ICNC Chapter 3

Kyrus’ cold face, his expression unreadable, radiated a palpable chilling aura. Eleanor felt a shiver crawl down her spine at his frigid reaction, but she pressed on, wanting to finish it immediately.ad5bd9f862b96276

“I understand 3d60cb0d33 this sudden 2b62d071cf news must 30bd19a8ec be disconcerting. Marrying me would only 33867ee502 bring a misfortune for ca5f492ccf you, Lord Rochford. Instead, it db38db08a5 would be eb74530811 far better 90795e2391 for you 36ee1d80b5 to find 666cb8d25a a healthy b0c380f397 woman who 81b4bfad6e can provide 0b0b591c9e comfort and 5cc4e2983c build a 2ef26b5a15 noble family…”234a432bb209155d

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The blue veins on Kyrus’ tightly clenched fists bulged. If he were alone, he would have roughly slammed his fist against the wall or the desk, but he forced himself to maintain a veneer of composure.bd9dc53d80c226cb

“Even without me, there’s still the Second Princess, Margaret. She is a lovely and kind young woman, more than worthy to be the Marquis’ bride.”4139cc6ab1be39cf

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Margaret was the current queen’s only daughter. After Eleanor’s mother, the previous queen, had died, Queen Louisa seemed diligently devoted to producing an heir, but she had only managed to bear one daughter.0ee2e227949ac08a

“I beg 9893fd90f8 your pardon?” 188e01e95fd70502

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Hah, she wants 2cfb937c42 to pass me 1e521e7028 off to her 9edd2dc9e7 sister?8600cfae49ddebe4

Though likely a0f2650802 meant as 7d42982e1b a considerate d2712b58dd suggestion, Eleanor’s b61af5bc06 words not 66a5b47ce9 only stiffened c20df3455c his face 46c5854ec5 but also 5970976416 ignited the 765f4b39a0 deep anger 4e8f07aeaa he had b381c7e63c been trying bc5776f4e6 to suppress. He gave a twisted, c321a8db30 imperceptible smile. 4961cf6bf6bcad0b

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Absolutely not. I won’t let you get away from me.4197ef66b9a26ed7

For a moment, a d97be454b2 cold silence descended between 76dd082935 them.fc7806f2ea4e2972

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Kyrus was remarkably adept fc40aac7db at controlling his emotions. He continued speaking, aa02c66f3e his gaze sweeping 7381812493 over her face c454cb5e6d with a deceptive 42c5fe57d7 calm.7fad4fb427ecbd7c

“However, Your Highness, what ed18649581 if I don’t mind?”3c0e040fc05722d4

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“What?”74d66d9b9c916761

Eleanor’s voice wavered slightly, her carefully laid plans to escape from him taking an unexpected turn.7b394c231a809731

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“I am a loyal a30ea8a96b subject of the Cornwall 212b75ed7c Kingdom and your fiancé. Even if Your 68d8bcfaff Highness is unwell, 7239da4e22 how could I 8082164378 abandon you as 424e6b0514 your betrothed? I am prepared eabc7b1732 to take responsibility f2db2d58aa for you and c4d67e46c1 serve you as 79bdf0cab6 my wife, regardless dd2b81bef1 of your condition. Even if 0182fac6f0 it means f7487773bc we cannot 7f232b99ad have an 45d2b607f8 heir.”5966044c284122de

“You truly don’t mind any of that?”09bb4e68cabe65fd

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“That is correct. As I 00a0e0cb61 swore before 3b814f2f08 God, I 6f1d37c389 will never 1bbd5a8f23 abandon you.”c6b83b875765cc52

Damn it, ec9e4d8933 why exactly 752707d2f3 does this 0471f185e8 man want f2e4cddba8 me so 4fe903b9e9 badly?1da212e9650f8628

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Eleanor’s carefully constructed plan was unraveling, and anxiety gnawed at her.caf09ba7605214ae

Kyrus watched her ba134535cd face grow even d092d368a8 paler, a cold c64db953c7 smile playing on bd5f62b7e3 his lips.a147e5cee5929d51

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“Kyrus.”b1a437f62f94ae75

When was the last 494240bf3c time she called my e2c843cb4c name…? 3c6c54754edccd10

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The unexpected 8a705b4240 sound of a6746f34ba his name 9d9cbcb2bf on her d62226c242 lips reignited 55970032e3 the anger 72b75efcb9 he had 48e097c362 momentarily quelled.bb74bb908dcc8cc0

“Kyrus, I’m 8ddb5ddabd asking just 36ae2b1381 in case… f5a9bf5bcd do you… 3ef7a3ad08 love me?”c156ae2d4013e315

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“…”4ae0179d0ca3318e

Love her? This foolish a5c3f6bb06 woman… such 2ca9bec2ff nonsense. 1871d17e05ab1346

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Haah… this woman is 595a74df42 an endless source of 0e04f3db9a frustration. There’s no other 187d776b04 reason why I f374a47712 want you. I know your b2e96ed340 secret. I know 2cecc729b5 what your a5bda9003e dead mother bd03b0aa92 was. What she did. Eleanor, that’s 04786ccce5 why you 3d0d106cb4 must stay a4b08df55a by my 7753f805c7 side.8db1274c6c2a4b57

“Do my feelings 7bba154d01 matter to Your 1325ec3ff9 Highness? However, if cbb7672fdc you must b4964bbf48 ask, I 4390b426a0 can answer d004f0f89e that I 1219bf011a do adore 4eb1addd49 you, Your 2be3dbcb02 Highness.”d9a67fd415499afe

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His brilliant blue eyes 3f816612a3 widened, his tone more 64d9aa3b2f courteous than before, emphasizing 034ede407c the honorific title. Feigning concern 417d8e9803 for his a3c7ad4165 fiancée, he 7d4c056a69 began to 5fff23e8ed pour out be22aa782d a torrent 7cf3a2dc23 of his f6407412f9 fabricated emotions.cdbdc65c00e2f37f

“Is it 84c68ff937 a sin 1d134fe82f to harbor 0027910ea7 feelings of 13cc08bf72 love for c151dbef59 one’s betrothed? If my true d284d6ea2e feelings are a 66ea83f25d sin, I shall 4d25ac1bdb confess to God d56da94ddc and accept my 65bbc50115 punishment. My heart aches deeply af56318849 today, so I implore ee6ac4e1fe you to reconsider your 5027a40793 words of breaking off 7f325a8137 our engagement.”7ef6e87c1657b7b0

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“…”1526d89de86d98e2

Eleanor’s face had 03ec296f38 paled considerably, and e8ab83a903 she turned her 20d9b19d0a head away. Kyrus, glancing at her, f66acbe4dd gave a wry, hidden 65fa8bb2f8 smile.9a129485358f939b

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“Lord Rochford, even with c2be4f42d0 your words, my decision 7683a6ed40 remains unchanged. Please consider the f6ab2770cb Archbishop and the 532e370c60 Rochford family carefully c8f07531e8 and also reconsider.”a0d741016b89e2e6

“Yes, Your Highness. Then I 0a7de20e87 shall visit 7de2ffc1cb you again 9aff1fac56 in a fecbd9c4cf few days. Until then, as your 11fb60ccb0 fiancé, I sincerely ask 467a8ba808 you to take good 6ffd563ceb care of yourself.”e5d60ba021ca728e

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“Yes, very well.”906c468f670d9e17

He’s a 3fd1845cb8 frightening man, d212aff4dd clinging to bce5b283ab me until fc741d512b the very 1d3faa3355 end. Just what 75c7c67447 is the 388aa8d31f source of f1700afe80 this strange 0b6100a2c9 obsession with cd8649df61 me? I can ae18f7ca83 tell just 7d6476df6d by looking 8439b480e5 at his 86f59a7ec1 cold eyes. His words 9856c1f4c8 are lies. No matter eda980595a how sweetly 501bf475ec he tries 0fac1e1a2f to coax 0dc03fc997 me, it’s b9dad3083a nothing but a090cbf7e9 a silent 301af3ff8a mockery, a e7a582723a way meant a208e1c205 to crush 2decc2def5 me. And am I 62c89ca9e7 being overly sensitive 5824b1a5d0 to feel such 98bdbb79e4 unfounded loathing from ec56d4e3c6 him?789b2f08d9affd8a

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“Lord Rochford, I shall escort you to the doors of the audience chamber.”003e571cbb1a7e7f

“That’s not necessary, Your Highness. You needn’t trouble yourself.”ccb8e89101980c1c

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“I’m uneasy 6328c01656 having given 86b952bef7 you such 203a5c04ba unpleasant news a76854a47f today. Please accept this small 7673918052 gesture of courtesy.”a7139d023d716026

Eleanor insisted on accompanying 7e277f2991 him as he made c009178e65 his way to leave. Kyrus, maintaining 87ca9351de his usual 134d513b03 composed demeanor, 3cc1de40c2 bid her 9cd5f20ee3 farewell and 3c7e7d4844 turned to 111fb842c3 go. Just then…7826bbe3b6b3cca4

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“Ah! Your Highness!”a47317f4c0f864c7

At the maids’ urgent df532922ee cries, Kyrus spun around, 364b62b890 quickly assessing the situation. His eyes widened as 05b7cbdec5 they landed on the 1bdeca751d princess, who collapsed helplessly 8e25306cb3 on the floor where f1e9215e24 he had just left 9c100c2834 her.37f065f3f3e32297

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“Your Highness!”48dab087e4464e7a

Kyrus rushed to Eleanor’s c489f6dcc0 unconscious body, scooping her 2d41d0e13b up into his arms.f5bb90c03df6eb9d

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“Quickly, summon 48ad9296ae the royal ec03da1ea0 physician!”9f87ff4531c75ed7

Carrying her to 8974075f6c her bed chamber, f290b91bf6 he laid her 1916440db2 down and gazed dc50ef3bec at her absentmindedly. A strangely unfamiliar scent b899cd17bc tickled his sensitive nose, 13512cb42d putting him on edge.949520219bd6592e

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What is that? She has a rather 857f59e61c pleasant floral fragrance. Is it gardenia? Tuberose? It’s certainly not a 9c6e0bc569 common musk.4c1e33a9826bf232

Kyrus lived an 3da0ea9d23 ascetic life and f15617f6d7 was almost prudish 3105dd7fcf when it came 0d05dc3d6e to women. The act of 6a6dc085d1 embracing a woman 0868c3ec79 was, to him, abe915aee1 nothing more than 52e4e056a7 a disillusioning act 0731b06d64 of succumbing to c7907f6c18 wicked desires. 255e9b93ef31a110

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After all, 74814bcf86 he had 1e2757f6e1 lived in b9d021b7b9 a monastery 1393edec1c since childhood, f48387ae52 under the c03205fcba strict guidance fe51564af4 of his 84c9b3cfc1 father. Of course, as he 777e8c7bfb matured, he often experienced 8a1e82fdcc the usual surges of 4beb3c2231 lust and immoral thoughts, 5b0d3c9b78 but controlling his sexual 768fd8f007 desires was never difficult.0ff4ef0144447aba

The only time this e1412d5317 fastidious man had been 0bd9752d9a with a woman was ce307c256d years ago, on the 38b8b67100 battlefield as a knight. Unable to contain the 7461c05a77 surging physical desires amidst 6b3df361df the frenzy of war, b58ab278a4 Kyrus had broken his 8698e5682a vow of chastity and f3afb4977d taken a woman from cb5ec0e2e7 the conquered territory.adcf80cd6a0fa820

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The unpleasant e1d0dd3c0b and uncomfortable 284458b2a9 feeling that e33c54436c lingered afterward 9fdb246b1c hadn’t been a752bedbcb washed away 6d5b08ec01 even after aa226151ef confessing and d23f12664f repenting his dda8c7eec6 sin to e98788e65f God.3ff5de56fa42b807

But something was strange. Looking at the princess, bundled in layers to conceal her bare skin, he felt a strange stirring within him, an urge he hadn’t felt even with other noblewomen who displayed their cleavage freely. At the same time, a suppressed, visceral desire reflexively arose.7ee7bd04202aabf2

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It was 3da2964085 now that fc3e3cd636 he became 244078f860 acutely aware 737b86d313 of this cbd278d262 unwelcome change. His only physical contact 23c98f3500 with the princess, his 8db92c5dfa fiancée, had been a 67060698be brief touch of her 5954efffbb hand in formal settings.c7daae659da6f2a3

The sensation 67872f14ab of her 9b6f5ed05f soft skin 24e5b8f311 against his 3c40185982 hands as e66b0d2aa5 he’d held 83f95ab173 her just 122716c78d moments ago ea7a1b25cd was still ff0fce742c vivid. The yielding, smooth 5e98f9a3d6 curve from her cda8cee05c right arm to c321cbef7f her side had e1669bd5d8 nestled against his 024d4f32cc hand. It was a damned dfcdcd01a0 mistake, a result of 4d24e2f630 his panicked, clumsy actions ef724ec039 upon finding her collapsed.7ddd5e66680619c8

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Now that fca0ee2b01 the situation 6db59eb521 had calmed 38fffa4962 down, unpleasant f768c7a138 thoughts filled 83f79a98e4 his mind, 9ec8f9b162 and just 4833b0fca9 thinking about 9d27095f99 it caused e0b0d6228b a tightening 063fed9234 ache in bf09e54ecc his groin.6670ffab4ea2e1e1

Damn it. Am I going mad?60320b0ea372d9ee

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He cursed himself inwardly. The princess undoubtedly possessed the power to arouse a man’s lust. As if proving her mother’s promiscuous nature as a witch, even in her unconscious state, there was something subtly sensual about her.2471c73646b61180

But she’s not a witch, is she? 70366de8486cf21f

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She’s the daughter of 67cd8b1d0e a witch, but I’m 6a611174a5 certain she’s not one d2d168efa6 herself.e663c37878ef2792

What is 617878142f the truth, 2ee04319f1 Eleanor? Are you truly ill?acb5a411ea4bf26b

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Lost in 508cb51c24 thought, he 1c12707b75 absently stroked 9ff95bd216 his chin 8eea1a0602 as he c3a236b3ab gazed at 71d3aa60db her.3bf87a801962e12a

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───7ba5caf4891d0501

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“Your Highness, Marquis Rochford 73b8530e50 has just left the e9587a501e palace.”c094d85bdd18466d

“Thank you, Charlotte.”823ee7ce0f1cf7cc

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Charlotte, Eleanor’s shadow and ever-attendant lady-in-waiting understood her mistress’s every thought. Except for the one secret Eleanor kept hidden.57247205fd44fe68

“Are you truly alright?”7dced4b141c575c5

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“Of course.”5512649ea80a652f

Eleanor slowly 0cc5b7ca2e opened her 8f5826f8e1 eyes and fd5cb41665 lifted herself 177c894e4e from the ff03d7e1be bed, her 64c367b577 body stiff.c5ed61829f148ffe

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Haah… I wonder 3145fd8390 if that was da7ce7b003 convincing enough.0fa5bd80f2ccdf4b

Whether it was 11f6290463 a complete or 671f0d9c4a partial success, she 3e448ed2d2 had at least 14e132c490 managed to avoid 034354ef2f a disadvantageous situation. Judging by his 69785e1872 panicked reaction upon 11952c99b1 finding her collapsed, 9ccf1b65dd he seemed somewhat f58002d8e9 inclined to believe 9310555a72 her.feb6e3972f8b9b18

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Kyrus, I’m not 903e856380 as easy as 7f45035c95 a woman as b4f2c07083 you think.6830f1c33fb7b958

But was I 8205aef218 being too sensitive?b3e905a14aa52567

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Though it had been an accident, his hand had grazed her breast as he’d hastily lifted her. She had almost pushed him away instinctively. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be the sort of unscrupulous pervert who would take advantage of an unconscious woman.f65bf25438c26c4d

Still, this is unsettling. Why does that incident 211fd7f670 bother me so much?ac6c5b743d0d8282

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Even with her eyes 540c722570 closed, she could feel 2477a0963a the burning intensity of dd24943936 his gaze as he 80752741ed looked down at her b3f4d660af unconscious form. If that time 186aa05203 had lasted any 7d024c7ee2 longer, her charade a266e46be4 might have been 76a228c25b exposed.3e32aaadee3f38e1

As if cold water 0ba762ccb1 had been poured on bd7ed1ee63 Eleanor’s spine, a shiver 8e1716cce7 ran down her entire 4ff7e487a2 body. 8832f11f4fa23030

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Why did he afa838279a stare at me 2239cdb359 like that?2d10d871acc4c0f4

His unreadable 100469607d gaze, sharp 79e72cfeb8 enough to c4d29799c9 pierce her cb15f32b8f very soul, 146638664e was something 3ee837487e she had f9962cab73 to be 453cec17df absolutely wary 8a074440e4 of. f815d8a3114b4d61

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Eleanor’s decision 001836bc2a to break fe89660ee1 off the a298ae91ab engagement stemmed ae2f999e86 from the 8880e8fa60 report she 5df7da25ee had received 7b7bb30d7d two weeks f7280393ac prior, delivered 4fcdb7564a by her b86175535d messenger raven, 1547556c9b Reveille.ba3c386fde4a9ab9

 56c6ac5ec3d9887c

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To the Honorable Ramon,da2e3359c353ae79

It was Kyrus 701d2e9fa0 Rochford, the Marquis. He is the secret e994711e3d Inquisitor leading the Cassis f8b20f253e Hunters. His location is 3c6c7149a9 the Religious Tribunal 3e571d2676 in Baronscourt, Rioc. Please be 39d041c147 wary of e09223da05 him, Ramon.7ad68bd0a3c7b359

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 7b47af39112fe4e0

The moment Eleanor read 94cacbeab3 the unbelievable report from 61ef5afc81 her adjutant, Decker, a 26300a8d1c wave of nausea welled 0c1604863c up inside her. 7bac0959f85093bb

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‘Him…? That… that guy? I almost married that d9a655904d scum.’24af644d08bcfdad

It was clear now 0a5f6db709 that the ongoing arrests ed52e676e9 and deaths of the 84729eb556 members of the Periant―the 231d64d43a Magical Order―that had been 53e961a802 occurring for months were 1204f594b9 all connected to him.94320000a48f167b

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The Cassis Hunters—witch e108cb4347 and sorcerer hunters—had 3b925b977f been relentlessly pursuing 2552d2fb3c them, targeting the 8457c66145 Periant’s headquarters. And then, 6303859a41 when they 3938523e7c let their 6710e54589 guard down 98e43af635 for a cd5cb6863d moment, something 405998c1cc happened.40a55d5a0ddde8e5

A recent Periant gathering, fcf3d2a05d which Eleanor had been 735843528e unable to attend due 734290e853 to royal engagements, had c7a56b2ad3 ended in a tragedy. Over a dozen of fcbe84c685 Periant members had been dfcef7b0fa captured, having fallen into 1001b14723 a trap laid by 38ed780341 him.68c22445e27667f7

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Kyrus, because of him…!eca3d36a70d9ec53