Chapter 32 - Lewis’ Confession (2)

Looking at his expression, I involuntarily smiled.

—somehow, his smile was very reassuring.

My heart naturally warmed because of it—what a strange man…

While feeling such a thing, I wrote my name on the notebook.

Lionel looked at the name I had just written, and commented while smiling. “Amelia—what a pretty name.” His eyes showed genuine sincerity. When he smiled, he looked like a boy.

For some reason, that smile seemed familiar to me.

He then inquired.

“—then, what should I call you? Can I call you Amelia?”

I nodded without even thinking. He smiled joyfully.

“Call me Lionel—ah, wait… you can’t speak…” He looked a bit embarrassed and sad.

At the sight of him, I couldn’t help but relax.

For the first time in decades, I felt at ease. Born in a noble family, I had no difficulty in living, and yet, I always felt uneasy. It was as if my entire life had been set in stone. It was so boring and full of dilemma—every day felt repetitive, it made me feel constrained inside.

The older I got, the more I could understand the thoughts of those around me. Emotion became less important as I had to rely on judgment.

The more I stood on top—the higher my status and my surroundings’—the more I felt like a doll.

However, once I got used to it, it became easier than breathing. I only had to become content with being a puppet.

Do everything flawlessly; marry for political reasons, even if it’s someone I hate; be unable to do anything that I want—to me, doing such was certainly easy, but they were also the reason my life was full of boredom.

But, always—I always got a glimpse of that person’s shadow.

The worldly distance with him shrunk as the years went by. It had been tormenting my heart for a long time. Even right now. However—

—there was also a person like Lionel; who could innocently laugh like this, even though this was our first meeting.

Even though he didn’t know anything about me.

Even though he had a shorter life and less memories compared to me…

What a wonderful thing this is…

“Amelia is amazing.” He suddenly spoke.

“…?”

“Even in this kind of situation, you can still laugh.”

Genuinely amazed, his gentle eyes stared at me.

Hearing his words shocked me.

—I was laughing…?

“Hahaha, so you didn’t even realize it, huh?” He laughed. “That’s not a bad thing, though. Say, Amelia, aren’t you hungry?”

—meal. That was right. I hadn’t eaten anything but lunch since yesterday. When I remembered, I was suddenly assaulted by fierce hunger.

At this point, I don’t care anymore—I shall accept his kind offer.

I followed him and entered the dining room. The first thing that greeted my sight was a set of heavy armor hanging on the wall.

“—!” I finally noticed the reason behind this man’s strange vibe.

From the scenery of the garden, I couldn’t determine whether or not the owner of this house was an aristocrat—yet, it was certain they had good fortune. However, the furniture in the room was very simple and the decorations in the hallway were minimal.

Lionel also neither excluded the air of nobility—whether or not it was a good thing.

Now I knew why—this was a knight’s mansion.

We arrived at the table.

There were already two dishes on the table. Bread, eggs, salad, soup, and several fruits were also served. It was a classic breakfast that somehow felt very nostalgic to me.

For some reason, it looked more colorful than the dishes that I usually ate back home.

—I’m quite hungry.

“I hope it suits your tongue.”

He sat across from me. He poured water into the glass by himself.

“Ah, would water be good enough for you? There’s also milk, if you want.”

I politely turned down the offer and received the glass of water. The transparent liquid that swayed inside the well-polished glass made me thirsty.

He laughed when he noticed the way I stared into the glass.

“It’s okay, don’t mind me.”

After hearing his words, I drank the entire glass.

It was around 9.30 am.

“Soon, the time will arrive.” Lewis checked his pocket watch and muttered to himself.

Lewis was in an alley by the side of a mansion. The roads were paved with white cobblestones and lined with houses. Carriages and people passed. To not get caught in the crowd, Lewis put his back against the wall. He eyed a certain mansion.

As soon as he arrived, Lewis managed to locate the mansion where Amelia was brought. He monitored it all night. Only one street doctor went in and out of the mansion last night. After that, there was no sign of activity. Thus, Lewis concluded that Amelia suffered no major injuries.

Lewis also received information that only the second son of Raymond McLean—the mansion’s owner—Lionel Mclean, along with his servants, were in the mansion. McLean and his wife were on a vacation, while Lionel’s brother had already moved to the Capital to start a new life with his family.

Lionel was an 18 year old who had just graduated from the knight training school. According to what he had heard from people of this neighborhood, he was a bright, clever, and kind-hearted young man.

For now, Lewis decided to stay put.

After some time, a white owl slowly descended towards Lewis.

The owl’s flapping ruffled Lewis’ black hair. It perched on Lewis’ left arm, bathing in the morning sun. A small scroll was attached to its leg.

This was the reply to Lewis’ letter last night detailing Amelia’s whereabouts. It was probably from William.

“…” Lewis removed the letter from the owl’s leg and opened it.

<<No problem here. The Count will wait for you. You can make use of my name. Contact me as soon as you confirm Amelia’s safety.

-W>>

A faint smile appeared on Lewis’ face as he finished the brief letter.

—then, he crumpled the letter and torn it, destroying the evidence.

“—wait on top.” Lewis commanded so and raised his left arm. With the signal, the owl flew back again.

Lewis confirmed with his own eyes that the owl had disappeared from view.

“Alright, it’s time.”

Lewis began to walk. His beautiful face became even more so because of his apparent joy.