It was obvious who the question was directed at. Soon, the man looking at the painting turned his head toward Ellen. Surprise filled his calm eyes beneath his straight forehead.

Ellen curtsied and added:

“Please forgive my rudeness for speaking first, Count Bruno. Seeing such an esteemed person appreciating my painting, I couldn’t help but introduce myself despite the impropriety. I am Louisa Pavel, the artist who painted ‘Eloise Who Kept Her Promise’ that you’re looking at.”

After her greeting, Ellen glanced up to gauge Roberto’s reaction.

Roberto wore a somewhat confused expression. He moved his lips several times before finally uttering a word.

“Ellen…?”

Hearing that name, Ellen smiled gently. Ellen—that was the nickname Roberto had called her when they were young. He clearly remembered her.

“You remember me. I’m honored.”

“My goodness, Ellen. Is it really you…? I mean, is it really you?”

“Yes, it is. Ellen, Eleonora Glanche, who was indebted to you in childhood.”

Roberto looked back and forth between “Eloise Who Kept Her Promise” hanging on the wall and Ellen. Seeing him moving his lips again, he seemed to still be processing the situation.

Ellen thought of Natasha and waited patiently. Soon Roberto spoke again.

“Well… I never expected to meet you in a place like this, Ellen. It’s been such a long time.”

“The same for me. I wasn’t able to properly say goodbye back then, but seeing you in good health makes me happy.”

“I’m also very pleased to see you again, Ellen. Truly. So you’re Louisa Pavel.”

“Yes. That’s the name I work under.”

The conversation continued in a brighter atmosphere than Ellen had expected. Then Roberto carefully added while examining her complexion:

“Um, by the way…… you look a bit tired, are you alright?”

Clear concern showed on his face. Seeing this, Ellen inwardly clicked her tongue. She knew full well that her appearance was as shabby as a coin that had rolled on the street for days.

‘Oh no.’

She had originally planned to appear perfectly groomed to look like a competent artist. But oversleeping was already unavoidable, so she had no choice but to make excuses.

“Well…… I’m embarrassed. I didn’t have much time…… I’m sorry for presenting such an unsightly appearance.”

“No, not at all. I should apologize for saying something unnecessary.”

Fortunately, Roberto accepted Ellen’s excuse that she didn’t have time to groom herself. He even apologized, claiming he was at fault too. His kind and gentle personality seemed unchanged from childhood.

Ellen felt a bit more at ease and changed the subject.

“There’s no need for you to apologize, Count. Now, may I explain a bit about the painting?”

“……Of course.”

Roberto hesitated briefly before nodding.

Ellen began explaining the painting seriously. If she couldn’t inspire confidence through her appearance, she needed to do so through her explanation. She had to demonstrate how knowledgeable she was about art and how confident she was in her abilities.

“I asked Lady Fionati to model for Eloise. I was worried she might refuse, but fortunately she readily agreed. I had the opportunity to paint her portrait before, and she must have liked the result.”

She didn’t forget to subtly insert her experience as a portrait artist during the explanation. After all, her goal was to become the Bruno family’s portrait painter.

Roberto nodded as he listened to the explanation and occasionally asked brief questions. At first glance, he seemed quite interested.

But Ellen somehow felt that Roberto wasn’t fully focused on the painting.

‘Is he pressed for time? Or perhaps he’s not really interested in the painting?’

Puzzled, she looked at Roberto, who slightly averted his gaze. Seeing this, Ellen decided to end her explanation earlier than planned.

Perhaps Roberto wasn’t as interested in her painting as she thought. If she dragged out the explanation too long, it might create resentment.

When Ellen finished her explanation, Roberto expressed his gratitude politely.

“It was the most impressive painting I’ve ever seen. Thank you for personally explaining it.”

“You flatter me. I’m just glad if it helped you appreciate it a little more.”

“Yes. It was very helpful. But, Ellen……”

Roberto moved his lips but merely hesitated without getting to the point. He seemed to be struggling with what to say.

Ellen smiled and waited for Roberto’s words. Whatever they might be, she was prepared to fully agree. After all, she needed to stay on Roberto’s good side to meet Natasha.

Soon, the hesitating Roberto spoke.

“So…… have you had breakfast?”

Ellen blinked a few times before shaking her head.

⁕⁕⁕

Roberto arrived at the exhibition hall an hour after it opened. After spending some time with Sir Martin and his adorable son, he explored the hall alone.

Since he had cleared his holiday schedule to attend, he wanted to properly appreciate the art.

Paintings and sculptures lined up in rows, with nervous-looking artists standing guard beside their works. The time he spent exploring the exhibition was more enjoyable than Roberto had expected.

‘That must be the invited artist’s exhibition.’

An invited artist serves as a sort of crowd-puller to increase visitors to the exhibition. Therefore, rumors are spread well in advance of the exhibition. This time it was supposedly a mid-career artist from some baronial family.

Roberto politely asked a nearby museum staff member.

“Yes. We originally invited Vedetio, but due to unexpected circumstances, someone else took his place.”

“Is that so? Then who?”

“Louisa Pavel.”

Roberto was somewhat surprised by the answer. Louisa Pavel. A native artist who had begun gaining fame around the end of the war.

She was popular for painting everyday subjects as well as adapting scenes from epics and plays onto canvas.

By now, it would be no exaggeration to say she was the most famous painter in the kingdom, no, the entire southern continent.

‘To invite Louisa Pavel as a replacement, the director must have put in quite an effort.’

Anyone with even a slight appreciation for art would agree. If Louisa Pavel’s paintings were on display, one couldn’t miss them.

Roberto slowly made his way to the platform where the invited artist’s exhibition was being held. As soon as he saw the painting hanging in the center of the platform, he let out a low sigh.

‘……This is.’

It was a painting that immediately caught the eye. Not because it used provocative colors or because it hung on a platform. It was simply that its quality was clearly different from the other paintings. Even Roberto, who wasn’t a painter, could tell at a glance.

A woman standing on high castle walls, holding a magnificent holy sword. With determination, she holds a round wooden frame containing bright light in her right hand.

The woman appears to be about to hand it to someone, and looking at the title of the painting, Roberto could easily understand what it was.

‘Eloise. Eloise from “Le Trois’s Promise.” Then this wooden sphere-like object must be…… Saint Patrick’s heart.’

The woman in the painting was a character from an old legend. Everyone thought she would break her promise, but in the end, she kept it.

Roberto stood there for a long time, captivated by the painting. Looking at it brought back vague memories from his early childhood.

Young Roberto had once shared impressions of this very scene with someone. Both he and the other person had been quite excited, talking about their favorite scenes, and when they mentioned this scene simultaneously, they burst into laughter.

But who was that someone?

‘Perhaps it was someone I was close with in Katura Street during childhood-.’

“Do you like the painting?”

A voice like a gentle breeze reached him then. Roberto turned his head to find the source of the voice and unconsciously held his breath.

Standing there was a young woman.

Honey-brown hair flowing down the side of her neck, pale skin as if she’d never seen sunlight, and in the midst of it all, green eyes resembling fresh leaves shining with endless vitality.

The woman’s calm voice continued, capturing Roberto’s attention.

“I am Louisa Pavel. The artist who painted ‘Eloise Who Kept Her Promise’ that you’re looking at.”

The woman introduced herself thus. As the very person who had painted the picture that had been captivating Roberto’s gaze until just now. As the famous revolutionary of the painting world, the architect of light, Louisa Pavel.

But Roberto felt that her identity wasn’t just that.

‘Louisa Pavel…? But, this person is clearly.’

A memory surfaced the moment he saw the woman. Like when thin ice covering a water surface breaks, revealing the glistening water beneath.

That time was so innocent yet so beautiful it could only be called love, that child who always brought a broad smile to Roberto’s face with her unique quirkiness.

The woman before him bore a striking resemblance to that girl from long ago.

It was a suspicion close to certainty. If that suspicion were true, he would probably call out that name more gladly than ever before.

However, Roberto’s lips only moved without being able to ask the question to confirm his suspicion.

‘What if she’s not that child?’

Roberto hesitated briefly but soon concluded that he had to confirm whether his suspicion was his own misconception. For young Ellen was too meaningful an existence to him.

He opened his mouth as if entranced.

“Ellen…?”

Ellen—those two syllables Roberto had loved so much. Roberto waited for the woman’s answer, trying to calm his nervous heart.

The woman smiled quietly. And she gave Roberto the answer he wanted.

“Yes, that’s right. Ellen, Eleonora Glanche, who was indebted to you in childhood. Louisa Pavel is my pseudonym.”

Ellen’s slightly creased eyes seemed to tell Roberto that he could relax. Roberto’s heart was instantly filled with joyful surprise.

Ellen. Eleonora Glanche.

As he repeated that name, memories of that time came back vividly. The only noble family living in Katura Street. That child was the neighbor girl young Roberto was uniquely allowed to associate with.