089. Warning (1)
The freezing winter wind blew as if to freeze everything.
The icy coldness brushed past Bella and tousled Owen’s hair.
The bedroom floor was slippery with snow that had come in through the wide-open window.
Even the warmth maintained by insulation spells inside had turned cold.
“You probably boasted about knowing ＜Empire’s Flower＞ better than anyone else. Right?”
“…Can you say it wasn’t you?”
“I thought the same. I’ve read the novel ten times.”
Bella lightly chuckled at Owen’s question.
Then she took a step forward and stood in front of Owen.
“You’ve probably read it more than me, right? You’ve been so eagerly watching Luciya, so you must have.”
“….”
Owen remained silent.
It was true, but there was no need to affirm it unnecessarily.
Bella probably already knew that fact.
“But you’ve never focused on Bella’s story even once while reading ＜Empire’s Flower＞. You’ve only remembered things related to Luciya.”
“What does that matter?”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s good for me. Thanks to that simple trick, you fell for it.”
“….”
Owen stayed silent.
There was nothing he could say as everything Bella said was true.
“As long as the snowstorm continues, you won’t be able to return quickly. It would be better if you’re late for the engagement ceremony, but if it comes to that, you’ll try any means.”
“Don’t act like you know me well.”
As Owen gritted his teeth, Bella chuckled lightly, mocking him.
“How could I not know you? Owen, I know you as much as you know Luciya.”
The whisper in his ear was filled with certainty.
Bella straightened her waist and squinted her eyes.
“You said so. You are Owen now. Do I understand that now too?”
Despite the anger boiling inside, Owen couldn’t deny Moore’s words.
According to her, he was Owen, albeit with slightly different ways of thinking and acting, heavily influenced.
And above all…
“Owen would do anything for the one he loves. You are that person. I know.”
‘Owen,’ both Owen and Owen.
All loved similarly.
It was like that from the beginning, but it felt even more so since coming here.
No, maybe coming here led to starting to love for the first time, unknowingly becoming Owen-like from the start.
His love could only be in a way Bella knew.
“I don’t mind being stuck in a snowstorm for a week. That should be enough.”
“You…”
“Even if you glare like that, it’s no use. I don’t care what expression you make.”
Owen looked at Bella as if frozen, but it had no effect.
She just smiled and teased Owen.
“Think about being stuck with your feet tied. What might be happening in the capital? Doesn’t it intrigue you?”
***
The day after Owen left for the north.
Lucia received a letter from Lord Edward Selleed.
[Lady Edelt.
I have one request.
There will be a ball held at Selleed Manor soon.
I hope you will grace us with your presence.
I do not consider it a difficult request, but if you find it so, I am willing to offer some assistance.
However, I hope you won’t need that help.
Edward Selleed.]
The letter was brief.
Lucia ignored the letter containing only business matters.
There was no reason to pay attention to the letter from her ex-fiancé with whom things ended badly.
Moreover, next month, Lucia would be engaged to Owen.
So why would she comply with a request from a former fiancé?
Therefore, she simply ignored it.
“Marie?”
“She… She fainted earlier and can’t come.”
An unexpected outcome.
“I don’t know why, but it seems Marie’s lunch was mixed with nuts. However, Marie has a nut allergy so…”
The servants of the Edelt estate undergo allergy tests in advance and submit them.
Likely, the same for other noble families.
It was to prevent accidents.
If one ignored an allergy and consumed or came into contact with something, risking their life.
Hence, the estate took allergies seriously.
Thus, such accidents were unlikely to happen.
Mistakes could happen, but they were still very rare occurrences.
[I do not consider it a difficult request, but if you find it so, I am willing to offer some assistance. However, I hope you won’t need that help.]
The contents of the letter flashed in her mind.
So, out of curiosity, she sent a letter to Lord Edward Selleed inquiring about it.
And…
[Lady Edelt.
As you mentioned.
I believe my gift might assist you in making your decision.
I hope you will attend the ball at Selleed Manor to meet me.
I have a matter to discuss with you.
Edward Selleed.]
From Noble mtl dot com
A letter devoid of any sense of guilt came back.
It seemed like he felt no remorse for what I had set in motion.
As if he only cared about things unfolding as he wanted.
Lucia had always thought.
Humans unknowingly are selfish and live by utilizing all the parts they can.
That was Lucia’s way of thinking and concept, but such a thing couldn’t be termed as ‘selfish’.
It wasn’t selfish; it was immoral and cruel.
To lightly regard human lives and be able to snuff them out, to simply threaten compliance.
“Dare you touch my people?”
With that alone, Lord Celid Yeongsik dared to touch Mari.
For Lucia, there were only two true people: Mari, and Owen.
Touching one of them, Lucia’s anger was inevitable.
“Since you touched my people, you better be prepared to lose. I am someone who reciprocates what I receive.”
Lucia sent a letter with such content.
And the response came back swiftly.
As if there was no need to even consider her words.
“Unfortunately, I have nothing to lose. I don’t have anyone like my people because they didn’t give me their affection. You and I are different in that regard. You have precious things, that’s what I mean.”
Such content was written in the reply that came back.
Along with threatening demands.
“Please come to the gathering. If you do so once, your cherished maid will be safe. I assure you.”
It was a glaring manipulation, a trap.
However, Lucia had no choice but to accept those words.
“If that’s your wish, I shall personally come. If this seemingly trivial invitation had ulterior motives, you better be prepared.”
Taking a noble’s life was extremely difficult, but killing commoners was no big deal.
Even if Mari worked at Edelt Castle, she was ultimately just a commoner.
Lucia was certain.
The Edelt Duke would not move just to protect her personal maid.
Lucia was the only one who could protect Mari.
Lucia also knew there was a clear way with Lord Celid Yeongsik.
Though she had uncovered Mari’s allergy and pulled off this stunt today, there was no guarantee that he wouldn’t do worse.
Playing such a big prank on Edelt Castle’s servants was by no means an easy task.
It was hard to infiltrate due to rigorous tests and gates to become a servant, so there would be no one among the new people who belonged to Lord Celid Yeongsik.
Instead, it must have been someone who was originally a common servant.
Whether it was exploiting a weakness or offering something needed.
As long as Lucia had the power to move the Edelt Duke’s servants, she had no choice but to choose.
To meet Lord Celid Yeongsik and bring the matter to a complete end.
***
The gathering at Lord Celid’s was in just four days.
With the preparation time tight, Lucia had no choice but to pick a dress from her collection to wear.
Lucia put on the black dress she had bought from Owen’s newly opened boutique.
Thanks to its rich and glamorous design, the black dress sparkled unlike its somber color.
She wore matching high heels with the dress and adorned herself with a necklace made of crimson spirit stones from the last royal gathering, heading towards Lord Celid’s.
This time, the gathering at the Lord’s was for the birthday of Lord Celid’s daughter, Hanna.
Lucia, who would attend all major social gatherings, had not received an invitation to this one until Lord Celid Yeongsik sent a letter.
Since Edward’s separation and Hanna’s dislike and distance from Lucia, Hanna would not have invited Lucia to her birthday celebration.
This time, the invitation was from Edward, not Hanna.
“Please come in.”
Upon arriving at Lord Celid’s, the knights in front of the mansion greeted her with courtesy.
Despite the hustle and bustle due to the gathering and the abundance of carriages, they were diligent.
After responding appropriately, Lucia stepped out of the carriage.
If it had been an ordinary gathering, people would have crowded around her immediately, but today, the protagonist of the gathering, Hanna, who had distanced herself from Lucia since their fallout, only mingled with those who openly disliked Lucia.
As a result, Lucia had to deal with piercing gazes directed at her.
Having received such intense gazes even in everyday life, the gazes didn’t feel as sharp or stinging, but it was somewhat unfamiliar to be met with nothing but enmity and dissatisfaction in those glances.
The gazes weren’t frightening or dreadful.
They were merely intriguing and amusing.
Those who normally whispered behind her back and couldn’t even lift their heads in her presence were glaring at her as if she were a dead prey they hated but feared to approach.
“Allow me to guide you to the hall.”
Ignoring the penetrating gazes, Lucia followed the servant’s guidance towards the hall.
The gathering had yet to begin as carriages were still arriving in succession.
Glancing briefly at the scene, she entered the hall. Unlike royal gatherings, titles were not used at normal gatherings.
It was a form where guests arrived at the designated time, signaling the start of the gathering, and enjoyed it together.
“Lady Edelt.”
It wasn’t long after stepping into the ballroom.
An unwelcome, yet familiar voice reached her ears.
Lucia turned around with an expressionless face.
As expected, Edward Selleed’s face came into view.
A man with brown hair and brown eyes stood taller than Lucia and considerably shorter than Owen.
“I’ve been waiting. Thank you for coming.”
Viscount Selleed spoke with a joyful expression.
His tone and expression were completely different, drawing a cool, snake-like emotion with his eyes, which Lucia found amusing.
She faced him, raising the corner of her mouth.
In her hand was a black feather fan they had chosen together.
Lucia unfolded the fan, covering her lips as she replied.
“Please, go ahead, Young Master Selleed. Tell me why you’ve summoned me here.”