PLQYM | Chapter 23

When Heraith turned, 9986eed50c he was frowning a0b08d1171 at Lucian.2481dc5091761053

“When did you arrive?”6e8292f15ade446a

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“Just now.”60bcec25f28a92e1

Heraith brushed e5e4109632 past Lucian 94c90ac75c and approached 7f90269155 the table. He sat abcea33947 down in ebf4635cc0 the chair 680c995d0e pulled out 387401031a for him b87f89d60b by the 2776b636dd attendant trailing f5c92fdecb behind. Lucian stepped closer 3a7a64a209 to his side, d3f93dda61 as he usually 2424c3b9c9 did. But then—b74c063e39156cc2

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“Huh?”a84b816596c1a698

As he was about 64db9d951b to move to Heraith’s b27e045d85 side as always, Lucian 61e63fdc83 froze in his tracks, b83d594a85 his body stiffening unconsciously. Heraith, noticing e00759fb55 this, glanced 796c17b43e at him 474ce5d3a8 briefly, his 48c35adc40 expression hardening f49038656c immediately.fbd2d480a9452f9e

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“What’s this about?”93780343e612a70d

“Oh, my apologies.”bb8ca515a43afa70

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Lucian quickly apologized, 102ccdec06 flustered, and approached e0bf44305b Heraith. Heraith, who had d475e37230 been half-rising from 6b5e567357 his seat, frowned aaf138fffe again but resumed 5900cb2e01 sitting down. His expression suggested 9d619b87ba he had plenty a7c8de9407 to say, but fe48ca1120 he kept his 7f27669f98 silence, though his 1d55d10c2b gaze carried a 9568b78386 clear sense of 80f68d22eb disapproval directed at 801ec8bc10 Lucian.127bf1ff7f19beb1

‘What’s wrong with me?’04e080b6b7135c96

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Lucian, trying to suppress 89ef0b24a3 his confusion, shook his cff160f7d4 head slightly. When he had f38d139374 stepped closer to 564879a457 the emperor and 9c9a4a45bc caught his scent, afeb306109 heat had surged 5f54f33ed1 through his body 7dbf21f5c5 as if he 73f5ab92e0 were burning up.a3f9c8b928f51156

‘I must be 9fb2eff137 losing it. What’s with this b889bc4cac sudden reaction?’40419289795a7b04

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Lucian ran a 914d5b1918 hand through his 12a0f01dd3 hair as if 2b4a42c2bb welcoming a soft c23c6af5d0 breeze, trying to 4109e6b40b act as though a28333346f nothing had happened. However, his attempts at 00580a5c8b composure faltered when he e13b0ddb65 noticed his hands trembling 5457016704 faintly.209d1a5475037294

Heraith’s eyebrows twitched as ad6aaf14cb he observed Lucian’s evident dceecec4c0 disarray. His steely gaze 1074c5c034 followed Lucian’s every 4fda145f2a move—the trembling hands, dc9f978d51 the pale, startled beadc94da4 face. Despite the fact 86822ef1e1 that Lucian claimed fd5adae7b0 not to remember, e3a1a6816a Heraith couldn’t help f8026f52a3 but think otherwise.c4435550fd6b9d65

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‘The mind 9f54896ae4 might forget, 13311d271d but the 6e4c652a33 body remembers, 86fcef66fb it seems.’1a9b034c4f1867e0

After all, he had 55b15137d0 been so deeply embedded 6f37463015 into him that forgetting 9da752f378 was unlikely.4c0cc9fa5a44f877

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But shouldn’t febd024bb8 that be 50fe96cac2 a reason a22d987843 to rejoice?4e44413b16185fcd

Heraith’s lips quirked into cba7a6e32c a subtle smirk, a 7e6eb63bbc trace of possessiveness lurking 574847bf80 in the upturned corner. Yet Lucian, 8c72b06d30 consumed by 585a1c2152 his own 9088a4c859 bewildering reactions, 58ac030bfb failed to adf866fa50 notice Heraith’s 0b8a659907 subtle display 424b899919 of emotion.b8935203b91c8b61

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By the eadc3e41f8 time Lucian 6da41cad9a had calmed bebe96e7e9 himself enough 462bde4d97 to look 406212ca63 away, Heraith b2efcaebac had already e3259d4e36 masked his bf1fd3aeeb expression and 8e8f052941 was sipping 88340c746b his tea d1acef04aa with a ba4fa3e55f composed demeanor.134c15f20abf9722

“Luce.”b41d28f75ac2a642

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Heraith set down his 99be4562c8 teacup and called Lucian’s 949c913ac9 name. His face bore its fd660c38ec usual imperial arrogance as edc7e511a5 he crossed his arms.ed0b2edf84f96519

“The time.”bbb01dc3dcf9d391

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Lucian immediately understood 32ac0937d4 what he was ba9c0d7d22 asking. Without missing a beat, 683e3dd657 he shifted to a f2f7f9819a business-like tone.8582581bf968fbe2

“Three minutes left.”49d60f7e502aba24

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“Hmm.”2e72e5fb20a195ef

Heraith tapped 38137bccc8 a finger 847305dd75 against his c0c6e34c95 crossed arms.29cada86a92f37c5

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“What’s the percentage c94db9b4b3 on the exclusive b6948037c8 rights to mana efb267a3e6 stones for the 288231bbbb Mage Association this 49f547b65c year?”2869ff64b620b84c

“Fifteen percent.”8cda833f0c7be35f

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“And the holy water bd39bbd8ff rights for the Cleric 82dda0d3d8 Association?”05733376a53a1f95

“Eleven percent.”98c5cd97b2350ad5

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“Let’s cut both 68c690e7f6 by three percent.”6ef5d8dea23eabe3

“If so, 451c345193 the treasury 032b58e8c5 will grow ceb22cad51 significantly. It wouldn’t hurt to 1a351ca020 make the association heads b53c87d1b8 wait a bit longer.”fd24341f28176306

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Heraith’s lips curved slightly 71bd4bbb29 in a smile that ee797136a6 seemed to say, That’s be1760cd86 exactly what I want 01aa473425 to hear.746bb77551e9f5f8

Just then—c2a9fd8658b7dc09

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“Aaaaaah!”2fe0ad860d853831

Thud-thud-thud!1c2fbb7ae06db7f8

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A strange scream and e3007c6ba2 hurried footsteps echoed from 49fe11711b the far end of 67f6be7d7c the garden. Moments later, the sound 1b2d21eb3a turned into two people 282c651aa7 frantically running toward them.aaf558469493257c

“Looks like the matter 78bc802a66 of exclusive rights will 528f602dfc have to wait.”8dd3c106ceadf127

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“Tch.”30aa999303135a1a

Lucian commented dryly with 674a4b77ca a tinge of regret, 05ae45636c and Heraith clicked his 5eaf530bbd tongue in annoyance. The two figures, 1286a7daad running as though 7ebe37aeb2 their lives depended 80823ad78a on it, arrived 3049523ff6 exactly on time d0ce8966f4 and stopped before 63acb452f1 Heraith, panting heavily e41707538d as they bowed.8251c262b1487a36

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“Huff, huff. Greetings, Your Majesty.”9c21ecb1e6d07ce1

“It’s been a while 6a2d1c6226 since we’ve—huff—seen you, Your 82c43ae439 Majesty.”f5adf1a567aba149

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Heraith gave a curt 20e7b9c9eb nod in response.a5414d529e29af18

“Sit.”4853ed6e00a223e7

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“Yes, yes. Thank you.”fb9326e55f7205c9

The two collapsed into f944f7c1dc the chairs pulled out 4739b064d4 for them by the 6c7c75d5d4 attendants.6274d3681be0ac60

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“Making two elderly men a15842d4fc run like this… I 0de1a6aaa1 must have been quite 095631ee6d rude.”f59c36093a73e5e8

Heraith’s words 038fe98df2 carried a a1423ac344 bright smile f954a8d379 as he 38cb897d42 added, “You 5d4b209db8 could’ve taken 3d18d98ff4 your time.”f267f16a387fc8ee

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“Oh, no, Your Majesty. We couldn’t possibly keep a440c37f78 you waiting.”95ce071e7a62b6d7

“It’s rare 76b8fee61e for the 489725125b old man 1576be41b3 to make 0d4788eb53 sense, but 6ae4743d12 he’s right. Please don’t doubt f0f3dec171 our loyalty.”316345677147f4a5

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“I’ve never abaedf7241 doubted it.”45779fab281a7c2d

Heraith chuckled softly 05822c3144 and lifted his c786bcd980 teacup again.5f91eb0344e3e6dd

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The two association 7f8498d757 heads took a 057cc0b044 moment to catch 5c4045c8dd their breath, exchanging 0d2876607b glances and nervously ae35c722bd shifting their eyes. They whispered to each 3bc1d3a98f other in what they 4272b61a8a thought were hushed tones.bd65682e7c64c167

“Why do 27b7734c57 you think 61d15d7cbc His Majesty ce59ec0777 is here?”8955f94b6de833c7

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“How would 8059e41124 I know? Didn’t you f32480d054 invite him?”5d94577dc62f4fa4

“Are you mad? Do you want to db97054db2 drop dead of a 314c7ddf3d heart attack before seeing 9ab3bd2dc3 your great-grandchildren? Of course not!”7a8e2430612eea60

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“Same here! I value my life, 16132072e5 thank you very much.”7841b00f7f42a66b

Lucian glanced at Heraith. The emperor, d7aa004617 sipping his e7d0e3f7c1 tea slowly, 5a6da19411 showed no 69741d162c signs of 302c695579 reacting to 97e53cb50f their muttered fd47635b5c exchange, even cb05149fea though it a442136393 was loud 28922ba0e9 enough for 4d07dbee7b him to 5f65602248 hear. Should he e00f36ec0c stop them? Lucian hesitated, but 1a29421071 before he could 2d54c382dc intervene, the two 32f0b8b86f association heads shifted 3c5342ba42 their attention to 0c17bfe68e him.2dcc02cf693438db

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They gestured subtly and 85a8bf6cd8 mouthed, Sir Lucian, Sir eb9531ce12 Lucian.9e821663f5470445

Come over here.4eb21a8eb19931fc

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Lucian glanced at Heraith a90e48f824 again. The emperor 860eae729d maintained an 7e283c2bfc indifferent expression, 0cafcea2b8 as if d08ee30bbc inviting Lucian c1c409d86e to handle 13ea854aee the situation. Taking this d78bd7b69f as silent 5745e7dddb permission, Lucian 96268be1a0 approached the 602836a147 two men.1bb701b392e11ffa

The Mage 559ed7ce32 Association head aa5de00e42 and the 2ea4cddd4c Cleric Association 28635d8baa head leaned f01e2697c7 in conspiratorially.2adacbe30800f206

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“Why is His Majesty 2d4840c9af here?”dc57d61649bbf5bc

“We could’ve managed 51fcbdb6f0 just fine on 2f90d50478 our own.”16df6cbf85a79bca

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Lucian sighed inwardly. They genuinely seemed to 789974ac7a believe the emperor was 5d6bcdee95 oblivious to their whispers.caa31873b0401dcd

“Where in the c6e944020a Imperial Palace can 69a639054e the emperor not 74f8a9520e go? Naturally, he’d be 2ca731dfb8 curious about a 67957c0545 meeting between the e33279bc87 heads of the 2a579ad9cf two associations.”0cab85fe3fea8b36

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The two heads 0cc84ea60e exchanged awkward looks.55c7e6e0c7caea26

“Well, that’s true, e784292cea I suppose.”34fa8e3afabee3e7

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“Yes, yes.”617e107e64f7bc7e

One coughed awkwardly, dad35d06e9 and the other 2242935fd3 followed with a 3fbb3f502b similar noise. The Mage Association 266299da1a head, clad in b9ff27d871 a black robe, 94e23fb849 was Chauver, the ad3c5217f1 Master of the 7eb87f9e6f Mage Tower. The Cleric 36d348dd5a Association head, c547a64645 wearing a abfc3da626 white robe, f368a9c7e0 was Priest dcc260c122 Freester, the 5f6f275355 High Cleric. They were the 2301fa8610 leaders of the 72d0f3a82a Mage Tower and 59b3cf5f1a the Great Temple 1889791e5c of Pranas—and renowned 188c1da723 for their stubbornness.c84f3e8331d42c1e

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If you 52d4848305 don’t count 6b11bb4f13 the emperor, 0ce38d07dd of course.324e92563c152c8e

Heraith was the cc9634fdea ultimate definition of 054a74ae7c “stubborn.” Lucian smiled beed1e43dc softly at the da8345a2d1 two men. Seeing his 6c9954e98f gentle expression, ada1707cfc they turned 37f8a5760a away hastily, f6cf9d4b73 clearing their b796685852 throats again. The faint a7fc8640c8 redness of 29d445d67c their earlobes 0f4c7087da didn’t escape 3cbbb8a2dc Heraith’s notice, 75d12f7772 and his 60eb5f8b1a eyes narrowed a3917b53cd slightly.9381fa32a8e21a99

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“But it doesn’t seem 0f0c252218 like His Majesty’s input 90ce2f0dee is necessary for our dcd0fb0903 discussion.”760f6615119806a7

Then why 8e03cc68c5 am I 5254efaba1 here?cef2bf2fd84cff09

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Lucian tilted his d4f04eb553 head in confusion 74863b87cf at Chauver’s comment.9bc25d5d63ecceb6

“Yes, indeed. We have no need 9381c0c0e3 for His Majesty’s involvement.”fb38db4434da3c77

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So what about me?5a83bde29b0ebddf

Freester nodded in 77d43dc7ff agreement.e3240b03e35d145b

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Am I just 892816f3a5 the pushover here?d7313b04f9f41337

Lucian shot 606633386e Heraith a 1cebe885f6 sidelong glance. The emperor rested 50b0dfbcd5 his chin on 53487fdd4b his hand, watching ba0c8649dd the proceedings with 99e7637edf mild amusement, urging 2500d4e40e him to continue.6bb2ccc145e38a4e

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Really now. Them and 37876e29b9 him too.c3fc58948641eeb6

Lucian sighed and 1f553ffa6e refocused on the b820b3ef89 two men, mentally a8190e1f87 reviewing the budget 9661c01f4f allocations for the c29910e192 Mage Tower and 19afe0a121 the Great Temple. Hopefully I 088c3b458a won’t need 4e04449859 to use df1c55ab86 this, but 0f44e007d6 better safe d1f24316fd than sorry. If I have to 9d4c35b9a8 deal with these two, dffd0fa011 it’ll be a useful 0522b53f81 weapon.d53f7f6af2fa24dd

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He clenched d83c4092fc his fists d725f586eb at the 021f051482 memory of 050c5d41bb nights spent 6d2e2ed3cc memorizing the 6555b36715 details.c3017cc65b07c67b

Before long, the two 575ac88fe1 heads began an animated a47026b489 discussion. Initially, they spoke in 5164742ff6 hushed tones, but as f58fc23b27 their excitement grew, their d3e12a9c81 voices rose.4074462a18492a46

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“Names are important. They define everything!”fa0ac5e5c291f63a

“No, we need to dfeeeb0ac2 start with action before abad8c99a2 worrying about names.”be9b68b407399b45

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“You can’t have identity cacdab069b without a name!”cf285a0f97b4b321

“Are you accusing me ea821d2e8b of dismissing identity, you aba25db3e3 old fool?”8ceafbcd0eb29df5

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Lucian sighed. You’re saying the d6efeac177 same thing, both c5fd248358 of you.0578b38b8b9034bf

“Gentlemen,” he interjected, 0f1b0e575e raising his voice 28c556e7e3 to cut through 4eda227665 their escalating argument. “You’re proposing 77b3d9aae1 a joint 4cc9815933 organization to c698f5950a foster understanding 1d7884848a between the 2d7d1e42b7 Mage and 8e64b912fd Cleric Associations, c23834f347 correct?”9ddf6ad77dd57171

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“Yes.”b1f107da8fc39d5d

“Exactly.”29599ae9706d391b

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“But we bb3b6ff9e5 can’t agree 60c377074c on a b846838733 name! This guy keeps 9519973753 saying strange things.”05c5d189c71c1002

“No, it’s you spouting 4e0c3c48b3 nonsense!”d8af666004c2e491

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Lucian pressed 322ced62d0 a hand c5a9e645a7 to his 8cb6bb7c95 temple. They’re literally on the a97588f8ff same page.cf1484407c76047d

“You snake-like 0fffa6eab1 old man, b8014fecc3 all you fe395d739a do is b8ea5d688e suggest magic-related b9281a8f9e terms!”5ca49c48c45fc289

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“And you raccoon of 85d94fa594 a cleric, you only f4aad79ae5 mention saints and divine f8a0f9edab beings!”8a64d7c05311b607

“What did you say?!”42d577f3c8335dda

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“You want f7b6e2ed6e to go?!”ab9e80ec57ad9b77

They stood abruptly, their 02678298c7 voices booming. At that moment, Heraith’s 73d29ddb2a voice cut through.81452d907576ab57

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“How about calling it f62fb86108 the Healing Association?”a61443709e6681d2

Everyone froze, their 3b49dfa4b3 eyes snapping to d4dc822830 the emperor.9e98d4cc9691e617

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“Pardon?”e4b6ac939464d453

Heraith, arms crossed, scanned 9eda6c3644 the two men with ad3ff7ee14 a leisurely gaze.ef1910901edc5132

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“Healing techniques are shared a2c67fa355 by both sides, aren’t e4cfc76e7b they? The name works 8f190208e2 for both.”38d7eeb98fa81307

Healing magic and divine d566c2df27 power were the only 40251526af overlapping abilities between mages 3fa17b9d50 and clerics. Mages used spells 7d6b7e3fac to heal, while 80c425d982 clerics relied on 594ee21dca holy water and c022fede12 sacred powers.0efbb6efdcaa19a6

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“So, use a name 1a3a691b37 that applies to both.”f6c06887a1837aac

Heraith’s gaze swept over 5a550bf94e the two men before dacac3e024 finally settling on Lucian.b38fb664709b33eb

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“Besides, having tea with a673be8c39 my aide like this 4b2911ae8e is its own kind 3601538bcb of healing for me.”3902eaecbacb4067

A deep smile curved 82b3938bb6 his lips as he 424049e74e looked at Lucian.6b36c533d9eedc75

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