’Lana?’ Mr. Crow called her out using their connection, and Lana replied in a dazed voice, ’What?’
’Did you hear? He said he loves you!’ Mr. Crow was almost screaming by now. A hint of wariness appeared in his eyes while he gazed at Lucian.
This man definitely wants to steal his master away! What a cunning man! Absolutely can’t let him take advantage of Lana!
’What nonsense!’ Lana frowned. ’Are you imagining it, Mr. Crow?’
Mr. Crow flapped his wings ntally in disbelief.
’No! I am not imagining anything! That phrase is a romantic confession in literature! He said it with full intention, too! Look! Look at his eyes! He’s smitten!’
Lana blinked, then looked up at Lucian’s expression.
Lucian’s gaze was steady, calm, and unreadable.
Nothing about it looked romantic.
Just quiet... and gentle.
Her heart, however, still skipped once.
Just once.
’...You’re overthinking again,’ Lana murmured silently, rubbing her thumb over the feathers on Mr. Crow’s head, as if soothing him.
"Miss Lana, shall we leave now?" Lucian’s gentle voice dispelled the last bit of doubt.
She gave a nod, and just as she was about to follow, Lucian took out his coat and draped it over her.
The warmth and faint scent of cedar enveloped her.
"If you catch a cold, others will accuse of bullying a young lady." Lucian’s gentle voice was laced with mirth.
"Hm? How can they? Mr. Lucian is such a gentle person; if they dare question you... then they can only be called shaless!" Lana teased.
"Hahah! Miss Lana has a good sense of humor. I wonder what trouble you might have faced, to the point you decided to isolate yourself?" Lucian’s gentle voice lacked probing.
"Nothing. By the way, Mr. Lucian, I still don’t understand why you thought of inviting to live with you. Don’t you think this invitation might lead to several ambiguous thoughts?"
Lucian paused, his gaze lowering slightly... not in discomfort, but in thought.
The faint night breeze tugged gently at his coat, the one now resting on Lana’s shoulders.
"Ambiguous thoughts?" he repeated slowly, tasting the words.
Lana felt her ears warm.
She hadn’t intended to say it so directly.
Lucian chuckled softly, the sound low and smooth, like warm wine sliding over ice.
"If I cared about avoiding misunderstandings," he said calmly, "I would not have asked you to live with in the first place."
Lana was stunned.
Her mind short-circuited.
Mr. Crow nearly fell out of her arms.
’HE’S NOT EVEN HIDING IT ANYMORE??’ Mr. Crow screeched ntally. ’SEE THE WOLF HAS SHOWN HIS TAIL!’
Lana cleared her throat and regained her composure with the elegance of soone who absolutely did not just internally dream of a life with Lucian and her future children’s nas!
"Ahem. Then... why did you ask?" she asked lightly.
Lucian t her gaze... directly.
"As you know," he said, voice lowering a fraction, "my mansion is secure. There are arrays guarding it. Guards around it. And people who would reach you faster than your enemies would ever realize where you are."
His fingers brushed a loose strand of her hair back...gentle, unhurried, almost natural.
"And," he continued, "because I do not want to hear news of you crying alone at night in so corner of the university ever again."
Lana’s heart skipped a beat before sorrow settled in.
’Lana! He is literally confessing to you! Why are you sad?’ Mr. Crow was confused, but Lana’s words made him fall silent: ’He is just pitying ... Don’t argue with on this, Mr. Crow... I know him better than anyone!’
’What if you have just been misunderstanding all along? Take a chance and probe more! Maybe... everything was a misunderstanding...’ Mr. Crow encouraged. His instincts told him... the way Lucian saw Lana was... like a predator eyeing his prey.
Lana hesitantly looked at Lucian before taking a chance.
"Mr. Lucian, if I didn’t know better, I would mistake it as if you were pitying ." Her voice was laced with teasing, yet her eyes carefully stared at Lucian.
"Well, I do pity you, Miss Lana." Lucian laughed gently, but Lana felt as if soone had drowned her with cold water.
Lana blinked, but the smile on her face did not falter. It remained perfectly shaped, perfectly careless, and perfectly bright.
Only her fingers tightened, just slightly, gripping the coat around her shoulders.
’I knew it,’ she thought, her eyes flashing with self-mockery.
Of course. Of course, this was what he ant. Of course, this was all it ever was.
Mr. Crow felt the shift imdiately.
’...Lana.’
Lana’s laughter ca soft, airy... too light.
"I see. So Mr. Lucian is a very compassionate person," she said, her tone teasing, flawless. "I should treasure such kindness, then."
Lucian did not notice the knife-edge hidden in her voice. Or perhaps, he noticed and chose to ignore it.
He only smiled, slow and calm.
’He is lying! He must have feelings for you! You...’ Mr. Crow wanted to argue, but this ti Lana interrupted him. ’Mr. Crow. The answer is already present to you. What more do you want? Just forget it.’
’He is a scumbag!’ Mr. Crow was furious. His precious Lana was downright rejected, and he was filled with fury.
’He is not.’ Lana’s expression was deadpan.
’You are still defending him even after he rejected you?’ Mr. Crow bristled.
’No... I am grateful that at least he is pitying when I have more enemies than friends.’ Lana smiled. ’He is providing with a safe place, caring for , and providing justice. What more should he do for a woman he had just t?’
Mr. Crow pursed his beak before sighing.
After returning to the mansion, Lucian led Lana to the dining table and then invited her to the living room.
"Miss Lana, in the future if you suffer any kind of grievance, just co to ; I will help you." Lucian’s gentle voice made Mr. Crow furious.
’Ask if he can offer the sa gentleness to other won. What if one day he punishes you for soone else?’
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