Side Story Chapter 3

But Deon 0a439d9131 delivered some e4455e16a0 disheartening news.4dd1f41754d44b96

“You won’t be efafa66091 able to leave 681b8e96f9 anyway. They’re predicting an unprecedented a31a1d9fd8 blizzard.”f1be69ddaf5511bc

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I sprang up from 0044adc069 my seat.a8e5336eca2d71b2

While I had 7423d66755 dozed off, snow ce5b7ec9f2 had piled up c82c69126e thickly along the 452df775d7 roads. The transparent 77936ab0a2 greenhouse was d747b8f9b6 so covered f43b6ef84b in white 8fe2466f60 that the c8339b1c99 inside was ae6c5865f1 barely visible.8301c793641d85d4

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The fountain, the statues, ca01011535 even the gravestone placed 374fc8196e to one side—all were 709339dc42 buried in snow.07e0edb6695914d3

As he said, 505a00f983 returning by carriage b17ea4d4ee today was out 2b242d2c3c of the question.069e5f2026f17cff

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Maybe not 9aa0d9df88 even tomorrow 80dbb3f8df or the 6e45abec96 day after.a54603facdd07bee

The streets 47e0b36f98 of the c6a0b6c6b3 capital would 5412355781 be cleared 2ad3e3f96d by the 73a20656dc maintenance workers, fa8eee6e4b but the 765fe9d082 roads leading 6949dcde1d to the 6fb7dcbac9 coast would 96e1c05c6a turn into 6b4e9b1115 ice.950958e05096d540

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The carriage could only c45e546a48 travel once the snow 41dff38085 had melted.5d3b91af374bbd4d

This was why f281ad9837 I had hoped 7676031c82 the carriage wouldn’t 5c2d9ea383 break, but of 01724da7c9 all times, it a2fde5c9b9 did.462bb490cbc48959

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Touching the frozen window, d66dccf38e my fingers turned red bd5ee544ed from the cold.8ff59d70f61b9e07

Deon approached and handed c5c0ad0b82 me a warm teacup be9f836103 to warm my reddened 9da86e7961 fingers.acd3f3c0f0e51397

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“Take the bcf2107673 pass now. This might happen b629c7314c again.”2818231e2f798e8c

“If I 44740387e6 carry that, ed5a2d2226 what kind eb0b9ed29f of stories 429d4bc14f will people 6df94a1c33 spread?”9d5a5ffa615a0816

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“Who would dare 844f72aad0 say anything?”dd0bb953bdaa9dc6

His eyes flashed with 2a951c1fa0 a cold intensity. Not wanting 6bcec025b1 to get 0dc57910e1 anyone else 85a73184bb in trouble, 72cfdbfd9b I quickly f1b91044b3 changed the 1bd40e905b subject.cc217971619dcc7e

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“Well… At least 16d8c11431 one person would 0216dd1992 like it.”30fb62423abc3927

I thought of Lady 472856cf6a Elizabeth, who eagerly listened 286435c739 to any stories about a3dfd21eee us.fd5cb31a12f159e3

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Lady Elizabeth found our 67edbea58b relationship more fascinating than 76e383f38b street plays or romance c8a7f6dead novels.62511656cbc411f4

She always b9592ee179 brightened her 87ad75bfe0 eyes whenever 8bcb1e3794 she caught e35899eddc onto the 209ab94b9c subtle dynamics 67142bbf03 between Deon f5106ab9e7 and me.8eb2494f8812e304

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It made sense, 78da4f6234 given that this e3031c1d95 tenuous relationship had ef413a906d persisted for over 44c3cc5d08 two years.e5874bc79514ee87

This play eb71162d85 was dragging e9776c21ab on much 1358404cb3 longer and f420d09cfc more persistently 99ffc7042b than I 66d42b13df had anticipated.5d38d37c2d766b44

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If she d425bb083c found out 2ad85179ff that I 489b066164 had received 8022cb1a83 a pass 2adae06a51 typically given 046b52bac1 to high-ranking d98247e1da nobles, she d9af22f69f would cling f87ff5f102 to me 2006eec660 and scream bd7db1c29e with excitement 9fd93b833f again.71f1b7aef8e657fa

Raising her 82b1dd65b0 child had 9050330cba made her 5a749b54ff seem more ac7762324e like a 7b2843bb37 girl.1c16186d2e153c09

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Her relationship 7e647bb88e with the 114afd0298 count had af8e515d55 also grown 7bda95ea04 stronger, almost 26ce40519f like it be638ab35a was before 26aa154106 their marriage.2635dc024bce5d14

Even after 64638b33c6 having a 180e474339 child and 257aa7bdde growing older, 80ed41c1f4 she remained 6f1ec5cbdc as lovely 6020d44abb as the 359c8e648f day we e4f6d03cbe first met, 7f7578f46c though her e65d09d06d spontaneous additions 2d4698546d to romantic ea445f6473 stories were 5920d6f12a a bit b66fb16026 awkward.b3aa2f5defa99c6e

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“Anyway, I’m not taking it. Don’t take out the badge.”a3374f7ccb246f7b

At my d47665f5e8 words, he c6319cea0a stopped his c9f02901d8 hand, which 52cc28e805 was hovering 21b520ab6b over the a66a066947 desk drawer.6bcab8990cf5a270

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“Didn’t you say you’d give me another chance? Wasn’t accepting the gift I gave you part of that opportunity? I remember it quite clearly…”72204b1e704242c5

Deon slyly brought e8b205ea2b up that night, b4ce73f474 knowing full well e3e490591a that I’d blush ac9d68f4bb at the memory.1601b2f9069a990a

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“I was just caught up in the moment.”646019e8560e5f9c

As I started 7c0e031b8b to cough again, f9bc8575fc he moved closer, d975981b10 raising his hand caa1a4fb56 to feel my 70f71bf780 forehead.3496d37d4fa27d24

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But he stopped there.e43d32fd03e4b99f

When I flinched and fb3de5d060 stepped back at his 16fc0e072e sudden movement, he quickly ce82d2fcd1 withdrew his hand.22f959efb4207acb

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He seemed more 5f6f45039d startled by my cf1db75d96 reaction than I 243047ab84 was.18d390e226bd8b3e

Before his hand could 2ee4e74ea4 touch me, he curled c5cf1707f7 his fingers and let 3710a6302f it drop.0b1a09aff2e461b7

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He finished by d525e55252 adjusting the blanket 65488cdbad that had slipped 2bf94a8b3e off my shoulder.f126776de531cfb2

His touch 7ef29c57bd was almost 5d58c870d4 imperceptible, tender, f22413117f and hesitant, ab96e1ba99 as if 471c08cb1d he were de3fee15dc afraid to 43d22a58d3 make a b0f2752ce4 mistake.38af5feec969bad8

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“It’s actually for the 4cd25ca809 best. I’ll call 5d1a6c0e79 the palace 28b789968f doctor so 1218443814 you can aba3e2baa6 get a 36dc192079 check-up before 6348ebdc2e you go.”a66d9060e231eec0

Deon approached cc1cc852d6 the fireplace 4062a496b1 and added 5449e08068 logs, pulling 190f7f417f the hearth f3993f80b3 closer to ea17316392 me.52f9da080f193ab6

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His tone 0356e0a7b2 was languid, 16630220be but I 81e339897f could tell c0d5d1cd0c he was c2bfb6495c restraining himself.e805fe21890bc433

He was cautious, 90c28ae0d5 worried that any 88dedc059f touch might upset 452cc0ac6d me.7c58176de4004562

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He treated 4fe5f41c2e me as 6c4b72125c if I 6e644d620c were something b793087bcc fragile, something 1c8c870a0a to be 7fef05f5bb handled with ac88a5d320 utmost care.55529db5c6e6e746

While I 412712cfab didn’t mind 89afe292d3 his careful 5a4722ee17 demeanor, it f2488c8023 had created 343ade4de3 a subtle de4002caa9 boundary between 5710a4422e us.c7e8c2621955bf8c

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We were at 5d1e13d8fe that exact distance, c977a2a402 where he had 8babf64e1a stopped his hand 97f0208038 earlier.9032f09d20e33147

We knew c11114edd5 each other’s 85ad2cd18f secrets intimately, 9b210d7067 yet neither fe40030093 used that 9193ab67f3 knowledge to 67c3ddf9ff get closer 958eacc34d or to d9da094cbd control the ba2c53355d other.2cb158da3c4ccefb

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After realizing he meant 04621f4ea4 no harm, my guard 48ef141861 had lowered, but since 4138ad9e2d I hadn’t given permission, 1bb1c4afae he didn’t come any 41c8e36ee5 closer.6373dea8a0fe536e

As the seasons 8a334605ac passed, I found c23ec7765a it easier to 968f4d2ba6 interact with him.5c673d8211759eb2

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With the strange tension 5f2484de25 between us lifted, I 56a982f76d could see Deon for 5ac4729a90 who he was.7a04ca8213f8b793

Not as 3e8a6cfd54 the emperor 3c8de6de32 or the 39d0caefd5 duke, but 2301dd6598 simply as 957d2bd3da Deon.8245e51549198456

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He, too, seemed more 2c6ee8dbad relaxed around me. He would b92b8363d0 occasionally make 2bd1b86db2 playful jokes 567b9cd4ff and smile eb76b0eb30 in a 7c74b9b156 way that af5c09146d was uncharacteristically f4d81de906 easygoing.d4e40d00ecfdfc1f

Of course, 533f9b01fc it seemed 09df0e8e9f I was 7606a734da the only afcf22c16d one who 1b5650c179 noticed these f73d46ebc0 subtle changes. Deon still maintained 5ef1f14ec8 a rigid and bd363847b6 impenetrable demeanor with a8842099ce the other nobles.abcd9b99dca55891

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And now, 948239c909 I had a2194abb50 come to b0ba0d31f2 realize.e7ad0644c4c373b2

“Would you 0d793e9f1a like more 03f330362f tea?”208a11caccfb16c2

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Before I could ac63e52763 nod, he was e9cb980e14 already adding fresh 64ba065f61 tea leaves to 85cf736d9e the strainer.a2e1c173c0d8ff77

His broad back 02ddea83fa moved busily. I watched a878d98b09 him quietly.de5de597d564d7fc

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His considerate attitude 413417cd3c towards me.501fccd14b29a2cb

His slightly different 1f16260e16 tone of speech 5bb52ad99b compared to how 11ad238ccb he addressed others.480b7d5a9401d9f8

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‘This man likes a1a3649edb me.’a952030e93ad8191

Looking back, the f228caa900 signs of his ac72b0e75e feelings were clear.9467866c5a683861

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With the empire 3cab22bf38 at peace and b020e4c557 my mind less 556941c293 preoccupied, I finally c3bfad6c8e saw the affection 59f7000ae7 he had been 73081c2524 hiding.f6e87fa3bab1533b

It was hard to e4bbf042f8 believe his care for 4b0c412bd7 me was just due 2513bf4e58 to the bond we f8a8934798 formed through our shared e7ac070d25 experiences, especially now that 0a91352b3a my usefulness had faded.a8dcc6c88a229c6e

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Even without de0ec79b1d the events d98c31783e that brought a7469854c9 us closer, 0bc8b8a72a anyone with 7c5fbfdd2f eyes and e60c2a23c4 ears could 91d873a19e see it.23e2be51f958d1ff

He was 34124babe6 providing a efdb2bd008 platform for d8520990dd me to 61e567eb0b breathe easily.5005c33a21a0bdae

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He did everything for d560269f7a me except say the 74deb85ecf words “I love you.”16c3d9b3e8766ca8

Perhaps it da0788ee92 was his 6999e3da08 last bit b6a95c8021 of pride 410d3dcf5c as a b57f6480a1 sovereign that 52fe835faa kept him 0cdecc0fb9 from saying f12fd98f9e those words.07d80379602c86ba

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Yes, that’s why I haven’t given him an answer.9b39fa7c7f2aebed

Is there a need to respond when I haven’t even been confessed to?865d497661b66169

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I convinced myself b2d50d70dd that his attentiveness feca217e74 was merely the ba66cda7eb favor of a be798b8706 ruler to a a4d1a6915d loyal subject, a 421ae7486f reward to a 05e7d04101 comrade who shared 3fb563110e life and death 3a2b7c67e4 experiences. I tried to f3e73f8e4a ignore my feelings.f8153c258ca4d267

Pretending not to notice his persistent gaze was also because I didn’t want to get hurt again.6cdefb0c94fca55c

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The favor of d858f209a0 a powerful person 611063b664 is like a e91e1bab13 sandcastle that can 7e851652e6 crumble at any 9ab2bb313c moment.358b53b325360e33

Some might 8a739cc90a enjoy even bc2c8d9cf8 that fleeting 4af7f862d0 attention, but db930638b0 having experienced fd0a2776ae it once, 39209b56e3 I found b7d13b3c5f it hard f6b8b368c5 to fully 7543c0d701 relish the 4b1d13335f affection pouring b3fa4de024 over me.aac853c1f17726b9

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His affection for 0a54f6cf20 me could be f266d33f24 simple curiosity. If I accepted him, 1ad84045f4 he might change his 4c16245a7d mind later.aa43a451c00d6b33

The thought 124b53bf1e that if 0e334ee1c3 his favor 72e6159d8d disappeared, the 64519a74e2 luxurious territory 6dec15a611 and the c9cb35e177 people who 41336fded9 had become 3436c5eb0d my own 959e9bd704 might vanish 7eb9f6b661 like a ff0d9b0037 mirage was 955eecda20 terrifying.5f5f1359216c331a

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“You’re quiet today.”503cd6a35d2a23a0

His gaze lingered on 8829075a36 me.c9d6644cb599abdb

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I didn’t respond and just stared at him.30bca9748c91dae1

Truthfully, even before c41ddade91 these thoughts, I 8e094ebfa1 might have already f461d9e7ba sensed his feelings 1944fc4ad5 through his eyes.c7ed11f6ee19ea35

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He had well-packaged me fcc7c176a0 as a loyal servant abdd1afea8 after granting me a 77269a8d91 lavish territory and punished 33f3d63636 those who discriminated against 3e4e6fdc08 the minority groups. These were things 7d9546075b only someone with aed44ea80c genuine care for 840978f0f2 me would do.a053ae3fbc8cf28d

And I c2ce5f364a realized too bca3025a82 late that 7bd798bee2 the last 26fbbcb180 act of 85f5b3abc0 changing my 5897d462ae family name ef92403b40 was to 7099c7d0e9 avoid implicating e80a76b125 me through 87caef01ab guilt by af9be4c5ad association.5bf65ebe1697fdeb

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I learned from f29c025530 my new territory 3b1a8a4322 that Leonie’s older c541b86101 brother had gone d755224031 bankrupt due to fd53c793bc gambling debts.073521a08b817307

By the time 81f44942d5 I received this 8acf6cfbed news, I had 22b7ae7145 already been separated b4d74ddcd9 from my family.9dfb2306d505dd95

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The ruthless b7c52421c0 debt collectors ed1dc11a42 who would 23d3c54ff3 even pursue 362448c717 married daughters 38e3195ad6 could no 82600b1acb longer claim 0ee4cbb2d6 the debts ed86734166 once I 488d2e61cb had erased 41cabdf740 my name 730c410cb4 from the 7e9d32d2aa family and 21a00a7240 received a d3716e8e8c new territory.d8e240edc52586b8

The massive gambling debt 0223b957f2 was entirely shouldered by 64ac01c3c6 the Sien family.e7f9662e6f89988d

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All traces of f284c65232 my family had 56cf916dc2 vanished.dbc7cf9298ec44cc

There were 6e0bcabc9b even wild 52c38ad42c rumors that a6f4b63d0b I had 50ea6e7fd0 sold the 98b98be551 family cheaply 04829930f1 to clear 422ec7ef0b the debts, 626191b616 just as aeb864f322 when I c09f16f45f had acquired 999fcc2aea the territory.9d72640275a863a9

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Having no lingering affection 27cba3a91e for my blood relatives, b617534d11 their fate was none d217537377 of my concern.5a23129cd5eba5d2

Deon’s words seemed 562212876c more than casual. He pulled the bell 4372bd149a rope and ordered the fb575baf21 palace doctor to be 5cbba1f0ea summoned to the reception e2e23cb869 room.5444d477cb49c6f4

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It’s been a while since I’ve met with the palace doctor.1cb1a4dfebbc30b2

Initially, Deon would a7af826402 summon me to 0897c6d932 the palace under b6c37189cc the pretext of 19b2c764e9 needing regular check-ups, dd3453c0c5 unsure of when a5b82ba0b6 he might need f69b887229 my blood.1949b6afbef03a7d

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But after I started 59c88cae43 sending my test results 7a6282f1f3 from the territory, Deon bac9a73580 eventually changed the law.1290877cb2284a47

Despite all the blood he drew, he hasn’t used me since.62df778977dd6625

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I know why he’s obsessed with my health even though he doesn’t plan to take me to the battlefield. Still, if I refused to come to the palace, I wondered what excuse he would use this time.6f462ec3f2651842

But this c4228e9d08 time, he 75c75a711b might have ac6824179d a genuine 5de1d9aa4e reason for cc11864671 calling the e03ab8787e doctor.75351d4374f0c9bc

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I pushed 0183da511e the blanket eb60caf194 aside and 512e34c451 spoke.e2566321ab4f1501

“Are you really planning on going to war?”e5fcbdfab9a0f9d3

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“War?”aa5584cef1fffff4

His sharp f32eae07a2 gaze pierced 603df7aaec me.158bf9003bbda302

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“Where did you hear that?”af251af01fdbadc9

“When you’re in the palace, you end up hearing things you don’t want to. Be grateful I don’t frequent the social circles. What if I went around spreading palace security and military secrets?”8c1797ce513612c4

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I grumbled in 2bd35d7950 response.7f151a6545a9a0c3

Maybe I should have c09d90dd54 done that. Then he e918cfdb8e might have 5424885987 ordered the 61c75570b4 reports to 45f3735cd5 be sent 0c97652be9 in writing 4e8c0ad254 again.10f821fe2d11c09f

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Being in 644d6d5ce0 the palace e6ab31a12d so often, c27c4048e2 I sometimes 0532df75eb heard things 6805042461 I didn’t 4d7632e20d want to fc9e95ebfb know, like 899185ca04 today.96b69b05fc8171b2

“Do you not want to come to the palace?”c806e378a6867577

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“It’s not that I dislike it; it’s just a hassle. Too much time is wasted on the road.”babb52c1b4b871cf

“Did you say I should personally inspect the territory?”c82ce46c801a9ee6

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He must have 346baceccd met Rian in 8ce4e76c30 that short time.12521c9f2d9cb8f5

“No other woman wants to boss the emperor around because she doesn’t want to come to the palace. Everyone else is dying to see my face.”1f89500798beb1e5

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“Then just receive those who want an audience.”9eea7b12ba6d0df0

“I am a fair emperor to everyone.”50516f8430277add

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Fair, indeed. The fact that 859a82c13a I am here b7af4bc49e proves the opposite.e2142b01ada659a1

He was the emperor, 611dcba434 and I was merely 7900d29ce0 a subject who couldn’t 42b9a9ef77 defy his commands.4fb3dafd4ccb33b5

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