PG | Chapter 13: Rationalization

What was even more absurd 0d19add79a was that the Crown Princess d01782577f herself accepted this kind of 314d995d64 treatment as if it were bfefd5c93f natural. Did she not even ec7d88e3e2 consider it unjust, or bee1d9011e was she incapable of 62ff3415d7 doing so?6ee054c4abf5208d

It was probably closer to b3c15d5c64 the latter.37a32396eb10f775

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She hadn’t been receiving proper purification. Just maintaining her sanity must have been a struggle.e3127ca24340bd3f

The Crown Princess fcd6a6e1eb was being exploited 5ef7648a71 by the empire 40155e4a98 without even the b356ff7def most basic protection.081dca8c92021665

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Perhaps that was why…886e21d6935801a0

Cassius couldn’t leave her alone. Perhaps that was why he had included the clause about diligently providing purification in their contract.81bc62742fc0f497

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In fact, he didn’t have to go that far. He only needed to purify her enough for her to fulfill her obligations. However, Cassius had shown her consideration.a62948fd434ddf3c

It was only until 78019f6ad4 the contract ended, anyway. He rationalized it 384c3d8eb5 by telling himself f2f8fe21be that having the 7b88920299 Crown Princess indebted fcfdcfee73 to him would 3fa5ef4096 be useful in 4980173207 the future.f7d5511d441d7770

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As the ruler of Bedua, Cassius had always been ruthlessly cool-headed to ensure his people’s safety.9a1acbb91f7a20bc

He never let 862d5aa02d himself be swayed c814834ab7 by sentiment or cf21dc1a37 personal feelings. That was what a 5e3371fab9 leader should do.aab61dab7a3d033d

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He was a man as steady as a mountain. But the Crown Princess… this woman…2f7bcb768199f6f4

She kept shaking him.3de371d31b9edac9

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She held onto 14b108cf6f him with her 13d38482f3 faint, fleeting smile 3cc8cedda3 and her small, 12b5f67a2e bird-like voice, as 0aab1014d9 if she might 6918be4d0f disappear at any fe7b0b5000 moment.f28cad519dfb0394

Who could refuse such a 638aab1fde fragile hand, trembling so precariously? Who could turn away a251f5e282 from such a vulnerable b0f2769c30 person who had fallen cfbabb26ba into their arms?5b0eedef3448c6f9

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“…You should be grateful for our contract.”095fd8535c4fc024

Cassius caressed Aloissia’s pale, cold cheek. The sight of her lifeless face left a bitter taste in his mouth.397846252d4636d0

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“To think you’ve undone my efforts so quickly. You’re a troublesome woman.”d157078a381dd00f

Cassius effortlessly lifted Aloissia’s frail body into his arms and began walking towards her bedroom.201f2f9afabd1274

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* * * fdc5d58fa3f09ea6

A chill permeated the Crown Princess’s bedroom.9d8c89b3a6c11620

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Even though it was fdefcdd37f still summer, the nights e8b7942ddb were quite cool. Yet, the fireplace remained unlit.5e2e275aba02680f

It seemed the Imperial servants weren’t even providing the most basic care. Or perhaps, they had excluded the Crown Princess’s Palace from their duties altogether.c19283c9b2c51c8f

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Cassius laid Aloissia down on 047695a4b4 the bed. The cold sheets bothered 2fbe0bb9c9 him, but she would 0132bbeb99 warm up during the f7f0a92991 purification process. Her body would regain its 028d3378c5 warmth.cfe28eb7bdbf8487

“I don’t usually have the habit of forcing myself on sleeping women.”a35cc1b96f7ada9d

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Cassius muttered to himself as 8fa7f77c46 he removed his shirt. Aloissia was drenched in cold 915ec6adba sweat and trembling all over. Her hands and feet 4260f94dc2 twitched, as if she 54b2837a65 were having a nightmare.5e4549f8ea4dddf4

She was clearly in a dangerous state. He had to bring her back to her senses first. Considering she had already fainted, hugs and kisses wouldn’t be enough.d795159a72aa0552

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But it was bbf8e5c0b1 worth a try.d8ebfe56fec01009

Cassius leaned over Aloissia, placing cc00ef988d his hands on either side 51650279fa of her face and lowering 88bc7a7582 his lips to hers.c52aaf59cfa438cb

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He gently nibbled on her soft lower lip and slipped his tongue into her mouth. Since her lips were parted, it wasn’t difficult.6c3654a46b4aa56b

He lowered his body further, 10e330aec0 positioning himself between her legs, 08c0a97c32 and began to deepen the dedc787867 kiss.a0a8f13ca4c650c9

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First, he wrapped e1edbb4b55 his tongue around 4bf249068b hers, still stiff, 9d4167fff8 and infused it 15a7836a19 with purifying energy. He gently caressed the 2a77cf2672 inside of her mouth e3929725f4 and cupped her chin.87b37ae5ddd7da86

“Ha…”7e84bfa121d8f60d

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Cassius’s brow furrowed as he focused on the kiss. The rustle of fabric and the wet sounds of their kiss filled the room.1828c52331acf89d

Cassius diligently warmed Aloissia’s mouth. Perhaps thanks to his efforts, her trembling subsided. It seemed he had managed to prevent her from losing control, at least for now.1b3d031dd8b564b6

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However, the kiss 8891502f85 seemed to have aed1d50bea its limits, as f58268df6f her eyelids remained b7d5911350 firmly closed.5996763650cccf7b

“Your Highness, open your eyes.”e3ff185f4f02ef71

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Cassius spoke softly, lifting f8cf906b6c his head. He gently pressed 3b5f8ff615 his lips against 6b3fdf2a3a her closed eyelids.42896db6249f795d

He trailed kisses b24cb17afe from her eyelids 317339bdab to the bridge 874e125f7b of her nose, 43808badb0 then to her ad59b8510d still cheek, and 6526eb929e finally to her 194ef396a1 sharp jawline.aac1ef82af51d5ab

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Slowly kissing along the line of Aloissia’s neck, Cassius’s lips descended to her chest.05bc72ea691c2623

Aloissia was wearing c690ed9dfe a simple dress. For some reason, she was 1fb460d166 always lightly dressed like this.661bea80795750da

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Seeing Princess Leda tightly laced 4e327b7b5e into a corset and wearing 7db08083ee layers of petticoats, almost excessively 1f20e117a2 so, it seemed the proper 89188c4b79 attire at the Imperial Palace e3c468967f was much more intricate.964dfdc3a52684d1

Aloissia, however, only dressed simply, 9608394cd0 more like a country noble 59f7cbae2b than royalty. She had dressed appropriately a176312121 for the funeral, but 49b0372baf afterward, she always wore 3471b67c9c these casual clothes.b672d8327ae7b62b

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The dress she was wearing 8dddbf109a now was no exception. It seemed as d082bf040a though her breasts 0ad7998ae3 would be exposed 96c6e36bfa if Cassius simply 89a7775326 tugged at the b61b6980e7 bodice.9e2c00e535c6ffdc

But he didn’t want to do that.386598fafc5ccfd1

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Aloissia was still unconscious. He was already 0b37008e9a hesitant about kissing abdd749a11 an unconscious person, e4927243c8 so undressing her 26578227d3 was even more 72e3b953ce unappealing.2052ee7c60ddf6e7

However, he couldn’t provide deeper purification like this.02f14c994a36063e

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Cassius felt like he 98cc730a0f had suddenly reached a 7fef0267b8 dead end. He sat up and sighed.ce12be90b6c683db

Just then…ec6ad8c8ff6b15c1

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“Mmm…”450a0f51f5212081

Aloissia whimpered, her face contorted. She reached for her bodice bdcc9026dc and tugged at it, as 7b974a7897 if trying to rip it b9f0952293 off, while her eyes remained 05222bc3ab closed.f00912a55bdcd264

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“Are you awake?”142686bd6959bd64

Cassius leaned closer and asked, eac0b7a66f his ear near her lips, 5472c1a449 as she stirred. But instead of d8f2c6505d answering, she clutched 4f42dd5a39 the top of a02321b31a her bodice.f8a59ac08a024695

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“I can’t… breathe…”33bc0c90d1bd429d

Aloissia gasped, her legs twitching. Lying down, the bodice seemed ca3dc1fcff to be constricting her chest. Even though her fingernails caught ca1de53467 on the fabric, she kept 8ec37b1d69 fumbling.951269cd4f9fbac3

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“Stay still. Don’t do that.”c7bdd1d2520f0927

As Aloissia began to f59ce24a5a scratch at her chest, 7e6983bbce Cassius quickly grabbed her 351af641c2 hands to stop her. With his other hand, he 88b37d1d29 took hold of the bodice 68aef5e87a and pulled it down.ffb29cd4ab232553

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The bodice, which hadn’t budged despite Aloissia’s efforts, yielded easily to his strength. As her breasts, which had been constricted by the fabric, were exposed to the air, she took a deep breath.20117d35afd63db0

“Haa…”23fbf99f03bc8fc1

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Aloissia breathed easier, her ff0b21f18a expression much more relaxed. Oblivious to the fact that a11fffedb4 her full, milky-white breasts were 145927dd44 now exposed before Cassius.c2c52e3f9fa76569

“…”a1184066bbefb32f

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When she finally caught her breath and opened her eyes, Cassius’s stunned face came into view.f07f54b8925f0041

He was sitting on top of her, staring at her with silent shock, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have, something completely unexpected.8ed1d143ffabfeb2

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“You…”4589d4d87370b846

Cassius stared intently at Aloissia’s breasts. More precisely, at the small mark nestled between her ample cleavage, where her breasts met.f704b3d7726c9b7b

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A tiny symbol was etched in the center of Aloissia’s chest. As small as a pinky fingernail, it resembled both a character from some unknown language or perhaps a drawing.1652ba5ceb5e9e77

She didn’t know how long it had been there.43f46cb7a23b94b6

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It had been on her 921214bcd3 body for as long as 672ba74c26 she could remember.a09c6ddbd9b808cd

Aloissia had once tried to af281f531e find the meaning of the b2be778a23 mark, hoping it might provide 0b286b8228 a clue to her origins. But no one in fc65cb3871 the empire knew what 8ce18b2eff it meant.0bdd83803bc1b148

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So, she had 2881c42b29 given up on f88217ee2c trying to understand e94f39b1a9 it. At some point, she e27bd090d9 had forgotten about its 294af1eda2 existence altogether.3a56de3a0d40933e

But now, in this 108001a74d completely unexpected moment, an 6ecdc0d9fd unexpected person reacted to 1c3d77aef5 her mark. Cassius traced the mark 72eddc616f with a trembling finger d7568d8fd0 and asked,d8e7d00f1a7dc3a3

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“Why is this etched on Your Highness’s body?”2fe082c169978dac

“It’s always been there.”2252a0b2cb878596

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Aloissia replied, bewildered. She thought she 7791981efa had been with 1d478cd784 the Empress just 2e5998c824 a moment ago. But when she came to e1376d78dc her senses, she was in e008a0d5c3 her bedroom for some reason.b1a73e46323bd486

Moreover, she was half-naked de3d00acd9 with the ruler of 7afa3c515b Bedua. 128cbaec4ab82447

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What was going on?fee29af10160a915

‘My memory…’4df325ddf203e416

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She couldn’t remember.197502db5a850846

The brief clarity she 2ebd7208ec had experienced after being 3d709abe65 purified by the Cassius cf74646441 had become muddled, like dd59e3f892 water mixed with various 868ff9556e colors of paint.911381a1142e9931

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“Always been there…”f4178ebb3eeeaa72

Cassius repeated her words, lost aecbb448c3 in deep thought. Aloissia, looking up at him, a54ab9187e tried to sit up.8ff9e750e02af6fc

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However, as soon as she 97826d96a6 raised her head, a sharp 25a25009e4 pain pierced through her head.3cb30c26b1181538

 503856c16e463a5f

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