Leo took a moment to match the name of the painter he was introduced to.
“Gebhardt? Gebhardt. Who’s that again?”
After some contemplation, it clicked.
Ah, yes, he was the artist of the paintings Natalia had once let him admire for free.
“Nice to meet you,” Leo said, feeling a vague sense of familiarity, but the painter did not respond.
Gebhardt stood there, muttering something under his breath, seemingly in a daze. Natalia, who had been frantically trying to appease him earlier, now observed his dumbfounded state with a look of understanding.
Leonora von Hakenberg was a stunning beauty, whose mere presence seemed to occasionally captivate even those accustomed to her, as if threatening to steal their very souls. Anyone seeing her for the first time, especially in her adorned state, could hardly help but utter a blessing to the spirits.
“Thank you for waiting. This is Leonora, the subject of the portrait. Feel free to direct her pose as you see fit to capture her full charm,” Albert said.
Gebhardt snapped out of his trance and nodded slightly. “Y-Yes.”
But he remained hesitant. Just moments ago, he had been adamant, claiming he would not paint a mere student. Now, he was left speechless by the sight of the girl, much to Natalia’s exasperation.
“Mr. Anheuser, as per our agreement, she can only stand in front of the canvas today. Please, pick up your brush,” she urged.
“Y-Yes.”
He was reluctantly guided closer to the girl. As he scrutinized her from head to toe, Gebhardt began to regain his composure.
“Pleased to meet you, Miss Leonora. I am Gebhardt, the painter. I will do my utmost to create a masterpiece that brings out your full allure. Please bear with me.”
“Um, sure,” Leo nodded vaguely.
If his guess was correct, having a highly accurate portrait might not be ideal.
(Wait a minute…)
However, an accurate portrait could serve as a means to disguise himself differently the next time he attempted an escape. Besides, it wasn’t as if he could flee the scene right now.
(Pinch turns into chance, as they say. Oh well, here goes nothing!)
Reciting Hannah’s maxim, which was becoming his mantra, Leo steeled himself and stood before the canvas.
“Please wait a moment.”
But from behind the canvas, Gebhardt’s eyes narrowed as he spoke.
“This is not your true form, is it?”
“Huh?”
Leo, who was in fact not in his original body, looked up, startled.
Gebhardt was scrutinizing him closely, his tall figure glowing faintly. Leo suddenly recognized the light.
(…This light… I’ve seen it before!)
It was the same light that had surrounded Albert when he greeted him at a welcome party. He didn’t understand why Albert glowed, but knowing that the glowing prince was dangerous made him wary of the glowing artist as well.
As Leo held his breath, wondering if Gebhardt would start singing or something, the painter spoke again, saying something unexpected.
“Disrobe, please.”
“What?”
Leo wasn’t the only one stunned; the onlookers reacted faster.
“My magic reveals deceptions. This attire does not suit you, Miss Leonora. You should not wear a gown or gaudy jewelry but something simpler.”
“So, you possess magic as well. That explains a lot…” Albert nodded, clearly understanding the situation since he too could see the magical aura around Gebhardt.
Natalia also nodded in agreement. “Indeed, a simpler attire might be more fitting for the ‘Saint without Desire’.”
Without any regard for Leo’s opinion, he was stripped of his gown and jewelry. Even the petticoats that gave shape to the dress were removed, leaving the young girl looking almost genderless, like a spirit.
After some contemplation, Gebhardt nodded in compromise. “This will suffice.”
Leo, however, was far from satisfied. Stripped of his clothes and his precious gold coin, he felt vulnerable, like an unsecured purse.
(Kai, you better keep that coin safe!)
He cast a pleading glance at his servant, who blushed and looked down.
Hours passed as Leo posed according to the painter’s instructions. Despite the artist’s dedication, Leo couldn’t help but feel the withdrawal from being separated from his beloved coin, worrying about Kai’s frequent glances towards the canvas.
(Especially after he fell earlier. He didn’t drop it, did he?)
Leo recalled the moment Kai had stumbled, nearly crushing the artist’s brush case. He had rushed over, almost shouting about the coin, but restrained himself.
(That golden glint I saw… No mistake, that was my coin!)
Leo’s eyes widened as he spotted the familiar shine from the brush case.
“Kaa-san!”
Leo suddenly stood up, grabbing the painter by the collar, much to everyone’s shock.
“Leo, what are you doing?” Albert exclaimed.
“You took Kaa-san! You thief!”
Gebhardt, bewildered, struggled to respond.
“What…?”
“Give it back! Give it back!”
Leo’s desperate shouts and the sight of him shaking Gebhardt alarmed the prince.
“Leo, this is not how you treat a guest!”
“This man stole Kaa-san! He’s a criminal!”
Albert tried to calm him, but Leo, consumed by rage, fought back fiercely.
“Let go!”
“Leo, stop this!”
Albert, frustrated and at a loss, restrained Leo, who cried out in pain as he fell to the ground.
“I-I’m sorry,” Albert apologized, but Leo glared at him with tearful eyes.
“Are you siding with him?” Leo whispered darkly.
“Leo?”
Albert called her name again, sensing her distress.
“Let go! We have to catch that criminal before he escapes!”
Leo’s defiant shout and her abrupt run toward Gebhardt left Albert no choice but to stop her again.
“Leonora!”
His stern call halted her, and she looked up, trembling with fear.
“Do you think…?” she whispered, tears glistening in her eyes.
“Leonora, calm down and explain…”
“Are you on his side?” she asked in a trembling voice.
“Leonora?”
The girl’s tearful gaze shook Albert to his core. He felt an overwhelming guilt as he tried to reassure her.
“I’m not against you, but please calm down.”
“No! He took Kaa-san!”
Ignoring his plea, Leo lunged at Gebhardt again, but Albert restrained her, shouting her name once more.
“Leonora!”
She flinched at his sharp tone, looking up with tearful, frightened eyes.
“Albert,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
Suddenly, Gebhardt, who had been silent, spoke.
“Your Highness.”
Albert turned, still holding the trembling girl.
“I apologize for this disturbance. It is my fault.”
“What?” Albert looked at the painter, who sighed deeply.
“I tried to keep it hidden, but…” Gebhardt retrieved the brush case from the floor, revealing a golden-handled brush.
“The golden brush…?” Natalia gasped.
“Indeed,” Gebhardt confirmed, bowing his head.
“I am the former First Prince, August von Weitzacker.”
Albert and Natalia were stunned into silence.
“I am the enemy of her mother.”
The revelation left them speechless as they stared at the man who was once a prince, now a painter, holding a golden brush that symbolized his lineage and power.
Shouldn’t Albert be saying “Leonora” and not “Leo” and Leo saying “Albert-sama”?
Wahahahahaha. Only this series would have a misunderstanding of this magnitude. Where a greedy boy in a beautiful girl who calls his gold coin mommy, would think that the painter stole said “mommy”. Only for the painter to come clean because he played a part in the demise of his bodies “mommy”, and actually is former royalty.