060. The Original Story (3)

Owen furrowed his brows upon hearing Lucia’s response.

It was because he couldn’t quite grasp the meaning of her words.

“It was a look of wanting.”

Seeing his expression, Lucia continued.

“She wanted to possess you.”

“…What?”

He was taken aback.

So, what Lucia was saying right now was—

‘Bella wants to possess me?’

Bella?

Why would Bella be mentioned in a conversation like this?

A wave of confusion hit him.

Bella wasn’t that kind of character.

She was far removed from possessiveness or obsession.

No matter how much the original story had changed, the protagonist’s personality shouldn’t have changed too, right…?

“I’m certain. It’s been that way since the hunting competition. She had that look from the first moment she saw you.”

“…”

The next words were even harder to believe.

“Why do you look so surprised?”

Lucia chuckled and led Owen into the carriage, noticing his tense expression.

He followed her lead without resistance, but his expression remained rigid.

The world felt too strange, as if the original story had completely vanished.

“Owen, you might not realize it, but a lot of people look at you like that. The only difference is in the type of emotion.”

They climbed into the carriage and sat across from each other.

The carriage door closed, and it slowly began to move.

Lucia spoke as they traveled.

Then, as if a thought suddenly crossed her mind, she tilted her head slightly and added.

“Or could it be… do you really believe that just because she’s a saint, she couldn’t possibly feel that way?”

It wasn’t just because Bella was a “saint” but also due to the setting of *The Flower of the Empire*. But in the end, the reasons were somewhat similar.

However, there was no point in explaining that now, so he kept quiet.

“Owen.”

Was that the issue?

Lucia chuckled again.

It wasn’t a light, amused sound. It was a mocking, or perhaps slightly irritated, laugh.

“People think saints are holy because they belong to the temple. But you know, don’t you? That it doesn’t mean anything.”

Lucia leaned forward and reached out her hand.

Her palm touched Owen’s cheek.

Her pale hand gently caressed his cheek as if cradling it.

It was a careful yet emotionally charged gesture.

“The Empire of Freyon recognizes the temple and has made their religion the state religion, but I don’t believe in gods. I thought you didn’t either. Am I wrong?”

Her hand, which had been stroking his cheek, slid down to grip his chin.

Lucia, slightly rising, looked down at Owen from a position just above him.

Owen’s dark eyes followed her crimson ones.

Seeing the unwavering gaze he directed at her, Lucia’s lips curled into a smile.

“That’s right.”

Owen responded readily.

It wasn’t a difficult answer, as it was true.

“I don’t believe in gods.”

Not back in Korea, and not here in this world either.

He had never believed in gods.

And the same would have been true for the original Owen as well.

He had grown up in an environment where it was impossible to believe in gods.

“So why are you so convinced that a saint is a holy and noble being?”

Lucia gripped his chin more firmly.

As she tilted his head back, his eyelids lowered slightly.

His dark eyes, half-lidded, seemed to darken.

“That’s….”

Owen couldn’t find an answer.

Perhaps he couldn’t even if he tried, but Lucia, unaware of the truth, furrowed her brow.

She wasn’t pleased.

Even after all she had said, he still didn’t seem to understand.

“Because everyone views it as sacred, it’s actually an easy place to hide greed.”

Lucia could feel the emotion Owen had spoken of burning within her—an emotion mixed with possessiveness and obsession.

She didn’t quite know what to call this feeling. But one thing was certain: she wanted to completely erase the hesitation reflected in those dark eyes.

It bothered her that someone who had barely met the Saint could trust her. It also irritated her that Owen didn’t recognize the clear possessiveness and obsession in those silver eyes and doubted Lucia’s words.

Lucia moved her hand from his chin and slowly traced Owen’s lips.

She felt his body tremble at her touch.

“Owen.”

She positioned herself on his lap, facing him.

As she sat on his knees, their eyes were on the same level again.

Lucia pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Can I kiss you?”

She whispered into his ear, brushing her thumb over his lower lip. His eyelashes fluttered.

She knew what his answer would be.

She asked only to hear it.

“…Yes.”

As expected, Owen nodded.

She gently caressed the tip of his reddened ear and then pulled his neck closer.

Their lips met, and she felt his breath mix with hers.

Owen had already closed his eyes completely.

Finding this endearing, Lucia brushed her fingers over his eyes.

Even with his eyes closed, he flinched and his eyelashes fluttered.

Everything about him seemed so endearing, it was almost troubling.

“Open your mouth.”

Lucia had never been in a relationship, but she had kissed before.

It was laughable, but there had been times when others were swayed by such sensual actions.

However, she had never gone further than that.

It would have been disastrous if an accident happened.

If someone needed a deeper relationship, it was better to let them go.

They were no different from rotting garbage, after all.

“You need to open your mouth.”

Lucia pulled back slightly and used her fingers to part Owen’s lips.

His red lips parted, looking quite sensual.

The contrast with his pale face only heightened the effect.

Perhaps it was because he had such a neat appearance yet was making this kind of expression.

“I said I wanted to kiss you.”

Owen’s ears were still red.

His reactions, so innocent and honest, were something she found endearing.

And cute.

“Owen.”

When she called his name again, their gazes locked once more.

Unlike before, there was only one thing left in those dark eyes.

Now, only she was reflected in Owen’s eyes.

Only her and the emotions directed towards her.

Pleased, Lucia leaned in and captured his breath once again.

Their breaths mingled, and the heat of their shared touch became almost overwhelming.

It was almost unsettling.

Owen might not have known, but for Lucia, this wasn’t her first kiss. Yet, why did it feel so intense…?

“Lucia.”

His heart pounded wildly.

As their lips finally parted, her name spilled from his mouth in a rough whisper.

His dark eyes were filled with heat.

The water she had once thought of as a calm ocean now felt scalding hot.

“Lucia…”

As he exhaled deeply, he pulled her into an embrace, burying his face in her shoulder and whispering her name once more, before tilting his head to look at her.

Their gazes met, his eyes silently asking for permission.

Lucia nodded without hesitation.

Their lips met again, this time in a rough and greedy kiss.

The awkwardness and stiffness of his earlier inexperience were gone, replaced with a fiery passion that seemed intent on consuming everything.

“Hah—”

Now it was Lucia’s breath that was catching.

She had been the one in control, the one with experience, but the situation had shifted so quickly.

Lucia found herself clutching Owen’s shoulders.

Understanding the signal, Owen released her immediately.

Fortunately, he was quick to pick up on things.

“…Are you disappointed?”

As she caught her breath, she noticed the dark gaze still locked onto her, filled with an unquenched desire.

Given his still burning eyes, it seemed that he was not entirely satisfied.

Well, it was Lucia’s fault.

Who could stay still after someone they loved asked for a kiss?

Even without fully understanding love, that much was clear.

“It’s okay.”

Despite the longing in his eyes, Owen responded calmly.

Even though one of the thighs she was sitting on seemed far from okay.

Lucia had a feeling she might have awakened a storm in a previously calm sea.

‘Did I push too far…?’

She realized she might have overstepped a bit.

Even she had to admit that she should reflect on her actions.

Kissing him without even returning his declaration of love—it could easily be seen as cruel.

Of course, once they were engaged and married, there would be more to come for the sake of having an heir.

“We’ve arrived.”

While she was mulling over her actions, the carriage came to a halt.

Owen lifted her in his arms and stepped out of the carriage, carefully setting her down.

“Owen…”

“Don’t dwell too much on what happened today.”

She opened her mouth to speak, feeling like she needed to say something, but his response caught her off guard.

It wasn’t the reaction she expected. Before she could collect herself, he continued.

“And you’re right. It’s impossible to know someone’s true nature.”

It seemed he had given it some thought and reached a conclusion.

Since Owen didn’t believe in gods, it wasn’t hard for him to arrive at such a conclusion.

Of course, that was only Lucia’s assumption.

“The Imperial banquet has likely been canceled due to today’s events, so we’ll have plenty of time to spend together this week.”

Owen realized that he needed to stop relying on the original story.

The original plot had already diverged, and Bella was no longer the Bella he knew.

If Lucia was right, Bella had become someone entirely different.

It wasn’t because the story had changed or because Owen had done something; Bella had simply been different from the start.

“Ah, I suppose that’s true. I was a bit disappointed, but that’s actually good news.”

“Do you like that?”

“Yes, very much.”

Owen smiled at Lucia’s delighted expression, even as he mentally prepared himself to find out more about the changed Bella.

“But Owen, about what happened today—”

Lucia brought up the earlier incident again.

Just as Owen was about to assure her it was fine, she finished her thought.

“I think it’s because you seemed to trust the Saint too easily. I didn’t like that you trusted her.”

Lucia was as straightforward as ever.

Whether it was about what she wanted, what she liked, or what she disliked.

Owen smiled softly at her honesty.

So that’s why she had initiated such intimate contact.

Even though he had been too overwhelmed to think clearly at the time, he had wondered about her reasons.

And now, hearing them, he found it almost amusing.

“Trusting her easily? It’s not like that. I don’t trust her.”

“Really? But still…”

Even this was so typical of Lucia.

Owen forgot his worries and simply laughed.

“I trust my memories, myself, and you.”

The only thing he truly trusted was himself.

That’s how it had always been.

But after coming to this world, things had changed.

He had found people he cared about and cherished.

Owen trusted himself, and by extension, he trusted those close to him.

“Besides, I’m a bit selfish. I only like those I care about.”