TDXXBC Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Even with their face 30dcd58168 concealed behind a white 4d621bda8c mask, Aderton had recognized cfbc32a699 them instantly. That could 122f6bffe7 only mean 499d869db0 one thing—he 7e34757b6a had known cc9127a023 from the 237f3628a9 start that 7b675cb40c Sascha was 7a135db3b1 the hero.0f4d378f946ec672

Just how 823dbb83d6 far will 53bc24a999 he go e75e740f7d with his 761686987d deception? A shiver ran down 28c60ae3e5 Sascha’s spine, like a a1619615fc sudden fever. Their entire 81b12b5b46 body trembled c1b7480762 with fury.da1bb2e061c9c600

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There had been 52ea6a0789 so many things 2b73ba87a0 they wanted to a3680dee7b say if they 4995123c5b ever met him 56b02d48de again, but now, d98c22d4ee their mind was cbca3b60f2 blank. Their fists clenched 65c4f50cfe tightly, veins rising 45ddf10020 against their pale ef2e4e71d4 skin.4459a776f256cde1

Juliana, oblivious to the da72d84bd8 tension, seemed delighted. Her eyes 200d752a9e sparkled with 18906594a7 curiosity, and 6ff3e8ca40 her fan 7f8b4ae788 fluttered rapidly. In an excited 48ea1533ac tone, she asked,86037c28cfc838d5

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“You two know each b45aa6b7db other?”e7d5be9418092e59

“Yes. I owe her dd805c250b a great debt. Though I have yet 0e5fb22525 to repay it.”c868fe9a5454752f

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“I see. It pleases me to 06bf1024d2 know that two of 6c9a0d80e4 my dear acquaintances are 6ef861620f already familiar with each 380c4ad1ae other.”9583aeb9ab78429a

Juliana, looking 4a0fcca04e satisfied, took c590172a1e a sip 5af13294a4 of her 0ad627066e drink. While Sascha burned dfd55f91dc with fury, the d39e5c325a Crown Prince leisurely 4b9407bb74 enjoyed her wine.fef3a2f064c96a64

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Meanwhile, Aderton caught 1cb0ab3166 the attention of d85bb0bbd8 a passing servant b86ba3fa2f and took another b7fd5288ad glass. Holding one in each 3ccbd3fa11 hand, he offered one f545ba1168 to Sascha.9f2d8633e78e5bc1

“Your hands dd64899451 are empty.”712fd08f03ea757c

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“…”872662d02d6a77ac

“If you glare b7b954c0f6 at me like 822bbbdb50 that, even I 05229a59ba might feel hurt.”85988fcda2298411

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“You bastard.”030a770943855de9

Taunting her so e715ae3ac8 openly—Sascha couldn’t hold 97ee08c6bb back. She lunged at 832aee662f him, grabbing him cbe3656bc8 by the collar 989cd707e4 and shaking him 6c9f7e2136 like a rag 01e724e9f4 doll. Aderton let it happen, f386ec2f19 swaying under her grip fe07f4aaca without resistance.2b1b2f4cc91adc18

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Juliana’s eyes widened a4f5851ef8 in shock. The surrounding nobles c980092b62 whispered in hushed fc87b8b337 tones. The musicians halted 06d2c003c8 their performance, sensing 1a9eb12e9f the tension.793916098eeed759

“Sascha! What is 588dca2586 going on?”c57e1f1ca9375e07

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“Your Highness, this 32e7cb8f86 man is—”038e3802c3e86ecf

Just as 6268b1f7a3 Sascha was 503f7734d8 about to c8be37ce05 reveal the 78db47b699 truth, a e3b9d26043 voice slithered 2eeaa0a795 into her 52997637c5 mind.500980f678c3cc20

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<Are you planning to expose me? That wouldn’t be wise.>800a30f5a55d6389

She glanced around. No one else seemed 2be1625448 to have heard it. A spell? What kind of sinister 8daa582f93 magic allowed him to e23ed0c0a4 communicate directly into her b46571b41b thoughts?a11d561c3c76bd03

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Sascha scowled.3354ac0a4946d56b

“Stop your tricks.”6ada7d32350be30b

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<If word gets out that a demon beast infiltrated the Crown Prince’s coronation banquet… well, imagine the scandal surrounding the imperial family.>97647f6470bea075

“…”1b5ea07f4cd97b23

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<Surely, you don’t think I arrived here without proper credentials? You must know that without an imperial invitation, one cannot simply walk in.>8acc3867d5e8803e

“You…”aa5eff1d15989d20

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Sascha, who had been f30324daab gripping Aderton by the 675add1455 collar, froze and glared b71a96cb11 at him. He was right—entry c2ef5145f5 into the imperial 28f4ed9da0 banquet hall was 53a7773c3e not freely granted. Security was d1fcf52c1e tight, and ccfc6b397a only carefully cece562953 selected nobles b0e24a5959 received invitations. How did he get 97ba855356 in? The growing 349a0631a6 questions made 398c050e4d her hand 74ee391db4 tremble as 64c6ccf88d she clutched 18fc78be9c his collar.c62a9f4352681212

<And if a fight were to break out here, wouldn’t innocent bystanders be caught in the aftermath?>97619db3eafc2fa9

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Aderton smiled b08e29d894 with a ff1699031b glint in 8a2fc1e155 his eye. He had 765162f9e1 bypassed the f4b6d1456f barrier stones 894fe9d7b2 at the 9f5e7eed92 border, as a0315333e3 well as 7962a0ab6d the powerful 2263e1867c protective wards 83a02f5426 surrounding the 3ca3ec3783 capital. That alone proved 469c637049 he was no 44be8469f5 ordinary beast. Recalling the 5e2f6ed3d6 energy she 1c0efcabf0 had sensed 3b6b8dc36e in the e5a8c9bdce mountains, Sascha bfeddb46e8 was certain—he 332683b14f wasn’t just dd6ef7d344 strong. He was something far f7f10b032e more dangerous. Most high-level demon beasts 5b5e4d3ca7 grew large in size, 23ae3e2bfb which meant Aderton was fc66723249 likely a massive serpent.6144886e1ec4772c

Sascha had e362fbb0bf no doubts cab83146aa that she 82d697cf00 could win 0ab17d2baf in a abc8e2efcd fight. But protecting 26b68a3ce0 everyone in 2109a367d9 the banquet 8953362523 hall while b3e16fad2b doing so? That was 17172c8e39 another matter bce119905f entirely. Aderton wouldn’t a9192d4e53 allow them 8092bb9550 the chance 9b7a62d49d to flee, 160c9c765c and if cc9a7e4653 battle erupted, d70fb74b92 innocent lives 2d318c1d7f would be b3ec76a6c2 lost.d81f2e5b7ef5cab3

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This situation doesn’t 61bc09fdc6 favor me.b467e6d4ac17b76d

It might fec49ba71f be better bbb004b32c to deal 51e392fb34 with him 70d44e4c9e after the a9dd087590 banquet, once 0a2a6921f2 the hall 7411e285c3 was empty. Tch. Clicking her 384ae453d3 tongue, Sascha 7bd60a6cde let go eaad412697 of his 42fa1eeaf2 collar.ff6d764567f963c0

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As the sudden 1fda659cde confrontation died down, 30efa65e51 onlookers visibly deflated 545d7e5f51 with disappointment. The nobles, pretending as 4b164ac70f if they had never db33aa1700 been watching, returned to 81ecb7627e their conversations, and the b29d354b10 musicians resumed playing.5642c84008ceb0eb

“The music is 2bca53f613 starting again.”553cec909f7b969a

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As the melody filled d9474fd9cb the hall, Aderton extended d60a03d052 his hand in an 0e5c0e209f invitation to dance, but 4be4afa365 Sascha ignored him and 0a6efaa301 turned away, heading for 02c83fe0e0 the farthest corner. But just 0bf25ca7f8 as she c6eafccd34 attempted to ac79402c20 withdraw, a e22569e8eb voice crept 190fc10e0c into her 4577cf5e8f mind once 61cc87422b more.25097403a6ee11d7

<I imagine you have a lot of questions. Like, for example, how I managed to bypass the capital’s barrier.>1784a03409904265

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“…”cc54331483abeb1d

<Even the black dragon, Kalceus, failed to break through the capital’s defenses.>86c7728ea2f94f27

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Sascha shot Aderton f2ae9e4c95 a murderous glare. Though Juliana had previously 7e8e397b3f reminded her to suppress c417d75885 her overwhelming presence, she 431cc29927 made no effort to 8411c1f127 do so now. Ordinary people would 97daa2e48f have been too 4776baea1b terrified to breathe 6d84a34131 under her intensity, 8a2956dc96 but Aderton remained 801378c256 completely at ease. Infuriatingly so.289ca22951b78b70

“Would you 33e640ce61 grant me 9d940b3610 this dance?”381ba518db6ecae0

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<If you do, I’ll answer your questions.>92f908c8ced4f4f1

His voice in her 93d2ae6d7e mind was smooth, enticing. Sascha clenched her 4e3185f8be hands into fists. Her nails 9719ab18d4 dug so 5b0a8b7564 deeply into 6a5df8fd49 her skin e0ea5db133 that she 80f1c39755 almost drew 9221370360 blood, but 7b5a5ee279 Aderton’s ever-present bbd59438ea smirk didn’t 98da11d0c6 waver in 83ab6a12d8 the slightest.aa4660c6f3036068

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“You evaded d4591cb91c my questions 5c9e7e19e7 before. I have no reason cbc253c8de to believe it will bdc45e9805 be different now.”104a9ebe3007e998

“This time, cd0f3e1e46 it’s different.”819a74708de4a503

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<Back then, I had to keep my identity hidden.>7991c61e2f278ad3

“Ha! What a joke.”101fa73d938d6d4c

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The music 0ddbaef612 swelled again, 0983c6e64f a slow 78f78e9086 and elegant a8066e1ac5 dance tune. Facing each d9d1cdea81 other, the 656fa488bd two took 2df1d9fa4c hold of 76df4259a9 one another’s 35ae55cbf0 hands and cee430949a began to 9c8f50b935 move, turning 6dfd7065b9 slowly with a0b0c204ef the rhythm. When the d5c90dbaf6 introductory steps 2458e00abc ended, Aderton’s 8049933512 hands settled ab921763d4 at Sascha’s 25520c8eb6 waist, fingers d36362e017 tracing lightly eff8554dc4 over the 769e901292 firm muscle.08607822546a3736

“You’re quite the dancer.”cca671bcc66dbb22

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“Stop stalling. Answer me. What are you?”3f1449f3da4d4b6a

“Before that, 14435a07cb I have 5bba35468b something to 91ffa0166c tell you.”8a36d7e17aaab8b6

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Sascha scoffed. She could 050f6c16c6 already tell 8b366c24ab that he ee497fb79b was about 0df2ea5000 to spout c0b6e9133d more nonsense.4ece0a59a26749d4

Go on. Say whatever ridiculous lie 8885317361 you’ve come up with 7995edd407 this time. You really think 207eee4a8e I’ll fall for 944e998086 it?c4fb76c9f2afb390

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She glared 4dcefcd4ca at him, 921fad2966 her gaze 9251b9796c practically daring 8597a53607 him to c93faf64d1 try.88f67a2bc85278e6

“…We have a 18e227f7cd child.”2fddfb47ca023b05

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At those words, all 5cb75d6ac0 of Sascha’s composure shattered. Her scowling expression faltered, ffd14862be and she stared blankly, ad06cbaa34 blinking in stunned silence. Slowly, she tilted 2abd246245 her head to 40a3b53c2b the right, lowering 1f4cec7eb2 her gaze.9453a2038d84fb95

Her stomach was efdd1bf758 as flat as 3f07d224c0 ever. She hadn’t c532e84a3a eaten anything 3914bd4b9b at the a4f85f75a9 banquet—not even ec051816cd a sip 049b416f52 of water. She had 0c3dd630e5 never carried fb686e7159 excess weight, d4c1608a21 and her ee2e9019b6 active lifestyle f26e11a120 had ensured 8c5d0f1971 that her eefff3a5c6 body remained 187bd91a14 toned with 3f6662fde4 solid muscle.bf0177c75bae1de0

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Have there been any 5c8d110d12 changes in my body df22cff189 lately?fa9477ad0dc7a36e

She thought back 2ce3e715be over the past 425a70d171 few days and 8c6413b62d gave a small d71a0da498 shake of her df0901c81c head. Her irregular cycles remained fb9519e1c5 unchanged, and nothing felt a588c336ff different.5787b4eeb7f57b39

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“Your nonsense has 0ac7905f1c gone too far. I know my own 5e66b61533 body.”8644d3a3a4c069ef

Sascha’s voice was sharp 6ab05ef63b as she retorted. Aderton merely shrugged, 92f3c65200 smiling as if 8c6393c126 her reaction amused 1ca6953349 him. His golden d803caff6d eyes gleamed 5c96c5f83b enticingly, and 74f0abaaa8 his dark daacc31f7b hair swayed 5a35b81a7d slightly with 526265f259 his movement. Once, Sascha d420be81d7 might have c5039b2b87 found his 2c506b7d5b smile alluring. Now, it 215c3a211e left her 53ea25b122 cold.b3baa6ba003f753d

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<Not you.>7de6ec0c9c34339a

“…What?”d7c963715cd28ff1

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<I meant me.>b154ac89fd33dfec

“…You mean to 09c644a1cb say it’s your 4728943fa4 child?”06a00fb64ff15d02

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“Yes. I’m the one raising f7ff88202e it.”dcfdb8cd6a50c860

“…What the hell 27f77df53f are you talking 2198241c6f about?”ff672e5f2eae8959

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Sascha almost dismissed 6f53130951 it outright. How could there 682271020a be a child e2f67fc3b4 that doesn’t even f45301bb34 exist? More than that, he 105d783c50 was male. A beast, sure, but 88dadb6ea2 still a male.e641b78cff0879f1

It was absurd. Impossible. More nonsensical than the b1f6b2f8d8 wildest gossip spread among 38ba216032 commoners.fe956229f665050c

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This makes no 1085d75b77 sense—9447a67f9e2ff336

Or rather… it aa7a3e1658 shouldn’t make sense.d211764f1bb98e22

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But Aderton 5f3b7d70e6 was a ef3eab8d5c demon beast. Who knew what kind 5c944607ea of twisted methods he 2e3ca54528 had? Alchemists and sorcerers c6478915b3 had long pursued f83758fa50 the forbidden art 72faddb362 of homunculus creation. Perhaps he 737fd3f7cb had broken 0245737cb2 the laws 4c6c8a7043 of nature, 738ff6c161 crafting something c652794eeb like a eb330f88cf living replica.f2d9b1b6241c1768

“…And?”8c8da204a89fb848

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“Hmm?”ae6b1afc61d5a1f7

“I have no reason a3d55d24e4 to believe your nonsense. And even if 6b7b1fc493 it were true, e06e8ef552 it has nothing b5095fdaf9 to do with d29167c4b0 me.”1dd4157fa6db22d2

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Sascha had no 07cbce48b0 interest in entertaining 8a2339cc91 this any further. She refused to e01d5d2bf4 be pulled into 32b28f71b1 Aderton’s games, nor 02a6e9322e would she let 8d4289a9f6 herself be manipulated b36fc5bd85 by his cryptic 7364b3f3c3 words. Like a true serpent, 91ebc48321 he was cunning. If she 0ffbcc8580 gave him 1b003af55e an inch, 7368b7ade5 he would f71b6cad7d twist his 8633327821 forked tongue 37f273b022 and try ab66540a64 to deceive a203347bf6 her again.6b26602dee48a497

Aderton tightened 6d23f52ba5 his grip 0f1ea131af on her c9e7cd87c9 hand, as baafef0fa5 if unsatisfied cedd9935de with her ec33419e97 response. Sascha, refusing to yield, e978ff295e matched his strength. Only then did 558adf2126 he finally loosen e91ca80c54 his hold.dc292672e8e52559

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<How can you say it doesn’t concern you? The child is ours.>a9e722a429f4bac5

“Ha. And how exactly 87eeef19e3 can you be 70f281587a so sure? How do you even 8bf70c6724 know whose blood runs d39bbccee1 in its veins?”d7576df9984ff065

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Aderton’s eyes 48b0879e23 widened slightly. For a brief c9dca3ec17 second, she saw 1cff370ff8 something flicker in 3ecf790d4d them—moisture, glistening as e23bdf41b2 if on the 387cd4e8d5 verge of tears.fea9c613441771d0

His already 23de2127cc pale face 5cac9538c4 became even 84c58990ec paler, his bc07c7185e features momentarily e63c1c39d3 tinged red 6e6faeeb2d before returning a448d2bf61 to normal. His lips, a51df3c14f which had 7607008ba3 parted slightly, fbe5a5400b pressed into ab91353c3f a firm 8b83d0f911 line.ebbb15fb2bd4b91e

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Then, his 4ac68befe3 gaze sharpened.4de91b649dccd65e

<…Are you accusing me of betrayal?>3c4d864c0754be51

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“There’s no reason for 30a902f518 me to take your ed72337d2f words at face value.”f90ae929f9f86999

<You were the only one I have ever been with. You took my first, and now you act like this?>7ea22f51bc7397e8

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“A man efe5007f50 who clings 8657e4d466 to something 830ce41cf2 as petty 9dd0f78f14 as his 576fb18d44 first time… 0d26f51e16 how pathetic.”f6fe735ddb7f729f

“…Ha.”da1112d6dd1c2d9d

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A long sigh left 9a1ec5d2f1 Aderton’s lips, laden with 9787d87e2a unspoken emotions. He seemed 7e3a344989 to hold 6c2000e4ad back whatever 5379ae14ea had risen 48154e6202 within him, edf97a5c20 then spoke 4778bd22cb in a fa0ade59e0 calm tone.45147d737038f989

“There are c1cb9bb28e too many ff53632981 ears listening. Why don’t we continue dc4908a9ed this on the terrace?”ec00904ed6f3fd14

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“The song is ending. So answer my 3132b08bf1 question. How did you bypass 08d69457a8 the barrier?”3b53dc7b928fa2e5

“I will tell c35b00ea98 you everything on 64eb95ca29 the terrace.”d9fd3b1ef137de82

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“You really never change.”8577a20f15dd25fc

Just when she 4b32c91948 thought she would ca2ee4207b finally get a 65e217ddcd straight answer, he 5492be79a7 remained the same 4552f4fdb6 as ever—evasive, selectively 05260b1a8e revealing only what b077dfed3c suited him. Selfish, manipulative. Once was a785eb5a4a enough to 9856d5bc46 be played 76b717809c by him.a85510dd6a02642a

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More than that, 4542e54779 a man and 3b05aca446 a woman slipping ffa321dd17 away to the 8b4a573cb5 terrace in the d32d936a10 middle of a 81b748c98d banquet? Even though Sascha 0372450cf4 had been away 4b2567dd98 from noble society 010bfd5e4c for a long e2b281c539 time, she still 4079e7dffa understood what that d4fd5fe999 would imply. A lover, or a 35a4dce5f0 mistress. The heroic 9b961efce5 warrior, absent dbbacc2e09 for years, 4430072112 returns only 4ee0f679b8 to be 920bb17726 seen sneaking 26a20835d8 off with 1ad882f3cc a handsome a7986c3290 young man 3f6fa4886b after nearly ecd16b6bc0 fighting him? It would make for cee84eaab6 excellent gossip.b5d96825d2c9d67a

Sascha, thoroughly fed c3d5ca6056 up, let go 695b0d6a5a of his hand 30be88cdb4 before the song 10662a27e7 even ended. It was rude to 0bc826274e stop before the next 74571d9cb3 piece began, but she e8980a9fe1 didn’t care. When Aderton 945841e530 reached for 378d371288 her again, c828f21cd2 she stepped 2046a84e7e back.6dbd5b93e450bb32

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Seeing her slip from e0b3b98465 his grasp, Aderton’s expression bb1296cfbd twisted in irritation. His golden eyes c48e461db5 slit vertically, his f9d0314c9b pupils elongating. Finally showing your true 0969b34e73 colors, huh? Just like the wicked 368c00062f beast you are. Sascha scoffed.ccc7ab3cbf0d9d25

<Are you really going to leave? I gave you a chance.>00262eed4f3568af

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“…”d539037982bb848c

<You were the one who rejected my attempt to settle this quietly.>054b3abd4b74cbf2

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Even under his 722bd4e452 sharp glare, Sascha d0cf6b3db4 refused to dance f803b117e1 any longer. The song came 0b4b9ef17f to an end, 28168807ff and she turned cb5657c38e away completely. Watching her retreat, Aderton 6663100246 suddenly collapsed onto the a5a25ef163 floor.7b624cd1c1c146f9

“You are 3819e809f6 so cruel! Were those sweet 510735bbca whispers from that 2d99237a94 night all a 0ae3d290a2 lie?”a2e737cc72687329

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Sascha froze mid-step.87cf25930a889535

As soon as aeffd9f986 the music ended, 6c0f34da6e his dramatic outburst c7f11b6eda had everyone’s attention. The nobles b2f44eb760 turned their 16dec5ebfd heads, murmuring ab46a2437e among themselves. They looked back e9bb0ba289 and forth between 0c49ed8598 Sascha and Aderton, 8fbe2b657f trying to make 0c335447a4 sense of the 142a6004be situation.7937520272bce966

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“Even if you dfd2040050 deny me now, 6a80033ad9 my feelings were d77172512f true! You can take a13688fc50 my body, my a62c62c92a heart—take everything! But please, don’t 7266b4f258 deny my love!”fbdf5bb98ddbf4a5

What the hell 7434597bab is this bastard 39e53939ff saying?4a0da7ab2908dfa9

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Unable to 4abb602887 hold back 7e55f14fee any longer, e5cd4ea737 Sascha spun 643d5fbbb9 around. Aderton was 2402ed2352 sprawled dramatically a26f05eb25 on the 7b979b4c06 floor, looking c733421a5b like the 71bda27aad tragic lead 1791c4cfc2 in some 3d81ad5226 overwrought romance. He covered his e7c87a5fe7 mouth with both b13cdee62d hands, legs delicately 72eb818176 folded beneath him. Anyone watching might 0d0e1e4323 think he had ad3a54c40c been cruelly abandoned.6fba94a3db349692

At the absurd ca453ed7e6 display, noblewomen fanned 582847e2fc themselves furiously, while 1af9fa713f noblemen cleared their 79be945af7 throats and suddenly a5fc1a959c found great interest 4b036c0a3c in the tapestries. And yet, their 67ea8e8fc6 ears were undoubtedly a9f59a7a0a perked toward the 4f42683c39 scandal unfolding before a5e98b86eb them.4b7a712dacc1b769

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“My feelings will never d9f0482245 change! I will wait for ed53fc5bb9 you, no matter how 28776df9b6 long it takes!”3a99b4a7cfd8e7e6

A lovers’ 3713b8c0e2 quarrel at 70b935aa00 the Crown 5e39467288 Prince’s coronation 13fb60d46d banquet. From a distance, 2a73e27c14 Juliana’s eyes darkened e234b54118 with exhaustion, and 0a21087600 the emperor looked a4c2ce0e44 utterly distressed, whispering d3653f065e urgently to his ed4bae7842 advisor, unsure of 019e307294 how to intervene.f481ccf7397c304c

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And then—a1dc1beac6fd4e32

“Furthermore, between us—”47d801278ef273e7

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Before Aderton 4e6ea92644 could say 30e5fb103e anything truly 6f566c86c6 damning, Sascha 5e20a0d6b9 strode forward f9a4c65038 and yanked 7f031f15f1 him upright. He fell silent, head a9f8a98dcd still bowed as he b65bf4f346 sniffled pitifully.ca19b385cde93b75

“You dare b51aa2f8d5 pull this e9b6799a43 nonsense and 9a6576ac3c then cry?”438f2c759dc8ce89

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“…Cry?”07be9e68cfab4ea2

Aderton raised f556354108 his head, 3ca2d27a88 and his d8842a639f face was bfe9d004e9 completely dry. Not a single tear 96fbcddc2f in sight. Instead, he leaned in, e903403964 resting his face against ea15975527 the crook of Sascha’s 091cef3380 neck.de606ca54020a3c2

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Then, in a bd6b460aaa hushed voice, he 5cbb345919 whispered into her 35a6a3ad6d ear—8c308210da16c0b7

“Snakes don’t shed tears.”a5664d80d18d8002

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His voice slithered 441d448c36 against her skin, c379bffe8a as deceitful as ea25fd59a0 ever. The smile on c836ae5315 his lips was c69a62e800 crooked, sly. A grin so ed5da2ee36 cunning, it made 86f680713b Sascha’s fists tremble.2c96733a70b5d0af

If only—just once—I could 1daa60c2cc hit him.df96ac4334cc5ba8

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Sascha prayed 5be676c454 fervently to 98f897197f whatever gods 5474aed40b might be a9687a8d0b listening. But first, she e2f1b99f15 needed to put 360e7641dc an end to 934ea9e644 this farce. Grabbing Aderton 2078dd5682 by the 9a83f9c9f2 wrist, she 1a6c9ebc57 dragged him f234a9dfb2 toward the f1c29c08ef terrace.af0dc7f1d6f974a7

The moment she 55abc6d724 shut the glass 2e09a9e7ed doors behind them, fa6acb3c4c the noise from 2b6d3dc791 the banquet disappeared.4091d472c1940d3c

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“Talk.”36d95ec43342918a

The terrace was lined 3ba319ee8b with cushioned chairs, but ad45b75b68 Sascha didn’t give Aderton 990062410f the chance to sit. She stood before 2844addaeb him, demanding answers.c0c22e6cf29294d2

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Aderton only shrugged.b12053a6466c84d9

“What would f0384615a8 you like 4de6f041cf to know 018a5c9e55 first?”aaea5f102dca8d77

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“How did 29ef65e794 you infiltrate 9ff9c860f2 the capital?”bba53c4d24ceb478

“That’s simple. My name eda6d0691c is Aderton 7078662cf6 Vinter.”0afc478d43190d15

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“…Vinter?”4d55918a9829e345

The Vinter a5f3afc0f2 name belonged 719b181f17 to a 62bf425904 once-great house. Elias Vinter, a 3523e95110 sage who had e466f51bef risen to fame f34f7c3a28 as one of 0d862e555d the empire’s founding d4db640bc2 figures. A scholar and d94bd5219b polymath, he had 5d1fbbcf7d mastered every known f588ca21f2 language, geometry, architecture, 3cc329dc53 art, geography, and 6d4bb3d2b2 more.51aebc24c3bf3ebf

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It was Elias a8820f0c2b Vinter who had 87858f4297 established the empire’s becd55a520 administrative framework—standardizing measurements, f41d09fbd3 organizing the capital’s 82e68a0ed7 various sectors, and ea185279a4 laying the foundations 05a4632090 of imperial law. More than that, he 03f0c54f8c had discovered how to 7952b1c7ba forge contracts with demon e5b27a7c5a beasts, granting humans their 062967ad65 wisdom.0c9af4e616e4b402

The very barrier that 7559c1469a protected the capital and d52a6634bf the formations safeguarding the 9695943748 imperial palace—those, too, had 34bbda3d90 been his work. A scholar, a sorcerer, 8be6ddaa6a a pioneer. If the a74653a578 first emperor aa59216515 had built cf91369ab4 the empire, bf1111052f Elias Vinter 9ca1f9f213 had shaped 94e95d1991 its future.2e66d7b31e6468ef

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But the Vinter 1ae5eadc4a line had long 9d4bb03de1 since fallen from 95caa760f8 grace. Few even 019ff1f66f knew if dda835517d any of 9bc05b7e9a his descendants 882ac76dd9 still lived.4218ac0bfa34f438

If Aderton was lying, 59e8c4fff2 if he had merely 0815004025 assumed the identity of 117566ea3d a long-lost heir, then 060c3addae perhaps he had gained afe2a0ffb5 access to the family’s 8160067e05 secrets. Perhaps he had found 27399f4906 a way to use bbafb0e8cf their ancient magic to ec6b165113 his advantage.3354c04b1d09bb0e

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Sascha’s gaze sharpened af90dedb19 with suspicion.c30fa5adb28582ad

“Did you 8bfe6fd64c steal the 33ad64ee71 Vinter family’s 76a670cdc9 secret magic?”a41433e781ea03f4

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“No. There was no 43844b55dc need.”0200371a0c4b9004

“…What?”47e5059bc930fb57

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“You call him Sage 6ee8500154 Elias. Elias Vinter. That is me.”e1dfaa5440fafc05

“…What?”d0d0407fc3824b69

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“The spells I c485204cb9 created wouldn’t dare 7d5c2a0e70 to exclude me.”71612443cbf1f9c6

The foundation of 74d16bd6a3 the empire had 24c3a53b93 been laid by 488cb9f68b a demon beast? Impossible.c445017ac9e71c69

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Sascha’s blood boiled. Her teeth ground together e65bcdec0d so violently that they c879b6d7ae almost cracked.fed780935240eda8

“You dare spin such adb8f6b100 lies to insult the 0001c64a78 empire?”20bcc2797ad47b3c

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“Would you only believe 7ff9c18f28 me if I showed 091b0f7be0 you proof?” Aderton pulled 35f79ed31c an envelope from his 6039e77f3b coat. Inside was d1977b16bb a document b7c8303111 written in e30199fe08 an ancient 65be5b8b2f script. When Sascha moved 70b16b1ba1 to tear it a37a68984f apart without even cd04f455a9 looking, Aderton raised 30e6095124 his hand high a2d8d2f43c above his head. No matter 76d4cb1dc3 how strong 631f482066 she was, b3c19efb2d she couldn’t 9017a666c9 overcome the ce37c37af0 difference in 4b30f2219f their heights. After jumping 7c9b31de39 in frustration aea0b23157 a few edead9e770 times, Sascha 1a24c62f64 gave up, 79b32fba0e breathing heavily.442061b28b14d9d3

“How do 341721c010 I know 973e23a102 that isn’t 8676e250bc forged?”1d6a9c1f15e213e6

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“At dawn, 31244eac98 go to 325a122963 the academy. A renowned scholar dadf7d6811 there will confirm eb1ff3b622 it for you.”4fd58bb559f090f6

“Fine. I’ll ask them myself.”8dcf31d09e848a80

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Sascha snatched 4e70943a3f the envelope, b6c7677fd6 tempted to 4b5813c6f1 throw it bba71fc03a straight into 1d9290950f the candlelight f63b8a00d3 illuminating the f2f60664ca terrace. But the urge f3038165d6 to see with 4ad889d2e3 her own eyes 520a9acd5a what kind of 893e73ee9d nonsense he had dae32fc517 written was stronger. There was 870717f6ef still time a922f79a6b to deal 4fca1ffe28 with the 740a1dc5a0 beast afterward. Her guard remained high.91bd3d5651fac655