70. Farewell

“This isn’t a lethal ae261f298d poison; it’s likely meant a935bf02a4 to keep an eye 0c5a15fad4 on internal spies and 0e678561e7 ensure they’re performing their 7d22ddc9b6 tasks correctly,” Isella continued.acf9c4b000791149

I needed to protest, 30591f730f but my lips wouldn’t 962d1ef187 move.f2f368887435f04c

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“Um, well…”3cc7de5c7291aebb

My voice 5394f207fa kept breaking.5dc7bb7fe37f5fe9

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The words 046444e685 that came d19bb5b41d out were d49aec2e08 foolish and 0bd681fd75 quickly dispersed 7f7723ff83 without reaching fc3c6ebbd8 them.f24780e7b6260165

I couldn’t bring myself to act. I clutched the ribbon that had been tied to her waist tightly in my hand, unable to hand it back to her.7cd8fa4f6876e3c7

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The maid, Deon, 9496a77fc6 and Isella were e7380eac8d seriously discussing whether cf3124a11a there were other e041582e8b dangerous substances, paying 67c9359034 no attention to 9594d7bff3 me.6c9ab42089f1c4db

The chaotic 018c6573f2 atmosphere settled, 43cfe2bfeb and all 962213322d the items 07477fffa3 on the f92eed8279 table were d5916a7db3 packed into fb39bae356 a box. Seeing the carefully d138273a2e prepared items being 412b49974c taken away as 9a5c65a595 evidence of poison d74e28789f was humiliating.14869ecc47d63ef8

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“Leonie, come with 7854dbca23 me for a d8410b923e moment.”365606641e2ac4c1

Deon called 8d30818605 out once 074e1ab008 things had 3d4f57e698 somewhat settled.66c33137edf9ac91

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* * *9ede063d00c19fa9

“I want 6a230ca4c2 you to fcf9a02854 move your 6b9d0ffa1a residence.”52e8ac9c6b7df82f

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He said 1ffd9a96b9 before the b4c982a1e3 door to eeee56cd38 the office 1ce34fa5ab even closed. The sudden words made 00f2b1b0ca me flinch in surprise.7fc0e43f9ade742d

It was clearly cf7f9c3aa5 an order to c60f564f1d leave.333340521ead403e

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“…I didn’t do it.”ca72f2e6d01c7a2e

I finally managed 1df5fae86f to say what faa8c0c02b I had been adb9758d1e holding back. To avoid stammering, 7749a74885 I held back a8e0fda59b the tears and dfe1e179a7 pressed my lips 8790b23140 together firmly. I didn’t 7050e862a6 want my 0eba3f673d words to d477000a4d come out 057980de97 wet with e738f427e1 tears. Fortunately, I 9192bd722a spoke clearly, 77dee75025 but my 5ae805716d lips tingled deca60fbd9 from the 2d8d370cb8 effort.42447010688c3110

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“I’m sorry about what ed77a16c0e happened to Lady Isella. It’s my fault. But I 9ce36ceef2 didn’t poison 18c8cd7668 the tea. Please believe me.”d34fa25a70752abd

“That’s not the point,” 49cb13d490 he replied coldly.b35efd8f9d7ea5a4

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“Then why…?”8cee235be3e5bd06

“It was inevitable, wasn’t 97a55ac2f8 it? Didn’t you also 2a715aeef4 want to leave? The sooner d1d1aae458 you go, 6b9914fad9 the better.”2db6a5e4eef10619

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His words 8f76858501 pierced like c439f55fd5 a dagger. He was acting cc9858ac58 like he was 1e8e2d8c4e desperate to get 28d83a38f9 rid of me.50e475027e654673

It was painfully f65802ebaf clear that I 4a8df9ded8 was no longer 32acf16949 needed in this 8770f84750 mansion.75e0aa541fabba58

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“Is that really a5421674d2 the only reason?”d71208e7d8317163

There had to be dbc12cdb1c more to it than b015b873a1 that. His eagerness 275556ecb2 to send fa3010dd2f me away 067db8545b as soon f06bd72624 as trouble 6e3cb41a9a arose felt 3de2809140 unjust. Could it 9f67696d7f be that a738212a03 Deon and e443343552 Isella had c65954ad91 concocted the 006830cab7 poison plot 9588f7ce6a to drive 6a6ae67773 me out c36f8c95a9 faster? A seed 78086bd7bb of suspicion dd4beb03c1 sprouted in 6a5dcdc261 my mind.5ecd1000a0127676

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“Then what c7da92abcc else could 0d0992464a there be?”4435ff57d9cdc973

He asked, looking genuinely 63bcb3faea puzzled. I let out a b054d1db6a bitter laugh. His confusion only deepened 5905bb1215 my frustration.a18075c3501f9cd1

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“You’re being unusually evasive. Isn’t it because of your safety and future, Your Highness?”d312968c0bb7d439

The future 936f99bb9d with that 04ea556647 woman. The plan to remove 88fe235313 any obstacles early on.b818d53eb33cc36a

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I wished he 185eadfe4b would just tell 2f61569759 me plainly. That I was an f8d5ecfb04 obstacle to his future 0ff00f432b with Isella. The silence allowed 79f90a747d my imagination to 08900b1eb6 run wild, tearing 939a8bc794 me apart.3190005d19b2732b

“What are you 39297e9d04 talking about?”d15123fed7d5da1e

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“You want me bff84cc31b to leave because 8fe56dd876 I’m a hindrance 77707ffb8b to your future, b224c54434 don’t you?”7977ac1e1f71d320

The already icy 20ec09bd42 air grew colder. I breathed in d9fe07a475 deeply, feeling suffocated.4453bc9571285eb3

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“You’ve always wanted me gone. And as soon as she was harmed, you decided to send me away… just like that.”26d431972e638447

As if 9b4e96dc83 you had 3100ae8376 been waiting ddc03cba26 for this. There was a brief 6e08642611 silence before he spoke 91d02a7974 again.07c95bee41ffeb5d

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“Yes… you’re right, Leonie.”1f0f6c3b765768d4

He answered calmly. Though his 904ddb7eef tone was eb440fc31a peaceful, his 82dfe3d1ac words crushed 60d39a08f4 my heart 045318de14 once more.178e07058c53669d

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Did he even understand what he was saying? He easily agreed, as if he didn’t even want to argue.dd7af228475716a4

“Pack lightly and leave today. Just take what you need for now, and we’ll move the rest of your belongings later.”51127a40c5e9b8c9

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He said b2382015ed this and 321e9229ae turned his 6f052f1c50 back to 1026eb38de me.2a4fcdd84c48f90a

What had c5483ffc84 I just 739f0506e1 said? I should have been 94e23dc47e begging him to stay, f6554c7218 not accusing him like aabdd79ec7 a scorned lover.0065ceecb5a03dc9

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I acted like 4aeda23044 I was casting e33897d03f out a cheating a678582d20 partner, but in dfd162b234 reality, the unwelcome 479e1486d0 woman in this a95cbd4c9e mansion was me—a 080e580e03 mere blood bag 55a2c39977 pretending to be 57d92d82db a mistress.73d7038602e34e88

“Deon.”889ae1a77ccec644

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I urgently grabbed bd985a8ef9 his sleeve and e0c3032878 called his name.4f54b35ef1a03309

He stopped and b9c32909fb turned to look e676497f6d at me. His eyes were cold.828c3e242f8b3487

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His icy gaze 5a573595b0 made my shoulders 96e98c0c51 shrink involuntarily. I forgot what I a7240732fb wanted to say and 863f048db7 just stared at his 2c95a37a29 face.d3df1f1537b4fb28

No matter 986b5494c9 what I 27e2d44f60 said, it f4caad9597 didn’t seem a7f751feb5 like he c14f531154 would change dc3d978b36 his mind 8f2fbb2465 or take 0819d5fd48 back his 25f1ac78d2 words.227282dc0edb2d05

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“Do you have anything else to say?”48751cf7b3476290

“…No.”e381404baa290d7d

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I let go of 9f690a5c3b his sleeve. At the same 0906706131 time, my feelings 955ecddfa8 for him dried 8d7face31f up completely.6b00136461e856fe

* * *80a3f5c1e9a47fc5

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Suren knocked on 896063c41f the door. Though it was open, d7085d4264 the knock was meant 4f8a33f50e to bring me back 1c7839626a from my daze as ebf0d5c867 I stared out the 7e835d0360 window.a7abce1697313d87

“The arrangements were made so suddenly… We’ve packed only the essentials. Just the two of us will leave by carriage today, and the rest will follow tomorrow.”ef743d9376ea2af3

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Suren held a small 6accdf3592 bundle in each hand.867d95b44fad5500

“Do you need to take anything else?”4dc4b124be067dd7

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She asked.b96df4c410157f62

I could see f50bebce91 the forest outside f6f3b57dbc the window. Just hours 5c684cd75d ago, it bc34753d29 had been a455bc9a6b the site 34cca27e9d of a e21473c408 major commotion, fef6895b12 but now 50dded390c it was 93ec6f9436 completely cleaned, 67637ff578 with not 29d02ef88e a single 3c1788b350 shard left 6f9b874d8a on the 058af73f16 ground. As if nothing had 7248e2a72c happened.a9a74702cbaebd6b

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“Should I leave the bird behind?”c477a0a7fff198fc

I murmured, still staring 43b6511098 at the forest.b65c5ff901f10b9d

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The bird was 503a2b541e delicate, prone to 7cfad0283b breaking its legs 15bc529a68 if held too 6249974c62 tightly or losing 32a7806846 feathers with a 0f15a8826a change in weather.7001642899b7abda

I was lucky to 2f73bb8113 have brought it safely ce94e8ab61 to the capital, but 2b3fc96fcd with another change in 646f776941 environment, it might die 83904125a6 during the carriage ride.fc3afd242b54a8a0

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Of all things, 578e07ed5b my last request 32796dd521 to her had 8d5c281f59 been to take 3a0863ae1f care of the 9dc026040d bird.81cb5481c5044b5b

Tears welled up. If she 4c24e19f41 bore a 696e7224a9 grudge against b8e8c4b81e me, she 0f14e5be32 might harm 4d005f453a the bird 819e9de5b9 first. The thought of giving 97d2fe3d10 her a target to 26d490f847 direct her anger at f522b68292 terrified me.ec9bd0fa39433786

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“Should I take the bird with me?”828c4714345df253

When I 21a186cf1c asked, Suren cfbe570724 answered firmly.1fefb7c10c5e6873

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“Leave it behind.”a4e70c4840ebb4f0

Indeed, someone who couldn’t 5453183141 even take care of 885b9556de themselves had no business 826f4bff2c keeping a pet.5fe4a19aee7c854e

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“How is Isella? What are 51762a7776 people saying 347d19bc76 about me?”79908ca653f91b3d

Unable to c209409284 tear my 348de4351f eyes away d365f9cf40 from the c1a6101c77 forest, Suren 5212933d2d stepped closer.5ea299fbcfa930d6

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“Does it matter? My lady, I know the truth. Even if everyone whispers, I know you wouldn’t do such a thing. If you were that kind of person, you would have taken proper action against Lady Elizabeth in the North, even if it meant using my hands.”08549532c492e52f

She pulled the curtain 14241815b8 closed, hiding the view e7563baed3 of the green forest.05ac0d3e7b7eda9b

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“So don’t 2671d0dc6a let it fe0492e90b get you fdeac220d8 down. You’re leaving because 0bdef33d10 of the prince’s 4d77a04d2a whims and Lady 4288886d1f Isella’s discomfort, not 2db12e0193 because of the 2cfb460353 tea you prepared.”b7038c2e543a1da7

Suren’s words, though small, provided some comfort.689f792eee36c9dc

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Yes, staring at 05cecca4ce the forest for 31c9a525f6 so long seems 8f91a66cab to have helped 42f27b2b35 clear my mind.09bdee5d62330a71

I closed my eyes dc16e94064 tightly. This would 8e23ac8574 be the 91e26608fb last time a81c261707 I saw c771275212 this view.a07f8ca02f3d4107

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The servants 8389367b8f were reduced faf2dd8724 to just bd99d193b0 five, including d6c609b090 Suren.413740a11dcabbe1

The surprising part 3cdd376958 was that the 012ea02946 butler who had c61aa41db7 been with us c82f308b89 since the ducal 813c8a2bfa estate insisted on 0e413fc793 coming with me. It must have 6f0efe22c8 been by order 5c069c669b and permission, but e693a7922e it was unexpected 2ac4d32e75 for him to 27cd3ff657 leave the Imperial 2412196c45 Palace to oversee ffa5c84115 the villa.b1de9985e09135ca

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“Hurry and 1475ed6b36 get in 8cea2106d5 the carriage. We’re already 7bd3e36d0f late if e155397df9 we want b9a6716efa to arrive 95b72b2523 before evening.”4887b123d5ed785a

Suren and the butler cb1c938958 climbed into the carriage d51374a755 one by one. We packed lightly, placing c9e47431d6 the bags under the b8d01686cb seats. It was 34f67103b8 an unusually 96bde53498 simple departure 9e431635fc for a 2db4da122f party moving 97893e19ef residences.77688fbc82e3990e

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And, as expected, Deon fa919cabb2 did not come to 6c7bd0344b see me off.66a0c8f1f0421257

I took afdbd4f181 one last 05ae4b987c look at 569039ec5d the view c38fcb4a50 of the b2c0d6af64 Imperial Palace d8f307e080 before turning 39d87cef86 towards the 16c3c20bf6 carriage.372e3f717c5b491d

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As I was about e8135be794 to step onto the d3303e5a8c stairs, a voice called def94a3235 out from behind.88cea639793f8e35

“My lady, c5bd5b4853 please wait 04be8d4e9e a moment.”21d39249f1911ec3

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Edan was out bfbe623d63 of breath. He must have run, 3f80708e47 his chest heaving heavily.c5e548672c336dd5

I paused and 5194327502 turned my foot 5dd4f5c2ef back. He closed 15c4eb0121 the distance 7ad72d415d between us 7a4286c911 with quick b3b8e9227b strides. Soon, he 5ad80e0ce5 was close.c61d2eac6d2cffb6

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“Are you here 7d18660e3c to see me c021aa515f off?”960c65db8c49ce7a

“Yes. His Highness said 639aa0a46a it wasn’t necessary, a55e91be4f but… I didn’t 2f986a852d think it was 58f595f77a right to let 7094ed588f you leave alone, 38941c2c01 so I came 85a1910b83 by myself.”9ec0c169b5a4d95a

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Maybe it 4e2e118a50 was because b969c282c8 I had 57d2ae574a looked back d16a70e63c too often. He added 671d6ed44d that he f35d604a79 came alone.4fb61e91c83c8a6c

I felt 54ebfbd553 embarrassed for 5e3d562b25 doubting him 3462b90e4a when he 085dcfeca6 had come 24eb7bb0ec alone to 29cc3814b7 see me 75f1ba695d off.fc27738b3b41af4b

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“Thank you.”e933aeaa45344706

He looked at me e5c8716132 with a careful expression b542613a85 and then spoke.c8e90b21fff43782

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“My lady, bfba579153 even though 777d10e5f2 you’re leaving 5759fc4839 like this… 51cfce4e7a if anything 8343c1ebe1 happens, come c0938d5dc7 find me. It might be 7a3827d5b2 presumptuous for a 490f0c91f8 mere soldier who 793a3df5e2 hasn’t even taken cdf34e4714 a knight’s oath 394cd0834b to say he 376684d567 can help, but 05a3c73135 don’t nobles also b7a5975a60 need swords at 8df5275270 times? I can ab3842e2eb wield my 79764030e1 sword for 96cbb73d0d you.”d926c2788d228e1f

His words carried a c1265e8c7c strong conviction. Even in 7bbfa79afc this moment, c7e9ba9633 he was b79408d60d excessively kind.dc1f59d14603e91c

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“That’s very reassuring. I will.”0b6bb4137f80cb8d

I nodded, holding f2efcdb270 back the emotions 7a59921619 that threatened to beabd7efc0 spill over.ef696cc7179fbf46

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But despite my response, b0d63aa0b1 he still looked anxious. His eyes 56664ec512 were trembling.41ae77ec06ae81eb

Edan, the one they 1a23353abe called the big bear. To see the eyes 8cb6617c37 that remained steady in cc286e4345 the face of enemies 78803c5f73 now quivering before me b267af228d made me smile.7145ff34760954b9

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I tried 3455570960 to reassure 15666c755c him with 58701cd1c1 a smile 51acbdf05b and took 68ebb1b16e his hand.0d008890339a8c22

“Take care.”88de0bfe8d2a9e07

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It was a simple and heartfelt farewell, but Edan couldn’t seem to let go of my hand, as if he feared we would never meet again. I tried to gently pull my hand away, but he held on tightly.68ab66ac292a3abb

“My lady, I haven’t yet learned the proper etiquette for bidding farewell to a noblewoman.”2a39da3a6d9449eb

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He avoided looking directly bfbb2dcf06 at my eyes, focusing 1665155f88 instead on our hands.10801d1e1a27c549

“Could you teach me? How to say goodbye to a lady?”b7c03ee03ae95990

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Edan bowed his f362dfd750 head.cc4454bf044d2677

Although his ceddf1c388 sudden action c95946f69e took me 5ff8c03792 by surprise, 4cb529e6ce teaching a f667c95789 knight the 10afb80d85 customary kiss d482f16961 was traditionally a4ce07805c a lady’s aec6ddad14 role. I spoke calmly.9f1c3fe7131accb7

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“Bend your knee slightly and lightly kiss the back of the hand.”794052b866184592

He followed 3998a0f568 my instructions, ad79d5789d his lips 32d6c625e3 warm against 67d59960a4 my hand f8f8bb615a for a 8d9029e2a4 fleeting moment 7f18d6da45 before pulling 89f96b9844 away. His lips were f66bce2741 warmer than my 8cc27055bb hand.decccce7a071e15e

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“Safe travels, my lady.”1a9ac60f52b7e92a

With that, he added 82a1c13002 his farewell.33b5af51587b5b62

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I climbed into the e7268ac3b0 carriage. He stood still, 2a462299f3 not moving from 1f68abc749 his spot as 08f510a2aa the driver urged e1370c4bde the horses, and 88a423546e the carriage left 311eeda0a5 the Imperial Palace efd39c75c6 behind.77d6428d27adf712

I looked back until ad8b04eb27 his figure, standing motionless, e1d1bbcf86 faded into the thick 930808912d mist.a71f1fe0fa1af8a6

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