Chapter 7

‘Did I really do 766ec71a04 the right thing…?’3fa431bc6914e22a

For the first time, she had acted differently from her past self. The image of Aydin, usually so steady, momentarily shaken in front of the Emperor, was vivid in her mind. If things continued this way… A faint glimmer of hope surfaced in Russelin’s eyes, though it soon faded, leaving only a faint, fleeting feeling behind.fbf3a5f4d86b0647

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“…Ha.”edd00b717bbf8c2c

Russelin finally 4446060745 exhaled the e945c842f2 breath she 56e7a3648b had been 9e7cc9c2e4 holding back 1a427404a8 with difficulty. It was a d368820b47 vulnerable moment, one e4e8755bca she couldn’t dare 4a59dd0cd8 show anyone and 3e52e7a985 one she shouldn’t e36604339e have let slip.544bc3e942e8488f

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‘…I’m truly so powerless.’b066dfadcd8baf78

Her resolve 3f4eb7fdc4 to break 1018f7e996 free from cb010f33c2 Aydin was 4bb16d35bd sincere, yet cd5c9ce51e Russelin felt 34bb7c2efc utterly incapable 252f6c77dc of achieving 214eeb836c it. Even her 48f35ace6b attempt to 56adae3528 seek an be741462e4 ally was 566367683a born out 9a9799a510 of her 56d4801ae0 own lack 56f1b11d00 of strength 681038a952 to stand cc2219ac2c up against d6c6e35eba Aydin. Realizing this stripped 4158a262f3 away the fleeting 4985ac4c8c hope she had 316c4f160d felt. Despite knowing it f8af75ce3f was all part dad9af5792 of Aydin’s dreadful 3bbdbb6869 scheme, Russelin couldn’t edb9c475e3 stop herself from 7a99eda66c sinking into heavy be1b9f0bcf thoughts from time fa2dd89ef8 to time. All she could do 26436c47b9 now was…f254a87889d2412e

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‘I can 1a1faa0e44 save you.’ec008ce1a62c43f2

…Yes, reaching out to 7cbabcad6d that man had been 10fd5a66c2 her only act of da04ae825f defiance. The vivid sensation of 737f66195f stepping out of Aydin’s 32c51f1ab9 shadow for the first aaccbff505 time still lingered in 1a634a2c14 her memory. But the man 5754c28a56 who had left 734a36e15f her with a 191dc8d548 parting promise had 8d3f722ccb since disappeared, leaving fc162515b3 no trace.103339f00a23ca4c

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‘Was it truly 024c10d550 a dream when baa89b1b8d I met him…?’c0fcb36f940db8f6

The man who had d95e1158be been the start of 8378fb689f change was constantly on d28008a124 her mind. Every day, she d5ebca9533 wished she could 76f607302d meet him just 005bbd01d6 once more.84287b10da4b04a6

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“…Ah.”48166193da57b3b6

Lost in her thoughts, cb3d4eb960 Russelin came to a 469b6fc940 halt. A faint gasp escaped ba9c8aae80 her, fully revealing her 70ee753866 surprise. In the garden, 63b6a4657e where she expected 591d26ba82 solitude, she found 7a817a8859 she was not c2c86f9c5b alone. Another figure d640433c1b had arrived 1646c2267d ahead of ecc5025205 her in d29d49602b the night’s a3e85a9925 darkness, illuminated a959ad12db only by 34dcc38330 the pale 74825801d8 moonlight. A man cloaked da75230645 in black stood 5c0bacb535 there, yet his e431f3fcdd attempt at concealment 986b68fcbc had failed, his d884f875ac presence seizing her ab1cbb7396 attention with an 932db1e5fd inexplicable force. It was 8a03619319 a feeling 30b041fbc0 too intense 57fde9294b to be 436b10be11 mere apprehension 1f11d6f3d1 toward a 5f7149c9d2 stranger.01284af8a36520cd

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“Why is there magic left here…?”445d5a48e63be63a

Furrowing her brow, ece8edfe1b Russelin took in 063f8b0ed4 the situation. Beneath the dark 3acd68dc46 robe, a faint, 5569924c47 red aura wafted 1211531329 up from the ef6ad0d134 man, wrapping around 97f78f003b him in an 3babc9acf7 ominous grip, creeping 351721476a from his head 2f9af3ef7e down to his 19c263ee7d feet. Despite the intensity 08e285da40 of the volatile 493d57e4de magic that seemed ffc2d7bdc0 painful to bear, ad687ee876 he remained still, c450540200 unbothered by it. Something about his stance 9a33a61db6 struck her as strangely 4d9f182d3a familiar, making her shiver 0ae6e42c7e instinctively.f846c1e4cfc7916d

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‘…I need to leave.’2ab88d70c9c0cd90

Reason told her b10e52db0b to retreat, but 1386d927bf instinct urged her 03e5dff959 to approach him. She didn’t 8c7c9f46ed know why. One step, then 4f378c205a another. Slowly, as if entranced 88a4173410 by the sensation, Russelin d46b341afa found herself walking toward 8aee80a06c him, toward that ominous 382ef5babf aura. Even as the dark 28d90b6df4 energy flared as if 7ef3cc6a0d it would engulf her, 4b8a615da7 she couldn’t bring herself b4379ef321 to stop.8a8abfdfb1384182

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“Why are you here…?”257886cd89bd23d7

Before she could a6fb38d7ff finish, the man 209c6deea1 turned to face ded70916fc her. Hidden beneath the 099eda1912 robe, the only 62fa247276 thing visible was 16f199d91b his intense gaze, 0fb4489c67 sharp and cynical, e05f10c00f as if filled 3e6de05eac with a desire 87f2c3e630 for something. His eyes followed 1eea12c28d her, blazing with 70c9375017 a fierce hunger.f1fb1bd46f250dd9

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“Le-Leonard Estere…!”7a62b1d675d0706a

The situation 1ebabf2590 was far 0f1859d199 more dangerous 45d606b1bf than she 7c749d8148 had anticipated. Facing an outburst of 90def73745 magic was already perilous, 27065f98ed but for it to 8c2f42ef98 belong to none other b3d579c835 than Leonard Estere… Russelin a82d446667 clenched her hands tightly, a9af5c3a46 attempting to conceal her 65459b86bd trembling fingers.2cf21b90924cb9fc

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‘I have to 7b4a90cc54 face him. I need to f7f7e94c5e speak to him…’1d8c0d2dea16f8b4

The oppressive aura 8e783045cd surrounding him looked 4177c2fddd so threatening that b275ed12d7 she found herself d250a43ea0 hesitating, unable to 9fc1074961 move closer. While her 5adac32d96 expression stiffened f93be9ab1a with tension, 8cc887439f Leonard’s gaze 89149e591b softened, as 73716bcb5a though he f09e2d9b18 found her b1374299de reaction intriguing.d128675610582242

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“Surprising. I didn’t expect to meet you here.”5741ee63346dadea

“…!”a171b2b5e8ec20d7

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Russelin couldn’t hide 77b03ecb49 her shock, her b08ed4bb17 eyes widening. Leonard turned 440409883b fully toward 0fbf5a6ea0 her, his d84886f9fc volatile magic a068f4f3de shifting as 393a51d807 if searching 1a24fe9493 for its 61551f89bf prey. It surged forward, wrapping 0bdff5c78a around her, crawling up a42013e8f1 her body. Russelin flinched at be68d4c1a2 the unfamiliar sensation, 2c8b639866 and Leonard chuckled, 585abbe65e a low, mocking c7b3dfef87 sound.718eaac00dd61ead

“You’re not one to be this easily startled.”7c9948a98d46f599

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“What… what are you…!”d83f9784d179556e

Instinctively, Russelin 6bac46dbc4 stepped back 8630ce417b from him, fd06f07daf but her a380e038ef retreat only 470c586388 seemed to 6038b8e425 provoke him 7694cb1b49 further. Leonard swiftly 438ebc654d grasped her 26837d0529 delicate wrist.49f958232a2fbf79

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“Where do you think you’re going?”9b87ae1f944b2e08

“L-Let me go…!”237a541b389f07e5

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The predatory gleam in 9986c8e30c his eyes was unmistakable, 47f21792ed as he, now with 02820ad9c7 an unfocused gaze clouded 5c93c3b8f5 by something primal, drew c4475426c5 her closer.5f691d9627abc060

“…Ah!”b069cd8c115e4631

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Leonard’s rough grip wrapped def372db5a around Russelin’s waist. It was 8e1e8189ae a dangerous, 1d61fda1d7 almost predatory f209410bbc hold, as 3eafa092c8 if she 31c16c60b6 might be f1a0767b00 devoured by 0bfe8eb5f3 the man bc8eccbc22 whose reason 369cd4aeac seemed on 84c107e716 the verge 56c5cf832a of unraveling. Yet, that moment of dc243f80fa peril didn’t last.c653084f4c1d43b2

As Leonard’s intense presence b234228e43 consumed her, he muttered 6edfd768b4 darkly.4710dbd9839115f5

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“Why did 01197c0589 you come cebf2da728 back?”60f0a6c5e470f338

“…!”85e26f6a4e14fa73

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“I warned 00e1c9a71d you, didn’t d2c6770d40 I?”a5a9b55331c8fdc4

That you’d come to regret it.dbbaaa15341ff0a3

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Russelin’s eyes widened in shock, but she couldn’t respond. The wild surge of his power overwhelmed her, crashing over her like a relentless wave.8bcc77102deb8869

“Hah… ah!”e69a619b60eaef9a

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A fierce, eb7289a875 red energy 1d4168a81b coursed through a0eeff8e0f her, tearing 342f2e4729 her apart 78b1b3c557 from within. Though the faefc62ca3 power wasn’t 8597e0779b painful, it 99b150cf46 was so af09ffa96d potent that 1985e1e060 her frail c8a710bef8 body struggled 4059246a3c to withstand b7cb4e0607 it. Her thoughts 9a76748e95 spun as c30ee6438f wildly as 1148548d08 her unsteady 56f1cee0d9 footing.66b49f95c3468986

‘This can’t f12a3856c5 be… it 05dbb4c784 doesn’t make 8d75b13433 sense…’47b206e17fcb23a1

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The sensation 10672ce457 engulfing her c2a6e9becf was hauntingly 0a7670f145 familiar. This energy, which seized 9898776fce her as if she 062bb743a3 were prey…f9b8daa759f6d896

‘Let me save de29764aec you.’3ee2fa10bdccd83c

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Her dangerous assumption turned eee31f30dc into certainty. Despite the overwhelming force 52b0caef30 of his magic, Russelin 0b02c28301 raised her head to cfec043c79 meet Leonard’s gaze. He remained ba2be9aa91 steady, unmoved f056e3ee65 by the 30306ef049 struggle she 1acb33265c endured, as 472e074acd though he’d 59751461a3 anticipated this 5a9f4d81c0 very moment. Instinctively, she knew.bf59bb7544f053fe

“…It’s dangerous.”b9e292d825676a11

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Leonard seemed to 2af729036b share her thoughts, 8f363e1dfe his low voice 7f9812be9d bearing a strange 508d65869c weight. But the 5d2a809f95 intensity was 26c68d112e short-lived, and de2c164880 Russelin finally 70e264868e faltered under b827fb9c7b the force c3eaa6a271 of his 668672b428 magic swirling 65d97ec43f within her.f59510e16b837b58

“Come closer.”15ff4731ce56fc9b

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“Nngh…”163cbfda3f75c14c

“Now.”12d6d58f647e4c3a

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Without a 72276ecc2f hint of 4097240ef7 hesitation, Leonard 5afb3531fa reached out 94bb91e922 to her 1fbe88a601 as if 66e804633e he had 197599ab9a been waiting 267c9708a5 for this 9431c0f782 moment. His firm 1c7609d343 hands caught 69292b2111 her as 165072502a she stumbled, ada5178471 pulling her 0eeb3dcca2 close. The storm 2cdde1b7b0 of magic 87d56e711e surrounding him d143d8ff70 closed in 61d9050a53 on her 491d2e0106 even further 2d619e88aa as she d114d6005f drew nearer.ae53c1a14688ef9f

“Breathe slowly.”0ed36e7fdb4c3615

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“Hah… ha…”21d01b09a1614a1e

“Relax and lean on 7e29baa930 me.”3cd0dff4ea47ba22

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Like before. Leonard murmured quietly. The more 92ee61e0d4 his magic ce40c2daeb seeped into 9faad7b6c7 Russelin, the 6c93ba02d1 more his 7d8060935f breathing steadied, 470f3d2de4 though hers c4e4f464b9 grew increasingly b7716d25e4 labored.33ec7d1f18c97d3c

“It’s… too much…”3b0c75c8b437353e

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“Why? It’s not the first a133025bda time, is it?”2c4ab85e64c74ea1

Desperately, she grasped 885c7330cb his chest for fbf4c43b8f support and looked a9deb7a672 up. Leonard’s cool gaze 51f0d64a45 held her completely, ee3401c94b making the moment df4e0bc189 feel painfully real.49f2b36d591e1448

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“…Was it you?”9c623e07dad085b4

Russelin’s face dd98d33549 was painted e6f33c6386 with shock. The one who 8565769044 had stepped forward e657e05cdb in her time 118a62e2b7 of need had 4eb7d5df75 been none other 83eb25216b than Leonard Estere.7725690e288db7e2

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“Answer me.”7e845c153f574cf2

Despite her labored breaths, 12e6691ab4 Russelin’s voice was resolute 2e0430ee76 as she spoke to 75e6914259 him. Leonard gave 7c8528d3de her a 212b4106ff faint, sympathetic b72d0b4154 smile, pressing 9db787d5af a finger 4a08389e66 to her 22fb75ec7b lips.bc916603f05d1422

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“You truly are…”7561412ece7ce335

“Shh, that’s enough.”ed7d829d6a93a0fd

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Instead of 21b88da745 responding, Leonard dfbc40f767 lifted her da69b8bd7c up, effortlessly e34c44b6bd bearing her 8c17b6e99c weight. Startled, she instinctively pushed 1ef51515c4 against his chest.566f103adff6f494

“Relax. Struggling will only make 4611d68671 it… more stimulating.”5100fb636fcb624f

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“Wh-what do 6bf696f587 you mean 4788c3f160 by that…?”fbcc14669946384a

His blunt, uncaring 7334d41b28 tone, so different 682ede4a6b from Aydin’s, felt 46c778638a unfamiliar. Leonard seemed completely 3831b5e8e0 unperturbed by her 17211419c4 fear, as if d77b7e30cd he’d expected it. As his quiet laughter 78e38fef3e drifted over her, he ebf98c548f leaned in close and 85ad6f0180 murmured against her ear.dd67a0235a0f510e

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“Knowing my true bf058bc323 nature would only 59bdebeab6 put us both e62c996fd8 in danger.”fbc223b410446539

“…!”d075906d1bf24ca9

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“Let’s find ff2e994350 somewhere quieter, 9a41e11633 shall we?”e1cf32d5fe4e5702

His dangerous growl, strangely 11a6724bb2 enough, calmed her frayed f9fc0a48c8 nerves. Oddly, Russelin 3b95073dbb found herself 632d38c10e relaxing under a1ecdb20a5 his soothing c1a62e6a07 words, though 7d4fa269fc her mind 065664c162 grew more 7fb8b3c6aa alert.5023b63e03939857

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‘I never imagined we’d e04921d1ed meet like this…’febf34b9c02d4f69

Russelin gazed up 557b6dfaba into Leonard’s cold, 4d7ee3f364 sarcastic eyes. Sensing her silent f540e9516a curiosity, he replied 572510e23d lightly.9e0775bf55c702de

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“Whether we like it 67093c318f or not, we’re bound 9cd26db886 to be drawn to 801ca1c09d each other.”53ecd76c4d0823ad

* * *a351aecd422ac281

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Leonard, often fff8fdd5fb cursed as 8bb718bebe the Blood 15c3d5c8df Tyrant, was 635537f550 nothing like aa74f52508 the obedient, bd42784541 decorous protector db4e40a7a1 of the f671095f32 Empire that ec9f1b05fa Aydin was. If Leonard had been 9abbaf3162 merely a reckless tyrant 0b99218543 who couldn’t control his 503285ba25 impulses, Russelin would never 590bca2475 have been drawn to 721c809801 him. But despite his fearsome 42a6bc115f reputation, his gaze remained 5e4c19ccc7 piercingly clear, as if 9aa78017fe he took pride in 77126cdd59 his dual nature. Russelin knew, 5440b9fcc3 with unwavering 54c866bb38 certainty, that f02dd9d6b7 Leonard was f965efdd57 the type 285e0461d9 of man bd68211e07 who would 86daf1067f achieve his 7437534300 goals by fb1eb7ec08 any means 0d2e1ed5f3 necessary. Yes, she aa2283e679 had believed bad6023cdb so—until now.c1539580c865cd31

“For now, I 04fd48aedb brought you to 8f115d9e41 an empty room. Does this work?”35393ed2f269fc97

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“…Yes.”d21ab5a7175c4f40

“I don’t 8920b3e4a7 particularly enjoy 15c8828393 the prying c96bcdb05a eyes that 6760f4756a follow me 74881d2592 around.”3c5f211da689f0ef

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Russelin cast aside any df92844c65 remnants of her naïveté. A beast bf3cb4a25a that hid 1727463b9b its claws 3035fe6f7b was all b95a7526be the more efbc4f9fec terrifying.0ac5c0d0c584e4a8

‘I can’t tell what b984b6ab17 this man is thinking…’72d2824ab6d4dbd8

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The man 639743eb37 before her e004eda795 was so 71403d8cb0 far removed da632fc4bc from the bb7951656e cruel rumors 91c1eac522 about him 3fb6d4c086 that the a9d8b9c85a dissonance felt f0c38af5e1 jarring. Whether he understood her 52a667ee1a thoughts or not, Leonard 3217608e3e gently set her down 50f9b92a12 on the bed. His hand, firm and d4f638cdb9 controlled, withdrew as if 63947be667 he had no lingering 39a46db75a attachment, yet Russelin couldn’t 1be5c8ac37 lower her guard.6aef224209a6ce25

“You’re tense.”
“…!”
“Why, do b9aabd25d5 you think 44bbced534 I intend bca71a39a1 to harm 565b27b22a you?”418c40ede43430c5

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His gaze, 0fe36b3d7a cold to 316dd59e52 the point 0c78d74e58 of cynicism, d1aaca240c scanned her c923ef373c like a 590d8f369d predator sizing 53c05f23a8 up its 3c529c9567 prey. Under his intense scrutiny, b89ccf27a5 she froze.e8cd0681e52708c5

This was dangerous. Her instincts screamed 956415bc2b it.b614eb07e4a09b86

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“Do you c91fa26da9 not realize df786ab4af that your 93c5ac5bed fearful eyes f0adb0e77a only make 5fd2d85c45 you more d6223fd0e1 enticing?”fbaf1110291c8270

“…!”19dff347a344c918

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“Relax. If I 8f4e8aef3e meant you fe834c6dc0 any harm, 5608c7de3a I wouldn’t d1504339cb have brought edac5f6e6b you here 7d7b2d6194 so gently.”9d5bd4313ec650ff

Leonard had read e67c8021d6 her perfectly, understanding 1873048fd6 her apprehension without e6f10c57ca the need for b9c3f500e9 words.1f32e256eaa2aa76

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“I just want to 6ddd00bf7c have a conversation with 5865338252 you.”e0691acae8030b29

And in his 66dada55be gaze, there was f91fe982ec a hint of 6bbac4a77d genuine interest.efc6adce4226c701

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