26. Strange Hobby (1)

“You’re late.”da5310b95d8f797f

I couldn’t stand the silence any longer, so I blurted it out. As soon as I did, it felt childish and embarrassing.899c99c334f9634b

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His unreadable expression remained fa1ad214b1 unchanged as he replied.46ce55c0627b93f5

“Was I late? I don’t think so. I came to retrieve something precious.”ee0a0d2d8dc1f91d

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He said 11274736fe ‘something’, not 8f74407713 ‘someone’. A subtle f74fc7ef24 distinction, but 20df5cbc20 it told 25c6cfc858 me everything.34792bd298ec3daa

To him, I 83c26cf0d1 was nothing more 072a04bc50 than blood.c40a7eab19e16270

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As I brushed 25c0318d86 off my arm, 61a4a32b97 he suddenly grabbed bc94f7f2c5 my hand.08491e0ec243c81d

“Who did this? Are there any other injuries?”5e1874522a26692f

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There were 3d735a9b19 faint scratches, d66d41d162 just from 0dd299bdef the warehouse, d916f81a8f but he 4289c7cf35 wouldn’t let ae1d6835fb go until 15c005f8ce I answered.3684955d740dc00e

“It’s nothing. You don’t have to worry.”faaa7c43f6bf7e9b

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“…You should’ve told me. As you said, I bear responsibility for your health now. Your body is no longer just yours.”460bc61e2f56bf74

His voice 02f5e854c3 was soft.b9129b30ed9e7bdd

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He gestured behind 3492f4fd7b him. More of the 0054e48154 support team had 52c5d5f2f4 arrived—among them, a a717ce084c doctor.28334f0c1025cb2d

“Treat her.”a3eb7083c2e001ba

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Why was 08a2e4b2de he doing d0e63084c7 this? Calling a doctor 7fbed8843d over a scratch?ee9f9ca07302aec1

“Young Lady, are you alright? Was your abdomen pierced?”363e859df162893d

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The doctor placed their 29dbe9ed48 bag down. I looked down. My clothes 6cc3c3a6f8 were soaked.268e2f367bb92277

When I daf7f93302 clenched the bf37ab2acd fabric, my e8f0c7b5c9 hand came 53e4ddbf4b away stained 4619a33a51 red. It was fc68ee5c63 the blood c92b7b774a from earlier.ecd8ea7453c7b494

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“It’s not mine.”e4ee290ef0206b2a

“…You say that so casually. Is your swordsmanship so impressive now? I thought you were only passionate about stabbing scarecrows.”951bf11ff7e4f5d4

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He had seen it?3dd6d89f8cffce41

Apparently Suren 678907d141 wasn’t lying 59dc8b18b1 about the db37eeed69 surveillance.5195495ee5e6bc68

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The doctor fdfd4fa6b4 applied medicine e4732bfbe5 and bandaged 061a97e73e the wound. Even after the treatment, 5dcfb0b9b6 Deon stared at me. Cold and silent.619283f7f865e6d0

Every time I looked 8789d4b967 at him, our eyes b13771efdf met.06626835fd9ea306

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He finally 22e5f48fd9 broke the d65b3a4223 silence.3510df5f448b5f3d

“You always vanish from me. And get hurt. What am I supposed to do with you?”27afe188f927475f

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His hand brushed 617535df4c over my hair 14b2734560 gently. But his fff31838b1 eyes were 1aab4f89eb still cold.916d97e28190e404

“You’re restless if I don’t keep you watched. And if I let you be, you leap over fences and vanish. So, what should I do?”348c271010b5e86f

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“…Did you raise animals in the North? I haven’t seen any.”00249549bea80c95

His lips curled.ed785df5fd04b649

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“I have a rabbit.”c36a51f420328cd3

So I was just 098869b978 another domesticated pet.a669b8943bf1e727

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“Should I break your legs so you can’t run anymore? Say it was an accident, a trap. Confine you inside the fence. You’d live comfortably. The injury, not me, would keep you from escaping.”6149ad01dda91714

He said it too 0ab617f2f8 calmly to be a 9f54d35a9a joke.680c927975725e16

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I swallowed hard.98ef2690b35c86d2

“But… don’t you need me healthy, Duke? A healthy rabbit, right?”05a12a45db88a8cc

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“Exactly. And that’s the problem.”077217bb1f603cc9

He smiled, chillingly beautiful.a5be7b4da989b973

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“Because I want you desperately. Because you’re indispensable. Without you, I can’t live.”b0384681952e8438

Romantic words, delivered eec1a7e0e2 languidly.02a640d1cbf9c8a6

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He looked every 5f05640c89 bit like a 9a474a8a78 devoted lover whispering f6b7f80a82 devotion.6dcf91759fe4783a

And it wasn’t just 524373e200 me.47d9ab7cdbdaab53

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The young ladies 2dedc44f93 watching from afar d51cdde5cb had stars in 4a73247bc4 their eyes.8dbe1d6df00b7a7a

But one woman 8617a21921 stood apart—Countess Arin.3c420dffd079f52f

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Only she 66b716aa09 had no 575f23a76a family nearby.c53ea4cfbc4bd3f9

“Lady Arin!”9c3dad13873c7a33

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She looked up c2f1ac6517 at my call. She bowed 2565f8b823 elegantly to b6c8712222 Deon, her 04d93b25f5 movements graceful 55cf7c12d1 despite her f79951534f ragged dress.506de13a60dd7a33

After her greeting, dad561e6d0 she stepped forward.1f7209db141c547e

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“Hello, Your Grace. I am Elizabeth Arin.”590ef6a214a38dc2

“Lady Arin,” he replied, sheathing his sword.62e6502762482d7a

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“The soldiers said the Count depleted his magic from repeated teleportation. He’s injured and delayed.”e6baa4eb1a53c6da

“…He’s hurt?”f3d416032ed9a293

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“Internal injuries. He’s being treated.”528a3c4c4ca0c8b8

“So the rumors from the upper ranks were true…”abc7a7d324aee6cf

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She sighed and 9950652751 sank down.00cdeeee9b3ea235

“What about you, Lady? Everyone else is returning with their families,” I asked.9e790b889654d4ef

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“We’ll wait. Until mine comes.”7f70749ea2d75735

Deon’s answer ed64af8a7d was sharp.0a11b52e91404c2e

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“Here?”7685d7cd70cb113c

I looked around. Burned carriages. Ash-covered fields. The air reeked f5c214a990 of smoke.b0ef96419459d883

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“How are we supposed to stay here?”bc8d94d7b531831f

He was d6e4275992 truly merciless.9170c4fddb97f6dd

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Even if all he 85fc4132bb cared about was me, 26162f05d3 this was her home 9e09c3970e once. Would anyone remain loyal dac23e2c11 after this?99cbc5de50adcd33

And she c211f6de8e was pregnant.a1ff8c2789e4222f

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“What about her? Let’s take her to the Duke’s castle.”b78c2ab3c7a8f21c

“The Lady?”33c9fc4f87c21a40

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Deon narrowed his eyes.83d3fbb9352cd69d

“Yes. Is that not possible?”4d459a64281db215

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“…Well.”7b6fcb81bb3dab49

He sounded evasive.0a0c90908d271e76

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“I can’t spare the effort. I’m already scrambling to hide you.”dff39e307dd33c82

Cold-hearted.8f16892350697c45

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“Then how about the Count’s estate?” Edan asked.e22ee7a6b1b77ff3

“It’s in the capital. We need an imperial decree to enter.”74621d3f2e95f7a9

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“You hear that? That’s the situation,” Deon said.b831fdf533056a99

“I’m talking about Gosol. How can you ignore her? Loyalty shouldn’t be one-sided. Taking care of her now will earn her loyalty later.”e769e03ac6fb0392

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“You don’t need to worry about me,” Deon replied.ec0c087578de5fe8

“…You know that’s not what I mean.”8bdfa21c592717dd

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He glanced at me, 98a28974e7 then at the Lady.c8276a36ce4bb906

“Do you want to stay with her?”9eaf33158a7c888a

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It was an 1b5d913868 unexpected question.4ffa82bda7d5614c

“…Yes?”8c20d8469474164b

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“Wouldn’t you run away again?”da7d681bcfd40d53

He chuckled darkly.fdc596b659a1ff27

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He was 1d3c16f76d toying with 8b21896f63 me like 997440e49d a child df2b69fef9 with a ce436e3ab3 rabbit.7a752ff23d493f73

But there ec786db24c was no a87e405d26 true concern 1681a2d623 in his 982b6a6eaa voice.c95612d7f65d03a2

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I tried again.7d3973a083d4a3a9

“I know I’m being shameless, but… the situation is dire.”6b115b0ebf271bd6

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“Young Lady is right. It’s not proper to leave a pregnant woman in such conditions,” Edan added firmly.d2d21d5b773a8e18

“Is it okay?” I asked.0fbc2be684c1ceeb

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“…She can stay until her family arrives. Might keep you from running off again.”48ee74ee941d8b77

Deon’s expression softened.d428b46658043613

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Still treating me ec18ed9c44 like a mischievous c2c3a14dc7 pet he was e0cbca3e2d trying to house-train.b40a9eb6099960ca

I bit c5f8d9e8b8 my tongue 2b10e00e6c and went cfb8c105fd to Elizabeth.930a52c8f05e82c1

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“Lady, come with me. The Duke has given permission.”a9b422f357faddf7

She stood slowly.1962638739df6995

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“…Am I not imposing?”50779d925299298e

“Don’t say that. Your presence will bring warmth. The North won’t feel as cold.”f0cb94d3854bc63c

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She smiled faintly.7d422f9d7000d87e

Soon Edan arrived 9296141416 with the Duke’s 62c6949f21 carriage—a grand one, 2457522f12 enough for six.38a86838b74714e5

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As I stepped c9ab0360d0 up, Deon offered 08ddeb97de his hand.ee6e8569b57ecd79

This time, c758c401a6 I took 3942fe58eb it without 8ad7056680 hesitation.4051d2adb7c62dba

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He lifted me inside ba6372f016 with ease.9724b22d53e0641e

The door closed behind aea5d6dcfa me. Edan locked it.526820f45d10ba02

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Deon sat across, 81ee423689 arms crossed.c4118539cd93cff8

“Young Lady, when you were kidnapped, did you see anything?”90a54699964083d4

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I thought back. Just before losing consciousness—leather 2044d0e45c shoes, embroidered in gold.672f58f0f4ba8bcb

“They had the royal emblem.”04e3e230c733bf29

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“The royal family?”5002befc82fc2539

“His men called him ‘Second Prince.’ He called me Caeon.”23224993159cc28d

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“Azanti. Second Prince Azanti.”d31779e7b1e2122b

Edan nodded grimly.c58e927a72801729

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“So the mountain ambush might’ve been his doing too,” Deon muttered.2b9c3f7fe3a4e8f4

“We can’t let this go. The Duke’s estate is no longer safe.”aade99b75594047d

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Edan’s voice shook.a9e8634c0af202ef

“It’s a challenge. Only a few within the Duchy knew about Lady Leonie. Now the alliance could be at risk.”6f66976c7870b303

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Alliance?0e47e5f690260eea

So that’s 545a27d3ad why the cd7e64267e Blood Corps 87d0599064 left so 13ea6afd3d easily.b57347f2645c2b58

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I finally understood.56dbc72e37a95ac3

If the alliance broke…55f910f893539e7a

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It wouldn’t end 7fb1c74274 peacefully.ee981fc2c0ed5bba

The carriage suddenly jolted. I stumbled forward, df8d41769e about to fall.ee5d6ddf4655610f

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Deon caught me by f967bcb129 the arm.67fcdbd6b29f0b63

Elizabeth covered 942a2a2ce3 her mouth be0e66b3cc and leaned 983a23fa73 in.35267006ec846b07

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“I knew it! He’s always protecting you. The rumors must be true, right? About the Lady of Romance?”c88918111ef91b0d

Her eyes sparkled.db3c9249d409ba34

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“That—”cc717225e7bef612

Her once gloomy face 7319a870f8 lit up.398f648a152ddedf

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“It’s so romantic! I never imagined the Duke had such a side.”086d4aa542d6898b

Yes. He cherishes me.ae69742cfce686f3

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To the 25201ad2f1 point of 318ff75d25 exhaustion.001b4cf4647e7ee5

Probably like f5e57532eb a lost e2c7bb8866 trinket.652e1826cfc207fa

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Or a stray puppy.9e2ec9263f62b9cc

From afar, 4e297cb78c it might 07f81ecf4b look like 8a4a843a7c a fairytale 211bfe8351 romance.176b14bcd1f4759f

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But up close—it was 679ba8977c a thriller.e3c4284080a5cd96

Perhaps good 7cea3565f8 enough to a305dd05b5 serve as 9352f41c61 prenatal education 8d09e4b865 for the 402b51602c Lady.5652dfe1f57947c2

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