51. Drunk on Wine, Drunk on Moonlight

“When have you ever cared about that?”

At Roselia’s blunt remark, Klaus’s eyes momentarily hardened.

Upon reflection, not only earlier but in all his actions and words toward her thus far, he had been overbearing and direct.

While Klaus was absorbed in serious contemplation after realizing this belatedly, Roselia, who found his behavior strange, continued speaking curtly.

“Well, I have an appointment with Lady Claucet, so I’ll take my leave.”

With that, she briskly turned around and walked away, leaving Klaus standing there, staring at her back for a long time.

* * *

“Did the Marquess of Euciliod give you a ride?”

Roselia, who was trying on her fourth dress, which Claucet had sent a maid to bring, answered calmly.

“Yes.”

“My goodness. Do you think the Marquess has feelings for you?”

“That’s impossible…”

For a brief moment, Johannes von Euciliod’s gentle smile flashed in her mind, but Roselia shook her head.

Though she felt comfortable and happy when with him, she didn’t see him in a romantic light.

Roselia was certain that while Johannes liked her, it was different from romantic affection.

Suddenly, she recalled something Johannes had said to Klaus. After thinking for a while, Roselia cautiously spoke to Claucet.

“But there’s a problem.”

“What is it?”

“I lied to the Duke and said the Marquess of Euciliod was my lover.”

“What? That’s a rather outrageous lie, don’t you think?”

“The real problem is… somehow the Marquess found out about it.”

“He knows you told Klaus that he was your lover?”

“Yes.”

“And he didn’t say anything?”

Exactly. Normally, he would’ve been offended and questioned why I lied.

“On the contrary, he even played along and helped deceive the Duke.”

“Oh… see? I was right.”

Claucet clapped her hands together with a knowing expression.

“Right about what?”

“The Marquess must have feelings for you. That’s why he’s going along with your lie without any objections.”

“There’s no way… he might just be teasing me…”

At that moment, a knock came from the door of the drawing room where they were sitting.

Roselia and Claucet looked toward the door, which slowly opened to reveal Klaus, standing there with his usual stern expression.

“You haven’t had dinner yet, have you?”

Surprised by the sudden question, Roselia responded with a puzzled look.

“No, we haven’t…”

“Then join me for dinner.”

Both Roselia and Claucet widened their eyes at the unexpected invitation.

Glancing at Claucet, Roselia saw her shaking her head vehemently, clearly signaling her refusal.

“I think I’ll…”

Just as Roselia was about to voice her rejection, her words stopped short when her eyes met Klaus’s.

His gaze was filled with a strange intensity, as if he had struggled a great deal before making the suggestion. Roselia hesitated.

Why not have one meal with him if the cold-hearted Duke was asking so earnestly? After all, she was getting a little hungry.

“Alright.”

Claucet looked shocked by Roselia’s sudden agreement.

Roselia gave her an awkward smile.

But it didn’t take long for her to regret that decision.

Eating with her estranged brother, with whom she rarely shared a meal, turned out to be quite uncomfortable.

In the silence, broken only by occasional awkward coughs, Klaus continuously sipped wine.

Each time his glass emptied, the maids swiftly refilled it with fresh wine.

What’s gotten into him, doing something so out of character?

As if sensing her thoughts, Klaus, having downed another glass, spoke in a casual tone.

“Sometimes it’s good for everyone to gather for a meal together.”

Claucet muttered quietly under her breath, “The sun must be rising in the west.”

At her words, Klaus cleared his throat awkwardly and took another sip of wine.

In that uncomfortable atmosphere, the food hardly went down smoothly.

Noticing that Roselia was merely picking at her food, Klaus spoke again.

“Is the food not to your taste? If it’s not good, I’ll have the chef bring something else.”

His unusually gentle tone startled both Claucet and Roselia.

“Hic… Pardon?”

Roselia, taken aback by this unfamiliar side of Klaus, let out a small hiccup. Claucet, unable to watch any longer, looked at Klaus and bluntly asked,

“Are you drunk?”

* * *

Roselia had no idea how the meal ended as she left the dining hall. She suddenly remembered that she had left a bag containing servant clothes for Antonio in the dressing room.

She considered asking Claucet for help, but then decided it would be more convenient to retrieve it herself. Carefully, she spoke up.

“I left something in the dressing room, so I’ll go get it.”

Claucet, not thinking much of it, nodded and gave her permission.

Roselia quickly turned on her heels and headed towards the dressing room, where she had changed into her dress.

As she entered the dimly lit room, she considered lighting a candle, but noticing the moonlight streaming through the window, she decided it wasn’t necessary. Thankfully, her bag was sitting neatly on the table bathed in moonlight.

After checking the contents of the bag, Roselia turned around in relief, only to find Klaus standing at the entrance, leaning against the doorway.

Startled by his sudden appearance, Roselia gasped.

“Y-Your Grace?”

Instinctively, she hid the bag containing Antonio’s clothes behind her back. Fortunately, Klaus didn’t seem interested in what she was hiding, as he slowly spoke.

“You’re leaving without seeing Antonio?”

Noticing that his usually sharp gaze was now slightly softened, Roselia guessed that he might be under the influence of alcohol.

Studying his expression carefully, she forced an awkward smile and replied.

“Ah, yes… I can always see him later.”

Roselia consciously tried not to draw attention to the bag she had hidden behind her back. However, Klaus seemed to have something on his mind since the meal, as he quietly mumbled.

“Why did you ride in the Marquess’ carriage today?”

It was such a simple question, yet it sounded as though it had been weighed down with much thought. Roselia, trying to sound nonchalant, responded casually.

“We just ran into each other by chance.”

At that moment, Klaus slowly approached her.

As he stepped into the room, the soft moonlight flowing through the window highlighted his figure, giving the room a surreal, almost dreamlike atmosphere.

When he drew closer, Roselia caught a faint whiff of wine.

Is he really drunk?

“You’re saying it was a coincidence…”

Klaus, leaning against the wall next to her, gazed down at her intently. Though his action wasn’t threatening, Roselia felt herself shrink back, pressing her back against the wall as she swallowed nervously.

Klaus, who was slowly scanning her face, eventually spoke in a low voice.

“What exactly did the Marquess say to you…?”

Didn’t he already ask this earlier? Why is he making me repeat the same answer?

Even though what the Marquess said wasn’t particularly significant, Klaus had no right to pry. After all, their relationship was strictly that of a debtor and creditor. Nothing more, nothing less. At least, that’s how it had to be.

“I told you earlier, I don’t owe you an explanation about what he said.”

At Roselia’s firm tone, drawing a clear boundary, Klaus’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Damn it, Roselia.”

The gentle tone he had used earlier during dinner was now completely gone, replaced by frustration.

His hand clenched into a fist against the wall beside her face, and Klaus struggled to keep his voice steady.

“Don’t test me.”

Unlike her calm demeanor, Klaus was finding it difficult to think clearly, likely due to the alcohol. He kept telling himself that it wasn’t jealousy, that it was merely irritation at someone intruding into his domain. But his gaze was magnetically drawn to her face.

Her entrancing green eyes.

Her small, slightly parted lips, almost as if inviting him.

And that sweet scent that always drove him mad…

Klaus had wanted to treat her gently, as Johannes had suggested, but as he drew closer, all the emotions he’d tried to suppress began to surge uncontrollably.

“Does this so-called lover of yours not have any plans to repay your family’s debts?”

His voice dripped with sarcasm, and Roselia frowned, clearly displeased.

“That’s my family’s issue to deal with.”

“If it were me, Roselia, I would’ve paid off the debt just to keep you from being shared with anyone else.”

Roselia looked up at him, eyes wide with surprise at his unexpected words.

What did he mean by that? No, it can’t be anything significant… surely he didn’t mean it that way.

Ignoring his intense gaze as best as she could, Roselia tried to slip past him. But before she could escape, Klaus grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into his arms.

Now trapped between the wall and Klaus, Roselia glanced up at him with wavering eyes.

Though she was the one caught off guard, it was his eyes that seemed more confused and unsettled.

“Don’t turn your back on me.”

Lowering his head over her shoulder, he muttered in a low, strained voice, as though trying to suppress something.

“Don’t go to him, Roselia.”

Him… was he talking about the Marquess of Euciliod?

Roselia barely had time to process her confusion before she became hyper-aware of just how close he was. His breath, hot against her neck, felt like it could burn her.

The sweet scent of wine surrounding him seemed to intoxicate her as well.

His firm body pressed against hers made it hard to breathe, and the scent of wine filling her senses was making her dizzy.

As Roselia found herself overwhelmed by Klaus’s presence, he slowly lifted his head to look at her.

In the moonlight, his hair shimmered with a faint blue hue. His gaze, as he looked at her, seemed to drink in every detail, as if memorizing every strand of her hair, every curve of her face.

She felt like she could be swept away by that gaze.

“Roselia…”

The soft, earnest voice that slipped from his lips was something Roselia had never heard from him before. For a moment, it felt like her heart stopped.

TL/N; Okay soo first of all Im sorry but I kinda forgot the currency standard of this novel….. I really don’t remember it so Im gonna leave that out 2nd tell me if you guys need a name into Ill add it to tler note ….