105. Birthday (6)

Just as Lucia had prepared a grand event for Owen’s birthday, Owen also had his own plans for Lucia.

Unlike Owen, who preferred calm and quiet celebrations, Lucia enjoyed things that were bright and extravagant. Knowing this better than anyone, Owen decorated the banquet hall instead of a dining room.

He transformed the space into something fit for an actual ball, complete with lavish decorations. The tablecloths were pristine, a live orchestra was prepared to play, and a mountain of gift boxes awaited her.

At the center of it all was Lucia’s favorite dessert: a strawberry shortcake. But this wasn’t just any cake—it was a towering three-tiered creation, adorned with two long candles and two shorter ones.

Lucia stood speechless, staring at the massive cake.

“…You got a cake bigger than me.”

She looked slightly dazed but quickly regained her spirit, already thinking ahead.

“For my next birthday, I’ll have to go even bigger. And…”

She trailed off, drawn to the pile of gifts as the orchestra began playing softly.

“I didn’t bring anything because I thought it’d be a hassle, but you brought everything.”

“…You mean you left your gifts behind?”

“Yes, I asked for them to be sent to the capital residence.”

Lucia’s cheerful explanation made Owen momentarily pause.

It wasn’t a competition to see who could bring more gifts or prepare a bigger cake, but the two seemed equally invested in making their celebrations grand.

“Still, I doubt I prepared as well as you did.”

Lucia reached for the topmost gift box, pulled the ribbon, and opened it to reveal a winter cloak. Thick and warm, the cloak was not only functional but also beautifully designed, matching her preference for elegant and noble styles.

“You really know my taste too well.”

She held up the cloak, her tone full of admiration, and draped it around her shoulders before moving on to the next box.

Inside was a scarf, deep wine-red with golden embroidery.

“…Look at this.”

The embroidery depicted none other than the Verdun family crest—a design that could only be used by a direct member of the family.

“You know me too well.”

Lucia shook her head lightly, smiling, and opened another box, revealing a silver pendant. The pendant was ornate and sophisticated, and when she pressed it open, it clicked to reveal a miniature portrait inside.

It was Owen, but not as he was now—this was a portrait of him as a young boy.

“Oh my. I’ve never seen this one before.”

Lucia’s eyes sparkled as she examined the pendant, gently setting it aside before opening another box.

Each box held something new and perfectly suited to her. The cloak, scarf, and pendant were just the beginning. Owen had carefully selected gifts that matched Lucia’s desires.

More than anything, what Lucia desired most was to fully embrace Verdun—to leave Edelte behind and become part of the Verdun family. Owen’s gifts reflected this wish: items in the Verdun colors of black, adorned with the family’s crest, and even the deed to a villa.

“You’re giving me the Oceane villa?”

The villa Owen gave her was the one they had visited together in Oceane.

Without hesitation, Owen nodded.

“You liked it, didn’t you?”

“Well, yes… but I also wanted it to be somewhere you liked.”

“If it’s yours, I’ll like it even more.”

Knowing Lucia so well, Owen’s whispered words brought a smile to her face. She shook her head but ultimately accepted the deed.

After unwrapping all the gifts, the two finally sat down for breakfast. Together, they enjoyed an opulent meal in the banquet hall, followed by slices of the enormous strawberry cake. The rest of the cake, they decided, would go to the servants.

“Let’s go enjoy the snow.”

After finishing their cake, they stepped outside.

Rather than riding horses, they chose to walk. The light flurry of snow wasn’t enough to cover the ground, but it still fell gently around them.

Lucia tilted her head back to gaze at the white-clouded sky.

“Owen.”

“Hmm?”

“You remind me of the first snow.”

Owen tilted his head slightly, puzzled, prompting Lucia to elaborate.

“The first snow is pure and clear. It falls without blemish, and it’s so white.”

Lucia said Owen was like the first snow—pure and clear. Though he didn’t entirely understand, he nodded.

Lucia smiled.

“But when it touches the ground, footprints mar it, and it gets dirty. You’re not like that.”

“…So to you, I’m like the moon, the sea, the snow, and even the black moon flower?”

“Something like that.”

Lucia laughed softly and reached for Owen’s hand, holding it gently.

“Honestly, I just like you.”

Her voice was a tender whisper.

The warmth and gentleness she had learned from Owen now came naturally to her.

“No matter how much I list the things that remind me of you, none of them could compare to you.”

Someone who once believed love was unnecessary had come to crave it more than anyone. She cherished Owen’s steady, boundless love and had learned to return it with warmth and affection.

Lucia spoke her feelings, just as Owen had taught her.

“I like those things because they remind me of you.”

“…Today, you’re the one saying things like that.”

Owen finally broke his silence after listening quietly.

“Even though it’s your day.”

“That’s what you said on your birthday.”

“I must have learned it from you.”

Owen gave a short reply and smiled.

“I love you, Lucia.”
As always, he added his confession.

* * *

After spending three more days at the estate, Owen and Lucia packed their belongings and returned to the capital.

The journey back, just like when they left, took five days. By the time they arrived in the capital, it was the 9th.

Autumn had fully passed, and it was now early winter.

“It’s snowing here too,” Lucia said as the carriage entered the capital.

Thick, heavy snowflakes fell from the sky, unlike the flurries they had seen before.

“Do you think it’s the first snow here?”

Lucia glanced out the carriage window, watching the snow fall, and asked aloud.

Owen followed her gaze and lightly parted his lips.

“Not sure…”

They could ask the servants who had stayed behind in the capital for confirmation, but for now, there was no way to know.

“Does it matter? What’s important is that we saw the first snow together.”

Owen turned his gaze back to her as he spoke.

Lucia smiled in response.

“You’re right. No matter what, we were together when it snowed for the first time.”

Her voice was cheerful as she spoke, but then she turned to Owen with a curious look.

“Owen?”

Owen quietly looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

“Do you think you’ll be able to think of me when you think of the estate now?”

Her question was unexpected, catching him off guard.

But Owen smiled, his lips curving naturally as his eyes softened.

“Yes.”

Owen had never liked going to the estate.

It was filled with too many remnants of the late duke and duchess. Memories of the past, the urns and portraits in the museum, and the thousand unchanged servants—all of it dragged him back to painful times.

“But now, I think I can.”

Because he had spent time there with Lucia.

They had walked through every corner of the castle and the territory together, creating new memories to replace the old.

Just as he associated Oceane with the days they spent together by the sea, he knew he would now think of Lucia whenever he visited the estate.

The blue ocean reminded him of her standing under the crimson sunset, just as snow would now remind him of the moments they shared in its quiet beauty.

Trauma was cruel and relentless, difficult to forget no matter how hard one tried.

In this world, there were no treatments or medications for such wounds, unlike in Korea.

But it was possible to dull the edges of those memories by creating new, brighter ones.

“That’s a relief.”

When Owen nodded, Lucia murmured softly before speaking again.

“Owen, did you know?”

She looked out at the snow-covered scenery, her voice thoughtful.

“I’ve received so much from you. More than I ever expected.”

The carriage moved steadily as the snow fell heavier, blanketing the ground in white. Children spilled out of their homes to play in it, their laughter echoing.

“Things I might never have known in my lifetime.”

Owen had given her new memories—vivid and full of life, coloring what had once been a monotonous grayscale.

He had also given her love, something she had only watched from afar, never experiencing herself.

And Lucia, in turn, had learned what love was. She had discovered emotions like happiness, which she once claimed to be indifferent to, and kindness, which she now recognized only Owen could show so purely.

“You taught me about love and happiness—things I never cared about before. You showed me a gentleness I’d never seen.”

She had learned from him what it meant to feel deeply, to value someone more than herself.

Though she was still clumsy at expressing it, she had begun to carve these new emotions into her world.

It would take time for her to fully embrace and return them to others, but now, at least, she understood.

She even knew how to give, albeit in small ways.

“For me, that’s an honor,” Owen replied, smiling at her words.

More than anything, he wanted to give her everything she desired. He wanted her to have everything she wished for and more.

But above all else, Owen had one wish for Lucia.

Her happiness.

The feeling she once said she didn’t understand.

“And my greatest wish has always been for your happiness.”

Now, she said she knew what it was. That alone brought him relief and joy.

“That’s just like you,” Lucia said with a soft laugh.

Shortly after, the carriage came to a stop.

The coachman opened the door, and Owen stepped out first, extending his hand to Lucia.

She took his hand and descended from the carriage, stepping into the thick, falling snow.

“I’m happy,” Lucia whispered under the white flurry.

“Your wish has come true.”

“…Yes.”

Owen tightened his grip on her hand.

“And I’m happy too, because I’m with you.”

Then, he pressed a kiss to her hair, imagining the many days they would spend together in the future.