Chapter 531: 12.29

"Let's just hope the knights can handle them."

**

It took time for the carriage to arrive at the capital city. Little Jean asked the coachman to stop at a colorful bakery shop because he wanted to buy a cake for Matthew. 

The coachman stopped right in front of a bakery, and Little Jean was carried by a knight inside the bakery.

"Unn… I want that cake!" Little Jean pointed at a yellow cake that looked like a minion from the Despicable Me movie.

After they bought a cake, the carriage went to the florist and art supplies store. Little Jean saw Matthew helping his mother arrange some flowers, and he seemed to be quite skilled with it. 

Little Jean jumped out of the carriage and yelled, "MATTHEW!"

Matthew raised his head immediately, and his face brightened when he saw Young Master Jean came to visit, "Young Master!" 

Matthew stopped arranging the flower, grabbed one rose, and ran towards Little Jean. 

Little Jean giggled happily and hugged Matthew. 

Matthew responded to the hug, and they were embracing each other for few seconds before Little Jean released his hug. However, for some reason, Matthew became a bit stickier than before. 

Thus, Little Jean had to push Matthew to separate himself. 

Matthew gave the rose to Little Jean and asked, "What are you doing here, Young Master?"

"Unn, I just want to paint! I want a painting friend!" Little Jean said. "And I also bring cake! hehe~"

"Painting friend?"

"Yes! Jean, also bring my own's canvas!" 

The servants took out the canvas and a box of watercolor paintings for Little Jean. Matthew looked at his mother, who only nodded with a smile. She pointed up, signaling that they should paint upstairs in Matthew's room. 

"We should paint in my room, Young Master," Matthew suggested. "I have collections of my painting there."

Thus, Little Jean and Matthew went upstairs to Matthew's room. A servant was guarding outside while Little Jean and Matthew were alone in the bedroom. 

Little Jean looked around and was awed by the amount of painting that Matthew made. He had a lot of small paintings and few big ones hanging on the wall. 

And it wasn't a child doodle-like Little Jean. Matthew's painting was the real one, as if it was made by a real adult, and it looked amazing. 

[Dang, this kid has some serious painting skills. It looks like he uses the art nouveau style. It's so amazing!]

[Pupa: And you think you're the real deal, Peh.]

[Hmph! Everybody starts out somewhere!]

"D—Do you like my paintings, Young Master?" Matthew asked. He wasn't sure if Young Master Jean would like to see paintings like these. Because it wasn't exactly a good one. At least, Matthew thought that his paintings weren't that good.

"Yes! Matthew is talented!" Little Jean grabbed Matthew's sleeve and begged him, "Unn… Jean wants to paint like you. Please teach me, Matthew!"

…

"Should we call my dad?" 

"Eh? Why?"

"Because he is the real painter, Young Master…."

"Unn…. No need! Jean wants Matthew instead!"

"…" 

Matthew saw the earnestness in Jean's eyes. He was serious when he wanted Matthew to be his teacher instead. 

"I will try my best, Young Master," Matthew said. 

"Yay! Let's start painting now, Teacher Matthew!" 

Matthew nodded. He lifted Little Jean up and sat him on a chair. He set up the canvas and water palette for Little Jean. Little Jean's gaze followed Matthew, who was busy preparing for their first course. 

Matthew put the rose he just gave to Little Jean on a small table directly facing the canvas, enough for Little Jean to observe from afar. 

"Okay, Young Master, we will start by painting this red rose—" Matthew walked towards Little Jean. He wanted to hold Little Jean's hand but found it quite difficult since he was also short. 

So Matthew climbed the chair and sat behind Little Jean. He embraced Little Jean from behind. But then, Matthew also realized that he couldn't focus when he was embracing Little Jean from behind because his eyes kept staring at Little Jean's pink hair that emitted a fresh rose scent. 

"Y—Young Master, let's start by observing the object."

Little Jean titled his head to see the red rose, "Un, Jean saw red rose!"

"I saw pink rose instead…."

"Huh?" Little Jean looked over his shoulder. "Unn Jean saw red!"

Matthew shook his head to snap out of his daze, "Y—Yes, red rose. Sorry, Young Master. I was a bit dazed."

Matthew gently grabbed Jean's hands that were holding brushes and palette. 

Matthew's cheeks reddened once he touched the soft skin of Young Master, but he tried his best to keep his focus and continued teaching Young Master Jean. 

He instructed Little Jean to use the red first,

"Y—You start with a deep stroke, Young Master."

Matthew slowly directed Little Jean's hand for a deep stroke of crimson in the canvas. He saw Little Jean's painting in the Palace of Eau Saumont before. The paintings were actually quite impressive for someone who had no prior training or teaching. Matthew realized that Little Jean was better suited to paint without using a sketch. 

"And you put few deep black strokes here…."

"Don't forget the light stroke in the outer petal…."

"Put a curve stroke at every edge…."

"The stalk needs dark green and light green color, mix the green with white for light green…."

It took a while for Jean to be able to paint on his own. But after patient instructions from Matthew, he started to paint on his own.

Little Jean naturally absorbed all his teaching like a sponge. Little Jean was just as talented as Matthew, but he was untrained. 

Because Matthew had his father to teach him, while Little Jean was orphaned since birth.

Matthew stopped giving instruction, but he still held Little Jean's hands. He kept staring at Little Jean, who looked so determined to paint a good rose, and after it was done, he showed it to Matthew.

"Matthew! How is this? Good?" Little Jean asked.

Matthew didn't check the painting because he knew that it would turn out amazing.

He just kept staring at Little Jean from the side, and he nodded, "It's beautiful. Young Master is beautiful…."

"Huh?" Little Jean looked at his left, and his eyes met with Matthew's dark raven pupil.

There was a spark when their eyes met. Little Jean blinked a few times and called, "Matthew?"

"Young Master…" Matthew's breath was heavy. He wanted to confess that he had fallen in love with this Young Master of Eau Saumont. Even though he was just a humble peasant, the son of a commissioned artist and florist. 

Was it wrong for him to fall in love with someone like Young Master Jean?

Matthew would be seven years old soon, but he was still too young to think about love, and he also never had this thought before.

But when he met Little Jean, he knew that he wanted him. He wanted to be close with Little Jean, to hug him tight every day. It was almost like an instinct for him to follow Little Jean wherever he goes. 

"Young Master… do you ever fall in love with someone?"