081. Affection (4)

The sensation of his touch on the back of her hand was both ticklish and pleasant.

Lucia glanced down quietly, but Owen gently withdrew his hand and moved to sit across from her.

Not long after, the sound of knocking filled the room, followed by the entrance of attendants and maids.

It seemed Owen had sensed their arrival in advance, already aware they would come.

“I’ll pour the beverages,” one of them announced.

The attendants and maids skillfully arranged appetizers on the table and poured drinks and water with precision.

‘Come to think of it….’

The curious thing was that none of the servants mentioned the large bandage on Owen’s nape.

It was undeniably suspicious, its size akin to the palm of Lucia’s hand. Yet, no one said a word.

‘They’re pretending not to notice on purpose.’

It likely meant the servants were keeping their silence.

Servants in the Verdun ducal household were selected after passing numerous tests and screenings. They were either exceptionally loyal or incredibly perceptive.

In short, there wasn’t a single fool among them who would take internal matters of the house outside its walls.

“Enjoy your meal.”

After setting up the appetizers, the servants bowed and left the room.

Today’s menu consisted of stew, bread, and fruit yogurt as a starter.

Lucia couldn’t help but smile faintly at the sight of the fruit on the table again today.

Back in Edelte, not once had her favorite foods been served. Here, however, meals tailored to her tastes appeared daily.

It was a delight that brightened her spirits.

She felt cared for, not just by Owen, but by all the household staff.

“Lucia.”

Just as she was enjoying the appetizers in good spirits, Owen called out to her.

She turned her gaze to him, and he continued.

“You may have heard already, but it seems I’ll be heading to the north soon.”

“…Yes, I heard. You’ll be visiting the ‘Forest of Mist’ next week, right?”

“That’s right.”

The schedule Bella had requested was rapidly approaching.

At the mention of it, Lucia let out a quiet sigh.

“To be honest, I’d rather you didn’t go… but it’s an imperial command, so you have no choice.”

From Lucia’s perspective, it was far from ideal.

Knowing the obsession and possessiveness she had glimpsed in Bella’s eyes, it was impossible to feel at ease sending Owen to her.

But she was also aware there was nothing to be done about it.

The emperor’s command was absolute.

Although the Verdun ducal household and the Mage Tower didn’t have the best relationship with the imperial family, they typically complied to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Moreover, this matter involved resolving a monster issue in the northern region, making refusal nearly impossible.

It wasn’t just a matter of clashing with the imperial family; it could also stir unrest among the citizens of the empire.

“I’ll do my best to return as quickly as possible.”

Thus, Owen’s response to the situation was limited.

Lucia, fully understanding this, could only nod.

“Alright.”

* * *

That night, Owen and Lucia fell asleep in the same bedroom.

Technically, they were supposed to use separate bedrooms on different floors. However, having already shared a room, Lucia argued there was no reason to sleep apart, and Owen agreed.

Having overexerted herself the previous day, Lucia wasn’t feeling well. After bathing, the two lay side by side and drifted off to sleep.

The first to fall asleep was Lucia, her body fatigued.

Owen lay beside her, staring at her peaceful face for a long time before finally succumbing to slumber himself.

As he drifted into sleep, a familiar scene greeted him.

– If you desire something, speak it.

It was a dream.

But it was also a memory Owen had lived through.

– Your parents requested freedom in business and reliable rest during the vacation season.

The memory continued, picking up from the summer of his eighteenth year.

The boy, who had lost his parents and become the head of the Verdun household, was already a perfect heir thanks to the harsh training he had undergone. Without any deficiencies, he inherited Verdun and stood before the emperor with his demands.

– I hope there won’t be restrictions in terms of business.

– If that’s what you desire, so be it.

– And, I would appreciate your assistance in excusing myself from all social gatherings except the summer imperial banquet.

While the Verdun household could ignore invitations outright, it wasn’t exactly polite. Perhaps for that reason, the boy intended to use the emperor’s authority to prevent invitations from being sent in the first place.

– That’s rather unexpected.

– I wish to avoid troublesome and noisy affairs.

The boy loathed anything chaotic. The emperor agreed to his request, and with that, the deal was concluded.

From then on, the boy’s life was monotonous. He managed the businesses inherited from the Verdun family, oversaw household affairs with his retainers, and handled various matters in the territory. Periodically, he traveled to the estate to inspect its condition, visited business partners, and developed new ideas, which he then researched thoroughly.

Despite his busy schedule, he never skipped his daily training. He participated in the biannual hunting tournaments without fail and attended the summer banquet as agreed in his deal with the emperor. After spending four exhausting days at the banquet, he would sleep deeply for about a week to recover.

In other words, except for that week, the boy hardly ever slept properly. His fear of nightmares outweighed his exhaustion. Reliving the day his parents had died, reduced to cold corpses, over and over in his dreams made him reluctant to sleep. To forget, he immersed himself in work, stayed awake longer, and gradually grew desensitized to sorrow and emotion.

Years of this turned the boy into an adult with a gaping void in his heart. Even after reaching adulthood, his life remained the same—dull, repetitive, and uninspired. Owen Verdun lived solely out of obligation.

The duty of being a perfect head of the family, a knight, and a noble.

Had there been someone capable of taking his place as head of the Verdun household, Owen might have ended it all long ago. For a knight or a noble, ending one’s life was not dishonorable as long as it didn’t tarnish one’s name.

To fulfill his duty as the perfect head of the family, Owen continued his listless existence.

Then, in the year he turned twenty-one, his boring, uneventful life was disrupted.

– Ah, I’m sorry!

Lucia Edelte.

At twenty-one, Owen Verdun met a young lady who would relentlessly chase after him from that moment on.

– No need to apologize. It seems to have been a mistake.

– Would you dance with me?

– ….

– I wouldn’t call it an apology, but I did step on your foot, Your Grace.

– As you say.

– Pardon?

– Offering a dance as an apology seems strange.

Their first meeting had been rather cold.

It was during the imperial banquet, just as he remembered.

– Hello. So this is where you’ve been.

Their second meeting also occurred at the imperial banquet. Since it lasted five days, meeting her again the next day was no surprise.

– I guess that’s why I couldn’t find you anywhere else. You’ve been on the terrace the whole time.

– …

Owen regarded Lucia with a silent, annoyed gaze. Just as she had said, he often retreated to the terrace to escape the noise and stares of the crowd. Dealing with people was exhausting enough without being overwhelmed by them.

For years, he had spent imperial banquets on the terrace, avoiding interaction. Yet, the young lady before him had disrupted that peace.

– Most people wouldn’t enter if they saw someone inside.

He muttered irritably, but Lucia only smiled brightly, unbothered.

– The curtains weren’t drawn. I assumed that meant it was okay to come in.

– ……

Her sharp, unexpected replies left him speechless. Owen swallowed a sigh and turned his head away—a clear sign he intended to ignore her. But Lucia stayed on the terrace until the banquet ended, continuing to talk to him despite his silence.

The next day, and the day after that, Owen found himself stuck with Lucia on the terrace for the entire duration of the banquet. By the end of it, he was so drained that he managed to sleep properly for two whole weeks.

– Your Grace, Duke Verdun.

Owen thought the ordeal was over, but the red-haired young lady was more persistent than he expected. She even went so far as to hire an information guild to learn his schedule and began following him.

Whenever he visited a restaurant or café for business meetings, she would appear there. If he inspected one of his businesses, she’d show up again.

She never interfered directly with his work, so he had no reason to expel her. Instead, she quietly observed and approached only after his tasks were done to strike up a conversation.

It was baffling.

– Stop following me.

When he finally told her off in exasperation, Lucia replied with a radiant smile.

– I’ll stop if Your Grace pays attention to me.

– If I had any interest, you would have known by now. After all this time, surely you’ve realized that.

– But, Your Grace, I can’t help it. I’m the type of person who has to achieve what I set my sights on.

– There’s no reasoning with you, is there?

Exasperated, he gave up trying to make her understand and simply ignored her. But Lucia persisted, following him for three whole years.

Finally, unable to comprehend her motives, Owen asked, – I don’t understand why you’re following me, my lady. Why me, of all people?

He was genuinely curious. She had a striking appearance and a brilliant mind. Why waste her time chasing after him?

– Because you’re handsome, Your Grace.

– ….

– And kind. Even though I’ve been following you, you’ve never said anything harsh.

– My lady, basic courtesy is not kindness.

Her reason left him dumbfounded. Owen never asked her again.

And then…

[You’ve come into my body, haven’t you?]

A familiar voice echoed.

The memories faded, and Owen’s image emerged.

[The last proper conversation I had with Lucia was about a year ago. And even that was just like those earlier exchanges.]

He seemed to recall Lucia as a bothersome, exhausting presence. A woman who was nothing but trouble.

[Once all these remaining memories and experiences are transferred, we won’t meet again.]

As if lost in thought, the figure spoke those words. When Owen looked up in surprise, he was greeted with a faint smile.

[It means you’ll fully become Owen Verdun.]

 

 

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