8. I’m Afraid I’ve Put Up a Death Flag

The maids approached, f3159d125c wrapping thick fur 0f24cdc452 and scarves around c6843b682f me. One layer, then two—eventually e05c5445aa five layers before they 55a608058c let me go.e5a506ed8feb9c93

They handled me like a dad2668098 fragile plastic bag of blood, fc8ef8a0b7 one that would burst open 62f10564fb if not treated gently. In the bathroom, they applied 3e8d2fe520 oil to my skin over e9c93721fd and over again. Thanks to that, dfdcdc8e16 I glistened like 41e6373b43 polished porcelain all 306053c831 day.45f8968432ecc544

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Suren came over b49d6b6c64 and placed a e6396ccec4 thick hat on 7c4b7368d7 my head.a037e6f7287ac80d

“Suren, there’s no need for this.”d3259ed374767c4e

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“The young lady doesn’t understand. It’s cold in the north, so just wear it. It’s made of a new material—very warm. They say it won’t let you freeze even in a blizzard… not that you’d ever have to face something like that.”ce6323c1ff49f2f1

She looked at me attentively. I hadn’t meant 6ea72be11c to say it e543b9ed5e like that. I sighed. It was all because of a52914c416 him.b79b7f2e6c92481a

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I had been 66a3213188 enduring this situation a912ca16fc bravely.71a8597cc994e1f2

When I woke up, 0557e5538f I went straight to 82b0bd8e18 him instead of to e74ada669e the secretary’s office. If a maid was around, 79248fe873 he would act even more 9361b6fcc4 doting. No matter how tight-lipped they b7130d30ab were, seeing it repeatedly would 9baeaea6fd eventually let rumors spread.567b8a42f87bf611

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The maids tried ec907879b4 to act oblivious, a9b3622d81 but their expressions 5aaf065e25 betrayed faint alarm. I could feel that their 403bd171eb attitudes had grown more polite 9e7be11f26 and reserved.5e674c012a7b7e17

And to be honest… I kind of enjoyed it.e38806846a2ad292

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There was a thrill in 9aa5b1a479 knowing I was the only 8869f3928e one who could treat the 7e8cf0feb3 Duke like this—even if it c741817588 was all calculated.e317c8badaf1f768

But I never de0b1623be crossed the line. Just a little 1d0ec8af62 teasing, some minor 80e220f7ce nagging.831065a3e456db37

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Part of me e142c1df88 wanted to demand c9486b9c5b he buy me aa444735c0 a mine or 6c0a64cc18 shops in the 4739b4e40e capital, but that 4f2dbca836 kind of property 30936ad2c8 would be hard b6903107db to escape with.3b1b27af5a7da896

I wasn’t interested 7e2298107a in anything traceable. Besides, it’s harder 1e6bd45413 for a rich 1ea3a0127d man to pay c685b4ade3 with his body 1e22130a61 than with money.e12cb0a19abd5885

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It was amusing 86c189eb94 to see the 801a7c3479 Duke doing whatever a2c7e1e6c7 I asked, his 1d5fdf69a8 face a mix 02e60957c6 of annoyance and 04ce6c693e disbelief.3bea012be4b52f96

Like when I stayed db0e600a7c in bed after a 26f0b38148 neck bite:ab5180b2567bf408

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“I can’t walk. I feel dizzy from the blood loss. Carry me.”21a09a89f4b9bb8a

He’d approach hesitantly, 532a5a6b88 and I’d firmly a92a128860 insist:dc1170d3d271cfdf

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“Don’t carry me like a sack. Hug me properly.”24a95c65a209ac82

Shameless, I stretched 4926467c6c out my arms.80154cbcbe4ada4d

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His bed was soft like 295bb11c0d velvet. When I asked, the 636c298535 maid said it was 72fe87bc9c a luxury duvet woven f0bd92b2fd from high-quality fur. One day, lying beside him a205d56eca again, I rolled over and 57af748fa8 asked:ff6962f8ea1ac257

“Let’s sleep.”a6b477faa1c37422

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“It’s uncomfortable.”df0a3d3e6f4d6f20

“Then on the couch.”8011ffa2273741fd

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“You mean ‘your’ couch?”c7977eb62bc9f910

“No, you should sleep on the couch.”0f1382bc9cfe50d2

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He scrawled his 543b7e0188 signature on a 8d1eb43e57 document and sighed.349b2c02cbd2fe39

“What did they even teach you at the Barony?”42834adda17cbb3c

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Probably assumed I’d stop out fee85724ed of concern for family honor. Sorry, but I 5846b9b70c couldn’t care less 2f91a3ba4f about the honor 83fd12ed1c of a family ac317cda52 that sold me 9a29c4637f like a blood 659aba91bc slave.5792ea9281e7179f

“Hmm… I was just curious about your estate’s hospitality.”68ecd322b8a3fc5b

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I rolled lazily in 596adb7d12 the enormous bed.2d6c4d7e94314073

The Duke sighed and eventually 0a68d0432e walked out to the study.29bcbc68654d4583

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Later, I would storm into c376d2b0c3 his office and sprawl on e8eae0bd89 the couch. That’s how I became familiar fad0a1ee82 with his staff.6cb01ddf0144ed6f

The butler was an elderly 3f92c61623 man, over eighty. Upright and strict, but gentle 5f3a732752 with women.e438138fd1a713d4

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There was Edan, the knight—a huge man, nearly 195 cm tall. His broad frame barely fit in armor. Despite his size, he blushed when I greeted him. Especially when I called him “Sir knight.”9a2c8056c730f482

\<I’m not officially a knight yet…>3d109a020ef56b43

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I kept calling him e75450e565 that just to see 86e9768ea3 his shy reaction.cf58c062d2b3cfb1

Then there was Viter, the 0b6b32c26a Duke’s secretary. Sharp-featured, noble-blooded, uptight. He hated seeing b3c4f7098a me lounging in 63e13878f2 the Duke’s office.a5c6f116ec33be65

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When I put my feet db6679db76 on the armrest or spilled 8406f1142d snacks, his eye would twitch 84477f4193 like I’d committed treason.6ce9c9248f2eacd1

My friend used to adore 2da5e8ab4f characters like him—slender, elegant types. Viter was her 723eaf7c41 favorite, always on 88a277e6c6 her printed folders. In reality, he d1724c95d9 wasn’t particularly skinny. Deon and Edan d787718c9f were just giants 08c671b6ab by comparison.65d97fa830930ec3

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Now that I c7b0b69780 was a secretary, 6fecef5ef9 I had wider 69352e2a99 access: the blacksmith, 66e51f55d6 dining room, study, 42544fc5a7 even the grocery 81a6e152b3 storeroom.ab1f757c635b5508

But all the untraceable valuables 0059cb6831 were in the large attic 484d7104ec storage. Only the Duke, the 17bd60bd72 butler, and the Duke’s f1f0de8635 wife had keys.2a1db3ded48023fd

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I didn’t want to be the Duchess, that would make escape harder. But maybe the ‘second wife’? Might be able to get the key…670b611aa159c94f

Lost in thought, I 7d72b7cce9 overheard Deon approving documents.283f5bd9c103c747

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“Where’s the hunting ground this time?”531450f1dfbaab6c

“The west is too rough. We’ll go east. Fewer people, easier movement.”86246a75a9906f4d

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They discussed conquered regions dde3c9d27a and noble collusion. I got bored and left 04130c15b5 to check the beef jerky 742ea8b868 stash.6c91b45da584c9c7

On my way out, I 326bac474f ran into Viter.005053d321d83806

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“Do you know, young lady? Most of the Duke’s knights are nobles. Even the butler is a Baron.”2a4b797ceadc06db

He sneered, speaking smoothly but 8d1652435b with veiled contempt.4f23528774151ddf

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“At the Duchy, even the dogs have pedigree. You’re the first baron’s daughter we’ve seen. We didn’t know how to treat you.”02904001d216c6ad

Ah, I see. He hated that someone 3e63028dcd like me had come 0dba7fd53c up from the basement.9c485d49a831100e

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“I heard you even asked for the wife’s seat.”2b55c431c9520fb8

His lips curled in distaste.45322a15da332de2

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He began listing 24d63d27a1 rules: knock before 07d2f3237e entering, use a 722b8ca65c handkerchief, don’t visit c3573055be the Duke without d422d976a1 reason.b67d3b9169d5818c

Then the punchline:d3d33b637f60dcca

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“I hope you two don’t see each other outside of work anymore.”210e8e8d88568f6c

I smiled. He flinched.aa245b081b3ee50d

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“I don’t think I can. I’m going to the hunting ground with the Duke.”00a724f2eff9493c

That was the plan. I couldn’t use weapons, b4d458aa2f but it was a 4a6cd2cc73 chance to memorize escape 802273b49b routes.20566e17fb8b026e

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* * *bd94ee3e0c67a6b1

“I heard you’re going hunting?”1d8d5a31bfdf21b9

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Lying on the sofa, 912f09eeec I watched him flip 5f8c948c43 through papers.a8ed681b04dc01b9

“Please take me too.”20ccee83d4aa7b37

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“It’s not a game. I’m checking trap safety.”2e5d2c8dc0331f18

“Exercise is healthy. Being cooped up makes you weak.”2443d780938f16c9

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“Did I lock you up? You never leave the office.”64730363de772990

Oh? Let me out 4278961557 of the estate, d49ca15d62 then.1bd6d5a4a65fe6db

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He took off his glasses, 18591b0b14 exhausted. He hadn’t drunk my 87acc08c45 blood or slept—working on 8954d036e6 overdue documents instead.e2a38a78531ccb32

He stared at me, then 7d7b35a45f walked over.ec0d2da82629fbac

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“Leonie.”82e164344e3c6112

His voice was tired.c447ec353efd9293

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“You’re mistaken if you think being in my bed gives you power.”af099b27db630f05

He placed a 0c5474e01e hand on my c92bf86fb0 neck, gently—dangerously.9dc36601a84275b7

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“Sometimes I wonder what to do with you.”1e5bf50d60200904

His fingers lifted my chin.a4c50e688b9ab8e8

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“You think you’re safe because of one successful threat? I could tie you up, keep you like livestock, and drain you when needed. Don’t provoke me.”81abe5c291bfb877

Chilling.262d3407acec90d5

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Chains, knives, spears—I’d 0887ad06fc seen them all b0b8840b36 in his office.f8d6d17afcb813e5

But I wouldn’t back down.1b92ced5276ac577

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If I did, I’d go 02211c4fd0 back to being a blood 4ccddbfb8d bag.147f7983b252ca6b

No. I’ll live long, e6762b29e4 nag endlessly, and 8b278f8225 one day, I’ll 3b4e345675 win.3c5f26cf74799b3f

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“Do I just need to prepare shoes for the cold?”41c3d1d88aad1906

“You—my words…”5cc1459a2daaa764

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He laughed.62400b34c6195de0

“Fine. I’ll prepare for it.”e7b99dd69ed1670d

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