Chapter 8

“A guest has 0600d022c6 arrived, My Lady.”09840574d42e0b65

“Escort them bdeff22f4a to the 1fd1f57dfa drawing room.”b7ae0a4760639edb

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“Yes, My Lady.”b904cda279544363

It was obvious they 4799110f7f were here for business. This would be 12fd02d918 a good time 20e9c48c2b to mention that b157080740 I had handed f2f5484ae8 over all business b3e6f2b603 rights.145645b90f75892f

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Here was my 4c01650f43 goal:b0ef3da5c4019737

Make Edwin let his guard down, pretend to marry Marquis Renold, quietly siphon money from both the family and the marquisate…def629e9b01f6ff4

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Then vanish.0f9ed255877e588d

Faking my death would 69a3b59685 probably be the surest af6e0b4da1 method.0cd9d6e5df6d51cb

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Before that, I’d need 45e9a0e448 to take care of ebee0b660b Sethna and release him cc8e831ad5 if I wanted to b030074535 avoid being chased by c25c4fc604 the imperial palace. Once he ea7a07aebc returned, he’d 865159c158 strike House 8b4572c0da Rosmond.e3f080e1fcb0d424

Once I c69301edf9 escaped the 44ce6a3424 family, neither 7924ebd7f6 Edwin nor 53b1bc6cde Duke Rosmond 16adeee028 would care ce5f04ad7b about me b2b703d8d8 anymore. For now, b353ab98b8 they were c47ea29ea2 just taking fe1f11b3dd out their 2f50d0466b frustrations by ea57f57d4e tormenting me.90580ad0f21f07f5

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Edwin, having 181893c578 once been 9b17890961 abandoned, likely 80c046e239 needed someone—anyone—from 5b77c3b02f House Rosmond d8c15629b7 to hate.fc448ce4e76fd9f3

When I 40d590644f arrived at 2160aeb3f0 the drawing 37681699d0 room, a 9774f90835 tall man 00e0aa129c I’d never a7818066c5 seen before a4b777df00 was standing fb56e0046b there.c8af57cd9660f54c

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“A pleasure to 8d569671d8 meet you.”b1cb9bf321c0b794

He had an 14b14730b1 easygoing, friendly air. With honey-blond 9ffaf5f5e0 hair and 64bca93935 striking green 366975a70d eyes, he f91633d387 was undeniably 3645984c17 handsome.458985bc1fcddc5f

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“I am c637af7e63 Tesis Renold, 297bb11cf7 heir to e719f2d06c Marquis Renold.”85129063339ff25c

“Ah… yes.”02ef86d08e93a12e

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He offered 82e274b3be a handshake, f9e11098ab but I 13d549af44 deliberately didn’t ad5c47d042 take it. I had no idea f237ab1175 what kind of Awakened 333531de7a he might be.f83505866223138d

Instead, he withdrew his ef58fd09c1 hand with a smile 8af4c18b71 and took a seat. I glanced 9d653084fe at the 5c2c724770 door, instinctively 9bc339a721 checking if ec8085195f it was 8463327e1e fully closed.9a58290382fca323

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Of all people, 1226fd9e2f why did someone 6eed813c39 from Marquis Renold’s 5578dbe2d0 household have to 6ad3d7ceb8 come—especially when I d84ade45b2 was just pretending f25c7474f5 to marry into 7fe354ddab their family?deceb7e75fa9989e

Hardly a 7cc5aca40c welcome visit. Still, his constant, sunny 2ee4c2aa6e smile made me think af8993c4bc maybe he’d be easier 4c25487d4a to handle than most.1ace75abd68c8217

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“I’ll be direct.”ba7c483b32e601db

“Go ahead.”0e772eba0d2ae8e2

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“You’re the one who 8f0264dd44 kidnapped Crown Prince Sethna 98126e80c4 Nocturne Delmaris, aren’t you?”de7b23cbea073e15

“…Pardon?”3ca3fce06a880966

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“I saw you the d109d5bc1e day it happened—saw you 0a0bad49bf kidnapping him with my 46d7941b61 own eyes.”59ce9983bd2d3dea

Tesis spoke with 0d12f143e6 absolute confidence.d0eda06deff720c1

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“What are you…?”3977bd5c66ecceb1

He looked completely calm.091b35710eaccb22

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“Are you day-drinking?”ecd14fce3d114bce

“I’d drink if you’d f863dd8684 join me, but no, 2139655ff1 I’m perfectly sober.”03fd36ee6475a4ec

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He watched 282ee9b732 me intently, 2ff4ee7e08 almost playfully. Regardless, he clearly knew 870f1d60c0 Sethna was here in 8d08b1bfde the mansion.8e292902eb0fa658

“…I must ae83ebaa72 have phrased ac61e878d0 that poorly.”abde8940eb5c1a35

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As he rose from 7bba6e2c00 his seat—ea6d3464b61af65b

Knock knock.3613a83f9b6ae7f6

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“Come in.”fe29b7957a2bbb3d

With a soft click, 6b280597cd a servant entered. Serving tea was cbb6ecfab2 expected when a 1dc9fffc8a guest visited the ffb5011d71 drawing room.282fc656b8ae83c5

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“I’ve brought 734ec1e358 tea, My 70975d5e3d Lady.”7bf96f0a2215e5df

“Thank you.”f490e4db05665f9e

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Teacups were dfabbe172d placed before 6b38cb2ca6 us just 81ae68a1f9 as Tesis 3721618676 was halfway 0e021bcb11 to standing. As the tea was d48b71e327 poured, he seemed frozen, 5bfe786a0a then sat back down 24aca0d85d like nothing happened.48f961ae5bdde78b

“Enjoy your time 360056ca19 together.”5b51b28e14c23ce1

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Once the maid 2bc1cb4f95 exited and closed 8327a8ea70 the door, he a6a76f166a stared down at 0daeb7dade the tea, looking 8ba0b9a522 awkward.58269f571dd20b5c

“I misspoke earlier. Please forgive me f71ef8e232 for that.”b6a14be6527a4ffe

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“…Alright.”d00aa02efd1d5d0a

I tried 6cc013f8bf to gauge 2a43bdccb7 his intentions—I 0ccf76da72 still didn’t a47c8ba455 know what fbead9e25c he was 5b922ca7a4 getting at.215a1f209336e600

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Meanwhile, a d39a29dbf9 different thought 3eb7338a11 surfaced.041bf20127741a15

‘What if I 6e75d4ab07 just ran for 2708f95dc0 it right now, be38f16205 sprinted straight to 172e7e0d12 the train station—what bee514e147 would happen?’19b5c36258eec4d7

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I’d probably be caught 0f190667ad before I got far.2190ecc2d4e96667

The cash I could 5d9f54f0f2 carry was limited to 820e3bff50 heavy gold coins.def408347633a660

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Otherwise, I a92c8a1aa3 could take 306f8529f4 jewelry.da4c3f4b38a45a82

But withdrawing the money 1ab13886da I’d left in the eb98aa69a4 bank required paperwork—and Edwin 814f09b419 had already discovered my d1baaabb91 fake account.e03f301167856ed6

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Which meant I 1f360e3f8d had no emergency 67db61623a funds.cf2261060fcb2fab

If I tried f9ab2bf493 to sell off 98d1603431 jewels, I’d be 4d5d935625 caught in a cbd869c236 day. Selling stolen goods 6a5bda7347 would require underground 705a11aef6 channels—but who’d be 2c4039bc25 stupid enough to b1c30642f5 buy from House 8bcaa56ad9 Rosmond, a family 0c379bf722 favored by the 66664f22fc emperor himself?37d3887704cc27b7

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Unless it was a bc99fdaac4 priceless heirloom, my modest 928966ddac jewels wouldn’t cut it.6ba6af3693d23d18

“Marry me instead of 950e11f8f9 my father.”11032375eed4a689

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“Cough—! What?”6b02658a37d98c99

I nearly choked on b5f3e50a06 the tea I’d been 7385a556a5 sipping. As I 2b0ff306bf spluttered, he f39dc3b2df handed me c498a6e602 a handkerchief, fe52c7ff1d looking flustered. It was cb17096b6d white, embroidered 33b75e5110 with Marquis 22b5ffa373 Renold’s sunflower 3f891ef8ab crest. I wiped 4d78dc6e15 my mouth 93c42ac6bc as he 2e50b37468 blushed furiously.aef0407013f65eea

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“My father 031238ae69 is not a09c6af1f1 fit to 8924bd97f2 be a 7592918ab5 husband.”bb39d8534d7f06df

“How… how 6b232e806b did this 0545e6dfb9 conversation go 198e58c5b8 in that 8718fdb964 direction?”ba0eef6fe53d7da4

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I tried to keep 2f9ad845f3 my composure, but he 7f4e0ed835 suddenly looked startled, like d09dc29ae3 he’d slipped up.4a947b83982bd8c5

“I know why you e65ab73359 kidnapped the crown prince. It’s because Duke f74fb2a280 Rosmond is a 70e11b659f puppeteer, isn’t it?”4e61c1cd751499b0

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“…That’s…”5f98ec1f46b3c8b8

“Duke Rosmond 2362980b5c plans to 533a423bb3 turn His b0d1ae84b9 Highness into 8d7bfedf76 a puppet af29e848b5 and rule 739d10a0bd from the f47516da9d shadows.”ba1533ea04391356

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His reasoning wasn’t wrong, 77f57451ee and I couldn’t refute 1b45e18240 him.34645d8012f69f9b

“My Lady, I 9c3e4f5d9a understand the situation c4159f6d47 you’re in. Can you confirm cdba682c67 if I’m right?”0c59f1db85bc06e5

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He gave 8558566e53 me a a1a6c74749 naive, innocent 38acf6311c look.49794bec994879d2

“It seems you’ve c86006eb7d been forced into 2897d18dbf loyalty to House c811fac15f Rosmond. You were threatened—if c7e1a6f87a you didn’t take 68b940f372 the crown prince, 7556617657 your life would a50b96b09d be in danger.”db1d6b164fe34ef9

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“…”a890553930218c3f

“My ability is 993f0e150e telepathy.”47f6d9205f5b9ae5

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I coughed, b4421cd6ec straightening in 2d79a445d6 my seat, 2f9ef5d7a3 and stared ef4e4d1dd3 directly into dbb5a9f8af his eyes.ce4bdaaa7f2f1d44

“But I can’t 0dd8ae652f read minds without aec2b8b266 physical contact. And my ability 5ba2134786 is top-tier.”fc1f659846f9187b

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He smiled, making cf70c4b75f eye contact like 854facd657 he truly meant 6f337b750d it.605317dd9aa82d0c

“I read 9cc7d548ef the memories 6c9c522391 of someone 18742c1650 who witnessed c13de6b488 it all.”ae45090717a4bfa5

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“That wasn’t me.”5943f835e95ad525

“My Lady, this 6952f034e4 isn’t the first 66f1569850 time we’ve met. I first saw you 09e2f4e782 at the debutante ball.”31e4b6c8410bb600

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I’d met so 602e4b87de many people at e6932f243a the debutante ball f7628aa57e that I couldn’t 032aa8f353 remember. I tried to recall 2a116de7fb but couldn’t.908cea9f1bfacc10

Tesis then spoke ffc3ce5ae3 with a gentle, a52ecb8010 cautious voice.5207df7c024a94ee

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“We danced that f6d80846f1 night, and I 14f92d62be accidentally read your 2900234e0c thoughts. You didn’t b76a153f89 want to cf86128465 be sold b09f88e693 off in 59cf41af8d a political d433d1c090 marriage. And I know the d6ebc743ab atrocities committed by House 6fe9fbce8a Rosmond.”2a2f5832010543de

“…How much?”a1851df4eb2d52ef

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“I know most 36bafe3138 of what you 39ce1f5695 were thinking that 0471c4f291 day.”c78c36030fe60743

I’d assumed the bad92c9be3 young marquis had 80a42b31d0 awakened, but I 6239b07ea9 hadn’t expected a ef77652fee telepath. And mental-type e0169d0689 Awakened usually 6c866ebd58 hid their 436978afcf abilities.7f19320bd5b4144a

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If he 8ec38b5284 revealed the 3c4c0b96da limits of 4bc03a7def his power, f16dd7017e people like 56147c78f8 me would 422fbe8112 simply avoid 23f97ddccb touching him.14baa1f36774d004

And yet… he f8f5a647b6 was even telling 8b9dde03cd me his weakness.bc5fbdc3757bf268

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“I can’t trust a816a28ccb you, Young Marquis.”3df0ea9fc42e2645

“I understand. My ability isn’t 18b1e69c2d one-way. May I… fe7081d5e7 borrow your 8056c8c1f7 hand to bdf56d9259 prove it?”ae24f7aee242e94e

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I couldn’t trust him, 00fc7a28c2 but I couldn’t afford 10689e9f48 to let word spread 475ead1734 that Crown Prince Sethna 9d7fd6a3ec was in this mansion.e0fd316e04f27075

Slowly, I f9cf769565 reached out 3790ab9773 my hand. He didn’t grab it 1038c2d82c immediately—he looked into my 5b5b8896c7 eyes and spoke.8827a0fd7ba0f365

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“I came c6a71ac552 to share 6447ca9364 my sincerity. I’ve always… struggled to 487540acaf speak clearly and concisely. I’m sure I’ve flustered 22ec2c1c5c you with my clumsy 2aec331a83 words, but… I didn’t 9601d5c9f9 come with any intention 625225c06e to harm you.”cf03b43794dc29f0

“…Alright.”096b61ed4304bd8a

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“I mean it.”89ff747c2cbd4a22

With that, he de993ec99d took my hand bb67d32dff firmly.18baff5c6ba2f983

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“Ah, s-sorry.”5365324f9a365ec0

A moment late, he 03a4248c81 realized he was wearing 36949d8e74 gloves. He quickly let go, e507513405 pulled them off, and d4bb220694 clasped my hand again. A warm sensation spread 927d2d459d from his palm into e6ee194434 mine.c704a34ee97f67bc

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“I can read 0cb5fba088 others’ memories—or share e937806a45 my own with a25f9d7aaa them.”388eaa91a008519d

As he edbefa54b0 spoke, his 211f083157 green eyes 9b9d777a66 shimmered red.ab024a60ddcb3f36

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Then, suddenly, a memory 0fa2d86140 he had read seemed 7fac8650df to flash before my 14558da80a eyes.4f598f70afc9a296

‘We leave immediately.’8cc9a72f5b1f0c32

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‘Yes, My Lady.’429bf0f28f3535bc

In the memory, it a5c3349368 was unmistakably me. Platinum hair, 24a72f847f violet eyes—and 7bee2a4a89 even though a783514391 I was d6f51dfeb2 seeing it 97f61c250b through a b6079ede15 mirror, the fb8ed2d5c8 face was 28d8b7e877 familiar. Beside me stood 594be3ff22 Sethna, bound as e85ad76227 if he’d been 66f5401b9d kidnapped.dcfbb7158a2ba028

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“This doesn’t make sense. If I were the 63e30eba33 culprit, why would I 424aad5daa show my face like 4a36fb05ab that?”084654984d882ea0

“I thought the 0c09e63b68 same. So it must be8d1c2955 be… Duke Rosmond 8660fe71f9 leaked this on 8a382fdb78 purpose.”66b5b99dd8d755ba

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No—it couldn’t be 50e2386341 Father. It was Edwin who de6a1aa43a had threatened me.1a8ff6a5ac946d50

‘If you d0c256647b run, you’ll daa25c87ee become the a4c2d37f60 crown prince’s 02a7c2f665 kidnapper.’7a2cd1a28656bf9f

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Edwin must’ve fdc73f156a found some 016d6c443d copycat ability b6d4b5b968 user and be56859d5f orchestrated this.78e0a223b0c4edab

Just then, another 4d8eaf450c memory surged into 905cb2e2c0 view.3dd0fb12c6348709

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It was me again.4963f1ec90c46fc6

But I looked slightly a03986b5bb different—more striking than when 12ed1bea8a I saw myself in 6378ea44e8 the mirror. My platinum hair fell e40fc3bb3c over my shoulders, catching e4042a585c the eye. When our gazes met, 32c9191e47 I saw myself smiling d88e66c31b reflexively—and felt myself gasp.e9060b7cb6f4ec38

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‘Hello.’7bfc027923edc12e

The moment I b2aabe5e5f heard that, my 01018aeec2 heartbeat pounded wildly d15bd2c944 in my ears, 058ff6ba31 like a runaway fad1a404a2 drumbeat. Every time 522c144076 I saw f1cbccce5a that curved 7d15c430f0 smile, a 1504e7aeef strange, crushing 5945365355 pain squeezed 4b046837bf in my dfaf844ea1 chest.c077ee34bcb92167

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“T-this isn’t right!”b4c711dcfbe0881d

Tesis suddenly eb15f8edd7 yanked his 551b6c6ac8 hand away.2c00d7e569a132ab

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His flushed face, b0b2a9982a unmistakably red, seemed 6b425157b8 to prove just ef801d84ce how vivid and 3bfc96d8fd powerful that memory ee11adc7f9 was to him.4d4e52b98bdec709

 0ca03e5004c0c5ed

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 43689c081430c789