Chapter 31 - Marquis Chibo's Salon

  


Madam Romani readily accepted the role of Ariadne's chaperone. Ariadne enjoyed two precious outings in late summer, as Madame Romani agreed to look after her chaperone, as well as a visit to the Rambouillet Relief Center. The date they had promised to attend the art salon of the Marquis of Chibo was quickly approaching, and Ariadne was on her way to the Marquis of Chibo in a carriage.

"My Lady, the Prince is coming!"

The two in the wagon chattered.

"I had to dress you prettier than this today!"

Ariadne was wearing a lovely yellow dress tailored by Lazione's dressmaker and wearing topaz earrings set on gold that Isabella had coveted earlier. The luxurious accessories on top of her neat outfit clearly revealed that she was the daughter of a noble family.

"The accessories given by Her Majesty are very pretty, but the Lady's outfit is too plain. Can I place an order with Lazione's dressmaker again soon?"

Ariadne smiled at Sancha's excitement.

"Let's wait."

Ariadne's reason for wanting to come to the Marquis de Chibo's salon today was actually for a different reason than meeting the Prince.

Today's meeting was a practical art auction presented by merchants from the Republic of Porto. Ariadne still remembers this art auction because it had stirred up the Kingdom of Etruscan in her previous life. She wasn't making a fuss over anything good.

The main piece and highlight of today's auction were the statues of the ancient Hellenic era, which were said to have been excavated from the newly discovered ruins in the northern city of Lastra. The most famous of these was the statue of Nike, the ancient Goddess of Victory. Historian and writer Halicardotos praised it as "a work that embodies the will of man so strong and strong that it soars toward the sky." 

It was an item that received. Sculpture technology in the Central Continent was developing rapidly with the coexistence of the patronage system of noble patrons for artists, the personal apprentice system of artists, and the art festival system of national painter associations, but it was still more famous than the present in the ancient Hellenic period and later in Latin.

Demand for Imperial-Era pieces skyrocketed. It was like that for the purpose of research, and it was like that for the purpose of possession and display.

However, the biggest drawback was that the statues of the ancient Hellenic period, even if they were marble statues, were not well preserved because they were usually excavated after being buried for a long time in the ground. The fate of the statue of <Vittoria Nike> was even harsher than that of dogs, as Halicardots had already written at the time, "her delicate wings had already been damaged by a single damage by a Moorish army that swept through the temple during the Selephonic War, and had to be restored......." 

As for the writings after that, Halicardotos' travel writing itself was partially lost, so it could not be confirmed.

Merchants from the Republic of Porto trembled, saying that today was the resurrection of <Vittoria Nike>, and they caught the wind that they could not find statues of the ancient Hellenic Era that were perfectly preserved like this. Their boasts were also true. Accordingly, a powerful aristocrat of San Carlo, who lived in the harsh winter, purchased <Vittoria Nike> at the highest price ever, and completely renovated the front yard of the noble family's mansion to install <Vittoria Nike>.

 The grand construction of tearing out the spot where the fountain used to be at the front gate of a mansion close to downtown San Carlo was by far the talk of the town.

 After the noisy construction, the aristocratic family installed <Vittoria Nike> in the place of the fountain to show off her lofty figure, letting everyone know the prestige of the aristocratic family. 

However, it became a problem that the second part of Halicardotos's travelogue, which had been lost, was discovered. <Vittoria Nike> delicate wings have already been damaged by a single breakage and are restored.

This was the original phrase, but the newly discovered phrase after that ended as follows.

 "Because it was impossible, it was being exhibited with one wing missing. Her head and left arm disappeared somewhere, but the people of Tibos thought that the appearance of <Vittoria Nike> overcoming the devastation of the Selespone War would also be part of their victory, so they enshrined her broken goddess as it is. It was a scene that showed the mature historical consciousness of the people of Tibos." 

'It was already on display after one round of restoration', as was previously interpreted. In fact, it was not a big deal that the existing interpretation of the travelogue had changed. It was just a matter of changing a few lines in the textbook.

The real problem was that <Vittoria Nike>, which occupied the center of the garden of a powerful aristocrat, had two beautiful wings standing tall. Apparently, in the newly discovered <Helenia Travels>, it is written that <Vittoria Nike> was broken and could not be restored, but this <Vittoria Nike> had both its head and arms intact. Even more, Tibos, a city in the ancient Hellenic Era, was at the eastern end of the Central Continent, so the race was a bit different, but the face of <Vittoria Nike> was an Etruscan woman as the model, making people speechless.

Ariadne had a vivid memory of how the entire city of San Carlo turned upside down and started trying to determine the authenticity of the statue, and that this incident heated up the city for about a month, like a hobby for all residents of San Carlo.

"We are here to buy something."

Ariadne said to Sancha. Of course, she wasn't going to buy <Vittoria Nike>. She had no reason for it, and she had no money for it.

What Ariadne was aiming for today were several paintings to be auctioned together. The number of pieces to buy would have been decided according to the circumstances of the pocket, but for the artist of the painting to be auctioned today, the ransom price will rise sharply next year, and in just 5-6 years, he will become the main artist of the royal family that commands the times. 

"We are here!"

With the guidance of the coachman, Ariadne got out of the carriage. The servant of the Marquis of Chibo was outside to guide them. Ariadne, wearing a parasol, was walking slowly towards the main house of the Marquis of Chibo, following the guidance of a servant, when she heard the sound of a noisy carriage procession from behind.

"Hey! What!"

 Rumbling.

The chariot, drawn by four white horses adorned with gold, did not slow down at all, even as it approached the point where the other nobles dismounted and walked in. The golden carriage passed a few walking nobles past that spot and pulled it very close to the front door of the Marquis de Chibo's house.

"His Highness Prince Alfonso has arrived!"

"Your Highness has arrived!"

"It is an infinite honor to have you visit our lowly home, so come and eat inside."

The rest of the distance was a faint blending of sounds, but the voice of the Prince's attendant was so roaring that only the Prince's name was clearly heard.

"Looks like the Prince is here."

Sancha, who should have been excited, was indifferent for some reason.

"Why, Sancha? You said earlier that you would be able to see the Prince, and you really liked it."

Sancha gave a sullen answer to Ariadne's question.

"No, no, we all get off at the front and walk to the door, but the Prince gets off at the front door and just walks in. The one who wears high heels is My Lady and the one with a weaker body is My Lady! If they want to do the carriage closely, they should allow My Lady, not the Prince."

Ariadne tapped Sancha's pouty lips with her finger.

"Do not say that! Let's go!"

Ariadne glanced at the servants of the Marquis of Chibo. They didn't seem to be listening to their conversation.

Ariadne lowered his voice and whispered to Sancha.

"A good ruler protects his people from foreign powers in wartime and takes care of the weak in peacetime. The authority they enjoy is a tool that can make it easier. A monarch without authority cannot use his power when it is really needed."

She rummaged for a while and then spoke to Sancha.

"I think Prince Alfonso is full of the qualities of a good monarch." 

"Who is the King now?"

"Don't be a saint!"

Ariadne answered loudly so that everyone around her could hear, and showed Sancha
a hand shape with her index and middle fingers crossed under the cuffs of her dress. According to the teachings of court etiquette, if you lie, you will be punished, but when you have to lie inevitably, it was shaped like a finger that said to God, 'Please take a look! 

Sancha exploded and the two of them entered the main building of the Marquis of Chibo with a cheerful smile.

 ***

"Little Lady de Mare is here!"

The servant of the Marquis of Chibo announced Ariadne's entrance. The noise of overwhelming silence that comes when Prince Alfonso or any other powerful person enters the hall, but a momentary silence driven by curiosity. They all wanted to see the Cardinal's second daughter, who had become extremely famous because of the Apostolic case of Aseretto.

Once they checked the Cardinal's daughter with their own eyes, conversations that had been frozen for a while exploded.

"Her beauty is not as good as her sister's."

"Still, if it's just me, she's cute. I heard they were only half-blood?"

"How can the eldest daughter be so pretty when Lucrezia is not that pretty in that house?"

Everyone was talking about Ariadne, but no one greeted Ariadne herself. It was only that the Marquis de Chibo, the one who had sent her invitation, hurriedly crossed the hall and greeted Ariadne.

"Lady De Mare, thank you for shining the light today. Were you okay on the way?"

 "Thanks to you, I came here comfortably. Where is Madam Romani?"

"She went to the wives' powder room because she ate the heat for a while. She will be out soon. I'm sorry, but I have to go looking around!"

The Marquis of Chibo was the hostess of the party, so she couldn't stay by Ariadne's side. And due to the nature of today's meeting, an art auction, there were an overwhelming majority of mature nobles and their wives rather than Ariadne's peers. It was not a place where Ariadne would fit in. So Ariadne decided to walk around the hall full of strangers with her hands behind her back until Madam Romani came out. 

Then, Prince Alfonso, who was surrounded by people, was seen in the distance. Ariadne lowered her head before her eyes met his, and turned him to the corner of the party. For some reason, Ariadne didn't want to see him alone.

Why, all of a sudden......?

Ariadne analyzed her feelings to cover up her confused mind. She thought to herself that eating alone, going for walks alone, and being alone in her study was very comfortable, but she must have been bothered by it. That's why she doesn't want to meet the prince. 

And then, a boy with golden hair who was surrounded by a crowd of people saw Ariadne first. Alfonso, unable to bear calling her name out loud in a crowded place, looked straight at Ariadne and raised his right hand. Ariadne turned her steps to leave the party, but she couldn't stop staring at the Prince. The dark-haired girl who looked at him for the last time before leaving burst into laughter at the sight of Prince Alfonso and stopped right there.


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