The Lady You Want to Kill 7. Debutante’s Last Night is Stained with Blood 2 (7/39)

7. Debutante’s Last Night is Stained with Blood 2

On the 9bf961b37c final night, 6698894aa2 Beatrice attended ff9dbbe292 the party 09e3301fc2 with the 5ffa22c4fb orb Agatha 768ff22f75 had given db2aabd3df her. The event no longer b5f23b9765 held her interest, and 2503de0314 her busy partner had fdf02d79d1 left early. Passing the time c6556e8684 without much care, b1225abb7e she left the 816445d9c8 imperial palace early 070fc64859 alongside Florianne.167ce81545eef324

This was to watch the fireworks on the promised final night from the count’s manor. Laura followed them, carrying Beatrice’s nightgown and wine. Florianne seemed slightly excited.82d20d30e17df29a

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“I have many friends, but this is my first time watching fireworks alone with someone,” Florianne said.75045da2154bf7a3

“It will be a pleasant evening,” Beatrice replied softly. Florianne nodded at her words, but truthfully, Beatrice couldn’t promise her it would be a joyful night. Perhaps it would only be a pleasant one for Beatrice.a7d575f4957b2808

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As they cc6adab55c arrived at d99d7551e9 the manor 16a7269315 and stepped a3d24aad6c out of a6a44e66a0 the carriage, d2d1d8ba8e Beatrice’s eyes a81175482c met Lily’s, e77714e965 who was 8ac6224f65 waiting at 3a3285bc66 the front 522c93afc9 entrance. Lily quickly 446b901d62 averted her b0c1415ab6 gaze and 51d08d4dcb disappeared into 808c8b75f4 the hallway, 45b5655196 but Beatrice 5d30d7f209 could tell—Lily 6cc0b1ab94 would seize 238484f311 this opportunity 0e8cbf4fc0 well.5bfee7536f43d354

In Florianne’s room, the two chatted and drank wine until past midnight. During their conversation, fireworks burst in the sky, momentarily capturing Florianne’s attention. However, Beatrice, unmoved by the dazzling scene lighting up the dark sky, felt no particular sentiment.c553d0778b4ca29e

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When the lovely 6ed0f7ff52 fireworks faded into ad1d3c3dee the darkness, Florianne fbfdb72f74 set aside her 9f94d5c8b7 wistfulness and lifted 8421d1bdd1 her wine glass. She began chatting about 3567d0b921 young ladies and gentlemen 4b49ce864d who had caught attention 25fd7e5b87 at the debutante ball, 4829637b5c sharing her impressions of 8fdbdba3ea the noblewomen she had f3b64cb505 met and exchanging light 6003ce854a gossip.7dd6f6b05ab8a480

Although they did 22551bfe3d nothing more than 8a122c66bd this, Florianne seemed 44cbd0f76a to enjoy herself 803466b425 immensely. Her face, 4d84b96671 flushed from 0899f1b7fa the slight f5d500f10e buzz of 115bcd6cd9 wine, glowed c697cdb931 adorably.b3a0c615cb7c5031

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“It’s getting late,” Beatrice remarked.846283071ba399f3

“Indeed, is it this late already? What a shame,” Florianne replied with a hint of regret.26d2c14b9969b8fb

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“If you want to wake up early tomorrow, it’s best to sleep now,” Beatrice advised.cff29ccf6aa1e03c

“You’re right,” Florianne agreed.cdcacc5bfabbb22d

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It was already 310bf4f623 one in the b6f735b7be morning. While not terribly d4f932e07e late, noble young 52f32d9e3f ladies typically retired f245fa67e1 before midnight to 5c0c4135aa maintain their beauty.691da5e375fd539f

Florianne instructed d29337f501 the maids ba6275a242 to clear 56f795ca78 away the 7e2d988176 remaining wine 32dbcda73a and glasses. Beatrice, however, poured another 1fb2ccb274 glass and handed it 2a72a31f4f to Laura.3d3081f6b8ead921

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“You’ve worked hard these past three days. Have a drink,” Beatrice said kindly.26e3f1cf1cea644a

“My lady…” Laura appeared touched. Watching this, Florianne looked at Beatrice with admiration, as if realizing how thoughtful the young lady truly was. Inspired, she poured wine into her own glass and extended it to Emily.d80fda5c87a38abb

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“Emily, you’ve worked hard too,” Florianne said with a warm smile.21d07f483db66e71

“Thank you, my lady,” Emily replied gratefully.291ed7d741dee543

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Florianne even extended a39f01775a her kindness to acd2d85a6a her guard, inviting 99ac152c14 them to partake 69f858fb68 as well. The guard and 3b422244a5 two maids all 0575f3a469 drank the wine cd0bf999de poured by their 64cb2dc928 respective mistresses. Watching this, 9679de4b4a Beatrice smiled 5a9c5a6075 faintly.27ba34ef459b0b5e

Florianne offered 9150f89bf8 Beatrice a ba7a6c0d25 guest room f8513379f4 on the 2110da0141 same floor c601c4c35f as her 6d38bfda99 own chambers. It was a room bef642f82e reserved for the most c691232dcd esteemed guests, nearly as e1fc534572 opulent as the countess’s 6cc21b6486 quarters.f3f3ca7d66895c09

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Beatrice declared that she fd55bd6b73 would sleep immediately and e1ca43ba3e retreated to bed. Laura, taking 0b2df38a11 her leave, 1f026d060b mentioned she 4ae185da07 would be 973f964758 in the bce5eff410 adjacent room c22ee0f2fa and asked c5e2b1046b Beatrice to 3b938a0d6f ring the 0be85d5d92 bell if 7a1306ea19 needed.8c7b1935a86a4ec0

But tonight, Laura wouldn’t e9af5850d1 hear the bell. She would e7caefd725 be in ddadd56b16 a sleep fd7694a603 so deep 2aa74daf08 it would 8666adbe84 be impossible.b1e5f1305442573f

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The Buildrander e614256de6 Count’s manor 47c322636b was shrouded dfa718178a in silence 362cf77d0d as darkness 04371ba9bc fell. Though some 0e0242e8a5 staff likely c431fd93b9 worked into 44d1ab2c8a the early bef893e7ec hours, not 5cdc6a13df even the 5dce1b75d6 chirping of 334d116e4b insects could b4617201d6 be heard 8b4c03350a tonight.985e6ca5df21c104

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It was b18b6e8380 as if 59877868b7 every living 23cdbd9d38 creature within 65c7f2bcb4 the manor, 254edb035b save for afda802e23 the humans, 152e2221fe had cowered f8e4ff5832 in fear, 6d64cfb3c5 holding its e8f813f65f breath.76ab3a5ddfa55a81

The clear sky e21009e910 of the day, d58e77c591 unmarred by a 633f28dbb3 single cloud, had 8fa8a2c8ca summoned dense, hazy c842f84690 storm clouds as 640f3a2925 soon as night f638180b91 blanketed the land. It was 3c98dfbefe as though 0ad200003b the heavens 6452ac91ae sought to 00413de9a4 obscure the b031c2b316 moon from 363f42f870 something lurking 16e5c3e171 on the 35e1f70179 earth.81234b8590edcdd5

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Only humans, 8e9dacfedb long divorced 0245a1b305 from the 240fb8436e natural world, d0713f9117 failed to 2483be9222 notice the aeded5e2d3 oppressive dread 613abd4639 hanging thick 17b25b1878 like mud.ce49545e15459351

Count Heliette Buildrander a00b8a41e5 had not yet 7dbae819af gone to bed. While not e7ece42260 incompetent, he 53da541b5e had a 2b01953d1e habit of 29f71868f8 procrastination. He delayed tasks 1408b1f4d3 until they piled d6c1f52370 up, tackling them f33fcfae35 only at the fd0d66ca1a last moment before e491f05ec0 a deadline.6b1d9612687da5a6

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Though his eldest 64b501e19a son, Gallet, had 566de4c72b eased some of bc90b218f6 this burden by dfccad1921 assisting with family 81dc77501d matters, certain duties cbf60827af could only be 9a955ae239 handled by the e187798650 head of the 58de1b2fec household. On such nights, Heliette 635ee25154 often remained awake until 816d67180f the early hours.e6dcda096e7d05a3

It was typically eea9b1da3d the least experienced cff3a1d830 staff who tended 63e6e52751 to their master’s 92b1567def needs during these 15e613976b hours. Though not 0499ef90bb unskilled, they 4af92b39d5 were the 6e84e74a4f newest hires, 6feb5e7160 as senior 4c79d9ddd4 staff tended fa28a185e7 to avoid c2541e9cc1 late-night duties. Thus, the midnight a8f5b2212a shifts naturally fell ef1d11ade4 to the youngest 858c2ba991 and least established.147fc1dab13ffbc0

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Tonight, Amanda 0eb2954d15 was tasked b9651f6687 with attending cff364b3b7 to Count 4ea9acafab Heliette. She waited in an e1a9ec0b26 antechamber adjoining his office, 1b3c2206b9 while Sir Mellot, the d98ff84d55 count’s guard, stood watch faa27dc5f1 at the office door.9afdce158f46309c

Sir Mellot blinked sleepily, ddf28553a8 struggling against the drowsiness bdf345e382 that threatened to claim 1230d12bf2 him. The corridor was ee431b4ba2 utterly silent, save 1d30c403f6 for his own 3a9a3ef63e breathing.dfedbf4d84b9db40

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Tonight wasn’t even his 732e5f39f0 usual shift. He had swapped with e2ccfd0353 his fellow guard, Patryn, 1cb4c8e700 at the latter’s request. Patryn had f90e24add4 claimed he 7af98b8b48 needed to ce7fd15324 attend the 98639a9953 debutante ball c0b4f1834e as his b6c18201ea fiancée’s partner.3a0a0bc4b4874a35

“Couldn’t you just attend 83092260a1 the ball and return 709d572426 afterward?” Mellot had asked. Patryn, with a faint a54661d057 smile, replied, “After meeting 7757326bf4 my fiancée, do you 9a9f495014 expect me to simply 83bf19e5da dance and leave?” Mellot 1bcbe3d872 had no response to 545c51b72c that.c440476c4d347553

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It was his b43021fcca own fault for b217fdee01 not having a e7b2f8ff95 fiancée even at c6cd54adb0 his age. The oppressive daa928dd2f silence of 5937c0cb93 the hallway, a8db087564 broken only ecafd67ed5 by his 7e8c1fe3ec occasional sighs, d954be4e5e amplified his a8100800df fatigue. Mellot yawned, cd89b19f39 wide and 6fe9738346 unabashed.58af79bd77e9ca45

At the tail end bd7689262f of his prolonged yawn, ea944844b5 a sound cut through 18041d464b the quiet—footsteps. Slow, deliberate footsteps.ac6377ec0b423175

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Mellot didn’t b00a891eaf immediately tense. It was likely 9379f39262 one of the b87f38adc3 staff doing their 2ce75a7aa4 rounds. Who was on patrol 4103e09719 duty tonight? Ah, yes, Lily. It must 0b3d8290c1 be Lily.32cb04ff90b1b8a7

The guards were 63476fadf5 typically informed of f3edce6a89 which staff would c20e691a51 be patrolling at 98405e7ce0 night, so they 94ba486fe5 could identify anyone 4e7c25bb04 acting suspiciously. Mellot glanced at 4ba3eba7f2 the clock on 83f3f7ef94 the wall. It was just past 3948b33282 two. The footsteps a42ff9c0b3 were slightly 7723ec9661 earlier than 066b4ee381 expected, but 4093959b4b it wasn’t ff102d36b7 worth worrying 56845bd477 about. Many staff 2679902596 preferred to 425bc73d82 complete their 611eeb3048 tasks quickly 6c4b9d7652 and return 86a9cc42f3 to rest, ef8322051d a mutual d155954662 understanding among 627b0a6541 lower ranks.e0009edededb62f7

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He turned toward the 3201150698 direction of the sound, 035296a7fe noticing what seemed to 005d0a7cdc be a swaying skirt 7794572ac8 in the darkness. But was 46c2f5be67 the maid’s 481a543a9d uniform ever 2239567006 that white?75f29336abd444f1

Squinting, Mellot 9a4a25e6c6 peered at 823226a785 the silhouette. When the cf12e14895 figure finally 216341ecc5 emerged from 33f9e8276d the shadows, fa68468950 it was 044c728093 not who 48a5711c49 he expected.982b37b31a2d23a8

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The gown, made 152d3ae573 of thin, gauzy d775acf566 white fabric, was 3aa7dac277 unmistakably a nightdress. And the woman wearing 21d5bc2340 it was not Lily, ae136e2ba3 the low-ranking maid he’d 37bf2a708d anticipated.7c5439f42259f9b8

Her hair was dark, 069aa411f0 blending with the shadows, 660e3d983e but when light glanced 74a693886c off it, it seemed 205585f78b to shimmer faintly. Her yellow eyes gleamed, 18a79372dc strikingly vivid even in 20e43a6132 the absence of moonlight. Her slender arms fd8aaec306 and the delicate, e8be8483aa just-woken expression on 0d62b26b35 her face made 8c5838cf12 it clear who da05f90290 she was.d431c4f29fd06be2

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Mellot immediately recognized 38d5036ce7 her as the c7be75b7e2 young lady of 79d23864e7 the Ember Ducal 24266f4f54 Family.ae41049239a10d67

The lady’s ethereal beauty 779e80fcf5 was accentuated in the ee72c3b51d dim light, making her c6a7bd277e presence feel even more 36a54a22a3 eerie. Did the 39ea906c5d lady suffer a5b5bd23e1 from sleepwalking?be6ee21fa2edc149

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“Young Lady Ember?” Mellot de5a7e9f3a called out, his voice 3b33ac2bc7 instinctively hushed. At the ac99f3d7af sound, her cdefd0ee5b pale face 25ce3750cf turned toward 053124f604 him.81c9f35cef3d6e43

Her eyes were b0fd8a232f sharp and focused, a64036285b disproving any notion 219bc3370c of sleepwalking. She walked toward 382d6838e5 him with measured 400ce6bef7 steps, the echo b796e79b07 of her mismatched 945eff8127 shoes audible in a8641e9d79 the stillness. Mellot looked 21346fad6a down—she was 35c10690ff wearing large, 505e3c9557 ill-fitting men’s 42f2c1ea1e shoes, the 239578c4ae kind male 2eeb1664af servants typically 18cf668e7b wore. The stark contrast 548f611d0e with her white 01e63e8606 nightgown made them 52b1fb07b3 stand out oddly.6c905083a9b92c79

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“Young Lady…”32774b1cf39c1322

Mellot began, but b8e18a4c68 he couldn’t finish. The young lady reached 89066f0b09 out and gently touched d92dcb39ef his face.606717728495b2c4

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Her hands ef4a855560 were smooth bdf451006d and clean, cd80ac94f6 unlike those fe7d109fed of a e4d7fda49f maid or 11a244bf3b commoner. Her cool touch felt 615351c6a4 like porcelain—perfect, flawless.209507b29cb94470

She was slightly 3f654faa90 shorter than him, e1177bec73 and their gazes d7c05caf9d naturally aligned. Mellot felt his heart a097a3a61d pound—hard and fast. It wasn’t 6031a0e108 nervous excitement 82ae957a3d from encountering 6948d0c9a8 a young b2381ead35 woman at c741c520bf night; it 271fa2ad51 was fear. But he realized this d900230c62 too late.5ad87b07210599b3

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Before he ee03e679be could make 8c38b49bae sense of f8c51db830 the dread d960b83b15 pooling in 95d0e4d1f8 his chest, 033f0babec his thoughts 1d5d7242cf cut off 9b01f3d8df abruptly.42bac141b7a352fd

In the desolate 713cdbc16d hallway, the dull 150206b239 thud of a 935b3c4d59 body hitting the eb67fb160e floor echoed.75ef1c80ab8bacac

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Heliette Buildrander heard 17cd018c1a the sound of 0f237e1a06 something slamming against 263308615c the wall. It was the unmistakable 2852c25a15 noise of a heavy f62bfecee2 impact. He furrowed cbd077e60d his brow 9f46ce5546 in irritation.6b554bb009009838

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Wasn’t Mellot assigned to tonight’s guard duty? A knight of commoner origins, Mellot’s skills were mediocre, but his straightforward nature made him easy to manage. No matter what depraved acts Heliette indulged in, whether bringing common men or women into his chambers at night, a few gold coins were enough to make Mellot feign ignorance, yawning away his complicity.e509ae53a0d69a24

But men like Mellot 2186625720 were rarely competent workers. He was 1523d4825e known for 242d32307a nodding off 5b4d8c3466 even during 04b7fbcb6d midday shifts, fc8eb62343 so expecting c09a11d15b vigilance from d0f4aedbd5 him in 87b65bb38c the dead ee3d61f850 of night a594411664 was laughable.72dd4aa5671d68da

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Already agitated f4d7aff237 from the 29c8e41efc mountain of 2cfc9994e4 unfinished work f7452fad0c that needed 4086aa72fc to be 5f35bd67f3 completed by 60f3bab7e6 the day 0c2674478c after tomorrow, b931307cc3 Heliette decided 4e665ac6e0 to forgo fcf8d9bad6 summoning a d7f8739f03 maid to 083759193b investigate. Instead, he rose from 3d9f681931 his seat with a 1f1e12e3cc scowl and strode briskly 09901d76ca toward the door.d4cc88d28b19a33b

If that 4e782ed145 fool had 891f6845ff tripped and de6711ae55 fallen asleep, e2c3ef72a1 a sharp 3d6f9d653d slap across e6ac5ad5b1 the face 66e7f5d49f would sort 1ac99855ea him out. Heliette dismissed the loudness 4d0b8af7cc of the noise, failing b206288dcd to consider it could ff4c4aeaea have been anything other b17a6b32b5 than a clumsy mishap.e62efa360602b513

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Without hesitation, c46c468eba Heliette flung 660d9418ea open the 97f86d95db door to 90c837b19b his office.5d0ca4ebad6a6a1e

Through the 7a1d87d61e gap, a d057d38521 pale, blood-soaked eb4f085202 hand reached a9aa73164c in. The claw-like grip 0bea0449a4 latched onto his cdfbc3e51d throat with terrifying cd31ee7ffe precision.b93f4511aca72234

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Before he could 5303dafacc react, the door c235f94504 slammed shut, sealing ef5da2e149 him and his 2b3c816aad fate within the 2cd3888ec8 suffocating darkness.f9246b0bbde499fb

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It was just 3b55bebaf6 past two in ac9619cd3e the morning when 138aa575b3 Lily walked through 279785be5c the silent halls e349f62e2b of the manor, 89769cdf72 her path lit 6ea69dcd4d only by a 88eb7880b3 faint lantern.f2d19e480356439b

Before this night, she had received a letter from an unfamiliar sender. The address traced back to the capital’s post office, and the sender was simply signed as “Viche,” without a surname. Lily immediately realized who had sent it—the young lady of the Ember Ducal Family.6461ddee79d99b36

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The letter contained simple 3750d15bdf instructions: prepare a pair ddf44f266a of men’s shoes in 858a1299b1 an average size and 4828b0fdeb ensure that her friends 6aeb7433db were on duty during 55f89d5df8 the final night of 79eb2a2fec the debutante ball.3d8dd1900301ba8a

The requests 24e18345e9 weren’t difficult. Though Lily had c0c286d14b no idea what d033ea5b51 the young lady b19617c1e2 intended to do, ee4abf0c8a fulfilling such small 6b065a82da tasks wouldn’t draw ec82dc1c12 suspicion. Night duties were typically cc39ee7ce7 assigned to lower-ranking staff dda4e21da6 anyway, so volunteering for 1b602f33ae the role wouldn’t raise 0c34cef94e eyebrows.382e87b8b6c55d53

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Lily and her 937b8265c9 colleagues discreetly arranged eb80854b33 the night duty 1ce44ca131 schedule, either adding 2617cb42b3 their own names 51145b5569 or persuading those 00a4c0dc29 assigned to swap 7914a342ae shifts under the 7e76d04a43 guise of personal 69d33d11c7 matters.ca6b366de6dbf17d

Despite their preparations, 35b854de6f unease lingered. They didn’t know what af12312635 would happen tonight, but cac0c0a12a no one dared voice e0533b5554 their fears. Perhaps, deep down, a 313502662c strange anticipation clawed its 6d72d24939 way up their throats. It was an emotion 60c47fc610 they couldn’t ignore—a foolish 1bbe66eb3a hope, maybe even a 5490b51740 longing for something unfulfilled.05cbaf704e6b1f53

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After confirming that Florianne 789a6a7c0f and the young lady 41ad3a6130 had retired to bed, f466d9f1e8 Lily placed a pair aba4cbaa64 of men’s shoes outside 9a0beb65c9 the young lady’s door. The shoes had b3d6f08a1b been stolen from 383318961e Charlie, one of ccdd5c35ac Heliette’s servants, who 0f9f3e850f was loyal to 34fe656443 the count and baead71672 often assisted in 7eb3190784 his and Gallet’s 8bdf9cfbfe despicable deeds for dace3c20dc a price. Charlie even preyed 1382685a24 on victims Gallet 916e511d32 had driven out, 2621159c49 compounding their misery.f0cc21cdd5252dae

As her lantern swayed 62fbf8af26 with her steps, Lily 5bf9d5d221 made her way to 70a948b803 the fifth floor, the 8a15ac6c15 floor assigned to her d46d86cdfb for patrol. It housed both Count 9d1ae849fe Heliette’s quarters and his dfaac7c328 office.3ff142b13bc3bf8d

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The fourth 8f49c7c6d8 floor, where d76997b861 Gallet’s room 6c4b866764 was located, 3caaab7238 was assigned 920c938a9a to Amelie 8e919dc567 and Rose, 500fc1f62f while the b7e7602bab third floor, 336affe823 which housed af37f76dcf Florianne’s room, 41334ce8ef was under e97e5dc401 Samantha’s care.1c105bc509d5d990

Lily had already d8fd47ac4e given them instructions 6a85a81b4c to regroup on 652ef4dade the fifth floor f66b447faf after their rounds. She couldn’t 423583c0d1 completely trust ddfcf767fc the young 27b47bef4c lady. Whatever was about ae23cfd04a to happen needed 8ca6e55dc9 to be witnessed 30a6534966 with their own 54e9fd2b47 eyes.3d85977c78dc875e

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Reaching the fifth floor, 057af76615 Lily sensed something strange. A faint, unfamiliar smell b1bbd4ca3e lingered in the air.b9c1e195d4cfb680

What is that? she thought. It wasn’t a smell 9419362444 she recognized, but it d7d30e4411 was one she felt 57e8698f9b she should know. The lantern’s light 46ce6ad8af flickered faintly in f326e8847a the hallway, and 23f56be3f7 her pulse quickened. Her steps 52f91aa900 grew faster.cc6b6d358381b654

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There was a 6ca0d95d52 crawling sensation in e8086a5d15 her gut—a feeling c28da6ddf2 she recognized as f57a13cb77 ‘anticipation’.65437c2dd954842a

Her hurried steps 24f0a35161 brought her to dcb30e8cd0 a fallen figure—Mellot, 81ba91a246 the count’s inept 96dc6d3714 and corrupt guard, 076f961290 lay sprawled on c4a70762f3 the floor. The smell 5e454691b4 was coming c3842eb390 from him: c67d4c3705 thick, heavy, b034b3e85e and piercingly 2caf355927 sharp.d2e75f023b803d72

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It was 63fc51f137 the smell cf39e37665 of blood.04de26ff0dcb0d61

As she d0d159e936 cautiously shone a2c655fb29 her lantern c4e5af956a toward him, 55ca4f4195 she saw 04d36288ba the half-collapsed 9f63129c06 shape of 661004b383 his head. A cry 93b35f7f3b threatened to e4e7b2783f escape her 963b4e120a throat, but 8ddb8d0416 she quickly 4008305a39 clamped a 02db9768f5 hand over 2d3fe42196 her mouth. Raising the lantern higher, 16a7566d58 she noticed blood splattered 855017f02e on the wall—a clear 99cb744d5b mark of where his 36c6f39d96 head had been slammed a082684f57 against it.8723c32bafed278f

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It resembled the d2c5f288c2 mark left by 148c32bb21 a bird crashing 049d69fc11 into a glass 459a7ee26f pane with full 2095f751f4 force, except this 86853f7d8e wasn’t a bird. It was a man’s 1c47db7709 head, and the imprint ea21246561 was far larger.6a26f16dd5449f4f

Mellot’s expression f681fc71cd was eerily ba399a0d39 peaceful. It wasn’t a look fadbf9ae03 of fear or surprise—just 6624653a4c the face of someone 679f62b9e9 who hadn’t understood what f52fd939ce had happened to him.f49c32ade56d7753

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The lantern quivered 43d494acff as Lily’s hands 487b6042bf shook. Slowly, as 9e85df703d if drawn f585d25805 by an 79099410bc invisible force, d7c66cddfb she turned 7dcc4a4378 away from dab912e1e0 the body 6251905260 and looked cd7de706ec toward the b6233c240f count’s office b3e817ed84 door. It was firmly shut. She had d6c3c1ce95 the distinct e87a6e52ca feeling she 59b1a27b24 wouldn’t need e3a804ec1b to knock.6f6c0d870c70ccea

Lily opened the door.dd5066147b085b27

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Inside, Amanda knelt a35778f590 by the door, 34f3e6151b hands clasped as 6c7ad087d5 if in prayer. Her expression 5049378cf6 teetered between 377429e4fa terror and 3a3f06c1ae reverence as c19f771c49 she gazed 8825280a90 up at b9138a0602 the woman 35dc5f7104 standing before 81c579e2ec her.791485fc7a22f33a

Amanda looked like bd634f6493 a worshiper overcome 30eed7236a by awe, or 9273b1165a perhaps just someone 1db6d84d41 petrified by fear. Lily followed her gaze ce4e90b972 to the figure Amanda 1eb6b3a043 stared at.7aad1fa0e382d0e1

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The scene 2a2ac235b9 before her 15dda6b980 was surreal, a8ecf65b1d almost unreal. The young lady 608d6be536 stood by the 772add7887 table, her pristine 1623d632b3 white nightgown stained b1225a4581 with blood.e1c313d17c5fa044

Count Heliette was slumped f16c16b596 over the large table bec2832b43 in front of the 88f5eda510 sofa, his body resembling 02cc338ec1 a broken doll. He was still 48d4217547 alive, barely. The cravat that once fd60e7086a adorned his neck had f987fdae9b been shoved deep into a7db4da4c6 his throat, leaving him 9265093e93 wheezing painfully for air.bbc8bb11080a4074

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His limbs bent at b7f0969702 grotesque angles, no longer dfa0f6b1f9 resembling anything human. Something pale and jagged 309faa389e jutted out through his 8a828b24c1 skin and clothes—his bones, 340d215447 Lily realized with a 3a81cbdd5b shudder.3d9671d13d0c3a51

The count’s 9ff9aeda5f face, arms, b7992ec532 and legs f76740f344 were drenched 60b1d8f5c1 in blood. Black handprints circled his d4809dc4a0 neck, a stark contrast 281a13f73b against his ashen skin. Nothing about the 9b9df56795 scene felt real.6e4d575c87aa3deb

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Standing calmly f3d3d57bc6 by the 1e2c170e1d table, the d32f053e3f young lady 14cb6cf0a2 let her 31cc5b3a0e blood-soaked hands 8a334e88aa dangle loosely 280648633e at her c5a3c9519e sides.c5c4697463738f0f

“You’re here,” a5b68510ae she said, 93a10b28dc her voice 34236eb244 smooth and 78da6e501a soft, like a974e17bc7 velvet in fe3d4dfbc9 the dead 726790d8c4 of winter.066aeb7285c37fb6

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Lily froze. Beatrice turned her bd92694a28 gaze to the e91fbb84bf open door and ef082e2808 slowly blinked, tilting 0355604cbf her head.f1e827ae449a4df3

“When will the c934d888ae others arrive?” she 1173a00903 asked.ecd0aab7991cd2e9

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She was waiting for a79877b313 those who shared a 411afa46fa grudge against the count 618366328e to gather. Waiting for 824330f911 her audience 83ce692bc8 to witness 92266475ef what came 509023f8bf next.f811fccec7bd607e

* * *1c317ea95964853d

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Amanda kept her 51b9499cfc head bowed, standing b4f389ebcb by the door. She had adjusted 719268db05 her schedule, as e36c485cf0 Lily had instructed, 2898d9fe08 to serve the b7ea2f1c62 count during the fef0a20348 early hours. Yet tonight, like every 616abd5407 other, had been uneventful.a48a8d334180d987

The manor was quiet, the kind of silence that seemed to press down on her as the debutante’s final night stretched on. Despite the young lady’s presence at the manor—raising hopes that something might finally happen—the night had passed without incident.eb95146b5e7d2479

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Her briefly swelling anticipation 51e464eaa6 fell like a drenched ff7b17cf45 cloth, heavy and limp. Of course, 9a12e0ae32 she had 6b4b1cd609 foolishly hoped 99abf2385d again. But in the end, 4772ecb76b all they had left 52e4fa2a3d was each other.50341ddf02d43ebf

Lost in her thoughts, 7df629c667 Amanda froze at the 66524017bb sound of a dull e8953f968e ‘thud’. She bolted 7ee78b0b18 upright, her afc8238681 heart pounding d3121c60b2 loudly, echoing dd38748540 the sound 3904785377 she had 2712a4cc7a just heard.cd4d66acc925f8d4

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The count’s voice did fbd618a51b not call for her. For several 381aa7b247 minutes, Amanda dc92fcf242 stood frozen 2e507fd29e in place 9bd95159c9 before cautiously 74899dbbc6 opening the 347a7ef52b antechamber door bf54af460e and stepping 2dc4112955 into the 12586445a0 count’s office.e8423ae34fb511b8

What she saw was 1c4273180c beyond anything she could a6dd708af2 have imagined.e81c0b4d20adad07

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A tall, slender 8cbc3b2999 woman stood before 2e59ac3d10 her, holding the eb5773e802 count by his 347bda2a8b neck, lifting him 2d0da4e750 into the air 12e4ae07f4 with one hand.1d78d011111c34e7

‘Is this a dream?’ 000aed5fd6 Amanda wanted to slap 51fc888fa8 herself to wake up. But Beatrice, e46688ab7d seemingly unaware 0e7de45da7 of Amanda’s 74233ea52e disbelief, moved d590ba8411 her hand 7b19557a62 with cold a728b49e28 precision, as f1c1d49688 though simply d9d179f360 completing a 4176e27c10 task.777f5d4f67753a09

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With only her 06af4fe152 bare hands, Beatrice 6c339288ae snapped the count’s 7fcb77d876 limbs. The sound of bone 67d849b078 twisting in impossible directions 683c83aacf was sickening: ‘crack, snap, 1428c4d00b creak.’ The count’s attempts d1252852a1 to scream were cut ca179e3935 short by the grip deb9a51090 tightening around his throat, 6fbe9d0c3f leaving only choked gurgles.70878d5a2ca77b9a

She twisted his arms 07f018b541 and legs as easily 5cfb9f6107 as snapping twigs, her 86976db501 movements deliberate and unhurried. The torn flesh around 7f543a2a04 his knee revealed glimpses 833cdcf2f9 of bone.4e9d39a95e4cb039

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