Chapter 18
“Why all of a sudden?”
“I just thought maybe you might…”
Her voice trailed off, filled with hesitation. It was as if she was weighing whether it was okay to say what she was thinking.
While waiting for her to continue, countless thoughts raced through my mind.
Lisa always had a sharp instinct when it came to Arte. My heart pounded—could she have figured out the contract between Dimion and me?
“It’s a great opportunity. And it’s not just any family—it’s Rocata. You know how prestigious it is for an artist to have Rocata’s patronage, right?”
“I know. And I also know how picky they are and how unpleasant they can be.”
“What? Are you saying my paintings aren’t good enough to earn Rocata’s patronage?”
Of course, I knew she didn’t mean it that way. She wasn’t trying to belittle me—it was a reasonable suspicion that Rocata’s patronage couldn’t be obtained so easily.
I knew all that, but to erase her doubt, I had to respond sharply.
“What are you talking about? You know how much I love your paintings. They’re good enough to impress the Emperor himself, let alone Rocata.”
Lisa waved her hands, denying Arte’s words. It seemed my feigned hurt had worked—her expression softened considerably compared to just moments ago.
“The amount—fifty thousand lira—is surprising too. I was shocked at first as well. But I guess they really liked it. They said it was worth the value.”
This was the moment to push. Arte deliberately locked eyes with Lisa, giving her gaze more intensity.
“I’ve been praying so hard lately, you know? I think it paid off. When will I ever get a stroke of luck like this again? It’s enough just to be able to paint freely again, but I can also pay off my debt, cover Peter’s surgery costs, and fund the upkeep of the estate.”
I raised my voice like an excited child looking forward to a school outing. I had to make it seem like I truly rejoiced in Rocata’s patronage and was thrilled about going to the capital.
“They even said they’d get me a spot at the art academy if I wanted. You know, Lisa, it was really hard for me to quit back then when I had no choice. But now I have a chance to study again. I want to make up for the regrets I had then.”
Half of it was true, half was a lie.
The regret from having to stop my studies due to our family’s decline was real, but Dimion’s promise about a spot in the art academy was fabricated.
Still, to speak of genuine emotions naturally, I needed a fabricated promise.
Even if I had to mix in lies, it was the last push I needed to wipe away Lisa’s suspicion.
“Arte…”
My effort paid off. Lisa’s eyes wavered greatly when I brought up the wound I had long tried to ignore.
“Ha… alright.”
After a moment of thought, Lisa let out a deep sigh. I could almost see the question marks in her head being erased one by one.
I, too, quietly sighed in relief.
Lisa could be relentless. If she ever found out I had sacrificed myself to escape the shackles of the Peet family, she would do whatever it took to break the contract.
That was something I absolutely could not allow.
I never wanted to see Lisa pushing herself to protect me again.
“But you’d better keep your wits about you. You never stepped into high society before, but now you’ll be entering the social circles of the capital.”
Lisa moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed, gripping my hand tightly as she spoke.
“You’re going as a sponsored painter. They won’t be too interested in me personally—Rocata sponsors more than one artist, after all.”
“It’s different when the Duke himself comes all the way down to Dallupe and personally discovers you.”
Her firm tone made me straighten unconsciously.
I hadn’t given high society much thought at all. Facing Dimion as his “doll” was already enough of a burden; I had no energy to spare for anything else.
“Speaking of the Duke, Arte…”
While I was lost in thought, Lisa squeezed my hand tighter.
“No matter how much time you spend together, never give your heart to Duke Rocata. No matter how he treats you, don’t fall for it.”
It was a sudden request, and a baffling one at that. Her tone was so firm and commanding that it almost intimidated me.
“He’s just a patron and I’m just an artist. What could possibly happen? Besides, me? You know me—I’m fed up with men.”
“I’m saying this because he’s not an ordinary man. Even in this unadorned countryside, he shines. In the capital, every possible kind of prestige will only make him more dazzling. And glamour… glamour can enchant people, Arte. Especially someone like you, who isn’t immune to brilliance.”
“Lisa, that’s too—”
“The moment you give even a little of your heart, you’ll be the only one hurt. So keep your head straight. Promise me.”
I stared at the pinky finger she held up to my face.
In that brief moment, the times I had spent with Dimion flashed before my eyes one by one.
As I thought them over, Lisa’s worry felt like needless anxiety. I was already wary of Dimion’s sudden change in attitude, seeing it as nothing more than a trap.
No matter how dazzling he was, it didn’t matter to me. I wasn’t foolish enough to throw myself into blinding light.
I certainly wasn’t stupid enough to mistake a “doll’s” novelty for affection or love.
“Trust me, Lisa. That will never happen. I swear.”
Two fingers—so alike—linked together firmly.
The send-off was grand.
For a moment, I had felt a little hurt that no one seemed too sad to see me go—but that thought now seemed laughable.
The Count and Countess kept dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs, and Martha, who had been my exclusive maid for so long, clung to my hand and wailed.
Lisa still wouldn’t let go of my hand, repeating her endless nagging, while Peter stood by looking overly serious, occasionally adding his own comments.
Even among the lined-up servants, I could hear sniffles. Even the butler, who I thought would never shed a tear, had reddened eyes.
It was a tear-filled scene, but the atmosphere wasn’t entirely heavy.
Only Dimion and I knew the truth. None of the people sending me off knew about the contract. To their eyes, I was a woman setting out to spread her wings.
Though they were sad to see me go, the air was filled with support and blessings for my future.
I smiled as brightly as I could while saying goodbye.
The contract’s weight still pressed on my shoulders, but knowing I had protected such dear people made it possible to smile sincerely.
The moment I climbed into the carriage and it began to move, the smile faded completely.
Dimion’s driving was no different from the day we went to the bank. He still drove like a madman and still didn’t check on my condition.
If anything, it was worse this time.
Because his schedule was so tight, we had to keep driving without rest. There was no stopping at a hotel, no chance to take a long nap along the way.
Since Dimion himself handled the grueling pace without issue, I—just sitting there—couldn’t exactly complain about being tired.
But it was exhausting. Truly exhausting.
Lisa had told me not to give my heart away. I let out a short, bitter laugh at the thought.
A pointless worry. If I ever faced a moment of weakness, all I’d have to do was recall this drive to the capital, and any affection would evaporate instantly.
The constant roar of the engine was unbearable, and my growing motion sickness was pure torment. The longer it went on, the harder it was to stay sane.
In the end, I dozed off without realizing it—well past the point of endurance, unable to keep my eyes open any longer.
“Milady.”
“…”
“Milady?”
“…”
“Milady!”
What woke me was Dimion’s voice after quite some time.
Not even realizing I’d fallen asleep, I jolted upright.
“Did… did I fall asleep?”
“You were sleeping soundly. I called you ten times before you woke up. I don’t know when you dozed off.”
“Ah…”
Flustered, I ducked my head. I had tried to endure as long as possible, so it was frustrating to have given in.
‘But why did he wake me? Did I sleep weirdly? Or maybe… we’ve arrived?’
As I wondered, I looked around—and my eyes widened.
In one glance, I could see the massive Imperial Palace, the grand avenues leading to it lined with towering buildings, ornate statues, bustling crowds, countless carriages and motorcars.
It was a sight I hadn’t seen in so long that I couldn’t help but gasp in awe.
“Wow…”
It was the capital.
At last, Arte had arrived in the capital.
