Chapter 3. After the Surrender

The atmosphere in the 80147892df ballroom froze in an 23fb0ec362 instant.acda9ef7cd1f5f48

“…Hmm.”ba47d8f8964c93a3

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Raskal removed d0c024c912 his glove fc8f6312d1 and lightly 0abf392ebf ran his 1052c293ae hand over 34cf397161 his face.4e0810fdd9adcfd1

The sound 779cde2236 of the 84b02e3b7e slap had 44843f38fc been sharp, 00474ed2b4 but thanks fa35c2f9de to the 5e0193c24f glove, his 985b360c7a skin hadn’t fb81b4a514 been scratched. It didn’t 8ee0a4bde5 even hurt 7f9c9a0f5e as much b7681f144a as he 424ed59054 had expected.760e243bda777080

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Still, his naturally pale 7a8f69dda7 complexion betrayed a faint e924b4682b redness where the blow 101f182b6d had landed.f17d283da941cd75

Catching his reflection 75c3dc4c55 in a nearby 7e803d2e40 window, Raskal let 6db4277221 out a soft fbac75db84 chuckle and murmured a651145326 to himself.84b1541fb1502fa5

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“It seems slapping improves 9f25044dab blood circulation.”f79da35181d771ee

In front of him, e36c435d90 Serenia stood gasping for d4f3761670 breath, her face a 1267a6b701 mix of shock and 6fd65e654e despair.f81a3ee641a5e41f

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A piercing ring echoed 76cc98df6a in her ears, her e4b0fa31a8 head buzzing painfully. Her hands trembled, cbc6816a84 and her vision 2c037690f9 blurred to a 645473f96a stark white.bf49b41977ea75d8

Suddenly, tears e799a0421d she couldn’t 1a05314633 understand welled 741863feb7 up and e1de7bc77f threatened to 76897a80f5 spill, but 2c7fb45f0b she gritted fc5049102f her teeth, 547a30d4e6 fighting them 61bb90ad8f back.85d3403cc001f620

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She felt utterly 8eecd965eb pathetic.048b701a7235cf75

‘I talked about selling myself, about doing whatever it takes to survive… but the moment he said I had to repay him with my body, I lashed out like a fool.’d0d82dcec6c7b134

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Whether his words b86b9f68b5 were twisted or 028acc290f not, someone had 40f77e95d5 come forward to cbf1861a18 take her in.e5e448e01970a114

Lowering her head, Serenia a855cd1533 let out a hollow 80e9768b0b laugh.c49d2e9c89fc3b01

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‘…I really haven’t come to terms with reality yet, have I?’5c5d1cf75362e5b9

A decoration meant to ee5309b15d be sold at a 41b45266e2 high price.98232adf545ecac5

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A trophy 06c61aaee7 that only d58c0164af gains value 0a596478bd when someone 2ab3159188 else’s name 5663634df9 is engraved feeea54507 on it.518aaaca53125973

A statue, unable 96b10bdedd and unworthy to 2f8a2f3632 act on its 750944203f own.2996f2165b7bbb38

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‘For someone like me 378b4fa325 to keep making futile a970048ed1 efforts… How ridiculous I 18b7eb1aa8 must have looked to 73a0202136 everyone else.’1ebd2134b8a40e57

She chuckled bitterly and 1363eb1815 slowly closed her eyes.f8fe5fbb4b544479

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‘…Fine. It’s late, but I should let go of everything now.’1052680f263a5c7e

Her name, 357b80d6de her family, e50bf15537 her status, 7c69fb1907 her pride, b46c5b3a16 her hopes, 0407c223e7 her guilt fa2810d8cf for her 624cc0e24d father, even 8d75160992 her life.
None of those 26d0b8af39 things mattered to e569606a15 a lifeless statue e39f6b678b anyway.c8e8cef08503ccb0

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For the 7bcf6bcee6 first time 278214934a in what ea17128dcd felt like 451f9709ff forever, Serenia 3dca45caaa felt a 9a9c6d1986 strange clarity.d0443035397b426c

She opened 7bdde0fac9 her eyes a01f0775ba and looked c136c930be straight at 4eadbef844 Raskal, who 714488f112 stood before 262efe0d35 her with 25dd559a61 a crooked 665bbd03ad smirk. His face, still composed a52c7ef5da and elegant, was irritatingly 1dbfc4633a flawless. She couldn’t ecf46b53c8 help but 57e978d611 feel a a33e0cba29 faint pang 088e94deca of regret 3b3e302098 for her 2511eb7129 earlier slap.6681d3f39113790c

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‘I should’ve bb9ac1ed7b hit him ea0005e860 harder.’2762f6f976954391

If she was going 00c8a20fb4 to die anyway, wouldn’t b9ec3ee1cf it have been worth 9d4acfc5d5 trading her life for fd4887eae4 just one of the 503f2a3231 Duke’s teeth?4aafdf4fda01ba5f

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‘…Should I take the chance and hit him again?’cc5eecb404a4d1a8

Before she could act 85b140982b on the thought, the eaf7b99ec6 sound of another slap 8c13a487c6 rang out.623dcfe4aa186921

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Smack!33ffed8447120024

Her head snapped cd75ce95cc to the right, d0f0374114 the force turning 7c0c3e488c her face away.257361dbf92d8f13

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A fiery pain d869411502 flared across her 55186389a2 left cheek, burning 583fae567a as if it f0dfaae1f1 had been scorched. The sharp sting 24c56a053a spread rapidly, yanking e28f08eaca Serenia out of 3e1cfc160e her spiraling thoughts 617ce83906 and back to d1ae5aea77 the harsh reality 2fe46dbb44 in front of 33e39672ba her.3dcb7104bbabfc29

“How dare you… 5a5a9d7d31 How dare you!”d68ec45759d77de1

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The enraged voice 61c1d35615 belonged to none 0df7a37262 other than Dalia dab7a5e8f3 Admancanon, the late 7542d3aed9 Duke’s widow and 47fd37a8b7 Raskal’s mother. Her golden 6b4f04ca51 gown was 7f3a6334d9 stained with e31da59904 deep red 55d817f32d streaks of 3874aacd7e spilled wine.ac46a7c174f42636

‘So that crash d91f2bf5f9 earlier… must have 7bf570988b been her wine 8e41169d92 glass,’ Serenia thought 8880ce675f absently, her mind 5af0c47432 still reeling from e2df173366 the slap.479cd37a7f5bcbaa

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Dalia stood trembling with cd51f4b267 rage, her eyes bloodshot 54aa2887f4 and brimming with unshed a3f7496b81 tears.bf78e35c05e3829c

“Your father killed my df2a3ed2c1 husband, and now his 2885f35527 daughter dares to lay 45af7b7f04 her filthy hands on e7598dccb5 my son?”69acbc9228b8cf0f

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With her c9f7f3bc33 entire body 5de882a341 trembling, Dalia ffae426b5b spat her 0cdfeaa8ea words like 2a9d0bacca venom, her 1000ec5eb3 fury barely f7b8d52472 contained. Serenia, however, simply lowered 1d913fbac9 her gaze in silence.0bd208587d2170a0

‘Considering she’s done 135ec8f0b0 me the favor f708005604 of snapping me 5e4341697e back to my e8000166f6 senses, I suppose 7d44af2c85 I can tolerate 272ed3c900 this much abuse.’7948273082ae68e0

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“This family! Shameless and disgraceful, just 831e50a55a like father, like daughter!”4ff0bdc186e901c7

“…”ec1159560c2cef01

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But Serenia had f570ea83c7 no intention of 91925e5d21 apologizing. After all, she’d already d4de0b10e9 paid enough for her f1b4ac2640 earlier mistake—a stinging slap 5e3e1379a0 that likely improved the 142b5cbc71 almighty Duke’s blood circulation.2ed0518e82e04cf8

Seeing Serenia standing silently, e6fc7f6a1c not offering a single 2452da2799 word of repentance, Dalia dc2cff2912 grew even more enraged.c2a28d071a7909f5

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“You—you brazen thing! Not even a word 0770b1d1ab of regret from your a891327fc2 lips!”e64f8c5266fc731b

Raskal, who had 47545b2838 been silently watching 08c8fd3722 the back of 8324908dd0 his mother, finally d3f7281beb spoke, his voice 139401728f calm but firm.65666cf79494c259

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“Mother. You’re in my b68022c6c1 way. Please step aside.”93a36d48e954febd

“…What?”9481ce8ef38b8735

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In my way?c278dec1bd5a3812

Stunned by her 8610b0686c son’s words, Dalia aadc20248d faltered, retreating a 2d607f2117 step in disbelief. Taking advantage 970ef174b9 of the f2a10f6dd8 opening, Raskal 70cac94ac7 stepped past c85d3d3ddd her and fd5ad49bbf stood directly 778047612b before Serenia 95cf1900ff again.ee5005c71d64b4a3

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“So, what’s 8b32c73abb your answer?”71a5f11a4cddc6b2

At his question, b05fddefff Serenia raised her 61aace042d eyes, meeting his 88ca1ae061 gaze without hesitation.afd61f3e553dd2be

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“You’ve demanded that fe7d1a09f7 I repay my bc53e4c2ca debt. And so, 497c150bd6 I must e3f2334e70 repay it.”edb6ecae9172c1fb

Raskal’s lips 7eeb350162 curved into 2a29af9a10 a crooked 4f65d27f84 smile, as 3bd69cdf74 though he’d 64c2490337 been waiting db6de25917 for this 95e8f3b4cc exact response.3d62cbcc67e57510

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“Good. Then it’s settled.”bd4076f34aada410

“But, Your Grace, a930ec2cb7 your calculation is d626dd8c02 flawed.”fe0fcc128e0a4f7e

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“What?”54d5580d447b8cff

Raskal’s face stiffened adb3477e49 as he responded, 39e236abdf his tone low 9f0ebc2a44 and cold.c44e3da9e5d4ddf4

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Holding his gaze firmly, dd705e8eda Serenia countered.3331a10a7021231b

“A life debt 5228f987d6 should be repaid 07bb64bf9a with a life, 61d37a8cb6 not a body.”3fe45e9571c1f1da

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For the first time, 4cf019c860 cracks appeared in Raskal’s 079be6bf8a composed expression. His face twisted, and ef9d96b864 seeing his mask slip 4563001491 was strangely satisfying to 135c3abd81 Serenia. Smiling brightly, 3f435f0128 she continued.7ed1e154eec7bfa4

“Whenever the day comes 358aca34b9 that you wish to 3154af62a2 collect, just let me 2b912ad1ea know. I’ll repay 3922aaa59a you immediately.”8709f879fb2ec984

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With that, Serenia 2a40e64d0b turned on her 92afb423f9 heel and walked 90a4ee8e3b away.1d45b36365722b7c

Her steps 43b39d4b7a were steady acd2704633 and unwavering 4571eff800 as she effea0e453 left the b4298a208c ballroom.c72b2b0027d70341

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“That—how dare she…!”8e5c6c794ecf60a7

Dalia, overwhelmed by fury, 865aadcac6 collapsed to the ground 83f5abd595 as if fainting.7644a5260aff2bdd

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Raskal, meanwhile, stood frozen, 5e95f7e08d his fists clenched tightly, 07d371160f his gaze fixed on 3567b7e679 Serenia’s retreating figure.4a6671a20c8d1ac6

* * *8f23dbb54aec3848

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Having left the 1033366c87 ballroom, Serenia walked 2b6e387fc2 straight toward the 6ee7bd7ee4 carriage waiting for a26a5e95e5 her.b403a954b06f03c3

The farther she bc8695dc7b moved from the 084e8145ad glittering chandeliers of ad103088d1 the banquet hall, 05dbde0359 the darker the 096b25b854 world around her 7d55c151f9 became. She lifted her dff9d20733 gaze, searching for 7db50ccf40 even a hint ac708262a9 of light, but 334f23c609 the sky was 7f89374bdf blanketed by thick, 38cce7c978 dark clouds, obscuring bea8779e59 any stars or e58c065363 moon.555893318bede947

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It felt as if 3c16cca6bc the entire world was c5c4cadcd3 conspiring to predict her acb6d1ef1e bleak future. She let out 1e39728454 a faint sigh.6955cd96dfc5197a

“Ah.”608971304195a85b

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Something cold brushed against df412486d2 the tip of her 1b43b92c4d nose. She looked 9a2c541ca7 up to c0e59852a3 see snowflakes 97bf9f44cc quietly drifting 836ee5ecf4 down, slowly 1c1fcd9ede turning the 70219b292f dark sky fe9997723f white.aa8b9372053fd283

It was 3f20a22e92 the first 0d2e12b0fb snowfall of 4159fe0f61 the year, 96d99f7220 arriving on 17e5813858 the last b69fad1574 day of 72e149ec51 November.a8d17cc947ab5477

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“…The roads will get slippery,” she muttered.ba32f1c0340827dd

Even at the sight of the season’s first snow, she couldn’t muster anything beyond such a practical thought. She let out a hollow laugh at her own lack of sentiment.ed1304ec5d08b5fb

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Before long, 98eccb92f5 she reached 483b7376fc her carriage. Out of habit, 0951dcda89 she instinctively reached 4649672ce2 into her pocket 705299ebb6 to check how be1d5f35c3 much money she b2dcd5d7e4 had left—a routine 9cc495a09b she’d developed over 2ea34d432b the past five 18efcf94d0 years.dcd34498ee6a2cae

“This is pathetic…”c9e14c8603a16e06

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She murmured to herself, 4f3127623b embarrassed by the reflex.8ea97b96336475a1

Just as she 0693df57d0 was about to d7ae227827 withdraw her hand, e012cfcb6b her fingers brushed e3271c435d against something stiff. Curious, she pulled it c3c916c38a out. It was the slip d27e2f1076 of paper she had d08fd1627f received in front of 6c90af4182 the bank earlier.66e44817de00214a

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She stared at the 203c870150 note, recalling the events 762b548ffb of that day: the 396d13f289 flamboyantly dressed loan shark 248b9d04a2 and the address scrawled c738cd73db on the paper.8f4c449bf98a25de

< Pledis District 3, Lot 1013 >042d886c9e953f03

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No business name. No representative. Just an address.fc487349eaeb4678

She stared at it 935e061a8c for a long moment 8e08f1e76a before nodding to herself, ca11feab8b as if reaching a 94063245d0 decision.2b5c7e13e62d1443

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“Well, if I’m going to die anyway, I might as well throw a party with borrowed money before I go!”833bcd53e382625c

With that, she strode b964710f54 toward the coachman, the 4827362453 note in hand. She handed it to ef81630971 him with a decisive de8ae67db4 gesture.9dde96433596a2ea

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“Not to the Count’s residence. Take me to this address instead.”9858031175e28414

The coachman d84c3ab00f glanced at 99c3488955 the address 1c6078df43 and hesitated, 71a4446a57 his expression 234ac19cb8 uneasy.b42d302c12141f37

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“At this hour?”7ee7a5fbdaadf8ac

Clearly, the 3d9428b572 idea of 4790d75d58 entering Pledis 8cb5275547 District 3 09c56c5347 this late fc32e75d43 in the 5d4a31b971 evening made fd6d7a8adf him wary.0766a5b54972946d

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But Serenia, 7a8e30711a her resolve 4e5fa2c4cc already set, c7d579aba9 had no 85e07cd750 patience for 6685ddca6a his hesitation.1544a1bffd1c2b4d

“Yes,”e120da4b34b1106b

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She answered firmly, nodding 01f2fe8bd3 for emphasis.36d52e5e4c079e5c

Reluctantly, the coachman complied, though his expression remained uneasy. “Very well. Please climb in.”f3ca83228662b23f

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For the first time, 7044d52b02 Serenia veered away from f5dd8494ca the path that led e9d50c5a68 home. This was 956f3fc7f4 her first b4154bb5a0 act of 3671a13002 rebellion.28ded5d6c2f29da1

* * *f897510f9624438c

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Not long 3466e419b6 after, the dc4f9d706a carriage came 4557985764 to a 2209cc6d1a stop in 29587b4e2c front of ce98eab558 a grand 1680bc7e9f mansion.56c7a456aee03b7c

The residence was far 8754470915 more majestic and opulent 17f43a83fc than the Barishart estate. Its intricate 547b48f7a8 design, built e0a8d6ddd7 with premium 5475c78352 materials, stood 781af9094c in stark a4dbf18cee contrast to 1b2d502950 the grimy 1c066547f5 back alleys 327db2554b and soulless ffdc0df3cf commercial buildings 4491e45ca8 Serenia had 88ae078477 envisioned.150b6d54c368b90f

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She estimated d3b4ba3e8d the mansion 3883a125fa was worth 43e2140cee at least eecbbbbd3c fifty thousand eb7cb49d31 krovats. How many aedc958610 lives had 5c3db00416 that extravagant 9a287821ba loan shark e678a9736f drained to 1c42e7bce2 build such 7794eb7cb5 a place? The thought made her 24f6ba130f hands ball into fists.07de915077570f20

“Quite the enterprise, extorting money without a hint of guilt,” she muttered as she reached for the door knocker.52d0443c1d3862f0

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Thud. Thud.496f78fa8b07efbc

The sound of 4df558e6be metal striking metal 0c78763a11 echoed a few f406d24924 times before the b4cab78df4 door creaked open, 88bc05ef34 revealing a silver-haired acc561f8e1 man.8b8295642e907726

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‘He must be a 92db87dbcd secretary working for the 61328a431b loan shark,’ she guessed.7ecf688db7cc61ff

As she 435d9ce408 sized him 883e0432e1 up, the c4d53d9f09 man bowed da405d0295 politely.bc409d075766f611

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“Welcome, my lady. We’ve been expecting you.”b65cf75eeff682fa

‘Expecting me?’054eaae64421a2a5

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His greeting, 3dd4aae1b7 which implied 2e27196695 he had 5b0971a863 anticipated her 0a34c9beda eventual visit, d86ad78079 irritated Serenia. She frowned fbb751bb4a and replied 3556882113 coldly,aa1d6ed8769bef14

“Good. That’ll make things quicker. May I come in?”b1e5f9e4863af42a

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“Of course. Please, step inside.”90fd4e670150536c

e said, maintaining a1cdfc014d a perfectly composed 4c05fcab45 demeanor despite her 6ec877c157 sharp tone.08027107e4b6dfed

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‘…Has he 3a7d1e521c been trained 4d7d896013 as a 83c74d45db butler?’ she 55ead44f5e wondered.202ec7895dcfd633

Though suspicious, she bde30c20fb followed him in 1edff6462f silence. He guided her 09ccc0e46a through the mansion 2ce6d881dc with impeccable manners, c9554d5d9e leading her to 1705bc4e7e the drawing room.cfaa6ff3a9a80086

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When he opened b9d48ea717 the door with 7cf334e2f3 a refined gesture, 080897dbf4 Serenia stepped inside d26ede23d9 without hesitation.f861d58ca315881a

 675a26a13df20445

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