Is the Friend of a Friend a Stranger? - Chapter 42.1

Owen’s eyes widened as if he didn’t know that conversation would come out of nowhere. But it was certain that he wasn’t more taken aback than Sylvia. She had no idea why she had mentioned that old story, something that had already passed.

“Were you sad because I didn’t tell you then?”

He abruptly asked. Sylvia was in despair, thinking that she didn’t know why someone like Owen was so quick-witted.

Seriously, what was wrong with him? Didn’t handsome people like him not have to think about other people at all? Didn’t they just live on their own terms and think that the world is beautiful?

But Owen wasn’t like that. He was unequivocally attentive.

“At that time, I didn’t know it would happen either. Regardless of who I am, that’s not what I wanted.”

Saying that, he took out a cigarette and put it between his lips. The way he lit a fire and took a drag on the cigarette while lowering his gaze was strangely arousing. She wasn’t the only one who thought that. It was clear that the women passing by thought the same. A couple of people passed by while glancing at Owen.

So, Sylvia felt as if what Owen said was more to look stylish than it was genuine, and pouted.

“You sometimes make it impossible for me to understand what you’re saying.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. You always speak vaguely and always say that this is good and that is good. I’m really curious, do you tempt women with that?”

He laughed as if something was funny. Every time he laughed, smoke slowly flowed out from his mouth.

“If you don’t like it, I won’t smoke.”

As she couldn’t get her eyes off it, thinking it was curious, Owen put out the cigarette. Watching him trample on the small embers with his heel, Sylvia was still thinking that Owen had not answered the question about whether he tempted women with that.

“I was just amazed for a moment because I rarely saw someone smoke.”

“No wonder, Heston never smoked.”

“Why do you keep talking about Heston?”

“Does it make you uncomfortable?”

He looked down at Sylvia as if asking whether she was uncomfortable with something. He looked as if he was trying to figure out what it was. Sylvia grabbed Owen by the arm. There were too many people there.

The monsters beyond the wall were now almost all taken care of, and the knights and wizards seemed to have some free time as things were about to wrap up. Those who fought numerous battles drank every night and pretended to work during the day, but no one believed them. They were just filling in their positions until they returned.

Even now, in this place where people ate lunch, they were just sipping alcohol and talking about unsatisfactory things, their food untouched. Sylvia was almost confined to her room, but Owen often wandered around, and every night he would see lovers kissing each other and grabbing each other’s buttocks and chest, to the point it was tiring. The problem was that even if he saw that, he didn’t have enough consideration to turn his head around. He just watched it calmly, and each time Sylvia would cover her eyes and scream, ‘Those two? No way!’

And Sylvia had just realized that she and Owen were about to become ‘those two’ if they did something wrong. Sylvia hoped that there would be no rumors that she was a foolish woman who had a crush on her friend for ten years and now fell in love with his friend.

“Let’s get out of here first. There is a study on the third floor, we have to go there. The old books will have more information on the mana sharing.”

Owen followed Sylvia as she led him, showing no interest whatsoever. Then, when Sylvia checked to make sure no one was there, went into the study, and closed the door, he buried his face on her shoulder for a moment with a low laugh. He smelled of alcohol and cigarettes, and Sylvia realized only then that Owen might be a little drunk.

“Are you drunk?”

“No. It’s just that if it was someone else, I would have thought that the reason for coming here would be a sign to do something.”

His smiling lips came near her face before retreating. Sylvia held her breath for a moment without realizing it. And wondered if this trembling emotion had been conveyed to him.

In the meantime, Owen found a place to sit and sat in a rather poor position, with his long legs stretched out. Sylvia went to the bookshelf and began to search through the books. Soon after, several thick books appeared in Sylvia’s arms. Sylvia gave one to Owen and motioned for him to read it. With an expression that showed how he didn’t know that he would be brought here to read on such a sunny day, Owen leaned deeply into his chair and opened the book in a tilted position.

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