The Lady You Want to Kill 7. Debutante’s Last Night is Stained with Blood 2 (7/39)

7. Debutante’s Last Night is Stained with Blood 2

On the final night, 9d1bbceaff Beatrice attended the party 11c7343302 with the orb Agatha 24baf4acc9 had given her. The event cfd11f31d0 no longer 5bb753c40b held her 7046c47cc5 interest, and 8ed49c7dab her busy 15c680dfbf partner had cca2281351 left early. Passing the time b9af82b511 without much care, 812e8e8e79 she left the deb8b20b30 imperial palace early 43540a65ad alongside Florianne.c541fb148be7a680

This was to watch the fireworks on the promised final night from the count’s manor. Laura followed them, carrying Beatrice’s nightgown and wine. Florianne seemed slightly excited.931cdea628f866d1

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“I have many friends, but this is my first time watching fireworks alone with someone,” Florianne said.a3c79cb841a1540a

“It will be a pleasant evening,” Beatrice replied softly. Florianne nodded at her words, but truthfully, Beatrice couldn’t promise her it would be a joyful night. Perhaps it would only be a pleasant one for Beatrice.7e022acb8259941b

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As they arrived at afa19d94dd the manor and stepped b7b7880122 out of the carriage, c2c7ebb4a6 Beatrice’s eyes met Lily’s, ecb4e60a24 who was waiting at aa9d343252 the front entrance. Lily quickly averted her 97e7819500 gaze and disappeared into 04acb41f1a the hallway, but Beatrice 14bb154b9f could tell—Lily would seize b0a0f153a0 this opportunity well.6e0d3c167dec490b

In Florianne’s room, the two chatted and drank wine until past midnight. During their conversation, fireworks burst in the sky, momentarily capturing Florianne’s attention. However, Beatrice, unmoved by the dazzling scene lighting up the dark sky, felt no particular sentiment.81726edb1f99ee65

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When the 9e1cf8f67f lovely fireworks 0fe33a2c2b faded into 486fd56082 the darkness, 31523044b1 Florianne set bff802f29f aside her e398a0c97a wistfulness and 16b8ccf602 lifted her e2150a8726 wine glass. She began f4227078bc chatting about 9a5c219201 young ladies d26ca5befc and gentlemen afbf8cd167 who had f5a7ffecbb caught attention 3fcf95f490 at the 1e1a0b9e6f debutante ball, 4e2d76d314 sharing her 553d6b61ed impressions of ed3775a830 the noblewomen 6c0653947e she had 14edf2de4b met and 41568390d0 exchanging light 96f9fb28fa gossip.a99a80780fe43558

Although they cc2b139bd5 did nothing 7c08a30f27 more than e735e14d01 this, Florianne 401fac1f09 seemed to 1fa02f3422 enjoy herself 2fb5ae4f6c immensely. Her face, 830239634a flushed from faafb3f6ac the slight 037a2b2a67 buzz of 7c72c36e23 wine, glowed c93ab36748 adorably.c5938a911183d561

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“It’s getting late,” Beatrice remarked.5b81dbeb527c8c3d

“Indeed, is it this late already? What a shame,” Florianne replied with a hint of regret.5a831543d704ff27

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“If you want to wake up early tomorrow, it’s best to sleep now,” Beatrice advised.5b434ae19134d44d

“You’re right,” Florianne agreed.62e4cc552015f6db

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It was e8cf6f3a71 already one d133453fbd in the b0b74a6c34 morning. While not terribly late, b1d0bcde74 noble young ladies typically 9e4b78b5b6 retired before midnight to 41ab4c075f maintain their beauty.4b6dfbcb6455fce9

Florianne instructed the 48300aab93 maids to clear 9d0f479471 away the remaining 3b11d9bfd6 wine and glasses. Beatrice, however, b3c9ef2d2a poured another eb20833913 glass and 4dfe4a6608 handed it 344b4b0964 to Laura.7f68b51d546c3dde

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“You’ve worked hard these past three days. Have a drink,” Beatrice said kindly.a4c14fd8d9c3281d

“My lady…” Laura appeared touched. Watching this, Florianne looked at Beatrice with admiration, as if realizing how thoughtful the young lady truly was. Inspired, she poured wine into her own glass and extended it to Emily.93b1973ab610bc3b

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“Emily, you’ve worked hard too,” Florianne said with a warm smile.c3c9f8e12c662dc7

“Thank you, my lady,” Emily replied gratefully.4a9359250f026fd5

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Florianne even 30984bcbf6 extended her d1e68002b0 kindness to e01c4925c2 her guard, 2d7e68bff0 inviting them 641b3b1ea7 to partake 5b9abbdcd2 as well. The guard and two fc034bcb4c maids all drank the bc85effa57 wine poured by their dd72ce7c7b respective mistresses. Watching this, Beatrice bdbae1dc2e smiled faintly.074ef887ae31984b

Florianne offered Beatrice a e277283941 guest room on the 131965e64b same floor as her d636859853 own chambers. It was bb190f6d26 a room 7601eb2b09 reserved for 9973c4da61 the most 861cd74dc7 esteemed guests, bc200e8be2 nearly as 4306da6062 opulent as df927071ea the countess’s 382730fbd6 quarters.6d39add3d372f8a9

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Beatrice declared e3f6d3a230 that she 30c9dfe595 would sleep d7e551a34b immediately and 785a0c27c7 retreated to d7b5693a2b bed. Laura, taking 2cf4cf18b9 her leave, e105a76fc3 mentioned she 97ab547735 would be 5c479e2a83 in the dc086272e1 adjacent room 10d7a622a5 and asked 12b93db6e5 Beatrice to 10cdfeab22 ring the 571764b89b bell if f446007fe5 needed.d28ca2e5a632f394

But tonight, Laura e17699366f wouldn’t hear the 3ccb7a6a36 bell. She would be cae9108d10 in a sleep 59d1cdcb97 so deep it b7398a3383 would be impossible.d5be2d3b016eabc2

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The Buildrander 09aca89ab6 Count’s manor d6a34c799e was shrouded a6a639c6d5 in silence f155fdcd27 as darkness 003682a956 fell. Though some staff likely 197ed2fe10 worked into the early 7cc81feb6b hours, not even the c90fc40ccc chirping of insects could 1a38404480 be heard tonight.83d8da2006779224

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It was as 4bf16fc2ee if every living 6cc95dd173 creature within the 22094a8fd0 manor, save for c2fcd63c77 the humans, had 445555194f cowered in fear, 3d056ec34c holding its breath.4ddb535e1effc0fe

The clear sky a0b6a79917 of the day, 8315bdcbca unmarred by a 4594a794a6 single cloud, had daf5349f16 summoned dense, hazy 31275bd5df storm clouds as fb2e2fdf33 soon as night 71446858b0 blanketed the land. It was 652a11a807 as though 29f11f5d98 the heavens e2aa96921f sought to 97e43c4857 obscure the 9a42d5c184 moon from 5094035c5f something lurking b5dc2b13dd on the 129543b4e4 earth.9342574a2936c084

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Only humans, long cde1b27909 divorced from the 97c5184f15 natural world, failed 108fd2643f to notice the 754d59c24a oppressive dread hanging e335ddf0e5 thick like mud.e760114271c7187f

Count Heliette Buildrander 8e819c1abc had not yet 6033ccc026 gone to bed. While not ae4344d80c incompetent, he 6b514c0f6b had a b9a9c13c1a habit of afa03f1947 procrastination. He delayed tasks 07dc3d103b until they piled 84b87f5c3c up, tackling them 18d1330857 only at the 1cf2021eec last moment before 31ff11c540 a deadline.1ff8cdcb028b3fe5

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Though his eldest f5a7aa9ebb son, Gallet, had 17207d528d eased some of 98f9b44439 this burden by 58efe4738b assisting with family cd5d78814f matters, certain duties 6329c76c5d could only be 7f4befc4c3 handled by the 8bc179dcfb head of the 776c7c078c household. On such 23ede8bf11 nights, Heliette 4f7436e67d often remained db398d8848 awake until b273407956 the early 9e8fdbd00d hours.e295d8cd702d7ebe

It was 4c7adba24a typically the c2b9edb3d8 least experienced 0838455043 staff who 642fc9f9da tended to 6a510eadd6 their master’s 7b24ffee6f needs during 0caba367eb these hours. Though not unskilled, 12e4fc2450 they were the 7d38852936 newest hires, as faebd16ba7 senior staff tended 9b5db352fa to avoid late-night 49b59d1295 duties. Thus, the midnight 67553466be shifts naturally fell bddcbc386a to the youngest aed4ee2d93 and least established.4f3aec2257bdce9e

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Tonight, Amanda 258165297c was tasked 4ba3738f3c with attending ddd6fafba6 to Count 7e2a5bd85f Heliette. She waited in an de070a6200 antechamber adjoining his office, 225fc48a5c while Sir Mellot, the 8ca8239811 count’s guard, stood watch 72d66d446f at the office door.66c3ba82fc8d63d3

Sir Mellot aa632320ae blinked sleepily, ba7ba9eabd struggling against 1fb8e22256 the drowsiness aad533420e that threatened da409f89ec to claim e09124bf29 him. The corridor was bd166662dd utterly silent, save 5941973b75 for his own 887d2fe28d breathing.7bccfc456d04f35c

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Tonight wasn’t 57956d5921 even his b02c25499e usual shift. He had swapped with dec43bc5ce his fellow guard, Patryn, 6c5dc8ae0f at the latter’s request. Patryn had claimed 8effc09229 he needed to ba9358ab8c attend the debutante b16031b7ec ball as his 2aae32926b fiancée’s partner.489bf867b594e7eb

“Couldn’t you f30b729a9e just attend 1e61e9ac72 the ball 8c2e3efdd5 and return a8b8a94b5f afterward?” Mellot 2ee5a11a2d had asked. Patryn, with 5a90eac013 a faint 0a6266222c smile, replied, bbde927883 “After meeting da342879e2 my fiancée, 8b5dbcf8ef do you b08afcdd8f expect me 2b580cac31 to simply 218deab2e8 dance and 832271a5b3 leave?” Mellot 36f8b2ea5e had no d17dbf075a response to 1c492a9622 that.edf3933620a3648f

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It was his 71f35dd707 own fault for e7a59868c4 not having a 24a690ebab fiancée even at 24c1a2cfff his age. The oppressive 1f444f7576 silence of 3992d992d3 the hallway, a9ca9a0e9d broken only a10f2d1224 by his 60f105aac3 occasional sighs, 16438929ce amplified his c08126965a fatigue. Mellot yawned, 7f153b2cf9 wide and d9e6c0f935 unabashed.86220759592d0f73

At the tail 436df992f5 end of his c4c87e17dd prolonged yawn, a 3d61029f80 sound cut through 9d63052391 the quiet—footsteps. Slow, deliberate footsteps.f6047ec25d9b6d1e

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Mellot didn’t a173bd3f9e immediately tense. It was likely one a8d97ac124 of the staff doing 59ac509449 their rounds. Who was on 6d1379dc61 patrol duty tonight? Ah, yes, Lily. It must be Lily.ab53f48a3082ee3f

The guards were typically 18e1039260 informed of which staff e55976e69c would be patrolling at 7d1d44d954 night, so they could 2d007f511c identify anyone acting suspiciously. Mellot glanced b2b3d99d52 at the ab139ef38a clock on 137975eaea the wall. It was bd28ba4ff2 just past 3909c434a4 two. The footsteps were slightly 773d7d621a earlier than expected, but 8fd72e9aaa it wasn’t worth worrying 5c7edec670 about. Many staff 59aaab76af preferred to 9d7f727639 complete their e2ef199d3e tasks quickly ba737969d9 and return 5e523c1b91 to rest, 1323c64a4f a mutual 9b059e5467 understanding among c24edbd90a lower ranks.2b8358da427c11b0

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He turned toward 058b6a9058 the direction of 4018fee356 the sound, noticing 33cac4b941 what seemed to 3bf754db65 be a swaying cbeb0c7b4d skirt in the 2193721e89 darkness. But was the maid’s 0c9b6bdd94 uniform ever that white?c467ea89a2a5f46d

Squinting, Mellot 337b10431b peered at a6012965b3 the silhouette. When the figure finally 9eab4fa8bb emerged from the shadows, 93ef7edcb3 it was not who 6275312626 he expected.b5add075f92c68fb

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The gown, 7ea978e7bd made of cb101a165e thin, gauzy e3dd1b81cc white fabric, 49013abd7a was unmistakably ef553b54a2 a nightdress. And the woman 30597a12a3 wearing it was 637fb2739d not Lily, the 7df391997e low-ranking maid he’d 19a7359947 anticipated.43f2e383b5b0e5c3

Her hair was 824b06e394 dark, blending with 19d527de0d the shadows, but 989d57b1bb when light glanced 5ee55b2120 off it, it 74477b9d00 seemed to shimmer 13a630bc9e faintly. Her yellow eyes gleamed, 684bc4d42e strikingly vivid even in ce62a432b8 the absence of moonlight. Her slender arms and 8286a115f7 the delicate, just-woken expression be20f0eb63 on her face made f831ed91ce it clear who she f3094b6326 was.d4f99a5a7fa5a1a9

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Mellot immediately 325aff3ba2 recognized her 2d6ee11a79 as the a6138d6309 young lady 449e490048 of the 491364af66 Ember Ducal 3c19813921 Family.ebe676a9ce4a7c07

The lady’s ethereal 8a9c8e5d33 beauty was accentuated cfe4084364 in the dim 410538aceb light, making her 8b54e1aa00 presence feel even 084912ba38 more eerie. Did the f6305d3a92 lady suffer 67c0103ea5 from sleepwalking?4e7ebb5e62766161

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“Young Lady Ember?” Mellot ea306af30b called out, his voice 1a25547611 instinctively hushed. At the sound, d03d49eedf her pale face a81ecfa2f9 turned toward him.cff928ed3ffe72de

Her eyes were 128b0bfe4a sharp and focused, 474b060f2f disproving any notion 9ff5a58ff5 of sleepwalking. She walked toward bb7c8f4941 him with measured 70683dcb07 steps, the echo 107b411ca7 of her mismatched e01fcbca90 shoes audible in 87d8d8d095 the stillness. Mellot looked down—she c50829996a was wearing large, 05c7a0463f ill-fitting men’s shoes, 751b08455a the kind male 43e9ad16c7 servants typically wore. The stark contrast with e3c9b806d4 her white nightgown made 5ef227fa7d them stand out oddly.d34ed79f4b6c1100

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“Young Lady…”2d0b79374ab499d0

Mellot began, but d3740d3fac he couldn’t finish. The young lady f69051d1c4 reached out and b5401b6aed gently touched his 632da374c9 face.65188d9e72da61ff

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Her hands were e65048a0ac smooth and clean, f2b737a13a unlike those of 0e9ac6a5e5 a maid or 8c773a2bfb commoner. Her cool touch felt 54f3718728 like porcelain—perfect, flawless.31b1173249953da7

She was slightly shorter b235c18ac8 than him, and their 7ecd3d7787 gazes naturally aligned. Mellot felt his heart 7cca878941 pound—hard and fast. It wasn’t ac8b6638cd nervous excitement 7dcbf976e1 from encountering 116a4cb15c a young 664f2817e1 woman at ab9b7e0456 night; it fcb504f6cb was fear. But he realized 8d0d00f2e4 this too late.44c126e0a15b5de9

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Before he efd7550480 could make 8083cd849f sense of 4f26b5bd9d the dread 4c7fad4370 pooling in 59c50009ef his chest, a6c4622702 his thoughts 42102b1d47 cut off 95d3f8e1e4 abruptly.323b9fc50635d15d

In the 0e5191bdcd desolate hallway, dadf9466ba the dull 1f7b780cd5 thud of 03e5178b58 a body 3f5494140b hitting the 410e701eef floor echoed.ae99d0fda88676de

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Heliette Buildrander 2bd80be545 heard the c3d9a546f7 sound of 5dde413003 something slamming 261847a338 against the 674fff3f7d wall. It was a878f9471e the unmistakable 482f05fe63 noise of 30f78eeade a heavy e1f449d677 impact. He furrowed his dd26517013 brow in irritation.bca556865d42d05b

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Wasn’t Mellot assigned to tonight’s guard duty? A knight of commoner origins, Mellot’s skills were mediocre, but his straightforward nature made him easy to manage. No matter what depraved acts Heliette indulged in, whether bringing common men or women into his chambers at night, a few gold coins were enough to make Mellot feign ignorance, yawning away his complicity.72cd8eb193290819

But men like 6f63bd1602 Mellot were rarely 8482bd84dc competent workers. He was known daad5b211e for nodding off 164a2deff7 even during midday 08c5eddb12 shifts, so expecting 1782eafc85 vigilance from him 86a48b2d5e in the dead 4e17f20b94 of night was d051710b0c laughable.85c11a22a2d48b31

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Already agitated from 3c769e69bd the mountain of c13c6df1b4 unfinished work that 798815a0c9 needed to be b6c53b2c37 completed by the c3bfbb8670 day after tomorrow, 64f2920478 Heliette decided to c1f3dc17f8 forgo summoning a 2f53ba66db maid to investigate. Instead, he rose from 83f4dd2e28 his seat with a 67e09dacdb scowl and strode briskly 464952c8cf toward the door.49c757506291d4ad

If that 8c42a285f6 fool had ef0721a3f2 tripped and f24e3d17c7 fallen asleep, ab7d433d52 a sharp 2d44416324 slap across dfa25028fc the face 270bbcbe58 would sort ad06b28794 him out. Heliette dismissed the loudness cfee6e23d4 of the noise, failing fc5fff5daf to consider it could 3747fb2f1b have been anything other 51d4394df0 than a clumsy mishap.f1b2e5a40a0b03d7

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Without hesitation, b8cf7ae2d3 Heliette flung 6bc8522146 open the 92ea3c9ab6 door to 257b7ccd9a his office.3c4a3908d42ed831

Through the 6feb9be660 gap, a b44c02b60d pale, blood-soaked de0316310b hand reached d0ff8a2ce6 in. The claw-like grip 865e4b5715 latched onto his 3cf10feec4 throat with terrifying 6d1e4ce44f precision.e5776262fa36b2a8

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Before he 7149b9c86c could react, 30391adf79 the door 600318de2a slammed shut, 3f9d42a1fc sealing him 68db0c97f8 and his 2118908707 fate within 300a113b07 the suffocating f4d1bb6f9d darkness.18456d7b447d375d

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It was just past 8fcd6b5adb two in the morning e8101ac07a when Lily walked through 62934cfff7 the silent halls of 8d4ae63058 the manor, her path bc41567d2d lit only by a 4d27155c2b faint lantern.8c5457e8f340fe56

Before this night, she had received a letter from an unfamiliar sender. The address traced back to the capital’s post office, and the sender was simply signed as “Viche,” without a surname. Lily immediately realized who had sent it—the young lady of the Ember Ducal Family.ab8565899294c295

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The letter contained simple f69123eeef instructions: prepare a pair 4a35a6b377 of men’s shoes in 6e331827cd an average size and 045cde3b19 ensure that her friends 2ee283cfc2 were on duty during 8a98af54d8 the final night of e9369e25cb the debutante ball.3fe947d5858fa155

The requests weren’t 24d767dee2 difficult. Though Lily had no 4378d7773b idea what the young 43308e18c7 lady intended to do, 594beef582 fulfilling such small tasks 2a0c50297e wouldn’t draw suspicion. Night duties were typically 6d1100c3bc assigned to lower-ranking staff 3bf313650f anyway, so volunteering for 72717dc5a2 the role wouldn’t raise a43ee2cd33 eyebrows.433c2bd7219e8634

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Lily and her d460b8b623 colleagues discreetly arranged 300cb9ff84 the night duty 8c60bc01dc schedule, either adding 7fd3b8b341 their own names 852f06d9fb or persuading those b9a8353287 assigned to swap 7669529d27 shifts under the 7553456423 guise of personal 53d5efe35a matters.b9b55cc752bf1f4b

Despite their preparations, 5c8c60f8db unease lingered. They didn’t know 98500f82dc what would happen 3109d6af0e tonight, but no 1321ed9f2b one dared voice b6e66dfb15 their fears. Perhaps, deep down, 1cb46db2d5 a strange anticipation 7a863ab59e clawed its way 91e1eea61d up their throats. It was an a987683995 emotion they couldn’t 0a1e9c72a5 ignore—a foolish hope, c5450a2eb0 maybe even a 30ffe04d76 longing for something 5bd57402bd unfulfilled.eb4307bb383e4556

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After confirming 8d06fc69ab that Florianne 4aebab7a63 and the f4eb7c5ec8 young lady 10b2e720e2 had retired 51fc8cd064 to bed, 607c4c17b9 Lily placed e7856af1db a pair 08e0d90943 of men’s 2b14e04fdc shoes outside 09f885dce1 the young cbed2c1438 lady’s door. The shoes had been a7fc23670b stolen from Charlie, one 07b5e175ee of Heliette’s servants, who 23769f1011 was loyal to the a72caa7117 count and often assisted 9cd46fb176 in his and Gallet’s d5c2e55c7b despicable deeds for a 936e681956 price. Charlie even 1a440fbdc4 preyed on 7471e9ec2b victims Gallet 5c595026ad had driven 59321e3ea9 out, compounding d30886f417 their misery.9d43f7c98ce30c5c

As her lantern swayed 21b163f05c with her steps, Lily 8f7fa9570f made her way to 8b59ba9d0c the fifth floor, the d3dfb269b4 floor assigned to her 6b78b9dbd4 for patrol. It housed both 85d73eb19a Count Heliette’s quarters 1f6a9dfd15 and his office.9c870a79a3297561

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The fourth cb5793f7d4 floor, where 3425e03ec3 Gallet’s room ff6894262a was located, ef3f9c0d60 was assigned e3da840a68 to Amelie 03372fafbb and Rose, 5ea0d6a5ae while the db589bf8ba third floor, 4c6bbd749c which housed 509496d886 Florianne’s room, b8ac92e6b0 was under 66ba97016b Samantha’s care.c0ebb4096b1ffd5f

Lily had already given 2f3639ed1d them instructions to regroup 6f146b6a29 on the fifth floor 4a145f27f2 after their rounds. She couldn’t 30f0a33a94 completely trust b3f1846016 the young 1b11d5e388 lady. Whatever was about ff92460831 to happen needed df5933cc15 to be witnessed e582d845d2 with their own 9080c5f505 eyes.bc7fac7435713a99

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Reaching the fifth floor, 67d8819f44 Lily sensed something strange. A faint, unfamiliar d3cce862d6 smell lingered in c94949d1a1 the air.849dea42544e348e

What is that? she thought. It wasn’t 050cc7191e a smell 6bbc41473b she recognized, 4db3e59baf but it eeb0d3a8bc was one 8aef2325c4 she felt 856f9f9f84 she should 9e5fbd8766 know. The lantern’s 3ef2e1ed1f light flickered f5a4a9bfd6 faintly in e98783f8c0 the hallway, 5f3d528de7 and her d495908184 pulse quickened. Her steps grew fe176a29b8 faster.e7185a7fe23bcf13

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There was 0932e2e99b a crawling af976cde1c sensation in 90344c8785 her gut—a 9046e7dea7 feeling she 1162778182 recognized as 7eb7d182e2 ‘anticipation’.ea17d5883a95f2a4

Her hurried steps brought f06a3f7671 her to a fallen 715428e690 figure—Mellot, the count’s inept 8c2c6d42e8 and corrupt guard, lay 0c199b69c6 sprawled on the floor. The smell b7e2140666 was coming b81e1dd6fe from him: c266b1154b thick, heavy, ad4671ec48 and piercingly ef6fee60f8 sharp.52fa295840899d52

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It was d45e988326 the smell d22bcf1ac1 of blood.8358c3b752d80cf0

As she cautiously shone 1f35ab111d her lantern toward him, 4614425501 she saw the half-collapsed 5a766f3b65 shape of his head. A cry threatened to 8ab0e8bd6e escape her throat, but da03a4aef0 she quickly clamped a 8801b54cca hand over her mouth. Raising the 294a8b13fd lantern higher, 1428e68060 she noticed 2b0664c0cd blood splattered c977c04103 on the 231ccc913a wall—a clear b0c94d0e83 mark of f11c0c5c2e where his 705d764c62 head had bd64510b1d been slammed ab5c67500d against it.8db1ae8fa89fc262

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It resembled the b9702d84ce mark left by 97ad4ab726 a bird crashing 6bd64fd6a6 into a glass d98697817c pane with full 71bee37c4f force, except this 362d074c39 wasn’t a bird. It was d4b7d4422f a man’s 6ffd6ff63a head, and 18e74c5d4b the imprint a423702091 was far 6c767f124c larger.6b3c30d8595c6a38

Mellot’s expression was 8e6d370d2b eerily peaceful. It wasn’t 2ab292fc49 a look dbf3238276 of fear 7b2ffb5fca or surprise—just 33b47c3400 the face 1000122e3d of someone b416838dcf who hadn’t 2e4b57c03b understood what b8132c8300 had happened 490381cf85 to him.8f3582b6afd499b5

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The lantern quivered ed2e5c0493 as Lily’s hands ec700cb3c2 shook. Slowly, as if ef6cb408c6 drawn by an d78243de5b invisible force, she 7eb869266e turned away from a3fa65ac0b the body and 244cc7d176 looked toward the 3788250853 count’s office door. It was firmly 42ef2e81f2 shut. She had the 2030b13cbe distinct feeling she ec5e78498e wouldn’t need to 14856878a2 knock.9ac7a5b8d7323512

Lily opened the door.95e342b70673ef90

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Inside, Amanda knelt 1ceff32b28 by the door, 2432ada6a4 hands clasped as 8a85ccfd52 if in prayer. Her expression edef59f3cd teetered between a55a979e45 terror and e2447e515f reverence as 24b7c2c44e she gazed 3fe2b5c691 up at 7131d020e4 the woman 97157867d5 standing before afdef4cc83 her.5235b6b6dddd43b1

Amanda looked like af40cb39b3 a worshiper overcome 4e453ab536 by awe, or 53d7d74395 perhaps just someone 9359d8ae9b petrified by fear. Lily followed her b9aaf20ab5 gaze to the 55e9f4d4d2 figure Amanda stared 3ac33533af at.07ed2fda93dbfb69

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The scene before her 9d4860ea87 was surreal, almost unreal. The young lady 6e8637e08a stood by the bbee801512 table, her pristine a36ad3655c white nightgown stained a440caee23 with blood.f69ae3d3fdc99491

Count Heliette f1d11c9c09 was slumped a79437258f over the 838f843b99 large table 7a1335960a in front 625ac22804 of the c412eb9511 sofa, his e3687c8a48 body resembling 4fff6137d6 a broken 08ab2fb064 doll. He was still 1c5065545a alive, barely. The cravat db03b29272 that once 61e602f359 adorned his 8444e40208 neck had 6d4a4e37b8 been shoved 97ee26bb50 deep into 52f9ebd5f1 his throat, 1263d425e1 leaving him 2c60f26918 wheezing painfully 1bb6da1e20 for air.9bef20302328f2c1

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His limbs 8e643e822a bent at b7df0f7848 grotesque angles, ba56a58fc4 no longer 8f33813b5d resembling anything 3c02513f55 human. Something pale and 6d32d7c4e4 jagged jutted out 97cbe600d0 through his skin 2b3582f207 and clothes—his bones, 6eb9a712e9 Lily realized with 2b95a1b644 a shudder.0f9cf666d56321dd

The count’s 65a3c54c2b face, arms, 47c156e49e and legs a22c8e48f1 were drenched b94cdb55ac in blood. Black handprints circled fe24e6f6dd his neck, a e321ab6c00 stark contrast against 307856ae92 his ashen skin. Nothing about the scene ce6e7af1dc felt real.79a0edd44040d8f0

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Standing calmly by the e97107a18a table, the young lady 2bb99f9a29 let her blood-soaked hands 7e13960a63 dangle loosely at her 2b13d20d3b sides.45c4b602c1a2dd84

“You’re here,” fad3d6468c she said, 07e50d2200 her voice 6995eac081 smooth and dc3cf4a433 soft, like bab71c987c velvet in 10e5e11ad5 the dead b2f742371a of winter.480aeeb63702cef0

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Lily froze. Beatrice turned her gaze ede778a60d to the open door 74f7e58c61 and slowly blinked, tilting 9ab6132dc6 her head.345ce2cb2a164673

“When will c20b487e35 the others e248811c6a arrive?” she e0b59c0b7a asked.8d4a80ea1821220f

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She was 9e0a55934e waiting for d7dae219c2 those who 907a839c78 shared a 6eb27a3f1a grudge against 22e3ae7832 the count f57329281a to gather. Waiting for e2b83afa90 her audience f506df7d3f to witness e528f39559 what came 19cd87d3ad next.fc95df6e03b89a04

* * *f269ac7fc9441c9f

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Amanda kept her a9456fd7cc head bowed, standing 29c6966f8c by the door. She had adjusted 6246708358 her schedule, as 42edd0ab48 Lily had instructed, ddb5592086 to serve the 1a9e66bf5d count during the 857671c60c early hours. Yet tonight, like cf416906bb every other, had 41aa667059 been uneventful.1a3c9a376193078e

The manor was quiet, the kind of silence that seemed to press down on her as the debutante’s final night stretched on. Despite the young lady’s presence at the manor—raising hopes that something might finally happen—the night had passed without incident.f273b42d1a5ffad0

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Her briefly swelling anticipation 4de284f463 fell like a drenched 2f0eebe17a cloth, heavy and limp. Of course, she fdedd4dd6d had foolishly hoped 218978b2be again. But in the end, 67a6d3aada all they had left 59a03196e4 was each other.b507707a8af474d1

Lost in her 48230806a4 thoughts, Amanda froze 103e9b0a4f at the sound 05c20d245e of a dull 1a723ba137 ‘thud’. She bolted a6c95fa67d upright, her d22f28db8a heart pounding e1be9d46ec loudly, echoing 27ae33b9bf the sound 17c02edcd4 she had a4e3041a93 just heard.ae59220c61001d5e

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The count’s 2dd283a46d voice did 17ae9517ab not call 2175d5b2bc for her. For several minutes, b24d11f532 Amanda stood frozen f012b96d30 in place before 2136266b92 cautiously opening the 322b6fb65f antechamber door and c237c7de37 stepping into the 282e81689c count’s office.2237df082c3ce4eb

What she saw f128895e75 was beyond anything 8e1f76cc80 she could have 97daf38ce4 imagined.85502ef9d52a44e7

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A tall, slender woman 906b2c093c stood before her, holding fa19872212 the count by his cc146b27f8 neck, lifting him into 6bfb1330d8 the air with one 28d89d9369 hand.a7de461930b0db91

‘Is this 591fd112a8 a dream?’ eda7798ecb Amanda wanted 909a0ef310 to slap 5465a7e91c herself to 7a4b92df7b wake up. But Beatrice, ebbabb8167 seemingly unaware 410c51ff54 of Amanda’s 76df4a5818 disbelief, moved 696c5e54c5 her hand 2eeb93b4c6 with cold c2af9fd68e precision, as f947e4cad6 though simply 704276164c completing a 9e1d2b3de8 task.f7dec8c307f1062c

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With only her 9a30b5f2d3 bare hands, Beatrice 3292c07dd8 snapped the count’s 870e1fb8b9 limbs. The sound of bone b6ea017c0d twisting in impossible directions 8d451d5d6c was sickening: ‘crack, snap, b10b46bafc creak.’ The count’s attempts 53306502e4 to scream were cut 5ed94e46ff short by the grip 64fdaf5eb2 tightening around his throat, 51bdc04874 leaving only choked gurgles.d6f68c6e04ac569e

She twisted 1b92cccfd7 his arms 10e372b3b4 and legs e32a49d50f as easily 0c60db4d53 as snapping 4ab87ccabf twigs, her 9974da5450 movements deliberate 43417aa9f3 and unhurried. The torn flesh around 47429e8caf his knee revealed glimpses 124b4e1fc9 of bone.a264e8e878d9f385

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