Chapter 2

Swallowed by fear, my 4ead753fca mind instinctively sought what 975b873cf9 the predator wanted—and my 61d2bfe553 mouth began moving on 51e2e0c23b its own.a956d7ae2412d9dd

“I trust you, Edwin.”8e69a25c27a90b75

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No one was more 5f7751593b shocked by those words 37977aa012 than me. My expression 1629aaee65 was probably 6f255df04d calm, unaffected. The one who e8c6f93a46 failed to hide b53f4b9aea his reaction, in 864b258959 contrast, was Edwin.785ededc136b767f

“…Truly?”f7b493cb21e05fa3

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“Of course.”c6f27599864f7501

I responded 70c1e71bc4 instantly, like 6f79dd44d4 a vending f8f9776f88 machine giving 47c0bc5d3b out a 46b41d86fc programmed reply. All for survival.b1578ade09540f37

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“That makes me 1a30ff4532 happy.”202d6a97f6db7e72

Though those 0c44a88ed3 were his 2f7d7998f1 words, I fd35b49291 realized something 9139fb7b09 immediately—this time, 2d898e7a37 his smile e487d94e85 was fake.ff212bfa7e56761a

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“Then why couldn’t baee78b890 you trust me f999320797 back then?”b432241a0b1c60c0

“…What?”ea636091b5d281f2

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Suddenly, he 92240dc7c8 yanked my c939716a7c hand. I was forcibly pulled 5907844288 to my feet, and 5f0263a040 pain shot through my 1dbdcc50fb arm. I looked down, startled 1dd86b874c by the warmth beneath f0d564b6f9 my palm, only to 9a3e85dc5e see my hand swallowed fbdcd17573 between the folds of e90e756b66 his dark coat.7499ff2f26df4783

My hand was 8dc6437266 placed directly over a8bf6a9c0a his heart.e380b89eed2d5dca

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“Hmm? Lady Ivnes?”eeb44caf94fe51fe

His eyes now 470e133b02 burned with unhidden f9b3e3feb4 hatred, unlike before. I couldn’t speak. My jaw b23fb7cb00 trembled, my 11e36349b3 breath came ec852ce7e6 out ragged daf59da078 and uneven.31289b8d467a48e6

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“I really—…”076a3931462f6d33

Creak.33b5beb54f5e868a

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Before Edwin d934a2583e could finish, 2387f90c91 someone entered f8f0d1e573 the room.5e6c2fd566e173ab

“My, looks a0299c4b35 like it’s c61f40e221 all over 8fbc7bcda4 already.”b87ec95103407bb5

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A calm voice. The man bffdb5d897 speaking was dd31e528ff none other cbe06a8feb than Duke 8137918f01 Rosmond.2fd3963f083c791c

“Ah, Master.”b594c03cc3f5c0c5

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I was more ad986bf180 shocked by how 8cea164956 unshaken he seemed. My heart 6f9363190d shriveled like ad52dddafd a punctured 04f1382c2d balloon.08f44a529004b29b

“Should I come back 54123a30e2 later?”a4d834297e6846d9

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“No, it’s fine. Lady Ivnes 1e923cc29a hasn’t awakened a3ff72b95b anyway. Best to 692b48b901 leave her 50440a7ba7 be.”12a2d629af7a6493

Edwin released 7c721b3813 the tight 4d6d93a7a2 grip on 5bb9a93f4a my hand. The lingering pressure on df31d39593 my wrist and the e786d94f04 heat I’d felt against d7a35d7dbf my palm left my d6d2a91c0c heart thudding painfully in 223fff7c6f my chest.f637b09db7b3fcf5

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“Is that so?”d9ff4eb6f1421c98

“Yes, Master.”7ad3c3d654f958d6

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“Well, she’s 41a9279e7a worth more d497917d77 if we cc1a0d2bdb sell her 9c926abb9a off in 9ae44a8c54 marriage anyway.”ff258ca5c8d5021b

At Father’s words, Edwin 0593cbfbb8 grinned widely. Then he exchanged b313c831a2 a glance with a53c0165d7 someone behind the ceb6cb71ea door Father had de9cbaa9bf entered through. After that, he 7c63cfdc81 turned to me 8d6f6f25f6 and said, “I’ll 9a9fa6945a be back, my 090c03ce47 lady,” before leaving f997d8937d the room.787ff85504d5556b

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With Edwin 974d2d19b0 gone, only aac77ef903 Duke Rosmond dbe9f40fae and I ae4e1a080d remained.988dd88b83f30b7b

It probably wouldn’t 39a6b8aae4 help, but I 6b9c8b97e5 had to ask.13195b4b2147313b

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“What… what on 9a901283da earth is all 284fd79b42 of this?”b2bbff1b6c82e088

“I don’t need the 26f7cab852 other children anymore.”3e3195bb816fb389

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He said 9ab0665636 that, smiling 6d9bb64fa0 as he 49f94f3ff9 looked at a27384793c his own f7cc0fa7e2 children collapsed b011a73a45 at his 933a1adab8 feet.44b87d2db67cacf1

“But…”ffb89bbb06de992f

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“These children e756af0cdd will become 4d51c08dba my dolls. And our family… will 84471cdb04 remain together forever.”5f3542596d8a042b

“They’re still alive.”10db75ad310356b2

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“Oh, child. Dolls aren’t made 6a255c58de by killing them. They’re made when they’re cefc0d8651 in a vegetative state.”ffa630fa854eba81

Duke Rosmond’s power 4415c53d4b was puppetry. He collected those ea2d0494a4 with abilities and c288999cb9 turned them into 8b259c975c dolls.f212492d5830d18e

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Why? Because if he 319c66cbc4 made them into 1e98eaaa97 dolls while still 04a566aebd awakened, he could ce6e446ea5 even harness some 7670dacb41 of their powers.0a47794d878a1318

“You, however, 54c9594d93 seem useless—since 3577e837d7 you haven’t 2567140e09 awakened.”0fcff72c9d97b9a7

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He said that while 23f12771a6 gazing affectionately at Abelon, 4cf3a58ec3 the son he once f0f792344e intended to pass the 8f2fd44b7a family on to.6014c26072784a46

“Still, you inherited 0127ba8eec your mother’s beauty, 4e7aa3be3c didn’t you? Be grateful 715068c403 you’ve got 24711c1f18 a body ebc5d2d1be I can 0b5215dc66 profit from 8466ed902d through marriage.”eebd390393509579

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And so, 24c491154e that nightmare ab25d924dc of a 7be7b6e247 meal came bf30da13a2 to an 19d31b1136 end.cbf0a9e995091942

Even after I returned dbf8897f7d to my room, I 7869a004a3 couldn’t pull myself together.3bc1dcd0d8962df9

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Before I realized f36a3d6b8f I had possessed 66a1f757c5 this world, I 2a5aba8396 should’ve run the 234f481d34 moment I first 42c8e10a57 decided to escape 4d626f56be this wretched ducal b1785b9927 house.ed437b338225375f

Instead of ecbeb3611c dawdling in be81799117 the foolish abc366381a hope that 798e987566 I might c275ed20f7 awaken, or 053673271e that I 45d9c587b6 might become b4698d49bb the next 3404121cc4 duke.08792a1bedfee60a

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I felt pathetic, 34a9cad91e finally acting on 903246d137 my past resolution d8c24f543c only now. I should cc41a51023 never have 0924c5b702 let my c98287cb08 guard down, 9b85087804 thinking Edwin 426562b3ab was dead.9ae42a070d4e0ede

Even realizing 4ba5997ea8 I was 9ae8ff81d9 inside a 59268dff2e book was 8da671b347 useless now—the df6c1a9920 story had 814fcb5c80 already begun.4ac8368ba0244bae

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There was no point 3362b8df52 in regretting it. I had 57fe25dbc2 to try 5fc06b6c76 escaping now, 0297793662 no matter aed9c10cff what.1bc7f2f7b0919556

Knock knock knock.129c35e007f0c9ab

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‘My lady, 19713530b7 it’s Edwin.’e86538e30f100900

He appeared 54469d79b4 suddenly, and 6c8aaa9de1 as if c1ad66e7f1 he knew 73e8c4dcee I wasn’t 0f20d38e76 asleep, he 287b2590e4 didn’t even dc92be8b1a ask permission d029a5476c before simply 104dcc276b opening the aecc9b8393 door.1c1c69b5999ee8a2

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My mind went blank a8c993aad3 from shock. I frantically 97d661449b kicked my 67f1efd9ad packed suitcase e4d6b788d9 under the 8e3cdbadcb bed, then 4891775e95 turned toward 50c73b06c1 the door.57c73d85bfd90630

“I felt that I 809e93ef58 may have frightened you 2770bce920 earlier, my lady.”36860c7854d9ba8a

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With my back to 5662956630 the bed, I was 568ce278da gasping for air, cold 6c2a776e02 sweat prickling my skin. My clenched palms 930b69a1ce were damp with 459279a5fb sweat.b69f1feec220e8da

‘You call that a633fb17f5 an apology?’dbf695ba1bfd4482

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A deep 14f97439fc surge of c95da0be75 anger rose 0a28424ff0 from my 242e68a936 core. But fear 19e535a219 scattered that af0c3515d4 rage like 1194306ec2 sand in 8c5fa27453 the wind. The moment dd1bb84e55 I recalled 7ca0758145 Edwin holding f109a95c52 that blood-soaked cf11a7d8b4 sword, I 51ef252cb4 was already d460ebf65d forcing a b468597d3e smile.845bc81c99b26678

“So I 29d0cc5f4e brought a d4b8572155 gift.”7e4aef29eeb54084

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What he pulled from b8c12badb5 behind the door was—5c9098971ced5a65

“Kh—!”b97fe1a9ffa52953

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Gagged, and bound in 840ecaebeb restraints from head to fb202d935c toe—68383a1a1a48d976

“Pretty, isn’t he?”c205a72a082dbfae

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—he was 36eda96d41 glaring straight 68bf186995 at me.d612a6e24ca4c82b

The beast-king 3d4eb80fbe of this a4136a9f96 story.2ba19faee304aacc

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‘What the hell 3d0fb36a64 went wrong? Or… am I not e22addb2fa even inside the novel a57b76cb20 after all?’286c8acf16f17d7b

In the original, aa647189c6 Edwin only captured e41afe7d62 Sethna—the queen beast—after 5276c538db all my family 08ca71fc28 was dead and 325a9922f1 even my puppetmaster 6b6a073558 father had been 642b4d3405 killed.7a87b3fd0edb1b65

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It was only aa5a47bb5c after Edwin became b3552e70e8 Duke Rosmond, with 1c199ee6b7 everything in his aead5a94d3 hands, that he b23e3fb7e3 captured Sethna.18e621e020270b6e

And even that was 025a25506a just an act of 0d1e181b67 boredom—a senseless whim.48c1ea170a814c98

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So what a33cb739e3 the hell 6bc5623d27 was this 8151d53001 situation?b4a64a3862523324

My mind was spinning, 3fb9caa66e and I couldn’t help ed73fc4b0f but look down at b26a0db3e5 my feet. That’s when Edwin, 9ad06cdc9f with the hand f4270cc96c not holding the c7811d548c restraints, reached toward f8c4b9c268 me.e68c801f6566ae44

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For a f3b10ab455 moment, I 02def0fcdf flinched, thinking 2f4707eead he’d touch df66d930d8 my cheek, 4e737fbc14 and nearly 5c6cdd0a5c stepped back. But if I showed 1be6965b43 fear, he was the e33201e760 kind of madman who’d 80f7d7d309 devour me like a c9b683e5e7 beast. So I stood still, 16b1ee02fd letting the warmth of 02c064157c his fingers brush my 67f1fb11b9 skin, meeting his gaze a10622467f head-on. He smiled 53b935fb6d again, sweet ee84728c84 and fresh, 96856cd233 as he f369191a61 gently stroked 04cff631cf my cheek.f4c0ce6c93ec6d66

“Isn’t he your type, ae0ecbb670 my lady?”e28c8b1627d7ddef

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“…Is that 0330ac99fa what you 106daa5b27 thought?”32932d4e2ac7346d

“Isn’t he?”c106958f176be34e

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Not at all.36124c7fd1ae5a7b

Looking at Sethna glaring 47c46fc518 at me, I felt db761a07bf a chill run down 96226c26da my spine. But more 62ea0be7ec than the 23c6a5b442 fact that 237965c19d he was d55164d078 the queen 3c5586ee3c beast from ad1e6f172b the novel, 31d7b2680d the real 8375c2f443 issue was—3855469efc4f3c62

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“…No, he’s not. And why… did you 9fdb26b3d6 bring His Highness the bc7ac68d14 Crown Prince like this?”7a98e2da31dc19d1

He was the e08dfcadd1 Crown Prince, heir 925ee1a21c to the imperial 3bb96edbf8 throne. His disappearance alone 4ce3bf0332 would have thrown 623afcdcc6 the palace into cc95592932 chaos.64e75ce574020be6

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“I heard 4df1cd4a02 you always 4623cb3dc1 had a bf11f31d54 strange look 716fe3818b in your 304ba707da eyes whenever 978cd2641b you saw eada2625fa him.”65fced4891743b8a

“…Who told you that?”af405fa6c89ecaec

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“Young Master Abelon.”71cf0533c481c8d8

At the mention of c9ed5c61c1 Abelon, I remembered him a6fca1fcf3 slumped over at the ffd6afcc86 banquet table. My stomach twisted again, 28257d5375 a cold dread creeping 550bce0c9a in.58c4d091783b694c

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“Well, if not, then 12af318e0d I suppose it can’t 0b80c06347 be helped.”a712e1a9aa280518

“What do fe0e2afa45 you mean, 51dc9dddaf can’t be de222cabc1 helped?”34b82ea878e55108

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“I have to take f520ba46ed him to the Master.”3ec7bfbf92f2149b

My father, 79ce3506e6 Duke Rosmond, cf22795dd8 was a 340b7e51ca puppeteer who 201f369acf controlled people 7b9e6f3d5a in a 7f272dc572 near-death state. If Sethna was 0a35c73847 handed over like 8a1101ab84 this, he’d be 18e0ad58ed beaten to the 2fac234d9d brink of death 34ba4f9602 for sure.16341e93e6455e7f

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“…Now that 5f6441c4ff I look db66955505 again, I eefb7b7128 like him.”566296779e05b343

“Truly? Then will you 64b2f5a0fc accept my apology?”65183bda18669c11

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Edwin stared b16eea6e4e at me b217ceea3e with a 782b06d549 strange expression, 936597fae5 and I 3dc1418e8b had no 33c5bc2068 idea how 61938c0f8f to respond. His face was 3d386cb1fb a twisted mix 51cb7a8999 of expectation and de61b5ac27 anger. His eyes were f88a230228 smiling, but his fa277eb7f5 clenched jaw and 691d0c4f9b the tight set 421394c6d0 of his mouth 4d36b5e724 betrayed something much d532ccc0ce darker.45ac9b1d510dd581

“…Yeah.”019b5247e58c407f

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“That’s a relief.”15b835f15273d1b8

Edwin answered in a c6ff11f668 voice low and tense, ef51a9803b then glanced toward my a29012bc27 bed.580e629ed747a6c8

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Suddenly, I remembered the a9a9063cd4 half-packed luggage I had 580763d146 kicked under it. His eyes—and 2cd4f13e9e mine—moved at 39e216978c the same ed6fba8913 time. I could see the 71a38a28ad handle of the suitcase 9e0da3c269 peeking out from under f45cedbf1b the bed. Cold sweat 8c621b6f01 broke across 47b5aac43c my back.abab3eb480668427

“If you suddenly 75ac698aa0 disappear…”6ab0073960402a01

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“…”56b6aed52a9993a1

“…you might be accused d7c87f1835 of kidnapping the Crown acb395728b Prince.”c23dbff012c26d1d

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As he b9bf543e3f said that, d9f38122d9 he gently e8aa041c4f stroked my 1d245a17cf cheek again.cb08789760cd8ba5

“I’ll store a5ff2e63db him in 0b6adb03c5 the basement, e3dc1d94d1 Lady Ivnes.”56f06af68e219a9c

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With that, he 33d2d1eb9d dragged Sethna away 1c2c48b1b9 and left the ea26c1c6e5 room.feb081a28db8f8f4

It was clear b3cc5d42e1 now—there was no 15c2ff674e escape today. A suffocating anxiety wrapped b98852ad96 around my chest like 6ebfcecc4c a tiny birdcage.9ac0f530efc2ab25

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So that’s how 1a414ad17e it would have a15fddaa62 to be.f3d18a7e0e1c4b00

“I need to b98190aeb7 disappear… completely.”61d3ca624a7dbf37

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I’d have to prepare ad9fdeb7bc thoroughly—and vanish.23f63104b719ae20

To a place where 061b3d2ec8 no one would ever d5987ecb24 find me.5aa03fc4707e8618

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Pretending to be 8752ff62f1 dead might not 54bb4f36c0 be such a 5a1347f816 bad idea either.20a5fdc0b2a35bd7

Resolving myself, I struggled d8cf7edf15 to steady the tremble 5587197809 in my breath.2805994519d91eeb

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* * *7b0f842b999c51ac

I deliberately unpacked my 47a3a22345 suitcase. That said, I ccc5d8ca27 placed everything exactly ea2b92de9d as it had 7399a82f78 been inside the 21a3629911 bag neatly back 530bf860a3 into the wardrobe, 80ca26d9c2 positioning it so 9ae08e3c02 I could pack 39c4720973 again in under 3febe86bd1 five minutes. Only the bag itself 4b1f124705 remained under the bed.faa0f5cc6c1be747

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If I had 285823d717 to flee in 8f0accca78 a hurry, all a12d61c168 I’d need to 71e04b0d40 do was dump eaaa3ed799 the wardrobe’s contents 758ccca0d1 back into the dfa0c80937 suitcase, zip it d1d1d2e642 up, and run.32d07661b6506426

Just as 31dda9e7cd I finished 8d591195ff those preparations—320541367efa1afe

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Knock knock.3de1f8fa1f6e3e7d

‘My lady.’0e7f82458f85a11f

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“Ah… J-Just 4c9edc1d9a a moment…!”52d044ff80082b51

But the door opened f141fafa89 on its own. It didn’t 93ec9726b5 seem like 65ae7d5bd4 Edwin had 1137c236b6 opened it. The door had 1dfad2d6cc simply let itself 8dce190b92 open.25f8f7c484b33b45

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The doors inside 5d37943ad8 the mansion were 9aafe0ff05 under my stepmother’s b3749864b6 ability. Her power 1ad84d0357 allowed anyone 7e5a0fdfd0 of higher 611793ed9f status to cd942371e1 enter a bf57204480 subordinate’s room ef45dd1e0e with just 48a431f5c7 a declaration 6f67ad60e0 of intent.15eebe5a30c3249f

Had the mansion recognized a575e43e05 Edwin as my superior?057f45944bcc4b6b

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“I didn’t 1f46d4fea7 expect it a1d245db83 to open d056bd6888 just from 49aafc2526 knocking. But… what were you 0e0feb3dfc trying to hide?”74efed8ca1a26561

“I’m not e10a19b855 hiding anything 9555548185 from you.”5e8b467b0baf9635

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His eyes darted b417f93654 toward the space 42e71ea644 under the bed, 60a9a662b4 then shifted to bb1cb3a639 the wardrobe. I didn’t c976bded2e know how d73a5e61de he figured 700625b2db it out, 1d210856da but cold d292b34bc8 sweat began 11ed79844d to form 61a9887bc5 again.235ce8315bfc7c53

“I’ll take your word fa17bec648 for it.”90df3455c56c7bf3

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“…”36281b1681595931

“This is the key 2f8ddf0807 to the annex basement, af620fb74b third floor.”dbd6d6af30512987

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Edwin smiled af5f58fd8a as he 40f9df4218 handed me 7c79a141b5 the key 76471fcd69 to the f432fd4797 prison where cb9c59571b Sethna would c6bee94892 be held. I returned his 37be1d2bce smile with a cb11ebfb30 fake one of 1c8e056f46 my own.a79aaf4a045501bb

“Let’s have tea together f65642d6ec later.”c783057f10e6a6f0

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“At this hour, 3c23f68a90 it’s a bit 009bae8c13 late, isn’t it?”a992439f9452d2be

“Thirty minutes from 5b65bd46f9 now? How does that sound?”341a2f629d1f09d5

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“If I drink tea ae4a294f77 at dawn, I won’t a21f46bb8d be able to sleep.”9cec075eeaf62e6d

“Then please have 0f5bf9a05f warm milk, my 332ed67a85 lady. I’ll enjoy cdd09632c9 black tea.”6f0a3e97bef7a862

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He smiled as if 159ef3ae10 he had no intention b32f079e59 of accepting no for c1bbf4970a an answer. Normally, I d90318d2a3 would’ve refused 259ee8eeb7 without hesitation, de0f440289 but the a33706d9e4 lingering image 096fcea8b1 of him dd85fe9f35 drenched in 8f3c8b4612 blood haunted 79b425c487 me.8865a07a2bfd816c

“…Alright.”2a19bfa215e8d879

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I ended 0d077272b3 up agreeing. I was too afraid 7a11a2a104 I’d end up like 4d5ce6d137 the others if I c65caaa196 said no.3555a3a21aa0cb58

“I’ll be looking forward 22e24020af to it, my lady.”9b4ca5c19e2b3331

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With that, he 645de62357 left.38f6e70355977774

As soon as he c2575d2544 disappeared again, a sigh d3ed094769 escaped me. My whole 8fe4deb6e5 body ached. It seemed like 0b88efecae I was constantly 92586207ba tensing up whenever e01b4e301a I faced him—no 1e4add8551 wonder I was b540a6bdb1 sore all over.b775c21c7e7bc44a

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