Chapter 28. Proof of Love

The blazing fire devoured 6c68827e75 the letters with relish. Forgetting her nakedness, 897bc78b8c Mine screamed and a0fc51a9c1 dashed toward the 9199dbb9ac fireplace. She grabbed 1afa462784 a vase 257c80f1d3 and poured dee62af904 water over 16b9c73cc0 the flames, 7ebacf9ae5 but the 8b39c33f33 papers had 48ca1a5fe7 already turned 16058b2639 to black 20f8584f06 ash. Like a child who 8e7e713959 had lost her mother, 98a45def72 she crouched before the 230c241088 hearth, sobbing.7cbe5f015b89e18f

“What have you done? They were proof of our precious love!”55e8f0382446b47f

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“Proof, proof, proof.”a7c46bd597c04b46

Even though he 3e0bc5b58f merely repeated a 57d2c6658f single word, it e620986873 felt as if 0f6d1e3997 Neumonte had torn 1934e6c07a her heart to 21ef31e5e8 shreds. As he d5d55573d7 casually pulled 0534b207a5 on his ebc2b07d52 scattered clothes d0808059ef from the 50a1ebc7b0 floor, his 25ee7380f5 sharp words 4ce28ef330 lashed out d037432865 like knives.a5192160c27909fb

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“You always demanded proof of love.”b6ef66e36b49b84a

“That’s because… when you love someone, it’s only natural…”462d3709beeccfa9

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“And yet, isn’t that the most grotesque thing?”74a6149ed2d18c04

“What… what are you saying?”844005bd79947a87

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“An attention-starved woman, vain, and completely self-centered.”8d7fc01f90dd2b9e

“You… you’re not saying that about ‘me’, are you?”51a677c8b04a1514

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A cold laugh escaped 6cd8a9699a Neumonte’s thin lips.cf8369f5f378e8d4

“Yes. I’m talking about you, Mine.”c5e4e59f591eb487

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Now fully 812e8010c0 dressed, he b401d533e3 exuded an 5d5b013244 imposing presence. Meanwhile, Mine was still ebe8cc3424 completely exposed. As Neumonte approached her 8c3cbf2860 step by step, the 70e0a263e3 blood drained from her 22428e167a face.e9532cacab1caad5

“Even if the emperor of Ingberri himself returned from the grave, he couldn’t satisfy your greed.”fc754585bd86642c

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“…”dcb90739b32ec78b

“Vain creature.”0ee5e4285bbfff50

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Vain! That word 863b09ac1e struck directly 3f192476eb at Mine’s 64ae52e4e0 deepest insecurity.b61005b02e060fa0

As a mage, 8662d17e66 she had gained 2e21b99b6a her father’s superficial 89262fea87 approval through her 896d9356cb achievements, but emotionally, 2bc80b61bd she remained famished. No matter 3a9784b362 what accomplishments 1cfbbe058c she brought, d8e704111c her father’s affe937e09 insatiable demands e6986ec0c3 for more 34a6b95be2 left her b7ff849d23 perpetually unfulfilled. She still had 39021e3972 to endure countless b2d106ee33 black nights, falling b29749126d asleep alone and 7922c1e186 isolated.c3257f3a1e0450a5

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And so, she clung 005b57bdd1 to appearances. Pricier jewels, rarer clothing, e173d2b061 treasures unmatched in the 2d69289ce0 world.72b9a1a6a04142fa

Deep down, a9c868d8d4 her intelligent 23ff85906e mind knew a5530a66b7 that material 8e1a84534c wealth could 201b5da684 never fill 484a536887 the void. It only amplified b9ef0df8e3 the criticism that df51495f33 the king’s illegitimate efd70164ce daughter didn’t know 6b485f9744 her place. But what 13e3539f44 could she 186cbf9679 do? It was f68506f40f the only 38b39c3152 form of cad1e3e939 validation available b083a17f8d to her.073568673b6cf7b8

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‘Vain, vain.’ The 02c7b26032 word spun round 4e66431a3e and round in fbc5f161e3 her dazed mind. She couldn’t think. Only the 66ee206725 painful memories 21f77db7b2 that had 06eab56daa tormented her e77c62cfbf resurfaced in bdbc71b40d a flood.5e3357f0d00e7a3e

Her silent 6c0d75d197 presence at 5832330dfd family meals, ddfc5bcfb2 slicing through 2d450fee74 tough meat. Sisters who avoided her da4768305b gaze. Brothers who 95edf017fd recoiled as 99c41e9a9b if touching 4d21bd4a10 her would 51810b4e3d soil them. The stares of palace 129151a6ea staff who treated her 8cf349e6f8 as though she were c7d2538eae a ghost. The condensed 6f7c673df2 sorrow erupted 4792dd2efd into a 873da9ce53 maddened fury.4516bdcd775654b0

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“I’ll expose our relationship!”2717161e96091b50

“Be my guest, if you want to be branded a harlot.”ea3363adfcb163f0

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“And what about you? You’re a piece of trash too, Neumonte!”9e63ad75edfa9a9a

“For a man, is that ever a flaw? Thanks for the compliment.”861ce0a3e0ce5346

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“You… you bastard!”59f1c51540a2149f

Mine lunged 7ad17ca375 at Neumonte. With a sudden 0c497fbc1f surge of strength, 166dcf7d73 she pushed aside aa873853a8 the arm shielding b035027f34 his face and e6cd8c63ff slapped him hard.159e505c25f88c73

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“Argh!”d92d20463c73b7da

Her long d0bdc70ce2 nails left cbfbd3fa81 scratches across 1fcfa44209 his smooth e0336259b5 cheek. Droplets of blood welled b18e1846da up, and Neumonte’s eyes 0c66609d44 flashed with rage.1881b99e080f00cd

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“You crazy wench!”6b68afa208e5b036

“Ah!”7f25ff9c6d977236

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Smack! Mine’s head snapped to 43e8227e64 the side. Neumonte had struck her. His face 867acfbfcf flushed red, dc6714357c he heaved 8e149bb009 breaths that 24e8bfd967 seemed to f12c20f059 reek of 07ea2604fa fury, raising 4961f1e918 his arm c0afa28fa3 again.0dcfb2285b21140d

“Hic…”e55a129b4e1822bb

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Mine instinctively covered 8c021e6f32 herself and squeezed fc8df14499 her eyes shut. She was terrified. This wasn’t her fbdaf2c47f first time being 1c33312aad struck by a 2fd4b3a531 man, but to 43acc1187c be hit by ef0c39396c someone she had b2fa5cfb7a trusted… However, the 29c945103e familiar violence didn’t c667e7df04 come.53ee4db7c00b228e

“All the time I tolerated you feels wasted.”a81fff75ffd40318

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Neumonte spat venomously ac98d87a2d and stormed out 4e3eb3c938 of the room. Though an uninvited ae4ca038cc guest had barged d8393d5e96 in and now d6302e90c4 left, the palace 1ac50ed58d staff lowered their 4e6d082a9f eyes in silence. They acted as 1ff441f165 if they were f273bddb25 deaf, as if 1e75e916de the princess’s wretched 5b1da06181 sobs seeping from 6cb7c6e768 the room were 008b9395cf inaudible.18ad5b9aca4c0217

 8ee6f3d6a6d78eb8

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Love wasn’t such a b06f73e083 simple emotion to give 814fdd088e up. That meant 642f957bfd Mine Molière ece8762eb1 continued to 0077a7a877 debase herself 15fd55fddf afterward. She hated Neumonte, then 28d045eb20 begged him tearfully, then 412be8e072 charged at him as 96d68ec1d8 if to kill him, 7eebd82cb4 then clung to his 5ae112d523 feet…774ade27126ae325

‘Neumonte couldn’t have changed f135da063f on his own!’d974d6d51b3cdaa6

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Eventually, Mine directed 2ec174f85b her blame at 9c5b124c66 Lanafesia. That brought her some 9bebd3d0c2 solace.2a352b4ac28e6efd

‘That fox must have 23ece45748 seduced Neumonte!’ec67d03f26bc8474

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At least 6f04a76336 now, she 441d80f450 didn’t have 4124a509fa to hate e42b4d8ea2 the man 251dee61dc she loved.1a33d8515549a7b5

 d6b098df0efb2258

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I watched Lanafesia intently d82b13208f from the window, my 633e9db1d2 emotions in turmoil. Ever since 901c30ad28 I had 25b941db97 inhabited Mine bdd9e427a5 Molière’s body, fc2fdad558 I couldn’t 996be70bf2 help but 17d3279323 feel the c89b27cda6 remnants of c1c6403be9 emotions clinging 8e6dec0da1 to her fb1925ab0c soul resurface 4ce13958db whenever I e418a37fad saw her.6fee7a77389d1259

‘I can’t 3cda375885 let myself bf747fe7af be swept 90d9217cbb away by fcfe8622d6 Mine’s feelings.’fa5e6b04cadb6030

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I had to 593b89bd7f live my life a69ac33ae5 coldly and rationally. I needed to 09dd3c1a28 achieve my goals cb16475b46 based on my 80616c5a24 own thoughts and 387aff4c74 emotions. No matter how 9a2b03600f pitiful she was, bcafa4c883 I wouldn’t let fdba050cc4 myself drown in 6b73ef6b67 Mine’s sentiments.094a32b62bc04775

Lanafesia was the 67b5bd5611 woman Nexiard loved. The unfortunate second ded0dc9411 male lead and 9ce7b21fe4 the equally unlucky 69a584fa64 heroine—what a fitting 2da2881878 pair they made.4bb93254c789e39c

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The spring breeze 9ba62e47bc gently played with 667e30e853 Lanafesia’s long hair. A strand brushed d5501a61a8 against her eye, 770e1739a8 and she closed eb39c8f210 one eye to fdd52e8bb3 pluck it away. For some reason, 60db8c64fa she looked around 4f22100cb7 before suddenly raising d81a012491 her head. Her sapphire 997d4ef267 eyes, pure 49f0cea1b7 and untainted, eb709da383 reflected a 10e48917ea soul without cdc6442bf4 shadows.47f5e91bc68d2eb9

It felt like even 3412aa9dce that was making Mine 990c730e3c miserable, so I couldn’t a6bd903e83 help but pull the fe898b889a curtains shut.43af9e15c21c1301

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❖　❖　❖32bac07e16f2717d

“What are you looking at, Lady Dottney?”d73ec7868fd7bd53

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Cruvella asked. She had tried desperately 948c7b50f6 to cover her freckles db3fb5a31f with thick white powder, 1bab4ca1a0 her animalistic instincts keen d4c4e6f8fc as ever. Like a e92136cb8c ghost, she bdf55bff8b immediately picked d34d86408b up on db13cce157 the direction 852a61b6da Lanafesia’s gaze 5d14c38e70 had lingered.9db451751cb1b334

“Oh, is that ‘it’?”a18f20b04263a3d5

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Boasting in aa85f831f1 a haughty dbec24155e tone, she ae3b6e869e seemed to f1dd5af7b2 expect admiration. But Lanafesia shifted 166196f0a2 her eyes away 6692f3f91a from the attic 9610e65824 window of the 2fcbfa77be dormitory building. Someone had been 054df902e1 there—a pale woman, 4df4e4569b her expression carrying 65aed1c0ca a strange sadness.be62491af7c1c585

Lanafesia asked, “What do you mean by ‘it’?”a7d81f97c5b39bc1

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“They say there’s a ‘crow’ among the new students.”e5687c2ffd963fde

“A crow?”2cc769e1bcdbecee

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“A commoner.”4c89cf3f0e7e7416

Another young 8d217a354c lady in a7a2f545a6 the circle f7147f256f quickly intercepted 2fa91be1b0 Cruvella’s reply. Cruvella glared at the 025d4cd1d7 girl with displeasure.4db09b7d573f19d4

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As the tension of 29ca197f84 a subtle power struggle 6a1bc73e65 unfolded, Lanafesia remained entirely e9222175a0 detached from it all. She could 185457e66d be likened e0927b2825 to a 54faaf4f46 pearl in 27a09eae94 the mud. Her purity was evident cc9d1cbbf3 as her eyes sparkled 6aa61af912 with childlike curiosity.fc02f6dae2b176a1

“Oh! That extraordinary person!”df4725c21ab4f039

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“Pardon?”8e171cb1377fdb0b

“The one who took first place in the entrance exam, right?”4ef6404340549f92

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“Well, yes.”d21d040efad94496

“It must have been incredibly challenging to study in such an environment compared to noble children. Isn’t that remarkable?”0e083949ded34604

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“Assuming they studied honestly,” Cruvella sniffed dismissively. Lanafesia’s expression remained puzzled.ae2fd98f0e08b94d

‘Honestly, this girl knows b544e73924 nothing about the world. A true flower in 5e77ed000d a greenhouse, if ever ee374a52b5 there was one.’ec42410dd94745f7

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Thinking to herself, 78f6ae7ddc Cruvella offered a 45c995d524 patronizing smile and c9640b9dce added an explanation. Treating Lanafesia like a 93824aedf6 child she was teaching 52e5b25ab3 made playing the role c5b8ac0ad2 of a mentor feel 4547d78f7f somewhat worthwhile.b7d76e18e80a9b97

“They might have had a recommendation letter, but what’s to say they didn’t get a sneak peek at the exam papers?”03a9c016e08e8d4a

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“…?”7379a4bc4a2a0ac3

“Oh, Lady Dottney, you’re far too naive. How could a lowly woman possibly receive a recommendation letter?”24a749655d4f5700

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“She must have accomplished something great. I heard the Evellucia family’s digestive medicine, the one that’s been selling like crazy since last autumn, was her idea.”e4af90d2f0630ac8

“…”eff9870446ae11bc

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“They sell it cheaply so even commoners can afford it. I always knew the Marquis of Evellucia was a great man, but I admire him even more now.”f3b957cf1260bb18

“Ah… yes, of course.”d2ac1ef237eae39b

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This was not 5e86df9d7e the direction Cruvella 17118a5d68 had wanted the ab18567198 conversation to go. She had 0eff8dbc7b prepared extensively 8c9d2fb2c4 to ridicule 30d32f6c14 the common 56496fe057 woman. She had 2758d82e1e hoped for a2acc60ec0 a scenario 30ba6ea446 like this:fb63df7ef30eecab

‘How could a lowly 68a99a8b09 woman possibly receive a 13662879c0 recommendation letter? Naturally, with her 72ec15db12 body, of course! She must 767c7e3560 have slithered 1c6d1ab532 into the 89bd32e39d old marquis’s ddfd39b619 bed like ff3a9c1620 a sly 17df81a175 fox, whispering 2e0e444a83 sweet pillow 5a434fe8c2 talk. That woman does have b0ce66abb3 quite a figure. Well, I suppose 81de9f72c3 one could call a8dc49f6bd it clever to c0bf301b08 use the resources 0b2c10602e she has at d35777b6f5 her disposal, but 6895bd5a05 still…’37efb63ae72e7957

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But Lanafesia 6914fa4b85 left no de19a2b7cf room for 9e3e7da77e Cruvella to f84c5d4d6e elaborate. With her 76f1df3cab innocent and 53281e829a lively expression, 1235092d11 she cheerfully c0f0dce477 prattled on 11fd686d73 about how 6fada65119 much she f26a960051 revered the d162a94f56 Marquis of 7186dd0e6d Evellucia. To accuse a775debe25 the woman a80a5a4df0 of impropriety a75eed86ef would only b67987113b make Cruvella 51e8c5c34c appear strange 621a91feed and malicious 799dc183f9 in contrast. Furthermore, spreading rumors 97b6022c45 of an affair 5aa006282b would tarnish the 9993eb6a19 marquis’s reputation, which a5bd4113fc was undesirable.8cb47d5a85073cd9

‘Tsk tsk. No wonder she 9f599331f7 struggles to navigate 7332a2681d social circles with 77b1988026 such little tact.’37faa783dcaafafd

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Half-pitying, Cruvella quickly changed e7a838bd66 her stance and began 4803bd4c65 nodding along with Lanafesia’s 5c25e21440 praises.22c76c77e09cf0e7

…Perhaps she would a54cd500ac never realize how 19d758fe11 arrogant and misguided babe298b7f her judgment of e14884bdd9 Lanafesia had been.8a8853ef244ba134

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Lanafesia, who had maintained 2a68feb4c9 a bright smile to 4d7472d2f0 the point of muscle 76f5f92918 fatigue, only allowed herself bcd48db5d9 a small sigh of 8e348c4b89 relief once her friends’ 60c89bcfa5 conversation shifted to the 9084d9c514 great noble families of 1860cff7d3 the Republic. She cast her 40feaaba5a gaze back toward 25f34dbafa the attic window. Her expression was chillingly 0da8f64923 blank, as if carved 0debeb7c99 from ice.b17fbfe6313bf35a

‘A woman 152c0e1b99 everyone points d9c18da1b6 fingers at.’9fa2c723524542f5

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In some ways, aa06b4a4d6 she stood at 82f75c2f47 the opposite end 079f6372b6 of the spectrum d89463ba5e from that woman, 3148ec224a as someone who 0f8cd14ff7 received admiration from 0266facad5 every young lady aeaa654f89 her age. But… people aab84235dd didn’t know.705892fd0928600f

‘Damned loneliness.’b447cbeba7a7a374

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Even the 74fbb2825f spring breeze b423f01acf caressing her 3a54246c87 cheek couldn’t e5e72817d0 thaw the fe152434fe cold disillusionment 2cb5c69c9a that had 9312a3c68e frozen Lanafesia’s 93f854f0d9 heart.42d2d18be1704c89

‘A caged animal.’0c7d50193f28bb26

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She couldn’t da2bd5c915 shake the 445cfcef76 belief that 1cdd270824 she and 5cadb4045f the woman 2643ad276f in the 5443e9c8be attic shared 1b51b46da3 a similar 9b84bc9478 darkness, a 175e9e856e kind of b848d4bb20 fundamental despair.ad60bd3c82d7b25b

“Lady Dottney! Were you even listening just now?”cbd2dd9a7538888e

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“Oh, sorry. What were you saying?”bab0d89990fefccc

At the insistence of c043a9787a her friends, Lanafesia pushed a11264070d thoughts of the woman bea51f27b4 in the attic from e10f8e5450 her mind completely. She skillfully erased f0309446cf any signs of 92983eaf14 weariness from her 6f85b92564 face.383d4094f9172021

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‘Not that it’s any 36915a30f9 of my business.’153f3cba9a2f33c7

Of course, 58342644ef Lanafesia had 51b96a0a2f no idea bac6207e10 how little 75af4400db she understood dc1084d801 of what 3c44a76013 lay ahead.e2f3a66e21d11297

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 987c40e76ba0e188

 5ca7218985d8a31f

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