093. Warning (5)

Lucia sat in the carriage, her gaze fixed on the view outside. The Celid marquessate grew smaller with each passing moment, and she eventually let out a long sigh.

“A truly immoral man…” she muttered, clicking her tongue in frustration.

“What a ridiculous stunt.”

Her tone dripped with disdain as she absently fiddled with the earring dangling from her ear. The crimson spirit stone adorning it glimmered faintly, still securely in place. The matching necklace rested perfectly around her neck.

“I suspected he might dabble in dark magic, but using hypnosis and suggestion magic? That’s just absurd.”

Dark magic had become a relic of the past, its practitioners rarely surfacing. Spirit stones, too, were remnants of an ancient era, as spirits no longer roamed this world. However, one fact remained unchanged—spirits and demonic forces were natural enemies.

Because of this inherent opposition, spirit stones held powerful defensive properties against dark magic. They rendered dark magic ineffective.

“If I hadn’t worn this, I would’ve been completely under his control.”

Lucia thanked her foresight in wearing the spirit stone jewelry. Without it, she would have been vulnerable to Edward’s schemes.

“I’ll have to revise my plans,” she mused.

Initially, she had intended to play along, pretending to be under Edward’s spell to gather evidence against him. If he had invited her to his estate or disclosed details of his illegal dealings in a letter, she could have used it against him.

But Edward had proven to be more cautious than she anticipated. Without going alone to an unknown location, she couldn’t obtain anything substantial.

“And there’s no way I’m going somewhere unfamiliar by myself.”

She might have considered it if she could bring a knight or two, but venturing into unknown territory alone was out of the question. Whatever happened after would fall solely on her.

Edward’s invitation was almost certainly to a clandestine and likely illegal location, and there was no telling what would occur there. One thing was certain—it wouldn’t be pleasant.

“I’ll just ignore him.”

Lucia came to a quick decision. There was no need to exhaust herself over revenge or punishment. It was a waste of time. Besides, she would soon be engaged.

Edward’s attempt to manipulate her using dark magic to reverse the situation had failed spectacularly. Now, there was nothing left for him to do.

“When Owen gets back, I’ll let him know.”

Unlike Edward, her position was overwhelmingly advantageous. Edward had far too much to lose and an abundance of vulnerabilities. Once Owen was informed of Edward’s actions, he could easily dismantle him.

With the combined power of Verdun and Edelte, Edward’s fall would be swift and decisive. A mere marquessate heir daring to provoke Edelte? Owen wouldn’t tolerate it.

“That’ll be satisfying. I’ll get to avenge the insult to my people properly.”

The more Lucia thought about it, the more appealing the scenario became. How fitting it would be for Edward, dreaming of possessing her, to face such a humiliating downfall.

“I need to see Father when I get back.”

Smiling to herself, Lucia decided her next steps. Owen might take some time to return, but she could mobilize the Duke of Edelte in the meantime.

* * *

It was exactly one week, just as Bella had predicted, before Owen could leave Count Taylor’s territory. No matter what options they explored, waiting for the snowstorm to subside was the only viable choice.

Even once the snow stopped, the thigh-deep drifts made travel difficult. Still, Owen managed to retrieve his horse and make his way back to the capital. He left everyone else behind to wait for better conditions, setting out alone.

Bella didn’t bother trying to stop him. She had no reason or desire to.

Owen’s black warhorse, a formidable beast accustomed to battle and hunting, plowed through the dense snow with impressive ease. Despite the deep snowbanks, its large frame and sheer strength allowed it to press forward steadily.

Though slower than usual, the fact that it could move at all in such conditions was a miracle.

Upon arriving in the capital, Owen didn’t even stop at the Verdun estate. He rode straight to the Edelte residence.

“Owen!”

The servants wasted no time alerting Lucia to his arrival. She descended to the first floor still in her indoor attire—a soft pink gown that, despite being for the home, was elegant and ornate.

“You’re back?” she called out, descending the stairs quickly. Without hesitation, she rushed toward him, throwing herself into his arms.

Owen exhaled a breath of relief as her warmth enveloped him. Whatever fears had plagued him during his journey seemed to dissolve in that instant.

“Yes,” he replied simply.

Pulling her close with his gloved hand, he felt her press her face against his chest. After a moment, Lucia raised her head, her crimson eyes meeting his.

“Were you worried?”

Owen’s face remained tense, his breaths still heavy from the hurried ride. It was clear he had come straight to her without pause, driven by concern.

Though his panic was beginning to fade, it had been evident from the moment she called his name.

“A little,” he admitted.

Owen didn’t deny Lucia’s question. Instead, he nodded quietly.

When he did, Lucia placed her hand gently on his cheek, stroking it softly. Owen leaned into her touch, as though drawing comfort from it.

“Why were you so worried? It’s not like rumors could have spread that far,” she said, her tone light but curious.

“…Rumors?”

Owen’s voice dropped, his expression darkening as he caught the unsettling implication behind the word.

“Yes. Something happened while you were away,” Lucia replied, meeting his gaze with her crimson eyes.

“What kind of something?”

A flicker of dread appeared in his dark eyes as he waited for her answer.

“Edward Celid pulled one of his little stunts—crossing the line as usual,” Lucia said casually, as though recounting a minor inconvenience.

Owen’s heart plummeted as if it had struck the floor, his breath catching. He remained silent, urging her to continue.

“At first, he tried to threaten me by endangering Marie’s life, all to invite me to some banquet. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he actually tried to use dark magic on me.”

Lucia spoke without hesitation, as if the matter was nothing worth concealing.

“There are plenty of rumors about him, you know. I even suspected he might be capable of it, so I went prepared. I wore jewelry crafted from spirit stones—those nullify dark magic, after all.”

“So, you’re saying…”

“I almost fell for it,” Lucia admitted, her voice calm, as if it were no big deal.

Owen’s fists clenched at her words. She was speaking so lightly, yet the weight of what could have happened crushed him.

She had anticipated Edward’s nature, prepared herself, and the worst had been avoided. But that didn’t erase the reality of how close she had come to disaster.

“You were unharmed, then?” Owen’s voice was tight, as if holding back a tidal wave of emotions.

Lucia nodded. “Nothing happened. Thanks to the spirit stones, I was fine.”

But Owen’s mind was consumed by what-ifs. What if she hadn’t suspected Edward? What if she hadn’t worn the spirit stones? If that had been the case, she might have succumbed to his hypnosis, forgotten Owen, and lived with false memories and thoughts imposed upon her.

She would have been a shadow of herself, manipulated and trapped in a false life.

“I was careless,” Owen muttered, exhaling heavily. His voice was filled with regret. “I should have done more. If I’d known he was capable of this…”

He bit his lip, berating himself. He had known what Edward was—a dangerous man without morals. He’d even investigated him after hearing Lucia’s warnings. Yet, he had failed to connect the dots.

Perhaps, somewhere deep down, he had made a naive assumption. That Edward, claiming to love Lucia, wouldn’t harm her. That his love would keep him from crossing that line.

But Owen’s love wasn’t like Edward’s. To him, love meant cherishing, protecting, and doing anything to ensure the happiness of the one he loved. He had failed to understand that Edward’s warped, obsessive love bore no resemblance to his own.

“Does it not bother you?” Owen asked, his voice tinged with guilt and worry.

Lucia tilted her head, confused by his reaction. “I told you, nothing happened. I’m perfectly fine.”

But Owen’s gaze stayed on her, searching for any sign of lingering distress or harm. “You weren’t hurt? And you’re sure it didn’t leave you shaken?”

Seeing the raw concern etched into his face, Lucia felt a flicker of surprise. She hadn’t expected this reaction. She had assumed he would be furious at Edward and focused on seeking justice.

Instead, he was blaming himself for something that wasn’t his fault. Edward had clearly crossed the line, but Owen seemed to carry the weight of the situation as though it were his own failing.

“Nothing happened, Owen. I already told you—I’m fine because of the spirit stones.”

Still, Owen’s distress was undeniable. His genuine care for her was unlike anything she had experienced before. It was a kindness so pure that it left her momentarily speechless.

Lucia wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered softly, “Stop worrying so much. Come on. You look exhausted—you should sit and rest.”

She took his hand and gently led him toward the drawing room. Owen followed her without resistance.

Once they reached the drawing room, Lucia guided him to a chair and called for a maid to bring tea and refreshments. She also helped Owen remove his heavy winter cloak and outerwear, revealing a thick shirt beneath. Though he still looked rugged from his winter journey, his attire was noticeably lighter without his coat and mantle.

“Owen.”

When the maid arrived with tea and refreshments, Lucia poured a cup and placed it in front of him. Owen accepted the cup, sipping slowly before setting it down. Once the maid had left the room, Lucia spoke again.

“There’s no reason for you to worry about me. I understand why you did, but I’m really fine.”

Owen nodded slowly, clearly making an effort to ease his own mind.

“But there is something you can help me with,” Lucia added, giving his hand a gentle pat.

Her crimson eyes gleamed as she made her request.

“I need you to gather evidence on Edward Celid’s illegal activities. Proof of his involvement with dark magic would be even better. I want to ensure he falls completely—and permanently.”