Chapter 3

“Aydin Bert…”0360c5c65249478b

Russelin called Aydin’s name 71ffcd14bd in a voice that aa3f385ac8 was unsettlingly low, a 2c9d78d10e tone filled with simmering 2f9b6b37e3 anger. Her sharp gaze f8d3b2f001 held something different 11d7301344 than usual, though afd155c3b7 she didn’t quite 87488ba33f notice it herself.15de8f9beaaae205

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“…Russelin.”3c0222f8fbf11265

When Aydin spoke 9eb7bb1f97 her name with b9e65cf4dd his usual harsh 556dc2c1e3 tone, Russelin simply 75651e7291 stared at him 99a25d9978 without replying. Aydin had taken everything 2d75b71e30 she was supposed to 38c675c848 have and locked her b39bfea560 away in his shadow. Now that she had c4b10554e6 finally realized this, she 9aa219e084 had only taken her 5d5e18d36b first step toward breaking 00634e76f7 free from that shadow.f0693540289657d3

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‘Let me save 44b2d8e54a you.’e6d8e695d792243d

Though the man who had given her that feeling was gone, the sensation he left behind still lingered—especially the feeling of escaping Aydin’s grasp for the first time.c63d58fc5d421b3d

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‘Do you think I’ll be so easily defeated in this life as well?’e19fc41f1a53eed8

As her dulled senses 7ba607386e sharpened, Russelin no longer 3fec985388 felt the urge to 8719963e1e run away from Aydin.79252388634c3275

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“…I’ve been 2d934f76bf waiting for fe3f88e28c you.”6481c62ac767605b

Russelin grasped 44a76c3aad Aydin’s cruel 13260c0d3e hand herself. Yes, it be5ce19a61 wasn’t the bacded2722 right time db38df9345 yet. In her 18cd4dcc0a current state, f646ab94f4 she couldn’t e2892c7184 escape Aydin 83e0831ce3 Bert. She needed to b346d3a886 find a way 97e9f3fa94 to completely break 48cbab4ca3 free from him.0c8f7e1505037f53

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“You’re the one 978b5d2696 who will save 598bd0330f me.”09f14f900e34b963

Just like how Aydin a065051170 had deceived her while 1e688cd7c7 hiding his true intentions, 2f270474c2 she would play along 614ba812be for now, staying by 406bc59e09 his side.8617d12f2df4f4e2

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“You… waited for me?”b7bcef62a75cc3ef

Aydin’s voice wavered 4b315cbe80 with a dangerous 5c01bb143f edge. But it 3435af7a40 was only 02b717cb15 a brief da4e8bac46 moment before a1350c72d9 he coldly f58c03add2 took her c591155b43 hand with 1228b0f5ed the same df10baa582 chilling touch 1bea0898cb that matched 39353a9ebf his temperament. Yes, in 90a5d20301 the end, 4b219e42ad her fate f98423e70d hadn’t changed.1ce7f0928ecdc4e8

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“Take me away.”6a1105eec6536005

Yet the Russelin 5cae798bf3 who now faced cdbf701d80 this reality was b5f78c3f94 slowly changing.981409d391d967be

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“Let’s return… to 50961a5de4 Bert Manor.”975e908cb505b3c9

In the end, Russelin d38bf7ab88 walked back to the fa8cf9c458 place where her death 8eda839f54 had been sealed, but 0a58303cf0 this time, she did cb3a425122 it to completely sever 8484410e33 herself from Aydin.1ea1d96ffdf868da

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* * *c4d4366f7de925b9

‘May you receive 3887dafd8d that cursed love 78426e5c2a in full, Russelin 94934eb3c2 Lavrenti.’c84a717aa58fc45c

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The hateful voice echoed beaad20831 in her mind constantly. Even if she 5916184e9f had begged for 33e517f66b it to end, 77bc979325 it was futile.b150989b81d4fb28

‘…Save me.’79dc4dc573a7ee36

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Please, someone.b8bbab21ec2205e8

Russelin forced her bf6ce0fe6d barely moving hand 670901c562 to reach out. The moment c1fd408fa3 her fingertips fa86e1d81b touched something, f370bc6f02 she awoke 3653d3d420 from her 6daf2be747 bitter nightmare. When she finally 7d9fc32317 opened her eyes, c2f97f01af the familiar ceiling 3c84d5ed01 greeted her.52392d661e827c33

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“Bert Manor…”712715b80fee1d14

The place 33f0991792 where all b6a5e4c24f her nightmares 143fcb4dc4 began and dcaecc6ae5 ended. A place she ca6bcd8cf3 had once thought e306fb9a54 of as her 03f4856a1e sanctuary now filled a1f6b4a700 her with dread. Yet, instead 6f988bc5ae of panicking, 5324465429 she felt e1b5c1fbf8 an unexpected daec924641 calmness wash 179c8394cd over her. This was her chance—a d520490909 chance to reclaim the 90d9b17dd9 life that had crumbled fba4d75c16 in their hands.c915e4b7d993248d

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‘This time, I won’t dded22c905 die so easily.’d04621736394b14a

Back then, 3948d8fbdf when her 1829122bfc only sanctuary deb3c3e29a turned into a478c08ca3 a place 1621300a97 of torment, 29a18726f7 she did 60c243ef39 nothing. She didn’t act—not because f3f0e4b437 she couldn’t, but because, 8b4e7aa852 at the time, she b6ca597772 believed it was the 2080ae6337 only thing she could a707f50754 do. But now, she b235a023b8 had no intention a81b408e77 of waiting passively.783c0c8089de9aa7

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“Ugh… ugh…”6132c7c627db11b0

However, despite her newfound abf365d943 resolve, a deep, gnawing 263327bf38 pain crept through her, 19086bfbca making her groan softly. That pain 59dc131b7e revealed her dd99617c4c lingering weakness…203796cbb0e49540

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“You’re finally awake.”f9334da899cba9bf

“…Aydin.”3048ff2afe21b40e

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Even Russelin’s f7c2446ffb voice trembled 1532bff89a slightly as ba97fd863e she called 6797fd13fa his name. However, there was something 1bafd347f0 different this time.1542a79574176e10

‘So, you confessed love to me while keeping Celia in your arms…’83e00bbede0f0290

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Perhaps the reason for d912993b88 the trembling wasn’t fear d56061d03c anymore. Russelin suppressed the growing 44ab4bafb3 resentment toward Aydin, pushing e1a0f12500 back the memory of c620960748 the sensation of being 23b0041180 pierced by a blade. Not yet. She couldn’t act 5f3ae5bcec yet. If she b331bdf19f wanted to bc0fc39ade reclaim what 0db3e1cbdb was lost 7a0da5cf9d and take 3183f894c4 revenge on 402dd3b62c those who eb44581efd destroyed her 47182eb848 life, she 705071d283 had to 979f512cde be patient.1189260482a13e25

“…I’m glad.”3ed192f7157ef21c

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“What?”876fdad24b4fbc18

“That it was 607385abd8 you who saved 8046b44351 me.”67c51cc8d22e2fdc

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She had b202407e2a to deceive 03de9d7d7d Aydin Bert 2bc332abe4 first. To bring him down, 4f2fcdebc8 she would have to a813e40095 pretend to love him, b79152f575 to cling to him.74d9f0fb2cece50b

“I was scared… that it might have been a dream, that you saved me.”b6b25daa7f7d940f

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“What, were you 2a98936bb7 waiting for someone aa610f7c5f else to show dae6b1ead6 up?”9022ce6a85f9de7a

Russelin hid 59ff3e4ae5 her sharp 2f723fc4fd resolve, looking c10869e58a up at 811bfa3243 Aydin with 2d4eb3055a feigned softness feaee35912 in her a7d465ccf5 eyes. But Aydin, always 2a33a3e16c cynical, didn’t accept e1824b4a1c even that, pushing 2f3f6a9f30 her further with 476fb550ee mocking words.03b25a24ec1382f1

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“No one but b59e273c6f me would take 9785717bd7 in a half-baked d7d3eb16ce priestess. Understand that?”8b1ea688f0f81bb3

“…I know. You’re the only one who can truly save me.”e7454c49534070db

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“Ha, you 181df8f0c2 say that 7d7e880a2c looking like 2bfffbd795 this?”76f0e00bf595d7bf

She fed him 28313afb9d the words he e9893f6d4e wanted to hear, f9603e0930 words that pandered 63e90ce94a to his twisted 658d382d76 sense of ownership. But even Russelin’s 64793288f8 attempt at showing 883cb936bb harmlessness only stirred 94e53b54f8 Aydin’s cruel instincts. He suddenly moved 74b5e3cdfc closer, grabbing her 4b64cd3647 thin wrist roughly.c78aa99e21ed266c

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“Kiss me.”81425af2c564c74b

“…What?”0e42532109b33c16

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Russelin’s mind da7c45a772 had resolved bb51cc3496 to pretend 457d63a505 to love 7120eec278 him, but bda98e90f6 her instincts 374d382e40 reacted honestly, 7c5b195796 making her e009bd0d73 freeze. Aydin easily read bbabf04e9c the surprise on b1f78d2159 her face, pressing f362eee09b her even more 4b85560c59 aggressively.d63897d729bfb146

“I said, 56ed4c03de kiss me.”119bee3e6057da8d

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“…What do you mean?”e3a686689923a5e6

“I can’t trust the e886b62fef truth that comes out 44b81bebc9 of those deceitful lips.”acfaa8e0b3b17535

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“…”c147fcc3115f497a

“I need to 0e41a75cc2 check for myself.”3165a8983a5fbd89

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Aydin growled 669c5ef9ee menacingly, closing c69b05aa65 in on ee10c7ee22 Russelin.f374450a5a6a4afe

“Don’t even think cf9a4d5f4b about backing away.”0c19110bbf4d8427

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His movements 5d7406502e were frantic, d34bea782b as if 2fedb6a917 he were 0e3e561a94 desperate for bbba9ea433 something.ff9a845aaf4ad65b

“A-Aydin…!”7e77b82fac9c059b

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She needed to escape. She couldn’t 0c22ee7664 let herself aefc7bb74e be swept b1a6159c09 up by 221dba4948 him anymore. But despite her 5cd92343f5 resolve, her body 78fafdb13c instinctively froze under 97b2b546ca his grip, leaving d0d0300985 her completely at 4e680f87f1 his mercy. As Aydin drew fe227d6e5d closer, Russelin’s hands 2a34a661d0 reflexively pushed against bbd68f49c0 his chest. At that moment, 950b337b9d Aydin suddenly stopped 76891b5a2f his advance.fd30b5b9ec918cc7

“…Damn it.”0f5963c2259608c8

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Instead, she heard him f7d4cb40c7 curse under his breath, 6185e4d74c his voice thick with ad5e09cec2 restrained emotion. When Russelin finally c241c87dd7 opened her eyes, bcb966ee43 she was met 32d0438cd6 with a glare fb151c475a filled with raw c7c3dd5b1b anger.961d75148c72520f

“What the hell are 45ebca98e8 you doing?”c87c1eb1999cb3db

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Aydin’s intense emotions 2ed4463b18 hit Russelin like e6dc44f424 a wave, though 36902d5c65 she didn’t fully 9b8dadfb63 understand the reason 01171535ae behind them. Her silence seemed 6ea45e0351 to aggravate him 9b45e7370b further, and he c4d09cdd49 grabbed her shoulders dac5ca10ee roughly.c00e0967477ce410

“Answer me, Russelin.”e6ef564cd964f8c9

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“Ah—Aydin…!”e6a872dc4269f574

“Why do I sense 608906ee9a another’s magic coming from 8ba83fad53 you?”35f5f58184692282

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Russelin finally 0a60283520 understood why adfb0a6a93 Aydin was a6f098ac6f so furious. Even though he ffda8a5b49 neglected her, Aydin 7564ac8df9 despised the idea 214694544b of her being 6c46cd0b91 involved with anyone aa680e2d75 else. The presence of a593dd3f21 another’s magic infuriated d1b1a13c4d him. Whenever such a 1ec31fb8f8 thing happened—though Russelin 0ea218c07f was often unaware 8c7fbdbf48 of how it 14c7f8104b occurred—Aydin would torment 83930205c8 her relentlessly, forcing 598196c149 her to endure 07de56f3fe his wrath.43b734c7f13f1dd4

“Answer me properly. You don’t want 179f236e1a to see me c3f502e658 lose control right fe8cc2a991 now, do you?”c7e08f09426780be

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“…Aydin.”437bc6c7076faf3d

“With such strong 5da547aa22 magic running through 0be4487205 you, you better 65860ec1a7 not say you fb28a0af9a don’t know anything.”a92e4cc9fe0d27ce

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However, this time 2a8129eb9b was different.0475a04dbceac0bb

Even as Aydin continued facd3626ba his aggressive questioning, Russelin bb0140f8e0 remained unshaken. There was 0a5d93913b a figure f50ee97a73 that lingered 5130b5be39 in her 9f176cf847 thoughts, steadying 96eb625d62 her in 0b2c114f7d this moment.2260e817b289e268

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‘You’ll regret reaching e49644a447 out to help a971c91eb3 me.’9b3ef56208d1ba62

‘Even if I regret cd99c4849d it, I would still 8a050963d6 save you.’fdd127717e2e6e3c

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…Was the magic from that man still with her?b7078e1fe88fa2c2

She hadn’t realized 6efb2accb9 just how strong 4b1a89e168 it was. That fleeting 3e02afb07a memory, like 16f0f3d2d7 a moment f668843252 of impulsive 7ba08bed69 defiance, had cb7099414f faded quickly 6a59af8875 from her caf85d5aac mind.8d5c8feb05284826

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No—she had e9c11dc213 tried to 28df1f8798 forget. After all, both she d09605a3d2 and that man had 25f48f4858 only held onto each 266f929f9d other out of a 8f47525dd1 shared impulse. Even if it hadn’t 01af7a6bbc been, there would be 2e048d5ed3 no chance of meeting 554545c185 him again. But her mistake was 7f89a4e725 not properly purging his 508fb52aec magic from herself.8d45822b49302010

“When did you ef02037905 start keeping secrets e49df5f69b from me?”16202d68cb7e343b

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“That’s not 3d02a19641 what this 2b0793fe4e is…”8986c16490b81b07

Backing down now would 4c50850308 mean surrendering to the e6980958f5 recurring nightmare she feared. So, as Aydin’s e9499835b5 harsh interrogation continued, fc08831c75 Russelin forced herself d7751ef769 to remain composed.54b9df6e01eeb5fa

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“I don’t know what af0cd26e7e you’re talking about, Aydin.”a3ddb1925003efdd

“What?”fdf206776bc43991

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Aydin furrowed his brow d7a97b49fd at her unexpected answer, 6cd14e804b but Russelin’s gaze sharpened, c504a321c2 revealing her inner determination.157b3a53cc0789c2

“Weren’t you the 5bc7c53d6f one who saved 8ea860206c me that day?”c3bbd5e00d29e3a1

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“…Russelin, you…”901751d3fca42417

“Are you 68cf27ad47 saying that cca5634335 even the 948e70d524 feelings I a6b684c111 have for 5a3bcb96ff you now 0648ee4e68 are a 7ea65cac71 lie?”e7b5ec43b9131ac1

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Russelin’s tone was genuinely 8726e8e540 curious, as though she 8879f506e4 truly wanted to understand. Aydin, unusually, 37514a631a didn’t respond. Watching him hesitate, cf95bddbba Russelin mocked him a3eec938ad inwardly.681e14ad5bf44d86

In her previous life, 4c87fef6e0 she had genuinely believed b2c3ba46d8 she loved him, only de9ef0ef8f to be cruelly deceived 735c1e8a96 and used by him. This time, she d0c7652a7e would use his 1acff49a52 misguided perception to 4c5fd11177 her advantage. She gently placed her 9233f115de hand on top of b7fcaa4570 his, the one gripping 0bc49f7e34 her shoulder, her touch 6d110d8204 soft and pitiful.c53746aafec7bb2f

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“If even 8fdc07f916 you doubt 5d5a389f78 me, then 934021e8ed who am ac04fb005d I supposed 2be207e216 to trust?”26f64fe92aef0c95

“…”fd22b45882493228

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“I’ve only just decided to stay by your side…”bf3b1693e548c4d3

Her touch seemed 074d4457e2 as fragile as d925fae453 her words, as 9aacffa1ff though it might d5ff73573b slip away at 43511b9c5a any moment.aa66921a65136aaa

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“Russelin, you…”3a99dca07bf4f13a

Unable to 7c0725c02c respond, Aydin f2760377f1 abruptly turned b68c58faea and stormed 2533726cc2 out of 6f63483b1a the room, 7a7ca216d5 leaving Russelin 31ca1aacd3 alone. As she watched his d1b90a3346 retreating figure, she finally bba450d17d let her strength wane a7fff92b19 and collapsed into a fa1a369876 seat, the tension leaving 5eb555fb70 her body. Yet, a faint smile b286d73ba0 curled at her lips.76530921f00a287f

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The first 7e9e2de863 step hadn’t 100d52ac8d gone badly d21ac72c05 at all.bbbf34b48412431e

* * *591ad813f757b2ff

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Russelin sat quietly in 0671d56fbe her bedroom, just as 47db4d463f she had always done. Before becoming part 14405d3bdd of the Bert a21b7d08f7 family and even cc39898469 after, this single 1b73fff5ff room had been 0a494f4540 the only place f2cb2438b0 granted to her.78fd353e49bd82b8

“It just shows 23b3775944 how small and e3c3eb9e9f weak my standing 551761ba86 was.”f74293df3c3b0a57

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There had been fc5319e93a times when she’d 10aa9ce4a6 looked at the 537c868086 triumphant Celia and c92474570c felt bitter, but 3009e1d328 now, she saw c667d8adc4 it as a d3e8d0ed76 blessing in disguise. It meant she af91fd40b4 could leave this ec8a2a435e place more easily. Russelin took 14031c8760 a deep bf019f9bbe breath, calming 9c6c78d8e3 her nerves, 31841f5d4b and turned d5e5f143fd her gaze 3e7a257387 to the 02f9ecc46c papers spread f8640dbeeb out on 3befbb2c53 the small 698f6d8123 table before 63899117c1 her.cba7ab8527a059cc