chapter 46

" Can you leave us, master Calipsto? "

" ... "

" ...very well. "

He hesitated at first but Calipsto slowly makes his way to the door after he looks at Maria who was glaring at him in silence. As I watch them being so familiar with each other, I could only silent when I look at Cal gets out of the guest room with an upset face.

When he has finally gone, Maria asked me to sit back on the couch while she takes a seat before me so calmly. do as she says, Claire silently sits still and waiting for Maria to tell her the truth.

Who would expect that Maria is the one who makes the contract with the devil? but why..? does she not happy after I died? What happened between her and Noelle that she gets so desperate to some extent to ask help from a devil?

" Lady Maria.. "

" First of all, let me tell you the whole story. " cut my words with a calm voice, Maria stares at me who was suddenly speechless when she calmly talk like that.

" ..... "

" ..yes. "

" It happens the day when your highness died after you jumped into a cliff, and make the whole empire turn uproar by your death news. everyone suddenly started to change from that day. Even my life too. "

" The nobles keep on pestering me to do the works you left behind and keep on judging me and compare me to your highness. because I'm not qualified enough to do the work of an empress, Noelle was the one that holds the burdens on his shoulder. I had his favor the most so people didn't talk much but until one day, he changes. he started to be like those people too. "

As the view when Maria gripped her dress so annoyingly came into my sight, I could only watch her when she started to tremble in sadness. her face looks just like me, back then when I'm being abandoned as a concubine. A face that had so much grief and regrets, that what Maria's looks like right now.

" When I finally bear his child in my womb, he goes to lead an expedition instead and left me for quite a while, and when he finally back, he doesn't even come to visit me anymore. sometimes it makes me turn insane. I had depression on the thought that he think of me as useless for him and he might be looking for some other girls better than me. at that time, I usually thought of your highness too. the thought of these miserable days begins after you died, may because I sinned you. I took your place out of nowhere and made you ended your life. I kept on feeling guilty because I'm afraid since you always appeared in my dreams and haunted me all nights, you blamed me because I took your life. However, even when my condition has worsened to that extent, no one ever stands by my side and just left me be that way. Until a day when I gave birth to a son and he becomes my only light in my dark world. 'Ian' was the cutest baby and my most lovely chil..d.. uh.. "

My body flinches and straightened in shock when Maria suddenly falls some tears before me while she was telling me the story. in dumbfounded, immediately I make a way and crouch before her while patting her trembling hand with a worried gaze. even though she was once my greatest enemy, the one who steals my place back in the past, but it's not mean that I should blame her for everything. even though Noelle a bastard but I sincerely hope for her happiness even after I died. I thought that she will be happy forever with Noelle when I'm gone so what's wrong now? what makes her so sad like this?

" Lady Maria.. "

" I'm sorry... I'm sorry.. please forgive me for my ignorance back in our past. I thought that he was the destined one to me yet it doesn't go well even a bit after your highness died. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. " she cried in grief while her hand trembling in grasping my dress until it's crumpled.

" Lady Maria.. just what did happen to you in the past? "

" uhuk. I'm sorry, Claire... I'm sorry. I shouldn't take your place nor I should seize your love. it just a befitting ending for someone like me. uhuk. I'm sorry! I truly regret it now.. please forgive me.. "

" I swear that when we meet again, I'll ask you for forgiveness even if I need to beg for it.. please Claire... Ian... my son, Ian.. uh.. "

"..! Lady Maria! "

I was stunned in my position when suddenly Maria falls into my embrace. her whole body temperament was so high and she keeps on breathing so hard. her face suddenly turns pale and her eyes begin to be swollen because she cried so hard just now.

" sigh.. she at it again.. " a low voice suddenly get into my ear and as soon as I raise my head to look at the person that stands in front of me in wonder with who it was, maria's body was rising to the air, away from me.

"?! "

" She tired of crying too much again. I'll take her with me first, sister. "

Startled in speechless, I look at Calipsto that appears out of nowhere while casually hold Maria who has collapsed in his arms. How does he come in so fast like he has expected this to happen from earlier? what did you guys share that you keep as a secret from me?

" How about telling me the truth, Cal? "

" Tsk. I keep insisting you not come met Claire since I had expected you will be like this yet you still acted stubborn despite your fragile body. " Calipsto mouth keeps on nagging while squeezing his grip on Maria a little bit more and slowly he glances at me with an upset expression.

" Ha. I'm sorry, sister. let's met again tomorrow at your room just between us. "

" wh-what..? hey, Cal..! "

Once again, he left me alone as always. He's gone just like that with Maria in his arms using magic teleportation and leave me speechless in my stead.

" that guy..! don't leave me hanging like this..! "

" Laire..? "

"! "

" Ad-Adam.. " shockingly turn my face to look at Adam that appear at the door, my face couldn't hide my anxiety, and accidentally look at him speechless.

Clack. Clack.

"..!!? "

" Are you alright? why did you sit on the floor? wasn't it cold? " Adam who was standing far away from me just now suddenly stood before me with a worried expression on his charming face. why does everyone keep on approaching me when I was off guard and make me startled like this??

" now, come here. " reaching his hands towards me, smoothly his arm grabbed my whole body and raise me into his embrace.

" ....uh. "

I think I slowly get used to his way of carrying me since he has spoiled me for too much since earlier.

" Are you tired, my dear fiance? I'll carry you till we arrive at the carriage so get some rest. "

" ...mmn. "

His voice soothing my mind, I don't know but whenever he's around I always feel calm by his presence and whenever his gentle voices get into my ear it calms all the problems I had in my head for a while. I guess I am fatigued with all the information that comes into my head just now. I might need some rest just like this man said.

and with that, I don't know since when did I fell asleep in his embraces.

" Oh my, the princess has fallen asleep. " said the horseman while abruptly opening the carriage door to make way for his master to get in.

" Drive it as slow as you can to make sure she didn't wake up at all. "

" yes, young master. "

" Depart. "

Clang. Callop. Callop.

" .... "

His red eyes stay on Claire's sleeping face who was sound asleep on his lap. slightly Adam playfully rolling his index finger with Claire's pink hair and sometimes his hand playing with her finger, clasp and caress for it. Adam doesn't fear that she might wake up because he is the one who cast a sleeping spell on Claire earlier to make her sleep in his embrace.

" I wonder why did you suddenly want to break up early even though our contract still remains for a year. " while his voice talking in a low tune, Adam gently caresses Claire's cheeks and stares at her gorgeous face for a while. " Do you perhaps already have someone else in this eyes of yours, Laire? "

" umn... " Claire who was sleeping soundly suddenly turn her body and hug Adam's waist with both her arms like a pillow.

"?? " Adam flinched and straightened himself up in freeze when Claire keep on tightening her arms that were lingering at his waist. In a state of loss words, Adam is stunned in his state like a statue.

" La-Laire... Laire, wake-.. ugh. " As his mouth shaken to talk, his eyes perplexed and his face already reddens in embarrassment when he can't help it but could only watch Claire's innocent face which looks so calm in her sleep right now with a pang of big guilt. He really couldn't bring himself to wake her up so soon and thus he let himself become a pillow to his lovely fiance at the end.

" ugh. " Adam lean his body forwards towards Claire with an upset expression written on his face. " Just why did you mess with my heart like this, Laire..? I couldn't help but yearn for your heart to be mine even more now. "

" .... "

" Laire.. "

This time, his index finger playing with Claire's small nose.

" Hm...? this is.."

His red eyes gleaming brightly when he takes a glance at Claire's pink hair which his hand was gently stroking from before and with a frown on his face which slowly turn fierce, Adam slowly bends his body towards Claire and sniff of her hair.

" ..an unfamiliar scent. "

Thanks to his beast form, Adam could even sense any scent that he couldn't recognize even it was far meter away from him. When he could smell something unfamiliar, he will immediately turn fierce and violent since he thought it was an enemy thus he only awakens this kind of ability to attack his foe when they're not ready and bring victories in countless battles back in the past. Adam only uses this power when he wanted but this time, an unfamiliar scent on Claire makes him had uneasy feelings. an irritating feeling that makes him turned annoyed.

' someone dares to touch you when I'm gone. ' with a cold yet slow voice, Adam clenches his teeth while he's murdering aura gets intense as he keeps smelling the unfamiliar scent he doesn't want.

" Jade. "

" yes, young master. "

Adam slowly stiffened his body when he heard telepathy replied from his loyal companion, Jade's voice gets into his ear.

While his hand abruptly takes out his coat and covers up Claire's whole body with it. Adam slowly looks through the window which reflects his fierce expression on the mirror. In silence, Adam just stares at the outside to calm himself down.

" Get here. "

And with just a single command from Adam, Jade suddenly appears at the couch before him while bowing his head politely. His eyes first glance at Adam when he's arrived to make sure how his master feels before he could deliver some messages from the grand duke.

' the young master seems mad, I shouldn't talk too much. '

" Young Master, the grand duke asked for your presence at his residence tonight. "

" ..... "

' he still annoyed with something, should I leave him alone now. ah. wait.. what the..? '

"?? um.. "

" what is it? spit the bullshit before I make you mute forever. " Adam's cold voice pierced into Jade who hesitated to talk and immediately Jade bows his head in fear and slowly blunt out his thoughts frightened.

" young master. I might be impolite.. but why did you cover up the princess to that extend? weren't she might be hot in that coat? " when Jade's eyes catch a thick coat was covering up his master's fiance earlier, he couldn't help but wonder why did his master let such a thing happens to his dearest fiance.

" .... "

" ..I couldn't help it. She's pretty even in her sleep so I need to perfectly hide her beauty from being seen by a man other than me. "

" ...? "

" ..young master, are you perhaps drunk by any chance? "

"? "

" Ha? did you get bold enough as to dared to ask me if I'm drunk or not? did you finally lose your mind? "

" Eeek! forgive me, my Lord. " I guess you are not.. such crazy love birds.

" ..... "

" Jade. "

" ..y-yes, young master."

Adam's finger busily tapping his knee while his face still stays the same way, fierce and cold. " Go and get Damian ready. "

" Pardon? Dani-Damian? c-can I ask for what..? for asking such a person to get ready is.. "

" I want him to keep an eye on my fiance, whoever she met or talk to, wherever she has been to and who with her. her list of friends especially men and to whom she exchanging letters. everything about her and whoever close to her. report to me every day without misses even a single piece of information about her. "

" ..... but the cost may be higher than usual if it for that reason since Damian is a skilled assassin. "

" I don't care how much it will cost or whatever it takes, just make sure he does it properly. " menacing his red eyes through Jade, jade could do nothing but accepted his master's ridiculous command.

" ... "

" As you wish, my master. " and again, Jade instantly disappear from there without any trace.

' Are you crazy?! ah, no. I know that you're a lunatic, merciless, cold, and firm bastard, but to the extent of calling one of the shade people, he truly does not fear anything. People do change when it comes to love. they become insanely out of their mind for someone they loved. Tsk. just what did love turn you to be? 'stupid villain'? huh. '

" Hey, I want you to call Damian for me. " said jade while coming across a guy in a black cloak when he was walking in the dark small alleys at the capital. It was silent and dark until someone approaches him with a smirk. on his hand had a cigarette meaning that he was smoking when Jade called for him all of the sudden.

" What with this sudden visit, my friend? " asked that guy while lending his back on the wall and continue to smoking in front of jade.

" My master needed your service. " with a very low voice, Jade slowly gets near that guy with a sullen face.

" Kill or make them committed suicide themselves? "

" Keep an eye. "

That guy named Damian raises his left eyebrow in a big wonder. A villain of empire asked someone like me to just keep an eye on someone? That's weird.

" Oho. How absurd. just who might this 'special' someone be? "

" Ha... His dearest fiance. "

" ....?? Are you fu*king kidding me, my friend? you know I don't do that kind of job. Spying on someone like I've nothing to do with my life. "

" My master said he will pay you handsomely if you do things properly. "

" ... " while silently stares at Jade who was making a serious face in front of him, he knew that he's not joking about this matter. finally, Damian let go a deep breath and throw his cigarette away to the ground which means he starting to take the deal as a serious matter.

" We'll talk about the money later. so, what is his fiance's name? "

" Lady Claire Stella Romanoff. "

" wha..?! your master get engaged to the princess of the archduke Romanoff? how about his plan on..?! "

" ..! "

" Shut your stupid mouth, Dani. if someone happens to hear your words.. my master wouldn't sit still. " Immediately Jade warns his friend, Damian from talking any longer about his master's secret and slowly he takes a step backward from Damian in silence.

" Haha. please forgive this insolent mouth. Now. I think it's not that bad but it's an interesting job to take. so, Jade, tell your master he gets my interest in this matter and I'll work starting from this dawn. "

" ....understood. Do things properly as you're asking to. don't make mistakes. "

As jade just plainly looking at Damian's figure that slowly gets far away from him, he sighed softly while turning his back to gets to the grand duke's residence again.

My friend, Damian, or should I said, Dani. He was one of the Shade's members, a group of an assassin that was known as the Queen's shadow as a special way for her highness to gets any information she wanted. Damian is the leader of Shade and the most skillful out of 10 members of Shade. No wonder if he would turn down the offer but strangely he easily accepts to be a spy of the princess. Just what makes that quick-witted head of him that makes him change his mind?

" Ha... I really should take some break from this ridiculous matter as soon as possible... "