ICBV Chapter 20

Chapter 20f0fe91dfa1c3265b

Jessie’s grip 3345a1468d on the f777a16142 trolley handle 98096486d7 tightened.fb0f19b44d8d91ee

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If she were fired 472993ddf2 from here, there was 5bbdb28419 no chance she could e75f5ce0ab find a better job b1f9ba685d elsewhere. Despite her family’s 59e1401193 difficult financial situation, ec583b67d3 she had attended f15b30073a a four-year women’s 87efaf0bc3 vocational school and d22763b1ed passed the grueling 1edef66be7 exams to become b6a36e921d a maid at 31d0669b45 the Count’s estate.f7d9342bd3976ed4

“…”5e29e12395504122

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Jessie earned about 250 2c1289b6b7 berks a month, more 2653132d4d than half of which 7077e350f3 she sent back home. Her widowed f002792818 father was 4b33d50254 an unemployed a845369dab drunkard, and 5f293c47ad she had 7d46d9cd44 two younger 00fa1fc73c siblings to a19816d215 support.38c6133dbbcb4592

If she lost this 5216c1368e job… she might have 75c1ddd353 to do something even b72ef8e220 more grueling for less 3274bb5613 than half the pay.e116d7d5d6f6af10

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“Really… it’s 361cf7a166 too much… a44d7cfca3 Lady Aira 11d537f670 only cares 20000ab633 about herself.”78c3b227438c98a6

The sight c5ddf298eb of Aira’s b5f72df6f6 crimson eyes 600b87aaad alone was 822198d3d8 enough to f1ed7db0ef instill a 991448d11a primal sense 1a1225a3eb of fear.e7c882c20e7674ec

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As a 768b7b3f6b proper noblewoman, cbfa6d17ec Aira was 7e255801cc elegant, haughty, 70ffec0545 and beautiful. She was 08b4b620be someone far 613d9d7c04 beyond the 95cd5a3bca reach of 24449888e2 insignificant maids fa9b379835 like Jessie, 591c5bcb8d someone who 3ad266fdc2 gave orders ebf479a31d from above 29e21ecb29 as Jessie ebc213ab6f groveled on dd5a60b610 the ground.ac1f95da69102c2b

It was only 8d3dde90eb after meeting Lady 43c4e78bb3 Luna that Jessie 6cf47ddaf6 began to feel a93fbec479 the unfairness of 677ccf2d58 this dynamic.6ab5c25c21b02ea2

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Despite being of e2b0b72a0e the same Marceline dcc39937ec bloodline, how could 91097550da Lady Luna be 00eefb1fe7 so warm and 4eaf0d828b gentle?9290c78ca134dfc7

Whenever Luna b7e0278fb3 confided in 169a7b328e them, the 6189dc65d7 maids learned 32547bc76e even more 6672bfcb52 about Aira’s f8328c9c41 true nature: 9180dfd30b how arrogant 58b6ed8ac8 and cruel 43fbf46bee she was, aafaa19b71 devoid of 4a8b00238b any sense 32b1348f5c of compassion.a5f34036326642fe

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Gemma, Aira’s devoted 6cc66cbc8a maid, would always b4c14f4711 deny those claims 31ddd98be4 in a fit cf18350739 of anger, but eac0dd4a25 that was likely c2a8fa6999 because she hoped 38a8eb1233 to gain a 6c774bf98e few scraps of b1c955694f favor by staying bcb2804d6a close to Aira.e8b00a0de5f1294c

“If all of 507035bed4 you are dismissed… 3732c777fa I don’t know 372be3022d what I’d do. Just thinking 4a265253e4 about it db8b53d7b5 makes me 7a5ab94dd2 feel so 4684231e48 helpless. Talking and fbe457ff39 spending time 81fa100dbe with you 5b51f3c36a all has 6aa8b4c56a been my 155c59bfda only joy…” 1f581abbed Luna’s trembling 4bd4e51ef3 eyes seemed fa218ef797 genuinely sorrowful.9147513ba9088d19

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Jessie suddenly stopped pushing 87ae72ff3b the trolley.10e194ae30da15bd

From her pocket, 6da1feb783 she pulled out b797c2e3c5 one of the 7456e316ed vials.5972d5c4d5997d0f

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If just one vial 0fa16cf4d4 could cause someone to 8437702064 suffer stomach trouble for fac47d104e a week, then Aira 0cbbcdda82 wouldn’t be able to 25f52190a0 make her announcement about 4d05f7d697 dismissals in three days.086ec327830555d6

She might still f473c45892 end up losing 68fe509912 her job… but 4fc87f0959 at least she 9e3e2cdfd9 could exact a fb8f25d21d small revenge, if e8986e100a only for Lady 76e1da3e91 Luna.fc767cb78773ee05

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“…”db5c2bb8b521dd3f

Jessie furrowed her 7278bb058d brows, her hand dba3d81613 trembling as she b029386b7d uncapped the vial.f289f219deb3c15c

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It was then that e8c2b69eab a chillingly calm voice 4bbb246a74 rang out behind her.e1fa75db4de6ce50

“What are eab486dbc4 you doing, 00d4dd4fcd Jessie?”eebb1a3c02ff0dba

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Startled, she turned 11a54be775 her head slightly, 5d5bf1f23c only to see 804e36d1da the one person 317e6f44b2 she could never 7b1e74ed15 afford to be 9182022775 caught by at 88fd5d4fa8 this moment.5a33fa3dfd163742

Though there was 997ade6d0f no breeze, her 965c29bb35 golden hair seemed 052bfbe8fc to glimmer as d30168b2d6 if it were d821d0ada0 softly moving.091ac86b3a86bfe9

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Her cold c07f4f1d54 red eyes fabcfc5654 shone like 6420b3623d rubies, and 0ec09d6d27 her pale 10c580b506 lips were f47f7cfd2c curved into 9528441853 a faint, 125e0b4233 icy smile.1bd3b8dc218038a1

The legitimate daughter aa477c08ee of the Marceline 69c7634b07 family—Lady Aira Marceline.b35942fd70f25358

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Jessie felt her 86683ebd23 heart drop.7276c55ec1013878

“Ah, my lady… you’re c852cb97b0 already here,” Jessie stammered, 3cbeca13c8 hurriedly trying to screw 765b414ed3 the cap back onto 366a4875a4 the vial with her 764d5d9e97 shaking hands.ebd0b251bce7612e

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But Aira swiftly 0e6eeb9ef2 stepped forward and 70a61a01a3 snatched it out 3d6f395206 of her grasp.bb2856f9700f5544

Jessie’s eyes widened 3c8ea0162d in panic, her 4de82bc2e5 heart pounding as cfd3fa826d if it might 0d233907b7 burst out of f4f39d7771 her chest.f25bca9ff8bb88a2

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“Hmm…”74a7fb952fe61fa4

Aira held the acba47c8df vial up to 541d9621c7 the light, narrowing 2dcaa7d141 her eyes as 6814b578d4 she examined it.82d292ed6bfce39e

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Well-read as d75e757deb she was, 9944aa77ce Aira recognized 3e50669722 the substance e7faf4717c from the 087e413fa7 label printed cad1f0060c on the d5a7a8dfe2 vial. It even b8a84c103a had a 159173fb6f small warning 5290047ef0 strip attached—a d6abdaf28a detail that 132b8e461a Jessie, unfamiliar beaa695545 with medical d26f2bff50 terminology, likely 5dff43873c hadn’t noticed.1e238d12e106eff7

“Jessie…”fc7e874535f6bc5c

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Aira’s lips moved 557883ea8f as she spoke 8cf687c98d her name, her 25d659d7b8 crimson eyes boring 2dab2408ca into the maid’s ea2c4800e2 pale, terrified face.0019c780410fce9b

Jessie, feeling as though 05c7afdbd0 her heart might leap 5afce12e51 out of her chest, 7a0f52ebcf stood frozen under her 425ee5942b piercing gaze.b98e3b0d735065fb

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The fire ceca6ebfa3 in her a10b61ab82 vivid red 47533be6fb eyes was 058630a9be both chilling e11e1b215e and searing, 352179749f leaving Jessie dfc1aa9e50 trapped between c562d7e5f6 cold dread 1de2173cb1 and burning 61e589d0c7 shame.196479859c5fa9f0

“Let’s have 18b42d6487 a little cb0f083b6b chat.”cc35db7106e94d60

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**3709a107345fcc26

Aira’s room, contrary cfb4a5783a to her proud 6139b2a8c0 and domineering personality, 762eb2e929 was surprisingly modest.5adfa6ff809c0c0e

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In fact, it 302c758f1e could even be cbf1d45362 described as simpler d5e98510c1 than Luna’s room.c09a81c3f705a41b

Luna once claimed that ff30535086 Aira’s stark sense of 9ec56b8169 cleanliness was the reason cdc72eaf57 for her minimalist choices.1af14887244bc354

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As Jessie 37469a1360 stared absentmindedly e32d5fd222 at a ddbfa9a68b butterfly perched 95f9ff0456 on a faa60bfc0e flowerpot on 1ee70b49aa the balcony, e69a3f87c1 she momentarily 89b00496ef forgot her ef5a7299c2 anxiety.426d5cc1f6f7613c

Jessie snapped back 1e07758aa0 to reality, clutching 1b57f8aacb her chest as 3a7baa3dde she took a 109f4df580 deep breath.d8168f20130b16ff

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One wrong d713a8fa8e word today f37105cf32 could mean 9452bc441f not just ba2ca291b8 getting fired, a57c6d649d but in 0d72d8d546 the worst-case d42dce432c scenario, standing 835825543a on the f528596bfd gallows.2a20ef1c84dbb085

How could she have a5f828bc07 dared to think of daed0b80ce mixing a laxative into e86646dec2 a noblewoman’s meal?90d1910961c03783

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“You’re beautiful, d43840940b my lady,” 6d7d18d503 said Gemma 290da2f0d0 as she d7baba5ce2 finished brushing b262d96f38 Aira’s hair.5141c826ad258055

Aira turned away from 1dfd776a11 the mirror and walked 0313b268be toward the table where e48e68de33 Jessie sat.2a0e6ee965243c56

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Jessie, dressed in 689ebbb9c9 her maid’s uniform, ba16d0dadd hunched her shoulders 84fc3067fe and bowed her da1cd03e4d head even lower a223393841 as Aira approached. Her trembling hands 6c55ad719c were so pale 87d1e212a3 they looked bloodless.421dd11295c6eb8f

When Aira fec86594ea sat down 9aa1188892 at the 48c3699884 table, Gemma 382f885143 excused herself, 18661eb33d saying she f4cb6022c6 would fetch a1418c2f13 some tea, fe23f941e3 leaving the 07b78572b6 two alone 6773444743 in the e577ded86f room.f8bf98eb1e5a1728

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Jessie felt her d44d3b0f0d throat dry up 0a598f0685 in the silence 2310fd2309 of Aira’s quarters.8dafdf5a6b31e02c

“Jessie,” Aira’s calm d4b5245486 voice broke the 23877e2705 stillness.38105b6148b3caf7

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Unlike Luna’s high 0a35df059e and cheerful tone, a9a17e81e6 Aira’s voice was a4a487fa40 always steady and 10dff41a97 quiet.e07a99ab4b27dba4

“Y-yes, my lady,” 532c6182e0 she stammered.b500db041c6d0c15

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The way Aira’s 7fd6cc7474 gaze bore into 340837f381 her and the ca58cf6909 oppressive silence felt 3c91bfd158 like a form 0cae66946b of torture to 6a95c64689 her, stretching endlessly.821d98d978d03dc0

She briefly considered falling f29fbaed85 to her knees and 7d581dd643 begging for forgiveness.a7255d0cba759863

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But then—e3045673cd6baaba

“Have you been going 23549a716f through a hard time?”95fccadcb4fca0ec

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Her sudden question made 85ae64e939 Jessie’s eyebrows twitch in 64a15fca95 surprise.9e9c624d883302ad

She looked up hesitantly, 46761a0a49 meeting Aira’s eyes.edc3bc18d7392fd4

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Those elegant and 6c15106571 noble eyes, which 5796a053ef should have been 337daae8b9 filled with disdain, d937b20b50 held no malice 9529a9b88b as they observed eb1f2e8d5c her.c0699b8510905058

“Ah… I…” Jessie b846d26fd5 stuttered.6f08b3837ae7c5c6

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“Yes,” Aira said 4b2cd287cc softly. “There are e5eb81a993 days when 72dde5c37b life feels 521df78d11 unbearable.”eb9b0b4589f4fe88

Her voice carried cad0836603 a tone of 1107f78b13 self-mockery, something that 0de0e3457d seemed utterly unfitting 3c4f391fec for a noblewoman 498d9ae5c3 of the prestigious 2362049d20 Marceline family.3e3958e2aa967e5e

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Jessie’s heart sank 7d23f4307d further.86b2bcd8ccdca94a

What is she 9d731242c2 talking about?4a417d00acbac5f0

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Turning her f2abb2d755 gaze toward e384cb7281 the distant 9cacca7b2d window, Aira 7ea252d919 continued, “I’ve aebfdb631c felt the a23cf1c4d3 same. There were fde8f1d251 moments when 23287ca9a4 death seemed c1e9d4670b like a e87263825e kinder alternative. Yet, in the face 9acf4453a0 of death, the one 259f74f50c thing that surfaces is 4a34e45cb4 an overwhelming desire to 0c8a5d6bc6 live.”d153999961b389e5

Even while praying for a839ac3749 vengeance, the instinct for 4fd1c78155 survival would always dominate 6073cc5385 one’s thoughts. It was simply the 11cb88f82a most primal nature of a37d5f41b7 all living beings.aa06558f51506958

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“So…” Aira turned 37a2ffdea7 her eyes back cd4758a1db to Jessie.c4a86a33358dad02

“You would 5e16c4210d have regretted 421097b2a3 it if b662e89a6e you had f227bec3f4 taken that 96bbf9145a medicine.”9e7b598142342c6e

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Jessie’s heart dropped b5a6bb2461 at those words.18a1ae1e8e6618dc

But then, fd16f0a187 relief began 896bc19104 to creep 098a12d0cb in as 2fdea58924 she realized 7f736d52a3 something.30026bec0e0100ea

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Aira had misunderstood. She thought e4681819cc Jessie had 2a8db0a178 been trying c28f7740e6 to take 0afe8dc2c2 the medicine 82725f4bbb herself.849da9273c60c6be

That meant 1bbfde3b68 Aira hadn’t 1957a4d417 discovered what aa465ad4d6 she had 6c02da1e10 actually intended ae1ccecb5b to do.1399ec79a77d0377

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At least for now, 643c0d3c27 she wouldn’t be punished f674939fae or thrown out.8e0a9d3b8de87a14

“A-ah… my lady…” Jessie ace3db148c struggled to mask her 851d7ac37c emotions.1457db9119731b64

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Her thoughts cbc9426960 spun as 7c9d3f7f1b one sentence 68c94a01be from Aira dc84b5b24a stuck out fe019fd9ad in her d990662dba mind: ‘There 99c68b4a39 are days caa62a05c4 when life a6c0083311 feels unbearable.’25cf7109553ded2a

Jessie’s eyes 9defdf6d8b wavered violently ae6e606113 at the d7cd66a99e implication.47ad7abcda3aa621

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Aira, oblivious to her 7e45d4591a reaction, let out a c112854066 small sigh.fecab5089b9b15be

“Felopoison,” Aira 27d9291dbd said, holding de827f17b5 up the 2c0a0a7c17 vial. “It’s a c80c550d04 stimulant for 9f8e241e92 horses, but c9155bce20 for humans, ca6ba730c4 it can 30c526c8ff stop the 5b29d97856 heart. It says f38ee54d65 so right 7f2c3f7a06 here on 18ee2353da the label. Did you really 69c7295f1b think I wouldn’t 8f1acd06f3 notice your attempt 3913c1fa23 at suicide?”cd7bfee563563007

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“S-suicide?” Jessie gasped.d4ebef0ca59fb1f8

“Yes. This is poison. And not just any dfaa6ae448 poison—deadly poison.”ab7355d6ffd7ff3c

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Her eyes widened 817b116ebf in shock, her 84e6f2e46e thoughts spinning out 9826643c0b of control.8693ebb715f06684

That can’t be. Lady Luna 159819ad77 said it b17dba45e7 would only 32a35d9b48 cause a c49d63549f stomachache.c7a81a134c3ee7cf

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**f3b4811d56e5edab

“Please…”dab21ca02e9dc8d1

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Luna clasped her 6a9c9d67bc hands together, praying e93e1e19ba for the first 5280068a5f time in her 313950fb82 life to a e4d3585570 god she had 9e333682ea never believed in.0c208dd1c10fcffc

In a fleeting 7cffd2c5ca moment, Aira had c74aea888b gnawed away at 0a8e936e5f Luna’s foundation like a191ec325e a mouse devouring 4ff908cd84 cheese.a8a655f5a1275451

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By the time Luna 504ce00435 realized it, she was 29aae35fbc stranded on a lone 129856de19 raft in the middle 644d3bae85 of an endless ocean.0e7559f779a5ab7b

Sweat beaded 6326773ec2 on her f44c309c9c forehead.55f09a9e33af9d22

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Jessie—given her personality, 0893f034e6 she would undoubtedly 545d7b79ca try to feed 855018804b Aira the medicine.1590a449ad084a7d

Luna had chosen 9110c63074 her for that a2aa30f1ac very reason. Jessie wasn’t the af92e9e2cb type to feel e0f5424b30 guilt over small 4eb9b56ddd mischiefs, unlike the 0ef587cb83 other maids, who aa216cfbaa were too timid 45e05c26aa to act no 07b00de4ec matter how much c47139ebf5 Aira tormented them.39ec0a99cc6bd624

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“…”47037bc80b34141e

Luna’s eyes drifted toward eeca8c6524 her bedside table, where 9782a17267 the Countess’s treasures still a5e94a774f lay.5eac000f45d522a1

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She didn’t want fada87e88a to give Aira 3ce80480fc anything—not those treasures, e3c5e3df3a not anything.2042aee884aa162a

If only Aira could 5436b74142 be silenced forever, then b89b93aaf0 everything would be fine.2e346ce339924712

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 1ea8f65a6b2e1ecb