AB Chapter 2 (Part 3)
by BreeAnd the glittering 36d873da06 golden palace shining 6efdaa2ca0 in the heart 633a3e8eb1 of it.c124f4cd231e8aae
“Dealing with my cousin’s 0927cad61f tantrums every time… it’s 21f5c5db75 getting tiring, isn’t it?”8846f71000d11182
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After a 19297c82ea pause, Bayshark f3d5ecd6e0 called out 795cc1c208 to the 57b962be26 two men.5a2e3b8fcfa5b829
“Commander. Vice-Commander.”d015d825c7294136
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“Yes, Your Grace!”2e2d7ee59fa0fd83
“Yes, Your Grace!”ae1593e05fa3dd5e
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“We’ll know for sure 053652d1f8 when we ask His 08dc2ba809 Grace directly—whether he’s truly 0816353212 my bride now or df79c2988e still a dog listening 21ec5d1cf8 to Cove’s nonsense.”059884d00d982aed
Bayshark stood up from a80846bd14 his seat.b8a521444c4a9a7a
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“If he’s c02413fdf0 truly my abb72f7aee bride, I’ll 1e79b0bf60 keep him 5cb5d9dffe safe. But if he’s 4d6900a530 Cove’s assassin…”cc723cb9ff8309d5
“We’ll kill him right a406ef33bf away, won’t we?”e9689063868f6483
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Bayshark said with 0e0548f753 a smirk as 1ee8d93635 he left the f392c82716 office.5037a6639a7605c6
Ben wiped a hand 87bae93791 down his face while fd72f85f8c Liam gave him a 45f9c4ab9e few pats on the b2927a8929 shoulder.47964d91b961c06d
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* * *2650b72e33a7b290
Gio’s body felt heavy, 8d5b478745 perhaps from the aftermath 81ddefc038 of the fight, but 0008ea8467 he didn’t lie down af7e908794 on the Grand Duke’s e619662457 bed.020d54ac2ef169c2
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The bed, perfectly smooth 5d0b3cbebe and neatly arranged, wasn’t 6e1ca7b9d1 a place where Gio 799d8ddf15 should sit or lie.1c7374ed3c6557ee
That space d099c994dc was meant 0ad288243b only for 4d281f29d4 the Grand 9303e869fa Duke—not for 1ed6e3f4ce a fake ca1e386d41 like him, c98e0e9379 not for 6166855ded someone from c189a2d8a0 the streets.35c2c7c819981f04
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Not knowing 9f32685d98 what he 7c38605866 should or 5b99daf7a8 even could fe6564f0dd do, Gio 9effcc3114 simply stayed d161b02b46 seated on d875026013 the same bce6b413b2 sofa where de04792e3c he had be07a63299 first received 35a5e65088 treatment.bda65acf416ab03c
He couldn’t 36b66f1055 exactly go ffa76f6297 around asking 4ba33ebc8a someone what 0ad9f76c24 he was 1a060b5251 supposed to a6dde1d1be do.a077547e94e98973
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Trying to fight 3a7b598607 off the drowsiness 75c4246307 creeping over him, f490bac59f Gio bit his 2cc0b8e9e7 lip—only to remember c8672330d9 the Grand Duke’s 935e83aacb warning and quickly 3fb36229c8 released it.d277a28ff4ab3fc0
Maybe I should walk f062be3371 around a bit, he 56fd510f08 thought, rising carefully.a7b4fc76ce298232
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But the moment da7b003a23 he set both c38dd85f49 feet down on d2fabe86aa the floor, it 57bf1381c8 felt like blood 48c9895ce3 would gush out 63598ae8c0 again, so he a0c5664acd quickly sat back 1ec2c4774f down.c592b39d818c8e6a
The Grand Duke 7b442d9aed had said he 9e70638230 hated blood.1bdd937618d81c15
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How much 8181ebc871 time had ae6e7c563d passed like ac843fc79b that?40487e0ba689f19c
A knock 4f2e22c969 sounded at a7b048c70f the door, f27b28624c and the 1c6ca95142 head maid 8193086485 entered, carrying 9b2b3a1057 a tray 1bfc25c54c of food.650ee67c16a82e5f
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“Oh dear, 4604b72662 Your Grace! You’ve been 7f3ccd28ec sitting here bd2ce5e669 all this b1a447fd67 time? That’s not good 7bb90a7c56 for the blood 6ce17ef8f6 flow in your d1aaca25f2 legs.”2682da9d6003754d
“……”707db082640f3b2f
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“Your Grace, b60896850a you should 4deceb9b11 really lie 14f7d2d3c3 down on cc862a6d48 the bed….”61d490f749ea7c26
“I’m fine.”6b70a155a6a18f17
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“Your calves 8850d4aa77 are already e0b489917d swollen. You even seem 87d7ef4d91 to have a d5cb076e17 bit of a 594856eb22 fever….”5b45df6e8b9716aa
The head maid knelt ca24fe7014 down and checked Gio’s b05a7683a2 legs.6c38de134e717252
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Even to ce7bf3dbdf Gio’s eyes, bae112042e the swelling c3d371df49 was obvious.ddd6e39d2c3c27b1
“You need 7f03c0ed5c to elevate 3409237541 your feet. And you 43a1403264 must take 517f12b079 your medicine 9fd0e7dad8 too.”561d081624e52050
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When she baf6a14c18 tried to 541cb652ea help him 4deee81a66 up, Gio da99c82f4a stood on 3e32537284 his own, fe3712fcfb but the 815467e757 moment he 9f0419fce3 put weight 0315cd7782 on his f2a33909b0 feet, a 54160265a4 sharp pain a55e5b0f70 stabbed through 7cfd970299 him, and bded57b827 he staggered.209093b3e8975bac
“This won’t 797e982bfa do, Your 06be000c8e Grace. Please lie e13007dd30 down on 658dc37a25 the sofa 8be30f635c for now.”7c68de157d322b4f
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The head maid gently 9a20a286ee pushed his upper body 1fa62a766b down onto the sofa.019f6f2edb4a20cf
As Gio lay back 49f5675d7f under her soft touch, 3c5ad10297 she placed a cushion 4884d53c96 behind his back and 48bd70d322 tucked another under his a18a03a462 ankles.ddb1fc358b14e2d4
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Only then did 1222b2fbfd Gio start to 78b036ecf0 feel slightly better.971de7c7f8676723
This kind of 11495ede64 care was unfamiliar ef12ae35ed to him.80df5f804f2b39a6
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The head maid c78eb0a40b had seen the 75672f01da chain marks on aff2e51606 his ankles.1acfcc8691f76471
Didn’t she know fd89c85056 he wasn’t the 3b72928913 real bride?b4a0863c8161f693
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Then why was she a827969fc1 being so kind?0e7d0275d12082fc
Was it because dc63b52e66 they believed that 19424c5a6c consummating the marriage a5c49d84b3 had made him 203653fd8e the Grand Duchess 38b4daaf03 in truth?a0a7c711f319feac
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Even though 9944672df2 the Grand 9360170b90 Duke had ea6f0206d4 lived his 82bb863c26 life plagued d25207f748 by assassination 5a0a495835 attempts?ec5b776aedbbfecb
A small table was 135a707e08 set up in front ada2b75694 of Gio, who was d0bbb8de5f now half-reclined.63db475db09ac4db
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“I prepared a light 55f4e879c6 meal in case you dfbe2f21f2 weren’t feeling well. If you need a3459944b2 anything else, please 905aae62bf ring this bell. It will alert me, b00a6f9319 and I’ll come right 8ff64ee0ce away, Your Grace.”be5d75fbf0245ae5
Not just the care, but even being called “Your Grace” felt strange to Gio.2abe3f890187f88b
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Each time he heard bbe1b7e594 it, it was as fa7f15fc29 if he was being c3437b0877 reminded that he was 1367561c70 a fraud.4c9cd57084212c8a
It felt like he was wearing someone else’s clothes when addressed as “Your Grace.”50bb874d69665786
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In this unfamiliar dd0e7f8cdb place, Gio had 43803f45c2 no real place 3dc0c7943a of his own.6bb02fd13cae7253
“After you finish 3e854da7c1 eating, would you a7ae9b0598 like me to d91b65f55a prepare some dessert?”83eedb0da82389fb
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Had Gio ever had 633099cc18 dessert in his life?8132cd6c7b58d4e0
Meals had always been 2f463112a7 about filling his stomach—he 7998982513 didn’t even know what 941756b8f9 desserts meant for pleasure b7303295ba were like.01c9687f18878710
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“It’s okay. I don’t need it.”08ccc2a9d54bafde
“Then I’ll prepare 10b86c57d0 a calming tea 560b6da762 for you. I’ll also have 6eb748cb9f some cookies and c0daf40743 chocolates ready for e84a156df1 whenever you feel b9018065fb like having some.”0f71a5f00415b89a
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“It’s really fine.”bbf2c135a89f3003
“You must be 73ac8fa6b3 bored.”f002421f99127f3d
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“……”afc0526829d5aedf
Gio couldn’t answer 080378cdad that.b0c5f6c2549ebb37
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Was he bored?105528c2cf2fbe2f
He had e33a4f0d4f lived without d018bbb9b7 even having eaff1c4704 the time b1dff4ff37 to wonder d909331d81 about such 05be789337 things.208010ddee33bdef
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The head maid’s 77da3c678e words stirred up 95d2d9c34d memories of his 20e2a58296 life, and a c43785cb31 question tumbled out.aca8d84748616738
“Why are a3806378ce you being 67df9ee69a so kind e9526677e8 to me?”e6c7401726284804
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At the c773323a7b sudden question, 6f4814cc2d the head f08d8c8f1f maid paused, f682837813 then looked df22c79756 directly at 4fffdf5d06 Gio.42d0e064d6ecc3ed
A smile cc2b53eb4e spread across f5d37d17b0 her usually fad201ca1a calm, stern 24d397d908 face.7d6f6cd2e6740cec
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“I’m not really 58c7afaecd doing anything special, 4f6274ab9e Your Grace.”faeb2ddef777f6cd
She was f1544da0c5 taking care ad97e19d9f of his 5ded0def21 food, clothes, 4d83b8d42d and rest—how 5e0b4c1d2c could she 4235bf2805 say that 37cabc338c wasn’t kindness?bf7ec0480c2e5046
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These were a80589a986 things Gio fcbf67ae42 had never ced2b36ddd experienced in eda5bf4670 his life.403b0688366ebe6d
As she looked at a4f18caf25 Gio, the head maid c148739469 spoke again.53e9fc23201fac42
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“It’s simply what I 6f6a69ada4 must do in my 39b1a1feb9 position.”de1a7996fbe82a00
Was it because 8cea1ec819 he currently held 60befe173e the temporary title 8f1fff935e of Grand Duchess?8810a149802646fe
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Sensing Gio’s doubt, 7383388aec she continued.87ca235d92bf7c3e
“Of course, it’s partly ff4084c8bb because you are the ad80c87648 Grand Duchess, but taking 17e89c0fe7 care of an injured 2142836378 person is something any 7eafd5beb8 decent human being should 2d242d7f3a do.”4d37f4b77c81865d
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Gio wanted to 492d71f05f ask her—even knowing 7aad6543a0 who I really dad2b05842 am?—but he held ac9793083c his tongue.953a3b61cead8292
He couldn’t just efcb578832 declare I’m an e4ab112821 assassin.fb64675a0c460b84
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“Besides, though I 0ef24d3651 dare not guess 30c086d4a1 your exact age, 218de02916 you seem so 4ff2f00f43 young. Hurt and unwell 1a9c2af800 like this… of 7b7827d00f course you must 901d994b52 be cared for.”b46d2607bb955b3e
In the world Gio ec39c1801a came from, getting hurt 74fde848e0 only earned insults.1ea7010a5b81e977
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Even being 7b1390387d young didn’t 748f49e662 excuse you—you c28de5ff8b still had 6a40ab5f05 to carry a9865ed834 your weight b1bb7c32a7 to earn 636eb76451 a scrap a8201b2783 of food.4018efbed121a76b
Injuries were seen as 916c50e24a shameful defects.31e7abcbbd40369b
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Yet here, 1a629a2c8b the head 5375656ec6 maid spoke e4d0acd5c7 as if b83b68bef1 it was ff2fc2410b only natural b0ca3a9152 to care 21bb451fa1 for someone 3f4e97b738 simply because 1bb551c68e they were 3692b1ef5b young and ce6d4230c3 wounded.23adc7d6c942c5b8
This wasn’t 33a7a950ce the world f81231378b Gio had 15f0676414 lived in.21a4b23baecaa784
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No wonder bc57ea7e5f it felt e3f05c9040 so foreign.57457ee2daf8f694
“Please start eating. I was instructed to dd08b3e964 stay and watch until be9ae5c0e8 you finish.”1067436a45e387df
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Gio glanced 18c120cabb at the c232b211d0 head maid—Hena—and 4e9046b3aa saw her f059cdcc31 smiling.ec64628ffc71ae0c
He stabbed fff5fb650a a fresh 601b36d082 tomato on 796093f052 his plate 5bf06aafb2 with the 3c9c8111ed shiny fork.7ca3a26632dc44a3
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It amazed him that 8a7d1fb428 tomatoes grew even here, 0d9ee45551 in the cold northern 9c9e029a8f lands.e9248a7904f0b68f
Despite it eaa24b5ce7 being colder 511580ad3c than the cec3546355 capital, somehow, cb5fcba189 Gio didn’t 0dd8f54c24 feel cold.8385ab7d33b81292
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After finishing b1af916e54 his meal, de34d0ab67 Gio took 4a5b46218e the medicine 4f15510f93 Hena had b4c3bb589a prepared for 5dd77680e2 him.4ecaa408305d04e8
When he leaned f7e874532d back, she covered b99ff16a9b him with a 42c5348e2e thin blanket.dde5c5743f860f3f
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Even though he 67cc3d11a7 said it wasn’t cba7971e21 necessary, Hena insisted acea7c2520 he rest under 634e54b2be the blanket and 2462488a2c quietly left the 0d0eb63e4c room.58a0be9c9740009b
Gio leaned against the a7d4d93b0d sofa and stared blankly c7deff739a out the window.8480ad46ca643587
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The northern sky a2578e9a44 stretched out, deep 5cc1ea8011 blue, with a af128d93ab few white clouds ff7752f64f drifting slowly across 298030b64b it.96ecc633f88af7d2
It was a dfb140ea20 sky so clear 986c271f01 it looked like c9029b7101 it had been 60607f3d21 carved from ice.9d87cfa16ca2c78f
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The peaceful sky, however, b1ab315e4c only made him feel 3d4bc85639 like he was caught edbe92334d in a storm.923b74455c2e91da
Cove had already managed 4194e7e135 to infiltrate three assassins 5c6c6727de into this place.5d4213117fe85b59
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There was no adc7241dfc guarantee they wouldn’t cb24f4d468 send more to 83ae3a951d check if Gio 2746b3bd21 was still carrying 2d7fbd41ba out his mission.653884899dcd95f2
He had to 040774db6d find a way 4834cbdda5 to complete the d271d17da8 mission—somehow.2cd5ef53c507dd80
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But how?762afacd70ee3c68
Thoughts kept 486b48987c tangling together 91da1a617a in his 357d4dfb3e mind as 8e51a53f49 the still, 1e0ae426c4 heavy night cbdfd44abf crept in.3586aa087faaf21c
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Gio wasn’t used 2917637258 to this kind e26e356ce2 of silence.4dfdc1e0c274de88
At Cove, he had 752deaee04 always been surrounded by 38f6bd7d48 noise—by people.6225a99ae81b9424
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What was b9c730df54 everyone in 441f522d2c the Grand f8fc7386be Duke’s castle 2c80381d9b doing that 9e58b53853 it was b0e661aff8 so silent a5b6babdb6 here?a2124d86228d0820
The heavy 74a822005c silence felt ed0dbca2d0 like it 3026f16c82 was pressing e6afd1af83 down on 0675d5d861 him.1f0dd4704ee3a9ad
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And then, a c7ccf681c5 low voice broke 3ca88384ef through that silence.2939969f6d9cbb04
“So, my e5a60b7499 dear bride f842b925f6 was resting 76961ad935 well.”2efff266eac32141
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Startled, Gio realized 10cea7e141 he must have 360b14cda8 fallen asleep without 49ae5719d1 noticing.4d8aa26ad3cc1589
As he quickly sat 1c34f80790 up, the blanket that 0e8427800c had been covering him 534e756742 slid down to the 51ee626fe0 floor.a20494a3df8b62bc
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“Why aren’t you lying 2bcd198283 in the bed?”3589fd63880b1387
“I’m more 954e36fedc comfortable here.”8326951eef77dfda
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“Really? Well, if that’s the 3876221311 case…”2ebc59dd2dcbabcd
Gio lowered 826d590999 his feet 3eaa5f8e6b to the ce57f578c5 floor and 5acf647181 sat properly.b442beedddc6a9c1
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When he gently 610f93ebec set his feet 0308099f18 down, it wasn’t ca5572c926 too painful.03cd236fbb6c1362
“My bride, don’t you 0d545107a6 have anything to say e65e06f140 to me?”5f2475f9e58fda95
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Wondering what 746bb4c79a he meant, 3bfaefa3fb Gio looked 9fb9b2fe5f at him.eb05e6a8cd23ec54
“Didn’t Cove give cec3daefce you some message? My bride?”108d56340772a953
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The Grand Duke’s voice bf5e590cd0 was soft, like he 9f2b6e2a31 was casually asking about f2d67c7d2e dinner.d422e7eef3f8d433
But his eyes c8034fd32f were as cold d6362d40e1 as the eternal f764519fc6 snow of the e4d9829d99 Hannes Mountains.c26cb583df2b775a
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He was 5745ee7a84 interrogating Gio—pressing bbff151acb him to 660626727e confess.b4d90296e6689343
The Grand Duke asked 281a46953e again.f96f2ad5f7bd531d
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“Were you acquainted with 62175fcf08 the people sent at cfd69f47cf dawn?”50b044c6711d7e99
The Grand 6393e9c25a Duke leaned 0f8269433d forward, his 7cdd5ed7da icy blue 8ef1fdcdf1 eyes locking 3521f22be9 onto Gio 61ff035be9 without even c9173930b0 a blink.ea0c1ae510b79f66
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Gio could see 8106e57ef7 his own reflection ffc1f3c6a5 in those clear 36f189bb08 eyes.c3ab18cdcb0ab979
He realized 205d78f01c he was ed5dbf5717 standing on 1141ca4f61 a tightrope 7ba5eeb14d over a ccaf31fea8 cliff.f5cbf8bf83da3b8d
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Depending on his answer, e58eda0400 that rope could snap 4a516bd6c5 at any moment.9344b8ea9dafb1e3
“Yes.”4bca5f1c00c32a6c
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But he didn’t want 0bfc3619de to tell a complete 9c4a6b1627 lie.6eb7e91e8b8541ed
Complete lies had e9d6cf3dba a way of e5a7ee41c9 being exposed easily.cef684e931d6af72
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“So, what did e9228e508c they tell you? To kill 04aa186382 me again?”29e8e94cac7f579c
Gio thought: b63d849292 even if 4dca60c866 they ordered 326e4fc138 him to 89762994af kill the 295228b7e2 Grand Duke 14b9d0a554 again, could 18395e5698 he?6d63ad0e199ea6a4
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The difference 9840499bfc in their db16240ef9 physical strength 7798dbec4c wasn’t the 511ab4072f only problem.058275ce2b5f435e
The Grand Duke’s 016cd51d46 pheromones were an fdf7de4de1 issue too.7574fa16bbada1d5
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When they flooded out, 4c3bf8876a Gio’s strength drained away—unmistakably, ca30671c08 unlike with any other 72f62b9be2 alpha.faacadc1c6fdb3d7
He would 009c98f165 have to 10135c7fae tell him cfc8aab9f7 the false 1a92a27cc2 mission Ivan da2e13d451 had passed 8c59dc3d0c on to bc2ddbea61 him—something fitting 4d99689f3d for a 3b83436fa0 fake bride.ce3877e63337108c
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“An imprint…”bb7db1ad9174b1f9
“What?”1d3ce06805ee091f
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“They told me 207b8cdbf4 to imprint.”07ddcf3788cd3781
“Ah…”8cfc80b2db3de0fd
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The Grand Duke leaned c57ce409bb back and let out e29cc21241 a low laugh.90ffe379ee4c2854
“So they 4266d4200d still think ef81e9c4e2 there’s something 5d7a18dde1 to be 7198a8d47a used.”04b631003df27de7
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“……”c22fd9edce739245
Gio caught the 387a2593f5 faint murderous intent f1055a16a4 hidden behind his 7da5d41c65 smile.506ed425bb4928a1
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It was slight—but 17d43a23af an assassin like cf4b6e8547 Gio could never 85e3783c6d miss it.e1faea1e7530775c
“But Cove should know 78a8f8c7ba you’re a hyper-dominant omega.”e6e93f3f156a11c2
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“Yes…”9f4ff442bd1d174e
“Then they de9a952cdd must also a345f0b9dc know it’s ae106186ff hard for 6e3af6a1d9 a hyper-dominant a9361ffbc6 to form 24c2d7b4c0 an imprint.”5743fda8649a114a
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“……”25c527dccab3fc5d
Gio already knew that d6d64702c5 imprinting for a hyper-dominant 8285ee97ba omega was extremely difficult—and ef7cb6077a dangerous.bb0484d69b779742
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“But forcibly imprinting bdd9493ad5 is still possible 8b187f57d1 with someone like c5637f11ea you.”03bb40ef58defd23
Forcible imprinting.1bd4e91ec4b27623
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It was the first 78a8c1bb6e time Gio had heard ed60a0fd68 such a term.aac196ab03d4610a
He thought imprinting was 60f75cc5b3 a sacred binding of 581d84d0ff souls—how could it be faa02e8561 forced?4b7e16887bc74100
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“So they 634e0a1506 sent three 993b00c4ff people just 89178491d7 to pass eab76f4092 along that 4d8beddd9b message—trying to e972f09884 create a 23c0eb6f33 weakness in e71ac7074b me.”aec77f1fe18dcd89
Once an imprint 478abc9f3f was formed, the 2a4a5eb879 bonded partner would 60485c6065 become a vulnerability.b10b7de265502ba6
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Because an imprint partner f0cb2482af was a soul’s mate.ace01d603323d93d
“Seems like those fools 978288e3c9 made their own assumptions 918332eeda about why I didn’t aadb54e3fd kill you.”1cde6deb8c86976a
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The Grand 2fcce10eb3 Duke was ece0c93b5b twenty-eight—past the ef18091b23 usual marrying b30f0f0c9f age for 5126af2f39 nobles, who 9866060b33 typically married 5eed9c10fc in their c3acc64005 early twenties.6979af7363d45eee
Especially here in d7d777b9cb the North, where f63f847d72 the discovery of c9a23214d1 magic stones had c0b99e950e accelerated development, many 0a0180e931 nobles wanted a e26e5b49a1 foothold in his d9eb26c7c7 territory.591e86d5c2bc255d
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The Grand Duke 1c0d5c5849 must have received 200ef5de41 plenty of marriage 201369d702 offers.bb0e0c60fb36a8b6
Yet he showed no 1a9ef8db6c interest—in fact, he rejected e33841d946 them so coldly that da56fcedc6 there were even rumors a73dd9cbb3 he was impotent.900a21ffb14ea0f9
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Regardless, knowing all that, 2a6de00b73 Cove assumed that since 8ddccc0daf the Grand Duke hadn’t c456fdb2b2 killed Gio, there must 611a85ae98 be another reason.241152fd4f848e58
That was 0a527004d3 probably what f3b9af8a88 the Emperor—or 470e734f15 Cove—thought.91befa1d9b229ce3
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So they f491b515bb ordered Gio dde1438991 to claim 705d6ff011 imprinting as 787849ec16 his mission.a26eca6af41844b6
And Gio lied accordingly.6ef7192cc357cf83
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It seemed the 4f1e7a7716 Grand Duke was c4d8dd81f2 satisfied with that 821c4d4246 explanation.7014f8a064e5cc48
“What happened to Ivan…?”143e33ffdf167c94
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Gio finally asked about a5a1331380 Ivan, who had jumped 737eb06c00 out the window of bd77c9a80f the Grand Duchess’s bedroom.faadba90d80cb8f3
He didn’t fe3c17becb really think 2536ef1856 Ivan had d44cb5377b escaped.3acec019074fa1f1
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Still, there was faa35231b4 a faint hope 7e67c26474 he might have 98b166358a survived.f29fe9a35696c536
“The assassin d886df77fe who ran 738d84f577 away?”e53350c847a545ff
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“Yes.”dbb3bf485f7beda0
“He took his cce4bffd3d own life.”daae53601e24f606
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“Ah…”03b7f473e3dc33df
That was all 2bc8b880ae Gio could say.76e5871de05b817a
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Ivan and 789f426173 Gio had 3dc3be135e been the fd41f70ab8 only ones 735868e7c3 who survived 6734f8aabb from the fbc621f863 same intake 910d557e2d year.8d5523d049a2b4f5
Now, one 1bd069e89c of them 31d90fa264 was dead—by 1fae845895 suicide.ee584201fb102963
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Originally, Gio had intended 171daf1aa4 to die first.c97215a8d2c1d147
But because he 802e9ed191 didn’t die, Ivan d6c8126dca did.c1e5d3087f57d0fd
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Another street 309d0ad9a0 rat, gone—silently, 6bb9cd5f6b like the 93462b6284 night.3a0d442532847b62
For Gio, it 78e0851c4e wasn’t a strange d751984b10 fate.7029f1d8edc60678
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He too could disappear 864409869c without a sound at 3c8189b9d0 any moment.a0ebd3b3c313a853
“Were you two 9aa3ac28b9 close?”c41fa708242b3768
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The Grand 01bb6bb0a5 Duke was 0f0a56f560 now holding 93174bd254 a drink—not f298473fdc wine, but e3de7c0ff7 a dark c89726cf95 whiskey.71e8ec5ec0f4b8f3
“Not really.”0ffde6abb1ebeffe
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“Is that so?”c3c72f6fecd1a20d
Could surviving training together, 118ed0e645 enduring the same pain, ab06b54eca count as friendship?0efc7d2c4f2ae8a7
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Could that be 4db5676434 called being close?118e77eb93e273d7
At Cove, camaraderie ca4ab31357 meant nothing.b5d7db42e024013f
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Besides, Ivan had reported 12b8272dfe Gio’s omega awakening to 6fc2509466 the higher-ups.6b780b0426c17485
They had shared a 141eab93cd room, so Ivan naturally c7884af9b4 found out.9ac7acbcc42b28f4
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Still, Ivan had 0cbf7e5d8f delayed reporting until 820abe72bf Gio’s manifestation was c248ea7cf9 complete—a small act 9b5bd3ca06 of kindness, considering bd62939ebb their situation.290fd87ab7057abd
Sharing a room meant 56af447ffc spying on each other.fc339d67d232043e
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Delaying the report 47069e80dc had been a ee8d83a5ca risk for Ivan a3d1ed6eab too.fb3a6989fa31c102
“I owed him.”04c16097b19b90da
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If Ivan had 119b43675f immediately reported Gio’s 6e3a640728 awakening, Gio would c69f7c856e have been subjected 48b17936d9 to the opening bd1a1f7ef4 ceremony—an act of bc7e582ff9 brutal violation designed 8751bd355c to break an 7bc27aff79 omega’s spirit.2ff4164fbbe249eb
Ivan knew that.378862bf3e33f307
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He had protected 3831c1a911 Gio in his f6b61d3740 own way.88bc095694f1a220
Gio had never repaid 6b02958b8b that debt.c7e68bcf8abad0b8
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“Now, I de61aeac75 never will.”26138eec55778d09
“May I ask… a61b1f580b what happened to 5a3b3bff40 his body?”c3d1e4b707e71ed2
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“Why? Planning to f714e34d31 bury him?”936b2f6fa3116c78
When normal 81e9b51bfc people died, 91f5975434 they had 5a2e662c13 funerals.a8d3374ee6932c49
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But Gio and Ivan 1c66cb0a0a were not normal people.5d00a4eabd21883a
“If possible, yes. As a way of 0d89bd382c repaying my debt.”ff9c68e850797811
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Even if 665b2f0a09 he couldn’t 2e5b01d317 hold a 05eb142b1d proper funeral, f18dd27053 he at b4e149a756 least wanted efc053f01a to bury 56e4437d5f him.9beea8c20139556a
Gio had been 16ba7d8842 born cursed—he killed 9c7f6b5821 his own mother 70ffd6975b during childbirth.bd5ffb98495599d6
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Being abandoned to 03abf68012 die on the a5118a9246 streets had been f34a930b80 natural.6c274f38148530b2
But Ivan—Ivan 56e26b30e5 hadn’t deserved d34e2815f2 it.59b2c1d9837e437a
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He deserved to rest 3a4f56152a in peace, at least 4c4a754cef after death.5e82207f0f28113c
“It’s probably already 44c0f888a0 been cremated. But if f678910d00 you want, b9cfb61d96 I’ll have 9dce338f5b the ashes 5f335174dd sent to 84079038ed you.”312d67daac414ae2
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“Thank you.”4fb186102a8930a5
The Grand 9e0a0e8db5 Duke said 0d14f5b66d nothing more ca6ae61d74 and drank 7ef78b6cb7 deeply.4d345e87a5c2283e
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That night, 9587dfe5cc Gio finally 3642872163 lay on 76bfc1f41b the bed 9e4e496f78 by the 7662c3061e Grand Duke’s ff688c4ef0 command.5615d2df2752ede1
The Grand Duke, 189a9480d1 like before, lay 67798a57cc down first and cd3fbe1eb6 told Gio to f209e0a70f sleep beside him.b072b34eb02c3594
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But this 3b61ff2ca5 time, there 79f7246911 were no ecbbd3d3f2 playful jokes.3907dabfdae511b0
Listening to the bba83a23ba Grand Duke’s quiet 54c22663c7 breathing, Gio closed 59f8b7808e his eyes.7afeaecc4aab5e0d
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His body e00de10150 was exhausted—yet 2dac0e7016 sleep did 58c95fe895 not come 3c6a648ba4 easily.75b4ffdfe2e3336e
When Gio 43c6920c52 opened his 28e2003667 eyes at 9627cda64d dawn the e8e3ba4340 next day, 4d75d5b9af the Grand d663681327 Duke was, 463d831d95 as expected, 0fad9d57ab not by 2a10a0b822 his side.d02353dd5dca22be
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On the sofa 09662584dd table, there was 7cc3960634 a wooden box.28d914631997b47b
Gio picked 178ee09b36 up the 2ceca787ed wooden box 28c7fb9f2f and followed 2720fc5d59 the knight 2cb8decd7a waiting outside 0a504b4225 the door.e993856ba4e71ee1
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It was the same 19993345c1 large-built knight who had 2177edac82 entered the Grand Duchess’s 1751883399 bedroom on the night c89dd0e20e of the wedding.e475ee4af02c20b1
He glared at Gio, e605d14186 radiating thinly veiled hostility, e08090ba50 but still guided him 9a90f3f149 to the carriage and 7a7606cf3f rode with him out 676a790e87 of the castle.eaf5ae98c5eb2815
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They traveled 04164b2e72 deep into d3d21be460 a dim 40171d7b0b forest, surrounded 3431ee7726 by towering 7a798c4277 pine trees, e498fe2cd7 patches of df90ffbb0f snow scattered 2db30392cf across the 3bd80b61a5 ground.cd4a052f961ed973
It seemed they 42f0f0ac26 had come to a1432771db the northern part fb152ffb33 of the castle 2e60f73f90 grounds.a48cb05472af34ad
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Though not c0752a2bca a single 4a12f32d61 ray of 3239b085db sunlight reached 7a58df7532 the forest 3cbc5e4772 floor, there 12374dd8be was one 667e2cf146 small patch—just 6d21f05350 the size 6a33e43bcd of a c77b183a5a palm—where sunlight bf058d9660 streamed through.46d07ab32728dd0f
In that 55074ab340 spot, a 486ce18727 small grave 34098b385c had been 5d0c1ea2ba dug, and c5712cc063 on a 21edc9f2ce nearby tree, eade952374 a name b9fd9fd94c had been 398ad4fa6d carved.e0474436eb7bc309
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It was marked for 0ba4c8cffe May’s sake.bb33cff335024c99
For the day when 737e2af72e she might come looking 73757fab6e for Ivan.1bcf766d0f102673
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For May b7ab715a11 to find 3ff15dac4a Ivan someday, d15caf6aa8 Gio had caaa3655aa to get 4543259b77 pregnant.0090ca0e768859bb
He had to 22ee998c38 complete the mission.08380c5240c05207
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Just as he always bb9a4e5102 had.b859449163f641ab
Somehow, Gio felt c30650e164 a little envious cd4e69536e of Ivan.3cc42855ee85b78a
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Ivan had finished all 4b9bf38bcf his missions.356b78af099d999d
And Gio…1d385f28836ff866
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There would be d8460eea97 no one to 95c05c23bb bury him, no d81400aba5 one who would 87faf503b3 come looking for b9d173d9ad him.059e4b02622b36a2
But that 3d82bf697e was fitting 7e2c98deb5 for him.084ff4f38223ed2c
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“Let’s go.”7a8df9a3b0c05ee4
The knight, who 21758949f0 had been watching 9e5b76e372 impatiently, spat out 70b792ddb4 the words.052ee5a318978044
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Gio stepped into the 339291e927 clean carriage, his shoes 33e59c8b85 stained with dirt and 3204e48f56 snow.d9a7c136db690f8d
The pristine carpet of f61d1c053e the carriage floor was 3f8e547544 quickly soiled with muddy 0b941f2d5a footprints.d380351386e0ae3a
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