Selected as the New Stepmother - Chapter 54

There were round tables arranged in a semicircle around the easel where four to five people could sit together.

It was a good setup for appreciating paintings.

“Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Lady Tirel, who looked completely different from when I saw her before, guided me to my seat.

At some tables, people were busy whispering and observing me, while at others, they had completely turned their bodies in my direction.

‘This kind of attention is refreshing.’

I’m not the type to be intimidated just because people are staring. While running Black Swan, I’ve been looked down on for being a young woman trying to run a business, and I’ve even been openly insulted.

Having already seen the dirty side that I might not have experienced if I had been raised as a noble was quite a useful experience in this situation.

After confirming that I had taken my seat, Lady Tirel walked to the front of the easel.

“Some of you may already know, but for those who don’t, let me introduce her first.”

Then she gestured towards me.

“This is the Baron Deli’s daughter who will be joining our gathering from today.”

The salon stirred. I gently rose from my seat and curtsied.

“I am Schmidt Deli. It’s an honor to meet all of you who cherish and love art.”

In that brief moment, many glances were exchanged. From young ladies wary of me as a new face to ladies full of curiosity discreetly looking me up and down.

“Baron Deli’s daughter, are you the one who runs Black Swan in the shopping district?”

A young lady sitting at the table next to me asked. Remembering that I had seen her face in the nobility almanac, I replied.

“Thank you for recognizing me, Lady Arche.”

“Oh my! You know me?”

I needed to give a response that was kind but dignified, considerate but not belittling myself.

“I saw you at the Artenbach Art Gallery. Although I didn’t greet you then, your serious appreciation left an impression, and I’ve wanted to meet you ever since.”

“Oh my…”

Her eyes curved gently. I nodded slightly, giving a casual gesture of gratitude.

“Well, I’m sure there’s much you’re curious about and want to ask, but we mustn’t forget the purpose of our gathering, right?”

Lady Tirel preemptively cut off any prolonged questioning.

As if that was the signal, the gazes of those attending the gathering turned to the easel. The museum curator smiled brightly as he unwrapped a painting tightly bundled in linen cloth.

“Oh, it’s a landscape.”

“Where is that waterfall from?”

Everyone voiced their thoughts. The curator, seemingly accustomed to this, waited for a moment and then spoke when silence fell.

“This work is ‘Tidsan Falls’ by Leodniro.”

It was such an ordinary painting that one wouldn’t know it was Tidsan Falls if the title wasn’t mentioned.

He still seemed to be searching for his own style.

‘That mural would be truly beautiful when completed.’

Suddenly, I remembered the unfinished waterfall painting I had seen with the butler. The landscapes of the empire that the young duke had painted for his mother.

The meaning behind it and the reason why it had to remain unfinished had made my heart ache.

“Leodniro’s new work ‘Tidsan Falls’ is a painting in a different style from his previous ones. As you can see, he used a lot of paint and applied layers on top of dried areas to create a sense of depth.”

It was a technique anyone could use, but in this field, no one could beat Myrten.

Although it was a painting that well expressed delicate water droplets and the spreading of light, it was clearly a work with shortcomings.

“As expected of Leodniro. It’s such a vivid painting.”

A lady at the next table said, fanning herself. She also added that she had bought one of Leodniro’s previous works.

The appreciative comments continued. Most were compliments, but occasionally there was sharp criticism.

“I’d like to hear Lady Deli’s thoughts as well. What do you think?”

Lady Arche asked publicly. Unlike her, who showed genuine curiosity with sparkling eyes, others had an air of ‘let’s see how well she does’.

“Leodniro is a diligent person. He consistently produces works and strives to improve his skills. Do you remember his other works?”

Most people nodded.

“There are paintings where he uses strong shading, and others that are closer to watercolors. This means he hasn’t found his own style yet.”

The salon stirred.

“If we just look at this work, we could say it’s quite well done, but if he’s satisfied with this, he’ll never progress further. He needs to focus on finding his own unique character.”

“Young lady, you don’t understand art.”

The lady who had consistently bought Leodniro’s works made a sharp comment. Others began to agree with her one by one.

“If it pleases you, madam, I think that’s enough. After all, appreciation is just a personal opinion.”

I said with a smile, but the atmosphere between her and me was chilly. The curator hurriedly spoke up to change the mood.

“Now, now. The next work is a piece that Lady Deli, who has just joined us, is specially showcasing for our gathering. Isn’t everyone looking forward to it?”

“Well, let’s see it then.”

A sharp remark shot out from the lady. Lady Tirel looked at me with a worried face, but I smiled, indicating it was fine.

The curator unwrapped the packaging and placed the canvas on the easel. It was a painting of a woman with sad eyes looking at a baby in a basket. The guilt of not being able to feed the child was clearly visible on the thin woman in the painting.

“Oh my…”

“Goodness.”

The mouth of the lady who was a fan of Leodniro slowly opened.

Some young ladies were red-eyed.

“The title of this painting is ‘I Wished I Could Feed You Even Tears’. As you can see, it’s a work by Myrten.”

The curator, being from the Artenbach Art Gallery, naturally knew Myrten. He explained that it was painted using the same technique as Leodniro’s work just shown.

I stood up and walked to the front of the easel. Everyone’s gaze fell on me.

“It’s an incredibly magnificent work. The wrinkles around the woman’s eyes and the baby’s skin are very realistic.”

The people in the salon were immersed as if they were about to enter the painting. I felt a bit moved thinking that we were sharing similar emotions.

“It feels like the baby might cry at any moment.”

“…The woman’s expression is so heartbreaking.”

Even Lady Tirel was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

“Beyond whether it’s well-painted or not, please first look at what the artist wanted to convey in this. What’s in the small mirror in the painting, why only the baby’s outer wrapping is new, and so on.”

Several ladies who grasped the hidden meaning finally broke into sobs. It was thanks to accurately understanding Myrten’s intention.

“I’ll buy that painting.”

Said the lady who had bought several of Leodniro’s works. Then others at nearby tables also stepped forward, saying they would buy it.

Lady Tirel had a face of amazement at the passionate atmosphere unlike usual. The shock of seeing a true masterpiece heated up the salon.

All the submitted works were sold. It was a different result from before when one or two pieces were usually left unsold.

‘Thank goodness.’

I thought there might be what’s commonly called territoriality. But contrary to my concerns, those participating in the gathering responded passionately, and thanks to them, I felt both proud and fulfilled.

The curator, with a satisfied face, said he hoped to be invited again next time and then left the salon. Now that the appreciation meeting was over, it was time for the main social activities.

“Lady Deli and Lady Tirel, may I join you for a moment?”

Lady Arche approached us. We both welcomed her gladly.

“Actually, when Lady Tirel said you would be joining our gathering, I was against it. But when she said you would make our gathering more elegant, I reluctantly agreed…”

She started like that and then smiled brightly.

“But now that I’ve met you, I think I’m glad I didn’t insist on my objection.”

With her voluminous hair braided on both sides, she seemed very interested in Myrten. When asked if I could arrange a meeting, I replied that I could set it up if she came to Black Swan.

“By the way, did you know that Artenbach Duke has a woman now?”

A young lady from another table spoke loudly enough for others to hear. Finally, the gossip had begun.

“The knight at our house said he saw them dating at the Artenbach hot springs.”

“I heard about it too. They even came to the boutique recently.”

“That’s right. I heard she had a dress made with expensive fabric imported from the Western countries.”

“They say it was amethyst-colored. Just like what Lady Deli is wearing…”

All eyes turned to me. Lady Tirel, with a face that said ‘it’s finally come’, quietly opened her mouth.

“That’s right. Lady Deli is Duke Artenbach’s fiancée.”

The mouths of those who heard the lady’s words fell open. After a beat, young ladies of my age rushed over, bombarding me with questions.

I spoke to them.

“I think you must have many questions.”

As soon as I opened my mouth, the surrounding area fell silent.

“I’d like to answer all your questions, but I’m here today as Lady Deli, not as the Duke’s fiancée. So if there’s an opportunity next time, I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.”

Lady Arche pouted cutely and said.

“Can’t you tell just me?”

Of course, I wouldn’t do that. Who knows what rumors my words might create in this place.

“Haha, come to Black Swan next time. We have some good tea leaves imported from the Western countries.”

When I vaguely avoided answering, Lady Arche fidgeted with her fingers in disappointment. Then she carefully asked.

“Is it certain that you’re marrying the Duke?”

“Yes, we’re in the process of coordinating the specific schedule.”

“Wow, I see! How did that come about?”

The young lady kept saying how envious she was and that she would definitely come for tea. Looking at her who seemed like a younger sister, I answered gently.

“I’ll be waiting for you.”