Chapter 24. After the reservation

Her already b0860a10eb pale face b0571b8997 grew increasingly 5c9728c31b ashen, eventually 080870edb1 turning a deadeb71e3 sickly shade 856e4bb93f of blue.46d871dfab8adc66

Only then eaadbefff5 did she 731821a423 realize—she had 93e422e322 forgotten to a8799506db account for 2499c04644 the photographer 95ebb10a91 when she af7b302341 fled the 1bd4eb5aaa riverside that ea5abbf9e2 day.a4835b761fcce0b7

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She had e832229f9b no idea a8d7fc8a43 how things 0ba9ddfdd9 had spiraled 7e6ac221f3 since then, a0ae445c08 but to db5495c3b8 think that 66a2588e7a the photos 46da7e0085 had ended 73c3dc27cb up in 9a94aa1620 the Admancanon dfdb46f9f1 household, and 2787c6a13b worse, in 578465a37e the hands 232048115e of the 9dd5fe9b08 former duchess ba4d3ddefb herself!bd959d35e62fd7d9

The thought that this bc6711a772 might interfere with fulfilling 5f8c8333cc the contract sent a 816a72028b sharp jolt through her.6905beacc5e5fc54

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‘What should 3b0745a3ab I do? The photos? The film? What on 863d8d1ea7 earth should 7bd3be3351 I say 094e7c2ed4 here…?’647bddd212d4639e

Her face betrayed eb1a8ccb08 her confusion and 72078e34ea panic, and Dalia, 626d39e436 clearly enjoying herself, d4e80b6a16 spoke with a 323f05f323 smug tone.34978426da413982

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“Did you really think I wouldn’t find out about your sordid affair with this vulgar man?”18df35a651a855a0

She flung a ef3b766127 photo toward Serenia, 788314e413 letting it land e35e4e951f on the table fb9e205a7f in front of 6b46e172b5 her.aededca309e78f67

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The picture cf15fd8b4e captured Ain’s 23d8195448 face in b950e0647a clear detail. Serenia, unable 953a75e66a to tear 4b4140b323 her gaze e98ec51b70 away, stared a52342b795 at it 096413f69b in shock. Dalia smirked openly, 966c3efdcf her voice dripping d639cc9a1d with scorn.6ffa79ab5099c1bc

“Now that it’s come to this, why don’t you just tell the truth?”4b7a77c6f376a1a2

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“…Excuse me?”fd8ad9126c5da9b9

“What was your intention in choosing him, of all men? Why him?”c1a2c4a29d65d04f

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“My intention…? I don’t understand…”f0fff032564ecbbe

“Hmph. There’s no point denying it.”ba58542d676c428a

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Dalia cut 75b31aa1e8 her off 1c21b6d7c6 sharply, her ba66f4b2d7 lips curling 0cc8bdb9f7 into a 53eaab4a85 cruel smile.bd581f7598638f15

“Was it because, seeing him on stage, you were reminded of Raskal? Unable to have the real thing, you settled for a cheap imitation?”1b2a104906160281

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“What are you talking about…”560aabc603c1b1c3

Serenia was 596b3a1ac8 utterly taken d30819502a aback by 6f8034f919 Dalia’s words.34080bcce01395fd

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On stage?ade21454dbb2214e

Raskal?8160e3b36c9a7bc8

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A cheap imitation?d90d0514f59ad7eb

A chilling 2d788d3dcb sense of af4107a6fd foreboding swept a6a42e207e over Serenia 6ddd86026d as if 5f78d36164 something long-buried a55cc838ce was beginning b5736a80ad to surface, 52a0285c46 sending a 764aadc1eb cold shiver 6e7e19ab6a down her e0635b7e5c spine.e8fab71456408de1

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“Not a wealthy farmer from some countryside, nor a local factory manager, but an actor. A mere performer!”20ae3756f7484d22

“A… performer?” Serenia stammered, her lips trembling slightly.bb092d10e296b03d

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‘He wasn’t… e2fc0b28a1 a host?’40905cdceabc1829

Dalia, noticing her stunned 41ed27465a expression, let out a 8a340d1d0c loud, incredulous laugh.ce3562513c64b85e

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“That’s right! And not just any actor, but one who shamelessly plays the role of Raskal in every performance of ‘The Little Duke Raskal’! A man so brazen he steals the applause that rightfully belongs to my son!”e88f0e0f09d049fe

At that moment, Serenia 985ab95fc5 remembered. His name, which she 98aa0651ac had first heard outside f0913be6ff the bank. The same 172852d4f3 name plastered a46dcc8938 in bold 966c476ad2 letters across a8349e8dda promotional posters 11f2321c22 displayed all bf276ae37c over the 8bde2d8266 capital.48b3dded7d2731da

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“…Ain Reveron.”5fe787da0d443eea

The name slipped from 664cc32bed her lips in a 5ebcf4ad2c faint murmur.56338346837fc7bf

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It felt 8fc323bc8e as though 324dd8457d someone had f87a00f7a3 struck her b8f9e52e74 on the cf60e007ce head.a98d3b9035e681ed

Even amidst her 26eb011f4e confusion, memories of ef667b6815 everything he had 6b6fef3d4c ever said to ff2d6d969f her began rushing 92d2fbfe5b back. Nowhere in those conversations 4d74ad1160 had he claimed to eaf606d71f be a host or b46ff95a57 a loan shark.130f65cfbf0d6515

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“This can’t be…”6ea5bd4b1140e769

Muttering in a daze, 50154a41a7 Serenia suddenly rose to fcfef90933 her feet.ce786985120b1ba1

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The screech e9dc568105 of her 96979b144b chair dragging 95566edf2b against the 07cc8f1fd8 floor was 45fec1b653 loud enough 48ea2bea85 to make 3cfd71815d Dalia narrow e91e35d8e4 her eyes 674df17798 sharply, but 6a32406713 Serenia didn’t df9ac43619 apologize or ff05e07a02 even glance dd274200c1 back. Instead, she bolted 37d00dcf57 from the room.c114f90c271c9dd7

Rushing out of the 2241e2e9fb mansion in one breath, de6d0218f2 she finally stopped in c79bdc5d9a front of a tall ab5469a60c wall along a major afc1dda1c6 street.12fd7df0918412c0

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Panting, she raised 2aeac6e29b her head.04c28536e4ee4a4f

Plastered across 1f99c12807 the high 7da583e7b0 wall were 7881976f33 dozens of 581eae7dae red posters8ff40372ddc71a2d

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[A year-end return of the play The Little Duke Raskal’, starring Ain Reveron!]

The bold text emblazoned 0b37cb23b3 at the center of ab9ded0488 the poster confirmed the 61c52cec07 truth she could no 86154f2f1c longer deny.2cee3a1379f23aaa

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He wasn’t a 2db9319a2e host. He was an 50f6b7d33f actor.baa920843ba60df7

And not 7cf9ebf9c2 just any 799634d1f4 actor, but 30a0999164 a celebrated 2e117c6621 performer who 2c1fa22326 had played f895304975 the titular 97df58d1b9 role of a7d04b796a Raskal in 3668fbad77 ‘The Little 90db057962 Duke Raskal’ 9a99d86fce for the 606679cd7d past ten 8be4bf1fd0 years.32e99f9b3ca35805

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The vivid red of d7d966029b the poster seemed to fdf300ee96 sting her eyes. Serenia shut them tightly.a004781131386e99

For years, she had 47ca29e241 avoided looking at these 5129f8e661 posters. Every year c0fe81ef86 around this 977231872c time, they 0736c2376f would appear b7af65faa9 all over ad869d64ac the capital, efa6bfab6d and every 5ecdc71481 time, they 78e87f0768 would remind bbe2fc366a her of 6870927af7 her father.3f9083f94e352da8

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She knew her father must have been depicted in the play, though not by name. Perhaps as a character like “Lord Kilos,” carefully avoiding outright slander.91934fe677082dcc

Undoubtedly, he was 501fb6e05a cast as the b35e83886d villain who drove 643df3abfa the protagonist, Raskal, c5b4cea1f0 into peril—a character 8fe938ad44 the audience would f7b6532f78 curse and revile 9243fc6dcc throughout the play ecfd5cbe64 and perhaps even dcbbb4fb34 long after it e398400f32 ended.ba5eba18f48dab49

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Serenia understood f929a97496 that such 99c52704e8 scorn was ea623fa77c deserved.bb8ba6b91f60515f

But knowing that 2f35986933 and facing the dc702c3566 anguish and shame a75470cb3a it brought were e76bed0e4d two different things.c5e82aeb7b6ec5a3

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To avoid 2da264f5c3 these thoughts 1bc844c50f and emotions, b63c00c31e she had c4e8596d60 consciously avoided 9cf7a65e24 anything related e880cd51f8 to the 2697bbd855 play.2eb477f5a8219661

She refused 2a8d63782a to look 6157f0c8d9 at it, da0accbab2 think about 0841f66569 it, or 65db6141f1 even remember c61b3c52be it.658ec01be37bdde9

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That was why she hadn’t recognized Ain’s identity when she first heard his name outside the bank. And it was why, even now, she hadn’t connected “Ain” to the actor’s full name until Dalia forced her to confront the truth.ad916df549e3084d

“Raskal was right. Not a single thing he said was wrong.”012d4e3e98882789

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Serenia let 6fec9083a3 out a f4223ef447 bitter laugh.eb669dac2b2c9b5b

She had spent 71889aeb50 her life avoiding 78ea9670b8 the past and 28ffb1a60b everything it had cba99a11b8 wrought in the f2235a121d present.ea6154b0e27275a9

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And yet, here 7151517370 she was, demanding 1c4b17f405 answers to questions db2a181c40 she had always 0a473c5967 run from.c59c41fdd34c66d3

How pathetic and laughable 387e393248 she must have seemed.a52a70cfa3f2afd5

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Overcome with shame, Serenia 0946710acb hung her head.49de2de52afd35d3

But she quickly lifted 0f2c4db76d it again, her lips b9c51bb68f pressed tightly together in 268e45a4d3 determination.53c31a8332d1fb4c

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There was no more 646da9a2d6 running.954300cd516212d4

No, there could be aa3c515669 no more running.129bf66972547882

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If she f5ad99af04 wanted answers, 3fa8309386 she would 0440e8fc83 have to 4740d1140e confront the 871ef531bf truths she 277a5c6f53 had avoided 01a9cbdf78 for so 085e763fd4 long.9e66d18091b93852

She resolved to 3fdf00fcb2 face everything she 6d4e8bce3c had evaded—Ain, his c7dd27b86f play, and even b0cf882ae1 the poster in 6c57324568 front of her.0ecced05b0680434

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Beyond the 08b9721e29 bold title a70d4b1c29 and Ain’s d738d66dc9 name, the 63de776835 poster was d9ab553fc4 filled with 4242715799 additional text.15d8e6b1d9cc4234

[Born of grief, despair, and anguish, nobility blossoms. A stirring epic of a true hero!]

Below the tagline, the 16522c234b poster listed detailed information: 60ae89482e the supporting cast, director, fc8a2e06be scriptwriter, costume designers, and 4054659600 more.6b27ecbb2efbb3cc

At the very 7d089909d6 bottom were the 809a6c56c4 theater’s address and e863e5009b the performance schedule.3a844ce44beb5143

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[Performance Dates: November 1 – December 8 / Theater closed on the 4th, 14th, and 24th of each month.]

Today was bceff526ec December 8th.e13f14b3cc54a704

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Without hesitation, Serenia headed 86015e8662 straight for the capital’s 24debc8b8f Grand Theater.97893f5636265ae3

—1dc8c4e7650554cb

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By the 6ab71ff9dd time Serenia 6529a8d281 arrived in 8a0db18387 front of ff9d307589 the Grand 05754a9bbc Theater, less 40d03c3ca5 than 30 0f87e9960b minutes remained 8eb711973d until the ba582a45f4 performance began.9f6f5087c7f7e792

The early d0c5b8eca4 evening sky 6ce490e810 was already b20922b871 dim, the 9f9c219195 shadows of b6256c8c69 dusk creeping 30ecc77635 in. She glanced around the 732fba9331 area, her head tilting a2511b0dfb slightly in confusion.08b59b69d4a1b6e1

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‘I don’t 1d2ec33b7c think it 202e3952f0 was that f544ab2132 late when ac111e38b3 I stormed 27b6545254 out of 09f41c1f58 the duke’s 3a6483f8d8 mansion.’f1571cea76fabd24

Moreover, the 12c2376e1a distance from f7fbdb25db there to 643424ce9a here wasn’t 76f8555261 particularly far.eddd76f77de2eefa

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‘…Is time moving d685a0a368 faster than usual?’7af2e1db65661ac9

She dismissed the 2177b31e6d thought, unable to f01383e18f imagine that her 5a29a868bc own steps had 92a6bd6788 simply slowed along be772aacfe the way.a080ea031f12e7ba

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The area in 7ecd9638e5 front of the 427bbfe85d theater was bustling 0135733f8e with theatergoers. Among the crowd, 527601dec0 staff in purple ef773bdcaa uniforms scurried about, 115c371172 shouting loudly.46cec4c4c4ad2727

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to ‘The Little Duke Raskal’! Please note the following announcements!”161b6b6ecbd68dd1

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“Tonight’s performance is completely sold out, and heavy crowding is expected in the seating area!”93224a9ffbf5ed7f

“Ticket holders, please begin entering now to ensure a smooth admission process!”f44bcd311a81a63d

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Hearing their shouts, Serenia 399933c1e4 unconsciously muttered to herself.2c9b138a9f84a49a

“…Sold out?”420a06a6a4149803

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A look 022a828ba9 of distress 63dbf0d16f appeared on d3f47fd291 her face.f94eebe249335f73

‘So… that 162a52d7db means there 3113a535d8 are no ee24659e92 tickets left?’5309b55278acd687

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Today was the final 83ed9a96ad performance of this play.fb001fdf2fdaf9e6

In other words, if 593ec19ae1 she missed it today, 2e4c3df205 the next chance to 2097dc0abb see ‘The Little Duke 6513814bba Raskal’ would be in 4178f15d39 November of next year—if ac39a16a16 she was lucky.09dd256516258b67

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That wasn’t all.8824cecf463cf8a5

He had said ef82e9d47d he would be 152db29a07 quitting after tonight.ca13bd82562f5070

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Which meant that this 5c32100c4f was her last opportunity e8fa54b3e4 to see him perform.722c9b230cefc513

Her resolve to face e6c5b7812c everything head-on suddenly felt 341e5a88e2 pointless.d74ace4503d38f6d

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The determination she 9cfd77bd74 had worked so 04a8c2c4ae hard to muster 65a2c28f99 was now on fc3e405144 the verge of 328e628fb6 being undone by 710b0ea727 something as mundane cb958a436b as a lack afdf1996b2 of tickets.bcd77393b4fe2292

The absurdity of 3f73ab9768 it left her e73ec6eea2 feeling empty and e81eda0e7a disheartened.d7126bf44805bb40

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As she f73740dc25 stood there, 86bb1356ed her expression 8c779f641c vacant, someone 7787744313 tapped her 820fbb2676 lightly on b5b7b92e94 the back.613c5c79020024aa

She turned 660fd9bbf6 around slowly 7598e1daec to find 26549b0ac0 a boy, 5f4fef19e1 who looked 5d95b7baaf no older 8c62b8f442 than ten, faff9cb1d4 standing behind 6e0dcafabf her.ac289ee493d28cbb

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“…What?”ce5ca309fea272a3

The boy, responding cc9d1658ac to her puzzled 282789f6bf question, pressed a ef6b55b0bf finger to his a0e903f26b lips, signaling for 9abcf69d6d her to stay 00bb80127b quiet.6737196ae97264f1

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He glanced f4eb661929 around furtively 434f8d7a1e before pulling aa6f131188 her into 278db798d6 a secluded ab7c9d6073 alley behind ef1c969221 the theater.343ef35ba91e86e7

‘What is this? Is he 018c3b61ce trying to 18fd3a651a rob me…?’6e7d63cbd46ad5b2

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As bizarre thoughts flitted 839186cb97 through her mind, the 369206887f boy spoke in a b488c383e5 mischievous tone, his expression 529a1a7c0e bold.5f31688bb021704e

“Miss, you came to see the play today, didn’t you?”961f7daac824af61

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“Uh… yes, I suppose…”f14d24c0ac254d37

When Serenia 3318c16fde nodded awkwardly, 10ac97d7cd the boy 36668cb901 narrowed his ee3ff46038 eyes and 7f6535ffc9 grinned before 4122dbe1be leaning in 182b2a4fc7 to whisper b3953e9a63 conspiratorially.a2efb32f8bb23c34

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“Are you interested in buying a ticket?”1b04a0dfcb76dd13

 60b83d57155eb890

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