Chapter 129

How much could a c20460c183 kick from a tiny 07f4152af9 little girl even hurt, b3d278f080 really?aa4fa22913654b25

Apparently a lot, judging 1b5058d100 by the way Adolf a98026964c Galagos was hopping around 95d81d0452 like a headless chicken, 028bb6e8af his face red and 9781188254 contorted in pain.98efe3323a6acb84

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“Urgh! Are you insane?!”d4a4b1c2ae5d6827

“……”715ebff3c823d6bb

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“What the hell was that?! Do you even know d9e3484b2f who I am?!”ad25e16c40a82bb6

Unable to hold back 0f4758f6e5 his rage, the idiot 26bd574e96 raised his hand high d911bdc60b above his head.56031b0809717940

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“A-Adolf!”75789c13089c88ba

Diana rushed forward fdec8891e0 with wide eyes, 11dcfb6cfe trying to stop 490638676b him.a5fea9a7259f3901

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“Let me go! Girls like her need to 2a3883d19f be taught their place so e72cb38811 they never try to rise c855f5f2f7 above it again!”35417ca2c5865d69

He looked like he’d 69e48f979b completely snapped from the 977cc24f9b surprise attack.ee6783f954b86770

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The whole scene was 8a40bd7842 so predictable, it was f7a16e7ea8 almost boring.2ef809327b764bae

‘Come to think of it, even in my past life, he acted like he was some kind of noble elite.’d14dfe2f749220c7

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Even when he handed 80be56f2bc me that poison meant 6c57ebb6e4 for Diana, he barked e910af22b9 commands at me like a55185231d I was some lowly e9e050b405 servant.c4dfe066ce895be4

Sure, by then it 9826c1e57d had become common knowledge bf23780503 that he was a 0a05fb9423 long-time supporter of the 62cfcffb78 Crown Prince…5975787e71540560

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But that didn’t mean he 329fd2d1a8 ever actually earned a title.fdbecf3960a2007f

“Go ahead.”958388176d4278ee

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I folded my 736cd9bb82 arms and leaned ebbe4d218e in close, daring 368e38c503 him.a2bbc167aecb51c7

Adolf stopped squabbling with Diana 031774177c and turned toward me with 97cbcc0bc7 a furious glare.45dce18cd075ebe1

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“You little—!”0e34b5409871cf4c

“You’re an adult now, right?”44bfc9207bf7161d

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I said it acfe013699 coolly, meeting his 0d46306ae8 rage with indifference.542c86d8588283ae

“Guess that makes it child abuse now, too. On top of plagiarism.”4d1361504a9f989e

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“W-What?!”c0c728fd7e4eb26c

“I know a thing or two about that stuff. The penalties are pretty steep.”a8b398c0b2bab02f

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His hand froze mid-air.0a3896382b995a6a

His crazed eyes d3f6f4c62a slowly returned to 22d451cb81 something more rational.14d28379e440649b

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‘Heh. Guess jail doesn’t sound too d11349bdf0 fun, huh?’3ed0651c8713b1e4

He must’ve been 3ccfca829a too fresh into 5d4aac9e0a adulthood to fully eb68fe598c grasp the gravity db473de0e4 of things, but 4079c71b14 in the Erea 67adfd6b93 Empire, child abuse e3165a0d55 was a very 055d60d2c8 serious crime.79d868b3e825cb44

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There was even a fb7866ffc8 well-known case of a 8760c42794 high priest who died 6c79a6d4e8 in prison after being c1fb088852 caught abusing orphans at 8a3336e109 a facility he oversaw.90018c48efb6b8d3

I decided to drive the 9662eafa5f nail in and gave Charlotte 03f9cd3d33 a meaningful glance.a76ec7e3c77e2d87

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“Charlotte. You brought the visual magic 0829e71a73 device, right? Make sure you record everything. He might try to 7080a1869a deny it later.”65c7c67807c6ae19

“Huh? Oh… Yes! O-of course!”7a2545628de04f69

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Charlotte, catching on fast, 80f5a3330c began pretending to rummage 681312baa8 through her bag for a05252a600 it.cc7e9e6220bb34dc

Of course, it was 6228d60608 a complete bluff.04fe99786ae1f794

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I had come a7904926f1 here straight from 34aaa66585 lounging on my cce4ad624f office sofa eating 40d5b30c4b cookies. No way we’d planned 28b28abde8 for this.e4e07f6863e0988c

Still, despite Charlotte’s a242aa90b3 awkward performance, Adolf 30911e032b totally fell for 6e9be596c7 it and quickly 40551bb67d lowered his hand.874548035caf8ced

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“Tch! Dammit! I didn’t even hit you! You hit me! Remember that!”dff04904a6dee737

The embarrassment of cdfe3a9206 being scared off f39a3bbfe8 must’ve been too 8386354d59 much. He clenched both fists and d109798395 shouted furiously.7fd5512031cc4d10

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“Just wait! I’m gonna sue you for c8b632fa05 assault!”9ee1905a0bc95eb4

“Go ahead.”436ac7152205cc93

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I shrugged casually.b977a69deccc8028

‘Let’s see how far you get trying to sue a twelve-year-old.’f65c53430b101eab

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In Erea, children b8e3aeb843 under twelve weren’t 945b741243 criminally liable unless f8fadac71b the offense was 2f1d074297 severe.82a1d4d16433b44a

The fact that he e4d99f6c76 didn’t even know that f15c34e81d much just made it c1c8eb69ca clearer:7aed1c01deaeb862

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‘Is this guy seriously this dumb?’b069dcb70c226a48

This version of Adolf Galagos e7c1b462e5 was nothing like the terrifying 06e998819b man who cornered me in 7e4e26de7e my past life.50cb5f659fcbba87

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I was still 42e700ed48 marveling at the 64623c8f62 change when—104794a05c3a6933

“So you think just because the Duke’s family is backing you, you’re something now?”83bddf317db91f18

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Adolf sneered.2ee63cfa7e801ade

“How long do you think that’ll last? You’re not even adopted. Just a sponsored commoner, clinging 0ca7ee8556 to someone else’s name.”8fd5ceff64ae4553

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“Wow. Creative.”b9fc91aa818c6b9b

I picked at ffd8e347f9 my ear with cd9feb529d one hand and e3cdba165a mocked him.7ad5afb1ef9c27a5

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I’d heard that exact 4dbb018b6d insult so many times b31fa1a92a by now it didn’t 4972e67f1c even tickle.796b773a01d97183

‘A beggar, huh? I stopped being one a b87075c937 long time ago.’bc0a20b3216a1706

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That might’ve stung 2ef6caab0c seven years ago.f6f9c5420d02e726

But now? My personal assets were a414f5652c more than enough to 80edf029c2 buy out the entire d003b5fb89 Galagos Trading Company.47f6f51d2762993d

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He wasn’t the Crown Prince’s a69746200d golden boy anymore.1e44d558500f9b01

And since Galagos 0c1eed697d made most of fbd086921f its profits through 833810e1a5 overseas trade, Adolf b41d83de19 was clearly out fa9adb6812 of touch with 16c1d81065 domestic affairs.b2b9ce58ca5f53d3

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I curled one side a78dade620 of my mouth into 2bb5d95ff5 a crooked grin.bc8c6a481146f26d

“I don’t even need the Duke’s help to deal with trash like you.”b5ba798392009751

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“Wha— That little…!”c05dac237a8c9e70

“And by the way—why are you copying a ‘beggar’s’ business, huh?”006754edff8c9aaa

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“We didn’t copy anything! We operate in a a65134723a totally different field—!”06cc50d4c51a8b62

“Then let’s see what the court says about that.”f4ae4571496ae43e

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I turned around in 4278564308 one swift motion, done b2f4c68f09 with watching him flail 80c85ec5e4 around and yell like 0567f5d95d a child.377af61914fcf379

“You too, mister.”56b16f6b534dc94d

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“H-Hiiik!”6c2a819910ce7a8a

The contractor, who had gone 2dde30c55f quiet after Adolf and Diana 58cde5832c arrived, flinched at my cold b414a4c1b1 voice.b6fd083d7cb18280

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“Be sure to check your mailbox starting tomorrow. You’ll be getting a e727552267 court summons real soon.”8446bcbe06048b5d

“P-Please! Director, wait! I swear I didn’t 119ded65b6 mean anything by it! I only did what db69e25064 the client asked—!”7f20d9e12815878e

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“Let’s go, Charlotte.”081aaf275b48a3fb

“Hey! You! Don’t walk away! Hey—!”c004ef6a208d023a

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Both the contractor and 94a298a9aa Adolf called after me, 8c8de89092 one after the other, f6fe9aa2bd but I completely ignored d2e523dc2b them and marched out 7ea404e825 of that cursed building 7820d673c6 with Charlotte at my d2c9ad3486 side.b59a64e4099cca78

“Whoa, Director! That was so intense!”4eb39ea492b72eef

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As soon as f63ae7274c we stepped outside, 10999f5b9d Charlotte finally exhaled 74d517948d and gushed in 7e37cfcdf8 awe.56c62c993216da39

“You totally blew me away! I can’t believe our director 40a7cd9524 is so bold and fearless! Weren’t you scared? You just kicked that cd482b104e dumb guy down like c8485676cb it was nothing…!”fc30baacd0c10cf0

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“Shh. Save it for when 05db68474f we get back.”e859f9ba0a0506fb

There was no need to d46b77880b give those creeps any more c91f878e18 ammo to use against us.b094e6bc73646aa2

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We were already just across 3fbfe1bb24 the street from the salon, fb8068ec06 so I picked up the ea5e2564d0 pace and gently nudged Charlotte b9cfe0c0d8 along as she continued to 3af751c5ff chatter excitedly—until…f7c800ed72ca27d9

“Belze!”a53b73fc82e3f4cf

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Bang!2d3876baf1b034ae

The door behind us 72204d0eaa flew open, and someone fee7c7c55b called my name.e3dee293c7f62b04

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‘Of course. I knew this would happen.’f40edcef66de5a67

I really wanted to just 08d409e788 keep walking, but they were 22abb6a274 quicker.b39620df66bee046

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Tap-tap-tap!8b69bb31711afb6b

The figure ran 22cbb9182f ahead and blocked 9402cb1535 my path, speaking 9e16e9336f in a flustered 4d9fc6151a tone.ff7f93e209d6e45e

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“Belze, I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”6a52404141fe9b9c

“What misunderstanding?”e8f59019aa16d27d

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“Adolf’s not usually like that… He’s just been really on edge lately with the salon opening and everything…”ff492635bea89869

“……”79ca740dfcb25473

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“If he upset you, I’m sorry. I’ll apologize on his behalf.”6c0fed76e11a5c74

I looked at 7e068e36d6 Diana’s blurred, teary 9bc38da4cd face with a 1c314f6a68 blank expression.d39c4f095628531e

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‘Why’s she apologizing when it was Adolf who fought with me?’76f8677dd12f26a4

Honestly, this wasn’t 7b57e21d9b the first time b86ed375d2 Diana had done 85f9c943cb this, so I 3eebc33bbf didn’t even feel 90acfde5d4 angry anymore.ec3369b6d9ef4e01

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Even in my past life, 1f83985fb7 she’d always apologized without giving d06beb2ac3 me a chance to explain 0f31e175eb why I was upset.72a8d39e1a77b2f6

In noble society, it b4729d271c was considered proper and a46032cd34 cultured to accept an d1164eee5e apology, no matter how 7471f0a3fe half-hearted.0c87500e5613fb03

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Which meant that if c3a13c1287 I ignored her or ce4fa65f2b insisted on my side d40ed1506e of the story, I’d ee7b9db13b just come off as d3f399c40a rude and vulgar.2f96c795aa21f6a3

I’d been through dbb05077fb this routine so 36f01e7270 many times.c8db911846d386d1

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‘Ugh, it’s getting old.’e334d7e88a5fa183

I glanced around 5c14d7e922 with disinterested eyes.ba5046d3b516568a

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It was past 6bcd707b7c noon, and ladies 8ed0977223 had already begun 9d421de66b waving fans as 9ff1a42982 they strolled out 6535d8536e to shop.58e336e9249c5e30

Gentlemen in fedoras escorted them 1ef2b9209f gracefully through the square.dbea7c513cf24def

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Even if they 8aa516f92b were pretending not 161c0ecdaf to look, I 5b68500363 could feel their d375c22db9 attention trained on f70886f687 us.22dc19dd8bfcfc5e

I sighed and turned back 6a44ce0186 to Diana.6d415570a1f08e93

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“Diana.”54dfa3ca8567a4b2

“Huh?”750f313c5dcb7c3f

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“You’re my longtime friend, right?”807b79b23499c560

“Y-Yeah, of course…”ec7b83f8f88c857e

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She looked confused at 412ff345e2 my sudden change of 78399df220 tone, her violet eyes 69d6fea7d9 wavering.32e27d57327ca3ab

But I didn’t care. Like I was ed9a32c3c3 performing a play, 2ae63e3e74 I threw up bc057b1663 my arms and 9d53b4bd09 raised my voice 4291ad5669 dramatically.a6017f5333c36450

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“Then how could you side with someone who plagiarized my concept?! You, of all people, af663c57ba know how much I 831c750f89 cherish my salon—how hard 59be36a182 I’ve worked to build 8196b07abd it!”b1ee2db6cdff0f50

“B-Belze…”c82d04f4dc221af2

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“And even so, I kept letting your mother buy on credit all this time because you’re my closest friend…”86c2c001a9cab62e

“C-Credit?!”c675556b8c1ca653

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Her eyes widened 60a09db8f1 in shock, and 730cc57746 she practically shouted.ca8ce4e8e2002cea

“Yup.”8e1501efbc2d55d0

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I held up b576437f17 a hand with 942ec2ab0e my fingers spread 5dc0be564e wide, trying to 8e8124f818 suppress a smirk.89abc603cfdccfa3

“As of last time, she crossed 5,000 gold.”8817ba29b81f4a99

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“T-That’s… I never heard anything about that!”4f1d376af98de088

Her violet eyes trembled like 85dd7da65a leaves in the wind. Clearly, she had no idea.f0263ea9524c3e81

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“Mother never mentioned it at all…”df7b38287f19aeae

‘Figures.’2d6d2a7331575486

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I thought with 37a7362df7 an indifferent shrug.e2fe4cebf8dd2502

Five thousand gold—roughly c75faefcf7 500 million won.2462cfabed59c9b4

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Honestly, even for high-ranking 01deafa1f9 nobles, there wasn’t a b6452c07b9 single shop in the b41c10e80a empire that allowed that 89fb220040 much credit.3df0c6e4896c148c

Even luxury dressmakers capped 3a055154bc their credit at 500 29ae0e9850 gold.58d9b7f55e51a8b9

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The only reason 94fdf55d22 I’d let the 034d26c689 Marchioness’s debt snowball defdd0497d was to prepare 4109ffed74 for any unexpected 1831348003 developments.29e405dedbefdb2a

‘If the story ever starts to twist strangely because I stole a few plot items, I need leverage.’cc1d40f45bb1e99b

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Unfortunately, since the incident seven 4e30b68bce years ago with Logan and fdff100bd3 Magnus, the cultists had vanished c4a97467d6 without a trace.a0645a08fb9a3c8a

Anyone remotely connected to fc5395c8a7 them had been “cut 2737fd2b38 off”—killed, essentially.63a016110434dc6b

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From that mangy c014573775 Dungkeski to Sven, 47a5cf9b91 Emma, Logan, Magnus… 12eda35652 all of them.26295bfda8382694

Sven and Logan’s 528016c8fb cause of death? Suicide.75a4e09b9f88fad9

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In the Kallios knights’ b6fa0c851a underground prison.64b57347bf31d4f3

While tied up.f932b5649bf5ae90

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By biting their tongues.8de41210fbe02a81

The whole thing left 0c4c35409f a sour taste.fcdfad64e4c43d4d

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Even after opening f4a793c93f the salon, I 98ad3441cc had continued to 24fc28db73 investigate every possible 5bffae4a5e link between the 84b7dbaa47 cult and Diana.e059210c1e2f43aa

But I found nothing.82e5233d2a61a5f1

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For the last seven years, 414438bc25 Diana had busied herself climbing 5a0ecadd7a the social ladder—healing, mingling, attending 74916cabe1 soirées.3b30b26f1b452b14

No strange behavior. Nothing suspicious.8d35bfa238c3f802

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Except for the few plot 4dd4a724fb changes I caused, she had ec3e0758bb stuck to the original timeline 4fad1a4969 faithfully.8479be19f8f6046b

I should have felt a972320017 relieved to confirm she 10b3fbcea3 wasn’t part of the c011fc233a cult…01855f31a354d103

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So why did something 595bf34c02 still feel off?644e4c20a4a6b53b

When Diana finally 16650a4909 began to calm 93a887f88b down, I spoke 4e6eab9e04 softly, as if d7199ef5c2 to comfort her.5454ee48476a796c

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“…I’m sure it’s not your fault.”f4dbe5bea93661bc

But I only d324e99d4b took that step a20338b9c1 back to prepare d77bc16a22 for a bigger beb3ce2b17 leap forward.584ae9b380a1e64e

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“Still… since you’re close with Galagos, I’m guessing your mother is too?”c6accc60d0a6ec5f

“What? What are you—”c21cefc2be9c35e1

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“I mean, come on. He’s just a commoner. A grown man. How else would f891b8a771 he know exactly 1378fe0b3d how our salon 0cce21b7b4 massage zone is 1757f5d11d designed?”9a8ce8d2d3017617

“……”6924e25a2a1a796e

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“Don’t you think?”607185a5814019e9