“It’s true. His love for you when you were young was so great that his affection never completely disappeared. However, his hatred was equally strong, which is why he never visited you. He entrusted everything to the Empress, believing she would treat you well.”

Could it be true? The emerald eyes looking at the Marquis were still filled with disbelief, but tears welled up as she considered that it might actually be true.

“If you don’t believe me, let’s visit His Majesty together. He said he would personally look after you from now on, so he will gladly meet you. But before that.”

The Marquis’s face, which had shown gentle eyes until moments ago, suddenly hardened.

Lisette blinked with wide eyes, and he asked with a serious expression.

“Are all the evidences you sent me true?”

“Yes. They’re all true. I believed you would trust me. But since this isn’t enough, I wanted to ask for your help.”

“Indeed. This isn’t sufficient. I also tried to find new evidence or witnesses, but I realized it wouldn’t be easy. However, last night I received a letter. From someone willing to serve as a witness.”

“What?”

She had only sent the evidence to the Marquis yesterday, so how did someone know to send him a letter?

“Is… this person trustworthy?”

“I don’t know the sender, but in my opinion, they are quite credible.”

“Who sent it? Are you sure they’re trustworthy?”

When the Marquis said he didn’t know the sender, Claude made a skeptical expression. The Marquis showed the letter to Claude and Lisette, along with the items that came with it.

After reading the contents, Claude and Lisette were equally shocked.

The letter stated that the Empress and the High Priest had conspired together, drugging the Emperor to cloud his judgment and prevent him from making sound decisions. The antidote was also enclosed with the letter.

If they could reveal this fact, they could bring down the Empress and the High Priest.

“It seems the time has come to reveal everything to His Majesty. You said you trust my father and me, right? Then trust us to the end. Even if His Majesty doesn’t believe us at first, I’ll clear your name until he does. So if you need anything, just tell me. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Tears welled up in Lisette’s eyes upon hearing Claude’s words.

Until now, no one had taken her side. No one knew how much she had suffered emotionally, all alone.

But now she had allies. Two of them, in fact.

They seemed willing to stand by her side until the Emperor believed the truth. That made her feel incredibly reassured.

“I also have someone who can serve as a witness. If the Usta family protects her, she’ll testify.”

While it would be impossible for Lisette alone, with the Usta family’s power, she thought they could turn the situation around.

“That’s fortunate. I will speak to His Majesty about this matter.”

Marquis Usta took on the most important task. Care was needed in revealing the truth, lest it appear they were falsely accusing the Empress.

After finishing their conversation, Lisette headed to the room the maid had shown her.

When she opened the door, she was speechless. It was a cozy room with an extremely elegant and luxurious feel.

This was the first time since childhood that she had stayed in such a nice room. After being practically expelled to the Detached Palace, she had continuously lived in humble quarters.

“How is it? I told you my father would take care of everything, didn’t I?”

While she was admiring the room, Claude entered with a mischievous expression.

“Thank you. I never imagined the Marquis would be so kind to me.”

“That’s an odd thing to say for someone who handed over important evidence to my father.”

“I told you, didn’t I? I decided to trust you. So I should trust the Marquis too. He’s your father, after all.”

“I never tire of hearing that answer.”

Claude stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Lisette’s waist. Pulled by his strong force, her body was suddenly pressed against his.

Surely he doesn’t want to do it again?

Lisette’s body was tired after being dominated all night.

“Then at least allow me a kiss.”

When she shook her head in refusal, Claude pleaded while pressing his lips to her cheek.

“Just briefly. I’ll refuse anything more.”

Claude grinned and lowered his lips onto hers. The soft sensation brushed against her lips, sweet but fleeting. The gentle kiss quickly turned intense.

He devoured her lips so roughly that she could barely breathe, and unable to refuse, she had to accept him while taking shallow breaths.

Every time Claude pushed his tongue in hungrily, licking every corner, Lisette’s body tingled and grew hot. Their tongues intertwined in a sticky, entangling kiss, and her breathing became increasingly rapid.

Just when their lips seemed to part momentarily, Claude pressed his lips to hers again, simultaneously pulling her body more firmly against his. The lewd sounds of their mingled breaths and entangled saliva filled their space.

Lost in pleasure, she hadn’t noticed, but his hardened member was repeatedly pressing against her lower body. He expressed his desire to enter her so strongly that it seemed he would press against her body all night if she didn’t accept him.

“Wait… please!”

Lisette forcibly pushed Claude’s body away. She hoped he would subdue the desire he was displaying so openly.

In response, his lips moved to her neck. It was Claude’s determination not to stop.

He sucked fiercely enough to leave red marks, causing Lisette’s head to tilt back and her body to tremble slightly.

“I intended to end with just a kiss, but I can’t hold back. Please allow me.”

His rough breath stimulated her neck, and his baritone voice, mixed with air and sound, resonated in her ear. Hearing his desperate voice, Lisette’s resolve weakened.

It was my mistake to believe him when he said he only wanted a kiss.

Trusting an aroused male had been a mistake. Even if she refused, he would do as he pleased anyway, so it seemed easier to accept Claude than to reject him.

“If you’re going to be so selfish, then just release all your desire inside me.”

“I’ll thr*st into all the places that feel good, so trust me and enjoy it.”

When Lisette spoke with resignation, Claude smiled slightly and pressed his lips to hers again. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, their kiss deepened. Claude lifted her and gently placed her on the bed.

Smack, smack—their lips met forcefully and parted repeatedly. After separating, he straddled Lisette’s delicate body, removed her dress, grasped her full br*asts, and stimulated her intimate area with his other hand.

“Ah…!”

Feeling pleasure from his gentle yet persistent touch, Lisette exhaled roughly and twisted her body slightly. Her mind began to go blank as she felt the sweet stimulation.

“S-stop…”

The more roughly he explored her sensitive areas, the more fl*id flowed from between her tender flesh. The wet sounds made their space lewd, and contrary to her words, Lisette was soon moving her hips on her own.

“You’ve become sensitive after I trained you all morning.”

Unlike Lisette, who covered her face in embarrassment, Claude wore a satisfied smile. He stopped his disorderly hand movements.

Soon after, he tore off his upper garments, quickly undid his pants, and immediately positioned himself.

“Ahh!”

As his firm member slowly entered, Lisette’s hands covering her face tightened, and her head tilted back.

The rough pillar pierced through her body, filling her inside. When he thr*st deeply to stimulate her innermost parts, a thrill ran through her entire body.

“I can’t promise to be gentle, so put your hands around my neck.”

Claude took Lisette’s hands and wrapped them around the back of his neck. She tried to follow his lead, but as he thr*st his hips roughly in the meantime, she couldn’t complete the motion and had to grip his back tightly instead.

As he grasped her buttocks and thr*st roughly with wet sounds, deep nail marks were left on his back. But Claude didn’t seem to mind at all, moving his hips like an unleashed beast, while Lisette shook unrestrainedly in his arms.

“Ah, aah, mmmm.”

M*ans flowed continuously from Lisette’s mouth.

“Lisette, aah, Lisette!”

Claude called Lisette’s name with a low groan. His voice mixed affection and sensuality, sounding like he found her adorable.

Lisette, being thr*st into repeatedly without rest, reached her cl*max first. Claude’s movements, as he exhaled rough breaths, began to grow more urgent.

His hip movements, which had been short and strong, began to accelerate, and with a final powerful thr*st, he *jaculated inside Lisette.

“Ungh!”

Their fl*ids mixed together, creating a feeling of disorder. Lisette looked at Claude with languid eyes. Claude smiled lecherously at her as she breathed heavily.

“I intended to do it just once, but that won’t be possible.”

Even after pushing to the limit and pouring all his desire into Lisette’s body, his p*nis still stood firmly *rect.

“Are you okay? Will you allow me?”

He slowly rubbed against her intimate area, stimulating Lisette.

“Hic.”

Having already reached cl*max, her body had melted into limpness, and she had no will to refuse. Unable to wipe away the tears welling in her eyes, she could only exhale rough breaths.

Looking down at her in this state, Claude smiled languidly. Eventually, with eyes full of desire, he stimulated Lisette’s body by slowly rubbing against her damp pubic hair.

“Say it. Ask me to put it in.”

When she only moaned without answering, Claude moved his body more forcefully. He deliberately teased her, stopping his hip movements just when he reached her sensitive spots, then moving again, repeating this pattern.

“P-please put it in.”

Finally, after hearing the words he wanted from Lisette, Claude entered her.

As he thr*st his hips repeatedly, Lisette’s reason completely vanished. Her mind could think of nothing but pleasure.

Claude, whose reason had also snapped, felt intense ecstasy and rapture as he made rough hip movements.

And that night, the two of them rolled around in disarray all night long.