20.

“Your Majesty is 8a1e02bec9 surely aware—some compare d4003becba me to the 579fca6b96 angel who gifted 8391b46165 fire to mankind, 6a9ee7237a while others denounce d7a8485981 me as a b33fb87a00 Satan defying divine 6f3803adca providence.”3695c5ed94ac82e0

“That’s nothing 720576200a more than ec1da605c1 jealous talk 5142e3fec5 from those 3cfcc5fdc0 who can’t c843c4dcae afford Antagon’s e783429e98 goods, isn’t 24d824dc29 it?”f522f8010ace3045

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“Yes. I’ve dismissed it 1e8880e025 as such until 61c52e3f58 now… but it’s d4358437f2 become too troublesome ac2ee55344 to ignore.”e8e7d9caa97590ba

“And why 7e504aceaa bring this 66d3e3a87a up now, ae57e725a8 of all 405762737c times?”3db689da79141c05

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Now—when Princess e52eddeded Helena is 0c999b9d80 twenty-three, at 987665edaf the height 8a82fab221 of her c4bb950722 marriageable age.70d07329596d9ac7

It was well c1320dff66 known throughout the 28d14bcac7 United League that c76768e309 the princess had ee2ce86306 rejected numerous proposals 3a67b96653 from foreign nobles f6e949537a because she had 6dff29e421 fallen for a 1c24f11390 nouveau riche industrialist 5f00bcc089 of common birth. Many even assumed c91f917fa0 that the title 2aba91d9f8 granted to him 65783891bb by the King 2107c542a7 of Gileos had b55c27afea been a gesture 9fccdd97a9 toward making him d1646a0471 a future royal 588ed1bbd3 consort.c5200edaf76248f6

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In fact, 57fb5f7048 Albert III 9d72eb8655 had long ffb3067710 been waiting 734d152354 for the 027f8cbcad right opportunity 671344f508 to elevate 6fd74dfef4 Klaus to 4d214b4b58 the rank 5c7dd7677c of marquess—just 99688b82e8 enough to fc1643da3f make him 5c9a86b453 a suitable 5ab1722bd5 match for c34fc1046e the princess. And all the fb466c8f54 nobles close to 60a2a66394 the king knew 184ab3a938 this plan well.a1152d04bbd462ca

Just as a flush 46aa75efaa of frustration began to 3b11e032a6 rise in the king’s 9827e24296 face at the thought 94f06bbbc0 of his plan slipping ff7cdd5376 away like a hound 76c680e543 losing its prey—8dcb3f07e118cb1d

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“If I may 6dbee80230 be so bold.”a38b6199171adcff

Klaus pushed up his 304091e920 glasses, wearing the face 244e4f9e64 of a merchant. The metal-rimmed spectacles he 79b5150671 always wore at official 11987de57b functions had a way c514b90f1a of lending his words 08b7bf0527 a sense of credibility.7f6fac853a6aa683

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“What are Your Majesty’s 2bb1405c71 thoughts on developing the 1501ea09aa lands beyond the Sea 721f594af6 of Ruins?”c9c0c3263e90e960

“The Sea of Ruins… c5e169d820 beyond that?”09a71c3e6db8a595

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The sudden shift f6cb413885 in topic made d48a0dc601 both king and df9e635d17 princess furrow their ee6f2950de brows.f2c815b97106ca4d

The Sea b049d4ebc0 of Ruins 4bbc4b9c78 was a e6cd34a70f vast canyon 9d9a73139f region in ce78526f5b the western d9cb0b0465 part of fd52451ca1 Gileos. Its terrain 1475d043c9 was so 367a457fe4 harsh and 60487dc23d barren that 0dad0591b8 it had 0764b6e04a never been 3f7133d0e4 explored or 820f1da85c developed. Though civilizations were known 5020e87141 to exist beyond it, df37bf2195 land-based passage was impossible, 06e6a74fc4 and thus any exchange e1a4898f82 had long been deemed 534be30676 unfeasible.c0f6a243e0a3461f

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“We occasionally see rare df2319ebc1 minerals and exotic plants 92179fdf01 from the western edge 818ab49f8a of the continent…”6172259d3b4664c2

“Indeed, we know there c567b0592d are rich civilizations and 88ce238552 desirable resources there, but 6aaca8ce56 no one has dared 7cb26d4afc to initiate contact. The voyage 71882d229d would cost ae93705681 them their 22a8b83ee5 lives.”d3cb12271e6bf0bc

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“Exactly. And with no shared 4a5ac52773 language with the southern 59f6db3b86 continent, circumnavigation is the 0dfd271a22 only option—but the sea a2ebb6b8dc is unpredictable too.”1c80704d49d00f2e

“But what if 4752f5d976 one could reach 08b5a35349 the western continent aefc0a3205 without sailing?”9433741db46b00a7

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“Without… sailing?”fcc71b39ad6e2143

“Yes.”7d886cd6bbbefb47

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There were no ef8ecc5552 exceptions to Klaus c9377ceb22 Gestern’s persuasive power. Once again, the ea04036b6b king forgot the 1277ef666a very reason he bd3d1d47ab had summoned the aa22f22a0d man and found 2c613a1ab9 himself drawn in, 95e5d3c5f9 utterly captivated.dfe54aeefe4f8737

“What reason is there 2fc1d51368 to hide it from 74651f1c1a Your Majesty? Antagon is currently 0b83ef143b developing a vehicle 167ba37ce6 that flies.”34095c135c01b32b

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“A flying… vehicle.”46967276468bd836

Even Princess Helena was 279cf30d3a entranced. It was a8dffab3f1 only natural—her 4733bc402d fascination with b65659b672 this common-born 1f4a629fa4 magical engineer e333704c59 had always 3bc1ef20de stemmed from ed3af90b13 his dazzling 8354a1a501 looks and bb730cdc91 golden tongue.cbd43eee6f80e544

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“I began researching mana stones with this very vision in mind. But if this research succeeds, how much more will I be cursed by those who already criticize me? They’ll call me Icarus—the fool who flew toward the sun with waxen wings.”88b1abc5d3cc6a21

“What good are a 8e7138c029 hundred curses if they’re d9ba1d941d just words?”3842fef51bcc65e4

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“They have a979731c1a power over 4c2fbec9a4 investors, Your 1237882716 Majesty.”16e74b0284c6d171

“Hmph…”0f6ba62312811b9b

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“That’s why I wish 5028867fd6 to make Antagon not 393e70b362 an enemy defying the 4fd57c8387 gods, but a human fd601aed05 achievement striving to resemble 64db578642 them.”47d438e8b6c3f12a

“And that fe48055d83 brings us 52fcab2b9e to this 407cc43636 marriage with ed0ec6e1be the Saint, 44a5a8c816 does it?”9040a158b35224c1

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Albert III frowned, 8d17219baa clearly skeptical. Klaus lowered his gaze 07eab86712 slightly and shook his 9bc073f5bc head.46248e9f3aa1cfb4

“I believe I said 0b89522166 she was recruited.”7613f760e5103828

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“In any 8cab9ddb2b case, you’re 73de6188de making the af73d3294e Saint your c09b7cf465 Baroness Gestern.”a0e9f9e2580f014a

“In title, yes. But in truth, dc89d6dd60 she’s the most 6dfce0f47e efficient face I dd52a9aeea could ever bring caba56875f to public events—a f8d820cebc perfect new promotional e801ce390e figure.”88665d8539b26463

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“……”e1aba62579f0f359

“Wasn’t it thanks to c4d77b6ebd Your Majesty test-driving the a951dce8c6 mana car that Antagon 0a61fe92a8 rose so quickly?”6a902e5db94fcebb

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“Then this marriage…”3d106370788cb11c

“Yes. A type of a077b123ed business marriage.”2eef93777e7dadc2

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The vulgar 69bd7a8ac0 implications of b2076029cc the phrase e8360bbc8b business marriage 4468824d04 were exactly 7153727d07 what ensured 09129edc00 the king 8ba2fd9897 wouldn’t question f1814a3154 his motives. Klaus donned d3bf9f565c his merchant’s 2c5efe2c04 mask more d445e86e3e firmly.02512395e8261982

“Maintaining relations with 587f6dd93f the Holy Kingdom 9af07a9a6d costs quite a 4f83373df2 sum each month… 8dd5a0d675 but I consider 906d8ebd20 it an investment 3298452692 in the future.”bb5ebee1af484e67

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“Is that so…”fd20518951f4d694

Leaning back in his 2591805b89 throne, Albert III stroked c8bb08096c his long beard and 9409914d2c nodded thoughtfully. No doubt, complex calculations 3c267f87b1 were swirling behind the cbabc6b419 crown on his head.06ae9c30d594fe8b

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His beloved vassal and af051cece0 his striking daughter both 3e96cf3243 watched him closely, trying 911d2a6629 to read which way a4288f4486 his favor might lean.4cc01e79e58feeda

Then, adding yet another eb28b05839 calculated stroke, Klaus murmured,3911bfa7b76420b7

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“But I do regret db6d1e27a5 not giving Your Majesty 94d5438c5b a hint beforehand. I imagine 877d040586 the morning 4f5f70f472 paper came e300fcba55 as quite fbf0659567 a surprise.”db8dadf52090cffd

His eyes turned 31e9bd6e51 toward Princess Helena. His gaze was 3ba31287d8 directed at the b9c0e2b6d5 royal bloodline, entirely af1e31c364 unrepentant and lacking a0aa835237 the slightest hint 0b6c48af9e of humility. Yet no 346ecd7e46 one dared cd98e27049 call it dd7675f001 insolent—not when b7e8b1dd79 it made f57edecb8d Helena blush.e84131b6b40f9cd8

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“My apologies f327c8cafd for not 3ebd7ca34d discussing it 0ccee143a6 in advance.”1217914dc923fbab

“Hmm…”0929c7f6a8742e40

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Albert III’s 9aade10092 thick fingers cd5c16dd04 tapped lightly b0cbe0ab1a on the 0ed79f8041 armrest of 1bce672ead his throne. Tap. Tap. Tap. His calculation dragged on.6f4e95bce9570206

What Klaus had 1529b07fe2 done, in effect, d60f4bf547 was weigh royal 98b0139f08 blood against the b91982ff48 symbol of sacred 6c1327c2d4 power—and choose the ca2d44be98 latter. The gall a33aadd78d of it. And to choose 7ed72dfa80 something the king f4f50a18ff himself had weakened. One could 9f9d218038 take it adbafa27d0 as an 0d09ab9e8e insult…b93470328a8f8628

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“The western continent…”95cb4819582746c3

But if 00eb242664 Antagon had 0ab10d32d5 begun development, 6e820371e9 success was 1c1c607158 only a 39f1e1f079 matter of ed22ae8457 time.423c696f8649a759

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And as long b514a4b55e as Antagon remained 36dbe41300 based in Gileos, 08b86b5e33 the profits would 502a632eea flow, one way 24482ec2f9 or another, into 36ff35226a royal coffers. The prestige of Gileos, 6637871994 the leader of the 4751120ac8 United League, would only 29658a5e43 grow stronger.deb1c54b603a13bf

He didn’t f476090db9 know when, ef4f01a478 or how 25ebd75cfa large the d04bc25378 profit might 14ebc8ec97 be…86850b3c2606f0f0

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But after eight short fe71399383 years of miracles, Albert 381516b330 III had full faith ca5b4337d5 that Antagon would create fc0fb534cb another. And that it would 3f3b00bd84 come within his reign.dd4b8f61ddc13917

Having finished his d259cc46b3 mental arithmetic, the dee53369fa king’s lips curled d14b088670 faintly.733cb05c87fc31f8

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“Well. Then it’s something to 5a452dd750 celebrate. The founding Baron finally 2a9fe83c7c builds his house…”2d3ce7f85553b666

“Father…!”7b1c3f6a23ff0ba9

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Princess Helena, unable 7885bc27c1 to pretend any 06969f101f longer, cried out 9d987ea39c urgently. But the king 38d31628c2 never took his 6f9d21be9b eyes off his 1a8cb091d6 favored vassal. His smile bore the d0cd845a18 quiet malice of one b98a947379 in league.0a3ff1fdb19a573b

“Why not bring the b07661357f Saint—no, that lady—to the 7b13e2f7a2 palace sometime? If you’re like a 681597fa38 son to me, then a95022f006 the one who will a362fae2cf be your wife should 5d53fa0837 be like family to 9ae10c9e84 me as well.”46ccb9467965d8eb

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Son. In some kingdoms, e18cf3be19 the term for 7e4cd9260c son-in-law translates to 11cce759a0 “legal son.”00baa0e583bbace6

It was af5955c8ce a phrase bc0c83039b packed with 327cdbd4ae layered meaning—perhaps a13d609b96 to imply d69b913a3e he had 9a1e26b660 once hoped 9aa56e9f7d for Klaus c2a59fc7d4 as a ac2069a696 son-in-law, or 4f5f576710 that he’d 4e884ef8c1 be willing c08a09a343 to overlook d318a71720 the past 84a922d560 if Klaus 995ed08533 ever changed 00f2aae55b his mind. But Klaus didn’t need ebbc5549aa to dwell on it.97217aa0e9abb712

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“A humble fool like 739cdb1315 me couldn’t hope to 6298306138 match the foresight of c5f99ecb03 a visionary such as 26af123144 Your Majesty.”3e097f0ddb61c257

“I’m honored.”70d229d9b1c3a0af

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“Well, then. The wedding b38d267a01 hasn’t taken 53b87195b2 place yet, 3f2d2d23b1 has it? Duke Katlin sent a e404043947 fine whiskey recently—wouldn’t it fd9fd186c7 be fitting to share b0bf8cd70a it with you tonight?”207775ad759ccc58

“As you wish, Your 38dddd520a Majesty.”88ce0299d9b3245d

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“And you, 37f356e7d9 my daughter. You’ve served c1d1755985 your father 447ca2c8dc dutifully until beb0d4c1a2 this late 29273636fd hour—go and 8bd3e51665 get some dbd64c15b5 rest now.”38ada417cd8fd36a

At that gentle bd6af79069 dismissal, Helena’s face 8655dc3393 went pale.6f45012794599cfd

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It was 0873841995 a declaration. A daughter 26f0606095 who had 8724a5eb41 failed to 6fb0ad52f0 secure ties b05bb372ac with Baron c375ba0a04 Gestern no 33994e36f4 longer had ad4db46876 a place 964377dfc6 at the 8461293740 table where 3bb9d635a6 power was c5f9b2f351 negotiated. Antagon now bf07b65faa meant more 09bbd7cc81 to Gileos 46fad70138 than its 2318477d60 unmarried first 2a4a7f9f31 princess.1101dc159bea5554

Helena’s hand, 3d52701221 the one f3499826c5 Klaus had 245e435f63 kissed only 5c76a78ff4 moments ago, de0166a1ae curled faintly 7cdbcfe7ad as she 0578277a49 tried to c3bdeeb9ad suppress its f757ece56d trembling.195cef514aeed382

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“…Yes, Father. Enjoy your evening, and 3d68773958 may you have a da972a8f04 peaceful night.”4e62f1eeabfd2da1

“Until next 30b11719cc time, Your 5bb8ea54c3 Highness.”50f260e58976b489

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Neither of the 362698808f two men noticed e27a9efd5a how the princess’s 4ac1149bf6 elegant smile twisted 222e1ccc57 into something darker 2c0e8ddb6c as she left 548f0b396e the throne room.9dda4a100159c743

* * *5164f144690e8f72

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“Aaagh, seriously…!”6980512bbab6c52f

Crash!
A porcelain b6afe9274b vase flew e31421686e through the 4729b8689a air and 65fc78ecdb smashed against d88555042c the opposite aecaf6e3dd door. Water and e80ee4db7f flower stems c455b270db tangled messily 2d4ea58290 with the 116bbd8cd5 shards scattered 72af2e203c across the 211a3932b6 floor.bfa7ada0b6f1f7a1

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But even that destruction 8cd69181ac didn’t seem to calm d94cfa07f2 her rage. Helena’s wild 4902a56f53 eyes darted 19a4416989 about the dc421983aa room—landing next 4005d4ffd4 on the 133b23cb65 candelabrum atop f224d8a670 the console 84f35283e0 table.1d6eeb3c20003c31

“Your Highness, please! You’ll hurt your 2a1f62e5ba hand…!”3444197da38d0419

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Despite her pleas, the 6d72bb0382 maid knew there was b11c680b39 no stopping her mistress a3a6e842b5 when she was like ee78cff405 this.ce44c7bc54381c81

Thud!574a2627d912e0b8

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The candelabrum, adorned with 00d5e12866 mana-stone lights, slammed into 376b3b1e35 the silk wallpaper. The delicate 3c609e38a8 glass orbs de819f178a shaped like 6b2569ac46 candle flames 652d4719ca shattered, leaving 35dc6d2f9a gashes in adacccf26d the ornate 422cdc5533 wall covering. Helena’s hand, b3c922fda5 having hurled 9a5ecb95dc it bare, f02151bcd3 was scraped b51e137b23 and bleeding 64e53c991e at every a043c43214 knuckle.f19bb10bca1cf40c

Haa… haa…2099f43898fdf9a3

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Only when she saw 25c941f9fc her own blood did b68e5bdc56 she seem to come 1e494737e7 down from her fury. As her shoulders fe82645cac heaved with ragged c464c9dd7e breaths, her closest c207935b4e lady-in-waiting finally dared 184b2c4f09 to approach.f02eef9eea891702

Feathers from 027f61bc67 thrown pillows d4e97ba724 floated through 1ed72b95d4 the air; 0b730199db torn cushions dc98f13fad lay scattered, 906eeb77d9 and the d4281af308 tea table 4c9deccd19 and sideboard 6bcf49c939 had been 5e1dcb7214 kicked out 4a5c16fceb of place. Amid the wreckage, the 76d29c5fef maid took out a bd14e50e01 mana potion from her 07b683ed4f pocket and gently rubbed e864547160 it into Helena’s limp, 4b275b7bf5 bloodied hand.cb6ddff6eac34da0

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Helena let b0cabbec3b her work 2a948868a5 for a 064598aebf while in 1eced9c3ab silence—until at 55f082b649 last, with 1f7f7fe14b a trembling d1160b600c voice, she 959c61eb36 muttered:f5d1a432aa3285b4

“Bribe the Holy e94257a5c2 Kingdom’s foxes.”8d513ec1f672674e

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 90656d165d1bbd65

 e65b1db379678f06

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