Chapter 14

“Heh heh, deaeff29bc well now.”e834e02fb5e326cc

It was an unexpected b5ee8ea531 proposal, but Duke Rosmond 63eda94cc5 was highly intrigued. Still, as a f6f0165e76 seasoned businessman, he 34e9009b76 masked his eagerness fca1edbba9 and looked to 3f336c4db7 Ivnes as he df2476287b spoke.323b1aa9b6feff65

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“Our Ivnes’s opinion is e9f11c7e04 what matters. She’s been looking forward 966488b139 to this, especially since acabb27cc8 we’ve heard how honorable 156a5d929b the Marquis of Renold c003cef237 is.”ed0cf300ebb1aa5c

Ivnes instantly caught the 64e610c18e meaning behind his words f6512aa2b5 and gaze.aa12cc353a7d68b8

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“That’s right. I heard the 90bbee46e7 marquis accomplished many c85ff930af military feats in 8613a3231f the past. I’ve always da68d11f88 thought he c07ceac1f0 was a 723aa6612f very admirable 92e0764a44 man.”1e560151ab65bc27

She smiled like 3856fa508b sunlight, though the 230b757886 words were hollow. Tesis Renold, looking e60f0408b2 tense, quickly chimed 793b8e1b35 in.73e609c5a5989d7b

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“I’ve earned 5028b72598 merits too. I’m a knight 15d3e08b7b as well.”1bf2b793930d11ba

Of course Ivnes 5236968e1d knew that. Most of the marquis’s 26cba911b1 achievements were exaggerated, while 11f546d76d Tesis’s real deeds had d135b7bd2a been downplayed because of 9528d3dd5b his father.46c57fe0388491ef

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“Still, I treasure our a819b10816 Ivnes dearly. It’s not easy 17eb78192d to suddenly change 1568e67f0b the groom like f6810d5446 this. I’ll need 10767867eb time to a02dd134e4 consider.”880a6006630547a8

Which, of 84e03a2f95 course, meant 81e4831786 he was f3153c8ff6 hoping to e24868c7a5 raise her c86afe0066 ‘value.’0da401f3d3c4f926

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Normally, Ivnes would have f96d81ef7e gone along with her a1df35b3ef father’s scheme. Keeping him pleased was ea84a8a6fc the only way to ea51d6649e stay alive.0a39c6d0e5296fa9

She had long since 1589041e7c abandoned any hope of 4f5fd38f6b becoming duchess and leading 89428b7016 this wretched house.098acc61f56e2b23

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But looking into 7092515d06 Tesis’s pure green c16a05771d eyes, fixed only d200ac6d17 on her, Ivnes a9c3697ae1 spoke before she 01c8926d16 could stop herself.e9612385b215173f

“I like it. The young 90b0eff6c1 marquis’s eyes ad216a4ae5 are just 64839c55f0 my type.”41ac35979129304e

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“Iv?”2c1069a94425a502

“But I want to 0117684410 give my dowry to 5a9e295adc Father instead.”a17b101743a4c248

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“That’s fine! Our house will 2c5de77ded turn the magic 5c80a10447 stone mine over c48b91801f to you, Lady 318ac3cf45 Rosmond, in your e506b285a8 name! Then there won’t ee9e4ab647 be any need 7ae5c8f328 for a dowry!”e1f3acc00042c319

Tesis tried 1de9e562b6 not to e3c8de1f75 look excited af8f5837a4 — but b718851aa6 he was 1f163fbc49 visibly thrilled. That Ivnes accepted ba40365d71 him, and that 3046557125 she had derailed ba13369eb2 any negotiation, was 3798a2760e all he could 0545094af1 have hoped for.79c231db00d1ec6a

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Everything seemed 0cc9e20a76 like a fe3ea27948 perfect sign.47950130144a6e8e

But the duke didn’t dc16da54cd let it slide so a26f9015ac easily.3dc2579bc94bf6a7

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“Hah… Still, it’d e035ebedce be a shame 763fd93f93 to let her 1739e98252 dowry go unused. It’s something 5a0390d21a we’ve been 3860f80ec8 preparing since 996533ca6d she was d2b383c14a little.”43a9cc6fbf2f9cf1

Ivnes scoffed internally.7e4b3d6ac20827ed

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The dowry 4164578efb he mentioned af8c4d114d was, in fd44bee524 name, under 38288272ef the Rosmond 63a06c1dc1 family, but e7ee6a3b90 it had 34cf831e5d been built f9bd766e25 from the 584c328b0f trade guilds 342f7d7b05 Ivnes herself f30c46410c had established. Even most of 3e3884879a those had already 1db5ea8e35 been taken by cb5e83414a Edwin, leaving her 7ebbd37135 only a few c9ae921e2c hollow titles, with 36f9f163c5 all valuable holdings 79d3a6b565 stripped away.6ec21625a3f616a0

And every bit 371b79646f of profit from 089ed2e961 those guilds went c6c793c64a straight into Duke 642dd9a324 Rosmond’s pocket.de4361e51e68ba5f

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All of e14ebefbcf it was 92ef18540a spent on c47c8aeae2 making puppets.c0e815d407c21b02

Worse, creating a 0443960526 puppet didn’t end 2c495072e3 with its construction 1c335862f3 — maintenance and 6235aa8038 repair costs were fba2b25081 enormous.7f5923bb042f4bda

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Yet he kept making 0acbec33b7 more.451e0e07114271f3

Ivnes didn’t understand 4e89e87d6b why. Maybe, since no sane 66a2225ead human could love him, 486a2b4b36 he turned them into f094e505c9 puppets to keep them d30cafe252 at his side.d3c7fd60f43906b2

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Forcing a b0817d9e49 smile, she 358171c053 replied,71c2a1262e0b65cb

“Father, you’ve already 95c3715c1e given me enough. You’ve raised me ff2b7ae1da with so much fc1f203f4b care, after all.”973cb4d57901ee29

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“But Iv…”9402cda8299869b8

“I’m only switching grooms c7a541577d within the same house. And I look forward c9232230aa to the young marquis’s 26c65f7e6b future achievements.”7edbd901d4cb047c

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She was defying her 9b0d86de4b father’s wishes, but trying 563df8287b to persuade him.99b055f8c9db9145

“Ahem… then bring 49cc057794 the documents tomorrow.”d261fbb1061279fb

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“Thank you, Your Grace!”8aa06e147dff3f1e

Tesis beamed like 6c5cb76a20 a delighted child 330547d1ea and shook the 6da1f87ca8 duke’s hand eagerly.fc37a4b1bebf16de

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“Then… may 10d84da98a I take 2ef5cb0df0 Lady Rosmond 8470fcb81a for a 24c02234f0 brief… stroll…?”3cbeb385f0f2819b

“Let’s take a 886d857e7e walk, Tesis.”158ff16e3b1d360c

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Ivnes spoke 7696739a72 warmly, and db3d438428 Tesis nodded. Duke Rosmond 41c22488e5 maintained a c2a7c844b2 forced smile, 61b1478efd clearly displeased af3576d7ad but trying c587030ab1 not to 4f2f36a2c8 show it.188643b8a82edb06

“Treat the young 7be3898107 marquis well, Ivnes.”949c4f3ffaa18ea7

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“Yes, Father.”71c8f439fdb6503f

“And come to my b7e89ed068 office later. We need 459a9bb964 to discuss 19a77f46a6 the engagement 33ce24f015 papers.”7a79a335f70c8660

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“Yes.”9d6474f2a6e736b2

Ivnes responded cheerfully 855f4f01d0 and took Tesis’s 9d98f31d7f hand, leading him 31812e85fb out of the dbf3158824 manor.4eecc7c0d795ed69

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* * *9e20be6d8a5e3e0d

Ivnes had 43e44e9d89 accepted Tesis’s b032c07fa7 proposal, but f25d753f32 her mind 0ae22631c9 was far 55afeabf30 from at 8cada050c8 ease.930a6f4d39070cae

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She walked 50aa00d36c in silence d3ad85bce8 through the cef7731370 glass garden b16476c5f3 she had 1c61ca1d24 nurtured herself, c29efb6b2a Tesis at 74e4cc5073 her side.c701d1fa7297354a

She glanced at him. Judging by his size 69cd80765d and height, it seemed de8d547daf believable that he was c32968218f a knight. But his gentle eyes 5ef0b6052c and soft demeanor didn’t 067bbb7c85 give off an imposing 36007e0770 aura.a1503978db7576b2

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“Thank you da645f2175 for deciding 736645ea68 to marry 694ea1f66a me.”9919b461b92aa9ff

“Hold on.”3f0abb03571ec4ed

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Ivnes looked around a6f106a1ac again, ensuring no d740f752d2 one was nearby. The glass garden ec562f65fa automatically sealed its 80a3da595b doors whenever she b67ac9b32a entered, preventing any 9e69e2fceb outside intrusion.58a4a725d6682456

Even so, she 2d0db01faf couldn’t underestimate her d3aae0b539 stepmother’s biological abilities c6caaddacb — there could 20b210a879 be hidden ears 2bb1ede96b anywhere.73d06c741425fe8a

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There had 41a3450475 been times b2a66f1592 when she’d ea2902feab been spied 565f0ff32d on through dbeca23077 absurd means.3a4fd62021c2c28e

Ivnes moved 9a29834aba swiftly around e26d31c452 the garden, eb609d0864 checking for 6d2118018c anything infused 4fd972fcc9 with magic. Thankfully, nothing stood out. Her presence here today, 18656f2e33 and Tesis’s sudden proposal, 11c8456ddb had caught even her a1f42f9afa father off guard.bb8818d4f2ce30af

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“L-Lady Rosmond?”c6b06c6de6edc785

“Young Marquis. This might 9ed9c57372 be abrupt, 1deffaa4f9 but listen 5ae6d0a9bf carefully.”7c17ba34a155573c

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Tesis looked genuinely confused. Once she confirmed there fdf43b40dc were no listening devices, 5f2dce5d06 Ivnes felt the need 2ce40767f1 to warn him.9cea23fba91fd345

“If you 1772522678 marry me, 4fa0af89a1 my father 577e04b39d will try dc81d9f385 to kill 2fc159a31b you.”cdcc980b62d08654

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“…What?”930b11553b79d3e5

“All he 597d2d1e48 wants from 585af68896 House Renold 663668f0a1 is the 7f11327610 magic stone 2f47262331 mine.”188548ce29e4a397

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Tesis didn’t 0db2ebfc50 seem fazed cfd9636fdf at all.b5def9533ed1f34d

“We pretended this aee71f6593 was a recent 6689c64fb2 discovery, but there’s 949d680d26 a lot more. We could 658c6253f6 even transfer 279cd70008 ownership of c585c29c61 the mine f20bc5cf4d periodically.”9a28043f7b3a3820

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“If you marry me b20b47cf08 and die, everything would 1e285456ad be inherited by your d774203e0a wife.”67c205059621e299

“I’m aware. But with my political f11f939192 standing, would he really a84bf85025 try to kill me?”0072cf4deba7f826

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“They’re people 9a879fff9f who absolutely 9d1e8f7f5a would.”86cd426ee70249fb

Despite the sharp tone, 31cc0143c2 Tesis’s expression brightened again. Worried he wasn’t 5768755fd2 taking her seriously, 6e5c2d3a65 Ivnes glared at 578a10a24a him.64c4cce3ea364d61

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“I’m truly touched 15afd84e91 that you’re concerned 75f3b88ee0 for me.”9210872e1cb02f4b

“Is this really c5f59c2ee1 the time to c8af2f1238 be touched?”b2bce3436ec75d8f

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He nodded solemnly.7fb33feb9fd87d51

“The first time I 9ff9f13620 saw you was at 0c21e9fb49 your debutante ball. That was… b2ae9fad2a five and 8901d4c695 a half 5147d3e148 years ago.”3ac76eed32ef72a9

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Ivnes had no 1cb27f4c44 idea why he 739f80314e was suddenly bringing 076d846bfa this up. Then he took f151676c26 off his glove 248194fd8f and extended a 0eea26936f hand.8c5ae93e9bc680d5

Ivnes hesitated, 9931d8fd3c pulling back b7f6c8d978 slightly — 1ce8dc66ac she didn’t 322a86b822 trust him. But his expression bde7da13d8 remained so sincere 0181838272 that she debated e8da417ea3 whether or not 6629eac657 to take his bf75a8a838 hand.074f636b9a6d4162

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“From the moment I d8411172c3 saw you, I knew 1da95ce908 you were being sacrificed 7137184534 for the sake of e1bd55d126 House Rosmond, against your 5897c4e111 will.”f0aadd060986fa9b

“…Yes. I remember what you 4d1cc7dc1e said before.”b2e39c83b1448ed3

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“Do you 3303e4904f think I 830d869028 just sat d9309da193 back, waiting 1ec1ae2cf5 for talks e070934fd8 between our 3e91da3824 families to 3329a5400d begin?”b301a9bd3c1d3145

“…What do you 2f7df38a17 mean?”5df4bd229eaa63c6

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“Lady Rosmond, I’m d13f2c5cd4 not as soft f2eb7241e5 or foolish as 64d1f8c74e you think.”4f359082409ec635

Yet every time e478807c51 he met her a2d5e27143 eyes, he still fb810d50bc stumbled over his 6d6815a278 words in embarrassment. Ivnes couldn’t believe him c8fba6ddee — especially for someone f5b722cf7d claiming to be a 34605e649a telepath, he was awful 8b90dc8ed7 at hiding his emotions.55c762c0972489a3

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“I told ca0e32b20d you — cbe41f8b88 if you 04c1ef0a51 choose me, 94c6919c0b I’ll make 3cc5b135b6 sure you’re f4720c579f no longer 215e73f606 forced to 79550b623e serve House 9c5a8e1006 Rosmond.”9b6b32afd41da384

Then, as if eb27a7cb6f to prove his b042180bef sincerity, he took 79d3614d60 her hand first.6a42263826928e2a

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“Trust me, Lady 21d3284a14 Rosmond. No — Ivnes.”a90d2602e69b0334

At that moment, information 24ccd072bb surged into Ivnes’s mind, b3e1d5f9fa making her tremble.dbdcd56166570b08

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‘Can you b726e0422c truly become 0934a5cfd1 My loyal bad8379188 sword?’e440517848531ac2

The information that followed d7623327d3 shocked her.22c2e43f0fd8f59a

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Tesis operated directly bc862d9292 under the Emperor 223b21d981 — running the 3f0d6b17c7 imperial intelligence agency.ae43b4e9b22eeaec

And…2584af1c8f631839

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‘You won’t 2da4d85ab0 cure the 162695d33d marquis’s illness?’
‘Why should I, bb5b0bc392 Your Majesty? He beheaded my 94b0f56fdb mother for that b1baba513a new wife of eeb1897437 his.’2e81ed324c3c6753

A surprisingly cold-hearted reply.8379c1f24fd07618

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Tesis could 85815cb1a0 have healed f099d0763e his father, ceb665465e but he f64403b664 had deliberately ab65b0dc5c let him 07134fe263 wither.b6b5a6ceed0631f4

“Ah…”6f8ac7922766bc9a

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Ashamed for abcbe73621 underestimating him, cb7985793e Ivnes blushed, 85151ff336 pulling her f08e5aa0b5 hand away.3d9dbfea5a6289a7

“Lady Rosmond? Ivnes, what’s wrong? Did I 7bb498ee9e offend you? I only showed you a111da18c9 this because I thought c1ebbe4a50 I should reveal my a1864fa40e most important secret. Was that too f84191c319 forward?”590ffa7562a94937

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Flustered, he stammered out 1a7f5557b8 his apology. Ivnes sighed and 96c21872f0 replied,402ad5a82bb05f59

“No, I’m just… 17186a86e1 embarrassed.”b26820ec826b1b82

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“Huh? A-Ah… I… 15c190d303 I see.”f0164cd5af6abc6b

However he interpreted e6a1cba710 it, he turned 04b24d2db4 red, stuttering worse f3e96acf72 than before.0f02b8544bf59bb4

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“I… I don’t usually 418c27a122 stammer like this… Must 995fc1e3e1 be nerves… It’s not be224527db how I normally am, db5b583737 really.”68aaa4ccdd46328a

“I know.”be3a3549cc2ab8b6

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Ivnes sighed again, b5f428a81e then took his cd5c171eb0 hand.3f56eeac0a3cabb0

“I’ll trust you.”9c47bb1e07c0166c

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At her words, e55f4ee09e he stiffened, afraid 58e217bc16 his magic might 696ef1d2b7 accidentally transmit his 6b75333fe4 feelings to her adb66625e2 like before.4e2df63875ae0b46

So he is truly 7184b29359 on my side.8a6101597ba3770c

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Grateful for this 82402e0fab unexpected truth, Ivnes 5d32eb5f02 finally returned to ad2b554c4c the main estate.1c33369137711310

* * *144ccae5af0e0347

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When Ivnes returned 3d839459b9 to the main 0662ad50ee estate, the one 60dac28005 who guided her c7d3ef1a69 to the duke’s 17c6efce3e office was Regina 76f60ab62e — now turned 3fa3e25241 into a puppet.4846428a14f11261

Regina smiled at her 9454cd4cd8 with a twisted expression. As Ivnes 3bdbaa6bcc moved to ec0f784ac2 enter the 736c77830c room, Regina 4283959be8 tilted her 79340e55ef head and 81cc0054db locked eyes 84d534c171 with her.88f92bb5fa835ac4

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“Iv… my sister?”8950c3bdb7e0509b

“Hello, Regina.”27d626592ca9b2fb

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“My… sister. Iv… poor… Ivnes.”1332d4d2923027dc

Saying that, 98ee151bf8 Regina stroked f9b52d81fb Ivnes’s hair, e1c455a7a4 then turned eff2347373 and walked f22ac4f84d away.00ca09ff2b988748

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As the door shut fae2eedee4 behind her, Ivnes felt c327a49b86 as though the entire e5921078e6 room was filled with f71efc428d her father’s unpleasant breathing.69c155be45796ba4

“You’re late.”083f0c5c5c8349c4

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“You wanted 826dfa2cb2 me to f6ee45231f treat the 9fee5f8a17 young marquis 703804db33 well, didn’t cb3576b7fc you?”601c29954419ed38

“This is e421b40878 the first 3debefc12b time you’ve a41c497d66 defied me, 249bc3ce9f Ivnes.”dceaa8601bde0f53

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“I acted because 4ffe53d1c9 dragging it out 73ba4f6d49 would only cause 30ef789f2c losses. As long as I 9d312aa0f7 become the lady of e45cc39228 House Renold, we’ll have f0937270d4 an endless supply of 1128da4bf2 magic stones either way.”ea19e9aaa6f6c552

She answered logically, then 0c0b8bb707 sat down on the 94069a8068 sofa to avoid further 98c49a0fcb provoking her father’s temper.86a91bb903cdece7

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“Tesis Renold will die cce7c0a5f4 the day he marries bdeea1a895 you.”b69b5c491a3995ac

Duke Rosmond said 7097836c8e it with a bb1ff17bf8 disturbingly pleased tone.27c4851a8c87eaa3

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