Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 11
Suppressing her flustered feelings, Macy diligently moved her hands like someone with an important job to do. Encouraged by his relaxed demeanor, she massaged his jawline and the nape of his neck.
After a while, he spoke.
“That’s enough.”
Eren took her hands and placed them neatly back on his chest, then curled up to rest his chin on the crown of her head, holding her close.
“You fidget a lot, but it seems to be effective.”
“…I’m glad to hear that.”
Then, with his other hand, he wrapped his arm around her waist. It wasn’t a lascivious gesture, but rather an attempt to increase the contact area for better recovery.
Even so, it felt unfamiliar to Macy, making her body tense up. Her breathing became irregular, and her palms grew sweaty. Whether he noticed her state or not, Eren held her close, their bodies perfectly aligned.
She could clearly feel his heartbeat that was steady and strong, like the rhythmic pounding of a hammer. It was an unusual sensation, feeling the life force of another person so intimately.
“Hopefully, it’s not just because of you that I feel better…”
His mumbled words before he fell asleep sounded like he was relying on her. Hearing this, Macy began to understand her earlier flustered feelings.
She was satisfied knowing she had made Eren feel comfortable. It made her proud and content.
Like a child receiving praise after constant scolding, she felt elated. Only after a long while did she tentatively place her hand on his waist. He seemed to tilt his head, as if looking at her hand. Macy pretended not to notice and closed her eyes behind the blindfold.
Finding the self-imposed darkness comforting.
* * *
“You did wonderfully, Macy! Truly a talent gifted from the heavens. It’s so beautiful!”
Yannick admired Macy’s painting. This time, she had created a still life featuring a vase and fruits.
Even though it was a common subject, Macy’s unique brush strokes had a magical ability to make ordinary things look special.
“Please leave now. I stayed up all night painting and I’m a bit tired.”
“Oh? Oh, sure. Are you going to sleep here?”
“Yes. I’ll take a short nap and then continue painting.”
“Alright. Rest is important too! Get some sleep.”
Despite Macy’s somewhat irritable demeanor, Yannick took the hint and left the room. As soon as he left, she locked the door and sighed with relief.
‘Phew… That was close.’
Macy quickly retrieved another hidden painting.
It was a landscape of a deep forest with the horizon dawning in soft light. The purple sky was dreamily beautiful. Unlike the still life she had hastily completed in a few hours, this landscape had been meticulously crafted over the past few days.
She planned to submit this piece under her own name for the royal competition. There was no rule against female participants, so she hoped to enter.
‘Although, looking at past winners, it seems like only graduates from prestigious art academies are chosen…’
This was why it was a challenge for women to become recognized artists.
Renowned competitions evaluated participants’ backgrounds, and attending an art academy was crucial. However, art academies required mandatory nude croquis classes, which women couldn’t attend due to imperial laws prohibiting them from viewing male nudity in public spaces.
As a result, women were naturally excluded from the academies and subsequently from competitions, depriving them of chances to debut.
Moreover, the ideal woman in Obelite was expected to manage the household without drawing attention. Such conservative views permeated society, suppressing the advancement of female artists.
‘Even if I manage to submit it, the chances of winning are slim. I need to think of another plan.’
Macy racked her brain, but no promising ideas emerged. She thought perhaps she could paint an even more extraordinary piece that would win unanimous approval, but her mind felt clouded as if shrouded in fog.
‘Am I really in a slump…?’
Macy sighed deeply, lowering her gaze. Beneath the cloth covering this painting, she spotted another canvas with just a rough sketch. It depicted the bust of a man wearing a shirt with an open neckline. Seeing this made her feel even more unsettled.
‘Why did I draw this?’
The model for this painting was Eren Wood. Despite the casual attire, the overall atmosphere of the portrait was somber and dignified. However, the face was left blank, making it a faceless portrait.
“Sigh…”
Recently, she and Eren had reduced their sessions to every three days. Hugging seemed to be quite effective for him.
It made sense, considering he often stayed until morning. They had become so comfortable that they would fall asleep during their sessions.
Even if they didn’t feel entirely at ease, it was hard not to doze off while lying down and hugging for an hour. Especially for Macy, who was blindfolded in total darkness, it was an ideal condition for sleep.
‘It still surprises me how deeply Eren sleeps during these sessions…’
At some point, Eren’s sharp wariness had softened. Despite the repeated occurrence of falling asleep during treatments, he hadn’t taken any measures to prevent it.
He could have instructed the others in the next room to wake him, yet he hadn’t. Macy, too, hadn’t shown any hesitation or reluctance, simply resolving to be more cautious next time.
Last night, she had woken up in the middle of their session, finding his embrace so comforting that she nestled closer.
Eren had responded by gently patting her head, as if encouraging her to sleep more.
