Chapter 305 +25 BONUS

Carissa appreciated the sentiment and joked with a smile, “Since everyone loves Kyle’s paintings so much, you’d probably all be complaining about me behind my back if I said I wouldn’t sell them.”

“We wouldn’t dare,” said Davis, the Defense Minister, with a laugh. Then he said loudly, “Even if you don’t sell them, we wouldn’t complain about you, General Sinclair. I’ll be the first to take issue with whoever dares do that!”

What a joke! How could one criticize such a talented young general? Anyone who did would be in trouble with the Ministry of Defense!

The noblewomen outside exchanged glances. They were aware that Carissa had achieved military merits, but she was still a woman. How many men truly held her in high regard?

Though Davis’s words seemed like a joke, his expression was serious. The ladies who had once spoken ill of Carissa with Eleanor now felt a pang of regret. If their disparaging words reached Carissa’s ears and offended her, they might have caused trouble for their husbands.

Salvador looked at Carissa with a gaze that made his intentions clear. Pointing to a painting of mountain passes, he said, “Carissa, I won’t ask for much—how about just this one?”

Carissa replied respectfully, “Your Majesty, if you favor this one, you may take it. I cannot accept your money. It was Kyle’s painting, to begin with, and I wish to offer it to you as a token of respect.”

Salvador shook his head. “No, I want to buy it myself. If I take it as a gift from you, wouldn’t you feel obligated to give one to the royal chancellor? And if you do that, wouldn’t you then need to give one to the prime minister, and also the deputy prime minister? And what about the other members of the Cabinet?”

At Salvador’s insistence, everyone laughed. They quickly suggested, “We’ll buy it. Your Majesty should accept it as a gift.”

“Are you implying that I can’t afford it?” Then, Salvador looked at Carissa and asked, “How much is this painting of mountain passes?”

Carissa smiled and said, “I’ll make a gesture of goodwill. Each painting is priced at one thousand silver coins. If any of you like one, you may purchase it.”

Everyone had expected her to set a high price, considering that Kyle’s paintings were worth a fortune and hard to come by. In fact, a starting price of ten thousand silver coins would have been reasonable. No one expected her to offer them for only one thousand silver coins.

Instantly, the room erupted into chaos. Excited shouts filled the air, with some unable to contain their enthusiasm and screaming with joy. In the midst of the commotion, an elderly voice called out, “Jeremiah, don’t compete with me! I want these three paintings. Don’t shove—I’m about to fall. Rosalind, come quickly! Help me get the paintings. Ronald, stop that brute of a prime minister!”

The voice belonged to Trevor. He stretched out his arms and blocked off three paintings, including one that Jeremiah had his eye on. The two men were jostling with their shoulders, while the elderly royal chancellor urgently called for his granddaughter outside.

Rosalind reacted swiftly. Ignoring her manners, she hurried in and immediately wrapped up the paintings her grandfather wanted. Meanwhile, an old attendant by Trevor’s side was holding off Jeremiah, who could only watch helplessly as Trevor secured the painting he desired.

Jeremiah shot a resentful glance at his elderly wife. Why didn’t she have a bit more foresight? Why didn’t she come in to grab them? Though he thought this, he dared not voice his complaints. Everyone knew that Jeremiah was a pushover for his wife, and that he had been afraid of her for half his life.

People began selecting their favorite paintings. Davis noticed that Rafael had not yet chosen anything and asked, “Your Highness, have you not found anything you like? It’s no trouble if you haven’t, but at a thousand silver coins, it’s truly a bargain.”

Rafael, with his arms crossed and a faint smile on his lips, replied, “You may take yours first. Carissa is betrothed, and Kyle is particularly fond of her. I’ll ask him to paint one for me later.”

His statement was bound to provoke envy, and many shot him glares. What a showoff, just like his mother!

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