079. Affection (2)

“Uh…?”

Owen was taken aback by Lucia’s question. It was clear he hadn’t anticipated her asking about this and hadn’t thought of an answer.

Lucia usually wasn’t one to scrutinize details like this, so he hadn’t prepared himself for this situation.

“You’re not particularly interested in bakeries, are you?”

Owen slowly opened his mouth, scrambling for an excuse.

“Well… not usually, no.”

“Then how did you know about that bakery? I haven’t even been there myself.”

“…Well, because I know you like strawberries.”

The best excuse he could muster was this.

“I thought you might enjoy strawberry cake.”

“Oh.”

“So I looked up bakeries that sold strawberry cake, and I happened to notice it while passing by.”

It wasn’t the most convincing answer, but it sounded plausible enough. Satisfied with his own response, Owen let out a subtle breath of relief as he glanced at Lucia. Being entirely honest wasn’t really an option, so this was the best he could offer.

“I see… I thought you might be looking to start a business in bakeries, too.”

Fortunately, Lucia seemed to accept the explanation. Relieved, Owen replied casually.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

It hadn’t occurred to him, but he realized it might actually be a good business concept. A shop focused on fruit-related bakery items could certainly catch her interest.

‘And maybe they could offer a selection of drinks as well…’

As Owen began musing over potential new business ideas, Lucia shook her head with a smile.

“At this rate, you’ll be involved in every kind of business just because I said I like something.”

“Well, there’s nothing stopping me.”

At her playful complaint, Owen chuckled softly.

Sighing, Lucia set her teacup down, then reached out to gently stroke Owen’s cheek.

“Hmm… maybe it’s a problem. With all these businesses, will you even have time left to spend with me?”

“How could that happen? All of this is for you, after all. If I lose time with you, then it’s all pointless.”

Owen leaned into her touch, and Lucia smiled, clearly pleased.

“That’s right. Even if you shower me with gifts and meet every little desire I have, it all means nothing if you’re not there.”

“Of course.”

Lucia continued to softly stroke his cheek before finally letting her hand fall. Then she stood up and moved to sit next to him.

“You know, I heard today at the tea party that you’ve been secretly donating to orphanages.”

Sitting beside him, Lucia brought up the topic, prompting Owen to turn his gaze to meet hers.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, one of the count’s daughters mentioned it. She said her father is the orphanage director.”

“Ah… Count Smith, I presume.”

“Is that right? Anyway, she said you’ve been making donations quietly and that you seem to be a very kind person.”

“Count Smith is too loose-lipped.”

Owen clicked his tongue softly in irritation at her words.

There was a clear reason why Owen had insisted that the donations not be made public.

First, it was simply the way the original “Owen” had done things. Owen’s parents had taught him that donations were one of the duties of the nobility. Following their guidance, Owen had regularly contributed, though he kept it a secret, adhering to the Verdun family’s tradition that true nobility carried out their duties without boasting.

The second reason was his desire to avoid drawing attention. Owen, like the original, found value in donations; he had more than enough wealth and saw meaning in spending it on those in need. However, he wanted to avoid attracting notice or inviting gossip. Already possessing a high-profile position and power, he didn’t need additional attention from the noble class or anyone else.

“I specifically asked him to keep it quiet.”

“So that’s why I hadn’t heard any rumors?”

“Exactly.”

“Do you think the young countess overheard her father by chance?”

“Possibly. Either that, or perhaps Count Smith told her directly. In either case, it was careless.”

“Mmm…”

Lucia murmured in understanding, then placed her hand on his thigh and leaned in close.

“So, why?”

The unexpected touch made Owen flinch slightly, though Lucia continued calmly, ignoring his reaction and pressing for an answer.

“Why are you keeping your donations a secret? Is there a particular reason?”

Her voice was soft and enticing, her smile dazzling as she whispered from so close that their breaths mingled.

Feeling Lucia’s warm breath so close, Owen tilted his face to the side, his ears already turning red.

“Hmm? Come on, Owen, tell me,” she coaxed, exhaling softly right by his ear. The sensation was hot and ticklish, causing his throat to shift with a gulp.

Amused, Lucia watched him, gently brushing her fingers through his hair. His lashes trembled slightly, fluttering under her touch.

“…I just don’t like drawing attention,” Owen finally managed, choosing his words carefully despite his scattered thoughts. His slow reply was laden with a hint of breathiness.

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

As Owen nodded, Lucia smiled and gave him a brief kiss on the forehead. His once neat hair had become tousled from her touch, a strand or two falling out of place.

“But still, Owen, you’ve always been at the center of gossip.”

“That’s just the nature of being born a Verdun.”

“Somehow, I think that’s not the only reason.”

Her lips trailed down from his forehead to gently brush his nose. The continuous trail of kisses made Owen flinch again, and Lucia chuckled softly, stroking his head in a soothing manner.

“With looks like yours, living quietly wouldn’t be easy. Even if you weren’t a Verdun.”

“That….”

Owen started to respond but quickly fell silent, realizing she was right. He was well aware of how striking this body’s face was—almost unrealistically so.

“Oh, so you do know, then? Judging by how you can’t even respond.”

Then, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

After the brief kiss, Lucia found herself seated comfortably on Owen’s lap.

“Honestly, it’d be absurd if you didn’t know. With a face like this, not realizing you’re handsome would be too much.”

Lucia reached out, her hand grazing his face from his sharp chin, trailing up along his cheek, and then to his ear. She tugged lightly on his earlobe, causing Owen to flinch again.

“It’s almost unfair that someone with a face like this reacts so shyly.”

As she laughed, clearly enjoying herself, Owen took a long, steadying breath. Lucia, prone to playfully teasing him when overcome with jealousy or possessiveness, seemed to be doing so now simply for her own amusement.

Noticing this, Owen asked, “Did something happen?”

Looking at her, he saw Lucia pause her teasing of his ear and instead lifted his chin to meet her gaze.

“Yes,” she answered softly.

She leaned in again, her lips claiming his with more fervor, nipping at his lower lip before slipping her tongue past his parted lips. Owen, accepting her invitation, pulled her closer, his hand supporting her by the nape of her neck.

Lucia wrapped one hand around his arm, the other keeping hold of his chin.

A few heated moments passed, but eventually, breathless, it was Lucia who had to pull away, resting her head against his chest to catch her breath.

“This is honestly unfair…”

Owen looked down, amusement in his eyes as he asked, “What’s unfair?”

“Why is it that after we kiss, you’re always so composed?”

“That’s because you still haven’t quite mastered breathing through your nose.”

“…Maybe I should practice, then.”

Owen’s expression grew serious.

“Practice what?”

“Breathing through my nose, obviously. Did you think I’d go practice kissing with someone else?”

His face still slightly tense, Owen’s expression softened as she pressed a playful finger against his forehead.

“If I’m going to practice, it’ll be with you. Not that it seems to help much, though.”

“Maybe you just haven’t practiced enough,” he replied with a hint of humor, surprising her.

“Oh my, Owen, I didn’t know you could say things like that.”

Grinning, she poked his cheek in a playful manner.

“For a man who always seemed like the epitome of noble blood and restraint…”

“…It’s not that extreme.”

“Oh, but it is. The Verdun family has a strong reputation for being conservative and noble to the core.”

Owen fell silent, acknowledging her point. She wasn’t wrong—the Verdun family was indeed highly traditional and proud of their pure noble lineage.

They were unrestrained in hiring people based on merit rather than birth, but when it came to the family’s core values, they were strict. They only allowed direct descendants to inherit the title, and they placed great importance on the noble virtues of philanthropy and humility. Charity and good deeds were a given, but it was forbidden to boast about them. The family also forbade any involvement in dubious activities like fraud, murder, or exploitation. Drugs, gambling, and tobacco were strictly off-limits, though, paradoxically, the family maintained connections with intelligence guilds and assassins.

“So that’s why you won’t make a move on me, even in… well, these situations.”

Lucia glanced down at one of Owen’s thighs, where she was seated, and her brief glance caused a blush to spread over his ears and cheeks.

“It’s kind of ridiculous how you just sit there, embarrassed. We’re both adults, after all.”

“…That’s true.”

Lucia was twenty-one, and Owen was twenty-four. But still…

“Tradition says we shouldn’t even stay on the same floor until marriage.”

Lucia sighed at his reasoning.

“There you go, proving again just how noble you are.”

She muttered, pulling on his tie. With her gentle tug, his tie loosened easily. While Owen processed what she was doing, she unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.

“Or is it thanks to your legal parents’ influence? Did they teach you these values?”

“…Yes, they did.”

He couldn’t deny it. In his memories as “Owen,” such lessons were vividly present.

“That’s absurd. They’re the ones who had affairs, yet they expect their son to live chastely until marriage?”

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?”

To him, it seemed like a reasonable practice. However, Lucia didn’t see it that way; she gave him a look as though he’d said something outrageous.

“That’s ridiculous! Here I am, liking you, loving you, dating you, and the furthest we’ve gone is kissing.”

“….”

Owen had no response to that. As he remained silent, Lucia sighed again, a little more dramatically this time.

“Honestly, the countess and the other young ladies at the tea party talking about how kind you are… it all put me in a bit of a mood. But now, none of that matters.”

Ah. So that was what this was about.

All her earlier teasing had been a result of that feeling, it seemed. As Owen finally realized it, Lucia continued.

“What’s actually bothering me is how strictly you’re clinging to hollow traditions.”