Chapter 41

“Hailyn will remain. If you keep her as a maid, no one will suspect anything.”

Three days later, the delegation from the Tiola Empire was busy from the morning preparing to return home. For Adelina, Jaeyon left behind Hailyn, his escort knight and maid.

“Thank you, both of you.”

Because the Empress did not allow Adelina to leave the palace, Jaeyon bid farewell in Adelina’s reception room.

“Lady, I am your first friend, remember? You must not give that place to anyone else.”

In front of the reception room door, Jaeyon playfully winked as he extended his hand for a handshake.

“Of course, Jaeyon.”

In truth, in both her past life and this one, Jaeyon was her only friend.

Adelina left out the awkward words and lightly hugged Jaeyon’s shoulder.

“Make sure to deliver the paintings to Chellus.”

She whispered softly, bringing her lips close to Jaeyon’s ear. The paintings were already completed and packed.

“”Of course… Always be careful.”

Having said all he wanted, Jaeyon wrapped his arms around Adelina again, pulling her into a tight embrace.

“Jaeyon…”

“I will miss you. As a friend…”

His serious voice, devoid of playfulness, tickled Adelina’s ear.

“I think I will miss you too.”

Even at this moment, Adelina couldn’t tell if Jaeyon was acting for his own purposes or not.

‘I must have grown fond of him… truly. Like a friend.’

She could only vaguely guess that she would miss Jaeyon.

+++

“We will inspect the luggage, Jaeyon.”

Leophris and the Imperial Guard entered Jaeyon’s room, claiming they needed to inspect the luggage of the Tiola Empire’s delegation.

“There must have been a report already.”

Jaeyon, who was packing the paintings to be delivered to Chellus, put them back on the sofa table.

“Yes. We will inspect some items from the list.”

While other knights checked the documents with the list, Leophris glanced at the items on the sofa table, slightly curling one side of his lip.

“Jaeyon, we need to see the paintings. Please unwrap them. Or shall we do it ourselves?”

“You must have seen them once already.”

Jaeyon, unable to hide his displeasure, instructed his attendants to unwrap the paintings.

‘They really are quick-witted.’

Watching Leophris closely examine the unwrapped paintings, Jaeyon turned his head towards the clock on the wall. Until now, they had never been so thorough in their inspections, but today they even began turning out bags containing underwear.

+++

‘It’s time.’

As Jaeyon turned his gaze from the wall to the door, Sweeney entered with the head maid and attendants.

“Oh dear. We have guests. Jaeyon.”

“It’s an honor for the Queen to visit personally.”

Jaeyon approached Sweeney and kissed the back of her hand. He wanted to lead her to the sofa, but it was already covered with luggage.

“I came to say goodbye since you are returning today. We cannot promise when we will meet again.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I was actually planning to bring your portrait to you, had someone not appeared to interfere.”

Jaeyon glanced at the awkwardly standing Leophris behind him.

“I greet the Queen of Iberis.”

Leophris cleared his throat and bowed to Sweeney. As Evans’ fiancée, he had to treat Sweeney with utmost respect.

“Oh my. Jaeyon, you are quite popular.”

Evans strode in through the open door and wrapped an arm around Sweeney’s waist.

“Indeed. I didn’t realize I was so popular myself, Prince Evans.”

Jaeyon shrugged his shoulders slightly, pretending not to notice Sweeney’s expression turning cold.

“You painted a picture? Let me see.”

With Sweeney’s waist still in his arm, Evans approached the paintings on the sofa.

“Ha… I wanted to give it to the Queen secretly… What a pity.”

“Hahaha. She is my fiancée. Don’t even think about giving her something in secret.”

Evans casually responded to Jaeyon’s jest and lifted the painting to eye level.

‘A royal who paints. I wonder what kind of painting you’ve created, Jaeyon?’

Evans scrutinized every inch of the frame.

• In the Tiola Empire, Jaeyon is highly esteemed. During last year’s typhoon, he personally rescued fishermen stranded among the small islands. –

Early that morning, a merchant summoned to the Emperor’s audience chamber explained the recent situation in the Tiola Empire to Evans and Emperor Grain.

• Jaeyon himself? He ventured into those treacherous seas? –

Emperor Grain asked with a less than pleased expression while looking at the map of the Tiola Empire provided by the merchant.

The map was too crude for military use. The Tiola Empire, filled with numerous islands along its coastline, had only a few marked trade routes for merchant ships.

• Yes. Jaeyon’s estate is near the sea, and he has been friendly with fishermen since childhood. At ten, he even ran away with the knights, claiming he would become a pirate. Hahaha. –

The merchant handed over a larger nautical chart, pointing to the location where Jaeyon had rescued the fishermen.

• This area is not marked on merchant charts. It’s full of small rocky islets that appear only when the tide is low, so not only merchant ships but also fishing boats avoid going there. It’s known as the graveyard of ships, Your Majesty. –

The merchant’s finger pointed to an area showing only blue sea, with only the red lines indicating the routes merchant ships should take.

• Not a single ship of Jaeyon’s sank, Your Majesty. –

• Not a single ship sank, you say. –

The merchant’s meaningful words drew Emperor Grain’s sharp gaze to Evans.

• Your Majesty. I will immediately verify Jaeyon’s paintings! –

Evans summoned Leophris and ordered a thorough search of Jaeyon’s belongings.

+++

“This is all.”

After inspecting not only Jaeyon’s luggage but all of the Tiola Empire delegation’s belongings, Leophris pointed to the four paintings on the sofa. Despite overturning boxes of underwear, no more paintings were found.

Jaeyon picked up two paintings and handed them to Sweeney’s attendants.

“It’s a shame the wrapping is torn, but these are gifts for you, Your Majesty.”

“They are very beautiful. Thank you, Jaeyon.”

As Sweeney extended her hand in gratitude, Jaeyon took it and stepped closer to her.

“I paid special attention to capturing your eyes, Your Majesty.”

He provocatively met Evans’ gaze as he kissed Sweeney’s hand. Evans’ face twisted, slightly relieving Jaeyon’s irritation over their previous rudeness.

“Jaeyon, are those to be taken to the Tiola Empire?”

Evans pointed his chin at the remaining two paintings, pulling Sweeney closer to him.

“Yes. They are portraits of Lady Adelina, wearing a Tiola Empire dress.”

“I see. Then, pack them up diligently again.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Prince.”

Jaeyon smiled with eyes curving like crescent moons and lips slightly upturned, prompting Evans to laugh loudly and turn away.

As Sweeney walked out alongside Evans, she glanced back slightly.

‘That fellow. He really resembles Isya in personality.’

Seeing Jaeyon tap his right eye with his finger, she turned her head forward again.

+++

At the same time, Princess Isabelle and her followers suddenly barged into Adelina’s room.

“Princess, I didn’t expect you to visit such a humble place without prior notice.”

Adelina stood firm at the door leading from the reception room to the bedroom with Hailyn.

“Ha. Calling the royal palace humble, you must not like the Silver Palace.”

“I learned from Her Majesty the Empress that it’s basic etiquette in Petrus customs to send notice before visiting.”

Isabelle snorted and moved to the window, seeing Adelina on edge and unwilling to back down.

“I thought I might have been too indifferent to someone who had such an accident, so I stopped by.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

Isabelle looked around the reception room, fanning herself as she gazed at Adelina and Hailyn with disdain.

“I heard you’ve been painting lately. May I have a look?”

At Isabelle’s words, the maids and noble ladies giggled as they approached Adelina and Hailyn.

“My skills are not worthy of showing to the Princess.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

With a nod from Isabelle, the maids and handmaids pushed Adelina and Hailyn aside and opened the bedroom door. They immediately picked up the canvases wrapped in large sheets on the sofa table.

“These must be the paintings.”

“Princess! How rude!”

Despite Adelina and Hailyn’s strong protests, they unhesitatingly tore the wrapping paper.

“These are…”

“My goodness… How could a noble lady paint such…”

Isabelle and her followers blushed and couldn’t finish their sentences upon seeing the paintings.

‘Look openly. Why pretend not to see?’

Adelina smirked as she gently touched the paintings, watching them unable to maintain eye contact due to embarrassment.

“It’s a n*de painting of Duke Lexion. Isn’t it magnificent?”

Adelina’s fingertips traced over Lexion’s chest and abs in the painting. As her fingers reached the pubic bone, she could hear the followers quietly swallowing.

“I paid special attention to this part.”

“Hmph…”

“Ahem…”

As Adelina’s hand moved further down, the followers quickly turned away, clearing their throats.

Lexion stood confidently without any clothing, holding a sword downward. The handle and his hands barely covered that part.

“Oh dear. Why are you all like this? I was pointing at the scar on his thigh. It happened when he was fifteen. This one here is from when he was fourteen.”

Adelina continued to explain each scar, gently brushing them with her fingers.

‘Did she really have relations with Lexion? … Disgusting!’

Princess Isabelle frowned as if looking at a repulsive bug.

“A woman painting a man’s nudity is unseemly.”

“Indeed, Princess. It’s utterly indecent. Only…”

“A truly noble-born lady wouldn’t paint such things.”

Isabelle’s followers agreed, casting disdainful glances at Adelina.

“Oh my, Princess. You shouldn’t view art with such a narrow perspective. This isn’t merely an erotic painting. Each scar has its own story. I’ve touched every one of these scars.”

Adelina caressed the scars on the painting with a sorrowful look, as if touching the wounds of a loved one.

“Princess, you need to develop an eye for art.”

Adelina smiled brightly at Isabelle. She could see Isabelle’s eyebrows twitching with annoyance every time her followers’ gazes instinctively returned to Lexion’s n*de painting.

“You need to improve your etiquette. From tomorrow, I will join your etiquette lessons. I will personally teach you Petrus customs.”

Isabelle arched her eyebrows softly and spoke coldly, causing her followers to giggle again.

“Princess, you needn’t go to such lengths, being so busy…”