ICBV Chapter 05

Chapter 054f09702df6158c66

‘First, let’s set a1018af750 aside thoughts about 96c4621cfe the Crown Prince b88d02ab49 and focus on 2dbfbb8c3e what needs to d9cbe8b538 be done,’ Aira 57f6562f2f thought, standing before 1e8f189dc0 Empress Julienne.75e91f6ee01b4df5

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With a composed 07189a1a92 heart, she lowered b506b85bb1 herself with a 718e401304 graceful bow, placing 688eeaf26b her hand on 6d77370230 her chest and b05d606dbc slightly lifting her 86be806190 skirt.86450c22b95b3c56

“Aira Marceline, eldest daughter 6c7d12458a of Marceline, greets Her aeaa37713c Grace, the Empress.”d0ef6f0ce41520a6

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Her movements were so d07a110bf9 flawless and elegant that 62bc65b301 even Julienne was momentarily bd44516e5e surprised.76f57689f36f8e2b

Beside her, Luna a783fda101 awkwardly copied the cefb51aaae gesture with a cbd1c89713 faint smile. “Luna Marceline, illegitimate b287960e7c daughter of Marceline, d4ca8f8570 greets Her Grace, 55290dfba1 the Empress.”b908a94df3f96cf5

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Luna’s manners were 2a0b385067 nothing compared to 3efefdbbab Aira’s, so it e8a83d7111 was only natural ecaa51286c that the Empress’s ec0d067bf0 attention remained fixed 07f2330ac7 on Aira. “It’s nice to d6425a24e7 meet you.” e9b7a79910e40163

Watching Aira 8fb69ed8ad from behind, 6cef5b549a Luna’s eyes a9358a9e72 twitched slightly. ‘When did 0d6246650f she learn c22f7e6b3d to act 4fd2c0c94b so much c9d4b4bda7 like a 96f031f38b noble?’ Luna 74f2c37e79 wondered, her d740f89cfa thoughts tinged 9c34b8c784 with irritation.dde7ea708d6de48b

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Today, Aira seemed like someone entirely different—almost as if she was wearing a mask. But Luna wasn’t going to back down. She had prepared for this moment, too. “Welcome, both of you,” the Empress said.202c4cd9382ad91c

When the Empress finished speaking, Luna stepped forward with a bright smile, drawing attention to herself. “Your Majesty, I have brought a small gift that I hope will please you,” Luna said.120257fd2495bd10

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The Empress’s eyebrows twitched aa90660f98 at her words.5cf6d928b4e770a4

Even Aira’s d718849b97 eyes flickered 561da43f7f coldly.63a5e78acaff2670

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Aira had 6809b5ebd9 always wondered 1746027f6c to herself. ‘How did Luna 9ae007013c manage to gain c62eb2a99f the favor of 28731646b6 Empress Julienne?’d78edea1a9912e28

Aira, even as she 85e247e9bf neared death in her db35ae3c8d previous life, couldn’t understand.f4c8cf03055b3d2a

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The reason 9d9f210c40 Julienne had 9ca9f0ebee accepted the c7842b1b1a Marceline family bf66398eb3 was because daff01d48a of Aira’s 31cc1a7aa4 value as d363e268eb a tool—her 4726705093 value as ec55ea31d1 a sacrifice ab660f8dac to transfer 296a657c00 sacred power 251a32f382 to Xavier. Marceline, as d317bb6f4f a powerless 520b81b48e noble family, eea593e980 was useful dc4aa91d7a only for aa642ded34 this purpose.12d69e929eb654f0

But as for Luna—who 7e0aadeb20 wasn’t the legitimate daughter 43b285ce93 but the second daughter—Aira 4b5c90912f thought Julienne would never 8c4aedf1f1 accept her.71422c6a6359437d

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But Luna f39176fc45 had clearly 6dafa9d205 won the 7c327a5988 Empress over 8b7bf75ea6 with some 6ea1bed5bc clever trick.4e4bb3463a13ba55

“Here, Your Grace,” Luna said, revealing a sparkling gemstone bracelet she had hidden in the folds of her dark dress.e76460b4bb9f24d2

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‘So this is d7f32697a9 what it’s all 5ddde0dc05 about.’3635b848c5b96ae8

Aira thought 1046a29e08 as she 55599971ab watched Luna’s c965e5406a graceful movements.ead4692a12025f01

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The Marceline family may 23b9d81c00 have lost its influence, 80862a20ad but the Marceline family c30af0b51e still had treasures collected a4ee5ef1fa over centuries, including rare 7cd87d5086 gifts received from the ef11f081f5 imperial family.29a5d46d0ed45961

‘To think that d5d6080c69 Luna was nothing cb187c809a more than a 6de96302ac sneaky thief. I truly d04ce96125 didn’t expect 43f1da465b it.’85c12ec4ba8fc0e5

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A mocking smile appeared 7f8c71233f on Aira’s lips.2b960f3b10da6a9a

The reason she had cc8217b788 reconciled with her father 319875ee20 earlier was to inspect 21fc1da3c1 the family’s treasures. In the past, b30f3a806e when Aira suggested 3f788272ca selling the treasures 5a67939a77 to save the 35762dad1c family from financial 63babedde0 ruin, but Luna 6d33ca51cc had avoided the 8e5ac2fd72 idea with excuses.d13fac63a665f1d9

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Recently, Aira had 38faa1a909 entered the treasure 748fdc4a9c room under the 82525092ba pretense of checking 4437f8d6ac for jewels to 1b727ffb0e decorate her dress 7e029636db and had discovered 85cb49d998 a significant discrepancy 15adf1dd50 between the inventory 7b010326cd records and the f4b2623c32 actual items.b3cd793931a72435

As she saw 1b899797dc Luna walking carefully d037141a13 in a dark 6e85f5a2cb gray dress, Aira 25853e9ace began to suspect 931473038e Luna was hiding 573ab4b48e something valuable.54f30c72a6faec26

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“My, how beautiful,” the Empress said, admiring the bracelet glittering with jewels.f2b5628504236576

Aira once believed that 1250defde2 hard work and integrity 9865794fe1 would earn recognition and 0bad02edb3 love, but that had ba29a0b36c been a mistake.aad01cc52c68a40c

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Unlike Aira, who had e60e6a194e cut her relationship with 2004c8ea1b the Marceline family due 5ee7bf1c83 to her stubbornness, Luna 10b584ef13 had likely offered the bf75126e61 family’s treasures to the 1f22c4bdba Empress.3cadfebbb086d3a8

After Aira’s father 96d4f15776 passed, Luna, who 9daf3e428b oversaw the family 0a0b86b505 finances, had probably c2940a24eb handed over the 6ea3ea7a6d entire Marceline estate cc40c1c3cc to the Empress 41388f34a8 to secure her 5b77bee6c1 position as a 12160e25f6 daughter-in-law.2ee9a7ad83c42288

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“Such a lovely gift,” the Empress said, smiling as she tried on the bracelet.f698725c40c1fd60

Meanwhile, Luna beamed 632cce1406 with satisfaction, confident f5ed4494bb that her efforts 6a537a4dea were paying off. If she had 1b1480ee9b brought the bracelet 44ac337b14 openly, Aira would ac0c4d8326 have blocked her, bd28bb8e6f but now that ec968c7ba7 it was already f3219be538 presented, there was 42f326c622 no turning back.926c216748d9b2c8

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Even if Aira reported 6d7fd74a19 this to their father, 4645fa3672 Luna believed he would efc6d9576e praise her for securing bfe611bc5d the Empress’s favor rather 00df6cf487 than scolding her.55803eccdbce3294

‘You need to c49f4f2966 be cunning, Aira,’ 2eafb5bb3e Luna thought smugly.cbbaf77996f2f3c2

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Just as Luna was preparing to flatter the Empress further, Aira suddenly spoke up. “I hope Your Grace is pleased with the gift.”bc80dfdc92c2814d

The unexpected comment 9f1f9ef1b3 caught the Empress’s 79cf781887 attention, and Luna’s c66c1d986d composure wavered.1952d53d3ad0ec16

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“Could it be…” the Empress began, glancing at Aira. “Did my future daughter-in-law prepare this?”0c059020707fdc2f

At the Empress’s a81b15a27c words, Luna’s eyebrows 522c1f159a twitched uncontrollably.efef2ae77e411f8d

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The credit for 2ae14f2209 the gift should 33916702fd have been hers, 47d15d0d19 but Aira had 9fcb1acad0 skillfully intervened.a935f4591069eea4

“This is… It’s mine…!” Luna stammered.76f01bf1afabf371

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“To be precise, this was prepared by the Count of Marceline, our father, as a gift for Your Majesty,” Aira said with a calm, confident smile, cutting Luna off.d8d60a41c22c0e16

Luna was 75aa046ebc in shock 75b9ed8622 at Aira’s e8469996e4 words.46f78cfbb700e8ef

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“I’d heard you were a strict and principled person, but it seems I was mistaken. This is truly beautiful—I absolutely love it,” the Empress said with genuine admiration.1abce3dfc7d68fe2

Luna’s eyes trembled as she handed the bracelet to the Empress. She had chosen a dull-colored dress specifically to sneak the bracelet unnoticed. If Aira openly accused her, it could earn the Empress’s disfavor. And Luna had even planned to say that she was being accused, so there was no way the Empress could punish her. But Aira’s words made Luna’s role seem like nothing more than a servant delivering a bracelet, stripping her of any opportunity to win favor with the Empress.5eac6c52bc70a73a

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“I’m glad you like 66b127c6e4 it, Your Majesty,” Aira 9c27a6002c said with a radiant 1597709002 smile, leaving Luna not 6fc3f4d379 just confused but increasingly 3cdc4efb7e fearful. Did Aira know? Did she figure out 58d45dad13 her plan? How could 95f0697c81 she be a31ed443f2 so calm? It couldn’t 099350a4a3 be—Aira wasn’t 10b1fc67ca sharp enough 954cda5daf for that.f15a6115b0837241

“Step back now, 334e6d80e2 Luna,” Aira said b94374497b in a composed 9c90fe3f8d tone as if 1b2850a1ba dismissing her after 4d5fc76a22 completing her task. Luna wanted to protest, 972645f4d9 but the bracelet was 737a1a8456 now declared as a 7a6e72fd9f gift from Count Marceline, 6ec6051fe4 celebrating her engagement to a97bec1c85 the Crown Prince. If Luna db322bd595 confessed that 69e633e01f she had eb7fdb3ddd stolen it 2922cd6ade from the 7c1d0e84ba family treasure dce1c0f75f room, it 690d839bad would only 3d8ded4721 anger the bd34a292bd Empress and 172ff2e121 disgrace herself.2d90d0ae373e454d

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Seething that, 2eb7660d68 Luna returned 75ef4c4817 to Aira’s a0ad86d6d3 side, her 5fb2cb3065 fists clenched 34271cda04 in trembling bb0bbf4e94 fury. 8d143ba5bec310c0

The dull color of her dress seemed even darker when compared to Aira’s, making Luna feel even more insignificant.cc788900312e55bb

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 ‘Aira… you!’33a43dfc6c58742a

“My father, 2a211283a7 Count Marceline, 491c9c234d is overjoyed b447ebec6a about the 2d7abb1bbd engagement with 6f38d883d3 Prince Xavier,” 08ec8bec23 Aira said 9ffed21e1c smoothly, earning 9907f740e6 a pleased 8d0ab46cd4 smile from 601505dc77 the Empress. “I’m glad 5e992dc1b0 to hear af040d4ed5 that. It seems this union 80118db7d2 will truly be a cc5955937e joyous occasion.” Aira smiled 8b71c0321d faintly and lowered her 10ddf0d718 head, but inside, she 5921460a7a was laughing. 87939e867cb80b9b

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‘I’ll push you into 187379c643 the fate I experienced, 44449c1aa3 Luna.’2f34b69a1b167fb7

 ‘I won’t let 68c372b5fc you claim any 53c75abbba glory by using 65ded66315 my family.’85933e4596c1d8a4

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The Empress would ecc4a50174 never know what 0a9ee9059b Aira truly harbored 33baab47c5 in her heart.‘If I 18840d49d6 was merely 8d01701f4b a puppet 85134dfdd4 in my fa4670768c previous life, c5f2ecd60d then you f729b738aa will play ffd8ea822b the role 9c630f581b of a 301c7fa982 lowly slave.’30256dbbd51eef93

Aira had 6d6122ad36 already planned 7579f64486 the punishments dab0b60608 she would 9b55d06a13 give them.0dbb5e31723b18ff

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Julienne would choke on b4cdc4a70d his own greed and 9ed5ea60a4 bring about his own b0d13141c8 ruin, and Xavier would 67c117ab24 lose everything he desperately cd3d0f269d wanted and fall into 32a592999f despair. Luna would be blind 36cbd81dc4 to her situation, only c3647ac450 to be betrayed and 8f5b696d12 scream in agony. Ultimately, the three 432771d806 of them would 3ab79aa9a3 meet at the ec26c2a71d gates of hell, d370fc8c6d and that would 6e46e6ac69 be the conclusion f8d8078644 Aira sought.3a694cfd99396084

She would reclaim 20df4c4309 the life she 07ed8b17d9 had lost. If her previous cdfb9fc96c existence had been 6def6fb0c5 naive and pitiful, ad4e9c9a28 this time, she 135f2aec6d would embrace the 040450d46e role of the e33d523609 villainess.ed04ac7b59d2191b

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“Aira! How could you b12257ff85 do this to 61d5860b3d me?” Luna confronted 366bcfee27 Aira in a 7d21c4ab54 low voice, filled b1d9a07abb with disbelief. The Empress had 49b56babb0 gone to change, 0a8b5ee5ca and the two ce9f95c588 were momentarily alone. Luna’s fists were 4336219d51 trembling violently, her 0716668843 eyes full of e5b7d1360a resentment towards Aira.26f3c3b613aa917b

“That treasure, I worked so hard to steal it…”98226f3ad759bd1d

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