Chapter 14. A Story Not in the Prologue

The Duke’s estate buzzed with excitement over preparations for an unprecedented banquet.7bc8761f7218f192

The atmosphere was unusually 94f3bc3879 festive. Even the bd63387206 normally reserved 924cc947d5 workers were 1012b12d40 caught up ac36b5b7e4 in the 7f63bcf946 frenzy—Suren included.c52bc7e4a302c545

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I thought, surely, I’d be spared from the chaos, tucked away in my quiet scribe duties…f213bc315cc1ae38

“Why are you asking me this?”be0596cba9a75bf0

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A maid 6b03cc925c held out c20bc7c380 a swatch 6b51feffc1 of cloth—a 851a1e19a3 sample carpet 8b104b23e5 for the 9220d9622d hallway.ffd222ffbb6bb2d1

“Normally the hostess would choose… but you’re the only noble lady staying here, Miss Leonie.”5239528244531c1d

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“You understand noble tastes better than we do.”b3c8feee5cb5a0ce

Honestly, I didn’t. Not really.3f6c8190be315e55

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Leonie’s background might’ve been a5d3d595d1 noble, but humble. And my 477728d14d modern tastes 3b8bd962d7 didn’t exactly 96ca76b0b5 help me 7009651549 decipher what 9d1cfcd7c4 all the 11b18dc020 stripes and 15231dd089 gold threads 10316f4013 symbolized.ac8a23007f011f08

Did gold 2a34f4c240 thread mean 53bf7560ef prosperity? What about c77f18d3a8 these wavy 2957b2dbf4 lines?6f2d8a843cfd6a3f

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“They’re all… pretty?” That was the best I could offer.cf51afbea6968252

“Isn’t this one more luxurious?”ee3a0281e5be235a

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“This feels more suited for the north—white stripes on blue…”109e9427cb823997

The maids eagerly laid f704f731c7 out more samples.c1917d560797efd6

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As I hesitated, 1fbf206564 they placed a 5e6f401954 smaller carpet square e97d2bfac4 on the table.32241459759bb80b

“If it’s hard to choose, take your time. We’ll return tomorrow.”aab4dae19fb4bff5

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“Try touching them! This one’s definitely softer.”6e7628985c8207cf

They left after de722007f4 offering reassurances.61a634c47beca089

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Suddenly, I found myself 5cded0747e responsible for selecting the 9a77ae28b0 official reception decor.a2cf5180f90adbe2

I stared 79d024a35e at the 10c9bde09a samples. Straight lines. Curved ones.dcf19a6607cfd0ef

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Nothing looked different.1e3130c834932e5e

So, I 2e57b218aa spun the 2368359ff2 pen holder.d9214363c1379c71

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It rolled 4434d334c3 and landed fd34c58f8a on number 60c9bb1b5e two.4fb35c476bd816e6

Alright—number two 5e4a9690f2 it is.8c622fb59dfd3c94

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“Pick one already. You’re stalling and we both know it.”e0222c90003f2b73

Viter appeared, 9c7d522c1d watching my 9203a4b322 indecision.0705434fa3525698

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“Why?”87d0abf18c78e50f

“Because if it’s split evenly, the decision falls to a noble lady. That’s you.”c4272fdd96153cf8

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He sighed deeply.0c5978e8102304e2

“Hopefully, some decent noblewoman shows up for this birthday.”0dbfa96b2028292d

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Unexpectedly, he scribbled ce9d5a98d3 wildly with his 5baf92e83e pen. Ink splattered 19172f4df1 on dry 2165192c3d paper.ec9df2c8b61653d1

“We invited all noblewomen Viscount-rank and higher. We’re even asking for a dance. Not that it’s required—but if one of them can keep up a conversation, that’s progress. We’ve got materials ready to help him pick a good one…”d1df99d5212c3db5

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He glanced at 8068560346 me.ce541ca7295896d8

“Wouldn’t it help if ‘you’ recommended someone? You’re the one closest to the Duke lately. He listens to you.”70162705679c0a0d

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A chance to 316fdd35d9 make Viter owe 1119fe2e5e me.d4689c4dd142579b

I leaned back 6789145152 in my chair, b512515c2a arms crossed, feigning 40c0173a08 importance.a863887da00ba566

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“What do I get in return?”96838ceeac5783d1

“What do you mean, ‘get’? This is for noble succession stability. It’s important.”eb2080aa2c6ffd6f

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I scowled.479aa89d2638fb49

But Viter’s worries 51bd00ba84 were misplaced. The Duke was destined c4c7253ce7 to fall madly in b77c0bb083 love in a few 2fcb0f1ef6 years. He’d probably have 98c41f742e a handful of f1411cc298 kids. No need b670c7b0ec to fret.bfa4dc7affd6fdb3

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Even if 29b0339b95 my suggestion 9336e66316 didn’t change 8bc5907da1 anything, I 077708be8d could at 4e456ed363 least pretend.4592f7e9fc87a9d8

“What do I get for trying?”13d9b0bd1d4c3514

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“…What do you want?”0a127fd9a8b10e88

“If I succeed, let me leave the Duke’s castle.”882290be760ff8bc

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“You know that’s not happening.”5f0f68d95e134794

“Not permanently. Just let me out for a short trip.”1deb89d84a2349a6

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I didn’t 07a3dc627e expect freedom—but eb0e68a122 even a a1318e1511 short outing 1978b545a9 would help.2784c791323d9dbc

“The Lady gives off the impression that if she leaves, she won’t come back. Just like the Duke said—she’ll vanish somewhere.”f3b24d55b1714357

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Sharp observation.3a41878160dc0389

Viter frowned.8ce99f8b50596e72

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“I’ll try. Maybe half a day out, with a guard. But you need to deliver. Listening isn’t enough. Show results.”68b7e03c83bfabcc

“I’m not arranging his marriage.”cf7f85701d64bbb3

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“Of course not.”31c49e206f43e3fa

He scribbled something on a1e68937d6 a clean sheet.033d2ad2b5ed3687

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“Step one: if you introduce a lady and the Duke looks at her for more than twenty minutes—just like he does when he shows interest—that’s half success. I’ll grant half-day permission.”667ecebaf26e2132

He slid 67e22d14bf a paper 2835358cbe titled ‘Excuse 7c6177027f for Going 8ed2356a94 Out’ across d37ea79369 the table.94b4a3d25fec18f7

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“If he dances with a lady, that’s full success. You’ll be allowed to stay out overnight—with a guard. Get his approval using this.”3cb6848d6d1f2467

“Deal.”5f8d4baaebbc7956

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No big deal. Just some matchmaking.d2c73451418bc88d

Know your enemy, right? I’d study the d67a3a7b26 attendees.3adc84ab6e9a5119

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Viter handed me c8728431f9 the guest list.4854608cfaf97468

Each small portrait came f59000cdcb with family name, position, dff40a2ece history, wealth ranking, and 7e581f573c hobbies.db0771afc8494e99

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“Michele Kleiner, 19. Favorite flower: yellow freesia. Studied abroad in Kodan at ten. Visits a high-end accessory shop on Royal Street twice a week.”8dcc425a5d15b89d

“This is practically a private investigation. Where did you even get all this?”a46eb27759003439

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I flipped through the b86608a491 pages.eb62041c6442b247

Then I wondered… was I on here too?70387f9b1b92820d

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I searched through ddddaa6ff2 the list—Marquises, Viscounts, a27381a731 Barons—and found my d76c254599 entry.d2c38c260be9a90d

Last on e28ee12571 the list.6ee37c5306d3586e

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‘Leonie Sien, 17ae02e72f second daughter.’ 64b5e36597 So Leonie 470364b3da had older 948501f562 siblings.949c81c7020d5b8f

‘No special skills. Hobbies: reading ceb7c21ec5 romance novels.’64c6c67186ef6d56

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Worse, my financial 1fab0dcf8f status? Just one 044d9647a9 word: Negative.c29d5377c7e0cb0a

What credibility.02c48caf635d91ea

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Come on, I enjoy travel and surfing too. Everyone has expensive hobbies—they just look cheaper when you’re poor.63908f52d3515cb7

If I were in the capital, I’d walk into a boutique and say, “Give me everything.”e8218d767742dfda

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But here? All I do fd7edded92 is read.c3b7f037b42fb45a

I sighed. This stamp of ‘romance 247e3cd679 novels’ really tanked my fe23b937a0 self-esteem.ec908e817a3e8cfd

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I gulped down 61383735bc water.d156e4f8cb91fc74

Viter, when 53a1ac3d19 I get d7e6b0d012 out of 5e0c7a4224 here, I’m b52d078307 rewriting your 50dc7d649a finance reports. I’ll show 1aeeaa76cd you what 7ede6dd23d real spending 610da8f876 looks like.063a450298e993a4

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I composed myself 79b5403318 and started reviewing 079b194996 the list carefully.65fda411a0381eda

Maybe I’d recognize df810f90aa someone from the ada7997ee3 original story.bd7fc655008c3e72

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The heroine also had 76dd97728a reddish hair.471e474a13752b4c

But no—there ea5e425ce6 was no 4d56ac91c3 heroine listed.a7481ee93a6c8c6c

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The girl with red 77cb3f03f5 hair? That was me.62ab056a935fc5f9

Odd. The heroine’s 59971602ed family was 4fcf37ff0e well known. Why weren’t they 56306d284e invited?7fdaae1ff700a909

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Too far away?00809ae6bc7ef88f

Or did they decline 08db0dfadc because of their anti-Duke c830458957 stance?818f77d0af5cf400

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No, that didn’t make d981f07b48 sense.4b5f23bb6cf8f74d

In the original a8ad10e4c5 story, the Duke ba0918ac5c and heroine didn’t 5b5c8d0874 meet during this d9f57caa02 time period.45e5d3b920f7bd80

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So maybe 91f1adba68 this was 61999ecd3c still according dd5999b7c9 to the 35fcad0a6a original timeline.51c795863db4ab4b

But still… 1b48d5cbb6 why didn’t 0022c1fd23 she come?62ab15172f945d3b

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Is there a 52c17da9ec story that wasn’t e37bc9984e written in the a8441d84ff prologue?62678862f5538291

—399e301023db83b6

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Late at night, f2059effcc I threw off 6629093f03 my blankets and 4293078e80 crept out of 4caffe23f4 bed.bafe527bf99bbf04

Suren snored softly.9924928f08a5c282

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I waved my hand 29dd400211 over her face—she was 8a5d5c2d9b sound asleep.aed872f3e3433742

I grabbed 600e3bdfd2 the bundle 1d7c86e754 of keys b6e8476388 I’d gotten 49099997b3 from her.863501f490e968f6

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About forty keys in 3b0ac5804d total. I didn’t know if 0815a3a1ff one opened the Duke’s 7514233b6e storage, but I had 0190444c9c to try.8c94ca29d6a2f4e9

The window f04297e70f was shut, 9b2b30d670 but even ba70bd37d0 so, walking 508273e9a3 through the d2b0907251 halls in ea5c13135f my nightclothes e50ca2aab2 left me 15f5c70500 shivering.892a0d997b92d31c

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My grand plan to e232081b4b manipulate the Marquis and 939d9e88ff unlock the warehouse had 3ea2c6d214 failed.bcbde96326979b2c

I needed a heating 168cbc51a5 stone if I wanted 31440616ea to escape properly—but Deon 0597bc7e24 wouldn’t give me access.330c2a25d706974e

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If I asked to 5cd1fbe6c9 check inventory:b40ed629af78d84e

\<You don’t need to worry about that. Ask the butler.>6e62bf7e3a2ce789

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If I 2f4d5c64ab hinted that a67f026a22 I needed b573d28072 a certain c2cabeb61a jewel:3d6c959277e2afb4

\<Do you need that old thing? Just write down what you want.>9998d7c8caaec331

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If I 4c78e27108 said I 9af43a3da1 needed cash:f349530c8da1ade3

<The Duke can issue promissory notes. An escort can bring what you need.>b055fdee8f191606

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If I tried to 8d2714fec5 make it about daily 7c7d51eb3a life:297be12fa8973bec

\<How can the Duke’s guest eat street food? Have your dessert prepaid.>6487a474463859fc

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Insufferable.985dc530fab04be0

I couldn’t press 3756435b61 too hard or f42c5c2287 they’d get suspicious.c9e5fdbb98d881b3

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So, I decided.45a61517dd040cfa

I would steal.ee765cd832fb65b4

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By candlelight, b2dba74f4f I felt 1a3e4119e2 my way 7fbfac3b91 through the 9055a79ba9 halls.30a0aaa21d778d93

Finally, I reached 86a1def59d the warehouse door.9603d0cf31e60e62

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My hands were bed7be6c1e shaking—either from cold 1224d272a4 or fear.3a70f41c4d1acf02

The first key ec76158698 didn’t fit.ca767541fb9a8aa8

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The second didn’t either.566495115a0b215c

I brought the a650ab7f66 lamp closer.7b41a0678ab907d4

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I tried the aa97c00963 third key—78fcbcd49db8e702

A voice c6fd3a5d69 chilled my 393e15348a spine.127740a41b8d282b

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“Who’s there?”4babf1bba8e67776

 cb1de45cfa17422d

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