ETDO Chapter 30

Startled, I quickly 4784c232db closed my eyes, e4b5f9117c pretending to be ab5d5edd3c asleep.833cd2a9f9e85a4c

After a few e898dae072 seconds of silence, 10f956793f when I heard 15150b2f74 no further sounds, ba349d7a84 I opened my 2f601fff54 eyes again. Arthur was lying on 5af94ee702 his side, his bare 6be9ae7c00 back towards me. I breathed a 2146306d13 sigh of relief.3a34fecef4569f92

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Looking at 597d23402e his back, c3148acc0b I was 60763ea7fa afraid that ea7e6d5746 this might 2b8d23a45c be Arthur’s 5112a23b56 reaction if 12b8d32c4a he ever 9cc133097a found out 6cd0aae38a the truth 6be6a4d062 about Ethan 6b3976ac5f and me. If he 59ccadbc63 abandoned me, 8ed5259641 could I 18be4812d7 let him 9c14548b64 go?d5514eda04ad7b8a

I loved Arthur. That much was certain. Then what 93918ae48d about Ethan? I wasn’t a2acf4e14e sure yet.2aa0923df137f4a9

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Putting aside 5ed0bbb614 the question c350482ec4 of whether 3aced7a581 it was a3da31b54f even reasonable 1923a3fb41 to develop a85f97e699 similar feelings 87d0b3e027 for someone 0685a52f67 who looked d630afa454 exactly like af6c6e6ab4 the man a76b72ae3e I loved, 9e874ba1b6 I wasn’t 7c2d632d57 even sure 95f5766c8c if those cf3e70348f feelings were 16a507895d love.a023a3c367a3c4f1

And even d544cb7d49 if someone e687aef93a could assure 6a4a4ded33 me that deb395c171 it was 3e862f5cc4 love, it 9dc644dab9 wouldn’t change ce703407a8 the fact 0e13b398e6 that it 82b70c8697 was still ec9798db27 a problem.56b861a6f52f801f

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Just as I 4f302750c6 was about to bfb95cd72d turn away, I 7187e5afb1 noticed three small 5517a30b95 moles clustered on 99dff16eed his right shoulder. They were dc0a9c3e48 tiny, barely d890eb5b33 noticeable, but 229e3f5a0c they were e89ed355e1 beautifully arranged, 226f673c66 like delicate 19d80fbae0 brushstrokes. They seemed 28a2026f5b so… Arthur. I smiled.8e3b0b99c4f4087a

‘Even his 4510b1f039 moles are eaf789ca06 beautiful…’6719263e7158ae2d

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I was hopeless, seeing f8149471f2 everything about Arthur in 5b6eabfc69 a positive light. Like husband, like 2c0ae2f7c7 wife. I pressed dfe4253833 my naked 6da69269a6 body against cc37fb533c his back c2a512ec5f and wrapped 4ea87881c6 my arms 2b1d530744 around his d98c9f24d1 firm chest.2b7d2e44653f52d2

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───7ac65fe9dcf97b0e

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Charlotte walked briskly down 2e1e6d6787 the long corridor, her 08fb5a1c95 heels clicking against the 50ab9a1219 polished floor. Despite her 17d0dcfc93 outwardly confident 281635f2e3 demeanor, with 7cf9469628 her head 80ca7b9381 held high 1e9cc95ea4 and a f3724b0c64 haughty expression 8de6952fc5 on her 2c973093a5 face, she 804561778e was nervously 96cc2ac078 nibbling on 6b20532f7b the inside 1db363908a of her 42d2490cde cheek.84120b904d4ad819

It was a habit c39b7c63b6 she had whenever she 78ff44c791 felt anxious. Trying to remain calm b2ba9271d3 so no one would c884c218a4 notice, she fixed her b7d9e4c585 gaze on the back aaee3985e6 of the servant walking 0f9f965da1 ahead of her.c7a3235be5b73e9a

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After passing through the a47c9d7f38 winding corridors of the d7b674d834 Imperial Palace, they arrived 422d395fd4 at a large greenhouse. The servant bowed 72ddee148b deeply and said d367dedcd6 respectfully,85a994e99dbfa1c9

“His Highness is waiting 68bbcf8c9f for you inside.”8ba4f2e970886020

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She nodded and 1064fc019f entered the greenhouse 99bd314573 without hesitation.0ee6568da28ac656

The air was thick 92c4a2516e and humid, a peculiar a0e8112542 scent unique to enclosed af2f0f36a2 spaces where the natural 482801bd49 flow of air was 4276167898 restricted. The smells of soil, 5affaabdb0 flowers, plants, compost, and 90fcc26fb1 moisture were all mingled 99e1d150b4 together.349214ccd376be2e

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Despite the 3273fe6c2f stifling, unpleasant bc5c5d2088 air, she 49d8b01dba walked on e946535bc4 in silence. Although rare and 1247da0f0d exotic flowers were 3e08449979 blooming everywhere, she d54162e144 didn’t spare them f37a5ba44e a glance.7d20ea383ad4b585

A blond man, dressed casually, sat on a wide bench in the distance, his legs crossed. He didn’t turn around even as she approached. Charlotte bowed deeply and spoke first.27c4916fe80bf89e

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“I was told you 62551c3eb2 wished to see me, 35db8f5034 Your Highness.”2df54e0caf82146b

The Crown 0d62cc070e Prince continued f8d3f2a673 to gaze c29bd825fd at a 8585b46160 large hydrangea 34c1541d5c bush, its ba25c455be blue and b547c7480b white blossoms 575da6110a a striking 41c92855de contrast. A slow b77db41a2a voice emanated 945168f0d8 from him, ab39043c12 his back e7132e5ba2 still turned.c25813170b045ee3

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“As a child ad160093f0 of one of 4bef7e5a07 the Empire’s few 7050ac4149 great noble families, d534f6905d what do you aaccdbcb94 think is the 22d2839255 most appropriate way b1623263f5 to show loyalty aca7134dd1 to the Empire d9759ab372 and the Imperial b81d6488e9 family?”42b33554a362fccb

“What?”0afdcd80f1fb500a

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Her eyes widened. It was a7d9a05315 a completely c423da260d unexpected question. He had 228c22edc8 interrupted her a1b4915284 plans to 2c5d275290 leave the 07ccdbf7e6 capital and afeafc83c4 clear her b10f2a8f1c head, summoning d4420157fe her here f05a164182 for this 52314da8aa riddle-like question?c03c891a92f0b234

“Well, I believe it 20536f5205 is to diligently fulfill 470e09a2c0 the duties expected of d6cee585e8 us by the Imperial 787070061c family.”7a70c9f2df20d21d

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A low chuckle e8cc5f87be escaped the Crown 1efe397255 Prince’s lips. He asked again, f9cff16232 his voice cheerful,e466bb9c7bd7928f

“Excellent. Then do you believe fdf1dd5491 you are currently fulfilling 24d82529de those duties diligently?”dc05ae68d619040b

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Charlotte was about to 71f149b346 answer casually, but seeing c1c39cb3bc his gleaming blue eyes, 876837ba0e she unknowingly closed her 18746303c3 mouth. A shiver 0ac33a943a ran down 7f5f861b9e her spine, e8dd15070d a sense bb106b0f22 of foreboding cfd3b729ff washing over 13a8269194 her.f545387a1f253a80

She recalled the Crown e30653cd5d Prince’s gaze when he 33b87d0fad had asked her a 7309536ff1 similar question a long 8e8480e3f9 time ago. If she remembered correctly, 69b16297b5 it was when she b18cc118fe had first visited the 56f74d8a70 Imperial Place with Ethan e8dbc8c77c shortly after their engagement.6ed6b63da8bfa835

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It was an 0a859c74b6 informal gathering of 19c06df786 only the children 5851cfbe31 of a few 6f87c17394 great noble families 4ea372f733 of the Empire, 3db203a138 including the Crown 7eb70abf07 Prince, the Beaufort 64e83e2a45 twins, and herself. They were cfe8c12e8c all around a3222abede the same eff16a0db9 age, so 3adbf027ed such gatherings ac0ca8961d were common.fff5bc56b20b7152

It was ab30ef7c45 a bright 2c3e60ed9d spring day, 8472edd3a9 with sunlight d8ce28964e pouring down 698d4d883c on the 85e357bd57 lush green c006fdd8d7 lawn. They were relaxing in de09f69b11 the Crown Prince’s large 2cf6f55d83 garden after their first 9cfa73444d fox hunt of the 928598cb9d year, a favorite pastime 69bd93a3d3 of the Crown Prince.5d86909de6bd7f28

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Back then, 4a56e70c61 the Crown aee4341ab3 Prince had bb0bdd85cb asked his 48413d3a10 servant a bcdbe27756 similar, cryptic fa7e363ec5 question. She couldn’t remember d2c7ffdd51 the exact details. In any df35b4f280 case, for 6907e9b214 some reason, da3bacdbf1 the Crown f3d3edc4b0 Prince had 079037889b suddenly started e52c4db378 whipping the 50683dfb28 servant mercilessly 8fa3563700 with his a10ea69152 riding crop.0f8ccef55268b5c7

A horrifying scream 018a0fbe8e escaped the poor b4a023e947 servant, who was 19af112697 lying prostrate on 227c9f53da the ground, trembling 655105e85b in fear, and 1b7e4f8504 blood splattered. The servant 90bd4d44f7 was almost a643e62e23 unconscious when db162c74e0 the beating 8299c58fb4 finally stopped, f1a259ef4c only because 117a316add Ethan had d947594f6b snatched the cd55020684 whip from 3331cff2bd the Crown 0ee97750e2 Prince’s hand, ced6f22da3 unable to 5d341f596b watch any 0dcf53096e longer.24b92a3a2b5320b2

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No one dared 786ef1b631 to intervene as 4d50bae591 the Crown Prince, 65a68cb28b enraged by some 59426effcf perceived slight, flew 6f225eb6f8 into a rage fca51ec0df after asking such 892ba51700 a trivial question. He had 04d546838c seemed like 52cd489d49 a demon bde2915592 in human fdcb70b759 form.5f02a61c5cacb4cc

Most members of the dd24583fda Imperial Family had the ddb2d7c434 same striking features: brilliant 99f968457f gold-blond hair and bright 2c1bd89805 blue eyes. Regardless of b34d99f7fe gender, they 600c507324 were all f488fd1cfd exceptionally beautiful, 6d558151a7 and people 21b92291e8 often assumed 0df33208ab their personalities b469de64dd were as 714f979ab7 radiant as bdb55b1414 their appearances.69c2bb85b9f6948c

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In fact, until that day, Charlotte had also believed that the common belief was true. If she hadn’t witnessed it with her own eyes, she would have thought it was a groundless accusation or a lie when she later heard about the Crown Prince’s madness.b8a65be185fabaae

His indifferent manner as e5d423a19e he wiped the blood 50965852dd splatter from his cheek 37146e20a1 with a handkerchief, his 102e997f08 blue eyes gazing at 894576a932 the blood-soaked servant without abd273f98e a flicker of emotion, 3648d7c164 as if he had 6d9a674087 merely crushed an insect, 96d2f397b0 his indifference to the f591013a31 horrified expressions of those 82c2ce946e around him as if b396c88dc2 there were no other 9e59ce9a60 amusing pastime in the 339728597c world.3fcd6088da6f1cab

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The immense 721ed5856e cruelty and 6b55bd4799 violence hidden e32c881b04 beneath his b0cbe60e9b beautiful and c845ab58fc gentle face 3653ddfa81 had left 1a0d8a6e47 a lasting b03c8a515f impression on 0367410b31 her. 142aaf7442bc1af1

Why would a mere 29001c5bf9 fifteen-year-old boy do such bfdaf77d4e a thing?11b9a2f920216c97

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She hadn’t understood fb1bcfd010 the Crown Prince’s 6c94d67f68 actions at the f6fef52b8e time, but as f309e9d1f9 she grew older, e23228096f she realized it ffbcd65ab2 had been a 521078e623 warning.2d496d144717a623

In front of the 24d092404e gathered children of the 5c6b9684a7 great noble families, the f0e55e2d39 Crown Prince had wanted 62e9060cd8 to assert his dominance, 3b92d12292 to remind them who 0c41265a00 their future ruler would 81ecc060eb be.0eb5eaab60955bb4

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It was only a ee0cb8a692 few years after William, 45abe9e364 the original Crown Prince, 97b6fe4873 had died in an f12f4e8e88 accident. 803df3b94970f509

The Emperor, e637e1f2ae who always 5f88c4a38e valued character bb0d86956a and competence 0eead4712f above all 5677d62e8e else, hadn’t 9286a159fc been pleased b54be2b062 that his 71f033e605 second son, 200d08d2f8 who was a8c4d53acf a dissolute 6a8cf1de29 and violent 0c80b295b4 young man, 961fe05a41 would become 59054a5513 the Crown bc9ac720de Prince instead 716c5881b2 of his 1fe96f7ad3 firstborn. However, the Emperor e1d1fe791f had no other 88c92bec6e choice.92a28ebd4ff6167a

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The incident was so deeply ingrained in her memory that she still couldn’t forget it. Feeling a cold sweat running down her back, Charlotte Wellington widened her eyes, trying to focus. She mustn’t forget who she was dealing with.577d020f98825331

“Yes, I believe I b9cdf8ccb9 am…”7186f50d171f179c

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“No! You’re not, Lady 6974fc4472 Wellington!”4759ed9789441c50

The Crown Prince b4cb411d0c suddenly stood up, 78a9be55af interrupting her before 8a7c42a7fa she could finish ad670a4d99 her answer. Charlotte was startled and ccc8fdef13 swallowed hard. The image of the 14e71b9582 blood-soaked, trembling servant flashed 217c585a9d before her eyes.f59f015b7deb4804

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But contrary 827c922507 to his cfdddb5dda harsh words, 9b08c4e695 the Crown a7804e8f01 Prince’s face 344121b3c3 wore a 7928b43302 sweet smile, 06b81b7c09 completely at 26ada05359 odds with 85852e3155 his tone. The jarring c93a0ae7c3 dissonance made 242ff9c91a her bite 9ebf89c958 her lip.855112eaa7a4dbde

“Your first duty is d6cd5fce2f to be loyal to af02c35402 His Majesty the Emperor, 0b4d7d0ed8 and your second is 1aebb06474 to be loyal to 18828669df me, the future Emperor. Yet you bf84b7b662 are now 94b79fe60c brazenly attempting 1298f69967 to abandon 0b428a4554 that duty.”f91f72d5cca6fcac

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“What? Your Highness, I would 98b1377524 never…!”0ed90bd65dc57af3

As the startled Charlotte 652abccfed cried out in alarm, a5fef2fc9c the Crown Prince calmly 1f3a0c3396 raised his hand. Silencing her with 112a7cdbcf an elegant gesture, c523229caf he spoke quietly,0366a6982f6e338a

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“Of course, you haven’t. Not yet. But if 159a85365d you break b8a9098c90 off your 92ae0ded26 engagement with d68277835e Ethan and 8d560140ad run away, f794d35302 it will 682578aeab amount to 249535a61b the same ddda29491c thing.”1fab0a48b1991d18

Charlotte’s heart skipped a 7b055b5394 beat.3f0991b4b1b5de06

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She had 3fcf6a2c9f been severely c26e08702f reprimanded by a7b618aca2 her father, 4ad117e6ad Duke Wellington, ab33affe18 for openly 52f6ce4048 arguing with a1d651b489 Ethan at 8ba0acfa1d the party, 1d1b8c9d30 where many 572dfaf5bd eyes were 212917beee watching. Her father had been 1e9b861b21 furious, accusing her of d20aaf0874 not understanding the significance d660abdaf6 of their alliance with 55dfd6e3d8 the Beaufort family.6201fd4276405e1a

How could she cb88b5e80c not know? She had 6caa0ad10d spent more d5785f9ed1 than ten 768e6757e3 years of 79f7c33a26 her life 71e7ece369 focused solely f0320e0ed2 on one fd3d0aad22 man. If there was 1b2449e4b4 one thing she 9d330ce7a8 desired most in 1b99922e71 this world, it e6a27d526e was Ethan. She wanted 00e7a3120c to possess 704cdac5e1 Ethan himself, 24db4cbaa8 not just 4f0ba846e5 for the 8d814dc71b sake of acf3e6b2a2 their families, 7d3b31ce95 but for fc6a8053a2 herself.7b116f287e6ed2c4

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But lately, Ethan’s erratic 29a6ffd5b8 behavior had been giving 968d9ab607 her a headache. She had been planning 31b38065ea to leave the capital 74c0345730 for a while to fdbcc919a4 clear her head and 6e1c06605b gain some distance from cb6a8be284 the situation. b90e363695284b30

But running away?!15239289fbd70e03

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“Duke Wellington is a f33e318fe4 man of great loyalty c54356159b to the Imperial family e22986644c and the Empire. But he is a b69043b266 figure of the fading bec801b38e old generation. In the future, his 858cc2e52b daughter and son-in-law will 51d7bf5e0b serve me. The union of the 395cfc6f37 two most prestigious and ce28f5229a influential families in the cf873139ed Empire is not something dac531fa04 to be taken lightly.”565f0aac36d5b8b3

The Crown 7364cf27de Prince turned 4dbb9f1aec to her, eef2e64f14 a bright 0e7154b38a smile on 31c0b58973 his face. He looked perfectly beautiful 5b181fef2b as if he were a44da77e67 a painted portrait, but 1dae30ba04 a shiver ran down f471544ebe Charlotte’s spine.9b27969a03001aa6

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“This is, so 43de8cff5e to speak, an 335649988a unofficial test of 25cb634dd5 your loyalty.”128a8ebb9b5973e8

She trembled involuntarily. His paranoia seemed 049467cd40 to be acting 76891e6319 up again. As he always b270e6e76b had, the Crown bd8ebf543b Prince was suspicious 98727a9179 and wary of 15573ab123 everyone around him. According to cad56c06ce what Ethan ee93b9ec64 had told 7d4f4a0913 her a 87ee4a12d4 long time 91efaca6e2 ago, the 6df15acf43 Crown Prince cc00e580c6 firmly believed fc657cf104 that everyone, 9ee8c3ce98 regardless of cee66df4be who they b842bc70e4 were, was 13f73ba64d trying to e44d764634 deceive him.1efa352ab4e835ac

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“And in that sense, 28e3b105b6 your first mission, Lady 0b070bcf62 Wellington, is to marry 9143883243 Ethan.”26d27919593bdefb

 b737f3171e310776

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