243 Hope’s Choice

"You will go to the dinner, right?" Louise asked with an anxious expression.

I smiled softly and caressed her cheek. "Of course I will go. Don't worry."

Louise sighed in relief. "I'm glad… And Claus, can you please try to get along with my father?"

I smiled bitterly. Damn, you are putting me in a difficult situation.

However, I could not disappoint my lover. Not after she had gone against her family for me.

"I promise you that I'll try to be respectful… As for the rest, you know that I can't promise it."

Louise forced out a smile and nodded. "Thank you. As a reward... I'll do anything you want after that."

"Anything I want?" I tilted my head with a smile. "Mmm, I think I like that."

Louise blushed briefly and held my hand. She then brought her mouth slowly towards mine.

But then–

*Cough*

Louise was startled. She then looked behind me and recalled that I was not alone.

"S-Sorry teacher. I-I forgot you were here. I-I'll be going!"

With a face full of embarrassment, Louise turned around and ran away.

Tear looked at me with a curious smile. "So the rumors about you are true, huh…"

"Rumors?"

"Have you not heard them? They say that you are casanova and a womanizer who has played with several of the girls in the school. I also heard that you turned the student council into your personal harem and that you use the other student council's members as tools to satiate your lust."

I was startled. Since when does that rumor exist?

Well, it's not completely wrong, but please, don't damage my image like that.

I looked at Tear and smiled. "Could it be that teacher thinks these rumors are true?"

Tear shrugged. "Well, you have a relationship with your servant despite having a fiancée. There is also Louise. I'm not sure about your cousin, but the two of you are a bit suspicious. Rose spends a lot of time with you too, and there is Iris. I heard that you put your hands on her even though she is the fiancée of your brother… Student Claus, could it be that you are an animal?"

Teacher, I also think I'm an animal.

"… These are just rumors." I forced myself to answer.

"Is it so?" Tear stared at me suspiciously before shrugging. "Well, I'm not qualified to interfere with your personal business. It's not as though I'm going to marry you."

"… That is a good idea."

Teacher Tear froze.

Then, she rolled her eyes and smirked.

"Please, stop joking. What if a left-behind woman like me take your words seriously?"

This time it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Teacher, everybody knows that your admirers are enough to form an army. But if you want a bit of this milk candy, I don't mind giving you a bit."

Tear chuckled with an amused expression.

"Stop trying to flirt with me already and hurry up. The headmistress is waiting for you."

I shrugged and followed Tear to the headmistress's office.

When we arrived, Tear knocked on the door twice and called out.

"Headmistress, I brought Claus here.��

"… Tell him to pass. You stay out."

"You heard her, Claus." Tear said without questioning the headmistress's orders. I nodded and pushed the door open.

But when I entered, I met someone I was not expecting to see here.

It was a beautiful brown-haired woman with a mature aura and an anxious expression.

"Hope?" I asked surprised.

Hope was startled and jumped up from her chair. When she saw me, her face turned bright before turning anxious an instant later.

"Your highness!" Hope stood up and rushed towards me.

I caught her on my arms and hugged her tightly. Hope returned the hug and put her head on my chest softly.

"Hope, what are you doing here?" I asked confused.

Hope looked up at my face and revealed an anxious look. "Your highness, I need to tell you something."

I looked straight to Hope's eyes and nodded. It looks like she finally made her choice.

"I understand. Wait a moment." I then looked in direction of the headmistress.

Evelyn understood my look smiled in amusement. "Okay, okay, I understand, I guess I'll drink a cup of coffee. You two lovebirds can use my office, but remember not to dirty it with any strange liquid."

Hope blushed deeply in embarrassment. Evelyn's words made her finally remembered the place she was in.

Well, the headmistress is one of my people, so there is no problem even if she knows.

When the headmistress left, Hope turned serious and looked at me with a concerned and worried look.

"Your highness, I have made my choice."

I combed her hair softly and smiled. "I can see it. Then, will you tell me?"

Hope bit her lips and nodded. "… I chose you, your highness… I… I like you, your highness, And I want to have a child with you… E-Even if that means betraying the empress."

I smiled widely and held Hope's face while kissing her. "Great, hahahahaha! Great, great, Hope."

"Mn~" Hope beamed and closed her eyes while enjoying our kiss.

But when I was starting to mess her clothes, she opened her eyes in panic and pushed me away.

"Y-Your Highness, wait! I-I need to tell you something… A-And we can't do it here!"

I heaved a sigh and suppressed my impulses. Next, I put on a serious expression.

"Okay, tell me."

"Y-Your Highness, you must not go to the expedition the institute will realize! T-The Empress is planning to kill you!"

I nodded with a calm expression. I already knew her plan long ago, so it's normal I'm calm.

However, I did not want to make Hope think that her determination was useless.

"What do you know?" I asked.

"… I don't know the specifics, but the Empress knows you have a very powerful teacher, so she puts a lot of effort into this assassination! Probably not even a thirteen-layer practitioner or a fourteen-layer practitioner will manage to keep you protected."

I nodded and fell deep in thought. A few seconds after that, I smiled.

"… I understand. Thank you for the information."

"You are not going, right?" Hope asked with a worried expression.

I shook my head. "No, I'll go."

Hope paled. "Your highness, but–!"

"Calm down, Hope, things are not so bad." I patted Hope's head with a confident smile. "I'm not as weak as everybody thinks. Quite the opposite, I'm very strong. I'll be alright."

Hope was still concerned, but when she saw I was determined, she stopped trying to convince me.

Instead, she held my hands and nodded. "I understand… but Prince, promise me that you will escape if something goes wrong!"

I nodded. "Don't worry, I promise you."

"Mm." Hope smiled and kissed my lips. I kissed her back and held her waist tightly.

We then cuddled with each other for a while. Unfortunately, we were in the headmistress's office, so Hope was too embarrassed to go beyond kisses and hugs.

But just when I was about to convince her, the ground trembled slightly.

Immediately after that, I heard the anxious voice of the headmistress in my mind.

[Claus, you must come here right now!]

...

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