Chapter 16
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I possessed the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 16
Perhaps the Blaire Grand Duke had seen through my bewilderment.
He glanced at me briefly, then returned his indifferent gaze to the documents before him.
"That expression of yours—wondering how I knew."
Gasp, how terrifying!
Strictly speaking, it wasn't an accident, was it? Merely a small, innocent request for help.
"Princess, why do you not answer?"
I quieted the chaos in my mind and responded with measured certainty.
"Why must you interrogate me so frightfully?"
"Am I stating something untrue?"
"Well, not exactly..."
Surely it was my imagination that his tone seemed particularly sharp today.
Judging by how Liam worked, the Grand Duke didn't seem to be the type who labored day and night either.
Could it be that this man hadn't slept and was in a sensitive state?
I pushed away the ominous premonition creeping over me and bit my lip.
"Chuckle."
Had the Grand Duke not laughed so unexpectedly, my liver would have shriveled to the size of a bean. But seeing that hollow chuckle, my resolve crumbled entirely.
"You've never once come to find me of your own accord. That's why I've had to send people to fetch you every time. Such a precious person, you are."
"Precious? That's hardly a—"
What kind of person treats a precious person this way? Though I must admit, it was convenient.
Thinking he was making a tasteless joke, I laughed and waved my hand, but then our eyes met directly, and I could only fall silent.
'He wasn't joking?'
I realized something new: the Grand Duke was the type who couldn't distinguish between jest and earnest.
"Since you insist on wasting time like this, I suppose I have no choice. I've already heard the gist of it."
"You already knew, yet you asked anyway?"
"I was curious about your reaction."
"...How mischievous of you."
There was much more I could have said, but I held my tongue.
At my sullen tone, the Grand Duke pushed the documents aside and looked directly at me.
"Yet you seem to be enjoying this quite a bit."
"Well... because it's fun."
Originally, I had only ever viewed finished comic books, never actually created one myself. But now that I'd thrown myself into the work, it proved remarkably entertaining.
Watching my spoken ideas be reborn through the hands of talented artisans was quite fascinating.
Above all, I found myself genuinely moved by the painters' passion.
Unlike myself, who had always merely toiled through assigned tasks, these people approached their work with such spontaneity and fervor that it stirred something within me.
"So."
I exhaled. Yes, let me speak boldly.
"Please, help me..."
I offered a humble smile and clasped my hands together.
What good does pointless pride do? Pride doesn't put food on the table.
There's nothing wrong with making a good impression on someone who pays painters such exorbitant salaries, is there?
In truth, I could tell without asking that he wasn't entirely indifferent to this matter either.
"If I help the princess, what will she do for me?"
"Hmm."
This time, my words failed me for a different reason. Even if I wanted to offer something, I couldn't think of anything I could actually provide from my current position of living off the Blaire Grand Duke's charity.
As I racked my brain, I eventually glanced at the Grand Duke and asked.
"What should I do for you, sir?"
"Keep you around."
"Pardon?"
"The princess is quite useful, so I've decided to keep one around. How does that sound?"
Faced with an answer that truly left me speechless, I forced myself to nod.
"Y-yes, I'll do that."
For now, this was the only option I had.
Damn it, would it kill him to just help for once? What a ruthless employer!
I bowed my head while hiding my displeasure, completely unaware that the Grand Duke had already seen through it all.
* * *
And so the day of the decisive contest arrived.
The common theme I had proposed was "The Golden Axe and the Silver Axe."
Being a traditional folktale, it was easy to adapt, and its simple narrative was more than sufficient to judge the painters' skills.
"Phew."
As I stood before the Atelier to examine the results, Bonita came rushing toward me with excitement.
"Oh! Miss April Salt, are you nervous? Are you worried Miss Ashley might make a mistake?"
"That's not quite it..."
I already had some confidence in Ashley's directorial abilities from what I'd seen before.
But if the other painters' work turned out to be shoddy, the Grand Duke would think his time was wasted and grow angry.
And if the Grand Duke got angry, there was a high probability the fallout would land on me!
'How terrifying!'
Everyone probably thought I was living a carefree life, but the truth was only I knew that I was a hostage who could die at any moment—merely granted a temporary reprieve due to the Dam construction project.
"Hehe, don't worry! I've been watching carefully and I know Miss Ashley has staked everything on this!"
"How would you know?"
"I've been gathering intelligence by making her sweet hot chocolate every night."
"Why on earth...?"
"Because I need to be the first to know such delicious gossip!"
Bonita was truly no ordinary maid.
Though momentarily taken aback by her audacity, I quickly composed myself and opened the heavy doors of the Atelier.
Inside the spacious Hall.
At the far end of a line of painters stood what appeared to be the Grand Duke's seat of honor and directly below it a single chair, both facing toward a round table.
And upon the round table lay two identically bound books.
Only the color of the ribbons binding them differed; there was no way to tell which book had been submitted by whom.
I walked forward with composure and settled into my chair when Liam's voice rang out loudly across the hall.
"Blaire Grand Duke has arrived!"
At his announcement, the painters tensed visibly, their eyes fixed on the doorway.
When Blaire Grand Duke entered, he crossed the expansive hall with a face so cold it seemed impenetrable—as if not even a needle could find purchase there.
The two books, their authors undisclosed, were placed before the Grand Duke.
Without hesitation, he read through them, and before long, he handed one to me.
After I examined its contents, I passed the book to the three painters who would judge it for the sake of fairness.
It took considerable time for everyone to review both books, yet no one left their seat.
Finally, Brown, speaking on behalf of the three painters, opened his mouth.
"We were quite taken with the book bound in red."
I had formed a conviction while reading, but in any case, the anonymity of the submissions was rigorously maintained, so the painters had no idea whose work was whose.
"I also believe the red binding is far superior."
At my words, the Grand Duke, who had remained silent until then, spoke for the first time.
"I too find the red-bound book better suited to its intended purpose."
Blaire Grand Duke continued, his expression still devoid of warmth.
"The blue-bound book possessed only flashy illustrations—there was no driving force compelling the reader to continue beyond them. It was merely a picture book preoccupied with displaying technical prowess."
His assessment aligned precisely with my own impressions.
"But this red-bound book was different."
Though composed solely of black-and-white sketches, the passages the artist wished to emphasize were accented with subtle color, lending them vitality.
Moreover, by employing varied compositions throughout, the same content felt remarkably diverse.
His critique was far too specific and convincing for someone unfamiliar with the medium, and I found myself nodding in agreement, impressed by his discerning eye.
"Most importantly, the red-bound book clearly demonstrates consideration for its reader. I shall select the red-bound book."
The moment the Grand Duke finished speaking, fortunes shifted dramatically.
Murmurs began to swell, but the Grand Duke paid them no mind.
"Who created the red-bound book?"
The head maid, the only one who knew the answer, stepped forward with a bow.
"It was Ashley, miss."
"Remarkable."
As his understated yet extraordinary praise continued, Ashley's face flushed crimson.
Berymore and the other apprentice painters bore expressions of considerable frustration, yet they dared not speak a word.
They had not forgotten their agreement to accept the results gracefully.
But the Grand Duke's response did not end there.
"Does Miss Ashley have a patron?"
"I, I'm ashamed to say that until now, no one has sponsored me. I've been funding my art education from my own resources."
"A pity. Then I shall become your first patron."
"...Pardon?"
My eyes widened as I stared at the Grand Duke.
Ashley was no different—she seemed to doubt her own ears, freezing momentarily before clenching her teeth at the Grand Duke's next words.
"Talented individuals deserve opportunities, after all."
"Ah, ah...!"
She knelt before me, her face contorted as she struggled to hold back tears.
"Thank you, Blaire Grand Duke. Thank you so much!"
It was the moment when a dream I had cherished only in my sleep was finally realized.
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