Chapter 107: Layers of Truth

Ariana could not believe Zavren. He was calm...so calm, he looked completely unbothered. She just waited for him to explain himself, her gaze steady. Silence hung in the air as they studied the painting. Ariana knew that if this had been displayed in the village, many would have burst into laughter. But no one did that here. They took the painting seriously, they simply studied it, trying to understand it. What confused Ariana the most was that it had been Zavren who laughed at this painting before—yet he was the one who brought it here. She didn’t know why, but she knew him. Zavren never did anything without a reason. Then a man spoke. One of the twins. Ariana noticed they were present, and from the way things were going, it seemed like anyone could interpret the painting in their own way and share what they thought. Mark, one of the twins, stepped forward and said, "The painting feels like it has more meaning than it originally shows." The crowd fell silent—even Ariana looked intrigued. "Now," Mark continued, "this painting can be seen in many ways. When it was pulled up, you noticed something, right? Some saw a castle, some a hut, others a crown. This doesn’t just show personality—it reveals attitude and behavior, the way we view things." The crowd stared in shock. They were shocked by how accurate he was—it rang true. Mark continued, and the room stayed silent, hanging on his words. "If you saw a castle first, there’s a high chance you’re a dreamer. Your brain seeks more than what’s in front of you. You crave color, experience, and likely lean toward being an extrovert." Another gasp echoed across the hall. "Now," he went on, "those who saw a hut are most likely introverts. They understand there’s more out there but choose simplicity. They are deeply introspective and feel emotions on a much deeper level. And for those who saw a crown... they’re somewhere in between—not exactly introvert nor extrovert, but someone who can understand and live through both." A wave of silence followed before the crowd erupted in applause. Ariana’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe her painting had this much depth. Even the man who had explained it so well seemed impressed by himself. She turned to Zavren. From the look on his face, it seemed he had known all along. He never ceased to surprise her, and this time, he had shocked her more than she could admit. It was as if he knew how powerful the painting was, yet he still kept teasing her..more than usual that day. "See, my wife? This is why you need to trust this handsome husband of yours," Zavren said with a smile. Ariana couldn’t help but smile back, her heart full. The crowd broke into murmurs and whispers, clearly in awe of the explanation. No one had expected such depth. Many looked at the painting more admiringly now. Then silence fell again as Zavren raised his hand. "A painting made by my wife herself." Another round of applause broke out..loud, smooth, and filled with admiration. Everyone turned, many shaking their heads in awe. Ariana had created a painting simply out of joy and inspiration—and now, it had become a piece of history. ’It seems I am quite lucky,’ she said to herself, knowing that back in the village, this would have turned into a laughingstock. But here...it was just different. Maybe it was because of their education and way of reasoning. Meanwhile, Stephanie’s gaze swept through the crowd. She was curious—where was Zekel? She hadn’t seen him today, and that wasn’t normal. Her curiosity spiked, but she decided to mind her business. She had successfully avoided him these past few days back at home, and approaching him now would change everything. She wasn’t sure how, but something felt off. Just then, a waiter approached, bowing slightly as he handed her a drink. She took it and eyed him before speaking. "If I may ask... is there a backdoor around here? I’d like to get a bit of fresh air," she said softly as she stared at him pleasingly. The man, who looked professional, recognized her as one of the important guests who had played violin earlier. He gave a small respectful nod and replied, "This way, milady." Stephanie’s lips curled into a soft smile as she placed the glass on the table. She followed the man gently as he led her toward a staircase, and eventually, to a door. "Milady, this way," he said calmly. Stephanie curtsied slightly, and the man bowed. "Thank you so much. You’re such a kind-hearted man," she said. He gave another polite bow before turning and leaving. Stephanie stepped out, finding herself in a quiet hallway. Most people were inside, so the corridor was nearly empty. She walked through it, lifting her gown slightly as she moved. Her steps carried her toward Zekel’s room—yet halfway there, she stopped. Why am I going there? she asked herself. It wasn’t like they had any special relationship. "I just want to check on him," she whispered, trying to convince herself. But even then, she didn’t understand what she was doing. She had been avoiding him. She made sure the maids brought her food to her room, and she rarely came out to water the flowers, unlike before. All of this just to avoid him. She hated how her heart raced and skipped whenever their eyes met. And now, not seeing him today made worry creep through her like a slow chill. She just needed to see him—then maybe she’d feel okay again. "Stephanie, go back. You have to stop this...stop this," she scolded herself, hating the feeling she was beginning to develop for this man. She knew she might get hurt, and it would be better to deal with it now before it got any deeper. She turned around. So what if he wasn’t here? Was that even her business? She sighed, heading back toward the door. But just as she reached for the handle, she paused. "Just check. It would be wrong not to... after all, he’s also teaching your brother, so it’s perfectly normal to check on him," she reasoned with herself. Turning back, she began walking again. She couldn’t believe she was now convincing herself—even though she knew the excuse was only partly true. Her footsteps grew lighter as she walked down the hallway, already trying to think of a good excuse in case Zekel asked why she had come to check on him. But then she froze, pressing her body against the wall. Two figures stood at the other end of the hallway. Her heart skipped. Her stomach twisted in nervous knots. She recognized that figure—it was Zekel. But what was he doing here? Another man stood with him, holding something... it looked like a letter. Stephanie pressed her hand to her mouth. Zekel had sharp hearing. Even her breathing could give her away. She tried to calm herself, staying as still as possible. Then the other man spoke, his voice laced with fear and panic. "Shouldn’t we inform His Majesty about this? It seems connected to the queen’s ex-husband..." Zekel’s expression remained strangely calm. "And who are you to suggest such a thing?" he replied. Stephanie’s body went rigid. Her eyes widened. ’The queen’s... ex-husband?’ she whispered internally. She didn’t understand what this was about—was it the letter? But what shocked her the most was the way Zekel’s voice sounded, bored, as if he didn’t care about any of it. She was now more curious than ever. What was he hiding from the king? "This is the package, your outfit for the celebration tonight," the man said. Zekel nodded. "You may go," he replied, his tone cold and chilling. The man bowed, but still asked curiously, "Will you still be attending the celebration?" Zekel turned to him. "Do I look like your spouse to inform? I said I’ll attend. I need to bathe first. Now leave," he said, tone final and void of emotion. The man bowed quickly and left Stephanie waited, peeking from behind the wall. Zekel’s eyes were fixed on the letter. Her heart was thudding loudly. What was this man up to? This was her chance. She would take the letter once he went to bathe. She heard the door shut. Now’s the time. He was probably undressing. Her cheeks burned. She couldn’t believe the thoughts going through her head. "Focus, Stephanie," she scolded herself. She waited a bit longer, then walked forward quietly, her footsteps light. She reached the door, gently turning the knob. It opened with a soft creak. Peeking inside and seeing that he wasn’t there, she relaxed slightly. She would just grab the letter and leave—that was it and nothing else. ’Take the letter, Stephanie, and leave. Don’t explore anything.’ Just take the letter and leave, she kept repeating in her head so she wouldn’t get distracted. Her eyes scanned the room—there it was, atop the bed. She moved quickly, not wanting to waste time. She picked up the letter, and just as she turned to leave— CLICK. Her eyes widened. Zekel had locked the door.