Please Grant Me a Glorious Regret [Novel] Chapter 15

With Peter's safe return, the terrifyingly grim and heavy atmosphere of the estate lifted just a little.

The Count immediately called for a doctor, and while the doctor rushed over to the estate, Lisa checked on Peter's wounds.

Throughout the long night, the military police hadn't provided any emergency treatment.

Because of that, Peter's fingers were in even worse shape.

"I'm alright. Look, I made it back. We just have to start treating it now."

Peter tried to smile, reassuring his family.

He particularly flashed continuous smiles at Arte, knowing she was more heartbroken than anyone else.

Unable to bear ignoring his efforts, Arte forced a faint smile in return, mustering all her strength.

However, she couldn't simply stay by Peter's side, as there were still unresolved matters to attend to.

Since Dimion had taken the hand Arte extended, she needed to quickly solidify the contract.

It was obvious that the news of Peter's release would reach the ears of Benjamin and his father.

And there was no telling what kind of tantrum they would throw next.

Therefore, before they could act, she had to quickly secure her contract with Dimion and borrow the money to end this wretched ill-fated relationship with Baron Pitt's family once and for all.

Arte slipped out of Peter's room while the doctor's arrival caused a commotion.

She stepped into the nearest room, grabbed a pen, and rapidly scribbled a message on a small piece of paper.

The paper, folded before the ink even dried, had a clear destination.

Her hurried steps, quickly climbing the stairs, paused briefly in front of the guest room.

Arte checked her surroundings to ensure no one was coming, then quickly slipped the paper under the door.

Afterwards, as if nothing had happened, she continued climbing the stairs for quite a while.

The path to the location noted on the paper was rather long.

"Ahh…"

Arriving at the location faster than ever before, Arte caught her breath.

The location written on the small piece of paper she had thrown under the door was none other than Arte's attic.

Though called an attic, it was practically an art studio.

For an attic, it had a surprisingly large window that allowed a view of not only the estate but all the way to the horizon, making it her favored spot for painting.

If there was a flaw, it was that the ceiling was a bit low, but to Arte, even that felt like a charm.

Inside the small room with a low ceiling, an old easel and numerous canvases, both large and small, were stacked up.

Arte calmly waited for Dimion while glancing over the paintings she had completed so far.

She was more anxious than when she had waited for him in the rose garden last time.

What if he hadn't found the note she slipped in, causing her wait to stretch endlessly while they crossed paths?

What if Benjamin made a move first and caused more trouble at the estate?

Her worries multiplied endlessly.

The anxiety that had swelled to its limits deflated like a popped balloon at the short knock.

Arte hurried over and opened the attic door.

"…"

"…"

Her hasty movement to open the door paused briefly, because the moment she saw Dimion standing there, she absentmindedly stared at him without realizing it.

His striking looks, which she couldn't get used to no matter how many times they met, inevitably captured her attention.

Yet, it was the sheer wonder of how eyes the color of warm spring could feel so incredibly cold that kept her mesmerized, almost as if possessed.

"…Ah! I apologize, Your Grace. Please, come in."

Arte, who had been standing in a daze, hurriedly snapped back to reality and ushered Dimion inside.

"I apologize for making you come to such a cramped place. We needed to discuss private matters, but there wasn't a suitable location. Since it's not nighttime, there are many servants in the garden, and I was worried about unnecessary rumors spreading if we spoke in your room."

Truthfully, the most comfortable place to talk was the guest room where Dimion was staying.

Because it was the guest quarters, servants rarely passed by, minimizing the risk of their conversation leaking out.

However, if word got out that Arte had a private conversation alone in Dimion's room, it was obvious the whole estate would be thrown into an uproar.

The risk to take in order to keep the secret was simply too great.

"Thank you sincerely for accepting the contract."

Rather than expressing gratitude for saving Peter, Arte emphasized the establishment of their contract.

She had to get straight to the point.

She was in a hurry.

She wanted to sever ties with Baron Pitt's family even a second sooner.

"Thanks to you, Your Grace, Peter has returned safely, but the danger hasn't completely disappeared. Since they are such unreasonable people, I have no idea what they might do next. That's why I'd like to quickly resolve the financial issue we discussed."

She knew full well that she sounded shameless, and from Dimion's perspective, she might even come across as more unreasonable than they were.

But right now, Arte's mind was filled only with the smile Peter had shown her earlier and his ruined hand.

She never wanted to let such a horrific thing happen again.

"How much is the debt you need to pay off?"

She had worried he might be offended, but Dimion was surprisingly calm.

With his signature icy expression, he quietly asked how much the debt was.

"It's a total of 20,000 Lirang."

The moment he heard the amount, Dimion's brow furrowed slightly.

It was a sum that wouldn't even amount to the dirt under the fingernails of the Rocata family, but in reality, it was a massive amount.

It was certainly not an amount one would casually borrow or owe someone.

"It's because of the accident I mentioned earlier. I was injured so severely that I lost my memory, and my father resorted to any means necessary to save me. It's not my father's fault, it's mine."

His look of incomprehension felt like an accusation aimed at the Count.

Arte firmly and clearly defended her father.

It was the best choice he could make to save his daughter.

Even if the consequences of that choice had suffocated them all, considering it was no exaggeration to say his love and determination had brought her back to life, she couldn't let him be blamed.

Dimion showed little reaction to Arte's explanation.

As if he didn't care much, he just stared at Arte for a moment before turning his gaze to look around.

"These paintings here. Did you paint all of them, My Lady?"

The conversation abruptly shifted to paintings.

For Arte, who was trying to discuss the debt, it was quite baffling.

"Yes. I painted all of them."

However, as long as Dimion held the money, all the power lay with him.

Arte didn't ask any questions in return and simply answered Dimion's question.

Dimion carefully examined the various canvases filling the attic.

As if dissecting the paintings, he etched them into his memory very slowly and very intently.

Watching Dimion examine them, she could guess why he had suddenly asked about the paintings.

Since she had promised to pay off the debt by selling her art, each painting gathered in the attic served as a benchmark to evaluate her ability to repay.

Rocata was a family renowned for their deep appreciation of the arts.

She didn't need to overthink how incredible Dimion's discerning eye must be.

He certainly wouldn't judge them based on absurd standards.

However, time was the issue.

Even taking into account that he was evaluating them, Dimion was spending too long on each painting.

It was excessive for a mere appraisal of their value.

As Arte pondered the reason, a lightbulb flashed in her mind.

Could he be looking for traces of Phelia?

Checking to see if there were any similarities to her paintings, or assessing whether Arte could adequately imitate Phelia's painting style.

She wasn't certain, but that intuition rushed over her.

Even though it was Arte herself who had first suggested she could replicate Phelia's paintings exactly since she had experience doing reproductions, she felt strange somehow.

Perhaps it was because being reminded of the situation made the weight of the contract feel all the more real, or maybe it was the sinking realization that, if Dimion wished it, she would have to become Phelia Darton instead of Arte Tian from now on.

"Painting. Have you ever been formally taught?"

"Only for a few years when I was young."

Dimion pulled Arte out of her reverie.

After taking one more look around the attic, he approached her.

"Let's go."

"…Excuse me?"

"The money. You said you wanted to resolve it quickly. Let's go get that money."