Frost Palace, Ice Continent
After his brief yet deeply sentimental meeting with Rudra, Guy finally returned to his home in the Frost Palace, and judging by the dark expression etched across his face, he wasn't in a particularly good mood. Then again, who could possibly blame him? Only minutes earlier, he had effectively given his approval for the final battle between himself and his oldest friend, greatest rival, and perhaps one of the very few people in this world he could genuinely consider an equal. To make matters worse, he had also been forced to acknowledge another unpleasant truth. The game that had kept him entertained for the better part of two thousand years was finally approaching its inevitable conclusion.
After all, for a Demon like Guy, playing the role of the world's Mediator had always been a grating chore. It forced him to constantly suppress his natural instincts for chaos, destruction, and conflict, only to instead act as the one responsible for maintaining balance throughout the world. Rather than indulging in the carnage he had been born to revel in, Guy had to use his overwhelming strength and status as the Strongest Demon Lord to keep the world's various powers in check, ensuring that the scales never tipped too far in favor of any single race or faction.
Still, even with such an irritating responsibility weighing on his shoulders, Guy had managed to find a way to make the job entertaining. That entertainment came in the form of the game he shared with Rudra, a centuries-long competition that gave him a genuine reason to continue watching over the world as he carefully gathered and nurtured powerful individuals to serve as pieces on his side of the board. Far across the continent, Rudra did much the same within the Eastern Empire, steadily building his own forces and gathering pieces that embodied his ideals.
But now, it seemed that everything was finally coming to an end. The coming war would bring their centuries-long game to its long-awaited conclusion, and with it, the man Guy had spent the past two thousand years competing against would disappear as well.
Letting out a long, weary sigh, Guy sank deeper into his throne, resting his cheek against one hand as his thoughts inevitably drifted back to his earlier meeting with Rudra. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't find even the faintest trace of the friend he had once known in the man who had stood before him today. Of course, Guy had always known about Rudra's repeated reincarnations and the method he used to preserve his youth across the passing centuries. He had even been aware of the toll such a process placed upon his soul. Yet despite knowing all of that, Guy had never truly imagined that living for so long, constantly reincarnating and forcing his soul into one vessel after another, would gradually erode his friend's mind and spirit to such a devastating extent.
"No matter how strong you became... in the end, you still proved to be human after all..." Guy muttered quietly as his crimson eyes fixed upon the enormous frost-covered chandelier suspended high above him. At last, he had come to accept that the proud, stubborn, and endlessly ambitious man who had once challenged him without the slightest hesitation had slowly faded away over the countless years, leaving behind someone he could barely recognize anymore. "Alas, all I can do now is give you the farewell you deserve, my friend," he added, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he slowly closed his eyes.
However, his brief moment of peace didn't last long.
A few moments later, the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears, forcing him to open his eyes. As the footsteps came to a halt before him, Guy looked up and frowned in mild annoyance when he found Velzard standing there, looking every bit as displeased as he was to have his solitude interrupted. "Velzard," Guy acknowledged simply, offering her little more than a curt nod.
"Guy," Velzard replied in an equally flat tone, though her golden eyes quickly narrowed as she folded her arms beneath her chest and stared down at him accusingly. "Care to tell me where you've been all this time? I've been looking everywhere for you, you know," she continued, impatiently tapping one foot against the icy floor.
"I was just out... taking a walk," he answered flatly, making no effort to hide the fact that he wasn't in the mood for their usual back-and-forth.
"What's with that attitude today?" Velzard asked, raising an eyebrow before a teasing smirk spread across her face. "Don't tell me you're having an affair behind my back. Oh, if that's the case, it has to be that idiot Rudra, doesn't it?" she added with a deliberately mocking tone, although the unmistakable edge of disdain in her voice.
"Yes, I met Rudra, and we had a very productive chat," Guy replied, not feeling the need to explain the circumstances of their meeting or the contents of their conversation at this very moment.
The smirk on Velzard's face disappeared almost instantly, and whatever good mood she had been in evaporated the moment Rudra's name left Guy's lips. "Of course it was that guy! Who else could summon you, the Strongest Demon Lord, back and forth whenever he damn well feels like it?" she snapped venomously, clearly infuriated by the realization that the joke she had made only moments ago had, rather annoyingly, turned out to be true. "And you!" she added suddenly, thrusting one hand forward and jabbing an accusing finger directly at him. "You didn't think it was worth telling me first!?"
At this point, even Guy, who had been in an unusually solemn and emotionally vulnerable state, felt the last threads of his patience begin to snap as he glared back at Velzard. "And why the hell should I?" he shot back, straightening in his throne before folding his arms firmly across his chest. "Since when do I owe you an explanation every single time I decide to leave this place? I don't recall needing your permission to go wherever I damn well please."
"Of course you do! I am your partner, damn it! Not some random woman freeloading in your house!" Velzard screeched at him while clenching her fist.
"Are you not, though?" Guy asked as a cruel smirk slowly spread across his face. "Tell me, Velzard, when exactly did I ever invite you to live with me? Or better yet, when did I ever ask anything of you that would qualify you as my partner?" he continued, letting out a cold, dismissive snort.
"In fact, if I remember correctly, you were the one who came looking for me in the first place, throwing tantrums outside my door simply because your precious brother acknowledged me," Guy went on, casually resting the side of his head against his fist as his voice grew noticeably sharper with every word. "After that, you practically invited yourself in, moved into my home without ever bothering to ask whether I wanted you here, and then turned my entire domain into a frozen wasteland. And as if that wasn't enough, you've spent centuries pestering me whenever Rudra so much as breathes in my direction, not to mention constantly dragging me into that ridiculous feud you have with your sister."
"So, Velzard, get this through that thick skull of yours. A partnership requires both sides to contribute equally. It means two people choosing to stand beside each other because they both want to, not one person forcing themselves into someone else's life and then acting as though that somehow entitles them to know everything the other person does," Guy finished harshly with every ounce of frustration he had been suppressing since his conversation with Rudra finally spilling out at once, with Velzard's relentless taunts serving as the final spark that pushed him over the edge.
Of course, under normal circumstances, Guy would never have taken things anywhere near this far. After all, despite her fiery personality, constant jealousy, and almost supernatural ability to get under his skin, he genuinely appreciated having Velzard by his side. Somewhere along the way, without either of them ever formally acknowledging it, her presence had simply become a natural part of his life. In many ways, she had become an anchor in his otherwise lonely existence, even if he had never once admitted it out loud. Unfortunately for Velzard, today she had unknowingly pressed every wrong button at the worst possible moment when he was in no mood for their usual banter, and she paid the price for provoking a demon who had always believed in returning every slight tenfold.
However, at that moment, the Frost Dragoness had no way of knowing any of that. Instead, as Guy's words sank in, Velzard's body began to tremble ever so slightly, and an immense icy aura unconsciously spilled from her body, spreading throughout the throne room and causing the temperature inside the already frigid palace to plummet even further. "So... that's really what you think?" she asked quietly as she slowly lifted her gaze to meet his with cold, emotionless eyes.
"Take it however you want," Guy replied indifferently in a flat voice, acting as though he simply no longer possessed the energy or patience required to continue their argument.
"I see..." Velzard whispered, and then fell completely silent. For several long moments, she simply stood there without moving, staring at the Demon she had remained beside for almost two melenia while a violent storm of emotions churned beneath her otherwise impassive expression. Anger, humiliation, sadness, and disappointment all flashed across her mind before she gradually forced them all back down, burying them beneath the same cold composure she had worn for millennia. As she did, the overwhelming freezing aura surrounding her slowly faded away, and the unnatural chill that had consumed the throne room receded along with it.
"Guy..." Velzard finally spoke, slowly lifting her gaze until her blue eyes met the crimson ones of the ancient Demon seated before her. "...If that's what you've decided, then so be it..." Her voice was unnervingly calm, devoid of even the slightest trace of the fury or indignation Guy might have expected from her. Instead, she simply turned her back on him and began walking away, "...Because now, I've made my decision as well," as a single tear slipped down her cheek before falling silently onto the frozen floor.
******
Back in the present, Tempest
When Velzard opened her eyes again, she found herself lying in a completely unfamiliar room. For several seconds, she remained perfectly still, staring blankly at the ceiling above her as her mind struggled to understand where she was. Her golden gaze then slowly wandered across her surroundings, and it took only a moment for her to realize that wherever she had ended up, it most certainly wasn't the Ice Palace. The absence of that ever-present freezing chill alone was enough to make that painfully obvious, not to mention the complete lack of ice anywhere in her immediate surroundings.
Then, little by little, her mind finally began to catch up with her body, and the memories of everything that had happened before she lost consciousness started returning one after another. She remembered her argument with Guy and the cruel words they had exchanged, followed by her decision to leave the Ice Continent behind and travel to Tempest. She remembered meeting Rimuru, being introduced to her newly acquired niece for the first time, and eventually agreeing to test the girl's strength through a spar. Velzard could still recall their battle vividly, including all the unexpected tricks Moana had used against her, the challenge she had been given, and the moment she had finally managed to overcome it. And then...
A mortified expression slowly spread across Velzard's face as the rest of her memories came crashing back all at once, bringing with them an almost suffocating wave of shame and self-loathing as she remembered losing control of her emotions and unleashing a portion of her true power against a girl who hadn't even been alive for more than a few hours.
However, before Velzard could sink any deeper into that suffocating spiral of guilt and self-reproach, the crisp sound of a page turning suddenly reached her ears, immediately pulling her attention back to the present. Her head immediately snapped toward the source, and there, sitting calmly beside her bed, was Rimuru, quietly reading the book held in his hands.
Noticing her gaze lingering on him, Rimuru glanced up from the page before calmly closing the book in his hands and setting it aside on a nearby table. "Evening, sleepyhead," he greeted casually, turning his full attention toward her as a small smile spread across his face. "Glad to see you're finally awake. You were out for quite a while."
"Rimuru..." Velzard murmured, staring at him silently for a long moment. "How was I...?" she began hesitantly, only to abruptly stop herself and shake her head. "No, forget about me. Before that, how is Moana? I didn't hurt her too badly, did I?" she asked anxiously, unable to hide the concern in her voice.
"You don't need to worry about Moana," Rimuru replied calmly, crossing one leg over the other. "Thanks to my intervention at the very last moment, she's perfectly fine and completely unharmed. You didn't so much as leave a scratch on her," he assured her, watching as some of the tension immediately began to leave Velzard's body. "In fact, she's downstairs right now, enjoying herself with the rest of her family. "
"That's a relief..." Velzard breathed out, visibly relaxing as she placed a hand over her chest as if a tremendous weight seemed to lift from her shoulders upon hearing those words. "I was genuinely afraid that I'd done something unforgivable to that sweet girl," she admitted quietly.
"Well, you certainly gave it your best shot, to be fair," Rimuru remarked dryly, giving her a pointed look. "I mean, condensing that much Frost Magic into a single point and preparing to unleash the whole thing directly into Moana's face at point-blank range would've done some pretty serious damage to the girl's body. Though, the damage to her psyche would've probably been even worse if you ask me."
"I'm painfully aware of that now," Velzard admitted, lowering her head as a faint blush of shame colored her cheeks. "But at the time... I doubt I would've even stopped to consider the impact my actions might have had on her, much less cared about the consequences of my attack."
"Isn't that the truth?" Rimuru replied with a quiet scoff. "Still, I have to admit, it's pretty hard to believe that someone as ancient as you, not to mention the strongest of the True Dragons, could lose control of your emotions and senses so completely over something like that."
"You're right, and you have every right to criticize me for my outburst," Velzard admitted without the slightest hint of resentment toward his harsh words. "As you said, the way I behaved was utterly shameful, and certainly not befitting someone of my standing."
"So, care to explain what exactly that was all about?" Rimuru asked, studying her curiously. "Because from where I was standing, it honestly looked like you in your teenage form and the woman you became after transforming into your true form were two completely different people."
"Well, truth be told, I don't think your assessment is actually that far from reality," Velzard replied as she rose from the bed and slowly walked toward the window. "I don't know if you're aware of this, but my teenage form isn't merely meant to contain and suppress my frost aura and overwhelming power. It also serves another equally important purpose. It helps me keep my emotions under control."
"Ah, you must be talking about the side effects of possessing Leviathan," Rimuru said almost immediately, nodding knowingly. "Yeah, much like Mammon, Belphegor, and Satanael, your Leviathan also gradually pulls your mind toward certain emotions associated with its nature, encouraging you to indulge in them so the Skill can feed upon those feelings and continue evolving," he explained, idly tapping his fingers against the armrest of his chair. "The Deadly Sin Series really is troublesome, isn't it? Not only for whoever has to fight their holders, but sometimes even for the people unfortunate enough to possess them."
"How do you even know..." Velzard began instinctively, turning away from the window to stare at him in disbelief, only to trail off halfway through the question. Her lips remained parted for a moment before she remembered that Rimuru had somehow already known about her Skill during their very first meeting, despite her never once revealing its existence to him. And considering everything else she had witnessed from this increasingly mysterious man, asking how he knew such obscure information would probably accomplish nothing except give her another headache. "...Forget I asked," she muttered with a resigned sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose before turning her attention back toward the window. "Still, I have to admit that I'm quite impressed you know so much about this. I doubt even some of those who possessed these Skills in the past ever fully understood the adverse effects they could have on their minds."
"I mean, how many people do you think have actually possessed Skills from the Deadly Sin Series since they were first created?" Rimuru asked with an amused chuckle while shaking his head. "Let's see. As far as I'm aware, Lucifer and Satanael have only ever had one wielder each, those being Guy and Milim. And you can't seriously tell me you've never noticed Guy's completely undisguised pride, or that you've somehow gone all these years without hearing about Milim's batshit crazy rampage in the Nation of Soma," Rimuru explained, noticing the slight flinch in Velzard's expression at the mention of the red-haired Demon, though he decided to let it slide for the moment. "Although, in their cases, I'd say their Ultimate Skills mostly amplify personality traits they already possessed in the first place. Guy was already arrogant as hell long before Lucifer entered the picture, while Milim has always been prone to throwing childish tantrums whenever something doesn't go her way."
"Then there's Sloth, which Dino currently possesses, but is too lazy to even bother evolving it into an Ultimate Skill. Then again, I suppose that actually works in his favor in the grand scheme of things," Rimuru continued with another amused chuckle. "And then there's Lust, which, to be honest, might be the weirdest Skill in the entire Deadly Sin Series. Despite what its name would make you think, it has practically nothing to do with sex or seduction. Its nature is far more complicated than that, so maybe that's why we don't see any particularly strange effects on Luminous. Then again, who the hell knows what that antisocial vampire gets up to behind closed doors?"
"Finally, there's Greed and Gluttony, both of which are currently unclaimed, so there's really no point in discussing them," Rimuru concluded with a casual shrug before his expression turned slightly thoughtful. 'If only the Virtue Series influenced its users the same way the Sin Series does. So many problems in my previous timeline could've been avoided if that were the case,' he mused silently, thinking back on just how much trouble those Skills and their wielders had caused him.
Meanwhile, Velzard, who had been forced to sit through Rimuru's entire rant, couldn't stop one of her eyes from twitching as she stared at the blue-haired man in utter disbelief. 'Aren't Skills born from someone's soul supposed to be deeply personal? Something that only their wielder should truly understand? Then why the hell do you know so much about everyone else's Skills?! Make some damn sense!' she screamed internally. Outwardly, however, the Frost Dragoness somehow managed to maintain her composure, with only a long, exhausted sigh escaping her lips.
"Well, that was certainly an informative lecture, but can we please get back to the topic?" Velzard said, deciding that questioning Rimuru's inexplicable knowledge would only derail their conversation even further. "Anyway, as I was saying, my teenage form also serves to suppress my emotions, many of which have been building up inside me for quite a long time. So when Moana pushed me over the edge during our spar earlier, I lost control of that form. The moment it broke, everything I'd been keeping bottled up came rushing out all at once, and unfortunately, that poor girl ended up becoming the target of emotions that had absolutely nothing to do with her."
"And what exactly caused this sudden outburst in the first place?" Rimuru asked, as he studied the Frost Dragon standing before him. "Because from what I know about you, it would've taken something pretty significant to make you lose control that completely. Moana might've been the one who finally pushed you over the edge, but I seriously doubt she was the actual reason behind any of it."
At those words, Velzard fell silent and turned her gaze back toward the window, staring outside as she contemplated whether she should tell Rimuru what had happened earlier that day. For his part, Rimuru didn't pressure her for an answer. He simply remained seated in his chair, quietly giving her the space and time she needed to decide for herself.
A few minutes later, Velzard finally pulled her gaze away from the window and looked back at Rimuru, having made up her mind. "Before I came here today, I had a rather heated argument with Guy," she began slowly, carefully choosing her words. "I must admit, it was a pretty ugly one. I deliberately said some cruel things because I wanted to get a reaction out of him, and he responded with some very hurtful words of his own. After that, I left the Frost Palace, and since I didn't really have anywhere else to go, I came here. Then everything else happened, and... well, you already know the rest."
"I see..." Rimuru murmured, nodding thoughtfully as the pieces fell into place. "So, basically, it was a really bad breakup."
"Isn't 'breakup' the word humans use when a romantic couple separates, usually on bad terms?" Velzard asked, vaguely remembering reading something about it in one of the books Rain often brought back from the human nations. "If that's what you mean, then you're only partially correct. While it's true that Guy and I parted on terrible terms, I don't think we were ever anything more than two people sharing the same home..." she added as a hollow chuckle escaped her lips before she lowered her gaze and slowly shook her head. "...No, that's not quite right either. Apparently, I was more of a burden to him than anything else. He made that much pretty clear to me."
Rimuru nodded once again as he listened to her explanation before asking, "So, what exactly are you planning to do now?"
"Well, as you've probably already guessed, I can't exactly go back there anymore. It wouldn't be good for my pride, nor would it be particularly good for the world in general," Velzard replied matter-of-factly, and Rimuru couldn't help but agree with that assessment. He was well aware that if Velzard and Guy were to meet again anytime soon, there was a very real possibility that their reunion would end in a catastrophic battle, and the consequences of two beings of their caliber fighting could have consequences that reached far beyond the Ice Continent.
"That's why I've decided that I'll be staying here from now on, assuming you don't mind, of course," Velzard continued, suddenly flashing Rimuru the sweetest and most innocent smile she could manage. "But surely you wouldn't turn away such a helpless and vulnerable girl like me, would you?" she asked, even adding a slight tilt of her head for good measure.
"First of all, you're about as far from helpless and vulnerable as someone can possibly get," Rimuru replied, rolling his eyes at her shameless attempt to garner sympathy. "As for staying here, I don't mind. You're welcome to stay in Tempest for as long as you want, but there are a few rules you'll have to follow if you want me to agree to this arrangement."
"Fine..." Velzard drawled, clicking her tongue in mild annoyance, though despite her obvious displeasure, she offered no real objection. Truthfully, she genuinely wanted to remain in Tempest, not only because she currently had nowhere else she particularly wished to go, but also because she wanted the opportunity to observe Rimuru more closely. In her eyes, there was something deeply intriguing about this strange man, especially the fact that he somehow seemed to know more about the hidden secrets of the world than even she did, despite Velzard herself being the younger sister of its creator. "So, what exactly are these so-called rules?" she asked, leaning forward slightly.
"Don't worry, there aren't that many. Just four," Rimuru said, pointedly ignoring Velzard as she raised one hand and made a little puppet with her fingers, silently mimicking his 'just four' in a mocking voice under her breath. "The first, and by far the most important rule, is that you're going to keep your violent tendencies under control. That means you're not allowed to excessively beat, torment, or humiliate Veldora for as long as you're living under my roof, no matter how much he annoys you or how badly you think he deserves it."
"Excuse me? For your information, I have never beaten that fool excessively or without good reason," Velzard scoffed, immediately folding her arms beneath her chest as she glared indignantly at Rimuru, looking genuinely offended by the accusation. "Correcting his terrible behavior while training him at the same time is simply my way of showing affection toward my little brother. If anything, he should be grateful that his elder sister cares enough to personally discipline him."
"Are you fucking mental? That's not affection, that's just abuse," Rimuru exclaimed in exasperation, staring at her as though she was an idiot. "Seriously, has living with that red-haired idiot for so long fried your brain cells too?" he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "Anyway, like I said, a little banter and the occasional scuffle here and there are perfectly fine, but no constantly beating, tormenting, or humiliating him under any circumstances. Got it?"
"Fine, whatever. I'll try to overlook that idiot's antics," Velzard grumbled, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she reluctantly accepted the condition. Clearly, she remained far from convinced that there had ever been anything wrong with the way she treated her younger brother in the first place.
"Second rule. You need to tone down that snobbish, condescending attitude of yours," Rimuru said, wagging a finger in front of Velzard's face. "It was one thing to talk down to everyone when you were living with only Guy and his two Primordial maids, but that attitude isn't going to fly here. Tempest is full of people from all kinds of races and backgrounds, and I expect you to treat them with at least a basic level of respect. If you keep acting like everyone around you is beneath you, you're only going to create unnecessary conflicts for yourself."
"Well, lucky for me, I'm not exactly afraid of conflict," Velzard retorted haughtily as an arrogant smirk immediately spread across her face.
"Good for you, but I don't want any of that shit happening in my house," Rimuru immediately shot back, effectively crushing her retort by playing the owner card. "Besides, aren't you here right now precisely because you had a nasty argument with Guy? So why the hell would you want to start picking fights with everyone else immediately after leaving him?"
"That..." Once again, Velzard found herself forced into silence, unable to come up with any reasonable argument against his words. Besides, it wasn't as though she was completely unaware of her own flaws. She knew perfectly well that she had a habit of looking down on others and speaking to them accordingly, but why wouldn't she? She was one of only three living True Dragons and the strongest among them. Throughout her entire existence, there had been very few people she considered worthy of standing on equal ground with her, so she had never felt any real need to correct her behavior for anyone other than her late elder brother. Still, if she intended to stay here at the Tempest for a while, perhaps some adjustment was necessary. "...I understand. I'll keep that in mind when speaking to and interacting with others."
"Good," Rimuru said with a satisfied nod before moving on. "Now, the third rule. As long as you're staying here, you're going to be considered my subordinate," he declared as a mischievous smirk spread across his face as he waited for the inevitable reaction.
"Hey! Who the hell decided that?!" Velzard immediately exclaimed, glaring at him indignantly as her earlier compliance vanished in an instant. "I already told you that I have absolutely no interest in becoming your-"
"Calm down," Rimuru cut her off, casually raising a palm before she could finish. "First of all, I decided it. And second, I'm not asking you to sign some binding contract or swear eternal loyalty to me or anything ridiculous like that. I'm simply going to consider you one of my subordinates while you're living here, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it."
"Oh, I can..." Velzard began with her usual confidence, fully intending to challenge him to a battle and settle the matter through strength. However, both her words and confidence abruptly died in her throat when she remembered what had happened earlier. Just before losing consciousness, she had clearly heard a voice speaking to her within that frozen moment, and it hadn't taken her even a second to recognize whose voice it belonged to. 'So this bastard can even move in the Suspended World...' she thought bitterly before completely giving up on her plan to challenge him to assert her dominance.
"Fine, do whatever you want," Velzard muttered tiredly, slumping slightly in resignation as she abandoned the argument altogether, knowing that she didn't have much of a choice in the matter anyway.
"Great, I knew you'd understand!" Rimuru said cheerfully as he rose from his chair. "Now that you've agreed to all my terms, it's time to announce this horrifying piece of news to everyone," he added jokingly, earning an irritated twitch from the corner of Velzard's eye. "But before that, you need to change out of that outfit. It's a little too extravagant for everyday wear," he continued, gesturing toward her elegant gown, along with the gloves and shoes that carried a distinctly draconic design. "So stay here for a bit. I'll send someone over with a few new sets of clothes for you."
"What the hell do you know about fashion, huh?!" Velzard snapped irritably, clearly offended by his criticism of her attire. However, just as Rimuru was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something important. "Hey, wait! You said there were four rules, but you've only told me three. So what's the last one?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her golden eyes at him.
"Oh, the final rule is that while you're staying here in Tempest, you'll remain in your true form," Rimuru replied with an easy smile. "Your other form is undeniably cute, but honestly, I think there are very few things in this world that can compare to the beauty and elegance of your true form. It's genuinely a pleasure to look at," he said with a playful wink before turning around and casually walking out of the room, leaving the Frost Dragoness standing there in stunned silence.
What Rimuru didn't see, however, was the faint blush that spread across Velzard's cheeks the moment those words truly registered in her mind. Her heart began beating just a little faster than usual as she stood there silently, staring at the door he had disappeared through. '...It's nice to be complimented,' she thought, realizing she couldn't even remember the last time someone had sincerely praised her appearance like that. A moment later, she quickly shook her head, trying to drive those thoughts away. "What the hell am I even thinking? That bastard is just an irritating man..." she muttered under her breath. Yet despite her dismissive words, a small smile lingered on her lips as she quietly waited for her new wardrobe to arrive.
To be continued...
******
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