Chapter 16: Young Painter

Carlos received the letter cordially and read the contents before taking a peek at Alliyah, who sent him the letter. Her eyes met his and she felt hope Carlos will take it.

Around lunchbreak, the two met up underneath the stairs where no one rarely takes to ascend and descend from floor to floor. There, the two face each other to speak. Carlos have his back leaned on the wall and Alliyah is in front of him, purposely placing himself where he is secluded in one area just so Alliyah wouldn't think of him leaving. His arms are crossed, eyes staring at her sharply yet Alliyah felt no hostile from him.

"Let me hear it." Carlos invited Alliyah to speak what she has to ask him for. She played around her fingers first while trying to find the words to put in her sentence so she could tell Carlos her problem clear and brief. Carlos would have preferred it being detailed as possible but knowing Alliyah might still be very uncomfortable around him, Carlos let her do her own way without any comments.

"So... My family is having a problem. The painter we commissioned havent been responding to my father due to the last meeting when they had a disagreement and my father is trying to resolve it however, it's been weeks since then. We need him to paint us our family portrait right before my grandmama visits our home, or else there might be some few deductions to her favor to us." She said it all in one go. Fortunately, Carlos is a very great listener and did not missed a single word she spoke to him. He analyzed it and to his conclusion which he will not disclose to Alliyah, that the painter did not like the terms her father must have given, thus turning away from their client, probably because it could be impossible for them to work in whatever terms Alliyah's father have for the painter. However, that conclusion is unnecessary to be shared to her until he hears all of it but Alliyah spared that information from telling him so Carlos wasn't able to get to say anything.

"Have you tried to find a different painter? At least someone better than the painter you guys apparently trying to get in touch or this painter is someone significant to your family?" He asks, merely brushing off the serious matter that he could not concern himself to but willing to give Alliyah some few advices.

"We already did, sad to say that the painters we had asked are already booked by other clients they received before us. And no, the painter we are trying to reach out to is a nobody. It just happens that he is the only one available until now." She lowers her head as a sign of hopelessness. She slowly rises her head to Carlos in awaits for his response. Carlos placed his hand under his chin and his arm supporting that hand to maintain his pose. That sight had Alliyah in an unexpected feeling wakening inside her. In her sight, Carlos appeared someone who has a complex character and seemed smart and collected. She is quick to slap herself back to reality, thinking she is getting less sleep nowadays to see something like that from Carlos.

"Painter refuses to work, ghosting his own client, other painters are busy, the family portrait is in dire need for the day of Alliyah's grandma's visitation..." Carlos mumbles in his own space, audible to Alliyah yet his exact words are inaudible to hear every words he is mumbling. "Say, when is your grandma visiting your house?" He asks. In the same pose, he looks at Alliyah seriously. His half opened eyes glowed from the sight of Alliyah's. If it were back then, she would have run away as quick as possible from the sight of his face yet now, she stood there right before him with a look in his face and remaining calm.

"One week, once Friday comes." She answered.

"Tomorrow is Friday..." He mumbles again, this time, it is clear enough for Alliyah to hear it properly. She tilted her head like a puppy awaiting for something to happen next patiently yet excitedly. She can't explain why she is excited, perhaps it is for the fact that Carlos might be actually have a way of helping her.

"I will find you another painter so forget the one you guys are trying get a response from." He proposes a solution. Alliyah, a little bit confused, asks who could this painter be. "Don't worry about that. This is a solution I will be giving you but, once you get it, you can't take it back. I will arrange an appointment for you and the painter I will find and the rest is your responsibility." He said boldly. He crosses his arms again and looked less serious than he was earlier. Alliyah didn't like how carefree he always appears to be, it reminds her the same day she and Carlos were playing buddy-buddy without her knowing. Asking Carlos today felt like a mistake and she partly regrets it, however, she cannot back down now. She is determined to see the end of this just to know if Carlos is keeping his promise properly and not in some kind of another crazy ideas he have back then.

She nods her head and agreed meekly to him, giving herself no choice to his decision.

After that, Alliyah is the first one to leave before Carlos who went the other way, not taking the same route as her. Alliyah figured he is going to the other cafeteria at school and not the usual cafeteria he visits but truthfully he is on his way to the shack he found, to continue his painting eagerly. He has been brimming with motivation since yesterday after having another chance to paint. The shack, which is originally a cottage but reduced to into a dirty place all because it was abandoned, now became a place for Carlos to do his passion.

Carlos always wanted to paint ever since the day when he got to paint again before his encounter with Andrei and that passion burned brighter inside him after giving Mathias a portrait and ever since then, he has been itching to paint again. Painting in his room at the manor is risky all because of Julien popping in and out, making it hard for Carlos to hide his little painting session and it makes Julien so suspicious of him everytime he finds Carlos fumbling all around and knew he is hiding something, though Julien's curiosity hadn't reach the point where he will turn Carlos's room upside down.

He walks right back in and everything is in place, exactly when he left it yesterday. The blue paint has all dried up, making a mess of a puddle blue on the floor but Carlos didn't feel any bad emotions from but is rather in good mood seeing it, humoring his little accident from yesterday. The paint buckets yesterday was closed by Carlos before leaving and everything is in place, including the paint he did.

He wants to finish his painting today and so, he puts the painting right in the middle and picked up the paint buckets around for him to use. The paint brushes that are left overnight in a mug filled with water has softened and the paints around it are easy to wash out. Carlos took it outside from the backdoor and dumps the water before getting some water from the small well located at the back of the cottage. He filled the water bucket and washes his paintbrushes and grabs some more water for him to use while he is painting.

He goes back inside with the freshly washed paintbrushes ready to make a mess out of it again with paints and the mug with clean water inside is set down to a nearby high chair where he placed all the necessary things for the painting.

He looks at his work from yesterday and is satisfied to see that everything worked out pretty well. Somehow he feels even more satisfied when it looked better than he thought it was yesterday while painting it.

He grabs a paintbrush and goes right back into it again.

The sky is already finished, the warmth and cool atmosphere is captured with the right combination and gradient effect of the color. The castle looks good and Carlos thought it'd look better with few more touches together with the carriage. He traces a white small delicate line along the lineart of the carriage, giving it a lighting from the sun reflecting to the carriage's metal linings. He added some leaves and grasses for the road, and some few trees from the distance.

With those touches, he touches the one last final detail. He took a step back to see the whole of his work and is happy, no, happy is an understatement, proud of his work rather. He smiled at its final look and it all appeared so realistically fantasy work he created on a piece of canvas. The enamoring feeling he felt towards the scene when he looked at the palace from afar is as well been painted in the artwork.

This time, he is paying attention to the school's bell and he heard it the second it rang. He puts everything back in place before leaving the cottage all in good mood.

After school, Alliyah handed him a piece of paper, giving the details to where to meet the new painter he proposes to find. It is clear to say that Alliyah did not put her address there and it is a different address. He can say for sure because Carlos is aware of her real address from the game though he cannot let Alliyah know he knows where her residence is located. The time is too written there and also a note where Alliyah is going to meet this painter personally to be the judgement of Carlos' choice of a painter. Carlos thought to himself that everything might just go smoothly, knowing she will be there.

Tomorrow morning, Carlos told Julien he will not be going. He is honest enough to say he is going somewhere to meet a person, although he did not tell more information to him, afraid to let him know more than he should. He is off to find a painter for Alliyah and that is what he promised her.

Afternoon comes around and he made a move. He didnt take any carriage with him. He rather walk there to the designated place where the meetup is. He searched thoroughly for the painter. He grabbed some few clothes, used some altercation magic he learned from Sir Symoun and another pair of boots. Now the painter he is looking for has been found, that person stands in the mirror dressed as what a painter would look like, at least in this world.

He is dressed white plane shirt with a blue blazer on top. His pants is quite baggy with a belt thick as his palm and his shoes are the very same boots he stole at the garden. He changed his hair color back to his natural hair color back in his real life, black and his eyes brown. He didnt alter the length of his hair and let it simply fall onto his shoulders.

He waited underneath the streetlamp in the middle of the afternoon. He is glad that he have brought a cap with him or else he would have gotten his face burnt in the scorching sun. His instruments for painting carried in one bag hangs across his shoulder.

The street is very busy at such hour. There are lots of people passing by. Their words mixed in with the nature sound and other bustling noise that their voices too became an ambiance to hear for Carlos to entertain himself with while waiting. Carriages after carriages run passes him. Dusts blowing onto his face, making him breath in the flaky sands up into his nose and make him cough.

A carriage nearby came to a halt right across the road where Carlos is standing. He was too busy thinking too much about his disguise that he failed to see the young lady exiting the carriage followed by two servants who stood very close to her, one is holding an umbrella for her. They crossed the street and came close contact to Carlos face to face. Perhaps too close for comfort that Carlos had just realized who is standing right in front of him. He panicked visibly on the spot and Alliyah did not notice and their very close space together. They are forced to be so close together along with other people there because of how busy it was.

Carlos squeezed himself next to the hot steel body of the streetlamp as he tries to not touch Alliyah, who failed to notice him and failed to recognized him. He celebrated inside his own mind how his disguise is perfectly done for a short time before breaking it off.

"I should have picked a different location. There are too many people here! Its hard to know which of the people here is the person I am looking for." Alliyah said in distress. She touched her forehead and caresses it gently to sooth the heat from her head. One of her servants that accompanied her gave her a handkerchief which she took and uses it to wipe off the sweat dripping down her forehead.

"U-uhm..."Carlos didnt know what to say. Clearly she is looking for the painter he is to provide for her and that painter is him, although for the fact that he doesnt know how to approach her despite standing so close to her, makes it so hard for him to formulate the words he needs to say without being so awkward himself. "Excuse me... You must be L-Lady Alliyah?" He tries to call for her. Her, including her two servants, turned to him so quickly that he flinches when their eyes landed on him at the same time.

"Yes, it is me. What is it?" She asks. She slowly turns her whole body to his direction, uncaring of the small space between them. Her dress touching Carlos' legs yet he did not mind that. What he minded is how to keep his face to her and not to alarm her. He needed her not to recognize him which is the whole point of the disguise.

"I was the one that Sir Carlos..." Seeing their gazes deepening to him as his whole being, he felt like shrinking down on his spot. His voice too is getting lower and lower in terms of volumes. "... appointed me as your painter... Lady Alliyah." He smudges his fingers on his cheek nervously. He lifted his eyes to meet Alliyah's gaze and there he saw her expression.

'Urgh! I knew this was a mistake!' he yells internally. Regretting his choice already.

Alliyah, who stood there with uncertainty on her face, could not help but stare longer at this boy who's seems like the same age as her. Youthful face, stands 2 to 3 inches taller than her, dressed commonly yet humbly well, his figure did not appear like he grew up from poverty, and he stands dignified but with lack of confidence still. He stared at her meekly and she stared back and it appeared quite condescending from Carlos' point of view, seeing a new side of Alliyah when she is herself and not bothered by fear whenever she encounters the real Carlos.

"I see..." She said but more likely a whisper due to her uncertainty of the person who claimed to be the one she is to meet today. Her two servants remained quiet and continued to stare at him like he is some kind of a suspect in for inspection. "I have yet to make up my mind for a new painter to replace the one we are currently reaching out for but..." She reluctantly mentions. She frequently divert her gaze from the boy in front of her as she say those words.

'What!? What do you mean you still havent thought it through yet? We made a deal! You made this deal!' Carlos panicked inside, holding back the scream he hid internally from nervousness. The effort he made just to get here and to keep his word with her. Although he is not disappointed with Alliyah havent make up her mind yet, it is about him feeling like everything might go to a waste, the whole thing, the reason why he is willing to serve her as an apology but also for an opportunity to protect her. They are still at the beginning and so Carlos needed to calm himself first and see how things will turn out before forming another plan.

"How about we go to a nearby restaurant? It is best to be acquainted to each other first, plus, it is already noon, I doubt you had anything for lunch this afternoon. You stood there quite sluggishly, I figured you might be hungry" She invited this boy. She wishes to know if this boy is the real deal of Carlos' proposal of solution for her family's painter crisis. She have some second thoughts about Carlos' agreement with her. What she expected for Carlos to find is a well-known painter at least, considering he came from a well-off family. How the name Advincula is known to a vast connection from people of nobles to the commoners and yet he brought a young painter who hasnt make a name for himself yet. She wouldnt like to judge so easily, especially for someone who is starting a career with honesty but even if she were to accept this boy, what would be the opinions of her family if she were to show a new painter who will paint them a family portrait who looked like someone who was picked up from the street and was told to paint just to keep on living.

"Restaurant? Well uhm... if that is what the lady wants to do first. I have no objections." Carlos replied without the need to act in character. For once he feel so free from the need to act like Carlos because he is required to do so for lots of reasons. A heavy ton of burden is lifted off from his shoulders, although he knew to himself he is going to need to carry that burden once again by the time he is done playing painter-painter with Alliyah.

Alliyah leads the way together with her servants by each of her sides, one follows her with an umbrella and the other has an umbrella for himself. She walks 3 feet away from Carlos, who refuses to walk beside her.  He thinks it is to respect her space but truly it is because he feels quite in the side of inferiority towards her and to others as well without the mask of the bratty spoiled bastard.

They walked for a few minutes before Alliyah picked her choice. She walks right in and Carlos at the back hesitated. Clutching his bag closer to his side and thinking "Crap, I didnt bring enough money for this place." Thinking that this would not happen so he didnt bring too much money with him and now he is gonna have some financial crisis at this time, one he hasnt dealt so far since he woke up in this world.

He follows soon after when Alliyah noticed he hesitated to walk right in. For some reason, he cannot look at Alliyah directly to her eyes. Now that he can be himself again and act freely, unfortunately, he returned to his usual self where thinks too much of his appearance. His awkward self and very inferior complex hindering him from having a normal interaction with Alliyah, right when he is given a chance to be himself with no worry or the need to be someone else. His head glued to the ground, refusing to look up and see the surroundings. He can still see things around him, there just some things that were limited for him to see. He can see how extravagant the restaurant. Though relatively small, the atmosphere it brings guarantees only nobles eat here, at least those who have the means to spend.

Alliyah walks straight to the table for two and sat down hastily and sets her eyes to the boy. "So, what's your name?" She asks. She kept her face friendly as she really is but with few judgements to make to him.

Carlos, who didnt think ahead for a fake name to use, freezes up on the spot, unable to choose which name to use.

"Oh uhh... its... Collin..."

---

Crap what am I doing right now? Fuck...

I gave Alliyah a fake name. I could have picked a better one but if I were to take my time thinking about it too much, she might suspect something.

"Collin...?" Alliyah repeated and waiting for a continuation for my name. Is she asking for my fullname? As far as I remember, commoners doesnt have any lastname for themselves. If I were to say I didnt have any lastname, would she even believe me further being qualified enough to be her painter? No. Ive got to think a lastname quickly.

"--Eir. Collin Eir." Eurgh-- what name am I making up now?

"Its nice meeting you Collin Eir. As you may already know, I am Alliyah Camiera." she exchanges her full name to me. I already know her name so it was unnecessary to tell me but I knew she is just being polite and following some instructions of her own of meeting someone new. "I want to know, how long have you been painting? You look very young to be an expert." Ah, straight to the point isnt she? I cant blame her when it comes to expertise, especially when she needs it.

I straightened and relaxed my back on the chair, giving a few space for myself before I answer her question. "I have been painting since my early age. As far as I remember, my father would always tell me how young I was when I started doodling on the walls. Though doodles, he saw a potential in me and so, he encouraged me to draw more till those doodles became detailed drawings. At the age of 9 is when I first painted a portrait for my father and he knew this hobby of mine isnt just a hobby but so much more. Therefore I have been painting portraits of people, though not well-known and too young to be seen as someone, I am very well experienced with paintings, the sole reason why am I here in front of you. Though I must give a little credit to Mr. Carlos for giving me an opportunity to meet you Lady Alliyah."

Did I say too much? Did it sound like a lie? I mean-- some of them are but half of them are true-- well, to me personally.

She didnt say a word for a moment after hearing my halfly fabricated story. She stared for a few seconds after I finished talking before tilting her head to the side a little. Her eyes did wonder in mine. "So... painting is your talent?" She asks. Confused a little by her question, I nodded my head to her for a response. "Thats great! Im taking you." She said enthusiastically.

"Wait really?" I raised my head to her and looked at her even more confused. I didnt think it would be this so easy or maybe she really needs a painter now that she only wanted to hear something from me and think it is enough?

"Yes." She assured me.

"but why?" Then again, I asked, asking for a reason.

"What do you mean why? Isnt it your talent?" She replied to me with a question which I nodded once again yet I am not getting the answer I need to hear from her.

"Yes but whats the difference?" Another question I asked to her.

"Some painters have actual different talent. Painting is just a skill they picked up along the way but with you, whose talent is painting, everything will be perfect."

"I dont quite follow."

"Skills need to be learn, acquired, but with talents; talent is what someone is born with thus, making people who are talented at something makes generally capable of doing that kind of thing better than those who have the skill doing it." Alliyah said those sentences with full confidence as if she have it all figured out or at least thats what she knows and wouldnt question any of her words that were said. Although, I must admit that some of her words are true yet I feel quite distant to her words, after all, it feels like the skills she talk about were brushed off so easily without thinking about the efforts and progress just to learn those skills be really good at some fields.

This world truly admires people with talents and forget those who tries their best, those who had to go through thick and thin, those who had to work hard with blood, sweat, and tears just to get where they are at. I am not going to be surprised if those who were dismissed all because those who have the talent for it were chosen and while they are not given a chance to at least prove of what they can do.

After eating lunch at that restaurant, we straightly headed to her house. I was in the same carriage with her. I thought we were going separately. She also paid for my food. I was going to deny her offer till she paid before I could. Cant say I am not grateful but having a girl pay for me seems a little bit weird and somehow feels like a minus for me as a man, after all, men in this world, especially with a time setting in 1700s, being a gentleman is a great compliment here while also being normal to be expected from a man.

She invited me into the manor very cordially. She showed me directly to where the room I will be painting. It is by the fireplace. Everyone is to be positioned with the hearth behind them and the huge tree  at the side. It is a pine tree and very tall as well as their ceiling. It isnt Christmas yet so the pine tree stays undecorated from the Christmas ornaments but few trinkets are hanging by the branches. There is a huge carpet and a pelt of tiger right beside the table. The huge window giving the room natural light and it is aligned well to the sunset. I suggested Alliyah to have the painting a few little hours later just to set the time perfectly and she agreed.

I took my equipments for painting out from my bag and set them down in one place. I was left alone in the room by myself with one maid at present. She is watching every move I make. Maybe observance out of curiosity, have nothing to do or simply to watch over me if I am trying to do something else than painting related. I returned the silence to the maid as we are not talking to each other.

I finished setting up and the maid had seen that. She left the room not too long, leaving me alone. With nothing to do, I looked around the room for a little before my eyes landing on one picture frame. There were lots of picture frames on one certain cabinet one stood out so much to me. I leaned closer to the picture frame, having so much to not touch it. Cautiously keeping my hands to myself just in case to avoid smashing things accidentally.

This boy... No way...

---

Catherine feels a little bothered. She sat throughout the lectures with a small frown on her face. Her classmates around her feels a little worried. Wanted to ask if something is bothering her but none had the courage to ask her so they sat quietly as they look at her attentively. So far, she hasnt done anything that would put her in trouble, making her classmates wonder why.

When lunch came, she went around everywhere, trying to look at every corners and nooks of the school. Some were left unseen by her though that is the least thing to worry about. She is looking for Carlos. She checked every cafeterias in the school but no blue grey hair sticking out in the crowd. It isnt like it is easy to miss and for a fact that everyone at school have different hair color, making each places is like different color of balloons scattered around. She sighed at the end and figured he must have been absent, she wasnt able to check earlier and cautious to show any care about Carlos right when Rhyden is always on attention whenever she pops into the classroom. Couldnt ask anyone about Carlos as well because she doesnt know who are his friends (Or does he have any to begin with because of what attitude he has). She was close asking Eugene, however, Eugene keeps disappearing whenever she blinks while trying to follow him.

The bell rings for dismissal and she is free from the practice. The members in her club are satisfied from her yesterday practice that they are willing to give her one day to skip while the others will practice on their part for improvement.

She gets on to her carriage and the coach had the two horses up and running as soon as she sets herself inside.

Earlier this morning, before she woke up, she had a dream about Carlos. They were inside the classroom. Carlos' classroom. He is sitting down at the corner, sketchbook on the table and pencil in his hand. His left arm is placed on the table and left hand is used to support his head as he lazes around. Hand moving in motion. His eyes are glued to his drawing. With his head tilted down, his hair draped around his cheeks, making his eyes hidden underneath those strands of hair. Catherine, who is standing by the door, makes her entrance. Her hand slowly tracing away from the door frame. The heels of her shoes making a noise, blending in to the sound of scribbling.

It is around the golden hour. The ray of the sun glazing Carlos like gold. The sun lit up the room so nicely and warmly that Catherine felt like it is inviting her to get closer and so she did. She walks closer right where Carlos is. He did not take any notice of Catherine, too busy on his sketch and Catherine did not mind to be ignored, perhaps he hasnt realized that someone has entered.

Catherine now stood right next to Carlos. Her hand is placed on her chest, feeling her heart beating faster and faster yet she felt it isnt just any simple reason. Something didnt feel right. Her heart beating faster and harder. It feels heavy, burdened by an unknown feeling she didnt know the cause of it. Everything feels too slow she thought time had stopped yet it didnt. It only slowed for her as Carlos is still on his drawing, hand moving without the effect of time slowing him down. Carlos did not even turned to look at her and continued to draw. Curious, Catherine took a peek and Carlos uncoincidentally leaned back to his chair to rest his spine from a prolonged hunched down position. When he did, it gave Catherine a full view of his drawing.

She is shocked with what Carlos draw on the sketchbook of his. She looked at Carlos and he held no expression in his face. He looks pretty normal, neutral, he isnt troubled or bothered by anything as if he did not just draw something so... disturbing to Catherine.

In the drawing, it is drawing of himself. It is not graphic. It is not messy. It is not haunting. Yet what the art depicts put Catherine in horror. Carlos is drawn in the middle. Tied down to a pole. His arms behind and feet bounded. They are red and swollen. Right on his feet is fire spreading with hands holding torches in their hands, raising against him. He is not wearing his usual flaunting garments but is stripped down to commoner's clothes. His bare feet dirty and signs of cuts all around his body as if he got hurt by someone. Not only fire surrounded him but by multiple of people around him who holds torches as well. Some of them are dressed in their uniforms while the others are dressed in their noble clothes, none were wearing any commoners clothes. The Carlos in the drawing had no face.

That dream has been bugging her upon waking up, thus her search of Carlos took part in her day today. Though just a dream, she cannot help an ominous feeling from it. Perhaps it is just an actual nightmare with no meaning behind, caused by courage test. She doesnt want to think too much about it yet she finds herself unable to keep calm about it. Just a sight of him would suffice to see how he is doing.

Unable to clear her mind, she rummaged around her bag to see if there is something at least to occupy herself with. While going around her bag, she pulled out a letter. It is already opened with the seal no longer glued and remains on the upper of the envelop. Behind it, there is written name, Rebecca Elaine Camiera.

Rebecca Elaine Camiera, the wife of Andrei and Alliyah's father, Nicolo Verdo Camiera. Her reason of sending a letter to Catherine is to make acquaintance with her, especially with her stepdaughter Alliyah. Though she isnt her biological daughter, she is very considerate to keep her in the family even if she doesnt see Alliyah as her own daughter and Alliyah doesnt see her as her mother. The two is more of a close friend relationship.

Rebecca is very loyal to her husband. Kind and very understanding, and also submissive. Even though she hated how she feels like she is losing her husband to a homewrecker, is it really that woman a homewrecker when clearly she was there with Nicolo before herself? They were wedded through arranged marriage for political benefits and yet only Rebecca is the one who actually loved, making it one sided only. She is very jealous of the woman and also very understanding for her. She cannot hold Nicolo back, especially when his heart was never hers in the first place and losing him is out of the question.

She had written the letter expressing her worry for Alliyah. They do have a great relationship to each other but it all changed after the day when she came home all bruised and traumatized caused by Carlos. Alliyah changed, including to everyone, making them feel almost losing her. Rebecca reached out to Catherine despite their status highly different, for the hope of having her with Alliyah as a friend since the two are the same, an illegitimate child. However, Rebecca would not say that to Catherine nor Alliyah face to face, not to insult their birth but to spare them the words that could poison their mind with discouragement.

Catherine told the coach to bring her to the wife of Nicolo Camiera and told him to tell her aunt, who accompanied her in this kingdom, about her whereabouts as why she did not return at the usual time.

She arrived at the manor, the same hour around in her dream she had. She brushes off that feeling again, needing to free her mind from everything so to not bother her as she makes her first visit.

She walks up to the stairs and was immediately greeted by the servant who opened the door for her before she could knock. With no questions asked, the servant admitted her inside and showed her the way almost too quickly, already aware of what to do upon her arrival. The servant sent her upstairs and by there another servant greets her then asks her to follow him and led her to another room. It is a Dutch style door, the left one already opened, giving her an easy view to whats inside.

She took a peak for a little and the servant gave her a way to enter, telling her to go in and there is nothing to be shy about. She nodded her head and gave the servant a small thanks which the servant humbly took before disappearing. The people inside, especially the lady who invited her, had seen her by the door and asked her to come in.

The voice called out to her softly and sweetly. A girlish tone that you wouldnt believe belongs to a mid 30 years old woman. Catherine comes in and the whole room is presented right before her eyes. The huge pine tree, the hearth with gentle fire cackling, the carpet and the tiger pelt, and the people inside, the whole family. In the middle is where Catherine saw Rebecca, which she assumed to be Rebecca since she is the only woman who appeared with an age and the other woman is younger, the same age as her with a straight hair, clearly different to Rebecca's curly light hair and surely her hair was not inherited by the father which she also assumed to be the one with a hair of too bearing a light color, who stood next to Rebecca with a serious look in his eyes. Jaws chiseled yet his eyes are soft at the edges. The brother, who stands right next to the father, bears the image of Rebecca, only the girl at Rebecca's side who appears to be the odd one though she did not think too serious about it, although a little bit curious.

With the whole family standing next to each other, only in one direction is where they are facing at and that is a young painter, sitting in the session with eyes focused on his work. Surrounded by colors himself but maintained the cleanliness around his clothes. His shoulders length hair is tucked behind his ears, giving her a full side view of the young painter.

Catherine finds herself a seat to take and sat down at one of the single couches inside the room and waited patiently. She have a lot of time in her hands so she sat there obediently while observing the surroundings. It didnt take long for her to familiarize everything in her brain. Clearly, the maids and servants are treated well. They are free to express themselves like a normal human being, unlike some manors and places, especially in palaces and castles, maids and servants are treated like machineries that are expected to do everything and not treated as humans. She is liking the Camiera manor quite easily and the atmosphere of the place is very soothing. She feels at ease and seeing the whole family together. So close and no awkwardness to each other, gives her a great picture to form an opinion about this place.

"Alright. You guys can take a break. Standing too long can hurt the feet. Dont worry about the poses, I have already sketched everything out so you may do whatever you like, just please, dont leave the room yet." The young painter, whose voice sounded so familiar to Catherine yet unrestrained by any hardness and stoicness, did it sound so free and somehow very much like himself. She perked her ears and looked at the young painter.

Everyone had moved around the room while the painter remained in his spot, continuing his work so willingly.

---

Why is Catherine here?

I saw her at the corner of my eye when she entered the room. I thought nothing much of it when the wife of Mr. Nicolo called out to someone by the door. However, I did not expect it to be Catherine and by that time, I wasnt able to focus on my painting.

I dont remember any scene like this. Or at least, from Catherine's POV. Was there any side quest with Catherine to this place?

I tried to do the painting quietly while Catherine is occupied by the wife, Rebecca. They are talking together by the corner with tea being served. Mr. Nicolo sat down at a couch, not too far from Rebecca and reads a book, so too Andrei did. He sat down near the tree with his back against the wall with pillow to cushion his spine from the hard wall. I am very thankful my disguise is flawless or else having Andrei recognizing me as Carlos... I dont think I can take another beating from him. I am already scared of him...

---

"That looks very beautiful." A voice whispered behind me. Alliyah had positioned herself behind my back to me space at the front and at the sides so to not hinder the movements of my arms. Though I appreciate her consideration, I was a little startled by how she spoke. Maybe she too is being considerate by not being loud and bother me. However, her popping up behind me did bothered me though only for a moment and nothing now.

"Its not finish yet..." I said meekly. I usually dont know how to respond when people compliments my work. Most of the time their compliments are followed by 'Can you draw me?' questions but in this situation, I know Alliyah wouldnt say that but I still dont know how to respond properly.

"I know. But the room is painted so realistically. It is beautiful. Already beautiful even if it is not finished yet." Alliyah responded with a gentle smile on her face. Her eyes are glued to the painting before sliding to the sight of Collin(Carlos) who sits there quietly, not responding to her but she can see that slight tint of warm color on his cheeks. His youthful features made him look very cute. If one did not know better about him, they will mistaken him younger than his actual age.

"So this is the sketch you made of us." She looks at the piece of paper attached to the canvas. Collin nodded his head to her and said yes.

"Ive heard from Sir Carlos you needed the painting to be finished by next week. With a canvas big as this, it will take a lot of time to finish so I thought Id make a sketch first with how you guys wanted to look like in the painting so you all wouldnt have to stand there for too long. I am still painting the background so if you all stood there when I am not at the part of painting all of you, I am only wasting your energy if thats the case." Collin explained with his hand with the paintbrush moving to the canvas to paint. He did not turn his head around while speaking. At some point, this gesture will be a little rude but with Alliyah, she saw this gesture as a painter devoted to his art that he is willing to juggle some few things while painting. Carlos was only speaking to her in a normal conversation since it doesnt take too much energy and also being polite to respond to her.

"Alliyah!" the same soft voice that belongs to the sweet woman calls out to her. She turned her head and Rebecca motioned her hand to tell her to come where she is sitting together with a young lady. Alliyah recognized that young lady and knew she needed to come quickly.

Carlos followed Alliyah with his gaze and watched the three women converse to each other while also busying himself with the painting just so not to be caught watching the ladies like some creep. With the two ladies of the family being at the left side, Carlos, a right handed person had to start painting at the left side first, giving him a reason to look at the three ladies talking to each other and not just by eavesdropping them