“What is the painter drawing?”

 She was doing a quick sketch in her sketchbook with conté when a hand, along with a languid voice, landed on her shoulder. 

 A kiss, like a promise, landed on her cheek, earlobe, and then the back of her neck. 

 “You’re up?” 

 “Yes.” 

 “You should get some more sleep.” 

 “I was lonely sleeping alone, so I came looking for you. What are you doing secretly by yourself?” 

 Nicholas placed a long kiss on the crown of her head, then lifted her chin and captured her lips with his. He naturally took the sketchbook Rarien had been holding. 

 “Hmm.” 

 “It’s just a simple doodle…… I couldn’t sleep.” 

 As Nicholas studied the sketch with a serious expression, Rarien made various excuses. 

 The sketchbook held two portraits: a little girl and a little boy.

-`♡´- click to view illustration

“It looks exactly like them.” 

 “It’s nothing special.” 

 “Your skills are too good for it to be nothing special, aren’t they?” 

 He’s flattering her again. Rarien’s husband was generous with his praise. She knew he was just trying to be nice, but every time he did this, she felt embarrassed and didn’t know where to look. 

 She had received more compliments since she had s*x with Nicholas and became his woman than she had in her entire life. 

 She used to deny it whenever she felt embarrassed, but she decided not to do that anymore. But it was still awkward. 

 “Well…… because they’re faces I miss. I kept thinking about them….” 

 Rarien smiled faintly, embarrassed. 

 “Did Charlotte bathe well by herself? Jeremy didn’t fall asleep reading again, did he?” 

 Charlotte Reinhart and Jeremy Reinhart—the twins Rarien had gifted to the Reinhart family, who were on the verge of ending their lineage. Charlotte had blonde hair like Nicholas and a calm personality. She especially valued bath time and always wanted Rarien to join her in the bathtub. Even in that aspect, she was a carbon copy of Nicholas. 

 As for Jeremy Reinhart, he was a bookworm. Like Nicholas Reinhart, he was a prodigy who learned to read at an early age, and like Rarien, he loved books more than anything. 

 He even had to get glasses because his eyesight had deteriorated from reading in bed before going to sleep. Nicholas had the exact same glasses made for Jeremy as Rarien’s, and he would secretly laugh at his comical appearance, his face completely covered. 

 Nicholas Reinhart, who used to only know about himself, also loved the treasures Rarien had given him. 

 But the children were by no means his top priority. 

 “I told you not to think about them here.” 

 Rarien’s face flushed red as Nicholas narrowed his eyes and spoke in a scolding tone. 

 To celebrate their wedding anniversary, the Grand Duke and Duchess of Reinhart stopped by their summer villa. Unlike the typical case of building a villa in a resort area, theirs was located in a very small island village, and there was a special reason for this. 

 It was the very place where Rarien had spent the last hour of her 100 days. Nicholas bought the island and built their own special summer villa. 

 No matter how busy they were with their respective duties during the rest of the seasons, they intended to escape to their hideaway during the summer and spend time together. 

 They had finally succeeded in leaving the children behind and coming to this meaningful villa, yet Nicholas was pouting like a sulky child because his wife’s mind was still at the Duke’s mansion. 

 “This is our hideaway. Here…… you should only worry about me.” 

 “You’re right. I’m sorry.” 

 Rarien blushed and nodded. 

 “You don’t have to apologize. Just don’t worry about anything else. We came here to relax. They are inseparable from Mother. They’ve probably forgotten all about us by now and are having a great time.”

“Is that so?” 

 “Let’s only think about what we want to do here. You’ve been through a lot because of the kids.” 

 “What do you mean? It wasn’t hard at all because we had a nanny and Mother.” 

 “It’s hard for me. Because I have to share my Rarien with other people. I finally have you all to myself. And you’re thinking about other things. Honestly, I’m a little hurt.” 

 He said that, but he was purely worried about Rarien. 

 ‘She’s so young, and she must be having a hard time raising a baby. And she must have a lot of things she wants to do.’ 

 He personally had no regrets about getting her pregnant and tying her down. Even if it hadn’t been for the curse, a selfish bastard like him would have tried the same trick over and over again. But it was a little heartbreaking to think that this uptight, goody-two-shoes simpleton was neglecting herself in order to cope with childcare and her duties as the Grand Duchess. 

 “Are you jealous of the babies?” 

 “Yes.” 

 “That’s a lie. You love the babies too. Nicki.” 

 “Of course I love them.” 

 Nicholas nodded. 

 “But not as much as you, Rarien. Spending time with you is the most important thing to me.” 

 Rarien’s eyes widened at his somewhat serious confession. 

 “We promised to do whatever we wanted without any worries here. You have to enjoy your vacation so you can work hard when you go back.” 

 Nicholas looked into Rarien’s eyes and ruffled her hair as if he would die from loving her. 

 “Thank you, Nicki.” 

 “If you’re grateful, let’s have fun while we have time. I brought a lot of art supplies so you could draw to your heart’s content. Why are you drawing in your sketchbook again instead of on canvas?” 

 “I’m just…… used to this.” 

 “Our artist has such simple tastes.” 

 ‘Artist?’ Rarien, her face flushed red, waved her hand at Nicholas. 

 “No, I’m just a doodler…… An artist? That’s ridiculous. My skills are still lacking…… Honestly, I’m a little embarrassed.” 

 “I think it’s more than enough.” 

 “Come on, Nicki. You’re my husband. You’re just saying that because you’re nice.” 

 “Are you disregarding Reinhart’s eye, Rarien?” 

 Nicholas narrowed his eyes and shot back pointedly. 

 “Reinhart has been sponsoring talented artists for a long time. We’re especially knowledgeable about paintings. You know about the Grand Duke’s collection, don’t you?” 

 “I know, but……” 

 “Do you think I’m just flattering you because you’re my wife? I’m sponsoring a brilliant new artist. Do I look like someone who minces words?”

Nicholas did have a cold side when it came to things like that. 

 He had honestly criticized Rarien’s moaning when she gave him a bl*wjob, saying it was terrible, and he had done the same with the cookies she had made. 

 “You’re not one to mince words.” 

 “I’m glad you know that. Then let’s say you’re an artist because I sponsored you this much.” 

 Rarien looked around at the expensive paintings Nicholas had purchased for the villa for her. 

 ‘Compared to the luxurious tools, aren’t my skills poor?’ 

 She was being treated too well, she thought to herself honestly. Rarien replied nonchalantly, 

 “Still…. I don’t think I’m an artist yet.” 

 “Why do you think that?” 

 Nicholas tilted his head. 

 “An artist has to have their own thing. They’re an artist who has to create. I’m…… at best, I’m just copying what I see. Even that, I’ve never really completed it properly. I always just drew the head, or…… the bust. And I couldn’t finish your full body either……” 

 Even if it was because of his endless er*ction problem, it was a chronic problem for Rarien. It was one thing to doodle well, and another to complete a work of art under her own name. 

 She lowered her eyelashes with a gloomy face. 

 “Your art teacher seems to think differently. He said you would be a very talented artist. Of course, I think so too.” 

 When his words didn’t get through to her, Nicholas added the artist’s opinion. 

 Considering the salary Reinhart was paying the art teacher and the amount of his works he had purchased…… the art teacher had no choice but to acknowledge Rarien as a once-in-a-millennium talent. Rarien didn’t bother to add that. It wasn’t the teacher’s problem, it was hers. 

 “I did well on the assignments the art teacher gave me. But the truth is… I don’t even know what I want to paint under my own name.”

 “Hmm.” 

 Perhaps it was a bit of a heavy topic, but Nicholas’s face also became serious. After a moment of thought, Nicholas slowly opened his mouth. 

 “Maybe it’s because you think other people are going to see it.” 

 “What?” 

 “Come on. The reason you couldn’t finish the n*de earlier was because you were afraid someone would see my d*ck. Don’t you remember?” 

 “Well…… that’s true, but…” 

 “Why do you draw, Rarien?” 

 It was a fundamental question. Rarien hesitated for a moment, flustered. 

 “You won’t believe me if I compliment your drawing skills. I guess I’ll have to tell you something else. You see, I like it when your big eyes sparkle with spirit when you draw.” 

 “Me?” 

 “Yes. You’re serious, you’re absorbed…… you’re always pretty, but when you draw, your eyes are especially beautiful. Because you look happy. That’s why I bought all this stuff.” 

 Nicholas raised the corners of his mouth and whispered in her ear as if telling a secret. 

 “I don’t want much. I just want to make you happy, Rien. That’s all I want, and that’s why I’m sponsoring you.” 

 “Actually, whether it’s a great artist’s painting or a bunch of scribbles. Whether you’re copying something or not finishing it, what does it matter?” 

 His golden eyes gleamed seriously. 

 “I don’t care about other people. I only have you, Rien, so it’s fine as long as you are happy while you’re drawing. That’s all.” 

 ***