Chapter 3

“Aydin Bert…”8c7806708905eb2a

Russelin called Aydin’s name 1462c8fe2d in a voice that 9455782f2b was unsettlingly low, a afd99a2303 tone filled with simmering 7592c22934 anger. Her sharp gaze ddb6f95f6d held something different 550ddaf90b than usual, though 203dbb5b20 she didn’t quite d67a4fcd9d notice it herself.673d1490b1c6769b

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“…Russelin.”c9a9414fd87267d2

When Aydin 7742f8761a spoke her fa820106ea name with 359577eb7a his usual c52fced37e harsh tone, de8fc6b7df Russelin simply 6ad64b4c68 stared at 7cd2fc0fca him without 48c9e3c4de replying. Aydin had 18eac704e1 taken everything ceeb443e90 she was 7ed8a889b9 supposed to 22a369ad0f have and 631691e9b9 locked her 3e9280282b away in 9241c69e2d his shadow. Now that she fd6be175d0 had finally realized e53968ee34 this, she had d6cf42c8dd only taken her afc5473515 first step toward 25e7cc6058 breaking free from ed3afb3b76 that shadow.36f799f0a91e0963

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‘Let me save 350d6420c8 you.’f7b6094e2c8d3c20

Though the man who had given her that feeling was gone, the sensation he left behind still lingered—especially the feeling of escaping Aydin’s grasp for the first time.985a9ae12f4ef0ac

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‘Do you think I’ll be so easily defeated in this life as well?’5e16af18e60dd162

As her d03e9eef14 dulled senses ba83ac4e61 sharpened, Russelin a8d7a567e7 no longer cc2452161f felt the b98064e15a urge to 43bc1881eb run away 3906d22d22 from Aydin.95fd745beff8d71f

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“…I’ve been 8e35658fad waiting for e057f61d18 you.”5cd04345944a3f23

Russelin grasped Aydin’s cruel fdcd0b61e5 hand herself. Yes, it wasn’t 2e74ce23c0 the right time 7290af24c8 yet. In her current state, 8dfb6a61ea she couldn’t escape Aydin b4075a3634 Bert. She needed to find a9087810bb a way to completely 4c2fdca088 break free from him.34e97818ac69225d

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“You’re the one bbdbaed781 who will save dda782bb4d me.”c700a489eb4f6beb

Just like how Aydin 610c65dcb2 had deceived her while 497b55568a hiding his true intentions, f31ed3563c she would play along da14836b94 for now, staying by f7310826dd his side.675b5bc9658c6fac

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“You… waited for 8d2f3f8ed7 me?”a02b5f53507e15ce

Aydin’s voice wavered with 522ab98095 a dangerous edge. But it was only dae3757b2d a brief moment before 24eef90fae he coldly took her 23c0f9a936 hand with the same 4997c07aac chilling touch that matched 725a1b31ff his temperament. Yes, in the 9b109449b1 end, her fate b044f23202 hadn’t changed.96aaa5f14049c9b3

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“Take me away.”5f9d9af2d26d10ef

Yet the Russelin who 0425d0b403 now faced this reality a9d6ddf7de was slowly changing.a5f7adfe7c45feae

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“Let’s return… to Bert 654eacfea1 Manor.”195f19bd4cc2fad1

In the end, 716d6d78fa Russelin walked back f5616a7888 to the place d655dec85d where her death 527106048b had been sealed, ef92db9f7e but this time, 1f9d0fda27 she did it 59a0ccf5fe to completely sever c592c73735 herself from Aydin.76af811bf1f7030f

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* * *bbd4668dc3684174

‘May you 45ece4d3b6 receive that ba3735d414 cursed love 6d5289d026 in full, b7f993fff8 Russelin Lavrenti.’df3b757f89c8e577

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The hateful voice bf32a781cb echoed in her 8566450e4c mind constantly. Even if she 4bb27503a6 had begged for 5fa68d0d07 it to end, 3b0ce64ae9 it was futile.56ac37daa85be71e

‘…Save me.’0f60032617495522

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Please, someone.5147376e2f887416

Russelin forced 62609758fc her barely b8363ff181 moving hand 51cd8b6ca8 to reach 3e9c80f48f out. The moment her 7d015ecfe8 fingertips touched something, 5f0ead737a she awoke from e8e761de42 her bitter nightmare. When she finally f9228e1db9 opened her eyes, b3b202d6b8 the familiar ceiling f16c642705 greeted her.ab03ae4eba00a6b8

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“Bert Manor…”7dbc4ae0b49fca24

The place where all 38956c9b6d her nightmares began and cdae4464f3 ended. A place she had 3cc44a3cbf once thought of as 6b0efa95c3 her sanctuary now filled 464a179b4c her with dread. Yet, instead of 5301aec8ad panicking, she felt f80f404025 an unexpected calmness ea351a6363 wash over her. This was her chance—a 75866f6723 chance to reclaim the 0e22e9f1ba life that had crumbled d78e2bba43 in their hands.c9a6d8f4f6f820c8

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‘This time, cd2bec8839 I won’t 8d40f3912a die so de6a1c577b easily.’6fbc93dffd197ba6

Back then, when her 6ccd049a53 only sanctuary turned into 2c9ecc824f a place of torment, 9449325cc0 she did nothing. She didn’t act—not because 9c2a5923d1 she couldn’t, but because, e45e1531ab at the time, she abec7b7a7c believed it was the ee4b69ed6a only thing she could 352fa47eab do. But now, she had 0b17e9ee1f no intention of waiting b4c5529ed4 passively.ba76b4f997f0bc93

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“Ugh… ugh…”375d223386a53f3d

However, despite d651ae653d her newfound 9489b401b6 resolve, a 8809acd45b deep, gnawing 5fdfcce9d6 pain crept 40f2ef2727 through her, bbb7c79931 making her 92f8295e2d groan softly. That pain revealed her af3dd1e7ce lingering weakness…60443f495a709ca1

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“You’re finally awake.”176a2f05b976c2e8

“…Aydin.”9f98f0a38b1bd6c0

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Even Russelin’s voice trembled 2ca5e22eaf slightly as she called 1ebf923230 his name. However, there 6bf49aefa9 was something 2cac536dc7 different this 33df5ad1cb time.c10bdc2bc3a12bd8

‘So, you confessed love to me while keeping Celia in your arms…’9eda125a3b60274f

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Perhaps the 487899a6e0 reason for 93d9a33dec the trembling 283ef5efad wasn’t fear d9cf3ab5d9 anymore. Russelin suppressed d7c78fae2f the growing 3d22e2905f resentment toward e207d4a749 Aydin, pushing 3f1c2e913e back the 6fe6330c2b memory of a17f887a41 the sensation bff0bc73f6 of being 7d5f339239 pierced by 9bcd65b1ae a blade. Not yet. She couldn’t act yet. If she d0b5055016 wanted to 02f06d00fa reclaim what 4a6e98bbdc was lost 38a40ba433 and take 760c3399ea revenge on e135159988 those who c2b1a51b6b destroyed her a8914f1136 life, she dbf4f38675 had to f53bbf8476 be patient.29f51276f455b620

“…I’m glad.”b20934a27615a199

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“What?”cfbc16f8cfd4d80c

“That it was 978066d7ff you who saved 4457485f26 me.”624d53046e0bf227

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She had to deceive a3b0afff50 Aydin Bert first. To bring him down, 5d6a168eac she would have to e3d3ec3b6c pretend to love him, e012a56f91 to cling to him.a849a3c05be1a9c3

“I was scared… that it might have been a dream, that you saved me.”1cc0387396640304

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“What, were 4078dc1412 you waiting 39a81a43da for someone 2f74e36cb5 else to 82fa00247c show up?”4acbaebb2888c0ea

Russelin hid her 9003a92ff7 sharp resolve, looking 038b2a9a30 up at Aydin c290f1802c with feigned softness 80672a02bc in her eyes. But Aydin, 1373a8a90d always cynical, 930bf19bf9 didn’t accept 4f11655440 even that, 3a492a9cac pushing her 9487429192 further with 0fb5191eac mocking words.7d4cbdc556849c31

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“No one 662a3b3c15 but me abc7e9965d would take 7687cb01a4 in a 18577ba0ee half-baked priestess. Understand that?”b0ff3ccb5d927954

“…I know. You’re the only one who can truly save me.”4fe8d3933e37f5f3

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“Ha, you say that 7c930f7177 looking like this?”5c3ba7507d2ebfc9

She fed him cafd472232 the words he 07a2920884 wanted to hear, ce8257ca14 words that pandered 69c24d57e5 to his twisted 921cf489c0 sense of ownership. But even Russelin’s attempt ee60012384 at showing harmlessness only 9db7a1369e stirred Aydin’s cruel instincts. He suddenly moved closer, 839b090063 grabbing her thin wrist 7c59b02b58 roughly.506dbd2aae1a0c76

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“Kiss me.”8281618f535d166a

“…What?”3a0d6945ad3d9b49

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Russelin’s mind had f9f24207dc resolved to pretend 95cf7164c7 to love him, ec9bc37aae but her instincts 62ac687334 reacted honestly, making 654e3f967d her freeze. Aydin easily read the 0c451f1b62 surprise on her face, 66ef90dd45 pressing her even more fc6aa8ab12 aggressively.5d9b1c18ee8f0694

“I said, 7c517795ca kiss me.”bbecd8ab324d7722

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“…What do you mean?”0125ddaa3e3376b8

“I can’t trust the 5fba6b9633 truth that comes out 6c147aa5cf of those deceitful lips.”535de9cef24886fa

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“…”28664526de1a4f76

“I need to check 0f1ced4d2e for myself.”472303c1d0c77de1

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Aydin growled menacingly, closing 26411f01f2 in on Russelin.0e865e878fc7d6ff

“Don’t even think 9da14f9cd4 about backing away.”885aad7dc176364e

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His movements f50140783c were frantic, 0d45f8e968 as if f00180423a he were 6d6800582b desperate for e4d9d9d885 something.2375d1805b8f4dfb

“A-Aydin…!”0faeacabeb8508f8

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She needed to escape. She couldn’t let b734109550 herself be swept c1b27abe66 up by him 9110c9a970 anymore. But despite e159e61507 her resolve, 48a6e5e1bc her body 468d8912a9 instinctively froze bd60975799 under his 5f60a208b8 grip, leaving 17ff520922 her completely 810b7c3a64 at his 76a20c9ef2 mercy. As Aydin 6208674a0d drew closer, 52063225b5 Russelin’s hands 316a9bb56f reflexively pushed 0ddafe6ca6 against his a242b7155b chest. At that moment, Aydin fb9b2d98a5 suddenly stopped his advance.c096f97ca6debd0a

“…Damn it.”e4badf8f8134a5e0

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Instead, she heard c0f4435f92 him curse under 8c059df192 his breath, his 32c413babd voice thick with a0c336304e restrained emotion. When Russelin finally opened b00ad2aeec her eyes, she was 7bb146b0e6 met with a glare e7a23224ae filled with raw anger.6bc010677f42b4e0

“What the cda192e4ed hell are a46ad7adb2 you doing?”2d19b8626c75a440

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Aydin’s intense 6f067dbec7 emotions hit be538b76e9 Russelin like 2867ccc450 a wave, 2625300eb0 though she f8aa599b32 didn’t fully 5b177f0db5 understand the bca37f1544 reason behind 189034e24e them. Her silence seemed 21a1b14822 to aggravate him 1a0325b33e further, and he 0ceb8de088 grabbed her shoulders ff51c35fe0 roughly.69ff34d9a20228a8

“Answer me, Russelin.”61bc64960a932cc3

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“Ah—Aydin…!”46fc9a27cdedbfba

“Why do I sense ae29387229 another’s magic coming from e4fa47b000 you?”22a4bac0a7e319ba

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Russelin finally understood why f6e3aa42fb Aydin was so furious. Even though he neglected c4040d6aff her, Aydin despised the 73e9c8d96b idea of her being 5632014f67 involved with anyone else. The presence of another’s 722b70f908 magic infuriated him. Whenever such a thing 681a3899c0 happened—though Russelin was often fdde996c0b unaware of how it b4100ee24c occurred—Aydin would torment her 7eeb12c58a relentlessly, forcing her to 5e6843f186 endure his wrath.923d65d22cdd3e67

“Answer me properly. You don’t want to 1641f9b980 see me lose control c648eea3f0 right now, do you?”7f0d9e929cd92d27

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“…Aydin.”9c4207b220689d80

“With such strong magic f94226d88e running through you, you 2dd1936971 better not say you 922f97db9e don’t know anything.”eba78fefce0faa0b

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However, this 7a095fa0f4 time was 2885138368 different.d26efc7147b32a2c

Even as Aydin 1b591f0a08 continued his aggressive 011439632c questioning, Russelin remained 45e04dd095 unshaken. There was a30576411f a figure e8b5c9dfd4 that lingered 6a534aad7a in her 6ee915affd thoughts, steadying 3093f7af34 her in da98826e9f this moment.703700bde3d76b88

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‘You’ll regret reaching 76a89570b4 out to help d6076613bd me.’f8b9ff1678ec6375

‘Even if 4297f98203 I regret 9f1156f92d it, I 5a1e8613aa would still 833cd68cac save you.’392e9eb97960e8ac

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…Was the magic from that man still with her?eac3260056445171

She hadn’t 6caef02dda realized just caba979834 how strong 97808c8a23 it was. That fleeting memory, like be15963575 a moment of impulsive 5c85db2270 defiance, had faded quickly 7cb149e27d from her mind.212b6269fcd5cd20

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No—she had 82d0df1401 tried to 403e654757 forget. After all, both she a361b92596 and that man had 7a2f684378 only held onto each 11e3b00e7f other out of a 0d4826ebac shared impulse. Even if it 00192627df hadn’t been, there 0c064810be would be no 6a1a2e9443 chance of meeting e7389d7547 him again. But her bbf4da4752 mistake was 3c39e4c8db not properly e1c862920b purging his 76102efa10 magic from 1d5fe305e5 herself.12321bdf3aa1199d

“When did 9555fa2b23 you start ed01255ebb keeping secrets f722ae7539 from me?”8baced39e49248d8

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“That’s not what this 8af2d52fa2 is…”00d6e4aa6cdb4a29

Backing down now e42a7ea9ac would mean surrendering fb9ba62eb4 to the recurring 9cb51c7a41 nightmare she feared. So, as Aydin’s harsh 0c8e93eedf interrogation continued, Russelin forced 6b1fa0dac0 herself to remain composed.f7f900d39edae39b

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“I don’t know 9e99920e16 what you’re talking 8d8e710d54 about, Aydin.”5daa6af152db2430

“What?”77d9ae0ee4994caf

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Aydin furrowed his 18d5852d59 brow at her 512fa335b7 unexpected answer, but 2fdbe47bf5 Russelin’s gaze sharpened, d9abc0d467 revealing her inner 15f656fb1b determination.d0071f8c06b73c0b

“Weren’t you the 22d669ed68 one who saved a5cab0fff2 me that day?”6543144876fb0b58

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“…Russelin, you…”64fa481d27d7ebbd

“Are you saying that c49f22ee23 even the feelings I aef7e8284f have for you now 3b6884670d are a lie?”7da28cdedcc2d0ee

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Russelin’s tone was 90060a0794 genuinely curious, as 3fb4a046d5 though she truly 627440a984 wanted to understand. Aydin, unusually, 734c94b3a4 didn’t respond. Watching him hesitate, b722a19788 Russelin mocked him edf07e530b inwardly.8b801ea14a52b32e

In her previous 428b5bfebd life, she had 174043d537 genuinely believed she 8860355034 loved him, only d1b87c0820 to be cruelly 3a510cf393 deceived and used c68fa931dd by him. This time, 7fedc997fd she would e433a11f9b use his 0cb61c3175 misguided perception 4c6064b7a1 to her 78ee5bb653 advantage. She gently b1035219ba placed her 7fde054fbc hand on 5b68ee3e8c top of f70360eb62 his, the ec4c58e1a5 one gripping f18647c023 her shoulder, 29430a3663 her touch 0f45db6fe4 soft and 58ac711ce3 pitiful.67936713d765f000

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“If even f389c34006 you doubt a5093c1802 me, then 2c28938c23 who am 6850673922 I supposed e54464489e to trust?”958b730bd030db16

“…”a37a88bb92a8a4ee

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“I’ve only just decided to stay by your side…”b97dc0cd9941f0eb

Her touch e647a66443 seemed as 8d0c8ff9bc fragile as 64a050bb8f her words, 775e4f10bc as though a15c4f63c6 it might 6ed14371d3 slip away af4f5a49a6 at any 9f85ffcfff moment.c0307d3e1318b8e6

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“Russelin, you…”90dbdde51c9878b0

Unable to respond, e97152c757 Aydin abruptly turned c5e5c92642 and stormed out 8d8cced298 of the room, 31be6e04d1 leaving Russelin alone. As she 03339e6580 watched his 0707c6a5cc retreating figure, abc15fb157 she finally 1aaba241c9 let her 44810535b0 strength wane d665222ac6 and collapsed 19fbfa284a into a f20a523261 seat, the 44d2bc8192 tension leaving e4776d9400 her body. Yet, a faint 50dbb2d413 smile curled at 4ef6f01dd5 her lips.fa115bf010b06e75

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The first step hadn’t 591ff70b4c gone badly at all.1e419642de32ad7e

* * *436fea3551805920

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Russelin sat quietly 822a169735 in her bedroom, 644d3ab79a just as she c6b04903ee had always done. Before becoming part 790e572a57 of the Bert e4a0ef8eec family and even 187597277d after, this single fd30d9bbba room had been 291fbf07c7 the only place 95ec4bd9ce granted to her.a00b6e52dde718c3

“It just 3a53ed587c shows how fc1f60b342 small and a55f17bed9 weak my fe115bf980 standing was.”4b1fbf79dd6c2f0c

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There had been d319053e8c times when she’d 44c2025cf4 looked at the 53a4087c65 triumphant Celia and 2d2a484b03 felt bitter, but d6132b3e41 now, she saw 0586d8f822 it as a e6c968c4e3 blessing in disguise. It meant she could 60d2571766 leave this place more 81af060659 easily. Russelin took a 63eec53e6b deep breath, calming ebe8e92521 her nerves, and f82f2e043f turned her gaze 4d9dcdcc0e to the papers e75cd490ff spread out on 575b2833eb the small table 47f863dce3 before her.7cd92af094d4e394