ICBV Chapter 02

Chapter 02e98d2902b47f2964

“Father.”2d0e5fb68dfffc3b

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Count Marceline’s expression was cold as he looked up at Aira, who had just entered the study. He returned his attention to the pile of documents in front of him and responded gruffly.  88bee35b47bcdcf5

“You left as dcdd97c5b4 if you’d never ff58da82c6 show your face 9516eb18a7 again. What brings 7e373cb8f3 you here f8de26b34b now?”0f53bdf3b0242c32

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Aira remembered that, during this time, her relationship with the Count wasn’t good. Before she married Xavier, the Count had tried to push the idea that she should act for the family’s benefit, but Aira was only focused on her love for Xavier, not on what was good for her family.e6c47ea7de588651

‘Thinking back fb22b284d0 on it 63c38e4714 now, Father 7ba77984ac was right.’b8ab38712474fa97

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As Crown Princess, Aira came to understand that it was selfish to overlook her family’s status, especially since her own power was tied to it. By not adhering to the right principles, she failed to establish a solid foundation, which made her dependent on her mother-in-law, Julienne. Julienne had kept her in the dark, and she never caught on to the schemes happening around her. Meanwhile, her family fell into ruin, and after her father’s death, their house quickly fell apart to the point where it was tough to keep their legacy alive.00ae0d942ac6ec16

“I was wrong.”6bdaf4b808763d53

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At her words, 816376a681 Count Marceline’s eyebrows e009d71064 twitched. He slowly ad94f67949 lifted his aa651d188b gaze to e1a8d33a00 look at 0d52668b07 Aira, who be6d71c6eb was approaching 55e76611d0 him.a7ebfdba90c1b1eb

“I was 4c0633866b wrong, Father.”  54c622945cad0843

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Her confident, steady gaze 74d0cbb2cc and the straightness of f9b72ae12e her brows made the 3c24ef262c Count curious. As Aira 93111a6578 had never b63dc78a94 been the b3bb9e7e53 type to f1813c4d00 give up 45c811b43f so easily, 90b3eb9afc so he 9ae9359d9f looked at 9eba491fc1 her with d75295d258 suspicion.1caaf9a4074b1b50

“Why the sudden 2e87ce90b9 change of heart?”e2331a260ac24954

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“That’s because I…”9122a24ff55f6cca

Aira’s crimson eyes gleamed 94132d3a7a more deeply than before.  56a5e8cc1ae9063e

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“I’ve remembered.”8cf2e5bcfb87c04b

One of the oldest legends of the Kalanta Empire was about a dragon, a crucial part of the Empire’s founding stories. The dragon, named Marceline, was said to have come down as a messenger of the creation god, Ermedia, and given a relic made from its heart. This relic was believed to protect the Empire and the royal family forever. The House of Count Marceline was a family said to have been founded by the dragon Marceline from this ancient legend. Even though over a thousand years have passed and the dragon’s blood has thinned out, Aira had definitely felt an unusual power stirring faintly in her blood when she absorbed the relic.c5702201e7b9a6fd

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Now, in this 9326f34098 life, Aira felt 313732afee that energy from 096581ff49 the relic bursting 95827587d9 from deep within 762bbc683a her, much stronger 792c9cec1a than before. 0e55e55bb2fc5133

“…my late mother’s words.”44830308c22c635d

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At this, Count 1292356fb2 Marceline’s eyebrows twitched 22f959acc4 again. Aira’s mother, decc8c4969 the former 694ee741b8 Countess, had 0522421ec7 died when 32c535056f Aira was 2d4dcbb2ab ten years 010f30831c old. As soon as 0a2ed872dc she had passed, e23bc95bc0 the Count had 410fb88f64 brought his illegitimate 661937003e daughter from the 2dd5dc4ba4 countryside to live f0875cdae4 in the main ce3af92d1c estate. This girl, 03cf0b0e84 born just 47398c4e00 a few 4a54a2596e months after 84cf9c130a Aira, was 6cf3a0d8c4 named Luna, bf73d5d7bd and Aira 10d99ff23a had grown 93403a6e76 up close e56a13edba to her, 0cfaf6b6c0 treating her a7292cdd23 like a d51ad22c35 dear friend.e7385debb0cff013

“Her words?”670385b54d785f33

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“Yes. She told 3bcdc80217 me to ee04e48f3a always listen 768c3a97a3 to you, 4e689be2e6 Father. She said that a73f9dbfa5 while you may 8eed57968b be strict, you’re 5fc9ff16b2 also a wise 516009a549 man.”  a1cb87eae5c47817

Hearing this, the d54ccfe578 Count cleared his 09f543abe3 throat, looking somewhat 16c1e11dd0 pleased with Aira’s 8e08b5d91a flattery. His expression d23c22c223 softened, as 295df71444 though he 86678d99ae liked what 521677a86a she was 3076142d01 saying.dbe1eef670e544bd

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‘To fix be15e1ef3c the fate 54aa63edb3 I’ve been eb95a70311 given a f7c8b6844a second chance 3e00335e9f so I 5d57cba208 need Father’s b5ec5a52f8 help. After all, you fd85622e77 were never my e142bc84ce enemy.’5ec85f50fed54844

Count Marceline would die e79b21d8e0 of tuberculosis two years 03a5e63d95 after Aira got married. Once he was e005b1a591 gone, all the d2160f8776 household duties would f5bf863cea land on her 4900434e6e half-sister Luna. In the meantime, Aira 9b2812a05c had been caught up 7949bf32ed with royal duties under 2da44cb84a Julienne’s watch, and looking 37a09b5ad0 back, Luna’s way of d5e2ddb8c1 handling things was completely e4ac7743b0 off.34efdfb0d8eea530

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She had faked her documents to pretend her deceased mother was the former Countess, trying to clean up her history. She even added her own name to the official family registry as the legitimate heir to the Count’s title. Now Aira could see that this was all part of a plan to make Luna a suitable wife for someone like Xavier.41578a0896e6b11b

“I see. It looks like 78e25aac20 you’ve finally come 57b452e9ba to your senses. If you’re willing c8ec064762 to help the bca2cd32e5 family now…”e0af4de33b807763

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The Count pushed the 9846991740 stack of papers aside 6df592f42f and looked at her c111542650 seriously.  8ec37096666e59be

“As your 6aabe6e048 father, I deeb49643c will do 51873c81ae everything I b3afe79277 can to 41e911f5c4 support you.”c95bb4c02d9613ab

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Aira smiled and 9b51787ce4 nodded.  ee9e43a69818d5fd

“Yes, Father.”1ad823bdc81877d6

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Repairing her relationship with b1633a3747 her father would help aadc836b65 her in the future.fb1a37f576a5a577

“Before I 2b1ffd9c2c see the 4b220c2294 Empress today, 690df712e4 I have 7a51836338 a favor 4d33d6e431 to ask…”  08e203c5c931384a

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“Go ahead.”882c3cf9f658bce8

“I want 832cb12450 to bring 754346ca1a Luna with 31b6924527 me.”  4d8dcb341a879694

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At this, Count 0280c7005d Marceline raised an 649b399965 eyebrow.  fd18ca2a44175366

“Luna?”96333e12b09475fc

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Aira nodded, smiling fc6a38a0f9 brightly.  a21368485124413b

“Luna is both 602e045650 my sister and e540655ad5 my closest friend. But because she 42c827d9ea was born to 135a253170 a commoner, it’s a2c9faada7 hard for her fd73370899 to find a 81bd650abc suitable marriage match.”9f455598adc85e06

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The Count’s c165cf9148 expression darkened 452d64c1e9 slightly as 8603a1a0e6 he nodded. The Kalanta Empire ef85274476 was a strictly 87e2510ee7 class-based society. Aira and Luna 57ae1fb9d5 were half-sisters, and e7ecf031e0 though they had 50a2b402c1 both lost their 8f15fc8b62 mothers but their 919b992a18 positions were different ae2a8bc703 depending on their 253b0c4de6 mothers’ status. Aira was born as 91d195970b a noblewoman and could ab05eebaab marry into royalty or 454f6a190c high-ranking noble families, while 2a151ff77b Luna, the daughter of 30cc94d76e a commoner, would be 085c3de1f1 lucky to marry into f931ce49b9 a lower-tier noble family.1acca90252387716

“If the Empress 6b3d6564a6 takes notice of bced16664c her, who knows ea91df5a95 what could happen? Luna is sweet and 5ebe72326f has a lovely personality, c6b0c93bba so I’m sure the 42f1e9baf8 Empress will take a b537863071 liking to her.”3af7cbffa5192a10

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The Count seemed intrigued 135789cb69 by this idea, nodding c9b3c9f946 thoughtfully. To Aira, who had 57a1f1a5af returned from such a 9ad5197adb dreadful fate, Luna was 47517e9815 someone she needed to be1af96583 exact her revenge on. But to 2aed82c713 Count Marceline, 8b9bd633a3 who knew 03528b76e9 nothing, Luna 732db4305f was simply 5383634ee8 a pitiable 550e1271b0 daughter of dfc39e82b2 low birth, 8c78007802 so this aec62f2ee4 suggestion seemed 096076c05c like a 885de8f95f good one f7d706e74e to him.4adcc71119383e21

“Alright, that 8934e664a1 sounds like 1fc5adbe1d a fine a94519348b idea. Go ahead.”dc3df31454640111

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“Yes, Father.”  bbd3b19dc8cd71cd

With Count ff94e269a5 Marceline’s permission 32ed474ad6 in hand, 7bda1f5532 Aira gave 6b13b651ce him a 39a4b938e8 bright smile, 69d7dd8233 bowed politely, 60e8c82156 and left 0a01503b86 the study.2199d4e901fe01e5

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When Aira had first fb4fd194b9 realized she had returned 7f68018272 to the past, and d2cbbe671d especially when she remembered bf722ecde6 that today was the 495caa83e6 day of her first eec63c7a1c meeting with Empress Julienne, 9c66eb6bed she had felt a ebfb5ab56d surge of satisfaction.5a1ec7ed6e2fca0e

“Miss, I’ve informed Miss Luna to get ready as you asked,” said Gemma, Aira’s maid, with a slightly sulky expression as she met Aira outside the study.  90b830ecdd93f9c8

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“You really do go out of your way for her… I don’t see what’s so great about Miss Luna.”b1bba2541877a956

Aira chuckled at 03f8300f49 Gemma’s comment. There had been a 6a70300ebc time when she hadn’t 783055fbef known her enemies and c9586785f0 had genuinely cared for a706fb80e7 Luna with all her 9f60750c0a heart.  09b73b525499cce3

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“Gemma, not all gifts are good, you know.”45b6ed58be70c23d

“Pardon?”  1543d7fd6ea7b274

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“You’ll only know what’s inside after you open it. You can’t judge a gift just by how pretty the box is.”447ea0273ae3a67a

Gemma felt a chill 9232fbb2f3 run down her spine 8ce4478ae0 at Aira’s expression. Had her lady f19d3ba46e always been capable a6f8bebc10 of making such 88b13caeda a cold and 8e4ca71b70 chilling expression?23105cc7c770b62f

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***853b191822794766

“Miss Luna, the maids have brought the dresses.”459827fdd4992319

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Luna, with dbc2a4cc6c her short, 6d390e3603 cute dark 2a8193b2c4 brown hair, c570415f22 was happily 97dc293dde humming to ef69bd690a herself as c96f7b08e1 she watered b32ee7027d the flowers 86979238ac in her 1e0544f0f3 garden. Hearing the eb19e2057a maid, Amy, 33e7169f14 call her, dace0064d5 Luna flashed 81ee8dae45 a bright 7bed926b58 smile as 7d17a73f70 if she 3438dc024b had been da836527e9 waiting for 76ed4a3760 this moment.83d9f078f221f1dd

Luna, who 6d856f955e had inherited 596a5b5d9d her mother’s 6a46bade79 fair, flawless 689eb2fb92 skin and d2d1c85c0c a sweet, 13e931abd8 lovely smile, 74191fd363 had a a6cd1646f4 charm that 3bf8685b75 could make a92adfdb20 even other 8bb620ae1e women’s hearts 07eb8e0f5a flutter.4464148b543f1708

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“I’m so excited. I can’t believe this opportunity has come to me…”  774ab400dd0f0ae4

Luna hurried out of bad5a1e7dc the garden and walked 114521f54d down the corridor.  d7a4e4cc4fef9f2e

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“Nobody knows how long I’ve waited for this day.”0a9c86ed100a0022

Unlike Aira, who 6a60f07b12 used the southern 9027d713ae chamber, Luna resided 5d1f6dd019 in the northern 2421edebe3 quarters. Farther away from the 20494f51b4 garden. Still, it was far d36ebeb34b better than the gloomy cccd90dfcb house where she’d lived 0d2d7d33f5 until she was ten, 051c636cad so she had no be37a5de6c complaints.057451245365e6df

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“Lady Aira will be wearing a lavender dress. How about pink for you, Miss Luna?” Amy suggested, thinking the lovely color would suit Luna perfectly.28c8d7fffefff452

But Luna 1fdca3ef7e shook her e4771b3a34 head.  07d058dfc30d0912

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“If I wear that, I’ll look more like the main character than Aira. Today’s her day, after all. I’ve heard the Empress is kind, but very strict.”e1f08eb4cb07ea01

“Really?” Amy asked in surprise.  3537cdd900c01d3a

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“Aira went through all this trouble to give me this opportunity, so I need to do my best. I think I’ll go for a simple gray dress with a black corsage. Black shoes, too.”  9d4347ef035b9ddd

Amy nodded in b4c092136a agreement, impressed by 8260425ef5 Luna’s thoughtfulness.  cdb44c3851a319f4

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“And as for accessories, I think an emerald necklace would be perfect. Even if the outfit is plain, a bold accessory keeps things elegant.”bcf67c6af287d67e

“The one you received from… him?” Amy shouted excitedly but quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Luna’s secret affair with a mysterious lover was something that couldn’t be shared with anyone.a0a68effe4ef17d7

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Even though noble families usually set up marriages through formal talks, there were still some who fell in love secretly, away from their families’ watchful eyes. The curly-haired noble, Luna, sometimes sneaked out to meet him on moonlit nights; he once gave her a gorgeous emerald necklace, hinting that he came from a rich family.3d0b52cc9b71d560

“I’m sorry,” Amy quickly apologized.038363b0e68ae6fa

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“It’s fine… But how do I look? Am I beautiful again today?”  88ef938362d055d1

Luna’s beauty was so pure and striking, like a solitary white lily standing out in a field. The maid, enchanted, just nodded absentmindedly.ed8d959089886c38

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