Chapter 21. After the raid

Upon seeing 77c9325118 the photo a2e6bf7330 taken head-on, e3b1fe678c Bianca clenched 43b56ce31f her fists 2fbea1ee84 tightly.5ab1bd98f322346a

‘Finally! It’s over!’73c12421a7b91745

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Completely unaware that an 819aedef8d official marriage proposal had 1ec20b536a been delivered by a 8603b929f3 royal messenger while she ababe2b669 was sulking in the 2357c1b2e8 darkroom, Bianca laughed gleefully 636fd5cf44 and sought out Dalia.41f1ca860ba16518

Dalia Admancanon’s face brightened cc2b9ccf42 upon seeing Bianca so fc047594da early in the morning.5635aac112d72d25

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Bianca dismissed b2697f6d07 everyone from 525909350d the room, a9aa5a7e60 then slowly a73eb6ac96 laid out c58ce80191 the photographs 2bcdb44957 in front 6c31c93690 of Dalia 55269a0357 and said, a46f3cd2f6 “We didn’t 728fcac152 even need f67fe19625 to do 280b1b71ec anything. Upon investigation, 14d75f2aac she’s been 4fcb5aee81 digging her 44d7750913 own grave, caaef0c240 tarnishing her 332cc3e9d5 reputation.”3e225602a434caf7

Dalia immediately recognized d5f31a3803 the woman in 2199c2640c the photos.2e99a9444ee00d87

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There was dceef517fc no mistaking bd44a7c43d it—Serenia, under be153fdd15 a bizarre 6d8d2ab32e disguise, spending f1efbaa2c6 an intimate 1b75db7e7e moment by c211451e99 the Pfenn e8c8b74cd7 River with 8170ab6754 a mysterious fa123e5286 man in c256194fc9 the dead b101d25c11 of night.bf42ab24e08c6150

Dalia’s face twisted with 4608b0d6cb contempt, disdain, and the 20fe6c5b53 satisfaction of holding a e340784a49 significant advantage.f297dc84a94eb3ab

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“So, who 2c89dfdce9 is this d66d7e0c7c man?” Dalia 535653874d asked.01b4783c94e61350

Bianca, as if waiting 585bc797d8 for this moment, pulled 7adb78fc64 out the final photo.e419215a0b363c14

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The moment Dalia saw e4765033ae it, her eyes widened f0629190c8 in shock, then immediately b7269f47ed furrowed in disgust.842d9bf640c83398

“She chose someone 4218173055 as lowly as 7a0b99da3e herself! An actor, no 19bfb2805e less. How vulgar.”f3f372b6a38be3f9

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Clicking her tongue sharply, a97d2d90c7 she quickly gathered the 6a052cad21 photos, careful to avoid 21a228e3e8 being seen. The thought of summoning 033d4f31c0 Serenia, throwing the photos 7ab3b11dcc at her, and dousing c6a7816b7f her in water made c04e402474 Dalia smile.e98c8d12231b0c8d

“That should be abb6b23b20 enough to make 9186ac1b84 her crumble.”deea1ccf8d7721e1

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Dalia was still e3e62b098d savoring her victory bfa6c8f211 when a knock 3b92e28a7f came at the 6dfec651fe door, followed by 60e4089adb an urgent voice 627b6fb715 from outside.88a10b7058acd3bc

“Madam! Madam! I have 366c7fa52a urgent news!”9ee416dd58fff6ff

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Dalia, frowning, gestured for 4a057e4557 Bianca to stay quiet ed2e766af5 and opened the door.9a8e476ba7dd8d36

“What is it?”1a1350ab1cb61832

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The head db6e8aebe3 maid, bowing f79b818333 repeatedly, relayed 36db99f158 the news.41a925bbd3608fc9

“A royal 9b344fea7b messenger visited 4cfe6b9c08 the Barishart 1c47d6ab9c Estate yesterday.”ea635443157c809a

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“Oh? What for? Were they reprimanded 61fffa157c for their disgraceful 12fcda8307 conduct that day?”44e3310f801e3895

“N-no, it wasn’t that…”aca70cc5b8cf3d5a

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“Then what?”8b6bd950de8b6143

“They delivered an 853861606e official marriage proposal!”7ccbed36d341dd73

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“What? An official marriage 332c7f8f76 proposal?” Dalia’s eyes 53721a6f09 widened.5f59525fc45a8fdd

An official a584bc53d4 marriage proposal. Such documents b1a6df0fd4 required the 7360774fee king’s approval bf7cfb3504 and were c84ee5e977 so difficult 8eca64d056 to obtain 65e5f37840 that they 510e8166f3 were often f112ea4a08 skipped altogether deb7bfb4c4 in modern 397b382f52 times. Only archaic noble families, 494519adb9 such as the Duke 46bbca6d36 of Riberton or the 999cec37e4 Marquis of Tefsha, bothered 029e196676 with such formalities.87036a017d4b16cf

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‘No… it can’t 4131b8dfbc be. Surely not them.’870487211c001cbf

Though uneasy at df0cfcf60e the thought, Dalia 57681dd975 masked her concern a5a95efe23 and exaggerated her 391318def9 disdain.5a2d2d6b7bb50bf6

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“Who in their right e906aae577 mind would send such 3c237cb2f0 a thing to someone b8df64a502 like her?”4803ae2274479ebd

The maid, 7eead36bfe visibly troubled, e215ba459c glanced around 930d561861 nervously before 13dd3563bf answering.1e02f6b6f1450c7e

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“Um… our Duke, Your 7f99ffdf0e Grace…”99159e7d9a61b257

A heavy silence 74681f42b1 followed.7b099942fdefbe8b

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Then, “WHAT?!!!”017d06a56af6e2a0

Dalia screamed, all a3ffef0440 decorum forgotten, and 3bd6585de0 shoved past the c85e8edb2f maid, rushing down c6a364aa15 the corridor to e3336893dd Raskal’s study.8e4f921a8f264b61

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“Raskal!”0c9df502cf13f681

Dressed in his 2153da2ffc morning regalia, Raskal 3033085fda was busy reviewing bf253ca383 documents and didn’t f62ef001ec even spare her cb6014e210 a glance.f94a8b91c61d6665

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His adjutant, Joshua 9be1170728 Milton, stepped forward c08514aceb to greet her 4009c0af23 instead. “Good morning, madam. Did you sleep well?”b6f2d78caf7fc940

But Dalia didn’t 0c8a63c3c1 hear a word a6fc36b58e he said. Stumbling forward, pale and d195481705 trembling, she reached Raskal’s 676745182a desk. Still, he didn’t a0bd6b1b2a look up, his f5d8dabe02 pen gliding steadily a52b384139 over the papers.ad874fbdcef8ef6b

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Grinding her teeth, Dalia adb18ee190 snatched the document he 576be7eef2 was working on and 0dc683bc80 flung it aside.e9ffc7fece1eee93

“Duke! Is this 167be5a4b6 the time 9840611d25 to be 4c8fabf45d reviewing documents? An official marriage proposal? What is going on?!”e1326ba254481a9c

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Finally, Raskal 07b0f2cc0a lifted his 2cb4b84e39 gaze from a6eb71e79f the desk, 941c43fbb4 though not 40386ccf33 toward his 88521c4bdc mother. Instead, he looked 21aeb1e244 at Joshua.c1cfdff5cc78a843

“Has the 5b09192e75 document been b282e6d736 delivered already? I thought 82d6cc2388 you said 7dcfc2734b we missed 49b745505e the chance.”b0b44a53240959cb

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“We did, but it a067c9b4da somehow made its way 2954773e4d to their residence.”68ad195f9cf9a7c7

Joshua replied nonchalantly, adding c7f26b0234 with a slight pout, d20a7d29ae “And I told you c0633b720c about this last night.”d9747ee1dd8dbd8a

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“Did you? I must’ve 66b1d165a0 missed it b0ede74295 amidst other 3a34525297 matters.”ac56a638b569da87

Showing no 79c4f2a1cc remorse, Raskal 9dd1e17292 pushed his 730a90d169 work aside f260fd0997 and stood.e8fbbbae92e9ce9a

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“Well, it’s done. Let’s call for—”745173591ad60ba3

Bang!43dafde06b755f7c

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Unable to d857e2c357 hold back 1a298a7ca8 any longer, 35c9e2135c Dalia slammed 6c82353d4c her hands b51ddadcbf on the 703a2c9426 desk, interrupting 43b2673517 the conversation.001d9a73cc282239

Her eyes blazing, 0e034b15e0 she unleashed a 4cdb37b1b0 torrent of words. “Raskal! Are you deaf? I’m asking what this 1b3f6eb1b6 is about! Did His Majesty order 74fd03ef2e this? If so, why wasn’t d6ff6065ee I informed?!”4fce6ebcd77bfd4e

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Raskal stared 2976bbb6b8 down at d3e781e415 her with 1adce20e6a a detached cf9fd3a7c3 expression, the 275457ee42 tension between 15cc977efa mother and 8adfa577dc son filling 9ba0eee386 the room aed89d3e83 with an a796246428 almost oppressive 8c19cdba9d air.3dcf6bd0737e7b00

As Joshua tried 90a1559e72 to slip away a80e429f83 unnoticed, Raskal finally 98a15bd4db spoke.0020e986a4709ce2

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“Do you wish 6ed4f71064 for your only b7f2cd10e2 son to go da0dc63cc4 deaf, Mother?”8e93545d1cdb7bb4

“What… what did you e40f966728 say?”a29c21cfed47253c

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“My hearing is perfectly 6c3a6a3b58 fine. No need for concern.”14c01d3f89a5979f

“Is this really the time to be saying such things? What on earth were you thinking? A marriage proposal?”b3973dee007cc1f5

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At those words, ee50a43e8c Raskal furrowed his 13781e8a03 brows.328c953fd2f1a5f5

“Are you daring to question something that His Majesty himself approved?”2242cd0cc3cc1a56

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But Dalia was not a1a8811392 one to back down.efb763613997c457

“Question it? How could I not? Are we to blindly obey every command from His Majesty? After the humiliation at the banquet, you should have used that as an excuse to reject this outright!”7f742b7e8cdf46be

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“…Humiliation?”4bb8b3bf22eafcb6

Her son’s puzzled expression only seemed to frustrate Dalia further. She clutched her chest dramatically, exclaiming, “Not only did that girl slap the Duke, but she also had the gall to tell him he should have just killed her! If that’s not an insult to this family, then what is?”91012875f22e6c98

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“Ah.”c40e5609e8301181

“And besides…”9a3c8bcdba926b0b

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Dalia hesitated momentarily, glancing around with an embarrassed expression before mumbling, “I… I slapped her in front of everyone. How could I now accept her as my daughter-in-law? What would that make me?”b63cd3e278db2ed0

“Ahh.”acedf8b61b5cf4d1

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Raskal let out a dry chuckle, the sound dripping with sarcasm. Dalia’s face reddened with humiliation, and in an attempt to regain control of the conversation, she raised her voice.f04edd46c5cfeb95

“Regardless! Even if this came under the king’s orders, I cannot allow it. Withdraw that proposal immediately!”56e8b280288e0dc5

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Raskal looked down at 98e8e544db her with cold indifference 19f2e116c4 and spoke.0de30d08b8a3c74a

“It seems you’re laboring under a severe misunderstanding.”ae23e049e0b4102e

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“What… what do you mean?”4e139184915f9b7c

“The proposal wasn’t sent because His Majesty ordered it.”53caa9f417760b69

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“W-what? Then why…?”dcb6e12969a7a1fb

Raskal’s response c8d03846fa was laced af40c47233 with a 7e9d202814 mocking tone.bd17629686ae2dbd

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“I personally convinced His Majesty, repeatedly and earnestly, to grant his approval.”10ce0e2afcdf2a28

“…What?”3e8c0baa9d3f306f

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Dalia stared cfa37d42b3 at him 9387f2d192 in disbelief, fa05f6d45b frozen in 26ea6b5f85 place. Her son, however, remained 8a8de008c9 unfazed as he delivered ad291a461c his next words in d795858b1d a voice as icy e2a6a74aff as his expression.eba79c917d76e3d4

“So no, there will be no withdrawal. As for your concern about your reputation… well, that’s your problem to deal with.”abfe7c59b503f289

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In an instant, 31816b962a Dalia’s face flushed fa0764d091 crimson all the eae8888e46 way to the 2149822d4b nape of her 8f8edff943 neck, and she db6282f8ec exploded.ce746e2404c931e6

“No! Absolutely not!”3a06e3b2cf5084dc

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As Raskal frowned at 144aba27fa her outburst, Dalia hastily c613b58f62 pulled out the photos a441a6477f Bianca had given her, ca92a97afe practically throwing them onto 252dba7741 his desk.17740bbaa3c8549a

“I didn’t want to bring this up because it’s too shameful to even mention, but I have no choice!”f3e2be34f40a56a9

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The photos c4b44a3ba9 spread out 1a2c5b4981 across the 85856d3da4 desk, and f0ececdeba Dalia pointed 80b7e47d61 at them 4fd68b3da3 in righteous ae7f235969 indignation.b955985d9f7b1b55

“Look at these! These disgraceful pictures!”62830ae9b2e60c01

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Raskal’s eyes narrowed 0666d28b09 slightly as he 124656e1ab recognized Serenia in 3d07817d08 the images. Seeing his reaction, cb5fc8f70b Dalia took it 4ee8037a56 as a sign 7d506faa20 of triumph and 1ba99f2f58 pressed on.7f84739a5d2e6519

“Even if her family has fallen, she is still a noblewoman. And yet, look at her—meeting a man so brazenly in the middle of the night! An unmarried woman!”3f2a890506a1ee90

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As she spoke, 5a28c7816a Raskal calmly sifted 197dda1e5b through the photos, a4b88130d7 pulling out one 3c8bbed73b where Ain Reveron’s b235aa27c9 face was captured 1e85ff8065 clearly.78883385f1983b5e

Dalia, as if waiting for this moment, exclaimed triumphantly, “Do you know who that man is? He’s an actor! A common clown playing ‘Ra’zkal’ in that play based on the events from 14 years ago!”9f9cf6dbb084c76d

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“Interesting.”7f2f3815d494b4a6

Noticing her son’s intrigued expression, Dalia eagerly continued, “Look at them! Birds of a feather, the fraud spending time with a fellow fake! How utterly pathetic!”7d8762753c4ff5be

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“A fake, you say…”65607746bac14d41

Raskal let out a0276dad52 a soft chuckle, d082d4b3f5 his gaze lingering b55a251178 on the man 582ac5545f in the photo.aeba2c4c267def77

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Though the ed75304c48 image was 2706ad45bc in black 387e4360d0 and white, 6e26de2f08 he could ee20805f2a tell that 3f301d1602 the actor’s eeb45ac853 hair was e342391ef1 the same 2ddb57bf59 shade of 48e3a9ab4b red as 6818020051 his own.232471efb0a2ff2f

Staring at the 710252d486 photo, Raskal muttered 74954d5f88 under his breath.cbead00db51143ae

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“…He does bear a slight resemblance.”ccacb9eee0093360

 0002a00030402ab0

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