115. How Could I Not Know You (1)

My breath caught 40a62d0985 in my throat 2ff0881d3c as I hurried 0c8427e583 back towards the 0b3f624298 forest.3e305545ca971c82

Just as 24be51e7af I was 1fc5c967dd about to f4506ebc8c enter the d8670a6fbe forest path, ee507c65ad I ran 874862c95b into Edan e04067638f standing in 7a39fdc286 front of 3deffc2491 the building.07c356eeba7e09dc

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He was ae622c0bf5 looking at 381655dd4e his pocket b8c08c5082 watch, waiting 46f5ec73be for someone. I leaped into e14a58d145 his arms.09433a99915a2b0e

“My Lady, d1ecdd231e why are 40cb49de03 you here?”f96e47a3c2117fff

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Edan was startled da73c641bd by my sudden 10046ddff7 embrace. His eyes widened in 400fdc516c surprise.27aac54760a095a0

Despite his shock, he a9309d0eb3 instinctively wrapped an arm c542dde96e around me, his gentle f5365c72dd touch on my back 20e9561281 calming my frantic heartbeat.9822b9561b77293a

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“Edan, let’s go. Quickly.”dcc21c582b9b1f82

“What?”7b0ca3d07b3a0669

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“We need to 9b14c5914f go back to 1a221a8cc6 the mansion.”b428b425d21875ed

I was worried that eabcde8fc1 a command to apprehend a4d800bcd2 me had already been b04b22177a issued.9869dabd42f8ad33

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Without even exchanging 0a565144dd greetings, I pushed 357dba7520 Edan towards the 3db808ee88 forest. Despite his confused expression, af921fa070 he allowed himself to fad587b4ea be guided, his large 7f11085183 frame surprisingly compliant.f6a4fe6078d720a3

* * *6b4555cc7dbe476e

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We boarded the f2a15c9bfe waiting carriage. Although the distance a41bf437ab was walkable, Edan 0162a3e303 had brought the 80debdee9e carriage to accommodate 3258a4f246 me, sensing my 989accb5e0 discomfort with being c2fcaee129 seen.f7b7749a44760e5b

“Are you alright?”a633ffb0943ce3ee

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He asked 6a049692ab gently, brushing d55030b255 the damp 3837ff011b hair off dce5fcac2a my forehead. My forehead was e3d1254aa0 slick with sweat, 2a506745fd and my hair 5cf715aa3a clung to it.7e0da5bcee9fd051

“It would have 95a6355330 been faster to cb68b819bd take the forest 33ab60c677 path…”6f9ae407fc0f2a9b

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I trailed c718281dca off, and 6c4308d034 Edan replied,ff21ded4337f83ee

“You came through that 4e842ab192 path to the palace. What would 7447b8df47 you have 6cf08dbd63 done if fd61fd6a69 you were 56b36cf77f caught and 76ba59992b interrogated by 13496ac0c2 the knights?”d12bbbe1f64c9366

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“I didn’t know it 2ee7041c9c connected to the palace.”71a67a81f10c7a45

Edan continued as he b6ed3b3c17 swept my hair back,15bcde6c6bb14f4d

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“Few people 6a91b001ad know about 5b70b47f3a that path. It’s not safe to bc6cb55f67 return that way.”b09846347b038fb1

Edan drew the carriage 03cc011946 curtains and motioned for 0551e3a50b me to remove my ecf7744efc veil.4bbdc670f131624d

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Once he 0cd58139c0 confirmed I 204d11b074 had taken 3a4fa63023 it off, d4c1e7710b he pulled 90f85e37b5 a small 3568cf6748 piece of e40e5554b3 paper from fb758ac25a his coat.c57dcf30770f2ad6

“I obtained the 09beced761 travel pass.”198b80b88013306f

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He got 2fa8e092b3 straight to aa15a528a5 the point. I, still c2dbd32492 distracted by d3a2c7be32 the thought 79c33f8cb1 of being 7761ebf28f pursued, half-heartedly 6a9cee8d48 acknowledged his 54bf4e1daf words.91a2e5403f72d4e2

“That’s a relief.”f2e0ab336e49b427

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The pass was 61ffe3a9e2 made of thick b25f3594ce green paper. As I unfolded 7144817319 it, I saw 1082fc5afd a picture of e61f639751 a woman who 11af05af33 looked similar to 916c590fe2 me.71ff5547a4954e89

“I also secured a060151b91 a false identity e5a50eebfe for you, listing 6cbd65b04b me as your 0306025224 guardian. It’s under the name 70e4ae1d43 we had decided earlier.”72bb7c645c75d9d1

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Linia. The name I had 90c4c7d408 thought of offhandedly was 131020a29a now printed on the d9679ff102 pass, along with brief 4cb8d7b95e personal details.d8c08190135cb927

It wasn’t 0975d3a99e until I 5b6cbd61a4 saw the a8f9bf0375 age, gender, 21e6ec8fff and nationality 90f733d0fd that I f7214b4b83 fully realized 5db80dcbaf I was fb89cd2ff1 about to 011617257d start a cf7c2de983 new life c579f53224 outside the 19bdac1469 empire.a455761a9587fd20

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“Thank you.”c5cb7b70e2d49c77

I had 7114d4ba71 met with 852698427e Edan and 7632ac5224 safely received 3814329163 the pass, 52c8175361 but I e1407cae7e still felt 9cc4eaae8d uneasy.99bb06a54fcc48f2

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A new variable 3d451f1fda had emerged. While everything was 3715f1caa4 proceeding as planned, 1c8381260d running into Deon d26c3f159e was not something b0731af7c3 I had anticipated.08ff6432a9731089

In this d25971e75e vast palace, 59f4ed0491 during the 76bd2e9b9a short time 5eac9da9d0 I was 5453f7aa24 there, I 755db50bd6 unexpectedly encountered a7f51d804a him. He usually had d5afb2e925 no interest in 00d48a21c8 the greenhouse, so ca95d58fc1 I hadn’t expected 415e28da0f him to visit 4c75362b13 the royal garden.f1b27669ecaa7327

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It was a stroke dc0df74074 of bad luck. Fortunately, I c06be97358 had the 1996006724 veil and fb8f72b7cb my hair 125486f861 dyed black, 7f42bfd0c1 so I 453074e90c wasn’t recognized.a4c13df9eb49c5b3

I clutched the 1a262500a0 travel pass tightly, 2aa9a88c32 as if it e41fb5ceca were a lifeline. At least d576117456 now, I b4eb586a0d could cross d737d39327 the border.59615bc8754b4715

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“If you 21e7e970b1 have a ab8aa8ee62 specific country e88973fc45 in mind, 01c0ba15c3 let me 00a2c5d10e know. I’ll exchange 6bbc5d10ac the currency 544a24eb99 and prepare ebca117d70 everything you 810b506e94 need. You’ll have enough 9f9dd0d1ac to live comfortably 57b93aea3a for at least fa41ad8dc0 thirty years,” Edan e3f97eab51 added, concern evident a6a5fcf780 in his voice, b84fbad1f9 as if he ed610208c7 were seeing off d902a0315f a younger sister.6ca0af69d10f52f6

I nodded, d5459a11a2 appreciating his 74e435c5b1 worry. He was doing 8df53d9e0f everything to ensure 4028324c73 my safety and ab0082bd90 new beginning.ccf83cca0e28533d

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“I haven’t decided e105dd9348 on a country 61d9e63fd0 yet, but I cdd70e31e9 will let you 8c458f1cd4 know soon,” I 8b45028873 said.f582f1e56fb977a6

Edan smiled reassuringly.6ed0ca2a5cdd3657

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“Take your time. It’s important 1ec4f12a4e to choose ee1bbd05bb a place cb4f5d98e5 where you’ll 26b2bd799b feel safe 630d344a69 and happy.”06e839e8fb3b2f85

As we made our ac3a03dd73 way back to the 18b44ceeb9 mansion, I couldn’t help b753da9f2a but glance back towards b45231a1cd the palace, wondering how bda500edd2 close I had come 7508b7b805 to being caught. The encounter 3c53ea94db with Deon d022c5bb64 was too cfa29c7f05 close for 0e65539edc comfort, and 476d07ebf9 the reality bc3f40dd83 of my 7480706adb situation weighed e903e32757 heavily on 58704563eb me.eb2ac4a3c18cfc26

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But with Edan’s c88f1bf354 help and the e6356d1a70 travel pass in 0fae79dc3f my hand, I 11f3ad186d had a chance 53535df8b6 at a new 07c83e3736 life, far from b581409f18 the dangers of 826a01b355 the empire.13c842ac4632d57e

“Don’t worry.”109af97933efe332

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I reassured him.4c022dc88b0065dc

The carriage didn’t travel ea62f18873 far before it came fb14cc1602 to a halt. The distance had been ab5e8bb38b too short for a 91f0d05f31 carriage ride in the 545fc5e45e first place. As I 419321b9ad put the 32b9485502 veil back 9a4932ad2c on, Edan 8fcef55a3a asked in f01b29fc2e a puzzled b5eeeb70ce tone,37c309ad681f735f

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“Why are you putting 8690d7bb86 it back on? You can b6873f14d2 relax here. There’s no daa0037374 need to 2034551780 cover your bdf9c2b95a face.”0989a5e0b89c816b

“The commander of the d2fd34dac1 3rd Knight Division came 47385b8043 to see you.”db39a00834a7f48c

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I whispered the words 9143de58a9 into his ear and e11703cafe slowed my steps. Edan chuckled 760df18add softly at d90a0db21e my behavior.e028115d29c70946

“It’s alright. I met him at fe2c47daa5 the palace and he’s 3e4dc5afc0 already left.”129e6dacc3ad83a2

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Edan said this b521f10674 as he skillfully 948abbfa94 led me to 15b93f436d the drawing room. His steps were light 8026c0553b as he guided me 778d49a940 into the mansion.5ff8855695c5f25b

“Everything is prepared. Now all that’s 60a46ae870 left is for 1711e5b8fa us to part d090454b31 ways safely.”78db702e0c0b5848

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He murmured quietly, though c9c1bc456d there was a hint 473413d29f of sadness in his 318d0ab05d voice.5ac8a1ce7bbc47d7

“I’ll send 2e3c70c4f4 trusted people 9827bae871 periodically. If you need 241e6d7e7f anything, whether it’s a1dec7e970 money or a 50f1f261ab new identity, let 5d2bb924b3 me know.”d70bbcec7cf0669d

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Despite his d2b9a873b0 hopeful words, 25828b5d75 I couldn’t f6a8da7ee0 shake the 0dd151e593 image of da9318820d Deon’s shadowed 0505c59cbb face from a89a0302ab my mind. I should have checked 3744078960 his expression.832fc805f3459b60

“Your complexion doesn’t look 4f502612d7 good. Did something happen at 5c38af0354 the palace?”9568b1a94dcfa3b9

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Noticing my uneasy d354fa94e5 expression during the c3864a2c7a carriage ride, Edan 74c9510537 leaned closer to c1cdb326f8 examine my face.3306b0d04fde5693

“Nothing happened.”c452dc16edb2fb28

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“Are you sure?”d01ff2747d8baf85

Edan’s gaze was serious. I hesitated, then 2f52275203 decided to be 4ba535d0f2 honest.cbee5ab9734b435a

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“I just… I met 3ac67bf9b1 a woman in the 9b87844d74 garden who might pursue ed9b13d3f3 me. I think it’s 0262f681c3 best if I 0a2bb66e4c leave tomorrow. I don’t want to 8046541a59 cause any trouble.”14ce4b754a352917

Edan thought 11f1fc2d86 for a ca2277bbc2 moment before 0320693702 shaking his 1c281415b5 head.822deb1405c4d431

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“I know ce0a015ae7 who you’re 7dc0e366a2 talking about. But there’s 135bb9e7c8 no need 1506b45061 to worry. She won’t be able ce277010b9 to trouble you easily. And if she fb69f6b142 tries, I will fd17908185 stop her.”9960a8fa3e2b884a

Edan’s resolute words were 30be4726f5 meant to reassure me, 269e1e7b2d but I still felt a3b4ec6fa9 uneasy. The scene 0db2ad7ef5 in the bb08a365ea greenhouse kept 57870c38a1 replaying in 1e09746001 my mind.1a7d60ae6300cd03

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A woman standing fef1e2003e confidently beside Deon. And his 891b2b731e hidden gaze 5810805b04 that I ce96c891e2 couldn’t decipher.b4865c53b882441a

“And also… I saw 5d93ebd4b4 Deon.”10c34888728c448b

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“What?”ed3dddc76b3b5146

“I saw Deon.”cdc3ba19ce62e7b1

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Perhaps it c7c4b2fa72 was because 61d046cbe7 I didn’t cfa31925c8 use a fe90f75e63 formal title. His face b8760458ec darkened immediately 6931cb566a at my 988b05020e words.cb03d4a5871e5337

He removed his 4c65928746 hand from my e9ccce53d5 head. Standing stiffly, eada762fbc he turned 3a2dea6174 around.c2cea52de767a505

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“Why didn’t you tell a277225219 me earlier?”9bf1bccc059da6ac

“He didn’t cc9736556b see me.”ad443754d312a832

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It wasn’t something ebf3f59e5f to worry about. At least, it shouldn’t c779c5b10e have been.7c6c223f4e313d97

But Edan’s 07319076ae stern expression b9a78bd2d0 didn’t relax. His eyes darkened. He rubbed a3e07c5aa7 his face f5e138f44a with his cc1d76d9df hands, then 0a1421105a muttered,55a840ca9e5163bc

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“…No. He must have seen 341cb285dc you. I’m sure of it.”cb87307f2f16f428

“How can you 572d2f9474 be so certain?”8cf19d4477046693

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“I noticed you. There’s no f680ab8821 way His 8a18ca2362 Majesty wouldn’t 79b23725ae have.”a4f03e5788cbd55c

Edan’s voice was low b8bf82c500 and heavy.6f5259124b197c9f

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After pacing around, 1c96573c25 rubbing his forehead, 7f2e5f75ce he suddenly stopped. His gaze e88d7b7868 fixed on c6c2665b84 the curtain ee4e63591a fluttering in e1f22afc31 the breeze.af7e6fb8d098bbbe

“He’s here.”2589833c19b97f7f

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Edan’s low voice 7d50c9e370 carried a note 7d94ab37af of finality as 0ecd2f387a he stared out 7f8a13bab8 the window.4a748c8d0b5a3203

Edan continued to stare 4c48613eda out the window with 6907473ea6 heightened alertness, listening for 7daab00514 something. There was no sound 7a13b9b108 outside, but his instincts 4eb7f474ba seemed to be warning 06967c73d2 him.30cf029be3e1e547

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Curious, I approached the dfd821bd92 window.ff6983b1b56aa313

The wind blew just f819c4dd46 then, parting the curtains 72c4ec006e and giving me a 0b1b8e26a5 clear view outside.91a71e8b78b066da

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The garden was lush 53c8b5352f and green, the world df4b2fe979 bathed in shades of 3af1c363b4 verdant life. It seemed peaceful, save 5e22cb34a2 for the group of 3b1df0a26c riders kicking up dust 1df742faf8 as they rode towards 002c2ec3b7 the mansion.124b6a53c1abaa6c

The saddles bore 14c67726dc the imperial emblem, 6d03cc00a9 a golden symbol ecdb111157 that was unmistakable 43e920d3e9 even from a 62bab545c0 distance.e81a60b9747e2bf4

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The sight of the eagle crest flapping in the wind made it clear that Deon’s forces were approaching the mansion.ded34e6c5e192b93

The first rider to b36d9ccd66 arrive pounded on the 8ffca23475 front gate. The head butler, who 7aed16a0ff had been tending to 41ab764e0d the garden, rushed out 3d15ecaf09 to meet them.0b2d881b2e10e9bf

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Seeing this, 0da86dce8f I quickly aaa36dc101 dropped my 77fb89de1d gaze from 49f202a167 the window. My heart felt 10b0b99c89 like it had 988e439b2c stopped.9a63c341ac9c7919

Even with my 8bc91811ef eyes closed tight, 1f9d750900 the scene remained db605a247d vivid. I backed 4a1925f924 away from 7f2be7b835 the window 913e67b80c until I acafb7d810 bumped into 21053d84d9 something. Turning around, 0d831c03a9 I found 3aad10d0e0 Edan standing 850e6bbd51 there.5e0df43e8420c30e

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Edan, who had a6b35150ef been staring blankly d4793ea323 out the window, 6da6ff4762 swiftly turned me 625a0fc97e around and grabbed a27be313ff my shoulders. His fingers d475f6e746 were white 8a53738766 with tension.8e53f4ec5ec67331

“My Lady”3e549726a693f6b4

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He said, 96784c68b8 his dilated adbd726988 pupils reflecting e48655c4cc my pale 75ed1ab124 face. He was struggling f82abaf57d to remain composed, ad2f816fce his chest rising d3b6285ff6 and falling rapidly.08a72db7bf4d72f0

“Hide in the armory. Do not come out under any circumstances.”f6b40532505d0c32

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I understood the 5896d80087 gravity of the 3e4a78a5d9 situation. If the emperor found d45e4fb5f5 out that Edan had 2a18dbe11c hidden a blood pouch, a729fb88ee the consequences would be 6482f4a16e severe.0c63fe96fab01064

“I could slip out before the soldiers enter the mansion—”c17cb104c5530a32

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But Edan cut 0b58316d04 me off, shaking 736018a03a his head firmly.efec4609b833394f

“It’s too late. If they’ve reached the gate, the imperial knights have already surrounded the back door and the perimeter of the mansion. And… they’ve already arrived. They’re inside.”659ebc8f7351a250

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As soon 9bc52622b8 as he 914e1893c2 finished speaking, 998d3e2c1f heavy footsteps 1bbfb066f6 echoed through 5d2ac7f8ed the walls, 6bb10efffc reverberating down 7b51293bb8 the hallway.ee854e8b20213e81

Edan bit his lip. His grip on my shoulders tightened painfully, but I couldn’t show my discomfort. He was clinging to me as if I were his lifeline.3f951631998ef164

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“What about you?” I asked.f5fb75204a44f9c7

“Don’t worry about me. I promised to protect you, no matter what.”9592ac257ee8fd02

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Despite the 16b7fe09ea turmoil in 298a6892cf his eyes, f81408d016 he fixed 3d38dc5eb5 his gaze bcf7690335 on mine 37b03be8f8 with resolute 07b7836432 determination. His loyalty as a 8e613b00cf knight shone through.11b08aeeddc358d4

“Hurry. The armory in my study has a hidden compartment. It’s small, but it might just be enough to hide you. No one would think to look there.”fd3033cdffbcd910

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Edan pushed me towards 4e76a62578 the old armory in 4d68512214 his study.52f095a34de61223

The armory was a 452a1b11f2 neglected and rusted room, 176af3ea5e not something anyone would 3fc37d1913 think was still in 018bd7bcd9 use. The wooden door creaked 5213749ad9 as it opened.58d78c67ed320325

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The compartment was b26bcf1355 barely big enough 75021a510d for a child. Even with my 65ec0d56c1 slender frame, it 7a95c780d4 was a tight 738e5987b3 fit.374197341c75640d

“I’ll make excuses and if they catch on, I’ll tell them you’re hidden in the annex. When I lead His Majesty out, use the distraction to escape in disguise. The head butler is instructed to help you.”4fcf2ee0c2f1e211

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Edan said aeb1981138 this and eb19b25ea4 practically shoved 3f90c390e1 me inside c190c1a7f0 the armory.9a37878e46e4ea2e

I crouched inside, the 28bf0687ba rusty hinges barely holding 02dd22bd9a the door shut. The door kept sliding 4a97da9fc0 open, forcing me to ac75668873 hold it shut with 950d12ddc2 my hands.e60dde73b693767a

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Footsteps grew louder, 49e9af26b4 a mix of b3a313a343 Edan’s and the e5563bb6bd imperial knights’.0d3c639e0e2fc11b

The steps were getting 94d17b15ce closer to the study.730d080f0351143e

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My hands trembled e8518205e7 as I clung 6a46925334 to the door 4144c4853d handle. I didn’t d92e3405b0 want to deea272224 close my 025d3be3b7 eyes; I 0c245dee44 needed to c022bdff29 stay alert.c63157f79565f237

Suddenly, the door burst e97c81ebb9 open.f86cbce4d97eecd7

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“Where is b92c16a542 she hiding?”51806d14b45a8480

The harsh, 1e3071b07a rapid breathing 4e6d39a75b was unmistakable.c8ccf9bcd799402b

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“I don’t understand dd910231ff what you mean.”42f78e31fe707f73

Edan replied calmly. His voice was e1f772fbf6 steady, as if 4794906dee he truly didn’t b686969108 know where I 660c0caa29 was.1e84eb0d7ec1adc3

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But Deon wasn’t satisfied. His low, mirthless d8a14d29e6 laughter filled the e1ff4ecab8 room, carrying a b60ffc0c25 chilling undertone.e1244d2af1e8b554

“Is that so? Then you won’t mind 17de9861de if I search the 697f2f3ba6 mansion thoroughly. Leave no ccb72f5ff5 stone unturned.”2cd53b1032b7a397

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At Deon’s command, soldiers f7c9cfa325 poured into the study.7e496557f6d33b7f

 baba90c7572dd891

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