Prince Alfonso, barely escaping from the crowd of adults, gestured to Ariadne towards the backyard. Ariadne happily followed Alfonos.
"You had a hard time getting out."
Aridane gave comfort to the Prince who came out through the crowd.
"No!"
Even though the Prince broke through the crowd of aristocratic men with his body, he strongly denied this and smiled brightly.
"I didn't know you were coming here today. How did you come? Did Mother do that?"
Ariadne shook her head.
"I was able to come because Madam Romanis, the tutor, served as my temporary chaperone. She is a relative of the Marquis of Chibo."
"Anyway, it was fine. How have you been! Do you like your clothes today?"
Ariadne blushed as she remembered what had happened on the Zelkova tree the other day.
"I think it's better than last time."
"The hairpin I gave you?"
Ariadne blushed again. This time it meant bewilderment. Ariadne was kind and graceful at best, and a bit sharp at worst, but her pretty pink flower-shaped jeweled hairpin did not suit her at all. But he gave her a gift and she told him she was too sorry to talk about it.
"It was pretty... It doesn't suit today's clothes. I will definitely wear it next time."
After that, the two went around the circle of the patronage of the Marquis of Chibo, chatting nonsense. It was mainly about their safety and well-being, and strictly speaking, important information such as Ariadne's evaluation of the court aristocrats was also mixed in, but in the end, if the conversation between the two was to be summed up in one line, it could only be described as 'nonsensical'. Because, in fact, the sentences they formed, and the content conveyed were of no importance between the two.
In Alfonos's eyes, he could only see Ariadne's smooth skin, jet-black hair, dark green eyes, and eyes that fold into half moons when she smiles. He saw it by himself, even though he tried not to look. When Ariadne laughed incredulously, her whiter front teeth overlapped with her thick upper lip, making her look a bit like a rabbit. But he couldn't go any further from there.
He was a Prince, a future monarch. The country would be his, but he had to give himself to it in return. If he was a reasonable monarch, he would have been like that. His marriage would be arranged by his parent. Most likely, the woman he would meet in the future would be the daughter of some monarch who would come across the sea.
He does not know whether she will be beautiful or a good person, but she will carry her treasure of gold and silver and the welfare of the country on her boat, or on her horse and carriage, and bring her book of marriages. In exchange for his conformity to the marriage, that is to attach his affections to his woman whom he does not know, to raise her and their household, and to see his children, his country, and his people will be safer and richer.
"Alfonso, isn't that pretty?"
Prince Alfonso suddenly woke up from his thoughts. Ariadne was about to turn to Alfonso, pointing with her bright expression to the blooming hydrangeas on the back of the Marquis of Chibo's garden. There was a narrow passageway full of hydrangeas, filled with hydrangeas on both sides of the trail.
"Let's go over there!"
Following Ariadne's lead, he thought it was okay because he didn't start it, and the Hydranges road was spectacular. The whole white hydrangea bushes that grew high without knowing the sky blocking the view of the person who entered it, and as soon as he stepped into the aisle, there was already nothing in the world other than white hydrangea flowers, dark green leaves, and at both ends of the aisle, and pieces of deep blue sky that he could see when he looked up
Nothing was visible. They were alone. A single purple hydrangea could be seen among the waves of white hydrangea. While the color of the hydrangea subtly changed, it was a single flower whose color changed significantly. Alfonos' reason thought that if he didn't touch her, didn't get close to her, and he was out of the moment of decision as far back as possible, he could continue to smile and see her, so let's keep a safe distance.
"Do you want to have that?"
"It's the flower of the Marquis of Chibo, can I pick it at will?"
"Let's pick it secretly."
Ariadne let out a refreshing laugh.
"How are you going to take it secretly? Do you pick it up and throw it away? Too bad."
"Hide it under your skirt and carry it in."
Ariadne let out a polite laugh and slapped Alfonso on the shoulder. Araidne's touch on his shoulder made Alfonso's hair fuse turn white. When he met Ariadne the other day at an abandoned fountain in the Queen's palace, without much thought he helped her climb the tree. He could really boast that he selflessly took her arm and held her in his arms. But after that, just before he fall asleep, he saw the dark-haired girl in a white dress. Then the touch of her arm, the breath of her mouth, and the scent of her soft skin and hair overtook him as he lay on the bed. Once he recognized it, he was out of control. Ariadne's touch today could have been nothing objectively, but subjectively it was special. Alfonso could not stop and called Ariadne softly.
"Come on."
"Huh?"
Alfonso grabbed Ariadne by the waist and lifted her up. No, really, he can't even make an excuse that he didn't reach out first.
Ariadne, who seemed surprised at first, also picked up a purple hydrangea that was blooming at the top of a hydrangea bush with her own hands, having grown taller thanks to Alfonso's lift. Ariadne held the pruned hydrangeas in her hand like a bouquet.
"How is it? Is it pretty?"
"Really pretty."
The conversation between the two seemed to go smoothly from the outside, but in fact, the objects they were referring to were different. The girl asked if the bouquet was pretty, but the bot replied that the girl was pretty. Other invited guests of the salon who came out for a walk were often inanimate objects, wall clocks, or furniture, but if there was one thing that wall clocks and other guests had in common, it was that they told the time.
Men and women could naturally go for a walk around a circle, whether it was a sponsorship or a building, but if they delayed a lot in the middle or didn't come out because they were stuck somewhere, they would end up in a cubicle at once.
'Natural turn' meant that other invited guests who were seen around when they departed should still be seen around them to be in the stable area. Ariadne and Alfonso gradually realized that there were few or no familiar faces around them.
"I have to go in quickly."
Alfonso reluctantly agreed to Ariadne's haste. Ariadne's waist dance, which had been n the palm of his hand earlier, did not leave his mind. The yellow satin dress she was wearing had been held in his hand for a moment and then left, a sense of loss, like sunlight entering a window for a moment and then breaking it off.
***
"I would like to express my gratitude to the Marquis of Chibo and his wife for arranging this wonderful occasion, His Highness Prince Alfonso de Carlo, and all the ladies and gentlemen who have made this wonderful occasion possible.
The art auction was finally starting. The merchant, who brought in the auction items, was a mature man in his 50s with a sharp beard and excessive fashion.
"My name is Vincencio from the Republic of Porto. I am the second son of the younger brother of Mr. Benacio of the Del Gato family, who is honorably serving as the Minister of Finance in the Republic of Porto. Today, with those connections, we are able to present fantastic works of art here! Do you guys know what will come out?"
Although he was emphasizing his ties with the influential families of the Republic of Porto, he was strangely like a street drug dealer. However, the rumors about <Vittoria Nike> were truly great, and the invited guest gathered in the hall and sat on chairs raising their anticipation among themselves with a buzz.
"First, let's start with the small and pretty things. These are paintings by new artists from Urbino. Even if it's less noticeable, be generous with the feeling that you are sponsoring a young person full of potential. The painting is named <The Virgin Mary of the Narcissus>."
Ariadne laughed. Bernardo of Urbino, who painted this painting, received rave reviews for the portrait of the Marquis of Urbino, to be presented to the world only next year, so he was scouted and left. While continuing his career at Imperial Palace, he was in charge of the extension and renovation of the Trevero Grand Palace and the mural painting, and his ransom was literally going to skyrocket.
Bernardo of Urbino boasted a solid and stable composition and brushstrokes from the beginning of his painting style, enough to be embarrassing to be called a budding painter. It was a time when his youth was so high that his works were bold. If you are an art lover who doesn't see this at all, you must be a person who can't see at all, or conversely, a nobleman who has no other choice than to pick up a brush and oil paint and start painting with his eyes on the sky.
"It starts with 5 ducatos! Is anyone there?"
But now, the merchant of the Republic of Porto opened the opening with an overly savage comment, so even if it's only next year, the price will increase several times, and after 5 years, a nobleman won't even think of buying it. There was no one shouting. Ariadne didn't want to stand out, so she waited one more time before shouting her favor.
"5 ducatos!"
"Oh, who are you? Ah, you are the second daughter of the de Mare family. The Cardinal's second daughter has called for 5 ducatos! There is no one else besides her?"
Because he was a foreigner, the title was not refined. Aridane could have laughed it off.
"If no one is there, I will start to count. 5!"
"4!"
"3!"
"8 ducatos."
The person who sang the second song was the one who had just taken the seat right next to Ariadne. He was a person who came into the hall late, rustling while the count was being called. Although the seats were on the side of being full, there weren't any empty seats, so he dared to find a seat right next to Ariadne and sit down, which was a bit annoying.
Since it was impolite for a Lady to stare at the person next to her, and since he was shouting favors, Ariadne did not check who the person next to her was. Instead, the Porto merchant asked the person.
"Who is the gentle man who called the second bid?"
After a while, the Porto merchant received confirmation from the organizers and made a declaration.
"Ah! Count Cesare de Como!"
Ariadne looked around at the seat next to her, startled as if she had been burned. Count Cesare de Como had just sat down, took off his hat, and was tidying up his clothes. His high nose and delicate jawline peeked out beneath his auburn hair. Soon. he swept his auburn hair and looked back at the seat next to him, and met Ariadne's eyes, who were staring at him in awe. He raised his left eyebrow and the corner of his mouth slightly, making an ambiguous expression that was neither a smile nor a sneer, and bowed his head to Ariadne. It was a look that Ariadne knew all too well.
Just then, the Porton merchant found someone to call the next bid.
"Count de Como called for 8 ducatos. 8 ducatos are out! Ladies and gentlemen, next bid!"
Before the Porto merchant could finish his words, Ariadne exclaimed loudly.
"10 ducatos!"
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