Chapter 52
Truthfully, Angel wasn’t someone who had lived his whole life without making mistakes.
People are supposed to stumble and rise again, learning from countless failures.
What confused him now was the realization that he had loved someone—someone whose name he couldn’t even recall.
The image of the woman remained a hazy silhouette. He didn’t remember her face, but the impression was clear enough that he knew exactly who she was.
Laura.
A woman who had a one-sided love for his lord—and somehow, he had ended up falling for her himself.
And that guilt—falling for the woman his master loved—was unbearable.
“I’m insane.”
Angel couldn’t understand it.
Laura had always been an irritating presence to him.
She had easily claimed the spot beside Asel, which everyone coveted, using nothing more than her Marquis father’s influence.
And once in that position, what did she do? She wielded her status as Crown Princess like a weapon, hid behind imperial authority, and committed all kinds of wicked acts.
But…
Something had changed about her.
‘Since when? Was it after Marquis Lweyze died?’
She stopped the tyranny. She no longer clung obsessively to Asel.
Her speech, her behavior, everything about her had changed. Lately, she had changed so much that he couldn’t even recall what she used to be like.
The thought had crossed his mind—that perhaps she wasn’t a villainess after all.
After all, she had been raised like a chess piece by her father, and never chose to be Asel’s fiancée.
‘I guess… there were things you couldn’t help either.’
After her father disappeared, she’d begun walking a completely different path.
Maybe that was her true self, now free from his grip.
“……”
And that was what made it even more problematic.
The more he considered that Laura might not be evil, the more he realized that he might really love her.
And that drove Angel mad.
“I’m losing it.”
You didn’t need to raise a sword in rebellion to be a traitor. Loving your master’s woman was betrayal enough.
And recently, Laura’s expressions—when she looked at Asel or cradled the child—
‘There was something strangely captivating about it…’
“Damn it.”
Was he really losing his mind?
He shook his head, trying to chase away the image of her that kept haunting him.
Around that time, news of a charity auction reached Angel’s ears.
To aid those affected by the recent epidemic, DinDin and Laura were organizing a charity auction.
Not just Asel, but even the high-society figures who used to follow Princess Louise had confirmed attendance.
And as the head of the Imperial Knights, Angel had no choice but to attend as well.
For security reasons, at the very least, his presence was necessary.
“……”
Nothing had changed—only the circumstances.
Angel still didn’t know how he would face Laura, or even look Asel in the eye, but—
‘Let’s just go.’
He got up.
‘I’ll figure it out once I’m there.’
That was his duty as a knight.
Meanwhile, at the same time—
“A charity auction?”
Laura had also just learned of the upcoming event.
Seated across from her was a man who had been quarantined during the cholera outbreak alongside her.
Back then, he had been the first to call her a villainess, shouting that the Empire had abandoned them all.
But he was also the first to change—moved by Laura’s actions, he had helped restore order in the quarantine zone.
He was one of the people who had saved his daughter thanks to Laura, and now he stood before her as one of the auction’s co-hosts.
Today, he wore formal attire, more refined than usual.
“Yes, we plan to rent Atar Hall for the auction, and we were hoping Lady Lweyze would attend as a host.”
In the Empire, there were a few special event halls nobles could rent for social functions.
Atar Hall was one of them.
Technically, commoners could rent it too—if they had the money. But it required quite a few marks.
Laura had heard that DinDin and others had pooled funds to rent the venue, but she hadn’t known it was for a charity auction.
And now, they wanted to credit the event to her?
“Isn’t that too much? I didn’t help at all with the hall rental.”
“It’s not too much!”
The man looked shocked.
“If it weren’t for you, none of us would have survived that place.”
“……”
“I saw it with my own eyes. You didn’t care that your skirt got dirty—you worked hard, cared for people, and brought life back to that place. I saw people stop speaking of death because of you.”
“It’s hard to change the tide once it’s set. But you did. You turned despair into hope. How could we possibly forget that?”
Laura felt a bit embarrassed.
She appreciated the man’s passionate words, but she wasn’t some great hero.
‘Still, being recognized for your efforts isn’t a bad thing.’
She secretly hoped this might count toward her achievement rewards.
–System Message: Saint Rudina points out that others’ achievements do not count toward yours.
‘Fine, it was just a thought.’
Let her dream a little, you stingy puff of dust.
“Also, there’s something my daughter wishes for… and I hoped you might help.”
The man hadn’t come alone.
He held the hand of a small girl, who looked about ten.
The girl had wide, bright eyes and stood politely beside her father. As soon as she was introduced, she put her hands together and gave a formal bow.
“My name is Sarah. I… I came because I want to submit a portrait of the Crown Princess to the auction.”
She had clearly practiced, but her hand placement was awkward, and she raised her head too quickly.
Still, the awkwardness made her all the more adorable.
“My portrait?”
“Yes, I heard there isn’t one of you yet… I-I know I’m not very good—no, I mean I’m not experienced, but…”
The girl used big, difficult words she had probably just learned, trying hard to express herself.
All royalty have their portraits taken periodically, their faces preserved in imperial records.
Crown Princesses or Empresses who become royalty by marriage also follow this tradition.
But Laura didn’t have a portrait. Asel had forbidden it.
He had planned to break off the engagement once Marquis Lweyze lost power.
Normally, portraits of royals weren’t done by amateurs.
It was a task reserved for court painters or, at the very least, veteran artists with over ten years of experience.
So this little girl’s request was completely unrealistic.
‘Still… why not?’
Laura wasn’t officially Crown Princess yet—just the fiancée. Letting the girl draw her portrait wasn’t exactly forbidden.
“Really? You think you can do it?”
She smiled and teased the girl lightly.
Drawing a person’s face was harder than people thought.
“Do you even have your art supplies?”
“I brought them!”
The girl unwrapped the bundle she had held in her arms.
What would she have done if Laura had said no?
‘Honestly… what a funny little kid.’
“Then I’ll be counting on you, Miss Painter.”
As soon as Laura gave permission, the girl shouted with glee.
When her father scolded her—“Say thank you properly”—she parroted the words with a bright face.
But clearly, she was far too excited to focus on manners.
Laura didn’t point it out and ruin her joy.
“So, what do I need to do?”
Even professional portrait painters had preferences—some liked detailed lighting and minimal backgrounds, others emphasized natural sunlight and outdoor scenes.
Some painted faces head-on, others preferred side profiles.
Since the girl was inexperienced, Laura assumed she wouldn’t have a fixed style yet.
“Please sit here! Hands like this! Fold them! Face front! Look straight ahead!”
…She had a lot of requests for a rookie.
“Like this?”
Laura moved a chair beside the window and sat as the girl instructed.
Immediately, the child barked out a new order:
“No moving your mouth!”
Oh dear.
And then—
–You have become Sarah Hamilton’s muse.
“…Huh?”
