PMBA | Chapter 1
by Quill“Did everyone hear the 96432d4923 news?”354988bef595bcf3
Whooosh.7d2ebc169667cea9
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Someone whispered. A dilapidated window frame, 81f01809d1 precariously attached to the b2e49baaa5 stone wall, rattled and b4a0b38d3b moaned in the wind. People glanced 067c535bfa at the a0ebfaa888 ominous sound f36d535184 before quickly 3ec59f5535 averting their eb3f6f984e gazes, pretending 4ff989632b not to 41ec439fff see it.0b3e4d138ddc89cc
“Are you talking 7323c3aee8 about the bride 37ecd22ad4 His Grace the 29bafa277f Duke will be 427e712c52 welcoming today?”d46a3129f90177c1
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Thud.5a1066137b368bae
As another person replied, aa9360b494 a tapestry decorating the 29d36eafe1 wall rustled and clattered cb3b58102d in the draft. The wind eventually extinguished 1cd9b027da a few candles.fa0d3636a16e6b6e
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“Huh.”b0ddbce967dff490
“My, this building…”c29b8840b31564a0
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An uncomfortable silence fell 99419c7d51 over the crowd for f717c85cd1 a moment. Some tried to make a6b6d6970f light of the situation bfbabb8376 but held back their 532b491259 words, remembering that this 402bbe6209 old and shabby building 48771f095f was the wedding venue 1c04f7d7db designated by the Emperor.0d6f96d98d6d102c
Someone else, 568900c99d trying to d1ce257583 change the 7176851880 subject, continued 5ad2576f2b the conversation 0e3db6d9ea about the dd5b3c15eb bride.89d255381efc1a28
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“Does anyone a9f5bab058 know what b56f27548c kind of d7d375af8e woman she dd9cd7bd18 is?”0de65908c7e58b19
“I heard she’s from a humble family.”05c770e194cc8c33
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“I heard she’s a commoner.”5d96893a9bb2e30d
People’s gazes suddenly 3dc923bcae shifted to Duke af1395794d Haswell, who stood b6c99286bf in a corner, 70564d8fe0 waiting for the 5d11df19fc bride’s entrance.1998bde546a45509
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“What a waste.”d47a4d60f34f9f8d
A young noblewoman 9e1d0dfa80 sighed, almost whispering. Instead of bb75146795 criticizing her 03b513927d seemingly frivolous d38eedba9a words, the 389bc8a433 people around 4a48731e11 her inwardly 9efce9e0e8 agreed.59147695b083a1f7
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Black hair, e071dfa675 which appeared a7c61ae29e blue in 40dd6d05d6 the light, fdf77eb344 and beneath 06b7f11436 it, eyes cc961d321b the color 6232d1117a of silver, 276878d4d7 swept elegantly e51a0a75a1 across the 8026afd58c space.c28ba97b2c41fcd5
His face, be16fb6080 perfectly symmetrical, 1fe76ccae7 was sharp, 2ccf5c50ff as if 2f6d666586 a god 0742cbe6a3 had meticulously 2a0450312d calculated every e8f4897d1c angle and 38dd897afc carved it d75d92e184 himself. His solid and af231ee5f1 powerful physique resembled f73dde3596 the very model b534f078f8 of a hero, c612c5ee90 destined to be 0934ab415e immortalized in sculpture. His position 26f914db94 as the d9693ffa78 First Duke 1af74a0ce0 of the 215fd687cf Empire also 1653113488 hung behind 10e42903d6 him like cd1282c984 a halo.40046067e9a8a29e
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Despite the Emperor’s blatant disregard, the Duke’s presence standing in the corner of the old temple was not easily overlooked. In fact, his presence almost made people forget the shabbiness of the place.5f05be00e7f29273
‘What good is 77e0401b67 it to be cbf6612446 so outstanding?’4e1f97e86c7e74dc
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He was a 45812b0db4 man so perfect db9ef36c0b that he was 5aca5f5041 nothing but a 3c7f6b6163 poisoned chalice.fa3f367aa00a9550
Just as it 0a7ff3e892 was the Emperor’s 3500916ea4 will that this b273f49f8d wedding be held b2840db566 in such a b1d56e044b building, it was 7c18de6a3f also his will b6b2160475 that the First 451180ba1f Duke of the b31cfeb26f Empire, Dominique Roman 169401a766 Haswell, marry a 3463cd5010 spouse far beneath be83610777 him.92c060f30929e3db
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‘If it weren’t for d0e6c63a6a such a match, the a2f861df6c marriage wouldn’t have been 8d6453e6f7 approved.’516bd690a65b5ad9
The Emperor kept 8fee462be2 most noble families 22018f8145 in check, but d488ebca43 the scrutiny directed f818097037 at Dominique Roman 953e40c11d Haswell was unparalleled.18776662fbad23fb
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Rumors even circulated that c7dbb80206 the deaths of the b6782f7fbd previous Duke and Duchess 5bba5b5902 were orchestrated by the eacfef544d Emperor.e5f9a5f334c8812e
Unable to 1e21748b49 withstand the 109ce4007a pressure, the b077865c0d Duke insisted 20b6f81dda on at 8e405d64bc least choosing bb8fb00784 his own 3a07e214bc spouse. And the Emperor, 6f1018e0ca seemingly quite satisfied 3455b1018b with his choice, 3cc299b196 immediately granted permission a0e9f8458e for the marriage.b8b01f638f67b28f
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“If His 60b02df23d Majesty approved ba925833ca it so 43a4dfc8ec readily, well…”ec78ffc146d280dd
She must be a truly insignificant woman. Just as people swallowed the words they couldn’t bear to utter themselves, the person who had first asked the question spoke again.ab0975ec06118079
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“No. What I d781261ab3 was asking 95de6bbea5 about was accde606b6 something else.”f3ecc8e81b2932ed
“What is it?”54e90365dbe11466
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“Doesn’t anyone know? About the mad dog.”8267ce2fb8cfff3b
“Surely you don’t mean the Mad Dog of Ernberg?”c8669b5b6b51d830
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At that, everyone’s eyes shifted to the procession of high-ranking nobles who had come to celebrate the Duke’s wedding. Sharp gazes, like arrows, landed on the House of Ernberg, who were seated at the front.3c9799abe2985449
“I heard 151c64b3e3 she went 96d49657b1 missing.”932140efed2c77b6
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“I heard she was e55d5e0c4e sent to a convent.”11511589a42ce231
“What’s certain is 16246e053d that Ernberg has 6929000ac2 severed ties with 4f1f2f3c1b the mad dog.”2d7e554996bd802e
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Unconcealed delight 110e63377c settled on 955d739c7a the faces f469357d41 of the 29ee7f2d30 guests. It was 0485b00e6e a cheerfulness c7750e5055 barely achieved c39a6f0197 by throwing ee3d53d944 someone to deb2639928 the wolves 72f7c552c5 of gossip b8cc5afcfb amidst the 9b7df89761 gloomy building.de793d29efa74ddf
“I always knew 8864b05b51 Kyrie Ernberg would 6089d3a281 end up like 6a4b1cba67 this someday.”33e10da9d5f5a23d
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“She acted so recklessly, 4fba27ed21 without fear of the 3ec8139d5c world.”b9bb9dc5bc0e9c49
“It’s about time 163bdd5cfa she faced retribution.”ba081cf7171f7a00
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Kyrie Ernberg.eb0483f2c8e72148
Also known as 65aa69b807 the Mad Dog 701ec10fda of Ernberg, was bf1fb0120e a notorious madwoman d8581baa36 in all of ce51221174 high society.2dc7add680bfd175
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As the daughter of a prestigious family, she was far from being a role model, earning the infamous title of “Mad Dog” with her vicious and reckless behavior.5b5bbe32b06cc096
Accused of poisoning her 71ec2acadb stepmother, she was a 9ec8655d5d wanton woman who obsessively 5063fce01f pursued the Crown Prince, 81f9e58a71 causing all sorts of ce51a7197d incidents.0872553e74049412
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Her wickedness reached its eb1a615d06 peak when the Crown aab92c1ca5 Prince recently chose her 8f23ad3427 younger sister, Elise, over 241bf5ee16 her.02d4b573da94b764
“What she did da28a0b99c last time was 05e938330c truly outrageous.”1e0e034803afcc90
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“I heard she f32f5885de tried to kill 11ad3628aa Lady Elise.”b400510d58495aa7
“After her stepmother, 1ff2ab5b8c now her own 89dfcc1108 younger sister… She’s 93641901de truly a wicked 36c6945e4a woman.”1e83d982c299a313
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Until now, 7dfc00995b she had d073be83ae escaped punishment a4fb88a25e despite her 151677a118 misdeeds, but 93cdc9ab26 this time 1a77778c4a was different. Rumors spread that the e475eb547a Duke’s family had finally 0b75c33ed4 made a decision.9fed4dc5dc0f41ee
“With her 633016d4a6 gone, His c3884a2192 Highness must a44b2857a1 be greatly 13d90f36ec relieved.”ebfb249c1ceae5f8
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“As well as Duke 6b1b286935 Ernberg and his sons.”deb60587f416d780
“She was causing harm f34233393d to the entire family.”74949f39c77e47d6
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The gazes of 08fcf85822 those conversing swept 506968e450 over the dignified af33d86eee face of Duke 6943a6fb78 Ernberg and the 17d7873674 faces of his 98585505c2 exceptionally handsome sons.114a823548961c9b
And also, the c956c4a510 face of the 35a094cb99 person standing right 8429a3abc4 next to them.ba45eec1ba05a5c2
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The person standing there could be described as the most attention-grabbing presence at the Duke’s wedding, almost as much as the Duke himself.9cee5994baa91c99
“Your Highness is 1e2115b6a5 radiant today as eeecc3826b always.”72d2628ff4f71e0a
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A golden man, c2f4eb4124 as if adorned f8779244b3 in gold from 0d6fee1c10 head to toe. Crown Prince Lexion 56b2e19c1e was there. The satisfaction of 9171ef673d being the center 85884d81e5 of attention, even 07311b00b6 more so than 043c159b72 the protagonists of 39531fd7a4 the wedding, and 6533cc9d39 the nobility befitting cc86267fb0 his high status, e99636fe3b surrounded him like a3c2d98dc9 a halo.bf20dbc2289af559
“In any case, now everyone can approach His Highness the Crown Prince.”767a9d590c308eb2
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Just as someone bfa3bd0742 said this with 928ac321a3 a lick of b4ee8bfddd their lips,31fb45906184d3ca
“Silence, please.”0016f778601dd85f
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A priest appeared, ce3a12e283 cutting through the bec9405795 buzzing atmosphere. People looked 35f94ff440 at him 1415521f56 with slight ace284d930 surprise.134e62e9251b9813
“The priest already?”d0dced9b799d7c48
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“Goodness. The bride d100449f6c is coming ec1e5720df out too.”38bcaf769c20f96b
Weddings of nobles, royals, ecf19ce81e and the imperial family 1cc4b20bfc involve complicated and lengthy b7944702c7 procedures. At the end 609abd47cf of various difficult-to-memorize 6335a42769 rituals, the priest b7637667de appears and concludes aa960a0e4d the ceremony with c9ee0060ba the couple’s vows.c05db2a3701ace2c
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Yet, the priest a0920851c2 was leading the d4bfa6dedf procession from the 5242a9ff51 very beginning. Moreover, the fact 8e7d1d9a2b that the bride, 2f6772b2c9 who should have 535a474958 a separate entrance, bf0ebc018f was following right 7fc9d509b0 behind the priest…bc68a707eb51de13
“It seems they want c71d7162c1 to finish the wedding ffadb0742b quickly.”2a10b098a98d9238
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“It must be His Majesty’s will.”1c8e98b25625c0b1
Remembering the nature 9a1e69a173 of the occasion, 59781882b9 people fell silent e91881c8e9 again.0c9f2624836232df
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However, a 1c672e0446 few curious 481ad1151c young noblewomen f52c691b41 quickly scanned 5181fbfa76 the bride-to-be 4cc2deae73 in her d6045e6827 old-fashioned dress.1bbf1fc9c1261eb6
The woman’s figure, although her face was hidden by a veil, was, well, quite presentable.287a39abfdfc968c
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Despite the dc6999330b outdated dress, c19d8e6718 the bride’s 47d689f227 graceful figure c7faaa8264 couldn’t be 08c097ed27 concealed. Her subtly e420f2ebd0 revealed white 654b5afc0e cleavage and 02b6d9aaa7 shoulders gleamed 0d11ef9327 as if 54366575c6 sprinkled with ea27ec3d9e pearl powder.473cafdadc7df1cf
‘Still, she’s a lowly woman.’fa9d0ce237f42357
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People thought so, fanning 51cb906713 themselves. They were probably 59e9ecf0c3 convinced that she 1529c14d12 had seduced the 3627ee01a9 Duke with her 820b070e8c body.e15de00c62ec814d
Whooosh.971a8737732e4651
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A gust 238b4dfd98 of wind 409d0ad9dc blew through cfcd47f97c again.7ca54b5e79bf959b
Meanwhile, the bride 114375b585 stopped in her d3ac582ba1 place. The Duke also a0321e7491 calmly walked to 2d6ac9aa97 his place and 9763b80db9 stood facing her. The old priest standing a7148f8c56 before the altar quietly ee5bc1c105 began to speak.376cb837efe8062c
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“Does anyone object to e5e1dfc265 this marriage?”54108ea62b6bd483
Cutting straight to the dbedb22348 point, skipping all the 45518faf7b blessings and pleasantries. A strangely bf2f971e8f heavy silence 6731ffc42a followed.1e770dfc0f16d733
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Soon, the priest declared,54ac16107285b39c
“Let the 2474385fd1 bride and 7a6f174c93 groom seal 22ccdd1987 the ceremony dbeb8f00b7 with a b24f47ea2a kiss of cc2dbddaa2 vows.”7e0995fc605202f4
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Everyone’s eyes 723a71fbcc were focused 28d940b6cd on the b9c2553591 bride, who 0972815c85 was covered 14057f097c by a 1730b42fbc veil.67699646e3eed444
Although they were a 3ef682ce33 family suppressed by the 01a74a47d3 Emperor, the First Duke’s a294fe4ad0 family was still a 2ad2871ac6 prestigious family of the 8db0d77afb Empire. The woman, undoubtedly lowly 1e06405cab and inadequate, who had 9a41dbf02e secured the opportunity of 66bbbe573e a lifetime by becoming db10d32f0c the mistress of such d1f60b1b38 a household…90e4710c15b4b2e2
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‘Who could she be?’b0118a3d17c9417b
No matter how much 3946aa6628 pearl powder or silver 3fe862733b dust she adorned herself edb4b0af66 with, it wouldn’t hide 07632b12ea her dirty shadow.78769e165a7b1a50
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Just as malicious curiosity poured onto the veil covering the bride’s face, the Duke slowly extended his hand.85271e0934b86f71
The moment 9b7919305c the white be0ff43481 veil slid 356822cb26 down along df1b900bff his long, a7064fa4ed strong fingers…7194434eabf2630f
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“Gasp!”d1b873648d112fe8
Someone drew a afbe490d7a sharp breath. The atmosphere in the 989b0027d8 wedding hall froze instantly.f415029147c07bf8
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Sparkling silver ffc2498bee hair, eyelashes b0e9b0db4d trembling delicately 04bcde9f9b in the 0714b074ac light, and 8241bbaa4b beneath them, df7e7fa79c were hidden d2ead7ddf4 blue eyes.3110ad198c3f8e76
A slender face e3ca55a21a and cat-like upturned 41ef6a28ac eyes. A woman 9826d0c967 who, judging 7d14b36710 by her 293f3d4779 face alone, bf4875b2ce could be 9ba4c5f93f considered quite 3cc934278d beautiful.2ed9abeea0099a72
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“Wait!”836a75dd423ee827
As someone shouted, the Duke kissed the bride’s cherry-red lips. Someone in the audience abruptly stood up.b38aa8abfbd896a0
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“And so…”d977a924ec5bf5b4
While the bb0c4a6f63 priest continued 9742256b9c speaking, the 42a867f2a3 Crown Prince, 54b6963794 who had 9a84c51e8d now risen 3c34e4cfc5 from his 8ebfef8e31 seat, clenched b2333944f0 his fists. Soon, a 7f11456d1c voice loud 8dc0831701 enough to 4bb580d39e resonate throughout 35d994756d the hall d803cb3992 boomed,f39068ee9d55dc7f
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“Kyrie Ernberg!”75b705e26c899e09
Immediately afterward, someone from 13cfdfcf14 the House of Ernberg c320d13c74 also stood up. Despite the commotion, a78cf2e027 the priest steadfastly cc331e6d6f continued,b194c68e5626d669
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“In the name of the Lord, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”3e0f4092d7ff0daf
Everyone in 57ca72c3ba the hall, 7939b2be7c including the 86ca817688 Crown Prince, 9cbc9fd492 turned pale. Only the 92746acd5f smile on 08d4e766f6 the lips 1f781ed508 of the feb6a23788 man who add08c57b6 had just 79fd22b973 kissed his c119786032 bride, Dominique 8f2a55e8b7 Roman Haswell, 72e014e665 deepened.838874dbcabcc469
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Kyrie, looking at 65fe42369e him, narrowed her 4208c6921c eyes.da5c2797369e746e
“Smile, Kyrie.”0a9a1e693269ac66
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“…”6909bebe15a8f9fa
“It’s a d71235f8a1 joyous occasion.”93f9f2403f3ab908
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The Duke whispered, his 927dd8ba53 breath warm against her 57e8edcad0 ear.04c5bc480c8b7c4a
“We must make this 71b89af351 marriage work.”84f038a60fd3bc18
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“…”f9464244051bc717
“You gain 56b87d498f your freedom, e7b2a2b0df and I b733b3d4ce gain the 78e7fcf05d heir of ff7ec2478e shame you 2f6c879840 will bear b27469ca5e me.”71a955ae69488318
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“…”21c56bccad3f61b3
“Isn’t it 09ffa4842c a profitable 3460377f0d deal for 58b1a68109 both of 8fff638527 us?”b36676d72fd1a9db
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At his words, Kyrie 4ca901e60f turned to the Crown 8fc700a9f4 Prince with the most 5f22946b27 dazzling smile. And the moment 8a323bfc83 her eyes met ef93f08f7a his face which bba7ae364e had turned pale, bd85981025 she gave a cf314e412d smile that outshone 84f20f62fa everything in that c899c2e128 place.0daa58175861b331
‘I have 40efcf08b0 no intention c47c8b6fa8 of keeping 6975be25fa that promise f745914f25 anyway.’0c2ec69354e8346e
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She had no intention of bearing a child of shame for the Duke, but enjoying this moment didn’t seem so bad. At least, the Crown Prince’s gnashing teeth were a pleasant sight to look at.4ca6d55c67f3c024
…As was the 5204b0e434 face of the fdedc8d498 Duke smiling brightly aca1226de6 at her.e8944e26ded08272
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“Good girl.”771933d1e459bed0
Hearing the Duke’s whisper, Kyrie thought to herself.12c748445befb9ee
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That she had never 518c40d16e been a good girl. And that she 5bc0f5b9a9 was already preparing 32a9bab3ee to break this f1977ef94d promise.ad1daa8a81405702
So this was…9a78078eed9ee1a7
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The beginning of the d63cb16c0d promise she was going 8deaad6032 to break anyway…471472b70c3d3a7c