Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 51
“Hey, what are you doing?”
At that moment, someone tapped Macy on the shoulder. She turned around to see Kieran staring at her intently.
“Oh… I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
“You’re planning to take this, right?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t be lazy, come on. If you’re late, the old folks will grab all the good spots.”
Kieran snatched the easel from Macy’s hands, slinging both his and hers over his shoulders, and headed outside.
Macy remembered that Kieran had looked displeased when he first learned she was Yannick’s sibling. However, by the next outing, he had acted as if nothing had happened, returning to his usual self.
Macy had thought that seeing the reactions of other artists might make Kieran feel even more betrayed, but it was surprising. After all, he seemed to be quite a devoted fan of Yannick.
‘Maybe he’s hoping that by getting closer to me, he might get a chance to meet Yannick?’
Though it didn’t make much sense, Macy decided to accept Kieran’s help and information. She also didn’t dislike Kieran personally; it was her first time mingling with artists around her age, and she wanted to get along with him.
“Wow, what a beautiful garden.”
“Look at the fountain. Just looking at it is refreshing.”
The nobles visiting Baron Shearton’s estate today had come to explore the maze garden. They strolled around in a cheerful mood.
The bushes were low, making it easy to observe them from any vantage point. Macy was determined to have her painting selected this time.
“Shall we go over there?”
“Sure.”
Kieran and Macy set up their easels side by side in a suitable spot and immediately started working. Macy began filling her canvas with a portrait of a noble lady admiring the central round fountain in the garden. Kieran’s attention was on a small poodle following the lady, its fluffy coat looking adorable.
The outing concluded around sunset.
“This looks pretty good.”
She smiled at her painting. She was confident about this one. The geometric patterns of the maze garden and the profile of the lady blended harmoniously, and adding color would bring even more life to the painting.
The participating artists were expected to have some skill, but there were no renowned names among them. Besides Kieran, most artists painted similar compositions each time, making their works seem monotonous to Macy.
Macy thought that even if she hadn’t been chosen last time because she was still getting used to painting outdoors, she had to be selected this time. It would be strange if she wasn’t chosen.
“Hm, this time we’ll select two paintings: Ivan’s and Kieran’s.”
However, Macy wasn’t selected again. This time, even two pieces had been chosen…
Macy squinted as she checked the two chosen paintings. Kieran’s work was well-composed and expressive, depicting the maze garden as a playground for a puppy. Even when watching him paint it, Macy felt it would be a shame if it wasn’t chosen, given how complete it looked.
But the other selected piece immediately raised a question mark in her mind.
‘Is this really better than mine?’
The background from the maze garden was barely visible, making it seem almost pointless to have painted there. The painting was filled with people, just as Kieran had mentioned, with no clear focus or distinction. The figures were stiff and expressionless, with indistinguishable features.
It was a far cry from what one would expect from Baron Shearton’s taste. Still, it was better than the other unselected works, excluding Macy’s.
Had her confidence been misplaced? Was she so swept up by the praise of being a genius artist that she couldn’t make an objective judgment? Had she really been painting poorly all this time? She began to doubt herself.
“Thank you for your kind words, Baron. I’ll strive to complete a wonderful painting.”
Moreover, Ivan, who had been one of the artists who initially looked down on Macy for being young and female, was now smirking openly as he bowed to Baron Shearton.
“Ivan, it worked out well for you. I thought you’d be chosen this time!”
“You copied Yannick’s style, and it’s fitting. I wonder if you’re going to start copying Ivan now.”
“Haha, looks like we need to be careful!”
The other artists congratulated Ivan and mocked Macy. Her hands trembled with frustration.
“Is everyone blind or something?”
At that moment, Kieran stepped forward angrily.
“Baron, is this really better than Macy’s painting? Take another look!”
He even held Macy’s painting right in front of Baron Shearton. Macy was so shocked that she tried to stop him.
“Kieran! Calm down. You’re too worked up.”
“Let go! If you have eyes, you can see it! Isn’t it unfair?!”
