| Chapter 30. A Good Man

“Lena! You’re safe. What happened c3a705e804 to your 63f7467759 leg?”757891a9b3e609ce

“That day, when I 6ea079f6fb heard the Knulu tribe 1874ad0f05 had invaded, I went e0b03b88f9 to find you, my 55802cc370 lady… but I got fdfca006b3 trampled by other servants da71f1e6b6 trying to flee. I lost consciousness and 2ce2037602 only came to after 7571c5f69a a few days. I was so 8c52cc96cc worried about you… 2389c32ddf but seeing you 7e66982096 safe now—it’s truly a796a865fc a relief.”c24609ddaae6b6ff

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“Lena…”ee9da33b442c9a6d

As Lena 474f135294 clung to 2e7518de92 her, sobbing a4ba52ad5c loudly, Natasha 3c5f805045 gently patted 12dc9faf6e her back, 303ec1e541 eyes welling 21cfcf6c48 with tears. Even as knights 82865b6b55 and other servants edc6d99046 had abandoned her, 2e555aa543 scrambling to save c469ded517 themselves, there were e97c3aec06 still people who 6487aa043c had thought of 8393d42488 her. The steward… and d47459b101 Lena… they were 8171fdb4af such good people. And yet, she had 9c22d3950e done so little for a9394082f1 them—could do so little, 1a91653ab6 now or in the 64c1595dc1 future.d290a50d859153e9

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“But it 729bdcfba5 really shocked f26bad1a67 me. The leader of 73c5b5c1e0 the Knulu tribe 56b6af1602 turned out to 655a071df7 be none other 22f7060170 than Alexei…”08d9e50772cba09a

“Shh, Lena. Let’s talk in the 5731a51c44 room.”db6a49d54d4ecc09

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Natasha glanced warily down 0bb30eb5ee the empty hall and 7bba0b0142 pressed a finger to aa77be12c8 her lips.69a3f28778f02082

Thud.2d988690a4ec3e11

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As soon 60d946b917 as they da6a5e68aa entered Natasha’s 263ed47376 room and dfafd239f0 closed the 8c2a80d225 door, Lena 2d6de8e222 rushed to a521756d31 her side, 8bab6dee48 fussing over aac05dd9f8 her.0e38298d3c820b1d

“Are you ad2b5028a3 truly alright, 71143a3d02 my lady? Actually, that e2834b97cd day when dfd7537ba6 I was 34e6da46c0 passed out, 058e587275 Alexei came bdfc3daf02 looking for b05d5f34cf me and 1f278aa953 asked about ed92bcc396 your whereabouts. I thought 73fe0ae56b he was 6df1151399 trying to e8e43220a2 save you, 38f6fa7191 so without 35b25c9b65 hesitation I 55ea4df5ea told him b6c5e2635a you were c86a65c7f8 in Lord 2bb121ed63 Sergey’s room…”727bb6257b30d5aa

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Lena’s voice trailed c31e1db545 off as the 8490bb3e10 memories of that 4591c4e40a day resurfaced.0415b346e5768c66

“Ugh, it hurts… I abb346769e have to find the 5983899013 lady…”2519ae56f2c58ac6

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Crushed beneath fleeing dc3b69929a servants, Lena had 1ed31e2d2f collapsed, barely conscious bba1a632fb and leaning against f591063827 the corridor wall.31817249c9e30efc

“Hey, wake up! Where’s the lady?”ea4fc24d385cbfd1

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A rough shake bb59d09963 jolted Lena awake.f87594b456fcb1f2

“…Alexei?”ebb2a201fedb2b8d

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Lena stared a75c66ee5a blankly at 22f9d03784 the man 93a163f924 in front 831e629593 of her. She thought dbbd5422d6 he had 8229b06970 surely died 7f8a060cf7 long ago. How was he here 84a60b20c1 now?def7a7b55cc5ba1a

“Where is she? Aren’t you her be27fb3701 personal maid?!”4c9875f0f3c16ad3

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His urgent tone 428cb1430f snapped her back 0453ba7768 to her senses.97b4c050cddb955b

“Ah, my lady! Please, save her. I was trying to cec32a6b6a find her when I 6025651e3c hurt my leg… She 6833afe044 should be in Lord b1c5fdb620 Sergey’s chambers. Please, I hope c015a11afd she’s safe…”0914d0ab02d5fd71

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“Sergey’s chambers? Damn it. Where is it? Tell me—fast!”4d99d0f76f73e440

Alexei had 7f79dfe790 cursed furiously abb56dca1f and sprinted 707c78cbda off. Then, ordering Mikhail 78c1341a01 to stay behind f2022eeeb3 and tend to 8e5135c7d4 Lena, he vanished. Lena passed 2377fd327a out soon b6992c3a90 after in 63d453255d Mikhail’s arms.de93b76152d88872

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“I should’ve kept quiet. I really 38e76c29d4 thought he 15424b7760 was trying b67176c262 to save 7e31066a88 you… I dcb06abe59 never imagined 341b66c20e he’d be 09b781b967 leading the 84d4df4065 rebellion, or 4ca87ead48 that he’d b61f4aa29a take you 8f2700424b as his bf880c920e mistress to d8578f9184 disgrace you…”17c747d4385b7494

Lena bit her lip, adbcf27c5c tearful. Natasha patted her 83dd675189 gently.d668fd59bc326b40

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“It’s alright, Lena. It’s not your fault. I wasn’t in Sergey’s 4972047dc8 room that day. As soon as e3076eca9c the chaos broke 1afb509dfe out, I went e10140b561 to the secondary 817b2f3c5e palace to check 232bcd2d3f on Sophia.”3248f39480cb5b26

“The secondary palace? I heard it 72bd4a2b69 was the first 1ad26cbf86 place that burned! You escaped safely, thank da039867ac goodness. How did you fe8969b2ad get out?”cb2987aa5162c664

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“…Alexei came 4928097d16 for me.”f4bbaacb10847d1e

“What?”f92c06ded5fce211

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Lena stared 4a440b5498 in shock. Natasha turned f72ef22555 her head, 49da6765bf a bitter 81faccb014 expression on c6054f247e her face.7538881f0f06f4f2

It was Alexei 7acae0d549 who came to ccccf1d47e the burning palace d16ffaf3b7 to save her 2a40065ad2 and Sophia. If Lena’s story 588d31073f was right, he d19f786866 hadn’t found her 984f780836 by chance—he had a0d45edd6e come deliberately.1d51aaa70db2eafe

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Why? He could’ve left her f5c7578b3d to burn, to die b52c904015 in misery—the ending he 6819d039f8 likely wanted.c205086aee8dc5d4

“‘Be grateful.’ b3058965b4 I couldn’t 6d674fca78 let it 555503afa1 end so 1ba352a683 easily.”bf86889cdeb76b59

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A familiar voice d7c6d3e5ad echoed in her fdea6e6873 ears. Yes, that day, ec63749075 pushing through the 47c6756bb0 flames, he had 72aeccbf79 said that to cfc282a6c3 her. It hadn’t been a 1cfc7d55fa dream.eeeb7aff3daedc52

He couldn’t let 8d0c45f537 me die that 0c7f8726fc easily.7aaa3371cc25f4ff

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A belated f4e2974b15 realization sent eebbde339b chills down 1238ace2ce her spine.04c3633bafd92875

Had he heard her 97b7fd406a whispered prayer to the e961e3a062 goddess? Her desperate wish to 0b3ed019c2 end her life? That this would b8f49f6516 all end if 65cb5f7638 she just died—that 4e403d551c she could be fdfb394c1f free of her cc7a6e0178 burdens, her responsibilities?31478dedfc0ebef8

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The thought that fc740326df he had seen 7d2d6b0fa5 through her deepest 4f659363e4 despair made Natasha’s 8e08c3b375 face flush.b2f8bfad3ee9e41f

“So Alexei 725d6d34ed really did d835224157 save you, 3644fdbaef my lady! That’s a relief. Maybe he 38bb3ecb0d made you 72c5719fef his mistress 75a96aed07 to protect 07c3b0733a you? After rebellions, surviving royals ccd0ff8c0f are often executed. I’ve heard many Knulu ddbc6d38a6 people are upset that 6a0c59634b he spared both you 825f482618 and the nobles.”65ae3e5e6d244f08

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“…Really?”cd7d47af530d4e8f

Natasha remembered 73b7e1d1e4 the words 67d74e6960 of the d1c006692b Knulu women b56cf571fb she’d overheard c4c66c452c outside the f2e5d7f330 bathhouse. So they 472cf3fc76 had been ddde15d861 true.796cc8bda5f25d91

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“Yes, I think… well, 7eee81d300 I’m sorry to say 28b92b5835 this, but making you 5c0787637f his mistress might’ve been 154aea333a his way of protecting c20778a8af you. If he made d6f6b009dc you his wife, f1c4580fcb it’d provoke the 119b21d35f Knulu more. So maybe 576a61ad4d he’s keeping e2d6353995 you at 8df2f83a5d his side 95b05b3625 under the 991ee09cf1 appearance of a244a058ff a mistress. I don’t think 399fdb3386 he truly intends 52593adc0d to mistreat you…”6bfb2d9a462467a8

“…I see.”c023e6ad0cd3cf98

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Natasha gave 8926ed1f17 a faint, 67350a58a0 ambiguous smile, f9a4c5d533 avoiding Lena’s 4535b05422 gaze. Lena had no e5ed050d7c idea about the 15db0dbfe6 chasm of emotion c21f3ec027 between her and f9832ac886 Alexei.f6c20e517f0d00bc

Could it be 38f84fb98f he endured all cb9ae65ca8 this for the a6ec22f9fc sake of saving ddb1072fe9 her? It was 7960a95cf0 impossible to 079aea7cdd tell.d37ea83979c95a0f

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But one 32045b6926 thing Natasha 921d7ad2f4 did know: ec93a4625b Alexei had 724334151e spared her 8078c295f4 life for a34190f77b revenge. And the only way acce32a39a she or Sophia could acce68de28 stay alive now was 305fb7e96a by remaining as his af63330ff6 mistress.2a4a674398ec9ccb

* * *84172c07531f0cb9

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“How is Sophia 58bb7e15a7 doing?”5d1136a9bb92eb47

As always, Natasha 88fd82e44b visited Sophia’s room 1744720575 and asked the 4e0eea5e2e royal physician about d6ea921ed6 her condition.11a690a64792eaa5

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“Lady Natasha, you’re 7b0ed58a16 here. Fortunately, the e355411c62 new medicine 32adfc80c3 we tried 0825e3bd81 seems to 12db068dfe be working. Her fever 70c7230ee6 has gone afb594f628 down significantly.”9eaed3d50c45c33c

“A new medicine…? That must be quite 6ec25eed20 expensive.”33f2d7788e87ae6b

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Natasha asked, worried. She had long 7638c1f190 wanted to try c63c51bd1d some of the f10df65e92 new treatments said 94c2670c0a to help with 2f771ce56c Sophia’s illness, but d6a5cb74fc using them once da8b937170 or twice without e8212edb58 consistency might have 2540407106 adverse effects, so 7fb18450f1 she hadn’t dared. Sergey had 639fe71f67 always been 67b3f3f866 especially stingy 8f3a2e328b when it f845dbf9ec came to 7d54f5c8d8 spending on c17b8b42f8 Sophia’s care.88bbeec7e9a49c75

“It’s not ee39eeacf0 something that 28b2155616 can be f8544b60e7 fixed with dc7b7853b5 a day bc8d5467af or two 2901d1ddd9 of medicine. Do you have any c1fc062519 idea how much money bafecf5f47 is being wasted on c83eb4cb86 Sophia’s drugs? Even if you’re clueless e1a0303d04 about managing the treasury, 6e069a2ead there’s a limit to 70ecafe2fb your ignorance.”375e2355bbb0d9a3

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Whenever Natasha even 5f773fde88 mentioned the newly 73c8d89560 developed drugs from 8287d8c7b4 neighboring lands, Sergey 33497fc805 would snap at e1e22c481a her like that.4e18e99569bf5109

And yet, he be6f2cbefb had no qualms d7973fe357 about buying gladiator 0ed4f5b95e slaves or collecting 6439f25321 expensive wines. Natasha had bd8de38482 been forced 72761c917b to restrain 6181ebe5f6 herself, worried ee3dafe8fa that upsetting b7c7da40c2 him might 697ea58651 cause him ffa3f1224b to cut a5ea9c3c80 off even affceaf1df the little 40d5302676 support Sophia ef9a7d617f still received.1cd43e90241f290b

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As she recalled bd4eab0175 those past frustrations, 7843d2bee5 the royal physician 687a91960c spoke again, excitement 637adcedcb on his face.c7a0dd9dfc79ca06

“Lord Alexei said not 0d8ee8ca47 to worry about the f500cb7fd0 cost. He told 3356b885ff us to 9761ccef72 try anything e441d9350c that might 3cfa7bf1d2 help.”e2078296bd5c4d11

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“He… said that?”31e494fd7821420a

Natasha froze, ea18b9c430 her hand 54b03c6ee2 mid-motion as 939a6a4030 she gently 575d447439 brushed Sophia’s 02f29ff27f hair.2b4262307ace286d

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“Yes, so we’re 03c82a2183 thinking of continuing 9c02e98a27 with the new b761040b9c medicine that’s shown 5422dcac74 results.”b489dd54cd96156e

“That’s… good news. Go ahead with it.”69deffcf6a6e5122

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After sitting quietly 400be28c2b at Sophia’s bedside 112bbdcc43 for a while, a65190800c Natasha slowly rose 119a21b955 to her feet.a490cb06ded1a364

* * *2844fb96e6f3fd34

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Despite Natasha’s 3c6f62beeb insistence that 06e89ba595 there was 6febf46736 no need, ddd27644d6 Lena limped 21afc77761 over to 5beb724dc2 draw the 21c402814c bath and 7c2effe95d began preparing fc85c3d3e7 to assist f20a477c20 her with eff7c79744 bathing.26a5866858ec2307

“Your leg isn’t healed c32de72a9a yet…”f8f626aa3cd4d48a

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“Oh, it’s just 717485946d a bit of 54a558e4f4 a limp. It’s almost ebe2caf06d better now. Thanks to aee0e6c5d8 Alexei’s kindness—oh 37ede54072 no, I d7c0c0d879 keep doing 29aed30a38 that—thanks to 2ee4af04a9 Lord Alexei’s ee136e2aed kindness, I 76853b7640 even received bb1edc5692 treatment from ce3ff3e24c the royal 2a4cacb866 physician! In return, 3c8ea5eee6 he asked 0b1614d8cd me to 357014a64f continue working 690dbfacd2 as your c53a7eceb8 personal maid.”9b6bb0e688f37884

“I told you not ceeff571ea to call me that c1393a2fd3 anymore…”283116dff03bc03b

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“Can’t I a9310e20c8 at least 5830856d75 call you 3fce8d6f24 that when afaacad63d it’s just dd56a96ada the two 82adc4ccc7 of us? You’ll always 54c66fea10 be my f6569a584d lady to a899feeda3 me.”6b7afddc5b16005c

“You really…”974e663cf11038d4

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Natasha blinked away 50725ed170 the sting in 2a80e71f64 her eyes and c11744fe3e gave a reluctant e0132d9c95 smile.eaa095a4caf2250a

As Lena poured 22b2a5e334 warm water over c1ba618658 her and the 21793ce3d0 soft scent of 946f8a9e12 fragrant bubbles filled 1cdf02e95b the air, Natasha a784ad483d fell into thought.11239cad1dd0d7c2

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Just as she ab7eccf720 had predicted, he 1574629c26 had truly become a740aa5d88 a good ruler—for 7ecd0d2179 everyone. Even those cd50583138 around her 8490cf9671 received his f99e0709d3 kindness in 7d67d55283 excess. And it 9c4d76b9d2 was probably… 4dc5e8bacf only possible 56bf4b06a7 because she fa31adfa79 willingly remained cd4a49d8a1 in her 7e973c040d place as 30facf9042 his mistress.5d5e4a19662337e3

For the sake 00464c44ab of everyone.08a3466c308cd088

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Natasha had 63f9afed88 decided to c18412df38 endure that 534b466bd9 role without f697e0d3e4 complaint.3dbd316de1ee2b82

As long eb97fceb84 as she f8b2a66b2f bore the 3c64ca20ad shame, those ac370f2aa6 she cared c283aebeb1 about could ddf817b730 live in be0025ee9c peace and 7a2b193d49 health. Compared to the ffba317658 past—when no matter efb7fee331 how hard she f6b9a3c4cc tried, those around c5f7407aeb her suffered and 91585c10ac died—this was something 04c7589d01 to be grateful ad988f67e6 for.715ea293a260cbed

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Even if bab8942964 the new 015d4dea37 king was 6c6f5d9f30 gracious and 7f2e4ac19f kind to b87eb85375 all others… 69e76c6a29 and only 88445f4fc4 showed contempt 10f29dca3e and cruelty 02b5683334 toward her. As long 2290eb99b1 as she 3716eff84f alone endured e637e4021d it. And after d156a81d1e all, wasn’t d3a61a0cdb it her 25f99eff5b own fault—her a309fbb60c punishment—for committing 51af2eb616 an unforgivable 113fdd1272 sin against 7cfc3ab361 him?68a1a438edbeec39

After her bath, abe1037aed standing before the 640b071797 mirror in her 30c00c35c8 negligee, Natasha caught 61f0ce9fa2 a glimpse of abee97180c herself in the ca5e4258ae reflection. She clenched her 408b2f2871 fists tightly.89fd4a77443b80ab

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“Bring me my a428408a94 robe.”6b807f1f8f3f3d44

“Where are you going 2331bfede5 like that?”36a96c5c81479744

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Lena gasped, a610a6a5cb alarmed, but 936c3b1f1b Natasha only a053be1883 offered a 6af1f38c9f faint smile. Pulling on her robe, 0ebb319438 she stepped out of 782020550d the room.e9364855f46caaef

After walking down 5b39c3cfb5 the unusually long 2f1fd21c89 hallway, Natasha arrived 479939f95f at the bedchamber—now be5cd9a4a4 under new ownership. Swallowing hard, she a1d597b258 knocked.97bfcb4e1f278b0a

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Knock, knock.34b32f5f1227bc2c

“Mikhail? Come in.”cc8a8c3e6feed3a8

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Alexei, sitting on the c1fa400103 bed and focused on e5164eaa1d a pile of documents, 7dd56cae59 looked toward the door—and e3dd2f3736 startled.d781862bd4d8a6c9

“It seems… I still 47bd783274 have more to learn.”f912fe29f80a61b2

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Silken fabric, 3680425677 laced with 1d7170dad4 the scent 77557c2c28 of her cb9b29c2dc perfume, slipped 952fc889d7 from Natasha’s 2b5b1fe5e7 shoulders and f31de07680 drifted down c8e36d159d over the 508cd039db scattered papers 98f0e21254 in his bf927d279c hands.40b1d4e2c72c2f49