Chapter 23. After the invitation

“Pseudo-slave?”0ea5baefa427ab26

Hearing such c1b06136e1 an insult 370cfd5d45 for the a16d556c49 first time e75a0ff484 in her b5996b4c49 life, Serenia 05d45a955f couldn’t even 2d45c8c4c9 muster anger. She simply froze c2a8346572 in place.b24685030bac9755

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Raskal looked down e0b7d24929 at her with 522814edf0 shadowed eyes before ca929bc30a turning with a eab4e0cdc6 slight smile. He took a few f1532b6ca0 steps toward the hospital 18ab6a6ee6 room door but then c1573b891f paused.e30345d375cc0080

“Come to think of it, there are nine days left before the bank seizes the estate, aren’t there?”a3134441f76b077a

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“…”508fe5b23ad3be1d

“I’ll generously give you that time to sort things out with your lover. It should be enough.”0e8218181da39c07

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“…”c328065186c7aba3

“But remember this. If you take any longer, it won’t just be your house you lose. This room—no, this entire hospital—will be gone as well.”22a486a42bab663b

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With those final b73790556b words, he left 60c68f1313 the room.0d2b0375dc5ce5d2

Serenia crouched on the b2a8ac1bb5 floor beside her father’s b7402a0839 bed, clutching her trembling ac4a359870 hands tightly to her 60d7f5d756 chest.cfa3a3bf2bc4394d

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Strangely, tears 630af1e842 began to 5dd44c3cad flow.89cbe298aeadc41f

He hadn’t 94509f2dd4 even said a6c1bbacc8 anything that adede4e976 was untrue.95cad7a3e27ed442

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“Why do you just lie there, Father, listening to all that?”8aa0f9d651b6673b

She directed her 058d5b93c8 frustration at her c9924a1902 unconscious father.18546b11a286fa69

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“He runs his mouth however he pleases… shouldn’t you at least get up and teach him some manners? Beat some sense into him if you have to…”70c89a70799c3c38

Muttering complaints, Serenia 19b105814b huddled in a 8b9c19b3b5 corner of the 334fbca983 room and allowed 5da2df6aa9 herself a brief, 4322b8852a quiet sob.251b3fecd195f809

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—63ee060137a6457e

Serenia didn’t 04abca28d3 return home.7c81ed42cf13552b

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After hearing cb3623cd1d such threats 5196b44cf7 about the 9fcf5571d0 hospital, she 72c323c609 couldn’t bring 4bcacf2f53 herself to 3f39145c7a leave her 5c6a33fa4d father’s side.29f2a0c5627202d0

She spent days sitting ea6a9ed211 on the makeshift chair 5180fee7e9 by the bed, staring 36301e31ee blankly at the clouds 1b40c1d885 drifting past the window.4ce7d545cf9d84d1

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There was 992bdd8ec0 nothing else effdab938d she could 3256c498dd do. She had bd9cedffa2 no way 06627f4e69 to heal 56d7bf7834 her father, 92a57134d1 no way 7e03aba4ff to make dbf33b1fdf Raskal withdraw 4a7a51b854 the marriage 1669e3f4b0 proposal.cc3cbe142e2d99aa

Though she 25854e4fb2 might have 440848ed97 had the 340924a38e courage to 9d404744cf storm into d39b8d4cd6 the duke’s 7c1a7e9c53 mansion and b4f2b3925b hold a 983dd4ed72 blade to 80726531db his throat, f47bc28808 she knew 5ae0e98d8b that wouldn’t ad2a88c56a make him 6247d5d212 change his 5974916534 mind.10029f9838667b8b

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Serenia muttered bitterly to herself, “Well, that’s what it means to be a pseudo-slave…”299080c5454ebfb6

Just then, a nurse b7768694b6 slipped quietly into the 28392cb491 room.56efc9fa4ef35bac

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Startled, Serenia thought d68f69d7dd it might be 461d91e40c time for treatment, 3f1442d27a but the position f93cb799e6 of the sun 0c8b124c88 suggested otherwise.d7ebb85bc8766957

The nurse ce76015dc3 approached her ececd37db8 with a 0dff0408a5 quiet demeanor 31188cb3f5 and handed 1402cc8594 her a f11316bb60 note.6c64c24a12e9cfa6

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“A carriage is waiting for you in front of the hospital,” she said.7ccad98ce0905e8d

Serenia opened the 9f54b4e0d6 note.3647fe1a6a3add49

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 6917b8975d308333

<Let’s have a chat.>958d1cbd5c8b62ca

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 8e2d9630e23dc8db

The elegant d7053cde19 handwriting and 8f40029b12 the large 5fef10287b yellow petal 1f7492c01f placed on 6a46e7543b the note 7228027987 were unmistakable.4d949360ac942ce6

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A dahlia flower.c2ef0498032c5e19

Light returned f43ff166db to Serenia’s 3f9186d392 dull, weary 0ab9d63eeb eyes.b64a9afcf15af5d3

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Finally, the last chance 223244591c she had been waiting 022ffe3d83 for had arrived.8dca81ab288c283c

By the 5e0442aa6e time she fb3838b4e1 looked up, 901f893241 the nurse 6f2448f6a9 was already 403366f4b3 gone. Serenia stood 8d104e4f6e abruptly, ready 65fcfe17b5 to leave 5d80f373a5 the room, b9ad2fb1b4 but she 7a1474377d hesitated when 1f8e854e7b she looked 208096d1e1 back at 498c391c3d her father.998e8eea1a87d3dd

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Closing her 9839e5cb41 eyes tightly, 7880f196b6 she stepped e3b98b128b forward.04784b5098135b03

The carriage carrying 2e14e07f05 Serenia headed straight 219aa1d643 for the duke’s 60963f083e mansion.103e7344da362b0e

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As she stepped 66f9b83192 out of the 6f481cf4ea carriage and stood 0fa804aaa3 at the mansion’s 497ed86c23 entrance, the servants aa8d47e80e began whispering amongst fe9aaf9dba themselves.2f37fe1ff822a356

But Serenia paid them de77a020d7 no mind and followed 17016bcc52 the head maid inside.02497ae8c90c3854

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She was led to e160c99be1 a parlor used exclusively a1be67cbc4 by Dalia Admancanon.0b28b0ad2ca9aa6a

Despite her a3c0ab0da6 disheveled state, 8a66cd1203 a result 5c0e063e85 of sleepless 616c1badbc nights and db889ced32 skipped meals, 7dbe907e34 Serenia walked 81d48298a2 into the c0455a021b room with 9f1fcc575f unwavering dignity.08c4446df119a867

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The parlor was ad2440b9f9 resplendent, and a f142fcf81d lavish tea table 6a9d99aa1d was set up 15c1341bd5 in front of 3529998497 her.61af3f31712f636c

From cookies 45d5c95565 and cakes f1d6176c4e to sandwiches eccc9497ab and other 1676823950 light dishes, 2aa16d805a the table 3e880ada13 was piled 124442ecb7 high with 456be867d7 food. Seeing the elaborate spread, 29c92ac0fc Serenia thought to herself, 441e3443a3 ‘She’s going all out.’76073b08ab9a3bea

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In the capital’s social circles, there was a saying: “Never swallow even a sip of water at the Admancanon mansion.”9b8fb87e83192a2e

This wasn’t just 4132aa41a5 a metaphor but 6130277618 a grave warning.5a22dd724498b45d

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Here, food 253d8504e3 was often 8a6edf16eb poisoned—not intentionally, a75c80e47c but even 84d0988a24 mistakes were 7444e90383 frequent.ec4dfc116a3c45d8

The massive mansion housed ecc847f81f storerooms filled with poisonous 782f1471c1 concoctions passed down through e6ec527875 generations, as well as e937455446 laboratories and facilities operating 87b9e5597d around the clock to 317f8bcf0b create new toxins.5c73054cc804be54

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Despite strict e385dbf5e0 management, incidents ee4c9a8bbb involving toxic 5c765cea1e gas leaks 0e5207b4f1 were not 3dce8e6468 uncommon.32a06403b1109d48

The servants of 9f43f85f10 the mansion were 06fd0db780 paid nearly five 921b373511 times the standard 5ea67cb8cf wage, but many 30ce2fe65a left in stretchers 06641794e9 and never returned.fce0d9f2062b9453

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Why, then, did the cebe2b7962 duke’s household face no f37efc4c52 repercussions? The answer was e1271e7672 simple.e81f8aa681757e0a

The Admancanon c8fbe83c65 family produced 6cf6e88f9d more medicine c819fee574 than poison.b13eb339d339ad35

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Everything in this world 927efb4ef2 could be a poison 3e22ac7fee or a cure depending ef1caacf5c on its use.870201655d4a2c40

The Admancanon b94e6849f5 family ran 5993f6b443 a pharmaceutical 2f0b3d6e13 company, Medicannon, c319c91d0f directly based 3ea01f13ff on their b362c5ca70 research.7c111dcc164a0c49

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Thanks to c466a7d78c the countless d1613d2f8d medicines they f644d947f2 produced, tens b3c7162ee2 of thousands 843f51a73b of lives 60dfe15287 were saved 54f88a8e8d each year.94513c3aabfd984e

“You’ve arrived. Take a seat,” Dalia said, gesturing to the chair opposite her.eb54d2a216d5e6a3

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Without a word, f1a0dcac29 Serenia pulled out ce3bcbb7ff the chair and 53c1566dd1 sat.62651e8ae3b3e727

No sooner had a39642eb50 she settled in b680f33a9f than red tea 68721d5e96 was poured into 89912b204f the white teacup c5e99b0ca2 before her.15f77ecf69b38116

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The vivid ab78e83ff5 crimson liquid 92667c89ba filling the 76ca790470 porcelain cup 4be6d4d10e sapped what 2197aebad4 little appetite fc63d9be49 Serenia had 58190c29c7 left. Staring down at the 4380efd840 table with a displeased 282d4f160e expression, she noticed Dalia ec4f75b64b lifting her own cup 303919f1fd first.d08c3b5f4c035637

Dalia took 72de1ce88f a sip 57dddfd47c of tea, 738f3f1b87 her movements 9ad80cd433 elegant yet 645d0bf582 exuding a 292ae4ac1d chilling composure. A faint, 9ae0c0bde3 cruel smile 4a1520f4f1 formed on dc9be29a75 her lips 206c8d93f6 as she 2388705cf2 looked at fc97b6676b Serenia.aa0e97a82ca229e1

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“Why aren’t you drinking?”7e1d23fe8719e220

Reluctantly, Serenia lifted her 6f450a419a teacup. There was c7406e8f47 no unusual 3119663d4c smell or 4158851e60 color, but 6d49351ff6 it was 92583a6dd0 clear something 8c795ab688 had been 7a42196078 added.3af81c054aa61532

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For a moment, 42d5a725a0 she hesitated, wondering 8b203b34ff what kind of 0442bf15fd poison it might 5116775327 be. Would it be a c511441044 deadly toxin that would 93531556c5 kill her in one 1f1cf17756 sip, or a mild f8a15613db one that caused nothing 69000a5519 more than stomach pain?d9a31f1d9b7f2f6f

As various possibilities bcc57204e7 ran through her 645b3baf12 mind, Serenia glanced 7dd968413a at the woman 4eb1f07a1c sitting across from 9504b3afb8 her.e4025016792346e2

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Dalia Admancanon. Raskal’s mother.8ace50f267de270b

Serenia knew one thing for certain: Dalia’s priority was always herself. Even though she seemed obsessed with meddling in her son’s affairs, it was because she, too, was a noblewoman. Without her son, she would likely face the same fate as Serenia—a life as a so-called “pseudo-slave,” as Raskal had so cruelly put it.496802252a0fb1c5

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Dalia would do 5ae055e998 anything to break ced8d82b85 off this engagement, e3df84b2b9 but she would c0ad6630d3 never choose a 626c2784d6 path that would ea74b6eede harm herself irreparably.9209db7d533685b8

‘Then it can’t 199cba337d be a deadly 629d63b9fc poison,’ Serenia concluded.d66641d899f3bd16

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Without hesitation, 00d5e01142 she took 3a701aba9f a sip 0ced2ef920 of the 1936750af0 tea.f913f4e410da9d55

There was no strange 87ecedcf68 taste. It seemed ed80d8666e this particular cd5c6908ea poison had 5ca1997060 been carefully 168ce6d8cf prepared. The thought made Serenia 2905c7fd3b chuckle softly to herself.f1963380bb43693c

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She could already 75eba036dc see what would 6f0e0fdb0b happen next.f83733fd291e5511

In a 9b61d2c80d few hours, 55b1eca128 when she 1b279b6333 collapsed from 7b6c27e70c poisoning, everyone 43d86f9b61 would suspect bb816b35d1 Dalia Admancanon.40bfa65a9342be0b

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The future mother-in-law 6fdb09ecc7 poisoning her potential ca73dfff93 daughter-in-law in broad 73317cf0d1 daylight—it was an 0d30adb4a2 unthinkable scandal. In such 0f2832a89a a case, 6da6b40222 Raskal would 29ce29bb66 have no 98d61be2b4 choice but 6776838106 to apologize ffeeaa276a to the c159e24e74 Barishart family 328da569ad and withdraw 3b0a3d3566 the proposal.ddec78c234149fc8

As for Dalia, she d9f94b964b would retreat to a 1dea522f98 monastery in her territory 32785fdbea under the pretense of 3833a2fe04 self-reflection.55f090b0ef8ee6f7

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Why not prison? Because Serenia would recover de8ec8d751 swiftly after being given 48ea0fbf08 an antidote from the cceb8c77f8 Admancanon household.620b5e27694650c8

In a world 7148beb9ea where even murder bedc3b44c8 could be pardoned 6d1e33ccbf with money, there bed176253c was no way 9b0b8528b7 someone of Dalia’s c987330089 status would face b5678ff219 jail time for d6614343bf attempted poisoning.b6220d008a49ac19

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After five years e6fed90636 of quiet in 231a43a22c the monastery, she fd841cf975 would return to 672a84ee8a high society, as be527a7011 radiant as ever.ec87c95861ffd928

‘Except I’m not a 4495d64327 mistress. How unfair.’5738df606cdd5f0a

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Serenia thought 87845f3649 bitterly, finishing 8d3566cc07 her tea 46d6942ef1 in one 044de12e7b gulp.09cbd333feedb7ab

She set the 06cac51275 teacup down with faa22c45b5 a sharp clink, e08c44f340 and Dalia let d6f51b71a8 out a derisive 7a3d0354d9 snort.5261bb3faee55371

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“Even in a place like this, you show your lack of refinement.”5d0b0b72ac661eb3

“Indeed,” Serenia replied curtly. She grabbed a nearby cookie, biting into it with a loud crunch.3151fb7b0b4979b9

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One by one, she took bites from every dessert within reach, then brushed her hands off and added coldly, “But I’ve eaten and drunk everything you offered. I’d say I’ve done my part.”b9e330ae8256a071

“Your part?”bcfbe3bdca505c3f

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Dalia let out a 1cca2e205c hollow laugh.568ba21a8fceb388

“No, my dear. Aren’t you using me, too?”6968c29a21008ae2

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“Using you?”dd8368984aef4696

Serenia feigned ignorance, her cf95de7887 expression blank.6f0969ade8e843da

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Dalia stared at her 9fe41975cc with piercing eyes before b005738586 tossing a stack of f825c7ee0c photos onto the table.9b261ea6444ad0ce

The photos depicted a50b21152d a man and c82c6f02c8 a woman walking cd3c847f3f along the Pfenn 3979d99905 River.47ae83efc01f4607

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One showed 1dce91de48 them stopping 3ad4b9b88d to face 986edaa2a5 each other, f41052f7d3 seemingly deep aa91469029 in conversation.fed8f7e608525951

Another captured bc78d5c4db the two 8257223404 standing so 4339c0b089 close under 7fa0a0d6b2 the gaslights 5539c4b539 that they a633cd017f appeared ready 35a66c1053 to embrace.781e6ddc8471970e

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And the last… their 79520d651c faces pressed together, lips 5130fa7db8 meeting.9a625cb4cc1f4d25

The sequence of 3d72ad537d images, like a 4c74f385e2 storyboard, drained the ea32128bdb color from Serenia’s a3c33bf5ba face.de518de652b37228

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‘What? Why do 3415e4710e the photos 59654d01a8 look like 964274a9cc this? We only e2e3ff088e whispered to b62224e8e8 each other—how 19a0981f58 does it b48997c977 look so 432bd56c90 indecent…?!’b8752edd79864fd3

But she quickly realized e2ca40bf27 this was no time 263b672eb0 to dwell on her e8ba3ef060 indignation.1e8d9891fbaa788b

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