Despite his polite tone, his expression showed not a trace of regret.

Miguel, who had heard that the Duke was relaxed and easygoing by nature but hadn’t realized he was this disinterested in worldly affairs, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

“Duke Heinst! What we’re trying to say is—”

“If you wish to formally address this topic at the next assembly, I might be more willing to listen then…… but for today, let’s end it here.”

Claude smoothly cut off Miguel’s words and concluded the conversation. Then he stood up with a straight posture and left the place.

Leaving behind the cowards who couldn’t speak such words in an official setting.

* * *

The day was drawing to a close.

Flora entered her master’s room without fail today as well.

“You’re late. Come an hour earlier from now on.”

The Duke spoke without turning his head. He was sitting in a comfortable chair in front of the fireplace, reviewing documents.

Having apparently just finished bathing, he was dressed in a light robe and casually brushed back his silver-white hair.

“I hear you’re doing twice the work. I told you to take it easy.”

“I prefer it this way.”

Flora answered simply to the Duke’s words, which he said he had heard from the butler.

There’s no such thing as pure goodwill in this world.

At least, that had been her experience. The fact that one had to earn their keep before receiving kindness was something she had experienced enough in her life.

At her consistent answer, Claude lost interest, saying she could do as she pleased, and focused on the documents he had been reviewing.

Silence settled in the space. Only the occasional sound of turning pages broke the stillness.

How much time had passed? Eventually, the Duke rose, having apparently finished his paperwork.

Flora watched intently as the Duke took out a small glass vial from a side table drawer and drank it down.

“I thought today wasn’t a day for you to take it.”

“It doesn’t have much effect anyway, even if I take it.”

She wanted to ask why he drank it then, but Flora kept her mouth shut. The Duke hated interference, so there was no point in asking.

Walking in without hesitation and sitting heavily on the edge of the bed, he wiggled the tips of his long fingers.

“Tell me a story.”

He often asked Flora to tell him her stories. It was a strange question to ask someone with no memories.

It would be boring anyway.

She was inherently not talkative and was taciturn. As such, the stories she could tell were quite limited.

As always, after an awkward start to their daily conversation, the topic naturally shifted to Mikail’s newly developed menu.

“Everyone spat it out after one bite. So this one didn’t make it up to you, sir.”

“What…… dish was it?”

He asked as if he had heard something unbelievable, though he had been listening somewhat indifferently.

“Celery onion pie. He said it was made with ingredients good for inducing sleep.”

“You didn’t eat it, did you?”

“I found it delicious.”

When Flora shared her impression, Claude’s expression changed curiously. It was similar to the expression everyone made at her words in the dining hall.

“Ha……”

A laugh escaped through Claude’s lips as he ran his large hand over his face.

His mouth wouldn’t close as her matter-of-fact expression seemed innocently unaware of what was strange about it.

She might as well eat raw leaves.

A dish that made his appetite disappear just by hearing its name. The woman who had eaten such a thing with enjoyment had a bright face.

Claude lowered his arms from behind his head where they had been interlocked and raised his upper body. Flora tilted her head and opened her mouth.

“If you’re curious about the taste, even tomorrow…… Oh.”

“I’m going to sleep, so stop talking and come here.”

Suddenly her wrist was firmly grasped and her body was pulled. With the sinking sensation of the bed giving way, she once again found herself sitting on her master’s bed.

The large hand that interlocked between her fingers completely enveloped her hand. Though only her hand was held, her entire body became extremely tense.

His straight fingers lightly caressed the back of her hand. It felt like a signal with some kind of sensual feeling. This too seemed like his own form of affection, making her fingertips tremble.

Flora looked closely at the ash-gray eyes shining in the darkness. Wondering if he was going to do it again tonight, Flora hesitantly asked.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I told you. Your duty is to guard my nights. ……And your nights belong to me too.”

His firm hand suddenly pulled hers, turning her body into his embrace. As he brought his face close, his profound gaze held her captive.

Flora slightly opened her mouth, feeling as though those colorless eyes were suffocating her.

“The medicine…… seems to be working well.”

“Medicine? Does it look that way?”

The duke asked with a mocking smile.

“Yes. Yesterday you didn’t wake up even once.”

While guarding his nights, Flora had seen it several times before. Him unable to sleep.

The duke, who seemed peacefully asleep under the influence of medicine, would often sit up abruptly while pressing his forehead. Sometimes he didn’t even do that. He would only curl up in pain, sobbing like someone having a nightmare.

At those times, Flora would gently wipe away the cold sweat on his forehead and quietly sit beside him, watching him for a long time. She didn’t particularly do it thinking it would help.

It was just that he looked so pained in those moments. So lonely.

She would keep him company, hoping his troubled sleep would subside. Though he would gradually calm down, there were many nights when he would still wake up, rendering her efforts futile.

That process hadn’t occurred yesterday, so Flora thought perhaps the medicine was finally taking effect.

Claude’s eyes narrowed slightly. This maid had no idea that he could only sleep soundly when holding her in his arms.

“……I sleep fine when I hold you.”

“That’s because you took the medicine……”

“Enough. I’m quite tired after dealing with troublesome matters today.”

With a strangely languid expression, he gently grasped the ends of her hair and tousled it. The soft platinum blonde hair fell in several strands from his large hand.

The duke faced her closely, their breaths almost touching, and fixed his gaze intently on hers. Just his gentle touch on the nape of her neck made her stomach tingle strangely.

His elegant fingers gracefully undid each knot on her back. As he pulled at the loosened clothing, her br*asts faintly showed through the thin fabric. After patiently pulling it down below her chest, her pale, soft, tender skin was revealed.

His refined fingertips stopped her attempt to cross her arms in embarrassment.

“Stay still……”

Claude whispered as he slowly licked her earlobe. His hands, which had removed and discarded even the undergarments covering her lower body, gently traced circles along her skin.

Having rendered Flora n*ked with his supremely elegant hand movements, Claude admired her bare body with narrowed eyes.

Though he had initially thought her small frame was unimpressively thin when he first brought her, the swollen br*asts and b*ttocks positioned on either side of her slim waist made it difficult even for him to look away.

“How curious.”

“……What is?”

“When you’re n*ked before me, you’re always as docile as a gentle lamb.”

Claude murmured in a low, intuitive tone. A momentary flash of embarrassment crossed her otherwise impassive face.

Claude gazed down at Flora, his eyes half-lowered. With her lips pressed together, she silently yielded to him.

Yet her calmness wasn’t boring. She was a woman whose expressions were fairly easy to read—tilting her head when confused, and widening her eyes when interested despite pretending otherwise.

He extended one finger and lightly scratched the tip of her pale pink n*pple, causing her to let out a small moan. Her waist trembled slightly at the tingling sensation.

“Were you looking forward to this?”

He fully grasped her br*ast in his large hand and kneaded it. The duke lowered his head and pressed his lips against the soft flesh.

As the peak, moistened with saliva, turned red like a fruit, a faint smile spread across his impassive face.

Why is she so sweet?

He bit the red fruit with his teeth. Her long eyelashes fluttered and gradually became moist.

“You seem to be enjoying it.”

Flora’s eyes wavered. As he moved slightly, something hard touched the inside of her thigh. She could clearly feel his excitement.

Claude smiled slightly and took her hand, placing it on his own. When her hand flinched as if burned and tried to flee, he firmly held it down and observed her expression.

“Feel free to touch me too.”

A mischievous smile appeared on Claude’s delicate face as he casually gestured downward. He asked while following her slowly descending gaze.

“You’ve already seen everything. Why not share your impressions of what you’re feeling now, rather than just about food?”