Chapter 19. After the Interrogation

At the 648a330cc9 question, Ain 25a90fc7bc quickly looked 47ea3e3370 away, a 815f007f51 guilty expression 197d810d21 on his b6996d618f face.b08f60c8fc85c74a

Serenia, following his gaze, 708ab1e52f continued speaking.40e8354af0cab36d

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“Your running speed, your movements, even your arm strength… It’s not just a result of casual training, is it?”96a6f78fd172c856

“Eh? I appreciate your compliments, but it’s really nothing that impressive.”1050e959ff9073d8

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Ain awkwardly 7149160116 changed the 1d6d4b659c subject, clearly c2fb21a1eb flustered, and 310a7146b1 Serenia narrowed fc7cc2fee2 her eyes ea970e27c0 as she 5c54d70990 responded.ee423c3c48032fb0

“You think you can just brush this off? I may not know much, but I’m good at reading bodies.”d1e982c9e6713ab1

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With that, ae6dab0cca she took 0896b0daba a slow, 2e781997bb deliberate look 40cdc19d97 at his 6cbd4968fa exposed upper 262b765067 body.8f0ea018066ef8c2

It was a body 4371be53ca covered in toned muscles, e7832d1d3c without an ounce of 64aff2981e fat—flexible, agile, like a a424baf50d sleek predator from the 8be796e090 cat family.051eddf60fb8f71e

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This kind of physique 4acf868a3d could only be achieved a6634e7a56 through rigorous training.3d1a8026853ed033

“Just looking at your back, I can tell you’re not a normal host.”1cdf2c9ec18f2c4f

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Ain’s shoulder flinched 80cfcbb72e at her words.787b4db57acb06d4

Serenia, still 609def8c1c eyeing him 2f20abe9df with narrowed 4b7aee6034 eyes, muttered a5c48846eb almost to 24c8904b9e herself.411a8ed2aafcb7c1

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“You’re not a spy from the Arzentum Kingdom, are you?”f41ed48b043e1aa2

As she imagined 2718f7e487 him using his 055db429ce looks to seduce f07f02f929 clients and extract f9e5b1ce99 information, she laughed df36836b54 at the absurdity 89f9c6bbd7 of her own 4a299e2e2d thoughts.38826cf2b41eafae

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“…Cough.”0e25aa287a64e2d4

Her laughter stopped 27542dc332 abruptly when she fe64223da1 heard an awkward c475deedc5 cough.131c6554f1ff2ad3

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Serenia’s expression froze.44b7b409114782f1

“Cough. Ah, I mean, cough, cough. That’s just… a tickle…”c0959745d1edbe59

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Ain, his face bf75233e8a flushed from holding 3ee9b7a73c back the cough, 82ebbc26c3 scrambled for an b42726d29e excuse. Serenia, surprised, raised 05561f1006 her voice.5d96e8251116f200

“No way! Why would you suddenly cough like that? This is too suspicious!”8396bc1072da5076

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“It’s just a coincidence… cough.”3b4fe992db654abd

“I don’t think so!”fa793caa716d5d36

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“Cough. Cough.”c92f10cf6433491d

Serenia grabbed his 5dc4dbd81d collar and shook 6c9ea1236f him, barely holding 1261afebb2 back her urge 3f61accdfc to continue, then 9707db0562 shouted at him.4f20d4505f7d017e

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“Come on, tell me the truth! Are you really a spy?!”023da510551a4c98

“No, cough, I’m not!”7ec2d88f03684e45

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“Liars!”985a69cc39ef84ad

“I’m really not…”88bc94a6ebe5abfc

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“Then what are you? Why do you have a body more trained than most operatives?!”47c4bb8d87099aef

Ain, unable to answer a0afa14018 her difficult question, nervously 0da6e5430b rolled his eyes.b64ba257cfc85106

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And then,703c22d4e8d3fb92

“Ah, I’m suddenly so sleepy…”0f0fd1c751b42ce2

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Using his legendary acting 524fbc3a83 skills, which were praised 6efc149290 as once-in-a-lifetime talent, Ain d415289743 pretended to fall asleep.16d19c99af387e92

Seeing through his clear a4187269c3 intentions, Serenia was left 65b0938f68 dumbfounded and gaping.99226c8c12f1feab

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Meanwhile, he e68aad832b began breathing f9f7b5f652 steadily, like d666912863 a sleeping c374538f76 angel, still ddb9a05b34 wearing his 5a52b6a8ca colored glasses, 643f33643f clearly pretending 50c4fe60fb to sleep.230d1b29d50f8e9e

But despite the awkward aebc46cedb situation, his expression and 20193668ad gestures were those of 53a418dfd0 someone truly asleep, causing 5c9d6f05c3 Serenia to briefly become a9546aad4d confused.f6242713f6c3807f

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She considered shaking him 4c0f544719 awake, but the bruises b1c64eb9a5 on his body, which 8c6b00e112 had become more pronounced 86fc1dfa9d and redder over time, 4e8d56b80c made her hesitate to e8a364377e touch him.1b6bcc088d9bce69

Not knowing 708a961ac7 what else 370e6ccf33 to do, e3923c7f34 she stood ea2d8c960a by, helplessly 563c61e2cb pacing and e3c41e71fa then, after 85d4bedd87 a long 8108686bb8 pause, sighed 36c331310f and slumped 8f002a8f0a her shoulders.1e7b7ad0a17b76cc

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“…Ugh. What does it matter? Finding out his identity won’t change anything. It’s better not to stir things up and get entangled in something weird.”dc994217d7afdd3c

She mumbled b893058dda to herself adec7514e5 while swapping a08199b0ef out the 5a3c87c1ac now lukewarm 66b382d7ca ice pack 8ddab07f52 with a 53cb4b4a59 fresh one.d8ac8b800973abd6

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She continued to care c55a3e79cb for him, her gaze fe3332b5cf flicking over Ain, unsure 44a89f702b if he was truly 69a5330a31 pretending to sleep or 26fcd31f18 had actually drifted off.8bcbacc2c7839cea

By the time she 9faf7e8333 was changing the ice 1cb36c1b8d pack for the eighth ded2b7f457 time, Serenia sat down 9d0b39f8d9 on the wooden floor 9d42748aa2 beside the bed and 50ae7b2f98 gave her stiff legs a86dbb2c36 a light shake.8c2aa9d7d02d16d9

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Maybe it was dc00de6f04 because she’d been eb18d702ca running around since d275354e3e three in the c044eff1b8 morning, or perhaps b2ae33c7b5 it was the 31ef3faccf rare use of ef1ce3a0a6 her muscles.bdfb486ef03fcbf9

Or maybe it 4b5d6d95d8 was just her 579c9d3f27 body finally relaxing 1b20a12be3 after all the b433e5450e tension, but she f78a0e5f0f felt a general 2959c29090 weariness throughout her 3683652281 body.cced0e8dbb1a4321

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In the a95478373f warm, quiet, ec20ac0efe and peaceful 89ff38b5ab room, with 432e2ad5ca no one 0b27929e8d to talk dc75e94e52 to, she 5bff617d96 found herself 27d6cd341f sitting still, fd4a87da29 gradually becoming 49a95dbd84 drowsy.c68b1f7f9bb6b8b2

‘…I wonder if sleep, like yawning, is contagious.’ed9040e6f68bb262

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As she thought this, 9c474afcf0 her eyelids slowly began c5197cc8ed to close.4d1d26b884a74a05

Before she knew bc23c9b563 it, Serenia had 6223e0ade8 fallen asleep.f79d46aae95e862a

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Ain, who had 9c00870d34 been fidgeting with 9516b726d0 the ice pack eb15e55fd3 on his back fde5d8e901 for some time, 2abe407891 noticed the sudden e01f8cf993 stillness in her fffc02e462 movements and subtly 0eeca12261 cracked open his 7dab9438d1 eyes to survey c0d07c9bad the room.f34fd2a89d71805d

When he 8f47bf2d81 saw Serenia 9cfa1a7d4f sitting next 308b705994 to the dc39428893 bed, having 202a1e0df9 fallen asleep, 7b4dc312fb he slowly c776b6a526 opened his 45b456fa2a eyes completely.c457467b62331299

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‘…There’s a limit to how defenseless you can be.’272cc1c4997b7d96

Ain clicked his tongue 71849b09ac inwardly and silently raised 711b17ad90 his head.9732afc7ea9fac9d

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Serenia was sound f4b7559b83 asleep, using the 9e8bba1307 pillow as a 659363da25 cushion.1338bcb910ac14d4

Propping his chin 17a87d4b77 on one hand, 4e979f535d he lay on f733641867 his stomach, staring ae3bab6063 at her.3c7cbb6c71e04c41

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After a while, she fb98407a67 shifted in her sleep.14ee61c737c84b98

“…Mmm.”934689f734890f25

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Her long, 213983b0d4 dark hair 75881864a7 got tangled a6adc8b111 slightly as b62d65377a she turned, 97c40e25a2 covering half 50b69fe5e6 of her 16503f730c pale face.d6ede2b90e8c2e93

It seemed the e6b77a4ec9 hair was bothering 0339876e3c her a little, b03b37874d as her peaceful e9e70d9a7c expression twisted into 1e9021ede8 a slight frown.6e388592ae0376a3

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Seeing this, Ain fd1a209222 hesitated for a 9d929e5ddf moment, then slowly af8bc9f702 reached out with fe8f287ea9 his other hand.cbedefd7f150b6a7

Even with his gloves ba39c5bc75 on, he skillfully smoothed 4fdce89527 her disheveled hair.87723e5d2d91d0d9

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He paused for 94eaa6772a a moment, then 3b5acea2cb gently patted her b2eea09d18 head.06f09b64a489f03b

When she didn’t 69a098be4f react, his hand c9b71d4b44 lingered a bit 903864b4fa more boldly.a6bcf4bbc26020b9

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His gloved 6a3e6fb76a hand lightly 5b5ce64bf8 caressed her 3e54322905 left cheek.57a963424c8d97ef

The faint scar a4f77fba06 that had crossed 986da9c782 it not long 38a36bf767 ago still lingered 76a202b1be as a faint 3fdc89b1e6 trace.64794bd07ef4c433

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He carefully stroked the ad6599d950 scar, which would likely 6f24243f02 vanish soon, for quite 6ff15a1307 a while.60b9c3be26921ea0

“Ugh…”7b89c60563a56a52

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She seemed to 59e7bb2e5d be disturbed by cb71142001 the touch, as 8f57d73de3 she frowned slightly 5a19a7aa65 and murmured in 30342868ea her sleep.f0bcac68db6a4573

Startled, Ain quickly ad2f7d5c47 pulled his hand 1f11f81733 away and pretended 5a89b56f8a to be asleep 1ff1c9e662 again.ba1a4ce0f13f19d4

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After a while, 5d455e5f7c she shifted again 70db088d52 and mumbled as 462f0388ae she lifted her bea3833bee head.30d8e9d0fc07d003

“Ah. I must have dozed off.”b838581abad50d17

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Clearing her 0f60b904e2 throat awkwardly, 25b0026109 she quickly 679a69d760 got up 2613be7df0 and grabbed 7833096a15 the ice e086f9e744 pack.04e71f3b9b170d00

She hurried 0693c33031 out of 69a3a0db5c the sitting 22edbdfa3b room, carrying 397c65c4d4 the lukewarm bc5bafc447 ice pack, eebdfa49ff and threw 83d0cc6af7 the melted 0a1a28aa50 water out d319583ede the door.34da8c980fe79ad3

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She crouched bc4e442ef1 by the 895ec68609 steps, filled 274d7bac4d the empty 16e7af1c2b pouch with 285a68df84 fresh snow, cce1f9fc72 and grumbled 85992985a5 to herself.65f6fd2f3299076b

“Why are you messing with me like that?”049b506ad764c145

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Her ears and neck 392e57b981 were bright red, as 7e802784ca if they had been 8d73bb8e91 burned.9473b42c694d86e2

* * *b85cb130fc5610d4

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Later that Morning.01bf11d7a6cf4397

Perhaps it b751abd568 was from 290242d172 handling the f881654aa3 cold snow.9b5163bd0e09b345

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Serenia soon 8ecea1641d regained her da3655bc08 composure.fb949b3d05743a6a

With a face as b885b2406f if nothing had happened, a3c318e85f she stood up and ae2105a2ab began to climb the f241a3ff84 front steps.6a7fcbd06040f911

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“Excuse me, but are you Serenia Barishart, the Count’s daughter?”411257ff0e5236c9

The voice from behind 7f6037141c startled her, and she f2d4e7351a quickly turned around.768776fa0374312c

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There stood 7f1432334a a man 6d46df6e5e wearing a d172f1516f feathered beret 6e0fa9a729 and a 3690b57e22 short cloak 04a69c1560 that reached 967655f637 his waist.e27bf08865edd854

He had a 18c0174315 friendly smile on 34f8cc006e his face—he was 8e41078ffc a royal messenger.01b6fc07d6a2f65f

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Serenia, startled, 4544f39cf5 took an 575b54032e involuntary step f5722a02df back.28830417de8e5389

When the db9690f4c4 royal messenger 0aa96f51d9 was sent 418e78a42f to deliver 7d3fcf741d a message, 447b5f0ee1 there could 3e8cebe14e only be 0430f369d7 one reason e8205a9238 she thought 64649f188c of.465b52a85b876cb0

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A royal decree 5c77415259 about the punishment 9f86ead7df for ruining the b23c5230dd Founding Day banquet 95e6a00ffa and fleeing.f936391932268b5e

‘Title revocation? Or maybe execution? Immediate judgment? Or even complete destruction 4c2386afe4 of the family?!’0713396cb016bea5

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In that d9f85b46b1 brief moment, ffcf134b95 her mind a2bf3b994c flashed through 01b06a69c0 the royal 9db01cc497 dungeons to e1e2fa60fa the afterlife. She swallowed hard 62f85bec71 and scanned her b084775782 surroundings.953bdb3544f8eb95

Ready to 2e2c3ac63d flee at dfcd2be996 any moment, 5139ded94f she nervously f428665a2a replied to 80d7b1cd37 the messenger.dbd7d1ad1bb7caa7

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“I am Serenia Barishart, but… why are you here…?”c0afa1e2e2a8dc29

Despite her 7171f8168f nervousness, the 284f85ab6a messenger looked c9fe9296bc at her ea963e9e8d curiously, still 0fcfb484d9 smiling.c2e45757491b895a

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“I have a document to deliver.”c174adb957b5bffd

He handed her an 7e6e4a4bf2 envelope made of stiff, 50031c2346 high-quality paper.7d04064a36b34b72

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While Serenia took 9ded2c8fee the envelope, flipping 68715651ee it over to b205b47856 try to guess aeb20e2832 what it contained, cf002b8e57 the messenger bowed d2a1dd257c shortly and said,07d27f31c7390ca7

“Then I’ll take my leave.”4026c164e70504c4

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He crossed 950d254fed the small 8d92f99743 yard, mounted d5aed374ff the horse dbdff559b6 he had a8fab7cfe0 tethered outside, bd4f8e3c11 and disappeared 3d5042d821 toward the 07945badc3 royal palace.8da7c7b4661f230e

Watching him b71320b1df leave, Serenia f324593eab let out 9577e644d0 a small b33e249c2b sigh of 082fabdb51 relief.c69632f981514a87

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“…Looks like it’s not an immediate judgment or destruction.”d04576c764789b3a

Opening the front door, 046c978714 she stepped inside and, b5027eb447 with an unwilling expression, 49de8270bb tore open the envelope.bce7e029d08673eb

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Inside was a fda2f786ab single sheet of 5df90ff8de paper.3a4602ffe169fc97

As she b85d83b94e pulled it 365ab2a783 out, she 82c2ab08c5 froze, standing 5ae1bb78ad still in b844e09291 the doorway, 6766b59ee5 her eyes f601995df8 widening.9ec4958703d0939e

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“This…?!”8589a8392259c8e8

“A proposal letter.”023c6ccb4fa4c1f7

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The words she couldn’t f2553c2d75 bring herself to say 50b00d9e5d were echoed from behind, 05197b6000 and Serenia screamed in 0448447585 shock, almost fainting.310f34ecb7bff916

“Ah! What’s going on?!”f888a2cd459a2960

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However, Ain, unfazed, leaned 21568f81ee over her shoulder to f36b564b14 glance at the letter dbc2e6051e and continued.ae7dabc03ab7b25c

“It’s an official proposal, authorized by His Majesty the King.”cfa37251959a7140

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