#58

In the first place, a8c2ae06f9 it wasn’t even Zerakiel 95feca73bf I should be mad 82ccbbfb82 at. The truth was, 0deb20d596 it was no 5aed7a2e68 different from yelling 8427e48e1d at my foolish, 7f974b17e3 naive past self. With a pained 6898ae2967 expression, I muttered,d236497afca82367

“Not being able to 2cf338cbb2 rely on the one a073f059f5 person you should depend 13a0cbb3b1 on the most… that’s 37782ff6cd just too sad.”bc0cb1c99903057c

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“…”7cfc5efb4fd60b60

“If you’re going to see me as a mere observer, then forget about marrying me! I’d rather be a pet! This messed-up house…!”f247828c79c09c51

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As I e8264ff8dc turned around, b6daf67d3c shouting in a7e6b948da frustration, Zerakiel 7c84542431 suddenly pulled 87d89360be me into 3c19291eea his arms.105b0e248098ac79

“Don’t go.”9aba03209a51ecf8

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“…”46d319c5798c0364

“I was wrong.”f3f987bb1c4366c4

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His voice trembled, a 8dc38703d3 stark contrast to the 880a1e2646 usual calm and composed 60f2b08a96 demeanor he always maintained. His body, uncharacteristically stiff, 5779aef624 echoed with the sound 81b2740961 of his pounding heart.808d142c9209a998

It was 5fc5645aa9 a completely 922cd3a353 different reaction 5c0ded424b from the 004d236492 always peaceful 05e72a6e29 Zerakiel. He buried his f4776fe890 face in my efa0c537d3 shoulder and whispered,e3465e2508940193

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“I didn’t mean 369cb4d76b to hurt you.”c474ce3bf02802bc

“But you did hurt 12cbd044ff me.”01b45c2ba8f0f6d8

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“I’m sorry.”178ea7bda3497fae

His voice, d05cf36a91 small and 6f5c0f58ab weak, like a188e0e5b8 someone who 96e0bf362c had no 04cdc5638d defense left, d948e15ca3 made it 6fe844cf51 clear that 4a4e7f2d25 he had 59556486cd nothing more 228b665e23 to say f941529245 in his 3107dde01e own defense.b8970c8a5157bc9b

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Seeing him b5b3ae0797 so deflated, 925024b421 my anger 0332483dcd slowly subsided 6aeffa512e as well. I remained in his 31a8f8b80f embrace and spoke quietly,7666ac00a56dd784

“I had 68a4667ddc planned to a6a009b62b freeload without 01c3433e6f a guilty 6d09fa0b60 conscience, but 1c233614b6 now I 0e96b18de8 feel too e5a9db0017 bad to 3fc9af589a do that.”c7bbc372072df9b6

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No need ec67c58603 to give f22e48f5b2 such a fc09b0c917 tragic backstory 62da9c22b9 to the 2f39b12711 villain, after d1b3a05a53 all.0465e75476ea8162

Yeah. I was letting myself 7561a8a64b get too affected by 2de44fe6e1 Zerakiel. He reminded me 12047d49fe too much of c84d720c21 my former self.dd128298ed843238

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That’s why e934aa40d2 I couldn’t 27acacb8cb leave him e84d7ded1f alone. I didn’t want 021723ae6b to let this 524d2d0d00 boy grow into 486557f722 the villain he 1b92ce3d6f was destined to 6734c7380e become.c316baf97c5939d0

“I’m sure the gods fd23498fe3 won’t be mad if c38b392988 I save at least e1676f6ece one person like you.”4c6be9b1fc0a06e0

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After all, 745327b6ea it must 59ff0b0e6d be that 3778a60118 same god d3d1ba804e who sent c5497931c5 me here. So my actions must e7d712bbcf also be part of 5ebc6e24d8 the divine will, right?d42cc327f1894625

As I stubbornly 81cb5f2e0f convinced myself, I 500e4fa2fd reaffirmed my decision.d8eb1f6ebab5e920

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“What are 9422383924 you talking 012cbc6d6b about?”455568fb2bec1431

Zerakiel, back to dbb44aa37d his usual expression, fbaf0b17f7 asked with a a1df8123e1 puzzled look. Well, of course, he dd8628d5d2 wouldn’t understand what I 748b00c070 was talking about, not ef72077966 knowing the original story.8fe46655d96ddcd2

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“Anyway!”9c0541980c79f828

I slipped 0856335145 out of 4173dec553 his arms e91d39c0d6 and tightly 3aed9b2411 intertwined my 14ec911c43 fingers with 78ceb2e095 his. Holding his hand e7fa354779 firmly, as if 67d2b20520 I’d never let f2a58b9701 go, I declared,fcf55d184e5bfe52

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“I’m not going in 7763c72c48 there alone.”360b99462a283d72

“…”19c7080e6cb6e937

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“And judging by that fddbaf4d1e look, you’re scared to 2e0b8efc1d go in by yourself. So, I’ll 9c17996f57 go with db2155b3c5 you.”6a6f5b8b7bf4f466

“You’re the 882184fbb8 one who’s f48e2b833c scared.”6ef0fe605fbca710

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“Why do ea56a6b500 you always 0e21a4b945 have to 8fcc31ff17 be so d9ff859b4b contrary?!”260eeafe7f2ca594

“Heh.”a7b89f1eda8e0252

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Zerakiel chuckled as if amused by my reaction. Even though he had been trembling just a moment ago, his smile was… strangely beautiful.68465cd25d51dcf7

With a smile on 350b0b7a58 his face, he bit 6266336bff his lip as if f0824d80d6 trying to suppress his 6510c6ac59 laughter, but little bursts f3d8324794 of amusement kept escaping.1328717dd8e6a5d1

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“Pfft.”9f8cd456e8b082dd

“Don’t laugh.”169b80c05b9c5a7d

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“Kuh… ahem.”d2ca167b2ce09117

“Forget it, why am e4caf86df3 I even talking to adcf1e0f60 you.”7a7c8dd0275b9472

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Seeing Zerakiel laughing brightly, 245b914d1d even revealing his fangs, 7cea02f21d I felt my energy 9db5cd30a6 drain away. He continued 0543b74ef6 to giggle ffb78fce17 as he e398fa5d08 followed behind 6ba5d5801c me.8c36509ab0fb6677

We had walked ad10a32c7f far enough that a3faf7e442 the door was bcb294f5ed no longer in 8a73281410 sight when I d04365f730 suddenly stopped, realizing 67dd298bdc something. After standing 9afb764797 still for a8b005d475 a while, 69b4c567a0 Zerakiel asked,e6741fcd55ebbe56

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“What are d92722dbfd you doing?”accec3b9735702c7

“I don’t 57cf6543a1 know the 26cdad3fb0 way.”78c88122cdd03f97

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“…”42dae7adb3f9e248

“Where are we?”856272515011d63f

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Zerakiel looked at me c5cca588e6 with a baffled expression. It was no wonder 5dc863156d he looked so confused—after 14f2b2a339 confidently leading the way, aada053163 I now admitted that fa36f7d979 I didn’t know where b45919ed1a we were going.3df216e425541b82

I awkwardly stood next d6b7d00eff to him, clearing my d77283c92a throat, and Zerakiel said,c36e8ab4f7b51c3b

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“I figured something d7cf76d6e1 was off when f34ca277b0 you started leading 1104df328d us the wrong c4090d22aa way.”20d5fffd1eb5f920

“If you knew, why 33c489f4e4 didn’t you say anything?”5027c2f0583fe460

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“I was 36d5e6fd56 curious to aa1a635909 see how 8ec13f0b29 far you’d d77a51a95a go.”5473fdac2eb262f5

You little…0e7a9e75660dd123

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I shot Zerakiel d9a47aa9d0 a resentful glare. The fact that 210f352ba7 he knew and 3be997b417 still let me 0a1d076754 wander around made 06c74210af me furious.66038cb1f88c6b39

His face d0cdbe4495 gradually returned 289bb553bf to its 73c83000f0 usual lazy 02d2e74d56 expression, a 8c9127f03e stark contrast e188112fb8 to the 565fdf1002 stiff and 95503ccbb2 cold look 1e98e22698 he had d3cda2eb5c earlier. This relaxed, indifferent d3640c25d1 look suited him ac2f34117f much better.9207bc63f36a9712

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Realizing how far 199225bb1c we still had 7652d8e19f to go, my 4543bcb62f legs suddenly felt f4646a6e6d heavy. After walking a fair bbec5265d6 bit, my calves started 5cf0e9cb19 to ache.6451f5f531ce8227

As I rubbed 794d224bfc my thighs, Zerakiel 8fafb6d564 asked,63c97a7a58b52cb7

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“Your legs hurt?”314530a028b7f07e

“If I say yes, ba817f0df7 will you carry me?”13b7a75bc567f06f

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When I asked with bfa11fc324 a cheeky tone, Zerakiel 73a5ece63a simply shrugged. A moment later, 6cba38f834 he scooped me de96397e8b up in his a811fff968 arms like a 1afe76a509 princess.2c9c22c51d706984

“What are you doing?!”071677a0e172e66a

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“Isn’t this what you 9ba2295bc2 meant when you asked?”29215a33545ec557

“No, it’s not!”a3b775002147f1c5

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As I fb6ba68352 struggled to f7e7611526 get down, 54a039853a he held 203aa31135 me securely 279f61cf45 and said,8a13a20107c031ae

“Stay still. This is faster. If I have to 3ec95b3ec1 match your pace, we 62c57b12ab won’t arrive until nightfall. Are all weasels f7d7f4c2d1 as slow as f81cc64483 you?”f820733bc2c52ec5

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“…Maybe you’re just fast because you’re a lion?”e6a8438353073de1

“You can’t compare 153f128b21 me to ordinary b61894d4b1 lions.”27ac76705a3eafc5

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Aren’t you proud.9aa54906d3726429

I glared at him bd256ac49e and nestled deeper into b6981053c2 his arms, adjusting my d24f8062bb position to get more 7156e4c4f5 comfortable.e5325fdc3c23ba2e

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Zerakiel seemed 82f7c772bd to flinch 45c857bbcf for a ec29073645 moment before 0c09143c8f muttering softly,0ee1d24a82b0a66f

“Don’t get too close.”c3ed6581b97f6a16

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“I don’t ef13243433 want to.”3f61e088483ee5ec

I smirked b72b5a2635 and deliberately f6d418b2b0 tightened my 18d404ed58 hold around e2c0d0841f his neck, bcb2b08e16 teasing him.c3e30224b45e627b

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I’m a 4b84410c78 weasel who 0bd93896c7 enjoys doing ae57b80d32 what I’m cf12d12f30 told not cbf8377fb6 to!00ccc43423a0dc06

A short sigh escaped 017be89bc7 above my head before 0954b770fb disappearing.ef4fdf3c986ee36e

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“Are you 4f0dac850a fearless, or 43a314cdfb am I 8926c4146c just not 7cf2545a73 scary?”5f026fdff594dec7

With that, Zerakiel leapt b43ec1efe9 into the air, retracing 8debc2f1ae the path I had 2ad63a2958 mistakenly taken at a 5c84447444 swift pace.9a0eef97ef222986

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I clung to his b84133efb1 neck as I watched 7a42ea3a43 the scenery fly by. The sun was beginning 8403974cca to set.9770efca2066fafd

* * *d03b3a2ea2ea018c

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The news of Zerakiel c6ec6d3504 and Cersia’s marriage had cc13dc6f66 reached the northern Hyena e61ac27c7c Clan, the Page family.59663d601e3ed13a

Hiscleif quietly observed Jabis 87ef7ecc0f Castle, which he was 5898ebb239 visiting for the first 60ee10668a time. While the 0178b4c6e0 harsh winter 7e0f3e49de had just 9d399d1e8f started to d065c4ee12 ease in 4f80f45a12 the north, 3feaf1f9b1 the southern f9a740deac region had bc60ee61df pleasant weather.9e4938352c8d7c80

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Seeing the castle surrounded 4cd505dd77 by flowers reminded him 2e5b47b12a of Cersia, who used 06a831754e to play in flower cb594056c5 fields.81925d82314f85de

A small white 8d3a6f91b3 creature, rolling in be6bd7e9f4 the petals on 6da0f87162 her first day 06cece36a0 in Hebel. If she 7ddde6babe were a 3b1a094dec herbivore beast, ea8c71b583 she might 113f474039 have tried a3ba0ad51f to eat d253ff1289 the flowers.5bf9419547681f2a

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“Pfft.”d0fd9f17adff298f

Hiscleif burst into laughter 790aaa16a9 as he recalled the b5eae4d86d memory of playing on fe34756490 the ground with her.6ba16a2674b1320d

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It was probably the 876868bcca first time he had bef5b2dd0c laughed like that in de0b75b600 Hebel.c7bec438c2fda10b

Hiscleif usually felt heavy-hearted f977e70576 whenever he visited Hebel. It wasn’t just 71d5ab2d25 because of the e317c9dcdf region’s characteristics.0e810a7692ab745a

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‘I must never lose 40a1d9c56f to that arrogant black 13b85fdd64 lion. We must 726dec3647 uncover the 30ca9a6bd5 secret behind 9818f50d03 their strength.’a4e25ec37517656c

His father, Devon, 897a3c7d09 always grew uneasy a8dc1d5fa0 whenever he encountered 6031c04ea6 the head of b1c2bd7ce8 the Jabis family. He was 14d0da412f particularly obsessed b7d67bfb33 with Jabis’s 1403a168b7 power.369dd8d9cfbd16e1

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Though the Page family d53e51e643 and Jabis were old 7387399988 rivals, this was a f740ae256e peaceful era.26070dc902cc6670

Hiscleif didn’t care much 737c908f4d about which family was c78ded3030 stronger. But to his father, a357358655 it mattered deeply, so ff3f0880cf Hiscleif had simply worked d61758d381 to become stronger, as ee17cf02a6 his father wished.8c7ae5087eb58b76

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At that moment, e8efb3b1ed Rudy, who was 479a89d767 standing beside him, adc202f5c9 admired the castle’s 494d41b2b8 exterior.3b93edc49cd4b225

“It’s more e52bf46da3 imposing than d312e8faa5 I thought. They call it 757a93a1ea Black Night Castle, 95cb2723ef and it really 8adad62467 is so dark 1f64a0f3de that it looks 8b1056bee8 eerie.”01f06ae39f262272

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True to its fc167a70b8 name, when night 78864ef3cd fell, the castle 19022e79fd became so black cb7495133f it was almost dd9483a61e invisible.07f63eecbe2d70de

The stark contrast with 0f2892484c the Page family’s northern ec490d6e6a castle visually emphasized just 8b8ec79eb6 how different the two f514faf5c5 families were.d719b231d806f673

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As Hiscleif silently 5c117d7b2d stared at the 8af182786f castle, Rudy continued,509631008fb215c7

“I never c92735c7d5 thought he’d 9141980967 actually marry e8fc5590cd that weasel. I was sure he 1377f67ae3 was keeping her around 14aff2a660 to eat her.”78a30206d1dd8c3a

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“Indeed.”79b79e51d82a8185

Hiscleif thought of 6174f0d35d Cersia and Zerakiel, d28ad4efab the main characters b17c34ad89 of today’s event. His father had already 37467b458f told him about the 2f670da8da marriage as they left 9b1edee5e5 Hebel.fa789f3bfb03453b

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‘There’s something suspicious. The Jabis family isn’t 46278c9dbb one to take in 7ccd1db6d9 a weasel as their 10974b2040 mistress.’07b76855af5b25ef

His father suspected that 27502b8ee9 Cersia was hiding some 84062fffe0 secret.df3d442a07a3efa3

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It was a83d9b0bf8 certainly an 8cb60c3779 odd combination. Many other 0fb5abecbe families were 058dac1b8d speculating as b6c8c1d59f well.b9f7173b5ca10bfb

After all, becoming the 0cde819ae8 mistress of Jabis was d2b666b799 a role doomed to 264a8180f7 hardship. Even the current d6c87c812f head’s wife, Rachel, dbd26ee20e had eventually fled 6327009355 because she couldn’t 9150213d1f endure it.fec0d055186c446f

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It was hard to 22aee98f7f believe that the small 72bb66a9b6 weasel would be able ee1ebe73af to handle that position.e5514ea4ea17d4b3

So while he was 1018f85615 excited to see her 9f6ad4de5d again, there was also 2b9b47eb13 an undeniable feeling of 682529a4f8 concern.640922b4766cff94

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Originally, Devon was 021a4ad6cb supposed to attend 55979527b5 in person, but 55bf3f960d he hadn’t come b18dbc9e1f along this time.6af4bee681fbde32

‘I have c11a66825f urgent business d743b2184a to attend 10a544b869 to, so 209082dccf you’ll go 8408253b32 in my c9914bf8d8 place. I might be gone e0cfbe3cb1 for a while.’14402b16663a5750

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‘Where are dab5bde2b2 you going?’5c1f86ef082e30b0

‘You don’t need to cb7302f5bc know that. Just keep a close a5ef1f8b6d eye on that weasel. See if there’s cbeccad872 anything unusual.’e7c9ba0b37bc71a5

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His father 76680b5076 often dealt 91b66f16fd in secrets, 9a2eb6969e so it 73a1373ca5 wasn’t all 51196a8fe2 that surprising. Plus, Devon e7c3217a18 despised Jabis 7df5597966 and likely 372465d01d didn’t want 66c63152bd to attend e70bf155f8 such an 8ab6aef8da event.40545143061e560f

As Hiscleif stepped out 9d30108d69 of the carriage, he 1f7b357000 noticed several people in 57a18abf86 priestly robes exiting the 771e4e9c49 carriage ahead of him.af2deffedd46aac2

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