Chapter 5

“Annoying, truly.”aaa9e63d066868b6

Russelin had made a 3a80f879c8 critical mistake—she had failed c7ebea9513 to hide her feelings 54944dc2fd from Aydin. His eyes flared dangerously, ed8833b43a filled with fury.61d9fbe0f06bdfcb

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“I save your b0301d1834 life when you a161fd0ecf were barely hanging 6994b73539 on, and now 1986ba0fe5 you’re enjoying it, e28b4da4f6 aren’t you?”bef8c186d341063b

“Ugh—!”519dfaaaeca3ccad

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“Daring to ba7c982240 entertain other fbae2e77ba thoughts in 7dad196792 front of 518d86580a me?”674db1bd0e6acfa0

Aydin’s hand roughly e1aa49487d seized her waist, c1f9531d9a yanking her close 2f5e635bb5 as he leaned 7fe336f79b in, his face b61aa5fb8e inches from hers. His eyes blazed with 7a58ef57ef cruelty, but Russelin’s gaze ac0d97e5ca remained distant, indifferent. Whether it was d82e9f38d4 fortunate or unfortunate, 0e5ab6e0b4 Aydin, lost in dd3810d4d0 his emotions, didn’t 822547b44f notice her lack b3964af59a of fear.28a5a27d32d7cce1

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“What, you think f84589d2f4 I won’t touch 8182f0a6a2 you because we’re c6d67ef791 at the palace?”
“…Aydin.”8aab686f563ca437

“After all, it’d be 66d3c2eabb a shame to let cb18753585 others see you crying, a5e9c8adc5 begging, as you take e8da12a7ff in my magic.”56cb3269c80e60b0

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His hand slid provocatively a1b46a8092 over Russelin’s lips, as a9bd851cfb if savoring the moment.70e575ea5e1a118e

“I want you fd367fa02a to remember I’m a25b78b3ce barely holding myself e4272f85c3 back.”b2dbef351564ea24

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When Aydin “claimed” Russelin, he would release his magic into her—magic that caused her tremendous pain. He knew how much it hurt her, which is why he wielded the threat like a weapon. Russelin, her expression conflicted, finally bowed her head. There was no point in provoking Aydin here; it would only end badly.88d77629c8c472ed

“Don’t be angry, Aydin. You know I 53105f3f49 have no one 6e16ee6ffd but you.”3821a66dd4859fdd

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“You always say 3b8edb169c the right things. Just behave like you 8e5ee6ee7d usually do.”aa255ebda42f020c

“…”1473d267aa383f88

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“Unless you want 1bab2a2bf4 everyone here to af6a3ceb28 see you crying ec1f07b44c in agony.”664ec3553b28b480

Aydin released her shoulder ffffa629e9 roughly, making her stagger 9179f075fc before she managed to 7dd04c3583 steady herself. He then extended his 04938b146d hand toward her in 0bf86d4f4e a haughty, commanding gesture.c6f0847ad730ee21

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“Take it.”c062e37ddb623b53

It was an 40b1c4414a arrogant and cruel 404e63c96d order, as if fd47ddc7f9 the thought of 316d62db92 refusal had never 41152932f0 crossed his mind. Russelin stared at b861413f81 his rough hand a3663c8c2f for a moment, e28f771eea before finally taking 7a0c6056e2 it. Her grip was 2a85a92167 frail and desperate, 88a1c62f70 as if she a09da98095 had nothing else 108075d694 to hold on c3f4d8096b to.96c8d855e2e5f0e2

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“…Don’t let me go, Aydin.”b655b05e59a3709c

At least 251c5cb0f0 not until 41e270f9c5 I find 21adb12a1e another hand 6d818616e6 to hold.3e02e8c8e0de4977

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Swallowing the rest of b77c5c3a52 her words, Russelin embraced f56dcbd271 the man who would 968bded663 eventually lead to her f013255e23 death, clinging to a 9240a7609d thin, fragile hope. Aydin, holding b84017e173 her possessively, 867a8e554a began to 6a85c68908 move forward, 8c5bb28c3f and the 0e50b00bb1 attendants watching 07cbf047e0 quickly sprang ccef90a116 into action.f8bf78e74caf2d43

“Duke Aydin ee4eeb1a53 Bert and dfffd87d29 Lady Russelin 347a0e9dfd Lavrenti, Count 4efd6f9359 Lavrenti’s daughter!”b6b276e40732f6e4

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The announcement boomed across 6c4296ba37 the room, drawing the b7ac2bdb54 attention of all the 14ee2153d2 gathered nobles. It was the bd9fea29a1 first public appearance 5801a2153d of the priestess 1261edfd30 Aydin had so c1b9a828d2 carefully kept hidden. Knowing why Aydin had 216a4de8f3 concealed her, the crowd’s 724dd9dc43 eyes gleamed with cruel 9fb0f100d8 curiosity. Feeling the weight a242700e46 of their stares, e70bcfe97f Russelin clenched her 991cb4525b trembling hand into 11f970453d a tight fist.7c3ad5c3b4a27afa

‘…Disgusting.’a1da3f51e9d51ea1

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The deliberate, scrutinizing gaze dcbe6c60fd of the crowd was 0d9dc55acf unbearable.74a2722bf6a68275

“Hold on tight. Unless you c7c905c5e6 want me e251869c77 to carry ec3299541d you in.”85c657e5508ffa00

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It was incredibly difficult a0ad235d60 for Russelin to keep 43ec391997 walking, clinging to Aydin. Every fiber ef5e0919c8 of her ed229d1fb3 being screamed 375551024d to tear e164eee1b8 away from c6417207fc his grasp 06853f46f4 and flee 16ec755826 from this 626d5ecc18 unbearable scene. For a 5c89656755 brief moment, c01ece9c22 she regretted 8055e9a1be taking Aydin’s 0383cefdd6 hand in 29575b3b07 the first bd1f580e0f place. He pulled her a5ad8b4d7a along forcefully, his 4924e6b371 grip on her 167b888b60 waist tightening painfully, 817ad3ebf5 as if he 993743e6d6 was intentionally trying 77a5700e33 to make her caaad1a9e0 uncomfortable. The way e3600b50b1 he held 0c4f0d36f7 her, as b797ccd1bf if shielding 4c47fd4466 her from 3c52e9891b view, only 692d6324bb drew more 72c12082a0 dangerous attention 0a2ccbbed5 from the 00f14b19f3 crowd.86cb9dca2705f2cd

“Stop it, please. Everyone’s staring.”c3773af9fd67c05c

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“So what?”c2e94cc946d05247

“W-What?”0ac8516c7933d7b1

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While Russelin’s voice was d198b4ab18 filled with concern, Aydin 20bc63b4a9 remained utterly indifferent. His face leaned in ccbd46fbcd toward her with brazen d6f0405712 audacity, while the murmurs 22f3842015 from the crowd faded 82adbf5925 into the background. His breath brushed caccb623ea against her skin, fbeeb8230e leaving her feeling 566f3887fc vulnerable and trapped.579d54000eb14d9a

“I’m making 58bbf56a92 it clear 31ae426179 that you fc1717e0a5 belong to 22e04aef52 me.”542b5c693bd73021

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“…What does that—”89c551de20837ef5

“So no one else 0eb9547688 dares to touch what’s d9d0351415 mine.”168af03e21f70e12

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As his grip cc0ea3fee8 on her waist e8319018a8 tightened, the pain b0bd3d67a6 radiated through her dda76df988 body, making her 4918f7fe9c wince. Aydin seemed to 60e274d4a3 enjoy her discomfort, ac1e5b1798 a cruel smirk 35f7792428 tugging at his 01df1037e0 lips.afe5b02831d38ece

“So you can’t ever 9191dce3fa think about running away 4d1dda4529 from me.”2c0980b3425d36b3

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His eyes blazed 983bb45a31 with a fierce 527b9326c7 possessiveness, his obsession 34b1d2a2fa with ownership clear. Russelin realized once a7681806e5 again—what Aydin felt 32acf60339 for her was 123a86c204 far from love. It was nothing 18f2191a5d but a twisted 83805f13c9 fixation on possessing 612d16e79b her. It was 8c98afc1e8 almost laughable 26d96983e9 how long 8b063ad063 it had 49889d6e5c taken her 6660cff385 to fully f2bbb1df17 grasp that.ac8a862759d2a3d5

“…What are you so afraid of?”01b2f28091f8fcdf

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“What?”e736589a419b9fe9

“Why are you so desperate to hold onto me? What is it that makes you so…”bf4f66b8dd268a8a

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Russelin’s words trailed 0ae6ecfa69 off, as if 561141b778 she had been 04ceffb380 speaking in a a6e1d81f53 daze, but she b1909b5dfa never finished her b41f772469 thought.d238c34c58330e37

“His Grace, Grand Duke Leonard Estere, has arrived!”800ddec019de6ec7

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The announcement that followed 2cac7d673f silenced Aydin, but it 0f3c2f06b3 seemed to be a 281c7e55df more fitting response than 11daca132f anything he could have 68b38784a1 said. The sound eec4e7d78d of Leonard’s f6364528b6 heavy footsteps 7c3e1a7986 echoed through 0b756edafa the vast 3983e71251 banquet hall, 402226cc38 a clear f21133bfc5 testament to ef7f31aa9f the weight 25ef71c199 of his 40cd751d00 presence. His entrance made 01573b39d5 the previous commotion 0faf486f52 caused by Aydin 17a72c968b fade into insignificance. Even Russelin, 17274e883e who had dd2fe4be33 been locked c7a204af89 in Aydin’s 159065e232 grip, found 2690c36f7e herself turning 2fd8879c65 toward Leonard 18b55df16a as if 2da1132e5f drawn by 67177349a0 an invisible cf82cd3c79 force.c13bf46a3a52a2cf

‘Leonard Estere.’f22fb3bb5977d574

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He was there. The man who might ef759e8de3 save her—a ruthless, terrifying 47a5c2c3a2 savior. A flicker of hope 1fb6476c58 shone in her once fe55e6edf8 lifeless eyes. But despite 7bd4f3d77b the surge 7a73778939 of emotion, 396769ef4f Russelin couldn’t dd08d70f4e bring herself 86b5bf7ba9 to take cd0376b188 a step e8169442d3 toward him.2dddb1fe50c8fb39

‘Just as they dedc847046 say…’a691d4d8924ad61d

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There was an cb4880ef11 intimidating aura around d6d66f16b7 Leonard, one that f704ed38cb made it hard f197eed09e to approach him. On the surface, he f464c3dbf0 was a cold, sharply dfef4c0644 handsome man whose sheer 3fadd25419 beauty could make one e14fc7e2c3 forget the danger radiating a252953cef from him.7dbdf19eec64ef42

‘He seems incredibly 710ea8a255 dangerous.’06950db10aca5438

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Aydin was sharp ac39db7ac8 and emotionally volatile, c1a115e2aa making him easier df587194f6 to handle. Leonard, on ded2ea68bd the other 75e4687663 hand, hid 088eda6f1c his feelings 18987cd2ab behind an c5d78aef3f impenetrable gaze, d19e599d77 making him 57af61da7c all the 658c1df812 more difficult a2fe4668cb to read. Yet, Russelin couldn’t 02d95bceaf tear her eyes 0e0f4bd24d away from him.2f27bf24c98984b0

‘If I can’t grasp him… I…’529a3190d6c3ae0e

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A primal fear stirred 0db06ec86e within her, but Russelin baabec58cb pushed it down with 0a4292255b all her might. As Leonard strode into a06c6b66c6 the hall with commanding 0878cf37d0 presence, a few bold 6b79c3c581 nobles, oblivious to his c1bb7d32f1 nature, dared to approach 9b186b7a85 him.a118ff379ff4becf

“Your Grace, it’s an 0f4390b822 honor to meet you! I am—”a6edaf4adecdb206

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“What do you 72756dc45c think you’re doing?”2264e6b350c10002

“…Pardon?”3f17703713741cdd

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“You dare block my 690e9f7ce4 path?”c36b214a7933c150

Leonard Estere was 8768e6d6cc not a man cf5f1eb408 to be trifled 1d36c3bc33 with. Words were unnecessary. With a c6459ce664 single, ruthless 0140702a2c motion, Leonard 3d3949f6ed twisted the 13659ce987 noble’s wrist, 22c01bf771 cutting off 3b33ed21e2 his introduction 5d8a082880 with a 7fd2ff3d13 cry of ee71f6d4ee pain. As the efb498de40 atmosphere in 07ed378c3a the banquet ca997c7497 hall turned bfbfa982ec icy, another e4f8d4b194 noble—a marquis—approached 32b31e1c4d Leonard, his b33d053d5d gaze filled f31742fba5 with pride. Despite the clear 16f439d615 warning signs, he 6e655c0dda seemed to think 21f07062cc himself an exception.c7498e31b38cd87b

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“Your Grace, 7d0694e78f I’ve heard de7db71352 of your d40cab90c9 great deeds 95d47460ea on the 216c38f01f battlefield. Even His Majesty has 9e954b4f95 praised your efforts. Truly, you are—”95dfdf4c9cc3748a

“Is that 4c237b777d something for 31d0b07a32 a man 16db3d85c5 who’s never df9aa989b8 set foot 22e3f51dcf on a 227b49143a battlefield to 45ee67f872 say?”0c868e190f7ffd0e

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“Your Grace, I…!”338cf60d4eb59958

“Pathetic.”760067f4f67a148c

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Leonard, without so 3ecebdf9be much as a 696ec396ee flicker of emotion, b0fd9415cf brought his sword fc09c3a109 to the marquis’s e5671a790d throat. A single 53df52f9b7 drop of 863c9acbe1 blood stained 7789b6effd the blade.32f11e9e34fc7bc0

“You must know my 5afa076e44 sword draws blood, whether 2c2c78b9c0 in the battlefield or 73c85b9c66 the imperial court.”2bc2c41bcf6596d0

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“Please, Your Grace… spare me!”57d610b5c9d4ddc5

As the marquis f8419d5e03 begged for his 2b42920714 life, Leonard only 879ed83697 pressed the blade 1087c72a5f deeper into his 4e2f26740d neck. Blood soaked d7f80d2f81 the marquis’s 75f1fca21a white uniform, a3a8617650 and he 618c202c31 collapsed in ead810c0c7 a faint. The once lively 6edd90dd2f banquet had descended 74f7c59294 into chaos, some e71b33244f nobles trembling at 68d39d4b64 the sight of 4a43bebdf3 blood, others weeping 56133542d8 in fear. Despite the disorder, Leonard c0748de935 remained calm, completely unbothered c249c86c47 by the havoc around 523b73feb3 him.15e82c9ae42d3e20

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“…The Blood Tyrant.”142680eb5c5741c9

Someone whispered the f25784252f name, breaking the 20c47cec05 silence. Everyone knew it. Leonard Estere, the empire’s 5658722468 protector and the only c7a2a8d0d5 grand duke of Tristan, c02c353004 was also known as 458be7ca7b the Blood Tyrant, a edd8099deb title that sent chills 16359e3163 through the empire. Though his title bd7bbb339c suggested loyalty to 8b7b6b71f2 the empire, Leonard 65ef928060 was feared for b4dd161f26 his ruthless nature. It was said 0836204003 that during the 76ebda8fb5 empire’s wars, nothing a99dadc3c6 remained where Leonard c910f280d8 had passed, not 6b04466ec9 even a blade 9bca4c8fd4 of grass. Rumors claimed that 2bf53d6d48 at least one a9eedfa8bb person was executed f42ed53495 every day at 445b277040 his manor, leaving 630967119a a permanent stench 879c168d0b of blood. His intense gaze could 85baa12d00 tear a person apart, 206e2fc951 leaving few brave enough d77e298804 to meet his eyes.b2c1fba139ad678e

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Yet, what was 288d2347bb most terrifying wasn’t bfad142ca3 the gruesome rumors 9198533831 themselves but the 3a8b5495df fact that Leonard, 38ccd528b0 in the midst e24b4d6315 of them, remained f0fc358c0e emotionless and indifferent. He was the 881ed0d0df demon protector of c26f674984 the empire.2e1eee06ee099369

“Get him out 1c9ec74be1 of my sight.”c8254c7e49a7b484

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Leonard commanded 1041a7586c coldly, not 0d2da06818 sparing the cad6ab256c marquis a b3e475f59f single glance f4c8f58ffb as he 654d91a688 instructed his a7b6226b35 knight.ff6e1c857fd7c91f

Russelin, watching 2b036ca61b Leonard for 861ee57afd the first 5be52866a1 time, finally 53fa97494d understood the ebe290455f reality of 7e8ef347de his infamous 04b991dfc0 reputation. She could feel 7fd2eaf829 her entire body ef5f4eb73e tensing in response 64b3e2d844 to his presence. But even as fear beabeda6c7 coursed through her, there 7c93013d64 was an undeniable sense 159a913d8f of excitement.cb5ef8bd49026d97

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‘He’s the only 578470cbfd one who can b53c2eb368 stand against Aydin…’2aca9291b1ca6043

There was 9e377b3474 no time 46da0f5481 for hesitation. Only a 9ffdbe4207 force as 24ced332c8 overwhelming as 3b6d305774 Leonard Estere’s 5947e13809 could challenge d6b7a43cd0 Aydin Bert. If she wanted to f98ca9ae47 escape Aydin’s clutches, she 459f680b9f would first need to f3a71225ba win Leonard over. As Russelin strengthened cf17362e41 her resolve, her 2537711cfd body froze in 3e8e70dfd2 place.5872291991c21487

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‘Did… did our eyes just meet?’178178edd4d29122

Leonard’s cold, cynical 8b43ac1240 gaze had settled 36a3cfe5c8 on her, if a55eb73c6b only for a f598284822 moment. As their ef51d74376 eyes met, ea64418369 Russelin felt fbc5cce0b7 a shiver 47a0e3d8c5 run down e275430c65 her spine. But it 252788bd2f wasn’t quite cf581ae673 fear. There was something familiar 4e91526c86 about the sensation, something 745dd78d88 she couldn’t place. Why did she b158ea3cbc feel this way 0756f529aa when looking at 152461cb20 him?c685e06f68eaeed3

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