022. Distortion (3)
“I do.”
Lucia immediately followed up on Owen’s affirmation.
“May I ask why you like them?”
After all, she had come to the mansion to inquire and learn various things from him.
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This was just the beginning of her questioning.
“As I mentioned before, they are beautiful.”
“Red roses, right?”
“Yes.”
With the same response as before, Lucia narrowed her eyes slightly.
She felt something was lacking in such a simple reason.
She needed a more definitive answer.
Not just a feeling, but clear evidence was what she sought.
Evidence that he saw her differently from others.
“Is there no other reason? Like a specific moment that made you find them beautiful?”
“Well… it just caught my eye.”
With each successive question, Owen finally realized her intention.
So, he decided to add more than just what he intended to say, sensing what she wanted to hear.
She would likely understand the words he left unsaid.
“They resemble someone who captivates me.”
“…”
Someone who captivates.
It was a blunt statement, enough to cause misunderstanding even if he was referring to someone other than Lucia.
Lucia was aware of this.
She knew that Owen was not foolish enough not to realize that what he said could lead to misunderstandings.
“So, this means…?”
Realizing this fact, her heartbeat intensified to an unprecedented level.
Not only that, but the pace quickened, creating an illusion that her surroundings were pulsating.
In the midst of it all, Lucia barely managed to repeat her question to Owen.
She wanted to know more.
Though she could already guess his intentions, she wanted to hear a more precise and detailed story.
Not a vague guess, but a complete certainty.
“Yes.”
Looking into Lucia’s eyes, Owen licked his lips.
Lucia’s red eyes now held a tremor that was previously unseen.
In her slightly trembling eyes, emotions were intricately intertwined, making it hard to grasp everything contained within.
However, one clear fact was that there was not even a hint of negativity among those emotions.
“So, my gaze fell upon you, and I grew to like you. Enough to occupy many parts of what I possess.”
He wanted to unleash emotions that seemed to overflow beyond control.
It might have been a mean gesture, but without doing so, she didn’t seem to be at ease.
Nor did she seem certain.
The fact that she was a meaningful presence to him, or that he would accept whatever she did without hesitation.
“The things you have, Lucía.”
It was a series of hesitant words that verged on confusion.
She seemed as if she would be engulfed by the heavy scent to the point of intoxication.
Lucía forcibly held onto the fading rationality, pressing her lips together.
“Yes. And the cufflinks you gave me too.”
Owen decided to pour more oil on the fire by continuing to reiterate Lucía’s words.
He picked up the teacup, intentionally making his wrist visible.
So that the single cufflink on his sleeve could be clearly seen.
“This teacup as well.”
Then, he lightly shook the teacup.
Only then did Lucía’s gaze shift to the teacup.
“Ah…”
Lucía examined the teacup closely only after Owen mentioned it.
She knew it was of a crimson hue, but she hadn’t thought to examine the details beyond that.
Her mind was preoccupied with Owen.
She couldn’t focus on other trivial things.
“Yes. Indeed, it’s intricately engraved with red rose patterns.”
The teacup was not just a simple, pretty crimson-colored cup.
It was an exquisite cup with elegant red rose patterns delicately engraved on the surface of the cup and saucer, a design not typical within the empire.
It was a high-end cup, adorned with patterns typical of other continents across the sea, making it seem hard to acquire.
“I went to see items from a business partner and it caught my eye. That’s how I obtained it.”
Whether he read the curiosity in Lucía’s eyes about how he acquired it or not, Owen added an explanation right after she finished speaking.
“I see…”
At Owen’s explanation, Lucía stretched the end of her words and grasped the teacup.
Then, she cautiously lifted it and tentatively felt the surface.
The teacup, adorned with vivid red roses in full bloom, seemed to be associated with the Edelte Duke to anyone who laid eyes on it.
The emblematic color of the Edelte Duke was red, and hence red flowers were often used during parties.
Among them, the rose was the most commonly used flower.
“Why did you think the rose resembled that person?”
Lucía, who was fiddling with the teacup, soon spoke again.
Until now, with all the words Owen had brought up, she felt quite distracted, yet she still felt like something crucial was missing.
She didn’t want to hastily make a decision and end up disappointed.
That kind of pitiful sight was not suitable for her.
“Well… it’s difficult to define precisely.”
In response to Lucía’s question, Owen slowly tapped his chin with his index finger.
Why did he think the rose resembled Lucía?
It was a question he had never pondered before.
He simply thought she resembled the rose the moment he saw it.
It wasn’t just his personal impression.
Everyone agreed.
Lucía was fiercely likened to a rose with crimson thorns.
Many used that expression in a negative light.
Describing her as a villain who, while harming others with her thorns, ultimately was just a flower that wilted and died easily when plucked.
Originally, the villain in a novel was in such a position, so in a way, it was a fitting description.
However, Owen didn’t think Lucía resembled the rose for those reasons.
“Perhaps it’s the splendor. Or maybe, the ambiance.”
Owen pondered the similarities between the rose and Lucía as he carefully spoke.
The rose, like Lucía, was splendid.
It had a strong scent and a distinct color.
At the same time, there were similarities in the ambiance as well.
“Whatever it may be, it’s not important.”
Lost in thought for a while, Owen put down the teacup and gazed directly at her.
As their dark eyes met, Owen softly pronounced Lucía’s name.
Because, Lucía.
In a deep gaze, Owen uttered her name softly.
And Lucía, wordlessly, met his eyes.
Deeply and clearly.
“You don’t need a big reason to like something.”
Owen met her gaze, facing her crimson eyes directly.
He wanted to fully face those emotionally charged eyes.
So that there could be certainty in those eyes.
“After that, good things happen that catch your eye, and you just name them as reasons.”
Those were words that could easily lead to bigger misunderstandings.
Of course, Owen was well aware of that fact.
Yet, he simply smiled beautifully.
Gently arching his eyes.
And then he spoke again.
“I want to be certain. There are still many things I don’t know.”
The words he spoke this time were all true.
Indeed, there were many things he still didn’t know.
Starting with things about his own heart.
About how I hold Lucia in my heart, the difference between being a fan and feeling love.
I was still confused and bewildered.
Adding Lucia’s worries on top made the concerns overflow.
“Whether it’s just a matter of concern or something else.”
Wanting to give her certainty while also wanting to know more about himself, Owen wanted to be honest with Lucia.
“So, if it’s okay with you. I want to know more about you.”
***
Upon receiving a report from the reconnaissance team through the communication device, Owen left the tent as soon as he finished speaking.
He apologized to Lucia and said he was sorry, but Lucia was not in a state to even listen to his words.
“So, now.”
It took a few minutes after Owen left the tent for Lucia to finally come to her senses.
Clutching the teacup tightly, she still couldn’t calm her excited heart.
“It’s me who’s concerned.”
Whether it was because of something she couldn’t believe happening, Lucia’s fingertips still faintly trembled.
“Sigh.”
Lucia clenched her trembling hand into a fist to calm herself, then raised both hands to cover her face.
“Finally.”
Lucia, with her face buried in her hands, felt a powerful thrill.
Her heart was still pounding wildly, but the new type of emotion she felt was clear.
“I thought I might never have it.”
Honestly, Owen felt like he might not have it after all.
But he didn’t plan on giving up, even though his actions seemed to indicate a lack of interest in me.
It was inevitable to realize that he was indifferent to me, and that he had no thoughts about any of my actions.
But one day, he attended my tea party.
And he started responding to my requests one by one, showing reactions to my actions.
He was gradually changing, so I thought there might be hope.
Yes, that’s what I thought.
But I didn’t expect it to come to this so soon.
“I don’t dislike it.”
No, I didn’t dislike it.
In fact, I liked it.
“I’ve waited for so long.”
She had put in so much effort to have him for a long time.
She had never invested such a long time to have something.
It had only been a few months.
But the time she spent chasing Owen was almost three years.
It seemed different.
After having it, she would have played with it for a while and then lost interest completely.
Maybe she had forgotten the fact that she had tried to have it.
“Still, it’s not complete yet. I need more time.”
Owen clearly said to her that he was concerned and that he needed certainty because he didn’t know well.
It meant that he would continue to meet her for some time, but it also meant that he could change his mind someday.
“I need to be certain. So that he thinks of me as someone special.”
The uncertain future was worrisome, but Lucia had some confidence.
She had the confidence to deeply engrave her existence in him.
He had tried to possess people more than once.
If one couldn’t delve into the depths of a person who revealed such gaps, then that person was simply foolish.