ITIF Chapter 76

Discovery of a Clue

Of course, it was an undeniable fact that both of them were people with different strengths and charms.

Lost in thought as she walked, she came to a fork in the path.

One direction led deep into the walking trail, while the other curved back toward the mansion.

Since Lady Amaterasu might be looking for her after finishing her date, she couldn’t stray too far from the mansion.

Just as Lady Greykin was turning around to head back to the mansion she had already passed, someone called her name.

“Lady Greykin.”

When she turned her head, she saw a handsome man with dark blonde hair neatly slicked back with pomade.

It was Count Preston.

“So you were here. Lady Amaterasu is looking for you. Shall we go together?”

****

Since she was told to visit Duke Cardia’s residence periodically, Giselle Grante thought Kavelaseth must have had some ulterior motive.

Given that he had agreed to protect Lady Greykin at considerable risk, she expected him to demand something in return.

However, all she did today at Duke Cardia’s residence was have a meal with Kavelaseth and confirm that Lady Greykin was well.

‘Then why exactly did he tell me to come?’

While Giselle Grante was pondering Kavelaseth’s incomprehensible psychology, the servants of the House of Amaterasu entered the reception room one after another, carrying framed paintings.

They lined up the framed paintings in a row along one wall of the reception room.

Giselle Grante examined the frame placed at the front.

“This isn’t it.”

As she shook her head, the butler drew a line across his parchment.

Giselle Grante slowly moved in front of the frame next to it and carefully observed the painting inside, just as she had done before.

“This isn’t it either…”

The butler drew another line across the parchment.

After she had checked all the paintings lined up on the wall, the butler said:

“Next.”

The servants efficiently moved the framed paintings out of the reception room. Soon, new framed paintings filled the empty wall of the reception room.

‘As expected, it won’t be found easily.’

Looking at the parchment filled with crossed-out lines, Giselle Grante folded her arms.

As Lindsey poured tea into an empty teacup with a trickle, she asked with a curious expression:

“Miss, may I ask you something?”

Giselle Grante nodded as she brought the steaming teacup to her lips.

“Why are you buying up paintings from the Rugal region?”

Olla, who had been placing a dessert plate in front of her, also looked at Giselle Grante with interested eyes.

For some time now, she had been searching for the artist who painted the portrait of the late Empress she had seen at Duke Cardia’s residence.

Following the Empress’s words that members of the imperial family should not merely study documents but also cultivate artistic sophistication, she had steadily increased her understanding of paintings.

She knew the names and styles of court painters employed at the imperial palace at the time, and even those before them, so by looking at a painting style, she could tell who the artist was or at least who had influenced them.

However, the painting style in the late Empress’s portrait was quite unfamiliar.

So, judging that the person who painted the late Empress’s portrait was probably not a famous artist, Giselle Grante purchased paintings by artists active in the Rugal area.

From artists who were famous in that region to wandering painters.

And with what she saw today, she had now seen all the paintings by artists who were primarily active in Rugal.

“…Just. I got a bit interested.”

At her answer that it was nothing special, Lindsey puffed out her cheeks and said:

“I know everything now. What your plan is.”

Finding her slightly sulky expression cute, Giselle Grante chuckled and asked back:

“What’s my plan?”

Then Lindsey leaned slightly toward her and whispered softly:

“You’re trying to discover a promising new artist from the Rugal region before everyone else, aren’t you?”

“…What?”

At Lindsey’s unique idea, Giselle Grante let out a small laugh.

Even after that, Lindsey stuck close to her side and chattered away.

“Sister. You’re bothering Miss. Stop chattering and come help me with this.”

Lindsey’s brows furrowed at the unexpected criticism. Lindsey soon scurried over to Olla.

“I’m the older sister, you know? I hope you haven’t forgotten that fact.”

Olla, who was about to glare at Lindsey and snap back, felt Giselle Grante’s gaze and closed her mouth with an expression that said she should hold her tongue.

Then she busily moved her hands.

“What, so I’m not even worth talking to?”

“Don’t make noise when Miss is resting, and make sure to polish this until it shines.”

Olla placed a dry cloth in Lindsey’s hand.

Grumbling, Lindsey soon quietly began polishing Giselle Grante’s shoes with the dry cloth. Of course, she didn’t forget to mutter small complaints toward Olla.

Since she had no particular memories of siblings after childhood, she found it fascinating how Lindsey and Olla bickered yet also cherished each other dearly at times.

‘Come to think of it, Mikhail is really affectionate with his sister.’

Giselle Grante thought this as she sipped her warm tea.

****

“Miss, the paintings have arrived.”

At the butler’s words, Giselle Grante was a bit surprised.

She hadn’t found an artist with a painting style similar to the portrait among the paintings sold in Rugal.

So she had decided to expand the region and purchase more paintings.

That was just a few days ago.

Which meant the paintings couldn’t have arrived this quickly.

“They’ve already arrived?”

To the puzzled Giselle Grante, the butler said:

“Well, the Duke and Young Master Mikhail, having learned that you’ve recently been enthusiastic about discovering emerging artists, instructed us to purchase paintings in advance.”

“Ah…”

A sigh escaped through Giselle Grante’s slightly parted teeth.

“The paintings that arrived today were ordered by the Duke, and the paintings ordered by Young Master Mikhail are expected to arrive tomorrow or the day after.”

Watching the servants move the paintings into the reception room, Giselle Grante let out a small hollow laugh.

“May I continue with the explanation, Miss?”

The butler asked, gauging her bewildered reaction.

“Yes.”

“The paintings that came in today were brought from small towns between Rugal and Duke Cardia’s territory…”

As she listened to the butler’s explanation, Giselle Grante looked at the paintings lined up on the wall.

“…What do you think?”

Shaking her head, Giselle Grante stood in front of the next painting.

The butler skillfully drew a line across the parchment he was holding.

After bringing in and removing paintings from one wall of the reception room for some time, the butler asked her as she stood in front of one painting for a long while:

“Do you like this piece?”

“Yes. I really like it. Can you find out who painted it?”

“Of course. I’ll send someone to find out and have them brought to the Duke’s residence right away.”

“Please do.”

As Giselle Grante nodded, the butler bowed with a much brighter face.

Then he dismissed the servants who had been standing in the corridor with the paintings to show her.

Even amid the busy movements of servants carrying paintings outside and butlers giving them instructions, her gaze remained fixed on one spot.

While not completely identical, among the dozens of paintings she had seen recently, this one most resembled the painting style in the late Empress’s portrait.

If she could meet the artist who painted this, she would be able to find out how and under what circumstances the late Empress’s portrait came to be painted.

****

For the Founding Day, people gathered in the imperial capital from all over the empire.

The Founding Day was an excellent event for displaying the empire’s influence and power.

On this day, not only the imperial palace but anywhere in the imperial capital was filled with a fervent festive atmosphere.

The Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince—the three of them—traveled to the plaza during the day of the Founding Day to meet with commoners.

Knights dressed in the formal uniforms of the Imperial Knights marched in formation before and after the splendid carriage.

And at night, they held a banquet with nobles at the imperial palace.

Among the nobles, Giselle Grante waited for the Founding Day event to begin.

And as soon as the event started, she planned to quietly leave this place to accomplish her purpose for coming to the imperial palace today.

Just then, the Emperor’s congratulatory address was about to begin.

She tried to quietly leave her seat.

“…Giselle?”

At Mikhail’s questioning gaze about where she was going, she only glanced with her eyes and briefly indicated her dress sleeve.

Looking at the slightly protruding thread on her flowing sleeve, Mikhail opened his mouth in an “ah” and nodded.

Having weaved her way through the nobles and left the banquet hall, Giselle Grante headed straight to her destination.

On the way, she encountered several palace servants in the corridor, and they greeted her with silent bows first.

However, they didn’t seem to remember her properly.

The Founding Day was one of the most prominent annual events among the Phasis Empire’s celebrations.

The palace servants would have started preparing to welcome nobles flooding in from all over the empire ten days prior.

The accumulated fatigue from that would be considerable. There was a strong possibility they wouldn’t even properly remember who they had spoken with or what conversations they had today.

Knowing the workings of the palace well, she wasn’t too worried and quickened her pace toward the bedroom she had previously used.

Fortunately, the bedroom wasn’t much different from when she had stayed there before.

She rummaged through the drawers familiarly. And she took the cloak she found there.

Since she couldn’t visit the palace frequently, she looked around the bedroom to see what else she should take.

‘It’s gone…’

The portrait of her mother, the late Empress, that should have been on the decorative table by the bedside was gone.

Mulling over what the intention could be behind removing only the late Empress’s portrait while leaving everything else in place, and who might have done it, she hurried her steps straight to the Emperor’s bedroom.

Although large-bodied guards were stationed at the entrance to the Emperor’s bedroom, she didn’t panic and went to a blind spot that wouldn’t be visible from the bedroom side.

Then she lit a sleeping incense.

Soon, small wisps of smoke rose along with an herbal fragrance.