Larisa sighed and said:
“You’re the root cause of this.”
“……I suppose so.”
Indeed, Roberto’s misunderstanding that Ellen had fallen into the hands of a malicious patron was almost entirely Ellen’s fault.
If Ellen hadn’t lived so irregularly in the first place, she wouldn’t have overslept on the morning of the exhibition and would have gone properly dressed and fed.
Then, naturally, Roberto wouldn’t have misunderstood.
Realizing her guilt, Ellen fidgeted with her hands for a moment before speaking with determination.
“I understand, Lady Larisa. This situation is entirely my fault.”
“Yes.”
“So I’ll take responsibility and explain everything to Count Bruno. I’ll use all my vocabulary and expressiveness to testify how well you’ve been treating me!”
Larisa sighed again at Ellen’s assurance. Ellen quickly understood that the sigh meant “there’s no helping it.”
Larisa said:
“Keep your schedule clear for a while. I’ll arrange a meeting with Count Bruno.”
“Yes.”
“And on the day of the meeting, wake up early enough not to be late. You’re not planning to show up looking so pitiful that even people from Delba Street would feel sorry for you, are you?”
Delba Street was a residential area for the lower class. Ellen inwardly grumbled that Larisa was exaggerating too much, but outwardly she answered confidently.
“I’ll go to bed early, wake up early, eat well, and dress properly.”
Still, Larisa looked uneasy. The most untrustworthy part of Ellen’s promise was that she would wake up on time.
Ellen seemed to notice that Larisa’s expression remained troubled.
“Lady Larisa.”
“What is it?”
“You don’t need to worry. I’m someone who only has eyes for painting, and I don’t want to pay attention to anything else besides painting.”
Ellen looked straight into Larisa’s eyes as she continued.
“But I don’t repay kindness with enmity.”
Larisa’s fingertips trembled slightly.
“……Yes. I know.”
“You’ve been so good to me all this time, Lady Larisa. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but you must have been meeting with the Count about something important, right? I’ll definitely clear up the misunderstanding, so don’t worry.”
Ellen promised once more. This time, Larisa readily accepted her assurance.
“Alright. But try to live more regularly, not just on the day of the meeting. Shouldn’t you start taking care of your health a bit more now?”
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“……Let’s have some tea. Merry, Marie.”
“Yes, my lady.”
As soon as Larisa gave the order, Merry and Marie moved to prepare tea time.
A late spring breeze swept through the garden. It felt like a wind that reassured them that there was nothing to worry about.
⁕⁕⁕
Roberto’s response to the meeting request came quickly. He suggested meeting the very next afternoon.
Ellen wondered if Roberto’s schedule would allow it on a non-holiday, but since he had proposed it himself, she assumed it would be fine.
The next day, shortly after lunchtime, Merry came to wake Ellen. She peeked into the bedroom, and finding no one there, headed toward the atelier, calling out:
“Ellen, Ellen! You need to wake up now. Otherwise, you might not have time to eat—”
“Hello, Merry.”
“Oh my, you’re already up?”
Ellen, who had been in the study, poked her head out into the hallway. Merry looked surprised to see her so bright and alert. Ellen puffed out her chest proudly and said:
“Hey, I told you I could wake up. Don’t you trust me at all?”
“No.”
“That’s harsh.”
“Haha, but you did wake up well today. Good job.”
Since there was plenty of time, Ellen was able to dress beautifully in formal attire with just Merry’s help. The navy blue dress, more subdued and formal than a party dress, suited Ellen quite well.
Merry held earrings up to Ellen’s ear and asked:
“How about these, Ellen? Lady Larisa didn’t give specific instructions about accessories. Would this set be alright?”
“Yes, I think it would be fine. It looks dignified. And since they’re well-crafted emeralds that cost quite a bit, they should help clear up the Count’s misunderstanding.”
The reflection in the mirror showed a neat and composed noblewoman. It was a remarkable transformation compared to her usual appearance of just throwing a shawl over a dress.
When Roberto saw her like this, he would completely abandon his misunderstanding that Ellen was being exploited. Ellen rose from her seat, satisfied.
Larisa’s mansion was located on the wealthiest street in the capital. When Ellen arrived at the mansion, a familiar head butler guided her to the reception room.
Larisa had said she had work left to do and asked Ellen to wait alone for a while, so Ellen enjoyed a late tea time with scones and tea.
“You’re here? Fortunately, it seems you managed to wake up properly today.”
“Hello, Lady Larisa.”
About five minutes before the appointed time, Larisa entered the reception room with an anxious expression. She quickly inspected Ellen’s appearance after just a brief greeting.
“Hair, good. Makeup, good. Clothes, good. Earrings…… Why those? What happened to the alexandrite I bought you last time?”
“Those are too luxurious. Wouldn’t they raise suspicions? Like maybe you hastily lent me yours. Something a noblewoman my age would typically own is better.”
It was a reasonable explanation. Larisa nodded as if convinced. She led Ellen to another reception room—a larger, more dignified one used for receiving business guests.
“The Count arrived a little while ago. It seems he came directly after leaving the knight order.”
“He’s quite proactive.”
“Indeed. Well, shall we go in? Are you ready?”
Ellen nodded. Larisa cleared her throat and signaled to Merry.
When Merry opened the door, they saw Roberto Bruno sitting neatly in the middle of the spacious room. As mentioned, he was in his uniform, having come directly from the knight order.
Roberto stood up and greeted Ellen and Larisa.
“Good day, Young Duke Folkenbach. Miss Eleonora.”
Ellen was somewhat surprised by the greeting. Roberto’s voice was remarkably cold when addressing Larisa.
It wasn’t outright rude enough to violate etiquette, but the temperature difference compared to when he said Ellen’s name was enormous.
It was so frigid that Ellen unconsciously glanced at Larisa to gauge her reaction.
However, Young Duke Folkenbach, having weathered many storms, seemed uninterested in paying attention to such minor rudeness and calmly accepted the greeting.
“Welcome, Count Bruno. Thank you for making time today. This is, as you know, the artist Louisa Pavel, Miss Eleonora Glanche, whom I sponsor.”
“I am Eleonora Glanche. Thank you for the other day, Count.”
Roberto’s gaze softened somewhat after receiving Ellen’s greeting.
Larisa carefully observed this change in Roberto’s expression as she led them to the sofa.
Under normal circumstances, Larisa would sit in the seat of honor with Roberto and Ellen on either side, but today, since Ellen needed to defend Larisa, the two of them sat together on a larger sofa.
Merry brought tea, and after everyone had taken a sip, Larisa gave Ellen a signal. It was a cue for her to speak first.
“Count Bruno. I’ve heard what happened. I feel terrible that my behavior has caused a misunderstanding between you two. While I truly appreciate your concern for me, I assure you that I receive more than adequate treatment as Lady Larisa Folkenbach’s sponsored artist.”
Ellen carefully added:
“I’m not suffering from financial hardship either. Rather, thanks to Lady Larisa’s generosity, I live quite comfortably.”
As she said this, Ellen lightly brushed her hair behind her ear to emphasize her earrings. The jewels, which resembled Ellen’s eyes, sparkled as they caught the light of the chandelier.
Roberto studied Ellen’s expression before speaking.
“Then what did you mean when you said you didn’t have time the other day?”
“……This is embarrassing to admit, but I stayed up late painting the night before the exhibition, so I meant I didn’t have time in the morning. If I’d had enough time, I would have prepared properly with a meal and appropriate clothing. I apologize for creating a misunderstanding with my unclear expression.”
“Count, Eleonora often oversleeps in the morning when she’s immersed in her work. Even when she’s given plenty of time for a project. I hope this clears up the misunderstanding.”
Larisa added. The last sentence expressed her genuine sentiment. Roberto looked back and forth between Ellen and Larisa as if gauging their sincerity, then spoke.
“I understand what you’re saying. However……”
“However?”
“It’s not that I don’t believe what you’re saying. But if you don’t mind, may I speak with Miss Glanche alone for a moment?”
He wanted to speak with Ellen privately, asking Larisa to leave. He thought Ellen might be forced to lie in front of her patron.
Larisa looked at Ellen as if asking what she wanted to do, and Ellen nodded as if to say she could be trusted.
Larisa replied:
“……Very well. Since you’re Miss Eleonora’s old friend, I suppose you have things to discuss privately. I’ll wait in my office for a while.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Young Duke.”
Roberto’s voice of gratitude had softened somewhat compared to before. Larisa left the room with Merry and Marie.
Left alone in the room, Roberto asked Ellen:
“Ellen. Are you truly alright?”
His voice was calm, but listening carefully, one could hear suppressed concern. Ellen looked at Roberto and nodded. She had heard that Roberto had misunderstood, but she hadn’t realized he was this worried. She felt a little sorry.
Ellen thought for a moment before speaking.
“Count.”
“Yes, Ellen.”
“My breakfast this morning was bacon and eggs, freshly baked white bread, and coffee. Not milk, coffee.”
Ellen emphasized that her morning beverage was coffee.
Roberto blinked at Ellen’s sudden breakfast menu confession. It took him a few seconds to understand Ellen’s intention.
Coffee was a luxury exclusive to the upper class. Someone who couldn’t even afford proper meals would never be able to drink it. Ellen continued her persuasion:
“For lunch, I went to a restaurant on Broni Street. With my own money, of course. If you doubt me, you can ask the manager for confirmation. He knows my face. I dine out frequently, and it’s a restaurant I often visit.”
