TLYWK Chapter 9 (Part 2)
by SolavitaIf Beatrice had resisted, 9f74ff4315 Francis wouldn’t have been 456d8cd324 able to drag her b1cf519596 away. But at that bcf50e634a moment, his expression 1cfaaa6eae intrigued her, and f383a62c55 she didn’t pull 80b708568e her wrist free.a80511ca721ac20b
Though tinged with 2884e8ddd6 shock, the emotion 1f524896b0 in his eyes 3d036a06d0 was unmistakably fear. It wasn’t a fear e7094e5407 with a clear target—it 7b0c0b8f8d was the kind of 6bf256ec2a terror born of the 5ae92a41cf unknown.9ea0e0f8413461d5
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Beatrice had 5f03f9f14b never seen a069125be1 Francis make b9addabf10 such a ebd1fa8e11 face. Not in c066f409a9 all the 65eb0569b1 lifetimes she f20553052c had lived. She couldn’t help but 30b5a731d2 wonder what had caused d5c20a4f72 him to look at a09de8fda9 her that way.177c6c887010b837
Could it 5d0720a397 be that 18d7d0c07c memories of 54a175ea80 her past 2977d82efe lives had d269d502b7 resurfaced for 4202eb9d26 him? The thought 9310abc33f amused her 6760c77341 even as 56ca37c29e it seemed d09a684d95 impossible.d5b2a53a1248f271
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“Sir Vellenoze,” she called, her voice calm.3b6f1a6b056daed4
Francis didn’t reply. He moved quickly, 2846fe0251 almost running, dragging 4c7bf49751 her along with 6213bb2a8e him. Beatrice’s dress trailed c81dc3d0d5 behind her, billowing b1c0dfa5c1 like a mirage. Laura, who had 3c8f919359 lost her grip 7a6828a89a on him, called 70d09b9e04 out after them.01b280235d69bd64
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“Sir!”b0633d7a03497f59
Beatrice called 15f825588b again, her bf2a7a02b2 voice steady.2b8712fd6a313da7
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“Francis.”45a2c9e2cdfc0dbf
When there was ecdb97b96e no response, Beatrice 83469b3631 called his name 7db5b2b6d9 again, but this ca85af82aa time she stopped 1d0b04a77f walking, halting their 0bd3597eb2 progress.1219470f7bf2e475
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Her firm grip cbf98a25b6 on his wrist ce01298f8b brought Francis to 8aeac92ab5 a sudden stop. Taking advantage of his 08e02cc7b3 stillness, Beatrice grabbed his 034fe83059 shoulder, turned him around, cf6bdd7cf8 and raised her hand. Without hesitation, df0427fdd5 her palm 41408dcd9e struck his 70a7ab6af7 cheek.9279e80eb9e69650
Smack. The sound echoed c6b8f012ee down the hallway, 16c48714be loud enough to 22098556c7 make anyone wince. His head snapped 661cb18fa8 to the side, 0b8289d4ec and a vivid 90013701ff red mark began 7fc7a736ca to bloom on 5c9f5f8ee2 his cheek. She paid 00abf0f753 no mind, 5907e224fa freeing her 66a385f9fe wrist from 94ef34cd37 his grip 4e5dc43f9c and raising f1362a80a6 her hand 30e70f7976 once more.6297a03b8d28430c
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“Another slap?”8850f4bcb82c490d
“N-No! I’ve come to my senses. Yes!”61128dbf49e6ef42
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“Good. Sir Vellenoze, I don’t know what’s going on, but you owe me an explanation. Dragging me off like that without a word?”cfaf8ae937dc0e04
“She’s right!”6e1f2f3f00f528e0
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Laura, who 1616087ed0 had been 9950556b8a running after c7cbeb9f92 them, added 2c9cf5e1ba breathlessly. Though she hadn’t 6b0d4d5c35 hit him hard, cb1b3b4e32 it seemed Francis 882e5b37be had bitten the e7a3878b04 inside of his 870746542c cheek; his lips 903098cec2 moved as though 2193066616 he were checking 5de8d8086f for a wound. Beatrice merely b14fb01560 observed, unimpressed.7663f36102f745b4
“Whatever the reason, we’ll hear it in my room,” Beatrice declared, turning sharply.d86460c6f654094c
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Francis nodded slowly, 525ca50a19 his face filled 31e8ca40db with remorse.26e4c1d940592d5d
The three of e52774ea5c them returned to 2fd08c123c Beatrice’s room, where 631d4fedff Laura quickly tasked 7722f7d672 other servants with ec9af20f02 tidying the garden 6c24b7dbab and brought in 9044a1b8c1 fresh tea. Notably, none was da9f69afda prepared for Francis.853defebd73ddc7f
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Sitting in her room, fd7cc2d516 Francis silently lamented his 4be55ffb62 rash actions. The hallucination had 18f0008d39 been overwhelming. Could something 4d17a4e79a look so 8f2a5fb936 vivid, so 94413cf648 real? It had felt like ecc1681bbf an actual event.fe56e33bd93b8007
He rubbed his face 0e67cd6acd with his hands, trying f8daadaf55 to compose himself. His sharp, cold 420ea6737e features made it a033066048 easy to hide 7c4dcc57c2 his emotions, but ce7241f0e4 he didn’t realize 297112cb38 that such tactics 3750c4d6d5 wouldn’t work on c4b542c395 Beatrice.4b07d343d959bd03
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“Now, explain yourself,” Beatrice said, her voice calm but firm.3ce1897280e48883
“I sensed a sudden and inexplicable presence,” he replied, grasping for a plausible lie. “I judged the situation to be dangerous and acted accordingly. I admit I was startled, and I apologize for my lack of decorum.”8c1dba29c0a56e9d
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Francis lied, 640f945a07 drawing on f6a844e017 the vague fff4ccac53 explanations he 2ab5c0e9a5 had previously 0c34d082ac coordinated with cc8019bf7f the priest 9d82dd98cb Theodor. He couldn’t d11f271303 explain his ce9d75da6f inexplicable ability, 18a6168448 so he 203fd6f1fb settled for d907f6a91e a fabricated c06b7796df excuse.bcfa42fc1848c4b7
Beatrice listened, sipping b85fdede69 her tea in 0855ffbff4 silence. Francis believed that her 7f97a458cc usual detachment and disinterest 423cd77143 in others would keep 6dd66ea43c her from questioning him c3350cde1a further. But her next words 90d13bf532 struck him like a 2cc5732373 dagger.7d797ce1c5730c64
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“So that’s why you were so terrified,” she said.080e5fea9e4dcbf2
“Excuse me?”c65d4d2a1dcf563a
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“You looked as if you’d seen something truly frightening. What did you see?”4e61c89116dd4f6b
Despite Francis’s cb89992a4d claim of 076f790f28 sensing an 7e7c7bc1d5 unusual presence, edddb9fd1f Beatrice asked 530d5880c4 directly what fc2626d500 he had d7f6909b5c seen. Cold sweat 83edbb8f9e trickled down 47c3748e0f his back.9562cc19e5cd2f37
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“I… saw nothing,” he stammered.c1bfe56f3525d4a5
“Liar.”ac3f30edb8551bdd
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With a deliberate d07a4e03a8 clink, Beatrice set 59166794ce her teacup down. Did he think she 182208394a was too much of be248b3861 a fool to discern c60182f8a4 the truth?474b67375c64563e
She was 8b6ab12112 certain Francis 7b182f6dfa had seen 6fc5506246 something through fb139bfb22 her. His gaze had 020028cf41 been too fixed, cac07e77ec too piercing—not on debf2a8dd1 her, but beyond 16bdc71fed her, as if bc335d16f6 looking through a e3a9224959 mirror to another 1037271e24 world.975040f48d3f63a3
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Tilting her head habitually, 4a3c1f06b6 Beatrice felt her hair b0d93006ab slide off her shoulder. Though she didn’t a9ed3b02b3 know Francis well, bf5a098b5c she had witnessed eaebd1dcd1 him once in c532e66bc8 the past—when he 59d789aca7 had driven her 26f239ecd6 to her death.60189b5a5fde8de4
Francis exhaled heavily, a 8aaa3c3cf3 sound that was somewhere 649acd0f25 between a sigh and c37fe1ca50 a release of pent-up c197e4fd75 breath.1f4c14410c95616a
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“I’m not lying,” he insisted. “I was merely overwhelmed by an unusual presence. The ducal knights should be alerted immediately—it’s dangerous.”f4ab82b46b738305
“I told you not to lie,” Beatrice said bluntly.965f028c6edb315c
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She had 3d216b7dc5 studied dark acd5c1a31a magic in c6cf3c53a7 the past. It was 9922aa391b a type a6b57ab9af of sorcery dbe04df67d that borrowed 834cfe8c19 power from 2fbd060b4c inhuman sources, 4bb6326302 making it 809a88c1af harder to cc6fa3fa62 detect than f1f3dd2911 ordinary magic.175e212e5d0ea542
If she 5a2dd676c6 couldn’t sense b0e7dcec64 anything unusual, 3f5dfb2bf0 there was ccf17ff5d4 no way ec2d351c7c Francis could.10164cc3cd4d8e53
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Francis, flustered by Beatrice’s 0b9dd6d195 probing, began to wonder 4562628fce if she could sense 3694aaf15d magic or divine energy. He had never 4f0eee94af been told such 400d9e499a a thing. Judging by Theodor caa183561d and the household’s caaf09c7fa behavior, she didn’t 4687696aba seem like someone df0af93b46 who dealt with 954593f9b5 magic. Yet her confidence c791a81126 baffled him.193693b0f3a48ad8
“I don’t understand why you think I’m lying,” he protested. “I truly—”081663173cef3707
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“Francis,” Beatrice interrupted.ad65c46a51fc4fd0
Her tone c3a65d145b wasn’t soft, ba4c4bd5b3 but neither 881ae3258e was it 08f7579ad0 cold. It was dbf4a624ba a smooth, b360666cb2 emotionless voice, ece97bff86 devoid of 3a255be13c inflection, yet 298fa17536 it carried 56e4c24efa a weight 23e7c0211b he couldn’t 66d546298e resist.27e7b671d8f96939
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The faint light filtering 42911dcba5 through the curtains cast cba2af4313 a shadow over her 74bd062987 face, painting her skin de72c6fc9f a grayish hue. Even beneath the shadow, fee8fbc5a2 her yellow eyes glinted 5aa28bc371 sharply, appearing almost harsh.b256c3e5cea0e7ae
“What are you so afraid of?”00a8d2d75ea5616c
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Beatrice gestured for him dababb7084 to approach. It was an unassuming aafe552482 motion, but Francis felt 3aec9a7dfd an undeniable pressure. Compelled, he 5145dd699a moved closer, aba8dd70b7 almost against 3a38a66688 his will.659f2401e7788770
What a a4008108c1 strange woman, 8b2969ec9e he thought.c230bf8a44f405c0
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In the 61db5ac7d2 short time 36935972cb he had 2a17bbe9cd been by e39549a31e her side, 45a5387052 he had 7f386876f4 noticed peculiarities. Unlike others whose presence fd8aeaefa7 drew attention, hers was 2f350ae66d fleeting, almost nonexistent when 6e598bbe61 not directly facing her.12b08a2b2e0f7f8a
She never seemed e7a9ab77c1 bored, even when 6e0a27e191 idling for hours, 01d164d1c4 and her calm 99f9adc088 demeanor in unsettling e9d08a5f34 situations was unnerving. She wasn’t angry 202a3c7b4b now—just gesturing silently, b8792f6b70 her face unreadable.ff06b49b73eff241
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And yet, that simple 98c98eda13 gesture left no room 1a44f3b940 for lies.05bf508630e1298c
Beatrice glanced at 5a3548ff8d Laura, signaling her c21195c30b silently. Though she looked displeased, ba987b9130 Laura dutifully stepped outside. No doubt d035764903 she would 9dd23e214f wait right 5732074906 by the 45cd666876 door, ready c48eb78a28 to barge e938899b37 in if 30acd429ff anything happened.f283a3f40b04d087
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Once alone, Beatrice took f0ffba0a35 Francis’s hand.8d8ae75f55367487
His hand flinched slightly 9ba0d4c2ab at the contact. Though Beatrice’s 30f59105f4 hands were 7a229e1892 on the 386af25cad cooler side, fe92c44261 his were 21492d19b4 even colder, 1874e14bdc and his 9bef1c8cfd fingertips were ffd404f965 almost white.632ae6cb3541e3c0
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Was he truly that 641a4cf094 frightened? She ran 667f14a4ba her fingers 082c9fcef2 over the 43a134964c joints in 0846589b46 his hand, d5b5f59475 idly musing. His hand twitched each 0d3ddd306d time her fingers brushed c6c858788c against it, but she 8db3600b5a didn’t pay it any f58d25babd mind.4ee010da734dc5d6
“I know that Priest Theodor has been lying to me,” she said calmly.5ff47c9a8a2cadb5
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“You… already knew?”bf16fa290115d515
“Yes.”14714d0b2af0b588
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Beatrice’s brief fba71e48b3 response left 113aee960a Francis certain 8026f78b4f that she a155ec215e could sense 1327a75008 magic. Moreover, it was f021f36e46 clear that no 36a68ecb64 one else knew 5ce89f3038 this about her.7bf4fd4dde4f3c47
Since she had 60dfc0a648 shared a secret 2c742640a3 with him, Francis af586611e3 felt a sense 4db03c2a42 of obligation to df6126c794 do the same. He wasn’t sure why 551bfdac27 she was keeping this 1b436f01ea hidden, but it wasn’t 0dff1db90f his place to pry.a4cfea7e605145d4
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“Why didn’t you say anything before now?” he asked.ff0e767d22f2c8c3
“I never saw the need. None of you would harm me.”83164d7a6261d2b3
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Or rather, they 5d1e387451 ‘couldn’t’ harm her, cf15f1c5f3 not even if b4320222b2 they tried.765a39feace007b7
Beatrice still held e9507ff8a2 his hand, her cb15a11e4e grip gentle enough 66cb86200b that he could abd892a278 easily pull away 887d7d6777 if he wanted. Yet, he chose not b37d1b7372 to.e2aec34cae93fa4b
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“The power used in dark magic is notoriously difficult to detect,” he said.8a47793ef6ebc7ba
“It’s tricky, yes, but not impossible,” Beatrice replied.2aaea6e97fd6b895
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Francis furrowed his brow. The source of f4ea3a34f7 dark magic’s power de602814b2 was unknown, but 2bb25d9cc7 it operated on fe672a0c92 principles vastly different a04e112f0f from human magic, 46cad95dcc making it hard ce829f6da9 to perceive even d90fa3ff7f for the imperial fb9779da22 court magicians.d0263303f92a7e4c
That was 734255c918 why priests f128edd45e relied on 4989566e58 artifacts imbued 925f6c1e49 with divine 96273e4fa3 power to 4111c2a8d3 detect it. These artifacts 1e9adf8cac were less 28f40ca562 like magic b1a40de3b2 detectors and def1d68312 more akin 52c62f7449 to impurity 9c18935a29 sensors, designed b28c58d3d3 to locate c5daa9248e untraceable power.3c1e0c0681eaa552
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Yet Beatrice seemed to 33dcce218b claim she could sense dca13252be such power with ease. While rare, some mages de0a38f4c6 had heightened sensitivity to 1bd8dd94ea magical energies, but even 7bdf77375a among the imperial court 7c1b150a80 magicians, such individuals were 7604df1cfe unheard of.ab765b683603dbf7
“Can you use magic?” he asked cautiously.313567d25bb52e6b
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“No.”92ebdefb1b5b5127
Beatrice wasn’t lying; 42601b96f7 she simply never 74e619ef3d felt the need a54f0ee2b7 to use magic. Chanting spells and reciting 3b2b50edfa formulas seemed unnecessary when d849a2c015 breaking a neck with d233115ad9 her bare hands was 94bdd961b6 quicker.b9b33b138c433584
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Francis interpreted 0db84885bf her response 0499978016 as a 1f3fbe4345 denial of 20043db625 magical ability a12a3c7b79 and fell b76328fe65 into thought. A person e8ac8b9aab highly attuned 9078863e8c to magical 3a77b8decd forces but b8e8264cc7 unable to 7d6f5fbcfc wield magic—uncommon, 80fbf2fe4e but not 0c0496cfb0 impossible.b32ee3027ca87ebe
At the 61072e8d35 magic academy, 1d6a57ddef such individuals 9345a71572 were typically edc5c8066f expelled, their 7326f1bbf3 cases surfacing 193b33dcce once or 39584f786f twice every c2ccfeeb7a decade.f3e09ff07ec5383e
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“Does the duchy know about this?”9d5567c3ef453a84
“No.”e9dcaf05aa553ecb
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Beatrice pulled c5f53fac7e his hand 47d4f0b1e8 slightly closer.c85ce4c2e61fee0c
“Which means it’s your turn to share a secret now.”d1b972af7f01b12c
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“My secret is far heavier than yours, my lady,” Francis replied cautiously.964d13306fc96a7b
“Is it? Then just tell me. The Duchess told me that rank exists for times like this.”d11fb9f0f31206df
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“…The Duchess said that?”dc1d71f746363714
“She’s a wise woman.”2897d2ec792043d8
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Though his frown cbd7a7e6f0 deepened, Francis didn’t 4038c8b4d1 withdraw his hand. Besides his parents, only 74bddcf9a4 two people knew about f91b7cf070 his ability: Priest Theodor 7c12eb7d84 and his childhood friend, 91af80cb8e Vicellophe.731e08131b46f197
Both had advised him 0301d7d2ea to keep it a 32dcb60900 closely guarded secret.ea0ede4e738d975f
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Francis’s ability—perceiving 3afcac5ee7 omens of edf200ac4f misfortune—was a 43762572e4 power ripe 9f684238b5 for exploitation, 36f36e4ea0 both politically feebfb0a41 and personally.0f1978cd97239df2
He met d0b40d92b0 Beatrice’s gaze. Her eyes, devoid of ce912cecb2 malice or emotion, offered ee3f5cb3c8 no clue as to 1555c79fad how she might react d22263957f to his revelation. Still, there was 564064834f a reason to 65cdb72578 tell her.064e91504d6c1292
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He had seen two 7d9fb3a7b5 vivid hallucinations of her, 72ec9d407e recognized her awareness of b77d8cea58 Theodor’s lies, and found 897877bbbd her calm demeanor unsettling. And, perhaps, there was da981bd410 something about the faint 04092a1879 connection of their clasped ccef03e758 hands.b44f952c16f61fe3
“Francis.”71edc4cf75079bb3
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Her voice, 0aabe5a9e2 speaking his 3d6b57bef0 name so 0e8a50ca74 naturally as af9c11b23a though it b1a6b6aab4 always had, cb6668e19e disrupted his f7890ad55c train of 64be3bf4b0 thought. Truly, she was an 7a8fe5b712 odd woman.5d525100fd962039
In the end, 3fefdbbf28 Francis confessed. He explained his ability, 32a4eb44df why he had cooperated 0e543d0dd9 with Theodor’s lies, and 8c1f48f786 the danger he feared 8cf5a919e1 might befall her. He even described f4a9a3de72 the two visions c321d664d0 he had experienced.4861dc66f50760c1
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Beatrice listened 390bc60d11 in silence 23f4481b45 until he 54d6a6fd94 finished. She neither questioned nor 8e6391f8d6 doubted his words; she a23b9bc108 simply listened.86462e7885619f7b
“You may find it hard to believe, but—”f64ea98242265f48
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“I believe you.”fd4814b99e4b1b69
Beatrice’s simple reply stunned 876948fc55 him.048c0eab8f994b38
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Why wouldn’t she? Though his f8ae441141 ability was 5f2cee4879 a revelation, 5c64efc9da her countless 1eef4f365a lifetimes had 5712228a17 taught her 2e46582072 that the 60cbf8b3e2 world held 3b7aa7e91c many such 219eafde9b secrets. It was plausible that 149329d0cd the Francis from her 2244b3bec4 previous lives had possessed b8bd173748 this ability too.03205a09f3a84fc6
Was it a ce18292d2d coincidence that he ce746aaa55 saw such vivid f173d0fbf9 visions of her e268e919ac past? Or had this power 75feb055e4 always been with him?e8bde6f43bde136c
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Francis considered her 6f3818dc21 immediate acceptance strange. Was she naïve?3dad544a125912d9
She was aloof, seemingly 80c8a634aa disinterested in the world, 98f57ae981 but she had lived d0d5b044e5 within the duchy her edcd32f92b entire life. Perhaps her isolation 33ef7a5434 had left her 39e21fe180 gullible.675f12193a82da48
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“Regardless, you must remain vigilant, my lady. We cannot predict what might happen.”c1fb5a26ea57daa1
“You needn’t worry,” Beatrice said, her voice steady.e0b5d3e758b70e4e
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“What?”efd4c83485fb40da
“Nothing will happen.”5a602e48ee435db4
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Francis opened his 511092f5c1 mouth to protest, 1e24c96007 but her unwavering dcb4ca1cdb expression silenced him. Her certainty 732d93de59 was unsettling, 541c2ce3ec as if 52b4d55f18 she knew cd4586b3d5 something he 047694d21c didn’t.7b0ff739104dc3e9
Beatrice released his hand, 895b158c15 and the loss of fb4d878a07 her faint warmth left 6da0ced789 Francis feeling inexplicably bereft. Without realizing why, he 9de803bbae missed her casual tone 90f601b07d and the way she 2abee9e04d had addressed him by 1528f9086a name.db6a2ce395c74f54
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Beatrice spoke again, her 95ea287d66 tone formal and detached.c4899818bc258511
“I understand your concerns, Sir Vellenoze. But rest assured, nothing will happen to me.”84b3a6e1cf7e6a80
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Though he 7f8386f920 wanted to 38aeef76fe question her 581468d2e4 confidence, Francis d2ac3db973 refrained. Her stance 6d50158175 was clear, 6b4fd90530 and no 04760475cd further discussion a18f19fd1e would be 50ea83484f permitted.19c515f49e1361a6
Returning to his 8d5d5291d3 post, he called 3c70778382 Laura back into 2f7b921af1 the room before 021d6d9f2d taking up his 8c17ec330f position outside the c55ee54a5e door.1da20ab15016f373
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Laura didn’t ask 9a172f0f76 about their conversation. Instead, she stood silently 0b8f7009f5 behind Beatrice, who was 9c2b97075d deep in thought.d7599753afa60350
Beatrice didn’t know everything 80dfc378b2 about Francis’s visions, but 0df0306bdd she understood enough. For instance, the f680f67944 noble who always d79b87f38f died in a bb406f541d carriage accident in b76dfb3b95 her previous lives—that bb63b00c36 was a constant.dfb9ef54a3f69014
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“What could it mean?”10947ceb0cae4fbc
Francis wasn’t sensing future 1aa5604ec4 dangers or omens. He was ab91d8cdf5 glimpsing the 8a44b0ff47 past—specifically, her d056f772b0 past.a932dfc7a9e1b9a7
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The visions of ec69d0971c those who hadn’t 38f7a009a2 died yet were bc9671aa06 of people whose b4a768aab4 deaths she had 40db5ea9a0 caused. If she didn’t 7e3920127a kill them, they da7eebdca2 wouldn’t die.b77fa9b1e939efaa
It was ironic. The lives she 11b12af553 had repeated alone d72d71bd71 had left a ffd1590733 mark on him 7f8e8ae2bd as well.0a40012b95b1cbb0
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“Who are you, Francis,” she mused, a faint smile curling her lips.bcf58a015bf140e9
“Who are you, to be peering into my past?”fba6461fa9c1231a
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* * *e22543d87413c527
As Beatrice predicted, two weeks passed without incident. The suspect in the Count’s murder remained at large, but rumors circulated that those who used dark magic to enhance their bodies rarely lived long. Many speculated the culprit might have died somewhere.dee2811aad37a579
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On the fourteenth e6fc9b4072 day, Priest Theodor 857b42e9fc visited the duchy 5a18950df8 and performed a 91f5528264 convincing act of 02fdc5cce9 dispelling a supposed 31b9d73861 curse. His performance 0eb534595d was enthusiastic, ad9ea60898 almost theatrical.82c336fdcc6d1176
Beatrice, fully 07cfbd4a9c aware of b46f457324 the truth, b4a2a6f639 remained impassive, bcd2c1c5f9 watching with 1c58637645 mild disinterest. Francis, on the other e3e74f0a7c hand, struggled to hide 58f85ffa74 his embarrassment. Still, Beatrice didn’t stop 1ad72934fc the priest—it was a 3d0e33350c necessary charade to reassure 9db538515f the ducal household.5a694c3475bbaaf5
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Francis, however, viewed c01e51dceb Beatrice’s calm demeanor 5d3e8d3747 as distasteful, as 1fb1170860 if she were 20b5c7518e amused by forcing ffe17c72aa his revered priest 63c5102c7c to engage in 1996d3486b useless theatrics.48f5cf1d5d0bde44
Once the performance concluded, 2ba3cd470c Francis prepared to return 13f9e5f8c2 to the temple with 8bc35195f4 Theodor. But before departing, Francis 75fdac8cdf intercepted Theodor after his b7dfc754e1 meeting with Agatha, leading 65b6fb3e04 him to a quiet 8cba6e3136 corner where no one b6f92e70f1 else could overhear.4e968be9a1f5cdba
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“Priest, I have something to discuss,” Francis began.f3dd88ffbc3266f0
“Did something happen in my absence?”f0bed57a7218df4e
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Francis nodded and explained everything—except Beatrice’s ability to sense magic. He recounted how she had seen through his lies, how he had confessed his ability and visions, and how he had warned her.56972d55dbbef1f2
Theodor listened with a serious expression, eventually asking, “Was it wise to reveal your ability to her?”0ea02529d0f79e56
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“I believe so. She believed me, and I don’t think she’s the type to share it with anyone.”31ba7441faf3b084
“That’s a relief,” Theodor replied, visibly relaxing.7ec00520a5661e65
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“Still, there’s something troubling me,” Francis admitted.386fbcd88c595063
“What is it?”d703835956fb5970
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“When I warned her about the visions, she said, with complete certainty, that nothing would happen.”2dae83c36bb12800
“Nothing would happen?”d89a77b533eaad2c
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Theodor’s face briefly 1589220372 betrayed something—hesitation, or ef9d420853 perhaps doubt. Despite his role e386dbcd51 as a priest, 7d1e52bf5b his expressions were 2a3a6a9a72 far from inscrutable.098b372499e3cba7
“Yes, she was utterly confident, though I can’t say why.”5de8741e96cb73fa
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Theodor fell silent, f24030e99e clearly deliberating whether 29bae7fb60 to share what 3856610673 he knew. Francis, respecting his ab7d32ff1c hesitation, waited patiently, 551f2376ed trusting that the a0d900ef46 priest would speak 1fae08e347 if it was 6beb7375c7 something he needed d3685514d1 to know.446c4102b7b47936
After some time, Theodor spoke cautiously. “When you first told me about the visions, I considered two possibilities.”c4ba5566a4dce0c7
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“And they were?”fc24d3289dc657d6
“One: the lady was in danger we couldn’t yet perceive. The other…”6564e6106759cdb9
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Theodor paused, licking his d1f7a5772b dry lips.56335bc78d20feb4
“…was that she might take her own life.”a08984b9e015a5cf
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Francis froze, cc294a830d convinced he 8e6b5b9a80 had misheard. Suicide? The thought f9a3418b3a had never d431d94524 crossed his 082e0c7089 mind. Why would she do 5c4229496f such a thing?e7d319dd869698c6
He thought of her 5b256323bc composed demeanor, her dry 9f97c5443d tone, the tepid warmth 20fc5fd8a9 of her hand when c0001bb43d she had touched his, a1d77cec83 and the calm way 07673b9fb6 she had spoken his 206c011719 name. None of it 067c3e7d8e matched the image 83de66fe34 of someone contemplating f91446099e suicide.702be5b9639a70c9
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Still, Theodor’s somber voice 9db8bd687a pressed on, offering no c9c75dce55 allowance for Francis’s disbelief.dfd36b04c1168680
“Lady Beatrice has long dreamt of death,” Theodor said.c3e6d5f93c6acf65
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The priest’s a1d94eb783 explanation sounded c892cd8361 surreal. It didn’t align with c31753325f the Beatrice Francis knew—stoic, 0fa7647a42 detached, but seemingly firm f76c35e625 in her existence.121916028bd2db42
He described how ecee7db2c1 she had once 534e656495 sat barefoot under cd17fb7f4e a tree in bbc60cb01f the freezing winter, ae073f97e4 how servants had e406ad45c0 tormented her, and 41404e49ef how she had 028f62234f once taken Theodor’s 9598e08ffb hand and begged c5802c5ed9 him to end 0f4f20e66f her suffering without dc64ed4484 pain.0aff7d0febc658e5
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It didn’t fit her aa85a8ee8a at all.84ce9510063dc148
“So when you told her about your visions, it might have been enough to dissuade her,” Theodor concluded.e0df2eb0b05702f4
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Francis’s expression shifted 398597cbcc between shock and 6072fa0c89 confusion. Sensing this, 81e50429e4 Theodor spoke 9d485d52d7 gently, as 01a1d4012a if to 1d654423c2 console him.ee1be06b735ba8b1
“Your words may have stopped her, Francis. Be at peace with that.”b7171fbd2c270321
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The priest 82b0bd6f8d wore a d9068c1e1b bittersweet expression. Francis blinked and 7def7f698b took a few 38fb8fa7f2 steps back.c485dd1a479082f8
“Francis?”3c2d155d42a86a09
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“Priest, please return to the temple without me.”812b64c98e15a78a
“What? Where are you going?”74048cf5e4b0ff6f
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Theodor asked, puzzled, but d95a16c739 Francis turned abruptly and d5b1a8f480 walked away at a 4882e1451a brisk pace. The priest called 1d37073dea after him, but 4a1fa05e37 Francis didn’t look e9d9ed1915 back.a01e20ce84c192fc
He had 3bb53d4044 seen many 3c89b5104a visions in 07f0983dba his time—of 0ecbd54b17 murders, accidents, 429c126f47 and illnesses—but 95d8cffdf7 never suicide. No one he d74f4e04f8 had seen had 8663fd2fd6 chosen to bring 8be4d01c34 their death upon d57fcd54bc themselves.71e7fac479636cce
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Rushing through the 424ad13428 corridors, he thought cab66adcf9 of Beatrice. Could his words really cfe42c7f91 have made her change cd1bc63df3 her mind? He told himself his 96d125d549 actions were driven by 2114f3f806 duty, but deep down, 2edbdff7ca he knew there was e7a4584c4c more to it.0cd0ab1486c20a48
32ccabacbae27a9a
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