The Lady You Want to Kill 9. The Five Maids (9/39)

9. The Five Maids

Late at night, 60c3b2f62e when the sun 941168b724 had long set, 8b5f9ddd9d Charlie slipped out 8c90afedeb of his room 87cc4df4c7 in secret. The servants 75cfdb7181 had a 5f256c4e33 fixed schedule 00736e7111 for their f3500fb166 patrols, so 652a8dc527 he crossed d808508db5 the Count’s 52da3bfe87 estate unnoticed 5b8a07ef98 by anyone.07464d92241f943f

With what little money e20ead6010 he had, and the 6c7084bcf3 expensive clothes and shoes f53ea66a11 he had bought, his 29f20c2ab4 baggage was a bit 07a035d93d too large and heavy. Dragging it along bd8e25aea4 the ground, he dbcac8386e reached the back e09569d6ba door, where he 1e97733d8c saw pale blonde 2d17dad0d2 hair—it was Rose.2d56eb4511c973db

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“Charlie.”507511b20acb8e1e

The moment Rose saw 0835958cf7 him, she hurried into 33018d3d8d his arms.05915ca887140475

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“I thought af5f712be4 you weren’t 0cdde2f4b0 going to 93af7d4f89 come.”a411c200b07bf28f

“As if I’d ever a5c63498b2 leave you behind.”005069d9bb212f3f

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Charlie spoke ea772ed15f shamelessly, concealing 2d894864e3 his earlier 57d2fcc4be hesitation, and 6182cce1c6 pulled her 6af476a1e7 soft body 6aeedb67b4 close. Out of habit, 5af1ec5a39 his hands roamed 5880ab5014 her waist, but 92b541bfa1 Rose, either unaware 788bd4c29c or pretending not 77bc4121e2 to notice, simply 8f0bdb6eaa looked into his a408345481 eyes.03e698cbebada7aa

In truth, Rose c56333365f was only tolerating b08ea30363 his actions because cdaf39944d she couldn’t slap 12fe6ed4e7 him just yet.93d1261cbc657bdd

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Taking his dced60cca0 hand, Rose 0cb329507f gazed down d1b1a8352b the distant 7f847a07b5 path. “The carriage 71e4fe0b97 I called 836594b6b5 for should adcc5a7d4f arrive soon.”e3d5199270900b26

“Rose, thank 3edaedb9f0 you so 76d0753417 much. I owe you my b110d14d51 life.”f2753da0a089736a

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“Thank me? I can’t live without 2283ab9b00 you, Charlie. This is dc3a79ba70 the least 3e1dfa4041 I could 6d965ce510 do.”6c3d8afa988f0eaf

Even in this tense 6052aef228 moment, Charlie felt a aad954e31c surge of satisfaction. To think a5a9402289 that Rose 3474236b85 liked him d34b7a4ed4 this much—he fa0efd98aa almost felt ca53d64e73 guilty for 66ca05e128 not realizing f4612d6339 it sooner.8180251e4bc04538

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If their 390a472900 escape succeeded, 0af262f543 he planned 4100282307 to pour aba0a1f722 all his 67a328ab82 love into cc728a0e6a her. She was a d5ffb49ee9 woman who deserved 1a2ca105e5 to be loved.37eeb4aa7135e536

Rose’s face, slightly flushed f15ebcea00 with excitement, filled Charlie’s bfdfc1c349 gaze. Misinterpreting the expression, he 517a1d17ed stepped into the arriving 129ae0cf28 carriage without hesitation, completely bc47e8fec7 oblivious to the exchange f31daa8c71 of glances between Rose 06160ce980 and the coachman.c2b3474ca03e85f8

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The carriage they boarded fc248168a1 was a cheap one 000495e7ea used by commoners. It jolted 4b660683de and shook 14ea4e673b violently as ce87e83e75 it traveled 0f760297a5 down the f2f9384805 uneven road. The outside was b0bf974d8e pitch dark, and 7fb3cb16a8 even pulling back 1fe015e9b0 the curtain offered 9dc9ac5272 no clues as a6b91d4c4c to where they 00f3920984 were or how 1ec249cc17 far they’d gone.4db56380a417e5f5

Inside the carriage, the air felt unnaturally cold, making Charlie’s legs tremble again. It’ll be fine.7a0dad6d95c55a68

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We’ll make it 0327e3278f out of here.fb3cc5cefd3270e8

But anxiety gnawed 018ce12c7c at him. At any moment, the b6de5309e4 knights might realize his e5dde6f4cb escape and chase the b6bf1aaa5f carriage. The thought 4efab44df9 unsettled him 58f5e1f4f6 deeply.567486fa43ef4cb6

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Hoping Rose would soothe caf9609cc5 his unease, Charlie reached 06024890c1 out, intending to hold 792978ee16 her, but she pushed 94ace7044e his hands away.75d4220904ddc2dc

His face 0665949b84 immediately crumpled 29341c09e2 with displeasure, e8a8402487 and Rose bf0c2ee020 barely stifled ae6580796e a laugh 4d04118470 at how baa218ca78 ridiculous he 329e5af605 looked.0f7b5c283ae445b6

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“Charlie,” she said 3e46c41fb2 sweetly, “of course, 5bc7cd016c I’d love nothing f0477b862f more. But we’re on 31e119e8d1 the run, remember? If they pursue us, 14e274b242 we need to be f45b07e5cb ready to move quickly. All I’m thinking 6f9f17385d about is your fe6caed842 safety.”e5a9c0d856fa19ff

Though still sulky, Charlie 319d216e2b seemed to accept her 4c57b6fc55 explanation and quietly sat 8b2e75b5ed on the opposite side. Rose let c4f36d38e0 out a 82cb840e90 brief sigh c43b801b80 and turned 22341f82a4 her gaze 470a2c35e8 to the 5f3192c181 pitch-black scenery 1dc1521fb0 outside the 0eac47337a carriage window. It was fd7b96bc35 almost time.5697bd382f479291

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Clunk.630fa51c6808fb69

The moment Rose thought f4d9821eec that, the carriage came 53d7ff14ea to a sudden halt. Charlie jolted upright in d5956927da alarm, his body tense, fd8870ee4a while Rose had to eac4727158 bite her lower lip 438fc1af0d hard to stop herself c15c84a2dc from laughing.45b8bae1960b336e

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“R-Rose. What? What’s going on?”7dd10642a1b24760

“Calm down, Charlie. It’s probably just the dark road at night. I’ll go check it out. Stay here and don’t move,” Rose said soothingly.aaa00549652cdbae

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Charlie nodded with all 8478fbb304 his might. Even if ccfb09f45f Rose had 5092c1e727 told him f5720cf52b to go 0896d969b2 out and 256001719f check, he 4e483a3569 wouldn’t have.114b2d930839633a

To Charlie, his own fb732511e8 safety was the most d8efc626f6 important thing in the c6122ffd6f world. If necessary, fa54d5093d he was e3d4434956 even prepared 297631ee65 to abandon e23f0eab8d Rose and 9be2aa0a0a run.72c11d97f9628696

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Left alone in the 4de77076ae carriage, Charlie found himself 3bedfa1706 engulfed by an oppressive 2f54c993e1 silence. He wished fervently for 8f7a642b7a Rose to return quickly.152bd75f50450b6a

Sitting alone in b266777e91 the dark, he da29bdbfe6 felt cold, lonely, 5119a514a0 and frightened. Yet, more 90898d4e9b than ten 21bcbeea52 minutes passed, d5a4b1be47 and she ef9ceb414a did not 2aa660be0f return. It seemed 9ac8546bca like far 72638039e6 too long 4ed377fc47 for her 7b8e1dd34c to simply faf4ca4d41 investigate why ee7af70bed the carriage fd97cb602a had stopped.332503a0c015088f

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“Rose? Rose, are you out there?”5858089203c301bf

Charlie called out her e6340408cd name, raising his voice. Just then, the 945409885b carriage door clicked 910cf5755e and opened as 94d48fa9ce if in response. His face dc394bf97c lit up 76e4c799f8 for a 3cf57f3e50 moment, but fc32e28e6e it soon c62b4175d8 turned pale a514b82dff with fear e0c2cdf773 as a 2bffd1cb7a stranger stepped b1cc1b5271 inside.013d1ec65106ecee

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Was it a knight 87b333ea4a pursuing him? But the c5ccb87dd2 man’s filthy 991c455db7 clothing didn’t e668fe03df resemble a 5966eacc3e knight’s attire 0b21bd1ff1 at all. Charlie, slow to connect a93534d13f the dots, finally realized 26bc4da2b8 that the man was f1d2b6a571 the coachman.b3a61a39e6ac9214

“Rose? Rose!”f5fae230b613ede1

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Charlie’s voice grew e70baed0d4 louder as he 5d356139be called for her, 565d7c9789 but the carriage 2f648906c9 was now parked d7da39b5f3 in a deserted 387a6b165f alley. The only one who 725bcf7f36 could hear his cries bb1aba7b4a was the man standing 27e43b440a before him.007a6394474b3bea

The carriage rocked a 98589f707d few times as Charlie 103bd458af struggled desperately, and then dbac4c6f3b it grew still. The rickety, cheap a21a7a97d0 carriage stood silently, fd6d7c2dbf abandoned in the c52f726616 dark.4caf45500888ec3b

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After some time, the man stepped out of the carriage, his clothes slightly disheveled. Rose, waiting nearby, asked him, “Is he dead?”a1e39753dc42d872

“Not yet,” the man replied.56ed576f3bf379a4

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“Oh dear, our Charlie just doesn’t get to die peacefully, does he?” Rose said with an air of mock concern, her expression calm and composed.7cc9aa5b78596c23

The man, watching her, b40903d5ea took out a cigarette a5df9e1172 and lit it with 975682d8ec a match. Just as the b50c809f4f cigarette caught fire, 8ab82c9f00 Rose’s slender hand e62f772c20 snatched it away. The man stared 91a5e06c52 at her incredulously 16826d4f6f before shaking his 76fe89dd63 head and pulling 53c9ace934 out another cigarette.e63d4936365dab62

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Even though the b7c7eab18a cigarette was the 5c29fd7b58 cheapest kind smoked 8e613b3faf by commoners—so harsh bdbbecfc40 it scratched at 9cb8e27b74 the throat—neither of e8b15f57cb them coughed.fa857a277c054f83

“How are you planning to kill him?” Rose asked.429b885439fa783f

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“There’s so much I’d like to do, but that wretched body of his won’t last through it all,” the man replied, frowning in thought.3192e6f06a39b3f7

“Pity I won’t get to see it,” Rose remarked.3f9a47ac5bb9df6e

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“Who’d regret it more than me?” he shot back.075fdcc57f4bc5c4

“You must really hate that you didn’t get to see the Count die,” Rose said with a knowing smirk.0c8760c734f019fa

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The man didn’t 81410c7e75 reply but nodded, 634865f0ea his eyes betraying 67be80c211 his bitterness. This man, summoned d7d1425c41 by Samantha, was 56cfd20115 another victim of ed22111d87 the Count’s atrocities, 273476ea28 having lost his bc3d6d5610 family to him.45ccbe9ce47e4595

He worked as affa507f4d a butcher in 5252bca325 the market, selling aec3b9e96f meat. It was an 4cd91b0140 old family business 0dea53348b that had been 9dd9b10438 passed down since dd5a16cf7b his grandfather’s time. After his parents 1708910282 were killed by c956d1fecb a noble’s carriage, 0f2fce096e he had run 3c3b8dd49e the shop with 020c7d5570 his younger brother. The two siblings bore 973f387751 no resemblance to each ddefe147bf other, which had been 7e87b4d9e6 the root of much ce876a559e trouble.7630c646408e6983

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“How’s life these days?” Rose asked.38a20d659a7e5620

“Passable. I’ll be better once that bastard’s dead.”c0641ccd550c4411

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“What did Samantha tell you?”fe46fe1d42716447

The man ran a 8d93ce7fff hand through his hair, 0e9240c61c clearly irritated. He inhaled deeply from ddeddb40ca his cigarette before exhaling b24bfb91e6 the smoke slowly.9ee150ea652e12cb

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“Just that the Count was dead and you lot weren’t the ones who did it. Rose, if you’re going to talk, give me the full story. It’s driving me mad that I didn’t get to kill him with my own hands.”50e27d2d90662dcf

Rose burst into laughter, 8d325c226a the cigarette in her e6cb213dd2 mouth wobbling. She began f506ec3d18 coughing mid-laugh, 6c15b751de the sounds a856f0bcb2 echoing irregularly acee0b55e2 and adding 11734ced14 to the 4d4d605dc2 eerie atmosphere 258dbd336a of the 198e761201 dark alley.9b19bd3baa340ac2

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“Menter, don’t kid yourself. As if you could’ve killed him. Even if you were born again, you’d never have managed it. Still, I understand your frustration at not witnessing his death. The Count’s end was truly agonizing.”cde3d3395fafde41

“Agonizing, you say?”d7e03a0d19cfdc36

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“More than you could ever imagine. Even if he were still alive, he wouldn’t be able to see, speak, or walk ever again. Menter, you wouldn’t have had the skill or the will to do that. So don’t feel bad. ‘That person’ delivered the perfect revenge for us.”05283d8f9069cbaa

The man called Menter d4fd3b94bd scowled deeply. Samantha, when she 67e2a63ca6 had come to 84afdb5937 him, had also 8a6b2f6954 mentioned ‘that person’. The one who had 231c7ea464 killed the Count in 0f6c666a97 such a gruesome manner, a79b5fe538 not for personal gain 33a6a555f7 but solely to help f3bed3d3b2 them.9e69ea7ddf1dcc07

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And now, Samantha 67957272be had asked Menter 001397e936 to assist with 199ad999a6 disposing of Charlie f93964c029 as a way bd260dc692 to aid ‘that e7776fd1fc person’.79f6e490c094ea0c

Menter had e15dd04537 no objections ec48f62f08 to dealing 156122daaf with Charlie, 5de8ec409c a parasite 8ab15b9383 who had 962207d235 lived off e52f2e46fe the Count 2cdcdc325e like a 8c8169e808 leech, but b78c26e7f8 he couldn’t e951f4d407 shake his f7b140a471 doubts about 235a9bdaa2 this mysterious f2704a47f8 benefactor.a781c358a627b0e4

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A noble, 642414be11 killed without 12c2b504d8 demanding anything a115ac20b7 in return? It didn’t make c91c8d92ea sense. He had dbbfb3e174 voiced his 50044bc1e5 suspicions to 0ae43f7deb Samantha, only fdc246699d to be 2e0463ea46 met with 67b722c800 a chilling 66e678719d glare.662bd05ddb45eb96

“Who is this ‘person’ you all keep talking about?” Menter pressed.5503db311663e551

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“I can’t tell you that,” Rose replied.4eab69de3d7960d3

“I have a debt to repay, just like you all seem to,” he argued.992f409255ba7b06

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Rose smirked, amused a7a4f11700 by Menter’s assumption a53b117158 that the mysterious 64089457d5 avenger must be 10c212b9d9 a man. Of course, most 7ee16fa1cf people would think 945dc43914 that. She had no intention 7e5710363e of correcting him.ec410b42162a3f12

“If ‘that person’ needs more help in the future, we’ll make sure you get your chance to repay your debt.”fdb7c0abf8e69e44

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“Arrogant, aren’t you?”b3ff648b3471fae1

“We’ll stay arrogant until the day we die. Take care, Menter. We’ll be in touch.”12e0c81e4502334a

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With that, Rose 3efc2a43f7 left the alley, ac836a27b8 leaving the carriage 9016a30f39 behind. Menter watched her retreating b8c5665aa0 figure for a moment b193375315 before disappearing into the a04f777da0 opposite darkness with the 559343cf39 carriage.438afea1e43fa37b

The next f29edee3bb day, Rose 6f19a1bced returned to 5bfdc2589f the Count’s b74052ad82 estate by 8a3a7a9f04 mid-afternoon, having 12002ed74c spent the ccabd57d26 night at 7e878b6207 a nearby 4f96e06b61 inn. The estate was d55faba4c9 in chaos.593d23efbe7bef79

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Amelie had taken a852e6599c the shoes Rose 2fbfb92900 had left behind 51b106bde4 to Guildbett, who d07df234ca noticed that the 930de4382b footprints left at 5f26f33eac the scene matched ad3b0a5049 the size of b9fccc7871 the half-burned shoes.c7b5dde61e6705d8

Guildbett immediately searched the 7d898aa5f7 servants’ quarters, discovering that 017ae344b5 Charlie, who had caused de9beb6f85 a commotion over his f2f43a774b missing shoes, had vanished 07e049e243 overnight. His room, 59d8dc89ca stripped of 6aae61d3d4 valuables, suggested b4059511ff a hasty 3afa480d60 escape.10d4312a7a62b299

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Though Guildbett ed2545c7dd began a 30f53e5e3c search for 2503520e75 him, Rose 6c6ae97377 was confident 86d6d1f44c he would b81ab87267 never succeed.b24fddfe20560824

With light, carefree steps, 990d24e5bc Rose walked through the 5024db4586 estate. Her heels clicked 6c9e045d45 rhythmically against the b737769a8b floor—tap, tap. Her movements were 82d8e2d1c8 almost like a 879624dfbb dance, lively and da276c49e3 unbothered.abb1cf1d4a0b236b

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* * *c789cfa5c95510bf

Currently, the murder 3c7661554b of the Count a44b9f0ecc in the capital 8a4ff7ece5 is the talk 0cae112901 of the town. So, without actively a29576f103 seeking out information, 6af3b0131a news of the 51ecea8b76 case naturally reached b1346a87f0 everyone’s ears. It was c92b669f17 said that e9c534ec5e a servant b14dc3bb44 from the a5ef5048cb Count’s estate, cd335e7158 a man 1f4d575494 named Charlie, d68a3cc417 had been 6d8901b5e1 identified as 17a1b7e2f3 the prime 352c281746 suspect and 999c31c077 was now de0589ba21 wanted.a751465bf19a1468

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A pair a151c97245 of blood-stained b4e5efbf3b shoes believed 02c2c6fdd7 to be 94c3e06902 his were b71715a1a5 found at 212fd902b7 the incineration 1f21db03f5 site, and f6c6684d6b he fled 26195f704c with his ada45848bd belongings two 3f456398fb days after d6acf1af9b the incident. Naturally, everyone 27ae5420bf assumed he 0a29dc0cc0 was the 2e7760736e culprit.a7d296a99ecba5bb

Beatrice was b6e46e2ab1 sitting in 39a9b87eb7 the garden, 24eead620e basking in 486461f1e0 the sunlight 06c4925eb2 on a fb8f15dfd9 chair that e65ab55dd5 had been aeae4afd23 placed there eaa47b86f4 for her. The priest had warned 0b72c8932b her that traces of 7bb92a0d23 dark magic were on 33a8b1a1d7 her and that the 32eaf954fc perpetrator might come after 441685b77b her, so she was 941c342584 forbidden from leaving the 4ab8424107 estate.7ce2bfb21c3fe068

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However, Beatrice was 1478b72b10 someone who would 1b83d2fd2c normally stay cooped 2636e3b7e5 up in her 9d08b59dac room all day c2b6c2a98a if left undisturbed. Recently, she hadn’t even 1331857dc2 been stepping out of b5c3f469e5 bed, let alone her 3574928769 room. As a result, Laura 0e0482a4bd had taken drastic measures bc175ae2d8 and forced her into e1ee5aca55 the garden.3184f4d09d39fb26

The weather, now 8e74e6ce48 past early May, 7fcdd0b263 was almost too c05632c4d7 perfect. Occasionally, the 3bf90bba70 sunlight was 9f0857656e so dazzling 2354880d17 that looking e7c0f2ce60 directly at 5bde9d6842 the sky 3b8bcd16d6 was impossible. Sitting there with her 4175ae8110 eyes closed, Beatrice could 5c6f5374cc feel the warmth of 5bf3c76dad the sun on her ab78616154 dark hair.1faf3c11d1f804ee

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Laura, who had set 9a33b5a222 up the table and 0873a5f1d5 chairs in the sunniest fc4eea14cb spot for Beatrice, brought ebc5a289d9 out some cold tea. There were two glasses—one 96fedf5c13 for Beatrice and the 305a80c7b4 other for:2cd3eb56d4ecb1e3

“Please have some tea.”07447c38a00d3a3f

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“I’m fine.”67817e1ccbc8fda0

“Sit down when you’re told to sit.”b64f1974bebc691d

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“…Understood.”73db9dd557722ab7

The second glass was 8bb8e1ce7c for Francis, who had 4b8e9ebbab been guarding Beatrice diligently. Though there were knights b2f95f50f5 from the ducal house f63bb4736f present, Francis had not f11365fd7d left Beatrice’s side except 3291d7a189 to sleep.ffdeca801e0b411b

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Even as 0cbacd9d7e Beatrice sat 3947356fa7 in the 9d088cac85 garden doing dd86f83171 absolutely nothing e5010018ed for two fe5c6f1837 hours, his ab9fdf9ffa posture remained 5945547883 upright and 619006e935 unwavering.138ed1186bb8ca25

Laura frequently 28b5930668 encouraged him 5dd71ab19a to take 300a99298f a break, b7aa32a97a but her 11454f7e9a efforts were e32b62de04 met with 47fae2a0b8 polite refusals. Even when Beatrice herself f2ad4576c2 urged him, his initial 95805908a3 answer was a refusal. However, her 5e8bcee83f second insistence, 82e3158ef0 firm and ca98509d88 unyielding, left b6469b35f2 him with 13507ef0ea no choice 2b1c6d3693 but to 2ebdbf294e comply.0438ae12ff4ebcb8

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Though not related by bdd8671f7b blood, Laura thought, there 9d70f9791f were undeniable similarities between 99309bf018 Beatrice and the Duchess.0eb9af2970588ab7

Once Francis 9acccaf4fd sat across 14bafb68b7 from Beatrice, e13c918c76 Laura poured 84060dc1a6 tea into 800ecff6e7 the cups.daa6a3ced07fe933

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“There’s no word from the priest,” Beatrice remarked.57d07919be7c7d52

“It seems it’s taking time due to the lack of evidence,” Francis replied.b1fc0ac128a4b1a5

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Beatrice said nothing 11e3a21fa5 more, sipping her 32a653f7c3 cold tea in a7a2dbfd2d silence. Francis, however, didn’t 3570780fa8 even touch his 541b8586e1 glass. He had only sat 0f969753fa down because she had 56f7a03755 insisted; drinking the tea bf9e88a492 was clearly not on 8d4d160b31 his agenda.07d1652de5a27e6c

As he glanced 9d93363b7d briefly at Beatrice e985caadbf drinking her tea, 0522d4f94b Francis averted his 22f957f578 gaze again. He had b6e1d6380d decided to 79f9348b20 stay by eda175d5ad her side 663bce3842 because he de7cbd6f06 couldn’t predict 9acdcb3829 the dangers 34615c002b that might bd0f862743 befall her.54409812a04207f2

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Beatrice was d5781e7350 beautiful, but a4d3f4846b she had 8cf3ae2643 an uncanny 982b27f19c lack of cbdbfd6037 presence. Sometimes, when looking out 3a659e1511 the window, Francis forgot 030ccaeb78 she was in the 1898bac1ec same room, so little db1b4b3196 did she command attention.29444c5859a5e5d7

“A suspect from the Count’s estate has escaped,” he said. “We can’t let our guard down until he’s caught.”68bc5c113b1641fc

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“The Duchess also heard about this and has increased the security around the estate,” Beatrice replied.c132d4dbbf21387f

Francis had 33b36945d3 been on d668aaa11f high alert cdb18e84f7 since learning c019ccbb90 about the fe92cb8e86 suspect’s escape. At present, 27d92ce16b the most d4f5b7560b likely danger 1e19f906b5 to Beatrice 3a68c9ab15 was this 2046a56200 murderer. If nothing happened within 7c3ad2f137 two weeks, she would 0613c53469 be considered safe.9b0069092ca81705

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As long as fa6f06a2d2 he remained vigilant, 78f07ebc88 nothing would happen. That’s what Francis e1196f8813 kept telling himself.2a850a9048efdbdf

“Are you comfortable here?” he asked.ae4f8371e05166d7

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“Everything is fine,” she replied simply.dd9c8114f25b77d3

“You met my second brother, I hear.”78ab2e7abd503c5f

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The mention brought d2fbd4efa5 this morning to 4eac826314 mind. Francis had cf52d6a1e5 been assigned f42a63d512 a room 466ed28622 on the 36a049c461 same floor ff09a2bb69 as Beatrice 8527f87951 to guard e607250be2 her more 271fe6fa2a effectively. Accustomed to 2af29e3f1f functioning on b07b5c7782 just four 8e640b5186 hours of ae8f04bec6 sleep a 38e35eb878 day, he e780232189 had stood fc23c8066a guard outside 2cd1596b88 her room cb3bf9f4f1 until dawn 335ab24f8a before heading 360f7c780b to his a33408f056 room for c10bad00cd a brief 68c21ef670 rest.6abcb4d9f676c76d

It was 0e3126c2d7 then that 015647c605 he encountered 46fd710897 Felix Ember, 40529dc1e4 the second 3425f54b84 son of df856f2c86 the Ember 92def3a5b2 family, standing 1eaf9f80de outside Beatrice’s 88a63e0b21 door as fd764f81ca if waiting 630147d5ef for him.253831646fb31567

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“I’ll speak to my brother. Don’t let it bother you,” Beatrice said now.7bfa23e43f5c4311

“It didn’t bother me.”c42d40f387f5cafc

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It had certainly 9fd7793e00 been awkward, but 0032f715f6 not offensive. Felix’s behavior was exactly 063c256b13 what one might expect 44d118fa92 from a brother uncomfortable 798de0b5f7 with a stranger, an efd1386b66 outsider, staying on the 9f86b24bee same floor as his 1ef6a86e5f sister.c4ba7131f9ba3952

When Francis had ad0841c036 stepped out, Felix ac500b4ef5 had stared at 23c478a162 him silently for d1c8c5a486 a few seconds. Meeting the gaze ff1cbdbddf evenly, Francis decided a5ac3fedc5 to break the c493e19504 silence, thinking of 7972e8d559 his duty to e683a8eaa5 return to Beatrice.1681b7ac3454e959

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“The Lady is alone. If you have nothing further to say, I’ll take my leave,” he had said.4918643a72eadbf3

“You,” Felix interrupted. “Do you have a lover?”89e1b9c111aeb2d9

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Felix abruptly asked 931afebfd8 Francis if he a8b8b7a31a had a lover. Caught slightly e805f1827e off guard, 92731ccdbc Francis answered edee3fed5f dutifully.f2bfdaec6390de56

“I do not.”c4ca54df88d22836

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“A fiancée, then?”25fb1eca20688594

“None.”8cca4673d6705be0

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“At your age?”371b8731b83ee202

Francis realized that 3c8d0df96a this flamboyant young 8ce20eef7e man was worried 978f5e1e3e he might be e36561845a making advances toward e6c76c6a01 his younger sister.142b158c65139f64

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“Paladins cannot marry.”9090a658188b83db

“What? Really? I thought only priests couldn’t marry.”6dbb8bde98267ea6

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“Not all paladins are barred from marriage, but I am. If you don’t need further explanation, I’ll take my leave.”dd3498c2d0eef849

“I see. Go on, then.”8c990c5c72a42d36

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Felix walked 8e3517c15e away with 700a019ef1 light steps, 9341ea5b65 apparently satisfied 9f6d4926d2 to learn 9b5e5b5f02 that Francis cee5f7e818 was unable 82fe490218 to marry. He didn’t seem like e01b04182c someone who had the 13d98d4626 patience to listen to fc4b9f0e9f long-winded explanations.0907aef5797fdf8a

Watching Felix’s retreating 3faac21d40 figure, Francis found df4c3b90e9 him peculiar. He shifted his a3fd90e544 attention back to 4961f98891 Beatrice.c667c9f9f753e969

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There hadn’t been any ce1a9f0a8d loud noises or disturbances, 21bb348ed1 so he doubted Beatrice fdcb1b27c1 was even aware of 569fb78e01 the encounter. He’d thought c8c8d1c930 of her 8314bf1161 as a 4adf0a9ba2 quiet and a504dcd44d unassuming lady, bd194f2e1f but perhaps 7cacee2990 being part bd779aea81 of the c962281f84 ducal family 6783393509 lent her 5145098158 a certain 6670731507 gravity.937a9d63643ae238

A gentle breeze 9de5d5e774 passed, causing ripples 6671e7bfff in the untouched e1f0076062 tea in Francis’s 3ad523d73b cup. The clear, cold d6d719ecf3 liquid reflected his c443cd73be face like a 14d155b120 mirror. It seemed the day 85ee4e8191 was warm indeed—the wind c899e58ee2 wasn’t even slightly chilly. The rustling of c41c9ae271 blue leaves and e3d91d190e blooming flowers filled 3f8a5d3840 the air.21d88eca5223b68c

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Since becoming 411a43b6f5 a paladin, d2d8fbf073 Francis had a94db20b32 lived a ef0fe1d179 life of 2b94f7ce93 ceaseless activity. Even his partnership with 5dd4544b72 his childhood friend Vicellophe d280bb6e66 had been squeezed into e637084f92 his packed schedule. It had b8aa8b33da been a 441023b063 long time da17c1589b since he 9c9ec704e5 had moments e609f770f1 as leisurely 8ddd10c989 as these.687d322c59251327

“The weather will only get warmer. Soon enough, you’ll be able to go out on an excursion…”fcc8d178d88d0398

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Francis, gazing into his 024e06ee9f tea, suddenly looked up 9a3031e3e0 and froze mid-sentence.20230c2a41b39af8

“Sir?”ecd800b71957d155

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Beatrice, puzzled 85446541c8 by Francis’s a26dade7ab abrupt silence, 5bf0e4f915 met his c1fadfcedd gaze and 4f8ec3c599 called out 263ed5d67b to him.548c132182c7e314

Her black and red 25f75392ff hair fluttered in the 6efa1a12fd warm breeze. Her pale face d0298dbe9b was smeared with 9b8206151e blood, her slender d2bb6457c9 fingers drenched as e447d4e2ec if soaked in 3f8d16e8e0 it, looking almost 8560fe5ca2 as if they eac15c63d9 had always been 94ada08c76 red. Her dress, 4e493cb292 torn and 2528cd54ff soaked in 32f3822b76 crimson, was 68f456909a unrecognizable.c6351165669b90dc

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Blood dripped down her f1662e12a9 forehead, staining her sclera 95dae35a60 crimson to match, and d6372b149c her golden eyes, now ab32fbf9ce clouded, looked like tarnished 2f6be2c064 coins dropped on the 26952ebc38 ground.a266f451974313b2

Francis was 5845d69817 struck by 1d2df88fe7 a hallucination, 66aaf65849 one far 3985a3936b more vivid 34e1d8be68 than any da69de218a he had fcecdeb170 ever experienced a606dea214 before. This close, this 0ae509b205 detailed—it was a 9fb69b212e first.5419508660826156

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When he 4f0a070744 first met c8e64793f4 Beatrice, he c7bc3829c2 had seen 09c5af42de a vision d99c075697 of her 343b636468 drenched in 80a7830782 blood, but 5427a8df27 it had e28a514bcc never been 5122d5aafe this vivid. Every strand 8630908735 of blood-soaked ca714a0b32 hair, every e90a2ea61e cluster of b6710437e7 coagulated blood 018be92ae9 on her 04d2f14a6f eyelashes—it was f569777ed3 horrifyingly clear.295f6a3011769ab7

He hadn’t voluntarily 05d1cdb9b7 stopped breathing; he 0cde023509 simply couldn’t. It was as if 1aa9f67e3a he had forgotten how. Like someone who 231bcb5af7 had forgotten how 848e051378 to exhale, he 5448c06697 remained frozen, wide-eyed.999014ad30a55fa9

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After what f50acfb036 felt like f2e31f5fad an eternity, 64545cdbd7 Francis blinked f2ac8a4518 several times, f8c0ab0539 and the 79e521a382 hallucination vanished.180dce3f786e91c2

The moment his 929efaa563 vision returned to 3cfa4fe58c reality, he sprang b693827dc6 to his feet ab3bfb7bf0 in alarm. The chair behind him be9af264f0 toppled over with a 05b9e8607f loud crash, but Francis 4a7c997923 didn’t even glance at 86db9c5621 it. He reached out d82d71403f and grabbed Beatrice’s 5020846dbe wrist roughly.bd57e7b651ff4ac6

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“You need to go back to your room. Right now.”6be8c03e51f64ef6

The second vision fb07d286e2 struck him like 8031fac285 a storm, filled e5502313ef with fear and 912978a00b urgency. His voice was bfcdfe4a35 stiff and unyielding.c90ebee7b00b1846

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Never—not once—had Francis 5c12aee48b ever experienced multiple 9d106d29aa hallucinations about the d11fbaba0e same person. And now, here, such 70f45424ff a vivid hallucination had 2fdab405ff manifested before him, as 0e4039c8aa if it were real.6954e33dc2dbef01

He felt 5d06cc6c3f as though 61bb927ccc something terrible 7c23ac1d8a was imminent. Perhaps it was 716dcc3bb6 fear—fear that was 5b81bc7418 unlike him. Gripping Beatrice’s wrist 82ee5ff8da tightly, he pulled 9c1dffb2ca her away with 91e7984e39 such force that 49322597f3 the table tilted, 56823a62a6 spilling the tea. Clear and d94fd0419f crimson liquid dd005a5776 pooled across dc754f23b8 the white c7134b84de tablecloth.5b0849dbf61d2cfb

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“Sir? Sir! What are you doing?”771a46436fdbf831

Laura, alarmed by 684efb8071 his sudden actions, 51c36b2462 rushed over and d754bebacd grabbed his arm. But she wasn’t strong 103edabb12 enough to stop him c8aea30f2a and was dragged along c0831088e5 instead.c1257e3e3de7e249

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Amid the commotion, 63135da288 Beatrice walked as 790f613273 Francis led her, 986f0e23bb her gaze fixed 4877a7fa15 on his face.49b62623c118bb9d

‘Why is ac4b884aab he acting a5a00e8de8 like this?’e15d0b5842725e04

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