Chapter 49
And of course, the prices of paintings here were different from their prices on Portrait Street.
“If you draw them, a single image costs 300 ringgit, and a double image costs 450 ringgit. If trainees draw them, they will cost 200 and 300 ringgit, respectively.”
Daisy gasped at the pricing, but Linnea immediately pulled her brother into the chair designated for models.
However, I noticed that Laszlo's appearance wasn't quite polished, and I began to grumble.
“Brother, come on! Cut your hair, shave, and buy some decent clothes!”
"If you're not interested, I'll just leave. I don't care."
"Oh, stop!"
Even when Laszlo's arm hit her, Linnea held on to him tightly.
Despite his obvious hesitation, Laszlo stood by her side without protest, seemingly understanding her intention.
“We will begin now. Try to remain still, although it is okay to engage in light conversation or stretch your neck if necessary.”
When the artist picked up his pastel colors and smeared them on the paper as if possessed, Laszlo and Lenia endured the difficult and tedious session.
Meanwhile, Idil and Daisy stood in front of one of the trainees.
Although Daisy was initially embarrassed, Edel, who was more familiar with character drawing sessions, naturally helped her to relax.
“Everything is done!”
While chatting with Daisy over refreshments provided by the studio, the 30 minutes passed quickly.
The trainee's photo was of much better quality than the cheap photos from Photo Street.
However, the trainee said to Idel, tilting his head as if something was missing:
“With such a beautiful face, working as a maid seems a waste. Why don’t you consider becoming a singer? If you agree, I will draw your portrait for free to introduce you to a theater company.”
But Idil smiled and shook her head.
Nothing in this world comes for free; he probably expects something in return.
“No, thank you. I am happy with my life as it is.”
“Don’t be too quick to say no! Even if singing isn’t your thing, you can become an actress. With your looks, just standing on stage will sell tickets!”
His persistence made Edel uncomfortable, but before she could respond, Laszlo suddenly stood between her and the trainee – or more precisely, directly in front of the trainee.
"Now that you're finished, how about you draw another one for us?"
"W-who do you mean?"
“Marco! Now that we’re here, let’s draw a picture of him and his daughter.”
Marco, who had been watching his daughter with a happy expression, looked shocked.
“For me? How can I…?”
“What’s the big deal? Wouldn’t it be nice to hang a picture of the two of you in your house?”
After receiving the unexpected gift, Marco bowed repeatedly in gratitude to Laszlo.
Daisy, equally affected, blushed slightly as she nervously linked her arms with her father.
Although both of them seemed a little uncomfortable in front of the artist, the warmth between them was evident.
'They are a lovely father-daughter pair. I envy that.'
Seeing the relationship between them made Idil feel a pang of longing for the parental love she had never experienced before.
While she was watching them, Laszlo, who was also watching quietly, called the studio owner.
"Can you draw another picture of this lady as well?"
It was Idell who was surprised this time.
"Wait, do you want another picture of me?"
“The Marchesa Celestine has been interested in hearing about you. It would be nice if you could send her a photograph as a token of goodwill before you meet her in person someday.”
Idel was stunned by this unexpected proposal.
Her heart felt constrict, and she pressed her hand against her collarbone and bowed gratefully to Laszlo.
"Thank you very much for your thoughtfulness, sir."
“I should be the one thanking you. Thank you, you made contact with Celestine’s family.”
Laszlo smiled.
Although he seemed evil at first glance, Idel couldn't help but feel his kindness.
I accepted his suggestion and willingly presented it to the artist once again.
Thinking about Barbara, I found it easier to smile naturally than before.
**
The reason Laszlo was near Portrait Street was Linnea. The bridge in that area was always full of vendors selling street food.
"Mmm, delicious! No matter how great the food is, I can't forget these things."
Linnea often sought out popular snacks, such as roasted sparrows, fried pig intestines, cheap meat pies, sweets, oddly tasting drinks, and pastries that smelled of flour.
“Perhaps the reason for that is that I ate it when I was a child and it’s engraved in my blood. Don’t you feel the same way, brother?”
Instead of answering, Laszlo threw a handful of roasted peanuts into his mouth.
Like Linnaeus, he also found that the food of his time as a commoner suited him better than the fancy meals prepared by chefs.
Although the gourmet food tasted good, he couldn't help thinking, 'Do I really deserve to eat like this?'
For this reason, whenever Linnea suggested they visit the streets of ordinary people “just to eat,” he would mimic her, pretending to indulge in her whims while enjoying it himself.
“By the way, my brother…”
"Hmm?"
“I’ve never asked you for this before, but…”
Laszlo watched Linnea blowing on a freshly baked meat pie. He wondered what she was hesitating to say now.
“You said we ended up on the streets when you were twelve, didn’t you? And I was three.”
"Yes, this is correct."
“Twelve is so young… how did she manage to survive? Especially with a three-year-old child.”
Linnea's question took Laszlo's mind back 16 years.
Their parents died in a car accident while attending a friend's funeral.
Following this, the greedy relatives pounced, divided the inheritance, and abandoned Laszlo and Lenia.
'Nobles? They're worse than beasts,' Laszlo thought bitterly.
Although many did not know it, Laszlo was the heir to a noble family.
One night, while the relatives were fighting over property, Laszlo came out of his room, sensed something was wrong, and heard them talking.
“For a boy, there are those who are willing to pay a lot for him. For a girl, you just have to send her to an orphanage or dump her somewhere.”
After Laszlo realized that he was the boy in question, he returned to his room, packed a small bag, and carried Linnea, who was asleep in the night.
He walked endlessly through the dark streets, holding Linnea close as she murmured in her sleep. His arms ached, his feet felt like lead, his feet throbbed with pain. But sheer willpower kept him going.
By dawn, they had reached the bustling streets of ordinary people. For the first time, Laszlo saw people going about their business and vendors selling food, even at that early hour.
'At least we won't have to hide until morning,' he thought with relief.
He bought some food and shared it with Linnea before settling into a quiet corner to plan their next steps.
'We can manage with the money you've brought now. But I need to find a place to stay with Linnea.'
Although his mind was full of worries, he could not come up with a solution.
While he sat there lost in thought, the woman who had sold him the meat pie approached.
"Children, why are you still here?"
László realized at that moment that the elderly couple were kind-hearted. The mere fact that they inquired about the children's well-being showed their willingness to help.
With no other options, Laszlo hesitated only briefly before replying.
“Our parents have died, and our relatives came and took everything of value. My aunt asked me to wait here with my sister, but no matter how long I wait, she will not return.”
"Oh my God! Do you have anywhere to go?"
“No, there’s nowhere. We’ll probably starve in the streets or get caught by bad people.”
Although his tone was detached, as if he were recounting someone else's misfortune, the couple didn't seem suspicious of him. Unfortunately, such tragic stories were all too common. Instead, they felt a mixture of fear and sympathy.
"Why don't you come and stay with us, my dear?"
Although it was noted that the siblings were not dressed like ordinary people, the elderly couple showed no hesitation in offering kindness. They took Laszlo and Lenia home, gave them meat pies and soup, and spread out warm blankets for them.
Laszlo knew he had no choice but to hold on to even this small stroke of luck – for the sake of Linnea, who was still too young to understand what was happening and kept calling out only for her mother and father.
Determined to survive, Laszlo made a decision. He would renounce all traces of his noble upbringing: his name, his parents, everything he had been.
He knelt before the couple and pleaded.
“Please, allow my sister and me to stay at your doorstep. I swear I will compensate you for food and shelter as much as I can.”