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Chapter 351: Cash Is King? I Have It Too!

Mr. Glerez watched quietly until Alexandra's painting was complete. Only then did he finally let out a breath with a surprised smile. "Grand Duchess, you are truly the most talented student I have ever seen. You've painted Joanne with such vibrancy..."

Joanne was the maid posing as the model at the front of the studio.

As he spoke, Glerez glanced at the other students' work and instinctively shook his head with a sigh. "Caralis, Marissa, perhaps you should come and look at Grand Duchess Alexandra's painting.

"You've been studying with me for four or five years now, and in a sense... it seems you haven't yet touched the soul of painting. I hope you can gain some insight from this work."

The three noble girls exchanged glances immediately, their faces filled with displeasure. After all, the youngest among them was eleven, and Caralis was already fourteen.

Yet their teacher was telling them to learn from a seven-year-old Russian bumpkin!

The girls reluctantly gathered around, but their meager artistic sensibility prevented them from seeing the "soul" Mr. Glerez spoke of in Alexandra's painting.

Glerez then commented further on Alexandra's painting, mostly with words of praise and encouragement. He then checked his watch, announced that lessons would continue next Tuesday, bid farewell to the noble girls, and turned to leave the studio.

Marissa theatrically pulled Alexandra's easel closer and, with an exaggerated motion, scrutinized the painting up and down, as if muttering to herself, 'Did the teacher drink today?'

Her father was the Second Assistant to the French Minister of Agriculture, and their family held a hereditary countship. Thus, she held no fear whatsoever of the Grand Duchess from Russia.

Another noble girl nearby immediately chimed in, "That must be it. Otherwise, why would he spend over ten minutes commenting on such a mediocre painting?"

"And he even expects us to 'gain insight' from this painting. Well, the paints are decent enough," Caralis echoed, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

It was no wonder they reacted this way. Glerez had actually said their paintings were inferior to those of an "uncouth Tatar" little girl—this was simply an insult to their artistic skill!

They had all been born and raised in Versailles Palace, steeped in art from childhood, and countless masters had praised their exceptional talent. How could they possibly be inferior to a Russian bumpkin?

But since they couldn't criticize the art master Glerez, they instead vented all their dissatisfaction on Alexandra.

The Russian girl retrieved her painting, signaling her maid to carefully put it away. Then she turned, gave the noble girls a sweet smile, and said in impeccable French, "If you put the time and effort you spend on such foolish talk into practicing your painting, perhaps your teacher wouldn't have to praise a 'transfer student' anymore."

After she finished speaking, she completely ignored their expressions and turned to walk out of the studio.

"You!" Marissa stomped her foot in indignant fury and shrieked, pointing at Alexandra's retreating back, "Don't think your painting is actually any good! The teacher was just encouraging you a bit because you're a child."

She gestured to the two noble girls beside her. "Anyone here has far superior painting skills than you.

"Let me tell you something, Miss Caralis and Miss Stella's paintings have been selected for the 'Lorraine-Châlières Art Exhibition'!

"Oh, you probably haven't even heard of the Châlières Art Exhibition. If that painting of yours can get into the exhibition, then we'll admit your work is decent. But if it can't, then you must apologize to us!"

In truth, it was only because their families had some connections with the exhibition's superintendent that their paintings were placed in an inconspicuous little room at Châlières, simply to bask in some of its prestige; it hardly counted as being "exhibited."

"No interest." Alexandra merely turned her head slightly to glance at the three girls, then strode towards the carriage waiting in the courtyard.

The noble girls felt they had regained the upper hand and immediately grew smug. "Hmph! At least she knows her place."

"Of course. That's a top-tier art exhibition attended by the royal family themselves. Her shoddy painting wouldn't even get past the entrance."

"She really should go see the Châlières Art Exhibition; it's practically a marvel, truly immersing oneself in an ocean of art..."

Alexandra climbed into the carriage, not quite catching their subsequent remarks. She just found the name 'Lorraine-Châlières Art Exhibition' a bit familiar.

'Where have I heard that before?'

She gazed at the magnificent Louvre Palace in the distance and soon forgot all about it.

Three days later.

Northern Paris. Carriages arrived one after another outside the opulent Châlières, where six or seven hundred nobles gathered to attend the renowned Lorraine-Châlières Art Exhibition.

This place had once been a monastery, purchased and converted into a castle-like estate, and later gradually developed into a center for painting and art.

With a short while left until the exhibition began, Monsieur Filiberto, the chief organizer of the art exhibition, was reviewing the guest list one last time—as the royal family visited Châlières during the exhibition every year, no detail could be overlooked.

Just then, the office door swung open, and his assistant practically scurried to his desk, whispering a few words into his ear.

Filiberto immediately furrowed his brow and turned to his assistant. "Are you certain?"

The assistant nodded. "Many noble young ladies from Versailles Palace have heard about this; it seems Miss Marissa has been bragging to them.

"I went to Mr. Glerez's home this morning to verify, and his maid witnessed the entire incident."

"This could be a bit troublesome..."

Filiberto pondered for a moment, then instructed his assistant, "Announce to the public that termites have been discovered in the exhibition room on the second floor."

"Yes, Mr. Manager."

After the assistant left, Filiberto irritably rubbed his temples. The conflicts between these noble young ladies were the most infuriating, and now the second daughter of Count Lemaire's family just had to clash with the Russian Grand Duchess at this particular moment...

Although Count Lemaire had some connections with him, Count Bobrinsky from Russia was the primary sponsor of this art exhibition, providing as much as 75% of the necessary funds for the exhibition.

He couldn't afford to offend Count Bobrinsky, no matter who else it was!

Therefore, the paintings of the two young ladies who boasted their works would be exhibited, while the Russian Grand Duchess's couldn't, simply had to "disappear"...

Soon, the grand art exhibition officially commenced.

Hundreds of nobles, guided by the servants of Châlières, orderly entered the exhibition hall to view the displays.

Caralis and Marissa, smugly leading a group of young nobles, headed straight for the room in the southwest corner of the second floor. Along the way, they didn't forget to boast, "Those are paintings even Mr. Glerez praised, so naturally, they were selected for the exhibition."

They entered the room where their works were supposed to be displayed, only to find it completely empty.

Caralis thought they had taken a wrong turn, so she repeatedly checked the room number and looked into the neighboring rooms, but still couldn't find her painting.