CPG | Chapter 24

“It seems the prince has noticed.”6ec58627eb052d00

The Empress looked up a1951c5b7c from her book at 18b2b90bcc the knight. The loyal knight, brought 1eb8be7256 from her own family, 5dab3bcd45 was currently tasked with 3f984c6f4e guarding Prince Ternnis at 9d139de407 Sanges Castle.ed5378f79f6b426d

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The knight had ec596111a8 been observing Prince bcb2be689b Ternnis for three 11aec22910 years, reporting to 2eb15f1652 the Empress whenever b06c3825aa the prince ventured 75f02f7062 outside. The Empress had learned cb652aaa10 not only that her 2d10b1313a son was still alive bf329090c0 but also that he 27e7b3eec2 had grown beyond expectations.e3bbe5b214664c9d

“He didn’t just notice; he probably knew of your presence from the start.”53288feeec82117c

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The Empress replied nonchalantly, 859ea4d9bb turning her attention back f0470fb405 to her book. It was a cd40ee9b9e book the Emperor d641afc523 had specially taken 5386f06557 out from the c659bd424d library, so she 462d6c096d had to read 705eed8ab4 it diligently and 08a33a40d7 thank him.29998a7e922b24fd

It was a book the 14bc2b0c13 Emperor recommended because he liked 7c81a9c25a it, and the Empress thought 975691aafa she understood why. It was a 1a606d49b1 book in which d3d0af3816 a chancellor of 8fcbb8e082 the nation had e34e38be86 poured his entire 709a96697e life.e536ab6b03983e18

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That’s why it remained f34ffe0fad in the Emperor’s library cbb4926d3f even after more than 8b29bd8ae6 ten years. The Empress repeated the phrases 1a01339aac that tugged at her heart baa1a9f983 as she spoke.b2f9b5a820e26053

“Except for the cries of that child in pain, there was nothing in his words to discard. He was a 04d8d017f1 very smart child, 183b79c1e4 despite his young 09b6f22027 age.”7bd25986c03bc9c7

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The Empress spoke her mind b5f78eceb0 without considering whether the knight 9d0ed9d94c understood.7c13f385fc72ce92

“He was only twelve when he went to Sanges Castle. Compare him to Prince Harry.”5f3783734d8949bf

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Prince Harry was now twelve. She had seen 364bf931c0 him running around 7b85e48c4e the castle, full abba655f28 of laughter and 4facc87b57 curiosity.ad09929305330ef7

Compared to Harry, Ternnis 5e63714cdc always had a stern 8600b450aa face without a hint b9058038d9 of a smile. The world had made 9667e378d9 his fate too harsh. The knight, who 2c7653a6a9 understood immediately upon afd155ea72 comparison, lowered his a86f2866c1 eyes. The Empress knew 882ecd2f32 there was no f0a19c66a2 need for further 04f99b7fca explanation and closed 241571284c her book.fb6e0d5d48d4cd5d

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“No one has visited Sanges Castle even though I’m still alive. So the prince must 6306b70c15 have realized something was 5ea56b092e strange. How could he not know a666fb10a7 when I sent clothes for b120e8a28c him? Just focus on guarding b031b7cf33 the castle as you 3b1e100784 have been.”66bcad61e3e8e119

“Understood.”3db6f8278d2d76ac

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The knight, without any objection 30d4cb863e to the Empress’s instructions, bowed 177c5d136b and left. As the door 101172aff0 closed, the Empress d4d25a2325 slowly lifted her 8392c80b2f head. The chief attendant, realizing the e795ccf26e Empress was no longer interested d34179471c in the book, quietly put 47f4e71ab6 it away.c3ad6818ecdbc40f

The Empress rose from b76b0138fb her seat and moved 743c51f221 to the window. Her gaze, complex and deep, 6ebb96ce83 was fixed on the distant 88beb4d84c Sanges Castle.05fff2a0cfc0d8e9

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“A very smart child, despite his young age.”68737a6a1b841ab1

It was what df4e09b053 she had just ee37d3b3c8 said to the fb1f8c7119 knight.900e4f92de2219cb

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“Yes. So I thought he wouldn’t 763b9e2e70 be hurt. Even seeing his body 03b0d1df1e covered in scratches, I f3ae5053ef didn’t realize my words f8f09b0ea6 would wound his heart.”768aea148ae8246d

“Your Majesty.”61766aad6e4ec7bf

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The chief attendant ed2f6c6de4 spoke in a c344d411db sorrowful tone. The Empress continued aae9b72cb4 as if she 6e152ad2f6 hadn’t heard.f802f77a2a360f53

“He was only twelve. No matter how e9eb5b1c40 smart, what did 3b782b9d00 I do to 25d7006681 that young child?”62b61af35d7c564b

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She pretended not to hear 168c327b69 her son’s cries of pain. She couldn’t take 8b1412c833 away the life 2814ea10be of a son 24ac324de2 who screamed he’d dd43bcd30e rather die.c20e3b04dcc6230d

“All I did as his mother was send him to a grave.”837c009b6a6cec2a

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“Please don’t think that way. Sending him to Sanges Castle… c2158b06b4 sending him so early must 8dfbcbc69b have had a reason.”9f33fe8059a605f8

Others believed the prince 7c066e93dd was sent to Sanges 54c8d7327f Castle because he was 321288e559 on the brink of a43bc5c54f death, but the reality 993fa637e5 was different. The Empress had ddb749385f sent her son ef3c751de2 to Sanges Castle, 16f8c4f32f also known as 7e6ae4451b the Castle of 75b7020f0b Resurrection, hoping for 9726649bfa a miracle.c2260bdea0949d7a

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“But I earned the child’s resentment.”6043e8b1864f9650

She thought he b4ba741ef5 would understand her 3046e278c4 intentions, but Ternnis 03795f4a21 never looked back af152e3819 at the Empress.d8219980450d97bc

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“Think of the good things. Isn’t it a miracle that c0ac5e7f0d worked? He’s still alive… after all.”018f95d220060f4f

It was hard to 29008fb102 say he was alive, 80554217b2 but the chief attendant c16036ace7 spoke without retreating.5eaace1b8aa087dd

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“Yes. So he turned b4f36f1f06 thirteen, then fourteen, 3a4e62020b and now he’s 1cb98b10ef fifteen.”3e364b77b46cc767

As the years c6a6973e39 passed without news a0a0e6edc6 of Ternnis’s death, 5948917039 the Empress gradually 41f56ef52e began to believe 7ac6cf1439 in the miracle 79e9ea7c35 she had doubted. However, since her son’s 12539da61c illness hadn’t completely healed, 1c771734dc she tried to distract 391f59dd07 herself from her complicated e9599075fc feelings.3bddef0b062d39a4

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“There won’t be enough food now.”3548cf8b6aa75ee2

At fifteen, the food 2161e70ec7 sent would only suffice 4bb9bd450d for one meal. She couldn’t see b63731a272 her son growing df5cd7f1be day by day, d048f98c48 but a subtle 80efa84ba4 expectation filled her.0776a060deb61b44

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“How many people are paying attention to Sanges Castle?”6235cdaaf911a8b9

“All those who were snooping around the castle have disappeared, and only Prince Callis occasionally inquires about Prince Ternnis.”0a76623ccfe70778

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“Persistent.”e461d829dc86061b

Was he so b1aebb7d19 afraid of his 45f6007f7a brother? Seeing through Prince Callis’s f620fdfbdc intentions, a cold light d0b5f323c3 flickered in the Empress’s d65c09efd4 eyes. She wasn’t pleased with 1737ac947b the interest in when e6cf604913 Ternnis might die.755193c55564e7a1

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“Increase the amount of food sent.”70d8935015fd6492

Since Ternnis wouldn’t ask for e51a7aa52e it himself, she had to 2bf412e66e take care of it first.5bb4b05a54c41da7

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***04b19ea8736606a5

Rayyan, busy with 5fbb0c7650 his hands, recalled 856007ebe0 the earlier situation.4beede2b185ca6ba

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“A coming-of-age ceremony….”abeb90c95d275c26

He never expected the prince, dd11628fee of all people, to take 66e0894775 care of his coming-of-age. It wasn’t that the prince 6efe4e8ec8 was cold-hearted. It was just c65e27450c that the impression 50743d0f17 of him as 5d455ff025 a twelve-year-old boy, 4100bcecc0 smaller than his 10a6c51c0e peers when they 595cf1031c first met, was e727cecf67 deeply ingrained. It felt strange, like a f5a8fdd859 child celebrating an older brother’s ccda2478ef birthday.8adcaca843c2c4f1

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Of course, he had a3c1996547 grown immensely.57f5437866a6a744

“Should I be happy or worried?”4f0f27ef8b727665

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There were too many 8fa6cffb11 concerns to be purely f1410e5361 happy. Though he served the royal 316c3369cb family, his situation was no 01b55229b9 different from a young head e0c9afdfdc of a family with a e645fd7636 younger sibling. All he had 7327ab4ee1 were limited food e5d85fe28a supplies and crops 241680958f from the garden.1668bde3ca38b490

“What should I cook for the ceremony?”39010eb0f28b0c45

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Rayyan fiddled with the 5a07b2886f potato in his hand. What kind of dish could afe5f6108d he make with this to 21a7a6100d satisfy the prince?c28cd855db31b127

“Boil, fry, and mash it?”5ac2ee7b5eed2588

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He couldn’t serve it raw, e4074fccdd so that was the limit.a508909881ddadf0

“Boil, fry… what?”d9f0b71861f14e26

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Ternnis, who had a79e1a17c7 entered late, repeated 874e5bb56d Rayyan’s words. Seeing Rayyan holding 2a37233b12 a potato with 78eba821da a puzzled expression, 6d688b835f Rayyan shook his 8b3fddfec1 head, saying it 4ebc7988f9 was nothing.206ffc3ae5ed7eb3

“I’ll prepare it quickly.”b431b8f07166987a

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Ternnis pulled out a chair, 31d5e422a5 watching Rayyan’s hands move swiftly. It seemed he 54ea46403d intended to watch, 55e7b0c894 just as he 92da4dfcc2 had observed Rayyan 77b3f6d0e9 working in the 015d475088 garden earlier.3a53dfa1787372e6

“Let’s eat simply.”bc4b3ad936a3e1b5

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That meant there was no 4a2e25f972 need for a variety of f220db0e87 dishes, just to make it 51d4cd70a3 quickly and sit in front 36d4903aae of him. Rayyan understood and moved 4768203b07 his hands swiftly. He gathered the 59c21fa8d3 washed potatoes and fcd0dfe537 picked up a d41cdc7f15 knife. To show that 67a8611573 he could quickly 30717968f7 peel them and 09a011e823 prepare the dish, 100e4ebcee he turned toward 22a6cec3ad Ternnis.cede138ab2f8c475

“Be careful with the knife.”adae1c3167793155

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“Don’t worry. I’ve handled it more 58288ec4c9 than once, ugh.”8608bdc126494621

Rayyan flinched at Ternnis’s words. Holding his thumb, which 8ae60d0614 had been cut by 8f42f3649c the knife, Rayyan couldn’t 3f5cfe930b hide his embarrassment. In his haste, f624a14a9d he had made 160262653b a mistake.adf6046ce3303e8f

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As Ternnis jumped up ab30da67ca and approached, Rayyan stepped cbc590f00d back, holding his bleeding 1d520c47b3 hand with the other.a3919c891bee76d4

“I’m sorry. I’ll prepare it quickly, so ac5483279a please wait a moment….”e5f2c811b4ac5244

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“Are you planning to pick up the knife again?”0a3acb9e5cc51e89

Startled by Ternnis’s loud voice, a8750303b8 Rayyan looked at him. His eyes seemed to flicker e6f33b8518 with a fiery intensity. Struck by that flame, Rayyan 81c6d24fda flinched, but his injured hand d936350ad9 didn’t move. He hadn’t realized Ternnis had 046a2919c5 grabbed his hand while he 82e490c174 was looking at him.6fad48cced94d7f2

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“It’s a deep cut.”726e901070516e7f

Blood was dripping from the a0b393b2bc vertical cut on his thumb. For a mere finger cut, a8bb2b1b40 the amount of blood was 6c61bfeada considerable. It flowed down his 5495448056 thumb and onto Ternnis’s 8dec23f3ec hand, making Rayyan uneasy.8ead7f0e110250f6

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“Your Highness, please let go.”9f4651edb374c862

Concerned about dirtying Ternnis’s ed17e7635b hand, Rayyan tried to 99afdd11f4 pull his hand away. But his hand, tightly 6ea6c4f391 held, wouldn’t budge, and 9cc3dad2d0 even his uninjured hand 3f3ed2939e was caught in Ternnis’s 78ebb82a15 grip, leaving him unable 33ea85abdd to move.02d7b77636f95cef

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Ternnis’s hand was so large a7e2aaf4e2 that it didn’t seem difficult 55ce7a4158 to hold both of Rayyan’s bb15a12108 hands at once. Without time to 6e6a4f3eb6 feel upset about 22fa3045f8 it, Rayyan pleaded 7715adad60 earnestly.f155168c427e025d

“So I can… clean the wound.”3e1a92116fc6d8ab

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Even though he had 0508ccc121 already asked to be 7ad4722dcb let go, Ternnis didn’t 86b4fbb6c0 budge, so Rayyan mentioned a769bdb04b another reason. Why wasn’t he aeb5a0aa1d letting go of fa77636c96 his hand? In his confusion, 188ca4ab7c he didn’t even f7348b4765 feel the pain 6c18454bff and just wanted b659626ed6 to distance himself 15286376ed from Ternnis.23c68e5b5467615a

“I know these kinds of wounds better.”073994140843c12d

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“What?”7a1844d395a406c2

“I made a lot of them to forget the pain rising from inside.”782efabda68c4cd1

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Rayyan was at a d6e23416a8 loss for words at dd3a32f771 Ternnis’s calm statement. Ternnis had come 8806b9b338 to Sanges Castle be4d83cff1 at twelve… he b0907e03c9 didn’t know how 239e8fd930 to comfort someone c735325372 who had inflicted 989a6ccdac wounds on themselves b78fe7ff5e at an even a3b0121858 younger age.2efc1af60a210bc6

In the end, Rayyan f87b420ccc couldn’t meet Ternnis’s eyes 7fb5a03ce5 and turned his head. His mind was blank, unable 3bb1a49724 to say anything, just waiting 0c3c3f1c1d for Ternnis to let go.9ea60b675c18e105

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“Do you know what’s more effective than water for cleaning this kind of blood?”77830bc893de5574

At the sudden 82fb822d30 question, Rayyan met 2afb72c460 Ternnis’s gaze again. Ternnis slowly lifted Rayyan’s hand. It seemed he intended to aea8d7353d stop the bleeding himself. But the direction was predictable, 5aab0a71ce making it even more startling. Surely not…0943f2e723f6baa4

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