Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 68
“And Yannick has been searching all over the place for you lately.”
“My brother? Why?”
The mention of Yannick’s name made Macy’s heart race anxiously.
“Why else? He’s probably trying to bring you back. You mustn’t get caught. Dad said he knows you’re attending Baron Shearton’s event as an outing painter. He even went there looking for you. Didn’t you see him?”
“Really? I didn’t see him at all. I had no idea…”
The words Eren had said yesterday suddenly came to mind. How it wouldn’t be hard to pull down a painter if someone was set on it…
Yannick seemed to be actively searching for Macy already. It scared her to think that her worst fears might be coming true.
“Macy, why the long face? Don’t worry. He won’t forcibly drag you away.”
She hadn’t realized she was trembling, but Hils’ hand was now on top of hers.
“I’ll help you with this. I won’t let you go back to that house.”
“Thank you, Hils…”
His palm was warm. Hils was indeed a good person.
After a brief chat about recent events, they finished their meal and parted ways. As she approached the carriage, Morgan greeted her warmly.
“Macy, did you have a good time with your friend?”
“Yes. Did you enjoy your meal?”
Morgan had also been dining with a friend nearby.
“Yes. Should we head to Count Werfel’s?”
“Yes, please.”
The carriage wheels rolled smoothly as they set off. Outside, it was already a bright summer day with the sun blazing down.
The world outside was bright, but Macy felt otherwise. A deep shadow lay over her face.
* * *
Macy started working alone with Lady Werfel once again. An hour had already passed since their scheduled time.
‘Will Duke Krygen not come again today…?’
As the deadline approached, Macy felt increasingly anxious but tried not to show it. Complaining in front of the Lady wasn’t an option for her.
Lady Werfel herself looked as beautiful as a flower again today. As Macy continued painting, she found herself admiring the Lady, until the Lady suddenly brought up a new topic.
“Is there someone you have in mind, Macy?”
“What? Me?”
“Yes. You’re young and pretty, but you seem to show no interest in that sort of thing.”
Anna also liked talking about relationships, so perhaps the Lady wanted to discuss the same?
Macy considered this another aspect of her work and cautiously started to respond.
“I’m interested too. Though it’s a one-sided affection…”
“Wow! So you do have someone you like! Who is it?”
Lady Werfel looked visibly excited. It seemed she enjoyed this kind of conversation just like any other girl.
“A friend?”
“Not exactly a friend…”
“Is he older than you?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure.”
“Could he be a Name master?”
“What?”
Macy nearly dropped her brush. The Lady had brought up something unexpected, digging deeper than she anticipated.
“I heard that Yannick Horton’s sister had her Name manifest from birth, so I actually knew a little about you. I’m curious about Names. Is it too intrusive to ask?”
“Oh, no. Feel free to ask.”
So that was what she was curious about. Macy found the questions about Names easier to handle. The Lady wasn’t the most comfortable person for personal conversations.
“It’s about a friend of mine. Her fiance recently had his Name manifest.”
“Oh… really?”
Macy paused her painting and focused on the conversation with the Lady.
“But she says he’s been visiting his Name master frequently. I wonder if he’s developed feelings for her… Is it common to need treatment two or three times a week?”
“Well, it varies from person to person, so there’s no average. Some people need treatment daily when it’s severe, while others only need it once or twice a year.”
“I see…”
“And if the Name has only recently manifested, the person might need frequent sessions due to aftereffects. Once things stabilize, it shouldn’t be necessary to go as often.”
“Oh! Aftereffects! I didn’t know about that. Haha, then she probably won’t see him as often!”
Lady Werfel was very pleased at the thought of not seeing her friend’s fiancé frequently. It seemed clear that she was talking about herself rather than someone else.
‘So Duke Krygen must have had his Name manifest recently?’
And if it’s two or three times a week…
“Do you know when her fiance’s Name manifested?”
“Last winter. How long does it take to stabilize after manifesting?”
“Probably around six months…”
Macy’s face grew increasingly rigid. Last winter was when she first met Eren.
