4. The Award Ceremony Party

The news reached her while Nelie was busy exploring the newspaper company’s new warehouse.

“Wow, that’s our Duke for you.”

The director, who seemed to have forgotten that he had published a caricature insulting the Duke in his newspaper, rubbed his hands together while looking at the newly built warehouse. The neatly organized warehouse had shelves and cabinets installed for storage, making it look neither old nor cramped like before.

‘So now.’

Should she come back here now?

Nelie thought about it and flinched slightly.

Of course, she would have to ask the director first, but if she said she wanted to use this place, he wouldn’t stop her even while making a big show of letting her have the new warehouse.

Because then he could keep Nelie at the newspaper company all day and give her more work. Nelie had actually heard the director’s grumbling a few times. Since she started commuting, it became harder to produce as many illustrations as before.

‘Then coming back shouldn’t be difficult.’

Yet this warehouse only felt awkward to her. Even though it looked much more livable than before. Nelie realized she had grown accustomed to living in the townhouse.

The beginning had been incredibly burdensome. It was a place she ended up staying because the Duke had forced her in a way that wasn’t quite forcing. It was also a place where she had lived in constant worry that people around might discover she was there.

But now that place had become comfortable. Once again, self-justification and excuses followed.

‘If I leave there……’

Professor Mayhew’s lessons would end too. In reality, the landscape painting Nelie had completed while taking Professor Mayhew’s lessons had already been submitted to the competition a few days ago. After that, Professor Mayhew said she would continue teaching her.

However, if she left the townhouse, she would have no more justification for receiving lessons from her. The last time she saw her, the professor repeatedly praised Nelie for being a student who learned quickly in a short period and gently patted her back.

‘That would all be over now.’

Not just that. The studio with both good and bad memories, the mattress that felt like clouds, and the quality food served on time would all be over too.

‘…Things related to the Duke as well.’

The Duke who somehow started following her when she took detours on her way home to avoid being caught by the people in the newspaper company, and gave her rides in his carriage. The side table or the studio windowsill where she occasionally mixed bodies with the Duke. The sight of the Duke smiling at her across the table, or him placing his hand on her shoulder when he came to watch her paint and looking at her with gentle eyes.

‘…It will all be over.’

Even though she thought this was natural, somehow her throat felt dry. Nelie was just finishing her tour of the warehouse, fanning herself.

“Nelie! Annelie!”

In the distance, she could see Jerome running toward the newspaper company. His face was flushed red. In his hand was the art newspaper regularly published in Tevant.

“Jerome!”

“Come look at this.”

Jerome, watching the director’s reaction, called Nelie to where the work tables were. His eyes sparkled with joy. Nelie immediately recognized the headline of the art newspaper.

「Preliminary Passers for the Exhibition Competition Funded by the Duke of Tevant Announced」

Nelie opened her eyes wide and asked.

“Preliminary? Shouldn’t the winners be announced directly?”

“Yeah. This competition became bigger than expected… they say many people from foreign countries submitted works too.”

Jerome nodded and continued his explanation.

“Too many works poured in, so they decided to divide it into preliminary and final rounds.”

“That many?”

“Yes. And they’re also giving invitations to the party hosted by the Duke to those who passed the preliminary round. A party celebrating this exhibition competition. They’ll announce the winners there too.”

To think such an event would be held. Nelie’s eyes widened.

“There’s a rumor that the Princess of Lambert Kingdom, the Second Prince of Pirel Kingdom, and art enthusiasts from all nationalities will gather at the party.”

“…They’re inviting us to such a party? Even though we only passed the preliminary round?”

“Passing the preliminary round among numerous artists is an honor. But that’s not all.”

Jerome moistened his lips once and said.

“Even if you don’t make it to the finals, just participating in this party increases your chances of finding a sponsor. It’s truly a dream come true for art students.”

“Wow.”

Just hearing about it, she could tell it was something extraordinary. Stories about princesses from some kingdom or whatnot were things she had only occasionally heard as rumors even in the countryside. For Nelie, who grew up in her village, people like princesses or princes were characters who only appeared in fairy tales.

‘…He really is an extraordinary nobleman from an extraordinary city.’

She had been close to him for so long that her awareness of this fact had dimmed recently. The Duke in the expensive photograph under the headline wore a dignified yet appealing clean smile that could win people’s favor. Although the photograph didn’t fully capture the Duke’s charm, Nelie couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“And look here, Nelie.”

Jerome urged Nelie, pointing to a corner of the newspaper. Following his finger, Nelie was surprised, her eyes widening, and soon her face colored with a joyful smile.

“Oh my. Congratulations, Jerome!”

“Thank you.”

“I’m really happy for you.”

Jerome’s name was positioned near the top among the twenty or so preliminary passers. Nelie saw this and clapped her hands with a happy smile.

“Your name is at the top. Maybe that means you passed the preliminary with a good score.”

“We don’t know that, Nelie. The names might just be listed randomly.”

“Still.”

Even so, just making it to the preliminaries provided an opportunity for sponsorship, he had said. If he won, he could receive a huge prize money, honor, and become a noted artist. This was definitely something to celebrate.

“I knew you could do it. You’ve always worked so hard!”

“…Thank you. I really wanted to receive your congratulations.”

“Mine?”

“Yes. Because you’re a good… colleague.”

“Thank you for thinking of me that way.”

While Nelie was congratulating Jerome on passing the preliminary round as if it were her own achievement, Jerome’s lips, which had been trembling with shyness, revealed a faint smile. Soon, his finger slowly moved to the end of the preliminary passers list.

“And you should look here too.”

“Huh?”

“It’s important, Nelie.”

Moving her gaze after hearing his response, Nelie flinched for a moment and widened her eyes. Her mouth slowly opened.

“……”

While Nelie was frozen, unable to respond, Jerome continued in a kind voice.

“Congratulations to you too, Nelie. I heard you were taking lessons with the fund.”

Looking at the clearly written name “Annelie Heich,” Jerome smiled gently. It was a kind voice that didn’t blame Nelie for only telling him about taking lessons, without showing him her paintings or painting landscapes together.

“I’m really happy for you.”

Nelie’s eyes reddened at Jerome’s sincere congratulations. Even in the midst of this, Nelie swallowed words she hadn’t managed to say. A question that arose within herself. A question she was afraid to voice aloud.

“If that’s what you want, Annelie Heich.”

“I’ll do everything I can for you.”

What flashed through her mind at that moment were the words the Duke had whispered to her.

* * *

When she returned to the townhouse with a confused mind, an unexpected visitor was waiting for Nelie.

“It suits you so well.”

The designer from Tevant’s most famous dress shop kept saying that while looking at the dress Nelie was wearing. Nelie followed the designer to the full-length mirror with a tense expression.

“Really. I didn’t expect it would suit you this well.”

“……”

“I roughly sewed this dress based on the measurements the Duke roughly provided. To think it would fit so perfectly.”

The designer spread the hem of Nelie’s dress with a friendly smile.

The light sky-blue dress gave a completely different impression from the old, neat one-piece dresses or casual clothes Nelie usually wore. It was a beautiful dress with elegantly accentuated shoulders and neckline, a well-defined waist, and silk that flowed down like a blue waterfall.

Nelie, dressed up beautifully with her hair styled to match the dress, blinked at her own reflection in the mirror. She felt awkward because she looked not like the daughter of a printing house owner from the countryside, but like some noblewoman. Nelie closed her eyes for a long moment, then opened them and turned her gaze to the Duke leaning against the doorframe.

The Duke, who had introduced the designer to Nelie as soon as she returned to the townhouse, was scanning her entire body with inscrutable eyes. It was like he was looking at some work he had completed, making Nelie’s hands tremble a bit more.

“Um, clothes like this…”

“It fits perfectly. I’ll bring it back with some more adjustments.”

“Excuse me……”

“Then I’ll be going now! Next time I’ll bring it with more reinforcements. Please make sure to wear it.”

She couldn’t bring herself to tell the cheerfully smiling designer that she wouldn’t wear this dress. The designer helped Nelie change her clothes and then left the townhouse. By the time she left, it was already late evening.

“……”

Nelie took several deep breaths and looked across at the Duke who was still standing there. She didn’t know where to begin. She decided to start by declining his excessive kindness.

“Your Grace. A dress like that is too much for me.”

“Why? You’ve been accepting support for pigments and art supplies just fine.”

“But that’s different.”

“How is it different?”

Nelie took a deep breath. How is it different, he asks.