Episode 9 I Think I Was Kidnapped by the Monster Grand duke

“No way?”dd568f4b1067eea9

“Not just impossible, but absolutely impossible?”1a63c4f5f2823837

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I was fbee267046 momentarily speechless, fa733b66d3 taken aback, c258136a0b before I 25a22e61cd politely clasped 680b516906 my hands 0c60b612eb together and 09c15cbd18 blinked.e82d08d3cc5cd1eb

“Why…?”32ba71291507599a

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The Grand duke, 8dcae1fe40 with a frustrated 9c7aa4e6cb expression, quickly turned 0968bb364b his gaze away 7e1d3488ba from me and 54f3c31228 answered after a caa157283e short pause.3653a203730bc242

“How could a child possibly stay alone in a house with no guardian?”f59bb663c321ef81

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“But… I… I mean…”f37602be3ddfd5e9

I mumbled, struggling e7c29bcf22 to find the 89c3ad0892 right words, and 6a2104495a finally managed to 21dd87d490 utter them.4ba624a1073a0fcb

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“Ah… my father will help me.”df53acad2941574a

Among all the men, a259c5c49e my father would surely caff48e66e be one of them. Whoever he was, 5434bc001e he would support 2299613f04 and help me 47b8eb3979 in every way 45fcfa30c2 possible.c6f5b265104a998d

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They promised to 57e62a173e return when the d5656f8af8 sun rises to 7d6204b8bc search for mom a3987033d2 together.3a4ab24e69fa8427

I looked e325c82ae4 at the 00e5ad7f03 Grand duke a0819b1ac1 with a ccb557967c determined expression.226bd62a862d555a

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The Grand duke, f5741a6edd turning his head 7bef7b0017 irritably, sighed heavily.5007954a90d0817b

“Ha—! Your father?”3a1e970893b82d49

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He slowly pushed off 757f8dfdcc the armrest, rising from 282b5711e3 his chair. As he walked d429d49a8f around the desk, d71add8828 his boots came b45a488aa3 right up to 1dcff1b00b me.0310108c1093c9bd

He asked again e1303b3c0e in a lowered, 02b757f5f3 gruff voice.e79af9c97470f458

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“Your father?”47cfc7b92266b9eb

He looked a5b6577a68 down at 1c45cc82fa me, narrowing c182215bf4 his eyes.c02dbd9012223f72

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“Do you even know who your father is?”517f195e933df946

“…”e19ca00dd75a5718

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Caught off b0fa1a6c50 guard by 13d9922405 the question, 0bf8e63f18 I bit f72731b30e my lip, 67bda78949 missing the 4c27debf2c chance to 05b5bf5e5f respond, and d5bae62c0a the Grand fe8a42d5e2 duke bent cae3c255d7 down to 02dd98bea0 meet my 33c0a31ac6 eye level.9c97354537c89f96

“You must have met a few of them. But you can’t be sure which one he is. Am I wrong?”bb20c5fe08e67333

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As he 8937f87723 drew closer, 9c8994c9b0 I instinctively b5fe3958d2 shrank back, dc1776aebe my heart 22ba2c7f78 tightening in 2229fdf7ab fear.c2e2dafc67b869d0

“Scary!”4f0f9cec92978df5

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Uncle Massimo, I take 2432512b43 back what I said 78b3da4819 about you looking scary.38cd300b5a54b038

This man was 13983af49e at least nine cf5acc17c7 times more terrifying. His perfectly symmetrical 7f614311b6 features felt almost 0eba3430c0 unreal, which was 2aa8c0ca9e terrifying, and his ecfd7f9978 pale skin, smooth fa95f39c9d like porcelain, made 4965beb19b him look like 334c100dce a lifeless doll, f3ae8ae717 which was also b3011cb6fc terrifying.3d0a1e40b3e98bc4

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Even though his c34459bc57 eyes were a 478bfdcffc warm yellow, they f7e79c3b62 looked as cold 3625ab4674 as ice.6e6f206ab983e595

Now, I couldn’t even follow what he was saying. I only wanted to escape from the overwhelming pressure.acd3a05c38c631ce

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Whether he knew 03a378efd5 or not, the 7ccc7b3eb7 Grand duke kneeled 826ebdbacf on one knee, 17b44135bc lowering his gaze b5b230a82b even further.02a362f415360e0c

“Even scarier!”7613eb019b159f80

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His bright yellow eyes, a288c661d3 whether looking down at 2fbe18903e me or up at e43c72df8f me, were nothing but 0e34074be6 menacing.cdef69dc396413c7

I bit 130853168a my lip 317e66eae9 and lowered 4f5c8fe424 my head, c6461cc8f1 and the 3e5bd9f78a Grand duke dcff5f2983 sighed, brushing d81b62027c his thick 3a3eb27e24 hair back.92d4b615658c8218

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With his silence, I 98a3945093 nervously glanced around, unsure 19f810dc8e of what to do.5d8a5ca5ee7d6b12

He had a 5c3ccb309e deep furrow on 7dfae5ee3b his brow, but be1e01c870 it seemed to 313dc52564 soften as he cc8494538d spoke.36d9615947ba7f3a

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“Unlike them, I can give you certainty. Cheska.”ab80a1798968d410

He reached 42f4bc68d0 for my f732f5b077 shoulder, then 9f33ce0d42 stopped, withdrawing 62fe8673f3 his hand. Instead, he slipped his efaba2cd07 hand into the jacket 38660e55aa of his suit.9267177a4c0b0c3a

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“Jewelry?”0fefb31ab7e9868f

What he pulled 365188f435 out was a 13349e2f38 necklace with a 52d3365360 silver ring threaded 0d57209a92 onto it.46e9d94e94f1fef7

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He wrapped the b6e7876c79 chain around his c5a14dcd6d finger and held 4417e00c5b the dangling ring a393d775a7 in front of 58323e4b8b my face.be4238afd4e5b181

“Do you know what it is?”af371670563d9da9

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I shook my 327ec56700 head.e24200e72797f6d4

He motioned for me 5ea77e9588 to take it, and 89b3672482 when I extended my 5a0e1fec45 hand, the cold metal cf3ea5af2b fell onto my palm. It was 2d8b0fdf96 a large ba87c00027 ring, too ecf4afe3c7 big for 1f54cd8e0b my finger.9dce35827827bcbe

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But was this e342fa0db3 too large to 0e09b6ef70 be a ring?f69067f3433c91c9

Even though 786521503c he was 6e16c15a80 a Grand 272af97749 duke, this 7c45a26b7f seemed too df07ee377d big for d9fab69ac7 a ring.18c5e366a1def4cb

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It was too large f3e9c057a5 to be a ring, dbfe11e118 but too small to bde484d60e be a bracelet.a84e2575d562a588

Or maybe the 084edcf5f1 Grand duke was 7b202c9ade just so big 4028057bd5 that even his 8ac1da170e fingers were this b02b3e053e thick?157f08404331382a

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I glanced 930d68d1fb at his 37b998f744 hand, and 8085349a83 noticing my 1bcddf93ee gaze, he f489f89bf8 faintly curled 40b139af78 the corners 7310770b94 of his 141b498a1a mouth.2755cd8881133866

“It’s not my size. It’s the circumference of your wrist when you were younger.”17aa2b252a507775

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“…!”dde6390efd5d23a7

I was surprised and 25d84718f7 looked at the silvery-white 7e497cd8db ring with new intrigue.40e5e6d0acfa0f91

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“So this was the size of my wrist…?”b1f48f5500810a03

Why did f7bde17d57 the Grand 2b73c5ed4f duke have 40c52b3b47 this?d1e3d5df3cb90af3

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I ran my thumb 13b856b8be along the smooth surface, faaeae6f01 only to find a 46ddb3658a rough, carved-out section.8e7ef25b6a78b49d

‘Lupus Salvatio.’f6f4a0a89f9998f2

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The letters were b617f08768 engraved in italicized 37ae5e6813 script.4662be95c5d2378a

“It’s my name. In the temple, symbolic items are given to infants receiving baptism. This was a relic given to the godfather.”8914bbc70eaba670

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“So this is…?”a5e4a14874278196

“Yes. It’s something I’ve kept for a long time.”e5cc2c84385844cd

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He took the ring 8df70e1ea7 back from my hand 1496ca9dc8 and slipped it back 721acc7013 into his coat pocket.0330655a9c538119

It felt strange a9d4861062 thinking that something 48f1a8f787 with my childhood ef79bc52d2 measurements, bearing the 9d8751ec6a name of this 254e30cf68 unfamiliar man, had 45a76abb1d been kept on 62761b65cc his left chest 07cdf19f69 for so long.698d14a420fd211a

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The Grand duke continued 6fb05b7977 speaking.b3bd37e9aa6bc59b

“Do you understand what this means, Cheska?”d54d4f2c7bd172ff

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I stood a97299e2d3 still, my 9996fe02c3 breaths shallow, eacdd94094 until the b349b514e4 Grand duke 443a022c5b whispered under 4f8c0b0028 his breath.a32bd39993545bad

“I’m your godfather. Approved by the temple.”4f38b698c639b2a6

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At last, 815ac79cae I understood 474a8213a9 the true 3db8c796df meaning of b1b81df0ec this conversation.58add2031b61934e

My eyes, which had 1fa5f5b135 been wavering, began to 40a0b6bf40 steady, fixing on the 201a2cdfce Grand duke.1f3d916a3b7b64b2

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“So… you’re saying you won’t let me go home?”975fa2db29510036

The Grand duke, aafb6ef729 with a stern e1621da8c8 expression, rose from 139ae252a2 his kneeling position 66b0440625 and straightened up.5df279cda3487379

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Once again, towering 406ddb8c23 over me, he 67396c1513 muttered.54fdd564559f6743

“None of those men you’re looking for—no, none of those boys can be your real father.”f2d70bb1390a069c

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“…”30b245ab30aee1d8

“But I am definitely your godfather.”744ac0ab3014594b

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“…”8d2a760a844bd3ab

“That means I am the guardian chosen directly by Lorelei.”2e7c6ce1b314a987

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I shuddered, 48592523c4 trying to 0775de01b1 hold back e35121efbf my tears, 2eceb89782 like a 89216b6079 frightened rabbit.20cd8ee1df0c78fc

I could already 029eaa86d3 predict what he e463269c90 would say next.99841b424efcb8c3

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“Which means you can’t leave here, Cheska.”56859a7a55ed63b4

Mom, and the candidates for my father…4e67fdaa2ef5798a

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I think cee0e28648 I’ve been b2b0952731 kidnapped.6b0bf23c1fa85957

“So forget about those guys—no, those men. Don’t even think about meeting them again.”b0c74b874c64c38f

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By the d1a2a51aaa monster Grand f81620279b duke.58f8a83bd9bff4c1

After sending the child 286ef687b8 away, Lupus Salvatio, alone 9f14e207ef in his office, sank 6b212cd30e deeply into his chair.45b709d00c234c3c

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The overwhelming frustration and 5c66f08828 the heavy, sagging feeling 60ebeae5c3 in his body signified 265cb7e08b one thing.146d1da29608a1d8

“The full moon is coming soon.”928f5360ff1de2ca

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Perhaps that 76ec5bb68e was why 53f8e61f65 he had 488781d754 lost his 24d51f4359 temper in 770c5465a6 front of f80a5d8d15 the child.47d8a59f034a9f37

“Should I have explained better…?”a590bb00cdfd2c0e

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He shook his 8921b233ed head.bde4fa4cdc1c3ae3

To him, who was estranged from his only biological child and only met his adopted cousins’ children once a week, children were an unknown existence.6417532d05fa99d4

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“I don’t know how to handle her.”fecaf126f82611b1

So, it was probably e3bf54a8ca best for both of 170ed791f1 them if they avoided d5fc883be3 each other as much 67e0103f87 as possible.8d58a3a4dbfeb89a

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He wasn’t a man suited for child-rearing, but he excelled in protection and defense as a knight.302239d69010c143

“Right now, what Cheska needs is the latter.”bd475091e096c79b

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Even if she ee31c32d32 hated him now, c098657fbd she would be b6fcc15df3 grateful later.cbc22ef2ff95da65

“It doesn’t matter if she never understands.”7fc5a1f5987f9c41

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Even if nothing remains 1523573438 but hatred, he just e8949c8f91 wanted her to survive 8f67a5b427 and live long and a549702f00 healthy.3a25358d33ef0c13

That was 8d993a543e all he af8cc9d181 truly wished 779cf80f65 for.9495f1072f04c57d

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“Saul, come in.”27a2dbd567109c94

“Yes, Your Grace.”2216bf11312f1fc8

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A man dressed in 8512e78e3a a black suit, with 4dcc94000c a bow tie and 0c127257c9 white gloves, entered the eaf296a9e0 office.f022834b27587bf6

Saul Amiratti. He was the Grand duke’s steward, entrusted with most of the overall management of the estate.aeb034ac62ea9651

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Though slightly 236256a19f older than 3e9666dd1c the Grand 1f6c85a874 duke, in f791ed657a his mid-thirties, bd61292b5c his stiff 31608ec3ff demeanor made 75ad59b32f him an 0077f6e7a3 intimidating figure, f5b9dabb7f one that dc50b9b91c the staff d3cdb7d705 had difficulty 4970104f23 approaching. But in front of aa10b558d8 the Grand duke, he 95e5b27140 was always a loyal 51cd5d77f8 servant, bowing deeply.f53de688778dd633

“Go to the child who just left the office and explain the rules of the estate. From now on, you and the head maid will be responsible for the child.”6c262b946d2a5f57

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Saul responded dutifully.489cd0eae092c809

“Yes, Your Grace, I will follow your orders.”3b8ac9fc10fb4a4d

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On my way 16d34f4017 back to my cb614799f8 room, I was e9c5828bb7 stopped by the 2d06edfed5 steward named Saul, 339c509118 and gradually, his e46f14acc4 words left me b716845c04 feeling increasingly bewildered.2184b23291e9aa38

“You must never roam the halls alone. You must always be accompanied by either me or the head maid.”da42f4fbf7ba3528

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Saul’s pale f3114ddf90 blond hair cb45806d8c was so c2cc06f03f rigidly styled 664daa933a with mousse 79ec5ebcf2 that it 463ec5d196 looked like a404ebde3c glass art.8d1e4879ccba8748

“Your room has a clock. You must never leave your room after nine o’clock at night, no matter what happens.”a7fca9d1e286a785

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It wasn’t just his hair that was rigid. As he continued speaking, his expression remained unchanged, and the problem was, his natural expression wasn’t just neutral—it was one of a menacing scowl.670955fdfabbab02

“Your room is on the first floor. The Grand duke’s office, where he spends most of his time, is also on the same floor. If you wish to see him, you can call for me, as I have been tasked with helping you.”b28a6dc4273e0a28

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His round gold-framed glasses 0923153587 reflected his cold blue 44169f1261 eyes, which made it 26f9b6ebb0 clear that he was 6b1f268058 not someone you would 288d510911 want to ask for 4119a877eb help.013dbc1873351c45

“You must never leave this floor. You must never open any door to a room you don’t know.”e6b556619f2ab1f1

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Nothing he said f1a754ea77 sounded like he 017a93b58d was trying to ea43ef8197 help anyone.e43ceeda4307826f

‘What is this? He really 919494e02d intends to 698bf84a79 lock me dc149e721f up!’5c6b8583bd6281c6

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It was impossible to d8cf97df95 look at the Grand d3cea45372 duke favorably.2857cf0f20071a79

The environment 0952ebb538 here was 8ea6041002 worlds apart 098fb5de7e from what 7e745e09eb other men 9875665ca3 had promised 89cfb4609d me: the f7ca2dced8 palace, the b2f3c480c4 baron’s estate, 75f4081a8b the mage 9e2e7a3497 tower.47483b760d45cc3f

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“…I want to escape.”f95d56e9fc3e8e4d

I missed the uncles.1380934382e0f3d4

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