The next day, Claude was alone.
And he hated how quiet it felt.
The palace was never actually silent not really. There were always footsteps in distant halls, servants moving like shadows, doors opening and closing somewhere just out of sight.
But none of it reached him properly today.
He sat at the edge of his desk, staring at nothing in particular, like the room had forgotten how to hold his attention.
I really thought she'd trust me after that.
The thought came back again, sharper this time.
Not because it was new.
Because it wasn't.
He exhaled slowly, leaning back.
Square one.
That's where it felt like they were again.
She had looked at him like he was part of a problem she didn't want to explain.
Like he was useful but not safe.
That bothered him more than it should have.
"She said I started a war over a woman," he muttered under his breath.
He let out a quiet laugh at that, but there was no humor in it.
She says things like that so confidently.
And then.
The world ends in fire.
As if that's just a fact.
As if he didn't agree to marry her because of it.
As if he didn't actually believe her enough to change everything.
His fingers tapped once against the desk.
Four months.
That was the agreement.
A contract.
Simple.
Clean.
Temporary.
Except nothing about it felt temporary anymore.
And that was the problem.
He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees.
"I don't even know anymore," he admitted quietly to the empty room.
He didn't like that sentence.
He didn't like how honest it sounded.
She didn't trust him.
That part was obvious.
What wasn't obvious.
was why it bothered him this much.
He had no shortage of people around him who lied, plotted, smiled with knives behind their teeth.
He was used to it.
He was built around it.
But her?
She didn't fit anywhere cleanly.
Hot and cold. Close and distant. Present and gone even when she was standing right in front of him.
Like she existed slightly out of sync with everyone else.
Including him.
She drives me insane.
His mouth twitched faintly.
…and I think I prefer it that way.
That thought came too easily.
Too naturally.
He stood up before he could think further.
"I should just see her," he decided.
No strategy.
No political reason.
Just.
movement.
He left the room.
Bro, who is it now?
I better not be that Claude.
I stared at the door like it had personally offended me before opening it.
And of course.
It was him.
Tall. Calm. Annoyingly composed.
Claude stepped inside without waiting, gently pushing past me like the concept of permission was optional in his world.
He closed the door behind him.
"I don't want to feel lonely tonight," he said.
I blinked.
"…Great. I'm not your emotional support system."
"Don't worry," he replied calmly. "It's not what you think. I just want to stay by your side for now."
That somehow made it worse.
I sighed.
"I'm busy. I'm trying to figure out how to stop the future from turning into a fire apocalypse, so if you want entertainment, congratulations you've found it."
He didn't look impressed.
Instead, he leaned slightly closer.
"I know you said I started a war over a girl," he said, voice quieter now.
I paused.
"…You remember that?"
"I do."
A beat.
"And I do trust you," he added. "When you say the kingdom burns. And that I die in it."
My expression tightened slightly.
Why is he saying it like that?
Too calm.
Too accepting.
"That's reassuring," I muttered.
"But," he continued, "could you be more specific?"
I looked up.
"…About what?"
"Do I die in flames," he asked, "or does someone kill me during the war?"
I stared at him.
What kind of casual question is that?
Why is he asking like he's choosing a dinner option?
"I don't know," I said flatly. "I didn't stand there taking notes."
He hummed slightly, like that was a disappointing answer.
I rolled my eyes and turned away, heading back toward my chair.
But before I could sit.
He moved.
Not fast.
Just enough.
A hand gently guided me back onto the bed instead.
My brain stalled for half a second.
"…May I?" he asked.
I blinked at him.
"I really don't have time for this right now."
"You're already sitting," he pointed out.
"I was about to sit somewhere else."
He studied me for a moment.
Then, surprisingly, he let go.
And instead of arguing.
he lay down beside me.
Just like that.
On my bed.
Arms relaxed. Eyes half-lidded.
Like this was normal behavior.
I stared at him.
"…Are you serious?"
"I said I wanted to stay," he replied simply.
"That didn't include my bed."
He closed his eyes briefly.
"I'll be leaving soon," he said. "Battle season. Southern wing. We won't see each other often."
I paused slightly at that.
Then immediately pushed it away.
Not important.
Too many things to focus on.
He opened one eye again.
"May I stay?"
I exhaled sharply.
"You're already staying."
"Then I'll take that as permission."
I regretted everything.
A knock interrupted the silence.
We both turned at the same time.
I got up, opening the door.
Thorson stood there, grinning like he had just personally solved world peace.
"I found you potential Elianas," he said.
I froze.
My hand tightened on the door frame.
"…You said that out loud," I muttered.
Behind me, I could feel Claude's attention shift instantly.
Perfect.
Just perfect.
"Thank you," I said quickly, forcing a smile. "We'll talk about this later. I'll come by your house."
"I thought you'd be more excited," Thorson continued. "I literally helped you find—"
I slapped a hand over his mouth mid-sentence and gently started closing the door.
"Later," I whispered through my teeth.
Click.
Silence.
I turned slowly.
Claude was staring at me.
Not amused.
Not angry.
Just… focused.
"What was that about?" he asked.
I blinked.
Good.
At least he didn't hear everything.
"…Just another ally," I said smoothly. "Don't think too much about it."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
For a second, I thought he might push further.
But instead.
he just hummed quietly.
"…Alright," he said.
And that should've been the end of it.
But it wasn't.
Because the way he looked at me after that,
said he absolutely intended to think about it anyway.