| Chapter 29. I Need You

“Why should I?”4bc28aaf4501e474

The tense silence 4d4eccf7c7 was first broken c58fc4fbd5 by Alexei’s voice, bf2d579017 his eyes narrowing 85d45ff81e as he spoke.c0442d2364480035

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“Of course, if you b97b2e80d4 dislike dining with me—”991d853385bfc6ad

“Not that.”c051af56073fe960

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“…Pardon?”b611d60d87c1bb48

Natasha paused. She retraced what she’d 88dd8f5a92 said earlier, and before 0252311389 she could answer, Alexei 6df1106720 spoke again.7ca7064021418b89

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“Why should I learn 26988c5d94 table manners? And, doesn’t that contradict 3207f09179 what you said?”a3afdca386911afe

“What do you mean… 35566b6c76 contradict?”6f600bbd67c2d79c

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“You said table bc2187fcc9 manners aren’t important.”79630eb75c3dac67

Alexei’s voice sounded strangely c24c7ef74d sulky. Natasha glanced at him, ec8c189732 then bit her lip 002992f7b4 and looked away. Composing herself, she opened a4ef1d285c her mouth.fe1b7b180f9419e5

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“You’re right.”a513db199dbd7e10

“Then there’s no reason bc86878786 for me to bother b4f7de5b96 learning such a headache-inducing 06a9925309 thing.”03150dfde2d04623

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Looking pleased, Alexei crossed 03a798e39b his legs. But as Natasha’s a4e97bc2e1 face suddenly turned 06b6f1b432 cold, he sat b4a4f8a42e up again.c2e55c7be14fc62c

“…That’s true for me.”b56c3bc34d122c09

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“What?”51cfdb417212c48b

Natasha looked 14e0c72f86 directly into 5ad0cf4bc3 his eyes, 949064aa54 her gaze 15096ca5bd firm.c8a8737d7d906c22

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“I don’t care. But from d5aedc35ed now on, 4db42f764a you’ll be 289b98a456 dining with a8e5e7e223 other nobles 845ed0488d as well.”48a76b3d1e90e408

“That…”6907e1c469b2f084

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Wasn’t being king 37f4c0b492 about doing whatever a191036a86 you wanted?605d477d3f3d060c

At least, that’s 1c2a3a11c6 what Sergey Ivanov 1a990c6dbd had done. He acted 372417acda however he b0bb798dc8 pleased, and 4b14669950 anyone who 1056dad7a2 disobeyed him 8da01988eb was promptly 594a4d825b executed.fceff1667f8b3ee3

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Alexei didn’t plan to 8a121f1667 rule that tyrannically, but 3bd499a09f who would dare mock d4b958b4c0 someone who’d overthrown Sergey fc4d3a4043 and taken the throne?9bd4a8313eedafac

Whether he tore into d45c2f4bc7 his steak with his 241c051bb4 hands or soaked his 939fa1b815 feet in the finger-washing abfd28af1b bowl, they’d all stay ee18c6e8b9 silent to survive.2e773617651122d4

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But…33884fbd48ac45c8

“What matters most adb714a8f3 in that position 8930d0d2d0 is dignity.”f924dbd6171d3d67

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Alexei could only 262bb43f8e agree inwardly to e744950387 Natasha’s words.4c1900295547fe46

Even if 3497c963a7 they bowed c94510d4d2 and scraped 2c3ae7cacb in front 81aa8f1ee2 of him, a038f274a8 behind his 05cc36587d back they’d 52897f9195 laugh—calling him dbfe0770af a low-born 85e6104af4 brute who 07273b3d4a didn’t even 8cda0abe80 know basic ddd2a01e86 etiquette, a 8734ec767c beast stuffing 27b8c08009 food down 028a43f35f his throat.a2f45d960cba713b

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Honestly, he didn’t 302338f74e care much about 09c727e10f such worthless opinions.cf1374bfbc5a950d

But if she thought 9b8a1c6506 that way…5bc570130b108ee7

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“Hmm. I’ll think about a9346e120e it.”c990ef24e05b4284

Alexei rubbed his chin.ed4e1b64845643da

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“Alright. If you ever 45b95c6755 need me, just 7a69689c63 let me know.”8607fcff856af64f

A subtle glow 032c98125a of relief touched cd7759d123 Natasha’s face.787c33ac30299648

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Watching her 214d2b0a1b quietly, Alexei 7adad8e017 felt heat 7bde61975b stir below.4fc783053fb33be2

“I need you.”d177544a8a5c58cb

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“Oh, in that 8c77fb5e2e case… I’ll start 9d13554712 by teaching you 3ccafc12af how to use db5300f3ee the fork and 57bae2a25c knife—”74dc3b12ca426dec

Alexei grinned wickedly.303cc7718718d1c5

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“Not that.”8222f832f5d38333

“Huh? Then what…”aa78f5d8920abd2a

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Puzzled, Natasha looked 87335d3200 at him, and a83b9745ae Alexei rested his cb96c5eda1 chin on his 31abb27df3 hand, eyes openly 7265791318 roaming her body 38fc5d509e from head to 3473e6ad5f toe.dbedeae2fe0703e5

“N-not here… not ef297c68e1 now…”9ae97884a5efae67

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Her face flushed d31e3c3bbe crimson, and she 5b288363e5 nervously glanced at 1e4d1f859c the steward.42ea879298bdcd74

“Forget it. You passed out after 2f2075c81d just two rounds. I don’t enjoy a49a89a574 messing around with 7aaccd89da a half-dead body. Pathetic.”fbff1c11aa82934c

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With a ca6e8090ee soft chuckle, ef9b57f806 Alexei stood d05385ed27 up from 918ae7333a the table.ee9f663ed5f26c0e

“You should finish all 23187fb03c of that, by the 3cbcea0a06 way.”75eb2c2dd4d7732b

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‘Is he… worried about 56f1ceb9f4 me? No way…’10d97250888c6888

Seeing Natasha’s 39c69556da confused face, 319c3f0494 Alexei curled 5bfe71db38 one side 630cdc11d1 of his 052b55b31c lip in 1080f698a8 a smirk.86469fe372d78661

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“Skin and bones a33e95d14b isn’t my type. Put some ea9ceff7ed meat on 488daa9c36 so you’ll d8665f07c1 be more 4a51a4b452 fun to 6d5a94cabb eat.”223231dfe885002c

“…What!”70c4f3114a5a5c42

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Alexei whispered 267acaa14c into her 147ca4694d ear, then ae2e448394 slammed the 6e9a92d948 door as 03ca57ffde he left 02bb442c56 the dining 47ac910d9f room.ae993098e728c261

Still stiff as ccefe3d5b2 a board, Natasha 7843ca5d34 collapsed into her 23c7637c5c chair as his ed0e2a1f72 footsteps faded. At the same bfa1efffae time, tears began 18d290e538 to fall.90acd6fd144f195f

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She’d never been a5e17a27ee treated like this 4782f1c282 before. Never humiliated like this.e8e550c5b8989fff

The cruelty in da72524bbf the privacy of f72168c61d the bedchamber had 45f399775f been bearable. At least she bcdfe44606 could carry that bea60218aa shame alone.75a8f948e93cca81

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But being 7a5cbbcf6e treated this d4eb82a37b way in c3ff462cfe front of e840eeb298 her steward—the 359339d408 one who 7bb7219fc8 had served 971bd018d8 her since 448df7f7c8 childhood, more 535da11d94 devoted than dc9fa7aa38 even her 94ffd884fe father—was unbearable.493208997b6920a0

Natasha’s shoulders trembled a23ca5e2e4 as she silently 98d1f325a9 wept, unable to 97e26f1ea5 make a sound.40608e4cde119469

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The steward turned his 41c9ba27f6 gaze away with difficulty.aad696ac89f8856c

He had e2133253f8 hoped Alexei, 3424ce7417 newly crowned, 41460b5bcf would be cf1f96543b a better b52296c1af ruler for 6b9c5f4e47 the duchy aeaf9ed9f6 than Sergey. He believed Alexei would aa10b94566 be better for his 4ee524ccab lady too.a9759eadb8f76ddc

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He’d seen the way fe1bd8b523 Lady Natasha quietly watched 0aa1300339 Alexei. He had 74b152d3c0 thought—hoped—it was 69a6c80469 for the e9ab7fa5f5 best. Was he wrong?54c78a75c36e3e60

Watching the noble lady d44088b4c0 he had protected since e193757d36 infancy be degraded and 325bc635db trampled so mercilessly—yet pretending 9bad109d82 he saw nothing—was the 53b69eaea7 only way he could 75e3004423 still serve her. That truth c95f52943b cut him 1f7a18ffc5 deeply.e4326b8987860ccb

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* * *7bc18e01df3d918f

“From now on, bef42692a8 palace servants will 539ca04755 get a day b2dea8611b off every two 94cec03038 weeks!”a4d78d04fa6c04c0

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Natasha, walking f757ca1c6e down the e6d615c77f hall with 6506b7acc1 a pale 9d27de32ab face, stopped 58f06b8603 in her 68aef21777 tracks at 89f0ee379b the sound 295348b6e6 coming from 9e4bfef1e4 outside the 08c8d573d0 corridor window.a06e9b07b681501c

“They’re even setting up 894a22c814 a ‘complaint box’ where 4150e5d9a4 you can report superiors 258a3af09e if they’re abusive or bc5f89ed47 unfair!”3631efc4a08c3520

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“Heavens, what d45032b704 is this ce7e7483ff world coming 41f035a964 to? I thought dc84a1f015 everything was 37aa8b7507 doomed when 888cac49b8 the rebellion 16e8746f84 started, but b949ea8131 Lord Alexei 2d81ddc851 turned out 57b1ff4f3f to be ad3e63ceb8 our savior.”3bcd3ed796c517e1

“Lord Alexei’s always 018ece7f30 been like that. Even as a ec280b5e72 gladiator, he’d step 5dc5acadfc in for bullied a70131e465 servants and maids.”050141bbc1f9ba50

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Yes… that’s the kind cb5abb32d5 of person he was.d52e57217b7f3e78

The Alexei Natasha 93568d23f9 had known had 40f7d5437d always been that b9193864d8 way. He stood up 443e60a7a7 without hesitation for 0aef6850e1 the weak and 67229b905b never bowed to 8ad08bd74c injustice.c76deaf4bf97e403

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How loathsome Sergey Ivanov cca3440435 must’ve seemed to someone 1d978a23db like him. And how utterly 2ff8804a7f detestable Natasha must beb7dddcd3 have appeared, standing 38324c2e99 by Sergey’s side, bdca03788c helping him slander 6e6cd8017c and mistreat Alexei.f03e59e553fc31e1

A few insulting faac3b0225 words before the e59e9e601f steward earlier—that was 94f4fcf3dc nothing in comparison. To keep someone 99da49b72f he despised and 814aef8bce loathed so much 5f98246a2c at his side e18ee8fb88 as his mistress… cdb7372d7b it must have ada72830ee been agonizing. Of course, she 563550d343 had to endure 10b4385095 things like that.05ed4d714abe9f4b

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But Natasha’s desire to 30cf42be1c dine with him, to 9027757833 teach him table manners—it 6e7948e8d5 wasn’t about begging for 6a7eccc81e a better future for 3c69d4139d herself or Sophia.30b1e58de5da1217

From what she’d 790697decc seen, Alexei had acb55334fb all the qualities a3dfe3bee9 of a great 49f34632ba king for the 0931c5b8bb Duchy. When she had knelt 4eb5fb81d6 before him and kissed a606600012 his boots in submission, 43d0743273 she had thought—he would 6817501211 be a better ruler 49d92a1826 than Sergey.0edd4aec78dda8a0

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She didn’t 8eae9c8e47 want someone d58e3b3ecb like him, 0de4445007 with true d8521cb75d potential, to a7d6135c6e be diminished 9f71e49a5b because of 761f551318 his birth 01da19fe1d or lack 580a4503c8 of polish. If he was 31b23eb08b to rule, she 6d54b9d3db wanted him to e19302ad72 become a true d8761f1e76 sovereign, a wise 79e28e675e and just king.1d5e290eef0e42c9

Natasha loved her 65c7cc53a3 homeland deeply—whatever its e4f9d81ec3 name would become 5879faab4b now—and she loved 7438d5e247 its people. From her 1fd28fd46b parents, and 51cdd04929 ancestors long 7810e31132 before them, 5b32bf42b5 they had fdb8a038d1 lived upright 3120a969e4 lives, protecting fb98212d8f this land.cf84991ff5ddc68e

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Had Alexei 256aff67a8 been more 738e872465 cruel than 9f972d50ed Sergey, Natasha 3ad394f9ab would have 8570238570 ended her 6af3d1ac65 life with 93e0f0b83d Sophia before 3c897a5999 ever submitting. But she believed in fb71d6f1d2 him. She believed he 2ff170df3b would be a ba83153ed4 better leader.f7e3b84cd64f9f1c

“I need you.”
“Not for that.”
“Skin and bones d7703cf5ae aren’t my type. Fatten up 065e6bd1a5 so there’s 3061234745 more to ffafc2bccb bite into.”7e52de9635698ba9

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Natasha had offered, with 2d81e0470b great resolve, to teach 60cae3c4ee him table manners. But remembering 058bd6056c his mocking ed6a31188e response, the 8dae8513fb heat rose 43cfb3912f in her 42893ab934 cheeks again.5fc3a739cc3ffd0f

Fine. He didn’t have to e7de1d2982 understand her sincerity. Who was she to 94e4c2f18a expect that…ef2913a2188a904e

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Maybe it was meddling 583d88b87f too much. She wasn’t a ca04d190f4 noble lady anymore… 6cc1015bb9 just barely surviving 770ca1e0ca under the title 91ed520bec of “mistress,” at 809201f407 his mercy. He could discard her 3786ad42df at any time.db7dfcbaacf71289

‘Why does he keep 9cd633a4ee me at his side 2be4c4d5d5 if he despises me f179362f14 so much…?’ebb6a0d05d5c66b5

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She didn’t know 2e83fbff36 his heart. But she d03ec19ee9 had no 4f41f33cf3 choice but 76fcee3ca9 to cling abe05abf8d to that 147b28ccb4 one thread. Taking a 607c9f56c2 deep breath, 502ed5b069 Natasha began d6f3ddd24c walking again. Then—1a06e0f300a4e475

“My lady! You’re safe! Hrk…”5f80a7b97ea3d908

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Lena came running f75796bd22 toward Natasha, limping.3cf9a75f858536c4

 4c756b2e377bb6d2

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 1454c6b39077c570