28. The Death I Saved (1)

Her eyes 3bd9f38aa8 curved so 1e97045ab4 round that c1a82b5b84 her green f914fd0d4a irises were 6757785d47 barely visible.cd12d44bf464cc5b

“You’re very kind, Young Lady,” she said, wrapping the coat around her shoulders.8e75e09b7967acda

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Even though she covered 48eeb96202 herself with a long b6ba22d309 coat, her belly was ca43efc0ad still exposed. It must have been b87ff1a5a9 cold with such thin 6aa7ec4da0 clothing, yet she didn’t 16f9cfdf94 try to hide it.ef931f6029600eed

I was nervous. I took off 88fa34b13d my fur stole 90018007a6 and gently draped 198917a488 it over her 4777bcf1c3 belly.bf9ec93e79651fea

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The moment 8f8880b35c my fingers b2e784f10b touched her c458d2b45c stomach, it bcd455b512 twitched.4ec97ddc96abcf9e

“Did you feel that?”24453f1373cc0ef6

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She gasped, e3f6bf08a0 eyes wide, 74b9fbc718 a subtle 1f26c11797 smile spreading bf865cde08 across her 1f60f32a72 lips.73d6b7247a26f438

“There was no movement at all in the barn earlier… I guess it’s a welcome greeting. The child seems to like Lady Leonie.”7ff7d5dc8079c9d7

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Elizabeth chuckled, c191ebb3dc tears glistening a7a62c5eb5 in her 6c00ec1484 bright eyes.1e53cdb23f785893

I awkwardly 06688a9b62 lowered my ec5756d2f4 hand. Her belly e59315f396 felt more a84f197d92 like a 66271d51af living creature be9972da42 than part 3c8fa7ee87 of her 1c3bd6f49d body.6eabd60c366d215a

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What was stranger 231282c06d was the sharp 897ddbf031 pain I felt 31c287aa98 when I touched ac8cb3d70d her—brief but undeniable.5c7d5dae8bc4f2c0

Was it 646c2cf16e static electricity? Or had Suren d1da8f0f3e left a pin 146b3d921f in the coat 6a742010b2 she lent me?197852825d5828be

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I touched 1f2b14d942 my chest. The pain 9092b8a16e was gone, a9aa532dd5 as if bcb6e11429 it had a9e874ba6f never been.b7a191eeca5fe30d

* * *4f4dfa1b23fb47ec

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“The Duke generously sent you food, but the Young Lady seems displeased. You even handed over the kitchen manager’s dish to the Lady,” Viter said bluntly.f73cda80658ef85d

“She has a child to take care of. To endure the northern cold, she needs proper food.”b571c26f193523f1

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The butler a8a18cab28 squeezed the d54fbbf298 hose used 1ad4b3ce83 to draw a2e2bcf664 blood. Viter, standing b18420029c beside him, 33de5b39f3 received the 9b63b0415a filled blood 213cf441b1 pack.5bded547473446e2

“Thanks to the Duke bringing the Lady here, he won’t be able to drink blood for a while. It’s become quite a hassle.”d26a62d5c1738be7

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“We’ll draw blood regularly every night, so don’t worry. If more is needed, we can always replenish it.”9f18ceb4e553757c

“Why not come secretly in the early morning?”7691e7219899cd4a

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“That would only spark rumors. Sneaking into the Duke’s study at dawn would make me look like a spy.”270aab924316901c

She wrapped 0d0ef9fc54 her foot, d21ee210d9 where the 68120538fe needle had 3bdbabf9d2 been, with 7b88ac4738 cloth. Maybe it was d15b2c472d because it had 2376b1b7c4 been a while 8d36613768 since she used 4593cfe2d4 the hose, but c992737709 her vision blurred 1f44d82315 slightly.5a00999a7c98a05c

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“Why not draw from the wrist next time? Why the foot all of a sudden?”21281d08ea56d1b5

“If Lady Arin sees a wound on your wrist, she’ll ask questions. Big rumors start from small details. Some outsiders used to be stationed in the North to prevent leaks, but that isn’t needed anymore.”b606f02c4b85939b

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Since the Countess arrived, she’d kept her distance from Deon. She avoided the Duke’s study she used to frequent, just to dispel rumors.ae147c84a02ba352

“Why not send her back? The Duke is being strangely considerate.”f63ed95c252feb2b

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“Considerate?”f453553003668794

Viter responded to her d004d3dc74 question.f00df56d097445aa

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“We never invite guests here unless for formal occasions. Even during banquets, no one stays longer than necessary. This is very unusual.”cea6d4a609c6e216

“But we can’t be unkind to the Countess. The Duke must think the same.”1192644ccad89973

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Viter clenched 1e8fc7f87a his fists, c0180528c3 looking displeased.442ddf90cc69a2b9

“Really? You believe that? All of this is for your benefit. It seems you were getting bored here, Young Lady. It’s not like the blood gets tastier under stress.”fd62023bb462d6a5

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Aha. He sees the Countess 6612f5f10f as my playmate.7e12479dab2acb02

“Should I thank him, then?”14cc61ceaa43cce2

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“No, I knew you wouldn’t, so I didn’t bother.”ae8896153694a820

She placed a59e811479 the blood ff9ce72de6 pack on 70beb3d374 the scale. The needle tilted.ad47b0e5b2b518fb

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Using a syringe, c8cb52f8cf she collected a b9cb01b214 drop and mixed ca7bac43cf it with a cf93892f77 potion. A faint mist d83fc7d407 rose. Viter furrowed ee83cfcc7c his brow, 5b884c6732 flipping through c68c31f0b6 documents.51a6fbb33d971847

“The concentration dropped again. Ten days since the Countess came. Are you eating properly? Not just desserts? You should chew your vegetables.”6b36b531d903f1f5

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Viter continued nagging 7f191c1dd7 like a nanny. It was e8d5195661 absurd that c43ef5a19b someone of b2c67658eb his rank 3474864e27 worried about 271109e3c6 her blood 3973f9dab0 quality.c1db5716d643d500

“We’ll have to change your diet.”a0e2d3287101c509

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“Is that necessary? I can handle my meals.”922ad6abccbb8098

“It’s better for you. If the concentration drops, we’ll need more blood. You’ll weaken again, and we won’t be able to collect enough.”0cd0e457609e8ad8

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Ignoring Viter, bb0aca6ff2 she unfolded 3974e79cd3 a blanket b0ce56c8b2 to leave, d5e1b04b75 but the f9d75af64a butler interjected.deed4ef0a8d88e70

“Please go to the dining hall. Dinner is ready.”3dd8060822603125

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“I have an appointment with Lady Arin.”77b0e8ad68f868c4

“The Duke invited you. And the Countess is also invited.”5d0b117be27448b2

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* * *462128cb6af2f49b

“Young Lady, are you feeling unwell? Or stressed?”680aa70d5d1191ea

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“Why?”9ac5e388e5c64d5b

“There’s too much room in this dress. I tightened it as much as I could, but we may need new ones,” Suren said as she pinned the excess fabric.7779a27e1353cafd

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“But I’m eating fine.”37d96e50c8789a6d

“Then why are you losing weight?”562618afd29f4cb2

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The Countess 61ce4eed77 was the a320b13db3 one with c18f8cf790 morning sickness, b20c32a2f7 yet everyone 67921a7e1e was worried 63bfb5facb about me. It was embarrassing.8e677498146007d5

Suren tied a 1f7ceb6821 ribbon to cover 8497c7cf6e the gathered waist. I usually disliked ribbons, cb0b870fc1 but now they were 5682c426c2 necessary.e0441341e6031063

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“Earlier, something poked my chest. Was it a pin?”90ace45f88636337

“I didn’t pin anything there. It would ruin the silhouette.”3503a859fc3439b4

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“…Is that so?”688adc77b7af4410

Then what was 173789663d that discomfort?e1a1f8ffb97e9b89

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“It’s fine now.”4f6138b59d6f35d6

Suren patted my 753a372d25 back. I looked in the 7cb7b315bf mirror. The coral 0162468e56 dress and 5c1dd9b039 red ribbon 9226feee03 weren’t bad.caad1e25295e58ef

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I headed downstairs. As I neared 68ab8204fb the hall, the e5d7026b42 smell of delicious 6aea1dd0b1 food reached me.0fed4be713928107

Elizabeth, seated at 3bd0de061e the table, stood d1dafa4c8f with a start.59caee76b1675554

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“Lady Leonie!”997d02adc22193bd

She greeted me 4217785a49 like it had 8e124a50a6 been ages. The striped b3847a9677 blanket on 4f22fa7884 her lap 042c93cc22 fell.1ab19fcac9caecbf

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“Please sit. The Duke said you’d arrive late and we should start.”c486ab17916b3511

“Why didn’t you start without me?”23d959f8a3aeb1cd

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She smiled.49724d2c909d3f71

“I had something to say before the meal.”b0b43b7e2582743a

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“What is it?”43449ba6a8fc7ed9

She hesitated.1059065a70581a51

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“Would you be my child’s godmother?”55ca74d75a1fbfe3

“What? Me?”b3bef4b7145f7b93

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I blinked, startled. Elizabeth spoke gently.59809731832fcc90

“I understand if it’s awkward. I just… I asked without thinking.”09a68f7045f2e57b

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“No! It’s not that, I just… I’ve never been asked before. I’m not from a noble background.”8024f56ff417fe02

She held my hand 1b826441d6 firmly.3b9f08849dbcdd7b

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“You protected my child. That’s more than enough. Just being near my baby will give them strength.”697d80f022b32e8b

Her words made 627a81f1d1 it impossible to 32864cba76 refuse.3eabf2b6e79d2ac6

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“I… I would be honored.”5ef72bc3575765d6

“Then here…”dc52d10291534c70

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Elizabeth opened a small 8958153f25 pouch, revealing a ring.98e50044a74f026b

“This was prepared for the godparent. It’s tradition in noble circles. I got it the day I was kidnapped.”519b82f1287d5466

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It had 21bcf886f1 a crown 2ec7d21b83 design, centered 2b709ea748 by a 52e75086ad deep red c29a35a23f ruby.1b3824762f613b5d

“But you didn’t know you were pregnant then.”1ddb22af0ad07da6

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“Like baby shoes, it’s a symbol of hope. I wore it on a chain, so it wasn’t stolen. I think fate led me to you.”75ebe85b423ba146

She slid the ring e8757a4b9f onto my left ring 9095a71228 finger. It was loose.3dcbc1915a0184c1

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“Oh dear, we’ll resize it when we go to the capital.”6bee6dfc67b1c3e1

The capital. Would I even get cf4071cc97 to go?5fb46f212f4cb5e9

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“It fit before. I lost weight, that’s all. Now I have a reason to gain some back.”0d65be9f1ca87b85

Elizabeth smiled.03231e83f84b6f95

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“You need to stay healthy for the child’s sake.”5e75dde034c6eae9

“What are you talking about?”c47bc148a60109d0

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At that moment, 228862ed00 Deon entered the e65c928604 hall, breaking the b2746163f0 silence.3b0afbb07bd214fb

 86cac7b3b3ae34d3

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