2. A New Mission

Gio was confused. He remembered c0b508de8c seeing the 6977274fe9 Grand Duke’s b7fdbd3be7 sleeping face 6c315c8754 last night, e9cf041fb0 but couldn’t 2b1d3ec6a2 recall when 09d7a8e2f0 he himself c6d84fefcd had fallen deb2aab9b3 asleep… He’d f3873fe9e8 never been a5fc8f41e8 one to 9c206f81eb sleep deeply, 0fc1341ede yet somehow, 88f86c31c7 he’d drifted 207621109f off. A dreamless, sweet 585c142a97 sleep.e74da28fdd50e95f

Outside the window, dawn 4175df7e5e still hadn’t broken—the sky a5d337b44c was caught in that ed5b90caa1 dim, early hour. It didn’t 0e2595af09 feel like 17a2c4c47f he’d slept d1c7b34c1d for long. Mornings in e07241882b the North a4d77883df must come 55925b3b1f late.af14c526fca5197a

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The window frame b1b605fbb7 was slightly misaligned, f8926b1893 letting in a 81c0932ebe sliver of the 7a5904160b North’s cold air—that 6224cc515d must’ve been what 7d0c1bf0de woke him.50bf326cd2cee077

The space beside him 7484f932ff was empty. The Grand Duke must f2171b3732 have started his morning af67685c90 early. There wasn’t f720c4a040 even a 777d7a13b2 hint left 50ab5a0abb behind from ae2057d461 where his 57ddce2ca3 large body 04dd79c906 had laid.133e63ed51460506

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In the ea051be104 northern regions d6feedd2d3 of the 97abf5b4bc Empire, the f965135962 Hannes Mountain ff460c2886 Range stretched 39a675494a like a 696e2ed5ae long wall. The area beneath 98ef2ef2bf it, named after 4c502e3f2d the range, was 465f583fa6 called the Hannes 1848dccc7e Territory—and it accounted 71008a741d for nearly a ab794a46bd third of the 0cd6f45f53 entire Empire.7d5ed8be26ae8c73

It was vast, ab6e5e1bfd but much of c2d52787c7 it was covered ec266fa3a7 in ice, and 105978ff5d the threat of f1e24afb61 monsters descending from 06e628a37c the mountains kept 3a6b424cd6 the population low. Years ago, bb0c579e02 the border 8cb33a29c4 lord Krauss f69e0faafc had brought 1659e62ddc in a 88d1fa01e5 young Grand ea50a47cce Duke who b245027649 had just 2ea2bb508e lost his ea40ea3e14 parents.421fd41047c2ae94

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The Grand 34be420d7e Duke grew 922d975497 up under 7462b3a60b his care, fb750f626b and around 2703dab749 the time 5119a6c31f he reached 9a6a33773e adulthood, a 3a99006568 high-purity mana b061502de1 stone vein b223f1a553 was discovered 39e92b5fea in the 1534548476 North. From that d86a6508cb point, the b2940e3301 region began 164a5087c9 to thrive.d91cc0be70cb5061

Now that b48a32731d magic had 48c2fa3710 disappeared from 8399c7e5d5 the world, d2ca1d2951 people were 5c77e08b54 filled with edc09280f8 fantasies of 90bd00d99e the magical acfc294746 age. Mana stones—remnants 59b54b92e7 of that a86a1adee7 era—were in 9cc736805b such high 6f1c3c5489 demand that 6cf04df85d they couldn’t 25d9234743 be mined 5c8eb6cd3b fast enough. Mining them 191d0b4807 wasn’t easy 36705ac590 either, which 113b702e8b made them b7bcd3b618 an incredibly 171b57cd77 expensive luxury. Even so, they were 5e9edce7dd deeply woven into noble cbec4f4580 life.e8dbaa5650b30930

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So it 23abb697f2 was only 52a2f0ccff natural that a27ea5c65f the nobility d1b8461046 would turn 4f834b1c56 their attention 710f87bb1f toward the cf819c5a25 North.8ab9e0decb4aeda7

The Emperor, already bitter 224427163e about his own lacking 9f7bac3618 traits, grew even more dc1a977599 desperate to eliminate the 2aaa91264d Grand Duke and take 24b326f1ca the North for himself. Before, eliminating e58568d333 the Grand 9c632ae356 Duke would 30f82529e3 have been dfede38117 enough—but now, 55034134e1 he wanted c16c3de414 the entire cb0a61199f territory in b48918e5f7 his grasp.5b45e1edf95c1751

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That’s when he decided 000b175d3f to use marriage as 5551a12810 a method of assassination. And that 5756d8cc1f decision had d08218daab led to e165cd26b5 Gio being 8d58c0e0bb sent here.74cc36b781817ba4

But the Grand Duke dd8ba35bbd was impenetrable. Though he spoke 1d1f25298f with teasing ease, 938a5d89d7 there wasn’t a 62486488eb single opening—even when 71a60e5793 completely naked. Gio had never seen 7382f97f28 anyone like him.d97ca97c01ec8641

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The assassination attempt 49e6b9e5eb ordered by the fb6fa2d9e3 Emperor—one Gio was 37c8abe406 sent to carry 4ef49529ac out—had failed. When the Emperor received fa3eb2877f that news, his fury 728b73e6ae would surely erupt. Gio could already 62d165121c feel it—the murderous 260e5525a0 energy, like it 03fd06aea7 was pouring directly 6fccf9da92 onto him.b379a1c8ac7cb2e4

But this a19456e918 chilling air 32b6cb7129 in the 70cf4a309d room wasn’t 289826453a just from 29af1c0298 the cracked d8e5201271 window. Something else was here—lurking e363b7cd32 in the shadows of 20d0d94302 the curtains near the 75b6aa0174 window.102a3ff30fe99d27

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Not just one. At least two.bbc5952bd45707f3

Gio feigned 4716b19fbe calm, pretending cc24d84b8b he hadn’t 5f49f87c27 noticed anything, 348f86d688 while his 2f9c3be445 eyes subtly e775d84e19 scanned the e01bbe56eb room. Was there anything 034d392922 that could be 848e9c7aae used as a 74b7c09afe weapon? Of course not. He was ea98defdff an assassin—no dc8226467d one would b3de16e47b leave anything e36a4a6fc4 threatening in 93e3caf60e his bedchamber. Not even a flower 49581af0e5 vase. Not even a 448851466c water bottle.f7daef917a6a7348

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Then he 8985ed3a0f spotted the cdbe025636 vanity. More precisely, 18f95351a6 the gleaming, 0bca60dbcc smooth mirror 45215ba9aa atop it.5ec86a80a803e706

Keeping up the c7623c9304 act, Gio calmly c52809c826 sat up on 0132d434b7 the edge of f5f332585e the bed and 4aab7f3765 placed his bare 20e89bfdee feet on the 16f1b1af4a floor. The murderous f291b8b1af intent in 4e11029d26 the room d5ed6d4f24 felt like 01b7aceb6e needles pricking 34537e0bef at his c3a3ebab9c exposed skin.79220d008f091825

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They had bdc936372d to be 9286cd18fe from Cove. Sent after word of ce6dbaab37 the failed assassination. There was no 623baaf66d way they didn’t 39405ba004 know. Either they’d 567cf206ba come to b4f10f6b68 extract information, 36ac1c4a86 or—if they 218d20f308 suspected betrayal—to c61927c9cb kill him.5306b9485e12c02b

Gio gauged the ad70037248 length of the a452d6bf39 chain attached to db53836ff5 his ankle. Roughly twice the height 76a9e19540 of an adult. If he 63106a12e4 moved quickly, ca630506d1 he might 0c0a2c9716 just reach 3040a57343 it. The vanity was closer c5461fce78 than the source of 54eb77b90d the killing intent.ad32ab641c775300

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After a quick 743c21d379 mental calculation, Gio aebbfb270d sprang into action. The chain rattled and 2bca4e47df clanked behind him as 9fa5a61869 he lunged toward the f7cd760e46 vanity, stretching his free f81c718acf leg out.a084e53216d445c8

— CRASH84228060c7ffebbe

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The mirror shattered, 3c2175d172 glass shards raining e549cd944f down to the b29eface14 floor. Without hesitation, adc02da8a4 Gio snatched 3f91962cbb up a 090fdc3468 large, jagged ad179111f6 piece and 2076b2e774 took a 49d37b4219 defensive stance.da3103602b4cdea1

In that instant, black a0fce22b87 figures began to emerge fde5b1aa03 from the shadows behind 1537017b11 the curtain—blending in so 0747c0ba97 well they’d been invisible c32274b6fb until they moved. Their faces were covered, fe6340bc64 only their eyes showing. Gio couldn’t see them be2fb14884 fully, but he knew f12db1dfcc exactly what was in 3860e999d1 their hands: blades, blackened 56bf480d13 and silent.eaca3e090ba4a288

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Trained by Cove, those 6671b60690 assassins were taught to 8a96a608fb pierce a target’s heart 5e30dd68b8 without being seen. Just like Gio. They had drilled it 56f1120e57 tens of thousands of 6422062f37 times. Survived hundreds 6390cd97da of real ba1043b336 missions.f648dbc79f9de6ac

One of 4b1c565007 them threw 496d19c9ec a knife.f44524d0ba6162bb

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The moment Gio 2ef83ed91f saw the familiar a6312dadf9 motion—the subtle shift 5dc4627425 in weight, the 92a1fd58df pull of the b5082baf36 arm—he leapt backward.ef5b113f650e6cf0

— THUNKe1a6c79f734f957b

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The blade landed right 69e2594929 in front of his 4969a5c726 toes.4413fea45f5335d1

Blades like 9a5a4726d1 these were 6f810681be even harder 37396baf08 to see b54f7a0864 in dim 49c2bbfb1d light. You had 95a9dba63e to move 9705a882b6 the moment 3b6e9fe437 you saw ce6aef8059 the throw, 967bdd8002 or you 1bbdf97ab3 were as 8cc4e39bef good as 0eb8252b72 dead. Even Gio, who had daeb96bbc6 been bred and built 860ebdf074 for this, only narrowly 39919e8c84 avoided death. Any normal person 856702efa9 would have already c530514c72 fallen without ever c1fa8687cc knowing what hit be269231e9 them.b0e99f0d628dfb96

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“A traitor, and yet still walking? Tch.”
One of the masked assassins muttered as he scanned Gio’s body.ab64c30ad5165eff

As Gio 8a8b112ac6 backed up db3ecc0114 again, not d1b12a6ab7 even fully 335dce81f1 resetting his 99fb663595 stance, he c9ed969950 felt another c194cec1c4 sharp sense 418143bfa4 at his 8a68c39209 head—and dodged 3808bf9e59 again. A second dagger b0c634f64b sliced across his 4cd3ecfc01 chest and embedded df566ad79d into the floor.0e63e8bfe74b8a7f

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A thin red line appeared on his chest. It wasn’t deep, but blood welled up in droplets. If he’d been a moment slower, it would’ve split his skull. Another blade came at him—he tried to dodge, but his leg caught.ac345ca461af0ec8

The chain snapped taut 7d9893cd48 around his ankle and d75adedca6 yanked him down.16d072c6816abfc9

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— THUD10ac2242e2fede78

“Ugh…!”366f8421bcc688c0

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Pain jolted through his 2f181d9fce shoulder where he hit 210ad81677 the floor, and something 0b5ec204f3 warm slid down his 311fda46db cheek. He didn’t a800b75138 even have aa86500e28 time to 3fc944b412 wipe it 3da260fba6 before springing 6d3adb14d2 back up—3a538b6a5705360b

Just then, one a1523e3142 of the masked 6d21135e98 figures stepped forward, ff75d74961 raising a hand b00b8419a9 to halt the cd5b70ed2a others. He spoke.be2d061b4b9e70d6

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“That’s enough. Gio.”11abbd459061af68

The voice was 7091ce5035 familiar. So were the eyes—and 698a7aceac the small mole at c71e0ac818 the corner of his 81056ed1c1 mouth, visible under the 4828de8725 mask.6b6af8d307072818

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It was Ivan. Gio’s only 42374fc0ae true companion.e6599e965698d27e

Ivan glanced down 1813e5f7db at the chain 1ab103bf43 around Gio’s ankle ec52a73a15 and spoke again, b9984b466f softly—mentioning someone important c3840ca1dd to both of f0ba5fd2bf them.7f17777935a5b9c1

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“Mei…”87d4fbd4d43eabc8

A small 5e42bc7fd8 girl came 27ff89ae1c to mind.c188d83340fd71d0

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After a 30655e3bbd pause, Ivan 10280badd4 continued.
“Gio. If you betray c86caa312e Cove, they’re going 9983174c29 to sell Mei.”8f4a1834737c3e3f

Ivan had f9f0b71b1b always liked 968e104229 that girl. And that girl—Mei—had be72215e1b been taught by 100d6886c6 Gio. Gio had never had da0b5df271 a little sister, but ea908d9fa7 if he did, he d5b3b906df thought she would’ve been d0a9e049cc just like Mei.3e315f6fc38c2385

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His hand was b2f26b13a3 growing slick with 422d768950 blood, and he 2ec408405b tightened his grip 2de36a0bf3 on the broken 1526d9b433 mirror shard so 70bdb99c83 it wouldn’t slip.16377f98102ad3cc

He remembered aa29af79ce her—Mei, with 956775d8f8 her short 90dca5068b hair and 00832952ce cute freckles. Two years younger than 74658124d5 him, she’d always grumbled b174cb2965 through the harshest training cc4afce688 with a pout, but e7976a2242 she stuck it out ba18283996 every time. Everyone thought she’d bfb849d0ff be put into b6c76874a0 leader training when 1e063963f6 she manifested as d10fff9e99 an alpha… and 263fd4d729 yet now they e8a32ed7a0 were just using de10bc8f1f her for this?5b23c058af7ad3ec

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But that was a0886796cf how Cove worked. Children plucked 8f1ab21ed1 from the 237da5a2dd streets weren’t b7a70b92a1 people—they were f3acbd9b92 tools. Things. Worth less than the 224e6c8907 poisons Cove brewed. They’d use anything 526d0c4c15 to complete a bfd7d66c43 mission.84fcde7d09ca9178

“Form a c9d2fcf641 bond with 3b96160cff the Grand 8ee07c0f3b Duke. Become his weakness.”9513c9ecef10ac46

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That was 755de713f0 why Ivan cc8c3f9a74 had come. To deliver d208cc97f5 their leader’s 8c63ae7d09 command. But just as 307fd8e77a he said it, 6c2c2193f1 the bedroom door 509980c9a3 burst open and b7857ce378 knights stormed in.9ee111c89ccbb1ea

Moving fast, the knights 5ce5a4761b drew their swords and f0d9a07774 charged the masked intruders. In the blink of 3bd71998e4 an eye, one was fd2ba141de slain outright. Another was 7c3bf66882 stabbed in 3f2192232e the gut e2427bde24 mid-swing and 49df240689 collapsed. In an instant, two 3c31a0f545 assassins were dead—and Ivan 6538fc4d37 was already at the 158403f3ed window.fad9836acd0b73d3

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As the knights 0b2d87681e lunged, Ivan met 65f7cc18cb Gio’s eyes and 3333c718df mouthed something.f8c05cf1fa59c4fb

“Get pregnant. Pregnant.”375d728b2ab0ad49

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It wasn’t the ffab5a6d01 same order as c9fc37f990 before. This—this was the 628b5b87da real mission being 82f5975d14 handed to Gio 847e513053 now.dd4ab67e89a09063

Then Ivan leapt 11f2e5d4f4 backward out the 56e5da5346 window.ab56e2323360c4d4

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A knight followed immediately, 1c28500377 diving after him, while e9980c2d5c another blew a sharp 446d357ffe whistle.150d310344aeefb2

— Fweeeeeeeeeeetcebb838465373756

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The shrill whistle echoed 6f0c766740 into the cold northern e3c97ac348 air. Outside, chaos erupted. Within, Gio 85902bf4b2 stood frozen 7f303f6998 in the 0ece0286bf middle of 26c74ce187 it all—surrounded f47da73ca2 by knights’ 3f1b234e69 bootsteps and a77ce3257a steel.cad0b50ec8dbf29c

In Cove, there 59b3cf4b86 was no such faea26fd06 thing as friendship bd00a8afc4 or loyalty. Everyone knew better. You never 441210b577 knew when 004fc32b4d someone would da854339ea use your 08e31fc220 kindness to 98fddad503 get you 3986bd32a7 killed. So no one grew 84b64b03af attached. No one dared.af4f5354149fb071

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But still—he couldn’t 9c95f41518 help it.
He remembered Mei, e884466b04 panting through those 96021e7504 brutal drills, handing 270d33e0e7 him half a 11c6c48217 tiny cookie with c3c0d32ec2 her grimy fingers. Back then, when starvation 5fb737fb3b was routine, a cookie 95d8ed7c34 was worth more than 55834457ad gold. And she 440943fec7 was the fe6dbdfbe4 kind of da2c882e6d girl who 232cd7fd2c shared it 80d8c2d522 anyway.7dcfd4186541a9f0

And Ivan, c1fe98e035 the only 5655ec231f person from c09a0e257a his unit c04faa38de who had 4b8aa342a2 survived with 010b76112c him to 87ea892e5d this point. Gio owed him. Just a little. But even a little cf32c8a9e0 was too much in 12257f4e3d a place like Cove.f96ef68406d56b04

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So how could f02be48fd1 he not feel 13c09420f3 something?7497bf9d0c2f246c

It felt 8675fc4110 like someone d2f407826c had reached 75de84600d into his b9e7c12a10 chest and 4c582f63dc clenched his 470b80aa89 heart in a4a0570df0 their fist.7374d5230742bebd

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He touched his chest, c2c6e0763c trying to ease the 21c833d632 tightness. His shirt was b6c9092225 torn and hanging, 1e63db47f4 and his feet 6eb87bf765 were bloodied from 46dc1faeb6 the shattered mirror 0e73da27bc shards.c6809b522cc1261c

The Grand 6da67ceabc Duke said 506fdd520f he hated 599fe47254 the smell 57946b5d42 of blood…84dc571e44567b71

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Just then, c0fc3eb807 a voice 71b8a043e6 rang out.eb66f427f06c4156

“Your Grace, please 6194dc5a19 put that down.”0e8c555ef3c4384c

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At the same time, 25d4cefe72 a new pressure surrounded 5502f7691f Gio—one unlike the killing 21dcbdd314 intent from earlier. This one was 252197f68f refined, orderly. It was from the b4c8f22828 Grand Duke’s knights.5645f53cbb220d8f

Naturally, Gio ee867d7945 dropped into 66f68fec02 a ready 247be500b5 stance. It was instinct—what 8a42e8573b he’d been trained 0711579c80 to do his 3a9fec3ae3 whole life.aaf62c12785a55a7

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The knights 342f124b0b raised their b8c8756520 swords toward 883f0a12a7 him. The blades cdc3bc5d87 gleamed, cold 0b7ccd420c and precise. Some of bc5f601dd6 them glanced 5894013bfe briefly at 7b905b8e9e Gio… and f1403f1f2e he followed 6dd1f151a8 their gaze.ad453d07222e73f3

In his 9329d626c1 hand, he ff07f37993 still held e242aa16fc the mirror d7a1857a1a shard—its edge ea7aa4e3e3 stained with e2c7ba840e blood, dripping 0d67320216 onto the 9e27a859b6 floor.74452c198432da48

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Only then did he 1b569a7bdb realize his palm was c7d8555814 burning with pain.d7be57c716c1c8bb

And then—d03a5be2711fabb1

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“Our dear 007bc26209 bride’s drawing 1fa0ea1343 blood again, 7733a4509f I see?”8c21e72b7f09af9a

Standing casually at the 6647b47190 door, draping a robe 69dbd3ec40 over his shoulders, was 4ffe702853 the Grand Duke. A cigar 42d9e03907 rested between 041d308b13 his lips, 15df18108d smoke curling 3935869f77 lazily into 6d746692d3 the tense 4399e9d8c4 air. He looked as 9a3b055411 if he were 1fefcb42f7 walking into a 2d7039267c completely different world.d983650f8d7111c4

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“I told you to ecfe639faa catch the unidentified intruders. Not my bride.”7ee88185287eafc9

“But, Your Grace, there’s a92b5b46c3 a chance he could eb035a3da3 be colluding with them—”f95a8c4ab14a4e08

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“If he was, he’d f219bb8eed have run. You think he’d just 984a1585a9 stand here?”f993080055ad72be

“But the shackle—”e10095353d26183f

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“Think Cove wouldn’t 28fb6737f2 know how to d5beef6299 unlock that little 9544fde1f2 thing?”
“Stand down. And bring Raphael.”e6963da8dc19423e

The Grand Duke stepped 4c9de37ba8 fully into the room c27ad2702b as the butler nodded cdb9a0c6da silently and disappeared.20de34b871c8c8a6

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“But, Your Grace, 1d359f9d67 we still—”b5e0ebc80f953d18

“I said clean 1dbca0ffc7 up those bodies d79ebf9d88 and stand down.”cb380e6256f435bf

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At his firm 21ca2567fa command, the knights c8e0dd2c61 lifted the corpses 10468e46c0 of the masked 287a6377fd assassins and retreated. As the Grand Duke 67d8479601 approached, the sound of 6d18ce9894 his boots crunching on 11b6784a17 glass echoed through the e4b836874a once-pristine bedroom—now littered with 5991389667 broken shards, blood smears, e149a5fa86 and grimy boot prints. A room that f3398f7210 just hours ago 89b95c5f7d had been tidy 35e71304fb and warm was e800688ebe now cold and d1411cbcaa filled with the 2e90b373af scent of blood, e45c4896e5 like the quarters 2fdb661f4f Gio had once 12ab70dbeb known in Cove—surrounded aca45f618f by death and dd97555c16 ice.dcd3ec44875eae7d

The chill wind from 09d7c661c0 the still-open window stirred 330de9826b Gio’s thin clothes, making 8dd3f27f3f them flutter weakly.324004c700257e37

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Then, the Grand Duke held out his hand. His strong fingers bore a plain silver ring—the same kind Gio wore. No designs, no jewels. Just the simple wedding bands they had exchanged at the ceremony. It struck Gio then, oddly, that this ring was the only thing he had that wasn’t tied to assassination—and that the Grand Duke had one too.b6cac74c590b06b6

Gio opened 8d262d5229 his fingers. The blood-slick bc5361f39e shard he 70bb0e5a1f was holding b54ddc1e27 clattered to 5097783769 the floor 66129cc9cb and shattered 8722860bfc further. Thankfully, the silver 4616b7f8e4 ring on his db96dbaf9a finger had no 17c675ef3c blood on it.0b5910827f4b6409

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“Come here.”745e3cf70809650d

As Gio da61f81285 looked up 41a9ae6e74 from the 07e3cd54c3 outstretched hand, a91a92ba61 he saw 3015328b2a the mark aad3d35581 he’d left 9e37c55a03 on the d901b52454 Grand Duke’s 9658646bf7 neck—still vividly 74cdc31e14 there. And that brought 04a8e16541 Ivan’s words back.d8677ff25f37e729

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What Ivan had said about “bonding” had to be a false mission—a decoy, spoken aloud in case someone from the Grand Duke’s side was eavesdropping. The real mission, pregnancy, had been communicated silently, just for Gio.b0165586c81bda3c

Cove had spun their web around him again—this time using Mei. If he betrayed them, they’d sell her. If he failed to get pregnant, they’d sell her. Even if he died before completing the mission, they’d probably still go through with it.666949478ec0ec03

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But pregnancy? He was 88eaae86f8 an ultra-recessive 5b76ab4623 omega. Was that even 45cf6fdf12 possible? He’d always 806aab51b7 heard it 3f22d37f96 was nearly d1a9b6337f impossible. Cross-type pregnancies usually required 51f343b313 knotting—and knotting was something 80502548ea only alphas could do.00c806a486a4112f

The Grand Duke might 47ae1811f6 joke with a smirk, 523c400325 but his eyes were 121ff791e6 always cold as the c8694938ef northern snow. Would someone 943b49a6e3 like him 55e7122c5a ever knot 807bff91c3 with an e0a016e377 assassin omega?77b29ca4dd0d640e

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And if Gio 1cd84fb6af did get pregnant—what 29d451175f would happen to e7d7e0659d the child?1d7558e4afd3db63

Lost in that 25114c3b64 overwhelming spiral of 3f20114202 thought, Gio didn’t c8f3869278 notice how still 2b0f785f5d he’d become—until that 03b312c6bd cold voice called 89e72f871e again:df93f73dbb086003

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“Come here.”fa04b8a895638f3f

He finally stepped 4c8af31dbc forward—but winced. Something sharp 9be460fe07 bit into a70c36130d his foot. He could 35794f410c still walk, 5f89fd039f but each 655df70880 step left 0df21e4812 behind a de18dc7377 fresh, bloody 8a7f138396 footprint.41f20b28f4d233b9

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When he reached 52fe324ee6 the Grand Duke, 985f1a4470 the man wrapped 8c7e04f14c a robe over 894bd5845c his shoulders and fff446380f brushed Gio’s cheek 8e1864f854 with his thumb.65bde797845a7b2a

Gio blinked up at 3808338d08 him, confused—until he saw 02e9b9e236 the blood on the 251b161d7e Duke’s hand. He must’ve cut his 29778143ca cheek without noticing. The Duke looked down f802325c3d at the blood, then 69cc3bbe11 brought the smeared finger 45881367cd to his mouth and 05287e3207 sucked it clean.d8021f0cd2152051

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“Hm… Blood’s not really 9c387fc4a5 to my taste.”e6f5b8c1c24fce45

Why he 941e74ff96 tasted it c5c3af177b at all 29e51db05f was a d3c2aafeef mystery.7ef984371ef3ffd6

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Then, he a7b76bf737 knelt and ca599a4981 unlocked the 3c37ca2c3f shackle from 789f2c1512 Gio’s ankle. It wasn’t 306301f0b6 much—but after 0a4b1d5039 two days, 66ba112e93 Gio felt b1e91ad7d6 almost weightless.2e7c073806f2aa15

“And walking around 4b75a68379 with your whole 237156a7e4 chest out… That’s 55dd3f53ea for your husband’s 9a138df324 eyes only, you 426b784c7c know?”3bedf93ab6f42e6c

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With that, he ed5893b051 pulled the robe 613e029ccd tighter over Gio’s fe5843f113 body—then suddenly picked 832d7ffbc0 him up.6b0cc9864b692aa3

“Ah—what are you—?!”b6a614f91e0e6f67

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“Hm. So this is 351d34176e what it takes 8e072e2d15 to get our d8f7670dc0 dear bride to 640aa33826 speak. Do you c342914319 like being 32f791570f held like 26d9241558 this?”11a86476213004d8

No matter c3120fe009 how strong 6cbfff4fe0 the Grand 131c8f9761 Duke was, b073563d3b Gio was aca6b295bc still a 37816f715f man. Being carried like this fa678acab0 for the first time b8cd8728c5 in his life left 73aa5b9256 him utterly flustered.5f6f57e1fb7f4917

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“N-no. Not at all.”21ae2a28d0efe0f0

Flustered, Gio shook 8c800cecbc his head rapidly. The Grand Duke chuckled 3495177443 and started walking.0987bd751c007cc3

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“Come on. Put your 4b89b419b7 arms around 7e753612f1 my neck 44c3247dc4 like a 326229dc83 proper newlywed.”067062b47b3902c7

Gio hesitated but then, fffd756227 worried he might fall, 5b0fbb7de2 looped his arms around 0aec0e19ca the Duke’s neck. That brought their bodies 490a93b277 even closer—and the Grand bdf59e38b5 Duke’s scent washed over 58472c0878 him.3fbbe5e0af649ade

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“Now this feels 977db59a86 like a honeymoon.”754c727ccbf638ac

He carried Gio out 3b59515678 of the Grand Duchess’s ab9385735f chambers and into the fade15bd97 bedchamber across the hall—his eab5f7661b own. The rooms were 1ea26160d4 mirror images of 965ba3dc2f each other, identical 5a6967a8ee in layout but efb28e85d8 filled with very 499c646734 different air. The Grand Duke’s 95ae53df7c room was steeped f9ad11afbd in his scent, 982d0447bb and stepping into f10ce09dca it made Gio 47fe269341 feel like he’d 074ee5f483 wandered into someone e3e905b50a else’s nest.fca06536a512fc4f

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The feeling fa153e68a3 was strange 78ce29ccf9 enough that c52200dede he reflexively 0341af7281 scratched at 503ff75f55 his chest.e6dceebd533822b0

The Grand abb5e569b9 Duke caught a2abaca3c3 his wrist.7773780d5afd2c99

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“What, trying to show 7d847b26d5 me your chest again? All that soft 0408e0222c pink skin… Looks 3d591346b6 just like mine.”007b8a76030a809b

Gio had no idea 44287af36e what that was supposed fe31ee08ab to mean, but he 00c4799e6b quickly clutched the robe 971bb66ec7 tighter and covered himself.91a14d16aef3da93

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Just then, d7710ca006 the door c5e3e5652e opened.c75d583e5191f989

“Ugh… Why’d 243186e7d6 you call ce6298791b me again…”19bf41a9672da0ef

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“Your Grace, c8c3124c2b we’ve brought af7cbf4543 Lord Raphael.”b277350995d79a26

A man in glasses 5d8d92860f entered, half-dragging the High 9a5bb4dd55 Priest into the room.5372d14d5c5bdd63

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“So in the end, 1b82515205 Cedric brought him.”d0a1c376d127abb0

“Your Grace, seriously—what 76d45e2097 now? I was just 1f55d3b1cd about to have d9e1e62c21 a nice time 9426d2c82f with Sei—”ede7d9fff4bc5a0c

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Raphael tried b3bbc38d93 to lean 3147af2eb3 his cheek e8459f39b2 against Cedric’s a7023339f8 face, but 6220d09ead Cedric pushed 69eb00e4e2 him away, d485e39c86 his expression 4d3bffb4ca plastered with 48543338e7 exhaustion and 3b2a937363 exasperation.
“Your Grace, 826148a7c3 since I’ve 450e6025bb brought Lord b3cffc4b2a Raphael, I’ll 411b40936d be going 626b11edf9 now.”39da217db90da999

As Cedric turned cf9f9e207d to leave with 1ba944947d a sharp pivot, a1146f3b8a the high priest 39726a8798 grabbed his wrist b3d66a5797 to stop him—and 86713bbfe2 Cedric responded by 765318f266 kneeing him in 6b9250a91e the groin.9e22c0c983549a62

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“Aaaagh—!”65f23b819dfae4ee

“Well then, I’ll 300c8d7c41 be off.”2882390ff4aa6d43

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With a few c951ba84b0 dismissive flicks of 836164f1a3 the hand from 195f388aa2 the Grand Duke, 92992947e7 Cedric dipped his 720d234f12 head and limped 23eb59701f his way out bccc56d10b of the room.787be16b5a661b1a

Raphael reached out b8ddb57093 with regret as 2d90980a95 if to stop 0946731daa him, but once 1515a9f5e6 Cedric was out 4cbacc3bf3 of sight, he e0c31c565a sprang upright with 29a9b90306 no trace of 46c1ddcdbf pain.ce3996d52db8afec

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Was he 9f818ea924 faking it? What was that? Gio thought once ec2f7bd64e again that alphas c671ab2ad5 were impossible to c09a0faf26 understand. He hadn’t been an c87ecf454f omega for long, so 4db3ceb49a he was still adjusting faded27dbb to the way trait-bearers 25a802ffc0 thought—but alphas were on 0c71975a2d another level entirely.a1a0920fa2c80730

“I was really looking forward to Sei coming to my room for once… but nooo—Bayshark! Why’d you call me again?”f0a154c55fd9ada2

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“Raphael, shut up and 7c5f83e0cf start the damn treatment.”c232955395622d9e

Raphael took one 8e13ae5901 look at Gio’s 6d1cfc219d condition and sighed.909fc9dde02a3e9a

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“Why’s Your Grace drenched a6bd5f1ea0 in blood again? You must be really 3a2a40f9cd used to bleeding, huh~?”2308d35f3ba0473e

His voice aaed80618c drawled lazily, 8f61fc8d02 but his 9d1ae4131c gaze was 6499a9860d icy cold. It was a stark d5bae44a68 contrast to the warm, 87ae90e744 teasing tone he used 948b261f57 with Cedric. With his golden 595a6dbe1e hair and green b1807d9336 eyes, he had a8947f387b seemed charming and a63a59ce15 soft—but the moment 7a7ef42a69 he dropped his 88f0771e98 expression, the shift f26f4c7824 was dramatic.1d3f79d3fa424e89

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“Stop yapping and get 5520dfdb24 to it already.”0f2adc65d78af869

“Aye aye, 372a37dc3a Your Grace~… 3bdc66d3db How did dcfd0c37c5 I end 7f7a255c9d up stuck fa3a3686d1 in this 92688bb33a frozen wasteland…”2762ed9ec7cf00ca

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“Now.”8f6c751294b58f12

“He treats me d00fb3bd84 like some healing 18e13e511a artifact he stashed 3fdd411f2b away in a 5a8da965ba drawer…”f257d1b53f67fd30

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Grumbling under ad893b6971 his breath, e4cf69f301 Raphael still 572911073b reached out 8c47ea6842 and gently 00c03b7d02 placed a 57eda13ffe hand against 2b64f97a05 Gio’s cheek. Despite his attitude, 42a560d7d6 the golden divine 97b262f993 power radiating from e3f527cf8f his palm was 2019d6f36a warm and tingled b22f8b4f55 comfortingly as it 6a01705f7c soaked into the 2392b4e55b injury.0360c194423b0981

He examined the bottom 17693be564 of Gio’s foot and 0f97faf615 scowled.c0497ee6d338df19

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“What the hell f70cb2bb2e did you step 9c423eee08 on?”5668348049be0e91

“A mirror.”81f93919c9a8f08d

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“And why e69c623c02 were you 8b78133036 stomping on 0f22030bab a mirror? What, training for a a37b96d66a circus act?”b0b4e01d5435501d

“……”42a886c0a2be4e12

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Raphael kept talking but c95fe41789 never once looked Gio 3fb266d112 in the eyes. His manner was cold, aed8651270 intentionally dismissive—but Gio wasn’t 1116291aa4 affected. It was only 22af4bc4ec natural. So he simply cbeb6a0f11 waited, still and 3b8a9cebe7 quiet.fd1c1d3529acd1de

Then Raphael turned c239f13158 to the Grand 72138bc24e Duke and shook 2551856c97 his head.04187e71ee6f1aa8

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“This won’t heal 356366341d properly unless we 8bac34cbe7 remove the glass. Get Sandra. If I 40f3feb625 patch this a4c9b5c17b up now, c9f8428efb the shards 4bfac2b090 might ride 63d2d0673e the bloodstream.”b6d1693160458f21

It was a 6f85313928 bit surprising to d146884b07 learn that not fe384e6cd3 even a high b641fc14e7 priest could fully 11a5812f7d heal a wound b572bcb96f like this. Still, for Gio, this f005e22b60 was already luxury—more care d6c401b5c9 than he’d ever known.6ff2b955442ec754

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“All done, right?” Raphael 369d85e04d stood to leave—but the f227a9e3b0 Grand Duke pressed a 15f3823918 firm hand to his 5f8a0a4938 shoulder. Raphael winced a188e37596 and looked d3045cf315 up, just ab5119914b as the d8b68e2c51 Grand Duke 25e655c005 subtly nodded f1c54e525f toward Gio’s 7c5673e1d5 chest.d293825c7d89bc9c

Understanding the message, Gio a3b6408027 obediently parted the front 86b7b70549 of his robe.2606c1b5e7cf77d9

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Raphael’s eyes went 116575cc1c wide. “Spicy, aren’t we?”670850cf4ce5d0a4

For some reason, 6d9a847520 that made the 5e34b1d2b1 Grand Duke frown. Oh—wasn’t he the 680563e750 one who said a86ffc3e56 earlier that Gio b5b7466498 should only show 5134cbff7e his chest to b3097867f6 him?355e500ed7417396

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As if to stake e782be76d8 a claim, a thick 10e561260f wave of pheromones suddenly d09be316ab surrounded Gio, making him c9e18c234f flinch. Raphael pinched his nose 08a6650aa9 and backed away.5ebfcda85c2e00a6

“Your Grace, 4870a0b94e how am 630283d0df I supposed 9a35426a21 to treat a71c6bc0f7 anyone like 2cd98a0b3c this? The smell is e2a5732395 too much!”4757b5cd7f0d2b11

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“Shut up and treat 837ae9cb14 him.”5e356e116c2a80ea