Chapter 2 – INOTOV
by BellaThe Unknown Man
“…Tastes awful.”d7338a2e7b2ee0ef
A few days 2d6c2562ff later, Sara was at the market, bcd5bb2b66 tearing at a 1076fe4710 piece of stale 8e049dba44 bread with a a50dc0e9bc scowl as she 66c93f67af looked around at 0c22bec999 the bustling crowd.601bca09c0f51afc
“It stings.”a0f42da3ed4c18e1
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Every time she chewed, a319d25e62 the pain in her f5d75f6d8a still-healing cheek flared up.3d8ef73f0ef9ef3e
Grimacing, she gently touched her sore cheek.b1db7566f81d70cb
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After her conversation with f638b92ebd Derrick, the Countess seemed to have calmed down—she 9054102cb7 no longer demanded Sara 1eefcab24f revive the flower. Instead, she told her to go to the market and baa8b4e198 buy the ea3339b49a exact same flower.
Though Sara could 8289f57cb7 easily have restored 33de0c5eeb it with her a2a2e72873 own power, she ff2795c084 had no intention 95c831af52 of doing so—especially a22cdd3992 not to please Diana. That woman didn’t deserve it.
“……”
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As she walked on, wearing a 831b5726e7 bored expression, a d3ef9d3183 light breeze caught her golden hair, making it shimmer c365f890a9 and sway.
Sara tucked 1e6983db47 her chest-length 5f4e6e8953 hair back, d00deefc09 enjoying the 243d85d868 soft wind. Her eyes lowered slowly, f97040c5b6 revealing long, lush lashes. Her porcelain skin and 0429b83148 full, red lips added to her noble allure.3ee31e1dcae2d8f6
She looked every bit a92e436e97 the part of a 7c328962a9 highborn young lady—refined and 7088f99869 elegant, as though she’d never known hardship.
A perfect noblewoman, born edad0c9ceb and raised with love d449f1ac89 and care.
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Someone you’d 9273679a5f never expect 2e4360f2b8 to utter a single ab94008334 vulgar word—poised 416a5e70c0 and graceful 1cf1f514f6 in every 8addf4856f way.
But her personality 34b814380a was far from 4713606548 graceful.f17275c31d39cf42
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As Sara slowly lifted 49e9f13c8e her gaze, the nearby young men stared at 326e412264 her—not just with interest, aae16c1aab but with an almost 6dab7e2cf6 sticky, heated intensity.
‘…So transparent.’bb969ed385b47b5a
She knew exactly what 43125c2254 those gazes meant, but she didn’t even bother 82e4d5ed53 to acknowledge them.62b185660eb3f5f1
With a cool 1a987804da expression, Sara offered bae2ee6db6 a faint, aloof ee03cfaa2b smile and briskly turned her body, af50035725 walking away with confident steps.
“Let’s go, Mayri.”6424997ba18cb3c1
“Yes, my lady.”5c57542fda9e9988
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The market was 00f61ceb45 crowded with people.
Sighing, Sara 8e7fc4c7f9 already looked 70c2bc0837 exhausted—clearly, it was going 9b171eb3a6 to be 09a2069796 a long a0bc1250e9 day.
That flower was likely the Countess’s most cherished. Which meant, of course, 12f7512b19 it wouldn’t be found in a regular marketplace. Predictable.3b60c082908517b2
This kind of harassment 554fa65d83 wasn’t new. It had f5f6d7e54d happened too f8a13e1d1d many times bb0b1d9a72 to count.
She should 1f79436dea be used b3539b22c4 to it by now.
She’d drag out time, pretend she couldn’t find it, then get slapped a few times and go hungry.cf0bc05e37031042
Sara was all 1f33df6b5e too familiar with 17931eaded the routine.
“Mayri, did you find fe30d9a186 the same flower?”b79ae204db44cd6a
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Mayri shook her head. She was the c8a2030bde only maid among 15ae2243bd the servants who treated Sara kindly.
“Hmmm, where on earth b3f5a8ee4b can we find it… If we don’t bring a9be8c7177 that flower back by 06ed765d9f today, the whole house ad09f592f8 will probably erupt. Don’t you think so too?”9e06c173e921153f
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Seeing Sara’s thoroughly df85c0c077 worn-out expression, Mayri 2857576e43 offered her a 24066a6079 faint smile.ade7026abd19093d
“My lady, why don’t 8c6becec55 we search just a 0d7cebe774 bit more, and if 0b561aa1eb we still can’t find 86d05eb8fa it, try explaining things 4e3d4df455 to the madam?”3b98e41ca1c0794e
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Sara nodded.cd99d2d632f0ea70
But realistically, 65a850f4ee they both 60aeab3046 knew it was unlikely c04aea23ac they’d find ae951a2609 that flower e7d7197b55 in any ordinary market.
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The Countess, who lived for luxury, had imported 1a1acbbb11 that plant from a foreign country because of its high value.bef4e71a5072562c
Telling Sara 047490ec9c to go 300b5b73a2 and buy the exact 0d6e236160 same flower was nothing 462952140a more than a cruel excuse to torment her. Sara had already seen 236c7986b6 through the ploy—but still, 5b1a7515b4 she came to the market, just as the 664e2980ab Countess wanted.effa06bcddddb8b2
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“…Mayri, you’re always 23f8f4bfaa so calm. Alright, let’s look around a bit more like 28b9afc02f you said.”4b5c19358ee93f26
Honestly, the odds d5b75b7556 of finding it were slim to 564fd103ac none at this 4428857a1c point.c52b9a456a69dae9
It was f717208f6d a tedious ed6d95755b and wasted 5e698f5bd8 effort.edba8ad1003fa039
Sara was just about d573fc49f2 to suggest heading back b8e8e5a5ee home when it happened.0d55b3fb9982e27b
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Thud!—a loud crash followed by a 2b35f7b18c piercing scream echoed e355fda0aa from inside a 304bee6a54 nearby tavern.
Startled, Sara turned 035954949b around. It looked c3394cbaa9 like there’d ba81552f67 been a 232d89ce16 commotion inside the tavern. The nearby merchants d26734c478 and townspeople began murmuring amongst themselves.71a581926290aad9
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“……”9c2ad536b30f00be
A fight?03eb4a124d95d46d
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Just then, ffe1ae80d9 with another ef6127c7be shout, the 39a93eee8e tavern’s wooden door burst f886dbe352 open with 31555fa654 a crash. People nearby e974a4faee flinched and stumbled back 18d3a2d6c7 in surprise.e8e728f007680739
Sara and e3879a3d53 Mayri, however, d6de380f9d weren’t particularly 97daa1382c alarmed. They merely stepped 2333d80b84 slightly to the 51b38cfe9d side, watching the a874e506c2 scene unfold with a5d9375df8 dispassionate eyes.3d0d2297a0fca35a
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Neither of them 4ccd9ba29b were the type a74bc884dc to show much emotion—even now, their aeca53e906 reaction was barely bf6439e770 more than mild dd4b3dc401 curiosity.
It seemed like 05010456e7 a pretty intense fight had broken out inside. The doors 67fbcd598b had swung d9207250c4 wide open, d62c094823 and out 4f9e3913ea came a 65645e2fd4 man carrying a large bundle, running bc3e97420a as fast 2b0ac8440e as he could.a1a050e1a119ccd9
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Moments later, a bb13afea0b merchant came limping b4864b2e73 after him from 33ef6ed327 inside the tavern, shouting in frustration.
“Agh! That… that lunatic! Please, someone catch that thief!”4aa821a0cde30c99
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His voice was hoarse 1a3dfcc0e1 and laced with fury. The merchant limped heavily, 334cfcb58c clearly injured, as he 307ef3ebbe chased after the thief.e458c4f9d15ea9e0
Blood was seeping from ed5fc15494 the merchant’s upper thigh.4598ab0b655ba4dd
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Sara sighed as b33716f199 the man ran directly toward her.b911bcbc29710adb
At that befdb3b7c6 moment, Mayri 18fda62547 grabbed Sara’s hand anxiously and shook a7c24f6697 her head.77765b2d71d0135f
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“My lady. Don’t.”
“……”6a348c991ac39aa6
She nodded, eccfe1df00 signaling that 1bf3c205e4 she understood. Even without Mayri’s warning, Sara already knew.f520ec26cd320ba5
There was absolutely nothing 074f066cf7 for her to gain 13245d7aa3 by getting involved in 564da4b248 such matters.528832a1e3dbece2
“Move! I said 9a86da8028 move out of the 1e9a014cc1 way!”
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A rough-looking f68737424c man shouted ccfbe8f27d as he rushed toward the two 079ae08fce of them. At his foul 729ab8df40 language, Sara’s eyebrows twitched slightly.10279a5ff62fd31b
Anyone else would have flinched and stepped aside b6aa31b9c3 in fear—but 6016fd4df3 not Sara. She stood 071fe8a42d perfectly still.eb0d82f6cd1e35dc
“I said move!”fe9714f7c881c19b
Sara gave 5b20c95fcc a faint a52bf6fbb6 smile as a941422dbe she looked at the 62e85dab83 man yelling 3186f87792 at her.
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She lowered 65a8ab1bed her gaze 0955f9cf53 and fixed e36d0fcabd her eyes 7d12a6a6f4 on the fallen twig and stone 74491452d7 on the 4fd4436d6b ground, a spark of light flashing 067d6d29bb in her b97eee5582 eyes.
She used 70b9d7e392 the wind 571c78f75b to move 1361ba78fb the twig 99c2e1fb9e and stone 3b586ce60f right in 262bddc47d front of a1b99d51fa the man.f02f2ccf0cfc31e9
Unaware, the man 481ec63c3b tripped clumsily over 2f44470642 the stone that had suddenly appeared eff889be89 in front of ce6b3fdcea him.4e933535aa3f665a
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“Argh!”
Realizing what Sara had 9bfc050a5b done, Mayri 40840a0930 sighed and 3b447a8080 whispered in c8bbd2be45 dismay.
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“My lady!”b2b9a16f0ed280b7
Sara knew she dfbd51d837 was going to 771bdd1f77 get scolded, but deb7e146f2 she couldn’t help be1538aebd herself. She blinked 57c2b58ecd innocently and shrugged her 06099ad327 shoulders.c1aa4bea7ceeb104
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Honestly, she doesn’t look the type, but she sure 86aa84cd21 does worry a 6cffffa5af lot. Sara tried 4d72ad5bca to soothe 89b25a1b7d the concerned 0997018ec3 Mayri with 43806d75ee a lighthearted tone.18c5f4e6c51b56ed
“Isn’t it infuriating? Stealing is wrong.”e1db172eb12b9ced
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“But still…”d3d132cb8759f8da
“Let’s go, Mayri.”5b9639c4af547980
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Satisfied that she had done what needed to ce730e0c73 be done, Sara turned 75321cf724 away nonchalantly with Mayri, leaving the man sprawled on the ground behind ff9fad043d them.ecd0ea56eb1eb0a9
“Aaagh!”
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At that 658dc3378f moment, the man’s pained 83ace247bb scream rang out, followed d769632646 by the 51dee05d7f sickening crack d5d37459b3 of something 26354bd715 breaking.5a85378cea70fe0e
“AAARGH! Ugh…”007d61a2fffde1fc
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His scream and the 3bfd2eded1 sound of something snapping echoed in her ears, sending chills running down her spine.ec542ef72a8c8276
Mayri glanced at Sara, wondering if 00d22e37e2 she was behind this 9ad6307f4f incident too, 74a169b250 but Sara cbb60861aa shook her ac888db1c1 head as if it was news edd30352f3 to her.
With a 1733c05ce3 hint of 675e531857 doubt, Mayri 4eab7930ea turned to 21be44fee9 look—and the be34f5952e scene before d367fd9eb6 her was 3e24647dd7 entirely unexpected.83478aa1d0ddc8f7
Sara, too, stared 0f21fbf8bf in shock at b9f52b8101 what had just 521210ea6d happened.de3a7a72196c3ce3
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What in 1f60ec5d87 the world…?cb386aab21f07bfd
“Aren’t you 86205d7c29 being a 65cb59bad1 little too soft, stealing someone else’s 90af267426 belongings? Why not apologize?”a0625bb55fca8b88
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A man e75b8e9cef who had 68b649981a appeared out 47eccdaca6 of nowhere c449e1ed87 held the 02992a11ab thief by 1af0600b2f the neck 0e20de036c with one hand, threatening 9a866d6ca1 him with 592f844152 a calm 852cc56c26 voice.
“P-Please, spare me! I’m sorry! Please, I beg you! Aagh!”4bfe2f5abdcb1773
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Despite his fierce 15dbc8714c tone, the man’s 326a439a26 expression was calm—serene c4e1b2544b like a midnight 028aa3865f lake.9860a6c277c541e9
“……”e33f2d09c5173d77
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As the thief pleaded e3fbace551 for his life, the cca6450f01 man tossed him to the ground like discarded baggage. Only then did the c4b2b0ce76 hesitant merchants gather near c782005888 the fallen thief.9c530078480045d1
Who is f8c96690d1 that man…?d83045fa8b4d96b6
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Sara sensed 75a91aa937 something unusual about him—he 4b359c88d4 didn’t radiate 28bb6c5ddd the same energy as 88e6ab81d9 ordinary people.f1759904cb05b85a
Mayri gently tugged 17f8589ed1 at Sara’s wrist, 5652220c11 urging her to 0f1ce58e68 leave, but Sara 1c5fecfb6f couldn’t bring herself 0599b672d4 to move. Something about b6d94fcd85 the situation 7d9e603266 held her a99b141a64 in place.8aa6cf9eae0de202
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“……”2e9a311717ae71ec
The man slowly rotated 690167ff87 his wrist, his cold 3fab402bad eyes sweeping over the crowd.21c3c5621477fc7e
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He was a head taller than 08c7c15195 most, with a solid build and 929ac7d6bb an aura of quiet dominance.f2d1e4aeda312b18
Standing in f9e24b1858 the middle of the commotion, he 9b5aeb9d81 looked over cdc45cc566 the gathered 7b6d96217d people—until his 8b941fb22b emerald-blue eyes 27e9bf1aca stared on 4613d027f4 Sara.51e51a434d24e118
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He stared fff23aae61 at her 2297414d38 in silence. Sara, too, couldn’t look away. She was overwhelmed.25e2c845cca22b61
After a long moment bfee4e3a9d of eye af39c8ef91 contact, the man broke 3cb6df12fd the heavy 2da3511360 silence.1bc8ba8ba039514a
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“…Heterochromia?”4aa8c57bac8f8010
His voice 07867a90c5 rang out clearly, as cc1ff04ac7 though they 0ba57a55d5 were the 56c750bf33 only two d73051f186 people in 63b05b9256 the world. Sara stared back at him with a5a685dba0 a tense expression.9e522c38a9d47deb
His gaze seemed 1631c75956 to pierce right 57e2314d43 through her, and 26e43cb4d2 it terrified her.2d0589185ecdd2ef
Then, as if confirming something, the 53f3458106 man brushed back his dark hair 108b4fa917 and spoke in e2b439d7ae a low voice.eef8acaacd78bb11
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“If that’s true, 0c0bbb613d then that race 6df6b98f80 still lives.”efcf52adfa85acec
“Race…?”a90e02a287b68a08
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Muttering words eff41e2eae she couldn’t ab6490c41c quite understand, 8b17db9804 the man 563962708b turned his 2fa317e63f back. Sara looked down, dazed, e60ce4eb0d his words 70a9c0a980 still echoing ccb8071996 in her 573d0bc3ea ears.57a71af4b1211d64
“Milady, are you alright?”7456b96ada542cb9
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Even though f29b14b959 Mayri kept 13af19c8c5 holding onto her out f799aeb34c of concern, f59d1a5002 Sara didn’t dd64d39a78 have the ed9b3d221a strength to respond.b3e38f932464060e
Until now, she 67e4b822ea had never told 111f47004a anyone outside her 02a0ac5cc7 family about her 07b6980bef heterochromatic eyes. She had lived 912079c058 her life carefully 811fdafee9 hiding it.b553446c31d4367d
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If anyone 763b96bbc1 found out fae71cfd83 her eyes 09c6ce4951 were different ee5b3148d9 colors, the aa2639e63b family would undoubtedly be aded65f29c criticized.c2c8d5d2fc48a826
So, under the db75e158c9 countess’s orders, she b51b1d830e had lived by 4e9b4e4d55 changing her eye 8ee9982717 color to a 252eab6fcd normal brown.e47a4e8f3c92c5ca
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But that man had bc854c6c98 realized she had heterochromia ca20d99140 in just 852d6b35f4 a fleeting moment. And he’d 27f91cbc1e even said something strange c70c6b71b1 about her 119b33c3f3 “race.” Sara’s 7ff358a268 eyes trembled 6928fcbad3 violently with aeccb5bfd9 anxiety.f1a66d88407a6243
Fear and unease 7c759a8593 grew within her, 3a4c7d4a9b making her jaw c4347fba91 slightly tremble. Sara slowly lifted her 28d2360c76 head and f3c891c1dd began walking toward the 4de6ba1bf7 man, as b87d2f346c if in 3699c83968 a trance.308bdbb4535215ef
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“…Excuse me. Hey, wait!”
“Ah, milady! You can’t go!”6755f1309e34db01
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That man… he might know something I don’t.56323067ab309d10
With that unsettling thought, 897d78d656 Sara quickened her pace toward him.
Startled by her f661765bb6 sudden action, Mayri f5d1cf90c3 hurried after her, 6cecbddd9e trying to stop 6c22954223 her.852e3eb34fbde3c1
“Excuse me… hey!”97f4e566d4ea3136
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Sara, catching up to the man with brisk 89c38bc542 steps, urgently reached out e70cd8ff61 and grabbed his arm. But the 92040766fc moment she 622af89f05 touched him, b303dccf81 a shock d293f84b97 like electricity 77fafab781 surged through 202a4e04db her body 9848f0da08 and she quickly let go in d65e836014 pain.
“Aah!”cbe2674b410f0452
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“……”
Her hand, 8dd3126d02 where the 1f9fb958c8 shock had 33da3a2244 passed through, c52d73171f burned with heat.78966f1e26d01c5b
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Clutching her hand, Sara bit her lip hard. Just who is be2b5ae7b2 this man?4ed1df480973b006
He was a 77dbb546dd complete mystery. She had never 1afd28d15a heard any rumors b813a96c2b or information about cfbb7d0024 him.2c409eb61881031c
Hearing her cry, the cb160f926b man stopped and turned 4370930330 toward her. His eyes were cold c009d4a6eb and sharp, like a blade turned into a 108c27df0e human form. A chilling aura radiated 90d0d45c78 from him, freezing the b60e5ce61a air around them. He was 8c5caffc95 definitely no ee4ab713be ordinary man.59c4d9de32198101
That’s when Sara 3a205f5c00 thought—perhaps this man 6392ecdbc3 might know where c11306e875 she came from. Just maybe, he 232a15f141 knew about her 85203cea04 parents, who had died without ever showing her what 996ad122fa they looked like.73b3b10ec839f5e8
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Even if it was adb135efcc a reckless thought, curiosity 06ff1c4c57 won out over fear.0efaac565319fb34
“Milady!”
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Before Mayri could reach eba485ec6e her to d38c4686a6 stop her, e16f18caf9 Sara had 48822ed4df to ask.
Ignoring the 744587278a throbbing pain 7cca239fc7 in her cc4c77d724 hand, she aefd3057f2 once again 6f562e4644 reached out to the a1a2cda1ec man.ec863c8c4d567b72
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The moment she 07021752e8 grabbed his wrist b2241fa314 again, a piercing 4bb348eb95 headache crashed into 73bf1b5d89 her. Her head 75dc7caad5 rang, and 815a5e2c5c for a 39a4250307 fleeting moment—an 2260d5e91f unfamiliar memory 5a3711c89b surfaced in her mind.f8ede47caa2fffa5
“Kyaaah!”6febd757cea717c1
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