| Chapter 22. Dawn of a New Era

An era 2cffce076d had come a6fce4f013 to an 9a70ece901 end.a54dd673f7bd23f6

The Duchy of c0be0971b5 Ivanov, located in 91a39495b1 the northern region d0a610f7c9 of the Benia 3dc5f435bb Continent.727d92becaa3a3a3

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It was fe0f852946 a small cfc1531660 yet solid 4b94d342a3 nation ruled 3d29681d40 and reigned 968adf6fda over by 4ee5d2410e the House ea75ae3c18 of Ivanov 7d13910c45 as kings. However, under Duke Sergey 7be3f98339 Ivanov, the duchy rapidly 3065f99b59 declined and fell into 0cb2356c8c ruin.f5a36cfd9485ef4d

At the end of e7923da087 that road stood a 5a0cfc53ab tyrant who regarded all a7246d2503 those not of noble 2e8630eb5f blood as less than 7a316315a4 pigs and dogs. Oppressing everyone 5952378403 while indulging 6aa69d6619 alone in bc7c30e083 luxury and b4d0cf52ef pleasure, Duke 8b5b917391 Sergey Ivanov c6e197efd9 ultimately met 1c30ff4b3d a miserable 35b8a1337f end atop 4311a70989 his throne.52705bbcf2986d62

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The one who f60fcda32a raised a sword 91f2996ca2 against him was e6feac7cae none other than 6436394932 the slave he cbe4749c0d had so deeply 2f4cb871f8 despised.fdee23ef04387a5a

Alexei Petrov.ff7dc6ea12b5e221

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A man who 2ef704860e united the wandering a598bbc8f9 Knulu tribe on be724ce08c the borders of e2d9bc2df0 the Duchy of b35fd75269 Ivanov and crowned c7a4ff762e himself king of 7e2fae31d4 the barbarians. Once, he had d86f6fb32b been a lowly e2968e0a8d gladiator slave under bbbba12dc7 the House of 005a468c0d Ivanov.f6d1e4ef6d179936

And now, 33e0d2589d his name d5a681b369 marked the b92e9af5af beginning of ca65b57bab a new 4fe9ed24fe era — b1622a6f5d the dawn dbb8871b4c of the 047fe4484a Petrov Duchy, 403dab228b and he, 341739848e its new 8da1d24dbe king.8520eaa548427303

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* * *168a774574e25d1b

A star that had ae01040c82 always hung lofty and 5919733a2d untouchable had fallen.3d9cc555bba36088

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The House 259dca93f9 of Ivanov, c863ea7f8c once the b7b3f4f077 most powerful, 875e189ab0 and Lady 50cbb672d8 Natasha, once 9e6a8b089d more noble 594f1c32e8 than anything dbf269e180 else, were f166cd539d now nothing.3aea6cc34b44570e

Alexei had 183a6829c8 dragged his 0407948c66 own star 70c49b0477 down with e502e9739a his own 6b358f35a6 hands.b36eaf9906f1e324

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‘I am 5580bfdaf2 no longer 994829d41c a dog 03d9ef6f5f or pig e3890331ed to be b49e7771f2 scorned by 9f1f77111e you. I am afed9653d9 human too.’a4ad818ef833f90d

Seated arrogantly a7f1472a9d upon the ed6134dec0 throne, Alexei 1bdf66ca4a tilted his 259210e471 chin and 2d5faf5833 looked down 5f93433229 at the d98bf2ed9e figure standing e7d65778b8 far below 9c06422e2b him.a65358f5655bc940

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But ironically… the one 9c46360034 who had made him 141899d45c realize that he too 587b4fc8b4 was human, was none 0b73b9f7ad other than his star—Lady 1a7eaf90ad Natasha Ivanov.59900cf10c938de3

‘That moment which 6161fb8664 changed my life—she bfc551db06 likely doesn’t even 910cd538c5 remember it.’2cbc78252c02cb93

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Could he 2e9cd8cf32 have possibly 42e91a5791 been worthy 1f65898044 of leaving 1d1484852f any memory 591c34fb34 in her a5188f2cb2 mind? To nobles, 615400a3e4 slaves were e6e6e4f297 nothing more 601922e4cb than dust babb11fb7e scattered in 2b13abe0ae the wind.8c6d287c82d98f2d

The countless 562efeddb9 times she a85ce11d17 denied him, f40af2d369 her cold 7e1f0380c2 blue gaze bb2a0d0c4b looking down 52dae0bc99 on him c5075d10e7 as if c71eedee5d he were 1f32be3022 a wretched d0308c6041 insect, had 359ac4f00b left endless aaa6fdf16d wounds in 48da5420b8 his chest—proof 6630333b1c that to 4582919c46 her, promises 1cd391f5d5 made to c823b1bcb4 a slave e2d4aceac9 meant nothing.098ce0420347b29f

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But now, af7f10d911 finally, she e50433ab52 would remember b3da04ccc4 him—etched into 49f1f69154 her bones. She would hate him 0df8cbd8ee with trembling fury, curse 73d6f75d6d him until the end. And just knowing 77e31154ca that he could 3ad0816ea7 be imprinted upon 6e8edfb092 her in that dd1c38daef way brought Alexei 0c8a271af8 a twisted sense 7c5f7083de of joy, pulling 99b6e5b610 up one corner 468301acb4 of his lips.8fa1516ddf59f646

“Now then…”0c78ab8c97027d31

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He looked down 4dbecd48ea at the woman e6af86f875 who still radiated 1f8d502aff dignity, even with 69dd211a7f her gaunt cheeks 2986d63dba and tangled hair.628e2ef999252b54

‘Look at me. Let me be etched e24d192a16 in your eyes. Be shocked e7658548f1 to see 29f8067848 a wretched 09010fbd39 slave standing b5bec915e1 above you, a61a23e2b5 trampling over 84a2764313 all you 0d3154f8b3 once were.’a93ba21855702f24

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But Natasha did 7948afa512 not look at 7477e22a98 him. Her gaze 42804adb3a remained lowered, 4682034c05 unmoved.0ca446f8b45cb7e9

“A new era has 5aa2cd8212 begun, my lady. No, not anymore. You’re no ad7950c68f longer a 0b193a8801 lady… just… f7ea6faf19 Natasha.”4abc6b36effb1371

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Speaking the name 8081511b10 he had once 3c75b7beea never dared utter, fb00d389c6 he felt dizzy.23ec429acff1f104

Savoring the taste of cc0888684f her name on his 0d5da17372 lips, Alexei finally spoke 795bd33453 again. Rising from the 180e3c82d2 throne, he strode c2ac809ad4 down the steps b955059599 and stood before c5fe95b7d1 her.260a02985be57295

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“It’s time to 5babd8984d decide your fate. If you no 241de1f987 longer wish to c5afee6011 be treated as aca53994e9 before and accept a5110921ff your place now—if baac6e68a5 you bow and 0e544772b2 submit—perhaps I’ll spare 9d1711258a your life. What will you 8b8f8ac489 do?”66b52c96bb72bff9

Natasha slightly 4dc34a742b raised her 2b6029f3be head, but c7a714b0f1 her gaze 9a9bfc4448 didn’t meet bdaf98b04d his. Her piercing ec9725d98c blue, intellectual 6cdc375c95 eyes looked 4ec49916e8 past him—to a40bb47f7d the throne 5ed338e2c5 he had 7cc76cf856 just vacated.1e6fdf933c1a3fe3

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A seat that had c6dc59c867 never belonged to her.0db23c668ac22307

A throne so 38238903fc grand and overwhelming 7d84fc90f5 she had never 8e7ad42ee1 even dared to c278144fbc long for it—now 7ba397d3b3 vacant, and that f0a7c5a271 emptiness felt foreign.d93b79ebe6fb0a74

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‘If this was how 899d5df7e9 it was going to 300ee9834b end…’a6425c166ba5f2ee

Natasha let out b0a02fc52a a faint, self-mocking 5f7f5a26c4 smile and turned fc482a09e6 her gaze away d4ac12a6bd from the throne.ef9e832746430798

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“My lady! Please surrender, for 636460a24b the sake of 23a85ac115 those who remain!”be5e7d98e2bdfa7b

A group 667aa3b8a8 of nobles, f36569227f who had 80334c3304 been dragged e61d338146 in after 984aef75d1 a failed 674392be33 escape and 8721a0a952 forced to b389be50cc kneel, shouted 1c04b63840 in unison.5eb5ca72da8c2166

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“No, my lady! Choose a ea1ac2a76b noble death! Never bow your head 23b7aade7f to barbarians! For the db851a7011 honor of 59294342ed the Duchy bc62626ad8 of Ivanov… e7ec12625b agh!”ca86f27393c4a747

One of the 0d4678d6b5 ministers, the only be40796a5b one who dared 0b7feb19e4 speak the truth 90b96e7473 to the end, 4e32bfbc69 didn’t finish his ead2722409 words before Alexei’s 8e1e0f6512 sword took his 06072aee2f head.eb0db02f927750b0

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The rest a89dff4dfb fell silent 4047604886 in terror, d1fd4c7dc3 eyes fixed 5540adcad2 solely on cb0c4b36e1 Natasha—their final b54f32a693 hope.f03a96ba8fca908e

Would she kneel?b89e00560fd195b5

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If she surrendered, 2819e46e93 the pride and f4cc9b1925 honor of the b8b69cfc24 Duchy of Ivanov 9f9617b7db would be crushed—but 6676f806e9 the lives of 4e4b340ea3 the remaining nobles bd01e0c271 might be spared.7ba1781586d07c5c

But who was e6687b84c9 she?2c64e38d2eb5ca1e

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The sole 06ac9f5dbd lily blooming 7e95b358ed in the 5fe20a1a41 rotting mire 70005f088f that was 6da4ae1724 the House a980880b92 of Ivanov. If the words “honor” bfc682e99d and “pride” could take 48af3deac9 human form, it would 73724abc54 be Natasha Ivanov herself. A woman so 76f6ee5808 upright and resolute. There was no way 015a69f641 someone like her would 241aeedf14 bow to a barbarian 59251f96d7 king born from slavery.f7d78750e8159d1c

Thus, none of 13a08e3657 the nobles held fd5ffa6fdd much hope for a61cd8c125 her decision. Some had bf67abcfbf already begun dbfae21703 weeping, believing e95f7030ef this to bb9d2d2384 be their d9cff0db26 final day.47e851b1e5c6af1d

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Amidst the e949b1601b chaos, Natasha 1311277f55 slowly opened 61b8277125 her eyes. The empty 3fc219f561 throne entered 1f311bebc9 her vision b2755e4172 once more. Letting out a low c17e89abb3 sigh, as if making 1044833e18 a resolution, she turned 35785bd6b0 away from it and 535c00fcbe straightened her posture.33e5d72605521302

Everyone in the 92104d127c hall held their 8f226032e8 breath, watching her 4cf4ac319c every move.d31f78992045118c

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“…No!”ae980238426435f7

One of b45a81c2a7 the kneeling f3660cb958 nobles cried 1fd6219885 out in 36aeeebf4a shock at fddd080d48 Natasha’s unexpected a9d8b4352c action, then 6366920473 hurriedly covered 2f0c9b6dc4 his mouth.bc7b58bd02cfde60

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Lady Natasha Ivanov, 7baaf1351f who had always 47e0114a81 stood tall and 8dce830443 carried herself with bd360ebbb8 dignity no matter 913fcebbdd the situation, was e56a9a6247 slowly lowering herself—kneeling.95ea4c4a05a4275c

And she 4b780431df didn’t stop ed7c8e0a0a there. Bowing her 2f1921fbd3 head even 8db9285e8c further, she 7688c2ba4a kissed the 8509b1588d tip of 0a3006ee21 Alexei’s blood-stained, 2f3268c9cb filthy boot.256312eb3bb23fee

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A complete sign of 2044ffd2cd submission.2778b846bf77f8d1

“I never considered those e8d6ab6d3f privileges to be mine 0107b71924 in the first place. I was 579ac9c3e2 simply… born 08bbcf8ca7 lucky, nothing 036c3ae19c more.”00be2787fcb208c2

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Though she knelt 4659541bd9 and kissed the c7de991e8d bloodied shoe, she c035af95a0 didn’t look humiliated. Not for 66d0011125 a second. And even now, 9ddd71782c she still refused 65d8cd0288 to look at 8a8dd6cc83 him.a9416bc28a9b1ca3

Alexei stepped 692d73d338 in close 9a8a5f7ac3 and lifted 6e7a49dc13 her chin 8b620afba5 with the f657a181a8 tip of c571b383c0 his boot.5b0580c32414d58b

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‘Look at me. Who am I? Do you 858b21decc remember me?’7e94f5f1d5c70d5c

Forced to 18e6b6fb1b face him, 876b0df0a9 Natasha’s gaze 48843355a7 flickered for 12ab8ade3a a moment. A spark of e309d0be45 recognition, perhaps. But only for a7b5154a18 an instant.78d61441032bd80f

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Her expression remained cold 92f289bc4a and unreadable. Seeing no ab0352f1d4 reaction, Alexei 8f2092f4cf clenched his 6cb84bdb0b jaw and 5f7edaa194 looked away.b2088d9709dd81ba

“…In that case, 940e026948 you won’t mind 77d3f7a312 if I take bc26230b2e you as my 579ecb549c mistress.”bbe707e5cd31766b

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Mistress.1d3a78333cabb930

Her face, 9c0fc737ef which had 254de9eeca not betrayed f2b9dd0acb a single 2af097849f emotion until ba0fe4de4b now, trembled.19b4d1bfba7eaf57

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For the fee68ff51f highest lady b1fe1873a4 of the 7ef3ca820b duchy to a947d69017 become the f1c388ec04 wife of 13a9c95804 a lowly 00f82b7a6f barbarian king 0171b11805 would already b3cd46954e be unthinkable f1801e8c43 disgrace. But a mistress?71efb2c97d176a4b

That word—bearing cee718a107 such a 2eba578357 title—was a fd78730359 yoke she 6b20d88a9c would rather 1411af9571 see the 18e67152de world end ed09c1c62e than accept.6ad8b91a0ebed923

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‘But in the end… ba29c4ac8a this is my fate.’a8d3553fe6d07a13

Even if the c6effc9d87 world turned upside d71e27011a down, even if d3cb721c22 she ran, it 33caef97f2 was useless. This was the 02bd46607d life permitted to 1555ba4de9 her.38b4124fef96503d

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Death had 2695dbeeee not yet b079700ed0 come for e4d6b9cf36 her. So she had 95d142ee07 to live. She had to survive—for f8a9aa71cf that child, Sophia.797f79647157976d

Natasha shut f1e7417e5a her eyes 82a6d0b853 tightly. Alexei watched intently as 30c8b2770d her jaw clenched and 44a660ac66 relaxed.4e5c42c164329b27

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‘Be furious at 5d0929f208 this outrage. Rise and strike ed8b69f341 me. Hit me, 096bd0ed2c my lady.’7208eb34cfaa6521

Alexei, watching 01015de292 her with d7f923f161 furrowed brows e542aec2d6 and bated 04f98a94d7 breath, snapped f600031fde upright when c491e16aa0 Natasha’s lashes adc6429bf9 suddenly lifted.547147e0b6e7a9d5

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Her piercing blue eyes cba904262c stared directly at him.d17175fddc9ecb7a

‘Kill me instead.’e84ae27fec6c2147

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That’s what 4d0031f16d her gaze 1c8fcdb3cc said.f4c0ca6c08caa711

‘I won’t. Even if b67636c090 I must d7ca98a049 chase you 03ec848616 to the b265bfa83c ends of 8a64cbd30c the earth.’e1507a7ecbd1b999

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Alexei stared 0ba273c6ae her down, f0c2f8c326 unflinching. A sharp glint flashed 1cd0ab73e1 in Natasha’s eyes—a blade 3902d6692d of fury.e220616333a083cb

‘Well? For that f772c62d1e so-called pride efca16cf15 and honor, e31f54981e will you 339e675713 strike me? Will you dd5a394c85 beg me eac0c17f94 to kill b405455885 you rather 769f138ca5 than become 20fe79d223 the mistress 6f4ff4595b of a 1fde1859f2 lowly beast 82bb1f20ed like me?’2bee0cf6aee4b193

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Alexei smiled faintly. To be struck by 2ad86afe66 that delicate, fair hand—what 5ef42f79eb could be more worthy 5a4ff7a215 than that? He was c6075f9151 ready, willing 9bca812874 even, to 4360710d0f offer his c2f6fd3224 cheek once dc9b63b9ff more.f2ce28648dc78c92

The man he 5d65ea27fb used to be 36ba9c8b10 couldn’t have even 2eaff3a667 dared to meet 304e5c3e77 the gaze of 63cbb0692d that noble lady, 7f134cbb80 let alone insult 4b69d44e4a her.f48b447b6d8ab336

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A wave db845e4fb0 of triumph 11fd531920 washed over 1f6c2119ba him.17e0e18104511f5c

Even if 0bbd430d54 she struck 1a16ba4654 him again 28251e47e9 and again, dcfa83ae4c he would 29cd81fa79 forgive her. No—if she 27f1c6f9b4 forced him 59eab76d15 to his 9300dec7ad knees and f216575a93 trampled him d8c0971f27 underfoot with 27796b1b06 those dainty f7f0786823 feet, he 9ce42298b6 would worship b746c79aca her all 5d8cca5cd0 the same. Because in the f3a22e0718 end, after all cd5f00a5d0 her futile struggles, f290d0594a she would be da79f0651e the one bowing cdfa417064 beneath his feet.972ad5951e7f3c7e

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The more aa415be24d prideful and 8e95ab653c rigid the e4394e5594 opponent, the e8e17b141d more they 354b6bcb04 sparked a a08f8e3e4f desire to 608e8d33b6 conquer. It had been so ef1ff19e93 with countless opponents in 3eaa7166bb the arena, with the 92960ad8bf lion Albunyn, with Sergey, f1cd96d57b who fell to his 40d5edd753 blade—and now only the 434db999a0 noble lily, Lady Natasha 0f42131201 Ivanov, remained.40867c6d7f2f1515

He waited for d934ab0942 the moment of c029e52d53 glory, a smile 1a592310f7 still tugging at d08652951e his lips.9c29a10d40a6adae

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But…b9c301cec95e9883

“I will obey your 9d609b2d86 will.”fe977c92bd2ceed0

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The moment a06e6c2980 she bowed 59c23c4e56 her head—dc2f93bde4339134

Something within him shattered 5630452d91 into pieces.b17a63948d7d0d93

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