~Chapter 78~
“This is…!”
On about thirty canvases were painted blond twins with red and violet eyes, dolls that looked like they were made in France, books with eerie designs, even a strange eyeball.
So many different pictures.
But when all the canvases were laid out and seen together—
“It’s a woman’s face.”
They formed one giant portrait of a woman.
Her eyes were half-lowered, her gaze soft, and on her lips was a faint smile.
Many of the pictures that made up her face looked creepy—like twins straight out of a horror story, dolls that seemed like they would move on their own at night, skulls with hollow eye sockets.
And yet, when all of those were joined, the woman’s portrait looked calm and peaceful.
“To be honest, this is outstanding.”
Professor Hireono spoke quietly as he looked down at the painting.
Many other professors nodded, but Professor Felix narrowed his brow.
“I still have doubts.”
The professors turned toward him.
Felix, arms crossed, spoke in his usual stern voice.
“If other contestants had drawn thirty paintings, perhaps they too could have shown more of their talent.”
“…Are you saying this is unfair?”
“Yes.”
Felix glanced at the massive self-portrait again.
“Of course, I admit the originality is remarkable, and the expression, the colors, and the composition are flawless.”
Felix had a fiery temper, but when it came to art, he was cold and fair.
Hireono also knew Felix wasn’t just complaining out of bias.
“Still, I question if we should choose this work.”
At that, another judge raised his hand.
“What is it, Pellene?”
He was an Academy graduate and a well-known painter in the industry.
“But the contest never restricted the size or number of canvases.”
“…”
“In fact, couldn’t this be seen as a clever attempt to break the fixed idea that a painting must be on one canvas?”
Felix frowned deeper and fell into thought.
“For now, let’s read the explanation attached.”
The judges, unable to decide yet, began reading the description the contestant had submitted.
<Title: All That Makes Up Me>
We may think each person is an independent being, but I realized that’s not true. We all live by giving and receiving influence from each other. I too am not completely independent—I’ve been shaped by countless others, and many beings have made me who I am.
This painting is a dedication to every being that has allowed me to exist as who I am today.
—Gustav Milliono
“Hmm, even the message isn’t bad.”
“Yes, it points out well that though we think we live alone, in truth we’re all affected by others.”
Reading the explanation, most judges gave the painting favorable reviews.
Even Felix had no more complaints.
“But the contestant’s name looks male, while the self-portrait is of a woman.”
“Plenty use pen names. Maybe she used a male name so she wouldn’t be eliminated early.”
“Well, we’re not that old-fashioned…”
“But who is this woman in the painting?”
One judge pointed at the woman with long white hair, red eyes, and sharp fangs.
“Doesn’t she look exactly like the woman of the whole portrait?”
“Maybe she’s showing her violent inner self? If we select this work, we’ll have to ask the artist directly.”
“True.”
The painter who raised the question tilted his head, finger at his lips.
“But… I feel like I’ve seen that face before. And that handsome man too…”
“Really? Maybe, since many people paint from real models.”
“Yes, but faces like these aren’t common…”
The judge pointed at the part of the portrait showing the striking man.
Silver hair, cold violet eyes, and features like a sculpture—yet despite his cold looks, his gaze and smile were warm.
“Judging by the brushwork, the artist put a lot of effort into this part.”
“Hmm… wait.”
Another judge leaned in, suddenly pale.
“Hold on.”
“What? You can’t just run out during judging!”
But the judge leapt up and dashed outside. Moments later he came back, red-faced, holding a newspaper.
“My god, I was right!”
“What is it?”
Felix asked irritably, but the judge unfolded the crumpled paper.
“That man—it’s His Grace, the Duke of Maledictus!!”
At that shout, the room froze.
“What? What nonsense…”
Felix snatched the paper, brought it to the painting, and compared them.
Slowly, his face hardened.
The handsome man in the painting matched exactly with the unmasked photo of Duke Maledictus on the newspaper’s front page.
The atmosphere of the painted man was warmer, but otherwise they were identical.
“Wait… this woman too…”
Another painter, who had once worked as a court artist and visited imperial banquets, suddenly pressed his forehead.
“Now I remember. This is the Duchess of Maledictus.”
He had been at the banquet where her face was revealed, but back then the shock of seeing the Duke had been too great. Only now, after seeing this portrait, did he recall her face.
“Then… the Duchess herself submitted this painting under a pen name…”
Felix stared blankly at the canvas.
“So that’s why she used a male name. She didn’t want to be recognized.”
Hireono added.
Felix shook his head again.
“No, this can’t work. If we choose this, the scandal will be huge. People will say we awarded her because she’s the Duchess.”
But Hireono countered.
“That too would be discrimination. If she showed enough skill, rejecting her just to avoid scandal is unfair.”
“The backlash will be terrible. This contest is supposed to give new painters a chance. The Duchess already has wealth and opportunity to debut.”
Even so, Hireono didn’t back down.
“Our contest has kept its honor by judging only skill—not status or class.”
At that, Felix went silent.
“There have been noble winners before. Not many reached the top three, but still…”
Hireono, unusually firm, pointed at the giant portrait.
“Once people see this painting, they’ll know it wasn’t chosen for her title.”
Felix’s gaze slowly turned back to the self-portrait of the woman.
A reflection on all the beings that made up “herself.”
The insight to reach the conclusion that she was built from them.
The sensitivity and expression to show affection for each being—and for herself.
No one else could have created this.
Finally, Felix closed his eyes and nodded.
“…Very well.”
In the rose garden under the blue moon.
The doll curses were enjoying tea-time pretend play, happily indulging in their hobby.
The twins polished knives under the moonlight, planning their next prank.
Ruhi and the low-level curses under him lazed around like melted slime, drunk on the rose scent.
“It’s peaceful.”
“It really is.”
Drinking tea with my husband, watching the curses in the garden, with the blue moon shining—a moon that doesn’t rise anywhere else.
‘This really is the best newlywed life.’
Even better, I had already submitted my contest piece, so I had no pressing work.
For days I had been idling, exploring curses with Damien.
Of course… sharing curses through kisses—something too embarrassing to say out loud—was still ongoing.
“It’s lucky the blue moon stays for a whole month.”
“Yes. Maybe it was made that way so the second ritual could be done more comfortably.”
“But why did the moon, which never rose before, suddenly appear?”
The moment I asked that—bells rang somewhere.
“Urgent news, my lord!!”
The servant rushed in, holding an envelope sealed with the Imperial Academy’s crest.
