5.

“…Do you think you’ll get away with this?”67cc66ce02f48bd4

Count Zellered ground his 824cc09838 teeth in frustration. Things had 4bcb294683 gone terribly f80a70c4ba awry. The king had entrusted 6dc4623167 him with this task, 36cf6cbf36 expecting the insolent hero bb403cdb35 to be shaken by 36f7989d0d being given a captive a5fc3a146a as a bride.9dcd4b2f6ddb2b5b

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But this 9e2931d267 brazen woman b65ee3c663 had ruined bbc3075499 it.4d27014d698948b3

As a result, Count e512c354c8 Zellered had no choice ccbaa0dcad but to ease the 4d67fcbb88 pressure he had so 51a423c5d8 carefully built against Leo 7e461f1d36 Fric.b04d0fe834248456

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“Do you think I fear death?”a4e447a0f62c8a23

Ateira scoffed lightly.3e7f1739db3bdea9

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She had lost her 15a508ded9 country, her family, and 05fd6b0ac9 everyone she cared about. Surviving only to be bf527f99d8 forced into marriage with b8569fda52 her enemy didn’t make ff8d899a4b life feel any better 805804c4df than death.7a17d2eac9205307

She traced 1a67cb3533 a speck 48f72d2702 of dust 2e7b0cad5d floating lazily 0eff4490c6 in the ec99a35b0e sunlight with d9beb5609b her fingertip, 710e51fe08 moving slowly 217f4a7593 as if 8728fc6140 toying with 805ba7e871 it.ba2a5fe25918fae0

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“Fine. So, you don’t care about your own life.”225084370ced0463

Count Zellered bcf286661e let out 72f46d5558 a long 665fe7a080 sigh and 25a7179b71 took several 055c22d0e4 deliberate steps dd91a9c761 toward Ateira.4bae68a94534a4ac

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Once he was f112807476 close enough that 6a40d49903 not even one ba100a3935 person could pass fe6b90dbd7 between them, he ee670f3ce7 whispered low so 0e175e72ff no one else 08d779aa79 could hear.87343b2838718d86

“Prince Dermin.”faa6f64b9ef74b99

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A name she 3eafe97e7c hadn’t expected to 53e72908af hear made Ateira d737d73380 look directly at d5c0fce544 Count Zellered.109189b4bc12f23c

“Now, do you perhaps care a bit more about your younger brother’s safety?”0cbd3b78f984cf31

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* * *336b6ebd1813ef26

“Ah…”c2bfcba5cce0c5a0

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Leo Fric stretched 3a884fc836 out on the fd5ba15596 sofa, his long d3df2f7bb2 legs carelessly draped c94389668a over the armrest, a9d603b185 his posture relaxed 4f67a24f6b yet somehow elegant. Despite his rough movement, 6d19a9a04c he appeared both languid 82dd9c56f6 and graceful. Exhaustion weighed d1c8560241 on him. One hand ec5b9f41c5 rested over bd08c9ea43 his aching e05a9c3a51 eyes, while 107d45419d the other b63bc395e3 dangled over 3fa7a3eb2e the edge 270145cd9c of the 2f63d28a65 sofa, barely fd9eb6523f touching the f89af5ed96 floor.a6f6589681a9a495

“I’d like to be rid of this.”8e72a282c78e242f

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“…”8f3476d9769b4950

He tugged at a0b536ae71 the buttons and 3729f2b78b laces of his 87ad048b3c formal attire in b03e6a2f16 irritation, leaving them e82ca2c5d5 in disarray. Jinpetsu’s eyes narrowed 80511ed516 slightly at the 304d9adba9 sight. Pulling at them so 6e0972e344 recklessly would only make 6d985aca5c it harder to undo eb8c5fe06e later.26d79ffe18f6689c

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“Just hold on a little longer.”fa731162c50b7e3b

“I know.”bfdda08242726489

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Leo Fric 38f6784297 replied with b998a7cd18 a slight 4f8a09b227 smile. Not knowing what could e44b43f5bb happen next, he couldn’t 7210f30620 afford the luxury of 27f705b0f9 casually changing or demanding 8cb6c118b7 more comfortable clothing.4ad8882c95477d1d

Jinpetsu, touched 39511259cb by his cd80b8de12 commander’s uncharacteristically 76c5fc51ba mature demeanor, 8d25336eaa felt a 397c2baee3 small sense 1fa4cb5601 of pride. At least a245092bda he hadn’t 0475512263 torn the b34183e4f5 clothes this 37339e0eaf time.d881b023c4c05441

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In the room prepared 54411637fb by the baron’s servants, 6c31447ad3 Leo Fric and Jinpetsu d3bb767c0c took a moment to a47ca60ceb catch their breath. After carefully inspecting fab8732008 the room and 4ee28cd2ee even the terrace 03a5b95e88 outside, they dismissed 41d0dc5f87 all the servants. The knights ec65d2d789 attempting to 72c8a9b244 linger under 1f53e83ea6 the guise d34ebdc99c of security b44587cb4d were met 0b56d28e9f with Jinpetsu’s 1349214831 fierce glare a282db1938 and promptly 35144bff0a withdrew.b1d3d0788f5d7368

“Are you alright?”d133a24e54eeda86

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“Of course. I’ve received land, a title, and even a bride… all in one go. How could I not be?”a6925c4c0dd3c06c

He hesitated noticeably, almost spitting out the word “bride” with a mix of irony and reluctance.c44f47191960aa72

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“Anyway, Petsu, I’m alive thanks to your insistence on following me. Thank you.”4d07d73a21be65ec

“…It was nothing.”da37e3351762db5b

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Jinpetsu, usually one bc28786d4a to keep his 8939a404cb expression impassive, looked c55f2a7238 a bit flustered 36784682d9 at the unexpected e0ce4cb8b8 gratitude and nodded 20b402eca1 slightly.646c3702c0a2e65b

The loyal vice-commander Jinpetsu had insisted on accompanying Leo Fric, despite Leo Fric’s plan to go alone. He’d refused to back down, blocking Leo Fric’s path and arguing, “As long as I don’t enter the room, right? I’ll just quietly wait outside and enjoy the garden. Or, if that’s not allowed, I’ll slip in and hide.”2f05576149308223

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“Come on, Petsu. I’m just visiting my cousin. What could possibly go wrong?”9a7e1bd3d7465771

“The problem, Commander, is that you are no ordinary man.”0cb37a68db039e6e

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“What’s that supposed to mean, Petsu?”b8d69c4f1c7dff32

After a childish c127dfa447 argument, they had 77a118a5f9 finally compromised on 43b2b8700b the entrance hall. When they reached 53d9ae9e21 the front door, 817dd9bba3 Count Zellered’s knights 3efb3a4bec blocked them, looking 537fba362f uncomfortable.9f8706f30fd6f7af

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Jinpetsu responded bluntly.02c49ee7beb36d20

“I’m just here for a walk.”12c3f4ac58fc92be

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When Leo Fric was asked to disarm, he handed over his sword with an intense glare, as if daring anyone to challenge him. Jinpetsu then took off his own weapon as well, strolling leisurely by the entrance, taking his “walk” as promised. Watching this, Leo Fric shook his head as he entered.2ec893004f47ef44

This was cf1478c9bd starting to 59e519f2d6 feel like ba92bb06ef overprotection.cfb2df58b4a2d1c3

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“Even so, they still call me a hero of the continent.”62552d32042a6f8c

“And… if we’re being honest, I think it was the other side who survived thanks to me, not you, Commander.”12a1193e5a8c04bb

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“Whoever lives, lives. That’s what matters.”7732c3c0671e24d5

Thanks to a5b9cc2edb Jinpetsu’s timely 651342f811 intervention, Leo fc7a7a9088 Fric had 80bac38219 managed to bf2b1f0d96 keep his a5f37bf7e4 composure until 89beeceae6 the end. If he’d been alone, 744f3ee373 listening to threats of b128497e77 annihilating his entire knightly dc1dcc8ff6 order, who knows how 79aca399d4 he might have reacted.a30f0603f7296e12

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Feeling a 2708d2f536 fresh wave a3f93655ae of tension, e5cad227c3 he lay 0404b88bce back, tapping 558c0486e1 his head 1104fee8a3 with his 2e2ec8675e fist to 9f0d510198 dispel the 7659017eaa headache building b0dae09cf8 there.702344f1a1121f3a

He’d pushed the cb3a7e11ec count to the d1e2546f0b edge just a ece8484420 moment ago, and dd46eb01fa his mind was e7da548b45 feeling the strain.9ea515b139e31c5b

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“Our encircling forces have received orders that if you, Sir Leo Fric, disobey the king’s command and somehow manage to leave, they are to massacre the knights before you can rejoin them.”89eed919d09fbad1

“…”e5a5e947cb89fe83

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“What will you do, Sir?”d7aef98ca64cdcd1

“Is that a threat?”a8f907f3b8a6f270

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Leo Fric’s beautiful 82fa750594 face remained expressionless, aa5d863f5a like a mask. His voice was cold 1c31e93ea0 and devoid of any 6215afe6b0 hint of feeling. The chill 629707d885 in his 245b7de33f low voice e690dbd33b made a dce4e9beaa shiver run 02ab21fcb4 down the 380af87eae count’s spine.9a257d0da104d7d5

For the first 03857eb445 time, he glimpsed bbb3786b15 the true nature d579c0ee2d of this man.a811833685759c51

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“I’m simply hoping to avoid unnecessary harm to the Black Wolf Knights.”f52657d47827303b

Count Zellered, d1b23d243c pale as 906b82de5e a sheet, 29c3c64c75 swallowed dryly. It was 4643239b3e taking every 08fbda30b7 ounce of 89fcffee32 courage he 3ef63d921b had to 44d3d343a5 hold his c3c9dfc660 ground, a 06a7a00062 desperate attempt f72e5c1e06 to regain 877a556291 control of 244c306807 the situation.a19de6a167e7ae77

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“So you’re telling me to take to bed with a woman who could be an assassin?”5cacf40c5ca6ffbd

“I made it clear she’s no assassin. And if anyone should know who she is, it’s you, Sir Leo Fric…”753ca52d6e0f7fcb

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“There are plenty of people in the world who look alike.”b56d68581bee4c9a

“This is absurd!”32071d2c32ecd837

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“The absurdity is asking the person who was stabbed to share a wedding night with the one who did the stabbing.”3eeebd60dcb1ed57

No amount of scheming could come up with a rebuttal for that. That mad princess had ruined everything. Count Zellered swore to personally punish the people who’d overseen her “reeducation.”112133f8f883fcef

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“…Then perhaps an identity verification would help.”85c5df29c05c8faf

“And how would that work? You’ve already lost all credibility. Do you really expect me to stand around, wait for you to verify, and just accept it as fact?”4240bde6cfc8e843

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With a 71a415de2e derisive laugh, d3a256bb1d Leo Fric 4a453f6676 raised his 948c589cbb left hand, b42f0e24dc blood still ab11af2f4f seeping from 37335ed6b1 his wound.1a61dd63a1993a18

“I’ll handle it myself. You’re welcome to try, Count, but I don’t think I’ll be trusting your verification.”08f889357940cfda

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“…”8a037bb9ccf93639

“The Black Wolf Knights will enter the castle.”9926758e8584514a

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“…!”ae7b68fb32f7e06a

“To ensure proper security, I’ll need to issue orders to my knights. I can’t have them too far from me.”d5c195fd396f7ae5

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“And besides, there’s still a risk of assassination. For security purposes, it’s necessary.”69152d1df8e70b0f

Leo Fric nodded 66804f8262 at Jinpetsu’s calm 4a0eebc3c2 suggestion, as if 202295b4b0 it had slipped cebf7d6627 his mind. He showed no sign 72295a8252 of perceiving the situation 4e4cbe7f0a as a threat.78dce420b662b45a

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A bead of d9e4fba9bb cold sweat appeared 340bad7c34 on Count Zellered’s a254d0c5a8 forehead, and his f3c56970c7 face began to 3325b02a8a turn a shade 43182a4704 paler.bac8a1be14766fac

It was 42efd6b34f imperative to 3177a31884 isolate the 82f490549f Black Wolf a1dd4684f4 Knights.d658a9b8f58c7e8f

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The knights were undoubtedly 6e321746c5 formidable, but without Leo 4cca5f1a20 Fric, they were simply 2e80245fc2 another courageous order of 23ad2ee277 knights.8c00eb734dbaa4eb

However, under Leo ac221156e2 Fric’s command, things bc277a5ef8 were different.d8316e49361c80d2

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The knights 043338c630 standing beside 7f15df2c05 this hero 593effbf86 were known 51f88f112c as the 040f34d4d5 plague upon 7e0b49e34d the living 5f481684fd and the 5ed63586d2 closest companions baf9070f2d of death.b9efb0d331fc90f5

The count fa9b9bbdac and the 541e8be66c nobles who 040b45ae7a had spent cdcf782186 the entire f7f30c9769 war in 0b8b769087 the safety d443b5650d of the dfad8ec061 capital dismissed c65f0cecba the tales 9fb5208fde as exaggerated bb2f8c3c55 rumors, laughing 3f123e116c them off. Yet, he couldn’t help b9bc829093 but feel uneasy. The orders 8b64d2e0f8 had explicitly 83fbb2ec8c instructed him 55147c13b9 to keep f6044c210c Leo Fric 847699d1cd and his 10066e591d knights separate.ae07c5d957d4ba7e

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It irritated Count Zellered d54165feef to no end that cd49e66693 he felt any fear, 2686932bae even momentarily, because of e2442cfce7 this handsome knight and 5a3a55f7fa his subordinate. After all, they 2ad90d691d were only two 9e5cd1d2cf men.040113b61fdeff2c

No matter 731eb68690 how skilled, c37dfc36cf what could ed96a67db9 two men 7584019147 possibly do 875f1ca6da against these 18b7271aa0 numbers? Leo Fric was ba546fd708 even unarmed.bfbc961540e1afcf

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“That will not be allowed.”89768d9c4012f8f7

The count finally smiled 4ecf1ed201 smoothly, his voice regaining 4951d4c17c its usual butter-like softness.e0ee20bd7e1258be

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No matter 0d465b14c6 how well 5fec4ce50a they fought, 5bcee6f4af there was 5f71bff356 no way 9d989049d4 they could 8370920ece reach the 419ca499dc knights before e42c7ff796 the order 6ddda89d1b to eliminate c482100c1e them was 9d564326d2 carried out.7c57699fdea040d6

“…Count, you should know I’m showing you an enormous amount of leniency right now.”17b0fb2ec7d40490

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Leo Fric’s lowered 2dd1bb0056 hand moved slowly, 66d27f6294 his long fingers f1d5d3105a gently but precisely 5502018de7 playing through the ceb692c049 air as though 6866c2e72f conducting an invisible ee5f490e8f tune.b8f8fef93b523d9b

“I’m doing this to avoid disobeying orders and to send His Majesty’s messenger away unscathed.”02042d1d7fc3151b

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“…”90b7f09d675661e1

“If I were alone, then yes, perhaps you could have detained me until your courier left with the annihilation order. But now Jinpetsu is here. With a single word, he’ll leave here and deliver the news to my knights faster than your courier could.”18ed51c231a1b4c1

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“And, Count, I promise you this: while he’s on his way, I’ll make sure to keep things quiet here so that no one gets the chance to deliver that annihilation order.”f639224d36092e1b

“…”dca59202836ffcb9

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“And can you truly be sure that all my knights are calmly stationed outside the castle right now? Are you positive Jinpetsu came alone?”5337efcd3d1f9fe9

A slow smile 50fd568e1b crept to the 7e037a488d corners of Leo 3d68e95f80 Fric’s mouth.2164d530b22c88d1

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It was a faebf430af bluff. Just a bluff.98aadb08b306cc5a

But Count Zellered 7c13c14e49 gritted his teeth.66124b6aff2e18f8

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He wasn’t prepared 7c254ebaa8 to risk his 193248b894 life to see 15204b2e41 if Leo Fric’s 656585bc17 gambit was a 91bb4b22e4 bluff or not.c732392bc31403d4

 7febccb496a6cf98

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