Chapter 136. Natasha''s Crime?

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    Aaah!?

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    A woman’s tearing scream echoed through the shabby deserted alley.?

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    The brown cat, who was searching through the garbage, stood up its tail in surprise.?

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    The place where its pupils had long since split was inside the oldest house in the alley.?

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    A light rain had begun to fall at that moment.?

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    The sound of rain concealed the moaning of the woman gritting her teeth.?

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    “The head is almost out! Give a little more strength! It will be over as soon as the head is out!”?

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    “Ahhhh!”?

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    Natasha’s gritted teeth and screams filled the house of this unsurpassed old woman.?

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    Anne stood in the corner with a blank face and trembling hands, watching this horrific scene.?

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    ‘Hah, what is the meaning of all this? Why does Natasha have her baby here? What’s wrong!’?

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    She didn’t even want to look straight at it.?

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    As for Anne, she was brave enough not to run away immediately.?

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    “It’s almost out!”?

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    At the old woman’s shout, whose voice had gone hoarse, Anne involuntarily glanced there.?

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    “Ha!”?

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    It was full of bright red blood.?

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    As Anne had never even seen her own body properly, the shock of seeing another person’s body covered in blood was even greater.?

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    “What are you doing? Pull yourself together! Bring me a towel!”?

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    “Yes, yes! I’m sorry.”?

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    Anne brought the towel with a shudder.?

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    That was the moment.?

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    “Ah, ah, ah, ahhhhhh!”?

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    Even without saying it, Anne could tell that the scream was the final push.?

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    Boom! ?

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    Was heaven helping them??

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    A bolt of lightning struck in time with Natasha’s scream.?

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    The rain, which concealed her tears and sobs, was beating hard against the roof.?

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    Anne, who had her eyes closed tightly, felt something different in the air.?

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    “Oh, dear, dear……. This pretty thing has grown up and came out.”?

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    The old woman giggled in a hoarse voice as if she had lost her strength.?

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    She could hear the sound of her patting the wet skin.?

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    Then she heard a gurgling, very small sound, and a yelp began to spread.?

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    “Waaaaaa!”?

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    It was the cry of a baby as it breathed in the first breath of air.?

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    Anne stared blankly at the little creature, covered in amniotic fluid and blood.?

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    There was no shadow of the horror of what had just happened, just a loss of soul.?

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    “The baby is …….”?

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    Natasha held out her hand, mumbling in an exhausted voice.?

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    “A very strong prince. Come now, you will be held in your mother’s arms.”?

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    The little baby was placed on Natasha’s breast.?

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    Natasha looked more compassionate than ever and kissed the baby’s forehead, which still had blood on it.?

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    “…… you will be the emperor of this land.”?

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    It was a voice that lost all its power, but was full of heart.?

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    Natasha fed the whimpering baby.?

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    It was not until the whole process was finished that Natasha fell asleep like a faint.?

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    * * * *?

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    Natasha woke up after exactly ten hours of sleep.?

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    She had ordered Anne to go to the Imperial Palace and gave them a message that she (Natasha) went to her parents’ house.?

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    She (Natasha) could not stay away for long, for the emperor who had a lot of doubts.?

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    “You can take care of the baby right?”?

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    “Yes.”?

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    “I will send Anne to you tonight. Until then, take good care of the baby.”?

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    “Don’t worry and go.”?

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    No matter how few people were passing by, when the sun rose, there were more people on the road.?

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    Natasha, who couldn’t afford to let people see her, quickly left the alley, supported by Ennis.?

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    “Anne.”?

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    “Yes?”?

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    “If you let it slip what you saw yesterday, I’ll pull your tongue out.”?

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    “……!”?

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    “You took me to my parents’ house yesterday, when I was depressed. Do you understand?”?

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    Natasha, pale of complexion, speaking in a whisper with a graceful voice, was like a devil in an angel’s mask.?

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    Startled, Anne nodded shakily.?

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    “You said you are a girl who keeps secrets well, so I can trust you.”?

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    “Yes, yes, Lady.”?

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    Natasha looked at Anne, who was nodding.?

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    Her bloodshot eyes were quiet, but sharper than ever. She called ?

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    Anne again.?

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    “Anne.”?

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    “Yes, yes?” ?

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    “But you look like a weak girl, I’ll give you an errand to run then I’ll believe you.”?

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    “What…..”?

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    Facing Natasha, Anne felt eerie.?

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    With no one to listen, Natasha deliberately whispered in Anne’s ear.?

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    “Tonight, bring Logan and kill that old woman.”?

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    “What?!”?

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    Anne looked at Natasha frighteningly and covered her mouth.?

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    Her clear orange eyes flashed silently.?

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    “Keep in mind, Anne. If you don’t kill her, you will be the one who dies.”?

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    Anne wanted to cry out, but she clenched her teeth and held back.?

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    How could this have happened to her??

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    All of this was because of her brother’s gambling debts.?

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    If only her parents had not been caught in that debt, Anne would not have had to sell her labor to the Marquis Roxon for a low price.?

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    No, he didn’t say it was dangerous in the first place. He just told her to keep her mouth shut and be a maid!?

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    There was no God to save her even if she confessed the truth.?

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    No matter how foolish she was, she knew that much.?

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    She squeezed her mouth shut and opened the carriage door with a trembling hand.?

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    Natasha staggered and climbed into the carriage.?

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    A few hours later, an old, shabby carriage pulled in exactly where Natasha had left it.?

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    * * *?

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    Knock. Knock.?

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    The horseman driving the unglamorous but sturdy carriage tapped on the small window connected to the interior.?

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    Anna opened the window.?

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    “The terrain is a little rough from here. You might get motion sickness, so it’s better to go with the window slightly open. There will be a lot of shaking.”?

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    “I see…..”?

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    Anna sighed low and opened the carriage windows on both sides.?

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    As soon as both windows were open, the stuffy air escaped, and the nausea she had been feeling felt much better.?

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    Rwanda put a blanket on Anna’s lap and smiled.?

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    “Isn’t it better to open the window?”?

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    “…… yes.”?

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    “The weather is getting warmer these days, and it’s not so cold with the windows open.”?

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    It wasn’t that Anna didn’t know it.?

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    She just didn’t want to see the man’s face when she opened the window, so she stubbornly kept it closed.?

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    ‘Why on earth is he following me?’?

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    Anna thought as she forced herself to catch her gaze through the window.?

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    ‘Perso Gertium!’?

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    She didn’t expect that knight was the Duke.?

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    When she thought about that day, she felt cold like ice on her chest.?

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    No matter how hard she tried to calm down, shw didn’t feel good, as if he had deceived her.?

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    Besides, the disheveled appearance she had shown him, and the embarrassment that came with it, was not completely herself.?

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    Anna closed her eyes tightly. The conversation of that day, which she had thought of over and over again, came back to her.?

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    * * *?

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    “…… who are you?”?

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    “Perso Gertium.”?

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    Anna jumped up in surprise.?

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    As if he understood her surprised face, Perso continued speaking in a calm voice.?

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    “Outwardly, I had no choice but to deceive people because it was known that I was going around the Northwestern Hunting Mountains. I’m sorry.”?

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    “……I understand.”?

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    Yes, the situation was fully understandable in Anna’s head.?

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    Still, shw couldn’t help that her face became stiff.?

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    Only a few hours earlier, she was distraught, telling him her personal story, unaware who the knight really was.?

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    It was not all this man’s fault, but couldn’t he have warned her somewhat??

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    Then again, it was this man who hung around at random times without receiving a request from her.?

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    ‘No, let’s not stir up personal feelings. I need this man anyway.’?

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    Anna steeled herself through clenched teeth.?

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    She took a deep breath and stared at Perso.?

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    Unlike before, Perso’s expression hardened at the cold look in Anna’s eyes.?

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    ”If you don’t mind me asking, if you were supposed to be in the mountains, but why are you here?”?

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    Perso faced her in silence instead of answering.?

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    Anna continued calmly, as if she had expected it.?

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    “If it’s difficult for you to answer, I’ll just tell you what I guessed.”?

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    “What’s that?”?

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    “I think you have deliberately said that you are in the farthest part of the capital to avoid being summoned by the emperor.”?

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    Anna’s words caused Perso’s expression to change slightly.?

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    The atmosphere changed, even though he only wrinkled his brow.?

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    As if it was his first day in the castle, the spirit that emanated from his entire body held her cold and chillingly in place.?

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    It was obvious that he was nervous about her words.?

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    Anna raised her head resolutely.?

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    This was enough.?

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    ‘The present Duke of Gertium does not conform to the imperial family.’?

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    This alone should have been enough of an answer for Roselyn.?

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    Moreover, Roselyn was now near Tanatos.?

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    If this man was not actively trying to protect the imperial family, then perhaps… he could fulfill Rosie’s aspirations without great sacrifice.?

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    It was a relief to think so.?

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    Yes, as long as Perso Gertium did not block her and Rosie’s path, she would understand that he had not deceived her.?

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    Anna eased her stiff shoulders and nodded as gently as ever.?

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    “I understand what you meant, Duke. That is enough for me. Thank you for speaking with me.”?

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    “….Why?”?

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    “Yes?” ?

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    “Why were you curious about that?”?

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    Perso asked back.?

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    Anna answered without hesitation.?

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    “Because I don’t like the emperor.”