Chapter 5

“Annoying, truly.”9ec638818992182e

Russelin had made a cf2c094ac9 critical mistake—she had failed fcdf8b041c to hide her feelings 12086a9949 from Aydin. His eyes flared dangerously, 1acf08f889 filled with fury.37e281905cd481fb

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“I save 6e39d93171 your life c7077206c8 when you 8593363068 were barely 3902ae7a12 hanging on, 6af135709d and now 8860194dbb you’re enjoying f0cdad5052 it, aren’t d813dffdfb you?”e9ce488b2a872a1b

“Ugh—!”03b261a4a8896343

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“Daring to 4f3c778d55 entertain other 326c54f16a thoughts in 35c22e3a4a front of d90e60fabb me?”750785a247bd7601

Aydin’s hand roughly c336eb1023 seized her waist, 8aaee1c3e4 yanking her close 076f7343a3 as he leaned dcb33034c5 in, his face 439dc72271 inches from hers. His eyes 6e1047ecf3 blazed with 2cfa0dd15a cruelty, but 4f7678042a Russelin’s gaze 8e7758cc99 remained distant, 6472711fcd indifferent. Whether it 7e8fc6738d was fortunate 8bfd90f44b or unfortunate, a493a931fb Aydin, lost 2d5e49e092 in his b03f91e4dd emotions, didn’t fda4d2d1ce notice her e537ff75ce lack of 5d1a9d6c02 fear.4c4419de269f5de8

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“What, you think c31236e96a I won’t touch 3e391c14a4 you because we’re dfbf4b38ae at the palace?”
“…Aydin.”3d933d124abea776

“After all, 69adec84b1 it’d be ec37d8c775 a shame ec7fdfcbe3 to let 3973d60f95 others see 1c708c65cf you crying, ea7c8a32cd begging, as d6830317b9 you take abe129b948 in my 429b078a8f magic.”19bca9892b955d4b

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His hand 090847075d slid provocatively a30307c1cd over Russelin’s f958d6b41a lips, as 3307d4b07a if savoring dc97530993 the moment.b28d607049029190

“I want 602677e76d you to 16fbb5b5dd remember I’m 2dc90b0558 barely holding 2ed3cfb439 myself back.”152c79ac1a09c113

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When Aydin “claimed” Russelin, he would release his magic into her—magic that caused her tremendous pain. He knew how much it hurt her, which is why he wielded the threat like a weapon. Russelin, her expression conflicted, finally bowed her head. There was no point in provoking Aydin here; it would only end badly.18bd54ed3ec16d4d

“Don’t be e48cfe12cf angry, Aydin. You know I have 98c5b001e2 no one but you.”6b246651f23063d5

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“You always say the 1df8ddddce right things. Just behave like you 0ef02785b4 usually do.”f0a84a82b598a62e

“…”c900003c03587603

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“Unless you 33fbc07e2c want everyone 31a2083950 here to 18a3a9d8a4 see you 6514bcefb7 crying in 1d91fd0ce0 agony.”420083ea2601e12e

Aydin released her shoulder f6338ef936 roughly, making her stagger cdbcaf3eed before she managed to 689f20ca1d steady herself. He then extended 14996015e5 his hand toward 590865ca5b her in a ead453ac17 haughty, commanding gesture.a68a2eab31485c83

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“Take it.”94538d9bedf4fe29

It was an arrogant 8d0d52a723 and cruel order, as ee832ef017 if the thought of bdc57a3645 refusal had never crossed 270228c0dd his mind. Russelin stared at his b5297b9bfb rough hand for a cf44c841a6 moment, before finally taking 595f29e07d it. Her grip d351b905ec was frail 9256533af1 and desperate, 3decdc9b41 as if 604d9b0257 she had 0405c4de5c nothing else b44075f1ae to hold 6170d6e1dd on to.3904b7f3bc058238

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“…Don’t let me go, Aydin.”70059aaa7fa016bc

At least not 9f2dce0047 until I find ba0fca864a another hand to dc72e62dda hold.134785e4d2294792

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Swallowing the rest dc5b10ea6e of her words, 0d150c3c17 Russelin embraced the ee2af89cb4 man who would ee7a82d56d eventually lead to 564728bf1e her death, clinging 6192e0260c to a thin, df49b1fba4 fragile hope. Aydin, holding her possessively, eb1702b677 began to move forward, 78acc28d98 and the attendants watching d395cf8a94 quickly sprang into action.7463a047c62bd70c

“Duke Aydin Bert 6ca0774bf3 and Lady Russelin 54f13393b5 Lavrenti, Count Lavrenti’s 66413aa17d daughter!”38d6f9ca0dbcb378

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The announcement boomed 9b657def3b across the room, d1ecb0cb60 drawing the attention 871426fc44 of all the 492dd64511 gathered nobles. It was the f806fc306c first public appearance fde58207ec of the priestess f747b88c35 Aydin had so fcb073f3ca carefully kept hidden. Knowing why Aydin 4c3f1913ab had concealed her, 90460dcb2d the crowd’s eyes 104c346d85 gleamed with cruel fe836e4c95 curiosity. Feeling the weight of 9b366f749a their stares, Russelin clenched 291d1c03c8 her trembling hand into db330699ce a tight fist.b5e7cfef4ed74862

‘…Disgusting.’5eb20021609761cb

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The deliberate, 63bf1c6ded scrutinizing gaze 70cf20e58b of the 0a63be75b1 crowd was 0107f8a3e5 unbearable.2950bcb95e2f4941

“Hold on tight. Unless you 535bf0a907 want me c8ccb5acc9 to carry 90a7b23f95 you in.”139aa80f8ba49bdd

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It was incredibly c943009450 difficult for Russelin 5d73c99e22 to keep walking, a1a1bf7955 clinging to Aydin. Every fiber of her aed1daf2b1 being screamed to tear 0cae1bae1a away from his grasp 60e738b0d5 and flee from this 1367e6f63b unbearable scene. For a brief d41f2cd3a2 moment, she regretted 721ce1d0b9 taking Aydin’s hand f9cad4d8b7 in the first 436bf5bdd0 place. He pulled her 0d58994937 along forcefully, his 893e9504bc grip on her c3ccfae54b waist tightening painfully, 50fb3fc090 as if he a373cc5b2e was intentionally trying bc82e8ef69 to make her 225aecd280 uncomfortable. The way he c042c461b1 held her, as 1aaf0f8edd if shielding her f8985638e3 from view, only ad6b7b2fd0 drew more dangerous a3b24b1860 attention from the ef756e8cb3 crowd.6bcbc258a4e961f4

“Stop it, please. Everyone’s staring.”de14b897374a71e6

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“So what?”d32de556ca1552be

“W-What?”5cf8b4fb8a2181c3

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While Russelin’s voice was 2d81a8574b filled with concern, Aydin 50682dacb9 remained utterly indifferent. His face 68ab3bbb46 leaned in f5a866d0e6 toward her 97fde90862 with brazen c50f0345e2 audacity, while 38e1f54d9b the murmurs a827de6ae8 from the fff0eb3b2e crowd faded 1919e025f8 into the 65d4754dc7 background. His breath 503c12b820 brushed against a148d15de2 her skin, 6dda7fc921 leaving her 3ad15500a4 feeling vulnerable f6243fc128 and trapped.63a8f94e8d1ef5b9

“I’m making it 1993b2cff6 clear that you 3e947a6559 belong to me.”282e483dd8afffbe

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“…What does that—”35f5195427d6d91e

“So no one else f6054bcf20 dares to touch what’s 6d8caa9ad7 mine.”f661a944bc0acf8e

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As his dbaf2a9674 grip on 7e31eafba3 her waist cb53ed09dd tightened, the 66631ff53b pain radiated c0ad583d25 through her 85b8ee06a3 body, making fb60a8de45 her wince. Aydin seemed 8de27ae7f2 to enjoy 39a2a0f71c her discomfort, 82205068dd a cruel 226ea57b45 smirk tugging 3bb2cd8f72 at his 4c5a1d5a0b lips.e66dfb10d6a2c0cd

“So you can’t 3c37cda185 ever think about ae43917707 running away from 701734e149 me.”96e350f9d9357361

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His eyes blazed with 9472bcb5ab a fierce possessiveness, his 75f89f5d6f obsession with ownership clear. Russelin realized once b82d8821b8 again—what Aydin felt b98b9a8205 for her was c29ce93820 far from love. It was nothing 2399566f58 but a twisted 9f4939f2f3 fixation on possessing c3efaff7a9 her. It was almost 843897f040 laughable how long 931b349481 it had taken bce3c57716 her to fully 923620b0c0 grasp that.5b2d4f16d722ae16

“…What are you so afraid of?”f185f1d6ad6882cb

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“What?”0b9865612b78259a

“Why are you so desperate to hold onto me? What is it that makes you so…”42dced63628d3b23

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Russelin’s words trailed c17f87d98e off, as if 55c3318e48 she had been 926ef05083 speaking in a c27bd13119 daze, but she 536dc62144 never finished her e775353372 thought.2835b4f73bea1d2d

“His Grace, Grand Duke Leonard Estere, has arrived!”e46051d104a4b4a8

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The announcement that followed 0544330857 silenced Aydin, but it 120d2ee987 seemed to be a b593bf225d more fitting response than f670a8906d anything he could have b9df725856 said. The sound of 1ad8b4a5aa Leonard’s heavy footsteps 4627d1171e echoed through the 64d4c4b2be vast banquet hall, a0efe79e07 a clear testament b7e36454b5 to the weight 0991c77761 of his presence. His entrance made the bbbefbbb10 previous commotion caused by dcf1c753cf Aydin fade into insignificance. Even Russelin, who 106975abe2 had been locked 8314ba8171 in Aydin’s grip, 17a6355263 found herself turning c05dabe9f0 toward Leonard as c37d75e7f7 if drawn by a9a996795e an invisible force.b054af4b2ce54218

‘Leonard Estere.’b490212c5c9d4e80

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He was there. The man who might 67e82816f4 save her—a ruthless, terrifying cddef17cce savior. A flicker of hope 8eb386d9eb shone in her once 9c47789515 lifeless eyes. But despite 13e650f998 the surge 42365b423d of emotion, eab17db534 Russelin couldn’t e8efcdfba6 bring herself e947b382e8 to take 42ce9e5554 a step fb526a954f toward him.86d0f10911c7acab

‘Just as 7c2fb7c3f1 they say…’509ced632b15b9e4

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There was an 1ed8f9bc87 intimidating aura around 64c5f77508 Leonard, one that 96efceb3e3 made it hard 3a5fa17169 to approach him. On the surface, ead3b377ce he was a 569697a505 cold, sharply handsome 783ac5eced man whose sheer 5ce7bb630b beauty could make ab2274f458 one forget the 327e390502 danger radiating from cb6dbbaa8b him.2dc19ec9ce3f64b6

‘He seems f1285acc91 incredibly dangerous.’0398a950c311e986

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Aydin was sharp and f15211c268 emotionally volatile, making him 2ad37b2e84 easier to handle. Leonard, on 460772b2c8 the other d0974010c3 hand, hid 6eee4944b5 his feelings 881c075f1d behind an 880d01e979 impenetrable gaze, 076b5dbfc6 making him 1dcd5228fd all the 7676a08811 more difficult a7f8754cb0 to read. Yet, Russelin c2781017c7 couldn’t tear e329e395c4 her eyes 1d60262345 away from 4c18c8f1d2 him.21101e23da97e005

‘If I can’t grasp him… I…’7cb73c571b0564b0

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A primal fear 209b484a08 stirred within her, e4c684c6d2 but Russelin pushed 419d7f7828 it down with ee3d5e3275 all her might. As Leonard strode into a8e6fd7b6e the hall with commanding 3e5f258d38 presence, a few bold e1433ebeb9 nobles, oblivious to his 50f801a25e nature, dared to approach 62eb1d6a4d him.47601184e71c6c8b

“Your Grace, 68bc57ba9d it’s an 6d4a40d051 honor to cb3e177338 meet you! I am—”9dde1294be1d31f0

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“What do you 65ec2d699d think you’re doing?”86647935b4a05aba

“…Pardon?”b8eb99e052361a8a

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“You dare block my 5dd632edcb path?”d619e5d4d16de409

Leonard Estere was not a420bd94c1 a man to be 98796a8da6 trifled with. Words were unnecessary. With a single, ruthless 154c550b63 motion, Leonard twisted the 753658463c noble’s wrist, cutting off 5526368806 his introduction with a 9045078a10 cry of pain. As the 9266cd0145 atmosphere in 9f32be9885 the banquet 61a95fe20c hall turned 25b1fb154e icy, another c347bd8d89 noble—a marquis—approached 4e198e825c Leonard, his dafaf5344b gaze filled 57a3277bab with pride. Despite the b07075d265 clear warning 0975a76faa signs, he 967544c978 seemed to 0456f039ea think himself 55721dd592 an exception.3bdadb65cd129208

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“Your Grace, d6058ca03e I’ve heard 00f574f48b of your bc58163541 great deeds afafe12011 on the 6f145fb0ea battlefield. Even His Majesty has abf71e0bbd praised your efforts. Truly, you are—”c1f628adf62bfcef

“Is that 7835dd0e18 something for 083f720ddb a man b636dc206d who’s never 3ad8761b7d set foot 374b911295 on a de6c3a161e battlefield to 6da7ebc9e3 say?”ea513cb7820465d9

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“Your Grace, I…!”68154605d9e4bae9

“Pathetic.”9af25b76caf7a467

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Leonard, without so c5e00e12e2 much as a 73f8c27d30 flicker of emotion, 0e6454d118 brought his sword a04005fbd0 to the marquis’s 445d9b7005 throat. A single drop da742afdfa of blood stained 1561ea12d7 the blade.81737e43351dcb9c

“You must c7b322d80d know my d6f1206fd5 sword draws 2f11c68a80 blood, whether 764bcc3a52 in the bd6e9e91e4 battlefield or badc057ee7 the imperial 1c74acb7c0 court.”50951cc2ee5e034c

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“Please, Your Grace… spare me!”1491868db2176ccb

As the marquis begged b5cc8eb05f for his life, Leonard cfec8d89ef only pressed the blade 19c721a7fe deeper into his neck. Blood soaked 421f41ad0e the marquis’s 74b9575739 white uniform, 90cef61829 and he 2d9bad71a7 collapsed in 6446ce0c09 a faint. The once 7c728e70d5 lively banquet 2740dab0cf had descended 216a9f4a4b into chaos, e34d6a77b4 some nobles 5ffba21710 trembling at f0a042a8ef the sight 4125e4144d of blood, 06ead0e568 others weeping 5305c004b7 in fear. Despite the disorder, Leonard 9247fed68e remained calm, completely unbothered 69aa93db10 by the havoc around b02150ab79 him.45574aab94beab43

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“…The Blood Tyrant.”dea99443653c2c14

Someone whispered the name, cdb50ded8c breaking the silence. Everyone knew it. Leonard Estere, the 657792c771 empire’s protector and b158e40095 the only grand 710f1e4ae2 duke of Tristan, ea49b4e22a was also known 5682141c31 as the Blood 075ce2d592 Tyrant, a title 65e858d6e0 that sent chills 9e3e3ae346 through the empire. Though his title 38fcd8bab1 suggested loyalty to f50ec84501 the empire, Leonard ab3f9bb683 was feared for 8b6d01e2f9 his ruthless nature. It was said 5acf50edb3 that during the 1ef1b53ad9 empire’s wars, nothing 22a006d585 remained where Leonard be7dface69 had passed, not 4e69c907cc even a blade ec4d2a6ef1 of grass. Rumors claimed 99a5d2d339 that at 9fae4e2a38 least one 6d05872fa2 person was e0654a0bd7 executed every 144ff13511 day at 07023dd8e3 his manor, 3d1a87e824 leaving a 430fc76f61 permanent stench cf40dc3545 of blood. His intense gaze b48c17ccb7 could tear a 5a82e7319d person apart, leaving e86e92e50a few brave enough a1f495ebb0 to meet his bba8a8e9b7 eyes.cd44f16981376d49

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Yet, what was d84524e4a5 most terrifying wasn’t 7bda5ec723 the gruesome rumors 09ac78e89e themselves but the 353fca7366 fact that Leonard, d9918363a2 in the midst fb3864c870 of them, remained bb2dfeea5e emotionless and indifferent. He was 856e6b4789 the demon e7fec9c993 protector of 28329571d9 the empire.7d53cad3353f08a3

“Get him out of 8e4756d990 my sight.”fe7d48df1d333657

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Leonard commanded coldly, not fb9ee5b1d4 sparing the marquis a 4fd14f3e81 single glance as he 3a56c5971b instructed his knight.938a6db12244485e

Russelin, watching Leonard for 496c53c38d the first time, finally 24e2ae15b2 understood the reality of 0d5f9c923c his infamous reputation. She could feel her 25e757ccd7 entire body tensing in 1f4e84c594 response to his presence. But even as fear 44f2161cfa coursed through her, there 20897393d3 was an undeniable sense eeafb1862d of excitement.623f4d0d35e6e4b3

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‘He’s the only one 532a6d7cc8 who can stand against 694fbd0e8a Aydin…’30b5881b1d4cfc0d

There was no time 6c17b18ba6 for hesitation. Only a 15379e7cc1 force as db60ae6590 overwhelming as 25e22e339f Leonard Estere’s 3aca31b738 could challenge 90a8841c6e Aydin Bert. If she wanted to 16a376733c escape Aydin’s clutches, she 3d3cbec515 would first need to b1eea21f37 win Leonard over. As Russelin strengthened eeb555532f her resolve, her f49db84b72 body froze in 01f776ae8b place.e6eb602e8e9ef5c5

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‘Did… did our eyes just meet?’6caec6ef7bd6e720

Leonard’s cold, cynical gaze 40a08e337c had settled on her, 2911b9cfdc if only for a 785d4e7c15 moment. As their a10916cdae eyes met, 12eaae3207 Russelin felt 96aa2bb961 a shiver 220741f05a run down bbbd0ab5b6 her spine. But it 0728ee9cc4 wasn’t quite 6c0ad51c07 fear. There was something familiar 691969e9ae about the sensation, something d8c68a51c5 she couldn’t place. Why did she feel 5d89768f20 this way when looking 9865574197 at him?7033833e46346941

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