There was depth in his voice that she couldn’t quite put her fingers on. It sounded like he was waiting for her to grab his hand.

But Lia couldn’t.

“It’s just a misunderstanding… You don’t need to help.”

“You think you can do this on your own?” Claude asked.

“Well…”

“The Marchioness isn’t claiming that you stole the diamond. She’s claiming that you’re the one who instigated the anarchists. You really don’t understand what it means for nobles to get involved with the anarchists?”

Treason.

She couldn’t say it out loud. They were trying to make her be part of treason.

Anastasia, who pointed at her as the culprit, and the jasmine that was delivered was able to let her guess who was behind all this.

She stared right into Claude’s eyes.

“What if… I’m really involved with them?”

Claude’s eyes started to shake. He brushed his face and brushed his hair over and approached her.

“Then I shouldn’t let you get involved even further.”

His voice was kind that made it that much creepier.

“That’s impossible,” said Lia.

“Because your family is in Louvre?”

Lia looked away while holding down her surprise. Pepe, who cleaned up the glass pieces of broken vase, quickly left.

The only thing left on the floor was the diamonds on the floor and two of them.

“Is your family anarchists?”

“No!”

She shook her head vigorously. But she couldn’t be sure.

He went towards the diamonds.

Claude called Pepe again and ordered her to pick everything up, and then he headed upstairs. It was calm and leisurely.

“Is your room on the second floor?”

As Lia quickly followed him, he scoffed and stood on the stairs. Then turned around and hugged her waist.

“Uh!”

“Shh…”

The kiss started instantly.

Pepe’s blind spot. Claude hugged her waist while kissing her lips. Lia was stepping back with her eyes closed.

Was the hallway this long?

He immediately stepped into her when she took a step back. She was scared that another maid might pop out. She felt her hairs standing at such kisses.

He leaned against the wall after going after her lips.

Lia’s back hit the wall.

She realized that they had arrived in front of their room and opened the door with her hands behind her back. Claude lifted up Lia, who lost her balance as the door suddenly opened and then took her to the bed.

The bedroom was chilly as it was empty for a few days. A bit of dust flew up as they lay down on the bed.

Claude drank her sweet breaths and spit and licked her swollen lips. Lia’s eyes looked a bit flustered as she looked up while panting.

She looked like this was unfair as if she was just swapped by him.

“Why do you look like you were wronged?” asked Claude.

“I feel like… I keep getting swayed by you.”

“Swayed?”

“Just now, I was clear minded and normal. But… When you… Do that…”

She looked lovely as she kept on rambling on.

Claude replied back on purpose.

“Then keep getting swayed. I’ll sway you with all my might.”

Lia closed her eyes again as he came to an unexpected conclusion.

“Are all ladies this thin?”

“Don’t you know better than I do…?”

“Who knows, you’re the only one I’ve embraced.”

He looked like he was enjoying himself every time she blinked.

Claude unbuttoned her shirt while kissing Lia’s neck. His large hand went past her back and up to her bre*st.

Canillia carefully caressed the man who was hugging her like he was ambushing her. He basically proposed to her last night. He said he’ll make her his clematis and let her know what that meant.

Then three years before, it wasn’t a mistake that he left the broach?

But it didn’t feel real. The position of duchess should be held by a princess or a high level noble that fits the position. Of course, his mother also was a royal.

But a bastard from Louvre is going to be in that position?

The Ihars were the ones that tried their best to help improve and prosper the Empire on the similar level of position as the Emperor.

Claude del Ihar was the one who knew the best about that. The man that was whispering sweetly that he liked me.

“Sir, stop… Stop now.”

“Why.”

“Pepe is outside.”

“Doesn’t that maid know that you’re a lady?”

“She does.”

“Then that shouldn’t be a problem.”

He locked his fingers in hers while saying this. Lia stared at her hand that was being held by his and spoke again.

“I can’t… be clematis.”

When she said this, Claude looked up. She felt bad as it felt like she said something really mean.

“Why is that?”

There was anger in his voice.