44

As she reached the sofa in the middle of the living room, Elena greeted him with a smile.

"Welcome."

Elena's smile made him feel a little comfortable. Khalif introduced himself in a relaxed manner.

"It's an honor to meet you. I'm Khalif, Your Highness."

"I've heard a lot about you. You're a senior who's about to graduate this year."

"Sorry? Yes, but I'm not sure if I'm going to graduate properly… because I'm so into this job that I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to study."

When Elena brought up a topic that could be shared as an academic institute and naturally led the conversation, Khalif's expression improved.

"Where there's a will, there's a way. A diploma is just a piece of paper."

"I'm encouraged to hear that from Your Highness, not from anyone else."

Elena went to the point when Khalif seemed to have found some leeway.

"Shall I look at the pictures?"

"Yes."

As Elena sat on the couch, Khalif stood next to an easel covered in cloth. He put his fist to his mouth, coughed briefly, and removed the cloth.

"The title of this painting is 'Portrait of a Young Woman.'"

Elena leaned against the sofa and took a sip of Anne's tea, looking at the painting.

'Women's virtue, quietness.'

A dark-haired woman sat among the bushes, one hand raised, covering her chest with a cloth. Her gaze was away from the front, not meeting the viewer's directly. The way the woman's sensual beauty was extracted, but not hidden, and the way she did not look directly at the viewer, made Elena realize at once the significance of what this work was trying to include.

"This painting is the work of painter Giorgio, reflecting the contemporary state of love in the secular world..."

"That's enough explanation."

"What?"

"I'll buy it."

When Elena spoke as if she was throwing it without context, Khalif blinked.

"You mean you're buying this piece now?"

"Yes."

Khalif was more puzzled than pleased that he had sold the work. He had never imagined that his work would be sold in this way. But it was too early to be surprised.

"Then the next piece is…"

"No, let's change the order."

"What?"

"It's frustrating trying to look at them one by one. Just lay out the pictures you brought from there to here."

"E-everything?"

Elena nodded leisurely, drinking tea.

"Anne, May, don't stand still and go help."

"Yes, miss."

Khalif mobilized his maids and workers to take out all the paintings. If there were not enough easels to display the paintings, he had the workers and maids hold them directly.

"Now it's worth seeing."

"Now, I will introduce and explain the works in turn…"

"No, thanks."

Elena cut him off.

"Subjectivity and intentions outside of the painting can get in the way of appreciation. I want to see and appreciate this painting as it is."

"Oh, yes."

When Khalif was speechless, Elena sat on the sofa and looked at the paintings. She even tasted cookies and tea in the middle and enjoyed the paintings.

"All the paintings are good."

"Thank you. These are specially selected paintings."

Elena's reaction brightened Khalif's face. And his bright face turned into a shock at the next words of Elena.

"I'll buy everything."

"What? Oh, all nine?"

"Yes."

Elena took the last cup of tea and put it down. Even though he succeeded in selling all of his brought works, Khalif seemed half-heartedly wondering as if it didn't feel real.

"T-that's a wise choice."

"It's all thanks to Khalif's eye for great paintings."

Khalif felt good when Princess Veronica, not anyone else, painted him in gold. Also, he was happy to have succeeded in the deal, which was his first step in art.

"No, it's not what I did. As a token of appreciation, I would like to give you a partial discount on the total payment amount…"

"No, don't do that."

"What?"

"Well, I don't bargain over art. It's an insult to art."

'… Crazy cool.'

Khalif was genuinely amazed: Every word she spat out made her even more dazzling, and he couldn't take his eyes off her. He'd seen a lot of simply beautiful aristocratic ladies, but Lady Veronica was the first woman he'd ever seen who felt so wonderful that she transcended that.

"I'll pay you part of the payment now and charge you for the rest of the loan."

"I-I see."

"I'll make a contract for the transfer right away, no delay."

Elena decided how to pay for the purchase of the work at once, and wrote a transfer contract and issued a loan certificate. It was not until she signed the document with a blank face that Khalif realized it.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Khalif bowed down to hide his smile that kept rising with joy.

"What's there to thank me for? I'm just paying a reasonable price for a work that's worth it. Please continue to introduce good works."

"Of course. I'll bring you some masterpieces you'll like."

After transferring the painting, Khalif said a polite goodbye and left the dormitory with the servants. After the successful completion of the first transaction, Khalif, who had been riding in the carriage with a light heart, turned his head and looked up at the lone dormitory where Elena was staying.

"As expected, a Princess is a Princess. There is a difference between a princess and a common noblewoman."

The more half-hearted the nobleman, the more patronizing they behave. Khalif, from a family of fallen aristocrats, had seen many such uncongenial aristocrats since childhood.

But Elena was different. Ever so shockingly, she didn't ask the purchase price until the very moment she signed the contract. Of course, it was clearly stated in the transfer agreement and the loan certificate, but she did not pay close attention.

"It seems that the saying about being able to buy an empire by gathering the wealth of the Grand Duke is not a falsehood."

A smile caught on the mumbling Khalif's mouth. Princess Veronica was the first customer, and she would be the main customer. The large fortune of the Grand Duke meant that the more he continued to deal with her, the larger the gain he would take.

Khalif wondered how to show off his successful first deal to Lucia.

"Oh, what should I say to Lucia? She would be surprised to hear this too."

At that time, standing by the bedroom window on the second floor, Elena was looking down at Khalif pulling the carriage away.

"Now I hit my first shot."

She put a lot of effort into finding people who could help her avoid the eyes of Leabrick. Gradually, the people she had acquired in this way moved on, fulfilling their original roles. Although still inadequate in some respects, today's art deal could be considered the first successful one.

"Anne, are you outside?"

At Elena's call, Anne, who was cleaning up after sending the guests, came up.

"Did you find it, miss?"

"Did you pack the paintings well?"

"I packed three layers so that you wouldn't be shocked."

Anne answered confidently, as if she was paying special attention.

"Good work. Just hang 'Portrait of a Young Woman' downstairs and send the rest to the Great House."

"Yes, miss."

"This is a letter to Leabrick. Send it."

Anne picked up the letter and turned around and went down to the first floor. Elena, who was left alone, turned her eyes out of the window again. There was a panoramic view of the academy that was so peaceful.

"How would Leabrick react if I collected art?"

It was obvious without seeing it. She'd dare to laugh at her with that look of hers. Ever since she first met Leabrick, she'd been playing a vain and selfish role of a young lady.

"I hope you like it."

Elena smiled meaningfully. Originally, once the child was obedient, she would be prettier and joyful. Although she didn't know, she may be satisfied with having a hobby that is suitable for the status of a princess with a little aristocratic appearance. It was not going to do the least bit of crap and ruin her reputation.

"There will be more loan certificates for the Grand Duke to be named."

It was Elena who used a loan certificate to make a debt, but it was up to Leabrick to pay the debt.

***

Elena disguised herself as Lucia after a long time. It was to visit Raphael's studio, which she had never been able to find.

"Ha… Why is it that I painted that?"

She still wanted to hide in a mousetrap when she thought about what happened that day. It was embarrassing to paint a poor picture, but she shed tears in front of Raphael, so what more could happen. But she couldn't stop going back and forth. She was embarrassed, but she didn't know how to deal with Raphael.

"Hello?"

Opening the door, Elena entered the studio. Raphael, who was sitting with a canvas hanging on the easel, looked up and looked at her.

"…"

Silence fell in a few seconds. Elena, who had the past in mind, felt more awkward than nothing.

"Have you been painting? I interrupted you."

"No, it's nice to see you after a long time, Miss Lucia."

At first glance, he was as calm as usual, but today, Raphael's voice was filled with deep joy.

"Me too, sir. I'm sorry I left like that."

"I was very worried."

Elena bowed her head, forgetting that she was ashamed. She felt so sorry that her actions caused Raphael to worry about anything else.

"It's helping in my own way… Huh? Oh! Why did you hang that up there!"

Elena panicked when she saw her painting on the wall. Her face flushed red as she looked away from the meaning and only at the picture itself, which must be a poor work.

"Because I can see it the best."

"I-I'll get off right away. It's definitely not a painting to show anyone."

It was time for Elena, who was embarrassed, to lower the picture. Raphael reached out his hand unknowingly and grabbed Elena's wrist.

"Just let it go."

"S-senior?"

"When I look at that painting, I feel like every painting I've ever painted is a fake. I can't take it off my eyes."

Raphael was very serious. Elena couldn't say a word to him. Elena couldn't think of anything else to say, because she could feel how earnest he really was.