The woman’s face that had changed richly when teased now held wariness. She suddenly seemed tense.

“I haven’t done anything… to receive something like this.”

Annelie Heich continued hesitantly. Her voice was careful, seeming to recall she could still be reported for defamation.

Instead of honestly answering that she should act as his mistress to deceive his grandmother, Elroy shrugged and answered languidly.

“So you won’t trouble me by drawing such lewd illustrations of me somewhere I don’t know about?”

“…I won’t do such things. The boss doesn’t order such things anymore and……”

“Didn’t you draw an obscene illustration featuring me with an elephant not long ago, and now you’re already working on a new illustration?”

When Elroy pointed this out, Annelie Heich’s cheeks turned bright red. Her pink-tinged cheeks looked like peaches, making him momentarily want to take a bite.

“But since then……”

“Your boss might be quiet now, but who knows what will happen if he forgets my warning.”

Annelie Heich couldn’t refute and closed her mouth. Elroy recalled the man who was supposedly her boss.

He knew that type of person all too well. Those who would sell even their families, blinded by gossip and money. Such people don’t easily change with a few warnings. Before long, they forget the leniency shown to them and cross the line again.

Nelie knew this all too well. That’s why she couldn’t answer. While she hesitated, the duke strode into the town house and looked back at her.

“Is there still a problem?”

There were many. This was when Nelie hesitated until the last moment. The duke tightened his lips, sighed, and said,

“Besides, it’s more convenient to check on you if you’re somewhere under my management, Miss Heich.”

“What? What do you……”

“What if you only pretended to take the medicine?”

The bluntly spoken words left a thin cut on one side of Nelie’s heart. It wasn’t a fresh major wound, as the duke had already left scratches on her heart before.

Still, she felt somewhat relieved that he spoke so honestly. After experiencing nothing but misfortune since arriving in the city, it seemed only natural. She felt she couldn’t bear it if excessive good fortune suddenly came her way. Undeserved luck was nothing but burdensome. Hadn’t she always dreamed only modest dreams? Small, humble dreams befitting a country girl.

But this was fortune with a reason. Even if that reason wasn’t particularly welcome.

‘Yes. That’s actually better.’

Nelie tried to convince herself. For a moment, she recalled that strange and warm atmosphere when the duke had comforted her, but it quickly faded. That too must have been her misunderstanding. He clearly had surveillance intentions behind his actions.

That was better for her too.

‘That’s right.’

Nelie quickly swallowed something stinging and glared at the duke. Watching her with a chuckle, the duke stared at her and said,

“So come in already.”

Since she had come this far, she couldn’t turn back. Nelie finally sighed and stepped into the town house.

And as if she had never been upset, she walked around inside, repeatedly expressing admiration.

“My goodness.”

The interior of the townhouse, which had seemed quite substantial from the outside, was far more magnificent and splendid. High-quality materials reflecting aristocratic taste were everywhere, from the high ceilings to the beautiful balcony stairs leading to the second floor.

Moreover, the entire town house seemed converted into a gallery, with artistic works everywhere. The corridors were lined with skillfully carved statues and vases, and the walls displayed harmonious paintings of various styles. It looked less like a home and more like a small art museum.

What captivated Nelie most was the studio on the top floor.

“Wow.”

Nelie gasped in admiration the moment the door opened.

The studio, finished with floor-to-ceiling windows, was filled with all kinds of materials for drawing torsos and still lifes, along with various pigments. Nelie instantly sensed these were materials difficult to obtain even at the Academy. She momentarily felt burdened, but remembering the duke’s attitude when mentioning the illegitimate child, she put those feelings aside.

What caught her attention more than anything else was the bookshelf that filled an entire wall of the not-small studio.

“……”

In the center of the bookshelf, filled with famous illustrators’ and painters’ collections, painting method books, and art history and critics’ books, sat elaborately decorated ancient books. Several beautiful books where monastery monks had once shown off their skills with illustrations, colorful embellishments, and premium ink to fill the margins were placed there.

Nelie carefully examined them. She didn’t want to show her excitement, but she couldn’t help her face flushing. Before long, Nelie’s cheeks and forehead turned bright red. Her heart pounded like a child before candy. The duke simply watched her without saying anything.

After she spent a long time looking at the books and smiling, a snickering sound came from beside her. Only then did Nelie suddenly become aware of the duke’s presence and quickly composed her expression, but it was already too late.

“You seem to like them quite a bit.”

Irritated by his comment, Nelie pretended to be nonchalant and stood in front of the easel and canvas by the window. From that position, the outside scenery caught her eye. It was a prime location with a full view of Tevant Grand Park. The duke spoke casually,

“I can’t let you go out to draw.”

“……”

“Because then it would be difficult for me to monitor you.”

The duke’s unkind words didn’t properly register in her ears. She couldn’t blame him when the fresh, green scene spread before her was so beautiful.

The building was three stories tall, but because it sat on elevated ground, it felt even higher. It seemed as if the architect who designed this town house had meticulously planned from which angle one could best view the city and park in a single glance. Looking at the vibrant summer scene, Nelie couldn’t help but exclaim:

“…Wow.”

Indeed, it was a flawless studio by any measure. She even wanted to bring Jerome and others she knew someday to show them that such a place existed.

Just then, she noticed artists carrying all sorts of painting supplies along the outskirts of the park below, where trees displayed their greenery at regular intervals, struggling to capture the scenery. Jerome might be somewhere down there too.

Nelie looked at them with interest before turning her attention back to the easel and canvas. She had only handled these tools once before. The day Jerome first suggested she try landscape painting.

In truth, even then she had only practiced light sketching, not seriously painted. Nelie still felt awkward with those professional painting supplies.

“……”

When Nelie hesitated, clenching her fist and stepping back, the duke raised an eyebrow.

“Not interested?”

“Ah, no, it’s just……”

“The landscape competition would be quite a good opportunity.”

The duke mentioned the landscape painting competition Jerome had talked about. Nelie turned to the duke with a smile that mixed slight nervousness and shyness.

“I’ve never tried painting landscapes.”

“You do seem more comfortable with figures than landscapes.”

At those words, Nelie’s ears turned red again. The lewd illustrations she had drawn flashed through her mind.

“Then draw figures.”

“I wouldn’t go that far……”

“You seem capable of drawing well even without a model.”

“…Are you criticizing me again?”

Nelie narrowed her eyes. She felt uncomfortable with his references to the drawings she had made of him. But the duke looked down at Nelie without any concern.

“If you really want to draw, I could introduce you to a model.”

“……”

“Or there’s one right in front of you.”

She couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious. Of course, the duke would undoubtedly make an excellent model, but……”

“Do you want a n*de model?”

When Nelie startled at those words, the duke smiled mysteriously. His attitude suggested he found her reaction strange, considering all they had been through. Nelie rubbed her cheeks and looked back at the easel. Seeing the canvas and the palette with pigments made her heart race.

“Try it.”

The duke spoke as if it were nothing special. His voice had the effect of making everything seem trivial.

So Nelie quietly sat on the stool in front of the easel and touched the canvas. The duke didn’t comment but simply watched her. He acted as if monitoring her was part of his daily routine.

“Phew.”

Sighing lightly to release tension, Nelie recalled what she had learned from Jerome or from method books and began sketching. Scratch, scratch. The sound of charcoal awkwardly marking the canvas quietly filled the air.

* * *

The change began quietly.

The duke visited the town house where Nelie stayed quite often. When she was absorbed in her work, she would suddenly find the duke leaning against the doorframe, watching her. His complimentary remarks were a bonus.

“Now you’re finally doing something proper.”

Though initially startled, Nelie gradually grew accustomed to the duke’s behavior. After all, this town house was provided by him, so he was essentially the landlord. She had no grounds to stop the owner from entering his own property.

Sometimes the duke would encounter Nelie on her way home and accompany her to the town house.

“Duke? What brings you to this road……”

“The Printing Guild is in this area.”