Yes, Lady Funina!

"Are you... throwing yourself into my arms?" Richard asked, raising an eyebrow.

After all, given Clarinde's skills, even if she initially missed a step, it would be somewhat deliberate for her to lose control of her body after being helped by him.

Clarinde's pretty face turned bright red instantly, as if she had been electrocuted, and she broke free from Richard's embrace.

The high heels made a crisp sound as they hit the ground. Perhaps because she was using too much force, there was a snap, and the heel of her right high heel stopped working.

This time, Clarind didn't make any silly mistakes. She only swayed slightly before regaining her balance.

However, this makes it seem even more like she was deliberately throwing herself at Richard.

Clarin didn't dare look at Richard, instead lowering her head to check the damage to her high heels.

"They're completely unwearable."

The heel completely separated from the sole; one shoe was broken while the other was intact, making it unwearable even as a flat shoe.

Clarinde has begun to consider whether she should simply knock off the heel of the other good shoe and use it as a flat for now.

"Do you need my help?" Richard asked.

Clarin hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly, picked up the broken heel with one hand, and put the other hand on Richard's shoulder, indicating that he could pick her up.

Richard's original idea was that he could help repair the high heels. It would be easy to just attach a small amount of ice element to the broken surface and freeze them together, which should be enough to hold them until Clarinde got home.

But Claudia seemed to have misunderstood her meaning, thinking that she wanted to carry him home.

But... it doesn't really matter.

Richard didn't say anything more. He supported Clorinde's back with one hand and put the other hand under her legs, lifting her up in his arms.

This was the first time Clarinde had been treated like this by a man. When she was being carried in a princess carry, she instinctively reached out and wrapped her arms around Richard's neck, leaning her entire weight into Richard's embrace.

The chubby dragon on the inside of the chest deformed slightly due to the force, and now the button on the undershirt was really bearing pressure that it shouldn't have to bear at its age.

Clarinde may look plump, but she's not actually heavy; she's just got the right amount of fat in all the right places.

It's so soft and squishy when you hold it in your arms, it feels like you could sink into it with just a little pressure.

Clarinde, on the other hand, dared not speak, dared not look up, and dared not look at Richard. She could only turn her face to her chest, her red lips slightly pursed, seemingly lost in thought.

Richard walked quickly and soon arrived at Clorinde's building. It wasn't until he put her down and said, "We're here," that Clorinde belatedly realized she was already downstairs.

"I...I'm going back." Clarind lowered her head, took out her key from her small bag, and opened the door with a slightly nervous expression.

However, after stepping through the door and taking off her high heels, she didn't immediately close the door. Instead, she paused, turned around, and suddenly said, "Would you like to... come in for a glass of water?"

Ugh... Clorind, what are you saying?

It's so late, and you're alone together, what's the meaning of you suddenly inviting someone in for a drink?

Are you offering someone water?

It feels like I'm treating someone to dinner, but the dinner is me!

"Is it appropriate?" Richard was somewhat surprised, completely unprepared for Clarinde's invitation.

The atmosphere on the way here was already quite ambiguous, and now they're inviting me to their home...

“If it’s just water…” Clorind suddenly regretted speaking, but now that she had said it, could she say it was inappropriate?

If Richard wanted to refuse, he wouldn't have said the words "Is it appropriate?"

"Then I'll take my leave." Richard followed Claurind inside and changed into a pair of slippers specifically for guests.

Clarinde didn't stop, and indeed poured Richard a glass of warm water, while also pouring one for herself.

Then a rather subtle atmosphere settled in the living room. Clarinde sipped the warm water in her glass quite frequently, but the water level in the glass didn't drop much.

It seemed that the action wasn't really because he wanted to drink water, but rather an attempt to mask his current nervousness.

“I didn’t say it before, but you look beautiful today, Clarind,” Richard said, breaking the silence in the room.

Whether it was the effects of the alcohol or the shyness caused by Richard's praise, two blushes rose on Clarin's aloof and pretty face, making her look quite beautiful.

“Thank you?”

"You're welcome. Speaking of which, I've always wanted to ask you something, Clarinde, are you interested in my body?"

"Huh?" Clarinde didn't expect Richard to ask this so suddenly. Her hand holding the water glass trembled violently, and a small amount of warm water was spilled out, directly soaking a small part of her skirt.

Clarind, not bothering to wipe her mouth with a napkin, stammered, "You... how could you think that?"

"Isn't that how it is? Whether it's taking photos or that time you secretly peeked at me while I was changing clothes, Claurind... you seem to be quite lecherous?"

No, this isn't lust; it's a persistent pursuit of beauty!

Claude had intended to say that, but faced with irrefutable evidence, she couldn't deny it.

"I…I didn't mean to do that."

"Not on purpose? Which time are you referring to? The time you peeked at me through the crack in the door, or the time you submitted my photo to a photography contest? Or the time you encouraged Funina to have a photoshoot with me?"

"Can they all be..."

“Once might be an unintentional mistake, but three times is hard to explain as a coincidence or an accident.” Richard stared intently at Clarinde, determined to get to the bottom of things.

Faced with such an aggressive Richard, Clarinde's heart sank further and further, and in the end, she could only let out a miserable sob.

"Waaah... I was wrong."

"Wrong? What's wrong?" Richard asked calmly.

“Wrong…wrong…you say what’s wrong, and that’s what’s wrong.” Clarin had no idea where she had gone wrong, so she had no choice but to hand over the judgment to Richard.

"They'd rather confess than give a straight answer. Is it so hard to admit they like me (my body)?"

Chapter 176 Clarind's Fall (Part 1)

In the minimalist-style living room, Clarinde sat on her sofa, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Fine beads of sweat were faintly visible on her forehead. Faced with Richard's probing questions, she couldn't utter a single word.

He wanted to bury his head in his full, round chest, like a frightened ostrich, only thinking of hiding himself, but not daring to face the crisis that was already in front of him.

However, Richard wouldn't give Clarinde a chance to avoid him. He walked up to the dueling agent who was in a state of 'shrinking', grabbed her chin with his hand, and forced her to look him in the eye.

Clarinde had never seen anything like this before. Let alone having her chin pinched by Richard like this, even when she had contact with the opposite sex, it was only in the dueling ring. Usually, she would defeat her opponent with her sword and would never give her opponent any chance to get close.

This was true even before she obtained the Eye of God, and after obtaining it, it became even more impossible for anyone to get close to her.

Let's put it this way: Richard was the first man of the opposite sex, apart from relatives, to have such close contact with Claurin since she could remember.

It was the same when I was holding her before, and even earlier when I saw her wearing such a daring swimsuit and taking pictures.

For Claude, Richard was no longer just an ordinary friend and boss of the opposite sex. At least, if he were just an ordinary friend, Claude would never have allowed Richard to be so... presumptuous.

Despite being treated so harshly, Clarinde surprisingly did not feel humiliated or any other negative emotions; in fact, she even felt a slight sense of 'excitement'.

Claude felt that she was in the wrong, which led to Richard treating her this way, but she wasn't very angry.

It can't be because she was actually happy that Richard treated her that way, right?

That would be far too unreserved.

“Answer me, Clarind,” Richard said.

"Say whatever you want!" Clorind closed her eyes. Although she spoke toughly, she actually looked like she was at someone's mercy.

"Is that so?" Richard slowly moved his hand, which was holding Clarinde's chin, down her slender neck and finally to her shoulder.

As Richard moved, Claudia's entire body visibly flushed. What had initially been a slight blush of intoxication on her cheeks spread and diffused under Richard's touch, gradually reaching her entire face, ears, and neck.

Perhaps due to the sudden increase in temperature, Clarinde's red lips parted slightly, and her breathing became rapid. The sharpness and coldness in her eyes behind her gold-rimmed glasses were gone, replaced by a hazy look that was hard to describe.

“As a victim, shouldn’t I have the right to ask you for some small amount of compensation?” Richard continued to ask.

Claudia tried to close her eyes, but seemingly realizing it was futile, she slowly opened them again. Under Richard's intense gaze, Claudia said in a trembling voice:

"Yes, Lord Richard."

This "Your Excellency" indirectly demonstrates that the intoxicated Clarinde obeys the judgment made by Judge Richard. In response to her past misconduct, Richard has decided to demand reasonable compensation from Clarinde.

"Hold me close," Richard commanded.

Clarin hesitated for a moment, then did as she was told, loosening her grip on her skirt and placing one hand on Richard's shoulder and the other on his waist, her head lowering unconsciously, not daring to look directly at the supreme judge.

"Look up at me," Richard gave his second order.

He could clearly feel the Duel Agent's body tremble slightly as he placed his hand on Clarinde's shoulder. Before her mind could react, her body instinctively followed Richard's words and raised her head.

However, even though she looked up, Clarinde kept her eyes closed.

"Open your eyes." Richard gave the third command, but before he finished, he added,

"You are not allowed to secretly close the window halfway through."

Clarinde had no choice but to open her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, as she watched Richard's face get closer and closer, but there was nothing she could do.

Finally, Clarinde could no longer see Richard's face clearly, and at a certain critical point, her heart skipped a beat.

Savoring those smooth and soft lips, Richard successfully won the first kiss of the fourth innocent girl, but he clearly did not intend to be satisfied with just that.

Unlike Frynn, Richard easily pried open Clarinde's teeth. He didn't even need to say anything; he simply knocked politely with his tongue, and the little pink tongue obediently opened the door.

The unwelcome guest who entered the door immediately engaged in a fight with the host, who easily subdued him and made him go east or west as he pleased, just as Clarinde was now at Richard's mercy.

Perhaps because Clarinde is Fontaine’s strongest dueling agent, she pays great attention to her employer’s requirements and experience. During the communication process, she even instinctively straightened her body as much as possible so that Richard could communicate with her without bending over.

After a brief but in-depth exchange, both sides took a short break to relax. Clarinde was slightly out of breath, her mind completely blank. She didn't understand how things had suddenly turned out this way.

Her first kiss, which she had guarded for over twenty years, was given away so easily. Of course, Clarinde didn't feel regretful; she just felt... like she was dreaming.

Clarin's gaze was fixed on Richard, and she could still feel the intense heat of his hand resting on her waist.

This is clearly not a dream, but something that is actually happening.

She, Clarind, Fontaine's strongest dueling agent, has never been defeated in countless battles, and very few people can even harm her. But now she is facing a bloody disaster.

She's likely to bleed tonight.

Clarind could sense that the man before her was no longer as composed as before. It was as if he had shed his usual impeccable disguise and revealed the true nature of a dragon, greedily and domineeringly wanting to devour everything she had.

Richard was indeed as Claude had said, his emotions running high. Although he was still rational, it was uncertain how long he could maintain this rationality under Claude's obedience.

Greed is human nature, and it is the original sin of all intelligent life.

Lust is a human instinct, and also the original sin of all intelligent life.

Although Richard has become an "immortal" dragon, the instincts etched into his body will not disappear; on the contrary, they will rebound due to the previous suppression.

The anger that Funina had stirred up earlier had only been temporarily suppressed, but now that Clorinde had appeared, this evil fire had found an outlet, and along with Clorinde's original anger, it surged forth.

Claudia seemed to sense Richard's uncontrollable impulse, her fear mixed with a hint of longing.

After all, although Clarinde appears to be a restrained and aloof mature woman, cold and sassy, ​​and is often misunderstood as difficult to get along with, she is ultimately a normal woman.

Richard had desires, but so did she.

At least she could feel her body starting to feel strange; her whole body was burning up, and every cell was craving closer contact with the man in front of her.

Seemingly sensing Clarinde's thoughts, Richard made another move, but this time he didn't simply kiss her.

Instead, they planned to split their forces into two groups to encircle the enemy.

While talking, one's hands must also be busy.

Although Clarinde felt her body was very hot, Richard actually didn't feel that way at all when he touched her; on the contrary, he felt it was a little cool and very comfortable.

Sometime during the night, Clarinde's off-white knitted cardigan had been thrown to the ground, and beneath her pure white undershirt, it was as if a giant snake was slithering, leaving clearly visible 'footprints'.

Richard didn't rush to climb the towering hill, but instead familiarized himself with the flat plain at the foot of the mountain. Along the way, Richard encountered a small pothole, which turned out to be Clarinde's navel.

Strangely, when Richard touched Clorinde's navel, Clorinde trembled, even more so than during their first kiss. Her body then went limp, completely limp. If Richard hadn't been supporting her waist and draping his arm over her shoulder, she probably would have collapsed onto the sofa.

'This place...it seems I'll have to come here often in the future.' Richard secretly noted down this anomaly, and then immediately began exploring the labyrinth called 'Clorind' like a curious explorer.

Sure enough, through Richard's diligent exploration, he discovered several more treasure lands. Although they were not as spiritually rich as the area around his navel, they could still be considered blessed lands.

Clarinde was clearly struggling to keep up with Richard's exploration, panting heavily throughout the process and unable to maintain even the most basic sitting posture, so she had to lean back against the sofa.

The sofa now felt a certain empathy for Clarinde's third button, bearing a weight that shouldn't be borne by someone its age.

Under Richard's relentless onslaught, Clarinde's reclining posture gradually tilted until she was lying on her side on the sofa, panting heavily, her breasts heaving violently—a truly spectacular sight.

Seeing that Richard was still trying to get closer, Claude quickly stopped him with her hand, her tone pleading:

"No, not here!"