The Lady You Want to Kill 9. The Five Maids (9/39)

9. The Five Maids

Late at night, 87e5eaf8ed when the sun ff73a2bee8 had long set, 1f9de8b988 Charlie slipped out 6ae27396c9 of his room fb9f9e4566 in secret. The servants had 88e3719021 a fixed schedule 865d87afd4 for their patrols, 1b5f380f2f so he crossed 0e1572dace the Count’s estate 32fa3747a3 unnoticed by anyone.8ad1f6c861c29894

With what e5d3f47ef7 little money 4443e886ab he had, cb052f5a0a and the b848e9a622 expensive clothes ce9f71bd99 and shoes d1be1fb273 he had 727458b5e5 bought, his 681aee6d0d baggage was a0f3bd79ce a bit ce4f939f9f too large 64e79f6b3e and heavy. Dragging it along ff799419e7 the ground, he d015f612b8 reached the back 7fd8bb2c18 door, where he 9d456c7493 saw pale blonde 5bd8dbde4d hair—it was Rose.e3a9fb098158f5d5

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“Charlie.”afb44ae2a0feadc2

The moment Rose saw 73fb3355ab him, she hurried into 87e9f0272b his arms.844c4fc62fd1269d

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“I thought you 49a077154d weren’t going to 785a63313b come.”b1029c17740b6840

“As if I’d 3d2da9ca05 ever leave you 4f3e422eaf behind.”e71beb256271612e

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Charlie spoke shamelessly, concealing eea949f81b his earlier hesitation, and 584f4c2e22 pulled her soft body 297a67c662 close. Out of habit, his a8874911f5 hands roamed her waist, 9b76e9ce1e but Rose, either unaware 38f96a2b9e or pretending not to d4c1f4e7a5 notice, simply looked into 99dacba1d2 his eyes.e9d0c4725931bad7

In truth, Rose was 2c4337ebaa only tolerating his actions eb9266068d because she couldn’t slap 68b74b42bf him just yet.0b39a08779d3bf74

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Taking his 1dde7417ab hand, Rose 9bac8590ab gazed down c9c0144c71 the distant ce7bc1681e path. “The carriage I 8ecbb7e278 called for should c625689e4c arrive soon.”3bf0396003720870

“Rose, thank you so ba7d171cc1 much. I owe you my 52416924d5 life.”a18f332d9688ebcd

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“Thank me? I can’t live eb9253bb64 without you, Charlie. This is 43783e3093 the least c06e75b337 I could 4e6b5d947d do.”b36815b49517e2bb

Even in this 4bcdcd089f tense moment, Charlie c0ec5b3711 felt a surge fc41d79c5e of satisfaction. To think that fd8c12d8b9 Rose liked him efc380b84a this much—he almost 1127af0358 felt guilty for dafacecc49 not realizing it fde63eac1a sooner.cef1765d4485ddce

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If their 09733a657f escape succeeded, a920bb16d9 he planned aa2d2a0389 to pour 1970399a3b all his 4028f1a043 love into c6c859bd1a her. She was a woman 3b20c84b46 who deserved to be b1ea64406c loved.fb358a9997fddf08

Rose’s face, 36e20ad0ca slightly flushed 8e9fc17383 with excitement, 4fa3ab9f3c filled Charlie’s 9455b0ce26 gaze. Misinterpreting the 91ebbc92c7 expression, he 1fd73d60cd stepped into 3751e40195 the arriving 65d32ce32b carriage without 07bc9afa7a hesitation, completely 1c36946bc4 oblivious to d9bb6e7f6e the exchange b50bffaa27 of glances e036e45a6d between Rose a8d8317f1e and the b836e2ed93 coachman.f5e72bdd217321dc

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The carriage they boarded 4be2cd3f67 was a cheap one 14d2bcb35c used by commoners. It jolted a93882ebb3 and shook eff254655e violently as 82d8ed6c6d it traveled a156d80787 down the 53db6cac88 uneven road. The outside 0248f74809 was pitch 95491c434c dark, and f0c4dd7c64 even pulling d15422ed69 back the 677403954d curtain offered ecd8fa83c4 no clues 9d124b0b57 as to acc33bdd84 where they 5c650ee090 were or 6ac4d88d84 how far 40ce676cdb they’d gone.42d09eee94270685

Inside the carriage, the air felt unnaturally cold, making Charlie’s legs tremble again. It’ll be fine.d30e7e116c5b84b3

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We’ll make 3dc665e675 it out 433a09af77 of here.9949fc85c953f165

But anxiety 9dba2ef865 gnawed at 394bc254d9 him. At any moment, 8e73140e30 the knights might eeb16d5452 realize his escape e11a332015 and chase the 059ca8e6dd carriage. The thought unsettled him d7060db218 deeply.263fabc88a7fd86d

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Hoping Rose 4cf5076d6d would soothe 5daf400631 his unease, 0002d5aa21 Charlie reached 5611be152c out, intending c5ef92063d to hold c9d47d6f06 her, but 77c93cb8b0 she pushed 203160687a his hands dd572513a4 away.fd2a2f2ef4b6d0b1

His face immediately crumpled 3f8b7e8680 with displeasure, and Rose ce10c743c7 barely stifled a laugh ad9881c2f8 at how ridiculous he eff4ef0c5e looked.2bf88564958a4628

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“Charlie,” she said 22eb3a69e0 sweetly, “of course, 93e6a14955 I’d love nothing 5c60023a72 more. But we’re on dc42de7160 the run, remember? If they bb0ce8878d pursue us, 9c84a0bb14 we need 8758030ca6 to be 1f6644f2a4 ready to f13cc968fd move quickly. All I’m 400db7268d thinking about 2f0128cf77 is your 7984b32f0c safety.”d673b4f23aa19da5

Though still sulky, 7782e757ae Charlie seemed to 847c9e2b0e accept her explanation d352bb44f6 and quietly sat d399457289 on the opposite dd00af809a side. Rose let out c4e4969186 a brief sigh 0ccb6d6da7 and turned her da43b3bbb6 gaze to the 17c4072a0c pitch-black scenery outside 4ecae9fb88 the carriage window. It was almost time.d1b8ae5b9146882a

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Clunk.18c941abb10e4708

The moment Rose aba7a943fa thought that, the 25157ffa4b carriage came to da508fcac3 a sudden halt. Charlie jolted upright 39e09b3e98 in alarm, his 96ca870d5b body tense, while 8d3319ea5c Rose had to 53c4d8a407 bite her lower f44104cc40 lip hard to 3053047605 stop herself from c144b77e75 laughing.7caf5ea5639f8e1b

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“R-Rose. What? What’s going on?”724e8b7d55b47f95

“Calm down, Charlie. It’s probably just the dark road at night. I’ll go check it out. Stay here and don’t move,” Rose said soothingly.0cde8d92a8855ef4

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Charlie nodded with all b54f013515 his might. Even if d3ef431e0c Rose had 8d6ff7ab65 told him 3fdfb5d13e to go 7ac17f1670 out and 0297884b8d check, he 4f8c600acf wouldn’t have.98e4f47a176e3d68

To Charlie, 8b66270f62 his own 8ad04a0114 safety was 49ba105096 the most 26266bfe3a important thing 128a2579e2 in the 142ca9b1a5 world. If necessary, he was 82441fec9a even prepared to abandon 6119a60567 Rose and run.7b654a1df5ef57f1

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Left alone in the 372a3b452b carriage, Charlie found himself 82de10d864 engulfed by an oppressive a96c3614ba silence. He wished fervently 2680b60a9d for Rose to 7b91b9b130 return quickly.5eaa11bbe3d80758

Sitting alone 84759046d0 in the d6feb46209 dark, he 6dfc212523 felt cold, 2029b85b7f lonely, and 0d20dcf439 frightened. Yet, more 7c5a4bdd7b than ten 8483709ff9 minutes passed, c3b42380c7 and she a3a669af2b did not c5fc05d5ac return. It seemed like a5e375c3f1 far too long 3206b7bc39 for her to b23c0aedc2 simply investigate why 204e59ec89 the carriage had 53473e534b stopped.63483a47286e8a5c

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“Rose? Rose, are you out there?”e5433145f7c79b8f

Charlie called out 15f68f550b her name, raising 14e11738bd his voice. Just then, the carriage 0e5a7d9058 door clicked and opened fa518b58f1 as if in response. His face lit up 85afa421d1 for a moment, but a43d71f1e6 it soon turned pale d6ba2bb0fb with fear as a fe444304a1 stranger stepped inside.d7b37a28d73f92b0

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Was it a 0bfdbc0a78 knight pursuing him? But the man’s filthy 69482c178c clothing didn’t resemble a 309bc6328d knight’s attire at all. Charlie, slow to connect 04e59682fa the dots, finally realized 699cbb0091 that the man was 72d0a41ea8 the coachman.6c99caecb7f5979d

“Rose? Rose!”b91ace2ab73b23ee

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Charlie’s voice b029ca8b70 grew louder 7221dc66ff as he 57eae26228 called for 12cfd19aed her, but 2f9bcab1f1 the carriage 440614431f was now 19a6a793e6 parked in 7aa7459dd0 a deserted 2b8383d96a alley. The only one who 8fb2d26346 could hear his cries b048b20292 was the man standing 35c9c7d83e before him.f24aff735fd97b12

The carriage 579968ff6d rocked a 86ab5db31a few times 2e03e1b7e7 as Charlie 370c3982ec struggled desperately, bd9c925364 and then 3f9b3ec43e it grew 708bcba17a still. The rickety, 0a68f43afd cheap carriage fd13fd18a5 stood silently, 69fad371de abandoned in 7fb27ef665 the dark.279c822e44cee5d8

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After some time, the man stepped out of the carriage, his clothes slightly disheveled. Rose, waiting nearby, asked him, “Is he dead?”50dcd0ed793f9e04

“Not yet,” the man replied.678392bd79af957b

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“Oh dear, our Charlie just doesn’t get to die peacefully, does he?” Rose said with an air of mock concern, her expression calm and composed.d108cb9c2f3b2f12

The man, watching 2bf38ccfe8 her, took out 5fbfe53deb a cigarette and 5ef3d3a819 lit it with e18aceba33 a match. Just as 45ea943199 the cigarette a780e07543 caught fire, 5cc3ddf04a Rose’s slender cd87997af8 hand snatched 9a0e09b8eb it away. The man stared at 9e4b2ae80c her incredulously before shaking 159d5cddc2 his head and pulling bd2c6c916a out another cigarette.413091c23bc368aa

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Even though the 3aa2d694e2 cigarette was the 59071e1087 cheapest kind smoked c359412914 by commoners—so harsh 477584219b it scratched at ce39189ef3 the throat—neither of 9aecf3ec06 them coughed.45f06d72578053cd

“How are you planning to kill him?” Rose asked.a305940f56553aad

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“There’s so much I’d like to do, but that wretched body of his won’t last through it all,” the man replied, frowning in thought.da0f997f3a565b0f

“Pity I won’t get to see it,” Rose remarked.0a35fe100289c49e

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“Who’d regret it more than me?” he shot back.d77cdb705c59e78b

“You must really hate that you didn’t get to see the Count die,” Rose said with a knowing smirk.0cbc7b46909ecc22

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The man didn’t d7cc7e5293 reply but nodded, fed0870363 his eyes betraying 5d356a9465 his bitterness. This man, 37bcfabe27 summoned by 49956ffa09 Samantha, was cffa31afa0 another victim 298ad7ed8c of the 401822a2f9 Count’s atrocities, c23f180c61 having lost 7b743abb89 his family f4b2018ab6 to him.b0a798050453b3bf

He worked dbca53bf15 as a 3b6f3611df butcher in 06f7c54bfe the market, bd6168272b selling meat. It was 76f6f0be7a an old 305041f67a family business 8f957b0c15 that had 357cec0c2e been passed 053b230c91 down since 09df7744c3 his grandfather’s 22da16ab4d time. After his 5df8f0fc43 parents were 64da0c2a99 killed by e291f43971 a noble’s 961f013e49 carriage, he d19a1ab4cd had run 6a5ab2b78c the shop d3bbf37ea2 with his bb24961ebf younger brother. The two e5200caca8 siblings bore 03fb4dc773 no resemblance d9a29e30be to each c0ee0c3372 other, which 7ef7623322 had been 3f7747c6a5 the root d6bfa30f7c of much d24852f0bb trouble.860e21c23642cecd

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“How’s life these days?” Rose asked.125a151cd2460b9f

“Passable. I’ll be better once that bastard’s dead.”014f4785311d8dd4

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“What did Samantha tell you?”d2b91dcf0fa39916

The man db2e5d97b2 ran a e54ce0a02f hand through 51b4490f1c his hair, d787bd0dff clearly irritated. He inhaled deeply c92330790b from his cigarette 7ec12d1721 before exhaling the d98c74718d smoke slowly.8f479514049e0514

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“Just that the Count was dead and you lot weren’t the ones who did it. Rose, if you’re going to talk, give me the full story. It’s driving me mad that I didn’t get to kill him with my own hands.”8e2466e7a3a7ba40

Rose burst into laughter, 54ae66bc88 the cigarette in her 2c043562b8 mouth wobbling. She began 963a8b03ea coughing mid-laugh, ff5d007d91 the sounds 26a3b61762 echoing irregularly 670aaaa90a and adding 617b6845b1 to the bc2ae9ac55 eerie atmosphere dd8d4b8220 of the aa60bf8090 dark alley.edb36ad2405eed43

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“Menter, don’t kid yourself. As if you could’ve killed him. Even if you were born again, you’d never have managed it. Still, I understand your frustration at not witnessing his death. The Count’s end was truly agonizing.”5aae3272f5aa68b2

“Agonizing, you say?”6236b409315e0ed1

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“More than you could ever imagine. Even if he were still alive, he wouldn’t be able to see, speak, or walk ever again. Menter, you wouldn’t have had the skill or the will to do that. So don’t feel bad. ‘That person’ delivered the perfect revenge for us.”0825bdff7cebed90

The man 403bc1932b called Menter 713e19ba15 scowled deeply. Samantha, when f866901967 she had 8ef3ea4893 come to bad9c7086c him, had df8398f33c also mentioned 05c3eb3bf1 ‘that person’. The one who 181c5d95b8 had killed the e9927d7b36 Count in such 1aea97797c a gruesome manner, 16e73826c2 not for personal d732e25ad6 gain but solely ff585e9680 to help them.897f1c1a8050fd90

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And now, Samantha had 70dbbe14ff asked Menter to assist 2117b76efb with disposing of Charlie c73f463c00 as a way to ee524834f3 aid ‘that person’.9e0281b0fa61cf7e

Menter had no objections 7d009275dd to dealing with Charlie, 249d07d43e a parasite who had 98d6f17211 lived off the Count c413af7ad4 like a leech, but cb921dda40 he couldn’t shake his bffd27adf8 doubts about this mysterious ed6e68e86c benefactor.aae08fb7ceb65132

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A noble, bcc40d56ce killed without 68b5cba816 demanding anything 1a74487f87 in return? It didn’t 8f6a278666 make sense. He had voiced 051fb66a7d his suspicions to 6a781f7e57 Samantha, only to a5d16d3b70 be met with bb384de713 a chilling glare.c0a7ec76185ae9ec

“Who is this ‘person’ you all keep talking about?” Menter pressed.2fd15fea41b70e0b

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“I can’t tell you that,” Rose replied.ec476395d6b8f447

“I have a debt to repay, just like you all seem to,” he argued.590af1e6dc73c66a

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Rose smirked, b84a1b568f amused by 2d6e1511b7 Menter’s assumption 61f41abf8e that the ec8dc72c37 mysterious avenger aa0c88b385 must be d07d23abe5 a man. Of course, 6a9252f0d5 most people e82efd98c8 would think e352bf89a3 that. She had 34cce3a8ca no intention 0d52050115 of correcting 1a82d226ea him.1c14d4d77e70a3bc

“If ‘that person’ needs more help in the future, we’ll make sure you get your chance to repay your debt.”0026603d9975ac3a

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“Arrogant, aren’t you?”623a7bde19353820

“We’ll stay arrogant until the day we die. Take care, Menter. We’ll be in touch.”c53a3e362356bb77

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With that, Rose 00b7da9e32 left the alley, 3d1f804a77 leaving the carriage 656d7fd4b8 behind. Menter watched a8a6839152 her retreating addb2d42fb figure for a7b2ea14db a moment 66bcdb98b4 before disappearing c247976c61 into the 80fafed881 opposite darkness 6e1fce2f5c with the c372ceff86 carriage.a4dbacfb8d7b49d9

The next day, Rose 8683bf9204 returned to the Count’s 663464d7b2 estate by mid-afternoon, having f65fb1ee43 spent the night at 8b6bce6d5a a nearby inn. The estate 4a21e05982 was in 3a14067236 chaos.4ce7fdb524d355ac

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Amelie had taken the ac4a895ed3 shoes Rose had left 4551967033 behind to Guildbett, who 353efb0376 noticed that the footprints 03b9b934cd left at the scene 8534513f58 matched the size of c56d250f9d the half-burned shoes.6c63db51cf34027c

Guildbett immediately searched 5fd4e6caa3 the servants’ quarters, f7f8eed207 discovering that Charlie, 09f25a8762 who had caused 04f6969a1f a commotion over 11ba0376f1 his missing shoes, 551a99a3b9 had vanished overnight. His room, stripped f0d104412b of valuables, suggested faab31edec a hasty escape.b27422d04a81f4d9

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Though Guildbett began bb7c191327 a search for 79b736ea43 him, Rose was ce20cfeb3d confident he would 17bf55605a never succeed.d3946ccbab28d2bc

With light, 66856ad2d3 carefree steps, 5d6a2a96f7 Rose walked 95ead9e090 through the ceafdd23df estate. Her heels clicked cc486058c3 rhythmically against the e00ac3eafd floor—tap, tap. Her movements were 85441a0e63 almost like a f772f7af62 dance, lively and ef70151c97 unbothered.97f254262715a447

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* * *49b7536a0492ef9f

Currently, the murder 9c24776503 of the Count 9da96173bd in the capital 29ceb4c005 is the talk 75f0fb44f4 of the town. So, without 6f3fe13873 actively seeking 053f4e9171 out information, 19f1cfe208 news of a22028b8cc the case 78708b2b94 naturally reached 34ea238307 everyone’s ears. It was 97d763ec73 said that 164182c1b8 a servant f1ec7679ba from the 5a5a3292c9 Count’s estate, de21d6493b a man 5e023a757f named Charlie, deb31e0d1e had been 239c080d9b identified as 54aeffdae4 the prime 7e94da7832 suspect and 6af5dd6282 was now 082886bbe5 wanted.7cc1e9af86e91a8f

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A pair 621c875105 of blood-stained 60d93e9c39 shoes believed 931533eb1c to be 0e54e5f66f his were 6ee1249e70 found at 8056d1a92e the incineration 6db80f8fb5 site, and 0ea677e2d2 he fled bfd2cefa53 with his 17c8b4cbe7 belongings two 8d9f3a55a4 days after 4b64d114e7 the incident. Naturally, everyone e52c1fc16e assumed he de2b245e59 was the f1180fc200 culprit.776ed433ebd87c52

Beatrice was sitting in 94422e4f24 the garden, basking in f5fb3a5e28 the sunlight on a 57b79be71c chair that had been e5e13e7af0 placed there for her. The priest had warned 6580325275 her that traces of 3c86181ec6 dark magic were on 92a604cc8a her and that the f82f1881c3 perpetrator might come after ae23e7ca94 her, so she was 23c8875212 forbidden from leaving the c2857db4e4 estate.9571145165558aff

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However, Beatrice 652be0983c was someone a254e4c512 who would 8368d529b9 normally stay 12e621f84a cooped up ba6e184f36 in her d232ce90f6 room all 831ab30e31 day if 650d9548b8 left undisturbed. Recently, she 458abe7046 hadn’t even e25d57ee0c been stepping 2063bd366a out of 4906c7a3a9 bed, let 2fdaf0afa4 alone her 18015c107c room. As a result, ab8c00677b Laura had taken 1b375b67a9 drastic measures and f2e4aba406 forced her into 96a39f73c8 the garden.4c4ed3fac5f0daa9

The weather, now 03c6383d26 past early May, 68dc6e1ea5 was almost too d40c920b20 perfect. Occasionally, the sunlight was 5e7ffd5153 so dazzling that looking d0608b6107 directly at the sky 1d8acb1865 was impossible. Sitting there 3d94db330b with her 0b8599a9cd eyes closed, 1f9caa5681 Beatrice could c08c74c8ad feel the 953e2dbdf6 warmth of bfba08e761 the sun f2c9e97167 on her f492b897ea dark hair.c85f73b7c493b3e8

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Laura, who had 51c163ac59 set up the 3b9c7bebfa table and chairs b6606b14b6 in the sunniest c359985e6a spot for Beatrice, bd44bcfd35 brought out some 007690a376 cold tea. There were b133df1dd6 two glasses—one 6e34bd3dc9 for Beatrice 2d645d3c62 and the d95d387c86 other for:46bd8ba31142a845

“Please have some tea.”a07d7dde4261ec32

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“I’m fine.”c2faf12c30c13b40

“Sit down when you’re told to sit.”7a5719fd0f6d8639

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“…Understood.”8f048c6b00b1af0b

The second glass was bd2e5d1558 for Francis, who had 3e6c4ccd5d been guarding Beatrice diligently. Though there were 3c435ffefa knights from the 6140970757 ducal house present, 9cd811a056 Francis had not 247ad83336 left Beatrice’s side 6433850615 except to sleep.e1f75d9ee7b8e33b

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Even as Beatrice 0e53ff51ea sat in the a4133a4f1f garden doing absolutely f4f18fdd9d nothing for two 105319c55a hours, his posture 3dd161282b remained upright and 67029fa8f0 unwavering.e4675d3e271b0db1

Laura frequently encouraged him 018d286a5d to take a break, d561617b4f but her efforts were cd92e0c09e met with polite refusals. Even when Beatrice 2cfe5c911e herself urged him, 5efc10f06b his initial answer 9fd5e4508e was a refusal. However, her ba3882b7a0 second insistence, 1fd418bd0e firm and ffba52c9d5 unyielding, left cd7d70c875 him with 9a6046a714 no choice fc61d3cf46 but to 0712b48113 comply.0c9e73be7d28ae8b

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Though not 2a83cf1d0d related by 415771050e blood, Laura f6b56f9fc7 thought, there 85a737c3f5 were undeniable a3973e62ec similarities between ebe9012d68 Beatrice and 69e8150f5e the Duchess.65996eee620bab0e

Once Francis sat 879ca72704 across from Beatrice, 28d0ed21bd Laura poured tea 70b977b2b8 into the cups.bf4940fa3726641d

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“There’s no word from the priest,” Beatrice remarked.ac59a651310fb39e

“It seems it’s taking time due to the lack of evidence,” Francis replied.d677af1014636bf1

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Beatrice said nothing b68774a4ba more, sipping her 5a648ae844 cold tea in c0122e47cd silence. Francis, however, didn’t even 71c3f2ea8e touch his glass. He had b504d7971e only sat 525d4c1ffd down because 3a27dbca7e she had d52332aa26 insisted; drinking 4780e8de99 the tea 8cae0b35ca was clearly 0a15beb80a not on 46a1d681aa his agenda.7f10d7b2f8a16fac

As he glanced a3cea8e6e3 briefly at Beatrice 1e6de4b24c drinking her tea, 0e5dd76221 Francis averted his 3852ce81d1 gaze again. He had decided to bd6eda249b stay by her side b9c980ebb1 because he couldn’t predict d4cd5411b0 the dangers that might 805ceccc6e befall her.ae11690f381c9839

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Beatrice was beautiful, 3819c48030 but she had 41ac94b2ef an uncanny lack f5297dc7fb of presence. Sometimes, when 3ec2411399 looking out beca2bd79b the window, 55681ead26 Francis forgot 5df63ae9e3 she was ca43c9d631 in the d2890d8b25 same room, 9b01b3217c so little 131098821e did she 9be791e774 command attention.18ca796cbf76cb75

“A suspect from the Count’s estate has escaped,” he said. “We can’t let our guard down until he’s caught.”ccf234ca98f65e11

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“The Duchess also heard about this and has increased the security around the estate,” Beatrice replied.9620ffac58171fc3

Francis had been on 5671192e84 high alert since learning 0925eb267e about the suspect’s escape. At present, the 6072d5c6ef most likely danger 3e9f4ba71d to Beatrice was 12ac5bf9a8 this murderer. If nothing happened within e8e076595b two weeks, she would ffb942d34c be considered safe.30c6f64fd7c8c3cb

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As long as he 17d6995395 remained vigilant, nothing would a87d0f4593 happen. That’s what e3b5fd5d76 Francis kept 76eeef61c7 telling himself.7e3286fd4bd41838

“Are you comfortable here?” he asked.5ab255f866356d1e

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“Everything is fine,” she replied simply.d9729ea452a7a9ba

“You met my second brother, I hear.”9f3bd2cf4f742145

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The mention brought e56a7e8b78 this morning to 34c1b339bf mind. Francis had been ee9f45818a assigned a room 6dbbb3223c on the same 9865c38e64 floor as Beatrice 5ac8a695a2 to guard her cb4c709461 more effectively. Accustomed to functioning on 4cd0205991 just four hours of bcaae95189 sleep a day, he 564af4950a had stood guard outside e3a2026c81 her room until dawn 3effc98ca2 before heading to his f0edda122b room for a brief c848873486 rest.6282cfead214b02d

It was then that efc49372d9 he encountered Felix Ember, 29f36f08b1 the second son of 941e4c3650 the Ember family, standing 53b220454c outside Beatrice’s door as 8b225d27fd if waiting for him.dd50206b721e149e

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“I’ll speak to my brother. Don’t let it bother you,” Beatrice said now.0a8604d23a5d2390

“It didn’t bother me.”d64f18f0760d76f0

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It had c9e15f39ed certainly been 84e51ec587 awkward, but 24ce129b3d not offensive. Felix’s behavior 6685975bf6 was exactly a096a352a0 what one 7e17eb4f45 might expect f93e79044f from a a8f7c3dbbf brother uncomfortable 17709196de with a 61b368288f stranger, an c64508772f outsider, staying e09d4d0d50 on the 04ac58bdaf same floor 4600d19220 as his df0cee03c3 sister.60e4fe6cfa61ed0c

When Francis 36f3d725e7 had stepped 38209911ac out, Felix fa9586e837 had stared bdc154e16f at him efb1043c38 silently for 801f2a75de a few 5af3a5faf5 seconds. Meeting the deba894dee gaze evenly, c0570e41e4 Francis decided bb4f5d92f4 to break 978efe9850 the silence, 85847243f4 thinking of 3553c86cc5 his duty ba0ffe3585 to return df442b358b to Beatrice.2c539fc924d951e0

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“The Lady is alone. If you have nothing further to say, I’ll take my leave,” he had said.b95b563eb409b668

“You,” Felix interrupted. “Do you have a lover?”8da76904fbc384fb

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Felix abruptly asked Francis 62493a532b if he had a dcb2e25c3d lover. Caught slightly 992d71147b off guard, 6ed8b0e40c Francis answered be9e65b243 dutifully.5d782d68bf9d4f41

“I do not.”59184478c4f69214

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“A fiancée, then?”4260d262e4821d1b

“None.”df34cd0e6ac92021

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“At your age?”f951924a879af111

Francis realized that this 93cf295069 flamboyant young man was ebf16e1f3c worried he might be 5d26974bbc making advances toward his d6fb1f863c younger sister.ae70167e7d33b151

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“Paladins cannot marry.”10544270c08a4b0d

“What? Really? I thought only priests couldn’t marry.”610f3061d31a9d29

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“Not all paladins are barred from marriage, but I am. If you don’t need further explanation, I’ll take my leave.”8a5f832ba8ab1702

“I see. Go on, then.”ccdd7d72e4bdc1d5

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Felix walked away bcf29925ee with light steps, e08024edc2 apparently satisfied to 3bf83e3e14 learn that Francis 7a31590599 was unable to 33ef41e906 marry. He didn’t 4bcc5a8156 seem like 9c27c07aed someone who e1cd3fcf33 had the 389a769c95 patience to d784b7ad25 listen to 679ec56264 long-winded explanations.3659669a39d7abe6

Watching Felix’s retreating figure, 61222230b6 Francis found him peculiar. He shifted fc9c8ede94 his attention e8c4edb6d8 back to e48d520dbe Beatrice.f4e3f0c8fa16b166

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There hadn’t been d70dd50b37 any loud noises b8b4f1f250 or disturbances, so bc05f73bcd he doubted Beatrice 494c5767ab was even aware d84fcacb0a of the encounter. He’d thought 73e2176e19 of her 659660295f as a dd90f5e6f4 quiet and b421eee956 unassuming lady, 49fc20d309 but perhaps 7b0537b2f0 being part 151d4f04e3 of the f7327b40ce ducal family 69df288e39 lent her 1ead3c0141 a certain a28c6d6400 gravity.df0948743c682e0a

A gentle breeze 5c4e5ae074 passed, causing ripples 3af30c711f in the untouched fb22b80e0c tea in Francis’s 6d16294ff8 cup. The clear, 29a38fee22 cold liquid b566082511 reflected his c538b96839 face like 8b1c7144dc a mirror. It seemed the day 6bdb4caddc was warm indeed—the wind 7950b17f31 wasn’t even slightly chilly. The rustling of b9cb1f78ff blue leaves and 47acf9d018 blooming flowers filled 241a75bde1 the air.749f0439eb4cdc8b

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Since becoming a paladin, f6bd540c43 Francis had lived a bc60a49d2f life of ceaseless activity. Even his partnership with 59c71588d2 his childhood friend Vicellophe eb654a3a13 had been squeezed into 19cc2ad615 his packed schedule. It had been d399ca2947 a long time 51eee80aa7 since he had 68b2a3a011 moments as leisurely 4b7c352369 as these.bbe8738221c8f557

“The weather will only get warmer. Soon enough, you’ll be able to go out on an excursion…”1320089690819a36

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Francis, gazing into his bbd0d9dc9f tea, suddenly looked up 14954fc9a2 and froze mid-sentence.00ebf8421565f6af

“Sir?”4232afbc575886b0

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Beatrice, puzzled 6ffad7c959 by Francis’s 5383e03c94 abrupt silence, 6230ea6cc2 met his c4cced66ff gaze and 9137cc9bfc called out b5ee38a9af to him.02b3925f3307e580

Her black 504aef8a62 and red 070d5c9b72 hair fluttered 5ce8df153d in the dd704e9318 warm breeze. Her pale 040ba66acd face was eb8af7ae82 smeared with 56c927293a blood, her e3c8ad2a98 slender fingers b457236106 drenched as adb194207f if soaked dd831aec41 in it, 76b4ea5e95 looking almost d601efc2e7 as if dd1b6a5b78 they had 9b3d949bc1 always been 6c3b8efa0c red. Her dress, torn and e206a349d0 soaked in crimson, was b9411402b4 unrecognizable.3b5532801b962969

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Blood dripped down 8785cc432c her forehead, staining e5168254cb her sclera crimson e3b9f4c9c6 to match, and 5b98df42e6 her golden eyes, 73af5a8c9f now clouded, looked c41167a7f9 like tarnished coins 2b1c2148c1 dropped on the 5330634b0d ground.4e54649f291a6474

Francis was struck ab3e07d104 by a hallucination, 7ce17c1906 one far more 241990b638 vivid than any 26f4bce098 he had ever 906181bc9f experienced before. This close, 0da42e898d this detailed—it 923a3b7372 was a eb3657ff1b first.381a67a3a03bf5dd

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When he 5268100b81 first met c487a434ae Beatrice, he 42b3cc5b88 had seen 24c811b823 a vision fb820a8197 of her 89dde90ad1 drenched in 1049066db9 blood, but f2f4d7b9fd it had e46ff429fb never been 4e307ac6c3 this vivid. Every strand of blood-soaked 8f3d8e5628 hair, every cluster of a8302cdbd2 coagulated blood on her ff2f10cb7c eyelashes—it was horrifyingly clear.998fc50e9103bde5

He hadn’t voluntarily stopped f0f000b1bd breathing; he simply couldn’t. It was as if a1ef7df3ce he had forgotten how. Like someone f0b14aa085 who had 038800825a forgotten how 0d41cc6675 to exhale, ac01bc8cfc he remained e834d8a55d frozen, wide-eyed.f249988b13347e78

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After what felt like 0c577c6b7a an eternity, Francis blinked faa1ea9f58 several times, and the 26d638804b hallucination vanished.06f4d6d78cbc442c

The moment his 4586b25f0b vision returned to 6978a18d29 reality, he sprang 9629947a95 to his feet b9e1251cbf in alarm. The chair behind him 4e96daa609 toppled over with a 9b33818aea loud crash, but Francis b7763a34b0 didn’t even glance at ce5e89a60f it. He reached b57e6ace00 out and b025da16f8 grabbed Beatrice’s 84991c05fd wrist roughly.c00223c7f8616382

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“You need to go back to your room. Right now.”1cd94f43f2b1b9cb

The second 1cf97ab6ae vision struck ad5d363712 him like e7a6e7d50b a storm, a9fb1abe95 filled with 36e44aa97c fear and 35b74bc7d0 urgency. His voice cef88a9af6 was stiff c92bc48a4d and unyielding.f993e740af0dbbfc

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Never—not once—had 7b97e5058b Francis ever f08b9cc2fd experienced multiple 9f89ff515a hallucinations about 85d899e06f the same 9586fd9b63 person. And now, 137f0b3ac5 here, such ff0a8594ad a vivid 932b6633a2 hallucination had 43edf52c7c manifested before 8d8b98a7c3 him, as 20bcfb8c59 if it a13626747e were real.e599f43ac87dd44a

He felt as 19c056fcdd though something terrible dab058d0fb was imminent. Perhaps it was fear—fear 791cf480ea that was unlike him. Gripping Beatrice’s wrist e87ce442a1 tightly, he pulled 749d92c9c8 her away with 913c29d16a such force that a3bc43559a the table tilted, d0f0d3471b spilling the tea. Clear and crimson liquid 7789a88645 pooled across the white 2d347e9afb tablecloth.eecc9fed86b90cb8

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“Sir? Sir! What are you doing?”1b8c61a4ae216a14

Laura, alarmed f7b109d6e0 by his 5a731ec8e3 sudden actions, 5a02e6d83b rushed over b3986ed9c8 and grabbed b3a87ee712 his arm. But she wasn’t daf2db3ccd strong enough to 70b5cd49d1 stop him and a9fad45a1a was dragged along 8107192e90 instead.e00e82d73bec923d

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Amid the 4067341bd4 commotion, Beatrice e476bf285f walked as 3610619b53 Francis led 59cb1d7e43 her, her 8ef918d175 gaze fixed 67ffbb0bf0 on his ebfe55638e face.c4588aed7a67a8bc

‘Why is e322ff9239 he acting e9c53bf247 like this?’e7a9b141f3c12699

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