068. Dream (6)

As the story of Lucia came up, Owen felt embarrassed for no reason.

Since they had shared the same body, it seemed like he had seen everything.

[You don’t have to feel so ashamed. It’s not like I can go around telling anyone about it.]

“Well, that’s true, but…”

[And eventually, I’ll become you. Just keep that in mind.]

Owen slowly nodded.

Then, he heard a soft chuckle.

His laughter.

Startled, Owen looked at him, and the man reached out his hand.

Where it touched was Owen’s head.

As he gently stroked it, the man continued speaking.

[You’re the only one who would truly know everything about me. Even knowing that, you still seemed to pity and feel sorry for me.]

“That’s because I…”

There was no helping it.

It might not have been the same from his perspective, but for Owen, that’s how it felt.

In such a harsh and unkind environment, the child had grown up isolated.

How could one not feel pity and compassion for such a child?

[I’m not criticizing you. I just found it fascinating how easily you understand and empathize with others’ emotions. You often feel sorrow and sympathy, and in the end, you truly understood everything about me. That’s what amazed me.]

Slowly, he withdrew the hand that had been stroking Owen’s head.

Unable to find any words, Owen simply looked at him, and once again, the man chuckled softly.

[Thank you.]

“…I didn’t really do anything.”

[Even feeling that way is something.]

“…”

[It looks like dawn is breaking. Let’s part ways for today.]

He bid Owen farewell.

As Owen blinked, his vision blurred.

The man’s figure began to fade, leaving only one last word behind.

[Until next time.]

* * *

Just as he had said, when Owen opened his eyes, it was morning.

The rain that had poured all night had stopped, just as the expression “the dawn has broken” suggested.

He had expected the downpour to continue for several days, but it seemed to have stopped for a brief moment.

Owen rose from his bed, looking at the sunlight streaming through the curtains.

The clock showed 7 o’clock.

When he drew the curtains open, the sunlight immediately filled the room.

“Owen…”

As the early morning sun greeted him, Owen recalled the dream from the night before.

That dream was certainly not just a simple illusion.

It must have been reality.

“Owen, you’re still here, aren’t you?”

Owen was now himself, but the one who had once been Owen remained within the body as a soul.

It was his body, so if he willed it, he could come forward whenever he wanted, yet he hadn’t shown even a hint of that.

In fact, he had even told Owen to take his body and absorb his soul.

Technically, Owen had taken over the body, but hearing words of gratitude made him feel strangely conflicted.

‘Still, knowing the reason makes it a bit easier.’

The good thing was that Owen now understood why the memories resurfaced and why he had been confused about his identity.

And in the end, Owen was certain that he could fully remain as himself here.

“…That’s enough for me.”

It was a positive thing.

However, Owen couldn’t be entirely happy.

In the dream from the previous night, he had said that there was no need to feel sorry, but it wasn’t something he could completely let go of.

As he mentioned, it wasn’t as if Owen was disappearing entirely; he was becoming a part of Owen.

Still, the fact remained that the original consciousness was fading.

And there was no denying that Owen had taken over his body, so the feeling of guilt was inevitable.

‘If only I hadn’t read *The Flower of the Empire*.’

If only he didn’t know how the original story ended, perhaps it wouldn’t have felt so heavy.

But knowing that he was supposed to be genuinely happy in the original story made it worse.

It felt like Owen had taken away and destroyed the happiness that should have belonged to him. It was an unavoidable feeling.

‘If he knew I was thinking like this, he’d probably give me a bemused look.’

He didn’t seem to view the absorption or transfer of his soul as a sacrifice or abandonment.

That’s why he would sometimes show a confused or slightly exasperated face, as if he couldn’t understand why Owen felt guilty or burdened.

He hated it when Owen apologized or felt guilty.

“Your Grace.”

Just as Owen was deep in thought about the dream from last night, the sound of a servant’s voice broke through, accompanied by a knock on the bedroom door.

“It’s time for you to wake up.”

“Yes.”

Owen replied briefly, and the servant entered the room.

It seemed they were there to assist with his bath and help him dress.

Though not entirely necessary, Owen allowed them to assist him without resistance.

Perhaps this was another influence of “Owen.”

After finishing his bath and dressing, Owen headed to the training grounds to exercise.

Morning training had become a routine for him, almost like a habit.

He planned to finish his training quickly, taking advantage of the brief pause in the rain.

‘This is probably his influence too.’

When Owen thought about it, this kind of habit wasn’t something he used to have.

It was likely another sign that he was becoming more and more like him.

Owen brushed the thought aside as he jogged lightly around the training ground.

After completing ten laps and picking up his sword, he heard Lucia’s voice.

“You’re training early in the morning.”

Lucia hadn’t expected to stay for several days, so she hadn’t brought any clothes with her.

As a result, the dress she wore today belonged to the former duchess of Verdun.

“You’re quite busy, aren’t you?”

The deep green dress had a refined and elegant feel to it.

The design was outdated, giving off an antique vibe.

The former duchess of Verdun had always been one to pursue a ‘noble’ look, and many of her dresses carried that distinct air.

However, on Lucia, it evoked an entirely different atmosphere.

“You woke up early too.”

Owen sheathed his sword and approached her.

Since he had been exercising and was sweating, he kept a suitable distance from her as he spoke.

“Does the dress fit you well?”

“It’s a little short.”

Lucia was quite tall.

Owen’s height was nearly 190 cm, and though Lucia was 170 cm, she didn’t seem short in comparison.

“You’re taller than my mother, so I suppose that’s why.”

As a result, the dress revealed her ankles.

Though it still suited her in its own way.

Lucia’s natural radiance and captivating presence remained unchanged.

“At least the shoes are close to the right size.”

The shoes beneath her exposed ankles were heeled.

They were made with a block heel and had a pointed toe design.

“Are they uncomfortable?”

“No, they’re fine.”

Though her response was reassuring, Owen still found himself slightly concerned.

He couldn’t help but be reminded of his mother, who had always been uncomfortable when wearing high heels.

Whenever she wore new shoes or ill-fitting ones, her feet would often get sore.

He also knew well that high heels were uncomfortable and not great for one’s health.

“If you’d like, I could buy you new shoes. The same goes for the dress.”

That’s why he asked.

If she wished, he would have no trouble contacting the boutiques.

“Are you really planning to call in a boutique for just a few days’ stay?”

“Why not?”

“Well, the rumors will certainly spread then. About me staying at the Verdun estate.”

Lucia responded lightly.

As Owen listened to her words, he thought it might not be such a bad idea.

After all, they had announced the engagement after the banquet.

Since it had come to this, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to spread a few more rumors.

Besides, for reasons unknown to him, Bella had declared that she wanted him, so perhaps this would be a way to make her give up on her own.

It would also help rid him of that persistent young lord of the Marquis of Selyd, who had been clinging on to her.

“Then I’ll make the arrangements. If I give the order to the head maid, one of the boutiques with time to spare will send staff over.”

It seemed like a good idea, so he voiced his thoughts, causing Lucia to blink.

“That… you don’t have to go that far.”

“I want to.”

Owen calmly responded to her flustered voice.

“You mentioned you were bothered too, didn’t you? About the saintess.”

He added quietly.

Lucia’s expression hardened as soon as Bella was mentioned.

It was a reaction that seemed almost reflexive.

“Once we’re engaged, there won’t be much she can do. Until then, this is the best we can do.”

“….”

Lucia hesitated, her mind clearly racing as she pondered Owen’s words.

Owen waited patiently for her response.

He already knew what her answer would be.

“…Alright. Let’s do it.”

Lucia’s possessiveness and obsession were strong.

She also seemed to have a deep well of jealousy.

Her crimson eyes, burning with unmistakable emotion, were proof of that.

“The rumors will spread by today, no doubt. I hope it irritates her. She’ll be too busy with her investigation to do anything about it.”

Her muttered words were so very typical of Lucia.

Owen chuckled softly and called over a passing servant to send word to the head maid.

If they passed on the message early in the morning, someone from a boutique would arrive by the afternoon.

There was no shortage of boutiques on Boutique Street, and none of them would want to miss out on a customer from the Verdun Duchy.

“By the way, Owen.”

As the servant left and he turned back, Lucia called out to him.

He met her gaze, silently prompting her to continue.

“Yesterday, I asked you, didn’t I? If you thought I might like you.”

“…Yes, you did.”

What was she trying to say?

Owen exhaled a short breath, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

Then Lucia asked her question.

“Why did you think that? I’ve thought hard about it, but I still don’t understand.”

Her face was full of confusion.

The look of turmoil, mixed with perplexity, made it clear just how unsettled she was.

“And you, Lucia?”

Owen answered her question with one of his own.

Lucia’s eyes showed her surprise.

“What made you so sure about me?”

“….”

At his additional question, she fell silent.

Her rose-colored eyes clouded over as she sank into thought.

After a long moment, Lucia finally spoke.

“Your actions and behavior. It was obvious.”

“My actions and behavior?”

“Yes. When we went to Oceane. That’s when I realized.”

Owen carefully recalled the memory of their trip to Oceane.

His behavior and actions there, huh?

It made sense, though there were so many instances to consider that it was hard to pinpoint exactly which one she meant.

“When we were having tea before going to the sea. That’s when I noticed that you were trying to win me over.”

“Ah.”

Her response was unexpected.

But it made sense.

At that time, he had wanted to show Lucia the most beautiful view of the ocean.

He had also wanted to ensure she wasn’t uncomfortable.

“Now that I think about it, it was obvious. Even the gifts you sent me were all perfectly aligned with my tastes. You put so much effort into them, and I just didn’t realize it.”

“…I see.”

She wasn’t wrong.

That realization made Owen feel a bit embarrassed.

He had always thought it was only natural to carefully select gifts with great attention, which is why her words caught him off guard.

He didn’t think those actions had been so noticeable.

“Once I realized, I could see it. In everything you did, in all your words and conversations, it was clear. You love me.”

“I guess I’m not very good at hiding it.”

Feeling a bit dejected, Owen spoke, but Lucia lightly shook her head.

“Your eyes didn’t give anything away. That’s what was surprising. It’s hard to read your eyes. It got a little easier after you confessed, but before that, I couldn’t tell what you were thinking at all.”

“Is that so?”

This was the first time Owen had heard this.

Since he couldn’t see his own expressions, he had never noticed.

It was possible that this, too, was a habit he’d picked up from him.

“On the other hand, your eyes are the only giveaway.”

Owen replied briefly and changed the subject.

Since Lucia had explained her realization, it was now his turn.

“You’re so good at acting and controlling your expressions that I can’t tell from that. But your emotions are always clear in your eyes. They reveal everything you try to hide.”