59

"Are you asking me to be a model? I didn't hear you wrong, did I?"

"You heard it right. Was it a little sudden?"

"Suddenly a model…"

Elena was awkward. It was a great honor to be asked by a painter to be a model for a portrait. It meant that you had a beauty that could be put on a canvas. It was obvious that anyone would feel good, but Elena couldn't like it.

Elena was disguised as Lucia now. Her straight bangs, short hair, black horn-rimmed glasses were typical of study bugs found in the corner of the library.

Compared to the days when Elena was a Princess Veronica, who could reveal her natural beauty, her current appearance was so shabby that even a name card could not be presented. Elena didn't understand what kind of charm he had seen and asked for a model.

"Thanks for your words, but I don't quite understand. Why did you offer me a model? I'm not that pretty either."

"I have a reason. I'll tell you if you don't laugh."

When Raphael answered seriously, Elena stammered at the thought of the possibility.

"Maybe he… The sky… that's not it is it?"

Elena mumbled shy words even in her mouth. An angel? She couldn't raise her head because she was ashamed of being compared to an angel considered a symbol of holy beauty.

"Angel. I said that, but it's actually just a piece of a word to describe how I felt. There was no way to express this feeling."

"So you're saying no? Oh, thank God."

It was when Elena was inwardly relieved.

"Light, pure white."

"… It should have been an angel."

Elena was embarrassed to die of embarrassment when he said something that was no different from an angel. Raphael spoke to Elena again, who felt embarrassed.

"It's the first time I've known that people shine, and I've got the desire to put that light in my paintings."

Elena's eyes opened to the appearance of Raphael, who showed eagerness and enthusiasm for the painting.

'Maybe it'll be an opportunity to get out of a slump?'

Raphael fell into a severe slump because he was so focused on drawing an outer face that he couldn't contain the inner side, creating a sense of separation. No matter what picture the result was, she thought it was an important time for Raphael to overcome the slump.

"Light. It makes me curious."

Raphael's eyes were full of anticipation due to the blur of Elena's words.

"I'll do it. I might be a model for a portrait that represents the age. How can I just skip this opportunity?"

"Thank you. I was worried a lot about you refusing, but I really don't know how to express this gratitude."

Raphael didn't know what to do with Elena's acceptance. A smile was also drawn on Elena's mouth, watching Raphael. Elena sincerely wanted Raphael to overcome the slump.

"But! I've done you a favor, so please do me a favor."

"I'll risk my life to hear anything you ask."

Raphael was ready to serve any request. His head was filled with a hot breeze trying to capture the light that Elena had in his picture.

"It's something a senior must draw to know, but if that's the case, really just a what if. If the portrait is completed before autumn, please display it at the art festival."

"Is it an academy art festival?"

"Oh! Don't get me wrong. I'm not asking you to draw it in a hurry, but I'm saying it because I want you to submit it to the art festival if the timing is right."

Raphael hesitated for a moment. Although he is attending the art department of the academy, he submitted only the tasks necessary to acquire the grades, and he has never released a proper painting. He himself felt ashamed to disclose his paintings because he thought they were insufficient. Elena expected Raphael to break the shell and come out of the world.

"Okay. If the timing is right, I'll submit it as Miss Lucia said."

"The deal's over! Now that we're talking about it, how about starting today? It'll be difficult if you forget the feeling. Should I go over there and sit down? Pose a little bit?"

With Elena's enthusiasm, Raphael smirked without realizing it. And thought at the same time. This picture has a good feeling. For some reason, he was excited by the vague expectation that he could draw a real picture that he'd never drawn before.

***

Inside Leabrick's office. Four elegant men were standing on either side of Leabrick, who was seated in the upper seat. They seemed to be in their early thirties, and were the central figures supporting the Grand Duchy with Leabrick's hands and feet. Not only had they graduated from the academy with excellent grades, but they had also been educated under the patronage of the Grand Duke and were deeply loyal to him. As such, they faithfully obeyed the orders of Leabrick, who was ten years younger than them, without once hinting of dissatisfaction.

"A person named L bought land in the slums?"

When Leabrick asked back with a look of speech, they took turns reporting.

"Yes, it's 14 places, to be exact."

"About two months ago, they completed the purchase process and even received land certificates issued by the imperial family."

"It has been found that they are responsible for the increase in the purchase price of the poor's land."

"I beg your pardon, but the site L purchased is the center of Noblesse Street."

The limbs gathered and communicated what they had investigated as it was. It was the role of Leabrick to analyze, take action and deal with such information.

"The bottom line is that L knew we were going to develop the slums, and they played first."

Unless you are a fool, you have no choice but to think about that. The location of the land bought by L was the same, and the timing was the same. In addition, given that they received a land certificate issued by the imperial family, she felt strongly that they were trying to prevent the land from being taken away in advance by external pressure or coercion. A man with a beautiful mustache spoke carefully.

"It looks like the information was leaked."

"What do you call that?"

"I'm sorry."

The men lowered their heads at the same time as Leabrick spoke with a sharp edge.

"Did you find the leak?"

"I'm sorry."

This means that they have not grasped it at all.

"Then where is L?"

"… I'm sorry."

"Are you guys going to keep doing this?"

Leabrick's cool voice calmed the atmosphere down heavily. Most of the time she didn't show her feelings, so they lowered their heads and looked at each other.

"I must have warned you. I told you to take care of the security because this project is very risky for our Grand Duke. Did I sound ridiculous?"

The aids made excuses without even raising their heads.

"No. We took note and took note of it, but… so we are also in trouble."

"It may sound like an excuse, but there is no trace of information leaking."

"We're going crazy, too. It's all the more so because we've done enough to figure out the poor."

Leabrick's eyes narrowed. She took turns peeping at them.

"That sounds like one out of every five people here has bought land under the pseudonym L."

"V-Viscountess!"

When what she said came back as an arrow, the four of them sat down and got down to their knees as if they had promised.

"Please, clear your doubts."

"G-give me time, and I'll find out where the information came from."

"One more chance."

The four of them pleaded with Leabrick, bowing their heads. They were such flies in the ointment that one word from Leabrick was all that mattered. This was because Grand Duke Friedrich had given Leabrick such strong real power.

"Do you know how much damage we've suffered in this case?"

"…"

"If you think your life is worth more than that, you're mistaken."

Leabrick's manner of speaking was elegant, but the content of his threats was bleak. For it must have meant that the combined lives of the four of them would not be worth the money. It also meant that if they didn't make up the damage, they wouldn't be allowed to live.

"Take any means to buy the land from the slums. Threaten or take it from them if you need to."

"B-but then the back statement…"

"It's your job to keep it out."

Leabrick warned coldly and informally.

The mustache-bearing aid sensed the danger of that statement. If there was gossip, she would blame them for everything, so they would be responsible for handling things.

"U-understood."

Even though they knew that the risk was high, they had no choice but to follow. They had to live and see.

"Find L, too. Don't forget who they are, where they live, and how old they are."

"I'm already asking for it. We've already figured out what they look like from the people who sold the land."

"Do I have to be briefed on that?"

"…"

In Leabrick's eyes, the aids bowed and waited for the next word.

"All I want you to do is to take ownership of the land to our Grand Duke. I don't care how. What I want is the result."

"U-understood."

Leabrick waved her hand and told them to go out. They left the office with a blue face. As things didn't go as she wanted, Leabrick stood up from the chair and stood in front of the window.

"They didn't. They're blinded by a few pennies, so they don't have low loyalty, and they have no guts to spill information."

Leabrick had shifted the blame and pressured the limbs until now, but in reality, she never doubted their loyalty to the Grand Duke. They had also become so good at their jobs that they had been working for the Grand Duke for over ten years.

Nevertheless, information was leaked.