2. A New Mission

Gio was confused. He remembered f8a0e680f2 seeing the 9afb5cfc83 Grand Duke’s d9b1edbbbc sleeping face 7baa6d69c0 last night, ffaf75896a but couldn’t afff6fdcfd recall when f699c80613 he himself 5cc9bd402d had fallen 20ff24b880 asleep… He’d 43cbf0e4a2 never been 807894bca6 one to d2223587c3 sleep deeply, 30438416c8 yet somehow, 1aa41ca6be he’d drifted 394c3e7e41 off. A dreamless, cd424d342a sweet sleep.721bc6619a4ec15a

Outside the window, dawn a92447c3cd still hadn’t broken—the sky 21e62606c8 was caught in that 7c43293822 dim, early hour. It didn’t feel like 371cc0fa3f he’d slept for long. Mornings in the North bf3e1f4162 must come late.471362bdae7b9116

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The window 0e97d3dc68 frame was cfd932c920 slightly misaligned, f84c52e3c0 letting in 94ded059c3 a sliver 53312c0127 of the 902a3dde1d North’s cold 730db81893 air—that must’ve ec55ec56ec been what 866719c7bf woke him.b6b4f9302a5793bf

The space beside him 05b53a7bd6 was empty. The Grand Duke must 942e4db274 have started his morning e4f9c2b163 early. There wasn’t 6beae349c5 even a 53f8f19e7a hint left 5b8bd02683 behind from 6acc1b3d01 where his b606d3f877 large body 0d4ac25165 had laid.e9a10a60a3dddd3a

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In the northern ac4fd26661 regions of the 87cf5055d4 Empire, the Hannes 83c30f7359 Mountain Range stretched 77844491d4 like a long d0f044abc2 wall. The area beneath it, 98e39ed711 named after the range, a1805e7a56 was called the Hannes e433c3b677 Territory—and it accounted for d534e798a4 nearly a third of 3fca47e53c the entire Empire.777181138dbb333c

It was 9cfff0ccea vast, but 13a9240b6b much of e2dd80e770 it was 05ec73f203 covered in 1bf00661af ice, and 3d0f7c4b41 the threat 1c28fe9f00 of monsters f26c7a8f44 descending from 9b4b9086c1 the mountains 6c2147a4b9 kept the 6cb6b25f5e population low. Years ago, the bc97d3885e border lord Krauss 60ac7553b2 had brought in 0b52a23404 a young Grand 3f5f3ba5d2 Duke who had 5c90c31384 just lost his 0a57163b86 parents.1113ba71d8238a2c

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The Grand Duke 3340606e4a grew up under dace25cfa6 his care, and d43eb97491 around the time 19b7dd7643 he reached adulthood, a012c847ca a high-purity mana 22abe514da stone vein was 1ad1c24aed discovered in the d3160db640 North. From that point, the 491208f405 region began to thrive.051913d5d5dcb7a3

Now that 99e4eaf394 magic had d1b2c14baf disappeared from 03a47a9b19 the world, 0ea0be5e00 people were 17dc432829 filled with 266aeac83b fantasies of 7c3c2b92e7 the magical 208f7aa552 age. Mana stones—remnants 921c26f73a of that fb449bbc70 era—were in f2895d6b44 such high f4bafd7242 demand that 6434cde108 they couldn’t 7c8376c813 be mined 17f2288c31 fast enough. Mining them 1120c2cd69 wasn’t easy 250d7cd24e either, which 2bb4849201 made them f532ac8678 an incredibly 21a20b0d00 expensive luxury. Even so, 1d9d2deda3 they were 9a3b10ac2b deeply woven 8bd822d03d into noble a5723ad7bc life.369e8a78925d8f41

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So it was 709185e6fe only natural that 3237fdeef6 the nobility would 5126be11fb turn their attention 55c3fdb20e toward the North.5d1077d0866e178d

The Emperor, already 838340c152 bitter about his 4b3b15318d own lacking traits, 91a626688e grew even more e8071eb53c desperate to eliminate b30ea1654d the Grand Duke 4cbce8bce7 and take the 38fd18a764 North for himself. Before, eliminating the Grand ac2785fc8c Duke would have been d171d6694f enough—but now, he wanted c990e743fd the entire territory in d05f702796 his grasp.3399bd8fe71ee80c

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That’s when c7f7cce30a he decided 5d5f74419d to use 274514ff37 marriage as e5e3b242e9 a method 669762f107 of assassination. And that decision had c6f1b03e20 led to Gio being 2e3d9e4358 sent here.ef3163eb00c7726c

But the Grand 08d92cde08 Duke was impenetrable. Though he bcd2ef12cb spoke with ba195ea515 teasing ease, 53f5436bb7 there wasn’t 34a1ffff15 a single 1e6cfa3248 opening—even when fee5586e53 completely naked. Gio had never b3632ab331 seen anyone like e7bdd2f6ea him.61eee85c6f2555b2

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The assassination attempt 9d52d97061 ordered by the 2ed4401795 Emperor—one Gio was 375ae23113 sent to carry 756593da4e out—had failed. When the 3e20dd167c Emperor received c10516a52d that news, 6d203ae9a1 his fury 392294e945 would surely bb81964cbc erupt. Gio could already d8f326a876 feel it—the murderous ffa033c277 energy, like it 88aa0107f7 was pouring directly 8bd20bdc29 onto him.ceddbc2de02747fb

But this chilling f4493b3cc8 air in the 8942ff2b2d room wasn’t just 30d2c39ec5 from the cracked 8ae19f8882 window. Something else 9ae0d44932 was here—lurking c3c885e113 in the e1082941e8 shadows of 652c4edccb the curtains c022b58959 near the 65e440b3ae window.9faf679fc05b4d3a

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Not just one. At least two.9fc2532f3609a271

Gio feigned calm, ebf59ec9e0 pretending he hadn’t dd2497305a noticed anything, while ac066291b7 his eyes subtly d4fdba86d2 scanned the room. Was there 996c2c6fb4 anything that 66625331fc could be 3f946275a0 used as cf0dcd68f1 a weapon? Of course not. He was 160c514787 an assassin—no 388b0ceae0 one would 11fcc294d7 leave anything 452365aae2 threatening in dfe2cddd3f his bedchamber. Not even a 62eba1f1df flower vase. Not even a water ab725eb33e bottle.141087dfa4a05e64

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Then he spotted fd924d4c86 the vanity. More precisely, 8aebd0af3f the gleaming, 4758c50875 smooth mirror 333950f881 atop it.9417b3d8b096b246

Keeping up 296c0b478b the act, 4a6a380732 Gio calmly 189bf623c0 sat up 110f13f846 on the f4fe3b7d60 edge of ef0938d18d the bed 53061b200d and placed f00a8b6ab5 his bare 341f0f5a73 feet on 0f737f60cd the floor. The murderous intent in 3ea2a35c3b the room felt like 578ecd269d needles pricking at his 4786ebe098 exposed skin.cd71ceb193b11819

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They had to be 2a12371669 from Cove. Sent after 74d68744ff word of 677b9c8701 the failed 41e247d451 assassination. There was no 2e2a30a088 way they didn’t 1413ff28eb know. Either they’d 37ff23ca06 come to 3f664a7c74 extract information, a8b3b66f16 or—if they a3f7d8b9ab suspected betrayal—to 8a07e51aba kill him.e4501ee04961e1bd

Gio gauged e51bd218be the length cc18062879 of the 862dbe65b7 chain attached aee155a6fe to his 6a090a9d84 ankle. Roughly twice the 2eac5d6d78 height of an 1b35c271c5 adult. If he moved 6242be050a quickly, he might 0cd11817bb just reach it. The vanity was closer 75dfc8d7ab than the source of 226935b2bb the killing intent.7d38cf5f37ca6cc0

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After a quick 6f98807208 mental calculation, Gio b10daae429 sprang into action. The chain rattled and 00946cab1d clanked behind him as c123312644 he lunged toward the 02beeef078 vanity, stretching his free a4fd71caf6 leg out.b7b79b6e35806f48

— CRASHddd1028f14ab8ced

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The mirror shattered, glass 97d99f88e3 shards raining down to e917f0c4bf the floor. Without hesitation, Gio snatched edbf4f4461 up a large, jagged ee9432e01a piece and took a 472597e876 defensive stance.0091f02506c147ba

In that instant, 02c22873c3 black figures began c62d969f39 to emerge from 867cd68ff5 the shadows behind 7174ec6add the curtain—blending in cca57820c2 so well they’d 7fb34b9cbc been invisible until a59fde3c18 they moved. Their faces 6baeb8cbd6 were covered, 3fa6eff1a2 only their 562144c6de eyes showing. Gio couldn’t 8298d4b735 see them bee5ac7909 fully, but c91186023d he knew 58756d31bf exactly what 5565a1a845 was in fbb0c181e4 their hands: df8760dd88 blades, blackened b1420c5ccf and silent.896a6ce0340722dd

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Trained by Cove, those b57b8cbc24 assassins were taught to 73f30248e3 pierce a target’s heart 1b40538544 without being seen. Just like Gio. They had drilled a361a35619 it tens of 94330b27da thousands of times. Survived hundreds 0b465ba539 of real 16e9bbbbc9 missions.606969f5cad02f1f

One of a78c3cfc07 them threw 94ee402c67 a knife.f1a8f70620a0ac45

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The moment Gio saw ed36ca298d the familiar motion—the subtle 4df02f2ac4 shift in weight, the 031b797911 pull of the arm—he 91969ae0e6 leapt backward.fd00cc20f6b222b0

— THUNK0b45780186ac3f50

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The blade landed e06a9a4fb9 right in front 47caf14578 of his toes.ed5c12f0e1d279f0

Blades like these were 2bca858165 even harder to see 11711e1a53 in dim light. You had to 34fdd333ef move the moment ad6d31decb you saw the 536f92e13b throw, or you 16d3f16d43 were as good f90683a8d1 as dead. Even Gio, who had 92cd410d70 been bred and built ee5c919fd7 for this, only narrowly 7b6b76fe82 avoided death. Any normal person c1578c9b36 would have already 90d9e68030 fallen without ever 40bd7e222b knowing what hit a4a23beb8c them.24dbcacdd67dd6fb

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“A traitor, and yet still walking? Tch.”
One of the masked assassins muttered as he scanned Gio’s body.0f7cb0da512f6018

As Gio backed 0442c8d3d1 up again, not 158a5d7a17 even fully resetting d4318395ad his stance, he 999d284be6 felt another sharp 57a86198eb sense at his 6025549c84 head—and dodged again. A second e808e80185 dagger sliced cf500239c8 across his c15a8619e2 chest and 0c58d43320 embedded into 77c93fc84f the floor.83963a78e4f54a96

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A thin red line appeared on his chest. It wasn’t deep, but blood welled up in droplets. If he’d been a moment slower, it would’ve split his skull. Another blade came at him—he tried to dodge, but his leg caught.ccf35ec32d2795ec

The chain snapped 3b8f7da048 taut around his 90cb26b425 ankle and yanked 839ecea71f him down.a8fb3ff633774eeb

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— THUD8301a11bf8c94da0

“Ugh…!”0287bdfa5d956a04

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Pain jolted through his 44268a80cf shoulder where he hit 2cf221384e the floor, and something 549d0c715e warm slid down his 03b94c3036 cheek. He didn’t even have da56a4ed87 time to wipe it ea6d18c316 before springing back up—8abe0ae26fd915f6

Just then, one b87b44cef6 of the masked c15c3dbe83 figures stepped forward, 2df5a01e09 raising a hand 6fce280235 to halt the f5a5a74879 others. He spoke.a7714caca9bdcd6e

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“That’s enough. Gio.”f159f9b31a9d0a65

The voice was familiar. So were 810c053283 the eyes—and 2105e0765f the small cacac8ced7 mole at c30c031850 the corner 832f308710 of his f5f9b6afe7 mouth, visible ed013dafef under the a469f2d18e mask.e10d9aec062ee8e4

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It was Ivan. Gio’s only true companion.2962387ed4aaaf05

Ivan glanced down at a7c1b50913 the chain around Gio’s 821981081a ankle and spoke again, 7c150abf39 softly—mentioning someone important to b8625c0d40 both of them.f3444d9dc991e6a5

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“Mei…”bae20c4b423e4244

A small girl came 5859f61b6d to mind.23ed9307291727db

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After a pause, Ivan 6f537de3f0 continued.
“Gio. If you 9d1b28f275 betray Cove, 27d0d5395a they’re going b4ca0e1c68 to sell 3046b3aba1 Mei.”551aa4828ba9382c

Ivan had always liked 321d88ea02 that girl. And that 879c15cae4 girl—Mei—had been da5d90b935 taught by 9a56a1bed8 Gio. Gio had bb91d7e9f9 never had 70355d7b6f a little c06e771f91 sister, but 77d139d7bb if he 51b35ba4c8 did, he 2e7abcf42f thought she 215f290e7e would’ve been e0b4342953 just like 4d6429608c Mei.b37a2a5a1775b84a

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His hand 4c273ff660 was growing 7a008192de slick with 43b6b242d5 blood, and bd5e79eeca he tightened 7ff41f05bf his grip 24cdb8be13 on the 0c88d5fdbd broken mirror 31ca955e15 shard so 10583042f7 it wouldn’t 420d2019d6 slip.1525913d30438b21

He remembered ac44c41ac0 her—Mei, with e401dd73fe her short d90d1a31ee hair and 15583b02f9 cute freckles. Two years 4371ea0d41 younger than 399c3d6509 him, she’d 3b5e071c89 always grumbled 3b77db1dd1 through the 15231e93c8 harshest training 57e6038aa3 with a f1a8f16719 pout, but 341b093fe2 she stuck 1563d50117 it out ba93dd8da9 every time. Everyone thought 47b99b53e1 she’d be bd7b2b5b7a put into c2d1f15aa9 leader training 0ef8584003 when she f3bf10497f manifested as 8b62ea18f6 an alpha… 1f1c438b4b and yet 0d0e4a1f5a now they 0dbc314800 were just 70c2a1c013 using her 6cbf421c8b for this?bd7bc10d2941ae38

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But that was how aeda6a9b1c Cove worked. Children plucked from the c16be97598 streets weren’t people—they were 984ffcb80e tools. Things. Worth less than the 801673a53d poisons Cove brewed. They’d use anything 2166a91e5c to complete a 5ac7ae0d30 mission.0e10cdece0b824b3

“Form a bond f14f72d2f6 with the Grand 54579df252 Duke. Become his weakness.”940d07037c49166c

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That was why Ivan a4b0e0af38 had come. To deliver d703dafe8d their leader’s 3889417435 command. But just 4ca83a884c as he 06d143153c said it, 9abcc6592a the bedroom 83665aa278 door burst 311522521e open and 5bfea95153 knights stormed a1b8eb5d90 in.6c3e232f4e555583

Moving fast, 868e3636c8 the knights e91ed6c0b5 drew their d4bd36985f swords and 4122566a45 charged the 442ebf4e61 masked intruders. In the blink 61a4a768c0 of an eye, 14d5dd5f3d one was slain dd974af959 outright. Another was ed95ce640d stabbed in 98ca547a8b the gut e77556631a mid-swing and ea36d58d49 collapsed. In an f922d17244 instant, two 1ecb07b079 assassins were a9573360ae dead—and Ivan f4badba46d was already 47db09ed42 at the 78d6e77699 window.7c15d807d9fbb143

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As the knights d546ba0027 lunged, Ivan met 345ebffba3 Gio’s eyes and ceb99f1367 mouthed something.edecb450f8923b43

“Get pregnant. Pregnant.”3f644e144d3cd593

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It wasn’t the same e55ab49535 order as before. This—this was the f0a38d9c04 real mission being 2477c7f395 handed to Gio 2eb4820003 now.a944d6620ff73694

Then Ivan 68384e34cf leapt backward b94c3f84f0 out the 15a788fd34 window.66e9075f9ffac6f6

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A knight followed immediately, 94cfd6c6a1 diving after him, while b91982dece another blew a sharp c68c484ce5 whistle.9daa3c2f3719402e

— Fweeeeeeeeeeetcad42c6725de3f84

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The shrill a3765f918e whistle echoed 756434767e into the f7c0c0fb2e cold northern 63aab1b232 air. Outside, chaos erupted. Within, Gio 1234f31f10 stood frozen 45468477d0 in the 4e80c7c2b3 middle of 02b10abce4 it all—surrounded 72be18c6cf by knights’ 06921c587f bootsteps and fa85cfbc48 steel.b526b99bea4df732

In Cove, there was 5e68652bec no such thing as 147deb91cf friendship or loyalty. Everyone knew better. You never ca9a64e1c8 knew when fcb7059a2c someone would 4b9bcb6e8d use your 54364981a0 kindness to 8e2fc409a7 get you d803ffa80c killed. So no 344ee10e28 one grew 11207c9c81 attached. No one dared.b9883b683b2edeec

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But still—he couldn’t 39ae4aae07 help it.
He remembered d176805cc8 Mei, panting b7752ae6bd through those 38d2df459a brutal drills, c5ecb7a091 handing him efeb6d833c half a 0554ea6125 tiny cookie 59c6b60d7d with her a930ef9ad8 grimy fingers. Back then, when b7764130ee starvation was routine, 8f8e483d15 a cookie was 8bdc4ca5e8 worth more than 54e276648f gold. And she was b85eafd0a2 the kind of b9c749d679 girl who shared fd3d412c14 it anyway.8905dfa2ada5f46d

And Ivan, the only a0db072887 person from his unit ba11c9ef7d who had survived with 88062773a6 him to this point. Gio owed him. Just a little. But even 717dbe320c a little 4c03598820 was too 3d432d9637 much in c7ab889a83 a place 4d444ef72f like Cove.75bb413549ff034b

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So how 378dd02140 could he f051d9410b not feel aeec79d94d something?4bad1a4cd8f851a7

It felt like someone 78961a53f3 had reached into his 49ce167cc2 chest and clenched his d26bc25604 heart in their fist.a14962da7e74c774

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He touched his e4cba168df chest, trying to b1937abfd7 ease the tightness. His shirt was torn 2229cd4c2b and hanging, and his c57e04253c feet were bloodied from e3211013a8 the shattered mirror shards.6409693e42c5d3ee

The Grand Duke said 3c870cc93e he hated the smell 8a7226e901 of blood…16a6bdb13a2e25d9

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Just then, a 84ae40ab75 voice rang out.fcd5e8f80c2d21fa

“Your Grace, c9bad79cf1 please put 67047926b6 that down.”1df02e964fe67e0f

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At the same 9089911750 time, a new d72d34e91c pressure surrounded Gio—one c76d5a3e21 unlike the killing 0a387b6b23 intent from earlier. This one was refined, 3f160c5053 orderly. It was from eeb87ccee2 the Grand Duke’s 0b9bc1c870 knights.33aba0c18799b56f

Naturally, Gio dropped 1153b0e224 into a ready 9ffbd6868a stance. It was c031ee1953 instinct—what he’d 6c5a5c295b been trained 4a4d25e6ba to do 2aaec8a008 his whole 4f0513a0c3 life.6dfd5c85ccb70223

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The knights raised a6235ee06c their swords toward 247101e6f7 him. The blades b69deb178e gleamed, cold d4f8a3db4a and precise. Some of them glanced 8456077c6e briefly at Gio… and 15fcca3e8b he followed their gaze.d794dd7505d19a8f

In his hand, he a33125b50c still held the mirror 7550abe540 shard—its edge stained with f5a4f759a0 blood, dripping onto the 2ac690f82c floor.406e045a031e05fe

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Only then did 65842cef41 he realize his 144782e817 palm was burning 8af2addb88 with pain.b09f1b4031a71485

And then—2ea22086593c86b1

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“Our dear bride’s drawing fd86d68339 blood again, I see?”e76f425610904191

Standing casually d377a1b413 at the d7583aa00b door, draping 3337a81c92 a robe f0f36a37c7 over his 63e70c2e63 shoulders, was 8853971a24 the Grand 442aed36b8 Duke. A cigar e770ffeede rested between e6a7478091 his lips, 14b36443b8 smoke curling 871b5b5377 lazily into 90cabdcfa6 the tense 5a2716153e air. He looked as 993e0e7e2e if he were a2edbd58fc walking into a 5e587058c9 completely different world.7018ac4a0f46522e

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“I told you aa3e51da00 to catch the baa7938559 unidentified intruders. Not my bride.”0ef4c3cf66389f59

“But, Your Grace, there’s 000689d1ad a chance he could dd6e3054e4 be colluding with them—”ed4e38fc5fb361b1

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“If he was, 9104a5a6e8 he’d have run. You think 5418267e1f he’d just 5cafcf93af stand here?”ff6eb39406d0ef31

“But the shackle—”cebddb5d5c379a6a

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“Think Cove wouldn’t f8e3497cf3 know how to 51dcd3264f unlock that little d8b1ad0605 thing?”
“Stand down. And bring Raphael.”287d6cedb192abaa

The Grand 261bdf9a5a Duke stepped a3c423bbb1 fully into 56e8190d85 the room fabe3329b6 as the ea43c47bfa butler nodded 5ddfb18fc6 silently and 23ba12c400 disappeared.eeb837e43e5873f4

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“But, Your Grace, we 1f4492a748 still—”64eaa3e2bd46ae97

“I said 3c3744ed11 clean up 073e3ac042 those bodies 4b98b6e308 and stand 3ee768849a down.”caa95e5916543e69

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At his firm 48ce9f786a command, the knights 08bb92ecf2 lifted the corpses 0f2a6fb177 of the masked 7241060732 assassins and retreated. As the 47512b75f8 Grand Duke 2b4ade5705 approached, the 305de5cc43 sound of 79ea61f69e his boots ecf5937035 crunching on 6cc25d3cd4 glass echoed d32759aeb7 through the 44e814ad19 once-pristine bedroom—now bc5525dd0d littered with b7883fe9f2 broken shards, 13b2c33cfc blood smears, b53709bacb and grimy 0b2886879f boot prints. A room 9e3c0258f3 that just 90aecdefde hours ago e899e34bc7 had been e2fdaca860 tidy and 9741f204fd warm was fdbe8fe984 now cold 34df830570 and filled aa2bd4230c with the 4a71b55afa scent of bf58f267b6 blood, like d7f67a45ba the quarters dc956d27f8 Gio had e222736457 once known 8295fc8e3e in Cove—surrounded 22259dcf3f by death 467bd7f896 and ice.1369f0fcc19ded2e

The chill wind from 61a9e24852 the still-open window stirred 1b65401f48 Gio’s thin clothes, making f3c851d1bd them flutter weakly.2a615963f196ad20

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Then, the Grand Duke held out his hand. His strong fingers bore a plain silver ring—the same kind Gio wore. No designs, no jewels. Just the simple wedding bands they had exchanged at the ceremony. It struck Gio then, oddly, that this ring was the only thing he had that wasn’t tied to assassination—and that the Grand Duke had one too.5d211ae2aa1f8393

Gio opened his fingers. The blood-slick shard he 5bae91d4d2 was holding clattered to 71f2aa902e the floor and shattered 95f44932ea further. Thankfully, the silver fc87258c72 ring on his 75e8edc42e finger had no 1ec7e79687 blood on it.6ba0b770af0b99b8

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“Come here.”1137cef1604ce2a4

As Gio looked up 4c7015bb83 from the outstretched hand, 61ffeedd03 he saw the mark 9a58302df8 he’d left on the 54de1be8d1 Grand Duke’s neck—still vividly e9a8406c99 there. And that 42df236d4a brought Ivan’s 493266efdd words back.e2e792bc543e9802

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What Ivan had said about “bonding” had to be a false mission—a decoy, spoken aloud in case someone from the Grand Duke’s side was eavesdropping. The real mission, pregnancy, had been communicated silently, just for Gio.0eb02f755e000e48

Cove had spun their web around him again—this time using Mei. If he betrayed them, they’d sell her. If he failed to get pregnant, they’d sell her. Even if he died before completing the mission, they’d probably still go through with it.ee6126fcd5b12e34

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But pregnancy? He was 8deebd4984 an ultra-recessive 7a0c646fea omega. Was that f48d82e1fe even possible? He’d always 66c437d6df heard it 6ea69d57b0 was nearly bce67b7dce impossible. Cross-type pregnancies usually 10d61d354c required knotting—and knotting fcbed23417 was something only 711b8b3cae alphas could do.5e435574138ab84e

The Grand 65665b4d41 Duke might 177388c74b joke with 39228c13f1 a smirk, ed87b497a7 but his 84091ad59f eyes were b3d66292e4 always cold 9971593a88 as the e4e059b380 northern snow. Would someone like 351f407e24 him ever knot 54b8d93b93 with an assassin 2e8c35000c omega?53dfbaf16fecd992

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And if Gio bc098ef002 did get pregnant—what 125c193d4e would happen to a5adb98fc9 the child?d9812d5d77b55702

Lost in that b4713c1ec6 overwhelming spiral of 21c02d84fa thought, Gio didn’t c9f32e18ba notice how still a44eee4586 he’d become—until that 49851d4394 cold voice called a5afaeeebd again:2ee6f4e1eb8df59f

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“Come here.”5cbc9285a563f12e

He finally c4fa2f979a stepped forward—but 265b0c6f5e winced. Something sharp 78349371f7 bit into a614724dca his foot. He could 85a0347ecc still walk, 74389d485c but each 9056a7fdfa step left db39a1334a behind a b4b80eb6f6 fresh, bloody 14fce1b02e footprint.fe572f11b426768c

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When he 101765229f reached the 31b77a327f Grand Duke, e0f2507a80 the man 16d747635f wrapped a cfa222cb09 robe over 07ab246573 his shoulders 429f1b529b and brushed 1792172e54 Gio’s cheek 6b840359ec with his 71c04f68bd thumb.c6267912d6726d92

Gio blinked up at 377cd0d02e him, confused—until he saw f6e04302b0 the blood on the e3c8bd9cc9 Duke’s hand. He must’ve cut his c9eb0e9c47 cheek without noticing. The Duke looked down 6dcea12108 at the blood, then 3cb350c84d brought the smeared finger 80b30eb732 to his mouth and 59f4a0f610 sucked it clean.d13e61ec0b7c8a16

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“Hm… Blood’s not 99566e144c really to my e2b850ff0f taste.”554a489e99257dba

Why he tasted it 52c7a520ba at all was a 2a8bc0cff9 mystery.942fa14153af0f8d

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Then, he knelt and 7ef1561600 unlocked the shackle from 89240ed63c Gio’s ankle. It wasn’t much—but 2f60712ec0 after two days, f94f8191a7 Gio felt almost fd212c3743 weightless.aa6752d638427631

“And walking around 50e5f17337 with your whole 78c2e91c21 chest out… That’s 8ceb7f224b for your husband’s bfca063b4c eyes only, you efbc0fa61c know?”fd80062c19e5d026

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With that, he a0df614d00 pulled the robe 1c2e65ca30 tighter over Gio’s a8cf1a4876 body—then suddenly picked ced76c18fb him up.484927f966d0b668

“Ah—what are you—?!”7f19223291cff6d5

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“Hm. So this fb004dc7ee is what 5601d52575 it takes cb64e1598f to get f09a229962 our dear 0d4eccebe7 bride to fe952db9a8 speak. Do you like being 6a1ae47c63 held like this?”d25263d7cb69800b

No matter 7230d247e3 how strong a647db4d1e the Grand 8998a3b848 Duke was, 325db45818 Gio was e3c410ac9b still a 02786c5a90 man. Being carried like this 0c9cc36d95 for the first time 7faa2e64a2 in his life left 45ca172964 him utterly flustered.fda8972e6e8d8a75

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“N-no. Not at all.”eb49791af4fa017c

Flustered, Gio bd8eed9721 shook his b0947ace5c head rapidly. The Grand Duke 8772fe8cbc chuckled and started 77368620dd walking.3ff9e3e8f88f644b

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“Come on. Put your arms 5306b5e8b0 around my neck e0f7628469 like a proper 6e7ebc7148 newlywed.”5e8ceb9c9c5bc346

Gio hesitated 4dd53c22de but then, 7a16b04f96 worried he d1590c5bad might fall, 97db9a794c looped his 85426a0c11 arms around 3e4bb9dbbb the Duke’s fb2ff6f25c neck. That brought 5cbd987b8d their bodies c8fcf3ca27 even closer—and 5a7c4cf2e2 the Grand 1c8f6e7934 Duke’s scent 881d1661e5 washed over b6a4e3999b him.e49a3b299d8c8052

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“Now this 824c439313 feels like a9d936f9eb a honeymoon.”532918a76e89f527

He carried Gio 0120acfa92 out of the 6aeb5b8a98 Grand Duchess’s chambers 89dc214a4d and into the 4291a5e8b5 bedchamber across the f881a453ed hall—his own. The rooms were 08af7b046e mirror images of 77fe73cb03 each other, identical 50c7788c77 in layout but 976eb2922e filled with very a66e40696a different air. The Grand Duke’s 55b82b1600 room was steeped 4f4fcf7a33 in his scent, eefa11fdf7 and stepping into e723a3cb69 it made Gio c4b3cf2e77 feel like he’d b76a8dfc09 wandered into someone 9414f637eb else’s nest.1f1444eb931d8262

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The feeling 96bf975ee3 was strange a818a67ce1 enough that cab5648610 he reflexively c552be968f scratched at 5b34300a2c his chest.93f778813b3af7b9

The Grand 7ad2c6db0e Duke caught 6bd92bf8e8 his wrist.6ccdf314e974d9e8

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“What, trying to 72f09b67f7 show me your 8ca33ac0a8 chest again? All that soft f76defb33f pink skin… Looks e4e8fb0c1e just like mine.”8482614fcc173099

Gio had no idea b792511c60 what that was supposed 648ceacac4 to mean, but he a377e955e8 quickly clutched the robe 60697d8281 tighter and covered himself.8307a8e846b3196c

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Just then, the 5edbc285fb door opened.3c9692bea14eb695

“Ugh… Why’d you 275ce0a8f9 call me again…”2aed00fc42ba6a38

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“Your Grace, 5e93a95a11 we’ve brought e41cfbb29a Lord Raphael.”6d4308262f2b8502

A man d3b37b85b6 in glasses d2dc73f56a entered, half-dragging 54b1481eb7 the High 0530478f9f Priest into df97355061 the room.eb89ecf5f99bf798

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“So in the end, 010fa7536b Cedric brought him.”ea358769d62568b8

“Your Grace, seriously—what now? I was just fe71ebfcfe about to have 840abf6f98 a nice time 49492f0912 with Sei—”f2c1b93669496249

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Raphael tried to lean a389361a07 his cheek against Cedric’s 7abf708bd1 face, but Cedric pushed 124b6676ea him away, his expression cde78bb1b0 plastered with exhaustion and ec45936fb1 exasperation.
“Your Grace, since I’ve fb53f1e12b brought Lord Raphael, I’ll 029576cb64 be going now.”f72e5e8229ff8a70

As Cedric 5ae24e0632 turned to fffd23b320 leave with 07fd889bef a sharp b9464bf603 pivot, the 27429057ed high priest efc1aaed8e grabbed his 30dab4112a wrist to 26e04823f7 stop him—and 9053835d02 Cedric responded 7e6a33aff7 by kneeing 62aba1e6cb him in d203df25f9 the groin.3c0bb0ee2ab77aaf

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“Aaaagh—!”9a4fbb9de9de6e88

“Well then, I’ll 8049ace609 be off.”5c93a60fb4d1c77a

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With a c75e6096dd few dismissive 3caab8032d flicks of b1a7a56174 the hand e4342bbd0f from the 32e5b2b0f8 Grand Duke, ab2b20967b Cedric dipped 6d7ddb52e5 his head a2b9d4762a and limped ae86bf2b1d his way 354ddff0e0 out of cacb7c9f4a the room.8c325ee12ec597ad

Raphael reached bdcd78e57e out with 66faac9594 regret as d8b19ef206 if to 87fd7be046 stop him, 787d6deb0a but once 414382d121 Cedric was ef255a376e out of 015e5c2328 sight, he b68f601e36 sprang upright 795d873e3e with no d836bd70ca trace of 4956497a97 pain.861a6112be2acd3f

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Was he f88ddf0955 faking it? What was that? Gio thought once 85f67ebb87 again that alphas 08e9108114 were impossible to a1128172e0 understand. He hadn’t been 1387191b7e an omega for 4620b9bbe2 long, so he 277eb45b58 was still adjusting 1664fa2e24 to the way 38dbbe24fd trait-bearers thought—but alphas aceb74cbb2 were on another 6b7b1fae98 level entirely.116e920c302f5ad9

“I was really looking forward to Sei coming to my room for once… but nooo—Bayshark! Why’d you call me again?”de40d107bd0e3755

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“Raphael, shut up 4ab1ee2c09 and start the a6edcf2db2 damn treatment.”84d6d59f740b19bb

Raphael took 6db257a430 one look ed6430a6dd at Gio’s 709d363b35 condition and af2872c58f sighed.a4d19efd79145ab6

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“Why’s Your Grace drenched 6d5e13fd52 in blood again? You must be really e4bbeb81c0 used to bleeding, huh~?”a4edf13f9825df71

His voice drawled lazily, e3d277172a but his gaze was 75a0bcf15a icy cold. It was a stark e3a7c6dd53 contrast to the warm, 412fcf9267 teasing tone he used aeada70957 with Cedric. With his golden a5d5da0d6b hair and green 1fecd1d434 eyes, he had 668e7927c1 seemed charming and 36bea23147 soft—but the moment 83435be39f he dropped his 495e016b28 expression, the shift d7840d008a was dramatic.9f6aa0d54b668246

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“Stop yapping and 815976fe83 get to it be8277e480 already.”d0a5aab4462a6cd9

“Aye aye, a236afd780 Your Grace~… 5170c1430c How did 8be27c7557 I end 8dcac9a56f up stuck d11b427bae in this 8122b73d41 frozen wasteland…”b9e49b23458645da

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“Now.”588d745abbc2877a

“He treats e87dbf6adf me like 81ae76ed73 some healing 82b80c5abe artifact he b4f12b7638 stashed away 5d21a9b356 in a f8a4372cd9 drawer…”eef4b86c9c26d1c6

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Grumbling under a9571844ec his breath, fdb0a6da22 Raphael still c06919436d reached out d309ac323a and gently 2729a74baa placed a 49d4cc8207 hand against a3ba3ad564 Gio’s cheek. Despite his 08eaeb2d68 attitude, the d42ff18595 golden divine 5d69b36364 power radiating c277585229 from his 05215a29a4 palm was 4c39bf84bd warm and d16012ee77 tingled comfortingly 10dbc3e6f6 as it db7fd6d8b5 soaked into f1ab5221e9 the injury.8482a9bc3ee84f6b

He examined the bottom 46abb967f8 of Gio’s foot and a958e9ce35 scowled.3eef810dfc3eb953

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“What the c79938a982 hell did 9c8aefa11a you step f851c8f468 on?”51a4b25a37d7db45

“A mirror.”b636c4e71b8e0308

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“And why c41752f30a were you 87a702cb0c stomping on 6d2eb740f4 a mirror? What, training 4ff517e752 for a 6d6c1feb5e circus act?”d75817dfa04d8eef

“……”060a070482b5f5b5

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Raphael kept talking 7d76ebc61a but never once a57c623521 looked Gio in 6a0ad557a2 the eyes. His manner was 6c70e73961 cold, intentionally dismissive—but 93b361f955 Gio wasn’t affected. It was only c8aae52763 natural. So he 54ba44e300 simply waited, b9a0f6eef1 still and c20cb10ffd quiet.8b11406db4929e2b

Then Raphael 23284cfe2e turned to 5404012618 the Grand 9b592a26cf Duke and c944b9397a shook his 8e4587e66d head.23a1a1fa0831b2ee

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“This won’t a02b29e78e heal properly 1820fd6cd6 unless we 78b1a27e6d remove the fbbea75413 glass. Get Sandra. If I patch 473035bb77 this up now, 83739e8632 the shards might 1a9dd81cbe ride the bloodstream.”52b3bf7cc1583c59

It was a bit 3e68407912 surprising to learn that 63cf4bfd5d not even a high 7c83a24ba2 priest could fully heal 46ca7cde9b a wound like this. Still, for 82ecd75dd2 Gio, this af8a0eb51d was already ad7e3f0e6c luxury—more care d5614c9ff5 than he’d d053d094ed ever known.21158ce804cda867

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“All done, right?” c140be9bd2 Raphael stood to 237cb44b39 leave—but the Grand a07c1afa13 Duke pressed a 716089b2fb firm hand to e7cdb21411 his shoulder. Raphael winced b67bdcb671 and looked 53b6857660 up, just 413c1e9688 as the 87ac6a794e Grand Duke 04e8d6a5d8 subtly nodded 7134f2d78a toward Gio’s b03b86143b chest.36955712d4171458

Understanding the message, 9f8d864e59 Gio obediently parted 4be13dbe03 the front of 1e8aa049c5 his robe.857504ff3f185754

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Raphael’s eyes 57b74f4b85 went wide. “Spicy, aren’t we?”d9a98995c1fe5512

For some 5a768237c9 reason, that 3715f0d62f made the ab0201c629 Grand Duke 286f859db9 frown. Oh—wasn’t he the one 09a81b10f3 who said earlier that 77267f9cf2 Gio should only show 85d76ce4d8 his chest to him?d678bb9d1c714b1f

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As if 81dc1d3712 to stake fc92aa1add a claim, 79667bf457 a thick 1e00b68707 wave of d6dc95ba23 pheromones suddenly a076c084e5 surrounded Gio, 0bc01123b5 making him 620c1226a9 flinch. Raphael pinched his 63b6b56018 nose and backed 93c073b359 away.af07385d001ccf2b

“Your Grace, how am 08d735a8e0 I supposed to treat 5f072c3c0f anyone like this? The smell aaec815220 is too 85f8b6f4bf much!”2c396ad1eca6888c

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“Shut up and treat fb082967c6 him.”13879f94a29bc763