Could gods truly exist?
I’d never had much interest in anything outside of literature, so the fame of Mikael Itaph, the so-called genius artist, had never really meant anything to me. But unbelievably, the angel sculpture he had created bore the exact face of the man I’d seen in my textbooks — the so-called father of genetics.
That slightly stubborn-looking, pea-shaped head and the receding hairline — it was as if he had secretly peeked at the textbook in my memory and recreated it with perfect accuracy.
Gasps echoed all around. Mikael’s sculpture depicted a solemn and divine scene: an angel descending to the left of a kneeling, praying woman. Every pleat of the woman’s skirt, every detail of the angel’s halo and even the rim of her glasses — even if someone had given me clay to sculpt it myself, I couldn’t have produced anything close. And this had been carved out of stone. By a painter, not even a sculptor!
It was jaw-dropping. After the sculpture was unveiled, no one in the exhibition hall dared speak lightly. Even to the untrained eye, the work was astounding.
And yet, there was something even more remarkable.
“Doesn’t that saint look like Lady Roha?”
“She does. And she’s stunning.”
“She’s gorgeous — and she really looks like her.”
I’d heard that artists perceive the beauty of this world with a sensitivity far beyond that of the average person.
The figure of the holy maiden kneeling in prayer beneath her veil — it was undeniably me. But not me. And yet me.
It was like seeing myself with the most flattering filter imaginable. Clearly me, but sculpted into a stunningly beautiful ideal.
Just as Mikael had said, this was a piece that would be hailed as a masterpiece for generations to come. In front of it, all anyone could do was silently marvel.
But the silence didn’t last long. It was the person sitting three seats away from me who broke it.
The Empress elegantly raised her right hand and addressed Mikael.
“I shall purchase this sculpture.”
Mikael looked troubled at her words. Just as he was about to politely decline, the Empress added,
“I will pay 10,000 gold.”
A collective gasp spread through the crowd. Even Mikael, who had been poised to refuse, hesitated — it was a staggering sum.
“Hold on.”
The interruption came from the Duchess.
“I would also like to own that sculpture.”
With a relaxed smile, she crossed one leg over the other.
“I will offer 11,000 gold.”
11,000 gold! A 10% increase on an already astronomical figure — everyone’s eyes turned to the Duchess. It was more than Mikael had ever earned for any of his previous works.
But Mikael couldn’t help asking the obvious.
“Forgive me, Duchess…”
“Hmm?”
“May I ask why you wish to purchase the sculpture?”
Inwardly, I thanked him for asking the question that was on everyone’s mind.
It was obvious why the Imperial Family wanted it — a beautifully crafted sculpture commemorating the girl who had cleared the name of the unfortunate prince who had been denied the crown prince title for over 20 years due to rumors surrounding his birth. How could they not want it?
But the Duchess had no direct connection to the incident. If anyone should covet the sculpture, it should be me.
The Duchess smiled and nodded, as if the answer were obvious.
“Naturally, I have my reasons — why else would I offer such a price?”
“Duchess Grey, might you be willing to share those reasons with me?” Mikael asked politely.
Even I couldn’t quite guess what she would say.
But before she could answer, the Empress spoke again.
“13,000 gold.”
13,000 gold! A fortune equivalent to an entire department’s yearly budget in the Noble Assembly.
And the look on the Empress’s face as she named that price was full of desperation.
“Whatever the Duchess’s reason may be, this sculpture portrays a moment of great significance to the Imperial Family. That is why, regardless of the cost, I must be the one to purchase it.”
“Oh, that won’t do,” the Duchess cut in, interrupting the Empress.
People swallowed nervously at the clash of wills between the two powerful women.
“Cousin!”
Gone was the Empress’s composed expression. Now, with a fierce glare, she addressed the Duchess as “cousin” like a child slipping back into old habits.
Neither of the two were known to attend social functions often. The fact that they were both at the same event was rare enough to stir gossip, but now that sparks were flying, the onlookers silently nodded in satisfaction, glad they had come today.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t concede this sculpture,” the Empress snapped, her hands clutching a handkerchief as her temper flared.
“Why not?!”
Her budget for the Imperial Palace was already stretched thin. She couldn’t believe the Grey family had the means to make such an extravagant bid.
Why was the Duchess doing something so unnecessary? If House Grey stayed in the bidding, all it would do was drive up the price.
But the Duchess, ever composed, looked straight at me as she answered.
“Why, you ask?”
“Why?” the Empress repeated, confused.
“Because this is a sculpture of my future daughter-in-law. Naturally, it should belong in our home, don’t you think?”
Chaos erupted behind us at the word daughter-in-law.
It was what everyone had suspected and now it was happening. The long-rumored union between House Roha and House Grey, both of whom had been expanding their ventures for some time, announced here of all places.
The Duchess gently tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear as she spoke with a warm smile.
“It’s the perfect engagement gift from a future mother-in-law, wouldn’t you agree? What good would the story of the future Duchess Grey be if her own family couldn’t see the sculpture up close?”
I was just as stunned as everyone else.
After the incident where I was named the “Green Lady,” I hadn’t even seen or heard from Armin. I’d been quietly stewing about it ever since.
Did he even know about this?
The thought made my stomach drop, but it was too late. The die had been cast.
Now, all eyes were on me. Even Mikael, the artist of the exhibition, stared as if willing me to speak.
This might just become the biggest scandal of the year.
I shut my eyes tightly.
If there had been alcohol nearby, I’d have downed three shots in a row just for the courage.
“Ahaha… Oh my, Mother. Thank… you… so very much.”
Mother!
That was the word the Duchess had been obsessed with hearing. I realized it mid-sentence — that’s why she’d kept insisting I call her that.
Since when?
Before Armin and I had even agreed to start dating, I think.
But that wasn’t the real issue. The real problem was this:
In front of an audience composed entirely of the most powerful nobles, the Duchess and I had just publicly established a future daughter-in-law and mother-in-law relationship — without Armin’s consent.
Mikael, clearly touched by my awkward performance, was tearing up. He looked between me, the Duchess, and then the Empress.
“Ah, to think such great figures would all desire my work… I hardly know what to do. To hear of Lady Roha’s and Lord Grey’s engagement at my exhibition — I’m honored beyond words.”
He dabbed at his moist eyes with a handkerchief as he spoke.
“I understand the wishes of both the Imperial Family and Duke Grey’s household. However, The Miracle of Mendelia is not for sale. Please don’t misunderstand — the reason I cannot sell this piece is because I have already promised to donate it to a church.”
The Miracle of Mendelia was the title of Mikael’s sculpture. After much reflection on the ‘miracle’ it depicted, he had decided to dedicate the piece to a church.
“Lady Roha received wisdom from the Angel Mendelia, and in turn, she opened the eyes of the ignorant. Thanks to that, Lady Roha’s courageous testimony had now become widely known. But, you see…”
At that moment, Mikael shifted the mood again with a familiar turn of phrase.
“There is an unsung hero behind this miracle.”
“An unsung hero?”
“Indeed. The person who painstakingly confirmed that only round peas were used when Lady Roha cultivated them herself.”
Mikael was referring to Father Gretas, the one who had vouched for the authenticity of the round-pea crop.
“The church he serves is a very small one — isn’t that right, Lady Roha?”
I nodded at his words. Unlike the grand cathedrals Mikael usually worked with, Father Gretas’s parish was humble in size.
The reason he’d verified the pea field’s authenticity in the first place was because his parishioners were so poor they could barely eat peas for dinner each evening.
It was originally agreed that any peas beyond what we needed would be donated to the church — that was why he’d helped us. None of us had expected things to escalate like this.
Having dedicated his life to religious art, Mikael was known for his deep devotion. He had been profoundly moved by the quiet dedication of this humble priest.
“This sculpture may be modest in craftsmanship, but I believe it to be the pinnacle of my life’s work. That’s why I’ve decided that gifting it to his church is the most meaningful choice I could make.”
The old man respectfully bowed to the Empress and the Duchess.
“So I must ask both esteemed ladies to cease this competition now.”
Upon hearing Mikael’s words, everyone in the room likely shared a single thought:
If that was the case, he could’ve just said so earlier.
