104. Birthday (5)

Owen spent his entire birthday with Lucia.

They enjoyed the events she had prepared with the servants, cut into the large cake and ate a slice, shared tea, and strolled through the garden.

By the time they realized, it was lunchtime again, and they dined at a pavilion in the garden. After spending more time there, they rode horses to visit places they hadn’t had the chance to explore the day before.

They toured the knights’ quarters and the training grounds, even stopping by the historical museum, a place Owen hadn’t visited in years.

“So, this is the place.”

The museum housed the remains and portraits of the first Duke of Verdun and his successors, up to Owen’s late parents. The building was grand and imposing.

Unlike the Verdun family’s signature black, the museum was built with pristine white bricks, resembling a temple.

Yet the Verdun family wasn’t particularly close to temples or religion.

Inside the pure white walls, rows of black urns were meticulously arranged, with the portraits of the deceased hanging above them.

The museum didn’t only honor the duke and duchess; their children were also memorialized, unless they had married into other noble houses. Consequently, the hall displayed a considerable number of portraits.

Owen and Lucia walked along the line of portraits, starting from the first Duke of Verdun to the late duke and duchess.

The hallway stretched far, with many blank spaces still remaining on the walls.

Spaces that would one day be filled.

The two lingered in front of the late duke and duchess’s portraits before leaving. Despite knowing of each other’s infidelities at the end, the two were still laid to rest together.

In their portraits, they wore the same noble, imperious smiles.

“They’re just people in paintings.”

Lucia commented as she looked at the portraits.

Owen slowly parted his lips to respond.

“…Yes. That’s true.”

As she said, the late duke and duchess were gone now.

Without recorded video or sound, all that remained of them were these images.

And yet, like characters from a film, they often reappeared in Owen’s memories to torment him.

“Shall we go?”

Owen tore his gaze away.

No matter how much they haunted his mind, they were gone.

They could no longer truly harm him.

Never again.

* * *

During their days at the estate, Owen and Lucia explored every corner of the castle.

Once they had seen all there was to see, they decided to tour the rest of the territory.

The two mounted their horses and headed to the nearby city.

The city just outside the estate was quite large.

“There are so many people.”

Riding atop Lina and passing through the marketplace, Lucia spoke with amazement.

Unlike the capital’s streets, which were frequented by nobility, this area was predominantly inhabited by commoners, giving it a very different atmosphere.

Instead of boutiques, cafes, and bakeries, there were modest restaurants, bread shops, fruit stands, and butcheries.

Street food vendors were scattered throughout, and there were a few clothing shops catering to commoners.

“It’s midday.”

The streets bustled with life during the day.

At night, while not completely deserted, the city was much quieter compared to the lively nightlife of the capital.

“Once we leave here, we’ll get to see the villages too, right?”

“Yes.”

After exploring the marketplace for a while, Lucia turned to Owen with a question.

When he nodded, she smiled and urged her horse forward, eager to see the vast fields and tranquil villages she imagined.

Together, they quickened their pace and left the city behind.

They followed a path leading to the sprawling farmlands.

By the rivers and streams, fields stretched as far as the eye could see, growing crops like wheat and rice.

The fields had already been harvested, leaving behind golden stubble that shimmered in the autumn sun.

In addition to grains, there were many plots growing various vegetables and fruits. Most had been cleared in preparation for winter, except for those cultivated in greenhouses or hanging from trees.

Lucia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she took in the expanse of farmland flanking both sides of the road.

“This might be my first time seeing fields like this up close.”

Though the Edelte ducal family was renowned for its agricultural wealth, Lucia had never had the opportunity to explore the land herself.

That duty had always fallen to the Duke of Edelte and his heir, Louis.

“This will all be yours someday.”

Watching her gaze around in wonder, Owen spoke softly.

The farmers who worked this land weren’t sharecroppers. They owned and cultivated their fields, paying only a portion of their harvest as taxes to the estate. The crops they grew were theirs to keep.

But the land itself was still part of Verdun’s domain.

If Lucia became a Verdun, she would rightfully be called the owner of this territory.

“…I suppose so.”

Lucia’s response came slowly as her horse’s pace began to ease.

With no knights accompanying them, Owen and Lucia were riding together, just the two of them.

“It feels… strange.”

Lucia smiled uncertainly, her lips curving as though she couldn’t quite put her feelings into words.

Her expression held a mix of awe and nervousness.

“I’ve never had anything that I could truly call mine, other than a few belongings.”

Her quiet murmur prompted Owen to ask with a playful smile.

“Does that not include me?”

“…Ah. You’re right, I do have you.”

Lucia let out a soft laugh at his teasing before breaking into a radiant smile.

Her crimson smile shone brilliantly under the midday sun, more beautiful than ever.

“So that means you and this land will be mine too.”

“Exactly.”

“Perfect. Who else could have both you and the Verdun territory?”

Lucia’s voice was bright with delight as she turned Lina in a new direction.

The journey back to the estate castle had begun.

“Let’s head back.”

Owen and Lucia had left the city far behind. They had passed through villages, raced alongside fields, and traveled past rivers and streams, where yet another village would appear, eventually marking the boundary of another territory.

“Alright.”

Owen gave a brief response, turning his horse to follow Lucia.

Lina and Mill ran side by side, the white horse and black horse drawing attention as they galloped together.

Part of the spectacle came from their riders. Owen, dressed sharply in a riding outfit with his black hair gleaming, and Lucia, with her vibrant red hair and matching attire astride a white horse, made it clear they were nobles. Their striking appearance left no doubt about their status.

Moreover, in the empire, there was hardly anyone who didn’t recognize the significance of black and red—symbols of the Verdun and Edelte families, known far beyond noble circles.

Even as villagers and townsfolk glanced at them in recognition, neither Lucia nor Owen paid any attention. They leisurely rode their horses back to the estate castle.

The servants greeted their return warmly. Though they had once worked under the late duke and duchess, they seemed quick to recognize and accept their new masters.

“Lucia.”

As they dismounted and entered the main building, Owen called out.

Lucia turned to look at him as he spoke in a low voice.

“Tomorrow is December.”

Today was the last day of November. Tomorrow, the winter month would begin.

And Lucia’s birthday was only a few days away.

“It is, isn’t it? Time flies.”

Lucia blinked, counting the days. It felt like spring had only just ended, yet winter was already here.

Another year was drawing to a close.

“Do you think it will snow?”

Realizing the season’s arrival, Lucia turned to the window and mused aloud. It was both a question to herself and to the weather.

The sky, as always, remained silent, but Owen responded.

“It might.”

Snowfall in early December wasn’t common, but it wasn’t unheard of either. If they were lucky, it could happen. Though it would likely be light flurries rather than a thick blanket of snow.

“I hope it snows on my birthday.”

Resting her chin in her hand, Lucia smiled.

“That way, it’ll be even more memorable.”

Owen’s birthday this year had been special. A day that had once been filled with loneliness and monotony was instead brought to life with color and warmth, thanks to Lucia.

He had carefully preserved every moment of that day in his mind, cherishing her words, capturing scenes with the recording crystal, and savoring the taste of the bittersweet tiramisu. Even as time passed, the memories would remain vivid. Even if they faded, the impressions left behind wouldn’t be forgotten.

“Let’s hope it does.”

Just as Lucia had made his birthday special, Owen wished for her to have a birthday worth remembering for years to come. Though he had his preparations, her wish coming true would mean the most.

Silently, Owen wished for snow to fall on the 3rd.

* * *

Miracles are rare.

Both Lucia and Owen believed this.

After all, what made a miracle special was its rarity.

But on December 3rd, something truly miraculous happened.

Just as Lucia had wished, it began snowing in the morning.

“Wow, it’s really snowing!”

The moment Lucia woke up, she flung open the window. Cold winter air rushed into the room, but she didn’t care.

Tiny snowflakes, almost like flurries, were falling. It was unmistakably the season’s first snow.

“Owen, it’s snowing.”

Lucia stretched out her hand toward the falling snow, her voice filled with excitement.

Having spent the previous night together, the two were still in the same room. Normally, it was Lucia who visited Owen’s bedroom, but today, Owen had come to hers.

“Just as you wished.”

Owen sat up and walked to the window. His neck bore the marks of the previous night, left by Lucia.

Draped in only a robe, his collarbone and chest were partially visible, also adorned with faint traces of their shared intimacy. Lucia’s persistence was evident in the marks she left—on his neck, shoulders, and even his back.

“Are you alright?”

Owen asked softly, wrapping his arms around her from behind and whispering into her ear.

Despite appearances, it was usually Lucia who felt the aftermath. Her body often ached the next day, her muscles protesting the strain. After all, there was a limit to how much a non-athletic person could keep up with someone as physically trained as a Sword Master.

“I’m getting used to it, so it’s manageable. Maybe I should start exercising, though.”

Lucia’s reply was playful as she turned around to face him.

The two stood there, holding each other close. Lucia looped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

“I’ve been too lazy, but maybe if I worked out, my stamina would improve. I’d catch colds less often too.”

Resting her forehead against Owen’s shoulder, she traced the marks she had left before lifting her head again.

“I’ll have to cover these up again.”

“Most likely. But Lucia…”

Owen answered briefly, his voice low and serious.

There was something more important than the snow outside—something he needed to say.

Today was her day.

“Happy birthday.”

His deep voice resonated softly, and Lucia’s eyes curved into a warm smile.

“Thank you.”

 

 

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