chapter 45

" Long time no see, my Claire. "

He stood before me with a big smile. The same face I used to follow everywhere just to make sure of his safety, has appeared before my eyes like it was nothing.

All this time, I thought he was dead. Even in my past, I've never met him even until the moment I died. So, why now? As I thought, those letters were really from him. The rough writing and a mark he always writes whenever he wrote something on a blank paper.

" It's that really you...? " without my knowing, my legs have stepped forward to get near him and when I stood right before him, I couldn't believe my view and doubt this sight. my eyes suddenly shed a single tear while my hand caresses his face gently.

" Cal..? "

The boy that one year younger than me who was standing before me right now, immediately beaming when I called for him like I used to do.

" yes, sister. "

****

" Uh. ah.. you should be headed inside, Claire. the palace is quite cold at night. " said Adam without turning his face towards me. well, I could see his ear redden like a tomato so might as well his face right now. Since you're so cute to acted shy like that after just a light kiss earlier, I'll forgive you then. but, should I teased him a little?~

" Well, don't stay here for too long, okay? or I'll run away from you when I'm not in your sight, Adam. "

" ?! Ah! Don't! "

"...! " hm? he finally turns.

" ...??? " Gosh!

How red his face is! much redder than a tomato! why are you so shy when we already had kissed each other more than this before? well.. maybe because that time it was because you're drunk that you didn't think too much about it? but still...

" Ah.. um. then... I'll get going now. um, please get inside soon too.

' ahh! it's awkward! why did he look more embarrassed than me?? ugh? this makes me ashamed! am I a pervert?? I must be so! gosh! so embarrassing... my face must be red just like him right now..! ugh. '

Before the atmosphere become much more awkward between us, I should get on my way now.

When I was turning my back from him to head towards the main palace hall back, suddenly I felt tough arms lingering my waist from the back and make my feet immediately stop from taking any step further.

Stunned when he acted clingy like this again, I didn't dare to look at him. scared if I will go with the flow once more like earlier when we kiss.

" Why did your face turns red when you look at me? did you think about something naughty in your head, Claire? "

" ??? yes?? " red? my face?? gosh!

" n-no..! of course not! I'm not a pervert! "

" But look at you, your face is redder now than earlier. "

" Stop teasing me.. I'm not. " lower my head in nervousness, I could only silent as he squeezed his arms more on me.

" Tell me why. I want to hear it.. " his voice soothing into my ear, make me melt in an instant by his delicate voice. " ugh. "

' chu '

" ..!! "

My body shudders in stunned when suddenly Adam kisses the back of my neck smoothly.

" Ad-Adam! " quickly my hand covers the place he kissed earlier while my face immediately turns to look at him with a big frown.

" Tell me or I'll eat you now, Claire. "

" Uh. no..! " struggling to let go of his tough arms, my body moving while my hand keeps on pushing his arm but it was for nothing. His hand had so much damn strength. Damn it.

" Claire.. "

' chu. '

" ugh! " again?? why is he so aggressive tonight?

" Ad-Adam.. "

" Yes? " he looks at me with compassionate eyes.

" I'll-I'll tell you! so, let go of me this instant! " my voice shook while trying to desperately get out from his embrace.

" Really? " his voice sounds pleasant yet he didn't even slightly try to loosen up his arms at all.

" Tha-that because your face is red! so, it's reflexes, okay?? I embarrass when you're blushing like that because of me, alright. so, let me go now. "

" ..... " Adam look at his fiance that was struggling to get away from him so desperately. He's happy. finally, this girl which he yearns for has been slowly getting used to him.

" It's that so. Then, if I turn red so you might turn redder than me, Claire? " said him with a cheeky smile.

" pardon? "

" Hm... " Adam slowly buries his face into his fiance's nape and puts his lips on the back of her neck slowly. Claire immediately shuddering in confusion when Adam's lips tickle her.

" Ad-Adam.. "

" You're mine. I was putting a mark on you so sit still. " Adam's breath touches her neck and makes its tickles. Claire stays in silence as she was asked to. She could felt Adam's warm lips land on her bare skin smoothly and after a while, she felt his teeth bite her skin a little.

" Adam! what are you-! uh. "

" Mn! it's hurt... "

" Endure it. " Adam continues to kiss and bite her neck until Claire couldn't stand any longer and before she could collapse to the floor due to her leg loss its strength, Adam immediately tightening his grip to support her from falling.

" Don't ever leave my side, Claire.. no. Laire. you're mine from this moment. "

" Mmn. "

****

" Princess.. "

"? "

As soon as I wake up, the familiar ceiling greets me. The palace guest room which I always hide myself every time I wanted to cry, a place that I had always held dear to me since I was so lonely and this is the only place that no one ever comes to, ever since Noelle become the emperor back in the past.

" Lord Allard carried your highness to this room when your highness faints in his embrace earlier. His grace said to just rest and he will fetch you after he talks to the emperor. "

"? I'm faint? "

" yes, that's what the young lord said, so your highness must wait here and take some rest before his grace comes back. "

My eyes gaze on the young maid before me who was busily cleaning up some dust from the cabinet and after she said what Adam asked her to, that maid immediately bows and leaves me alone in this guest room.

" Ha.. just what happens..? weren't we at the hall just now? I don't remember when did I faint? hm? "

if I'm not wrong.. Adam suddenly becomes clingy earlier and....?? "

"!!? " Oh my...!?? what the..! that guy...!!

Immediately both my hand covers up the back of my neck when my head recalls the situations we were before.

" Ugh! " my whole body redden in embarrassment. I could still feel his breath on my neck and his warmth that lingering my whole body when we hug earlier. it all feels so fresh! just now.. he put some mark on me...

" Oh god! you must be crazy, Claire..! stop thinking about it! crazy! crazy! "

" ... "

but...

Her hand slowly caresses the place where the hickey was placed at.

' it quite tickles.. when his lips were on my bare skin, I felt something that I've never feel when I'm with Noelle. the place he leaves his kiss... it's quite warm...

" uh.. "

Claire hugs her whole body while her face reddens in shyness. her whole body felt some emotions that she never faces even once before. She should be mad that Adam dares to touch her but she started to think that it was not bad.

' Just what is this uneasy feeling... ' thought Claire while burying her whole face into her arm while she crouch on the couch she was sitting in silence.

Knock. Knock.

" ...yes..? come in. " 'is that Adam?' Claire immediately sits still on the couch to act as nothing has happened.

" .... "

after a while, the door still didn't open yet. she nervous to face Adam right now so Claire just waiting for him to open the door himself.

"? Adam? you can come in... "

" ..... "

Creak...

" ...!? "

when his figure was not someone that I have been expecting to, immediately Claire gets up from her seat and looks at the guy before of her in doubt. she stares at him as that guy that covers up his face in a cloak slowly closes the door and locks it from the inside.

" Who are you..? " Claire slowly steps backward to keep some distance from the guy who was staring at her in silence right this moment. She is scared but she must not show it so clearly. keep calm, Claire.

" ..... "

" Why are not you showing yourself? " Claire was waiting for that guy to expose his face to her. weirdly, this guy didn't even bring a sword with him if he intended to murder me but I shouldn't be so sure. he might be some magician or a mage.

" ... "

" ....ha."

Her whole body flinches when that guy suddenly let's go a deep sigh. it was a voice of a boy, not a man. Claire was relieved for a moment there. even though he had a figure of a grown man, he still a boy. just like Adam who had a big muscle and a grown-up figure of a man because of his beast curse, this boy must be like those too.

" You're still bold like usual.. no matter what a dangerous situation you're in, you still acted brave and stay calm. Did father teach you to always be like that no matter what situation you're in? even when you're facing your death? "

I can sense how annoyed he is right now just by hearing his tone of speaking. who are you to be mad by something my father the archduke taught me?

" What did you want from me..? " asking in a shaking voice, I gather myself to look at that boy directly.

" ..... "

" Sigh. You never change, sister. "

'sister'?

As my eyes stare at him without a blink, that boy's hand raised to his head, and slowly he opened the cloak that covers up his face in silence.

" ...! "

Stunned when I look at his appearance, my eyes shook in perplexed. A pinkish-grey hair with a dark green pupil boy stands before me with a calm smile. A hair color that a combination of father's greyish hair and mother's pinkish hair and green eyes that was a symbol of Romanoff for generations. This guy.. no doubt that he is a Romanoff.

" Cal..? " in reflexes, my mouth said those names doubtfully to make sure that I not just imagining things.

" Long time no see, my Claire. "

Instead, he stood before me with a big smile. The same face I used to follow everywhere just to make sure of his safety, has appeared before my eyes like it was nothing.

All this time, I thought he was dead. Even in my past, I've never met him even until the moment I died. So, why now? As I thought, those letters were really from him. The rough writing and a mark he always writes whenever he wrote something on a blank paper.

" It's that really you...? " without my knowing, my legs have stepped forward to gets near him and when I stood right before him, I couldn't believe my view and doubt this sight once again. my eyes suddenly shed a single tear while my hand caresses his face gently.

" Cal..? "

The boy that one year younger than me who was standing before me right now, immediately smiling when I called for him like I used to do.

" yes, sister. "

" Hello, milady~ " when a voice greets me from behind Cal, my eyes that redden because of tear immediately turn to look at the guy with a smile.

" How are you, Ashlen? "

" I'm fine, milady. heh. " with red cheeks, Ashlen shyly hides behind Cal and slowly disappears from there to leave me and Cal alone to talk.

My eyes stare at him again, while my trembling hand, shaking to touch his face, Cal slowly grabs my hand and puts it on his cheek. He looks at me directly in a tender way, he spoke.

" Sister, I missed you. "

As my ear heard that soothing voices, immediately I pull his whole body into my embrace. Claire hugs his body tightly like she never wanted to let it go again.

" You're the one that leaves me alone and now you come back and said you missed me like you never did wrong.. are you stupid..? " Said Claire while her tears flow from her eyes like a waterfall. she missed her younger brother who she thought had died long ago. Father said he died even in the past so I really thought like that but now, this person did come back to me.

" Cal... Calipsto.. "

" yes, sister.. "

" uhuk. Why didn't you show yourself sooner? uh.. you leave me behind... uhuk. In this dark world without any light and hope. you let me died, father did, and even you. you guys don't know just how much I suffer to survive without you two by my side... ugh.. "

" Tsk. I'm sorry..! I'm really sorry! " tightening his arm around Claire's slander body which was trembling, Calipsto drop a tear from his green eyes to show how regretful he is. he cried when he know how hurts his sister is when he was not around. Nevertheless, when he back at the Catella empire back in the past, he was surprised by the news of his sister's death and the whole family of Romanoff has fallen apart because of treason.

" When you died, sister. you don't know how much I regret not to come back sooner and protect you. I make a contract with the devil to bring you back alive after I bring disaster to the Castella empire and crush it. Now, you're alive again.. "

".uh...? 'devil' you said? " after I heard his words, I know that my presumption was right. he was the one that brings me back to the past but what with this contract with the devil?

" you signed a contract with the devil?! are you insane?! you must offer a soul to them, wasn't it? so who did you give? it wasn't yours, right? Cal! "

" ..... "

" answer me, stupid brother! "

Calipsto Alistee Romanoff.

As a Romanoff, his body contains blue flare mana that was only our family member could have. I too have that mana but the temple keeps them in check so that it will not bring mess to me in the future but for Calipsto who has been abandoned his whole life, just who did care for his mana that will be overloaded? if he offers his soul to the devil, no doubt that the devil will surely do everything for him.

" Sister... it's not me. "

" but, you need to offer a soul in order to make a contract with them. "

" that's why I said, it wasn't my soul, sister.. "

Calipsto glances at Claire affectionately before he cares for her pink hair and puts his lips on it smoothly.

" Don't worry. I swear on my name that I will protect you until I die. so there's no way I will offer my soul to them, " Calipsto smiles while gently strokes and smoothes Claire's red cheeks with his index finger.

" Then, who..? "

Creak... a sound of the door was being pushed from the outside make me startled and immediately my eyes look at the door direction dumbfoundedly. Wasn't the door has locked by Cal earlier..?

" It's me."

" The one that offers a soul to the devil is me, princess. "

" ..!! "

How much surprised I am right now to the extend I couldn't say anything when I see the person that comes into the guest room with a calm face, slowly get near me and Calipsto like it was nothing.

" You...! "

" greeting, princess. "