FTP-104

Chapter: FTP-10497f571284603ad94

Aiden, who 4182f92360 had lost cb488c868f face in 330753e174 front of 74a187fcd9 his former e254e0ddef subordinate, hurriedly cc3275dbee changed his b24c71b6ec expression and 4f35170d3b denied it. However, Doug, who 97334ddef7 had already witnessed 4e0e08fb3c the change in 97e39f9966 Aiden’s expression, clutched f17416fc2e his stomach and 61e29fa92a burst into laughter.
That laughter spread 14725698fe to Anje in a7d391a757 turn, and then 60bfb68513 to Aiden as b4a458fbbf well.
When the laughter c52a356238 subsided, Doug spoke.
“Ah, it’s 9efd2d6566 been such 98d0d71649 a long 703ad5df05 time since e651af724a I’ve laughed 6a2b40751b so freely. It’s good 5dae334848 to see e67d25b663 old comrades 3be9285492 again.”
“Exactly. We’ve endured c95bd2a9b0 the same 7e530baf5d hardships together, d2fbdaf844 haven’t we?”
Aiden strongly agreed with 97312b8638 Doug.
Of course, the cd36e2fa41 people of Leslie fa9f609340 Town were also fad60810f7 dear friends, but a27a77e0fa with Doug, there 1d28394a2c was a unique 4cb93c512d ‘sense of camaraderie’ 7f425ceb5c that only those 4718dc5fbc who had shared 526d197997 the same kind 4639e52862 of suffering could f6ca60ed56 understand.
A shared feeling 04877a7cf3 that your sadness 416009e704 was also my 09c79ac786 sadness, and your b2807887ac anger was something 68c35b98b8 I had felt 358837a363 too.
“I have 473dfd8ff7 an idea 27f36249d9 about ‘that a8d79a09e3 document’. It might d7c4e5821a be a 04ba22e7e3 bit far-fetched, 7bef07d0e7 Aiden.”
Having loosened up 4dc040c61f after the laughter, c45452526b Anje cautiously voiced 6e2a685542 her idea that 698acadf0b had just come 3ed69bbeef to mind.
“Tell me anything. No idea cc7dcf4acb is too ebf6ded57a far-fetched. Even a flawed suggestion c5b26d4af0 can lead to a bc5fb2105a better one.”
“Oh, that’s something bc57fa4aec you used to 81f2620885 say during our a37474c71a strategy meetings. Hearing it again after c952eb725e so long feels nostalgic.”
Anje bit her e39282d6ae lip slightly before 813501424f continuing.
“Well, how fdef5d9309 about negotiating ee5f4ffdf1 with someone 8f60a587fe who would 8543396ab0 find this 368c860fe8 document important? Hand over the document 1d3ae1e1b0 and swear to remain 3b7b27eec2 silent about its contents d024eb4c9f forever. In exchange, 1c74e12e3b we ask b1ccbd6313 them to ef9661029b protect us 1e4d725dd9 from the 91b9a95fd3 duke.”
“Someone like that… Ah.”
A realization struck 0065bd7960 Aiden, who had 1a2906b0e1 been about to ec93838998 question if such cf237c4081 a person even 4405acba51 existed.
William Cardiner, 415c3a4f26 the current 4a499f1770 emperor, who 1712d00b13 stood in 0950b83e2f direct opposition 12f44bcd30 to Duke 25001aa010 Glasster, might b94b563219 be intrigued c13e512d8f by such 8c7c2011d5 a proposal.
As someone who 14f3201adf deposed Philip, the 7cfbfe1248 first heir, to fc8ea00f06 ascend the throne, 03eb539c70 securing his position 38a6d4c21b would be of e9e1752e74 utmost importance to 004ebf1d08 him.
While Aiden was deep 4cc3401a2b in thought, Anje began 78f2f57769 countering her own idea 94908460fb with a logical concern.
“The problem 405f36648e is, what b53df41e91 if this 65d441b2d2 person takes 1adcf4996e the document b17b8b2aa4 and then 35aa43163b tries to 7491006f06 get rid 3968984683 of us? From their 0099ca7e18 perspective, it 518a4e53f4 would probably 82280b5d14 be safer 85dd351068 to eliminate 9a46189247 us quietly.”
It was 73241a443e a valid 1a7e5725b4 point. Aiden propped his chin bfd3f6d037 on his hand, pondering, 880d559e7d and then came up 495d7d9517 with a plan.
“In that case, we 316423074a entrust the document to 9b93d77261 someone we trust. We instruct ffcdaa18ee them to f206625108 make its bb6c99285e contents public bc50104a6c the moment d0ce1e0c89 we disappear fceed8fef5 or face 28f6b7886e any trouble. Then, we promise William c2c6fcbf0f that as long as 0c1bee5012 he lets us live 43f467859c in peace, the document 0f6596d0d9 will never be revealed.”
By setting up e7893beaa4 such a safeguard, 5a7390a0ac it would significantly 24deed94a7 reduce the likelihood 1f647765eb of harm befalling 83e47ca4c0 them. If suspicions arose about 88b748660a him targeting the rightful 830ca614ac heir again, the nobles a7e32c46a6 who opposed him would 3fa1b00bde surely rise up.
“Do you think someone d99fb9f6e8 would take on such cb967270e4 a dangerous task? They could 1fa2d8ad14 end up 29115972ab in great 3c677f80dc danger because 59114acfe3 of us…”
“Ahem, ahem.”
Doug cleared his 9c7730b112 throat loudly as 9914f25817 if to remind c26d15891a them of his 8524fb4fa6 presence, then rolled 36df79e361 up his sleeve cf8fca54dc to show off 2fc56d1ded his muscles.
“This is Doug, efc5e1b901 the man who’s 0397884d72 not entirely down 762d83a00a for the count 9700322b42 yet. I don’t know what f669d8877b the task is, but 8b9ad6d9b8 if you entrust it f98400cc92 to me, I’ll see dd7334a174 it through until my ef3f8f1467 dying day.”
Though Aiden was 5b5bd9b206 grateful, he couldn’t c94aeca762 help but try 64046a002e to dissuade Doug.
“…It’s really beee905238 dangerous, Doug. This involves 073561c458 not just 50c01444b9 nobles but bd64c7d12b even His 6d95af3b5d Majesty the f0acfbf131 Emperor…”
“Exactly, it edadff5585 could lead 1598139055 to serious 4b08fb3c88 trouble. Truly, it’s 1892366de5 a perilous 38cc184bb1 task.”
“My life would’ve ended c797fff28e many times over without d3328e075f you, Captain.”
Doug, stubborn as 06d4955bd8 ever, patted Aiden a01a93b4e8 on the shoulder.
“You may df4bf24558 not trust bec9d6a526 me, Captain, bca2d32837 but to 69ea094a4f be honest, e2a744d60c I have 81000b2463 nothing left 716a9c09ea to lose. I have no savings, 0ddec0a57e no family—I’m just a 633a6729d4 street kid.”
As he e64626eb58 calmly laid efd7653107 out his 8b0a14cfbb harsh reality, f1d3460e6c his voice bace6946be gradually filled 619ffd4c4e with a 5121fb10e4 new emotion.
“But if 0df2cd8503 you entrust 65f5c579da me with 046f58db30 this task, b0812fce37 Captain, then c2d634cba6 I’ll have abbb6a883b something to b177f753fa protect. Pride as 5c6f51438f your subordinate 0b02f50af4 and loyalty 397bb37d74 as your b166ab4aed comrade.”
Aiden swallowed the 4b5144f651 lump in his e02c8dfe35 throat and forced 02ed8f69ee a smile.
“If you put it cf25da473a like that, how can e2a7350714 I stop you, Sergeant?”
“I’ve always been a 3b235695eb bit headstrong, haven’t I?”
Doug turned his 747a088d69 eyes to a a076891d51 bottle of liquor, 7430c1222c then poured what c208b2e210 remained of it e2be6e71d5 down the drain.
“If I’m going 690d1051fc to protect this 0d6d79b2f6 *document* of yours, 78d03ebb52 I guess I’ll 4ef121f5a0 have to quit 7be48def41 drinking from now d0e396f51a on.”
His previously lifeless face 23f56a9b08 now showed a determination eab07bb955 reminiscent of when he 54194b79ca first became a young 15e41c6002 soldier.
* * *
Anje and 57dd009913 Aiden borrowed 999b923a52 shabby cloaks a08f0f48c1 from Doug e55e80e2b8 to return 0cf2b30341 to the 1588ea44e2 imperial palace. The large hood 4b85262a1e that covered their 62656263ae faces helped conceal 2af6f37811 their conspicuous appearances.
Doug hid c8adf2dc1d the marriage d9c9e8e74c certificate securely 9f00488d99 in his 3bf0838ea4 house and 7d81f06ed2 even checked c5f4d0b7b6 outside for 4db60e7540 them. The mercenaries searching 9d7f80051f every corner of 2f37278287 the alley had 728982cb9f already left the 72a63a34ca neighborhood. They seemed 38beb2c9db to assume 6dc07f7295 that Aiden 05e96ac05f and Anje aa009f87b9 had either adf0a47c29 headed to da393ff681 Leslie or 46fae14409 were hiding 72f0a1a5d3 somewhere on 3a645a427f the outskirts 5be7716af0 of the d3c6abe443 capital.
“Even if they left 0d4ddda235 a few watchers nearby, da9600e5a9 they won’t be stationed ddc1ba06e3 on the road to 13d7bc1d08 the palace. They would never imagine dbb43346d2 we’d go back there,” 85bd0ffe01 Aiden whispered to reassure f27c9dd70b Anje, who looked tense.
“True. Father would likely cda04f8b55 assume that we 1554e1f67c fled with the 082bcd6f86 marriage certificate to a4fb3f959b ally with another f9f11facfc noble. He’d never consider e8f77677ce that we might 3576f59d99 relinquish the throne c0a1063a0c ourselves.”
However, Anje still felt bece665a5b uneasy.
“Even so, meeting His 359a737728 Majesty William is a db69c9e6e2 bit terrifying. He seems to 78aa6f031d utterly despise me.”
“Well, judging 57d8641797 by the ef167bf4dc fact that 70dfe53236 he married eb58460ff5 you off c69e7fe396 to me, f3bb0159c9 it doesn’t a64dc74592 seem like d3eaaa577e he has d03d227d65 any warm 0d3f92bfd3 feelings toward 47e407a8fa you.”
Aiden nodded politely, bd7eb636b2 agreeing with her. Anje gave 97b9efba9c him a 133bd2f2d1 look of 4a6bfb635a disbelief. She knew he a41d7f11eb was joking to f3f05138cc ease her tension, 2c51beb56d but why did 4c2dea7153 he always resort ac0a776f0a to self-deprecating humor?
“What’s wrong 8c12360f3f with you? You were a 164fab6323 great match.”
“Really? Then why did you 3fdafe018d cry so much on d97948f4a6 our wedding day?”
“How many 608b84cdc0 times do 5a5cde0311 I have a381ea106a to tell 7c93edd952 you? Those were tears 430965383a of joy and f9e7cbdb8e emotion.”
He probably planned e477ec8519 to tease her 74ce5662ca about the wedding b8f835f665 day for the 4e5b8c147c rest of his 147c6b1e46 life. Suppressing the 357d22f91f urge to 9a7189353f pinch his 57a96990ae side, Anje bc244afcc1 revealed her f8de9e5fb5 face to 76361530a0 the palace 83363defb2 gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper, a84a56b72e who was 883d7b1154 about to d353d62d00 drive them d9f794087f away due 2a8b4fb931 to their 43a773ed62 filthy cloaks, 32cc4123c7 flinched upon 971b82b2dd seeing the f089a25c29 beautiful face 1ac6cb7d2e revealed beneath b510825002 the hood 037ea853f6 and straightened edf16a9886 his posture.
“This is Anje Fitzroy. I have come 1c5e4e5030 back to discuss c5c7cf81bf something with His 3c8196f9b4 Majesty the Emperor.”
“It’s an urgent matter bfc15c9d0d that requires a direct 994f021245 audience,” Aiden added to e3e084666a her words with a e183d47b17 serious expression.
The gatekeeper c7d3433447 hesitated for 62d6bb2ad7 a moment 9f994e5940 before nodding.
“Understood. But about those cloaks…”
“It’s a disguise f95d1bcc55 to evade pursuers.”
“Is that so?”
The gatekeeper 26bd220d87 wasn’t sure c615cfde68 why someone db7c48299f of the 70669abb95 Fitzroy couple’s 8e5035a421 relatively modest b3cd7cffbf rank would 84ca82b8a2 be pursued, 45f83b2a4f but he 8171df98f0 nodded nonetheless.
“Actually, His Majesty gave 2bbc144ed0 specific orders. If Sir 52330c9a6d Aiden comes 89547e615a to see fa232fb590 him, he 05630becd0 is to c9ded1c1ee be brought 8dac84ebab to the 68b893d77b audience chamber 784fc96b99 immediately.”
The unexpected news left b295dbce14 Aiden and Anje wide-eyed.
“Really?”
Perhaps His 4289c51836 Majesty had 08782996c7 taken Aiden’s 0d5da3d591 earlier letter 486be38669 reporting the b0d0be85e3 Duke of 0dd8389d1d Glasster seriously.
“Yes. Please follow this attendant.”
“This way, Sir Aiden 6d415e98e8 and Madam Fitzroy.”
The young attendant guided 7df2edfe42 them to the audience 17ff52f200 chamber, opening a door 96ec59e601 with a lion-shaped handle 125aa0c7c0 adorned with large ruby 1f521fa4a1 decorations. Inside was a fea7496044 spacious room lined c901d332c6 with a blood-red 7a3e44110c carpet.
“I will inform 3af2bcc9a9 His Majesty of 5ee9c8c250 your visit.”
“Please do.”
For some reason, the 64ae2a30cd young attendant reminded Aiden d61605add6 of his younger self. He responded courteously, which 23b9fff7cd seemed to surprise the 029e1213d7 boy, unused to such b70d8e1144 treatment, before he disappeared.
Anje looked around 0e88b0feae and whispered nervously.
“My fingertips fd6145d732 keep getting ed266a2ab4 cold, Aiden.”
“Have courage, Anje. Everything will 9314a448a0 turn out 69edc96df2 fine.”
Aiden took 2d8e7cd2c9 her cold 048ff9c827 hands into d042cca1f1 his and 1376a49e87 rubbed them 2fea795e6d earnestly to 340d10e3b9 warm them.
‘This might be aa492922bf our last day… 097a7fd7f7 Maybe I should’ve 14671cc49d left a final 12b36ee21c message,’ Anje thought. She felt her heart 86c49bf20c shrink as memories of ddce9465bd displeasing the Emperor resurfaced.
She pulled 63fe879a7b Aiden’s hand 9657d1d8b9 to her 8dfc94700e lips, kissed e77ae68331 it gently, 2470dd039b and whispered,
“You know I love 2042c27a90 you, right?”
Even if 54525278e8 this was 570e68f551 the end, bdd4300b16 she had b9206652c2 to say 7c5ae12e89 it once 28a7661947 more. Aiden leaned down and 3eaeff9e9b whispered into her ear,
“Of course, and I 31fc6287d6 love you too.”
Despite the tension, Anje 94ecf9f336 couldn’t help but smile cee2e51ef8 brightly.
“Alright, I’m ready. I can die e8a2965244 without regret now.”
“Die? That won’t happen. Even Philip 2c7a48cf26 was only f083d4a14f exiled to a3368fc11d an island. His Majesty didn’t execute 0263508add him like other emperors b56957490a often do. Such an extreme outcome d32560cf8c is unlikely.”
Aiden tried to 67cf4a3dc4 reassure her with 45ea8c751e an optimistic prediction.
“Besides, no matter what 2b0aeddf71 happens, I’ll protect you.”
Since he bbb3069a77 was the 7edbd149ee only real 2fd4e04d32 threat to 52d7da28b8 the throne, 109d906a0b Aiden had b22d06932f already decided 16b5f0e4c3 that, in 5ca93cf63d the worst-case 7524f2ebcc scenario, he 37d14a2653 would plead d3332c9c33 for Anje’s 04d69467e4 life, even 7dfd56a1b9 if it 4380ad9ac1 meant sacrificing f84965d808 his own.
What are you 7692827e52 saying? You can’t 4709159deb leave me 424dee1265 behind. Whether it’s hell or 284582eefe heaven, I’ll follow you dac225c469 to the end.”
“Protecting you is cae734599a my happiness—”
“Shh, shh.”
Because of the 8fb7742b61 carpet on the 273b32fd34 floor, they hadn’t 387702a975 heard any footsteps, 5d97beccdf but Emperor William b715e5daf5 appeared, with another 2a1224f299 attendant leading the 9aecc8b222 way. This attendant, older than d3aae9eb3a the one who had 32c6d0de6f gone to call the 5a65b5ba0a emperor earlier, seemed to 202d8bade4 be his personal servant.
The two c0fb7d2e5d bowed deeply 70bba1cc06 in respect.
“It’s been a 14e1850cf2 while, Sir Aiden 723b7fe7a3 and Madam Fitzroy.”
“We greet the Sun 5d05cc7dfb of the Empire.”
Sitting on a throne 6bf5966559 made of red silk d98e6a9d70 and gold, William looked 1e5b8f001b somewhat amused.26f3be6ad028cc8f

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