Chapter 32

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Edward shrugged his shoulders lightly.

“We can’t take an indefinite time, so let’s just paint until today’s trial is finished.”

A firm command was issued.

“Then you both can start.”

Ines moved her hand without hesitation as if waiting.

She outlined blurred objects with a pencil, marking the direction of light and shadow.

It was free movement without any constraints. 

‘Sh*t!’

Ryan eventually began to tease his pencil while biting his molars.

Although his artistic literacy was only drawing, which he learned for a while as a child, he had to draw something.

Even so, if it continued like this, he would be completely defeated by Ines.

‘Watercolor.’ Ryan sharpened his teeth.

He suddenly remembered how Ines used to chatter in an excited voice.

“Ryan, what about this picture? The concentration is adjusted with water, not oil. Isn’t it amazing? And…”

“Oh really. Why are you making so much noise with only paintings?”

At the time, he shot her down.

In this situation, he regretted that he did not listen to Ines at that time.

Meanwhile, Ines was already starting to paint.

Every time she teased her brush, the transparent color was dazzlingly set on the white drawing paper.

‘Oh, no!’

Unable to overcome his nervousness, Ryan started squeezing paint at random. The fingers that started to color trembled with tension.

Adjust the density of the paint with white paint and express the light.

So time passed, and finally.

“Stop.”

Edward opened his mouth.

“Put down your brush.”

Ines put down the brush without delay, but Ryan was different.

He was sweating profusely, and he tried to fix the painting somehow.

“Count Brighton!”

“Yes, yes!”

It was only after Edward screamed that Ryan let go of the aesthetic brush.

The sun was setting through the window. There was not much left until closing time.

“Let’s check it out quickly.”

So Edward, Enoch, and the experts began to appraise the paintings.

After that, the judgment was made.

“Count Brierton’s painting…… Well, it’s hard to even say that it was painted by a professional painter.” 

An elderly expert raised his glasses and opened his mouth.

Other experts agreed. 

“This looks like a case study. Rather than being professionally educated, it is a painting of a person who has learned a little through culture.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. We can speak in our honor.”

The experts bowed to Edward.

Ryan’s face turned blue.

‘Hey, this can’t be!’

Meanwhile, Enoch, who was examining the painting, raised his lips.

‘Ryan’s painting don’t even match my heels. So you can rest assured about that.’

It was because Ines’ confident words suddenly came to his mind. 

‘Countess Brierton didn’t lie.’

Needless to say, the two paintings were qualitatively different from the beginning.

It was disrespectful to compare Ines’ paintings with Ryan’s paintings.

It was markedly different from the perfection of the painting.

Ines completed the painting almost perfectly within the time limit, whereas Ryan barely painted the drawing paper without any blanks.

Besides, there was a crucial difference between the two paintings, and that was it.

“The coloring method itself is quite different.”

Enoch opened his mouth.

At those words, Ryan shrank as if he had been beaten with a whip. Because he was stabbed in the heart.

‘D*mn it!’

He was trying to color the way he painted oil paintings.

‘Actually, it’s not that the method is bad.’

Although Ryan tried to use watercolor techniques, sadly, those efforts were to no avail.

It was because he did not have an understanding of Ines’ unique transparent watercolor painting.

So Ryan, with the shallow knowledge he knew, used white paint when adjusting the color of paint.

Perhaps if it was Ines, she would have painted a uniquely splendid picture with Ryan’s method. Because she was a master who was not limited by her tools.

But Ryan couldn’t.

‘It’s because he’s not very good at it, the painting itself is sloppy.’

Enoch judged coldly. The painting of Ryan felt somewhat dull.

He couldn’t control the water properly, so the drawing paper was visible everywhere. In contrast, Ines only adjusted the concentration of paints with water.

The brightest part of the picture, which was illuminated by light, was expressed by boldly leaving it on white paper.

So, it felt a unique sense of transparency.

It was the method of coloring that people called Ryan the genius of the century.

And if it was compared with the two paintings that Ines exhibited at Enoch’s art exhibition…

“Isn’t it too different?”

“Yes, how can you claim that it’s the same technique?”

The audience who witnessed the painting were now talking behind their backs.

The difference between the two paintings was huge enough that even the general public could clearly recognize them.

“Well, it goes without saying.”

Edward looked at the painting and shook his head.

“Count Brierton, no, I should call you Young Master Gott now.”

“What?”

Ryan had a blank face as if he had been slapped in the cheek.

“Ha, what does that mean….”

“Because Young Master Gott lost this trial.”

“Your Majesty, how is that!”

Ryan raised his voice without realizing it.

Edward faced Ryan with a disgusted look on his face.

“No, do you really have a conscience?”

“Ha, but…… !”

“Did you think that you would win after painting like this? Really?”

Edward felt more absurd than angry.

Ryan didn’t know what to do, only opened his eyes wide. 

“That’s enough, I don’t need to say more.”

Edward shook his head and turned to Ines.

A calm voice rang out.

“As of this time, I hereby declare that the divorce between Innes Brierton and Ryan Gott has been established.”

What! Ryan opened his eyes in shock.

But Edward continued without a blink of an eye.

“And the title of Count of Brierton will also go to Ines Brierton.”

“Your Majesty!!”

“There is no reversal. This ends the trial.”

Edward, who had finished speaking firmly, turned back.

Ryan felt his legs loosened all the strength.

‘Hey, this can’t be…… ”

With his head dizzy, Ryan flopped down on the spot. But no one paid any attention to Ryan like that.

“Did the divorce case get accepted?”

“Oh my God, should I call her Countess of Brierton now?” 

(*Now, Ines is a Countess as the head of the family, not Countess as in someone’s wife.)

The surprised audience began to raise their voices one by one.

For a moment, Ryan came to his senses.

‘Ines!’

He had to hold Ines back right now.

‘I have to somehow convince Ines now, or else…… !”

The title of Count of Brierton will disappear like a bubble!

The luxurious life he held as a Count, and the numerous privileges and benefits he gave to his own family, the Gott! They will all disappear!

“Hey, Ines! Wait… !”

Ryan got up urgently from his seat and tried to approach Ines.

But then.

Someone got in between Ryan and Ines.

It was Enoch.

“Anything to say to the Countess of Brierton?”

Enoch tilted his head and asked Ryan a question.

“That… Duke.”

Ryan looked at Enoch’s countenance and opened his mouth.

“I was about to have a little chat with Ines……” 

At that moment, Ryan felt goosebumps rising up his spine.

It was because the enmity spread over Enoch’s expressionless face in an instant.

After a while,

Enoch smiled brightly.

It was a smile as sharp as a sharpened blade.

“Well, I don’t think that’s a very wise move.”

“Yes? A wise move, what…”

“Now the Countess of Brierton and Young Master Gott are no longer a couple.”

Ryan froze at those odd words.

No longer a couple.

Those words touched his bones.

Above all, Enoch’s gaze.

The blue eyes looking straight at Ryan were strangely cold.

As if he wouldn’t allow anyone to get close to Ines.

‘Why, why is he looking at me like that?’

Ryan swallowed dry saliva.

Unknowingly, he retreated back, and Enoch gracefully bent his eyes as if he was satisfied.