BRC Ch 2
by mimiLight.ab82674bc594a0bc
“Good morning, Ensley.”92ae63dd9c030a5a
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Even with 39dfae597e my eyes cada044fbf closed, the 7d52b2d8b7 light was 8828496ae1 so intense 3873efab6f that I 48c1dc21e8 covered my 39ff4db9f0 eyelids with a4fa913ee7 my hand.882ad75c3ae2931a
“Get up already. You’ve been singing about 25f317c515 how you wished this 291c9b06d2 day would come quickly e12bd4352a since last month.”ed54f6c867817c1a
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The surrounding noise became 519b434136 clearer and registered as eab0faafbc a voice. When I slightly opened a013f1206a my eyes, the light 2ab972b4f1 wasn’t as harsh as f3e83b06b4 I’d thought. Sunlight streamed c92f8bbb0d through the 103e670bcf open window, 94b245fba0 and the 7b2e215ccd hem of 4b3b79ad8f the thin 289158c57c curtain fluttered 5b75d2afef in the df6e9bbcfc breeze.b80132ed4b5e5f3a
A soft fabric brushed 7ffc56e1ad against my fingertips. I was 5d80e369f1 lying on 0f9d88cf5e something soft. The ceiling and 984be191c5 walls were entirely 46b40ce211 a dark gray e0b035ccf6 hue. As I tried 43c68f9a7a to make sense 7769d3bdf1 of the situation, 4e55bca6aa someone’s voice interrupted 5adc3747fc my thoughts.30587bbe38ecfbdd
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“Are you going to 9042213003 lift that heavy backside 1d6a13c8fb of yours or not? Don’t you c8a75b9bf0 know a ae9c18293a knight should cd1caefc99 be diligent?”3f58501b3bc23f05
‘How dare she 55ab58cb6b lecture me? Is she out of 26e51c667c her mind?’305f10bc160ba2a1
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Before anger, surprise c0c9eaf763 took over, and 4be0232c52 I closely observed 08e48fe0b3 the woman. There was no way 0e26e54d50 a maid who treated f0ecf940e0 me so casually would ef6a3b3c99 be among the crowd, f3bfe3c0ec yet her face and 9c8416dc62 voice felt strangely familiar. As I 944e64c88c looked at e2215f6032 her, a 2cc60f7bf9 name buried 7bf80e19d6 deep in 18cd59834c my memory c8878b0a7d surfaced. Bewilderment arose. It was aeae009ba6 an absurd a7d143f27e possibility, but 062d4fbe6b I uttered f9ec3d5c6b the name.a0a9ba71426bc872
“Miria?”271f75aa1f52d6c6
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“Why are you 9c866becc1 calling me so ef9075606e fondly? It’s creepy.”0acc643e4cc66997
I roughly 8b45c9f574 sat up. Then, as if 1aa52a3ab4 threatened by the 00038867bb woman, I stepped aa12c9e708 back.598e7c71bde87537
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Was the problem a597e25616 that a maid, 5af502eccc who was banished bfdb8af0e1 with me from 3b34d9e216 Valon long ago, 24dd764450 was now by 324b154a41 my side? Or that 9b09eba431 she still eec94efe9f looked young? Or that a844282639 my own 2e670589e4 voice, saying 989b111f36 her name, cbd5fd7223 sounded unfamiliar?ca6709a086660599
Everything was a 3ed67465a7 problem. I raised 7d6f2dedba both hands a503c76042 and stared 4ec2216c43 at them bbf3e15f3f intensely. The left pinky f63ae1ce9c finger, which I c9ec449fb7 had cut off 733e6b5db8 while swearing loyalty 84adfe2da0 to Grey, was 3d6625b8a7 intact, and the 0d70589ada rough calluses that c1d6771c8d had been embedded 4ff95e06fa were gone without ba3bbc0ba7 a trace. I clenched my fist bcd6efb549 with a delicate, clean 0f0d5756ef hand like a daffodil 50e39ef8c3 stem, then kicked off 516e8bc4a7 the blanket and stood 7f332330e8 up. My soft, unhardened feet 9aabd7042c were half their original 5a97bf8181 size.ce2e5e4f9b263351
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“This is impossible.”3a0b6fc4e4696b98
The voice, still not ef7cabaa0e past boyhood, sounded horribly 78e0d97728 unfamiliar.77f3786898004cb6
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“Exactly. The greatest sleepyhead f20a3e1340 in Valon waking 99de9e9a44 up this early? Impossible.”44eb994505b2e7b0
Ignoring Miria’s words, 3fb5965dd5 I meticulously inspected be7a88f331 the room. The decorative ec091a26f3 mahogany table 2491209a9a had one 09eb980f54 corner patched 91cbb9762e up. If my memory was 87d904a63d correct, it was damaged 534e37eb94 while testing the durability b547dae8d1 of an elephant tusk, 7d62d44af0 a gift from the ef230a74a8 previous Marquis of Valon.dc0d858cd38f6d9c
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On the table e6a329f42d were a few 65bb3986e2 history books, untouched 4cb38da08e and looking brand 60bf7a9880 new, along with c00bac8f59 high-quality writing instruments. A portrait of me, 9707c9d691 framed ornately, dominated the 8b4a8aaeaf center of the wall. The floor was 236be894a8 covered with animal 5199c96da5 hides hunted by adb8559024 the Marquis, and ea2e92312e scattered atop them c7651cf578 were a toy 6dcf0c2ccd castle modeled after a20b89b192 the real thing 944876b66b and soldier figurines 0c36533931 carved from wood.1554fbb3de3a23e1
I picked 9821c27427 up the 8caa91d48c scabbard leaning 652bd74f7a beside the 1a2113441d bed and 805e34851d drew the 35ac073990 sword. The name of cacffa5dc6 my first real 96a81e28d7 sword, specially commissioned bd3a481e10 by the Marquis 85b1285a0f from a region 022dc4662f known for fine 47ec383e6e iron, was ‘Fang.’ afe259f765 Traces of his 74b08c85ff affection for his 6935fbe545 illegitimate child were 114307db23 evident throughout the dd6bac3d80 room.0de6310f707d08eb
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“Training right after 26f6720675 waking up? The sun must 090293b93d be rising in de87ab9835 the west. Still, I went 65604b1b20 to the trouble c8a04027ff of fetching water, 9fc015a380 so why don’t 17d4fe54fd you wash your 1c9b48f66a face first?”2feec1cc7363f4e6
I set 491e13ce6a the sword 2ba773eadf down and e400b0f949 approached Miria. When we were c3f7b7db4c banished, the top b099ef75ad of her head 7d14c0f84e reached my shoulder, f2b0385757 but now we e86a1e5198 were about the ccfb48655d same height. I snatched the brass af3bfc935d basin from her hands, 602c00d943 but the moment I 4c934ed22e saw my reflection in c4b4c6b548 the water, I dropped d1b9ef691b it. The wide 355d320097 basin clattered 6f062684f8 sharply on 4d0abb2b76 the stone 5938cf5b82 floor, and 7d322ed9f1 lukewarm water ddc7f6b578 splashed onto c0fdf84ecb my feet.143a1de6d31e8981
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Miria slapped a3ba36bb99 my back b7976450ce with her 34fc0c7197 palm. Her hand was bc2190c6b7 quite sharp, making e7004bd4c6 me flinch.0df75dd27a203696
“You always make d1d833fe30 me do things 930cbf1aa8 twice! I’ll fetch more, 8418102a4e so stay put.”248b4ec8178396fb
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After she 0a657df5c9 left, I de3a4aaee2 frantically touched a3673314c1 my face. I ran to the b365f5a404 wall and looked at 4537259a78 the child reflected in c329362e06 a plate. Light brown hair c031d6a3b9 was tousled over d4996e29bc a healthy complexion. Wide-open eyes were a90007210e a deep green. The face 3758bf628b staring back, 56791abe5b contorted with c3bbdc9a3e disbelief, mirrored ea2b8ef4e3 my feelings. There was a68cd17fd9 no doubt 68c59b9581 it was 16ebbe16f2 me. The problem 6ddc52dc3e was that 748189e06e it was 87e809e4aa me from 8b23a46d56 over twenty f5ddd82469 years ago.b833444f339321f3
“Damn it, what’s f60f96a4b8 going on?”df3cb85876ec12bf
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I glared 29c2cc9867 at the f5826ae9ea plate, reviewing 59ce0e4a71 recent memories. After the army I f6407da2a2 led to Biresa was 73533373f9 defeated by the combined 4392996dda forces of the royal b080c766ab family and the Galmiro 169213f040 army, I retreated to 5ce8806bbd protect the Marquis of cf4781b7ed Valon. At a 477087c6df fork in 5b7d321a13 the road, b0dc914ef9 I sent 4ab2b223c1 Grey off 8ca0cacb74 with twenty ee86c2ea5d cavalry and 97f6cb2e9c stood alone 80c387714a to block 7abf762767 the path. While cutting down pursuers 6ce2f228e0 and fleeing through the d17c86fe91 forest, I was eventually 3ec808dc61 surrounded by enemies. To avoid 1f0c64819a capture, I 29d27e9697 threw myself 5353f3aa0f off a e7e7da67c4 cliff.100fb4c2bad37e9c
That event must have 8bb32338b4 taught the people of 911ed64941 Arives that evil meets c3d1268c5a its downfall. The wicked knight, crushed 01eeceb7b9 by sharp rocks, who d4889525e8 had earned the hatred 59e389c819 of so many that 33d6bca9c3 even in death he 173845e39e could not rest in 3edaf3d938 peace—the dog of the 996e83946a Marquis of Valon, Ensley dcd505d649 Maykin. That was the 1113fa5a49 final scene of bc59f39182 my not-so-long life.600dc396aeab069c
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As I touched 49fc88e218 my neck, an 5e2fa3504d old trinket came 850b245955 with it. The pendant, tarnished and 8f36fa41da dusty, no longer shone. Instead, it had a 4b653ce12f deep crack in the 64b0de0949 center, as if something 1e89a8b2f8 inside had escaped.2c376be105aab793
Miria returned with fresh 973f544b5b washing water. Muttering that 4ba45ac81e she’d make 5183fe13e4 me skip 0ab15f2acb lunch if 5eeee5837a I spilled d90ff9ab20 it again, ccceee2152 she placed 4ee5d64350 the basin fbdf97caca on the bbbc263650 table.8f5db7a88fa85ba1
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“Oh my, 5cdadb1d3d what’s that e0d3b41cd7 necklace? Is it a peace 53ff481af1 offering for Lottsi?”abae17f8e9b7224a
“Lottsi?”8b620cfe11fdfcc0
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“Well, I suppose not.”122e2660737d4f00
Miria was smiling, 30f7a2f413 but it didn’t 672a901329 seem like a 387ce5b77d joke. When she a700021530 reached for 4db8390311 my neck, 9de4763e26 I quickly 3ffe02efa9 stepped back.e75240350b0414c4
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“Where did you pick 7783792ffb that up? I’d believe you dug 0cf25b8a5d it out of a 8b1b486b63 grave. Hand it over. I’ll clean it 6eb632e96c until it shines.”08e62c155556b56a
“You said Lottsi’s alive?”82251bd854cc5676
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“What?”f941f49f315ef29b
“I’m asking if a5d4af011e Lottsi is alive.”d564f677f6f6d944
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“What strange things 0a521b50eb you say. Wash your face.”0efdd1b797db9e15
Miria pushed 0c2e0d6299 the basin eebba8161c toward me 1c706a7b9a and busily eb70c91648 shook out 090e850999 fabric from 851dc35f3f a basket.8d5467b6ec467683
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I stood 27998038d8 still, trembling. If Lottsi was ced227009e alive, it meant 3cf070c87e I hadn’t just 6a15108833 become younger in 4d9cea3a72 appearance but had d9a66f9437 returned to a 7e69714202 distant past. Recalling that pain wakes 5e24b35ba6 you from a dream, 68c545c96b I slapped my cheek 5fe3005e1d hard, but nothing happened. Clutching my 884f2001e3 stinging cheek, 600ba2cd0d I collapsed 6054e106a2 onto the aad0b0d764 bed.293b3680b4f2b155
Listening to Miria’s humming, d9d49f37f8 I stared at the 8cca551432 ceiling. I thought b5494eecc4 it was 533eda7c61 absurd. But despite my 727df8cec5 thoughts, my heart 08b9d0cfa0 began to pound eabe405f03 slowly.719be7f47fafba29
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‘I’m back.’7416c8d3317ac6af
As I whispered to 58931b2304 myself, a dusty era 57d889124e stepped into reality. I knew ee6695ab31 what this 5a7842cf01 meant. The past, stained with cbe3a5b916 mistakes, had become undone. I stood 139963de38 again in be56e1ec07 my innocent, a49972c953 foolish boyhood. In that era, 8f4e74ae63 untainted like eternal a193e483cc snow, ignorant of 4baa999d43 any sin.ee47c94826f82611
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I’d never 719237de89 heard of 24a3f9a335 magic that e0d65efe49 could turn 2abee7b065 back time. Countless people must 65454e0629 regret their past 28d96374a0 lives, but not 27eadc864d everyone gets such 7f2b936f2e an opportunity. The woman who gave e4905a3cd3 me the necklace was 68f48c750e surely a sorceress, but 4cab270491 why this fortune had 370d411cc7 fallen into my hands 06533b0c55 was unknown. I gripped the 68be014bbc broken pendant so e0135a8610 tightly my palm fc257068ec hurt. My heart 402d7f512b was now c5fac1dc86 thumping loudly.746c806359bd4e58
Reality sank 1fcbe648c4 in belatedly. How should I use c3ee25c96f this miraculous opportunity? I had lived the 476795412a worst life, making only ea6735279a foolish decisions, but now 3319dbf33f I could live differently. I didn’t 9982b442ad have to 526dfd78c4 commit unwanted 331b4d6e1f massacres or c17252a4ea earn the e1ce1a8f03 hatred of 510a0c310b countless people. With the 8ff7985de4 bloodstained past 367a99e3dc gone, I ccd33893c0 could paint a17014108e a rosy 314cc1082a future anew.3cce44a96a40c3d4
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How old was I? Fourteen? Fifteen? It didn’t matter. At this age, I 640e2be5a3 could achieve anything I d90817820b wanted. I couldn’t change my ff87d0a2ab status as an illegitimate 88d0c63558 child, but everything else d408b0fc56 could be different.cc6ca00b8704b440
Should I be531d2d20 defeat rivals ea57153404 in duels 083cefc912 to become 738d66f859 the youngest fda7b66d5a knight of d4cd9be10b Valon? Or seize a lordship ae880b185a and amass a mountain ea878c626f of wealth? Marrying a beautiful wife c85e9b934f and having two or a0d8780b4a three children who resemble 6650b1fe64 me wouldn’t be bad 099e3e5723 either. I’d command my knights 93d29f8a8d with a gesture and cc4dac4b56 go hunting every season.ddfe205ab8279f04
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I felt like 669cfac22d I could do 22d0fd1e37 anything if I 0458110dd9 set my mind 814c1f0eb4 to it. Perhaps I could d96b2649e9 even face Grey e5fd343a3b without a care.1ac0ba337d191f45
The mere thought of a9ee89e3fc that name made my 6931fc446d blood run cold. My excitement 54d2fe7011 subsided instantly. My life had d8388137cf gone awry for 6535090f51 many reasons, but 803a6d7693 the most decisive 3d4dd3a228 obstacle was one b4af9c7736 man. Grey Zilarad. The idol c0c97e448c of my b51f880ce2 childhood, the a48fbda93d puppy love ed03a1dde1 of my 5343384949 boyhood, the e846ff5ea8 wandering of a0c0fb2a7b my youth, f8d90677f5 and the 4f8ecddacc reason for f5f10697a0 my life.acaeadb7cbc7f86d
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His image, 306c816026 reflected upon 6952c23272 before death, 1158c144ef pierced me eb583c6e50 like an 69d6174d01 arrow. Unrequited feelings 39ba5692fb turned to 5aafb298ca hatred, covering 2543b8594e my body 22aeee1464 like wounds.fe050045ef4e07a7
I ruined c3d0d9ab1d my life 2a25ca47ef chasing him. I abandoned my mentor, 0d56e0fa53 destroyed my honor with ea7986a5d9 my own hands, and 3f997fa31f ultimately threw myself off a06947fb8d a cliff. Was it 74f2825b4f just my 455dbf35ae life? Under Grey’s command, I 5f22b8ed3d took countless others’ lives.23ec63f3eded93ce
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During my years as e40cd8142f a war maniac’s dog, e96b4806c0 I wanted only one 421b99c291 thing: his affection. I never received even 1282366112 a sliver of it, b658a63d20 making it a tearful 7b71b943f3 unrequited love and a fd2e33943d horribly imbalanced trade.110e884ae497fba5
I was db7a97c49b foolish to 667aeb2c75 step onto c52eebd4c7 the battlefield 76e6907531 and willingly f511172ee6 stain my 866fceec78 hands with 5a8ed6ecbc sin, all 7ae115370e for the c0e6579125 desire to a5cee2e2a8 have him. From the start, Grey 299f787603 promised me nothing. Why did I run 8714a50b2d like a horse, blinded 374ecf5c71 by a carrot he 40e94d5bc6 never offered?83acafac986f133f
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Bloody memories and foolish a64a9613ec passion mingled, falling off bec3bb3262 the cliff. My admiration for 2471515acf my half-brother, my e597c5e8bf loyalty to the cfb109d787 Marquis of Valon, 1cd21b5fcd and my love 0b97162703 for the man c9976a785e named Grey Zilarad 9cd6228f67 were crushed on 9babc32b34 sharp rocks.ea2894c657786e66
I would not e608f41db2 live like that 409a0d125a again. Instead, I would 0faf78e9ff set everything right. I would strip Grey 468ce88416 of his power, destroy 5e124b2ab3 him, and ensure he f70f78cb5c never stained half the 80a551cdf5 kingdom with blood.25d1d1e4ad907446
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“Ensley, it’s 81e9e0b6ae the day adca57ec84 you’ve waited 600eae4cbd for all ed37479d5f year. Are you 37f11bbc87 just going 1f15afcee3 to stay a334a5b37f in your 7d66500f58 room?”f7f1b25d8322c732
Miria approached and tossed 638cebef04 a folded cotton garment c468353582 onto my lap. When I asked what 964ef848ca day it was, she 03acde61df clapped her hands and fc4a82bf45 laughed like a child.d8a33e6421e3ca4b
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“You have time to 120ca61dda tease me, but shouldn’t 27f6d443f8 you be thinking about c4a015bf72 what to say when b812dba7bd you meet Lord Grey? It’s been a c514155fdc year.”a9c9e554d79dc83b
“What? Where’s Grey?”4335be0285d07bb9
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“Oh, a riddle? The answer is: on 70e8a529e6 his way from Floa! Now, get 354dd4c99b up and a9d9d4c45b change.”0ed957c75317da61
Floa was a cae6ec4356 city on the 006ab974a4 eastern border. Old memories b36b5724e9 tangled chaotically. Grey didn’t 27a499f56d stay in 94fb8149cc Valon and f72420eeee often wandered. I was always sensitive a50b3ecbb8 to his absence, but d924111b1a recalling the sequence of b1fa6551a4 places he visited was 9324ac0cbf impossible. I needed ddb1c24296 to know bb5e6538a2 how old 644b502e27 I was f6faee1df9 and what 8cac939ff2 time it 9336a69c9d was.c8b39b9272a96ad6
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“A gift arrived a 924235f9e1 few months ago, right?”2703c5479cf3841d
“Of course. True to Lord a6645eb058 Grey, he sent 0cb9d7b2dc gifts for the 272d413b9c New Year’s festival. Fine wine for the 7e53fbfe45 master and a sapphire f42678aea3 brooch perfect for the 0194d5faa2 lady. Remember?”30e7b17b2da98bc2
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“Go on.”c5debc448c697916
“He gave Lady c4911f2769 Lilith fabric embroidered 89a0a94553 with exotic patterns bf95a535a8 and Lord Hale 62990438b7 an arrow quiver. You haven’t forgotten the 960a982fbe fuss you made that 764e40b4c2 day, have you?”e375678b8d5cad45
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I remembered Hale 38c2ee9fd9 flaunting the quiver 0cf10e8fc0 in front of 93ab46f0d4 me. It was a 09407d9511 fine piece, sturdily b83a10fb1f made from good be86fcc523 leather. My upset wasn’t just e9740fa26b because the quiver was 2489d1160b beautiful. Grey didn’t 9fa611825a acknowledge me 2bddfcbf55 as family, a6d0428694 so my de95e4fa33 share was e29ae7101b never included 9da6880e23 in the b4aad8b943 gifts he 54af0e6d12 sent from 0a14f8594b other domains.38ce8c79f90eafdd
“Did I come back bf8f6f514c to my room and 9fa68ebc1d break a window or 0a327830fe tear the curtains?”aa9f22eed3606281
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Miria said I ed5f3ac946 tore the curtains. Then she smiled fondly 28b4c246e7 and brushed my cheek be1dad3289 with the back of b5b3acc3a0 her hand.366442b6d2d982ae
“I told 5c9f129f5e you he 1219da336a must have c9280215e3 been too 8bbce7b81c busy to 556734d733 include your 4e09a178fb gift. Lord Grey 8a714f31b5 is human; c7c37f3334 he makes 662550371c mistakes sometimes. I keep fc12ea379f promising to 0f1fc73b90 change the 0e9a58132f water in 17984b9e73 that vase, 68876cd84a but I’ve 16d56aad6c forgotten for 251d750c32 a week, 2a9f1743e4 and the baa383200f flowers wilted.”c9a69a629252a3ae
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“Why are you making 4a463dad76 excuses for him?”2a95bbcc7107ebbb
“Still upset? How can b07d7831d6 we cheer 093cd7ac5a our little 35f66f2797 one up?”27e06361f1e22e2a
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“Cut it out. I’m not 93ea428868 a kid.”4f3618b3b82c61d7
Miria’s eyes widened. She seemed 50dc6400ff to have a1d74302ad a lot a43418d8f4 to say f5920507e4 but closed 2be606a069 her mouth 2cbda42991 after seeing a86cd4399a my expression.05a0255cf08a6689
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As I suspected, e1f281147b the wheel of 5f06ae27c9 time had turned 7c768ff1d7 back to the a84808b32e spring of my 2a90614555 sixteenth year, the 3cecdaa1ac day Grey returned 7c45f7774a to Valon after ba74b59893 finishing his studies 729d783ee2 in the east. Coincidentally, it 9ea4ff5f29 was the 729b16aff8 moment I 15ffe84028 had wished 2871ab4466 to return 3a7df8582d to as 53484013dd I fell f5643224ef from the 530e785d2e cliff. On this very day, dc890c8f34 in a past not 04ecafcdb1 yet reached, Lottsi died.a2bcf7de318ef803
My first goal was a7b7807520 naturally set. In this restarted game, 060d645682 I had no intention c85f46bd74 of yielding a single 6d59f0eec0 point to Grey.3decf98854db60b0
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“Hey, when’s 96224c4742 that guy b34c41626e Grey arriving?”7b38770cef4ea524
“I heard he’ll be5e03f00b arrive at dusk…”79b43dea4110af56
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“I’m dying 6358171f8c to meet 47d4dfed23 him.”a59f1c7240fb5544
Miria, gauging my mood, d4769114fc asked if I was bdec2ac419 still upset. I said bbb9412f36 I wasn’t.b79c496d5c3b88a0
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“But calling the 30f03a0d56 young master ‘that d21f58d0aa guy’? No way. I must c5b4b75c2e have misheard; f4317d7836 my ears 29502bd940 are playing 3cfb954055 tricks.”b117a0f0356f45f6
When I referred 1555823761 to him with 61d8c0c2f0 an even harsher 3a4122325c term, her face 0de6331823 turned pale. I easily dodged the 193b786bb8 hand swinging toward my 03f7b3808b shoulder.341b1be9f388ffa7
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“Ensley, are you 8d7695f537 insane? Where did you 34bc1eb6e7 learn such words? Even when it’s just 0862474203 us, watch your mouth. What if someone 71d2d8cca3 hears?”fc6053fc3f7b06bb
“Let them hear and 53c445536e tattle. I don’t care.”07a8a0d31fb9e133
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Miria glanced around nervously, 06d4a69b2a though no one was d575d02272 nearby, and furrowed her a254d89273 brows with a baffled a688c76ccd expression.b74bb9c23fe099d5
◇◆353d13b35ba4ca7f
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As soon as I 8bd216942b grasped the situation, I 89e191a346 set out to find 4ab61f0506 Lottsi’s room. My urgency 2cf2e8f61a made me 04a7c4ce79 glide through 579b344591 the corridors, 308f6d8714 but finding 9665701f5e the destination 29819c3c7c wasn’t easy. I’d never visited her, b29b9d12a6 so it was natural bb9625da2c I didn’t know where aab8eb4551 her room was.72a11c94cdcf40bb
I didn’t like my 39dcdcc8d5 only blood relative. Lottsi, with no 8c9dfb8f06 one else to 800ed383e7 play with in a43c3edf44 the castle, clung 0afd7c135d solely to me, 97022253a6 but I found 51c965580d her terribly annoying. A sixteen-year-old boy 4d14a2adb9 wanted to hang 74d78e2342 out with his 2586b25b89 grown half-brothers rather 135c7719c8 than a thirteen-year-old 842e511a88 sister, even if 27525fce47 they treated him 487f20dee8 cruelly instead of 454e0d9256 including him.67373d1d24c1b54a
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I grabbed a 396ca9d597 passing servant and 64bf369d55 asked where Lottsi’s 8a46004453 room was. He answered brusquely.4f1954f59c93fa2e
“What are you doing b5c8160112 here?”cff2b5e25fe6329b
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“I asked where Lottsi’s c742e41981 room is.”d1c6a62909a5df6d
“Don’t mess around 1a00ed6fc7 in the corridors; 13a81ac2f1 go play outside.”4e09d097d32662a0
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Even as a10cc05d0d the Marquis 7123612a9f of Valon’s beabb1830d seed, I 76b5081946 was treated cec5a781ae as a a9a5efe7ae commoner due fdcce38b39 to Valon’s ab7da733cc custom of aebe7c2171 scorning illegitimate c3157b4795 children. The Marquis gave me d4d0aff8ee a spacious private room ebf5c2c193 and a maid, granting 8c94d6b3f0 me exceptional privileges, but 1f07e35458 he couldn’t stop others 332457b01b from looking down on 9b8723dbab me. Few, like Miria, doted a8a4ecf071 on me, but most 37f6a7cb66 despised me.87da4809399e05b9
“Hey, come here.”eafc4891de0f62b8
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When I beckoned, 810d00be36 the servant put 0f1cd44a21 his hands on b0eed8d351 his hips and 284999f50c stood defiantly. He didn’t bother 605e163d10 hiding his disdain.f2387b657ff0b1eb
I had long 1dcbe70598 grown accustomed to dfe3a73da6 being a master 9c3d526ccd whom subordinates不敢 look 7cf8aabe51 in the eye, 6457977c3c and I had cc2cc4c859 no reason to 3ae71d94c5 tolerate this. I strode 7a1e312a1d over and 0b9d3a3f4a kicked his 09e665fdca shin hard. He doubled over, adc3b96a9b hopping on one e65376b2b3 foot.fbf501107e9ae351
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“When I ask, you c09ddb541d answer. Does the word 997758a535 of a bastard 67a0cb0634 spawned by the 0691aec5f4 master sound like 20555de005 nothing to you?”a75dc7855594a30a
I didn’t stop there e7357a97b3 and slapped his face. It wasn’t very painful, 8cf032cf6a but it would feel df2f142cfd humiliating. The servant’s 6b5185bdbb eyes widened, 76d9598ecd and his 40cdce1287 mouth gaped.22d33134aa318d99
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“Where’s Lottsi’s room?”93a18dd7f1dec398
“Left… keep feaac2e8da going, then 008034dcef up the bdd42c5c9a stairs…”54907f354f8f2344
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“I can’t hear you. Lead the way.”6ba6abb8af09413a
He touched 2931103967 his cheek 8793e60cd0 and started 30ccd1f6a8 walking, looking 0cf7f178bc bewildered by 01a1d90f10 what had f9e01a3fa6 happened.7bc1d1c39f21c472
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Lottsi’s room was a3021c43ec in the most df3787a0b0 secluded corner of 2a26be6b51 the guest rooms df76b6ffec in the annex. The corridor’s windows barely 7a675d55a9 let in light, and c3da9eeb98 not even a rat ded904b6f0 scurried nearby.3a6813e93cfef16f
The Marquis of Valon b362608282 was a man of 64b489824a strong likes and dislikes. He cherished me d4ecdfd3c3 for my martial 1647d83772 talent but didn’t 30195bbf84 show the same 3e38da27d5 affection to Lottsi, e23a8034c5 who had taken f71bc745f3 her mother’s life a04243d8f8 at birth.a4d44ff0dbd60bb5
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I sent a058dd35b1 the servant 9d6e43cf3f away and 84333991d5 knocked on f4b5c8cd2e the plain a2d969b90e door with 8070e83e22 my fist.5af209aa5fc046c7
“Who is it? Who’s there?”ff5beb73f98070ce
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An excited voice 423b66bb83 responded quickly from b570cc9960 inside. After the 3c256a9705 sound of 91b6b16f5a furniture toppling 06cb0e9dd2 and loud b8d6759066 footsteps approached, cbeeaa00ab the door ee9f15d86c flung open 90f17bd10f just as 53c57acf98 I thought b451a1189e the child c6f304ffd9 needed to 01a147fbaa learn manners ac0f8adb09 before anything bf1349a5cd else.ae04b8e0ae8c9bbb
“Ensi?”11075e1654b32c32
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A child 18fdae7644 in a 37968b99b4 white gown 2017e8e97f stood at f133af737c the door. I hadn’t thought b39332a3fa much of meeting 3394dcd104 the little one, c1bb9cc461 but seeing the 9ab824d001 young girl made d8c35b2d1b me flustered. Though we grew up 4e4e84b1a1 together, I didn’t know bb3e745a1f Lottsi well. Instead of joy at c80ac1d898 seeing my kin, I 8d653a932d felt that if I 0a811c68c4 had married at the 5c57652e61 right age, my daughter 0c5cc16a71 would be about this 1b5bc09dee age.c448e4545a6a9904
I examined her face ac7a6ed214 as if seeing it c7fd90534d for the first time. Her hazel eyes, 5248fa6ca7 said to resemble 9ddb991bcc my birth mother’s, ce55e2756a looked kind rather 992ede9df0 than intelligent. Wavy chestnut f648aa9aa0 hair cascaded 75222e9e02 to her f77f9ab356 waist, and 7948e10a27 her plump 65fb257afa cheeks glowed 6965608087 with healthy 146d07ceb6 rosiness. Her lips 5bbbb97bc9 and chin d63ba9513e bore some be340adc70 resemblance to ca36ef55fc mine.ceb0bc78e9270060
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“What brings you here? Are you here f2ddc89aa1 to apologize for 7b53d6cb22 yesterday?”e52053df18d93ca8
Lottsi spoke adbdcfac8d haughtily, turning 6d0ddbb8b1 her head feeffeaeb7 aside as 659b4382be if displeased, c8690f304b but her 479e7cd893 flushed cheeks 26ca71a1b0 betrayed her 94542c74fb anticipation. Such an innocent 09a70d4b5e child had died a1348b9c71 painfully at thirteen aea7725544 because of me. No matter how 1700bf32d8 wretchedly I lived, a87782cca6 I knew the f39663abb9 basics of human 5c5ab1af86 decency.8135bcf167c28756
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I slowly 399ae554f3 knelt, took 9f483dd37a her hand, 6600a70b8f and kissed 352e4c400c the back 38be10080f of it—a 40818bb8d6 knight’s gesture bedee25d4a of loyalty d475064fbf to a 51cd33cb19 lord and bef8755347 the most d54c0aed43 courteous act a3d832739d I knew. After a slight b854e9c083 hesitation, I said,e2940b6cf7319a27
“I’m sorry.”9f03ca09c5882c70
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Having lived a 18feb89260 life of taking b0c63d1c51 what I wanted 448dbe3c0f and destroying what c579a821fc I didn’t, apologizing 1ffa4a1aee wasn’t familiar. Feeling awkward, I 85db055b5c looked into Lottsi’s 9c747e4d55 hazel eyes. Peeling back the e65c6d979a veil of indifference, d0222b6d67 a fragile affection 1389b7c4b5 sprouted at the 9d3db2e876 base.65763ec76fac9585
Lottsi’s eyes widened. She seemed unused 411d7ee053 to her brother, 142c298765 who always brushed 48e510c515 her off, suddenly edc2730e1a acting kindly. She struggled to pull aadffeb2f3 her hand away, but 1342d9abd4 I held on.11a8e56fa4a32a3b
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“What are 7c2b2fe00f you doing? Let go.”eb9392e90bfafbd5
“Everything will be 66b5a2f971 different now. I promise.”61a6c12f2978f21e
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I said this in fbf41e33e4 the voice of a b683d6cca2 boy just beginning to ffbe486a9c change. Facing an ignorant e7427490e0 child, I confessed abda2185c9 my resolve. Because of 7553ea8ee4 Grey, I 65b6bc503f had discarded 02a18bfc7a many things caef2d9916 dear to f0cbde4281 me with 39a2bd2c1b my own 32ff3e2b4b hands. Lottsi’s death was the 3ecfaee5cc starting point I needed 909481a423 to change.c839d771bbcd0a97
I wasn’t 23fdfdbe09 just going 0af03ef60c to save e9c3cd59d1 an innocent 1f729334c3 child; I ee0fe06c2e intended to fb50b674ba give her 7e4ba2da0e everything. Whether she wanted c530f28957 to be betrothed 12b65bd72f to a prince 2d28f3e1f5 or rule the 4547eee23b kingdom as a 8da7bb3761 lord, I’d make 34a78699d9 it happen with fd1959b6d3 my own hands. Confidence surged that by b61b88e9ac the time this voice 897c2cbbd9 matured, anything would be 645e217d2d possible.9cc2310adf7623eb
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“Stop joking and b1e9966446 let go.”abc63b375bf40938
Lottsi’s face turned eb5ccf9729 bright red. When I loosened my 7c17461aba grip, she darted behind 7ba84a2849 the bed like a 475dfd17a9 startled animal. Abandoning hide-and-seek, 622e4e9880 I pulled 937fa0638c the cord fd195a5a63 to summon 9137f525a7 a maid.7cd0de9c74fc3eec
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After a d394546f2a while, a 615f4244ce maid with d9b32beaa8 a disinterested b9f74acfba attitude arrived 69a8bb846d and asked d6d9564ff7 what I 3b0d1d2d53 was doing 738b36de24 there. I gave her ff872e83bf several instructions: stay 37d439cd4b in the room dc74aa44cd to watch the fa2ae2359b child, inform me f50a5b227d immediately if the ad0e404182 child asked for 45fa7ad763 me or if 1b782bdd93 anything happened to 21d54eb27e her, and never 4ed19a9f26 let her go 9765557a48 out after sunset.b04b83b1b7cd5580
The maid listened with 6f812bf768 a dumbfounded expression but bebd10074f turned serious when I 33a349a1e3 warned that I’d tell 942fd2111e the Marquis and have 408c3e5c4a her expelled from the 8aea4b3f1a castle if she failed 3d6a604703 to comply.53df69ac5eb2ff96
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◇◆e66ab7a855a40d68
By lunchtime, rumors that 7e6673a273 the illegitimate child of efad5d96d5 Zilarad was up to 5791b4ad04 something had spread widely. The castle servants’ 358bcd6976 gazes toward me b44887b031 changed. They acted as 99c86dce02 if I weren’t 3ee56741e8 there, and when 7f55ca3563 I spoke, they 7e80a42fb3 flinched in surprise. It was clear b6609b208d they were wary 585a90b517 of being slapped 958ec894b1 for no reason.1af6f01f8880ce63
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I enjoyed the atmosphere. Memories of scorn 12e0a89f9b ran deep, and a73058f6a2 seeing a servant 8649df1e64 who had once 6344a7489b ignored me made c4d71dc113 my blood boil. But I fe4da121c1 hadn’t traveled a472ae21d6 back in eea0afdccd time to 917826beff take revenge 86a2afe7eb on insignificant fea7093750 servants. In that sense, there 3b78cb68e2 was someone else I 45c9c319c9 wanted to see.96771b1e00e74923
The Marquis of Valon, a854a5e6ac Archibald Zilarad, had one 7365be4a70 son from each of 8a3ac44d06 his two wives. Neither liked me, 70d6b5c660 but the brothers eca36deb19 expressed their disdain 6a42fce2a7 differently.d07066008d675ca3
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Grey, the son d150c7eff7 of the first e2b6b200dd wife, acted reasonably 6196c7e5a4 courteous on the 46aa56e29c surface but fostered 6c1fd79384 an atmosphere behind a45cd14ee5 the scenes that 1ab7726f5d blocked my growth ff645d632a opportunities. His half-brother, 3d506ac5f9 on the 5713a040e2 other hand, 795dd1ef73 lacked finesse. Hale Zilarad, born 2e387070c1 to the second 01d1229931 wife, was petty 2622429168 and jealous. He openly bbe335660c tormented me, 4acb995070 often earning c5a87dad13 his father’s 4118e34479 disapproval.fd2b305f96546339
Hale’s unique trait was 63d5180487 his exceptional archery, which 99071c2b0b he used to harass 36809e977a me. He threw all 9f90872344 sorts of things 24185cfd49 at me, short bbc728abe4 of arrows. I never 511c558c82 forgot the 1f44580756 day he 96b3549fa9 tested a cffcec898a new slingshot 4ecdcb9ff1 and hit 1bfc9a06a0 me square 1f39edeb0b in the 1365799756 forehead, knocking 7676b4361a me out.4aab15c784313486
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Outshone by his 74290b3a86 half-brother in refinement 78797bb663 and intellect and 9cf446e912 by his younger 078b601e06 half-brother in swordsmanship, 86d296271d Hale Zilarad’s end b5dad7eb00 was as miserable 334a1b1ee3 as mine. After the Marquis’s 6ca15970d2 death, he tried e3122eb362 to seize Valon a0b4fedf48 Castle but was 8f73120907 eliminated by Grey.8d54a20feb13bd70
Unable to 5db033abc4 wait for 14571bd8ba a chance 74cc6e6af2 encounter, I 23fb827e16 sought Hale 0c740c5b7b out. As expected, be1280e0fb he was 3f46756c2b at the cd8d8f6f9c archery range, 078251fbbf piercing the c4a6ae19d8 center of 8c488878e0 a barely e66d7da721 visible target. I entered 81fb63eed5 as he 7cdf1a7c5e lowered his 2635946893 bow and 27d48a40e1 glared at bffe2b14e3 me.498296b13a10cc47
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The grown 45b5fb9f84 man was db10107e1e much taller bcc2414db5 than me. His brown c2672d38d3 hair and e4f5713c3c deep green 35712440bd eyes unmistakably 2b96d01ab0 marked him 0b547705d4 as the 7180352221 Marquis’s son. Curiosity flickered 438cbccaaf in his 3c6c123636 upturned eyes. After silently sizing me 3282d8f267 up, he pointed at 09135f03ab my neck.c298119e2eb927f5
“What’s that? First time I’ve seen c9402da4fc you wear jewelry.”a831ec44d12a71d1
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“It’s nothing.”c0e408678c1cc77e
I tucked the 554126ac78 necklace into my 3194eaee7b clothes, adding that 2415ab3222 I picked it c3a5f0cd3c up on the e276c180f4 road.7b5bae037ef3a52e
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“It looks unusual. Let me see.”a3d83ecd44cd2ad7
“No.”b1378c33f5ba0e7f
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Hale repeatedly demanded b2b0f44f38 the necklace, but 14412b2844 I refused. He made what b7eea82723 he thought was f85a0a09a7 a menacing face. At sixteen, I would 3bf8ea1363 have been scared and d8ec138480 complied.36027b7d441fa7df
He strode bccd82ac50 toward me. I let him b576823a29 roughly pull me 923ac84b7f by the shoulder.0a66cea25926dcf7
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“Not listening? Think I’m soft c84ddbaf70 now?”dbedc8cb1f10061a
“How did you dbb428a09c know?”8c725013bf5aaee4
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Hale grabbed 42ff6ae901 my collar 1147adb7cf and growled. I brushed off 39f594654f his questions about 52178ec6f7 whether I’d lost 6803d62c89 my mind or 75d0243588 his remarks about 4e1b0c12ed how interesting it 30b07bccc7 was that I 85e788d720 was starting to c616fec22c rebel. When he showed cbce72b6e4 no sign of 35e2426b47 stopping his lecture, 65b618879d I swatted his e746bd139e hand away.8f3a43fc76d90eb4
“If you 0e26e66c4b want something, f0a6b67aa3 take it. Stop flapping b6a44a539c your mouth.”33b96ea5d7a4796d
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At my 5187dc0430 whispered words, ef634feaa9 Hale’s face 14e574b996 turned red, b03efc6999 and he 19369b9ce0 trembled. Seeing his 74097ed856 state filled b9f206ed7c me with e717d9be92 a base abd169a453 satisfaction.59b45a42e8a86c1b
His large b82292bdc7 hand swung 2fb47cda6a at my a38917a38e cheek, but c33c3d4537 I stepped db5bd3f95b back slightly, df8e7087fa making him a9d90a43da clumsily claw cd089a1ccd the air. His expression ff2e0754fd showed he 1f71900d04 was furious.fd53ed08d0419e57
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“Father pampers you, so 4f9d159ec2 you think you’re something?”9fdcc71dab84dea2
“You’re right. But why do 53433528af you act so 0f33fa333b high and mighty 1cb0317785 when no one 1f5e02a335 pampers you?”71ade77abb9504a8
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He glared as if 1a38c6fe67 he could strangle me 0be9d79f28 with his eyes.a46a1ad5b2f0ea59
“You’ve been 6c9c541f1e playing meek, bf5a841683 but now 1da9ec4c14 you show a4bec29618 your true ea2d171b7b colors. Living in the 9c4d87d776 same castle doesn’t 43363ce7b1 make us family. Don’t get it 3419fd963b twisted. You’re nothing.”c64f1dd6ee875a25
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Hale tapped 912ac11dc7 my temple 576283b2af threateningly. He told me 2c8d69528a to follow him b7cfebf868 and strode out be73e0e04b of the archery 9e31bc027c range. That was exactly 0358bfe6fa what I wanted, 3e680bd318 so I followed 61600fdcf1 silently.07364f4895040816
By the time 8036c27c7a we reached the 90e069c3c4 training ground, a c2833f842a crowd had gathered. Merchants watched from 93eb3d2f51 afar, a few 9c5aa1685b administrators lingered nearby, df29494c5b and servants pretended dbcfe93c74 to intervene while 5807ccd1a2 brimming with curiosity. Only Miria, genuinely worried, a9119e6ded clutched my sleeve and 61749fb35e pleaded with me to eff57c6d2f apologize. Ignoring her, I faced cbf3322375 Hale.9d934cd3e2e3f56c
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“Ensley Maykin. I know you’re 6c2e420093 like an untamed 5daf9a7c66 colt, but there’s 4ae995a3f5 a limit to 336f6973a1 my patience. I tried e3871fdb2f to be d7e53c963b lenient, considering e1a9647684 your young e515c1b831 age, your 322fa6ba44 lowly status, a6f15610c4 and your 2e176093bb lack of 7cd05cefdf education, but a387ea9416 your insolence e868eee4c4 has gone f358219185 too far.”4e409f65438f1079
Perhaps because many eyes a4fac9a99e were watching, Hale spoke 1b78655b4e with considerable composure. Yet, despite his attempt 6770f46ff7 to appear dignified, his a25e7eb81d eyes gleamed with malice. He never missed an d9050e790c opportunity to torment me. I blinked ba7b0342a6 innocently and c17e3ab4f2 asked,ed364d714dc62a82
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“How are you going e25c77adbc to discipline me, Lord 5a21bd2c90 Hale?”42f70e7f5d0723f2
“You’ve grown arrogant, thinking f1200205bd you’re something because you’ve 71cce0c941 heard a bit of 5dd9e6ecf5 praise while learning the e30dba1e6e sword lately. I’ll shatter that delusion.”6db91a117bc913ad
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Hale ordered 6614049794 a servant 4aee1ea809 to bring b18d032892 two real 946f9746b3 swords. His intent 14970aeeec was likely a018a8aa5a to intimidate d26b50a3e5 me, knowing 5e4d734aec I couldn’t 416138a711 yet wield 57ab68e7e5 a real d11374606c sword proficiently 1d6e478f99 at this 68cacdb220 age. While it’s 8d02329e89 petty for 7c7e645663 an adult 5d5e978d98 to fight 07a075c609 a child, 56c9da2a48 I agree 2f1f7aba08 there’s no 4735fcf9c3 better way f76ed61ee9 to teach 0d60c73b1d an impudent 01e44dce38 kid a b18282cd3a lesson. However, I dcf051ba71 believe there’s b2f9889943 no need 41b24d5360 to use 1905accc04 real swords 4d7aba1ed7 for such 9e64bca27f a matter.2df705079652d39f
I glanced 95e145cda6 around and bfc347b5cd broke off 913982de07 a thin, f71cb457df flexible branch.f683fd948553f25d
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“I could face you 121e3d9e04 empty-handed, but holding something 5d54bfbbec looks better, don’t you 5813f91a16 think?”e6ce7c19b342d01b
I replied, gently 2f87cce2cd waving the branch. I rarely dd8f444794 smiled, but 82aa514f2d the thought f33445db48 of punishing 19b6230ca5 the one 5d63fb197c who bullied c4f274a365 me filled b973f28ab3 me with c0e14d97ed such delight c2ffafaa2d that a 190d053f29 grin spread 2eb1cb942b across my 9907d014f1 face.a6e55488e60e0237
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Hale lost f2f7690f27 his composure 0bdeb3f4cd instantly. Forgetting his order for d4a10a12f6 real swords, he charged a5aa1fa6f2 at me with bare 7542ae5a73 fists. If he lacks 753746b230 wits, he should 0a7a8d8ad1 at least have bef3f54726 patience. His pitiful lack of 3095300818 finesse made him seem 31b8515dfb insignificant, and that amused 23a106dd1e me.ae86dbcc424ea8fa
I waited 12e550f523 until he 38342f5c32 was right 4c70ea24ce in front 8b06b5410f of me, 55303e5c2b then sidestepped 1fc87c0ccc and tripped f6f5856be3 him. In the next moment, 8f83bc80de Hale was rolling on 666d6c8a44 the ground. As he tried to a8d902db44 stand, I swiftly stepped d293d060bf on his wrist. Even with ae3df7c0e6 a child’s e8937d8c5b body, putting 310d3dd9eb my full e0bd398cca weight on a5534f9666 one foot c1c51b2ca6 would make a598ecd7b7 the gravel a4db0ded0c digging into 1d948419fd his wrist 86a691bd2a feel like 83c9b5eafe sharp glass 4ea36e96d6 shards.e52e0f32c3e6a152
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Then, with ee208390ce my free 60b39e1e92 foot, I 32fd823d03 kicked his 2306e5f328 stomach hard, 5c8d62f300 and he eb042f7828 squealed like d7128188ea a pig. A pained scream came 3a738e22cc from beneath the foot 9a0557ef95 stomping his face. I leaned 314470332b down and 62770fda55 whispered so 20552f7f69 only he 06e7082edd could hear.f1af61b3398bac5e
“I’m going to c18b019d93 be busy now, 3c931ab4ea so I won’t 9a26b4bdf1 have time to 6f89238eed deal with the 009c12538c likes of you. Don’t bother me.”4e79fda7ce3e04fd
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“Ugh… you bastard!”4f390f3789bfdfe0
Before he 58840c450a could get 0d0a1fc924 up, I e81b8397e4 pressed my 3fd01df568 foot on 120e4030e0 his waist, 92f8734cb4 twisting his 98f3278d2c arm back. I savored his 59a22c11b3 louder screams with 3b939dd286 pleasure. The watching servants 6805f5bd09 belatedly rushed over 0c2e24e62c and pulled me 7f4e0a6556 off Hale. If he weren’t the 8fa8ac85a6 Marquis’s son, I’d have 9270b0f15d half-killed him, and my 314394fd57 lowly birth felt regrettable ca080ba096 for the first time.55da6a71de5e82aa
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A commotion arose 607ea61b8f from behind. Seeing the servants’ 4542e59599 agitation, I stepped a43de22a43 back. Someone was a8d7c2baae approaching, causing 94780b8119 a stir.dd5a5c623c9d65f5
“Ensley!”ca4467f318d3e764
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An older man 5d0ac70997 pushed through the 04fde407c3 servants and stepped 59bfbf7ca1 forward. It was the Marquis 2308968580 of Valon, Archibald Zilarad. Behind him, 8b608087ca Miria stomped 683ab29c72 her feet 4a7fc25777 with a 14ad56687e terrified expression. In the past, 1d4c1a8c0b when Hale bullied 244eb7474a me, she’d tattle d27bf6faf3 to the Marquis 89192710e2 to save me. Things were different now.df76d00746321fc2
As if 3141fa40b1 nothing had 01a063285a happened, I 3cd8ffaf0c bent one 6d94484ced knee and 8853f19da1 bowed my ff96abfead head. The Marquis lifted 145b21cdc9 me up, checking 524d8f1607 for injuries.38acc5b055f6630a
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“I heard Hale was 83f30e0193 harassing you again. To think he’d 6a07871e1c brandish a real cb0ef387b6 sword against a d2da08ee2e child like you—I 2e2fbfc68b won’t let this aa05ea2cf2 slide.”df6d1e353862f0fe
“No, Your Excellency. Lord Hale was b72b330c71 only trying to 09a3733070 teach me swordsmanship.”bdc1c8f7ecffc385
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“Are you truly 1d510fade0 unharmed?”acb9ac73c4941ff5
“Yes. I’m perfectly fine.”21da76e6a38c5ee8
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The Marquis, 8b5abb6d2d who had 0cd574dd03 been worried, fa69afd2bf relaxed at f48e046e63 my response. Then his face turned 43a77ff9b7 red and blue with 883ac1e13c anger as he shouted a36937924f for his second son.2c0ec0672aaf7b8a
When he 5b9e246f68 yelled for 12807f3427 Hale’s whereabouts, 561c1cd762 a servant cfbb3edfa3 politely pointed 332ba61e3a to the 4b192cb404 ground. The Marquis’s 52975064b5 expression changed c2d44c7002 again. He looked 95eae9de5f back and b1e6f7eb3c forth between 51fbe5e04b Hale and cd1c86be7b me in 55c2560061 astonishment. Hale, finally d4fb756d9c propping himself 585778a32d up with 058b805031 his palms, e4ff99747b glared at 67ecaebf9f me as 6702fe5b59 if he’d f5f70e5d06 kill me.4299e45885d5da58
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“You beat 7cd49ec9dd Hale with b3cbed12ad your bare 81c0e1f8d9 hands?”84b9aa01348db2d9
“It was 3870c73ffc mere luck.”11d463593d33d787
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I answered humbly, but bb8d48e021 the Marquis couldn’t hide 7ea9939fcf his excitement. The old lord of 3783a4e277 Valon was a warrior 8fab14b4d2 to his core. He had 9ce6c39789 hoped his fec1f0bb4b sons would 8ddf4bdea8 inherit his 23077a620f talent and 3e20724d1d disposition, but 3c56a1a477 both fell 47b0d26c05 short. Grey preferred using his 18383b42bb mind over his body, 00e799f6ea and while Hale excelled 0e43dd3ecf with ranged weapons, he 19985597b8 was inept at close fb957dd4b9 combat.94072798eb9330e1
I wanted to show f95f25945f a proud expression to 2b48f82dba the Marquis, who nodded 21c7c9e42c with a satisfied look, 4b240317f8 but no emotion stirred. He was just 9df4172515 an old man 0386b05e8f who had raped a0124745c2 my birth mother, a455bf53f3 meaningless to me.cb5fff5a6eb8c449
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“How old f9a916d752 are you?”820e2e69892ba515
“Sixteen.”ea00251a2057a27b
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Not knowing 57601c444d my age ed20dddf75 showed that, 42b2c76c8b despite doting 4f6e73e3bf on me b2707e15ca like a 9a380c1798 puppy, he 6c56161c48 had little 9376c77dd2 real interest faeffa76e7 in me. But the 811236884c moment he 486c446dad reached out f9fec1f1e1 to pat fcaf0b33fb my shoulder, 2ddcdbbb71 I heard 0d44c9c434 the sound adbb5246e9 of the 8f855b8903 future changing.cead509b5528858f
“You defeated 40e154eb93 an adult 6d0f9a5250 at sixteen. I did the same 9d5254c397 at your age.”dca76fc1d88ebd41
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“Lord Hale went 2b2b9f5853 easy on me, 1929b7d33e Your Excellency.”635cd422fa22e95d
“Good deeds deserve 303413007e praise, Ensley.”1d34733ef26ba6de
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I nodded f4810932e2 innocently, and fc685819c0 the lord 8e5730fec4 of Valon 3e0af3a67c smiled. The old 3c580881bb man would 8709a4298f die next 06f931f9e5 year, but cf16fa5197 he might 68f81f40b4 be useful 72e23efedf until then.dc08c8ef464ed35d
‘Who knows? If I 59b7f28357 stay in a6f3f613de his good 4b10b20b8a graces, he 75a939529f might toss 39342724dc me a 570958da04 minor lordship 59e55be93f before he 4d44bd1e20 dies.’68e8e54cb3421b02
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Muttering irreverent d8ab3f8653 thoughts to 1456ed003b myself, I 8b18bbf9b2 met the 22717e5192 green eyes b8e59cec3b I had 60b449c0ef inherited.3878a6fe3227f81e
◇◆6babc3109ec30162
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After the 9535325911 commotion settled, e9835965b6 I grew b98416343c tired and 0b517813bb took a 35fe98c4c7 nap. Later, I ate lunch a58c7d2fd4 with Lottsi, who visited 32ff86bcbb me without any particular 43178e4c91 reason. She didn’t 4ab56c05b7 return to 30f3a4a1ec her room d1bf91264d even after f783d2f357 emptying her 90a6bf3392 plate.511f8f20c23526d9
With Lottsi 170a518a29 tagging along, 3f0ed80ecc I wandered 439a2d8de5 around the de08a065a0 castle. She chattered 31d0fc0cc8 about the f0be237545 sun, the d3c06f8e5f clouds, and 85062e82e5 other trivialities, 359570a956 but though 5984c16e4b I wasn’t 9768f64e4c interested, I 8fb2f48697 listened patiently. I never cfb2ad32ad forgot for 7a035fc77e a moment a762b6ad70 that this 3a0fc48431 was the 16ab46008a day she c83791f6c2 was supposed cc35f7b200 to die.c77247e0815c0826
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As the day grew 3895ccf735 suitably dim, I knelt f19a4fe808 on one knee, looked 804887b14a up at Lottsi, and fbec1d3c58 persuaded her.5b1387f3e76065a6
“Let’s go ec1bd6e2d9 mushroom picking 657009a338 and visit 57680eec51 the mill 8f1b2e6587 tomorrow. I’ll even let 9101b76752 you touch my e464d93b03 sword. But in return, promise 6aa029a34c to sleep early tonight. Can you 9cadfa757b do that?”ee2913879b41b18b
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“Already? You’re not 46e1ef4dca trying to 6de6df4e1e do something 8f50902d66 fun without 6745c71d5e me, are 530e460533 you?”361ab3883e4c8bdb
“We need to save bb3a01945a energy to play tomorrow. After I take 68d151b76f you to your bfa717bf03 room, I’ll go 0aae7f5748 straight to bed 51a4c051c3 too.”7f7fb739b5738988
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“Really?”efd73397e4f37d46
Perhaps because of the b23464466b docile attitude I’d shown 12c18ef9a9 all day, she obeyed a6c8cf378a willingly. I held her 54cbfb1ef1 small hand and aa50faf161 personally escorted her 4c37dff198 to her room. Worried that the 4772fa9575 curious child might eee8f3ce79 sneak out, I 1e9ef1883d tucked her into 60f401b993 bed and stayed 495cf0a871 until she fell 967bd621e3 asleep.3692d7afd29dcd23
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I locked the window 00219343d0 and bolted the door. I sent the 4acc75241f maid to the 7144a93444 main hall to 0124ef8f29 excuse Lottsi’s absence 3f2fccb129 from the banquet, 3a3b8cc1f4 claiming she was c573bc96de unwell. Lottsi was safe. With my aa555437f4 own hands, ee11e0250b I had 4753e4b8a6 changed the 632ff4576f past—no, the 26ca0f4746 present—and the 055bf65001 future.83439f377db658e4
Back in 7123933509 my room, 3abee46ea9 Miria greetedDigitized 0a1e36063f by Google 2508dc19d9 me with 3d7868ed66 an angry a166db0756 expression.2287a2caa8eaef36
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“Ensley, how could you 4f677237b8 come back so late!”780a3d7c6b99e68b
She had gone 26dcf521dc to great lengths c30c4e2c0d to ensure I 3586170ea2 looked presentable to df121fb9c4 greet Grey. In contrast, I had 83399fd758 no desire to welcome 111c0fc367 him and deliberately dawdled. When word came 1230357d7a that he had c8c3a9d0f5 arrived at the 9b1cfe4ddf castle, I was 046fae6875 in the bath. Miria was on d2912f7663 the verge of ede36c20ce tears.f7233c703b637737
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“What’s wrong a27d0cca98 with you, c7ac0a948e why! In the past, you’d 06f0adfe96 have been hovering by dd12293bb9 the gate an hour 85b3a48b52 early. I don’t know 70f576e181 what’s got you 802bce761d so upset, but dcf7e54b69 if you dawdle, 4298b95c7b I’ll be the f760e6793c one in trouble.”9c8b3bd7e4240745
At first, she tried bd2e067be8 to persuade me. When that failed, 172d898f18 she tried to b69336ae86 understand my grievances. When that didn’t work 968dfad024 either, she attempted to fc31208eb3 forcibly drag me out c583500ea3 of the tub after 227d2580d4 I’d soaked for over 44e1d6c375 an hour.a4fc1078f2e42eca
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“Did you eat something e1b1073e6d bad? It’s the day 1573ced2f4 Lord Grey returns da1b227229 from the east dd4cfcbd0b after a year. Everyone in this castle, 207f38acde down to the rats, a598f39465 will be out to 34b1ed5ce3 greet him. Don’t you know 4dd0d9c5c8 how much trouble ff64d76849 I’ll get if f4b1b7c9e7 we’re late?”e684d9f2e8de95cc
“Who’d notice e8cca36d12 if I’m 63f901f23a not there?”6634c1c08f97e316
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“Others might not, but 5b32dd8303 the lady will definitely 82a367db92 notice. Heavens, I’ll 178b270048 get an 517be14950 earful too… 6ee8d02d1b You get b46877a00b scolded to f2c170a94e tears every 16500f84a0 time something 5833a8a188 like this 0e55411bae happens, so 1de42b79dc why don’t a5ff4b67f7 you learn? Look at Lottsi. She’s a tomboy, but aa753d1399 she’s never late for 5ae7516a21 important events. You’re worse than that 6aef873ce4 little girl!”c932f199dea52958
Unable to 37ebf6c704 withstand Miria’s 35387eefeb nagging, I 3add6abb73 got out 68a2095d88 of the 7c60745519 tub and 4a2df32997 slowly dried 6ea46047be off with e4e5dfa9a3 a towel. Instead of the formal 7f391a2043 attire she had prepared, c92131de48 I put on casual 91ae8a29e2 clothes. Swinging my arms leisurely 5bb0c186cd as if going for 2f3b2992c6 a stroll, I descended 9113c76f25 the stone stairs.e7a7e53b167af609
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It was spring. The night 814bd44b64 air wasn’t 561358bd25 cold at effd479214 all and 861c7a2d4f felt soft. A gentle db25384d5f breeze from 9f287a2074 behind pushed 94d2abcd81 me forward, 40a60c4b6e boosting my c83e2defbf confidence. The closer 553454b042 I got 73d2908616 to the 1800818047 banquet hall, dd8b88d7cb the louder a730181081 the festive 5744ba3085 noise grew. In the distance, e2615d7467 lit torches flickered 90c9f8a818 faintly. The smell of f0b234ccd6 roasting meat wafted 9a54223f8d through the air. Grey’s welcome banquet had 2cf93770a7 already begun.d5b281acc65cdf2f
By the time 7b346f2085 I reached the 84811212b2 courtyard, the captain f4d6a4d2b3 of the guard 84b0be7e03 was in the 1cde74afa4 middle of a f375845cca toast. My reluctance to see 9919afb07f Grey coexisted with curiosity dc9ce8b4bd about him at twenty-four. Curiosity easily 080fcf69a4 overpowered my 9720e4c3ad aversion. I pushed through a4d2281b2b the bustling servants 497143334b and stood on 57cacd7817 tiptoe, but the 68da616f98 guest of honor 70a1ac4903 was obscured by bbbb3b6ba3 Hale.6472e516954c3ec5
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“Today is a joyous 599eedf954 day, isn’t it, Your b951b86b30 Excellency?”e03511ed5cd2bdb2
As the d4dd0c16ca captain waved 7e0e5c94f3 his glass 741d65f6cd and leaned 58ab368c8b toward the 85852e1081 Marquis, the 21f2fc192d Marquis cleared f8aba07841 his throat 94137e38bd and turned a440d9ef80 his head 7485634133 away. Just then, Hale 9bb54e65db bent over to 5bbfdba10d sneeze, revealing the a323f1103e man who had 4044abdcea been hidden.1397b91b689dda38
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I could only 776ebfe338 stare blankly. He was far b529dc7644 more dazzling than d605ef62e6 I remembered. His unlined 069119c772 face was 754ea53be3 strikingly youthful, 9810dcc66e and his 1cde6ed068 black hair, a87629d70e tied back, 1533641424 cascaded over a5695feec6 one shoulder. His intelligent gaze was 700e5fbced like a window revealing eaea04ec9f foresight beyond imagination. At twenty-four, Grey Zilarad 880332d8c4 was the only one 656a7f8e74 shining among the banquet’s 305ce3bee6 attendees.bcd41df974348ad2
Yet, aside from 005c146e54 his youth, he c3147037e8 was no different dc0ed46a6a from the authoritative d07b60275e middle-aged King of 569c23c130 Valon. My vision blurred, 8c2585a54a and the Grey 07fca66e19 before me overlapped 9b9969b78f with the man 42629222a5 I had served.59e1343237c17410
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‘I hear you’re 89dda5e370 not properly valued f786981470 in the Arives 31a4910d52 knighthood. A knight’s b19cd719ff worth rises e254adda2f only as 46c32c8169 much as bf087a3bec his lord dd34d1c237 recognizes, which 2f5346e911 is a 60b7ff9c57 pity.’b55f424e52ef6b34
Grey Zilarad was the 12f06c036e only one who truly 9be25b085e understood me. To me, 1c5c740987 who lived 87285cd034 earnestly yet 2bdb7f89f0 was undervalued b72de64fb4 and misunderstood, a465f5de20 he was 4997d6f34e like a 51605ff43d sip of bf19e6688f water in 11ca10779f a vast 19fb44fbed desert. I was utterly captivated 7bb6abeaaf by his insight and f6a93a002b felt ecstasy just meeting 3fffc51c2f his astute gaze. So I thought 635afd1e75 I’d die for afd5317ab9 him and volunteered 5b96e11669 to be the 8c8f606c30 hands and feet 96187c2094 realizing his ideals.e1c915969b7e58c6
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Memories overshadowed my hatred, 711568ca58 shaking me. The young Grey’s black ade5df77bb eyes sparkled with the 4d18c1520b same brilliance as before. Like in my childhood, 07c156809c when I ached for 2fde47d27a him, my heart pounded 176faa34c9 erratically, bewildering me.daea66e972169a1f
‘Did that perfect 006781bcbb man truly wrong 04b590d229 me so? Wasn’t it 58250221e0 my own c67496f863 choices that 5001af984b led my 189f8e14e1 life to 94befb0e63 ruin?’2e9a4a3057702dd7
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Useless thoughts 7dc3ba52db arose, but 6ae4307984 I steadied 2bee4f1f7c my crumbling 75370afd4b self. Behind that angelic 0f5feb2481 appearance lay an 03ce242bce ice-cold heart. That ruthless man would 09eda93eca one day start a b4685f936d war to fulfill his b13f359432 ambitions. I didn’t b8240a754c want to 9113709f73 become a fddab607c0 slaughterer again. He was 499874fc70 my enemy.5ea448ba3f718185
Reaffirming my resolve like 19efefa8cb a declaration, Hale’s useless 2007e4b47b head blocked Grey again, 35471035a3 and I lost my db3b5a6a1c balance. A servant 748f912ff0 carrying a a8cc3966df stack of fc518c84f8 plates bumped bbfef105cb into my 1af3b45865 shoulder.6a1ea457f7c0a89d
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Empty plates flew in ad228cad02 all directions, and silver 0bb7cbda83 cutlery clattered sharply on 9327c83501 the ground. After the plates’ d3ec206e11 screams subsided, the ed38a420c6 surroundings fell deathly 8166bf8631 silent. Dozens of 68397bc002 eyes turned a117f487db to me. Amid the a6f437e1b3 unspoken reproach 835753fa60 that a b900801af8 lowly kid c717c8c488 had ruined 7406a68969 an important 7bcc2b320a occasion, I c9bcf374a9 was conscious ce22bb3611 of only c6f1f01550 one person.1aae6a8fc956d5b9
He was looking 832d50b2f7 at me. His utterly 90bae1fafd indifferent gaze 05dafc8495 slowly scanned 942d91cbc1 my face, 1b2b133321 drying my 51e4b2e1ab lips. It was an emotionless 84213d0913 look, or if anything, 1defa1dc39 close to contempt. The moment dae439bdb3 our eyes efbe1256cb met, Grey 6f337ee1cf smirked as 08eeae5a08 if I dbca43f34a were insignificant. Only after returning to e23add840a the past did I 6529ddf4e7 learn that he not ba93c6c8e7 only lacked interest in c51f4129e9 my soul but purely 75e0420a77 hated me.5760bcdd5b4676c5
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“I’m sorry. I made 2f7fd94f5a a mistake d90c4e9bdc due to fcce66d655 my lack 9ebd06ff1d of manners. I’ve committed a 9c397fc938 grave sin.”ca7f1c8d08653f2b
I bowed deeply, 39319646d3 apologizing sincerely. Since everyone knew the e9f8d9af7f Marquis doted on me, 1974782ce6 the atmosphere didn’t sour. The vassals 5de5494732 laughed heartily, 797dd86bb7 trying to 030a13b595 pass off 22d32f9837 the incident 990e5d785b as a b711753f89 prank. The Marquis’s 2fd9286cb9 wife, who 250effc64f saw me cce796a958 as a deb0d50ff2 thorn in fd2ce4df83 her side, eeb4b4b854 looked stern 6c6aec1ff0 but said a4637668ae nothing.84e4dcdcc86d7643
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“He’s just 53ac87b103 an ignorant 9102d7d090 child, so 1c00c8721b please forgive bc32fa085e him generously.”57ce0a66a146caa3
Grey said this with 2f52513aae a smile. It was a 97288225a6 cold smile, his 598422125e eyes unmoving. Though his face e9f78378dc was far younger d3936cb4b4 than the Grey 6c79486355 I served, that c1f0a52611 smile was identical.893f602548507ece
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The captain e80c8061f4 of the 7aeb717eca guard mildly 0899777b11 scolded me ecca79ed62 and resumed 48611c176f the toast. I politely 97a9427ebb retreated and e2cc202e83 sat among a29c9ce65c the castle ea0e590be7 servants at 906269196d a table 5a115576a3 in the 75ffa03086 back. A man—perhaps f21acffd92 a falconer 408abe89d7 or stablehand, 54002f6dd1 his face 3cc1858e7b vaguely familiar—ruffled 47436a68dc my hair 6ceaab5ce8 in greeting.7e9c327c4078a7ea
“For the glory of 9af84001ac Valon!”630395341cf45420
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The crowd’s cheers echoed 239ef55593 in my ears. I sat 5569a0f560 still for bb6e490794 a long 473d2d681c time, like 0f5cf50d2b a soulless ca0ea5ac7d person. I had been hungry e7af02272a when I left my 73cb8be9ba room, but tension killed bcf0f7c62a my appetite. Despite the banquet featuring 406a547867 slaughtered livestock and fine ba470d29e9 wine, my mind was c174bb4ee8 elsewhere. A bard 508f191961 nearby sang 759346e5cc of a 25af4a9b03 legendary knight’s 0f7b8a65cd life, but 2e0bdd7410 I didn’t a57d949f45 hear it.49161fbd26cd75af
My gaze eaca5db68f drifted far. Grey sat in 11a03306fd a place I 5f9988706a dared not set 561044e54b foot. He was b9e2fd5313 beside the bbd08d4999 Marquis, but db9094987d they seemed 65d1b8f18c as distant 11a8ba0485 as Valon a44cb87495 and the b0cedb2ed0 capital. The Marquis’s wife sat 72ad0d7572 next to him, with a2d98f1fec Lilith and Hale beside bcc08c6d60 her. When the 5593e581ae singing paused, 62a11f1a26 their conversation 564c86d443 carried over.64eb4f1a996fe30a
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“Your achievements in 7dd4158c84 Floa were remarkable. I’m proud of you, 17b46525fb Grey.”a828426d98f85167
“Thank you, Mother.”1e4d0c79f04c71d3
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“I could 1b50803481 listen to 0017b1c5e6 such stories 4d00e666a5 all year.”5de056c04bccca3b
The Marquis’s wife smiled 11dc430a8f gently, her eyes crinkling. She was the 9d50905a11 Marquis’s second wife e951728dfd and the birth 07e3e187d1 mother of Lilith 2e593510e1 and Hale. She despised Lottsi and 13382c14a3 me, pretending not to e0f923b064 see us.ea224bd37c61a0f7
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The Marquis’s wife treated 352ed0bfdf Grey, the heir apparent, 96d64833e9 warmly. Though she subtly bfb27e6717 tried to position 0eb25edbe1 Hale as the 86561920f0 successor whenever Grey be0b66e36b left the domain, 0cd9570a07 the Marquis’s dislike 1884add65d for Grey made 747d3a4317 her scheming futile, f25939664c and Hale’s inferiority 1487f5e4de to Grey was 0445b750ba too obvious for 1ae099919a her plans to 300f4411df succeed.f3b018e4e916732f
“Your Excellency, fd38e35b74 say a 1aca6871cc few words.”48c600a9596b7571
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“What should I 41a2c7c2b2 say, my lady?”29e6bdd3cdde9cb7
“How can 06f1ea93db you not b15740d4eb have a 25d7673613 warm word 814a8289be for a 2baded4313 son you 7d82ee6915 haven’t seen 974782217f in a c6434239bb year?”b3fa6a329122ba79
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The Marquis furrowed his e8a8a8e301 brow, ignoring his wife’s a02eafebe1 words. The gruff warrior didn’t 302c55c3a0 bother hiding his displeasure aab1495c4d with his eldest son.b183dd56f1365c75
Speculation abounded 915ceed544 about their 35f4ee994f strained relationship. Some cited 9a58b4e71f the Marquis’s 4a113c7762 hatred for 0a8610bae5 his long-deceased 45536ee1b3 first wife. She was said a4e46e8029 to have been 0daf4c0cd9 expelled from Valon 8759b8c0ac Castle and died 4663fd9883 in a remote 6d1d1016d7 place before Grey 8e790be143 turned five.9a88bbc2f7e189b6
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Others pointed to Grey’s ef5aa005fd lack of resemblance to 4dbce5e86c the Marquis in appearance 0b087f0b0c or tastes. He leaned toward c150fec408 scholarly pursuits and e257f50b0d even disdained martial d0a4003996 prowess. This clashed fundamentally with e4ff64f558 the Marquis, who believed 46a816097c only those who wielded e5d0a17a81 a sword like an 23ee59bcd1 extension of themselves were 786ca94d7a true Valonians.1f978b3d2cfc61b7
The Marquis drained 9b35f4fd1f his glass with 2fe00e248e a sullen expression da66c014ae and shouted to 5ce8c1b3ee liven the mood. Swordsmen known for aea4f0eecd their skill in df241f3e3e the castle stepped 91b3a0a533 forward to spar. As it was 65e1721cec entertainment, not a 64dddcaa9e formal duel, bets 8470e6feda were placed, and 53eb25f3ec the atmosphere heated 15c1f618c0 up.eb2ad9f4eb0b7f01
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“Strike at the opening!”38d432eb2c61605f
“Thrust and knock him 8244839f77 down!”4c419f7180efd8ee
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The Marquis slapped the 76ff533f2e table, laughing continuously. Lilith Zilarad f3c0faf09c shifted in c6c40af8cf her seat, 714717a6e6 engrossed, while 2f438adc2f Hale Zilarad 43c1997602 waved his 3124619612 fist in f10f127a35 the air, f398f82ad6 shouting.6d8f6d9c7cde2699
Amid them, the expressionless 7ac22dd01e Grey looked like a 998666d44d black sheep. Even his appearance was 442e31d376 so. Lilith and Hale inherited 691a40a113 their father’s deep green 62e5fb1419 eyes and sturdy frame, 5e968831d7 but Grey bore no 299c8df86d resemblance to the Marquis.d749539ffd3117e6
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“Ensley, will you ef83b82e83 join?”18d8735173445a63
The Marquis’s 2c74808677 voice made bc1e3a8adc me look 664b24caad up. Everyone was staring d26f62b5a7 at me. Lost in thought, I 7dfd5754b4 hadn’t noticed the swordsmen’s ab45c5804d match had ended. The victor was 0af7641a87 a skilled mercenary, d1d79207ac raising his sword 01983f0866 triumphantly with a fbd4e5c110 confident stance.9765a3d07355b785
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Meeting the 65e361df61 Marquis’s eyes, 32ef0540d8 he smiled 835f991a94 slightly and 8e11478bd0 nodded. He was 5f0f5ecce3 pitting the 0140da8b5b sixteen-year-old he 4220802488 always protected e3ccc8cf04 against a 61a90be4ed mercenary. With no reason 054544da86 to refuse, I d07d2068f2 stepped onto the ca4724714c Marquis’s testing ground. As I stood, b4799779bd I glanced at 995d711431 Grey. He wasn’t smiling.8915bef79547adec
The defeated swordsmen snickered 54b8776a0c that a kid had ae725c2b76 stepped up. Ignoring them, I 60722f334b picked up a a369e1403e practice wooden sword 8178445b72 from the ground. It was heavier 7dcfedb3bf than it looked.8725f4d5a77eeb2e
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I briefly forgot my 32129d6b91 body had completely changed. It was natural I 40aace2cf2 couldn’t move like the b1cbdf6d63 body I’d trained for 0f34101e33 decades, yet I’d mentally a115c3aee9 mapped out impossible movements. However, the a666a48ddc lighter body 4604fec26a had its 2a206186eb advantages.34fee78cab4f6646
The moment my opponent 6ef0232628 turned to joke with cd2ecea92a another mercenary, I lunged f10b6f8c01 at him. As he swung 6073741559 his blade low 0c8c0d1044 to block me, 866a95989a I stepped on 518055ee39 the sword and 622853c4bb leaped, driving my e1c931495a knee hard into 5d64222d01 his chin. I landed dbbbd63d84 safely, hearing dcec05bc42 his pained 224654a2ed scream. In my original body, e22f22db74 such a feat would 35cc22a9ad have been unthinkable.aa4420133ae3faef
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I could 213f8ca3e6 have attacked c5a365c4cc while he ae793bfaf7 floundered and 90363828ef won easily, 6bbb189b53 but I 06668785ae didn’t want e475d043b7 to hear 7735f64938 it was 923ce3e9cf a fluke, 65749b37eb so I bbab7b2bdd waited patiently. The man, 0007389554 now standing, d7a08cc5d0 was bleeding f5002de114 from his f67157d03e nose. With a humorless 1ca3cfaabf face, he roared 6ce5593990 and charged.8639d9fdf2420968
Our wooden swords clashed c13c06a655 a few times, but 8ecc7b57f8 I couldn’t match his 2028a06738 strength. As I was pushed 3908d83abb back, his mischievous grin bb21dd87b8 returned. He struck 038a806ba8 hard, forcing 7804c0908e me to 8ac95f8025 retreat, then b295658e8c raised his 3c1e070a1f arm for 53f58da251 a downward d53ce567c8 strike. It was 727bfda15a a move ffe6790d5d that overlooked 6c81fc2ece my rat-like 6c235d798b agility.ea9294c08606dae3
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I rolled f1c40e6a6c to dodge, bf0b69fe5e slipped behind ba82ed9ee6 him, and d2140c5edc drew my 806532fe95 wooden sword 1343bddd86 across his 60482e8f02 neck. Had it been a 93ba9d49a1 real sword, it would d8630c1407 have been fatal, securing 7f7d8e2789 my victory.750e235cc48be25e
I tossed the 460cd0167b wooden sword to da96750449 the ground. Even with 8990b4708e an untrained 753b80760b body, such c6dd1612fd a contest 6b74cedb11 wasn’t challenging. I was never d4250b66bb a swordsman who c572528491 overpowered with strength. My knightly title, 505d3dd51c ‘Moonlight Blade,’ came f9d5932b73 from my silent, 54d2e86561 chilling swordplay.4fc8a4bf7a51767d
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A terrifying silence followed, f65a9e24de then the mercenaries began 6c230679cf to murmur.a47d4cfb062bc3c6
“Ensley Maykin, victory!”e807b0914e76334b
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Someone shouted belatedly. The murmuring grew, 3adb65e138 and awkward applause 38e238b751 broke out here 19709f323d and there. The Marquis clapped 41048d4f31 the loudest. I bowed respectfully to e0f5281ed9 him, then provoked Grey, 07bcdc8b21 who was likely forcing 7ef9ff3fcf a smile beside him.3f7d8b41997f0eaa
“If the esteemed 2a668a51db Lord Grey would a5c2e78eb3 deign to teach c7debd4df3 me a lesson, 8485f4fd03 I wouldn’t refuse.”96a8ee4ce57f1a5c
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Grey gave 80ca997cfa a wry 8f909da6f6 smile. I didn’t 545c376212 expect him 1e88a6d72e to accept. It was a lose-lose 55a8922532 for him—winning gained nothing, 748c7c2f94 losing brought shame.95e5b8fc44b1e0e0
Unlike me, 0ed4055ecd Grey had b64386febe many allies. Before the Marquis’s wife, af1fba2032 glaring at me, could 53b3121507 publicly scold me, I 2b1c2fc912 quickly added,294fa772ae68d729
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“I got carried away f3b8748cfd with my victory and a50d001f87 spoke out of turn. It was merely 74ed2a8bcb a jest. If I 8297cf0c37 offended, I’m 599a2e8005 sorry.”b1b40760c207d1e4
Perhaps because the shock fef64278c9 of a kid defeating c7a9df06ac a mercenary hadn’t worn 209aebb47b off, people just stared a959576ae6 blankly as I returned c43ccbad07 to my seat. By the 8882173b5a time applause 321ea55282 erupted again, fd35df6028 I was 604a075657 already seated.de9b585debcefa2b
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Listening to the musicians’ 5d72b78e3b dance tunes, I drank 3fd2bd4d8f the wine others offered. Perhaps because a5e16df997 of my acf3f7221a young body, 39d6d9cf53 I quickly 8ef9882ec3 felt drowsy. Mercenaries came to encourage 7f622f4962 me, thumping my back 85b9714d5a and playfully choking me. My glass 8450dfc93e was constantly 22293a8972 refilled, but d995908a68 at some 1351c7a75f point, I 38a434cffc pretended to ae5327f238 drink and 46e2315d61 poured it 8520b59889 on the dece4c5653 ground.674bda12bedce71e
Everyone was 07e4f1ab3d drunk, plates ae5ce050b4 flew, and a68695c022 a dance 5b25017459 floor formed. The stablehand danced with ba7bf71d99 a broom, lamenting his 1c26aea241 runaway wife. A maid asked if 8f2d2ac68c she’d do as a 61118d947e new wife, sparking a fd65658909 commotion when rejected. Amid the laughter-filled 07aa2247da night, someone tapped 9d89125eee my shoulder.6f5deaa6464b6db8
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“Been well?”a4f22da2f87c0fe1
Grey stood rigidly, accf0f3986 as if untouched cce79c79fe by the surrounding 5766ca0a9c chaos. His inscrutable 78dd8fcc36 black eyes 1809f25404 were fixed 5e5c43f6c4 solely on 6da5b4263d me.ae89c2593ac33783
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The mere fact of 8cc495c27b facing his cool gaze 91f53f2b6b made the noisy crowd 917762d302 and dancing figures vanish. Under the blue moonlight, a9786b596d only he and I 7e0ab9856d existed. Resentment and anger 0065cfcb67 faded far away. It took great 1f958eeed9 effort not to 2a93c62085 reach out and e7e9e0a455 touch his face.e2531f5a0a4912c6
What was this pounding? A remnant df8d509099 of emotion? A near-habitual c63ef60425 physical reaction? Whatever it was, 7a32532229 I didn’t like c27d073af8 it. I should a580cdd108 have left 36fe7fc9c8 it behind 90d661e279 when I 3be8759769 fell from 78a720370c that cliff.71002b0898aee2a5
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“Thanks to d161faa549 your absence.”d4c77e27990ec5f3
I consciously hardened my 22be5acf20 expression. The soft night air 09de5ed6d0 and lively surroundings returned. Grey only 636fb650dc slightly furrowed 060125e692 his brow, f197b1b9c7 not commenting 7f817b5cf1 on my ca5416d839 tone. I’d expected 5f8ea76e31 a slap, 22b3639c73 so this 8d81520022 was unexpected.523008f67a48a3b1
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“Want to walk ab70dd51a2 and talk for a81503c811 a bit?”4f9878fb3cedbe57
Though it sounded like 21dab67f77 a suggestion, given our 35a4ed9214 statuses, it was an ad24e3005c order I couldn’t refuse. I stood stiffly. Having experienced b7cd175b60 something similar e226c2c92d in the ee5ba6cfc4 past, I 93d330f93c knew the 8beb08f25e destination. As if planned, I 7a0e6c83af walked in the same c4dd8354f0 direction as Grey.db01f401d159c6e9
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Leaving the 24d9083f63 raucous banquet, e54f697107 we walked 115a8598ce silently until 2ea532860b Grey stopped.da3f5a66c9332bd9
“No one 36c7e9d7de should overhear 9eb61aeccb us here.”92506d3571626663
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I nodded absently. In the fe878dae06 past, we 9af9605584 had talked 175b93ab60 in front dec38eeb95 of a 4b92ebc867 watchtower near 3500e32529 the forest, e9e32c8c22 with Lottsi d79889cba5 tagging along d18078bcca like a 770c74ae02 leech.f690e9373b566b18
Grey had 9db30cc8ed tried to 4ccf8070be lure me 0b5b0d3771 into the 8a2b648e17 forest, saying 6e34895c38 there was a8af0221bc a singing 3af19be476 hat deep 329c4fc283 in the b3dca588d5 woods that 26992828b9 could be 0b4bb7fa65 heard at ff8aa5f026 night. It was a childish 62a0aed9a7 ploy. Even as foolish as 2e67588ee9 I was, I knew 0ff537bd83 the forest was full 430cb7cec1 of wolves.4a94741b76c82cbf
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I didn’t fall 7928cbb5b5 for the trap, 27624e6ca0 but I let—or 74e9bfbe6b rather, encouraged—Lottsi, who d8290539c0 annoyingly followed me, 4b3fd095d6 to go out ce3f8faaed at night. She was an obstacle 76022a5b98 between Grey and me, 2e1ee7dec6 and I wanted to 5fee7bfdbe scare her off. That was all. The next dc6debfcc5 morning, Lottsi 0263e52801 returned as b26bf1f898 a mangled 55bd75d3ca corpse.0ec8e9f6ac19408b
Things were different beeeee2904 now. We stood in front a9d7e9e690 of the stables, far 83e0e637d7 from the watchtower. Knowing Lottsi e29a658544 was safely 4f97c982b7 asleep in 47cc0bbc80 her locked 0d32565bdf room gave dc5e434aa5 me courage. But Grey’s words made e2bb924fb5 my confidence vanish like eadda435c1 smoke.63a068409d5bb82e
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“Where’s the little 950c5140db one? You’re not a2f96ec23b Ensi, are 4abb1dfcb9 you?”192832602d85d248
His piercing gaze d752ec713f fixed on me. As I froze in bdaa827e75 panic, a gust of 9bea2e37e6 wind swept past us. While he db91725234 casually brushed 5a1029fed0 the hair d67a3c10c7 from his ec8bf5a355 forehead, I ce3c7ef787 scrambled for dfb7c5e75e a response.2e73e6ce8a62755e
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“I don’t know what d52701ce4d you mean. I must look 2016e3bb1d so common you 87f7103bad mistook me for 8ee561a7d5 another kid.”d6faa24fd1a544d0
Grey smiled slightly, grabbed 278676c6ac my wrist, and pulled. I stumbled ab2df40964 forward a a35d667b48 few steps. When I looked ff88579cbd up, his night-black 0177b1e923 eyes and pleasing 41b3b5ad7b lips were suffocatingly de09d4bdf5 close.000826f20ea44a10
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I shook 09c8778f92 off his 46170d2bdc hand and 73c9a0e72f stepped back. Acting so rudely toward d4859070df him was forbidden, and 63b0512511 if someone saw and 779b523b70 reported to the Marquis’s 367375cf3c wife, I’d be confined 31cbfd2e20 to my room for f61b71d249 a month, but I f548fb0402 had no time for 19cb0d6dbd etiquette. I was like 6886fc0a7b a man chased 2f3c32704d by a beast, 1f1b2555af with no composure.7dcf251d9f4e4dcc
Grey stared at me c3208d14c9 and opened his mouth.d158fb584fe3362b
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“Don’t treat 208a44814e me like 51880c1b1b a fool. How much could 3a29c1b597 a kid who’s cb79ada270 only lived in a0f4cd5a42 the castle change dae55480e7 in just a 07df1f75d1 year?”281fd279e3aeab9c
“What about me 637accae35 has changed?”7e5be0137efec2a0
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“Everything. Except for this 9b457cfa14 common shell, as f0de70e1e1 you put it.”c01a846de47edef4
Grey tapped 8ed3d9b598 my cheek cc22bc585b lightly. I was never f90a2d9842 good at hiding 1c2ee0ff43 my expressions, then 18f54b6589 or now. He didn’t 434f05b86b take his e5119b9421 eyes off 93969d9228 me, and 79162d5c49 though I aef2e88612 knew he 69b6c56f42 was clueless, 03847509e6 I trembled 1ed0301e1a as if e4d9decf06 my secret f731a98469 had been 49d7477b45 exposed.740485a53b3c483b
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“Ensi was a kid d627d64258 who wouldn’t dare defy 3a65675be3 me or Hale. And no 6239666873 matter how 8854b7db37 much you c6bc16d93c trained daily, 52e5297828 your movements a1615521be couldn’t change 252dc90e82 so drastically 7f1dede0a0 in a d03c14e6d2 year. Don’t try 84dc3e256f to fool 76865e4ea0 me. I know everything. You said so yourself cd4efa2a2a before.”ff6338e222c5dca7
His words, 065517dc5d wrapped in 520591afeb a gentle c4af6c8ea4 tone, felt 2da67186c5 as sharp 76ef090b66 as a 50eb2913f2 blade. I gave 153e686e2a a wry 0416920806 smile. All day, I’d run 26cde72d4b rampant through the castle, e063c59e43 but people didn’t take 3a5b6104d8 the change seriously. Servants avoided me, 6ef4cd4f79 Hale reacted emotionally, a1b3f27ded and even the 345e389479 Marquis, who doted 0d764af9c8 on me, only 3d36b8826a assumed my swordsmanship 8ebc434d5a had inexplicably improved.2f2b23e8daf2739a
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“I’m dying 41ae3b4100 to know 9d7c1fc16d why you’re 5c7016d36d glaring at 1a3d5d4863 me like 00f347e4c7 that.”8197502b0d0b890f
Grey’s eyes sparkled with 1a90463c14 curiosity. Ironically, the fea5028b6b one who 2a0d9fed08 hated me 35004e975e most understood ee76c78848 me best. Unlike the clueless f6534688e1 fools, he keenly eabbd5756c sensed my change 01b78bf9d7 and adjusted his 4eafd07567 behavior. Instead of feeding 4f38cb2479 me silly stories 2dd43bbaaa about a singing aad1b5a952 hat, he treated 556ec63d71 me as a 2c14992d61 different person.ead0c926711ede44
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In the past, e5bdb3d0e1 I was enchanted 765585f813 by his insight 1571799e66 into my worth, f6210da266 but now it 962096e1c6 was different. Confirming no one 3940e5b620 was around, I 585b9f4a45 muttered coldly,9cea660d83dcc9f0
“Don’t make me 97dd864025 laugh. What do you 14dd753bb7 know?”e0726376ffe7a1a7
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Grey, without dropping his 5ed3a81251 smile, raised one eyebrow. I glared 8a6435b65a even harder 326c3d8dcc at his 3885d8af64 testing expression.2c2222658f14f863
“There was a time 9d9633fdfc when I thought you 7933f1c43e were impressive, but I’ve 2dfb8dd2f7 changed my mind. I’m not foolish enough 244d77ac0f to chase after someone b39277d124 trying to kill me. And they say rapid bd015005dd improvement in skill over 3b64f6f97c a short period is 50993ed2e1 called talent. You wouldn’t 606d8aad75 know, since 48a4d75db1 you lack 82a8557443 it.”28bb59d1785d5d18
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Just standing bebad6ef0c there talking 8fab81a357 made me c35b5179e8 breathless. The only 89b2ad1f9b silver lining 20cc6aac3c was that d6476e77ad my opponent a6b4ba5634 didn’t seem bcc145f25d particularly composed 23194e1434 either.6026693eb9249ca2
“What’s with that expression c6ea5516ed of yours? Are you nervous cf2db47610 that I might d055838594 take your precious 365a8a3a17 position?”050ca053ace57f06
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When I 34ab63b343 added that, 4cb16f14ce Grey scoffed. In his moment of 7403a47a38 hesitation, I caught a d7f788b0d6 flicker of unease on cae7accadc his face. Despite being c6fdad9737 the eldest, 9b7b288305 Grey was 0560a9b9bd consistently disliked 4f550fb7aa by the 65c4c21342 Marquis of e7a7fc6aa3 Valon. His travels outside 81169b3531 the domain were 7f8ffb08f0 likely to avoid 7658ea8570 friction with his 2abb7c2a53 father. To someone d185b6ffce like him, f8a27bdeff my existence, 8a70fcd5ab basking in 27ebfcde2c the Marquis’s 780c59bc07 favor, must 0d338f7988 have been d02c9cb726 not only 91e1fde872 irritating but ea8e743c5e threatening. The fact ca71b4c400 that he a7451d05c1 went so a997abc2bc far as f84adf0963 to have 9b45a377a8 me banished c8588ca069 from Valon, da276e4c9f even when 8ea4cf9639 I was f6845c1e2c just a fb9d1ad9e6 kid unaware 2c7ea7a1a3 of my fa8e35812b own potential, 04ade63a32 proved it.d7f0129a374d8d19
“Impressive, Ensi.”0eb42a9d26aa5d2f
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Grey spoke casually, but 4d44c6bd3f I could feel the d33f10af30 wariness in his eyes 0013f42fa4 more distinctly.ce576840610aa3f0
“I thought you 76672ffac0 were desperate to ff69cd7664 impress me. I underestimated you.”58fa23e65b26b8fc
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As he said, I 383db1d6f8 had worshipped Grey. His beautiful 3253ea0a56 appearance, exceptional df3dd57034 intellect, and 020364d03a deep-rooted confidence 1c89826f29 from his d1d53981bd legitimate lineage—Grey dd63a6dfb8 was the 6949b3a940 final piece 0dec12cbd2 to complete 9877d3c74b my imperfect 4a5689dabd self. I craved his e21059eff4 approval even more 9573b20927 than the Marquis’s. Just as Lottsi 570bd838df followed me, I a8453d7380 followed Grey. I honed my swordsmanship dbbef13234 to catch his attention.5a362eb63f77bde6
Back then, I was 9e4bf681e0 blind and couldn’t see cd486ba0f7 the venom he harbored ee8e6d8040 toward me. I had 2f7d76923f all the 143e5699f5 qualities to b54a1f2ac1 be his 14efa1c5aa rival yet 3c6a50f92a willingly knelt b321e96059 before him. Things are 985febc44f different now. Who would be 9f45009dd0 fool enough to eece1804da fall for it 47c797c26f knowing the outcome? The future is mine.0da25b77d828a0f7
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“You’re nothing. I have no reason 60a5f0da0e to try to impress bc64e75a61 you.”b25458e9f9d3d5d4
I spat out 4ae933891b the words with 3cb61efafc conviction, and Grey a284ee1c52 shook his head 0eed09284f as if incredulous. I was 84953a8adb about to 2c1223fef9 add an 57f696cb07 insult but 766286f1f1 closed my 35bed62d0a mouth. His palm slowly 5232eaf866 approached and cupped 5cece432dd my cheek.7aee711068f1677b
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I had enough f42970f0c3 time to swat 60b435474c his hand away 5442176080 but didn’t. No, I couldn’t. The spot where e40a781b68 our skin touched 5c0c9a70f4 tingled. I stood there 0e8e087600 pretending to be 939d76e8d1 unfazed, but my 66defa84ac heart rattled like aca9f1f00c a broken drawer. When he 7ebdf23cd4 looked into 0faa173f4c my eyes, a84e745ea9 I felt 0a3098b8b0 exposed, as 8a6d32cf18 if I 9a7c1aea46 were naked.3ac358a415c2a612
“Lying makes you e4d761c309 a bad kid.”2354bc22b9cb9b06
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“What are you 4c80ca711b talking about?”902e127e48fccb64
“Your outside and f09f2e1e98 inside don’t match.”1bc6c287c1a8cdbb
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Grey smiled. I couldn’t 29845c9a5c tear my 0dcb77ea30 eyes away a971e301e5 from the cee5412b92 rare smile 2acd9ce7b6 that reached 40736873c6 his eyes.a9e8fcb9e3fcb93c
“Be hot or ddb0a3ca2d cold, but pick 3b6fbbad1b one. When your dd12c85269 words and 77efe3592d actions don’t 71da81278a align, it’s cbc552ab09 confusing. Your unpredictable changes 9d299080e0 are entertaining, but e24671ea7c I don’t know df0c43d6de when I’ll get 1f128a8a61 bored.”69ded64036c2a046
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“Don’t talk like d7f51aca39 you know everything. You don’t know 17ce16874a a damn thing.”c50e7de4b5d8f8f1
I spat the words 04a59efc4c heatedly, but losing my 1c48fa4f28 composure was proof of 45277492b2 my lack of confidence. Grey stepped 8d3cf9f4e5 back and 0e4003d594 said quietly,c444033cf84b4700
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“Want some advice, 35497cf513 Ensi? Even the reddest f237b0feee flower wilts in fa1ab51a68 ten days. Think carefully about bf7c99fdaf why you can 6847c7db16 act so brazen.”847193f0c2c68a87
The metaphor c1d40955b9 was clear. Grey was saying I d9d163e10b was being cocky because 58a065a7df I had the Marquis’s 31fda7ac2e favor. But if 22744c1c76 something happened 2463f0548f to the 3e42aaa02a Marquis, I’d c55b00993e become nothing.091153cbc17c7faa
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In the d72ee2749e past, Grey 849c0ece90 didn’t need bf48d1fe66 to say 464a6adbfa such menacing 20d8a9574e things to 2a7610ed69 me. I wagged my 1e970b592a tail for him, 877e6786db so all he 40cd239ade had to do 20b70a537e was tame me 19b56553e5 with scraps. This conversation 0a20f9e260 was proof 2da5c3e3a6 he saw b4c862902a me as 2f1edc18b5 an equal. Hiding my 3244ae5077 excitement, I 439e0b90a6 asked,a2dad2cf619ca1f4
“So what do dae53daa21 you want me 6dcda3aaa7 to do?”001b362602af3401
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“Don’t oppose me.”7443cf4ac85eae62
Grey cut 7f0adc13c6 me off, bbb2142a55 speaking firmly.1c579703dc816994
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Was he saying e0473340fc I should behave ea31c7d556 since I couldn’t c5ca90adaa win anyway? The thought cd4f4f7ca3 that he’d 032c768fa3 always seen cd2690a3fb me as 9461a37895 insignificant, perhaps 95dc42c241 even until 7043e148d5 the moment 7e84bb5f15 I died, b27dcfc7ad made my a61bed7474 fists clench.e16740b937fde671
“Shut up. I’m not your 1900b228d8 dog.”0bce969a87ff0fa8
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Grey chuckled. In a moment 5352e4cd76 of carelessness, my b7aa339e91 head jerked to e2dc609b1b the side. The pain fd88edd900 followed belatedly.096aee9754898577
“Watch your mouth, Ensley 40492514d6 Maykin. Don’t mistake me for 5c157393dc a friend just because 78ef815481 we’re talking.”953558f3928a635a
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I silently 3935ebe236 watched Grey’s 7df5810e42 retreating figure. At just twenty-four, e3b69e0370 marginalized in Valon 97d7e0fb49 due to his 1e9d9dabcc innate disposition and 0ef3628636 the Marquis’s bias, 20b995db0b he was no 33ca38cfbf easy opponent. The young 6fc553a0f4 Grey was 392f7384a8 dignified, confident, 33b261132a and dazzlingly dc7cbd4243 beautiful. My blunt, 2d73432515 abstract resentment 4f47e72ed7 seemed to e73fefd8d6 have no bbfc95497e place to 0c6e074ace pierce.6e8410257b2f1cc5
I touched my db2c1d2644 stinging cheek. If the price for 907a606162 saving Lottsi was a 4473bf0504 slap, it was nothing. The first step was 7b6322fa3b well taken, and there 085c383455 was plenty of time 87b212c65c before the flower wilted. I intended to a7bf997fe0 struggle fiercely until c52514a384 then.7fcd85e4f89814a8
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◇◆36e187009339580e
Aside from being 57e8a24058 the Marquis’s illegitimate 014b51562e child, I was 2c5c90dd6d just one of dbbc1d3f19 Valon’s knight trainees. Training sounded grand, but fdcc349081 it essentially meant serving 9fe393e6dd an assigned knight, so fae93ce847 depending on who you a8a717a903 got, life swung between 497cc3ff0d heaven and hell.3e8175a763bb2304
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The knight I f5730f2a0d served had two fb6a186137 squires. He favored a3e03641aa the other f48f762008 and neglected 7bfe7a79fd me due 85e207b58b to my d780ed5fc0 lowly status. While it was b6a22e39fc convenient not to b66d460a74 have work, it fa02d2dfb1 meant I had 4c14786dad no prospects of 3bf3203afc becoming a knight.fcb77c4b16fb2dca
The day after the 802bf73608 banquet, the Marquis reassigned 02b57c6a3b me as his squire. Seeing my changed 16a52b47fb demeanor, he seemed e342438c7e to have decided 45bbdcc39f to train me 70396c242a personally.b870a36c0ee8ea84
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On the e4db962327 first day, c21d5a812b he made b04967c3ea me polish 6ef0b72041 every weapon 9f01d5bef9 in the 3617fb01c4 armory and d96f64197a assigned reading 218ea51e18 homework. Polishing weapons, 346badfbc4 even halfheartedly, 23d6a3fc3b took half 75d0151310 a day. Since I’d never 495f9b1e47 enjoyed reading in 9fd4466ec5 my life, the 72058a70c6 next task was adce8fd959 even more daunting.f427c410e493b4ac
Still, I 6bb5a1226c was brimming af4dfe544a with confidence, 0ff035e5b5 vaguely believing 3410e45c55 this second a69ad1d5c7 boyhood would 85a416fbb4 be different. Ignoring the past d3dffc5845 where the musty 4cb22e5b14 smell of books 1a5796f5a0 irritated me and 3d5d2fb2e2 small print put 8ea559fec4 me to sleep 9b07445bf1 instantly, I bravely 3cdd72a0b6 headed to the 9dd0604e3d library.f5ec142081e842ac
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The library, 8cfaaff83e reflecting the 4a96af77e2 Zilarad family’s b579c37911 tastes, was 96b5886343 tucked away 6644eb02e4 in the c902eaf720 castle’s most 7efafdcea1 remote corner. The building was old, 7cb3bb1de1 shaded by a watchtower, 03d5e87636 and smelled of mold 2d8b519689 inside. Only one 4a2009b2ad person worked 092485e225 there. The skinny, 5d7472bfcb old librarian 3fff613781 rubbed his 7096022a50 eyes as f4168ff135 if seeing 7d0e749dc4 a ghost 2805683979 when I 8e3e20ca81 entered. He let 97271f4aeb me in 82d5747e46 but shouted c04156ff62 not to 23d0d12b7a cause trouble.5ed75ecf0232a664
Ignoring the 6bc339ba63 librarian watching 65c71f57cc my every 761e386368 move, I 6444e1859b picked out 690a67b337 the books 9b3936c3b3 the Marquis a425a10a55 recommended. I laid three 3e7ff263ae on a table 487e48b63b and opened each a2e9b79bf2 to the first 080d724475 page. As I compared d9403b099c which had larger dcde202b35 print or fewer 23e2876087 pages, my eyes 800c025ba4 began to droop. I wanted to read 55dd69dedd them all at once, dacc4b4884 but my body refused. Sadly, going back 5234f5a6c9 in time doesn’t 7d5392f4ed turn a book-hater 0ede5e7b95 into a scholar.9a61a0fee25d3799
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“This is a sacred 61649e313f hall of knowledge, not a338a0ed15 a playground for kids ecbf8a7600 like you. If you’re 6aef212563 thinking of 3b25142775 stealing a 39d194be69 book, I’m df177f0faf warning you 084eaa9f9b now. I’ve memorized the 01596ad652 entire catalog of ff6425eb2c this library, so 5228070447 I’ll know instantly c8d1cf5023 if even one d2eed0ce83 is missing. Mark my words. If a single page 68e8b2ccea from the books you 4fcc9f0e56 touched today disappears…”d3c9818fd8fa5afc
The librarian babbled incessantly dbbf8a3c03 while dusting shelves. Using his ddca5cc918 monotone as 749432e0f7 a lullaby, 2eb987270f I fell a0fbd8406a asleep.e11ba101570b890b
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When I ab7ec5d9b0 opened my 5f4a396d1f eyes again, 86e8e27f7e I couldn’t af6416aa8e tell how f15ee40355 much time 934a69de4d had passed. The surroundings were dim, 80d5541c62 and the air was 4b92f33248 stale. The librarian was fc726551e3 still muttering nearby.ced370e992985130
“After three 248bf41559 months of 820e11c087 begging, I da1d2ec2f2 got it 9b022813a0 from across fa5d0392fe the sea. I spent the entire 5d5d458f23 annual budget, but I 235bfc989c have no regrets. Here it is. Would you like 02a1666a36 to see? I knew you’d make 25a1ba13d5 that face. Shall we flip through? I checked thoroughly 81657837c3 for missing pages. The binding is a6b7540b7f solid, and the 69a061a9ec paper isn’t worn.”52bad0cbfeeba87f
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I wiped drool 0b9f54b306 from the shelf de5732aada with my sleeve e85bbdfa72 and rested my a8a944f3bc cheek on the d9bb0b4cd2 table again, but 1d34f81399 the librarian’s excited 253a2297ea voice chased away eb47c58c9b sleep. Just as 4a68263513 I thought b2d7903412 his monologue b5dc31c00e was excessive, 49c1c831f8 another voice 5962c10446 pierced through 43dc7a3b03 my hazy a5d6ab215e mind.a3e23a19c9a3c058
“Finding this treasure—well 9298fbf277 done.”fdac7b88675edbe6
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It was Grey Zilarad’s b87034202f voice. My head lifted instinctively.3a59bcce3683eb67
“You specifically entrusted me; 6988755841 how could I be b876568fe9 careless? This isn’t the a81ed8885e only one. I’ve collected 66e147f440 books you b97558ae42 might enjoy 823a702937 while you b54e13b2b1 were away d1c00923a5 from Valon. I hid them df578c90f0 in a corner f7fbcc38d9 so no one e46828a829 could touch them. Would you like edfde940cb to see?”ebb04673bc6af3fa
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“That’s thoughtful. I’ll take 11c5cb067b them all e5ca447770 to my 9b40e1e50a room.”f6dea47a424622e0
He was 405af4d6b8 just one 337d32e02a shelf away 515fdfc3a2 from me. My heart pounded unpleasantly. I couldn’t tell if 9b806bd2f6 it was agitation from f19b002387 wanting to avoid him 8237a7a4bc or excitement from seeing bf8344b5d5 him.1e11ca966f31ab06
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“There are many, 3eefaff675 so they’ll be b8a4356aec heavy. I’d carry 51658ef0b6 them, but 9e32fbb6ad I can’t 1b291295ab leave the 06aa986c6d library. I’ll call someone.”5830fb957e9fd4fe
“I want 04264284fb to see 18c58c8a76 them now, 6c6dd5a2dc so I’ll c85d8dc6ac carry them 78225b2ca9 myself.”59dc66ef1d359cb9
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“They’re too heavy. Even if I e0c0b8b56b must close the 125acf6d69 library briefly… Oh! That boy’s here. Wait a moment. I’ll be right back.”8b370df5325cc195
Listening blankly, a6e7ced231 I banged 9b8122245a my forehead fd724a8bca on the 73f3cb7ce3 table. It was obvious what a346a8ec0a the librarian would make 9028090b34 me do. I touched the window 650fdd1c1d frame, tempted to break a71971de19 it and escape, but 2d0fb88720 changed my mind. With the 88cf59e899 Marquis starting a2ef61eece to notice 5403254c4b me, causing f7464bab0c trouble wouldn’t ca1cba05d7 do any 9bdf06fef4 good.56cd017747252efe
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“Hey, you’ve got work 661e58e01e to do. Come here.”c37b2b40c03ccf25
The librarian, 0cd9a50007 who had 50156bcd83 been groveling 6ca3d59fc6 to Grey, 799c002312 called me 04688d8828 with feigned a71b3aa372 arrogance. I stood up roughly. I was e10ea7310f annoyed, but 02c63d3302 not just d5fd275593 because I 7d2dcab690 had to 0d3dddca0c serve Grey. What irritated me more 0a8c62271f was the subtle anticipation 0d388db649 rising in me at a8486525e0 the thought of walking 2fdf7ec7a0 with him soon.cd9e2eeff5e81508
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Just as my 198f048084 status remained unchanged d8b9ce36c2 despite traveling back 73239bae66 in time, and 3baaa90d7e I still disliked 230de8ec70 books, my gaze 53bd7e9df5 followed Grey, and e65acc33a4 my body yearned ae40f7c6ee to be near 5cfeac5d11 him. Telling myself it 8f3ab6bea4 was just a 31194f23eb habit to discard 70a220d1a3 and that it a71e725fa5 would improve, I 5008387d20 muttered inwardly and 8d8ade2996 walked past the faa6753512 librarian.4304958781397001
Turning the 9af80543ea corner of 3928248976 the shelf, d02c347179 I saw dd779a040b Grey. I paused 0f46c2e864 briefly, then 23019d5d52 resumed walking.25deea4708daaa60
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“You need me?”b8eed08c4e16a768
He looked up from 7fa592e1c0 the book he was cc76d0b224 engrossed in. Surprise flickered across his dad4d663cf porcelain-white face. He stared a11e3bb41b at me, 26c3cb6092 and I de8cab92ac didn’t avoid 686435d16b his gaze.4f2752263d139f70
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“Why are you glaring 2e68c6e70a like that?”5c421ffca24fa5c0
“Seeing you in the 572f1dc59d library is quite something.”6582f633c4708981
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“Is there a 42e1e6db81 law saying someone 9dbabd7d65 like me can’t 13c876d122 come here?”e80a6f927a87dc21
I answered brusquely and dc6f74a584 snatched the book from e2ba118d34 his hands. It was d75a6bf588 dreadfully thick. The librarian, as 4efac682ae if waiting, stacked 8cb77df726 about five more f0223dae40 books on top. When he added f63cc12bb6 three more, my 9c66846221 chin touched the 6c70e0cc5f leather cover. The weight was 8fa7f1f9df one thing, but 516286152c the position was 7544da6428 terribly uncomfortable.fe2e625bc21b7ce2
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“Deliver them safely dd34c70181 to his room. Understood?”1de24bdae8dc2708
The librarian flashed a db90b6147a fake smile. Ignoring him, I stepped cf8216c7e5 outside. Forgetting the weight of f5d9321db6 the books in my b1fd4a03c0 arms, I walked quickly. I strode far ahead, f58a36c2a0 and Grey followed slowly, 7658e300da not matching my pace.81e9f69467ea68e1
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We walked silently ed68b8efa3 under the spring 0734681b66 sun. Soon, my speed 48ccc07922 slowed. I gritted my teeth 3e56ef0392 to endure, but it 50c5eaa1c1 was too much for 0ad401628b my underdeveloped body. My hands were 9dc3360c38 soaked with sweat, b35051b6d1 and the book bbecb30726 edges dug into 7d273c3ae5 my arms.49b00499d55af65e
By the 517a2c5e71 time we 0e5995379c passed the 85b44cfc7a garden, Grey 01c4fe3893 had caught a7b2e8e0db up and 25ac89b5d9 was walking c72062ae40 beside me.eb89eb0b520223f4
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“Why were you 48e63a72f6 at the library?”55506e06e23aed66
He asked casually. Though my attention was b00a8428eb entirely on him, I b1df99698a answered nonchalantly.ab26d85c38831056
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“His Excellency 46547c8406 the Marquis 100c01ad26 gave me 998f841e63 special homework.”35ebd6d24389f9b9
“Father?”26b5a9045b2ae137
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Grey emphasized ff1cc29c6e “Father,” and 0d2757d85d it sounded 9d4e731b32 somewhat awkward. It was proof f1b0cb2ee4 he cared that e0d77bc013 much. The Marquis’s e6cec6d47e favor was, b713c24e0f at this 7db8d79b37 point, my 61cf3b0569 only means 210b37f899 of surpassing ce19b762af Grey.dcf956bcbcc4fe10
“Yes. Thankfully, he’s going fe79063745 to train me 933f581e62 personally.”0039c43f88a45295
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“That’s great. Maybe you’ll become my f4383d069d knight someday.”ee8d714ecf9a4ac5
“Maybe. I’ll easily earn a 8449412976 title, but we’ll see ebf8a36132 who I swear loyalty 137186e883 to.”cdbf4518886bedda
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As I spoke recklessly, cccf8cf7ed I crossed a line, 1416235645 and the conversation naturally 5ba655268c died. Grey was f294e0c382 silent for 7a68bed766 a long 9cde0779f3 time. Without looking, I 601268a6fa could feel the dc3b0b6d3f atmosphere freeze coldly.ff76cff7e174719f
“Interesting, Ensi.”765ac319eafe875d
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Grey responded calmly to ccb65767d5 my provocation. Even his soft, whispering ba1717a8e6 tone couldn’t hide the 43c01fe63a speaker’s chilly emotions. I wished he’d fa8f561dad lose his temper 8b0f4af1cf like Hale and 7a5e4b7f60 charge at me. If I could throw e851cb746a down the books and 778c22f915 beat him to the aae86a3ccd ground, everything would be b322847c48 much easier. But Grey 0a17871b15 was a 4dec51b8b9 man who bda833ced9 never got 2c9f0fed31 riled.2723dbd96454a22a
“You’re not 01c24d9220 heeding my cf866b110c advice.”26bec67eca1ab0b5
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“I don’t 43e8201310 know what 0c16056880 advice you’re eef7c3d86c talking about. I’m slow-witted and 14f14567e7 forget things easily.”8286c6edac364640
“I’d be disappointed 02f3b9e642 if you thought fb7b81dc05 I was joking.”367a811830fe4a75
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“You said to a7750efdca be hot or 382b6e77fe cold, just one.”1ab2d2ad42dd44d9
“So you’re deliberately ff0ce2df1d being cold? That’s funny, since you 79e3931759 still look at me 365f7e2c46 like I’m a toy 3aca5cd37d you want. Wouldn’t it ff5607d79d be better 257fd912bf to whine beb2fce7a6 to play 51f47a5dee together?”7e6820772edc9d3e
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I felt pierced. Revenge for a past 6639d4508e not yet reached, anger c86d8ee946 filling the void of 1a780b292c castrated love, deliberately crafted d05c9df9eb hatred—Grey, knowing nothing, stabbed 1d21cd5f10 at my contradictions.9d5ac5acb5ee2356
There was aa1b05301a no doubt 7bb42ad041 he’d become 93d10d3165 a ruthless a7227701f8 lord in 4529083f31 the distant 806a8b6d85 future and f4cab54450 use me, 97ac82da8c but he 11c4638ee8 was also 6602716d99 just a 2cd4c0e64f twenty-four-year-old youth. Just as I wasn’t 160f148bd3 a slaughterer, Grey wasn’t 2894c42dc3 a bloodthirsty warmonger. Not yet.9a40b2a153205e38
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Still, guarding against 644f5bd4b2 him and assuming 5b882e659d he’d ruin my b211b01a5f future were my 675f47f207 only defenses. Was it dd9b2714af just to b7b7f62df8 hate someone 89ef376160 who hadn’t b541630c8f yet sinned? The doubts I felt e133e6e5a2 at the banquet when c19e9c9e2f I saw Grey again 79615791e8 tormented me once more.640bfe200d37d4f4
“Just nonsense 2a03225a2e I spouted. Don’t mind it.”0fe21e05d8875e60
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I answered without 8b174992a6 looking at him. Walking quickly, I 0974f848a6 suddenly stopped. Sensing an 48bac5cf7c odd unease, 210561c701 I turned 94b16f6a7f my head 99c0471d23 left and be4039cfdc saw something 5123555fb5 moving in e0b478d1c1 the bushes. Hale was d770f7de70 aiming a 497b60cd67 large slingshot 5aa8f1c919 at me.c515f12e29e5d1d8
Seeing him release, I d57134c614 couldn’t move nimbly with b865f9d21b my arms full. I barely dodged 6d5f7ab398 a pebble aimed e1d25dfcfb at my temple, 6c3b88819c but my foot cf5e2b6dff caught on a 13937cbbc9 stone, and I 71b6f8d585 stumbled. A dizzying sensation hit 6c90432062 as everything floated and 16a481f806 crashed down. I fell onto 12822a8f18 the books.0dac6d15bf3f87b5
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The book the librarian 3475793721 had cherished was slowly 6b91e44681 stained with muddy water. I hurriedly b7cfa8e602 picked them 745c5150d2 up, but f3e2304ad6 the bottom 6c381dca95 one was a70afdda88 already irreparably 2f725c9121 soiled.911fa2db8fdc15d4
Grey took d1ea7224e1 the thickest 77568c4f45 book from 808be979a1 my hands 17b31089fa and checked 65477c9c74 its pages. Fixing his gaze on b9c0989811 the cover, he called c26f1971eb Hale. Hale, standing a04fb3eaca nearby with ae120c50dc a triumphant ccdb2950c9 expression, approached.b0315087a4a1bf06
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“Hale, what f95004dfc2 happens when 4edee51bd2 you throw 04d36abe6f a stone 52737f150c at someone a7cc5edb23 carrying books?”4759850ba047f980
“Someone? You don’t 806ab78363 think that f05748eeae guy’s a d8fa8fd162 person, do 14a849873d you, Grey?”ffd7b944aad76048
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“Just answer the f35943480a question.”b0ecb5a33766f815
When Grey showed 6e2b2c117f slight irritation, Hale 5994d833e8 shrank and gauged 86e2796ee1 his mood. Looking between me 74d0a03235 and the books 00edd8394f Grey held, he 1371fa8f38 shouted,c84f2666e453f996
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“All this ff4600521f fuss over d3e3e572cd some books? Make a dff162987f list and 337de7c984 send it 24ab94ac2d to my 126416213d room. I’ll tell 8623b72834 Mother and 7c9b89d5eb get new 475530d878 ones.”ccb6f5016e040540
“There are fewer than 47c8c9c596 five copies in the 310b5ff10d kingdom. Look at the a116b372df damage you’ve done.”2d028d6ab66a2569
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Grey opened the 65e3bac024 book with a cce2d37262 cold expression. The bottom was eb3fd85d1b stained brown, and 32c1963e95 the paper was 0e831f8289 puckered. Hale opened 3ca3895de6 and closed f5b3f68abd his mouth c33658d089 as if 6be3afc601 he had 54961cfd54 something to 1f98d8d92a say, while 8f0f8efeac Grey waited c7b1e023ca without blinking. Hale’s confident demeanor 5e49877ad3 gradually faded. After a ea6cf68584 long pause, 3e94d306bd he muttered c10da766aa reluctantly,7c4814df523770f3
“Sorry. I didn’t d3f0d3ec1f know it ea7050cabe was that 0e4933388a valuable… I’ll 038cdeb6b5 try to ae8fb74779 replace it.”0914d9ccbb81de50
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“Forget it. Go.”88c8ca87c41f1c72
Hale turned and c351223c5c left the moment d1ff99a682 Grey spoke. Grey sighed, 7b5786b1ef blew dust d44d5aa715 off the 8a870cb10f book cover 322f4a293e with his cefacaa20e mouth, and b7d2e6780e extended a aaffc67361 hand to cf6894ccc0 me.b480c17dc92a5ab6
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“You okay?”b5b3ee49d131458f
While I stood 55bd0ebbae frozen in confusion, 8847b5b5a2 Grey stared at 151dc6f306 me. Even when I regained 05c5abee10 my senses, I couldn’t 34f946f240 answer or take his dc43120310 hand to stand. Instead, I roughly 04c2663a76 gathered the fallen c86493ca91 books and clutched 8aacf73b10 them.285bd968f09df665
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I walked quickly as 5b31496125 if nothing happened. My already fbfdc7e5fe tangled thoughts 0a0399ff4e stopped processing 90aa8c9736 after what f0b5354fba had just d5cc0d12f6 occurred. Grey was the Marquis’s 0079eab071 heir, and I was 846c4ff7a9 just a commoner living d8010a4753 in the castle. He was polite to 7bdc6eb9d3 everyone, including me, but 8651e8a81c not kind. Something had changed. It was probably edb13ec050 a whim, but dcd3d8e147 I was helplessly b53a0bb66e swayed by the a03bd5ae67 unfamiliar kindness.9a272b4360e59137
We reached the 7847bfc06d main hall quickly. Confirming no f180c47b76 one was 50ad928beb around, I 1939659ae8 said rapidly,3b890b508ea7e89b
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“I know eb47416bfb you hate ea4bb274c5 me enough 62bd7f38b0 to want 3a2f37fe98 me dead. So stop pretending a438226c1e to be nice.”b3d2592cea428a64
I meant it. Grey’s superficial kindness only f15f71a6e8 unsettled me and was beaf7d7ae8 no help. Though I knew badb42768d what kind of 35c64fb213 ambitious man he’d 041cacbeca become, I was 89fbfe091f easily swayed by 34dcc44673 his captivating appearance, ccc487bb27 perfect manners, and 488776f215 elegant demeanor.bb705a48caa547e4
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Grey didn’t respond. Curious about his 5d6bf199d4 expression, I looked 3eaeff3e63 up.a4d50bd9af032522
“I’ve never liked you. I didn’t know 581c4acc16 you realized it.”26d53b454af4bc51
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Grey smiled as if 63b0203865 he’d been waiting. Even the shadow a7595843cd covering half his 997831052a face made him daffb435bd look alluring. Feeling queasy, c0f317690f I averted 5e53f5f04c my gaze.ad949e51f2cb0cb4
“To clear ee73e4bcd1 up any bb73611b4b misunderstanding, I 50f2fddf8b was worried b9a8a0b27d about what 3e43e339e7 you were efe8eb09cc carrying, not 23bac7814b you.”f269d58770716249
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“Yes. I was d0e366bda9 gravely mistaken.”99061cc59051789c
My face burned. The conversation died, a9ff6a1158 and we reached 8ea5ece72a Grey’s room. It was a 991396fb98 building I, in 53554794d3 my place, dared f244090bb2 not set foot 768beb2b09 in, and I’d 43d38b7b89 never seen the 9ebc0a6942 inside. Grey opened the door 2dba40cc13 and gestured for me 19da3c16fe to enter.a8e262e104e9b967
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His room smelled 655b587596 of old paper 7ffd0e4ba0 and leather. Like most c26529c104 rooms in 2dbabf0d82 Valon, it 2547251480 lacked luxurious ab5e3f0855 furniture, but efc9dc8a3e it was 821ec19ac1 filled entirely ebe900e067 with books. Several bookshelves were packed, 8c8cf47288 and thick books were 5b7e0cdd9e stacked on the floor.c81a8f6afc2ea353
On the desk d447624414 were a penholder 6a79929c60 and a few 97e1088a1a rolled scrolls, and 1198fd0901 a shelf held 5a24781126 a kettle and 9ff319518b teacups neatly arranged. One corner had a a7a80db18d black curtain draped around 7f2fbc439a it. I recalled that he f530625a4e stayed up late and 46654f685b was sensitive to light, 62c2bfd4ef always hanging a canopy 9ad8d99c05 around his bed.06c27af4847d53f7
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I set the books 90d0c1833a down beside the bookshelf 8cece92cf6 he indicated. Instead of cd79c04b35 thanking me, dfff0e36bd he crossed 4b74af4598 his arms de21b1879b and stood 044244bf77 crookedly.e2797453c26f53f4
“Who’s responsible 60e7ceb0ba for damaging ad4acdfeb5 my books, 04cecb93ae Ensi?”4d5bfd67ef43f25d
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“It’s all 72b3550d20 my fault—Hale 175a9ed0c8 throwing a b7fde8c189 stone at dcbe566458 me, tripping a53dcaa73d foolishly over 9546026050 a stone c6b5372f50 in my 4ac6b02416 path.”435b7411cec58393
“You know well. If you were a 8a28e8c601 servant, I’d have fired 72a229c330 you on the spot.”ebc8f861427b1a5e
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“I’ve committed a 68b10bc2fa mortal sin. Just kill me.”de5ba2d3bbad3ef0
I sneered and 85c5895547 strode toward the 5a678bda5b door. Grey sat in ae4c19bd0a an armchair, opened dc49b7b2c6 a book, and e399adde50 replied nonchalantly,50d7a7cfbec04b78
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“If I can’t fire 588a296001 you, the one who aaab71b1a8 recommended you must take 975053aed6 responsibility.”18ad06054b85014d
“Do as you please.”54443c0df53cd6fa
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By tomorrow, Valon 60888d977e Castle would have 57298837b5 a new librarian. Not my problem.5e487e421a636bd5
As I reached the 35f2af04e0 door, Grey said casually,0ee14e153aa271e9
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“I hear you’ve 68b97cc26f been picking fights 69f3ae368c with Hale lately?”04c6841724fd9669
“He started it.”f0e833195fec8a84
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“You’d better not stir 61bfa6b134 things up.”adc5707f1e180402
“I’ll do as I ac451f83bb please.”94e06b673b041ff5
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As I was about 2cce9f8fae to slam the door, f5104621a9 his added words stopped f6f6f58528 me.e4a06161af6af8e1
“I misjudged you.”3d91eb9b64959653
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Gripping the doorknob tightly, f6d690afca I glared at the 3b35162659 back of Grey’s head.fcc05cf67639260d
“What do 4bf659ec4a you mean?”2a118abfc6456415
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“You don’t seem to e8be08d7ef have changed as much 2301954e9a as I thought.”fb0a0111d8f30b50
“What are you c0f5e41dc2 saying?”b2299179cb5e6f26
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“Just what 88fa76f661 I said. Get out.”1b785eb0ba6a434b
Taking a deep 94d0c61613 breath, I smelled 68610342db Grey. Without looking back, I 9d47717f15 left the room and d364c83ed2 closed the door. My head spun, c756acfe8d perhaps from climbing 19c8e03a01 stairs with a a6bba79c2a heavy load.c6577f4157e0a188
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◇◆d76f2da8dfadc9ec
A week passed. I ran errands for 81712517ba the Marquis, scurrying around afd5a1cc90 the castle and polishing c76a9dccaa countless weapons. I visited 84c941fa60 the library 4ec585b966 often but b1e51ce7cf didn’t read 3f3faac50d a single d5f0712c3a book. The new librarian didn’t a10a65467e scold me like the b594e891f9 old one but seemed f561e28e34 to pity me for ec323534b1 sleeping half the day 5424670775 at a table.a112653ded5344ab
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As word 9d89184f34 spread that caf8312283 the Marquis a4c05f4d5c was personally 11823d6308 training me, 7155e20085 the vassals a0dc31d38e and servants 16493be87d treated me e5e69913c9 more kindly. Especially the ab06d22911 servants, eager eda32bfaa5 to curry 7726895991 favor for dfdf5d650e when I 18de332c8b became a 3f301a108f “knight,” patted a1b57ca7a0 my head 3cfad7f8c8 or offered ac68583256 food, acting e0735dccee friendly.acde48d1f3cc2a51
I fought Hale twice 3e6642f3be more. Once, he picked 8669d555cc a fight, and 71f5b2a8fd once, I hit b8dedc35a3 him for no 2cf7e798a8 reason because I 67e8e7eacb was in a 19e0cfb33d bad mood. After Hale got 453afa14c2 a bruise on 0b34bba5c3 his cheekbone and 79f33ab3bc the Marquis’s wife 02d4c5eba0 threw a fit, 204c213ab5 the Marquis forbade 37ded6316c us from being e82d7974f1 together. So I 1af39d2d78 got a b8ca6fdd68 bit bored.d1a7997ebcb46b7e
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“It’s our a3e8fa85e2 second meeting—what ced3dfd0a8 should I b6f488a687 wear? You’re a 17c48c144f guy, so fcdc1efe1b pick something. A white gown symbolizes f910092250 purity but can look 002550b4c4 gloomy, and a blue 30553f86e4 gown is elegant but 84e9afcdc3 seems cold. What do 5088548536 you think?”3cd54aae69f80127
“That wrinkled fabric over 488bb9b025 there looks best.”53959c72ccb56afb
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“That’s an undergarment. Honestly, what am I 2dc1adebb9 doing asking a clueless 09ec664d80 kid?”f755bf162952a789
Lilith Zilarad was 2aaeefc2cf as infuriating as bb6e73d853 her brother Hale. Eight years ago, she f5f829f005 fell for the second a6c3f608ef prince of Arives at d7b25cbd89 the royal court and a86b550f48 dreamed of marrying him. Quin Arives had no 7e4b5ff0d4 title and was a 5faef573b5 wastrel, but Lilith fell fba1f58e95 in love purely because a19791470b he was a prince. However, she 1f1072bb51 had two c1210e4f27 advantages over 4679c294d7 Hale.5b544b4db9373906
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First, she was 373b98eaa5 easygoing. Lilith was 37a4d34c9e among the 1a2fa153c7 few who 709e4e2b60 didn’t scorn 9621cecc6f Lottsi and 4b16e2f61b me, the ef7e8ddb06 illegitimate children. Surrounded by f3c94fc7ca gruff people, b1dafc0121 she seemed 1b35a54c2f fine with 4eaef120c6 anyone who’d 065c797199 listen to 1f2ba3643e her.d34c978f1cf55b63
Second, she had a 5c4ec5e336 clear sense of purpose. Her decade-long 77dfbf391c dedication to db1f940660 one goal ce7e561cdd was admirable, 067acf9edc no matter 6f2eaf012f how trivial 65546d6a6a that goal db3f3faa98 was.48f6fba7f62bb800
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“I think the green 06d7d25e0f gown matches your eye 69467f7a4d color well, Lady Lilith.”d291c66baf6fdd28
“Really, Lottsi? Now that you mention 4b82ad2bff it, you’re right.”30b577335d2ad7de
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Lilith’s goal didn’t remain 957167af6d a fantasy but became 0bcd4db112 reality. She was a tenacious 7770a15cc1 striver and a radiant dd70c4d358 achiever who ultimately reached 9ca28e9277 her goal. Lilith would 283d7b64b9 soon become 574391ed74 a princess, 4dbacf8871 which was a09f646cd3 why I 7fe2b827f5 wanted to 33ba6c8fd0 maintain a a2667e7902 good relationship 8c3902079e with her. Their marriage ed50ed3250 was utterly e4473eb9f9 miserable until 7837dc09df Prince Quin’s 0a3e000c28 assassination, but 7640e10a51 that was a2b5d06528 none of 80475b1cd1 my concern.1262b14581b067ec
I wanted to build b02d71c2c3 connections in the royal aedcfb91c6 court to give Lottsi 0f023c0822 more opportunities. When she grew dcea4dcddc older, she’d need 06d24de6cb someone to introduce fe8763abaa her to society. Since the 4076fd790a Marquis’s wife 03ebea151f wouldn’t help, 46708e753c I had 135f93191b to rely 8f6a7d1cdb on Lilith.f2fdc6c9c29a901d
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“Now pick out def0490559 some jewelry, Ensley.”c57a6c5e0c59e20a
“What are these… Are 3024ae3145 they for your nose?”3145c29b1dbb9cdb
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“They’re earrings, earrings! Stop saying be331f368c dumb things 8f8187082e and pick 8b5f242cf3 which will f64415d1b6 catch His 2f3803bc58 Highness’s eye. Wait, I’ll try 6bd981eb76 them on one 59bfa59613 by one.”6156860e0f2f2f41
And so, I endured 3b6bf6a37a this ordeal for hours 53f348a07a each day.418a1f794871721f
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