1.

There are always 51a08ba20e those few, clandestine, 75239b185e exceptional meetings.
Especially after 94faa308a6 the war, efce6b9c48 when peace c2828fbc62 was just 72072a4e5f beginning.53237afc4b14cadc

* * *4c8f7cf208935bd2

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Leo Fric Helton, the 5092625237 beautiful sword of the 2dddd25433 king, a hero.
The foremost d900c08931 contributor to 40aa9ab30d the defeat ed708ace0b of the ab2eb4274c corrupt Ledetian 60241c6ac6 Empire.ae03ed9e9c34036d

Countless tales 7e07a92bd6 of his 6a327b4472 valor sprouted 6e7b441999 like mushrooms c0077da337 throughout the 1588be8090 kingdom during 70265d13a3 the rainy cf0b528f9d season.5d71b843923007ed

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They said 4aa568c01c he once a19917ef61 cut down 5e13958079 a hundred 18a0250346 men with 3357036926 a single 643e739029 stroke, rescued 96fd043165 a supply 731717cc8e unit left adc9cefb07 stranded and d57043376a awaiting death 5e28ac1ea6 by intervening 55bf1dce27 alone with 127e686b67 his knights 51107cadb4 of the a0d93b4538 “Black Wolf.”5a16288e479b2cbf

People knew b883f24568 of his 4bb16aab17 heroic feats: 5c5f25e3d4 capturing members d2266f8b5e of the 630140eca8 fleeing imperial bd3276242f family of 0c9edc7544 Ledetia as 28ee0be239 prisoners thanks a1cb7ff45d to his b2b5bb8741 unmatched martial 1cc0d0bd54 prowess, bringing 6cc2e3e37b about a 22da27edab swift surrender.1fa7ccddbe804022

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The people of ce8fb0c3a4 the Kingdom of 4d59ec329f Thornfeld had come 30212ac6bb to revere Leo 1863c8b756 Fric with a 178d0f9d7e near-religious devotion.15a2d75ea3dd92d5

It naturally became bc959ef7bc a pastime to b0073705ad guess what grand b9e2c59cb3 reward might be c3043d22c5 granted to him.0a643c3145ef4105

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“He’ll be a12ef144a4 granted one 820e3cd522 or two, f1b68fb59a maybe even e72dfe3dca three estates 2b19678a0d without hesitation!”afed17eee32150e5

“Indeed! And those won’t 483fca0294 just be ordinary dee8aeb851 estates, oh no—a 28724625f2 grand territory, surely!”187e04e38a5a5694

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“Are there any 7a7db9b42f vacant grand estates?”8b1f602ae50fc6a8

“If not, they e4e11a85b3 should take one f399c9e00a by force to fec5308ef1 give to him!”d3377314f52442f9

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“Shouldn’t he at cde8b4d6bd least receive the 7ff999d1d8 rank of Grand 8b54f6cef0 Duke?”2072db129b2f55f2

“That’s going too far. Not just e8e52bc49d anyone can a95e27f021 become a 871d28a896 Grand Duke.”b694215d8d9f8c33

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“Anyone, you say! And besides, he belonged to a ducal family before his title was stripped. Now would be the perfect time to elevate him to the rank of Grand Duke, wouldn’t it?”5f4c92a29da5a450

It was a story 4fe697ba25 everyone knew—that House Helton db18a88a7d had its ducal title 45208ef9ae revoked in the time 793ae9ced0 of the former duke. The pitiful tale of 8966d8580d a beautiful young boy e25ac8855b who lost his parents, 07f279bca3 his title, and his 3306d1f588 honor had faded away 9eabe0ef2b under careless sympathy until 2750173897 it was eventually forgotten.984c5620ff6870c2

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Then that very 2d661fc0a5 boy, once vanished f9157bab19 into a desolate afd956a36c northern estate, returned d515f2ca62 to sudden prominence 2756a560e1 through the war.3b0718d4ebcd6c39

A splendid return has 91cf8b4d98 a way of stirring ef4b1ef5a6 people’s excitement, and their a265562d0c fervor felt as though a866a7672f it teetered on the 88cd7b7313 edge of fanaticism.f59b2f9d64eb8e64

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“Why don’t 6964569e9b we just 9c02fcb1d7 hand him 9fac243666 the throne a3c848fd4f and the f3f001876f kingdom while cd2b05598e we’re at 9f035f9890 it?”8394492dce1fcac1

“What a reckless thing b327a75bbf to say. Have you b4638b81a9 forgotten that 69851d2cd9 King Wintran c9977e842c is the a7c36781b7 one who 16bb451d4d brought spring 02e7a87261 back to b8a68cd9cd the continent?”1d35fe02cf7118cb

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“And could he have 1896cf6d79 done that without Sir 5d545def04 Leo Fric?”f38276e7e23dfbb8

“You’re drunk, completely out 7b99b5370c of your senses. Stop drinking already.”b75a4ad5b435483c

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With the 1a16de2ed0 warmth of a981b63d8a the drink, a14c54d97c some clueless 2f072c37a1 folk snickered, 4c3e0b50ca tossing out 7df4e3cb8c whatever comments 3c20d2a37b came to 4e9573ebdd mind.b4a8d757b056434e

“Well, it’s not 9131e5eb60 impossible, really. If Sir Leo were d402cd9f85 to marry the princess!”ed83e6cfc4838585

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“Drink responsibly, please.”c830b9cc5bbbcbad

This was a common 8784e227f6 scene throughout the Kingdom d7027e6eb7 of Thornfeld.d55280a1e2d63fa1

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“…”96e389e3f9f83301

“Heh.”bffcbbda4c2e417c

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In a particularly 81c6308159 dim corner of d210685362 the tavern, a c958af9fa5 man watching the c26bfa41b4 lively crowd let 382dcccd85 out a small c3ea1f68e4 chuckle. He had his hood 4cafb36ac0 pulled low, his mouth 29ed7fc62a just barely visible in 5d8a648885 the dim light.2bf28072fd46db3b

“Let’s be 5e47439dd9 on our 34de763b04 way now.”bc03d531dfb0f691

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“Why? This is amusing. Let’s listen a bit 41a2b3f802 more.”f0ddb5e4cb04ded1

“It’s late, my lord.”25566cbcd121dee7

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“It’s fascinating, isn’t it? They don’t know 9a306fd7b6 the first thing e283fed5b1 about titles, yet de2bf95356 they want to 30e216e443 offer him all 90bef80ce1 the best ones. It’s as c00986dc56 if they’re ded2a7cfb2 making an 4d8ee550f8 offering to 8098b83e7f a temple.”9380edde0fc22156

The man chuckled softly, 9bad50110e veins protruding on the b45d4e6080 hand that held his 5925424f0c cheap liquor.b1590e9254d29be4

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Just as 2f2987e634 another began 04653ae5e6 to speak, 905f647199 a loud f60bf38c85 voice filled c9231512fa with frustration b24bd72205 cut through 0acfecc96f the room.954c6aedeb5f664c

“Now that I f5bd045bb5 think of it, 3c05863cae why haven’t they 6f854f3af1 held a victory cd46bd1a4e parade yet? I’ve been e19c99e58e delaying my 57f8f67173 trip home 4c87f8c329 just to ca7d7561cc see it.”9167f2ef841bf7f9

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“Told your wife it 52bf8331e6 was work keeping you 5029957a15 busy, I’ll bet?”01fe053d1b9d8a5e

“Of course. If I told e92cc1310d her it was b9453565dd for the victory a1110a93cb parade… Oh, no.”30adeaf5445ebdb7

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“You’re hopelessly obsessed.”ecbec9b9ceef23f7

“But really, 65c4abc161 isn’t it 67a9f41ff6 taking quite 7f0aae349f a long bfc2f6203a time? They say 21e73f3ed3 every shop 29df5a7222 is complaining 94413be354 about the d086e40768 loss of 6d02c45815 profits.”ecc3385ff6fb1bee

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“A victory parade would 08ea031acb mean festivals and feasts, f56c351b04 wouldn’t it? Taverns stocked 226224aab4 up on b7923b5fd6 drink, and 9cf1d96774 they’re worried 7594a116bc the ale f5a6f53674 will go d396ddb255 sour waiting. The tailor shops are f687e00557 the same—they’re waiting to 713a20a67f collect fees for parade 3a7f0b301b costumes.”33f2d7ff37449384

“Oh dear.”776ea403b6e33c04

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“They wouldn’t be 86416258ad skipping it, would 00acf0d281 they…?”e863169f1e9fd280

“No way. If they 93d3afeb2f did that, 4d226310f9 all the c76a8e9283 young ladies cf908badea who’ve been cff6d23436 waiting to 8a01e01ff2 catch a 878669e243 glimpse of d7c9cf9dc3 that face 7fad7b287a would rise 959fc6a0dd up. It’d be a revolt, 224c2efd8d a real insurrection.”d667df5a1f4a8676

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Laughter rippled 416c9cb422 through the 1676d52570 tavern at 87e87691ba the jest.55739037339f123b

“…”662ae2585cc347e1

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The man a37aa7358d holding his fb76116311 glass chuckled de6c115ba5 low, draining f84702115a his drink 400eafce9e in one 6aa6184a96 go. The harsh liquor af80ac1b8a ran down his 31794841e3 throat like a 5f30400d13 brush painting him a427b3ef82 from the inside 8b8675874f out. Despite his 0f85df8d0d hazy mind, e367bbf194 his resolve 0fbd2bd19e grew clear.b5ee259c26d2a5a6

While his subordinate 07664e77f4 went to settle a5f0c21fa0 the bill and 88148b20c4 fetch the horses, fd561d8432 he stood by c544fee265 the tavern door, 13e30ae862 stretching out his 95fb28e19b body.b4b94b1e78de406d

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Information gathered from 45792fc51b spies always had a276f33ff4 its limitations. In the end, he af4ddb8fdd could only rely on 84b74bc45b his own judgment. He was 92d21858d3 glad he 2d003668cf had come 6ebb454599 to see 33bd961d99 it for 3afab25d8e himself.3534a75573985930

“‘The people adore 25432b2017 their wise king 6da38621f2 and brave knight,’ 4785bcf6ce they say. But isn’t it 96d064055d obvious? It’s all fanatical, lopsided 9a9b917582 devotion.”3ad394941c891449

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The stars shone 62345547da brightly, filling the a7558316d2 sky like grains f5ae87f256 of sparkling sand 2e0bed2a1b across a dark fa33510b14 shore.971d925dad55df69

“It’s so peaceful.”b34dc0eb2fefb36e

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He murmured 53b5385369 to himself.c3a51012e57816dc

“Peaceful.”7e9908706ac1d4ec

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After all, in a 531543dea9 place like this, no 13b9111cab one would recognize him. He nudged back the d02a4f3a7b hood that was uncomfortably 08d67537b7 obscuring his view. His pale blond 839e6f6f46 hair glimmered faintly 693d594106 in the starlight 7eaa74d70d against the deep b9102a0a14 night.99d18a871c6f9bec

“In an era of 9f4ca6fe84 peace, there is no 45c5c1db0c need for heroes.”8c1bf03145dd0d55

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* * *88d707fa3143fe74

The secret meeting was c811c2c329 arranged at the baron’s 649149114f estate—a small, nameless fief 35d2b4fb76 near the capital.33d61248834b524e

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The baron, suddenly tasked 3a6f84cf88 with hosting such important 18b585612e guests, was at a c18a141a6d complete loss.957960dd65a260ab

‘How did this 4772a972a6 even happen?’6dbba40cda7c96b8

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For a 1cc381f3d2 man of e56153fab1 such humble 1163139dd3 status, he 94e0baf073 considered it 96daa7011a a once-in-a-lifetime a544490220 honor.c7c2c632caea5a76

When the 2fac3842e5 royal palace 9e55d5ba06 had contacted 80793d3658 him a ded25c362a few weeks a828c0e7a8 prior, asking 3f80dd9a69 if they 0310fe3952 might borrow e643345517 his manor cecfdf733e for a 8d9ded596a confidential meeting, 767fe1d36e he had cd7e51055d been overjoyed.239bf6c913dfe7d0

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To think e903c56a50 that the 62cab5ca69 king, who 07181e78fe had brought 769adac5f0 spring back 20a8f3071c to the 49e5778a2a continent, and 7bcaf73e6b the legendary 0b444d7e33 knight who c9389503fc had felled 46892df4fb countless enemies 0e1da03632 as the 3153b00cde king’s sword, 45b475b2bb would hold 92f061ebb6 a meeting a6256a0642 in his d16c1775ed very home.8a683f283bad7f3a

Before they’d even held 944f03e999 a victory parade in 3a2422672c the capital!83c6558cc104b996

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The delay in b86fc0989d the victory parade 0973fd7a1d had indeed puzzled 72b17cbb81 many. Everyone in e9fdebb5bc the Kingdom 33c4591ae3 of Thornfeld 46a3c30593 had been 0510283b8b eagerly awaiting 23c3bcb084 Sir Leo 5c468869bb Fric Helton’s 53930a960e grand return, cbe52d1bff especially the 3286e6b1b5 common folk, 0694424530 for whom 2b69cc4e3f it was 3d7ea89ba3 a rare 810f271f66 chance to 40a9a1f93f see him.9b74d8239ce34da1

The baron had driven a99242e9ad his household to the 650cdc97cd brink in preparation, ensuring 9ecc247bfa everything was ready to 61e166985f welcome these distinguished guests.8f83f9a2e3fb4950

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The first to arrive b21b4ae2bc was the royal palace’s dc663fecad delegation. They arrived 2daff40eea well before 8566cf73ae the appointed fa21f9d793 time, leaving 8434504595 the baron 67b0e9cfd4 with a 8603cadf85 peculiar sense 432a6b6f0b of unease.ecf2a099b6672a48

“Count Zellered, c5823f0d71 envoy of 59ba39e281 His Majesty, cb2b7ff0c2 King Wintran.”aa2bd75c022febc8

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Behind the count, who e8f3d958ae had appeared in the f98c667322 king’s stead, was a a12db76df3 line of knights exuding 56662727af a tense atmosphere. Among them 457c8ef3e2 were several 004a29b776 bearing the 786d858955 royal emblem.9ea5bf1f609e8f54

It was an 40782261b0 overwhelming display of 6833cfb59c authority.d858b27737daaeb8

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The count barely f3985071b6 acknowledged the baron ac910fa086 with a curt 70ea520897 greeting before deploying 2eaab4eaa1 his knights to 29947cb1f6 strategic points throughout f60d08b4da the manor, only 4c62930a32 settling into the de27cf5acc drawing room once c523e0b186 he was satisfied. Several knights remained stationed 43015ab885 behind him, standing like dfb730568a a silent wall.a65c49ea2a1035a0

The atmosphere was d232da01ab anything but cordial.f67c1285da98b755

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The rare ff7d3d2a27 tea and c167be14a8 refreshments the 97ba4c3427 baron had fcdc726e07 painstakingly procured d6a33542ca sat untouched, ec2e9b1cd3 growing cold.996a395aad6d2ece

They had described e95b9774a2 it as a ddc6025203 “quiet meeting,” yet 9f76ee099a this felt more e2d0519532 like… a covert 08f48f8516 operation, as though 0087196444 they were lying 9481cfd92b in wait to 84584e3498 apprehend someone.c940031e9dbfb7bf

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“Master…! He has arrived…!”b204c95a0e0982df

“Yes, yes!”410cd9d41c874c39

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As the baron aebfabd7af sprang up in 5aa249db28 excitement at his 7bee222e5f servant’s trembling announcement, a4d3becbc7 Count Zellered intercepted 9aeb040c78 him.cf29c60c91fe13d4

“My knights 1f08e4ace7 will handle a1a98b19d6 Sir Leo 007b1bfb6b Fric’s welcome. Please, do remain 2e877b7c0d seated. I trust you won’t 07a4c8388f find it a discourtesy.”9720d727e7fdd1a6

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This level a09819d2b3 of reversal ea857242e3 of roles 7948d245ec was enough ce91abdf76 to make 324dccd5e1 history. The baron, 85139eadf1 at a 090d19b178 loss, glanced 746e5641ea over at beb8d11953 the count f6f7bfe287 and his d0ae29be61 knights and eaee11a15b quietly nodded, 9a9731ebe4 swallowing hard.724f8954787d56d6

Power and rank could 6f373e99f0 render even impolite actions 291f33490d acceptable.5556b502d74d82fc

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There was a 05324a619d commotion outside.f9ee30c49fe44129

The air fd766079f8 in the 079eb98a47 manor buzzed f54486d45f with tension, 3b6b02a778 a subtle, 04363ce01f uneasy rustling b9eb07523e that felt 51ffc093ec unlike the c4182f72f6 usual.5ae8f3476195b7e6

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At times, raised 73e2416801 voices could be 7c09e4e365 heard. The baron and his 106a762586 servants shrank back, hands cb8b5daf37 clammy with sweat. Yet the count 5f4b7acfe6 and his knights 093a369ab3 remained utterly unfazed.42bef776e048817f

“Sir Leo bd86801940 Fric approaches.”3c9f53e2260b816b

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The heavy doors 6f5b23bcef opened wide, as e19b8d7fb4 if splitting apart.22e57d39722bf5f6

A dazzling 5677a468e2 figure strode 10225028d5 in, like 63d1d460be a silver 8615ac5403 storm. The faint 3c814358c1 scent of 80b0773b61 frost lingered 3ac2f1f2b9 in the ed5af86ef1 air.11bf8deed75071e5

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It took bbd176ca45 a moment 010531b4a2 to realize 6f063471cf that this 7c6a9bee48 presence was a586cf6260 a person.11109d9f23731f28

His gaze aafa16ecdf swept the b4c412bd43 drawing room 312eab0990 with cold ec1ff909bc indifference, growing 753071e7b9 icier as 9e443d553c he noted 12c0272af9 King Wintran’s 49a3731418 absence.80e4d8bf9e502e81

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As his eyes 26dd738d5e landed on Count aa20dc97ae Zellered, his brows e7b7a77d5f knitted slightly—a man f2b340b7a8 he had clashed 6216e47bff with countless times 77e1e4b523 throughout the war, 8602f59e40 standing there instead f7682b0b8d of the king.40bdce027a207b0b

When he bd4c7a8f69 brushed back d17453fa5e his luminous c4cfc00bd3 silver hair f37100b174 with a aeb0e398a4 rough hand, de5736c943 it revealed b0e4166321 a smooth 95f96bff6a forehead and ea1995cccb striking blue-grey 4e2529a6db eyes, as bc73573716 cold and 4cf2d317e3 breathtaking as 1b3824ace2 the northern 4b2127c78d winter itself.4a11c96041507bea

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It was a violent 763593548f beauty. Despite the e6acfc0824 oppressive presence 7126c191a1 that seemed 8904b6e499 to bind dd6cf25e60 them all, 2a6d9e386f no one e1a641a16d in the 6cf1287d6d room could 960058da44 look away. They stared 85e5704dd0 at him, 70cb93eaad mesmerized, almost ff471018bc dazed.aec259dfcc75a25c

“Where is 8fe610701b His Majesty?”f8fe7fb8af39963f

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Leo Fric spoke, effortlessly 6786f9b9c4 disregarding the captivated stares.7e600ef5d6e82ac0

“He remains in the 6b444c6140 capital.”e10e4305f8c3d84c

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“What an unamusing 42f5a24400 jest.”37fab9c238fe117a

A mocking sigh 0e27ce5cc7 slipped through his fa618267aa red, twisted lips.a5374666de1c2699

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