, Adro replied. "You don't need to worry about that. Your hands are talented. Whatever the result, Joselyn will surely feel honored to be painted by an artist like you."

Seeing Grace silent with her head down and hands constantly rubbing her arms, Adro moved his seat closer to him. He smiled gently as he pulled Grace's hand to stop her from rubbing her arms. "You're very talented, Grace. Believe in yourself."

Grace took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay... I'll give it a try."

Grace understood that she had a weak heart. Adro's charm was undeniable to any woman; she was aware of that. However, she wouldn't usually have strong feelings for a man just because of his looks. If she felt pain in her heart now, didn't that mean she liked Adro, and it was not just for his physical appearance?

After helping Grace set up her canvas board, Adro pulled a small chair to sit behind the easel. "I'm ready to explain."

Taking out her blunt pencil, Grace nodded with a thin smile. "I'm ready too. You can start explaining from her face because I'll be painting from the stomach up to the head."

"I see." Adro nodded, then began to explain, "Joselyn has a pair of melancholy eyes with long and curly eyelashes. She's a girl with beige hair up to her eyebrows, and her eyelashes are the same color. Her lashes shade a pair of bright blue irises that shine as bright as the clear summer sky."

Peeking from behind her canvas, Grace could see how much Adro admired Princess Joselyn. She had never seen the man so enchanted by something, even if it was just in his imagination. Princess Joselyn, she must be truly attractive.

"A-and?" Grace asked after sketching a pair of eyes according to Adro's description.

"She has a slightly high and petite nose," Adro chuckled. "When she was little, I often compared her nose to a teaspoon. But that teaspoon-nose suits her face perfectly. And then she also has small, cherry-like lips."

"What about the shape of her face and hair?" Grace asked again in a soft voice.

"Her face is also small. She has slightly high cheekbones that make her face look like a heart. Her hair is waist-length and feels silk-soft, with a slight wave and curls at the bottom because she used to braid her long hair since childhood," Adro answered.

"Moreover, she has porcelain-white skin. When exposed to light, her skin glows like porcelain. Her neck is slightly long and looks delicate. Fortunately, she has a small head, although her hair is long and thick enough to seem heavy on her head," he continued, giggling.

Continuing to stroke her pencil on the canvas, Grace couldn't help but smile at the small laughs that continued to flow from Adro's lips, although her heart felt a bit sore. Watching a man love a girl so much was beautiful to Grace, even if she wasn't her.

Grace knew she couldn't possibly become someone like Joselyn in Adro's heart. She never faced or dared to imagine that. Princess Joselyn Marigold Pentapore was...

"An angel. She looks like an angel," Grace mumbled as she lowered her pencil.

Adro raised his eyebrows. "Are you done?"

Grace nodded. "This is just the sketch, but it's … already so breathtaking."

Getting up from his seat, Adro looked at Grace and smiled wide. "Can I see it now?"

"Of course," Grace said, pushing her chair back. "I'll start coloring it tonight, but I've prepared the basic colors." She pointed to some acrylic paint strokes on the edge of the canvas.

"You can take all the time you need..." Adro paused, staring at Grace's painting. "...you have."

Blushing, Grace chuckled softly as she rubbed her arm. "I… I don't know if your future wife really looks like this, but I've drawn her as closely as possible to your description."

"Grace, your hands are gifted. How can charcoal strokes make a human face so lifelike?" Adro said with sparkling eyes.

"It's a pencil," Grace murmured with a small giggle. "You're exaggerating, but thank you for the compliment."

"I'm not exaggerating, Grace. Your hands have been blessed by the gods a lot," Adro said.

Returning her gaze to the sketch of a noble girl sitting and staring at her, Grace smiled faintly. It was just a colorless sketch. If the sketch was so much like Joselyn, her real person must be incredibly beautiful. It was not surprising that Adro loved her so much, as if she were the most precious diamond.

The more Grace learned about the valuable things Adro left in his world, the more she had to try to help him get back there.

***

When Grace's ankle was completely healed, she taught Adro how to drive. Thanks to Sarah, who forged a fake identity for Adro, he could also obtain a driver's license.

Days passed. Although they hadn't found Adro's way home yet, he wasn't as desperate as he thought he would be because he could adapt well to this new world. On the other hand, Grace had also become accustomed to Adro's presence in her home and his natural personality. There was no more awkwardness between them. Compared to a homeowner and a long-term guest, they looked like roommates.

"Are you sure the mattress will fit in the living room?" Adro asked.

Grace nodded. "The sofa can be moved later. Besides, the mattress can be folded, so it won't take up space during the day."

"This is the first time I bought something because there was a discount," Adro chuckled, shaking his head.

"Hey... That's reasonable, you know. It's better to sleep on a mattress than on a sofa. You can sleep more comfortably without spending too much money, so there's no need to wait until you have more money to buy an expensive mattress," Grace replied. "Believe me, Adro. This one is worth the money."

"All right," Adro nodded casually. "You're more concerned about my money than I am."

"As someone who has been in difficult economic conditions since childhood, I'm used to saving money and comparing various things," Grace said.

"Well... speaking of money, mine is running out," Adro rubbed his chin.

Grace smiled wryly. "That's what I've been talking about."

"I need to find a job. I can't delay it any longer. This is the time." Adro tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Grace asked after clearing her throat. If Sarah found out that she was preventing Adro from finding a job, she would surely be scolded. However, she couldn't stop worrying about him.

Adro chuckled slightly and looked at Grace from the side of his eyes without moving his head. "If it weren't for you constantly stopping me, I would have a job by now. What's not self-sufficient about me now, Grace? I can even drive around the city by myself."

"That's true, but… you know, working and driving around the city are different. When working, you face many people with a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. You do something based on orders and under supervision. Sometimes your boss may not like your work and might make you feel pressured," Grace explained, recalling her internship experience.

"That's a rather long explanation. However, those are trivial matters. In my world, I have a greater responsibility than that. A slight mistake I make could end the lives of soldiers; even innocent civilians could be the victims."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot about that," Grace rubbed her arm.

"It seems like I've adapted to this world so well that you forgot where I come from, even when we just got back from our search for my way back." Adro chuckled.

"A few times at the library made me feel like this isn't something special anymore, so I forgot. Sorry about that," Grace grimaced.

"No need. I can understand that because you are forgetful," Adro replied. "However, you won't forget me when I successfully return, will you?"

Turning to Adro, Grace smiled faintly. "Of course not."