Chapter 159

“You don’t know that a fleeing prey is much more tempting, Molitia. It wasn’t just a coincidence that you had entered into my eyes that day—but a necessity.”

“Then, it was truly inevitable when I asked you to sleep with me.”

He caressed her gentle smile with his thumb. Her lips were then smeared softly against the tip of his finger.

“Of course.”

Raven’s head turned slightly soon after. Naturally, it was the precise moment when his mouth eventually met with hers.

“Duke Linerio, someone is looking for you.”

It was the voice of a maid who was guarding the door of the said lounge. Raven withdrew his lips from Molitia’s with such regretful eyes.

“What’s going on?”

“The Marquis is looking for you. They will be having a discussion in regards to the Kingdom of Portan.”

Raven’s expression tensed up for a moment. Molitia’s eyes turned towards him as even his fingertips, which were still holding onto her cheeks, had ultimately become stiff as well.

“I think it’s quite important. So, go ahead.”

“You can’t be alone.”

“There’s a maid guarding the door of the lounge. If anything were to happen, I’ll definitely call for your help right away.”

Molitia straightened her lips softly.

“It’ll be over in just a moment.”

Even though she was absolutely right, Raven still wasn’t giving in. An unexpected sense of anxiety was engulfing him entirely.

If they knew this would actually happen, they wouldn’t have agreed to wait outside the banquet hall itself. He had belatedly regretted it, but it was already too late.

“Duke, it’s urgent and I am to bring you back as soon as possible…”

“Stop. I’ll be right there. So, be quiet.”

That cold voice, which seemed to have been frosted over, eventually stopped talking. The frightened servant was instantly chased right out the door.

A sigh was emitted right through the temples. Her slightly cold hands went on top of his fist. Raven’s fierce eyes turned relaxed, albeit barely, by the soothing touch at the back of his hand.

“I’ll be right back. So, don’t go anywhere and just rest here.”

“Yes, I will.”

Raven halted after a few steps before looking back at her. She appeared exceptionally small over there while sitting quietly in the lounge.

Only after Molitia had waved did Raven finally leave the lounge. When the door eventually closed and a complete silence permeated the air, Molitia covered her mouth with her own hands.

“Haah.”

The somnolence that she had been enduring returned instantly. Molitia then leaned her head against the wall.

‘Wait a minute…’

Her cold body had shrunk from all that sleepiness. Molitia then crumpled up her legs before settling her feet on the chair. Her body was completely hidden behind that large pillar as soon as her dangling feet had climbed onto the chair.

It wasn’t quite an aristocratic demeanor, but she wondered what it would feel like if no one was there. The corner that she had found during the time she was scared when she was still young had already been ingrained in her body, which ultimately gave her comfort.

Molitia’s heavy eyelids soon closed themselves and her head began leaning against the pillar helplessly.

—————

Betty—the maid who was guarding the door—started yawning as if she was currently struggling with boredom. Meanwhile, as soon as she sensed a slight movement, she quickly arranged herself back again.

However, the person who came into the lounge was unexpectedly a maid whom she was working with.

“What’s going on?”

A person was looking around rather carefully in front of Betty who tilted her in response, before she whispered to her quietly.

“Isn’t it tiring? Take a break. I’ll watch over here.”

“What? But the maid said that we shouldn’t leave our designated places at all for today. She also said that she’d punish me severely if I’m caught neglecting my duties.”

“There’s a lot of people who’re using the break room anyway. No one would really notice if you go there for a while.”

“Should we?”

Luna nodded towards Betty, who truly looked tempted.

“Of course. Just take a break. You must’ve eaten nothing yet, so make sure to eat some food.”

“Thank you.”

As soon as Betty had disappeared, Luna surveyed around a little before opening the door of the lounge. There was no sign of any activity in that quiet lounge even though she had already looked through it.

Luna then walked towards another hallway where Betty had disappeared.

“…there’s no one here.”

“Have you checked thoroughly?”

“Yes.”

Luna’s words eventually revealed the ones who were hiding their presence within the dark. Subsequently, Luna bent her head even more right after seeing Ferdinand.