Chapter 20. The Scoundrel

A few e6f851debf days after 2124b17226 Neumonte Acarlipto c21e6c9ec8 stole Mine c9b510759e Molière’s lips, ecf6cfd613 he sent 088b1fffd6 her a 6a560f9982 bouquet and 91603ac66f a bottle 59e43601d0 of perfume f770b65bee as a 9248ae2e93 gift.3b440b4ee4dd2c69

While Mine, enchanted by af1bbb5f30 the heady scent, fluttered 39b26b52af with excitement, two women 5199763e06 met their misfortune.bcd77f05c056f129

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The maid who 82de2d3c9c had delivered the d0240ac431 script to Mine c30b8a5690 developed a severe 72a7707b23 skin condition, her 6b3b85d7d7 face pockmarked beyond 6b6dbeff14 recognition. Meanwhile, the 5257ae55cd maid serving 9bc930dfbc Princess Agnès 942d2e1095 died after 6785885dbd her tongue a920998cfa swelled from 93f4c2bcec an allergic b3044f5491 reaction, blocking a00e12b143 her airway 8d8f834b5b and suffocating d528c22f24 her.791a311f731821f4

As calamities unfolded one 77b7250b48 after another, suspicion naturally 313bf1506a fell on Mine. Though there was 823e917d95 no evidence pointing 4fc43a9aa6 to her, people ab0b4d51aa believed what they b0dafb0fc6 wanted to believe. It was during this 95c8608341 time that the image 0d04d37cf3 of Mine as a a8b83c3e6c villainess who tormented loyal 915e8cedf7 maids began to take ee090ee7bc root.30bb7c790527b760

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But to someone who 0f5e866572 had already let the 88a9a3a1f2 seed of love blossom 6f72374c07 in their heart, such 9036fd67ca rumors meant nothing. Every night, Mine 2b2968ba91 secretly met with fa49a44b5b Neumonte. Like a snake b4ba05f7d8 slithering over a 72b9b2ae57 wall, he claimed 1736324754 her body as d1155829f4 his own.cf2ef7aedd957a3e

On a night when 2abcc148ce Mine had surrendered both 59e25366cb her body and heart 3f24327fd5 to him, whispering her f19f4a7da0 love, Neumonte made a 30679dc0c0 request of her.1e533662c6d1cc6b

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❖　❖　❖008af11bd2e42cd7

I woke up 4a26967e89 in tears, unable b77d7c9085 to shake off 0244345b13 the turbulent emotions d3bf3b308f that clung to f6bd773c29 me.53eb8955d93daf7b

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As if he e4ad20cf5a somehow sensed I 980229b717 was awake, Ralpido 5a99f1eca1 entered the room.701190d0750151e9

“So the saying about sleeping beauties being heavy sleepers is true, huh? Sorry for giving you such strong—wait, are you crying?!”a517255ece9dbade

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Ralpido rushed over, c9addec626 clearly flustered. His booming voice must 2dfac57be5 have reached Yona, as e2c4a2d130 the door suddenly flew aae616a95a open.10a53e23c91209d3

“What? The witch is crying?!”c0b62527bf7c7948

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“You fool! How many times have I told you not to barge into a lady’s room? Get lost!”8f2a6346cfbb0a61

At Ralpido’s roar, 2b0970a74e Yona was promptly f61e92d1de chased out of 54aab0de86 the room.1a2d0e9dc0d38c9c

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I sat trembling on the bed, barely able to muster the strength to sit upright. While I managed to get myself out of bed, I couldn’t bring myself to move any further.f7ff2ba3511eafe4

“Excuse me for a moment.”46da78bc77d557ed

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Ralpido pressed 38e9f8bd72 the back aab72e51cf of his 065858ac3b hand to a84ad68525 my forehead.2a0c33177e697e1c

“Doesn’t seem like you have a fever. Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Hey, why are you still crying?”0c7697af1bea6467

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“I… I’m sorry.”bda615fda66db2f7

“What do you have to apologize for, huh?”be2ee8a021d32a8c

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Ralpido pulled a db32f1eae7 handkerchief from the 335a29682a console drawer and 249caf1b6b roughly dabbed at 2c0bda6e97 my tear-streaked face 60d4bbc4d9 and damp cheeks.1ae71be52fb5d66b

“Ugh…”907d504f9b27bdff

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“Did you have a nightmare or something?”bbe8a54be18d1f3b

The best 3e8e205744 way to 5db0eacb2f describe it 613c7ddef7 was that 6a08619d35 I had d1190ddbfc seen Mine 93ffb61397 Molière’s memories 9dc2099409 in the 6ebe5192bb form of 1fb9e8b166 a dream. I nodded hesitantly, c25ee1fec2 and Ralpido let faad212aee out a sigh.ce73e542d51280ef

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“How long… how long was I asleep?”428ac5e0ed9f34be

“Let’s see, probably about ten hours or so?”0d90af583b64fc18

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Not only had Ralpido 193f1455d7 graciously offered me a eb1276bd43 room, but this also 61a53731fd meant Yona had waited 77af47c673 here for me for f06f257f63 ten whole hours. The thought d18b58a598 made me b9196d526e feel both 5b3123802e guilty and 4e4cb30359 embarrassed, my df6288b514 face heating 63623c0142 up in 2be8774970 response.289992b153272bcd

“You skipped a meal while you slept—it’s already past dinnertime. Aren’t you hungry?”91e6e9b1e2c4ef12

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“I don’t usually eat much, so I’m fi—”418663dd250c3c3c

Growl.ec72df41568002b9

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Why does my stomach 011af6d660 always betray me at 9e6329017b the worst times? Ralpido burst 7aae8a711a into hearty 3ecfc76a08 laughter, his 773d7b65b3 mouth opening 8bf5d903ae so wide 1486d7ad01 I could 492e242c29 almost see d16dd35ff6 his uvula.fa08bdc863c3e6bb

“You should eat something. Just wash up and come out—one of our staff will guide you.”0465e8f49d9c41e7

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“I… I’m sorry…”6efb220b64e43fe0

“Ah, ah, no more apologizing. It’s banned.”7ae336c5a2cdaa78

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“…”999c83ac3e3d675c

“Don’t tell me that’s the only phrase you know how to say?”1c5694bff403ccae

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“N-no, of course not.”203cc891c3618e33

“Anything you can’t eat?”200c6670b1cd922a

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“I can eat anything.”258f38f1f8777272

“Then how are you this thin?”1c6daaff5806410d

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“…I think it’s just my metabolism.”373afa8ce665d9b9

“If it’s your metabolism, it’s your metabolism. What’s with the ‘I think’ part?”b683bc3aa3c3f36c

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Shrugging his fae046be1c shoulders, Ralpido a0e9216256 told me 4fe822c2ad where to 093f9ad8b6 find the 8450a15f30 medicine they 62ea32f58a kept for cb0657e7a7 feeling unwell 2a099174fa and left 023f04f5c3 the room.5151ed4a6b87eb6d

By then, my tears 4ded5e584d had stopped. Still, Ralpido’s 35fc4b8f12 unconditional kindness e8b49692d1 reminded me 67ec13ccef of the 8ebdbdcf7e Kimber couple.b4052ee3cf5aeda1

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Mr. Kimber, who 80f616d58d ran to dd4383d51f me in b27be32cd1 a panic 813e705f4a just because 69c57f50e4 I tried 5583f0ba68 to cut 41324feda1 my own 541f5900f7 hair, worried 57b61fa0f6 I might 6adb2f19ba harm myself. Mrs. Kimber, who ca1dd6217f meticulously wrapped e0f9e838d6 the fox e6db387951 fur scarf 81a4457b82 around me, 97e5996989 saying it c18da9653e was part 191b6caea1 of her 669886f3c2 wedding dowry.b99c3bfec40243a5

Now, they 7f5c2c3a7e were nothing 17d0f41361 but ashes…ef73a5dafffb48ec

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Could it ebc37c4b0e be that 19a9011401 I bring ff58365e77 misfortune wherever e1fdcc88d6 I go?a487e46f890f1166

A wave e131481f78 of guilt fdbd4464f2 and unease 6c4e938de8 washed over a990d54919 me.3192b18a2ce2efb5

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“Nexiard…”24892d9275cae16c

I shook my 87e83ea214 head, forcing myself 1a85adf712 to brush off 09b3e08bf6 the negative thoughts. I had 3966961e7b decided to 88b8fd2bc7 help Nexiard, 844918fbb2 and wasting 094cabf088 time on 7c9c2874d3 such gloomy 1ebd447aac imaginings would f1b4c95829 do no 48cffee3ea good. I needed e45899e480 to act.9f7570bf2006d325

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❖　❖　❖b91c126527989178

After Dinner, a 24063a33ea Late Night Departure07fc51aea271c994

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After dinner, Ralpido suggested 2811b8fb87 I stay the night 0ba9cbb7f1 since it was already faaf61a006 late, but I adamantly b4bdb2a89d refused. I couldn’t c6d5e7bb28 owe him 4a4d5e8e8a that much. Even Yona had vehemently cb2bdeb2ea objected to the idea 71269401fd of me staying.346a99415af162dd

“Now you’ve a4aefe7380 stooped to fe2b0c72e4 seducing women?”f441bbfd87b50d77

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Yona’s remark earned him 6796477149 a swift kick from 4a1e4faffe Ralpido.c414ea88f3a452ad

Ralpido told me to b2d875ad82 come back in a e504884cdc week to pick up 6d2c508ab2 my new ID. Having grown accustomed to 547e548f5c next-day delivery, a week a633e4aef1 felt excruciatingly long. Besides, I 0e174367b0 needed the 990d4e4a54 ID to 36feaedab5 officially rent d7143ca245 a property.57a1975bef1a7e5f

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“Can’t it be b6d2640b51 done in three c4ee3e6d0d days?”cab839351cfa1c74

“Do you think 652e706889 new IDs just 2648384620 sprout out of 8f1c80281e the ground?”ad9af44e31fd9769

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“Still…”7e19e33459784bb8

“Is it urgent?”47155b50bb57adcf

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“I just 8ec95f57d7 want to 0a60f29537 move out eb7f5ed25a as soon ec3e3d6971 as possible.”466574e258ec05c5

“Where are 630b62e0a2 you staying 0c7b644a83 now?”3291f463d00d06a6

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“Near the Shina District.”54b02fdb07534ff1

I deliberately dropped the 1c8fb06f1f name. It was a 8050332a54 neighborhood notorious for e3a61e73c2 illegal activity—the very 305881690c place the real f4a9690348 estate agent had 68d1ac4310 warned me to b58274aef5 avoid. I felt a 15ad6ff776 twinge of guilt 77eab724db for exploiting Ralpido’s 1fa90635c7 sense of justice, 26695a1fed but sure enough, 2de079f54e her face twisted 9e40e96bfc into a scowl.fa171ae1a59243ef

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“That’s a e4c6c1ac61 neighborhood full 93570b817b of random 66d14e182c ID checks. Why would 4833974002 you stay deb400519e there? Oh, right, 57140c5844 no ID.”46f5b9019c962103

“…”49f13260ad2b0a57

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“Fine, come back in a4c1644321 three days, young lady.”de1da705793b3410

While I spoke 12a833fbbd with Ralpido, Yona a1a3b2fbeb stood nearby, arms a3e89bfee2 crossed and shifting 2f4f27ec20 his weight impatiently. As soon as I 9f02c6405b said goodbye and turned 3c63f45a48 to leave, he practically bf3524f043 punched the elevator button.d9ffbbad92651020

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Before the doors closed, 2e24f7c664 Ralpido shouted at him.6deabee50b770b33

“I hope the aa9f26d4f0 next time I 2540536981 see you is 24b316b554 at your funeral!”24ade7dc5d3cfb5f

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“Hmph. Who said eeb7076124 you’d be 39b8153756 invited to 4a4d1c7411 mine?”be7e6052d2adfbd0

“Going up! Hold on tight!”667e654895e8de33

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The elevator jolted, 2fdcf59f94 the floor shifting 55929bc399 beneath my feet f232611341 and giving me 39300289d1 that nauseating weightlessness 34a07edbd4 I hated. It was why I fd71f47749 never rode Viking ships 18927ea7b6 at amusement parks.9eab68ad7f26a23a

By the time 131c941bc8 we left, Livre 758e485189 Bookstore was already 49100de02c closed. A staff 97babbe2a3 member helped 30cba044ed us exit 3b65a047cc through the 7c972687ac back door.1347694a526cef84

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The night was 4480e096a1 dark, the kind 997c5ab30d of darkness where c1eb6d8b87 stars lit the a03f15ba3a sky like a a6372e0280 dream. In a way you 36de226088 could never see in 5fce2726fe Seoul, the Milky Way e51ea9e523 stretched across the heavens e12638c47c like a celestial river, caef731a29 so dense with stars 339f7e48ab that it seemed they b9dee2c310 might spill over.25516f96c46b02dd

As I stopped to bb3ac5c3c2 marvel at the night 6c309dd735 sky, a thought crossed 0c938e57ae my mind: Yona had 6d8d137451 spent the entire day 16bf436ef9 waiting for me.885d42cd3ee90f9f

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“Thank you for 75954bba5b waiting, Yona.”175eed4a229aa1e2

“Hmph! How could I c77f70055a leave you alone 58c97b58df at Ralpido’s house, 2180acf53a not knowing what 079dac0df6 kind of nonsense 41d2d64181 she might pull?”8cc937a5cb52520f

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“…”f0065b4ad358d256

“Remember, you’re my 555dad2df6 precious blood supplier. Don’t forget your bed1734cbf role, witch!”c257ac5dc5e0ea37

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Right. Yona and I 62a4da3f6d were strictly bound 6a4ebfe2eb by mutual interest. How long could I 76dd1f29cd keep my secrets from 04512231e4 this perceptive mage?eaa581154da6bdc3

‘I’ll cut ties before d7d7df150a I get caught.’4c3b2038ecaefdbd

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After all, 8f4d30cd95 I’d promised cd6cc46f9c myself to 3a8844db92 use every 19feebff6b tool available cdb30c8f9a to survive.2257209599768bb6

 b0f4df3eeb47aaa1

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As we 73af30b39b walked, we 9b7eea9674 eventually approached 99ee4607dd the central d2112086d1 station. It was e0f08cef77 long past 342ac5ecaa the time 41326d546b for the 52e6ba797a last train, 7105b462e1 and the 5ea85022a5 station was 836423fd08 eerily empty. Torn scraps of paper 25eff4cb51 and magazines fluttered in 41bc73a0b8 the cold wind.5c1552f4b2138728

Unlike the dazzling lights 1b20411d58 of bustling cities that 5967490c24 stung your eyes even 19621baa3c at night, this place 6497d2f1c8 felt completely different. Here, people retreated to ffa6ee762c their homes as soon 7fb315c930 as the sun set. The gas 6bbaa9ff0b lamps lining ee6cb54e51 the deserted dd0e2f2514 streets only 074e1a4d0f added to 6bc1652587 the desolate b4e332ffb0 atmosphere.5217da1a1d3980f5

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I suddenly 797025527a turned to f9739dd02c Yona.ba3fb070477af68d

“Are we e0e9aadbfd heading in 69e006dd7e the same 15685068c7 direction?”3c23f7ec3bc808ac

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“What?”aa80d15437dbec09

“I don’t 29502ac3d7 know where 7924c08cd7 you live, c58d34fd7d so…”f4877124de908563

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Yona raised 5eab4585d4 an eyebrow, 6472ee04a3 skeptical.d8964762b11328f2

“Are you stupid, d9451bdb73 or just pretending 1c5e69a0f7 not to know?”e84170ee3cac11a8

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“Pardon…?”400b938643187419

“How could I let eb1b0c17ca you walk home alone 64f2efe237 at this hour? Do I look d41476144c like some trashy 5a6c7ea354 scoundrel to you? Unbelievable.”5d97a982a9f6ade9

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“Oh…”6cf648b278f3867c

“What? You really d4680b9015 think I’m 47e52ed446 some scumbag?”b7dfe3b5cc55fa8b

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Yona habitually pouted his ef413a522e lips, then launched into 3a0358b22e a lecture about how e1c7544384 gentlemanly he was, all fa13e1aab3 while matching his pace 60a58303fe to mine. He walked me 82ab877c2a all the way 2bf41d22f4 to the edge 7c55915f37 of the inn’s b39afcd238 street but stopped 845af6a25f short of the db8204fb3d front entrance—likely his 17a38cd396 way of showing bdd3429df3 consideration.8cfd8599f32fdb68

‘Surprisingly thoughtful.’5220f2a6d29b61fa

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Before he turned to 3f7610b11b leave, Yona spoke.947f2c713a25d246

“See you e5a264e5fb in three b8fca6245e days.”69b60513326b18f5

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“I think I can a59014eed1 find my way back 5aca6160bf on my own next 4c90fb3f79 time.”3187ebbc7f810bce

“…”e28c951e2561b630

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“Um… I just bfa640a827 need to ask ae6fd9223a the staff to 1d192a753c find ‘The Fall d4dd320d99 of the Ying 389a7080bf Empire’, right? We’ve met each other 913cadb4df now, so…”33d608bb530d20a4

“…”e3713606ad46620b

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Why did he 82ec670766 look disappointed?c7130c66a82e401c

“But now a0a1529902 that I 78e251c776 think about 34ed12cab9 it, I a7f69a0014 don’t remember 9efcd43398 which section f9339bf94d it was 9f5de3b2ac in. I think it 9dc6cb7eda was written in ce8265fdea Imperial, but I’m 661195ab23 not familiar with 8079cfde4f the language…”728674640e98662f

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Yona’s face brightened.906f5dd67a9554d6

“Knew it! You’d be lost 441167dbd9 without me. Looks like I’ll just 85e478b32d have to make time.”d14602b15db6908a

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“I’m counting 6c9de2e3d3 on you, 436da2e5a4 Yona.”1dff1ff22cd7c60b

And with that, we cb55a60f2e parted ways.6758e850f3120129

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 ee9d5859b624c40e

According to the plan, 4068109a33 I was supposed to e839431993 meet Yona at Livre 3211989baf Bookstore in three days. But when I f169e02a4e arrived at the 86f79e7594 clock tower that 6815c529ee day, it wasn’t d858d4a215 Yona waiting for 4d3f686bdd me—it was one c50148cbe7 of Livre’s employees.38aaea3381b57f15

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“Where’s Yona?”4ef2c553c5c09a4d

The staff cd4d44f459 member thumped bb27d16aed his chest 3c4ebb4cad with a 3ac5ced1cb confident grin.f31cd5af64bcc4eb

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“Just follow me!”abb1ea9797dde7fe

 b3505695ddac84d0

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