IGMU 02

Chapter  02

“This matter will, as always, remain strictly confidential. The portrait will not be shared or shown to anyone else; only I will know of it. He is the lover of all, but I do not wish to share him with anyone. That is how I feel.”

“Everyone says that.”

I don’t believe it.

She swallowed the last words and continued.

“With that amount, you could buy several paintings on Manches Street, however you like.”

Manches Street, where artworks were traded, displayed various paintings of the current king as well as past monarchs and their families. Even life-sized canvases could be bought for around 300 dena. It was about a month’s living expenses for commoners.

“I don’t deal in those low-grade kitsch pieces.”

A look of contempt for forgeries flickered across Allen’s face.

No matter how refined the replica, a fake is still a fake, huh? So what am I supposed to do about that?

Eliella let out a deep sigh that masked her frustration.

“I’ll say it again. I can’t do it.”

“You will have to.”

“……”

Eliella looked at Allen, as if asking what she meant by that.

And for a brief moment, a thought crossed her mind—and her eyes wavered.

“Are you… threatening me right now?”

“Threatening you? If you refuse my request until the end… yes, I suppose it could become that.”

“What would happen if rumors spread that a young lady was secretly painting portraits and selling them for money? Could you even remain in the capital, let alone society?”

That wasn’t all. Even at the academy—where expulsion was rare—an exception could be made.

The emerald-gray eyes hardened as they stared at Allen.

“There’s no proof.”

“People aren’t interested in facts. You know that.”

Allen was right. Once something became an issue and rumors began to spread, the truth no longer mattered. Baseless gossip could easily become accepted as fact.

It would be difficult to prove she had done such work, but even the mention of her name would damage her reputation. Yet her own reputation wasn’t what hurt most. What pained her more was the thought that her family’s honor—and something she had done out of passion—would become nothing but a subject of ridicule.

“……”

“An advance payment of 300 dena. Another 300 upon completion. And if confidentiality is breached and I am implicated, I will pay a penalty of 2,000 dena. If things escalate, I will say I bought the painting from a Manches Street artist. Since you will have no reason to reveal the secret, I will bear all responsibility.”

“Why go this far? What’s the reason?”

Why… this far?

It was incomprehensible, but if the other party insisted on this level of commitment, there was no choice.

Allen finally smiled, satisfied.

“I want to become the mistress of Grenville Palace.”

Grenville, located six kilometers west of the capital Ville, was known for its vast greenery and forests. Humphries Hill rose above it, offering a commanding view not only of the surrounding landscape but even of the capital itself.

The view of Ville from Humphries Hill was said to be breathtaking. Grenville Palace, which sat atop it, was itself a masterpiece—its palace, gardens, and architecture all works of art.

From the grand fountain in front of the palace, a straight waterway extended through meticulously designed gardens filled with exquisite sculptures and lush greenery, creating the impression of a living landscape painting. Surrounded by tranquil gardens, Grenville was one of Lapland’s jewels. And its master—the prince, Franz.

‘So she’s saying she wants to become the princess consort?’

Allen straightened her shoulders, already looking as though she had become one.

Watching her, Eliella thought for a moment: Is it really appropriate to speak so casually about something so grand in front of someone like me? They were barely acquainted.

She studied Allen more carefully.

Allen Gieberman… future princess consort?

Her beauty and every subtle movement already carried an air of refinement. Nothing about her had changed.

And yet, words and actions that had seemed noble just moments ago now felt strangely artificial. Maybe it was because she was under pressure, Eliella thought, forcing herself to steady her rising irritation.

“Oh, may I add one more thing?”

Normally she would have answered confidently, Of course, go ahead. But after a brief hesitation, Eliella replied reluctantly.

“…Please speak.”

“When you paint him, I want his blue eyes to be filled with longing when he looks at me.”

She nearly laughed out loud at the absurdity of it, barely managing to hold it back.

“Pardon? I… excuse me?”

Eliella’s voice trembled despite herself, as if she had just heard the most ridiculous request in the world.

“Is that difficult?”

Eyes do not lie. Neither do paintings.

Eliella’s portraits were famous for creating the illusion that a real person was living inside the canvas. So such a request was extremely difficult.

More importantly, she had never been in love—not even once—and had no interest in such matters. She couldn’t possibly fabricate a gaze filled with romantic longing. If anything, she would have preferred an impossible beautification request.

“I think that would be difficult. To be honest, I’ve never even met him directly compared to the others. How am I supposed to paint longing in his eyes? I only paint what I see.”

The Royal Academy and University, attended by royalty and high nobles, were prestigious enough that simply graduating guaranteed recognition in Lapland. It was a gateway most noble heirs and daughters were expected to pass through.

Eliella was dissatisfied with it. Most noble ladies attended not for study, but as preparation for marriage into powerful families.

The academy and university shared the same grounds, though students were separated by gender. Even that felt like a small consolation; the separation itself still implied discrimination. If she had known better, she would never have enrolled.

The academy was essentially a social arena—a place where future rulers met, formed networks, and built connections.

Unlike Eliella, who kept a low profile and maintained average grades while quietly attending classes, they were impossible to ignore.

The Royal University’s famous “F4.” That was what people called them.

F4 stood for “Fabulous Four”—a name suggesting figures out of fairy tales or imagination. And yet there were four of them, all at once, making the title fitting.

Among them were Prince Franz, Marquis heir Marco Ronidias, and the twin sons of the House of Morris—Andrew and Richard. Eliella had seen them before, though only a handful of times.

She had once glimpsed them at balls she reluctantly attended, and from those fleeting memories she had tried to sketch them in various ways.

She didn’t even want to paint a prince she had barely seen, let alone be asked to capture longing in his eyes. It was ridiculous.

She didn’t even care what color the prince’s eyes were. It had never been, and would never be, important to her life.

“What nonsense! You’ve never met him?”

Allen raised her voice at Eliella.

“Shh. Quiet. Lower your voice.”

Eliella pressed a finger to her lips.

Of course, Eliella had seen Prince Franz. From a distance so great she couldn’t even clearly distinguish the color of his eyes—blue, navy, whatever it was, it hardly mattered.

“It’s not that I don’t know him. I just mean I’ve never looked directly into his blue eyes.”

She had never met him properly, nor even recalled a clear moment of passing by him.

In truth, she vaguely remembered hearing about the prince from her close acquaintance Loren at some point. She couldn’t remember the details or the tone of the conversation, but she was certain she had heard something about him.

“He is royalty. This is already a risky job for me. If you add absurd conditions like that, I’ll have no choice but to cancel everything.”

“…Fine. I was being too greedy. In any case, the social season will last until July, so I’ll have plenty of chances to meet him. I look forward to it.”

Allen smiled softly, her eyes shining.

Still, she was an incomprehensible young lady. If she truly became the mistress of Grenville, she could have the real prince himself—why go through such trouble just for a portrait? Was she cunning, or simply reckless?

What a ridiculous person.

Eliella felt a surge of frustration, but she forced it back down deep inside.