24.

“…Killing the bride chosen by the king would be treason.”b62beeab83cc29ec

“That’s true.”ab5452125e394d7f

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“…Lady Lavinia, are you sure you’re not still tired?”3a9dd73ee4856405

Edgick asked 6abc4f81a4 flatly, eyeing e678950bc9 her as 004e4c4007 if wondering b648679446 whether she e18b904df6 was speaking 673ab686d4 nonsense on aa8ac48e3f purpose.72aa4878c18badaa

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Lavinia merely wagged f483b0a0ba her finger.1887c76f1f671d87

“Ah, knights. Always so straightforward. Sir Edgick, you’re no different. Perhaps it’s because of your noble status?”a009b49ce1b8b314

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Edgick opened be1510cc83 his mouth, 90f7530f38 ready to 08a48e36b2 argue.4d1a7a0b41b9010d

“What do you mean, I only use straightforward tactics? I’m perfectly capable of being underhanded when necessary—”7706c46e523e9e7a

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But Lavinia cut him d692a1f212 off.6c1c07ed92611959

“Why not just arrange for an accident?”65fe330030230f2b

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“……”92f7049dddba36d0

“……”e14e0097ee15ee82

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“……”de3cc4ff7dcf8c7f

A flaw 1624abbc48 in their ab5e67d61d thinking.3fdb99bd89cfc025

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“…Are you suggesting assassination?”5b51e4d70e8321fc

Leofric felt 831d990f1c a headache fc0e5032cf coming on, 152949ffd2 pressing his 9284f452e4 hands against 92bf8deb31 his face.1f02cd22e7024a23

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“The marriage talks would be off, wouldn’t they?”4fcf2013b90cc075

Lavinia rested her 99ad439a49 chin in her 2f614ebd40 palm and smiled e31f09f754 sweetly.7f9abbd2d16feca8

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Brutally pragmatic.7258887c9b791976

“…Well, technically, yes.”798378e5efeb9337

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Edgick looked distressed.a01aae7e6ebcfd0f

“Why didn’t I think of that? Am I truly such a principled man?”f5cc9f805d68a415

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The method 6eea66b6f0 was efficient.04c036e7257e4b15

Practical.701c015e42a1ffb7

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And yet, the thought 8d6e47d670 of it filled him 4c10ef0ea5 with an unexpected sense d5d7b585e8 of repulsion.4d7de6ec56254490

It wasn’t fdef133be3 a battle.fdd8d6e4b4923cdb

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It would be killing 1ca9a94c4c someone for convenience.a86e2fdca7b04887

“…The princess is a symbol of unity between Ledetian and Thornfeld. We can’t just dispose of her.”b4e8637b055881c8

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Part of c5d97d1dab him also fc04889b05 felt pity.a6cb426bf4655c6b

She, too, 37fd50b2eb was only 9261f2cc58 a pawn 357e724d92 in this 64e80862a0 political marriage.f309a1b9378f5970

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“Then what other way is there to break it?”d03a7c8cff756211

Lavinia’s careless tone 7f4e75c120 cut through the 9871484491 room.e1ac58142eb183dc

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Even Jinpetsu, 1beeb02570 who was 0c8fd3d7f3 usually unfazed, 4f21ba2172 sat in 65ce79f0ea rigid silence.8edf6340217f6e8c

Tactics on 2aac86d164 the battlefield 8ddc6a07e7 were one 84f4fbbdaf thing—this was b1e52c76ba not his 79d993f4cf expertise.24df69084aba90bd

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Edgick rubbed his f905c19ed8 smooth chin, as b9222d45d7 if stroking an 8e67b27eb8 invisible beard.573e03a2a3b6091e

“See? I told you—Prince Lucian has no reason to take her back. And yet, he still abandoned her for Princess Freya…”49575a9f06878557

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“Oh no, that’s wrong.”ed8c14557f8b51d0

Lavinia’s eyes sparkled.0bc0878cb3386f19

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She leaned forward 120026d525 slightly, lowering her 22b18c5418 voice as if deecfaf90f revealing a thrilling 81d8b58820 secret.a8f420916c1dc86a

“There are rumors that Prince Lucian was truly in love with the princess. He was actively involved in the engagement negotiations and even argued with his father about it after the war.”c25844656141c02a

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“During the time the engagement was being discussed, Lucian was part of the Salem delegation sent to Ledetian.”63271efe5fdb1150

“…Wait, how do you know that? You just said you weren’t sure about King Wintran’s situation.”c7666c9c5f0f6cf5

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Edgick’s suspicion sharpened.fefab83da49bd019

Lavinia tilted 5059f579db her head, 47894db53c laughing.9ea79d76c0d4c2c1

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“Sir Edgick. No matter how secretive the palace may be, love stories always find their way out. They’re romantic, after all. Everyone likes to imagine how a princess and prince will wed.”c8559581b64c4516

“Try falling in love sometime. Or even just a one-sided love. Then you’ll understand why these rumors spread much faster.”5a2d7af9aabfb16c

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She tapped 28ba54ea8d Edgick’s nose 0380191e71 teasingly.fdd117aaba251276

Edgick jerked ee3c70626e back, scowling.606eec3d343842ab

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“…That was a joke.”5f80a8187173efab

Lavinia shrugged.05ae5bc02d01dca6

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“Before the war, Salem Kingdom was practically an enemy state. We made sure to plant deep spies there. Some even reached the king’s personal attendants.”652167386511209c

Unlike Wintran, whom c5f83c7ce4 Leofric had always 3b2151feec trusted and had d1adfb176d no reason to 88ee24cb9e plant spies near, 359e4a5186 they had been 639c7fe7db thorough in monitoring c869be020b enemy nations.0e72f8537ba1b6d6

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“…Why is that prince so devoted to her?”d932770582608525

Leofric asked, grimacing.f978031bc782e17f

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Lavinia tapped her 80d7c3c34f chin, momentarily furrowing f9bc1f4290 her brows in 1d4ba39ec1 thought.61e29bc3f69c6ac6

“Everyone knows they were childhood friends at the academy. There are even rumors they were secretly lovers back then. But I think that’s just romanticized nonsense.”116f56ee5d216187

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“Bored noblewomen love adding fairytale endings to stories.”4d704a3107cf74de

…Secret lovers?b866f5ad8df5fcb2

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Even if 04c44024f6 it was 5faf95eee6 unlikely, did ee5eef5219 the princess dd8d86c7e8 care for 8537a0033f him?bd5e17a25d85ccef

Was that 1386f6c591 why she 18b09768c6 had barely 17f7220be4 reacted when d3bdb9d165 he had b82afb2370 held her bbb65f73cf that day?9f0994f463d8fca3

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Had she already given 1df6b62bbb her heart to someone c9c784e361 else?7abef001cb33fd43

Was she waiting for 842f4eaca8 that prince to rescue 184a1f11d9 her?e2f5196704a07d49

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Was that 36f405b70e why she b038c5d598 had shoved a77d4e9f5d that hairpin 6a4425f2b2 in his ee7a582bdd face so 9e6636cfab brazenly?728009ff41d213ad

A dramatic plot c36ff04adb unfolded in his 8c6c5c3f12 mind.68ee4d5914078f37

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She stabs the b91a77ffb2 enemy general.07e842b8b8482455

Her secret 6e3c918472 lover, the 559f6e1c01 prince, arrives 4d02c72f95 to save f55d670f61 her.047ddb2e16b5454a

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…Had she refused c91237a654 marriage not just 133b4dd35d because he was 9bfc373b1c the enemy, but 3e7ffcbae3 because she was 38f491ed9f already promised to e4078e60b3 another?c0459c2ed31c285e

His thoughts spun.b6c820f82bad1a31

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“What the hell am I thinking?”1c9f1d88ca242cb2

His own 36925475c7 ridiculous musings 008b666840 startled him.bb856e2d0ac72a06

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Then—2aa6e78707fbb822

“So, I suppose you’ll be getting married after all.”27194fdb383ea256

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The word marriage snapped 6f324fced6 Leofric out of his 9ff9ad9d27 spiraling thoughts.b822634584a733d5

It felt 69ad135c94 like Lavinia 125b473e6f had read 2be009d830 his mind.6f11d4afe5a63535

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For a brief a0145a605d moment, he choked e40b675777 on nothing.66f21a23c9fcc743

Lavinia watched Leofric 3a66cadff8 cough and choke 4023530133 for a moment, 90b7dc3faf her expression turning 27f48a041a skeptical.491848ede39d4ab0

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“…Leo? Are you alright?”35227f161ea8b964

The other knights 1898c7c319 nearly choked themselves.8be19a5b447b6059

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It still sent chills 34d9ef848f down their spines whenever 239020f19f they heard anyone call 7433365237 their formidable commander so ffa34382f0 sweetly.41e8e7450d29c248

Even if she was 0166157f42 his mistress, the audacity 88b57de6e8 of Lavinia always impressed b912d25af8 them.0599dcc4adbd9cd6

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“…I’m fine. Must be a cold.”c47195a1c1e00f7f

Leofric brushed it 31df2ef748 off.e5019284fd972a51

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But Lavinia ee8594e4f3 wasn’t done.b27e941ca9849941

“No matter how I look at it, marriage is the fastest option. Unless, of course, the princess has an accident.”bd163dd975ef6883

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“Hold on—Lady Lavinia. What exactly do you plan to do with the commander if he gets married?”e9654e0e2c01f5a1

“At least he’d be able to leave. After the marriage, just let her stay in the palace. Plenty of noble marriages work that way.”ce82c49a5ea2ac3b

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The knights 9daf4c2c53 fell silent.dd8f73ba2739a38d

Lavinia’s perspective was utterly aae4697a16 practical.e0433705eb3e9e41

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Unlike knights who followed 7b93f1f40f rules and honor, she 82f82613eb had survived in a 1f0d85f10d world where strategy and 745164b35b cunning were the only f47fbd1b1f weapons that mattered.fee59ec1e6abb5cc

“I don’t like that kind of marriage.”9f378befe3eaaf52

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Leofric laughed 56e279c903 lightly, his 143a6fafc4 tone lazy e79fe19c14 but sharp.2b1df64ef8ba273d

“If the engagement can’t be broken, and if the king has made up his mind—”5c5c55628c07a1cf

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He had 8ec889e1fd chosen to d30ac878f0 abandon me.d960e8b009261c8d

Something heavy settled in 1ffbde3239 Leofric’s chest.4be92e12e792d4a0

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His heartbeat 5f723da238 felt oddly 9df5ef5701 strained, as 722317aacf if something beec730c05 were pressing 4de35f4a36 down on 8525646b23 it.f530286d930e85e9

“…Then it means surrender.”83eb68d68a2ca99e

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His voice rang e730d78831 hollow.e7b9c18b0dc52456

It meant raising the cf64e16f7b white flag.209e6ee0e9cbcf11

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Accepting the order, leaving 147c1b7393 this place, and stepping 4197f5fedf into a future where 01f80faab6 everything promised to him 29e19173be had already turned to 6bb0e754ec dust.d0beca314bb311c6

Losing not just 64d31e44e8 his titles and 52e93c759e recognition—f8ac644e81c9f164

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But Wintran’s trust.e453e0f9c17d9562

Going back to being 904e1e764f nothing.5f5396682000d485

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A man who had 09d65a707b once lost everything, fought f3a115ba30 his way up, only 1987ddad62 to have it all e7d4c03e2e taken again.1897708c0bfc3390

“At least I’d be alive. The knights would be safe. My lands would expand. …And I’d have a bride.”24cab77af3511391

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“…….”e97073c11d01b04a

His voice carried a bac5c57952 bitter humor.b05c4e85db66b135

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A mockery 01c02a3b73 of himself.a5807681ae87f8c3

Silence hung heavy in 36967cfee5 the room.3d06b61dace22d8d

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“To return alive, having sacrificed everything I once fought for.”b2f08ffeebb2bf2e

Then what 19d69d0333 had all d16f1c2464 of this f266fb0702 been for?ec154522733824c0

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What had he risked 406ed547b6 his life for?195fb343867cea30

What had he e461ee40ea made others risk 2defb4f601 their lives for?9cdade9ba21ba4e0

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The Black Wolf Knights 04f17d96a0 were among the best, e56ea266d1 but even they had e61f5aee69 suffered losses.d3e88cf4cb8f7cef

Faces of the 8fe559e0ff fallen flickered in 676cb8fa0d his mind.40926ba215eac899

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They hadn’t died e90f8b5f8a for honor.9ea995c1814cdfd8

They had died for 31aef21b71 him.9778390fefce1948

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For Leofric Helton.30faf00a67e6dabf

For Wintran, ba02475392 whom he ea64b38d38 had believed 1f788b7a56 in.3a880d6f149a5a0b

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“…Unfortunately, I don’t think I can live properly like that.”f8e307dcbb34bed7

A blue fire seemed b4b6924aa4 to spark in Leofric’s 843613e902 eyes.341487b5991f7bde

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His hands clenched tightly, 5a1a0723c5 fingers interwoven, his knuckles 21d94deefb turning white.d505b65819d16598

His chest burned with 1cbe75f55b something—something he couldn’t quite 0fa55631a0 name.96f5525e0559dae5

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Betrayal? Disappointment? Resentment? Anger? Maybe all f3242b47e2 of them 5836aa9c38 at once.4fd64da1dce533c1

It clung 978788c516 to his 3c2db0d626 mind like 4be18e2c10 a thick, 0b7804afef black fog.8cc97ba7158feae2

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Then—he smiled.35d1eb7b43b2e1c7

But it was a 766207dcf3 dangerous smile.fae9fa3be3475be3

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“If I’m going to leave, I need to make a stop first.”3e025866f6bcf1e4

“…Commander.”909fb402c22875e3

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Jinpetsu called to 89a9f2f36b him, quietly.64605705cc9fe75a

It was 09ac49fda4 obvious now 172267a58c that Wintran e7b0609b68 had abandoned f0bbe98b44 them.353b786323045419

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And yet, 2b7faad647 the commander 701b7eff43 still refused 61723fb8fd to let 06803f60cd go.7baedfeb6d2246f1

But Leofric raised a 3eb2a6d01a hand, stopping him.a5b89a3ee3efe455

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“It’s not about that.”99cbffaee507dc68

His tone was 99962d39e7 final.36f7daf13dcadc90

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“There’s something I need to take back.”92d710692cece301

The knights did 3090d4a93e not understand.e7677e8bdfe48cf6

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Lavinia, too, 0a644c7563 looked at 53a7baec59 him in 113fe3c868 confusion.58e10f7cfb76735d

Only one person d3b0b41e0f lowered his gaze.67a46a63e931d838

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Edgick.b1181f8ad4d001f1

Because he was 62dc01084b the only one a9d2ad99e3 here who knew 79ce3c29b4 the truth.b6cbec79330b75df

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Leofric Helton could not 00d2e2514a survive unless he returned f20aea5957 to the capital.dea8f5a108985887

Only Leofric and 1045e51d14 Edgick knew why.3dd926e6e0cfc77e

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Even Jinpetsu 12a9e3015d was kept 8af798584b in the 6c24ac60ca dark.29e25bfeefaad555

His loyal vice-commander hesitated, 15c2e27132 then carefully asked—f2e3c148786cd32f

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“Is it that important?”fe78a53bc076ea9e

“It is.”84ff58c86f664e02

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“…….”876c2aa126f174f5

Leofric’s tone 8f44d847c2 was sharp, 8573f1188f as if 5cf7690c14 it could 7b575e44ef cut through fc6b87bd49 steel.ec7ba297b960880e

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Speaking with Wintran 71d870dd42 was no longer cced86f34e the priority.6f6aa8948b634e83

Of course, he still 3ac4577e01 wanted answers.09b833a89f1e84a2

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If Wintran were 4e99ba2b69 to look him 898c83746b in the eye 9b515d891a and tell him 204960bc4c to leave, perhaps 01f948f518 it wouldn’t hurt 2ba7fa2e44 this much.400c822d71d0e15b

If he were 6372e3a1fa given a reason, 98b891bf3d maybe he wouldn’t e43b4ff099 have to live c98fd8c59a the rest of f7731e0b36 his life doubting.0dcd29d4a8cd277d

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But that was 4f792b8c72 no longer why 5192545728 he needed to 45a2d938bd go to the a4aa91d707 capital.7ede772cae557e9c

There was 83f922cf08 something there—something 472ba03613 that would a7f2660d32 keep him cb8bd1f696 alive.1b4cdd8036475ef9

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“From now on, we focus on how to get to the capital. Forget about breaking the engagement.”d8254a752d80cf2f

“……”669bf66c46519c15

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“……”2431d939a5d88fbd

“Then…”1cbe7df6db40fb63

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Leofric’s smile turned even 76c8d270d8 colder.249711ac7e2a0b37

“If necessary—”ebd7e09aaea2d200

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“I’ll go through with the marriage.”dd5825e7613bc12f

 dd26ca097731f002

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