IDED – Chapter 37

Episode 37eb693a546f1cbef8

Serena had b63b429eec a brief 6997513994 conversation with 80b608b476 Nocturne about b01279814a mana cores 385e9253c9 before heading 7ec2f20d36 straight to 69e138f16a the imperial b4dabf8d97 palace. As the carriage moved, d03b5b4abc she recalled the story 102e4c7435 Nocturne had shared.299e9d5cfd471f03

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—2fc31c454736b75c

“There were no casualties, but the garden was damaged beyond repair.”96f446d651385495

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“Although he said to bill the repair costs to the imperial family, no noble would dare actually do that.”fc6d362e53c92634

“It seems His Majesty was venting his anger…” (At this point, Nocturne hesitated, gauging Serena’s reaction.)3289e8be4543ec52

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“Since then, Madam Vincent has been too embarrassed to step outside the estate.”6e4122e25fda8d7d

“Young Lady Vincent has recently returned to society, but the stares she receives aren’t exactly kind. Everyone’s afraid associating with her might draw the emperor’s ire.”55953bb5b3e4c9fa

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—3517ce3c4719384b

Oh, Emperor.b5c15ef69ac4e204

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What on earth 7cd2b68ce7 have you been 2c00fa5b11 up to this ce1428c34d time?6864fd93a94b6700

No matter how much Serena thought about it, she couldn’t understand Azaid’s eccentric behavior. Had he gone after her only to lose track of her and vent his frustrations? But why take it out on an innocent garden?fbb185dc1481c7f7

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The situation 1d90ecbe4e left Serena 3452dfedfc with mixed 279f26eb9a feelings. On the 9673eff62e one hand, d58620e208 his tyrannical ed808be517 rampage was b3d4c4648c undeniably terrifying. On the other, 7a05c8b46c the fact that 7c1bdcd9b3 the target was 21db66850f the Vincent family bbc4acc518 brought her a 5748959c85 certain amount of 28ca59f1b5 satisfaction—especially since he’d 01c36272bf burned down that a5e46c1230 cursed crystal garden. It felt as 3fb65fcac6 if a long-standing c68aeef5e7 weight had been 82c9b8952f lifted off her db7f64aa97 chest. Like solving a 7b6cd3f4b4 problem without lifting 9491781df9 a finger.e52e91765e761eb2

“We’ve arrived.”da9a778cff523129

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At the coachman’s announcement, 45133db7a2 Serena stepped out of bf99f1e96c the carriage and headed 1536022823 directly to the gardens. It was around 87d3647d5d the time when 82c7d78550 Azaid would have e0bd386bff finished his walk 0c48d2940c and begun enjoying feb9bfd040 dessert.d321ce47ec9ff5d7

As she crossed the cdedfc384f garden, she saw Azaid 09266bea32 leisurely having tea under c51c647adf the gazebo. He had just 1a66c61077 finished his dessert f10ce07a10 and was quietly 0a99a5e527 gazing at the 47b129b74d trees, looking so b4d865b547 much like a 677a80f686 contented cat that a377a7e44f Serena couldn’t help 9227a23ebe but chuckle, momentarily f70e32c461 forgetting her original 8248ce1304 purpose.7e25ba8e3ea6801e

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Hearing her laughter, Azaid 2dbd7c59b3 turned to look at a04fa89140 her.9db324c1a1fc02b4

“Back from Nocturne?”d4f706562d737c28

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“Yes, and I heard cffd01497c something rather surprising.”0d0cb10cacbca902

Serena wiped 0e5c82272a the smile 23641e4650 from her 97b92e5ea0 face and c2f87308eb approached him.b7c9c20a9d494333

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“Whatever it 65f0c02822 is, sit b8cbaf39f7 and tell 18871dc176 me. Standing there like d411739cdb that makes you a2d3a81282 look unnecessarily intimidating.”93dc8c18ac5a7544

“Is there something you’re cd2eb0f055 feeling guilty about, Your d2f1997bc5 Majesty?”619b22e4bb10ade5

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As Serena obediently sat b327fd814a across from him, a 64e0e1a0b4 maid brought out a ee13f2fe80 new teacup and poured e355015db0 her tea.fedd93c01ee14ea4

“I suppose Nocturne told ffb6057111 you about the Vincents.”f2b56c8bb516ccbe

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“Why did 7561b74eb8 you do 0925e7daf6 it?”c81507773d4be350

This was ae5c419f36 the question 74fd52e3c6 Serena had 2c91651256 wanted to d371e29c2f ask all 84653b3089 along. No matter how much 575b6623da she thought about it, d7070f5208 she couldn’t fathom why 23cea5880f he’d destroyed the Vincent cfbfecadeb estate’s garden. She had c77fbd56a8 no choice 4dbcd05b35 but to 0bd061aa50 ask him b973ca90d9 directly.4e3383376df07d46

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Azaid shrugged, as if 2b10230033 the question wasn’t worth 350ed6d08f answering.93525f5683b06e5b

“I just 23032e6195 didn’t like 225c9cbaa6 it.”8834274b9cc2b667

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“That garden 13a2672f20 is famous, 590f2b35b7 you know. It’s full of bb011c40e3 rare flowers that 57c8af31ce the noble ladies 0316b30120 love.”65027092f5b7af70

“Is that so? To me, 994e87698c it just 46b471a3eb looked like f71f3c2e32 a bunch 1b9e1e4305 of cheap 79638eaa75 blooms.”fb6d688a1a0dd2bf

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Well, of course it dbcf9b9d03 would, considering the imperial 97d58a866d palace only cultivates the 7eec1cbb32 finest plants.5ac29a40038bba3c

Serena rubbed her temples, exasperated by Azaid’s casual dismissal. What frustrated her more was that she couldn’t exactly argue against him.61564997de343176

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Leaning forward, e855ae5917 Azaid propped e5b2fb4f67 his chin 3c58dc372d on his 746540115c hand.58bcd6e423ab47d0

“So, that’s why 36d08a0887 my physician came e2a0792c4a rushing in as ebb53cf79a if the world dd21a56c4b was ending.”50980b3a69c851d9

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“Who said I 5823cad6b5 was upset about 4155defc0d it? Honestly, I 1490adbc88 found it c18c6e9fde quite satisfying.”6d4d07d33289ad0e

“Really? Should I burn down 436f8e3660 a few more places, 1ee81513f9 then?”fd27596b215cb5d1

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Azaid said db019980b1 this with 6588a60991 a cheerful df75897579 laugh, his eb786b4343 words chilling 45b774af7b despite his e1540f27df demeanor.2a43f76eb0c995e5

Would he really 111aee6865 do it if 753539ea5b I asked?bdbd9c331020b5a8

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The thought cb12aee328 startled Serena, c0bd1edb94 and she 87d2257d01 quickly shook 383cfdd431 her head.841d701792b23ccd

“No, thank you. There’s no need to ruin anyone else’s life.”ca695c53d17a384a

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“Why? Families like 62ed26fd4e the Vincents 6ea6c9dcc8 are better 47bdef9c1c off erased 20f72f32b2 from the 21376f02ea nobility altogether.”f0a8445dbe7fb0c4

“They’ll collapse 800a646325 on their e2f948a1d6 own soon 4f53b707f7 enough. No need for Your 43beb88519 Majesty to dirty your a7d25cea58 hands.”0268ac8a8a6d338c

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“If you say 04a108bf4e so.”c12c16dff8d9a3c6

Azaid, seemingly losing interest, 8077b2a49d began poking at his c21ae56408 empty dessert plate with ad4ce3ac37 a fork. Judging by 3d06b56600 his expression, e76335994b he wanted 0713ee8138 another serving 9e22ff1f07 but was 79035b15d6 holding back 8b2debaa0e because she fc90fb1f62 was there.8f04b2c72e7ba71a

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“Would you like c487275829 another one?”1138c1a050c92659

“Hmm?”ad912fd2b2cc240b

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“Consider it a 0c41b1766c special reward for 738ecfed3d diligently following your cacadc629d treatment lately.”4a8488c9edb4ba8b

“…You’re the first person to boast about giving me dessert in my own palace.”7a092eed9f0353f4

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“Don’t want it?”1e5a90960f345fa9

“Who said that?”0b587e4e3edb8e68

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Fearing she might change 1eeacd7a5a her mind, Azaid quickly 5e9ad79793 ordered the maid to 8ed099c379 bring more dessert. Soon, plates d2751da3f4 of lemon dc9491daef madeleines were 6a2db15de4 brought out 1effe1ebaf for both f5329a25f3 of them.992fcd010bafc60e

“You didn’t 15a7327d5e have to b7da4682a4 prepare one e5238332e6 for me.”f2f32734f265b544

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“Good food is meant e4d57d7ff6 to be shared.”191a16c8aa078f3d

“Well, thank you.”9559a4c0a698fabe

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Serena smiled 584cf88679 faintly at 63b0bf9d5e his peculiar f454ccf0d5 logic and 2c010aa8cd cut a a23ab635a1 piece of a4438970db the lemon 1065a27f0d madeleine with 1e4b18eb9f her fork. The cake melted fd0495a550 in her mouth, 8d0b7ec3be the refreshing citrus cc0f963224 flavor spreading pleasantly, 5369fc0c14 followed by a 017211c386 sweetness likely from c99fd762a1 fig preserves.b3e50f82c32d79f3

“Tasty, right?”f1eaceb52f3eec3f

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“It’s… fine.”e0f790ba26ed6410

“When it ba0447c263 is, you 3e16156048 should just 5ab9abfeb8 say it 6b8f48c0a9 is.”0fb798b7d860e4e1

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“Am I not a462342101 allowed to answer bd3e60bdfa however I like?”fc77363a118c6a92

“Not if you 5165d3ca11 insist on being 0421b66df9 difficult.”d0195b1b7931de53

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Azaid pouted before 2d0fd445b8 taking a large 45ba74aaee bite of his 6b2e34e070 own madeleine. It was evident how 6317c5ae4c much he enjoyed it; 74eec3dac5 his expression seemed to 9b608ba2b3 ripple with delight.95e66958a9534c2d

Can something 3cf5b7cba8 sweet make 93f8702543 someone this e7909c0026 happy?b71a89ac3bbd8709

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Serena wasn’t particularly fond 1a2e7780f1 of sweets. She didn’t mind 0ef0f4b614 the occasional treat 690fceaf41 but avoided eating ab033d87b9 too much.f5c878d4a4e42c19

Azaid, on 221c838022 the other d27f06a357 hand, seemed b75b01585f capable of 18b2d02d91 devouring an e3bd0a13e6 entire cake f3cf4165ad in one 2f59296841 sitting.90245ba97e842198

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He’s been 5a76d28b24 holding back 07956bd9be lately, though.7e94eaac5d0d8e6f

Serena recalled 431ccb8abc imposing a a5c3388f64 “sugar restriction” d7b1994fe2 on him 4d01e818ed during his 8d73ace956 treatment. For someone 6eb2d8909d who used 0d56cc2de1 to eat a6c5de172d desserts constantly, 2b5f2392c9 sticking to 8db4f4a8a6 one treat ed7a241f1f a day a70b2164e4 must have 1c428c5d1b been grueling. His current joy at b13ccbcf17 polishing off a second aef58d7689 plate made perfect sense.07bca53e9646216f

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Suddenly, she bd66481a16 thought of 354e81c989 something Nocturne abb004c05f had said d782aacea3 earlier. It occurred d69130dab8 to her e626e307e2 that she adeb7e328b had been 68285f4d24 stingy with e1da23622f praise when 20739078f7 it came 953dc39805 to Azaid.6cf4ef9c45334812

“Your Majesty d3f5084714 has a a4f53bcb01 hearty appetite.”6797da4c6363c924

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“You’re not f04b3c29d7 about to 7697988147 tell me ac36af4220 to stop 9deb336b9b eating, are bb75496cbc you?”212c0b22c469026a

Azaid shot her 68511e8e14 a wary look, a81e750282 as if afraid db4dd10f3f she might confiscate 46e78db0da his dessert. The fact 06d895e8d1 that this c3bbbc7dba man, who 815834dd75 ruled an 7b7ee33dca entire empire, ac7439a35b was so 9e15354e08 defensive about b00e60f216 sweets amused 961c351ccf Serena to b2ce989be6 no end.b622d8ada5aa0e25

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“I’m not one to eff5932d6f give and then take 7c08a4afff away.”60d351ac2ce115db

“Well, that’s 84d9ef5c66 a relief.”ea2461fe20778b63

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“I was just saying 169dafa40d you eat well. It’s a compliment.”205fb4539002688f

Clink.01d9cdef955d3480

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Azaid suddenly dropped 2505d440a4 the fork he e7e3d6e5d5 was eating with fcda350743 and stared at abb28874b4 Serena. When she looked f95cf8ed45 at him quizzically, 52a1cc2c4e he spoke.92e7b96d5c14ca89

“Be honest. My health is deteriorating, ff82274919 isn’t it?”4c584d3805acb0db

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“What? No, of course not!”0d0fed6a83c61a4f

“Then why else ca4b9fb86c would you suddenly c9ecd00364 start complimenting me?”4de8eddb6962c79c

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Azaid seemed 208e1425b1 so shocked 07621d5383 by Serena’s 4982d4b36f compliment that 47b766c1a0 he had ef145ec07f completely forgotten 7631d6a314 about the 1bfc766713 fallen piece cb426c4eca of food. Feeling oddly guilty, 6d61e9603d as if she 3d6d40aa94 were a bad 1b5cac9001 doctor, Serena gave 5e9aed26e3 him an awkward 4bd4c8b479 smile.5c186774351e6b55

“I’ll make sure f848bd1b74 to compliment you f4ee86c020 more often from 1e5347555f now on.”b99a467174e52719

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“No, don’t. You don’t need 0f0e238904 to.”3b4c7a63482ab51a

Azaid shook e4eb0b6c11 his head da712f475c vehemently, clearly f7158bf8a2 against the 1f2fb9f7f7 idea. Little did 4dcbdec7b3 he know b2687ee0e3 that his db949f1bd2 reaction only 32809de306 fueled Serena’s 20a9d542d7 mischievous streak.9d615594616fa1e1

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Serena, intent c58186e75c on teasing 0934d8a2f5 him, pulled da56864838 out a ab3a553bba handkerchief from fe08da9ca4 her pocket c35e7b52bc and leaned 538ace2c08 closer, placing 40bef59835 a hand 4dd64667a6 on the 1cc82a976c table for 7da615f45d balance.5709439b326429a4

Azaid froze e07acd67ef as Serena ed8d613ff5 suddenly approached 67ae56ff1f him. She used the opportunity bc5f8e9112 to gently wipe the 49a76e0d75 crumbs from the corner c20bb9cf65 of his mouth, a f35f739217 playful smile on her ad26d7d623 face.0aa4bed37bb9d43f

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“Even when our Majesty 7102782fc4 eats messily, he’s still 68ade48a35 so handsome.”6816ed8a1a9283ac

“Argh!”7443ab84e1af865e

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Azaid instantly realized d32e01bc41 she was teasing 19b37f21d9 him and let 2b19a765f5 out a startled 87b48c4d95 cry. He sank back into df1101bb95 his chair, rubbing his 1ab2c9f1c1 lips furiously, then pointed 7293a34fb2 at her with a 287a5f11e5 trembling finger.d5eb9800735f8598

“Serena, stop that.”482c6a490f9ac78f

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“Why? I’m just complimenting you c8ba1f98d7 for being handsome.”0c774778399a6e3c

“It—it feels weird! Just stop it 31d7a5ca19 already!”a9c9e8d02194155a

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Azaid shuddered, visibly 2d3f3a3d5a unsettled. Despite having 3bc1f640eb dessert left, b9545a63ed he abruptly 0e6f8cb63b stood up f2ce44e09b from his 89e85a32cf chair.53bb5aa41e136a88

“Your Majesty, you should 4f00200b0d at least finish your 16e029ca77 meal.”0f51d28888895960

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“No, thanks. You’ve completely fd9e88fa7f killed my b3ff2a6385 appetite, so 75bc532615 you can 83a86cee15 deal with b94973b9b5 it!”a79938c79362bf2c

Without a aa8d786b0c backward glance, 1598a665f7 Azaid fled 32a8047239 the room. The sound 49751fb16b of Serena’s 1a9f766156 laughter growing 2c65068713 louder in 55b03379b7 his wake 27d3e7ce9a was almost ea6c4bc1a4 inevitable.48688dfe73f79136

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***a04f837ad1148dcc

Azaid’s face was filled with confusion as he headed to his bedroom. The spot where Serena’s handkerchief had touched him burned as if he’d been scalded.122f40150bcecf49

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The scent of 5a75ac14b0 her favorite perfume 2eb990d118 lingered on the c31b80a966 fabric. Though it was an ab2802b601 artificial fragrance slightly different e3c51a1764 from her natural scent, 435225985f it was one he 2e88a31500 had grown quite accustomed db54c1c338 to.b08a81994754185a

:Why does this stupid heart keep pounding like this?’539817dd6d565fb9

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Frustrated, Azaid 29b6ef3084 thumped his 2ff79ef432 chest, trying d40014ea9d to calm bc3d834184 his erratic 6eed844b2e heartbeat. It was a 6f3de20f67 futile gesture, as 3b738e1a96 it did nothing a98bcd16b6 to restore his 1539217e7f heart to its 1fcf9e0243 normal rhythm.e088b52508507218

Lately, being around Serena 7cbd0a6798 had become increasingly awkward 32be79f575 for Azaid. Whenever he faced 674826c804 her, his chest 4d4d1f47e4 seemed to tighten, e5362f952d and his heart 77386e95a8 raced uncontrollably.977e91c236c51e0a

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At times, he felt 4cfe4f19b0 so jittery that he fb221ea5b1 couldn’t tell if food 9dbe2dc145 was going into his 5458913c49 mouth or his nose.ce1b11f3dc05eed4

“This must be some kind of illness.”ee92ea519c4ce098

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Azaid muttered to 90671ca941 himself, glaring angrily 1bed4b2c1f at his still-thumping ab488cf775 chest. He was 3cad1e441b oblivious to 87f58c1181 the startled a93f04d970 attendants who 8bf600bbe3 flinched and ebcb06f892 stepped aside 8643fb9e3c as they fd759c7c8e passed by.d7d4ab6d05baa6d9

It was f18e4b6822 when Azaid, 94b15db058 battling his addce7e459 internal turmoil, 55c2ec815b finally arrived e2eed26af8 at his 7f24a18e0a bedroom.ff05c510249f53f7

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“Your Majesty, e5bf5a475a I was 09739e5756 just about 41b838104c to come 5fb6a91ac1 looking for 79f7aa57d4 you.”320b78f2ba8f2f4b

Leonard, who had been stepping out after confirming Azaid’s absence, recognized him and spoke.eafce70fbc236a7a

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“What is it? Is something wrong?”ae0e0d7979e48409

Azaid replied 4cf0a128db curtly, still 0d6160eb6d trying to 3b191feaea calm his 64cdf87543 erratic heartbeat. Leonard explained.54158cc544802a35

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“The Duke of 314de536d8 Greenwood is waiting 568b5ae966 for you in 7a2c4d2488 the reception room.”760f31738a82cc20