My Lover Isn't Interested With The Female lead!

 

 

 

“He must not be feeling well. Being the Crown Prince’s chief aide, he’s always busy, isn’t he? Lord Bright, rather than forcing yourself to attend this exhibition, it might have been better for you to rest at home.”

 

“…Thank you for your concern, Lord Jarvis, but responding to Lady Sharon’s invitation is my greatest joy.”

 

Biting his lip slightly, Ezkhiel shook his head and glared at Jarvis.

 

Jarvis looked at him with an expression of amusement, ready to reply, when a small commotion at the entrance drew their attention. Soon, three familiar figures approached them.

 

There was Count Selburne, whose intentions were still a mystery; Lord Carmen, a fairly decent conversationalist; and Marquess Digby, whose choice of words often made Letticia want to revise his vocabulary entirely.

 

“Lady Sharon, thank you for inviting us.”

 

“I appreciate being included in such an event, Lady Sharon. It’s my first time attending an exhibition in the capital, and I feel quite nervous.”

 

“Lady Sharon, your faithful servant, who adores you deeply, has arrived.”

 

Letticia dearly wished she could pretend she hadn’t heard that last remark.

 

Hearing such a line—something that seemed pulled straight out of a third-rate romance novel—Letticia didn’t even bother trying to force a polite smile. Instead, she simply responded to the greetings of the three suitors.

 

“Count Selburne, Lord Carmen, Marquess Digby, thank you for coming. I didn’t expect the three of you to arrive together.”

 

“We just happened to run into each other at the entrance. Haha.”

 

Count Selburne laughed cheerfully and glanced at the painting behind Ezkhiel and Jarvis, letting out an exclamation.

 

“Oh, is this one of Lady Sharon’s paintings? Did you draw it in the Impressionist style?”

 

“What are you talking about? Look at the fine details. It’s clearly Realism!”

 

“It feels quite modern for Naturalism. What do you think, Lord Jarvis?”

 

“…Well, I think it might have been inspired more by Romanticism.”

 

Lord Jarvis answered without showing any sign of being flustered by Count Selburne’s sudden question. However, Count Selburne studied the painting again and shook his head.

 

“No, no. Romanticism could apply to something like a heroic landscape you’d find in theology or history, but not to a painting of a regular garden. Given the bold use of light and color alongside the realistic detail, it seems to be rooted in Impressionism.”

 

“Even so, since the subject was depicted as it is, shouldn’t it fall under Realism?”

 

Before long, Marquess Digby, Count Selburne, and Lord Jarvis were deep in a discussion about Letticia’s painting. While Marquess Digby passionately defended his opinion, Lord Jarvis seemed disinterested in the debate but had no choice but to respond as Count Selburne kept pressing him.

 

Watching the debate, Letticia couldn’t help but think it was all a bit much. She hadn’t painted it with any deep artistic intention; she wasn’t even a professional artist. Why were they so determined to analyze it?

 

As Letticia was mulling over their discussion, Lord Carmen approached her and spoke.

 

“My hometown is near the sea, so I rarely get to see gardens filled with flowers like this. That’s why, whenever I come to the capital, I try to find paintings of flowers. Lady Sharon, would it be alright if I purchased your painting?”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, but this painting isn’t for sale. Besides, I’ve already decided who to give it to…”

 

Letticia wasn’t lying—she had planned to gift the most praised painting to Ezkhiel.

 

Fortunately, Lord Carmen didn’t appear too disappointed. He nodded and expressed his intent to purchase a different painting instead.

 

“In that case, I’d like to buy one of the other flower garden paintings you recommend. And if possible, I’d love to receive at least one painting by you as a gift. Of course, I’ll make an additional donation to match the value.”

 

“You’re very precise with your calculations. The hospital will surely appreciate it.”

 

“It’s my principle not to skimp on donations for hospitals. I’ve often thought that in the event of an accident, the number of hospitals should be at least three times what it is now.”

 

“…The South has many ports and frequent interactions with foreign nations. Is there still a shortage of hospitals despite that?”

 

Ezkhiel, who had been quiet until now, asked. Lord Carmen nodded in agreement.

 

“That’s the nature of port cities, isn’t it? There are always injuries from accidents and various illnesses. On top of that, if there’s a fire in a warehouse or a shipwreck, hospitals get overcrowded with no space for patients. In such cases, even the rundown hospitals get flooded with patients, but as you know, those places often lack proper hygiene.”

 

“The capital faces similar challenges, doesn’t it? That’s why we organized this exhibition to donate to the hospitals.”

 

“Yes, I’ve heard that there was even a proposal in Parliament suggesting that the Imperial Household provide subsidies to the hospitals in the capital.”

 

“Oh, that topic was brought up during the last meeting. However, the majority felt it was unnecessary spending.”

 

The discussion had ended by then, and Marquess Digby jumped into the conversation to respond to Ezkhiel’s comment. He seemed delighted to have an opportunity to flaunt his position as a member of the Noble Assembly, wearing an overly confident expression.

 

“Unnecessary spending?”

 

“Don’t you think so? Nobles are always donating funds to hospitals, so unless they are being mismanaged, running a hospital shouldn’t be that difficult. Providing subsidies would just be throwing extra money at them.”

 

“I have to agree with the Marquess. Hospitals are always asking for donations for their patients, aren’t they? There’s no need to excessively spoil them with charity. Even occasional donations like this could sustain them for years.”

 

It was an inappropriate statement to make at a charity event specifically held to raise funds for hospitals.

 

At Jarvis’s comment, Count Selburne’s expression briefly turned cold before returning to normal. Catching the fleeting expression, Letticia narrowed her eyes at him, but the Count immediately turned his attention to Ezkhiel and asked a question.

 

“Leaving the Assembly’s stance aside, what is the Imperial Household’s opinion? I’ve heard that His Highness the Crown Prince has taken on some welfare responsibilities since last year.”

 

At the Count’s question, all eyes turned toward Ezkhiel. Even Jarvis, who had spent the conversation trying to undermine Ezkhiel, had no choice but to wait for his answer due to the significance of the topic.

 

Perhaps feeling the weight of their attention, Ezkhiel frowned slightly before responding.

 

“I cannot fully speak for His Highness’s intentions.”

 

“Even so, you must have more insight than us. We can’t even begin to guess,”

 

“…His Highness is cautious about subsidies potentially reducing noble donations. If the total funds going to hospitals decrease as a result, providing subsidies would backfire.”

 

“Well, indeed, spending money only to achieve the opposite effect would be the worst possible outcome.”

 

“Yes, so for the time being, funding will likely continue to rely on donations as it always has.”

 

Ezkhiel’s response prompted Letticia to clap her hands.

 

“Then our exhibition wasn’t for nothing. The hospital we’re planning to donate to particularly serves underprivileged patients, so their claim that donations are essential isn’t an exaggeration.”

 

As she said this, Letticia made eye contact with each suitor in turn.

 

Judging by their earlier remarks, neither Marquess Digby nor Jarvis seemed particularly inclined to donate. However, Ezkhiel’s response seemed to have shifted their perspectives.

 

As nobles of the Empire, they couldn’t sit idly by after hearing that the Crown Prince preferred noble donations over government subsidies.

 

“Of course, I also intend to donate. My family traditionally contributes to the capital’s hospitals every year. My mother even hosts gatherings with other ladies to distribute food to the sick.”

 

“I, too, would be happy to contribute if it means supporting Lady Sharon’s noble intentions.”

 

“Thank you so much for saying that. Regarding donations, my friend Miss Valerie Shane is in charge. You can find her in the ancient art section.”

 

At Letticia’s words, the group had no choice but to head toward where Valerie was located.

 

Lord Carmen and Count Selburne walked off willingly, while Marquess Digby reluctantly masked his hesitation. Lord Jarvis, who had subtly tried to request Letticia’s guidance, also had to follow them.

 

Letticia, relieved to have avoided escorting them, linked her arm with Ezkhiel’s as he prepared to follow the others.

 

“My lady?”

 

“I’m planning to have tea in the garden tomorrow afternoon.”

 

Rather than whispering in his ear, which would have been impolite, Letticia leaned close and spoke softly.

 

Ezkhiel quickly understood the meaning behind her words and responded immediately.

 

“…Then may I visit around that time? Perhaps around three?”

 

“Yes. I’ll have Faymont desserts ready and waiting. Let’s have a good, long conversation together.”

 

Looking up at Ezkhiel’s face, Letticia tightened her grip on his arm slightly.

 

When the dim light in his green eyes reignited, Letticia smiled beautifully.