Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Pencils and Portraits
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“Why?”
There were bushes behind her, and Carion was blocking the way forward with his body, so she couldn’t slip away. As she lowered her head, Carion spoke up.
“Don’t you want to sell things that the administrative office uses?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean it literally. This could make money. I’ll invest my personal funds, so let’s make them and sell.”
“They’re simple to make, and they’re not that valuable. I just made them to make work easier.”
“There are a lot of people who want to work more comfortably. That’s why they’ll sell. Since you’re the original inventor, let’s split the profits 5:5, including the idea fee.”
Rachel was dumbfounded. On Earth, these were cheap items you could buy for a thousand or two thousand won, nothing special, yet Carion valued them highly.
She felt a bit like she was plagiarizing, but Carion was already outlining his business plan.
“Let’s start by commercializing this pencil, the administrative office’s staple holder, and the fixing wire.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t worry. The materials aren’t expensive, right?”
“Yes. It’ll just cost some labor. But the method is so simple they’ll copy it right away.”
“That’s fine. How many places need to produce documents in bulk?”
“You’re planning to sell as much as we can for the first couple of months?”
“Exactly.”
He had no intention of running the business long-term from the start. He planned to produce and sell them only to the royal palace, noble houses, and select merchants.
“Why do it that way?”
“Because I’m not a businessman.”
At his core, he was a ruler. Making money through business wasn’t his goal—governing the country was his mission.
“If the people I rule work more efficiently and comfortably because of this, it’ll all be credited to me. That’s the point.”
“I see.”
“Plus, it’ll rack up some points.”
“With His Majesty the King?”
“Yeah. He hasn’t said a word, probably because I’m not as capable as my brother. Maybe if I stack up some small achievements, he’ll change his mind.”
Pavlos III had said nothing about passing the throne to Carion or Demian.
Even with Demian’s notorious antics, the silence suggested neither son pleased him.
“He might wait until Enoch comes of age.”
“But he said he wouldn’t give the throne to Enoch.”
“The Silver Knights are making waves lately. Minds can change anytime.”
Just then, Rachel sensed someone behind her. Turning around, she saw Enoch standing there.
“So this is where you were. Rachel’s here too?”
“Looking for me? What’s up?”
Carion raised his hand in greeting. Enoch wasn’t alone. Behind him stood a middle-aged man in his forties and a young man in his twenties.
With Demian’s faction greatly diminished, they no longer needed to hide their closeness, but basic decorum was still necessary, wasn’t it?
Yet those standing behind Enoch kept their mouths shut, quiet as shadows.
*Sometimes he seems so regal, other times like a spoiled child. Which is the real him?*
Unaware of Rachel’s thoughts, Carion addressed Enoch.
“Hey, little bro, what brings you to the palace? You’ve been circling outside the walls.”
“His Majesty ordered portraits painted before I come of age.”
“Portraits, yeah, it’d be weirder if they hadn’t been done in a while. You still calling Father ‘Your Majesty’? Come on.”
Carion clicked his tongue, but Enoch paid no mind.
“His Majesty commanded that I bring you along to be painted together.”
“Me too?”
Carion scowled, clearly reluctant, and asked again. But Enoch replied firmly.
“Yes. Definitely. Find you. And together.”
“That sounds tedious. Sir Peristera, want to come along?”
“Why me?”
Rachel had no desire for Carion’s invitation and tried to decline. But Enoch spoke up.
“I’d rather not be alone with him... It’d be nice if Rachel were there.”
Unlike someone else’s brazenness, Enoch gazed at Rachel with earnest eyes. She couldn’t refuse those clear eyes.
“I’ll go.”
“Thank you.”
If Enoch had a tail, it would be wagging furiously. His face lit up instantly, warming Rachel’s heart.
“But the administrative office...”
“I’ll handle it later. I’ll make sure there’s no backlash, so let’s go now.”
“I’m trusting you, Your Highness. You have to tell them.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Rachel didn’t fully trust Carion, but she trusted Enoch beside her. The thoughtful Enoch would visit the office himself if Carion forgot.
With that, Rachel slipped out from in front of Carion and stood beside Enoch.
“You’ve been very busy lately?”
“Yes. You look busy too, Rachel. You seem tired.”
“A lot of work.”
A sigh escaped her naturally, and Enoch patted her back sympathetically. Then he whispered.
“Rest while they paint the portraits.”
“As expected, only Enoch thinks of me!”
Rachel grabbed Enoch’s hand with both of hers, and Enoch blushed shyly.
But the warm atmosphere didn’t last. Carion wedged himself between them.
“Come on, portrait sessions take forever, so let’s hurry.”
Rachel glared at the back of Carion’s red head. But sensing her stare, he turned immediately, and she whipped her head away as if nothing happened.
“Keep that up and you’ll burn a hole in the back of my head.”
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
“That insolent tone.”
Rachel clamped her mouth shut. Carion chuckled at the sight before leading the way again.
Entering the palace, Rachel was led down an inner corridor she’d never seen before.
No windows, no lights, so from midway, the attending servant began lighting candles on a candelabrum.
“First time here?”
“Yes.”
“This corridor holds portraits of past kings.”
Carion added that they kept the lights off and covered them with cloth to prevent damage, then pulled aside the cloth on the wall at the front.
It was a young portrait of the current king, Pavlos III.
“So the end of this corridor has the founding king’s portrait too?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“Why?”
“Silver hair, so they store it separately?”
The royal family had only recently acknowledged the first king’s silver hair. They’d previously claimed it was red, so no portrait was hung.
“I see.”
“There are other portraits in the atelier. Want to see the queen mother’s?”
Carion asked Enoch, who shook his head, but Rachel was curious.
*The king isn’t that handsome, so the queen must be stunning.*
Otherwise, Enoch and Carion’s looks made no sense.
Soon they reached the atelier. Carion dashed between cloth-covered paintings without being asked.
“Your Highness!”
The painter panicked, but Carion stopped before one and lifted the cloth.
“Found it. Little bro, you really not curious about Mother’s portrait?”
“You seem the one dying to show it off, brother.”
Enoch replied calmly. Carion agreed and fully removed the cloth.
“Wow!”
As the cloth fell away revealing the woman’s portrait, Rachel gasped in admiration. The woman in the painting was breathtaking enough to captivate even those of the same sex.
“What do you think?”
“She’s beautiful!”
That one word captured Rachel’s feelings.
Though it wasn’t praise for him, Carion shrugged proudly.
“Right?”
“But her expression seems a bit cold. Painted after a fight with His Majesty?”
At Enoch’s question, Carion burst out laughing.
“Pfft, Mother never smiled much. But as you see, she was a stunning beauty—people blushed just from eye contact.”
*With beauty like this, Le Keia’s theory might not be entirely wrong.*
Her allure evoked the term “nation-toppling beauty.” If she’d lived, the king might have lost his mind and ruined the country.
“But this painting doesn’t fully capture Mother. Right?”
“Y-yes. Indeed. My humble skills couldn’t fit all of the First Queen’s beauty on canvas.”
The painter responded apologetically to Carion’s point.
“No, I’m not criticizing. This level is just right. What if future generations fall for Mother from the portrait?”
It sounded like a joke, but didn’t feel like one. The painter fidgeted under Carion’s words, while Enoch told him not to torment the man and approached the chair his apprentice had brought.
“Sit here?”
“Y-yes! And please don’t use honorifics. It’s embarrassing for such nobles to speak formally to me.”
There was a minor fuss over honorifics, but once Enoch settled, the painter began.
Rachel watched the painter’s sketch for a while before turning away.
“Should’ve brought paperwork.”
Seeing Enoch’s form sketched swiftly on paper was fascinating at first. But it didn’t last. Sorry as she felt for the painter, it was boring.
“Bored?”
Carion asked then.
“Not bored exactly, just feels like a waste of time.”
Wasn’t there one uncomfortable person present for relaxing freely?
Carion had always called Rachel frank. Yet she’d never fully let her guard down around him. She always stuck to her boundaries.
“Want to look at other paintings? Appreciating art is part of noble cultivation.”
“Sure.”
She headed toward the cloth-covered paintings with Carion.
“Wish there was an art history book.”
“I’ll take the simple version. I’m not making a living off appraisals.”
“Fair. Let’s start with this one. See the rough brushstrokes and bold lines? Early founding era...”
Carion removed the cloth and began explaining.
“Your Highness, please stop turning your head back.”
Enoch, distracted by Rachel and Carion, turned and got a warning from the painter.
Carion snickered at the sound. Watching him, Rachel sighed inwardly.
*Grow up a little.*
While Carion laughed, Rachel examined the paintings carefully and stopped before one. It depicted a red-haired boy, his face somehow familiar.
*Have I met him somewhere?*
Rachel pondered where she’d seen that face. She’d viewed many noble portraits hunting enemies, but this didn’t feel like that.
“Who’s this?”
As it was stored in the palace atelier, likely royal-related. At Rachel’s question, Carion gave a wry smile.
“That’s Brother Herion.”
It was the portrait of the deceased crown prince. Rachel had never met him.
*My mistake.*
She compared the crown prince’s portrait and Carion’s face back and forth. Peering at the First Queen’s too, she concluded.
*Must’ve mistaken him for resembling the First Queen.*
“He doesn’t look like His Majesty.”
“Why not? He inherited the red hair.”
The queen’s hair was black—an uncommon color in Kudas, the one trait the crown prince got from the king.
*The only resemblance is hair color.*