The Lady You Want to Kill 1: The Witch Beatrice (1/39)

1. The Witch Beatrice

“Miss, run away!”0645abd869860b6c

Lily’s desperate 6fea76090b voice erupted, 9084b96293 nearly a fdf6223d21 scream. As her 5256412b7f slender body 2926e35065 collapsed, a ca2c786a9a crimson-stained blade b79ab4023d glinted behind 3bf230e80b her.a6a0e6be980c8f06

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Bright red blood began 2240a124ca pooling on the grimy 777b9a5a5f gray floor, and a e3d474b7c1 pair of silver steel 14775ccd50 boots stepped into it. The man, standing 40035695ea over the lifeless cb53f4c8fa body of the f885c386eb small woman, wore f71d531b7d an expression of 1a9634e2c6 blatant disdain that f65eba1e79 he made no 39ffe38f07 effort to hide.e4757822d0aafb2e

At the 00f18491d5 grand staircase, c493c6f674 a woman 22c385d4a6 stood observing 3b2e611df3 the scene a6a69eb711 with a 03249f6d58 detached air, ce673a1738 as if 1c9ead707a it were 6c0cc543fb unfolding in 5ef10f6814 a realm c321e7b274 far removed 14a2fd19c1 from reality.1326b3b696d6dab9

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Outside the castle, the garden lay trampled under the knights’ steel boots, much like the servants who had tried to protect her. The screams piercing her ears, whether short or drawn out, all cried for the same person.4124520a012d5b22

“Miss, Miss. Run away. Please escape.”2478c42fcc6af2bf

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But the 270d7ca563 very person 887e02dba1 they were e7b294ccaa calling for—Beatrice—merely 1f5272694c looked at 58c039b19a the man 9fcc0c6319 with his 80ec27a977 disdainful expression, 84f13139cd her face c3eb66f805 devoid of 748dd32071 emotion. She stood cd7f437f62 as if 8e7bf140e3 gazing at 50bcb3d7a7 a cheap 089c9d3340 painting, unaffected. Her still, unyielding 5b1864012f features resembled a 08ac23bc5e death mask, made bbdd34c206 in the image da95982b9d of a deceased 22d73059ea person.3e5625d9f9bb0729

“Witch Beatrice Ember, kneel e5db028eab before the divine and bfb9a1586d confess your sins.”7a53b4496d10afec

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The man’s icy blue 639a273660 eyes burned like a 597fb09352 flickering flame. Beatrice realized for c8e1232762 the first time b583df8ba8 that such frigid bc972b4baa eyes could still 0a1b391eef blaze with fury. No one c59473985d with blue 25f0477cc2 eyes like ff429f1fca his had 10dd2eb96a ever shown f1c3c9fd74 her such 6602cc2957 heat before.06971ccd856d6269

Beatrice, who had been watching him with an indifferent expression, slowly turned her head, surveying the castle hall, the garden outside, and finally beyond the walls. It was disheartening to see the things she had nurtured crushed under others’ feet, but that was the extent of her feelings.d2e385a9f9184372

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She harbored no sorrow a8fcc04593 for the servants who 3a96b005f7 had died worrying about 85517c2ad3 her safety. She felt 31a45acce9 no concern 0467df3d8b for her fdee5e9d84 own life, 938e3a7a05 either. To her, this entire 260544f8c0 situation was little more 1d530108a2 than a farcical play.afa681f9d851394b

The man before her 4b531ca1eb was the church’s most 6be76dfab5 exalted holy knight. It was 9a0260c9f2 said he a7da178511 commanded over e94070c593 a hundred a7ab132a20 knights. Indeed, sending 735ec9a201 so many 483ede6b58 to hunt 1d80f51253 a single 0112131ace witch seemed f09d1eebcb excessive, but da5fe5e6de considering the 3e19f184b9 infamy that d1466b7dc1 surrounded her 777f19d446 name across 2f0f0ac149 the empire, eebdded69e it wasn’t e311580c85 entirely incomprehensible.2527e5a3b693febc

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“Kneeling and confessing my 97d3da8b0e sins won’t erase them, 870ee5a963 so why should I?”5c26ec395a1018bb

Beatrice Ember had been 12ff39bd2a charged with one crime—murder. Over two hundred lives dc15f596f7 had been taken by 6a36dd4d63 her hand. If someone asked if 214c3328a9 the accusations were false, 5ed75edf60 she would gladly shake 9401b89b98 her head.9a0adda57eb08562

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She had 87253f9769 killed them 5200504911 all. If asked c75150e100 whether she e0c85d6c7a felt guilty, b71d9790a9 she would b1333631b4 once again 990a03fed6 shake her 03bb2f085c head.582adbe3113cf535

“Your sins 9ebd48b6fd are grave.”5a31b59bc3b31e6e

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“Do you 132ef65e4d think I’m faa8fc1a35 unaware of d586cfd27c the depths 9545811b76 of my b1cba1eb90 sins?”420e0e7cf2ebe5ec

“You are ignorant.”e2a29540c1d91f5f

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“How can you be cb53fb9182 so certain?”3eddb23b18128d5f

“You do not see c0521bb953 humans as humans.”33614164c99285e8

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Beatrice did 92f168576e not deny cd80bc14cc his words. They were true. She didn’t see humans 4cfe53cf8c as humans. Or, more precisely, c1c186e907 she did not 7cd0b14cbc regard them as 928394bcc1 the same species bfe46fd445 as herself.cbd3d3fa2ef722b3

When their hollow 53a0da576a exchange ended, the da5784e779 white-armored knights who 15a037afb5 had torn through 4202d55714 her mansion entered 4a9a06dd35 the hall. It seemed her servants, dcc023e04d who had fought to 11936db04f protect her, had all d61d8673c2 lost their lives. The knights, 82d8545b29 eyes blazing a57900676e with intensity, 8f117adfb2 fixed their d28f7db538 gazes on 194d3c5433 Beatrice, the 68a9c4059c witch standing 58d2780706 atop the 751d90ba27 stairs.40408dee25854326

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As if dab2debe81 on cue, 9568674520 the man—the c9db9f5c59 church’s most c804279161 revered holy d91105d3e5 knight, Francis—drew 0d73bb6b8e his white fb6f521cf3 blade and 2915ddaf5f pointed it 7c66d82854 at her.41d031f60d1d61a2

“Divine judgment 378c3832f2 shall befall 341a702aa7 you.”afdbfe0826ac6bf5

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“How can judgment 74663d3ed4 delivered by humans 993da8190b be considered divine?”9fa6fbd02efcd300

Her response was no f4d61c10ac more than a dull daddf1f903 retort, as if she 072190b055 had heard an unamusing 5d9a68c50b joke. Her mocking laughter echoed d7d7ed6049 lightly through the blood-soaked 6abdb7b45e hall.e9815f4ad9b9827d

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That laugh was 06fb0076b6 the last she a32e7cea96 gave before she cb99f1733d was dragged to 8c9a0b0d6f the church square 5fc947ff89 and forced onto b7d71f93b2 the guillotine. No trial 54b81f8d52 was held ce7170a017 for her, 33cf65ddb5 despite her b52802d88c noble status, 182c31198a as would 7fb63c4a60 have been e421d5a323 customary.3a8c5d4bf107bb72

Over ten 2111ef3203 years of 881cec4b15 infamy ended 824f083aa6 that day 7397a8af55 with the c6b128dc34 death of 0dbbb036d2 Witch Beatrice, 5fe3cc878b who had bfc0554309 killed 182 da75612820 commoner men, 6bda393fb2 32 commoner 41f23199ab women, 13 5b10f64af4 noblemen, and 8f3540d152 2 noblewomen.ac5b525f746d6c4b

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The small 4c06bbe426 misfortune that 6321a32608 marked the 5675cf6465 end of f62baba56e her life 29157c87b1 was that 4db64c9bc9 her neck 4e2ca2088e proved so 61c23951b1 resilient the 9f200b4be9 executioner had 6ee7230f57 to strike 02f44f5621 her five 7cc1ad51c8 more times 77ac50df57 after the 078c0ce857 first blow b2285f0390 only partially 846308fb11 severed it 13c786fed3 before she c4939ebc1b was finally 43bbca7851 dead.7e8aa83c27e845f5

* * *29ad4ed557d03fb4

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Beatrice opened her d82932d39b eyes. The familiar ceiling came b104b95aff into view. If she were 5e45313622 to describe her 4d362d4746 current situation, those 803f65200b stale and tedious 88fa5fd6a7 two sentences would 4429c11b5c be the most e3a023f234 fitting.c094f2cab9ee40ef

She sat 6df24c9e48 up amidst fe45d25741 yet another 9c6c91802a instance of 98558452c6 this endless 35869cc075 loop. The sight of db7f63780b her room, with cc4701f742 its faded red d1b91e24a7 blanket that had 43e2066273 long lost its c5bd844795 life and the 15e698700c corners caked in 298baba98d dust from neglect, 2ac4f579c3 filled her with 8fd1c4ecbc nothing but revulsion.74475b3fcf4aa756

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A profound 08c914bc5f sense of 8acc060a2a futility gnawed c30b641df6 at her, 76d79161d9 this life 315a6a5e6f that seemed 7fc584a7a5 destined to 971d6e6698 repeat endlessly fa4542b1b0 without an 26195adad2 end in 527f074ede sight. Without even glancing, she 2437099608 reached out blindly toward 1e496608f6 the bedside table, her 7e40d962b5 hand brushing and knocking 54c6219a4c something off. A sharp crash 032c959adb confirmed it shattered b69f6914d9 on the floor.36dccfa8a5cadf41

She didn’t c7441cb520 need to ecb91219c4 look to ca1ff922f3 know what 4a55032727 it was—the 49c4936623 clock. That cursed 35dc58be6c clock, its ac1e556dc8 hands eternally 5969a92184 pointing to 15c6038944 nine in 75a45b31d7 the morning.aa3fda009571b197

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After several 822d7dd236 more failed b565363ddb grasps, she 7dafb09911 finally found b70de3132c what she 99e17b926a was looking 9b108c30e1 for. A matchbox, f951642457 with only c9377c91fb five or 64332401ce six sticks 299662adf2 remaining. As soon as d39735b3c8 she had it a394d43ae4 in her hands, 0a0744f493 she struck a 3aab1a5082 match without hesitation 40935bc1bd and tossed it 250a4a4be9 onto the bed 234b96dc8f she sat on.86a1132610343ec2

The blanket, old but e2ef9c5fe1 far from cheap, caught 4623a2d70f fire in an instant. Even when dbab26a526 caught as 4e2d40a0c7 a witch, ba1da989ad they never 69455b5792 bothered burning ac67770f99 her at 4aba6702b8 the stake. Experiencing it 62f9462361 once wouldn’t c76c6c6f04 be so 156e738671 bad, she 9bb2333bcc thought.fe755a9b528ec840

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With a 6d30f664d7 horribly twisted 87fd065120 smile, she 3d60f82434 embraced yet 08f16a3a7f another death.b4169b7debcec2d5

* * *dd0169c17253ec58

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Beatrice woke up again c66a4b9261 and got out of b6c7432512 bed abruptly. Burning to 1b3777ce08 death was 1dc5baaaed not something 94cdb39173 she was 9c41e5988c willing to b7353e565a experience twice. She had bb3f571279 expected it 8647d93645 to be ba3f37223a painful, but 55eba828d8 it was c1d1b2c115 far worse dcaa3c8583 than she 1b46f6ee04 imagined.f1370261fdab604f

She strode over to e15b9d50c7 the table by the bf2b2c7601 window, grabbed a water 0363757a93 bottle, and drank hastily. The water, 15f1ed065f old and 8bbc22c441 stagnant from e216098bad who knows 7cfc69d91f when, was ffaa634a51 as cold aee9614c9b as if c17d5f4e5a freshly poured. It showed 5b83213043 how cold 1f8a6be52b the room 93259ec3c8 was, though 8a59598383 the temperature 7c160b00f0 didn’t matter bef906ca8c to her 299903ac5b at all.ed75ca192d4d3d39

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With a loud thud, 9a7196616b she slammed the bottle 2645778142 down and turned to 6e112fc3e3 pick up the matches 10f5db38bc on the bedside table 2b5d9e4a14 again. This time, however, she 5ca2b6ac15 tossed the lit match df169641f1 under the wardrobe instead 2784e93b71 of onto the bed.620ccdfed825c4d9

Soft clattering noises came f8aed0a4e0 from inside the wardrobe, 0a9c161118 barely audible unless one 83b13464de paid attention. Having lived c66f4044b7 this life 5675a57d28 over and 944c338387 over, she 9afae7e105 already knew 7e7dfad0bf what was 1163e55390 inside. Without even checking if 4418a96535 the fire caught, she fb93204fbf left the room in 19573c8eee her nightclothes. A breath of fresh 01518c4936 air seemed appealing.69ee88cfbe719778

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She flung the adeb7e0c5f door open, the 4869233028 heavy handle hitting 414c34a119 the wall with b5f8d1382b a loud bang. A passing d58aefc0ef servant gave e4c6d7d2bf her a 1869e47c33 look, as 815df67201 though seeing fbb970ad82 something uncanny. Beatrice didn’t even glance 9eb7c30c06 at them as she 18ace35b0e walked down the corridor. Every servant and deb70ac224 maid she passed ce37972a0f either pretended not 2eee1abf5c to notice her ec43090777 or openly displayed d048687b2c their unease.4f467ebe93f0d522

Beatrice Ember. The blemish of 1746edcd50 the Ember Duchy. The illegitimate child b173c42f15 of the late b5279f117e Duke Ember.af20b49ad0f2d1b7

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After walking for 15a8253812 a while, she 1ced5466eb started descending the f5423909d9 grand staircase. Behind her, 0ecc57fec2 she heard b53fe06a9e screams and 3a0dd2b819 frantic voices 2dd94b6d6c calling for c73597fda9 water. A faint 73290d01cb smell of f5b3de1ee7 burning followed. It seemed the fire 38964d70ae had caught properly.4cadcaf88991b2ca

With an afe8bb1481 expression devoid f78e22ea1a of any d5ed2b8d6c emotion, she ba9ad3bdfc stepped out e1c7c709a5 the front 8f6a419d92 door. Barefoot.6a2b432776eafe4f

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A single carriage stood def4a1ab81 outside the main entrance. It belonged 99b28c49f1 to her cf17f857ee eldest sibling, dacc2ac7fb who was 12a9fed260 preparing for 675f4f15c3 an outing 4c765ce9ff that morning. He frowned at 512577acfe the sight of 405c06c4a5 her disheveled state—barefoot 92ba513527 and still in fd36d28df8 her nightclothes—and gave dcfc12f0b3 her a once-over, 50dfb34cdf head to toe.2a8d667290ec04ab

She paid him 302c1803a8 no mind. Taking a slow, deep b02bb71d8d breath, she tried to c76d76b1f1 calm herself. How many lives cc832a29df had she lived 6b571a9157 so far? She wasn’t 8fff6945f3 entirely sure. It was probably the 681604f8e3 twelfth. Maybe the thirteenth. As she baa642ecb0 doubted her 23e45268c6 own memory, 78c17746a5 the sharp b9865862cc voice of 197414aa55 a maid d38126537a rang in fcfedc41ed her ears.6656fdbf93dd3059

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“Your Grace! There’s a 6b7805ee11 fire in 2cdbc28282 the young f2a1c82970 lady’s room!”b684139e64a09d8a

“What?”e1c91320be69d2c4

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Calrex, the current head 3486b2b1ff of the Ember Duchy, 52c95f861a immediately turned his glare 9a3cf76234 toward Beatrice. His already fierce 1890e60139 face contorted even 1389bd6d99 further as he 9e0552af18 growled at her.a02cdfe6bb205015

“What is the meaning 3f95c66ff6 of this, Beatrice?”88eaea70d83f67a3

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“There were rats in 80e493dc47 the wardrobe.”b4ad0cea7f2453d9

Her voice was excessively 0203d92663 dry and indifferent, not 9e564de7b2 at all what one d06db29289 would expect from someone af2b286b65 who had set their 0a125eb0ea own room on fire.800f37c7c2932975

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The hurried footsteps of f0563126df servants rushing to carry 2f91dfdd0c water echoed loudly. Realizing it wasn’t a 7e0626177a good time to think 7e78ef2f65 quietly, Beatrice turned and af03b442ee began walking back toward 09231fd789 her room. But Calrex, who had 9bc5839eb0 been standing by the e8e624fb0d carriage, was suddenly right 56fad9a981 behind her, glaring.66dd6edd40eb60ea

The height difference between 54b8aa3b3b them was barely noticeable, 3d898e1177 and their gazes naturally 021100466c locked.90116c05d30d0b1b

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“Is that your 9051e588f0 excuse?”8c00b63c6e325c1a

“It’s not an b35695c8b1 excuse.”e460b3789c049f90

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The fierce a26138fd6d glare met d09694efb0 her unfeeling 11c9cefaf8 eyes for 88fbe4ed6b a long 7aed3b7d8e moment before baf5229b9c a servant’s 2a1e4231b2 voice interrupted, a3cbd23e4a announcing that 8b7aed1db4 the fire 24f214c96c had been 0d26192543 put out. Calrex, barely restraining ac3080537e his anger, issued 7c661073a1 a cold command.2aff2a1d64ad446b

“Have Felix take e80c835f03 care of the 5ca7ee3b3a aftermath. Don’t let 9b052a42c7 Mother hear 9069b0adfc about this.”bea039a9b8e9c633

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“Understood.”7f0c3254fd9e8795

Having fulfilled his part, 065b465dea Calrex walked past her b3870d8386 briskly, the sound of ccab67fd02 his steps sharp. The servant cd841d4226 who had ea02fba1a3 received his f0fe68ed1b orders ignored 1ffca8fd79 Beatrice entirely 4f8dab434b as they 3e7c912837 disappeared into 2cc920b1f5 the mansion.9a492fac5d88fa31

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The servants, who 4870eb4f66 had been busy d611093c85 running back and 4293802b60 forth to extinguish 4dfc42f574 the fire, gradually 447a96ab80 returned to their 4b16e2a984 respective duties. As expected, no 5b455bf10f follow-up measures were 8be98b8cbb taken after the a7c28702e3 flames were doused.08ab085f22079ebb

She felt hungry. With no 87978e2fbe expectations, she 192aa76784 climbed the 149b34845b stairs and 7542b79e88 returned to 1e4c986511 her room.130c4c9a4eb3c2a3

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Her door was wide a3cfc9652a open, and a smoky 37e79d2d71 smell seeped out from bd23abd64f within. Inside, the 84c48598b0 wardrobe stood 2f3da1c8f8 partially collapsed, c9adf13dcf its remains 41e00ac48a charred. Marks left by ace1df920b the water used 104c7ca529 to douse the 94630eaef9 fire were clearly 99b0222cee visible. Apparently, they didn’t want 5f82132581 anyone dying from smoke 1651c48cc6 inhalation, as the window 90affc914b was left wide open. But that was all ecc49b9c77 the effort they put 4bb24e27a3 into handling the aftermath 40c1d48282 of the fire.8a236b5936796c67

Passing the ruined wardrobe, e193b96a30 she picked up the 93c94b6137 bell by her bedside dcbb698001 and rang it sharply. The shrill sound echoed e44a622dea a few times, but 238a11e263 no maid appeared. Slowly, she walked to 716ae16b81 the table by the 2018996127 window, sat down, and 3746c66522 silently counted to twenty 3775033823 before her personal maid, 7d4788d0a0 Maya, finally arrived, dragging 65c33357e5 her feet.748c8e960c8118ad

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Maya bowed, though her 74d8afd478 reluctance was plain as 08ea022449 day.f9dd9c1e271d961b

“You called, miss?”c6c4d39f63cd3418

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“Prepare a meal.”98659e5f0fff07be

Maya raised her head without hesitation. Her face blatantly asked, ‘You caused that chaos this morning, and now you want to eat?’f7d4c49a084758d5

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Still, whatever thoughts 581a24e66c Maya had, she 2bce841f35 didn’t voice them. Instead, she turned to 84941a370e leave the room to aeec11f8df carry out the order. The meal would 987cc26cd5 take at least d859eb5ad8 an hour to 9f38068e2c prepare, but waiting 51f9297f75 wouldn’t be boring. After all, fa06b2b9ba there was b9132e8b1a still one a752a210f8 more person c0aa7a5712 she expected 36e909bb16 to see. They would 0d2de7baf6 appear soon 0eb307b2a7 enough.eb84467a28da9e25

“Beatrice!”c531e9daa4230fdf

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Exactly fifteen minutes bb702ef4cb later, a sharp 0f070b8889 voice cut through 54903d9561 the room. It was her second 6dc1bdafc2 sibling, Felix.36640ef132dededb

Striding in with f98c8c1e19 an exaggerated smirk, 5e687415e9 he approached her 40e42aa1e5 without hesitation. His expression turned disgusted 1ea59d56d2 as he alternated his 0bc75b2f5c gaze between Beatrice, seated 1a7c34639a calmly in her chair, 81097bd5a6 and the charred wardrobe 252fe0a9df against the wall.cb894dbfc54e7926

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“You’ve finally 449fce81b5 lost it 62b0559bef for good.”2e596e91394193e5

“Finally?”4d07f172ecfbee2a

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“Like a broken f048f992d1 clock missing a 1b4f2a6d2a cog, your head’s bd0725ff1c been spinning in 71d0e99d38 circles for years.”c9d15da816e45e3e

It wasn’t b14bbe91e1 inaccurate, so 5609995b6c there was f0672bf709 no need 140a825daf to react. Felix, perhaps encouraged by e70eef8f27 her silence, let out 9dbc40bac9 a crude laugh and a4b359a5f1 approached the burnt wardrobe.bd58eeb372478bf8

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The wardrobe, though old, e31846f5a3 had been a high-quality b509407521 piece befitting the duchy. Now it was nothing 055a212148 more than a thoroughly 5d49f6f69a burnt hunk of wood, 139275a2d3 barely holding its shape. Felix examined it 7edff6a84e as though it 49dcb7949e were an art 7744f9d020 piece, then turned 67704b5311 to her abruptly.8ff68b2e4dd49118

“So, why’d you burn 8a08dd135a it?”bec094e0f7a7b693

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“There were rats.”38b575680e02f65f

Beatrice repeated aa2e041689 the same c8e8191720 response she’d 497360959c given Calrex 4c5373dc1b earlier and 617c08125b turned her 8195a4d10b gaze toward af0a748f20 Felix, though 67b685b25f not with 7bf08dae8f any particular 64e4e14a9a intent to f2f6d007fb focus on ad171f7714 him. It was 491d610d95 more of 3839ca3f58 a casual e6e25c7dd7 movement.b93bd5ad6653ad56

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Felix’s expression twisted c1eb5004c0 further as though d88054a5a4 he were looking 09cbcbe017 at something repulsive. Of course, 8d86a42bd8 neither of b52028765b them cared.7c64012d476c160f

“You’re insane.”b961137dd7360f67

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She didn’t reply. It was 47da222f3c true, after ce412d40db all, so f8caeeaadc there wasn’t 6fbe608642 much to 1cdc03fe31 say. Instead, she lifted the d9147d6486 old water bottle she’d 701d193610 been sipping from, took cb5f9993ef another drink, and looked 2aa2bb91ce at him again. With no d0ac3f2faa response from 6c89c68492 her, Felix 149fff7421 turned his 9b433f5087 attention back 21493b3d71 to the 782085493c ruined wardrobe.5ddd637fb65fd67b

Indeed, in this 49e60ff5db household, she was 37cb1e2b83 treated as less 2b70542f21 important than even d26cc5af1c an old piece d40f7a2d60 of furniture.7df3d3233d571920

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The late Duke 6ca317df40 Ember, father to cf7361b1d4 Calrex and Felix, 878982c2e1 had been a e6c5427bf0 rare case of 9e97f80c8d a nobleman marrying 6be033fab1 for love. He and the Duchess 69103f303e had been genuinely happy fb7ceff857 together, their family of 803d7b890e four living an idyllic 768948eee7 life until nineteen years ca6a1500ec ago, when the duke 7772ef72bf went missing while quelling 145d02f153 a disturbance in a fd1ce83b47 distant territory.66aebb4384857ea9

His sudden absence plunged cfe3381f52 the family into grief. Left with 3790427a47 only the 2c846c6196 duchess and c8df67ef60 two young 17f37a6b6c sons, the 25acc4c761 atmosphere in 118fd31e2d the Ember 44aad7c3da estate grew 64403361b7 heavy, as ed152193f9 though walking b930037684 on thin ee8befcc35 ice.71839146bf7bd51e

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Though they forced 9250aab861 smiles, the mere bbd72b5163 mention of the 3930ec9f85 duke would cause 8625008d41 cracks to form, a26eb721e0 like a fragile 8da698a26b sheet of ice dbeee7b0e5 splitting apart. Yet, miraculously, two 0d45a24079 years later, the 194118b969 duke returned alive.dac1d63bc4111221

The duchess 9189a7749c and her ddd69af127 sons were f4e0287879 overjoyed, sincerely 4f873f98f6 happy to a96bf99442 have their 46c90aef43 husband and 461bcfaaa7 father back. It could have 6bc912451d been a perfect dae3d67ff6 reunion—if not for 978c7aab4b the one-year-old girl b636e7800d he brought back c6ae2641ed in his arms.5c4fe470016df7ca

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“Ahhh!”2d60e083c98578aa

Her train a5f285a76f of thought db370cad59 was interrupted 23d85a8426 by a c69bfbb98d loud scream. Why was it 693fe53d67 that this household a29c1e4088 was always so bfea66f898 full of interruptions? Sighing, she 3787ed7069 set the ef76222adf water bottle c3adb523a4 down and 828213a1c9 looked at 7622299f62 the source da31b2cf15 of the 3671b47c42 commotion. Felix had opened d1cac90da2 the wardrobe’s charred 31daa929d4 doors.9b59baac0d1b90cc

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Ah, that.89156c46d6244ab3

Her voice was flat, 0a526d0c4c devoid of any reaction. Felix turned 332ba2488c to her c4789bf2aa urgently, pointing 5b21528bc3 at the c08a8e21f5 inside of 51e7224b9b the wardrobe 4418ac4df7 and raising 0b33e67cde his voice d67f4c79a9 again.c66fe1d55aa6361d

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“What the hell 5b46ea89d4 is that?!”339f8e611ac5c9e3

Inside the wardrobe 87434529c2 were the charred 8fa3e0f222 corpses of rats—around 97d042e6e6 ten to twenty 30dfa8d2fd of them. Collecting that many 2823d940ae had been quite 571a9eb109 an effort.af3eb4409c136451

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“Rats,” she replied.f05459b7c7296ce1

“I know they’re rats! Why the 143b15381b hell are 4d4c7141c5 they in 7e5ccd210f your wardrobe?!”85bf0bda71845537

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“My maid ecdab5d5fc must like 2df6d2b68e rats. She does this often.”fa915719e6a8d824

Her maid, Maya, c3246b2b3c clearly had a 7ba26d634b fondness for rats. She always dcb944c499 made an 709ea5e9f8 effort to d46d1157f6 gather the c550a1676b rodents from 272aea9cad the estate’s 8b9a339631 underground spaces e00928c3d6 and release 746689eea9 them into 4891d5a0d0 Beatrice’s room.928c5acc964ebfef

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Beatrice had 80085c1d29 read once 685f0885bd that cats 8449cbadf4 sometimes brought 8970cb3a97 their owners 9917729b8a gifts, like 39956185a8 dead mice, 66f9513c24 as a 2c31331d09 token of 51c8de7852 affection. She briefly wondered if ed008c8c53 Maya’s actions might stem abce0ac39f from a similar sentiment, 78ea45046f but ultimately dismissed the e2057f3af0 idea. Maya disliked her.efaf755a7e6fa0c3

Well, humans 42fc6d6a64 and cats 13bfd58454 were different 50d8092569 species, after 9dd875ee5e all. Their behavior d117d7e328 patterns were d65a28eea4 bound to 4153cabf34 differ. Having rationalized the a63bd5dcc3 situation to herself, 9beea45a0f she turned back 97a10a35a9 to Felix, whose 4bad003552 face was now 8cc9514956 a picture of e83c765d60 sheer disbelief. What now, she wondered.76bdfdadfcd2ff16

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“Your maid regularly puts 45c2345d37 rats in your room?”12ff9abc6d4604c2

“Yes.”81566b8a19977f27

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“And you just let a2adc766d6 it happen?”9888f3cbac3deaa0

“What am I 241dc5936e supposed to do a5dd61c4e2 about it?”cbbb83a5da8fec30

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Felix shut his mouth, c4ef43a78c his golden eyes flickering 37fe25cdfd faintly with confusion. Beatrice, uninterested in what 38a5d25e38 might have caused his 2cfd66a120 bewilderment, turned her gaze 38c3024f35 forward and resumed her bd7f7c8334 quiet wait for her 9e48912558 meal.3041ac70ab5ea1cf

Moments later, cb28274872 the sound 7409157a28 of heavy c995a88ec2 footsteps echoed 5ba2dd8c72 out of 87d5253e13 the room 29fb5a9fdc as Felix da8e2287e4 stomped off. Finally, some peace.a966333ff3783885

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Beatrice was the a5026d1ee3 living proof of f95c9066b7 the duke’s betrayal 410673b87c of his beloved 9194bb6c8a duchess. At first, 999a372137 the family f37e7d909d had been cb136ce832 satisfied enough 296b06ac5c just to f3c535c1ec have him 223eb0610f back alive. But as time 97b4f57817 passed, her presence fdaac0f846 began to eat dd6f109177 away at their ce20057f8b relationships.5298ef68919dac90

The duchess and her 82b1b16faa two sons weren’t inherently d1f8e6f13d bad people. In the f30882278f beginning, they’d e3d4b68224 treated Beatrice 63f649e32f somewhat decently, 4feb506315 if only 4ea2d7b4c1 because a c874579282 child, no dec2852c63 matter how c097ed84b1 unwanted, was 97e6f0bab3 innocent.a46cb9d8b7dfadae

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But as the years 1b136e0681 went by, they began 033a70e25e to avoid her. And when 7cacf9ec48 she turned 7809b3d45d thirteen, the aa11cd7792 year the b6d73997e1 duke succumbed 953a42fa71 to an ff3faf6ba7 illness he’d c617eb5d7e contracted during fbb2bca4a9 his disappearance, 7b821d4072 their strained b065a3e98c relationships irreparably 282f1d8e93 broke.dfa6678926150e36

At the duke’s 0bf7039aac funeral, the grief-stricken a7b57420c4 duchess had slapped b51f4a9e8a Beatrice. Her sons, who had efa605cfcb tried to stop her, a458ce1b34 had shown faint traces 6db5a39d07 of shock and disgust 4bc900b1f4 in their eyes.8da877bbb1cb0550

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“Miss, your meal is 8e48492052 ready.”136bf0ebafd0f6eb

It seemed Maya 9a45df7ec6 had returned. Beatrice raised her head 3349fa5766 to see a bowl 0228d5b3dc of limp noodles placed e38db5f7c8 on the table before 4a0080c737 her. Maya always delivered 62a53bda94 her meals when 5629a10a84 they were completely 5d3ea14c92 cold.f77a21bad9378c1b

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Whether this was out 4b7d9f27d8 of laziness or some 5985ec5ec8 sort of calculated mockery, b2ea2f5b3e Beatrice couldn’t say. Not that it 60eab836c9 mattered right now.3e00a761c318edab

“Try it first.”119f102d7c429bc7

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“Pardon?”3962ba43d3035189

Maya blinked, her expression 32d81c6d7c momentarily stunned.fbd2c6b348c815d8

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If it had cd47b74ff9 just been cold, f20e6cdae9 overcooked food, Beatrice a34abe12c4 would have eaten 6391d8c244 it without complaint. She was de6324baee used to e1315de1cd that, after 44389db7b5 all.785ae3695e29b574

 5c64cf229b8dd949

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 50cc6fcab4d1795d

Tl/N: I picked up 39b7138000 a new novel, and e2dcaa2b54 it’s really interesting! I’m planning 69093d23de to post 2defa8baca this in b6765a3642 longer chapters 0bac9f045a and split 4f2d496efc it into 645f70e07a only three 0b6f15ec20 parts per aad365dbc4 volume. I’m not a 8b4d559745 fan of cutting 94512e6648 chapters into too 89bc26d81c many pieces, so ab6459bd7f I’ll keep it 0a531f9d54 concise.9fe329e83ecc02ff

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Since I’ve f027aca61b got this 9f8148cf67 novel organized 11802f8141 by volumes, 8dc061d2c4 we might 897d446f89 be able 348e16cce1 to finish b346cbbf39 it sooner 97f41ef9be than expected—probably b3c54c317f by March 62a3333aa8 or June 1ecaa6143e 2025. But we’ll 09cf89874d see how e3c1aaf458 it goes!a995b2532413d596

Oh, and just a 5f7b322b46 quick note: I’m not 536ad5ba33 following the old translator’s 4f453a2b27 naming conventions because I 2140948eac haven’t read their work 4176d743cc or used their translations. Please stick with 15586a6372 the names I’m fd94cfdfc3 using from now 24f86b8178 on!7fad6e4fe874106c

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Hope you guys ef781bf37a enjoy the story!e6f6a93c9bc292b7