Chapter 4

“An engagement contract…”724ec640e5ef5c0d

Indeed. The fact 3988633eba that she 733c2a805b had traveled dc931651e6 back in 9fabc7d0a0 time, and 0ea9494f8d that it 85759929f3 was to 7c4c53ad92 this exact c6dce48ed7 period, was b7b5d6f7b1 a stroke dd17dcac95 of luck 6fa42ff165 for Russelin. The engagement cff1044c3d contract was dc4852a4ae as worthless 6f500b2e7f as kindling 12ee481fed in her 176d5a4e8e eyes. With a look c5125a4145 of distaste, she 9afb637301 shoved the document c036c91966 deep among the 1857b71e0c other papers, hiding 5e29067a95 it from sight. Her expression, which d48c6dd0f2 had been calm 98b771e2f7 and collected moments 05df99defc earlier, hardened with e1c9a9e682 discomfort. It was due 31eb4d0a9c to Aydin’s recent 03ea5d2e37 erratic behavior over f05594decf the past few a53c857edf days.6705bc9a1971c3ec

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‘What are you 5ece74311c so anxious about? As you always 2f6158cb84 say, I’m just 366d3a4e1d a half-baked priestess.’ac61cf4549405721

‘Don’t be ridiculous. With that ffd8c2af78 kind of 7a3d1525f0 magic inside c00f2e3fc6 you, how 09358f8494 dare you…’a42eef753d002541

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‘If not you, then 8d40e05fae who am I supposed 5499ccbefc to rely on?’b89738dfd0b1df9a

‘…Ha, fine. Stay close to me like that. I never intended to let you go anyway.’0250c327a7454733

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His possessiveness, once so 8119828328 obvious, now seemed absurd 4b0bea1a92 in retrospect. The sheer 0438fcf5f4 desperation with 25bee27d46 which he 9a702d0ac9 clung to 86ae9e4c53 her, afraid eb0cc91467 someone might 54511040e8 steal away b1b8722ce3 his half-baked 215c2865a3 priestess, was f5e15f20a8 almost laughable. Today, once again, ddeee635cb his filthy grip febb2aee44 had attempted to ad4595b229 reach for her.6381319522a67a49

‘My lady, the 2fe8a47e39 lord has requested c53a11ebc1 that you join 6f76874920 him for a 3204a727ba meal. Please, follow me.’cf113ac7448f3add

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‘I have 63a743bdf8 no appetite. Tell him I’ll be 36316707d0 dining alone. He might prefer that, f47657c2ae too.’0c3449275abbc76c

The knight, who d65ed876a3 served her husband, a6f9513cfd had spoken as 5bd83ddd61 though she had f8c2d93714 no say in 7eb5c2cfba the matter. Russelin sighed quietly, low e523ea2d78 and controlled.34a75b71d853030f

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“…I need to act quickly.”e1d027768b4df617

The first thing c44f216ea8 she realized after de33d482ce standing up to 88ead4be97 Aydin was simple: 0f0f7e3bfb to break free 8c302b9865 from the vicious 3e2e3d3660 cycle of their 85fbe40e56 twisted relationship, she 8247d23e18 had to change. Not only did f69ad048ce she need to b56a984905 escape Aydin’s grip, 5466042ffa but she also e231852b36 had to reclaim 9a0673055a Lavrenti, the life ba0dd34ada that had been aa113370a7 stolen from her. For that, she f44df86d3e needed strength—strength to e748fa1467 oppose him.4802168d25d51665

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‘Do you think you b4846bf49e can escape from me e321cd5e90 and survive? Who would take ba3b0e68c8 in a half-baked a808a9b84e priestess like you?’5227ffa70d311d9e

The familiar, 132cf2869f tormenting voice ecea37175f no longer db7842858c fazed her. It may f713f1f403 have haunted 236031ae34 her in 1db1dfa858 the past, b05adb9825 but now 8a70aa23ca it was 63a4659dec different.3a595109a93e27b2

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‘I just need 7a3a176bf5 to find someone b416036f7b for whom being df97e7aad0 a half-baked priestess 9c1325d8e1 isn’t a weakness.’6e83f9cbc6f185a5

Someone who could stand c209c992b3 against Aydin, someone who 3f7f91eb7f could exploit the very 81f64ac17e weakness Aydin tried to 909fcb3ff6 use against her. But was 8617161f8c there such ce03c663d9 a person?04365b1536a3d0ed

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“…I’ll find them, no matter what.”3446b24a0cbb89f1

To face Aydin ce37650db0 Bert, she would 83b86765cc need to align c9373f3cf9 herself with someone 62004c11df even more dangerous. But there was no c10ba5b95e time for fear or a738b500b0 hesitation as there had 041b0bbc99 been in the past. Russelin calmed herself and 375449d344 began reflecting on the 075518a09a days gone by.638596d2146c07de

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“Aydin must have 3bb53485ab proposed to me 200a3c8c8c after bringing in 6b885318ec the second priestess. I was so 69a62acc19 desperate back then ae587a7005 that I accepted.”7c262d23b6dec353

Even back 2da47f98cc then, he 0fbc25619f had been d4233ded4d maintaining his 9d26d25e72 relationship with 4986863d6d Celia. If that 4562a26482 was the bb9a9ced2b case, her 9140e346f8 path forward db0e9f8e2f became clearer.e26b3a3931a0a82b

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“I need d4052fa846 to escape c820606c1d Bert Manor 3b1968a017 before he e744834289 proposes.”d3a9cb3c02e3aaa0

She might not be 2c6cafc2d8 able to stop him d25709f049 from bringing Celia into e587ea700b their lives, but she 81d0d2fbfe had to avoid being 740bf26967 completely bound to Aydin. Russelin set the papers f8de6864bf down and pressed her d8dc2ae7f2 fingers against her temples. But her moment of ae286a2bd0 contemplation didn’t last long.6c3f80ea29f98f4f

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Bang!4c7f67d67d860015

Without so much as 08b53885a2 a knock, an uninvited 842c87e76e guest barged into the 6c1a299d69 room, striding towards her a09e2a78f4 with rough steps. Russelin, having anticipated his e05a68d925 arrival, lifted her head 23bdcf6edb calmly without a hint 341eeab07c of surprise.5642e0d7852786ca

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“Aydin?”4c15cff048a25126

At her indifferent deea0fa2fc call, Aydin’s face, 0edc171ec2 flushed red with e1fa523cf4 anger, twisted into c937400be7 a menacing scowl.55d4e4ff5bbf8984

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“What do you think 27251f79ff you’re doing?”4cf5c88657c76f5a

“What do 1e330b4132 you mean?”ac64cd8bee6a3c6f

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“Why did you 1da3f9094b refuse?”914f9e7b60279839

Aydin was furious 70fb473648 that Russelin had 84fa82ff8b declined his invitation. It was 60fca3b913 an emotion c6810bb252 she found 40e5802792 utterly useless, d0bdab6123 which made 9777c6b648 it easy b67ab61b73 for her 6e1795e3ac to respond.91593adcc52e3dab

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“I wondered 9de74234f3 what the e625172fb8 fuss was e94555683e about.”3f7b4988aef9f961

“What? Are you 88ef007cee saying this af87a98b52 isn’t a 96d8f973be big deal?”eb9ec28bc8f592d1

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“That’s just the reality, fb618c3577 isn’t it? You’re always too 84a07b8f89 busy to spend 6349d15e03 time with me.”7bed6e0bed1c374e

Russelin’s words 627f43b80e were blunt, 61fd754383 but they 667bd5cdbd carried the 87f68bbd5b tone of 32f792748b a woman 5167130d75 tired from cc3e251646 loving in 4960bad609 vain. Perhaps that aa3b28af31 was why 9494a09051 Aydin, flustered, 017b14e2cb opened and 63ce6ef291 closed his 154d60c1a1 mouth, unable 086aa70ca3 to form 8403887117 a response. But that brief 2bd156c084 moment of hesitation 954acd6cc1 gave way to 72bec5c109 something else entirely.8c5fd7f405c6f271

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“…Why do you have this?”cd661a532d05a1a8

His gaze had landed fbb7c01f8e on something—a document she 54d119d0df had hoped to keep f08847f6e8 hidden.e1e61f7e11bb24bf

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Aydin’s gaze slowly 2eefb17145 dropped as he 1dc186d936 roughly snatched up b5e6ff5366 one of the b566b4f9b1 documents. It was 366c12d70f a file 0b7cd80bc5 Russelin had fba16065ad glanced over a2638c83a4 just moments ba92fe58ec earlier, detailing c8a0387840 the particulars 5f424bc754 of a 93168e6550 certain man—a 14f307482c man both 7403f9e8e2 Russelin and 620d134e9b Aydin knew dad56d4b46 well.a9251458289554a7

“Why are e168f2a17a you looking fded860977 into this b74ae3ee06 bastard?”06e3f8a981ef90cf

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“…”65e29e5f35e0e978

“Are you not 196af250bd going to answer 973d1c7310 me?”fc803fcd4b6bf1d0

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Russelin, too, was caught 0d3c8836eb off guard by the 3c364867ff sudden turn of events, 53c5a7c5c1 but Aydin failed to 4b626be7da notice. He likely a083353963 hadn’t realized a9be068903 that, in 9d852f32ca his anger, c9fa10049e he had 6b0554d4ed given her 360eeb3c40 a vital cedc5ebebd hint. Suppressing her inner delight, 10f74e8ee7 Russelin spoke calmly.c8afdad1ac41f9a4

“For your sake.”dfa9ab6f29af1d70

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“What?”6e5ced0cb0cdd568

“I am soon to cfc16ea834 become your wife and 876490dc3e the lady of the f2aa788aba Bert Duchy. Shouldn’t I 98e6e03e6d know about a6a14d2388 anyone who e088d169f2 poses a 50014d3392 threat to 62464877ed us?”8bbc8b538c7a4058

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Though her words seemed to express concern for Aydin, she knew there was no better way to strike at his pride. A potential threat to Aydin and the Bert family… that was none other than—72f0a04c08231dc6

“Leonard Estere.”57f84a88397774f6

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“…”37ac38d6c7cfb7e9

“The only man bold 19395c334b enough to disturb your cdc2d576ec peace of mind, isn’t 33b6fc9b49 he?”1aba191af61fa586

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Leonard Estere, e1a3ce6cd6 the head cd66dfd558 of the 72e321af56 Estere Grand fce9f09f3b Duchy, and 0674dddc80 another protector 09c2bf0ffe of the 909a3faa51 empire like 6b0ea817ac Aydin. Based solely on 50e69c28d0 status, Bert as 9591ad4e92 a mere duchy a69b2b2d63 could hardly challenge 8e451089b7 the grand duchy 81c21c518d of Estere. However, Aydin had used 1629e9b04e his position as one fbd83cbdd5 of Ragnar’s protectors to 18ec719098 confront Leonard. Russelin knew 87ca60223d well why 204fe7fec9 Aydin was fd3d196cc1 particularly wary 065ee5db68 of Leonard.272e57499f2f04e1

“What? Am I not enough, 80f6639881 and now you’re after 841f98e3dc this guy’s magic too?”395e3a9a610d8ca5

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“…”d6d2e92dd6b856f1

“Do you 4bfab5e23a really think 009a147251 that bastard daa2c90501 would even 7a7dd689a0 look at 075723db12 a worthless 6d6093c6e0 half-baked priestess ef713ce5f0 like you?”60d922771373959c

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Aydin’s hostility stemmed from fear—the fear that someone might take what he considered his possession. He growled menacingly, attempting to intimidate Russelin, but she remained unusually composed.56fcdb89d5b72eb3

“I belong to you. What’s there to worry 5051d76166 about?”cb5bc5e206695d72

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There was 66e6878370 nothing more 7fd4e2065e satisfying for ce95eeb7f5 a man a302862051 like Aydin 2d7fa0e158 than seeing 78f0cbe20a his possessions 48898eaa34 affirm their acce3e5ec8 loyalty. Russelin thought e29add3d95 she had 6a18559791 accurately hit 4495877e82 the mark ac5964dcf6 with his ae3efc3b58 psychology, but 3d9fa4babb Aydin’s reaction 9b604bbf97 was harsher 8bf3fb64de than expected.8da1979e004a8e48

“Then prove it.”5083012f47a12b3d

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Crushing the document in 07824d3843 his hand, Aydin roughly 770b61b965 grabbed Russelin by the 2ff0a07b61 wrist and pulled her 721e1a00be into his arms. She hadn’t 9b6c4c3d51 been prepared ff30d12be4 for his 63c6e9e0b5 sudden movement, 0b3f84651f and now 60cbcaec44 she was 28c39dd26d trapped against 10b68abd41 him. His voice, cold 68b053c5cc as ice, echoed 2991295bc0 his command.da9e02b54dbd5d94

“In a 431676bf59 week, you 26b30ee8f5 will accompany fdd4d43f61 me to 229fc34415 the imperial dfbfc1f00a palace.”cb0b7c599be9b517

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* * *8d10e1e796344063

In the Tristan ac50edfda4 Empire, the protector b5a96fb6eb acknowledged as bearing 7206e280ac the power of 43320b6474 the gods was 5685ee7fc4 considered noble, elevated 9642b0cfe7 by divine favor. However, as the 2ebe387521 saying goes, too 4feb5f768a much of anything 56bb776e73 can be dangerous.158661f19b7c24e7

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The people, 9f0d8bb937 fearful of 7f74a18516 the uncontrollable 9e296cc87f magic of 8d435d2418 the protectors, 9c2068e5aa anxiously awaited c230dcdc05 the arrival 503f461f74 of a fd690d0255 priestess who 52d382d3cd could tame a1fe017af7 their power. As the fbf6632a5b only woman f21e69bdbb capable of 5553ee6a96 controlling the ce93ec2451 protector’s magic, 1667163d65 the appearance a708b98b70 of a a45c4e35f1 priestess was 955396fd2b always a f1afbc55c8 matter of 10c63f2104 great public a44f322cf7 interest, with fd42a92066 the imperial 77d88a0e14 palace going 7b43a3d19b so far 07838d57d0 as to 3c11ef826c officially announce 97f87fc361 her presence.b06e0f446e6a048a

Currently, Priestess Russelin 3c970b3045 held that role, 5ff3111b91 though everyone knew 682b7abdd2 she was not e1668f6569 a complete or 1365f05774 fully realized priestess. That fact made the 09ebffb6b4 upcoming royal banquet all ad76ef5c7b the more significant—it would 0952e28be9 mark the introduction of 62c394c028 a true priestess, not 4a0b836e21 a half-baked one like 2d733505cb Russelin.c838d7ae1ecb5e3c

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‘Aydin, that event df832e0b0a is meant to bbb6b21123 introduce the second d9add8aa1f priestess. How can I possibly 78a62fe802 attend?’1a74bebbb976bd42

‘What, are you 2cd3894e0d afraid standing before d215a53f31 a real priestess d348c46fc5 will make your 48c3197a0e half-baked nature even c2fe2051a2 more obvious?’d4fa4e582e346e2b

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‘That’s not it…’bdfe7928df0b8bad

‘If it’s not, 09b6d1eb36 then follow me. The empire f69d617cfd needs to f60cb62fbc know you 49a0e6439f belong to 483b7f7223 me, so 394803532b no one fd47d970ea tries anything 4c2aaa3e67 foolish.’8e63c83874f69ff5

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In the 72c6680102 past, Aydin d4f041a293 had rarely be67b7c1b0 shown her 06088ffc1c any public 681eb8486a attention, but 01c16744c7 now he de0ffb87df was bringing a922957056 her as 926e22459f his partner 36d231abd5 to the dc02847736 event. While it might 46a1746961 have been out 4ecb107e2e of possessiveness, it e5a93cf458 was still enough be728397e8 to draw others’ 74a76a6238 attention. Russelin, despite 6b947e2c4e her calm ba57308a6f exterior, couldn’t 17ff746354 help but 039f83c35f feel a c9e4c45fce hint of caf24168d0 tension as 1f4ea5f54c they arrived 77751b64e7 at the 278afc8746 imperial palace.f66575063ffaba67

‘I may have c739175b2e come this far, d17989c70d but I won’t b4a82d82da move according to 02297f9d1e Aydin’s plans.’ea5e67b219624c0e

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The mere b0f50b9e22 fact that 008ce39725 this banquet 0b640b03c0 would introduce 559c40eb23 Celia, the fae74b84f1 second priestess, 7bc9a93e61 made it ee260a6e65 a deeply 846e9dbb72 unsettling event b586d440a5 for her. Russelin’s eyes glinted with f0c4f82497 steely determination. Aydin, ever b41bd9c4a4 watchful, noticed 28d8078bdd her expression 870ad621da immediately.e230b277e4fabb67

“Don’t even think about b85499936f trying anything foolish.”1d7bd4c6872cd461

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“What do you 3fcccd9e21 mean by that…?”2e260f2c6ec789a9

“I mean, 659e62fbfb don’t leave ec591cd56d my side.”ce0d5110cc9ca069

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“There’s no need 99b82900bc to be so 50934d5b9b wary.”f513a1a7bcf8bb47

At least, 903dca6e82 you won’t b0fcd4e490 catch me d3cbc333d2 doing anything d7bbc56046 underhanded.
Russelin’s words seemed 673802e5ee intended to soothe c4d90d4cd4 Aydin, but in 6287851eca truth, they were a91010acaa a reminder for 2a023ddaf4 him not to 79557c8b25 waste his energy 1a9eb58c1d on needless worry. However, Aydin, 45eae30858 missing her 5d92fc2f3d true meaning, c1fa3bbf99 reacted defensively 27e7dbc508 and gripped aa28213e2c her shoulder 3ab0529924 with force.af4ace14c8de0e63

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“Don’t make me 0d298e6cbc laugh. Who knows 9ba90916d7 if you’ll 084205df64 receive that 396515dd75 bastard’s magic bfd3316699 the moment ddfd4c9d7c I step 917e55ca7e away.”28c02459f2f3d85a

Despite his panicked, anxious 1593a086fb demeanor, Aydin’s words were 478b35db90 crude and base, a 4dec2a9df0 clear insult aimed at 109bf91859 Russelin. She didn’t respond verbally fbf71976e8 but kept her lips 50825f8845 sealed, while a brief d51cc35489 flicker passed through her 4bffb0409a eyes.6d4598c111a1d77f

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“Now that I think 64ab1c012d about it, Grand Duke 95abfd350d Leonard Estere will be 72149710fb here today, won’t he?”1fdfadf6eac5429a

As a protector of 6309dfcffe the empire, Leonard Estere 49e84d09fe was required to attend b61c43626d all royal events involving 768813a79a the imperial family. In other words, 4b3d4bfdfb he would also 2728a607b8 be present at 1b473dc5c6 today’s banquet.566eff9e9683892c

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“Don’t worry, Aydin. The guest of honor efecfae989 today is him. Do you d6bf435d48 really think e4a31e5639 I’ll have 5434deaabe any chance e2f7b63437 to cross 2f0f4709a4 paths with 6174da34b4 him?”eb76724ae002b723

“…What?”dfda9f0724d718c0

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“You already have 2e7bac1a8a a priestess. Surely, the second b10d3204c2 priestess will go 54a81088f9 to another protector.”f094d9d16d5bfb04

Russelin’s tone 12be2e9c59 was matter-of-fact, 88515804f3 as though 3246cd542a stating the 17aaec761c obvious, but 294e8e104b Aydin remained b71c7a50e4 silent. Of course, he didn’t 9ba5d49d06 answer. After all, he had 3e3d2556e4 already claimed the second f5270e7d8e priestess for himself.87a2de43dc35e4df

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‘No doubt, a96a34fd28 Aydin will ae836e0f93 flaunt the b26780f73a second priestess 292e353b28 in front 2dafe49f83 of Grand cd9392b342 Duke Estere 48c9e467b1 again today.’35034d77728e33bc

If she daab0a8f7e couldn’t stop 8d8b22456d it, she 011e5dd817 could at 90620160b4 least use 4e58f53757 it to bb207968e1 her advantage. Resigned to the difficulties ed19b638c9 of her past, Russelin c55a05564b coolly accepted the situation, 426d93f109 harboring a faint hope 2205ed2887 amidst it all.0617cb88fd297f9d

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