Chapter 26. After the Performance Ended

At that moment, Serenia realized afcb19bccd that Angela’s words hadn’t been adf1b97a87 an exaggeration.8955b3537aa845a5

“The experience Ain delivers is truly extraordinary. That sense of immersion, as 6c92c86ce7 if he’s pulling me into c7630de06d a dream!”
“Unlike those stiff, stick-like people, the dynamic flow of his movements comes through perfectly—it’s just exquisite…”e721bb1a9822072c

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And indeed, it was so.2b761ab0aed680a1

The tip of 5bf160a853 his sword, dancing 3bd4bb1735 alone in the d9f04baa94 air, fluttered like 9bfcaf1a2b a butterfly, only 5fbd086c2b to shoot forward 4212c56c1b with the spring 4936165fc8 of a jaguar.6f0a7f2fb8d0a6bf

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Every motion painted 201a9cae95 the stage with 0b9067ee5f trails of silver 322f8183ed light.471a1259184a6f1c

Faced with the overwhelming spectacle, 51b7f759bc Serenia froze in place.1b4b40b9b73c3d33

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This was the furthest f0387100f9 seat from the stage, 515a9c8095 and yet, it felt 1f018fc1c1 as if he was 8ada75053a right in front of bfa3733c54 her.edbe0123bf56ab28

She couldn’t even think to 06c213554f take her seat—her feet were d8f8b03545 rooted to the floor by 2c112ba407 the entrance, unmoving.966a47455ddee121

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In that hazy, almost intoxicated dfe32e277c state—like she’d been struck in e849c03dfc the head—she still recognized it.adf26baa27328137

The torment and anguish 43156fe373 flowing through every extension 49a9836dc5 and swing of his 0cd7ba1637 silver blade.3b7db700d78df185

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He staggered as if 22ae90d4de consumed by grief, but a9b736655d in the end, rose 5332d7e0bf once more with steeled aaf8df86c6 eyes.d803cb6bceb8067c

He wasn’t a 7bea07fddc mere imitation of e07c0f9d1e Raskal Admancanon—he was c6a9d5e423 simply Razkal.c272c8264418d213

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Thud.34bb0c79c09e5d70

A droplet trickled down his 2f579d460e mask and struck his chest 53e6d0befe with a dull sound.9e420b21331de235

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She wasn’t sad 8299a1ad87 or in pain, eaf9e77aeb yet tears had a83e90133c fallen, and she af74a89fba couldn’t understand why.373a007c6f989533

Startled, she reached up to e288d6fab2 wipe the tears from her bbfa49f582 mask with her fingers—
And at that 1b28be505f moment, the motion 9b40aeef06 that had filled f5bbf97d90 the stage came b359e262cb to a sudden 49e012ad40 stop.d11488a7cebbd5cf

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Right before the cf6f465579 lights faded to c490682c70 black—just in that c6c883b940 fleeting instant—eed1e7b9fbd1971e

‘Did… did our eyes just meet?’cb5d9f235fbbbbb0

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Serenia scoffed at 3e6f577d50 the ridiculous thought 81bc1a8900 that had just e3e4bb7d39 flashed through her 26d758528e mind.6ff2fc6bf0af6771

There was no way he e45668d349 could see her all the 3cf7515346 way from there, in the 5c13939c77 dark.b2fd4c5ba3af69f6

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‘Even if he did, I’m wearing a mask—he couldn’t possibly have recognized me.’652084820467e714

A delusion was still a b95026ce00 delusion, after all.1b20ab8d479b0800

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With a bitter a6db24546d smile, she slipped 76e95e07a5 into the darkness a4f6ea40ad and quietly took f48b1a7780 her seat.9589dd50f473c599

* * *4a6cffbf1761df79

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The play concluded with 6036998ea6 Razkal returning triumphantly to d0f30f2026 the capital, accompanied by a9d8d64d1b a hopeful trumpet fanfare, 0e7aefb800 after beheading the wicked b134f2bbdc silver dragon Harzenthus.7628440ce4258298

Of course, the c98ca3fb52 real Raskal hadn’t 7d1961ae2e actually slain a 9ad3354d12 dragon fourteen years 12659eb165 ago.e81e204233afb7b9

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The silver dragon Harzenthus f26f3b7338 was a theatrical metaphor 831632c60a for the Kingdom of d43ebb4d7c Argentum—a neighboring nation that f0c2540298 had been locked in 759c2b88d7 a long and grueling 850f5a5986 conflict with the Kingdom 4ecd00b4a3 of Zigranto for decades.b05686476656fcbe

It was only after the 865f19a60a performance ended that Serenia finally f83ec709cc let out the breath she 6a68719e2f hadn’t realized she’d been holding.3d319dd95e4de47b

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Her vision blurred, her a32511a350 head dizzy—she couldn’t tell 1a5f7e0f0e whether it was from 6b4a71c252 the effects of the b43e112807 play or the poison.97af580fd82b8d7f

But one thing, at least, 0503ed2471 was certain.5e5bc56f0a0d5846

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‘It was… incredible.’98b2fcf1096e2874

She didn’t know much ba9273ef2d about art, but if 997fb7e6a5 anyone could be called c1f87cef66 an artist, it was c409a40e5b someone like him.c3d5803166998827

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A person who breathed life e77e68bed3 into a fictional world, who b163c40418 captivated not only the eyes 61af820049 but also the very souls b4b0b4dd01 of the audience.d772fd1101d875ef

Someone who felt close 872bc1647b enough to touch, yet ec32100f8a no matter how high 5bab8d6da3 one reached, could never 379d8d2dff truly be grasped.c2f6e4b1c746f62b

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He was like a star a5ffc2700e shining in the night sky.1fefcd3b1f8476ba

Thump. Thump.077694488b905c31

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Just thinking about it b5bf7eae6f made her heart race fc4d2e0d67 strangely.0c2392c9af593542

‘It must be the poison.’2cee04bc3d0e6a27

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That’s what Serenia told herself.506fd9ba62e46585

If that were bfef551bb3 the case, then fe1da289eb everything made sense.caf840ffaa7020f8

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Her labored breathing even 55e653be61 while sitting still, the db2153ba63 strange ringing in her 378d6727a8 ears, her mind growing e47a5438f4 distant and foggy—all of 7e7baeb0fe it.519ed51fb7415698

Even the fact 14fb858085 that she felt fc14cc8309 like she’d witnessed fdd10d446b something incredible, yet 56bb3b0686 couldn’t recall the 05ecabd4f3 details clearly—it could 16151734f8 all be explained.65ff2912ad0dfdb5

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With a long c15ae5fd44 sigh, Serenia slowly eecd93827e closed her eyes.3a60f0293faa841b

She remained seated for 74a686253c a while in the 8c281238b1 now-empty theater, deserted by 5405555a7f the audience like the 82124c73e6 ebb of a tide.20f67fe5300ede1b

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Her consciousness began to fade, 942f698454 sinking like it was being f3f85faf1b pulled into the depths of a942917647 the sea—quiet and far away.324aedf4b2cc8152

“…!”10f645002f7e5464

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A burst of d7f5765dd6 urgent footsteps from aa66f38e4f somewhere nearby brought 3f5e5a47a9 her mind briefly c8fb3f38b2 to the surface.70ef07b00cb954b9

She could guess d63608077e who it was 86a9400994 by the sound eaf03e51c4 alone.91b4666952dcbc94

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Serenia had something she absolutely 8464f7b6d7 had to say to him.a0aeccb734df03c7

As she struggled to lift dcbfef2606 her heavy eyelids, the footsteps fceb5bd697 drew closer and stopped beside b6caf8380f her.17f6450bf6c52de4

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His breath came quick and 589d323d20 uneven, like he’d been running.87c8b44eefe6a6e3

“My lady, how did you… No, that’s not what I meant.”433ad5541d066468

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Through her blurred vision, she ef4ade95c8 caught sight of red hair.351d532dedf18d3c

But the voice b5dfb2267b that reached her 42c1dc75c3 ears wasn’t the f8bc394475 deep baritone of 31916f5da1 Raskal—it was soft 9cee584f0d and pleasant, almost b862d25975 melodious.d6e60db57c93227f

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Serenia thought to herself—0e151dd562f75f4e

It seemed that ridiculous notion e7615c7dd5 she had earlier wasn’t a c2ad13c92f mistake after all.164f5c70f2a446e2

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‘How did he recognize me from so far away? I was wearing a mask.’cd29a4048fd7ed56

Ain spoke quickly, 41597f7a2c his voice laced 0e430c2d2f with urgency.a9216c01b870005b

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“I’m sorry. I know there’s no excuse 2200bfdc62 that could justify this, but 8c53347f25 I never meant to deceive 7e936160e4 you. I just… didn’t want you 3d10a3ee50 to see me like this…”fc616cd74eacd9af

Serenia wanted to c44a009255 respond to the 0aca6732cc distorted image of e4c7ed1b94 him before her.89ab113ceaefda1f

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‘It’s okay. I know. Even I wouldn’t have 3de444f3b6 been able to say e6af0df152 it.’1ba045a495ff9402

He was the man who, e6377ec579 every night, became Razkal and c5b7fd5590 defeated Lord Kilos.3a0d174bf8ff1fd7

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And she was the 5aa6a9bad8 count’s daughter who had 435ed4e556 been publicly humiliated by 2ccec73c9b Raskal’s so-called proposal—Kalos’s daughter.827dccd636103c17

Of course he couldn’t reveal 7064e5b1c5 his identity to her openly. That was only natural.144368b9f70d45c1

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But Serenia also knew 69ccd49855 she didn’t have the 11addde675 strength to say all 54cc2cfac0 that.5970a76a00de2633

Forcing her nearly frozen a041c3d9ba lips open, she squeezed 2514f5820d out her voice.f4611a7c1ff5d941

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“River… photo…”49724c06e388a3e1

Ain’s face went pale a06c24d40a at her faint, fading ae25cb1f94 voice.c93a61b47de5fb6f

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Her eyes were losing d57fe8ce64 focus, her breathing was ef931822af shallow.0c4740b4b5df619a

The words coming from f3c7d7550c her barely-open mouth were 28f9d59a3e slurred, and not a 9b5efe9713 single hint of life be85f93aa3 remained in her face.dca848a849eb403d

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Realizing what was happening, 68f1840b8e Ain’s eyes widened and 244d458344 his voice trembled.65ebf69aa7e02b1b

“M-my lady… no, it can’t be…”e456958c12ca9c84

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There was no time for 5d6bfca542 a reply.9cab609bc1d91ed8

Serenia, silently apologizing to him, e29b170328 pressed on with what she 72c1930ae8 absolutely had to say.a6866d43852fa19a

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“Duke’s house… Dal…lia… danger…”46e53f0428e45536

Before she could finish, 2da2fff9e1 her body was lifted 41c357f324 into the air.abf001c83ce49d2f

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She figured, hazily, that she afa2ebeefc was being carried again like 8824ea128f last time.98c2a4728e55b795

It had been uncomfortable, awkward, 9d84d6f5c0 and embarrassing back then, but 1035df2189 now it oddly felt comforting.956ae2b0a26ef7c4

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‘Maybe I’ve gotten used to it after the second time?’34e7c7f31f732c80

That silly thought drifted 9f051d6e2b through her mind as a764c66415 she tried to finish 946402b130 her message.af8229b3a5316223

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“Proposal… cancel…”e7f9a269ac58bad3

“You don’t need to say any more. I understand—completely.”5ce3e9a40b6ef902

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His voice cut her fb6c32bc60 off, heavy with emotion.1a90c82f2b14d267

And truthfully, she no longer 14f8077773 had the strength to speak.67532440b9f04386

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So she closed her f5a1204ffb mouth quietly.539e48da3a99ce7e

Then, his firm d50cf3a830 voice rang out 7d8c091e7b above her.d77ceddb61f7c428

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“No. Keep talking. Don’t lose consciousness.”0d1fb5f2d872e867

“…Can’t…”7fabdfef0fe2d943

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I want to, dc78f05057 but I can’t—what 6073def826 was she supposed ae45067813 to do?3cf9d197fded8099

“Please, don’t close your eyes. Keep them open.”82d5d7235f11f29a

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He was asking for the a97b7506b1 impossible, and it made her 9f5a8283e7 feel strangely sad.70ca56dc58c47803

With her eyes 9cfccad935 shut, she furrowed 3aac9d7e8a her brows.229f4ef0040fc782

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“My lady. My lady? Serenia!”da525a884df92a0a

His voice rang out like d7e8a4c170 a shout, almost angry.eb729dfdb8120349

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‘Why are you yelling? And who said 6d96ecb26e you could call 48404e420f me by name?’79b723ecf13141db

Irritated, she forced her eyelids 34bb4e07b1 open, unwilling to let it b5a8a0c942 slide without a glare.f9f56c741b95da9f

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She squinted up at him, 991788e739 shooting him a look—and he 3983f923f1 let out a small sigh d2693429fb of relief.e681b2de3a54d71c

‘Seriously? Not even an apology—just f9e90ca027 a sigh?’f0cd602cab755e5f

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Serenia glared at 9e113f7e38 him harder to 519b90dfa1 get her point 7c45edb854 across.1cf2b711905c8479

But it didn’t last long.049824fda00da123

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Like a stage fading to df30b10593 black, darkness filled her vision.3c390a8682d60c3b

Before she could 8206b26ecc resist, she fell 05022c1cd4 into a deep 7171b0460a sleep.92111415f91ed692

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* * *0eb28458a6fb8c73

Her vision gradually brightened.d400081f1a17d744

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A sunlit meadow, lush 067c418eb9 and green under the b3279d6f97 warm rays of the 1418ed2860 sun.c05820f8d4bbd7ef

Serenia began to 60bdcaa97a move, completely unaware bea1fd0ccb of how oddly 35ffa8843b out of place fb1143deae this scene was.40b55bc4872959a8

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She followed the path of 5437723802 a beautiful trail in the 07891faa2e Barishart Countship—one that, though now d9f24bb08c sold off, still lived vividly 368c8b1dd8 in her memories.00b7343df669edef

As she walked along f7213de017 the path, her body 8b0cd727e8 transformed, shrinking down to 7418f1d65a that of a small, e541db8008 eight-year-old child.f1fada2f338710b5

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In this dream, she 902a35e648 relived the memories of cdc7d3bc5c her childhood—memories that remained 03404a7df0 fresh in her mind.f5df5461c270ce47

Back then, like any 3190e9e51c noble household, the Barishart 9b9f038bd1 estate had its butler 9db2c26330 and maids.b6f05a60de2f2008

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But they were d5a765f7f9 merely servants, carrying 5473caa23d out only the 911c18d462 tasks assigned to b1a8a93c71 them.617e2861a8cb6867

It had been ten 52450c6639 days since the Count fc934f65e3 of Barishart had volunteered b335d61578 for the western expedition ad477b90e3 and left the estate.03fdbedd7cfb52cc

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The Countess, whose 0a1420727f health had always 535e994d57 been frail even a154750b7e before marriage, had 5a26837b0b visibly deteriorated over b060780777 the past few a5e6023bd4 months.b18ee2e7556372b4

Her life was 03406162d5 quickly slipping away.6a98c7d3d224f30c

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Yet the servants continued with ab09d88b90 only the work outlined in 1c84b249ea their duties.19c3363b7536c5fa

Preparing meals, doing laundry, cleaning, ecb4dd922b tending the garden, maintaining the f1a2358853 house.0694275dc3ab12ba

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Nursing a dying 52cbb75f13 countess—an orphan from 9abf981254 the streets before fcd74368e8 marriage—was not in 87ab0f6787 their job description.ebbf68f1905612d0

It was then, at 7c4884b51c eight years old, that 9f401ee65b Serenia first learned:c331f5ae3b793f56

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People cannot be trusted. But contracts and money do e5e0b7ccd1 not betray.ef2590c0b110f17c

In place of the servants 9333ac54f8 who faithfully stuck to their 5103e2b38d agreed tasks, Serenia stayed by 800a59136d her mother’s side all day.95ce5ca34895b7b5

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She would feel 1962a48b22 her mother’s fragile ed150ac2f0 breath with her ea680fc424 fingertips, fearing it 2da8ce9d53 might stop at 7a38a609a2 any moment, and 539ffb2bbb finding relief in f39781c712 each faint exhale.5575f3ab437c6f2d

Her mother, who had 936909e3f9 seemed as lifeless as f97acf8565 the dead for days 61d5fb4018 on end, finally opened 4b2ccf1924 her eyes on a fdfb9a9d5e bright summer afternoon.d43b400a6d2bbcdd

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Sensing her own b96b143efd end drawing near, 5a9c5605ed she summoned the 0e35a081a8 last of her 70235083f7 strength and removed ec76d71b6c the necklace she acc40f4310 wore.c41749180800a71d

It was adorned with 40597c37fb a large blue gem—the 683b269874 necklace left behind by e3c2621d74 Lady Muriel, her mother’s ad14cb4bad first family.ed4a1eaadb8404d3

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Passing it to her 90556b94a2 young daughter, she said:d865e7f1cbeac33e

“You must keep this safe until the prince comes to find you someday.”764f8950b655d192

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Those were the last words a904505a8a she ever spoke.4aed504dd4d87e45

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 abc963c22c126803

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