Yes, Lady Funina!

"N-nothing, it's just tonight..." Clarinde was startled by Richard's words, and the unrealistic thoughts in her mind were immediately thrown to the back of her mind. Then, she quickly changed the subject by mentioning tonight's dinner party.

“I know, I will be on time.” Richard nodded, his gaze inadvertently falling on Clarinde’s curvaceous figure.

Claurind: !!!

She was absolutely certain; Richard was looking at her…her own body!

It was definitely not because I looked at Richard too many times that he started to notice me; rather, he was already looking at me and only then realized that I was looking at him!

The order in which they are ordered is very important and must be clearly defined.

After confirming this, Clarinde became somewhat uneasy. Her pretty face turned slightly to the side, her right hand was placed across her chest and wrapped around her left arm, her left hand nervously gripping the hem of her secretary's dress, and her beautiful legs, encased in black stockings, were tightly pressed together without leaving any gap.

If I had to describe this icy beauty in four words, it would be "restless and uneasy."

In fact, given Clarinde's appearance, it's common for her to attract attention, and she's gotten used to it over the years.

But the thought of Richard staring at her made Clarinde feel uneasy. Her emotions were very complicated, and simple words like 'shy,' 'happy,' or 'proud' were not enough to accurately describe her feelings.

Even she herself didn't know what she was feeling right now.

Something's not right, not even nine-tenths right.

Clarinde originally wanted to get involved with Frinina, but now it seems she's about to get herself into trouble.

"Clorind, are you feeling unwell?" Furina noticed Clorind's unusual behavior and asked, puzzled.

Claude's expression froze for a moment, then she went along with it and said, "Um, I'm going to the restroom."

After saying that, he hurriedly left the office.

When Clorind returned, Richard and Lynette had already gone home, leaving only Funina, who was yawning from time to time, reviewing official documents in the office.

Upon seeing Clorind return, Funina said to her, "Be careful during dinner tonight."

Keep a close eye on whether the young lady from the Rose Society has any improper thoughts about Richard, and report to the organization in a timely manner.

After saying that, Funina didn't say anything more, feeling that she had made her meaning clear enough.

However, Clarinde was already in a state of confusion because of Richard's performance earlier, and she couldn't understand what Frynn was trying to express. She even misunderstood what Frynn was saying.

Be careful…be careful of what? Funina told herself to be careful during dinner tonight. Could it be that Richard is going to make a move on her?

So... should she accept it? Or should she refuse first and then be forced to accept it when she can't refuse anymore?

Claude's mind was in turmoil; she felt that tonight's dinner party had suddenly become somewhat dangerous.

Won't he help Navia organize a game, only to get himself caught in the crossfire?

About helping your best friend thank her boss, only to end up being the recipient of that thank-you gift yourself.

……

Time quickly came to the end of the workday, but instead of heading straight to the agreed-upon location, Clarinde went back to change her clothes.

Claude hesitated in front of the wardrobe for a long time, and finally, as if possessed, took out the free gift that came with the dress she ordered from Chiori.

She changed out of her secretary outfit and put on a new urban lady outfit that Chiori-ya had just launched not long ago.

She wore a beige knitted cardigan over a white undershirt, the buttons of which were pulled tight as if they might break down at any moment.

Fortunately, Chiori had anticipated this, and not only strengthened the stitching of the button, but also adjusted the shirt's cut, making it look somewhat tight, but in reality not as tight as imagined, leaving some room for error.

For her lower body, she wore a gray-white bodycon skirt. The skirt was mid-length, with the hem reaching mid-calf, but it was slit about a finger's width above the left knee, revealing her fair and slender thigh.

Furthermore, because of Clorind's exaggeratedly plump hourglass figure, her ample hips made the entire dress look bulging. Although it was supposed to be an urban casual style outfit, on Clorind it not only didn't look casual, but even gave people an urge to exercise.

For shoes, she chose open-toe high-heeled sandals, and Clarinde also took Chiori's advice and painted her toenails with light purple nail polish. Combined with her already perfect foot shape, calling them jade feet would not be an exaggeration.

It is truly a delicacy.

Finally, Clarinde also put on a pair of non-prescription gold-rimmed glasses, because Chiori said it would help conceal her sharp gaze.

Overall, the light-colored outfit softened Clarinde's overly aloof temperament, making her appear more approachable and less unapproachable than before. The gold-rimmed glasses added an intellectual touch.

After being dressed up like this, Clarinde fully radiated her inherent charm, making her the center of attention on the street.

Clarin looked at herself in the mirror, twisted her slender waist, and stepped on her high-heeled sandals. She felt inexplicably unfamiliar with herself and couldn't help but have an absurd thought: Is this urban beauty in the mirror really herself?

She just changed her clothes, but she seems like a completely different person.

And... why did I dress up so beautifully, knowing that Richard has feelings for her now, yet I'm dressed so alluringly...?

Clarinde, who are you trying to seduce?

Claude pursed her lips. She had no intention of seducing Richard; she was simply dressed up for social etiquette. Yes, that's right, just for social etiquette.

After all, it was a dinner party organized by Navia, so dressing up nicely would make both Navia and Richard happy, right?

Ah, I mean, as long as Navia is happy, Richard... is just a side effect, a side effect...

Clarin checked the time and realized that she had been in the room for quite some time without realizing it. With little time left before the appointed time, she hurried out to keep the appointment.

To be honest, Clarind didn't really like the stilettos she was wearing. Although they looked good, they were really difficult to walk in, and she had to keep her balance at all times. Even someone as skilled as Clarind had to watch her step.

Her outfit sacrifices practicality for unparalleled beauty; she certainly can't run fast, with a skirt and high heels—even a deity could only race.

Fortunately, the agreed location was not far from Clarinde's house, and Navia and Richard had already taken their seats in the private room.

As soon as Clorinde entered, Navia's eyes lit up, and she smiled and praised, "Clorinde, you look so beautiful today! Is this the style you had custom-made from Miss Chiori when we went shopping together last time?"

"Hmm." Clarind nodded, glanced at Richard, and then noticed that he was also looking at her. She quickly lowered her head, pulled out a chair, and sat down obediently.

"Sorry, I'm late."

“It’s not late, it’s just that we’re early. By the way, Mr. Richard, hurry up and order. Order whatever you want, even if you order one of everything on the menu, it’s fine.” Navia said quite generously.

“Then I shall accept your offer.” Richard didn’t stand on ceremony with Navia. He knew that if he didn’t order, Navia would feel awkward.

However, Richard did not ask the waiter to copy a book for him as Navia suggested. Instead, he picked out a few dishes that tasted good and were somewhat expensive.

“Clorinde, don’t be shy about eating whatever you want. After all, I owe you a favor that can’t be repaid with just one meal,” Navia said.

"I don't think I need any more. I feel like I've already ordered enough." Clarinde had no appetite for food; she felt like she was practically a dish herself.

Navia didn't make things difficult for Klorind, but instead took the menu and added a few more dishes. "Hmm... let me see, today's drinks... oh, the store just received a batch of premium red wine from Mondstadt Dawn Winery, so it seems we have to order two bottles."

"Mr. Richard, would you mind drinking alcohol? If so, I'll have juice instead, or Fontaine is fine too."

"No problem, just a little bit is fine."

"And what about Clorind?"

"Ah... I'm fine with anything."

Clarinde hesitated for a moment, her mind filled with countless scenarios of subordinates being drugged by their superiors and then taken home, but in the end she still agreed.

After all, the plot is the plot, and reality is reality. If it was just red wine, she probably wouldn't get drunk... maybe?

Chapter 175 Would you like to come in and have a glass of water?

I definitely won't get drunk. After all, this isn't a social event; it's just a gathering of friends. There's no intention to force anyone to drink. You can drink if you want, and it's fine if you don't.

Moreover, Richard's reason for agreeing to this dinner was partly to discuss serious matters with the owner of the Rose Society, so it was even less likely that he would drink too much.

It's mainly about tasting it; at most, it'll just make you slightly tipsy. And that's only if Richard deliberately controls his body's natural metabolism. Otherwise, if Richard wanted to get drunk, he'd probably bankrupt Navia.

Meanwhile, Claude, who was keeping her company, kept drinking red wine in silence for some reason. She would eat a couple of bites of food and finish a glass of wine, then eat a couple more bites and have another glass...

Those who know it would think it's a restaurant, while those who don't would think it's a bar.

Are you here for a meal, or for a drink, Clorind?

I've never seen you drink this much before.

Not only Richard was surprised, but even Navia was taken aback by Clond's unusual behavior. She even began to suspect that Clond actually enjoyed drinking, but was just too shy to show it before they got to know each other so well.

Clarinde doesn't dislike alcohol; even when she's home alone, she'll occasionally have a few drinks.

She has a high alcohol tolerance; even at this rate, she's only slightly tipsy, with her cheeks still a little flushed and her eyes very clear.

It doesn't feel like drinking red wine, it feels more like drinking water.

After observing Claurind for a while and finding nothing unusual about her, and confirming that she had an excellent alcohol tolerance, Richard and Navia stopped paying attention to her and started talking about business.

After her initial heavy drinking, Clarinde slowed down her pace and occasionally chimed in to lighten the mood while Richard and Navia were discussing matters.

Perhaps because she was already slightly tipsy, Clarinde was noticeably bolder and no longer dared to meet Richard's gaze as she had when she first arrived. Instead, she turned her attention to staring intently at Richard.

He seemed determined to get back at Richard for everything he'd been seen by earlier; he was incredibly brave.

But if this were the Mo Mang Palace, no one would be surprised if Clarinde did this. But this is a restaurant, and although it's a private room, it's not just her and Richard inside; Navia is also there!

Navia knew nothing about Claudia and Richard. In her mind, Claudia and Richard were at most friends and colleagues, but seeing Claudia like this now, it seemed... there was something wrong?

Navia was lost in thought when a startling idea suddenly popped into her head.

—Could it be that my best friend is trying to steal the man from the Water God?

Navia looked at Clorind and realized that although the other was consciously controlling how often she looked at Richard, she probably didn't realize that this control was worse than no control at all. After all, there wasn't much difference between looking at him every three seconds and looking at him every ten seconds.

Especially now that Clarinde is slightly tipsy, it is said that alcohol emboldens the timid and that people speak the truth when drunk.

Clarinde is now showing some genuine emotion, but it's not 'love'; it could be pure 'craving'.

In Navia's view, she didn't see any tenderness in Clorind's eyes. Perhaps there was some, but it was definitely not much. At least, the feeling Clorind gave Navia right now was more like a big dog seeing a bone with meat on it...

This might sound a bit impolite, but it truly reflects Navia's thoughts at this moment.

'Perhaps I should help Clarinde?' Navia thought.

Although both Clarinde and Frynn are Navia's friends, just as there is a superior-subordinate relationship in the Momang Palace, there are also differences in the closeness or distance between friends.

For Navia, Clarinde, with whom she often had afternoon tea and went shopping, was clearly much closer than the aloof water goddess.

If she really had to choose one to help, Navia would choose Clarin without hesitation.

I'm sorry, Lady Furina, but everyone has the right to pursue their own happiness. You have so many good people around you, but Clarinde may only have me as her supporter.

Navia knew that Clorinde didn't have many friends, and considering that she was only Funina's secretary, the chances of Navia winning over Richard were far lower than Funina's.

From the perspective of the Rose Society's owner, whether out of self-interest or her own position, she should help Frynn, who is more likely to win, rather than Clarind.

But from Navia's own perspective, she hopes that her good friend Clarinde can find her own happiness.

Even if the opponent is Frinna, I will stand firmly by your side, Clarind! —Navia

In other words, Clarinde doesn't know what Navia is thinking. If she did, she would probably reply: "But I didn't want to be enemies with Frynn."

"Ah, it's so late, I'm sorry."

I might have to go to the tailor shop later. I ordered a batch of Rosemary uniforms from Ludwin, and I have to send them back to the Rosemary Society tonight.

Richard, could you please give Clarinde a ride? She's been drinking, and I'm a little worried about her going home alone.” Navia replied, “I’m the professional wingman.”

Clarinde was stunned when she heard Navia's words, staring at Navia who was secretly giving her a thumbs up.

It's so late, which legitimate tailor shop is still open?

Are you really giving me away as a gift?

Clarinde was surprised that Navia would suddenly pull this stunt on her, and she couldn't help but look at Richard.

"Okay, don't worry." Richard agreed, since it was on his way anyway.

After paying the bill, Navia hurriedly left. Before leaving, she took advantage of Richard's inattention to give Clarin a "good luck" gesture.

Don't let my help go to waste!

Charge forward bravely, Clarind!

'Charge...charge my ass! Navia, don't go, come back...' Clorind watched Navia's back as she walked away without looking back, her lips trembling several times, but in the end she didn't call out to Navia.

"It's getting late, shall we go?"

“…Oh.” Clorind’s drunkenness seemed to vanish instantly, and she responded obediently like a dutiful wife.

Fontaine was brightly lit at night, perhaps because the energy was inexhaustible. The streets were brightly lit and bustling with pedestrians, as if the shadow of disaster had been completely lifted.

Clarinde was so engrossed in the lively scene that she didn't notice the steps in front of her and accidentally missed a step.

Richard reacted quickly and grabbed Claudia's arm, but this pull had a significant effect, as Claudia could have adjusted herself.

But when Richard touched her like that, her heart was thrown into chaos, and with the added effect of alcohol, Clarinde couldn't help but stumble towards Richard.

With the soft jade in his arms, Richard could feel the amazing elasticity of Clarinde's body and her unique fragrance.