Mrs Narita realised she had been anxious for nothing. Her Sakuko was not a simple girl. She could not be put down so easily. Even though her talent in painting and drawing was lacking, she was still a young lady who had grown up in one of the top families in Mountain Ridge.

It was too bad that she had three brothers and multiple male cousins. Moreover, the Narita grandfather did not like the idea of the family being inherited by a girl. Therefore, he had manipulated his way to ensure Sakuko focused on a career in arts.

It was a true shame.

She could have been a great businesswoman, considering her sharp wit and keen mind.

Nanase laughed a little awkwardly at the words because more people were coming closer to the workstation. The party had not begun, but most of the guests had already arrived. It seemed her big mouth had put her into trouble again.

"Mrs Yamazaki, if you can prove to me that I do not have talent in art, I will give up on it." Sakuko looked at Nanase with determination.

Nanase looked at the young girl for a long moment, and something changed in the older woman's eyes. She did not retain her usual frivolous attitude as she picked up an illustration board from the corner and cleared some space on the worktable.

She picked a piece of charcoal and looked at Sakuko's awkward and unfinished painting of the series of mountains. She looked back to her illustration board and her charcoal glided on the off-white surface at an incredible speed.

The people who were close-by surrounded the worktable while others craned their necks for a glance at the illustration board.

Everyone knew about Yamazaki Isami's wife because she was the most unusual woman among the upper-class families in Mountain Ridge.

She was famous for being crude because she came from a village. Most women in Mountain Ridge shunned her because they found her personality embarrassing. Moreover, she could not appreciate the finer things in life.

However, it seemed that she was not as uncultured as people said.

Within twenty minutes, the same image that Sakuko had been struggling to form appeared on the illustration board. It was not detailed or filled with the most intricate details of the landscape. However, the simple and free lines forming the drawing made the ridge come alive.

In simple terms, it captured the spirit and beauty of the natural land.

Sakuko was standing beside the table, so she could see the drawing clearly. Her eyes watered a little as she looked at the fathomless essence of the image.

She knew she was not a gifted artist, but seeing the ease with which Nanase created her drawing made her understand how subpar she was.

She knew everything she had accomplished was a result of her family hyping things up and paying off event organisers to put her at the forefront.

However, she always thought that she could fake it and make it.

Now, she knew that she would have been exposed as a fraud if she managed to step into a fine arts university after her final year in high school.

"I have lost." She said simply before turning away and rushing out of the pavilion.

Mrs Narita looked at her daughter running away and felt heartache. She had not imagined that Nanase would have any abilities in art. She had never shown any interest in participating in artistic events. And everyone said that she was from the village.

She glared at Nanase. However, before she could speak, a tall man stepped forward from the crowd. He was wearing white clothes from head to toe, including a white hat and white gloves. Though he was handsome, the stark white colour washed him out.

"This is a wonderful drawing, Mrs Yamazaki. It is something special." The man spoke in a gentle voice.

Nanase laughed a little because she realised she had drawn too much attention to herself by competing with a little girl.

However, she had not been able to resist when she saw that young girl with trapped eyes. Obviously, she did not like drawing or painting and probably felt like she was drowning. She remembered that feeling all too well.

"It's nothing, Mr Blossom." She waved her hand a little.

"It is precisely because it is nothing, that it is something."

The handsome man was called Cherry Blossom. Everyone knew that it was a moniker, but he was clouded in mystery. From the rumours in the world of academia, he was a renowned botanist who was revered in and out of the country.

Therefore, everyone accepted his name without question.

With a wave of his hand, a young man in a black suit stepped forward and picked up the illustration board. In a few moments, the illustration was placed on an easel at the side.

Cherry Blossom walked to the centre of the pavilion and stood on the raised centre amidst the musical instruments.

"As you know, my flower viewing parties are not formal." He spoke in a gentle voice. "However, I realised that a lot of performers do not get the appreciation they deserve during the party. So, we will change things up a little this year."

"As usual, each family has been assigned a gazebo in the garden for the maximum enjoyment of the flowers. The caterers will deliver picnic baskets in an hour. Meanwhile, feel free to use the provided art supplies to capture the essence of the fleeting beauty of the wonderful blossoms."

"We will close the evening with musical performances to maximise your enjoyment. You can register performances with Yugo here. Please feel free to walk around and enjoy the garden."

The guests clapped lightly as Cherry Blossom stepped down from the raised platform. Murmurs filled the pavilion as guests dispersed.

A beautiful woman walked towards Yugo and smiled at him.

"I would like to register two performances. One for myself and one for my niece." Makiko smiled brightly with a calculating light in her eyes.