Chapter 84
Blanche wasn’t in the bag. It seemed that after coming to her senses, she had immediately left the bag.
“Did she go straight back to the Coral Mansion, worried I’d scold her for causing such a big incident?”
That was entirely plausible.
“Now it’s time to pay for the scroll. How much will it be?”
“As I told you before, that scroll was just a gift for you, Angel. No payment is necessary.”
“Everyone says that at first, but later they always demand an even bigger price. So let’s settle it cleanly now.”
“Then…”
Belois hesitated for a moment, carefully gauging my reaction before speaking.
“It might be a somewhat unreasonable request…”
“I’ll be the judge of that. Go ahead, tell me.”
“Please take me in, Angel!”
“…Huh?”
Take you in? How exactly?
I stared at Belois in confusion, and he anxiously began to promote himself.
“I may be like this, but I do paint. I don’t eat much, so I won’t cost much in food. As for lodging, just a roof will do—or even no roof! Also…”
“Wait!”
I raised my hand to stop him and sorted out my chaotic thoughts.
“So you’re asking me to sponsor you, Belois?”
“Yes! That’s exactly it! Please, take me in, Angel!”
It was common for nobles to take in artists to support their work, gaining both fame and art in return.
But I’d heard that Belois was already quite a famous painter. Even the royal court commissioned works from him.
A painter of that caliber didn’t really need support from a noble family to live comfortably and pursue art.
In fact, receiving sponsorship from a noble family would cost him some of the freedom he had enjoyed until now.
“I don’t understand. Someone like you, Belois, wouldn’t need to seek sponsorship.”
Ah… maybe!
“Are your family finances worse than people think? If so, I can provide enough money.”
“No need for money!”
Belois jumped slightly at my suggestion and waved his hands vigorously.
“I just want to be near you, Angel, and paint you. I’ve found my muse for life!”
“…Excuse me? Muse?”
I was dumbfounded, mouth agape, as Belois clasped his hands together and recalled that moment with a rapturous expression.
“The moment I saw you fall from the sky, Angel, it felt like the world flipped upside down. All the sounds around me vanished, and only you existed as everything in the world!”
“What… is this guy crazy?”
Baratheon, who had appeared behind me without my noticing, clicked his tongue while watching Belois.
Cishe also watched the standoff between me and Belois with an intrigued expression.
“How much money do you think it takes to support one artist? And he’s trying to sneak into our house just like that?”
Baratheon’s words struck me like a lightning bolt.
“What? It costs a lot…?”
“Do you think only one or two nobles have gone bankrupt from sponsoring artists? He’s just some naive kid they’re trying to exploit!”
“Bankrupt… from sponsoring artists…?”
Thinking about it, it wasn’t wrong.
Supporting artists required astronomical sums. Only extremely wealthy families could afford it.
It was also a way for them to flaunt their wealth.
I stared blankly at Belois, who pouted as if unjustly accused.
“No! I’m truly fine living frugally, quietly, and painting only you, Angel!”
“No.”
“Angel, I really…”
“Spend freely!”
“Yes! Freely… really?”
This time, Belois looked dumbfounded.
“In art, money should never be spared. I know that much. The best materials, the best lodging! I’ll provide everything at the highest quality!”
“…Excuse me?”
I smiled gently and took Belois’s hands in mine.
Watching him blink in bewilderment, Baratheon thumped his chest in exasperation.
“Kid! What are you saying? Didn’t you hear me? You’ll go bankrupt like this!”
“Yes, that’s it. That’s what I want.”
I swallowed his words internally and patted Belois on the back to encourage him.
“Don’t worry. I’ll sponsor you, Belois.”
“Angel…”
Belois teared up in gratitude, while Baratheon gaped in disbelief.
“Hmm…”
Cishe only let out a mysterious smile as he observed the scene.
I had received my title, and now I had both a cursed doll and a notoriously expensive artist.
It was a very satisfying visit to the capital.
On the way back to the Coral Mansion, I used a magic scroll again.
This time, since Blanche hadn’t snuck into my bag, we arrived safely without any issues.
The first to greet us was the butler, Dane.
“Welcome back, my lady. I see we have more people now.”
“Yes, this is Belois. He will be staying at the Coral Mansion from today.”
“Shall I show him to the guest room?”
“No, I’m sponsoring Belois. He’s not just a guest—please assign him a room suitable for working.”
“Sponsorship…”
Dane glanced at Belois with a moment of surprise before composing himself and bowing.
“Yes, don’t worry, my lady.”
“Anything he wants, grant it. If he asks for materials, buy them all without hesitation.”
“Understood.”
“Did anything unusual happen while I was away?”
Lucas, who appeared suddenly behind Dane, answered that question.
“No. Nothing worth worrying about.”
“Lucas!”
“Welcome back! His Majesty didn’t trouble you, right?”
“Oh, is His Majesty some villain? Everyone asks that first. If anyone heard that, it would be a big deal.”
“Anyone who makes my little sister suffer is a villain.”
Lucas patted my head, speaking in a way that was pleasant to hear.
“Lucas really knows how to phrase things nicely.”
I smiled at Lucas, and Baratheon lifted me up in his arms.
Now that I was fourteen and had grown well-fed, I had some weight, but Baratheon still lifted me effortlessly.
“Did Lucas oil his mouth or something? How does he talk so smoothly? If it’s good oil, share some with me.”
“Even with oil, I doubt Baratheon could speak as kindly as Lucas.”
“No oil. I’m just saying what’s on my mind.”
“See, that’s no ordinary oil.”
Baratheon shook his head as if exasperated and walked toward my room.
“Are you going to carry me all the way to my room?”
“Well, since I’m already holding you…”
Hmm. If Lucas wins points with words, Teon wins points with actions.
I thought this while comfortably leaning on Baratheon.
At first, being held felt awkward, but now I had grown used to finding a comfortable position on my own.
Since the three brothers often scooped me up, I had no choice but to adapt.
“The main contributor is Baratheon.”
He was the one who held me the most among the three brothers.
“He’ll make a good dad someday.”
He seemed like the kind of father who could play comfortably with his children, almost like a friend.
Thinking this as I stared at Baratheon, he noticed my gaze and turned to me.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing. I just think you’d be a good dad someday.”
“A good dad?”
Baratheon shrugged cynically at my comment.
“I’m not planning to have kids. Might marry, might not.”
“Oh? Really?”
I had imagined him cheerfully saying, “I’ll have at least twelve kids! I’ll make a whole knights’ order from them!”
This reaction was unexpectedly serious.
“They say children resemble their parents, right? My parents abandoned me and Cishe, and they weren’t great parents. Even if I marry and have kids, I’d probably be no better. Better to live alone. Cishe probably feels the same. Lucas… maybe not, but similar enough.”
“Uh… Didn’t you lose your parents to a beast attack?”
“Lucas did. Cishe and I had a different situation.”
“Hmm…”
Despite the light tone, the content was heavy.
I didn’t know what to say and kept my mouth shut. Baratheon, wearing his usual bright smile, tousled my hair.
“Why are you getting so serious?”
“Because you said something sad, Teon.”
“Sad? Me? Why?”
“Put yourself in my shoes. If I said the same thing you just did, how would you feel?”
Baratheon furrowed his brows, thinking for a moment.
“I’d probably tell you not to think like that. That it’s nonsense.”
“Exactly. That’s how I feel right now. So don’t waste time thinking about it. There are plenty of children with parents unlike them.”
As I grumbled, Baratheon, who had been staring at me blankly, suddenly laughed.
“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know. I just feel like laughing.”
“That’s strange. You’re not sick, are you?”
“Maybe. Could be.”
Even as he said that, Baratheon continued chuckling.
“I really don’t understand him at all.”
