Chapter 1.1

The inevitable reunion

If you are an official or a local resident of Solver, you may have heard the story of Clivia Menat, who repaired her fortune in one shot.

It was a clichéd story if we were to follow the gist of it. The story of a businessman who was successful enough to receive an honorary title in the country, a rich man who fell in love with a poor girl. The story of how he passionately loved her so much that he left his entire fortune to that girl.

The age difference between the two people was more than double, which was not normal for such a passionate love. His relatives jump into a muddy fight over the property of a rich man who has died without leaving any heirs. The widow who inherited the entire fortune was pitiful, she rarely left her home and did not engage in proper social activities at all.

Such trivial circumstances were not very interesting to the public. What was important was the existence of a young and beautiful widow, Clivia Menat, who appeared like a comet one day and seduced Johannes Menat, who was about to die, and took possession of his fortune.

To be more precise, it would be correct to say, ‘young and beautiful’. This is because Clivia Menat always wore a black veil in memory of her deceased husband. The employees of the Menat family had heavy mouths, so little was known about her appearance, noteworthy by those who claimed to be her acquaintances.

Even then, the rumors varied widely, making it difficult to determine the truth. At some point, someone claimed that she had burn marks on her face and that she was blind.

But what was the truth?

Clivia was a provocative subject in her own right. But then she became the wife of Johannes Menat.

* * * * * *

“I’m sorry, even though I was very careful.”

“I planned and worked on it, but what can I do?”

The coachman shook his head in embarrassment. Not having the energy to soothe him, Clivia clapped her hands roughly and turned around. He found out there was a problem with the wheels of the carriage before it was too late, so she was glad he changed them right away. It would have been a big problem if she had ridden it without knowing it and there was an accident.

It was fortunate that this was the extent of the trouble. At least during the ride, it didn’t break down even though it was a bit shaky.

It would be meaningless to ask who it was. It was obviously either Rex Benia, someone who was ordered by Rex Benia, or someone who wanted to be noticed by Rex Benia. Clivia swallowed back her pain.

She hated to admit it, but Rex Benia really had a natural talent for this type of dirty work. His dirty connections, which he had built up from going back and forth between gambling halls, pubs, and ballrooms, couldn’t be traced by Clivia, even when she exhausted all her resources.

She tried using Rex’s methods a few times, but after being stabbed in the back, she put her efforts towards increasing her escorts and strengthening her vigilance.

“By the way, it’s a bit shocking to hear that there is no point in increasing the cost.”

Where do you keep finding these gaps?

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t find an answer. In fact, Clivia had no immunity or talent at all for this kind of dirty work. To be honest, she was tired of being suspicious of such an unspecified majority.

Because of her nature, she would run and hide in a place where no one could find her whenever she felt that her life was in danger.

Like she has always done.

“Wouldn’t it be better to have your own personal escort?” Implied Lilias, her maid, as she received Clivia’s cloak.

“No matter who it is, it’s always dangerous. What about Mr. Hedrow?”

A staff member who was waiting a bit afar, approached and guided her.

“There’s a guest waiting in his office.”

“A guest?”

As soon as she entered her office, Clivia, who was about to take off her cramped black veil, frowned. She stopped following her staff and said in a trembling voice.

“If there is a guest, I will wait in another room.”

“He mentioned you both would see the guest together.”

Despite her staff’s explanation, Clivia did not intend to move. Instead, she asked in a cold voice.

“Why?”

“That’s because you’ll be seeing each other often in the future.”

The answer to her question came from elsewhere. As if he expected her not to come, Hedrow came out in the hallway to meet her.

The body seen through the black veil, had a tall physique and a shorter-than-average height. His round belly, which he claims to be a generous character of a middle-aged man, revealed its presence today as well.

“Mr. Hedrow.”

Hedrow Ruth was Clivia’s spokesperson for most of her outside work. Since he had a long and special relationship with her deceased husband, he was also one of the few people Clivia could trust. Without Hedrow, Clivia would not be able to touch the huge fortune left to her and it would have fallen into Rex’s grasp.

In that respect, some even made a speculation about whether Hedrow was the true heir. But it was a rumor, so there was no reason to respond seriously.

“I was very surprised to hear that there was something wrong with the carriage,” he said.

“Fortunately, I was able to find a carriage to transfer to right away.”

“Who do you think is the culprit?”

“It was obviously done behind the scenes.”

He shook his head with a dark expression, perhaps thinking of the same person.

“I might give up sooner or later… …This year has been the hardest.”

Clivia nodded her head. She’s been holding up well so far, but she’s worried that Rex might have noticed something.

It’s like they’re still focusing on this side, given that they touched the wheels of the Menat’s carriage rather than Hedrow’s office.

“Do you think you can stay out of the mansion for a while?”

“But what if this time, they did something really crazy and sent a robber into the mansion?”

That was also a possibility. Clivia bit her lip, recalling a group of thugs she had run into a few times on the street. Fortunately, her guards were at a skill level she could afford, the city’s excellent security forces were dispatched, and the situation was settled. However, she failed to find out who was responsible even after investigating. She didn’t know whether it was because she couldn’t find any real leads, or Rex had already bribed those who had intel.

Johannes was one of the most prominent leaders of the Solver region, but after his death, the influence of the Menat family, who had no heirs, gradually diminished. Now, the name ‘Menat’ was no longer as powerful as before in Solver. Although Johannes’ name still worked well for the public, she could feel the attitude of local people shifting.

In other words, this meant that Clivia’s safety could no longer be left to her social status and her influence in the region.

“Still, I didn’t see any thugs on the street.”

“Because there’s no way to bribe the security forces right now. Such public fuss would be burdensome.”

He must have squandered his money gambling again. Perhaps that’s why he had been quiet for a while and suddenly threatened her well-being. He always acts crazier when he runs out of money. It was truly a miracle that Rex was still running what he could call his own business. From the look of it, he probably borrowed money from his business as collateral.

“So, who is the guest that I’ll be seeing often?”

“Actually, I was just about to announce it now that he has arrived ahead of schedule, I wanted to do it perfectly, since I was introduced to a decent person.”

Naturally, he escorted Clivia to his office, and Hedrow continued.

“I have been looking here and there, but it’s been a little hard to find someone who is talented and not dirty.”

“Are they trustworthy?”

“Of course. Not to mention he’s talented, and he’s not under a contract.”

The office door was wide open. At the same time, the guest who was sitting in a chair stood up.

“Let me introduce you. This is Sir Attilon Floway, a free knight.”

Clivia’s breathing stopped abruptly at that moment. Hedrow, who was silently smiling broadly by the doorway, gave her a puzzled expression.

“Madame Menat?”

She had to say something, but her lips were frozen in place. Attilon, who had been watching her as she stood still, bowed his headfirst.

“Hello, my name is Attilon Floway.”

His neat and straight voice seemed to reveal his character.

She licked her lips several times under her veil hoping that it would ease the words to flow out, but she couldn’t even make a sound and barely moved her chin. Whether he took it as an arrogant greeting or not, Attilon was silent.

When she saw his darkened expression, she felt like her throat was burning. Clivia stiffly turned her head away.

Perhaps he could feel the blazing gaze beneath her veil, Hedrow smiled awkwardly.

“It seems that the Madam was very surprised by the sudden meeting. Will you wait a little longer, Sir Attilon?”

“Of course.”

As soon as she saw Attilon nodding his head calmly, Clivia turned around swiftly and fled the office. Her hurried steps resembled that day.

“Madam, Madame Menat!”

Hedrow, who rushed after her, was calling her loudly from behind. Clivia, who had been moving her feet recklessly towards an unknown destination, stopped only when she reached the end of the hallway. Rather than stopping, she had reached a dead end, so she had no choice but to stop.

She stood facing the old-fashioned light brown wallpaper for a while, trying to catch her breath. The moment she felt a presence behind her, she quickly turned around.

Before Hedrow, who was gasping for air after following behind hastily could say anything, Clivia lowered her voice and quickly fired her words.

“What is this now? Why is that man here? You know he was my sponsored student, right!?”

It was only a few months ago. Since her sponsorship had ended when he graduated, his connection with her had now ended.

Besides, on the last day she saw him…

Although she tried to forget it every day, the memory was vividly revived in her mind with just a brief encounter. Clivia trembled and nervously stood in place. The astonishing emotions of that day wrapped around her body. Her heart was pounding like it would explode.

“Well, to escort Madame Menat…”

“Then why is Sir Attilon my escort!”

She was getting stiff just by looking at him.

‘You want me to take him as an escort?’

Clivia imagined Attilon standing next to her, or behind her, guarding her. That alone made her mind wander. She wasn’t confident she would be able to focus in front of him.

For years she felt happiness just from reading his polite letters. Then, after an impulsive night, she couldn’t sleep for a while. She was disappointed when the sponsorship ended, but she inevitably tried to erase it from her memory. She thought it was best to use it as an opportunity to forget it all.

She couldn’t discuss it with anyone, and now she is suffering alone and making a fuss. No matter how hard she tried to calm herself, it was all in vain.

“You sponsored him, so you already know, right? Of all the free knights that recently graduated from the academy, no one is more powerful than Sir Attilon. At the same time, he is not yet affiliated with any faction, and thanks to that, he is not under Rex’s influence. After watching you for such a long time, I thought you would feel a sense of mental stability…”

“Hold on, Hedrow. Have you ever told Sir Attilon who I am?”

“About the sponsorship? No, I didn’t tell him. He only knows that the Madam is seeking a personal escort. Should I tell him?”

Clivia’s complexion blanched at Hedrow’s very innocent question. She shook her head so violently that the veil fluttered and answered in a stubborn tone.

“No. Never, never, never say anything!”

She never intended to reveal her own existence to him. It was a one-sided relationship from the beginning because it was an unrequited feeling. This alone was a very heavy burden to bear, so she had no desire to do anything more.

Did her reaction seem strange?

Hedrow tilted his head and asked in a worried tone, “Do you have any other reasons for objecting so much?”

For a moment, Clivia was speechless and pressed her lips together.

Why?

There were so many reasons. There is some sort of past between Attilon and her, and he is eight years younger than her.

Nevertheless, she fell in love with him and supported him with all her heart.  In the midst of that, she unintentionally spent a night playing with fire. After such a consequential night, the next day, she fled like a criminal without looking back!

That was the reason why she couldn’t reveal anything to Hedrow.

“… I’m embarrassed,” Clivia managed to say after a moment of silence.

“Why?”

“As you know, Hedrow, I… … Because I am very shy.”

Hedrow didn’t seem convinced by the excuses she spat out, but she didn’t try to persuade him further.  Not wanting to give him a chance to think further, Clivia quickly changed the subject

“But Sir Attilon is a senior graduate, and he still doesn’t belong to a faction?”

“Ah, yes. It’s a bit odd, but he hasn’t officially enlisted anywhere yet.”

“… He doesn’t even have a position reserved?”

“As far as I know, that’s correct.”

Suddenly, she remembered how Attilon visited the hotel on the first day of ‘Sponsors’ Night’. It appeared he already had an appointment with another sponsor. It was Clivia who caught him trying to leave, claiming to be a sponsor, and spent the night with him. But she was the one who disappeared the next day without giving him anything in return.

Maybe that was the problem?

Her heart sank as she remembered things she hadn’t considered because she was only focused on the fact that she had spent the night with him. He was looking for a sponsor that night, probably hoping for some help in the future, but she ruined his plan.

But if he needed her help, why didn’t he just tell her? Why did he go in search of a new sponsor? And even willing to offer his body!

“… Madame Menat?”

“I understand what you’re saying, but I’m still a bit confused… Attilon was my sponsored student, but I didn’t know that he still hadn’t found a position.”

“Well, if there was a difficult situation, I would have spoken up first.”

Even with Hedrow’s comforting words, Clivia’s heart did not improve at all. The fact that she had been too emotionally shaken to examine his situation objectively shattered her guilt.

He must have branded her as a disgraceful woman, who had ridiculed him and abandoned him for nothing.

‘How fortunate is it that I’m wearing a veil at this moment?’

Clivia clutched her black veil desperately.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll just send him back. We haven’t even signed a contract, so we can do whatever we want right now,” Hedrow said in a voice full of regret

Clivia’s mood was sour, but she didn’t want to send him back. She silently fiddled with the hem of her veil and then answered with a calmer tone.

“Hmm. It’s okay. It would be troublesome to find someone again, and I wasn’t looking for a permanent escort anyway.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. You’ve kept the guest waiting too long. Let’s head back.”

Clivia took the lead in a dignified manner while pretending to be calm. For a moment, she thought he might recognize her voice, but she quickly dismissed it as a useless concern.

She honestly wondered if he would recognize her even if she revealed her face. It was only one night at least several months ago, and they hadn’t had a long conversation.

Women with brown hair and green eyes were very common. If he remembered anything about her, it would have been the words she used, which she planned to never use again.

So, he wouldn’t find out, and as he did in the past, he’ll continue to live without knowing and then leave her.

* * * * * *

Although she was terrified at first, when she signed the contract and brought him in as her escort, her heart was inevitably pounding.

Clivia was more talkative than usual, keeping her emotions under control, and maintaining a stern demeanor. She didn’t know how this resonated with him, but she knew it wasn’t positive.

As confirmation of that, Attilon’s intermittent laughter in the beginning became less frequent as time passed. The way he spoke was also polite, but there was a sense of distance.

It was impossible to pass off the change as simply a character trait when rumors were circulating in the mansion that the new escort was friendly. If anyone needed help, he would come forward without hesitation, while still being faithful to his work.

Perhaps he was full of motivation, but there were not many employees who would refuse the help of a friendly and handsome knight. Even the employees, who were famous for being picky with outsiders, seemed to be easily captivated by Attilon. Eventually, the butler became wary about the situation.

Clivia had been paying close attention to the rumors for the past few days and was proud of Attilon, who received favorable evaluations for his first impression. But the moment he stood in front of her, he became blunter than anyone else.

The first to notice such an attitude was Lilias, who closely attended Clivia.

“Madam.”

Lilias, who was preparing refreshments, spoke openly.

“Yes?”

“Isn’t it hard to escort someone while standing so far away?” Lilias shifted her eyes to the door. No one was there, but Clivia easily figured out who she was referring to. In the hallway beyond that door stood Attilon, who had been her escort for a week now.

‘My escort’.

Clivia gently lowered her head as her face reddened at her inadvertent expression. Even though the black veil hid her flushed complexion, she was still restless.

Unaware of her situation, Lilias commented on the effectiveness of her first personal escort.

“Even if we’re in the same mansion, I think it would be appropriate to escort you in the same space except for private rooms.”

Yes, he was hired to do that, but it doesn’t seem like he wants to. Clivia only gazed at the teacup in front of her with perplexed eyes. When she didn’t show any significant reaction, Lilias, who had been anxiously speaking to her, reluctantly retreated. Soon there was a sound of the door closing, and Clivia was left alone in the music room.

As she brought the teacup into her draped veil, her mind was cluttered. The heat on her face was uncontrollable, whether it was from the hazy steam rising from the teacup, or because her mind was filled with thoughts of Attilon. She let out a long sigh as she finally put down the teacup that hadn’t even touched her mouth.

She started sponsoring Attilon when he was seventeen. When she first declared that she would sponsor him, and pushed ahead with his admission to the academy, everyone was puzzled. Even Hedrow, who was generally not interested in Clivia’s opinion, could not hide his disappointment. This is because, in Hedrow’s eyes, Attilon was a bully who grew up wandering around the back alleys.

However, when Attilon began to receive her support, he quickly stood out and showed remarkable growth in such a short period of time that the money spent on him was well worth it.

The average age of admission at Rodrick Central Academy is between 12 and 13 years old. Attilon was admitted at the age of 18, which was made possible purely by the status of ‘Madame Menat’. Externally, the academy announced that they had removed the age limit in order to receive more talent, but in reality, the decision was influenced with large sums of money.

Attilon graduated at the age of 24 by shortening the 10-year course to 6 years as if to repay such a large investment. His performance was so outstanding that his late admission was disregarded. Even before his graduation, various countries were trying to scout him. With an exceptional talent for weapons, especially bayonets, she was certain that any country’s military would covet him.

She didn’t know why he’s been living as a free knight without any affiliation for several months after graduation, but she could only pray that it wasn’t due to the night they spent together on Sponsor’s Night.

Clivia palmed her cheeks and exhaled her deep breath again.

Attilon Floway.

Despite the fear that he might recognize her, he stood in front of her as if she were an unfamiliar person. This could only mean that he didn’t remember that night or the more distant past.

The fact that he did not recognize her already confirmed that she had been playing with fire that night. She should be relieved, but strangely, she felt contradictory.

Such a strange feeling where you don’t want to be disappointed, but you still end up disappointed.

Clivia pressed her hands firmly against her cheeks. She just wanted to get rid of all her vain thoughts quickly. However, the misconceptions that had already completely taken root in her head, branched out endlessly and quickly became a dense tree.

Wouldn’t it be better for him to just stand outside that door for about a month and then find another good place for him to work? Attilon would not be able to adapt to her situation long-term.

‘Haven’t you been able to survive well without a personal escort until now? If you just endure as you have done before…’

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heavy knocking.

There was still a significant amount of time before her lesson, but the music teacher appears to have arrived a little early today. Attilon casually opened the door.

After setting her teacup on the table roughly, she stood and then paused.

“Can you spare me a moment?

Upon meeting his honey-brown eyes, she instantly became speechless. When a frown began to form on his face, she quickly nodded her head. He entered slowly with an unfamiliar expression on his face.

Clivia, who was pitifully staring at the door closing behind him, slowly lowered her gaze. She straightened her posture, rather than face him and stood off to the side.

Instead of bringing up the subject straight away, Attilon stared at her. The longer the silence, the more uncomfortable it became, so Clivia fiddled with the ends of her drooping veil.

“After observing you for a week, it seems that you don’t have a heavy schedule. There are no visitors except for those who come regularly.”

The voice that came out of the heavy silence was cool and very businesslike.

“If you needed accessories, why didn’t you tell me?”

Clivia raised her eyes in surprise. She could see him staring at her through the black veil.

“There are a lot of guys out there who can play that role better than me. If necessary, I can make a list for you.”

Clivia’s mouth was agape. Her heart sank when she noticed the slight anger in Attilon’s cold, sunken expression.

Flustered, she unconsciously took a few steps forward, forgetting that she was trying to maintain some distance between them. Her awareness returned when she accidentally slammed her shin against the table.

“Ugh.”

The sound of a collision resounded through the room quite loudly. Even Attilon, who was standing stiffly, approached with a bewildered face.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s okay, it’s fine.”

Clivia, who shook her hand in despair, corrected her posture and coughed in vain. A stinging pain radiated through her leg; she knew there would be bruising later.

Clivia struggled to suppress the desire to grab her leg and bit her lip to endure the pain.

‘Why do I keep behaving foolishly in front of Attilon?’ She really wanted to cry.

“I didn’t intend to treat you like that in the first place.”

“It looks like you hit it hard, let’s check to see if it’s torn first.”

“No, I am really fine. So… I’m sorry.”

Clivia took a deep breath and cleared her mind. Fortunately, her apology was resolute and without a trembling voice. Clivia clasped her hands gently and moistened her lips. He probably didn’t understand the real meaning of this apology. However, after making such a cowardly apology, her rationality returned.

“After hiring you, I didn’t show a proper sense of responsibility.”

After she calmly continued her words, Attilon did not offer any further suggestions. Instead, he stood silently, and she waited for her to speak.

“Actually, my life is being threatened.”

Although the past week had been too peaceful for such a thing.

Sponsor’s Night was the last time she saw Rex’s face, and there had been no significant incident since her carriage wheel had a missing screw. She probably sounded unconvincing to Attilon, who was unaware of her circumstances.

“Isn’t it obvious that I’m a wealthy widow?” she added.

It was humorous and quite witty, but the mood did not ease at all.

Clivia was deeply relieved that the veil was hiding her face at that moment. She was certain that her cheeks were red with embarrassment.

“I think there’s a reason you suddenly hired a personal escort.”

“That’s… … I think I will be going out more often in the next year or so.”

It wasn’t a lie. This year, she had something to finish externally as Madame Menat. It was the year when various projects to commemorate her deceased husband came to an end, and the paperwork that Hedrow had been preparing steadily was now completed.

It meant that if she survived this year, everything would be over.

Clivia, who had been crumpling the veil with her hands, raised her chin in an arrogant manner.

“Of course, the contract was made to be renewed on a monthly basis, so if there is a better position, I will let you go. So, you don’t have to feel burdened.”

“No one offered me a higher salary than you, Madam.”

Clivia’s haughtiness faded away in less than three minutes. She pulled her chin down, and she murmured to herself.

“That… ….Let’s look at the situation in stages. Money is not everything.”

She was unaware that her sponsored student was so obsessed with money. She knew his situation was bad, but thought things the sponsorship improved the situation, but it seems that wasn’t the case.

Could it be that the reason he was meeting with a new sponsor that night was because the existing sponsorship was unsatisfied? If she had known it was that difficult, she would have given him more pocket money.

As the regret continued to take root, Attilon calmly asked a question.

“Do you know who is trying to kill you?”

“Rex Benia, I don’t know if you’ve heard of him.”

“I know that he is famous in the social world in many ways.”

So, Rex also knew Attilon. As her resentment grew, there was a natural chill in her voice.

“That’s right. He and I don’t get along very well.”

In fact, the relationship between Rex and her was not superficial. To be precise, Rex’s relationship with her deceased husband was not known. This was because the surname ‘Menat’ was given to Johannes, Clivia’s husband, along with an honorary title from the country after his success. Since Johannes himself never mentioned any of his relatives during his lifetime, people assumed he had no family at all.

But that wasn’t the case at all. Johannes severed ties with his relatives during his lifetime, but they quarreled amongst themselves in advance, waiting for his property to be left after his death.

And Rex was the winner.

“Did you keep quiet even though you knew who was threatening you?”

“I’m at a disadvantage in many ways. I… … I couldn’t get a foothold.”

Atillon didn’t inquire further when he noticed the embarrassment contained in ‘in many ways’. Instead, he nodded slowly.

“All right.”

After frowning and pondering for a moment, he slowly expressed his opinion.

“As you said, I think the current escort form is inefficient. Not favorable in the long run.”

“There’s no form… I’ve been staying inside the mansion.”

“I was hired as your personal escort, but my current role is no different than any other guard in this mansion.”

It was probably not an illusion that those words sounded like protests. Even while she bit her lip nervously, Atillon calmly continued.

“I know you’re uncomfortable with me. If you tell me what the problem is, I’ll escort you carefully.”

“It’s not uncomfortable, I’m just not used to it. I have never had a personal escort before.”

In fact, there is no clear distinction as to how close he should be allowed.

This was not just the difficulty of having a personal escort for the first time. But since she couldn’t tell him about that, Clivia had no choice but to use her face as a shield. At least, ‘shy’ was a characteristic of Madame Menat, who was well-known to the public.

“Then can I act arbitrarily with Madam’s safety as my top priority?”

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

She nodded her head quickly, and Attilon sighed quietly. At first glance, his face seemed to be filled with fatigue.

“I was a bit rude but thank you for listening.”

“Do you not take off your veil at home?” Atillon suddenly asked.

“Just because I’m at home, it doesn’t mean I should stop paying tribute.”

“How will I know who I’m escorting? I think it would be dangerous to escort without seeing your face.”

His question was so plausible that Clivia couldn’t come up with any valid excuse. Hesitating, she reluctantly forced out her voice.

“Until then… … Let’s take it slow.”

“… Alright.”

It was not known why Attilon accepted her reckless insistence, but one thing was certain. This was the worst conversation she had with him.

Clivia glanced at Attilon, who had turned away, and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt so pathetic that she couldn’t stand it.

* * * * * * 

One side of the Long Gallery stretched like a corridor and was thoroughly decorated with portraits and ornaments.

It was a space that was prepared as a banquet hall, so it was quite large, but after Johannes’ death, it was used only as a gallery. It is no exaggeration to say that it is a ‘small exhibition hall’ because there were not only portraits, but also the Medal of Honor that Johannes received during his lifetime, books he issued, and items he used were all kept here.

As soon as she entered the gallery, the director spat out a low exclamation. At the same time, the light coming in through the window illuminated the carpet, creating a more antique atmosphere. Clivia took the first step without waiting for him, brimming with emotion.

“We selected all the things to be moved to the museum, but I called to borrow an eye just in case.”

“Oh, this is the ink pen that Johannes always used!”

The director stood in front of the exhibits in the glass cases. Clivia glanced at the object and nodded her head timidly.

“That’s right. This is the ink pen he used to sign the business contract.”

“Ah, that lucky pen! It is such an honor to see this in person!”

The director, who respected Johannes the most, even shed tears as if he was genuinely moved. Clivia was accustomed to seeing his reaction.

Johannes was a person who was loved and respected by the public. After he died, Clivia, who began her external activities in earnest after his death, had already met people like the director several times. She had heard so many various praises that she was not surprised by the words anymore.

“Would you like to display it too?”

“Of course! How about also selling a similar pen at the souvenir shop?”

“I’ll send someone separately, so consult with him for a list of souvenirs.”

Clivia, who inadvertently replied, recognized that her voice was more callous than necessary, so she quickly added to her words.

“I can’t think rationally when my husband’s belongings are in front of me.”

Thanks to the veil, there was no need to manage her facial expressions. When she used a sorrowful voice and covered her mouth, the director was sorry for that alone and didn’t know what to do. Clivia, who pretended to be sobbing, paused in front of another glass case.

“Ah, that’s the trophy Johannes received along with the medal!”

She couldn’t take more than three steps before being stopped by the director again. Clivia barely resisted frowning and parted her lips to explain. But before that, the director took one step aside.

“Oh, these are Johannes’ shoes! He would run around the field until the soles were worn out!”

Clivia painstakingly chose not to explain each and every one.

“Oh my, Johannes’ handwritten diary!”

The director seemed to know more about the objects in this gallerythan Clivia.

“Is this the last portrait of Johannes?”

The director, who had paused for a while, asked a question in front of a large frame. Clivia, who had been vaguely listening, belatedly looked back at the frame he was pointing to.

It was a picture of an elderly white-haired man dressed in a tailcoat, standing dignifiedly with a cane. Every wrinkle was vividly shaded, and the soft eyes struggled to capture his character. It was later revealed that the painter, who received a large sum of money for that portrait, gave up his domestic life and went on an overseas excursion, which caused a lot of envy.

This is the only portrait hanging in the gallery that was painted after Clivia entered the mansion.

“Yes.”

When she briefly spoke, she felt a gaze from the side. Clivia ignored it and stared intently at the portrait.

The props, costumes, postures, and expressions in the portrait, perhaps even the smell of that day’s strong dye or the sound of a brush strokes on the canvas, she remembered it all. Encountering the memories of emerging in her mind was like opening a dusty attic. Her nose was tickled by the musty smell.

The director seemed to think that her waning attitude was due to longing. After carefully refining his voice, he straightened his shoulders.

“This painting should have a separate exhibition room.”

“Do you have a room?”

“If not, I’ll add one and call you!”

As if it would please Clivia, he confidently vowed with a sense of mission. She added warmth to her voice to not disappoint his expectations.

“If you do, my husband will be very happy.”

After that, the tour of the gallery proceeded smoothly. The director, who selected a few more personal items that Johannes had used during his lifetime, stood at the entrance with a proud face.

“It really feels like opening a memorial.”

“The rest of the schedule can be discussed with my agent.”

“We will do our best until the opening ceremony.”

“I trusted you because I thought you would do well. Take care until then.”

Clivia, who saw him off with a soft greeting, turned away with a sigh.

Dealing with Johannes’ followers always left her feeling fatigued. Because if she appeared even a little disorganized, ‘the dignity of the great Johannes’s wife’ would be questioned.

As she walked away, gently rubbing her stiff shoulders and nape with her hands in exhaustion, she spotted Atillon and suddenly stopped. He had been following her quietly, seemingly absent the entire time she dealt with the director. He was staring at her with a sullen expression on his face as if he had something to say. Clivia hesitated for a moment and then reluctantly opened her mouth.

“You seem to have something to say, sir.”

“If you’ll allow it, I have a question.”

His words came forth as if he had been waiting. Clivia gently frowned, but she nodded her head once to accept his question.

“Are all the portraits of the mansion hung in the Long Gallery?”

“It was like that until now. Most of them will soon be relocated to the memorial hall.”

The construction of the Johannes’ Memorial Hall caused a stir from the moment the site was selected. It was then that Clivia personally announced her intentions to publicly reveal the portraits and mementos of Johannes that were kept in the Long Gallery of her mansion. It was covered on the front page of most newspapers.

At that time, Attilon would have been attending Central Academy. He must have heard the rumors, but was he really going to ask about it?

“Why are you curious about that?”

Attilon paused at her question.

“There was not a single portrait of Madam.” He lowered his gaze and spoke sternly. “There wasn’t even a family portrait with Johannes.”

Even in the midst of being embarrassed by the unexpected criticism, Clivia inadvertently grabbed her skirt. But this time, she did not hesitate in giving a response.

“You must have been quite curious about my face.”

When he didn’t deny it, she suddenly felt the need to be cautious. No one who has ever looked around the Long Gallery has expressed the same question as Atillon. They were all interested in the unpublished portraits of Johannes or his mementos that filled the space. Also, it was very unlikely that there would be inquiries like this in the future.

She didn’t feel compelled to be painted again, but at least she knew that Atillon was looking around more sharply than others, so she should have been careful.

“I don’t really like having portraits done of myself.”

At her response, Atillon pressed his lips together…

“Do you need another reason?”

“No, thanks for answering.”

Clivia nodded and turned away completely.

Portrait or family portrait. His remarks made her want to laugh out loud.

A portrait? Where is that?

One would have to search hard to find any traces of her in this mansion.