357: Have I Been Ungrateful To Luke?

Have I Been Ungrateful To Luke?

Oriana arrived at the Ahren mansion, where the guards recognized her without hesitation. Her presence went unimpeded; after all, she was the young lad who had piqued the interest of their Crown Prince.

With determined steps, Oriana made her way to the spot where Luke had been working two months prior. Surprisingly, the place had undergone a transformation, now serving as a residence.

She couldn't help but marvel at the extent of the change. A thought crossed her mind: had Luke, too, departed in her absence?

Just then, her eyes landed on the figure overseeing the mansion's servants. Recognizing her instantly, the man approached Oriana with a welcoming smile.

"Orian, it's been a while," he greeted her. "I heard from Luke that you accompanied His Highness on his journey to Othinia."

"You heard correctly," she responded politely before getting to the point. "Do you happen to know where Luke is? Has he returned to the village already?"

"Oh, your brother," the man replied. "He's still here. After completing his work on this project, he was assigned some furniture craftsmanship in the Young Lady's residence. You'll find him there." With a nod, he provided Oriana with directions to the young lady's residence.

"Thank you," Oriana acknowledged with a gracious nod and proceeded in the direction indicated.

Oriana arrived at the residence of the Young Lady of Ahrens, her gaze captivated by the splendor of the place. As she beheld the magnificent estate, she couldn't help but mutter to herself, "It's heartening to see that they don't discriminate between sons and daughters in their family."

As she entered inside, she spotted Luke but in work on a finely crafted piece of furniture. He seemed deeply engrossed in his task, but when he heard footsteps approaching, he turned around only to spot a familiar beautiful face. 

His hand, suspended midway through a delicate maneuver, froze as his eyes locked onto Oriana, who was steadily making her way toward him. In that moment, it felt almost surreal to him, like a dream unfolding before his eyes.

"Luke," she called out to him with cheerful enthusiasm, snapping him out of his daze.

He awkwardly averted his gaze and resumed his work, his voice tinged with surprise, "When did you return?"

"Yesterday," she replied, her tone warm and inviting, "How have you been?"

"Good," he replied tersely, still absorbed in his work.

His indifferent attitude began to irk her. "We're meeting after such a long time, and I came here specifically to see you. Can't you spare a moment to pay attention to me?"

Her complaint seemed to please him, though he didn't display it on his face. "Just wait a minute," he said, finishing the task at hand before finally turning to her, "Did you eat?"

Oriana suddenly realized she had skipped lunch today, preoccupied with various matters. "I haven't eaten."

He gestured for her to follow him, and she complied. He led her to the servant's dining area where lunch was being served.

As they settled down to eat, Oriana shared her news, "I've come to let you know that I'm heading to Wimark."

"Hmm, you should. Grandpa was missing you when I visited last month," Luke responded, surprising her.

"Did you go home?" she asked, her excitement evident.

He nodded, "A week after you left for Othinia."

Her face lit up, "How's grandpa? Is he taking his medicines on time?"

Rather than answering her immediately, Luke pushed her dish toward her, silently urging her to start eating. It was only after Oriana took a bite that he continued, "My mother is taking care of your grandpa just as you instructed."

"I'm truly grateful to your family. I must have caused you all so much trouble."

"It's not a bother," Luke replied calmly, his attention still focused on his food.

"I know, but still... Once I bring my grandpa here to the capital, I can personally take care of him."

Luke looked at her in surprise. He had assumed she was only in capital to consult with the physician and would soon return home. Her decision to stay in the capital didn't sit quite right with him, but as usual, he didn't express his thoughts openly.

"Hmm," was his noncommittal response.

"I thought you might question my decision," she remarked.

"Would it make a difference?" Luke met her gaze directly.

For the first time, Oriana sensed something different in his eyes. There was an indiscernible quality to his gaze that left her intrigued. 'What's with his gaze?'

Caught in her scrutiny, Luke lowered his gaze to his food and resumed eating, leaving Oriana to ponder the enigmatic depths behind his eyes.

Oriana felt a compelling urge to explain herself further. "Luke I...."

But before she could continue, a hand approached her face, gently wiping away the food stains that had accumulated around her lower lip due to her hurried eating.

Startled by the unexpected gesture, Oriana momentarily couldn't move. Her gaze shifted from his hand to Luke's impassive face, concentrated on removing the stains. Slowly regaining her composure, she leaned back, putting some distance between them.

An awkward silence settled between them, making Oriana feel uneasy. She broke the silence, needing to fill the void. "Tomorrow morning, I'm leaving for Wimark. Do you have any plans to go home?"

"No," Luke replied curtly. "I have to complete this as soon as possible."

"Alright," she responded quietly.

After a moment, he turned to her, his gaze searching. "So, have you truly decided to settle here in the capital?"

"Yes," Oriana affirmed, her voice steady. "At least for a while longer. It could be a few months to a year."

Oriana waited for him to say something further but he  remained silent, making her wonder what was in his mind. He looked like he had a reason to ask it but then said nothing. The conversation ended just like that and they continued to eat in peace.

As they finished their meal, Oriana asked, "Would you like to send any message to your family?" They headed out of the dining area, and Oriana awaited his response.

"Wait here," Luke instructed before walking toward the servants' quarters.

Just then someone arrived there. A grouped of young women. "Are you friend of mister Luke?"

Oriana's attention shifted to the woman who had posed the question. As she observed their attire, it became evident to her that these young women were likely personal servants to someone from the Ahrens household. However, her gaze didn't linger on the servants for long; it passed beyond them and landed on someone behind the group- a striking young noblewoman.

"I am Luke's younger brother," Oriana replied, her gaze returning to the young servant.

"Brother?" the servant exclaimed, her surprise evident. "No wonder you are so good-looking. Mister Luke is handsome, and you are quite easy on the eyes. Your family must have a bloodline for good looks."

"Thank you for the compliment," Oriana responded with politeness, always appreciative of kind words.

The servant, noting Oriana's attire, remarked, "You work for the Crown Prince. What's your name?"

"I'm Orian," she replied, maintaining her courteous tone. "May I inquire if you have any business with me?"

Caught off guard, the servant wore an awkward smile, as if her flattery had been detected.

Another servant stepped forward and explained, "The thing is, our Young Miss wishes to express her gratitude towards Mister Luke, but he keeps refusing to accept it."

Oriana was taken aback by this revelation and then glanced at the woman standing behind the group. 'So she's the young lady from the Ahrens household,' Oriana thought, putting the pieces together. 'It appears Luke has caught her eye, and it's not surprising, given his remarkable looks. Despite being commoner, he can defeat any nobleman with his looks.'

The young woman finally came forward, introducing herself in sweet voice. "I am Erin."

Oriana's gaze remained fixed on the captivating woman before her. She couldn't help but notice every detail – the petite, fair face, the refined features, eyes like a doe's, a delicate nose that complemented her petal-like lips. Elegance seemed to radiate from every inch of her being as she moved gracefully in her simple yet exquisitely elegant dress. But what struck Oriana the most was the tender innocence that permeated her demeanor. 

'What a stunning beauty, wrapped in an aura of innocence,' Oriana thought to herself. 'She looked younger than me.'

She offered a light bow as a gesture of greeting. "Lady Erin, how may I assist you?"

Erin hesitated for a moment, and it was her servant who spoke up. "Our lady would like to inquire about Mister Luke. Since you're his brother, Mister Orian, I believe you won't mind."

Oriana blinked a few times, somewhat surprised, and inquired, "What would you like to know?"0

The servant continued, "A few days ago, Mister Luke saved our lady from some ruffians in the market. Since then, she has been eager to express her gratitude, but Mister Luke appears unwilling to accept it. No matter how many times we approached him, he..."

Erin interrupted her, her expression shifting to one of slight embarrassment. She addressed Oriana directly, "Please, disregard my servant's words."

Oriana couldn't help but offer a gentle smile, realizing that the young lady was clearly smitten with Luke. "It's perfectly fine, Lady Erin. How may I assist you?"

Erin's expression turned hesitant, but she eventually spoke, "If you can, would you be so kind as to tell me what Mister Luke enjoys? Is there anything he likes?"

"What he likes?" Oriana pondered for a moment and realized that she had never truly paid attention to Luke's preferences. He had always been the one taking care of her and being aware of her likes and dislikes.

She found herself contemplating her own actions, 'Have I been always that ungrateful towards Luke?'

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