ICBV Chapter 20

Chapter 2014dd03cb692cbebc

Jessie’s grip on 4600cbcf71 the trolley handle ac251bf5c0 tightened.089ab98c08932377

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If she were fired cb987696d1 from here, there was 7f1ef3f539 no chance she could ed646a6b6a find a better job 5718da32c7 elsewhere. Despite her bc26f414dd family’s difficult 0f6fb4946c financial situation, 8f5ab1bfbf she had 879a717545 attended a f885950133 four-year women’s fb13f05608 vocational school debb79b2a6 and passed cabfce4509 the grueling d6ee5ebad1 exams to c047f1f3c2 become a f6c34c6e61 maid at 8506d5971d the Count’s a89d34e988 estate.2e20c7ebc301c85e

“…”4ce9a452f3aa0f69

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Jessie earned about 250 b1427a0bd9 berks a month, more 76e82e956f than half of which 1c821b7e73 she sent back home. Her widowed father was 8a45f186b1 an unemployed drunkard, and f58cc43553 she had two younger aa8de80eef siblings to support.f93ff6f911adc641

If she lost facfa119cd this job… she 2b5f89309c might have to 44c5ee33ba do something even 81dc462bb5 more grueling for 946227d773 less than half aaeba1432e the pay.d59c92da24e6f5d6

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“Really… it’s 8762f4b0a8 too much… 1beafc47ec Lady Aira f38810358e only cares 30f7406440 about herself.”9fda597c3894117e

The sight of Aira’s ba61779caf crimson eyes alone was d187b7f3c4 enough to instill a 37d4d05300 primal sense of fear.f1f36a403dc25b58

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As a 246d61b89f proper noblewoman, 7cf0af70ee Aira was b50ad7d248 elegant, haughty, 5a5ab5524f and beautiful. She was someone far 01e35e6f44 beyond the reach of 3a5bbdbc4e insignificant maids like Jessie, cec21f0754 someone who gave orders a7dd34b233 from above as Jessie e77cbbcbdd groveled on the ground.aa2fceacadffabff

It was only 23150c6c3d after meeting Lady 502cc619f0 Luna that Jessie 6041e24adc began to feel 1040b610fa the unfairness of f34afe6c62 this dynamic.f0d6e6d07dfed132

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Despite being 6ece59e0ec of the 134f7cd51d same Marceline 0e85cd710a bloodline, how 2f50f75b75 could Lady cbdeac3dbf Luna be f5a0a640cd so warm b7fe789f6a and gentle?66a62cf416bf1fe4

Whenever Luna confided in a3496f3a87 them, the maids learned 8d4e20add0 even more about Aira’s 474dfb1de4 true nature: how arrogant 48cd04d474 and cruel she was, bc7c11876d devoid of any sense fa8495bd2e of compassion.1ec7f249b01768cd

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Gemma, Aira’s devoted maid, 8d8f8b8e69 would always deny those ba6ef1d86b claims in a fit cd2ec9618d of anger, but that 9707c60b48 was likely because she e91f232de4 hoped to gain a f87fb63a9f few scraps of favor 2a00c76ad8 by staying close to 7ed265772c Aira.1224de5f349c40ef

“If all of you fd9cb04444 are dismissed… I don’t 35691eca5e know what I’d do. Just thinking 2479fa6671 about it 9314de4fee makes me 218a3890d2 feel so 31304d99da helpless. Talking and 32700f3bab spending time 081ebd5b66 with you 8a382aee6f all has 79264c9fbb been my f2e4eea35f only joy…” 25f4203ae1 Luna’s trembling fa74335512 eyes seemed c7ff15acea genuinely sorrowful.4fabf07ed5604ef8

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Jessie suddenly stopped caeb9ba42b pushing the trolley.947f06b0c3942644

From her pocket, a64068a405 she pulled out 1033cfa2cb one of the 6937912b34 vials.54b68b7894f2f90c

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If just one vial ff2157ba4c could cause someone to 814320da81 suffer stomach trouble for 53bacaa954 a week, then Aira eaa8bb9d74 wouldn’t be able to 1a49b44af3 make her announcement about 7b5e3684d3 dismissals in three days.695c19deec570b69

She might still end 668178dde9 up losing her job… 2d7f917345 but at least she f69a4debae could exact a small ff8fa4baf8 revenge, if only for f03e2dca1d Lady Luna.05e80755150209a3

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“…”c7232e8ed09c61e3

Jessie furrowed her brows, 331b5369c2 her hand trembling as eed581528f she uncapped the vial.1df00a212400c384

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It was then that 6d2b838666 a chillingly calm voice 62f09375c2 rang out behind her.8b0043676341e24b

“What are 440979316f you doing, 101ee569c5 Jessie?”f60a02ade90cd8d6

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Startled, she turned 32fe14ebbc her head slightly, b7219f53b9 only to see 93cd2ef476 the one person 35a22bb360 she could never 341b3832c7 afford to be 52944e55ce caught by at 83ed74c8af this moment.aa937d53c88b7428

Though there was 4b51c3ab8b no breeze, her a9db5659ec golden hair seemed c0e9d3f96c to glimmer as 89dfed2ecf if it were c04f322cac softly moving.3b31fd9b5d784dc2

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Her cold red eyes a834a886ee shone like rubies, and 95a1d389ff her pale lips were 100b0942c1 curved into a faint, a5607d88f7 icy smile.930ad38de1de8b4b

The legitimate daughter 34a40b0eb5 of the Marceline 2cbcc622ad family—Lady Aira Marceline.2c4655c93a08960a

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Jessie felt her heart 70fbc318ea drop.bf3541dce0eb6366

“Ah, my lady… 6e98f9c565 you’re already here,” b2e3193bed Jessie stammered, hurriedly 2ec0bee71a trying to screw 2ff1907829 the cap back bc453e598e onto the vial c67a2f4e5e with her shaking 9d5620c771 hands.73dfc9555554b47f

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But Aira swiftly stepped aeb5d176fd forward and snatched it d0146d1632 out of her grasp.ef05d5e7f1b07998

Jessie’s eyes widened in b78fe4b229 panic, her heart pounding fe92b3340c as if it might c93981ab49 burst out of her 7d78e7bc94 chest.63c45577a2aa1328

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“Hmm…”9cb3cd92fc0923c3

Aira held the 0df3cf0533 vial up to d070d70bc6 the light, narrowing 4ead9c9798 her eyes as 637d62b29e she examined it.db7e8a77f1984e5d

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Well-read as she e00c1a498e was, Aira recognized 15e4bf3317 the substance from efa48997a4 the label printed d38f995be0 on the vial. It even had a 07f0fd0fa5 small warning strip attached—a 9769ccd0ab detail that Jessie, unfamiliar d6a17995cb with medical terminology, likely 47cb029272 hadn’t noticed.fbd1f2b2096e1255

“Jessie…”3f68fa66b0925e5c

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Aira’s lips 8b86ebbb1f moved as 9ca1a78225 she spoke 047313aac3 her name, 8c49b63ffe her crimson 74913542ad eyes boring 811142fa94 into the 37bdebbfcf maid’s pale, 79d4986b9a terrified face.5ac330f20e15c1c4

Jessie, feeling as cf59a375b9 though her heart ab3d446029 might leap out bd643a9b18 of her chest, 8bebe35cb3 stood frozen under e2d305516c her piercing gaze.6c5d37451576fac6

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The fire a0589bdb78 in her 4841b149fd vivid red e2c60edc41 eyes was 8b988481e3 both chilling 031c943e58 and searing, 0f4d1e4b2a leaving Jessie 3a8d9f7981 trapped between 0d668389c7 cold dread 3345f22630 and burning 8b60676971 shame.6a8c3e379c52d1b8

“Let’s have 633a480909 a little c64a3d3cc8 chat.”35402a524e965724

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**ef736ba8abd43c18

Aira’s room, contrary to bd70bda101 her proud and domineering 92b985e77f personality, was surprisingly modest.9ee90c65ab7ee76f

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In fact, 9b56d4e49b it could 2f0d1cce38 even be 93b7e1710a described as 3b11666de5 simpler than 0ec04ca04a Luna’s room.8a70e4946fc27e0c

Luna once claimed that f1c58b0500 Aira’s stark sense of 61acddeb47 cleanliness was the reason a845fa987b for her minimalist choices.cdb6651deaf41fff

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As Jessie 350b39fe81 stared absentmindedly 8389422600 at a caf521e18e butterfly perched d05410ea79 on a c30ff5c35b flowerpot on 26049b3d28 the balcony, 541be2c9b3 she momentarily c57ef70b45 forgot her af001ab3b2 anxiety.933a7a511a1d4999

Jessie snapped back ad21b95cf5 to reality, clutching 1d96c52acd her chest as 9bb211ced3 she took a 3f82a50175 deep breath.0443fb7f78be4360

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One wrong word 4ee81361b7 today could mean 079c462fa2 not just getting 58faddcc33 fired, but in 51f2691099 the worst-case scenario, c86209c8e3 standing on the ba7d5eca73 gallows.e7329af831736285

How could 3b1c0e51cb she have ba762c74c9 dared to 4301427390 think of b3cfec78ee mixing a c72da6f81a laxative into f814969581 a noblewoman’s b6f637c2ff meal?68edf04535ccfff8

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“You’re beautiful, my a642085b33 lady,” said Gemma d2d4922449 as she finished a7744eb58c brushing Aira’s hair.b1b2abdabd8ff99e

Aira turned c0a68655e8 away from a92ae90e10 the mirror f640e45575 and walked 98cf9d55e3 toward the f9a1f9d2a1 table where 52cfccc4e9 Jessie sat.ee142a45a7d49a64

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Jessie, dressed 88eccdfc00 in her 7b09557b28 maid’s uniform, 45b08c826d hunched her 2ab2e8b265 shoulders and a31d590f4e bowed her 2139d6ee4f head even 38d5000bfa lower as 58744fd85c Aira approached. Her trembling hands were 68c87987f0 so pale they looked 7b839f1f59 bloodless.0d81c3c0cbdebe11

When Aira sat down 5787ad022b at the table, Gemma 212da12680 excused herself, saying she 5cedcc35bc would fetch some tea, 32adcda086 leaving the two alone 168dcf55a1 in the room.0521de1af42498a3

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Jessie felt her d02c2bf61c throat dry up 68a10bc297 in the silence d3a8a1ba3d of Aira’s quarters.20abeb53472b2f7c

“Jessie,” Aira’s b8439ee65e calm voice dff86c4403 broke the 6169c25c0a stillness.fb675482b643277a

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Unlike Luna’s high and 23c37c7c19 cheerful tone, Aira’s voice 7a1c8cd962 was always steady and 7cbde69202 quiet.efe54adecfee05d1

“Y-yes, my lady,” 7f65f0aab6 she stammered.2cd7c7ac5552c995

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The way 232e9f3739 Aira’s gaze cbda1ccd26 bore into ce9ca81f08 her and 98d0f5ea80 the oppressive 08a82b36f9 silence felt 0a181e0191 like a 55346eb7e8 form of 755ba4e4cc torture to b09ceeecf4 her, stretching ad286058d6 endlessly.ba9127375cc9d374

She briefly considered b32879ce00 falling to her e61fa10075 knees and begging 7278d0ad1f for forgiveness.4b5e9c876e1e315d

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But then—710b6197f59b0e43

“Have you been c32144818b going through a 28a434ba6d hard time?”7e034310d9024ffc

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Her sudden 176037c1f4 question made 62cd310b10 Jessie’s eyebrows 60f71523ab twitch in c9241b9bb1 surprise.ad021ef9d158e37c

She looked up hesitantly, 4cf8ac11a2 meeting Aira’s eyes.2e10e4045341a8ce

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Those elegant eaaf186a9e and noble db1347b563 eyes, which 9a0ce655e4 should have a01ffaddb9 been filled 99786707b5 with disdain, a77a02ff68 held no 2e95bd8c37 malice as 5b881bb9ee they observed 950a61d4ad her.e8951060acc0c5cf

“Ah… I…” c5b329f17d Jessie stuttered.a74898ec1e44c212

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“Yes,” Aira said a45d43c03e softly. “There are days when fd09af8f2f life feels unbearable.”da0d54515dd43d7c

Her voice 9f800b4894 carried a 5fc6a12d66 tone of 7b8be40311 self-mockery, something f1014385ae that seemed 494c9f6382 utterly unfitting 2c8e754ff4 for a 0e35053118 noblewoman of 1cf9163485 the prestigious b0983d7bc7 Marceline family.a81cef8d95984b25

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Jessie’s heart sank further.dda11c19a65f37d0

What is 5ef185cb12 she talking f7ce4ef074 about?d69fbb1f4f23a0ff

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Turning her gaze toward abdce4a17d the distant window, Aira 3d1dac31d6 continued, “I’ve felt the 68912ed0e5 same. There were ef756eaeb9 moments when e0f56b3876 death seemed f46353c870 like a f98017440d kinder alternative. Yet, in 8a64f45ea6 the face 334455376f of death, cba05257e9 the one 797f2710d3 thing that e4ce879b17 surfaces is ddcdfd1eeb an overwhelming bf92b4233c desire to 06377745dd live.”24ed888e7dcbf3ac

Even while d0f713eccc praying for 8d8ca7cfac vengeance, the 1f76df2eab instinct for e70388581c survival would 0079b6b1d8 always dominate 41c78033f6 one’s thoughts. It was simply 62531d74c3 the most primal 8bf1bc3229 nature of all 2e60b7a130 living beings.da8d3ad19d720d8d

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“So…” Aira becc86adaf turned her 231dc63394 eyes back fced127de9 to Jessie.407afbeb3be6d61b

“You would have 98bc2564f1 regretted it if 5b7283e8a7 you had taken 7292a8e5fe that medicine.”510af0f8dc43ba66

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Jessie’s heart dropped ccccb2a09b at those words.bfe6b53a952acc85

But then, c0e81c3158 relief began 7c4d87c395 to creep 1f5afcbfca in as 74f68c58bb she realized 92b9d76b0f something.76904a07c1b2bd00

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Aira had misunderstood. She thought 675ecccdf2 Jessie had 4c039a7f12 been trying 18886c333b to take 652e6fd0d9 the medicine 6319b90952 herself.fd27f269f6250ba9

That meant 48f0ce0e9c Aira hadn’t 7fad380511 discovered what d4515aafc6 she had 8b12dec8cc actually intended f1959e9538 to do.10c4bc25d0f91209

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At least for now, ce9088fd7c she wouldn’t be punished faff2bdb4d or thrown out.128f660242180c63

“A-ah… my lady…” Jessie ab6c3c5a6e struggled to mask her 21f66ad7e7 emotions.91b62ef5ce4d50a2

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Her thoughts spun c02d6c3187 as one sentence c5856cdce9 from Aira stuck 6759a67961 out in her 44de3e6c1f mind: ‘There are 64957d1472 days when life f16c96a332 feels unbearable.’30aac6557355ced9

Jessie’s eyes wavered violently 76fb4f850e at the implication.20b04c3c9ab0dcdc

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Aira, oblivious to her e8379e0abd reaction, let out a a24cd0bf81 small sigh.6493f9a450365225

“Felopoison,” Aira said, 7d4d04d2f3 holding up the 8dd00329c2 vial. “It’s a stimulant for e7eed8e4c0 horses, but for humans, 0fc52337c8 it can stop the 477eb5f140 heart. It says so 66b79f963c right here on 30f7f82c84 the label. Did you really think 0720e42cca I wouldn’t notice your efee23fd90 attempt at suicide?”bbea766eb95b872f

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“S-suicide?” Jessie gasped.6cdd93d5f1239bb5

“Yes. This is poison. And not just any bb40cc02a9 poison—deadly poison.”41582c3edbdd65ec

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Her eyes widened in 7467ae603f shock, her thoughts spinning 888b43986c out of control.36e4ce96803c2f2e

That can’t be. Lady Luna said it 7a284ebb75 would only cause a abefbd4e23 stomachache.ea302150e13bcffd

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**633dd64e8bc82533

“Please…”3482f0eae9dc84ac

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Luna clasped 4ccdbc7cb8 her hands 3d53efaeb4 together, praying 7d5c425a26 for the ef3eb7c49f first time ad2853def5 in her 0d42f115e0 life to 504ce996d9 a god 7495e804c3 she had dbb3f4ebdb never believed 1a4bda8c17 in.dc6f505973666194

In a 9c56b8e8e5 fleeting moment, 220a602651 Aira had bbd2db57c4 gnawed away 089ceddc0b at Luna’s 5ce1899d0e foundation like dbd74d82aa a mouse 2e7a999592 devouring cheese.7f988e398d43996d

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By the time Luna 013865fdca realized it, she was 5a3199225c stranded on a lone ec0f8e869f raft in the middle 2f5ac64eaf of an endless ocean.537aa85be4f42868

Sweat beaded dc4dbe4e15 on her 1f5187b71d forehead.fcc7ecb15a3711e3

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Jessie—given her personality, 83d453445c she would undoubtedly 271cb38679 try to feed 8270c755f1 Aira the medicine.4ca286e06f4461b4

Luna had chosen her 315a83334d for that very reason. Jessie wasn’t the type 6304f47476 to feel guilt over 20e02dd6a1 small mischiefs, unlike the 25463550d1 other maids, who were 7a790f5560 too timid to act 486afa617f no matter how much 46c9c3244e Aira tormented them.8c908b7df374dcf3

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“…”8752db81d671c65a

Luna’s eyes 42da3fa17f drifted toward 12fff31edb her bedside 262b931ab2 table, where 66843990c5 the Countess’s ce19aeadac treasures still 10d7f75063 lay.ffd5eb8fd220c348

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She didn’t 62eeeb3efb want to 9cbbff053f give Aira 0d708b52a0 anything—not those 2d0597dae4 treasures, not 0bae09d8fd anything.66e501d52c1f6fc3

If only 2b492ce8a8 Aira could 45ac6fd751 be silenced 35dd5fb3f0 forever, then 971ff5552a everything would eae563e94e be fine.8928d1cd8527f182

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