84. A Flower in Full Bloom on the Bed

At her words, Klaus snapped his head up, staring at her with wide eyes.

Seeing her turn her face away, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Klaus’s lips curved into a graceful smile. Without hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms.

“I-I can walk on my own!”

“No chance. You might change your mind.”

With a mischievous grin, he tightened his hold, leaving Roselia to bury her face in his chest, muttering softly to herself.

“I won’t change my mind…”

Hearing her faint protest only made Klaus quicken his steps.

It was late, and fortunately, there were no servants on the floor where his bedroom was located. Even if there had been, his large frame would have completely concealed the fact that he was carrying her.

Before long, Klaus pushed open the bedroom door with a forceful motion and stepped inside. He gently set her down on the bed before swiftly pulling off his shirt.

With a rough yank, his shirt came off, revealing a glistening chest and rippling abs, damp with sweat.

Roselia could only stare, wide-eyed and blushing, at his powerful and magnificent physique.

Noticing her reaction, Klaus’s lips curled into a sly smile. He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her lips.

What began as a soft kiss quickly deepened into something far more passionate, each of them losing themselves in the intensity.

Before she knew it, Roselia found herself lying on the bed with Klaus hovering over her, his gaze piercing and predatory, as though ready to devour her.

Bathed in the moonlight, Klaus’s eyes were fixed on her as she lay there, her short hair slightly disheveled.

Feeling self-conscious about her plain, makeup-free face and boyish haircut, Roselia raised her arms to cover her face.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she murmured.

She was used to disguising herself as a man and thought her current appearance was unremarkable and boyish. But tonight, she wanted nothing more than to be seen as a beautiful woman in his eyes.

Klaus gently grasped her wrists, pulling them away from her face. Pressing a kiss to her wrist, he whispered in a low, soothing voice,

“Don’t be shy. To me, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”

His sweet words made Roselia’s face burn even hotter.

Klaus kissed her forehead, chuckling softly.

“And being adorable is just a bonus.”

His lips trailed back to hers, moving slowly and tenderly, as though asking for her permission.

Overcome by the heat of his touch, Roselia shed her embarrassment and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Her acceptance elicited a deep groan from Klaus, who plunged into the kiss with even more fervor.

At some point, Roselia realized she was straddling his firm abdomen, her hands trembling as they roamed over his heaving chest.

Klaus, letting out a muffled groan, sought her lips with desperation, his hands moving to the bandages wrapped around her back.

As his fingers brushed over the knots, seeming to search for an opening, Roselia gently placed her hands on his firm arms, pushing them back with care.

As Roselia pushed his arms away, Klaus let out a ragged breath, his brows furrowing deeply.

“You’re not about to tell me this is off-limits, are you?”

His voice was hoarse and filled with desperation. Roselia, instead of answering, moved her hands to the knot tied across her chest and began to undo it herself.

With a soft rustle, the bandages slipped away like a discarded shell. Klaus’s gaze was utterly transfixed, unable to look away as the bindings fell.

The sight before him—one that had haunted his restless nights since that fateful evening she couldn’t remember—left him mesmerized. His voice was thick with emotion as he murmured,

“Beautiful… Roselia…”

His unabashed admiration made Roselia’s cheeks flush with sudden embarrassment. She instinctively curled into herself, wrapping her arms around her body.

Klaus, unable to bear the distance, leaned forward, gently stroking her arms until they lowered. His lips met hers with a tenderness that made her heart race.

Feeling her soft body pressed against his firm chest, Klaus let out a low growl, his voice strained with desire.

“You’re driving me insane.”

Meeting his heated gaze, Roselia’s lips curled into a seductive smile.

“Then let’s both go mad tonight.”

With those words, she leaned in, her lips clumsily seeking his.

Her inexperience only fueled Klaus’s growing passion. He swallowed her lips with fervor, his deep groans mixing with her hesitant movements.

His hands roamed over her trembling body, each touch growing more fervent. Unable to contain his excitement, his grip tightened unconsciously.

Before he knew it, he had her pinned beneath him, struggling to steady his breathing. He had intended to take things slowly, to avoid overwhelming her—but his resolve kept slipping through his fingers.

Just as Klaus fought to regain control, Roselia’s arms wrapped around his neck.

That small, seemingly innocent gesture snapped the last thread of his restraint.

Her warmth pressed against him, her soft body clinging to his hard frame, and Klaus’s lips trailed down her neck as though seeking a hidden treasure.

A soft moan escaped her lips, accompanied by a tantalizing scent radiating from her skin—something indescribably intoxicating that made his senses reel.

* * *

Roselia, lost in thought as she gazed at the garden, didn’t notice Claucet watching her while setting up her easel. Claucet finally broke the silence, her curiosity evident.

“Did something happen?”

Startled, Roselia suddenly remembered she had come to the garden to keep Claucet company while she painted. She quickly shook her head.

“N-No, nothing at all…”

“You’ve been spaced out all day, though.”

“M-Me? Spaced out?”

“Hmm…”

Claucet narrowed her eyes at Roselia, whose flushed face betrayed her inner turmoil.

“Your face is all red, like someone deep in thought—or maybe someone drunk.”

Her blunt words only made Roselia blush harder, her gaze darting away awkwardly.

Claucet continued to observe her intently before glancing around and speaking in a casual tone.

“By the way, did you notice something?”

“N-Notice what?”

“That all the men in the Duke’s household keep sneaking glances at you today.”

“What?”

Roselia’s eyes widened as she looked around. Sure enough, just as Claucet had said, several servants were lingering nearby, stealing quick glances in her direction.

Could the scent have leaked out?

Her heart, fluttering all day with warmth and excitement, must have caused it. Feeling embarrassed, Roselia bowed her head, trying to hide her discomfort.

Claucet, seemingly indifferent, commented as if to herself,

“If this is how they act while you’re disguised as a man, imagine the chaos if they knew you were a woman. It’d be like bees swarming a flower.”

“My lady!”

Mortified, Roselia called out to Claucet, who lazily glanced in another direction and smirked.

“Looks like a big bee is flying in now.”

“What?”

Roselia blinked in confusion, following Claucet’s gaze.

At Claucet’s words, Roselia turned her head in confusion, only to see Klaus striding toward them with a determined expression. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Antonio,” he called, his tone laced with disapproval.

“Y-Yes, Your Grace?” she stammered, startled by his demeanor.

“I don’t think this will do. Let’s discuss some business matters in my office today.”

Before she could respond, Klaus abruptly grabbed her wrist, pulling her along. Roselia stumbled after him, bewildered.

What isn’t working? And what business matters could they possibly have to discuss?

Still in a daze, she followed Klaus into his office. Once inside, he pushed her against the wall, trapping her in his arms.

“Y-Your Grace?”

Her voice quivered slightly with unease, prompting Klaus to soften his hardened expression and let out a deep sigh.

Lowering his head to her shoulder, he inhaled deeply, as though trying to catch his breath after escaping a suffocating space.

“What am I going to do? Even for a moment, being without you drives me insane…”

His warm breath brushed against her neck, making Roselia’s face flush.

Klaus’s solid frame boxed her in, his thighs pressing against her, leaving her unable to move.

The air between them grew charged and suffocatingly warm. Just as Roselia felt her mind clouding with the heat of the moment, an unfamiliar voice broke through the tension.

“Um… Excuse me…”

The stifling atmosphere dissipated instantly, replaced by a sudden chill.

Startled, Roselia turned toward the source of the voice and spotted Alejandro standing awkwardly in the corner of the office.

Unlike Roselia, who was mortified, Klaus barely turned his head, speaking coldly.

“What are you doing here?”

Alejandro, visibly uncomfortable, avoided eye contact as he answered.

“You summoned me earlier, Your Grace…”

Finally recalling that he had called Alejandro in the morning to discuss the school construction project, Klaus exhaled heavily.

“I’m busy right now. Come back this afternoon, Alejandro.”

The way Klaus emphasized his name made it clear he was chastising Alejandro for his poor timing. The aide quickly bowed his head in embarrassment.

“Ah… Yes, then I’ll return this afternoon…”

Remembering that Alejandro still believed she was a man, Roselia felt an overwhelming sense of shame and awkwardness. Desperate to escape, she quickly interrupted.

“No! I’ll leave instead!”

Her sudden declaration made Klaus frown deeply.

Roselia slipped out of Klaus’s arms and hurriedly retreated, offering an awkward laugh.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to your business. Ha-ha…”

With that, she practically fled the office, her face burning with embarrassment.

For goodness’ sake, no matter how much they were dating now, she hadn’t expected Klaus to act so boldly while she was still in disguise as a man.

She resolved to talk to Klaus about this matter later as she briskly walked down the hallway, hoping no one had seen her.

* * *

The Duke’s mansion was home to an enormous library, rivaling even the Imperial Library, in addition to Klaus’s private study.

Having been granted access to the library, Roselia entered to gather information.

Her original goal had been to repay Klaus’s debt and live a quiet life in a peaceful rural area, far removed from the original story. But now that she had chosen to stay by his side, everything had changed.

Staying with him meant she would continue to be targeted by the Grand Duke’s schemes. And being associated with the famous Duke Valtazar increased the likelihood of drawing the attention of the Raphelios Imperial family.

Still, she had no regrets about her decision.

As Count Bernas had said, this was her choice…

To prepare, she needed information about the Grand Duke’s plots and the secrets of the bloodline that could one day be exposed, along with intelligence on the Raphelios Imperial family, who might come after her.

Roselia was engrossed in searching for books on the history of Rugbeljet and Raphelios when a large hand suddenly rested on the shelf beside her.

“What are you looking for?”

Startled, she turned and found Klaus standing behind her. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“The history of the Rugbeljet and Raphelios Empires,” she replied.

Before she could process his presence, Klaus placed his other hand on the opposite side of the shelf, effectively trapping her between his arms.

Roselia glanced up at him, her expression flustered.

“You slipped away so easily earlier,” he remarked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

 

 

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