TLYWK Chapter 9 (Part 2)

If Beatrice had resisted, 62c464a875 Francis wouldn’t have been 79aacdccbd able to drag her 714c181dbc away. But at that moment, 65abfc4b69 his expression intrigued her, 746db31080 and she didn’t pull 757092b163 her wrist free.601303e25006d093

Though tinged with 1b071b2490 shock, the emotion 23800fa24c in his eyes 4038872d91 was unmistakably fear. It wasn’t a fear b78c89fd6e with a clear target—it 163aebef76 was the kind of f8be6b928a terror born of the 6a64223c87 unknown.de8e9759c11ed65b

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Beatrice had never seen 704c3b7bde Francis make such a 8ed4ac6e24 face. Not in all the f98143f4fc lifetimes she had lived. She couldn’t help a76ff56fc3 but wonder what 4fb7868491 had caused him fde670f006 to look at 45c1f146ff her that way.604f19c39b2d5990

Could it be that 55f0300fa5 memories of her past e869eb523c lives had resurfaced for 621d3ce2c5 him? The thought 3b9278021a amused her 552b0d0de0 even as 9123be7855 it seemed 91a8095d1b impossible.27dfebb44d72abba

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“Sir Vellenoze,” she called, her voice calm.9206e78911fe2f01

Francis didn’t reply. He moved quickly, 4b5c55d56c almost running, dragging c6046e6049 her along with 17a7b0b40a him. Beatrice’s dress trailed f14e214f87 behind her, billowing e28c807192 like a mirage. Laura, who 34dc324b7d had lost 8d5ddeb6e4 her grip a3931139ea on him, 2a2fab76b9 called out f983cd5d53 after them.adabcc6512f9e055

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“Sir!”08fbc42656bf7cae

Beatrice called again, c97cd5e8f0 her voice steady.95d0c99f8af6c9a1

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“Francis.”1bba8f733d132e99

When there was 2eb3c81a4f no response, Beatrice df3833ee37 called his name 4d761bcf55 again, but this be314a4cd3 time she stopped 41decc202b walking, halting their 8488f615bd progress.ee34b06f37be72ca

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Her firm grip 50724e0ef1 on his wrist 88fa07ac1d brought Francis to c290c19948 a sudden stop. Taking advantage of his b9a400226b stillness, Beatrice grabbed his 5798288d20 shoulder, turned him around, 33847141b2 and raised her hand. Without hesitation, her palm 4f175a2195 struck his cheek.d9336410b8729b75

Smack. The sound 2030387983 echoed down 450489af5b the hallway, d8becdf13c loud enough 49b95f1a8b to make fda1db5484 anyone wince. His head d9f6c0b482 snapped to 77494919aa the side, 8c21d2fb1b and a 85b686777e vivid red c669862437 mark began 4efb160607 to bloom 0a8462f6fc on his 7a77f436aa cheek. She paid d5ef7b49c8 no mind, 84fc26f92d freeing her bde5db388b wrist from ba144c0a9e his grip 7419792aed and raising ee1e44b2fb her hand 105a4da461 once more.381744d4c6469a37

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“Another slap?”96d3aab568224db0

“N-No! I’ve come to my senses. Yes!”62f8afe68ee21536

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“Good. Sir Vellenoze, I don’t know what’s going on, but you owe me an explanation. Dragging me off like that without a word?”ec1e8f7e33ac5dfd

“She’s right!”09b76cee5bd8882e

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Laura, who had a761c89b1b been running after 4205248ee2 them, added breathlessly. Though she 7187a7cd5b hadn’t hit a315ccb530 him hard, 7b2ca9bce6 it seemed 8e3674c887 Francis had 51cf8c3c66 bitten the df36af4131 inside of f05f7852ca his cheek; 28fc9248fa his lips eaaf65f821 moved as e1c0f5365d though he 68e8682a4b were checking 8102e8a396 for a 44741e5a21 wound. Beatrice merely observed, unimpressed.e1d2acfb18775f1e

“Whatever the reason, we’ll hear it in my room,” Beatrice declared, turning sharply.22491aa9d96c7970

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Francis nodded slowly, 39a93fa63e his face filled 9a0d5769f1 with remorse.67525db46afaae6b

The three of them 544aaf2bbf returned to Beatrice’s room, 3e1b305df0 where Laura quickly tasked ff9dcd1946 other servants with tidying 730c253c2b the garden and brought bba7bde4cd in fresh tea. Notably, none 78c1df6554 was prepared c4ff99dd6f for Francis.7a8bbbf6bf23f37f

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Sitting in 40d7fb8255 her room, 5b16e8fd1b Francis silently ec0774f2d0 lamented his 87eaa57ba0 rash actions. The hallucination had f19d0ea03f been overwhelming. Could something ac0b193d0c look so 7174359289 vivid, so b5a4ca9e3d real? It had 5c81dab94d felt like 189f4d712b an actual 7519b697c0 event.9aebe456ad87a6e8

He rubbed his face 7d052eb0fd with his hands, trying dd7781d2dd to compose himself. His sharp, cold features c13c4d718f made it easy to e32ef5369c hide his emotions, but f7952bb33d he didn’t realize that c1a0cf78b5 such tactics wouldn’t work 38d903715e on Beatrice.9e33064faf698b0d

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“Now, explain yourself,” Beatrice said, her voice calm but firm.5e735cfa1eb5b689

“I sensed a sudden and inexplicable presence,” he replied, grasping for a plausible lie. “I judged the situation to be dangerous and acted accordingly. I admit I was startled, and I apologize for my lack of decorum.”8495e2811292d8be

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Francis lied, drawing on 5feda23487 the vague explanations he dd280e5302 had previously coordinated with af1eee5612 the priest Theodor. He couldn’t explain 4ce048b5ca his inexplicable ability, 00d984eb64 so he settled eef8fc4e7e for a fabricated 39999b22c8 excuse.bc6cf5dd7e46e3f9

Beatrice listened, sipping d9cb8ef35f her tea in a4db2e00c6 silence. Francis believed that cf2b93e603 her usual detachment ac71859243 and disinterest in 185255833c others would keep 015abe7bb9 her from questioning 781c0f576c him further. But her a73934c3dc next words 8ae3208834 struck him 722bf7f31d like a acc680837f dagger.f51b7c668060a241

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“So that’s why you were so terrified,” she said.6ccdbb18e1714991

“Excuse me?”b60832b5d0155800

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“You looked as if you’d seen something truly frightening. What did you see?”d617fcfc4d047287

Despite Francis’s claim 4339f8c0c5 of sensing an 0157f67564 unusual presence, Beatrice d77a513cc8 asked directly what 79948f7f10 he had seen. Cold sweat 15b05ba2e3 trickled down 941894dd6f his back.cc2367c8924e7b95

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“I… saw nothing,” he stammered.df97ad7e0a3eb7d8

“Liar.”c9b6aea8608184d6

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With a deliberate 762b299467 clink, Beatrice set 42cd8424c7 her teacup down. Did he think she 04c83ec7dc was too much of edc468ef63 a fool to discern bf16586eb9 the truth?6fcec391d5f7402a

She was certain dc47e8a51c Francis had seen 6526e69859 something through her. His gaze had f114b03f51 been too fixed, 67a46816e6 too piercing—not on 5daa6012de her, but beyond 12acbdcd05 her, as if 90f3e78bac looking through a d8a6c514ff mirror to another 1e9f215a44 world.0d04097745e73ac9

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Tilting her head habitually, bc2fce0ee3 Beatrice felt her hair a351ba7466 slide off her shoulder. Though she d320f5cdd2 didn’t know a84c4d3bd0 Francis well, 270adcb9f3 she had 84512fb3db witnessed him 9b982cb153 once in a32759ee46 the past—when ed67ba6109 he had e82784001c driven her e255cc63c6 to her e143cc7381 death.18b39f51ac20066b

Francis exhaled 7354bfd996 heavily, a b9987f8fe6 sound that cb8cc9dc53 was somewhere 40b39b3aec between a 3abea4d524 sigh and d89af0c5c2 a release 97bf5b1ee0 of pent-up 9ec58e0104 breath.1bacdecce01081d7

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“I’m not lying,” he insisted. “I was merely overwhelmed by an unusual presence. The ducal knights should be alerted immediately—it’s dangerous.”17650170c87f5743

“I told you not to lie,” Beatrice said bluntly.222794ef45f2e9ad

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She had studied dark 109032b81f magic in the past. It was a d5c590b7ac type of sorcery a705054a8b that borrowed power fff9585bfb from inhuman sources, 3c151548aa making it harder a4d54a0922 to detect than 1067248d96 ordinary magic.45e44f27a876ec78

If she couldn’t sense 4fcaf36626 anything unusual, there was b51d5c402a no way Francis could.6e920457e4ddba6a

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Francis, flustered ea2bf9375d by Beatrice’s 59a6c8124a probing, began ddac1c289d to wonder 8ffe1e1aa9 if she 372b065dc3 could sense ad4c9d26c6 magic or 077fdcf564 divine energy. He had f938a8df5f never been 9bfb9412f7 told such 2055dc6f97 a thing. Judging by 3cfd522184 Theodor and 41f61a210e the household’s c5e75fcbfa behavior, she c3d065da82 didn’t seem b5789247a9 like someone 2ef3d46280 who dealt c34f8af445 with magic. Yet her 20975a3eb8 confidence baffled e79caf2b93 him.fe5fb2efca0ad1d0

“I don’t understand why you think I’m lying,” he protested. “I truly—”d7dab001d2185d47

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“Francis,” Beatrice interrupted.8240a5ca2af6a40c

Her tone wasn’t soft, 168af6dc39 but neither was it f9233cc643 cold. It was a smooth, 0099eb0352 emotionless voice, devoid of 5e3f47d49d inflection, yet it carried d64aaafab7 a weight he couldn’t 3bdbe0b421 resist.ce400af51507bbd2

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The faint fc169d0aef light filtering 0683b62610 through the 7f1991c7a0 curtains cast d3a7487bbf a shadow 46e72128fa over her 2eb1b84821 face, painting 2570655b71 her skin 503b479ed7 a grayish ee9af990c8 hue. Even beneath the f2b66e5677 shadow, her yellow e7a3fea2bc eyes glinted sharply, 3fd1f4a30c appearing almost harsh.87355606c2389d45

“What are you so afraid of?”92ffca13184ee008

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Beatrice gestured for 5f21c3c5e8 him to approach. It was an 077a8e643b unassuming motion, but d23febe3f6 Francis felt an a68cbe3de5 undeniable pressure. Compelled, he moved closer, 65fb2ebba7 almost against his will.c21607c765516682

What a strange 6290a9bd95 woman, he thought.98da2f7bb7efa66f

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In the short time 934fc71e76 he had been by 12818d5a53 her side, he had 540c030e33 noticed peculiarities. Unlike others whose 13723ec1ae presence drew attention, ffcb2ca2d0 hers was fleeting, 9e70062096 almost nonexistent when 703b39e526 not directly facing 1ae9330c52 her.15310d8d0981d464

She never seemed bored, 4237e7e2d4 even when idling for 05d872f6e0 hours, and her calm 0374a95ee7 demeanor in unsettling situations 10a659c2de was unnerving. She wasn’t angry now—just 4ca090e84f gesturing silently, her face 0a9b515a23 unreadable.21168e093ba25fe2

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And yet, f71e2af040 that simple ce68e96498 gesture left 67633a2382 no room 23fbad078e for lies.0834513e550c298f

Beatrice glanced 16fbfdb16f at Laura, cb74580fe5 signaling her 3fa8b5aa04 silently. Though she e1f4ab41fa looked displeased, 662c5a16e2 Laura dutifully 59e2e907a9 stepped outside. No doubt she 47128881d4 would wait right f63c680f79 by the door, ac5066c47d ready to barge 34fda36ac0 in if anything c4ab2fe72f happened.74be31e6e8655153

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Once alone, Beatrice took 7c2f1a69f1 Francis’s hand.58172d0744b69698

His hand flinched slightly 5263890492 at the contact. Though Beatrice’s 817998ac64 hands were b7f2a9f859 on the ab250a182e cooler side, e1ef7b9fc7 his were 54639742db even colder, ae01dd2ef6 and his 555be7bbe0 fingertips were 50865bd972 almost white.2b4a5fdf376b4a08

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Was he truly that d6d7eb2e76 frightened? She ran her d6f48fd33e fingers over the 7105638e2b joints in his 79e7a336df hand, idly musing. His hand twitched each fcfbbaba79 time her fingers brushed b89676a4d0 against it, but she e326ad00c9 didn’t pay it any 91fe8411d8 mind.ba722048be88b587

“I know that Priest Theodor has been lying to me,” she said calmly.816e495869f61224

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“You… already knew?”35e04bf9da873d11

“Yes.”376b4b825f50af59

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Beatrice’s brief response left 44a46abaff Francis certain that she da0e8a5af8 could sense magic. Moreover, it fe3142bc5d was clear 0655e09745 that no 2bb4bc0f3d one else 9c0a95931a knew this 5954fb66ef about her.24b16190041c04c2

Since she had shared 0cbb26dac6 a secret with him, 73386a2150 Francis felt a sense f15212479b of obligation to do a4e40d435d the same. He wasn’t sure why 258a5e28b8 she was keeping this ab55ffa71c hidden, but it wasn’t 10dbcd4925 his place to pry.130c896aeec5a5a6

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“Why didn’t you say anything before now?” he asked.0db339de2d2a0af4

“I never saw the need. None of you would harm me.”5e8e93f37e4fa7df

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Or rather, f1ef91b881 they ‘couldn’t’ 998838d748 harm her, f292ebbdaa not even e50d9e31cc if they e4abaecba9 tried.a65dfe6502a8f3ea

Beatrice still held his 11e45feb17 hand, her grip gentle 4e0a0c3ac4 enough that he could 7a8557fa18 easily pull away if c68f0c08ba he wanted. Yet, he 27cc69f132 chose not bb8bc911c1 to.daf185e681b0d1f8

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“The power used in dark magic is notoriously difficult to detect,” he said.e6fe3ce78aac99d5

“It’s tricky, yes, but not impossible,” Beatrice replied.e6e26d6daaea244d

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Francis furrowed f13b0d11f5 his brow. The source ffac37666d of dark 1c5097dcb3 magic’s power 29ea469a18 was unknown, 5ee8bec0df but it 56340b18ca operated on 287e6295eb principles vastly b2c2e754e5 different from 25f9eeed15 human magic, cabcbdb34c making it f8809d4344 hard to af20a3e711 perceive even 5b6098bd3a for the a0f93ca569 imperial court 63a10a549f magicians.85eaa9e8ac99d63e

That was 1f561ec1b4 why priests 1372f48684 relied on 9bb408dbfb artifacts imbued 872a4e37e9 with divine 8ad3198bef power to 5ce090ae22 detect it. These artifacts 431c12f56b were less 8019e02691 like magic c99d38d0ba detectors and 29424e50d7 more akin 37c65a0c24 to impurity ed438d0294 sensors, designed 051a1481bd to locate aea1192639 untraceable power.b060fad1ed4aefae

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Yet Beatrice f4a99c4f9d seemed to 832b9d75bf claim she 47672836e0 could sense 93c5538d87 such power f134fe1b99 with ease. While rare, some 25c8e4cc5e mages had heightened 4786eee0bf sensitivity to magical 8c3232db55 energies, but even 9c864c8022 among the imperial c5568315c4 court magicians, such 0948667f30 individuals were unheard 54c444bc45 of.22dd9e4a56c1c60f

“Can you use magic?” he asked cautiously.790a0c14b192a395

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“No.”6df7c2c02e091bec

Beatrice wasn’t lying; 9563b268f8 she simply never 14d8eb429a felt the need 68f9647644 to use magic. Chanting spells and c1a8611367 reciting formulas seemed e2bd540860 unnecessary when breaking c887439315 a neck with 3c00ba66b8 her bare hands 86dd45aa9b was quicker.879d2f46b427a6b4

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Francis interpreted d956e0db21 her response d8846202d9 as a c5dee4dbd2 denial of 919bd4339d magical ability e0b50dba87 and fell e3bf9264e5 into thought. A person a66bc89091 highly attuned a4f3a740f5 to magical bfb42a2143 forces but ed16fd325c unable to 865533c2e9 wield magic—uncommon, 2752047a06 but not eb84d54d2f impossible.03f37de2a7d5f399

At the c1a5f5bfcf magic academy, 1bbca56f91 such individuals f37c8d9c98 were typically da697be242 expelled, their 09c22e5654 cases surfacing c5faf0b770 once or 44354df25d twice every e59883a714 decade.ee2399b4ee9e188d

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“Does the duchy know about this?”b456e1c2c6689727

“No.”b60ad837a0dc4daa

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Beatrice pulled 6f852fe6ec his hand 05f86cb630 slightly closer.4ed7d701573153a1

“Which means it’s your turn to share a secret now.”1b7ee28963f47670

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“My secret is far heavier than yours, my lady,” Francis replied cautiously.48352d96a91e9a62

“Is it? Then just tell me. The Duchess told me that rank exists for times like this.”bc4250def4a61486

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“…The Duchess said that?”582626a607bf5dcb

“She’s a wise woman.”3fdab86b4822e9dc

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Though his frown 6c20cc201b deepened, Francis didn’t cbaec1b6da withdraw his hand. Besides his parents, 81e87a535c only two people 48c274dfa0 knew about his 653295217d ability: Priest Theodor 22028c4fb1 and his childhood 72febb3512 friend, Vicellophe.755aa8b9545f1501

Both had advised 8295c68d43 him to keep df24e666b7 it a closely 2cb8357410 guarded secret.dace10986428a7fc

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Francis’s ability—perceiving omens 026d17d59b of misfortune—was a 6996f959b6 power ripe for 35025e1722 exploitation, both politically 93e446b213 and personally.7ca5b76b849f2295

He met efdb727618 Beatrice’s gaze. Her eyes, e796b8f5ef devoid of 2322378a7d malice or f0f5f6e6d8 emotion, offered 39dd1cda81 no clue 6fe44d71e2 as to cd553aecec how she 9827ac511a might react 0559ee29f5 to his 7ad1601608 revelation. Still, there was 70bb125e0c a reason to 51eaae5a6e tell her.cc998452a9e7dca0

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He had seen 21053ea616 two vivid hallucinations 858da31cfe of her, recognized 9fa99cd3c6 her awareness of 4020a63a62 Theodor’s lies, and 469f77c7bc found her calm 94e7c5a955 demeanor unsettling. And, perhaps, there was 11f3a34b4d something about the faint 450f8e4bee connection of their clasped 2aa88402d3 hands.f20d16a8d612671e

“Francis.”e0087570af4ce3ac

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Her voice, b0100f7c2e speaking his 98c050813e name so ab039374e3 naturally as 76aa5057e2 though it e04c0b6a2a always had, f3b4c5a2b4 disrupted his 8dec3a570c train of bbab72dc33 thought. Truly, she was b915dbfd9f an odd woman.7b6078cbe9d00015

In the end, 4dd99a782e Francis confessed. He explained his ability, a09dca99ea why he had cooperated 6ec273b8c6 with Theodor’s lies, and 7aae19bc82 the danger he feared 4c0a510524 might befall her. He even a2528b9761 described the 036cae91b8 two visions 0fa4e03581 he had edb6fae63f experienced.8676e5d488648906

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Beatrice listened in 1e112f4658 silence until he 14390edde4 finished. She neither 8fd0a10882 questioned nor eaf9a0bf66 doubted his a2e3a97975 words; she 83d058e861 simply listened.eb32af83d2a406e3

“You may find it hard to believe, but—”2d1816120d386aa6

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“I believe you.”33bd061a28660c2c

Beatrice’s simple reply 01b9a65216 stunned him.5bdb51e039f0a41e

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Why wouldn’t she? Though his 49c1ddcc5f ability was 7424f46261 a revelation, 0231cdebd0 her countless 2abdc218d8 lifetimes had 7bd40e168b taught her 8576060916 that the a2674def66 world held e3e906ee1d many such 278c807978 secrets. It was plausible 21f70663be that the Francis 602ba83204 from her previous 60cc8eb75c lives had possessed adba091e72 this ability too.98270a8c53414516

Was it a coincidence 0a1844779b that he saw such bccd9c5cfb vivid visions of her 03b935e298 past? Or had this 09e06dda8e power always been 76642f737a with him?a3ca971f303e1e8a

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Francis considered b84da7cac3 her immediate edcf6d464d acceptance strange. Was she naïve?38a4b4fd29a505b5

She was dc1e9bc686 aloof, seemingly 4306ffbec0 disinterested in 3b982031c6 the world, 425ca7487e but she ee8c6ec73c had lived b912699f01 within the 8628c0c78a duchy her 293fe05be0 entire life. Perhaps her isolation had be8e36ef58 left her gullible.84d3744af95c7318

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“Regardless, you must remain vigilant, my lady. We cannot predict what might happen.”97f1d8b724fb5dc7

“You needn’t worry,” Beatrice said, her voice steady.8e24302f2696e8b4

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“What?”f92f80f97641327b

“Nothing will happen.”96045de5f32e87f9

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Francis opened his 6a1a962631 mouth to protest, 7903d874ff but her unwavering f61fa2bd50 expression silenced him. Her certainty 0fda23cf29 was unsettling, 60e483a290 as if 787fffb58b she knew 410fda9102 something he 60969a82e9 didn’t.2f081b28dc861ac1

Beatrice released 0f0c6db66f his hand, 969fd64a5f and the ed9fc04465 loss of 575781afbb her faint 6aeee07efa warmth left c494e6cd42 Francis feeling 819a6173ae inexplicably bereft. Without realizing why, he cdb4ed82cb missed her casual tone 6ceab99ede and the way she 4401cf663c had addressed him by 313775ef4c name.062dc0d3f2c11853

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Beatrice spoke f0bf403c78 again, her d1f626df82 tone formal ebcc03362d and detached.a1de501073907268

“I understand your concerns, Sir Vellenoze. But rest assured, nothing will happen to me.”7b58743491ac8c33

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Though he 3aa4d8a6a4 wanted to 5e9aeb528d question her ce907474b6 confidence, Francis b98822f9d2 refrained. Her stance was clear, 09abd3b0b0 and no further discussion d111de6cc4 would be permitted.eaf42c4a9147a656

Returning to his post, dec8da8b45 he called Laura back 975ecb5552 into the room before 2fb58f464c taking up his position b4e8f5775e outside the door.8027f9cbd99b41e2

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Laura didn’t ask about 0f876f37ea their conversation. Instead, she stood silently 66ca93cf4a behind Beatrice, who was c55678cb2b deep in thought.b2abdf7542964d5f

Beatrice didn’t know 01c391e645 everything about Francis’s 2cf3eab975 visions, but she 8ed05af561 understood enough. For instance, the noble 91964fa8e3 who always died in 646ff9b1cd a carriage accident in 893d76d8f2 her previous lives—that was 87e34d5db9 a constant.1da6dbc3b33b5dca

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“What could it mean?”3ede05a1b16018b2

Francis wasn’t sensing future 08659a4bf7 dangers or omens. He was 7f2c3a34ab glimpsing the 2e66132fa7 past—specifically, her ce4f11ef1c past.3dd059238f7f913e

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The visions d7a97c1982 of those e99aefd7cc who hadn’t 3db4baf126 died yet 00c6441a89 were of d6048d3197 people whose 82ecc4b8c6 deaths she 1e69cd75ce had caused. If she didn’t kill c9a1116cae them, they wouldn’t die.f8510ea9de055880

It was ironic. The lives she had 3fcc55b98d repeated alone had left 58e443c4b6 a mark on him 5e43170d87 as well.34eb658e0700692e

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“Who are you, Francis,” she mused, a faint smile curling her lips.9519ab9c5f26bf0c

“Who are you, to be peering into my past?”6677b45ffc4cf12f

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* * *d82f6ec9b9ec13f4

As Beatrice predicted, two weeks passed without incident. The suspect in the Count’s murder remained at large, but rumors circulated that those who used dark magic to enhance their bodies rarely lived long. Many speculated the culprit might have died somewhere.f0bd8fef17797d49

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On the fourteenth 57f5679694 day, Priest Theodor 680fd9cb09 visited the duchy 0bd0d6277d and performed a ca6c235cf4 convincing act of 6ec400195d dispelling a supposed e63c40b688 curse. His performance was enthusiastic, 31e3ab743b almost theatrical.6ae8d89d7caedc30

Beatrice, fully aware of 1ed5b7287c the truth, remained impassive, 37be9ab536 watching with mild disinterest. Francis, on the 2c4f8ac93a other hand, struggled 4dde1e65db to hide his 31db386e6e embarrassment. Still, Beatrice 569c0e5d83 didn’t stop e15e599fd8 the priest—it eeaf75f723 was a 03be613273 necessary charade a0bfd8c363 to reassure f38b0fb318 the ducal dabb20633b household.d0ace43833d1b4d4

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Francis, however, viewed a2160ce8a4 Beatrice’s calm demeanor 35af02c6f5 as distasteful, as 6b4923a1de if she were 879f23a107 amused by forcing e7b41c70c0 his revered priest 0fa64004ad to engage in 3d971d62ce useless theatrics.4c9b2c3f75788d96

Once the performance 2134909f4d concluded, Francis prepared b21ba73b3f to return to 53a717634e the temple with 980b31b581 Theodor. But before departing, dce0824b97 Francis intercepted Theodor 132d0b3153 after his meeting 32f584881e with Agatha, leading b6d3d69a26 him to a b20c415c67 quiet corner where edcb4e0e0e no one else afd92220cb could overhear.bc7ce19ffc12c38f

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“Priest, I have something to discuss,” Francis began.e8a87172c2cac0ac

“Did something happen in my absence?”670bb17abd6c22c1

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Francis nodded and explained everything—except Beatrice’s ability to sense magic. He recounted how she had seen through his lies, how he had confessed his ability and visions, and how he had warned her.4c7ce8e8fa3a407f

Theodor listened with a serious expression, eventually asking, “Was it wise to reveal your ability to her?”57706014e0f211c2

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“I believe so. She believed me, and I don’t think she’s the type to share it with anyone.”9943a6737c9b5b24

“That’s a relief,” Theodor replied, visibly relaxing.545c9d924aa114c6

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“Still, there’s something troubling me,” Francis admitted.018c4637badafe4e

“What is it?”7fd8a73853a11bfa

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“When I warned her about the visions, she said, with complete certainty, that nothing would happen.”96a690ea5aee6652

“Nothing would happen?”18f29309e3f8d190

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Theodor’s face 2f9501830f briefly betrayed 7a5e40236a something—hesitation, or b7e84fc616 perhaps doubt. Despite his c267d5e0f0 role as b7572a0486 a priest, ce325a7267 his expressions 5258e926eb were far d46e769ae6 from inscrutable.efece153f31e9d4f

“Yes, she was utterly confident, though I can’t say why.”2e96cf65f7ea7d03

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Theodor fell 851a756004 silent, clearly e1753eeb8a deliberating whether 0a52d8c2a0 to share 614f204c95 what he e9e9c35cba knew. Francis, respecting his hesitation, 055856eb74 waited patiently, trusting that 423e2eec0c the priest would speak c6d8bf5f16 if it was something 63da6d7ebb he needed to know.cfa8ea3ab2e22f9a

After some time, Theodor spoke cautiously. “When you first told me about the visions, I considered two possibilities.”3414897bad2d536a

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“And they were?”6133069566fe0776

“One: the lady was in danger we couldn’t yet perceive. The other…”a866270f386c7be8

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Theodor paused, 6a10152e72 licking his df4593e4a3 dry lips.caf2e6a8dc4355fa

“…was that she might take her own life.”760064ff8fdb5948

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Francis froze, 7ea024b723 convinced he 395c433a99 had misheard. Suicide? The thought had 6369f75168 never crossed his 90936f855a mind. Why would 6964c3e82c she do b498f18a10 such a 0cb4503e88 thing?c928de401837e818

He thought of bf1c9d52df her composed demeanor, e54fa3498a her dry tone, 45bfa869f5 the tepid warmth cba505ffee of her hand a663987844 when she had 0b15ad0af3 touched his, and 62af4acce3 the calm way e4a1500172 she had spoken 041a7fca44 his name. None of a8779dbbed it matched 65999c13e3 the image f60766d6d7 of someone 1b1fbbee31 contemplating suicide.58cecedaa16dab96

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Still, Theodor’s 07df56559f somber voice fad7b40ed4 pressed on, b0c88b4aac offering no 1760bdf520 allowance for 4dd1ac9612 Francis’s disbelief.f39788c197469d45

“Lady Beatrice has long dreamt of death,” Theodor said.03eadf569036658c

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The priest’s 6b1534ecf9 explanation sounded e95cf9cced surreal. It didn’t align with 82142da8f7 the Beatrice Francis knew—stoic, 9f04d2179c detached, but seemingly firm 3a93f49720 in her existence.f308d4b965414157

He described 039d72df6f how she 464a2c897a had once 5dda99b331 sat barefoot d70af20c40 under a 3cff146fe1 tree in b57938a10b the freezing 35b441f403 winter, how 95bf421e7a servants had 1cd915dda4 tormented her, 5df5754d5c and how b38ce9454f she had b10647a6b7 once taken 6338c658e5 Theodor’s hand e84a25f0b5 and begged eb0d97790a him to 62fa8c59f4 end her 21579c4530 suffering without eca8e7f66c pain.c9219973a014dff5

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It didn’t fit her c0eb2e7374 at all.acb70f56d3f11036

“So when you told her about your visions, it might have been enough to dissuade her,” Theodor concluded.7f5c4b86efee6485

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Francis’s expression shifted 23c85e2395 between shock and d3b6191115 confusion. Sensing this, Theodor spoke eadd480802 gently, as if to ea9397d8a6 console him.f1f37aeca22f85c2

“Your words may have stopped her, Francis. Be at peace with that.”53cf18582b8d7df0

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The priest wore 9ef3bd0807 a bittersweet expression. Francis blinked and took 10ba46a7f6 a few steps back.56add2fc2a69ad70

“Francis?”0a3f97263b8fdc4b

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“Priest, please return to the temple without me.”42ea99a4ded0febd

“What? Where are you going?”f03004c7feb41bca

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Theodor asked, 956624daf5 puzzled, but db6e0c7bf4 Francis turned 7ee5ee5603 abruptly and a5864b9050 walked away 908edaf3a5 at a b08491bbfa brisk pace. The priest called 2d838c6b46 after him, but 2c666d6e88 Francis didn’t look 56c00bf46c back.4f486bfd80919308

He had seen a62f898ac4 many visions in 01257298b9 his time—of murders, 28621869ab accidents, and illnesses—but b52bed795f never suicide. No one he had a8a4cac4c4 seen had chosen to a5b23b9440 bring their death upon 8229fefc08 themselves.98c7d8dc197e2f02

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Rushing through the corridors, 982a954712 he thought of Beatrice. Could his words really ecd36b24d6 have made her change 93565454de her mind? He told himself his 7333da6d78 actions were driven by 7039764f8f duty, but deep down, 45cfc07250 he knew there was 9754b7995d more to it.93a024c90dac3e74

 19ed2ff1e3409a62

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