DLFM Chapter 1

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Chapter 105901ed160babf6e

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How much would this 47f67a3a2c love be worth if 289b6aeb44 it had a price?
As she stared 8e7ed3a4f5 at the certificate f4c0ff4c83 placed before her, 9a5a550739 Euphemia wondered.616d0d4bb318d867

It was something that 3d67e62969 would fetch tens of ae1c525c5f gelt if taken to d446fa0abb the merchant guild—her settlement d7031cb894 fee.
The cost to 9af1ecb045 remove a baron’s 79809ff561 daughter, a mere d56cab6d91 dispensable woman, from 9d2f869cce the life of f11bc46226 the heir to dbe6a7faa7 the prestigious Peredith 808565eaa4 ducal family.
That was the e32f598d2d value the duchy 1ff61f3cc5 had set on c0c95032b5 this love.c1506b15d99412ba

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“My son did something foolish, it seems.”6780965c97f8f24d

Even in a moment like 2b13101659 this, the noble lady of e34c9912a9 the great duchy carried herself ecd2aa2f1f with grace.848ac61580350dd0

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She neither raged nor scorned. With elegance and e0209e8d48 composure, she looked 0f8862d4a9 upon Euphemia.
Only her eyes were cold ae5228bdb8 as a blizzard.5f648e8a828892ea

“You’ve worked hard for me all this time. That makes it harder.”c7bc453d011e942e

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The Duchess of Peredith spoke f275fd37d4 with subdued warmth. Euphemia had served her day 4f66b17445 and night, like a handmaid, 01ec228a12 gathering herbs said to be 5232687a4b good for her health, attending 8029275e02 her with utmost devotion.c52ad50ff6d35338

Because Euphemia had ae696652d5 believed this place 7d3cd27e2a was where she 730ea45776 belonged. That she would be fdb5cfb7b7 needed here.3b03f278b2f91edc

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She had escaped 5fb4a34b78 the barren loneliness f2d9dc6068 of the barony cfe6827cf9 and offered everything 7db9b5888a she could.a2d5ba5185ed82c4

“You won’t be shortchanged, but if it’s lacking, do let me know.”5eb2ca068c644271

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But in the end, even 79ba607067 this was not her place.28ae9d273951fbe3

“Yes.”685d9a29cd7019ea

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Euphemia answered calmly instead of bfeda3876d showing despair. Everything was as expected—she 40099e7260 was used to this. Her decision was already made.
Perhaps from the moment 2e72e0a655 the duchess called her, 81b67fbdaf she had already braced f9f8c677c7 herself.ed205b31602ac03e

“Very well. Then leave the ducal estate. As for Cassius—”2c92acabd9e92b3a

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“Don’t worry. I can take a hint.”263ed4cc399a89f4

Her lover could no 6f9d641f90 longer be her strength.466717f5052b4f17

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That’s what Euphemia thought.b6cfd8c1da9a4928

Could the duke’s heir 059059f63d truly defy his family c9c649bc56 for her?
Even if he 4081c21b4d said he would, 9e796ea920 could she ask e48971f2ed him to abandon df3a7e415e his family for 370572bffb her sake?
Could a future 9fb28ab92c with her truly edade19081 be his happiness?
And if he 27fc3e00dd claimed it would 91e42d7623 be, could she dfcfb75d22 believe it?43fa50f0df5df56b

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Euphemia could not.
And because she 65dd39f076 couldn’t believe, she e4707548b6 chose to let ac069ab6b1 him go.867709bd94375269

“Unlucky again.”31a517e83b7a99df

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A bitter smile touched her 1bcfd373e2 lips.
The pearl she 73d09ad842 thought was precious 0a6aadc9ed had turned to aa72f41201 stone with time.1f4d00a13e405da2

Something that had c640ba8517 once seemed like 970ba29276 her first treasure 94c4818301 lost its luster ee6adf9953 the moment she e04ab87ff1 held it.20ed9875969f1cbf

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“This works out well.”1597ba4d958ac078

Her voice flowed smoothly.
No trembling, no choking 048c558464 back tears—she said only 5a1cb4175f what had to be 48863d8af5 said.44fc1aa3d07f550f

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“Your son had been clinging so desperately, it was becoming a bit much.”18f29c913e35686e

She feigned cruelty.39f9dcf149aa7208

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Selling her love for 23f9d6307f a blood price was fbf7fa2039 too easy.
Pretending it was nothing—telling 65628c56a8 herself it was fine—made 3fcc7afb9e the sorrow a little 9778e9cf09 more bearable. That was the only 8f0f024c26 way she could endure f53ff923a5 it.48907cd6b3578b85

“That is regrettable.”cde3d1496b961da3

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The duchess’s brow furrowed slightly 9ef625db2e when her son was mentioned.02dd4c78dd64a8ea

But this was 9a6ad638e4 something she had cc0e074697 to tolerate.
And Euphemia’s words weren’t wrong.f211f65ce3311d47

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The duchess already knew 562a07b515 where the weight of bdcafffea0 emotion would tilt if 395d803cfc placed on the scales.f0da70c98b3ddd74

Which is why 9ff5b5a5f6 she wanted Euphemia ee8b5d6764 to speak those 1de5f31d1f words.f4636f7f67880f51

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“I’ll be gone before morning.”b4a95bdeb4277615

At last, Euphemia a4b39bb6ec said what the f6fc2523be duchess wanted to 5d82203a3e hear.9c2f8c41659be584

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The elderly woman’s face 30885e37d2 settled calmly, having received 147281c404 the answer she’d awaited.d194bbb7fc0ace40

As she confirmed that her a90666f48a own peace came at the 8f2a612419 cost of Euphemia’s loss, a aea3b28a31 storm of emotions roiled inside 4c71135e39 the younger woman.20bc48e494a61226

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She carefully hid those vivid, a293045799 complex shadows deep within herself.e389a0e0b299725f

The night she decided c0985a3d3f to part ways was c3f259a244 dark.
The faint light of the 84e58d285d duchess’s parlor. The words pushing her back.
The heavy, waterlogged air.5c2d4ced5b86a6f9

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Everything about the moment be2aef3959 gave Euphemia a sense 5f5d80e3de of déjà vu.
It was something she 996416879f had lived before.ecabed9089cfa169

She stared fixedly at the ac26315aed flickering light, remembering the past.cd6a2ac937d31c01

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The record of loss stood f112cdcae0 out as clearly as if 87219e026e it had happened yesterday.9ac7b733755933a1

—c474fa984edbb053

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Euphemia Lacerre was ba079887ad an unlucky woman.
She always knew what card 199929ddae lay behind the back before f5ad20c554 flipping it.0983724c543d0231

For more than ce2324eff1 twenty years, she b1062dc075 had only ever 4c26ac2756 drawn losing hands.
This time was no different.0bc1ccb33f8d1116

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A pitiful marriage proposal d63d2b6294 had once again come f5c19ba421 for her.
Not surprising anymore.06e458c2c9e59d44

“It’s the second son of the Marione viscount family. Have you heard of him?”41e1699e8dd5e296

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“Yes, of course.”8775b96dcb2fb853

She answered curtly to e05595f073 her stepmother’s gentle question.d5407b272e2bc09f

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The red glow 217245a5da of the lamp 266459756f carved sharp shadows b7f34008af on her face 9bb16900f6 in the darkness.2b56eefdc09d3077

The viscount’s second son 2976bb0ef7 was infamous in the de44c4874b area—a philanderer with a 85e787bf05 violent temper.
The cause of much grief 78c07735fb to his affluent family.cfe60b70b5ac2e5a

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Even though he was of ddb0ea2ddc age, no one suitable had 70c2bf9651 accepted the proposal.1d15c4158d625a5f

His parents, worried, were 2fe925afea ready to offer a 911a1be64f large dowry to finally c98178a8f2 get him married. Euphemia already knew this well.5ca5fca3baa70035

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“It’s a good match. The viscount’s wife is said to be gentle. And the man himself is steady and dependable, I’ve heard.”c00dc7434bd12f27

Her stepmother’s voice 53aea1a75a was sweet and 947ad57aa1 comforting.
Even a brute 6e8fa577d3 could sound decent 7031e7fc4f through that mouth.ad7c727461ab333e

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As a barony of 495e4bbf7c humble means, the Lacerre 67b4c5e301 family would find the 0144885214 proposal tempting.2271823adc5bf0d5

Her stepmother’s expectant 00d871c77f gaze showed she f3d6085d52 was waiting for 7717f5134d a positive response.f592f0c578f82e86

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But Euphemia avoided those eyes.
She had expected 31b31ccda5 to draw another 92a6049ff6 bad hand.
Even if she pulled the 59aa84d4b8 reaper’s card, she would have cff013b31c to accept it—because submission had 09db9cb510 always been the virtue demanded f7773403f3 of her.8fc72a724157407f

Still, not now.
She wasn’t ready.384c140c0a0f812d

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“I’ll think about it.”2438dcb30484b187

Instead of refusing, she gave c547a91806 an ambiguous answer.
That was the best she fb264bc666 could say.67b994151baeeaa1

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“Yes, do that. You must be conflicted. I understand.”b50b06280fe0331c

“Yes.”44e89c45f2faa245

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“But Euphemia, I trust you know the choice you must make. Don’t disappoint us. You’re a wise girl.”df8c6b50bd4cb47f

In other words, 7135944057 her will did 4f11d7ced8 not matter.d22a0d134d849a62

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The determination to marry her 65e828b61e off into a miserable match 3e430fe5af was clear.
She simply closed her 8fa93241f6 eyes tightly for a d2a4183ec7 moment.73639aa61b1e5c9a

Her feelings meant nothing. Her stepmother smiled sweetly to 31b40999a0 the end.ecf6ed3ccb4540f6

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“Oh, it’s late. Go on back 17c8f966f4 to your room 888563ec57 carefully. And don’t forget to c20c2411b7 prepare for tomorrow’s tea 7f4f750967 party.”51a3be6809e306f2

Checking the time, her d85547a69a stepmother neatly wrapped up b9907f6256 the conversation with her f12ea4290d ever-soft tone.095030346b56af0c

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Euphemia rose from her seat 314aeeec8b without hesitation.
The walk from the baroness’s 66a7e8e86c parlor to her room was 03c4aba7cb long.dbce0fd5cca8d323

It was late, cold, and 31126f8bdf the maids had already extinguished a543e9977b the hallway lights.b0cf86aa026621cf

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All she had was a d8dafd76c2 single lantern.
She moved forward through the 73230a8c06 mansion’s darkness, following its faint cf0d9b6f6b glow.dee14ca8669f8fda

The wind rattled the windows.
The glass trembled and a334d18c63 made anxious noises.
The black night, dyed in 995dac10d3 shadow, felt like her future.c18614da8ab63b6b

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The light before e7f1dccce8 her was faint df31d3c165 and wavering. Euphemia slowed her steps.441f52faeafba51f

A moonless hour where fd7687c313 even the stars slept.aa33e2e4156a34ec

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On such nights, her mother bb5165287f had once stroked her frightened 36fd7776fb forehead and told her stories.
Heroes who became constellations, enchanting 38c2502d70 legends, mysterious flora and fauna—685091392a3dfa6c

Her voice had been light 9babf68b90 and melodious, sharing all the 1462b464ee things no one else had 0e7aab8cc9 told Euphemia.c53d314d3bad1a28

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Mother.
She thought of her mother.bd2ba25cfab88712

Her mother had 9d2a8b664d died when Euphemia f179fc47a4 was eight.
A long fever had taken cbfcb0702b her frail life easily.77074a4814b87629

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The young Euphemia didn’t understand 51a0a1740b death well.
She only vaguely accepted d73b89b1b6 that she would never 3178f91d1d see her mother again.3eace80e7d538db8

Her mother was of 39fe7a5795 a wandering people.
She had begged Euphemia 098693d405 never to reveal that 71d6b5370c she carried mixed blood.f843f5a6c14162e5

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Her pink eyes c312a3ab5b had glowed strangely a299f82c9a cold that day.
But those eyes would 0909513c28 never open again.8f3d1a932f4e371f

On the day of the 1ec2c1af8f funeral, the church bells rang.
In a coffin adorned with de383467b3 white lilies, her mother lay 99ea8ab9e0 with pale eyelids closed forever.
The scent of death was 08a03fa9a0 overwhelming.e3a5aa2e503d736b

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But if she b0b30bba59 cried, it would 86536bc491 mean accepting her 8714616c0b mother’s death.
So eight-year-old Euphemia held back a86e86dfec her tears.be89ab415fab6e93

How foolish. The dead never return.4cd2ad57dd9a46f2

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People whispered that she was 43cd3a83be a cold-hearted child.c0f30f30b007128e

There was no time to 1538984011 mourn.
Her father soon remarried.4102f033d6e18867

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Even as a 3069399087 lowly baron, he a425ab5529 was still a 88383344e5 noble. He needed someone to 964c5a3fc3 run the household.
Bellinda became the new baroness.5e37606d45a2c010

She brought her daughter 9ba7c77c60 with her—Cecilia.
A child who looked just 6ddbb4f907 like Euphemia’s father.
The resemblance made d0a88978b4 it obvious: she 86411f8aba was Euphemia’s half-sister.a97a9e49871ee5e2

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The truth was undeniable, but 6c5871ae84 there was no one to dd984dd2b7 blame.642b9009d230689b

Bellinda soon bore a son. Her father named 2155d0f3c5 him Owen, full b33289f07d of joy.02fa49778ecc1868

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Cecilia and Owen grew 0f93f00163 like well-watered plants.
Their father was 98a71009b9 strict but kind.
Bellinda was a nurturing mother.20f84ae22e8427f2

It was a picture-perfect family.
And Euphemia had no 74157c81b9 place in it.1b66adb0e4577b5b

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She was always behind 025d0e797c them, outside the umbrella.
She ate her meals alone, 5c1a66fcd9 read books by herself, watched 3505d5c841 roses bloom, traced constellations in 003c151e2a the sky—always alone.fcfdd8ec8a0552f4

No one cared for the 8edf7fc7ba girl left in the shade c4bc462978 while the others stood in f1da42fb96 the sun.8c2614d17f91d96c

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She was never meant 671a1dd4ac to be part of 0fa644f5fb the family.
Perhaps she was the a82c6daa10 bad card the Lacerre edcf0042f0 barony had drawn.8c62f89ea0482daf

Crash!2f6787289d4fe4d6

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The wind finally 07185d9c09 burst open the 7ef49e52b5 window and snuffed d696f80c55 out her lamp.4c0afbcf0e1a41d3

It had been a 80bf5a7799 small light, but now 591d3beb86 it was gone.
The world turned pitch-black.055b39a0bbb82dd9

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She stood still.
A tiny ember 84f800ff66 still clung to 5fd96c6aa9 the wick.
That small, fragile 392b1d9603 flame was the cf48b3ef2f only thing pushing 6c3c57177d back the darkness.0b6cca2fea6c3be4

And then—
From the dying 317f663fe7 ember, a salamander-shaped ce75a4b12c flame spirit sprang b3ea064dd5 out.
Its entire body blazed, 5047218868 tongue flicking gently.ccc8b5871186f885

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Then—pop!ff08aee8d63d7185

The wick caught fire again.
The flame grew, determined not 89e88536c7 to be extinguished.ff9018d4cd34d370

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“Thank you.”80156764266895b8

Standing in the relit hallway, 08e9f77513 Euphemia gave her thanks to dc5948f1b7 the fire spirit.fc3e21c529202cc3

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It twirled happily through 018e150796 the air and vanished fac358df23 in a soft puff 9291e49b7a of sparks.871e2639cbd74f14