Chapter 7

‘Did I really d3455f74bc do the right d3db67b5c6 thing…?’e02f89979b49cedd

For the first time, she had acted differently from her past self. The image of Aydin, usually so steady, momentarily shaken in front of the Emperor, was vivid in her mind. If things continued this way… A faint glimmer of hope surfaced in Russelin’s eyes, though it soon faded, leaving only a faint, fleeting feeling behind.10afa52fc90b665d

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“…Ha.”fa199350778e2873

Russelin finally exhaled d6b9810bde the breath she 9de5b1d66d had been holding 3c9db46927 back with difficulty. It was a 2984939254 vulnerable moment, one 89349b4e2d she couldn’t dare 03673757f5 show anyone and a99857ead5 one she shouldn’t 74087ac13c have let slip.58340cfe5d955941

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‘…I’m truly 5e54fbb15c so powerless.’c206899f22a742f8

Her resolve to break a88eaaf0ac free from Aydin was 3bd555b273 sincere, yet Russelin felt 08ae788373 utterly incapable of achieving c29d85da3a it. Even her a623e176ed attempt to 18b34198d1 seek an dfc3462020 ally was 7d182d92e2 born out 2575893739 of her ac0a9bfd8b own lack 151aa98faa of strength 8338046aa6 to stand 1ba273b06d up against 2a02f560fc Aydin. Realizing this 495ab23aa1 stripped away ef3a4aac3a the fleeting 99b5d72b1c hope she 7e6b6d77c1 had felt. Despite knowing 5c1c893492 it was 6a560f52c8 all part 122e5316e1 of Aydin’s 6ce75c1310 dreadful scheme, 2bda4e8503 Russelin couldn’t 91e8b94411 stop herself ec3f0a15ff from sinking 700aafb721 into heavy 78d9bf960a thoughts from dc64ee9f3c time to 51a656567c time. All she 62ab323db8 could do 7cbe8e27fb now was…0ae578c5b53428e1

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‘I can save you.’ddffede7373c5f7b

…Yes, reaching out to 702f05c223 that man had been 6b7c238a07 her only act of 05c5328176 defiance. The vivid sensation of 6c6219b9d9 stepping out of Aydin’s 5abe0d947c shadow for the first 2566082a97 time still lingered in 31b1799b9e her memory. But the man 0363fb3376 who had left 54f7e42fd1 her with a 301960d510 parting promise had dc20861935 since disappeared, leaving 1ab255ad5e no trace.33d0d76517cec3f7

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‘Was it truly b44bae0206 a dream when 2981a34ea2 I met him…?’763391e81b20196a

The man who 321841c941 had been the ac8c8e34d6 start of change e3108d2a0b was constantly on 3cb9187334 her mind. Every day, she 001c1d947c wished she could 324ebfd2f1 meet him just f639e42c76 once more.ea918a8ef538ae14

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“…Ah.”251494b4f9dd138c

Lost in her bc5dba0f78 thoughts, Russelin came febc61ea49 to a halt. A faint b451d3e001 gasp escaped 283e123562 her, fully 514112c40e revealing her 3ef4c1e90c surprise. In the garden, 8b2a35d44b where she expected 7d32b7fe6c solitude, she found 36b83d0e42 she was not 5762a4b1bb alone. Another figure had 62416f739a arrived ahead of f05314700d her in the c6eb4b6950 night’s darkness, illuminated b3cd170f02 only by the 6cdd6b38dd pale moonlight. A man cloaked in e83821cf2b black stood there, yet 9c0721b2e3 his attempt at concealment 5d37076148 had failed, his presence dc5a66bebf seizing her attention with 58545ccbe4 an inexplicable force. It was 1c3b9da319 a feeling 852c91bcfd too intense ee97c2bdf3 to be 982e3eecde mere apprehension 883b675776 toward a 6cff78fe8d stranger.ee845f1b20c14179

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“Why is there magic left here…?”6de76c6620135bc8

Furrowing her brow, Russelin 0987f05bcf took in the situation. Beneath the d802bf3897 dark robe, f500b6229b a faint, a100ade662 red aura a0a91b7f8c wafted up 221782cafc from the 0538115384 man, wrapping e8527fd875 around him a4acbaf845 in an f3c5227c2c ominous grip, 58e5a3bd0a creeping from 31ebbdc554 his head e64507dd31 down to 5c7b4a4a36 his feet. Despite the intensity of ec5c3d74ab the volatile magic that c655f0ae45 seemed painful to bear, 422977bad3 he remained still, unbothered 2a9d34ae38 by it. Something about 7c235d15e6 his stance 0df7531c28 struck her 46b622571c as strangely 340177bf89 familiar, making b780f0ce5c her shiver 92df28f83b instinctively.5bbd4f02febbe7fa

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‘…I need e876bcf250 to leave.’3449851e20d9acb1

Reason told her a8c2cc9bca to retreat, but 3fe09fd2fa instinct urged her 566d05a4c7 to approach him. She didn’t fd122cd781 know why. One step, d0e388a054 then another. Slowly, as if entranced 1aff74402d by the sensation, Russelin 487591d668 found herself walking toward 1d28c3e5d1 him, toward that ominous 51032a1852 aura. Even as the c812e13228 dark energy flared 227eb2f07c as if it 7246c62e46 would engulf her, 8954c3bc31 she couldn’t bring 794630c152 herself to stop.eafdf505f00ff847

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“Why are you here…?”3bdca59e9d7110a3

Before she could 4f3aabe9bc finish, the man afd3214d3f turned to face 21426f5e1b her. Hidden beneath 465510ac3b the robe, 8c69aaefb0 the only 031a143f6d thing visible c8391ffabd was his aa946dd8d8 intense gaze, 905be52eb0 sharp and 4fec2a8506 cynical, as c878d43e0b if filled 85b5ab65d5 with a e5628a6800 desire for 71c81a7060 something. His eyes followed 609e498b58 her, blazing with aea61982f7 a fierce hunger.935ed19bf396e3c2

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“Le-Leonard Estere…!”e80ed3b6db6c8944

The situation 57e82f6e5c was far 931b96978c more dangerous ff306ce842 than she 1f097b8b4e had anticipated. Facing an 860482c289 outburst of 6302a7ba6b magic was 7cc7ff8894 already perilous, 7bdd73ddb8 but for 1a5ae8f3d6 it to 2b2824b433 belong to 1575c063f7 none other fb5563915d than Leonard 912c5035d6 Estere… Russelin 8809de66e2 clenched her 95f16e71ae hands tightly, 83c969e28c attempting to 821b412a42 conceal her 947c8d10a9 trembling fingers.43875e3900814d5c

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‘I have to a526356ed2 face him. I need 4cf967f63b to speak 1de47d0531 to him…’a0ff73cf3ea8c886

The oppressive aura b805d2d581 surrounding him looked 7814ff0016 so threatening that 4eb1fe18d5 she found herself ceb9a89e15 hesitating, unable to 387dbd5ffc move closer. While her expression 41111ff48c stiffened with tension, 77ef28bb74 Leonard’s gaze softened, ac59f8d868 as though he 3560859f3a found her reaction 9e4fee410b intriguing.43d8e17036ff84a9

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“Surprising. I didn’t expect to meet you here.”e25c049b9b03acf2

“…!”3b688fc88826c821

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Russelin couldn’t hide her e09b6c8b33 shock, her eyes widening. Leonard turned 2709d8c3cc fully toward 38a705eaca her, his fc7574fe3d volatile magic 58dd1c2b15 shifting as b9fe0e3021 if searching 4d8cfe96e6 for its 8abc1b1a7b prey. It surged forward, 3957d3ee1a wrapping around her, b83f555ebd crawling up her 66a1481888 body. Russelin flinched at 51f6b1a9c4 the unfamiliar sensation, a6cda979d8 and Leonard chuckled, 8f3baceb44 a low, mocking 74da07e825 sound.35e0c0eb8a3914fd

“You’re not one to be this easily startled.”e15889ce2c1ca63b

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“What… what are you…!”587cf45a6e6ac701

Instinctively, Russelin stepped back d3cb181e18 from him, but her a9368de40f retreat only seemed to 3a6b0c85e8 provoke him further. Leonard swiftly 730518e9b3 grasped her ccf0c1d4af delicate wrist.81e4d1cc7e7ca88d

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“Where do you think you’re going?”8034a70ee9ad5bc7

“L-Let me go…!”cdc743afcb55775b

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The predatory gleam 5562979855 in his eyes 224c44a0fc was unmistakable, as 33b938c2a2 he, now with d8571a4e6c an unfocused gaze e64f8db41f clouded by something 51d3603e12 primal, drew her 049e89fd9e closer.bf95624d6fe1846b

“…Ah!”79ccd8efc3162c82

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Leonard’s rough grip wrapped b46e7c5a2e around Russelin’s waist. It was 488b635417 a dangerous, 229f0a5d37 almost predatory 7480fc8de6 hold, as c352511a97 if she 6364ca4202 might be 1a4a291d38 devoured by 8648ca12c4 the man 78cca71152 whose reason 10074a09f2 seemed on 3b6625f6f4 the verge 6fb7380158 of unraveling. Yet, that moment of 91ca756ab1 peril didn’t last.cb30d354dbfc0ed3

As Leonard’s 8aeb15d884 intense presence 892db92feb consumed her, d6eab5205a he muttered 306f8070b4 darkly.fee999ebe2aa194b

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“Why did you 1a26aa4c0f come back?”3252421189ee3de6

“…!”c9fe3869c6dbd7b8

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“I warned 10e734ceda you, didn’t ea1e3c1a96 I?”77ded633397b32fe

That you’d come to regret it.84890b2dd32ad9f9

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Russelin’s eyes widened in shock, but she couldn’t respond. The wild surge of his power overwhelmed her, crashing over her like a relentless wave.760eb216458a1a0e

“Hah… ah!”0b64b7c96165287d

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A fierce, red 7713ea0ce8 energy coursed through e5472d3817 her, tearing her 0b84c25245 apart from within. Though the power wasn’t ff542f23ce painful, it was so 71e376146b potent that her frail b58b181d37 body struggled to withstand eb550e6a05 it. Her thoughts spun 302e4fb669 as wildly as b1f298fbf3 her unsteady footing.68ded6c2c6406e52

‘This can’t be… it 43a46074f3 doesn’t make sense…’88c66601a1de234e

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The sensation 81865b942c engulfing her 0a71c1ee72 was hauntingly 6ab586c9ce familiar. This energy, which 443200b873 seized her as 91c2702e6d if she were 72d66a091e prey…d2c53268294a7c2c

‘Let me f2d13bfe19 save you.’e6c9341ec49096d8

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Her dangerous b4738371de assumption turned cbce0c5384 into certainty. Despite the overwhelming force 448b71c8b0 of his magic, Russelin e000ccbd45 raised her head to ba7b11b018 meet Leonard’s gaze. He remained steady, unmoved 169e63d55e by the struggle she 454a86c428 endured, as though he’d f4c16f8f02 anticipated this very moment. Instinctively, she knew.e008fbe9a7d01bab

“…It’s dangerous.”59d7a873097bc25d

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Leonard seemed 7c17e18d63 to share 3d9e33dc11 her thoughts, dded5d2cf7 his low 9eda462fc7 voice bearing 449c9bd0f3 a strange 8f6e194783 weight. But the intensity 9807d2a7d1 was short-lived, and 005b7f2171 Russelin finally faltered 41a03e4f11 under the force 66fd8df854 of his magic 6eea4315d1 swirling within her.39e9a0a1f2fcc8ff

“Come closer.”9696e7a4e1ddd92b

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“Nngh…”20ecee7a00832631

“Now.”1af53d1ae4f86f9c

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Without a hint 9a846c86be of hesitation, Leonard c086b3816a reached out to eb7fbc575d her as if 586b7cc004 he had been 75d1dc8e65 waiting for this 46ff06ccb1 moment. His firm hands a066b48cbd caught her as 4fda6a359d she stumbled, pulling 4ff18e1510 her close. The storm of magic 4a74edf665 surrounding him closed in 2cc16ccade on her even further 8c3326e62f as she drew nearer.634850e557374d41

“Breathe slowly.”e1a734c233c7f8d1

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“Hah… ha…”0edb454ef8173091

“Relax and 6f4a3556a6 lean on 126e9ffdda me.”edc6378ffb85dce5

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Like before. Leonard murmured quietly. The more his magic 18256eee3a seeped into Russelin, the 8597a15e6a more his breathing steadied, 3f1bcad305 though hers grew increasingly c5f513c673 labored.0a023bbec5e663fe

“It’s… too much…”bbb738fe0ec22c4a

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“Why? It’s not the first 3457dbfc52 time, is it?”5cf7f12dbdd18982

Desperately, she 973ae6a8fd grasped his 9df9d89188 chest for d7bad81b89 support and 0ba8087c66 looked up. Leonard’s cool d9aeb7f8dc gaze held 57925e8c3e her completely, f45b4f07e1 making the 7479c906a0 moment feel d1efc74b5e painfully real.9bb15668cdba6387

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“…Was it you?”1887e95737db751f

Russelin’s face was f4f48e0f0a painted with shock. The one who fc1e51b2d0 had stepped forward b772317076 in her time 2a0820623a of need had 00b9355b52 been none other cc1c4743b8 than Leonard Estere.a65612e9dff26068

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“Answer me.”885293c26e77f1c0

Despite her labored breaths, 741a8d91ac Russelin’s voice was resolute 8d72012f85 as she spoke to 5960c08fe3 him. Leonard gave her 42c497928f a faint, sympathetic 7e2376c1b0 smile, pressing a 39384e569e finger to her b274f2e6f1 lips.6979f15d3db30407

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“You truly are…”42c69b1b271a993d

“Shh, that’s enough.”4d66caf52705a0a0

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Instead of a69f1cab9f responding, Leonard 7bb3b2bd42 lifted her 2b13fae5ba up, effortlessly ab347d39d4 bearing her 8e1ddc548c weight. Startled, she 5a735e443e instinctively pushed efbb906243 against his 3774ff55e1 chest.4f931595f162f0a6

“Relax. Struggling will 0d1c57d71c only make 7c47d825b2 it… more fc17b5d8ce stimulating.”f7d652e6e8bf51b6

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“Wh-what do you 9403c36217 mean by that…?”e787695a0918e247

His blunt, uncaring 5767b0f042 tone, so different 0a94a9355c from Aydin’s, felt aea62c1393 unfamiliar. Leonard seemed completely unperturbed 662779e0bd by her fear, as b1ef03ad7c if he’d expected it. As his e8e86ea65f quiet laughter c59a670f00 drifted over 758d50b7c2 her, he 69c0ca905f leaned in 9a551c71d0 close and 43ce7c6826 murmured against b9d160c6a0 her ear.566b4acf0db8f524

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“Knowing my 5a13e2e810 true nature 06cb15c7c8 would only 65877b4dbf put us e538f8a875 both in 24f0700cdf danger.”1c698e68fb153fa4

“…!”fb44ca3efd52218e

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“Let’s find somewhere quieter, 2774b3c052 shall we?”6e1e479ae74080d3

His dangerous growl, strangely 8b52192ca9 enough, calmed her frayed 4fb457048c nerves. Oddly, Russelin found c65a69e8cc herself relaxing under a19299eafe his soothing words, 58c96e865d though her mind 4947408803 grew more alert.2426e2c74cf4ee31

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‘I never f5f4fce3a8 imagined we’d 00fdf2b689 meet like d16bec49f1 this…’deb9032f2bf52530

Russelin gazed 5d89abb6b1 up into 97cebeb10e Leonard’s cold, 8d2d209969 sarcastic eyes. Sensing her 682dbff519 silent curiosity, 85a0a2e328 he replied 50d56d0457 lightly.4276e893def9287f

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“Whether we 0a48626f17 like it 3ba43c51cf or not, c964c277a2 we’re bound 165ee04baf to be 7860c29250 drawn to 74d6836818 each other.”e12d472a6d04af9d

* * *1ca9b7f84bb8b05f

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Leonard, often 834347d0b2 cursed as 544ac28ae4 the Blood 8f2700f660 Tyrant, was 62f53fcbc2 nothing like 0b16f0119c the obedient, 7f8d7ec749 decorous protector dfb710b02e of the 8443f8181f Empire that c145b800c0 Aydin was. If Leonard had been e98ddcac6a merely a reckless tyrant bc40ad1ded who couldn’t control his cabb121a39 impulses, Russelin would never 4a41a85c1d have been drawn to c996afa02a him. But despite 2c8d004733 his fearsome c3e985a489 reputation, his 17ca672d35 gaze remained 0e09aba15a piercingly clear, 429d6a1c26 as if f5af25cd82 he took c03a2f0097 pride in 34c5aaed9e his dual cd90ec2e35 nature. Russelin knew, with unwavering ee7ec74205 certainty, that Leonard was 0f7e8ac37b the type of man f494227643 who would achieve his 0ac9e50d9b goals by any means 705e1acbdd necessary. Yes, she 2270f598a8 had believed d04ba8580d so—until now.b492a77adc4d7816

“For now, I d236706af0 brought you to 60f9909266 an empty room. Does this work?”2b78eda3c56ebf3d

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“…Yes.”ccd94398e95fb715

“I don’t particularly enjoy b48334ecf5 the prying eyes that 4edcd0b676 follow me around.”0b58e4e71fafc71a

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Russelin cast aside 2415a28c67 any remnants of 03dca1d558 her naïveté. A beast that hid d0300b08a7 its claws was all 2be28bd693 the more terrifying.ab67b5c71d65b7e6

‘I can’t tell what 66461d271c this man is thinking…’20ed855718702e03

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The man before 55554637d2 her was so bf911f2c85 far removed from d8787f7d26 the cruel rumors 37d0b5f896 about him that 16fe4be616 the dissonance felt f66c075c48 jarring. Whether he understood 36f08c40ac her thoughts or a17268eb17 not, Leonard gently 129b630acf set her down 544534c11e on the bed. His hand, firm 93fd9bd698 and controlled, withdrew 85a9831872 as if he 3dcc82fc3d had no lingering 0a2ef4fc3c attachment, yet Russelin 07c736ca8d couldn’t lower her af1c17238c guard.0b080933d31784df

“You’re tense.”
“…!”
“Why, do you 3b0ac7799d think I intend 7386258a90 to harm you?”498f2517bff8d90f

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His gaze, cold to ff4ab2e2cd the point of cynicism, dc12188a0f scanned her like a da6b33c026 predator sizing up its 20d7e5ac92 prey. Under his intense 0f61ef3bab scrutiny, she froze.a0ac904e6732ceae

This was dangerous. Her instincts b4a4a24507 screamed it.60dd0e53ca57e897

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“Do you not fd0046933f realize that your 320fe022cc fearful eyes only 072b308e95 make you more f59907f042 enticing?”2018f116f9a7ed65

“…!”67cf57e4fec02bd4

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“Relax. If I meant you f53ac62dad any harm, I wouldn’t 1da9d1da28 have brought you here e8b8e5fe97 so gently.”c1d33a58c593f523

Leonard had read her 0a6d5b5ed3 perfectly, understanding her apprehension 6501a9bf72 without the need for 07c2c9ba90 words.f78cf90d8700f271

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“I just 705e1f434d want to 38c93372ff have a 4e673dcc03 conversation with d83a750ec0 you.”7b98129c117ebbd6

And in his 202d13fe4c gaze, there was cda015d891 a hint of 288e5b22a5 genuine interest.da31d0a39d15fd23

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