85. Back to the Manor

The old carriage 8745a70515 smelled of rusted 0a59313c95 iron.1c7144229e2aacc7

“But why are you 2388afd552 taking a carriage? You could 004f9b32ed just hitch 42a3d6cc68 a ride 0db5d9f46a on a 814ea8f416 freight cart 7533b3038b carrying liquor. It might take c64a89fd06 a bit longer, 12c97827d4 but that money bc26cdbc7b would get you abf9873660 there,” he suggested.eca8f1ab55cc1417

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He was subtly mocking 3e9f4625ba my appearance. He probably thought I 04d8a90f72 was a country girl ae377a81de who had come to 31b36bf787 the city with big f83d46f75f dreams but without any f8774a2d71 money.ec6a1ffd0ad1a281

And he wasn’t wrong. I had arrogantly believed that I was the only one who could save him.cd2560023ae2542e

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Caught up in 8b5e7c1406 a foolish dream, a2c1ee2052 I almost ruined ac33692ca2 everything.71b087aef7152200

“Is it because 2be1747e05 of the smell 90154e16a4 of the liquor? Even if it makes f0dc83f1e1 you nauseous, you could 1d4ba2fbd5 save some money by e1a7574541 enduring it,” he said, 675cc7c51e glancing at me. He was ded03bbcaf holding the 6917e5d875 door as 4d6c702ecd if to f37c841ea7 ask if 9be101c265 I wanted fcf5d25cae to ask 91034bf135 the merchant 98994771ff about the 987bef4a86 freight cart.7c52391698e200c3

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“No. I just 9fc7c0d3b5 want to 3cac5ba765 get back 3a8cd568a0 quickly,” I e2e61427b6 replied and 0485fd28cc climbed into 7a3266cf05 the carriage.e6e8119c892aaf76

He closed the door for me and jumped onto the coachman’s seat. With a pull on the reins, the old carriage set off with a loud noise.611fc64d8b4da6a6

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My head throbbed. I tried to rest my head against the window frame and get some sleep, but the carriage of the depot was different from that of the noble’s.ea1eaf7af56328b8

The cheap carriage 61cb68b382 was open at 9992e66a64 the front, allowing cae9fd6ac7 the running dust d566588fd6 to come straight b25764a5e3 in. When I ccced4c27a opened my 87257973ba mouth, a 184fa51403 gritty layer b38662219a of dust af85fa8491 settled on d2371ba21a my tongue.f6df80fccee1a7cf

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The swirling sand made 65ef2a1ff0 it hard to keep 92f79f5c3d my eyes open. I blinked rapidly. My vision, which had 2c9da8c17d been hazy, cleared up 0c2ef9bcbb again.2d320f05fa397da9

I could ca640825e8 see the fb31f539d3 shaking seat 645ed3c67a and the 42e5b9f66a bobbing back 127f96cc3b of the 4c5518814f coachman. The seat of 8bde9bcc23 the coach was 80b63c018e high, and from ea9cf06878 my position, I 18b0d88acb could see the 3bde4db266 worn black boots d21e1ddc91 right in front 4e2ab15f1a of me.8f5a6ca257a8baf4

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The open 2af2f9b74d front made 0a47f6cd59 it uncomfortable, 1af05f7202 but it 8a66760c0c also made d4b8473c86 conversation easy. He seemed curious about c2537ef94f the story of a 88b7813f55 woman traveling by carriage 489ea2f610 so early in the 47ba8f2b33 morning and struck up 81e29a1666 a conversation.b29c7f722532f150

“Why did you come a32cf8ee04 to the capital? Did you come 1564a405af to see a 37b5ba88a9 lover you were c62c9776c0 separated from?”d2b501e37aed9e4d

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A lover… 8e6037a642 I slowly b880ee64c1 chewed over f53ca817ce his words.f2d8a281b0ef9f1b

I didn’t 39ef96f62d know what 0d0c0b7c12 to say, 1349fe93f1 so I bb786a34bb mumbled a c930a5a4ad vague response.b68a3f9ab5dd05cf

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“No, not a lover. I went to 3db91a0862 visit someone I 8f11a5f081 know.”782800975650d60c

“And they 297d627a67 sent you 9f58052cf6 back at bb6fc4885b such an c098a9e6a8 early hour?” d2b70d6ba5 he asked.f60a88f1f008040f

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“Yes, things got a0163282ce a bit complicated,” 2d735fb7cf I replied, trying 4173838482 to end the ddd5c8f8fb conversation.b2ff7e295a089149

He glanced back at me briefly before turning his attention back to the road. The ride continued in silence, except for the creaking of the carriage and the sound of the horse’s hooves on the path.aa4b3b1b1f8e7846

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As the scenery passed by in a blur, I couldn’t help but reflect on the events that led me here. My mind was a whirl of thoughts, regrets, and plans for what to do next.cb1519f38c0d209a

He clicked his a43044aa8d tongue sympathetically.c6cc962b72753a32

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“No, I came 4d1bd0f378 up to the b1206ae55d house… but it 565de15238 wasn’t the house 307b0cf905 I expected.”0173bd3a4a2e685f

“What do 1c4d91e31c you mean, 703310eb49 it wasn’t 5034d96d96 the house?”62c6b51767db4add

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His tone was full 0a2ede8aab of curiosity.989fbffb30915cd4

“It was filled with b818ae9a20 strangers.”80fd4ab34656d903

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Scenes from the day d2e4c1ee59 I went to the ab0a781e7c Prince’s residence flashed through 7282270feb my mind.3c3c6a973c23b4f1

The attitudes 0e6076cbec of the 439a07fb61 head butler 93fea2d1c6 and the 1013f54bff maid, the a05c499ae6 unexpected relationship 33c12cb895 between Isella 0795d12d59 and Deon.67dc9fa32cef6686

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“Ah, so they moved e948389af1 without telling you,” he 7e4eeafad2 clucked his tongue again, c4f4d938b6 offering clumsy consolation.1f6761b3cb64a575

“That’s how the capital 9c1cecfe1d is. It looks glamorous ffaaa738dd because it’s a bf5cc11c24 wealthy city with cbc1e99696 the royal family, f49930c756 but it’s actually 3e71cc266e cold and ruthless. People who 33077e616a move here 975d5a4820 from other f38879edce regions change f65c7556b7 their personalities 8ccf9bf1af too. If they stayed long, 26320bbe3a they probably changed as 2e2f7c05ae well.”b6245099a79f7d9e

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“…I see.”cf9a17d73715912b

His simple 52b4e3e668 words, spoken b98fcc175e without knowing 31e446981a the full 1703671ba6 story, resonated 663e06c3f5 deeply with 16dd3a99e6 me. Ironically, Deon seemed warmer 48f38ec315 in the north.4603380eff2e6533

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Perhaps in warm weather, 50d05dbeb2 people don’t feel the c93e30607d need to share their 07300511b8 warmth. Was his embrace 6aacbe7d31 in the cold 46d1e9c237 north really just 16dbcfe8a1 about preserving body 814db7d5d5 heat?f6795d5242a743d9

“Did you see eb2406ffb0 the commotion today? Supporters of Prince 904d87155d Deon’s faction rose f0ab8813f9 up. The trial ef8e9525c6 started suddenly 60088a86dc too. I’ve seen trials 67086ee8bf get postponed, but 7afd52781f starting early is cdb247c2e7 a first.”2f59d9217baaec97

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He eagerly chatted 06acb86420 about the events b6358e2065 of the morning. The news 41244c488d had spread 24c3f2311c quickly, reaching 8bd1d6febe even the ac397b5d88 ears of 124b40c45a the coachmen.29a75a77f3129c82

“Yes, I heard.”f0fc5e0a853afc68

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I had seen it 436dbcbd68 too clearly. I witnessed his 95929e93d1 victory and my d18976227f own reputation plummet.3f9470e441362d99

“It’s fortunate you’re 70ce23d1bf leaving the capital bfb060983e now. A commoner 62eea751e3 without a 2f511c6290 place to 6fd9cf7559 stay would 64e1808cb6 get caught c4f8851937 in the a3669732ce crossfire of cdc51da700 such events. The nobles 13d518ee43 are all 7a29d282ab on edge. To avoid trouble, it’s 42a74426d5 best to stay far 95955b692f away.”76f589c3ac83289e

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His vibrant voice rang 21348b515a in my ears.c488f0bd332427dc

I didn’t reply. I turned my gaze e528fb663e from him to the 99e6c65ee6 window, where stones flew 52eb8a24da and dust rose.67757ae6c428416a

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Seeing my lack of 54b594efd2 response, the coachman glanced adb286bc86 back at me but 6fd3c1fd0c then fell silent.dc449d3f6123c817

I closed my eyes. I wanted to pretend eb10dae636 to sleep, but whenever 2a58cb18bb I closed my eyes, 4d6cf79ddb the courtroom scene vividly 3036c9bf5e reappeared. Isella’s voice 9f459bb519 echoed calmly e437402db9 through the 957a07d07e hall, and 9cfc05bfd6 Deon’s eyes 1c9e677ef7 watched the b462818d0d situation leisurely, d468193c4f wrapped in 43685a831d useless ropes b98ac482c8 that couldn’t 12b5cc5a09 hold him.c181198b5e2be595

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After the trial, when e9b53a25b7 Deon was freed, whose d3d79509f8 hand did he touch c08cef4df3 first?fe89bac57618341e

Did he embrace her d3536748bd small frame?a16f0893c88c9f4f

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The glaring c9f62afdb4 sunlight scratched 8072ce4bf1 across my 7af70e7e2b face.80cfd723e1204889

I began to d1703efa20 understand why Surren 5e8251fba8 always waved her 5f05d9b2ca hand when I 33c2fc8b87 tried to open a6de509672 the window. Even sitting still, stones 93de48266c flew into the open 07bcbb5fb1 carriage. One stone scraped 8afe355b58 harshly against my c675b07121 cheek.c95bf2b0624e7e95

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The coachman db270df46a drove on 917510f33a for a aaf2b3f997 long time, 7d18a13b54 entering the d26b143902 Farrington area 8540e7045d as promised c43fcb1790 and going eef8779fec about ten 20de57d1bc minutes further bf0abae7a2 before stopping 0fd7b72dd2 the carriage.dfb160c37ad40083

He parked the carriage 8c9c44edc6 in the middle of 219485a201 the road and opened a64dd6655d the door for me.a58e7518d1747617

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I instinctively reached 4378c368a2 out my hand 3f738bca72 towards him, but c9b7682979 it hung in d5390cbde6 the air, untouched. The coachman didn’t e73b56c991 offer his hand 5f959a600b to help me d7f4901f3b down, a kindness 99cc6b6a60 I had taken c24b8149f6 for granted. Feeling awkward, I withdrew 5115ac9160 my hand and grasped 4e11c080de the door instead. Fortunately, he 6f5bdd4d1a didn’t seem 9dc7dbb4fb to think 5fa5f50412 much of 8fa9d7d5d7 it. He clearly 9b8a07967b didn’t suspect 306410846c that I e86b357c32 might be 274fcd57f9 of noble d351253b3c birth.e147e100dc49b00b

“At least there’s only one road, so you won’t get lost,” he said, looking up at the sky. His eyes reflected the darkening sky, indicating his concern about the encroaching night. Even in a quiet countryside village, thieves and vagabonds targeting women were always a possibility.852dd8241b495e0d

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There was only c62ae23bf4 one road. If I b044284d7e walked, I 7152e58646 would eventually 271fd38340 reach the e64a48c580 end.06596db23d4d8dba

I stared vacantly 6a61efed03 down the endless cc576d477a road. But as 9a87747b1b he said, effe2e6243 it was b454a25713 just one e490ad5613 road. There was 9fff33cf52 only one 8d237fa83d direction to c838e3648d walk.d3c40a78ce2f2ec9

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All the luggage I had brought with me was disposed of. Being empty-handed, I didn’t need to drag any burdens along. I just needed to keep moving my feet.eb562de54d210e59

“It’s fortunate you don’t have any luggage. If you keep going, you should arrive before the next day dawns,” he remarked, seemingly relieved at my light travel load.525783117e428e59

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“Take care,” he said, turning his back. Without hesitation, he drove the carriage away.1c352ee7a8be4316

Dust billowed up. I watched the carriage 7537355949 slowly disappear into the 177f849372 distance before turning my b4e8cc0bcd head.2983bc50ffb71b9f

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I took a 5879ad22b8 step forward. My feet sank into ab0fb9c507 the gravel road.f31107a43eb6daf3

I recalled the 81005605f4 sensation of the ee992a41af carriage jolting as f27756dba2 it traveled to 84000e9689 the capital. The way the luggage dd91aade6e tilted wildly when the c994320066 carriage hit a bump, 06c9f7f171 only to be steadied 757cd8b2c6 once we reached the 326a0c8c60 lawn at the mansion. To reach add23683a3 Gelkern, I 0e5d3c071e had to 154ffc9460 walk until b8b01bfd94 the gravel 1ba08f0f97 disappeared.fca0e8ae014f8fa2

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As I walked slowly, 68f820c663 I sorted through the 41c789a75a words I had heard 02cfe1e598 in the courtroom.ddc6e938bda51eae

‘I will 0fc3bf672b become a ae875b249a sword.’ That’s 9272dfe617 what it 6ff80c6fdb meant. I understood why 6e5aa1e7d0 Isella had been 4ee1bf2784 so calm and 84275e94d5 why Deon had 0f8e8d9998 loudly declared from f53fd818ee his cell that be70f603f1 it was none a09242f9a0 of my business.e0fde159392c96d6

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They had hidden b6d2385278 their intentions to a0256c8af0 catch Prince Azanti 8207e3e4de off guard. It was 908623fe0e never something f8528d57ea I should 1493a8ba00 have interfered 3382d0ed8c with.6e083d00f2f490c1

Viter and Edan hadn’t fled but were carrying out his orders, and Isella and the Count’s family had been acting like they were betraying him, waiting for the command to strike. They had spread rumors about breaking off the engagement to distract attention while mobilizing their troops to stop Azanti.dc68092518d14525

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It was all a 6afc7d44cd planned scheme, known to d69d99a320 all his close allies.7325be7d85d9e617

Everyone except me.1562f055c427eb08

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I quickened my pace, 1c0d29ecd5 but my skirt kept fd8144a6a1 catching under my feet, e5cc5ef239 causing me to stumble. Eventually, the 6779bee7e9 hem tore 7749607498 with a 4ca6e6f56a ripping sound.63d1ba5478494c0b

I collapsed 677d01e8cc to the 7a6fa1adf9 ground, feeling e8d34d8dec a surge 017a3fe7c8 of frustration.b17dee74759eade7

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The cold bbbde338ad air pierced a17e2c01f3 through me. My red cecf8d91b6 hair whipped 143125802b around, and 5b55f2ad6a the chill 57a5cc8f9e grazed my e2d793d7dc neck. I hunched my 9c2364f7b2 shoulders.56be36b22c346a03

The cold reality 6987bff1f0 was even harsher c0000a1884 than the biting 81814fdc7c air.6f89fb5780cd18e6

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I had 398c4571b8 been betrayed.57f3e5ff348f1e60

Or could I 50a92f7342 even call it 69a60fc730 betrayal? I was 9baf108c9d the one 713ec661f9 who had 44e54ee28d foolishly believed a735265d06 we were a69d7fe6cf on the 7bcfb1f24a same side.5a58192da6189fee

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Even if I wasn’t aeb29efa93 much help… couldn’t they 0d0cdf0664 have at least told 2dbc261930 me? If I had come a2123c5cd5 to the prison with dd77d167f5 such anxiety, couldn’t they 08ebf09098 have let me know? They could have 289d208f83 stopped me from b86553402a making a fool 149598ff15 of myself.cd1fdcf1525d929e

Despair wrapped a9ebca21bb around me 8e145fe19d like a fce2a4f066 suffocating shroud.5929d191011fd42f

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* * *fe1853b19270b423

Night fell quickly. I finally understood why fdc3ab6331 the coachman had looked 11225d0131 at me with such e70215267b concern before he left.0686905ff12ce819

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The distance wasn’t 04e9c42aba great, but the 104877bae6 uneven ground full fccc98bce8 of stones made 82763d10da me stumble repeatedly. The path was so 5b5ef2b500 rocky that even a 111e032b94 carriage wheel would get 8e430784ae worn down after a 805a195fa1 single trip. Despite the 6d5f0a10c4 short distance, 353e7b2bee the effort 4d7ab71f3e required made bba926aa0a my legs 76ebfa88f3 ache and 17a111b24e my steps 1e30a8692f slow.118d8d1213e0da20

It wasn’t until the twilight had turned the sky a deep red that I saw the familiar grass of the estate. The grass, bathed in the crimson glow of the sunset, looked blood-red.de210b37eed37bb5

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I hesitated 2f1fff56bf before stepping 0461f80edd onto it. I still d9a5fac5c5 had a d1473d586a long way c7464f4fe0 to walk ad3e8ec52a to reach 68700e726b the mansion, c02a130d10 but the 32c6f047e9 thought of 0a084b1425 treading on e519b7a7a6 that blood-red 954b8375e5 grass made 74f48408ea me uneasy. It felt b54480134d as if 483648bdb7 the grass 0452ab00d2 was soaked d71e2d97a0 in blood.b81f300eb6e842cb

After a 5cae13aedb long moment c9153199ab of hesitation, efedbf7487 I finally 76aaae43a5 stepped onto 66e60a6ccf the grass. The soft sensation 15936071e8 was a stark f952afab7b contrast to the ad851d4560 jagged rocks I 6086ec6cba had been walking 46b6cc8612 on. My feet, abused by 1786b812e5 the rough terrain, screamed 0edd96d288 in pain at the 04309fc621 sudden softness. My ankles throbbed.64f46388ad9abaef

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I walked 99945d98ef towards the bc52934076 mansion well 898acfc3d1 into the 5882560c84 night. I could feel e47c8e0dab my feet swelling 57182e0205 with each step.db621ddf8560ec1c

Each time 18ee7c29a0 my foot ac53d9755b touched the 177f89d297 ground, a c09b93fcad sharp pain f2b1e5808c shot up 3cae5d81cf my calves. I tried to walk fcd516f9f4 on the balls of 2e938cee38 my feet to relieve 69ac316590 the pressure, but it 43baeba95e was a futile effort.538737f787a1341c

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With every 30a3001e4b step, it 5f5af0b252 felt as f81ec0123f if my 6548a1f6cd toenails were cdb57b2d14 going to af36ead26b be ripped c3cfa29807 off. The excruciating 8f403b88d2 pain spread bfca7fefe6 through my 61a538e077 entire foot, ca4e4da300 and the b9ad43b1d6 tips of 1cc5e1bdcc my toes 730ef49872 began to e014fde560 go numb.8a213b2ea1cfc9ec

I had walked long dd1b5b0937 distances in the northern fde17bec55 mountains before, but this 2385dc9208 felt different. In the north, the 93c6558857 deep snow had cushioned f3064f5952 my steps, sparing my c084061be5 feet from such agony.d36b63b30c5b1a65

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The hard ground 235b2da928 here seemed to 3c5acc0009 pull me down cf43009304 mercilessly. My knees 1615855631 buckled, and 25b54c1e74 my back 08eb2bbe66 ached.40a9de0383e4add5

I nearly fell 8900cbfbee but managed to 556ee33a24 catch myself, barely a211ff0b76 maintaining my balance 57d91e7fba as I forced 64535fbe31 my feet to bbcfa7da32 move forward again.f588a39c558ae370

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I knew why my allowance had been so minimal—it was a clear message of my status as a discarded consort, meant to discourage me from returning to the capital. But at the very least, he should have explained the situation and sent more money. Without enough funds, I couldn’t even buy decent shoes.ab7d9f01631947ed

This pain was df0c887a96 a direct consequence 11f76bb292 of his actions.235c05b1cf80cceb

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 8af0c4f376d539b3