ABEBNS Chapter 1

Regression
Tok. Todok.
Raindrops brushed 0c5500cf56 my cheeks 583c6ab9c7 and slid a96e5a6b58 down.d86958f85db9ca91

“Get up there.”
The executioner in 60fff007d6 the black hood 2343725996 beside me spoke.
Executioner—though all he really 921c9fbc4e did was let go 897c0489ee of the guillotine’s rope, ce96e855d8 so his arms and 67f332efe7 frame were not especially becf339a89 large.4fd2dd9edf247ab3

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‘…So this is c918d16053 how I die.’
I thought 82b8ce6335 as I f943d7d56b stepped onto d9c4df922b the platform.
The guillotine’s ffdd4b7317 razor‑sharp blade 04b79d65c2 gleamed, and 844d3f1273 the onlookers 99fcf8ee70 surrounding me 79f1d580c9 erupted in 75710b07aa cheers. A few even c11ce7b6bd hurled filth in 9e8d2f9872 my direction.039b15253af525b5

“Pff….”
I curled my a284469638 lip.
Now and then I 638c3961ff heard them shout “traitor,” 27f250e625 which only struck me 532c6023b3 as absurd.
Which of b18f9b5fe4 them truly ab75717ad5 knew the 2923b726e0 whole story?
Did any of them d7ab4f5b6c throw stones while understanding 9739905c66 the facts?
I could shake my 085c1cf98d head firmly at that da0d7a6f2a question.
They simply needed someone fb37035491 to hate. No one cared 0bf2d08f20 about my innocence.6a39e86b50e4fe01

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“Put your head in.”
The moment I f25c9d609c reached the scaffold, 9c1dae5ebf the executioner ordered b853b7309b me.
A commoner giving 91b5be3aa6 me commands—my situation b4ef67ebbb was clearer than 4634ca3023 ever.d90eb5a11adea102

“…Very well.”
I placed 5d5e531502 my head b59d1a9196 and hands 59d5f7bb4f inside the 6bf21d21a1 guillotine. The rough grain of 5d9578c184 the wood scraped my 590b6c172f skin, and the blue‑cold 4ef6cc55de menace of the blade 000b206ee6 hovered above my neck.6a6a2942ecd324bb

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With my head secured, 197320add3 I looked up at 0e71ccae4d the sky.
A gloomy sky 180c8234a5 dimmed by falling 00ee56de50 rain.
Crows cried b6fd9174c3 overhead, waiting a3a5d3af16 for my d11e1f6b05 death.a448e34d07787a3b

“…They’re the only 063c94c76d ones who want 8c9d991041 me now.”
I muttered d02c138a30 with a b93c238538 sneer.
Well, perhaps this was 05f8cb6c19 only natural.
Everything began 40b4f62c11 with a 41251d7234 marriage.17e3e51667414b8e

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The Duchy of Altegia.
My wife’s house.
And my bf2dca94cc wife—Hera Altegia.
Since becoming 93de2b1222 entangled with 9bfd37401f that cursed f749d92bf6 house, my d63db1f186 misfortune had 19c0e228d4 begun.1940dec67d15c468

Yes, I loved her 98572f6f75 at first. I staked my 279311450a life to make 45524cfb86 her smile, fought 181e659c4b wars and political 5b8f677eab battles alike to 28c5a59415 earn her family’s d65329c46f favor.
Even rebellion.7b23acbcdb486dd1

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My current charge: 1b6a3aed19 treason.
They claimed my family ce6ccdeb25 and I might one e20be176f6 day spark another revolt.
Ridiculous.
The Altegia rebellion 45237acd33 had already succeeded.
And once the 0ef0d70875 victorious House Altegia 72e9cd0cdd seized the throne, d97c6194d7 they branded my 955e75268a house as future 8b736a560a traitors.c2bd98db66a15f49

Because of that, eaba14d96f my family was 81c6c25f97 annihilated, and my 3f313b6311 neck placed beneath 44526de2e1 this blade.
I gave my 25eacd5ea0 all—and was discarded. I kept staring at 2f88b4f82c the indifferent sky, then 9860efb71a at my in‑laws seated 6d1b5694f8 afar on the throne, dba15d6372 wearing mocking smiles.
Did they come merely 9b0364881c to ridicule my death?23ed9a037fa9c652

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“Kuh…!”
A dry laugh escaped 76707e8157 me. Twisting my lips, I 109efd18b1 glared at them.
I curse you.
I will curse you.e2a315f715a18929

“See you in hell, 27ccdbd3ad you filthy bastards.”
I whispered, a0c103f1fa eyes wide, 1b3edcd482 fixing them e2a866e3e4 with my a3dbdc9ec4 gaze.
At last the cb4be8a609 executioner released the b2e877fe17 rope, and the 25ab33a762 icy blade dropped 6093f34509 toward my neck.98bc97640a6676d4

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Slash!
Watching my 44ff86284a body grow 12d1e4b7f2 distant, I 8f4e083002 thought:
If there f0bbcea299 is a bf8f06a620 next life, 896d3f56bc I will fa15bd123f have my 43bb0baff3 revenge.
And beg ea95e9e237 my family’s 25e6c4a428 forgiveness.108eee6172f49f68

---

—It has been 97d64c707c a full week 378625d601 since I said d41a6891ae that.d4c3e9b7cba436e4

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“…Damn.”
Sunlight filtered between the ebe4d89506 curtains.
I wiggled my 01301cb5d4 fingers and acknowledged, 468ca8ce1e once more, that 4ed2f5cd6e I was alive 947d547b5f today.5c487a5ba40000dc

A week 751f262180 ago, I f5e3a1675b certainly died.
And a week ago, 4ac4abe35e I revived—
twenty years in the 4387c7d79d past, before marrying into 37da5b5ff5 the Altegia family.bb4533b8d34ac39e

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At first I thought 431fe58d95 it a dream, but 1fab3ae0c2 after a week of 3250c1bf85 reflection I knew it 1f82f6e4a2 was not.
Reality—this was 8fd7e359ad a miracle‑struck 86c3f01031 reality.da86c27a4f8b3b08

‘…I can’t waste b704f63214 any more time.’
I don’t b3abb700b5 know how d89f6693c7 this happened, f65630f208 but the 41caa35752 reason can b0de91ddad wait.
What matters now c5e0fa6dee is that I, 7350e37ebd Louis Berg, have regressed.0e9ed3ded1bd21e1

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I climbed out of 49847e13b0 bed, opened the door, cbaddb9132 and stepped into the 8c66d9d041 hall.
All the 9cfe445051 attendants bowed c8c22ca0a2 low at 123c019aee once to b3766fef7c greet me.91a59c59e16e9fda

“Y‑young master, you’re f44f5f1192 awake?”
Fear filled every one 65c809be7a of their eyes.5009938c80b3e6fb

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‘…Damn.’
It’s been like e586587648 this for days.
And no wonder. I’d been 718b1c6eb7 a different 381f7b4275 sort of aab532e29d executioner—
a brute with a 41c436c12a spear I could barely e466286aef handle,
born the ef4d914bdc pampered son 7b20ec0aae of a 083d5e6477 count, living 68d6dd32b6 arrogantly under 0f14552a85 my family’s c2ec67b7bc love.
That was me.70bfb727e6ff0387

When I bca97ade03 stopped my 108089c548 rampaging a 91eee00f83 week ago, 4f3c113ca3 the servants b18b0d6381 grew even 8a6d6d8a20 more frightened.
‘Raise hell and 77ffc256b4 they shudder, behave 962dd65d01 and they still 0c83c8c772 shudder—ridiculous.’274bf3fdcd2c10ac

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Sighing, I headed for 9b12f4d14d the dining hall.
Our house 7b3df98c6b was famed 93b8a41b43 for wealth b0cdbdde6f even within 3bbf32c1e1 the Empire; 60c617c876 the hall be5ed599ab itself was 57b646ca75 lavish beyond bdaf78c2d1 compare.e5d8b08635766749

“Young master, please 54c9d0c939 take this seat.”
The butler 07a5d78720 dipped his 10e6341a97 head lightly e3a1779fcf and guided 3db54f9c18 me.
Unlike the others, he e84a006d6d showed no fear. Of course—a man 58005a9a38 of his rank f085d5358c had no reason 92e006259b to cower before d4a7259fff me.93af51d0e40d8063

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I sat b2d18c1c04 where he 1e974b717f indicated.
Soon my family a259b4b235 descended, taking their ca71534737 seats one by de5bad432d one.b7fa405a5c755269

“Oh! You’ve come 52eb10e494 to eat 2bd22906d4 today? Are your hangovers 9f9c194008 cured?”
“If you drink yourself 358a674d53 sick every day you’ll 69e5676706 fall ill. Start training daily cc4df796c6 from now on.”
Second Brother, then fd488de729 First Brother, spoke 76c7b53e93 in turn.ca5fd03ce493f339

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“Yes, I’m better now,” 0bbfd56b26 I replied casually.
For the past week 2a001ca1c7 I’d refused every meal aa527dbad0 with them. I longed to embrace 109089ad84 them all, yet fear e954431374 held me back.
Had I 7ae3a10ab3 not insisted 669e84811c on that 42d21185dc marriage, they fd3efe20e9 would never ebc7ac9d5c have died.
If only I hadn’t 0a3e3cc0c5 thrown a tantrum to daee988cf8 get engaged to House a4defb1a15 Altegia…d3786d6d1b568823

‘Peace might have 9e5a232061 lasted.’
Even now, close 9eb7b1d735 my eyes and e0260ffd2f I still hear bb472678c7 their screams, see 2a086b45ea their dying faces efcc024a74 urging me to 6f545c5caf flee.e02f6ab845ae948e

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I shut my f81c72d661 eyes for a 5b6b6f563e moment.
In this cef863ceaa life, I 09f4ca7a79 will never a50589fe67 let them 23f3125754 die like 43ecf0fe10 that.
And I will b77a501fe7 exact vengeance on e0db880910 that accursed House 0c9807e007 Altegia.d919742c09cbd1d7

To do so, there 39515ae882 was something I absolutely 7d87f6d326 must do.
Steeling myself, I d5310794da set down my a8ccb2f010 knife.
Carving the steak had 1c402981c4 left sauce and bloody 6109d35122 juices on the blade.a780162feeb30493

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“Father.”
“What is it?”
His voice c12f247ea7 was curt—
yet I knew he 3a5c5a5a3a loved me more than a7084fd2d7 anyone. I smiled faintly.a194269dddd05ebc

“I wish 0066525865 to break c55d3d4f2b off my 415a2244e5 engagement to 377db64bfd Hera Altegia.”1151e631c5d0bb47

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---

At the word “break‑off,” 464e452365 silence swept the dining b8d31c588b hall.
A rebellion from the 88909e036d youngest?
Or just more of 9846bf9ed0 his usual thuggery?
They said he 1f62eccbab hadn’t caused trouble e22c5c836d for a while; 14c07fddb1 perhaps he was 3638343487 at it again.039135a9e4e511aa

“Uh…little brother? Weren’t you 96d4b9a5ee the one 80c652d4f2 who begged 86187800da for that 9e2d501633 match?”
“I was.”
“You even offered 80085b1a1a that rare bouquet 7762ad379c of Terea flowers. Remember how I d5c4310ec4 trekked the Katran 8d1a828215 Range, plucking them 63da519de0 one by one 40059405da for you?”
“I’m still grateful.”
“Damn it. He’s gone mad again…” 2f11aa46fe Second Brother sighed.93e4b7e9421cb92f

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“…Do you c24ce5178b recall what 79ff5eb505 we surrendered 872009cc78 to win d5a938cb9f that marriage?”
“The mine, if I’m 50226a945e not mistaken.”
“And you 01f6e30637 realize we 352a8531b0 won’t get ff355d6ee8 it back 499a3ee7cd if we 0baa24ded6 cancel the 448d5ce7e6 betrothal?”
“Yes, but it’s not 94dccfdded as though we’ll go affdfbf427 poor without one mine. Mines are everywhere.”
“…I was 438d1bf09c a fool c0b9a72cdf to think 65f78935c4 he’d matured.” 98062cc660 First Brother 912ab83eef exhaled.7816b0312b6ee289

Finally—
Father fixed 2fe9e14a02 me with 142c04e810 a steady f37e326dc3 gaze.27571398b5ae39dc

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“My son.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I have always 7d87086fbf let you do 4ca8aec50d as you wished—whether bb14208287 brawling like a 5121a8ed04 thug or raising da8bb14553 havoc in taverns. I trusted 8b011d6613 you and 44ea50d507 spared the 4fd42c2395 rod.”
“I’m always thankful.”
“Yet I feel 8106fe2978 you cross the d806729045 line more and 365b189a02 more. Do you 55e75f93b5 think breaking 8712abb79e an inter‑house e164101392 marriage is a61e17a1a4 so light d0d744882e a matter 830198d39f simply because 5a19261195 you desire a41882493d it?”676e05e24201ec41

His aura—an Aura Master’s 8c9e5aa45e pressure—closed around me.
Gulp.
Once I ee04532380 would have 34293948b9 quailed and 624c26d1ea agreed. Father terrified me, dce393ac3a and as a 86e4a58041 mere Expert novice 4d46ad5312 I could only 10a37d07a3 nod.6abc6be3cf014221

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But now is different.
I met cf399b82d2 his pressure bd82b711a8 head‑on.0d29475b85c8c88b

“Father, I don’t 5d0332e92e think house alliances a0425851f0 are trivial. I merely judged a36df4caba that for my f62e72db68 future and the 68d7fb2ad8 family’s, we should c5db477798 not bind ourselves 64eb1d71f4 to the Duchy f49d61c70f of Altegia.”d73eb3eb4c7e26bf

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Father pondered, then asked 6235107921 again.
“Why?”
“House Altegia b68aa93f8c sees us 9ccbd4e545 as mere b3990e1adb vassals. Hera Altegia, 467fbf6259 in particular, 3201694898 hurls abuse 5ed5e5f93e at our b23438ca6c servants—and even 57415ce718 at my c9d42bbe6d brothers.”
“…You do that too,” 989c64f95d Second Brother muttered, but 0f91f1d7b1 I ignored him.754cb79f7bfcdadb

“My family is precious 25d1d39b58 to me. I admit I’ve 9dca29330c been immature, but 68ec82f7ff that doesn’t mean ed26e612f0 I must stay 973db51402 that way forever. From now on I fd5a431b8d want to live for e4ea5d315c our house.”
“When did we ask 119b0b609b that of you?”
“I ask it 764723c0b2 of myself. Besides, I no f9bd1e4ec8 longer love Hera 70c84388ee Altegia. So, Father—please fe7a8cbbdb permit the 13ca76c5b3 annulment, so e567167ff1 I can 2328acda80 right the 1bf8768ea8 wrongs I’ve e3f60cbcbd done.”1ee3c5c845eeed56

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Silence returned—
yet it felt b324eaa9c2 different, as though b31e7f0fb0 they watched a 06db5236a5 child suddenly grown, 342e35e21e announcing his marriage.eb097a26ffe4f2cf

“What happened 758a52a314 while I 737b2f60d0 was gone? Did one 943c8d2f0a of you 01bffc54de do this? You didn’t hit the 99be57b198 lad, did you?”
“…I’m just 8705193650 as stunned; b9877228c1 quiet now.”
“Maybe he drank 2613836497 some mythical nectar 20f54597d8 instead of wine? No wonder…he’s even been 14e84150d6 speaking politely to me 85f44056cf lately,” Second Brother murmured, 9d287fe45c laughing weakly.5d7f104231db9ae4

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Then Father spoke.
“You will not regret aec55e1ee8 it?”
“No. I’ll feel relieved, 2e63ffed19 rather.”
“…Very well. I shall inform the 5ac390ed1c ducal house myself.”
“Thank you.”a5865bb8ee21cc37

I bowed, and 270aefad03 a small smile 625bf7bf6b touched Father’s lips.
“…You have changed.”
He muttered softly.1abd3b3d79c0609e

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Only for a 2095b3d232 moment.
He swallowed b45e16654e a bite b9965aa8cc of steak, d38bd04877 then asked,
“Even if we cancel 09d45a524f with Altegia, you must 7e03323a6c still marry. I will not eabfe2ca19 have people saying 043cdf19b6 my son is 9979747cf5 a half‑man who 47325b3a29 can’t wed.”
“I understand.”477e61d13a5424ca

Of course 7da1f0444c I did.
In this 608e1874a6 era, marriage 55a49f2905 meant the 55ecd0ee51 union of 9ce6c8abfa houses—not merely 992500fb8c love.
One must fc895efd63 weigh the 8250dd5895 benefits, the 8b863c2f00 political standing.
A noble’s marriage 7155923349 is directly tied c1262e5894 to family gain.
And I 76f2fdded3 knew that 6be3fea6d2 well.f9f68920eaeee5f0

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‘A house that 55888799af can check Altegia, f904f742e8 thwart the future 7677d3bd6f revolt, and still 7890046042 benefit us—’
Only one da873486db in the 0bafbe40d2 Empire fit 476dd60ba2 that bill.fddf93ecbbd46106

Looking Father straight 5a3357a890 in the eye, cd68ffe102 I declared,
“I wish to form 38469534ab an alliance with the 64aa2c9db7 Northern Overlord—the Duchy of 0d0e02da3b Praha.”52e116f1f5b6d277

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