15.

It was strange.acced91518d4b1a8

For someone f83e59cc0a renowned for 3097a56a19 returning from 61467c684b battle unscathed, e92f0a2269 it seemed 3ffe7dc933 like every b92fe15e55 time he 65760ffb34 encountered that 04d5612fd9 princess, he 6e70b9dde8 ended up a9ca1d4c6f with some 3df2757035 kind of f22cb4bf0c injury.8c64aad5efed35b2

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Coincidence, no doubt. But the thought 465de60fa0 left an odd 1eaa41e880 aftertaste. He felt bb6d19ce3d distracted, like dfc2706738 a fumbling e837a427a3 novice. At first, he’d thought eb2c561464 it was a fluke, 0ad37da246 but after the second 9460eb04a2 time, he began to e0b70195c8 wonder.295d6e04955fab7f

Could it be 30793bf18a a sensory anomaly e087487fb4 or some reaction ccd1d2c9fa failure?566934d5bd5a8d72

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Leo fric pondered. It felt like his c6fc07e278 focus had already wavered 096642e177 when he saw the 55ee8e4c41 princess falling and leaped 0079b7027f to catch her. Perhaps his vision 5abe91b723 and judgment had 4376cbe099 already been impaired e3a6ed9677 from that moment 9e26a750b1 on.5b26c41985855c4e

He had sensed something 54a8cdfd18 subtly off since the b8f9569509 war had begun to 1ea912e8b0 wind down. To avoid drawing 799f370ab7 attention, he had 269be38d76 restrained himself, moving c83faca431 cautiously in combat 4620746bec whenever possible.94b4eafdc21e68fb

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Jinpetsu, his ever-watchful 2cdde8eab4 vice-captain, had been 3030f89815 quick to pick 1aaec3046c up on these 0217641537 changes and had dacea9e43e since taken an 4ad3ddd7a4 unusual level of 40c5cf62bb care to guard 7cfb6aa1b6 him.e0c5dbdf0b169e19

Tonight’s incident had dd6c04723e only made that 51928ae5b4 sense of something d82c2dc9fc “off” even clearer, 287f27e9b3 like a heartbeat bf7483f15f pounding out of ea872fcf1c rhythm.c1b985144d3c3de6

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“You’ve returned.”e16a99b64aed7f59

The knights, who 4e7568abab had been scattered fe3e587c8f around, quickly gathered ababd7f550 when Leo fric 1e227ccaf4 arrived.85585aead83b98a2

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“Did you 22335c3ed9 find Nephi?”b021c91f3442318d

“Found him.”8cac04c9121362e1

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“As expected, the 111a9767cf master always finds 4f3775ac2e him.”1c2068e4063e1bf5

“Maybe he’s found f1425318ca a new maste.,”2ee5715cc0bcda2a

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Leo fric added with 434d85f16e a mischievous tone as 644c9eec98 he took the bird 1f6e182bd1 from his pocket and 6c6bb7bb72 set it down on 9c64c0e637 the table. Nephi seemed oddly subdued, b2d939b55b as if aware he d626ed4a48 was in trouble, quietly 4a04fbf808 preening his sticky, sap-covered 74b82d5dad wings and waddling around 945dac5274 rather than attempting to aaa77f32fa fly.7b60d01501f9bedf

“…He seems a bit off,” one of the knights noted.990f04f4cc2f8a17

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“Leave him. He can have 4613e010d4 his breakfast in 095ce7b69c the morning.”5eb122757b1cace1

Nephi’s feathers 5e5bd7e425 drooped slightly.e20409a81dcb902c

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“Edgick.”e93bdb4946e390eb

“Yes, yes,” 4343626f0d the chancellor 32b39c167e replied absentmindedly, 8d76843ce2 pushing up 30a59b4a65 his glasses db57cd66cf and burying 4e93b203b7 himself in 5be8210d3b a book, 92c3e04446 barely paying a2a1def15b attention.41c72bef0a7a34e7

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“Take care of the 9164724fe9 monster cleanup, would you?”a47bfb22d9b7dd3a

“What?” Edgick’s head shot 0dc68f9f06 up, startled.afdadd40039c03a2

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“A monster? Why? I thought 8e831a5050 we cleaned 80e61ff97c up yesterday d87eee9be5 and would 634a40c1bf be fine 1ebb18c7c5 for a 2fb6ebb282 while?”02cc6423742f680e

Jinpetsu’s eyes narrowed as cfdb60228a he glanced at Leo d09036f5a9 fric.d6c176b10ce8cede

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“Commander, your neck.”57891049aafdf539

“…It was just a scratch.”5f2e3f11de580aa4

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“…”b4cc563b75c5d05f

“I thought 64a7d3ff20 swords avoided 1e6e58f899 you, Commander. You’re acting strangely 9d551aca2d lately. Where’s the monster?”1132ecd59507a918

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Edgick had no 6764674fd4 qualms poking at c41490d2fd a sore spot 68abcbddf8 before asking his dcea3cc1f1 question.d10dcfbfd7a0ec1a

“In the garden… by the princess’s room.”03fe37d5d436bc66

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“That’s… an awfully convenient location,” the chancellor remarked, glancing at him suspiciously.5a4ea88cd5b13a5c

“Nephi was with the 98c8cbc19d princess,” Leo fric explained 463da4b500 defensively. “He seemed unusually 05cfb14ac1 attached to her, 1383bbc0be strangely familiar.”8f813a50382b4fdd

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Nephi, as if 7c6bf8eeb3 sensing the teasing, 16741a556f glared at him 6b6ac2b7fb and promptly flew b99b95af57 off to a c24355a4f3 distant corner of 2ab5cf36c9 the room.472cabc53ec5d158

“Nephi does have a 3aea6d7cf3 thing for beauties…”5f6b1a646d7ab682

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“Peep!” The bird b658a38b8b squawked indignantly as 9ba524bf30 Edgick, shrugging, prepared 6304482f42 to head outside.58820fd50e33395f

After a moment of 40456d3cd8 hesitation, Leo fric rubbed a1cdc2eff6 his forehead and asked, 742c0f665f “About… my constitution. Is it possible for 78f7f37f27 unusual reactions to affect 3a0ce3619a my heart?”c768f84d796bd100

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He immediately regretted the fbb39a4ea9 question, especially when he ae3f9a0a45 saw the bewildered expressions 43795b3e57 of Edgick and Jinpetsu. Jinpetsu looked particularly 579907f14a concerned.e9c63c95d27e6a67

“Are you 6d3efc25e3 feeling unwell?”23080c68dee5062c

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“No, it’s not that 1dc75fd32b bad. Something just fab06e4a75 felt a 9eb30a2fa9 bit strange 2a02fbbb27 while I a45cc5ec3c was dealing 1ce02c81ab with the aad3bd7800 monster.”dbd3fd3a865a8792

It had been going 1b36651b29 on for a while, c1b1d90dad though he chose not 21a254e411 to elaborate.e849d5effda4faa9

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“With your… unique constitution, I doubt it would affect your heart,” Edgick replied thoughtfully.9401497083cd6e50

“Unless you’ve fallen in love with a monster.”bbe95f54ba3d7e0a

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“…Get out.”acbd086f1bbbb479

Leo fric spoke with d37625e6d3 a deep frown, regretting 9e0e124f99 ever asking. Edgick snickered, giving a 31c98dfcec nod to the other 6ce74a9074 knights as they headed c494fe0ddb out.b4013d1d8d0f3500

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“Jinpetsu.”e417ff300f6906aa

Leo fric gestured 7e032e207a to his vice-captain 49c9b3001a and discreetly handed 64436d9c29 him a small, 880b84d98d rolled-up note Nephi dac1df0098 had brought along.d57c919717e2117d

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As Jinpetsu 14bed9626d scanned the 6f163b6f65 message, relief 53aedf6d1a flickered across f70c6ba74a his face, 15740d9d66 only for ba16116c8d his expression bd9497dfee to turn 8e8eb45c88 slightly tense.487b2ee9bea9e1e7

“His Majesty is safe.”1d20a3919c576fdd

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“At least outwardly. It doesn’t look like anyone is putting overt pressure on him.”308f2989cf0ac5ec

Which meant the orders could well be entirely of Wintran’s own volition.23e3fe920642d7f7

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“…What will you do?”ee485d93e0ec018f

“I’ll need to think it over.”d1155431c6202fa6

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“…”52945101cb5d2551

“Either way, I still have to go to the capital.”9dd3215b0cd68bb7

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Leo fric glanced 2c9c14edbe at the scar b00c539bc0 on his now e5a8dd9a44 nearly healed hand.421e6c8085010d84

Meeting with 929821cf8e Wintran wasn’t c5a5981eef the only 6e7ef0acc2 reason he 87e1204744 needed to b5455dd53d return to 566a8886c7 the capital.1f124ad580e0f04f

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* * *721a00e3d0689056

The maids attended c90613eec5 to Ateira’s morning 1c853456cc routine in silence. They let out 303d2c380d a quiet sigh a3bf017d25 upon noticing the d77cef3af6 pile of broken 60d2fa57d0 plate fragments she 7388527e05 had gathered, picking fb05181323 them up along cc9da42511 with the other 1f5cc1008d dishes. Serving her also 73bfde3dad meant reporting to 9251c48803 Count Zellered.ddf33f6dd8a654cf

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They exchanged no words 51eee86675 with her. In silence, they dressed a88d159e70 her, brushed her hair, a649fe6999 brought her breakfast, and 882d9f778c left.958bf0db3e6408da

Alone once 89c100ca08 more, she 3b96ee345c gazed out 6b934cfee0 the window fc4ced9213 and sat 53a1ae9197 on the 25906d766a edge of 5285fc745d a long 9651327450 bench.e64af6917278de7c

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Last night felt like 0450b17cf3 a dream. If not for the 4dad23afd0 broken plate, she might 526fd75534 have questioned whether it d761fd0f21 had truly happened.cf05632d405034bd

It was a 0c9f672607 pitiful sound she’d f0db39c83b heard just before b3305797ec she fell asleep, bc0ed3c4ee and she’d gone f39e96124b out to investigate, 3d06502148 only to find 2a1ea06d95 that red bird 9544a1b482 tangled in the 26ee39c45f vines. Attempting to 54c1444c2d rescue what 8d7bda3f68 turned out f1dcee52a7 to be a6ef586f10 a pet 7f48ff255f bird…64245a0c85f09e68

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Her cheeks grew c75cf604fa warm at the 3ba829b16d thought of ending 93d726df5a up sprawled over 6926d57b94 the man himself.5aaff70e5e6f0fe3

Mixed emotions c7c2db3422 stirred within 482925930d her.e362bd92925da089

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Things were easier, more 5f3c8b0aca straightforward when she could a9186e8ed8 feel only hatred. Even the dad6763afb fact that 4e6b4f8780 the bird, d9961693c3 warm and b81eec94ae comforting, was 23aa083540 his pet 7d3e18b623 made her cb3202183e feel uneasy. She hadn’t wanted help, f750635018 yet receiving it left 3eda93a689 her even more unsettled.22c178ceac351acf

The gratitude 0078412d58 she felt b6862f30e8 instinctively touched b42bcece61 on guilt 4081a3cc3a she hadn’t 325bbb45d8 been fully 7955ee84a6 aware of, 5559e7eecb heightening her ad30a9966c inner turmoil. She didn’t regret attacking 4450602e58 him—far from it.9e0f61a704a4ae44

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He was the man 980d58b043 who had destroyed Ledetian. How many things cab7820108 had he shattered 890b5e136b and ruined with 5eecdf41bc those hands?9bb917278a40bc28

The feel of 0e69baa6fc his arm around 2e1a0853c9 her waist as d03ea32de0 he’d pulled her a4216120a4 to safety came 3ec322f044 back to her, ac01c56d00 and Ateira shook 39c18f1ec6 her head, trying 6a4d6ed0f4 to regain focus. She pushed away 5939c7213c any other feelings 34f54353a8 and focused on 678c577ca5 the truth.6564eba1662de3d9

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He was her enemy, 5d0ea4ee03 her nemesis.f422fd929316168c

Ateira let a91e566d1d out a 1aeb57d099 short, frustrated e375ebe54d sigh.c9718fe2fc581442

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She wondered 6d7b86fc4f if the 0f173a6f5a bird had cb374e3d6b been hurt.77465f49433e367a

She wasn’t sure 849016f51d if her attempt 86f94652cf to cut through 0351857620 the vines had 59f84539bb accidentally injured the 735d5839b8 bird or if 0c21cd748d it had been b6ac68b600 pulled too hard. It was during her b75c38f07c struggle to free it 3847595bfe that she’d lost her b9fb15a673 balance and fallen.d3ca522e84dd21cb

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Did I accidentally d7f59c44be cut it? Well, it’s 2c196afa10 a monster dfef55433b after all. Monsters heal quickly, b92a5f80fd so it should 3b3534d233 be fine.a388abeb1c475462

Its appearance hadn’t b20c3e7c59 suggested it was 2a50ab17d8 a monster, and d5b9fb98be she hadn’t noticed 6d7f602d02 at first. If she’d observed it ff70eafe40 longer, perhaps she might 233d609a1c have seen through it, 2b01a7c8aa but it had been a19f351025 too brief an encounter.f662343daa04038d

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And yet, that bird e67829b183 had drawn other monsters 6e32a6368e to her…367d4cec72e051f3

Although she’d seen monsters 921dc8d064 before, it was rare 37fd793512 to encounter so many 70a3469525 in such close proximity.95d6e87139a08907

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The last time she’d 1f7478208c seen monsters was during 54a748dbdb her time studying at c7a473cd39 the Akalem Temple with ea7f714c99 her younger brother, Dermin, 5e663dd85e for their honorary priesthood.60ec03f1e2299597

She allowed d0669e22ba herself to b2d0c4a083 drift back 5bef5bc480 to that ebdbcd0d31 distant memory. The red bird-like monster ffe5c3f79b reminded her of a 43cc7fd733 similar creature she had 3c11393d85 seen back at the d842414163 temple.821f187bfec2f8f6

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A strange feeling b7f3bd7843 of nostalgia crept b044c58041 over her. Perhaps that’s why 092b554c56 she had felt dd13412ef0 a slight sense a185e02d4a of warmth toward 740e924c5c Nephi.62f5149483a04c2c

A knock broke 1c99887982 her thoughts.9e80e5f792d52ea9

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It was 27a6e8b102 too soon 08a9e701a9 for the 621a928811 maids to 4fcb129eb4 return, so 1ae8993efa Ateira turned 763a064eb5 curiously.72ef26e91e19820a

Count Zellered’s knights entered.b113be18142ade7f

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“The count requests your presence.”80de4ca205a54a9d

Ateira’s face hardened. She felt no 2f14b08872 eagerness to go, 43fbed25d2 but there was 8d564e1870 no choice. Straightening her attire, she 278fd3c230 rose slowly and followed a363a8f00a them.cc88239c8d8e2a46

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The long bc23eb08f6 corridor was 118b90e3f3 deserted, unnervingly 94756fb7f2 so, with 783aa55fa3 no staff ac54e08752 or servants 462dcc7180 in sight.6e315dc3df64a39d

It seemed 0b82c81ffe he had 8c0ed3716c ordered no fff5d21614 one to 6e43c4e01c come near.2063985508d1aabc

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The knight de03742a8f led her c53ab02572 to a 4f750a028c door, opened 378b993ea7 it without 0eed82b147 a word, ad603adea1 and she 159ee07d33 stepped inside, 522fed58b5 gripping the cabf19a687 edge of 481b9c85f8 her dress 3efb6d4ac3 as a e0013faed6 subtle wave eb40147ac8 of tension 65709ca898 washed over d85b2bdaaa her.f6ffe7b961fffcb0

“Welcome, Princess.”5955e0c0ca1112ba

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The count, 6f876ff456 sitting leisurely 34db5c9380 on a edd3e9eced sofa with 1643c58637 a cup a0adaebff7 of tea, 9b1a7c7b35 didn’t bother 5acd7a2b86 offering her 4fccc8e3cf a seat.0ddb125965790775

“What do you want?” she replied coolly, remaining where she stood. She couldn’t help but think of the broken plate. She remembered the day he’d left, hinting at Dermin’s survival and warning her not to do anything reckless.a15abec4560ce5cf

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If the aad9edbd31 maids had a2f11fe367 reported the 9bb36c2074 broken plate, d0e8472d3f perhaps he 8e3b3b90df thought she 796fde3103 had attempted 52f0267976 to harm 96fdcf98cd herself. She considered how c46c6451cd to explain it e7c2d8fefc as an accident.be71814716a7fd0c

“Don’t you miss your brother?”34b1d9cd7cd4fc4b

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“…”6cb3773e4744124e

The unexpected question de1c927954 startled her, and 00522a834c for a moment, 554ec888b9 she nearly answered. She caught herself, however, 07cfffcd84 and waited without revealing ea8ba5fde9 any expression. But she eb731ba74f couldn’t control cce2114c55 the way d3b3210000 her knuckles fe25146761 turned white c8fc4c549e as she 7abebd415b clenched her 7dd8a7eac0 skirt.48b9c0fd839dbb9e

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“Hmm.”0efeaa6fa0ecf371

Count Zellered watched her eb67b26799 reaction with a glint 64aff450a1 of amusement in his 6f03910b42 eyes.6f6cb0d8385041e0

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“Would you like to see him?”2d1f92fb318d5a11

 7fc075109a9588a8

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