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Chapter 86.2

Upon hearing the gunfire, guards rushed with lanterns and aimed their guns at Claude. However, soon after recognizing that he was none other than the Grand Duke, they startled in surprise and saluted. Enveloped in the darkness, Grand Duke Ihar looked like a fearsome, dignified reaper. Claude handed the gun he had just used to one of the guards and turned to leave.

“This is the gun that shot Frank Ashe, the leader of the anarchists. Tell His Majesty, and do not hold a funeral.”

“Y-Yes sir!”

Claude stepped back into the darkness. How easy it was. All it took was a single bullet, but it had been put off for so long. He decided not to think about the reason anymore. All he could do was protect what was left.

Ivan, who had been watching, joined Claude’s side.

Louvre burned in the distance. Or to be precise, the twelve buildings where the criminals were hiding were in flames.

Claude stared at the smoke rising in the night sky before getting into the car.

As Frank Ash had said, if Canillia was still living there, if she had sided with the enemy and stood before him and his gun…

He would have been the one who bled.

“And Lia?”

“She should be on board the train by now.”

“Any resistance?”

“She looked a bit tired, but nothing out of the ordinary.”

After hearing the reply, he got in the car.

Claude had already said goodbye to Wade. He also informed him that he would not visit the capital until the death of the emperor upon returning to Del Casa.

“The marchioness was sentenced to three months of house arrest. She will not be invited to any party and no outside activities are allowed. Even that in itself is a disgrace to a noble, but father is still benevolent towards them. A ruler who can’t get with the times is unqualified.”

While having a drink with Wade, Claude saw a dangerous glint in his eyes. Although he acted like a playboy, Wade von Weise was more ambitious than anyone he knew. Not to mention, he was a scary man who knew how to skillfully hide the fact.

Claude soon expected bloodshed in the imperial family as well.

“To the station.”

***

Lia took off her hat and set it down on the seat next to her. Pepe, who was organizing her luggage, looked at her and handed her the snack she had brought.

“You should have something sweet,” she said. “It’s a cookie that was made just this morning.”

“Thank you,” replied Lia.

“I’ll bring you something to drink.”

“Okay.”

After taking a bite of the cookie, Lia fixed her gaze outside the window again. The platform bustled with people leaving for their destinations.

After Ian returned to Geore, she spent a week alone and intentionally avoided Claude. She knew his heart was in the right place, exercising vigilance against Ian, but he didn’t even hesitate when refusing her favor.

About to depart, the conductors holding small flags removed the people clinging to the train. The crowd then split, and Grand Duke’s people led by Ivan appeared.

Lia looked at Claude with a slightly stiff expression. Wearing a hat, he lifted his head and met her gaze. Amidst the cold expression, his blue eyes especially chilled her. But seeing her, he smiled softly, warming up like an ice wall breaking down. He was hateful, but he was her everything.

Lia turned her flushed face away from his gaze. It felt like a long time since she had met his eyes, so she felt strangely embarrassed.

Soon, the door to her compartment opened and Claude entered while taking off his hat. Wordlessly, he took off his coat as well and accepted the two glasses Pepe had brought. She bowed and left them.

After the curtains were drawn, he sat down and handed her a glass of milk with honey.

“That maid tends to treat you like a child.”

“She knows what I like.”

Lia accepted the glass. He had a glass of brandy that looked to be poisonous. She didn’t know much about alcohol, but she knew he enjoyed hard liquor more than wine.

He sat back in his chair and unbuttoned a few buttons and savored his drink, looking exhausted.

Lia glanced at the long fingers holding the glass. Her eyes traveled to the liquor that disappeared between his red lips and the tongue that licked them. She saw his adam’s apple bob up and down, and her gaze finally landed on the raised corners of his lips.

“Do I have something on my face? Weren’t you avoiding me? Because as I recall, you’ve been doing that all week.”

Startled, she gulped down the milk and shook her head.

“I was looking at the drink in your hand,” she said.

“Do you want some?” asked Claude.

“I might get drunk.”

“We have time. You’ll sober up before we arrive.”

Lia looked at Claude. Then, as if possessed by something, she accepted the drink. It had a subtle fruity scent, something concentrated in it. She stared at Claude as if making a big decision and gulped it down.

He clicked his tongue.

As she swallowed, she could feel her throat burning up. Even though she felt her eyes sting with tears and felt herself unable to breathe, she drank it all down without a single drop to spare.

“Lia.”

Surprised, he stood up and reached out to her.

The glass now empty in her hand, she broke free from his grasp.

“This isn’t so bad…”

The spell of dizziness came as soon as the words dropped from her mouth. The world spun and her body lost all strength.

Bewildered, Claude barely caught her from collapsing, and frowned as he looked at her flushed face.

“Damn it.”