(2)

The carriage carrying Ellen and Roberto stopped at number 7 on Broni Street. Roberto got out of the carriage first and escorted Ellen.

The manager, who had been contacted in advance by Larisa, greeted them respectfully.

“I’m delighted to see you visit after so long, Miss Glanche. I see you’re accompanied by an esteemed guest today.”

“It’s been a while, Mr. Weber. This is Count Bruno. He’s Lady Larisa’s guest.”

“Pleased to meet you. I look forward to serving you today.”

When Roberto greeted him, Manager Weber expressed appropriate respect for his reputation. Weber personally escorted the two to their table.

This restaurant provided a separate room for each group of guests, and the room Ellen and Roberto were shown to was quite spacious for just two people.

Roberto thought this was because the original companion for Ellen was supposed to be Larisa.

After finishing their order, Roberto looked around at the room’s decorations and asked Ellen:

“I’ve heard rumors that there’s a ‘Louisa Pavel painting’ in this restaurant, but I suppose it’s not in this room.”

Ellen smiled at that question. It showed that Roberto was quite familiar with her activities.

If he even knew which restaurant had her paintings, it meant he had been quite interested in ‘Louisa Pavel’ all along. Ellen interpreted this as a positive signal for being hired as the Bruno family’s portrait artist.

“Yes, that’s right. My painting is in the Hibiscus Room. Lady Larisa doesn’t often use the Hibiscus Room when accompanying me.”

“I see. That’s a shame. It would have been delightful to dine while viewing one of your works, Ellen.”

Ellen’s expression became complicated at Roberto’s words.

“Ah, well…… Lady Larisa actually quite enjoys dining in the Hibiscus Room.”

“Then why not?”

“It’s not Lady Larisa, but I who……”

Roberto nodded as if encouraging Ellen to continue. Ellen hesitated before averting her gaze slightly and answering.

“You see, when I dine in that room, I get distracted. ‘Riel’s Sea’ is a painting I did quite some time ago.”

“You get distracted?”

“Hmm, many artists would understand this, but when I look at my old paintings, I see parts I want to modify rather than simply appreciating them. And when it’s hanging in front of me throughout the meal, it’s rather distracting.”

Roberto looked as if he hadn’t considered this.

“I see. I have no talent for painting, so I wasn’t aware.”

“Yes. Some people might not feel this way, but I tend to be like that a lot. I found it impossible to properly enjoy my meal.”

Ellen answered this way, hoping Roberto wouldn’t probe further. It had been two years since she was banned from using the Hibiscus Room.

By now, even Ellen deeply regretted the cause, so she was embarrassed to reveal the real reason to Roberto.

‘No matter what, mixing paint into honey meant for eating to modify a tempera painting on the spot was…… a bit too much.’

Indeed. Ellen had once attempted to modify her painting hanging in the Hibiscus Room during a meal, using honey as a medium and wielding a brush.

Setting aside the matter of etiquette, the painting was already the restaurant owner’s property, so even as the original artist, Ellen could face legal issues for modifying it without permission.

In the end, Ellen was restrained by Larisa’s guards, severely scolded by Larisa, and subsequently forbidden from carrying brushes and paints when going out for purposes other than sketching.

“That’s unfortunate, though I understand. Actually, I was hoping to hear your explanation directly, like at the exhibition.”

Fortunately, Roberto didn’t ask any deeper questions. Seeing his disappointed expression, Ellen thought briefly before answering.

“How about this? After our meal, we could ask Mr. Weber to let us have tea in the Hibiscus Room. I think I could explain things more thoroughly that way, rather than during the meal.”

Roberto’s face brightened at the suggestion. He seemed to like the idea. He smiled and said:

“I would certainly enjoy that. Actually, my child is also your fan, and she would be delighted if I could tell her about your explanation after hearing it.”

“!”

My child. Natasha Bruno. When those words fell from Roberto’s lips, Ellen’s eyes flashed sharply. Ellen feigned composure and said:

“By child, do you mean your daughter?”

“Yes, not my biological child…… but a child I cherish even more than that.”

“Ah, I’ve heard she’s Lady Francesca’s daughter……”

“That’s right.”

Roberto quietly nodded. Ellen carefully observed his expression. It seemed somewhat stiff.

‘Ah, I see. If the previous Count Bruno died, that means Fran passed away.’

Ellen finally realized she had made a mistake. At first, she had been so happy at the thought of hearing about Natasha Bruno that she spoke without thinking, but on reflection, it could be quite a sensitive topic.

Francesca Bruno, Roberto’s sister and the previous Count Bruno. And Natasha’s birth mother.

She and her husband had lost their lives years ago during the Empire’s invasion, leaving behind their young daughter.

Ellen only now fully realized that Francesca was dead. A mild shock struck her.

‘Why am I so stupid? I can’t believe I hadn’t noticed until now.’

Francesca had been familiar to Ellen as well. She used to shower Ellen, her brother’s childhood friend, with sweet affection.

She would buy Ellen fairy tales and legend collections to read with Roberto, and gift her cute, luxurious hair accessories and pretty clothes.

Ellen could still vaguely remember how Francesca would smile, gently stroke her hair, and pinch her cheeks every time they met.

To think that Francesca was dead. Despite having heard rumors about the Bruno family’s tragedy, Ellen had never really thought about it until now.

‘For Roberto, his sister passed away. The sister he adored so much…… I wonder if I brought up something I shouldn’t have.’

Ellen looked at Roberto’s stiff face, wondering what she should say now.

Consolation? Questions? Or should she pretend not to notice and change the subject?

No. Hadn’t she learned this since returning to noble society?

What people want regarding old losses isn’t words that remind them of pain. It’s words that recall fond memories of the lost ones.

Having organized her thoughts, Ellen calmly began to speak.

“Though I’ve never met your daughter……”

In reality, she had met Natasha, but such a small lie could be forgiven. Ellen continued with a smile:

“If she takes after Lady Fran, she must be a very wise and spirited young lady.”

“……”

“And if she takes after Lord Nicol, she would be gentle and composed. Either way, she must be very kind and charming. I can tell just by seeing your expression when you speak of your daughter.”

Roberto’s eyes softened at those words.

“……Tisha…Natasha does resemble both of them, but I think she takes after my sister more.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. She seems to act quite grown-up outside, but when she’s just with family, she’s full of energy.”

“Smart and capable, too?”

Ellen asked somewhat playfully. Roberto nodded. A smile had returned to his lips.

“Of course. You might call me doting. But truly, whether it’s academics, arts, or swordsmanship, there’s nothing she can’t do.”

Ellen’s eyes sparkled at those words. Even coming from an adoptive father’s doting perspective, it was precious information about Natasha.

Her mood, which had dropped upon realizing Francesca’s death, brightened again. Ellen burst into laughter and replied:

“Aha, of course! How intelligent and charming she must be! If I have the chance, I’d love to meet her.”

“Ah. Then would you like to visit our home sometime? I’ll treat you to a meal as thanks for the painting you sent the other day.”

“It wasn’t worthy of such thanks…… but if you’re truly inviting me, I’d be delighted to visit.”

Ellen added a touch of modesty while subtly revealing her ulterior motives. Being invited to the Bruno residence meant an opportunity to meet Natasha again. Ellen’s heart screamed and raced around her chest.

“Yes. I’ll send you a letter soon.”

Roberto also nodded readily in response to Ellen’s words. He too was glad to make arrangements to meet Ellen again.

Ellen tried to calm her heart as she sealed the deal.

“You promise?”

“Of course.”

“Great, I’ll be waiting. Ah…… I think the food has arrived.”

Just then, there was a knock at the door. The door opened, and a waiter dressed in an elegant uniform entered with a trolley of food, placing the appetizers in front of them.

The food was delicious, which helped keep the conversation bright and enjoyable.

“In ‘Toward the Horizon,’ I really loved the relationship between Veronica and Riel.”

Soon they began discussing a play they had seen while apart. The painting hanging in the Hibiscus Room was based on that play.

Ellen spoke about her favorite part of the play.

“That they could trust and rely on each other so much despite not being blood sisters—it clearly shows how magnificent human emotions can be.”

“I feel the same way. Veronica appears strong and action-oriented, but I think that was only possible because Riel was by her side.”

“Exactly. Oh, I love it so much. I must confess, I have this condition where I simply can’t resist painting whenever I imagine scenes of them together. I’ve probably filled at least ten sketchbooks with just Veronica and Riel.”

“Haha, that’s impressive. I’d love to see them sometime.”

Roberto burst into laughter at Ellen’s exaggeration. Both Ellen and Roberto enjoyed the work so much that their conversation continued uninterrupted until they finished dessert and rose from their seats.

After the meal, as planned, they asked Weber for permission to move to the Hibiscus Room. Even in the hallway, their discussion about the play continued.