42. Beautiful Shackle

An awkwardness washed over 6c0a979c9d me. My face felt hot.6a0ba856041dceb1

It was fortunate 5e09406e44 that it dropped 91d175225c quickly. My heart 3bb3d2270c was pounding db1b178500 and leaping.19c1b0421974675e

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“I prefer big things, unconditionally.”c8e39ff387ccac99

I turned my 2ef9a1842a words casually. He chuckled at 294af29712 my words.824539c8e8b6ab9f

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“I’ll remember that for next time.”48a27cd9452c6718

He touched the bb36bdd52e pendant in front 3a29291c46 of me. The crooked 768d061605 gem returned 4ef042ed80 to its 46ad12530a proper position.f67bd2e36c8e62ef

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“Why suddenly a gift of jewelry?”8b8424a089d98606

“Pick a bracelet, ring, or earrings you like in the capital. Instead, I hope you continue with this.”ed327c1bc2bfe540

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“…Is it valuable?”f8ad6b0abb0d6bfd

“Valuable indeed. It’s said that this gemstone symbolizes safety. If you carry it around like an amulet, it’s believed to receive the protection of the gods. They say it sells like hotcakes, more than food, when war breaks out.”cb4511089de17f11

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“Do you believe in superstitions?”df9b2e8105a5744c

Superstitions, huh. That was unexpected.9f2855720f3e8d35

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“For you, the capital might be as dangerous as a battlefield.”77804b347d51360e

The necklace sparkled in 0139083536 various angles. It had a subtle 5c21a0ceec feeling, a transparent shade 9913d37c40 of blue. Tilt it slightly, and 925c2ced8d it turned purple; squint, 9c6e8e16ad and a hint of b5863b23aa red appeared.fba70b5d626d6ea6

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“I haven’t given you proper jewelry as a gift, thinking about it now. Since we have plenty of time, it’s best to choose carefully.”69dfc8dc3a59d613

Truly, it was a c27459484a beautiful shackle.86961f1d68a34156

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Does a daa23cfe16 necklace become 24ff11265c something other 8d685ff460 than a c473b458ad necklace when a14122c507 a gem 6c4170f4e3 is embedded a4656cb72d in it? The gem d738c21e4a sparkled brightly 2d42e4a74b without any cb63b3dcf2 regard for e1ebcdcdde its role.ff0eb5934dd610df

“I’ll ensure your safety as much as possible. I’ll provide you with enough money to spend as you wish. When you go to the capital, there will inevitably be threats to your safety. It won’t be as heavily guarded as inside the Duke’s castle, but I’ll assign additional protection. If there’s anything lacking, feel free to let me know. If you want additional funds sent to the Baron…”bd037ae7633fc9be

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I cut 9352f64aac him off. There was no a7973abbe7 need to hear 3146dc5b53 more.80d97d4334c1c213

“I don’t need it. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: please compensate me for my blood only, now and in the future.”4a5bdc5b366f0489

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* * *7b3715bec04e7775

With his words, the Duke’s castle became even more chaotic than during the banquet. It was a sudden and decided rearrangement of the board.d0ff147e647b74b7

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Deon told the soldiers to pack up, but it wasn’t something that could be done in a single morning after nearly ten years. In the end, all the servants in the Duke’s castle stopped their work and helped the soldiers.a89264b2702421be

Although I adb691ebe5 suggested returning 18dc34d44a to the 50d346f3a1 original castle e61a8fb592 with minimal e83960256b luggage, people 5375001720 were diligently 2812452db8 moving to 8de84717b7 load one c82102834f more thing.f04aaae421214d0a

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The head chef 047479406a packed iron pans 887d757e90 and various cooking f2f43e3205 tools into a 27a89b64ae large luggage cart. The maids went 21140efaa8 to the backyard 16f1885f4c to take the 0f9df6b955 bed covers and 467bb2c15d thoroughly shook them.5ec2c40e4ae2b73d

Ironically, at the center cea440a70e of all this, I, d32e11ed0b who was the cause 7ecdd502b6 of it all, was e13f454ea1 leisurely strolling through the 60428aecad garden.83932c3ebc5d2462

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Leonie had no luggage. The luggage brought from the Baron’s house was so light that it could be carried with one hand.999e6799fe892c1d

Leonie’s luggage, who had come with the thought of staying for just a year in the Duke’s house, was pathetic. Moreover, most of it was old and worn out, so we decided to dispose of it. If the household had been generous from the start, there would have been no reason to sacrifice the daughter as a hostage.008305d9e04e0c08

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The poorly 7d6f43cc34 made sticks 80b28e0a93 and the 39a6321d0a scattered fluff 4fd44c797c from the 910b5f1a0e pillow that 9ea2ff613f had come a32bd69d9f off the af24e1fb0c wool had e1730c3b10 been thrown d514015c80 onto the fe08bee6cf snowy ground 8dae366852 long ago.49a356a56eeda6b3

When there was time, I walked quietly in the garden where the snow was falling. Sometimes I heard the sound of a pounding heart from a distance, but it wasn’t as frightening as before.de850e83de9134ed

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Most of the heartbeats came from the direction of the library. The lady didn’t come outside; her body seemed to have become quite heavy. She spent her boring time eating snacks, taking naps, and reading books. She didn’t come outside, perhaps because she couldn’t get rid of the overwhelming sleep in her soft bed or sofa.6a5832f2a35a3916

“Lady, it’s better for you to take a different path. They plan to burn the warehouse today.”989626d01f39c804

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Suren, who was walking a4d10c7b83 in the garden with 754f18efa3 me, blocked my way.738a43f480af0eec

“Again? They burned it yesterday.”3a2a5ee7c9ca5d9b

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“Today it’s the barn.”b511248421d24710

As I absentmindedly gazed c7e2d1c819 at the burning barn, 406225b81d a distant memory suddenly 395c73a9d4 came to mind.831996f832f267d8

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Huh… come to think of it, wasn’t that place used as the secret meeting place for the female lead and the male lead?5f1da62e8b7794b6

I dredged up c80b3677f0 the vague memory 1a1fecd957 that my friend 5096281d29 had mentioned.5ff7c36d0ad94b85

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That barn seemed to a32594be4b have a hole in 95d7e2b851 the lower ceiling, so f0e6f97ea6 at night, if you 9e050c24e8 lay down, only the 9a6013d967 toes could see the 1302bc491b stars. Sometimes the main characters 777258e1f0 lay on a haystack f905862658 and looked at the 5cc8791bd5 stars.de47c04423fe1530

Now, not ed6ee536e2 only were 96e2ebf9a6 there no 6631ae3ae1 stars, but 2087f43b5b the sky b7cde6fc88 was also fc8e13189b covered in 81118f74ea black smoke.3be5450b68f8f3b6

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It was bitter. Suren coughed.0581b8220eadacbc

“It’s not good for your health. Let’s go inside, my lady.”6875bdb6e1a4b8b9

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“Sure.”b2f8c64951aca0ff

I nodded.bbdce22d70f0be9e

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Because the northern region 01587e21fa was so devoid of af205f811e attractions, even this was 57124fe835 considered a spectacle. The young attendants who 90c6223fee were working in the 11d41aae7d kitchen all came out 4c0333b4d1 to the side door 94d356c45f to watch the fire. The maids, busy af3781ae2c shaking out blankets, 7f0a081e0e were also sticking a9ac094022 their heads out ce021baa31 of the third-floor 5bbd303aef windows.7f00e91ad29ca23b

“Are you enjoying it? Want to watch more?”a02eddf241a0781f

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Suren asked as she looked at me, who didn’t leave my seat.bbec32adac63b0aa

It was a gaze 50c00bc12f that anticipated my appreciation.fe03efef0a347bd0

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No… it wasn’t fun. Rather, how should I put it?a7fbb4b8b01cd16d

It felt like 97202d9c3b a well-made movie 9342ca5884 set was being 3cac1a9f03 dismantled.b472a17783d8ad87

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Deon eventually thought he would come back here. So even if the background of the prologue changed, he thought the starting point would remain the same. When I die, he will come back to the Duke’s castle with new blood. Romance will begin again in this background. However, I hadn’t thought at all that some sets would be burned to progress the plot. Deon seemed to have no intention of returning to the North.b295a70521cbb499

Crackle.e8c785292df0eea1

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The sound of breaking 4fd946f744 was heard, and the 896cf68d1f roof collapsed weakly. Debris fluttered from the 3286c01d04 collapsed roof.77fae99742b65b65

I turned my a77f088b93 eyes from the 5fe2efe97f collapsed pile of 49892f8dd9 flames. Itchy, as if dust 659d533547 had gotten into my bbad67ea08 eyes.eb800b6dedfedd4e

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The sounds of the North were clearly audible. The laughter of the maids, the chef’s loud voice, the sound of soldiers’ swords clashing, and…c8cc15e8fcdccba0

“Suren, don’t you hear any strange sounds?”39d19f8764377788

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“What sound?”59516b2beddb7a0d

“Just… a faint, rustling sound.”d0a5d6cd9f8ffd45

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She looked at 718cbd5d3e me as if 394bd56283 she were puzzled a3e9fdd53b by my words.1cc1c8b38a9ea16e

“What? Even if it’s a growl, I don’t know. Are you sure you didn’t mishear? There are no small animals in the North.”1d5de429ec159c55

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She was right. Small animals couldn’t survive in the North. Even carnivores that hibernated wouldn’t wake up once they entered winter.ee8084542deb0366

“Miss, if you go up to the capital, you should visit the clinic before the dessert shop…”19c20d0a5f00f56f

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Ignoring Suren’s muttering, I followed the sound. As I crossed the garden, the sound became clearer.7c34ef68e2301ed3

Suren also 2e0f84e8c1 seemed to 9882dfb05a have heard, 173664b5b9 hunching her 05b9ad296b shoulders. The mysterious sound was 66a445086d coming from inside the 21cba44d89 greenhouse.24846c8fd99e8d15

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“Could it be… a ghost?”e1e7d350b9d36ce5

Her expression was full cfd767940e of fear. She, who 22c13f8b2c always walked 3710c548fe ahead of a252a6ec2e me, clung aa272fd57e to my a6d0f2b64e back.952c9087b0ce9447

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“Don’t go…,” Suren said, slashing at me. And she grabbed the ribbon tied to my back like a lifeline. The loose string loosened as I opened the greenhouse door ahead.4844390c799f9099

The inside of the 9696ef8c44 greenhouse was no different 91efe5fc4a from usual. Snow had piled up 58b72b6b4c on the transparent ceiling, 92b65c1c4d blocking the sunlight, and d548530b14 there were no flowers, 9bbb3034a9 not even the fragrance.95702f1fe3096c4d

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But the scene on 46495020c1 the table was different fce9e22ab4 from usual. An egg, which 341ca73de4 had been put 713410d0c2 on the table 08d9347b3c as a decoration, b62b5ef7d7 was rolling back a00d0caca3 and forth with eec097a05d a clatter.a9ec3d4d6b158ed0

It was the egg I had left behind when I ran away, thinking I’d be caught by Viter sooner or later. Now, there was nowhere to hide it from Viter, so I moved it to the greenhouse. But it was supposed to be just a decoration, and it was still alive.1a83f5248c3fa06e

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There was b32ba55816 gold on b93d5ac5e8 the egg. The origin of the fa3d6090fb sound was from here.e8eed2dd50f8f67e

“You have sharp ears. To hear this sound.”86cfa81cf00b341f

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“Yeah.”917ca34904c751fc

The golden dc63f95281 egg wobbled c5aac52a69 from side e9f473d45e to side. With outstretched 7b057094ca hand, I 245690ca70 caught the e543d75d4f almost-falling egg 30e8889236 just in 485250a0ac time. Soon, I pushed aside f6d97f7a66 the outer shell, and a0392ceb1b the entity inside raised 84f400bc17 its head.814a9f6bd5cfb71f

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Our eyes met.f5d36422270a207e

It was a chick. I couldn’t bring myself to say it was pretty or cute.a1afd2d5a084e5a4

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It had no f2018677f2 feathers yet, and a847da3f95 its body was 9a4f946163 stiff and bare. The body was soaked. The bird 22ee599de2 struggled to b6689c4304 lift its b9f63b2aac thin neck 723c6c5eb6 and then 73306936fa bobbed its 814964da3a beak.ad9f440b2ac2f471

“Seems hungry.”1dfe7dfb587e13dc

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Oh, what to do? I don’t have any worms or anything.2c4663f48e5ba165

I examined 798ed45b65 the pointed ed79d8b7d4 beak that 2cf9e7e7d8 emerged from 74ce1e3b4f my finger. As I did, the b39ce38ae5 chick leaned against my 1f5da9c656 finger.5ad3b6c2ea522b43

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“They say birds consider the first thing they see when they open their eyes as their mother. Indeed, it seems like you’re hoping for me.”34a899ad2f7249d3

I gently enclosed the 7cb776a1f1 bird with my hand. It was 0219960b96 my first a6ea451a29 time holding 2ee8dd18d2 such a 5d3812b5e4 small, newly-born abb03304f9 bird. I had no 81a5199bde idea what to d93120d1ff do.51f24c5eee775571

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It seems like it 9c280d3bfa needs to be dried. Getting wet would be 8a325a3d04 cold. Should I blow a6ae091cf4 on it to e49f0b642f dry?2062643fb61da7e0

Its beak was trembling delicately. I couldn’t tell if this was typical for a newly-born bird or if it was shivering because of the cold surroundings.b900dae4748675de

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“Looks like other eggs are about to hatch.”4bb47b889b5eed88

As Suren 92d22c1c26 said, there dd8a7f0a49 was a 8570da9bc1 faint golden 87fea2ca66 hue on e9a3d51ad3 the other 684d548020 eggs.99c0c62e5b6719fd

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“By the way, this bird… it’s a Mockia bird.”d26eb135d2ee424c

“Do you know this bird?”1c01b55fae696f2f

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“I’ve heard of it. But such a bird shouldn’t be in this cold northern region. It’s not a pet either.”2e1138f2db7041fc

“Really?”48e4b710a560b093

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“In our hometown, we call them seasonal birds. They die after one season. They live briefly. They don’t sing much, so they’re not popular as pets, and since they live so shortly, it’s challenging to bond with them. That’s why we don’t raise them as pets.”9d763c5032bc1422

Living for just one 417bc47552 season and then dying. Just like f0a4fc88a0 my remaining 2f4da56c2b lifespan. Thinking about 2a0f5704be it made ab4e3b4915 me feel 5660832616 melancholic.69e93ffca50683f0

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“Should I set it free?”733dd8f0ab00ee8a

“It’ll freeze in this cold weather. Even though it won’t live long anyway.”ecb40121ae9498fe

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“Still… it could live.”4813f226477d21f6

That was directed at 53570d113b me. A determination to a69549c15c defy fate. Maybe hatching 34dbb75bb2 was a 1b9263c928 miracle, and ecbe9dce50 it could 88cb9d87f8 survive.73e65ff9702d3e43

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“It’s too small.”9697a6950d26febc

I sighed without realizing c94070cf40 it. The bird ed17a505b0 was indeed 99f87715f4 small enough 1cf3043a38 to be 3071b23f56 held with 7a47485c23 one hand.3cc1f265f730b2d5

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“Are you thinking of raising it? Taking it to the capital?”9a2fc4b52eb4c991

Suren asked.3441235e1bd81338

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“I have to take it, right?”8438066f6e7be376

I also had a a326f210d3 responsibility now. A very 2c25d0fea4 cute responsibility.bc277e9711a57fdc

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The bird fluffed its 1d31fc081d tiny wings. Even that fluttering was f74d4208fa incredibly cute.8e4c1ef1dcc03396

“Shall we cut its wing feathers?”747f7545e82609bb

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“What?”5de9b426fd169ae6

 e4f2be1e3189d1a6

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