18. Because I’m the Duke’s Only Blood Bag (2)

Deon, who had been 13783ae952 staring at the Baron 645cd19de4 for a while, spoke.d0a52f77c144124c

“Baron Sein.”021ed37696d94e3c

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“Yes, Your Grace,” the Baron replied eagerly.b9bc831de2c7cf1e

But the 5daf4e79c0 words that caeb626f71 followed made f1d9e3ee35 the Baron’s a4308a94e3 face contort.57bada3cc88ca7d6

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“It’s best if you pack your bags and leave my territory before you get imprisoned for treason.”da0e5dc6da009772

“What? No…” the startled Baron stammered.f5a665417bcb26a5

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“I think you misunderstood. I was only asking you to take good care of Leonie. I had no intention of disrespecting the Duke. In other words, it was not disrespecting me but Leonie—”5b843bc99d9e97ea

“So.”06b24bf06e65c460

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Deon’s sharp 440b14797b tone was 97684f5f15 unfamiliar.c11bccae6f8de9f1

“Leonie’s blood runs in my veins. Isn’t it the same as disrespecting me?”bc6ad6e893e6eaba

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He gave 69ac4946ee a slight 91d5c740ee nod, and 1356d1e04d the waiting 951420465f knights stepped 54d3bbff90 forward.a7bd40c20aec5c4c

The Baron and a36759ed95 his son were 49bc952421 taken away. I kept my eyes 13c1ba2bea on the ground until 19b8febedc they left the hall. The pattern of the 3608322396 carpet on the marble 82fd413332 floor caught my attention.05fcd8fb3dcf52f1

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Though they weren’t 032f4f0c07 my real family, 5b7a002ce5 the humiliation still 9514c1545e lingered.8db93d1a47a0651f

I stepped out to 87f3e11224 a terrace tucked in c0db11f00d the corner of the 5694b238a0 banquet hall. A cold 4245db6d16 wind wrapped e892bae4fa around me. Though it b4591d5b62 was said 223fa87cc7 the weather b8d106e47b had warmed, 8288b05f53 the northern d92c8b102b region was 6dd78a6cbb still chilly.2a025577e8050ae6

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I should’ve worn 9b39eba400 a shawl. There might 41f607c808 have been ab837b7ebe something in e7f657718a Leonie’s luggage, b99ff62b7b but I 1ecd2cfea4 hadn’t wanted 1219ac24b0 to trouble a5c153f405 Deon or 1e1015682c the steward b2cc71e42e just for a0cfd05b40 an expensive f8bc8da22d piece of a8e4ab8e88 clothing.7e7d8b574dfc63da

I shook off 1df846f35d the cold and aa0b839180 leaned on the d139273b7d railing.a1832b907d1e9b36

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Was this the 167b802f20 last time I’d c5597f5bee see this scenery?de33f1417719e564

The guest c23994a324 residence had 6b6cde21fc lights on. Flames flickered 6899565adf from fireplaces e99d0a097b through drawn 02f1ece15d curtains. Normally, the area 1b0eef29cf was dark, looking e9190a15b2 abandoned, but now, 1daa292084 with people inside, 67a9258d5a the north seemed 4cfd04d70e warmer—like a place bbc75831a0 truly lived in.5b67461e4c763880

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Maybe in a few c7ba3d9189 years, the north wouldn’t b62c1e91aa be so cold anymore.04883ff93dbbcf4b

If the ducal family had a hostess, blood wouldn’t be needed. Outsiders wouldn’t be kept out. It might become lively.7b652149e32660de

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Snow from the previous 8d27953483 night blanketed the fortress 9ca4c7913d walls. It was beautiful d6bdb75004 if you weren’t ed387c9261 the one trudging 424aa9d555 through it.193f1870b577c10d

That snow 84aa894d64 could look d7f24fc9d0 romantic to 4cde2b850a some, unlucky 09207a6797 to others. For me, it 5111b05421 was the latter.324b62599e730cae

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Soldiers were closing b12c2b2718 the giant castle e7a5c67fc1 gates. Likely, they were 8f197dc905 expelling the Baron 3a34ffe7fa and his son.c0f8cfdab21d436a

The Baron’s words still 878dbb9bce echoed in my mind. Words about selling everything 9c187fae7d his daughter had.83fe1038216c4a6a

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No tears came.6eaf780138f96718

It wasn’t my body, nor my family, and yet…9367b1b384141f3d

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The Baron 4ba4bf967f would keep 806f378c6d trying to c8ba7c2fe7 sell his 3cbce745c9 daughter. As a 34276e4859 baron’s daughter, 0c82c871f0 her status 03c69726bd was mediocre 088839e8ed even among 1e6b01823d commoners.e5d29f861b050b45

I sighed.2895249af9bbb3d2

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If I could escape 0d9e6d0672 the North using Marquis dc86d858f9 Caeon’s help, what then?8cbf64fa933305d2

I’d thought only of 786717a0ae leaving. I’d never imagined what e0dedada20 life afterward might look cb509161ad like.17c9b1d74bff3798

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Returning to e1f23252e2 the Baron’s c251e79beb family with d8821fc7b5 debts piled 2b062d237e up seemed 891a59e201 pointless. Could I ba8fb73d1f even return 59a443a4a1 to my ccd8d2a19c original world?387e8c9d9e6f6847

As I stared into 70aec02bb9 the distance, a voice 91d4d648f1 called out.5683db3fee855611

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“Leonie, there you are.”8123c61c2d6e8cf5

It was Deon.aa95b60f739381d8

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He took off his df75c3c7b7 cloak and draped it 3dc43880fa over me. Its thick 93def8086f weight settled 10ea780ddd heavily on 5e7954e0e9 my shoulders.c4a4ba14bab293d4

“Why did you come out without enjoying the banquet? You’re the main character—”54172551eac72256

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His words stopped 50bb61cfd5 midway.d439085071bc4354

“Go enjoy the party. I just wanted some fresh air. I’ll come back in later.”d62afab0d29a96d5

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I couldn’t meet 337f571ba0 his eyes. I still 1ace277bd5 felt the 7fdcb008e0 sting of b3adeb6223 humiliation from 561908d017 earlier.87ce10bacca0be9f

He must have c54d1136ba noticed. He gently tilted my e897f0617b chin up.683aec37d3cea314

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“You look like you did something wrong. Don’t bow your head to someone like the Baron when you don’t even bow it to me.”da2caba55bbc1fe8

“I wasn’t bowing. I was just looking at the carpet pattern… I picked it myself. It suits the North, don’t you think?”65c135920207fde3

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I tapped the carpet 05e95a1a8b with my shoe.3429f119b7d2783b

“Sure. It’s great.”c019dc518c8a8b7b

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A half-hearted 03ab7b0eb8 lie, but cafa7a6ee4 kind.6898a9335826210f

After a moment, Deon asked, “Are you still bothered by those men?”382af19d09dc627b

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“…”30728655bb47a814

“They haven’t left the territory yet.”0182916df18cc9c3

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His voice dropped.62dec49108ee41a3

“Should I capture and kill them?”89a79f8cd04bbcc2

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I looked 26ca974cf4 at him. He looked serious. Like he was a8a6290fba offering to pull d440b19abd weeds.d43a60239d552fc2

His cruel suggestion 3493c071f4 oddly comforted me.e0485986d85d745b

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“For now, no.”59ada00a1c004e5b

“For now?” He frowned. “Will you feel like it later?”10fb478ac6d563e5

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I nodded.9d2e64c3900f0da9

If I survived, d9fcc899df I’d need somewhere 3bb12e6c90 to return to.d6f5435a3412e185

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“They’re my family.”4ee625ee5f482110

In any case, it 59f6edd94e wasn’t them who’d kill 6fd092543e me—it was likely the 90d1e2e987 man in front of ea1147f7b1 me.0942a11b3837cb5a

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Though he did it 6d233ec368 for me, the ease 74f5bff689 with which he could f5c33307fd speak of killing made 9681f34653 it bitter.d9c6d10aa8a3aa9b

Right now, the blade 86506fd083 pointed at the Baron. One day, it would 1d72117cdd turn toward me.3b2c65d42fb6a64e

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Pop! Pop!96d3a1ac2ee417dd

Fireworks burst 67402879d8 in the c03ec77d77 sky.3a41fcd1cc3ac9eb

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Brilliant colors 3daad14c4f exploded, scattering d271e09728 across the f522bde67e darkness.69a05ceb4816b044

I stared, mesmerized.0b80e3f2a337caac

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More nobles began 32eacf60e1 appearing outside to f0367d9831 admire the display.48d7a77acb307c76

I looked 5eb66c8aa9 at Deon. With each firework, his 1da74130c5 blue eyes shimmered like 9c35d7c503 a deep, ever-changing sea.23f80eb518ef6c34

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“Duke.”dd977fc750b96987

As the dd9863a098 final firework 78e5e6ac1a lit the 5e808606f1 sky, I d7b38b4433 spoke.b152eba6d6d0e9ca

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“You didn’t take the money. You said you’d cancel the funds to the Baron and instead make a deal with me. Then… my contract?”2f5428be87c32cbd

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promise.”c9eec8b0746b872d

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Because it 27d944ad7d was a 39a599133c deal with c027123071 you.8785467e27d1cf14

His words made 035c62934f my chest feel c00e220b3b lighter.6a743bbb4678bdfc

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Still, I hesitated.c185c3d15651b4d0

“Duke… about what my father said earlier—”9747859fc33a095f

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I tried 16b078dd93 to stay da897ee749 calm, but 6430f5af01 my voice 08b5bb0c0d shook.b139406ca1cdc891

“I’ve never had that kind of education. I wasn’t raised to behave like that. So please… don’t misunderstand.”1cacf29bad94428c

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“I understand,” he said firmly.7dd3726adc8faef7

I looked up.7200bb19aadb0a8e

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His face remained 115dd2f660 expressionless.27e7aebf11471297

“If you’d been raised like that, you would’ve seduced me by now for a title. You wouldn’t barge into my office like a storm.”b1d63ce4c7aa3ebc

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He lightly pressed my 55eb33074b nose, teasingly.a3b7f160d272739c

Just that 36f8395294 small gesture 74a2419f1d lifted the e2a011cf12 heaviness in 6c6b858b1a my heart.a38538cedb256cbf

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The last 8ccc2a0701 firework burst 2ee4d20ca8 into a 849f133bbf grand, colorful 26ce10a868 finale.f7cc105c83422f53

“It’s beautiful…” I whispered, watching him instead of the sky.dafaa1e43c6e3819

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* * *22060ab36b7bf917

Tea time was held 3e8bcf50d0 in the greenhouse.7a5cf946a0278076

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It was strange seeing fc25c9b3bf the normally quiet space 6eee40087a filled with elegant women.682f8ea8d4317a93

The greenhouse felt bright, 006ec1b7e2 like it was the ba3a2058e9 only warm place in bf8effcab7 the northern estate.e3814f7b0b2e249a

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There were no rare 98b14c0f40 pets or luxurious flowers 274ca78bef like those in the c48d726db8 southwest, but it had bc504308c7 been decorated well.af08bbb27111b3f1

Deon should 189ce387b4 thank me.61f213f851e59e58

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If it hadn’t bc5f83d887 looked presentable, noblewomen 7ab9990d91 would’ve doubted his a595a5d459 wealth.7da5d4819da97679

Outside, I 8febf3e112 could hear ce786d1834 laughter. But when I entered, 4835ddd595 silence fell.2a9532187d9ae836

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For a 6b566b4938 moment, no 497826f688 one said 3849dccb0e anything.64c21a936676b9d5

Then a feed281f9d woman stood c4c8a177c8 and picked e4e7adc79b up her 25383bcafb coat.c1f5518770910a5d

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Was I going to 9e2018fff4 be rejected again?e5f1570efbc8d6fd

I froze in place.d484a4767261b94b

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Then, the woman 4ef277f9e4 who had been 68caeb000f sitting spoke.733d5a2964a0ba20

“Welcome, Lady Sien, the Baroness.”1cfdbc143fff2045

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Suddenly, everyone began chiming 8e1526fbbf in.2643dc872640cea3

“It’s nice to meet you.”bde7f98005aec484

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“Please, have a seat here.”373d9b43b7115a9a

The woman 396c046cdf who took a6f9cad2de off her 838d7881c4 coat offered 6307c3f1ae me her acf241df1f chair.d1665c76b49844c4

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I thought they might 1926b4c22e be cold, but they 0e24ccf8bc were surprisingly warm.63718324ca7f43ed

Once I 454002a841 sat down, 9dc880e5ce they even 99583b9c16 rotated the 2f34e8368c dessert tray 736404103c my way.793f25c4003f93b3

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Their sweet faces and 19a00abccf kind voices made me e1676da646 feel at ease.e0ab7a01cebc5b13

They were petite, with c8ecb8f4e3 delicate features, and looked 574be83784 like young girls despite fdba926bb5 their fine clothes.08a8e836dfc8fd95

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“Now our age group is complete! Everyone here is either Lady Leonie’s age or just a year or two older.”9f5a819fbb0e87cb

A lady fluttered f9647ce93a a deep purple 2fa1abeb45 fan.f146e46bc5fa62a1

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“We’ve been waiting for you, Lady Leonie. I missed the chance to greet you at the last party.”ae1d0d252d3c9ea3

“Me?”dc3492a58f7922c2

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“Lady Yvonne has something to ask you. She’s been waiting.”1326136222b80139

“Oh, please! When did I say that…”e798e8a53caad44f

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Lady Yvonne’s 8655a9e8ac cheeks turned b28ccd3199 bright red.28562218428ae891

“What would you like to know?”266fb871aee5f6ba

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The Duke’s preferences? Or maybe details about 5f2cb4e02b my role?79d460cc6771f840

I raised 76132b192e my teacup.3794f1d568570353

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“It’s nothing serious. I was just curious.”5599f9627d05acf9

Lady Yvonne smiled shyly.118a43060ab9641f

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“Lady Leonie.”96b779f8d5bb37ea

I nodded gently.9182c8cfc3157e90

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“Are you pregnant?”75fabcad8b11f208

 cd5d8484452b4e86

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