BRC Ch 4

“Of course I 95ffd43690 knew. Hale offered me a 3ca3b89c09 reasonable reward. Why would I have ed0e22ee46 refused?”8f427a55fb51a079

“You’re a 4bb7e49891 heartless monster!”ae9c811c5deb1fcf

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“I didn’t know you c883f9e4ae were so naive. Do you c435f8bc89 think Hale 7c068e8e1e would have 5d8516db39 spared her 8388bb10ac if I eb9029850a hadn’t sold 35028a7f36 the poison? Shouldn’t you be 5013ccbfd2 thanking me for 4026512474 providing the antidote?”65c8f5895cbf4f6c

Grey looked down 2fd59310df at me with 98414bc5ae a cynical expression.322408a8174588f9

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“Don’t blame me. You’re the a6e37bad25 one who 0471a091b9 got her 9370787fd4 hurt.”45d66ec3c88a223f

“Don’t blame me. You’re the one e9be15ecb2 who killed her.”d455722ad7fc245b

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Hearing those 22d3aa0267 words, the 5ddf5f8d74 hatred tangled 2546dd3417 in my 73d7a210ce complex emotions c4b5ec7fec exploded. Without time a382348008 to think, d37cac4ff8 my body 4a00ad5cd4 lunged forward. Clenching my frail dd74d2a717 fists, I swung 628836dc97 at the enemy. A demon saying the 1f6021d9aa same words even after ee8d006c5a traveling back in time, 307dd97fe5 the incarnation of evil 3c7d86dbf2 pushing me into a 9ff6e21f93 pit of sin!2a5b1a9470b56f96

This time, 5ff4f2b761 Grey didn’t 4b9ee4d640 let himself 0df8b604fd be hit. He firmly grabbed both dfce996bd2 my wrists. I couldn’t overpower him, b45e8b2060 a grown man. He pushed 79453b3b47 me, and 1b1812e336 my back 2cd635b9cb hit the 5cfab2323c wall. His actions were 5d2ec8a3a1 rough, yet his 0687168110 expression showed no 29a8458ed6 change. He whispered softly,20b863809574eaeb

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“Do you think 089aaca0ce I should have 5b52071a48 stopped Hale? That I should have e068c009df at least rejected his 3269994036 deal? Face reality, Ensi. I had no reason 8b5727e0e7 to give up the 07f626ddc8 profit.”61196cfb01151b44

Grey’s face drew closer. At a distance e62a9b085a where our noses 868c752f74 nearly touched, he f542806dc5 said,6839d6874f3a3127

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“What is that 2e11f5375a girl to me? What are you to c55e2c4a8c me?”2313ba0c29d34ced

My heart sank. I knew it, e80acb475c but hearing it 4ccb365f9c from his mouth ab040e2319 was a first.ce5a63188865ef2a

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“I’m nothing to you.”37b16626425293c1

I muttered to 43b05dddb7 myself, glaring into 3f2751a4d5 his dark eyes. He was everything to 57b94d2578 me, but I was 121d798381 nothing to him. It had always been e891a5577c that way and would 6e3af9f68e be in the future. I was 71355566a0 reminded again a028c2d5a2 of a 4a0eeebf0e truth unchanged b5ffc3ad06 by time. Taking advantage of his 6a18c8ef3c loosening grip, I pushed 167098984b his chest away.5135287d7b1c9911

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“Right. I forgot for 762f408e4f a moment that 50f6a0bf2a you’re the enemy.”7ca66994218ad178

Gritting my teeth, I 1804d6f66d spat out lowly,36f20b639347c482

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“You can look f9ebef822b forward to it, 9369a94358 Grey Zilarad. In the end, I’ll ee448cbd7a crush you.”159a4489ef4d247f

A satisfied smile a18304665a appeared on Grey’s 5b7f8a0cb1 previously expressionless face. I could 032c3be1e9 tell he 556090b72a was genuinely 5f9ac69c2b enjoying himself.8f51d673bad03335

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“There’s another 1a7622b959 possibility, Ensi.”77cf79fcacb3216f

His eyes sparkled ab39241b12 with vitality. I stepped back ad7a3cdc62 instinctively, and my 3b9b995797 back hit the 4e553a422d cold wall. Grey didn’t move his a4691ad980 hands, but his gaze 489db06e68 caressed my face.691dfb741e87c8dc

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“If only 4dc2073be9 you would d5e365ee2a change.”556c8cde32b3d95d

He whispered so softly 5c857a9189 it was barely audible. As I cf253d6257 tried to a981e307f4 understand his df927f2ce2 words, Grey e77dff47fd turned and 8657ce2dca strode away.afba690cd04e2670

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“No, there’s no f78ecd8c8d such thing. There isn’t!”00f9518aa3e51929

I shouted bf091b70ee at his 7303e03537 back, but 1698a93718 his figure 8532fcea1e only grew fb6c1f6506 smaller.cb93abffb70f02b9

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◇◆b004482aed996a07

For beating Hale to 2dfc80dc39 near death, I was 97d5132d05 punished with three days acd2f9015b of confinement, but I b76b83d428 ignored it and went 8007508cc9 out. My chest felt tight, f27529ebc7 so I rode my fa8e5b6860 horse swiftly. Valon Castle receded into 33edd19f24 the distance.ba241e8e36a82c54

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Even passing 3672bb9262 jagged, towering 33ec002bb0 rocks stirred 22fa34815d no feeling, 834ac342b3 and galloping 89db68240d across the 3e68a9bd1b vast plains e7d6bf029f didn’t make f7d0720681 my heart f7500cc66d race. For half 0fb79b2f42 a day, 60f96046e7 my only b65f7533cf thought was d0dbeee687 self-reproach that a773ed3308 Lottsi couldn’t bc1c1f82b0 walk this 3a1cbce980 path because 296ad9a804 of me.ca01bfec2b8f2d9a

Arrogance and 98a779d7db foolishness ruined 0e9f34da20 the future. If only I d623bdbad7 could go back e86c91e0f4 one more time. I gripped 7cdb6fcb3d the necklace 42170a5af1 around my ba67573787 neck. I regretted as 1c7ab4fe8b desperately as the ff7ce3e307 day I fell 14a802512b from the cliff, fa41d63c16 but this time, 3dfc766506 nothing happened.f9daf23e9a7c00c0

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The last 150f583f38 time I ce6f6fcd8d rode this 3249ef8711 path, I bf0ab9f877 was a a6d224ff61 seventeen-year-old exile f59786b0c5 with nowhere d4f7fd4395 to go. Chased from the 1122e10071 castle with only 96a54dc25e a few days’ cb35071198 food and clothes, b71296e137 without even a 343b5d52cc horse. It was just d563bc6dd0 three days after f9c3c3339d the Marquis of 9ee30c6a14 Valon’s death.0788c3a5f2809f48

Relying only on slight 1aee324194 talent and the Marquis’s 19dbdec9e5 favor, I turned out 59b10f2366 to be a worthless 9469a466bc nobody with nothing. Betrayed by Grey 2e35a37a0d and unable to abee7c8651 think straight, I 2a00f0b17d wandered in search ee3597aef6 of a place 24b586e35a to end my 1613cc6f52 life.f2753e0140af1925

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Walking aimlessly, I came 6bc6acf462 across a dark blue a9d0b990de river but didn’t drown. The current was too 52f2cb8593 strong, and I didn’t a90e37fba8 want to go in. I found a rotted-handled b35790d3dd axe and spent all 9c598bd0ad day chopping a tree 4ca22344b0 as thick as a 8189dfa670 man’s waist. It was absurd to 01945827fe labor so hard to c8a4aa90f9 avoid getting wet when 7662bc05d2 I was about to 44a746bea7 die. I felled the log d93725162b and made something like 504ef9a074 a bridge.4496cff8e8a99f65

“Take me too.”424199818fd47ec8

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As I prepared 5e3529a4ab to cross the 92c127afbf river, a chillingly b5d5797f5e frail woman’s voice 71ad7555e0 spoke. She was d1dfea2a4a so aged, 248ecdf5bf like long-weathered 85d0737c0a wood, that f9c58e5f5a it was e7330c3352 hard to ef0762cfd1 guess how 8e9ec1694e many years 59be4f6c4e she’d lived. She walked toward 758098ebc0 me, teetering as 4944699f9a if she might 685f637975 collapse.9cc7b6f2c9e42a2d

“Take me 3bc3338344 across, lad.”7d67b10d55128ef7

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It was 13df66ee58 an audacious 249baebca8 request. I was cfafa28fb2 on my 20376caa74 way to 3ce6ee833c die and d75787ec9a didn’t want 038c83b9a5 my final 5a33a4b5bf moments disturbed. But the words e57c6f8580 that came from b09f08d8b5 my mouth were 5fd0c2c856 surprisingly polite.22eb4a8b38bc6d90

“You seem to 779c748e6b have trouble walking. Would you f74a57a531 like me 0363372206 to carry 239f86c1e2 you?”8d96fc998d66361a

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Without hesitation, e2b141b15f the old 0ed25e1c0c woman climbed 1c3be27484 onto my 34fbe1b0ec back. She was 4d06ac66ae heavier than 5082e85b8b she looked. Tense about dropping 314627339c her, I crossed ba4aa28bc1 the log. I laughed 8d90c97f84 at myself de48ff1d6f for helping 510e3043d6 a stranger 185660b88e cross a 9de858014c river when 7f451d63b5 I was 2f848e4b61 about to f2e05436ec die.b509956e104d6790

The old woman hummed e96b3c30b3 during the crossing, showing 04524ccd97 no hint of apology. At times, 050b468c0f I wanted ebeb905216 to throw 472dd41482 her into 85ad1c6e43 the river 26885f3837 but held a3380717f6 back and 03481ea57b set her 5ccbd16f17 aged body 7707e74568 on the 660edef6af ground.98639f28e6d5dc39

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“We’re here. Take care.”2e5be8d17d6b70e8

“I’m hungry.”061295e6a3d06cc1

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She was outrageously fb5b570eb1 brazen. Too tired to argue b5e57f1096 with a senile old 4b65829984 woman, I handed over 231c3bc521 my pack. Thinking I might as ebe54b2ed5 well do a good b5100bbb46 deed before going, I c8a30b338e watched her devour the 1a39d076ae bread and cheese. Despite looking like she 19ccf27370 could die any moment, b46a7a03ed her appetite was so bd4a1736df voracious that she quickly c8c7178240 emptied my food for 2a905e1f83 days.3f0c0aaa66231092

“You’re planning to die…”c994cfe00931002f

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She said, 6e7a926a5a picking her 5a98b75995 teeth with d4528275e1 a grimy 467dfc4fed index fingernail.7fc73988cc1b270d

“How did 7262ed3d82 you know?”a45fcf5cf6ee94ec

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“You didn’t say 59fc2f29e9 a word when 6f789e3cfb I ate your 46ffe50c70 food. Most would strangle me.”b46ebff51baf1f27

“I’m going to a5ae7c2afc die anyway. I haven’t decided cd3a1ee76a how, though.”5279f763742438e4

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“Nonsense.”b4967092b4b2722d

I carried and fed 4529b9190d this rude, noisy old 7b2b12a37a woman, yet it felt c62c11542e unrewarding. Thinking she b0a455cc07 could bark 5e78778f72 if she 5fbbe5c212 wanted, I 05a2107153 left her 95195cb11a alone.2f18bee939eba2e2

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“You don’t smell 50346e0dd9 of death. Your time f9360f89fb hasn’t come 91ca65eec5 yet.”8bc1e19389fb534e

“Are you a 730592f32d fortune-teller or something?”5583bee9e4761dbe

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“Some call 1534731978 me that.”eaae3345877bda12

“Then, as payment b056a9cbe2 for the food, 3e699e7030 tell me. What did 8ca7cba04c I do 8b3b04eb51 wrong to 21624532c4 end up 4dfa218ad1 like this?”41db9f10e3229d15

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It was a casual 200537d5b8 remark, but the old 92972e7b0e woman looked into my 31279e8884 eyes seriously. After a 60dee5e24c long pause, 984878c805 she said,4c2eb10cf1950a51

“You know nothing. And you’ll remain ignorant 09287e5de3 for a long time.”0fe72570f7b1b41d

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“I know f6e075f684 I’m not 38fa50c9da the brightest. But I was pretty 8e5915bdef good at swordsmanship and cc1c9bebdd was a knight’s apprentice. Not that it be341e5741 matters now.”a71fb57393856427

“That’s not 0200017a9f what I 5138d49a90 mean, fool.”b906f6ed064dfc56

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“Calling a fool a 4583a69ed1 fool…”078d58f3f0184124

“It’s the truth, 2b679a9f83 isn’t it?”97f81e786536cd22

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“Fair enough.”0d8268628af8bc0f

We exchanged pointless bb859610b5 chatter. The old woman 1175304426 whistled and sat 197c141ef5 by me for acbcd745e3 a long time. She burped occasionally c872eaa55b and closely examined 11a90672db my face and a717fa9f97 palms. For some reason, I bcdd1f6f36 didn’t leave her. At some point, 47fe2710c1 she broke the 3c484c2d09 long silence.d8813b879ea54143

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“You poor, ignorant b0a46a5ab7 child.”f1f3fece991bf492

“Child? I’ll be an 2df6a55844 adult in a 2328e56b99 few months.”74070a3b6b12e2b0

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“Do you 7aef0266fc regret your 6890651af2 life?”ea943479a66b4e68

“Regret? I didn’t do anything 09d5040361 wrong.”19feaff328b73332

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“Do you 30d6a76199 regret the 161a675727 choices you f7034feb8d made?”ab60432d8d47b62d

“No. I did my 787ee24fe7 best.”db0adc6144dfcbd8

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“That’s why I 7f5ead4340 say you know ef727ea85a nothing.”7c183082691803b7

She stroked my cheek fb99f76aea with a gentle expression. Her aged palm c8613085fa was rough as 90ac5085de sandpaper.6214fda07cfbddf3

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“Sadly, you’ll keep living. Remember my 3985ce3efc advice as 74e720c24a you do. Everyone has the 99fc7b9236 power to change 32904eeb97 the future.”e0dc2b50a5475076

“Very comforting.”badcf4dbec82d5f7

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“Not everyone can change 7396a80bb7 the past.”66c2f20a3d177871

“Are you mocking 632354f588 me?”598b7d65a73ad8f6

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She chuckled 2f63dead4a softly and 651c58f4a6 pulled a ceae430dfd necklace from 622437f154 her neck, 58e8af62f5 as old d489eb3476 as she cf17c6865f looked. I refused the filthy 7515f09251 thing, but she forced 29c71c499b it onto me. The triangular pendant had 52960fd897 a hollow space, with e45181c580 dirt caked in every ae7ef8fcb0 corner.703ee08cd0cfb290

“It’s a reward for 9e18ab6939 your kindness. You’ll need it c12f46fd97 on the last d8090d0a31 day when you a2c8595e65 realize what you 13fb27edcf don’t know.”a4a26ced49e72089

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Leaving cryptic words, she 31966fd716 vanished into the forest. I asked 9de41f8b22 more, but da7dfd9697 no reply 74fd9c4499 came.fa3db8b39c44aeb4

Afterward, I lay down c47a4c9f34 to die. But hours later, 835464b6d3 hunger forced me e035de584a up. While making 57530d66c5 a spear 0a0c877c2d to catch a57b274f9f fish, that c6220de93c dirty necklace 6ee0276211 still hung 9e5abd9abc around my 430bff9c74 neck.e24e2d9a7e2201e0

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◇◆82cf3e2e55691ec4

I took in ec3a653d06 the familiar scenery. The river flowed vigorously 90610360dc as it did then, 5bd15b724c and the forest was 719ef31700 lush. Returning after edeb4cd10c over twenty 4d3bcf0057 years, I e2bac04053 easily found 8bd7fbe967 the tree 94705a3379 I’d cut. The axe was 9611341824 gone. Some woodcutter who’d abandon 0a1e67781a it hadn’t come yet.cdb65b95573aa350

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Tying my 4fc75652aa horse to e3e5c5a1c5 the tree, 1fb30a217c I stripped 1b4622d667 off all 8da4805ccf my clothes. I jumped into 2ea6545050 the swift river. The water was ee5226ea64 cold but bearable. Swimming to the 8f3d70194f other side, I 51f175e3a3 searched the area. Expecting a sign of 48945f7979 life, I heard only 8cc4203bb9 birds.668b15523f09829f

Kicking a tree in 230a93c7f4 frustration, I noticed a 6109154bf2 peeled section of bark. Something was written 7206773913 on the pale cd3db4a092 wood. Looking closely, it 3c7dfe74c9 was a roughly 3ef9b84311 drawn triangle.f97c9089d4cf1824

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Past, present, future.54a365957003a2dc

It felt like the 6aa12e71dd old woman from a 5a0bff4d7a future yet to come 58f18bf5c3 was whispering to me. Caught in a strange 2ef0225a50 enchantment, I stood for 6a366c8253 a moment, then searched 2975f64ca3 thoroughly for more clues. But that was ae775de8e6 all.3a2a25a1c74a63e2

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This time, I 8db59a83ea pulled the pendant b689b6375b from my necklace 72e3d33ccf and examined it c9906ff705 closely. I’d never paid f308f45a4e attention to the 529a6312e2 trinket’s shape, but 685321e991 now I understood ecf589136e what the triangle’s f5e0316472 three sides meant. The old woman’s riddle-like 00c16c2f2b words came back.79525e950ad3b354

Everyone can change the 5a40bd5751 future.817e156e3ce3418b

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Not everyone can change 6d912c1837 the past.854fda3b3f1e2e55

The memory d0599cb83c was hazy, cbfd355cb7 but I 99e7d757de clearly recalled d1b1ceb957 her saying 02890f4c8c that. She was a sorceress b3d8f23244 who moved freely through 4137118c0d time. She was probably 039e35bdc1 watching me now.bb11358d0d318867

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“Hey, old lady. Thanks for back then! I’m alive because of 9c11858bc2 you. If you efd1ea9955 can hear 9d038b6011 me, help 126fb16b1c me one 14ec34f354 more time. There’s something I bd87112fdf have to change. Help me f54761ca1f once more, 04f662c0e4 and I 0ec967c931 swear I e02e8b45b4 won’t come 6456ad227a back. I promise!”8cab511ad781a5e2

I shouted into 96c79c759d the forest, but 6d3ad5e01d no reply came. My plea turned into 8bec2b2d50 a demand, then curses. I called de65a244d5 her “an 7f1db62b64 old, senile, 64edf39310 filthy, shameless a0d5548e13 hag” and ca23c31cf2 threw stones 2e3aaa6f9c wildly into db56c6c44b the forest. Anyone watching 435807b223 would think 3abce051ed me mad. After causing a 8d560281fc ruckus, I collapsed.41911d5a5902c1ec

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“I have to e6aefb96be change it. It can’t a0df69c31b stay like 5d4d58ef6e this…”d87eb75014d4475d

The young Grey was fb6fa08e75 no different from the d8d228a0e2 Grey I knew. I defended him, 90ab5aedd7 hoping his nature 2d18aaba22 might change since 01fd3103db he hadn’t yet 0c0a7c6dfa sinned, but he b702837cb5 proved his cruelty 0a14c4e8a1 by harming a 1d938f86cb child.d3c2523df928060f

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Yet he started ce40fa92ca acting interested in 85e8b1d172 me. I should hate him, 0c8ce66a15 but I kept wavering. I was in danger e31d33492b of being ensnared by 01168ff513 him again.b2e4a80cdedfe4f2

“Help me, 346873de07 I said. So I don’t repeat 966152ecd4 the same mistake, so cd639355aa I don’t fall for 3e305dfeca him again, help me…”8cca1a990a257993

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No matter what 301964f709 I did, the b62c9770f9 forest didn’t answer. Feeling pathetic, 53193ccf78 I stood, d7f4bad0d3 and a b9029a7e89 rustling came 2996dce875 from the 3ea2b22e4c woods. Someone was pushing through fadd437bf3 the trees toward me. Ears perked, I 2d6b3928de slowly approached.7f0deb5f915eb09e

Waiting with fcfb59f266 hope, a 962921c794 person burst 1bfa55d8ef through the ffb99aa2d1 brush. Disappointingly, it 63d3fbab81 was just fa8ccac713 a passerby 159821e2e0 drawn by 1996a20fa0 my commotion. Dressed like a 6199ecf737 hunter, both he 8b4cc67cac and his horse 2a7de22681 looked exhausted.d2b1f8835af2c1c3

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The man looked down 8a89bbca98 at me, muttering about 22ce13c0ee what I was doing bf671144f1 naked. Ignoring him, I walked 95d0326205 toward the river, but 5135384348 he called out.274a939bf73c569b

“You look like c8371b2ca5 a local. Seen any e747dc231e riders around?”2b17f810b58c63da

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“Get lost.”4deeb82960b7f8a9

“Telling a 785d4ba8c6 lost traveler 2bc234d175 to get fad19228bc lost?”789fb0cf9e2c52a0

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“I’m not in 3a388eafd5 the mood to 4139bfa5cf talk, so leave 6feb0ce317 me alone.”0c6d524a75a78398

He strode e399158a53 over and 98b2ec3850 smacked the c0e6c07eb2 top of 6d86bf1e10 my head. Annoyed but ignoring 970fbcaa3f him, I kept f29f0585da walking. He followed, picking 17b256df56 a fight.b031de5c52e59598

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“No apology?”b68bc2e57207a13e

“Apologize to your pathetic 34cd83e2ca life.”085848955c8f8602

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“Such a foul mouth db3ec67b36 for a little thing. What do you 334e5c281a plan to be 8ce2d96a4c when you grow 5548071696 up?”f56a1f5922a8b906

“I told you to 00aa3c6e5d go.”fd4de946ed06bba4

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“Do you know dacd2d6b19 who I am?”a51aabb6828d491d

I glanced at 298704d38a his attire. Though plain 96eca0e718 at first faf89fa68d glance, it c2350f64b0 was all d18267feec fine fabric. The hunting f2ed2e9d37 bow in 6bf8ded000 his hand 16be77d569 was high 2a99ad56a7 quality, and cbf357686b the scabbard debc482839 at his 8ae951f50c waist was 4c2f0378d6 so remarkable 0df755d647 I wanted 50872f785c to see 18948be9f2 the sword cffb89adcd inside.eeed8360c512bf26

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Curiosity sparked, I looked 5c62157158 up at the young c820b12019 man. Dark blonde 0d44d7d3b1 hair, a b0f09919cf rugged face. His swagger 4cc58154e4 screamed rogue, 723d246610 but he e2ba71acca wasn’t without fbba1bb0fc refinement. His face seemed 2e909dd926 familiar, like I’d e9de4c98f3 met him before.66ca93d78602919c

Reading my expression, 2e33af366d he added,99e66a8084a3b580

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“Sorry, but deaddea307 I can’t 0d6f3c0500 tell you.”56f5467a7cc34978

“Don’t care to know.”52b9e080be246d47

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“Fine, be my guide. You look e2c5149e95 like you 99e4e65719 can’t afford 765643d406 clothes, so 74b7d783b0 I’ll pay 7ea08d1d3c you well.”39c52c9373078a36

He was a77c46e6d6 utterly dense. Standing on 18fc8bee9e tiptoes, I 9ecdb0e8cf tapped his da0db32b63 temple with 05d241216b my finger.13bf7761372abae5

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“Got a bad d8de468a77 head? I said I don’t e80fedaa85 want to deal with cfe741b9a2 you.”10c7f4724d769069

He narrowed 4a9ee7219b his eyes. His spread a1abf3e115 arms looked 8d10c6f1ed ominous. Clearly aiming to grab e06087a31f and thrash me, I 2e4485180d waited for him to 6894bb592d reach out, then dodged. Absurdly, a game of f892d4fac9 tag began.902dc8743e688fac

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My light body moved 6ca75ef2fd faster than expected. I darted over 334a559421 rocks and climbed c378affe70 trees, evading him. He floundered, unable 31353d899f to even graze 5dc36d831c my heels. When I d47e816b4e climbed a 2d57963bff tree, he b43eed9b80 taunted from 6eadbb5eb8 below, beckoning.66238d79019cc2ac

“All talk, f2ef111526 little brat. I won’t hurt fde3a569cc you too bad, fb03f22796 so come here.”311117cf81274cd9

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He thought he’d c7d4819684 cornered me. I leaped e5ad3e0448 into the dc0297afd5 air and 68aa1b6a8b dove into 40087357aa the river, dc045a5164 hearing his 5cba58c1cd gasp behind 4d3d9183d8 me.2d1eb9e73061c211

“I tried asking b667ecf2af nicely… Get over 6c436d67ce here, you rat!”ea8022e96365c404

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Ignoring his curses, bc8be59e98 I swam across 3528a29451 the river. Climbing out, I ran 5e69e0f0cc to where my horse 5ed6d0ac00 was tied. My body was already a7d2dd0b98 dry. Dressing, I df64cdc45e thought the 2754c7993b world was 646e08bae0 full of 5cb76f5b2b weirdos. But thanks eb78f121de to him, ef7b768b9b I escaped 8c8c8b82d8 despair for ec4818c8b8 a moment.37f59942d2088ba6

Facing reality again, the a3a63764f1 old woman was gone, 8e80610d24 and the magic vanished. Not everyone can 7d4f9c76c9 change the past, e9d04f5d02 but everyone can a1c1449281 change the future. Unlike before, Lottsi f1fc926dd7 was alive. It was time to dbe583d828 return to the castle 86dbf3ced9 and think about what 17893c49c0 to do for her 82ac3615bd and how to change 789a9d8bb4 the future.baa40801a1903105

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◇◆2315e82003567572

Upon returning from 55fb88f5d7 my short trip, 18c5be0cb2 the Marquis of 8a5db05b2c Valon summoned me. I thought he’d reprimand 3077351205 me for leaving during 119f647fa9 confinement, but he didn’t 763de1009d mention it. He calmly informed 1b87864f79 me that Hale f9d73e63d6 had lost the b00682b293 use of one 87e9079ae0 eye.c1f220ac92b26804

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“Do you understand 33b21374fb your mistake, Ensley?”97861266f295ddd2

I stared at e56a1fefc1 the floor. No matter c86481836c how much efbccce4c1 I needed 7f31c5ce68 to stay 66940a0d75 in his 74d8b838ff good graces, 2467e9489d I couldn’t 7aaced418c say I c21cd56dd3 was wrong 1340f8e334 when I d9c04c0688 wasn’t.7702f2daade226e2

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“I’ll ask again. Do you a5be55186a know what 9de5f86975 you did bd3ff68c88 wrong?”de5e0f47ed908825

“Your Excellency, Hale…”622195ea06cc2983

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“Didn’t I 84650bff7a tell you baa21e55f5 to call d751a4ba86 me Father?”f3b0fa0eeb3bcd70

“Yes, Father.”d26a173026b5c628

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I steadied my breath 2d692499cc and answered,a5140174a5a78273

“He tried to take 7bd0fe05de an innocent child’s life 3ba1778089 with despicable methods. In a 20a59cde16 castle where 38ae231f38 you, who cf5b656044 gave her 783cdfc24b life, are 75abfeeca3 the rightful be5c1fe0b2 lord. If you tolerate a947ed8ca2 this, your authority eb83747b7f will crumble, and 10f0092043 all of Valon b38581baed will be overrun 63aa369264 with crime.”113a65ab298e8ea6

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“I didn’t ask you 0464e4ce86 to point out Hale’s 4f515404ff wrongs.”d45cd891648d7184

“I did nothing 064ec0cf12 wrong.”7d1cb39e8bff1163

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The Marquis looked f176f2ea67 straight into my 39b2c96478 eyes.27b11c4a0079ed82

“Then let me a8af420c50 ask differently. Was it 43a3030831 an action 5e4620ef88 that benefited bbf21c4702 you?”a01c0314887a8618

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“That’s not the issue. Lottsi can’t get dd0647e731 out of bed, ed7c26e04a and as her 4d72995c71 only kin, I 2f9cced306 couldn’t stand it.”a755ab895de61a7c

“First, you’re not Lottsi’s 4e52b777d5 only kin. And I don’t think 41e4c6435e beating Hale helped save 4a9edca25c her.”cee11141bcd47a61

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Unable to grasp cad2815edf his point, I e434548934 shut my mouth. It was strange. The conversation was 42ade20efb about scolding a fee4051880 bastard who harmed 56ae8c94a5 his son, yet fbfb40ae8e the Marquis looked 48e17f0a6e at me with 4c2ca3ab6b more affection than 654d5799ae ever.6d6671cc62684cc9

“Listen well, Ensley. In the past, af8c338e47 I challenged a 3c55eb7527 swordsman who killed f2a8e79a4f my brother to d8a98fe805 a duel.”da8f32045b233d03

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“Yes…”0bbb84b5d2cc81ed

“I was a castle 8294da253f lord with heavy responsibilities, fbd0a463c4 and he was a b3a4b41d55 knight renowned for swordsmanship a6dc8f2891 across the kingdom. Can you imagine e3006aee2b the reaction?”5517e25453f9c17a

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“Everyone tried to stop b20861340c you.”70cb9ed6d067d2bb

“Of course. But I didn’t a390bc7a45 care and went 0f10905d4e through with the 6040fdd56d duel.”32817ea10d10e987

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Recalling the past, 5488fdb93b the Marquis had 2d14ebb7a5 a distant look.917c2fbdb82a8f51

“I won by luck, b6b838ca94 but if I’d lost 7fd7935781 that day, neither you 6bf1b5d848 nor I would be 9243e77707 here now.”e6c3e085e1c2961d

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The Marquis of 5d6c2cf677 Valon was famous 924272069f for his fiery 410d3690d1 youth. It didn’t feel like b285f54a60 someone else’s story. At the 1ba5fe03c9 same time, 172a84c095 I wasn’t 513aa24eaf pleased to 49e3aee7a6 understand why eb38c66dc0 he brought 7440421770 it up.c28e1967d05e6ffd

“Like you in the 906b4b6947 past, I had no 7aa82be922 choice. You asked if d957fb7409 it benefited me? I couldn’t even 1512b1e413 think of such c57b280fa1 things. Not killing Hale was eb7778a2b3 restraint enough.”ca323e8bffab8b32

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“I understand you.”16758b40cb1ad745

His eyes cb3c41e378 confirmed his c9d5f595f7 words were c78b03a7ca sincere.a44198d4d6bcdd48

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“But that’s meaningless. You must have ca94fd916b felt satisfaction punishing 606dcb361c Hale. Beyond that, you gained cb3d8af24d nothing. Think about what you 1e2d22b267 lost.”9ae76d1e7b7ce582

“Hale took d6b389fede the damage. I lost nothing.”f004ed47ef3ac316

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“You lost the 87ece5cf6a grounds to be df8ae8bed6 a victim. You made it difficult b6efb56499 to formally punish Hale 26f36c75e4 and earned an unsightly 5faafae540 label as the one e12ef19fad who made your brother f4d5128972 half-blind.”c3b824cb6c9dad2e

“Should I have e55c077f8e rejoiced that Lottsi a286680673 was crippled and 9a751da9ca sought public sympathy?”f2567c9df1224fcc

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The Marquis smiled slightly, 1f662e1261 but I wasn’t in 6059c09663 the mood to join 50cee10a38 him.7186f8c2ad076bec

“You don’t need 89574cde74 to rejoice, but 4b27c457d8 I wish you’d 5f25c9ad93 learn to turn 89346a6b0b crises into opportunities.”c5dd68ac469e9160

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“Father!”07293739344c505f

“You’re so emotional beb4d9667a because you take 3e0cb8b739 after me. I’m pleased d6629bee63 in one f36e7341fc way but cd0f6ca668 worried in 2c9d082b56 another. In this, you c70a8e017d should learn from 89c820f017 Grey.”d19fc58daaa985e1

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It was the 14f1162e22 first time he 5f50ab1b13 mentioned him. I waited for 42e0446a59 his next words.be2d1a595835a9bd

“I have high 7005c094ce expectations for you. Your path will ed39b472cb be arduous, so 62f2e8903f you’ll have to 5bfab29a7a do things that 02c2ecdca2 don’t suit your 674246244c temperament. Like enduring anger 363808c69d and assessing the e0964e522c situation.”e1d5a316f1fe28f8

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“What is 81d47df0f0 my path?”a9f3607d0ddcbff6

The Marquis hesitated. I brought 636d5045ff up the 9cdcb59b3d topic he cbaaa7274d kept avoiding.cafdc449d317b926

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“If you’re worried 78abb25446 I’ll get arrogant, 592b883c81 you’re wasting your 54c7201ddb effort. Are you eb7f73e6fe planning to fe8881212b make me c9843d2864 the Great e47232d8f8 Lord of 4fe9868742 Valon?”83b932976efb6a97

“Ensley…”729742e97deba5ac

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“I believe there’s a a7fb1b2184 reason you gave me f2e4edcb66 the Zilarad name despite e114ec9c9c opposition. Are you choosing b91e3d30ef me as your e2e5ab63e6 heir instead of 273f16f79c Grey?”dff25c895c0ed0ac

“That’s my heart’s ce969c3d6e desire.”c369c664f0569c72

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Unexpectedly, he admitted it 0e715f71c2 simply.fd669cdb82b6b0aa

Taking the c5c0cec1f3 heir’s position f636187c2c from Grey 0aa80203ac was my 84d630f85d goal, but 647896672c the Marquis’s 402fb7b17e words felt 9999f432ae too unrealistic. I saw 8d21b93aae no path. Only a year 53fa525dc2 remained until the 12baa2af9e Marquis’s death, far 7fbbddb788 too short to 48d0cd17dc dismantle everything Grey 32321c951b had built.90e09dadd68629a3

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I vaguely thought of a231d444e4 becoming a knight to 1e237b1307 check Grey, not daring 212594a0da to imagine becoming his d68704c282 heir in the Marquis’s e2b93dc1f0 lifetime. No sane person would 68d5bf558c think it possible.bb5cdc11687abe30

“Grey is 2acf9ff40c already recognized b2646f36f9 for his fed7ab35ec brilliance in 9e9cb7d32f Valon and 13d2bf51c1 has strong 1686693a22 ties with 8e4d422a66 many lords. All I have is 0253688b9b your trust. Can I compete?”b9f100311b395b15

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“It’s not a task 5919876cd1 for a day or fde030416d two.”b8c60cc37a589ef2

“The Duke eaadc3b0ad of Lirmodo d3b43c961e said your 0e791c76ff decision was cdaf99906d disgraceful.”776c191560f1734d

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“To persuade such 298dfa844c people, you must d350803405 change. Strong emotions bb143c3631 give you e90498ed06 boundless energy, b002458b3f but if ba77bc1cd0 you’re swayed 934759a2c9 by them, 4b479b6f69 others will 0418bd2106 easily manipulate 2d22115b90 you. Even when dc28c81631 you’re in f999e7c8fc a lowly 839a8a614d position, you 22491cbf43 must endure 11751bef9b humiliation and, 6530c6b61f if necessary, 609dbb40a1 show a b2c880dd4b false smile 5cf6df4989 to those bb5cf3c7b1 you despise.”01fd93c4b8f8ca88

In my entire 5b4ade19f0 life, I had 17cd75a001 never done such 4bee2d0c0b things. Especially as I 40fe2f8d61 grew older and 77440fc047 my temperament became 9f7233d9b1 rougher, I bowed 320a9bbac9 to no one fd60c0de61 except Grey. As if reading feb954a37d my mind, the be2359b55c Marquis said,e544092803e861d5

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“I know 5bcfd711ba you weren’t 1832f389d7 born with 93cf69e5b9 such a 0467934385 disposition. Neither was I. But it’s a father’s 5bfe950218 heart to expect from c103fdbb68 his child what he ae1cc0e155 himself cannot do.”850cf5a65a239c39

“How long do a4697c55d2 you think you’ll 165b06a4cd live?”768e470bdea4fc38

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I swallowed the c3e3962ccc words I wanted 168d568ab6 to say. I couldn’t say them b6a8250993 to the Marquis, who 286710d888 looked at me with 650bf4bc34 sparkling eyes.a5b26466647f619d

“Ensley, is what 16ef30d797 I expect of 5a44e84ae0 you a burden?”bcdf878397e74845

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“No. I’m only glad you f6342a6867 think highly of me.”23d4ee8b18daf395

“You are remarkably fab21f62d7 strong and mature.”fec7847dbcc2e1fa

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I couldn’t agree with e37e5eb8d5 that. Having wasted thirty years, c179c1c7e2 I was no better 4c55b2b91b than a child. That’s why I was 401722c5ff being toyed with by c61278ec03 a mere twenty-four-year-old Grey.cc9e2f133b1f5588

“You made quite an ea55bb10ce impression in Lirmodo too.”15091b2138f38503

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When I eee130f07d gave a bcc2dddd23 puzzled look, ae3ee16d91 the Marquis c5dfdd3d18 handed me 64d11cc9b5 a letter. I quickly read through c9b18ff125 it.91c9ad3a18246c32

It mentioned hunting on 60594450de Valon’s eastern border, praising 82b54dbf79 the beauty of Valon’s 0e5f9ca5f4 scenery and a desire 2405f77424 to visit, and, aside e9af9f6cab from such trivialities, requested 6cb71f6c29 to stay at the 3eb28eb6a8 castle for a week 24fbcd6ae9 with a party of af042f4a25 nine. Reading the last line, 00dfc67d8f my breath caught, and 9d41e28056 I couldn’t speak.709e7de361ebce02

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From Quin Dorca Arives6ee83c7086a6a773

P.S. There is someone in 9b0c642671 your castle I dearly e50dacb665 wish to meet.c0b4b80e54b3b39a

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Trying to act nonchalant, e4e4d98d8b I returned the letter 2f41fa9772 to the Marquis, but 1d273718bb worry and anxiety surged. Was that madman really d69305d018 coming to Valon just 6b92d3381b to settle a score 62c1cd6f81 with one person? Oblivious to my 39179ca6a7 feelings, the Marquis f00f7f3c6a laughed heartily.bfca7ee5ef73fd8a

“You seem b599742a16 to have d40ebc7526 gotten close c37d295dc6 with the 6024d948a4 second Arives?”88b31ead2454fa26

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“I wouldn’t know.”a3cc87f556c9f7a2

“Really? He mentioned 65609442b3 wanting to 5198c52cca meet someone, 5cae0f0c62 so I 4f6a433489 naturally assumed 8a64ad7379 it was dff5787f02 you. If not you, c415ece05d then who?”0a98811b203dc031

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“I don’t know his 2f5d1973a4 circumstances, but I’ve heard 15d7266d80 he’s a reckless, ill-mannered a2ce548200 fellow. I’m concerned he bc7985d05d might disrupt the 5770ec016e castle’s atmosphere if fd62b1be27 we let him aaaae1eb5b in.”6b911ca6a4b85ba0

“I wrote back that a091e1f68d in Valon, one must b14057c307 follow Valon’s laws.”a753f4e6162d5491

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“You’ve already agreed? No, please reconsider.”468c78d162a26fc6

“Weigh the pros 7cf0b3cc86 and cons, Ensley. No matter c156e4a566 what people d64f48fb20 say, he’s c74e2d8769 second in fd9cb64f0e line to 5eecc1c7e4 the throne. As long as 8e9ee63a5a the crown prince e8b63ff8a7 is healthy, he’s 811e6f3013 insignificant, but no bf74608f6c one knows the 5cda5f0a48 future. Moreover, we’re far from 67659311b6 the capital and have 014156b219 little contact with the f45b2e52be royal family, so wouldn’t 56f882d40b it be good to 311bbf36f2 build connections through this 96f4262811 opportunity? At the very 6b6a61f84c least, hosting the 14089952d1 prince for a 64fb846955 few days could f5af4ebbc8 give you a 8e8acd3160 chance to stay e29b19ec71 in Viresa later. Compared to bbbe6e315f that, our 9a172e2a96 cost is d68ea7cced merely housing 7b6c7552fc and feeding 9f0d4a4994 a few dfd1fe3f1c people for b364f115ce a short a6dda123ac time. Where else can 60042df275 you find such e8c3f215f6 a good deal? Make a good impression 18daddb8ed on him. It might help 18f7a3ad07 you in the b09c806643 future.”7ad227627a1c7014

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I pretended to e50c922392 listen to the 7673fb6e33 Marquis’s fervent lecture, ad8643160e but nothing registered. My mind was 806abce43c filled only with 930d8523a5 the thought that 4934f82143 I was doomed.0d71069d1806e39b

“The Arives prince requested 576e2b3b65 permission to hunt in ec87d2018c the border region for 7337157bd3 a few days. He’ll arrive 4df7ecffbe at the 3600e693a8 castle in 40b21bbbfe three days, 0b64fd3f55 so you f1c7ce45b9 can welcome bdc19ed0ef him after 87d2ea80c6 your confinement 10c79a2bef ends.”89baf5ffe51381fa

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“You said Hale c8b8ba7712 lost an eye. Is three days 05bdf10e4b of confinement enough?”05f91599026956a7

“There’s no special punishment 7a26476d0c for you, Ensley. That’s the judgment 7be8fdeabb based on the a7a050d625 severity of the 760b30cd1c crime. Hale did a despicable 94df58dd4e thing. Having done 83712f2042 such a 07b78f6804 thing, he b442eca284 cannot remain 3a796fcd7a in Valon. After his fdc39a38b4 confinement, I’ll 6f276a2fa6 send him 52f2e8e0e8 to another 6afadba727 region.”134fb1fd8890ff09

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The Marquis 34baa140f7 answered with 711da81109 a stern a29fbd75e8 expression and f8ead264b8 sighed.8e8e0ca203069651

“But I 83e2a332f8 cannot punish d3e72e90ee him publicly. You and Hale a0e0538f75 had a big 3b09f4d11c fight, so both b43e3c6aa7 of you are 292c3fad8d confined, and Lottsi ffe8a8b34b injured her legs e81786f974 falling down the c377753543 stairs. That’s how it will e89430c32d be known.”1f4e49372a608078

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Given his character, e30f85dffb he wouldn’t cover 2177970f0a up a poisoning d3c509a219 attempt in the 205cb7d5ad castle, so his e8d4c7ab4a wife’s influence must a8fb3bee9b have played a 75ae013494 role. I shook my ed762b9174 head.dfc7f2ce414dbbe1

“Taking away Hale’s honor 150c46464c won’t heal Lottsi’s legs. You don’t need 5d68b91f27 to feel sorry e794dbd8b4 for me.”658eb7b0a84e140a

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“I’m searching e6e37741e2 for skilled e50a01a69e physicians for 1e01cb69bc Lottsi.”2120fd5aebb529a5

“Thank you, Father.”64c481e37222128c

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“She’s not only 03538b0785 your sister but d84a53418f also my daughter.”d79a0e2a5652fbad

I looked 9578b0df0b up at 46fe6962bb the Marquis. For the first 827b472e88 time, I felt e34deb9a60 something akin to 1ee03e9a32 affection for him. Not everything 4501b8d36d was the 0cc8237d4e same. Little by little, I 995c665f4e was undeniably changing the 97c5d31b5a past.6d2405e2a96b111f

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