Chapter 77
We left the gallery and headed to a place where we wouldn’t draw people’s attention.
Standing side by side against the wall of a building near the gallery, we remained silent for a while, basking in the warm sunlight streaming down on us.
It was Michael who spoke first.
“Adela asked me to pass along her congratulations on your debut exhibition. There are a lot of Count Green’s people in the capital, so she couldn’t come.”
“That’s alright. Please tell her I’m grateful just for her thoughtfulness.”
“Okay.”
Silence fell again. I knew that thoughts he couldn’t easily put into words were passing through his mind.
Michael spoke once more.
“I spent some time calmly thinking about what you said last time.”
“……”
“I felt hurt. It was like I’d found out about Diana’s death far too late.”
“……I understand.”
If I had spoken sooner, perhaps he wouldn’t have felt so disappointed.
But at the time, that had been the best choice. So I didn’t regret it in the end.
“If you hate me, then hate me. That’s fine. I think it’s only natural to feel hurt. She was your family.”
At my words, Michael let out a small, bitter laugh. Silence returned. He looked up at the sky.
“……Even if we separate, I’ll continue to handle Adela and Angela’s matter, so don’t worry. Personally, that’s something I was angry about too.”
My eyes widened slightly as I turned to look at him. Michael met my gaze.
“Like you said, let’s stay apart for a while. If that’s what you want.”
“……”
I couldn’t answer. He turned his head away, smiling faintly as he looked up at the sky.
“It’s funny. I was the one who kept telling you to live freely, but when you said it, selfish thoughts crossed my mind. I knew that if I knelt down and begged you not to leave me, your soft heart wouldn’t be able to turn me away.”
“……”
“At one point, I even wanted to do the same thing Diana did to you.”
“Michael.”
“That’s why I decided. I don’t want to bind you. I don’t want to betray the words I once said—that whatever choice you make is fine.”
He turned back to me.
“I still think Diana’s actions were ultimately done to ease her own conscience.”
Everyone has principles of their own—principles that no one else has the right to violate.
Michael simply didn’t want to betray the principles and beliefs he had set for himself.
He stepped closer until he was standing in front of me, gently cupped my cheek, and looked down at me.
“You once said you believe in fate. That if two people are destined to meet, they’ll eventually find their way back to each other no matter how much they wander.”
“……”
“I’ve decided to entrust our relationship to that fate.”
He pressed a light kiss to my forehead and smiled more brightly than I had ever seen him smile.
“I love you, Cassia Bennett.”
“……”
“I’ll enjoy the exhibition.”
Still smiling, he walked away. With my heart churning, I watched his retreating figure.
There was no ring on his finger.
17. After the Exhibition
Michael only left the gallery after finishing the entire exhibition, maintaining a completely composed demeanor.
Until the very end, he carefully and attentively examined each painting I had drawn.
I didn’t say much to him. No matter what I said, I knew it would only be words meant to defend myself.
I didn’t want to pretend to be the good one on my own, even if it meant being cursed instead.
Before leaving, however, Michael said to me:
“If you ever need help with anything related to Diana, contact me anytime.”
As her brother, he too felt anger toward the person who had killed his beloved younger sister.
Still, because he was already busy dealing with Adela and Angela’s situation, he said he would focus on improving his magic skills for the time being.
He asked that I periodically share with him whatever information the duke and I uncovered.
Since it was only natural, I readily nodded in agreement. After telling me once more that he enjoyed the exhibition, Michael left the gallery.
After he was gone, I was briefly seized by a hollow feeling.
But only for a moment. I quickly pulled myself together—because the exhibition wasn’t over yet.
With an unchanged expression, I began welcoming guests once more.
The final day of the debut exhibition was approaching.
* * *
Morning broke on the last day of the debut exhibition.
I woke up early, sat on the sofa, and took a sip of water when Sophie emerged from the room, looking disheveled.
“Ughhh! I’m exhausted to death.”
“You’re up?”
“Huh? Lady Cassia, you’re already awake?”
Sophie looked surprised when she saw me sitting on the sofa.
“There’s still some time before we have to go to the gallery. You could’ve slept more.”
“I just woke up early. I thought we could have breakfast together.”
Still in her pajamas, Sophie yawned repeatedly as she went into the kitchen and drank some water.
Her trudging footsteps were so cute that I couldn’t help but smile.
Well, it made sense she was tired.
The debut exhibition had been far more successful than expected, with visitors exceeding our projected numbers by a wide margin.
The museum director even joked regretfully that the exhibition should have been ticketed.
Despite our efforts, the gallery staff was woefully insufficient to properly attend to all the visitors.
That was why Sophie and I had been practically living at the gallery throughout the exhibition.
Having to do the work meant for several people alone, Sophie had been through a lot. I said to her,
“Mornings usually have fewer visitors. If you’re really tired, how about sleeping a bit more and coming in the afternoon?”
“No way. What are you saying? I’m going to be with you for every moment.”
Sophie set down her cup and spoke.
“Let’s do our best today too, Lady Cassia! Once today’s over, the exhibition will be finished.”
“Yeah. Thank you.”
I smiled gently at Sophie. Saying she needed to wash up and get ready for breakfast, she went into the bathroom.
At a sudden sound, I looked outside. A single crow was perched on a branch, cawing.
“……A guest coming, perhaps.”
Murmuring to myself, I took another sip of water.
* * *
After finishing breakfast and getting ready with Sophie, we headed to the gallery.
Having gone there several days in a row, the route had become familiar. Since today was the last day, there would be no more coming here starting tomorrow.
Though it wasn’t completely over yet, the debut exhibition was wrapping up quite successfully.
The many people who came to see my paintings, and the conversations I shared with them.
There were more people who viewed my art favorably than I had expected—though that might simply be because only such people came to the exhibition.
In any case, since today was the last day, I wanted to finish it well.
I wanted a clean ending.
It was while thinking that we arrived in front of the gallery.
“Huh? What’s that?”
Sophie narrowed her eyes as she looked at something outside the window. I followed her gaze.
A massive carriage stood in front of the gallery. It was an imperial carriage. Countless knights surrounded the entrance, guarding it.
“Is someone from the imperial family visiting the exhibition again?”
Sophie spoke with a bad feeling.
What is this?
I had a bad feeling too.
As soon as the carriage arrived, we hurriedly got out and rushed inside together.
And there, we came face-to-face with the person waiting for us. He smiled broadly.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Raven.”
It was none other than the Crown Prince of the Empire.
* * *
The gallery was completely cleared out for the morning.
The knight order blocking the entrance was sizable, lining the interior in long rows.
Perhaps because he was the Crown Prince, even though it was opening time, they prevented even a single regular visitor from entering.
It was quite different from the Empress and Adolf’s visit on the first day—but when you thought about it, this was the usual way high-ranking nobles or royalty viewed an art gallery. Adolf and the Empress had simply been unusually easygoing.
So I watched him from afar without much thought.
More than that, I was curious about why he had come.
In the stiff atmosphere, only the sound of the Crown Prince’s footsteps echoed through the gallery.
Raven de Fontrich.
The Empire’s First Prince and Crown Prince. Adolf’s eldest brother—though as far as I knew, they did not share the same mother.
He was the only blood relative left behind by the former Empress, who had died young from illness.
Though I had occasionally visited the imperial palace as a noble, this was the first time I had greeted him at such close range.
Sophie, standing beside me, glared at him with obvious displeasure.
“Why on earth did he come here?”
Sophie was one of Adolf’s people.
And recently, there had been rumors that the Crown Prince was discussing marriage with Angela, so her feelings toward him couldn’t have been good.
“He definitely has an ulterior motive. You should be careful, Lady Cassia.”
Keeping my eyes on him, I quietly nodded.
Yes—why had he come all this way? For what purpose?
From his perspective, visiting after the Empress and Adolf had already come two days ago would have been awkward in many ways.
And yet he had come, and was viewing the exhibition alone. There had to be a reason.
After finishing his viewing, he approached me. I straightened my posture.
Up close, he had a handsome appearance distinct from Adolf’s.
His jet-black eyes were particularly striking.
Perhaps he resembled the former Empress.
Though his hair was a beautiful blond, his eyes alone were steeped in pitch-black darkness.
“I enjoyed the exhibition very much. They were wonderful paintings.”
