The Duke's Passion

Chapter 633  Did I stumble into a secret I shouldn't?!

One month later...

"Hey! Can't you do this properly?! Look, it's crook!" "Ughh!! This is not my forte! I did my best, alright!" "This one too! Anyone is available to fix this crack?"

"Me! Me! Me!" "Oh, Betty. Thanks. But this requires a bit of strength. Gai, are you --"

"Busy!" Penny laughed, watching everyone from the second floor of the pub renovate the place while leaning on the railing. They decided to settle down in Monarey now that the Nightwalkers had faced demise. The incident had taken a few members' lives. She was still thankful that the earl returned the bodies to them so they could hold a proper burial. Although she hadn't met Claude ever since he visited them a month ago. "Leader." Penny turned her head to her side, where Peter stood. "Did the Earl really permit us to operate as a legit guild?" "Do you think I will lie about that? I talked to Sir Klaus myself. He said he wants us to ally with them." She averted her eyes and gazed at everyone busy renovating the place. "They recognized our potential. The only condition is that our guild will not sell information that can endanger the north of the empire. He said he will also introduce me to the Marchioness in the East of La Lona and the Duke of Grimsbanne."

"Wow... are we going to be rich?"

Penny laughed, casting Peter a look. "More like he is trapping us. Sir Klaus acts like a clown, but he is also cunning. With us being associated with those people, it's more like we are now their people."

"We don't plan on betraying them, right?"

"Of course. That's why I agreed. My only condition is for them to protect my family and I will get all information they need." She shrugged, revisiting her meeting with Klaus, which went smoothly. Klaus recognized the guild's talent and basically hired them as their intel. In exchange, he would send people on a dangerous mission for added protection to Penny's people. Moreover, the guild was given permission to accept other requests for as long as it won't affect the earldom or the empire. In other words, Klaus offered them to become the dog of the Great Heart Empire with a lot more freedom. It sounded bad if she put it that way, but in her perspective, it was a good offer. Hence, she accepted it.

"I'll take a quick walk outside." Penny pushed herself away from the railing and smiled. She patted Peter's shoulder lightly. "Take a rest before others find you here." "I will just take a ten-minute break. We've been working since morning and the sun is setting in an hour." She laughed. "I'll help later. We have money since the earl awarded us lots of them. Later."

Penny shook her head, seeing Peter's frown. Because everyone was busy, no one paid attention to her as she snuck out of the establishment through the backdoor. But just as she stepped out, she turned her head to her side. There, in the alley's corner, a figure was sitting down on a barrel. Even with the cloak and hood covering his head, she recognized him just by his position. Her eyes fell on the small portrait he was staring at in his hand, making her brow raise. Claude never visited them. Or rather, even if he did, he wouldn't show himself up. She promised she would catch him if she saw him one day, and that was today.

Holding her hand behind her, Penny tiptoed her way towards him. But when she was at arm's length, she froze when she spoke. "Don't even think about it." He raised his head ever so slowly. "If you really want to piss me off, snatching my most treasured item is just the perfect way to gain a ticket to hell."

"So cold..." She clicked her tongue, walking on the opposite side of the alley. Back against the concrete wall, eyes on him. "I bet if I didn't approach you or I didn't go out in here, no one will ever know you were here again." "Are you sure you're using that tone to me?"

"Why not? It's not like I know who you are. You're Third. I don't have any idea that you're the earl." Claude stared at her as she whistled and averted her eyes. This was the first time they talked after a month, but Penny was still the same. She was still welcoming, friendly, and annoying. "I met her," he spoke after a minute of silence, gazing down at the small portrait in his hand. "She was here not so long ago. Maybe because of that, I kept thinking about her."

"Hey, didn't you say she's married? How can you cling on to someone who is already happily married?"

"I know, right?" Claude's eyes glinted. "I don't understand myself lately. It's just... I don't know. My brain is forcing distraction."

"Is she that beautiful? I mean, everyone will be shocked if they knew the earl is hopelessly in love with a married woman."

"Even a woman will fall in love with her. She's dazzling... but I am not in love with her."

"Huh???" Claude clicked his tongue, not sure why he was telling her these things. "I love her deeply, but I am not in love with her."

"Well, that's confusing." Penny blinked twice, brows raised, trying to understand his statement. "She's the type that you will like from the get-go. She's beautiful and kind, but not a saint. Still, her soul is dazzling." His expression softened as he thought about the woman he was describing. "I kinda miss her lately. I don't know why."

"Well, we all have those days." Penny cleared her throat, studying his demeanor, and noticed that he was particularly down today. "But you know, I'm intrigued. Just how beautiful she was for you to be acting like that?" "You just want to take a peek."

"That's what I just said." She frowned, batting her eyes to gain some sympathy from him. She was always curious. Ever since Claude said the woman he liked was married, she was curious what sort of person and what she looked like. Claude was a catch, after all. Claude pondered about it for a moment before he handed the small painting to her. "Just a quick look. Don't touch it." Her eyes popped open, a bit surprised he agreed. It felt like he was letting her in on a secret. So Penny blinked and looked closer. "Oh..." her lips formed an o-shape as her eyes first caught Claude's smiling face. The painting was very clear, and she commended whoever the painter was. "So, you can smile like this, huh?" Penny let out a weak chuckle, seeing that Claude looked very different from this portrait. He looked like a normal young man with no title or worries. Her eyes then shifted to the woman patting his head. 'Huh?' she blinked twice and leaned her face closer. Claude was right. The woman with him in that portrait was beautiful. No doubt. However, why does that woman look like Penny's friend, Lala?!

Her mouth fell open when realization kicked in. The friends she made not long ago told her they weren't locals and were just here to visit their nephew and brother. If Klaus was Claude's uncle, then... "She is...?"

"My auntie. You seem dazzled. First time seeing a goddess?" Penny shifted her dilated eyes to him. "Auntie? You mean the Marchioness...?"

"No. Stop asking." Claude withdrew his hand and folded it to hide it inside his suit pocket. As he did, Penny covered her mouth as she gasped. If this was Claude's auntie, and he was the Earl of Monarey, a La Crox, and a pureblooded vampire. Penny recalled Samael said the people they visited in Monarey were actually his biological brother and nephew; Lilou was the in-law. Considering she wasn't the Marchioness, then Penny could only think of one conclusion. The 'late' emperor and empress. Her complexion instantly turned pale as she froze. The previous emperor before the current one was Claude's uncle, too. Samael. Sammy...

"Are you okay? Why are you overreacting?" Claude frowned, seeing her strange reaction. "Is that... the 'late' empress?" she asked, and he arched a brow.

"Why?"

'Oh, my god...! Did I stumble into a secret I shouldn't?!' Everyone knew the empress died and the previous emperor entered an eternal slumber. But they were here! And she even bought them drinks just over a month ago!

'This information can be the death of me!!! I shouldn't have pried too much!' she screamed internally. 'How can I shamelessly drink with those two?! No wonder their aura is different! Ughh...! I should take this secret to the grave!'

"Did you lose it?" Claude clicked his tongue as Penny's mind seemed to have drifted away. "You look dumb."

Penny clicked her tongue, glaring daggers at me. "Since you're finally here. Come inside and help everyone."

"No, thank —" Just as Claude stood up to leave, Penny grabbed his collar. He was too flabbergasted to react when she dragged him with her. "I had an amnesia and forgot you're the earl." Penny reasoned out while dragging him with her. In the end, Claude ended up stuck with the identity of Third because everyone in the guild had 'amnesia' and forgot he was the earl. — END OF THE EARL'S SECRET —  Meanwhile, in the imperial palace...

Two figures — a man and a woman — sat at both ends of the long dining table. The air was stiff and only the soft sound of the cutlery hitting their plates could be heard. When the woman stopped, her lips parted and came out a soft voice.

"Your Majesty, I want a divorce."