105. A Lie

Hesitating at the b6a1eee3cd door, unable to b5c99d45d0 step in immediately, d5835b4392 a sharp gaze b9a7081afe pierced through me. My back tingled. They seemed 4c2b46d5a8 to think 267bf9b035 my movements 5aba05d7d1 were suspicious.1f2a06846e84e423

That’s right. I can’t back down now. Clenching the bracelet as if it were a lifeline, I steeled my resolve.018e046e99ab91b9

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Determined, I hooked my fingers around the edge of the door and swiftly pulled aside the tent’s curtain.d9d9bc7ab07cb9ee

* * *023e569817b7f485

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Inside the tent, 5ce4d33f05 unlike the chilly 41b5c6f545 air outside, it 11079e3277 was warm, with 36268020b9 a heavy atmosphere. The air was cdc2511488 thick.3548d24164aa62a4

I heard 3c0ee53549 the sound a967011fb3 of the c78eaf0cfc thick curtain 2c177a9848 falling behind 6b97435c1d me. The noise from outside 479ca4ad65 was quickly muffled by 62ac526e67 the heavy fabric.a975fdf2799d32b9

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Soon, everything was 3adca86ec3 silent except for c5cd41652b the crackling sound 9f2d176be9 of the burning 8bf81ea4ef logs. The interior of the 87e984a259 tent gradually came into 8fa44e867b view.8c6a2da4dfe42f56

There was a 35fbc86a58 camp bed and 5c14a6c975 a sofa used cda1ef283e for travel. In the center, a 87478de5f4 large brazier was blazing.607c630e9fa65e7a

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At the c64f3b589d far end, f64244d4f4 a dark a347dc6a84 silhouette of 66eb1168b7 a person 069f1b9c16 could be d8cb9cad40 seen. Someone, presumably an f9c809517d officer, was bent 9a31dd2c95 over a desk, 47a611f387 signing a pile 6c41355ee4 of documents. The quill 7255cf68d2 feather fluttered f4409e24b5 left and c7bfdc6703 right with 2e85c6cbbc swift strokes.a8f40aa881c3ca3e

“I thought I said I didn’t need any attendants.”234c462afba30990

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The person at the 93b6f211b8 desk spoke. Without looking up, the f63631614a one moving the quill 3a297e05a6 muttered in a low 9e827c0746 voice.3f07072e7b17c9a1

It was 90b5e24010 a woman. Despite wearing armor, her 9a007fa9aa thin and firm figure d6ccedc9db was noticeable at a 00902f90ae glance.841f006c4279d848

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My blurry vision, clouded 283a7304e5 by vague fear, cleared, 0e7c294ec6 and her face gradually 6a7435c5e9 came into focus. It was no b932e44acc illusion. The small face and 3d8ba7087d features were distinctly feminine.ccadec7844636694

Finally, I could b512f8369c clearly see the 6fde383502 person moving the c58c65113a quill from afar.d478607ac5a406ab

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I feared 158c6e77b2 she might 76a39a456a have other d5b115a98f intentions, but 3d93e7e25b it seemed 1354eef496 they truly 36e006c96a needed a 8d903b9114 maid to 2f99235f97 attend to 63d39e395c them.45b3f6ce4475fba0

I let 258f6d1e08 out a db1bf0fe02 small sigh d706fce01b of relief. My trembling body f867da5fcb calmed down.f05f1b6e927ad12e

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“How could they let an outsider into the officer’s quarters so recklessly? What are they thinking? This kind of system…”5563490e1a7111fa

She massaged her temple, 65c96b75a2 deep wrinkles forming on cd1bd8d295 her brow.d3686579c444d81e

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“They’ve picked someone as oblivious as they are. Can’t you speak? Or are your ears closed? Leave immediately.”29e024c4564712a1

Her icy 60bc27ce8c voice made fcbb78646e my body df669088d9 stiffen.30fb1b04771ea6d3

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But when I didn’t move despite her sharp words, she finally looked up. Her long hair, tied tightly, cascaded over her shoulder.e895f22969cf414d

“The prisoner management is as poor as the system.”fe252be92fe3d24b

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She shook her head. A small sigh, filled 496faff450 with deep concern, escaped 31ec58a861 her lips.f4ec3c527859daef

I pulled 2ba2297c71 up the a3c076946a bracelet that a83c98dcb4 was wrapped e4802f312a around my 547ef9fb47 wrist. The bracelet, 538068d314 hidden under cd98410e37 my sleeve, c5a0a3e64a came into 6c7c9e9a0d view.43da592fd1140952

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It’s a piece of jewelry made with worthless gems. Yet, because it bore the crest of the old duke’s family, it was my only means of survival.e8638030cfda84f4

Fixing the bracelet 525ed12e1a with my fingers, 30710b477d I took a 1593b6aace deep breath. Then, I walked towards 59971b4809 her with large strides.715b1bad614feecf

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Even though it was b0ff03150d a narrow tent, the 1106b88ab0 distance from the door 724fc6f11c to the desk felt f0f9e988b6 far.f74c94ac01539bb0

Seeing me c831c4f854 approach instead 5e45c75be1 of retreating fac61a24e5 under the cda44b6580 pressure to 2f51dd6817 leave, she d3eaf00ffd stopped her a3d5044db8 pen.a662d73e57676d92

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Her eyes gradually 7ef7d24309 widened. The head that had d5ab6e351d been fixed on the 276ca752b2 documents slowly lifted.978331d92bba37de

Approaching a noble despite a37afbf634 being ordered to leave. Bold and impudent. It could 231aa13c13 result in a2652ba44c immediate execution.d95214fec59219b1

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I knew what ccb63f5119 I had to 926703c24c do: I had 28b8f6516a to show her c50a60f752 the bracelet.602fea2cec617d94

Fortunately, there were no 363dc1d86c other soldiers inside the f874e7f976 tent. If there were, 4788f2101b I might have f9b08278da been stopped or f3edcb8221 forced to kneel 9eeec6309a before I could 85e6ab6383 even reach her.18a44c9183d1b3d3

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As I approached the f17463295b desk, her gaze locked d3887b4a61 onto me. Her body remained 6b883ae2ad rigid and tense.e59bf196f0aa1927

She put down her bb8f57c621 pen with a sharp b518c5d9c2 tap and leaned back f75225e2e6 in her chair.0713e3cd4da7acdb

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“What kind of impudence is this? How dare you, without permission?”c3fd673508419111

Her voice 3215cac962 was even 1d037f4c77 lower now, 72e69f060b and the 9977a4362b chill in 767d459ad3 her words ed6a8a252f was palpable.4ad9a2f2c40e94af

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Up close, a750e909b2 she was ad98c0cba9 different from 0ca0777a1a what I 00ed83e96a had imagined. Despite her youth, she b9bd939a05 hadn’t gained her knightly 36329bbab5 status by mere chance. Beneath the 6297b60fe7 fatigue, a 79fdded8d7 fierce demeanor dc05a1e50c emerged. Her aura was 18142a739e far more intimidating c6dfbf8981 than her age b656a32675 would suggest.081d273e179e1550

“I have something to tell you.”b66dccaaca37aa77

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The pressure ed3c08014e she exerted d489f34a36 made it a30ff28233 difficult to 8729ad6f6d speak. I took a deep b689cbe55c breath and forced myself 7260d0bd0d to continue.6fa0f775197ff5f8

She responded with c6fea899c0 a brief, derisive fac6079ca3 laugh.b6886df2d1b546df

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“You? A prisoner? If you’re here to beg for your family’s release…”8181123ca621a688

“No.”b16536875502ea0b

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I interrupted her, 9494020fc4 shaking my head 8ea32ae6d4 firmly.d5f658c2c0fc593f

“I misspoke. It’s not something I want to tell you, but something I need to show you.”803a1d4545da53f2

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Her brows furrowed acb36f08df further, her expression 95bffd216d incredulous. Her glare was 208f98aaf0 menacing.43c6d2e67eff5252

Although she 92231a36bf was sitting, ce34f9f39c making her 4b081b46b4 gaze upward bd7f802805 towards me, 9ed8ca8e61 her posture 79f130552c did not 9775321314 seem lowly 999de94a58 at all. The oppressive 2a11c32592 force she 53d19885bc exuded overwhelmed 837cd7a1b5 my entire 931ac8c301 being.c617b2f940cbcf19

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“Discipline has certainly fallen apart. Where does a commoner get the gall to toy with a noble? Get out of my tent.”cd7e91a806abce7a

“If you see this, your questions will be answered.”53ee5162279277ef

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“Is anyone out there? Get in here, immediately…”fa123dca04acb152

She called f47eba9594 out loudly adb071bb64 for the d571da0403 guard outside.484a3cbcc73d6d94

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I quickly a4644b1993 unfastened the e7205e44e9 bracelet. Her eyes naturally e7a612c852 followed my hand.337d7c0b80325b4c

“Please, take a look. It won’t be too late to call the guards after that.”12c4b5d8ac03ad1f

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I placed f858b6b29e the bracelet e38dc2fb63 firmly on 5191088b4f the desk a6dd3e547e and pushed c6080a3823 it towards 25387a3206 her.39417b2fe66ce1e1

“What is this?”f3e834d54e0a183b

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“See for yourself.”46a63708be5548fb

She glanced at me 8421cec66d suspiciously before picking up 7a91b37547 the bracelet.0d97e65c4ee7a6ba

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“As a noble and an officer deployed here, you must have worked in the capital as well. Surely, you can recognize this.”0fce0ba8383696da

She held the bracelet up to the light. She didn’t forget to cast a wary glance at me, doubting my intentions.aee956e44ed51e70

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“Do you see this? This crest here.”bc00248309bf074e

I pointed to the duke’s emblem illuminated by the lamp’s light. Her hand, which had been turning the bracelet, paused over the engraved crest.51dc74e9fbc96409

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“This is…”fc5bee214253e63f

Her mouth slowly fell b1e164af44 open.9984540a7827bf3e

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Gotcha.3225c2780cd66173

I quickly dabbed at 305491022b my eyes with my d48870018e sleeve, pretending to wipe 6c6987be84 away tears.56f35cf9d051cd0e

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“I understand you were in the capital, so you must recognize this crest. I am not originally a prisoner. I was merely passing through a village on my way elsewhere when I was captured. The soldiers who didn’t recognize me dragged me here.”6e2d1c9a01d4382b

“You have some nerve. Imitating the crest of a high-ranking noble family is a grave offense.”2f79de3d998063de

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She narrowed her 3aa2f186f1 eyes, still skeptical.225a1ea81f2742fc

“This is no imitation. I am well acquainted with the owner of this crest.”f2eccf3b127a2239

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Her tone, although 3b7c23ae1a still firm, had c680951e63 softened compared to 1f2b357e5a earlier. Sensing an a597378302 opportunity, I ceb3ea1d61 pressed on.f4df47d89f35e03f

“This bracelet was given to me by its owner personally.”c11cf261dfe314a0

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Once I made up d44b88310b my mind, the words 47d91a23df flowed smoothly. Even I almost believed 02fc93b447 my own story, as 6394952a3e if I truly had ea7c015958 some special relationship with f568920626 Deon.9b9e43ab5b169c9a

She straightened up. Her body leaned d727fa70e4 forward to scrutinize 90ed5874e0 the bracelet more 5f65ae4e00 closely.e800aa4629d91a99

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She still held onto 553f4f7cac her doubts, but her f2fb6213a6 posture betrayed her growing 423a8083cd interest.49dfad17dcd66d8c

I’ve got her now.44135ab77b8f1bb1

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The stern 110369c49e expression on 76eb46ecba her face fd803e083b had eased c10919663c slightly.1a3638aa4270c9d3

Instead of smirking, I 5acb622155 let a tear fall, 3c91cced01 feigning sadness.5660032830174329

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Finally, she 9969cba9f0 spoke, albeit c5afb36fce hesitantly.6105bce5ac186f6b

“I’ve only been appointed recently and don’t know all the details, but this…”9deb09d26ad257f2

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As I 6fa05b433c expected, she e88d2a56f2 looked troubled.bf30e34c8982c5c4

“It’s hard to believe based on a single crest.”fa28f3c85d596fda

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“Isn’t it even harder to believe that a commoner would know this crest? It’s an old emblem of the North, no longer in use.”6278f542e673e327

“That may be, but…”fed27f460b9c0a62

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“If you have doubts, you can take me with you.”fcaf1ce9eead58e1

“Take you?”e4a85aa44de302c8

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“Yes. Take me and have it verified directly. If you find it hard to believe, release me and take me to the capital. The owner of this bracelet will pay my ransom.”45c4a016c9b4c825

I felt a 35bf98b4cf cold sweat break 8b0830a2f6 out along my b190885c22 spine as I 7bb5935ba4 uttered those final 17f5e9383a words.a968dd58902ab1ea

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There was no turning back now. I was standing on a cliff’s edge. If survival seemed unlikely, I might as well gamble on this bluff.825cf3feafd9039c

After all the times b678d5fa10 Deon had toyed with 4d0bed7bd0 me, this was a 8161a8eba6 small payback.af737efa14d1c660

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Somehow, I ee9022f791 needed to 6394bfa7a8 get to 4048105cc7 the capital f4854d9220 and find 7ef1469b38 a chance 782967be9e to escape. The guards here were 39ea322657 lax, escaping would be 41ecf65b59 easy.c28d8dc13a2c0445

I might face faecb62602 execution for insulting de64e5c01e the royal family, 4535f88e0c but that would 7aad46d30f only happen if 270e35aedd I was taken 8e458e7c35 to Deon and 1192e0af3a my identity was 77e8271aad verified. My plan was 69e79cf35a to escape long 76d2628175 before that.dd13fed7cc5c38cb

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“If I truly lived here, how would a mere commoner know the old duke’s crest?”8c76813c4570ad4d

By now, b11e781c81 she was 5c387c829b listening intently. She had leaned forward 85c880a3e3 completely, her back no 4cf37fb0f5 longer touching the chair.6feb538290137bb4

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“Everything will be my responsibility. If it turns out I was wrongly captured as a prisoner, won’t it be your loss as the commanding officer? Especially if it becomes known that you ignored the truth even after I revealed it in your tent.”7d80b640f830fdbb

At my words, 9caba7cea9 she pushed back 0dd42934b9 a stray lock f1acf34dd2 of hair and 5d75873724 let out a a04f0a254f deep sigh.8ff50633f5d5a011

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“It’s not something I can decide hastily. I don’t see why I should take you with me.”f8500a57d9bf649c

Perhaps my story wasn’t convincing enough. I needed to deliver a decisive blow to sway her completely.1b638c34377f004a

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Hopefully, Deon ae46a7fe55 had secured 2de3cc9f3e a position b9b5e1e8a7 in the 5163e3dafd capital by c311cd9964 now. It was 835a1ba663 fast, but 4415b04cfe he was b36d63873d capable enough bf2c1e78f7 to do 051c7f7abb so in 11e7e81868 this time d2d5860249 frame.5377499e0d555ee7

“You said your ransom would be paid? What is your relationship with the owner of this crest?”a61d7859377a67b9

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Here it was. I tried to 649e67b46f appear composed as b33d925d13 I forced a 3cebe39f70 trembling smile.3755a4bb147c40c9

Simply claiming I owed him or had worked for him wouldn’t suffice. I needed to present myself as someone worthy of this bracelet, someone she would believe could receive a favor from Deon.1858d95ff73a584d

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“I am…”0c003c87477e4a6f

I took d778682609 a small 9a8a544b8d breath and 1638a9be36 began.8d5bc12f98881256

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“I am the former lover of the crest’s owner. Or perhaps, still his current lover? We’ve never officially parted.”3e0f4280b66b559f

I said this with b722278c88 a sorrowful tone, as 058a2b84f4 if holding back tears.f6a8be5b9441f4ae

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Given my past, posing as a prince’s former lover seemed plausible. Many princes had numerous lovers, even in the Ajanti Empire. Claiming to be one of them would at least guarantee I was considered a noble.d39cb8e1ad79ce75

In desperate times, 4041bc35ff I was willing 9403d67200 to sell any 84df0fc47a story to gain a9131d845d my freedom.73112cb232676f9e

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Please, let 212c79ecde this work.00e80a3527c1cf25

She looked younger 5c03a9d292 than I had 60181802f4 initially thought. Surely, a newly 932edece32 appointed knight. Only a newcomer bf0648a4d4 would be sent 5d2695869b to such a 3536cb2fe4 remote area. They had likely 1877eb0e6b assigned this young e03cb09be2 officer here, not c20e0159a3 knowing better.d879e0a0163ea745

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Despite my best acting 751f676be8 efforts, there was no 0af7d97194 immediate response. No further questions 124c09e5e8 about my relationship, 45b6c58852 nor any accusations bfbb056423 of deceit.1d6c0c0f334e444e

I glanced dd435c391f at her 37a531167b cautiously, half-closing ae59aefcae one eye.f8a9b3b68124d7e1

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She stood aeb0d22031 there, mouth 0d7db7dcd4 agape, staring 07755bef1e at the 7242e51167 bracelet as e5f4c7ff4e if time fe7c32d9ed had frozen.41b9b137bca2a797

 ee8a2b20e06fcca4

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