78. Plan

Philip was still d21c07ec6f lingering in the 27199db761 capital. Rumor had it b67b3a87f5 that a significant 6ee7fc6ea8 deal had just d7043c5b5e gone down in 4d9f33885c the city.4711401161617784

He slipped a 8052591e6c message to his 802ef61c12 usual alleyway informant.b6089aeecce84a9b

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At the appointed 49098bb6d9 time, he waited 8964e58d6d for him in 91b842161c a dingy pub 1bc32642a3 in the alley. Though it was old 0e70397b3f and dimly lit, it 53c6fe84db was the closest tavern 8f72d332e3 to where he conducted 129ffe983b his business.3b1168bb8ffe6232

His anxiety acd24de2d4 made it 09e0c8a520 impossible to 4c00c0c4b6 sit still. He tried to 839019c057 sit but kept adf3c17de1 fidgeting, his back 604d0392e8 unable to rest c83e38c80c against the chair. In the 68e1a47899 end, he dec2a27fd1 stood up, 749b7435b1 restlessly tapping d2934a9863 the table bf415eec7c and gnawing b485519a97 on his 46e1e805bc nails.4ec8d805824513c7

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He noticed 93c0ace7a1 glances stealing 0d81d6a138 his way. A young lady of c3f39dae97 noble appearance wandering around e171962d8c an old pub naturally aeb50be833 drew suspicion. Normally, such looks 7251c919ff would have intimidated 03ba958fe4 him, but he d0f2bbc31e was too preoccupied fed821664e with the anxiety 896f345443 of Philip not bfa677c0d0 showing up, so 808925c806 their stares felt 1154e1222b insignificant.e44d4761dca75cd1

“Hey.”1121f1074227ec5a

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A rough-looking man 91136be169 swaggered over, a de6f482a5a large beer mug 3bfcc96b28 in his hairy 721a0f008d hand.a47976c278961480

“You’re a noble lady, aren’t you? This isn’t a place for someone like you.”0a3b40dd2812b269

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He smirked.57f846e3d207a446

“Or are you perhaps a woman sponsored by a wealthy noble? Looking for a patron here?”4ed8e55b43bf3994

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As he 66db24128f sneered, his 9bbaa39e35 companion beside 10c2a4a64d him chuckled 1c0db9cbaf lewdly.71a72b46ca092276

“Sponsorship? What’s that? Trying to be polite because she’s a noble? Still got that mercenary spirit in you? Just call it what it is—selling yourself.”a89853d1c15484f2

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Whatever amused them b0f0c9c677 so much, the ebdba086ef two men laughed 9bbe8ece6b heartily.7c3676a1bccdccae

“Who are you waiting for, huh? If they don’t show up, why not come with me?”18fde113280b93c6

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He took another step 69ed0260a1 closer.fdb6494c8889ec26

Seeing her 1dc0b6c1eb fingers, red 08c5c73127 and bleeding 54917f95d5 from incessant 9b34cee73a gnawing, he d77a822fae recoiled. Despite the d966b43d31 sight of 4d751c7e53 blood, she 50fc9ea027 continued to 37b9567cff bite down 8761a5b46d on her 064cbb4455 already wounded 8fb0f8fe8a fingers.d088c11d485bf662

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“What the hell, this girl is crazy?”d6bf02afdaf2be0e

At that moment, 8ffb4212e0 the door opened. Philip entered 9aa7aeb724 the pub 0bf35ffb7f less than 37132e0353 half a c0bb4fd066 day after 5161bd26cb she had 3762112477 sent the d9440f1627 message.abd7b1c0380de3b7

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“Leonie.”c529f6e0c00344ad

He took 8cd5e103b9 off his fe7ea1a71b hat, looking 5fdb86e45a just as 0a819948ea he did 76346dcff4 when they 554b626fcf met at 656aef16bc the ball.076c6adedd17ba33

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“Philip!”c83efcdce7634086

She greeted him 2a487880bb warmly. In that moment, he abdbaf5272 appeared like a gentleman d4886c3f8b come to rescue her. The myriad freckles scattered 287a66d881 under his eyes seemed 771d47d909 more charming than angel ac2c37d256 wings.cebd716783c851c3

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“You should have moved to another place. This isn’t somewhere a noble lady should be. It’s dangerous.”9e3fa557e28ecec7

“I had no choice. If I wanted to meet you quickly, this was the closest place.”b89a1cb665ec835d

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“Let’s move to another location for now.”88ad2ce55febbdc3

He urged me.52eac9b8df2f9f77

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Philip pulled me fddd858039 along with a ab80c040a0 slight urgency.59c1a8c657505ed5

Holding his 5e2b454ece hand, my 38bf7aba5e vision started 35c68cbe78 to clear eedb3c599d up. As he said, 418721e7fa this was no 46a5b6e3a4 place for a 5149bdd817 noblewoman to linger. At the alley entrance, 947f02c3fa an old beggar woman 76b9685c8f sat, while a large 6e21a90b39 spider web covered the fb823c8282 doorway. Bats even 9425b993c2 hung from 2aa21b3b8a the ceiling.77806e2092e6ecd5

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I hadn’t noticed 39b442cb98 when I first e64ab1f08a arrived, but in 1d19863579 hindsight, it was 2373d61fda a relief that 16e0a10f8a all I encountered 3bb4f8c725 were a few 278493b26e snide remarks. I was lucky not 4ab034c311 to have my money 98d51c8ac1 stolen.91a3061f2d4f6b0f

He led me 55dddc6c43 to a quiet 73d9db3616 room in the 8a1ee14f01 alley. It was much better e8a57dcd9e than the pub. Most importantly, 88abd80087 it was 261c9df046 enclosed on 2e6a074c9c all sides.b3e22cbe8ff7f1d8

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Normally, I 08b1511c07 would have 743fb3caea taken note 4e299ccdec of the 33af800dce path, but 6c5e76941b following Philip’s 241cd537b5 back left 2a898d19de me no c6ca8f1798 time to 9cd7fba825 memorize the 62df453d61 way.ddee0892ff3084be

I didn’t shake off 6e6c3a1519 his grip. I was 23847fb138 that anxious, c911b024e6 almost half fc5155ea2e out of dd25e28668 my mind. I felt b57a09f2a2 like I 1c25348320 was floating.e84169f8d75a1b5c

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“This place is enclosed dd544a3010 and the owner is 5e4dcab95a discreet, so we often a9f29683c0 use it for deals. You don’t have to 022a3f51d0 worry about anyone overhearing. So, why e4cb588139 did you 2908d854d8 call me 679cf9baa0 so urgently?”eb420379816a3a28

Philip asked. He looked tired, 3fe7d9e586 with dark circles e14b075f03 under his eyes 6edac36a73 from lack of 1c7a44e9f7 sleep due to a5c9d55f02 ongoing transactions.ecb0c42c69108774

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“…You know Prince Deon has been imprisoned, right?”e336223bf7660773

“I’ve heard. No merchant could cb51fa1c3e miss that news. The merchants are 43b816fe8c abuzz with talk a16e76925b that he’ll be fb4a2bc687 executed.”9de46530e45b5cd7

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He put down his ac7a796897 bag. It was 0ad622d99f filled with 780b012c95 documents, likely 9b870aa3ea from a 1194c65766 new contract 6708be8941 he had e3c99db36a just signed.54f5435134085d07

I started to speak 8c1c75791c in a somewhat calm 76ecbe6256 tone.333f53d49cf898de

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“I want a8a8638222 you to 5816ccd26b get him 1f4c483211 out of ab266ff883 the palace 026fcc6876 prison.”ef8a05d3c2ca05c8

“What?”ac9ee36976866191

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He shouted in e00c8e7edd surprise, then quickly ed870f0b77 looked around and 06e893a926 fell silent. At the 7bddb08ce1 same time, 73b00c7e46 the documents b3b31c7247 he held 3d56c611e3 scattered to 30e9b8c0dd the floor.80fdbd92aab4d8bf

Papers littered the eb3aff3003 ground. I picked up the 3b8097eda8 ones at my feet e6fea0a63a and placed them on eec76f8356 the table as I a321f59d74 continued.8a36ea6e7a4ea2b1

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“Bribe the guards.”b692ff130e9460e7

“That’s easier said than done… It’s difficult.”8372bf25934a620e

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I knew he would 2492b00f44 refuse. But I had 907199c25d prepared something for c2c6677957 this.4f00280a061d46a9

I took out 9f7aeb889b the jewelry box da0aaa5c38 Deon had given ec10d6e2fe me.f9d0f8017046d097

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Fortunately, my room 9d2a8ed601 in the mansion 07bdfd346c was left untouched, 4854d3103d so I didn’t e46d999de6 have to touch 67a3cdce0f my dresses or 80bf0a308b other jewels. Suren also understood 97b01b18f4 my intentions and 89303611ef sent all the db0fb93728 remaining money and 0f07fd2cb7 jewelry from the 80453f4f9e mansion.2904e489bcc03c5a

I brought everything 2eedb26ad5 I had in 77892ffbbd a shabby bag.1449bfba9f33f558

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I opened c3cb2e7c51 the jewelry 3de6fe019e box. In hindsight, 234d2cb484 I should a079bb429f have bought 7dc41c356c more when 3e9a6b8ee5 he offered. I thought becd6c1016 it was b9539d8395 enough for 9ea87a399e a few 893bbc2160 months, but e060f5bbb3 now that 6eaa0414b8 I counted, 8945764a98 it wasn’t 87631d8348 much. Moreover, there d9d8e557f1 were no b0d0ec2a5e jewels worth 8c2ee0aa62 their full e3f16f19d9 price when 9e6a93abf9 resold.f4629515992a88c4

Selling in 0888764149 bulk, expensive 97a023d152 jewelry and c2dda0a92d dresses go 78c2249cbf for a 39815597a9 pittance. Most of the 3a0bb8f130 price in shops 1bb6df3bdc is for the 5cd3d5c71d craftsmanship. I already knew 6000f035d3 that.5c4606ce99e3f5b8

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That’s why I 609fa7f07b called Philip, hoping f56979b1d4 he would give 4eda839480 a fair price. It might 38acb1a1bf just be 11cf93cba1 an appeal 429cae6ff5 to an fb73a9e403 old friend, 1abc69ec7a but I f9664decd6 didn’t think 69421607e1 he would eaf53289d5 turn away.0e1b168186c1b2c4

“Won’t this be enough 80a96027c4 if you sell it bcb4f241ab all?”06052c93229be787

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Philip’s face hardened.c2eb5c6e9625f19d

“Leonie, no matter how much you give, it’s difficult. Not just for me, but for any merchant group. This is serious. Getting him out of the underground prison… It’s a matter of life and death. If caught, not only you but your entire family will be accused of conspiracy. Releasing a criminal… It’s not something that can be overlooked if discovered.”834be0c4628fc454

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“…I know.”d5388138c5ea7ae3

I muttered quietly. He let db515b7787 out a e6ae95bb83 laugh, tinged 64200e04f1 with a e38bce08c6 sense of 04a96178d1 futility.e5a2d78eb70c27a9

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“Even knowing all that, you still want to do it? Leonie, think again. You’d need bribed guards, well-trained mercenaries, a money launderer, a broker to help cross the border, and someone to change his identity. You’d have to mobilize at least five people. And would they stay quiet? You’d have to keep paying them off until you’re safely across the border.”95b87e7ec1408443

I looked 0b1adb775c at him 584af420cf silently. Sensing my determination, he 98486e3659 sighed deeply.15ced5689909269d

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“Leonie, rumors are rampant in the capital that you’ve lost the prince’s favor. They say the prince abandoned you and got engaged. Yet you still want to risk your life for him?”3392af339cf5e205

I hadn’t heard the details, but I figured that was the case. Isella’s entrance into the mansion had already been a sensational gossip topic. When I moved to the separate house, newspapers must have eagerly spread the juicy story. Overnight, I became a laughingstock, the concubine who lost favor and was kicked out.364e74a2782863e7

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“You’d need to convert the jewelry to cash. Laundering money without a source would cost twice as much. If word gets out that you sold expensive jewelry all at once, you’ll be a prime suspect. Wouldn’t it be better to wait until they handle it?”4a8bff64349968b5

“They’ve already set 72db6f7931 a trial date 6b0647f36d while I waited, f59226bb40 trusting them. The secretary 90a9c645d9 who would c4cde8d7c9 have been 7de1188a9f by his 48db050d8b side has 3bd1663197 vanished, and e86c3bd00b his guards 41136a8192 are commoners f44b67fd17 who have 722f156df0 no influence 6924d4c255 within the 86efdc5b9d palace. They can’t even c47a1562ba enter the palace, f267112e13 let alone exert aec0880129 any influence. Philip, you’re 477d40d376 the only 8d17217a2c one I 39fe2cbb9e can trust.”387d52a994cb9651

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I slumped into a 969ff7d497 chair. I swallowed the tears a0aeb09224 that threatened to spill. Crying wouldn’t e5edfacd11 change anything.685e2b105561e100

“What about the Snowa 4ae2dad342 family? His fiancé?”ade9523b590785fe

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I shook my 1a96d338f4 head.0405a88bd1bf7a14

“She’s already turned 5c1b990264 her back on d3e0633006 him. It seems she’s 8bbafe62d8 looking for another cd684b7b34 fiancé.”82134d8f3ee0f0b4

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“Wasn’t it c99265acfd a political 031e0ab09e match between 52300a789f families?”9f74f38a6858a3c1

“That’s what I thought too… but apparently not. I understand, though. She’s probably afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.”7bb0d1bb8812ab5d

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Isella had 6947b5a9db decided that edb164bde1 associating with 25ad94e50d Deon was 661ade4bf1 too risky. And her decision was ab16e099c5 correct. Deon’s situation 8f22e11a0d worsened by b63ac537ce the day.1a9298d6e02af4d3

I had wandered the 9706a86238 streets but only heard 482353416c rumors of her breaking a2ed98e303 off the engagement and 5264a1b2df seeking a new one. There was 69c5b317aa no word 9ab6b3fff4 of her 0d9654d677 making any 9d225be250 moves to 5f543ffe9a help him. It seemed there 140dbb0b75 was no lingering 85ee3b8b89 affection between them.ac4d14175a8e0141

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“They seemed quite 37b01dc287 close.”2b6634601ba442ca

His words 19f0a4c131 made my e5540f1ad2 heart sink. But I couldn’t let ce631cb290 my emotions show here. Time was of the 1c935fee36 essence.2be6b17876a7588c

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“Please help me. I’ll sell these cdc485c253 to raise the a334ad1b66 money.”9bb06b5aa1d879c2

I spread the 4813246b28 dresses on the f88c0a8f93 table. What I thought 0ecaae2270 was a lot d1bc0f78b3 barely covered one 0cf32de5ff side of the 2199b65c61 table.7963b6459625d88c

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I even laid out 87eb84f3c5 the plain cloak and b6560a298d the single outfit from a076862c98 the northern lodge, leaving 59dc8734b7 only my nightwear.da2df053e183c0f5

I looked around for ea019bc99b anything else valuable. I tore off 48647319f6 the cumbersome ribbon 704af77a0b on my chest, b6a29524a8 which had a 7918d2448c small jewel in e61ea22f48 the center. Any jewel or 120cbd34ee hairpin that could 0ef8f7a8e3 be sold had 2d68cafa10 to go.9ba01da7c0529a63

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When I 9ef0ac6ed0 tossed the 2308f23d0e clothes onto 7fb9949d8b the table, 8a2e1ad4c6 he sighed.2c14c3b495974245

“It’s still c0167d97c2 not enough. I said five 29996583e2 people, but that’s 555cce2a09 just theoretical. If you plan 0dde08819a to exit through 2f843c2128 the back door, 4979d41c29 you’d need to 06a1e28b68 bribe at least e657aeee35 two more guards 36dcf1ee38 and the sentries. You’ll need a horse 5bde35dd93 and driver to take d422767d4b you to the border, e528076512 and you’d have to 94421c802c change horses midway, so b029401d21 travel expenses are necessary. And… are you planning 9bea1736d4 to start anew without c104c4cfeb a penny?”df3db5fbaf1a7b32

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“Isn’t there any way? I’ll find db5b56f635 a way 6119a9c3d2 to make 6820cc1e87 up the defd079a35 rest or 3bc529682c borrow the 7452da5053 money and 4b53ee7f19 pay you 81fc6d7120 back. Though it might not 81e9154602 be immediate…”8c626b57fa07e423

It was 18b39f3d2c an uncertain d80b6eb358 promise. He was a merchant, 1f59fbbdc0 skilled at calculating risks.02707169a6518cfd

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He probably 1ee272688b already knew 6bdaebe711 this was c5594a9c9c an unreasonable e67c074e3c request and 3308e14c54 a losing 6e00956efc deal as 5d367d5f96 a merchant.e808ae2c0847fb0f

There was 72658ade04 an awkward f502aa7648 silence. All I could do c035c5ac75 was blink and show be1de1ee8e my desperation.cc9ed5d940260182

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In the end, my 8fc4422af8 earnest gaze made him 1c80274695 surrender.4be8b2b5256ad8bb

“I’ll try to cover 410ad09788 the rest.”cd26ac4d57168d90

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“Thank you, Philip.”fa3d2a37266c2d35

I grasped his hand 69be55dfd8 firmly.2ee0afc3860b7efe

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“I know it’s dangerous fbfddc4509 for you too. But thank 25e010fa64 you for 7252308209 changing your 2acced06e8 mind.”70c720e75a104109

“…Where do you plan 2fc959070a to go once you 1b8dfa88d7 get him out? You’ll be 0ec4f12fa1 fugitives for eb411c6ed2 life. Both you and the 6dcde287a1 prince have lived as f58f8d3ea6 nobles your whole lives. Can you really b4a5da1f1c abandon your status?”bb8f7578a2408c6e

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His eyes still 3c63ee55c1 darted with unease, 3a4c4e78e5 showing his worry 3a2d88c3cb for me.6a3d7665be299111

I hadn’t thought 9ce42df2fb much about the 7d241a77f5 aftermath. But with him, I d380cf4ee9 felt like I could fda75fd0ea go anywhere. An inexplicable confidence bba2849631 surged within me.dcb6d7d82b7f9096

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Once I get f2f1000473 him out… we’ll 12bdb0d975 have to flee. Beyond the empire, 684cbda450 anywhere.75bb3db623dcc31b

 f5130a7dd45876dd

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