Chapter 24. After the reservation

Her already pale 00ba5fcb7c face grew increasingly 7c784e559f ashen, eventually turning e65ebdd7b2 a sickly shade a6a360b125 of blue.26f993f524752d49

Only then 57eb3967cc did she 233906c661 realize—she had 2084534ef1 forgotten to 7c38ce345b account for b722151251 the photographer a53b9395c9 when she 4f024a4948 fled the cbc0c0b3df riverside that c684a490e6 day.2911bb4b18a94b6a

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She had feba433a13 no idea 1fb8dda9af how things 26f6073275 had spiraled e93353b534 since then, 8069b35654 but to b29322e76c think that d1dede41d8 the photos 7943d2db10 had ended 26c3178dbe up in 162235db91 the Admancanon 3ac57e93e8 household, and 2f541ebb37 worse, in 172a1bd3be the hands 65ab77c4f1 of the bbd20a85be former duchess 911e0910d6 herself!6c7833cb4f37d369

The thought fa6e4eabd0 that this 9774c91e10 might interfere 78d18f6e0b with fulfilling a96b375f4b the contract 045c7108c2 sent a 4b3117cf46 sharp jolt bcedcd5430 through her.5ed5b0d4c5d8ef2a

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‘What should I do? The photos? The film? What on 8590c6350d earth should 54f3907ccf I say 47c42646de here…?’70284369eb60208b

Her face b8cd841f10 betrayed her 2c6147b5f7 confusion and d9102e3378 panic, and 02ddb8dbed Dalia, clearly eb2d38972d enjoying herself, 6b237b2780 spoke with 25fe2b7e28 a smug cb9465ca77 tone.ca1c36154dac45c9

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“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out about your sordid affair with this vulgar man?”eecf69afec536b40

She flung b03f51d893 a photo c5af869e9c toward Serenia, e43329332b letting it 231a320ac0 land on ac65c4c9d9 the table 4d0a604625 in front 1037b22e32 of her.e64ce66b1217d82e

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The picture captured 4fdf082cc5 Ain’s face in b2ee7d91bb clear detail. Serenia, unable to tear df2b9f6c86 her gaze away, stared c2f12036db at it in shock. Dalia smirked openly, 56f978e667 her voice dripping 71b01a8c3f with scorn.2999d2cc7c0e3a0b

“Now that it’s come to this, why don’t you just tell the truth?”d156a0b7867a1d4c

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“…Excuse me?”848189d36895babe

“What was your intention in choosing him, of all men? Why him?”9b27f9d1e20bf7f3

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“My intention…? I don’t understand…”68f0cd1b1933db28

“Hmph. There’s no point denying it.”bef30168f1e98a47

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Dalia cut 48e540768c her off aa3301b585 sharply, her d0a73a7bc3 lips curling 0d71165399 into a 663354945e cruel smile.c71bf5d99a64eb45

“Was it because, seeing him on stage, you were reminded of Raskal? Unable to have the real thing, you settled for a cheap imitation?”c246273a389608e4

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“What are you talking about…”2dd66ebdbf87db78

Serenia was 26d69d4502 utterly taken 9bf2283b15 aback by dba616ee1b Dalia’s words.54b078e2ee858480

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On stage?7b79a8e4d777c4bb

Raskal?efe6986c3c697994

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A cheap imitation?9be043ef5bbb20dc

A chilling sense 51779cf8ef of foreboding swept 27562ab7cb over Serenia as 8ea7a42cac if something long-buried c6a9dc8887 was beginning to 8c2c115104 surface, sending a a053107733 cold shiver down 1c56dab0e0 her spine.cdda1c13ce0e79d1

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“Not a wealthy farmer from some countryside, nor a local factory manager, but an actor. A mere performer!”3594ed3ff40c66aa

“A… performer?” Serenia stammered, her lips trembling slightly.634ecf075d6a259f

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‘He wasn’t… a host?’533bb258c199cab1

Dalia, noticing her stunned 09ec64ea2c expression, let out a 959fb04b4f loud, incredulous laugh.b99b15ffdc6ca352

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“That’s right! And not just any actor, but one who shamelessly plays the role of Raskal in every performance of ‘The Little Duke Raskal’! A man so brazen he steals the applause that rightfully belongs to my son!”cecca3ae5a2b145b

At that 3eef2f5bc5 moment, Serenia 19efa89678 remembered. His name, which 60e2bd6be6 she had first d0b0888f3e heard outside the fd1890453d bank. The same name plastered 1869de911c in bold letters across 82ab08930c promotional posters displayed all 4c5bfc8fb1 over the capital.43b62b55efc39b80

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“…Ain Reveron.”1f5d13bc80231e38

The name slipped 51e07930c4 from her lips 2f0b81295e in a faint 460f0dd8a4 murmur.fbb2f6953aa1ec0a

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It felt 5f9c3d647d as though 910b816b8e someone had 70a487bf93 struck her 2fb575aa9f on the 9346d6325f head.1332dc5deaec7ea5

Even amidst her confusion, 67143e680f memories of everything he 5abdb96127 had ever said to 106c166a12 her began rushing back. Nowhere in 88125b8510 those conversations f61fea9a65 had he f118812fde claimed to ddffc78e99 be a ce89bea415 host or c7fc817dd1 a loan 32a3406e35 shark.f8ef84af6a24a186

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“This can’t be…”9fb566159780e39e

Muttering in a daze, b05e1f5e7d Serenia suddenly rose to 8fa06978d9 her feet.5d7d4992f5dd65ca

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The screech of her b9a7749e0a chair dragging against the 52af822a44 floor was loud enough 45c7addd4a to make Dalia narrow 1950fc4523 her eyes sharply, but ab756399a0 Serenia didn’t apologize or 7495d8635d even glance back. Instead, she ac1ef5336d bolted from 423fab67f6 the room.633190ccd05968c1

Rushing out 6a061e1b2f of the b6fdebc888 mansion in a5a06e8a69 one breath, 0ee432c3ac she finally 931e768c82 stopped in 015b972bc4 front of 298555e593 a tall 0082e2b503 wall along 3e09fd4fdf a major 7a9a3a45f5 street.feb23f357f8156e4

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Panting, she dcb44958f0 raised her e8b1def901 head.a6ae81e00dbf3944

Plastered across 64aed3e4af the high ce37417f03 wall were d000ca25fa dozens of 06f4008d95 red posters063c0dc7b21c617c

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[A year-end return of the play The Little Duke Raskal’, starring Ain Reveron!]

The bold text emblazoned e672530948 at the center of 41f2cb685f the poster confirmed the 689bcb878e truth she could no e502a9ac1e longer deny.77225d37d2ab6411

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He wasn’t f757098566 a host. He was 51220c0223 an actor.9d4e7bd6d31fcbed

And not e9faba2e4f just any 221b8603d9 actor, but 957a3b1785 a celebrated e2bbdc5528 performer who 0bd8a8de5a had played 58f02de2bf the titular 2a55143f78 role of f96e1eacd1 Raskal in b0ae2a359b ‘The Little 2dbc2cbcc1 Duke Raskal’ 7791b6b671 for the 3a37ed9d11 past ten e74bb74c00 years.a192f66566206711

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The vivid red 1a5a78b730 of the poster b5d8b78c14 seemed to sting ce1ebfafb6 her eyes. Serenia shut them tightly.f574a8b17b112e2a

For years, she cec853c033 had avoided looking a5618f8fd8 at these posters. Every year around this abbf9f3a89 time, they would appear 51764ce03e all over the capital, aa273154b9 and every time, they f810741e99 would remind her of 8844d5da2c her father.6c307d798a3e308b

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She knew her father must have been depicted in the play, though not by name. Perhaps as a character like “Lord Kilos,” carefully avoiding outright slander.da382adf19c290ac

Undoubtedly, he 0002947e3a was cast 40493adc93 as the 5b156fadb4 villain who 57d74c1a6d drove the 4d200e0143 protagonist, Raskal, 3201e229d2 into peril—a 7e3666e2c0 character the 76a7373f99 audience would fb7128a546 curse and 58490cdc4d revile throughout 23c6bd9076 the play be0c61b142 and perhaps 17008b9026 even long 237aefbcca after it 91196bad9a ended.cfe8fbeb9b102cb0

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Serenia understood that 9f3db3ffc2 such scorn was 2297b6240d deserved.638141efbc606de1

But knowing that e3ae4938d2 and facing the 70762550f6 anguish and shame 16388f0aaf it brought were 2131e9f6c8 two different things.7846a33cda877246

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To avoid b3bdc55538 these thoughts 3203229250 and emotions, 064057d242 she had 41b0969ccb consciously avoided 9f47b98906 anything related cd96cdf44a to the d4014fe122 play.1f178743003c1692

She refused ed25196e64 to look 1ae31340ff at it, d860bd8dee think about db830628c8 it, or 1a35f7007e even remember 577dc5353c it.254c58aa5490cf2c

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That was why she hadn’t recognized Ain’s identity when she first heard his name outside the bank. And it was why, even now, she hadn’t connected “Ain” to the actor’s full name until Dalia forced her to confront the truth.4628c77d609dbe21

“Raskal was right. Not a single thing he said was wrong.”d845ad4f6fe4b055

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Serenia let out d1898c2017 a bitter laugh.c9cca60584dd20cb

She had spent 33f0f4581e her life avoiding c62abfce20 the past and d4f87179d1 everything it had a0c7e69d67 wrought in the 395596b7f5 present.12412c2e7823988b

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And yet, here b5b4cfdc7c she was, demanding b3e0efc422 answers to questions 5b16e0bab2 she had always 4c62206746 run from.529bae9b3036077d

How pathetic and 98b5466605 laughable she must 8636c5d29e have seemed.dc7ebe545219d5dc

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Overcome with shame, 35ce179fae Serenia hung her 602e913016 head.28fdd1776104e12b

But she quickly lifted 5032369c93 it again, her lips 8dcdfb5ed8 pressed tightly together in f9551f8eea determination.b00991360f89bf09

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There was 9f62d0abcd no more baadad4a8f running.87ef0ddcac9dfd7a

No, there could 2847df3915 be no more 70450a4c95 running.f899236b9d7528dd

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If she wanted 316fa3c675 answers, she would 63a95c8a7f have to confront 9f69afed08 the truths she 914459a18d had avoided for 2d67098519 so long.7e4c3f485af7d07b

She resolved to d413fb188c face everything she 662b5d9cef had evaded—Ain, his a02bdfe77b play, and even 14e9f72975 the poster in 3f16a9d018 front of her.ca67906438f14512

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Beyond the bold title 9e5ea31d60 and Ain’s name, the 4fd5fddd96 poster was filled with d7f7105368 additional text.1f5ad3c9fd3fd523

[Born of grief, despair, and anguish, nobility blossoms. A stirring epic of a true hero!]

Below the 91fe69653f tagline, the e0250bf04d poster listed e8059765fd detailed information: 06c3a5d5be the supporting 465db6a2f2 cast, director, c8c7c1de84 scriptwriter, costume 7e7af2a5fa designers, and 399cf5e2f2 more.5c179e7ede5bacb6

At the very 560b5d08e0 bottom were the 80b5abfd57 theater’s address and 95f95d018c the performance schedule.dcc524f784f0db4b

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[Performance Dates: November 1 – December 8 / Theater closed on the 4th, 14th, and 24th of each month.]

Today was December 8th.151c923eab74589b

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Without hesitation, Serenia 392b048d55 headed straight for df5f17aaee the capital’s Grand 5f39d60f38 Theater.2d0030872da37a87

—ae1f1c6dce06a547

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By the ba03a12fbe time Serenia da846e001e arrived in e437218928 front of 11ea77830b the Grand 87b325dbeb Theater, less 76d3c2dc94 than 30 482a80102b minutes remained 9ea3648a6c until the 55b3bd87a3 performance began.e8b36b1fb00b98c6

The early evening sky 8a81390b97 was already dim, the 7877f4ff3d shadows of dusk creeping 0b0e1c3dbf in. She glanced around 68e018fe80 the area, her 1affd7efb2 head tilting slightly 1de4a96b34 in confusion.0ad3df9e917ccfef

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‘I don’t think 399f397a68 it was that 47270a77ef late when I 320e2acfc7 stormed out of 1522fd9db0 the duke’s mansion.’5a286b16c4a832c7

Moreover, the distance f67e690bb3 from there to 33c702b7bb here wasn’t particularly 54ecfa705b far.e21a1c5f39bb0976

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‘…Is time de0feda009 moving faster abafae7fab than usual?’4eb96e93670c078e

She dismissed 2a97e9d531 the thought, d5398a3f1b unable to 42842bd10f imagine that b91d45a6c0 her own 412146d396 steps had ad75d4393c simply slowed d420a0597e along the 54263080e8 way.7e60ef9956c8e68a

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The area 464a23c670 in front 7735660a7b of the d167e467f4 theater was 0401c1367f bustling with 8ff6140c5b theatergoers. Among the crowd, staff 19de7b486f in purple uniforms scurried 8e90c792de about, shouting loudly.2936195c89ccb5f3

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to ‘The Little Duke Raskal’! Please note the following announcements!”53872a9f30612857

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“Tonight’s performance is completely sold out, and heavy crowding is expected in the seating area!”faa71c77205c1acf

“Ticket holders, please begin entering now to ensure a smooth admission process!”3bfa6747d277f96d

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Hearing their shouts, 0f24a4de79 Serenia unconsciously muttered adbb999337 to herself.25ac90374ad1c8bc

“…Sold out?”c6b9ad0e9161b94c

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A look f68cbb0087 of distress 3fdcb191ff appeared on bc892e4851 her face.783cce7a487e81c4

‘So… that means e5472f0a52 there are no b66085ff2a tickets left?’139d32f10bf86c2e

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Today was the final 76205a6a9d performance of this play.a7fd6235c455552d

In other words, if 37b836d9a3 she missed it today, c81902920a the next chance to a2aff0f902 see ‘The Little Duke eb1c849a75 Raskal’ would be in b3d260aef6 November of next year—if 80d02e8cf7 she was lucky.534ad3ae6ed06498

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That wasn’t all.07c8779d58fdd929

He had said ea938dfa86 he would be 289337959a quitting after tonight.6c972982a12f6675

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Which meant e4899babf7 that this 1c6ac8329d was her de7a713cc9 last opportunity 9c1ed816f1 to see fe386a7c50 him perform.239df964a07c4ac3

Her resolve 99568d8cd9 to face 089d7f8b9b everything head-on e849dc392c suddenly felt 8dabf97ebe pointless.0f17ca7c3e3f938e

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The determination she a45a617b97 had worked so ab38977f70 hard to muster 765b05a6fa was now on b47173980e the verge of b60b005cac being undone by 3374afd9f1 something as mundane 0878d1151a as a lack b48232831b of tickets.220a179488efbe19

The absurdity of 7f08abdbb4 it left her 65e64bc272 feeling empty and 4e62d0577d disheartened.4ab2cb2339c3f5c9

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As she stood there, 15213f45ce her expression vacant, someone 25e1de1961 tapped her lightly on e8dfe965d7 the back.b89ebbce886e2623

She turned around slowly fdf971ac88 to find a boy, 9a13019f8e who looked no older 3991633046 than ten, standing behind ad1ba851eb her.996573e2daa36c0d

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“…What?”fbab940e2b9755a9

The boy, 9e41ed7b86 responding to 54030a4cbd her puzzled 9dbea3ea24 question, pressed 3a735f81d4 a finger 8faa07c404 to his fa7b6c3ab1 lips, signaling cddbf9463f for her 9816dc5864 to stay a5bececb28 quiet.93884bb8611d451a

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He glanced around 7975ccb125 furtively before pulling 51de4f4620 her into a 4622f84c6e secluded alley behind 3a839b96fb the theater.248f4038fc119dec

‘What is this? Is he 898e148af1 trying to a5babb57cd rob me…?’153236af5552ab30

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As bizarre ea654ba078 thoughts flitted 05bf0202c8 through her 5d5bfaa9d3 mind, the 8fe6049f31 boy spoke 29efff08d9 in a 6581001258 mischievous tone, 66fe2d7fc1 his expression 3d2c7588ef bold.d4be08adb66dd3c0

“Miss, you came to see the play today, didn’t you?”0cd017af85d2ce27

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“Uh… yes, I suppose…”16cdc738ce5ce098

When Serenia nodded 453cf43675 awkwardly, the boy acb3358c9b narrowed his eyes 6bc530eee3 and grinned before 35df4526a7 leaning in to 860364c571 whisper conspiratorially.7c446bc48a9c12f7

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“Are you interested in buying a ticket?”215a45f3df6e9493

 7978fd5ac7bfb8b3

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