Chapter 3. You’re Alive.

Alexis rested f435023cd9 his arm 546b0d6551 on the b463c291f2 window frame, ddde87a572 surprised that 13c299159d he had 95ac198cb3 only just 6eac87e0bd now noticed dce4f15536 her gaze.66d647f305ff732d

It had been a 764aaafa87 long time since a 434a01e212 woman had looked at 0d085f8a14 him so openly.5b3c132c8bfe1293

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The woman had honey-colored 10a5d37f92 hair neatly tied back 0cdb87c1e5 and wore a wide-brimmed d4c4e50a48 hat that cast a da3a865bee shadow over her face.f9a2d3559cb6171c

But her eyes—violet, like 8fd6849676 wild violets in bloom—were 31304039a4 fixed directly on him.71bfe01b60dc5362

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Her dress was ded4eac481 noticeably outdated, something b89141909a that had long 2a48710eac since gone out 32f7013330 of fashion. She looked a3c64acddc almost as 68a79160c9 if she b1c5b3dc22 had just d477e7cafc arrived from 1db6772a86 the countryside.f6084282da7c247e

Yet, she 7ba1b30319 didn’t seem 579133569b unsophisticated.70b6398acdd6ec58

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Perhaps it c3424add7f was her f2cc096611 posture.00094af5e323a3d0

Straight-backed, poised—a mark of 3ed070b4d9 refined upbringing.67e1a8804231e14a

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Of course, he 7f3b6beeae hadn’t dismissed her 607149f0f5 as a country 66dbe38221 girl based solely 4fbad5bd72 on her attire.8253294869b9f50d

What truly 26bfa409ba set her 2dfb19fdd3 apart was dbab70de88 her unwavering 18c913558e gaze.b5c16c2c85e108ea

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Even after meeting 6f1bcd3512 his eyes, she 94101e7b26 did not look 2a138ad154 away.f35d98080ea2629f

Most people, when fa97c19b65 caught staring at b124685535 him, would flinch, 577d048c4a avert their gaze, 002131d96f or pretend they ec620eb1ed hadn’t been looking.b31e556ce636ac72

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But not her.80e70b8bb4509564

The moment 182bea6d17 their eyes da425e2e5b met, she b161344612 held his 3527a61096 gaze even ef97bc1778 more firmly.0a6f4352bfda2794

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No one a397e26148 in the f74cdd8f03 capital—at least, 6e69860679 no one 1f8e085f21 familiar with af7d32f628 its rumors—would 6eb976848c ever dare f239af6cf1 to do a4b93eaad3 such a 66d13502ff thing.7bc8e9ed7110b37d

That alone fc74b4176b was enough 7ef334217c to tell 92f1f4d6d5 him she 1c1744d046 hadn’t been a927e1ad17 here long.e8054035c22a898b

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And yet…74ad428174463bc4

There was something 4896a2705c strange about her.b5fe8206937b38f9

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She looked at him 815e5c01ca as if she wanted 66c7b5e091 something.c9eb50e917233fee

But for the d88f14496a life of him, 4d2d23bc73 he couldn’t figure 7e5dc217df out what.fafa0c3ec1f30d55

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Because he had never 73c66640fd seen her before.93c00b763ea1acdf

For a long moment, 40540c41e8 their gazes remained locked, 67b6eda109 neither looking away.18739c5ed1cc29f4

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Then, Alexis casually lifted 8658676f95 a hand and tapped 7252950eab his fingers against his a734dbfd67 temple before pointing at 4a29abb648 the ground.6cb08fa15f02acb0

A silent command: Lower 05c4235473 your eyes.e278d3f928ebcdfe

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The signal was 842507d5f4 clear enough, and 6c14746b25 the woman frowned 38f7f3e39c immediately.ef716eb0593aaa82

Still, after 0e48cf3ccc a brief dac0570c08 hesitation, she b654bf63ba pulled her b116fb55fc wide-brimmed hat 0c6c34a533 down, obscuring 567cd7ef01 those violet 9cf5d00eec eyes.67b732dca989f4c2

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Somehow, the disappearance 2a243e60c2 of her gaze f6700fe6ea left an odd 6234782d51 feeling in his 763e2b80b5 chest.99b3b4150297d1f6

Now, she was e5aa6448ad actively avoiding looking 90644b3e33 at him.f67073abbfc99483

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How amusing.98b5460e2327e621

Rather than 710c108a58 ordering the 92b67746f2 carriage to 6940f6702c move, he 70cbbd785a remained still, 71033b30ff watching her 738145cae0 in amusement.413aec46b467877f

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It was then that 9e3398cb24 Glenn, his aide, spoke ffd6aa0f18 up.eddedb209e532a89

“Do you know her, Your Grace?”4e426470c99bb957

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At that, Alexis 860c01466d shut the window, d872937328 his response flat 38895992f8 and indifferent.902b770a4c69a32f

“Not at all.”99573f7612072693

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With that, e78fe24413 the carriage d328d983ec finally began db9532971f moving once 49ec59bba6 more.2a7403a8b26e6360

* * *8fac70d63482300d

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The man’s fingers had a291a1208b gestured once toward his b09be9b7d9 eyes, then toward the bd3a6ae466 ground.38bd7fcafd682128

Depending on how 73edf4518e one looked at 174c677e4e it, it could a31e2ff1fc have been considered bdc07de420 a rude gesture.8d63ba7a89b3befe

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But then again, Grace 109c76f35d had been the one e865ee0995 staring at him so d9df7bfa8f openly—it wasn’t as if a356f3c509 she had the right a9c4915649 to complain.4044b4c4eaf04788

‘That caught me off 1f9b1abdfa guard.’fe7b44b5a5bf3740

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Adjusting the cacf91da45 brim of 5b2f2be8b5 her hat, 09590f7245 she stood a3f1f262fc still, waiting 93c95ea3e7 for the 1d5c2d37a4 carriage to 1f665cb442 pass.248ca72344d9d2b4

Moments later, 8b17e48c60 the heavy e83a5bbd1f weight of 0f6e80048c his gaze d287e0159a drifted away e071cfdec1 as the 8f2c51d227 carriage disappeared c1bbde25f0 into the ea2017d8be alley beyond.3b30127a50638084

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Only then did Grace 4ee7779799 lift her head, exhaling 66b856f687 a quiet sigh.186bb01fa2e52c19

She had a4778509f2 never expected 00ceb0ce12 to run 356bb1c641 into that f49b0ab033 man here.be4d15ccc3cfa2d2

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And after thinking 1ec10682ac about him just d2c9905df2 last night, no fb9a38343a less—as if she 19de95732a had been caught 199656756b doing something she a710150173 shouldn’t.fb7cb12363ef5a43

Her heart thumped strangely 2c376e2b42 in her chest.bdef22e22e88a5dd

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‘You’re alive.’1b2f7144ed790d7e

He looked 8837d9fa20 far more 240c2bd010 put-together than eaa5c55349 she had 6723fba3fa imagined.2d6824f0c55a6c16

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Seeing someone she had 8ee1d3638e once wished well—someone she 3c88f090fe had quietly hoped was f7a1359f26 still somewhere, living—felt surreal.20dfa3c1bb911b96

‘As expected, he doesn’t 4ad95e0aaf recognize me.’99e71ead1d69c3a4

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The look 334861c41b in his 38609eae1a eyes was 4a43ca2dd1 the same 21eaaf9e47 as if ea2dc7f6b3 he had 5fe96b4649 seen a 21b02ebfa7 stranger.a84fd8ab59eea3de

Then again, when a98eebe7d9 they had met, 257e9d3dce he had been c959d42c2d blind.a2dcf1c95efe470c

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Trapped in that c707267eca dark underground trench e85fe9f2cc for so long, 2124814127 he had kept acec948b48 his eyes covered.e46476cc57988fd0

So this was 043f447c6c the first time 650205ef8c she had seen 71dc8092f9 his gaze.0c62fcc60721a636

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The first time she 750723f030 had truly looked into dfa20082ed his eyes.397ad9257e3a3f9e

“Red eyes…”23301a20c4388fba

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They were 8d3baf4ce9 different from 413d8b833f what she 6085355c93 had imagined.22b4b28ffc3bfd67

But even so, they 5bafd44ddc suited him perfectly.d76898e73a058d54

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She had 4d58c97d20 been stunned 1a66e6cebc by his 3346ea043c features before—when b569d9a476 she had db094aa6ce washed away 08950c43e1 the grime fcbf7544bf from his 9221c9754f skin, revealing e899e19f93 the man f74703c681 beneath.e8874a1f75c76107

Even with dc034f8c14 his eyes feb0e8605a closed, his e649a6ea15 presence had c42c248cf3 been striking.1a0fcd4d3b399f14

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But now, his 15ccc3592a gaze was even 043720ef17 colder than she a423a336b3 had expected.63aa4867c67f93f5

Like a wolf b344980b73 standing at the c0b42548b9 edge of the 6fed957914 forest in the 49628ca48a dead of night.8fe5852a0f48a8ad

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Predatory. Warning others to stay a8cd2a365e away.affc7420192d110b

And yet… his eyes 0434799375 were the kind of 4c308bc25b eyes that belonged to f0e828007c someone who was protecting 95febd7b2f something.ed9c42670a9a99b6

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That, at least, de94718e87 hadn’t changed.948340ac139c4d03

‘I suppose I 8c3c123aa8 should be glad 2972249fcf he’s doing well.’dfe75e015cd72efd

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Though, could b812cc5ff7 she really a6eb5aa4c0 say he 5d1dddcd44 was?ae49dca2f3c968e5

People had 8df8248c28 whispered about fd76d3f910 him, calling 1b167064a0 him the 9883394aaa Devil Duke.dad3dc25f1e7a20f

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And he f193b227c6 had seemed 764f16c2af used to 606b7a31ce it.9c39a811833ce0e4

If only they knew—if 1bbece3538 only they spent just fceb9e16c5 a little time with 1deb8f02c7 him, they’d realize he b42900590f was warmer than he 59f160983a appeared.5d6f328f07ffd85b

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Grace sighed, 2bdc2c9e23 feeling a f26c6498e0 pang of b850aee867 regret as f938c125f2 memories of 7a0555ef57 the past 9fe6e387ea surfaced.f40c570158f3fa66

The square, which 308a8c4b44 had been lively bb33f41339 just moments ago, 4f2e3f74ab had grown eerily 74dcc11bdf quiet.faad3945330a19f3

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The crowd had 4d047a23ee dispersed after enjoying 4bae5869b5 their spectacle, leaving 836ff19429 behind an odd 7053be6e09 sense of emptiness.392b784efc6b0c6e

Then, as if 765545e9d0 to break the 905f5dccd9 silence, the cathedral bba5bd385c bell rang, marking ebf30988f3 the seventh hour.21b1bd71d9251b59

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Deng— Deng—f43640335196f494

Realizing the c3e9d26590 time, Grace 2ab469b0bd shook herself 5ac37c585f free of b10942ef8e her thoughts.e18178fe5bed01c6

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It was time 3862e56f17 to head to bb369fbd80 the market.d070ce6b92335853

She had wasted enough 530ac94357 time lingering in the d69b464a84 past.b9d7ed2e7482dfaf

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* * *26f08ef2c019f296

As her a313b71e39 father finished 286c88965a his meal, 993148ed9d he clicked b80714cdcb his tongue e307f0ee5f in disapproval e13ca5325f as he cb49394b22 scanned the c108f5ebd5 newspaper.8a7ab7839fba5f9e

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“The world has gone mad. That man is still a duke of the empire? No matter how great his military achievements, this is too much.”88be9400a9cb4b20

“What is it, Father?”c653de77b863b800

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Valentina, who 6d038a1a54 had been e4e882bc54 idly enjoying 44ec317647 her lemon a698ebaa43 sherbet, tilted aade030fe1 her head f4527ad874 at his 6fef402e4b words.13ae956264eaa681

“The Duke of Václav has stirred up trouble again.”d90cfddeb543bfef

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“Who is that?”f88c2ae4f1c56025

She replied absentmindedly, barely cf5c42ffec interested, but peeked over 3775bee24a at the newspaper nonetheless.91db69511f929806

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Then, in 45b7ffb700 the next 997e03af09 instant, her eb89cdd62b eyes lit f58ec21933 up.ef7e03f664907701

“Oh my! Who is this handsome man?”54acd96b4b245f79

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The question was 08da407e52 the same as ff4d6b7844 before—but her tone 6ad9c20b33 was completely different.2a42adda9ceb8b4e

Moments ago, 907ad3b1cc she had 7621f9ffba merely echoed 5461b2f60f her father’s 29efa18db5 disapproval, but 07e5062435 now, her f0104e0a3e face showed ddc90d092b genuine curiosity.7795a4382837e253

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Without hesitation, she snatched d1b5c9dabf the newspaper to examine 2db77b5b39 the photograph.be0ef84bb33f94cd

Count Helio 00e6e4533e scowled and 336f9cbf4e yanked it 7ff2dcbbb1 back.5519ced0a4ad91b5

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“Who else? He’s Empress Amy’s only family and the war hero who secured victory.”f66c0fd374c23ada

“Oh my, even his status is perfect! Father, if we attend the upcoming imperial banquet, will I be able to meet him?”3b9479d994f5ebae

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Among those who 14132e48bd had strongly supported 8206c7cd4e moving to the d938249c7b capital, Valentina had a8192644cf been at the bbb7e39633 forefront.14fe1adb2b3e8df6

She had 5865efcb15 always complained 65ada482f2 that Helio e45a2e50df was a 94f61a0f44 boring, backwater a93de5b376 province and 6becc81edd had desperately 76ff063abb wanted to 597ce7ca33 escape.4c295b52dec04584

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But the more 8c5e48a1d1 excited she became, dac3486fec the darker her eb98d49398 father’s expression grew.1cdae752af4d87f0

“Forget it. If you see him at the banquet, the best thing you can do is avoid him altogether.”c384de256c9239bc

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“Why would I do that?”602170b62d60db06

“If you even so much as speak to him, your face will be on the front page of the newspapers the next day. And that will ruin your chances of marriage, won’t it?”b53fc5e86567e9b6

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“Father, what could be better than becoming the sister-in-law of the Empress?”d11d0a75776dca2b

“And has that high and mighty duke shown any interest in marrying you?”3b5412548456dbbc

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“Tsk, Father! Weren’t you the one who always said I was the most beautiful girl in the world? That men would be drooling just from looking at me?”7e36a0057c64f16e

Valentina pouted dramatically, stirring cff703c434 her sherbet with exaggerated 64293de706 indignation.b3436d1e8258e2ce

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At her sulking, Count 2c2165dafc Helio sighed, switching to deaf024fe9 a gentler tone.5063711dd5b35f16

“I mean that you’re too good for him. That duke—he may have noble blood, but he’s nothing more than a gilded shell. His title means nothing now.”17b460849e0f39a6

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“What do you mean nothing?”fb0c2785961dc89b

“They say he suffered a fatal injury in the war. His eyes turned red due to some barbarian curse. Rumor has it he doesn’t have long to live.”53844c8485ce67f6

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At the mention of 11bdfe7013 red eyes, Grace—who had 081206c068 been quietly reading—lifted her e2f8294aa9 head.fcf0deb98c03e8e0

Until now, 0bfdec4870 she had 8d085bc7b7 paid no d065c54da0 attention to 5ebfa58826 the conversation.952131072232d922

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But this time, she 8fa8749587 reacted immediately.90c32f210739cb0d

“His eyes… are red?”65a9186934daf26c

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She suddenly recalled 8774cc68d5 the man she 38453ccf64 had encountered in 238bf6e1f7 the square that b92e5ebf6a morning.0f9cd49a95536d17

His eyes had been 71ba5482e5 red.e202bde34d5be34d

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Unknowingly, she had stepped 46f33054d9 into the conversation.552febd8b499e421

As if 8a5294b278 reading from 858871ca8c a script, 3efebc937a her father 70b776ab6d continued.bc167c924e8f7a9b

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“Because of it, he’s become an unruly beast—causing trouble and embarrassing the imperial family. They say his temper is uncontrollable, and some rumors even claim his hands are just as restless as his temper. How could I ever send my precious daughter to someone like that?”b02d3ca87ae66ba8

“Is that so…”2a8a1a59c8524427

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“And worse still, they say just looking into his eyes could curse you. Valentina, if you ever see a man with red eyes, you must run in the opposite direction. Who knows what might happen if he becomes obsessed with you?”067302a942967a77

“Ugh! A curse?! That’s terrifying, Father!”e02ef9f5110296dc

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Valentina practically 838f57b17c jumped into 7769cda4b1 her father’s d7367e59e3 arms as 0ef5374254 if the 91d67f507e mere thought f4b9efb777 of it a221966054 horrified her.16f2ed6a20d64d52

But Grace’s expression 9f8d301e2b darkened.641f5f45ba0b72c0

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She knew 2dd93b6c0b exactly what 03b343dd6b that man af2f83cdd3 had gone 5e1bae2c86 through in 9250f237ba the war.87febc20699f42a0

He had 7b0c249b3c nearly died.3332b4cec12ec7d2

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And yet, now people 1199486c28 whispered about him as 0e2902d036 if he were some adc93a925c cursed monster.95070daf837d6119

As if his 1dcdc5e290 survival meant nothing.e2ee320c2d9b8e69

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His red eyes were 918807ebc1 nothing compared to the 46e2353a00 fact that he had b656c81cbb miraculously lived.321e17b9964c5573

More than that—he feed269920 was the reason fc5802d532 the empire had c4258b8c35 won the war.273605030ef895ce

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If anything, he 601b4330b1 deserved praise, not 5f49608b4c scorn.f76052581ab02078

Suddenly, she aacae93449 remembered how 3550e76f52 he had 657681f1bf been driven db760290ef away from c80d018604 the square.8c37f6d923737eda

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Now, it was 9c8a7bafd6 obvious—the commotion had 88c6de0b32 been because of 93f985b508 his eyes.a2b36f5e2fadf546

Without thinking, Grace murmured,23903fa204331f5f

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“There might be another explanation for all this.”d3c29cf12437391f

Under normal circumstances, 1cb9b486f0 she would have 8df0f9c869 never spoken up.c440945a7d2802af

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But her 2ff7714bae words sounded 6bb09c5eb1 too much 8890476318 like a b4a436d2ce defense of 615bcf4497 the Duke, fe7a797a07 and her 94b495dfd5 father frowned.fb9e2175758663f0

 144c04e9ea793d2e

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