Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 53
Kieran hesitated for a moment, then responded casually.
“I thought there was another reason. Like maybe you paint figures in landscapes but don’t do detailed portraits like those in commissions, or you just don’t want to, or you avoid such requests.”
“No, that’s not it. I haven’t done many portraits, but I’m practicing. I want to do more, but I’m struggling because I don’t have any subjects.”
Portraits of nobles have a bit of a different style. Nobles usually have at least one or two portraits because they use them for matchmaking purposes. Therefore, the portraits need to be as realistic as possible, though some clients ask to have their best features highlighted.
For Macy, whose brushwork is quite distinctive, this is a new challenge. However, she has been steadily working on it since she could get her hands moving again.
Recently, she’s been asking Dia and Morgan, who live with her in the cabin, to model for her.
“Then I’ll introduce you. I was actually about to turn down a commission because of a scheduling conflict.”
“Really? Can you give it to me? Do you think they’ll accept my work?”
“Yes. It was a commission I was planning to refuse. It’s for a woman named Pomantder, and as long as you have the skills, they won’t care about your gender. It’s how things are around here. They don’t use women for portraits because there aren’t many who are good enough. High-ranking nobles might look at the name, but…”
Kieran seemed quite familiar with the industry, having received more than a few commissions. Despite being the same age as Macy, he felt more like an adult at that moment.
‘I really have a long way to go.’
“Then, will you introduce me? I’ll definitely repay this favor!”
“No need to think of it as a favor. Just treat me to a meal or something later.”
“Absolutely! Speaking of which, want to grab a bite now?”
Macy was thrilled by this unexpected opportunity.
She felt like she wanted to buy Kieran a meal, even if it were a hundred times over.
However, living in the mountains meant she could only get into town when Morgan drove her there. She felt too guilty to ask him to take her just to meet friends, so she only went out for special occasions like the outings. That’s why she preferred to treat Kieran today.
“Right now?”
Kieran looked up at the sky, which had darkened.
“Are we cutting it close to when the restaurant closes?”
“Well, if there’s a place still open, we can go there for a bit…”
It was often okay for her to have a meal out with Morgan before heading home.
‘But why is he smiling like that?’
Kieran narrowed his eyes with a slight, almost unpleasant smirk. Was that just a feeling she was having?
“Then let’s go get a drink.”
“A drink?”
Macy’s eyes widened.
“Yeah. Instead of a meal, let’s go for drinks.”
“I’ve never had alcohol before…”
“Really? What have you been doing all this time if you haven’t even tried a drink?”
Macy awkwardly scratched her forehead. It wasn’t that she had deliberately avoided it; she just hadn’t had the chance.
“There’s a bar I go to around here. We don’t need to take the carriage. Let’s just have one drink and go.”
“Is that alright…?”
Suddenly, Eren came to mind. Why was she thinking of him today, especially since it wasn’t a day for name treatment? Maybe it was because Eren occasionally showed up unexpectedly. Even if she came home after drinking, being an adult meant he didn’t need to worry too much.
“Is there a reason we can’t?”
“No! Let’s go!”
At that moment, Macy didn’t realize the decision would lead to unexpected complications.
* * *
Viscountess Pomantder introduced by Kieran was a young woman. Fortunately, she liked Macy’s paintings. She was very pleased with the portraits of Dia and Morgan, which Macy had painted for practice.
“Oh my, I didn’t expect such a talented young lady. Should I call you artist or just Macy?”
“No, just call me Macy.”
“I look forward to working with you, Macy.”
The Viscountess smiled brightly. The Persian cat sitting on her lap let out a lazy yawn.
It seemed like a good painting would come out of this. Thus began Macy’s first portrait assignment, where she visited the Viscountess’s estate to focus on sketching and coloring the face.
And when she returned to the cabin, Macy recreated Viscountess Pomantder’s pose using a wooden mannequin, then dressed it in similar clothes to capture the folds and details of the fabric.
Though the unfamiliar method was challenging, it was also fun as it was a new attempt. Kieran not only made the introduction but also provided a lot of help with the portrait work.
“By the way, did you get home alright that day? You seemed pretty drunk.”
“Well, Morgan took me home… so I was okay.”
Kieran had asked with concern on the day of the outing. Macy had said she was fine, but in truth, she wasn’t.
The place Kieran took her was a small local pub. People were getting tipsy, dancing around, and someone was strumming a guitar in one corner of the bar to lift the mood.
At first, Macy felt out of place, but gradually she began to sway to the rhythm.
The beer was bitter, but it felt refreshing and cleared her head, making her get used to it over time. As she talked deeply with Kieran about art, much more time passed than she had expected.
