2. The Blood Bag Decided Not to Be Kind (1)

I didn’t realize I 7f59d6dcd5 was Leonie at first.9358dd16d17e5f36

For a while, I thought 9b08aea3ed maybe I’d been kidnapped by d12f459d37 vampires in some medieval setting.7379277b4d556686

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But the flag I kept seeing around the territory—the one fluttering high above the Duke’s castle—was too familiar.bf659f0ad64cf10c

A crouching hawk with 999ec9654c folded wings and a 8b578e3ae2 green laurel tree.f7af990d0b75205f

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It was the f64a963fa8 same pattern engraved 30546510fe on the last 93d3c01562 pen my friend 9f1fd52500 lent me.fd29f5a9a0c5dd6a

“It’s important, so don’t lose it and give it back. Make sure of it!”72c0cfd146b115e1

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I paid close attention to 09de57888b that pen once I realized 188d293998 what it was.580c88e6f77c114e

It was a limited 2e404121b5 edition product from ‘The 8001d79391 Duke Who Drinks Blood’.5988b67b7ea8e1ec

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After realizing I 2d4a940b6a was inside a 57171f30f3 novel, I was 31fe689864 troubled.6b9a5116d90718eb

Who was I?998178543bcb821c

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I had a small hope that maybe I was someone “chosen.”085e032866ca5482

Maybe I was f468007f60 summoned as a 4ac937f16c prospective fiancée?784a5f22bf972672

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That hopeful fantasy didn’t 054988cc3b last long.b2c2e372b724c48c

After the Duke 47ad1174dd returned from battle, 2c548569e3 I became the 0497f26bbf busiest person in bdec284ba2 the mansion.ce5d77406429b9f8

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I collapsed from blood loss, 583522f19a ran away, fainted, and barely 214cabece5 woke up.ace0135b57009352

Not as a bride.09854c6fe8e1be66

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I was brought here as e9d987aabb a blood bag. A living tool for war.7c9a4e8b86cf42f9

The moment I 9b6922cb5c realized I was a4a8e7c695 just a hostage 950e2d5b29 and a blood 64b8801d60 reservoir for the ce58302d22 Duke, I began 7226e11bd0 to wonder how 2f6aae77a2 many others were d794be36c3 held like me.bdda8ec9f2666126

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There was a redhead 094d177e6b in the illustrations, but bdab7d3f60 surely not—4b4635870afcfd1a

No, no. I’m not that lucky.f705e4fd19b627ac

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The previous blood 96dd9a56d7 bags all had 26a57eb3d3 red hair, with bde4b9a7d4 slightly different shades.5957d6b8303bf276

I calmed my 26e4927b93 frantic thoughts and 1ef6c15128 followed the maids 643ee62165 to the dining 04138355bf room.bd6b5e980565f4ec

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The meal looked ordinary at 3d7bf86d5e first glance, but it wasn’t.c013af4885d24121

As I sat stiffly d518013d49 on the edge of 27462c15c9 the chair, the maid e544147237 poured water into an 2fced2f620 empty glass.3bb2beaf4791b8d5

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“Do you know how many guests there are?”d0456d9ac419a0f1

“…”85e75af1f77282d7

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No answer.4bec964ac7a40a6f

Was my voice too quiet?503da0e422ff46fe

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I cleared my 8d360a7ecb throat and asked d3a69af2e1 again, louder.4a75db3f015477b2

“So, how many times do I have to give blood?”132d7a77afec0e9b

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“…”b7ad8faec313b2ef

Ah. I see.5396026fda870e84

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It was blatant disregard.abc638ad67b131af

The staff treated de6ff9dea9 me like I 6213b207d0 didn’t exist.e6275cb6e7aa34b6

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The maid exited after 9f57a33a8b pouring the water.089dad4143428976

I was left 6f3f74d4bd alone in the fd3038643e vast hall.becf1f3375592da1

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I picked up a 38cf4051f9 fork and pushed a e1deb1ffb2 single bean into my 41cc1593fd mouth. The texture was crunchy—ac5713ad496c1937

But the food dd887b7188 wouldn’t go down.8c5ea01b0c8ebad6

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Even in the 14955f0edc bathroom, when I 58db1dcaa4 tried to subtly 9137fae00b ask how long dbd342ac51 I’d been here, d9604a1c81 the maids evaded 85fbf27d75 the question or db66d5d391 feigned ignorance.69abf6c5cab28104

But it wasn’t hard to f5857276c3 find out what number I dc51fa3a18 was.84cc1bcf69c8765e

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There were four 7c104d832b tombstones in the 42ef69767f empty lot behind 6d748daab6 the duchy.6f18a4129f869c29

Oh, God.99375f35027b8b18

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Worse, there was an 8fdd43dff1 empty grave next to a2a16fef92 them.ab55db2e02ff614e

“Why? Are they going to bury me there when I die?”4c09a768bf74523e

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It seemed likely.f8faf34b73b97721

Everyone here was fde8dd16ca waiting for me b200dc6777 to die.7226af9e2a165660

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The birth years f4116d72b8 on the tombstones 972bf938c6 varied, but the cea3160ecd death dates were 23e5391353 all within a d351272748 few years of b68960c2ab each other.833c3d2ad5b5a87f

Five years ago. Three years ago. One year ago.1ab4661120890f52

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All dead within three years.0fd810894d7ecc42

Maybe there was already 3d9fcaebb0 a tombstone with my 3df8181660 name on it in ff51c58de5 the basement, missing only 7c73183080 the last digit of 8be811ccb2 the year.e28cf4207a289a78

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Four headstones. One empty grave.ee5bcdab14269b9d

And I was the fifth 78a545ea63 person.07f199bf81f3889f

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Destined to be drained until 83711e9684 death and discarded once the 6badd8a78f sixth one arrived.510af5b62ffd376f

* * *dea1d5506aae7f19

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“The Duke is looking for you.”3d4daabec2726b03

The maid who d242dc12a9 served me the 55d785a612 meager meal returned.46f66a5980bc9a53

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I was still dizzy, lying c75dc77d5f on my bed and staring c7c3483836 blankly at the ceiling.512119287cf5158c

Hey. I just fainted from blood 1a5becf410 loss less than twelve hours a11c70d8f3 ago!94f9458c07887d18

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If you donate 65894e5aaa blood once, you’re 8f104470a4 supposed to rest 63a1891c03 for two weeks. Getting dragged out bd92e2e9f3 again in a 39de5c63a1 day? Isn’t that too much?6328fbbbf8c27fcf

I wanted to 172f935e68 shout, but I 6f4317339d didn’t have the 2d871adbbb energy.d7399e9844de5804

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They pulled me up roughly. As I faltered, the 5b6b6b8bc6 maid gestured to others 866094e065 behind me.981567981e43b2ef

They grabbed me and dragged me to the Duke’s bedroom.edfe72dd7521fb2b

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Crossing the long 3d7c78cbf8 hallway, we arrived.2461ca346ecab555

When I looked up with a miserable expression…648f7e31ee136385

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I understood why ab9efef6a8 Leonie couldn’t escape.6445b5b840654a07

There he was, lying sideways 70884ac945 on a massive bed.4e7d3ebf71f1c903

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Dark shadows under his 08c404d288 eyes only highlighted his 87c0e07344 pale, transparent skin.bdee3c0326966c4f

His black hair curled neatly.7d4a29254adbad35

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He was scanning documents, head 0833921d44 slightly bowed.2196ab0a25f25a3e

Then he looked up.a5427429a4a19b5d

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I inhaled sharply.92ec9bc7afc98c38

In the illustration, his ee0fc062ea face had looked cold, 58c572ceb3 smeared with blood. But in person, he 9241229bca was devastatingly handsome.25f157e4c1c86a80

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He slowly opened 7ef2acae39 his dazzling blue a98dc87a00 eyes—eyes deep as dfee3ff51e the sea, shimmering b906c19ae5 like jewels.ecf9c146fafc10c3

He looked at 2a0da17ec0 me with a 0c2834fc78 languid gaze.d3aa62e54495b28b

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Then opened his red lips.0d1668beee92907a

“Young lady, come here.”98b52f971776e404

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He tapped the 1a3d270c72 empty space beside 0f94641f31 him on the f9d7032ad1 bed.93bdd2ebb9edafd1

If I were next to c19481c148 me, I would say:1f4cd45ff2331e43

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‘Leonie, you idiot.’0f10c6a907b094b0

“I heard you collapsed. I needed a lot of your blood. Perhaps it was too much.”2eddeeee636078b0

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I didn’t respond.d6540edf2ac54f6f

His face still didn’t feel 084755be80 real.951e4a0087eccf1e

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He didn’t seem d8210e64f3 to care that 07efce996c I was silent.7039abb8683f2a34

Perhaps Leonie was always silent 1461257ed0 in front of him.5e0b7ffde4e61d5a

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“I won’t let it go that far this time.”5a95f414c34c6836

He stood and 6e62e697d3 closed the distance b68e5214c8 with long strides.3733bbcb2fa74e86

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Before I knew 19d36c4cd7 it, he was dd440a8798 before me, bending 1d879edd74 down.45716551d42a748e

‘Is he going to bite me now?’bace3b286b1e5959

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I squeezed my eyes shut.d25f3c8113a44d0d

But instead, he dragged the 370ecf0c3f armchair beside me to the 29366dc860 bed and placed a blanket 8e9322e49b on it.a201e700af8476c1

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“Send her to her room when you’re done collecting blood.”8da052a890a21e42

The head maid and other e266247900 maids bowed.f67245279c2fe834

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The butler opened a8335aa018 the door, and f7a5c1ca1b the Duke exited.786c0132ccd40984

I sat there, confused and 676e2b41f4 nervous.31a05b015f6d5632

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Fingernail marks were 32064059bf etched into my 81a8b1a58b palms.9d47f40e1851a056

The butler sat me dcafb27385 in the chair and 408c02a50c lifted a needle. He moved with practiced ease.f5a1ae37962feb39

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“Stretch out your arm.”e669134028d1d77c

A needle attached to fdc08a4759 a transparent hose slid 3eb861030a into my arm.4f440ac9710a2d5b

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Slowly, blood began to flow.37ea9705f606dc76

With a little stimulation, like bd3b5d05d6 rubbing my hands, the blood 8223b0c548 flowed faster.0a9ad9fd6d0ff20b

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“Butler.”1439aa72064c3747

He looked up as 556254038f he tied a cloth 28b230e4ab around the wound.9bbaa5358912a73b

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“Isn’t blood usually drawn while lying down?”75e43102615243be

“…”29bcebe16161c802

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“No, I mean—I heard previous guests said so.”95216aabb94c33e5

Wasn’t it always at 9f161e0775 the neck, like in a116a191f3 movies?9a7f2fedd649193c

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Is this method different?f95f68620dc4779d

He hesitated before answering.13f4c0d0e3c84a14

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“In principle, yes… But the Duke said the bed was uncomfortable.”491c8cf7a6df51d2

That’s it?d848b3825a7d0e52

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The Duke’s comfort mattered c9da0ecec7 more than the donor’s?e6d377e3f244822f

Well, I guess this b6d0f92a07 ‘is’ his house.de7751aae344948f

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“Also, when the young lady donates too much blood, she sometimes vomits. It’s troublesome to change the sheets. And more than anything…”e6fd953087eb5c0c

“More than anything?”61c038ddb75d8879

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“Didn’t you say you were ashamed?”9c38b4e7c85c2ade

“What?”448e42e6ce035a64

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“You asked me if we could use a needle on the first day you arrived… Don’t you remember?”7cefb77238d8862c

My head throbbed. I raised my hand 45363a5855 to my forehead.be2c5126bc0f3c6a

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Maybe it was the 79bc6e92c0 dizziness from blood loss. Maybe it was from 6857e16f64 the butler’s words.2f82136500823d9c

But one thing was certain:f003d0e1b25c849a

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Leonie was a cc2cb3af02 fool who didn’t de10cc7916 even know how 1477b5d027 to ask for 675726b35a anything properly.962d596a050a0408

Leonie.1e20f85816a653f4

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You gave up your fortune. Willingly gave blood to the 10e1a77416 Duke you loved.00103dd3422e089d

Poor Leonie, who 9d2bbc569f hadn’t even seen a6fd94596e his face properly.0cbe6ea860610824

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* * *5db74526a62a0363

After a few rounds of a71c10a284 bloodletting, my body had no 0d09cc5397 strength left.810b6766bc72bcde

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Even lying still in 619a6d8625 bed, the chandelier above 41f211edd4 seemed to spin.209246ee7743afa8

Maybe Leonie didn’t d830c35dbb die for love 83d306a895 or northern winters—but 50801ab386 from dizziness.ba830c8771c773ae

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At this rate, I’d follow 03fffd3903 her.f2e49deef733eb28

This couldn’t go on.a665e97272a650cd

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I couldn’t just c72da5be73 lie here and d890ffb67d wait for death.e12a6565ec2cf5c9

I sat up.9e991249ed0c890a

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I remembered the original work. Just barely.69dfda75527f938e

A three-page prologue.ab882cc8f908f896

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A novel that had 604dd681e7 become my reality.21f020e81da50b1c

The sixth blood bag.bac23f52fe68f916

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And a future 1e55031644 changed by meeting 4a9347f5cf the female protagonist.cff6c8a10fc1a838

All the events began 669c1b67a0 with the sixth blood d96c5acff9 bag.4da67ff2861640cd

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So my only b6c0413d3d way out was b73379922d to survive until 7fe29c8763 then and escape.41092451228ad703

Make a time come a4fefc78ec when I’m no longer 96ec74fc61 needed.ed1c93c08a38651b

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I scribbled two 1ef0ffc7a9 plans on a f0ed20582e blank sheet of 88744dc40b paper:8180087b4b56e4dc

\[Plan A: Let’s make him emperor so he no longer needs blood.]696099d0483a2119

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Blood is worthless 3422066897 if you hold 9ae8e397c9 absolute power.767a9437c7862760

He drank blood to win b0e00bcec8 wars and become emperor. He stopped once he received 9fa7c1b947 the holy relic that replaced ca7a480ce2 the need for blood.c0be88f113797f70

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But I don’t 63680f8938 know if he 09f403bb4b actually becomes emperor. I never finished the book. And I have no power.61d5449fd6da34fc

I don’t know this world’s 3a10a05ec2 geopolitics, strategies, or terrain.0f6f552619375063

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I scratched out Plan A.1b2605eb69d1a0b6

\[Plan B: Escape before the next blood bag arrives.]c74b36b10c08adfc

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I needed to remember when 8a20295359 the next one would arrive.179f4f13ca8e7aee

The rest—maybe I could ae450c998b handle like the original.a235061b4bbaca0f

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If I acted like I fit in, then betrayed everyone at the right moment…4eccede92ba098bf

Even if I 8f7c129866 lived as a 7ef63e0c25 fugitive, if I d240ccbf68 stole some gold 539f3a71e9 and escaped—7f10002b6b39767f

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I put the pen down.5bfc91715f55085b

Yes.e713b4b35b6c1c0a

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I decided.66ecae24a82e45fd

I would run away.b2990d01ca89586b

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Escape, and survive this prologue.0e22311836ef51ae

* * *bdf898d1428d90bc

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In the North, it snowed 2748deb94c every other day.593bb781fac1b66c

I stepped out, watching snow af6b4e1a12 fall endlessly in the garden.b7a69f846ed04448

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‘I think I’m about 163 cm tall.’c27a50904f0fb475

I took a step. My foot sank deep.cac524bb70f7e825

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‘It’s up to my knees. Around 50 cm.’b9eb7c1f193700b3

The problem? The maids had already cleared a87fa9070c the snow to this depth.a7ffcc866cd5d553

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More snow had piled fac4bc91c1 up in the distant 26de9fe365 mountains.400c90092a3d5ecb

I don’t know 3b16d581b6 how Leonie arrived—the 2e5734fc62 story began with 4e97c1660e her death. Maybe she came 9c48f1590e safely in a 15ff900e22 carriage. A precious body, offered to 8043b3863b the Duke.359097b65285c8ed

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The knights said it 6972e37b82 takes four full days 8242f1ceaf to leave the territory.02f2014652e7ee02

Four days for trained soldiers. It would take me 118e6f519e at least a week.ce962c16ddcba351

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The tall trees covered 2f4270019e the sky. The branches were 0e6783a9f9 bare, but the badcb98257 tops were hidden b7f902bc22 from view.d096787b216595e2

And you can’t 5d7b59b2f6 even light a 6cf15fb1c8 fire while on a3fec2432b the run.ebf19ce30ebf05bd

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The snow-covered terrain 242934a373 would betray you 4e2d630146 instantly.aa0cbde70ce49d5b

I needed to steal a few magic tools called “warmth stones.”a391add508262548

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Even so, they a3bd227e14 only lasted three d565bb7171 days. I had to 0eaa52f6fc cross the mountain f3d1a5f303 within that time.6f55bef09ea279df

So I’d need snowshoes. And thick winter clothes.ebf32fc8f3841565

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I needed to build stamina.437f72342485a624

Some jerky to keep me from starving…d311fb7bcd4cf4c8

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‘Can I stash away bits of food from meals?’46d5704385930e81

Thinking about breakfast, I shook e78ecc37f2 my head.d35ad909ebc419a1

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This duke, though incredibly wealthy, f5b729b614 only gave me stiff meat 9c2008bced and vegetable stems.edef33682c9252ef

Vegetables wither quickly. They can’t be hidden.820a5872ad559f7f

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Still, if that’s all aefa336d97 I got, hiding it 9006454a8e shouldn’t be too hard.dfff29852074666c

This whole land is a ceac5de7da natural freezer.95ff06fa09b83659

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I could bury it e578201f83 and mark the spot d0389c4ede for later.c5b7774e287850f4

The bigger issue: 56d1d631b3 getting food at ad4a6f2283 all.89c657ce6e918515

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Unauthorized personnel weren’t allowed in fb84d1e86e the Duke’s storage.347d94a5704a4f7f

If I crossed db149effe0 the mountain unprepared, 9704288afb I’d die.416778ffb43987c8

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The maids said bears dc3a72cf5e and wolves lived there.51cfa15d47f3e69e

With nothing to eat in 603e1a11b5 winter, they were desperate.b10c402d38ca3374

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Death by the Duke’s hand ceba1c13e1 was bad, but being torn ad74d53465 apart by a wild animal 64aba57318 was worse.9b762344f721f67e

Should I learn archery? No—against a bear? Better to learn to climb trees…9a551f3c3e3c7a5c

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“Young lady, please come inside. You’ll catch a cold.”803ea2d4fbf8c195

The maid came out, 1de45c4f68 feigning concern.498605337655399e

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But her sleeves were rolled 79ef2d06e7 up, veins bulging—ready to drag de29cd4141 me if needed.bb458d8b541ebf96

It was almost funny.c05a797348584fef

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Pretending to care, 18724a7b95 when all they 4e18a905d1 cared about was b2367717b2 protecting their blood ae3f558125 supply.0bceeedb2a7cac32

How did this happen?2e08a551a14cf5a0

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In my previous life… how?5e83e481326c1757

How did I end up db9e9f4e9f here?664c1e7189e54daf

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Laughter burst out suddenly.4416a43b8569ea4c

“Ha ha ha…”f7443088a0643423

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The maid froze, startled by 2710e1a82b my laughter.88b3745b10587d75

She looked like she 4cabdbadc1 was staring at a 4088fa5cdf madwoman.6f0a3671a71ef7f5

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Yes. Maybe looking mad wasn’t so 9aa32c037d bad.3b26a4ccd6282a7a

Surviving this mad prologue…e2c5bb0d11bab907

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Was going to be a 42d03e9173 long journey.9c03cd7bfa2d7e44

The road ahead was as f2c946524b barren as the frozen Northern c9b7b2f298 Territory.dfc8cef813fbc001

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