Spoils of War Duchess

Chapter 49

Of course, the prices for paintings here were different from those in the portrait street.

“If I paint it, a single portrait costs 300 Ringtons, and a double portrait costs 450 Ringtons. If my apprentices paint them, they’ll cost 200 and 300 Ringtons, respectively.”

Daisy gasped at the pricing, but Linia immediately dragged her brother to the chair set for models.

However, noticing that Laszlo’s appearance wasn’t exactly polished, she began to nag.

“Brother, come on! Get a haircut, shave, and buy some decent clothes!”

“If you’re not into it, just drop it. I don’t care.”

“Oh, stop it!”

Even as she smacked Laszlo’s arm, Linia held onto him tightly.

Though clearly reluctant, Laszlo stood next to her without protest, seemingly understanding her intention.

“We’ll begin now. Try to stay still, though it’s okay to engage in light conversation or stretch your neck if needed.”

As the artist picked up his pastels and swept them across the paper like he was possessed, Laszlo and Linia endured the awkward, tedious session.

Meanwhile, Idel and Daisy struck poses in front of one of the apprentices.

Though Daisy was awkward at first, Idel, more familiar with portrait sessions, naturally helped her relax.

“All done!”

While chatting with Daisy over refreshments provided by the studio, the 30 minutes passed quickly.

The apprentice’s portrait was of far better quality than the cheap ones from the portrait street.

Yet, tilting his head as if something was missing, the apprentice said to Idel,

“With a face this beautiful, working as a maid seems like a waste. Why not consider becoming a singer? If you agree, I’ll paint you a portrait for free to introduce you to a theater troupe.”

But Idel smiled and shook her head.

Nothing in this world comes for free; he’d likely expect something in return.

“No, thank you. I’m happy with my life as it is.”

“Don’t be so quick to refuse! Even if singing’s not your thing, you could become an actor. With your looks, just standing on stage would sell tickets!”

The persistence made Idel uncomfortable, but before she could respond, Laszlo suddenly stepped between her and the apprentice—more precisely, directly in front of the apprentice.

“Since you’re done, how about painting one more for us?”

“W-who do you mean?”

“Marco! Now that we’re here, let’s do a portrait of him and his daughter.”

Marco, who had been watching his daughter with a pleased expression, looked shocked.

“M-me? How could I possibly…?”

“What’s the big deal? Wouldn’t it be nice to hang a portrait of you two in your home?”

Receiving an unexpected gift, Marco repeatedly bowed in gratitude to Laszlo.

Daisy, equally touched, blushed slightly as she nervously linked arms with her father.

Though both seemed a bit uneasy posing before the artist, the warmth between them was clear.

‘They’re such a sweet father-daughter pair. I envy that.’

Seeing the bond between them made Idel feel a pang of longing for the fatherly love she had never experienced.

As she watched them, Laszlo, who had also been observing quietly, called the studio owner.

“Can you paint another portrait of this lady as well?”

Idel was the one caught off guard this time.

“Wait, you want another portrait of me?”

“The Marchioness Celestine has been curious about how you’re doing. It’d be nice to send her a portrait as a gesture before you meet her in person someday.”

Idel was stunned by the unexpected suggestion.

Feeling her heart tighten, she pressed her hand against her collarbone and bowed gratefully to Laszlo.

“Thank you so much for being so thoughtful, my lord.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Thanks to you, I’ve made a connection with the House of Celestine.”

Laszlo grinned.

Though he looked like a scoundrel at first glance, Idel couldn’t help but feel his kindness.

She accepted his suggestion and willingly posed before the artist again.

Thinking of Barbara, she found it easier to smile more naturally than before.

—

The reason Laszlo had been near the portrait street was because of Linia. The bridge in that area was always packed with vendors selling street food.

“Mmm, delicious! No matter how fancy the food gets, I can’t forget these.”

Linia often sought out commoner snacks—grilled sparrows, stir-fried pig intestines, cheap meat pies, candies, strange-tasting drinks, and pastries that smelled like flour.

“Maybe it’s because I ate them as a child that they’re etched into my blood. Don’t you feel the same, brother?”

Instead of answering, Laszlo tossed a handful of roasted peanuts into his mouth.

Like Linia, he also found that the food from his time as a commoner suited him better than the fancy meals prepared by chefs.

Even though gourmet food tasted good, he couldn’t help but think, *Do I really deserve to eat like this?*

That’s why, whenever Linia suggested they visit the commoners’ streets “just to eat,” he went along, pretending to indulge her whims while enjoying it himself.

“By the way, brother…”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve never asked you this before, but…”

Laszlo glanced at Linia as she blew on a freshly baked meat pie. He wondered what she was hesitating to say now.

“You said we ended up on the streets when you were twelve, right? And I was three.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Twelve is so young… How did you manage to survive? Especially with a three-year-old in tow.”

Linia’s question took Laszlo’s mind back 16 years.

Their parents had died in a carriage accident while attending a friend’s funeral.

In the aftermath, greedy relatives had swooped in, dividing the inheritance and abandoning Laszlo and Linia.

*“Nobles? They’re worse than beasts,”* Laszlo thought bitterly.

Though many didn’t know, Laszlo had been the heir of a noble family.

One night, as the relatives fought over the estate, Laszlo stepped out of his room, sensing something was wrong, and overheard them talking.

“About the boy—someone’s willing to pay a lot for him. As for the girl, just send her to an orphanage or dump her somewhere.”

Realizing that *he* was the boy in question, Laszlo returned to his room, packed a small bag, and carried the sleeping Linia out into the night.

He walked endlessly through the dark streets, holding Linia close as she murmured in her sleep. His arms ached, his legs felt like lead, and his feet throbbed with pain. But sheer willpower kept him going.

By dawn, they reached the bustling streets of the commoners. For the first time, Laszlo saw people going about their business and vendors selling food, even at that early hour.

*“At least we won’t have to hide until morning,”* he thought in relief.

He bought some food and shared it with Linia before settling in a quiet corner to plan their next steps.

*“We can get by on the money I brought for now. But I need to find a place to leave Linia.”*

Though his mind raced with worries, no solution came to him.

As he sat there, lost in thought, the woman who had sold him the meat pie approached.

“Hey, kids. Why are you still here?”

Laszlo realized at that moment that the elderly couple were kind-hearted people. The very fact that they asked about the children’s situation showed they were ready to help.

With no other options, Laszlo hesitated only briefly before responding.

“Our parents passed away, and our relatives came and took everything valuable. My aunt told me to wait here with my sister, but no matter how long I wait, she doesn’t come back.”

“Oh dear! Do you have anywhere to go?”

“No, nowhere. We’ll probably starve on the streets or get taken by bad people.”

Although his tone was detached, as if he were talking about someone else’s misfortune, the couple didn’t seem suspicious of him. Such tragic stories were, unfortunately, all too common. Instead, they felt a mix of fear and sympathy.

“Why don’t you come stay with us, dear?”

Despite noticing that the siblings weren’t dressed like commoners, the elderly couple showed no hesitation in offering kindness. They took Laszlo and Linia home, served them meat pies and soup, and laid out warm blankets for them.

Laszlo knew he had no choice but to cling to even this small stroke of luck—for the sake of Linia, who was still too young to understand what was happening and only kept calling out for their mother and father.

Determined to survive, Laszlo made a decision. He would abandon all traces of his noble upbringing—his name, his parents, and everything he had once been.

Kneeling before the couple, he pleaded,

“Please, let my sister and me stay by your doorstep. I swear I’ll repay you for the food and shelter however I can.”