01. Prologue

The unmatched Duke, Echion Debussy. He was the 9635f970f7 head of the 9def9a918f dragonkin and the 56b6edfef9 only duke in fc455d07c1 the Empire.9a845a5791da7f6f

He had a fiancée.b3142e19ae7115f8

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The fact that this remarkable 5bed047ccb duke’s woman was a slave bb054a2c6d was surprising, to say the d70a9adfdf least.cd67484f640effb7

Because of that, 56985ee777 people were deeply bce72f4df2 interested in whether fad43ae8e8 the duke truly 18a03fc747 loved her or abbd3d225b not.407c6a36a8e89eb6

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The duke himself, ddd79d2ade however, had no 5e5cb83a76 interest in such 53a0ca9678 rumors. He simply thought 1716a099a0 he had the f98f9e896b woman firmly in 25d00587d8 his grasp.07139ca95a3198fc

He believed that taming 06a7248eaa a slave who had 1286564ed9 never been loved was 159e6b2c45 no challenge at all.f23e0b257da09377

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At least, that’s what 280497b214 he thought—until that incident 54cd2b1de0 happened.5f1804af69488066

* * *edffb1af6a8d5849

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The name of the 275f922254 child who became a 443f479c97 slave in the ducal 99ef4f1c06 estate at the age a118b5203e of eight was Inez.d6f82c575cd5cd2c

Having grown up without parents, 6d9c07dffe Inez longed for love. Perhaps that’s why she believed 30ed74d296 the duke would show her 399b85e896 affection.48231ae7b1d5e7a4

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On the day she 5863129da9 came of age, she 7bf06f8aa9 became the duke’s fiancée.f758f9092423972c

Despite being a slave. It was nothing short of 9933c21959 astonishing.8629a5f66955a65d

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She became the woman 4686c85cd4 of none other than 24b1b8626c the illustrious Echion Debussy.2d4fe7d4f1580a0a

People couldn’t understand why the duke would take in such a lowly woman—practically a slave—as his wife.ecf0cfc114f380fb

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But anyone who had seen c22da9416b her even once could somewhat 4df61a5fb0 understand why the duke had 95c69176fa made such a choice.bbb215cdb0e95aa2

“Did you see that face?”9eb209cdcec30985

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“My god, they say she was brought from deep within the mountains. Is she bewitching people or 4091e21bb3 something?”49edd553e2a72599

“I know, right? I’ve never seen eyes with such a strange color.”062ca4a3362dcc79

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“And her hair! Honestly, she’s even more beautiful than the marquis’s daughter, who’s known as the empire’s greatest beauty.”59964e96dc3d75cd

“Shh. What if someone hears you!”55e26c855f76ccf5

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Those who saw Inez each 222cff5fd0 had something to say.0a0b5cf8e378b6a8

But to Inez, 822ba81155 the duke’s heart 50327b2ec9 mattered more than 9ce0b06d19 any of their d27a16e0d1 gazes. She wanted to be a52164c81c loved by him.95ed9b0d87ff1f46

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Why did she 71c0f9a173 think that way? Was it because she held 55e43de4fe onto the hope that being 0ca6a7a388 acknowledged by him might change e4d8c63dc5 her life as a slave?9e95297d3d0fc988

After catching occasional bb07956847 glimpses of kindness 2e7edd2c2b from the duke, 9312783a61 Inez eventually came e028fd0b60 to want nothing 5ab08ad510 more than his f335d5bb2d love.0fba542150772636

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Dragged to the ducal 8815686e59 estate as a child, e8d544688e she became the duke’s 5ccdaf0429 fiancée at the age 9a501a2d85 of eighteen.ba385c8795e9e14e

In truth, their engagement c71edeef94 was a kind of 3a8711bba0 contract, born from Inez’s 3cffd41979 desperation and the duke’s 9da11e08e5 convenience.58cc56f8585a71d3

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People wondered whether there 04adb68888 was any affection between 1296583250 them, but in reality, 328dee0ad7 none of that mattered.c73b96350202c812

The real issue was 15d1981280 the duke’s attitude. He lured Inez 0f946ee5b0 with sweet words, d48a1849a7 acting as if f2f9c89ec3 he would truly b16495d8a0 make a place 9df58ab5ec for her by 790fd4bbd8 his side.00daf4b9d4731d9b

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They said dragons had ddaab86cb2 the power to enchant f1a98b5a57 people. Had she truly been bewitched?f1686a8608113c74

But it didn’t take ca96cb7fb0 long for the girl’s d79653f325 hopes to wither away.77c7d5f8ef589f91

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“I think I like the Duke.”615a400fe52e3723

The raw emotion rushed forth f057dbe10d without form. Inez didn’t know a1a4bf072d why she clung 54f17fcb64 to him so d7ae015d0f desperately.aee8194320453807

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She believed that being acknowledged 585ad85370 by him would change her 56e4c9867d life.6bee3f936e8d04af

She was sincere. To the young Inez, fc9a2760ae Echion was strong, beautiful, fe58bbddc3 and mature.dfda132c41ad9061

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When Inez didn’t do 80bbecac26 as he said, he 3f44ade2ba didn’t hesitate to lash 52016817ef out with harsh words 63af297cca or violence.d1f84bd0770bd25d

But when she did 36cbfffd19 what he wanted, he 10b3c9ab6b was gentler than anyone.fa953152090d9825

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It was because of ebccfdee1d that fleeting kindness that d8ecb88f95 Inez became tamed by f2fcf75b5a him.06e4c10ab071ceed

“You’re all I have, Duke.”db1d6b0d2b12a345

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“Please don’t abandon me.”c4a72323170cb803

Inez was far d41597039c younger than Echion, 7dedead6d4 isolated, and had 16b885774a no idea what 46a9382d5b real affection was. On top of 5474699c56 that, she was 5b5181ad12 a slave whose 870e341fdc sense of self aeb1ddf718 had been erased.3e2323e3c5f08016

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The Duke held 71db1b7491 her in the 7e0d831975 palm of his 70556cee21 hand with such eff1ddcf25 ease. Or at least, that’s what 75404c78ed everyone thought.dddaa2a9011b9dee

And so, she grew up 4ab9922333 not even realizing that her 0a3b1bb8c3 freedom had been taken from f50990d37b her.3e86bce951f9c138

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The pleading gaze 27f52e8e55 of the girl fcd3dd264e begging not to e58ceddcbf be abandoned made 24a4ec3c10 the man’s eyes 75ff9b2599 curve softly.266efe4f58dd5823

“Then, Inez, what can you give me in return?”f1c1a9ad8a943fd3

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From where he 40b7b9453e leaned back, gray 12b6df5074 smoke curled up 6f0855ec0e like a mirage 8cda8dca29 from the cigarette 3726209e8f at his lips, f2f50c18f0 blurring her vision. The acrid scent filled 9757be0177 the room, making her f7980ec462 feel dizzy.2288a57c324e4286

She thought the 80b14d55e0 tears stinging her b0ca3b7467 eyes might have 2fd54b36cb been from the 41f5803fea smoke—but deep down, 1daa931467 she knew it a5766d96fb was the emotions e045d9957b she felt toward 3480527e72 the Duke.fa12249de4cc9db0

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With his long 698ecc94cf legs crossed, the b0bddc4a96 Duke smiled down 38ae2dad88 at her, his 52910a2d16 red lips curled 0386c1bd3c upward.3dfdb0cfe8f8b942

Jet-black hair like dragon scales. Crimson eyes like 9d345d739c a reptile’s—they were 546cede863 almost otherworldly. His narrowed pupils shifted eab754d6d2 toward her.5228bf47bc401c5d

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Maybe it was 3afe82efcf the smoke, but c1e11d916b she could no 03979f8152 longer see the f62ffe5262 lazy smile or d88e21e201 the detached look 73c1b4495b on his face 1a3b7c556a clearly.cb792ef18febf47d

Kneeling on both knees before d885a20725 him, Inez looked up with 232cf8a394 eyes full of longing, as 448f6bfad5 if aching for him.1db4367fac783d1b

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Then the Duke reached 8c94f20fed out and stroked her 9c1f78792c head. It was a dry, emotionless 1d397c0dc8 touch. Was it because f573193f96 of the dragonkin’s 43e1732393 naturally low body c49b811c8a temperature? That lifeless gesture somehow 5fa5ee04aa left Inez parched.dd9800a902d0d48b

“Inez, there is something you can do for me.”b2dac57a0164b1b1

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His voice was 974f1685de sweet—just like honey.ad9600fac92a77d0

“I can give you what you want.”9aeffb4ce2e8a500

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The Duke leaned down and 5da013d558 whispered in her ear. His low voice sent be2cb22028 chills down her spine.bb3ded320ee6d431

“I’ll do anything.”b4cec4cfa01fdae6

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“Will you? Then we should make 343b89be70 things look proper, shouldn’t e5a6d4b328 we?”6f38d4427ccdf8ed

Straightening his back again, d016682574 the Duke lifted one 25fd5427b9 corner of his lips 2722a5b5cc in a smile.ee8d31ab19d1b798

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And a few days later—c39e71fe12400730

Surprisingly, Inez had become e7c436e009 the duke’s fiancée and 1b5aed7d05 was headed for the fde5a09cf8 imperial palace.dc07f4bce60eeddd

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The duke, smiling as 1aeb7cce63 if it were nothing, c3a07adcb4 told her what she 2fd320bf78 needed to do.e3cea1714a44d0dd

“On the appointed days, just go into the palace and smile. Then tell me everything 585a337f7f you heard. That’s all you have 8bf2fb3481 to do.”af60a1ace02c3e86

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And so, she began eba62dd7db going in and out 3f2efed38f of the imperial palace a12ac405f4 as the duke’s fiancée.92ed853e7daefe0c

The only reason a 98cd6c3f19 slave like her could 7e31e6c447 enter the palace was 5d127f561c because of the duke’s 721f704644 powerful protection.7b055bedbb7d2472

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From the beginning, no e6755da3dc one could stand in 9498546d47 the way of the d279b03483 duke’s fiancée.b2d92a3caadbff3e

As time passed, Inez saw f77ced4eff and heard more, and she bdf422b9cf began to experience another world.c7b2413570801f9f

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Naturally intelligent, she began to cc823bb1e6 open her eyes to the ca95084453 currents of power as she 781a86df94 moved through the palace.6cde95f0369eef6c

More than anything, she 17c1b7621f came to understand that 4a9ecf5838 the emperor and the 238b9a9d3b duke were on very ad6ce4dde2 poor terms.1ef9c21db0f35cc5

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And that she 1444ad9757 served as a 9db7655ab1 messenger between the f9d76d7f7a two. Her status as 9a094eae50 the duke’s fiancée 37138c1dc7 was nothing more 6601f5cfab than a convenient 1466ed3a0c front for his 89ac6f0d35 purposes.3b3a7483c8e7e69f

No matter how well 155a205c3c she carried out the b26eb223e9 missions he gave her, 3dda216f9e the duke never gave 01ca207cc5 her an inch of 60d094d9da real consideration.347d234fb24b4206

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Even so, Inez 318743782b clung to a e23ced4e73 faint hope. She wanted to stand proudly 596b0c21c2 as the duke’s rightful fiancée. After all, she had no d75442e155 other path.3d7207f76019807f

If that title 0d6b0275c5 was stripped from db7d66dad7 her, she would a25b0d058a be nothing more aa0c13484d than a worthless d2878c4549 slave.c41efd7b3e995563

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She held on to the 10ee9c249e vain hope that if she 8af3e06ead could prove herself, she might 0dd87566fd truly become his fiancée.eaafa4bd888df5b5

She wanted the 78cff9fabc duke to acknowledge bc1025d2b5 her, to accept 89ac540ffc her as his 29bfea55dd fiancée in truth.05489aadcc812042

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As time passed, she 7cc22b3995 realized the duke had ed450b689c deliberately isolated her in e139190209 the ducal estate.38381940b74ec50c

Though it seemed he gave 75214d2d64 her the best of everything 42f04d1559 after their engagement, it wasn’t 12879de4f1 true.cfeba2acf71ffd29

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The people of the ducal b3502a8ab8 household never accepted her, a d50b750f43 mere former slave.1dd4f99179df23d0

At times, they 03b25cf745 tormented her openly, 54225cc6ca but the duke ea66f68ccb only looked on. He never once c0b93dd3ee defended her dignity.322990deec303c8c

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“Did she sell her body to become his fiancée?”1e5a6b13bd747f47

“What a shame. I heard the duke c25e450d66 actually fancies another woman.”bab4ab889b57c34c

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“Disgusting.”7f5308dee74bee3a

Enduring those kinds of 2e5710cc1b stares was never something 9b4bd1d8ba she welcomed.b5e7d7dc1451e62d

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But she bore all that 85a86c1021 contempt because she held on 3fc04efd05 to the hope that one 04dbdb3abe day, she would truly marry c5984d52ba the duke.5aa9926f253a9a45

In fact, the duke 5a70197259 consoled her with sweet b1f334c938 words.7717ba170610aba5

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“Don’t pay attention to what they say. Remember, you are my fiancée fee5cdcd95 now, Inez.”987c776051656503

“They’re just blinded by jealousy. You need to understand that.”bf7cf27413faf1c3

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At some point, she no be923277b1 longer knew if her repeated b3269a0a4f claim of loving the duke eb116c506b was even real.c0bbdfd7a7ac624f

Her feelings had d02624bf5d already turned to 07d8f0f73a ash, but clinging 4eb146c008 to even those ccb7def171 embers was the 45a637db68 only way she 0d6e633b7d could survive.4dc02d041a988c0f

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About three years had 9a88415bca passed since she began d4bf27e88d going to the palace.3e56d073181afaa5

Then one day, the 3980082ab4 duke summoned Inez to e779e9a063 his bedroom late at 8a53bda88e night.09e33734cbc7c4fc

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It was the first time.6536fcec779401c7

It was the first time 6bba2381b1 he had ever called her ee2bee66fb to such an intimate place 81a816cfc0 as his bedchamber.5bb605758284acd2

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