Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 2
“If you can’t use your hands, use your mouth to hold it!”
“Uuhp!”
His hand forcefully shoved the brush handle into Macy’s mouth. It instantly reached the back of her throat and triggered her gag reflex.
“Bite down on it, now! Paint the greatest picture!”
“Uhp, stop…!”
“It’s just your hands that are stiff, not your mouth!”
“Stop, stop this, brother!”
Macy thrashed against his brutal grip, and eventually, the chair she was in toppled over.
“Oh, what is this mess?”
Catherine, Yannick’s wife, rushed upstairs after hearing the commotion.
However, seeing the oil paint smeared on the floor, she merely clicked her tongue in annoyance at the cleanup that awaited her and didn’t bother to come any closer.
Macy looked down at her legs, which felt nothing despite the harsh impact. She felt pathetic and miserable, and tears threatened to spill.
“This damned Name!”
Yannick hadn’t always treated Macy so harshly.
She was cursed.
A curse that engraved the name ‘Eren Wood’ above her left chest.
The mysterious power of the Name etched into her skin gradually made her body sick.
Initially, it manifested as minor symptoms like decreased reflexes, tremors, and unstable posture. As the disease progressed, stiffness began from her feet and crept up to the top of her head.
She struggled to walk more than twenty steps even with a cane, and her hands, as precious to her as life itself, became increasingly rigid.
The only way to cure the Name’s curse was to meet the Name’s owner. If she failed to meet the Name’s owner before her body completely stiffened, the curse could even claim her life.
Although rare, name brokerage was a thriving business in the capital. Her father, being a fairly renowned painter, was not too poor to afford the brokerage fee. Every night, she prayed as she searched for Eren Wood.
However, an unexpected carriage accident claimed the life of the Horton couple and significantly destabilized their household’s fortunes.
Yannick became Macy’s guardian and tried to earn a living through painting, having learned by watching over her father. Unfortunately, Yannick had not inherited his father’s talent. Unable to paint well enough to make a living, he faced extended periods of hardship.
At that time, Macy began painting to help Yannick. It led unexpectedly to her recognition as a prodigious artist.
Sensing the unusual public attention, Yannick suggested that they use his name instead.
Given the conservative climate of Obelite where female painters faced significant challenges in practicing their art, and considering her own health, Macy had no choice but to agree.
Consequently, Yannick earned the title of a genius artist and made a fortune. However, as Macy’s curse progressed from her legs to her hands, she became unable to paint properly.
Yannick blamed her for everything, becoming more sensitive and aggressive than before. Moreover, her decline was still ongoing.
‘The next will be the facial muscles, then the loss of sight.’
The Name’s curse would eventually lead her to death.
“It might be better to get married now.”
Suddenly, Yannick declared his decision.
“You know my friend Royson, right? Royson just divorced his second wife. Despite knowing you’ve suffered from the Name curse since birth, he often spoke of you.”
Royson Filton. He was a friend of Yannick’s who ran a small trading company. There were rumors that a strange smell always lingered around him, and he was known for his bad manners.
“No, I don’t want to marry him! Mr. Royson is…”
“Do you think you’re in a position to choose between clean and dirty water?!”
As soon as Macy expressed her will, Yannick thundered at her.
“Do you think men willing to marry a cripple are common? You’re a naive girl, clueless about the ways of the world. This might be your last chance!”
“…”
“It’s for the best. You’re just a burden here, but if you marry Royson, you could help with business funding. Shouldn’t you repay the kindness I’ve shown you?”
Her hands trembled.
She understood that not all marriages among men and women were based on love. In the upper echelons of society, marriage was a strategic alliance, a means to expand power between families.
But still…
‘I don’t want to be sold into marriage to a man who’s clearly violent.’
No matter how debilitated her limbs were, Macy didn’t want this kind of marriage.
Perhaps Yannick was right—maybe she really was just a naïve girl locked away in her room, throwing tantrums, creating her own world. Now, she was just a burden, waiting to die while wasting food.
It felt so unjust. She hadn’t chosen to be born this way.
Should she resent her parents for bringing her into the world like this, or curse her fate, marked as a plaything by God?
She felt suffocated by an endless wave of self-loathing. Would biting her tongue off end it all? Could it free her from this misery? Why did such misfortune fall only on her? Why? Just why?
“Madam, a guest has arrived!”
Just then, a maid rushed in a huff.
“A guest? Who? There’s no one expected.”
Catherine asked, puzzled.
“From the Krygen Agency…”
“What?”
“They’ve found the bearer of the name.”
