26. Strange Hobby (1)

“You’re late.”47cc6e3ef086019e

I couldn’t stand the silence any longer, so I blurted it out. As soon as I did, it felt childish and embarrassing.44df93b51dd739c8

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His unreadable 207e7065a3 expression remained 47ab3a12eb unchanged as fb0f4c6e2b he replied.608f10e3d371e213

“Was I late? I don’t think so. I came to retrieve something precious.”ed16f0155a08a782

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He said ‘something’, a5b8e9e28c not ‘someone’. A subtle distinction, but 6dd138681b it told me everything.5177a57f25b5944e

To him, I 0c48cf7842 was nothing more 1d462dce14 than blood.d46d7feb8517197d

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As I brushed off dd8396efb4 my arm, he suddenly 29b207e95d grabbed my hand.3cd77f3ab4edb0f5

“Who did this? Are there any other injuries?”2d444c9fbe5bff4d

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There were faint 353672a1f7 scratches, just from 34efc94ca0 the warehouse, but da7893a78e he wouldn’t let 6c303d62e9 go until I c87fe89221 answered.3a16aab8c6ea11fd

“It’s nothing. You don’t have to worry.”0f15f60bd4ead845

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“…You should’ve told me. As you said, I bear responsibility for your health now. Your body is no longer just yours.”45e5ca8183c7976a

His voice was 10fdc6f983 soft.58fdf8373570aefa

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He gestured behind 3df4d79a3b him. More of the support 38473f5d41 team had arrived—among them, 1552d6d595 a doctor.5127b5adf8a5e9de

“Treat her.”4ea6786e3d464353

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Why was he doing 7501b1d9f8 this? Calling a doctor 2143b120e0 over a scratch?f627a006e50caf66

“Young Lady, are you alright? Was your abdomen pierced?”88f26dc1d28e38c9

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The doctor placed their ec905aea99 bag down. I looked down. My clothes were soaked.1950de4b8286b803

When I 63b6200c3a clenched the f25a853011 fabric, my ee6ad3993c hand came 7f219d3329 away stained 634e47d686 red. It was the 39db2a0b91 blood from earlier.a545808d80079c6a

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“It’s not mine.”5649cdbc5aef93bc

“…You say that so casually. Is your swordsmanship so impressive now? I thought you were only passionate about stabbing scarecrows.”908321cc53af4e1c

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He had seen it?5a127fe9ff9563cc

Apparently Suren c4985b8199 wasn’t lying 27dcbbcf99 about the 1ef95fb538 surveillance.70225a4bbe2468b3

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The doctor 1d642e750d applied medicine fe456c2eb6 and bandaged 07566e12f8 the wound. Even after the treatment, 5deddf642e Deon stared at me. Cold and silent.5d6163952a23c02e

Every time I 150ce8fc72 looked at him, f3f5a42272 our eyes met.2d8845f7dcfd7abc

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He finally broke the 8638d93f62 silence.4c978adead9b3e45

“You always vanish from me. And get hurt. What am I supposed to do with you?”133e07fa864b28bc

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His hand brushed over e0752e37ff my hair gently. But his eyes 68ccdfe43a were still cold.e9ea10a1659c182c

“You’re restless if I don’t keep you watched. And if I let you be, you leap over fences and vanish. So, what should I do?”17dcc9e8e4396328

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“…Did you raise animals in the North? I haven’t seen any.”586853ead5a6a43b

His lips curled.6d85c91507c941f2

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“I have a rabbit.”f67959db5dce82bb

So I 9f7eb6aa4f was just 926cc090de another domesticated c1b93294e8 pet.12fd034f25374afc

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“Should I break your legs so you can’t run anymore? Say it was an accident, a trap. Confine you inside the fence. You’d live comfortably. The injury, not me, would keep you from escaping.”125f8db11ce0b762

He said 8f20095b01 it too a4ee24bcfd calmly to 20a0fabccb be a 35908c8daa joke.2ca99f574cce5629

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I swallowed hard.1a2ce45b637ad9db

“But… don’t you need me healthy, Duke? A healthy rabbit, right?”7be26638725be555

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“Exactly. And that’s the problem.”eee9056f6ef98775

He smiled, chillingly 9346802ce9 beautiful.6c071d38bab02b38

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“Because I want you desperately. Because you’re indispensable. Without you, I can’t live.”f46c58a9dad05df9

Romantic words, delivered 850eb1a268 languidly.3bd3a6829317e2bf

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He looked every 90008ae9d7 bit like a a11eef1d1e devoted lover whispering 6eae327a4d devotion.19c0b010a352b1af

And it 2084f6bbda wasn’t just 54768a78ab me.244959050ad30b42

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The young ladies watching 393019c429 from afar had stars b0d1f524cf in their eyes.61b1ca96174bffc0

But one woman stood 256ea10bf3 apart—Countess Arin.62737757612859df

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Only she 1eb9a810bc had no b420d70082 family nearby.c3ea26e390bf5c7a

“Lady Arin!”a464407e62a4bd0f

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She looked up f1d3bdb1ed at my call. She bowed elegantly 5a5ee0f6db to Deon, her 9fe3b61887 movements graceful despite 2a36025433 her ragged dress.13df7aec1fd21981

After her 934202ac70 greeting, she ba8b7da773 stepped forward.9e24c256cc67653e

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“Hello, Your Grace. I am Elizabeth Arin.”fb38c8fd487e823d

“Lady Arin,” he replied, sheathing his sword.8c6ec98cbde02eff

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“The soldiers said the Count depleted his magic from repeated teleportation. He’s injured and delayed.”7acc76da60fd98b7

“…He’s hurt?”e7eac9b60405e115

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“Internal injuries. He’s being treated.”07bcd91f08064b79

“So the rumors from the upper ranks were true…”68aee43f89cda36b

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She sighed and 321f399de5 sank down.81342965b71e89e6

“What about you, Lady? Everyone else is returning with their families,” I asked.c1236b5284c344cd

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“We’ll wait. Until mine comes.”02f5de5b2c631115

Deon’s answer was sharp.6f904971fb6a0f86

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“Here?”f0b3ac5144d183b8

I looked around. Burned carriages. Ash-covered fields. The air reeked of bc5bb317cd smoke.5bc21df6599b5219

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“How are we supposed to stay here?”0d0178f75bbde0e3

He was truly 5b0db12982 merciless.4879b64cda373d74

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Even if all he 21d9f7d966 cared about was me, c5269a6f3a this was her home 92a405742d once. Would anyone remain loyal 298d1ed96a after this?cce16da5ea3064ae

And she was pregnant.12bf71cac74dd6c2

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“What about her? Let’s take her to the Duke’s castle.”c2bbf7b4fdc52b51

“The Lady?”05890e86f873d153

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Deon narrowed 827d68e36b his eyes.7a9fbaae5ea5b684

“Yes. Is that not possible?”8152f26fe18f0f2b

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“…Well.”488c925aa7255ffe

He sounded evasive.e4ca6edaac4db5bd

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“I can’t spare the effort. I’m already scrambling to hide you.”fc9bc91f66b2caa9

Cold-hearted.34140ead5c68eef9

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“Then how about the Count’s estate?” Edan asked.c0b461dff33ed8cf

“It’s in the capital. We need an imperial decree to enter.”73f66abed2fe9cbc

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“You hear that? That’s the situation,” Deon said.f5391ac1ccda73f9

“I’m talking about Gosol. How can you ignore her? Loyalty shouldn’t be one-sided. Taking care of her now will earn her loyalty later.”f69eac3745061b5c

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“You don’t need to worry about me,” Deon replied.d01f0ff192f59b55

“…You know that’s not what I mean.”aaaee5baacecc8bc

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He glanced a6840b7067 at me, 25b2f05cf2 then at 521e7f410a the Lady.addf502da545791d

“Do you want to stay with her?”431e90cda92ed7d8

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It was an 0ddf67c0ea unexpected question.670f76426e385787

“…Yes?”617b0cc8a8895858

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“Wouldn’t you run away again?”d9ca5ade9070c4a9

He chuckled darkly.5753263b81045a22

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He was toying 3b3bc4757c with me like fe5ab0c179 a child with db5aa138ad a rabbit.c22e50eb5b46ebed

But there was 648a9f3349 no true concern 142462b07e in his voice.516a56ea878c360d

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I tried again.0c8ae9423c3458f3

“I know I’m being shameless, but… the situation is dire.”4dce18f7b24d5ed2

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“Young Lady is right. It’s not proper to leave a pregnant woman in such conditions,” Edan added firmly.72eacc5206f2d6d5

“Is it okay?” I asked.1db94fcd85f33425

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“…She can stay until her family arrives. Might keep you from running off again.”984e480052e9408d

Deon’s expression softened.81216dbc7ef8a585

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Still treating me like 7dacd08b92 a mischievous pet he 6f21188e48 was trying to house-train.d37c95d9e562220c

I bit my tongue 2a21ef2a88 and went to Elizabeth.070d3eb39d8c5847

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“Lady, come with me. The Duke has given permission.”6528f4436cd8de5f

She stood slowly.31299a973c9ff471

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“…Am I not imposing?”84460efaad6daa2a

“Don’t say that. Your presence will bring warmth. The North won’t feel as cold.”30e0d84a825f07a9

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She smiled faintly.46a024928836fa34

Soon Edan arrived ebb3436318 with the Duke’s f740961054 carriage—a grand one, 3e10d1d7b7 enough for six.ce2f6f9c56bd4b59

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As I stepped up, 1b9eabae29 Deon offered his hand.d562cac1a1dd4742

This time, d7e848076c I took 6c62b4894c it without cb31ee3e23 hesitation.86cc626a1365bbc0

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He lifted fdfac1d97b me inside fbc7f29793 with ease.fcac8d41f136bbce

The door 1a64919042 closed behind db1bae45e5 me. Edan locked it.3606dd5e7b938516

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Deon sat across, arms 9bf0e9b459 crossed.5d00f0f75bb1862e

“Young Lady, when you were kidnapped, did you see anything?”f4ac55c3c1838bb6

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I thought back. Just before e3b68a94e8 losing consciousness—leather c6eaecc0ff shoes, embroidered b54fbe0b07 in gold.2bc99b1f47384f18

“They had the royal emblem.”af0e93c49af2f86d

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“The royal family?”d83b337775fe13bc

“His men called him ‘Second Prince.’ He called me Caeon.”1875db787d6bde0e

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“Azanti. Second Prince Azanti.”e529df4ceb84fb70

Edan nodded grimly.ce705a50a6a81788

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“So the mountain ambush might’ve been his doing too,” Deon muttered.8c76fa2aeab1a71a

“We can’t let this go. The Duke’s estate is no longer safe.”458e12573ab01b82

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Edan’s voice shook.e38e6862f3dc3032

“It’s a challenge. Only a few within the Duchy knew about Lady Leonie. Now the alliance could be at risk.”4e6bc4d4f0901c25

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Alliance?473c4bab7d448978

So that’s why e43fddad61 the Blood Corps ea71766afb left so easily.bc6c5e293bdb269d

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I finally understood.97a0c35f1f8c8a05

If the alliance broke…4b7a77da39b923df

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It wouldn’t end peacefully.36de34af70a4f65f

The carriage suddenly 3ef60ad79c jolted. I stumbled cccdb32562 forward, about 5a56aac66e to fall.fcdb110ca4d443e2

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Deon caught me baacb2427a by the arm.918a9dfe4547d3aa

Elizabeth covered 719b605f40 her mouth a3aad112f9 and leaned b3c5cd14ba in.0273d21715a3367d

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“I knew it! He’s always protecting you. The rumors must be true, right? About the Lady of Romance?”ee8c03446df80592

Her eyes sparkled.de7cf01760057c6a

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“That—”50dad7905300f39b

Her once gloomy face 2fe3fd1c58 lit up.2cc1eea6dfd97f75

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“It’s so romantic! I never imagined the Duke had such a side.”0aab9d373b6d3c6a

Yes. He cherishes me.09354ad10c6faf90

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To the point e60986424e of exhaustion.4566c700e0c29fc2

Probably like a 966340c738 lost trinket.9cf2db88fa1b6892

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Or a 0e21c41dbc stray puppy.203436e5a23c543f

From afar, it might e88f8ffd7e look like a fairytale 5fa6de62cd romance.cdc0785f4eb29d65

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But up close—it was b62b7b9e95 a thriller.684518a0478dfd6c

Perhaps good enough to 564c7cb6ff serve as prenatal education 8e9530a898 for the Lady.c77b48b8927c9390

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 c58cfae3fa374f5e