On a dark night, I escaped the Duchy without anyone knowing.
I really returned to the past. This wasn't a dream.
That delicate smile right in front of me felt creepy and bizarre. Her smiles seemed so tragic that she quickly gained sympathy from everyone. Her acting was so perfect that I got goosebumps all over my body.
Those serpent-like eyes seemed to be able to drive me out of this manor at any moment.
If so, what I needed to do is to decide. Run away or fight.
After thinking for a long time, I left the manor. I'm not really running away like before but I'm running away to create a means to live.
My disguise was perfect. I tied my hair back to hide my platinum hair. I took the servant's clothes and mend them all over. I collected the straw in the stable and used it over my head to cover my clothes.
There's dirt all over my body. The smell of poop and urine stung my nose. If it were another noble lady, she would have passed out. But to me, filth is my protective armor.
At this rate, no one will come near me.
Just in case if a dangerous situation comes up, I hid a piece of broken glass in my pockets before I went out on the streets.
When I saw Cecilia again, my thirst for revenge, which I thought was long gone, was now alive and burning.
But whenever I was left alone, I feel scared.
I might be abandoned like it was back then. Perhaps I'll have to go back to living on the streets again.
Failure felt closer than success. Because I've experienced how hard life can be to live a non-aristocratic life.
This is prevention. I'll make enough money to live on my own, even if I'm abandoned by everyone again.
Even if I'm being shunned by the world, I can survive with money.
That's why I need him. Leo, the nameless street painter.
I needed to find him who starts as an amateur painter and eventually became the greatest painter in the Empire.
He is still an amateur artist now so this is the perfect opportunity to support him. What I'm aiming for is the profit I received from his talents.
I entered the alleyway where he was known to have stayed in the past from what I've remembered.
Winter nights, as usual, were always chilly. I was walking alone on the icy street.
How long did I walk? When my hands turned red and my senses dulled, I finally found a man with red hair. A man who paints by himself on a dim street where the moon and the stars serve as the light.
However, some paintings seemed to shine, illuminating this dark street.
As I continued to look at the painting placed in front of him, he looked up at me and grumbled.
"If you don't have money, get lost."
Why is he chasing off his customer? He was looking like a cat with its guard up.
But it can't be helped. From my face alone, I was no different from a street beggar. It would look like that to other people.
However, that's no way for a merchant to treat his customers like that. You'll never know, the beggar might be a pleased customer who saves money to buy your painting.
Leo did both art and business, but it seems he wasn't good at the latter. The way he spoke was harsh, displaying an unkempt look.
The paint on the paintings had almost dried simultaneously. Perhaps he was also using his open shop as a studio.
Also, his hair was quite disheveled. A dirty-looking shop with an owner that has an untidy look. Which aristocrat would personally get off the carriage to look at his paintings?
As expected, his paintings were excellent, but he seemed to have no disposition of a merchant.
Now that I got closer, it was clear that he's the Leo I'd read about.
In the past, when I lived as a beggar, the newspaper I picked up to use as a blanket was my only joy. How comforting it was to read a newspaper thrown away by someone on the street where there was nothing to enjoy.
I read whenever I had time. That's why I knew he was here with the information I saw in the newspaper.
I saw him in the newspaper and he had a cleaner face. Leo's face in the picture looked like it would make many women cry, definitely not how he looks right now.
It was none other than his paintings that I recognized that he was Leo.
After his success, the streets were lined up with works imitating his paintings. Even if I tried not to recognized him, I still couldn't.
"Can't you hear me? Get lost."
Once again, he told me to leave but his tone change. He stopped brushing and nervously glancing my way. He looked at me uncomfortably, maybe he was getting annoyed or something.
I guess I was thrilled at the idea of finding him that I forgot my purpose. I quickly switched my bearings, getting ready to take out the money. I reached inside my pockets between my clothes and a jingle rang out soon after.
"I want to buy your painting. Any amount will...….”
At that moment, I could see at the end of my vision two figures approaching this way. I got goosebumps in an instant. If they heard me, they'll kill me. A tramp who looks defenseless said he'd pay as much as he wants and buy a painting.
I'm sure they're going to extort my money, and my identity will be exposed.
I hurriedly pulled out my hand from my pockets and scratched my head. I cast my eyes and peered at them a little. They're somehow looking at me with suspicious gazes.
Did they hear what I said? Or did they hear that my voice was that of a woman's?
I had to check if there were people around me first.
They were coming closer and closer. I held my breath and caught a piece of glass in my hand.
Then I heard Leo's voice.
"What money? Do you think I believe that you have money with you right now?"
Leo said rather sourly. He yawned and relaxed as if he didn't care about the approaching men. However, he shook his head, pointedly looking at the piece of glass I held in a way that's telling me to let go of it.
As if he knew what I was going to do.
I decided to go along with his acting. I answered him with a broken dialect. I also lowered my voice similar to a man's.
"……Uh, on credit, yeah? I pay in the future, aight?”
“…….”
“…….”
I acted pitifully, pretending to be a beggar who seemed desperate for something and had a lot of secrets.
After a brief silence, Leo assumed a strange smile, apparently embarrassed.
"What?"
"Credit, you know, loan... I give you more money later when I win the auction. Cause I wanna give meself a new birthday present. I gotta feeling this time! It's true!"
I acted like I madman. I grabbed Leo's hand in a hurry, looking ready to steal the painting.
The men were cursing as they passed behind me, obviously lost their interest.
"This beggar's confusing people. Tsk."
Only when they're out of sight did I finally able to relax my tense body.
It would have been a disaster if they had shown any more interest in me. I sneaked out of the house without an escort.
I tucked the piece of glass back in my clothes.
If he hadn't noticed me, perhaps I would have jumped the gun. Stabbing them in the eye with a piece of glass, then somehow struggling to escape.
Once that happens, if I'm lucky I will end up escaping safely, if not then...
"Tsk."
I was hugging my arms imagining a future that hadn't happened when I heard someone clicked their tongue.
"That's weird. I heard it when you tried to take something out of your pockets earlier. The sound of silver coins was clear. There's no way I'm gonna miss it. It was definitely silver. How can a beggar like you carry such coins?….”
His eyes lighten up at the mention of money.
I pay no heed to Leo's blabbering starting from the time the men were completely out of sight. Then I took the silver coins out of my pockets and under his stall, I carefully rolled one towards his feet.
"You helped me earlier, didn't you? Thank you. This is for the painting."
I spoke with my natural voice. I secretly handed over the money careful not to make the same mistake as before.
He must have helped me. It was clear that he had prevented me from doing something irreversible.
He quickly hid the silver I had handed him through under his stall. Then he looked at me strangely.
"You're quick-witted. Well, no need to thank me. I'm just protecting my money. You're quite good at acting back there. I thought you were a comedian.”
He mused, pulling back his disheveled hair.
His golden eyes almost contained me. Unlike his hair where bugs would likely reside, his eyes were clear. His slightly raised eyes brought on a fierce look.
His sarcastic tone suits him.
"I bet you're a noble since you have money, but you looked like a beggar with your dirty clothes. Who are you? What do you want from me?"
I was right in front of him and yet he was talking to me without covering his nose even though the smell of filth must be quite awful.
"……You'll find out eventually. I'll send someone here tomorrow, so wait until then. They'll be the ones to pick up the painting."
"Why don't you take it now?"
"Do you want the dirt on my clothes to ruin my painting?”
"Oh."
Leo nodded in agreement. He quickly grabbed three paintings of my choice and carefully packed them.
"You must be thinking about who am I. You must also be thinking about what can this stranger do for you. You said you heard it, right? Silver coins. Exactly as you said. I supposed you know what it is just by listening to the sound. It's pretty clear, I can give it to you no matter how much it is.” I said, licking my dry lips.
I didn't inform him of my identity on purpose. People tend to be more attracted to mysterious beings.
One day.
Leo won't be able to do anything for one day thinking about who I am.
An unknown customer, a silver coin handed over, and a can-do attitude as if she can get anything for him.
I'm sure your head will be in a mess.
Originally, he will be signing a deal with Lady Mary Spray. Lady Mary of Spray Countdom was an outcast in the Empire but thanks to her contract with Leo, she was recognized by the social circle.
Despite her poor etiquette and uncouthness, she had enormous wealth and no one could mock her.
That's what I'm trying to be in the future. The future I should have had.
This is an unstable venture for I don't know whether it would work or not. In the first place, I don't even know why and how I came back to the past.
It gave me a new life after I jumped into the river to die. I'm going to suffer again thanks to this unexpected opportunity.
I don't want to go through those hardships ever again. I don't want to live a life being trampled on by everyone.
So before I get stepped on, I will step on them first.
I will support him until he succeeds. And in the future, I'll reap the profits. That alone would add to enormous wealth. It's not comparable to the allowance I'm getting now.
I will make it so that he'll become the greatest painter in the Empire.
"It's none of my business who you are. Do I have to know?"
He yawned, scratching his head in annoyance. I can tell that he's tired with his languid voice.
I approached him and picked up the canvas he was working on.
"How much do you think your paintings are worth? Are you content with one silver coin for three paintings? That mere change I gave you was just a tip for me. Should you really ask for a few pennies?"
"What?!"
"Indeed. This painting is beautiful. But who knows the value of this piece? How can an aristocrat walk into such a filthy shop? No one will be able to recognize your true worth.”
Although the future Lady Mary recognizes his worth.
"As if you hadn't judged my true worth by looking at my appearance."
There were only two of us on the street. I could hear some boisterous drinkers in a distance, but my face wouldn't be visible there.
I flipped my firmly attached hat back and revealed my face in a way only he could see. The cold air brushed against my skin.
With a smile on my face, I said, "Remember the face of a person who will appreciate your worth."
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