‘I thought he wasn’t coming back home. What’s he up to?’

I knew Cesare followed my father’s business trip. But there seemed to be a separate plot. And Louise, an avid follower of Cesare, seemed to know what it was.

Instinctively Damia knew this information was quite significant, so she stilled her feet.

But the next moment, she regretted her decision.

“No, wait a minute before we talk.”

“What are you trying to do…”

“Twit! Do you know this isn’t your house? Maybe we should check to see who’s around.”

Ekk! Damia’s heart sank and pounded with a numb dread. Louise’s footsteps echoed louder as she approached Damia’s hiding spot, and if Louise stuck her head in the doorway and checked the hallway, she would see her.

Holding her breath, Damia walked back and forth silently, looking for a place to hide. But there wasn’t much to conceal in a long corridor. She couldn’t even risk fleeing to the nearest room to hide in time unless surely they would hear the sound of her running.

‘What should I do?’

Louise’s long shadow was growing inside the entrance. Damia took a deep breath with tension.

“……..!!”

Two massive, strong arms stretched out from behind her, covering her mouth and pulling her. Damia was dragged by the arm without any resistance. Her vision seemed to be dimming, and the smell of the dusty velvet hit her nose.

‘What…!!’

Startled, Damia twisted her body. The person who hugged her from behind gave strength to the large arms encircling her and suppressed her movements. Damia was surprised by how utterly immobile she became.

A low whisper reached her ear.

“Shh.”

The breath leaking from those lips filled her ears with heat. It was a familiar voice with a familiar warmth. Only then did Damia notice the subtle scent of perfume mixed with the man’s body temperature. This scent was very masculine and heavy and felt just like….

‘Sir Akkard?’

Damia, who stopped struggling without realizing it, looked back. Akkard pressed his index finger over his sensual lips, making a gesture to be quiet.

Only then was Damia was reminded of Louise’s presence. Louise’s profile appeared through a skinny gap.

Step, Step-

Damia stopped breathing. Akkard probably dragged her in the back passage that servants have set up to collect cleaning tools or run errands.

Luckily, Louise didn’t pay much attention to the shabby locker. The thoroughly aristocratic woman seemed to think that no one could hide in such a dirty place. Especially if they were nobles or anyone she needed to bother with.

“Huh.”

Louise looked around the corridor and took a quick turn. After confirming that no one was there, she was about to go back outside to the man. But before that, the man outside strode inside.

“Why are you coming in again?”

“It’s hot because of the sun. Why don’t we talk in the hallway? I don’t think anyone’s here.”

The young man answered irritably, taking off his shirt. At the words, Louise retorted in a sharp tone.

“What if someone comes?”

“At least it’s better than the open outside. It’s a straight hallway, so it’s easy to spot a rat hiding, right?”

Louise was silent for a moment pondering his reasonable logic. During her deliberation, Damia’s ears pricked up while in the locker. She was afraid that she might miss an important topic.

“Okay, but keep your voice down.”

Sure enough, Louise whispered, reducing her voice. Damia couldn’t hear anything afterwards.

The two were a little far from the locker Damia was hiding in, and Damia’s stomach and ears started to burn. To find a better vantage point to eavesdrop on their conversation, she leaned forward heavily. Forgetting that there are other people in this locker beside herself.

“… …Damia.”

Akkard frowned and barely whispered. His voice was a lot more thicker and strained than before. But Damia, who focused on the conversation in front of her, didn’t notice it.

“Shh.”

Damia, who didn’t look back, waved her hand and signaled not to interrupt. And to place her ear closer to the small door opening, she bent her back even deeper.

Fortunately, her efforts paid off. She thought she could make out words. Damia was all set to listen to Louise’s conversation with bated breath.

It was just then. She felt a strange phenomenon behind her ass.