CHAPTER 7 – Innocence, Corruption (Part 5)

As the day dawned, Lillian hurriedly made her way to the clergyman’s quarter.

Looking out over the grand plaza, she finally felt the reality of Duke Edelgard’s passing. Not only inside the ducal estate but also outside, people in black clothes were easily noticeable.

Black flags hung everywhere, making the entire capital look like a massive funeral parlor. People, regardless of their status or relationship, were mourning the former head of the Edelgard family, who had long been a noble figure in the capital.

‘I wonder if the imperial court will like this.’

She wondered if Cedric should be allowed to stay in the capital.

As a child, the book-bound young master had no substantial support other than his mother, the duchess. Even the duke was severely restricted by the clergy, and now he relied entirely on the Ministry of State Affairs for power.

It was said that if you serve as a palace dog for three years, you’ll be honored. Indeed, Lillian had heard various stories herself.

Growing up eating the crumbs and sleeping in corners, Lillian instinctively knew the places she could and couldn’t tread. It was a survival-honed intuition.

The palace was also in a gloomy atmosphere, and as expected, everyone welcomed her at the chapel.

“Lillian has returned!”

They were excited to have a slave back at their disposal.

“But is the rumor true, that you’re in a relationship with the now Duke Edelgard and all that…….”

“I’ll take my leave now.”

She knew the rumors must have spread far and wide by now. Lillian swiftly left the clergyman’s quarter and returned to the ducal estate.

“Your Grace, where have you been without informing anyone?”

“Sigh…”

It was a title she could never get used to.

“Don’t call me that way.”

“But you’ll soon be the lady of the house.”

Although the older attendants didn’t dare to call her ‘Your Grace’, the young maid, a cheeky one, was different. It seemed like she was trying to mark Lillian, who would eventually become the only woman of Duke Edelgard, early on.

Cedric had come down to Turin after preparing everything to bring her to the ducal estate.

Even the Duchess Edelgard was not there. Lillian had no clue where the woman who should be attending her husband’s funeral was, it was beyond her imagination.

“What about Cedric?”

“The Duke attended the mourning service in the morning and returned shortly, as this was the last day of the Holy Court’s memorial service.”

Even though they were palace nobles, it wasn’t common for them to even offer prayers directly at the imperial court. And to hold a mourning ceremony for nearly a month was something Lillian, who had lived in the imperial court, had never seen before.

“Please, go to the bedroom quickly. The Duke has been asking for you.”

The maid pushed Lillian, who was lost in thought.

Curious about the urgency, she looked up and saw the servants moving her belongings.

These were her belongings brought from Turin.

‘Cedric’s portrait…!’

These were her belongings brought from Turin.

Remembering the forgotten matter in an instant, Lillian clenched her dress and hurried up the stairs.

Praying fervently that she wasn’t too late and that Cedric hadn’t checked the paintings. She opened the bedroom door with anticipation. But once again, fate was not on her side.

***

“What on earth is all this?”

Cedric was horrified to see dozens of his portraits and immediately dismissed all the servants.

Then he meticulously inspected every single painting.

From his boyhood to the most recent. Each one showed Cedric in a different style of painting, with different backgrounds and in different poses.

Surrounded by dozens of his own portraits, Cedric, who had been bitter, turned away with a cold expression.

“I’m glad I checked. Calling these landscape paintings was quite a lie.”

But Lillian, who was more preoccupied, rushed to the portraits.

“My paintings!”

“Where have you been since morning?”

Lillian was too transfixed to hear the question. Cedric was not only bewildered by Lillian’s absent-mindedness but also dumbfounded by her beyond comprehension.

“Lillian.”

He called her again, but she didn’t even look at Cedric. She was busy meticulously inspecting each painting with tender touches.

“My paintings, my… my Cedric…!”

The portrait papers were handled with the utmost care as if they were precious family members. Her gaze, checking for any scratches or injuries, was extremely meticulous.

Meanwhile, Cedric, who was perfectly fine and present, was receiving no attention from her whatsoever.

‘What’s going on? Why is she ignoring me and talking to someone else?’

Cedric was in such a state of shock that he was at a loss for words. Where should he even begin to address this situation? He had no idea.

The fact that a portrait of himself, a painting, had outstripped the real thing.

The current situation… he just couldn’t believe it.

If it had been another man’s painting, he would have been jealous, but he wouldn’t have felt as deprived as he does now.

However, the person in that painting wasn’t better than the real thing. The reality was much better. He had even checked in the mirror to confirm it.

The portraits from his childhood lacked the meticulousness and sophistication as if they hadn’t been painted by a skilled artist.

Well, of course, that’s how it would be. Young Lillian back then was so poor she couldn’t even buy a hairpin.

Oil paintings were expensive. It was the equivalent of several years’ salary for commoners.

He always wondered why she couldn’t buy a hairpin with the money she received from the court… but now, it all made sense.

All that struggle just to purchase such paintings.

It was pathetic. But seeing her treasuring those portraits, his insides churned with mixed emotions.

It was only much later, after thoroughly inspecting all the portraits, that Lillian finally turned her head.

“Were you very surprised…?”

Now she looked embarrassed, as if cautiously gauging his reaction.

‘Finally paying attention, huh?’

A trickle of malice crawled up Cedric’s spine.

“I should have mentioned it from the beginning, but there were quite a few… I was afraid it might seem strange.”

‘At least she knows how it looks.’

He loves Lillian, so it’s not as creepy as it could be, but if the maids saw it, they would undoubtedly say the lady had lost her mind.

“How many are there?”

“I have thirty-two now. Some were lost along the way.”

“Ha.”

If he had thirty-two portraits of himself, it would surely lead to rumors of overflowing self-love, let alone…

Cedric, who had his arms crossed and was leaning against the wall, straightened up with a sigh.

“Let’s get to the bottom of this. What made you collect portraits of me? And especially this many.”

“It’s just…… I didn’t realize it would grow to this many at first. Seriously!”

The first portrait acquisition was during their youth.

Lillian was one of dozens of girls of Cedric’s age who praised his looks morning and night. It was almost like a routine.

<I’d give mine too!>

Lillian was one of those fervent devotees, and one day, someone clever suggested something.

To commission Cedric’s portrait from an artist.

“I thought about it, but I never thought I could afford it. Paintings are very expensive, you know.”

But luckily, Lillian found a painter who was perfect for their situation. He was a commoner painter who had been driven out of the palace for lack of skill in mural painting.

Lillian pointed to a painting.

“That’s the one, the young Lor…… ah, no, Cedric, when you were about sixteen.”

The quite worn-out portrait was about the size of her two palms put together.

“We bought it with money pooled together with my friends in the orphanage. There were about a dozen of us who liked you.”

The portrait they barely managed to purchase together was honestly a failure. But it was one of Lillian’s favorite paintings.

“It’s not very good, but it captures your boyish charm of that time, and I particularly love the eyes, because I asked him to make them as green as spring buds and as beautiful as emeralds, which is very similar, isn’t it?”

“…”

“I even took it to the battlefield. It got quite dirty, but still…”

Cedric had never seen Lillian talk so much before. Her passionate description left him speechless.

And then there’s the way she looks at that worn painting like it’s the most lovely thing in the world.

Maybe it’s because he’s never had affection for an object, but the sight of Lillian in his eyes was bizarre.

“When I feel lonely and tired, on days when I miss you so much, I am here among these paintings. I’m with you, all thirty-two of you.”

With every glance that seemed to cherish each piece so dearly, her affection overflowed.

But… the very subject of all these paintings, Cedric himself, had never received such affection from her.

As he looked at Lillian, so blissfully surrounded by the oil paintings, Cedric felt a weight on his shoulders.

This woman was in love with an illusion.

Just like the countless devotees who frequented the Holy Court. They praised and prayed not to God but to one of the knights in the Order of the Silver Cross.

So to her, it didn’t matter if the actual him wasn’t there.

“I’ll confiscate them all.”