My Husband Lives Inside a Painting Chapter 16

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It had already been two weeks since I visited Agnus Orphanage.

The gloomy remnants of the funeral had finally faded, and the mansion, now touched by the warmth of spring, was bustling with preparations for the upcoming Imperial Family banquet.

Belladonna still remained secluded, but according to the news Romaine brought me, she had apparently ordered an evening gown for the banquet as well.

Claude, whose confinement had also been lifted, was said to be learning the family business, as though trying to fill the void left by his older brother.

While everyone was moving forward toward their own tomorrows, I had been holed up in the studio.

And at last, I completed a painting.

“……You said you’d never learned how to paint, right?”

When I showed the painting to Camille, those were the first words out of his mouth.

“Yes. Is it strange……?”

“…….”

What lay before him was merely a reproduction of reality. The actual painting existed outside this painting world, after all.

Even so, Camille had been absorbed in admiration as though he were looking at a living, breathing masterpiece, only to suddenly furrow his brows.

“Orb. Are you actually a genius?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, for someone who’s never learned, the composition, the colors…… Look, it’s perfect.”

What is this? Is this some new form of mockery?

But surprisingly, Camille seemed completely sincere.

There wasn’t the slightest trace of a lie in his expression as he scanned the painting as though he were analyzing every inch of it, repeatedly exclaiming in admiration.

“Amazing. As expected, you’re the woman I chose.”

“You don’t have to praise me that much…….”

Just as I awkwardly moved my lips, feeling embarrassed—

“I really want to give you a big kiss.”

“…….”

Whenever I started to feel even the slightest bit moved, he never failed to ruin the mood.

Camille, who had been wearing a sly smile, cleared his throat as though trying to change the subject.

“Anyway, what on earth came over you?”

“What do you mean?”

“The painting. You were agonizing over it for days, saying you couldn’t paint.”

“Oh.”

At Camille’s words, I folded my arms as though falling into thought.

But I couldn’t find an answer to give him. Things like theory and technique still didn’t exist in my head.

There was, however, one thing I could feel with absolute certainty.

I need confidence to paint.

And I found it.

“Those men said they wanted to play hide-and-seek with us. But then they told my sister that a big box would be a good place to hide…… As soon as she got inside, they closed the lid and carried the whole thing away. That was the last thing I saw.”

The certainty that there was something suspicious about Gail Pistachio.

That suspicion had become the driving force behind my brush.

“……I just got inspired, so I painted it.”

“Really? I guess you’re the type who paints well when you’re inspired. Isn’t that what you call a genius?”

“That’s flattering. I only managed to imitate it.”

I explained to Camille about meeting Jo-hen at Agnus Orphanage.

“Orb. You look cold, but you’re more sentimental than I expected.”

“So I look foolish?”

“Of course not.”

A faint blush spread across Camille’s cheeks.

Like a magnet drawing him in, he approached me, took hold of my light-brown hair, and left a small kiss upon it.

“I like that side of you.”

“…….”

“You have to embrace your vulnerable side for the light hidden behind it to shine more clearly.”

Smack.

After his lips left my hair, his gaze remained fixed on me, strangely seductive.

But the moment I remembered that he was a monster who coveted my soul, the warmth that had been rising in me vanished, and my composure returned as though it had never been there.

“Camille.”

“Okay. I won’t touch you.”

He seemed to have learned that I disliked physical contact with others.

Just as my husband had.

“……Anyway, what should we do now?”

“Hm?”

“After we send this painting anonymously. Do you have another plan for what comes next?”

I lightly nodded toward the painting.

“Ah, right. Now it’s my turn.”

Camille gave a short nod, then gestured for me to follow him before turning and walking away.

His back as he crossed the hill shimmered like a mirage in the midday sun.

“While you were painting, I was pretty busy too.”

“You were?”

“Yeah.”

A mischievous anticipation crept into Camille’s face as he quickened his steps.

“I prepared a present for you. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

When we entered the cabin and I slowly looked around the room, my gaze suddenly stopped at one thing that hadn’t been there before.

There was another door, completely out of place.

Camille stopped directly in front of the unfamiliar door.

“Now, Orb. Hand.”

“…….”

“Even if you don’t like it, we can’t help it this time. You might get lost.”

Reluctantly, I placed my hand on his outstretched palm.

When he guided my hand to the doorknob, I felt a smooth texture that contrasted sharply with the old wooden door.

Then, leaving the strange tension behind me, I threw the door open.

A vast field of sunflowers stretched out before us.

“……!”

“It’s much more beautiful in person. Don’t you think so?”

Sunflower-covered hills stretched endlessly beyond the horizon, while a brilliant blue sky sharply divided the landscape in vivid yellow.

This place is…….

It was—

……inside another painting of mine, which I had devoted two weeks to completing.

“Haha. That expression is cute.”

“How did you do this……?”

“Hm?”

When I turned around and asked, Camille curved the corners of his eyes into a beautiful smile.

In contrast to me, unable to hide my bewilderment, his cheeks were flushed as though he were savoring the warmth of this very moment.

“Of course, it’s the power of love.”

Behind that shamelessly smug face, I could almost see a fox’s tail swishing back and forth.