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“FINALLY finished,” Claude exclaimed, placing the last dish back on the shelf.
“Because you distracted us, Claude.”
“I can’t help it when you’re so lovely, Agnes.”
“It’s embarrassing when you keep saying that.”
Agnes was happy Claude was so devoted to her, but she wasn’t used to being praised and loved so much, and it made her nervous and antsy. It was certainly better than when she used to get put down and mocked all the time. But adapting to such different treatment wasn’t all that easy for Agnes.
“But it’s true. Yes, your peach-blossom pink hair, your emerald-green eyes, are beautiful. You also have a lovely face, a kind heart, and just a generally adorable aura. I’m just so grateful you exist. I could look at you forever.”
“L-Like I keep saying…!”
Her words were falling on deaf ears. And Claude was totally serious, which was even more embarrassing.
“Does it upset you?” he asked.
“It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that I’m embarrassed!”
“It’s okay to be shy. That’s cute, too.”
No matter what Agnes said, it didn’t seem to have any effect on Claude. Well, not unless she insisted that she disliked something—then he would always respect her wishes. But because that wasn’t the case, she sighed, and Claude gave her a strained grin.
“Agnes, you were beaten down and repressed by Philip. I want to heal those wounds, if even a little. I want to tell you how beautiful your hair is, I want to tell you how your mushrooms are a thing to be proud of.”
As always, Claude was trying to build Agnes up. But there was something that nagged at her.
“Claude… Does it look like I still care so much about what Philip used to say?”
“Ah, no, I wouldn’t say that.”
It sounded like it did seem that way to him… A little. Or maybe Claude was just worried. It seemed that anything Agnes had to say in this situation wouldn’t have that much of an effect.
“My engagement with Philip… It was something I did for my family’s benefit. I obeyed Philip…for my family. Emotionally, I never had any respect or love for Philip,” Agnes slowly let out, drawing close to Claude and taking his hand. “Yes, Philip beat me down and repressed me. I can’t deny that, or the effect it’s had on me. But I don’t want you to feel hung up on it, Claude.”
Clasping his hands tightly, Agnes looked into those gleaming gray eyes. She hoped her own would convey more than her words could.
“Claude, you noticed me, and showered me with love. That saved me. So please, don’t worry too much.” Agnes took a breath, then put her hand on Claude’s cheek. “I’m so happy I met you, Claude.”
She smiled at him with all the gratitude she felt… And then Claude suddenly collapsed to his knees.
“What?! Claude?!”
“There’s a limit to my self-restraint, you know…?”
“Er…?”
Claude, on his knees, suddenly got to his feet and pulled Agnes into a tight embrace. He kissed first one cheek, then the other, then the first cheek again.
“Eep! Hold on?!”
“Just a minute. Until I’m calm again.”
Agnes had no idea what he was doing… And she certainly wasn’t calm!
But Claude seemed at the edge of rationality and kept kissing Agnes’s cheeks, over and over, before finally landing a smooch on the top of her head.
“…Are… Are you calm now?” she asked.
Now Claude was holding her so tightly she couldn’t move, but it was better than being showered with kisses at least.
“Tomorrow, I’m leaving first thing to go and assess the hole in the wall. Please stay here with Uncle,” he said. “Once I’ve determined the situation, we can decide what to do in response.”
“All right.”
Claude finally loosened his grip on Agnes. Smiling crookedly, he patted her head, looking somewhat regretful.
“Honestly, I’d rather keep you far from any danger. I’d like to lock you up somewhere safe, where no one else can lay eyes on you. I want to be the only man you see,” Claude said in a rush, then suddenly fell silent. After a moment of hesitation, he sighed, his breath ruffling her hair. “…But if I did that, I’d be no better than Philip.”
Agnes tried to lift her head, but Claude’s arms tightened around her.
“Philip controlled you, discounted your abilities, suppressed your spirit, used his status to put you down in front of others, kept you sequestered from other men, and tried to make you feel like you were only worth what he said you were worth.”
Agnes was surprised to hear the vitriol in Claude’s lowered, husky voice. But then, he let go of her.
She looked up at him in concern, and he gave her a sheepish smile.
“I don’t want to control you. I want to live life by your side.”
Ah, so that’s what this is about. Claude was scared. The love of a Crest Bearer for his Dragonmate was a heavy and intense thing. It represented an extraordinary obsession.
Since Claude hated how Philip treated Agnes, his greatest fear was to become like him. That was why, though it meant going against his natural obsessive tendencies, he sought to hold himself in check and not control Agnes. Whether he was actually effective at that or not, there was no doubt that Claude was doing his best.
And he was doing it out of love.
His motivations were completely different from Philip’s, and Agnes wasn’t concerned. Claude might have been a Crest Bearing royal with the blood of the dragon, but he had odd weaknesses.
“I know that you respect me, Claude,” Agnes said softly. “I want to become a woman worthy of being by your side. Thank you for indulging my selfish whim and bringing me here.”
Sometimes, even Claude needed reassurance, for Agnes to say it’s okay and not to worry. And right now, Claude needed those words more than ever.
That was what Agnes wanted to get across.
“I…I love you, Claude.”
She smiled, and Claude reached for her, kissing her forehead.
“…I love you, too.”
Claude’s voice was soft and husky, almost tremulous. Then he pulled her into his arms as if he could no longer control himself, and let out a deep sigh.
“Oh, I want us to be married as soon as possible.”
There came an echoing pop when Claude groaned those words.
When Agnes looked up, she saw a red, egg-shaped mushroom sitting on Claude’s Prussian blue hair. The color contrast was striking.
“Claude, there’s a mushroom…”
“No mushrooms right now. Only Agnes.”
He stroked her cheek, muttering words that were very out of character considering his extreme mushroom fetish. Then, drawing Agnes closer, his lips met hers.