15 Jubilant!

While Luken was still panicking over his social blunder, Rowan was also feeling a spike in emotions.

For the first time, Rowan was slightly glad that he currently did not have a face, only a mirror body. Although he was always commented for his facial paralysis and biting remarks towards the nobles of Olinthus, when facing this usually somber man lose his composure over his own social fumbles, even he would not resist letting out a small chuckle.

The more time he spends with him, the more he realizes that the man is extremely awkward.

He would be a fool if he could not see Luken was trying to befriend him. Rowan never held a friendship with any of the nobles in his former country and held no relations with the servants either. Rowan was seen as a tool or seen as a nuisance taking up the country's "scarce" resources.

Rowan was quite the unsociable creature and was often rude to those around him when younger. Though, as he grew up, he became more tame and wiser, Rowan realized that he was completely isolated from everyone else. The nobles only saw intellectual value while the servants gossiped about his "true" purpose in the castle. People would often sneer or look down upon him. Always wanting to see more of his face contorting with any negative emotions. He developed a semi-permanent poker face as to not give anyone in Olinthus the pleasure of seeing him suffer.

He worked day and night to earn a little position in the castle, he wanted to be, at the very least, treated like a human being. He learned proper etiquette, studied hard and solved national problems. Even if he constantly asked for freedom from the damn castle, he still wanted a little recognition for his work, which would eventually lead him having a slightly better quality of life. Being forced to follow every order of the royalty of Olinthus just did not sit well with him, if he was going to be taken advantage of, he wanted either freedom or achievements.

Well, none of it mattered in the end as he left that country. He was just halfway from becoming free. If only he was not stuck in the mirror. In the damn mirror.

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. He might not escape ever. Those thoughts squirmed within his mind like millions of centipedes crawling all over his skin. Disgusting, constant thoughts quietly tapping in his mind with their millions of little claw-like legs.

Mental chills ran up his body, freezing him to his very core as a sudden rise of emotions began to overcome him.

But, all of that died out as fast as it came. Rowan took a reign on his emotions when he saw the attempted poker face with red ears in front of him.

He remembered his original train of thought. Luken already promised that he would help him escape his current predicament.

As a friend, Rowan should trust him.

Additionally, how could he actually get angry when a face as adorable as Luken's is in front of him? The answer? He can't!

Luken still had his lips flattened into a line, before opening them up with effort.

"Sorry. Forget that." The sunset-eyed man stated curtly. Rowan mentally raised an eyebrow as Luken's ears have seemed to cool down.

. . .

Did Luken seriously think that his blunder would be forgotten just because he told him to? Luken was clearly regaining his lost composure from his prior sentence.

Silly, naive, ignorant, unsociable man!

He heavily sighed internally. They both had poker faces that displayed little to no emotions and yet, even Rowan was better at socializing than Luken! And he was placed under house arrest for over half of his life!

Well, that just increased his charm. Men with appearences that contradict their personality are indeed the cutest. If he was right, he overheard the maids call it "gap moe."

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