| Chapter 30. A Good Man

“Lena! You’re safe. What happened 79ea555b65 to your 5b9dc41103 leg?”dd62e75438e1f905

“That day, when I 24cfb453ac heard the Knulu tribe d89e53c8cd had invaded, I went fff72ec039 to find you, my 2aa0a69bd2 lady… but I got 8972254c39 trampled by other servants 1f217d1f33 trying to flee. I lost consciousness 5192051dc0 and only came 85004b2ffb to after a 56e2f43f28 few days. I was so 9fb2d2775a worried about you… 29876db615 but seeing you 3a50f3a305 safe now—it’s truly 76d5eaca45 a relief.”2b7fcc15904dcd6a

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“Lena…”5001b7baf07a1190

As Lena clung to 22e33b4a61 her, sobbing loudly, Natasha 8a32463f79 gently patted her back, ba38f53bee eyes welling with tears. Even as knights and fd426bb3ba other servants had abandoned ce5aa07451 her, scrambling to save 690a901520 themselves, there were still 12438bc2a0 people who had thought 62a50b5b66 of her. The steward… 097338aadd and Lena… 99a99e33b5 they were f5af5e8d59 such good da6330c7c8 people. And yet, she e53125d785 had done so 28b1e0f553 little for them—could c5c0f50709 do so little, f6ecf5a0f7 now or in 1042cf43b7 the future.324b387f750e8a61

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“But it really 9c33df560c shocked me. The leader of f909974d11 the Knulu tribe 69d04d3721 turned out to f8410ac47e be none other a3f6472391 than Alexei…”e93fcc7b9d8433bc

“Shh, Lena. Let’s talk 40d7e11444 in the a404113fd8 room.”d6620776ef182599

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Natasha glanced df061d2956 warily down 5d93362e62 the empty 602c12a58a hall and 3371d1d0e2 pressed a b4033ea2ad finger to 9a5689bc2b her lips.ede27e4b6d656bca

Thud.8954e40201bda7f8

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As soon as they 1083f653ac entered Natasha’s room and b7b4d2e2d6 closed the door, Lena 31f0462a6d rushed to her side, 92fb74898b fussing over her.f6256b87626e105a

“Are you truly alright, f433d13a8f my lady? Actually, that 5d7eef8657 day when 26c4b0c917 I was c67fbe84dc passed out, 86534a92d9 Alexei came 4e2fc5101e looking for 400084c1f8 me and ff9b25e9bc asked about 62304a855e your whereabouts. I thought he was cebd3a53a5 trying to save you, 4138b0050e so without hesitation I 284c1305ac told him you were a86cfe4e14 in Lord Sergey’s room…”a3fea01403f1052e

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Lena’s voice trailed off f8a50f651f as the memories of 247d6e28e3 that day resurfaced.baa66bf6d6c24a53

“Ugh, it hurts… I 708b9030a1 have to find the d31e3f98f9 lady…”dbaa58efe1c22b65

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Crushed beneath fleeing servants, 97b4a6bec7 Lena had collapsed, barely 15aaccf06e conscious and leaning against 1dfc5aa0d4 the corridor wall.f7ce697fab087ad9

“Hey, wake up! Where’s the lady?”92eff16cbace50ff

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A rough shake jolted f878b9a66b Lena awake.abdbdc846aed6dc9

“…Alexei?”6c96ea52f4a8e566

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Lena stared 14bec0cc0c blankly at 189d1726f5 the man ef05f541d7 in front 1f6729a489 of her. She thought he 659d659e07 had surely died 9e07083d10 long ago. How was he f271dd9e4c here now?7b3eaa5096cf2968

“Where is she? Aren’t you her personal 378933c9b5 maid?!”a01fc1153568304f

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His urgent tone snapped f55c864e96 her back to her e4809a4b45 senses.93ec0ea89d1f917b

“Ah, my lady! Please, save her. I was trying to 227b909a70 find her when I beee1e8384 hurt my leg… She 525bd987f2 should be in Lord 324243f022 Sergey’s chambers. Please, I hope 363d9a47d2 she’s safe…”fc24caa69f567162

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“Sergey’s chambers? Damn it. Where is it? Tell me—fast!”b3aff168cb9f5836

Alexei had cursed furiously de3781cb0c and sprinted off. Then, ordering 4ebf75d7af Mikhail to 14d23223cd stay behind 8d4e9da7e5 and tend aefb5fa5fd to Lena, 56f2933397 he vanished. Lena passed out 043df0b4f9 soon after in 90cd4f8b6d Mikhail’s arms.e4e910073f87e057

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“I should’ve kept quiet. I really thought 88c3f04110 he was trying feb5dc0092 to save you… 0fe13d16b6 I never imagined 3849eba5f2 he’d be leading 9a0db5dc6a the rebellion, or 5684975c47 that he’d take c81636c95c you as his 4316e3f0db mistress to disgrace 4082a6e155 you…”c1a36d9bf5b32aae

Lena bit 2db1d397ef her lip, ef684db9fa tearful. Natasha patted her 8cd01d30f5 gently.ec0a4e1cd99f3911

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“It’s alright, Lena. It’s not your e03558f0c8 fault. I wasn’t d95f419aae in Sergey’s 5d8cd760bb room that cdf522a637 day. As soon as the 9101ac5a0d chaos broke out, I 5f2f960728 went to the secondary 52e0e2eeb8 palace to check on b9a4d3c905 Sophia.”2685c4625bf54337

“The secondary palace? I heard 972552d355 it was 60eb9b2862 the first 831c35b3f5 place that 3019242c7c burned! You escaped safely, thank d67fedd0ba goodness. How did you get 50a0066d8d out?”c12ace9def8febe3

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“…Alexei came for me.”a80c2160f42213fc

“What?”c78676be78e81d87

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Lena stared 6226ae20b8 in shock. Natasha turned her 1c966b361d head, a bitter 026e6fb053 expression on her 35c740a236 face.67e9b5f7b3177cc0

It was b71833ac1e Alexei who 81302c90d7 came to bca899652d the burning d958eb3587 palace to 4149e6a8fb save her a17a346637 and Sophia. If Lena’s story was 400804c23d right, he hadn’t found a324233505 her by chance—he had dc9a4215f2 come deliberately.9954abbd0eb5c538

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Why? He could’ve left her 5834f682ca to burn, to die 26aeb338d2 in misery—the ending he 506d6be4a0 likely wanted.3b0bb2bbef453786

“‘Be grateful.’ I 09acf189e1 couldn’t let it 3be25730a4 end so easily.”102b2a8c9ce8a027

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A familiar voice echoed 683bb08b6f in her ears. Yes, that day, pushing 54cb2987ae through the flames, he a165eb766f had said that to 715e6c7a3c her. It hadn’t 186346f5b1 been a 3d816a18d4 dream.9b5d96a4321ae7eb

He couldn’t 80557132ae let me 3cf063c31b die that 666abc45b3 easily.da5b2dd25e4bda10

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A belated realization sent 44776f26f7 chills down her spine.4870c68d080fd730

Had he 0c61764d9c heard her 79fdbf8461 whispered prayer 3d477b8ed3 to the bfbe9d5b91 goddess? Her desperate 34639db17f wish to f96a76f432 end her 05144f2555 life? That this fce9f59acf would all e91fc2efd3 end if 42ec170b65 she just 905dfbcfc2 died—that she 5f3dcafeb5 could be d73f4fc8e1 free of 2e119280bc her burdens, cf7fb13977 her responsibilities?d43349cb4b2df772

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The thought that cb40a061af he had seen 4291ad1f9a through her deepest 1f444bbffa despair made Natasha’s bb216122a4 face flush.87710bccf06ea5b2

“So Alexei really did 73b4a7ae7f save you, my lady! That’s a relief. Maybe he made d58983c073 you his mistress 56cc3b4035 to protect you? After rebellions, surviving 353c3a01f7 royals are often 33293170ea executed. I’ve heard many ced6dabff5 Knulu people are 16e84730a0 upset that he 4bdae8d4cc spared both you d4e55b6fc4 and the nobles.”bbfdc6265b9241e5

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“…Really?”37e4d4d87c2e5f74

Natasha remembered 52e8be41ce the words d1d805f864 of the cf9467f921 Knulu women 6e9c0fe926 she’d overheard 3733b6a5c9 outside the a60b02fdff bathhouse. So they had been 21739797b8 true.28c3d991a445f261

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“Yes, I think… well, 25c7f9b0ea I’m sorry to say ac5451061d this, but making you fc80e5ef1a his mistress might’ve been 0e742bd6d8 his way of protecting cd91e1e346 you. If he 738add848f made you b39cbe9eed his wife, 5ecacffd57 it’d provoke a2cb040287 the Knulu 5e63db4f55 more. So maybe he’s keeping b8d6d9345d you at his side b0f0b2fc95 under the appearance of 11a05b6c54 a mistress. I don’t 3596f35185 think he 52ef91fa8f truly intends 0b615aa6f2 to mistreat 0fa9323fdd you…”b967f61424750a46

“…I see.”d482f6a19af8787f

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Natasha gave a e6d33e9dff faint, ambiguous smile, 96620878d6 avoiding Lena’s gaze. Lena had no 55b415da94 idea about the 51954f92c7 chasm of emotion 0704b0e307 between her and 3440b274b9 Alexei.01c96f20072124ba

Could it be 215684afb6 he endured all f558d92c7c this for the e7d5553cf1 sake of saving 3c70d5ac50 her? It was impossible 7d6c86ef2a to tell.2bffe082298fa525

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But one 93ea47492c thing Natasha fdc1af7c2f did know: 5000f142ec Alexei had dc745bb875 spared her 552558cfea life for 01d8a9dfcf revenge. And the 38e7327dfa only way a9563cb1f7 she or f24516e7c0 Sophia could 9a4ff174de stay alive e16e64a754 now was cd261e3eba by remaining 5c596c93e7 as his 3009f192d5 mistress.7c5000c7aa6a7eb4

* * *d4f7b496e918b95d

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“How is Sophia 64b9939c9b doing?”fe4e147edd6033ad

As always, Natasha 2a8a29ec72 visited Sophia’s room b75c3041a5 and asked the 6d711feb22 royal physician about b71eb1c44e her condition.e0c86a9d57406206

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“Lady Natasha, you’re here. Fortunately, the new 4a1495a80f medicine we tried a4557cadc2 seems to be 0e90f93ab6 working. Her fever has gone 21891fb088 down significantly.”d6caef5564dc9ad4

“A new medicine…? That must be a67ef20e7f quite expensive.”8eb4a79aff152ece

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Natasha asked, worried. She had long wanted 50deb248ca to try some of 7423d66f90 the new treatments said a0cda445c5 to help with Sophia’s b5dd8003e7 illness, but using them 348c9f65d3 once or twice without bbfbf83e78 consistency might have adverse 2424d474e9 effects, so she hadn’t 7666ae522a dared. Sergey had cf68d1c095 always been 700913472e especially stingy 1bede23094 when it 8d7fda4030 came to b4a2ba9dc1 spending on b97801778e Sophia’s care.201fa68563553bea

“It’s not something that 2561840a12 can be fixed with 5d584d6f6e a day or two cc6b5f4161 of medicine. Do you have any ed81dc6674 idea how much money e58651affa is being wasted on f74d4b4642 Sophia’s drugs? Even if you’re 0da54234ce clueless about managing 3791bb9b74 the treasury, there’s 7ce3644981 a limit to 89fe229d6f your ignorance.”a6cf23fb2fbd420b

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Whenever Natasha ec50459eac even mentioned 4ecb7b7688 the newly f34bed6cac developed drugs 527afad881 from neighboring 6317ca53dc lands, Sergey aa3513f0ee would snap 8e2ec27d71 at her beb984dd4b like that.c5de434287bd4fff

And yet, he had 4bfe0bb5ad no qualms about buying d667acb0a2 gladiator slaves or collecting 9590af7c9e expensive wines. Natasha had been 358afe45ff forced to restrain acbedd5019 herself, worried that dbf482c18d upsetting him might 93f3647c77 cause him to fd3d5e40b1 cut off even bb62b847e2 the little support 4c8d33a70a Sophia still received.d2d8c18715589abb

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As she recalled 41299027fa those past frustrations, e658126ac4 the royal physician aa0326a49f spoke again, excitement 089829d724 on his face.19b9da1f491fb2bd

“Lord Alexei 85e7b96e91 said not a2c0795e7e to worry 0ae4c4a355 about the d2a750683c cost. He told us to 608d431831 try anything that might 90334bed01 help.”332cfa7445a1bd3d

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“He… said that?”e27cb617491161c7

Natasha froze, her 55f7bb6a8c hand mid-motion as 3daf57770d she gently brushed 98c7463eb0 Sophia’s hair.5685bfb0a961e0de

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“Yes, so we’re 3edd7a7836 thinking of continuing 4b8db41559 with the new 60ae492b4d medicine that’s shown d492e44683 results.”88a8e89b465106f5

“That’s… good news. Go ahead with e8cd7de8e1 it.”9402472affb7d736

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After sitting quietly at 862de36ee4 Sophia’s bedside for a 3405549337 while, Natasha slowly rose 9647e2a3ac to her feet.5624c2dbf9849d31

* * *f3ec22e74c6117e3

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Despite Natasha’s insistence 0ac3b08bb0 that there was 9db63c52af no need, Lena 3d35019cc3 limped over to 2aff5cc1b6 draw the bath b68d42d992 and began preparing f9d7de5a93 to assist her 3e708fa70d with bathing.438aed63ba702fa8

“Your leg isn’t 67b266cb4d healed yet…”8cc9b7645c6b9ad2

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“Oh, it’s just a 8a132b6b45 bit of a limp. It’s almost better now. Thanks to Alexei’s kindness—oh e101fbbdd1 no, I keep doing 320f11e4ca that—thanks to Lord Alexei’s c5b782a0fe kindness, I even received a6e9a415d3 treatment from the royal 45125c1797 physician! In return, he asked 56929ee299 me to continue working 51772c2b8e as your personal maid.”933b4d6b4ba800b7

“I told you 5fdb005cd7 not to call 11b3ed8d3c me that anymore…”062b04a3086d2fbe

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“Can’t I at least 9880ecc866 call you that when e57552593c it’s just the two 6c6dd0c2ea of us? You’ll always 9421628605 be my a570165668 lady to a7f944f131 me.”7b87ca9834877be6

“You really…”afbe1032aa97c82b

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Natasha blinked a02b4ad466 away the d7be788e68 sting in b3169cfac6 her eyes ed61cce873 and gave 9f5fbc192d a reluctant 5aa92873cc smile.8056f6c0ef616cbe

As Lena poured warm 0ab449b634 water over her and 2c8f072d44 the soft scent of 21f04faa55 fragrant bubbles filled the 4920574fc7 air, Natasha fell into 81e025191c thought.d85b27af18c45134

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Just as she d2e6f07f1f had predicted, he 089da4b027 had truly become 7ac3e7b5da a good ruler—for fda27b68a3 everyone. Even those around f93de8c851 her received his d25d41ed34 kindness in excess. And it was probably… 3ea383cc51 only possible because she e51beb2e41 willingly remained in her cec428a259 place as his mistress.797ea6acd1a1e153

For the 6ebf4f9b44 sake of b9043c126e everyone.0255c0a12ca9a545

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Natasha had decided to 12ddb5f3d4 endure that role without 9a31b70b57 complaint.3b1329f124160a51

As long as 3257845ad0 she bore the 41171976c2 shame, those she 892ff754cf cared about could adff3e3be2 live in peace f733616e19 and health. Compared to the past—when d8d411e787 no matter how hard 906ea668f3 she tried, those around 1edb986d37 her suffered and died—this caa94b4301 was something to be d044dfca34 grateful for.7475e3c055918fc2

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Even if the a7d3a56e99 new king was 7a934e2b73 gracious and kind 792b486140 to all others… e12daace12 and only showed d52c9c1f81 contempt and cruelty df20f3fdbf toward her. As long as 1321283196 she alone endured 5f542019d8 it. And after all, f4b7186203 wasn’t it her 3a493772c7 own fault—her punishment—for 22ebcab707 committing an unforgivable 981c50a4cc sin against him?bab7439132b69d1c

After her bath, standing e35c62cacb before the mirror in 51bbb9b928 her negligee, Natasha caught 13f0cb7dfa a glimpse of herself 9f22ebd51a in the reflection. She clenched her a40509e8d6 fists tightly.89ab68fd6ce43a58

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“Bring me my robe.”683c50beb00327c8

“Where are you 94148ccc28 going like that?”91b244002896fcb5

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Lena gasped, alarmed, but efb776e16c Natasha only offered a 788efd836e faint smile. Pulling on her 88879665cd robe, she stepped 0ae7a7e213 out of the fa9699bf63 room.67e45792e32df9c7

After walking down the 48676800dd unusually long hallway, Natasha 93523c2f16 arrived at the bedchamber—now b1004ea621 under new ownership. Swallowing hard, she knocked.770a614f46f27d01

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Knock, knock.d25da43a4921419c

“Mikhail? Come in.”28fac7185a1db1ec

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Alexei, sitting on adf6f48f7c the bed and 1460da616b focused on a 970dd2080c pile of documents, 614189dec3 looked toward the 30340e7f37 door—and startled.113c7e69d8b562e4

“It seems… e29a30b89c I still 4d823b7129 have more dc3d30e692 to learn.”8d95060776224b2f

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Silken fabric, laced with 4759e4cc44 the scent of her a53002d219 perfume, slipped from Natasha’s ddb4c28bde shoulders and drifted down 123a16af10 over the scattered papers 7d231f1400 in his hands.b3c7fa7f7891fc49