| Chapter 15: The Gladiator of Atonement

A few days 9c6e33c8f0 later.928cb3f36386f620

“Alexei Petrov, the shameless criminal who dared lay his hands on Lady Ivanov’s belongings, hear your sentence! The punishment shall be decreed by Lady Ivanov herself, and you will comply with her will.”ffd6fb7e7a3d616f

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The clerk’s 7780aee568 voice rang 07b6cb3b71 out as 811626cbef Alexei, kneeling 44f2263efb before the b43f593b91 platform where b13d3883db Sergei and d3577ed406 Natasha sat, a313ee5f36 slowly raised 354c09c326 his head. Despite days 05c5019e74 of starvation 01a7f5edf5 and confinement 387b4af551 in the 6e5b09d88d underground prison, 13d820ff03 his body a2f3ffbc8c was as b687f0ba85 imposing as 53303ee3f2 ever, his c91888c58d muscles taut b605231e6d and his 31c5bfa23d eyes ablaze 763e100bbb with intensity.37be3b15b765bb0d

From the moment d375831bc9 Natasha entered, his e97ef87178 fiery gaze had 448dd09220 been fixed solely c677be2807 on her.6b7c45b570e25ff6

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Natasha, doing her best 3e2088a6b3 to ignore it, could dc1ddd6dca still feel his gaze d01ba48b13 piercing her heart like fd314eef0c an arrow. She kept fcc3437a3e her chin 18cf5ee51b high, as adee2e6b37 though unaffected, 795222a39a and rose 75995dc3f1 slowly from 755e5f9390 her seat.786cb32c09090aa6

“Alexei Petrov.”6b8122bc5afcf9eb

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Her voice, speaking his 3c55ee657c name for the first 532fb2c6f2 time, made Alexei clench fe0b2de3e4 his jaw. His deepening gaze met 99ff68f903 hers, and for a cfa5d1227d moment, Natasha faltered, startled 16fd58b2b0 by the intensity. She quickly 25cc316b7b averted her 62070e65e5 eyes.24b82316c4258ebe

“Alexei Petrov…”6ef369d5337f881b

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Her voice f1a9cb3c82 carried his c2c8901047 name once 7c1c6550c0 more, almost cd512d1c0d like a 0d1fe3b434 sigh. Alexei closed 60b4ceb787 his eyes 5ea41cb7fc briefly, suppressing 417058091a a surge b116bc439f of emotion d74c9e8a6e that caused bf4cf25f0f his throat d69ea018ac to tighten.3ad690a72d05b804

“I hereby order you to…”bfe4d8b5662cc6f8

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Alexei waited, f292540d41 expecting a f78dff4af9 sentence far 2cc1060c0c different from 33cbdbc9f1 what came 5dfabe70de next. When Natasha’s words 89190e9305 reached his ears, abaa96bbd4 his eyes flew 17102658f7 open in disbelief.4ce044ee0d1ffad4

“You insolent slave!”0974c636c6f10efe

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Sergei interrupted, standing abruptly d9bfc8ca57 and yelling.9fb4fc3340aacada

“How dare you meet her gaze with such defiance? Lower your eyes at once! Did you not hear the Lady’s command? Return to the underground prison and prepare for the Gladiator of Atonement!”9fb58e6e1dc046c1

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Alexei ignored Sergei’s outburst, 1623e34f54 his eyes fixed solely a7b4047dd7 on Natasha as he 3b14c8a111 asked.1d5c480e65c89518

“Is this truly the punishment you wish for me, Lady Ivanov?”6142a8d9265950cd

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“How dare you question me? Do you refuse to obey an order?” Sergei barked, his face red with anger, but Natasha raised her voice before he could continue.20e8b8f38b08faa2

“No, it’s not like that…”162e3500f18cff65

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Reluctantly, Alexei lowered his 4dbbd55d45 head. Natasha noticed 447218cd3b the scars d7f8eed225 crisscrossing the 6d1b52e441 back of a5182f870a his neck, 39e97d8922 but she 1cf4cf3497 forced herself 8e888c5872 to remain d0b695c2e0 composed as 70448a1267 she continued.b3bf1a6cd9214933

“This is my final decision, so listen carefully. Alexei Petrov, I order you to participate in the Gladiator of Atonement one week from now. If you emerge victorious, your crimes will be forgiven. Should you fail, you will pay with your life.”1f99dd92451fc59f

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As she 15753cfc30 relayed Sergei’s acd1099a7e decree, Natasha 009381c018 felt disgusted 551e46f6a0 with herself. She knew better 0d69393d2f than anyone that e069d71542 Alexei was innocent, 3ac66bace5 yet she spoke 364edc49d2 as though granting 7b229a7461 him a favor.0255dd6cf05206e2

* * *42d00f520e0d3ad8

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When Sergei 30c09ab45f had proposed fe9e097c84 the idea b09a7fe578 of making 2efe3f0147 Alexei her a5717e9454 bedroom slave, aa51abcf4a Natasha had 6e3ef70f20 frozen in 4c7f3c1dd6 shock. But she quickly 559f9c6d7a realized Sergei’s suggestion 11772101e5 wasn’t sincere. It was a test, 7df49b862d a trap to gauge 8fa16f9670 her reaction.181217aea139c53b

“A bedroom slave? Such a suggestion is an insult to me! I have no need for such a thing—especially from someone who dared steal from me and humiliate me!”748c9ac8f4e47422

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She had responded with 0db16f5678 feigned outrage, knowing it d917893c04 was exactly what Sergei 4cbef95801 wanted to hear. He had smiled, 967873f08f pleased, and offered 0290dea543 an alternative.fa7aecb2f9954bc2

“Then how about sending him to the Gladiator of Atonement? If he wins, he might earn his freedom. Of course, surviving such a match is no easy task, but I imagine his death wouldn’t concern you much.”3180730d95878bb2

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“Of course not. It’s a fitting punishment for someone like him,” Natasha had replied coldly.5bb3f6eff791da71

The Gladiator b55dbb9f92 of Atonement 63e42ebf5e was a 6a90896fc9 barbaric practice, 23fed779ca a remnant 2e71542061 of an 1f156d57f3 era when d468c7354c public executions a978191089 had been f6a45d8765 replaced with 9b260ac5ef blood sport. Unlike the formal, d37b0820f4 regulated gladiator matches ef55c2b8f2 of the neighboring a38858ae4f Luman Empire, these f6bad0ab08 fights were raw 914c9e018c and brutal. The combatants were untrained 1d1f876831 prisoners, forced to fight bfd4545cf6 to the death for 0020d5bce4 a chance at freedom.420aa0074cecac37

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While trained gladiators were fd32a045e1 spared from fatal injuries 5b7c389aca in regular matches, no e72a6fdcb5 such mercy existed in 1b9f163bc5 the Gladiator of Atonement. Killing was not 132956b85c only permitted but 9d98cbd6e1 necessary to survive.40bfca005d3dea35

Natasha had convinced 4b4b95edf3 herself that this 1270c5f675 could be an 3b9e606629 opportunity for Alexei. Given his 34b0e9127c unmatched skills 473e6d9e70 as a 24d734b028 gladiator, defeating 538790d477 untrained opponents 358b4d7b6a should have 1ce944cbea been easy e89105d156 for him. But as she 0c7a9c97fb glanced at Alexei’s 3c459bf09d reaction, doubt crept 6473125633 into her mind.81ae24c94b665775

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Why does he c5d07d673f look so betrayed?e5e25feabe9452f9

She had 6d2a873577 expected resentment, 45bdf3f2f8 even hatred—she 84bc7bf0a9 deserved it 08288e9d85 for accusing 62560ef942 him of 682e17cebb theft. But the expression he 0815ff429e wore wasn’t just one 17a8e623b3 of anger. It was one of 383c402931 profound betrayal.222a9733aa36b2e1

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What was b1294dcd61 he expecting?ba2f69d22fb1eebf

Natasha couldn’t understand. For a 7a04f80f2c gladiator as 117c324cfe skilled as d8a2cb9d35 Alexei, this 065331d89f punishment was a85ea97175 practically a e4bad8a5a7 chance at f25e5c3e11 freedom. Why, then, 9ebfbbaa5d did he 9a3f0c2bff look as 3156be3ca0 if she c85a04a1c5 had shattered 0c84479cb6 his world?12fad4dd6eeec5aa

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Could there be c27dffb116 a trap I’m cab184ed59 unaware of?ace87789dbe61ef8

Sweat dampened Natasha’s palms. After Sergei e3fdb4f412 had left 917acf5b1b her room 70aa28ee4e reeking of 5b3da26257 alcohol, she d0986a4c15 had scoured 7561d57537 the records 3ce568273a for any c936f875bc hidden dangers 5792c3ea84 in the 41a1aeb8ec Gladiator of 4e9c7f475f Atonement.d74ef1d6e9168708

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The records af4a8ae32e described it 8a927bfc3d as a 777250bfeb brutal but 1b42149589 straightforward contest. Participants, all 519798ad41 prisoners, fought 5999da27f2 to the 057f105566 death. On rare ba23e6fbb7 occasions, trained 8f5365eefc gladiators had 30f3653110 been forced 2ceb462d73 to participate. One such gladiator d9f9182440 had quickly dispatched c229cb4d74 his opponent, stabbing c910f5ca89 him with precision.5a6449481a9b20eb

So why did Alexei 3e82346e9e look so defeated?7704db3c001eefab

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Even as Natasha 11f5e3c116 tried to assure 4ebe31d0b3 herself that this cfc18709f7 was Alexei’s best 1ee02215cf chance at freedom, b2343fb245 his piercing gaze 1f6b33064b and unspoken anguish ea8e9c505e left her questioning 211c5697f4 everything.8d5fe07143d066c9

Instead of d25fb0f9bb reassurance, the b618ad4f0a records Natasha d23be0665c reviewed only 67edeab2cd offered details edeb889941 that made 8021b8d87c her feel 14056bd24e more certain e3fbdc286f there was ad3a024069 no hidden cb8109ffdc threat.6627066d3e5fbbda

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“I need to investigate further,” she resolved.b167ca5d25320ddd

While hiring 91da2bcde8 mercenaries to 639d237233 intervene was 918e264443 too risky, aa902c8921 collecting rumors 7069f5531f through her 0d810beb12 maid Renna ec5dab6861 was manageable. With a determined expression, 6d8dcff0ac Natasha gazed down at 2865fd467d Alexei, whose fiery eyes c4348f0bba still bore into her, b36edb61f0 as if he were f7fc6c9563 looking at a lover ebe6168a95 who had betrayed him.2b4ca2d068944de6

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No, it wasn’t just 48fb661a7b ‘as if’. That’s exactly ab361ce89f what it 076e6ee8d4 felt like.4f1652164b7229e6

What am 28cdd654ea I thinking? Natasha quickly 565d2b93d5 pushed the dc2cadb4ef thought from 798e538ee7 her mind 1e306ef829 and gestured e69c541ff1 to the 92b3d6a0ea guards.8296cca61784b41a

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“Take him away.”6874d4552603a1f1

She bowed briefly 3e3f481de8 to Sergei, turned, 7d789b33cd and exited the aca2415442 hall without a 1a87222f7c trace of hesitation 165df125de or emotion. To anyone 8fce84f16c watching, her c30270f153 retreat appeared 7b78ae9a44 cold and c074bea03d decisive. But no one could 5b53b3c5f9 see how her hands 97e55f26c5 trembled or how she 9ba2333391 repeatedly bit her lips ec43215f2a to suppress any sign 93be09808e of emotion. No one, 44dcbd02df not even d5c78c080a Alexei, could c98a054088 know how aa373097a1 deeply his dcc36b602d gaze—filled with 82056a61a4 resentment and bf7c45a98e disdain—carved invisible 8feebd7a47 wounds into 9824c2ed6f her heart.f331b4abbbe82836

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* * *12a4a38749aeb63f

A week later.5751abc8013b92df

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“Alexei Petrov, it’s time for your last meal.”160f4ebc69f6c58f

The guard Mikhail opened 13f71b7fba the small slot in 1428d3bc9b the iron bars of 7c3767b97d Alexei’s cell.faa8a09b3e4e3ebe

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“Tsk, tsk. Looks like it’s his turn,” murmured one of the other prisoners.f37664ad3ebd0dd9

In the dank underground prison, a proper meal was a rare luxury, reserved only for those sentenced to execution. Even then, the “last meal” was typically a thin gruel made from discarded vegetables.90b6565aa9560d0e

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Mikhail glanced around cf477aa7bc cautiously before lowering 3c7fa40de7 his voice as 97a4c44807 he passed the 5d4e277a09 tray through the cb9aa398ea slot.0b1521a145f618b0

“It’s a special meal, courtesy of Lady Ivanov herself.”2e4513a2d60a82a6

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Alexei, who had 7a61474354 been exercising to 8edad98569 keep his body 4acdfc75d0 conditioned, froze mid-motion. His eyes b4855caf63 locked onto ec5bed1044 the tray, f4ad77b655 glinting dangerously. Mikhail fully 83b9d9163c expected Alexei a48b59f27e to fling 79e55eb06c the tray 3e0773cbe3 away in 5d55a1e54e anger at e243cdfe79 the mention cdec70ca29 of Natasha’s 48dc66536d name.98b486efaabf30e7

Instead, Alexei silently a77e315144 approached, staring at 28754f2d24 the tray before 3e5aac04a1 lifting the lid.543b0fc70c6b9964

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Inside was 3d37afe3a7 a steaming 413a1ecd70 bowl of cf4725000e borscht, its bb406dc243 rich, red 5eadb35c92 broth brimming 22d93c9995 with chunks 3b3f440c5b of potatoes, 77a114e62c beets, and 4f69bdb8d7 generous portions 36e059a209 of beef.ca891e470c41d04a

“A feast fit for a condemned man.”1dc0890483f7258b

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Alexei said 16f9125124 dryly, his 1730f739b8 lips curling 21d217b60d into a ec016aba7e sardonic smile 827f927684 as he cbaab8f99d looked at 90ad77a732 Mikhail, whose 53ce173168 eyes had f5149a55a3 widened at 6c900615c9 the sight a96690aede of such 0c43016581 a lavish 179977ec63 meal.a6e51634e143ee99

No one’s dying 2faf5abd13 here today.554c3609b603392b

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As he scooped f1980493b4 a spoonful of 461a2932ae the crimson broth, dd4b949bdd Alexei thought grimly. He bit 034710109d into the 901dbafe2c tender beef, 0af76f093f suppressing a 8941ba278a bitter chuckle.ecbf559ac17553b7

I thought fad7c4f8b9 I’d become a44b240f8f her bedroom 6ec3450b77 slave. What a ridiculous hope.db87f0b9dfa7dafb

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After being 217cb73c97 coldly rejected 29d7b606e5 twice and 9acb61e6a4 seeing nothing 8fae2b4478 but contempt c0c615a53b in her 4d93f1593a eyes, what 04678614ce had he f6dd9a60e4 been expecting? That she, 1d17ece646 with her b7f1701bf2 untouchable purity, c0e78fdc9c would allow 14ed1326ef herself to 9f597e8654 be sullied 33e70ae473 by someone cb1049a402 like him, f091b86a93 even if 6ef408eeab only for fa44e990da a single aa189dd45c night?4fa7075519624221

Alexei swallowed another spoonful e1e1afba99 of the thick, blood-red 38a2fbcf3d soup. A fragment of 847a1aaff4 the Knulu tribe’s a341cac508 sacred words resounded eda8f64711 in his mind, 7556f1d726 as if delivered 919f6a8bf8 by the goddess 73e2751c0c Ades herself.ef29bae707f8e8d6

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“Okrovavlennyy—Child of blood, let those who seek to harm you be drowned in it.”88529eda11332048

Yes. He would aea1a400d7 do exactly a68743a79f that. He would de4ffb34d3 survive the 440d75fa15 bloodbath, prove e755bde957 his innocence, ee1549aba6 and bring 75c370f60e those who f71d2ed510 wronged him c749169a20 to their 95047258f6 knees.d6cc1a46b0490e69

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As Alexei 6d3290c7e7 ground his 06b505e694 teeth in 4aa20ef7e6 determination, Mikhail bf0b72c8da spoke in a0d6f85539 a hushed be73f5e273 tone.8f501ffd55cbb31d

“Alexei, did you hear? A few days ago, a fierce Albinin lion was secretly brought to the arena. Do you know anything about it?”412ab82fa68c9d39

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