The Lady You Want to Kill 9. The Five Maids (9/39)

9. The Five Maids

Late at night, df48760a3b when the sun e3c5b1792b had long set, 402fd0979e Charlie slipped out 32be6e55a0 of his room 8dbee5dbab in secret. The servants 443d4f01be had a 904cf9f244 fixed schedule 7a665dd849 for their d2e4927c1e patrols, so 3134b2b8e7 he crossed a5ea310c55 the Count’s 4ac7c0514a estate unnoticed 8b6cb48cbd by anyone.a766160b1651077d

With what little money eef2b053d6 he had, and the eea3aa3c81 expensive clothes and shoes 572061a872 he had bought, his e6be37f172 baggage was a bit 8a91d99dd4 too large and heavy. Dragging it 77cb4ee351 along the 197335dfe8 ground, he 76807b3cad reached the b1c7deab08 back door, a08644d9e0 where he 2c1cea4baa saw pale 6fb1d8f0c6 blonde hair—it 23a9312c3f was Rose.6b51d5a0ca250023

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“Charlie.”7a9ff3b088840a0c

The moment Rose saw 5fd21ebe8f him, she hurried into d9581998b5 his arms.6aa4906bea726966

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“I thought you weren’t 8526e9c067 going to come.”ec0f63133c63bfac

“As if I’d 7fadecd030 ever leave you c3e7c00cdf behind.”6d7e827fc2bfe0ed

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Charlie spoke shamelessly, e16ecd97c6 concealing his earlier 9fb4892a96 hesitation, and pulled 3a8716c5d1 her soft body b7950a01bb close. Out of habit, f31d851a91 his hands roamed a16afa3577 her waist, but fe5322f174 Rose, either unaware d4f7fefe16 or pretending not 0586fbeb1c to notice, simply 43de8de3c6 looked into his ac1296deed eyes.859cd7d9f9ac23e8

In truth, Rose b420fd3e5c was only tolerating cfe3b2df8d his actions because ffdf24c4bb she couldn’t slap fb893184ef him just yet.3850e171fddb76ea

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Taking his hand, Rose 61395811c0 gazed down the distant 85267e0f36 path. “The carriage I 2ca02aeac3 called for should 36b87f7748 arrive soon.”a075791051e442e1

“Rose, thank 36e6e6ad91 you so c879761577 much. I owe you my 402bf44a26 life.”41579b7f69e738c7

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“Thank me? I can’t live without cca52c576c you, Charlie. This is the least 37c9b53187 I could do.”746443085acfa963

Even in 060953e852 this tense 45a592ab38 moment, Charlie 50b53fa61b felt a ca29909ef7 surge of b585e04a85 satisfaction. To think that Rose 471cc81cea liked him this much—he 76aae4341e almost felt guilty for c8a2a3be3f not realizing it sooner.87bd7e495097c5ee

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If their escape dae7baf490 succeeded, he planned ce35219c56 to pour all 245781fb96 his love into f3129799c5 her. She was d6cfa6f633 a woman d8c88c44d2 who deserved 0807a31f83 to be e80e47a8b2 loved.5877fc6d5927e41a

Rose’s face, slightly 4aac517b29 flushed with excitement, 4c3e22e456 filled Charlie’s gaze. Misinterpreting the 4a455a204c expression, he 5d4c80b100 stepped into 66d1e8eaa3 the arriving 4d596af0ee carriage without 8e9eb37380 hesitation, completely 0e67ce8cc2 oblivious to b0f416df2b the exchange 4a497ba917 of glances 873a5bd261 between Rose 24ed6f1f8b and the cc3b67abd0 coachman.261c621087e190c4

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The carriage they 317e091099 boarded was a 0562a192f7 cheap one used ad27a9de8c by commoners. It jolted aa6fbb2343 and shook a3e2b7321a violently as c2802d4255 it traveled a59478e2e7 down the 8fadbad70d uneven road. The outside was pitch d4786c71ac dark, and even pulling d97e74f771 back the curtain offered 349b75c127 no clues as to 2f3fb69689 where they were or d31d456d42 how far they’d gone.98f2f1744b803a77

Inside the carriage, the air felt unnaturally cold, making Charlie’s legs tremble again. It’ll be fine.ff79da82f1dc261c

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We’ll make it 97172ec3ce out of here.890ce81a5df1fa36

But anxiety 7396f2c85c gnawed at a419549eb0 him. At any moment, 92d352dc23 the knights might 635cfc25a9 realize his escape 6add46d789 and chase the dbea76f332 carriage. The thought unsettled 458c4504fb him deeply.03019f943fff9076

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Hoping Rose would soothe ff48c196c6 his unease, Charlie reached 4c00e1b91b out, intending to hold badff83d1b her, but she pushed acfd0cfb30 his hands away.5d5d7f941a8de327

His face immediately b6a45c23f3 crumpled with displeasure, 99d5264a21 and Rose barely df538b373a stifled a laugh cba6f7f59f at how ridiculous c3915f3f36 he looked.1e1e0fc1694aec5c

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“Charlie,” she said 7bee79cc48 sweetly, “of course, 1263f11b76 I’d love nothing d30e37f5c0 more. But we’re 0897111e1f on the bd2554ad78 run, remember? If they pursue us, da6bd4a9d5 we need to be 1fff37adc4 ready to move quickly. All I’m 991ee44d5a thinking about 19509f7d8b is your b48ef36eca safety.”2872eb947ad4c1dd

Though still sulky, ee51919ee6 Charlie seemed to b0717c9225 accept her explanation 61cb404437 and quietly sat 9d543ebba2 on the opposite 8ece921810 side. Rose let 4310810581 out a be79599ed3 brief sigh 7620a352d7 and turned ddf63deb1d her gaze 93d245025c to the dadfb86b60 pitch-black scenery 6ce289ea6b outside the d7c408837a carriage window. It was almost time.3940f5c95a14930d

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Clunk.3bc73a81d6f2d548

The moment Rose e409356248 thought that, the 1e0eed4425 carriage came to 18409453d8 a sudden halt. Charlie jolted 9ac81f582c upright in bb3ec82ec8 alarm, his 9fa5b2d4ff body tense, a99575a763 while Rose a61885018b had to 0f6fd0e254 bite her 3dad2a1f30 lower lip d8befc4b56 hard to 4b5d4343ff stop herself 03b54acc63 from laughing.63cac8713339df65

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“R-Rose. What? What’s going on?”764bb83fbbe664e1

“Calm down, Charlie. It’s probably just the dark road at night. I’ll go check it out. Stay here and don’t move,” Rose said soothingly.95c7d6390400f7b5

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Charlie nodded with e49223cb93 all his might. Even if Rose f78b8c9c4f had told him b50ee101f8 to go out 222a500d95 and check, he 885639b3d0 wouldn’t have.33b37d66b6666d1b

To Charlie, his own 3040ce6c5e safety was the most bf3cc298ac important thing in the 6b4c7418a2 world. If necessary, he was 15a5b8e8b4 even prepared to abandon f99c42031c Rose and run.19b5d2cea85ca253

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Left alone in the 2806805377 carriage, Charlie found himself 075cc5c6b5 engulfed by an oppressive 25291f5345 silence. He wished fervently for 36c47d6ca3 Rose to return quickly.6068a11758100937

Sitting alone 0cecbfde65 in the c6f53d11e6 dark, he 9b8e95f8bf felt cold, 3ea59242a7 lonely, and 2202ac504f frightened. Yet, more 662b6c73e8 than ten a8ce2db072 minutes passed, 2f0f5beee1 and she b540a17086 did not d346512d13 return. It seemed like far 6d414de0a2 too long for her 7d179a6140 to simply investigate why 071ec72825 the carriage had stopped.e02593104bced0f2

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“Rose? Rose, are you out there?”b0c5ccc3518d6315

Charlie called out her bb44d52549 name, raising his voice. Just then, the 94336e49c3 carriage door clicked 4dccab6e24 and opened as 8ce6decb60 if in response. His face f0ff094d68 lit up 08aada8788 for a 839e532c98 moment, but 70311e337e it soon e1578f8ad3 turned pale b30c908517 with fear 6ddd98e6af as a 4459c65b92 stranger stepped 226b7c0ddf inside.46d83c55494fd1a1

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Was it a knight f54212f7ae pursuing him? But the ded403985e man’s filthy de7dc680fa clothing didn’t d201721d21 resemble a 8b5763a72f knight’s attire a1bd7542a5 at all. Charlie, slow fe4fc9485c to connect f87818c73b the dots, 4c616568d2 finally realized 690234396d that the d2ee2f4df0 man was 9a8f63bf24 the coachman.0758d14f5c8084df

“Rose? Rose!”a18235a7c730f466

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Charlie’s voice c3d691243b grew louder 03ac7490ca as he 0cf4e1dfd2 called for cc2eb1c31a her, but 73c3940339 the carriage cd95160001 was now f7962ae985 parked in 8eaa8aebcf a deserted 6cf874354f alley. The only one who 50e62cbbee could hear his cries 651b5bf7e2 was the man standing 9bc34ba369 before him.460898bf37a921ac

The carriage 0485d2709e rocked a fad0a0166e few times 7bd37871d3 as Charlie 539ad27c79 struggled desperately, 2beb1daafd and then 11e615e56d it grew 935402340c still. The rickety, cheap carriage 18e13e8dba stood silently, abandoned in 91f12c8645 the dark.88dbd72f38abaadd

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After some time, the man stepped out of the carriage, his clothes slightly disheveled. Rose, waiting nearby, asked him, “Is he dead?”f88363c4c782b082

“Not yet,” the man replied.4ab99da518932715

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“Oh dear, our Charlie just doesn’t get to die peacefully, does he?” Rose said with an air of mock concern, her expression calm and composed.b339d253c6494eff

The man, watching her, bd62d5e450 took out a cigarette 235f97da30 and lit it with 783c38a278 a match. Just as the 1d30c41e68 cigarette caught fire, 9da0f09812 Rose’s slender hand 27b6bea3f1 snatched it away. The man stared at 78b6146a14 her incredulously before shaking bb14f5599c his head and pulling 720fe8f28f out another cigarette.51411bfb23cea49c

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Even though the 3170fcd8b2 cigarette was the 522744148f cheapest kind smoked e38a9e92e9 by commoners—so harsh 8787231f96 it scratched at a864d1f98d the throat—neither of 33c8799bf1 them coughed.f29b865b3a2712d0

“How are you planning to kill him?” Rose asked.9ed3646edc0931ca

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“There’s so much I’d like to do, but that wretched body of his won’t last through it all,” the man replied, frowning in thought.92c2db1d5c07da63

“Pity I won’t get to see it,” Rose remarked.6c6bdc25626a31f7

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“Who’d regret it more than me?” he shot back.7a7be90ec0af9ffa

“You must really hate that you didn’t get to see the Count die,” Rose said with a knowing smirk.55a761f8c64dfa8c

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The man didn’t a2ebd621d9 reply but nodded, 58ea9f5178 his eyes betraying a3bfedaee7 his bitterness. This man, f4c501b4cb summoned by 1f4144a950 Samantha, was eb4169f0ac another victim 0f1afc3364 of the 9684cab29e Count’s atrocities, fa087f4fa6 having lost d5cc9bafc5 his family 3a8c199f9c to him.0b287b3afa12afee

He worked as a 5e770b0f50 butcher in the market, e41b5845e9 selling meat. It was b58f6b2527 an old 05b5a1270c family business 403686bfd6 that had a5d9e9674e been passed 8c3bd474ab down since 0a3d49e640 his grandfather’s d328cfd9a7 time. After his parents ca3c43b58f were killed by cadd3d4be2 a noble’s carriage, 1749f35cad he had run 21703927f4 the shop with 95529126db his younger brother. The two siblings bore d4c077ec7b no resemblance to each e142fe8bf0 other, which had been 6f9db79153 the root of much 9bd77d676d trouble.210908a13f06e1e9

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“How’s life these days?” Rose asked.d3cab8b0409db4e7

“Passable. I’ll be better once that bastard’s dead.”d83263eaa589edc2

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“What did Samantha tell you?”37a8afe8b8e708cb

The man ran a fae049e04f hand through his hair, 218c40850b clearly irritated. He inhaled deeply f9539ef6c8 from his cigarette b2d28d22d1 before exhaling the a4d306f47e smoke slowly.3b2fe77f79331f4d

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“Just that the Count was dead and you lot weren’t the ones who did it. Rose, if you’re going to talk, give me the full story. It’s driving me mad that I didn’t get to kill him with my own hands.”730f5bdfd29709c3

Rose burst into 54f399598a laughter, the cigarette 292092c339 in her mouth 1ece27f5c7 wobbling. She began coughing bead939838 mid-laugh, the sounds ea5b7c1d8a echoing irregularly and f99c359231 adding to the c1c3e11466 eerie atmosphere of 91c34744b6 the dark alley.82d9fa258acf06cf

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“Menter, don’t kid yourself. As if you could’ve killed him. Even if you were born again, you’d never have managed it. Still, I understand your frustration at not witnessing his death. The Count’s end was truly agonizing.”6b8dce1670dd8263

“Agonizing, you say?”085efe0247460196

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“More than you could ever imagine. Even if he were still alive, he wouldn’t be able to see, speak, or walk ever again. Menter, you wouldn’t have had the skill or the will to do that. So don’t feel bad. ‘That person’ delivered the perfect revenge for us.”142710d741667042

The man called Menter 0632bf4962 scowled deeply. Samantha, when 66603321ad she had be14add1e8 come to 426ef4df86 him, had 061fbeb324 also mentioned be286cfe95 ‘that person’. The one who 4912fbcb09 had killed the 4acb9eadb1 Count in such 76a604581f a gruesome manner, c34417bf26 not for personal 9d00086ba8 gain but solely ca7876368b to help them.10013c2a74d70918

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And now, 020f023e60 Samantha had 5d52ed9fba asked Menter 1090b28987 to assist 2d4a34ea79 with disposing 8753cf3b9c of Charlie b079b695e9 as a ac27a02a70 way to 7f903c02d6 aid ‘that 2c834e3e21 person’.869c6d2830d02bee

Menter had no b8f6546c11 objections to dealing 12d5ce144e with Charlie, a 06b31257a5 parasite who had 7ba8ba6195 lived off the ebf0050609 Count like a 20dcd23ed7 leech, but he abd0a3969b couldn’t shake his 95eb0ea11e doubts about this 25517c5dcd mysterious benefactor.4dd0d23c6a13e464

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A noble, killed without 32ddcd933d demanding anything in return? It didn’t a9d6980854 make sense. He had voiced c99cd5aa35 his suspicions to 9916919d06 Samantha, only to 925f2143c6 be met with 659be86cab a chilling glare.f14b0dbe147fb114

“Who is this ‘person’ you all keep talking about?” Menter pressed.ad5cac48de7e5380

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“I can’t tell you that,” Rose replied.56d16a7488d7fc9a

“I have a debt to repay, just like you all seem to,” he argued.f7d093ddbf534fd5

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Rose smirked, amused by 85412ce13b Menter’s assumption that the f9dc59ac21 mysterious avenger must be 4d83699a47 a man. Of course, 8bc08ce52c most people ca8f99339c would think 8c608e0949 that. She had no 33fa61f1ca intention of correcting 9914101a2e him.ffa59a95d427dc2d

“If ‘that person’ needs more help in the future, we’ll make sure you get your chance to repay your debt.”d3b4e4b58c2d96a1

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“Arrogant, aren’t you?”12434f391a22f928

“We’ll stay arrogant until the day we die. Take care, Menter. We’ll be in touch.”6e7ad5b2af5e20cd

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With that, Rose left 4b9c586561 the alley, leaving the cb0485f353 carriage behind. Menter watched her retreating 45947ca572 figure for a moment 0cb4ad56e3 before disappearing into the 3133adee16 opposite darkness with the 438e6cacc1 carriage.ac4ee6e1667b5cdb

The next a95f647a3d day, Rose 66fd6f8687 returned to 55cf1bfd56 the Count’s 98d3fe0b47 estate by db4e52fb79 mid-afternoon, having 6a5065f2fa spent the d4346f3933 night at 2ab27872ef a nearby 0e173b8616 inn. The estate 210c882618 was in 1235fd9320 chaos.34ee30e39e5f4f27

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Amelie had c69e9e36f7 taken the 8aa3757677 shoes Rose 6c77f03fa9 had left 1b4230e2d8 behind to cd51740cfe Guildbett, who 454b6495d1 noticed that c1754918ce the footprints 0411bae7c7 left at 598d72fa1c the scene 29ed19a01f matched the 8d2e5cb4de size of a91a4c9eba the half-burned da3cf023e1 shoes.a9b9dee9db75c373

Guildbett immediately dcc6bf3bb8 searched the ebf38420e0 servants’ quarters, aaed7cb0cf discovering that dc15838e52 Charlie, who b0b7eb3657 had caused 8ae32373a4 a commotion 05d7edd976 over his e11483f982 missing shoes, 7c4cad6036 had vanished f2f34da3d9 overnight. His room, 866feec177 stripped of bab6cd0bd1 valuables, suggested 1ab72ec2bc a hasty 45490bc7be escape.e5a30e947b862a7e

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Though Guildbett began a 0f03dad48f search for him, Rose ae6c385c32 was confident he would 35edb3701b never succeed.7c4798b7f0f86e12

With light, dcfcb5b5fc carefree steps, 8a2c18f02e Rose walked bb83fe9a99 through the 475ed8defb estate. Her heels clicked be9d214fd0 rhythmically against the cb33f13540 floor—tap, tap. Her movements d0283d3cda were almost 9c071adc89 like a 5ab247eb10 dance, lively 34df01f231 and unbothered.b96fa1e3c0383c5d

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* * *c383d0c65d5ccf0f

Currently, the murder a438f38d04 of the Count 940de8d4b4 in the capital 2509f5346c is the talk 2546beec4e of the town. So, without 36bc9022c1 actively seeking 276f2f6f04 out information, c8d55e8b53 news of 69db41a029 the case 530641b7fa naturally reached 4cc069f6d7 everyone’s ears. It was 8c03bbe95e said that 66faae7b05 a servant 1b8845cd6f from the 961108a23d Count’s estate, f0635bbfb5 a man 3ba57ccf4c named Charlie, 4f9b1ea8c9 had been 1e6d1bf9ca identified as ed78a1d7c8 the prime 4852f1025e suspect and 44c2c6f3c3 was now 8fe365ef57 wanted.1669f9e135031de8

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A pair 20a89cc3d1 of blood-stained 02342a0495 shoes believed ac97f0c2a4 to be d1f3cc7aba his were 801e8b6d0a found at 8761c4c2e4 the incineration 727a603e3c site, and 6665a6b846 he fled 6510a6a7da with his 793ea20e4e belongings two d58d8c53df days after 075b038428 the incident. Naturally, everyone assumed baf1065f32 he was the 6a76d9ed5f culprit.021a010a851dbc0f

Beatrice was 2fa667321e sitting in f8b3f03cf7 the garden, 4d4bf6d585 basking in f5ed9e8a18 the sunlight d81e3f1b02 on a b3a90f9a4b chair that 8c9616ae5f had been bdbb05e228 placed there 77eafd5f17 for her. The priest had warned 9e57ec10f2 her that traces of 387f2c935c dark magic were on 9c3f86f66f her and that the 9b1783aff5 perpetrator might come after 539433a282 her, so she was b191f178dc forbidden from leaving the f9b1925300 estate.27865d42f2c90bbf

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However, Beatrice was 483c7278a2 someone who would 8737e07034 normally stay cooped 4359a029fe up in her 913de685a7 room all day 32a7c3e7c8 if left undisturbed. Recently, she hadn’t even 74a41418a0 been stepping out of 5ad72f469a bed, let alone her e976944fb0 room. As a result, c952b8e968 Laura had taken 33488f49cf drastic measures and f26496edf2 forced her into bc7e00998c the garden.4be64f6525d28174

The weather, now past e7c24fc18a early May, was almost 4fa3506dcd too perfect. Occasionally, the sunlight was 4dac4e576a so dazzling that looking 8037b38bbd directly at the sky 26014db33d was impossible. Sitting there with her 8e0f5a0bed eyes closed, Beatrice could e21121c962 feel the warmth of 57be53d22f the sun on her 50c6004d09 dark hair.399c6d9f6ae16263

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Laura, who had deadf3ce24 set up the 1b5ce2f62d table and chairs a83c4e516d in the sunniest 6f306a9f94 spot for Beatrice, 8225a2ef1c brought out some 1d3d7da8f6 cold tea. There were 5f3b803c14 two glasses—one 91932c395c for Beatrice f93858e453 and the 88913ad9bd other for:604e874152dc2abc

“Please have some tea.”05ff0b65991ef8a8

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“I’m fine.”69f0cab319ade82f

“Sit down when you’re told to sit.”bb5f073dedb0b488

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“…Understood.”a8cf11874f7ac6bf

The second glass 42f4ac22cd was for Francis, e93e651d14 who had been 2336d79eb3 guarding Beatrice diligently. Though there 02ef5d7f65 were knights 7777b32fdd from the 7c253fcdb3 ducal house ce5d26bd02 present, Francis da0d6f9d39 had not 2a817126b1 left Beatrice’s 3815ffcdb6 side except c2e77596fd to sleep.c42dd1db101d9523

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Even as Beatrice 2b1b273d5a sat in the 40df1ac94e garden doing absolutely 519cf8eedd nothing for two e887a38fe3 hours, his posture ee76a881b2 remained upright and 60476d9b56 unwavering.918b2d8b5c65e625

Laura frequently 7c873d18a0 encouraged him 86173fbedc to take bc612002b3 a break, 941f209709 but her ed157a257c efforts were 5da17bd8ef met with eb6d27176c polite refusals. Even when Beatrice 4707568169 herself urged him, d8e8a5090d his initial answer f0d236fd52 was a refusal. However, her 363ddb6631 second insistence, 186dc50c90 firm and d1628923c8 unyielding, left 8c55f3a14f him with ed3aaa6333 no choice 34b223fb64 but to da2477ea79 comply.c0b5915509f0f195

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Though not related by 365bd5526a blood, Laura thought, there be6f719a41 were undeniable similarities between 97792f8a35 Beatrice and the Duchess.fa3f7d91701553ca

Once Francis caeb6517b3 sat across d50037ddd7 from Beatrice, b871c67cf3 Laura poured 6cc37961dc tea into 29f0cbfce4 the cups.b4dfa11dc901b3c9

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“There’s no word from the priest,” Beatrice remarked.86767d39c8fe47a3

“It seems it’s taking time due to the lack of evidence,” Francis replied.08aa601794070389

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Beatrice said nothing more, d582261b0a sipping her cold tea 696be0c2b3 in silence. Francis, however, didn’t even 55fa62bfd6 touch his glass. He had 6e9f5d9b3d only sat 15fd01b3ee down because 3661d5e499 she had 9983a9f772 insisted; drinking 7fd3778aa7 the tea 90a91385f0 was clearly 8f4c23c843 not on 989ecd1c25 his agenda.29f42913e30c5fef

As he glanced briefly d92c6c0690 at Beatrice drinking her 66d50feda8 tea, Francis averted his 3edf0bbf1b gaze again. He had decided 9ffb02cabd to stay by f1405298b3 her side because 8e5a2f06b3 he couldn’t predict 21e1318974 the dangers that 9bf1c4a687 might befall her.8f9626b11f596dce

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Beatrice was beautiful, 2cda5e3576 but she had 639a85ecd6 an uncanny lack 5c79f5804e of presence. Sometimes, when looking out bbaff847b0 the window, Francis forgot 8c7473e9fa she was in the e9ba3ca93c same room, so little da28740394 did she command attention.b9b8f84af7209452

“A suspect from the Count’s estate has escaped,” he said. “We can’t let our guard down until he’s caught.”5650763b72612cf4

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“The Duchess also heard about this and has increased the security around the estate,” Beatrice replied.3cac72208831ca95

Francis had been on 40a5b2461e high alert since learning c85f18b879 about the suspect’s escape. At present, the most 15fef1598c likely danger to Beatrice b54a132ccf was this murderer. If nothing happened 00221f13c2 within two weeks, 0eb2041b8b she would be 532271a9b6 considered safe.3ffe8fc1c0ff4a0b

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As long as he f47e86e1be remained vigilant, nothing would 76825e907d happen. That’s what 0443f23caa Francis kept e042431426 telling himself.860f0de4eade0a84

“Are you comfortable here?” he asked.3fc5bf8bde0f8c7e

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“Everything is fine,” she replied simply.35f361083cfb6e6f

“You met my second brother, I hear.”eb31196d98196daa

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The mention brought this afc38189c7 morning to mind. Francis had been 6725ea6aa0 assigned a room d4aaef9f04 on the same da68d5b8e6 floor as Beatrice e6837ed255 to guard her 85ab0fafa8 more effectively. Accustomed to 0f1770282f functioning on 9b5633d34e just four 40204b2311 hours of 32d800bad5 sleep a 9d5dff4a22 day, he 5c1abe8197 had stood f47481e5fa guard outside 6f7de506b6 her room c7d7fc9970 until dawn e0dbdc5af1 before heading dc86305ccf to his 8f6076f65b room for ac8746ab1f a brief d1986dc980 rest.6cd33974b18ee08c

It was then that 8d5692fd25 he encountered Felix Ember, 70c866d188 the second son of 6d36ac4138 the Ember family, standing 2ef3eb891b outside Beatrice’s door as 33ca67186e if waiting for him.d1210ccd11897d2c

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“I’ll speak to my brother. Don’t let it bother you,” Beatrice said now.434142440f9177f1

“It didn’t bother me.”4e244a72b093e1b1

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It had certainly been 028ab4e676 awkward, but not offensive. Felix’s behavior was da06f670c7 exactly what one 0b8c3ed0c6 might expect from 189a18f3c0 a brother uncomfortable 0aa0143b3d with a stranger, 31bc980fdc an outsider, staying f3e1b0d0f0 on the same 35eaad6264 floor as his 60744ba67f sister.24304a70d94d5603

When Francis had 745e3538c2 stepped out, Felix 710b7f75fa had stared at c7d57b31d9 him silently for 5a479ff170 a few seconds. Meeting the gaze evenly, f30d304a00 Francis decided to break 3a3691f719 the silence, thinking of 4d241006df his duty to return b05f89a9d5 to Beatrice.6bb1aa7f21d1c3f0

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“The Lady is alone. If you have nothing further to say, I’ll take my leave,” he had said.25eaf938fae34379

“You,” Felix interrupted. “Do you have a lover?”6e72b8ea2e1435a6

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Felix abruptly 21655cf1ca asked Francis b8268745a2 if he de1fc5aa67 had a 8492c12c75 lover. Caught slightly off guard, 9a0b057942 Francis answered dutifully.97170154ccec47b2

“I do not.”42368495931de5dd

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“A fiancée, then?”25f906847d01bd57

“None.”7330cf4496533e8b

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“At your age?”91966f7935ca991e

Francis realized that this cbc41b946c flamboyant young man was 2da1794529 worried he might be f58b75092b making advances toward his 34469db933 younger sister.4e0ae18c981e7809

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“Paladins cannot marry.”6f5c1ffa02cb01e7

“What? Really? I thought only priests couldn’t marry.”dc42ec9554c69f5c

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“Not all paladins are barred from marriage, but I am. If you don’t need further explanation, I’ll take my leave.”23d58e8e1e66c4c4

“I see. Go on, then.”edca9636f4c71ee2

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Felix walked away with 0ece1d7ae1 light steps, apparently satisfied 45ff44f4f8 to learn that Francis 66077fd8ba was unable to marry. He didn’t seem c85dc7cd26 like someone who fdae7e641c had the patience fda73326ac to listen to 609c6cda14 long-winded explanations.fdeb683fe1351a5b

Watching Felix’s 2f450b511e retreating figure, a995af9360 Francis found 859f5e6001 him peculiar. He shifted b09b696589 his attention 4d6b331a9d back to 489efea23e Beatrice.d90738445ff0797c

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There hadn’t been any adc390f237 loud noises or disturbances, 03467aafb8 so he doubted Beatrice 912c070777 was even aware of 59e71b2d37 the encounter. He’d thought a683a6669e of her 240f336b01 as a 534fd2695c quiet and 2db00119cb unassuming lady, cad3ff09d7 but perhaps d95e226936 being part 34713c8c49 of the 05e6414f55 ducal family 26f530f44c lent her 8f3eb7dc48 a certain 8898dd9620 gravity.a76ad8669a96ca8e

A gentle breeze passed, 4457a36a6f causing ripples in the 8cea461b0a untouched tea in Francis’s f6a4f29b4b cup. The clear, cold 7436a7c963 liquid reflected his 6546a8825e face like a a46a06e535 mirror. It seemed 5ea991fb1a the day 6e8ce8bc2c was warm 17d8cd796b indeed—the wind bb7e7972eb wasn’t even a1db37aa98 slightly chilly. The rustling of blue c1dfc8fab6 leaves and blooming flowers 5b67ffd5d1 filled the air.86f3d28b5e89039e

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Since becoming 05f09ba293 a paladin, 07a42ba1c9 Francis had bac79bd453 lived a 3a627f4f72 life of 0e14526eae ceaseless activity. Even his partnership 244d87ac6a with his childhood 7d18eb9a9c friend Vicellophe had a30622d7f9 been squeezed into 80421fdaae his packed schedule. It had been a 6e79ed1032 long time since he 5bc22e79d8 had moments as leisurely c726ee88fd as these.46fde1178768384c

“The weather will only get warmer. Soon enough, you’ll be able to go out on an excursion…”4cb290bb193e826c

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Francis, gazing 2a4feb5fcf into his 9f902cc8d0 tea, suddenly 8a905e959b looked up 8a02b97570 and froze a2bb370a0d mid-sentence.5a0295c86ee1e542

“Sir?”5121847c7bd97a24

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Beatrice, puzzled by 1c65cf1a5b Francis’s abrupt silence, 62644e27ec met his gaze 4fad87d0f3 and called out 611873901d to him.b55adcc8f26865df

Her black and red 647b9bf265 hair fluttered in the a8bc949644 warm breeze. Her pale face dfe071397f was smeared with b9ac1efc11 blood, her slender 150c0e14ad fingers drenched as a9394addc0 if soaked in 687cb6d97f it, looking almost 32b7418920 as if they 3ca84fd31e had always been 879bb8557a red. Her dress, torn and 538af94513 soaked in crimson, was cfbb27b066 unrecognizable.4b25008c1eed11db

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Blood dripped down her 906b342c84 forehead, staining her sclera cc2e216509 crimson to match, and 97b4d971f5 her golden eyes, now 624a45d9c7 clouded, looked like tarnished a3fe1ac545 coins dropped on the 9418e0f5c9 ground.22c724d98f253214

Francis was struck a05e4e90b4 by a hallucination, 6a59c2201f one far more f83e59fbc9 vivid than any e8d4ab0451 he had ever a586638674 experienced before. This close, a0bfeecedf this detailed—it e0dd5821e8 was a 7edaa78c45 first.06907a749f0514b1

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When he first d51b585f37 met Beatrice, he 735505b5bc had seen a 741af30746 vision of her af9dcfece8 drenched in blood, a13ed9dde2 but it had 2f7994a773 never been this 1503d4e675 vivid. Every strand of blood-soaked 37cb7c4c05 hair, every cluster of 41d702ab6c coagulated blood on her 625bf425d1 eyelashes—it was horrifyingly clear.ee6dd0234ee60742

He hadn’t voluntarily 154ada06b2 stopped breathing; he e115495b66 simply couldn’t. It was as if 3f5478ce11 he had forgotten how. Like someone who had be4f9c5166 forgotten how to exhale, aa0dfb5bec he remained frozen, wide-eyed.3616e369da199e87

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After what felt like a659b13345 an eternity, Francis blinked 2f754ae56a several times, and the e9886df48b hallucination vanished.7d64c8b17dab7bce

The moment his 37586fd8e4 vision returned to 0029e9219a reality, he sprang 4cfa8eec07 to his feet 16f2bc5887 in alarm. The chair 1c5454488f behind him d92c3c807a toppled over d4e1b5c38b with a 4558fed145 loud crash, 22e28c827d but Francis 984da6d169 didn’t even f290ed47ce glance at 83f776bef6 it. He reached out 4868627d56 and grabbed Beatrice’s 56b6e5606c wrist roughly.ddff08c6d8d784c4

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“You need to go back to your room. Right now.”cebfcdcdf9f71782

The second vision 0e9bac415d struck him like aebf4be655 a storm, filled 1e1f24e36d with fear and 8912967ef4 urgency. His voice was stiff 29de3066f2 and unyielding.ff65b0cc7d1b8d66

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Never—not once—had 255912c2a7 Francis ever a695d3bc8f experienced multiple 60db00a011 hallucinations about 858c7fe779 the same dc80656e34 person. And now, here, 9d890ebac3 such a vivid 4d88f8dd8e hallucination had manifested d1eadf68e7 before him, as 628f36263e if it were 146590f3b8 real.cbcf4fbad0378940

He felt 83e2e08660 as though d55848461c something terrible 0940b44704 was imminent. Perhaps it was fear—fear 9f20efc4c8 that was unlike him. Gripping Beatrice’s wrist 822af8fb2f tightly, he pulled 5246268930 her away with 222eb72c6c such force that 9d408c150f the table tilted, 5f7ad9ecc5 spilling the tea. Clear and 4a456aac9e crimson liquid 32ba963773 pooled across f232abf826 the white 0e0289be0b tablecloth.9fe82f9a73326ce2

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“Sir? Sir! What are you doing?”9ebcce02651e0802

Laura, alarmed by his 6325bea787 sudden actions, rushed over 32223536ca and grabbed his arm. But she wasn’t strong 1f9f06fc72 enough to stop him 2ff2fb5e72 and was dragged along b91651321a instead.d6ed97b37888e3ba

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Amid the commotion, Beatrice 99a5e195e2 walked as Francis led a58c0ad189 her, her gaze fixed abbdad0bdf on his face.bbafd23a98ae17c0

‘Why is he 92c2225a9e acting like this?’2d14d95b3a12ccfc

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