Chapter 23. After the invitation

“Pseudo-slave?”58022db3596a14de

Hearing such an 3c3fb875ed insult for the e273e104de first time in c64cca58f2 her life, Serenia 0991f7dd4f couldn’t even muster 5927f527d7 anger. She simply froze in 65e92f38da place.5972e9dc56bfffae

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Raskal looked f6d8067e80 down at 948fc4002a her with 81465623e7 shadowed eyes 23f9b97631 before turning 1c5939f44a with a 5f7c23ee63 slight smile. He took cb48652b1a a few 91030f7991 steps toward eaa8820623 the hospital 52fa3202c8 room door 1b0f9258f3 but then 64f10e10a5 paused.0783b7833aff1db8

“Come to think of it, there are nine days left before the bank seizes the estate, aren’t there?”400bfb35da28a0db

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“…”fc1f91dd7f7cc95a

“I’ll generously give you that time to sort things out with your lover. It should be enough.”6e566f4535888beb

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“…”c7637637b426e5dd

“But remember this. If you take any longer, it won’t just be your house you lose. This room—no, this entire hospital—will be gone as well.”a01acc6978cf41a4

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With those final words, 273c350df1 he left the room.b306be4d7b9c07ba

Serenia crouched cf6a7e7805 on the efa1799a9f floor beside 6e3513b6ce her father’s ef4309807e bed, clutching d0ae9003db her trembling ce40eb2578 hands tightly 2dc04fd7e9 to her 9b371c2aff chest.932ed4964f3c8e52

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Strangely, tears began 1d1c76987d to flow.0a7e78c411cd4b18

He hadn’t even a08c8dfa23 said anything that 8b61678db0 was untrue.c2e6407e33f53f81

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“Why do you just lie there, Father, listening to all that?”e82e8864508c927e

She directed her frustration dd4796b9b5 at her unconscious father.32ac90d8f3b4fe03

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“He runs his mouth however he pleases… shouldn’t you at least get up and teach him some manners? Beat some sense into him if you have to…”6d86f1926b71227a

Muttering complaints, Serenia 484d3d48ec huddled in a 3c74052ebb corner of the 5480017093 room and allowed a0c715896c herself a brief, e691680d76 quiet sob.0edd1826f0be8ef9

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—09781a76f80d701d

Serenia didn’t 088daabe79 return home.408fafb70e6ac282

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After hearing de3fbfc693 such threats 4762b2a760 about the 61617fcc8a hospital, she 1d2dec3113 couldn’t bring 8aa96a60c9 herself to a74217606d leave her f85b4aa197 father’s side.2484a230df7bc69b

She spent days sitting be27b36efc on the makeshift chair 7735aa08e7 by the bed, staring fde2112293 blankly at the clouds 4394e65fb2 drifting past the window.52d45aca4cb608e6

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There was nothing bc6663ddad else she could 16a70652b2 do. She had e0825ad592 no way 35700c0bf6 to heal ed5db9b2bd her father, bb256689a1 no way 4da23195d4 to make 97a886c0ed Raskal withdraw 9ac1959fba the marriage 818b0ef953 proposal.a957577b5f4fb8a1

Though she might have 9800797c0f had the courage to 42e09cae43 storm into the duke’s be706a3b92 mansion and hold a 68cfb8ecf2 blade to his throat, bf1f689e58 she knew that wouldn’t f7ba119e14 make him change his ffe784c2e4 mind.6668b60f95fe96f9

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Serenia muttered bitterly to herself, “Well, that’s what it means to be a pseudo-slave…”cca61b5335ee8d38

Just then, a c54c685bcc nurse slipped quietly 2805f57c70 into the room.2716299649a4bd3b

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Startled, Serenia 42dfc7ee33 thought it 3fa8c0a8b2 might be a690b5dc74 time for c1b28c22ec treatment, but 95122a4c71 the position 6f99b2a6dd of the 6c38d6d063 sun suggested 78b6a345aa otherwise.222259bbaa76cb95

The nurse 3d3a90d543 approached her b2def422e0 with a 4b0834250d quiet demeanor 09ee9bf77f and handed 56a46e8d6c her a e2ad8b8def note.47148cb713330d81

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“A carriage is waiting for you in front of the hospital,” she said.a9908f1eec47e02f

Serenia opened the 1df5287969 note.b63324d6a49e4db2

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 3f80631f09dca235

<Let’s have a chat.>9d421d627649914f

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 ce86ebd136a038e0

The elegant handwriting and c5fbd4b519 the large yellow petal 71fb86f37b placed on the note 60281a69b4 were unmistakable.8bdf267fe7989e2f

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A dahlia flower.155ac271c09a61c1

Light returned to Serenia’s 80aed817ee dull, weary eyes.b9d8256e0a8a0633

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Finally, the last 672d2d46f7 chance she had bfd85a699e been waiting for a7d6bfb73c had arrived.6e20390ff8274663

By the 5baf8afa63 time she fdc47b0fbc looked up, a09e9eea9c the nurse 37a7c9b667 was already 07d2819843 gone. Serenia stood 041d99a8d9 abruptly, ready 5707304f73 to leave a3dfeefc0c the room, f502b3db05 but she b2d2c01c46 hesitated when 12e1580bcb she looked 015d3b7304 back at b32f5ad535 her father.72f2e99c1b99e7c5

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Closing her eyes 46b3cab362 tightly, she stepped e57d9f1f84 forward.2cabdc54bf61d2cd

The carriage d73a8d0e1f carrying Serenia ca1a505bee headed straight 290260684a for the 86d7673110 duke’s mansion.d94d5fdeebbcc721

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As she 43144d3922 stepped out 2ffe784eb2 of the 16d8cdcc10 carriage and 55ef22512f stood at 85bf762b58 the mansion’s 26126a1a7c entrance, the 707533346f servants began 1c3740c103 whispering amongst 0c18fa4474 themselves.41a2264970b09367

But Serenia paid them e9d19d6e54 no mind and followed a08b328d9f the head maid inside.6bb8df16f8be741a

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She was e32f9175fd led to 2ff95dbe9a a parlor a597a520e3 used exclusively ff56ecd2db by Dalia 3ab6d539b1 Admancanon.a752c3f61c36e60a

Despite her disheveled 86713d5643 state, a result 70a6db49f5 of sleepless nights b29500790a and skipped meals, 45e06b5144 Serenia walked into 3cfd12be0a the room with bd9239e459 unwavering dignity.c7826294602d74a2

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The parlor cb81e99dce was resplendent, 695c886ab7 and a 9b532b0690 lavish tea 2ce50c051d table was b66aabd4d5 set up 711aabd26d in front c6ff836bc2 of her.65c79869c06edafa

From cookies and 5275969b13 cakes to sandwiches 8de5f9976e and other light 1482ec3c13 dishes, the table d00c52c4a5 was piled high 61f634a6d0 with food. Seeing the elaborate 8531c7ea41 spread, Serenia thought d27c048afd to herself, ‘She’s 88afde88c7 going all out.’2795b766cc3a4c6e

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In the capital’s social circles, there was a saying: “Never swallow even a sip of water at the Admancanon mansion.”9e83b758df0e9dd6

This wasn’t just 2302a1e90c a metaphor but 285b4db9a1 a grave warning.020397cdc035fb98

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Here, food 1f8fa8e696 was often 96455857bb poisoned—not intentionally, 5baf619e01 but even deafb558c5 mistakes were 1e9a96048b frequent.c076c07049f59e7e

The massive mansion 9a13cc5562 housed storerooms filled 776c58f71f with poisonous concoctions c885984215 passed down through 1d412d259e generations, as well 7200000fa7 as laboratories and 9e58968258 facilities operating around 854c384acf the clock to 76cf58ff4e create new toxins.ffe99c7a6055222e

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Despite strict management, incidents e961df445a involving toxic gas leaks f284ac36ba were not uncommon.7d6471f1fb0bd7b2

The servants of 735ab8357b the mansion were 57d0785040 paid nearly five 93c66f5c8b times the standard 6d3f57b237 wage, but many feee5303e5 left in stretchers 9b4b1e91cb and never returned.8eb87d4bc151900b

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Why, then, did the 83ed2790e4 duke’s household face no 4c231c2287 repercussions? The answer was 5a735aaf4a simple.19eccc359d8863bc

The Admancanon family produced 62657c24de more medicine than poison.063f41e8ebdbf0f6

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Everything in this world 6c63a42a0c could be a poison c92cc29fca or a cure depending f0bc480416 on its use.8899edc54e8d34d4

The Admancanon family 6759a937c9 ran a pharmaceutical 6876ec36bd company, Medicannon, directly 6174fa9b34 based on their 3328890b48 research.52412eecbf84555b

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Thanks to the 6a29f752ca countless medicines they f87191a3cb produced, tens of 8d3927229e thousands of lives 1d4fe9ee54 were saved each a4c4aac127 year.8f426c5705b43587

“You’ve arrived. Take a seat,” Dalia said, gesturing to the chair opposite her.88db5371d5d92412

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Without a word, 4ceb9e00c3 Serenia pulled out 42980ff148 the chair and 82daaeb25e sat.e1ada90a84bdd91c

No sooner had 221d2ae768 she settled in 1d82af752d than red tea 4836c8d617 was poured into 66ded664f1 the white teacup 851f5128f5 before her.e011043495101bbf

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The vivid eb856989e4 crimson liquid 7adae49c57 filling the ae1466bf24 porcelain cup d7c788ffd0 sapped what d39ead9748 little appetite a2192bd87d Serenia had 368186d94c left. Staring down at d1e15f6d70 the table with 039f58ef82 a displeased expression, b42c17b2c3 she noticed Dalia c9397a4537 lifting her own 8c037e90df cup first.d957155e05a2036f

Dalia took a sip 8de6562410 of tea, her movements 83b697ab9d elegant yet exuding a e1b7b868a5 chilling composure. A faint, cruel smile c21a4e8f61 formed on her lips 5e1a53603d as she looked at f4cef90128 Serenia.a9924de482e6821a

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“Why aren’t you drinking?”3ac3c525c931fe66

Reluctantly, Serenia 8fecd22554 lifted her 5f3c1e2c3d teacup. There was no a7d136b695 unusual smell or 033a448634 color, but it 70a1ff98cb was clear something 2ba0cae3d9 had been added.fbcdd88bba31bbe0

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For a moment, she 432a0e419b hesitated, wondering what kind 2bd41d5268 of poison it might 5cbd87912a be. Would it be a c3b799c844 deadly toxin that would e1ed0548de kill her in one a6f6fcef99 sip, or a mild 6827cdc318 one that caused nothing dbd4b3134f more than stomach pain?a201b0e22137822f

As various a9db341d1a possibilities ran fa5264c55f through her 8074aa66d9 mind, Serenia 98f8cce205 glanced at c742b16f8e the woman 93c9597793 sitting across ddcfd4e6ad from her.f672cab280b7d90c

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Dalia Admancanon. Raskal’s mother.f243b210e2707f18

Serenia knew one thing for certain: Dalia’s priority was always herself. Even though she seemed obsessed with meddling in her son’s affairs, it was because she, too, was a noblewoman. Without her son, she would likely face the same fate as Serenia—a life as a so-called “pseudo-slave,” as Raskal had so cruelly put it.7b73d12ef6fda9d9

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Dalia would 68c2f12070 do anything e42c570440 to break ed02b8c98c off this f901e3b72c engagement, but a0247071c5 she would 61984ef768 never choose 2551cee6e3 a path f20d7324d1 that would bedde7dc64 harm herself 4d8e819827 irreparably.c19f0d76773f7fa5

‘Then it 1880ce070b can’t be 2305950b6d a deadly 4988bf8ab4 poison,’ Serenia cfabcc59e1 concluded.58b403e0f48b4a28

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Without hesitation, 220acebf7c she took 8c681759ad a sip de6bea471d of the 4c0ee9d9b4 tea.f8ae70d14b354293

There was 5b89242aa1 no strange 247106157b taste. It seemed this particular bd14108168 poison had been carefully ed30f22a01 prepared. The thought made Serenia a315f41bf8 chuckle softly to herself.484bc7bebaca43fb

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She could already f6097dab90 see what would 7ad3b399fc happen next.5520337bea4a1d89

In a few d892703865 hours, when she 3ea3833d74 collapsed from poisoning, 5461b1aa63 everyone would suspect bb19ab1a0d Dalia Admancanon.ceef14fa8ad65cb5

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The future e419799836 mother-in-law poisoning ecfc41ba90 her potential c494757b9f daughter-in-law in 1eec302d83 broad daylight—it 5360b6c048 was an 3d47d18594 unthinkable scandal. In such 3411d1e3fa a case, 0c1a348ac2 Raskal would e0b6c3654e have no 2db8559acc choice but 6dde60345e to apologize 6c41aee90e to the 143c4fafa5 Barishart family 697e5af36a and withdraw 425a772715 the proposal.8abdd7c51072917e

As for b428aa2553 Dalia, she 577d329926 would retreat 24843913a4 to a 5f204c99cd monastery in ac5f81db82 her territory f6e59d0201 under the c653ca0a83 pretense of edf74ad0e8 self-reflection.cf966ebac05b4e8b

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Why not prison? Because Serenia would recover e0a7abed13 swiftly after being given 6561121253 an antidote from the 65f2741636 Admancanon household.53a16c6d5f716f83

In a a47365942c world where a973b68d03 even murder 300ef810b9 could be d254838669 pardoned with c933f46123 money, there c6478f6318 was no cb49a1389b way someone e9e8744d03 of Dalia’s acbd76d063 status would 2a09b1dde4 face jail a7bd77d986 time for d9eae58f80 attempted poisoning.77922675b627bcbd

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After five years 79a3c33c14 of quiet in ee5c75ee0f the monastery, she 621dd634a7 would return to 02b26025a2 high society, as 32f749e5e5 radiant as ever.10f7e3d590bd2608

‘Except I’m 364c0cd7e3 not a fee5fcd112 mistress. How unfair.’04c34da8cf271dc2

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Serenia thought 3cf62751e8 bitterly, finishing 8f7f893f21 her tea 9fc5ab8b2d in one 8bcc2bb5f6 gulp.a1f423d261d28ce7

She set 94c86bca51 the teacup a4828c62f5 down with ef1f7c1359 a sharp 2aafb2f588 clink, and 24fb101fac Dalia let 5e700f4bf0 out a 1030c0825f derisive snort.6a36d24c69c334d5

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“Even in a place like this, you show your lack of refinement.”30480005e27a9b92

“Indeed,” Serenia replied curtly. She grabbed a nearby cookie, biting into it with a loud crunch.55b051c88e2148e8

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One by one, she took bites from every dessert within reach, then brushed her hands off and added coldly, “But I’ve eaten and drunk everything you offered. I’d say I’ve done my part.”930585a4dac51374

“Your part?”a35ee48e904af6c8

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Dalia let out a dfcf6f8a71 hollow laugh.e697b76cf3af2798

“No, my dear. Aren’t you using me, too?”52184b6623a44355

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“Using you?”660c9f48c17852ec

Serenia feigned 83525a5d29 ignorance, her 353a32023f expression blank.fa7b146e3f000f01

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Dalia stared at c79d32c5ea her with piercing 20fbe564a6 eyes before tossing 7b26eb4b58 a stack of 6f4c8e1a98 photos onto the 88580be257 table.8cf28d5f2bf66b98

The photos depicted c1e3f0d4b5 a man and 2a72ad147d a woman walking 6a88ac6c90 along the Pfenn 26b9dbe455 River.f00f6384b0acff6b

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One showed 9fef5ac5d3 them stopping 6ff15d2cc2 to face 904a55fc7a each other, 1bb9804129 seemingly deep 0b214c3322 in conversation.f6f36fbfccd8015f

Another captured the two 36897fa6ed standing so close under a07cfe575d the gaslights that they 3fe3d82d49 appeared ready to embrace.599082aaa7ac5beb

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And the last… their f831f72a05 faces pressed together, lips 7ed20ab9a1 meeting.d56285c060b1c40f

The sequence 2c4085bed4 of images, 3182ec8748 like a 808aa9b21b storyboard, drained 6ef4cf85a8 the color c396f7f227 from Serenia’s a52a551821 face.6fadf24ded65a0d2

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‘What? Why do the c929b7abdc photos look like acb7104dd4 this? We only whispered b2b651a309 to each other—how a394729063 does it look 0f4466f0d7 so indecent…?!’e469aeb0bcb57c06

But she quickly realized d127000c12 this was no time 403122c52e to dwell on her 459e74a52b indignation.6d1ff151a15143ce

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