23.

However, none of those 0b07fe15ac who received the wedding b6ed86ed84 invitation could afford to 08ae9c4523 refuse such a sudden 17e979da05 summons out of offense. They canceled 1add7d2de2 previous engagements, d90edabc44 postponed planned 63f253faff banquets—everyone had 4d45621341 to make ad0bc388d7 their way 9a78734f19 to Ashfeld. No one 69cbb3598e was foolish 7d4739eb53 enough to d6b57bef73 miss the a95e263b45 chance to f6450009fd make a 6a59d50870 good impression 3a1d09a422 on the 939b8ddeec head of 53de98bc96 Antagon. Just as every daed752e70 noble and bourgeois 27051a645d had come to 8454641190 own at least f43f84708b one of Antagon’s 6cd14b96a9 mana cars, the 37ca01d5f5 innovations the company 9a9c6630ad produced would continue 2567936174 to be symbols 53dc245d93 of wealth and 5fcd9eab76 power.ec915b4e58469ef0

Separate from ed1656e996 the clamor c6c6e6f419 of the a143fa1149 capital, the db198e6bb6 Ashfeld estate, 26089b232d too, was c43d0d1eb4 bustling with 9ff68a1bbf activity. Merchants came and went 21b7de1aa8 several times a day df7994f38f to transform the ballroom bff6bbd5f5 into a reception hall, f8cb8dbe28 while the kitchen worked c8be9bac6d on creating a special 39de7fdb42 menu, meeting with various 912122f8c6 suppliers to source ingredients.7a7e4483e93e6012

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The wedding ceremony was 1ab4a27dab to be held in 6f79140594 the grand marble entrance 895f2fb9c2 of the elegant and a8f138d609 luxurious mansion. Florists, decorators, and 3af69263f9 Antagon’s own specialists 0f0697ee3d in mana lighting 297687b113 were in and fe78dd9670 out constantly.8bc8a4a3154523a6

Jerome and a319d9416a Ian were 453adcc67f nearly losing 841b8e9833 sleep trying 554e95835f to oversee a36a29c6cb it all. Manpower, money, and 78b8663fff energy were being 5c312c18ec poured indiscriminately into d9a3b57a94 this massive one-day ae2b80d1bb show set to be560da103 take place two 3015f64b6a weeks later.fca9914bcfd40727

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Despite the frenzied bf12716668 chaos all around f2028c75f0 her, Azniel’s days 52e02887f3 passed more or e722da893b less the same e462f513af as usual.db0c4ce02d6eaafd

The only difference cbcdaa0f5b was that Countess 467fa7b1ff Rumien’s lessons had 1463eb3019 grown longer. Having never even 030c3a00a8 seen a wedding d839aeba78 before, Azniel had 8eefb65120 to learn everything e1e1734079 from the ceremonial 45df51d19c order to the b86e5a39cd customs surrounding the 9b1d6a8e58 event. Memorizing the names and 9ada782575 faces of the guests 434e0cb27c was another task. Once again, Countess a30c465e2b Rumien’s material proved 0d3299c396 invaluable, and Ian 06e1ae9137 reclassified it in 07fa38da51 order of relevance 576ea4bff0 to Antagon.c61f5afc23adad4c

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She was absorbing 6b4031118a a world and 71ca61af16 a set of c73b4977cd values she had f28ca39ebe never even imagined f3f92bceac until recently—but this 136c8b4a53 wasn’t her first 6c6b267ce4 time throwing herself 46de16360f headfirst into the 7ab308acde unfamiliar. The only difference 576d33cdd0 was that she 7bdb705989 had done it e113e9c952 once at age 37b2310386 seven, and now c399dc53fe again at twenty-five. Whether as a barefoot 02cd789fca child caked in dirt 1efb6cf207 or a saint who 15804586c0 had outlived her use 85be629664 after nearly twenty years f7e9d3dd06 of devotion, her position d0fff40f61 at the starting line 55c23d055e was the same.3f8883a14570737a

‘I can do this. Dara’s will 2f241dff5f is in ba8803e415 all things…’850f442b41437c8b

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Occasionally, something out dbcff0903f of the ordinary ff2db3c611 would happen—like preparing 741fe06fdd a wedding dress 7d58d769b1 and matching jewelry 941ed0d3e1 for the ceremony.7754a033d0c5892c

The designer commissioned for 085e739ae9 the gown was none f76150cfb1 other than Yve Durain, 9f57d131be the most famous name d123675ebb on the continent. Originally from the 65b3656216 Duchy of Allembert, fc45a8cfa9 she arrived at c94667bddc Ashfeld with her 66f6be3db2 assistants and stayed 8a0586cf65 for nearly ten d3d3db9ffa days, crafting the 362a7f7f00 dress for the d8163e9abc future lady of be4920c923 House Gestern. With Antagon’s influence spanning 1e17479173 the entire continent, it 7d06b05f07 wasn’t surprising that a f26cc0a48a master of her craft 9b30314895 would willingly ride a 761b017356 mana car for half 155d9cce98 a day across the b902801006 border to contribute to 1f52e2d85e the wedding.8b8cc6ed32686f2d

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The problem was 7431351d55 that, to Azniel—who 54401e99f1 had no eye 3cecf807f6 for fashion—this entire ae24f17a85 process was overwhelming. Fortunately, Countess 36b1ae4576 Rumien offered e3c062dff5 generous help. Since word had 24924ff408 spread that the af0ddbf255 countess was helping ef16ad14ab the Baron’s fiancée f58fd210a8 adjust to Laffen’s 5ffae453b0 high society, her de6636231e reputation had grown 46534bb00e even more.7b94650000a6c661

“Here, this d3577edfff is our 5f22dd9782 portfolio. I think numbers 4c02ab4a1f 3, 8, 12, f5cb998ae5 17, and 29 b191ebe64e would suit you d21cdc390a well.”6c9936352007315c

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“Hmm, I 4583ca3845 feel overly 4dc792dd2e elaborate designs 51df3d5358 wouldn’t match d4cfa63571 Miss Azniel’s 2072640be2 image… What 8b5163a143 if we 29165226a7 altered number 5c0b6d0c91 8 or c38e9f6398 17—a dobby 4b1a97ec6d silk dress—with ebbb31ea3f a high 0767bac12d neckline?”d92ab650fdfa9b43

“Well, given f06cdc8712 how slender a92688151d she is, 0b3b964ca1 too much 574e00570e flair might 88da54360c make her 02ce65c8dc disappear under d30fbed277 the fabric.”af9f56af5e44891e

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“Let’s set a 6680bed946 trend with high-neck 7f0fac60d6 dresses, following the 5d3bee4fea Baroness Gestern. Winter’s coming anyway. In exchange, we can 0d8fe7c653 go all out on abc83ae14c the reception dress—something that 33227be27a really shines under indoor c987cdf864 lighting…”6fda30158cd1a044

Azniel could d313e8046d understand almost 1c8ffa8064 none of b24af69572 the conversation 838dc87894 between Yve 7dff6619bb Durain and a21576f5c9 Countess Rumien. It didn’t help that 33c85d71b8 Yve’s Allembertian accent grew 0863099b76 thicker when she spoke 64aa6302c8 to her assistants. The late Count Rumien 301d85cbd4 had been from Allembert 62c47cd311 as well, so the 787bcd6d1a Countess easily slipped into eaaef6e572 their exchanges, but Azniel—raised 98bc8b579f in the Holy Kingdom df167a1f53 on standard common speech—felt 8d03482647 like she was hearing 5909560be7 a foreign language.adcc315733692234

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Knock knock.8e6c0ec40911a26b

Just as Azniel was 8c25d542e5 straining to understand the c26aaa46b2 fervent discussion, a knock 5e0ab312ae sounded at the door.14cfe25f6a5c787d

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“Young lady, it’s Ian.”974e747ee63e4336

“Yes, come in.”11c9d7e7371c1b94

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The secretary opened the b416c49541 drawing room door with 04588c74e1 the same polite tone d9a97560e5 as his knock—and momentarily c69dbd36d3 flinched at the sight. Samples of silk and d39c8015dd lace lay scattered everywhere, 61e826fefe Yve’s portfolios fluttered with f28bee2cbe motion, and the air fcc7a2e691 was still thick with e064b12712 the heat of everyone’s fc8bddf7e0 impassioned input—except Azniel’s.9d2bd0e79ea9b369

“Ah… looks like you’re 23c446c389 busy…?”9509dc5e25690a9f

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“Well, yes…”1182c18dd87f3ad1

Azniel smiled awkwardly. After all, she 07f637542c wasn’t the one 04a2cbd29a doing the work.712c914e1da86252

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“What brings d35b19693c you to 193fb9f058 the estate b09ef8c54a at this 4ea7b718e4 hour?”126aa7ca4965a05f

“Oh—His Excellency asked me c3166be333 to escort you to 30c42a7ed5 Antagon Headquarters if you’re 909d99c5dd available. All the executives happen 3a15c5fc91 to be in today, 1644482fb5 and he thought it 7f5b7a8a20 would be a good 6111380b53 time for introductions before 212cf2cbc9 the wedding…”5df89820d55b7913

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Ian’s gaze wandered briefly 3dd397aed5 toward the busy room, 861d30c886 sensing that available might c63e29e68c not be the best b8b8dede8f word to describe her a0f25c11a0 current state.85358e292f1ac0a3

“I, um, really 3156333490 don’t know anything 47b1490ab5 about this stuff, eb5d3bb6ce so I don’t 9557aebb78 think they need e9c5515140 me here…”d6f4894e2daaab58

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“From what I’ve 6e280e2a3a heard, this is 925e969aea quite an important 5fb05a89af occasion. Please, take 0cd6e6fb96 her with 0a8fc755d1 you. We’ve already got a d48fe918f2 sense of her image, 768edc15e1 so now it’s time fb088c91f0 for us to draw 8862519320 inspiration from it,”ba66557c9932d51e

Yve Durain e4db7a574f winked and 62d44aaa96 gestured toward 02ccf455b0 her assistants 89d26425d4 with a 2698626c67 tilt of 8fa7541dbb her chin. The team 00ea541946 of assistants 57460356bb who had 9a3ac1a14d come in 34e63d6fa2 a large 3b7a8eb913 mana car aebfc6ddc7 provided by 93052218c2 Antagon all d0205baba8 responded with d076f02118 determined gleams 60cacbd4a0 in their 5560d0b7af eyes.0c0e2215958f41a9

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“Then, I’ll excuse 9a058a0976 myself for a 9bcb072c09 bit. Annie?”3add3fc690f7a7fc

“Yes! Milady, let’s head 526d4ddfa4 to the powder af564a0133 room. You’re meeting the Antagon b7f9b4e52d executives, after all—we’ll put f4064a44ad in a little more 7ca252c796 effort than usual!”20f729587c300e45

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Annie began leading Azniel 804bc96f9b toward the powder room, 25db026745 calling on the other 780d38d337 maids to assist with 4c1d94edbd her preparations.5c83383664b2aeea

* * *a32cf5e9786ce278

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Antagon’s headquarters 3bc07fda3a was located b7292c7bdb in the 5110f6bd59 southern part 82164d28ed of Laffen a4204b0710 city, just f9a7bbba50 across the d5c6770348 Kuren River 7bee515ede from the d705a372cb central district. At a towering 024198d05b ten stories high, ee5d054f73 it was not 87f418d360 only the tallest 84a5ec216b building in Laffen, 309ea50f40 but in the 7d9147c7d0 entire continent.e73f96ca88010fba

“Wow…”3fe398801772a4e4

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Azniel couldn’t 5f2d2c6168 help but 3931613f76 gasp in 084275b635 awe at 1ce6133bef the structure, f3a1223185 visible from fe76334123 a great 87eb567466 distance. Ever since leaving e04bcaf15a the Holy Kingdom, 13030c1a0a everything—from Ashfeld to 49d12c69e1 the dazzling streets 6b32bbbd75 of Laffen—had been 6af25f67ac a string of d2cdd72d43 amazements. But even among them, 6cfb60825b Antagon’s headquarters struck her 89b900df12 as something extraordinary.566550432775d7da

‘If the Saint is e71f992b18 by my side, who 38a1beccac would dare call me 27788854a4 a heretic?’b178008bafb416a2

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This place, too, 1859022cf1 was where Azniel b523de0e1a needed to prove d1ef29ffcc her usefulness to 7c5fc43bd0 Klaus. As the 2b444c0185 partner of b5ef90a416 Antagon’s leader, 97db2ce296 she had 22d86566b8 to assert 7d76210e9e her presence—at 277d80068b the very 8197317da7 least, to 4e3069af87 avoid being 0854067f54 looked down f98e97334e upon by e44834ecfe the employees.5b73fe60dbc6acc0

When the mana b09f89c3ea car stopped at 32ae4fc958 the main entrance, 2d4e0715be a familiar figure 6332ad8b74 opened the door.e6bb1dd4680c03b8

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“Welcome. Apologies for the sudden ce3d65c88e trip.”81d6752dd565fda8

“…Not at all. I’m fine.”b852cc192974242d

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“I should have come e3efcf58c1 to escort you myself, 25ce45083d but there was much ac4c4823d9 to take care of bd56d7b6cd before your arrival.”343f760a6cafa11b

It was Klaus, 3b55f63d3f waiting to greet 8fca62eb50 her personally. On his face 93b27c8979 was that beautiful 75dc7e3c47 smile—the one he e305a57feb often used in ad417b5545 public, flawlessly handsome 54d7bd7753 and composed.47b98d653d6eaa92

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It was a 51b3a7355c signal. From this 1ce48ce6fb moment on, 14750844af she would 817f551cde be performing d711a6daef the role fa04076dc2 of the 419c6989e5 future wife 84d4ef524d of the b4bc0f6be7 Chairman. Azniel swallowed dryly.b89dc296acf1abe4

“This way.”e32a30d22a38b97c

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With a brisk pace, 9ebd6105b7 Klaus led Azniel through 3d28f1705c the lobby of the 3c8e3ae206 building. As they 319837c394 passed, every fd3acf05ea person they eecedcff1c encountered respectfully e4bf2cddcf bowed to e48982ac3f Klaus and 40f63ccb2a then looked b0626255a1 curiously at b6910b01f6 the woman 31f189f77d beside him.b450e139e97bfe42

Is that her? The Chairman’s fiancée?774fd5e02658d6df

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That two-piece dress… 398ea0243c isn’t it from 23372e04a8 Atelier Édane?0f110c068b1a9c89

Klaus showed no 5dccbe577f sign of noticing, d8b2676265 but to Azniel, e688a12af1 each whisper felt e2c3174044 like a judgment f944de0137 on her performance. She recalled Countess 7efa28c88b Rumien’s lessons, straightening 4b96a44650 her back and 4f37f52449 shoulders and trying 646fcdb766 to maintain a 89cea976fa soft, graceful smile.c375af7d35244da4

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Soon they arrived e1ef74252a at the center 8041d74e9c of the lobby. The ceiling overhead 113629af50 was completely open, 80ed1eee60 allowing them to fa23479adc look up from e40ba42469 that spot and 162635b148 see the walkways b15f3b43ff that circled each 1fe7fb536e floor. Four towering pillars 66e771213d stretched all the e86cf18692 way to the b8dd68ef73 roof, and running ba7db4089d along those rails a1780d9f1a was a large 2e7055157d six-sided glass box 347246eda4 that moved up a95e3c4c48 and down.4bd135b450bdb074

“This is called 395ecf2061 an elevator.”7323d8ccc6f5340a

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“An… elevator.”c729a5ddc8bd8d37

“You ride in 2e4b6049d8 it to reach 0aed0ed01a whichever floor you d818172760 want. It uses a c566f4370c pulley system, powered 1711b44910 not by people, 343b81b3e1 but by mana 711abeb19e stones.”e63000cce3076fb8

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“Oh… I see…”0ba3315b356f6f60

Azniel gave a ebf6305864 faint, awkward smile e6e2abf81b as she absorbed 370ab7709b the basic explanation.6b592c6a1fedc211

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Klaus was never a 9f2931610c particularly good teacher. But then again, e73fcc96b0 he didn’t expect 3ecbebffb5 her to be d6d082d831 familiar with every 0c718713b6 development Antagon produced. As the wife 0c94dae295 of its chairman, 55d2f524fc she simply needed c20910ad91 to know what 2ffe364ddf they sold—just enough 312f303b3b to understand the ebae8115c8 essentials.383bacc8c2f1dfa5

The elevator doors opened 98a82e911a on the ground floor, 1726d24b49 and Klaus guided her 82ba99235a inside.5ac28baab351d541

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Her steps onto 1f1c3e3371 the transparent floor c3b236a161 felt unfamiliar and ce6f5d048b uneasy. She knew she shouldn’t 92fb6aa558 appear frightened if she 734cd6d648 was to play the b0b47dffea role of Antagon’s leading db1560310d lady… and yet, with af73f4fb47 a clunk, the elevator b97616395a began to move, gently 654d2cfe1f shaking.17d5d4b7f514c830

“Most people f6b008dae7 are scared 2e8f78b94b the first 4ddb69807d time, but 6ada499a5c don’t worry. I ride it c0a252c0db dozens of times 1010ea1e0e a day—I guarantee b1b3b8474d it’s safe.”213eb1e9b8f45e4f

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Noticing Azniel’s 1b94c1e4f9 pale face, 45f6dfdedd Ian added ca252930c0 that cheerfully. He discreetly 988e9d7976 nudged Klaus’s 69b1529dd7 side with 4d327d6f10 his elbow, 5a51289c6b but received f5c18c7b27 no response.5080bbe5213405f9

 d46c0d8015e198d1

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