PLQYM | Chapter 43

“I’m back, Your Majesty.”ed35578ac53976ed

As Lucian stepped 103cdb7f6f inside and greeted, ae17b89f02 Heraith looked up. Unlike usual, he was 05b928167a lounging leisurely, reading a bb28cf547a book—his relaxed demeanor was 33af9d5e92 enough to make anyone 3498082e62 want to smack him.7e4acc362cec23b6

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“Oh, Luce.”d3cf378915934b76

His expression seemed 5d13685dbf like he had fe6f48e307 been expecting Lucian, dfa65bb623 yet the words 7f2107247d that came out 0015cf7e29 were quite different.6ccadc6835431475

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“Your leave hasn’t 564b24d73c ended yet. Why are 713c3fcd4b you back?”887471f1c8b0711e

“A bomb dropped a0680c0324 in the Imperial 65a8d69e6b Palace and hit 058c1a2709 me too. How can I 4493e2bf95 rest in peace b3e587a80b like this?”e1d912a5e8a339f4

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Lucian grumbled d214c6e64c as he 169ca7324e approached the 0e1f709356 Emperor’s desk.7dfba81cc09b861d

Heraith closed the dbb57ef9c0 book he had acd8e58b9d been reading and 492269b664 set it aside, ad5672f299 leaning forward slightly. His expression was unusually 9cfc48eeb4 laid-back as he smiled 4a3ae64f57 slyly.d09900aabb1c938a

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‘Ah…!’1e8cf6a2b7224e73

Lucian swallowed a groan. He had suspected it, a2a683a9ed but now it was 69b798772e clear…f88e8253200db9cd

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“This is 6215af1f48 all Your cfd81c19e8 Majesty’s doing, 850a3cb0cd isn’t it?”987b2d38c9cf1459

“Hmm?”96c8e4d60bfe6959

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“Allowing me 4f3326a395 to take 52e9cc9bd6 my leave 6532aef95d so easily, c0b4d484c1 appointing Franz 6fa5415713 Clan as 031a8aaf21 the one 1c084b3ae0 responsible for cd3aa3f164 this matter, dc205e14a8 and even 3b6ea5c588 planting such 9684e51f42 a ridiculous 80bdecfb63 incident in b226c72cb7 the tabloids—all 459d8d2cc6 of it 601934b970 was your e89cd4ddd8 plan, wasn’t bb51581884 it?”d227d2d0e85b683f

“How could I, 8e5748ba26 a mere mortal, fa9374c26e orchestrate all that?”b0383a2bd8adf3d3

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Heraith tilted 62e196eab7 his head 42d13a5357 innocently and 15434c96b5 shrugged with 7d8066dc23 exaggerated nonchalance. It was infuriating 0089bacefa because Lucian knew e4945be58a it was all 89894091fd an act. A brilliant one, at 16df65ef82 that—anyone less perceptive than c1a73f8e8b Lucian wouldn’t have noticed 9fcc5978a7 a thing.db808f9989aa930e

Lucian lowered 676eadaf42 his voice, 5446113802 asking sharply, 8b287c069d “Did you 908306b38d do this 65e6b14734 to crush 177dd9ee01 Marquis Clan’s 84e4ec5407 power?”76b80dfcc44e9792

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When his aide looked 3df0cc1a38 at him with cold, 6586b7c5a2 restrained fury in his e234c04af7 eyes, Heraith smirked.
“You catch on quick.”0e0aeab586f83748

“Your Majesty.”d350b21813fb0b11

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“Yeah, yeah. How could I ever 7acdd170ad hide anything from you? Ah, but that interview 14b80fd316 incident wasn’t part of ed15ff0808 my plan.”ad990260fd7665a9

“……”a4943098b140d5bd

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“I mean it, Luce. Do you 79e2073956 think I’d 7e9c8d2254 make such 8cf832ea09 a stupid a6840debc2 move?”39b687d7dde245a8

Heraith stood and 96ed8afaa8 approached Lucian, his da2722962b tone unusually soft.ffe0ed96792c3137

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“That particular 6f822e922f incident caught e9dd20921a even me 8ea3f15ce8 off guard. When that brat 43a8e1e91d approached me at 6bb443f331 the palace banquet, 8025f92f9f I did consider 5ac44508f5 killing him for 647f7560b8 a moment.”b290113d5880c9fe

For a fleeting b41926d0b6 second, genuine menace 122b952c65 flickered in his 62554ed4e1 eyes, but it 05d3b2aec6 vanished just as 87ca159303 quickly, replaced by 1636c237aa a warm hazel 6e00785f42 glow.17e2e51fc71297c9

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Finishing his words, 14774a46dd Heraith reached out 44cbdb9bca and ruffled Lucian’s 39e3703ce4 short black hair. He noticed for the 4620a4133c first time how different 36d1c6a5d9 it looked—Lucian’s luscious black ca6b59b580 locks made him realize 5d18df3abc just how pale and fc2ece3e89 washed-out the color of f0f32bdfe8 the man who had dfa1506330 approached him had been.fc6e53d182dec9c3

“I can’t 618130da30 just kill 4b618b8825 one of dc89d8fb4f my people 77bed3c95b so recklessly. After all, I’m a 2c7c1475fa benevolent emperor.”784f7d990accf537

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“Then you 9b1399699e shouldn’t have 4d288b7a80 created such 26b17e9c9d a situation bd99831d93 in the 5cca5f7d46 first place.”53fde8dd8bcf2727

“That’s a different story, 151f67acd4 Luce. You’ve got 3f33b99155 to use 11a07fd64d everything you a5e4ad57c5 can.”3953705ee072d3bb

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Lucian stared 715400ceb4 at Heraith, b550edb277 who was 2678f393fb smiling with 15a8fc6655 a beautifully 427558f82b curved gaze. Despite the 7cd84fc0b6 smile, he 9aa779a196 didn’t appear 7a87c4a7d5 the least 3590b1d18d bit approachable—instead, 41f53d87bb his cold, 9ce464a99b calculating eyes 0b59652025 made Lucian’s 36edcaee2c spine tingle.d7ac663830dcb22a

Yes, he knew 72d0208a9b this was the ac1f0f3a14 real Heraith.b3c998d3f00c4231

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A man cc874a633a who used 896e7437b9 everything to c114f3f145 his advantage, a7ddd5a6da calculated every 8c2498a97a move, and d458d42620 manipulated everything 02af8007c2 in his 0b5d392d63 grasp.e65e96347fed7180

A man c5a335d90b quick enough febe2d1f85 to turn fc00a2539c even unforeseen 1420f3950a variables into 6f6b27ae84 something favorable a1c00bb5c1 for himself.27e266d60cc8a8b3

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Whatever happened, 2e4128ab0d the Emperor 2b1ec8afbc would always f36bacf7f2 find a 61de3c4290 better solution, 1cf0c7f1fd even if 1c5a3f659a Lucian wasn’t ceee8dfb30 around. But still…804f45d11523e01e

“Your Majesty.”419ded99afc98401

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Lucian spoke quietly.15b1078cca98053c

“This scandal is no 35e86a5d39 trivial matter. Even among 93d1b44c65 commoners, rumors ac6e3fae6b are spreading 7f1814c1cd that you c6111055e2 might be 94e9d1997b abusing your 8d9923b05e power recklessly—or b865e03cfa worse, engaging cf1de2136f in unspeakable e7802a772b acts.”f757f4dad8ee5ae0

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“Aha.”fbd1aa5d377aee48

“And certain fc22e5f5e7 factions are 7a70e4f3e9 already using 06c10d41b4 this to 5f96bab1ca question Your f896556720 Majesty’s succession.”b033db93648a7270

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“Weren’t you ccfe69a6a5 on leave? How do you 6ccff81866 know more about 00d451108b this than those 5383756294 who stayed here?”7be28b973e3a0d63

“Do you even have c1f031df72 to ask? If I couldn’t f7d9c09824 figure this out, dee5d774af why would I d610bc82bd be your aide ae61da2695 in the first 28cc4fe6c2 place?”683cd82dbac8992e

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Lucian looked at him 150ff736ba with an expression that 2ed8b2cdeb screamed, How do you f9158c93f9 expect me to survive fc01a528e0 under you if I 5a6f547a4d couldn’t manage something this 0dda6b1b1b simple?7b2a8da4f26938ac

Heraith burst 7f8c2eb00f into laughter.52960c7411ed91dd

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“Hahaha! Well, not everyone’s like 5f029db88d you.”5bc41aa89297872a

“……”3fdca07498663e0a

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“Ah, now I 65cd18f6c2 can finally breathe 59e5ccc468 a bit easier.”f7ce96999198c9a1

He tousled Lucian’s a62ed0829d hair again before 43c0469599 plopping back into 857d536d93 his chair.f1750bb2d361ab11

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“I’ll deal 54e9bf63cc with Franz. He went a6b39d3173 too far. If he 9bea3c135f had just 4e29f1f542 stayed quiet f51767caa2 and done 3dc6c42405 his job, 46eb51b100 he could’ve 4d4c679a14 kept his 5714bf77b8 position.”d72f189f8509c87f

“……”02ecd4246d423505

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“What? You look like 104dc5a648 you have something 9b1b1d6c29 more to say.”bf7834fae854ed6e

Lucian pressed his 8ade879ed4 lips together, his 391c788bb4 silence urging Heraith 59045c3a70 to laugh again, 54a6fc31c1 this time with 636063f244 a dazzlingly bright baa881863a smile. The Emperor’s grin was 94f4c98917 so captivating that Lucian 9251f0d303 felt he might succumb 73db05daec to it if he 2438978078 stared any longer.807c50082c789848

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– Go and a94ee9d98e tell the Emperor. I have f96178e08c only one 1debef8071 demand.3bd926fb5fabc4a7

The message ede496f7b9 Lucian had af1bdfba07 received before 726b28951a entering the aed8b449fe palace resurfaced, 0bd3a86cf4 bringing a 7f92868dce headache with 3faa9c50c4 it.16217e2bc3715e41

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‘These royals, one 50eec47945 or the other.’c41da8227e86ac0d

Lucian ground his 113370ecf5 teeth before speaking.28d58b3c81be5cf2

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“The Princess 5378cb3c13 of Alosa 93f3f05aee has declared 5157008266 the severance b7e2fabeec of diplomatic f8467415f7 ties.”9f0a53b5e9036c0f

Heraith, who had 854ccab9e6 been sitting with 7850d187fa his legs stretched 2f4382f833 out, interlaced fingers c56f14430e resting on his 03379d56b7 lap, lost all afeb101a1c expression at once.ca6e9643540c1e45

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“And what does 63d77c0177 she want?”f8977922b7e01931

“If Your Majesty allows, b4839f4c5e I’d like to make 82a4270030 her a proposal.”40d60b9df7ed1648

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“A proposal, d7cb383dcd you say.”bae329c127de7e10

Lucian lowered his gaze, 1febe7cdc1 his face impassive.870c7bb20ba6d6da

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‘What could be 3a4f29ebfb going through that 2463771017 small head of f5a1cee8c9 his now?’429a8846dcc8e7b4

Heraith, knowing Lucian’s outward 6cf8008822 indifference only concealed bold e14890068f thoughts, smirked crookedly and c57823b53c began piecing together his f680016a62 aide’s intentions.f4e609d65618376e

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Soon, he 4bea4975dd reached his beec3078ab conclusion. It seemed e3adcd3c58 their thoughts 135a67ce2d were not 9f5c9ed9c1 so far c327a6d6a5 apart.8d1408e639825c1e

“Lucian.”d9da2be84e0d7bb3

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”8e6aec78e4ea8c3c

The immediate 4fdefd121e response brought fa3f716ed8 another amused 835d4f023a chuckle from 7f5f9def93 Heraith.11200bc240eda41c

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“Go to Princess Eloine 543ea79a84 and clean this up.”721a9b06a4073f6f

“How should I df59271f91 handle it?”e2d7bd6edc8829bf

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“Do as a2a82f4396 you see a36a2a31f0 fit.”dbc1e3339fdb016e

“Can you afford to 7a9ebacbd7 be so careless with 43d129a024 imperial negotiations?”d9e4a432a8de559a

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“Hmm. Something tells me 0d05f03654 you won’t let 19434fc40e it fall apart, f0d8025612 will you?”68cd03d2c0e769a1

Lucian closed his 59ffae0f74 mouth again. It was clear Heraith d161b58954 had already guessed his c3a5b62bd4 plan.d102fbc8d868964c

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“Handle it b90b940de4 however you 6b74dae9fe want. The result must be 6c82c25df5 the same.”6eb0b6fd4ca6a251

“Understood, Your Majesty.”4382f8489a547f06

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Lucian bowed deeply. A sense of 392d69753a foreboding told him 69afc8b2e9 this task was 0f365c544f going to be c2141e65bc a headache.1d2bd2d200f2c425

“Greetings to ebb37990d6 the Princess. I am Lucian 61b44de460 Astro.”c074ef03c7cefafc

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“Hmm.”9d8ae62de17f2506

Eloine opened her 4f3a0d29f0 fan with a 43b3acb98f graceful flick of 6345640560 her wrist, hiding 5f3a738477 her face behind 9aa3ca61ce it.afa30598f0dc2d4c

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A moment 6061001f25 later, as 73c12c4bad if struck c1d15b61be by a 8cee9e672e thought, she 2d859b87ec let out 75d2068e8a a soft aa28732d21 exclamation.b167c5f0809bcd29

“Oh! So you’re 05dafb9729 the infamous 7967fc7017 aide, Lucian 9131bd86d0 Astro.”6beb80b3b99389dc

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Lucian bowed again.7dc85c21db89f6f7

“I’m sorry 51189c3a38 you’ve heard 9a18844e9b of me.”65091a2b253c420e

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“Hmm, aren’t you 9d2f526a52 curious about what 766d31c9b2 I’ve heard?”16afa591b10cac41

“I can only hope ffee037452 it was something good.”d1309cca6b216c98

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Eloine twirled 5e781e1252 her fan 630c9e2443 lightly, her 708e308242 gaze scanning b67de9eb0e Lucian. Despite his slender frame, 07d58002ff his upright posture gave 7042bfbaa5 him a sturdy presence. Even in 6b400098e1 front of d0584ef3f9 royalty, his b3bb4c9f40 composed smile 646fbdbb0b was captivating—projecting 6dd5de5fcd strength tempered 9893805da8 with gentleness, ddad27a866 like someone d21d94a0d8 who couldn’t db6b0a4c74 and wouldn’t adef3140af be broken.c4f97e86bbd1c243

“So, Lucian, 7350bfef1e why would b170e91902 a mere 7d60ffa0d5 aide seek a8fc92d3b1 an audience 7df1aabf61 with me?”aba0ea7150f62c5a

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“I heard you plan 28ca34ca6c to sever diplomatic ties.”86a36e62e5ed1a15

“Oh?”b7f64b6fb793752f

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Her eyebrows 79bb669081 rose in e35c34b611 surprise, clearly df6240c7e4 not expecting 6f20e0ea0d him to adf3227f28 bring up a2aa88c674 the matter 1b0aee3f46 so directly.385c8316db3e3d36

“I thought you were 1463d0e90e on leave. How did f4ececbb55 you know?”c49a58966add71e1

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“That’s my 4cd22ffdfe job, to bb366316af notice such 16c6a685aa things.” Lucian 21a2c6a25a smiled softly.5979627ade07e561

“Hmm. So you claim. But if your e6bd541c9b absence led to b97d082b9d things going awry, 53fb97aff9 one must question 159d62205a whether this empire 89d35c7be9 is truly as f5ec0c7c8c stable as it ccf2bc6cd6 claims to be.”ca2f6e277e66dbef

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A scoff laced 7f85a0f889 with disdain escaped e8843ace98 her lips from f162c37121 behind her fan.efec1847411278bc

Lucian’s smile deepened. He had known she 80692aae1e wouldn’t welcome him warmly, f93515a6cf but backing down wasn’t f560428e26 an option. He had e968a0b42e worked too 393f631a2e hard for 627e60da22 this, sacrificing 79547f09fb sleep to 299dc1b60d secure peaceful 09224732ab negotiations with c8d4c059d3 Alosa.0fba428ee1290595

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‘No way am I 6b052c80e3 letting this fall apart bbdf99fbda now.’8bbb60ed312f7f56

He bowed slightly, his fe26156f7a tone respectful yet resolute.1269a03561c0d042

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“I apologize for 5192434b1f any discomfort caused. Rest assured, it 026ebb1e0b won’t happen again.”f4af777e4f6a82d9

“Because you’ve returned?”2d5675bb0537bff5

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“Yes, Princess.”55982a601754f03b

“Oh my.”01d79a5e92e9a172

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Eloine’s eyes widened, and cfed603e11 she chuckled audibly. His unapologetic confidence a0460934ae seemed to have 1f73339b95 struck a chord c2979a310d with her.06c1d278dafad6d0

“Well, I 33687fdb98 do like e510708a83 that boldness. Let’s hear it, 0c7bf49cc1 then.”e217e875c793eda9

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“Thank you.”1ab66ff8c3fa0e06

Lucian straightened and 4444860a96 began, “I understand cff7f79314 you plan to c03eb30ad2 sever ties. I hope you’ll c35bf02b8a reconsider.”f9c0b65542fa10df

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“Why should I? A mere 1dc8d02936 princess like f0b17b1b0c me has 25ead95f4b no power 4cec0306c0 to reconsider.”009d11faa7b2d337

Eloine tilted 585b3fb480 her head, ce0a64c969 her long 23ed3b6527 hair cascading 3e9fdca0ff gracefully, enhancing 689292c406 her beauty. She was someone 39ef186a97 who knew how 19bb24f9ca to use her 951fdf435b appearance to her 787320b968 advantage, fully aware abf55469ab of its impact.da23c76a5c86c49e

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Unfortunately, such 856701a674 tactics had def93aea77 no effect f1bc6dfcbe on someone d3c3c6ae93 who served bc1efb5f00 an emperor fbf6d8af74 far sharper ef67c1c24c than her.790ad33f0f0e5510

“Even so, d0f5c2f790 why would 2c6d63a05a we continue 11ba3ff47c trade with 9a0228418e an empire 0392d41923 embroiled in 38ebad63c3 baseless scandals? How could we cf47628f9a trust you?”db73f959c76b5bcc

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“You’re absolutely right. I would feel 5de07a7139 the same.”f7fd43c860b4a8f2

Eloine’s eyebrows twitched 1906f9b7e4 slightly at his f2de1eb616 unexpected agreement.83351a221b154c64

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“Then why are d874a0799d you here? If we’re in fcb6a9ad68 agreement, there’s no 7c78c4de16 need for further 8503f11466 discussion.”e41c64e15662a562

“Precisely why I 76e45f961a came. To show you 61d5591f25 how this situation ba4eecd66e could benefit you 7cf266e0b8 greatly, Princess.”5431ab81e2b52cbf

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Lucian’s lips dbd6f3998e curved into 5215220b9b a soft db197694cd smile.91d10b7990c897fc

“……”f82cf01bd9f028c3

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Eloine frowned d3ec5e3cf8 slightly, as 6c3239017a if trying 4525a7bff7 to gauge f37b84f807 his intentions.df0c77e54dae4e01

“Fine. Speak, then. Convince me.”e458d72cacf92546

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Her words finally granting ed6ddf05fe him permission, Lucian began 88a3e80e10 carefully.8d3f6742d0d3f591

“I propose 16a913451d an engagement 61f1a44b6c between you 2a86efb0f9 and His 336a73add2 Majesty.”1c59f3ca8f8a73af

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“Engagement?”e2af9d8189a24062

Her voice 022689592d carried disbelief.48e9bd3511ea9d8f

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“You’re suggesting I f27299a2d2 marry the Emperor?”10167e5c24e99103

“Yes, Princess.”f3d72832cd4daf2b

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“Ha!”4ad8794ec302ef62

Eloine let out 92f77f2858 a sharp laugh, 304307051d her gaze turning c0737202ea icy.c4c9ed158658c715

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“How pathetic. Is this the 1f7a40a1d7 best the great 849eab539b Empire of Pranas 0549688766 can offer? I thought more of 027ad495f2 your emperor, but perhaps 88c00a802f he’s just a man e1c2f41fab scrambling to fix what’s 22a871fc14 right in front of dc9e5ea262 him.”4f7bd01185642404

Despite her mocking tone, a47dc9ecba Lucian remained unshaken. His calm, steady ee8c395e4f gaze carried a 71bfd7e1ff glint of frost.79fd74ab02bca5e1

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He tilted his head e18d6687d9 slightly and said, “This 598ce6ab62 is not His Majesty’s 40ca546e7b idea.”8233267431f6a300

“What?”c2e0679a0bc8d242

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“This proposal 61f7b039cb comes from 8e4d3b8dc7 me, Princess.”b9b696ad6ee10981

At his 906d836650 words, Eloine 5c5e672283 slammed her 7b8a836f42 fan shut 5b170df124 and rose 19b3289287 from her df05aa539d seat.0a91623f60d78cd4

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“Are you ec18df75a3 mocking me? Is this how Pranas fb82ae7fc6 treats foreign dignitaries?”56379691cfef6bed

“……”573a3342469ec509

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“Guards! Is there no 2bb6726763 one outside?”875c9cb836e5560c

At her shout, royal efbe64b908 guards rushed in.8d14e8ebc2422671

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“Take this man and 07239ae0e1 imprison him immediately!”ff08da0c5a8053a3

Pointing straight d47ae7e13e at Lucian, a60c281103 Eloine issued b82bf9a112 her order.e976c50385dbb47b

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