Chapter 67

The moment Clarette made up her mind.

But as if to warn them that they had lost track of time, the lamp that had barely survived the night suddenly went out. Darkness, which neither of them wanted, instantly swallowed up their figures.

In the quiet darkness of the studio, Clarette and Lionel lost sight of each other, whom they had been gazing at endlessly. All they knew was that they were very close to each other. Too close to part now.

“Time… has gotten away from us again.”

It was Lionel who spoke first, his voice thick. He sighed deeply and, with a hand full of regret, pulled her into his arms again.

“No, Clarette. We can’t go any further.”

Clarette staying quietly in his arms was the only comfort he had.

Lionel took a deep breath, recalling Clarette’s eyes and subtle gestures before the lamp went out. The gentle scent of her hair tickled his nose, making him even more restless.

Ah, truly.

He wanted to have her.

“I’ll go, Clarette. But soon, again…”

Lionel forced himself to shake off his heavy regret and stepped away from her.

Just then, Clarette, who had been silent, slowly raised her hand and grabbed his collar. More precisely, she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. At her provocative action, Lionel froze, and his body was pulled in a direction he hadn’t expected.

In the darkness, what softly collided were definitely their lips.

Wait a moment. 

Lionel, unable to believe it, touched the hands that gripped his collar. They were Clarette’s, for sure.

So, these hands pulling him with all their strength, these soft lips pressing against his with a single-minded desire to touch him—

They were all Clarette’s.

“…Your Grace.”

But the moment of their first kiss was brief. In the three seconds it took Lionel to grasp what was happening, Clarette finished her own first kiss and hurriedly pulled away. Her heart was pounding so fast, even her voice trembled as it escaped.

“Don’t go, just a little longer… here…”

Stay with me. That was what Clarette wanted to ask.

But her wish was granted even without words.

Lionel no longer intended to leave. That was impossible now. He’d reached his limit.

“Clarette.”

He called her name, but Clarette couldn’t answer.

Her voice, meant to reply with a short “yes,” turned into a faint m*an and disappeared between Lionel’s lips. Clarette gasped in surprise, but he didn’t allow her even a moment to catch her breath.

Unlike Clarette’s gentle kiss, Lionel’s was much deeper and more intense.

Lionel held Clarette’s slender body tightly, gently pressing her lips.

Each time Clarette flinched or parted her lips, the two became more deeply entwined. The occasional rough breaths were all hers.

He seemed perfectly calm, so why was she the only one out of breath? Clarette unconsciously blamed Lionel. But at the same time, she loved the sweet sensations he gave her.

She kept getting drawn in, wanting more, forgetting all other pleasures in the world.

So Clarette, without realizing it, wrapped her arms around Lionel’s neck and willingly surrendered herself to his strong body. She didn’t care where his hands roamed. For the first time, she thought clothes were a bother in front of a man. For the first time, she truly hoped he felt the same excitement and satisfaction.

Everything was new. Because she had kissed Lionel.

Because she’d had her first kiss with the man she liked.

“I’ve been waiting.”

After a long kiss, Lionel gently broke away and, with their foreheads touching, whispered,

“For you to allow me.”

Lionel’s voice echoed in the thick darkness, always that pleasant low tone. Clarette couldn’t see his face, but she could easily imagine his expression. His face, his body, everything about him was in her mind.

Clarette smiled and lightly placed her hand on Lionel’s chest. Broad, firm, yet warm and gentle.

She was grateful she could see and touch him. No painting or sculpture could ever imitate his beauty.

“I think I understand now, Your Grace.”

Clarette whispered affectionately, searching for his lips in the dark.

“Why you wanted… this so much.”

This. Clarette, as if to affirm it, kissed him lightly. Realizing she was smiling, Lionel smiled proudly in return.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes. I do. So, just one more time…”

When Clarette reached out again, Lionel gladly embraced her. Until sunlight replaced the extinguished lamp and filled the room, the two held each other and kissed endlessly.

Like lovers meeting in a dream, wishing only for the night to last.

* * *

Richard Crowley visited the Valentin ducal residence for the first time in a long while. Because their last meeting had ended badly, he was mentally prepared.

‘Come to think of it, he was a violent guy back then.’

Every time Richard saw the corridor connecting the main hall to the garden at the mansion, he felt uneasy.

It was near the third pillar. His younger cousin, whom he’d hardly wanted to acknowledge as family, had beaten him up there.

‘Surprisingly, he seems to have mellowed with age.’

The current Lionel de Valentin had become much more agreeable, perhaps because of his title or his military service.

But Richard couldn’t be too relieved. In his view, Lionel’s essence was that of a soldier who’d spent most of his energetic twenties on the battlefield. He may have only killed enemies, but still—a man who’d killed countless times.

‘It’s not good to provoke him too openly. Anyway, I still have a role in the Valentin family’s affairs… I should patch up our past conflict.’

Today, Richard planned to offer a hand of reconciliation to Lionel as a proper cousin.

Last time, he’d said some harsh things, but now he would acknowledge Lionel as the rightful holder of the title and offer to support him from behind—so they could return to a good relationship.

If, after all that, Lionel ignored or dismissed him, Richard planned to step away from the Valentin family’s debt problem and just watch.

When spring came next year and the debt had to be repaid, Lionel would be the one coming to him with regrets.

‘Right. There will be plenty of chances to shake things up myself.’

Confident in his own advantage, Richard slowed his steps. The door to the study where he was to meet Lionel was slightly ajar.

Richard knocked out of courtesy and slowly entered the study. Lionel, who had been sitting at the desk looking over documents, looked up as Richard came in.

As their eyes met, the words of apology and reflection Richard had prepared vanished from his mind.

“You’re here, Richard! How have you been? You look well.”

Lionel’s reaction to his cousin, with whom he’d parted on bad terms, was cheerful and fresh. Caught off guard, Richard responded to the greeting with a reluctant face.

“I’ve been well. But, um… you…”

“Me? Haha, I’m fine.”

Lionel looked like someone who had everything. Richard, who’d expected coldness, worry, or hostility, was rather flustered.

‘What’s with this guy…? Why is he so happy?’

Lionel kept smiling as he tidied up the documents he’d been reading. Left alone, Richard thought he might even start humming, so he decided to set aside apologies and ask out of curiosity first.

“Lionel, did something good happen? You look really happy.”

“Do I? Hoo, I suppose…”

‘Hoo?’

Richard was annoyed by Lionel’s smug chuckle. For whatever reason, Lionel seemed extremely, even excessively happy.

Richard decided to throw cold water on him and calmly opened his mouth.