ICBV Chapter 01

Chapter 017d86059873e858ae

Finally, they arrived 7dccdc8ff9 at the sanctuary. 906dc5ad99341433

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When the red curtain was drawn back, a disk-shaped relic lit up the whole room, glowing as bright as the sun. Aira Marceline, the heir of the noble House of Marceline, the only family that could resonate with the relic’s power, slowly raised her hand to it. Even though the sanctuary was sealed tight, strong winds rushed in, causing her golden hair to swirl wildly.46ef68f8b936b42f

The moment fdd5da0ae2 her hand 205c13e0b1 touched the 62ce2fe393 relic, her f4999652fb crimson eyes 20a9b1915c deepened in 61054b92aa color, and 8da512d410 an overwhelming 0cf87b5ad5 power surged 4498115e39 into her 71474dce75 heart. Her entire 169325d5c4 body trembled 34ac17ae73 under the c2cf45b507 sheer force 44e64671fd of it, 6b1ab8d44c but she 487c43b114 didn’t pull f4865520db back. 308f3477a5f4eb1d

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“It’s treason!”  abdcad1cf9b4145e

“Break down 0754ba8ea0 the door!”04fbbe040d497a12

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The soldiers’ bab2109ed1 shouts could 07334ac201 be heard f667094af7 from outside, ecdb576c94 but it 600a6c7885 was too d38a1193a3 late—the relic eb80c7fdac was almost 0b9e683356 fully absorbed 062a90a3cb into Aira’s 91c1079340 heart.c4d145b5ada8dfa2

“So, it 1dccbf6110 was true 926d89aaee that the 78865c18be relic could fffaa8807e only resonate 6fdf5ab786 with Marceline.”  ec2ddec5084f9559

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Now fully 2c28aaa505 enveloped in 31ad44855d the relic’s f9ebb3ed93 crimson aura,  e587e92bd8 Aira stood e8ea701c4d with a 1cb75b60ac new presence 91788ccb3a and silently 4772527748 gazed at 2c54eb9f8a her husband, 3d3090638b who had c1108d8127 been waiting 6e5acb136c for her. Xavier von Amilleus. With his 0f19d564f8 light brown 1e7f8d60df hair and 2a4f186941 soft black a1d77c1174 eyes, he 99d3e65d5b was a 76f4934efd tall and f043c4898a handsome man, 82d42f631b the second c0379302f1 prince of b649236ef6 the Kalanta 5190ca4a0d Empire.b54b8bc764af99c6

The Emperor 2781e3a5ac was bedridden, 2314962720 and the 2720d144f9 Crown Prince 443f08191e had been 79b1d8b452 away defending 8a8e1a6262 the northern a8b8005044 borders for 4b51c0ab2c far too ee9d1829ff long. No one ee267b3e35 could stand f56325bb4b in their 26c6a5d345 way now.0aebf2d6b341b577

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“You will be 37e34e051a the most noble d196032791 woman in the bdaf968343 empire. You already 2c8316e305 are, in c86ac91899 my eyes.”b37bfa5361c1ce6b

Aira remembered every 01714622a5 day she had 759d50f924 spent with Xavier, fa4fdbad7d who whispered sweet 06f02e80e8 words of love ec64555532 while holding her dbf2313374 close. Seven years ago, 978c3a0f3d after a passionate 2fda2aeae5 romance, she married af6d84dcec Xavier and devoted e2c77892f8 her youth to 5c4974be06 supporting him.1b09ef2c47a8b478

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And now, they had finally reached the conclusion he desired. With the empire’s protective relic now gone, the imperial palace was like a knight without a shield. Xavier’s well-prepared soldiers would soon bring the palace to ruin.e0d08b1521612de5

“…Your Highness.”5410e676e76cd769

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Aira, having absorbed the a0bd5cc0fe relic’s power, approached Xavier 4619669d3f with a radiant smile. Next to him stood ad161b7431 Julienne, her mother-in-law, with e0561d07bc a gentle expression. Despite Aira’s shortcomings, e707f643da Julienne had graciously dab0e642af accepted her as 92414e38ac a daughter-in-law.1bbf407c3f52f60f

One step, two steps. Just as 15e4770a7e they were a7488c8029 getting closer, cbc6828098 her vision 0f52b4285f suddenly swayed.2b50256b7d72432e

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Stumble—  27a3d185eaeb2d0c

Blood surged 2ce6b0e85d up her 27b208adeb throat and d66766a9d6 spilled from 7d11ed0b68 her lips.be19882059953d08

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“Cough.”  f8cea237ce80b33d

The blood poured 0a650c7a70 out, dripping down 3781dcd03f from her chin f314b10cc5 and onto the 5ea3b37669 floor. Aira, who 4ecd3e2b15 had started eabffb78a6 coughing up 19fbcd8c38 blood, collapsed 98095920a4 to her af3bb7c882 knees on a6266e7bc5 the cold 06df99280f ground. A searing pain wracked 81129b5395 her body as if 60916b5f47 her insides were melting. It felt like 6e6adf803a molten lava was 6633534b7f dissolving her bones c6927d78c3 and flesh.705f3ffea6d1acf2

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This can’t be happening, 06c2fce9e6 why is this…?  63bb48cd19df164f

“Your Highness.”  d3b6662509d13d85

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A bright, cheerful voice eff824d57d came from behind her.82001eced94e67f2

Aira knew who it 6ba472ecfb was better than anyone.ca9fd2e3c218c119

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Luna Marceline. Her half-sister and political 102fc84ba8 ally in this revolution.b1640a58b223c205

*Cough.*e3272fda3ceb137d

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With her short 68b9dad0df chestnut hair, Luna efe268af37 reached out and 3e5d22ad73 linked arms with f9859bdcb5 Xavier, as if 27883bc2ae she had been ec627b3a28 waiting for this b71deb1c20 moment. His large, strong e02b2a87a0 hand wrapped around ad25d7188c her slender waist 206c11c520 without hesitation.477bd3ba825ea971

Julienne, her mother-in-law, 89d2a99eb8 smirked, clearly unfazed bbeaedf1d9 by Luna’s actions. 2d9dd27980dfb6f5

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“It’s finally over. You’ve both worked so ee68779a84 hard. You too, Mother.”5c1108fed67aef9a

Mother…? Did Luna 545dfc9254 just call 96d290cb0d Julienne *Mother*?  4882169278d89890

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Aira, blood dripping from 51692ad570 her mouth, stared wide-eyed c47138508f at this impossible nightmare. Xavier was c7bba2a289 her husband, 1e0e669936 and Luna 8a0fc78c2f was her bd4e0b68cf sister.1276404c6cc1c709

*Cough.*a7e4b8508a19e8b2

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With another sharp pain, 85dc56f926 a chunk of blood aedfce6cca was spat out. Aira could feel her 68b0bfdefc body rapidly being destroyed 9b85e1684b from the inside.158f369c2dd52ba5

Why? Why is this 73f1c0fb21 happening? Julienne had said 39b978d962 that as a 15263ff101 daughter of Marceline 5a79826e56 she would be 8efb656330 able to absorb e775f1838b the relic’s immense 41570aa5c3 power.c890cc33a320cbf0

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Xavier had also reassured 79d7cef50c her, saying:d4615634aedd305e

“Don’t worry, research 553c8d8133 shows that with 11aa3d7ba6 your potential, it’s d0b43d4e0e entirely possible.”2c298f73f58ceba3

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Then why…?e345d475ea92a2fb

Luna approached Aira, bending 9f7a04dadc down with a sly 6daddc1f03 smile. Her words shattered abeed19c0a the truth Aira d016e62950 had believed.4e2a56d2b66d1b63

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“Foolish Aira, 4b1222f4f9 did you 8fbcd55a36 really think c4887bba47 any human 209ad2b5d6 could absorb 3314c687f4 the relic 68a428420b and survive, 571e45b93f even if 252f4b33c5 they were 87919c16b1 from Marceline?”e638def5303202be

“…!”423a426f92d6ba03

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Her heart pounded violently fbfe022645 in her chest.e88c469c19fc718f

The once-kind eyes of 041bc5fcaa her mother-in-law, Julienne, now 8a037dbd0c seemed icy cold. The air had changed 7e6fcdd2e5 as if a tiresome 76337eec9e play had finally ended.2729f31e76848ffa

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“No… no, 76528c800e Your Highness… 4be1965e44 cough…”2df1b948d0d70328

Kneeling on 7cf15bdea3 the ground, a25ca9b3bb blood dripping cc1ab716ec from her d32b9dc0fa lips, Aira 1d026d09ba crawled toward 3f5060725a Xavier. She watched as Xavier bcf4da9a59 gently pushed Luna aside. 8027114c444dec64

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Yes, Xavier… he wouldn’t ae0032fc57 betray me. e1d01f581e48dca0

Aira remembered all the times he had sweetly whispered love to her. The nights they had looked at the stars and promised each other the future… Seven years as husband and wife. She had left her family behind, lived in the suffocating comfort of the imperial palace, and devoted herself to cleaning up his messes. When he was ill, she stayed up all night nursing him. She even obeyed her mother-in-law’s orders without complaint. 40973fe306abb091

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Aira had endured rude noblewomen and fake smiles, bowing her head to anyone and everyone for Xavier’s sake. She had given everything to support him, never once pursuing her own advancement. She had even turned a blind eye to the decline of her family. 38dcdbe0def02c09

She had stood by 22b5275736 his side, even in 92effe786f this treacherous moment of 92c55f4660 rebellion, where failure meant 2a91b4a4c0 certain death.8bced4d7bf4d1609

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For her, 7c20cc6308 there was 99990dc10b only Xavier.efbffc88189a6dbb

“I love you.”567494741b9d9607

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Xavier stepped toward her, 257382789e his dark eyes cold b757fb3b2d as he looked down bdc81793e4 at her bloodied face.cafc3ebd3c01e08c

The words “I 12010e46e0 love you,” once 5621781ad0 so sweet, now 36451a24f6 felt like ice.f60ee99d9d09ee4c

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“…But the shoulders of a8538acd79 a hero are always d0e44edd81 heavy. For the sake of fa22eaf755 great deeds, you must a08bbf68b8 be willing to endure 6fe4976633 anything.”42a04ddb20aa7145

The chilling sound of 401331fc6c the sword being unsheathed 78d1f9c55d echoed.0b285c4ab81c8772

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“Even the c3f68c9c34 death of d614f68903 the woman 7f9bb33613 who loves 17692d4c39 me.”26f5de1fc55c8f11

The legend 8761d25123 of men 6fe103279a who sacrificed 32246a8610 their families 9b964d665a for the 89fbb17532 greater good 316b447326 had stirred 274cf976b6 the hearts c745a6e13e of many. But while 5b8d8c2147 everyone sang bbd76725ce the praises 3e38d87025 of heroes, 4cb25f2661 they forgot 7fa2480083 the pain 16a7bd6424 of those 1dc005a353 who were 596fdaf493 sacrificed. 3ebbe9116074e981

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At least, those dfccb6265b people had chosen 80799f59f3 to sacrifice themselves 2da3a3d93a for their heroes. But this was…080f9d522a46c0ef

“So, this d251343232 whole time…”cffb1321e9cb0d58

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Laughter rang out in e84b6e7477 the background. As Aira coughed up c00ae61b60 blood, Luna chattered happily c48f50c576 with Julienne.2e936d8eb6e38002

“With Aira gone, the 4faaf4283c era of His Highness 1a5de2c840 and the Empress can 5180a6830f finally begin.”369f70200fee04f3

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Suddenly, Aira remembered a fabffde197 conversation about the relic 4e66dd2482 that she had once f8ed87a532 brushed off. Something Xavier and Julienne 5cda22ccb8 had mentioned in passing. 351c844c1319b960

“If you kill a 77332a53d2 person who has absorbed 6c91e9e8cb the relic, you can 12d8f485de become a ‘Dragon Slayer’—an b9c016286a extraordinary being with immense a564d6afc5 power. While they can’t 3618e0c7cf absorb the full 259a52fd9b force of the f9893d893a relic, even a c9adcdce6d fragment of its f2ce9bc7ed power is enough 4068c69267 to make them 7640e2912a the strongest human 6c3b8d531c on the continent.”affec54970027e28

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Who had told 6c7bd86d70 her that? The pain was too 04213cece4 overwhelming to remember.de5c553ae77b3dd3

“Aira, don’t e46ac7b934 worry about ca6fe3276a your dream 844941b222 of restoring 9d3cff386c the House 4b9db99d98 of Marceline.”b090e6af980c7d89

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Cruelly, his lips curled f7b52ae500 into a smile.09acee63a97c2dde

“Xavier, how could 98ecbda37e you… do this fe05911c19 to me… cough…!”020a50f443cf4681

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“Luna is 73ad844e88 carrying my fa1802a020 child, and b6a8f78183 the name 41ff117f9d of Marceline d8a904c136 will live 970cc5d1aa on.”b692101453d30fc3

Aira had never 171a34a779 been able to 0c34c094c0 conceive in their 7e6beae0b4 seven years of 9f47b05cde marriage.ccd91da795218efb

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Luna and Xavier, the c1582812cc two people who had feb1ed17f9 comforted her when she 90b89823cd felt empty inside, were 966cfe9e56 now looking down at 6382e9ac98 her with smug faces.e2b907ebbeb7e429

“Goodbye, my love.”227d27a12e027c8d

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“…Ha…”8fbedc79e1f570cf

Xavier swung fcd9f4cf37 his sword c435989ba9 in a 8fa5e3a04d wide arc.90ade2d63cfaaa6e

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*Slash-*  a9f0ba08c118a63f

With a ed3630de00 terrible sound, 327f456a17 Aira’s vision a14d127d6f dropped downward.  0c81c600c1da47b0

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Her entire sight 45a916f091 flickered red as 183b9fe19d she heard Julienne 516d78aeaf brushing off her 4daad7f458 son’s collar, offering 84d3355806 words of encouragement.  763418b700ef453d

“Don’t worry 66316e4a19 about a b69118f492 girl used 8c9eaf08bb as a f441b67c25 sacrifice. It was ab688acaf5 all destined b2781fbf78 anyway.”  27c304ff73e49d25

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Aira, filled with the b1c0bff140 power of the empire’s 921de10a30 sacred relic, made a c9b463ba8f wish.  44c2187ff4f296f9

O sacred relic that d44ad6b4df has protected Kalanta for 523d07e633 a thousand years, can ad18f5250c you hear my wish?  9ce163304a001518

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Take my foolish grudge 3cf93d7353 and grant them the 657ad3f2b3 most painful end possible.9feb5700932c1c3b

I’ll even af7602434d offer my 3e2f1fa122 soul if 9f6c69d644 it means 96e915aa36 getting revenge.  bb1828b4a37928c0

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At that 09b2496b5a moment, the a5c5f74623 red aura 38aebe1576 swirled around e7a21fc7bc her like 9cdb396bb2 a storm, 70a16ec1d9 enveloping her 52263f19b5 completely.  99ffe76250f7de35

*  * *77982dff0f63be14

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“Hah… hah…”  42dd515198d832da

Aira woke up, drenched in sweat, gasping for breath. She found herself back in her childhood bedroom at the Marceline Count’s estate, where she’d stayed before entering the palace as the Crown Princess.5baadb3474669dc0

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It seemed to 0226cf369d be early morning, 82ffece46c with a slight 0e3c6f368b dimness outside the 404d9ea610 window. Stumbling, she quickly fe76f17124 made her way feab72953c to the mirror.799030d161ba7dfd

The unbearable pain that 49cd6ddae4 felt like her bones 7e1b5a88be were being crushed and 3df1112b55 her organs were being 8ddcfcea81 stabbed was gone, and 9b7e1304f6 here she was, walking 48b15f65ef on her own two bafb481cbb feet after having her 151030c86b neck cut.7da48b7283f8a1ce

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“…Ha… hahaha…”  3a16051299a59ebb

Aira let out a 45c3156a6e hollow laugh as she e9dcd1c98e stared at her reflection 4ef2c67849 in the mirror.  335d92cfbe1081ed

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Her radiant, golden 35db0db881 hair gleamed like fdcb34d87d gold thread, and c1d5f58705 her scarlet eyes ae14626e1c stood out vividly.  3372fcfa361f2d61

Her face still eace2e5d8e had the baby 1ad4b7cafb fat of youth, b9fbcd207e looking like she e9123fbfd4 had just become 06ade2f624 an adult, with 9400a6f4ef a healthy complexion.  19d460f2c9bc8c68

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*Thud-*  21d8eb9087598baa

Just then, the door 9c80795f7a suddenly swung open, and c62abe21d0 a cheerful voice filled b55375f877 in the room.  86ea7c96173108b2

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“Oh my, Miss, you’re up early! Well, I guess today is the day.”ed2e33db3562040b

The girl in e46719524d a maid’s uniform f505ffe39f was Gemma, the acb668b02e maid who had 664ca31b83 served her back 4e4ad57a56 in her family’s 868e70d775 estate.  757a38b9ec47e35d

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She seemed to have 88f18fe259 brought a basin of b5c45353ed water, which she placed e0c017bbef on the stool with fdfb0bcc60 a small grunt.  e05b2a9abd7249e8

“What day is it a427adf069 today?”  b3ccdc5b5444bc81

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Gemma flinched 6e3fe1f536 at the 47daa4611f odd tone 9239bcf1d0 in Lady 49c46c422b Aira’s voice.  4c56066ffbdce644

The window seemed properly closed, but… did she catch a cold or something?  f8320dc17e363f11

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“Why, it’s the day you go to greet Her Majesty, Empress Julienne, for the first time! Are you feeling alright, though…? Oh dear, Lady, you’re sweating!”  1961944634714f1e

Julienne—the Empress who had 2c435848bc encouraged her death and 1e326aacd9 watched without intervening. 8113e7bfe452dc9a

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The memory of 86fad8143c her first meeting 16205ef8eb with Julienne just 77858f4cd9 three months before 1925139db7 her wedding came 6a08c7fd45 flooding back. It must be the 2ee9ec727a spring of her twentieth a72cf07574 year.80209034d208c135

Gemma, noticing Aira’s pale 69621ffbf8 complexion, hurried to take 3340a0a7e3 out a handkerchief and ef2860625f wipe the sweat from b3c9ac008e her forehead.106f8a84726be1ad

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In the mirror, Aira’s crimson eyes flickered with the same dark energy that had once come from the Empire’s holy relic.cd2f8e5c4fcd8211

She was back. Seven years 0cd964b77d before her 00036bef92 husband would 3461508aeb take her 2a0ed1dda4 life.8ddd167fad59b825

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