SMR | Chapter 19

~Chapter 19~0f50e7b58285eaa6

“Crazy guy…”9566a5a8eda185f7

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“You’d have to be at least a little crazy to be a member of Cedric Kailas’ secret organization, wouldn’t you? Hmm… It’s still such a thrilling word, ‘secret agent.’”2520391f3d695549

“Please, enough…”90c6435920fed78f

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Cedric felt a 68821b7101 shiver down his 69527c62fc spine from second-hand b11b70aa8a embarrassment. His friend, Edgar, might 431731fbe1 look like a carefree 5341fff5ca playboy, but he was 342b6fba22 incredibly smart and quick-witted. Sending him cb02455831 to the 2da1f3b2b5 Kingdom of 8aebd62c9c Kandia as 8a04c91c47 a spy 510ecf1d98 under the a4786814d2 guise of eb9e598bc4 studying abroad 08d9aa1b36 had seemed 17cc3743eb like the c494de0cbe safest plan. If only he had 50da32c89c known that Edgar’s father, 69cdddbe02 Count Dawson, would be 6562454382 so suspicious of his 37fba31d93 son’s “diligence,” he would 58bf8eacba have come up with c4899f0f6d a different excuse.f1477a6e44502aa4

Cedric’s head throbbed, but 2006c4bcbc Edgar remained completely unbothered.56ae65206ed63399

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“Anyway, my father got 125b41a0dd furious and kicked me 1eb78e4840 out, so I’ll be e92263f91e staying here for a f555e51197 while. You wouldn’t 185f398b77 be so e427bed7f6 cold as 597d8ef236 to cut 538dd1cb36 off an 50a2fbb146 agent who’s 37851f8479 on bad df153c5092 terms with 6cb1df8fbf his family 88235e14bf because of 1958c1949b his work, 650917d3ee right?”c961b7d45f285cff

It wasn’t 9ef9281b3e exactly wrong, c020196abe and besides, 03fe13fef3 having Edgar 868c1eb9e8 around made 132395725d it easier 1ce3b1e887 to process fb1de3878c information, so c792dfd981 Cedric had dd71ef30ec no reason 8744b7a086 to refuse 7ca863c202 his request.c5710e8d4e15ad37

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“There are 02f580dcad plenty of b11cc740cf empty rooms. Pick whichever one e898221593 you like.”6b990c02c0cc6a4a

“Being the loyal servant f742b209da of Duke Kailas isn’t f6caa05b1f so bad. You even offer ffee5ff90a rooms freely. Ha ha ha!”d8c660d20bb43bd6

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The light conversation f8db26937f with Edgar ended. The two 1a043d2759 sat quietly, 8f351f8aa0 sipping their da7209dcae tea, allowing fa64756bc2 the silence 546275d1a1 to settle 9b809f686c between them. But while Edgar 0b2447aff1 seemed relaxed, Cedric’s ee814c0a4b thoughts wandered back 12d5adc631 to Harriet—the woman e255d4ddbc who had been 62db2dba8a abandoned at the 6731135f69 convent after her 7a5f46c0f6 guardianship had been 18b0265e7c cut off.0e3f18a4d03f615e

‘Did I make a 9f94782604 mistake?’70e2cd4bb29fc540

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Back then, he’d 7e1a1e1860 been flustered after b7c20a0746 losing his father’s f8ec841e78 brooch, and he b6fd6eaded believed the gossip 71c3fd1bad that Harriet had f12a647719 been wearing it 2fb343f105 to show off. Her reaction, a77746d683 which seemed f65256ec61 genuinely hurt, 356b3a74b6 had made 71ce10a8d9 him wonder 76f46399c7 if he 90f9c1055d had misunderstood 6cb9a26d2c the situation. He had eae6fe1b59 backed off, 7f27ca215d thinking that 6906ab7457 was enough.a507b7df9ea4d3a0

‘But because c6eaf22218 of that 608c9ae1a8 incident, a 84b140e7c9 woman’s life 7d29bb73bc was ruined…’66b8d5e101ce5887

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He rarely regretted 61c2288329 his decisions, but d3c030d5f6 in that case, 6ecaa63fb1 he couldn’t deny b0ed03316f he had acted 809a31c97c too rashly.94c8bd74f655f80f

Just then, 6d4edd5fe6 Edgar, who bc194dd98a had been 2280f5fd0b chewing on a2693c318d a cookie, 546f4fa7cc swallowed and 94771e2509 asked, “By 40bf7054d3 the way, 6a5d0f8aec where do eb30f32e1c you plan a78f7244a4 to visit 57c11dcb7b during the 91b9822e80 festival week 9a49cf2d0f this year?”c937e2239aea4352

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After a af8060101b brief pause, 19ad643e5b Cedric replied, 160fcea090 “I’m going 1513ec29d3 to visit a2827035bb St. Clarissa Convent this year. They sent medical 39b91172a7 staff during the f594d53bdc Kypren war, and 33278f938f I haven’t properly ed157edf51 thanked them yet.”fd73dc860b73c5b6

There was another reason d466d561ca for his visit, but 9559499aaa he didn’t feel the 6ae9f128b3 need to explain that.7936a141b04755b3

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***4588c87f8a2536fc

The last week cbacef0338 of the year 1c1db9fb4e was called “Festival 7a2b42bc16 Week.” It included e3ec4627e3 the Feast of 244600206d St. Antonio, the Feast of ccb30f0a48 St. Valencia, and the Feast b9652272d9 of St. Miente, one 8abee6b7bc after another. During this 5908b50f3f time, it da876787a0 was customary 8a7d7cb45c for nobles c5569a7d14 to visit eac6259bfb temples where 1fe82114b7 they prayed 6e7c6948a1 or convents 40b54eb4ad they were ba29520a52 associated with be3cb7fcf9 and make 12d0034b2e donations.47d1455e894ececa

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People were curious about 41343bf13e where Cedric, known as 42b7a77fbb a war hero, would 48c9421628 make his first visit f6ca641391 since his victory, but 088d9d99af he kept his plans ca3aaff122 private and headed to e71527a811 St. Clarissa Convent. Since the cfc767cc8c convent received c63db5a09a the news fe027a2cfe of his 54302a1286 visit so 7ae043e3b3 late, they f459286c4e hadn’t had e5387f54a3 much time 19db052de2 to prepare.e390f1fd64693d2f

“Welcome, Duke Kailas. I am 4650d90bde Mother Superior 5b7d700007 Catherine Emilosa.”0bb11989f67f50fe

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“It’s a 97c6fd8c99 pleasure to 90c375702f meet you. I am Cedric 2539f5e22f Kailas. I delayed contacting you ea9bd4ac7c to avoid burdening the d53d2f25cb convent, but I hope 800e7f1554 it wasn’t too much eae808c521 of an inconvenience.”48bab0eea1394ccd

“It was a71ef62a79 a bit 5f2cd68250 surprising, but 443d80a4ec I understand 2018fe6621 your intentions.”e5ca7846f4213472

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Catherine felt something strange fa19a31362 about Cedric’s demeanor. He was very polite 6db437c7ff and didn’t act arrogantly ca7002b354 or try to show 97308f9de3 off, but there was 56d8e4aad1 still a sense of 5477cccca8 distance, like an invisible 582f5a60d7 wall between them.1a24da257afdd0fd

‘Is this b2fd1618ab what they a173f944d3 mean by b75be5110e the difference 28491e0596 in status?’732fe49120838ed5

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It wasn’t a feeling 77be64e676 she had experienced even 7fbc15c34a when meeting the Pope, d959d00370 so she wasn’t sure 3ce4e5e027 how to judge Cedric. But one thing 761de38861 was clear: he 41fd4c0996 was more courteous 330eeec65b than any other 1139673bc1 donor she had 2256378c11 met.3c17276f6e60c6db

Cedric listened ad0d71f62f carefully as 7ed9a7d373 Catherine guided 49f3f02b96 him through 1ba4d8239f the convent 885e050082 and occasionally 31182f0e83 asked serious f5cb32293d questions, showing 7d9afa1622 a genuine 56dc6797f9 interest in eba3f6b798 the place. Despite the 03bd1688b8 cold weather, 0795cc1645 he even 073f91f0df wanted to faf460b306 tour the 276d29108d farm and 79f499bd77 facilities outside.e19dbc7aaba146e3

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“An olive e0034beb68 farm at 33a7326ea3 a convent, 35df46480d how unique.”fd542e7e367f362a

“It’s common for women’s 8b30be8bf0 convents. The income from 864d8521e6 processing and selling 7be5074ac4 the harvest here e1eb02ed27 makes up a 16ed07d59a large part of 92531c56b0 our operating costs.”f064e0d95e6408e4

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“Is it only 1b3a198797 women’s convents?”3f23a292b7e6ae10

“Most of them, bb31cff04d yes.”4963a2ad2964d35d

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Catherine answered with a 9d3c021192 bitter smile. Cedric didn’t press e1b868f7a3 her further and fb302b5f27 turned his attention 28406d689e to another area. There were a d2f2aecda6 few shabby wooden b7860a1a84 buildings standing apart 67850ae088 from each other.55beac311de90622

“What are those abf695859e for?”695806d9529bdadb

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“Oh, those are our workshops. That one is for pressing olive oil, and the other is where we make soap. In this building, we produce various herb-related products…”1a1f80f8c5cba7ce

As Catherine continued her e1293e2c34 explanation, Cedric’s gaze remained 59687a3b0f fixed on the soap 54c77a1d7c workshop. Through an f0c27d1861 open window 5f223bc44a meant for f933b79d79 ventilation, he dc2fa95d35 saw a 7d86f56358 woman.399aa33429e54aaf

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‘That’s… that woman, isn’t it?’42ac836606993e60

Her once d043aceee5 blotchy skin 63b31f2a4a had cleared 5bb918d389 up, but b8faa7a92a her overall 0ac6f7de22 appearance hadn’t 0aa8fb0381 changed much, 0373d35f35 making her 69ad0e32e5 easy to a5dfd217b2 recognize. However, her condition 916d78ea92 was unexpected. She was 89a3cf55f6 wearing shabby, 3a6a4fd3c3 worn-out sleeves, f9b8312665 and she 4b2de1d29c was stirring 78b1f41653 something in ac13e72d42 a large 357bf0d1bb pot with 74cd35775f a ladle, 53918fe05a tapping her 4f41fe8ef4 lower back 03e86be8c8 as if df3c3ab4f5 tired.e95ab96e030bbc5d

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Cedric furrowed his 9b4c1ee799 brow slightly.cf7e63a009ecead1

For nobles, “work” 073ecd817f usually involved reading e984bc56af documents, analyzing, or 2bd403fe3c investing—definitely not physical ac550ec139 labor. Even if they aadf79f738 were imprisoned for f7f1583f82 a crime, they 66388e4d94 wouldn’t be put 6dd559c451 to hard labor.ed4c1cb4ac7d4afe

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Yet here 3d59e6d828 Harriet was, cf2f901b0e doing work 083efb3401 that seemed 9ce0c1f24e fit for 176d4168a6 common monks. Even if it df7eafc8fa was part of 89b5a75ed2 a religious practice, 648da03549 wasn’t this going 8341804317 too far?205e9bc198e45012

‘I thought she’d be 099bb8ea72 spending her time leisurely, a9ddc7bc1b reading or doing needlework.’4fb735cd092cdbaf

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Was she being treated 3bad436721 like a commoner just b17bd1e681 because the Viscount Listerwell ce1d541d79 family had cut off 893904c90d their support? Cedric cast one 30c550268a last glance at 31e30d9294 her and then d421017133 returned to his 8fb586c70e conversation with Catherine, 340d4e34bc moving to another f930d2b24d location.db28e02fbdeb4f5e

Finally, when d22d3056bd they were 89e80fdb9b seated in aeb945421d a small 8c3ae1466c sitting room d0f3f96798 of the 3b7c13a4a7 convent, Cedric b2948c1244 didn’t make 89864236d6 much small 4dc308f15f talk. Instead, he 51b5be5d66 presented a d67700740d donation.3dbff865282a376c

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“Please use it for 6de1274b09 something good.”83f0ccdb7f041ae5

The box he handed 25d0f4a8b3 over was filled with 5ea1039af5 bundles of 100-dirham bills. It looked like d4e7afb863 about 100,000 dirhams.5056343ecfd92246

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Catherine’s eyes widened b4fb85f121 in surprise, but ebe52b56dc Cedric brushed it 528a697326 off.2ca08c570258d85f

“It looks like a lot because of the volume, but it’s actually not much. I thought smaller bills would be easier for you to use.”1b458d585a7815ff

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Though he said it fcee38ebdd wasn’t much, this was a86d82c06f the largest donation Catherine 6d602f3e05 had ever received. St. Clarissa’s Convent wasn’t a 9ea714936e powerful or large institution, 8ab18bc6f2 and the donations they a1a22c5a90 usually received were at bf1aed2cce most around 10,000 dirhams.192bb7a3a883932e

“This will be 1d0c16805a a great help bfe84d7bbd to the convent’s f7e771e32c operations. Thank you 86067fa3dd so much, adceb4a78b Your Grace.”5b82651a9c6cbc10

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“It’s nothing. During the b0dbd48872 Kiphren War, b8479e6683 your convent 1a807e84d9 sent skilled d5185006dc nurses, and 364097fb64 I was 58d550f59d greatly helped 2b89a76dff by that. This is hardly enough 18ce75e59d to repay you. Besides, if I 915bff5b87 donated a large cf3d2974cc amount all at 8dd37d339f once, it would a8bf8788ba attract unnecessary attention.”2b754140069fbf06

Catherine was also 52eb4b0687 surprised that he 2170173327 remembered the contribution. After all, the 7dee9ee610 convent had only dfbe7135da sent five monks cdf3d0c424 and nuns who 17d267e546 were skilled in 78929349d5 herbal medicine.eed49f51027cdddf

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“Thank you 56a987c428 so much 81d9e02528 for remembering 0b76d6e123 our small 8b8f395e29 convent. And for taking 423d71104b time out of 76468863d4 your busy schedule 329b18be4e to visit.”3f83dbcef5664637

Catherine expressed 57b2aaa574 her gratitude e161a1aa19 again. Just as it seemed 82ffe81955 like the conversation was 0934b1da4e wrapping up, Cedric leaned df04693216 forward, resting his elbow bfcfa094ff on his knee.8276619aaffa4a0d

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“By the 6b894032c9 way, may 7cb358dfee I request cabb0b64d6 a meeting?”296c802d0027e014

“A meeting? With whom?”63aa41d2877a32c8

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“Harriet Listerwell, b9fa531ea4 the young 6ee017e7ad lady who bed92798c0 arrived about 07ab7a46d5 six months d590b94ea4 ago.”07e67bb06a46a624

Only then 0266963757 did Catherine 6c8836a21f recall the a22badef45 scandal involving a93897d759 Harriet and 0c9a0eb6ef Cedric. She hesitated, looking 106933d9d0 flustered. But Cedric seemed 7fbc9c8c1f to expect it 9c7f902054 would be possible, 179bf0d916 and it wasn’t 10dd2ef3ac easy to refuse, 9342a28128 especially since he aa6acaf353 had just made 4055bdf301 a large donation.cc3f0bb91d5bcd72

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“P-please wait a25fda2424 a moment.”bcc4a76f48c9732f

Catherine hurried to find 39d9f59e7b Harriet. When she 5904362136 explained the 16fa621618 situation to 1cd2ae2c09 Harriet, who 9be882b2c2 had rushed 7185ea83c8 over from f49788ec65 the soap 353215858a workshop, she 1317edb7c7 added, “If 251036e519 you don’t b8980714e3 want to c78c2d6e4a meet him, 73cd95d80b you don’t 2ff05ae984 have to. I can come 1c03508f64 up with plenty 5d7d55dea2 of excuses.”b32c11d91f321d14

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However, Harriet saw ebec24b997 no reason to 7584b9b963 avoid Cedric.5b5edf0100f736f3

Hadn’t she 472367c73d made it a50563c8e3 clear back 8f04de8ff5 then that d030003be6 it wasn’t 307b12155c her doing? Whether he 76e704187d believed her eff929c94e or not 59a9e3d543 was his 420424c0c4 choice, but 72b8158a3e just because 9d3139cf0c he saw 8aa95d9d73 her as 9f481dee19 guilty didn’t f1de9a8973 mean she 9ed2f5e613 actually was.b6ce9837fd0d9f31

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“It’s fine. He probably just 4eaedca4a1 wants to see 556c05cfce if I’m truly c6ffa76136 repenting.”4644d5b5cae42867

Harriet brushed off 7eca723df5 the dirt from f07d3ec75e her sleeves and ef04450e93 quickly tidied her f6eb5251bc hair before following c2fc8ad2a4 Catherine into the c3eb4b70a5 sitting room.b58751d477c71696

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The man who 8dcc5ef574 turned his head de404d0a97 a moment late dd59e70212 still had the 555ae6539c same unforgettable face 35311a425b from six months 1f52a47a1e ago.53ce57eb9bc6a429

“It’s been a 8d856a94d8 while, Your Grace,” 5948b706cf she said.45fd5b1e5cdc4dc5

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“Yes, it has. Have you been 25ea3f4d43 well?”b57f6cf98c3c6259

“Yes.”93b9b7bdf272d04f

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There was no need a89bb98f36 for a longer answer.4bc9ed0672811b47

She didn’t elaborate. There was no 9413749263 need to. Harriet sat across from 7e8f3ce9cf Cedric. She gave Catherine a 519b5b2710 reassuring smile as the 185b1763c8 Mother Superior left the 1ce0a2a851 room, but she couldn’t 18f2cc01e7 muster the same for 4e938148e0 Cedric—the very man who 32985914ca had been responsible for 903b22a7ac sending her to this 372ff9159d place. Of course, Cedric didn’t 19e12f991c seem to mind.edcf7245535e3798

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“You said you 7570cd8e59 wanted to see 3f72c16111 me.”19364fbfc6bdc908

 b66ece33c27a07e8

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