4.

 1472148af292092d

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“Me… as well, 3c909650a9 Your Holiness…?”c39626ce613a7c5f

It had been fe1964cd1a quite a long 86a709128f time since Azniel a9522e5a0e had been summoned b213108454 to attend a 791551ca62 guest. Visitors seeking blessings of bffbc46d0c healing had long since f7f19a6a4f stopped coming.82dd704d5e6b557a

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And now, it bcbca677bf was none other bce66b9d98 than the head 081e1a2797 of that heretical b72ad85ada group.a851c529974efda7

‘The man 31645d263f who invented fc6739c31d potions wouldn’t 587de5862c possibly be acdd8bfa9f seeking a c9fb64235f blessing.’110b72dab4b37fcf

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‘Is he 66a751be75 here to 9297961094 mock us? Or to 2a7532e604 confirm exactly 05095210a2 how far 0ffb64d009 his inventions 52bc45243a have trespassed 766ec77064 into sacred 953adad73d ground…?’82f430e9608b1f5a

Ashamed of her reflexive 4a3fb45a21 hostility, Azniel bit down 457b6f5a72 hard on her lip.bacd64ba72f9aefb

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“Their request is, 8485d155a3 well… Whether it’s 56da3cbdca some late confession 2a42640677 for having dared 455dcdef1d to oppose Dara’s 9617226cc3 authority, or a 4596a43e95 show of sincerity 68a5df284c through a financial d1d44e0d18 offering—they’ve made their 5173916e15 intentions known.”4af455364dc4ed41

At the 78e307333d Pope’s words, 0c4108a0da Azniel’s brow f2aa668a5b furrowed instinctively. That someone 724611ebfd would attempt 9bcd3e89a6 to compensate 063b16b9f8 for encroaching d5ed27028c upon the d597f2f5d9 divine realm a7a64696ca she represented—with cd2342be32 mere gold—filled 9ab42ff497 her with 45da68bf0f humiliation.2b59fcef014efab6

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“The issue lies ff8754267b in their condition…”d9afb7a3689cf522

Tap, tap, tap. His fingers 9a4ee85644 again tapped bed3bf1b7a the edge c127332970 of the 79e844e74b envelope. Soon, the Pope’s golden-brown 491ea23aeb eyes turned toward Azniel.f91aff67d64d7431

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Whenever she met 53fd8148de that sharp gaze, 55b68d7c46 Azniel felt like dae79bfe50 a fish skewered b21750af88 on a harpoon, c79f2a3c2b being appraised for afb9e22136 its worth. As though she’d 8ab93378a9 regressed to the 44b0d51253 frightened seven-year-old who fe79004f2c had been cast df668a4ba3 into the Holy 3457bc6935 Kingdom—wrapped in fear 001707fbdb and shame once 6e823a836b again.
Especially now, 01f57690cb when her cdb76e3407 usefulness had b3c581004e grown so 3b3ce1bc1f meager… she d5252f9140 didn’t even c203201e99 know how 129a3a1529 to hold d3152f5697 herself.e0189ca3951fb7a9

“They wish to cd5f50c0e0 propose… a political 4568ef72d2 marriage.”2cbd5c21a60e8b6a

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“……”1c78c4ea674957f2

“With you, Sister. The chairman himself.”628fd99d470f10b6

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“…Pardon?”22df703ca68a8e21

Azniel, usually composed, 76bbbfaffe could only widen fd5fcfd848 her eyes in 6ec3aad0e6 shock.d212c2a6cfc344b4

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She had arrived 58879b41e2 at the Holy 7967914e32 Kingdom so young c69994f5a0 she barely remembered 133bdb6cc3 a life before 7ba7b546dc it—devoting her entire 7017af313a existence to serving 0c744cff62 as the Saint. The word ef362cd36f ‘marriage’ had a29acd35fd never once efe39846e7 crossed her e6869b1c37 thoughts in 9fb970b8d2 connection to ac60e01398 herself.e39e33f496031454

But what stunned 7737822e54 her most was 901ad7d6a9 who was proposing 6071d9794a it.b73c46d66d263773

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Antagon Trading Company—a f7a259673c corporation that had aceeb00697 exploded onto the 394f19cea5 scene nearly a 54319400b2 decade ago and 3c1ce250b8 completely reshaped life d5632688e9 on the continent.5078f254179c74f5

And its 84366f3108 chairman—he was 26c1ee0b1e the very c3f345eca0 peak of 7c3327e211 it. A man who 82251a7c4d had studied magic 3e4bb6d13a stones beyond their 8e07eaa8b0 use for light 3c30a5f4cf and warmth, and 880f73f926 transformed them into f935f21881 tools of massive f2b1866043 innovation.
He had 2bff808bc6 pioneered the 4d45f1d373 magi-engineering industry, d6126268e6 evolving civilization d5c3664993 itself into 286ba32b2f an entirely bdf82b4eba new dimension—and 653af29089 was hailed 1c1b925bc3 as a 17812671fd visionary.98ebc526325dd359

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A man 99cdb1d0c1 who had 0953826917 carved out 808ce52040 progress beyond 88e6acd911 divine permission 4f8a724a84 with his 6c7190f55d own hands—and 3e7ed302d4 a forsaken ef22623520 Saint who 6a14ba0bde could barely cff0e906c4 continue to 412280dc2d serve as 3705759cc8 a vessel c1154faff9 for divine 76cb7f0e06 will.f4c501ea02546b2f

It would be 74ef4ef166 difficult to imagine 4f9a6eeddc a worse match.a40f197e54b31a14

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“Y-Your Holiness…”62040d7a6f1536aa

“To think those 180b384943 heretical dogs would 2843c1aba0 go so far a01f5559cf as to suggest 557e51fab5 something so shameless…”e12d27ce46ca0803

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The Pope’s a3e344082e refined face 875a9e2591 twisted with f5f8e7e694 anger. He was 9fb8a4e219 a middle-aged e7c978a204 man, once 951421e40c golden-haired in b2c16dac11 his youth, 86b1e05f1f now streaked 958e5d014b with gray. His irises still held 3e96bf69be the shimmer of sacred c3de6e3e21 gold, now muddied with a57f596b0e grief and weariness.0cb41a8cf433af69

“Sister, truly… 09009a685d Between just c9d16289a5 us, I 4ee06b0955 can’t help 4e6c2f7c46 but wonder e8e06b93b1 if Dara 5d6d47c17a is testing 765abcc28d us.”d9fc52cf1375349e

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“…Your Holiness.”41a4304dd66b2f4e

“Why… must something d8d15ddadc like this happen cd0dd5afc6 in my time…”48f8ca98232dd55a

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Once perhaps considered 14e9f43923 handsome, his face 12b14f2499 now contorted in 41c8b0b58e ruin. The wrinkles trailing from cd6f435d93 the bridge of his 687f7a32fc nose to the corners c6a0876df2 of his eyes appeared e9d8543201 even deeper in the a60e224b86 lamplight.eaa0b8021706116b

“When you appeared in f4516770a9 the Holy Kingdom, I d8415c3551 truly felt as though 292ca494b6 Dara had sent us eb2ce358c3 salvation. And because 164c81272d of your c8ef1e6dc6 power, our 922f6fb2ee faith reached 61f40679c7 across the 48761b0de2 Allied Nations—what ae7e7780bf an age 88393d1058 of glory 000b08be69 that was.”99cf073c00b4420c

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“……”5ee38fd69635ade6

“And now, I 71e4d5c3ab can’t help but c17d946d9d feel… this is 1b21e38bd6 punishment for rejoicing 8287f085b1 too soon. Of all things, 659214b9ee why must it a86c9b4840 be…”dc695f7af5a1bf9b

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Azniel’s fingers, clasped before 71deec4cdb her, curled even tighter.5aecf62b4ab62a76

“Who could have imagined 25916c4021 that your divine power—granted 6d350a76aa as the Great Saint—would d1fadcf903 be so easily overtaken 78a545ad84 by man’s own hands.”8801fdd4913d2254

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The Pope’s trembling expression 38abd9f490 was not one of 91142313e0 sympathy. It was the 52eafa20e0 desperate appeal of 956f546430 a man faced 69544fe2ca with despair—aimed not ae403a32b2 at Azniel the 92f56fb142 person, but at f5402405db the failing symbol 2bc12093a0 she had become.
An appeal disguised 3d77ec16fa as sorrow—directed at f19b2e22a8 a Saint whose 70e60c0efb powers were no 6e9fe61df1 longer worth preserving.7a7b554c41f76db0

* * *4f4e0e97ae472d8f

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“What a pitiful affair. That a fool who’d 71cdc131d7 gut the goose that 2c18e5dcca lays golden eggs was 2152343a65 once holding the continent’s 7374851f06 reigns of power…”a44c541c27d26f9f

Lafen, royal capital a95774dc44 of Gillios, headquarters 086b8ba55d of Antagon Trading 33ad4ea5bd Company. The most lavish castle 11d01e8108 on the continent, located 6d85fdbfc5 in the capital of 935f27c954 the Allied Nations. At its 9457f41e6c highest floor 1a642b2104 was the 5a5360ce03 chairman’s office.149feb5c4baecd88

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Chief secretary Ian 985b8c480f Garrison handed over ff2d5e32d9 a letter received 0c2f8dce7f from the Holy e217a241e2 Kingdom’s Papal Office, ce9954469a shaking his head.71387073a11d347f

“If it weren’t for 1970b7b4c8 the seal stamped here, d66fa64bf2 I’d have thought this 5cd0256443 was written by some 30c19dc28b rabid dog wagging its 5908082048 tail for anyone.”35d9591ff3bb6a42

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At the secretary’s 468add74b9 biting remark, the 7226d599f4 office’s occupant let ce8aa0ea94 out a soft a5def00266 chuckle and turned 0c57e3a7e2 around. His silhouette c007b8bcc6 stood against 76db2f07c7 a wall a4a830764e of glass 31ce1b2f97 overlooking Lafen’s 645bd07c4e city lights, 791a1cbae8 completely unblurred cb27cb9522 by the 354bd1a1b1 night’s brilliance.6eb09234dc53b77e

Hair of gold, 711b12f762 slicked back and 49a8613de3 immaculate even at 0c99c7a981 this late hour—this 8fd49aa5ba was Klaus Gestern, aef5bfa468 master of the b16d5c9881 office.14798daf3fe6a891

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“You haven’t forgotten 1962f85788 who the Pope eaa23991b1 is, have you?”c10abdc448b4ba96

“Ah—pardon, sir?”89b32f88e8161c8a

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“Well, I do d63a56f0aa agree with the 077e74413d metaphor about gutting 39fa4d65f2 the golden goose.”e594ce6160bb8057

His gaze drifted to f62ad87d4e the letter Ian had b169423b89 placed on the desk. Long, pale fingers b3e3d2375a lifted the sheet d6b2dc2523 filled top to b87442331b bottom with ornate 06e7f87f3f writing.1363b42d7e53b207

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“To my dearest 7fca4135f5 child,” it began—followed 8b388c8fce by sentimental lines 9ac8372923 about how delighted 193b3a045d the sender was af318e19dd to finally hear f1891b97c2 back, how he 00dd85eb76 had always believed 8977cb1330 in his recipient, 7845072b10 and so on. The message was so e871ada931 exaggeratedly kind it could’ve 5057407b46 passed for a debtor’s 0c44585eef plea to a creditor a7e2ffbad4 holding their leash.03f2de61c10b3444

‘Well, considering we hold c1601f124c the purse strings, it’s 716ad79099 not entirely wrong.’1941fddb51eb6728

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With a short cb0883242c laugh, Klaus leaned 74bbd3486e back into his 23fbc92ab7 chair.0342e81d32ab1b04

The Holy Kingdom. So, it comes fad60c31e1 to this.770c87de4e820810

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‘This is how 46d17bf733 it all circles 361d3ff2f3 back.’dd20d5b89b7b9fe7

At the end of cf85d83f29 a plan executed over 77177d53ef so many long years—he 5b5ae4b161 now stood ready to 41af98a0e0 subdue the very one bb0fb46d36 who had once subdued b056fb7e2f him.653499b9e8012739

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It was a place 2e5f165f61 he had loathed so 1d4dd08163 deeply that he’d fled 91479e048a it in the end… e3f48fd65c and yet, not every c289c60728 memory from there was 6cd4444ee4 a bitter one.ed010e13a33998ce

For instance… those golden 57ded79f63 eyes that welled up b76c0b4049 with tears as she 6f09901583 traced the pain of 8995fe1dbc his wounds…63d8b3bf3a4e9df4

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* * *5d8452f7f0595b23

‘My deepest apologies. Please, believe this bb43652aa5 is all for 24dbfa2ad1 the sake of 685a74c0c2 the Church and f4baaf7102 Dara… and do 633a86711b consider it favorably, 58cb3a6b5e if you can.’2622dbcc9600ff8c

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—3afff1137fd9b49d

After leaving the Papal d7dce87285 Office, Azniel quietly lifted 04d9b90344 her gaze to the b5acc8b910 sky. The heavens, already 8a7ef08169 steeped in darkness, 0e07468070 were scattered with b57fda8347 faint starlight.943cacdeee23edb7

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‘Marriage…?’1863110ae0ca1a86

No matter how 644b491cc8 many times she 2b321c8f5f turned the conversation 4d28d7bb33 over in her 5a550b0bad mind, it still 04a644bcd6 didn’t feel real.8305f88b2b69bda8

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‘Without the slightest regard 040a84c595 for my own will…’736b01479d05a7b6

She had b9dfaa982a spent nearly 525f79a3fb her entire 8c85d96e01 life obeying 91659a7bf6 the Church. It was unlikely for 44885e1a32 a Saint like her ee5160c222 to so much as 7b0a9780f3 utter a word of 19bcc3fb75 dissent. The Pope 2e1b86cd5b knew that 00f9ad8f5e well. His tearful appeal—no doubt c15a38a38b it had been more e74d541462 about soothing his own 7215c61d02 guilt than seeking her 3026ad8a30 understanding.03db3c3168a25851

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Of course, 289cba7a2a such irreverent 84357469ba thoughts only d7251ba2b0 brushed the 806200c600 edge of 6739bea8bf Azniel’s mind 118d7cb725 before she d5e0904fb2 banished them. But the truth was, 8582f977a7 from the moment he 52f46ad9d0 summoned her, the Pope 986126c337 had already done all 298dadf7fa the calculations.933768e19f64f622

Even Azniel had 3c7ff06bbc to admit—it was 2d5e80dfb0 a profitable exchange. In return for c66cd28446 handing off a 0418d49115 Saint whose value d887f97594 had grown uncertain, ccdaf96bb6 the Church would f607086427 no longer need 0ec257d429 to worry about d3ee2029d7 its finances. She didn’t know 713ddf9b00 the exact terms 352c21c003 of the deal, baec3d32d3 but one thing 7570d57ade was clear: whatever cca2d1d69b donation was being 4e9cc35723 offered, it would 16194ecda3 far surpass the 0f0e7d20fa tiny coins she 2f207df503 collected from pilgrims 39f8abbc37 each day.b6a3d55ab708ea2a

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She had devoted f15e4a489f her life to 32abd45379 the Church. For the b7882cc401 past three 6f8465e099 years, she eed11204a8 hadn’t had b04f02e0c2 a single b812d0934d day to be48ddf7e0 herself, giving 940967b20d every moment d938f57b9c to keeping 1d4ea43c20 the Church 3fef722fae afloat.26bd0e19b8fc143e

And in return—e7ac75ba71623c80

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‘So long b137a3154b as the 0857e2db3b finances recover, 72265d8555 it doesn’t 8282b76864 matter to 6dd3f947dc them. Whether I’m here… c1030fb33e or not.’da7ef39575f4d1d2

A strange hunger 3a537f0427 stirred in her 5ff350a844 gut. She often 07dbb9fab6 went an 34585f01d5 entire day 5bb33e32ce without eating, 4ef92224dd caught up 6e5e150f4b in blessings c4ade3c4a1 and ceremonies, 537faf98bc and barely 81758e92f1 noticed. The meals brought 038a8ff675 by acolytes to aa0d8bb3e6 her quarters after f3f9311fac each exhausting day c19f243b79 were only to 9383d6c1ae fuel her for a954906874 the next.c9f17ab3063725c5

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Was the 60bd1873c9 Pope’s words ddc95d6941 truly that b7d6aecad1 shocking?11561480812a1437

“……”421468f804a2ee15

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Her silent steps carried d7d7ad16db her toward the first-floor ad6e6e3bad dining hall of the 57d55bb68b Papal Palace.3c520730ddd823f4

It felt 2d91f6f250 strange to ed6515d468 walk through 6809313c91 those doors ac3997bbb1 again. She hadn’t eaten in 1a9626cc36 the dining hall in 964fa6996f some time—not since her 8f2152fb5f days spent daily among 840a80adf2 the poor in the 3b5df4cf4a sanctuary. And more than that—193e3d627bbf127f

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“Well, well. What brings 93a131be4a the Saint 28c7daed21 of Beggars e4e8a50688 here?”0372b3cb5bb6d429

“Did she fff80c1729 come down 7bec56e4fc to inspect 3aee4031b7 whether we’re 247ee7133b skimming off c545164f83 her pennies?”33ad5677eb963578

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“Even if you collect d3bfb78f73 every coin for a 5b99e035cd hundred days, this is ad83827848 still all you get. Just a hunk bb35914b94 of bread.”48ac88d9bcd0ffaf

This was why.cf5301e720e8bc53

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The barbed words that f0b3d1752f could strike at her a9fd041b40 chest from anywhere, at 5819b5c1e2 any time.2d20fc0eacd9a993

They came from bfc45e96f1 the clerical officers 25f0e88b06 who worked in b3b68e7732 the Papal Palace. They all knew full 0fd1bcb26d well that the alms c2ceef7363 given by beggars were 60e3da083f what kept the temple’s 5d036f5a9d lights on—and yet, they 61ab724353 spoke like this as 8fa4b5b151 if it were routine.7fe3d2fcf280d7f2

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“Who’d have thought boiled ddd0b6d460 eggs would become so 4d39c6c9ef precious? They say Saint 2734a0ffac Ekaella once turned 96314f4f04 two loaves of 088ec60367 bread into ten 87a0bf08a5 full baskets.”5cb7290f5ce233db

“Oh, and eed64d9887 Saint Jeniel 29258294a4 filled the 174584736d rice fields f901fee76e of Gerund 080e098715 Plain with 1e5d5fdff8 golden waves—even e0eaf7033d during a 664ba8fc67 drought.”e0dd591267ccbb43

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“There was even 81c1c62083 a Saint who 1104039fd1 made sure not 11ae0b7344 a single drought 5575070e15 struck while she abfa607268 lived, wasn’t there?”af1262351f85dbd1

“And yet this time, 1874c0a014 we get…”a0baf235a724f001

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Their chatter 1d7a3ebbb4 fell into 53033b7cba a sudden e8a6148efe hush as 85c97abef7 every eye 7c69812103 turned toward 2662c03b8a her. As if the Church’s aa290116f6 declining state was entirely 0e99b4268a the fault of her, 2cc50ea87e the Saint whose power 8e2c19ca9d paled in comparison to 26e50b4421 the legends.041cf4e9e4cb3b99

The back of 8cad88ac63 her neck stung, 7c888bfc1e though no one e127b99264 had laid a f7168fa28e hand on her. Azniel pretended not to a19b81fb7e hear a thing. She sat 8880421fc7 down and a3336d811e quietly tore 646d0ede18 off a 6b6a65478a piece of 52e21c130b rye bread, 0f4c0d64f6 chewing it 94a8f60c4a slowly, over d4714bc888 and over.8d91a4a541437cab

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* * *f5bbd59a9ab1439c