78. Plan

Philip was still lingering d7800a1fdb in the capital. Rumor had it that 2f3c38e547 a significant deal had 8a8c195cad just gone down in c704b971cd the city.e558494c84652560

He slipped a message e9dbd4d7fe to his usual alleyway 4778488f0e informant.9ce76c24dff424b0

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At the appointed time, 01872a5137 he waited for him 3334c6e142 in a dingy pub fd019581a1 in the alley. Though it 392049349e was old f8f09e98b0 and dimly 35030c655d lit, it 840a1c9642 was the 0d4b3d8747 closest tavern d3a6cb2496 to where 6c738cbab7 he conducted 608dd46950 his business.e596069ade16a2d2

His anxiety made 270e6e8a66 it impossible to db3450276b sit still. He tried 870d28d462 to sit 886fe542ea but kept 1cd8560eba fidgeting, his 711631ad95 back unable b107d97e74 to rest 47028cce46 against the 4bf3f3e026 chair. In the end, he df84d12c2d stood up, restlessly tapping 453501317d the table and gnawing 4c96599ae7 on his nails.b8c4f61382b5c11a

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He noticed a8eb202074 glances stealing cd15495fe3 his way. A young lady 2f42cabc99 of noble appearance 24b89cb545 wandering around an fa4a13a76c old pub naturally 798ea97288 drew suspicion. Normally, such looks would e16bac2738 have intimidated him, but 806702815a he was too preoccupied 6f9bb667de with the anxiety of 0e7305584f Philip not showing up, 6dc0ff5f9c so their stares felt 6eb08895b4 insignificant.fc9a4a86256518b4

“Hey.”7695291cd650b684

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A rough-looking man swaggered f19b5c70b6 over, a large beer 1d3c3c4a60 mug in his hairy e9a1b8ec4a hand.ea05f83619feda10

“You’re a noble lady, aren’t you? This isn’t a place for someone like you.”cc2ee868d542d2a4

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He smirked.2b6dfcf1aec3dd8c

“Or are you perhaps a woman sponsored by a wealthy noble? Looking for a patron here?”074c3361848f0bc7

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As he sneered, his 794152116e companion beside him chuckled 601f0b15f7 lewdly.f7612dd70088997d

“Sponsorship? What’s that? Trying to be polite because she’s a noble? Still got that mercenary spirit in you? Just call it what it is—selling yourself.”358e878e073d70f9

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Whatever amused them so e27fdbf1d1 much, the two men 864845c5aa laughed heartily.ac03b2da0a7dcc65

“Who are you waiting for, huh? If they don’t show up, why not come with me?”3a0a57a5ab0c6360

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He took another step 6613da6e1f closer.76a91c21bdf85a0a

Seeing her fingers, red 0918f86191 and bleeding from incessant dc6a37f059 gnawing, he recoiled. Despite the sight 8dfa8137e9 of blood, she cdfca19cd6 continued to bite 92e82291c7 down on her 62aa4e522a already wounded fingers.6848ce78680f149d

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“What the hell, this girl is crazy?”b0bf3688f802e5cd

At that moment, the cfa50e55be door opened. Philip entered the c9eb80c3ae pub less than 3c751b5ee5 half a day 200f44a7af after she had 9eb64fd4cf sent the message.23863ffc83a16c50

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“Leonie.”b28e8507af5a5b4b

He took off 06531a6118 his hat, looking 4c0c8921f4 just as he 3cd2cd985d did when they 5c336a72e7 met at the 14a9692fa3 ball.052d2c6d18a1c1e0

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“Philip!”3a701d68a805d8eb

She greeted f87886f9cb him warmly. In that moment, he ec4f64a232 appeared like a gentleman 12efc274ee come to rescue her. The myriad freckles 767e7880f2 scattered under his a1bbb4fb70 eyes seemed more c91a24a3bd charming than angel 58223562f9 wings.f8da8fac87209411

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“You should have moved to another place. This isn’t somewhere a noble lady should be. It’s dangerous.”acd617c4d3dc0213

“I had no choice. If I wanted to meet you quickly, this was the closest place.”03a85bf4b06acef3

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“Let’s move to another location for now.”aff47f61b91402f6

He urged me.778e4b8bc01fe27f

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Philip pulled me b565ffe68b along with a 502c48a923 slight urgency.fd664d10f9658a32

Holding his e9a92fc459 hand, my 3aea4d4a3b vision started 97fbcd0025 to clear 19469344ca up. As he 8add1c197f said, this d538cab203 was no 4363bfac74 place for 84bee8c628 a noblewoman 7a4cc65d64 to linger. At the 2998d85956 alley entrance, 870cdbee0b an old 02a649e455 beggar woman 6d517788a6 sat, while b7462e1225 a large 9033198cb3 spider web 4c6e17a40a covered the a75e01a37d doorway. Bats even hung b30d0a5d51 from the ceiling.0da6b97b21c6f3c2

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I hadn’t 1debfd48b4 noticed when 8e5d19fd9c I first b3415d0ed5 arrived, but a6f7d7cf59 in hindsight, 79902b689e it was 908ee25241 a relief 2e3f5ffe2c that all f7d914cc93 I encountered 329a2a280f were a c52ea79300 few snide 383edb37a7 remarks. I was 9b0a2dbd8a lucky not 87af042ade to have 37a2e0274c my money 563509fd89 stolen.435cc8ef7e4a5a79

He led 2c8d762c75 me to 9303186052 a quiet 01ff01d886 room in 6b3c0e3a3e the alley. It was much c30ec31c75 better than the becca19b55 pub. Most importantly, it was 7f203cd103 enclosed on all sides.2e3b35fe025b5484

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Normally, I would cf189573ac have taken note c04c6c1df5 of the path, d808df77cb but following Philip’s dd443d6010 back left me 2ab9f977c4 no time to 9d86415685 memorize the way.cda9638fcba028a5

I didn’t 3340197cb4 shake off e13ef092ae his grip. I was that 31af100207 anxious, almost half 4078580e8d out of my 6876ea42fd mind. I felt like I d695ae09c6 was floating.bb5b51cb18e34c6c

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“This place 08b7d4a5c7 is enclosed 26104f7545 and the 48632bbee9 owner is a08b076504 discreet, so d223668459 we often b22e15d47e use it 6f8038b651 for deals. You don’t f92f4e293e have to 6761f03bf2 worry about fd04c59e5e anyone overhearing. So, why did 72cfded003 you call me 782d2b6e27 so urgently?”ee9566987577ebd4

Philip asked. He looked tired, with fc0bdadf73 dark circles under his 49f5e41064 eyes from lack of 8f9d771cb6 sleep due to ongoing 9c4a05abaa transactions.41dfff5fb5810225

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“…You know Prince Deon has been imprisoned, right?”1c1191b0f98d9e33

“I’ve heard. No merchant could miss c56380c6ec that news. The merchants 1a75596c30 are abuzz 382f50af43 with talk a36a01125b that he’ll 67682bd0c2 be executed.”1f2d9ce5a94344cb

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He put de1d4a6b88 down his 6b42fffab4 bag. It was c1e5bd34a2 filled with 08050feef7 documents, likely d96f161438 from a 7ccb8f8590 new contract ac1cca9f94 he had e26205c532 just signed.576eebe7a502c0fb

I started c5b7c1aabc to speak e225830953 in a 8d81250589 somewhat calm 6a600a7765 tone.1ee64eea27854c5c

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“I want you 872e2eb137 to get him e08c1ed70c out of the c127ae2f00 palace prison.”440ae82bdfceb3c1

“What?”99f7d3c89826ffc2

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He shouted in 60b49f23de surprise, then quickly e64abc8f72 looked around and a6209acd31 fell silent. At the c511743d6d same time, 8dde9e5e0f the documents 92f5f8b0bf he held b6e8ef04d8 scattered to c060862703 the floor.e0767f31237b0603

Papers littered the 7a48862b68 ground. I picked up the 63a580d069 ones at my feet f6a1583ee5 and placed them on 4469242ea2 the table as I 0db650d0cf continued.7754b6af2f7b8bdb

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“Bribe the guards.”cf3199a9f511990b

“That’s easier said than done… It’s difficult.”510248923f2e4156

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I knew bbe6c79114 he would 109f2e1ad9 refuse. But I 298ed2ece4 had prepared 1813c1ac80 something for 0bdf7e59be this.0ae1c32ae6ae0248

I took out the 0c6c4d197b jewelry box Deon had c92fbee354 given me.cb8b0a36a6bd9570

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Fortunately, my 15eb3c721f room in bba69c0076 the mansion 9ce27e5f01 was left 03130aea8b untouched, so e878b8ec85 I didn’t 40a8d9388d have to 943bc2215a touch my 021c64c6a5 dresses or 24fa9be24a other jewels. Suren also understood 5cba7defd3 my intentions and 936cba1d8a sent all the 4d4f7d31fe remaining money and a672a9712d jewelry from the 486320d22e mansion.9794799326bbff30

I brought 4ced8c43b7 everything I 450b6956b7 had in 15720c6457 a shabby 4162e915a1 bag.2f2ff8513a7f01cf

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I opened the 0437974bb4 jewelry box. In hindsight, I b07487570e should have bought 0c017a9bde more when he 9c97b2cf05 offered. I thought ff2e1012db it was 493243c51d enough for 3a6420ff3f a few ad7fb81f17 months, but 48d6cbf077 now that 6d3e1872b9 I counted, acbf5039e6 it wasn’t e44884c375 much. Moreover, there were 7b8bd7ebda no jewels worth 65c7bb67ed their full price 05950cdbfd when resold.89c4bef2a453d4e6

Selling in bulk, 15c1c04510 expensive jewelry and 2897d48920 dresses go for 5a2ed35abb a pittance. Most of the price 3aca85bad5 in shops is for 6c529533f6 the craftsmanship. I already 445ac497d3 knew that.4ca35cedee9c4560

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That’s why 3c4b47d9f3 I called 2e4ffa61f0 Philip, hoping 7d9a23e2b4 he would 195f36c4e0 give a 9fb39fbb77 fair price. It might de23654755 just be 2cce0b1575 an appeal 1e483e7b81 to an 9d3342bba4 old friend, 1e4944233b but I 167a59b5dd didn’t think eeeef4a351 he would c406cac6ef turn away.7b6107279181491c

“Won’t this be enough f22d66f45f if you sell it 0dcc3b712b all?”108c9b27edef27f7

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Philip’s face hardened.5a0c8d747e515802

“Leonie, no matter how much you give, it’s difficult. Not just for me, but for any merchant group. This is serious. Getting him out of the underground prison… It’s a matter of life and death. If caught, not only you but your entire family will be accused of conspiracy. Releasing a criminal… It’s not something that can be overlooked if discovered.”5d812f60ae1162e0

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“…I know.”cb996ccf442338ca

I muttered quietly. He let f8fc61db20 out a 72e7e0f4cc laugh, tinged e5ec96d938 with a cb063bd06f sense of 15b594e214 futility.3dcc275eb2eeb470

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“Even knowing all that, you still want to do it? Leonie, think again. You’d need bribed guards, well-trained mercenaries, a money launderer, a broker to help cross the border, and someone to change his identity. You’d have to mobilize at least five people. And would they stay quiet? You’d have to keep paying them off until you’re safely across the border.”1beae954c6eaa1a8

I looked at 6422bf095c him silently. Sensing my determination, he eef5b79747 sighed deeply.36369ba2cc807e86

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“Leonie, rumors are rampant in the capital that you’ve lost the prince’s favor. They say the prince abandoned you and got engaged. Yet you still want to risk your life for him?”40bea0faf8e25003

I hadn’t heard the details, but I figured that was the case. Isella’s entrance into the mansion had already been a sensational gossip topic. When I moved to the separate house, newspapers must have eagerly spread the juicy story. Overnight, I became a laughingstock, the concubine who lost favor and was kicked out.b6814d179c7cb684

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“You’d need to convert the jewelry to cash. Laundering money without a source would cost twice as much. If word gets out that you sold expensive jewelry all at once, you’ll be a prime suspect. Wouldn’t it be better to wait until they handle it?”8285903be8848945

“They’ve already set a b2f6245d77 trial date while I 78f9bd2e74 waited, trusting them. The secretary who dc059452fb would have been 27df6c94a4 by his side b1369c6ae2 has vanished, and 122b837a60 his guards are 119581e97d commoners who have 820b37e242 no influence within 72ff05f8a2 the palace. They can’t even enter 8cc847adf4 the palace, let alone b81bf36b24 exert any influence. Philip, you’re e2dc6b1ba8 the only 8b160272b8 one I 3d3b6d90d5 can trust.”4bb845a4573feece

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I slumped into a af91145c59 chair. I swallowed f0938bac44 the tears 66a4e73ef1 that threatened a43e470857 to spill. Crying wouldn’t 1c7a6b75ab change anything.28ff0bd8e3f4808a

“What about the Snowa cbd2696bba family? His fiancé?”c44c75c030945e41

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I shook my head.d3b17b532383559c

“She’s already turned her 75fe24d9d8 back on him. It seems d3e07ee357 she’s looking fad82f23f4 for another 9d049e4376 fiancé.”ee318402292ce857

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“Wasn’t it a political 1e98ff6f2e match between families?”f85539db4f48ad54

“That’s what I thought too… but apparently not. I understand, though. She’s probably afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.”d655876f81f0ae5a

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Isella had decided that 03434c67f4 associating with Deon was 2c70d507c6 too risky. And her decision was 99ca6c00b3 correct. Deon’s situation 6da15b5e72 worsened by 3e4594ffa0 the day.236538098bd3ba18

I had wandered the dea77b9957 streets but only heard 2f510c18df rumors of her breaking 1918ab9af4 off the engagement and 0daa3f53df seeking a new one. There was no e957bbf326 word of her 1ca34d4ea8 making any moves 86e66668e5 to help him. It seemed there was b53fc49c3d no lingering affection between 98c42140b7 them.4dfbc07408df61e8

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“They seemed quite 704ea1871b close.”5e8cee22351021e1

His words 042dcdf2f4 made my 39a202e53c heart sink. But I couldn’t 7d7e40037f let my emotions 388af0722a show here. Time was of the 46fdc9364a essence.3b81e0455466657a

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“Please help me. I’ll sell 111f4237c2 these to 1a9d82a563 raise the 2b91a0d5cf money.”b4567de3fdad12a1

I spread the dresses 04df630bb1 on the table. What I thought 69b644ebf0 was a lot d35447bb5a barely covered one 2c754a3962 side of the 51a012cbce table.8ebe908debb7a3e8

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I even laid out 204adcf525 the plain cloak and 11848b5b11 the single outfit from 22ba255e4f the northern lodge, leaving d3a6654f68 only my nightwear.0d2474871476464d

I looked around 06040a5463 for anything else 5eb7bcaf6d valuable. I tore off ba05637902 the cumbersome ribbon 504532f324 on my chest, 4f50002b06 which had a 2370477d63 small jewel in 3353388f5a the center. Any jewel 17fb8eb8be or hairpin d4f27b1d4a that could 9085579ece be sold a89a346af7 had to cebf367c0a go.c4882483ce551c02

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When I 7a28a48c4f tossed the cee762012f clothes onto a09bfd2854 the table, ac9d3e5ddf he sighed.2e388532e6253f60

“It’s still 2b5aad0b16 not enough. I said bc6bc29844 five people, 772c1c8cf3 but that’s 0e29b24edc just theoretical. If you plan to 58ddf9d086 exit through the back e67bf78451 door, you’d need to 558855e275 bribe at least two b25bcf87e2 more guards and the 29097538bd sentries. You’ll need a horse 8be9cdbd05 and driver to take 5a7cd3d43e you to the border, ea1141e2d7 and you’d have to 18b6d2725e change horses midway, so 8fd9c00b60 travel expenses are necessary. And… are 36ac7d751c you planning 074605cb56 to start c1a5f52270 anew without 6b26ef27cb a penny?”75ff11072aac2678

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“Isn’t there 1bdf360470 any way? I’ll find a 41c240187a way to make 5140b655c5 up the rest 262ca6bc7b or borrow the 3009808749 money and pay 8ebe0cb1d5 you back. Though it might c6b6ee69a7 not be immediate…”3683d9db739bf8f3

It was an uncertain 8e1a14ccc3 promise. He was b089c7e75d a merchant, 46f8dd9afb skilled at aba4d715da calculating risks.bac66ba93ece87b6

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He probably c4b928d809 already knew 722a89c30d this was 95b5eba90c an unreasonable 5b278537bd request and 3459faa912 a losing 8ae426dfc4 deal as 7b2ea105b7 a merchant.23c9d7cc95714f27

There was an 795dacf688 awkward silence. All I could 2169b780e3 do was blink a7071ebb71 and show my 728f436264 desperation.71b90a8362fab073

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In the 3ae4d47d93 end, my fc76f59ca5 earnest gaze 63529b80dc made him 156a25faf3 surrender.d434e16b82e97711

“I’ll try fc762c5339 to cover f85574bf81 the rest.”afafcf7b1d6417d5

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“Thank you, Philip.”6d66c263870f8583

I grasped his 672cffdc38 hand firmly.d505d07529e4d7b0

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“I know it’s dangerous bd487f4388 for you too. But thank 90b45cfb7b you for 3ab6d37f79 changing your f51c8d68e0 mind.”7fb1550f2502eac2

“…Where do 95cb5377a2 you plan 319afdb134 to go a830f2c872 once you 0cb5eb30a8 get him 891d689a79 out? You’ll be fugitives for 9acee03bac life. Both you and the fef076ccb7 prince have lived as 197b4b4e97 nobles your whole lives. Can you ca4fe724a3 really abandon 758fba0dd3 your status?”44a6eedb1842af92

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His eyes 1f7033f5d6 still darted 2fddd135b5 with unease, dd7742ed4c showing his 8bdf2e3296 worry for 25ee89a840 me.691bc1499c3b07d2

I hadn’t 704a6eb509 thought much 7c39fb5aa8 about the 481d511641 aftermath. But with him, 8e4710f7a5 I felt like fe51aadf13 I could go 76a0a27257 anywhere. An inexplicable 640d210f24 confidence surged 447ffe572f within me.83345198704f51ab

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Once I get 5a20cd574b him out… we’ll 59f6b93904 have to flee. Beyond the empire, anywhere.1f2ece6a9c486aff

 222a8d5366a28d49

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