At this moment, she had a clear premonition.
—If she could witness the scene of Aiwass lecturing, perhaps she could create her first Demonic Painting. Read new chapters at mvl
With that thought, following her instincts and intuition, she tentatively asked, "Aiwass, when is your next lecture?"
"This time next week, why?"
"I would like to sit in, may I?"
...When Isabel is with acquaintances, is her aggressive desire so strong?
Aiwass took a rare sharp breath and rapidly tapped his right index, middle, and ring fingers on the armrest of his wheelchair, soothing his slightly disordered thoughts: "There is... no problem. But 'modern history'... you shouldn't need to study that anymore, right?"
"It's actually for the final exam of my sketch class."
Isabel firmly replied, and it was not a lie, for she was not adept at falsehoods: "The teacher asked us to paint a portrait. May I have you as my model? I will pay you."
"There's no need for payment," Aiwass said softly, "If possible, after the teacher has graded it, could you give that painting to me? After all, no one has ever painted a portrait of me, and this would be the first."
Isabel uttered in surprise.
In her understanding, portraits were quite commonplace. Before her teacher arrived, she would leave behind several paintings each year. And since the teacher's arrival, almost every month she had one.
From the age of seven until nineteen, full and half-length portraits of her, as well as group paintings with her family, filled a total of four rooms dedicated solely for their collection in the Hall of Silver and Tin.
But surely, even if not part of a royal household... the Moriarty Family must be quite wealthy, right?
"Hasn't Professor Moriarty ever had a painter create a portrait of you?" Isabel asked, puzzled.
Aiwass affirmed: "Not just me, but Yulia, and my brother Edward, even father himself, none of us have had portraits painted. I've never even seen any of our ancestors' paintings at home. I suppose it might be some kind of tradition in the Moriarty Family."
But soon, Isabel's attention was caught by the phrase "the first painting."
She became serious all at once, her pupils briefly shining with the luster of emerald.
This was the first time Aiwass had seen Isabel with such a solemn expression.
It took him a moment to adjust.
"The first portrait, huh..."
Isabel nodded, the emerald light in her eyes pulsing like a heartbeat.
"I understand, Aiwass. I will prepare well," she said.
This time Aiwass truly saw—unnoticed by Isabel herself, she had just had a moment of resonance with the Path of Beauty.
...With a princess harboring a pure "obsession with beauty", won't she start to rapidly level up now?
If she, a mere "Prodigy" at the second Energy Level, were to create a Demonic Painting, she could probably advance as early as the middle of next month!
While Aiwass was advancing on dual paths, in his recollection... even just the Path of Devotion would allow him to advance a bit faster than them both, still waiting for the two.
...Is it possible that I might not be able to keep up with her now?
Aiwass became a little more earnest.
I'd better start leveling up as well, Mr. Fox cannot be looked down upon.
He had only made a slight alteration to the plot he was familiar with, almost no impact on the whole world, the era, the political situation... but this little change, when cast upon Isabel, nearly completely transformed her life.
Realizing this, Aiwass fell silent for a moment.
In his heart, he began to grasp a new understanding of the Path of Devotion, his pupils flickering with a golden-red brilliance.
Similarly, Aiwass did not notice this himself, but Isabel did catch a glimpse of that familiar glimmer in his eyes.
Just a brief moment, she failed to see it clearly. Hence she only paused a little, without making any remark.
...Anyway, let's wait until after a week.
When she formally prepares to paint Aiwass, opens her Magic Eye, then she will see clearly.
Whether his "color" will be that slightly red-tinted golden hue. Closer to fire than to Light, but not scorching, nor burning. Like a sunset that is about to fall, or a sunrise that is about to ascend.
If indeed Aiwass was Mr. Fox...
Her heart was tinged with complexity, various emotions swiftly rose and fell. But soon those muddled thoughts again became pure.
—If that were the case, it would be wonderful.
She thought to herself.