Chapter 82 - Say Something!

"They asked you to get the peerage first!" Finally, he spilled his complaints. "While you have to get it by test path, one thing that will be very difficult and will take a very long time to obtain." Gripping her arm. "As if they wanted to postpone our engagement on purpose, I don't know why."

The news hit Lyra, and it was no exception. The news of their engagement in retirement is a great one. But the request for her to take the test for the peerage was certainly worse than anything else.

Her identity will spread, even if it did, in different contexts. Her image had been tarnished, turned terrible, and dark. It's possible that she wouldn't even succeed in becoming a noble if an ethical judgment was made.

Then will it be an opportunity for her? 'But he looked so pitiful. Maybe I'd better shut up for a while. I will mark this so that I can make excuses someday.'

"We'd better forget about this for a while," Lyra said, coaxing. "Think about it carefully while you take care of matters in the government."

"The problems in government will never end," explained Duke Kleo. "It will keep popping up day after day, maybe even forever." Looking grim. "But if you want to advise me to forget about this for a moment while breathing I think that's fine."

"That's what I meant," she said meaningfully. "Don't drag on too long!" She took a deep breath as if she was talking to herself. "So are you going back to work now? Maybe your work has piled up."

He nodded but still didn't move. "I still want to be here a little longer." He admitted. "How about we discuss something else? At least I want to forget about postponing our engagement."

'Does he want to be engaged to me?' she thought. 'But why? What made him so adamant? I know this is all motivated by his promise to his mother. But on the other hand…." She bit her lip, having the thought that he had feelings for her. It should be obvious. But she was still reluctant to believe him completely.

"So tell me about your life so far!" he asked, sitting up straight in his chair. "What have you been doing all this time? And what are your goals for the next five years?"

What kind of conversation is that? Even Lyra never talked about it with her ex-boyfriend.

"I haven't done much so far," she said without thinking. "I was just helping my friend at her bakery."

"Only that?" he asked after seeing her silent for a long time, indicating that she had nothing else to say. "Then is it enough to pay for your living?" He's having a hard time making sense of all this. "Then what about that perverted hobby of yours? Can you get money from them?" Jealousy crawled across his face, struggling in his eyes. It seems he wants to dig into how much her mistresses give her jewelry and money because he will give her more. "Is that right?" he asked again before she could even answer. "You got treasures and many things from them right?"

"No!" she objected firmly, relieving him. "I didn't get anything from them except for a circle of nobles, luxurious and romantic meals, and a few small gifts. But I often refuse their gifts."

"Why?"

"Because…" She fell silent. "Because I'm not after their money." Looked awkward. "That's not what I wanted."

"So what?" This is one of the most thrilling moments for him, even more than the moments of enemy attacks on the battlefield, more than the most extreme things in his life except for the moments of his mother's death. It's all about his future, about his newly formed happiness.

"I still don't want to talk about it." Her answer disappointed him. "Can we talk about it later?"

"Did it hurt you?" He snorted, looking disappointed. "Don't you like sleeping with them? Don't you like a one-night relationship? What made you hurt and traumatized?"

'The reason behind it,' Lyra thought, reluctant to answer Duke Kleo's question. His silence had made her realize that this was all over the line.

…

Duke Kleo worked his way up to get the job done as quickly as possible. There was a lot of lazing around that day which he would fill with make out with Lyra. But sadly she even urged him to leave immediately, a disappointment that arose amid genuine support.

Stefanus realized that. Even though his master's behavior seemed strange and worried he refrained from reprimanding or doing something outside his authority. He's just a guard, who even loves the wrong girl. His guilt still lingers, making her even more helpless in many ways.

Meanwhile, Lyra is currently visiting Ella and Gena. After successfully seducing Duke Kleo, she was finally allowed to meet the two maids on the condition that they enforce visiting hours like a prisoner. Annoying, but not bad either.

"Ella! Gene!" Lyra shouted, running and grabbing them. A look of shock appeared in the blink of an eye on both of their faces. "I'm glad to have found you here! Did you guys miss me?"

Ella and Gena didn't answer right away, thinking that they weren't allowed to talk to Lyra yet. However, after following the notification from Mrs. Melisa, relief ran through their hearts, bringing coolness.

"My Lady!" their squeaks held Lyra tightly together, bathed in the afternoon light. "We thought we would never be able to talk to you again, My Lady."

"I think so," Lyra nodded, squeezing the maid's hands together. "I thought maybe Duke Kleo would never give me a chance to talk to you guys again. And I think you guys hate me too." Biting lips.

"Why should we hate you?" Ella frowned after turning to Gena.

"Because I just killed your friends." Lyra made sure no one overheard their conversation. Her frown was even deeper than that of the two maids in front of her as if she was the only one who understood the topic of this conversation.

"Who have you killed? Our friends?" Now it was Gena who responded, with an expression that looked stupid. "You didn't kill anyone, My Lady." A moment later she covered her mouth after Ella slapped her shoulder hard enough.

The two maids seemed to have just been drenched in ice water, which alerted them to something, a secret that had to be kept. But unfortunately, it was already leaked because Lyra realized something.

"Is there something I don't know about?" Lyra's eyes narrowed, looking at Ella and Gena in turn. Even though the two maids insisted there was nothing to hide, Lyra didn't believe it easily. "I know you guys quite well! So tell me what you guys know! You still think of me as a friend right?"

"Friend?" Ella and Gena gasped and moved together. Those were the most beautiful words they had heard in a decade.

"So tell me what you know," Lyra nodded. "Why are you sure I didn't kill your friends, the two maids who were executed because I ran away a few days ago? What happened?"

Lyra stiffened as Ella and Gena swallowed hard. Then her face came forward as Ella's lips parted to say something.

***

Chapter 81 and 82 are switched