Portrait of An Arrogant Master - Chapter 66

Rubens’ eyebrows twitched in dissatisfaction whenever Macy avoided eye contact, and he cast a meticulous, almost obsessive gaze, scrutinizing her every small movement.

It was hard to pinpoint exactly what felt strange, but it was clear that his attention was anything but positive. It was unusual to see Rubens so fixated on a mere painter.

He had typically dismissed everything as trivial and unimportant

Isabella found this fact itself irritating. Even if Macy was somehow out of sorts due to some unpleasant encounter with Rubens, her behavior was peculiar, as she seemed to focus solely on him.

It felt as if Isabella had become invisible, with Rubens’ attention solely on Macy while Isabella felt like an outsider beside him.

‘This is rather unsettling…’

Of course, once the portrait work was finished, Rubens didn’t spare even a glance at that insignificant painter.

He cheerfully accepted Isabella’s invitation for a walk in the garden, something they hadn’t done in a while. They chatted about the upcoming engagement, and Rubens made comments that were meant to please Isabella.

While this did ease Isabella’s earlier unease, the lingering awkwardness from that time still occasionally resurfaced, leaving her feeling unsettled.

“I’m late, aren’t I? I’m sorry. Our Judy disappeared from the mansion this morning.”

At that moment, Madam Pomantder entered the drawing room. Judy was the name of Madam Pomantder’s cat.

“Hello, Madam Pomantder. Did you find Judy?”

“Yes, she was hiding inside a vase. I don’t know how she got in there.”

“Haha, that’s too cute.”

Lady Pomantder was known for her extensive network in high society, making her a valuable acquaintance who knew all the latest gossip.

As Isabella responded with a smile, Lady Pomantder, feigning curiosity, brought up a previous topic.

“By the way, what were you talking about?”

“Oh, it was about how Macy seems to have taken a liking to Duke Krygen.”

Lady Lingston said this with a touch of amusement.

“Macy? That seems unlikely.”

“Why?”

“Macy has been undergoing name treatment recently, you know. There’s a rumor she’s staying in the mansion of the name master after leaving Yannick Horton’s house. Could it be that she’s involved with him in some way?”

“Really? Who’s the other party?”

“I’m not sure about that. But judging by the clothes Macy is wearing, the other person must be quite wealthy. They’re not the kind of fabrics a commoner would wear.”

So, was it just her imagination about Macy?

Isabella’s thoughts became tangled. After all, Macy might have just been clumsy and unable to look at the man properly. It’s possible she was fascinated by Rubens appearance once she got used to it and kept looking at him…

But what about the name?

“Oh, I thought Yannick Horton was a famous painter, so even if he’s a commoner, he must have come from a noble background, but it seems it was all thanks to the name master?”

“That’s probably right. It seems she’s completely fallen out of favor with Yannick Horton.”

Madam Lingston and Madam Pomantder continued their conversation. Isabella’s attention was no longer on Macy’s affair with the man.

“Then Macy must know quite a bit about the name, right?”

Lately, the topic that most irked Isabella was precisely this.

Compared to this, Macy seemed as insignificant as a pebble on the road.

“Yes. I heard she’s had it since birth. Lady Isabella, are you interested in the name?”

“It’s quite fascinating. The idea that it’s someone chosen by God.”

How significant must it be to occupy half a week’s worth of visits?

Rubens, who used to return by morning if he went out at night, now finds time to go for name treatment even during his busy days.

‘Setting up a whole household, really.’

It was incredibly annoying to see a man who was usually hard to catch even when Isabella visited now exhibiting such behavior. Whether it was because he needed treatment so badly or if there was some sort of romantic entanglement, it drove Isabella mad with worry.

Although his attitude toward Isabella hadn’t changed much, it was unsettling. She even had nightmares about something going wrong before the engagement.

“Yes, the name is indeed interesting. While it might be around if you look for it, nobles don’t talk about it much, do they? If you have any questions, feel free to ask. And let us know what you find out.”

Lady Lingston also showed a subtle interest in the name. Although nobles considered it vulgar, they were still curious about it. If Rubens hadn’t manifested, Isabella might have only mentioned it as a light topic of interest.

She was only putting on a brave face.

“Yes, I will. Since Macy is even living with the name master, she probably knows more than anyone.”

“Come to think of it, does that mean she does all sorts of things with her innocent face?”

“Those who look innocent are often the scariest.”