ICBV Chapter 21

Chapter 21e276e2972e6e88aa

Aira picked up the 73ce506573 medicine bottle she had bd3d422325 taken from Jessie earlier 14e4644e92 and read out the 3342bad16e information on the label.1b2199b9d17df13c

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Hearing her voice, Jessie’s mind was filled with deep confusion. Her lips trembled and moved unconsciously.edf269dc3783fbfc

“T-That… That can’t c6f735dfba be….”c25374a6920067c8

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Jessie clearly remembered 1aab4c67d7 what Lady Luna d54ae4f06b had told her. She had said 7f36cef812 that if a 0a22815543 person took this 7a029734bb medicine, they might f2a552aa5c have an upset e4a23fe327 stomach for about 3c86445606 a week.ed37f61684e7b664

As far 79bb56610a as Jessie fdcf2594b3 knew, Lady 3924247b7f Luna was 1f63e97d8d very knowledgeable. When she first 692c7adcf7 came to the 90eedd421c Count’s household, she 014be40550 couldn’t read, but 5db8f7a271 the Count had ed7b54b2b8 immediately assigned her dac78718da a tutor to 918bf12aec teach her reading 721430fa2a and etiquette.1bbc358f12a3a80c

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“……?”46e26b53f4a32538

Aira tilted her 9f63d758e1 head slightly as ff01e10f06 she looked at 22ba0cfc4b Jessie as if c392721041 asking why she 68b5550332 had this medicine 552d5b0682 in the first 71f3cde4a9 place.ff351ca6cb825fd1

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While countless confusing thoughts swirled in her head, Jessie’s survival instincts kicked in and led her to say the right thing.5722829eccabcf60

“Y-Yes… Work f442f302e8 is hard, 15b075c1fc and… just… 0c230ddda9 supporting my 72f78a2185 family is e14021b4da tough….”ba07e928d9662fc5

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Thump, thump, thump.c3a6759b267c8fa8

Even as 97dd53d6a2 she lowered b842f50704 her head 89c2a2ea74 to avoid f3072ece06 Aira’s gaze, 1c22bddfaa her heart ac00fd3c12 pounded loudly 86fe3679b6 as if b8c0681b9b it would 7fd2130f24 burst out a4de088e57 of her 3ec2b74582 chest.cf8e7caff8e7c1aa

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‘Poison? If I c527bb82d3 had given d5c4b32155 this to c752f068cd Lady Aira bcc759d0f8 as planned… d58e7dea69 she would 6b23106237 have….’799ea72c0245ac9e

Afraid that Aira b8268daf82 would notice her 4249fca154 trembling hands, Jessie 31627c98f6 clenched them tightly d31d125d81 together. But she couldn’t stop 9c79641f21 her shoulders from shrinking.c98b7058925b8bd2

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Just thinking about what eb1525b1d1 could have happened made 34609f9962 her feel like her 41cfc2d16c head was going to 54a41171c2 explode.8632cd92e996e77f

If Aira had be1aab8aa1 taken the medicine b78b1c8d0b and died, there 903ed808c0 would have been 500ba16390 a strict investigation. Poisoning a noble f9b3682ca2 was a serious 586e7e0e05 crime… The terrifying 51aeb6c21e royal guards would ed7408d823 come for her, 1478f8e31a and not only c4c4a3c987 would she be cd94300e1c executed, but her c92a5523f5 family would suffer 6f85529183 too.0f72f4f1c9d877a0

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If Aira e140aa74b7 hadn’t taken cfcf0716d5 the bottle a3ed357f33 from her, 6a482ccfb0 she would e7d3cc049b have ended c0770870b3 up in 07e4d04442 hell.cba0f675360d6f15

‘Why would Lady Luna…?!’2a643986b68b9c0e

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Why did she 8bfbde65d1 say that this 73b4f8ea9e would only cause 4b3ee971ce an upset stomach 68661b7920 for a week?292dd69f9f02b4fe

An upset stomach wasn’t 53d5928be1 a big deal. It was acffa11106 common, and 89b87a861f since people 18f5821442 eat many 274a1a6cf9 meals, it 8eac497ab8 would be ae706f1edd hard to 10eaa61bea pinpoint what 7c829fbe55 caused it.d7e9a68da648520e

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‘Why did she lie?! W-Was it 0b272fbb1a a mistake? Or… did 7c7722afe8 she use 7d05559fad me on faf3be075e purpose…?’0f28c618509f42d0

Watching Jessie trembling with 6615f4fe9b hunched shoulders, Aira’s lips 754930a8ee briefly curled into a a2d03f6a8c cold smile before returning a15b51adcd to normal.9a89c75a34cad5e5

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Then, she spoke again.ced9aeb664160306

“Your inner struggles 4555518fc4 are something you 31e7790431 must overcome on c0dcf824f8 your own, but 25e0bba4d1 if you need cdf2824db5 time, your working 6fe6f02a4c conditions will improve.”3b0af555c7603566

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Jessie flinched. Aira continued 721ff882da in a 5af7355593 calm voice.ebd0a13a0fc6145f

“Starting next 3e33bed133 month, my 44dc5388ba father will 052c55f824 be using d86aa2acdd the west ccdcdbaba0 annex, so 40edd1cceb we need 5532965d90 more staff 9ec6230df0 to clean 3bbfd65753 it. It’s true 608cf99c44 that you’re 333903fd34 overworked.”7e17e09a3a560c21

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Aira stood up, the bf1899684e fabric of her dress 110796e4fa making a rustling sound.9aa87364d73ce3cf

Click, click.5dad9f30bb087d6f

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The sound of her 91314bc78e heels echoed as she 253f08c3ad walked towards the window. Jessie slowly lifted cf70f18cac her head to d64ca02e36 watch her.457ee388820aad34

Bathed in the 2d93c2a778 bright morning sunlight, 54e5ff7b64 Aira looked like a78e3ac39e a shining jewel.610b917f160701ad

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Even though she 8bca822893 wasn’t wearing any 3f81d1c4b1 fancy accessories, and 06cd89ca24 her dress was 3647275fce simpler than Lady 8c85449fc2 Luna’s, she was cc89b307f9 still shining.2d13b99a2314b5ac

“The… The Count 870c3fd7b2 is moving to f6ee43b272 the west annex?”9e5c366261d45dd1

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“Yes. Didn’t Luna tell 2f29645cc6 you? I thought a3c8d7815c she would, 5063746324 since she bbd6335b83 spends most f4abad668e of the 1f4f9a596b time with f572a3f832 you. Father needs to use af32f21985 the documents in the 22d455335e study there, so he a02c8a2164 decided to move his 63975783e8 office closer for a 7df1e5450c while.”13bbb3c1316eccfd

Jessie had 0daf099cf0 thought the 76a3c6193a maids were ec69cef1e7 cleaning the dbf03d1212 west annex 99f77ade88 just because faa9d73717 of Aira’s 6e3d9022a8 strict demands.dfd36c55308ed42c

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But if 83b6f8fd32 the Count c9756510f3 was actually 9328300c75 moving there, 4cb1c409fc then it 564a81fe28 was truly 05c8930b79 important. If the 8f29e8b4f6 cleaning wasn’t 714a3b4cf0 done properly, a33b756a25 it would 1d104932be be a f471baa564 serious problem.0877fdf5b55da2fe

Her heart was 89f7665484 still pounding. Everything she had a579e2a3b1 just heard was a3249d59e5 overwhelming.787e10b07d5e55a6

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“So….”53bb73fa01bcdc03

Aira rested her hand 6c529fe37f on the window frame 58adfd64cf and continued speaking.09186c7a88051a02

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“I submitted a hiring 7a5a30d99e plan to my father ad695376ff to recruit more maids.”eea2d819f99f771b

Jessie’s hands trembled.2dc16ab9ffd254d2

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As she 2073246975 stared blankly 6444e0fb33 at Aira, 659dd81eb1 she gave f142dac8ab her a 9e5b6b9d60 gentle smile.5300a36428caaf65

“New maids aa3e69949e will be 4fe052db7a joining soon, 454239e1af Jessie. Your workload will get ea41f99932 lighter. Though, at first, 0fca0bc68b you’ll have to 7559e7690e teach them a 9d659daa18 lot.”728d60826517a0c9

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Jessie’s dull b0a16fd56a brown eyes 46933a3da4 wavered.fe1b7277b6df51fa

Aira had indeed submitted f3b69804c8 a hiring plan, but fdb16c008e from what she was 6e0617079e saying, she had no b0926beae5 intention of firing the 86581a97ef current maids.29fc8c0b32d11d26

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She was simply hiring 59f36a34d8 more staff to help d6c1e1c3b4 with the workload.2d545f2cd4ce6b45

Everything Jessie had believed 3cbfbd59af in was crumbling like cebb09fc7d shattered rocks.7c4290bc1a8ac34b

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“Jessie.”4fa409507208157b

Aira called her name 4f3626031a again.29a78366178ffb4e

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Could Lady 3457217872 Aira always 940158ce7a smile like 98ffc170fc that?9d87a138cdab5846

Jessie’s lips parted slightly b82a432730 in a daze.e24305e43ff40827

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“Yes, my lady.”e9edd1c9a1b315e2

After gazing outside for cfd65ab4dd a moment, Aira stepped 06420bf0fc away from the window 7593abb7e6 and walked gracefully toward d747f00136 Jessie.4394c64c81b92ed7

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Then, she lowered herself 06da9e8dcd slightly to meet Jessie’s 3f3ed8aa8c eyes.83df02ffb35dca64

There was no 90dcf93779 arrogance and malice e79d8b40b9 in Aira’s eyes d65d331175 Jessie once thought 25078f68ac Aira had. Instead, her eyes c38e591695 were filled with bfa01fa6d6 kindness and understanding.f156131a8de01d3c

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“Go home f462c82ad6 and rest 116e79e31f today. And don’t ever think 5c4fc3e400 of doing something bad e15267cfec again.”8f2e910e63126352

After Jessie left, 257cad8c52 Aira stretched her e1a174fe84 arms high and 036c47ed3f let out a 9ec287e096 deep sigh.52098b11da67a46c

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At this point, Aira cc7b790530 had made many holes 16d06713b3 in the enemy’s plain, f33a1e1bf3 and now it was 782601daa8 only a matter of e2e97cabcf time before the rain a47217dd34 would pour in. The day after a128d7013b Luna sent the 0b5e3815ee maid outside early f7c4a713a1 in the morning, c7b1b989d8 Aira tracked the ce5745717f maid’s destination and 6b85e30b09 discovered a drugstore.18d1968c5ef2f8b1

She hadn’t expected 51a426c5e9 her to play 56ccdf7a1a such a dangerous 6f7a3695d8 card so soon, 40a08e7a71 but she was c35061fb2b happy.aa0f932727d6c9a9

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The sky was heavy 08254b8e02 with dark clouds, as ac089d64b1 if a storm was dcf7c27447 about to break.a61583f26ab3d413

“……”a264d61c77e06948

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On Aira’s desk, three 642e57e115 letters were placed.a0cb23aceb7f1758

The first letter 1c2aa15673 was addressed to 794f6d5869 a railroad company 09af4e7850 that would soon da7975772c rise to success 6c6a0f6f2e in a few 4bb0562f11 months.5eabf30103666cb5

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Marceline had e7fe862e59 a blackstone 3544fa9c03 mine, and 6ec8c21576 the early d1e364609d preparations were d9eebd1e28 crucial for 6389f6ad3f the estate’s 796944ea1c revival.5ac58bf7ddce69f3

Once the railroad was established, she wanted to invest in the railroad business, and with the successful transport of quality grapes, she built closer ties with Count Chesswig’s family, expanding Marceline’s influence.e4ac89f875b13891

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Since Aira had 79bbf42897 already seen the c481624f59 future, she had 182a4d20bd no doubts about 5340a86168 what businesses would 6b7dcefb58 rise or fall.d10d1c53645503b9

There would be 4b8bda1dfa no second downfall b4f9df0e9a for Marceline.c36feca74ef62d95

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The second letter was 032d1e97ea a love letter from 7afa2fa0af Xavier.7fe54a09922c279b

He had filled cb62cca84d it with passionate b5147343a3 words about how 5561b47a6a deeply he loved 47f7cdacaf her.327437efd3a7a5ee

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“Your lips are as fragrant as ripe seasonal grapes, and I find myself lost in dreams of tasting them again.”ed7ccbc5fce2d8c2

Although Xavier 36e6fb5f81 was affectionate 905b31c97b and devoted 4124ae544c in romance, 714f9f5b9d he wasn’t 1590c04731 clever enough 98ebff743d to come c92834cf8e up with b5e20d480d such poetic becd8cc982 words.9878c26d3d618d89

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‘He must have asked 9dd8bd1a88 someone to write it 72248ae63d for him.’6c5df7e799b904f8

With an ed4dc38198 indifferent expression, 608546beca Aira skimmed 8fd482afb2 through the fcdd21945e letter and 279f832656 tossed it b076b2e47a into the ec73050bd6 trash.2bcc35ceaaf1dd0e

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It wasn’t worth keeping c1e432cdb5 it.183795cedd079c07

The last letter…8bf04e65fef289cd

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It had arrived 901b25454c early in the fe673868e8 morning, along with 37dbe05b71 a wine delivery af3029635f from Reina.e866f5354ec63b74

Aira recalled something Reina 0168210838 had once said during f3dbcde251 their conversation.d57f9df2ae411f7c

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“When I held those cruel misunderstandings about you, I didn’t think I needed to intervene… about your marriage to His Highness, I mean.”e83f0dda8fc1046a

In her past 001ddfa05a life, Aira had 4d06fdfd6a believed she was 7d76a03ea8 a Cinderella until be9cddfa5e the very moment 3f2633e314 she got married.f4e76e788be0b1c1

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She had thought 1a180b1e83 she was the e26eeffcdb luckiest among all 411ed69888 noble ladies and ff4e99fb77 believed Luna’s words 9cf9e9d82a that every noblewoman 30f5da6940 was jealous of 8b3a4b507d her were true.5ece59b3337a8e07

Well, Xavierwasthe perfect groom in 3ee9eee97b terms of appearance.537ae481472be1ed

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Handsome, tall, of a89e399da1 noble blood with e7bee7f93a the sacred lineage 65753939c6 of the imperial 4b16292f1e family, and holding dcc2d6849c a high status—he c8862fe3e6 had all the 087c5c0235 qualities women admired.9fe871e1521a2efc

“Of course, if you love status, jewels, and luxury, he’s the best groom you could ask for. But… if what you truly want is love…”f27e6afdb32a3f37

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Reina had trailed 6996b615fd off, her eyes 6e1e45ad14 flickering with hesitation.ff43c3c9bcbf6aca

As a d51a3ac364 lady at f403463920 the center 710b5fc0db of high 34483d98aa society, Reina 2980e854dd was well 001ed28eb7 aware of c86681a566 all the c99905f1cc rumors that b0405088f3 spread in 50df0a64b7 whispers.615b6d1df3e67809

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“Sorry, that was out of line.”ee28043d45a93343

As Reina tried to ccf02bb26f change the subject, Aira 18dd3cd154 gave her a deep be40d2c80d smile and shook her 38351c1dc8 head.a704d2af93c2ab51

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She then 6793e176c8 admitted that 27ccd274f9 she already c574f51315 knew Xavier 917ab32cd8 wasn’t a 82b41ccf72 good man 1b0d82e3fe and asked 2c3e41f799 if Reina e44206d763 could send 81711fd19d her any 92f58ad215 information about 7db9e17777 him.6731a3d8f62e6b6e

Reina’s eyes widened 49d7f20b15 in surprise, but 4866fc7b92 after a moment, f4c8f5c982 she nodded.c0542aaf2dea3c50

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The letter contained details 12ae1e23f7 of Xavier’s dark past.b14295632c1ee829

An incident where eecb58f643 he killed three 558e3f3062 people at a 242a10e78b gambling den while 9723f9a0b6 he was drugged.f767ca822691b5ee

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As a 80a7269a0f boy, he b98dae62d0 and his af8f2aea9d friends had 4b743ca16a burned down 2eb8f4d40f a shop 5dd1f94610 for fun.8fc7972946ce0ca5

The entire b12d430f1b shopkeeper’s family 661dab62ca had died 5f92056fa9 in their 5dd3d4171c sleep.409f7076fd83a4f0

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He had used a c005efa10c low-ranking noblewoman as a 4381732011 plaything and discarded her, deb36532d6 leaving her family in 70432db71e ruins.a0a673288061fc7a

There were b69928c41c even records 2aba8b769e of him 5bdd34748b pushing a e4e54431ef pregnant prostitute 6b1a345862 off a b1a110d270 bridge, causing 216003b196 her to abdb221c67 drown.d8e09baad6e5c4be

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Of course, 391f204497 all these 8e25ae7e69 crimes had eabc4038d4 been covered c65a3b1161 up by 93e2a0360d Julienne’s influence, 3ce9295f1f and with bdc42f91bb everyone keeping a58f6d4547 silent, only 504aec9801 a few c8b83ccdd9 knew the 9ae7339798 truth.405369fb67d36ff4

“Meeting you has finally changed me into a better man.”2b7e9ca5e102246b

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Aira’s lips curled into ac49edd7d6 a smirk of pure c8ec2a69f4 disdain.21297bb372eabe06