210 - The Price of a Painting and Danger Is a Beautiful Girl
I ended up feeling rather unsettled, so even though I was in front of Jemian, I clung tightly to Leonardo. I had been consciously trying to improve my behavior, but when I feel anxious about something, sticking close to my guardian (Leonardo) is still what calms me the most. The second most calming thing is the belly of the bear stuffed toy that sits on the bed in my room. It seems I find reassurance in having something large at my back, or in hugging something. I am truly Leonardo's child now.
"From the description I received, could she be that girl who has been visiting so eagerly lately, hoping to buy a painting?"
I had reported that she was blonde with blue eyes and looked around fifteen or sixteen, but the person Jemian had in mind apparently looks a bit younger but is actually a little older than that. Regardless of her actual age, she matches the description.
"A blonde, blue-eyed girl who looks fifteen or sixteen and is eccentric enough to want one of my paintings..."
"Princess Claudine has been visiting quite eagerly, hoping to purchase that painting."
"Clau..."
I just thought it was a long name, but for Leonardo, it seemed to be someone with whom he had some kind of history. At the name that came out of Jemian's mouth, he clutched his head.
"Leonyaldo-san, are you acquainted with a princess?"
Seeing Leonardo showing more shock than when he had faced the pink painting, I felt a little displeased. I was not pleased about it, but since I was not the one troubling Leonardo this time, I tried to console him by saying I hoped he would recover quickly. Since learning that my inner self was not the same as my physical age, Leonardo had been tense even about gestures like patting my head, but now he simply let it happen. That was how shocking that name was to him.
"How do you know each other?"
"She is someone who once made me pose fully nude as a model."
With that concise explanation, a memory surfaced. I could not remember when I had heard it, but apparently in the capital there is a fountain of a nude Leonardo holding a jar. Princess Claudine must be the one who had that fountain made.
...This country's royalty, are they not a bit too free?
The former king went on a real journey through all the territories (to fix the world), a prince (Alfred) who loudly declares his love for a man (Alf), a princess who is almost fully naked, and a princess who makes fountains of naked men. When I list it all out like this, it is strange how Dietfried, who is just a selfish tyrant, starts to seem cute by comparison.
...But they seem to properly separate public and private matters, so I cannot really complain.
Even if they have somewhat troublesome hobbies, the affairs of state are still being conducted without issue. As long as it stays within the realm of personal hobbies, outsiders should not complain.
"...So it is Princess Claudine who wants that painting."
"She has been visiting for negotiations morning, noon, and night, day after day."
I thought Jemian's letter had said someone had been showing up daily, but apparently it was three times a day, morning, noon, and night, and every single day at that. That is an incredibly troublesome person. I had only made Jemian an accomplice in my prank, but it had ended up causing him an enormous nuisance.
"...Tina."
"Yes?"
After a long silence, Leonardo called my name with a look of deep contemplation. It seemed quite serious, so I straightened my back and waited for him to continue.
"Tina, you do not have any objection to selling that painting, do you?"
"That was made as a prank on Leonyaldo-san, so once it has served its purpose, I think it would just be a bother to deal with."
I answered that whether he sold it or brought it home to display in his room was up to him. The embroidery painting was created as a prank, but it was supposed to be a birthday present for Leonardo. If it could be sold, then he could put that money toward the gift.
"But is that really okay? You seemed like you did not want to sell it, Leonyaldo-san."
"To be honest, I would feel more at ease if I could offer up the painting as a sacrifice and satisfy her."
"...Well then, since she seems to be causing trouble for Jemian-sama with her persistence, let us inflate the price."
Since she is being pushy about buying a painting that was meant to be a gift, a little harassment in the form of an inflated price should be permissible. Personally, I would at least like to recover the material costs, but I would like to charge extra for the nuisance fee.
...But what is the going rate for a painting anyway?
In my previous life, paintings by famous artists were traded for sums in the hundreds of millions, but surely no one would pay such an absurd amount for an amateur's embroidery.
...Oh, I see. I should have just set a ridiculous price from the start.
Once I realized that, setting a price was easy. I just needed to set such an absurd price that I would never pay it myself.
"Please sell it for a price that could buy a house with a garden."
"A house with a garden..."
I revealed my plan, thinking this absurd price would make her give up, but Jemian closed his eyes as if deep in thought, and Leonardo clutched his head again. I had tried to set a price I would never pay myself, but was it still too high?
"...Tina. By the way, what scale of 'house' are you thinking of?"
"Huh? Well... about the size of Aurelia's house, maybe?"
I was being a little greedy. Instead of the house I had lived at in Mey Village, I used Aurelia's house as a reference, which was more impressive than the village chief's. A detached house with a garden, with a bath, a kitchen, separate living room and bedroom, and even an attic room. If it was just me and Leonardo living there as family without hiring servants, I think it would be plenty spacious.
"...Then, Tina. What about the princess's 'house'?"
"When you say a princess's house, that would be a castle, and... huh?! No, that is not what I meant! I did not mean to suggest selling it for a price that could buy a castle!"
I had intended to set an exorbitant price, but even so, that would be too absurd. The goal was to make her give up because she could not afford it, but there are limits to everything. If the price was too obviously outrageous and the intention to refuse was too transparent, I felt it might breed resentment later. I think it is important to set a price that makes the other party have no choice but to give up, without showing our intentions.
Jemian said he would handle the negotiations with Princess Claudine, so we left everything to him. As for the difference in perception between the 'house' I was thinking of and the 'house' Jemian was thinking of, I deliberately avoided clarifying it, hoping it might become a factor in her giving up on buying the painting. Even if it sold for what I considered a 'house'-level price, the material costs would be more than recovered.
...But I am more curious about the conditions Leonardo added.
As a condition for handing over the painting, Leonardo seemed to be adding a clause prohibiting Princess Claudine from approaching me. When I asked why it was about me rather than Leonardo himself, he said that when he agreed to be the model for the fountain, it was already stipulated that she would not approach him directly. Apparently, if that agreement is broken, the fountain would be smashed by Leonardo's own hands, and all the sketches drawn for the fountain model would be burned.
...So that is why when I called out to Leonyaldo-san, she ran away, Princess Claudine.
When I think of her as Alfred's relative, she does seem to have a similar aura. The reason she seemed familiar was probably because of her resemblance to Alfred.
...She was beautiful, but her eyes were scary.
She was smiling with a pretty face, but her eyes were not smiling at all. How should I describe it... it was that unsettling, confident look unique to people who will not listen to reason, the kind who look like they are listening to you while completely ignoring everything you say, and only push their own twisted logic. Just being stared at by those eyes sent chills down my spine. If she is going to issue a proximity ban for me too, nothing would make me happier.
"...Since we have come all the way to Lagarette, you should stay at my home tonight. Basilia would be happy too."
After I had left the matter of the painting entirely to Leonardo and was enjoying the cake served as a snack, the conversation turned to where we would stay tonight. We could have returned to Grenore by evening using the river, but there was no need to rush. The residence needed guarding, but Alf had been handling that during the winter anyway. For today's outing too, Alf was covering for us at the residence, so we had enough leeway to stay one night.
I looked up at Leonardo's face beside me, wondering what he would answer. Just then, Leonardo also seemed to be checking on me, and our eyes met perfectly. I would have been fine with a forced march back, but it seemed Leonardo had misread my expression. His face clearly showed unnecessary concern being activated in his head, something like maybe I did not want to use the Blendrel Trading Company's hotel because there might be someone I did not want to meet, but since it was a rare opportunity, maybe I wanted to see Basilia.
...No, I do not really need to go see Basilia-chan, you know?
We exchange letters occasionally, but I would not say we are particularly close friends. There was no need to take a detour and change Leonardo's plans.
...That said, I could not exactly say "I do not want to see her" in front of Basilia-chan's father (Jemian).
How should I steer the conversation to politely decline Jemian's invitation? While I was thinking, Jemian seemed to be moving the conversation forward on his own. He even started saying that he would send word to the main residence and we could use whatever room we liked.
...So that means Jemian-sama is still sleeping at the art gallery, as usual.
I looked up at Jemian with slight exasperation, and he said there was someone at the main residence he wanted me to meet. It seemed the invitation to stay at the main residence was actually a cover for the real purpose.
"Someone you want me to meet?"
"Yes. You remember I once asked if you could make an embroidery painting for me too, do you not? At the time, you refused, saying you could not embroider someone you had never even seen..."
"So that means the person Jemian-sama wants as a model is at the main residence."
"Exactly. Basilia's mother is at the main residence."
...Huh? Not the legal wife, but a portrait of the mistress?
Is that really appropriate? And while we are at it, I also wonder why Basilia lives in the annex while the mistress lives in the main residence. If it were the reverse, I could understand it, but what is with this difference in how Jemian treats his daughter and his mistress? I could not help but make a deadpan face, but Jemian continued talking, unconcerned with my expression.
"The main residence is dangerous for a young girl. I will tell Basilia to hold a dinner party at the annex. I can invite Yuria there."
...You just recommended I stay there, even though you say the main residence is dangerous for young girls. Also, is Yuria-san Basilia-chan's mother?
If I take Jemian's words at face value, it might mean that Basilia lives in the annex to keep her away from the dangerous main residence. It does not seem like he is treating her differently because she is an illegitimate child. If he were someone who made such distinctions, he would have the mistress live in the annex instead.
...If it is dangerous, I do not want to go near it.
I really do not want to go near anything dangerous. But I could not strongly refuse, and in the end, I ended up staying at Jemian's main residence for the night. I was curious enough to quietly ask a staff member at the gallery, who told me that the legal wife and Basilia's mother actually get along very well, and in fact, it was the legal wife who had taken a liking to Yuria and would not let her go. So then I wondered if Basilia lived in the annex because her mother's love for her was inconvenient, but that was not it either. Apparently the legal wife's family also has some royal blood, and one of their defining traits, a skewed affections, is directed at same-sex individuals they fancy.
...Yeah, that does sound like a place that is dangerous for young girls.
The legal wife apparently has a habit of force-feeding girls she takes a liking to. She apparently enjoys the feel of plump cheeks and upper arms.
...If Basilia-chan lived in the same mansion as someone with such a troublesome fetish, she would turn into a pig.
It might seem like she shows little affection toward Basilia, but perhaps this is Jemian's way of thinking about it. Basilia might have been treated worse than the painter boy, but she did have servants, a nurse maid, and a tutor properly assigned to her. It is not like she has been completely neglected.
I was a little scared, but since I was being invited to someone else's home, I felt I should bring a gift, so I peered into the shops along the main street. I also decided to look for souvenirs for Tabitha and Hermine, who were holding down the fort back at the Grenore residence.
...People keep glancing at Leonyaldo-san's face as we pass. Is this because of that painting too?
If they just stopped and stared at Leonardo's face, that would be one thing, but I felt a bit sorry for Leonardo when a group of young ladies screamed and ran away.
...I am sorry, but my brother is not Herkeles. Please rest assured. I do not think he commits rape. Probably.
He does visit prostitutes, so he probably has a normal sex drive, but I am sure he would not do anything like the mythological Herkeles. I imagine being secretly glanced at is also hurtful, but at the very least, I wish they would stop screaming and running away.
...It was just a little prank, but it was too effective.
Leonardo's face does not show it, but he might be feeling down inside. Should I kiss him on the cheek later to cheer him up?
"...Tina, go back to the carriage first."
"Okaaay."
Salisa, who was accompanying us as a maid, carried the shopping, but Leonardo no longer let me see him paying. It might just be because he stopped picking me up, so I no longer had the chance to see it, but it also felt like proper escorting of a lady.
...It feels strange.
I am no longer treated as purely a child. But that does not mean I am being treated as the opposite sex either. Lately, Leonardo's attitude has been really ambiguous.
I held Salisa's hand and left the shop. The cowbell on the door made a soft metallic sound. The distance to the carriage was less than fifteen steps even with my short legs, but as I was crossing that short distance to board the carriage, a woman's scream rose from the side, as if tearing silk.
"Kyaaaaaaahhhh?! What have you doneeeee?!"
A piercing noise rang in my ears, and I instinctively closed my eyes, letting go of Salisa's hand to cover my ears. No, I tried to cover my ears. I tried to, but my hands were immediately caught by someone's soft hands and rubbed with furious intensity.
"Ow! That hurts, it hurts!"
I opened my eyes to see what was happening, and a beautiful blonde girl was rubbing my hands with a handkerchief. Or rather, she seemed to think she was polishing them.
"It hurts! It hurts! Miss, please stop!"
"How dreadful! To think that Leonardo-sama's precious sebum! Leonardo-sama's touch! Leonardo-sama's body scent! Would be sullied by some lowborn woman of unknown origin!"
"Rather than let it be dirtied by a maid's hand grime, please give all of Leonardo-sama's sebum to me (watakushi)!" the beautiful girl shouted as she continued rubbing my hands with her handkerchief. From her remarks, I understood her objective. And I probably knew how to deal with her.
"Leo! Leo! Help! There is a scary lady!"
I called for help to Leonardo, who was still inside the shop. If this blonde beauty was the rumored eighth princess, she should not be able to face Leonardo.
"Address him as Leonardo-sama."
"Eek?!"
The expression suddenly vanished from the beautiful girl's face, and the hand that had been rubbing my handkerchief was released. Instead, she gently cupped my cheeks with both hands and brought her face so close that our lips almost touched. To be honest, even though it was a beautiful girl's face right up in mine, it was too scary. I would have nightmares.
"Le-o-nar-do-sa-ma."
Without blinking even once, without looking away from me, the beautiful blonde girl continued. It seemed she would not continue the conversation unless I first corrected myself to 'Leonyaldo-sama' as she demanded.
...Scary. Seriously scary. She is really the type who does not listen to a word anyone says.
Even though she is a beautiful girl, knowing that Jemian had been attacked by such a terrifying person morning, noon, and night every single day, I could only feel deep respect for him. Alf had said this was a good chance to earn Jemian's favor, but I suspect I am the one who should be grateful.
"First of all, who might you be? Shamelessly clinging to my Leonardo-sama, rubbing rubbing rubbing against him. You are an eyesore. But I will forgive that. Your dress is very cute. I saw Leonardo-sama carrying you in his arms earlier, you know. I was watching from behind a pillar the whole time. That ribbon on your back, would you be willing to part with it? That ribbon was touching Leonardo-sama's muscular biceps."
When she said "Speaking of things that touched Leonardo-sama," she paused, and finally the beautiful blonde girl's face moved away from mine. But her hands were still on my cheeks, so I could not escape.
"Your arms were wrapped around Leonardo-sama's thick, strong neck, were they not? I saw it just now. I saw it clearly with these eyes. I did not missee it. How enviable, to be clinging so closely near Leonardo-sama..."
Please cut off those arms and give them to me. I am sure the beautiful blonde girl meant those words quite seriously.
"Leo, you idiot!"
Come rescue me already! I called out loudly to Leonardo. At the same time Salisa pulled me close and put distance between us and the dangerous blonde girl, the cowbell rang. As Leonardo finally burst out of the shop, the beautiful blonde girl, as if accustomed to this, first moved into the blind spot of the open door. After that, I can only say she made a masterful escape. While Leonardo's gaze was on me and Salisa to confirm our safety, she moved from blind spot to blind spot, ran around the back of the shop, and disappeared.
"What happened?! Tina?"
"You idiot, Leo! You are dumb! Too slow!"
Finally released from that indescribably creepy beautiful girl, tears began to stream down my face along with a wave of relief. I did not even understand it myself, but I just cried while taking out my frustration by hitting Leonardo, telling him how scared I was. If you just said a suspicious beautiful girl had accosted me, that would be the end of it, but I had genuinely felt in danger. I did not care that I was ten years old. I was scared, and I sobbed loudly.
Leonardo judged that I was in no state to go to the lord's residence, and the visit to Jemian's main residence being called off could perhaps be described as a blessing in disguise.
It would probably be close to midnight by the time we got home, but we decided to return to Grenore that same day. However, when we arrived back in Grenore, we were greeted by Alf with news that Jean-Jacques had been captured by Bertrand.
Princess Claudine is the type who practices same-hatred rejection of fellow fans of her favorite (like a religion) and rewrites the hero and heroine names in romance novels to herself and Leonardo.
The title is a play on words. Not a typo.
Typos and omissions again another day. Fixed any typos and omissions I found.