Those Eyes That Longed For Owen, I Didn't Like It

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 the honeyed 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 Owen had presented to her when he visited the museum.

As Lucia ran her fingers over the petals, she suddenly remembered the all gifts she had received from Owen.

'There was nothing I didn't like...'

After the flowers and the vase, Owen had sent a ruby to the mansion. The ruby, colored with magic and intricately crafted into necklaces and earrings, were extremely dazzling and beautiful.

Next was a black diamond, claimed to have been found in the depths of the sea. Owen said he had gone to the auction house 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 Edelt's Mansion. She remembered how surprised she was when she heard Mari's words that day.

"It's from Duke Verdin."

It was the day where Owen directly sent a gift to her mansion for the first time. And on top of that, it was the black diamond that she craved for.

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. That's why it was very surprising for her to feel that way just because of a gift being sent to the mansion.

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 closer 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, Mari, her personal maid, handled most of it. She filtered out only the invitations that Lucia needed to personally check, and then she checked and handled the remaining senders of the gifts.

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.

"From the Duke Verdin?"

"Yes, the Duke'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 also had promised to go horseback riding together later, and to attend the royal banquet together.

'In that case...'

During the two upcoming meetings, she needed to give him more reassurance.

He said the feelings towards me were only a kind of attraction.

But actually it didn't matter what his true feelings were.

Because all she needed to do was to make him believe that it was love.

"Milady..."

While Lucia was lost in thought, Mari knocked on the door and called her.

"Come in."

As the permission was given, the door opened. Peeking through the crack in the door, Mari slightly raised her head and spoke.

"Someone from Stella Boutique has come."

"From Stella Boutique?"

"Yes, they said it's for Lady Edelt. Have you ordered something recently?"

"...I haven't though?"

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? Perhaps it was sent to you as a gift?"

"Maybe that's the case."

At the mention of the word 'gift', Lucia rose from her seat.

Naturally, Owen came to her mind.

As Lucia descended the stairs and headed towards the first floor, the boutique staff in front of the door greeted her.

"I have the pleasure of meeting the Lady."

Lucia briefly nodded, then she elegantly 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 of 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. Then, 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 he know?'

It might have been easy to figure out the Stella Boutique where she often visited, but how did he know that she was planning to buy all the items for this season?

'...Just like the gifts he sent last time.'

Come to think of it, the jewels he had sent before were the same. How did he know exactly what she wanted and what would appeal to her...

'It was almost as if he 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 her though.

"Would you like to open them?"

Lost in thought, Lucia, back in her bedroom, snapped out of it at the sound of Mari's voice.

"Oh, yes."

Lucia picked up the smallest box that was neatly arranged on the table. Then she untied the ribbon, removed the wrapped paper, and revealed a luxurious velvet box inside.

With a soft click, the box opened to reveal a sky-blue brooch made of aquamarine. It was exactly the same as the design previewed in Stella Boutique's magazine.

"Wasn't this in the magazine you saw last time? You said you wanted it."

"...Yes."

Lucia nodded briefly and then she proceeded to open another thin and flat box. Inside was a fan made of blue feathers.

Lucia also picked up the fan, gently stroking it, and then thought again.

"...Did he really attached someone to follow me around?'

Tap, tap, tap-

Mari looked puzzled at Lucia tapping her palm with the end of the fan.

"Milady? Is there something you need?"

At her question, Lucia let out a breath and shook her head silently.

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.

To attach someone to follow Lucia around...

That was not Owen's style.

Besides, there were better way for him to gather information, like commissioning the information guild or moving his people in secret, but that also didn't seem like something Owen would do.

Owen didn't delve that deeply into information unless it was a business matter or something that was really necessary for Owen. He wouldn't investigate in this way just because he was attracted to somebody.

"Oh! 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.

"There are shoes too."

Perhaps he was considering to have a walk on the beach, that why 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."

Lucia, who was quite satisfied, smiled as she lifted the shoes carefully placed in the box.

"I should go for a stroll by the lake..."

While Lucia was smiling happily, Mari opened the last box. This time, it was a set of small earrings and a necklace made of blue sapphires in the shape of shells.

"Or maybe a trip to the seaside..."

The design seemed to be inspired by the sea and the beach, making one think of the designer being captivated by the sea. Although there was a certain mood for each season, this was at the level of pleading, "please wear it by the sea."

'Hm, since summer is approaching, it wouldn't be bad...'

In April when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, Lucia had her first private conversation with Owen.

The day of the garden party was still vivid.

The words they shared on the lake too.

A month had passed since that day.

After the hunting competition and two weeks later, the season was heading towards the beginning of summer.

The end of June was a firm declaration of the end of spring.

'Shall we go to the seaside?'

After the hunting competition, Lucia met Owen two more times.

One was his dinner invitation, and the other was her invitation to him.

Drinking tea with Owen in the rose garden in full bloom in June was three days ago.

'...There was no talk of horseback riding.'

Come to think of it, there was a promise made at the hunting competition, but Owen had not mentioned it since then. He had contacted her well and they also had met several times, but he seemed very busy recently.

He seemed preoccupied, as if something was bothering him.

'...Is it because of the saintess?'

Lucia, reaching that thought, lightly furrowed her brow.

If there was something bothering Owen now, it would probably be the sudden appearance of the saintess.

Due to the saintess awakening in the forest, he had responsibilities to handle. And as she was a saintess born miraculously after a long absence, all eyes were on her, so it wasn't strange for Owen to be concerned about her.

'But I don't like it.'

Lucia understood the reason, but she still didn't like it.

The moment she saw the saintess at the hunting competition, she realized.

That those eyes were definitely a longing and unbearable eyes.

Lucia, who was fiddling with the jewel of the necklace in her hand, put it back in the velvet box and let out a deep breath.

It was impossible not to know.

How could she not notice?

The emotions reflected in the silver eyes of the saintess were the same as hers.

Unfortunately, she seemed to be the only one who noticed that fact.

'Owen seemed unaware, but...'

Lucia tapped the table quietly, pondering.

'I thought there wouldn't be such a thing since three years ago.'

Three years ago, after meeting Owen for the first time, Lucia used her power and authority to drive away those around him.

And those who remembered that incident dared not approach Owen.

Occasionally, there were young nobles who climbed up using their status as nobles, secretly trying to approach Owen by avoiding her gaze, but...

'Ah f*ck! Being too popular is a problem after all.'

Lucia exhaled deeply and cursed under her breath. 

'Well, there's nothing could be done with such looks.'

It was because Owen was excessively beautiful.

Fragrant flowers are bound to attract insects.

On the right sides of him were businessmen and nobles who approached him based on his abilities and status.

And on the left sides of him were young ladies who were attracted by his looks.

The latter had significantly decreased since three years ago, but that was probably only on the surface. It wouldn't be easy to give up on such a perfect being like Owen.

"Should I stir up more rumors of love?"

Lucia got up from her seat with a sly smile.

It seemed like she would have to write a letter after all.

If Owen doesn't speak first, there's no other way.

She, Lucia Edelt, have to take the lead.