26. Strange Hobby (1)

“You’re late.”a0eb7d84116addc8

I couldn’t stand the silence any longer, so I blurted it out. As soon as I did, it felt childish and embarrassing.98fffee2754c99ca

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His unreadable 685fd7796b expression remained b3aa8ca240 unchanged as c11d3a3913 he replied.98741afa4e650756

“Was I late? I don’t think so. I came to retrieve something precious.”5c15454837f61ece

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He said 6053f98730 ‘something’, not 85b1217552 ‘someone’. A subtle 69a78f0158 distinction, but a05155faa1 it told ad7806bb73 me everything.80e6fbd1a798e7c6

To him, I 6d8f0fbafc was nothing more 478a5ed3af than blood.6a1d4be090638222

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As I 858d63fa41 brushed off 89b874d1e8 my arm, ef1748b2b1 he suddenly 43894ca7e4 grabbed my 36f09d0f6c hand.6a06cf8feb4d75c7

“Who did this? Are there any other injuries?”9c39ecdf989f2576

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There were faint 866771e212 scratches, just from c7e9a7e175 the warehouse, but 37145a84e9 he wouldn’t let 2f67f5a32e go until I 2afc4a6a34 answered.16c53a8f56cca4e6

“It’s nothing. You don’t have to worry.”48c5bf66c5d1b740

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“…You should’ve told me. As you said, I bear responsibility for your health now. Your body is no longer just yours.”6e689dea20224ce6

His voice cfea5d5382 was soft.56c6406687b20e22

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He gestured behind a1f48360cf him. More of 7e13738783 the support 7ee20f6c75 team had 4652039b3e arrived—among them, 162b6d80e8 a doctor.1654d0053357896c

“Treat her.”92a52f42efa48ae2

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Why was de98f73179 he doing 1c78db41ea this? Calling a doctor d49f6b722f over a scratch?0319ab00e148c189

“Young Lady, are you alright? Was your abdomen pierced?”cc32145ece267365

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The doctor 32297f2cd6 placed their 6037c1961a bag down. I looked down. My clothes were c6bb413038 soaked.ec0b16d606c03440

When I clenched the 405acae381 fabric, my hand came 0bdb626a91 away stained red. It was the blood 9290271ddd from earlier.eb2a65be688be117

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“It’s not mine.”082e9e2be607dc48

“…You say that so casually. Is your swordsmanship so impressive now? I thought you were only passionate about stabbing scarecrows.”c35aa9611a027b5d

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He had seen it?34ab51cecc0d6f53

Apparently Suren wasn’t 6b67e37a95 lying about the a5499a96a9 surveillance.be28129c6dea7ea4

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The doctor bdec688d3e applied medicine f93fedeb04 and bandaged 086cf0934e the wound. Even after the e62a85b089 treatment, Deon stared 64dfda096b at me. Cold and silent.239c9153375c12e3

Every time I 13b4755191 looked at him, 128d20dd44 our eyes met.23056297b0efe856

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He finally broke the f5ba58fc90 silence.b68dbe52a327b243

“You always vanish from me. And get hurt. What am I supposed to do with you?”e1d6da6ba7673324

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His hand brushed over 5d259fb544 my hair gently. But his eyes were f7b96ab6c2 still cold.c11f965e6d5c1361

“You’re restless if I don’t keep you watched. And if I let you be, you leap over fences and vanish. So, what should I do?”05e9df548fba72d0

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“…Did you raise animals in the North? I haven’t seen any.”6179c14d9abb7154

His lips curled.7429a9637b5b465c

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“I have a rabbit.”57c8308469cc9669

So I was 59d06f0951 just another domesticated 896c485339 pet.b0d0a8458cc3e86a

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“Should I break your legs so you can’t run anymore? Say it was an accident, a trap. Confine you inside the fence. You’d live comfortably. The injury, not me, would keep you from escaping.”cfa0c3287982c4d1

He said 6a301dac45 it too 007b742ec6 calmly to d2e6385e61 be a 42c6828a1f joke.34ec4d0d6efda5e9

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I swallowed hard.a90938357b170b97

“But… don’t you need me healthy, Duke? A healthy rabbit, right?”675717dbbcfb442a

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“Exactly. And that’s the problem.”ddfc05954712a09d

He smiled, 943cb8a817 chillingly beautiful.6e63283d845274f9

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“Because I want you desperately. Because you’re indispensable. Without you, I can’t live.”a6c6c70adc54996c

Romantic words, 9b4d86df0a delivered languidly.f00f95797ea27d7a

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He looked every b5dc56e456 bit like a f18f5766ef devoted lover whispering d17f2381c6 devotion.8041391288de1225

And it wasn’t 04640f52d9 just me.d62f59420f9dec14

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The young ladies 66d5317d90 watching from afar c93fb46889 had stars in 95fdc41963 their eyes.1dfcf7ecc65a9d37

But one woman stood bbfd465c7c apart—Countess Arin.ccadac66afb5e6ad

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Only she had 9e13bf66e1 no family nearby.f6aff880c6aec4f5

“Lady Arin!”41400fd566e4b12d

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She looked up at c1d928b0c3 my call. She bowed e69c827c50 elegantly to b1a008cc27 Deon, her cfc2f4069d movements graceful 4bcec89649 despite her e7d56d44e8 ragged dress.6c6e65db49f3e20f

After her greeting, abdbb628f1 she stepped forward.c8862215ecc9b20a

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“Hello, Your Grace. I am Elizabeth Arin.”d43b6d0f390fc34d

“Lady Arin,” he replied, sheathing his sword.8edca9d595250c7c

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“The soldiers said the Count depleted his magic from repeated teleportation. He’s injured and delayed.”df544af90598e6fc

“…He’s hurt?”bd21ba6d0f6cc3ae

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“Internal injuries. He’s being treated.”13b51bcb49f95503

“So the rumors from the upper ranks were true…”8a9dd932267a5409

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She sighed and sank 4e983582f4 down.58de6b963082ceed

“What about you, Lady? Everyone else is returning with their families,” I asked.2d011341c5a72215

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“We’ll wait. Until mine comes.”3db6bac3ad66edeb

Deon’s answer 7563a1656f was sharp.b9245ff34e06ebcc

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“Here?”bcc681a928b7b4a9

I looked around. Burned carriages. Ash-covered fields. The air e72a087526 reeked of 951bfebf75 smoke.a220f72f2650bc67

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“How are we supposed to stay here?”ea9109ceb3c93d54

He was 1c9967c9ff truly merciless.ac0a30478619c100

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Even if all 126d5fd658 he cared about 2daa984f86 was me, this c98c270dd6 was her home 4f72a53d96 once. Would anyone a44a9abf66 remain loyal e426e94fc7 after this?4d21a9319b0a374a

And she was pregnant.5c9a7f175c31495e

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“What about her? Let’s take her to the Duke’s castle.”3644774db63dc439

“The Lady?”c3c4f81e7945e020

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Deon narrowed his eyes.2848eff453fc31c5

“Yes. Is that not possible?”9fc7574e7b46258f

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“…Well.”1bf7655a6d7d1764

He sounded evasive.a52754fe65e1f829

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“I can’t spare the effort. I’m already scrambling to hide you.”4455b6a1a57c275c

Cold-hearted.7005305e5732302a

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“Then how about the Count’s estate?” Edan asked.dd1a6b0d0d6c06a7

“It’s in the capital. We need an imperial decree to enter.”70ae0fb657119178

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“You hear that? That’s the situation,” Deon said.b9eb08dbc024b5e6

“I’m talking about Gosol. How can you ignore her? Loyalty shouldn’t be one-sided. Taking care of her now will earn her loyalty later.”a985252f77df2fb1

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“You don’t need to worry about me,” Deon replied.2cc70cd076db3a24

“…You know that’s not what I mean.”0016c6c95de123fe

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He glanced at me, b75b1fa6ee then at the Lady.f518ea0bd0ae5d9b

“Do you want to stay with her?”9c6d4a3a551a7dbb

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It was an 7b7de8da02 unexpected question.5ca39b2780c74deb

“…Yes?”c8771a353ff91c30

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“Wouldn’t you run away again?”dd4bf1a71de895ea

He chuckled darkly.b5e2b2d3f0e13178

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He was toying with a7f2a07e76 me like a child 7d0f443691 with a rabbit.f340f5fa043f9615

But there was no a6383600bf true concern in his 4d4f1b4e09 voice.e6e43d30526d196b

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I tried again.1fe01593b5626b2a

“I know I’m being shameless, but… the situation is dire.”c97e6581c800a4a1

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“Young Lady is right. It’s not proper to leave a pregnant woman in such conditions,” Edan added firmly.0875e0c37f83582d

“Is it okay?” I asked.d5ccddcf2390d00f

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“…She can stay until her family arrives. Might keep you from running off again.”967f4366c1ab8053

Deon’s expression softened.feb92fa2c9aba6e7

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Still treating me 20a7b6551c like a mischievous 2cb2210d28 pet he was 28454ebf21 trying to house-train.02752988a77a98d1

I bit 9819787f71 my tongue 04719e1cc1 and went b88702088f to Elizabeth.864301eca41d94af

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“Lady, come with me. The Duke has given permission.”c257e19728ee8919

She stood slowly.e83ff683c79a05ed

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“…Am I not imposing?”e4c9bf8571ffed4d

“Don’t say that. Your presence will bring warmth. The North won’t feel as cold.”f62639728981778e

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She smiled faintly.7e82514e62cbd9c1

Soon Edan 7a0bf71a84 arrived with 359552f364 the Duke’s d905c36f41 carriage—a grand a1ab026a0c one, enough a236ed6338 for six.484abf976671705c

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As I stepped up, 562e7c067a Deon offered his hand.d1e3c092fa83f373

This time, I took 93cadf2e6e it without hesitation.980cf4f7506c1bc9

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He lifted c145a51b60 me inside 7017f2a108 with ease.bfd63816b7602956

The door 7c8a8f1e25 closed behind ab9b79b49d me. Edan locked it.0d31e2e69ebc97b5

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Deon sat 2206fc9571 across, arms 950333e456 crossed.c205a205e68e5336

“Young Lady, when you were kidnapped, did you see anything?”51c6b8e8c0db9533

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I thought back. Just before losing 1d1ed4427b consciousness—leather shoes, embroidered 45dca458bb in gold.041aa8cd41318960

“They had the royal emblem.”79d2ac4a00753364

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“The royal family?”cecade3fb53f61d2

“His men called him ‘Second Prince.’ He called me Caeon.”3dfa6e2cc20a774b

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“Azanti. Second Prince Azanti.”d76099532f16a81b

Edan nodded grimly.ab495b3e687ef9ad

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“So the mountain ambush might’ve been his doing too,” Deon muttered.2d32a834eabe0795

“We can’t let this go. The Duke’s estate is no longer safe.”98a39f1d80f678a0

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Edan’s voice shook.933a420cf4061832

“It’s a challenge. Only a few within the Duchy knew about Lady Leonie. Now the alliance could be at risk.”612a86dd72002a58

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Alliance?d1614c84330a6af4

So that’s 6ae92bf067 why the 67c7222bea Blood Corps 82e60654f1 left so bb9dbd31d0 easily.99cb73d871cc1b24

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I finally understood.4162dda359ce0ddb

If the alliance broke…3b4faaa8c4b9f868

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It wouldn’t end 3ebc0e8560 peacefully.f544ed6fadb290b3

The carriage suddenly b7d0331632 jolted. I stumbled a5596cf803 forward, about 1d4c189ebb to fall.b99f5f89c1dce898

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Deon caught me 7f5dc5f3e2 by the arm.4049a41a0e349366

Elizabeth covered 249ae7bc12 her mouth a6a41cd129 and leaned 0275d1e2f2 in.27acec48144d59cb

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“I knew it! He’s always protecting you. The rumors must be true, right? About the Lady of Romance?”462fc1f6cfa2569a

Her eyes sparkled.dce82992c73faf97

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“That—”ac1f8396b6ac74f6

Her once 0f9a59f01a gloomy face 369bc5d9fb lit up.ebaf603e45ba623e

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“It’s so romantic! I never imagined the Duke had such a side.”8975d402ff6c3c13

Yes. He cherishes me.3eb759b3cf2c3964

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To the point of 17c0a23e2a exhaustion.38bd8de319950fd2

Probably like a 349b1b2d45 lost trinket.ffbdab7a877f7659

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Or a 42a5bb9c54 stray puppy.60cf635f844df7f0

From afar, it might 9e062f02d8 look like a fairytale e1872d9a7b romance.52e2de99d263b080

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But up close—it 795ee3be95 was a thriller.a4242a252e15a64f

Perhaps good enough 6c21c3440a to serve as e0c0c823cc prenatal education for 9d985cf4b2 the Lady.8a27dbe767332c4e

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