“Thanks to you, I was able to help Julia. It was a good thing.”
Having reached this thought, Erin opened her mouth towards Demielan, who was offering a teacup.
“How long will Demielan stay?”
“I haven’t set a specific time, but it won’t be long.”
Thinking about the period he had stayed in the capital until now, he would be there for at least a month.
“Then, during that time, could you arrange for Julia to meet you?”
Erin asked about his intentions.
Despite supporting him, Erin didn’t interfere with his domain recklessly.
Although she could ask for his favor, she couldn’t command or coerce him.
Other than coming as a guest to meet today, she had to have his permission.
Demielan’s indifferent gaze turned toward Julia.
“I do not have the talent to teach anyone.”
Julia’s face showed disappointment at Demielan’s gruff reply.
“……However, it’s okay if you only watch.”
“Yes. I’ll just watch!”
Julia blurted out suddenly. As she spoke with glittering eyes, he hesitated and leaned back.
He seemed flustered.
“So it seems.”
Erin smirked and took a sip of her tea, raising the corners of her mouth.
“…Yup.”
It was when Erin frowned and glared at Demielan with a dark look.
Knock, knock.
Carefully, the door opened.
“I heard you came today.”
A woman was coming in.
However, her face wasn’t clearly visible because of her wide-brimmed hat.
The woman who had just entered stopped in her tracks when she saw Erin and Julia.
“Oh, there’s a guest here.”
“Well….”
“I’ll come again next time.”
Demielan seemed startled by the calm voice.
Who is it?
Erin gazed intently at the partially visible face beyond the hat.
“Huh…?”
But as she looked closer, the face seemed familiar.
Erin’s lips slowly parted.
“Lady Karson?”
The woman, who had been about to turn away, paused in her steps. Then, she turned towards Erin.
Her eyes widened.
“Lienster Duchess.”
She said slowly, her face showing surprise.
Erin also recognized her.
“So, it is Lady Karson. I wasn’t sure if I saw it correctly.”
Erin said with a faint smile.
“What brings you here?”
“I had a request from our last meeting. When I heard you had returned, I came to see you.”
She seemed to beat around the bush, but Erin didn’t press further and smiled broadly instead.
“Well then, next time…?”
Lady Karson began to turn away, giving a polite nod to Erin.
“It’s nice to see you, but if it’s okay, could we talk for a moment?”
With Erin’s words, Lady Karson’s steps halted.
“….Alright.”
She entered the room.
A very unfamiliar combination sat around a table.
“You know Julia, don’t you?”
Erin gestured to Julia next to her as she introduced her.
“It seems like it’s the first time meeting separately like this.”
“Yes. We only exchanged greetings briefly at the reception.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Lady Karson and Julia greeted each other with a brief conversation.
“I’m also pleased to meet you. I came today because I wanted to see the sculptor Demielan.”
“I see.”
Lady Karson responded with a faint smile.
Erin gazed at her discreetly.
“Lady Karson seems worried. She hasn’t been seen around lately.”
It was something she had heard from the ladies of the court not long ago.
Upon hearing this, Lady Karson’s face looked slightly strained.
“By the way, are you going to attend the upcoming reception?”
She was asking about Princess Angelina’s welcoming reception.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s the welcoming reception since the princess has returned.”
Erin recalled the invitation she had received a few days ago, imprinted with the princess’s seal.
She had opened her first reception not at the palace, but at her new residence, indicating that it was now her base.
“Demielan. Can Julia come to see you from tomorrow?”
“I can’t stop her, so it’s fine if she comes.”
“That’s good.”
Julia said with a flushed face.
“Then, shall we call it a day for today?”
Erin said as she rose from her seat.
“I’ll also get up.”
Lady Karson rose along with her and said.
As they were about to walk together, Erin nodded slightly.
Demielan, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
“Just a moment, Lady Karson.”
“……?”
“What you mentioned last time is still not quite finished. It will be good to hear your opinion after you see it.”
“Ah…I see.”
Erin, who had been listening to Demielan and Lady Karson’s conversation, spoke up.
“Then we’ll get going first.”
“Yes. It was a pleasure meeting you today.”
Lady Karson turned to Demielan, hesitated for a moment, and then greeted Erin and Julia.
“See you next time.”
Julia smiled in response to her, and Erin gave her a light nod.
As she turned away, Erin thought to herself,
“Well, that’s unexpected.”
It seemed that their relationship wasn’t just based on a simple request.
Furthermore, Demielan’s courteous and cautious demeanor was something Erin rarely saw, prompting her to think that it was a rare sight. With that in mind, Erin returned with Julia.
***
Since that day, Julia had been visiting Demielan’s studio whenever she could find the time, every day. She didn’t do anything special there.
She just watched Demielan sculpt and asked him various questions when he wasn’t too bothered. Erin also frequented the studio when Julia was there.
As it was now, Julia was completely absorbed in watching Demielan’s work.
She was too busy admiring his work while Erin, sipping her tea, watched with interest.
“But that…. isn’t that it?” His unfinished masterpiece.
What Demielan was now sculpting indeed seemed to be that unfinished masterpiece.
There were some distinct features about Demielan’s unfinished masterpiece.
One was that it was the first and last female sculpture he had sculpted.
While his sculptures of young girls were well known, there was only one sculpture of an adult woman.
And what was in front of them now was clearly the figure of an adult woman.
“Right. The time when that piece appeared was around the same time as Princess Angelina’s return.”
“Why is that?”
Demielan, sensing Erin’s gaze, stopped his hands and looked up, saying,
Only then did Erin turn her gaze, “What is Julia making?”
Julia, who had been watching Demielan sculpting intently until a little while ago, was now making something.
“I’m making this for Caroline.”
Julia smiled broadly as she looked at what she held in her hand.
“Caroline, was she the one next to Julia back then… is that right?”
Erin recollected, double-checking.
“Yes. She followed me, thinking I had helped her that day.”
“Have you become friends?”
“A bit.”
Julia smiled somewhat shyly.
As Erin gazed at her, her eyes blinked slowly.
Is that so?
So, it seems like Julia is turning each person into her own figure.
It was refreshing to see her finally starting to receive love from everyone.
Julia spoke softly, “But back then, I had a lot of trouble because of the Karson incident.
I wonder if Karson will come to the reception tomorrow.”
“Most likely. Karson’s wife attended last time, so he will probably come as well.”
Upon Erin’s nonchalant response, Julia frowned slightly.
Then, Demielan, who had been focused on his sculpture without turning his head until then, met eyes with Erin.
But he quickly turned his head, and she didn’t see what expression he had on his face.
“If Karson is really like that, his wife must be having a hard time.”
Julia murmured with a worried expression.
“This time, it’s the princess’s reception, so they won’t repeat such mistakes.”
After that, Erin and Julia exchanged a few more words about Karson.
Julia finally completed the gift for Caroline next to Demielan.
Afterward, she stood up and addressed Demielan.
“I’ll leave for now. I’m thinking of trying to imitate some figures tomorrow. How about working on it together?” Julia asked.
“I don’t know how to teach, so I’m not sure,” replied Demielan gruffly.
But Julia, far from being discouraged, instead spoke confidently about what she wanted to do.
“Then I’ll come again tomorrow,” Julia said, bidding farewell as she turned.
Erin was also about to leave with her.
“Madam,” Demielan stopped her.
“Why?”
“I have something to ask of you.”
It was unusual for him to ask for something.
“Julia, I’m sorry, but could you wait a bit in the carriage up ahead?”
“Yes. Don’t worry, take your time and have a comfortable conversation.”
With that, Julia left, leaving the two alone.
“What is it that you want to ask?” Erin inquired, and he cautiously began to speak.
“I want to present my work at the princess’s banquet.”
