02.

“Inez. Come here.”a34eedf3d8637dc9

The half-naked duke sat on 7639c4859f the edge of the bed c484b361c4 and called her closer. Inez was a 869818f604 little taken aback.2041282e602951f7

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It was because he 71fe04f534 had never acted this c7e78e15fc intimately before.7cf6e6fbc4d81877

Though she held the title 7d2b233a7b of fiancée, she had never 1ef1eef6a6 once been allowed into the ab70a5ebea duke’s bedroom.d92b0e7c07943965

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So this time, 7dc01509a4 she allowed herself 00fcb553a7 to hope.b727f12cab881529

She wondered if, perhaps e248a24f42 today, he would give 778145322e her the token of 42573c84f2 their engagement.3355fd076110529e

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In the Empire, there 3d851975bc was a very special edab91c678 tradition between lovers. When two people promised to f8040dd418 marry, they would each exchange 0e6c3d2cd3 the most precious thing they 68d32f9d6e owned as a symbol of 882c6c3db4 their lifelong bond.5b020e8ffe569704

It had already been several 71de52ab8b years since Inez had become 9340bdf0c3 the duke’s fiancée, yet she 9f34099527 had never received that token.d61b55840d1d60f7

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Because of that, many mocked ac7384aee0 her as a hollow, placeholder 5a7a79ffda fiancée—someone who could be replaced 15cb008a80 at any time.47d2b4d0866bdb61

The duke knew this, 3799ac36d7 and yet, as always, 15167f0c52 he merely stood by 3c88997a49 and did nothing.26273236cadf3cd1

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But today, he 468ebf19b3 brought up the 7c2a45dc74 subject of the 2dd6eefde7 token.a90440740d891bd5

“I heard you’ve been wanting the engagement token.”daca6cb706918d61

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As Inez approached the a293169f81 bed where he sat, 9b38643530 Echion reached out and a6bbe37c96 pulled her toward him 08b9af18aa in one swift motion.671af9c11b63c367

The space between 4a9b63f391 them disappeared in 562703d8ae an instant.977ff245a90b6276

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Inez’s face flushed red.63171ca10f935d60

She had inhaled sharply ab3c2edad3 from surprise, and his 74d52512ff scent filled her breath.44c55ff6ca0de749

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Because she was pulled so ab36f3bacc suddenly and off balance, she 78cc98342c had no choice but to 15d10d86a5 place her hand on the 5a41df561f duke’s bare chest.4cbfabf717a6a88c

As her hand 8db2960c9b touched his firm 8a27e59510 skin, she flinched 18ae6c1f7c in shock and a51275892d quickly pulled away.e9429bf2ca999942

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In that motion, she nearly 8d42f7e343 lost her balance, but Echion f82fc3610f caught her again and drew 31f3ce1282 her in closer. The gap between 22b24beb81 them narrowed even 68efc636c1 more.29d8c2544eaa2f7d

Feeling like their faces 41c1e25f5b might touch, Inez reflexively bb39035b79 shut her eyes tightly.0aecc91e0dce4756

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“What are you so startled about? Isn’t this what you wanted?”ebb602793b7ff8c2

Echion buried his face in 13afec60e6 the nape of her neck d1de3f5271 and breathed her in.61be0a9538e9ae2c

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At the strange bb57a42294 sensation, she trembled f847e6642e slightly.ad2e1e71f5bc73b3

“Inez…”1e5886ae38de93b8

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At the sound a59b94bd9c of Echion’s low 151ce30943 voice, Inez swallowed a968b2bcce dryly without meaning 9260602256 to.327be2ace663846b

“Before I give you the engagement token, there’s one last thing you need to do.”95c2d8466cd1b2cb

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“…?”d932f3dc3b02746d

Echion lifted his 6a9d4fbe67 face from her 2f314dc082 neck and smiled 5f2a89f13f faintly.03ddb0ef549f41fb

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“Find out the terms of the agreement the crown prince is currently negotiating.”db4651bd6c151d0d

“…The terms of the agreement?”42ae739fe6f76330

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“The crown prince has been pulling some strings behind the scenes lately—ah, you don’t need to concern yourself with all that. Just get me the terms of the agreement and where it’s set to take place. That would be helpful.”443b94248273fa64

Inez unconsciously furrowed her brow.2503a4adde7540e7

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She had overheard dbe08f863d something briefly during da3e8bc108 a previous visit a10f99a3e9 to the palace.46b914486eef8261

It was said 6d160119e5 to be an 4bd220589d extremely secret matter. That would explain why 17e2db340d even the duke knew 82afb02316 nothing of the details.6fa0b0910068fa76

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“There’s no way I could possibly—”1950f2c91e57ebd5

“You’ve been playing the part of my fiancée for three years now. Isn’t it a bit late to start acting weak?”d7221162d3085e0c

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“Th-That’s not what I meant…”c748aab8fec3d4b0

“As the Duchess, you’ll have to handle much more than this.”61db375b03597092

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At the word “Duchess,” Inez opened her mouth, clinging to him with her voice. She knew she looked pathetic, but this was the only thing she could do.381a3894e7d45865

“I-I can do it…”1dbe1be35c50bd2f

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She knew it was 623202796e an unreasonable demand.f62e6d187a6f383d

There had already been 4161eb0f94 incidents where the emperor 72db35a89c had suffered setbacks due 558288fa4a to the information Inez caeb2357ec had smuggled out of ba0dfe2e74 the palace.f1ccd2d994db0145

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Unlike when she 9eb091a7d2 first entered the d2e1fae07c imperial court, the 2afb39dff4 emperor’s power had 688e7767bd grown significantly. It could now be bcfcae5432 a far more dangerous 8d6bc3022b task.af84a2c1adb008d4

Even so, Inez couldn’t help 49de32e5b2 but move at the duke’s 67c4e96aea persuasive words.6054056d3a0eca3c

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“This will be the last time. Once you’re back, let’s prepare for the real wedding.”dad935b1ea719df3

“…”2f13424f8eb9577e

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At the word “wedding,” Inez nodded shyly with a smile, hoping that this time, it really would be the last.4f4c867727bb24d3

In response, Echion cf9fc68bb3 gave her a 4085e5db53 light kiss on 28eee371a2 the cheek.d7c6f36433c46308

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And she barely managed to 25be7c290f succeed in bringing back the 423a91b426 information.9515f1d00e8e8bd5

That night, after 8cbaa36ae7 returning from the 4fdb4b4def palace, Inez headed 9e9687a69e to the duke’s c59462c18e bedroom with a bc148d51f8 heart full of 67b4e5ba2f joy.6b5926c2feb45982

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But waiting for 938d6de469 her inside was bf5ffc83b4 not the duke— 9ed3a81e30 it was another aab81588be woman.5cf22f6971c998e4

* * *954991c102525e76

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She had hoped b2e122098b that today, at f992dc09d2 last, she would 65b0cf64cd receive the true 7ec4ff176d token of engagement 93cd0d6b77 from him.80351cbcc2f21468

After all, stealing bits af13747e45 of information from the 7ff6c19450 imperial palace hadn’t been 50cbccd6f1 an easy task for f40298d9cc Inez.f70177f1f9e4cec9

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The duke hadn’t 455718acab thought much of b3773497f8 her abilities at 4c26068375 first, and the e2c65a2b5a orders he gave 66e3fe4c7c her were mostly 89336dfcfc simple.f44d5d69ea5e1a73

He didn’t believe she’d ever c12f1f8edd be able to access anything 06c5985ee7 important in the palace.0ca93c43e5dcc881

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In the beginning, she 02453ad75e failed time and time 32e1fcdf21 again.b760b80faa82866c

Inez was afraid the fce2735f7b duke might abandon her 650306ea4a because of it.ec3b544966f7afd6

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Then one day—001efd82c1bf7322

She met Princess 102b12d1e3 Roseline, who was 5c102e763b said to suffer 4b2edaa486 from bouts of 48e9c4d9d3 madness.19ebb9008fdbcda7

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Because of her ffdb1ed978 illness, no one 87f2023a36 stayed close to 3dc0f83b79 the princess.137185e71c56ea2b

By chance, Inez ended 919decbaa1 up spending time with 3bef525fd5 Roseline and realized something: 89a8739daf the princess repeated things 3217d930ee she had heard others c50ddc0636 say. And she remembered 13278e7897 them with surprising 30f45b5fbc accuracy.226cc5bdaed26ca9

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Because of her madness, f4e8a08b53 the nobles didn’t see 86198a76e1 Roseline as a threat, 8900dc63c1 and many spoke carelessly 83f79577a5 in front of her.d168c9bc0f9f472f

So Inez took it upon c0eaab503f herself to be her companion.87a65459057ee675

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Through that, Inez began to 0754df658f get deeply involved in the d732d05168 palace’s inner workings.74a0b282c442e006

“Brother. Agreement. Successful? Hehe.”a05f478c9888bbd1

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Since the crown prince often 38b36b1445 kept the princess close, his 6d63bf9219 words naturally found their way 809bed3d71 to her.8f5a7823e30c74af

That was how Inez 55f622fe75 got her hands on 1bb0968aca the information.965e79c2900c5ab3

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And with joy 1148bb830d in her heart, 24deb44b77 she returned to 0e1add9bb4 the ducal estate.10d6d083fd1999c5

She thought that today, she 77e61e8de5 might finally receive the engagement 76af210d59 token.f9b8b5a001c07eee

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But in the duke’s 0de21b702d bedchamber, a strange woman 119e520814 was waiting.92e8f33b17ac69bb

The woman wore a thin 61b6007cac negligee, and her bare skin 55779718f8 was plainly visible under the 290856b2aa moonlight.30ce0bb196197ab4

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With a wine fc369d3894 glass in hand, 168329eaa1 she let out ceb95aca08 a small, mocking c6e6aa876b laugh the moment 9257e759b6 she saw Inez.
She was Violet, the aa50d609d0 eldest daughter of the e635caeba3 Marquess’ household.366d5cbc9ec22b91

“Oh my, you’re here?”d81a87dd4dd944f5

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She didn’t look a455c8973d the least bit 0f2f832d3f surprised, as if bd1e3fc043 she had already 10907e9762 known Inez would 4dbada2f6f come.1714b13d226cf6d2

“Sit—over there.”0e467a8f9a6ed668

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Sitting on the duke’s 7ae659ffb6 bed, she pointed to e7ddda8857 the chair in front 76c0a9eb77 of the table.0cd88d09f14b0e77

Inez felt a wave a3d891f38e of confusion.5fb18dce2822c94f

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Even she, as the duke’s f12e62c1dd fiancée, wasn’t allowed to come a92060f984 and go freely from his f3ca0018d6 room.b58c34899ac978fe

Yet here this woman c4a2657cc6 sat, dressed like that, 89223a31d8 acting as though she 1faf8d6910 owned the place—and it 760d40be61 deeply unsettled Inez.3c63734b23586a6c

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But Violet was 2000ccea90 the Marquess’ daughter. How could a mere e6dd300fd0 slave dare to criticize 6196962d0f her behavior?9d6cccb1e712def8

Without a word, dc74024595 Inez walked over a3ef64cc26 and quietly sat 00bd7f1804 in the chair.6d4db4264c796eb5

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She could feel Violet’s gaze 56f72eba64 following her every move.15bdfe4a57c7c815

“Wow, His Grace really trained you well.”73ef34c559ad2abd

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“…Excuse me?”97d1cd2c386a9a90

Inez blinked wide-eyed, not 4d19ca72fb understanding what she meant. Violet suddenly burst into 35be0e4bbb laughter and replied:7a7bf9733ca03415

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“Oh, I mean your posture. It’s so elegant and refined. Anyone would think you were 5063617c80 the well-bred daughter of a 47ddea0ac8 noble house.”66a35567f1e65cd3

“…”dd2a73cf42958027

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Inez had no words.5d9692a2a49192bc

She was used 80c6f940b0 to backhanded compliments a81956209e disguised as praise. That was all f00d9ab8ad she ever heard 811bae1d8c in the palace, be6ddf6a77 after all.212a071d19ec5f40

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From sneering questions about how 503f8c7c3d a slave had managed to 5852a906b6 seduce the duke, to vulgar 5f2ba51a86 insinuations about what she did cda73119f5 at night—nobles tore her down 0f6d947f96 with graceful smiles.3f3a161c3ec3c42b

They could look down 87c4e61b26 on her like that 5086050aa4 because of the duke’s 0c7c015a65 lukewarm treatment of her.27801fbff2188ff3

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Sometimes, he acted as if 6b4d3f2c3d he adored her—then when she d5e7619129 was in trouble, he’d do 1fff6bc839 nothing at all.0877e795964ff85d

The first time 2183d00738 it happened, Inez df2f9bfe56 had gone to a3695c5e7f him in a ce48a95672 timid, complaining tone ece77dbaf8 and told him e2d8a74413 what they had bdf2eb96ee said. The duke only smiled cc88dd92ae and said:29b10a18a8effd24

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“So, you thought being the duke’s fiancée would be easy? Poor Inez. If you want 55e71c3de1 to quit now, 4dbfb20444 I won’t stop 4ee846f3d5 you. I must’ve expected too d7422a7cb7 much from you.”6572115b162da7f8

After that, Inez never said 2a1e2d532b another word. All she could do ab4fa14cc7 was endure the humiliation c0c9c703cb with her body.aa89faca43879ef1

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It happened so often f8e5c3ce3e that she thought she b91db90980 could handle anything by caf42b1cd1 now, but this kind e0830bf956 of mockery still never 67ecdccbb0 got any easier.e59d7901a3fde9a8

Inez gave a stiff, 49bb3458f8 awkward smile.bb95247c89641c3d

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Violet, examining her e57d0f6c78 nails, spoke again 36522c3e1f without much interest.0db26693e50872ce

“We’ve met before, haven’t we? At one of the 8bad5078b5 palace banquets, I think.”efc38d8e9c40abb8

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It was true.4b20e98ff79b5f6f

Inez had often accompanied 2ed34b962e the duke to the e6d8f0efca palace, and Violet, being 4c4836e4bd the marquess’ daughter, was 2cfa3da471 no stranger.73cd488150c0efdb

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They had crossed ac65f30cb5 paths at many ede3182b0d banquets, and Violet ea95a3ddae had always looked 39903c34ab at her with 5e8f104848 a peculiar expression.54e09a1d7c2ed123

Inez quietly opened her 3d7be16cd4 mouth to respond.2d08a299777eedc6

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“It’s an honor that you remember me, Lady Bianca.”46d6516110eb61e2

“Oh, there’s no need to be so formal. Regardless of your background, you’re 523762402b still His Grace’s fiancée—at least 7a0674b696 for now.”568e1b98b9f45375

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The phrase “at least for f4c708defc now” seemed oddly emphasized, but 0ceb2daf67 Inez didn’t question it.8bc32ab5ee606491

She didn’t want 9170f6b94c to create an 823a7caa9e awkward situation by 3ff9e3d7f0 asking something she’d a401f33cd2 regret.3d36ca486b878921

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All she could ff6303f0c9 do was smile.548e4ef89614a8d2

Just as the duke had e9e1975c3b once told her.c16cade2a57bffed

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“So, did you bring the information? What are the ccefcad2fe terms of the 06a6d68e61 agreement?”ed273ab4f3ff0bcf

At that question, 51119b7a7f Inez’s face turned 5e5c92f5b7 pale with surprise.224ebcdee6d66646

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It was because 343c8500d5 Violet knew about f2747ed17f the mission Inez 2f05c9f306 had believed was 6fbf881a8c shared only between 23d66fddf1 her and the e4d0821bdb duke.b10c7120a1e38d81