The Boundaries of Possession - Chapter 25

The morning sunlight cast its glow over the artwork as a security guard, in the middle of drawing the curtains, froze in place.

His gaze was fixed on a noble omega, elegant in appearance and composed in demeanor, her attire perfectly immaculate. The guard hurriedly rushed to bow as Elysia entered the hall.

“I’d like to see the museum director,” she said, her voice soft yet sharp. The cleaning staff stiffened where they stood, recognizing who she was. Instead of Elysia responding to their reaction, Sei huffed quietly in disdain.

The Apelari Museum was situated in the heart of the capital. Its exterior, reminiscent of a medieval castle, earned praise from nobles and clerics alike. Sculptures and artworks were placed with precision, while the stained-glass windows added to its grandeur. The interior was just as awe-inspiring, with high ceilings, a grand hall, and walls covered in renowned paintings and various artistic masterpieces.

As Elysia surveyed the surroundings, she was reminded of the unstable early days of Karmaut. Back then, when the merchant guild was just beginning to expand, destined to influence the empire’s fate, she had encountered a brilliant painting at the far end of a hallway here.

“It’s been a while, Lady Brillen! What brings you to the museum today?”

The museum director’s voice trembled slightly with nervousness. As he bowed, he carefully wiped his balding head with a handkerchief. The director, once a commoner artist who had purchased his title, still found Elysia intimidating. To him, it was wealth that defined status.

“Director, I’d like to talk about Yosef Avriden.”

“That boy… well…”

The director hesitated, averting his gaze as though hiding something. His discomfort was obvious as he stammered.

“Well, you see… uh, Yosef hasn’t been very active lately, so I’m not sure if he’d be available to meet.”

Someone who wrote letters regularly couldn’t possibly be inactive, and Elysia narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The director, as if trying to cool off from the heat, took a deep breath and exhaled twice. Meanwhile, footsteps echoing from a distance gradually grew louder.

“Lady Elysia!”

She turned toward the voice, seeing the artist who couldn’t care less about formalities. Yosef’s golden hair and bright green eyes seemed to radiate warmth, lifting the mood around him effortlessly.

His appearance was almost the same as when she had first started sponsoring him. Paint stains adorned his clothes and skin, and his lips, cracked and slightly wounded, had remained unchanged. She recalled asking him once about those injuries, to which he had explained his habit of biting his lips while painting.

“It’s an honor to see you here in person!”

“Yosef. I heard you’re no longer producing any artwork.”

“What? What are you talking about…?”

It was exactly the answer she had anticipated. Elysia turned sharply, her expression firm, and the director hung his head with a sigh. His posture was far from noble.

Elysia took two steps toward him, her gaze cold. She didn’t care about his common roots, but as someone who had purchased a title, there were standards of dignity and responsibility he was expected to uphold.

“Director. I was under the impression that my contributions were more than sufficient to support both Yosef and the museum.”

Her icy blue eyes gleamed like a finely honed blade, making the director’s hand tremble as it clutched the handkerchief tightly.

“Was 2,000 rian not enough? Was there not even enough funding to provide Yosef with his share of the sponsorship?”

At last, Yosef, grasping the situation, swallowed nervously.

“No, no! It’s just that I wanted him to produce even better work, so I… thought it best to wait until later…”

“Spare me the excuses. From now on, Yosef’s sponsorship will be given directly to him. The additional funding I’ve been providing to the museum will be withheld for the next three months.”

As she expected, her words had an immediate impact. With the hem of her dress lightly raised, Elysia strode confidently down the corridor. Her sharp blue gaze scanned the walls, meticulously observing the displayed artwork. Yosef watched her nervously, while the museum director, contrastingly, seemed pleased.

Both had different thoughts. Yosef feared losing her support, while the director was already thinking of ways to spin the situation into a financial opportunity, hoping she might sponsor a different artist instead.