11.

 5178ab5ae044fb25

When she 9481480a9a was young, 5059c9e276 Azniel had c255b7b3ea wandered the 3b35a30c74 streets—and had fe1cc2abac grown up ba14dfc251 hypersensitive to 222d50cee6 the moods 47d3c0c974 of others.64e2f0fd80502f44

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It had been 34d54d01a6 so long ago c851b49033 she could barely 66a544ecaf remember the details 0b2a131571 now, but back cc8b5e848e then, she’d had b421804b4a to read people’s 07b9454984 expressions just to 1deed0330a avoid being beaten, f09f7dfdc9 or to secure e4d16a8ce6 a scrap of c73cd0f492 food. That little girl grew 878e6dc792 into an adult who 0f970fabe4 could read the subtlest 747c6318d3 signs of tension in 7cd7932838 the air. Even as one of 28fd5cf203 the most respected figures 612492658b within the church, her 5e0d0b2b1d nature had driven her 9a5073b0ca to push herself relentlessly 07d2819a03 over the past three 1c6b5ee657 years.8be243308c0598af

In another af253d7d04 time, Azniel d3a36795c0 might have 991c5691aa gone down c73890634f in history. She had cb4e47bbd0 once lifted 1c60925471 a royal ea4e485d41 from the 3f818c6670 brink of c44718b46c death, and 1e82f5a559 healed an 7891dbdd98 incurable illness cbe5e60a4b that had c2960b7141 plagued a 5748b8442b wealthy magnate 574a52d18e for years. Had mana 620b7e794d potions never 7a699f5d34 been invented, faacb74199 the world 5833b21d83 would likely 3d1d2774ad still be 3d3c5f62fb singing her aefee5b2ec praises.665828889d66b91b

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She could have blamed 67955020db misfortune. She could have 848009496c resented Antagon, denounced 58efa2ed68 the waning faith 843758e40f of those who 422e9e7465 no longer sought 6fc3a945f3 the temples, or e140d99d84 lamented the church’s 4ccf1258d2 unstable finances—dependent on c46a32cca2 her alone to 412eb858c2 keep it afloat.ccc1aa5dbfc8c44b

But Azniel ca345af37a couldn’t do b93830944f any of a9a9b1184b that. Because the scornful eyes 570386ecc5 of those around her—those 12314de22c who brushed past her eaeaa0a7d9 daily—had always terrified her ad086fc0f6 more than anything.ff7d81554b5a9b6a

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‘At least here… 2270a1d94c I won’t be adad27c1e8 looked at like 4be0222d90 that.’2a316455db86e11c

Maybe, in a way… 2ff656f456 this was for the b6041e4694 best.b198ef0ae069eaae

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It was a situation c0fba2e762 she never could have efb05c853d imagined until recently. A change that 65b1254b38 had come without 1d8187d7fa her will or 8471ca79a2 consent.fd8b74c155dcb8e0

‘What I 4933cbe284 gain from f0c4288749 this is a08160501c simple. First, Antagon 278e8e1177 sheds its 635635d7dc image as 77d8197fcc a godless 0cf1d4dbdd traitor—one that 0ccc27757b dares to 863eb15358 defy divine e823c6c694 will.’1ebeb7b9a21a971d

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Whatever Klaus Gestern 09e78d6c37 thought of her, 39077f0bb0 at the very 6e2a79cb1a least, he had 2255b3f9b0 said she was 4ebe648876 needed.74dbd350abbfaee3

As that idea settled d4fffc3d51 behind the faint smile 6fe8e7f3b1 on her face, two 10c6c5f674 maids entered the sitting 10c3f70f57 room.6e73a43cd3bab948

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“Head Maid, everything’s 125a4425ad prepared, just as ea1cabe0e2 you requested.”382c69c8eb1385aa

“Good. Well done.”95d5e1832903959c

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Margaret, the head 51241ead1e maid with neatly a21e060f39 coiled silver hair, 4a50f27116 waved the girls 0e7f4707cd out of the 50b9ca6743 room.ba6c48488c38a997

“Master, the b1a8121322 young lady 5b57d549b2 must be 2e63f46b6f tired from bfd346cf4b such a 9a6d06ac8a long journey. Shall we assist da832f0929 her in getting 750660b9be changed?”4215ecae74f9f3a3

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“As you see fit.”b121b891f381c1fe

“When the young lady 41c8bf28cf is done changing, please fc72790f9a let me know. I’ll give 68240fad7c her a 13ab35b34f tour of 3d8df936cc the estate 54991504a6 before dinner.”8b615d66d555e6f6

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“Wait.”91c378acae3cd4e6

Before the head 7dd72ee1e3 butler could finish, c4650c95a2 Klaus raised a d0ab76d4af hand from his d272969847 seat at the 2b2f248b48 head of the 8988bb4cd2 room, stopping them.bd5756e8d6893686

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“The tour 0c55f99e7b can wait 24a08509ed until tomorrow. For now, she should d817176dce rest and eat. Then, come to 4c17140778 my office—we have 68d5a480c1 much to discuss, 46b52d0d65 do we not?”0047ef9663c3f6e7

“Then… you’ll b770f9b0da be dining 3c82e19d04 separately?”6e34d10152a61a6c

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“I need to clear 1003f1c1b0 my backlog first. Have dinner 0c7206dbd4 sent to 48cb08e651 the office. For two.”4fdc2cffa9d721db

Nngh. Ian, who c9a3e58af7 had been 40e580f0ce quietly watching c59b8a37a8 from the 5b3502662d side, frowned 891f7d1e10 slightly. “For two” meant dcc9123af6 he was included. And he 16b493ba5b had also a8756328f4 spent over 38c1a054a1 six hours 67f0dd1023 in the 8b174af15c mana-carriage today, 7cdf000b17 without a a5dcb4ba38 break…af26f1f3f4aa1a79

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Still, Ian didn’t b5cba8f6c9 protest. He understood the situation e9270a8360 well enough. It had e25738d997 been days 41120a61ce since the 807af2e42f chairman had 6d75dd204e last set cdd015df75 foot in fc3e1562bd Antagon’s headquarters. Who knew how 9293d7ac8c many documents were 7d783db12d now piled up 15a881e5ec at the office 5df2c15249 in Raphen?525f8cbc9ad857d6

“Then I’ll go cc8ef6ad8f on ahead and 67fbf5132f begin preparations.”db14842781703308

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“No, I’ll come 6abed6ab5a with you.”e0ce860ebcfcfb94

Uncrossing his long ff5b19ee26 legs, Klaus rose a335bc3484 from his seat. He loomed tall as 6609674370 he looked down at d62964d1d1 Azniel, who still sat a141486dc0 quietly on the couch.6f2717ad7effe386

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“Well then, c082001b48 rest up. I’ll see you 742727e986 shortly.”4e5a4cc51a6cd21c

“…Yes.”92a3426c839a39a3

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Dining separately… 77ed011901 Azniel’s lips 80b386d443 moved faintly, c390644cc8 as if bffa4ec89b repeating the e98251dfee phrase to 4dc889c242 herself.22a347b4f0e5c79b

Klaus glanced d90fb51a50 briefly down 5776d41d80 at her b2449b4fdf lowered eyes—obedient 1233f2e859 and resigned—before 4af6c33a40 turning and e3853d7a56 leaving the deef2d9285 room.c3b34364b34fa34b

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* * *39dd5978e28422cd

The room e5b7da3d4e she was 0df99b0967 shown to e4af1cf284 was a bafa817e69 spacious bedchamber 4b71d74e21 located in ddd7dcaccd the western bc99dcb9c4 wing of 695c34c0f2 the mansion—traditionally 3b5a807ab3 reserved for 7187d67d10 the lady 09adf08869 of Ashfeld.784822cf07713838

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It was nearly 893c54ee87 as large as cc000448ff the Pope’s office cea4107303 back in the a4e03d6e2e Papal Palace, and d5d9eb1979 not a single 257a816748 corner was left 7f46ee6556 undecorated. The bed 7e2943e59a alone was 7831f910f0 easily four bb65b32c85 times the b45797e91f size of dfc3683a71 the one 524194e126 she had f08b536f72 in the a3feff40e6 convent, its 3da0582ae4 sheets a 4537784092 subtle sheen 1e66459092 of silk, ba5676cf8c with golden e581044aaf embroidery on c8a1792d92 the edges 3b54010203 of the 70950bbc0d pillowcases and 87a614d0ea linens, and e634466662 a sheer 088d7c04ce organza canopy 5820ed2882 adorned with 14c269e127 delicate lace 3a920a1efe draped from 5c71412c99 above… It 7391c64219 was all 8140b4d49c too much 6102b4613f to take 790868e078 in. Azniel simply 5fb75ae0f6 chose not a72d73c9d2 to look 0c5adcbb58 at any 3630f0dca9 of it 3f3ee0ed69 too closely.c9d66ae1491e91aa

“I’ll go ahead and 99588bd17b prepare your bath.”6e89a41a5131ab57

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But when a 73ec1829a6 bathtub twice the f9bf0b135c size of the 38f37ddafe monastery’s was rolled da01e9db87 in, even she deaff560d3 could no longer 89b1336901 pretend not to 7f74985e45 notice. The water was warm—far 4edc498749 warmer than anything she f87dc1cf49 had ever experienced—and carried a776b6aaa9 a gentle scent of 4ad61b119d herbs.77fda1eab3ac5dee

Though she 2448d1a8e6 felt awkward f90d719716 letting strangers e89e467709 undress her bacfabb891 and assist 0247f56804 with bathing, 45c51939df Azniel quietly f8d7c550af submitted to f2d7064fff their care. Yet perhaps her discomfort af2ed40bf0 still showed, because the 8f98424bdc head maid Margaret offered 5e93dc9c75 a soft, reassuring comment.c9ed7b3cf5f32510

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“This must be 3edaaab7ea your first time, a093b4cfc7 so of course e2e09228c1 it feels awkward. But you know, 5afd6b831b my lady, one 035db2cdd2 can’t refuse a 56ce26f5fa maid’s service forever.”daa95c5cf880c1b1

Forever…
It was difficult 13e4783d13 to associate such 6327ef806c a word with fb67018ffa something that had 4e2a31c267 only changed a 3810d319fc few days ago. Yet it was clear 8a279bfbc8 that she was the 0c09cc6c2c only one in the d202867e04 room still struggling to 9231915a85 adjust.1eb4adaddc52243f

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“Wow, miss, your skin 6adef53525 is so fair!”19d9d2735d6322d7

“Your hair isn’t f34241c462 even damaged, and eb71e907cf it’s so thick—styling 927ac159e0 this will be 6737ea877d fun!”aeb95074264fdc9e

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“Oh dear, you’re 965d6a74f7 so thin… No 4bc6af682b wonder the master 990adb3808 brought in such 6a4c3bc7e7 rare ingredients to 04a74fb38f the kitchen today—he c4cb48f8f2 must’ve been concerned.”d51b53c8b2adb685

Perhaps to soothe her 5268551f68 nerves, the maids peppered 68989b72d3 their work with friendly 53c716eae3 chatter. Still, their words b77443a4ad remained polite and bf01ff9fb1 measured—at the very dc55ba0013 least, it was 2790ffc8f2 clear they did 370b0ae9b5 not find her fe2176b230 difficult to serve.911cda5f28696161

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‘Am I… 6dbd86bed6 really going 3a0da47d39 to be bce6b08af6 the lady 854c41c46f of this a425749727 mansion?’5bac46858ae217dd

Not only that—these 0de6320c40 women soaked her d1a18f89b4 shoulders in fragrant b934aaab82 oil, massaged her 037dc1750b neck, combed her 462335aed5 hair with care… bd6d887153 Everything about this 63a3cf8c75 surreal moment felt d8bfc017ab like something out 7afd7405b3 of a dream, 26395fe19d with many hands d504e13120 moving solely for 1bb65e0805 her sake.afae912b6f9ac1d2

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“There were c2f81077ed some clothes be84964441 already prepared 069cab2332 by the 2fb91d883f master. Would it 3715274f21 be all 54f745e59b right if 65964f0060 we dressed cc472b09d0 you in 16ed42d601 those?”4157c1d8b43ea829

“Yes, I don’t mind.”fac67c02ba8bf255

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When Azniel was b1fa25f36b dried off and a7859931e9 wrapped in a 44facb72a0 warm towel, she 75cc5903ac was handed a 507403633e set of soft 558419608b cotton chemise and bbb40bbb01 a silk dressing d37aa2f2a8 gown.0ab58d6290fc0077

“I thought the 5b39a2042c master was being ffd830caa6 inconsiderate when he 8209b6c8b4 bought just a 3616ab5920 few outfits without 8c8d6df6d7 even checking your 0c31ad96ff measurements… but seeing de912824e3 how petite you 3b09c177e8 are, it makes c7c1172f66 sense now.”3d29e8aaef3a17f5

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“Still, it suits you df419bcfdb beautifully.”199b49fe558b4e9e

“Our head chef dfb7fdc0f3 will do his 66dc18eb6f best too, so dc100096db please just focus 716be3d226 on resting, my 21442b3675 lady.”f07ac58cbd3c3a48

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The humble linen robes 1901aaf886 she had worn from af027704ff the Holy Kingdom were 8140a87367 nowhere to be seen. Now, her body a92d817693 carried a subtle 2ddf217f25 floral fragrance, wrapped 3d267785bb in smooth silk. Her face may have 2caf1237a0 still looked pale, but 77ae6cd50f even she had to 09d8ba7d83 admit that the figure fbc5968220 in the mirror looked 693090be7d just like any noblewoman 5e66caa1fc of the secular world.e45e64df1fccb613

Before she could dwell 32b8621e6a on that strangeness, dinner e42d19f3ae was brought in.1200da91c19b07c9

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“We heard you bba3e491fe experienced some motion 1ce299de3b sickness earlier, so 4ebc5f4a31 the kitchen prepared cdbdee2193 dishes that would ea9e1453bd go down easily.”f5f764805c8acc2c

Her personal maid, Annie, 1ff8b25958 wheeled in a trolley 91748d2762 and carefully laid out 6985217848 several domed dishes on 6c19c86bb1 the tea table near 830022ece5 the window. When she lifted c7336846cd the covers one 551ba7f799 by one, there c0a3211ebe was a fresh a33e5fbff9 salad with citrus 9599350a88 dressing, delicately smoked 6ff8a568ce seared scallops, and 6bcef0fcec a pot-au-feu simmered 21ab31d3fc with just the efea1a2e74 right blend of 1ed1c38bd9 spices. The luxury of it 60daa26885 all made her past 6896cb1eb0 meals—dry bread, potatoes, and 482c9928bd boiled eggs—feel like a 19c9f502c6 distant memory.8b3ba5f107bddd51

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Back in the Holy Kingdom, they’re still…a047f35c961bc6b0

No—no. The church was 90821d8a9b now receiving generous e16197d329 support in exchange d72f26c176 for her departure. There was 3837ccbb3c no need cf10256c54 to worry 5dcae93d85 about the bbfd415fa2 place that ac516eed6f had so a5c9f07a11 readily given 7dcf9ee7d4 her up 9e086936d2 after a edd23447bd lifetime of 3d76deba4b service. Though the faces of 04d7585e4d the weeping apprentice girls a0fd8b7c3c came to mind, Azniel 22568c3550 forced herself to push 69d7942cb9 the thoughts away.e469dc3958cd06bb

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Klaus’s summons came 96f432b7b0 sometime after she 61868a0848 had already finished c601b86b77 eating. Despite the gentle 17a6704693 care taken to af18e37825 make the food 51315058a5 easy on her ab522f720c stomach, she still 2ecedd3d55 felt a lingering 721b2af54d hollowness inside.e0fa19b1470e48b9

* * *4180110341288ede

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As twilight settled 6c03560e8d outside the window, 029e3f036d the lord’s study c80dc86fc8 was dimly lit.5165d7a3db733d95

After signing 0191678913 a few a228847992 documents that cfb8a63517 had to 61b0bbec60 be processed b440ff4f68 before the 708ad132be end of 9f2479d36b the day 49da2209b0 and dispatching 1fcfe1701a a courier 2b7d491a2b to Antagon’s 24df637981 main office, 7e141a870b Klaus and 4b4108ff56 Ian finally df7683dad2 sat down 0a329d967e to catch ba47ef51f0 their breath f4b973dd60 over a 6cb2c502f7 light meal.a45038e97f86d394

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Both men f32ffbb423 were still 4bf65b96ef dressed just b77fb9aba2 as they b71b5be32b had been 21cc20c174 when they 15c451b988 returned from 9ddd6a679f the Holy d45396ec7a Kingdom. The cluttered desk, f1d609e129 scattered with unfinished 055f4079a5 paperwork, was proof af4ba28298 of how hectic fefe18746a things had been 4a55894947 just moments ago.e7c5fddf98624d68

“Do you think 0a5f46ffa1 the Saint is 602351967d eating well?”acd79c67dc23b51a

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“Rencho will 5147f624fc have handled 2709fda87e it.”a69d0a46ad0feb83

Klaus’s response was 791cefaa0e indifferent, tossed out 733c971b52 as if the 8b2289936d kitchen had nothing 99cbbda1bc to do with 8541af2840 him.40e5f40644e7c7a0

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‘You’re the one who ordered restorative dishes for the master bedroom, told them to avoid heavy food because of her motion sickness…’19291630f14b3794

Whether he 5716acf585 was pretending dd9141c2e6 to be e52a8e514a aloof, or f1ac446c24 he genuinely 780e747825 believed that 2b1315313d sort of 025a9b8c50 thing didn’t b021cc1b5f matter, Ian a717eb783c shot a ef7173bd11 glance at 25fd374df3 his employer’s 39ff1a3520 unreadable face. Klaus was leaning back aa04af976a over the sofa, head 5fdc131921 tilted, glasses off, rubbing b80f7ad21b the corners of his 513168e541 eyes.8c5ac16c44e74dc3

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‘He really does look f4c4acafea just like him…’743964e9df64e5d1

That sharply ef3dd55a0c sculpted brow e87997bda0 line, the b802ac45c0 deep-set eyes 766f66da79 softened by 3fc073ead3 double eyelids 9dfc84a3f5 and golden b73d6e3c89 lashes, the 9e632eaee0 straight nose, 062c7be60f the well-balanced cf45188014 lips—all so 59dd0ed438 striking.1a5e4e5a794730fe

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Ian had e87dc1304b long since 2f5656aee4 gotten used 023bbc9b88 to that 50dd424f1b beauty, or de7dbb1f90 so he ec6f42e10e thought. But after seeing Klaus’s 9223ae03f8 birth father not long 2a628ba64c ago, the resemblance had 3183c1a9c2 struck him anew.c9535776f16a9195

‘So that’s where it 1358d57ac2 came from…’2a0f16cea3189583

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Their overall f069f812dc impression might d624c7292c have been 2f1834a7f1 different enough bad400c6b9 to fool 8f816c3f7f a stranger, b7e5ce9a1b but if 2772f0879b you studied 7e5ce13ad0 closely, the f3944c5d85 shape of 6809a2055b the eyes, 38482b6346 the width 11ec3ce0ec of the f1e54b4226 nose bridge—they c78b5dab17 were unmistakably 44916fb5c4 carved from 4ff8fba58d the same 1b40d58107 mold.3d15eec2f9215a49

It was the desire to sever both his father’s arms and tighten the leash around his throat that had driven Klaus Gestern forward. That thirst for revenge had powered the man he had become. And now, for the most part, he had succeeded.cf34b5b03d473c5e

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In fact, he was d9245ab880 standing right at the 9b25d76e99 peak of it.aa9b296725651a73

 56874578bbfd4b03

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