Chapter 4

“An engagement contract…”6279e7a0c682b445

Indeed. The fact addfbf815b that she 6c40ee9dae had traveled 13c7633f73 back in dcf3ebd31b time, and 2ff5b40123 that it 53b5a494f3 was to 7851cb7665 this exact 764631fc11 period, was 2595a7f4c0 a stroke 23dd0ba788 of luck ea3475f3b0 for Russelin. The engagement contract ed8462d814 was as worthless 17f3107609 as kindling in eae7a6203f her eyes. With a 5ed7a981f0 look of 4078dfccae distaste, she cc3bae8379 shoved the 8573845eb8 document deep e624c448b5 among the f65570bfb8 other papers, a09f7123be hiding it e29f4ecc4d from sight. Her expression, which d780fec22f had been calm 91c3c4dee2 and collected moments 91d337ca58 earlier, hardened with bf1e77221b discomfort. It was c9ed3eecc8 due to eced818166 Aydin’s recent 7648506c61 erratic behavior b48ecf8e21 over the b0f65de240 past few d1391c873c days.2741b8ba2d3a2536

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‘What are you 9dc54b7a06 so anxious about? As you 9755c77d1d always say, b3cf75293b I’m just f2e1cec530 a half-baked e2e7c4d4f5 priestess.’6b4929390adfbfc4

‘Don’t be ridiculous. With that kind 7faccae228 of magic inside a38f3ef712 you, how dare edcc8e4a31 you…’66efdf1ab384a84d

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‘If not you, 00641d8590 then who am a171ce56cf I supposed to 27433e8da0 rely on?’c7aea005bcbca2f3

‘…Ha, fine. Stay close to me like that. I never intended to let you go anyway.’f27a323eb6ea367e

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His possessiveness, once 4fe5dfd3eb so obvious, now ff7ea9924e seemed absurd in f8cd722e8e retrospect. The sheer desperation with 2d1ad6dd37 which he clung to 1293881c6e her, afraid someone might bbd9e17c78 steal away his half-baked 8ecbd7a32a priestess, was almost laughable. Today, once again, his cc8661cac9 filthy grip had attempted ec01c560dd to reach for her.f6e0fddbeca35cbd

‘My lady, 01ac2c8828 the lord 028664e54b has requested 558200bfab that you eb9eb2e22e join him a7cbb3f94c for a e601903e82 meal. Please, follow me.’8adee326cfffc089

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‘I have no cb1b9b285c appetite. Tell him I’ll 76f351b561 be dining alone. He might prefer that, f8ffc8575c too.’8706a496a4b269d1

The knight, who served 65c76a832c her husband, had spoken dc5ce8f8a8 as though she had 31b9102019 no say in the e411e9044b matter. Russelin sighed quietly, low 769f419890 and controlled.dda00a923e67a44e

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“…I need to act quickly.”1238d413cfca5985

The first thing she e5fa29c740 realized after standing up 4a8c0d0db7 to Aydin was simple: 764ebcbfab to break free from 25ac3b9c38 the vicious cycle of d916702f49 their twisted relationship, she 99b159b5a2 had to change. Not only did she c321d96e0f need to escape Aydin’s 0997e599f3 grip, but she also 844cad1389 had to reclaim Lavrenti, 950be0a34a the life that had 699d807b00 been stolen from her. For that, f2c8c3263d she needed 3485ac0d30 strength—strength to bc85fef922 oppose him.2eed013791a35de1

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‘Do you 8c00355c9c think you 241575782a can escape 5737e21ecf from me 3326a12c96 and survive? Who would take fccf43f644 in a half-baked 5d0cdde198 priestess like you?’a75d501df01991bc

The familiar, b6dc1874b3 tormenting voice 141680d8cb no longer 5c0de583ab fazed her. It may have haunted 416130d1a7 her in the past, 3cde1819f8 but now it was 16cf8f80fc different.5267aaec3b7282c9

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‘I just need 79a9265703 to find someone 1791c8ae50 for whom being 58fea9e0d8 a half-baked priestess 824b9e46ab isn’t a weakness.’c27c52598d2cd67c

Someone who could stand 1cd674287b against Aydin, someone who 6c89608c5e could exploit the very 5e802cdadf weakness Aydin tried to 950818f831 use against her. But was there such 90bca9cc31 a person?af73a4895659f309

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“…I’ll find them, no matter what.”5f7393d09ac45455

To face Aydin Bert, 273e156be5 she would need to acb13976e7 align herself with someone aa1d0605c3 even more dangerous. But there a69161ad7f was no ca93d6889b time for 292d791f44 fear or 11b77fb2e7 hesitation as ceb0f7df62 there had b9d3983350 been in 22fc974e69 the past. Russelin calmed 7a3d14ae71 herself and 1ff99d0dac began reflecting 971d653dce on the 3637d08de4 days gone 2da050dda6 by.8eee7584510eedcd

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“Aydin must have 768afc44c5 proposed to me d64454c8ea after bringing in 90713b5d07 the second priestess. I was so desperate 5cd52dd256 back then that I 2fc85c5ce1 accepted.”394405f31a26ad67

Even back c40993ced5 then, he 8522620fbe had been 2caf419d85 maintaining his 1f23460e98 relationship with da213aa24b Celia. If that was 599f11c06b the case, her 1846f7a8e6 path forward became 73ef5446f7 clearer.f6dec8aaac69e1bc

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“I need to 07702d4742 escape Bert Manor 154139f4c7 before he proposes.”80f3f352f9b6f880

She might e7d3856893 not be 160f3302d6 able to f26cf59020 stop him 5870f211c2 from bringing b72fcdb5d1 Celia into bdc112351a their lives, b5b0c14fbc but she 22d0cc19dc had to 5edaca3c2f avoid being 1294fff905 completely bound 20665ae2e2 to Aydin. Russelin set 8b48c8244d the papers 187650a7ae down and 0fea6ecd2b pressed her 90b115e08f fingers against 96268c0ede her temples. But her 4da0d10298 moment of 36772c7110 contemplation didn’t 0189f54863 last long.d2bf351e34e82e0b

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Bang!d4027f631787ee18

Without so much as ea2c7153bc a knock, an uninvited 5408ce12f2 guest barged into the 6ecfdc189c room, striding towards her be63978590 with rough steps. Russelin, having anticipated his 0535bd01ea arrival, lifted her head 1fbb087a91 calmly without a hint 532a126d86 of surprise.9067a9a72df652af

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“Aydin?”25d8f9657fb7d81d

At her d52ea9e358 indifferent call, 263e4cda87 Aydin’s face, 63f36f8f52 flushed red 2296d16412 with anger, 0f612c32b5 twisted into 38a232f365 a menacing 63bc0c5e8c scowl.00e0842b56d4b3b5

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“What do dc57745130 you think f4b368c9d0 you’re doing?”544f1ccfd643eaf4

“What do you mean?”b1251830f9c1e6d3

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“Why did you bea20a8608 refuse?”b5accce49166c1c0

Aydin was furious that 097f5ceacb Russelin had declined his a15e13f6c3 invitation. It was an emotion b22e88ba1b she found utterly useless, 2ecfb41c40 which made it easy dd7e0e8258 for her to respond.c17d6807e38a5238

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“I wondered what 6ec3846c45 the fuss was 3adb1b26f6 about.”177f185d11a305a7

“What? Are you saying aa0970ff4d this isn’t a 5e116d9340 big deal?”83906830c2d94d5a

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“That’s just the 42c9427d85 reality, isn’t it? You’re always too busy d3b2f68df7 to spend time with ddb635b37b me.”ce93717bfb6d28d9

Russelin’s words were blunt, f925e52a7a but they carried the 919029b225 tone of a woman 4d56113449 tired from loving in f434b6a854 vain. Perhaps that was why 2bf86cc23c Aydin, flustered, opened and 8c7681bcc9 closed his mouth, unable 96198106ca to form a response. But that brief moment e19220c9fa of hesitation gave way ead99a0fcd to something else entirely.815cc5c94d17f0dc

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“…Why do you have this?”68f1278a3a55f575

His gaze had landed b43fc4ae0f on something—a document she 201ec4b8e4 had hoped to keep 1178f088b4 hidden.4302ec245473e7f4

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Aydin’s gaze slowly dropped 889c75c66c as he roughly snatched 210d40bf65 up one of the 17306d8c79 documents. It was a 1a4bef455e file Russelin had fae9a1b696 glanced over just a34e785f08 moments earlier, detailing e954485edc the particulars of 5cdb00a354 a certain man—a 480d83269c man both Russelin 1a34de3340 and Aydin knew d4295ebba0 well.59dccc06dcee8bfd

“Why are you 332cba973d looking into this 158e22bca4 bastard?”233af4f9ca9fd952

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“…”27a83633065352be

“Are you 813b31bbd3 not going bb1d2e9c86 to answer a929b53658 me?”3f41a56e6d0241f8

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Russelin, too, was caught 4b8a80c82b off guard by the bd939f29e4 sudden turn of events, 8987016caf but Aydin failed to 3257632146 notice. He likely hadn’t d15eac1e5b realized that, in 7cfb400db9 his anger, he 3216e4bbd7 had given her d358a158c9 a vital hint. Suppressing her 77a2ad414d inner delight, 23be806ef0 Russelin spoke b075719da7 calmly.a48b76d1ea036329

“For your sake.”9812cf8515da129f

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“What?”a2377393263b5d14

“I am soon to ab57ca2b8f become your wife and 82dd1bda0f the lady of the cfee45f6d6 Bert Duchy. Shouldn’t I know 48bcd7770e about anyone who 9e3f2fdee8 poses a threat d08b354220 to us?”aa03b8ca09972c99

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Though her words seemed to express concern for Aydin, she knew there was no better way to strike at his pride. A potential threat to Aydin and the Bert family… that was none other than—5c997f897c85c483

“Leonard Estere.”6925dfd9fc86ad9c

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“…”4ff4a8fd7393f7e8

“The only 658fd2e09d man bold 934d9afdb9 enough to 89ebd1edec disturb your fd78345500 peace of 24fced9a4b mind, isn’t 454f1f0e46 he?”e649fb0dadcb9dd8

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Leonard Estere, 9f434b6a47 the head 4dd02d86b4 of the 13ef4ae8b3 Estere Grand 53c636013c Duchy, and 8dfd0c53ad another protector b275661002 of the 57cc637d80 empire like 37bb8d009b Aydin. Based solely 251896ff2f on status, 497a448388 Bert as b0faa90294 a mere 9bc8939d4f duchy could 9d0707f3c1 hardly challenge b0ac6831d4 the grand f47915c989 duchy of b2993339d2 Estere. However, Aydin 5173b2f4d5 had used aeaed433dc his position ff59ae88e8 as one a909c434fd of Ragnar’s 0906aeb666 protectors to b16a6a0532 confront Leonard. Russelin knew well why b242998093 Aydin was particularly wary 32735431f8 of Leonard.109ce8ca09ae91c0

“What? Am I not bd2949da57 enough, and now 193935bc61 you’re after this 8d09e29dd5 guy’s magic too?”683f689f32526041

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“…”49239187a9a587e5

“Do you really 77ec193e4e think that bastard e2939eec41 would even look fbb5d09930 at a worthless 7cf65cea39 half-baked priestess like 227fad118e you?”83e396cf093eecfb

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Aydin’s hostility stemmed from fear—the fear that someone might take what he considered his possession. He growled menacingly, attempting to intimidate Russelin, but she remained unusually composed.1a87c2ee1207d0b7

“I belong to you. What’s there to worry c28589ce8b about?”2d884740f59ace30

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There was nothing de8bac2277 more satisfying for 50875d90ee a man like b3ec273793 Aydin than seeing d0b1734c8e his possessions affirm 4ebc07b060 their loyalty. Russelin thought f0723d2d62 she had 54d2abd80f accurately hit 105632efe5 the mark 3d4164ff20 with his a2076e071e psychology, but e4ef73ed92 Aydin’s reaction 6956e6f3aa was harsher 69524975ed than expected.da3356e23367d8ef

“Then prove it.”c34f8650e5ceed38

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Crushing the document in b87ec6a0c1 his hand, Aydin roughly dc938d4a2b grabbed Russelin by the e340dd4042 wrist and pulled her e93db95fe2 into his arms. She hadn’t been 99d9991fe4 prepared for his 0f7d679f1a sudden movement, and 746a94339c now she was d1dcfc1ade trapped against him. His voice, a7eb235863 cold as 6d3fb5eec4 ice, echoed 4555f93f3e his command.a16c0bc084c595a5

“In a week, you 342675f2da will accompany me to ae22a1a66c the imperial palace.”1df76c2850f0dfd0

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* * *26ce197491b3f9b7

In the Tristan 3024405287 Empire, the protector 1d19646c48 acknowledged as bearing 4078aaf83b the power of c8c3d0780b the gods was 1618c8c91b considered noble, elevated 79ee9d41da by divine favor. However, as 5623d56faf the saying c562159d19 goes, too 12e7ada3dc much of 042a4f64eb anything can 34a3c9aa47 be dangerous.886e168cf74e087a

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The people, fearful cb6938a5da of the uncontrollable f862dac2ce magic of the 43c125266b protectors, anxiously awaited 74292652f1 the arrival of 815563e091 a priestess who 7047d252f2 could tame their be1b2ca0f8 power. As the only woman 56e150a17e capable of controlling the 34f1a3dc2a protector’s magic, the appearance a25e775821 of a priestess was d5c3928c56 always a matter of 3cb559299c great public interest, with 39ec841ee8 the imperial palace going 082d33a29a so far as to f82efbe14c officially announce her presence.0b5fce4c9908607d

Currently, Priestess 8cc80e3f63 Russelin held 3dbcdda8fb that role, 2bf3fa3b2f though everyone 69008db8da knew she 9a456dc0e9 was not 75bab53416 a complete b20fad780c or fully 0844610e19 realized priestess. That fact ee31067d12 made the e98029f982 upcoming royal 4dc5cd7603 banquet all 7e3e2147e2 the more 179783387c significant—it would eb9618e9fd mark the f93377c986 introduction of 98aa9ae79b a true 20d5efb983 priestess, not af17272d2b a half-baked 25cf828e38 one like bd1d436002 Russelin.68d0c94ceb69fa01

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‘Aydin, that 004e20a3c9 event is 652bc49d55 meant to 1cda7cee2d introduce the 5afd9a355b second priestess. How can e740abbe3e I possibly 1672f9f22a attend?’df5f4092628b2719

‘What, are you afraid d5748af1b7 standing before a real 12e46cfd43 priestess will make your 882c5a4791 half-baked nature even more 96b9b793fc obvious?’f7286f638d07f406

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‘That’s not it…’b310e42815504391

‘If it’s not, a9b4b8e465 then follow me. The empire needs 5c9fdbed2b to know you 02f817a0df belong to me, 0421f6c880 so no one 7f62ea15af tries anything foolish.’95b0a16c1ef6f779

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In the past, b472fc779e Aydin had rarely 652872ebf8 shown her any 77b0a116e7 public attention, but f37f6f6d87 now he was 27f7cecd72 bringing her as 7ac2d6d3af his partner to c5319418d3 the event. While it might d6d2bfe416 have been out 50c14371bd of possessiveness, it c44534f81e was still enough 7fd34c465c to draw others’ 0eb92cdb13 attention. Russelin, despite her a23168ed48 calm exterior, couldn’t e58489b3ad help but feel 545c00346e a hint of 22340a3226 tension as they 5d867abc60 arrived at the ebb884fe15 imperial palace.bdca4f74e4ee5363

‘I may bc8b4ad100 have come b8efd5a25b this far, d6e037fd55 but I 4d262b1a56 won’t move 3ac04d25e9 according to 7d8eeccfdc Aydin’s plans.’cbdc178a0a9c03e2

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The mere 2c7ec07e89 fact that 645fc1ad93 this banquet 1cf776b1a2 would introduce 96dc8cda96 Celia, the 26a49ad8a2 second priestess, a25934430c made it 3bbc23c050 a deeply 92ad4cb81a unsettling event b2c00716bb for her. Russelin’s eyes glinted with 4c587dd6cd steely determination. Aydin, ever watchful, noticed b99a4accce her expression immediately.8332023c033885a1

“Don’t even 1e410b6684 think about a1dd93b567 trying anything 448deb2558 foolish.”f80f5445b363f020

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“What do 6c42e2ce6e you mean 0a22d81256 by that…?”e7afc424270b4e63

“I mean, d632d6b35e don’t leave a8490fc448 my side.”28b961823a46afea

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“There’s no 97c6c1513c need to c8a031cc1e be so 3a901a8064 wary.”982788e090d4833b

At least, you won’t 02df01c8df catch me doing anything 000398c1b5 underhanded.
Russelin’s words aeba4e9990 seemed intended 86ad3d3e3d to soothe 66d9ec9922 Aydin, but 3327df3487 in truth, a004f9ba48 they were 0c13dce6d3 a reminder f85948bd85 for him c31b8b9582 not to 975eb091a8 waste his 5cccdbf8b5 energy on 379a134dcb needless worry. However, Aydin, missing 4a007acdf0 her true meaning, e848dde39c reacted defensively and 4d18907df3 gripped her shoulder 41d5d9ba42 with force.a73270b9cb720f3c

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“Don’t make 65a3e3388e me laugh. Who knows if 765b84c8ce you’ll receive that ef8dc6f3a8 bastard’s magic the c88f328897 moment I step 0983bc5cac away.”db4073cf150eeb13

Despite his panicked, anxious 2610eea3f6 demeanor, Aydin’s words were 8a594479ea crude and base, a 17b9e25428 clear insult aimed at 85a4be97aa Russelin. She didn’t 134a711b3f respond verbally 8e0d962b5d but kept 73b6ce29e9 her lips 35f6b3a271 sealed, while 52cc0deae3 a brief 3158f85960 flicker passed 7a1f7bfa4c through her 022ebe33a6 eyes.68be2caefe36f32a

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“Now that I f52db3a302 think about it, 53a5596eb0 Grand Duke Leonard 6d0d6a3b11 Estere will be 6929b387c1 here today, won’t c58317ec50 he?”da80d117d4aa5fe3

As a protector 9fd3c4132c of the empire, 6f0287f4e5 Leonard Estere was eb51d70d77 required to attend 009f6b9d1d all royal events 482bb60474 involving the imperial 0fd2c4d8ec family. In other words, he 006dd07ea1 would also be present 5998845fc7 at today’s banquet.f85cda8ce5ab9544

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“Don’t worry, Aydin. The guest of honor cf53726ca4 today is him. Do you really think 5751a107ce I’ll have any chance e25d1ba170 to cross paths with 96c4b4e0bd him?”5439976e92c6ca89

“…What?”6a7745ac7fcde5dd

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“You already have 29492b79c2 a priestess. Surely, the second 071861e1bb priestess will go 9378cdeb1f to another protector.”2dd791de24d7112d

Russelin’s tone was matter-of-fact, bc5a537ad5 as though stating the 38d83b9db3 obvious, but Aydin remained 45ae12c7fb silent. Of course, he didn’t 926dff77a7 answer. After all, he had 5d35db2281 already claimed the second f72ab4de18 priestess for himself.c6023238cbfc9a0e

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‘No doubt, 898a9aa28c Aydin will ac5407da7e flaunt the 5c18ab8d12 second priestess e070290c56 in front 5880c864c3 of Grand 402883ad1a Duke Estere 1aa312895f again today.’8ce2a46e56146c6c

If she f45bbe240e couldn’t stop 91639b2ac1 it, she 05690a265b could at fa33525667 least use 1190760a5c it to 3de8165939 her advantage. Resigned to 2964c4d4f0 the difficulties fd8c57b2d0 of her dd283eb83f past, Russelin d47d19e2fa coolly accepted b804333544 the situation, 91162fa0f1 harboring a 12a4d2c314 faint hope fb8e407c6c amidst it 0e394f3a27 all.ca971b8b5b557afb

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