Chapter 14: CH 14

Juliana looked at Louis with a curious expression.

“I meant that it resembles a lively Juliana.”

The words he added did not reach her ears.

“……”

She often thought that Louis’ blue eyes were like a calm sea. That he was a serene wave that did not ripple wildly……. But Louis said that she resembled a fish!

‘I am a fish. And Louis is the sea.’

It was strangely fitting.

She thought it was nonsense, but somehow, she felt better. Juliana raised her chin proudly and spoke coyly.

“I do hear that I’m quite active.”

“Yes. That’s good.”

However, when Louis’ eyes folded into a pretty half-moon, Juliana’s heart trembled.

‘What’s good?’

‘No way.’

Thump Thump. Juliana’s heart pounded wildly.

“I’m glad that I’m the only one who can capture Juliana’s lively look.”

Sshwaa.

Louis poured cold water on her heart that was about to flutter.

“Don’t say weird things, I almost misunderstood!”

Juliana hit him on the shoulder and calmed her flushed face. She was embarrassed that she had misunderstood for a moment.

“What did you misunderstand?”

Louis asked with pure curiosity. Juliana’s face heated up at those clear, naive eyes. The embarrassment hit her twice as hard as before.

“I-I.”

Instead of answering him, Juliana pretended not to know. But her mind continued to be in a mess as his stern gaze followed her.

‘I can’t. Something to distract his attention…….’

Just then, a book caught her eye.

‘Yes, that book!’

“I’m going to read a book! Hahaha.”

Juliana spit out random words as she slipped away from him, trying to escape the crisis. She was afraid that he might have noticed the awkward tone of her voice as she spoke.

‘Ugh, So embarrassing…’

Juliana bowed her blushing face as she grabbed the book on the table.

She felt a suffocating gaze behind her as she turned the pages while reading the book.

“Ummm…”

Juliana didn’t want to read this strange book. But she couldn’t take back the words she had already said so she had no choice but to read: [You Need to Go Crazy to Know True Love].

The book she caught to escape the crisis…

Who would have thought it would be such a bizarre book?

“So, Juliana is also interested in books like this.”

Juliana shrugged her shoulders at the man who gave her a look that said ‘Interesting’. As if he had discovered a different side of her.

“No, well. You can have it.”

Juliana, who spoke while hiding her embarrassment, turned the pages of the book that she couldn’t even read.

“I see.”

Louis nodded briefly.

“But that book seems a bit difficult for a beginner to read.”

“Huh?”

‘What do you mean?’

Juliana lifted her head and looked at Louis. With a gentle smile, he slowly approached, and held a book on his side.

“Instead, I will read this book to you.”

The book [You Need to Go Crazy to Know True Love] was difficult for beginners. Juliana didn’t know that the book she picked up to get out of the crisis was a difficult read.

‘No wonder I couldn’t read the text well.’

Juliana closed the difficult book she was reading. Louis said he would read a book for beginners like Juliana. Since he said he would read for her, Juliana thought she’d stay still and listen.

She nodded her head.

“There are two kinds of human beings”

Louis’ low, sweet voice filled the room. The book contained some philosophical content.

There were some things she couldn’t understand, but there were also a lot of things that she learned for the first time. Contrary to expectations, Juliana became more interested. His voice seemed to have played a part in it.

“That’s why everyone is……”

Juliana, who had been listening attentively, opened one of her eyes when his voice stopped.

“What is it, Louis?”

“I found a phrase that I like.”

Louis paused reading the book and stared at her with a serene expression.

‘What phrase is it?’

A look of curiosity appeared on Juliana’s face.

“Everyone is crazy.”

“You like that phrase?”

Juliana made a puzzled expression to the unexpected answer.

Louis had a very satisfied expression on his face, so she looked at him questioningly.

Did he notice? He read the contents carefully, with a reverent heart and attitude.

[Love is crazy.]

[With so many people who love, this world is a crazy world.]

The voice that rang in her ear was like the whisper of a fairy. However, the content was at a level that Juliana could not understand.

Is it only possible to love if you are crazy?

Or is it that you are crazy because you’re in love?

“I don’t know……”

Juliana shook her head in exasperation. Louis narrowed his eyes into a half moon and shook his head.

“I sympathize. How do I know if I have fallen in love?”

Stop.

Juliana blinked her eyes at the question as if he had never loved before.

“Louis, have you never been in love?”

“Yes, I have not.”

There was sincerity in his calm voice.

Juliana didn’t show it, but she was really surprised.

‘It’s hard to believe…’

Louis was a good man. She was sure that he had been in love a few times.

A man who must have been hounded with endless marriage requests. – Because he was a catch.

If so, did that mean that he had no feelings towards the women he dated?

Juliana turned her head. This man who was like a wall, whose depth couldn’t be measured, turned towards her.

“I have never been in a relationship.”

It was as if he had read her thoughts. Louis calmly told her the truth.

“Ah… I-Is that so?”

Juliana shivered at the embarrassment of him having seen through her thoughts. She forcibly coughed and avoided his gaze.

‘He read my mind…’

She was glad that Louis didn’t make a big deal out of it. Thinking back, her face became hot at the thought that she was being rude.

A noble society that pursued free love.

In it, love affairs were common. So she assumed that he also had dating experience but… She didn’t think he wouldn’t have any.

“Does Juliana have anyone like that?”

“……!”

When Louis asked her the same question, Juliana became a little perplexed. She could answer his question, that she had an experience in dating.

‘…The problem is that it’s a bad memory.’

Robert, who was an enemy. Juliana quickly spit curse words into her heart at her ex-fiance.

‘Cheating XX. A thief who aimed to be a Duke. A b*st*rd lacking in morals. A black-hearted man!’

In an instant, she felt refreshed after she swore with all her heart. She said all the curse words she knew.

“…!”

Oh.

Juliana belatedly looked at Louis’ eyes. He raised one eyebrow, as if waiting for her response offended him.

‘Should I tell the truth?’

He wasn’t asking how many times she had dated, he just asked if she ever dated someone.

She had nothing to do with Louis. It was even weirder for her to look into his eyes.

“Hmm, I have.”

Juliana hesitated and opened her mouth. Her chest throbbed strangely. Pressing down the strange emotions that surged up, she continued.

“I was engaged, but not anymore.”

“I see.”

A monotonous and dry voice.

For some reason, his usual tone sounded indifferent. Louis slowly closed his eyes.

“How does it feel when you are in love?”

A question that expressed pure curiosity made Juliana speechless.

Even a child knew how it felt to love. When a grown adult asked that, she wondered if he truly didn’t know. But Louis’ eyes were sincere.

Hmm. It seemed like he really didn’t know.

“Well, I guess it varies from person to person.”

Juliana said with a puzzled look.

“I guess… You keep looking at the other person, and you’re with them all the time, or something like that?”

As she uttered her words, she was surprised as she glanced at Louis’ eyes. He nodded his head as if he had realized something. He opened his lips and spoke coldly.

“Then I’m in love right now.”

“W-What?”

Juliana’s eyes widened.

“Juliana is with me. I continue to see you with my eyes.”

He glanced at Juliana with a serious expression on his face.

“I’m in love.”

The word ‘love’ casually rolled off his mouth. The corners of his lips slowly rose as if he was satisfied.

‘What kind of logic is that?’

Juliana was taken aback by his words. Wasn’t it inevitable because they were caught together?

“I love Juliana…”

The man with a blunt, no-nonsense expression was not the face of someone in love. At the embarrassment, Juliana forgot that she had to correct his misguided thinking.

“L-Louis.”

Juliana came to her senses and said tremblingly.

“I think this is different.”

“That means, Juliana feels differently.”

Louis eyebrows drooped.

“I’m sad. Juliana is my first.”

Louis turned his head to the side and slowly closed his eyes. Juliana was startled by the expression on his face that seemed like tears were about to fall at any moment.

A faint smile that made her feel sad.

“It’s hot! Like sparks! Have you ever felt that kind of heat?”

“……”

“Like there’s sparks when you look at them, that… that’s a sign of falling in love right? Did you feel anything like that?”

“Hmm, I don’t think so.”

Louis narrowed his eyes. He only felt relaxed at the thought of the woman, but he didn’t feel that spark.

‘Phew. As expected it was a misunderstanding.’

Juliana wiped the cold sweat off her forehead.

“I think Louis has misunderstood just now.”

The man misunderstood. Since he had been alone with someone of the opposite sex for a long time, emotions naturally arose. It was an illusion.

“What kind of misunderstanding are you talking about?”

Louis tilted his head.

“I guess, it’s because you’ve been with me, a woman, for a while now, haven’t you?”

“……”

“…so I think that’s why you feel confused.”

Juliana’s voice gradually became a whisper. She wasn’t sure if she was saying this to Louis or to herself. She was also confused as she spoke her words.

“You think so?”

Louis looked at her with gentle eyes. Juliana didn’t have the confidence to meet his stifling gaze so she avoided his eyes.

“……I think Louis would be very popular.”

They were words that diverted and drew a line at the same time.

Anyone who had a good sense would know that she was putting up an iron wall

Most of the men scattered after hitting Juliana’s iron wall. He was so good-looking so she was kind to him. She wouldn’t have given him a break had he been another man.

Also, handsome men were dangerous.

As she thought this, she withdrew her eyes from the harmful handsome man.

“…That’s not true.”

Louis threw a b*mb with a trembling voice.

“Everyone avoids me because I’m a monster.”