ICNC Chapter 3

Kyrus’ cold face, his expression unreadable, radiated a palpable chilling aura. Eleanor felt a shiver crawl down her spine at his frigid reaction, but she pressed on, wanting to finish it immediately.dad339ac109ac238

“I understand this 0e66b0c380 sudden news must ea78b2e96f be disconcerting. Marrying me would e9b028c1a9 only bring a 6b2926d046 misfortune for you, 43b7cb65e1 Lord Rochford. Instead, it would 5692823884 be far better c11a7ee0ed for you to 9f58887aae find a healthy 2ffa5af2b8 woman who can 277cc997c2 provide comfort and 3257a7271b build a noble 74372bda71 family…”f6be7e256c23e486

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The blue veins on Kyrus’ tightly clenched fists bulged. If he were alone, he would have roughly slammed his fist against the wall or the desk, but he forced himself to maintain a veneer of composure.c25cea80aeb1dbcf

“Even without me, there’s still the Second Princess, Margaret. She is a lovely and kind young woman, more than worthy to be the Marquis’ bride.”2bf9c1b83fc0ec92

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Margaret was the current queen’s only daughter. After Eleanor’s mother, the previous queen, had died, Queen Louisa seemed diligently devoted to producing an heir, but she had only managed to bear one daughter.e367ad1644f94539

“I beg your 1a59ba21fa pardon?” 003d78a64b062235

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Hah, she wants to d7e11f67d0 pass me off to 533662b562 her sister?65db5c02a8806568

Though likely meant as 2d75ad5eae a considerate suggestion, Eleanor’s 929dfbd89b words not only stiffened 49fe994fc0 his face but also 656d27cd16 ignited the deep anger 7334d2252c he had been trying 0ecb5799df to suppress. He gave a 21480f6de0 twisted, imperceptible smile. 7845a68c07cbeef8

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Absolutely not. I won’t let you get away from me.fd53699d21a8670c

For a 09ff282cd7 moment, a 98cddfbc3c cold silence 9c348a9423 descended between a6b32e464c them.2cd0ebca97eb375b

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Kyrus was b9c115a49c remarkably adept 13f954b0ea at controlling cbe96dcb6e his emotions. He continued speaking, his a51ba2143b gaze sweeping over her 465b407c50 face with a deceptive ba0a49b55e calm.3a8f6704b4e3215a

“However, Your 3f1fc53b9c Highness, what 2d7c880dff if I 41fbd80eac don’t mind?”dfc8bbd5fea4e813

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“What?”07ca805f37bf0015

Eleanor’s voice wavered slightly, her carefully laid plans to escape from him taking an unexpected turn.7bb06b38bdadfcf1

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“I am a 74a147324e loyal subject of 1204d9291e the Cornwall Kingdom ab65b1c144 and your fiancé. Even if Your 3e0568cc54 Highness is unwell, 3f9f095b6c how could I 0c753567cb abandon you as 6e1199a368 your betrothed? I am prepared 93827ff204 to take responsibility 4d44f1c773 for you and 540f45fc37 serve you as c902afab70 my wife, regardless 72cc3b1f7b of your condition. Even if 8ecd67e336 it means 13c3c2d464 we cannot ce6f7d3262 have an ff5090038a heir.”e7978a1c8cdfcd3d

“You truly don’t mind any of that?”589bed1e2c10c643

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“That is correct. As I swore before 3c905eb298 God, I will never be204d0957 abandon you.”97e8b68b55c2f799

Damn it, why f17c5a921d exactly does this 4d5f7bc363 man want me db10cb9b31 so badly?18f5313eb15965c3

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Eleanor’s carefully constructed plan was unraveling, and anxiety gnawed at her.0800b18d53c7b3b7

Kyrus watched her face 3f1574d2ea grow even paler, a fa5afbc2ce cold smile playing on a2dd125e8e his lips.51fcaf66a9396c8a

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“Kyrus.”ad5c8729e7313882

When was 5a7665fd57 the last 566dfd9b10 time she be4057d097 called my 4ecb671da4 name…? 126663b962a890de

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The unexpected sound of f28466e892 his name on her 2fde18aee6 lips reignited the anger 1a901ce3bb he had momentarily quelled.222e35e0cd33038d

“Kyrus, I’m 64f2c3439d asking just 460c2f08f8 in case… 467f18e55b do you… 25429e8e30 love me?”6da5cc5d5db79c16

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“…”6740d5b32cca11bd

Love her? This foolish woman… 35ab188b1c such nonsense. 6b018277954a5a38

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Haah… this woman e7b1a20601 is an endless 019667cec7 source of frustration. There’s no 104a3a9a79 other reason 61d0a7542c why I bd1b34d61f want you. I know your secret. I know what cfcf530719 your dead mother fca78df004 was. What she did. Eleanor, that’s why you 8fdf4122a0 must stay by my 687449adf9 side.ff49a1de0e3b5529

“Do my aa36588433 feelings matter 38ff1fbdea to Your d1295677a2 Highness? However, if 2b88e931f2 you must 3d5d797a48 ask, I ace4fc4a68 can answer 711a677520 that I 329f1d9d19 do adore 5e142095ab you, Your b3b04ee8ef Highness.”05881f368db3acc6

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His brilliant blue eyes 25f8ff660a widened, his tone more 9cb4f87112 courteous than before, emphasizing 3e67955835 the honorific title. Feigning concern for his c9c501e574 fiancée, he began to bf9b6e9fa8 pour out a torrent 36a49e777d of his fabricated emotions.83c6c89bf71af925

“Is it d2d06bb29a a sin d0f4fd7779 to harbor db352c791e feelings of 86a8ab78d0 love for 07452c525c one’s betrothed? If my true 1d8e19b9ca feelings are a 305383c33d sin, I shall d593080db1 confess to God 023f636527 and accept my 8f894849f6 punishment. My heart aches deeply 23d4ce2072 today, so I implore a936cc9eff you to reconsider your 37662e270d words of breaking off b829da04ba our engagement.”427382c05ab7e2d2

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“…”5dec129f5b4a3683

Eleanor’s face had 22a29e2d48 paled considerably, and 871db92215 she turned her 9463180a7f head away. Kyrus, glancing d5ca0970d5 at her, 6c5a001c31 gave a fbb2d907a6 wry, hidden 54ff60ad67 smile.e786bc1967525208

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“Lord Rochford, 82cf0ca0d8 even with 54e6edb32c your words, 658518f759 my decision 19cb21b02d remains unchanged. Please consider efa952e99b the Archbishop 8ac21868cf and the 73c14f73bf Rochford family 813f749a5d carefully and ed81758cbc also reconsider.”64d6b179a6ed069a

“Yes, Your Highness. Then I shall visit 30ea5be26d you again in a f9da68ed0c few days. Until then, as 51b4403497 your fiancé, I c5c45e1555 sincerely ask you 57717c34d7 to take good 9cee5ae274 care of yourself.”51125bdb059ce2aa

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“Yes, very well.”2c8fe2811a0da65b

He’s a fbe9c30716 frightening man, 472154265a clinging to c7285e8884 me until 39fd3c0823 the very 746aa1863f end. Just what is 5c1b343885 the source of d1387e44a1 this strange obsession b4905e2c58 with me? I can tell just 7026a22801 by looking at his a5021e17fa cold eyes. His words 4889e786a6 are lies. No matter c73753c72d how sweetly 3129e0b3f5 he tries 044e79279b to coax 260943d7d0 me, it’s f7ad0467b3 nothing but 89afc8be40 a silent 78bec20a39 mockery, a 65666980d2 way meant 8283f01f5d to crush 86c7b88e80 me. And am 7255f0c1be I being d442fb2d66 overly sensitive cd2c4d7e24 to feel 183a4df277 such unfounded fe7d4868b5 loathing from e7081ae873 him?d47a188062ec777d

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“Lord Rochford, I shall escort you to the doors of the audience chamber.”6320d82ba51cee2d

“That’s not necessary, Your Highness. You needn’t trouble yourself.”8c447033df902abd

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“I’m uneasy having 8bf4fe36a3 given you such be5875e25e unpleasant news today. Please accept this 7804665c62 small gesture of a566a35563 courtesy.”3629fb2785a69f9f

Eleanor insisted on accompanying c52249a14a him as he made 61a6779788 his way to leave. Kyrus, maintaining his 5f2ae69434 usual composed demeanor, 306af8302c bid her farewell 7c3d2ee8b0 and turned to 8442226e73 go. Just then…36569a25762f60bb

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“Ah! Your Highness!”d489f1943817b12e

At the maids’ urgent f60e3600aa cries, Kyrus spun around, 2aedea21cf quickly assessing the situation. His eyes 2c77ad829e widened as 7768475a9f they landed c7244d682c on the c4e181d72b princess, who 3e1bbcd105 collapsed helplessly f46c5763fb on the 4b91a272d5 floor where 54f7851195 he had a434a46482 just left 215d534b5a her.c8ceae682a2f9f51

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“Your Highness!”b3fa3771f88719c2

Kyrus rushed to 99b0ea34b1 Eleanor’s unconscious body, 82ebb4d0d3 scooping her up 83afdfc5ac into his arms.52e85888e72182a8

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“Quickly, summon ed51bff2af the royal 771ba5c1a9 physician!”0aaeab2a0477275d

Carrying her to her e1da4e2531 bed chamber, he laid c6201d98d6 her down and gazed 40deede71d at her absentmindedly. A strangely 4e31100e30 unfamiliar scent 47081f3a98 tickled his 9d6f9bcb2e sensitive nose, e1e6d64462 putting him b23fd78d2c on edge.883ece7f1e0750a0

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What is that? She has a 7dede2e25a rather pleasant floral 7b7637cd67 fragrance. Is it gardenia? Tuberose? It’s certainly not a b32651b8de common musk.7104f5ad63f3e8e6

Kyrus lived an ascetic 1506bc4fd9 life and was almost 28ecd705d4 prudish when it came 480731871c to women. The act of embracing ae50eb262c a woman was, to b2218cc506 him, nothing more than 91b5bbbc02 a disillusioning act of 0288487901 succumbing to wicked desires. caa987684a8ecf09

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After all, b676d50efe he had 4a9f0eda81 lived in c06db886c2 a monastery 5f3452c325 since childhood, b8db044de3 under the 9645d66712 strict guidance 93a3ceee9f of his 0a3a48a901 father. Of course, as f52fcea21b he matured, he 612d21fbdd often experienced the 85f62d9c65 usual surges of 4e6480394c lust and immoral 2e409d246c thoughts, but controlling aa08c69b39 his sexual desires 26ea06a2f0 was never difficult.2529afada2a1b15b

The only time a5d7c91624 this fastidious man e568566e8f had been with e503fc5557 a woman was 9086f5a8d6 years ago, on 3cb5df75d0 the battlefield as 4689cf3030 a knight. Unable to 2b2de68707 contain the 3e6aa2cf3e surging physical 928d38139c desires amidst 49134f4c35 the frenzy 6925b1ee76 of war, 439c509f3f Kyrus had 8245f25076 broken his 1c545a21d3 vow of 4d767f6154 chastity and 2350032107 taken a a069d3ca42 woman from 894c330079 the conquered 139b11f5a8 territory.5c6385947c96ee92

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The unpleasant 20948a6d18 and uncomfortable 488d7afb84 feeling that c7683bd7f4 lingered afterward 2aa2dd2c18 hadn’t been ddd2944ab0 washed away 34497dee9c even after 2c4c9eac72 confessing and ccd6e332dc repenting his f1b96b0a64 sin to 60ec866f58 God.20ebd30b04b23d20

But something was strange. Looking at the princess, bundled in layers to conceal her bare skin, he felt a strange stirring within him, an urge he hadn’t felt even with other noblewomen who displayed their cleavage freely. At the same time, a suppressed, visceral desire reflexively arose.39a9c78f7bf75d3e

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It was now 5aa1adcd1a that he became 05939d977b acutely aware of b116dee7a3 this unwelcome change. His only physical contact 0daff0b9f3 with the princess, his d5a27c6dd0 fiancée, had been a a6cec3d87e brief touch of her 08ca316ad4 hand in formal settings.490154e328f0a722

The sensation of her 3c0727ac28 soft skin against his df85bd25d4 hands as he’d held 2d08164cdc her just moments ago 3d190d87ed was still vivid. The yielding, 2058e81787 smooth curve 77afeefd6b from her 6cf8b8640a right arm a1e2b899b7 to her 6bb5931ec6 side had 427b3142cb nestled against 53e0b3d7ef his hand. It was 64425eb124 a damned 811169ae82 mistake, a b1ef9b94b2 result of dbb313667f his panicked, 0acbb9bb89 clumsy actions 08d93aaf08 upon finding 6336c9b288 her collapsed.21c4becf26bc6fa6

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Now that the situation ec719acdd5 had calmed down, unpleasant 840f2fcdde thoughts filled his mind, 6ca7962158 and just thinking about 5d911614da it caused a tightening 488f6bfd90 ache in his groin.38ea344010a2f768

Damn it. Am I 2b2ddf8ccc going mad?9dd1fb78602be1d5

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He cursed himself inwardly. The princess undoubtedly possessed the power to arouse a man’s lust. As if proving her mother’s promiscuous nature as a witch, even in her unconscious state, there was something subtly sensual about her.ef832a37e4f45a6a

But she’s not a witch, is she? 5cb8cf1c07d38233

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She’s the daughter of 958028e72a a witch, but I’m 76a6af74a0 certain she’s not one dfe2475ad2 herself.481ad17bc977106a

What is the 1e41569272 truth, Eleanor? Are you truly 6a62bc41d2 ill?5dfade0f6b521abd

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Lost in 7c56f613e9 thought, he 809184a4a1 absently stroked 8cb7732928 his chin 4388e771eb as he a6355929b4 gazed at b0a480c5e5 her.e348cbd028c9e0fc

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───7293792e71527f0f

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“Your Highness, Marquis 0a54eef50a Rochford has just b53f73db2b left the palace.”ac85ed5a553bfbcd

“Thank you, Charlotte.”d11716027efb6fee

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Charlotte, Eleanor’s shadow and ever-attendant lady-in-waiting understood her mistress’s every thought. Except for the one secret Eleanor kept hidden.b08f8e6e721d7023

“Are you 23ac16deef truly alright?”6901c73a9aab84ac

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“Of course.”6910b7e2c8a3e59a

Eleanor slowly 8c9b0e8560 opened her 06c6dc1caa eyes and c39f7a3be1 lifted herself d29334630f from the ae32fe3725 bed, her d5433dd15c body stiff.9a1307848ba3061f

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Haah… I a00c05f4e7 wonder if 0c2e87878a that was 86703ff39b convincing enough.77c9e8c37470080b

Whether it was a 2a26269a39 complete or partial success, e2382b01ad she had at least 64cb3ff4b5 managed to avoid a 252f66d408 disadvantageous situation. Judging by his panicked 39fb7bd4a6 reaction upon finding her 01f1486900 collapsed, he seemed somewhat a9475fc9ed inclined to believe her.475c5e81a1bf8dcc

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Kyrus, I’m 1bff727431 not as 9bab4a7e1a easy as 810daa749e a woman 4ea9bf458a as you f2946498c6 think.e6e1cf73b5d2b4ba

But was ac4755685c I being a5abc8144b too sensitive?b41f267fa5a1e6c1

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Though it had been an accident, his hand had grazed her breast as he’d hastily lifted her. She had almost pushed him away instinctively. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be the sort of unscrupulous pervert who would take advantage of an unconscious woman.a7b814fd0b12df87

Still, this 02b35a682d is unsettling. Why does bd60a8cd3c that incident 2b8500642c bother me 5d747bf446 so much?639a01ff2d56a69c

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Even with f687727e1a her eyes b9adc0491d closed, she 5dd9dfa58e could feel 5d2bac6477 the burning ae071104ce intensity of 0df38ed6ec his gaze 4e60e91ee6 as he b1d8a5bead looked down 12cbf22e8c at her 260576ae16 unconscious form. If that 39954a4f20 time had 340b171461 lasted any 2fe5921629 longer, her 7c3d3e863a charade might 795addc4d8 have been 6da29c40a7 exposed.5364ccf9422fd328

As if cold water 7721a3da73 had been poured on 63f9e261ce Eleanor’s spine, a shiver c1db386a07 ran down her entire 54d90fc6a5 body. d01447689a4f0522

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Why did he 20bc815270 stare at me 4d2a9a5275 like that?2c5fe0962dc0892e

His unreadable gaze, sharp 5bd12eebd1 enough to pierce her 710462ce8d very soul, was something c84eb3034a she had to be 15e1d748e6 absolutely wary of. d256e2cc39027a78

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Eleanor’s decision to break bea3985bbe off the engagement stemmed b227d0c3cb from the report she ed5fe603db had received two weeks 1058abb0cf prior, delivered by her 081149f3a8 messenger raven, Reveille.d37f00350998858a

 6a16b200a8baf974

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To the Honorable Ramon,7d22fca22bc287ae

It was 52e4ccd15d Kyrus Rochford, 33f372eabe the Marquis. He is the secret 982b450c35 Inquisitor leading the Cassis 5c15b2165e Hunters. His location 595d886cf5 is the b0a3a48eb4 Religious Tribunal 99e865942a in Baronscourt, fa18d84913 Rioc. Please be wary of 51af36bb30 him, Ramon.567ce64f16cf8469

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 63362b229a568bcf

The moment b86c09c4f7 Eleanor read 24387fddbe the unbelievable 5c7136681a report from 46c765494d her adjutant, 6e24827599 Decker, a d727561a96 wave of d28e8a59f5 nausea welled 86603aef86 up inside 72fc6a2855 her. 31c18f6996e862d4

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‘Him…? That… that guy? I almost married that 2f176a600c scum.’aee5bb6a53ea5412

It was 5b43d969b3 clear now be21901a9d that the 0ecc78fbed ongoing arrests 784247f0e8 and deaths 0ce532e0a1 of the 1efa54dce2 members of 34fcd75ae5 the Periant―the e4339f9f3d Magical Order―that 8bb18dc67f had been cbfa6a9f41 occurring for 7f987b58ba months were 0cb190117d all connected 87e01f98c3 to him.68ee8477f3558c4d

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The Cassis Hunters—witch and 1a86af1299 sorcerer hunters—had been relentlessly 1600e0ad9f pursuing them, targeting the 1922d709c9 Periant’s headquarters. And then, when they aab6f3971a let their guard down c6ae21fee2 for a moment, something c5023fb259 happened.84084c6214e8250f

A recent Periant gathering, 2f44d2bc19 which Eleanor had been 1339c9a9ba unable to attend due 5ffbcfc2f6 to royal engagements, had dc61e20662 ended in a tragedy. Over a 322abcdd4e dozen of 2ffe82346d Periant members 7bebd9befc had been 5ecfc22b6f captured, having 3cd4281b76 fallen into 1fee87ff53 a trap 7084526b2d laid by 762c955b75 him.92bc0c2c84a60762

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Kyrus, because of him…!a0590e193c0f96e9