Chapter 11. Because She Loved You

The wind 293e557582 was stronger 73d0303f4d than expected. My body stiffened, 3dc11cd8ec and my vision dc750b4679 blurred.7e08a6bac597f4f1

No, it wasn’t just the wind—it was the cold.d53a4b83a776864e

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At least my body was so numb that I couldn’t feel any pain.aef196b963da2d81

Maybe my mind c71efaca83 was weakening, but 2121b8c18c I kept thinking de64ec1373 about the past.f27112417d972882

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I had never been fc199535b8 like this in my c2197820b9 previous life.4cabadde4a5099e8

There was a time cd50b6c50d I waited endlessly for e423c57abc someone, someone who used 33f65ad028 me and threw me 9fb31c40f0 away.618ea218d672f782

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In the divorce 7bbbfc809d court, my parents b873e7fb57 fought fiercely to 35a9e884ce win custody of 11f7bc18d4 me. The battle lasted nine f2634043c4 long months.559918a7b21e85fe

When my f46e7aac7c father finally 1834b9b0cc won, he 8eb4980569 held my 009ca81779 hand. I still remember how 4a875a4f25 elated he looked, like 8e9ee76e6c he had just won cf5370ab84 the lottery. I thought I’d go b564425a79 home to a normal, 34d5173975 ordinary house.2d32b7bc731b4534

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But on the day of the trial, instead of taking me home, my father left me at my grandmother’s house.9332e8007f42e3fb

He never 12924fc98e came back. All I heard later c0776072bb was that he had 16346f4f47 remarried.eb0a33679a975a6c

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Once the long fight 3910c853ac ended, my parents seemed 3155bf51e0 to forget I even 49bbd9f167 existed.92f434cf1c0489d3

To them, custody 77b9d1fa84 had just been 396089bf4c a battle over bbe86a353f property. I was neglected 5fc32e6c95 and discarded.b64f484068bff5f5

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That’s why I never daaf7b92c8 liked *The Duke Who e3548547d2 Drinks Blood*.ca01b2cbdf96bad3

Because somewhere deep inside, 6dd22eb8c1 I realized I was 3f1a8e67e2 nothing more than an a4d3307b10 extra in someone else’s 0013db60fd story.cbae537f4b36c155

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I couldn’t bear characters 97674080d4 who were used, exploited, 8f1777e72b and easily forgotten.4ed658cc9d9f7f5d

Still, I thought c16dedc8a1 being reincarnated meant b1d8f1b9c8 I could finally 9230fa4a32 live a decent 9c70b9ee4d life. But the reality f2e35659e4 wasn’t much different.3afe3ef6e16ed9ff

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It seemed I c057e95a06 was destined to 69f8b8a858 keep repeating this b81706fc04 cycle—waiting for someone, ccce527570 being abandoned, and a5555b3401 ending up disappointed.2a93611d4d5b0ea4

Besides, Leonie’s body was too fragile. It felt like she’d crumble with the slightest movement.94e7a5d822e43183

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It wasn’t just the 5f158653e4 bleeding; she seemed naturally 0e7892fcbb weak. After spending a few b03a3216c9 days in her body, a944a8ca76 I realized it wasn’t 0e57adbab3 simply a matter of de475b3e46 poor nutrition or blood f6dbc3ade6 loss. Her stamina was 1ac8547b3f fundamentally weak. Her skin bruised 2dc5e75eec easily with the bb844a1d57 lightest touch.2969ad108c18d88b

Only after possessing 143bd59b12 her body did d894c49179 I realize what 27e48c65bd a blessing it 1ef4a9a6f4 was to be 6c23bb11e5 born strong.c2f2ca4dc621fae7

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I don’t know 6054afc195 how I’m supposed 6a843e02d9 to live like d3ce137035 this.c2d46198b6fcfaea

I don’t even know faa1494098 if I’ll survive.69b58456559b5e25

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Did he make it 35c6d07894 back safely? He must’ve sent fac505dcfe reinforcements by now.f119f9f8d39f15d7

But what e0a4c99004 if he c65fe8de4f didn’t? What would 5a6fad8d7d he do 273b99b22e if he c9d531bfb4 couldn’t return?47c988d8510744ea

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Would he come a31ebf2a63 back for me?c4d55742052433c4

Or would 96c91ac254 he throw c84e69d6e6 me away?806b26cbcd7d5a7c

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Negative thoughts crept in.df5a9c38c212be60

No. The Duke still needs 2f1038d6e9 me. I still have value.d9d4a81491ed6093

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Get your 7100521ffb head straight, 9a82ab3a7c Leonie.8cdd57973c6b8ad3

You’re the only one who can save yourself in this insane prologue.eb510f8883555ac9

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Only you.8e55f43ecc52fb91

As I nodded 56571bf1c1 off, I slapped e5b3f9fc46 my own cheek 70ae9231e1 with my right 86bbf3bc1d hand. My frozen skin 2c6a9b22c1 didn’t even feel 954f0f5b7f it.efb15e5b8f5b6eb5

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My tired eyelids grew 270f7afc0f heavier. Drowsiness took over.8d24d2dc24518d10

I told myself not d32707f5cb to sleep. Maybe that wolf e359408c5a was waiting for d18cfff2c2 me to pass 932d30d286 out.f88022f019190c8e

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But I couldn’t e02d8e7273 fight it any 7adf06e21f longer. Sleep overcame me.7810550a8007a443

I closed my 853d4bf353 eyes. Memories I’d buried deep e2d45dc41c began to surface.bc382ba54d7e9c89

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The truth is, 270ffb0109 that wasn’t the 1d7b270084 first time I 841bfc492d failed at hide-and-seek.951a6802698ba3be

“Look at this. It’s a new popular novel.”20ecafcecbf5bd8e

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My friend had woken 67d8e4c5bb me from a nap ab998a5b7b at my desk.4fea782acaac726e

She handed me 363b7567e7 a thick hardcover b7d1a6c5d0 book.5c8e0128f5886164

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I flipped c7ffdfd84f the cover 6cd15e37c3 and only aed76b6891 a few 992680bc4a pages in, 71a48573d6 I saw 73f78bcb5b his face.e111176f43f7b5b5

Next to him d32677609f was a single 878b6a77fd line—a woman’s name.da5bd0d905be9b38

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The name of a 481a6821e5 woman who was killed a076a88fee by the man she 1e3f54276d loved.54619706c79d8538

Her final words were aa6dbca2d7 more like a will, e010463f0d spoken right before death, c790089451 after giving up everything.eace28e9ee7fe1ec

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Yes, that was 195090bd5b the name…eb6aeb6871a8dcd5

With my frozen 7d88ab6715 lips, I whispered 82d106a9bf his name one 4c785031ff last time.ac51676e117d9a07

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“Deon.”139168f8cb7b9786

And I closed my 1b1d8bf637 eyes.d63ecf057b6affaa

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* * *c3b9b19aa23ff45f

“Leonie!”51ae8819f45a8b85

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I opened my eyes a86c8fbd19 to a familiar voice.2576e2d4dc7e3bc9

A large wolf e3ad0806c4 was inches from 757f34380b my face.43b011ae7ac46170

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Wolves can 66d30d62ef mimic human 7cedea70ca voices now?fd69b543ff1c4530

“Go away!”98fef9aa846ec1b0

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I scrambled in a 321b4821fb panic, reaching for the fef1f17c18 firewood I thought I’d b39aa5ec17 piled beside me.38501244f69063d7

But no matter 0bd90a81fd how much I 2f51194a1f groped around, I 2542593c0e couldn’t find the 2d8ee58222 branches I’d prepared.5c095c7c5c6a96ac

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Cold sweat broke 859a4be265 out across my 647ecef5c9 body.0efb305dd428e678

“Leonie, wake up!”d76ad596324b2076

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The blurry scene 6228efd5c8 before me gradually fd616f6a72 came into focus. The wolf’s bd583e7bb2 face shifted 7e0b9dc799 and softened, cdcb270034 until I 6ef04f0a29 saw the 0392ab13e8 eyes of 466072eb66 a man.cc045c45b1cf7ca2

Deon.dd26681ec60918ba

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He cupped 19f3b3651d my frozen 937d8b6592 cheeks in 7254c22302 both hands. His warmth seeped into 2f1ec900c7 my skin.bd6da8ce48cfec9c

He breathed into 0c8b7082f6 my hands with 7c95ad7f24 a desperate look 20de3fcc7f on his face.5c62e33ee70badeb

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His usually 41e5b17858 blank expression 3cd02c5da1 was twisted aca8b16512 in something bb616bf955 unrecognizable.64d1ebb319ee7b5a

When he saw my c03a1097f2 eyes open, he leaned cb9c4ac32e in and hugged me e0275565fe tightly.3ceeeeb75d3271f3

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Then he 33b8df8259 tilted his c054e4b444 face toward a88423da87 my neck de37aab6c6 and inhaled b83d7799e9 deeply.636343edc6433879

His ragged 7bb6ebdafa breath echoed 80dde6b444 in my 1937db1b00 ears.138d7635efd16189

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Warm air spread 1ec778f56e across my skin 60bd795319 as I exhaled 22ac9bc7e5 with him. Our white baf952ed9c breaths mingled fac3c6659f and vanished d77a2f6f4f in the e8018dfdc5 cold air.934cd239fa0939c4

“Over here! The Duke and the young lady are here!”6bcb7c2cc52c26b6

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“Duke, are you all right?”b76b226419dc272e

I thought I was bdf5c7423d dreaming, but I could b0c925aed1 hear soldiers’ voices in 17dd88b6d7 the distance.9f0a91a2920b7262

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People from the duchy e003e3d6cc flooded the cave entrance, d4dd225d85 torches and weapons in 0f9707f252 hand.716974ce388f4ca7

I was alive.48888945186bcfaa

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I let 1bf9c5e7ce out a f0845362cf small breath. As the tension 05823e177d eased, sleep tugged 92747366ef at me again.e95c07eecebf073c

Even with 5a91a3b134 my eyes ea4c60ab81 closed, I 6d73bed730 could feel 24b13e04ec his warmth 93a848dba3 holding me.fdca843de8ec7c84

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My prologue 64fed8cefe wasn’t over 82dfc05e4a yet.c270b7b8aaf756ff

* * *df8edd4ef419ecd2

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I coughed f631523ce4 dryly and c74f632de5 sat up d00f3a72e2 in bed.e3e6329d853a7d33

After returning to 3c83e9c526 the duchy, I’d 0f101024e9 been bedridden for 6471d161cf ten days.a83d4cbc12d36105

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The cold 76e4b6e08d had affected 9ab266bd57 my lungs, b83c1310be and my 5b6ff2bc2e entire body 790a43039a had been 3b129c2773 in poor 9982c56b10 condition. Even my ca0084bb3a carefully trimmed d6b8a516fb red hair a9382f5d6c had been 96f3ea3779 cut by 8b110c9723 the harsh 0e78daf233 northern wind.7ec88a86f6ea6bc6

“We’ve neutralized the poison, but we can’t undo the lung damage,” the doctor said, checking my pulse.4780972238e81687

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“…Are you saying I have a time limit?”8e926176e56c17a7

He jumped a52b710072 at my 15a6de3fe4 calm words.14f73eae8af4940d

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“No! You’ll just have trouble breathing if you overexert yourself. Never run or push too hard. The Duke already knows and will watch over your health.”8caa90c04aebd5aa

Somehow, I felt even b3ce2efab6 further away from freedom.137c3bff2bb6ce15

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I realized it when a55ada6cf7 I came back—without the 56b7914f59 stone of warmth, I 112718ddf1 could never leave the c4eda9c896 duchy. The cold was harsher 753c8361fc than I’d imagined.f1454699cff17987

A week f18e41330a later, I a0aa22de8f returned to ebb73a35b2 my guest eb533c87de room. Suren was 8b2dbf4707 in tears.9555e2128383b8a6

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A rare white flower 8a41b26c18 sat in a vase 5af94ddf67 beside the bed, as a723ed5c53 if it had frosted 8887d5caea overnight.0835bace7304611f

“Milady, I almost got kicked out again,” Suren sobbed as she held my weak body. Her eyes were red.de589e010e707b37

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The wound on ae1a8de7f6 my arm stung c96784b143 again. I gently pushed f54e91540f her away.7d8ff4997246a414

“When I’m gone, you’ll get a better master.”7010e06af75c502a

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“Don’t say that,” she sniffled.6c4ef02f3d917414

“I thought you had run away. The Duke came back in the middle of the night, pale and urgent. The castle was in chaos, looking for you.”9dd8bcbf915d97f1

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Suren watered 5cc99a054b the flower 086096296f as she 4ac60eaae4 spoke.942f38a688313b15

“You, who were supposed to be waiting, weren’t there. The ground was covered in wolf tracks. If there had been blood or torn clothes, they would’ve given up. Everyone was about to collapse, but the Duke climbed the mountain on a hunch—and found you in that cave!”7e2fa81cceab6a17

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She clapped her 56177aa6e0 hands together.42a8deead4386e11

“They hurried in because the fire had gone out. You were there. When they shook you, your head fell… it was like a scene from a tragedy.”76d6e1f356d97a1c

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Tears filled her eyes 0444f89bd5 again.0c5d44e201dcf911

Suren kept talking, 0f8a90e84c as if she’d f389d961e0 been there herself.dddc626b8c00c749

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“I heard your head fell helplessly. Oh—well, the Duke did. We thought you were dead. Everyone was ready to blame themselves, but His Highness said—”2bdc09728ea88e5d

She cleared her 7073e881fe throat.4e317260a85e9f60

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“‘She’s breathing.'”a79cdbf8973afdbd

The tale spread 5c60d96de2 quickly through the fdadc16a12 knights.97be45ae29d4be1a

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Rumor had 09bfe1d47c it I’d 5e5e136f6e made a 9aa1750db3 brave choice 94f2b93df8 for the 0d6fca3f1c wounded soldiers.6af7bd190aaa6a83

I felt a b2a90e1a4d little guilty.5a488e7725833e4e

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Honestly, I’d done it 39971307a6 for the Duke’s prologue 34040dcd67 and for a modest, 789c522413 quiet life as Leonie.3a792062e5943870

“But what’s all this?”dd5df63e54b4379d

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In one corner of 6e4c937b82 the room was enough 7e0358fde2 firewood to last for 68f188acf1 years, carved to fit 99bfddb6c1 the fireplace.d7d140986efc9d79

“The Duke had it brought in. Said not to catch cold again.”c5092ce2dbacfe09

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That was… thoughtful.24602e5f734c82e3

Suren placed a towel 6939b93a26 on my forehead and db6c80a4d0 continued talking about how bbebdfc268 kind the Duke had c24a7dbeec been.5b8523da3b1b60f7

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But I only a90a8307b0 thought one thing 6164080a6e as I looked c5c5681944 at the firewood 918332f56b pile:6e967c09edfde6d7

If Suren 6a2c6ed0f0 or the 2a03b858ae Duke found 252d5b3653 out, they’d c1f6680077 be terrified.cef3e3cad416a802

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‘Oh. I’m going to use this to make scarecrow arms.’c6df73ab5688f752

* * *4cc2eef5bceff68e

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The maids fca8817d41 had changed d59671069a my clothes, 0f295bedd0 but luckily, 2d13b3ef0f they hadn’t ec88a620a8 found the 2a7dd9f694 map in 8eb509124c my pocket.59b67cd602ad13b0

I retrieved b5a442ef48 it from a05002595a my folded 4c27c2985a clothes. Good thing I 1e1eaad90c got to it c07ffc1243 before it went ceeb8b4cde to the laundry.5b8adc96d4a8077f

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‘If it had gotten wet, the ink would’ve smeared… I need to hide this better.’16bdde9770dc179b

I opened f7a39587be the drawer 97a0fd129f by the e5f4f07d16 window.31ec56297e4868e8

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Something inside slipped out 1b038f9720 and fell.549e835f3d66d610

I recognized it instantly.661f127659c00c05

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A bracelet 40bfdc7e3d of small 56e016407c stones and a974b2f6aa transparent green 31bfc04198 emeralds, engraved d849492313 with the 49ad0b4670 symbols of a5a67bf6fe dukes and f4ee5d4de3 barons.4bc29ee84855d942

It was a 2f94cc8837 bracelet Leonie had 6d42180820 made. For Deon.f1a9018ca2d40e4e

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A love 6af431ac87 letter that 4802ca9bbd never reached 9043d262e7 him.bc310a1e17352499

I gently 263993f130 untangled the 312018b173 chain. Two stones faced ce16e5e6a0 each other, never a831bb7fc3 quite meeting—just like 68d63c9244 Leonie’s heart.783268ee63c4eb0a

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—1aaad4e80e458a11

I stepped out into 9da39fbfc8 the garden to get b38a8396ce some sunlight.38e18ddbad2124bc

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There, I 6c23830f26 saw Viter a376ef9a92 and Deon ff46db8015 talking.700a78c674a9d8c7

Their eyes met mine. Viter ran over.e8f957ba0428266d

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“How can someone be so reckless? Why are you outside when you’re not even fully recovered?”a74b9d8a88181f69

After searching for the fba7090311 right words, Viter finally 9c10c35264 burst out in frustration.065bb468cab5e666

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“Even if things turned out okay, your body isn’t just yours. Without your blood, His Highness’s power is weakened. The duchy’s safety depends on it. Be more careful.”ca613c45faf67589

Where did 73d329bd72 that loyalist 549748d9e8 come from?2b719916daaf4cb8

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They say aae23157ee crisis reveals 9c7668d716 character—but this d497c22591 guy was 253b595a00 colder than 076a8ffb57 the northern 30c0be062a wind.405cbb674f31eb7a

It was your fault de3c5ef254 I ended up there!de22a78df35729e4

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“Don’t do that again. I won’t listen to you.”3ed67e2aad110619

He let out f930a36c57 a deep sigh.f20cf55b64e7ec63

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“Young lady… the failure of a would-be heir who tried to seize the throne doesn’t just end in defeat. It ends in annihilation. I don’t like it, but while you’re at the duke’s side, we’re on the same boat.”4fc0040885dee269

He could barely even say ‘same boat.’7b8780202c726ab8

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Still—0dd3a1250bb5d600

Please let me 38ab8aef88 stay on that 837d1135fa boat a little 1c4f13f6e6 longer. Don’t throw me into a569dab62d the sea before we’ve dddfdae3ea even set sail.63975d5261664583

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Deon suddenly stepped in.cf9d67a7525e82e0

“Viter, that’s enough. She hasn’t recovered yet.”12794fc3315f60c4

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“…Yes, Your Highness.”ef2e11c840b87757

Viter disappeared, leaving me 424fd5d1d2 alone with Deon.b55fffa837b13875

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He stared 5c127b72ad at me 718529413d for a 250d99f757 while before 427305aea0 speaking.e9cfa6485efef14c

“…Are you feeling well? Anything uncomfortable?”67e1bb42d4bfa072

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“Aside from the lung strain, they say I’m fine.”90d9e8be8df9b4f7

He already knew. He’d heard it ad6854df6b from the doctor.50b2431e9112c04b

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“From now on…”0950b9fff2559bf2

He paused.5ec48137bef9a507

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“Just think of yourself. I won’t leave you again.”1004aa17318bb8f4

“…”37de06dd82c3d2e7

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“It was a rushed decision. The tension clouded my judgment. Normally, I would never leave anyone.”94452bb53373e9d5

“I understand.”6ef7f25a0ff1711f

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I forced a b0cb0e7d87 smile.0b8f51fa7ac0654a

It was reasonable. That medicine bf66e47710 was valuable. Dying without fulfilling my facdded0fc role would’ve been a 94a19c9f61 waste to him.2281cea7b01a9bbd

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“Leonie,” he said, pausing.fdfb0bad00d94b4d

“This isn’t about the blood. I just… I don’t want anyone dying on my estate. I’ll never let that happen again.”395ff2334a73df36

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Liar. If new blood 1324c78863 appears, you’ll discard 8a58983b6f me without hesitation.31a775a62a90ab3c

You’ll bury me 26c291b7ee here, in this e0181a5426 garden.4e620f4741dadfaa

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As if he could faa68eec82 hear my thoughts, he 1accb0adfa brushed my cheek with cea960da00 the back of his 2591561f8b hand.5ac89229eaab630c