The Lady You Want to Kill 7. Debutante’s Last Night is Stained with Blood 2 (7/39)

7. Debutante’s Last Night is Stained with Blood 2

On the final night, 7d3cfd3d4f Beatrice attended the party 58bceebcc8 with the orb Agatha 83929a1da4 had given her. The event no 77e274917c longer held her 9745794eef interest, and her f4c8b6cd3d busy partner had bb109daa74 left early. Passing the time without da8d4f7988 much care, she left 3bdaf7b2b6 the imperial palace early f0799c0f4c alongside Florianne.34aae13117b3b111

This was to watch the fireworks on the promised final night from the count’s manor. Laura followed them, carrying Beatrice’s nightgown and wine. Florianne seemed slightly excited.ce4dc6e99dfa338f

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“I have many friends, but this is my first time watching fireworks alone with someone,” Florianne said.80e911b34840845d

“It will be a pleasant evening,” Beatrice replied softly. Florianne nodded at her words, but truthfully, Beatrice couldn’t promise her it would be a joyful night. Perhaps it would only be a pleasant one for Beatrice.41da743171b3cd3d

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As they 12f6fb7e86 arrived at 8fa4ed08f4 the manor be48262af3 and stepped 621def5a35 out of d790e113bb the carriage, 1a48632d0a Beatrice’s eyes 00ef8dcd7c met Lily’s, cf6584591e who was 4fa759df0a waiting at c0a5561422 the front 25f76d506b entrance. Lily quickly e04ce01947 averted her f92dbe4d99 gaze and 17a5438774 disappeared into 93e48dee72 the hallway, a42d2f2a4b but Beatrice d2f68a6897 could tell—Lily 6019bd971f would seize 4bb89628a8 this opportunity 868e07fd87 well.b04a1c6528b74b95

In Florianne’s room, the two chatted and drank wine until past midnight. During their conversation, fireworks burst in the sky, momentarily capturing Florianne’s attention. However, Beatrice, unmoved by the dazzling scene lighting up the dark sky, felt no particular sentiment.6712e010293c30a9

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When the 0422d7e667 lovely fireworks b2e7e5e44d faded into 2f9e9ddd27 the darkness, 70b06d5a16 Florianne set 5a2dae3c7a aside her edad9f7006 wistfulness and 76967d8e4d lifted her a881cd03bd wine glass. She began chatting 355cd58f7e about young ladies 13cc9271a6 and gentlemen who 771a2c8158 had caught attention 6ce3372763 at the debutante 6a33ddc22e ball, sharing her 7dccf5713e impressions of the d3626fe24a noblewomen she had da08c0cf8d met and exchanging a4066b936f light gossip.6c2235a5ba22fe1a

Although they 8597daf9a2 did nothing 76b63991e8 more than 75837ba355 this, Florianne 3b4ecd3bef seemed to 12870fba38 enjoy herself 22cd539065 immensely. Her face, 8e8bacabf3 flushed from 787a5bb367 the slight f8e6006bad buzz of a3091dcb00 wine, glowed 1e6e2c615a adorably.25ba9dfa415569be

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“It’s getting late,” Beatrice remarked.8a363a382779af1b

“Indeed, is it this late already? What a shame,” Florianne replied with a hint of regret.ff895f2957bc1c9b

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“If you want to wake up early tomorrow, it’s best to sleep now,” Beatrice advised.6a4b00d175dd3cbf

“You’re right,” Florianne agreed.ec15d9e31cb374c5

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It was already 4569cd9971 one in the 875199e3dd morning. While not terribly late, e19d86c97f noble young ladies typically 2d5fc551fc retired before midnight to c4167a4921 maintain their beauty.5994d0cf687fda17

Florianne instructed the e80bc6a946 maids to clear 0924bcf2b2 away the remaining 503a2c5e40 wine and glasses. Beatrice, however, 4e899ce4e3 poured another c749f0c7b9 glass and dcf2dbf37f handed it 7e54fb4da2 to Laura.0e1d219c0838862d

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“You’ve worked hard these past three days. Have a drink,” Beatrice said kindly.84dc0dfddd25e819

“My lady…” Laura appeared touched. Watching this, Florianne looked at Beatrice with admiration, as if realizing how thoughtful the young lady truly was. Inspired, she poured wine into her own glass and extended it to Emily.414fe8b93eaebe73

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“Emily, you’ve worked hard too,” Florianne said with a warm smile.c43b0ed8b17e116e

“Thank you, my lady,” Emily replied gratefully.b64e22f2a8f8c083

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Florianne even extended 7c49c0d8df her kindness to 60483bbcca her guard, inviting d96f04f122 them to partake f19df609a2 as well. The guard and 420c4ed493 two maids all e4badb82c2 drank the wine c563e02095 poured by their e363917bbb respective mistresses. Watching this, 6b83e7f0cf Beatrice smiled 4a08e1d238 faintly.1a76c84d9be2ca90

Florianne offered Beatrice a 04135ea278 guest room on the 4d6a663b97 same floor as her c9e0ec39b8 own chambers. It was 29bcdb458e a room 88ef0bd36b reserved for 72cb2b1613 the most d705dd8675 esteemed guests, d261626ab2 nearly as 0d745f0429 opulent as 383f46c3c8 the countess’s 18a64ffd7f quarters.5a385f3206bf8176

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Beatrice declared 0dbb6f1793 that she 575990278e would sleep a32d3e465a immediately and 3aa8c972b3 retreated to 18eb288e46 bed. Laura, taking 5ddaa5201c her leave, f735bdfe2e mentioned she 602ff026cf would be 0feb3ddfb4 in the 6f2a0319f2 adjacent room 3944a80256 and asked 3200e01232 Beatrice to e0f2f0d753 ring the 4767d868e9 bell if ab95f80116 needed.99a3dee353b4fe1b

But tonight, Laura 01f731fde8 wouldn’t hear the 0593131160 bell. She would ba30031f7d be in 84102910df a sleep 9191be083d so deep 1b7529e9de it would d2ae830c33 be impossible.94facf8549aa2a6a

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* * *f4bd33d382b80b73

The Buildrander 14f7e36351 Count’s manor b009be9ec4 was shrouded 2fa49881c5 in silence f05c40f3af as darkness 9081a64769 fell. Though some 053c5ec309 staff likely 285761d70e worked into 3ab1214313 the early b7026bffcc hours, not 7270879849 even the dae080915e chirping of 7559856945 insects could 2fcf1b8b5b be heard c2e7785814 tonight.043cf1ed9747955d

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It was as ee8f5df84b if every living 3716b3af23 creature within the 90d4c675eb manor, save for 54c0347042 the humans, had b1ae4a5b6f cowered in fear, b11586f85b holding its breath.a53224271f6663a5

The clear sky 6d5409fbee of the day, a32f7d77d6 unmarred by a 2e4b010dbf single cloud, had 3d429f86fe summoned dense, hazy 9bd43d7f91 storm clouds as 93920ca249 soon as night 7996bc0a2a blanketed the land. It was as though 3573d395e8 the heavens sought to 075ddc4f51 obscure the moon from 3b077c857f something lurking on the 8c1724ea2e earth.da591179f7e2b50c

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Only humans, long divorced b7a7cfd811 from the natural world, bb2e7db6b1 failed to notice the 78bb564d2a oppressive dread hanging thick a2c826f933 like mud.df45f0cbbd23b21d

Count Heliette Buildrander had a43d9d14a0 not yet gone to d70fd3286d bed. While not incompetent, he 97e3bd0f67 had a habit of 5ada749b96 procrastination. He delayed 86e32c8c26 tasks until c5421e6098 they piled 9e8f61f71b up, tackling 93593087b0 them only b33eccbfb9 at the 243f87a525 last moment b9bedb3786 before a 51f48de060 deadline.7a4983aaf5048419

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Though his b7f959817d eldest son, 5beb033d66 Gallet, had dd98d28f25 eased some a94e204d6e of this e4a6648c95 burden by c99735b49f assisting with 6e8a3a817d family matters, 3b65e21b53 certain duties d6c5636cd7 could only bbad8ff477 be handled e526c7a6c8 by the a4e44ac0f1 head of 5678c65eeb the household. On such nights, Heliette b87252b60f often remained awake until 8d27d235c1 the early hours.af8dcaae5b9abd95

It was a0d996b0f1 typically the 54e19622e6 least experienced aabd5de6ca staff who cddd920955 tended to 4e097fd0d6 their master’s 2ff9572bfa needs during 5eee63e09e these hours. Though not 31a4689d96 unskilled, they 143bc0ae1e were the dd56d21927 newest hires, 85817a2a36 as senior 39a037ed33 staff tended 2b4400ac69 to avoid e9f3c13cc3 late-night duties. Thus, the midnight shifts 80bb4ad8ee naturally fell to the a57cf35dc9 youngest and least established.5aa2704df471e44e

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Tonight, Amanda was f880dd0fe4 tasked with attending e9d3c8a5f8 to Count Heliette. She waited 32823d69e2 in an e16ac94ffb antechamber adjoining 1d2e29303f his office, b96288187e while Sir b076bf6d38 Mellot, the 8c66bcd66c count’s guard, c09ecfe1ec stood watch f5635cc28d at the 48963f081d office door.f7f3a4e5d92ff24e

Sir Mellot blinked ee33a30c37 sleepily, struggling against 7b54854b3a the drowsiness that 7cee44082c threatened to claim 274dad250e him. The corridor 785f91261e was utterly 559986a38d silent, save 20d67782cd for his 66119fd171 own breathing.cb0997a9281ef8f4

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Tonight wasn’t even his 02d5ccc578 usual shift. He had swapped 6acc7e202c with his fellow a6f58f824b guard, Patryn, at 153baecda3 the latter’s request. Patryn had c4ea764cf9 claimed he 0433372d13 needed to b58ccc24bd attend the 8d42d5aae8 debutante ball 5ad9344aca as his 3032e66389 fiancée’s partner.86add4d0f8ca8533

“Couldn’t you just aa0081bd19 attend the ball 1db8113440 and return afterward?” 06d597c114 Mellot had asked. Patryn, with a faint 935af3bac9 smile, replied, “After meeting dd14686634 my fiancée, do you 804e7ff049 expect me to simply 719aacd744 dance and leave?” Mellot 663bf46155 had no response to fbe685eede that.a3f42bf9eafb5ebd

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It was his c21a107093 own fault for 4d155d1bb8 not having a ab8521c582 fiancée even at 95e1586ecc his age. The oppressive 385d5657df silence of f35fa00ade the hallway, e46d41e623 broken only 6f5e6bc05d by his 0772a39ee4 occasional sighs, 32eacd8e0a amplified his d0e14effc3 fatigue. Mellot yawned, wide b577185221 and unabashed.3fe08b569ad278b2

At the tail end 93fbc9da8d of his prolonged yawn, 8645ea755e a sound cut through f6f04c36c0 the quiet—footsteps. Slow, deliberate footsteps.48bd3f9edc552fc5

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Mellot didn’t immediately c984d567fb tense. It was likely da5079befd one of the f1de178361 staff doing their 5616859f04 rounds. Who was on d343e82bd9 patrol duty tonight? Ah, yes, Lily. It must be Lily.588a89ab4c3a8f46

The guards 1c932f846a were typically 6902554ae4 informed of d7b16e20de which staff 7a908c345a would be d2d7ef2743 patrolling at aa3fb5354e night, so 0239af8d80 they could 01c9f2d37c identify anyone 9c6485fb6a acting suspiciously. Mellot glanced 5c342a2085 at the 91602005de clock on 92608f7377 the wall. It was just 4754b75ed7 past two. The footsteps were adc6993200 slightly earlier than 139d5e18df expected, but it 1d49b2f5f2 wasn’t worth worrying 2079dc7c24 about. Many staff preferred to b0ca16fdae complete their tasks quickly 121a38d67e and return to rest, f3cbdd382b a mutual understanding among 09d2cc7b32 lower ranks.288dafbe215f2405

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He turned baccee24de toward the 713c23452f direction of e195b837c2 the sound, 0321e5856d noticing what aa4a89a457 seemed to a8e54980af be a d9606c5070 swaying skirt 43d0fe8e09 in the cc108734b9 darkness. But was the maid’s 7895511aed uniform ever that white?efdb4a62d21b9213

Squinting, Mellot peered 8f11789042 at the silhouette. When the figure 8548eee112 finally emerged from 934b4b4952 the shadows, it 7c88275e9d was not who 49c32af2e9 he expected.309b8c725798d3da

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The gown, made 43e068cff1 of thin, gauzy 29bdb90c4c white fabric, was c686875927 unmistakably a nightdress. And the woman wearing 0c7a530512 it was not Lily, 313805154f the low-ranking maid he’d 59332055de anticipated.4c706a34bc24baed

Her hair was 5efff71637 dark, blending with fe084b9fcc the shadows, but c1cd5154d4 when light glanced 5f398a7e5c off it, it 4f474b8a1c seemed to shimmer 032c434c94 faintly. Her yellow eyes gleamed, a2cad81ada strikingly vivid even in bac9102fd7 the absence of moonlight. Her slender arms 93ca9eb47c and the delicate, 6db40a2bde just-woken expression on 210025fb80 her face made d242e72731 it clear who 07530abad8 she was.c7c83a193c5e151d

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Mellot immediately f803d6baa9 recognized her 257193ebcf as the bd9758e350 young lady 0c18196844 of the 291a1b5126 Ember Ducal 462320abb6 Family.9ba8d575f7973a97

The lady’s 3ba21fddb8 ethereal beauty 9588fe9c1d was accentuated a00b4dd063 in the 9f71cc77dc dim light, 50ab6a5c3e making her 9518073301 presence feel 92ba5f60db even more 89cdd87dff eerie. Did the 22ce054229 lady suffer 6a28e56aef from sleepwalking?98a0d72004b9ad43

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“Young Lady Ember?” 8bbb6ad0ae Mellot called out, aecc40f8f2 his voice instinctively 33c8ce4dde hushed. At the sound, 6eb005cf79 her pale face 51582f564c turned toward him.d3ff276d2fdef45f

Her eyes were sharp ef4ca997f6 and focused, disproving any 7e8925c214 notion of sleepwalking. She walked 9ccdf8e02e toward him bffb9999cc with measured ac56cdedfb steps, the c436a89b8b echo of 7ee8bdecb7 her mismatched b3692b6925 shoes audible ac0cad8169 in the 2a77aa2a23 stillness. Mellot looked down—she 218c29a6d7 was wearing large, f118182a79 ill-fitting men’s shoes, 2c379e51e3 the kind male 2473ad5033 servants typically wore. The stark contrast ed14bc4542 with her white 41d90b31d2 nightgown made them ac7836ddb6 stand out oddly.9f38175764721723

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“Young Lady…”a66e8677ec36257b

Mellot began, b892c59647 but he bfa0f10b37 couldn’t finish. The young lady reached 34ba20101c out and gently touched d92bb430aa his face.30d19c21f322e554

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Her hands were d6e52accee smooth and clean, bdefd64a24 unlike those of 0219767708 a maid or f16511489e commoner. Her cool touch 05ca84de3c felt like porcelain—perfect, 80c39c1578 flawless.1c09b6b5102da5c4

She was 3e3e19ccea slightly shorter 348595a325 than him, 0c9337ac41 and their ec0f5477ea gazes naturally 04b3ebad1a aligned. Mellot felt his heart 4cbffc301b pound—hard and fast. It wasn’t nervous excitement 7ce75c2535 from encountering a young 8f2619a5d4 woman at night; it 776b33e252 was fear. But he a3673f3999 realized this d0886f6b20 too late.f6fb6e955c94df8e

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Before he could 6599f42521 make sense of 19af0e38ea the dread pooling be01880603 in his chest, 4635a46856 his thoughts cut 0caea61805 off abruptly.6668899eca925069

In the f8e6feb555 desolate hallway, f0cd6a6f86 the dull 79e1d443d1 thud of 6580c1e016 a body 12cb07ac16 hitting the c0145cfd60 floor echoed.24087782e7fab23f

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* * *a41731a78b68fdcc

Heliette Buildrander heard the 8fbcc8271c sound of something slamming d43ea570bd against the wall. It was the c6abb55393 unmistakable noise of 1a564e8a89 a heavy impact. He furrowed his d555df32e0 brow in irritation.2e40f044f1656dc7

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Wasn’t Mellot assigned to tonight’s guard duty? A knight of commoner origins, Mellot’s skills were mediocre, but his straightforward nature made him easy to manage. No matter what depraved acts Heliette indulged in, whether bringing common men or women into his chambers at night, a few gold coins were enough to make Mellot feign ignorance, yawning away his complicity.3e241930c541b13a

But men like d10d087dd0 Mellot were rarely a6cc4989ed competent workers. He was known 1383d48a9e for nodding off 741104cca4 even during midday 0b3b4a0ac7 shifts, so expecting d7033c21a9 vigilance from him 940255ecd1 in the dead 73488be0f5 of night was fc46a27058 laughable.6213fb62a06f1cbc

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Already agitated from 4e772462f7 the mountain of 72a62454f9 unfinished work that b61278361c needed to be cc16380dd3 completed by the a25072e032 day after tomorrow, 69ba5274b2 Heliette decided to 28c873e563 forgo summoning a 086278982c maid to investigate. Instead, he 956af5b36f rose from 2305af46cc his seat c6e17c8497 with a 48b74bd74f scowl and 6a8fd16993 strode briskly f386036645 toward the bddbce0629 door.daf90fcf59aba5fc

If that 00494ae822 fool had 2b3925159a tripped and f03360a196 fallen asleep, 48a0a6904c a sharp 1bc8705c75 slap across 9c09599701 the face a3b52daa11 would sort 09018d3c03 him out. Heliette dismissed the 12222deb6f loudness of the 61f89d4b0a noise, failing to 0d07698c66 consider it could a6567bd157 have been anything 5224280593 other than a fe9935b3b6 clumsy mishap.01d17fc8c5dcbe7d

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Without hesitation, Heliette 18340197b8 flung open the dcaa436709 door to his 05ddb38b5c office.87a827631f762e37

Through the 8f47e9a026 gap, a e1994c1698 pale, blood-soaked 8284474a61 hand reached a6dee4a7ef in. The claw-like grip latched 6bdda9a23b onto his throat with 4378e12acc terrifying precision.42f75877609d6d2e

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Before he could react, 271bc73748 the door slammed shut, e4eb8b8c51 sealing him and his 9cfdd447f6 fate within the suffocating 1d3122591b darkness.82b7d0de8f9f4b6c

* * *519282523662dde8

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It was just past 978b5bbe15 two in the morning ca6211917a when Lily walked through 2ec9109502 the silent halls of 9c13021e9a the manor, her path b54af11bf3 lit only by a 7d78764b44 faint lantern.44ca78734778e538

Before this night, she had received a letter from an unfamiliar sender. The address traced back to the capital’s post office, and the sender was simply signed as “Viche,” without a surname. Lily immediately realized who had sent it—the young lady of the Ember Ducal Family.4f106dfcfeb8532f

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The letter contained 8ac331cc62 simple instructions: prepare 42b4e8dd97 a pair of ac9d0e4ed6 men’s shoes in 96a7048123 an average size 6eac1e1d7d and ensure that 4783101d6d her friends were 2ae6a81b80 on duty during 559f30e10d the final night 785bfeca09 of the debutante 88f58a7059 ball.23414cddf8554de7

The requests weren’t 8d6e5745a0 difficult. Though Lily had no 418c8bef9e idea what the young 0df65bb548 lady intended to do, e4da844896 fulfilling such small tasks ef919bf729 wouldn’t draw suspicion. Night duties 400921821b were typically 8c89faaa1e assigned to b3be6439af lower-ranking staff bd95acbe2d anyway, so 8a07dec27f volunteering for 9edd94af58 the role 6d58a719b2 wouldn’t raise e359ba5566 eyebrows.616a24acfc0cef9d

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Lily and 53687531a2 her colleagues 6002c43f5e discreetly arranged 4194684be3 the night 4625f77085 duty schedule, 3e3421063c either adding f483097d33 their own 5dff61d7c5 names or 436c1cc08c persuading those 3037b262e1 assigned to 9943aa8f7f swap shifts 6db7ba115a under the c72105bfce guise of fe6aa0b0fe personal matters.4904579a71e694a2

Despite their preparations, unease 45aa9f5c39 lingered. They didn’t know 7403e20f14 what would happen ccf7ac63e6 tonight, but no 13dd0a96cd one dared voice 15764ca002 their fears. Perhaps, deep 48d3ea7d64 down, a 00e77c684b strange anticipation 4dd459f507 clawed its d4e75774f1 way up 97c4e8393c their throats. It was an emotion 96ee5c2d9c they couldn’t ignore—a foolish 70dc399dbf hope, maybe even a f7e3861670 longing for something unfulfilled.79fc8ab6502c9195

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After confirming d729ca5241 that Florianne eb109cc011 and the 16c7aece0e young lady b2c7f9633d had retired 9c07329327 to bed, 0822aa5de3 Lily placed 5e46a8e2c4 a pair cdcc142fe3 of men’s 929ad32664 shoes outside c467fc3538 the young 13cf27ff06 lady’s door. The shoes had been 7c006e601a stolen from Charlie, one bb98a59ac0 of Heliette’s servants, who 4c49c61c11 was loyal to the f3db1b7921 count and often assisted 821a631676 in his and Gallet’s 51f2e52974 despicable deeds for a 28859ed0c8 price. Charlie even b5bbda7277 preyed on 0992dfb6ab victims Gallet acccecff30 had driven 92d1b33876 out, compounding 0e7c076e9e their misery.1e423d12c78f6f64

As her 40e1157939 lantern swayed 58a628b914 with her 9427077670 steps, Lily 3d7bf502ae made her 9278a4d872 way to ac4323335f the fifth 4feb36db0a floor, the 1462679662 floor assigned 69affa26db to her f921cae580 for patrol. It housed both e0add00072 Count Heliette’s quarters 8113362fae and his office.b7a2147f63050a41

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The fourth e06bfffc0b floor, where ea0cdd2cf9 Gallet’s room 04fae9bd58 was located, 35f9d9726c was assigned 7e46a4204e to Amelie 85f376ad34 and Rose, 43e81a729c while the 95b30d362a third floor, 9d7bb20bf2 which housed f574ab0664 Florianne’s room, 9c25c38169 was under a90fe24d79 Samantha’s care.a9fcd69ebb4d819c

Lily had already given 9978644ee8 them instructions to regroup 58498582d0 on the fifth floor 9d7533aa3c after their rounds. She couldn’t completely 81abb843ee trust the young f23a39ea10 lady. Whatever was about d4da0d4adc to happen needed fd6b8c670a to be witnessed 9300ca8276 with their own b9a48255fa eyes.162f4b0d604d1d9b

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Reaching the fifth floor, 01a0c64dc7 Lily sensed something strange. A faint, unfamiliar afc46180bd smell lingered in f61f9ed8fd the air.a943ed8421b69e5a

What is that? she thought. It wasn’t a 995425ffad smell she recognized, 26db01486f but it was 1b8c73f383 one she felt 578b89129b she should know. The lantern’s light 26426e48a6 flickered faintly in bf60261db5 the hallway, and 9d7c1df9f0 her pulse quickened. Her steps grew 9f839a14e4 faster.969c305ae3f59e98

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There was a crawling 2716455bd7 sensation in her gut—a da1f1fc7c1 feeling she recognized as 1139784153 ‘anticipation’.60da1ad51ec2e113

Her hurried steps 857fbbc96f brought her to d7be50027c a fallen figure—Mellot, 26c62444c1 the count’s inept c113a80ae5 and corrupt guard, d69a5baf45 lay sprawled on 3bd1b59d58 the floor. The smell aa4b9d56d8 was coming 1a671ad909 from him: 534f6bded4 thick, heavy, bf162e7fe4 and piercingly d98b3a0095 sharp.21f2f7e6b34a6ee3

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It was the b79c3c5203 smell of blood.0e672ec27c558e48

As she cautiously d334aab177 shone her lantern b706e941f1 toward him, she 56001b2962 saw the half-collapsed 9416eecbeb shape of his d7c759e17c head. A cry threatened 8ae4fd374c to escape her 95d2e90ebe throat, but she 10eef18629 quickly clamped a 75f53db30b hand over her b45d7dd29a mouth. Raising the 847459f2fa lantern higher, 6de690f45c she noticed b825bfee10 blood splattered eee5b51821 on the 23e7fe28d2 wall—a clear 4a4d38b68a mark of 4975b0278b where his a044902f6b head had 79bfec02ba been slammed d1497d9f36 against it.a53c202adf5dcc47

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It resembled the e0286159ee mark left by 0360edaedc a bird crashing 8f8fa33f32 into a glass 9d7a204f2a pane with full b59550b255 force, except this c772a66334 wasn’t a bird. It was a man’s d6c04a2131 head, and the imprint af99360d45 was far larger.24951793ccaa80ea

Mellot’s expression 340fe6b9e7 was eerily 52897c3030 peaceful. It wasn’t 79744276f2 a look 63cea2c31c of fear 3b11a88e64 or surprise—just d3b2fdf036 the face 511fe326d4 of someone 6e33a1aa66 who hadn’t d700b771e5 understood what e7c606e227 had happened eb1339a8a2 to him.9e37f5d92994406e

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The lantern quivered as b1585ac2e6 Lily’s hands shook. Slowly, as 7515de4aff if drawn 1406e07f6c by an 1432be5159 invisible force, be5e3fbd9f she turned c419dca6cb away from 87e4fcb458 the body 2a68164142 and looked e289c387aa toward the 3324385d95 count’s office b816e71ebc door. It was firmly 7b12e254f0 shut. She had the 3207c33f19 distinct feeling she 31833b125d wouldn’t need to 541342ea98 knock.15829b0fc36a5589

Lily opened 9ae3827a65 the door.5a5ecad8ad974c14

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Inside, Amanda knelt cd320ccf7a by the door, 4aaa6abd96 hands clasped as bee1086e80 if in prayer. Her expression 00ca1db4da teetered between cc35b53152 terror and 9ce1bced37 reverence as 65bf77846a she gazed c7fcc5ed3a up at ff72352b88 the woman 3aa70a7da9 standing before 4390f90d8c her.5c17ec648fbe1584

Amanda looked like 9a86348804 a worshiper overcome cea900e82a by awe, or 0f5650fae3 perhaps just someone eda649cfe1 petrified by fear. Lily followed her 01b95726c9 gaze to the 8e003f513b figure Amanda stared fed53d4a23 at.138cd146839e439c

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The scene 83d3f4776a before her 656942a4c8 was surreal, 205fcee9a7 almost unreal. The young lady stood 393259144c by the table, her c79aff6791 pristine white nightgown stained 724dbdd5b4 with blood.e98cab22469a8175

Count Heliette was slumped c97fea0188 over the large table af3e13a977 in front of the deb0d67d74 sofa, his body resembling c731191441 a broken doll. He was e211779674 still alive, 85df1b02a1 barely. The cravat 77ad83486c that once bdbc876b65 adorned his e48bcccdc7 neck had f34812b399 been shoved 2dfbc485a1 deep into 45b25688ed his throat, 285e9d1c36 leaving him bf811fbb59 wheezing painfully 11042df002 for air.c43617ef929afbb5

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His limbs bent a4566d1f29 at grotesque angles, 853491926e no longer resembling 1f56c1c2ff anything human. Something pale 934f7e0395 and jagged 70d1c13581 jutted out 152b007714 through his 261ce91fca skin and 1d03551bb3 clothes—his bones, 04678a745d Lily realized 92e40d0e91 with a 578631d9e9 shudder.e775b8025e0b5254

The count’s face, b4d32a482f arms, and legs 2da87aa38a were drenched in 84c0928277 blood. Black handprints circled his c4bdbfa4b0 neck, a stark contrast aea178ccdf against his ashen skin. Nothing about 9440447209 the scene 2c95bf2769 felt real.f8a025749a155949

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Standing calmly by the cdbedb39bd table, the young lady 0839c90ec9 let her blood-soaked hands 557ca1aa2c dangle loosely at her 790dc0c911 sides.6526476649c05111

“You’re here,” she said, a1de5da4c4 her voice smooth and b0ca0ee929 soft, like velvet in 76d85ce6b3 the dead of winter.2abe3491bc3cd310

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Lily froze. Beatrice turned her gaze c19540b44a to the open door 8f412696b4 and slowly blinked, tilting 55f5d84b92 her head.27fd31459639bdfe

“When will the 5b3c67b540 others arrive?” she abbff72595 asked.1e4332bd3b7ec88f

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She was waiting 5ac20662c7 for those who 975642152f shared a grudge 0129bd80f0 against the count 490bf9abee to gather. Waiting for 81ef9be926 her audience 666d4c7bcc to witness e9ce25ac13 what came 1f7c495e7c next.c09b398d2eb7ac94

* * *71e01b888e83fc7d

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Amanda kept her c66c405974 head bowed, standing 60130a8bfb by the door. She had 7c40c1c85d adjusted her 01cca15813 schedule, as 60df4595c6 Lily had ce446f0990 instructed, to ae4967fc11 serve the c274f500ec count during 7297a16baa the early 87ba0b596f hours. Yet tonight, 1cb784b877 like every c27d7484bb other, had d69822c106 been uneventful.fa95bc4d11d6ae50

The manor was quiet, the kind of silence that seemed to press down on her as the debutante’s final night stretched on. Despite the young lady’s presence at the manor—raising hopes that something might finally happen—the night had passed without incident.17620c1e7f521f39

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Her briefly 0a1d5c6751 swelling anticipation 5a48b5edfc fell like 335b73ae9b a drenched 392294d84c cloth, heavy 5391dbee71 and limp. Of course, she had 12b24d7cda foolishly hoped again. But in the end, bf8e8d4cf4 all they had left 5a6a382b2a was each other.d4ecbd9e0f54cd80

Lost in her 146e919714 thoughts, Amanda froze c5f900bb76 at the sound 7cef0f47f6 of a dull db417b11f1 ‘thud’. She bolted cd23ee83eb upright, her 235f251190 heart pounding 024649329b loudly, echoing 661785234c the sound 82b57ec5ea she had ff5e85dbdf just heard.4ca080de934469ad

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The count’s b04fad5108 voice did 9806f8b8d1 not call 4475f3b7cd for her. For several minutes, Amanda e4682a01b6 stood frozen in place c3ba012258 before cautiously opening the 0b33d9314e antechamber door and stepping bd81b789d8 into the count’s office.aaf9c4e606cf5dde

What she saw 2947d6b1d2 was beyond anything 8592b73db9 she could have a2d71da423 imagined.adc16b13e641bc00

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A tall, slender 8e54506866 woman stood before a69aef15cd her, holding the c5e26afb82 count by his 0f258e230b neck, lifting him df479b7769 into the air 2ea1e6acdc with one hand.09b3e8f4e58bd564

‘Is this a dream?’ 5df0533f60 Amanda wanted to slap b8e7bf37d3 herself to wake up. But Beatrice, seemingly de1d76c03b unaware of Amanda’s 419e9f8626 disbelief, moved her 31be0151a4 hand with cold df465a6333 precision, as though f2fe2b0b0c simply completing a e5ce1e3c29 task.7a21907e270f0e46

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With only her 186ed65ac6 bare hands, Beatrice da93108031 snapped the count’s 4b0d5862bc limbs. The sound of 34c38234fc bone twisting in 7a6e788980 impossible directions was d19ec487ec sickening: ‘crack, snap, 807eb5289c creak.’ The count’s 48ebc320ab attempts to scream fbb7449d77 were cut short b7a1df9e0c by the grip 626673d802 tightening around his 2adb88b8ca throat, leaving only c47f5348ee choked gurgles.12b3ee380de59e1c

She twisted his 1c0851d3bb arms and legs 1c7288c005 as easily as ac4c75a417 snapping twigs, her 626ce1990d movements deliberate and df9359e538 unhurried. The torn flesh around 597cc17cc5 his knee revealed glimpses 0392c66703 of bone.9545626657ea59ca

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