029. Reason for Change (3)
Bella was not the type to use investigative methods when she liked someone or wanted to know more about them.
She was kind, virtuous, and had a strong sense of justice.
Her way of getting to know someone was through conversations and spending time together.
Not through secretive investigations.
“Besides, it’s not even the right time for Bella to take an interest in ‘Owen.'”
Even considering the disruption and acceleration of the original story, it would be much later before Bella became interested in Owen.
It was through Owen and Kyle approaching her, talking to her, spending more time together that she gradually became interested. It wasn’t a one-sided, sudden development.
As long as Bella hadn’t completely changed as a character, that was how it was.
“…I see. I suppose.”
He wanted to ask the mercenary more about the client, but it seemed the mercenary didn’t know much either.
He must have made an effort to conceal his identity by wearing the robe.
The hood was pulled down deeply, making it impossible to see the face and appearance.
At most, one could only discern the figure, but that information was too vague.
In the temple, there were various priests and knights, regardless of gender.
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It didn’t seem like one could guess their identity based on gender or physique.
“What did the client want to know?”
It seemed there was nothing more to find out about the client.
Owen decided to inquire about other information instead.
As the mercenary hesitated to answer his question, Owen pressed on.
“T-the… He just wanted to know everything about the Duke.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. Hobbies, preferences, schedule, possessions, places visited, things done there. He said the more detailed, the better.”
Owen pondered over the details spilled by the mercenary and found it increasingly difficult to understand who this client was.
The purpose became more obscure.
Even the client’s identity.
Just looking at the listed items felt like…
“Stalking…?”
It almost seemed like stalking.
To willingly hire a mercenary to uncover every detail about someone.
Even if it meant resorting to such tactics, it was said to be stalking.
Were there such people even among Owen’s acquaintances?
However, no matter how it seemed.
A member of the temple?
Upon reconsideration, Owen furrowed his brow in confusion.
“Do you not know why they want this from that side?”
“There are things they need to know, and things they want to know… That’s what he said.”
Things they need to know and things they want to know.
It was all rather vague.
His mind grew more tangled.
Owen sighed, nodding his head.
“I understand for now. You handle the reporting, and I hope you won’t be following me around from now on. If you disregard my words and act on your own, I can’t guarantee your safety in the future.”
“Understood.”
Taking in Owen’s warning, the mercenary nodded, swallowing hard.
Having heard his response, Owen turned away without hesitation and swiftly left through the alley.
And as if nothing had happened, he calmly returned to the carriage and climbed in with a nonchalant expression.
Perhaps due to Owen’s unaffected demeanor, the coachman started the carriage without a word.
Sitting quietly on the carriage heading back to the mansion, Owen gazed out the window lost in thought.
“Stalking. If not that…”
Hobbies, preferences.
With those two, the motives of the other party could be narrowed down to a few.
Perhaps aiming for the still vacant position of the Duchess.
Or maybe someone who stalks for some reason, or -.
Those kinds of people who are hard to call mere fans, like the ones he had seen in the news back in Korea, sticking to celebrities.
“…Stalker?”
They were more like obsessive fans.
Thinking that far, Owen soon shook his head.
“That can’t be.”
The members at the temple didn’t seem like they would engage in stalking or fan-like behavior.
Unless they were other noble families like those who had targeted ‘Owen’ like Lucia.
Moreover, since Lucia had started coveting ‘Owen’ three years ago, all those who had done such audacious things had disappeared.
Though there were occasional individuals who tried to approach him, they soon vanished once Lucia intervened.
“Did something happen at the temple.”
After much contemplation, Owen concluded that it was the most realistic direction to take.
Trying to uncover his information for some reason at the temple.
“…Employing a B-rank mercenary does raise suspicions.”
Of course, there were still lingering doubts, but for now, it was the best conclusion.
“I have to find out more.”
Thinking that he would have to mobilize the Duke’s agents, he returned to the carriage once again.
Lucia had been feeling quite good lately.
Ever since returning from the hunting competition, she had been feeling this way.
– There’s no need for a big reason to like something.
She had heard such stories from Owen.
– So, as long as you’re okay. I want to know more about you.
Recalling clearly the words, Lucia gently touched the petals of the flowers carefully preserved in the vase.
It was a bouquet Owen had given her before, magically preserved.
The vase was also a blue vase of Ezzark he had presented to her when he visited the museum.
As Lucia ran her fingers over the petals, she suddenly remembered the gifts she had received from Owen.
‘There was nothing I didn’t like.’
After the flowers and the vase, the gifts Owen had sent to the mansion were rubies.
The jewelry, colored with magic and intricately crafted into necklaces and earrings, were extremely dazzling and beautiful.
Next came a black diamond, claimed to have been found in the depths of the sea.
He said he had gone to the Rodel auction house that day and bought it at a high price.
Originally, Lucia had been waiting to get her hands on it, but since Owen took it, she left it as it was.
The day after buying the gem, he carefully packaged it and sent it to the mansion.
– It’s from Viscount Verdine.
Marie’s words surprised Lucia considerably.
On the day he first sent a gift to the mansion, and even when he sent the black diamond.
Receiving a gift from an unexpected person felt both surprising and strangely fascinating.
It also made her heart beat loudly.
It was a very new experience.
Lucia was used to receiving gifts.
Feeling that way about just one gift being sent to the mansion made her feel so flustered that she surprised herself.
She was the darling of the imperial social circles, around whom the society revolved.
There were countless people who wanted to impress her.
Those who wanted to get closer to her, those who had already spoken to a certain extent but wanted to keep a distance, and even those who approached her for romantic reasons.
The gifts and invitations that came to Lucia were so numerous that it was difficult to check each one individually.
Therefore, Marie, her personal maid, handled most of it.
She filtered out only the invitations that Lucia needed to personally check, and similarly, she checked and handled the senders of the gifts rather than delivering them all.
– From the Viscount?
As a result, there were hardly any gifts that were directly delivered to her without even the wrapping being removed.
Naturally, what Owen had sent was an exception.
– Yes, the Viscount’s butler delivered it in person. Would you like to check it?
– …Yes.
Suddenly reminiscing about the past, Lucia absentmindedly plucked the petals from the flower with her fingertips.
Then she became deeply lost in thought.
Owen had said he wanted to get to know her better.
They had promised to go horseback riding together later, and also to attend the royal banquet together.
‘In that case…’
During the two upcoming meetings, she needed to give him reassurance.
He called it attraction, feelings towards me.
It didn’t matter what his true feelings were.
He just needed to make her believe that.
“Your Ladyship.”
While Lucia was lost in thought, Marie knocked on the door and called her.
“Come in.”
As the permission was given, the door opened.
Peeking through the crack in the door, Marie slightly raised her head and spoke.
“Someone from Stella Boutique has come.”
“From Stella Boutique?”
“Yes, they said it’s for Your Ladyship… Have you ordered something recently?”
“No, not yet.”
Stella Boutique was a boutique Lucia often visited.
Considering that new products would have arrived for the new season, she was planning to visit soon.
“Is that so? Then who could have sent it as a gift?”
“Perhaps that’s the case.”
At the mention of the word “gift,” Lucia rose from her seat.
Naturally, Owen came to mind.
“I have the pleasure of meeting the Lady.”
As Lucia descended the stairs and headed towards the first floor, the boutique staff in front of the door greeted her.
She briefly nodded, then gestured towards the gift boxes the staff had brought.
As if realizing they had forgotten something, the staff added, “These are limited edition items for this season. They were all sent by His Grace, Duke Verdin.”
There were quite a few boxes they had brought.
It seemed like all the limited edition items for this season had arrived.
“Thank you for bringing them.”
Lucia briefly acknowledged the staff’s efforts and instructed nearby servants to move the gift boxes to her room.
She casually dismissed the staff with a nonchalant face and headed towards her bedroom, but it wasn’t really as nonchalant as it seemed.
‘How did she know?’
Stella Boutique, where I often visit, might have been easy to figure out, but how did she know that I was planning to buy all the items for this season?
‘…Just like the gifts she sent last time.’
Come to think of it, the jewels she had sent before were the same.
How did she know exactly what I wanted and what would appeal to me?
It was almost as if she had been observing me for a long time.
Although that couldn’t be true.
It had only been about two months since Owen started taking an interest in me.
“Would you like to open them?”
Lost in thought, Lucia, back in her bedroom, snapped out of it at the sound of Marie’s voice.
“Oh, yes.”
Lucia picked up the smallest box neatly arranged on the table.
The box was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.
She untied the ribbon, removed the wrapped paper, and revealed a luxurious velvet box.
With a soft click, the box opened to reveal a sky-blue brooch made of aquamarine.
It was exactly as the design previewed in Stella Boutique’s magazine.
“Wow, wasn’t this in the magazine you saw last time? You said you wanted it.”
“…Yes.”
Lucia nodded briefly and then opened the thin, flat box.
Inside was a fan made of blue feathers.
Lucia picked up the fan, gently stroking it, and then thought again.
‘…Did someone attach this to me?’
Tap, tap.
Marie looked puzzled at Lucia tapping her palm with the end of the fan.
“Lady? Is there something you need?”
At her question, Lucia let out a breath and shook her head silently.
“No.”
Moving on to the next box, she casually brushed off her excessive thoughts.
‘It’s an exaggeration. Owen wouldn’t do that.’
Before she knew it, she had started calling him by his name in her mind and decided not to dwell too deeply on it.
Owen attaching someone to me, huh.
That was not at all like Owen.
Besides, there were ways he could gather information, like commissioning the Information Guild or moving his people, but that also didn’t seem like something Owen would do.
Owen didn’t delve that deeply into information unless it was necessary.
Unless it was a business matter.
Even if he suddenly took an interest in me, it wasn’t his style to secretly move people.
“Wow, this is a dress.”
Having finished her thoughts, Lucia pulled out a dress next.
It was a design that clearly showed the ‘beach’ theme of this season, looking thin and comfortable.
Perhaps because it was a sleeveless design, a thin summer shawl was also included in another box.
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“There are shoes too.”
Whether considering a beach on the seashore, the shoes had no high heels.
They were low and flat, suitable for walking, with straps made of thinly cut leather, clearly showing a summer style.
“It looks like sandals.”
“Sandals?”
“They’re shoes that are worn a lot in the summer. Commoners mostly wear slippers or sandals in the summer. Of course, they’re not as fancy and pretty. They’re a bit rough. There are some that are decorated, too.”
It seemed to be a form of shoes that commoners had started wearing first.
While nobles pursued ‘nobility,’ elegance, and beauty, commoners tended to prioritize convenience, so it was natural.
“This seems to be the first time Stella Boutique has offered these.”