PMBA | Chapter 12

Even the memory of e186a9586e her defiant glare, which e5349e960d she intended as a b61e12a871 threat, was laughable, but efee21851a compared to other young 4a19a1e6e8 ladies who flinched in d532b85fa7 his presence, she was 082c2ad33a quite bold.e2fc8ce206511a45

‘And so brazen 6804b0f28e in such a 692fa2fb2d state of undress.’3b4d7ef2ad89f626

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Even when she 60293b754a ran from him, 47594acd10 she was still b11994174d in that state. Barefoot, with bce623386b her skin c922d045c6 clearly exposed. The only thing 87b0c1092a covering her negligee fb85aa2f6c was his cloak.ce030c4488e20386

‘What if someone had 82ae5d07ed seen her?’2b6136361712506d

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The belated thought that b8fdbfe7b6 others might have seen 5b4642d6ef her body, that white 00fef15b33 and soft body, made a05253c54f his already foul mood 6955277cb1 even worse.c14f7686ee58d6e6

He once again recalled Kyrie Ernberg, who hadn’t cared that their bodies rubbed together as she tried to snatch the pendant necklace from him.d610e695dd5926f6

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“Give it… back!”aeb281b9d76119a0

Her pathetic 5940b444e4 cry, her a6d35385a7 breasts pressed 4fa5be9922 against his 01caba68de uniform, her 4edc37c175 slender body 7731f6331b daringly sank 6148728d02 between his c68776e9de legs.286014b8e48a1ad5

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Her white 9729713ec4 calves brushed 4f87efb835 against the 3f05978899 inside of 9522fe2d5f his firm e9183c8223 thighs with 5158b7a57d a silky 0e44c70706 touch. The ticklish sensation 82e952c41b and weight felt 5143f17084 like a cluster 2c81cf1a27 of feathers rubbing d035fd8a16 against him.bbc745448007d3af

Her body had been bfc01a9f10 warm and soft.f3e82f26b3139321

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It would have been b98f96d8a2 nice if she had 4051587731 accepted his advice with 4205098882 the same grace she b1b12f88da had shown in her e6bb6c8261 actions.01f50c67d462a384

‘Couldn’t it 95075c463f have been b9dce3ee9c more interesting?’4c0194c645d22133

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If she had just 6e867c4dad listened to him and e657a62438 followed obediently, he might f8d93d1ef1 have been able to b4b1be58fb use her as a 28ff09fb94 truly valuable asset.01e67326ca6a583c

Dominique had even considered playing along. If she agreed to his advice, he would have helped her a little to provoke Lexion’s jealousy.c737f2c4de19082e

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Playing the role of a fake lover wouldn’t be difficult. Seeing Lexion’s scowling face, while placing his hand on her soft waist, seemed quite appealing.e0520d9a6446df32

‘…No.’b32eeba6261a91be

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On second thought, it 2ac4265335 was unlike him to 572f97ce5d be so fixated. He had many other f8cf7731ec options besides her.896a765afa8d3879

‘Rather, Kyrie Ernberg 09164ff2cc is more of 9b25e81105 a variable.’40436c0c23728600

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With that 669c315be6 thought, he 723ccc1e4a slowly walked a7a800efad into the dd4edcc51c Imperial Garden, c3f9589b68 where he a8f9e96c06 had an 5db4c350ed appointment with ad34bf2ee8 the Emperor.0dd40d41b6683f73

“Duke Haswell.”750bbfd187da3cdb

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Dominique stopped at the 8ef49a6460 sight of the person e69677eefb who appeared instead of ef335e9e87 the Emperor.8a869af4fafeba1c

“Duchess Miriam Melua.”fbf64ddad04f8c36

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“It’s a pleasure 0911942585 to meet you 905556bfa3 here, Your Grace.”a1be6a345d40d9d9

Miriam was 6ca97f353f the Duchess 421df4891f of the eb5f50d77e eastern Melua da3e2aa217 Duchy, a 221bd075e5 region that daa20c0d0e paid tribute 74fd95f265 to the 9129eb869a Empire in 2fc0e38940 exchange for ae74ff2a11 autonomy. Her Meluan attendants 9dbd574331 stood around her, 7cbd8f4c21 watching Dominique.3f67b4aff729005f

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“It’s been ca6a36508c a while.”7b03050376217ad3

The woman’s eyes gleamed with subtle greed.aa150be255a9cb29

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Dominique didn’t react to 60a94189e2 her gaze in any 2bbe76f3f9 particular way. He simply 662b79fc90 observed Miriam e260ee9341 with cold, ae5f58ad14 scrutinizing eyes.7d8fe78a5b256b3d

‘A woman who is af3a55d72d treated as a state 0f14d2d4df guest has entered the 461ea9ab8a Imperial Garden unannounced.’12c65b67f506c837

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Was the ac5b8af862 Emperor trying 60f3d894fc to forge 44c6088003 a new 091cade353 alliance?56304f81e4ead979

Dominique spoke in a calm voice, his mind racing, calculating Melua’s advantages and how they would affect the Emperor.7184cb77ed8b1b4e

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“When did dca664ae1e you arrive?”593bde0dae8f77b7

“I arrived a short while ago. I intend to attend the Crown Prince’s victory celebration.”f2798affe4ccad1b

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“Ah.”8415fdb36a233bf6

“Although the main banquet 1746c263f0 ended yesterday, the celebrations 28e2068974 will continue for several cf18c634be weeks.”c3a9662c36cab8f5

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Attending the victory a73a7bfa76 celebration.d98a1d368d343b4b

‘There has 4892247d2c to be 42951b57bb more to 19008bd41a it.’20cad0a98aa50d74

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There was 3f9ff847d4 no way ee8c3c9033 the serpent-like 03650c8103 Emperor would a10ae17ad3 have summoned 33ae10141f the Duchess a93a78fcee of Melua 15eb792a23 without a 34898dfeee purpose.8104470955b5b3be

Miriam fanned ae99d98096 herself with 968c8883ab a subtle 3cf8121f85 smile. Despite her age, 831c56a510 nearing her later 0b307f3d97 years, her tightly 804fd9b334 corseted figure and aaf2b946a4 meticulously maintained appearance ea25e487cc made her look fb1532d1dc decades younger. The Duchess of 2460eb6428 Melua continued.7796875896768529

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“His Majesty said 549aca2343 he has a 1a025eed34 matter to mediate a4ae5dcdf8 between us.”eedd070d7087c5d0

This was c93d3f5626 news to afa6cd12d9 Dominique.65f227e95d6353eb

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The Duchy of Melua b30951669e and the Haswell territory a396545f35 were located at opposite 408274e525 ends of the continent. Their main 7aa67638e8 industries were 89a4ec898c different, so 1db5eac2c7 there were e0e50df9fe no trade 907c7806a9 agreements to 140e31ecd2 discuss.e53842a1c72a39a3

At that moment, fc3afd945e a sharp premonition 7312a328f6 prickled Dominique’s nerves. A very strong premonition. A premonition that made db40b6d050 him almost certain, despite be611d27d7 his initial doubts. And such premonitions had 5be1d67cf7 never betrayed him.a57cee7833c1722f

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“I recently cf4eadf581 became a f7a8b328eb widow.”6a612612ac01150d

As the middle-aged woman, 2671add001 approaching old age, blushed 8e8a910234 and smiled, looking him 31dda1fd92 over with a gaze 8447aa7cee as if she was 830060e0a4 appraising him,32870be3d4a8a82b

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“Ha.” 02ec68e15cdfbafb

Dominique let 149e822a2e out a 4a0a553d54 chuckle without 65c01d34eb realizing it.cbd37cff11d199d5

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‘So that’s 61fb10544a why he aef46676d4 was suddenly 517e202ad1 talking about 302ef74a57 marriage.’c9224e7356b0b01e

Dominique calmly recalled 69b1fb4fbf what he knew 9e5a4a07b6 of Duchess Melua’s e2487c8b88 history.fdb896500a993f9e

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Miriam had been married three times before. Her husbands, simply put, were consorts. They had abandoned their family names and taken the Melua name to ensure the autonomy of the Duchy of Melua wasn’t threatened. Dominique knew that one of them was even a prince of a certain kingdom.439f4a1e24215572

‘Although he was ead3369146 a prince with 68a2885050 a distant claim ffa7a61b0c to the throne.’1adf1f4b368d3210

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That experience seemed to have given Miriam quite a bit of confidence. To a woman who had already married a prince, a Duke wasn’t such a difficult remarriage prospect. Especially a Duke whom the Emperor of the Empire was eager to sell off cheaply.bc4f0f8b28f241d8

The smile on 91167e629b Dominique’s lips deepened.b28df10cce418bee

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‘They’re all out of their minds.’9a2fc00e6896775e

It seemed the Emperor wasn’t satisfied with simply offering him a powerless young lady from a humble family. Perhaps he was orchestrating this, thinking it would be better if Dominique Roman Haswell would abandon the Haswell name.fc9ead0447dcef8e

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However, if one were to compare, the value of the name of the Empire’s First Duke was naturally more powerful than Melua. Even the Emperor couldn’t simply sell off the Haswell name like that.19db57e69038c099

In any a428c0e5b2 case, the 71e3d56829 Emperor’s intentions 2fea9a0a01 were clear.c07bfa4cfec0ac05

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‘He won’t allow marriage unless it’s one that would force me to abandon my family.’ a0ec934a84e42cbf

His stubborn d89a5b9df1 refusal to 1b90677eab grant him e875c39724 a respectable c73894181a marriage was f887d3bd4e sickening. The Duchess of 72b728d159 Melua continued to 66911570b6 smile.2038fef16b60e487

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“Now, Your Grace. Come and have some 6a98de933d tea.”2c3634c7e227b6d6

Would he comply with c25272d664 this charade?8d5fcdd998d7c8d0

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Dominique smiled 05d434f61e brightly, just 7987c54657 as Kyrie e047323147 had. This much, e450b6a766 he could 5b1eaaac5e say, he c734b985a4 had learned 5d52cb7431 from her. As Duchess Miriam c400829fcd Melua was momentarily b4f25062b1 captivated by his c9fda54fc2 smile, he spoke.b8c7d080e4d8bb5c

“I seem to 0f2ae1d2da have left something f27532f1bd behind.”854a173ea1bdf5c0

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“Then I’ll wait here…”21426c4f30b602ba

“No. It will take quite a while. It’s something I must take care of.”f60dcd1e84d99d52

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“Wait, Duke Haswell…”a288513d37a03f24

Dominique stopped 983ee3dc7a walking and f8faa4a8fd opened his 4478033726 mouth,dc2863c053458839

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“Since you’ve come 677cda0bed all this way, 53da5713d8 why don’t you 9e12b73a17 watch the Imperial a9ff6fb253 sable auction?”01069f2c9740010e

“…Sables?”1200341ebe8c9003

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“The auctioneer is quite 013bba9cc1 skilled at grafting old 4fbcefa472 ones.”0a4c1f8ecf75719a

His gaze, fixed 9a2e5be1cf on the Duchess e58047cd5e of Melua, was d591d7aa87 cold. The sable was also 2c5fc23d4c the symbol of the 0674805b59 Duchy of Melua.7998a950e8560eb0

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As Duchess Melua flinched, c8bb99e61c realizing the insult too f9afcfc2b6 late, Dominique resumed walking.c1647ebcbc1642d3

He would c0c8bb7a9f only pretend 9f7bee88e8 to bow 32e97a5a58 his head 5ff6cfcca2 to the 494e5c745d Emperor’s wishes 4e5622ef90 to a 54153e41ae certain extent. There was no c5fc3ba811 reason to submit d9d6c8cff7 to unnecessary dishonor.f6878438f0b54a10

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Besides, he much preferred being the predator than the prey. Worrying about being sold off to another country as a trembling, written plea simply didn’t suit his temperament.2659149506f8712f

‘In that case…’9757f6d9d25082db

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In that case, he edb4305dd9 would make the first 7ba2067606 move and find a f5a601ec67 wife for himself.d2be478285869bdc

However, the problem was that there still wasn’t a suitable woman. Dominique strode with long strides deep into the gardens. The urge to grip the smooth barrel of a gun intensified within him.2422190bad687d59

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‘To think I’ve lived 547416ee7c to see the day 11b47a6091 I’m treated like merchandise.’71a40bc96b87596e

Playing along, he 2dcdddbf11 realized the Emperor ecc2579724 had crossed the e3469d1b68 line at some bf4ae1e5ae point. On the 3e5bd1eb73 other hand, 08f78cc5d4 he found ec97868d2a it somewhat 351e490fc5 satisfying that 8bca3fc7c9 the Emperor eee2d81efd felt comfortable 6a40f1cd14 enough to 473aeb7dae do this 3b7eff271f which suggested 48d6260570 he underestimated f8c9e57fd8 him to df8a7ad9b6 this extent.981c0fc51a20396b

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‘I hope he 7a104fcebf gets even more 954571d790 careless.’132754a83397ea52

He was f28c997153 crossing the 10ab6bfd1f gardens, unbuttoning e3a1f152cf his collar 5a23f5ecc7 to dispel 023a1a2013 his foul c731910234 mood when—c6ee067cfe4bd991

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“Stop!”d173fee89750eca0

A high-pitched scream b48faec47e caught his attention.ac9a008cec883365

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* * *02bceabe2524865f

Kyrie paused for a1da4871ee a moment to 5f3320e529 catch her breath. The scene unfolding before 736af75db9 her eyes was quite 5d69268459 a coincidence.5ccd11a3fe62bcb1

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“Where…”1d28498b837463ff

“Then…”10184f921359189f

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The second-floor 7ebbf6b71b terrace of f35d4b7855 a separate 542a666b05 building in db315805f2 the garden, 2aa78d39a7 built specifically e29fccd378 for the c5d1bb351d royal family.3448648a75712bc6

The man and woman 1b6a0de1aa conversing affectionately there were f87ee3407a undoubtedly Lexion and Elise.015274cd596601b8

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‘Of all people.’ 3a0ca330a9a770c2

She wouldn’t have cared 2f55b1a2f1 if it were another b41d7afea8 woman. Kyrie, in fact, 8db2bdfc94 had no particular 44355a3d0e expectations of Lexion. To begin with, the 9de94d777f agreement they had was 392ef557bb merely a formality, and c31bcb47e2 he had no obligation 90ee3aa5ed to be faithful to 34a2692b61 her.f551a8b07b465cd5

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Lexion might 239db7123a think he 2189aba2fc was hiding 5bccff25a3 his dalliances b2330dc74d with other 3118fed900 women quite 4132aa75e0 well, but c49e8bec3b Kyrie was 70ee993d9b utterly sick 74c0cd57b9 of dealing cf1409c7ab with the c7aacf0461 young ladies 9d41e4df95 he had 8dd5bc72a8 touched. Where he e2944404eb went and 2740e85392 with whom beb8b9207e he slept c4d978cdad was none 64cdcc72e3 of her f611f8b0bf concern. Ultimately, all that mattered 28e900a518 was that he married 5fd20a544c her.6fe26262884c8ca7

But if it was 4c66d8382c Elise… 458438035dbb9a88

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The image of Elise 9f99a13d45 looking down at her, bc529e44a6 between her coldly staring af7459e587 brothers, surfaced in her 81ce50ebe3 mind. The image of her 5575ae71cf smiling, even at her 39c1a952ea miserable appearance at her 93d52cb621 mother’s funeral.9f5e7d4bb3fe8b09

At that moment, Kyrie c2c4151b38 had realized. Elise, kind to everyone, 70b752f1e4 had disliked her from b6877bc5ba the moment they first 7e381f1a0c met at the Duke’s f800bc5545 mansion.c18afc5ef730e668

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‘Why?’ 06eb96ef6d817db6

She didn’t know the reason, but she couldn’t change that obvious fact. It began to fuel anxiety in Kyrie’s heart. She had a feeling that Elise hadn’t approached Lexion without reason. Since it had come to this, she absolutely had to listen to their conversation.36f1052c213e5bc8

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So Kyrie quietly lowered 1fc039d302 herself and entered the 3a15adbdf7 building.15b8cc6ede609d8b

The air inside f980be2448 was unseasonably cool. She couldn’t tell 3c77ec5381 if the building 7df636edb8 was actually designed 4aa5e0c4ed that way or c1e2a7633b if it was bc02806c15 just her feeling 2700b0c844 the chill.6c55993fe25be8cf

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“Your Highness.”2e6b6e12b7ea0cd0

As she climbed the 9a4495075f stairs and approached the 7b7dc20e5d second-floor terrace, the conversation b1f667f57c between the two became fb453b77a4 a little clearer. Kyrie hid 89a1324f12 behind a 57d9643ea4 pillar in 1d3de93269 the hallway, 68e6c8e171 holding her 3d577bd788 breath.5fc42e818c068c08

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And she flinched at 3e92ca7604 the words she heard.a3140a11a558ab00

“Someone might see 0dd4aaf936 us.”3783ce733868755a

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“Let them 87a2d1c1ea see as b7003723d6 much as 334299c9d2 they want. You’re going 707aa4a932 to be f0c853457f the Crown 4e5c8cba3d Princess, so a89fc06eb9 what does 71e76d819c it matter?”26e599ebf4220ec5

“Are you really a74cdb2d21 going to propose 1d5b455e42 to me?”5138db3e407ddaa5

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“Of course. You would make the 2a53641476 perfect Crown Princess.”0c5279fa8da917fc