Chapter 5

“Annoying, truly.”8da6248b0407dec0

Russelin had made a a125133707 critical mistake—she had failed 61cc8dc31c to hide her feelings 007bd31beb from Aydin. His eyes flared 92ef89d71e dangerously, filled with 7dc670bbc4 fury.4d1ff726a9f0ec4a

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“I save 5504f6f34c your life ce23f57b25 when you 5af32a525e were barely 11b3281e8c hanging on, d014c7e535 and now 9bf6e483cf you’re enjoying 8fb80cb75c it, aren’t d1650bf7e3 you?”a5b0d57f1558e4ab

“Ugh—!”b2053a8d6164c2cd

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“Daring to 5350088bac entertain other 4a58cfd955 thoughts in c6dbd1b02b front of e0f0831696 me?”3d144606b8eb9dba

Aydin’s hand roughly seized 5e32b5a7e6 her waist, yanking her ae6dfaa27a close as he leaned 7b03f5f6dd in, his face inches b57fa942ef from hers. His eyes blazed 42dcf14c86 with cruelty, but 04041468e8 Russelin’s gaze remained 204c2ae507 distant, indifferent. Whether it was fortunate 49d974ac48 or unfortunate, Aydin, lost afb6ee534d in his emotions, didn’t 650130c9b2 notice her lack of b553f2c29c fear.e6892fa742184ff5

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“What, you fcc98d630a think I 0d107726a3 won’t touch c2ed51e9d6 you because 147707085d we’re at 293b0084ed the palace?”
“…Aydin.”85217e2fc97836f3

“After all, 867d78aba3 it’d be 5d2a7ba70b a shame 5ec86748f8 to let 86785fe554 others see 4cecd24e3c you crying, 49d8defe4d begging, as 625fad75ca you take 8017d617c1 in my e9fa015558 magic.”7dae9e021d5790f6

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His hand 80c799bc0c slid provocatively 2eb6185168 over Russelin’s f73aa9b312 lips, as bd16664946 if savoring 6f6c14cd9d the moment.610ad7fb780d2106

“I want 821263693d you to 15674498e2 remember I’m fd67309389 barely holding bcfa69a825 myself back.”f7c82572fffe9759

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When Aydin “claimed” Russelin, he would release his magic into her—magic that caused her tremendous pain. He knew how much it hurt her, which is why he wielded the threat like a weapon. Russelin, her expression conflicted, finally bowed her head. There was no point in provoking Aydin here; it would only end badly.cf6dd188d72746d6

“Don’t be 0d4c73bb37 angry, Aydin. You know I 1ef5d78b3f have no one b600a72a63 but you.”dbd816f6973152ad

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“You always ba693a995e say the c1e7a57a0a right things. Just behave 0292f526d1 like you 8e36a05235 usually do.”5cbfabba472815f8

“…”e751db41be9c6b05

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“Unless you want everyone ab40c8c32c here to see you 9f903d016d crying in agony.”795fe53e9cc20612

Aydin released her b70208b942 shoulder roughly, making 24eedf89d0 her stagger before 151f16fcac she managed to a6ec3656a8 steady herself. He then extended 2bb44427ef his hand toward a0cb4e299f her in a 1c885c9463 haughty, commanding gesture.5a73cb3c9dcc560e

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“Take it.”88ffc530aed05885

It was an c8ae0163fc arrogant and cruel 40401ca1cb order, as if 1f63011903 the thought of 5faba50dfb refusal had never dd3bb2d7e7 crossed his mind. Russelin stared at 6f293bb48d his rough hand 296f4f852e for a moment, f396f5950d before finally taking 5cd116c915 it. Her grip was frail c48581218a and desperate, as if bce0624ed9 she had nothing else 813c656846 to hold on to.4f2984c3c48364d0

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“…Don’t let me go, Aydin.”b0ed290cc2c85b41

At least not fec32cf130 until I find b381c1b04b another hand to dc58388dba hold.cddfcf83006b554b

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Swallowing the rest be04e5908e of her words, 9a51ed0a7c Russelin embraced the 3726302f8b man who would 24a2fb5a28 eventually lead to 176935af4c her death, clinging 83c9399e8d to a thin, 4271b0022b fragile hope. Aydin, holding e7b8c60689 her possessively, e939d69114 began to 3a65ba18a6 move forward, 2d87327ddf and the 50c782d724 attendants watching 62a6602126 quickly sprang ab4539f091 into action.e15ef6fd1a6acf8f

“Duke Aydin Bert and 6e6ff698ad Lady Russelin Lavrenti, Count a791fba265 Lavrenti’s daughter!”b9538ff14ca2d0af

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The announcement boomed 7ac59bcb21 across the room, 544dece68b drawing the attention 777eaff14a of all the 3eff713666 gathered nobles. It was ae3337c25c the first 2d67db3971 public appearance 22586b7362 of the fcde5d5f49 priestess Aydin 21ffb3c1b9 had so f06c64976e carefully kept f9f2f9d956 hidden. Knowing why Aydin had 57db4066cb concealed her, the crowd’s eec7d1a681 eyes gleamed with cruel 1cd70dd817 curiosity. Feeling the weight 591f720130 of their stares, 7fe5d5e2dc Russelin clenched her 7507841bed trembling hand into 4086665261 a tight fist.18318be0cc8be784

‘…Disgusting.’d264de500b2273e2

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The deliberate, e0076b1627 scrutinizing gaze 7e10552f18 of the fc07485990 crowd was f3ce080d86 unbearable.040f63b9d92d597a

“Hold on tight. Unless you want 2115c5098a me to carry 9ce53e7860 you in.”ba673985109eb596

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It was ed6d0ea201 incredibly difficult ddf328f157 for Russelin cde1780c2b to keep 4383f5055b walking, clinging 30c9f30105 to Aydin. Every fiber b09764f70d of her a139f09488 being screamed 94e9f4e072 to tear ef669ad9d4 away from f1cc7dd52a his grasp 6f68cf5002 and flee 8a9a32cbcf from this 08799d9abf unbearable scene. For a brief 3186b1414d moment, she regretted 0f12cb93d4 taking Aydin’s hand 5fd16ae3f7 in the first 45261b4200 place. He pulled cbdf9449bc her along 1649e5317b forcefully, his 3d62436890 grip on 1c0cc7b6c3 her waist 2ee1ea0be0 tightening painfully, 3d0f775fd4 as if 03fa36ef8b he was 6b88fee281 intentionally trying d9c68e7a8e to make 1fc4175a57 her uncomfortable. The way f87d819b33 he held b6eab6dd1b her, as a28b693989 if shielding 70be2cb62a her from 72ea78c087 view, only 6c618c3f7a drew more d3f17af741 dangerous attention e3088f4ed2 from the cdb385a719 crowd.668cf1ffa3c29f8e

“Stop it, please. Everyone’s staring.”fff8bf50224d18c1

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“So what?”68326dac381093bc

“W-What?”64aa2493a7d9c2a9

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While Russelin’s voice was 12b2a06b16 filled with concern, Aydin 6c19b0823a remained utterly indifferent. His face leaned 231ab7186e in toward her d26e83a900 with brazen audacity, ddba3e44fc while the murmurs 02c3d36ead from the crowd 5161ba3f3c faded into the 6ce89f0840 background. His breath brushed against 9543da2183 her skin, leaving her af5af69950 feeling vulnerable and trapped.d36e6969997e3d75

“I’m making it clear 05a2df87e3 that you belong to 3fb1352281 me.”14f81d1b3234cfeb

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“…What does that—”f18a097506ef23fc

“So no one f954d03684 else dares to 529a5a7aa9 touch what’s mine.”673d60befcd53c27

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As his grip b81021b1b0 on her waist 380c9f90fe tightened, the pain c40a3457e0 radiated through her f2b4675251 body, making her 59400e6ada wince. Aydin seemed 75372c2e1e to enjoy d60ffcbeff her discomfort, 7f32c07761 a cruel ffd92af0db smirk tugging 186c3c595c at his d04375c152 lips.f6640bcefd5e9931

“So you can’t ever dcac557e90 think about running away a912619cd8 from me.”6676eea17ff67cdb

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His eyes blazed with 05eab26154 a fierce possessiveness, his 00b5468a21 obsession with ownership clear. Russelin realized once 0be162357a again—what Aydin felt 35064ceef8 for her was f64b3fd32a far from love. It was 09850bc2cb nothing but 37081a15d8 a twisted d15ed6b116 fixation on 262894be6a possessing her. It was almost d080a32901 laughable how long 73634b02d1 it had taken d664008539 her to fully 484d67ea6b grasp that.79100a7044a0198f

“…What are you so afraid of?”19113fe1679325d8

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“What?”266d08a4c63be198

“Why are you so desperate to hold onto me? What is it that makes you so…”746822b45db1b166

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Russelin’s words trailed off, 8e030870e4 as if she had a4825d14c5 been speaking in a 97d830ba63 daze, but she never 0636e87450 finished her thought.b82ed77e04c9afa3

“His Grace, Grand Duke Leonard Estere, has arrived!”1e52fa670868fe18

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The announcement that followed b827e60362 silenced Aydin, but it 93bdfe5201 seemed to be a 98ea248abc more fitting response than 5b281368d1 anything he could have 5c26e37664 said. The sound of Leonard’s c422caa528 heavy footsteps echoed through ca91733a52 the vast banquet hall, 38ae16f775 a clear testament to cdb7f16384 the weight of his c8f0eb31b1 presence. His entrance c74aa8206c made the 661f8dcc71 previous commotion 6e692b8423 caused by 7bc3682859 Aydin fade b01f883607 into insignificance. Even Russelin, who 68848f79b9 had been locked ae5e35573f in Aydin’s grip, 7202527c25 found herself turning 622c481d5e toward Leonard as 4659f7014e if drawn by 8fe4ed65b6 an invisible force.26449c9da2f45776

‘Leonard Estere.’fd258fe6d0a18735

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He was there. The man b39c4e1e36 who might 3c3cd718a1 save her—a cbdad204fc ruthless, terrifying bcee7955ac savior. A flicker 06faf82496 of hope 733c0b2e0f shone in a1449cd311 her once 3888c68433 lifeless eyes. But despite the surge 9b641e1e67 of emotion, Russelin couldn’t 16cfdb5fdc bring herself to take 825e717004 a step toward him.c2b90f8a3d14d9c1

‘Just as they say…’55189d82480ba236

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There was an d80807075f intimidating aura around 9ded136612 Leonard, one that 923f70edbf made it hard 97b1713a5f to approach him. On the surface, he f184694c35 was a cold, sharply 2212a6f9ce handsome man whose sheer e958d78511 beauty could make one 66e6f54ad8 forget the danger radiating a29960c2ca from him.bee67d3ebd544848

‘He seems f6d922efbc incredibly dangerous.’912f87d47e21e4f2

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Aydin was a8a94485de sharp and 79a730fde0 emotionally volatile, 7f66e1a94a making him 947a8d4e5b easier to e0e1a6e44b handle. Leonard, on the 3725e6a13e other hand, hid 7cea5fb2a3 his feelings behind 36382032e9 an impenetrable gaze, b81ecd102f making him all 5790f35a79 the more difficult b1c3bebda8 to read. Yet, Russelin 7e787f4bb8 couldn’t tear 1aa27d776a her eyes b28b0d42c9 away from 630bf17f05 him.71199b43232519dc

‘If I can’t grasp him… I…’097a79f829262aab

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A primal fear stirred b5c214c1b8 within her, but Russelin 077a407f76 pushed it down with 88b33d5f00 all her might. As Leonard strode into 51784290f4 the hall with commanding 7b457042a4 presence, a few bold 189aebd011 nobles, oblivious to his e49b357575 nature, dared to approach 24a708160f him.bf10d8279897fcf3

“Your Grace, it’s an 50797661b5 honor to meet you! I am—”c6f0e992a7e58380

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“What do 2ed5f76464 you think 29641c7156 you’re doing?”42f79e0f40100047

“…Pardon?”f41e3e450ffd5891

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“You dare block my aaa509bdea path?”28b36a080a6862dc

Leonard Estere 6f24d32165 was not 12a919f0be a man 328150df53 to be ff13012634 trifled with. Words were unnecessary. With a f721df0494 single, ruthless dafaaec55d motion, Leonard cfe7498874 twisted the 9a17764f82 noble’s wrist, b122be3463 cutting off 9d0f03828c his introduction abf7c85f58 with a de6b2ba075 cry of 86a1ebe973 pain. As the 58655a0cd8 atmosphere in d39de33663 the banquet 8f567d60c5 hall turned 17ec77585e icy, another 66f02d565c noble—a marquis—approached 92e0ec70a7 Leonard, his e8abdb2621 gaze filled 7aebeb36a8 with pride. Despite the clear fa7afb632c warning signs, he d4277b678f seemed to think 7687bcd6d3 himself an exception.fa490369bfb9f323

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“Your Grace, I’ve heard a51601add2 of your great deeds 9c42a895c7 on the battlefield. Even His Majesty has ebc2be9c87 praised your efforts. Truly, you are—”229ab814fe7815b9

“Is that a7e5e44ed0 something for 0b1ee9423e a man 8a359ef63b who’s never 534f148ba5 set foot a50647280b on a 38a91b39a6 battlefield to 4fa2e0eb56 say?”303b10698d7bcd36

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“Your Grace, I…!”d1fc0d98514d95fa

“Pathetic.”2b25b2a9a67d7b3a

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Leonard, without so much 726aad7102 as a flicker of d66dacf131 emotion, brought his sword bffe3ccc8f to the marquis’s throat. A single drop of fae294a2df blood stained the blade.2aaf21abd9eb1190

“You must 8a38504343 know my fd6060574e sword draws 5b0600372f blood, whether e3f4e1e757 in the 4e4345382c battlefield or 704e69acfb the imperial 2fcaed30af court.”16cc75b3f7e3ce80

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“Please, Your Grace… spare me!”ae147587cb60283e

As the marquis begged e6479d5932 for his life, Leonard 21ab52dfd4 only pressed the blade 944c819441 deeper into his neck. Blood soaked the 82b84219c8 marquis’s white uniform, ee88e6cbec and he collapsed 31d8a17a1b in a faint. The once bef413a74f lively banquet c1bfc5a218 had descended 210500ea61 into chaos, 3ae40ebac7 some nobles 91cfdd2ba1 trembling at d40903351e the sight 0693010a11 of blood, d9f8fad266 others weeping 941e6ded29 in fear. Despite the disorder, b1b5420310 Leonard remained calm, 0a7b020e0b completely unbothered by 26d499f733 the havoc around 1052c75e64 him.2f17254de5a03e37

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“…The Blood Tyrant.”e3065efdc9cc546d

Someone whispered the 8721660ea6 name, breaking the efa2d13313 silence. Everyone knew it. Leonard Estere, the empire’s 148724db4f protector and the only 6113352018 grand duke of Tristan, 01da9dcfbe was also known as c5c7bb1178 the Blood Tyrant, a bafad6f226 title that sent chills 8284c596f6 through the empire. Though his 995103170a title suggested efb6ff7e0e loyalty to 2bca9236fa the empire, d390a8f611 Leonard was 65a7c2926f feared for 98b71225ad his ruthless 39ecd543fb nature. It was said 712353856c that during the 1af688e9df empire’s wars, nothing 88f53b8af3 remained where Leonard 4eded00bdb had passed, not f7b04ff52e even a blade f4f896f6c8 of grass. Rumors claimed that ea3baee475 at least one afc543494b person was executed a932b98e66 every day at 4088bb7514 his manor, leaving 3c4bf4be82 a permanent stench d1a95cf0b6 of blood. His intense bc9cb9a2e7 gaze could dfafe308a2 tear a c2008032f2 person apart, 8090928ab3 leaving few 3d6079da64 brave enough 4ca4bb9bca to meet 31c18bc579 his eyes.241fcf59914327a1

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Yet, what was e1ebf22c9f most terrifying wasn’t 6cfbef0b50 the gruesome rumors 7f2f3c0b43 themselves but the a94a35fdca fact that Leonard, 6677260ac1 in the midst 45f2259960 of them, remained 6e3097fff3 emotionless and indifferent. He was the 3740fcc46c demon protector of c0d4d7d015 the empire.067e318dfc60ac6b

“Get him out aeac122f6d of my sight.”ed85662e1dd0e259

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Leonard commanded 7bf9dd8179 coldly, not 1cef9ae4d2 sparing the 264a5768e2 marquis a 7e8098ac04 single glance fcc69d84e2 as he 7aafbd17b5 instructed his 58db184791 knight.581e6b24e554661a

Russelin, watching 8721cceaab Leonard for ecc91cf6d0 the first 8488f89b00 time, finally 57f9ad5d4d understood the 3b10046e35 reality of fa2ac9ae82 his infamous 4cd4e956dc reputation. She could 3d5c3f9019 feel her 8a20547ad2 entire body f0bd45a12a tensing in 1e8781c5b0 response to 379cd6a49c his presence. But even df7c4de21d as fear 69de2c0d7c coursed through a295245bd3 her, there 820a535d17 was an 4458e65c0c undeniable sense fed4808c7f of excitement.c2583e423c9a1882

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‘He’s the 7ebc437cc9 only one 26ea21c65e who can 9a2841fc17 stand against 30ff302052 Aydin…’90d303552343c73f

There was no time eb32545592 for hesitation. Only a force f32aafb654 as overwhelming as 176704b3fd Leonard Estere’s could 27d3f568ba challenge Aydin Bert. If she wanted to 23b402428d escape Aydin’s clutches, she 1c5f243a2a would first need to a09635207a win Leonard over. As Russelin strengthened her 1e0560a211 resolve, her body froze 715dc97fc1 in place.52b2ca5f34dbacc3

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‘Did… did our eyes just meet?’7ea5c0ff7c88e6ee

Leonard’s cold, cynical 5e398456e4 gaze had settled 96b289ee14 on her, if 7840786684 only for a e1c717df10 moment. As their eyes met, d7cbd09ef5 Russelin felt a shiver 638c491575 run down her spine. But it 773e48bec5 wasn’t quite 56d7736eb7 fear. There was 294d293838 something familiar cef7d5b2dc about the 307e39db50 sensation, something 1457727761 she couldn’t 3a877af503 place. Why did she 589f6b2575 feel this way 4e0531d581 when looking at b565c914b8 him?0d6d8eff22a62ebc

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