Seeing Celeste about to go out, Rosen hurriedly said, "Master, didn't you say all the pretty girls in town were poisonous?"

He was exaggerating the difficulty of painting to increase his bargaining chips, so Celeste would teach him more magic.

From Celeste's wariness towards Lilyss earlier, that woman was clearly not simple. One wrong move could lead to becoming a corpse in the wilderness.

Dealing with just Celeste alone was tiring enough. He didn't want to add another tigress to the mix.

Celeste was already at the door, his hand touching the door handle, but he eventually stopped and didn't open the door.

He didn't want trouble either.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Or how about you redraw the girl you painted with the feather pen, but in oil paints this time?"

Just as he finished speaking, before Rosen could reply, he shook his head on his own accord.

"No, no, that won't work. The girl was dressed too conservatively. Those hypocritical moralists might welcome it, but most of them are poor."

After thinking it over, Celeste decided to take the risk. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. There won't be any danger."

Having said that, he walked out the door.

Listening to the footsteps gradually fading away, Rosen carefully considered the pros and cons.

After weighing it, he found this wasn't necessarily all bad for him, perhaps there were benefits too.

From Celeste's previous words, it could be inferred Lilyss belonged to some local organization in Whitetown, with the boss called Madame Pessy.

And this wandering mage Celeste was very wary of this organization.

Now, they were cooperating with Lilyss to have her model for them and paint oils to earn money.

While Celeste did profit from this, at the same time, Rosen's status also rose, and he and his painting skills gained publicity.

Even if Lilyss and Celeste unanimously concealed his existence, there was an inherent conflict of interest between them.

Once the oil paintings could make big money, Lilyss and the organization behind her could completely kick Celeste aside and go solo.

And Celeste would surely try to prevent this situation, but with his limited power, how could he prevent being kicked aside?

Thinking it over, Rosen came up with a solution - to firmly control his own life.

If Lilyss intended to turn on them, Celeste would likely threaten her with Rosen's life.

If Rosen was in Celeste's shoes, he would secretly use toxins or curses to control Rosen, this money-making machine.

'In Whitetown, curses must be kept in the dark, so it's highly likely I'll be poisoned!'

Further realizing that Celeste and Lilyss's cooperation was a spur of the moment decision, they certainly hadn't had time to make arrangements yet, so he should still be safe for now.

Then how to remain safe going forward, perhaps depended on Lilyss.

Having thought things through, Rosen completely calmed his mind and carefully organized the oil painting tools, ready to welcome the dangerous yet opportunistic future.

Time trickled by second by second. About ten minutes later, footsteps came from the hallway outside, one set very familiar - Celeste's.

The other set had a slightly quicker tempo, with a crisp sound of women's high heels on the wooden floorboards, likely Lilyss.

Shortly after, the door was pushed open and Celeste walked in first. He then pulled the door open and held out a welcoming gesture.

A few seconds later, an alluring woman wearing a light lace hat, deep purple knee-length chiffon dress, and black fishnet stockings gracefully walked in.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

It was Lilyss.

'Click-'

Celeste gently closed the wooden door and introduced, "Miss Lilyss, this is my magic apprentice. He's in charge of the painting work."

Lilyss lightly raised her hand, her slender fingers parting the veil covering her face halfway, and her amber eyes carefully looked over Rosen. She then smiled behind her hand, "He's just a child, Mister Celeste. Are you sure he can paint well?"

Celeste smiled faintly, "Miss Lilyss, I never do things I'm not confident in. As long as you cooperate, then as previously agreed, 2 grams of opium for your modeling each time. And you get thirty percent of the painting sales."

Lilyss neither agreed nor disagreed.

She swayed her body cat-like, circling around Rosen and his easel half a round before stopping behind Rosen.

Bending down, her luscious lips came up to Rosen's nape and teased, "Boy, have you seen a woman's body before?"

Goosebumps rose on Rosen's neck. He thought to himself, 'Girls mature early in this different world, just two or three years older than my current body, yet it's like she's two generations above me.'

The soft, warm fragrance was like a mischievous sprite, merrily winding around his cheeks and into his nose, arousing in his heart a wonderful feeling of danger and excitement intertwined.

It was like stroking a mother leopard's back fur, pretty yet dangerous indeed.

This feeling was truly thrilling.

Rosen noticed his heartbeat quickening, his body trembling slightly. He decided not to suppress it, but to amplify his body's natural reactions as much as possible instead.

Lilyss noticed and giggled, "Mister Celeste, your little apprentice is still a virgin."

Celeste was unsurprised, "Everyone has a first time, no? When Miss Lilyss first experienced it, she may not have been composed either."

"You're right about that."

Lilyss candidly admitted. She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "Anyway, I have plenty of free time. Rather than idling away in the hall all day smelling drunkards, I might as well do something interesting here."

"Shall we begin then?"

Lilyss looked curiously, "No problem, but how do we start?"

Celeste pointed to the wooden bed, "Lie down and strike the pose you think would most seduce a man. Then have my apprentice paint you."

Lilyss spun around and reclined on the bed, laughing, "Interesting. Do I need to undress?"

"I said strike the most seductive pose. As for how, that's up to your skills. I'm an outsider here so I won't say much more."

"Hehe, how amusing."

Lilyss tilted her head and thought for a while, then said, "Mister Celeste, I know what to do. But our Nightingales have a rule - we can't show our bodies to two men at once, so..."

Celeste shrugged understandingly and walked to the door, "I'll go downstairs for a drink then."

Reaching the door, he meaningfully added, "Oh right, best not to touch my personal belongings, since I've set up some unfriendly little contraptions on them."

"Don't worry, wandering mage. Madame Pessy has acknowledged you as her friend. We won't steal from friends."

"I hope so."

Celeste left and closed the door.

Only Rosen and Lilyss remained in the room.

Lilyss smiled, "Little one, I really doubt your skills, but since I'm bored, let's try it out anyway."

She reposed herself and adjusted her clothes slightly to create an alluring glimpse. At the same time, she only opened her eyes halfway, gazing blurrily with a hint of oblivion and smoldering temptation.

Rosen did not hurry to paint.

First he circled the bed half a round, looking at it from all angles above and around. Then he went back behind the easel, closed his eyes in concentration, and started screenshotting angles from his tablespace.

Seeing his focused appearance, Lilyss's eyes revealed a trace of surprise. She realized she had underestimated this frail looking youth.

Soon, Rosen selected the most alluring screenshot and began rendering.

In Lilyss's perspective, the meditating youth suddenly opened his eyes, and his hands began spinning rapidly like carriage wheels.

All sorts of paints smeared onto the canvas board continuously, while the palette knife and brushes danced nimbly upon it like a sculptor's chisel.

The youth was focused, yet his gaze seemed somewhat empty and dazed, as if deeply immersed in his own mental world, completely ignoring her, this living, breathing beauty.

"How interesting~"

Lilyss had dismissed her earlier contempt. She looked forward to the final artwork now.

To be honest, this small town girl was posing for a real painter for the first time.

It felt quite novel, and a little honored.

After all, those who got to model up close for painters were usually wealthy noblewomen.

Time passed second by second. The morning blinked by rapidly, and when the aroma of food drifted in through the window into the inn room, Rosen completed the final stroke of the painting.

He stopped and softly said, "Miss Lilyss, it's done."

"Let me see."

Perhaps because she had regarded Rosen as just a clueless child, Lilyss dropped her pretentious act and revealed her ordinary, carefree girlish side.

She briskly walked up to the canvas and upon one glance, couldn't help crying out "Ah!"

"Mother Arachne, is this really me?"

'Mother Arachne?'

Rosen's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged.

Lilyss didn't seem to notice her slip of the tongue. She stared fixedly at the canvas board, astonishment glimmering in her eyes.

"Boy, your painting skills are really astonishing. I've never seen such good art before. This will definitely sell for a lot!"

Rosen pressed his lips together and 'squeezed' out a smile. "Oh, that's great news."

Lilyss noticed something off. "Huh? Were you forced into this?"

Rosen quickly shook his head, and wiped the sweat on his forehead again while lowering his eyes. "No, no, no. I'm just a little tired and want to rest."

"Oh, you rest up then...I'll get going first."

Lilyss didn't seem to think much of it. She very readily turned and left the room.

A while later, Celeste came in, carrying a tray of food with delicious aromas wafting up - roast chicken glistening with butter, and a large jug of sheep's milk.

Seeing the tray, Rosen's heart stirred slightly. "It's poison for sure!"