003. Garden Party (3)
“…The lake is quite vast.”
Owen, gazing at the lake, spoke slowly.
Meeting Lucia was fine, but he hadn’t expected the atmosphere to be this awkward.
Well, he had some idea about the situation, but he was so preoccupied with thinking about Lucia that he couldn’t bring himself to think about it in detail.
The distance between Lucia and Owen.
In this awkward silence, Owen, finding it difficult to endure, eventually had to speak as if muttering.
Lucia then opened her mouth.
“Do you like it here?”
What ‘Owen’ was interested in before Bella appeared was only related to work and wealth.
It was due to the trauma from his parents who abused him when he was young.
The fact that he was abused by his parents was something only Owen knew, but the fact that he was interested in work and wealth was well-known, especially by Lucia, who had conducted her own investigation.
Perhaps that’s why Lucia purposely started talking about it.
Owen nodded in response to Lucia’s question.
Actually, he liked things like lakes, but he didn’t want to make Lucia uncomfortable.
Lucia, who couldn’t fathom Owen’s inner thoughts, simply thought that he liked the lake and continued with another story related to it.
“The size of the lake in the sponsorship estate of Duke Edelte is the second-largest in the capital. It’s next only to the one in the imperial palace.”
Perhaps because there weren’t many opportunities to talk casually with Owen, she continued to desperately keep the conversation going.
She had done a background check on him before.
Maybe that was why she started bringing up topics related to his interests.
Seeing Owen’s polite nod, Lucia thought he liked the lake story.
Was it because she didn’t have many chances to talk with Owen?
She relentlessly continued the conversation, mentioning areas he might be interested in.
Of course, her expression seemed calm on the surface.
She had been involved in society since she was a child and couldn’t afford to let her expression slip.
If the person listening to the story wasn’t interested in her, they might not have noticed that she seemed a bit anxious.
She continued, “Since I rarely have the opportunity to chat with you, I thought I’d continue with topics that interest you.”
Owen, being occupied with listening to the story, might not have noticed her anxiousness.
“Is the lake to your liking?”
Fortunately, Owen was genuinely interested in her.
More than interested; he was overflowing with it.
That’s why he could easily pick up on Lucia’s feelings and steer the conversation.
“I like it. Especially the lake in spring.”
Lucia answered without a hint of suspicion, even though the question might have seemed sudden.
Considering Owen was not someone who would divert the conversation to consider someone’s feelings, she thought he was simply curious.
“The lake with blooming flowers is beautiful.”
Lucia spoke, looking at the large cherry blossom trees planted by the lakeside.
Owen followed her gaze and turned his head.
Pink cherry blossoms were blooming abundantly, creating a picturesque scene.
“You seem to like flowers.”
Owen mused as if recalling something.
Having read “Empire’s Flower” dozens of times and meticulously memorized the settings, this was the first time he heard about this.
It reminded him once again that this place was not just a novel but a whole world, and the person in front of him was a real individual.
“It’s beautiful, so of course.”
Lucia responded as if it were obvious.
Her gaze moved away from the cherry blossoms and faced Owen directly.
Owen’s complete figure was reflected in her crimson eyes.
“Isn’t it natural to like beautiful things?”
She drew a charming smile with gracefully curved eyes and lips.
This was the Lucia that Owen was familiar with.
“Indeed.”
Owen understood the meaning behind Lucia’s words but chose to be positive.
No.
It’s more accurate to say he was positive because he understood.
“I feel the same way.”
“Do you, Your Grace?”
Lucia asked with a puzzled expression in response to Owen’s words.
Her bewilderment was quite understandable.
Owen had been consumed by work and interested in increasing wealth, but that was it.
I never tried to buy or possess something with the wealth I gained.
It would be suspicious for anyone to claim that someone who never tried to possess anything endlessly likes beautiful things.
“Is something strange?”
However, Owen shamelessly decided to go along with it.
During the week, he had adapted to Owen’s demeanor, speech, his possessions, and his position. Unconsciously, he could smoothly use the etiquette of the nobles.
However, this was a story limited to external appearances.
Owen had not yet adapted to ‘his’ perspective.
The ‘Owen’ before meeting Bella was someone who was merely a vessel for possession, a somewhat difficult person for ‘him’ to understand. Living a lifetime tailored to the perspective of such a person was an impossible task, so he had no choice but to shamelessly act as if that was the case.
“No, I’m just a little surprised.”
In response to Owen’s reaction, Lucia spoke slowly.
And then she added.
“Hardly anyone thinks the same way as I do.”
Lucia looked pretty, smiling as if she was about to steal someone’s gaze.
Owen looked at her smiling face and opened his mouth.
“Some people find it strange.”
“Yeah.”
“Liking beautiful things isn’t a sin.”
Owen whispered like a secret.
His low, pleasant voice flowed with the wind.
Lucia, while engraving his words in her mind, pursed her lips.
“You’re surprisingly similar to me, Your Grace.”
Although her voice was as small as a whisper, Owen, with his good hearing, could hear it well.
But he didn’t bother to respond to that statement.
Lucia had probably blurted it out unconsciously.
Maybe she was excessively hopeful.
Because what he wanted was more pleasing than she thought.
So it would be difficult for him to calm his mind.
Owen just continued to gaze at Lucia, then shifted his gaze to the cherry blossoms.
‘I like flowers because they are beautiful,’ he recalled.
He remembered the sponsorship of the Duke Verdant’s estate.
Although Duke Edelte’s estate had a lake, the Duke Verdant’s estate did not.
Instead, the Duke Verdant’s estate had a very vast garden.
It was about five times the size of the others’ and twice as large as Duke Edelte’s.
Of course, it was well-maintained.
“Milady.”
Thinking about it, Owen slowly pronounced Lucia’s title.
Then, Lucia’s gaze, which was locked in contemplation, turned towards Owen.
“There’s something I want to show you.”
Owen spoke as he faced Lucia’s gaze directed at him.
“I heard that you like flowers. The Duke Verdant’s estate is full of them.”
Flowers, the Duke Verdant, and sponsorship. The meaning behind these words was clear.
Lucia, with a consciously suppressed surprised look, responded.
“The sponsorship of the Duke Verdant is famous for being vast and splendid.”
“Yeah. It might not have a lake as wide as Duke Edelte’s, but there are plenty of beautiful things. I want to invite you.”
“…It’s an honor.”
Lucia responded with courtesy, smiling brilliantly.
Her crimson eyes revealed emotions so vivid that it would be challenging to notice.
Greed, possessiveness, and other intense and deep emotions.
Facing these clear emotions, Owen was suddenly lost in thought.
Before becoming Owen, I thought of liking her as a fan.
He could be certain.
Until then, Lucia had been nothing more than a character in a novel.
The emotions a fan could have towards a character were naturally just fandom.
Within reasonable limits.
But now…
He wasn’t sure.
Calling it simple fandom…
Something was strange.
Surely, I admired something similar to that.
What he had was an emotion far more detached from mere admiration.
Was it longing to fulfill everything she wanted?
If he asked himself that, the answer wouldn’t come easily.
The complex thoughts cluttered his mind.
Owen sighed and cleared his head of the crowded thoughts.
Regardless, one thing was clear: he still wanted to see her.
Just meeting her once was not enough.
No.
Once he met her, he wanted to see her more.
So he promised her the next meeting.
The complicated thoughts from earlier could be pondered at a later time.
Owen concluded, clearing his mind of distractions.
“We’ve arrived.”
As Owen cleared his thoughts, the two were about to continue their conversation when the boat, which had circled the lake, settled on the lakeside.
Owen stood up first and stepped onto the shore naturally, reaching out his hand towards Lucia.
Lucia, covering his hand with hers, responded.
“Your Grace.”
Upon her call, Owen’s gaze turned towards her.
In the exchanged glances, Lucia spoke.
“If it’s not too intrusive, may I ask you a question?”
“Feel free.”
As Owen affirmed, Lucia, with a delicately arched eyebrow, asked,
“How did you come to my party today?”
It was a sharp and incisive question, simultaneously very Lucia-like. Even though it was someone he usually wanted to meet, it was a bit of a delight that she had come on her own accord. She possessed a character that didn’t tolerate even the smallest deviations or mistakes.
That was one of the reasons why he liked her.
“Well…”
Owen answered briefly, shaking hands with Lucia.
Lucia, realizing that he was trying to avoid the question, didn’t insist any further. Just as she pleased, she grabbed Owen’s hand and got off the boat.
“So, do you dislike it?”
Owen subtly avoided giving a clear answer. It was inevitable.
He couldn’t straightforwardly say, ‘I came because I wanted to meet Lucia.’ Lucia wouldn’t believe such words, and Owen was not the type to say them. Moreover, “Owen” had already seen Lucia several times at official events.
So, his reasons would not sound convincing.
Helplessly, he avoided a direct answer to the question.
Lucia, observing Owen’s response, gently smiled.
“No, I don’t think so.”
Lucia had already decided what she would say in response to Owen’s question.
She was someone who wanted Owen.
She appeared in front of him, someone she desired. Would there be anyone who dislikes that?
Though the reason for his sudden appearance at the party was still unclear, one thing was certain: this was an opportunity.
This was the chance she had longed for, an opportunity to have Owen in her hands.
“That’s fortunate.”
Owen smiled slyly, and Lucia also smiled subtly, as if silently saying, ‘Since he doesn’t seem willing to tell, I’ll find out for myself.’ There was no chance Owen would offer an explanation, so it was up to her to discover the reason through discreet inquiries.
Now that he had provided an opportunity, it was up to her to find out the reason before receiving an invitation to the sponsorship.
