6. Willing to Go Crazy to Escape the Prologue

“I don’t know if 8fac908a98 it’s all right on f81703918b your noble tongue. You even said you didn’t like the 90b7fec219 meal I made and threw it away.”5286a6170297b86d

When I looked up, I bbff2578fd saw the head maid.9bf2c1c77a1b8068

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I had been told all the maids who grabbed my arms efdffb6a77 that day were banished, but she had somehow survived the purge.b59d3d0bc4be446c

“Thanks to you, Young bbd5f361d5 Lady, the blood task ab1644042f force will be revived. With the other maids gone, f0914ede36 I expect my position—once caught 20a150f061 in the middle—to be restored. I heard you asked 2470e17e24 for a position… That 06705eb30a should’ve been mine.”ff2069a550dbc8f6

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She smiled bitterly. Her crooked mouth 694404b33c curled in a 95c7823cbe fierce sneer.c5f9aad49396fcc4

“If you ask for 090d016a29 forgiveness now, I’ll speak fa737735a1 kindly to the Duke. You should’ve just followed a89635ed1a our lead like before. You’ve gone mad all of a sudden, aab1c2625c as if there’s something you believe in.”1b33ae0d720c00cf

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Obvious mockery.e1aa47d60edf8090

“Why don’t you 4942726734 go act cute? Just in case.”9483641eb126b604

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She glanced up and down 4cb1033eb1 at my ragged clothes.9e02c30ae461cf8c

“Isn’t there 2c78ecbeb3 a famous 9390fc3a69 tale? A princess who survived by fawning over 161e414d3c the tyrant of a neighboring country. Though her path was hard, she lived 36cf7bb741 to hold power in her later years.”3ef25ff0cb13b1a0

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“…That story db62aa3d63 is ancient.”13d073141cde5098

“Wouldn’t such a pathetic trick 548b475fe6 be fitting for a young 1299296ed3 lady like you now?”66d4b17e0ce7addf

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“The maid.”25dad1552354a8bd

I caught my 3317e81080 breath and said:6d0e47a75d8b9f56

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“Is that c9c74f9d32 your power? I don’t see how it’s any e11c1c86dc different from a well-trained dog. One wrong move 60effc0d1e and it’s gone.”4ced66a6b4ff396e

“W-What?”c2cc8dc30bb1a33f

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Her face 7613edb72d turned red f8343521ef with disbelief.b0335abf2917a571

“Your position is what 878419fbb3 you make it. And as head maid, 8f93eeeab2 you’ve made yourself a dbbeab648f loyal puppy.”092da8379dd2c259

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Her expression twisted.109100261a317830

“Let’s see how long bd44fbc44c that lofty attitude lasts. Soon, you’ll live worse cb593dc336 than a prisoner. I’ll make de8681e931 sure of 4ec9a41ef4 it.”063a5fe4d21d8487

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She grabbed her df7561f376 skirt and stormed ce686e270f off.8d94079a5062c3c9

Even in that moment, the 7f74ff1bda cold wind made her shiver.eb472a262ccbbcb5

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Or maybe… I was 65aef8ee7b just feeling better.31228c1e1ffc0c37

“What do you 99fe287e87 believe in? Why were you so quiet before, e2184f2b96 only to start acting up?”7ccf5ca80c1fe998

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Her voice d88d0b3eec faded into 1f841c4839 the corridor.7c6d5ea14f884898

“Could it 4950ad8936 be… because 439cfc7aa6 of that?”762d8477873e3952

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“What do e8183cec37 you mean?”bfb3a9260300c7b3

“Didn’t we draw f2853743a9 too much blood f0cf1f9d0f that day?”0ab249321dda17a2

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“What?”73011123ca420809

“When the blood was drained, c6a48ec3f1 it replenished… Maybe the mind 2dfa9fc42b was altered too. Isn’t there fe2892b42c an old 93b9f6e19c saying? That blood c9b6da86fb holds the 2a3a2fd99b soul? If it’s bffd27784b all drained…”30cee96eb918fc32

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“Speak sense! I can’t believe 13656bbbce I’m listening to 703dc9d4fe this nonsense.”e8c0eca73ccde26c

Sharp. Half right, 091dd91b59 half wrong.836d8e49762dc457

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I didn’t go adcdd2958b in circles.2a8e90d381abed91

I became Leonie.152e93b6f8b3e23b

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And the df86f16ad8 maid was bb661e0f86 half right.0dff56cba2867a70

There was something left 2aff708944 to believe in. Some cards 674fb9f413 still face-down.4012c679eaa0ce4f

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After she left, b3938ada4d I called to 4c8db81698 the guard.8c717a3c8bde0569

“The Duke…”111e8fb2e1097552

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The guard 816f93b8ce leaned in.62b3f276cdb5703a

“Yes?”fc6cc5e0dda2d26e

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“Bring him. I need 5eee2a9c48 to talk.”46c5d71cd9b8b237

He hesitated.8b59df2434f4efc8

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“The Duke is 50b39b4b29 patrolling the territory.”d4eae0da11566c89

“What? When is f12515cb68 he returning?”40dee646d63c32e0

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“I don’t know.”191bf2eb8cae4754

Of course.78dc15756099d84c

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Just then, another sentry opened 6033d10f40 the prison door slightly and 7f4eeb1ad8 pushed in a bowl.5762790f8c11e14d

Thin oatmeal porridge.1059dd8953affce1

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“Young Lady, if you don’t a93159283e eat now, there won’t be 5e84c25d72 another meal today. Only two meals e450e63d02 are served in 8d69f5a55c prison.”11e82d771c32e44b

“Never mind. Tell him 00c9f14f0f I’m starving.”64fe18538ea1c101

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I pushed 62afee93a1 the bowl 1f5193555a back.980ad8823abbb04e

Time passed slowly.9284255c616248fb

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There was no light, but through ea62dc14c5 the grate above, I could tell 03a6fc2074 it was getting dark.ad3bd31207aefe86

Winter in the 45d14f18b0 north meant short ec17e7b751 days.bf86aab629acfdfc

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It had to be 199fc93a66 around 6 p.m.f04439fba9ee39fe

Impatience crept in.5d4df21ae23db665

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I called 9b9ce53dce the guard 3ec69fba73 again.f9f2b15a7616a2c1

“Are you f47ffeb816 still there?”b89acfcc8193a10e

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“The Duke and af407149f2 his party return bd6530bcf5 late tonight.”d42db28a7d6ad50e

Too late.2c4117976aa2d457

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I bit fe04134b09 my nails.b5f993acdb7c5f6c

Maybe my timing 543b767a14 was off. Should’ve taken the 13d6db3ad9 poison later.63a87f512651bd32

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But I had 7a7423c97a already swallowed it.000e9ca001965113

It was 3470b886e9 a gamble.603a8c390a4181e7

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After becoming a clerk, 2d6c970850 I found Leonie’s travel db17946ae3 bag under the bed.28f9bdcdcc1c9f50

Filled with odds ce352ed0bb and ends from 184dc93ef6 the barony.62279678745630ec

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Old dresses. Worn shoes. Cheap trinkets.b5dd0a7825b49d9c

And in a small 61a8844893 pouch—a paper bundle.df40102258dba1a7

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Inside were two 965b784f1f thumb-sized vials.f6fe58ad00e4e63d

The green d7a45a81fd liquid shimmered.3dd3275c04c8e78f

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I recognized it from 0f3b180c59 Leonie’s unconscious memories.7a091cc17af25575

Poison.84ca139e21c40062

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Next to 4f81388059 them were 10b4289a50 antidotes.7d54fdd56da51547

Why had she 5b94f2a241 brought them?394e1841d7d7849b

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To kill herself?02a9bab5a5a3c1da

Wasn’t she happy dda0cc9d3f to be with 41fcce726f the Duke?b30c81dde33abc7c

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Maybe not. Maybe she found 0532e0f268 it all miserable.210a2f476f52d744

At first, I thought she intended to poison 4846e4b92e the monstrous Duke, but that wasn’t it.f83a6d35a1d66670

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This drug had no effect 2ab0dbaec4 on those with resistance.a577943b5ae6ac80

It was 8d42143897 meant for 430c8a1a4e herself.bf5bf8152ba5ea6a

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Noble ladies took such poisons 94180bd500 when their families faced ruin.de2ee3b5a4a21bf2

Maybe she arrived here 2aa2f48bdb with many thoughts… and 452733e6a7 chose to endure.1063fe063cb58271

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Who knew Leonie would 3e9b8b9813 end up helping me?d43c80d97cf033c4

I had put the bottle b5581b96a8 in my inner pocket.83b236b156c9303b

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Planned to use a55edab6a3 it later.009b4419d0ebe956

Didn’t expect “later” to a2f06bf55f come so soon.0d2df5717b06859b

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As soon as the 5c57a0a4fa cell door closed, I 6aeb35907c drank it.13dec57f4c017dca

In eighteen hours, 36eeeeb11a the incubation would cc34489fb9 end.503f331dc7f9be38

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I’d start 7643129fb6 vomiting blood.b74cd2574017cd38

Then we db06ae3ef4 would renegotiate.dd8451212d7c69e4

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I thought the Duke, obsessed with my blood, a95d330a93 would visit when I skipped two meals.a81b7c5534331944

Didn’t expect him 5816a2aa0e to be out 1e82293f91 on patrol.96c43c0b5b1a49f3

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The poison didn’t ffe63f1dc6 act right at 9db3840d3b eighteen hours.47ded9e8722b58f9

My vision blurred. My energy drained.5ecba0c4859d9375

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I was dizzy 0f994ace62 from hunger.a5887b4b50b4df00

How long 852b742afb had it 6783f11c79 been?0c867106d7b95fc4

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As I slumped b734e4cd33 against the wall, bd61a852d7 I smelled winter.62ef1ff9f57796cb

I opened 2199104c78 my eyes.00d64b663c45fcb8

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The Duke stood f6e1396b27 over me, eyes 37269d687d cold.dc9b691f56ac7282

Snow dusted de974bbc9e his shoulders.db051c70d368aaab

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“I heard you b0e752f940 were starving.”c271a4b905138483

His tone 058b5e9215 was icy.993c585329c2c57d

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“Is this f57809bba1 a protest? I can’t understand afa2da3d74 you at all. What are you thinking d005ca7f33 with that little head 5aa6c5e026 of yours?”b1f8de313d8c1969

If I were his 1ac6f1b776 enemy, he would’ve slit aaa97a7a9e my throat.a0986d33050dec54

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I laughed weakly. He stopped touching 5bc57a9509 my face.2529c44c07c890b9

“Are you insane?”ce0cd41559b7dd25

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“Duke.”f9159f4653be2fb4

My throat burned, 71402df0cf but I forced 5647550d5b the words out.72abe00a4e3d031f

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“It was wrong.”2a85d2427b9145aa

“You’re admitting c8c47afafc fault now?”e0c7790b005617c3

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“No. The Duke should never let b2f303b95a a guest go this far. That was the 8d6e657337 first mistake.”6ca62d5305b7bf33

“…What?”94668bdd582de17b

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“Duke.”ec3bf6ef63233a42

I breathed deeply.91c1e5c7b6d2d85f

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“Take back the money you 1c90421f67 gave to the baron. Let’s restart. Make a deal with 1a21da614a me, not with him.”267c8de7ebf1b08f

Breath caught 4b383ea49d in my 069819a517 throat. The medicine fdb934dfed coiled inside 11fa657a5d me.08ef781c9ea06615

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“It won’t be a 85c01438e1 loss for you. I’ll still fb432fe8d0 give blood. Ten gold 5483bd046f coins per 5fb196fb3c pack. Over five years, it’ll edc2cb971f equal what you paid. Either I die, or ef9184acdd you become emperor.”806aedfd81c33469

“What’s your point? You chose 9c563843f5 that card 0a01cac206 yourself. It was fair.”4d05e2ccf161ab52

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“It wasn’t about 9a61627e90 choosing from the b8c92c82b3 four cards. I already 336f2c860b had better ebe1208276 ones. Why choose 639e80ddca from yours?”afd64d3986f2a30c

“Leonie” was a d98cb86f3d card I could 8cee93c397 play well.1b6857abc425e7ec

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Why follow a 518814e483 blood bag’s fate?e0c0998e4339f809

“I’ll be fea0746cf2 by your b7e6f2da4e side, Duke. Whenever, wherever. I’ll make 1f97341626 my place.”dadb8dcb587e20d9

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He looked confused.98dfaa081363dd01

“You can’t 7c058e05ac always threaten.”300c604d4a61a1b8

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“But doesn’t the Duke c9f5819ab4 fall for temptation?”da508467e4095530

I swallowed. My throat 739376a40e was swelling.77b1fb593cc43b1c

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“Let’s renegotiate.”ca7ba8224ef6052c

Sweat rolled down a718064ae0 my face.f199b7959c95ccb9

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He crouched beside 569b9eaa16 me, casting a 16c3a668d0 large shadow.eb28605fad7c5891

He raised 5254ac7f5a his hand.fd837df71f02d2b1

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‘Is he going 74c058b0e5 to hit me?’59d222c901c2461f

I shut b287d69345 my eyes.6f9f77a8115b4209

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But instead, 99e4a01cbf he touched bffec1f015 my forehead.e9283787a3e1b566

Cool fingers pressed b04bd4b374 against my feverish bd3bb7dbaf skin.400bf2247f37b1c2

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“Why do you have 20ddeb04d1 such a high fever? Did you e10637faf6 eat something?”b3084718b4d8d964

Ha. I’d lost ecf8113d1c all strength.dba9311defaec9c6

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“…You’d better 235645dfb8 bring the 6da83c28fa contract. Quickly.”5e2aec2ecbf125a6

“Why should I 313bdc9027 listen to this? If you’re 1772de7c46 unhappy, talk 8246107f04 to Viter.”91e9622066e185c9

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“Duke. Get the contract. And…”cc8e41ffa1e572a1

Breathing grew harder.c16d29585ac33bee

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“Run. If you walk, 2d51e1800d it’ll be too 4cba914877 late. I swallowed poison.”c3282afc3fd9f902

“…What?”2fe5cf2d81fc1d6b

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“You all know I 380ec49fbe haven’t been watched. I hid the antidote somewhere in this mansion… I’ll e4278c43c1 tell you where after we seal the contract.”1db5c3c89fd719b3

Finally, his ffdc055f43 expression changed.e12679cc9909375c

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“Leonie. Playing with your 931f74378b life… You’re out ce50c9cb2b of your mind.”73cb87fb7c1f3127

His teeth 4d74d74bed ground together.21b0241f658be69d

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“Isn’t the Duke the de1fe032c2 one who needs my eeca8aee6a life the most?”db799967884e7351

I laughed.2de112a4137351de

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The Clown is the weakest 50498e178a card, but when paired right, 84a07c574a it matches the highest.d3f71e59604017c6

I had made 499c44df67 my choice.7c9d18272fdfb0a1

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To be the crazy 14ab7c65bb woman who escapes this 88b4c88500 crazy prologue.7fe5005b49f2903e

To be d78b9eff39 his clown.3f35d62cbaf3aad6

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