Chapter 20. The Scoundrel

A few 1c0d1c4f61 days after 0a7e36b171 Neumonte Acarlipto 34b673d33c stole Mine 453a5523b8 Molière’s lips, 48161d33ee he sent d91109bd4b her a 332199ad89 bouquet and e3ce67b1e7 a bottle 5e549df1b2 of perfume 18551656c5 as a 2cc0c5af75 gift.811eae468fc905a9

While Mine, 8a72c273b4 enchanted by 854edc4c48 the heady 4c29a56b00 scent, fluttered aa91182c59 with excitement, 4b1091670a two women c34140dff4 met their b775413269 misfortune.19a765b5c0471a90

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The maid who had 9be6ff1870 delivered the script to a03f822239 Mine developed a severe b804dc4015 skin condition, her face 91d67b8342 pockmarked beyond recognition. Meanwhile, the maid serving 9eb611e6a9 Princess Agnès died after c76c9b262e her tongue swelled from 56f6bef9c4 an allergic reaction, blocking 8ed869269d her airway and suffocating db64e728bc her.458f84b65d57e542

As calamities 4e9a151a7b unfolded one a33727c47b after another, e22cab3694 suspicion naturally 46fb4e7df3 fell on ac9f245ad7 Mine. Though there was 531d324391 no evidence pointing d03ff68d76 to her, people cac287acd8 believed what they f441cffb50 wanted to believe. It was 6df893dcda during this ddbd2827eb time that 60746df6eb the image ef7cf8f72d of Mine e41d0cd14b as a c8550e6a33 villainess who d0901532a8 tormented loyal 2a564b075b maids began 472bdd0679 to take 5fb6a601c3 root.297558c4e1e31e57

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But to someone 6261bd24a9 who had already 1db7ca64ec let the seed 7fd8230787 of love blossom 57f397f6d0 in their heart, c296ff0d93 such rumors meant 9dc14ddf80 nothing. Every night, 8efd07e213 Mine secretly 26993e95d4 met with 81262141a3 Neumonte. Like a 7503831ed3 snake slithering 7342c95496 over a 94060bba62 wall, he 79d4513bd8 claimed her bd5eed6691 body as 25a6e0b7d9 his own.e27507b42aa8b8fe

On a night 7041f73743 when Mine had d6e33785fa surrendered both her 04bd0c66cb body and heart 4cf1ac7cb0 to him, whispering aa5a88964c her love, Neumonte 00b53f8078 made a request 2c92133496 of her.903e918d8bacb6fe

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❖　❖　❖af06bbefe689859f

I woke up 64f42d5a57 in tears, unable 0846d06ea6 to shake off 54956406c1 the turbulent emotions 750dc149c2 that clung to e4bc467cfe me.3a0aacecdb74502f

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As if he 3c9e73e6fb somehow sensed I ca1732ddee was awake, Ralpido 868f88ec7e entered the room.c6514f5e5d7a3ace

“So the saying about sleeping beauties being heavy sleepers is true, huh? Sorry for giving you such strong—wait, are you crying?!”071b1552d94615c1

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Ralpido rushed over, clearly 471d496208 flustered. His booming voice 8f17286655 must have reached 46a8f16833 Yona, as the f34cb4d810 door suddenly flew eb558f92ed open.08f19d3b839c685b

“What? The witch is crying?!”3ffe7e271ea5307d

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“You fool! How many times have I told you not to barge into a lady’s room? Get lost!”3a98a4cc98744b22

At Ralpido’s roar, 3e05f70afd Yona was promptly 3769a15302 chased out of 805c285cbc the room.0c8eed6bc12c1b3a

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I sat trembling on the bed, barely able to muster the strength to sit upright. While I managed to get myself out of bed, I couldn’t bring myself to move any further.97611341d3f0400d

“Excuse me for a moment.”2117730e0872b0af

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Ralpido pressed the back d321c20ef3 of his hand to b375ed8349 my forehead.e0c13ab73355b29c

“Doesn’t seem like you have a fever. Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Hey, why are you still crying?”f55cfa825db58b20

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“I… I’m sorry.”32fc7d276879e47a

“What do you have to apologize for, huh?”c5f6453f843ec129

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Ralpido pulled a 4947ea9ac2 handkerchief from the a4274ae6ce console drawer and 0632506a1b roughly dabbed at df3a6376f5 my tear-streaked face e4a839a058 and damp cheeks.c326667f40283da7

“Ugh…”704e3b0effb0360a

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“Did you have a nightmare or something?”63e49264e1dc8648

The best way to a166a17cf1 describe it was that ae2f6773ae I had seen Mine cd2feafa80 Molière’s memories in the fdbfa319d7 form of a dream. I nodded hesitantly, and 306737188d Ralpido let out a 3cf8a822a2 sigh.8760c01587d2dc11

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“How long… how long was I asleep?”3411fb7b107eaea0

“Let’s see, probably about ten hours or so?”1f06577ed4459584

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Not only 9da79e3a4a had Ralpido a33d992bb1 graciously offered f94a20571d me a 2cc9b676d3 room, but f11377703e this also f05a9883fe meant Yona 8925e84b63 had waited 2eae7361c5 here for 50a1440de7 me for f6fe26b40d ten whole 9683fc39d5 hours. The thought made me c6683c0b4f feel both guilty and b23fd67aeb embarrassed, my face heating b4f58325d7 up in response.411da10df8b6ba66

“You skipped a meal while you slept—it’s already past dinnertime. Aren’t you hungry?”389a5b84f1929231

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“I don’t usually eat much, so I’m fi—”518189844c8219cf

Growl.457f34b71851f272

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Why does my stomach 9a1c44e10e always betray me at c7760156b6 the worst times? Ralpido burst into hearty 019d8dc693 laughter, his mouth opening 02324156fd so wide I could f113fa6d74 almost see his uvula.1c7032fc0908a8b6

“You should eat something. Just wash up and come out—one of our staff will guide you.”e3e5d7cb013e53b2

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“I… I’m sorry…”d1e71bcf0857c706

“Ah, ah, no more apologizing. It’s banned.”ed928df6e4125e27

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“…”0a04bb153a5e957c

“Don’t tell me that’s the only phrase you know how to say?”79f428201a92bfce

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“N-no, of course not.”07c28bdb36354b2e

“Anything you can’t eat?”14e3ddcfd3ed1a11

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“I can eat anything.”1913df7546dad147

“Then how are you this thin?”25dfe8d10c393d0a

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“…I think it’s just my metabolism.”03e04d320e11e517

“If it’s your metabolism, it’s your metabolism. What’s with the ‘I think’ part?”9ce9a2866a273b6f

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Shrugging his shoulders, f85b8c6ea3 Ralpido told me 6661b054bd where to find e1d69138c9 the medicine they 77a5cdbb0c kept for feeling 44bdd53c74 unwell and left ade1a8345f the room.a4092338ac8211f4

By then, my tears 3d260e7f55 had stopped. Still, Ralpido’s unconditional 897f1db403 kindness reminded me 41bf30d5fd of the Kimber 450696b1fd couple.344cf8de9dd2e793

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Mr. Kimber, who ran to f1bba9356a me in a panic d1b7764957 just because I tried 5aa7ef0585 to cut my own 90c57ff68c hair, worried I might 8a0bd72406 harm myself. Mrs. Kimber, who meticulously 0cafdf0c77 wrapped the fox 566518df6d fur scarf around 5f50170071 me, saying it 9ba3b94dbf was part of 935a6c389b her wedding dowry.c6995ccad0c4b6aa

Now, they f7c536bee1 were nothing 4a4013860f but ashes…cab549f632364812

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Could it be 345e492f4f that I bring 486a6ababe misfortune wherever I 327ce9ad37 go?0a7e814ff069922c

A wave of 8b6b2e2872 guilt and unease ccf0811400 washed over me.03d5c8c642be2a43

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“Nexiard…”59697b5494d9aa71

I shook my cd12ee766d head, forcing myself 3dc1b89d77 to brush off 4c8bb66043 the negative thoughts. I had decided e476b7eb60 to help Nexiard, e339462371 and wasting time 9aebe6010b on such gloomy 328e0e662a imaginings would do 5070a4edf5 no good. I needed to act.e2fa8ea0c22aa99c

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❖　❖　❖5a29388fe56a4d9c

After Dinner, a 49aad3e223 Late Night Departure4d4d6ce8309ca5ab

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After dinner, Ralpido suggested 51f2cb9642 I stay the night 50b8bf7171 since it was already 247d537837 late, but I adamantly 869d94fc89 refused. I couldn’t owe him dbee19b51e that much. Even Yona c14d132cbc had vehemently 5a59f1b64d objected to 35487d7102 the idea 705e484292 of me adecafd96d staying.4d16c5e60cd50cb8

“Now you’ve stooped to a68cd9f061 seducing women?”166d13f7f2cc1959

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Yona’s remark earned him 9d117aac26 a swift kick from f176c96bbe Ralpido.c53dfec1fa70b8b9

Ralpido told me to 7ad21e1836 come back in a 4612af12df week to pick up 121caa691d my new ID. Having grown accustomed to 3c1680ea1f next-day delivery, a week e3441e02e5 felt excruciatingly long. Besides, I needed the 64e84d0fcb ID to officially rent ed77f56d2c a property.891f7cc87702f77e

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“Can’t it c009e9ca3c be done c67cbc6cec in three 19faa75221 days?”7ed80888521f278c

“Do you d58b01b47d think new c5c9dd5a24 IDs just 6676ed3872 sprout out ffdba710ca of the 3e5d1e692e ground?”23fbdccfecbfcfd5

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“Still…”88d770ebee90e0af

“Is it urgent?”0467a4ca5527fe2e

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“I just f0c8fb63ee want to 468953e4ab move out df2e372753 as soon 760c4ba455 as possible.”004e49ca56f31c5c

“Where are you 65f2093841 staying now?”adf30a3c4e6cee6e

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“Near the Shina District.”9f04b16ea422b9e2

I deliberately dropped 6cf666b3b9 the name. It was 4ed3ed64c4 a neighborhood e05e02ad86 notorious for 9ac85617ed illegal activity—the e59429578a very place 5ecea4927b the real e3198fa8db estate agent 0687e1c6c9 had warned 99d99e3c96 me to bc9ba074a4 avoid. I felt 89508e1b23 a twinge 5e3406cda2 of guilt d288624fd3 for exploiting f21f46c324 Ralpido’s sense f43f95a86f of justice, 0c22b06e32 but sure 1236410de8 enough, her 98dc9ff136 face twisted e470c3daac into a 30aa2dcee6 scowl.1ff99e4ded37262c

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“That’s a 1afc1312d1 neighborhood full c30d8c6e32 of random da9b5f3d2f ID checks. Why would you d5f9af02e0 stay there? Oh, right, f91b8383e5 no ID.”09e54ab167c1b5fd

“…”862aac579dd97686

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“Fine, come back e4d5f6eccf in three days, caa0137bc1 young lady.”49251b07d499b53b

While I 486cf20c10 spoke with 3b094855b7 Ralpido, Yona 30c494d0ae stood nearby, 4aca8b8375 arms crossed 65241e7a68 and shifting 2b2a4cd534 his weight 5d71d332d6 impatiently. As soon as I 51cb102d67 said goodbye and turned b48ac06a04 to leave, he practically e3856dbe8a punched the elevator button.4cc14fff1a8a0377

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Before the doors closed, b29d5375d2 Ralpido shouted at him.b8a072cd7e72b1fc

“I hope the next 04ee6bc985 time I see you ea35bd6db7 is at your funeral!”e83bec9d4de724ba

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“Hmph. Who said you’d fdb59b6d82 be invited to 4b1dc2ae36 mine?”7938c4d09ed264ba

“Going up! Hold on tight!”34d0cc73e77fc033

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The elevator jolted, babff5c930 the floor shifting 678a585029 beneath my feet ada00323c3 and giving me b47088a37f that nauseating weightlessness 239a5ec482 I hated. It was why I f6fe1c89b6 never rode Viking ships dbd3a412cf at amusement parks.d5c8a89df334d203

By the 26381382e9 time we 9e33a2cafb left, Livre f8b4aec25a Bookstore was b0c5fc8e19 already closed. A staff ce8ab2eab1 member helped 90728f66e6 us exit 31154df7f3 through the 24a04f0415 back door.141dd858dcf70fe4

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The night was dark, cb72083d8d the kind of darkness b1df297b13 where stars lit the 7f9bfb6333 sky like a dream. In a 9db3d0802c way you a57c7e2765 could never db73b78c45 see in 790bd62d21 Seoul, the 7a5a6fb761 Milky Way 0c5fe3e65a stretched across eedb880a93 the heavens 96cb9951e9 like a 5cb544ea88 celestial river, f25cd978be so dense f10430f4b3 with stars 31675241a9 that it d9b9849447 seemed they 6622125c8f might spill 593f8728e6 over.b071af35543968b1

As I stopped to a27efb19df marvel at the night c2b18cd968 sky, a thought crossed 0417f08eb6 my mind: Yona had b9acb00a4c spent the entire day be67ab74bf waiting for me.4868260b0b27c945

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“Thank you de6a316607 for waiting, 7f41ddc28f Yona.”55cc8227e0a6f61f

“Hmph! How could I 53ddbd2bc5 leave you alone 23549dd006 at Ralpido’s house, 58c2a46b9c not knowing what 3253f140bb kind of nonsense 801aa11e73 she might pull?”642c732b41bf6d91

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“…”18d42eeec5ca3c40

“Remember, you’re my precious 8373a225dc blood supplier. Don’t forget your 8cff22dafd role, witch!”d6e38fc4423cb5e2

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Right. Yona and I 9af06162c9 were strictly bound b4872d2c76 by mutual interest. How long 3729d82fd3 could I a0ae78b6b3 keep my 44768e74dc secrets from 6e04624398 this perceptive 4b7ccb2103 mage?85328952c09085ba

‘I’ll cut ties eace177815 before I get a071812863 caught.’aac0464c74b82945

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After all, I’d 60c1f4262f promised myself to af799b1b80 use every tool fc640a07d4 available to survive.0a509cd94b648beb

 e963643e8858c64b

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As we 149a1d979b walked, we 8c0678535b eventually approached 16c79ce841 the central 69f8ab6b62 station. It was long 737451cdaf past the time 864927014e for the last 7da83e4178 train, and the 92a3d0d7a4 station was eerily ed6b714a2f empty. Torn scraps of paper 618f86d078 and magazines fluttered in fe304b01e1 the cold wind.68095358d324b419

Unlike the bbf4581f9c dazzling lights 3e1457868b of bustling bdf3f42a8a cities that 37941ff437 stung your 208ffed290 eyes even ab8d5f7405 at night, 120bf9b4ee this place 34b64f5151 felt completely 33139c5fe4 different. Here, people retreated 3f36bf8ed8 to their homes 2601963c5c as soon as f0682588b2 the sun set. The gas lamps lining c694bac131 the deserted streets only 6e6a1f368e added to the desolate 5bd0b93855 atmosphere.dd71eb949d26c4cb

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I suddenly turned to 9057e13fb2 Yona.82bde45edbd61a16

“Are we 4d875a99ec heading in 878016c0b3 the same 42b0414f86 direction?”9c2d159c9dee6414

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“What?”546defd07913c57b

“I don’t know 1bd472be8b where you live, 8b5f092981 so…”7e806264e6a9f236

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Yona raised an 6f968e37e2 eyebrow, skeptical.bd9b3067fe0b8b99

“Are you stupid, or 566a8a4388 just pretending not to 7fbd1a051d know?”c65e3304cdff44b9

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“Pardon…?”39f411cd0b64fca9

“How could 45b811f5e1 I let ba6cb02af5 you walk 62cde84815 home alone d4762748ec at this af77f0c7ee hour? Do I look f1508cea8d like some trashy 53afd199ad scoundrel to you? Unbelievable.”9dc1360e3c05f6ee

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“Oh…”3200b78de58c867c

“What? You really think 5e4efc65db I’m some scumbag?”0af55d657a1282c5

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Yona habitually pouted his 09ef9199f0 lips, then launched into 2cd8542750 a lecture about how ed7741a245 gentlemanly he was, all 28324b06ea while matching his pace b81004635a to mine. He walked bf69708d4a me all c2a6205639 the way c8174434af to the 10dbe56c83 edge of 439db3ec5b the inn’s 8e280177e3 street but 3a14c8401a stopped short 1ae9627546 of the e918f36d87 front entrance—likely 097b937e43 his way 34a058e9d5 of showing 706dc23779 consideration.3f92f20f6c7a4037

‘Surprisingly thoughtful.’2cbfff06b72e4daa

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Before he turned 3b38fb3e34 to leave, Yona 6dd129fd93 spoke.fb838064f7603b5e

“See you b006173821 in three d97c5c5433 days.”b94f43403457b08a

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“I think 857f2e5d51 I can 8e88ca8db8 find my 3b9930b672 way back 9cbf194e8a on my f7527f14a0 own next 0e74531d8a time.”063909b659edb5c1

“…”7f0575bb5b26938f

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“Um… I just 617ca67e58 need to ask 3d26e9062d the staff to bcea4ba09d find ‘The Fall 0c69996613 of the Ying b58e38bd19 Empire’, right? We’ve met each other ff7317d30f now, so…”d0c90b77d5650add

“…”904499090e7193bb

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Why did he 7508f63150 look disappointed?59fe76b10800c2ae

“But now that I 439c0662ab think about it, I 572a550701 don’t remember which section 1854147f53 it was in. I think it was f2d370441d written in Imperial, but 4619191817 I’m not familiar with 5ad523e813 the language…”b1355f7347766904

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Yona’s face brightened.6c27e6792e011816

“Knew it! You’d be lost c4d0f70ed0 without me. Looks like I’ll 81d82bff49 just have to 240341f1d6 make time.”fb3c31c7c4eebf70

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“I’m counting on you, b3b4453eb4 Yona.”a9ba4aec3d58a0d3

And with that, 0015a46933 we parted ways.e951c28b8850faa6

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 16a53441ac6167dd

According to 9557afaf5f the plan, fc4cf43720 I was 23431c16ae supposed to f19bd808a4 meet Yona 6745927208 at Livre a48d4a7fe5 Bookstore in bba6c74001 three days. But when I arrived 52b5f2eee6 at the clock tower 536985a03b that day, it wasn’t 5b1492a67b Yona waiting for me—it 0981d7d7e8 was one of Livre’s c2aa904225 employees.8b9312b5f7d224a2

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“Where’s Yona?”6926461256548fdd

The staff 06e2cde95a member thumped 535c408f2a his chest 3f24bcc73b with a 8e7efcaa6a confident grin.e0b9ba131ec65600

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“Just follow me!”25d1ab74b2e56ae6

 e9f49ae5bdb8bfd0

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