Chapter 177: maid’s suspicion (2)

Mira’s pout deepened, her fingers reaching around to aggressively squish both of his cheeks until his lips puckered like a goldfish.

"Then spill the beans, Mister Eren," Mira demanded. "You two weren’t talking about the project here. What kind of conspiracy are you hiding from us?"

"Mmph... you’re ruining my million-gold handsome face, woman," Eren mumbled through squished lips, rolling his dark blue eyes.

"Good. Maybe if your face is ruined, you’ll finally stop collecting women," Mira shot back, though her thumbs softened their pinch ever so slightly. Her emerald eyes narrowed, staring into his blue gaze. "Now stop deflecting, Young Master. What kind of dangerous conspiracy are you cooking up with that bizarre foreign transfer student?"

"I swear upon my honor, it was purely an academic exchange," Eren replied smoothly, adopting his best innocent persona. "The guy happens to be a prodigy in mana mechanics. I’m consulting him on the project."

Mira’s gaze didn’t buy it for a millisecond. Her eyes flicked sharply down to his pocket. "Is that so? Then what is that vial you stashed? Why did he hand it to you?"

"An energy drink," Eren said without batting an eyelid. "Tastes like fermented swamp grass, but it does give wings."

Mira leaned her face inches from his, tightening her grip on his cheeks with a sweet, dangerous smile that made the hairs on his neck stand.

"Listen to me very carefully, Mister Eren," Mira whispered in a honeyed, menacing whisper. "I may be your devoted sugar baby who happily manages your daily routine, but if you’re diving headfirst into something that gets you killed, I will tell Emma every single detail."

She tilted her head, amber-tinted green eyes gleaming with pure extortion. "I’m sure she’d be thrilled to learn what suicidal stunts her future baby father is pulling behind her back while she’s busy teaching."

He stared at his fiercely protective maid, genuinely marveling at how swiftly her bubbly, sweet persona flipped into a ruthless inquisitor.

Still, there was no way in hell he could drag her or Emma into this web.

Especially not Emma.

If the pink-haired tomboy caught even a whiff of what was going on, she’d slap shackles on him and lock him in a bunker until graduation.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Eren reached up, smoothly wrapping Mira’s wrists.

With a tug, he pulled her over the back of the chair, swinging her around until she landed on his lap. Before she could squirm away, he locked his arms securely around her narrow waist, holding her completely captive against his chest.

"Someone is getting awfully bold," Eren murmured, his lips brushing her ear.

Mira crossed her arms over her bosom, puffing out her cheeks in a pout. "It’s your own fault for acting shady!"

Eren didn’t argue. He leaned forward, resting his forehead on her shoulder, letting his exhausted posture slump into her familiar, comforting softness.

"I give you my word, Mira," Eren whispered, his tone quiet, with absolute sincerity. "I’m not doing anything reckless for the sake of thrills. I’m handling this because it’s the only way to protect the people I care about. People who don’t deserve the misery waiting for them."

He lifted her chin, looking directly into her emerald eyes with a vulnerable gaze.

"Give me two days. The moment I finish things, I will lay out the entire truth for you. Just... don’t tell Emma. Please. You know she’ll lose her damn mind."

Mira stared into his dark blue eyes, the suspicion in her expression slowly melting away beneath his uncharacteristic plea. She let out a huff, raising a hand to flick his forehead lightly.

"You’re an impossible, manipulative brute, Eren Volsver," Mira grumbled, though her fingers lingered, gently smoothing his messy dark bangs aside. Her eyes narrowed into one last authoritative glare. "You get three days. Not a single hour more. In three days, you come completely clean to me, to Emma, and to Norelia. If not... You will know what I’m capable of."

"Three days. Not a second longer," Eren agreed with a relieved grin.

He didn’t give her the chance to draft any further legal clauses. Instead, he tightened his grip around her waist, hauling the curvy redhead firmly against his chest and burying his nose right back into the warm, fragrant hollow of her throat.

Mira let out a soft, breathy gasp as his lips lightly brushed the skin above her collarbone. A helpless flush spread across her cheeks, and with a soft, defeated whimper, she wrapped her arms around his neck, sinking entirely into his embrace.

"You’re an idiot, Young Master," Mira murmured, nuzzling her cheek into his dark hair like a pampered cat.

"And you’re an outrageously expensive sugar baby," Eren chuckled, his voice muffled against her shoulder as his hands lazily traced the soft, lush curve of her hip. "Now hush. Your sugar daddy is claiming his mandatory midday recharge."

For the next hour, it was just the grounding warmth of his affectionate maid curled against his chest, quietly humming while her fingers traced the collar of his shirt.

***

The following morning, Eren was in the luxurious carriage belonging to House Reedings. Through the glass windows, the towering Royal Palace visible as they approaching it.

Sitting opposite to him was his blue-haired villainess. Yet his blue eyes weren’t admiring her.

They were locked onto a small, folded paper resting in his fingers—the very note Aria had handed him the second the carriage doors shut.

Check for the tea serving to Her Majesty.

Eren turned the slip over, tapping the edge against his thumb.

Aria crossed her slender legs, her face entirely devoid of its usual playful smirk. Her golden eyes flicked toward the palace gates drawing closer.

"Seraphina found that note pinned to her bedchamber door after the encounter with her mother," Aria murmured, her voice lowered to a discreet, lethal whisper. "Someone inside is feeding us breadcrumbs—or baiting us."

Eren folded the paper, his lips curving into a smirk.

"Well," Eren murmured, leaning back with unbothered poise. "Let’s go pay our respects to the princess first."