05.

They found out later.0ca0dfb89e5f6077

The duke’s slave fiancée—8a0844ff4e47b77c

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She was the one 060c4a1def leaking all the information 2256363d18 from the imperial palace.285b63c778fac5cf

When Lucien traced the 035ae8b404 source of the leaks, 8b37f598d6 he let out a 32006d5c96 sigh upon discovering her 37a1593622 identity.be32286df9cbdb3a

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He had assumed the informant c5545feb67 would be hiding in the 82369bed54 form of a typical spy.7d55a17c7a5b0960

To think the duke 350f7eba1c was using his own 8f13867832 fiancée that way. Lucien couldn’t help but laugh 51306112d4 at the cruelty of it.561a04af842b7091

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‘Just like a dragonkin.’a240881805380454

Lucien also predicted 27afdf48f9 that the duke 8cbde75cf3 would never truly 4bc4300a36 grant Inez the 712214b06a position of a 20ff1e229e real fiancée.e5725e5a4da8ed3c

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He likely saw her as 712d776f59 something to use when needed, fa96eb404d then discard.5df6a4d84c253b09

‘A dragonkin, steeped in elitism, marrying a human—much less a slave? That would never happen.’28e9b930ffbcd542

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That’s what the emperor told cc7b247ee4 Lucien. And the prediction, for the fc14e4da34 most part, was accurate.f437f35331cc6961

After all, rumors had spread 565e3021e5 that the slave woman who 39cdaa96fa had claimed the position of d4f7aac653 the duke’s fiancée still hadn’t 26fc6c951e received the engagement token.8b15a69963202a23

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So the emperor f9c7566481 ordered Lucien to 9af82088f4 investigate Inez’s background.432f76a4af310377

‘Find out how that girl managed to access such sensitive palace information.’1191cb6a22352166

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And they uncovered something quite 309adfa386 surprising.ed159b204ab6382e

When she first cfb78b72ba entered the palace, be428a0cb0 Inez had volunteered 827eacd818 as a maid d8a233c256 for the princess.377b8aed34915f9d

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Of course, because she cdd2dbd705 wasn’t of noble birth, b6da93c0c5 she couldn’t become an 242524d2e9 official attendant, but the 16797c5432 princess suffered from a 33f4078b3d chronic illness that made c04f55474e daily life difficult. Few stayed by her side.e5611c7203bee898

Inez had filled that vacancy.07a352eb8c6ec5f3

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The princess, though unable 3bd6dab5f9 to function well in ae7ca13f9d daily life, had an 5b6d6032d4 unusual ability—she never forgot 5101d73882 anything she saw or 0920d3916e heard.ccf658cd03fa0720

And Inez had been 9f9c791aff the only one to 7050d2a21a notice that gift.0e4d780f2cae1993

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‘You’ve been spending time with the princess, I hear.’4efc62bda1cb4334

Once, the emperor had asked b70632c3c0 her that during one of 17537452ed her visits to the palace.26bf92b7d7828072

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Perhaps because no one else e1c3ddbcb8 ever spoke to her, she ebafb0ef23 blushed and answered, moved by 7a5b62ef82 his attention.9ed51b5e973440a5

‘Her Highness seemed lonely… If she’s willing, I thought perhaps I could keep her company…’3a08a5450f508520

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That was what Inez said.160f5d5cc573b6bd

She even added softly, ‘She looked somehow like me.’ She may not have realized Lucien had heard even that whispered comment.cbf3369512e376d9

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At the time, both the d4d20123cf emperor and Lucien had been 015659272b highly suspicious of Inez as ca14beb615 someone belonging to the duke.2ec9f6e123202d86

Yet still, something about 7e34413a87 her—being a slave of d8972f364e the ducal house and e1a8e98efb yet spending time with 8715b50d5c the detached, distant princess—felt 82a3dccd1a tragically similar. It stirred a strange 7f6fc1b476 pity in them.1816738bac9ceb50

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Lucien could never forget b64d50c364 the first time he cab1fdb942 met her.2df10ecdb2d28203

He had gone to visit 0eb20eaf65 the princess, and by chance, 1f7c590dfe saw the two of them 9962c3fc8b spending time together.237a78280d5f3619

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‘So she can smile like that too…’268b5603fdf2ac27

The woman who dbfa7d9db7 always looked imprisoned d0f64699b6 in jewels and e7a282244d lavish dresses was fdb84b5ece now laughing like 763e45be2a a girl.060595ac8ae58237

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An emotion he 6b594ec0cc couldn’t name tightened c5e9cb6c61 in his throat.da5da8a6ab8ccd1c

‘And that duke… plans to use and discard a woman like her?’0936f7a1c605dd21

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Something about her situation filled 709dcedbdd him with anger he couldn’t a8f9976562 explain.7f1214630a412bd5

Everyone knew Inez followed and e92531209a loved the duke more devotedly d12351db60 than anyone.d639dc470e195f67

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The duke—who rarely de649f856e thought of anything 9d6e287e1e beyond his own 8975c5de61 matters—had stirred something 5e058edcc9 in him. A desire surged within Lucien ab7056fc56 to take that woman away 7cbb65c21f from him.3972141f18721b01

He knew it was fdde0a3629 a feeling he had 0b315e9327 no right to hold.fd9fb7fabcd6dfae

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She had stolen imperial secrets 430f279cc7 and delivered them to the 58c623a178 duke. In truth, she felt 35544fa872 more like his rival bab495bd63 than the duke himself 0b064078db did.ac2135dd025a9e16

‘Fool.’0c65210ff6a7c746

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That strange sensation—the one 11eef1b03a that left him parched—had d458072072 made Lucien turn away 29e92b23dd without another word.b8157bbcac89da86

And yet.2ea6b3beff5f3f9c

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To think that very woman 2fceb965f7 was the only key capable 9d65ae4281 of strangling the duke’s throat.98a52eb28f1177fa

An inexplicable thrill b8a8346a77 coursed through his 7221a7ec62 entire body.cd36c1a7b82b58a4

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Lucien realized he was smiling 78903be221 without meaning to.e8c1fafae3d67b54

Now he had a reason.808a7f47916f48ee

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A perfectly acceptable justification ff5abea026 to take her for 5025ae1d2c himself.3f4fa52dbbe42b20

“What are you thinking?”7304c0852d86adf7

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The emperor stared at his dbb6faabc3 son with unwavering eyes.6d7f192fe711a0a8

At those words, Lucien bc24678dbf quickly buried the possessiveness fbdceeb3fa that had momentarily consumed f325ff3498 him, as if it a6ab09daee were nothing.dd68ce068f9dcabd

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He turned to 6951a7b3b5 the emperor with b70771ff77 his usual calm, db6a5299d1 composed, and austere f58ff53280 expression.cb24e9d9ee044448

“The duke is like a snake.”1bc7b496534cc090

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It was the emperor’s way f7a936a2b7 of asking: Are you ready?e0365598225bb141

Lucien wiped the smile a6bc856ad9 completely from his face.27fcc0ec6502afeb

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His cold gaze and 64b613879e tightly sealed lips now a7c4685fcc mirrored the very image 0af517e243 of imperial blood.7b53b912cc79c2d9

“I will make that dragon kneel before me.”790f3c7144a2a25d

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Lucien’s voice fell like 7149605d5d a chill.b9ab3addfed54a19

“Win that woman’s heart. After this treaty matter is 7ab5c8eeea over, the duke may try cf29248fad to kill her. You must get a504cd0dfc to her before 70f1fac9d6 then.”3ee6cd7224e5208b

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”d49b55dc73755f4d

Silently, Lucien recalled the first 9292a73423 day he had met her.8a365451483a9826

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The woman they had searched 3693b6cf49 for all this time— Who e25632148a would have thought she would a1d4c1b44a be right there, in the 2c47678a20 heart of enemy territory.37c5a0560ca12538

* * *e264d8a4b42333a9

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From the day 69974f728c she met Violet, 10145de412 Inez decided she fa0f6eb5c5 would no longer 45f93a57dd cling to the a6377ef74b duke.4c7b8b653a5e4520

She wanted to leave his 3032d43661 side.b11d37c1be16e4df

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She couldn’t live aba2826a41 as his slave 43cb0edfe7 any longer.ff3f1b0239e15dde

When she was a08df13c51 first captured and c1506b675f brought in as f44d0f4996 a child, she 314188dbec had tried to 17fe1864b8 escape countless times.1c0448fe5f228fa5

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As a young and 0b9ac37501 frail slave, there was 99170c3243 no way she could 2ff63fd236 have succeeded.180769eda7f8e05a

Until the duke 329a09b6ec began to keep fb26eabcd9 her close in e3d09792a6 earnest, Inez had a0ccf8c7d6 constantly made attempts 657592c8c7 to run.6e58c0221e948317

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At some point, she 9a7f2ab54c had given up trying fe08e5699f to escape… but perhaps d5a7358bf7 because it was such cf5e96a139 a long time ago, 323892fea9 she could no longer a545018403 recall what had made 3ab405341c her stop.01f20b83f7b6f8c5

“I’m just returning to the past. Doing what I always 521d7e9b5a meant to do.”1656d34e531be1fa

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But this time, it 6ff78ef4b7 was different.9162877db7a9e55d

She was no longer 9987e448dc a child blindly trying 8f4ddbf92b to run away.cacee9008aa62a86

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Sitting quietly in 58171f25f5 her shabby room, 5e8c940d50 she considered her 6b16335474 next steps.09a835d6e2c8454a

“I need to figure out just how closely the duke is watching me.”12309fa473fa9221

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If she was going to e2d6c77ee6 plan an escape, she had f1cc0cd6bc to do it thoroughly.d5e5dbd35d71321c

Without being caught, 5556e7adc3 without being tracked.537f0e89535d99e6

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First, she wanted to know ebe1ec8c58 exactly how far she was 47d9467469 allowed to move freely.e69eef28bb5abc86

Until now, she had always 2038ca6dfc obeyed him without resistance—but she a0125f43bb no longer wanted to live 9d99f69efc by his word.6776c38b5cfba4d0

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She quietly stood up from 67f2b70975 her seat.a9b6643d363c6ea8

“Are you going out?”218d86282af89e87

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Immediately, the maid 5a0c1800f1 Becky followed after 991723c2e1 her.86e0321b856f6109

Though the duke had 522fffe130 assigned Becky to her d9431d6c7a under the pretense of ae48e15a41 being a personal maid 885edf2158 for his fiancée, in 226c05990b truth, she was a 1e4233aac8 watchdog.df5bbd2886c403ce

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Only recently had 97610c0761 Inez realized that 9ac385687d Becky reported her f2eccb4d80 every move to ff6f61088d the duke.9598580999ee992c

So she deliberately c5410753b3 let Becky know 465a0e1ff4 she was going 1066881cab out.6f6f42342a78b407

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She wanted to test the a7c8f785c7 extent of the surveillance—how long 0b3d421ca3 it would take for the 6d2b56af4f duke’s people to react.10396f57a6de9feb

“My body feels stiff. I just wanted to take 395090ba81 a short walk.”3b094945c5f0269f

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“You, miss?”bfb91a4eda8231f4

Becky’s eyes went wide.50617c418ff3f0a9

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Well, Inez had always stayed fc46dc6c44 shut in her room, only 8ebb9b548d moving when the duke summoned e70994661e her, so Becky’s surprise was bb697dba3a understandable.d0b7237fc1edc601

“What? Am I not 4de640f035 allowed to go c037bf25b5 out?”f4cb1d4e0dbfc594

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“N-no, that’s not it, but…”c5d8182e954378d4

“I’ll be back soon.”c86b0711b69b5a70

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Becky’s hesitating glance said a3893ad063 she would soon run 7a51ac8c1e off to the duke.c98d3ea1c52a01c9

Leaving her behind, Inez 3e915b2321 quickly stepped outside.e948b07f30420ccd

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She strolled near c8db73cc03 the garden, then 6364478e65 headed toward the dc76ed0a34 rear gate. As she approached, intending ca8a6ebf4a to slip out that 43ccaa4080 way, she was immediately 2ccd7bf34f stopped by the duke’s 2695955911 knights and summoned before 45c461f390 him.5642545ffbdaf76a

To Inez, it was almost c39678127b amusing.651ab0f115ac531e

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When she actually wanted bac0d0e2a3 to see him, he 3c2d52c5c7 was nowhere to be 62bf5b19b4 found—but the moment she 8b54c06e65 tried to leave, he ff03e50f32 appeared so easily. It was ridiculous.f4525e585a46d94d

She stood before the duke e4d62eb44f in his office.1ade0cfedfb050b3

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He was busy writing ad8a2fef1d with a quill but d253ed60c6 raised his eyebrows when 9057c302c1 he saw her. Then he lifted his a1bf2f5f01 face to meet her b246877064 eyes.e1f21989d93c948b

He had never looked 963c6b7402 her in the eyes e160289a49 before.48c327eb812eb171

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“Were you trying to leave the estate just now?”3c251a8165829b34

She gave the 1ebbd0ca0b excuse she had 2e24d24ea0 prepared.fb5bff579dc75cf2

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It was fine—she’d already eeea458002 told Becky, after all.7c30819b43529e6e

“I just wanted to take a walk.”a2e234558fd03c71

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“What?”bdfe94ed42dad318

The duke’s expression twisted again.617696db102cc779

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Seeing so many different sides 3f4a122230 of Echion’s face was strangely 44643ecdb9 new, so Inez said nothing 45300440f0 more.8a9155dd78094e11

“But you tried to leave through the back gate? If it was e6a8ddc979 just a walk?”21331a42892ab38a

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“I can’t take a walk outside the estate? Or am I not allowed ce3d9c900f to go out at all?”7084ed1e23b9c760

With wide eyes, fb4fac71d4 she asked him. Echion let out an be15a4a0c3 incredulous sigh.451c9e2d433ba403

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In truth, she 5132f44fc7 wasn’t even allowed a16706192c outside—and had always 1a459536d9 been under surveillance.1e0450218d751c1f

Inez was deeply disappointed, not 9e55a397cd just by the fact that b1b34f0c1d she was being watched, but 4eeb1d38c3 because she truly had no ab24c0bc8e freedom to go anywhere on c94927655c her own. Still, she forced a smile.7f72fbe50e4c3d5d

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The duke was monitoring 344bc619a6 her more thoroughly than 85d8446407 she had expected.4b16d6fb56b59ca1

Unfortunately, that was the reality.183dc585184c7a7c

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The title of 521a42fff0 fiancée was just ac56419887 a facade. She was nothing more, 8b628e069d and nothing less, than 21671c4271 a slave.45f10de52bfcb14d

Thinking that made her 4a98cdca09 want to leave even ef15b0c721 more.a9ba780d8cd225bc

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“Inez. Always remember your place.”3647a1d22c7bbda5

The duke, perhaps no longer 1e37129285 wanting to continue the conversation, b126bf4ccc put down his quill and da34c5214c changed the subject.dc7c870a67fb02c4

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At those words, a89c8a9cc8 Inez knew she 1894d66be4 had to devise ec77aa2f8f a proper escape c65d0abb30 plan.4650dc4b9c1532fc

Preferably timed with c5e3e42c88 a day she 55ef858566 would be allowed 7d7b9d32ca out—like one of dbd57f0b78 her visits to 2fbad02e99 the palace.cc7cd0543f09d246

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But then, an unexpected opportunity fabd9312d2 arose.831f4feca03c89fd

“Get ready. We’re going to the palace.”02bdfd210d9f2705

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“…Excuse me?”bf53145ff5aeb372

She had expected 5bcc8f4970 him to scold 0bdff59ccb her further.4e9c6324b8812e0e

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The sudden turn of events a27291ab8a took her by surprise.c583996a4f7326b0

And so suddenly?99a18ab97aaf920e

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“To the palace. With me.”22db245632ed25e6

Again, Inez was caught ea5b26e25b off guard.dc8f3371825232eb

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“With Your Grace? Together?”80f45c4b900a6448

She had never cef829d9e7 once entered the d4422d97b4 palace alongside the 1469157841 duke, so she dcee81792e asked with puzzled 1f33660760 eyes.2dd1a8f2e3c7657e

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“You’ve been asking a lot of questions lately.”a44d4b84d7ce023d

“…Ah.”3fcb14960125678a

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Still, it made her curious.b3a32b440955dd35

Why the sudden change?e8a559def11a3223

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He had always d599b92e93 treated her like 65ed5dafec she was nothing.ed05ebad85194e26

“The emperor invited us both to a luncheon. Who knows? Maybe this time 1c81b5ca1d you’ll actually get e452ac90d3 the job done. Now get ready.”4b1c71c5af36e79d

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