PBPGD

CHAPTER 102

The cold air shook her awake. Lia shivered as she tugged the thick covers about her.

Why is it so cold in here?

She looked over her shoulder to find the window open, most likely the result of a gust of wind. It was just past midnight, and she was alone in bed.

He had fallen asleep with her hours ago. She felt his side of the bed; it was cold, like it hadn't seen warmth in hours. She pulled on her pajamas and a robe, leaving the room with a lantern in hand.

The hallways were quiet, all of the attendants off to bed as well. Lia walked down to Claude's study and knocked.

It echoed too loudly for her liking, but there was no answer. She turned the doorknob carefully to find Claude sound asleep at his desk.

He looked so peaceful, which was a stark juxtaposition to the heaps of files before him that needed his attention.

Her eyes were gentle as she took in his form but turned calculating as they skimmed over the files.

The ones open in front of him were the accounting books that Caruso had signed off. Countless columns laid out the costs for civil engineering projects and expanding welfare facilities, as well as tax reports and budgets.

She looked back and forth between Claude and the books before gathering them in her arms and taking a seat by the sofa.

She was sure Caruso tried his best, but the sums were all a mess.

He must have used the wrong equations. Otherwise, there's no way he could've ended up with these numbers.

Lia picked up a red pen and began to correct the errors. If she could help Claude in any way, she would.

She pored over the pages intently until she flipped to a page listing out the budget for their wedding.

She blinked in disbelief.

The total cost equaled a month's worth of Del Casa's expenses.

She tapped the pen against the table, biting her fingernails.

She didn't know where to begin correcting this particular page, so she set it aside for the time being.

Lia honestly had no clue what the weddings of nobility were like, unsure of what was a necessity or what wasn't. But she knew that spending a month's worth of a duchy's expenses on a three-day ceremony was too much.

Although House Ihar's wealth was enough to match that of the imperial family, she didn't want to spend this much on a wedding dress.

I'll have to ask Edith about this.

The wedding budget aside, Lia sped through the rest of the pages, correcting them with her neat handwriting.

She gathered them into an orderly pile and placed it back on Claude's desk. He was still deep asleep. Lia swept back his hair affectionately, then kissed him on the cheek.

"Claude. Wake up."

A slight crease appeared between his brows. She leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"You can't sleep here. Wake up, Claude."

His eyelids fluttered as he evidently recognized her voice. Lia draped herself over his back, hugging his neck.

Her honey blond hair fell down his shoulder and tickled his face. Claude blinked awake, caressing her arms with a chuckle.

"Why are you here at this hour?"

She smiled at his voice, gentle but still gravelly with drowsiness.

"I couldn't stay asleep," she said, pecking him on his ear.