Lunch time turned out to be much longer than I initially expected.
As Ashley walked down the aisle, she wiped away the tears still lingering in her eyes.
The damp handkerchief, from April, was incredibly soft, as if it reflected the warm-hearted nature of its owner.
“No one has ever told me that before.”
Ashley looked at her paint-stained hands. Has there been a single day that these hands were not covered in dried paint?
She had been Lord Robid's apprentice for 18 years, and over time, she had become more accustomed to being ignored than appreciated.
Every year, new young trainees joined, each more skilled than her, and as if by tacit agreement, they were making fun of the results of her work.
At times, she even thought about giving up her dream of becoming an artist...
“But I couldn’t give it up.”
The moment she stood in front of a blank canvas, all those thoughts disappeared, and her fading passion was reignited, again and again.
It may have been arrogant, but perhaps the motive behind agreeing to accompany Duke Blair was the faint hope of attracting the attention of a noble patron.
“I am impressed by your amazing directing skills, Ashley.”
She felt as if April's words were piercing through her like thorns.
She realized the truth – perhaps she herself had been more than suspicious of Ashley Barnes all along.
“Sniffling... crying...”
As soon as her tears stopped, she carefully hid the handkerchief and headed to the apprentice painters' workshop.
And there he was standing right in the doorway, the person she least wanted to see.
“What were you talking about earlier?”
The man approached her with a strange expression, as if he was waiting for her.
“...Barrymore.”
Ashley avoided looking at him, looking at the ground instead.
Barrymore was the most talented of the apprentice painters. Since his days at the academy, he has been described as a genius, even a prodigy.
Although he was still technically an apprentice due to his young age, he was completely different from someone like Ashley, who had been stuck in apprenticeship for 18 long years.
“I asked what you were talking about,” Barrymore repeated, his tone carrying hidden malice.
Honestly, he couldn't understand why Lord Robid still kept a hopeless person like Ashley as his apprentice.
Ashley's mere presence, in his view, tarnished the reputation of a great painter like Lord Robid. Because of this, Barrymore decided to torture her over the years.
Maybe that's why, whenever Ashley faced him, she instinctively felt small. But this time, she managed to summon the courage and respond to him.
“He asked me to take over.”
"Oh, really? And I thought…"
Barrymore let out a light laugh.
An obvious sarcastic smile followed, and his voice rose, as if he wanted to make sure everyone around him heard him.
“I was worried that that good lady might be babysitting you or something.”
“……”
Ashley closed her eyes tightly.
For every artist, the most important thing was having a sponsor.
The more powerful or richer the noble patron was, the brighter the future of the painter. Conversely, without support, they will be marginalized, and no one will see their work.
It was not surprising that all the painters trained here were keen to attract the attention of Duke Blair, a very influential patron.
So when word spread that Ashley had been personally summoned by the lady who had relations with the Duke, jealousy and hostility were almost inevitable.
While Ashley remained silent for a long moment, Barrymore scoffed cruelly.
"Well, anyway... Orientation, huh? Congratulations. Sounds like a good fit for you."
“Ah, thank you.”
Ashley didn't want to exchange another word with Barrymore, who had publicly mocked her, so she forced herself to smile and walked past him.
As she turned her back, his biting sarcasm pursued her relentlessly.
Good luck, Ashley! Continue like this for another twenty or thirty years, and perhaps you will be able to hold an exhibition one day. Maybe in a remote market!
“Haha!”
The other trainees who were watching the scene burst into laughter.
“No, that's not true.”
But as Ashley walked away, her gaze grew determined.
“You don't know this, but I'll focus on what I'm good at.”
For the first time, her steps did not falter as she moved forward.
* * *
My days are busier than ever.
Suddenly, I found myself deeply involved in comic book production, spending more time in meetings rather than holed up in my room.
I hid my exhaustion, took a deep breath, then looked into the room.
Not only were the three great painters present – Lord Browne, Lord Robid, and Lord Keedrick – but Ashley and all the apprentice painters who had been called to the Duke's estate were also present.
I began my speech by saying: “The reason that brought you all here today is to choose an actor from among the trainees.”
Ashley lowered her head. She must have felt a burden, having already been told that I intended to support her.
But the more I interacted with her, the more I realized her meticulous and careful nature, which strengthened my resolve.
I took a deep breath, then raised my voice again.
“I would recommend Ashley as someone to lead the adaptation and direction of this project, alongside Lords Browne, Robid and Kidrick.”
I had hardly finished speaking when disgruntled murmurs arose among the trainees.
“Excuse me, ma'am, I have an objection,” a man finally said, his face contorting as he rose from his seat.
As all eyes turned to him, I quickly recognized the man as Barrymore, and nodded.
"Help yourself."
He immediately pointed at Ashley, who stood in an awkward position, and then spoke.
"There must be something wrong. Ashley has never completed a full painting. How could someone like her lead a group of more skilled painters than her? It's simply impossible."
It was an outright insult in front of everyone.
Although the Three Senior Painters would usually respond to my requests due to their respect for Duke Blair, they seemed speechless when it came to Ashley's perceived lack of skill.
And Ashley...her clenched fists were shaking pitifully.
As the painters' murmurs increased, I clapped my hands vigorously, attracting their attention.
“You're right,” I said, acknowledging Barrymore's argument.
It was clear from the atmosphere that forcing Ashley into this position would only lead to her being ostracized. Instead, she needed a chance to prove herself.
Barrymore's face lit up as if he had actually won.
“Then perhaps it would be best to change the actor—”
“Yes, I would like to take your feedback into consideration. But first...”
I scanned the room before my eyes met Ashley's.
“Let's have Ashley draw a story alone, while the rest of you collaborate on another story. We'll show the Duke the two works and let him choose. The actor will be chosen based on the results.”
"my lady!"
Ashley's panicked voice boomed.
But before she could say more, Barrymore interrupted her with a triumphant smile.
"That sounds great! That sounds a lot fairer."
For him, this was an opportunity
Gold – An opportunity to display his skills directly in front of the Duke without interference.
As I admired Barrymore's self-confidence, she spoke firmly so everyone could hear me.
“However, once the results are out, you must accept them without complaint. If anyone refuses, they will be asked to leave the Duke’s estate.”
There was a heavy silence in the room.
But it was clear that, except for Ashley, everyone else agreed.