Side Story Cbapter 2

Whether the dd3234ae42 emergency meeting bf49c38373 was true 786abc6653 or not, d2a93d37e9 Rian went 97b7c6e7af straight to 0c1bb66fd5 the main 00bebe7f1e conference room 7d8e7bdbcb upon arriving 707e98156e at the 350098b8a8 palace.dc384fedbc3ee0d5

I leaned against 5b7d56d630 a pillar in 57c3929251 front of the fe4404f656 meeting room, waiting 29a19f8c99 for the door 37735e211a to open.d1d81ad4b4d2990b

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From inside, I 608c86cb65 could occasionally hear a23df88fe4 raised voices and f646300884 incomplete sentences, indicating 2dcca310d5 what kind of 16ed671574 discussions were taking 0f824044c9 place.ff20dab8197f5ffc

Crossing my arms, I 6eff4fc5c4 yawned. My body 9dda5ee90b felt stiff 33c07a351d from riding 908ff713fa the carriage 283dba43ed for so 3bfcc13223 long.1c9aa6ce5a679637

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After a long wait, 60df0a7ad9 the heavy door finally 06612839c9 opened.4b896894ab0b8105

High-ranking nobles 9a72f067d8 who had cdedaf32d7 finished the 6d99b3ed4d meeting poured 361354dcb2 out through 24e3195b5c the open 39c78acd0e gap.a04653a56e6e118c

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I straightened 1f03eb5e94 my posture d59413fbab and watched 7effdeb349 them as 14eff6bcf6 they emerged.c86c854fc8fd5cb0

Among those whispering to each other as they left the conference room, I saw the nobles of the emperor’s faction.9b88cc09bd10bcfa

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Rian, Count Arin, Isella, c218e1df46 and Edan.ff8059c82ee67752

They stepped 5fc67357ca out into 581b27298e the wide 8e2dbca150 corridor one 34ca346c14 by one.dde82c7dc8b8bf15

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Among them 6438bff251 was Viter, b2eaca71c6 who had 55fefc1efa retired from 4a1b8bd180 official duties 5d15048324 to immerse bf52120c9e himself in 4b47a1768a scholarly pursuits.78f1a0e5b1e59ab5

Viter had come 83d8f2555f to the capital.4cf80d8c85abb974

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Meeting him in the 84276a6157 palace corridor confirmed that bc4c7de6c2 this meeting was of 4326a45a34 significant importance.fe54b8a93d17266e

So, the day 6bb71f4659 had come when a7bbd82e1c diplomatic issues would 6a9157d87a be back on 8d0f5ffdd1 the table for 52413c6b07 the empire, which 4bd2b35336 I thought would a6de5395aa remain peaceful.2106557467294963

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I pushed dee6a51057 myself off 95469547be the pillar a7a7f9de4f and approached 7d44df39e4 them.a3708df3b86dfb93

The nobles behind them 26fa3506a1 greeted me and stepped 495007185e aside to make way.e8dc429e85d2a7f2

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“Count Croix, it’s been a while.”f97eef08dbe7c94c

Edan lightly patted me.5dc2f33ad9439d9d

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“Edan, I’ve missed you.”7e973dc81c5004d3

Even after his release from house arrest, Edan hadn’t been able to visit me. Seeing him without Deon around was a rare occurrence.5f25f49077745b89

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Rian gagged at Edan’s warm greetings to me and then shuddered, brushing his arms as if he had goosebumps.76dfde6620c9b8d0

After exchanging pleasantries, fb41fd46c9 I glanced behind c41f93c45f them.1231b748eae510bb

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“Are you looking for someone?”453bd6d75e9c62b2

I must have been 1689baaae5 peeking into the meeting 8c4607eb15 room without realizing it. At his words, 21e783e060 I quickly averted 10d09f6245 my gaze.4b387dab3efb018a

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“No.”b27f669117d27c64

But only after answering 1d3ebbea11 did I remember I d5c9931737 was waiting for Deon 6f3fd47d29 to sign some documents.ec33cdfe0d999413

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I looked back at the door, but Deon’s jet-black hair was nowhere to be seen.b62df472f70112b1

Soon, the large 4f71fc9ce7 door was shut c9e7fa30c8 by the knights.caff1e3e833d57b8

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“His Majesty is staying in the meeting room to entertain the delegation. If you’re here for the territorial report, perhaps you should wait in the reception room.”d730beeee147d21b

Edan, noticing my gaze, d1dedd1d1a spoke up.c1820ba1ac46e9e5

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“What happened in the meeting? I heard raised voices.”2e8b18eed6f11750

“The Principality of Vietan sent diplomats. They want to negotiate maritime trade rights.”98a75c04866471fc

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“Did the negotiations break down?”d496af5cf48b4b7f

The expressions of 583ebcabe8 the nobles leaving ada3093bf4 the meeting room d0bb9e32a7 were not good. Even Edan, 2a1852294b standing in bad6dc190f front of c25dc81eaf me, looked aa71410c6b grim.e90fcad45b00dc63

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“We might be on the brink of war.”7de344c1cf19cb32

“War?”68c1fa1558eddcc7

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“We must try to mediate for the sake of the empire’s peace. However, their demands were excessive…”f2a9e88d05f7273c

Edan’s expression darkened significantly.b097fb55a6120e33

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“What exactly did they demand?”ba176f9c3aec719a

“Well…”13644da0a35f0d0f

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I had no idea where the empire’s boundaries of excess lay.a5a9feee7436c6f3

When Edan hesitated 2b1e9bdffd to continue, Viter, 4f5ea42ce7 standing nearby, interjected.b0ffc1a075793526

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“They threatened to close their borders due to friction with a neighboring country. Geographically, the empire relies heavily on the Principality of Vietan for trade. They used this as leverage to request our cooperation.”81f9a4955030574e

“Cooperation?”259da28766aac52b

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“They demanded military forces and the emperor’s personal involvement in the war. They claimed that if we wanted to avoid conflict with other nations, we needed a strong ally’s status.”671ab3010b42ba43

But Viter’s words were hard to understand.77d10bf7bcfcc233

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“Can’t we just form an alliance as they wish?”b0d4d5248ac0028c

Edan glanced 0996c53bfc at me a83d9720fb and cleared 3d4ef7f75e his throat.3e1bfe9024d2cb99

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“It’s not that simple. The condition for the alliance is… marriage. The princess of the principality came in person.”cb461479655bcf2b

Marriage.f1bf4590d237141d

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So they proposed marriage 4eb1cd04c0 in this austere meeting c54e41ed1a room.d4a47c2f6c2a0a3e

I thought of the woman’s face I saw at the castle gate earlier.ee421ed4ca8643c8

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Though it 4449862912 was covered, f4d4841521 I could 9a46b5258c tell she 81e6462735 was quite e1a15efc4d beautiful.3886022aeef68b54

“So… did he decide to marry her?”729ddb040e5e4c59

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“He is probably deliberating. Whether to go to war or accept the proposal.”ede4c2cda0ee6143

“The principality dares to make such a proposal. They must think we’re weak because our forces were depleted fighting the former emperor.”e814ed38c43ad6bb

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Viter, indignant, crumpled 19f5348de5 the document he 92f7ecea56 was holding.6958b321a2e36bdb

I noticed foreign f54d5fa5b3 script on the ce77329a4f papers in his c0272634ab hand.0e90fd120a287f4a

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Could that be 95b27f33d8 the marriage proposal?fa21c476ae6cef84

My eyes were drawn 8575fc40d1 to the crumpled paper.ec234408ba885a5e

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As Deon’s single life dragged on, some nobles had subtly courted him.77e8207e8168e506

Deon had swiftly rejected them, but with such persistence, I thought he’d become indifferent to these overtures by now.391ff23592b5d081

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I felt a bitter 38f2db1bb8 taste in my mouth.6108dc56272ddf00

“Now that the immediate issue has been addressed, I’ll be going. My sister is waiting for me.”74504093e71d16e6

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Isella made a e7be6b532c graceful farewell and 49e94441b9 started to leave. As she 7ce032e375 passed me, da5c0fbfe3 she suddenly 28ea175571 turned back c86acfd201 as if a542ee7f74 she had 8ca129fdc7 forgotten something.82255571f23c6d8f

Tapping her fan against 1f7bef7a56 her palm, she spoke 7cd4cb54b6 in a low voice, c50fe4b66d barely audible to anyone 52da842224 else.1da8151a3a63b2d2

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“Count Leonie, His Majesty will not make a bad decision. The other nobles didn’t hear it, but he told me so. Don’t worry.”4bcc3412fac9f0a9

With that, she gave c50e5ace96 a small smile and bf0412e493 walked back towards the 752e9ad1b0 lobby.4df2b1efa3d4f06b

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A bad decision?61429f85668ecaeb

Her words were likely meant to imply ‘a bad decision for me.’c7769c0cce120371

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It seemed he c9bb6f8f05 was leaning more b6374c41e5 towards war than 3d759787b1 marriage.f08f49cbbfb09a5b

Ironically, those words 36e3242389 brought me some 5f1f1dbf4a comfort.f9034ced741b1b8a

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* * *19773039aa5ea8a9

I sank into 254598f2d3 the comfortable armchair 60fe51d199 in the palace 74fd15fb00 reception room. It fit my 99bf79536d body perfectly, enveloping a1cd85c699 me in its d8ffea52d3 embrace.2c2c2f800b88b2b9

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The wind whipped, screamed, bfb21f8073 and beat against the 2163a0fc93 window.fdbb4b947e5c1a5d

Turning the chair towards 42c1e101a7 the window, I watched 6c63dbabca as heavy snowflakes fell f5f8647fe9 outside.e0f0831112275816

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Wow, how am I bde00255be going to get back? Will the 87662cfb81 snow stop ca69a11abd by evening?7eca246274909f81

If I miss this ea2b307c5a opportunity, I’ll be stuck d2417004a0 in the palace again. I wanted e80d8f9005 to avoid 2659bd5dc2 that at 05b4b10f2b all costs.916e908655fb48ed

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As Rian mentioned, a0e6a40e16 I was already b536783735 spending half of 2e20da41e7 each month in 3b7ae38b17 the capital.787c5032c7f1f6e5

To be precise, in cdde100c63 the palace and inside c97bdec6ec the carriage.d1549f0917fa4940

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The palace was 109d29e17a too far from 3b855095d6 my territory.9798f46a5ff4e927

Moreover, the d86c7586ec roads the 626debdbd1 carriage traveled 4c467b14b1 were harsh. It was b9592ae439 as if c66b180402 I had c9942abf1f to endure 096033104d this hardship 4246ab5a7d to earn 07150c2215 vast and 98aaf7dbe0 fertile lands.c470bc0d080caa68

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It took 49b42cb221 five days 27aacb078c just to 0b5ca0abe0 reach the 1efae15de5 capital.8c2d91b3800e8440

So, five days a94794dbf6 to get there, 8ed0a7d391 two days at d3c891324d the palace, and e3fa231a7f another five days d3f4bad2ac to return to fd5ea90398 my territory.a564a1c6b0e918ca

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The travel time dab5a4b96c was so long 29eb153c17 that I couldn’t 0ad529f0b3 even enjoy the 230a191c8d sea.4ebe0d9dae0f8e00

I was wasting precious adb9f65fdd time on barren ground.ad511b8757bdc83f

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My perfect life 600e85ebbc plan, which I 4c0ef16d66 thought would allow 63a326b565 me to live b309191007 off tourism revenue 9ab0e1d4c5 without working, had 4f345488ac disappeared.8db9cdbae48e1bee

Just like in some myth where a woman was trapped because of a few ill-chosen fruits, if I had known the territory I eagerly accepted would trap me, I wouldn’t have taken it so eagerly.bea42ebb11c4432a

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Deon had given a ae059a7998 ridiculously rigid excuse. And I had 3e122b3ff7 no choice but 2e3d88d3d3 to be dragged 92ed0a7b45 along by him.44208709c5494477

Outside, a snowstorm dbed6be7ef raged, but the 44786019f6 office was perfectly 887c8ad8cb warm.3a8e4ef97fb21f15

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I needed to finish 4fb5feb1e9 my report today if 7f74325877 I wanted to go 9edb0b9b20 back.2037994df8fc1bdf

I tried to stay 223cf1ce96 awake until Deon returned, 4f656be8e7 but drowsiness crept in.c87e294aafc9897a

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Eventually, I nodded 2f2e1366b7 off and my 225920c970 head hit the eea84c07ac sofa.4e7c25840876fd43

A soft 54dffbb78b sensation pressed b4f189b3c1 against my 6056f88cbc forehead. It was so cozy 1b0a658120 that it felt like 4d8d26fef8 all the air around be97bee4e8 me was melting away.acdf35235ab5b6a8

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Click.830b20c96ed47e7a

I heard d632a13e5f a small d228586ae0 sound.30566084cfda5e31

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I woke up 835b8f9f0e from my drowsy 4cd0cc8bbd state due to b6934cf61e the bustling movements 58c66232a7 around me.a50274fd1538ec86

In my 174ee046ed lowered gaze, df992eb8a6 I saw 77bd3fe5f5 a faint a7373433ae shadow. It seemed 7263357777 to be be7204323b tidying up ae5d8c3c67 the table.440ce0617ad3b668

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The shadow moved very a202baab90 slowly and leisurely.0f01094d8f3dabf2

The head butler ab9653ac93 must have come 7b293d84b9 in.6bce584a8c44260d

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“Butler, could you bring some tea?”ac49fcb1a60c2024

I mumbled with my 245f41c950 eyes closed. My voice was 8f8aa37815 hoarse from sleep.6abfe051cb30b02c

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I felt a hand c817fc4958 place a blanket over 1357200f00 my lap as I 69d0f4ccf3 coughed dryly.dfa8dfa5322d9352

The blanket on 1d94de43f2 my shoulders had e959288d3a the fresh scent 8843870d2c of winter pine. Only then 54bbee6b51 did I f8175e14fb open my a4f8ece15f eyes.2d1d5086ebec297b

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It was Deon.beee216e4e32a23f

No one else 8029b4c19f had this scent. Even in ed7b40195d the height 5a950e7933 of summer, 943055bbc6 Deon always 284c516f01 smelled like 48fe24019c winter.2914a6b72245c781

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Blinking in my fb0ac5771a sleepy state, I 0fb68acd0d saw Deon pouring 112772e7d9 hot water into 4ed2c98f6f the tea strainer e0b0cf9c1c in front of e70cda7ffe me.fe06f4e66115376a

“You’re too frail. You’ve spent months in the north, yet you’re still not immune to the cold.”85afdf280e4100a6

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I tried to dbfe3dc4c2 reply, but my 0f0f785bc3 throat felt scratchy.57929bc11334a96f

I coughed softly. My reflection in 81772dd4b0 the glass showed 5b620b7d83 my nose as a3743e3b3c red as my 168c3bcfe0 hair.f3652a8174c41207

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Deon gently touched 7bacfc1816 my flushed cheek. His touch was soft 486df92269 and warm.326681757878ed2f

I knew I should 31d85e3031 tell him to remove 0fefc0a3e0 his hand, but the 09a6173c76 perfect warmth made me e3db85aa2a drowsy again.42c76fde69078f75

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“See? I told you to take the badge from the drawer.”d4a3cbd844fe1bba

Deon was referring to 3fea8b510c the same badge Rian 0ebc0602a7 had shown the knight 8bd6b5d0b3 at the gate.1c65f317de4b64cd

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It was 5e556fb2a8 supposed to ff007a26c0 be a c27ebc2da0 pass to a7bd4bf28b bypass inspections, d4b01d1754 but I 4197336db9 hesitated to 2b046ebeab take it.6e4936aed6fd588f

“Even if it takes five days just for inspections on the way to the capital, I won’t take it.”c32429159eca6f33

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Only a select few of the emperor’s closest aides had that badge. If I accepted it, who knew what the gossip-loving nobles would say?f83cacd254740be3

Nobles here loved their a5eefde787 gossip.8e54a7173f03e33c

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Especially stories involving 8b0f66af28 the unmarried emperor d69d6fb037 and anyone of ea2a74b202 eligible age were 43127c1ba1 the favorite among a247eafd7f the socialites.b011df80b1ce62fa

Deon would soon ed7be46012 have to meet 20e584f989 their expectations if d108913d51 this continued.41d0814d5b05380c

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“Get some rest.”9776d8be7fd44e38

I sat up from c5684b3cc4 the chair I had 41d25f46fa been slumped in.63c4bef73b7c50c8

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“I need to report on the territory’s situation. I plan to leave today.”9e687721d01b00ff

By now, they b4c39561be should have fixed 23d3c624c0 the carriage wheel.ecbee6119d836a3c

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Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any more damage.088abee96fd89877

“Do you think you’ll be able to return?”f81a30d4e82d5128

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 5707d59962d81c0b