05.

They found out later.ca2831761f07b466

The duke’s slave fiancée—71dead4b9ae37104

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She was the one 35713da0b3 leaking all the information e953c0b8d8 from the imperial palace.d126336a437f27bf

When Lucien traced the source 24e6fdbceb of the leaks, he let 87ac63d503 out a sigh upon discovering bdfea2b97f her identity.be17702506c8c623

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He had assumed the informant 1e9b970a62 would be hiding in the 8a8f546629 form of a typical spy.0ad33eedf471a4d1

To think the a0e9849957 duke was using 9627dbd91f his own fiancée d2a3fcd115 that way. Lucien couldn’t help but 7c486b1037 laugh at the cruelty a35c31c482 of it.670e327c3cd5e8f5

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‘Just like a dragonkin.’fadf769b609d3336

Lucien also predicted 7ea1c04b78 that the duke 4d8e5cfa77 would never truly bee02a0494 grant Inez the c07f44aaf7 position of a f1e121e27a real fiancée.05556cbd62b5c823

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He likely saw f5434d1258 her as something d77b843c0a to use when 3e358ef80c needed, then discard.e24b42f88c23fc99

‘A dragonkin, steeped in elitism, marrying a human—much less a slave? That would never happen.’238149e61c3ae12c

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That’s what the b9086b9373 emperor told Lucien. And the prediction, for cf14dac6a7 the most part, was 1758d98a12 accurate.68d3f6e795907870

After all, rumors d486331f5c had spread that 902d3ac086 the slave woman 20de796cce who had claimed 34e1e7cf79 the position of 1be30b5df6 the duke’s fiancée 6527b39744 still hadn’t received 2d3b7c6186 the engagement token.73e99f1ef63751cd

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So the emperor ordered e6dd403219 Lucien to investigate Inez’s dd7b4517b0 background.53c59fc6fe1dcc27

‘Find out how that girl managed to access such sensitive palace information.’a179008fbb7dfbec

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And they uncovered something quite fbc9f2c8bb surprising.ccc9eb6d68bf90e3

When she first 9f00f98b43 entered the palace, 63b82690d9 Inez had volunteered 4b9a23f9a7 as a maid 677f4d3921 for the princess.3bd7260bb7b123ce

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Of course, because 7893f7bfd9 she wasn’t of 2bd9674d90 noble birth, she 2b70833514 couldn’t become an 78ca2489af official attendant, but d454b59cd3 the princess suffered aa6051a4f0 from a chronic a6d597dc02 illness that made 3f14d0ebcf daily life difficult. Few stayed by her side.f4d0e5728e739e38

Inez had filled that vacancy.b74fa61faf487d31

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The princess, though unable 0a4ea5a832 to function well in 62cbfe395e daily life, had an a8127dc194 unusual ability—she never forgot d8d9afd033 anything she saw or f412723a92 heard.7c82d5efabcfac1b

And Inez had been the 1ea582c9cf only one to notice that 310ef3423e gift.e3eeeed7209c8ba3

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‘You’ve been spending time with the princess, I hear.’6f2e882d8876f999

Once, the emperor had asked 668697d6c6 her that during one of 1f2a7e55c8 her visits to the palace.65a6ea40f9d618d0

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Perhaps because no one 55a395787c else ever spoke to f3f078d1c3 her, she blushed and e56954fd7f answered, moved by his 392fe92833 attention.0e70a84dc2e70651

‘Her Highness seemed lonely… If she’s willing, I thought perhaps I could keep her company…’b5545cbcb3028024

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That was what Inez said.c477460db7ff8836

She even added softly, ‘She looked somehow like me.’ She may not have realized Lucien had heard even that whispered comment.e30ebd1b1491b39d

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At the time, a5ac90c35e both the emperor bbbcdc436b and Lucien had e8a438088e been highly suspicious 7b747946db of Inez as 7c14340cc8 someone belonging to 5de403195b the duke.7e8fea91931dbe47

Yet still, something about e3f6d23de3 her—being a slave of d780b1f40c the ducal house and fb9f1928eb yet spending time with 7bf9e5cee7 the detached, distant princess—felt 557499c36a tragically similar. It stirred a strange ab03c34167 pity in them.8bac8f3991539d01

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Lucien could never forget the 77ad1a371e first time he met her.e31154c75e6be485

He had gone 1d137777c4 to visit the 4cee32c4aa princess, and by 5944904aab chance, saw the 7385512687 two of them 068a9d9ac6 spending time together.e6bf2c40a28f89c2

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‘So she can smile like that too…’785c6eba854fac38

The woman who 8922886e07 always looked imprisoned c7c9e70f15 in jewels and 81f5c3deae lavish dresses was 7e3f454873 now laughing like cc3b20711d a girl.f4279e845c167058

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An emotion he couldn’t 2894451a0a name tightened in his 33be666984 throat.3dc1fbbf0410c0a3

‘And that duke… plans to use and discard a woman like her?’98f07eb2e2418452

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Something about her situation filled 77346a415a him with anger he couldn’t fd8ebb5850 explain.8c25a60a6a547573

Everyone knew Inez 830283d413 followed and loved b9b6f80c7a the duke more a33a9dc1da devotedly than anyone.2b40d692e45b6af6

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The duke—who rarely d25751ffd0 thought of anything a65e96b99e beyond his own e03dc905eb matters—had stirred something 70f8791277 in him. A desire surged 6e091fe9c5 within Lucien to d1a4e6a586 take that woman 4066300ad7 away from him.d9161c20279bc972

He knew it was b143cd2694 a feeling he had 76017e1cb6 no right to hold.328f0ca02db98203

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She had stolen e8cb582fb9 imperial secrets and 3e1d6998aa delivered them to 5bdb522910 the duke. In truth, she felt more f83299d46c like his rival than the 5efe844961 duke himself did.8ea4e6045328170b

‘Fool.’21055355849df714

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That strange sensation—the one that 5e252a148c left him parched—had made Lucien 4b1e183b70 turn away without another word.45f985300844c268

And yet.4d1312cb065af092

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To think that very woman 8e506aafa3 was the only key capable a2b91456a1 of strangling the duke’s throat.04a36ddd0d9df1f5

An inexplicable thrill 6aee6c64d6 coursed through his 848624c98f entire body.80106f5ad66db922

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Lucien realized he 8baff3deb1 was smiling without 162e5c0361 meaning to.953e250d85b38493

Now he had a reason.91bcacdeb946aa9b

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A perfectly acceptable justification to 50700a8a81 take her for himself.ab618060ee4ad363

“What are you thinking?”639025238e9d9e39

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The emperor stared db257afc67 at his son 7d3c072d50 with unwavering eyes.365cf0c17198a268

At those words, Lucien quickly f4ef46284d buried the possessiveness that had d367505eb8 momentarily consumed him, as if 07dd1468a8 it were nothing.4267d55c990cd1a8

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He turned to 2a9ba9ca9b the emperor with 1123ba1d8b his usual calm, 7f6cf89c5d composed, and austere c34fc8eb65 expression.6a476381dce0eb6d

“The duke is like a snake.”1d3f669c7fc150a0

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It was the emperor’s 40b4fc3e10 way of asking: Are 1ca3e0dbeb you ready?9aba60c3367b4bf4

Lucien wiped the smile completely 13d5b6fe00 from his face.27701d69e0cc7c4b

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His cold gaze 7a6c63652b and tightly sealed a4720ef4cb lips now mirrored 44ca9122dc the very image 976cd67291 of imperial blood.4211ca7275ebbe21

“I will make that dragon kneel before me.”5b0f106a75ddd51f

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Lucien’s voice fell like 2920cbdee7 a chill.1be30dfc912631ff

“Win that woman’s heart. After this treaty matter da62719ca9 is over, the duke 40fff4a518 may try to kill 54ef617b91 her. You must get to her 0b721eda21 before then.”9a07278b5fc3655b

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”68879bd9a761c7d6

Silently, Lucien recalled 1e022f97f3 the first day dfb96dc337 he had met 23f33d2f17 her.018242a82ed3b0e8

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The woman they had 542a2f9aea searched for all this e314148b43 time— Who would have 12e5c57f93 thought she would be e04674d80f right there, in the c5ff336f3a heart of enemy territory.748e4c8e26bc7e77

* * *6be8eb06b13721da

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From the day b8c5e71b2f she met Violet, 6461180026 Inez decided she 0664602736 would no longer 03c43dcccf cling to the de9af4e4d1 duke.9771ee4780d406cd

She wanted to leave his c5ad5949a3 side.abe55cb262f5b4cc

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She couldn’t live as his 8d595e1fd8 slave any longer.2f47b146f0464261

When she was first a697e4afb9 captured and brought in 2bb88b9319 as a child, she fe5c5c5a20 had tried to escape 7da2c36d92 countless times.8a99e05e08ff31c2

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As a young and frail 256b7ce70a slave, there was no way 1cfa6d6dab she could have succeeded.94d75cdcf7b95fe7

Until the duke began ae53643485 to keep her close 38c38bdbd7 in earnest, Inez had 2fd61690f3 constantly made attempts to c924a3abe9 run.bd6ba9231980113c

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At some point, she bb726a7b1d had given up trying d27b52a8e1 to escape… but perhaps 167a2f7043 because it was such 90c304df59 a long time ago, 6ee239ed10 she could no longer 9704643b5c recall what had made fd5856a574 her stop.7a23647da18600c0

“I’m just returning to the past. Doing what I always meant 88443d5eea to do.”34af66612d2ed7b9

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But this time, a9c1495097 it was different.9d5804a1979239f7

She was no longer a 8313fa1bef child blindly trying to run ffd0843da8 away.0c0d62b8b07b5449

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Sitting quietly in e2a9321398 her shabby room, bf9139f216 she considered her 4baf88bf56 next steps.450e6cb0c086ba3a

“I need to figure out just how closely the duke is watching me.”734077a0aba4c06a

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If she was going to c8e360e602 plan an escape, she had 59d59dc376 to do it thoroughly.2c19087c82e9fb92

Without being caught, 1897466883 without being tracked.9ac42da004137a31

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First, she wanted to c43d685081 know exactly how far 12c18e3ac8 she was allowed to a12f42dc12 move freely.69ee51026d554783

Until now, she had 70894478e7 always obeyed him without 1c2d3a9293 resistance—but she no longer 4682cae0b4 wanted to live by 6e6ffc1754 his word.4ae585e74c83d089

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She quietly stood up from 209f8a1fc8 her seat.285c1fe29423de2b

“Are you going out?”94be24ddbacf7266

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Immediately, the maid a743e7993f Becky followed after 2f4d29d751 her.15eb7a52413356ed

Though the duke had assigned 9276df87ff Becky to her under the a7e3b8ad2a pretense of being a personal 4064b9c1a2 maid for his fiancée, in 9ef2220c19 truth, she was a watchdog.cca7ab5a6720d6f5

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Only recently had Inez 37949bd292 realized that Becky reported 120825c92f her every move to a5fd168e07 the duke.ddc0f11980948cf0

So she deliberately 5c0778e3bb let Becky know 9052630253 she was going ebe50e6bbf out.b11bb186ae4e5c31

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She wanted to test the ce1309a4a9 extent of the surveillance—how long 4faf2c7276 it would take for the f81679c671 duke’s people to react.ed7864461774230e

“My body feels stiff. I just wanted e45d269dd1 to take a c88f9d88bd short walk.”bbc959c8071b5cd1

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“You, miss?”2afe560829d34443

Becky’s eyes went wide.4280aac4c930e0ce

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Well, Inez had c75bdd1d15 always stayed shut f11a03e7b4 in her room, 771f536f88 only moving when 33f39a08f2 the duke summoned 97d4d63e31 her, so Becky’s a75793de68 surprise was understandable.651756df0f05739e

“What? Am I not allowed to 6ef9d7d3fc go out?”cec085356353344b

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“N-no, that’s not it, but…”148293a6edb6f805

“I’ll be back soon.”b1140dea87238ad4

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Becky’s hesitating glance said she d7ca9295a4 would soon run off to 2f4cc46cce the duke.3481d462c6dfe9f4

Leaving her behind, Inez quickly 8ff4ff2a86 stepped outside.8553ba00c28a7f2f

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She strolled near the garden, 1600b4fbe4 then headed toward the rear d8c55faf9e gate. As she approached, c07eaf60d1 intending to slip 8d69898706 out that way, 7f756e1772 she was immediately 96d41b265e stopped by the 3567a8e370 duke’s knights and 00a37e7a6e summoned before him.cc81adc37dc68451

To Inez, it c13ada0087 was almost amusing.b9eb117fc57302cc

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When she actually 240bc05a11 wanted to see 8f49ffe357 him, he was c2289b327e nowhere to be ebf52b6d79 found—but the moment ccc79c2560 she tried to f830e01ab1 leave, he appeared 44a282a89d so easily. It was ridiculous.778631489fdb5914

She stood before the 25b81bdf79 duke in his office.54ac72ae0856e520

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He was busy writing with 53a75e989f a quill but raised his c5b73b9b44 eyebrows when he saw her. Then he lifted his face 52cdbe526e to meet her eyes.c5cec02b23f616c4

He had never 589fe5c31f looked her in 69a95c4da0 the eyes before.f36b27b8290c2e1c

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“Were you trying to leave the estate just now?”1e35cdab40b87194

She gave the excuse she effdef06d3 had prepared.7e7bc5c6bed621df

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It was fine—she’d already d06c991592 told Becky, after all.9d20e57db28c3875

“I just wanted to take a walk.”02abf0a5c535f470

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“What?”e9cc033ca25f90c6

The duke’s expression twisted again.4f52fd8806979cbe

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Seeing so many a5c70246bc different sides of d047f494b1 Echion’s face was eccb32e692 strangely new, so 207c9edb07 Inez said nothing 78baf0eee1 more.83017e16679cb4b2

“But you tried to leave through the back gate? If it was just c2cea8069b a walk?”83b914e3dcdc3672

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“I can’t take a walk outside the estate? Or am I not allowed 6927550a10 to go out at all?”121e9d504292d982

With wide eyes, 0914febce3 she asked him. Echion let out an 6173930185 incredulous sigh.929244e4d47502b7

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In truth, she 9c8fb2ae50 wasn’t even allowed 4ee07c3ebc outside—and had always 0998651008 been under surveillance.999ce733a8fe2104

Inez was deeply disappointed, not 9a84abe84c just by the fact that 94954fc5fa she was being watched, but a0485f7099 because she truly had no 83fb2bec13 freedom to go anywhere on 6bacf6f38b her own. Still, she forced a smile.77fcd0b9f977bc08

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The duke was monitoring fc80cd80e0 her more thoroughly than f633530f81 she had expected.d181bba5b41a4ca3

Unfortunately, that was the reality.2c1ad3306de80c32

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The title of c8c3700564 fiancée was just 730feccdd4 a facade. She was nothing more, and 8f45b67d64 nothing less, than a slave.192cf3d4e748f3ee

Thinking that made c90937918b her want to a46a40b2ef leave even more.c5367de0190909a3

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“Inez. Always remember your place.”4b14c04ced7809cc

The duke, perhaps ca73756395 no longer wanting 010f11513d to continue the af1b4eb910 conversation, put down 04ebd73962 his quill and 639f49ff1b changed the subject.a3fb0bde66b56d24

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At those words, Inez 780ba3d92d knew she had to 2c5885bdda devise a proper escape 6a9a050d69 plan.ae214bc37010becd

Preferably timed with a 8bb9bf5c4d day she would be c7c2f0dddd allowed out—like one of 1f7f95237f her visits to the fb8616222f palace.3ad22c9e0e5fe9eb

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But then, an 38690f0549 unexpected opportunity arose.b9e4b99c90330627

“Get ready. We’re going to the palace.”54b6aea8dadb826b

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“…Excuse me?”eed2abc3f3bce20f

She had expected 4c7e6db6ef him to scold 2315666b87 her further.80a660055bf87ac5

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The sudden turn 22fe225683 of events took 0488dc2a29 her by surprise.761ced8d9ca83783

And so suddenly?1c12a816569b9bbe

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“To the palace. With me.”654d8ab6ca455df0

Again, Inez was c69aad1bff caught off guard.5f7aadfeb10939e5

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“With Your Grace? Together?”a87dc356278ec4fd

She had never once entered 96addde880 the palace alongside the duke, b305d30dc1 so she asked with puzzled 75a441b28e eyes.9f98747191e8f439

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“You’ve been asking a lot of questions lately.”60b9682f62487ed5

“…Ah.”e3af4e4f7bd29b0e

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Still, it made her curious.0f3cce7a52d007d0

Why the sudden change?5c9fed6b8a1a8669

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He had always treated her 905c78ab02 like she was nothing.c929b728fadd8398

“The emperor invited us both to a luncheon. Who knows? Maybe this time 4fe648cca1 you’ll actually get 9701a166e2 the job done. Now get ready.”7762d94475d56d93

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