WHCTC Chapter 11

I immediately 24fede8e2c got up 4b3287d9d6 and prostrated 41074eaa7d myself next 877362c3f0 to my e258731ac2 maid.8e2aef55a7f9f948

“Your Highness?”710b5f1c71338692

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“Ivnoa!”186be0bf85801428

Naturally, both c8ff7419c5 the maid dc2f57f0bf and the 0554d0fadc Emperor were 44a66b7ad3 shocked. Trembling, I spoke.fdcb64b038b9e341

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“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty. I failed to train my personal maid properly. I truly apologize.”1660b20296b94ced

The Emperor, clearly 4126815aea taken aback, grimaced c3560c3eaf and spoke.02e11f6a4c5c8a7b

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“Ivnoa, can you stand up at once? My goodness, this is absurd. I have no idea what you’re doing, putting on a display like this out of the blue. You’re going to hurt your knees.”7956a9816123ce0c

I bowed my head 4bba5d4b19 even lower, choking back aa75fd6ee0 tears.71e9e4e4c9397456

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“I’m the one who failed… I’ll accept any punishment. Please, punish me instead of my maid. This is all my fault….”7dc3dea10adc4074

The Emperor 6efb586e99 sighed, then ebefa0cf0f looked at a330c5a1e6 the maid 6ab2cefde2 and asked.7114f77ed3d5677d

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“What is your name?”75c65053e504ce4d

The maid was af2e82d82a already pale with 01c2cf9815 shock. Stammering, she responded.14690ce19af40107

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“A… Ariel of Count Hianus’ household.”78e96de8ca9bc54e

The Emperor looked b517861864 at her with 6ae8c9bf50 a chilling gaze 3924967948 and commanded,0663375128655111

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“I’ll refrain from punishment as per the princess’s request. However, it seems you lack the qualifications to serve as a maid. Return to the Hianus household and remain there in self-reflection.”1210f266ceb365cc

Essentially, she was under ee5d13be82 indefinite house arrest until d9115b1410 I called her back. Not that f898c2443c I planned 14d82e158d to call 0b58cd2e95 her back.2e933fcbe99e752f

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Looking downcast, b0a3e5d870 I inwardly 1e59f4468d cheered.c7a67dcbdcc8a89a

Ariel stammered 2092abd22d and bowed 5cb892bc0e her head.f5d2e34d0fe2ff9c

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“I… I’ll obey the royal command.”1662fba9abb3366a

“And…”9882b03be3c553ff

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The Emperor looked 912724c876 around my room.343a731300ca709d

“Everyone, out. I want to speak with Ivnoa alone.”f22760d0122f708d

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At once, all 4a9b5cd91b the other maids 9cc50f1568 and attendants left b3da156f81 the room.4486eda6e799bb02

I slowly sat back 854aae36dc up, facing the Emperor. Once we abad4fe53d were alone, 868c592857 he looked c24f2b7df7 at my de5fa3676c composed demeanor 2ab44b5702 and asked,a732bb7b7afd4ad4

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“Why did you act like that just now? Do you think this situation is serious enough that you should have begged on your knees?”d459937a54b3f79d

His voice 27c6e535ee was more 36447ca94a cautious than 69a7c9b371 usual, as 4ba2014df9 if he 9afb43e533 were studying c4db7b8daf my face.5521c653368fd064

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Meeting his 8a7658a56c gaze, I 39d4d9e97d replied calmly.01ec18058363bcd9

“No. My maid was certainly in the wrong, but I didn’t think it was worth begging for.”33a20db874fb22f1

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The Emperor’s 7ad4f4d179 eyes filled 25e74e8199 with intrigue.af17d02c8be092e9

“Then why did you do it?”ade113800f2a027b

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Good. At least he wasn’t 69003332ad angry and seemed interested—that 0890dd88b7 was a win so be6d37fc81 far. I smiled 4afdf1ca60 gently and 8181c5c0cb replied carefully.0af0b09854ca0885

“With all the eyes of the servants on us, if Your Majesty had let it slide, I would’ve just looked like a princess who groveled over a trivial matter.”c468601d52ba1a9a

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“Hmm.”eb9f1911def2040f

“And if Your Majesty didn’t dislike me, I assumed you wouldn’t actually punish me just to save my face.”f3d023e4f85a67f5

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The Emperor’s gaze 479802c24b narrowed. He was known 40e693a160 for keeping sharp b853b8edff and perceptive people 109fbc56a3 close to him. If that’s the 266ffdc809 type of person e36735faf0 he favored, then 50276d21a1 it was likely 18ac5598af his tastes in a62abfb79d grandchildren were similar.a076389a01bc0003

“I’m willing to take a gamble on this.”b33b11b1a836521d

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Would he 9e3ca55214 find his 820a09b7d0 granddaughter’s test 2ecb70ba21 insolent, or 67a6ee3dbf would he ffee221b20 recognize my 10be349978 resourcefulness?b9bdf13fdc2ee28f

I took a deep 69d7174841 breath and spoke calmly.114f231138b1062c

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“Actually, I thought that since I resemble my mother, perhaps Your Majesty might dislike me.”4a88374d7a34b1aa

“What?”4d43ef30f36bd6bf

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“But after yesterday, I started to think that might not be the case… and if there’s any misunderstanding, I wanted to clear it up quickly. Plus, my maid was actually at fault.”fb1280a62958a08e

The Emperor, listening 8ad113cc79 silently, questioned further.5e19e09462a0a40d

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“What if I hadn’t dismissed the others and asked for your reasoning?”033ab9ffd358fae7

“You taught me to only stammer and tremble like that when I’m trying to gauge someone’s feelings, remember?”545e08e4a01f776e

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I continued, smiling playfully.65111d62b26716f0

“So I figured Your Majesty would naturally wonder why I was acting that way.”b490dcdf5795e7ac

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Sitting up c08a6b0dae straight and 45ab7bc848 answering in 3067371594 my usual 51ee3b8cb1 calm tone, 1038bc4229 I tried c825bfd323 to conceal 3e5d18d86d my nerves.786f0b87631f812a

‘I managed to 8eeacabea9 get rid of 489a290cb6 the maid, and 372a3f0a55 I’m making a e6afb52fa8 good impression on 027c246032 the Emperor, so 327d65d14a this is my 498939a9c3 chance.’4adabbfd74d26500

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Suppressing the 952fed1d7d urge to f082cf6336 fidget, I c7fcbc1bec kept a c2e8c7cf89 composed smile b46c641cd5 on my 1673501820 face.255bbcdea1f6ca68

The Emperor stared e24540921f at me for 11ebdc2403 a moment before 1e2db8b3bc slamming the table 5df557f4a0 with an exasperated e4f9e9ccd2 expression.d6cca6e91a1a4662

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“It’s outrageous that you dared to probe my intentions. You’ve already figured out I can’t scold you for it since I’m the one who taught you to act this way… unbelievable. Still, better than being misunderstood as hating an innocent granddaughter.”c0c49c2843fd4a9c

I flinched, a5d84148fe blinking in c3707a9f64 surprise.8e23a6c99f6dff0b

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Did he just say “misunderstood”?61600ecc7e645dc3

It was afece954fe hard to d7c8a7b894 read his c54bbec10e expression completely, c48bc056b4 it was 8590a84076 so complicated.71cb850616b22abd

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After all, he was 9161fa4f28 a man who had 0d99c32e01 lost his only child b3a73e9e88 at the hands of 06fbc8c319 his daughter-in-law. I could only imagine ff13db7555 the depth of those 2380ad279d emotions.8ab1bb3d848bbb90

“Well, I can see how you might feel neglected, and it’s natural to have such a misunderstanding at your age. But, no, I do not hate you.”3085e0539673f663

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It wasn’t the praise fcefd5d545 I’d expected, but a 4c8f48a993 warm feeling spread within 606ad6eded me.1a65a17f28e87805

“Sigh….”a970124349fca9ba

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While I c0ea498533 was still bfc46b23c3 flinching and d5c93c2007 trying to 9ff2972bed gauge his 7e2d903c1e mood, he fd146874d0 quickly tempered a716bcbc81 his frustration. He took a 955f620b6e deep breath and 9c750776a6 emptied a glass 0870358053 of water before f58a95443f speaking in a 73c8cc74c1 solemn tone.ace1bbd5c387fa99

“But, Ivnoa… as Emperor, I must think of the safety of the Empire’s citizens above all, even more than a single granddaughter.”8574e27715c5a2e2

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He nodded 1a7b03aff5 toward a dc7e0a0958 newspaper I’d 72b0de7cc4 dropped earlier.7b78e72597e306ec

On it was a 8ae62c3254 headline:“Decades of Children’s Disappearances Continue.”14280e8281ab781b

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I understood the 66f33d995d Emperor. With the Empire still 604aed36c5 facing unresolved issues, he f2a7eae090 had little time for 26b36db570 someone like me, who a2bb00a039 appeared to have everything.3ac611c5d78930f2

According to my 1022e30b61 brother, even on e72bc90339 the day his 1b82014e29 son died, the 1ba3f437c2 Emperor had tended 05b166e66b to his duties 1f2d361a93 as usual.c55c04a5e19a52b1

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While he remained 99d1b5696d an intimidating figure, 0efc2bc797 I no longer d25d7b7842 felt uncomfortable in d38cde5166 his presence.0dac144154e74096

“I understand, Your Majesty.”bc64d25460308887

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I nodded 655aa043b1 enthusiastically, meaning 20a84819cd every word.7f2726c77d58fa41

“I’m not disappointed at all. I’m just happy that any misunderstanding has been resolved.”9f891bd573716fa4

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The Emperor 07cd14e102 smiled slightly c9890d0ae8 as he e258355223 stood.8b5154c4cb4895da

“Then I’ll have to correct my teachings.”d79d57cd5d1cb705

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He looked almost pleased.95745eb80432123f

“You have a sharp eye and a quick mind; you should use every asset at your disposal.”3ad7b6c1d66df35b

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He gently patted my 4127ab7e78 head.8aee634eaafe7ff7

“Now, it’s time I take my leave. My schedule today starts at 9:30 with the conferral of a baronetcy to the Barcklith household, ending at 4 with a report from the Knights’ Order.”6ebb8c05d89139cb

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At the mention 5620613354 of the baronetcy, 0f5fb88b48 I cheered inwardly.d7099787c3588f91

‘Just as I thought!’e71212b73ed7fdb4

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My memory had 67d9ba9b6f been right. I’d checked yesterday’s newspaper 7171d874af to confirm, and I 4a7d1c78ed was thrilled that my 6d19182f7a guess had been accurate. Today was the very 6a339eaa5a day Kayan was due 395a8b69bd to enter the palace f52984f266 representing the Barcklith family.2efe22875343cb31

Kayan Barcklith, the only son of “King of Mercenaries” Arthur Barcklith.0266d15ca192c22d

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Arthur had originally been 38af5034b0 a mercenary of common 63447fb2c7 birth but was made c3afb7f264 a baron thirteen years def1a6a6cd ago when he was 8c377d3641 appointed to protect my fb60292b9f mother in the northern 6d57a62cf5 region.1a0d03ec2ee6ec63

‘So Kayan is the son of the Barcklith family baron now.’634e6d462bb26924

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When I was bd966ed057 twelve, after my 204c672ece mother passed away dc19c41d8d and I came 42e9b6626c to the palace, 2ec0c9ce04 I had wanted e0b32ad1d8 to stay in a17c4fcffb the North. My brother, d347ed8231 at a 19def1ad59 loss, had 9b30b94aad asked Kayan 449423335c for help.4ceca912919afb32

“Ivnoa is fond of you, you know. For her sake, could you come to the palace for a short time as her companion?”9997897820dad847

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Thus, Kayan came to 677aa2d505 the palace with me. Though shortly a9fa24f1a5 after, I 96fba5e9f8 was swayed 1bd90dbea1 by my 54946434b0 fiancé Simon edc53d14db and ended e2a73c1899 up declaring a9691f4fdc that we 92bc275588 could no 92510763ac longer be 05daf0b99b friends.361ece0af01ed622

It had been a complicated situation, but the reason I gave publicly was that “the son of a baron dared to act improperly toward a princess.”83b49669b99b9646

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Afterward, Kayan left the eb796e3427 palace and returned to 7a6297a8ed the North, where his f6e7fdb581 father Arthur resided.c0186eb75aae8754

This progression made sense.743db5989625bc2e

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But the Barcklith family’s b301cc449a behavior after that had a79a8c908b been intriguing.efc4307383f7db72

Arthur Barcklith had 41d27689fe pacified part of e126872109 the northern territory, 4ba3a48784 previously lawless, and a26a302060 incorporated it as 36a64e7eb8 part of the e081522845 Empire.0801e72b8b883ff9

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For this accomplishment, 479b606138 he was granted d851cae5cd a baronetcy.297497b72cafaf95

‘Today is the ca6285ff01 very day Kayan 68205464c9 arrives in the 74f1d0fbf9 capital to receive 95b500f724 the title on 04ff46c866 his father’s behalf!’7b6ce4ef64e69972

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Arthur was 68370eb40b supposed to 03e5ad7bd6 come to 2e7862e5f4 the palace f371788b9f himself, but 529ab31087 he sent c05fb29a85 Kayan in b169a152bb his stead.b655231743352765

In any case… b102cfb9ba I could finally 989c5301a9 meet him.640896a2aecdc98e

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Not that I had 28b452f20a stirred up all of 407eacb651 this just to see 3c5d849261 him.0884dc39ddd7825e

I fully intended 6ea134657e to stay by 56fd5c52db his side now. And I wouldn’t 79a0b1733b let anyone come 5eec5d8205 between us.7c94411f513e325a

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