Sitting on a chaise longue covered by a bunch of warm blankets billowing up like wisps of clouds, Kirsi supported her head with one hand while her other hand was busy appraising her newly-finished self-portrait. Kirsi laughed mockingly while messing up some of the paint on the canvas that had not yet dried completely with her fingertips. Benedict, who was constantly summoned to this residence for no apparent reason, could only wipe his sweat nervously. His back is wet. His palms are yet not much different.
"I look a little thin here. Are you trying to insult me? Do you think it's a sin to be fat?" Kirsi commented sarcastically, and she place back the skeletal canvas she was holding on the easel.
Benedict dutifully replaced his canvas fabric with a new one and began revising. This is the umpteenth time in the last few days. The first three hours he spent were wasted thanks to the hostess's comment that she looked a bit chubby in the painting. As Benedict revised and started through from scratch over the next three hours, the hostess casually commented that his work was meant to insult the chubby ladies out there. Haish, even Benedict prefers chubby women when asked about taste. But the hostess casually decided that if he bakes a sponge cake, then he hates pancakes. Why is this one woman so unreasonable?
In that awkward moment when Benedict raised his brush once again, the sound of a firm and calm footsteps echoed around the room. Filling the deathly silence with an echo like a rumbling heart. When Benedict turned his head, the Crown Prince he had painted in his youth was standing in the doorway with literally the same appearance, yet gorgeous and arrogant, glancing at him in exactly the same way tigers look at their quarry. His hair as dark as night shone under the flickering chandeliers. His cold blue eyes flashed as sharp as daggers. But strangely, his red lips parted into a friendly smile.
"Ah, you're home." the hostess sat herself up and greeted.
"Yes." Cedric glanced at his wife briefly, then looked back at Benedict who was nearly out of breath from too much nervousness.
Even though he was often rumoured as a living joke, the Crown Prince was still a Crown Prince no matter how useless he was. Moreover, seeing it in person was different from listening to the rumours. One could still be arrogant when badmouthing others behind their backs, but facing one another just wouldn't feel the same.
That was what Benedict felt as a painter who was often hired by the Nobles in the capital. Rumours about Nobles had always been the butt of the commoners. Besides admiring and fearing, commoners tended to look down on and make fun of the nobles. But once they met face to face, even at the lowest positioned Baron in the peerage hierarchy, they would not be able to raise their heads.
"I didn't know that we would have the same guest again today," Cedric commented lightly while kissing his wife's forehead who was sitting comfortably on the couch.
That's right. It was already the 3rd day since Benedict had been called back and forth to this residence only to paint and revise it countless times. The Crown Princess had indeed paid him a handsome sum, but that kind of money only made him more afraid by the day. Now, the money even piled up in the corner of his house without daring to use even a penny. What an old painter like himself is looking for is not just a large wad of cash, but loyal customers to guarantee stability in his old day. If only he went home today without taking the Crown Princess' joke seriously, and the Crown Princess decided to take it personally, then his history of painting in the capital would be finished.
"It is an honour for me, Your Majesty," Benedict answered curtly and politely, and Cedric said no more. He just passed by in this room kissing his wife on the forehead, and then went to another room without a burden.
Kirsi who had been kissed on the forehead was unexpected as nervous and surprised as Benedict. But the difference is, she can disguise it well behind her cold and dignified cover.
Kirsi got up from her position and waved her hand, saying, "Let's call it a day."
Benedict's heart stopped as soon as he heard it. Kirsi could more or less guess what was going on in his mind and added, "Put your worries away, I'm not that stupid."
"...Not at all, Your Highness. Thank you very much for today."
"Yes."
Benedict tidied up the painting tools with his nimble old hands. It didn't take more than 10 minutes before he was ready. Alruna, who was already waiting at the front door, gave him a bag of money that felt even heavier than his entire life's burden. With his head bowed, Benedict was ushered home by a luxurious carriage belonging to a member of the imperial family. The luxury of this vehicle made him feel like he was a hopping flea who happened to be in between the soft couches.
As soon as he reached his small and cosy house, it felt like 1000 years had passed. An invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and even better, his beautiful and gentle adopted daughter stood under the moonlight waiting for him with a helpless smile.
"Viona? Why are you waiting for me outside? You're not working tonight?"
Viona shook her head. "No, today the district police came again to interrogate me."
"Oh, that undead case huh?"
"That's it. I don't know how long this is going to take. I've had enough." Viona took an old and shabby trunk from Benedict's wrinkled hands. Her glazed eyes looked at the luxurious carriage that started to move away from this residence. She continued annoyedly, "Even though I just happened to have something to talk about with that guy. Who would have thought that he was a dead man who came back to buy baked rice cakes?" The ends of her sentences contained thick sarcasm.
Benedict took a deep breath. When he was about to comment, Viona cut him off with another sentence. "I'm sorry, father."
"You don't need to worry. After all, even though she might just be a fad, the pay is so big that I might be able to resign right now with that much money." He slipped a satisfied laugh at the end of his sentence to cover up his anxiety. But Viona couldn't be tricked in such a cheap way.
Rather, she said, "I'll be going to the Crown Prince's residence tomorrow."
Benedict was too shocked to answer right away. When he was about to reply that he was fine, Viona's gentle smile stopped him. He couldn't break his sweet adopted daughter's resolve just like that.
-0-
On the other hand, Cedric was smoking on the balcony of his study when Kirsi came in carrying hot tea for him. A cigarette that had just been lit in less than a minute was shortly extinguished by pressing the lit end against the balcony railing. He even put dead cigarettes in his trouser pocket because he didn't want to litter but was too lazy to look for a trash can. He looked at the woman in surprise. He said, "You don't need to be so dedicated to me..."
After all, the purpose of marrying her wasn't to make her work.
"Don't be so full of yourself." Kirsi curtly replied. Even so, the hot tea she made tasted very delicious and comfortable in his belly.
While Cedric was still busy warming himself with the drink, Kirsi's tiny hand slipped into his trouser pocket and took out his cigarette. Not just a stick, but all the cigarettes in the gold case. Cedric glanced at her but did not comment.
Kirsi examined the weight of the golden case in her hand. In the past, she would not have been able to have that thing in her hands. And look now, how her whole environment is filled with things that are even more valuable than her life.
There is a dragon pattern that twists like a screw thread on the surface of this cigarette case. The typical Chinese dragon surrounds a roaring lion in the centre. Then there are other strokes in the form of vines and several types of flowers. The surface of the strokes feels a little uneven because they are carved manually by craftsmen's hands. Seeing it made Kirsi a bit curious. She asked, "This dragon is a bit different from the usual depictions of dragons shown in palaces. Did you get it from a certain place?"
"You are very observant." A warm ceramic cup was held in both hands. Seeing that Kirsi was about to ask further, Cedric explained first. "I got it from overseas."
"Hmm... Let me guess." Kirsi turned the case a few times in her hand like a professional antiquities appraiser. She looks very promising. She said so, saying something she knew from novels. "From Great Galahad?"
"Yes."
The great Galahad was a large empire that was on the East side of this empire. Great Galahad didn't have an intimate relationship with Elysian, but they also didn't have a relationship so bad that they restricted each other's people from visiting each other. Although diplomatically the two countries are at odds, economically, especially in trade relations, the two countries are very close.
Kirsi asked, "You go there often?"
"Yes."
"Did you buy it yourself, or did someone buy it for you?"
Cedric leaned against the balcony railing with his back out. "No. I got it from Maxima instead."
Kirsi tilted her head, "Ah, the Maxima merchant ship Serena?"
Cedric shook his head, "The Maxima battleship, Dexter."
"Wow..." To be honest, Kirsi had never been on a ship in her life. She was so afraid of the vast expanses of water that she would vomit every time she saw it, but that didn't stop her childhood dream of getting on a boat and enjoying drinking the salty tap water.
Not to mention, aboard a battleship? Isn't that even more amazing? Moreover, Dexter is the mother ship belonging to this empire which has protected the Elysian sea from the colonization of the countries in the South. And not only Elysian, but Dexter also plays an important role in protecting its neighbours such as the kingdom of Parinia and the island nation of Hania. Because of this, the empire was able to reap huge amounts of tribute from its small and helpless neighbouring countries. On the other hand, Elysian might appear to be the bad guy in the eyes of the neighbours, but for one of the people living in this place, Kirsi felt that this strategy was so evil and effective.
If one day Kirsi can live safely and comfortably somewhere after being released from the grips of a novel manuscript, then she will make Maxima the top of her vacation agenda. And also—
"You're daydreaming again." Cedric unceremoniously flicked her forehead. Kirsi flinched. As soon as she realized, a hand stretched out in front of her face. The owner of the hand said, "Give it back."
Kirsi hid the cigarette case behind her back and tiptoed backwards like a thief. "I don't want to. "
Cedric was no longer after her. Even though it looks expensive and unique, for him a cigarette case is just a cigarette case, nothing more. He didn't have the habit of putting an extra value on things. Maybe it's because he's used to living in abundance that his evaluation of the things around him is so shallow. He didn't mind giving Kirsi the cigarette case that had accompanied him for dozens of years. As long as the woman wanted, she could take it. After all, there are still many substitutes.
Cedric stopped chasing because he didn't mind. But in Kirsi's eyes, he looked like someone who was sulking. Afraid that this man would suddenly choke her as he had before, Kirsi instantly explained. "I don't mean to take your things. But gold is not good for men's health."
"Why is that? "
Cedric didn't seem angry. Hearing him ask further made her happy. "Women can use it because our bodies will detoxify themselves every month. But men can't. Gold nano-particles can cause—" Kirsi suddenly choked and stopped halfway.
Cedric tilted his head. "Could cause?"
Damn, this is so embarrassing to say. To distract from her embarrassment, Kirsi cleared her throat and explained while looking anywhere but Cedric's face. "...Because Gold nano-particles can cause infertility."
"Oh, okay." Cedric didn't ask further or argue, even though he himself didn't know what those nano-blablabla meant.
Kirsi doesn't intend to interfere in Cedric's life. She also wasn't malicious by taking his precious golden cigarette case for no reason. Even though studies on this topic still don't get 100% certainty, just in case, it's better safe than sorry, right? Who knows that one day when Cedric decides to divorce her and marry another woman who can bear children for him, isn't it that by taking care of himself, the possibility of his fertility will also be guaranteed?
Kirsi only wants the best for this man, because she feels concerned about a fellow villain who shares the same bad fate.
Cedric, who could barely read the reason behind Kirsi's skeletal head, could only laugh silently.
Getting married, having children, and growing old with his partner are things he has always put aside. Unlike most people where such things are always the main goal in life, Cedric tends to be biased and against it. So when one day he ended up alone in this world, he wouldn't be surprised.
"I'll find a replacement for you," Kirsi added.
Cedric nodded "Okay."
"How about I embroider one for you?"
Cedric instantly gave her a look full of disdain, "You want to make me look like a granny?"
Kirsi moreover disagreed. She stood akimbo staring at her husband like a disgusted cat. "What's wrong with a woven pocket? Your taste is so lousy that you trivialize a work of art like that!"
Afraid that this trivial matter would prolong the argument between them, Cedric relented. "Alright, you can embroider as much as you want."
But Kirsi didn't see that as a good thing. On the contrary, she grew even angrier. "I don't want to do it for someone who doesn't appreciate it!"
... So what does she want?
Cedric's past experiences with pregnant women had taught him not to provoke them. Because the angrier they got, the more unreasonable they became. And the dizzier the interlocutor made.
"I'd appreciate it." As he said this, Cedric nodded his head reverently to look reassuring.
Kirsi's anger receded. After her negative emotions had subsided, another feeling emerged that made her feel nervous and uncomfortable. Her emotions have been going up and down like a roller coaster lately. To make matters worse, the person who was affected most often was the person whose trust she had the most to gain, namely Cedric. At this rate, instead of dying at the hands of the protagonist and heroin, she would die of guilt.