CHAPTER 044
"I don't know. I only found out that my father had similar symptoms because of those people."
Lewis shook his head.
"I thought I was close to my father, but to think that strangers knew something I didn't."
His words, said with a laugh, sounded self-deprecating.
What must it feel like to learn something you didn't know about someone you were close to?
There was a hint of disbelief in his smiling expression.
"How about visiting the Marquis's hometown again?"
I suggested it for Lewis's sake, wanting to help him learn more about the parts of his father he didn't know.
"My hometown? Why?"
Lewis asked, looking puzzled.
"There were people there who knew about your father, remember? Last time, those..."
Ugh, that was such a scary day.
"We had to leave abruptly because of the assassins, so we could go back and find people who might know something."
"What if those people show up again?"
What?! To think we might have another day as unlucky as that one!
I widened my eyes in surprise, and Lewis gave a lazy smile.
"I told you I have many enemies. What if they show up again if we go there?"
"That, that would be quite problematic..."
His tone was oddly amused, but I was serious.
I really didn't want to experience that again!
"But I think we could gather some information if we go there..."
I replied in a noticeably smaller voice, and Lewis's smile deepened.
He spoke with a nonchalant face but said something quite terrifying.
"I'm joking. Those guys can't show up for a while. I took care of them, so the others will stay quiet for now."
Lewis is indeed the most dangerous one!
Ironically, being by his side is the safest place for me.
"And that’s not where my father's hometown is."
"What?"
"That's where he settled after marrying my mother. His hometown is in another region, Boden."
Oh, so his father was from a different area?
"Then how about we visit your father's hometown instead?"
I asked but then realized something crucial.
"But Marquis, do you have time to go there? If you're busy, we don't have to-"
"We can go on the weekend."
For some reason, Lewis responded quickly.
"I'm not that busy."
"Oh, then shall we meet on the weekend?"
Our plan was quickly set.
* * *
Our weekend plan fit into my schedule since I had nothing else planned.
But I hadn't expected such a quick weekend invitation.
"Selina, look at this!"
As soon as I ran into Bella at the mansion, she showed me a catalog she was holding.
"This necklace is coming out this weekend. Want to go together?"
"Uh?"
I already made plans for the weekend. Just a little while ago...
"Bella, I have plans this weekend."
"You didn't have any plans. With whom?"
"Uh... the Marquis."
"Lewis again?"
Bella frowned as soon as she heard Lewis's name.
Anyone would think he's an enemy, Bella.
"What are you doing with Lewis this weekend?"
"We're going to Boden."
"Boden? Why?"
"Just to look around."
Fortunately, Boden is one of the empire's famous tourist cities.
Bella made a sullen face at my words.
"It feels like Lewis is taking priority over me."
"That can't be true. I spend all day with you except for the time I meet with the Marquis."
I spend much more time with Bella than with Lewis.
"That's true..."
Even Bella agreed. Then she suddenly asked,
"Are you two dating?"
"Absolutely not!"
Why did the conversation suddenly take that turn?
I immediately denied it, and Bella smiled slyly.
"Well, you two do hang out a lot, so I had to ask. Of course, it's not true. How could you and Lewis be a couple?"
"Exactly, exactly!"
Marquis, I'm sorry. But Bella is making ridiculous assumptions!
We're just friends, I repeated to Bella, hoping to clear up any misunderstandings.
But I didn't expect Bella to say this.
"Then I'll go with you."
"Uh? What about the jewelry?"
"I changed my mind. I don't need to go jewelry shopping. Let me go with you."
We're not actually going there for fun...
It was too late to explain the real reason now.
I made an excuse to talk about it later and went to my room to call Lewis.
"Marquis, Bella wants to come along."
- Why Bella?
His voice on the other end didn't sound pleased at all.
- Tell her to stay out of it.
"I can't be that harsh. How about we bring Michael too, and then we can have some time for just the two of us?"
- Will that work?
Sigh, I guess not.
"Bella seems a bit upset because we went to your hometown alone last time..."
Lewis was silent for a moment.
Then he sighed deeply.
- Fine, let's do that.
Oh no, he really doesn’t like it...
"I'm sorry. We're going to find information about your father, but now the twins are coming too. If Bella doesn’t want to leave my side, I'll stay with the twins so you can move alone."
- ...Forget it.
Lewis responded with a resigned laugh.
What’s with this reaction? I was being serious.
Anyway, that's how the four of us ended up going out this weekend.
To Boden, Lewis's father's hometown!
* * *
Time flew, and the weekend arrived. Bella remarked as she stepped out of the carriage.
"This is my first time here."
Boden was closer to the capital compared to where Lewis used to live. It only took about three hours by carriage.
"It'll take a whole day to go back and forth."
Michael said, looking around.
Bella glanced at the buildings lined up on the street and casually commented.
"It's definitely more modest than the capital."
The twins already knew that Boden was Lewis's father's hometown.
But since I hadn’t told them we were here to find information about Lewis's father, they thought we were just here for sightseeing.
As we followed the twins around, I noticed a crowd gathered down a path on the right. It was odd that only that area was crowded.
I pointed in that direction and asked Lewis,
"Is something happening today?"
"No idea. It’s my first time here too."
Lewis shrugged.
Bella followed my gaze and pointed with her thumb, intrigued.
"Selina, should we check it out?"
"Shall we take a look?"
Michael chimed in.
In no time, the twins were dragging me towards the crowd.
"Wow."
As we got closer, it was just as crowded as it looked from afar.
There were many people showcasing their goods and calling out to customers.
"Step right up! Get your spices from Pessi for just 7 rubles each!"
"Is this a festival?"
Michael asked a woman nearby.
The woman shook her head.
"No, it's a market. It happens twice a month."
So it's a market, not a festival!
"We picked the wrong day."
Lewis seemed annoyed.
Of all days, we came on a busy one.
"Should we go somewhere else?"
I asked, thinking Lewis disliked the noise. But he shook his head.
"No. I can tolerate it. The noise in my head doesn’t get worse because of this."
That's true.
Bella and Michael didn’t seem to care about Lewis at all.
"This is fascinating! They're selling some strange things!"
Um... they really don't care.
I looked at Lewis.
He was looking at a merchant displaying his wares, frowning as if it was bothersome.
His face clearly said, "This is so chaotic."
I scanned the surroundings and whispered to Lewis,
"What about this?"
Then I quietly took Lewis’s hand.
Lewis looked down at me with slightly widened eyes.
"It's okay. In such a crowded place, no one will notice."
I have my reasons!
There’s no way anyone would notice us holding hands in this packed place unless we raised them.
Feeling proud of my idea, I smiled, and Lewis, who seemed slightly surprised, let out a small laugh.
What's so funny?
With a smile that suggested he found the situation amusing, Lewis said,
"Let's do that."
And so we held hands casually in the crowd.
The merchant displaying the spices now showed a small vial.
"This medicine, approved by the Magic Tower, can extend your life by ten years!"
What? Selling something like that here?
"Extend life?"
"Is that true?"
The onlookers buzzed.
Surely they don't believe it. I've never heard of the Magic Tower producing life-extending medicine.
I could imagine Lewis being better at shortening lifespans...
That merchant might be in danger. Pretending to sell something from the Magic Tower right in front of its master.
Just then, Bella interrupted.
"Look here! There's a mark on it, which is from the Magic-"
"No, it’s not."
"Pardon?"
"That mark isn’t from the Magic Tower."
"Got you."
Of all people, Bella.
I whispered to Lewis, who remained silent, indicating Bella.
But before he could respond, someone spoke.
"It's a scam, isn't it? Some people do that sometimes."
It was a middle-aged woman standing next to me. She was alone and struck up a conversation with me.
Her gaze soon moved.
From me to Lewis.
And then to our clasped hands.
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