A girl wearing only an apron on her upper half gradually focused her gaze, exuding a unique sense of concentration.
That concentration felt familiar to Eiji—it was like that of a swordsman immersed in training, as if she had poured her entire being into the moment, making it hard for anyone to disturb her.
It was the kind of focus that could only be honed through years of relentless practice in a craft.
This made Eiji feel a slight fondness for her.
"Who is this Sara?"
Eiji leaned closer to Bian and whispered the question.
"I don't know. I've never heard of her either..."
Kanata shook her head, her eyes also showing a trace of confusion as she looked at the apron-clad girl.
In the center of the room, the pink-haired lolita and the apron girl stood in opposition, sparks practically flying between them, neither willing to yield.
After a while—
"Hmph! Go drown in your boring dreams!"
The pink-haired lolita was the first to back down, irritably snapping at Sara before stomping out of the gallery in a huff.
"My apologies."
The maid, Charlotte, bowed slightly to the group before quickly following after her.
"Charlotte, prepare the car. I'm going home!"
"Understood!"
"W-Wait, why are you crouching down?!"
"Please ride this humble vehicle!"
"No way! Didn't I tell you to stop acting like a dog?!"
"What a shame..."
So weird.
Were they really just here to perform a comedy skit?
"Did she forget to act chuuni just now?"
Eiji recalled the way Rinna had spoken to Sara earlier.
It felt so familiar!
Archer would've called her out for plagiarism!
"Indeed. And they seem to know each other."
Kanata watched Sara and the departing Rinna thoughtfully.
Not only that, but despite being Rinna's personal maid, Charlotte had treated Sara with extreme respect. That alone suggested Sara's status was anything but ordinary.
"They're definitely more than just acquaintances."
Eiji muttered under his breath.
The atmosphere between those two was clearly off—there had to be more than just a simple backstory there.
"Sorry for interrupting your appreciation of the artwork."
After Rinna left, Sara returned to her earlier listless demeanor and apologized to the two of them.
"No, you don't need to apologize for that."
Kanata shook her head, her expression regaining its usual elegance.
"...I do."
Sara murmured weakly, her face tinged with helplessness.
But as if finding it too troublesome to explain further, she quickly shifted the topic back to the paintings.
"Are you fans of Mario Rosso as well?"
"That's right."
The moment the conversation turned to art, Kanata's enthusiasm flared up again.
She showered praise upon Mario Rosso, the genius painter, elevating him to the status of a once-in-a-century talent within just a few sentences.
"He's not that amazing..."
Sara seemed taken aback by her fervor and responded with noticeably less confidence.
"Of course he is! Judging by your attire, you must love painting too—how could you not see the profundity in Master Rosso's works?"
Kanata declared imperiously, as if her passion alone could rival that of ten thousand fans.
"Profundity...? Well, if you say so."
Sara awkwardly averted her gaze.
To be honest, the works displayed here were mostly casual pieces—things made for sale rather than true masterpieces. Very few of his finest works were ever put up for sale.
"Please, enjoy your viewing."
Unable to withstand the fan's overwhelming enthusiasm, Sara took a step back, deciding to retreat for now.
"May I ask—how long have you been painting?"
Just as she was about to leave, the man beside her abruptly posed the question.
"About seven or eight years..."
Not wanting to dismiss a fan's curiosity, Sara answered offhandedly.
"I see. Thank you."
He nodded as if he had gained some insight.
"You're welco—"
Sara paid little mind to the sudden inquiry, her gaze briefly sweeping over the man.
But then—
Her eyes locked onto him as if magnetized, completely unable to look away.
At first glance, his body proportions were perfect.
Over the years, she had worked with countless models, but not a single one could compare to the man before her.
Not even close!
Distracted earlier by Rinna and Kanata, she hadn't even noticed.
This man—
This man was—!
Sara's breathing suddenly grew rapid, her usually weak heart now pounding wildly as a feverish heat surged through her body.
"Could you please take off your clothes?!"
She took a bold step forward, her burning gaze fixed on him.
Her hands moved as if beyond her control—while her words were polite, her fingers were already tugging at the zipper of his jacket, yanking it down in one swift motion.
Eiji was stunned.
The situation was so bizarre that he didn't even have time to react before Sara pulled open his jacket, lifted his T-shirt, and pressed her feverish palms against his toned abdomen.
He swore it wasn't because the girl's unrestrained movements made her chest—barely concealed by the apron—bounce wildly, dazzling him!
"What are you doing?!"
As Sara's hands wandered over Eiji's stomach, Kanata finally snapped out of her shock. Her face darkened as she stepped forward and shoved Sara away.
She was surprisingly light.
"Cough, cough..."
Sara collapsed onto the floor, breaking into a fit of violent coughs.
Her body was clearly too frail—even Kanata, who wasn't much stronger than an average person, could easily overpower her.
But Kanata felt no remorse.
In fact, she even felt like stepping on her for good measure.
Sara quickly scrambled back to her feet and rushed up to Eiji, pulling out a checkbook from her pocket.
"Please take off your clothes! How much do you want? Is a hundred million enough?"
Damn!
Girl, are you that desperate?
To be fair, Sara's figure was incredible—especially those assets. Among all the women he'd met so far, they could easily rank in the top three.
Her face was also quite lovely, though her unkempt appearance made her seem a bit sloppy. If she put in a little effort, her looks wouldn't lose to Kanata's.
"I refuse. I'm not that kind of man!"
Eiji righteously rejected her.
Couldn't you have just contacted me in private?
Though the crowd around them wasn't large, the onlookers were already casting strange, gossip-filled glances their way.
***
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