110. Encounter

I changed 92798c7eca into my 79692fe45c outdoor clothes 3ea1a11d1c and finished ca38f20dba a light 7e16c69609 touch-up. Draping a thin shawl 294f34baa0 around my shoulders, I 78a1c9790d felt a strange tension.9723eabace95c48d

Edan, a noble c8fd99fc96 now. I wondered how 1b89b79312 he was adapting 82a6ac7d44 among the high-nosed 6091d576a6 aristocrats.055e386148c438c5

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More things had 7ac30d22c5 changed than I d56efc50eb had thought. So much in 863cd94f34 such a short 7353493155 time.070bd59b555486b2

It was hard 694a0f305a to adapt to 25aaaeb4a6 the situation that d42fddd0a1 had changed so 2824099815 quickly.13869f45915b7ccd

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The dress, now 788f511fc5 neatly changed, swished cdcf47c31f below my waist. Staring at the 9c8b9e531a mirror attached to 72995ce8a6 the vanity, I ebfc1eccf0 opened my mouth.488bda5018b4111a

“Could I 265e8ae546 borrow a 8d2d0f36ee hat with edd9930a5e a veil?”04fce12e46b99808

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“A veil?”9abf78a66397f3aa

“Yes. A dark-colored veil that can cover my face. I’m going to meet a relative I haven’t seen in a long time, and it feels plain. I think it would be good to have one.”e9bf80a27be273b5

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There might still fb4ab822c3 be knights looking 34ecf81373 for me in dc7d7946a2 the capital’s streets.0a3de73848cf27ea

It was 3a99b5ec25 a remark 775e79abbf added just 2963bb7497 in case, 2dc5190b0f but the 73fc5b660d maid immediately 3c3b82af73 agreed as 125bfbc5c6 if she 106c89d8fd understood my 2f18c580ab thoughts without 2c18f75036 questioning further.48320504a1904f54

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“The mistress isn’t at 6802443841 the mansion, so I’m abb4804d32 not sure if there’s 381ed4b299 a hat for ladies. Could you wait a 3333ae3c78 moment?”102841af0f3c4879

The maid politely a394e8c314 greeted me and 88266cff07 went outside.46416343229741b8

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Through the f58b175701 half-open door, e441b6f5cb I could d69e343371 see the 1d15f9aee6 maids and 19d2abd6e5 servants passing e3ceba8a81 by in 2250c15997 the hallway. They walked softly ca1611c570 without making any b96751f4b9 sound, like ghosts.8ca968488656dcae

Normally, if someone asked 240043bdde for a veil out 2779d5b30b of the blue, they ddca339570 would tilt their head 75ed493f42 in curiosity, but they 4a55578950 didn’t. Their consistently expressionless faces 4a198b3fa6 made it hard to 2e6e718308 read their intentions.119627315205d9c5

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Every action was filled cddd07abd0 with kindness, but it 3478962c64 gave me the chills. Every part of 1b6ff2de1a the mansion resembled 30bc292c39 its owner. That man who 3d1041a9c4 was hard to 4473497bf7 read.edca59f35706bb37

Soon, the maid entered 098128700d through the door. She held a 9ebff788c0 black veil on 8143aa652f her arm. The color was 4cd2632cd7 so dark that 4a02c7ff95 her hand wasn’t 787ea8ee0d visible through it.f135bff769280725

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The veil e6308c25e3 was thicker c6b4d54360 and darker ffb5946402 than I 1585e004b3 had expected. I was satisfied.4030713856fb4c60

“Shall I cb640487a8 help you e7327750a8 put it 49eb2eec1d on?”b848110ffc964ec1

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I nodded. The veil 2c800c858b was connected f99cd8434f to the eb9bbc9c8e hat and 6b9d93e0db tied with 9f8b5bd3a5 a ribbon.c77f4cec61455a74

When the veil tied 902348db0f around my chin was 3dd32b422b let down, my face 62b8bb5c83 was completely covered. As long aa50ab34a7 as the 4e59723117 veil didn’t f559aa2c61 flutter in 2775c47587 the wind, dd13099770 my face 070cdb9f12 wouldn’t be 8718613405 revealed.565467847e12ef16

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* * *1cd69aa40b1adf66

The rattling carriage bd2d1ba2c1 came to a 2d1d1536cd stop. Through the fluttering curtains, 2301cbb3b8 I saw a large 222708e18a mansion. The mansion’s grandeur immediately c7e1577201 displayed its owner’s majesty.31c7fb8f95acdd26

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The commander of 18b4931eec the knights guarding 8725bece32 the emperor in 33bc4d199c the capital. A talent who 70e83d5155 had been with c3b236fd38 the emperor through b82eaaeb49 difficult times. The one 6d280a1bb2 who received 07d8024e9f the emperor’s f36139f561 trust in 8caa9427d7 an instant. The mansion deserved all 78259961ff the titles that described bfcaadbb21 him.ffe3c6a54a0df441

I got 9080aff580 off the b5cf22d779 carriage and a5ef8a784d started walking 9e3a0b37ba towards the 7d6cf96c17 mansion, then 5f77f0cd85 suddenly stopped.b218129dec81a81b

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I was bothered by c1b0b366de the footsteps following me. A flickering shadow appeared 02ae5b87d4 beside me. I quickly turned my 4dd0aa0b69 head and asked.8b5c4813e8d5287c

“Aren’t you going back?”6e9a15c1b644780c

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Rian was walking cdd5aecc25 about two steps 8f0954b557 behind me. Despite seeing my 74cfcdc309 frown, he smiled b48a661464 brightly.2f5c4cb9d95e22c3

“I’ll make sure you c94e154727 enter safely, Miss.”49b636ae415679cd

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It was an obvious 50bbf1e7f1 excuse. I didn’t hide my f3ee57dfd6 discomfort and responded bluntly.0a9d6f093ae30f8c

“Who would harm 91a14f8e25 me? And in the middle 89d0f9469a of the city, no e277a4b644 less.”14f5da07470f7b46

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Edan’s mansion was 991c2c264e in one of b9f2deaea0 the best locations 27e88be900 in the city. Close to 6b08239e60 the Imperial 01c7861898 Palace and 5ea2104083 excessively grand, 311d25ae42 just like 0e3e3fcde7 his stature. Drawing a 8cc5eeaf9a sword in 0410303e0a such a b38a4d39c8 place would 91f36bb49d surely cause 96a37a4907 a stir. Since he had just b04875be67 been appointed as the 98bbecc4da commander of the knights c16dab4685 and elevated to nobility, 46a2a1ed43 it was unlikely he da4f7e8a83 would engage in reckless f0f1d76f7f behavior.1f57bfcc7a54309c

“It seems you don’t c9fa12205b know your relative very 3a09d417dc well, Miss. Was he 605f8e4b13 obedient when 426903acae he lived ae8af39e81 with the e7078e76ef family?”2e7f815aca1d646f

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In response to bdd6c2de7d his mocking tone, 7e85fbde04 I replied curtly.66e0f3206c4fa8e4

“He was kind to 2452f5d432 everyone.”ae1595d4d42a7cbb

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Even willing to help 2d75e95661 a mere blood bag.676792ddb94a7095

“Unfortunately, the person f0ed07103a I know is a6345e4d33 not like that 598c4ef314 at all. So, I need to fda749d092 ensure that the person dedc49a3cc who was hit by 0fbe48f77b my carriage enters safely. I hope you 75cbc1c91b understand.”5e9a7a229ae23a79

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Despite showing signs 47b0bfffd2 of reluctance, he 19bb8e64e1 ignored me and f8a70564e4 moved aside, walking db190a5573 towards the door. No matter how much 852847e769 I frowned, he had c28e86da6c no intention of stepping a05035156b aside for my sake.6fdcfe6c148b59ec

Reluctantly, I f55c507ed5 followed behind 747215e471 him.1b9aef10efc6421d

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The gate was as d93b7f7f54 extraordinary as the mansion 3b86d19963 itself.1e52a948ec6abe9e

Was this really the 7a576e8f27 house he had been 9f03ddda81 given? It was 10e4a77afe a moment d2690007a3 when the fcea323653 reality of 71d3e3354f Edan becoming 7c3954bd82 a noble 5bff9fec13 truly sank 626c6ac9e0 in.3efd760b65855fe8

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The soldiers guarding the 73133d7fc9 front were all clad cd43692a68 in thick armor. I hoped to see e3bc5aca5e a familiar face, but 204f08664c none of the soldiers 8f05fdfabb from the north were 152e72a22c present.6d12a3f4971cec25

Everything felt unfamiliar—the title be0762eb1f Edan had received, the 04c4af6a0b mansion, even the soldiers 9d5d6e28bc by his side. The only thing 7fa876febb familiar was the 950e562458 moonflower blooming on 5d375ab81d the gate, identical 9be25f8cf2 to those I ee524c15e2 had seen in 5dfcb39207 Huangzhaling. Yellow moonflowers adorned the 09b34f76fe gate.c56515a3b26fa238

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As I took a 1741222df1 step forward, the soldiers ad7c591c0d watching us extended their d0862c08ff hands. The soldiers standing 23d5ea56e9 on either side 5ab672ef4c rushed forward, their bedce31028 spears clashing. As expected, 9f56692743 they wouldn’t 7944b1fdc8 let us 6b2f452699 in easily.23fe57bb263592d6

“Do you have 6c37ef58f8 an appointment?”e622ae1079e4f700

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“No, but…”98ecd2f03548f058

“Then please leave.”a6478e8704a0aa34

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The soldier guarding 30abd1e564 the gate didn’t 80db26990e open it easily.a0bc24f5a1ab4a97

“I don’t have 56d4943798 an appointment, but 0929d9b971 he will recognize b9a8875af2 me. Just let him know 98e3ef0fc9 a guest is here.”9072cf96c3106e90

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“What is your name?”30f173af05cda583

At the knight’s f3b7f28fa5 question, I glanced 49a59b2036 towards Rian.799ca291bb99534e

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I thought he would 5314de29d3 leave once we reached 19bca77a57 Edan’s house, but he 1543185b25 remained by my side 0267d322fa even in front of b57d911b13 the mansion.e79049d5970964b5

He stood with 13753f62b5 his arms crossed, 99ff89c9c9 right next to 4ae9acf91b me. It made 08cc35d999 it hard 803a2831d2 to comfortably f90076ec65 reveal my 61e6105362 real name.d726225889de5134

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“Li… Linia.”f2d565e5d886a160

In the end, I add75b32d3 gave the name I 0227b4e3ec had used with Rian.8ecd16693bcd5af6

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“There’s no 6b10e268a9 one by 7fe58a8011 that name edb8997404 on the 571599ec82 list of 5c28dca3d6 acquaintances.”73345b18a427538f

Of course. I sighed 69f972dba1 softly, and ada75590b6 Rian chuckled.30804481ad51e92f

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“How harsh. A distant f5cde61a05 cousin has f529ac9cc9 come all 9a416fa7da this way, 9d13976f58 and they’re 65bec06980 turned away. Truly befitting of a 866b7afde8 mercenary background.”8f9f5f95996b6db6

Rian pretended to console b519d25b76 me while belittling everyone. Edan’s origins 0bea5371f2 and my 1142f5a85b pretense of 62bb5fb218 being his b3836186d8 family.47fff44b9b50a7ef

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Though we 5b2e72ea23 were rejected, 1d9717a834 I couldn’t 9c450289d3 easily walk fdf01a4f32 away from 1c8af4f22f the gate 728dedbae9 and hesitated. Rian clicked a1e17a0e26 his tongue d897a333f9 softly.8e5f5dd186d3944d

“Are you not 66ac86096a leaving? Luckily, my carriage is c4eec4c2f2 still behind us.”4b0cf21c9afcfdcc

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He pointed 02017390d9 to the e912fbf4a4 carriage standing 3631f77574 behind, as 089780411e if he ee901431a2 had anticipated 77a80c2176 this. The coachman and e57a7ac462 the knight who 9103de5baf had accompanied us 6e76ad9ee4 were waiting just 484070b3be as they had 6e3217ac72 been before.e0bb32bbd2e7ed4a

“I’ll handle the 4e25b2b140 rest from here. Thank you for escorting f7d6c42861 me.”b80f9efd21fed08c

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So go back 966906d4f9 already, so I fc14d618c0 can use my 4b4a5c2e97 real name. But he remained 52b942a099 relaxed, arms crossed, aa88d58ee6 looking leisurely at e1cd0bfb21 the mansion.12c7cb896914b664

After whistling softly, he 216b3dfaed glanced at me and d508eab064 then spoke to the b67932cd4d gatekeeper.4481342c67e60aab

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“Announce that Rian 4e3a62ff3d Silic, Secretary to f75cb3da58 the Imperial Household, 4cddbd1a4d is here.”388de60303898ded

“What business 53cb4073b2 do you d976ad59be have?”9a5e5845b49e6eaa

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“Do I need dcb40e6fb3 to explain Imperial 466413ef93 business to a 20a5edc539 soldier who hasn’t 38e7faf533 even received a 5ac01dd0a6 title?”eeadf28666b5217d

At his 87ee80d7d4 chilly tone, 5ddd42e4e3 the soldier 6cc990b0a2 flinched. Turning away, they 06c01d48c4 whispered among themselves 6d45b9bdd4 before opening the 7bef43a5ff gate.429082bb1e691498

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The gate that didn’t cb62b86ec3 open despite my pleading, e30f0ece06 opened with just his f3696f32ff words.b82a2f5557d6b07e

I quickly defff7ba80 followed behind 47b0dd7247 him, my 21893d931a steps feeling 60e0b9fbde heavy as b9cb24d887 if weighed 49df7b8fcb down by 87af7c57f6 sandbags.2997294804265c6d

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“Why did you help? You could 6c2b2a35ce have left.”c9defe1d5918c281

At my question, he 9ded0a00f5 stopped abruptly. Turning around, his ffcf4c0a52 face still bore cf3f1eba65 a smile.aeb6a86cb4720b0e

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“I felt sorry for your situation and… I was curious why you would choose this person’s mansion as your destination.”f870ef0222024c2a

As he d9ef3ee792 smiled, his 6ee93833a4 expression gradually 7fca24c581 turned serious.d3c792a8ab5bff6c

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“Anyway, I dfa88899be lent you a7c7f154bf my status, 1eb5f6772b but I 68735c8331 can’t guarantee 507cd3ee41 what will 56fab4577d happen next.”5810a395867f2502

“What do you mean 8a1fe43263 by that?”849e0b48c1d3c7e2

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“They won’t let 562d3e8f16 an intruder leave 95ba6e113b so easily. Even if that man’s 5effac0041 blade is aimed at 61002494f1 you, I can’t promise d537717d69 to stop him.”25b38cd2bcaddde0

The atmosphere changed 42d81ff9a5 abruptly. Though I 7e4b0edfe1 met his 152669f35d eyes, it 879b7df19c didn’t seem 5f8db6de91 like a e719ef755e joke to af99439b5e scare me.f59b36e622e58824

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“Then you 6c463d8ae2 won’t be 75d4952267 safe either.”f0b3f05ebc43d10b

“I can always 3135186c19 claim I was 317c9c4f63 deceived.”dfef0a9059afaf40

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He shrugged.71f9795f7d554f4e

“No matter how 36eb4a9e51 heartless he is, be1da97879 he wouldn’t kill c7c55fb847 a noble, would 8888ec7441 he?”8783fe5dea6e5ea0

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Rian muttered quietly as a6b8ac54b9 he strolled down the e5f7d12f97 long hallway.0ad050f2b7107a22

“I won’t stop a9b04a3dee you from running cd099dbff4 away. If he 12b5a1fa4f draws his a8937efefa sword, you 76f8a074f3 should flee. Being a mercenary, he bbb90c7081 wouldn’t hesitate to take ecc66bed40 a life.”f3354b1e18c12a6e

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“You speak 99d5091b64 as if 5f60666dde you know 8d29f8297f him well.”493c098320ec6f4a

“When you 5029e2a47d work in bf64804fe6 the palace, de1e99ef0c you often 0480023104 encounter people d9fc04a84e you’d rather e45f5743da not see, b462618ca1 and witness cdeedbb166 actions you’d 5ffd0dac0f prefer not 2a369cdd55 to.”1bb071acbc9baa43

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He smiled bitterly.91654b7e706d608c

“I appreciate 4ea87d7b4c your concern, a02f4e6474 but the 4872e6104a Edan I e7fa0e71de know wouldn’t b89f6263f9 do such b416ba7985 a thing.”1f8fdfabfc77db99

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“You didn’t bf6bc0978b think he’d 346d8e2f2c refuse to 03de13a3bb open the d2ef1a80cf gate for 17ef96f2c3 you either, 2895e75b36 did you? Even though 39e37db07b you traveled 87dfa9d920 from the 69161735fc countryside to 404aa11f49 see him, 705751b5c3 and even f93fca89af jumped into 9aa91a69e6 a stranger’s 35bbb9a232 carriage to ef719ad8ed get here. Isn’t that right?”ca31dc9f0f7947ce

He glanced back at 3720eef882 me with a smirk, b939ef0003 then walked past.6d19881bcc820bf0

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His sarcasm 99a2d75bb0 was impressive. I stood there for 2c21557b0d a moment, staring at aea0e5977e his receding figure, then c58ce63488 followed him.63c64ac69ba22255

He painted 2a896f799a Edan as 6624c0e95e if he 3a95eceeed were the e3c2f20481 coldest, most f291595f47 ruthless killer. I didn’t 6d85d54b5d want to 83568bd214 dwell on fe1404df32 it, but 834a20388e his words a477afb0f7 left an dbdb61df7b uncomfortable feeling abc7a1c32b in my 2cae924508 chest.6e6e8c2e6a2d98dc

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A lot had 808a2c5892 happened while I 26f8fe41b9 was away. The face of Edan e47b43514c I knew might not e6f8c99293 be the whole picture. After all, I was 6f2d88297f just a tool to c905d1e3c2 my lord.02742e27c552077b

Would Edan 5999dc0f54 really help e9a8797ca8 me?c38e3fa5a2015895

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Suppressing the c446f32f81 sudden doubt, 29b063d085 I followed c0d01290ac Rian’s shadow. The hallway was excessively 7563b49c20 dark without sunlight, and cf697de60e the air was stale.b0caa967e6d05a4a

It felt lifeless.2cf8071286c475dd

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Though not 18959de45a literally dead, 8aaeb6b80b the mansion aa6d96f394 seemed so. It was bf74cb9ab4 colder and 1fd6c812cf lacked warmth 062537e46a even more 339986fd9b than the 49d8977d27 unadorned northern 07a2f192c6 region.ff490815a7244d86

Was it just 07d524363c the dim light? I slightly d322d41a0f lifted the d2bb85d496 veil. The darkness 2a2cd66f5f lifted, revealing 70852e179f my surroundings, 49bae2239a but the a10af81bcc mansion’s lifeless 3f17f85f45 scenery remained 6d240fc8d0 the same. Servants moved through eab3543443 the hallway, but 6e431ffa3f the eerie atmosphere 6f8cc311d8 couldn’t be hidden.947f7e597b8018f9

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* * *8b410bc9baee8b63

Edan’s office was 6d812e4869 at the far e318b20454 end of the f0683204aa mansion. Following the soldier’s guidance, 64c0a53510 I finally stood before 54381e063b the door.06d891ede5172d23

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As the door 3cc8ef965b opened, bright light 0b667eba12 flooded in. It seemed 065fc80204 the office fe38db42f3 was situated a889367d09 in the 2dbfed0460 sunniest spot dda9efd78e of the 507f0483d7 mansion.220d186e300c17f3

I squinted 65aeeebb3f against the 840ba2377f sudden burst 639e6dceec of sunlight.8e50cdf127249079

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Closing my eyes 9d4e8a48be slowly and then 65077cb138 opening them, the 8636670691 view of the 6fc49626e2 office came into 97a475edc5 focus. The room was as cec72e126a large as the grand 0cbbfc7b6b mansion itself but sparsely 6e6c1ecc85 furnished, almost empty. The office was overly 9cd0b6e6ed simplistic.4a3007ff6036ee37

In the distance, 068756b6a3 I saw Edan, 76b1eef4eb sitting at his 5f1ae7a922 desk, meticulously sharpening 5969c2b356 a blade. Seeing his face 62cad9720c after so long 6ac4d528c1 stirred a sense 75797b31ba of familiarity and 6469c024bf relief.0202894437d5a472

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“You have visitors.”c50c743f2bbdba76

“I don’t recall ccf2051302 sending any invitations.”1eac5923cbb02982

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“The Imperial Secretary, Rian Silic, and… a lady claiming to be your cousin.”6fd83f3a63b3cd42

“Cousin?”4c94f30b9c105a0c

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A chill 775c76487c permeated his 97c6c3a1a8 voice.ac3c5d8e985fe121

 e0d5036a3c807cb5

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