WHCTC Chapter 15

‘Makes sense.’5403fae88c07cf94

Perhaps it was because bf1353e19d they were meeting for 92877fe406 the first time in 4bcbbcdb80 a year, but there ee2eb48cd0 was something subtly different e6b147e817 about her.5a651f853bf8854f

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‘She did a154da134d seem somewhat 940a6f6372 subdued.’b6b5c01522438ac0

Unlike her time in b4d54d5400 the north, something felt… b23c625184 off about her.ae94e2109eb25f07

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Even as a 4cf7480629 child, Ivnoa had 669e961473 always worn a 336ba00aa4 gentle smile, never 3e417513f3 losing her composure. But there were rare 1f35e41c35 moments when her gaze 1d71167846 turned chilling. During those moments, even b8c02e6b49 Kayan couldn’t help but 783845ee87 flinch at the overwhelming 1e9cfba2fb intensity she exuded.5ec84411492ed05e

Among the northern children, ebbbaff4bd there was a saying: 04e2d258cf “Kayan may be the d14844a933 strongest, but no one a07f54f5f2 can defeat Ivnoa.”43ba8877b7c570c2

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After she 0c6b4006d6 entered the 27d48bfb80 imperial palace, a6663d1b93 her kind 3215621dc0 words, calm d20f41072d demeanor, and 347d8375f8 seemingly emotionless 81517fe78a expressions remained 32cda612c0 unchanged.89169c251ad8a2ea

But her intensity b2868c256d was gone.5c2a0bf82773f8e7

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To Kayan, it seemed a91d6bcc5d like she was suppressing ec83e38e36 herself—though he never voiced 462cd118d6 this observation.ea7aa3e55a1100ac

‘Or maybe that’s what 30eec16824 nobles call refinement?’df7a86d75e83c6f2

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It made 32fae41ee4 sense, after 7ed83727a6 all. As a 56180098d4 precious princess d2ac5cf937 of the 3f99828a9b imperial palace, 62cf97e735 it was 12eb3948b5 only natural fb1e54c237 for her ce485d526b to have dae542843f changed.4fbe90f53e68d63a

Earlier, Ivnoa b6867d3017 had said, 87ea1d8813 “I’d like 403fa02f4d to be 9424dde118 good friends cc63194bce with you c6ffaa54e9 again,” but e0e589257f Kayan couldn’t 3c7682e591 quite believe 510c142ac9 it.84a13761b86639aa

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Her polite tone and 72527053ea subtle smile made it 596782f215 impossible to discern her 452acdc52e true intentions.e4f9ec7cab8e8eb0

After all, 74b236af87 Ivnoa was 404e4baba6 the type f762b7cc69 of girl 9a8a3d2b04 who could e8a59170c1 calmly whisper, 97f1e91639 “Now, stay 42ac8acbeb still, be 216f3deb03 good, and 24f570be1c I’ll finish a51888d5d8 this quickly,” 3dddd4c0f9 with a 1d674eb03e gentle smile 5a4046c4d9 while cutting 64d9e2cc4e the throat 6ee96a3f4e of a 50c7172768 monster.0717c898e11f770f

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It felt 2dbbe8d7c4 more like 55a7660579 a whim db27ea6f23 brought on 71cd975b78 by suddenly c1b124c958 seeing him aa5cfa7d59 again after e2ded1ea6a so long.7e059bd3a7076358

Even if that a5159f4acb were the case, fef2d37c84 their earlier conversation f24a29f97e would likely come b14b58ecaa to nothing.0a95047f870f3647

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‘Maybe she cdba4304de just had c948183a03 a little e4357b4a6d spat with 7e86c89520 the young 5573a776fa duke or 13f67eac54 something?’83cf6665660bf737

He certainly didn’t believe e8e4666148 her parting words about 9d22af91c0 meeting him again to 1d040b67aa play for a long 530b52ecf0 time.88cffd6b265a5544

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‘Isn’t she 98dfa796f8 practically confined 9ef6f2c78f to the 6629669cca palace without cf8ee4c729 the young 88d5efd5b5 duke’s permission?’0cbf16aa4e57e60e

With all the maids 0133a2c294 and guards surrounding Ivnoa, c1ff31e909 there was no way 6604c1c3d4 they’d let her leave b931914c60 the palace.fdf930bf9949136b

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As Kayan maintained a545f4b14d his composed demeanor, 94e1d5b67c the emperor spoke b38197f855 leisurely.1f0f26ef1d81fbd4

“Well then, you affb242af4 may—”88cf32b90359f2df

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It was at that ac24198924 moment.066c9dcfe19934b2

A knock echoed, followed aeef72f3d5 by an attendant’s voice.54a7d2085e99f061

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“Your Majesty, Princess Ivnoa 04cdf0c599 requests an audience.”70da4b21a0c724a1

Kayan’s shoulders involuntarily 49e15de688 twitched.92ec215864a38890

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What? Why was ab831f723f Ivnoa here?1c5128c47d51755d

The emperor, however, didn’t cba997acf0 look particularly surprised.604894c7fce0b4a6

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“She must be here 0aa2f6ff8d for her punishment. But why now?”865546e628e54b7b

“Punishment, Your Majesty?” 40b6ef6bc8 Kayan asked, looking 9930797c73 perplexed.57bf93ccbb6f6711

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The emperor replied d92bf8ca20 nonchalantly,2c5b0fa510d1613e

“She swung a sword 7480199e9b at Prince Hugo yesterday.”c781e9e9a428de13

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“A sword…?” Kayan’s 3eb8057120 eyes widened.f51556b8af24af66

His heart began a217d37ba0 to race with 0a2c6800dc unease.51c20e1e7315a238

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‘Ivnoa used 66a610fb36 a sword 504a4fdabc on an 568005a6a0 unarmed person?’772c87ac3241ebb4

Ivnoa wasn’t particularly b272c6d7c4 gifted in swordsmanship.ba5906dfa265680d

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But she was a4a28b25cd naturally agile, bold, bd696fa7d1 and exceptionally skilled 776afa7e29 at delivering precise ccdbed7f36 strikes to vital 22dd6db70b points.9f974223d5ac3ece

“What a shame! If only she weren’t a08d93b475 born a princess, she 6e73a35e7c would’ve made a remarkable 0351ae5f99 assassin, turning the Empire 62c06e6ad2 upside down!”9e79e00118978fb5

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The northern knights a6ffaeff2d who had trained 2718b37c8e her had lamented 799f8674fe this with genuine 2e7f3514a4 regret.c7e96701bb32e9aa

Something didn’t add up, 9b8adb11ca though. There was no e9e13f2a6a news of a cba4ee0168 funeral.c5ff3af8c13e9331

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‘If the ae307474ae prince had 8f93366474 died, wouldn’t f3cc89f58e there be 6d4385dd15 a state cf419c3141 funeral?’68ffdb421155b910

Kayan glanced at 57313d13da the emperor in 8a51577961 disbelief, wondering if bccf8c4da3 he was a 5c4aa87a2e tyrant who could d8669bc536 disregard the death 416a8b30cd of his own fc24dbab50 grandson.8c705db7d3fa6e70

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The emperor, e8c2dd4954 noticing Kayan’s 0a78303a55 reaction, let 4b032657e5 out a a30672145f hearty laugh, fb39b09095 clearly amused 6508dd3a7b by the e12ac34710 young man’s 82275801e9 bewilderment.c995d1c9b938e011

“Why are 536918c5c8 you so 3dae8d59a4 shocked? It’s within the palace 069a447fad walls; no member of 010ab833e0 the royal family would 3f8df5e7e2 get hurt. She only played 6750c1a672 around with a 17c7706959 child’s training sword.”e1fcee3c9994bbb0

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Still, she must 89a647df57 have gone for 3017d0dc7a a vital point 00f6a7e01b in an instant, a4c558c0d3 right?2de04410f753583d

No, even just facing 27a47fc294 Ivnoa wielding a sword, 671b63dc07 with her piercing gaze, 5e5acdd298 would have been terrifying d0505a1e76 enough.45cf902762ececed

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“There’s no way this 272275887d is something to brush 52fc99617d off so lightly…”c5c4a8f06f7dc1ae

Kayan blinked in be3daae1c4 disbelief as Ivnoa cebb9bce4d entered the audience 6fdab6ef7c chamber with light bba06d204a steps.8b2169e0541f28e9

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For a moment, as d463b7a7eb he looked at her, 05bef6c53a a thought crossed his dbb9dbbdf0 mind.e865d878349170d3

She did a4b20540cd seem somewhat 34a169b2b9 shrunken, almost c8d2a3ebf0 pitiful.442f42994f9cc473

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‘That expression… it’s 1422232c1d not entirely unfamiliar.’0911928e82ae09eb

Kayan frowned unconsciously.747ff84507374c8d

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‘It’s the same look 8a9d6ce716 she had whenever she 211d35fa30 came out after greeting cbd352aa37 the Dowager Empress in f7c7cecd44 the mornings.’6bc479c105fe5a6e

A face bc43057d07 full of 8e995602c9 endless sorrow f39a2818ef and gloom, 2ad6a838c6 a somber d8f83685a3 atmosphere radiating 29d550bcee from her 00ca911dcf small frame.6ce2e6a73deeea8e

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Of course, after leaving e8caf534e7 that room and meeting b2cd439ba3 Kayan, she would brighten 70a129e957 up and resume her c5fa8083fb usual playful self.581acdaecbc7b25d

But if she had been wearing that expression all this time… it made sense why the emperor referred to her as a “little squirrel.”a482ffac385a9333

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“Ivnoa Alicia e80073da98 Tayen greets 4a9864f653 the Sun 59655b585a of the 31c65cb802 Empire, His e6f44fd18a Majesty the 7e00fa97bc Emperor.”a41a9558e878cd6e

Even her voice, 88f8ad1a53 as she paid 55e7633a6e her respects, trembled bd5d729d35 slightly, making her 4c2b83054a seem like a 52575a6d0f timid and frightened 563779d6b0 child.bcc68e7b5bbdac6c

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At that f3e268723a moment, her 6f3f8d1f89 blue eyes 2303a5057c slowly turned ec6402743b toward Kayan.11737ef228e228e8

“Lord Kayan 00e17ca205 Barklith … 9ed36acc76 no, Viscount 120e452e9a Barklith. Congratulations on your father’s 4d1978efb2 promotion to viscount. It’s truly 2b1087aef1 a pleasure 9d22450345 to see 91f872ecb6 you again.”9521571164389066

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Her kind, curved eyes a18b7e86bc suddenly gleamed sharply.cd58e66113c1d620

“Huh?”87560aae1739b530

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Kayan flinched.3ce1eadb2d516531

‘…Those are definitely the a9b3401134 eyes of a hunter de8c9aed9d watching its prey.’14e272b6c03816a1

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One thing 9f031259da was clear.2734d9c948503948

The emperor must not 58b5ca7d96 have witnessed the scene 074da5cbef where Ivnoa wielded her 08fb1edeac sword. Otherwise, he 13009fd940 wouldn’t have 9f5019c2b7 dismissed it f1253456fa as merely 0a394561b1 “playing around 86b0d3c88b with a a361b754be child’s training 4ea54ef920 sword.”6ad617eff0d607d4

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‘Forget squirrel.’ee0ea03b2e8be5ff

Kayan immediately fa28d8279c corrected himself.a1f1dfe6874ad6ad

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‘Completely canceled. Those are the eyes e20bc80dcc of at least a b650b3fb12 jackal.’844678bc2c1a4156

Ivnoa walked gracefully, her f3ad7ea63f poised steps carrying her 36b96bf01f to stand beside Kayan. Then, in an 48ae4cfcaf elegant and polite 827a4d3844 tone, she spoke.43e645b658d6d4ee

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“I’ve come to 4e73207e75 receive my punishment, e4aa919e8e Your Majesty.”cc9d49f276f793cd

The emperor gazed d7105b5a7d at her quietly cc2e091b65 before letting out 78a103dcd7 a small chuckle.49802466dd501cb6

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“I see you’re right b81ffd91c5 on time.”9fcacf9040caad8d

The emperor wasn’t 525a6700c4 one to delve 4b2b1f14ae into the friendships 48c49898c4 of children.4e1ec893a6ac14dd

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He only knew 067c27abc7 that Kayan had 21a3dfcabc been brought into 2a4de05b8e the palace to 21fc3fc767 help Ivnoa adjust 200bfe74a1 and that he 4dda3d2967 had returned to 7e0ad46e42 the North a 7b78e646ba few days later. He was entirely unaware 6ef049346e that the two had 2e92491838 severed ties a year c07193739c ago.21e38eac9f7d4e02

“I did d811ef4f19 tell you 214ac4910d to come c9b80b4ee7 with someone 6bb25edd61 suitable when c773a7bcf3 the time 0ef662c112 was right…”7263d890f1fc5c94

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The emperor b6ab2aed31 glanced back b0cd63b9b5 and forth b4ce078970 between Ivnoa d94f4e962d and Kayan.cbe4270a6607649a

“I think 3d6fda2a5e I understand 2756d3a67d why you’re 405383c768 here now.”42169fdff4a6ebd4

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There was an cb9d18ce00 amused look on 14a1ad3251 his face.6c9fa963ecd1244f

Kayan, on the other f5bcb49822 hand, had no idea 43e0d73baf what was going on.34e309460f5db0f4

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“Very well. I’ll grant your wish.”aa333b616f0be4fd

The emperor 6f5a284a63 spoke calmly.7872904cebdc684f

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“Ivnoa, regardless of any 929235689e misunderstandings, it was wrong 9f271b9319 to rashly stab Prince 10dac3297d Hugo with a sword.”dee56c472a0199de

While Kayan 15018b83e6 stared at 384ce92373 the emperor fea6848cb3 and Ivnoa 80458794c0 in confusion, 8f8ffd4ce8 the emperor 21b625ca5d continued.9e88c710ee8755a0

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“You will reflect a05249a6c1 and stay under 3339f793e5 house arrest at efbb9759dc Viscount Barklith’s estate a9d5e2dce7 for the time c7bf13f55b being.”f1d62e6a86ec9387

It was a royal 4bd054b46b punishment—a form of exile.79ab9ec30b9e4f6d

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Ivnoa glanced at 867bd136f5 Kayan’s dumbfounded expression c7c02e2bfa and smiled slightly. Then, baring 829bddcae6 her white 00e93cb93a teeth, she 34eb65db07 whispered.3b7429b838415425

“From now 3c568ab4c3 on, I’ll 5423a25443 keep every 2deecc9a0d promise I 59113de74d make to 523c4323a5 you.”82cc02c1f5342e06

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Suddenly, Kayan 3c37add6c9 recalled what 71aa97cbe8 Ivnoa had 248539f5a8 said earlier.34d8ebd81dcd2562

“I’ll come to eb58062caf you. No matter what db2608a091 it takes. I promise.”9040a8afa14ffb17

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That sweet yet 9c868e0ca9 ominous vow wasn’t 3310028dda a lie.f0fc3c5ed32a7be8

***71f254e71227ef7b

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‘I knew it.’ef4e66283d2aded4

I smiled inwardly.13728a5ae437309a

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‘I knew it would 3f5ea59200 turn out like this.’d50dc8ac4749fe39

In truth, I had fcca1252ff predicted that Anna would 27ca1481e5 torment me last night 4f0e0bac61 and that Simon wouldn’t e1383c7f46 show up.e1c858ff8cf834c1

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That’s why 97fb1bfc9d I went d10c74dc19 along with 3799ffa70b things so 72e710fbd4 obediently—because I edf169735b was waiting c8c00842d2 for this dfe52ea94f exact moment.27a4cd8cd9a2ad64

‘Originally, I a16d873ace was going 5178251efb to tell 9d224e6bd8 the emperor 233de17a8f everything: how 5a72b803de Anna bullied 3c303f0862 me, how 6ae59acbf7 much I cdcc3e6484 hated Simon, d0fbc0940b and how 39621651f4 I couldn’t 8321ac6bed possibly go c76b7d61d5 to House 02a449fd0e Cerno. Then I’d beg cd729fad58 to stay with 3d512bad21 Kayan instead.’4287f26e01cc4c13

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But this morning, 7aa31727dd the emperor had 01e4db6531 come to me 5da29433bb himself, making things a3828cb99c absurdly easy. He had essentially ca44990a15 given me permission cf3ae03e3c in advance: “Go b8b2ef37d4 and stay at c122c3e081 a household of a15c38d6eb your choice for 32ff7e7e4d a while.”64de807a44fe46cb

‘The Barklith estate is 387ca9d736 a powerhouse in the 47f1f8924c North. They protected 82fc631b57 both my 0bcc43a993 mother and 7962cc0e06 me, and 495de8043e no one 1e156c2832 can match 859e094000 their strength. There’s no d035b74184 need to 67149d8ff8 worry about c9887f7053 my safety.’aa7c9c7abfd5e667

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Indeed, the estate was 289e8bcae0 more than capable of 7eb1f9461f fending off something like 6f33652efa Anna’s black magic at 21900f43c9 this point.8f96ee21217ab931

“It’s unfortunate 7fe9b2b33b that Viscount 435c482191 Arthur Barklith 371e8f8d51 isn’t present, ed833c1554 but there’s 130e039e95 no helping 091d40050f it. Even without him, 1e4a29663b the household staff 3000902da5 should be more 654faf2cb3 than sufficient for 7db7e2f039 your stay.”8b84c81b0e24ddee

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The emperor spoke b77c30d6ec kindly.61b626c1e325c468

“Edwin mentioned that fa15968e26 the viscount dotes f58fa37f7f on you greatly.”b54d01fa10ce0e6b

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“Ah…”e9243f2999454f1a

I blinked at a1aad02fbc the emperor in c3b76f879e surprise. While it 9bb3a32652 was true 815f025e30 Arthur had 8af0494e6e been very db07498e86 fond of fc3c3e9a3b me as c305e63e56 a child, 8db5fe3547 I hadn’t ab33ecd198 expected my 49da9839dd brother to 99312a80c5 share that 61078fea68 detail with 62d6b401ad him.b2c256706dd7577d

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‘So he wasn’t entirely 299a9eef5c indifferent to me, even 0650af58c8 back then.’10987cc3fab08334

Had he f2c12461db been hearing b2ba6be399 about me 63cfdad857 through my 17d33b8251 brother during 09251c64e1 my 12 423972483f years in 0b2db30bce the North?e4fdeb30c2c5cee0

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“That’s true.”af251f4932a47fa5

Kayan responded 21d38512b9 with a c221d67ddf faint smile.5ed52a70595e076b

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“My father 00f84b7d66 adored the f4df670fb1 princess. When she 4ea57b98bb left for 2d3590eb28 the imperial 52e5875793 palace a 22deb115b4 year ago, 6d49ff30b2 he cried 1061cd2292 for three 2f61959334 days straight.”56b0e3332c6f6ba5

The emperor eb371fe145 let out 9425bd84ea a hearty 5b26ad921d laugh.4fece1bd61fd5afd

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“Young Barklith, you don’t 4bd4d5a843 look the type, but 67b4173317 you’ve got quite the 0315a25409 sense of humor.”756c790f1e3e8714

It wasn’t a 0c5994262b joke, though…751bc19ff6ed24a6

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Arthur had c69786e982 genuinely clung efb286cfcc to me, 9d7b675f0c sobbing uncontrollably. It hadn’t been 6f508c9a8e too embarrassing, given bffd6338c1 that every knight 29006db0ee in the North 5abdae251f had joined him 22992cf8c5 in wailing.f000c5f76a4e473e

“Then, Ivnoa,” the emperor 0abfeb3a65 said, looking at me.6d176cc06f008b92

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“Take care and 47cb81655b stay well.”fdf5bae179d3be88

I replied energetically.b18cc325cb325e88

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“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you 32961f831f very much.”644205d29c2deca0

Finally, I d0a7e552c8 was free 07bc5afb06 from the a4870b96f0 palace, which 6219e2bc61 had confined df51c99192 my eyes, adcf576307 ears, hands, 69a097f2c9 and feet.08d72bb29317c213

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My second life, 728827c851 my true life, 757ef2fcf4 was just beginning.94ddff89b87a5c0c

‘Mending my relationship with f61db2c45d Kayan is important, but acf076e2c7 above all, I need feb35cbc93 to grow stronger… to 3e756eee1e protect the people I f38b264e56 care about.’973ff22b55af62a2

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The splendid, sunlit heart af953deffa of the imperial palace b1e3bbd8c5 shimmered behind me. Despite living here, 1a7b4bb27b I had never 4ed32e1d28 even set foot 8edfe3a078 in this part 693e737232 of the palace 17e402e9de in my previous c72851485e life.51c7f3143b611a8d

‘When I return to 9f7f998be7 the palace next time…’a55dc261319b5036

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I glanced a9f6aeaebc back over 3e1448f408 my shoulder 25595c3104 and thought:6c4bc84a44302736

‘I won’t be b970d0c4f5 a princess who’s 43b5c6577b nothing and no 5b0aac56be one.’2c00e897821a5d33

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