Not expecting her to suddenly ask such detailed questions, Elizabeth looked flustered.

Since Saena was the type to simply accept whatever people said, Elizabeth probably hadn’t expected her to dig this deep.

“You know Father doesn’t like me painting. So it happened while I was secretly visiting the art supply street.”

“Wouldn’t there be art supply shops right behind Rohaton Street…?”

Wasn’t painting just a hobby?

Elizabeth often mentioned her painting hobby to emphasize how different she was from other noble ladies.

She would sigh and talk about how much she loved painting and how regrettable it was that she had too much talent for a noble who couldn’t become a painter.

Of course, Saena didn’t agree with this opinion.

Elizabeth’s paintings were certainly cute and pretty like her appearance, but they actually fell somewhat short of being described as works created with extreme passion and talent.

Because of this, she had never thought of painting as more than a hobby for Elizabeth.

But why did she go so far as to sneak out without her father knowing…?

“You, you…”

Elizabeth said a few more words before suddenly starting to tear up.

“Do I really have to say such things? I’m not as wealthy as you when it comes to pocket money! When I have to stretch what little money I have to buy art supplies, I have no choice but to go to shops in the outskirts!”

She laid out her story pathetically, as if Saena lived too luxuriously to understand her difficult circumstances due to her ignorance of worldly matters.

To others, it would look like Saena had thoughtlessly poked at Elizabeth’s sore spot.

“I don’t have any pocket money though?”

However, in front of the tearful Elizabeth, Saena spoke matter-of-factly. Of course, it wasn’t that they were too poor to give pocket money to their only daughter.

True to the Debov family’s renowned wealth, even when giving pocket money, an annual review of spending appropriateness was conducted, almost like managing a private fund.

But the past Saena had failed this appropriateness review every time.

As a result, her pocket money decreased more and more until…

‘There will be no budget for you next year!’

…Her father had declared so.

Actually, the review wasn’t much.

Since she wasn’t an adult yet, it was only meant to minimally filter out concerns about the soundness of spending.

No consuming alcohol, drugs, or forbidden items from the underworld, and no concentrating all money on just one thing for the purpose of broadening one’s horizons.

She just had to follow these two rules.

But Saena failed every time because of the second condition. Whenever she got money, she spent it all on Arles-Promesa related items or Arlesian language books.

‘If I had just mixed in buying a dress here and there, I would have passed…’

Though she knew this, she couldn’t do it because ancient-related items were all so expensive that even spending all her money might not be enough to buy them.

But many of what she bought turned out to be fake. Seeing Saena cry after being scammed, her angry father finally confiscated her pocket money. If she needed to buy something, she had to use a pre-approval post-payment method.

But that was only until last year. With Saena awakening from her sickbed and showing various changes, the pocket money confiscation became meaningless. Count Debov even seemed to like it more the more money she spent.

‘I even bought an ancient book recently…’

But naturally, Elizabeth couldn’t know these circumstances. Since the sanctions hadn’t been officially lifted yet, one could say she wasn’t lying to her.

On the other hand, Elizabeth seemed so shocked she even stopped crying, unable to imagine that the wealthy Debov family wouldn’t give their daughter pocket money.

“Wh-what…?! Don’t lie!”

“It’s true. Father confiscated it because whenever I got money, I only bought Arlesian books.”

“……”

Hearing the reason seemed to make sense to her, and Elizabeth sighed. Her tears had already completely disappeared.

“Anyway, so you were pickpocketed while going to an art supply shop in the outskirts?”

“Ah, yes.”

“That could have been dangerous. Be careful from now on.”

“Yes.”

“But that man looked like a noble too — why was he there? He wouldn’t have gone to an art shop. He didn’t look like he had any interest in art.”

“Oh, how do you know that?”

How do I know? Because I experienced it.

George Hollander had never held a brush, and he was the type of person who would proudly buy what was clearly a fake painting and then get angry about it.

He got angry at her opinion that it was a fake, and when it was later revealed to be a scam, he got even angrier asking why she hadn’t stopped him.

‘Hah…’

The more she recalled, the more she felt not even a shred of sympathy — it was hard to be that kind of garbage in so many ways.

“He just looks like it.”

“……”

“Ah, isn’t there a red-light district there? Maybe he was coming out after playing there?”

“……”

“I’m grateful he caught the pickpocket, but you should be careful just in case. What other business would a noble man have there?”

Saena shrugged as she spoke.

‘I mean it somewhat sincerely.’

Actually, George Hollander frequented the brothels in the outskirts of the Imperial Capital more often than the salons with high-class courtesans.

At first, she thought it was because of money, but later found out it was due to his filthy predilections. Since the women there were of lower status, they had nowhere to complain no matter what terrible things happened to them.

George Hollander was the type of person who became more detestable the more you knew about him.

“Oh, um. He didn’t seem like that kind of person. His-his manners were excellent. And he’s handsome too, isn’t he?”

Elizabeth showed her incompletely hidden bewilderment as she hurried to make excuses.

“Oh? So that’s your type. I didn’t know.”

“…That’s not it.”

“I’m not interested at all. Good luck.”

“……”

She seemed flustered to hear such words from Saena, who had never talked about her type in men or shown any interest in romance before. With her unprecedented firmness, Elizabeth appeared somewhat unable to get a read on the situation.

“By the way, what brings you here?”

They had talked too long about the unwanted topic that is George Hollander. She hoped Elizabeth would state her business and leave quickly.

“You… I heard you’ve been hanging out with ladies from influential families lately… Is that why you’ve become negligent towards me?”

“……”

What nonsense was this now?

“I’m really hurt. I thought you were different from other noble ladies… But now that you’re mingling with those prestigious ladies, you’ve become calculating and vulgar too.”

Though she wore an expression of deep sorrow, her words were nothing but accusations. And unreasonable ones at that.

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. Weren’t you the one who sought me out whenever you needed something?”

Saena felt somewhat dumbfounded.

“…Me?”

“Beth, you never came just for a simple visit. Even when you came to check on me during my illness, you only talked about dresses before leaving.”

“That’s…!”

Thinking about it, though Elizabeth visited often, she never came simply to chat or because she missed Saena. Even on days when that was supposedly the reason, there was always an ulterior motive.

Since Saena had no other female friends besides Elizabeth to compare with, she hadn’t noticed before, but ironically, after socializing with the group Elizabeth called the most vulgar and calculating, Elizabeth’s contradictions became more apparent.

“If we’re talking about having ulterior motives in human relationships, yes. I understand perfectly.”

Kirsten and the others had never treated Saena for any purpose other than ‘socializing.’

‘Though it could be because they’re all more remarkable than me and have nothing to want from me.’

Nevertheless, Saena had a strange certainty. If they wanted something, she felt they would ask directly.

“Saya, you never approached me first either. Do you know how discouraging it feels when it seems like only one side is making an effort?”

Huh?

“Isn’t it a bit much to say such things when you never contacted me first before I did?”

Usually, Elizabeth would say such things while crying pitifully, but this time, her face showed anger. That expression actually revealed more sincerity.

‘…Have I never contacted her first?’

Saena had lived completely satisfied within the very small circle of her passion for ancient civilization, her family, and Yuri.

In a sense, Saena too had associated with Elizabeth out of necessity.

‘Hmm… It’s true. I can’t remember.’

She couldn’t recall ever taking the initiative to ask Elizabeth to have fun or meet.

Saena remembered her younger self who had been indifferent and ignorant. Her past self who hadn’t shown even a shred of interest in anything besides what she liked.

‘…She’s not wrong. I should reflect on this too.’