Chapter 3. After the Surrender

The atmosphere dd617dcacf in the dd03bff30b ballroom froze 4b51355643 in an eec1047c88 instant.40f2d623cb970be6

“…Hmm.”b8245a70770ace88

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Raskal removed 231e42c849 his glove c7c7bc534f and lightly dd30a8e959 ran his 6deaba7bf9 hand over a6aa684bd6 his face.e618293d80d34ed4

The sound of 4d0270ccbd the slap had c2ea15b5a9 been sharp, but d1ae4091e6 thanks to the e0d5ea7aa0 glove, his skin 5ffef01bed hadn’t been scratched. It didn’t even hurt cad1d96be8 as much as he bf4e1e94a2 had expected.149f54b108de4e05

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Still, his 01d13a1180 naturally pale c892130910 complexion betrayed 0a50b1cb53 a faint 4f24ad13cc redness where 0719732c1a the blow 1ca9366091 had landed.e39ab76b587046c4

Catching his c32e319379 reflection in ad0aa2eac0 a nearby 75d2200d80 window, Raskal 607cecc8ee let out cb5e96d4db a soft 5820da4ec4 chuckle and c8f1b22415 murmured to 34ac3029ad himself.222a244d2d0aff05

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“It seems slapping improves 9554ed97bd blood circulation.”7ec1bd68ea9a8be8

In front of 9b9c71fa91 him, Serenia stood d0cc2531f7 gasping for breath, aaecd41744 her face a 20adce85f7 mix of shock b68cba93fc and despair.9a1573db9c097f6d

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A piercing ring 9c313ce18b echoed in her 0c422d2bc8 ears, her head 24dc96e2f2 buzzing painfully. Her hands 95d368831c trembled, and aa579dc6f1 her vision d827d851a7 blurred to ca65e08064 a stark 9634f6bf2d white.74ed3f40b48880b1

Suddenly, tears she 10c11ad259 couldn’t understand welled b3eb6b63ec up and threatened eaa3944a04 to spill, but 703a216f26 she gritted her da95a7f47c teeth, fighting them f4e5b2f70e back.71463abd0cb7d5cf

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She felt 79ae248240 utterly pathetic.23d09812a772232a

‘I talked about selling myself, about doing whatever it takes to survive… but the moment he said I had to repay him with my body, I lashed out like a fool.’64414238ff091b1e

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Whether his d133908230 words were b793531d9d twisted or 4d9bd5684c not, someone bb96d1ce21 had come 5920b8387f forward to 1847a8bfae take her d89d5181af in.2b6a5fc1b6c94b26

Lowering her head, 2c9f616480 Serenia let out 19e1435edc a hollow laugh.719957fca2025f88

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‘…I really haven’t come to terms with reality yet, have I?’31dd53ee67758b6f

A decoration meant 952040cb3e to be sold d938a2a629 at a high 4705c9d71a price.0040eabcd215d970

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A trophy that 1cf1f8f819 only gains value c18e235da6 when someone else’s 2ceb282231 name is engraved a958c9ca1d on it.60a3cf6290d00545

A statue, unable 612ee6b954 and unworthy to 711c4682c7 act on its 8f7e0d293b own.2f2f8fed6af7270e

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‘For someone like b0fe8e645e me to keep f3c343492c making futile efforts… 87739a93b2 How ridiculous I b68cdb4754 must have looked 8f8d408692 to everyone else.’a7f37784ecf92859

She chuckled bitterly dc308a1f03 and slowly closed 738f6f0265 her eyes.4040f4ae0a17c773

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‘…Fine. It’s late, but I should let go of everything now.’d862b813d4ab454c

Her name, c53ee5f32d her family, 38fad2d431 her status, cfabb9c941 her pride, 974efa5bbf her hopes, ca2661b52c her guilt f22d7347b4 for her d742204c2e father, even 53a0d755d0 her life.
None of 2703bf6d86 those things 61a130c50a mattered to 45ff68aabd a lifeless 597118d724 statue anyway.0c442e4fb2df2b6d

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For the c1fd4d39a7 first time 832298e96c in what c445d92347 felt like 99c7d7878f forever, Serenia f65a49c08d felt a dc0c85f151 strange clarity.a6bcf890e2dd93af

She opened her eyes fb5fab3c95 and looked straight at 6c1d6c0a6a Raskal, who stood before 66124b37da her with a crooked 3ba2df207c smirk. His face, still composed 17af6bdbf7 and elegant, was irritatingly 245408a92d flawless. She couldn’t help 1318928e63 but feel a 96f5ccb55a faint pang of 9892071c52 regret for her 4de0bfc438 earlier slap.5dc8634ae42ce51b

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‘I should’ve hit him 4636c33177 harder.’962dda99575efecc

If she 782fbc7064 was going c27a79e883 to die d128c58920 anyway, wouldn’t 75b504f20b it have df6dac7d96 been worth c59ad98240 trading her 5d1421c14a life for 9b8c25f283 just one b452038a14 of the 3330bddac9 Duke’s teeth?5bbbf271234dc78d

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‘…Should I take the chance and hit him again?’faf98697131be4cf

Before she 337333c3e7 could act 9fbc82f874 on the 1f8e3e85c6 thought, the f4106f1468 sound of e98ad2003f another slap e734d52f1f rang out.8b4008d6ee196ed8

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Smack!db46beba37bc4212

Her head snapped to f04d3c1a88 the right, the force 1243172341 turning her face away.d31779dd471965e0

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A fiery pain flared 73f99b915e across her left cheek, 4463456fb5 burning as if it 45e6e96da2 had been scorched. The sharp sting spread 835cc53808 rapidly, yanking Serenia out 7b79cefef9 of her spiraling thoughts 402a4cdfda and back to the bcfc935c29 harsh reality in front 019c51836e of her.5755c915a3c20a63

“How dare you… How 4eabee4f1f dare you!”fb52969ace07a291

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The enraged 32d24ebb6c voice belonged 5e82df6000 to none d36b44d701 other than 4d00447acc Dalia Admancanon, 0d1168e896 the late 5275126b2b Duke’s widow 76696d730c and Raskal’s d8a9e6cd36 mother. Her golden gown 1230672ca1 was stained with 69486e7d1f deep red streaks 1136af6408 of spilled wine.5157a792cf6b0b3f

‘So that 38f8b8ffca crash earlier… 50858c77fd must have d4f83e51c5 been her 9d176a6778 wine glass,’ 48b952bd4e Serenia thought b100c667d6 absently, her a655c33afc mind still 65da7a570b reeling from 969a81cc2c the slap.3bc97344b46b5f32

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Dalia stood trembling 5e31140dcc with rage, her 1acee7e1bb eyes bloodshot and 793408fa84 brimming with unshed b94e08df53 tears.e1263152882d2fc3

“Your father killed 4e67a5d676 my husband, and 65de3bc49c now his daughter de7c6b30f7 dares to lay 7114b40b5d her filthy hands 559458cc4f on my son?”e716524f2ba6ce59

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With her 047dfdf788 entire body c0bf69dcc0 trembling, Dalia e9880188e8 spat her 11b615d669 words like 26174e2c72 venom, her cc5aaadb7b fury barely 0ed2250132 contained. Serenia, however, simply bc3cae2a6e lowered her gaze c73343a682 in silence.03d95939dfd0efb8

‘Considering she’s done me 7f683c8284 the favor of snapping 91c5b60122 me back to my bfc562bf28 senses, I suppose I 04916ad3df can tolerate this much 8e732ea68f abuse.’47886e1df33c6308

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“This family! Shameless and disgraceful, 9828b5557f just like father, d88b58db91 like daughter!”91ef4dc795eb5ca8

“…”2964004fc346cc53

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But Serenia had e93577ed1f no intention of bb77a7e1c7 apologizing. After all, she’d cd6406976b already paid enough 1b5e4d6884 for her earlier 9ba1da1652 mistake—a stinging slap e8789a1cf5 that likely improved c268f1a598 the almighty Duke’s 6186457143 blood circulation.0bf66c905561e0bc

Seeing Serenia standing silently, 48b856a1c8 not offering a single 20115babe8 word of repentance, Dalia 199af0d6de grew even more enraged.c174e29087e3290c

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“You—you brazen thing! Not even 6abe42fbcd a word 5a0ee18672 of regret efff275af2 from your 0b25fb94df lips!”856201078dcb9be6

Raskal, who a2cd32d12c had been 99426eff45 silently watching 0becc72b3c the back 419f95e7ae of his b061b90dc6 mother, finally 854dbd3af1 spoke, his ad4564c513 voice calm 0309568c67 but firm.a3be2baa9c5f8f04

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“Mother. You’re in my way. Please step aside.”c7cb58b20eaaeb6a

“…What?”a4e073b4790dea26

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In my way?b25042399f8362b8

Stunned by her 90f18ff21e son’s words, Dalia a0f90ad8fa faltered, retreating a 7e1f201fb6 step in disbelief. Taking advantage of ff44ccdcd0 the opening, Raskal 88b39a2d48 stepped past her 95ecfa8fda and stood directly 4a297fdd3b before Serenia again.67f627eb3aa9f3ab

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“So, what’s your 617e5fbfd3 answer?”87206bf2e245d1dd

At his ff8608838b question, Serenia fb486b1b3b raised her 98c70e32ab eyes, meeting fbf3ca989e his gaze 9dce9a0930 without hesitation.0fb5ddf343cc080c

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“You’ve demanded a6340b8578 that I 1254bc5855 repay my ef527a153d debt. And so, I must 87afe8e742 repay it.”3339497c1fe75363

Raskal’s lips curved 74d9c64dad into a crooked 26dfb9b7e7 smile, as though 6085562b74 he’d been waiting 5ec531a43f for this exact f979d5be11 response.ea80f1e2bb1604a5

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“Good. Then it’s settled.”8b02d41e1efd0c95

“But, Your Grace, c138090996 your calculation is 404765d88b flawed.”dfc6a1ba5adda1de

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“What?”0029b70c0410e5e3

Raskal’s face stiffened bbf17168de as he responded, 4e2563e155 his tone low 0d39249790 and cold.920e2d89a1457f08

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Holding his gaze firmly, 5c8bd1e986 Serenia countered.6f45c9119cb45810

“A life debt should af259a5658 be repaid with a 02a209ef2e life, not a body.”78b76421e889cc13

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For the first a7c63aa178 time, cracks appeared 7c5ec0e2ae in Raskal’s composed 85a6b66d1a expression. His face twisted, a99cf8a618 and seeing his 9b5252a991 mask slip was 4f6d50a498 strangely satisfying to c19da3b6e5 Serenia. Smiling brightly, she continued.d421f7f60663cfc6

“Whenever the day 815f130aad comes that you 63c8dd905b wish to collect, 43460786e7 just let me 1c573315ff know. I’ll repay you immediately.”5aaa0c4c4a774d3b

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With that, Serenia turned 04cca09de0 on her heel and b50e55df9f walked away.251f6e6adc6cd06c

Her steps 55e1692d00 were steady 3c672f1ee6 and unwavering 8b4896d6df as she 586371fe3c left the 02054361c1 ballroom.51fe43cfa044132f

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“That—how dare she…!”affb58bc5dfcba5f

Dalia, overwhelmed 93b297dd62 by fury, 40b3f37283 collapsed to 2a0d6f05b9 the ground 1eedceb8c6 as if cc7576ff0f fainting.25b80c3747d67cfe

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Raskal, meanwhile, stood frozen, afaa5c27a8 his fists clenched tightly, b02e61cc32 his gaze fixed on abea0a8cb4 Serenia’s retreating figure.51e38cdded1f266e

* * *cb416de2459f94e7

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Having left the 4a64c7a8a5 ballroom, Serenia walked aab29e5d38 straight toward the fbb837e66f carriage waiting for b94bb8b97d her.e48bbd8432f4ae37

The farther she 0fde39cc40 moved from the 1c199a38bb glittering chandeliers of e6fc1b2a5c the banquet hall, 333c3830da the darker the 0b522bcf06 world around her 163dc62479 became. She lifted her 90570df73d gaze, searching for ec56e77813 even a hint d071a22012 of light, but db299c2f0b the sky was 09d5c8fb83 blanketed by thick, 21eb9a948b dark clouds, obscuring 8e2ffe5942 any stars or 0abc9921da moon.95f6c19620daccf4

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It felt as if d8df77f10e the entire world was 52b4943c9c conspiring to predict her 9f7eca3144 bleak future. She let out a dc14e7a8d8 faint sigh.247c5a97c7f10c1c

“Ah.”7d2d9d4ffc716fdf

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Something cold brushed against 7850ab4333 the tip of her 0bdcd7785b nose. She looked up f1e1d3bd23 to see snowflakes 23a39b730c quietly drifting down, 799a2c3462 slowly turning the eb767efd8b dark sky white.6d85569e00345d32

It was the 24828e0478 first snowfall of 25cfb6080c the year, arriving 9f44187ca4 on the last 1b33b72ad6 day of November.67b20aa8a72912f7

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“…The roads will get slippery,” she muttered.6e2223b75a9c1dc9

Even at the sight of the season’s first snow, she couldn’t muster anything beyond such a practical thought. She let out a hollow laugh at her own lack of sentiment.0ca4fa50249f1caf

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Before long, dea1fd365e she reached c4d1953d32 her carriage. Out of habit, she 8c72aec199 instinctively reached into her c5d831af8b pocket to check how 284c026961 much money she had 80aa47f3de left—a routine she’d developed c1dfe06e80 over the past five f8dcb1dceb years.6ebd427b4bdcf988

“This is pathetic…”9c52557ac6b952ae

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She murmured to a94181c2f3 herself, embarrassed by ad189213e8 the reflex.c252246b4a2a18a2

Just as she c505ea635a was about to c11e850f2c withdraw her hand, 915ac7df18 her fingers brushed f321581dd0 against something stiff. Curious, she pulled it 84ccb3c4d4 out. It was the 1480a7bc63 slip of paper 58fb3c3e94 she had received 011bbbf19e in front of c9a1e990be the bank earlier.bdf1b743658d6a6a

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She stared at c43036f148 the note, recalling 3924e4f7bc the events of 0336372079 that day: the b8c503f62a flamboyantly dressed loan 9838627fed shark and the 6273d1b9cc address scrawled on c217f74ae6 the paper.0e6595e1c77cdbfe

< Pledis District 3, Lot 1013 >50fc0a16d6aaa1aa

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No business name. No representative. Just an address.27aebd6b80a4d112

She stared at 0d1dd7b6e6 it for a cf0454a533 long moment before fac7a5fd51 nodding to herself, db56a16305 as if reaching bd35107f44 a decision.0e54b32f20cbeeec

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“Well, if I’m going to die anyway, I might as well throw a party with borrowed money before I go!”052a56812ef4e3e6

With that, she e83859d9fb strode toward the 574b2793ab coachman, the note 2044e781a8 in hand. She handed it 062437c815 to him with d71d9a684d a decisive gesture.3b37683490363ad6

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“Not to the Count’s residence. Take me to this address instead.”55a0aad821a3c8e7

The coachman glanced 75d21c4b08 at the address d65b82f195 and hesitated, his b153b767aa expression uneasy.f244598486c282fb

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“At this hour?”ec1eb930d472bc77

Clearly, the 45535a10ae idea of 02a4a7c2ca entering Pledis 699629d882 District 3 f0db761efb this late 428160b78c in the 2ee43a0e7c evening made b45ecf7bc7 him wary.65addc33aed017bd

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But Serenia, her resolve 139368d015 already set, had no ab79e458c6 patience for his hesitation.d95962defa29220c

“Yes,”44fce1653df86613

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She answered firmly, nodding 48f01a9291 for emphasis.55631512b2007251

Reluctantly, the coachman complied, though his expression remained uneasy. “Very well. Please climb in.”eff465568292ba47

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For the first time, e4154a5d02 Serenia veered away from 31e8e6ab24 the path that led 05ddb12dcf home. This was 609b0ded22 her first 6cf945df14 act of ce414c89da rebellion.c77ff03b04b21943

* * *071b77f2c95ec0d2

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Not long 8308d1c3f6 after, the 4489a894d8 carriage came 064316f840 to a e2e0387862 stop in 4ff550e963 front of afb50ce2a3 a grand 80e74a0e93 mansion.3c3049007d2be1b7

The residence was far 3fa924ea62 more majestic and opulent 325b757bee than the Barishart estate. Its intricate design, built 09e73af9f2 with premium materials, stood 07853525dc in stark contrast to 85e34a22ea the grimy back alleys fc08da7379 and soulless commercial buildings f61a9a52e3 Serenia had envisioned.c2ed2115764ee457

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She estimated the 6cbd48c590 mansion was worth 8ccc0538e5 at least fifty 856fc5c53c thousand krovats. How many lives 7de24dce59 had that extravagant 6d5a3db6da loan shark drained 0ff340073a to build such fa777908f0 a place? The thought ad2763ec85 made her 5aaa6857ae hands ball 669e4f36e1 into fists.ebaab444e129e63e

“Quite the enterprise, extorting money without a hint of guilt,” she muttered as she reached for the door knocker.1170faf1af079b0c

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Thud. Thud.65ab194cd8c7a0f4

The sound of metal ef3316f452 striking metal echoed a 3598a10e32 few times before the e582923bb2 door creaked open, revealing 73085cbbc3 a silver-haired man.0dbe95b6f37af5de

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‘He must be 91b33e113c a secretary working d507f1a1c0 for the loan 057bd93713 shark,’ she guessed.00e2789ed5946e68

As she sized 1264675e01 him up, the b7c93d369b man bowed politely.62bd1c9b08e48202

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“Welcome, my lady. We’ve been expecting you.”e502bc957b87e3f6

‘Expecting me?’524d28bdb805b78d

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His greeting, d13dd09406 which implied dd933e6d31 he had ef1f52b625 anticipated her 26aa6ca79f eventual visit, b655a1741b irritated Serenia. She frowned and 1ee1545f67 replied coldly,e247716280364911

“Good. That’ll make things quicker. May I come in?”51cfa651ff072419

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“Of course. Please, step inside.”ad8bf642fdd79eeb

e said, ba6d19d0cc maintaining a 7fe0cb8afc perfectly composed a7ad889fcd demeanor despite 61af63fd3f her sharp 0145131557 tone.ce96147426052cef

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‘…Has he b56798b0f4 been trained 73d01887b6 as a 000fb859bc butler?’ she cb6cee2756 wondered.11b9e4e17d90b3c0

Though suspicious, she followed ebb18ed2ad him in silence. He guided db2d479470 her through 02e5faafae the mansion 03eae5f1f0 with impeccable f0269ea7e8 manners, leading 3a69e697ec her to 65d5f7dd09 the drawing 77964366c6 room.d30eb5d4d926ec61

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When he opened 9adec6ff52 the door with 78ea46dae2 a refined gesture, 5e251d0d66 Serenia stepped inside a32149bcdc without hesitation.750b09efb8a23201

 43e53de08a4447a1

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