A dry swallow escaped her lips.
The maid must have thought Clemati had taken the wrong way and was trying to correct her.
At such a late hour, for an aide to be heading to the lord’s bedroom…
Even to the maid, it was not a natural sight.
“I’m aware. His Grace asked me to deliver some documents urgently.”
She pointed to the file tucked under her arm.
She almost wanted to praise herself endlessly for having brought it in preparation for a situation like this.
The maid let out an “Ah—” and nodded, then walked up the stairs toward her.
“I see. If you give them to me, I’ll deliver them for you.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected kindness, Clemati faltered.
“He’s rather sensitive, so aside from a few attendants, he doesn’t like anyone entering his chambers.”
That was, in fact, the proper protocol.
Except in emergencies, only designated attendants were allowed into the lord’s bedroom.
But Clemati hid the file behind her back and refused the offer.
“It’s a highly confidential matter. His Grace instructed me to bring it personally, so it’s fine.”
They said that when a person is pushed to their limits, they display extraordinary ability.
Clemati, who had nearly left a suspicious impression, blurted out a quick-witted excuse.
It sounded convincing enough that the maid quickly accepted it and withdrew her outstretched hand.
“Then please deliver it and come back down quickly. I heard you have to wake up early tomorrow as well.”
The maid bowed slightly to Clemati and descended the stairs again.
Deliver it and come back down quickly.
If only that were possible.
Clemati stood motionless in the middle of the staircase for a moment before forcing her heavy feet to move and climbing the rest.
The highest floor of the estate.
The most private space of the lord, Prox.
All the way here, her heart had been racing with anxiety about being seen, but now it began to pound for a completely different reason.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
Taking a deep breath, Clemati walked toward his bedroom.
Standing before the door, she adjusted her formal attire.
The habit she always practiced before entering his office repeated itself here, in front of his bedroom.
Knock, knock.
“It’s Matty.”
“Come in.”
Prox answered as if he had been waiting for her.
Even after hearing his response, Clemati hesitated for a moment before grasping the handle and slowly pushing the door open.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in a light robe.
A wine glass rested in his hand, and on the bedside table sat a bottle of wine and an empty glass.
Perhaps by coincidence, the color of the wine swirling in his grasp closely resembled the shade of Clemati’s hair.
Prox lazily swept his gaze over Clemati from head to toe as she entered.
Wherever his eyes landed, it felt as though heat spread across her skin.
At the same time, seeing her attire, Prox nearly shook his head.
He had told her to come to the bedroom, and she showed up in full uniform with a file in hand.
It perfectly reflected her cautious nature, unwilling to let their relationship be exposed.
“Why are you just standing there? Come here and sit.”
He gestured to the spot beside him.
Clemati walked steadily toward him, but instead of sitting next to him, she stopped by the bedside table where the wine was placed.
Rather than someone who had come to spend the night, she looked like an aide entering to report on work.
Prox’s gaze shifted to the file in her hands.
“Why did you bring that?”
He snatched the file from her and opened it, revealing a bundle of outdated documents that were no longer needed.
“So the staff wouldn’t misunderstand.”
If only he knew how helpful that file had been just to get her here.
Clemati suppressed the urge to grumble.
“What misunderstanding?”
Setting the file aside, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer.
The force bent her back slightly.
With her upper body naturally leaning forward, their faces drew close.
Pulled so suddenly, Clemati’s face flushed with heat.
“You’ll be coming here regularly from now on. It’s only a matter of time before people find out anyway.”
As he said, trying to avoid suspicion just for this moment was meaningless.
Three months, regardless.
She had agreed to be his lover for three months, and if he wished, this relationship would continue.
For some reason, she felt miserable.
She had imagined becoming his lover countless times, but never like this.
Prox noticed the faint sadness in Clemati’s eyes.
His brow furrowed slightly.
Something about it made him uncomfortable, even irritated.
Releasing her wrist, he gestured toward the table.
“Have a drink.”
“I’m fine without alcohol.”
“It’ll be harder if you stay sober.”
It sounded as though he was asking whether she could endure what was to come.
After a brief hesitation, Clemati picked up the wine bottle and poured herself a glass.
The wine, a blend of violet and red hues, went straight down her throat.
If anything, she wanted to get drunk quickly.
“Hah.”
At her bold action, Prox let out a short laugh.
“Don’t just stand there. Come sit next to me.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Clemati finally sat beside him.
Setting down his glass, he cupped her cheek.
Even that slight touch sent a shiver through her entire body.
It was no surprise, as she had no experience with men.
“Get used to my touch. How do you expect to endure anything more than this?”
He pulled the startled Clemati closer into his arms.
He had found it ridiculous that she came to the bedroom in uniform, but now it only made it more stimulating.
The sense of immorality, being with his aide while having a fiancée, pricked at him.
Prox wrapped his arm more boldly around her waist.
“Ah…!”
Held completely in his arms, Clemati quickly felt dazed.
The alcohol she had downed in one go was beginning to take effect.
The hand that had been stroking her soft cheek moved gradually, lingering at her earlobe.
Startled, Clemati looked up at him, her face on the verge of tears.
“You said you love me. If you love someone, you do things like this.”
He had no intention of going easy on Clemati, who had come into his bedroom.
Resigned, her eyelashes trembled as she lowered her gaze.
Whenever he touched a sensitive spot, she would look up at him again with resentful eyes.
But she never said to stop, nor that she couldn’t continue.
She only flinched at every touch, her body overly sensitive.
Watching her reactions, Prox found it harder to restrain himself.
This time, he cupped her face with both hands, tilting his head as if ready to close the distance.
Their lips would meet.
Extremely tense, Clemati shut her eyes tightly.
Yet even with her eyes closed, she felt nothing.
“What are you doing just sitting there?”
“…What?”
Clemati lifted her eyelids, her gaze hazy.
Prox parted his lips slightly and tapped them with his finger.
“You need to open your mouth.”
“Ah…”
Clemati’s face flushed bright red.
Having never properly kissed a man before, she didn’t know even the smallest details.
She had learned how to study, how to speak with others—
but no one had ever taught her how to share love with a man.
Embarrassed, her head dropped.
“It’s fine. You might not know.”
Reaching out, Prox brushed the strand of hair that had fallen by her ear back behind it.
That gentle touch made Clemati feel as if her heart dropped and then leapt back up.
“You’ve spent your whole life working hard only for the tasks given to you… and for me.”
It was an incredibly gentle thing to say.
To Clemati, Prox had always been that kind of man.
Because she had saved his life, he had always been on her side.
Even when everyone opposed her, when no one acknowledged her—
he alone treated her with leniency unlike how he treated others.
Not out of ulterior motives, but out of gratitude.
Even knowing that, Clemati had liked feeling special to him.
She knew she shouldn’t misunderstand, yet she had fallen for him in an instant.
Even now, in this absurd situation, Prox remained the same.
Even while dealing with someone he held in disdain, his instinctive gentleness could not be hidden.
“As your lover, I’ll personally teach you at least this much.”
The distance between them grew smaller.
Clemati felt her breath becoming uneven, a rising tension building within her.
As his breath brushed against her cheek, she naturally closed her eyes.
Her eyelashes trembled lightly.
