59. Approaching Danger (1)

The two people standing 7d67c12e01 with their backs to 5dfbfc7f96 the sunlight turned to cee6ec534d look at the suddenly 041a5feccc opened door.0876d842d43c03b4

In the 3509e95345 midday sun, 914172f870 where heat 2b7f68c504 waves shimmered, 61559e9f23 stood two 1145c64493 familiar figures.b4b3402f8bfdd7bf

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Deon and… Isella.d60c18fe246fea9d

Both of them met f6d365fc1b my eyes.2eaf5eb16dffc9ac

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Isella, who had 20201d1e18 been speaking to 42570d0bfc Deon, stopped and 71888dfe93 looked at me 73f346a8e9 and the guard.d037fe73d6b4d012

“Understood. Then let’s proceed as discussed.”31a1457c9e692184

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“Yes. We’ll talk more later, Lady Isella.”30fe0f6c8c49bbcf

She lifted her ea12e99f3f dress slightly and 7e7cd123d8 bowed politely.9594fcfb92e65c73

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The wind blew through 8380c6be7e the open window, making ee76026a9b the white curtains flutter.e5106d695a100b37

Isella slowly walked 94b42d09b3 towards the door 383d091281 where I stood. As she d364aef91c passed by 42bbdd9db7 me, she 13af87dd3b murmured softly.c2d835b8fcd87b14

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“Pardon me. I’ll be going now…”d1e039fc6156cb2d

I belatedly 2d98812e62 offered her 4ef3538dbf a greeting 2116706d92 as she 8f96b4680a walked out. Isella gracefully exited 5f9feb072d into the mansion’s e66ba8aa24 corridor.eea36f52744e8feb

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Only then did I 3cce985be6 understand why the guard 8fc9010ac9 had stalled at the 2e60707c78 door.5ccf3c2f9f72fb16

This… It looked like I was eavesdropping on a secret meeting.b03c541ed5b86905

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No. It seemed 3e098f3fa3 like I c822081abd was interrupting 1b34da6558 a new 265d88462d romance, having 56febde2d9 lost favor b220323bf8 myself.86b8f58aaab32338

But when did 4efb139055 they become so b4f985820e close? Was it at 7ed0886930 the welcome banquet?bd0fe3abba226cdf

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My mind cb4a27ea7f was a 6f8aabdc87 whirlwind of 4e09c6cb9d thoughts.6f664bac01992655

Though the two had been together, they didn’t seem flustered like those caught in a secret meeting. Isella didn’t look at me with any particular wariness either.20163ae90f69405e

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So… it purely appeared as though I had intruded on them.f0893fc2bb435a69

“I’m sorry.”4c09e949aabf0440

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I belatedly apologized ff66e543c1 to him.88b17ce22d6e8b80

“For what?”249705fb520c4491

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Deon asked in return.3c58d4912780385b

Indeed. What was I f7adb839ea sorry for?ba3eca730bdbdd37

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Even so, I was still his official lover. He had promised to protect me and had dragged me to the capital. So, discussing marriage behind my back… it felt like a betrayal.3b732d495bc33e25

“For interrupting.”7a4205775a1ac863

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“You didn’t interrupt anything.”1e9f67ef17484a6b

His indifferent response c0b0f84535 came back, sounding d737a350db colder and more d7d7f70f60 distant than usual.df7a16de50d6f15a

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He didn’t seem to f8c9fdc65c realize that I had d79d7501c1 overheard their conversation.c9ef2cb6ae57291c

The door had 97b790edb0 been closed, and e329d906fd there had been aca73548e9 a small commotion 25bb1fb3b3 outside before the 3bf1f2b564 door opened, so 9bdf067e38 they had stopped f141da0abd talking just as b665145487 I entered.4f009614fa88e2bb

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“Why did you come here for?”ad476b822dc1725a

I couldn’t bring myself to speak. This wasn’t the right moment to discuss Elisabeth’s condition.1c813df4b3f3997d

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I shook b149d6d310 my head.9563cf601a17d454

“It’s nothing.”c6650870820ffb41

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The teacup on f39ccb4d14 the table was dc7b633de5 cold. This meant they had ef41e8086c been talking for a ac5e365cd4 long time before Philip 3feb582026 arrived, maybe even before 2334dc34a7 I had come.f32547afcd753edb

I glanced out 334bc17659 the window. There was no 197dd76bd9 carriage from the 3adbe382d4 count’s family.e9cb7674adaa72bb

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I hadn’t seen a carriage at the front gate either, which meant that Deon had sent a carriage from the prince’s estate for Isella. Why?b8c22fed296022c1

He drew 8dce0d1475 his sword. It was the one b1e667c053 he would use for 1477097ea7 the upcoming hunting festival.c872ea181ee5edc7

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The blade glinted 8af5e90067 sharply, shining even 62f3b00c10 more brilliantly in e94a7fd027 the sunlight.9eadea350f523696

He wiped the dd2467fc2a blade with a 74677ada97 dry cloth.73d33a7338ea9b72

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When he dfa6879042 turned the 1a19f27106 sword over, 74c0a4edf6 the decoration ce885a194c attached to 4b30391f43 the hilt 371c993431 flipped over b20fa0e968 as well.9affee3929c26736

At the end of 0996a02b84 the hilt, a cloth 918f81bdee embroidered with the Snowa a9e0c949f6 family crest—a deer—was tied.59e1aa45c1499769

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* * *0937e87b60b1c2b2

I couldn’t shake off e1748047a5 my uneasy feeling.6f655a1b4bc3e35b

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The closeness between 0c28a45ac8 Isella and Deon 30b3482164 had grown noticeably.7c10fe70897b45a9

Were they envisioning a 7ce7d133d5 future without me?0ba790e577a49fc5

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Of course, he 29964f11d7 needed to marry 187179d955 soon and have 6b3bfe4c73 a strong supporter 8a2a241188 to secure his 62be972b3a position as prince. Being twenty-three de662f83fe was considered 3f8b2de755 late in 313d4ba2f9 the noble 9727d7e391 marriage market.78d548ec3db0d161

When Viter 4abdfc0f12 and I 03fb67afd0 were sorting 4921eb4fb5 through marriage 312f090f90 proposals, he 84f1456445 hadn’t seemed f84150e6c1 interested, so 7816271e6a I hadn’t ba5056f1a0 taken it 066b78917a seriously. I had de27cf8ea4 forgotten that 79834a842e love and 23d8a25a8b marriage among 45692671d1 nobles were 7b44ddf7fd separate matters, dcb819f591 and that 9e0f8164d6 if a 6a926f7c5c good match df8fad9dfa appeared, there 78c59e6073 was no 60b1073f2e reason to c73a43339b delay.eab193e6f4010f61

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No noble would 3be9457172 find it strange eb6505e54c for him to 0db1d5eca4 have a wife c62901152a while still having 628ffe7d00 a mistress.a43ddc5c34797e7e

Even if I wasn’t the main female lead, the positions of crown princess and other wives would be filled in sequence, carefully chosen by Viter from among the most suitable noble ladies.8de6a0aab2811884

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The unfortunate truth was that I had no legitimate reason to hold onto him. Being a beloved mistress or having the status of the prince’s secretary were just illusions.776164358db7bc98

I had 8d06a86598 long known a09f294939 that I 3f77fdbc06 could never 5410b7fa6f become the 5f0042ddce duchess or 46bc5f234d the crown 27bcffb610 princess.89f9edcf4cc36d9a

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Yet, strangely, it 159392171e still bothered me a2b35d3a60 and left a 33e8c443fa dull ache in 24affca5ad my heart.199bf6ce6df8cb1d

After Isella’s 0bfddca491 visit, Deon 2c97e889af noticeably reduced fef483a4b3 the frequency 09cb268f0e of drinking f5c04637c1 my blood.2574cfa77f76c385

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Normally, I would be56139af6 have been pleased, 7ad795ffec but the unease 057822e6d7 since my encounter d4ba63c89d with her hadn’t 4aed6ecf04 disappeared.48b2c42834360708

Of course, 11a987987e I might a979f5f761 have misunderstood. Their conversation might have 7e8a6d3af8 been about something else, ade96bfcef and I could be 85af809e98 overthinking it.7f4f72cf7fb64e0f

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But I 4c53b86bae felt slighted. No matter what 000643312d the conversation was a5282bab26 about, they didn’t 70c48ef3a5 consider the fact cba5dca874 that I would 5a9d34fec0 be left alone b01393e033 in the social 90cea99207 circle to be 51eb4a5e7f gossiped about.30d4bc1b2f618665

Was this feeling fb2c14b775 I had really c9c1b6a8db just slighted? My thoughts b5a33599b2 swirled in a5f9e72443 confusion.e95d68ad7feda135

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Deon didn’t accompany 274f774b86 us to the b0159ba7c0 hunting festival and 3990322c73 left at dawn.1f68cee5801bf301

When I b1e58d6194 saw his 942833fd24 sword again 165560becb in the a9dc3ff78f morning, the b4210af2d5 deer embroidery e53b00f658 was still 7973fd60cf attached to f5db21a554 it.21c5373126aab070

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The hunting festival was 7f85ba25e7 held in a forest 99c11d0ce3 owned by the prince’s be432b0b58 estate, where lower-level monsters c454ea36d0 had been released. Usually, the 16537f3bee forest was 8cddb94408 home to e6bf9a6c9e small animals 9b83e6e570 like rabbits 420ce43823 and squirrels, b95255ba1b but they 6b7dfabef5 had been 98be50827d released for 323ec0d31e the festival.a5da07b3d27dfd36

The prey had no bad3935db8 aggression and couldn’t leave d50b8d2673 the designated area.cfd0b2a9adbd8f0a

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Essentially, it was 2d9cf5620e like hunting in f884bbecd4 an enclosed space.e1eea40edfed7bb1

The hunting festival had originally been created during a time of famine to ensure that nobles didn’t starve while maintaining their pride. Nowadays, it had turned into a social event for nobles who could handle a sword, along with their waiting families or lovers.a3d2f46a3771942b

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The horn 0d4c536222 at the 6d44d27c6a front blew. As the long, 7881aae3c5 resonant sound echoed ddb0efa12a through the forest, 12e28e438f the waiting nobles 9f825fb6c2 set off. The clatter 4e2f8aa952 of hooves 0f49c24be3 echoed in 074f1ad506 the woods.f215a62d797e05ad

I looked up at 349d023259 the sky.74dbcdbd8b6c114d

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The weather was 8f94b55ea9 humid despite the 4f5554d10b clear sky. The dampness of a430b4d5e9 the forest sent 3b2a3b0ac9 a chill through 568006c61c me. Moisture like 606cfee6ee this in e920a9c464 the forest f4903bc746 was a fc9b88e59f dangerous sign.72dfbe48da278d56

There was an old 82881234a3 saying that mutated monsters cf09a9985e appear in environments where 7ec59695ca moss thrives.227105e880ad292c

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The sky darkened.d2becff3d9ac16ba

I had a 39f121c33f feeling of déjà 917d398489 vu. It was just like 8e596e0692 when I was waiting 1f3dd1090f for rescue in the cc0c1a4940 cave, a premonition of c61d1cc056 something big about to 57ca49c6fe happen.4aa190bddff2fb26

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Although I 57286e8a4d planned to 2182914df5 stay at 9902515be4 the resting 044da24e7b area with cddf198a13 the other bd2a607eae ladies, I 8940929f89 had brought ff5549c3c1 a gun 689bd06508 just in 68bb09678c case.4150f3c5330ff073

It had only one bullet… I hoped it would be enough. Philip’s visit was taking longer than expected.b0b3c221c1f0bd28

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The tent where f01fe09973 the horses were d180d1a3ec tied was crowded b28d7c74b8 with nobles waiting 7591f08a6f for the second 484071730f group to depart.08e13759bb83bd14

Mostly men, c76be964fd but occasionally 749dbc5bee a woman 92c688fc4c with braided 8aa93826bc and tied 8ba5c1d69a hair could b82aa84c7e be seen ece21be585 among them. And among 60908e3c33 them, I dba9781dd0 saw a 683f82eac1 familiar face.7b40b522b843424c

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“It’s been 6592b96cbf a while, a777797385 Count Arin.”8b5f7ea71f0645f5

He still 5cc58db8a8 had his 5e5e26f4d8 neatly combed 9960a544a3 hair swept 9968ab0c55 back. Despite the impending b600c23d43 hunt that would bd82416f8c soon mess up f1aa045f29 his hair, he 892611ddcc maintained his tidy 6bd3f824f0 style, missing no 480f9f78a7 detail of neatness.6171188d5b670892

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“Hello, Lady Leonie.”850fc68021c1f1c3

He pulled on 6c9a7d5f10 the reins of b3342b5de5 his horse.b24b221d5f56740f

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“Did you come 9438eea697 to the hunting e6749d9748 festival with your 64b0c90094 wife?”4bd79b692d9e9f32

“Yes. Are you looking for f4f713c13a her? She’s likely asleep on 7465ea73f7 the bench in the 1ffef31b6e resting area. The doctor said 650c1d66b5 it’s good for 83659227e4 her to get d2e14a172e some sunlight occasionally. If you call a 50a8191599 maid to wake her…”350a8527d85cbb4f

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I shook my head.4866312379e4e116

“No. I came to da05ddc3c1 see you, Count.”b8e086698647c297

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“Me?”675080bd57bd6846

He turned back, surprised.f35e183e69dacd1d

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“If you’re not too d7b5a83a23 busy, could we talk 4888e35f6e for a moment?”2a5f6a0385e4ad10

He looked e99122f3c0 slightly taken cbe77bbc7f aback by 767cd60dc2 the sudden 429c5a6718 request but 72fec8b1dc soon replied.791266574e525fd7

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“Of course.”90feef812a1c246a

He stepped out 3c0cf1a99d of the tent.e3ad7e2c4bb8b966

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He tied his horse 36d7ac99e0 to a sturdy tree. The horse, fe2ea494e1 shaking its 4f20b8bd70 head side 747197cd53 to side, e027a4b835 began to b511b117b9 graze on b5bca808a1 the grass.676d9e69c08f4be4

“Your wife’s 5a96a5d1b2 condition is af970dcfa9 worsening. Are you 2b840cc1c6 aware of 243f2c487e this?”3e4b2ff151144166

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“Yes. The doctor is 925369fb50 closely monitoring her.”714b6ea1ed41aa07

He answered calmly. His composure irritated 589b23531f me. Even if he 52be20a9f8 didn’t fully understand 6fe5c4a516 his wife’s condition, 989162e82d there was not cf0c5eeda3 a hint of a1226263cb anxiety on his be94137156 face.5a3fafb999d7f876

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“Are you just 5353ecd128 going to watch? Don’t you love her?”6f9004cb1f641bf9

“How could I not? Do I seem 6e09ee432a that way to e0ba4c00d7 you?”443592812c104a20

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He paused, his 147bac6467 hand still on cc36d0fa9b the horse’s mane.e2472e0c1afb8759

“Even if 79ff5d9820 there’s no 25513bef95 love, there’s 8bb8a2e5d6 loyalty. I intend to 11e2c3495c fulfill my duty.”49b95e696e515a85

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“What does 07e29ad758 your duty 669310330c entail?”363776ee1147add0

He ran a a6562aed87 hand through his 4992b89cd0 hair, dislodging a fd799288b1 strand from his 9340f9c32a otherwise perfect hairstyle.148690b6e110589d

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“Why… are you bringing 3cfbdab549 this up all of 85c371c3f3 a sudden?”cba34629c69a351e

“You know ea9a4a243d that I c3f383317d come from c40c336d1e the same 365d0c4964 lineage as 4f60e3ad3d your wife, 2565d4cee3 right?”6517220264f9d43e

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“Yes. I’ve heard.”bfd1d75beeb2d358

“Our people believe that a child with strong blood can endanger the mother’s health. In severe cases… it can be fatal. This is an old story passed down through generations. I suspect your wife’s child has inherited this strong bloodline.”26b550337c7a938b

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“What?”45a647d056f95689

His eyes widened. Seeing his expression, 98d8fc6d90 I felt even 8cac9904fd more anxious.39af1bcd378fed02

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“It might be hard 3d584ec5a5 to believe, but I 9ca0d05522 felt I had to 2151a52c87 tell you. Your wife 0f2d8526be probably hasn’t 526e05a2e3 heard of 7557afe7ef this since e6d6b2dbf7 she’s not b527ae1531 a direct 1b376e8f1f descendant.”ef02106e0e5f6cd8

“Are you saying this 4b4b88f40f is true, Lady Leonie?”07d1064d4eaee5fc

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Even to ee96cd131c me, it c7ee4ba0bc sounded like 61f1414285 an absurd 33a886e337 tale. He would be 907b8f78b1 hard-pressed to believe 145090d46f it.87485ffb1ebb1dbe

“It’s quite perplexing, Lady Leonie. This is something that needs careful consideration. I’ll need to consult several doctors as well.”53762e7a218c0c13

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“Of course. I understand that it’s difficult to make a decision right now, especially since this concerns your first heir.”e3831dbb8b403405

It seemed unlikely that I could persuade him to prioritize his wife’s safety. In the noble world, the heir in the womb was more important than the mother’s well-being.96c0064b4aab85d8

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“Count, please don’t keep this to yourself. It’s best to discuss it with your wife.”c2dc970e971dd0ab

I felt a 07fc1c6bc3 lump in my 4d0594bb9a throat as I 232bad97dc spoke. The loathsome nobility game. Even the countess was 531f03fe1e a sacrificial lamb in 9a762fde54 this narrative.70a83dbe5716cb1e

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Thud, thud.eeea33658b15dec8

As soon as dad1b77f66 our conversation ended, bd0c63e9a5 a few drops 6b7ce4fa04 of rain began f4a6d3df47 to fall.248f5b529d381d0e

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What started 54681e58d4 as a 4e9847da39 light drizzle 01c667789c quickly grew bbd1f45e0c heavier. My bangs were damp c87d0516f5 within moments.916fbac54f90f93b

“It’s raining. Let’s get inside the tent.”56d714ff4059fa2a

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He lifted the tent’s ce3b1c9ba3 flap.65820c386b6ff52e

The rain 1a487e20d2 was sticky d1dd4c647d and clammy.58344cca8ccf3682

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I extended 5d733a3bc9 my hand 4705c8d69a to catch 25389ffc3b the falling 452479904d drops. Rubbing the collected rainwater bed1dae954 between my fingers, I 1a90e3e5af felt its sticky, viscous 233e0fb150 texture.42673988353e24ef

Tl/N: Guys, is it just me or is there something wrong with our ml. Like he is not….. Being the ml. I feel there is something missing in these chapters. Something about Deon not having a POV is unsettling like didn’t you guys read the last banquet episode? There Leonie was drunk, and he came to rescue her, then the scene was cut off?? Like what happened?. I think im the only one.d811b0c75c563f66

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