PMBA | Chapter 15
by QuillWhen Kyrie didn’t move, the Duke spoke, 4bcf147d44f4f8b9
“Do you bf0bc25ecd need an 93414f7297 escort?”781fcc98a2df9e95
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As she remained 7c70343d25 silent, still sitting b8dfdc9451 on the bed,3bb3c3cfec81bb71
“Your Grace.”404f21b37b4d8e3d
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Someone who appeared to be the Duke’s servant approached, addressing him with a slightly urgent tone. The Duke glanced at Kyrie and then stepped outside with the servant. He seemed unconcerned whether she stayed or followed him.f2b65e1c1f53ef10
‘As if I 039df5cf58 were a piece 65a36a92f8 of furniture.’928338af4f90f80e
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Kyrie shuddered and stood up. A chill permeated her body. She quickly touched her mother’s pendant necklace, but perhaps because her hand was cold, she felt no warmth.16f31567deb5ca51
‘Mother.’ 4d608c46b6417e67
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She still c7e7397aa6 had an d9e6491177 obligation. An obligation to be c87aa7993a happy. But now that 8ca632289c the option of fe87085e25 Lexion was gone…a77a62c3ea179e36
All sorts of 8aa3c16827 thoughts arose and 6b7f8bb35a then crashed against 4a46b4842f a wall.340668a82f8bac54
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Run away.7e5c976594e9f6af
She would be 9aab5be248 caught by the 0a211b76d6 ducal guards before 6aebb7da62 she even got 6cad520a9b far. Another man. The men 04784d6c2b who would 22f2bc2f7d accept her 8b1813672d as a ab8696e26f bride now ea17e155a7 were either a33ae95f0c old men ae7733f399 seeking young 29516c2d8f wives or 623306ff0b men rumored 5b0d625857 to beat cc2c5f3ef8 their spouses.9bcf03eda1d2493f
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‘Do I aa19cd57e8 have to 57d12e12c8 resort to 70771f16be such terrible fa7b0311ba options?’ a76cb95ee6a3ee12
She didn’t want to.dbe5fe7748ed6e08
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‘…Where do dca2da1bb7 I go 568bfef2f0 to find 4fa6d9aba9 happiness now?’ace00ef8a82db581
Or rather, could 3556fa0702 she even grasp 97a2f00b87 something she didn’t 6b9028153a know? Perhaps even if 5eb7e844eb happiness appeared before a79dcf9cd1 her, she would 12f0f00548 miss it. She didn’t know how 42494dc6f3 to hold onto something dc64ea49c1 she didn’t even know 958ff844a4 the shape of.70d303c23874e8d0
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‘Nothing seems e280660fae to go 04075e657d right.’4f3edb2a9b1ceb79
She didn’t want to be discouraged by this, but she already felt exhausted. Everything she had worked for all her life had slipped through her fingers so easily.c0f2e284a742093f
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She felt as fa0bfba78a if hot blood 3348b53ba4 or a lump 46e1582b02 would rise in 79865bf9a3 her throat.298a978df7eacdf3
“Pull yourself together.”67f09935e7db30a8
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Kyrie whispered a45d6a9b2b to herself e9ec7a4a40 and stepped 23a601e9f9 out into 49e30053de the hallway 87e0b587af as if f411fa2a8a in a b4bca97d9a trance.66714953edc0b6fe
Creak.cbb268437a19c2ff
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The hallway that greeted b6389d49fa her was as unfamiliar ed4bbe008e as the room. The grand and antique f849b0c9e7 mansion felt cold and 39f9c82404 impersonal. The lingering scent f4ae42913d of heavy cigars 17d0d9f2df indicated that this 827b7bf331 building was connected 024363df9a to the Duke.0a8cb3344979ffd8
The silent eb961aa634 mansion felt 1fedb7f109 like a da9d60ca8f ghost’s residence. Not just any 23eacdee0d ghost, but a 3f71e2c580 ghost whose only 8f016c317b legacy was wealth.6d38c4032e5552c2
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‘Is it not maintained?’bfff45ead9c05855
But the mansion was in excellent condition. Perhaps he kept only a minimal staff. That’s why she hadn’t seen any maids.8060be3227836e71
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But it wasn’t 3b06187590 Kyrie’s concern. She just wanted 1940121e3d to walk to b001652426 clear her mind. Barefoot, without even bb4a50dfdc slippers, just as 149fcf5a7f she used to 50769aed7b pace her room 89ea82b277 endlessly when her 0ccbd6faee mind was troubled.0c30d607760c8570
As she walked down 9c3d97fe35 the high-ceilinged hallway,672fb09c8294fab1
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“Did you hear?”25ea80835586bd74
A whispering bcc0956e15 voice came eb8218a940 from beyond 46e5e92c0f a large 39efe0442c door in e6bc247910 the hallway. Kyrie flinched and stopped.5e9958816ad1c853
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‘Should I hide?’27f301ae7408b6cf
She was 16dc6c8f44 a guest 2f5951bee6 who had 9086a1cf3c left her 88e2f04007 designated room 8d882c3607 without permission. She didn’t c7a351d85d know if f3fda68ada the Duke’s 8777eb6c49 household would e5dee21f1b welcome her ade2dff943 presence.f324e3fbe5686795
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As she cc3ebdaba5 hesitated, another a16f17e0e8 voice whispered,481c40130b432624
“About the woman?”857df07f7821e4a1
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“Which one? The one 3088c3dfda His Grace 84d8330c89 brought to 25f102296d the mansion 80116031f2 this time…”d785d756d0d6bc0c
“No, the other one.”8aa4cf45f8a3ff6f
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Kyrie’s heart leaped, thinking e899fb8ce3 they were talking about 2830770100 her. Then someone said c6a9b0c91e in an angry 332e410e4b voice,b5ec819a976cb669
“Did you hear 138c0e284b about that damned 25c2b8fe56 Duchess of Melua?”ac1244e6a42d74b4
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“Oh, that.”2fd57f2ebf46821c
“How could His 8e9cd9d6bc Majesty do that?”0aeddc60897bea59
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“Even His Majesty… to 627748033f think of selling off 6e80baf802 the Empire’s First Duke 5277b9b6d6 as a consort to d3e32bd4da a duchy…”59f81f9007769a84
‘A consort to a 49284ae587 duchy?’ 382e9dd7f842f177
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Kyrie stood b5f5d1c532 frozen, then a84f50844b slowly approached c733a9a25e the door.b04c58ec1374a764
Her instincts suddenly d86c3bd893 kicked in. She had a feeling c4ab63c2b9 she should hear this d0a9cbdbfd conversation, even if she ce846dda33 didn’t know why.62ef7f29ce9a0232
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The Duke’s subordinates, or servants, whispered in angry voices.193a13f441613840
“Even His ab7e9fbeff Majesty can’t 820c9de744 actually send 596ddba608 His Grace 3635a68b6e away like 35453bbfee that.”6983a1b65913b05e
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“Right. The soldiers b082ad0ab2 on the 771247c078 southern front 2c3f297195 would all 210a25c2fe revolt.”8c48ff107acb2ad9
“And that’s not all. The border territories cc139776ff allied with Haswell abd26d7ae1 would protest as 230b1499ff well.”723545da6de41576
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“Calm down, everyone. You don’t really 0cd2fb5972 think His Grace a7bf7d00e6 would be dragged a1909bc153 away like that, f94f291293 do you?”5e86ac73212e59f8
A brief silence 9ef8a2aff2 followed. They seemed deep f02ed6bc40 in thought.ccbd6dfda0204562
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“Well, our Duke 40f47483b1 is more likely b6206d0363 to do the 8a014bab64 dragging than be 35b16eba47 dragged.”2883e13cfb281471
Someone replied calmly. c6c797e2b125475a
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Another added, as if 7956728772 raising the stakes, “Who 9dad54de0b knows, next he might 3457af11c9 just conquer the Duchy 3f990fe857 of Melua and wring 639398ed66 the Duchess’ neck.”fc1c27e4fd3a3c2b
“I can 790daaab08 actually see 24469c586b him doing 36af99842c that, so badc93a875 it doesn’t 40fb3a7fd0 even sound 43275e2cc0 like a 4253421471 joke.”b3a405e40fccc0f6
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“Do you think I’m 9f8d119c91 joking?”64bdcbc3567952bd
Then, a 177ef20a08 lighthearted laugh 98f2e3a114 followed.52eddf4d71d21603
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“Well, our 8a3a3d2e9b Duke already…”487796ffcf4708c0
“Shh.”80c35cb311ae6644
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Sudden silence fell ab35236c72 into the air. Kyrie stood for 485f3f9fbc a moment, catching dc21968ca0 her breath.fb8591fcdb73ac9e
‘That seems like 00a9dbdcbb a rather dangerous 75446b9f7c conversation.’3107148dd39e4569
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They spoke 9f0978ef83 so casually 4facd1474b about wringing 12727218ee a monarch’s aaabce4dbf neck. But Kyrie faca16f743 couldn’t help c26bd3a452 but agree feb128e42d with them e15fe45f4a inwardly. The Duke she 5f7da65570 had encountered was 7c761c6b02 someone who would 03f49e2dd2 break rather than 819df327f1 bend, and would a91cce144d break anyone who 828a8532c7 tried to bend 185bcf7f49 him. Seeing his sharp silver ad36fc241a eyes, it was hard c58fb2ff6d to shake that thought.9fd714289ff5dd8a
In that sense, 9399b085be perhaps he was fb1e023237 similar to her. The only difference 1c45c7e14f was that, unlike f22d664ed8 her, the Duke 18603d0980 was powerful and e8c1e48ecc still had choices.52fa819d8b64f7ee
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‘Even so, to say 2a90b5bbd4 such things about a b06117a2fd Duchess…’ad3d6e762597c65f
Kyrie wondered if she 6b7a6eabb5 could use this as 1f7e0c0949 leverage against the Duke. Accuse him of treason, 1222f1a375 telling the Emperor that fc4c95908b his servants were disrespectful. If the 038f72a12b threat worked, dc0ce62fe9 would the 883d3d55ef Duke help 419ba98dc9 her?61fcb6aa91dea9f7
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‘Ridiculous.’e53a35dc6ed5544d
Kyrie chuckled cb47591b95 at the 03955b1b7e thought. A Duke who talked f774146dfd about wringing a Duchess’s 810d817f25 neck… would he hesitate 2be35e36ae to do the same f66f100188 to a mere Lady? Especially a mad dog 53da7e1eba whom the Ducal family 8d88b943fe was eager to get 8bc3593885 rid of.04cee6e105927e78
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So, Kyrie fa94148cc0 quickly dismissed cfcad8ef2e the idea e69260f4fc and tried bc959539e6 to understand 830d897d8d what she 44098fefa6 had heard. The story about the 0cdd44ac5b Emperor potentially selling the edc5f7d9af Duke off as a 049ee9af49 consort was shocking, but 22cdb4063b considering the Emperor, she bb57d4868c thought it might be 427b88334c possible.e8004f46faab44e5
‘Is there any way 8adae7abda I can use this e9ab229a6b information?’57bfaa4b5d1d6231
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As Kyrie bc5aa9a49d frantically gathered 70c4e143be the overheard b976b27d06 information, the 84713322c4 young men 80b49e8d4b continued their b234586ebd hushed conversation.fd4e008562def80a
“If only 35c9f1124d His Grace 903bb1d70a found a 0a74eead15 bride first…”12ffd05f1a1e60e1
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Long sighs followed. Then someone 1170a3c91e said casually, e69bad5275 but the f945b7a6d3 words resonated 952003beca with Kyrie 2104cc824b more than 88937fd647 anything else, 1998f5981e563897
“…His Majesty 7c9b4948e7 won’t approve 0703690b3a unless it’s 619de49d34 a considerably 9d6cd196bc undesirable match.”ff122ee24f548a4e
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“Exactly. Unless it’s with a e6d07b22a4 woman who would make 468d551ed9 people question his sanity 5a0f3f5afb just by associating with 917c754a5a her.”780608b85e05a036
An undesirable match. A woman who would fa952c2c7f make people question his 94cf8f9da4 sanity.2a99ab8ebdd25f84
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A solution appeared. 15e5e7ac7c542a9b
Kyrie’s heart pounded.9473f270cd2932af
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* * *0e88ae564f977abd
At the 2fbca85d6e end of a96f37be6a the hallway, b10c209e44 where a 4c14dd1b7d cool air 117c4e2ab8 lingered, Dominique c471b828df adjusted his 35e37926cc cravat. l His 026eea107f butler, observing 384d8746f0 this, tilted 6894e4a99e his head b013bde4b2 inquisitively.8b00b010a5104989
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“What’s this? Feeling the e888abd55e heat, Your 1e595f1a5a Grace?”848eb332610302c1
“Perhaps.”593c36a238395492
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Dominique realized he d7800dc987 had tightened his bc26d03b30 collar only after bde1b4d795 his butler mentioned 0da067382e it. An involuntary chuckle escaped 65da87913f his lips.20a1727deb1e4206
‘How impudent.’a43e6334bde12687
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The image 4def1aaeeb of Kyrie 6e35fadb49 Ernberg groaning 34cf34daeb in his 2164e405b8 bed came 39bac526c3 to mind.5f6d5893ffd93c88
Yes, inhisbed. All night long, e253feec07 she had imbued 7945c6eb1c his bed with 4d6307267a her scent and 6e94e7496f presence.6122c6534d7e3ab1
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He hadn’t allowed any outside guests in his townhouse since becoming Duke. Mainly because he rarely visited the capital.0f51c14c1a349075
So, when he 4bd0de47dc brought Kyrie, unconscious 95cd80c747 after hitting her 12d9037d14 head on his 9806899db2 chest during her 727c15e6b3 fall, there was 5ed6708bfc nowhere else to 65ac81d0d6 lay her but 754cdbcb5c his bedroom. The other guest rooms 95fba1c694 were barren, covered in eb58b0c75b white sheets.90273177b3932c5c
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In a way, 031cee1a8b bringing a woman faba67df12 into his bedroom 301737d36d was unavoidable.549f92f853637bf8
‘Though bringing 58f6cf970e her here a51787a974 in the 03dbd4883f first place 97712f20ff was my edd22e3ebd own impulse.’5f6f11e6825386e0
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Dominique recalled the 7c5487cbd4 moment he carried 43cc89492b Kyrie to his daf0b8c763 mansion.0f6e4ffd65cde96d
* * *e3cd2e2e75b496e5
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When he a94927510d heard the 341bed40c6 commotion and 7edccd667c screams from c91162b270 the Imperial 617dc8b43f Garden’s separate 89fa98a68b building… At 8b5d89b27e first, he 7a9088280c intended to d499b027cb ignore it. If it 4252e1841a weren’t for 799e0e6353 someone shouting,c122020917a81e2d
“Everyone, come see! The mad 5ffb8261f9 dog is 98937bef07 causing trouble 7b5b2e06d3 again!”0a280e3ecee0d896
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At those words, all 9e06ce935c the nobles in the fe35e60f5f garden rushed towards the be2bb9fbf4 scene with knowing smiles, f96598cd33 eager for a spectacle.cc2ce8f5df89e6f2
Dominique, usually indifferent to 3fd878b6e3 gossip, changed his mind 8d905797fa at the mention of 62237fb00a “Mad Dog.”c71af88256afc932
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‘Now that I think bcf29c477a about it…’ fa5dec8bbc7b98f7
He had dropped 38fc2048f9 Kyrie off near 0359885e53 that building.40147c1d8f019db6
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Dominique walked 279c2a5ae5 briskly towards 61687e89ac the entrance f6c49c82cc of the 3e3730492d building. The nobles, who 6263efbc4c had been frowning 6320f3f76b as they pushed ff9b7770c8 each other, stepped 5973a7f263 back in surprise b345d1ef32 upon seeing Dominique.855c0d53a1d6fb3a
“Your Grace?”d54a3b48cfbae5b5
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As the crowd 2979b32b6b parted like the 2f56819974 Red Sea…52fc3004777accb2
“I told 506db0ab76 you to c46a04ab7f get out!”92cd85612c4f3078
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Lexion shouted, pushing Kyrie 5160b30a5f Ernberg down the stairs. It all happened c0d794d109 at once.1d7f1aeb8938f26d
Time seemed to b6a779a2c0 slow down. The expressions of the 5178e1fde4 onlookers, a mixture of 28dd23a60e shock and amusement, flashed ef055d0292 before his eyes. Kyrie had 784fdd9ec8 fallen from 2047cebf96 the top 9c1a8b7c5a of the 6b69216e86 steep stairs.2aa87b04d0f68b03
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A fall that d78311e9eb could leave her a3e8b0de97 dead or crippled.f84c13c65023bb97
‘…’ efcd6e37a7f3b972
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Dominique instinctively moved to 895e65d892 where Kyrie would land. Even though he 5451b27a5a knew the moment 325ec0224d Lexion pushed her 58c9f48b87 that she was 46d0431ca2 no longer usable 7f07d2620b against him.3652e14d5ef2c922
She was a 09d9cf9f10 discarded card. Her death or 766420e640 injury wouldn’t benefit 7aaa6fdc59 or harm him ff94ffce0e in any way.e13ab5959da8c19f
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Nevertheless, Dominique 485e794114 caught her.f9f9343601af1cbf
There was no 846eae0ad1 reason to, but 5b8dd0620b there was no 0bb430cda9 reason not to a79c605d54 either. 1ae648f0c13efee0
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A momentary whim. 2a206cc0505c4c23
The indulgence of a 032f041b1f powerful man who could 57e72f710c choose whatever he pleased.66f3d2120e91da44
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That’s how it was bd5304bb33 at the time.2c1c1b00148c11e2
8638546e870ab57b
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