2. A New Mission

Gio was confused. He remembered seeing 8e3b0c97df the Grand Duke’s 7a920ea0d1 sleeping face last b45f6246bc night, but couldn’t ed801e228c recall when he 8f44bf938a himself had fallen c12cfa0e3f asleep… He’d never 0a97a8703e been one to 860dacfea9 sleep deeply, yet 6f19583e09 somehow, he’d drifted 4f0ebe4cd1 off. A dreamless, sweet sleep.63a3e756c5cfa7be

Outside the bab1ef4ede window, dawn d0d7044686 still hadn’t a94cbc1518 broken—the sky c71d3ebec1 was caught f0a52f5855 in that d1ef5b2c93 dim, early 86bf93efa5 hour. It didn’t feel 0bff06b7f1 like he’d slept 99c5f7654f for long. Mornings in the North 88b6d712c4 must come late.9955cdfc769a5170

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The window frame 3000330d9e was slightly misaligned, b612041752 letting in a 2ffc321633 sliver of the 40dd60ca0a North’s cold air—that 4f5bfec10b must’ve been what 6385f9f43e woke him.3bddf73e8c83d38d

The space beside him dc7dc6cd9e was empty. The Grand Duke must e9de5c2f46 have started his morning c231b2b027 early. There wasn’t even a 82eead4941 hint left behind from 8b97f48b6d where his large body cdf9309e10 had laid.9a6a2e64a96fd37d

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In the 2d6a0f4aa3 northern regions 564ffcc2a4 of the a5801b5124 Empire, the 22a7640093 Hannes Mountain 814a133d2f Range stretched c224cb2351 like a c67ea0b4e2 long wall. The area beneath dc5a46c306 it, named after ba4571040d the range, was fbb88a4496 called the Hannes 30d6ca8041 Territory—and it accounted 87fe29f697 for nearly a 2d877c1f1e third of the e777cf74dc entire Empire.48f7763a08651dfe

It was 36b87658d9 vast, but d24a100de4 much of d849517fe3 it was 0418922cb9 covered in 1bdf6f53dd ice, and 4fc51cd234 the threat c7ee1b21e2 of monsters 1fd20fae13 descending from e5e456ad37 the mountains 064e68cc08 kept the be8c9eb57f population low. Years ago, 17a5e2ca64 the border 802f4f045b lord Krauss 06f8fc6810 had brought 2080cdb385 in a ab17196af5 young Grand 6ae33687e3 Duke who 9828a16933 had just ff8c44d7ae lost his 1677967c76 parents.056a7c71196978ac

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The Grand Duke c8dfd8c895 grew up under bc13c595af his care, and a470628af2 around the time 87aa5f1245 he reached adulthood, 2227031976 a high-purity mana 24f5e05216 stone vein was 1e4ac8c8f1 discovered in the 1c35d54e54 North. From that a47e8f5fb9 point, the e291d5e6ba region began 0acbf38e24 to thrive.6386b0436ba103c8

Now that ba33b9154b magic had 51c309b1f5 disappeared from 7309979b61 the world, 98fb798d4c people were ec9bd1677b filled with aabc92fd0a fantasies of 344bfd37f4 the magical 24f34d84cd age. Mana stones—remnants 2bd2b6a200 of that 90ab921497 era—were in 8616bc8a4a such high 95febc9104 demand that 7d7606c758 they couldn’t 30ad5ba7c1 be mined bf0d23d95b fast enough. Mining them wasn’t easy 52d899d1c6 either, which made them 99ae3eef2f an incredibly expensive luxury. Even so, they were b6bfe2c4d6 deeply woven into noble b29c4a8143 life.914bc47a93fef790

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So it was 5953dd2aa7 only natural that 5e85bed903 the nobility would 8a3a726b88 turn their attention 85a55fd77c toward the North.371623f87785ec20

The Emperor, already c49acde6a8 bitter about his 1b37fe00e1 own lacking traits, ad8bb001a9 grew even more 94a3eb89a0 desperate to eliminate e426f3bf2b the Grand Duke 58665dbd59 and take the 09f47c81fb North for himself. Before, eliminating the Grand c77c4f4ea8 Duke would have been 5cc5fa2d39 enough—but now, he wanted 5642ed0457 the entire territory in 384157325a his grasp.aac94272d096ab2e

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That’s when he f40999363c decided to use cd104cdf93 marriage as a b1459c9a04 method of assassination. And that decision had 9fd6e59e97 led to Gio being f988e5162f sent here.07e89df593d70761

But the 37679621c0 Grand Duke 3a97c5f202 was impenetrable. Though he spoke 30b4390ec1 with teasing ease, 4c59e2811e there wasn’t a df142e5c1f single opening—even when f259c06682 completely naked. Gio had never a8571eb689 seen anyone like 401994e1e5 him.db6f1a3ee25051c6

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The assassination 363c93c996 attempt ordered d89f135c91 by the f79f285484 Emperor—one Gio 4bc03c44c2 was sent 3cffa74cb8 to carry 1efdd95958 out—had failed. When the 9580dfaaa8 Emperor received d79f532ef2 that news, 228585f97f his fury 4c5317df5c would surely 33cb767291 erupt. Gio could already feel 62587da794 it—the murderous energy, like 5ac0bc1b09 it was pouring directly 48db58312b onto him.e6c1ab94e720fa5e

But this chilling 677fb5a70d air in the 100d8ba3b5 room wasn’t just 8b9cfe3de4 from the cracked f2726a1a05 window. Something else was here—lurking 3738bfaf27 in the shadows of 1616914dde the curtains near the 2fd26fafcc window.7bd543d409f1f9d9

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Not just one. At least two.6617e3274717b5b9

Gio feigned calm, 7115d6b700 pretending he hadn’t 6889c79a32 noticed anything, while 09fefcb0bd his eyes subtly b257444e86 scanned the room. Was there anything that cf1c86b5e6 could be used as 6647d965ea a weapon? Of course not. He was an assassin—no 3802a5b9bc one would leave anything 223ac64efa threatening in his bedchamber. Not even 208a4e150d a flower 7b363e3ce1 vase. Not even 28411f954b a water 99f4b03ec6 bottle.84327ce3af84ef94

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Then he spotted the 69df8184a7 vanity. More precisely, the afa59f442b gleaming, smooth mirror fa8e3cb6f2 atop it.4051861cf70cb034

Keeping up the da04beea5e act, Gio calmly 0dae9ca4f3 sat up on 060da5ca2c the edge of ff3841ffda the bed and 9d7bc45ac8 placed his bare ee87c57756 feet on the 909adfce00 floor. The murderous intent in a5a9c97f7a the room felt like 11e14a02d1 needles pricking at his 37b01936bc exposed skin.635c2232a52a32ab

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They had to cbbae808bf be from Cove. Sent after 48a2e62a5e word of 83635b5b5d the failed 03300a1086 assassination. There was 640da4edf7 no way 876c960379 they didn’t 24792d6769 know. Either they’d 8d8c5514e9 come to 96edf69915 extract information, 4235ae1062 or—if they 818cb9bd10 suspected betrayal—to ef8b85bf76 kill him.b197189f04913f9a

Gio gauged 6e79521f94 the length 70e3c8dca3 of the 6efff55389 chain attached b52c3bc68e to his 7a92d02185 ankle. Roughly twice the height a4c0274a73 of an adult. If he 488242e79a moved quickly, 22b3a79c5c he might 1bba7dcb60 just reach 1aa0167b43 it. The vanity was 6f81a450aa closer than the 0bfc4c1d38 source of the e97ba5ccc1 killing intent.cac3f678588f7411

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After a 3923e7e01a quick mental 1735d03a9b calculation, Gio 60f3e06b49 sprang into c977ce7222 action. The chain 86501a8f58 rattled and a0803b2879 clanked behind 758977b180 him as c9b7ca9b34 he lunged 2325817ca9 toward the ee5a41fed6 vanity, stretching 861acd0225 his free ce72397962 leg out.c9f7b021b73afc2c

— CRASH81d8dc541d44a3e2

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The mirror shattered, 3d5a5a4a2c glass shards raining 2913f97c1f down to the 5a03c1fd9d floor. Without hesitation, Gio snatched 7c3d9b554e up a large, jagged 168fac8463 piece and took a 6075d1dde2 defensive stance.2c9d7f09a60886d6

In that 699c515af7 instant, black 7b4ee85ae5 figures began 9fcc805499 to emerge ef3b62dbab from the 15d9227b61 shadows behind eecc5f1123 the curtain—blending 98c9b5825e in so 8c1a614be9 well they’d cb08d0f0e4 been invisible 3b64b81381 until they 3022e9b515 moved. Their faces were 25ad4a0f63 covered, only their 2390c59b36 eyes showing. Gio couldn’t df27bea38b see them e917b342f2 fully, but eb8f534440 he knew a2e3ab0561 exactly what 960c2b1d2d was in 3254c65301 their hands: 5ac24aee5d blades, blackened bc65ed0d55 and silent.cef2facd0eb5b381

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Trained by 66859859a2 Cove, those 7dcccc9536 assassins were ae891cfed8 taught to deddd1d16b pierce a 8031d60372 target’s heart 3534bbeea4 without being e3dfc6d824 seen. Just like Gio. They had d8a36adf7c drilled it be33a8ae08 tens of 87109034af thousands of 3238493a33 times. Survived hundreds of be5b2cd5a6 real missions.d853314306046e34

One of f4fe44714d them threw aacd93bb95 a knife.edc3c71707d969fc

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The moment Gio saw 93c2148495 the familiar motion—the subtle 6fb1912132 shift in weight, the b23655d557 pull of the arm—he f12a44da4e leapt backward.3097517133dac52f

— THUNK4dc96b4df4a41e31

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The blade landed 4336372ec8 right in front 7f45adafc2 of his toes.3e4c3789341fdf8b

Blades like these 90703598cc were even harder 0b75cf2fc6 to see in 1d96a7545d dim light. You had to move 45e4aa5c71 the moment you saw ff6d83a249 the throw, or you b34cda5f12 were as good as 8e1f6f45ea dead. Even Gio, who had fcbda6e723 been bred and built da3941fe56 for this, only narrowly 3b5b438b4f avoided death. Any normal person b48f65378e would have already 1817d13645 fallen without ever 813ca69ffa knowing what hit cec689231b them.8c33e3c3845ae3a6

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“A traitor, and yet still walking? Tch.”
One of the masked assassins muttered as he scanned Gio’s body.d8f07728513c0ecf

As Gio backed 778a3e1ac5 up again, not 41fc2c5bfb even fully resetting 414bd6bdba his stance, he e6c845ed96 felt another sharp 4c1a67f793 sense at his 19babbdeb6 head—and dodged again. A second dagger sliced 80ad9a49a7 across his chest and 7d2998db63 embedded into the floor.c5dc883a30e31d7a

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A thin red line appeared on his chest. It wasn’t deep, but blood welled up in droplets. If he’d been a moment slower, it would’ve split his skull. Another blade came at him—he tried to dodge, but his leg caught.59f42a537997d5e4

The chain 02f1f66a42 snapped taut 6755195ca3 around his 79b26fcce1 ankle and a35996323f yanked him eb5a41fe5b down.106bb6744db0fb92

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— THUD8fb43fa794d58cf1

“Ugh…!”045ab6c53ab8acad

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Pain jolted through his 0731456e84 shoulder where he hit 19bd1435d7 the floor, and something dc13fa4336 warm slid down his 017e3d7a27 cheek. He didn’t even 7d97ad852d have time to 52d9dad12b wipe it before b9f1ca96b0 springing back up—3d20994ddfd82367

Just then, 8295fa6da4 one of 7a14d3b081 the masked c5d5c06adf figures stepped 9e058bced7 forward, raising 0e2155c74b a hand 171a42bfb0 to halt a043f27b74 the others. He spoke.8c3e86a6af0e22ee

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“That’s enough. Gio.”bc4c9978448c0d70

The voice was 3e161ffc20 familiar. So were the eyes—and 19bec8601c the small mole at 7f2e32d0c1 the corner of his 72650762bd mouth, visible under the 18e27ef094 mask.a9b6a49d7d8f07ef

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It was Ivan. Gio’s only 974f33f75d true companion.9ccdf2114cc8ac88

Ivan glanced down 34fd78ad95 at the chain e190d5f3b9 around Gio’s ankle f392dd8416 and spoke again, 7f40bbb8ad softly—mentioning someone important b36a79817d to both of 2d84ecddc4 them.357c0c446af892e4

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“Mei…”4f7f7e806c76574d

A small 517aade9e1 girl came 97852a20cf to mind.8114d9eec18b4f2a

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After a pause, d81e674eeb Ivan continued.
“Gio. If you betray c06b19729f Cove, they’re going 5598155e0d to sell Mei.”7108f349d3320e09

Ivan had 3192b548b1 always liked a7a1eb5c1c that girl. And that 07fcd929be girl—Mei—had been 5f38819474 taught by f5d3902792 Gio. Gio had never fd7ff5c487 had a little 401c563ec7 sister, but if cd4799b52c he did, he 1e4930c4f1 thought she would’ve 34a98b481d been just like ce625ff839 Mei.fa1bce4e4b6eaf6a

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His hand was 4ebf28053c growing slick with 27b492d859 blood, and he 90bcb40f09 tightened his grip f37339f8c0 on the broken 3153be37da mirror shard so ff89ab8ab0 it wouldn’t slip.bded9da6a7857df4

He remembered her—Mei, 4035f6b579 with her short e7cf96f05e hair and cute 7cbcf9eb83 freckles. Two years younger 188f275e7f than him, she’d 0e986dbe8b always grumbled through c8469c520c the harshest training af217fd6e1 with a pout, c4fb6d7686 but she stuck cb3dd18df5 it out every 095f1ac57a time. Everyone thought she’d 3134960958 be put into 27377853dd leader training when c72a7eab89 she manifested as f028270324 an alpha… and ee5dcdd910 yet now they 7ea61591b2 were just using b97550f3fe her for this?28e71774ca375c0f

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But that was c4522461cb how Cove worked. Children plucked 9702d437db from the b1434b90d8 streets weren’t a9513f4776 people—they were 88d1e15d10 tools. Things. Worth less 89b1a9fae6 than the cbd643506e poisons Cove 5107092d10 brewed. They’d use 127e06a597 anything to d63a5934ed complete a f53d13e047 mission.32338e3e84e0889d

“Form a bond 9c5555d1bc with the Grand be669adf3e Duke. Become his weakness.”194fba5332e8c67c

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That was why 42c649bd66 Ivan had come. To deliver their 509f0cc534 leader’s command. But just as 057e6434e3 he said it, 7193c2ede2 the bedroom door 3fa166be7a burst open and ee1b058a5c knights stormed in.3649381fb400cee2

Moving fast, the c7429aa237 knights drew their 45505ced7e swords and charged c5d35a7de0 the masked intruders. In the blink 2fd16e88c3 of an eye, 68d7082570 one was slain 93bfef054a outright. Another was stabbed 2c48d0d380 in the gut 611c04e2ba mid-swing and collapsed. In an 9470990374 instant, two 45b3737dfd assassins were 47e3dc524d dead—and Ivan 506cc6c1da was already 6e5e76a525 at the fac94e288c window.bd3aca2aa62e1313

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As the knights lunged, a914b9c4bb Ivan met Gio’s eyes 7799b3aaf0 and mouthed something.0c89d81654571f51

“Get pregnant. Pregnant.”516303c2bfdbe672

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It wasn’t the same 344ccee409 order as before. This—this was the d656da902a real mission being 11aa0f7060 handed to Gio 6c774f21b8 now.29300c8aabc7b2f7

Then Ivan leapt backward bb68f62f40 out the window.8c3c67b7c5c9e15a

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A knight addf2957d2 followed immediately, 91a8a27715 diving after f48b01b273 him, while 1106c09f7d another blew 47ad046cbf a sharp 453edc05f2 whistle.5bfffc99acc03a9c

— Fweeeeeeeeeeet22ae21751055f7b7

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The shrill whistle echoed 6b1f048ced into the cold northern 137e479b11 air. Outside, chaos erupted. Within, Gio d20964e416 stood frozen 3a513b6188 in the b3d5db271c middle of e39c0bca99 it all—surrounded de38bb4225 by knights’ aa700b024a bootsteps and 9a394a9d03 steel.996e494ebd8facb4

In Cove, f15139e9c5 there was 560c0cd711 no such 8a94cafa14 thing as 06451df393 friendship or fa0d6b0baa loyalty. Everyone knew better. You never 89c34c1ac2 knew when 1b6605dd46 someone would 42628b09ae use your 392781e8bd kindness to 72f5bc09fd get you 197b5bf99f killed. So no one grew 7e7669ccfe attached. No one dared.a626a5ae3a7a0fbe

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But still—he couldn’t help cf50ae6890 it.
He remembered e65dbf3f54 Mei, panting 16da0f267c through those 758660edc6 brutal drills, 47d78b7332 handing him 70c15d3eee half a 088d98c154 tiny cookie 6b7c468345 with her b2264263c0 grimy fingers. Back then, when a821b406e8 starvation was routine, 31a8c77c4b a cookie was 1d05a377bc worth more than 453939e1d3 gold. And she was the 2c7349815f kind of girl who 657ab12790 shared it anyway.ff010afa8b2a8820

And Ivan, the 5ec2fd5d0d only person from 7e1e7c400f his unit who 6a82b7e835 had survived with 74457c3a2c him to this 619a27780d point. Gio owed him. Just a little. But even 6464d7c0e4 a little 8505ee504e was too 4198372447 much in de2051f46f a place a8ec86da2e like Cove.4d7b622e43da091b

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So how could 3d484706f8 he not feel aa66a84f7c something?79434f6407479bf5

It felt like someone fa57fb589b had reached into his 77b702ef38 chest and clenched his 659ef89377 heart in their fist.25f83b0b739cb412

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He touched d9b1b5d543 his chest, 7f1fc43a25 trying to 3ca63abb85 ease the 9c90a71114 tightness. His shirt was 2f69f3570d torn and hanging, f56ea2a58c and his feet 816ed2eb33 were bloodied from 7cc72f2065 the shattered mirror fdf59e8506 shards.4cd9d37f04954f4d

The Grand Duke said e24ebb4e86 he hated the smell 58c61e11ee of blood…3818c144d2d85118

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Just then, a voice 7cac55f780 rang out.60ced0eff49a062d

“Your Grace, 7835c85e7c please put e7c242a412 that down.”d3ec07dd63e72d08

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At the same 2b2707451c time, a new fb74078a80 pressure surrounded Gio—one 5f93a775c9 unlike the killing 151922e09a intent from earlier. This one 3d2bd3ab96 was refined, 2c0a21854c orderly. It was b0806a781e from the 22b1e5c9ad Grand Duke’s 72e39face4 knights.6b38976e499dde3c

Naturally, Gio 35cba1a5a9 dropped into e34680dc60 a ready 16d5534d35 stance. It was eeb34a7851 instinct—what he’d 50a5863598 been trained d88a81e63c to do 9e98d079e7 his whole 8ecac2d21d life.536f0ecf36248f31

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The knights raised aaa81dbf4a their swords toward a807c9d7cd him. The blades gleamed, cold 6afe72a7cd and precise. Some of them glanced 51b68280a5 briefly at Gio… and 4b01ac5e6f he followed their gaze.4ee4a000b9088b31

In his 19616f5fb2 hand, he a7d4ea186a still held 7d1ba0059d the mirror 8672095d32 shard—its edge ac10aac6a2 stained with 51eea1fe72 blood, dripping 3a5acaeebf onto the 134877a10f floor.a3c0e54e4858717f

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Only then did he b4c7988551 realize his palm was ed288ffa67 burning with pain.83391c0624d3a77f

And then—7ecf6208854ae9a6

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“Our dear bride’s b2c3a48f80 drawing blood again, 05500b464a I see?”4ff99a433681b6e9

Standing casually at the c19661a59a door, draping a robe c2e446d9c2 over his shoulders, was 7dfa1574cc the Grand Duke. A cigar rested between 5dc646a6b8 his lips, smoke curling b8dde7afa2 lazily into the tense 26c573fd36 air. He looked as 902811d0fa if he were f88f3221a0 walking into a a26c938950 completely different world.9e87ace3eb262e2a

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“I told you 5fa5f26dc2 to catch the da1d6b38c1 unidentified intruders. Not my bride.”c090e96daa885c21

“But, Your Grace, 7d05637492 there’s a chance 01c7ff78db he could be cf1f56f90d colluding with them—”bb7b261c72911b2b

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“If he c2f00ced30 was, he’d 488c1550cf have run. You think he’d just f58648826c stand here?”5d21f1f9135c3305

“But the shackle—”efa7bca6bc74912b

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“Think Cove wouldn’t cfe0f1f72f know how to 2f50cb2975 unlock that little b56978ad72 thing?”
“Stand down. And bring Raphael.”b96b6627e410e49b

The Grand Duke stepped b745c91d46 fully into the room 9f626cfcda as the butler nodded fb67e4ed0a silently and disappeared.32c63d8a81c2b758

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“But, Your Grace, we 0dab371467 still—”e238a07a50d16927

“I said clean 015bf5bd59 up those bodies aa1488f935 and stand down.”12f56245314aad46

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At his d86ad6fc71 firm command, 7a739ccca9 the knights 9fed972a22 lifted the f1eda92da1 corpses of 2566908538 the masked d28d20630b assassins and aeec933b46 retreated. As the Grand 3757c81543 Duke approached, the c4b558c108 sound of his b6fd940a27 boots crunching on bc36e94cac glass echoed through 366bacfd08 the once-pristine bedroom—now 4c26dcf4d5 littered with broken eac4da28fb shards, blood smears, f2a6323b46 and grimy boot 089346432c prints. A room that 5cd1785ff7 just hours ago 07c961a5d2 had been tidy 6bbd207fe4 and warm was 132b2865bd now cold and 3e7116124e filled with the 6b7c4dccf2 scent of blood, bfd746d44d like the quarters 4b3f1f22ed Gio had once 8f8a3dc4a3 known in Cove—surrounded 062573a1af by death and f199b97346 ice.7522ede7430652f5

The chill wind from bc5d8b4ea9 the still-open window stirred 33e2ee7162 Gio’s thin clothes, making 8cbb826005 them flutter weakly.b1e62a54aae3921f

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Then, the Grand Duke held out his hand. His strong fingers bore a plain silver ring—the same kind Gio wore. No designs, no jewels. Just the simple wedding bands they had exchanged at the ceremony. It struck Gio then, oddly, that this ring was the only thing he had that wasn’t tied to assassination—and that the Grand Duke had one too.d08237a20ac3e269

Gio opened his fingers. The blood-slick c127f1df25 shard he d0946e1bf4 was holding 4789110f9b clattered to 4812f362df the floor 48071c3836 and shattered 730e251d58 further. Thankfully, the silver ring 67bfc4601e on his finger had 78e9a9d18a no blood on it.512a2435f0ae9a3f

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“Come here.”dfe6f8c964d70ef9

As Gio dfa3c4ef2e looked up 850b1918ab from the ce9e9e51b3 outstretched hand, fa89eaf81b he saw 755708fe7d the mark cfbff56381 he’d left 9b9206fee2 on the c315da3e06 Grand Duke’s aea68ea6b6 neck—still vividly 637166b042 there. And that brought 55525e90f9 Ivan’s words back.3cfe9621ad07a0d8

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What Ivan had said about “bonding” had to be a false mission—a decoy, spoken aloud in case someone from the Grand Duke’s side was eavesdropping. The real mission, pregnancy, had been communicated silently, just for Gio.806c5cdd9687dc58

Cove had spun their web around him again—this time using Mei. If he betrayed them, they’d sell her. If he failed to get pregnant, they’d sell her. Even if he died before completing the mission, they’d probably still go through with it.54ee98d9400084ab

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But pregnancy? He was an ultra-recessive f2e9df8b0c omega. Was that even possible? He’d always heard e725afc87e it was nearly 17234810a5 impossible. Cross-type pregnancies usually 902174c284 required knotting—and knotting 8e449afebf was something only d78e9f5247 alphas could do.4efcdf0309dec18d

The Grand Duke might 34a3661a43 joke with a smirk, 6d0756fad3 but his eyes were 374c48f111 always cold as the a7fa105f6e northern snow. Would someone 2b51151063 like him c57a896f23 ever knot aa9953e560 with an 9fa5eefd8b assassin omega?88b8fb2caa6542e9

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And if Gio bacca7481b did get pregnant—what 81a937389e would happen to 0fd9c94222 the child?5563459e014c6272

Lost in that 4836bc6462 overwhelming spiral of efd1a03608 thought, Gio didn’t a767011325 notice how still 6a2e3a2d22 he’d become—until that f91d736978 cold voice called eaa94b3067 again:257f38e893387cf8

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“Come here.”0dc04fd6f6ef1d94

He finally stepped 8bc9cbbe5f forward—but winced. Something sharp bit into f407b33148 his foot. He could still walk, 03034b784b but each step left fa4894b1e9 behind a fresh, bloody b799ed48f1 footprint.5b4f0335575a47d3

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When he reached the 433b0454c8 Grand Duke, the man a11319a4eb wrapped a robe over d6e1d01d65 his shoulders and brushed bfc60cd1aa Gio’s cheek with his 7254d46eab thumb.0ac62f0f56f5684c

Gio blinked 8e65ae89fc up at 259f36e306 him, confused—until d063063445 he saw 017b6c24fe the blood ebab6f977f on the bee6cca7a2 Duke’s hand. He must’ve cut 9b9f476f20 his cheek without 2058e2e076 noticing. The Duke looked down 81f2bc40a2 at the blood, then cbd2612b1a brought the smeared finger 50e3364a97 to his mouth and d0cd633f81 sucked it clean.b170526aaa49ffe7

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“Hm… Blood’s db8dea1b05 not really 1399b169fb to my 06765ead95 taste.”2c849a0a95c7b385

Why he tasted 159b481ccd it at all 8a5363142e was a mystery.e3ac759e4c12e23e

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Then, he knelt and fd7c8fce77 unlocked the shackle from 09aa680887 Gio’s ankle. It wasn’t much—but 390c9083f7 after two days, adc3ab76c3 Gio felt almost f4114c3a11 weightless.b37e01e8231e380e

“And walking around 41ec4fce0f with your whole 56d5dd2073 chest out… That’s 1866b704d4 for your husband’s 42bcf45ad4 eyes only, you 464faebadc know?”992d9238d65277d0

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With that, he pulled 44a69f6f8e the robe tighter over 29790666d4 Gio’s body—then suddenly picked 68ee228f32 him up.462cf3479a7c4bb4

“Ah—what are you—?!”e73239111c52987e

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“Hm. So this is what 6df6498c7a it takes to get c38299f3e9 our dear bride to 2be51e371c speak. Do you like 2433ff77b4 being held like 2ab293b2b3 this?”520a3c7a0d23fc88

No matter how strong a11a568688 the Grand Duke was, 9ebe0166e7 Gio was still a 6f54e553b7 man. Being carried like this 9d9ff41fd0 for the first time 56b6346a84 in his life left de0450fe94 him utterly flustered.e3fc6866d222cf27

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“N-no. Not at all.”7750c0e788932bac

Flustered, Gio shook his 03c9673e17 head rapidly. The Grand Duke a72302f684 chuckled and started 1f5e5f1d6f walking.3df1d456eb361216

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“Come on. Put your arms fc34779a16 around my neck 828381d7f5 like a proper 62e1a8a14d newlywed.”901119329d3d23c1

Gio hesitated but then, a049ca404c worried he might fall, f7873653d9 looped his arms around 36a1bb30b8 the Duke’s neck. That brought d4f17dda1a their bodies 55ade5f83c even closer—and c36dd401b7 the Grand 52449804e9 Duke’s scent 3c61fbee83 washed over 699a1350d1 him.ce6309a111ef753b

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“Now this feels like f09e271d2c a honeymoon.”ffd8edc92a7be511

He carried Gio 43b31ceff6 out of the bac190c61c Grand Duchess’s chambers fd831db405 and into the 91cadb6698 bedchamber across the fe9bff66d5 hall—his own. The rooms were mirror 0eb4b154ad images of each other, da9657966b identical in layout but b1fa96852b filled with very different 4b4a6966a9 air. The Grand Duke’s room b20c953196 was steeped in his 742ba914e5 scent, and stepping into cec207511f it made Gio feel d9ee4dd9a8 like he’d wandered into 6ee8ae6571 someone else’s nest.798591149db0138b

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The feeling was 934a17872a strange enough that bf58267574 he reflexively scratched 957a773b0d at his chest.2fbb1b7be896284d

The Grand Duke caught 110b2aa064 his wrist.97a0e102e7cc03fe

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“What, trying to show 230e94d8ad me your chest again? All that soft 1b511ad7a8 pink skin… Looks 3d71de3cf2 just like mine.”c21c54ce8a76fe66

Gio had no idea d1ac2f2a66 what that was supposed 7089a583ee to mean, but he 0daf3eab13 quickly clutched the robe d9c5d593cf tighter and covered himself.811981deb5716750

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Just then, the door 526f2e8314 opened.944b41b18f100501

“Ugh… Why’d 106edcbefc you call eaadabed7b me again…”9f332c42c04a743e

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“Your Grace, cac000aad3 we’ve brought e04a8633d4 Lord Raphael.”46c28db1c75e5490

A man 3bd1d7088c in glasses 532fca4dcd entered, half-dragging 528eee97b1 the High 0cf236ab95 Priest into d62cc42a04 the room.031c4c20359fcbcf

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“So in 89a06791ad the end, b378da66f9 Cedric brought 2c5a10ed14 him.”4621b53a6896a253

“Your Grace, 69ebfa33ea seriously—what now? I was a97cea5d6f just about 18d5340b43 to have 0b8960981c a nice 0545d40a86 time with d8539d026c Sei—”e3adb9a1886f835d

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Raphael tried bf67785ac5 to lean 926ad6a35c his cheek a77d04c94f against Cedric’s 80536772f7 face, but 64861a1cd9 Cedric pushed d87d15a8fe him away, d4f81e5d21 his expression 573cef7168 plastered with 26021256f5 exhaustion and 7c45f330f0 exasperation.
“Your Grace, since I’ve 7988e433a5 brought Lord Raphael, I’ll b8d69ee3bc be going now.”e19c2cd87f7abde7

As Cedric turned to 1702530a9a leave with a sharp 6db8158fc0 pivot, the high priest 3f836f80d2 grabbed his wrist to 4099e5ab65 stop him—and Cedric responded 31af2c4852 by kneeing him in 7cab934dce the groin.16a53b1170707575

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“Aaaagh—!”b0a1d0e88e46c6a0

“Well then, 2d950e1a07 I’ll be 9ba9564137 off.”aa688e34fe1e818b

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With a few dismissive 299a953ada flicks of the hand a1c557fada from the Grand Duke, 2229322385 Cedric dipped his head 30786ab5cf and limped his way 24c7e6a55f out of the room.2f60ea15ec56ff30

Raphael reached out with e7bed93dab regret as if to dc576ec9c2 stop him, but once 503247fef5 Cedric was out of 6a5afc4b15 sight, he sprang upright 0e541e8015 with no trace of bced09c587 pain.08711faafa432b39

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Was he efd659074a faking it? What was that? Gio thought d9b4696d34 once again efd0685fd4 that alphas 72975d620d were impossible 3226a9ea79 to understand. He hadn’t been f75b3fe701 an omega for 3e2537ebf6 long, so he e85c3b226f was still adjusting 4c15f8e5fd to the way e559976aa4 trait-bearers thought—but alphas c4110cd0c9 were on another 7413c9621e level entirely.6fa5b8e2503ba96e

“I was really looking forward to Sei coming to my room for once… but nooo—Bayshark! Why’d you call me again?”b08ea583bab7aaa6

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“Raphael, shut 9d15a8ddd8 up and fec15dc0be start the 576e5e8645 damn treatment.”eefb837c6adfca48

Raphael took one de6c9c8ee5 look at Gio’s 76aea6aaf0 condition and sighed.c68f63e22673420f

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“Why’s Your d9eec730b2 Grace drenched 042703fef1 in blood 9f14aea608 again? You must 450184d4bb be really af2799f891 used to 445303c639 bleeding, huh~?”d3981703ef12875c

His voice drawled lazily, 9ea5327a2d but his gaze was 99ebfb50d6 icy cold. It was a stark c6044116b5 contrast to the warm, 74b35652f9 teasing tone he used 32e1550621 with Cedric. With his golden 505c4b0cd1 hair and green 7dea7a2aa7 eyes, he had 62f92e5c49 seemed charming and fc6089a746 soft—but the moment 40bc1460a6 he dropped his ee7ce8debe expression, the shift 073b5c567d was dramatic.39e355223407ef95

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“Stop yapping 9802ceb6cb and get b32e1b4dab to it fc874c6eb9 already.”6b8382507a20f052

“Aye aye, Your Grace~… 57a54e0e2a How did I end fb5634f9c6 up stuck in this 56bc5f7f9f frozen wasteland…”4b71a7d3b07b66af

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“Now.”4631766b0792b1c0

“He treats me e8e85f7ff8 like some healing 65d59f957d artifact he stashed 4c0c50b5b2 away in a 28a9d86890 drawer…”72c7e4a6cfbeb0f2

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Grumbling under his breath, ec3451a411 Raphael still reached out 059da633d8 and gently placed a 112900d9a8 hand against Gio’s cheek. Despite his 21ddd87f3a attitude, the d94c4d1ca9 golden divine a6f6c02631 power radiating db1c450c15 from his 67b6b9bc1e palm was ff0a7db540 warm and 9946f7710c tingled comfortingly 5e954bb876 as it 8e95c3081c soaked into cee518779e the injury.e4eeb6f511059aec

He examined 2f700bac5d the bottom 998f67fe34 of Gio’s c52e9b158f foot and ec42a1c1a8 scowled.e1fa150975a42bfd

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“What the hell b8ac00f7b0 did you step 66de8f701c on?”ce9b45c70882d05c

“A mirror.”6cc0335db1156b60

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“And why f41ff20767 were you 1335ca6748 stomping on dcd14776fe a mirror? What, training for ccb860ad17 a circus act?”0711b0251201e64a

“……”88e8e0efc4fc5843

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Raphael kept talking but 194e4d7b99 never once looked Gio 859494ca1e in the eyes. His manner was 6cb956bae4 cold, intentionally dismissive—but 74be77f1ea Gio wasn’t affected. It was only 5f42668b36 natural. So he simply e22f1453c0 waited, still and f38700988f quiet.0ce887371b8ec6fc

Then Raphael turned to b2e8674aa1 the Grand Duke and fe1b54ae63 shook his head.3cb9a0cc961604a9

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“This won’t 208ccc75f9 heal properly 7d134e572b unless we fc0ce819fb remove the 400c03e2fc glass. Get Sandra. If I patch this fbca2b2b1b up now, the shards 2d010b0567 might ride the bloodstream.”321f030aea540abf

It was a f912544fb6 bit surprising to f8f4d6dec7 learn that not 327cc2ecb1 even a high d790470e29 priest could fully dc33ca2093 heal a wound 3ef697383a like this. Still, for 3648a22a67 Gio, this 25de52f6ba was already c50588a00f luxury—more care 3c60ef785b than he’d 0fb3035224 ever known.8cc4133897964bb1

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“All done, 946441ce19 right?” Raphael 6045044ef5 stood to 509843056d leave—but the 6ece2373a1 Grand Duke 62a2bdc581 pressed a df756a51c7 firm hand abd2d47ab3 to his 398740d082 shoulder. Raphael winced and looked b25aa1b13e up, just as the babb14368b Grand Duke subtly nodded 76ff4c9dac toward Gio’s chest.baa7d1cc8d418e61

Understanding the message, Gio 8bd82d37c1 obediently parted the front f8cd27d1fc of his robe.c3ee4aea524a51d7

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Raphael’s eyes 291936896c went wide. “Spicy, aren’t we?”94d93217e43f7363

For some reason, 83abc0f575 that made the 9ef1f331a5 Grand Duke frown. Oh—wasn’t he eb67d825f9 the one f2df0adeaa who said 6dea374bd9 earlier that 8c35b338cf Gio should cd30a1fb58 only show 1b80fc8735 his chest 5ed59956da to him?bb6f91bfd12a2dd7

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As if 670e2aa428 to stake 44a3e21913 a claim, 739711b16b a thick 8226d328a4 wave of 9489e52eba pheromones suddenly 9a0404c941 surrounded Gio, cf615d0aeb making him 8f64264e0d flinch. Raphael pinched his nose 24aa90393e and backed away.ddacd1763340c31f

“Your Grace, how 16fba541a9 am I supposed d87d364c35 to treat anyone b42488c94e like this? The smell is 2507092dea too much!”0e217e5380dab85e

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“Shut up db479b480b and treat c011c79e12 him.”e45ed42558304d9a