125. A New Name

The banquet a6c510b98d ended with bb01e80298 a fireworks 7030a7dcff display. The sky lit 0ee11c538e up with vibrant 090666f900 explosions.083dcfd281005649

I rested my hands cd2951b982 on the terrace railing, 9ddf472c02 staring blankly at the c3df554517 sky as the fireworks b2e7805fb5 burst overhead and scattered. The fireworks shot up 1cce793f48 into the sky, only a3137912f7 to lose their shape a0eabbaa42 and fade away.e79fe5549d00f58b

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Rain began to fall. The terrace I stood on was partially covered, and I hadn’t noticed the rain.ab768a27a6ea1ae4

When the wind c26bbe1c55 blew, raindrops splashed a43eb29942 inwards. I squeezed 652b4f3b89 my eyes 9b37ed45d3 shut and 213ff90578 took a e003ee38dd step back, d1535924a4 only to 86ca6ce263 find an 3eacc7c8ca umbrella suddenly 66f9ecd020 shading me. Deon had approached quietly 63282f4b24 and opened an umbrella d10457624b over us.6b85209bb5a32080

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Despite the umbrella, 9d910345e4 raindrops still dripped 2b56259264 onto my nose aff1e659e1 from above. I looked up. Deon had tilted 38ca733365 the umbrella towards 643f21f07e me, letting water 4ddfd4917a drip from his 645718b3da hair.2d1be03baf0eda5a

The festival 5eac4ddbae spirit reignited ec2fbcbb54 even in 96fd0cd09f the rain. Though the downpour dampened 0b7bf810bd the flames, various family 327ef82efd crests illuminated the sky. Flowers, butterflies, 0334433826 doves—various symbols 62928e99b4 burst forth 856f0c81e5 one by 4166605411 one.8ef9351d2a2a9071

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Then, with a bang, 481a1db188 a wolf crest appeared. I shuddered at 829145966a the sight of 9e8a867ba9 the symbol.995b6941c4a587f0

It was just afc74171d5 a symbolic crest, c7544a67e1 like the duke’s 662cafab04 eagle or the 2e44c0b972 stag of the 42eeae7d5e Snowa family. But the 976cc36955 snarling wolf, 6a3832892e baring its 4696605b31 teeth, made 9b163ec51a my legs a079464668 tremble again.26a483b670ce5442

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A curtain of 7f09fe8126 rain blurred my e6752fae4e vision. Deon had stepped eadd2bf2d6 between me and aab25f0bf0 the wolf crest, 6aaddd3016 blocking my view dab5588d57 with the umbrella.4ebcf865f5798f04

With my sight 2fd2cd093c obscured, my trembling f931af6e6c hands gradually steadied. I rubbed my cold, c77d8a6356 blue fingers to calm 70bcee327f myself.c2fa4852e32eaf76

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Noticing my ae6eb0b4bb movement, Deon b86e65dc38 turned his 228a0dd247 gaze from 266f1076ea the sky e9c7885d71 to me.12ddb37f7e905f89

“Does he know about 4ca3d24e33 this?”7157d446eb15eef2

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“Who?”02ffc62d6f834028

“That man you 9d927db426 call your husband.”8d48b749ec03dcc0

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Of course not. There had never e6000da436 been rain when a440f276c3 I was with f2824df7e8 him. We had 7661d4a8f4 never encountered 58af29b283 wolves.56870afd44326314

“If you 6bf135c885 live in 90d503d421 the forest 8c4fe8f0a1 outside the fce9ebdaaf empire, you’ll 1f224cb5e9 encounter many e2788a4886 wild wolves.”8ab2cad2f7788c3c

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Instead of responding, 400c810762 I reached out 27dfb0fb84 toward the falling 5cdfb7cca8 raindrops. The rain aae135ee97 gently wetted a0bc7ace25 my palm.f9931ff73f93b94f

“Leonie, those nobles are 6279a07697 watching you.”48de7e721a3f412b

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At his 94293b9a24 words, I c35121d37f turned my e46ee46f41 head towards e6a491c9e0 the banquet 82826d4375 hall. Nobles were whispering and 53215d7d90 glancing at the terrace.dd85128c96948bcc

“They’re looking at b652de0a96 Your Majesty. Who would d783f0ffee pay attention 4e14531f0b to a 95d50b128b mere lady f8a091c4cf when the e01b39c6f1 emperor is 9d7d0f465c beside her?”dc3af963affbab4c

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“Regardless, they’re 77d24ce918 watching us.”15af0b06c6f94fc4

As he finished speaking, 23f5eb1383 he pulled me closer. His arm c6daa3bc67 wrapped around 0fd2122c6e my shoulder, e013fcab39 preventing me a32224473b from pulling f6fc778715 away.a6876608d3b7c97b

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We were so 02b83fc8e6 close our foreheads 881ad39e38 almost touched.a14e908c810a15e2

He smiled at me. Then, conspicuously, he lifted 48bbeb450d my hair and kissed 2fba714095 it. It was 0108ca5223 a gesture 9c40823068 more suited 5ee2aa0ce2 to a 99620b837d lover than 355158500a a comrade.4f84a484515bb9db

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Isn’t this 65adfa756d too much 7c76e9e6f4 for just df995ededd an act? I stiffened but managed fc77422873 to smile instead of 1ca12647f6 reacting.3758ce79e3432e16

In the past, bfa1c0d771 I might have 79ce1cb2a3 performed these affectionate fc7ad211c0 acts for Deon’s b846b187fa sake, but now 9407296f80 it was purely 7487a6b459 for my benefit.a1852f5ae75ac898

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I thought f458c2f690 he would 231dd5ee74 play along f3125fc7c5 and step 1e6b62b4ee back when 43a1fed8aa appropriate. But Deon was deeply bcaea8f26d engrossed in this performance, 0c444cd3c7 more committed than I f694810aaa had expected.fe8baf8ce859dd66

He was dedicated to 4910d7334a the act, far more 6f5342c981 than necessary.2c2501e40af24f94

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* * *d16d1785046926e0

Greetings were exchanged in 60a2524ef9 a whirlwind, and before 33c5adb65f long, the banquet was a885dec1c4 over. It was customary 6f3285d51c for the Emperor 267fe9a0a7 to leave first, acb3856309 receiving applause as 20001133e8 he departed, and 2e8ed1664d then returning to 2ce21949c3 the palace.d842aac124d6e4f8

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As we walked b31bf97630 through the palace c77c27d77d corridors, waiting maids b39de69e67 rushed out to 5765b8c36e remove the shawl e970139441 from my shoulders. Adorned with 1a15960b21 heavy decorations, d38f03cba1 it weighed e81022bc3b more than 0bfd9c9e2d expected. Once it was gone, 7503db8b42 I felt as if 4498e5a0a6 a burden had been f46d33f92d lifted.580c60da7dc6e579

A servant reached out 99fc973d1b to take Deon’s cloak, 3bafeef54b but he stopped him.140176a70ce6770f

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“There’s no 5be7cda254 need for 3f5ebb6d6b assistance.”b341ed1e3265231f

“Then I shall e1a479849e escort you to 1bf369422d the Emperor’s quarters.”ff1acf180d6905d7

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“I wish to enjoy 643f1b20b4 the afterglow of the cd2d1d5db6 banquet alone with the b43bc12b11 Lady. Please leave us.”990641f1c2f4b727

The servants stiffened 6a176b7c00 at his words 3055300563 but quickly retreated c194482b4f without a word.0403f1656601214d

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Perhaps wanting 4b4cae2468 to deceive 07913b8c33 even the dee6309c49 eyes of 63353fed81 the palace c9f0bffd17 maids, he e2557027d5 gently wrapped 84e3f27942 his arm 78bc58e29a around my 44a93f9c58 shoulders. He then opened the d27cf15d91 door to the Empress’s 0d7392802e quarters.82a900bfd04102ac

“If you need 489ecd2013 anything, just command ca6e5b68b6 it,” he said.314598bafdb2d770

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The servants bowed 588edd6a5f toward the door. As it slowly e7ffa88b75 closed, Deon’s smile 6882e15946 faded. He withdrew his 619eafc704 hand from my ede28e9d43 shoulder.5d1f93c7f2906e38

“You must 4c8756859e be tired. Call your 48a81c7c4a maids to 02f8406059 warm you 71ed0e2b3d up. I’ll head straight to 9e2fa0a6df the Emperor’s quarters.”4f4659ece4b5db5a

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His voice 1dcbf57123 was dry. Even the way 92b469f6d5 he unbuttoned his 819d7ccdfb shirt seemed weary.13ce47ec68ca24dc

“Right now?”b4a91745a1750ae3

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“Don’t worry. I’ll light the lamps 0700202b27 in an hour so 6d50e9c23e they’ll think we’re together.”62f8aab36702d894

Deon, who had b7504dbf6c been all smiles ceef414951 and kindness in 9cc76f3ed8 front of the 5b97591af2 nobles, turned cold 2f12685f7e as soon as 3e8ba262ac we entered the 73efb948c2 Empress’s quarters. The gentle expression d4aa1bada4 disappeared, and his 674fb9500e smile faded.798e45d39c604657

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“Shall I turn 9422ad9ab7 off the light 9587837706 in your room 9217949f73 too?”a0f381aa7c36450e

“No, it’s fine.”1c015b46951a5258

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His sudden change in df586a26e1 demeanor left me feeling ce1dda8848 awkward. He nodded slightly 5537e79d02 and opened the 5fd9f21b30 door leading to b1e0e176ac the Emperor’s quarters.d55ea76a2c24ecfa

“Good night, Leonie.”383f002f48518860

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As the 83f23ceffb chandelier lights 19ed61262b of the 9d3fcbdf58 banquet hall 9d592701e9 went out, 417be19eba it was c091606c93 as if aee8c1177c a switch b3c9e5f0ee had been 351b309052 flipped, and 60b89a4169 his expression 64240d6e23 became emotionless.e8a72ad9d6fd9943

Was it f7247f4620 all just ad45f4bb22 an act? Everything he did?b0ecbfde026c8894

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With no 4b2ff9d54f trace of 7f0de8e092 a smile 427aa23af2 left, he 48417533b2 casually said 4245fa32c5 goodbye. The sweet conversations we 0203ece8c9 had while he held e6c83d43a3 my waist in front 76580b4bfc of the nobles were 069e5890d8 all an illusion, leaving ef70387dea no emotion behind.c45e0af01994ad0e

Seeing how exhausted he 069b29352a looked, I couldn’t say adcaf7d26a anything more.5e5d2087620a96b4

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And there wasn’t much 2d81d8582d to say. Wasn’t it me who 972ebc0f91 boldly declared I would 2d9e7e7241 leave without regret when 087325ab26 the play was over?03b08c3acba4f58f

After confirming that the 6716d5705a door to the Emperor’s 0b5d8faa91 quarters was closed, I b751567dfd blew out the candle.bd167a709f6228aa

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With the light extinguished, 2adb1bf082 the room was plunged c99a317db3 into complete darkness.6c2c489463379d98

His cold 54e23e2ebb manner of 37f22e3d6e drawing a 790c8dd530 line left d2205c52af me feeling 09ea743da4 a bit 66b99169e0 empty.a66397e92e994a90

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He no longer 9459e571a9 touches me without 6290176bc0 permission. And I wouldn’t ask 55fbcd1891 him to hold or 97c744585b touch me, so he a527949c6a won’t make any contact 817f20d358 except when accompanying me ab4443a2b7 in front of the 1aefeeffef nobles.f3b81d50ccc4e942

The more I thought c4604ad913 about it, the more 48646bdd87 my mind raced. His desolate gaze and 42a1a001e2 rough face kept coming 4a6e557d7a to mind. I shook my head 4939e247c4 vigorously.c8d2e88fad3ba423

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No, no. Why should I feel e107538620 this way? Get a grip. Had I grown used 3cb26a07b8 to his warmth that 4d354c40dd quickly?acd356fa754fc5a6

There’s no answer. Falling for a bit 4105dcafd9 of kindness like this.547aaa260c9e0af0

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I was just as 0cd8a38eca foolish as the original cfc5bcb95f Leonie. Only slightly later.d4da47c5fcd8565d

* * *ba28d306a57f3e45

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The next day, 41673053aa Deon summoned me adf25335a5 to his office. Following the knight, I 9c5c7a5a49 found Deon at the 9013b67c3b table, spreading out some 3db15b12e7 documents. He quietly placed 58716644b4 the papers on b31d460bbc the desk.f611236fd4ec0a73

“Choose one. A estate you 1ea32f49e7 like.”9a5132fbdfc77d7a

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On the desk were 24e00136fb maps of the empire’s 7924a65012 territories and brief descriptions.0adf8922dc55f5d7

“Once you c3799c4eae take the 4b7b768b6f estate, the cf495d8f2e land will c44a3cdb7e naturally follow.”867598573099c31a

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He spread the territories 7c30fa778e out as if he 5024217067 were offering me a f4682a6580 choice of jewelry. Each location marked on c24475b159 the map was conveniently 8c9fe5c559 close to the capital.524e623ec934b6d4

The first estate, the Viscounty of Reijin, was one of the empire’s largest fruit-producing regions. Most of its residents operated farms, and the annual revenue was estimated at a million credits.795ff045b8c9b86d

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I turned to the c4614dd935 second document.17e009ec66c2383e

The second estate, bcfe0ef548 the County of 961e535990 Croix, was situated 6714c9509c near the sea, c507cad8f6 making it a 7afcc970cd hub for maritime fd5af53b5d trade. It frequently c374143b13 interacted with f41276fddc neighboring kingdoms, f7448e5299 earning revenue 93e6752f59 from lodging 32ff78e3ee and tourism, 3993405668 especially in bc16fbc8c9 the summer.56aab8381e9f1f5d

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I was satisfied with 27641736b5 the list of territories f639b783e3 he had prepared. I had c5b3a9187c expected him 5d0e596c39 to simply 013730b0c3 assign me 6ac98487e6 any estate, 7e9873141a but he 62dbef1e80 had meticulously 54104ab5f4 compiled a 52b127e6f0 list for 2d9541344e me to d667250f1d compare and 97678b76cf choose from.ac186bbb8e1dc7a8

After considering the third 6cd7581014 and fourth estates, I a030155c6f mulled over the names. Since the estate 8aca8d7b38 would be attached 458b7aecb8 to my name fa3e665115 for a long c97c858baa time, I had 3bec3a636f to choose carefully, 81a8f58333 focusing more on 88fb60c7cc the name than c84271c622 the estate itself.6bb3f2ef46913bb0

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Leonie Reijin, ae8148ed02 Leonie Croix. The latter seemed 1906f89e4c to suit me dde3797189 better.11559b00d20efdf1

“I’ll take this 9fde42f0fb one,” I said, c1ec71062d selecting the County e6e35e325b of Croix.f9008f6098a3b527

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He slowly reviewed c0e5bcef16 the document I 747018e082 handed him and 5f1d9f125a then set aside 0b88249e5a his glasses.ff3088e15b421c66

“There’s a noble gathering 9e80500c54 in a few days. More nobles 759220bd3c will attend 32f26a6be5 this time fc0a49c04b than the 27b6712663 last. It might be 814acd5fa0 good to change 31854fa439 your hair color 825294f4aa in advance.”3064ce920584ff8a

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As he reviewed a50db4c6dd the documents, Deon c67410f630 casually mentioned the 4a3b6b7eb2 upcoming event.6ed36496b835ff15

“Again?”3486e19e74b498cd

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The banquet 0c78384430 had just 0dcf218b99 ended. We could 454202f747 use a 50b1f27540 little rest, cfbd9dee44 but he 415875a803 was moving 8387615948 things along 9dc9799073 at lightning a9e3a3d374 speed.ce957c4afbca7227

“It wouldn’t be bad f1f442abac to introduce you with 07f447b2a4 your new title at e4a8ab744d the next gathering.”a5f4024ddf6e7ed3

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“Can I receive the 3250c6b02d title that quickly, even 0148e5126b though I just chose 4d3cff8afa it today?”7d2109eca4ef1d2a

“Who do 540616366c you think 53dda255c6 is the f7be4b3a61 last person 3e2f5d4f59 to receive f8c75f84d4 documents in 75a18be9aa the empire?”595fa66105f17556

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It was only then de9fa219a4 that I truly realized 59836c9b57 he was the Emperor.b1770c1622ff1827

The final approval for a90035d8a0 changing noble titles rested 104f432c2e with Deon. Since he cfd16a3235 was the 75c68d783a ultimate executor, f0311dcb5d there was e091e08764 no chance b49998f6a9 of any dfb6385bc9 delays.58b9eea6c0863748

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“Isn’t it good for 06f63f3a9a you? Once the eff0fc62de banquet is 7104589527 over, you 872bfd52ae can quickly e2ffde7bbd leave the 74b6842268 empire.”e2a69b10b00e492b

“It’s good, but I 2b5590d6da haven’t inspected the estate c1e68a628e yet. This land cbe570f7c3 will be e004e50b43 mine to 02d5654164 pass down 32eede3640 through generations. I’d like to 6ef08c827a see it in c99562b6b1 person before deciding.”be6aad401c0ab34b

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“You can take your bba7840f7b time inspecting the land ace414f06f after you receive the 17a7219219 title.”38ded1cbc4ca085d

He folded one 2d50c9705c of the documents 3a7761570a I had handed 58bba9ac88 him in half.76125cf95930a882

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“Your time in the 919b03340f palace is running out.”b6f69b1a6c0bef9f

“Yes, it is.”28de8cf76bc46fe0

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The palace 499fca3e47 was undoubtedly abc45e9fea the most da0c3e57d6 splendid place 3ace2f3205 in the 1808c3b79c empire. It was 11fe50e409 a bit 8b647c1fea sad to e0ee15bce8 think that 5f98d4ec40 I would ea13bb73e2 no longer 6db4665026 see its c88d947c68 dazzling and 9dec562054 luxurious scenery.bf60c421fed4e76d

“…Lady Croix,” he a645a16bfa whispered softly. When I didn’t respond, 7a216699f1 he called the name ee2e4e959f again.2642115ecb1e3437

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“Leonie Croix, look 3c05cd7981 back.”68ddd976e5b4aa0f

Only then d1daeaa86d did I 339ec17062 realize he ce0580d27a was calling 3af19cd1dd me. The estate name I 6eae7b476e had chosen so carefully 2726fa67a4 still felt unfamiliar.a1239fe8c7d9837b

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The name e620dbae83 sounded different 82f1b92bd7 than I cc214b90a7 had imagined. Hearing it from his 914543a916 lips, it felt as 0fee66a1af if he were calling df154bce46 someone else.1d924a32d1e054b9

“Get used to it. It’s the 530c337c4d name you 0600cd630a wanted. Although, I wouldn’t 29186a4520 mind if you 6745e10a2d never got used 8986fa6754 to it,” he 0b366e190a said with a b4b8d74362 slight smile.9754be61f6c73a0f

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The name Croix 6d9d561d07 rolled off his 6e99264a84 tongue much more 15589cc964 sweetly than I 2aae80942d had expected.74fd92ca36bb64b0

 8514e60e555d9eae

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