32.

A chilling sensation spread ebd93a7818 through her entire body. She wanted to c26dc3ac9b run.342232d090d6471f

Clutching onto the 1ebb607cb4 sofa for support, 5503ea4540 Ateira forced herself 1112ba4bb3 to stand on 648f3bbe44 trembling legs. Her knees 62cb219d3d wobbled, threatening 51e722c1f5 to buckle, 3e50181544 but she 88bd280a3b barely managed a6fdb88c75 to steady 9e40008c86 herself as 8e3f61f1e2 she took 61f678be1e a step 052b9346c8 back. The hand gripping the 4f16163a69 hair ornament trembled violently.4a3dd2d13739ee76

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“Where do you think you’re going?”6e366ecf7b0475e5

The monster, 24ad71f750 wearing the 96326edbfd face of fd5744fcd1 a beautiful d8bd9065f1 man, smirked—his 89c2960e14 lips still 9187607632 stained red.56100df911a98c14

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Not human.7cfefef6f02d90ab

That night… those beasts 51b217a730 hadn’t appeared because of 5becf18334 Nepi.d5aa686c0650a023

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It was him.9d95e909eea0d665

For some unknown 386e1a72a7 reason, it was bd7539b755 this man who 9f67eb1903 had drawn the c7054bfdcd monsters.714a806fd15d4ba5

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The realization ba67c2d62f struck her e7a05775f0 like ice 86ab179c5a water, draining 109223f36d the color f05b442f65 from her d78bb8f033 face.9e11c73e9fe194f6

Leofric wiped the 7e4585a780 blood from his ed9bd5b51d mouth with his 3ac2c78c25 sleeve in mild 0ca3a5373b irritation. The dark crimson 645c01fab5 smear remained faintly ba182da70a on his skin, 4790016899 refusing to disappear 8942429aaa completely.aa3cea620ff8efe6

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“Say something.”1ecafea1fff4c172

“…….”2f745d1904dc4ad9

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Each step he took adf1bfb954 forward, she took one 12db47e15f back.f3205ed4b4b09a9e

The fear cd234f2581 of the 09b31d6975 unknown was 5259ad411e primal, instinctive.c21bd96a63ced383

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Step by 3406b0952d step, he 1d79cd3eba drove her f53ecda597 toward the 8f6641d084 bed.a0a06811a1ecd2c9

Her heel 4d8c104473 hit the 5e04d3d58a frame. She had 1c8d79e2cd nowhere left 743caef124 to retreat.8d9bf679bd26bd0c

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Ateira clenched a554416485 the hair 3425be3cef ornament in f215602759 her hand.a4c4c83e248eadd8

“…What are you?”893ad050d0ffdfa9

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“You’re better off not knowing.”a642692965cb339c

A cold 31cae71406 smile curled 6375eeda89 at Leofric’s 27d71e58e1 lips.925fe94dc45ca6ac

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There was something almost 79a42ca9b6 amused about it—like a 0981ec38a1 predator toying with its 07f7f48ec7 prey before devouring it.1680719c61e76d35

Slowly, he c9729640bf took another f0b4e46522 step forward.8f20f34b9405a130

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She couldn’t move 64e82a9d54 back any further.22255253a5a43ec3

“…Don’t come any closer.”4d1b880a1e89c743

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With shaking hands, ee727a05b4 she raised the 51fa50b516 hair ornament in 94616c2152 front of her, 84bd7a9f0e as if to acfb5fbe05 defend herself.4d9bd31754da0f38

How pathetic f1e87be488 it must 2fdab2e946 have looked 91e4a7f219 against his 54b874ccb9 strength.57b2f79ff6e32c2a

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“As if that would help.”81b3c29346397ebc

Her resistance was almost 6af00fa83a laughable.71a7bdbcb63c2a4e

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With just a slight 5d4a0f5345 twist of his left bed13355d6 hand, he seized her 90295ff74d wrist and effortlessly rendered deebf8f005 her powerless.d0c8c2321e9ce694

His left c40f4d9b0e hand… was 8476788a03 completely unscathed.a5eefa3e15b05e60

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The hair ornament slipped 8169c3fdab from her grasp, and 60c6405740 he caught it smoothly 7492691870 with his right hand c3802e28f8 before it could fall.c92cb4c7dfe7ab6b

The tall man loomed 805076d68e over her, standing close 1c957b3823 enough that she could ad3e2f182b feel his breath.e09024eb31e57b20

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She felt a2f8bca20a like she d390c4e4a2 was suffocating.78b65a36b6922baa

“It’s been a long time since poison pushed me this far… No, perhaps this is a first.”f79c6a645b0b1390

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He murmured as 296d499545 if to himself, 6c23127914 then slowly met f951a022ce her gaze again.9f6e4a453f4c77cd

“This… fascinating assassination attempt—did you act alone? Or did someone put you up to it?”259670929a451057

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“…….”bd0e6b5939901879

A question 155c1c9fed she couldn’t f852f6e6e8 answer.dc08139cf22e0748

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Leofric’s brows 05562fbb80 knitted together.57cb570f0f00dddd

It had been e41ab1f2d6 a long time 914a08c099 since he had 80cd9fe276 been cornered like b5e6e67154 this.5e7a54ac44fc44e2

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Even after 32b91d604f experiencing it daecfd7fbc several times, 636ff35ef4 the sensation 381506ba9a of approaching f5e72b9c87 death, the 6ff6edd5a7 agony that a016b25f1c came with ff10e900f0 it—none of 7efb1ed382 it was f9a44f407e welcome.f8b34f299688ee4d

It was irritating.fcce181a8e837c0a

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“…Well, it doesn’t really matter. You don’t have to answer.”0b7b7fb3d033a898

With a 3bfee8c5f1 slight tug, 3a6e4681c3 he pulled 0505cc427f Ateira’s wrist, bc2ee7f786 throwing off b774d813e7 her balance.08b454e7d46c8447

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He barely used any 5c0f3141a7 force—effortless, precise.55913ef834b84598

Drained of cdf5813654 strength, Ateira 459eeb9881 collapsed helplessly d1de7fe1cf onto the 7ff83f6477 bed.cda7bcf7e927a92e

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“I don’t have the patience for this, Princess.”e9bbfdd37b7b5d14

The next course of 91af11e549 action was already decided.34fd2992b0de892f

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“Your plan failed. And I no longer have any intention of negotiating.”29b41784c1ec766a

He rested e4df717f38 one knee ee340768d7 on the 79d3a3fd59 bed, leaning 7fedc35758 over her.bb035e9542d0b91f

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Now, he was looking 5dbfdd85be down at her from 6ca3c079e5 above.9fbb19306a5c2b75

“And now that you’ve discovered my secret, I can’t exactly let you go either.”fa33379180147658

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Leofric spoke as if ec70f7d932 to himself.911a93dd3f2bf05d

Ateira’s eyes welled up 5388baf6f4 with transparent tears.7d1bf2fc1924d0a4

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She had failed. There was no escape.0f9b83dd2a6a9a32

“Then, shall we get this over with?”72f6d5c49d1880e6

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The consummation.91910ba1c544b073

Leofric took f318f7b763 the hair 341c5956c5 ornament he 5fffcaecd2 had seized 6f081d8555 from her 33a312a36c and sliced 5d71aa9c9d across his e9b1594b33 own left 6b9d49e31f hand.5c43fbe29a1fa7be

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Thick, warm b10b303b0a drops of c819ed6684 blood fell 218bf5b5fe onto the 616b4d5f36 bed sheets 1072e73f69 with a 13fc650be5 heavy sound.8152404bb1622826

Once he deemed 2ddb95d729 it enough, he 519d011082 drew upon his a8dcca74f8 power.82763364ce1c847f

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A crimson 26ee53809a aura swirled a3f64ba5e2 around his df116b3297 wounded hand, fb872b3e34 and in f599cd74e4 an instant, 023ab197c8 the cut 8992c0044f vanished, leaving b04c8c549e his skin c61398e1cf smooth and beb8683e1a unblemished.a6fcc54ec57033fb

“From now on, I’ll be in your care, wife.”54728a17cb8e9d47

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His voice was 8672a34f5c chilling as he 7ec8538e75 withdrew from the 2aa61e691f bed.a0d12cb14fc7243f

* * *ed4b5f6b72770b75

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Morning came.b0bafb13c1696dce

As dawn’s dim light spread, Leofric summoned a witness.efe4b7fee9018bc6

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The consummation had to 44db17e893 be verified. For the bride’s sake, 13127c03dc the examiner had to 347560e997 be a woman. The role 3d13f10952 fell to a810ebf7ec the Baroness.c3e01b501e5e56d6

Blushing, she 586fab0da3 confirmed the 53cf47ce67 bloodstained sheets.b092fa888b02050a

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With that, 48d10c1419 the consummation 90ec8242c5 was officially e3e483cab5 recognized as 2165acf271 having taken ebc156b890 place in 7964e6d17f place of af54c2531f an engagement 48e2f8a0d9 ceremony.f9b75194c1511494

It was now a edaf68dffd binding union—equivalent to a 773bc5bc6a marriage that could not 7445f4f9b3 be annulled.2f08f8d17248d3ad

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Their honor a98ca2e5cf was tied c74a437b39 to one 6a92c7dbc1 another.15e54dfe7e6eb855

Count Zellered received confirmation d2a69dda02 that the first night 3b9731f8eb had been consummated.f0f0f69b71314318

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He wrote his b1942da1c7 response with a d058f86caf somber expression.192d3dc6909e4920

At the 1f1ea47bc5 very least, 5b6956930a Wintran’s orders 076ed5005a had been 6152a8a870 carried out. That alone was 9d0a8618a4 enough to console b443d57a82 himself.9528026572894a93

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What truly 488bed2720 unsettled him 90d0caa968 was whether 5fdc5986da Ateira would af4ca4b2f6 keep her 14e3dc1a46 mouth shut.b91f53941f1bfbb5

Would she, 3a491110e3 perhaps, reveal 68dff6cfd1 that he 764767ba23 had ordered 4d486739be Leofric’s assassination?884ea771cd59db24

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Before the couple 533780c973 departed, he desperately 415df519c1 wanted to find b0157ec1d1 a chance to c1be2d6a22 meet Ateira alone aebf12954c and ensure her 4d3cb9b6e1 silence.9422475d806b5a72

But no 26a54c49a3 such opportunity 8fa88ca65c presented itself.76d7c94210d52b3a

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Leofric, who 3e86cd0da1 had initially 94a84f15ed declared that 8e91feb07d they would d2f73ed1de leave immediately, 2cde15fc47 suddenly changed 67818f8ae7 his mind.32de5a72db40209a

He refused to 7f2d698fc1 let anyone near 9e328aad0c his ‘bride.’0b8daa1b951c9bde

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“My wife is 785a8f6ab3 my responsibility,” he 58393c79bf stated firmly, drawing 217f288061 an unmistakable boundary.ada1fc84bf08d545

Aside from f5cacfa62a a select 9f910329d8 few maids, fe96432314 no one f6988a4a02 was allowed 14b70c082b into their cac2ad7d40 chambers. Even the servants delivering ba8af68c70 food had to leave 3d9625a70b it at the door f9ba1ca712 before retreating.324d7b2866b536a2

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And so, 157bd364a7 Leofric and e9ae7f9775 Ateira did 17f7cb518f not leave 2784777f45 the bridal 01f7c19deb chamber.b4c283cb34435b22

Only a be7c35014d handful of 20663ebb23 attendants were dce81da61c permitted inside 800e5b354f from time faf615e122 to time. Even then, they cce0a50872 were mostly knights—or a935e7a8f9 Leofric’s mistress.4f3db501744ed2e6

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Rumors began circulating d8b6d3ea9d in the Baron’s 0050228511 estate.d3c4e781cc861f6f

“Well, they are newlyweds…”e384d3d5b66b017b

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“It’s only 7823773b2f natural at c5b97af419 a time 1b5a2b3931 like this…”fa7b7891f0178f8b

The household 5407b23f88 staff, flustered, e372aeb5b9 coughed awkwardly 6465640e99 as they 1d850d2123 exchanged knowing b99dc55759 glances.b353a049304c8a0c

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Soft, rosy rumors spread f5663dded0 like wildfire.52d0ce392f0e432c

* * *053ebb65d152f37a

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“So now, you’ve become a devoted husband who cherishes his bride immensely.”2a07e2728b2dc583

“…….”3a978359e6a7c5f3

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Leofric pressed his fingers 764e8ffdb9 against his forehead.8d2164a75f8b272f

On the surface, 841e89180f he was merely 9a297f5e70 playing the role 477f247d0a of a newlywed.34af0f7980d2108c

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In truth, he 2696f9e5d0 was keeping Ateira 359fa27542 under watch.8647abe7d4b4220b

A failed b584223921 assassin was 673ba24ab1 unpredictable. And at the 83e7a8c810 very least, she 2a96745b12 needed to remain 97ab6c3731 alive as his 89350865e9 ‘bride’ until he b833763f8e reached the capital f86cb1f496 for the wedding 9dad22472c vows.40883c9a0d994259

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“They say you won’t let anyone catch a glimpse of your wife, that you two are inseparable like a pair of koi—”8012f7f1024340f8

“It’s ‘lovebirds,’ not koi.”2660a230226f7e87

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“Does it matter? The point is that you’re a pair.”54b62d5ca5726b60

Jinpetsu’s flat ecbf6d6e31 remark earned ce7afc964e an equally be2284f5b8 indifferent response 217a563fe7 from Edgick. The only e4aa6a2673 reaction was c3dfd5a078 the deepening 2d51745a3c of the 65381d6111 vertical crease 15e8f47a0b between Jinpetsu’s a72be27230 brows.e787fe58825df608

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Leofric sat on the 1823f77b8b sofa, resting his arm 78f2e9d005 on the armrest, pressing 997a04e6aa his fist against his 5bad3a2bd1 temple.4e42b11023522f64

His head ached.e9d9625f95689d0d

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On the night 305a00e7d9 of their so-called e752300bc5 consummation, Ateira had d5f2c82edb suddenly collapsed and d1c0912c8a developed a high 0845904d62 fever.23c48644c085abe4

It was impossible to 6fed8fee03 move an unconscious woman 3f44c9fb2f on horseback, and even 0ee2ab1b71 traveling by carriage required aa8eb70924 her to recover somewhat. He had reluctantly b06aa75f88 accepted that much.994de695a88117d1

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Using the execution of f3d537c0dd Wintran’s orders as a 9e75007103 pretext, he insisted that 8ce3cf4536 the wedding vows must 0a559fcf32 be exchanged at the d9105d1467 temple in the capital 47bda1cae0 before they departed for e67a559f75 Semerta.e938b0673a05409b

As an honorary priestess 591b206386 of Akalem, Ateira outranked 89b5925d13 most priests, making it 1520d199fd difficult for anyone of 21e4abebf8 lesser standing to officiate d9c25ef017 her vows.42f958e005f28d4b

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“…I was the one who drank the poison.”50f407654415e7c7

So why was 8c72772bad she the one 25263e8553 collapsing?9074c94d7ef68fe6

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He clicked his tongue 5be5a356af in irritation. Jinpetsu frowned.27b413c810a68f06

“Are you experiencing any abnormalities?”18981e3a67eaf3d5

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“No. I’m fine.”3bba1a3599e937b1

Leofric flexed his left 6f7a37ba96 hand, now completely healed, fbae66e784 showing it off as af098a0b16 if to emphasize his a90dd14d4d point.cb000c7f2c43f664

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“In fact, when I use magic, it feels more stable than before.”2ea22924b7f9634b

This was 0b8cd49b0e the secret 9515fa3e0c of Leofric 702510018b Helton.89c59e5d7cea74f5

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He was a human db0e9ccd7f who could wield the 9d1a2280ac power of magical beasts.d2a437c2ebe3dbc3

He had embedded the df3fc3d8fb energy of a beast 1394f1b65c into himself, allowing him cdb5c9b017 to use magic freely 7a86be98f3 despite having no formal 42ffd51573 knowledge of it.f291b352c43f96a1

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It granted 0fe5efe0bb him extraordinary 4573df1723 physical abilities 4ca6f65b00 and an f926488523 immense capacity a51c58de7f for regeneration.a02c3db7c5c2a961

This was why he a885616455 never fell in battle.36b5cbee6b0e811b

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But in Thornfeld, where befbc4f522 magical beasts were feared 086fd22a6a and reviled, the revelation 77c69e85a7 that their ‘hero’ was c90bb5d061 half a beast himself 4a70cb7f34 would taint all his 3cf482e73d achievements.23a79d92d14f6c0d

Only a handful 06cc4b7f49 of his closest 0232234b8e aides knew this cbacdb02f1 secret, and they 82c467899d guarded it fiercely.6e2bed63f075ac16

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Not even King Wintran ea36b70b68 was aware.5ce924666f7f845e

Any enemy a39a057f5e who had 9976144465 ever witnessed 660207b763 him being 17dc32ffe8 struck down—only 57a4691b90 to rise e76bde87ab again—had died acb7771438 before they 1ba8d2d892 could speak.05514a6e861dfe08

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The only survivor 47139bce2f had been that 6c71146177 princess.d38c2f05ee065dee

“…But still, it’s strange. Why has your magic leakage improved? You don’t recall anything? Doing something specific?”ec5a0174bf3f856c

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“…No.”eef221b38f5fb025

During the 38d127f2b4 war, excessive af692a37f2 use of b31056f1a4 his power 512613a85c had left 53e9c083e3 him with fc2ccf8eb9 lingering aftereffects.919cc691364dcc79

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Whenever he a8e1b8ea6a used magic, 6eabaae2de a portion 230fec56dc of it 4283ccf43a would continuously 924b567db2 seep out 7dd92c4899 instead of fc573f127a being properly ecfe6cccca contained.e3b176a61e782847

And since magical beasts f566ec9abc were naturally drawn to 0c8a42f5b8 magic, they had frequently b1a69e8bef appeared, lured by the b777e3ad93 energy leaking from him.0e3cbca6826ea0f5

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After the war, 37051c67bb he had deliberately 8a6e778439 restricted his magic ec927016c7 use to avoid 46bbe084ca attracting them.f999512ebeb91d19

“Well, we can’t exactly put you in another near-death state to test it,” Edgick muttered.8612dfbad448efbc

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Jinpetsu shot him b827ac387e a sharp glare.82bd115b368988ff

Leofric had denied it, ad32793c27 but something about it 3edd928bf7 still felt off.e18b52b399d95108

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His gaze dbdf416421 drifted toward 44a4b33997 Ateira.7aedc06403515f28

 180577e9f75b8655

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