" So, let me be clear here. " Noelle leans his back on his chair with a doubted gaze towards the lady that standing firmly in front of him right now.
" You wanted to get engaged with me and becoming the crown princess? "
Maria with her beautiful face immediately nodded her head as a confirmation of her own words.
" Lady Maria, I heard that you had an illness and you almost at a dying stake, don't you? you've already been disqualified from the crown princess candidate from the beginning though. "
" That's true, Crown prince. Up until now, I had always tried my hardest to recover and now, I wanted to claim my right as your crown princess since I'm all fine now. "
" .... "
Noelle just kept silent in thinking what he would get if he accepted this girl in front of him as his crown princess, he looks straight at her with a smirk on his face.
" Then, what will you give me if I were to get engaged with you, lady? " Trying to see Maria's response to his question, Noelle keeps his gaze on Maria's expression on her white pale face.
" I'm an only daughter of the duke Almera so I'm capable of gaining everything that I wanted and I promise you that I can gain the emperor and empress favor turns to your highness side even if I ever need to risk my life for you, my prince. " with a bowed again, Maria used her beautiful face to trick the crown prince into her hand.
" Then for what you wanted to get engaged with me if all the benefits were for me? what will you get, lady? "
" A chance to change my life. "
" Hm-mm. change your life? "
" I will not try to get your attention to me, my prince. I need this engagement as my way to climb on society and conquer the position of being the center of the high society with your highness help. "
While showing him contemptuous face, Noelle leans in further to Maria while his lips smirked by her bold intention.
" Well, Well. we'll see if you're suitable or not, lady Maria. "
"I understand, my crown prince.. but I heard on my way here that you're trying to destroy your enemies from getting any ways to your throne, aren't you? "
" Hm? then? "
" I can help you get rid of her. I know how, crown prince. "
" Ha. This is getting more interesting than I thought it would be, tell me. "
" If only you accepted me to be your crown princess, I'll tell you then. "
Speechless by Maria's words, Noelle blankly blinked his eyes in dumbfounded and suddenly he let go a peal of big laughter from his usual cynical lips.
" Haha! how amusing. "
Maria raises her head in confidence, although Noelle had glared at her with his usual menacing aura, yet she didn't move an inch by his crystal eyes.
" I like how you're so bold, lady. "
Bend her head politely after the compliment from Noelle, Maria grin with her pinked lips. " you're flattering me, your highness. "
" Then.. " looking at how Maria handles his words so easily, Noelle gets up from his seat and slowly walk towards Maria with a big step.
He suddenly kneels before Maria while she turns speechless by his sudden action and slowly Noelle held Maria's hand tenderly and smoothly lean his lips on the back of her palm.
" I'm welcoming you, my crown princess. "
" ....! "
Maria smiles brightly and bowed her head gracefully.
" You can count on me, my crown prince. "
****
" ....? "
" what.. is this..? " Claire in her confused position sat beside a shade of a man who was sleeping soundly beside her on her own bed. In a state of astonishment with the man next to her, her eyes darted around to see where this man was coming from but there was nothing strange in her room, everything is still in the same position except Adam who is missing from his couch. Her eyes slowly were fixed again on the man who was sleeping soundly beside her, Claire trembling hands in fear slowly touched the strong man's arm next to her to turn his body towards her.
" Ad.. am? "
Her hand pulled the man to face her and after the sleeping man's face turned towards her direction, Claire stiffened and turned speechless with her own gaze.
' Adam! '
' This is really him! but how..?! ' cupping her mouth in disbelief, Claire looked at Adam who was sleeping next to her. In a state of astonishment with this impossible thing that happened to her, she frowns in doubt with her own view.
" ..Ugh.. why is my head felt so aches..? " Adam suddenly awoke from his sleep in a state of dizziness holding his throbbing head that felt a strong pain so suddenly.
" Adam! are you alright..? "
Shocked by the state of Adam groaning in pain after he woke up from his sleep, Claire quickly grabbed his arm so that he would lay down again but the man who looked like he was shocked by her presence suddenly pushed Claire roughly and Claire who was in a state of shock because her body was pushed to lie down again, silent in fear.
" Adam..? "
Now Adam's body was pressing on her small body and without a moment Claire could say something, her neck was gripped roughly by the hand of the man who was pressing on her.
" ..cough! ugh..!! "
In the state of her mouth panting in search of air to breathe, cold sweat began to drip all over her body. Claire tried to look at Adam and with all her might tried to call Adam's name so that he could regain his consciousness back.
" Ugh! Ad..am..! "
Her neck ached because Adam's strong grip on it made it difficult for her to breathe and slowly her head was beginning to feel a strong throbbing and without unknowingly her sharp claws has gripped Adam's arm in a desperate struggle to relieve herself of the pain she was currently experiencing right now.
" Ad..am! it's..me! Ugh. Hugh. cough! cough! "
in a state of almost unconsciousness, Claire looked into the eyes of Adam who was gripping her neck strongly. His red eyes dark as if under the consciousness of the mind, Adam was still not completely conscious. He is still in the mind under his sanity.
" ugh..! "
Her claws that gripped Adam's arm unknowingly grew stronger until Adam's arm began to bleed. Claire tried to escape from drowning in Adam's strong grip but failed.
" Who are you? " With his red eyes threatening under the sanity of his own mind, Adam looked into my eyes as if he wanted to eat me alive.
" It's... me! cough! let go! " less oxygen to inhale as her neck was gripped tightly, Claire began to shed tears of pain as she hardly can look at Adam's intense face before of her.
" ....!! "
" My lady! are you alright?! " suddenly there was a loud knock from outside the door as if they heard the roar of my voice trying to call for help, they called my name in a state of worry with my condition.
" Dai..sy! ugh! help!! " with the remaining strength in my body that gradually get weaker, my voice shook while gasped my mouth in exhausted. " Daisy!! "
" Princess?! open the door! princess! " knocking the door in nonstop, the door shook as it gonna fall over because of the rough force from the outside.
" He.. lp! cough! "
Bang!
" ..ugh. "
Claire stunned to see the strong door of her room fall over to the floor after being slammed roughly by someone from the outside.
" Kyaa! my lady! " screaming in shock at the situation in front of her eyes, Daisy sat trembling in fear in front of the room while Lenny quickly stormed in to stop Adam from gripping even stronger.
" Young master! what are you doing! let the princess go! " Lenny without fear stood firmly beside the bed with her composure face as usual.
" cough. Len..ny! help! " struggled to gasp for a breath, my eyes shook while Adam suddenly loosened his grip from my neck in a state of shock with my presence under his body which was pressing on my body right now.
" ....ugh? " Adam suddenly grabbed his throbbing head. His wrinkled face showed how painful the pain he was feeling right this moment.
" ....? "
" ...claire..? "
Adam's face turned to normal when his usual gaze directly met mine and in stunned he quickly withdrew his body from continuing to press on my body and in a state of shock by the gaze of people in front of him, he saw the lower part of his body naked, fortunately, it was still covered with a blanket even after much movement. Without delay when Adam looked puzzled with his own state, Claire quickly got up from the bed and distanced herself from Adam by slipping out of bed in a state of trembling with fear.
" Claire... I'm sorry... " Adam quickly tries to reach for Claire's arm to prevent her from moving away from him but Claire was quicker to shake his hand from getting to touch herself again.
" Don't touch me! " In fear, Claire screamed with her hands quickly covering her head while shivering as well as her legs gradually begin to lose the strength to stand again and unconsciously, Claire collapsed to the floor in a state of silence.
" Claire! " Adam who was quickly tried to catch Claire's body from falling, stopped his legs from stepping closer towards Claire when Claire suddenly hugged her body in fear as Adam tried to approach her.
" .... " Silent at the sight of Claire sitting shivering on the floor, he was silent in shock, stood beside the bed in speechless with his lower body had been covered perfectly with the blanket.
" My lady, let's go now. " Daisy without further ado rushed towards Claire and quickly grabbed both of Claire's shoulders to help her get up from her seat. In silence, they both move towards the door and suddenly Claire's body is lifted by Eilidh who only kept quiet after breaking the door from before and comes from behind them in silence to helped Claire.
" claire.. " his mouth slowly called for her name in shock when she's being carried by an unknown man and unconsciously he tried to get Claire but his steps were stopped by Lenny who suddenly stood firmly in front of him.
" You should just rest, young master. The princess is still in a state of shock and you will only aggravate the situation if you approach her now. " bowed politely before Adam, Lenny with her graceful move quickly to leave the room in silence.
" .... "
Lenny suddenly stopped her steps in front of the collapsed door, before she stepped out, she turned her body to see the silent Adam.
" I'm glad you finally got to come back to your original form, young master. I'll bring some clothes for you soon. " bowed again, Lenny continues to head out again.
" ....yes, thank you.."
Adam sat on the bed in a state of guilt when everyone had left him alone in the room.
" What have I done.. "