Claude X Lia

Chapter 55

Pepe clicked her tongue as she tapped on Lia’s back.

“You really didn’t know? He was there for quite a while.”

“Why?”

“It was the Duke who told me that you were sick. I had gone to the market for a bit.”

Lia touched her forehead in disbelief. It was only for a moment that she had a high fever and that she was under the influence of medicine. But, she didn’t think that he would come back so quickly.

LIa held her thin pajamas tightly. Then Pepe stood up and draped a blanket over Lia’s shoulders.

“It’s monsoon season so the air is cold even though it’s summer. Why are you worried? That you might have been caught?”

She readjusted the blanket that Pepe had given her and slowly lifted her gaze.

“Wasn’t he acting odd?”

Pepe considered this and answered, “No, not at all. He was scary, as usual. He said, ‘Take care of your master,’ and left. He seemed very worried.”

Lia, who was serious, laughed at the words “scary, as usual.” But the moment she started laughing, a forgotten sorrow returned.

“No. It probably wasn’t because he was worried.”

“Why? What?”

“The Duke doesn’t like me.”

Lia stood up with difficulty. Her head was hazy like she was getting another fever.

Pepe stood up with her and carefully supported her.

“Pepe, do you think a war will actually take place?”

“Duke Maximilian passed away. The people of the North have already prepared weapons. He was so beloved. I have heard that they prepared a funeral so fancy that the one in the Capital doesn’t even compare,” explained Pepe.

“Then the Duke will go personally right?”

“I’m not sure, but won’t he go with the noble generals?”

Lia nodded. Then she went back to her room and lay down on her bed. Where would he have sat? Would he have sat on the chair and looked at her? Why did he do it? He had said mean things and yet—

Lia brushed the sheet. It held a trace of lavender scent. Then she felt something. She got up and lifted the sheet. There she discovered a brooch. The brooch bore a flower, the clematis, a symbol all too familiar to her—the symbol of the Ihar family.

Lia blankly held it in her palm.

Could he have left it here by mistake?

Lia considered the possibilities. It was too important for him to leave it by mistake, so it was probably an excuse for him to return. Lia covered it in a cloth and put it in a dresser drawer.

Even though she didn’t know when Claude would come back, it was something she had to return to him. If an opportunity didn’t present itself, then she could ask Kieran.

She stared sadly at the brooch shrouded in a black cloth. She uncovered it and ran her fingers over the top. It was the brooch that he always wore on his collar as it was rusty.

Lia shone a lantern light on it. But the jewel didn’t let any light through.

Is it because it’s a clean and pure jewel? It is like its owner who doesn’t show his thoughts at all? How am I supposed to forget you if you keep leaving traces of yourself?