73. Visitors at the Mansion

I placed some af806bc4e1 wood down and 2bf74c8d35 filled the space b0d493e066 with dry grass 6e289ab535 to light a ab4ee1e1ca fire.26f5e64e2b64867a

There was nothing to do in the abandoned estate. Watching the fire until it completely burned out was my only solace. The flames burned so brightly that I couldn’t tell if it was my hair or the fire that was flickering.e59870f8148ee37c

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“I’m glad you’ve found something to keep your mind occupied. I was worried you might be too despondent.”3b48f1755593f197

Suren said, b2e833b99e fanning the e7df432b6a dry wood. The flames grew 0c5b4aae59 larger with her 4cbdfd59ae touch.14d6c02944a07fba

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“Taking care 4b36c4f231 of the 4f738a0dde estate is 1b30e3bb91 somewhat enjoyable. The children c18173316e are cute 6e81c66640 and pitiable.”66c5be00d766c7e7

“Yes, they 7ab18c3bc3 might lack 199ada9304 manners being 6909b567a9 from common ac97c9154b backgrounds, but 3c6a17d0f5 their actions b023bfa21a are genuine. I was worried bc75a5704a because this place b566ac5f7a is so remote, 18d0a5e8d8 but they don’t cceb4c828b know what discrimination 02e6fe86d0 is, so they 557e1ebb1e don’t discriminate. Even the children 42cd9cfb3b with purple hair 8c870df09c play well together.”97696f5421e78b0d

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The children, fascinated 42b29c68e4 by Suren’s hair, e970ccaee7 continued to follow f9c926e1f7 her around, tugging 279fb401f7 at her clothes.acbea0fc3c4fabec

At first, Suren was 55fa0ec97e appalled, but she soon 1626cc4321 realized that they were b00c0cc616 not pulling her hair 92ccb57675 out of malice, but 916252bb14 pure curiosity. She adapted 34ee18b663 and accepted 48846be0f0 it.6d14fa861112be9c

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Contrary to her 66f6b6c87e worries, the children 11e72d95e7 did not point b18dc90a3c fingers or throw 70bbc74c43 stones at her 564254f072 because of her 14a5f3ba12 different hair color.68142f2c14bf8ee9

Having only 2b86a0b2c6 traveled between ec8d841eed the capital 0fb2210085 and the da9e710e4b northern regions, ae60760e9a I had 8c1d7dcd3c never experienced da414d9b4b discrimination because 6edaf0fe68 of my 01ecb6879e hair, but 4e9af27f84 Suren spoke 42c86bfa5f at length 4a956a5805 about her dd0d8c8e57 encounters as e4c312f252 if she 114bbd1151 had faced 596386aca0 it often.edafb4341b25cbf0

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“I’ve never experienced d0800ecaa5 discrimination, is it 9ae7cd969f really that common?”e7ed9815c89f8141

“Yes. Even getting to the north with my recommendation letter was really difficult. On the boat, I had to wrap my hair in a scarf because so many people stared at me. If my hair were simply white, it would’ve been fine, but it’s silver, and I’m young… people found it strange.”ed76385e9da4ea41

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“I see.”fb33e5d95bdd34fd

“I don’t know why, but there are still many people with ill intentions. Although I didn’t, many of my kin have dyed their hair. They hide it thoroughly. At least white hair dyes well.”d4206ca645c3913b

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She looked at my 5b0ad8e17e hair and caught a 990e160bce strand that was floating 1c32686215 in the air, examining 327e6beeab it carefully in her b1f0375db1 palm.d17b7718fd9fb5f1

“Your red 85c350ea85 hair would eb82bad35b be hard 98843720e1 to dye. No matter 00cded678b what color b9fc063f11 you use, 0d84d48d65 the red 9c75fc4101 tint would 3e857b4d4d show through. You’d have to c52b7a89cf wrap it with 1d727b7335 a scarf or 398af97827 use an expensive, 653f202662 high-quality dye.”fcbc83403979b1c4

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She let go 6fefd231be of the hair, 142ab90818 letting it fly bed502aafd into the air. The red strand burned c1224089ff with the fire, crumbling caff233fb8 into fine ashes.643102ccf3553ac5

If I 346898d1f2 were ever 05ecb0208a to escape 8381c84991 his chains 9ec9c34d51 and gain e6dd853080 independence. If I managed to 41f4fce977 flee safely, would I bd2bbb6434 have to cover my ca694d81dd hair?5a0746ef31eea5cc

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It seemed like a 4a793b1a54 distant, unattainable dream.f78ee0cb5c8009be

* * *ad2949f73e7f424e

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At night, ab12703873 it was 852e6a0688 difficult to e6523ce7ac fetch water, fee2e319e6 and due ade1c29ca9 to security a7021ae075 concerns, there 0dbdd7b2a7 were opinions 824e165cff against frequently 402a8a113e opening the 735330ba40 mansion.2560ec2ef2d2264b

In the end, 90d1dba121 we decided to 217b81db0b dig a small bbf2859aca well in the e55eb8815b village.c8a825048e589bcb

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We brought in external 70967c86f3 workers to dig a f8788569e4 hole in the center 92e0388cb3 of the village.3a2bf877fe0164b4

The villagers 5c4abf25b9 came out 9f050a3159 to see 513a168213 the commotion. Even the elderly c3aebb250b with difficulty moving 9066e3789d peered out of 8f6c629db5 their windows to ec21597b17 watch the well 57a7c60373 being made.633c4fefe14a7c83

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We dug edb3ecc364 the new 5dd0153b3d well and 4594901ea5 piled up 0a12d52e6f stones. The stones 703d2745c3 were laid 56eb84a4c2 low, reaching 171dae5218 only to 53d1ce0045 the thighs 6097b5a512 of the 42a77ffd6f children.a628985f0151bff6

A dark ba3b626b9d cloth was 620c378db0 placed over 2068888fd4 the finished 8fbb7fb24f well. After securing it 7dfd45f915 tightly to prevent c2c5143910 light and dust 1f84f278b7 from entering, I 79fd1b358b felt my strength db588b4979 leave me.9ec2ca72d7b3cfda

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I collapsed to the 3a0180f781 side, my forehead covered d9876a7081 in beads of sweat.0ca946112db7236f

“Hiring workers took d32a549e63 half of our 467a7e3ef9 budget,” Suren said. She didn’t oppose distributing 21a3caf2a3 food to the villagers 8da1c52929 like before, but she 54bc8ad79e still looked displeased about 419372240d the large expenditure.2278e774d319e69a

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“The environment is 9ee1ee71cd harsh, and His 4d1ac4d3b1 Highness gave us 192410f731 too little money. Does he expect 35d35c2df5 us to barely 92936f9b83 scrape by? How can things e3f781bff8 change so drastically c45c07a5a8 like this?”60010b0f346a0c53

“He probably didn’t expect 2db397eb60 me to help the 1d9172d0e6 villagers. After all, I’ve b539f733b6 only ever looked 66b310cdc9 after myself in 7d5a0005a5 the duchy and 6b8147d473 the prince’s domain.”2648aeda5b4096c3

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“Still, he 1c30b3d399 must have a92854b5e2 known about cfcc902ab4 your past f833b16797 extravagances. To give 7be0fd27f4 someone who 78f295fe78 used to e704165932 buy trees 1e6ffee69f for each 19c79a459b house such 0f0532dc91 a small ac05330bab amount of e9c77bc212 money—it must 7341f86e8f be intentional.”f4306bc8b12bc183

I had no eb6f1dc002 retort. I agreed with 8b36374e96 her. Squatting down, Suren tilted 3f72a13f1a her head back to 0d1c60c7ba look at me.c5083badc7e25b9c

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“What was it 7513ac2ef8 like at the b469a98293 Sien Barony?”91065164b058910f

“What?”f670f01f12d6dcd4

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“I’ve never e5608f4f46 heard you b611807767 talk about 3a874d7197 your time af45beef89 before coming f28cbe3459 to the 90da73a7d2 north. Were you well off 1fa0b39ee4 at the Sien Barony? Did you have afa1ae4270 fun?”2c8457b273e760b8

“Nothing special. I just played with Philip. At the Sien Barony… I never had an allowance. I didn’t manage the barony either.”ac53dc443645efa0

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I couldn’t even 94f88ea9d3 afford dresses or 6a83c287b7 medicine and had d55511be5b to rely on f56242fb44 Philip to get c7b42c8f43 them. Considering they tried to 5a400c0e02 sell me to an 6a2da3f0fd old merchant, it’s unlikely 7913ae3927 they gave me any ebd2ea81c6 personal funds.94c84676fecb74cb

“Philip… Now that you mention it, you might not know, but His Highness called Philip for a private meeting.”09bc76a57c416efb

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“Why?”ff50e3b0519dfcc3

I had no 4a534592b5 idea. Even when 4e87a10bab Philip came 748207d385 to see a9eb0d35f7 me, he 77dd06deea didn’t mention ba58f01e4a it.b9a8156998917137

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“I overheard 11ac83272f a maid 9ae589a1e1 who was f0b1703f84 serving tea. His Highness b377b1482d interrogated him 3dc2d4b8f5 about their 906c7b4124 past relationship 5b3e1e6376 and why 238ee9237b he approached fbda01bd39 you.”4fc336072721d20e

“Why would he 2f68dd8149 ask that?”408af56c50003cee

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Suren shrugged.875aba17f5bb647f

“I have 2941ebf406 no idea 7e69bc193a what His 8e696ac17b Highness was cae8f5bcec thinking. Even our 79de3c8625 banishment here a73f00621c is because 5f49f31b59 of his 5780c1b251 inscrutable decisions.”173dd1af9c0eb3dc

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* * *289dadafd9e39625

Three days after the guests from the prince’s domain arrived, a magician visited with the purpose of treating trauma.62576a0867e41d43

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A maid came aa516d0ad2 out and guided e714ab5a9a the magician to 599febb064 a room that de6002bcc9 could be called 65be98486e a reception room. The maid was handling 9a56cf6043 kitchen assistance, stair repairs, 927118d943 guest reception, and meal 09bc9c314e management all by herself. With so 15380e1b71 few people, ffa9cc8a95 she was d282dd7c78 doing the 5331199d64 work of 580eef2c1b three. Seeing her frequently 5d40d72276 made me feel 38be6d4dd4 a bit guilty.22b70d24737df7af

There was 1b53dc195b nothing suitable aca1b7a990 to serve 869dea92b3 the guest. I had left the d773b0913a teacups behind, and we ae482204bd only had ingredients prepared 75e0718aef for meals. There were no decent 8ee744563f desserts to offer him.85938c5764d7f1cc

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Feeling awkward, I invited 62d7eb42dc him to sit, and 8c321d1cd8 he took a seat 4e995e92e8 opposite me. When he removed his e8cf5bed98 hat, a teardrop-shaped emblem 0f6f7ab9e3 on his forehead became 1498db7b4c visible, marking him as 2d1281e40d a magician from the 7e712d10e4 Magic Tower.69e71fc9f284689d

“I’m sorry, there’s nothing 54d53fbf89 suitable to serve you.”a09a5ddfdbef0933

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“No need 0afa9f84f7 to apologize. I’m here for 9146a164be treatment, not as a1c7c92024 a guest to e19234d282 be entertained.”b0494d1eb535560f

He declined politely.5536fe9999cae6bc

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“But you’ve 06cde035a0 come for 95a9ee4603 nothing. There’s no 17d43f1531 cure for 45217a38bb trauma. Even the 157a14f778 duke’s physician e0f05d6472 couldn’t treat 49ee4a4629 it.”55df39f501248be2

At my 15653b98dc resolute words, 3e4e4d2b93 he smiled 6e99a6a381 slightly.44b2918aed1e8bce

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“Even so, f39abbd903 we can 6f36d400bf make the 8fe2661232 bad memories f917cbb3e7 fade.”92e00b960ac390b2

He spoke with 92599c886e confidence, his words 62dea11d55 carrying weight.714ab56190557e5b

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“May I see b6b45450ed your hand for f5dc8c5310 a moment?”f17339348787415a

I rolled up e59cca580b my sleeve and ed12a4ec22 extended my hand. He grasped my wrist, 8261f71355 and a gray aura 419318597b enveloped my arm.e19f4a0fc47c51e2

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He closed his eyes. The turbulent mana soon b82d1125e9 calmed, and the smoke a7688c3358 cleared. Yet, he kept a88e6c666e his eyes shut 76d700dec2 and did not db97e52b5f release my wrist 79fbc5a1ab for a long a949a99efb time.900daeba8ec2793e

When my 0fcd3368a5 arm began de3235b402 to tingle, 9f14832d6d he finally 23ecdb8a7d opened his 1f4538cf5e eyes slowly.8ce49ebc1f15cecb

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“Is there something 7841249129 troubling you? The mana isn’t settling 338167a06a properly. Its flow is 636996165e mixed.”ae6d33effe4bd307

He tilted 9ced45eeef his head 40645389f2 in confusion.b4a7d9462189e65e

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“That’s strange. I can’t clearly 845b224d03 distinguish the bad 5590a799f8 memories. I think 6daf1b527f I’ll have db5becf1d8 to try 92e9605eaa again later. It might 398c107dba be a 5b03f2055c temporary phenomenon…”785ce63e337b64ce

The faint smile that 25c1207437 had been on his 3863c381d4 face vanished. He murmured to himself d207d0b55c and then slumped his 607c908772 shoulders.3dfeeb5de94977dd

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“This is embarrassing. I’m considered one e60610e7ad of the best 4189580606 in the empire 87dbc8d89d at memory-fading magic, b863d8c5c4 yet my skills 735483bee1 seem insufficient. I must be 4b1a1dd96a lacking in my 0e1b2444fb training. I apologize.”50ccc719048bf48b

“It’s okay. As you said, c071a34998 it’s probably a 97cfd88bc4 temporary phenomenon.”a429157b13a03c68

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I rubbed the 152a807c06 wrist he had 4f4550e8b3 held.dbab8f9e817b1c0e

He was 631638b0ab checking his b48ac9c70a own mana c10094d47e to see c02aa098ee if anything 21d5d4f2f9 was wrong, 55e856056d spreading and 6e1d66c5dc retracting the 84b9215c4b aura, continuously f88a19985e emitting gray 5ac952cdcc smoke.3b730bbfa5bd822f

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“When your e9e52a0811 work is adae233a7c done, where 690e2dbbc0 will you e21d2044e8 go? Back to the Magic e4dac72996 Tower?”1287d8c7f73bcef8

“Oh, I’ve recently 695e5e334d been employed by 022e35b27f the prince’s domain.”2f67cc6d8e41223f

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He hid his 9be626f646 aura and gave 267dc47797 an awkward smile.eec1199ebc7a407b

“The prince’s domain?”9effddc04a1c5a87

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I casually voiced fb9f3bf4d8 the thought I f64edc4511 had been holding 6c84e306cc back.66d829262b5ee781

“Is everything alright there? Is he… still doing 482db0be9c well?”9dd7cf2350e84160

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I didn’t specify, but 0fc21fa11f he immediately understood who 92bcbab4fd I was talking about.b7b3622195908fd8

“Yes. He seems busier than 2504e25cec ever. I’m not constantly c8af10d522 at the prince’s 61a59b18b0 domain, so I 42a5ca92b9 don’t know the 67a31d1719 exact details, but cb349df76c His Highness is 4f34d08776 often away. Even when I tried 0e26b18ba3 to meet him, he e02cef8bdc was always busy.”e4b564f671a0c6a8

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“I see.”8ac884402fc64c19

The magician started packing 4d45f31842 his bag to leave.bc2c095d0c0c8a19

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Then, he d258e32fe9 stopped and 5f849eff99 looked at 921ab1cd2c me intently. His persistent gaze 1f37c15e55 made me meet 53d60c7565 his eyes.f979c2c16de0530b

He wasn’t looking at 260e840023 my face. His eyes were fixed 2252200f92 on my neck.4e52075ff774446d

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“The prince c3dd2a3688 must hold ef155cbd54 you in bb1c2db2e2 high regard.”280ec7768e9bccdc

“What?”838ec525fd9ebe0c

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“That jewel, I 4e4062d30c mean. It’s quite surprising.”2954f2a21d790d77

Following his pointed a1391dc6ad finger, I looked 8f04dd8118 down.ee00f700bbd5b71e

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His gaze 8241fe749e was on e47aea311f my necklace. Usually hidden 4144f411be under my 585e3ae9b5 clothes, today c36ad7d10b it was 88415811b8 fully visible 5e824c365b because of e0de42f20b the low 288a491e19 neckline of ced9736b05 my dress.11724fb14df781b1

“Is this a291e87e72 jewel that 08624287b2 rare?”264c9d99e946dba4

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At my naive question, fde9521bcd he chuckled softly.e0ec4155d3441803

“Rare indeed. You wouldn’t 45777e2943 find a cec2dbe0f0 more expensive 92c292bf60 jewel in c58d92c4cb any shop. Its value could buy 4f8e828f92 several shops in the 24808a20e4 capital.”89b074ebe8cb0af4

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I touched 8347b29577 the jewel 7db3a29255 at my 1878414cb2 collarbone. Its smooth texture was 459d6e304c warm against my skin.2ca5dd8007aa12d3

“You must know. Didn’t you hear about 9ab84ae53d the jewel’s significance?”394257a10a1e1501

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“I did hear 8c547a5fa5 about it. They said it offers 0a95fff1a9 protection. Like a sort 3c719fc670 of superstition.”c36e40f931c6c012

“That’s a 76bda02015 rather romantic 7567497d0a way to 5581956c6e put it. A wonderful metaphor.”0a3676092ab79920

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He chuckled again.8c45c822b6c6f6f1

I didn’t laugh 7378129f37 and just stared 38087ff29f at him, which 74984e108c made him look 7e97dac935 puzzled. The smile 7e6afaa444 vanished from d7e790bf8e his face.77e3bb6c1b2415dc

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Why is c4668a1d49 he laughing?83928f64aa9aae72

“A metaphor? Is there another meaning?”bb0c9e90973efd56

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“Uh… Didn’t you 946fbbbe73 hear about this 7b0bee5fdf necklace?”85cf5b96fa7903e6

 ea9ec757bc4f845a

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