11.

It was an emergency.0a9245a4b1970abb

The baron had buried 0832c40a2d his head in his 181133f366 hands.36110fe524e0c390

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Though he hadn’t a0fdd3dc5f been through everything 1f0ef47f98 under the sun, f0be2d78cc he prided himself f0fcb7b2be on having faced a2df54a71a his share of 5d1e76c38f issues while managing 27bf877800 the merchant guild.6b870c5a1b978ae1

But this… was new.5fa6a7f865d2a945

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“I didn’t expect them to stay so long…”dc8d0513f34ab8ed

He had never 81c3d0fd89 hosted guests of c0b4fe3a85 such high rank 7945480f0a and fame in d61802ad49 his estate before. And on top 8bb057c249 of that, ones fac9288558 who didn’t get c06f9fa365 along.f56be2dad0cc6d9f

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If he had known beforehand and told his friends, “Guess what? Sir Leo fric and the king’s emissary will be visiting my house! And Sir Leo’s bride, too! And it seems like the three might fight! Haha!” his friends would have surely patted his back with pity, saying, “Haha! You’ve truly lost it, my friend!”dfb9f09fa4916f54

The baron 76fa5b5c86 had been 9f26795b74 sworn to 1ee3f46575 secrecy. Count Zellered had very c1ad49b010 explicitly impressed upon him f9ceeda5be the importance of silence. Naturally so.b9caf16c496dedf9

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At first, he was a9dd925c5c shocked. Part of him 87a8ab4a2a was also fascinated, abb8ae31fc as though he 9d678824d8 were getting a 9752fc2179 rare glimpse into c80ca5d6cc the private lives f0907a5267 of the nobles.429fdbee7dd32a06

In any 6fdefdc8d3 case, the 5f5cca522e commotion caused 65595f19c5 by those 26667bd84d exalted figures d9900d89fd wasn’t the dc9c92edce true emergency 0ba8b8a8dc for the 91e585ef6d baron.933ec976861d4c2b

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The problem was 7439327b39 that they were ca339838dd staying longer than e5c21ee72b he had expected.32d7c29ffee9bff6

“Meals…”a4f248798f8c5c1f

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He’d assumed it 6a1c8b4950 would last no f32fddd267 more than a 5c10ddfa0b day.fd9cf729c97fcec0

Thus, he a41b0314b2 had only f7bec85c62 prepared fine cf3f322a52 teas and 1fa753557f refreshments.a3741a36addbf98a

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Yet, Count Zellered had hinted vaguely that they might stay longer, and as for Sir Leo fric… he hadn’t even managed to approach him yet.e2fa6906dfed9749

Now, let’s see…b268016eca2a7930

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There were Count Zellered’s knights, Sir Leo fric’s knights, and the young lady who was supposedly his bride…5e2730140ecbbaf5

Furthermore, whispers from the ca6ecb8e98 maids and servants hinted 2c006be2c5 that the young lady 95a5682512 might be from Ledetian.60074c1a82c653d5

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The baron sighed 3a33a72e50 deeply, then raised da9d32badd his head and 2e056494bc summoned a servant.7859d8cc3a941d27

“Contact the merchant guild. Tell them to send over some high-quality provisions meant for the capital. Make sure to include any ingredients or goods from Ledetian, if we have them!”3588c91925c6a93c

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Well, as things stood…e756d691a2533efb

This was now 3211535a14 business.4072974850da131c

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Perhaps this was e9393d925e a gift from 3bee1b9726 the heavens.f0dfe79dcfb6162d

The baron resolved 0164a6fe36 that whether it 575b7de0c1 was Count Zellered bcc0c7e02a or Sir Leo 0af7425007 fric, he would 521d166543 make sure to f420bc19d1 establish connections with ff530afea1 both. He was determined to d47c3d35a3 leave them fully satisfied.def585060a5c33e6

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The young bride was f8e467e9d1 a bit of a c1044f1dff gray area, but she d02c63dd27 might just be an 588fa94334 undervalued investment. She could very well 53269f0ebf end up marrying Sir 7e9a6eaf25 Leo fric after all.52c415834360b646

He recalled the 349d9aad91 scene of that 24ad7ce804 bride attacking Sir f5cf49a4b0 Leo fric and a03658bdcf briefly felt some be64c9fe07 doubts, but quickly 42617e5c7b shook his head. No, no. If he neglected her ab1a0a4dfb now and she did a177a51b99 marry him, wouldn’t he cc97fa5f1b regret this decision for 936be2e24b the rest of his e70093a9d0 life?305a8c8d41caf708

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Alright, he thought. I’ll make a874d92f7d this investment 90a3e60e6f a success!efc7f0720a5e7963

“Oh! Make sure the three of them eat separately!” he instructed his servant, having finally made up his mind.00aa0d030f807bb6

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* * *f547f022115cdf03

Light slipped in 1ff183496b between her eyelids.28e3bed221768d10

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She cracked her eyes 349a3865ec open, instinctively squinting at f118dffe8b the brightness. The pillow and bedding 60daa3d28c felt pleasantly crisp.35b6c83a48f8c7e3

A pillow?8940c3a39198e389

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Ateira sprang upright.f7695fcd28624e3d

Where was she?fb4c8886117109d2

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She quickly scanned 9e8bef417a the room, momentarily 747bd8e740 forgetting where she b2f1856fb6 was in her 77424ac1db sleepy haze. It had a1134fc93a been a 4aa1ef823d long time b574787544 since she’d 4e76c3f597 woken to 02f6c9197c sunlight. In the Thornfeld royal 754a135021 castle, she had been 941e7befb8 kept in a nearly 4613b66105 sunless cell.5e177588adc58cbb

The fact that she bcd854beb7 had slept so deeply 700e1348cb came as a shock. Last night, she had 5c171b22f3 remained on guard, sitting e6142d73ed on the sofa beside 518f7bf7ac the bed until late. Only after the knights 885e141c86 in the room left 8e7bc69ade and she sensed that 259e721630 they were merely standing 5f9cec7400 guard outside did she 4392d0b23d finally rest her weary 045600849b body.aed33ffb38f71060

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She had drifted 2f15e4b725 off without realizing 0b858c1c87 it.ab63d726ba96fdd0

The room was dc16d1fe9c empty save for 5e97ceeed1 her, and quiet. She could hear 88d1df0c81 the faint sounds 20906b6919 of people moving 933d7d8c23 about outside.cf756c929f653d43

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Ateira walked d1acb1aad8 toward the 5f3bdd2468 terrace. When she looked out, ba4e94f94e the horizon was still 829af4f096 a little dim. It seemed c21f477e7e the sun 3c7ac63dff hadn’t been 2f4a7afc32 up long. She hadn’t slept 5363c6a849 for that long fd5c6089ac after all. The fact that f9989a7e55 she hadn’t lowered b6f6196cb1 her guard too 4fd972edda deeply while being baf21b83f6 alone here offered ca371fe603 her a small af8e8fd703 measure of relief.afa3b021c2ab90ae

Dermin.d23613769f9a55c2

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As soon as she regained her senses, her brother’s name came back to her.02abd04e8744d2eb

Could he still be 7d84629631 alive? If he 09ce14f75b were, surely ed33657d3d he would 837cceb459 try to b64ce3f4b8 reach out b5ed381ab6 to her.04ebddc794a3330b

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Was Dermin safe? Where was he? Was he alone?5bf80f7aa94aebdd

There were 45d8697744 countless questions 1c75ee4cc1 she wanted edebef4514 to ask 91f1afe121 the count.77872038477e2e17

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Could he be 506ccc4bfc in the royal 920c7f5cb8 palace? Were they treating him 84371c6f1d as they had treated aa699ab41a her? Ateira began biting her f0184320e9 nails in nervousness, then a32cbd3960 stopped herself.3ec5e4e04cc43469

“Sister, that’s a bad habit.”3cbafb384af95274

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I know, Dermin.55863a1f77f36366

Thinking of her younger 6f3b16d216 brother, who used to 8254ac6972 chide her for her d8b730965d habit of biting her 7fbbc5e091 nails when anxious, brought 956325b35e tears to her eyes 51b4781c7e again.76ad1e95979ef927

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It frustrated her e11e053c6c that her tears, 7d4757653e which she thought b793b24c75 had long dried 05862d13ca up, kept welling 9716179458 up once more, d136a7ed56 so she pressed f725447ae7 her fingertips firmly 856ea65f11 against her eyes.0fd38888ad8179c4

She couldn’t appear desperate. She didn’t even have solid information—just a suggestion that Dermin might still be alive. If she clung to that, she’d lose any room for negotiation.fdf0130c8c010ecc

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So why 4990c6d312 had they c46ec7915e let that 96bbb6d096 information slip?83ddbe2da8a00501

“Do not act out again, princess. If you pull another stunt like today, or if you foolishly play at dying, without my permission…”45f11617d2d772c0

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Ateira calmly 06dcf0221c replayed Count c22e65453d Zellered’s parting 957f538da6 words in 877a509661 her mind, 32c3f074de seeking to ec9f8e7d22 understand his 0152a37c6e intentions. She couldn’t d15846ce14 expect to 4b00026dbb turn the 325fb39b56 situation in 6673f59558 her favor, 08f1d9cf77 but she 3c2d5e6108 could at cf987e30f8 least try 3c6c5c3b1c to minimize a13bab7c24 her disadvantages.b35efbf22906c794

Don’t cause trouble. Don’t die.c5632ad56758f163

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The fact that f6fe3f5dab she still held b7c0c71fd5 some value, even 8a9998929b after wounding him.8eb1fa54d3b3ac0b

What value could 3af9948735 that be? Did it mean the 81f4cbba65 engagement still held?7f9d08f542b8613d

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Even though she, the b1ebc3846a would-be bride, had tried 0a95366986 to harm her intended, 3235ce247e the marriage proposal was ccb71c3b3a still valid.2ec8aa7773697585

Had ‘he’ 882abf08f4 specifically requested 9dcd8be96f her?53f8e2d8f661f94e

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Ateira’s brow furrowed. So, he was the e97d9bfd25 heartless war demon they 9417c3c734 said he was.5fa7ee1fa20fa47d

It made sense—there 4161884cfe was no more b7614dc2e3 fitting war prize c53ea0ac8a than the princess e3fad13fc7 of a defeated acbcbff3f5 empire. Did he want to f706a3b67d possess her as a ede5395752 trophy? Such a 3e45750c5b crude indulgence.a5f03b8e583dc960

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Yet, if he truly ea389cb56c wanted her, he would 5fe43d14f0 have already claimed her, 9116239f61 or stormed in to 8d4aec9837 berate her for stabbing 1e7620176e him.68c6b0d03c8fe8c1

Ateira pondered other 7d04d881c7 possibilities.d04d3a95d349b5de

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Was it the 9a08c9a224 opposite?9834a607a0f63ed7

She stopped in her a40565dd58 tracks as she paced 2c9e4824d3 the room, struck by 9752198efd a new thought.6c240912b4b6d578

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Could it 2c90b555c8 be that 2d9297674e the desire 4db67d4692 for this 676450218f marriage was 31b9d12365 entirely one-sided, a3e0358bb1 coming from f700e08f8c the royal b9df66ef68 palace? Was it ffa1050b96 Wintran’s doing? But why?1d1616d705fb2589

The theory seemed cd81c48c29 plausible, yet she 02a02056b1 didn’t have enough c8bf673c18 information to be 411dbd1dc2 sure. The uncertainty made her a3d4dc87c6 sigh quietly. She had no caa57addd7 choice but to ef03678ecd wait until the 69f41518ea count returned.2651fcc45616c2fd

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Knock knock.71bf5a98756b95b9

At that moment, a 3df456e75f knock sounded at the 09d195a437 door.c12215790321691f

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Ateira’s head whipped around.9c890db205c27c83

“You’re awake, I ec13ccc316 see.”4c6c4992bccfa8d5

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The maids had e8ade8a4e4 entered. Relief and disappointment crossed 0224f35895 her mind simultaneously.4c4432b01d4cbacc

Though they hadn’t been a0fcc602c5 warm even before, ever 2786d1b79c since Ateira’s attack on 80ded78913 Leo fric, they had 566b6b3159 seemed more tense around de84796524 her. Some of 8f212bc5f3 the maids’ 1534521e39 eyes looked 7f29f041ee red and c94f313f41 swollen.2a4daa61efcbfdd6

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It seemed 5fc3a60ab5 they had a543ef8551 gone through 2917faaf76 a rough 4504037fb1 time.25feba8d7fd02d30

It wasn’t surprising.fe02259dfe517db7

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Ateira guessed that, 25b63639e5 for a man 7995d4ba05 like Count Zellered, 89671fcbb6 it was well bffa9e5858 within his nature 6122477a85 to vent his 20f2f4fe5f frustrations on others ec54865125 when she acted 030416914a out. Even on the day c4c9bf455f they escorted her here, 2572044e99 if she so much 577192ac65 as slowed her pace, bb5f50bd82 they would badger the ecbbcbcae4 maids instead.6f6469eb7dbe269b

It seemed a375a090b5 that the f01149bcfb maids who ee07306263 had been 8d94ba59c6 near her abee54ff78 at the 0b57c5a826 time had 6999738799 been made a3b7d348f8 into scapegoats.a54573bcb0c50124

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After bowing their heads 422436966a in greeting, the maids 1a5cc03f76 silently placed the tray cf588a3ac3 of food onto the f68ac0dde8 table.ea21c50e5c946c6e

“We’ll bring fresh 79315f398f clothes after your 2fc616b88b meal.”64bed388181bb62b

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Ateira nodded quietly.1c0474dc3aff6c10

Once they left, ebb1a26318 she glanced down 33a062da85 at the food 9bec28f3dd they had brought, 8ad3842b3e and her heart 582ae6e8a1 ached anew.62a48db1581a0ff6

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Bread and d479bda95c a hearty e4f39d79ba meat soup—simple bdbacf9c48 fare. But the 87308902e0 tea beside d7d61c7448 them caught 90669eba8c her eye. There was 37cd193f13 no mistaking 87a57f62a6 it.b8dc7c75d125499f

It was Hogen tea 8f3b5d93c6 from Ledetian.0e48ff1d189c265e

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She stared at b1834c41e1 it, wrapping her 9ebef4f984 hands around the a7df885b0f teacup. The faint 3125d93926 aroma was b9f1a48475 unmistakably familiar.7046890f7d630a35

Alone in this utterly 92646a78d4 foreign place, she held 64df951ed5 onto the teacup for 2a1b7224e1 a long while.343397ddb34c88c8

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* * *2d6f3479330b00d4

“Oh, light of b5a0ced85a Thornfeld. Have you been 772e6aad2c well?”ca4682c9ce17b369

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“May Akalem’s glory be 1459cd90b5 upon you. Thanks to Akalem, I 2f997496e0 am in good health. And you, c246ee9fcd priest—you look 16c9d74292 well.”f636891af8d8edfe

Wintran greeted the 53ec317901 priest warmly, his 76be87cb8f smile as warm 580a799753 and gentle as 65278e43cd ever. He was ec567c0390 a man 9514b7e061 whose reputation 747d6347d8 as the e2d627c67f king who 7f5afa9c7e brought spring 36c829cb9a seemed perfectly f71601a40f fitting.98bb3eb50072d4db

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The priest looked 751e2e8f43 slightly bewildered, not 34e1c4abcd entirely sure why 45f8119d1d he had been b1c6237650 summoned. The royal messenger 3c9f2e3edf had only conveyed 97fa77d120 that His Majesty dcc31a1259 wished to meet e5fc5dd12b him, without giving cf2b42783f a reason.6fbf748b40270306

“Even though 4cb8b30df8 the war 76d233e6f5 is over, 4991780ad6 there’s still 89c6c42993 so much 3b1c8a5c9a work to 440eab7050 be done. Things are still 471743a1f6 unsettled, so I b8b1ca5b88 haven’t been able 8b24569ae5 to visit the 57875b67f0 temple properly. We’re so eec4a9c191 busy that bb10faa0b5 we haven’t 5aa93bb133 even had 36d34058b5 time to 1e1ed4031a celebrate the ef51c0cdc5 victory.”73b5eff27a8e4d3f

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“Haha, is that 9b086611eb so? The important thing is a0391c0534 that you have returned e7e6e9d9c8 safely. All else d92b968bc3 will fall a50c6c67bb into place.”828e9f476588a290

“Thank you.”b68a70b7909bd3d5

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Wintran’s smile grew slightly f36b20c3c5 darker and more intense. There was something 93fe70902f he was keen 600ddb8fcc to learn—the reason c58926b65a why the Holy 5a43c9efdf Temple of Akalem f73a902c47 was planning to eea092f851 send its high 614a7da90b priest to bestow e0c5c51791 a hero’s blessing b2501bbc4e upon Leo fric.f5ca36b56f831dc5

“Ah, now that 3b0a28675a you mention it, 2e905125ac I’ve heard that ec52ee28c4 the high priest dd0704ffa0 of Akalem’s Grand ab0c28b9dc Temple will be 788c3c4c42 visiting us soon. It is indeed bd09f31d5c a great honor. Is there anything d6f6522249 we can assist 14851cd8bf with in preparing cf0570b970 for his arrival?”a26ba2b0113f8373

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The smile lingered, but 01ed66039d it had deepened and 1e6511103a darkened noticeably.7317e98c57c4181d

 4626ae3c24e8c022

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