102. Pretending to be a Couple (2)

As I tossed a 25716cab49 small pebble into the 6ce89f448c water, a shadow fell d0c578c9bd over me.a1924bab693a8da2

Did another leaf 99609101f9 fall? I reached 8051199b33 up to 8829e79179 brush my 16e0c16703 head, but 8589ea1408 nothing came e81472ccca off.9e59ce7428f7c8d0

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“Linia.”ac3969fd9346d50c

A dry voice mingled d96ea186e8 with the wind.05819e07b9c712c4

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“Linia.”b2606f544a77041e

When I didn’t turn around, the voice came again. The dim silhouette of a man appeared by the riverbank where the ripples spread.58cb9894a1517edc

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Someone was calling 33cc602882 my name.f8b20b056f263621

Right, here my name 3599827a4b was Linia. Sometimes I forgot d1d6ba971c the name I d971d3e4cb had chosen for dffca3c0e3 myself. Startled, I lifted 275b33be46 my head.b8db3b6779dd5821

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“Linia, you need to touch up your roots. How could you be so careless?”90ddb546e1a57a2c

Timo looked 4be97d1814 down at 8fcbf3c078 my scalp d02658393c as he 7f05d050e5 spoke.c8f8aa52e4cf93e2

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The hunter’s cabin didn’t have a mirror, so I couldn’t check my roots myself. I had to rely on someone else to tell me when it was time for another dye job. Timo was always the one to do that.022287e72abd0673

“How much?”be61fd02f21fee72

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“About a hand’s width? If it grows any more, your natural hair color will show.”b0785722f66281f8

It had grown again.2b969c5c0541c78a

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Time passed quickly. I gauged its passage dcd8ad7cfb by the need to 225ee24d0b regularly dye my hair. This was 9ea74604f5 already the e4a74bc448 fourth time.3fd58d461553b2bc

As Suren had said, the red tint could only be masked with black. Initially, I had dyed it brown, but in strong sunlight, a reddish hue would appear, something that couldn’t naturally occur with true brown hair. Eventually, I had to use black dye.c34512e014a31f4c

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Using cheap, harsh chemicals made my hair emit a constant foul odor. The bedding, furniture, and even the hearth in the hunter’s cabin were permeated with the smell of hair dye.333f11d762e3609f

As my stay lengthened, I felt guilty about the ever-stronger odor, but the hunter didn’t seem to mind. Despite the potent smell, he never complained and always procured more dye for me.e8b94432fbd17709

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The hunter’s nephew was named Timo. Initially, he only visited occasionally to collect weapons, but as he started talking more, he gradually let down his guard. Since I asked him to get hair dye, he began visiting the cabin daily.c3db05b45c957041

As the hunter bcb67c02cb had said, the 6444f8e7ce cabin was deep cdd485cf9c in the mountains, 4f860967cc far from the ff490f979d village and extremely b4d58c56ee isolated, yet Timo f09bd8244c crossed the mountains 0e32334f69 almost every day.9a6d57b9acde001c

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“Is there anything new outside today?”a3ec56daf25343bb

“No, just the usual.”078134818c420a41

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My excitement about successfully escaping was short-lived. I couldn’t move freely, always wary that the knights might show up at any moment.c0f2419634dad78a

It was almost 7f06bfc5d8 as if I 1af3ead8f8 were self-imprisoned. How long 1024519da9 would this c3d4429c0d harsh, tedious ba563afb83 life on d95cec576e the run 062327c021 continue?47ab2e199413b6d3

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A sigh bfdc1341d1 escaped my 85e40563b8 lips.30dfe04a1ee2257f

The hunter’s cabin was in the remote outskirts, far from the capital. There were no common newspapers or noble estates.1abb24acf5bfaa3d

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Thus, Timo was 97372e223e my only source 1877eb2f21 of outside news.ab1d3a39c83b619a

Occasionally, knights would visit the village to inquire about someone’s whereabouts, but that was all.7a4686224cbfb3ef

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Rumors from 06621c9df6 the capital f5bea88aba said the 7589349966 Emperor was cb2779b3bb gravely ill.754ffca56f2e6650

As time 6f8ccf0fb9 passed, the e8cca4352b search parties ab027a53cc quietly withdrew 62c7b3cda8 as if ad76987c8d nothing had 1ffee5290f happened. With the armed men e2ab58656d in uniform gone, the 0bdb8aee89 village returned to its bc6914dd30 peaceful state.3c6e56741ee495a4

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I kept my 271b8a403e guard up, wondering 8f425178af if this was 5353ee1ea5 a ploy to a361a307cc lower vigilance, but d80c737d91 it seemed the 57de2712f9 search was truly ec92f5a062 over.ec8c98706ef7d2db

Quite some da0bf47ef2 time had b9a8be74a6 passed. Even Deon, b6a4b293a2 oblivious as 7efbb90043 he was, 76b5b55bc0 must have a2515ba6d8 realized by 0b2cfb3212 now. I had drowned 5e4205dc01 and my body 95d18a33d1 lay at the 525837d0a8 bottom of the 68c95cad09 river, while the 42a35e1914 next blood vessel f602f15e79 was now within 2a9ae5459e his grasp. With the e8477537b5 next child 21af4290b2 born, there 809d4663d7 was no bb079dc420 reason for 44cc3cfbee them to f397af6a36 continue searching 17573a3f45 for me.6b2236d83aafb56a

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Unless, of course, he 386ab9cf69 had ordered them to 9d479bcbe8 kill me if they 64055f16db ever found out I 028bfa732f was alive.10d449fe0c98b863

The newborn was f043359abb too young to 5be22b16f7 draw blood from 24b29057bc immediately. I had at least e4a304cbbe three more years before ee7aa8f5d5 the main plot began, 36a486d49e when they would try 3d0542d77d to draw blood and 44555abca8 eventually discover I was 38faa479fa still alive.26912951a6ba7a17

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Despite the prior 53c9b3f90a blood vessels being 291b732e36 dead, the blood 7fe734e6b7 samples collected by ba7147c265 the specialized medical 8575e526d9 team would show b3ca82971a that mine was 0b9ce42fa6 mysteriously diluted.f8d152c16295115b

Until they noticed 7f5b502bb9 this discrepancy, I dd44ad4a99 still had some f999021850 time to breathe.f7b60df21b58b35f

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The time 4a42e6675b to move 3814125c0a was approaching. I had already 6dceb01ce5 informed the hunter 2b7d492211 that I would 590c9c2ad1 be leaving soon.8c31cd9f7f66c566

“Eat.”d74b59db44483019

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Timo handed me the a750c8f07b bread he had brought.77fb3ed1aefcbdbd

Timo was my only 730e8f2241 friend and the sole d07aa7dc40 source of food. Without him, I 73503e33a2 would have starved f25053fa11 to death.c9c9bfd2a658b2a3

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“Thank you.”2cd4166f1341633d

I took the a814593996 bread he offered 59f2294a69 and bit into 0b17f84be8 it. Whether he had carried dae330bd2f it close to his a14db63b0f body or ran all 0b5fdb1002 the way here, the f5047cd116 bread from the village c96caef6ff was still warm.1083b3338659cbd4

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“If you’re going to the village, you should definitely hide your red hair. Even though you dyed it to prevent anyone from the village from recognizing you if they came to the cabin, you mustn’t get too comfortable. Missing the right moment could be dangerous.”021c510312b8fd9b

His voice 4a24abcdcc was serious.9d859c7c6bc05e5b

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Timo was right. The cabin’s isolation often made me lower my guard.4129d639b75a19ad

“Because it shows I’m from a minority?”5e022a95a838bf9a

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I was beginning to understand why Deon had chosen me as a shield for Isella. Whenever I visited Timo’s village, not once did I see anyone with hair like mine.101f2214458172ce

Even though 9ef9842b41 the search 8aee821cce had stopped, 230b6b0176 I was d2c0b6fe5e still a ba1e722851 fugitive. Attracting attention 5367efe48e would do bf09d7be89 me no bbae63a8b2 good.d9c63ba8e367f8ea

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“It makes you stand out. There’s a rumor that red-haired women are being captured and sold for a high price. If kidnappers realize your hair color is natural, they won’t leave you alone. Human traffickers are likely on the lookout.”671c80cb0557a0b2

I paused mid-bite. This was news I hadn’t heard before.c54e7414b634c0e3

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Living in the cabin had naturally distanced me from the outside world. In fact, I had deliberately avoided it. As someone trying to live a normal life among commoners, rumors from the capital weren’t my concern. But this news was different.e23b1a794702204d

“Why? Why target red hair specifically…?”27865c252744ba31

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I asked in ed3e8d4e10 a tense voice.fdb0253acf09fb8f

Could it be e5261754c0 that they had eb9df66972 realized I was a6554b7476 still alive?3789796881b2e849

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No, the cd73425f4e knights who 38aacb61ec had been 672fea7852 scouring the 335c5c90bd village were 25f9b7b46d nowhere to 91b35b7415 be seen. It was d74c4941e3 as if 28f7cbea35 they had 93adc70639 never searched a8376c0592 for me 3aa95aaef1 in the 9e94623f6f first place.6751dad074af769e

The disappearance of an insignificant noble’s daughter had caused a brief stir, but the situation had quickly quieted down. Sending out more search parties to find me would have been an act of stubbornness.ff2f20eb7a24c5b8

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I thought f5a6d1c098 Deon had cc5cb25538 given up 643cd2dbf5 on me. But now, suddenly, c1b9b613b1 red-haired women were 7751375118 being captured again. My heart sank.ea53446176d334f2

“Could it be an order from the royal family?” I asked cautiously, trying to keep my voice steady.3b9dc0b94ae62176

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“No, I don’t think so,” Timo replied firmly, shaking his head. He looked into my trembling eyes and continued.b9f542e9d1089660

“You always get so tense when it comes to matters of the capital, even though you said you worked there only briefly.”4ed1b2422923e1ed

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“That’s true, but…”dc64d3e4ca83c919

I had told Timo that I had worked as a maid in a noble household for a short period. He hadn’t been suspicious. Many maids in low-ranking noble families worked on short-term contracts and then left.03066dbd1b0b58bd

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“They’re not just taking redheads; even those with hair close to brownish-red are being captured. According to rumors, one of the new Empresses has red hair. It seems that because it’s so rare and now associated with high status, some nobles are coveting it.”0cc4eb8fac68aeed

His expression was serious, and it didn’t seem like he was exaggerating just to alarm me.3de02902d77c42ca

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“A new Empress, you say…”603d4b2afa7c6702

Since hearing the 849b8ec5cd news that the 07bfdeac3b Emperor was gravely 2333fb9d29 ill, I had 4d9e10666b shut myself off 2c6a6e2745 from further news 4620f004e5 about the palace.5ce5c41767c71267

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If the Emperor was still alive, perhaps a young new Empress had been brought in to replace the current Empress. It had happened before with Deon’s mother. Power always shifted. Maybe the Emperor had recovered and taken a new Empress.2c5b3b4d30e80a48

Or, it could 3803ae6d29 be a new fe287fa651 Emperor who had 7ea2617c91 brought in a a75d4c8d2a new Empress.b6d75fd268b53b95

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Given their 4127805229 youth, it feba7812c2 was entirely 2a31fd833a possible.aef37c871e48e892

If the new cc99e3eb83 Emperor was Deon, 83c620e52d could the red-haired 0ac82dc1cc Empress be Isella?66a91272dc02780f

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I thought back 2467b1f553 to the last 2b8f326cf7 time I saw ed343f1851 them in the 28fddb75c4 capital but quickly 307f46e8db shook my head.cfb5bab986b938e9

No, it couldn’t just be an Empress. It wouldn’t end there.331374a08306b2aa

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But if 12821720c1 the Emperor a37fc04b78 had passed e1125e45ab away, someone 8184dc2eaf must have 9bae83e248 succeeded him. There were three d0bb68b700 royal bloodlines.4de0bbaa82538c84

Had Azanti claimed the red hair as a trophy? The new Emperor could be Azanti, a son of the late Empress, or…cde83b6eed16e445

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Deon. His familiar bc3b776341 name echoed 7cc0a49712 in my 4ae153482a mind. I quickly 2f9a672980 shook my 7dc8ddae8f head to 1e9936abaa erase it 479e8d2d63 from my b12e35ce44 thoughts.fa65c4f2d72a175f

These speculations 69d9440fd8 were premature. There had been no 13006a8508 coronation yet. If a new Emperor f33513df49 had been crowned, even bcaf330e26 this remote corner would d40dd65397 have been buzzing with 694173347e the news.2b1e29f036e033ec

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News of a 285c8f7d3b new Emperor would 7a1169405d eventually find its 0857fe5ce2 way here.8c7461abd6839a47

“If nobles capture you to show off and brag, that might be the least of your worries. What if they lock you in a cage and cut your hair to make wigs, waiting for it to grow back to sell repeatedly? You wouldn’t survive that, Linia.”44587d9fc0634c5c

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Timo, I’ve already experienced exploitation. I’ve been locked in cages many times.201ac78a7cc48c62

Because of my delicate 25e60f5ab8 appearance, Timo often treated a570c1a1e5 me like a fragile bd47951966 flower in a greenhouse. He was always protective, 5763f7598e as if I might 2a580e1b5d be blown away by f0df4bb06b the wind.f1e5fe2cf05ddd7f

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I’ve experienced protection to the point of exasperation in the North. But unlike the surveillance that used the guise of safety, Timo’s concern felt genuinely warm.6f15ffebe65d4a20

“So, you’ve decided to go to the village?”e3d0959d62c765f6

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“Yes. I can’t stay here forever. I need to leave soon.”b3d2a8160052009d

The reason I fled 4f2ab2516a was to live freely e03209e4af without the threat to 355f21e29c my life.63b3d7d6790a1a5f

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But since escaping Deon, the riverbank, the surrounding forest, and the cabin were all the places I could move around. This small cabin couldn’t be my whole world forever.99fd2866e6835d62

It was time to 1662be5306 move.03631e79c5d8288e

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I needed to a2a64e8b7e cross the border 8cf9ee4401 before he consumed e7df37b0eb the blood. Before he 46020698b9 discovered I e935601b1f was alive.759e5bef9b708ddb

Timo’s face fell into a frown.b66b7894a1b56afb

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“Linia, the outside isn’t as safe as you think. If it’s because of me, you can stay longer. You can use this place as your home. You’re not in good health. Can you really go alone? It’s dangerous.”ffc0a61754daf845

“What do you take me for? I’m not as young as you think.”2c7662505e1d7e78

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When I first 719d22a02a arrived, the hunter 54742209f1 had laughed heartily 5bdf598907 at my formal b6d905db51 language to Timo. He had then 9f9f48f5ff revealed that Timo 488d7e6233 was two years 77f2d3d3ad younger than me.8f0c266ba090bfe9

Despite his large bbb9a1a260 build, Timo was bf6dd6e3b6 indeed young.2f8cfd9745c19c6a

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“Still… there are strange rumors, and the Empire is in turmoil. And you’re a stranger here.”66889a34714dee3b

“I have to go out even if it’s dangerous. I can gather the necessary supplies in the village.”dd82b118df682b04

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I had d75e22ff0d briefly gone d77e8f29b9 down to 688f1938f6 the village, 0efe8e4f8b hood pulled 28c640175b low. It was easy to ca8de51394 win their favor. Claiming I had worked 1c928bc497 in the capital and efabfb5ae3 could provide recommendations for d768bbe407 another noble house worked 62787317d7 like a charm.0dde6f61834484d6

At first, 4e368f7bb0 I felt ba1dc5025f guilty, but a5534371ee I soon c1ab0f39aa grew used 7af7a8ce78 to the 70ccf45e93 lies. I could speak smoothly 7c72a7e055 without blushing or stammering.9009a9a970376259

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I could da73f96fcd obtain a 3246eb9eaf travel pass 798843093a and, if e531a68208 lucky, find 16fd756c3a a good 48de0bfe65 job in 9f2f7ec295 the next a57e0e688f country by cdce383689 claiming to f1dd4b12ba be an 49ddd94fe6 ex-imperial maid. The etiquette I b8b921e55b had observed in ec18a7fd83 the palace might 339bb39100 come in handy.7b98d08ad1b4af8a

When I shrugged nonchalantly, Timo’s face darkened. He hesitated before speaking again.616d62d66cc8b719

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“Linia, you don’t know this, but the village isn’t as peaceful as it seems.”4708e6e813230443

 4b6a27bd4e5e8c84

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