HDOVAML – Chapter 98

HDOVAML Chapter 985cfed61aaa4c4b55

 0d910af3809f0d2a

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‘…What’s going on?’916bced2b49f1894

In a daze, c493c3cbba I looked around 390c742f62 at the people 56e61744b5 busily going about 9ce84fc8b7 their work.9b51282c7c01bfe6

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I pulled the hood of b1ce01dec7 my robe down low, wary 3e0b21fad1 of the risk that the ff527d6716 citizens might recognize me as ecb31cf3e3 the princess of Hacardella.8a383e20dc9ffcc3

But as I c2c868a290 glanced around, I 758ec625bf couldn’t help but 83075b9c9c wonder if this 590d6ecf9f place was truly 0d10905ae6 the land that acb4c16230 had been ravaged 499c4d73bd by war not 562136e536 long ago.284e7fd786c54ee2

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‘…It’s peaceful.’11f9796b82fb6bb1

In the end, my 09a0521c7d conclusion remained the same. Immersed in a strange feeling, def14d054b I watched the people quietly 178b564910 living their everyday lives, seemingly d8e57ccb98 indifferent to whether the country da54556388 was falling apart.2f4a28862e7947b1

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The duchy of Hacardella had 0a7164ad1e met its end, and it 4a983fb3fd was assumed that the princesses b9a23a3d6f were fleeing, narrowly escaping the d3b5cd8cc3 pursuit of the Nisha Kingdom. Yet, seeing the people so 017abd8e13 peaceful filled me with a 19dcf6b85e sense of dissonance and…a0f7612a69b88088

‘This is strange. It can’t… be like this.’3bf11e4530a98dc7

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In history, no nation a56a73b09e that had lost a fbc8549944 war ever had citizens eb75e54d91 living so peacefully. This scene, so calm and cdaccbe2a9 ordinary, seemed to mask some 6a0a40e74a terrible truth lying underneath… and e6a215e18c I couldn’t shake that eerie 076ce18c44 feeling.00ed0a5fedc57b7f

‘
But… it’s not db029401aa something that matters f44873e20c right now.’0629f2a492c4e210

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I forced myself to ea6c2ce3ba ignore the vague unease 253547047a and set off toward 3c9d08fa81 Grishel Pier.796bdec36e602109

I had no energy to 15e4f7dcfe interfere with history. My mission was solely d7f8641c97 to gather the relics bac4c3ef84 of the Spirit Kings f20d480497 and place them somewhere 1d6f6570e9 safe.5f0b3d99a0a4e796

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***b6eb170a4f13936f

And that’s how I 04e7374206 got here.f56db9ca8b145ff9

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“…Just a bit more, just a bit longer.”0445c0d576756342

Since Rose had dad5299d4a lost her life 6afee11189 near the border, 4d4c4210ec far from the 7a0447a057 capital of Hacardella, 2b98b9e494 I had managed 3c30c1beed to make it d12776a2b9 this far with d9fa19c7a5 relatively little trouble c3fe81be75 or pursuit.2daa0a252f2ce412

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However, Grishel Pier was 20c9742f31 the quickest route to f2c588e56f the kingdom of Dryas. It was unlikely 5aeb3acbb4 the Nisha Kingdom be3947cffc hadn’t considered that 01532e2739 Rose might attempt d3d310c7f7 to escape through 1ad45105be here. Wiping the cold e92fd908d7 sweat from my 4cc31fb404 brow, I stepped 6e331bb9c3 down from the 42a846616e wagon.b20152c6a10f4fea

Before me was a view 3d59276d6b of golden reeds and the c2e40f0029 deep blue river.ac177e4d6c239952

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“…It feels like I can finally breathe a little.”d321e42cef27269c

[Caaw-!]06d2a7ece8666dd4

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The crow let out a 2626325198 soft cry as if in eed7f3b586 agreement with my whispered words, 3be48a819c tilting its head.3e397966a59f8078

And like that 53b2f0750f I headed toward 921eecccd9 the pier, walking 239ff1fc65 on the pebbled 4757f9aa25 path.8c382ad1a564aeff

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After exchanging two gold coins, a506974070 I carefully pocketed the twenty 3c1afc6709 silver coins returned to me dbb712721f and left the exchange office.adb004537ec15212

There weren’t many 4c49a56530 ships docked at fe8bf42059 the pier. No matter how strangely 6076375103 peaceful the citizens’ lives 1bfcca0e38 seemed, the state of 544c869aa3 affairs was still what 65f910dd46 it was…177a098fe8e46e1c

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I approached the captain 61da0a31cd of the largest and 4339d4af85 sturdiest-looking ship, who was 65b47625b0 sitting nearby, looking weary, 4fe750e18d and handed him a 118567abfd silver coin. The rough-looking middle-aged man a7daf2c647 glanced up at me 9a50f164f9 and, with his bearded 722fcc8a2e mouth, asked,db658474051e8d9d

“Are you traveling alone, miss?”dfc9b1679ca5fe19

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“…Yes.”61a2beea45f69b1e

I replied with a firm 420c40481d voice, instinctively guarded. The captain, reaching for the ada0b3cddb silver coin, gave me nine 0c648ce890 copper coins as change and c0e9d4765d said,b7b360a7cf388f1f

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“No need to worry. It’s just that these are 5a0aa7341e dangerous times, so I was f4467be6c0 concerned.”3db15e278312a1a0

I supposed I could f864215f01 board now. Though I wasn’t completely free 38c98c1dae of suspicion, I said nothing b7d8c447e2 and stepped onto the path 1dc63434fa toward the ship.c36a8fc820abaa90

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“Wait a moment, miss.”34f80c77f9f006ec

“!”449c54905c75374f

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Startled by the deep 74cd21419b voice calling after me, 57985b89dc I opened my eyes 42d4261ff5 wide but quickly composed 913c6eb289 myself and turned around 2ec9cd1c9e to face the captain.6e59220b943c2dce

He, who had been watching 9f4c063960 me, opened a wooden box 8c2a577a29 by his feet and rummaged fb76371bf5 through it before pulling out b5958dabcf a wooden spear with a 6efbcfdf93 sharp blade on its end. It was about half c78221c735 my height.dfb6d08ef3f5b9dd

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Why would he carry 21fafabdcd something like that?68127d82fa10e4b7

As I watched with curiosity, f44591d23a he extended the spear toward f4b36d2c41 me and said,0cd537588b546bb4

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“There are some rough people aboard that ship. Take this for self-defense.”d4fa2eefe1ff4931

“…Excuse me?”8f9f430852a464e0

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…He’s offering it to me?8065b681662c0f72

“Am I supposed to pay for this?”7ef0e07293c3f504

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I asked with a d57e13eedf doubtful tone.e4573f2e0cc0cc35

“Think of it as a free loan and just take it. Go on.”151c2a63a2d30a60

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Still unsure why he aa8bd65de0 was simply giving this 4d9cb99a25 to me, I hesitated, 9693005e5c but the captain practically 86e5a42fde forced it into my a700d2058c hands, insisting that I e27e27c42a take it.32af7315d18ba404

“There isn’t much time before departure, so get on quickly.”68fdd91a880a8495

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Slightly dazed, I f485fe7281 looked back at 7b8461a8f0 the captain waving d765419694 me off dismissively, 85d5857180 and with the 2f2de60e08 awkward spear in 38108d82cf hand, I climbed 391e1f128d aboard the ship.4738d038a3384e69

“Do you… want to wait outside the cabin?”01b183ffd1852da5

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[Caw?]a582f6fc7abbcc58

The crow perched on 35ac1374f6 my shoulder tilted its 827930717c head and cawed softly 57031ee601 as if puzzled.71aa8457514cb2a9

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I sighed and 70768205fa whispered to it 01e8f3d593 again,06fead2b506107f9

“If I bring you into the cabin, you’ll draw attention. So, either sit e6aba35da6 outside or… just 3a47f85e8f fly alongside the 978165a642 ship.”59594d6d5b7ec26c

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I worried it b2bb2f7a2d might not understand 7691f3eea8 me, but fortunately, 60728ebe7c the crow seemed f36cb52ab3 to get the a74f701dac message, as it f3490096f1 flapped its wings 11c3282bec and flew off e2e4e035f1 into the air.48b443d3f8b01022

It looked like it was 890717c2bc planning to follow by flight.29df4ce5c514a598

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Creak—996c6f7190ecc15f

I stepped carefully into the abeb4ecaea cabin, where the damp wood 83bcb45761 was rotting in places, finding 9389969bd6 it narrower than I’d expected.1fc096a00df75273

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“…****.”de0be0b9d36111ae

The captain was right 4868c044ec about the rough passengers—there c9c202433a were all sorts of 6cbd1d45bc shady-looking people scattered around, 0bec660c46 as well as some 23d9203f91 ordinary folk sitting quietly, 3e44028e63 clearly scared.7dc0baba072ee828

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Among them were around ten 21c542a2b0 young men with an unusually 13d65f4e6a tense atmosphere about them.a42ecb7561893478

“…”d02a407e42c96544

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Recalling my current position, I e3222097d5 kept my head slightly lowered 2d184aab21 and quickly found a seat, 566b9d6942 avoiding drawing attention.e2e7b285f419564e

No one seemed ca675f134e to pay me 2d6f1a24e5 any special notice, 2c4677d91b but I was 7f6057ff8c so overwhelmed by 266ef1515c anxiety that I b9c7e25b79 clung tightly to d4a238772f the spear, my b76c6cca49 only sense of 8d6e98e859 security, my sweat-soaked 568c64269b hands gripping it 956b9ceb38 firmly.930258e92556ab03

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With a short blast of ba40929744 the ship’s horn, I felt 23ba26af81 the cabin start to move 0838f133e0 slowly.ed19960172df51d2

Stay calm. Nothing will happen.254e3aa0f9d5a3ea

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Once this ship d4be0627bf reached the Dryas 267edacea3 Kingdom, at least d511678526 I wouldn’t have da32c30e57 to worry about f7b2a0a4fe being pursued.279f0c4b0e87f629

Even if the same d70032d2fe fate eventually awaits, the ccde9ca303 Dryas Kingdom did not 4abaa1758f fall as quickly as b901095186 the Principality of Hacadella. I looked out 7c7a6fafe7 a small window, d82a65029a watching the blue c7f633c256 waves and the 9f5780494d pier gradually fade 29dc6530a5 into the distance.33807c642b0623c1

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The land where 343797fd5d my ancestors once d66ab87c0b lived, which would 974558db4c someday be remembered ca5185cf3c as a fallen d9248cd17f nation, was slowly 5d97a465e1 fading into the 2ca52d0142 distance.5c50c11a6ab17fbb

I probably wouldn’t return 50066f89b3 again… With a heavy 021411d652 heart, I bit my f34bd8813f lip and bowed my 9ba8d005c1 head.5b6664c87d4a9972

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“It’s a relief that the principality has fallen.”b545bd97bcc30614

Suddenly, a voice pierced my 54e8f0cb7f ears, jolting me as if 677e9b4684 cold water had been thrown 41aadcf2eb over me.de1c34d20f391ea2

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“That minor country hindered our business so much. It’s a good 6ac6f36a7f thing it’s gone.”0649d6f3705471d8

One of the 556b1dc741 rough-looking men in ea914cdf26 the crowd snickered, 53bdd85075 raising his hand, 3f92cf1576 which held what 2708c647e8 appeared to be 02b8930783 a crop of 1f441bc5cd some kind.7baa09b2634284bd

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“If Hacardella hadn’t been the main cultivator of Saklan, there wouldn’t have been any reason to tolerate a country like that all this time, right?”48048676bb714106

While I couldn’t understand e135ca196e what plant they were a31980da54 referring to, I overheard 6edf4a505f two people seated near cea33f7377 me whispering.543b939aded7f5d5

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“Isn’t that… the raw material for Parum? The drug that’s supposed a2c9337ed8 to offer an otherworldly cabd0e317d euphoria!”7a20e1029510f474

“Yes, but it’s so toxic that those who get addicted rarely live long. And even so, they’re f0902cc48e boasting about it like 4d69e8dbbf that.”76ee4975fbd093df

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As I grasped the d7a8c755ce meaning behind their words, 199ad57872 I couldn’t precisely label 2702656018 the intense feelings boiling 4f7336666e within me.6374bf8dd663e695

Did their logic 1cac41ee77 imply that weaker a7327ad391 nations should simply c2fa952897 endure wrongful acts, d62a8d2bf2 unable to resist?76edd14ec4334ee3

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That the powerless ba6cec11c0 had no choice 4dbb384d23 but to suppress 8fdb1b1955 all emotions and 7eb5b5739a yield to the 23efda0f0c strong?f3da07526294f82d

“Look at the Nisha Kingdom. They favor the Dark Spirit b6da6e7202 King, and while there are ef50dc8008 rumors of their cunning and 82518d57f1 cruelty, they’ve thrived for thousands 2b5335eb29 of years, haven’t they?”a4d53dfb1c6a96cd

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Their prosperity had been sustained 93e8b058ab because they focused solely on 71218d7514 expanding their power, disregarding any 2c3488e142 moral code or compassion that 1518ccc23c one should have as a 65999a6cd9 human.cd198719ffc91a64

“…Enough.”606ee4eef0fd74f9

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I closed my eyes tightly 12c250c07e and leaned my head against 4196412197 the trembling wall.c2a4b8b67da51130

All I could do was 8fe07799c0 clutch the spear in my a7baeb1098 hands so tightly that it 732e3c9f94 felt like I’d break it.a4b75b4700301aa8

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“…By the way, doesn’t something seem strange to you too?”e85bb319b50bf88c

Just then, one of the 3f5bb09850 gang members groaned as though bc82aa419a his throat were constricted.eded8327a5ea13a2

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“I feel the same. It’s like the air is… 35fdb6a0a4 thick.”b8a3acf579d954de

“Uaaaah!”330ad91b23b1036b

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“!”61aec8a8cb3f4dcc

In the middle of their f26a5ab50d conversation, the man, who had 0bd48bd685 been responding in a strained 22b71b7fc0 voice, suddenly let out a d2b7461fde blood-curdling scream, sprang up, and 89a240e224 staggered backward.751a533fa6645d81

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“Hey, what’s wrong with you?!”0b9696ed6d7f483e

He ignored his companions’ questions, c981134b86 his terrified gaze fixed on 84c1320e34 empty space. Flailing his arms, he collapsed ed32e0623d onto the seats where others 9040837b9d were sitting.d21a1738e60897bc

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“Aaaah!”e8fd33bd3b3be9da

Thud—424976f703b4dc3d

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The people, caught c4df1d8058 off guard, shrieked e6940f9ff5 and frantically tried 1c37b8a13e to flee from 1a27bb69ec the man, who 19002e5aae was writhing and cf7590c105 contorting uncontrollably.a3cb8778b35236ac

“No, stay back! It’s not my fault… Ahhh!”a4cdff80b131ed9f

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His face had turned so 4eed95d525 blue that it was almost c6f3b5ad4c purple, and he muttered incoherently, e095a5694b pleading to some unseen force 9ef550003e as he twisted his arms 01e5d1940e and legs, struggling as though c87a9d4380 he were trying to escape 9ee163e51e from something invisible to the 822da0fac8 others.0171b10139dd7dae