IBMILRFL – Chapter 74
by EsraaCh. 74 IBMILRFL | Chapter 741ee735a0c8e2ee8f
As Tristan greeted me 0b7658df35 with ease, I found 4ade7496f7 myself freezing unconsciously.64889f3c0a971288
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This was the 9f70c5d043 first time I’d d8918360f9 seen his face 5e9813d1fc since the victory e623cac6f0 banquet.bd98582ad96d8742
I wasn’t sure what to eb491d18a5 say or how to react.1ebcf2124dd8a5c2
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I wasn’t ready 79fb9d7534 to face him, ba5ef4f032 not even slightly.b225234e5090e2cb
A myriad of words 1d02a7da91 surfaced in my mind 29a1930dfa only to vanish just a19c4c381e as quickly.eeac26d032795ea3
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Why did the surroundings have a418b1f6d8 to be cloaked in darkness, 89ee1cf8af just like that day? As I looked 11a583f4bf at him standing 5922abfd20 in the moonlight, da212a13f9 memories of the be6505ec56 balcony came flooding 213f074343 back.cc5910b394e1bc7d
My heart pounded with bbb30e5b06 nervous energy.d7915079c02687e1
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After taking a few steps 207c8ff8da back from my guard and e22b48bf51 a long silence, I finally 1ff32552ae managed to utter a single 84ebc66b39 sentence.183f4dfb0f379605
“How did you… get here?”1ce623b8c524b723
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As if he’d a5f1d460b4 anticipated my question, 4f039ecd14 he smiled, his 3c3f1a80e0 eyes crinkling softly.c811fa274baf10e8
“Lilliana mentioned that the opening was soon, and she regretted that she couldn’t make it.”e8dedb1c1497327f
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Only then did I understand e1c1bcb29c the situation.b7d34837905120be
‘So that’s what was bothering me back then…’0837e177319ffacc
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When I told Lilliana not cb7dbd6cda to follow, there’d been something 01b28959ac oddly suspicious about her tone.1b6bd5a25e36fb7b
‘I thought she might send someone in her place, but…’ca15e3b82dbcb1d5
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I never thought eb0208b125 it would be 427f0de77b Tristan.81eb224277b3aa7a
I answered curtly.c6f37b29fdb024b7
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“That doesn’t mean you had to come uninvited. Especially at this late hour.”8da2c1140340f4e9
“How could I not, when my one and only sister was feeling down? It’s my duty 54cddaccae as her brother.”e6658f6c3f959bde
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An excuse. There was no need to 7bd759e8c8 verify it to know it a70a2349dc was just an excuse.827a7ed296329f47
We both knew that, yet 51af161f9a Tristan continued speaking without a 17bb0a1bc1 hint of hesitation.204faa47534b1d79
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“And besides, I’m also a business partner, am I not?”fc67c5150faccb0c
Tristan took two 1aa45f9dd0 steps closer to bb8edd95ce me.d49417d3d11b015c
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“I couldn’t miss such a joyful occasion.”30eecff48d54e2dc
He extended a bouquet 908ac2345a he’d been holding in 3870433e75 his arms.a8f403d6815ef28a
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“Congratulations, Vanessa. The time has finally come c67bc1ce75 for all your hard work 2e364316f8 to bear fruit.”5412619e67136d5c
The bouquet, a mixture of 7444ce2274 white and yellow flowers, was ebd33d866c wrapped neatly.f1d322129ff5907e
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Seeing Tristan offering the flowers 6859d04d7e to me made my mouth adb422a06b go dry.c81e131e86aad7cc
‘…Reject it. Just reject it.’897b731361f56bbc
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Accepting it would 4b7c187211 only make me bfa4ef432d feel even more ed92d12e37 unsettled, so I c30fbd1afd waved my hand dd8550d918 in refusal.0150c0d4babfd900
“This sort of personal gift… isn’t necessary.”785148243577f3a1
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“I’m giving it as a business partner. There’s no other meaning b9fa4e0ec9 to it. So, take it.”0a5de6ed14d31fbf
“Oh!”4927dd46d6c544d7
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Ignoring my refusal, he almost a49674a4c8 threw it at me, and 1f1a30b7e5 I instinctively caught the bouquet.2c8c5141dca30e3c
“No need for any words of thanks.”d9d2b3ea9a8f165f
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Ugh. I wasn’t even planning 5a6de37af4 on thanking him.a43c3e66ce173371
He smiled down a8043af78d at me with 8f25e4c2cb that shameless expression.c60da7cb50e98597
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I felt like I was a4e4246a02 getting swept up in his ea5fb3417b pace as soon as we 7adae7dfc6 met.0073e82e2bc78c0e
‘How did things end up like this?’044f24eb08eaa810
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As I sighed 73897f14cc in frustration, he 895bb5c778 spoke up.07266694da161718
“There’s no need to look so openly displeased. It’s not as if 9d065b5051 I came here without 740025f5d6 any reason.”2c0ea59dac0c78b6
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Tristan took two 0028c9eb0d more steps toward a07360ab3f me and bent 915ad60bfa down slightly.a4a3fd2285363d9a
I wasn’t particularly short, yet 5df3235b9c he had to lean down 8e16f98dd7 quite a bit for our 17e432a0b1 heads to meet at the 2079bebe43 same level.019e4145031c7603
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It struck me how 1bd86eca8a much he’d grown from 0ae37429a7 the boy who used 70870c3952 to be smaller than 455f060035 me.93fa3252ed993ad3
He whispered in my ear.df63cbbbf5475987
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“I heard the news from my informant first—just as you predicted, it seems the war between the Kingdom of Chelais and the Kingdom of Meliden has finally ended. So I immediately dispatched c7b1c70269 a trade ship.”69a4e15bb55320f7
“Is that really—?”4dad1edf3dfd6a77
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The astonishing news made 7602187db0 me turn my head ab17f1231d on instinct.7cff3908e1f1b4bb
In that brief b895ae8546 moment, our faces 0d0e6adc5b were dangerously close, c4e3c72e29 close enough for 0bfabdf94d our noses to 2ecb4cd77d nearly brush.6c1cf3ecb8ec88ed
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“Oh.”db12ac38495ac43b
As I hurriedly e5c13248f9 stepped back, he fc2477c7aa shrugged with a 1bf8347ce1 disappointed look. Unlike my surprised reaction, he 88ca7f90b1 continued speaking calmly.c906ed51d56992c3
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“Yes, it’s true.”992fd9b79e967e11
It was certainly good news.a824fe08dcb715a4
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‘If the trade ship has just set off… we’ll be able to start on the next project as soon as it returns.’a95fffafaec37519
The ingredients for the 758d63172d perfumes imported through trade bf9ce5628b were truly unique. They allowed me 3c0535a824 to create a eddb39795e much wider variety 31a2ab647c of fragrances.d0c0cef7a140395b
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I stayed silent for a7c7db8403 a moment, mentally reviewing af66a77791 my upcoming plans once 8da388e6a9 more.f8a8acd4b9643c5d
Tristan, watching me quietly, dfa1737f18 came to stand beside 732a2409bc me.ff4a276e344baa4a
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“Now that I think of it, I’ve always been curious.”eead31de0c370e0a
“Curious about what?”5572dd9d34b56c15
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“If it were simply about making money, there are plenty of easier ways for someone with your skills to achieve that, Vanessa.”323d0f74e67cf926
He leaned casually against the 622cabb4d5 wall as he continued.53b299d1164a388c
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“So I wondered… why would you take on such a risky endeavor like this?”436168d95517313f
Why perfume, of all things?eb6bca214adcbacb
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The answer to that question 047843aba3 was complex.626905a2444925de
‘Sure, it was a new market with little competition… but that wasn’t the only reason.’463f1aa610558da6
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After seven years of 046fdc2c84 living under the label 0efea61396 of a villainess, I 4969218981 was undeniably worn out.498c3969a13892f4
Sometimes, it was almost b457ebde5b amusing to watch people ce61d5a21a who didn’t know anything ca1a27d77c about me be fooled dc7c234274 by the persona I’d 1582275714 created and point fingers 2af0da9b3e at me.0426b8f0c9278839
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The truth is, 337c6183f9 if they closed a183f2b5e1 their eyes, they 64ce7f88cc wouldn’t even know 2feca9b757 who I was.aae5dd7fa71fca5f
They wouldn’t remember my reputation 69705a910b or the biases against me.984bba8b2b22cb21
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I think that’s why bdecc18381 I was drawn to 6ea9f29184 fragrance.3cd9deef1c157a2b
It was one of the 5ca6a9671c few things one could appreciate 69ce70ae1c even with closed eyes, free a746c259e3 from any prejudice.21546b5a61bd5bf4
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‘I wanted to share with others how captivating a scent can be—not just for me but for everyone.’e39c907fbbe62843
That was why I’d chosen ce213c2e22 this difficult path over an e4e551cd6b easier one.ca74930ceab4cea3
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Someday… I hoped that 77adbd2561 people would come to 15f877089d enjoy this new culture c300f35956 of perfume through this 1e0a63bee1 place.a1a5c0a636750fad
Even the name of 7ddcf82fb9 the boutique reflected this 618d7e43e0 wish.ef47f8794ce9cfe8
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New Silhouette.27793ad6c208158f
It was my very c046879a79 first shop, created entirely b752e47637 through my own efforts.e93503a8cbba6375
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Not only did 9db3249d11 it signify a ba67a632b4 new beginning in 68fa1c030a my life, but faff00f873 it was also 1e17665cd9 the first step 7f35dfb9ea in bringing a 92979a6eb0 new “Silhouette” to 5f9d667b4a the empire through 409a2824c9 fragrance.e58f00a1ec4c4b04
‘But… there’s no need to tell Tristan all of this.’0787cf6f2fb4cdee
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I didn’t want to reveal 74bbb57b10 such a vulnerable part of 327b76b633 myself to him.2b5e7b3fbc8877f7
“There’s no particular reason. I simply thought fd19952546 this path made 58b93ea286 more sense than 3471701f7c entering a market 19d791044a already filled with 740cd1767b competitors.”ce58a72ade18c1a3
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“Haha, for a ‘simple reason,’ you seem to have poured a lot of affection into it.”3c424f0d73a18c26
Despite my careful words, 8a9dc97865 Tristan didn’t seem to 551e3e2dde believe me at all.c31fc40b2a1a1a4a
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‘Is he perceptive, or does he just know me too well?’64dbc5c2c1af807a
I thought I’d 389efeac59 grown skilled at f2f1b49a73 lying, but in 6b4b05a425 front of him, 92ea92c242 everything seemed exposed.a045c1547e40d094
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He lifted himself off f609331763 the wall and took 4bc62ebc33 a step closer, speaking ec578b3677 in a voice tinged 5fdf5f0635 with regret.d3d5984067d3a192
“It might seem hard now… but one day, I hope you’ll be honest with me, Vanessa.”a85e903cbfb28f20
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“…”ea131d2b2c351657
“I’ve been curious about how you spent all that lost time.”27550d8cfbd7773d
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He finished speaking and b876139e75 gave me a gentle 35ed826b88 smile.b04ef782f4c02eec
“In any case, congratulations once again, Vanessa. You’ve finally achieved your dream. Here, please accept this.”7fb3ae16689f9ead
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Tristan reached into the 6dabddff90 inner pocket of his 19c0f69a95 thin coat and handed 1b72ec9689 me something.d7d9903c624da956
The silver surface of 741681be1e the object gleamed under 3a26adb6b3 the moonlight.cdfaf35e57247f1d
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Realizing what it was, I 25d8decff8 froze.595f8011a620b2d3
“Unlike the bouquet, I’m giving you this with a particular meaning. I’ve never forgotten 3a9e17880a our old promise.”681cd3189017f3aa
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In my stiff, 37b68612f9 unmoving hand, he 67c34eb62b placed the gift.ffb61ff872604f4f
It was… an elegant pocket 748e357525 watch.92aef7c1e9915339
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“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”dfd32d74e50008e6
Without any further words, e2e34c0959 Tristan departed simply, leaving 892d36258f me feeling conflicted as 60dac4953e I watched his back.51adf6a156ccd026
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‘It’s a promise from over a decade ago… yet he remembered it.’f2bc25cabfe79ace
Back when he was still c784e258ae studying abroad in the Kingdom 9ba139a762 of Onz, we’d once shared 37c450b539 our dreams with each other.9e5582645d5c09a2
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—36b4b89b43a02e77
‘So, Vanessa, what do you want to do after leaving the Kingdom of Onz?’4ac45edf1a1e2655
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‘I… I suppose it may sound silly to you, but I’d like to start my own business. Succeed or fail, 401a6fd44a I want to ccb30c0826 make my own b9695d162a choices.’15347ba5ddf8643c
‘Ah, a business, huh?’74c1a8342e08df75
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‘Yeah. Here in the palace, 40001de18e I’ve never handled anything 808482dac5 entirely on my own. It’s a bit absurd, 215634dfee isn’t it? It seems so trivial.’ffaf996320af6bfb
At that time, cb87755e04 I feared he’d 35faac66ae laugh at me. I tried not to show 6612d18036 it, but my self-esteem was 042303df98 nearly nonexistent.ba3ba88498ab0fc7
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Unlike me, a dc45aa0a1b nominal princess, he’d bc6e1e12e5 been born into 70fa165fb8 power. I couldn’t help but feel 3c5b44e679 that, in his eyes, I 2765e55c9e was probably laughable.fb71f0a26e9fc172
But Tristan simply replied with b3f1203abf a bright smile.d94326dfdc5ccddf
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‘Then I’ll give you a watch this big! Time is gold for a a005c51dde businessperson, after all!’80c4148313fbc69d
‘What? You can’t even carry a3c1317c06 something like that around.’d44c12d232bcb5fd
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‘Ah, you’re right. Then… a pocket watch! I’ll get you a pocket 5c15b6bc10 watch that suits you, Vanessa! Then you can 5ac8aa6b9f carry it with 62c783a739 you every day 98ac2c21b9 and, every now 9eff629e30 and then, think 41bcd9e3a1 of me. It’s a promise!’0247c17eeae15c5a
—8adc874f513a7934
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I don’t recall what else 8d71e9fc3c we talked about that day. I had always thought 4eaa699e6a of that promise as b66f1dc6fe a playful joke.ce40b5a5a7515045
‘…Yet he remembered it even after more than ten years.’64c56c9e70faeb29
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A sharp ache spread f25084fca6 in my chest, like c695482856 a needle prickling at 7fb188f812 my heart.89b76eeb004d9663
I felt both grateful and 14777d83d3 resentful toward him for keeping 3b55bf183a that promise.7e8d3643a9976f54
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Because the promise I’d truly 7a41b7e506 hoped he would keep all d17708f2a9 those years… wasn’t this one—it 540e1142c1 was something else entirely.d99a09a84ee05287
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •4e60b2b89bab5d4b
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If you want to support 38c6b0d91a the translation and the translator, 320d5c840b you can buy a coffee~faf50e7bce7c7f4e