A Dark Fantasy Spy

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Lucia’s whisper was clearly audible amidst the surrounding noise that filled the city.

The distant horn, the laughter from the courtyard, and the chirping of the birds perched by the window.

Neither I nor Lucia exchanged many words.

Yet, as we sat in the cramped confession booth, maintaining a peculiar silence behind the wooden lattice, human thoughts naturally gravitated towards one particular possibility.

Even without a heartfelt story that resonates in people’s hearts or a special occasion that others have never experienced.

There was nothing wrong with falling in love.

Somewhere along the line, it was clear she had fallen in love.

—

Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician Ever

A huge fireball descended to the ground.

The sun was burning bright yellow.

Painted in crimson against the gloomy gray sky, the sun appeared larger than when it was high in the sky, especially when it was setting.

The fresh crimson hue gently colored the entire world.

As the sun quietly hid beyond the horizon, clouds enriched in color began to shimmer.

The colors spread across the thin clouds were so vibrant that they defied verbal expression.

The last gift from the setting sun. The evening glow poured through the marble columns, tickling the skin.

Lucia, gazing at the golden orb sinking between the mountains, slowly turned her head.

The soft crimson dusk collided with her bright blonde hair, shattering into pieces. It resembled the waves crashing against the cliffs by the shore, creating fluffy white foam.

The shattered dusk scattered in all directions, forming faint rings, while the radiant blonde hair blazed even more vibrantly.

The blue-eyed priest, whose gaze was as clear as the sea of Jerusalem.

Lucia greeted me warmly with a benevolent smile.

“I’ve been waiting.”

She bore a soft smile. Her beautifully shaped eyes curved like a delicate line. Her thin lips formed a smooth arc.

Thin lips, like the delicate leaves of a lotus flower. Lucia’s light pink lips would suit the description of azaleas rather than cherries.

The blue pupils, pinkish lips, and her petite, comely nose added distinctive features to her delicate face.

“How long have you been waiting?”

At my casual question, Lucia’s lips curled slightly upward.

“It hasn’t been long. I just arrived myself.”

That was not true.

I had come to the confession booth long before sunset, so Lucia had been sitting here for a while, waiting for her counterpart.

Her falsehood was not to avoid embarrassment or escape a situation; rather, it was meant to ease any discomfort the other person might feel upon hearing the truth.

“…….”

I gazed at Lucia, who nonchalantly spun her lie, with a complicated expression.

It wasn’t that I was disappointed by her attitude of lying. After all, isn’t that the business of those who earn a living?

Yet, what troubled me was.

Her sparkling eyes gazing at me with such affection were too puzzling.

Unable to hide my confusion, I softly spoke up.

“I believe you called me to the confession booth for a reason. Is it because of the story you didn’t get to share this morning?”

“…….”

Lucia’s smile stiffened slightly.

While I had anticipated this, I didn’t expect her to bring it up so soon.

“Yes.”

Lucia nodded, her pure smile still intact.

“I’m here to give you an answer to the question you asked me this morning.”

She placed her hands together neatly on her lap. With her chin slightly tilted and her eyes looking down, Lucia, resembling someone receiving a confession, quietly closed her eyes.

Her tightly sealed lips quivered.

“I love you.”

—

I love you.

The words that came from Lucia were straightforward.

There were no elaborate phrases or embarrassing charms. It was just “I love you.” Those five words were all there was.

So monotonous that I briefly wondered if it was a prank.

However.

In those blue eyes beyond the lattice of the confession booth was a deep sentiment I had never seen before.

That simple confession resonated more profoundly than a hundred verbose words trying to appeal to emotions.

There was no need to ask who she was speaking to.

After all, I was the one she had shared a bed with just a few days ago.

Thus, Lucia was confessing to me.

“…Lucia.”

“Yes.”

“Are you… being sincere?”

“Yes.”

Her brilliant blonde hair swayed gently up and down.

“I’m serious; I mean it.”

I bit my lips gently, feeling rough.

Lucia, who had delivered her confession without a trace of hesitation, quickly turned her gaze away, a blush creeping into her demeanor; yet her voice and posture remained unwavering and composed.

A man receiving a confession of love from a saint.

Very few would have ever received such a declaration from a saint throughout the history of Abas and even the world.

I was utterly taken aback by Lucia’s sudden confession.

“…Since when?”

“I’m not sure….”

Lucia, with her hands neatly clasped in her lap, slipped into her thoughts. She fluttered her pretty eyelashes as she reminisced about the past.

“I cannot point out the exact moment, but… I have liked you for a long time.”

“…So you don’t know precisely when it started?”

“Yes.”

She had said she had liked me for a long time. Those feelings, which were likely infatuation, had possibly turned into love only recently.

There wasn’t a specific moment that sprang to mind.

Yet love isn’t something that follows a mathematical formula with a clear cause and effect.

Love is something that defies any irrational logic.

It can ignite fiercely, yet fizzle out in an instant; it can fall from the sky, just as an apple does—seemingly without reason and wholly naturally.

So, it wasn’t odd for Lucia to fall in love suddenly.

I wasn’t someone extraordinary who could mesmerize anyone.

However, something weighed on my mind, and despite Lucia’s courageous confession, I had no choice but to hesitate in my response.

“…….”

“Why is that? Did I do something wrong….”

“No, Lucia, it’s not that. There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s just….”

“Please, tell me.”

“…….”

I faltered, lowering my gaze.

“I appreciate your courage in confessing, but I don’t think it’s possible. I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your confession.”

“…….”

Lucia’s breath hitched at my straightforward rejection.

Her eyes widened, and it felt like she had forgotten how to blink. Now, she stared at me wordlessly from beyond the lattice.

She neither expressed anger nor disappointment, nor did she pout.

Instead, in a solemn silence, she appeared to ponder something before finally speaking gently.

“…May I ask why…?”

“…….”

Why?

There were many reasons.

Company regulations forbidding relationships with foreigners, public opinion, and the subtle disconnect among the group.

Numerous reasons flooded my mind, but there was one that pressed heavily on my heart.

“I’m worried it might make things difficult for you.”

The hardest part about love is that it’s a bond between two people.

There is no relationship where one party simply showers affection while the other receives it without any obligation.

It requires a yearn to reciprocate love, and, at times, to express even greater affection.

It may seem unreasonable, but it’s unavoidable.

There can’t be any rational reasoning attached to love.

“I’m just worried that you’ll suffer because of me.”

Loving even among ordinary people is not an easy endeavor; what more for someone like me?

No matter how fondly I regarded Lucia, Veronica, or anyone else, that was irrelevant. There were enough information officers struggling between love and their job.

I was one of them, so I understood well.

“Is that so….”

“Yes.”

“…….”

Lucia fell into silence, as if she had never considered such reasoning before.

“…I didn’t expect you to have such a thought. I acted childishly again, didn’t I?”

“Well, there’s no need to say it like that….”

“Still, I love you just the same.”

Lucia said.

“I understand. There will be tough times, no doubt. There may be days so painful they feel unbearable. During that anguish, we might even resent each other. I felt that way when I lost someone precious.”

Her pinkish lips curved into a smooth line. A bright smile bloomed on her face.

“Regardless, I still believe.”

She said.

“At this moment, I will never regret having fallen in love with you.”

And then she stood up. Her face that had been visible through the lattice of the confession booth faded away.

The sound of a door creaking open and the patter of her shoes on the wooden floor followed as she stepped out. Lucia had left the confession booth.

In a moment of bewilderment where I couldn’t even comprehend what was happening.

Creeeak—alongside the screech of the old hinge, the door of the confession booth swung open.

“Lucia?”

The person who had opened the door was Lucia.

Having stepped away from her seat reserved for the clergyman, she opened the door to my side, carefully holding her gown so it wouldn’t drag on the floor, moving slowly.

In an instant, the door shut behind her, leaving us together in that small space.

A tiny confession booth, barely accommodating a single person. The setting sun streamed through the confession panel that had yet to close.

Having stepped into the cramped room, she stood before me, pulling my hand closer. My hand moved without resistance.

Lucia, with her soft, white hands, enveloped mine, her blue eyes sparkling as she smiled gently.

“So, I will confidently say this anytime.”

She confessed.

“I truly love you.”

The simple confession matched her calm voice.

There were no elaborate embellishments or heartfelt tears.

Yet, the brightness of the setting sun illuminating the cathedral’s confession booth, paired with the sea-blue gaze of Lucia’s eyes, felt so poignant.

—

After that, nothing else mattered.

As if a bird were tapping its beak, Lucia slowly leaned in, pressing her lips against mine.

For a moment, surprised by the unexpected touch, I flinched. But soon, Lucia gently smiled and again pressed her lips to mine.

It was a quiet display of affection, but it was completely satisfying.

I pulled Lucia onto my lap and settled into the confession booth chair, drawing her thighs closer.

Our bodies were tightly pressed together in the confined space. It reminded me of our first night together in that cramped holding room. The shared trait of being in an area seldom visited was a mere coincidence, yet the situation felt almost too perfect.

Perhaps sensing it, Lucia shyly averted her gaze and nudged me slightly. I buried my face in her neck and pressed a kiss against her soft skin.

“Oh, there…”

“Why?”

“If you do that, won’t it leave a mark…?”

“I’m doing it to leave one.”

“…Huh?”

-♪

At that moment, the phone ring pierced through the confession booth.

Startled, both Lucia, who was resting on my lap, and I, who was kissing her neck, jumped.

-♪

At the loud ringing, Lucia jumped up like a cat splashed with water. She scrambled off my lap and began tidying her disheveled clothes and hair.

As soon as I heard the ringing, I remembered the Executive Director’s call for everyone to gather in case of an emergency. It had happened back when I had to rush from my girlfriend’s house in Seoul to Gyeonggi Province.

I didn’t understand why they always created chaos after working hours.

“What the….”

I rummaged through my pockets, anxiously checking the caller ID.

With my brows furrowed in irritation, I finally let out a deep sigh before answering the call.

It was Francesca.

“Hello, Administrator. What brings you to call at this hour?”

I could hear a woman’s voice from the other end of the line.

But something felt off.

No matter how I listened, it didn’t sound like Francesca.

-‘Ah, yes! That’s it!’

“…Camila?”

-‘Yes! It’s me!’

Startled, I stood up and adjusted the phone.

“What’s going on? Why is Camila answering the Administrator’s phone?”

-‘Francesca is—no, that’s not important right now…!’

I could hear Camila’s frantic cries from the other end.

-‘People are spitting blood in droves over here!’