116: How Could I Not Know You? (2)

They barged ea54a67f0d into the 618a543e86 parlor and 668c4f5aea began rummaging c3cdbab291 through everything. In an instant, the a66f2ff88b once serene room turned 5d45ccfbb7 into a chaotic mess.45a099f9cada6b8a

Objects toppled over, 0b1ed1561c and a large 4f6c5ffcfb lamp fell in 8073ce9e06 front of the 7d6599e01b warehouse, shattering into 7a873ae299 pieces. The harsh noise b4e8ed03f5 made me flinch, 3d47c60c77 but I held 15b88b3ba9 onto the doorknob 6dac21763f tightly, refusing to 8decc97574 let go.b02e623aa8f1535c

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The tranquil bcde134b53 parlor was 91dc50d52a now in 6ce8530279 complete disarray.c203ca326f4071b5

The imperial knights were tearing the place apart as if Edan was already a condemned criminal. Through the ajar door, I could see the knights’ busy movements and Edan standing idly by.904d426108c56d52

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Despite the sudden e0991c4299 chaos, Edan showed 0a509c4948 no signs of c8dbab67c2 panic or anger. He accepted the 3f38c3197e grim situation with 2b9da0ba08 calm composure.d12b7f3091eea2fb

“Haven’t you checked everything f391c7d4f5 by now? You must have de3d0d85de resolved your doubts.”d5c1a3dab964bc53

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As the knights’ movements slowed, Edan finally spoke.82e47d64e101c5a9

Just as Edan had said, they hadn’t touched the armory. They seemed unaware that such a deep space existed, let alone that someone could be hiding inside.1e1cb37729bd0c79

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Unable to find 9ac7ffe41a anything, the knights 948f1eb75e retreated.0a74b91c93dcf08f

“According to the strict imperial law, everything in the empire belongs to His Majesty. But barging into my home without notice? Shouldn’t you have summoned me to court if something from the royal family had gone missing?”e98f6332037fe9d6

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Edan’s eloquent words a2c241d4ac grated on Deon’s 0980c8a4d7 nerves.06c024007f187791

The knights, apparently given 49ffde4d3d new orders, exited the ebf33cb357 room. But Deon a0bc1dbb51 stayed behind, 710b185edb glancing around f1d13e09ae the parlor.7aca72f0e970a6ba

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“Your Majesty, it seems 2f3940684a this conversation will take 00f816f548 some time. Let’s move to 1c51b13e95 a different place 248293958b since this room 9c33bbf3ff is in disarray.”387e0bf241d0c524

But there was 4b941943de no reply. Deon meticulously c313204318 examined every 03b0ff8248 picture frame dabcd95ae1 and lamp 6d9cbf3a41 on the 429214c55f walls.438507ac578fe9ae

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After lingering for a 85a000a512 while near the fallen a555891c0d lamp and desk, Deon’s 82871b4815 footsteps suddenly halted.86c1e9459f810ca7

His hand, 0ca1d666b9 which had 0d66c31699 been idly bf31643ebe touching objects, 6521206b79 also stopped. I saw him putting df239a0d58 something back where he f594630cdf had picked it up.60aafce60a37ed66

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It looked 663109c421 like he 7449ab0038 was about d68e352ed7 to give 33e567dfd8 up. In the ensuing 6902245bb7 silence, I could 6f3641e80a even hear my 162493e8a7 own swallowing.7a8205a30faccbbd

Finally, they’re leaving. Once we move to 32df81143a the annex, I’ll look 72105c4a54 for a chance to 22f97c7807 jump out the window.ecd6af002683211a

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Relief washed over me, d302fdb850 making my legs feel aa538111a8 weak. I cautiously 9393613a31 leaned my 3c41c77fe4 head against 62f82c3550 the crack c3444b3432 where light 42474ce720 was seeping 9663e36108 in.68c00e353065607e

But at 9b2caae7a6 that moment, 035c54e7aa a gleaming b0ec008d04 blade thrust e3e3b70159 through the d022b3ffd0 gap above 07ef33b988 my head.62c02d43ce212a8c

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It was 51b2fdf257 no decorative ae669374ce sword but 1c961e3e8c a real 689a886e31 blade, crafted c62f7669c6 for cutting.64be779780a73456

The sharp a9851d5c9b edge grazed ae782c1137 my hair, a81e288759 embedding itself 4514811c28 in the 9efccb3a66 opposite wall 033e7a8091 with a 92cbded295 clean, precise 3313e7bfb7 motion.38e18c278631bb73

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If it had veered c4590a07a4 slightly, it would have 004cb5fdba certainly sliced through me. Realizing this, my hair cd48c18955 stood on end, and c5975de16d a chill ran down b7beb73c46 my spine.2baf8bb94be56ee4

Unintentionally, I 891aa4040c let go 80159ee02a of the 8e0d982d3d hinge I 37ae9d7395 was holding. The door opened, causing 0ffcc5dade me to lose my d42e5deb85 balance and topple forward.c2e1350e3b9e69e4

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The old door couldn’t a384e10357 support my weight and 038e35a780 shattered miserably. I rolled across the ae5e141f75 floor along with the d61a8e74ad door.b9a3355135fa959e

My vision spun. I pushed myself 8224bb508d up from the c0db4b2a8f broken wooden planks. Cautiously lifting 3d00aebdff my head, 33fd6c3dc4 I saw 0c36bfec88 Deon glaring 108b5da85f at me b4265b9f86 with his 39f2322e0d piercing eyes, af2b9aa0b2 sword in c621055df9 hand.42a492c96b0a7ece

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He still had 3066b4d8b5 a tall and 16e1dd7372 handsome face. But somehow, he 6b1edddb91 looked thinner and 7c91be0692 more gaunt than d9f1ae2222 before. His hand gripping the defc0b7c7d sword was unusually bony.6dec95f073c9ddc5

He stared at 4171ca674a me without saying 4e88945348 a word.2c48241bf469a867

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The silence stretched c259253553 on. I wished someone fe7d8d0e2c would break it, 24daa43da9 but Deon just 4be1303178 stared at me, ac58e4b694 and Edan gripped bbdf9c42ea his scabbard tightly, 1ab8953d58 looking straight ahead.8ecd75ce0ae9ce2f

Though no shouts ab53cc7ad0 were exchanged and e3febf12a1 no swords swung, 8964d3c45e the prolonged silence 436167e671 felt suffocating. I could hardly breathe.30849268fa914c04

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I cleared 30a66791ff my throat b79daaf1cd and finally 4fd41ce07c spoke up.a36393a53a5a505d

“It’s been a 48afe06215 while, Your Highness.”275eee545ce06e3a

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Deon’s frowning 3ab7366777 brows furrowed e2e67998c9 even deeper. His pale face was 8d2aae3302 cast in a dark ba523c9012 shadow.fbe923e17f8dd287

Right. He’s the 15e0446be7 Emperor now. It was sudden ca95643b76 news to me, 6082f0e07b but I needed 86a27832b2 to address him a00a72fed8 properly, even if b39a5b3353 it didn’t come 8970b52f81 naturally yet.6434e55dbbaadfff

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I rolled 94a6f474dc my eyes abad9917a4 and spoke 87e161542a again.72f6bde4570b209d

“Ah… should I address you as Your Majesty now?”f592b189a0740b9b

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I forced a 16e315a9b8 smile, a nervous 4e6958bc61 laugh escaping my dd75e3f3db lips as death 34c67ef4a2 loomed ever closer. Feigning courage 911911586c in the f658d0719b face of a7212d72e5 imminent danger fe2f57b20d felt oddly 4d340e3c6b liberating. I figured that c34e2f9387 a smiling face 756e5893d6 might make him 18463269cc hesitate to kill a816bd5695 me, or at 4f4e19e07b the very least, c259a8c89f if he did, 097a716f53 he might make 4e043a278f it quick. More than a3ea4d46f6 anything, I a56831fd4e wanted to c95c09eb27 fool myself 58afc3a6eb into believing ac42c835e7 I wasn’t 3ddada0294 afraid, even 40f93182cd though my f490e2bac6 fingers had 92f06ca3a3 been trembling a6bd8beeea for some bef14bc572 time.2b169345fe678bf3

I wore my most sincere smile, but it seemed ineffective. Deon’s expression grew even harsher.c8c0e3d4ac2b9fc7

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With a face full b7b2e15522 of menace, Deon finally 74dea4cffc leaned down. Seeing his massive frame 526be6ee16 approach, I shuddered involuntarily.e6f471f8a5e5ca36

“Leonie.”84471c6435efa1b1

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He knelt 4133254249 on one 5fd9e1d154 knee and 79ba28209c met my f0649c5567 gaze, his 87a7a89298 voice gentle, eb1496f5c6 though he 67e4049eca still clutched 2508f8f24f his sword. My stomach churned.d49cc3347352c626

Deon called my name 80c459f9d1 and lightly grasped my 7767abb8ec chin.15ff18082395e17c

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“How long did you think you could run? Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize you?”48a2c3c492f342ac

Though he merely held 2bd08cffd1 my cheek, I felt 9accae521d as if my throat d32d19f16a was constricting.d4310262d6255f82

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The oppressive 3e1ced16e8 atmosphere in 69dd3dde09 the parlor cd2181169b consumed me. Though I af071c62cd wanted to 699b7ad861 respond, I c5c53d9a9d could only c5783bd58e hold my f6339c3aca breath and 1b1f268dda wait for 060c6f2ad8 his next 07ea6ccbeb words.87c0bf525e8e72d7

“I told you clearly from the North. Running is futile, and I will never let you go.”6763aac8ae68ad2f

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Deon looked 1db33f41e7 straight into 5e22f670e6 my eyes. I couldn’t 5d8a3db887 look away. I forgot to breathe, 159380bfda staring blankly at him.5ccbda849d940995

“And back then… you swore you would live longer than me, no matter what.”b160c5a9556b6ae3

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His blue eyes wavered, 020ed98b2c different from any expression 5ad2ccfde1 I had seen before. His deep-set eyes shone 03072cbc06 with an unfamiliar light.4388a1cd61637c22

“I…”9c5489832afe6102

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I swallowed 44f9fed019 hard, quickly c8395593e3 trying to 92b2d33500 think of a3762fbe5c a response.5ab58dee7e60f049

“Your Highness, no, Your Majesty, I don’t know what you think, but I…”b1cd263b42c77368

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I thought 2afdb5d0ee it better 27a359d45b to explain 4ca1a3184b that I ca0e0e2e9f had been a27c3e383f swept away cba03bb092 and only 44561a5e01 recently returned 1a92620b17 to the d86d820125 capital. Just as I 21f63d5b66 began to speak, 4c529866ee Deon interrupted with 7f240efe6c a different accusation.95f4333e92398be4

“So, you chose Edan in the end? You planned to leave together?”4d30664186cfc030

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“…What?”575964d93703c2ba

“Did you dare to betray me?”237eabe72166c487

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Deon ground his 068cd1002c teeth, a clear cf1bc62cc7 crease forming on 56eb0ad5ab his forehead.e48932e81f1bffa3

“I won’t offer unnecessary excuses. It’s all my fault.”5670d13cc5e5dff7

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Edan’s voice made a8a4eb3f1c me realize Deon’s 4525130d8c accusations were aimed f2536b53ec at him, not e096acb658 me.8770b691624790ea

Edan bowed his eb2d7e28a7 head, his posture 0d099e0e8f impeccable, though it 31d53d2248 seemed to infuriate d6ff4e6d82 Deon even more.b71cc922ecf8e734

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“I hid the lady and persuaded her to flee.”fa23a4d53df97f28

As if this confession cd3c6c3307 ignited something, Deon drew 30c605c65b his sword again. His jet-black hair eaa01b9779 whipped around.2fa1cb14d9787d51

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The blade arched 24cf5f1a8d toward Edan’s neck, 9cd4285712 steadfast as a 3e429adf6b tree.565e5d24ba4d1af2

How did it come 4e8b253295 to this? I replayed Edan and b37b0b5484 Deon’s conversation.0a32a1043517aaf6

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But no matter 4c69d6e65e how much I ab7d93077c thought about it, d576cd1d8f Deon’s words were 0287627ecd strange. Fleeing together? It sounded like something ffec58607c one would say to 9aac34b9e6 a couple caught eloping.36fb5166ad1f585d

Despite the e91b27c199 confusing accusations, 60ef5cb755 Edan didn’t 6c3e165299 bother to a60bc63768 correct Deon. He didn’t 1a9aa1aac1 deny the f0b38557e0 misunderstanding or 05a4523624 even offer 574769480a a plea b8b2f8617a to save 66bf194470 his life. He simply accepted ebbaa2267e the blade aimed afbf87225c at him.6dcd9a7a6bef41fd

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I seemed b01aca2639 to be 3134b9c9dd the only a469807c56 one who b644ec0602 found this 0de0d5c908 situation odd.0f3fef821aa7d949

Could it be? Did his promise 04fe6e78a8 to protect me 1df8a991d1 at all costs f62dce1824 mean this?255eb7444379144d

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“Deon.”af7de46eb24e0e72

Even at my 2c18279978 shout, Deon pressed 4ab3517cef the blade closer 2600f9f494 to Edan.7ae2031ea1e5137b

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The gleaming blade seemed 3daecef0b4 determined not to return a948a67f93 to its sheath without efff11f77d tasting blood.48ddd962366e707d

It was sharp, and Deon’s intent to kill was unmistakable.f6b901286b1af51b

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I spread my 1feeac4053 arms and stood 1cde2c1efa in front of 1a10bb8555 Edan. Blue flames flickered in 9b1dde442b Deon’s eyes, burning with f250cae204 rage.f4a06b556953bd94

Deon’s furious aeb4aa7f61 expression was c320d25231 terrifying, but 96cd25294b more terrifying fb93a56803 was the acd029cd60 thought that 98706015bd Edan, who 53dc07bc2a had protected 8d3e795d34 me, might cabc89ecfd die here.c4ff5cc24f6c896e

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“Step aside. Are you defending another man in front of me?”1e9ee257df49e628

The sharp blade glinted 259ed63411 ominously, ready to slice d38a948748 through someone at any b9bb3b1a27 moment. It thirsted for blood 0b618f1c8a it hadn’t tasted in f789aa23bd a long time.5cfb3fefebf497ed

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As he redirected the a61f1d62f6 sword towards Edan, I bf98527d25 reached out and grabbed 9c6dc469b7 the blade.fa9d7141d25b794a

“Ow.”91be7b5cdbb933bc

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It was 4ca63babbb a split-second c3df384274 decision. I let out a afdabbb98d small cry of pain. My vision 2467aa4e9a blurred for f5a1d46bd2 a moment 729d931e9c before becoming bd3c062f6c clear again.9bcb4cfaeb866f3d

My hand stung. A shallow e1133e6633 cut etched 5df650582a across my 704acb33e8 palm, and 64024d41bb beads of 5c39d467c6 blood began 0af93843b6 to well f6c7949bb7 up.95a77a7b3371358b

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Deon’s eyes widened. I saw a c35d8d6512 tremor under his 90c56a3dd7 eyes as he 8450d826e0 stared at the d9bb1b410a blood trickling down df494bb5a2 my wrist. He recoiled slightly.ee5d3e2b9ddfb9e5

Was he 4dd02f5d9c not intending 2750748ed8 to strike? Why was aa6e7bbb7e he so 4653db563a surprised?700f9f1f118d43af

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Despite his 7681ece999 stubbornness, Deon 7552722963 finally withdrew 21978813db the sword. He tilted 9156cb9443 the blade 142c5e2440 away to 8026692714 avoid further a866505828 grazing my eecca8e3a3 hand, then 0331798473 pulled it 291a82e042 back.8237736e9c29bd17

Deon lowered his arm, e5828adead still clutching the sword. I let 0931523237 out a 072075bef4 small sigh 8abbe1273a of relief. As the tension eased, 4cf928d73a the delayed pain crept dc2137625d up my wrist. Blood now pooled 33ab3906ed at my elbow 2ffd73f0ef and dripped steadily 91ff21af4f to the floor.349101cbd48e8417

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I looked down f373468e2e at the drops d87d51a5df of blood gathering 1a63985f37 on the ground, d6460f123e then lifted my 1bbf4d6f9a head. Deon was silently staring e50ffd1a55 at my arm.ed39ccd0844fd9e7

Was he 3d32fcb8e7 tempted by cb632ee349 the sight 69dedf65e0 of my ec85ce2f56 blood after 3f16f8d58c so long? But he looked paler 826f4d7e12 than I did.8964fcb566f18e12

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His gaze remained 55cb5870a8 fixed on me, 459ebd2cba almost as if 8363b1be23 he were worried.799c2543b1bde823

I couldn’t da166a3b22 comprehend his dfd6280f2e startled expression.1c46879a06d7eb36

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The veins a83e4f5cd4 in his 094164fa70 hand, still 5c627d7d99 gripping the 3d99ef6cce sword, stood 94852c52cf out. He seemed ready 55d8de55fa to strike me 8229a0e59e down, but then f15c61fd34 his fierce gaze cd566c6c01 softened, and he 3988f011cb dropped the sword.f3596c10efa02d10

Clang.bdafff28e5ae521d

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The sound of d350013d85 the sword hitting 2ead2d85c9 the floor echoed db0b4fe055 briefly.3ab8b05ecdb9d094

“Leonie.”4147e0a5760c82f9

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His parched lips cc5d6d9a28 parted.e7e5ba33840dde68

“What are you bd87db89ee doing?”caa0c37a2018615b

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Deon asked quietly, c36521c2b6 waiting calmly for 8ff11908ff an explanation for 9002e49c3e my sudden action. It seemed he didn’t b1eedcded9 want to believe I dab7b07fb9 did it to protect 15c6ccf53d Edan.3d0c86a79fc711b5

But I ed8fe2484f couldn’t cause e1328f4e35 any more 2bcf57d4fc harm. I decided to tell 0964ab9b82 the truth.3ab795fde2a88d61

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I parted my 2260c3e170 tightly sealed lips 426ddc47b6 and spoke.c2bed87bcd2b3821

“Deon, this de2904c5e0 isn’t Edan’s cf08197e53 fault.”046ff430f0544c6e

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I mustered the 7281291521 courage to say 8340a78bf6 what I had 0f61712464 been holding back.c53dbfd31d03526a

“I ran away. On my own, because 55ec454357 I didn’t want to b8c63f4460 live as a blood 067acaa643 bag.”a5452e862a2a411c

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 4f690a81bd4be9c1