Sixteenth century Florence--
During this period, most commoners didn't have stone ovens in their homes,
so they would either share ovens,
or bring their dough to a bread baker to get it baked.
Hey, it's done baking!
Who's waiting for four loaves?
Yes, here! Those are mine!
Oh, Miss, it's you!
Did you try the leavening agent I told you about last time?
Yes, I used it in today's dough!
Then, go back and have a taste!
I will!
Leo, I'm back.
Oh. Then let's clean up before we eat.
Hey, Arte. Take this.
Yes, sir.
You... How did that happen?
I'm sorry!
"Courtesan"
The other day,
when I got close to Leo, my chest suddenly started hurting...
Since then, I've been feeling weird...
When my face just gets close to Leo's, I start having trouble breathing...
And if our bodies touch just a little, like earlier, I end up overreacting...
There were also times I got in trouble for being in a daze...
Is there something wrong with me after all?
Here.
Oh, thank you very much.
This tastes better than usual.
Oh, the man at the bakery taught me a trick to making the dough.
I see.
Yeah, it's good.
Even when it's delicious, the sour look on his face doesn't go away, huh?
Leo doesn't smile except in extremely rare instances.
On top of that, it's impossible to predict when and at what he's going to smile.
But maybe that's why I was so shaken by that unexpected smile.
So much that it made my chest hurt.
I wonder if he'll smile again like he did back then.
If he does, then maybe I can figure out why I've been feeling strange lately.
Hey!
Can you hear me?
Huh? What? Were you saying something?!
I was talking about work. After we finish eating, we're going out.
Yes, sir!
Don't be so absentminded. Are you feeling ill?
I-I'm sorry!
I did it again...
A portrait?
Yeah, there's a patron who's a regular customer of mine.
She often asks me for portraits.
Oh...
You met her the other day.
--Huh? --You know,
the courtesan you met during Carnival.
Please wait a moment.
Was she always rich?
No.
She's renting this house with the money she makes from being a courtesan.
What?!
W-Wow...
Apparently, she's also supporting her mother and young brother and sister.
Really?
Leo!
Welcome.
I'm counting on you this time, too.
Oh, my, how unusual!
What's going on? Bringing a girl with you...
She's--
A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm his apprentice, Arte.
Oh, my.
It's hard to believe such a well brought up girl is Leo's apprentice.
I'm Veronica. Nice to meet you.
This time, it's for a gentleman who likes intelligent women.
So I thought to use this study as a background
and either hold a book or spread it out on my lap.
Is something wrong?
Huh? Oh, it's just... I was thinking that you had so many books.
Education is also required in order to entertain gentlemen,
so I have read all the books here.
W-Wow...!
What an interesting girl.
Huh?!
Oh, but wasn't the apprentice you had with you the other day a boy?
This is the same apprentice.
Oh, dear, you had me completely fooled!
When I look at her again,
I can see that she's really beautiful and has lovely expressions.
You look very interested in this study.
Would you like to borrow some books?
Huh? I-Is it really all right?
Thank you very much!
You said your name was Arte, right?
Yes!
You can't look at being a prostitute with such sparkling eyes.
Could it be that you're an innocent girl who doesn't know what kind of work I do?
I-I think I probably know... what kind of work it is...
But seeing this mountain of books, I can't help but respect you.
I'm not respecting your profession.
I'm respecting your hard work.
Leo.
Yes?
I like this girl.
I want her to paint my portrait.
What about the compensation?
I'll pay the usual amount plus the cost of materials.
Very well.
Arte, it's your first job.
All right!
It's my first time being requested for a job!
After that, I visited Veronica often in order to paint her portrait.
Veronica was kind even to me, an apprentice painter,
and she held salons at her house to entertain visiting gentlemen
with her wealth of knowledge and gentle way of talking.
She always had a book in her hand,
and whenever she had even a little time, she would read.
The more I knew about her, the more I respected her and liked her.
Did you borrow another new book?
Yes, I did! All the books I borrow from Veronica are so good!
--She chose all of them for me, you know. Isn't it amazing?!
--Okay, okay. --She chose all of them for me, you know. Isn't it amazing?!
--I'm well aware that you love Veronica. --She chose all of them for me, you know. Isn't it amazing?!
--I'm well aware that you love Veronica.
How's progress going on the portrait?
Oh, right.
She chose the one she liked from my sketches, so I'm fine-tuning that now.
Oh, in order to show her more beautifully, you shouldn't use lines like these.
Again... my body won't move...
--Breathe...
--Make the background darker so the subject can look livelier... --Breathe...
--Make the background darker so the subject can look livelier... --How do I breathe again...?
Hey, are you listening?!
You've been slacking off recently.
I-I'm sorry...
Get serious about your work.
You look down.
Oh, no, I'm totally fine!
Sorry, did I seem down?
As you can see, I'm fine! Totally fine!
Arte...
If there's anything troubling you, you can talk to me about it.
I love the cheerful you, so you're making me feel sad, too.
Actually...
So you keep being unable to concentrate, and then, Leo got angry with you?
Is that what happened?
Even though the problem is with me, I don't know what to do...
When his hand touches you, your body gets hot.
You feel like you're suffocating, and your heart hammers in your chest.
How do you know all that?!
Arte...
That's love.
Huh?
L-Love...?
How cute.
It's the first time she's been in love, huh?
But... for women like us trying to live without the protection of a man,
love that makes you lose your head is the first step to Hell, Arte.
Wait, Veronica, I don't have time for this. I won't be able to finish the portrait in time!
Leo's going to get mad at me!
It's fine, it's fine.
I'll pay to compensate for it.
Come now!
That's...
Where are we going?
There's something I want to show you.
We're here.
Come on... It's fine, isn't it?
Oh, my.
That person... Is she an old woman...? No, she's still young...
She was once a high-class prostitute, like me.
She used to be so, so beautiful.
She had glossy hair that she took good care of, white skin,
and clothed her body in resplendent clothes of the latest fashions.
But now, she takes whatever customers are given to her and gets paid by the day.
Why did she end up like this...?
Because she fell in love.
She fell in love with a man,
and became so crazy about him that she forgot her work.
One thing led to another, and she fell quickly. Now, she's the lowest of the low.
You're useless!
Today's our weekly meat day.
Eat to your heart's content and get your strength up.
What's wrong? Hurry up and eat. It'll get cold.
Um... I'm not really hungry... It's not that I'm sick or anything, though...
In any case, I'll just have this soup and then head upstairs.
"Upset"
He's giving off a really angry aura!
I'm sorry! You're right, it would be a waste of food.
That's not it.
Eating and sleeping properly is also part of your job.
If you're not sick, then eat it, even if you have to force it down.
If you're thinking about tomorrow's work, that is.
Work...
Arte, what is your dream?
My dream...?
Um, it's to be able to live by my own power, on my own.
If you want to make your dream come true,
then you can't let yourself grow soft because you're a woman and get distracted.
This world is cruel to women, and no one knows what the future will hold.
You don't have time to be preoccupied by love.
She's right.
This is no time to be thinking about unnecessary things.
I need to focus on the job in front of me...
I need to do my best!
Please wait in this room.
Thank you very much.
Thank you for waiting, Miss Arte. Mistress Veronica is ready to see you now.
Huh?
Me...?
Hello, Arte. Thanks for coming today, too.
Is this all right? It looks like there was someone here waiting before me...
Don't worry about him.
I'm making him wait on purpose.
On purpose?
It's a technique I use a lot.
I keep him away, playing hard to get,
so that he never gets to see me, which makes him want to see me more.
When he can finally see me, he quickly becomes devoted to me.
I supposed you can call it part of the stratagems of love.
Now, let us begin.
I keep him away, playing hard to get...
...he quickly becomes devoted to me.
People fall in love after having that done to them, huh?
I don't really get it.
That's love.
I don't really get love yet, either.
My chest getting tight... my face getting hot...
Are those things love?
Was that man suffering, too?
To wait for hours with that pain in his chest...
He must have been suffering so much.
No, no! I need to focus on work!
Well then, I will summon you when she is ready.
Again...
Um... You were here the other day, too, weren't you?
Oh, I'm here to paint a portrait of Veronica--
A portrait?!
Who is it being sent to?!
A man who is not me?!
--Wai-- --What does she think of me?
Please, wait!
I-I'm sorry...
Even though I know there's no use asking you, being here is slowly driving me crazy.
When I hear her laughing while talking to other men,
I feel like I'm going to lose my mind with envy.
Sorry about that. My previous visitor just wouldn't leave...
Um...
Hm?
Is it okay to make people suffer for the sake of your job?
Why are you asking that out of the blue?
You've been making that man wait this whole time today, too, right?
Oh, is it about that?
I mean, that's the kind of job I have.
To be okay with letting people suffer...
I didn't think you were that kind of person, Veronica.
You can't look at being a prostitute with such sparkling eyes.
I told you back then, didn't I?
But... But anyway, I...
I don't think this is okay!
Excuse me!
I was charmed by that kind smile this whole time...
Today was the first time I thought that smile was scary.
Arte, how's your work going?
Oh, right!
Let's see.
What is it?
Nothing, don't mind me!
Well, it's not bad. You're doing good work.
Keep going and finish it off like this.
Once you're done, I'll do a final check of the details and make any modifications needed.
Yes, sir!
I haven't been to Veronica's since then.
All that's left is to finish it up, anyway, and I don't know how I should face her.
I can't concentrate!
Oh, Miss! Welcome!
Hello.
What's the matter? You look down.
How was the bread from the other day?
Oh, the dough you taught me to make was very delicious!
Oh, is that right? I'm glad!
I don't bake bread every day for nothing!
You don't bake bread every day for nothing?
It's because you can't do anything but bake bread, right?
What're you being so smug about?
Well, you got me there...
Apologize!
What's with this girl?
What's there to apologize about? I just said what was true.
Anyone can be a bread baker-- Ow, ow, ow...
It has nothing to do with his profession.
I'm just respecting his hard work!
I'm respecting your hard work.
What the heck? What a weird girl.
Miss!
Thanks.
Mister, how can you smile after all that was said about you?
Huh? How? I can't act angry in front of a customer.
No matter what gets said, no matter what happens,
doing my job properly is a matter of pride.
No matter what happens, I need to do my job properly.
Oh, you've made a lot of progress all at once.
I guess...
All that's left is some fine tuning...
Do this... here...
So close...! He's too close!
B-But...
And here...
Hm? What is it?
She's back to her normal self.
You've finally finished it!
I was getting tired of waiting for you to bring this.
A gaze that conveys intelligence, and a soft, kind smile.
So this is how I look to you, huh?
It makes me happy.
Thank you. It's wonderful.
Veronica's smile, which I hadn't seen in a while, really was charming...
I felt like it was going to suck me in.
But...
I can't forgive you for making someone suffer after all.
But... I do respect all the work you've put into being able to live through your own power.
I think that's fine. I like that about you.
But how long do you plan on keeping up that smile?
That's a hard question.
I'd like to say, "When I quit this line of work,"
but it's a sinful profession, so it might be until I'm on the verge of death.
This is...
...her resolve.
Arte!
If you ever need anything, come find me anytime.
I'll be here to listen whenever you need to talk.
As a friend.
As a friend...
"Preview"
I'm sure Leo had a training period, too!
I was more hardworking than you.
I'll work harder so he won't say things like that!
"Inescapable Bond" I'll work harder so he won't say things like that!
"Inescapable Bond" Next time, "Inescapable Bond."
"Inescapable Bond" A customer who's known Leo for a long time?