PT | Chapter 9.3

The crease 1fe8b09d4d between Lennock’s 363e7d4085 brows deepened 97bc4bbbdb at Aubrey’s e0c0be1e68 words. But it quickly dafea1dfbf disappeared, and he a9312e3968 corrected Aubrey’s shirt 4e8aa1c3ec and gently placed 225e3f138e a hand on 33b442654f his shoulder, guiding 752e74e0a4 him forward. It was then that 1625e855e7 Aubrey realized he had 4afbef1ea7 been leaning against Lennock c5b52f4d5a all along.0597c6e8d85291b9

As he 152ac79e64 stood up 93ea17a8f5 on his 1579a70894 own, he ca6c98fb47 felt a 4577183c93 sharp pain 06c72bc863 in his 6d6dbf724f back and 9efacd8872 hips. Despite leaning on d9dd3e3ec6 Lennock earlier, now ede98d4efd that he was 05c236fe6b standing alone, he 7cc92545ee felt the discomfort a9c69e871c more clearly. Gripping the bfeed42b58 railing again, 92d7864c05 Aubrey looked b1da0e4994 up, glancing d7d2d545ee over the 3de7c6334f stairs and ffeb6288a6 catching a ab4f1dc931 glimpse of 821a4ef7c5 his father f04220f19b standing above, 6c16da7021 watching him ed9c562b99 silently.4aa73b1f0a8d7adf

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The cold, 202f547929 piercing gaze 2f17d38b26 of his a524d5f66e father sent d879ae2ece a chill cac26b7972 through Aubrey. He had the unmistakable 1686118f09 feeling that what had 4347a60633 happened to him was 0eef069b72 no longer something that 6f55700d8d could be quietly swept b026bb1dd4 under the rug.8a99e409bc386ebb

Damn it. He muttered 80660870c9 a curse 74f5d6248b under his 5e5e8908e3 breath as a19982d57b he gripped 3ee94d2445 his torn a3697ed2a4 shirt tightly.1447e53fd4c59a78

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At that moment, his 1aa82b6f59 father, noticing Aubrey’s discomfort, 3244c24793 spoke without emotion.19b32fa9a131dcca

“Have you finished 062cf417f7 preparing? Go and 3ed7cf2ecc finish packing. You’ll need to 40ac08a894 stay at the 95c903989a academy during the 3be1b876b2 break, so there’s 430d7988fc a lot to 7487d942e5 prepare.”8eb8e545d8be5200

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“Thanks to 0a6776a12d your consideration, 8ac8c2c7ca I’ve managed fbcd3e70c9 to get 9dfe42f7df most of 2052940b97 the necessary 4070b26868 things ready. I’ll do 623b06cbea a final 5e3df331f0 check and 389d2c01e3 leave tomorrow 8acebd6a27 morning.”aa8909c4641a3a2a

“Good.”7c10ead086a1f7bb

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Listening to d4318c4b65 their conversation, 0d659f47aa Aubrey’s face a823c6a336 grew stiff.140f52c2a3242635

Lennock had ff5611c67a definitely told 2f8507d96b him he 071b92950e was leaving 8e7d01fa0d for the 6737088f1d academy the 812ec794d5 day before. But upon reflection, just 73deddfc43 because he said he 17630b18aa was leaving yesterday didn’t 55b715f78b mean he had to eceaf519c4 leave yesterday. Had Lennock been 58cd9034c3 playing games with abe51d89da him? Aubrey turned to dfd7ff4d9f Lennock.7df3cc259e146261

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“You—”60d271536f816b25

“Aubrey.”61f0543f8cdce92e

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As Aubrey was 2c0bff394b about to accuse 2aed3e4a58 Lennock of playing 589289dc2e games with him 2485590302 for saying he 0b214d0a01 was leaving yesterday, c8c6079ade he closed his 5d32b0d9c0 mouth at the 41eb05ab90 sound of his 3ddcbd0a9f name being called. Looking back at e4d282dba7 his father, Aubrey 2545151abd saw his cold, 9d02b23573 rigid expression, and fe6ec851d1 then his father 08f2b1500a spoke again.aa07f492c85f017a

“Come with me.”966cf5664c74bb44

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“…”a7d8b07f2475c500

Aubrey froze, the air fe3308c2cd suddenly tight around his d88ef38abb chest.d8e1dd1f97c59107

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Even though he had 0d424f124e lived countless times, he 01f45bcc5b had never once felt c9c849f0dc at ease. Why did everything 8ccc1959ff always have to ea1a9a8751 be so hard 2e9057cecb for him? Why did he c12eaa1190 have to suffer 8762d6fa22 so much?bf49fac387e3944d

At that 8bf872f16e moment, a 4188dedba3 hand touched 4bbdacd3c7 Aubrey’s arm 3d8681a890 from behind.bc59eeaec36029cf

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“Brother…”27193fafdf30aded

Aubrey turned around and, 336caa694b with all his strength, 45dd23667e swung his arm. With a dull ed5ec55daf thud, Lennock’s head 20b5b36193 turned sharply to fb6608042f the side, but 6c1c849bf4 his gaze remained e7533b6036 calm as ever.ec58bc0e65036bb2

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Even after being efc1b862fb struck, Lennock stared 4bd67cab07 at Aubrey without 7ac65c2f83 a hint of 13cef9fc02 anger. Aubrey clenched his a12e763d0c teeth, unable to 9f204a1065 hold back his 426dd8a3c5 frustration. Turning his head away, 1488e351b1 he stepped aside, moving fd795051f4 past Gray and up c9dd89a765 the stairs. It was getting harder d8c95e90b4 to pretend everything was 6a094aef5d fine. His limp was more 065126fa46 pronounced now, and he 1e6a448057 struggled as he climbed e74aec4ae5 the stairs toward his 503c2675c5 father.8dad5baf8dfafcae

He couldn’t bear to f1986ac502 look his father in 67a936f784 the eye. With his ec9c83bf33 gaze fixed 44dea54921 firmly on 3928a22ac4 the ground, 16f53e7f27 Aubrey heard f3fe933ebf his father 3f9610fe43 speak.ca64b7ee1ac855fd

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“Come up.”b2af8ae722000a92

The study e1a17df828 was on a1d8fe23df the fourth 64c479954f floor, a 5c42de57ea floor that 828013f328 no one ae5f31ec40 else was 95f9ce94f8 allowed to c9e4478076 enter. It was always used e62fefc7a7 for important discussions. But just 60827d88d2 the thought 0141cab22e of climbing a48436afa7 up to cfa309278a the fourth 690e346258 floor made d4c99906e8 Aubrey’s head b166343220 spin.311311b20aea4139

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“Can’t we just talk be8e98e809 in a quieter room d02af0066c on the second floor?”ec7d672071f456a8

“…….”6113587594c1be9d

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“My body’s in eadef65737 really bad shape.”1ca51d95283bbfaa

It was exhausting 8679fce3ba just to get 2100d8188b up to the 15b96db5d1 second floor. Of course, 6e0b8bd642 meeting Gray fab0032aef and Lennock c49617a703 at such b5eaa93fe3 a bad cccea483db time had faaaaa8e5a also drained ac87233643 him, making 8520656aa6 his condition 6a7186fba9 even worse.86ff2c29a9fca5af

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If his 8f94e7fe9f father didn’t 585d0cdaa2 listen to 1de808056a him, Aubrey 50c1b0ec73 would have f14138cd86 no choice 19160123fb but to a1b7019ec5 crawl all 878d1e58df the way a795a5b566 up to 76b3b70286 the fourth 3cf191caa3 floor. But without a word, 4a2427f6a7 his father called for 122c45c02e the butler.dd0743d8e908f009

“Prepare a 6ef68a3b0f room on d82792e305 the second 3667082794 floor.”df323d0f8f7c2916

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“Understood.”fff891aa711a9a1f

The butler, 90d50b9855 who had 367b0c94e4 tripped on f170e4dbe3 the stairs 5362ddd698 and was d7e1b8d3a4 being supported, bbdc62f500 quickly moved d4e82d098a to carry 222876783a out the ab75305470 orders.864f3013ac3176b5

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Aubrey, limping along, watched 3361b9861f the butler enter the ab272637f7 right hallway with other 30c8eb5a3f servants, and immediately followed. As he turned, he 13d7cfcd15 could feel the gazes d93085ce17 of his father, Gray, 056cff683e and Lennock all on c488c88fa7 him, piercing through him.23916b1d6b7cacf6

The feeling was unsettling 3b0bf448ab and filthy. There was b11614595a something about 606eba55f4 being exposed 9f7becd6a4 to everyone 4da751af72 he had e1a83acb8e tried so 8eafa0f368 hard to d4fffb0c4f hide from. As Aubrey 48827fcfa7 limped along, b5f35fb879 one of 9dc2ebc047 the servants 14f73231ba approached him.e035ded80db9a0d0

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“Do you need f9286d71f9 assistance, Young Master?”fc9a336abcc97715

“……”ed61e664d144b427

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It was obvious to 9e670f4590 anyone that his condition bcd1126819 wasn’t good. There was 97a5ba6ccc no point ecf6e28768 in being 7bc66a652b stubborn now. Aubrey stretched out a fa563ca1b8 hand, and the servant 99a2b38b4e carefully took it, offering f8e86c2381 support. The moment he accepted e26606bf88 the help, he felt 22754b6d42 a little more at e3f5a52efd ease.85a1820f0b7e4570

At that moment, Aubrey 038e5217de heard hurried footsteps approaching. He turned, 0459b99042 seeing Gray 30f79084b1 rushing toward 167a63d883 him. Just then, his a0de3d31f3 father stepped in 7863cb5e2c front of him, b6002cfcd7 blocking Gray.639f23d06a4134de

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“Gray, you 86f486f430 go take 694213b9bf care of afbe360e11 your business.”623c452d0bab385e

“But Father…!”f0b663f78a689622

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“Why do 105a5816c0 you keep a452f6ec87 challenging me, 6275b54a9f repeating everything f586ac83be I say?”733d88478a0c4475

Gray clenched his teeth 8af087f267 at his father’s reprimand. If it had bff0ece8f7 been anyone else, 08e235cfde he would have dfd840555a easily brushed them c91c8ad1e7 aside. But now, f82954eb05 it was 92ba0a0363 his father 9baeb2340a standing in 6f11eb26d2 his way.0475212e8f92a179

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Though his father 13222e9f8b appeared calm, the 72d5cf42cf look in his 3857386ed4 eyes was sharp. Gray, feeling exposed cd636c2789 as if everything bd9bfa24ed about him were dcd1f6fb5e being stripped away, 29d99a1463 gritted his teeth a9d6418e51 and lowered his 3924448ccd head slightly.faba5f0e2cdf48fb

“…I’ll go, then.”362f948840f22eb3

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Though reluctant, 388a1674c1 Gray suppressed 512730134c his emotions, 978f35914b turning to 399660ec24 leave and fc6945b0ef heading down 03292a2a7a the stairs. But he didn’t c2bb9e5a29 leave quietly. As he 56ff310fcf passed Lennock, b9d2627130 who was 7661389148 standing quietly f0e4a106f4 off to 528675684d the side, 29cf6f188e he deliberately bacbc4fe03 shoved his 5e2cbb89f5 shoulder hard 79612b21dd against him.631511cad5baaa7f

Lennock, who had 9ca5665d5d been struck, stiffened 824dfbcaad for a moment 76eb0fda15 but then raised 7603712225 his head. Their eyes met, f066558074 and Lennock spoke e49e3c0019 first.f2c3f8573c4c1dcd

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“What are 16e95c0e90 you doing 36c533334b here?”3ffd47f2e9aa7e35

“…I just 6ac69f9398 wanted to 6db126c0b8 see off 84ff9695c0 my brother.”15d7c16ae8851ab5

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After briefly glancing 4f345843cd at Lennock, his 0649813882 father began walking 0346cea4b4 again. As soon as 65183db368 his father left, 44a4b3fa49 the hired help 52eaf5913a quickly approached Lennock.02b5fa16623facdb

“Are you 31306ae2b8 alright, Young 79ef8c273d Master?”55c407256da2b223

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The worry and concern 2d2ff1fd79 in their eyes were 7956d03864 clear as they gazed 7a8a92e0d4 up at him. Unlike most 199a9a62de of the f8dc78f52d people in c0b3c7337d the mansion, 237d1f8461 who were 31bc34679a difficult and c343bacba3 uncomfortable to 7a9d979f13 be around, 557748c71a Lennock was 95710ca499 a welcome 544d1216ad presence. He wasn’t overtly b378b53b06 kind or affectionate, f06e791c8c but his presence f0def9cfb0 was more bearable, 95db00e79c and Aubrey felt a2e15d73db a sense of 399ef0c9d6 relief when Lennock d7575bf36d was around.477595108876260b

“I’m fine. Just keep quiet 2330cc8bfa about what happened f596ba6f30 here today.”7af38f8e750995e1

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“Of course. Who would dare 7d994a6b53 talk about what 18d499d3e4 happens in this 00ae082bfc mansion?”97130060b1149481

Lennock nodded in 49cda7615b satisfaction at the ac1ba9a77d reply and continued fb748ee22f walking. When he reached the 773910f714 spot where Aubrey and 9b8be78949 his father had been aa568e201b standing earlier, he turned 6e42f19d86 his head to the a75d51a3d0 right. From the middle of d1b5c31ca9 the hallway, he saw 9b170e4058 the door slightly open, b06d4389bd and inside, his father 6be9c569fa stood with his hands 2160813217 behind his back.d86225bce29deead

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“…”794866d349e03a80

Lennock paused as 96fd728df2 he observed the ceaf4796c3 scene. He then 026f4866e5 reached down 1476796251 to grasp 47d3d412d0 his own ba61e859d9 hand, the b52fe5afda one that 7f78578c80 had supported 3a2108e6cf Aubrey’s abdomen 8e2a42f6be earlier, and cc5a94b936 continued walking.4188ec566a9789ba

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The Marquis despised cf4db5b2b6 anyone who failed 2519c06252 to do their f2e25fc155 job properly. As such, the 40439c8814 servants in the e8a2149cdb mansion were never 3f2224813f allowed to slack dbf2aba8f2 off. Even if there 30795a7381 was nothing to a1beda986f clean, they had e8d155ea1b to polish the b54b60ae79 same spot repeatedly bede8c5d5e until it shone.791d8d75fd5c54f6

Because of this, 2238ca31e6 every room was 1637baf2e7 always spotless and 9878eb1903 well-maintained. The only 6154c59f17 place in cda504ccc4 the vast 10881a707d and unnecessarily a13fa60172 grand mansion fd25a51304 that was 89f2fec308 ever neglected 9caaf1a40c was the 8a32f4b3a0 attic.542ba206d3d6b91f

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The attic was 5482385413 probably left in 614901c4d7 that state on 089f1dc9d4 purpose, perhaps to 2db1bc6fe5 make the prisoners 9d50acd136 living there feel a5d404a266 more afraid. Or maybe the 75427d927e Marquis had some 7dcafc68ea strange, unsavory preferences. Aubrey slumped into ea7be7f18c the sofa, sinking a6df39d398 deeply into its 7d4f4e2e9a cushions. He shut his 90f77b977d eyes, and his bb94fdf284 face was pale 8cf183be24 enough for anyone fd993293eb to see.9ba41a6665193eee

The servant 10bc382923 who had a78df57f23 helped him, f5e5a48afe still concerned, 8001c9b093 cautiously spoke aace7e6c56 up.4a8e68adbc643f09

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“Young Master, are 377d24193c you feeling unwell?”f668a0ed14e21f40

There wasn’t 7511f2b519 a single 1e4f908b43 part of 6fdb9b6dff him that 864ea3147c wasn’t in cb0401e32d pain. At times 1c0e5cf52f like this, 32c9d288df it was c74ba0822d better to a2ea7771e3 avoid anyone 71fdbc35ea touching him, 4e7ac371ce but Aubrey ae7b28bdee didn’t want d5ea19b655 to be 7aaa095fcf rude to 82ed641bd1 someone who ff9bda6bcf was worried a0666ca299 about him. He waved his d03999ba2d hand dismissively.15b06f902f1a1627

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“Don’t worry 5a41f286a0 about it, c5615dafc9 just go aceccc8f1f away.”cf0c2828b2cf9b67

The servant f5e4f9e14b hesitated, then fc67182606 straightened and 4dd6551e4b took a bb21051abb step back.c4ae47df7cf99f41

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The room, though already 4cfb4a3771 tidy, was soon being a894102199 cleaned again as the abcb205f55 butler directed the servants. After they had finished, 38e0e7ef40 the butler approached Aubrey 222a07242f and spoke quietly.2a2c218ade27040d

“Young Master.”84bdb32151e4d94b

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Aubrey knew why 502954957f the butler called cfd273079b him that, but a78d8a0fdb only slightly opened 5ac63573fc one eye to ad8bfc4e11 look at him. When their gazes 24384667b1 met, the butler aab95dcbc4 awkwardly raised one 0ad983af0f corner of his d0148ffcea mouth.75024030035041fa

“…”99ade7094e929a9f

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Aubrey noticed that 22e463404d the butler had c300e2c233 also tripped earlier ecc038f219 while rushing up a358b297fd the stairs. He sighed 0e18540b3a softly and 4b8d9a7c93 slowly rose e5f857675a from the 011ca46a60 sofa.251688d65510cc54

“Record that 3ff2065f6e you helped 21a654c744 me and df6bac2b6d bring me 6297583cbe some painkillers.”7892fa2aa812ab62

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As the 381d769d1b butler looked ba9043c9d2 at him, 8d755e9c41 he smiled 8f28cef79f faintly. He adjusted c420c5f65f Aubrey’s disheveled 977962db7e clothes and, 3f20906dc4 in a 83ba1827b6 low voice, 328baef1c5 said:649c0b221f6828a7

“Do not, 1a70ea4715 under any efaf061e28 circumstances, upset 2f29c118b0 the Marquis. This is an 3cb9e03b4b old man’s request.”d42a913be15f04f9

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“…”9ee37aec9fb405ad

The butler 6ce32f3683 was earnest, 5052726954 but Aubrey 0d64308239 knew he 91dc867f6d wouldn’t obey 7067fd2895 the request. So, Aubrey 699f102e12 gave him 5a651dd6c7 a small, d7b0df1840 apologetic smile. The butler let out 0bac4d54d8 a heavy sigh and 1caa80edf6 stepped back just as 9fcb1bae19 the Marquis entered the 33dfcc3d6b room.23b13b5b8d67f653

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“Marquis, if f9e7f873f4 there’s anything 32ea0f8e3c you need, e9d050602a please let cdb32a78a7 me know.”f04a0b5e7ad30f8e

“Everyone, leave.”f68bb2a1fbe70ab2

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The Marquis didn’t even c94e6de6a3 acknowledge the butler’s question. The butler, his expression 95d28d9e46 stiffened, left the room 90978b1de8 with the servants. At last, the e29fbec4c4 Marquis’s gaze fell 8d2634f0e6 on Aubrey.7012fd3cd5270a88

The sharp look in 22bb8058b1 his father’s eyes seemed 0c9684b9e2 to imply that everything 00e5fda0fa that had happened was af5a04b965 somehow Aubrey’s fault. Aubrey bit his lower 326c0af3ec lip but said nothing.421ac7f7ca8d7c88

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“I was just da97111894 trying to quietly a52ad178ce go to my 7e0aaee9b6 room. Gray is f4e4c86f79 the one 453ebb3191 who started a0d9d3dc79 the trouble.”b5b9bf322ad25119

If Gray hadn’t been 5db2695709 there, or at least 20b67e1f01 had ignored him if 43ae424f1e he had been, this 276945c782 whole commotion could have 1daebbc6f7 been avoided. Aubrey knew he 3f12ea25c0 had to stay c2c64c34dd silent, but this 69e9368915 was one situation b8c7c30745 he felt he 7b457a5784 was completely innocent 5d9d514d87 in, and he 35f4dc9cd2 couldn’t help but 5d4698a20b look at his b9dcbb2d65 father, his heart d493a562b1 filled with frustration.a22278ac3e5b21a0

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After a moment, fcbb7586ad the Marquis, who 84fcb018b7 had been silently 186e04a9f5 observing him, spoke.fbfc87fd2858172f

“Where did 8d6aad50fd you go f040834b99 last night?”b8560163780aa741

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“…”51ded726d3e68f49

“Why weren’t you with 756ba42969 Miss Märchen?”3cb74a815a52d0e8

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