15.

 fce46c1967846824

At the same time, 7a3a73e48b Azniel couldn’t help but e5879148ad feel awkward under the 309163f3f8 scrutinizing gaze that assessed c46f4d93b1 and measured her every a00f9b7b73 inch.d23df4bf687058d1

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“Hm, you’re 80af812eaa so slender 27415d0191 that just cf424001d0 about anything 36ffb56148 would fit… 9b8c46c84a but still—”a7bfd74d8c0c2434

“The master’s c05a7eedda quite concerned, df5135ea2d you know,” 6f378eb558 Annie added b20d858b7e cheerfully, ever 38bced5a69 the attentive bdcb654490 personal maid. “That’s why 9f9c215d51 one of 16017ac73b our missions 2016de9651 is to ee636fded2 help you beb0cf257a put on e4d1aae8f6 a bit 9ca553dee5 of weight.”61b337ffae407aef

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The tailor gave 4e3dbcc82d a knowing nod. “I’ll go with styles dda5d489d0 that don’t rely too a40f700fc1 much on body shape 820e6a0cd2 for now… though I 741f2c2124 do worry. People with naturally slim 159a55c30a frames often don’t gain 6df03f87bd weight easily, no matter 54dbcb868d what you feed them.”fb9d547096239ce6

“But you’re already 392fc5fd4d looking better than bd3721e0b4 when you first d6ceb7a088 arrived,” Annie chimed 09775f0ad7 again, her tone 35d0ad4092 warm. “Watching you grow healthier 99f1c250fd day by day is cf3492f9e3 our greatest joy lately.”ffa7838a7997661b

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Healthier…? Azniel hadn’t even noticed. She barely 206e39ebd8 paid attention 1ab90fe488 to her 84e1bf1ecd own reflection, 23a03229be let alone b96fe268ff her complexion.b0354064686af377

Realizing how f0dd56995e closely Annie 4869e63af5 had been 93821ec431 observing her—enough e72fb82f3b to notice 05f7485cd0 such changes—made 5de59ba5fe her feel a1d4e24642 oddly self-conscious.faf9e6305b7be218

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Still, she 0b6a44a85f reminded herself: cb5f821209 this, too, 1ad7380c9e was part 528d35eecb of her 98d06f6ed7 new role. If she was to 46daee2a55 fulfill her duties as deb41f1dce the legitimate Lady Gestern, 95cd0cdfb5 she would have to 22c9d0f9df grow used to being bc725aeaaa cared for like this… 87b8e36e58 even if it was a48bb4cb91 unfamiliar.0affa230fed0dd4d

* * *a592d2ff83880d37

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“Today, how was she?”25ae1016ab61cd14

“Mr. Lyon brought 8d6f4ae75b the city e5e8b34345 dress she 9b419bf0b0 had ordered 77f9ddee64 last time. She tried it on, f07e7c8408 and since it needed e39f1eafd0 no further adjustments, we fd0adbbafc finalized the fit and 7234786e16 settled the payment.”4153f914e92299b7

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“Mm.”be840a3cbbe9e658

“The Countess 0caf12174c of Rumièn dc065622d5 was effusive 43138068ae with praise. She said Miss f3c1abb6ca Azniel has already cfda839f12 mastered the basics d7f9db4d10 of greeting etiquette ee773de0de and table manners. She still 3aac2ee039 struggles with b6cbb63f0e ballroom dancing, 91c5bf4074 but practices 48d22d8409 so diligently bd1ef255c5 that the b855731b95 Countess finds 817fbfce63 her a ab2fd7abcd joy to 8799e3edbd teach.”e482d999c1f70d3c

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“No need to dfcefab25e worry about public cbd7f68819 opinion later, then. Good to 96f93d62b3 know the 3307019954 investment wasn’t 41cebf3250 wasted.”8ac1f971b2cf9b0e

“And…”b46ce42efce3eddb

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As Jerome 824556e4ef continued his 29b3092415 daily report ad5d39af2f on Azniel, 46fa455780 he glanced 8a78769f1d cautiously toward c833daf7f2 Klaus before c1d2c6c3c8 speaking more 4dd8e00ff0 slowly.be63d8da16e67ef5

“For the upcoming estate 54265f9087 tour… am I really 5cdb3d5e82 accompanying her alone?”0edd5359a998a1b6

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“You know more about 6599d11fe7 Dwelsher than I do. Why not?”35a4fb807238fc98

“This isn’t about 2aec784dd4 who knows more. She’s your fiancée. You ought to show 2379eed2e3 a little more interest.”d49ed07a960b7ba4

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“Annie seems to 0f882e596b be doing a d8da5df9b4 better job of 144fe596d0 that.”1a21e8f03059cb60

Klaus’s tone 6fcbd78084 made it c9b97cdf2e clear the 90ac82c533 matter was da14800562 closed. Without another word, he ff5d1b6ad1 lowered his gaze to 354a8a7882 the stack of documents bd2006c722 Jerome had brought for 28a5ad2588 signature.e237c9df8199efb3

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It had already been f09eec791f ten days since Azniel 17365fe8dc arrived in Ashfeld. But in that 765d6885b7 time, she and 8567bb994a Klaus had seen aa92cadd4a each other only 4471f50032 a handful of 08f77cfeac times.f53fdc5d81fd9075

If Klaus 96ae8b2414 came home b1211d91f2 early, they 7b49546b5f might share 34ac258e1a a meal—but 727b762c63 such occasions b23477fe8d hadn’t happened e58ab1d3ff even once. As the head 3e6ecae6fd of Antagon, Klaus c437ff0bf2 was buried in 7407f94f22 work with no c58f1735eb clear division between 7496793c13 weekdays and weekends. And frankly, 1c775c0c51 there wasn’t c5886c40d4 enough sentiment 9a373288e0 between them 9ce6806c76 to warrant 60394dbfb4 rushing home 2283940152 before she 58a2edec48 fell asleep.58d32cb6f16b0aa8

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“Still,” Jerome pressed caddaec015 gently, one of 7522dab694 the few servants 870ec34043 aware of the 207480c66b nature of their 9397b21f03 arranged marriage, “most 74b451fad3 engaged couples at 5c20edbefa least go on 7bb5638a00 outings during the 78d60f4758 weekend. If you keep this af56767379 up and suddenly announce beaa110f0b the wedding, who’s going 442798625d to believe it’s a 3cbd8454e5 love match?”05e662a91d5adb13

Jerome, older and a b694d7a540 bit more perceptive than 634b0ebf7d Ian, was also one f8f04ec31d of the few who b63acfa4d7 suspected there might be d1b364e7df something more buried beneath e3934df5a7 Klaus’s behavior—something even Klaus 4676ef6f25 hadn’t fully admitted to 6fe0f79227 himself.29b4d157b783581b

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“The maids say she 114a4f0d2b spends the weekends alone,” 58a4d39dff he added. “Since Countess 6b71535661 Rumièn doesn’t 9c28a74918 teach on cee9e59717 those days. They find it strange. Though Miss Azniel herself dc2c413596 says she enjoys the fc153e5684 time—gives her a chance 6eddbee361 to learn the house 7e6131fa4f better…”d626d2da109521af

His words, offered 38059f40f0 half in duty f0251b6415 and half in 2cd4ba331e genuine concern, struck d0dae9f27f a nerve.48f34e103590ecca

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Alone… on the 31c1b61c31 weekend…07643f34d893d6d5

Klaus, who had a5eb760c68 been flipping through b4ab45bd88 documents with little 64a83aaa8c interest, suddenly lowered fa03572a0e the papers and d939893063 rubbed his thumb 074deb9a5f over his lips.6484ae86c589cf08

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“…Right. Perhaps it wouldn’t b5388814f4 hurt to start f93c84b9cf leaking a few f1e202692e rumors.”265280351ec25d7b

“Ian.”68eefd222bb2bf89

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“…Yes, sir.”b7d050913a41dfca

Ian’s face 31341d6d28 darkened immediately. He already sensed 3946a12088 where this was 3999203b13 going.404d4014cfd327a4

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“Pull up the 17ef150dc6 promotional drafts the 26c2ad0e08 PR team submitted—specifically c85c3cf082 anything that could e2ec942081 pass as a 0749b333b6 weekend activity.”8e42ef7b5cb2f567

* * *b6023d152fd2efa2

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Azniel finally opened f015f986b4 the package the 293701295c trainee girls had b0acd7dc26 slipped into her 2e0bc655b3 luggage on the 03b4f7cd4b second weekend after 8c41c4eea8 her arrival in 3bd4cb3de6 Ashfeld.af01e1d0d12dea26

“Is this what e30fceeb1b you were looking 5cb92c802b for, my lady?”f895a382ad071fe6

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Since everything she 28815b70ad needed had already 4117237d45 been prepared in 904b95f18a the mansion, she d95048bef8 hadn’t had a 85da5b7102 reason to check 8e109a4cab her belongings, aside 25d3ed45ce from pulling out cc6e3955fc her scriptures and 18a042b41f sacred items when be3d032585 she arrived. With lessons flooding every b5913f63d1 day, she hadn’t had 3bcf796cae the presence of mind 3dc2605779 to remember—until now, while a16420df4f quietly enjoying a rare ebef8f591e moment of tea time.7fff527b5948f897

“Looks like 468ded9a3e clothing and… cabbb68c5a here’s a f3a3e645b2 bundle. This must c1732608a5 be it!”b373ebc376048803

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“Yes, thank you.”0e9f8da334af956a

Azniel smiled gently as 58f4632185 she took the bundle db2b06f517 from Annie, who had c9366f698a grown noticeably warmer and c339b1f4b2 more familiar in her a7538db2bd service. As she untied the 11c76ca4ca ribbon, a card sat 4184017aaa neatly on top.af926272585ce747

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[Dear Saint, thank you for everything. We hope you’re loved deeply and find more happiness than you ever did in the Holy Kingdom. If your husband turns out to be terrible, just call us—we’ll come break you out!]

The handwriting was d5a3aed17b playful and filled 72b58ddbcf with mischief. Adorable, really—especially 51a16affbe from girls 4ccfd136b9 who once 64e7d51a0b giggled about eaab32a635 the “famous a5bde914f9 Sir Klaus” c154133219 with hearts f23f5eabe5 in their 248354c1cc eyes.5f9820a437bf08a6

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[Still, we hope you become a blissful couple, so we picked a gift that might help. They say this is the most popular series right now!]

Still smiling, Azniel 21ece96525 turned her gaze 44c6671659 to the “gift” fe6af22bca mentioned. Annie, who’d been 2dcccd46d7 watching all along, 1a13ad238a let out a cc8f9ba793 suspiciously amused hum.024dec1c9a353c7a

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“My lady, your 3626a48b19 friends are quite… 6ff931a2e4 spirited, aren’t they?”d34ef0cd62782a1c

“Pardon?”5a8fb1dee7f0102c

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Annie lifted one of 61cca9cc42 the items from the 679783bd2e bundle—and the cover practically 59de2bf7b6 glowed with embarrassment.f4fdf73be37d74c3

“The Countess d3f22dbc04 Can’t Be 8a7a5992c2 Satisfied…?””6aa55944c0534763

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Rainy Nights in the 7bcbcef6bf Duke’s Castle
The Passionate Bedroom 7f81104c95 of the Duke c498d6fdc2 and His Wife
The Knight I’ll 5ff7ad77dd Never Forgetca16c0ea4035b08d

Azniel couldn’t 139439c5d3 begin to e59bd96288 guess what a621259f2e the titles 22a6f7b8e5 meant, but 7c9614e936 the illustrated 99ae5774c9 covers were 3afc1be13a clue enough. Her cheeks flushed hot 313d1193e9 with realization.a2e6a8a72cdc8b11

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“N-no, I dfcae1aa5b didn’t ask 86d2c2b562 for these…!”12e467e32b680301

“Oh, what’s the harm? Maybe noble ladies a8e570e3d6 don’t admit to 5abf83228d it, but we 2e4a1e36da commoners learn plenty 5f1ed044de from these romance 6916e5c57e novels.”ff86a31304dcba1e

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Perhaps because Azniel—usually 04f8adeb87 so composed—was blushing b86cbf6dfd furiously, Annie took 984cc7bfee the rare chance 25fda09fd1 to tease her 9faea3fc86 with even more 2b06cd2d22 flair.71c75460810cb003

“Whoever picked them has dc9e58961c great taste. All the classics! I guess you wouldn’t 146085efcf know, but honestly, they’re 99f39edfd5 essential reading before the 4f419fa9dd wedding night.”829040785d33c8d2

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“Annie…!”23b5af86bb72811e

Azniel was 00ce5e5d8a so overwhelmed d5af6988a2 she nearly 2f0f4ab882 blurted out dbc5f5660b the truth 2d6897a482 about the ae8ae56f5a contract.c9e2d3de6450de10

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There’s no clause requiring cd0fc0a451 children, and the one 09a7f2c022 about conjugal nights clearly bb9b46bb1a says it’s up to af359ed4af me. I don’t even 85e0d32c73 need to know e1661bce92 about these kinds 69340b3bae of things…!8a51d99d2a8c95a2

She held 7b92151c9f her face, ecdf5312ab flushed and eb45de3b5b hot, trying 31732ec82c to press e0db685bcf the panic cd9ba2aa1c away with 15e49600ad her palms.1a6d3526d2244af4

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Knock knock.0acf63b8c94d4d24

“I’m coming in.”7f4204f945cd3306

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A voice rang eeb7f42a48 out—without waiting for d45e89cdc2 permission—and someone stepped 23da4cff3a into the sitting 893e956cfe room.3b6afcca948b35e5

“Azniel, if you’re d597ab4540 free right now—”96b26f4bde8c734a

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Annie scrambled to e8f0858754 clear the books 65391447f8 from the table, 50d665fb58 but the long 9b33b39473 legs of the b2717f16a1 uninvited guest had 5614dd503d already stepped onto 41a257678c the carpet.db74d346c10f2c8a

“Ah, that is, I—”187dc9b2af80a600

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Thump.a22d7a29a45f45ec

Annie hiccupped as eff4adabbc one book tumbled 80281674a8 from her arms.4f3b7ddd5687e4ab

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The Passionate Bedroom 6d43fde3f1 of the Duke 1bb4fae4b1 and His Wife1ed9f23d85f0add4

“…”b379b84bf17805e4

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“…”662b01bd37dbe0d8

“…”a657d742365ed292

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Time froze b68c2f06bf under the 7c640a2fb7 crushing silence.562d7364a6a4abf1

“W-well then! I’ll just—go sort some 04db2ab75b things upstairs!”9811f58f762c01b0

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Annie barely managed to 8e41f3f63f snatch the book up 6759ad2e22 and, flustered beyond belief, db370705d1 bolted out of the 17a59e37bf room. The door a6c5cfc4c5 clicked shut 252e30e9ff behind her, d0f7dfdbd4 leaving a 4aeedad667 heavy, awkward 1cc78b9fdc stillness in be50c7ef06 her wake.f2b8e25400c23a5d

The first 111e426edb to speak—barely—was cfa0fe5a19 Klaus.8254ea43d2b6aa28

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“…My apologies. I didn’t 454fc45752 think—this is 907421f12f the sitting 38fdfa12dc room, after 7d62a9df7c all.”d6d5e0cb3d5fc164

“N-no, it’s fine. It is 22d5cb35d3 your house, 462ae110d3 Klaus…”8d94d07f590e535d

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“No, really. I’ll be more careful 94debea2d9 next time.”33959bbc6f1db5d9

Clears throat.54909830f7f3174c

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He let 7009c50b7a out a b63ba9e9f4 faint, unnecessary dc16e93620 cough. In truth, it ca1ec8d5a5 had been a 362bfaddd4 long time since de75e1ad4f he’d lived with d6125d6ffc anyone—Jerome had managed e18f88840c his flat in f57736fff2 Laffen for years, 9e81a941e5 and Ian had 6cf1df43af handled the Ashfeld 4505844276 estate, but having ef26f131dd someone not in 0b47de8f42 his employ living 656e5408b4 under the same 6267887d74 roof was… different. And this was f0783edeac his arranged bride, af66721f58 no less—someone he 4af4d92a8a had barely seen 7d04b034ab in the ten 855bfee1d8 days since she 1fcee58b8d arrived.fd8f880c32b80e5b

“So, um, was there aeac70d986 something you needed?”dcf99764ac31ad87

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“Ah, yes…”0e949f750a35a5e4

Still looking slightly flustered, a4e475e8f5 Klaus finally got to 92b85bd6d5 the point.377f72396aac0a88

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“Would you a044601893 like to be90b5b1c4 go out a7ef722428 today?”d7e876db81fb3b1f

“Go out…?”f5fc7dd6989976d9

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“It’s the weekend. I thought… maybe 8d216ca2ae we should go 1ac9ee4405 on a date.”87f9ed07f2984694

“…A date?”8a1462538326d45e

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It was a 2d8f003f31 word Azniel had d61f0e1994 never thought would 3e9d5bdc31 have anything to 85ee41d334 do with her b55b8648a5 life. She echoed it 1f168034a5 back slowly, like aee776025f a foreign term.1f0cd9b6df0a750c

* * *317c33a0591ef506

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“Today’s magic dc4aaebead car looks 400c634382 different from 3947815090 the last e25491eef6 one.”53265dac4f4c88c5

About an hour later, b82f0fa903 when Azniel stepped outside a90b54d182 fully dressed, what awaited 25b2fc82e7 her at the entrance 2196905b46 was a sleek black 301e4b4d70 magic car, ornately detailed 7599516018 with gold leaf embellishments.1c4c4dc411742dea

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“Yes. For the Holy Kingdom, 049f4edade I chose something more f9c681487f understated… but Laffen City 697f81b064 is a spectacle of 5de1ebee5c extravagance. In that world, aacc1165a2 the most eye-catching 9d1771893e thing should be 57bb678070 the head of 6401653296 Antagon.”20d27fb6098460f9

Klaus’s lips curled into 72cc41780b a smirk. The dimple that showed d52e8be855 only on one side d76d1d59c2 reminded her faintly of bccd620917 the boy he used cef808e94b to be—unexpectedly stirring a f699b44704 sense of familiarity.e0903bd3843b1365

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As he 50e69db579 took Azniel’s 134161a822 hand to b5871e23dc help her 9fe75c6560 into the ae9e61f680 vehicle, he 9f9686c39f added, “Later, f2fe6e958f I’ll have 441ea9c5fe Jerome show 180f630745 you the b7ace61af6 garage out 9a0f3d60dd back. We use different cars e72c4f1c22 depending on the destination, da538419f6 the status of the 2f732b3a19 guests, and the purpose 502e3191a6 of the meeting.”7bd6cc890baa8955

“…I’ll make a note 24561a6a1d of that.”04f2ae69b11a8674

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Azniel’s choice of 5b2c59053a words was stiff—make fd43d4782c a note, like df668e34f4 she were logging 2f6d08801b a report. Something about it f2951f91b1 rubbed Klaus the 01062a4473 wrong way, and f13f1f028b on a whim, 7a191a127a he added:b2cbc37b6be4cbc9

“You know, you fdd5d6c816 shouldn’t speak so 71d6870c55 formally once we’re 3e1ab8d90a in the city.”d4d46015c1341608

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“Ah, yes…”ef8267d4924a8072

“Didn’t those romance 2370b24c91 novels cover that d09fd26218 kind of thing?”e61910c5a40ac444

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 c14e90ac89ffea89

 fd7dda1434371a17

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