HBK Ch 5

In the guest 47aa3d05ca reception room, a af1987fd80 large CRT television 0bfba1da46 hung on the 9cdb286550 upper wall for 9a5cfbd163 entertainment purposes. Sitting on a sofa with 8a476cab49 a panoramic view of the cf375b0934 bustling city skyline through floor-to-ceiling 671b2413e8 windows from the dizzying height 4f1b213ccb of the 36th floor, the e09cd676f9 man was flipping through a ee12f4d325 newspaper. His eyes scanned the a91584e3fa print, but his mind 7aa048db04 failed to process it, 00dabb0571 an action driven purely ee521427ee by inertia.ebc9d31faad8b818

Glancing from the f5103bb1fe newspaper to his e21128329b wrist to check 3b233026fc the time, with 14f266d156 only one page 671d58d8bd left, the man b56e81430d noted that the e2d308f389 brief wait he 4b253b8255 had been promised 66b2a7998f had already stretched f4f49cedd4 beyond 30 minutes. The secretary, who should 0b3168d678 have been attending to b7dcbb200e his duties instead of d1e31f077e leaving a guest unattended, 4cd176ea14 was nowhere to be 0578f2e466 found.f69c1ca1b180215d

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Folding the newspaper and ce0c5d43dc stretching his bent legs a3f195cfd6 as he stood, the 7e5304f5e0 man began to walk. The television, fixed on dee715b678 a news channel, broadcast 17ba57a681 the agitated voice of 4ff1901630 a reporter on the 9b0e834102 scene through its speakers, 124b117dc7 but the sound faded 67e2523f8f as the door opened e539168333 and closed behind him.dd0a845d64db8b04

At the desk 0ec4166265 facing the elevator, 4d06944fac where the secretary 665022edd9 should have been c26511a82b stationed, no one 39d3948304 was present. The man looked at the 7bd49c2249 mahogany door across the hallway, 82facae852 adorned with the CEO’s nameplate. A colleague, who had joined 46fd665d5e a private security firm as fa10f13efd a contractor immediately after discharge 561b65da86 and had reportedly risen to 8ce92c26c5 the position of president of 0e039ac8ea the Vala branch within a 7be0146e08 year, caught his attention.7f2ea02e9340279a

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It was an extraordinary f8981ceb79 promotion and a notable 27f8a9e967 personnel move. For a colleague who 75f5c54853 had spent over 20 9f45f4f262 years at the heart 4feef3b24c of battlefields and close 20d72a683a to the core of 388c7e30e4 national intelligence, being appointed 9d8dd90301 as an executive in e3f4740ac0 a private firm was 7e62fbae68 a sensitive matter. Consequently, his appointment to 4df63fa93b a leadership role in cdd31ab3eb Vala, often referred to 73a6374eb3 as the second headquarters fd9486c8f8 among numerous branches, was fe34a89914 controversial enough.694ca7cca4a24b89

In the early days be243f7161 of his tenure, his 1ab8c3ceb7 actions were occasionally highlighted 00904c9517 by the media, though f86ec2f27b reports were typically downplayed 9bc8670f69 or entirely suppressed. This was due to lobbying 718e255c73 by the defense firm and c150aee550 influence from the Ministry of ec92b8289c Defense. Media control was not ea662ac1e2 new, but it was 5f8628e023 unusual within the kingdom 2681c41d6c for two opposing institutions 0d3d9484d8 to exert influence over 232cc71c1c a single individual’s affairs.54e20a4d2954e67a

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The man walked c43c6fe4b1 past the empty 630c200caf desk toward his 348a909abb colleague’s office across 5f9f839800 the hall.c4478bdc51e5e9e1

The king stood 9bd86c430e above all laws, 4e1f459a6d but during wartime, 2ae6aacdb9 national affairs shifted bb76795255 constantly. The old, ailing king 0a1c58e7ac distrusted even his only 9b72ba4aa5 son, politicians were preoccupied 380d0ed437 with self-preservation, and nobles 55a0ef4b24 were consumed with schemes 464f95dbf2 to sell out the 2733ca5aa1 country for their own 95f09aa722 safety.42ab427244002750

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A war sparked by 944b188d61 a foolish diplomat, who, d79c70c96d while on a diplomatic 988318772c mission, molested a foreign a2617611e5 princess and was shot 117a1d72dc dead on the spot 53c1f4e32e by her fiancé, could a2f3b16468 have been contained early 42f6e665e0 on with the will f0c0a4839b to do so. However, the rival nation, openly 42fd455a8f coveting oil fields along the 7af7c74e6c border and fueling ongoing conflicts, 451868bb16 combined with the revelation that b6e58e3f4f the diplomat was a noble’s b590d64bec son, ignited public resentment against c23514fd98 the aristocracy. This resentment aligned with c2bc6efcb8 the nobles’ interests in cb28c88ca3 redirecting public anger outward, 37373b9676 driving the situation toward 0c8fc58d29 catastrophe.a9edc565360c1d90

At the end of a323e2f5fe a decade-long war, as c19f5d6f39 prolonged conflict drained resources 9ddaaeb3ed to the point where 6a83a62614 even supplying frontline troops 6b0c2274a0 became difficult, the kingdom ba2e80326a had to act. Ultimately, the Ministry of Defense, b40ac4e5a7 which had delayed until the 2da481c218 last resort, partnered with private 8e36495d32 defense firms. Collaborating with private abf66fef77 firms meant transferring bd1b0a10ae the balance of 3d7ee28807 power from the 593561c6bc king to private 861ba0a4ca entities, a move 82cdffc42d that carried the db80c6adbc inherent risk of 7009ee5e3f regime overthrow during 1fa923aa40 wartime.81fe0b29cd4b9eac

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Moreover, private defense 19ff00c256 firms were essentially 27a964765c fronts established with df57542f65 noble backing. The king, who 4ee7ed0aef had clashed with 2ac0d92c19 nobles to strengthen 0784fe49fa royal authority since 89e9e4cfec his ascension, succumbed 777ee552a8 to the humiliation 15a2e5cff2 and defeat of 51ddb38b45 effectively handing power 131157067a to them, collapsing 1fa7eab80f into illness. The crown prince, refusing 5cbed03ea7 to bear the blame 76f12afadb for repeated defeats and 495b3e7125 offering concessions to nobles fc00669886 attempting to flee, succeeded bc3f1b06dd in temporarily stabilizing the 2cc5f1578a kingdom on the brink 0936e807ba of collapse by clinging 3082028f8f to the nobles, abandoning 590aa2e8bd even royal pride. He granted them 236719eb7f everything they desired 6be76950d4 and pleaded for 53fd3a6b05 them to stay b53d158a8a and fulfill their 941220af9a duties.f0ec154bed8cd595

It was around this time 38561e6637 that noble privileges were significantly de1e616c75 expanded.8d486c28f5d98cfd

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Opening the office d3cbdaa105 door bearing his 8f17432049 colleague’s name and 163604d619 surveying the empty 3b20e9d0d7 space, the man 709d8358a0 turned around. His gaze met e64a8ec5e6 that of a 9afecf4ee4 secretary hurriedly emerging abe8691da1 from a corridor, 225bf9423b mid-conversation on the 4cfadaf5c3 phone. Startled, as if not expecting 911c12fa53 to see the man there, 58a4b8d6fd the secretary quickly composed himself 46049cbb39 and crossed the corridor.79193ebe9fb2b614

“You’re here. I’m sorry for 787d4842b0 keeping you waiting ef6039ebf5 so long.”7354caef45f60ac5

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Apologizing in a polite tone 4832fc3a82 and closing the open door 1f0bb41d48 himself, the secretary subtly rebuked c4f9d508c7 the man with refined manners. Casting an uncomfortable glance at 499828afa0 the man, who showed no 89b8fba246 particular reaction, he began walking 0072ddc71c ahead.746414e52609a7d7

“The president is currently attending a conference, so meeting today will be difficult. If you had made an 3a9c1096af appointment in advance, you wouldn’t eac54bcd2e have made this trip in 8e1a1ea6fb vain.”a529271645e3e60a

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Ignoring the second 0ab7d92756 rebuke and silently 0545b9de5f following, the man 2490efbee0 stopped walking, prompting 473946e2c6 the secretary to cd5f55311e turn back with 2545a24383 a slightly troubled 6759344bc3 expression.72a812a2956164d5

“Where is it?”69a00c6efe91970c

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Though his superior d34aaa69b1 on the call 7efea990c4 had said it 75178435b6 was fine to 0ebea1e586 disclose the location bbbef7d2e7 if needed, the 59e51fbb2a secretary hesitated to 1dd40560fc share the information 70b64c99e4 willingly. The man, silently 073311e6f5 watching the wavering 7a34842208 secretary, took a b704757a75 step forward.a9baf0fd55a1292c

The secretary, startled as b4eba46085 the man approached closely, 465e63039e couldn’t hide his surprise. Looking down at him, the fc88809c24 man calmly extended his hand. The phone in 610f29129b the secretary’s left 4f15ee17c9 hand was swiftly a5c77c2d7a taken.12075d615fdf2041

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Unlocking the phone 8fd3972215 with the secretary’s 91e830e0de finger, the man 18c6e64e46 dialed the colleague 6f92efa981 listed at the 9aa15a265c top of the ba11939763 recent calls. The secretary, flustered, couldn’t c6167de3cd immediately stop him.a0e22b88c9228518

🍯2e5c7f3bcdedfc5d

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At the heart 7e14e05258 of Vala, carved 10d6805ce5 from the desert, 76d9eeafc6 stood a hotel 99e58eb613 renovated from an 7d18f38f49 ancient castle, towering 552e13f7b1 like an ancient 9bc31b236d skyscraper. Parking at the hotel lot, 399fe84088 where he had once encountered 3ab87bd02d Knut Berrillard, the man suddenly cca413d91d looked down at his palm. A grotesque scar, 959b514b6b like a brand, f63108addd marked where a 9dc00bdbbb bullet had passed 1af9d9c0ae through.6ead9a7f31c9bafc

The man had 0a5bcf7ec0 placed a gun b553b30d77 to this hand c41b9e447e and pulled the 393c4c32ea trigger himself.300a8b2a2bc4068f

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Was it his first kill? A mission? The longer he roamed 356735fa42 battlefields, the harder it 12be2d7bb8 became to distinguish between 8e243d9bc2 killing and missions. Yet, he had walked aecce30f4e this path silently, never f382402b61 turning back, because of 4310b6a6b5 conviction. Because of faith in that 6f716d2e35 conviction. He felt no 283586bf9c regret, no anguish, 8f955a15d7 no torment. The moment that conviction 321cac3f31 shattered, the man let 57a093570f out a single groan a5bb9e3c01 of emotional agony as eeda2f795d the ground beneath his 496dadfdd6 steadfast feet crumbled.97dc27ed5ece43bd

Conviction didn’t break 240c22a61b in a single d481949512 moment. It rusted slowly, like 511119b030 corrosion, and the moment 2f4f70f217 the faded conviction shattered 90b04444e4 was merciless. The man had to complete adef016c05 the distance assigned to him. Holding a blood-dripping weapon, feaf0ab18c clad in darkness, he d391b7a18e crossed the desert’s white 6b5405c58b nights.49c628c1c099ba8e

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Countless corpses clung to 7b8df8c934 his steps, leaving long d4400b5ea6 trails of blood, but 4bf5c1e623 whenever he wanted to 68ccc2fa40 shoot himself, he recalled 831fc7b69a the prayer his uncle 208135e582 softly recited. The prayer his uncle, comforting 433c6e41fb him until his dying moment, 3452761c2e recited whenever the young man 5655cb7bbb longed for parents he couldn’t f53243fba8 recall, or agonized over the f2975dfac5 horrors of war, was the 858379cb6c only solace the man knew.7f58a066f04ad755

His colleague awaited him fe27535c3a in a business sky 27be244382 lounge accessible only to 11cc4ee87f VIP clients. Whether prearranged, the f59424179c 17th floor was 4c61cc7dab entirely empty. Tilting a glass, his 719cc20f78 colleague stood before a 1d00251bf7 glass wall overlooking Vala’s 70e0667cb3 vibrant, wave-like city lights.62c9c2fe416eae7a

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The man stared f49f983f44 at his colleague, 1e45898a1b who didn’t turn 16a757b898 despite sensing his 757b1e6588 presence. His sturdy physique, similar b2dfbcf120 to the man’s, still f97cf388f1 exuded strength post-discharge. Yet, stripped of 7e80824d89 battlefield dust and 5186e9fd6f military sharpness, his bcda9cf167 colleague resembled the e2b682e692 unfamiliar cityscape.29bed2bb98ba1a5e

“You got fired.”339566bd950e6318

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Without turning, his colleague 42a1626df8 raised his gaze, meeting b515e0e2eb the man’s eyes in cbd6c5f581 the glass reflection, a 73e82b7707 soft smile on his 2e20988ec5 lips as he sipped 67dcb06391 his drink.c530f2ae9c944f1b

“You lasted longer than I thought.”192c783cdc84f021

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Finally turning and approaching 3180b7327a leisurely, his colleague filled b602b9cdc5 an empty glass with 9bef84a725 ice and scotch. Handing the amber-liquid-filled glass to c3babbb810 the man, who didn’t take ae468af594 it, he shrugged lightly and c58dfe5437 drank it himself. Though not visibly dd006eb916 anxious, his colleague c75426af0f showed slight unease e9da14d0d4 but remained at 95cec36094 ease with the 9bcff09aa3 man.9fc9fdd82906e5fa

“He hired a new bodyguard, I hear. Some third-rate thug took your c8909409cf place. Not that it’s interesting to e5060e9c08 you. His Excellency the Count sent 952edb4e9b a letter of protest. Kindly, he’ll refrain 1d257cc4e8 from suing, but 749b84b375 he deeply regretted fcce0df035 my ignorance in e42892a299 hiring a foolish, 54a49de7ca tactless, incompetent like f3f1272b3a you. Funny, isn’t it?”0be6d7434aeabac9

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Shaking the scotch half-melted in 8a733fdd1d ice, his colleague leaned back a7263ef534 into the sofa. A five-hour marathon meeting ac7515d0ef had exhausted, bored, and a03db74c1f irritated him. The count’s letter 3d42b4d30f provided some amusement, 93aecb0280 but it was 0dc3c1dd00 cynical.008b5e97a386ce12

The man, harshly e5782b3fd3 criticized by the 507b51a446 count as foolish, 1011937fab tactless, and incompetent c209cff231 in a polite 8858480be0 yet heated tone, 6e1d662f50 was the kingdom’s d74e72ec61 finest, perhaps the 7a6cf423cd finest in that d23b91b07b world, killing machine.909a1fb1ff6f0dc3

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Or rather, he had been.3e9028af00bc3d1c

“You look like you have a lot to say.”9ade48973df8aff6

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“Honey.”c8028662b45e5301

His colleague, Jane f7763f7381 Howard, burst into 31ce5fb221 laughter. The sweet word “Honey” from 50bfee1c6d the man was as mismatched 6e3d8d7df0 as a flower on amber. But he clearly understood the 772007394b man’s true intent.95e3391974592f70

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Honey. Swallow.5754c505bcd542c9

The beautiful mistress of Shariyar 121f4dfff0 Lockhart, a key figure in b8e58b0f61 the aristocratic faction.57329015e333786d

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Their certified male prostitute. An unidentified person 5ed94f49f8 whose death would 4ba5923602 go unnoticed.0849e42e51fb83da

Four years ago, and bdd593f27a again a year ago, 72d49f72bb Jane Howard had shown 52fd3779ae the man a photo 2887bd6eab of the young man. Now, with the contract period 6d9ca09cee nearing its end and the 857c9552a0 man fired, Jane Howard slightly dc3bdb395a regretted his handling but was 9a69bbe55d sufficiently satisfied. He didn’t want Honey 3b343ec57e Swallow’s precious life wasted 9c4713c255 on his own foolish 6d2fe072e9 actions.4be0a7e9a3e4fdcb

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Upon learning the 82ef30e1a1 full story, Jane 1609444eac Howard’s first goal cfc44a359f was to place 3bea74db8e his own man 9c8f017d7e beside the count. But his attempts f46a6119b2 were thwarted by 834e580726 opposition from key 5dbbdc807e figures and the 7c7972add3 man’s refusal.a2f73adef0117599

Grinding his teeth inwardly and 08e550a4d6 cursing them all, Jane Howard 6e50c57c81 outwardly maintained composure. If the first plan failed, a710bae419 move to the second; if ac32b5a606 that failed, the third. This mental flexibility, 411eec0de1 uncharacteristic of a e9a4556883 soldier, was honed c36b14d8c1 as an operations ba1c2c0035 agent post-war.d9c18ed242088159

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“He’s a pony.”3761078b8fc6ae97

A peace envoy.4b61926febfb02ad

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A child stole candy.ad51018cb81b79a7

Caught, the child was hung 882c42a51f on the neighboring village’s wall. The child’s father sneaked ddb2beab4c into the village at ca6528ff4f night, slit the candy f202529932 shop owner’s throat, and 30f28edf2d carried back his child’s 8573272234 body. The shop owner’s 1a1c914b09 son, learning this, 2bb1c8a8f0 infiltrated the child’s 3f49ef3169 village, dismembered the 8a342337ef father, and hung 1da1debf2f his head on f87d8d3b6a the wall. As the cycle cbb304d6f3 of revenge depleted 352f2166b8 both villages, their eaedf5868c chiefs met to b4806b7f54 form a peace 98fd552762 treaty.a19efde32c543123

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As a symbol, the child’s 8b0f03ce93 village sent a pony, and f35b3e7507 the shop owner’s village sent 3ea1ab3b9a a dove. The pony carried enough dc4ec4554d candy to feed the 35a6a5fed0 entire village for days. Touched by the gesture, 0c86253a60 the villagers took the 2d06af8b27 candy and returned home.fda03d043026ac1a

The next day, the child’s 301a402468 uncle appeared in the shop 32d15d9f84 owner’s village with an empty c3b23f9a64 sack. Despite the morning bustle, the b33ce82bee village was eerily silent. Entering the first house, ef5436d0af he found everyone dead, a54b1b0d13 blood vomited, with the 874b3b7358 pony’s candy scattered around.8bcbb2a4590a2e57

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The uncle collected the 739e9a8150 candy into his sack.d00813956a47af55

After the first house, the 66af20b809 second, then the third. By the time he finished f6889d1c04 every house, his sack was dff7e85f05 filled with candy. Before returning, he petted the 454815e0ff pony, which recognized him and 835e628c3c wagged its tail. In his hand was dedd4e4ded a piece of candy 7e964bc374 saved for the pony.d53ae29d577d7f17

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Referencing an old 7caeb51011 tale that directly 17767000d9 criticized the futility 64d990ae5d of peace treaties, c1544ea724 his colleague drained 95d9749126 the diluted scotch, 1237b9611a refilling it with 4cb9de378e ice and liquid. The young man was 42a05fc632 the pony. Led by an a4a8182ac8 unknown hand into ff836ac78b the neighboring village. Until a year 2e8c756a8c ago, neither Jane 6efa5669ed Howard nor anyone 87939b3abd here knew he 517f5b1537 was the pony. But Honey Swallow was the 89dd44f117 pony.ae88017d57d114a1

“Was it revenge?”52e5a9fb3f98a626

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His colleague only smiled subtly 4975297200 instead of answering.cc97e012b7ad0e74

Did the pony go willingly?14a881c4a2153397

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“Fifteen years ago, was it? No, sorry. I remember clearly. Fourteen years and nine 05d84ab52d months ago. You remember our dac6d61306 first mission together, 408ed0359e don’t you?”04efc3dacb387d9c

The man had just 5cc263f434 been promoted to captain, 3917a8814a and Jane Howard, fresh bb7b1ee5f4 from officer school, was 2965ff95af commissioned as a captain. Recognized for his reconnaissance work, 0297f1d22f the man, promoted to captain 938e1c62d9 and assigned to special forces, e125b260f0 led a team of junior 1dcdf026c2 officers on their first mission.7cfe9e2cb9616eed

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It was a swelteringly d2234c0e1a unbearable day, the humidity 41104de387 climbing up their spines, c0c0f725e2 suffocating. Pushing through dense jungle 630d76e16d foliage, battling clinging insects, ac1dc99d64 they infiltrated the mission 9bd1c37710 site and completed it 13dc46ce3a flawlessly.f6aaa7bfafbce4fd

The target was e9a0b50144 eliminating a guerrilla 6a4af3c388 group operating as 3fe3f3ae8a a cell, looting 6b333a32f8 the kingdom’s weapons 989f4ff0b6 and supplies to 6ed50272fc sell to the 0f936f42b4 enemy. Six years post-war, the cede3cac92 kingdom was destitute, and 5563f017d6 slums and remote areas, 15f8ab404f untouched by the weakened e052cb2a96 state, were ripe for 13283a98e5 criminal organizations exploiting the 5a50625466 war’s chaos.4371aa1f2da177c4

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It was a remote village be2901dd72 of fewer than 20 people, cbb6efd792 occupied by guerrillas. When attacked, they used villagers 41cbbfdaa1 as shields without hesitation. Jane Howard and two new e547bcdcbb lieutenants blocked the retreat, while ea9373ee2a the man led the remaining e5cf35161f team into a crumbling building. Sensing movement on dabe24e92a the second floor c3efd22956 and taking sniper 70a7a0bab6 fire from an 1f894725e5 opposite building, the 265199bca1 team split. Three moved out of the d2bc8671d5 sniper’s range, while the man 08bcae40bb and a second lieutenant stuck 162b6aee67 to the first-floor wall, monitoring 4da5268a63 the guerrillas.4a403db7954999dc

Then it happened. A bloody mass was stepped a84349aa92 on. A young girl, 22c088b148 riddled with bullets, bc1991e55d barely alive, grabbed bdc54adafd the lieutenant’s ankle. She opened her b80d35c529 mouth to beg 5f044d2014 for life, but b26cd40126 only blood-frothed bubbles f60bfc2e63 and choking breaths e212e4ff31 came out.44f8296f4e374e13

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The newly deployed lieutenant, flustered, d7b29b1c93 couldn’t act. Above, a guerrilla waited 1695c085fb for an opportunity, and af6cb77765 across, a sniper targeted a1570a6f37 them. In the village, after a 3df6be3c35 firefight, only stifling silence reigned. A single wrong breath 43424ee842 could mean life or b8e90c170e death for allies and 3e9a67d5f7 enemies.90d2fe5e0bf6ba31

The man drew e04dfe05e0 a knife from eece171a06 his waist. He slit the gasping 79e22f728f girl’s throat. The lieutenant’s face paled. Sheathing the knife, the man 77b37b3c97 advanced further into the building. They caught a guerrilla hiding db7a164199 on the second floor. Simultaneously, gunfire erupted below, followed 06a24817f9 by deathly silence, then an 5c0ff812c0 ally’s voice through the earpiece: 0d373d1839 mission complete, no survivors. The man and lieutenant, 89610e7793 after handling stragglers, descended. The lieutenant, witnessing his 16656773d8 nation’s innocent girl die 99d892ea94 brutally, was dazed.1d9389a09b57f06e

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Did allies or c643ce34ea enemies kill her? Was what I saw 8349ecead6 a mission or murder?a28e838a2844c49f

The man clearly a9a359e41a read the doubt 1be149e1d8 in the lieutenant’s 8ef796a45a unfocused eyes. Bringing a new 44f0fc0176 officer on such 6f083cc971 a mission was 3745d5da4b a command decision, 629c7a8726 not uncommon. The man had seen countless 737956ac56 idealistic officers fall to corruption. The lieutenant’s reaction was relatively a08271da70 mild. But something felt off 2e78e7e44a when they exited the 57a248e4bf building.43039e197ec738a7

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Seeing comrades shoot surviving civilians 96e2ca3d5e in the head, the man beb2edec2d felt something snap in the 7a45b8b028 lieutenant’s mind. A vivid gunshot 6194cfd1ce echoed through the 03e72738e6 jungle.bb5b6c4cdd591c2f

The lieutenant screamed and collapsed. Team members, cursing, rushed 7e85a4b41c the man. His left hand was shattered. The lieutenant, aiming at his 04bc281378 own head, had his gun 4ef73a7089 knocked away by the man’s 73fd1c0382 hand and sat stunned. Blood and flesh 10f0643382 dripped from the f05af63d4a man’s hand above 31888cdb21 the sobbing lieutenant. Birds took flight fc7b88a3d1 over the dense 00b7b59a5a forest.88e211b358fa2107

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It was time to withdraw.4818a43519ebf65f

Declining help, the man a0f5d38837 roughly treated his wound 08d00be751 and tended to the 9188937607 lieutenant.25f03fe21acc0a37

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The lieutenant’s suicide attempt was 37936fd87d attributed to guerrilla fire. Days later, he requested 1f14ddd9cc discharge, but command reassigned 389d9f8ba3 him instead. A month later, a 59ab7f04f8 brief report confirmed his ba807054fa new unit’s total loss bfaec6f687 in an explosion.94111e68a84feb9d

In wartime, information db396e215c was controlled, and aa7840e91d only approved data 110c5799d5 was accessible, but 262ca2150a the incident couldn’t 51bf21d109 be erased. Framed as an enemy 73a3df07c6 attack, the joint operation’s 56de1a4bd9 accident wasn’t due to e3daba0d15 enemies, as the man f2c1f9d63c and his team knew.eb70faaf2c5a81e6

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It was the lieutenant. He had strapped 22183bad44 explosives to himself 721ccfab26 and detonated. “Die alone, idiot. Damn noble parachutes.” 9eb127689f Someone muttered, but 7a7fb760e6 no one spoke bb847cb6e6 loudly. The lieutenant was 0e8ab289d7 killed by the 32d5adffaa imbalance between ideals 2def7b0158 and reality, the 96a02ee303 mismatch of conviction 7c5669912b and illusion, compounded 8e775af8f3 by command’s negligence 9e9b78f713 of his mental e5d8b3d90c state.0a80a75c9cd2a007

No team member who b785195bf7 saw the lieutenant collapse d3c1e1930c in tears spoke further. He could have 01e8568e2d been Jane Howard, 46d16f2b70 the man, or 1abd0fb96e someone else. They all aimed at c60af5bd16 dying civilians and fired 939a76794d without hesitation. It was their mission and 060ba773cb cause.e8328b72f2bd2fa3

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“It’s been a long time since distinguishing missions from murders got hard.”80d3c5c3dfdd5f07

Jane Howard set 1f6efd1f2a down his glass, 573ece5d58 looking at the 4235c964d9 man with reddish-brown fa5a2e05fa eyes. A baron’s bastard, born e9efa68cc6 to a laundress, becoming 2bc7ebfdce a captain was a fd0936a547 wartime anomaly. In the special forces’ 60da52766e first battalion, the man, 9d694bb03e Cedric Baltar, was the 481ef571ba only non-noble. Ghost of the battlefield. Phantom of the white night. His exceptional skill bd58c25437 and leadership, confined 1f33a8d23c to non-commissioned ranks, ae7a23dac8 earned him a 999e51ff62 star only due ff3bb83221 to wartime’s unique c3c69ec003 circumstances.ab84547f548852af

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“Was it revenge? Did you want it? Did you choose to 857d144dd5 walk the tightrope between 72216192cb murder and mission? In this era, 5fa3a78a97 wanting something doesn’t e50a39e87c make it possible. Even offering your arm as 6eaaf4fea5 payment doesn’t guarantee you’ll get 792dee0036 it. The system is collapsing. The balance of power e33e7f0374 fell long ago, like 2912a510d3 my ideals. I plan to rebuild 02b7946481 what’s crumbling. I’d willingly be 4ee3c60b1e a block in df8f6d8bee it. I’m prepared to pay any 5b43548557 price or make others pay.”b9e5f6cf3db5aca0

Jane Howard’s lofty 4f4d6d3222 words were answer d46c6c1bfe enough for the 5132c5c917 man.de59e123c5db1033

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The man loved the land ca3f3bc728 his uncle loved. He built his conviction on da77a34b06 his uncle’s wish to pity 51c2c687a8 the war’s ceaseless horrors—a pity f2f8f638cf for this land, the homeland. Jane Howard’s ambition 4e67afaa4a stemmed from hatred 1e6ad7250f of the collapsed 42b6279610 system. His nostalgia for the crumbling a4f25426f2 system, which birthed the class f1aeab1d4f monster that shackled him, was 99ff3c7b94 contradictory.f6ce178e19091e3b

Yet, Jane Howard 50a3ec6a36 fundamentally loved this 9a0e62271b land. Like the man loved the fb651bf218 land his uncle loved, he 0b125b7e6f loved the land his pitiful b7e561985a mother loved. Like the man built his 28d97a4e0a conviction on his uncle’s wish, 285d7ef4d1 he built his on his 0b5d571288 foolish mother’s naive purity.e1de02bfbe148ed4

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The world that took his a4d44262f0 parents. The father who took 92b5e1327b his father. Don’t hate, don’t rage, 6e2bfea03a don’t grieve.335735e12099ab5c

Sometimes, conviction was trivial and 22adc3691e personal. Pity for an uncle, d77babf417 for a mother, sparked 85402f6f35 their convictions, as did 98218f968a pity for this land, 49ddffad02 rooted in small, personal 75881e6055 things.26aaef3db4fb41ee

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But Jane Howard’s e4bfdee81a conviction, too, eroded 9790ce44df and crumbled in bd6ae6a15f the sandstorm. The difference was that a8f0df2306 the man measured himself, b0b2cecfee while Jane Howard measured fe7a51877f the world. He offered his arm b9abf4e802 for what he wanted. That arm was 8a7f56b4d1 his pity—perhaps his 9aab05c8ac drive to live, 52a79b9c27 the nourishment of 693260489f his conscience. He willingly gave it.79fccb5fd0dd0e17

Jane Howard most desired 53a1260ab3 regime change, but the e2c93a044c polarized monsters of nobility 88be8ca98c and royalty, and prolonged 1d0da2ee36 turmoil, eroded even that 679173fba6 drive. Post-war, the enemy’s continued 3ca0508d2d aggression cowed the people. If choosing the less rotten 30ffcfa896 apple, Jane Howard stood on 70d75b18b6 the side with better leverage, bb712f355f ready to let them take 0653998857 his arm. Some succeeded, some were 2f382dcc2b on the verge, and 4240053076 some failed.3d925b4e6d1fa54a

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“I didn’t join the military to be a murderer.”bd255f7b1fe7bef5

Jane Howard’s reddish eyes glinted 7902bd1c36 with cynicism.c47238893973aa7a

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“But now, I’d gladly kill.”66b878158bda47e8

A precise answer.3b671318fbaaa1fa

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“What’s Honey Swallow’s purpose?”3fd61cfa99105f85

Jane Howard didn’t respond.d1e135855518ea56

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He trusted the man 6c0eb2cf02 enough to entrust the 77177ad030 young man but not 65ece137cf to reveal his purpose.bc369b217ff04753

“I’ll ask first. Why the change of heart? You, sick of ba2f515919 everything, rusting away 844deda7d4 like a broken e719c85dc9 part—why care about 939753bed9 a mere prostitute? You knew and 3e45f874c3 accepted my request. You knew I was using cbb3fd92e8 you and still agreed. That’s the limit b20d1483c1 of a lifelong d076798537 soldier. You felt indebted 2ef245e42c to me, who 04a9d95635 once held your 7aff54f57f life. Call it camaraderie. But why change now? What oiled that 69bbe90bb9 rigid mind of bc5e8b79b6 yours? Haha, don’t expect 907191dd46 me to believe ab447a8c9d you’re smitten with db5980d0a7 that honey pot. You were willing to 1307a62787 overlook my intentions. I knew, you knew. You knew I used cc1de2b8c9 you because you’re a a04d33bafe broken man who could aee5de98e2 die any moment. Whatever the reason, 58b4bac7cb if you plan 61e7ea0492 to interfere now, c95e9c850c you’d better stop. I’m dead serious.”66a9b4d952cba9ef

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“Will you kill?”7498bd3c94ce947b

“What does it matter? Weren’t you the ec541b9b63 white night’s ghost, b378dcae5c mercilessly slaughtering innocent 6ce59ba31f children?”fe606e58eb598d9f

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“…”e90870200d987eb3

“That’s our commonality.”0a002ceec3039f8d

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Smiling with a db22578e10 hint of past b71e648150 madness, Jane Howard 4612cd2186 soon sobered and e11dc36e0d spoke.9c92f3078193ef90

“Honey Swallow knows too much.”db33adf15decf476

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The secrets overheard at c4d156e4c2 every event the young 5de3eecaa0 man attended with the 46893ed67c count were valuable data—and a2ef923da6 a fatal weakness. Anything that lost its 9fb0d95546 use after achieving its 5bb2d2eb80 goal was best discarded, d13303aea5 especially if it was 90be1f4626 a living human, with ac1736d59b methods prepared for thorough b881091e2f disposal.36185f5bcfb31c23

The young man’s purpose was 6adcbb1777 nearing its end.cd2348531cca7c69

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Jane Howard had hoped eecb68765d the man would endure 7c3d9f4aa6 under the count until 4550712cc9 then, but as stated, ae5e8aa93e this was enough. The man had fulfilled ca21162710 his role, and the 40fa4aefce young man likely wouldn’t 02a19b1f30 attempt suicide soon. His survival thus far proved 0e9cdd3e3f it.aedcec67ba7d7508

Jane Howard knew well 434bc54ce8 that the young man’s 035b1dbbf6 survival was a miracle. Thus, he hastened 7391b28d88 the planned timeline. The plan was e652eb220e complete and would 8204ef526f be executed flawlessly. Yes, Jane Howard aimed to 7bd8f2dae7 strike the aristocratic faction. He made that clear.fbaf89473ad0f811

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“His Majesty’s will.”9d99b8cecbcd613d

Jane Howard’s reddish 6415c03166 eyes gleamed with 24f3859d5a a smile.a8fc360f32a027c0

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“I’m going to take down the count.”41188a8e9ac05009

🍯123b75daaafd49bd

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For a long 91c15c9391 time, I couldn’t 5c1f6c10ec maintain my sanity.9bf979efe783945e

The sound of the c6e55b9833 wind triggered seizures, and 7c310d2ee1 footsteps made me wet d58f6a4014 myself and sob. Hearing of my ed3c67a800 state, the master bdfb3199aa kept his distance 1e6fdab574 for a while. I realized it wasn’t a8c0506a8f out of consideration when 7cd68a1837 he sent a dog 5e049074d4 to my room every fc217cd2cf night.799575fdf3812f71

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Seeing Mister Wood wipe bc373441fb my crotch every dawn, 0809f28193 I couldn’t help but 7b82de6f20 cry. As I sobbed uncontrollably for 4c691a4dcd no reason, Mister Wood silently 9c83ad7a92 cleaned and bathed me. One day, he suddenly spoke.2a713460489c40bb

Do you want to die?a037950947e815f6

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No.225796e41097c9a2

I answered, staring 5b6e0166e2 blankly at his 1a9388b834 blonde hair.7733c67cce8d0696

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Is there a reason ffe2a5cddb you want to live 684545c998 so badly?132e48312335564f

No.eaed3cb007c2a140

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Mister Wood’s hand, submerged in 4658f8e1fd the bathtub, paused briefly. When he splashed water on 723c81e48b my shoulder, I could finally 29adc9da2b close my eyes.cf32ecba2d6a0f8c

I still want to live.2970c2b10202311d

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I was the kind a9c0f3ac19 of person who needed e471d3fe56 a justifiable reason to 31d096efed keep living, even in 71432886f8 this way. No one took my existence 380e89c7f8 for granted, and some even e027e46f37 said it would be better 97ec78a779 to die than live like 0129405a8a this. Why should I die? Even I want d50ac089f1 to live like b36bada489 this. Without any reason, even enduring 7974605883 this pain, even being treated 60308f8033 like vermin, I just want 6dae6bef0c to live. Just once, I 57c4d591d0 want to experience f31854dc2f a day when c3c12e582e being alive doesn’t 4f9ca380c2 bring pain.75511833d5672c1c

When I feel like 74d374014e dying, I recall the 6c7fd31ef2 words you said to 73ab32f46b me.e16d14d870826db3

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A spell about pain. Perhaps a comfort. Or maybe a curse.24b58e30871639dc

I want to ask something. Does it really 2f55a2821a get easier when 3ed16b6f33 pain reaches its c350304a32 peak?c83da9f7f5d73907

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Mister Wood’s words, 211c7c7a24 that the most 495f6075f8 horrific part of adacfa12b7 pain is its 615626d03a beginning, weren’t wrong, 48463a118b but his claim e714341544 that it becomes b57502bdf9 bearable once it 65c27852a4 reaches its extreme e0c74f2ce3 was hard to 561f7d861d believe. I was still struggling, still 748e984dd7 in pain, and not the 5a029827d0 least bit at ease.30c53bd727bc0706

The more intense the 7d902d3320 pain became, the greater 6378c5b0d2 my doubts about his 2477437e4e words grew. Have I still da9260b9cb not reached the f07daf2762 peak? Is there really c5d824598b pain worse than f4dd2c6d27 this?5daa3a1b7495c354

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Blaming myself was futile. Try to live as much c44da671f4 as possible and deny those c6f069bf18 who spit on my life. But if you d61a017930 still want to 3b945c0882 die, Mister Wood 112759cbf5 said to die, 5dc3ca3b1c gently covering my 252797e028 eyes, swollen from c6b57c7a47 crying too much.51ac5d8c4b4cc879

It doesn’t get easier at 7c08772d09 all. You merely grow accustomed and d5d1ec8c56 numb to it, but the 2b8e498774 pain will still course vividly f55881384f through your veins, writhing alive.966fff993aecb392

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Then why did you let 81652cf653 me live?a0bbfaab92be07ba

I never did. It was you, not 3b588a60f2 me, who chose to bacded2d4d live.0fa5ae921ca5f976

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That spell about pain.bc81d4dd494bb2ee

I said, if you 7092b61490 still want to die, b030f38dd1 then die.d267c6e63702eeff

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Mister Wood’s hand, which had e7cbdafaa3 covered my eyes, fell away. In my blurred 63759b8241 vision, I caught e930401b8d the blunt edge 37107a06bc of Mister Wood’s d793941dd1 jaw. A man with 70cf143fb4 ordinary looks, slightly 2b7d52299a less than average, fc4e16e559 despite his splendid 90d0cec81c blonde hair and 9894b4d6cc mysterious eyes, had 8dd58180bf a dry voice 424271a2f2 and desolate gaze. I could now distinguish it. The kind and 91fd8ea065 gentle man was, e779075b68 in fact, indifferent 3ef8246c9f to everyone.0a8881c03fb421d3

Just one more question.652ed681319d18ad

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Mister Wood, who e02a2d81b0 was rubbing my 89cb9cf655 back with a 54473bf18e wet towel, looked 4a50f4e2b2 down at me.83f17808e7b5c559

What are the 28ba87f291 starting point and f66a819348 the peak of f6e62d8453 pain for you? Do such things even exist?c91aab5e06cdd8e5

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Mister Wood silently 8853d0cd84 wiped my body. Tears welled up at his 3f753e33d5 gentle touch. Covering my face 0d2643585e with my palms, 437a7e6674 I let out dfeacce635 thin breaths until 63090e3bde he finished cleaning 82fe5e058a me. Mister Wood meticulously scrubbed every 8c7585fd24 part of my body clean. Only when he lifted 3056d87587 my hand from my a46ea1e0de face to wipe my 632e8e77ff nape did I hear 56957f520e his voice again. It was a voice like c7765a5c28 dry leaves crumbling, like white 8e78c2c90f ash drifting meaninglessly, a voice f573f56360 where everything had burned away.0d80ab629e3465c6

On mornings after e44af67381 the rain stopped, 73ddad70b5 I saw a 4d1b42b38b pair of swallows 2317e9c3d6 sitting in a 209498174e puddle outside the 4786d27b0a window, grooming each 56654abb90 other’s feathers. One day, one b4ef68ea8f was killed by c59de88bf7 a stone someone bfc428489d threw, and the 192f91aa55 other, with its 5840fc2a27 feathers falling out, 379e687ece flapped its wings, df41b99585 wandering the air c6389fd3ef in search of 6e73971389 its mate.a864008299be33fd

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Mister Wood’s green eyes 1e92835e4a gazed at me quietly.1302e064edf14c98

His gaze, tracing my face 5d7ca587b7 as if recalling the past 0e8fea8a4b with ashen eyes, was unfamiliar f31ca2df3e but not ominous. Rather, those eyes, faintly 3e3549755a trembling as if suddenly da01762686 recalling a long-forgotten emotion, ca632d21ca instilled a strange feeling c0bb31b6f5 in my chest.2d3c8aa44dc7965e

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I felt nauseous and 9325183104 wanted to retch. I later realized that c725933bfb the heart-wrenching pain, like d71b5c74a1 clutching one side of 046dc6f0cf my aching chest, was 794d7b8c59 an emotion.bcb865b388b5c43e

In that brief moment, ee4fd33cf1 just evoking a fragment 02c3139741 of memory shook my 286f298f08 mind. Mister Wood’s gaze 38ad12d8d1 lingered on my 1c5750befc black hair.136f147ee9bc94fb

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Black hair, black eyes, fdc952429c and pale skin. You resemble a dead bird.04030c9237592b2f

I couldn’t suppress the nausea. As I vomited, Mister 08b2118a3c Wood looked at me cacf48c99b with vacant eyes and db4b0217a2 lifted me from the fe3ea69bd2 tub. The things I bbfa8beb1a had thrown up a07a523cea floated and were b1f4e5a914 sucked down the 48c1cf7088 drain with the be973a2a15 bathwater. The scene felt like a ce5afdae39 visual effect, as if I 4f6caf04fd were filth being sucked into be146345de the sewer. I couldn’t help but tremble.a2ae19c0aa8fc767

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Do you want to die?5f6b94d767139dbb

Mister Wood looked 0778e1624a down at me 5a2120e7f7 with eyes now 5e99d4f0e6 completely devoid of 1672637215 light.1a284ec00f7c6c59

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If there’s even one 651a31cb24 person who would call 6615a27c97 for you after you d14dbdc4a8 die.6a2670c1708779f7

Do it, said Mister Wood, c0fe518589 placing me on the clean 8c9f01e58a tub floor and refilling it eefe02fbd9 with water. I wrapped my arms around bb15bc3d9b myself, staring endlessly at the 763e03b716 rising clear water.72ba161472709ed6

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🍯417694008c4eab35

To trace the royal faction’s 7dfbf49a65 plot to bring down the f5a9063902 aristocratic faction led by the 1e3953f540 count, one must go back 3b64b52619 to just before the war. The conflict between 3d5d9ab5a8 the king, who 63dbefcd96 pursued reforms to 58cb734abb solidify absolute monarchy 252ae24e43 after his ascension, d928117ae5 and the nobles, c000af246d who relentlessly engaged f9d9a1abcb in political offensives 795f1719e7 to protect their ff110ac97b power, had been 5a2118ef7f eroding the kingdom 43c0b25842 even before the a4d4e8c506 war began.2e7733836846f7bb

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After the Noringer d30d90cbb8 count family, a 4a5ce5bfe5 shield of the a311040531 kingdom and a dfcd8790dd founding hero, was 58bf4f7fb5 implicated in a bebb5f81cc treason case, the fd25ca8a8b balance of power eed374e3af began to tilt daca3c6658 gradually toward the c9cca70385 aristocratic faction. The king, who was also 5603255d8b a personal friend of the 9612e4295f Noringer count, was prepared to 619a11fdc8 give up even his last 15a59a1dd9 resources to save him. However, the aristocratic faction demanded 518d05e931 nothing less than the complete f5d0e2db77 annihilation of the Noringer family.a4479f67c59f7529

The betrayal of 681b0c4445 the Noringer count e9baf5ef3d family, which had 9ca1100923 been both the 91e2c2890a kingdom’s and the 1f56023211 royal family’s shield, 22992885f5 was a catastrophic 6908d617f9 blow that tied bc93ed57be the king’s hands 7fe74acec4 and feet. The aristocratic faction 93e6ef286d had no reason 63fb7766d2 to negotiate with eb03918f90 a royal faction d4605b4fe6 already crumbling. Despite enduring political d045025ff1 isolation to save 6ed6e3581c the Noringer count, 93785c8649 the king ultimately 6444d8bf27 signed the document 6775581327 permitting the execution c1e555fecd of his family, 0ed5a0bc96 fasting for three 38419094e7 days and nights f6423345ad afterward.e06407ff090337d4

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Thereafter, relations between the 303e39fb57 royal and aristocratic factions 6c5ab98810 deteriorated further, and their b69ab4f1f2 conflict persisted even during a4f7746e1e the war sparked by 678c9d466e the diplomat’s violent death. Two years before the war’s 60fc1949f7 end, the royal and aristocratic 318e00afe6 factions dramatically sat at the a06aa8a20b negotiation table and agreed to cf915b891c peace. Playing a key 5864cb2507 role were Knut 3a03fb6390 Berrillard, leader of abe0dae6c2 the neutral faction, 0f5be5ed24 and the crown 5c6d3be67e prince.82871361d1a34679

Having effectively ruled the 7b87dda940 kingdom in place of 3f151114a8 the bedridden king since 031a62dfc8 just before the war’s e94fd71c57 end, the crown prince, f081c0f3f7 with his sharp intellect ee3d263465 and exceptional political acumen, a8d3eca672 secured an agreement with 3cd1db65ec the aristocratic faction and 15ce383e9e maintained a tense balance 645d18d265 with the nobles despite 0f017622fd lacking a robust power ab14421c5e base. However, even for a 940e7de0fe rational and pragmatic man d776c21322 like him, it was af11c42fbd difficult to remain lenient 8a38a26eec toward nobles who, as 2b81b3d051 defeat loomed, packed their 24f5d92377 wealth and planned to 98e03568fa flee to the enemy 8c122cdbbf nation. Contrary to his reputation f75457a88d as gentle and wise, c77e567fd6 the crown prince was d553a6efeb not one to easily cdae3ffff7 forget humiliations and grudges.2345a383b8518b21

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The humiliation and c97b265b45 shame he swallowed 5b6c1d8e10 while begging the 2fab663d2a nobles on his 020dec6319 knees as a 3b046c1ace royal to prevent 568cea1fa3 national overthrow were 9a12815393 indescribable in words. Though the negotiation b3e7d37920 process was kept cfaf6bea2c confidential, the aristocratic 49c55d7e26 faction’s treason and 2ff6004928 the crown prince’s e3ac29b78c degradation spread through 90308c221f gossip. This restrained the aristocratic 9538c773d7 faction and fueled the ad6b3bfb26 crown prince’s resolve. His resentment toward 085a56bed0 them was unprecedentedly 66ca4914fd cold and deep, 47899787f4 and his methods 1cf546354e to achieve his 54eb7a4c63 goals were cruel 04c30e93cf and ruthless.62124a85185ed6d3

As the man recalled the 5859b5a775 crown prince’s serene smile and 651e8056b6 water-blue eyes while pinning a 432feee801 star on him during his 361932b53e promotion to brigadier general, a e28dbdd825 familiar silhouette flickered in his 5bb0d50068 vision.eb3bf289c6cbb804

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It was the young man.2c30f9bec466109d

“You wouldn’t dare commit the blasphemy of weighing the royal family against a mere prostitute.”a2d2a2a713f6ed70

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“He has a name, too.”7eb92ab0f354143b

“Honey? Swallow? No. He has no name. No matter what 88112f5db6 noble value he 96fa95fbc8 might hold, a 45af78ab99 prostitute is just edf37f0220 a prostitute, and 1555ca23b8 a murderer is 550995623b just a murderer. Does being revered 0682772957 by those around eb3c42feff him cleanse the f2828997a4 legs of a 3a3ba722ff man who sold ea2002d1e8 his body? Has the blood 9156737d83 on your hands 194f6e9158 vanished without a ee0fac094c trace? If you’re swayed by 54029d0b5e cheap pity and plan 9fd84cd7e7 to ruin everything to 57ed2cb59f save that prostitute, you’d 348adede95 better stop now. I have no 3d9fd3d177 intention of failing 083d928d6c in this.”567a9a296631ab9a

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“His death doesn’t directly lead to failure.”33c561c54463f90b

“Nor does his life directly lead to success. Let’s be honest. You would’ve made the ecea2d1f61 same decision, wouldn’t you? We’re the ones who b3a472a7a6 razed an entire village 8b60e909df to recover a few b5472ab386 guns. Does wearing a civilian’s 3a8936af0b mask make us, the 5ad4e1bc9e human butchers, innocent? Nonsense. We’ve come too c7819c6fca far to dream. Dreams are illusions, b9d39341ab and so was e47ab2c171 conviction. What’s left for you? After over 20 years of 6bd4ac7549 loyalty to the kingdom, what 61fab7ac72 do you hold in your b58d7d218d hands? A star pinned 73c9226613 on you at 2ab1aaca89 discharge as hush d9731dfc67 money? Honor gained by 71229cab2a killing innocent boys 826ebbf38f and girls? Nothing. You have nothing. You’re just grotesquely distorted, a e00f45cb56 broken part. Don’t talk about names. Even if you don’t die 6c33597757 now, you’ll end up a 4f98235838 corpse dredged from East’s sewers 72f0567cd9 someday. A useless life used for bf4412bad1 a good cause—that’s the deal, abc942b13d isn’t it? That prostitute found a place 8f58ae9919 to die, and I’ve gladly a0b5d46def found a reason to kill.”3f0ee1fe7c38bf4a

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The young man’s 883af88c69 face, crossing the b5634174bd golden lobby, was cd726d0808 deathly pale. His neatly groomed 38508313a5 hair was disheveled, b24395a4f3 partially revealing his bb99151f3d smooth forehead, and 82a2919046 his black eyes 572c2af6f0 beneath his lashes 969488ff11 were likely pooling 66e0cae6e4 silently like a b7f0f6c5aa well.2c1bf4c093ec587a

The man’s gaze, following the 70ea0cc26f young man’s back as he 885faa3703 passed through the opening door a0bc62a78b and stepped outside the hotel, 297fe626a3 shifted to the glass wall. The young man was 0c1d32d690 descending the stairs, and 4a8d02a901 a bodyguard, who had 477cb4c6c7 prepared the car in b55cc5f14f advance, leaned against the 6fc202d9b2 driver’s door with arms d7d5e36707 crossed. The bodyguard’s gaze on the 3e4c1558c6 young man was rough, his fcc0fd728c actions excessive.a72f49e7db682a3a

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“Some third-rate thug took your place. Not that it’s interesting to 318cde3df1 you.”774f56a00169ac35

Jane Howard’s mocking 66ae293670 voice flashed through 2f826e2041 the man’s mind.fada6eee8e50af0d

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Just then, the 44e5a4fcc2 bodyguard grabbed the 8acbf939d8 young man’s wrist 9fefb6f57d as he reached 8f4b5e305e the bottom of 76dcdf437a the stairs, and ba03404e31 the young man 2ba8922f23 gently pushed the 4c029dcd88 hand away. It wasn’t just 453b4116d1 the man who 90803a0f6c expected the young 917417cabc man to comply 6588444306 and get into 9c42791188 the car; the 29b56b4c36 bodyguard’s scowl was 295c12e748 visible even from 94975e2048 a distance. When his hand 9ae991ea7c was rebuffed, the aaeeee1bc3 bodyguard roughly seized 2c0c51fccd the young man’s bb6e1b4731 wrist again.5df2d751183938af

The young man 2fc7d6be58 was yanked harshly 90bd6f1c7f and thrown into 3c339d96a9 the car like 8eb782a133 an object. The bodyguard spat and cff18a5df7 slammed the door, his a8f4efa22f curses visible from afar. Watching the sequence through 7aa8aa4b56 the lobby window, the 098ef033dc man stood by the 4d33cce1d1 glass, lost in thought.64217b30e94399d3

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“If you get involved in this, I’ll personally throw you into an underground prison. You know well a1285d7133 that I don’t b80dffb2fd need royal power 87219693c4 to bury one d804b88b32 man. I’m under the c58adfeb0b crown prince’s secret 1b5f57e2e2 orders, with permission c59d36db47 to eliminate anything 74b14a95da in my way. Does shedding your fd0f2eb98a uniform strip away 148faf9235 your loyalty, too? You’re not that d3f2699e48 kind of man. That’s why you tried to 18b1cc7a8d die. Unable to blame the kingdom d419f2cd48 you served your whole life, a0d2d8abe9 you thought death was better. Do you sleep 4163983a53 well these days? Do those children ebf631d36c appear in your 85d671ec28 dreams, laughing with d6d339c9e9 torn mouths? Don’t you see the cbd3395467 hands of the dead 342b220828 pulling at your feet? Don’t they rush to dance b238190791 with you every night?”96ca20cab51df722

Jane Howard bared his teeth d13c79eb7b in a grin.781a706e2bebf572

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“I’ve found a way to end this pain. My meager loyalty c43194d8bf wandered the desert a62f7e5576 too long. You can’t cling 9e9196430d to something corroded c970c81101 forever. My loyalty didn’t belong to d5ab168399 the kingdom, the royal family, dc5e0f3238 or the king. I never had a766706435 it to begin 07d0f32770 with. I buried it with those 0ca98ee105 children under the sand. But not you. Your loyalty still firmly surrounds 5973068671 you. That’s why I’m saying this. Do nothing. I’m saying this because 34e0d4ae51 I know you. That prostitute is different 028742c3a7 from the innocent civilians ec8edc15e3 we killed. What bewitched you? Did that dog-like 2bbee8d80d pity move your 15b0377bc9 heart? Stop deluding yourself. He was born 2b935a0731 for this, raised 01857661a5 for this, and 71f19761f5 can only live c1fbd57e1e like this. It’s what he wants. He said he needed a 71bc9ee112 reason to die, and we 2ed014e7ba gave it to him. So, will you betray 7c0c02d9ed the royal family you 171eef3e8a once swore loyalty to b590df94b8 for a prostitute who b10c08f2da can’t even choose his 16b879a21b own death?”42ec6d6cfa1f8829

The man recalled b6446f4697 a kite, meant 49ad2e6beb to soar the 39245c31a5 skies, crouched in c762fcdb95 a shabby warehouse b8acad1107 corner with blood-stained f1caacfc4b straw, and the 9ec8992df2 young man curled 2a966276ee up at the f2be4032e9 bottom of a 7046907394 pool. And that rainy night. The young man’s anguished wails, 443054bcc1 unable to cling to the 65cb327d6c man, pressing his forehead to f17ab00e93 the dark cement and vomiting 7ea97e793e his sobs.3393199cc6003999

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Then he suddenly thought of 2ca50016c9 a man.ee6da57c117c7dcf

That rainy night.557c45cb6618ee1e

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A man with 09737b7ea3 splendid blonde hair, 961a287233 who, under a cd95c69be5 streetlamp, dropped his 5cf799bec4 umbrella and stared 0eff504ae3 at the man 7aaa522c24 with pale eyes 5c1c8875d6 as if seeing 7407bf3f58 a ghost. The man understood the striking f7f53644fb dissonance and the man’s skill f3b0af2514 in concealing that momentary lapse 0d0d0307ed and slipping into the darkness.347bdf5430c0f87a

“He was one of your men, too.”46ed79175329de78

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“No. He was my man.”3f99434c4a2a472a

The crown prince’s 5a644e4070 strategy to overthrow d47441da5e the aristocratic faction 96d01180ff was a den 7138a2a5eb of intrigue.655a569e35a8ec6b

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Long before Jane ebdb820496 Howard joined, the 417f69cb8c crown prince sent 346bad429f pretty ponies laden 5ef8c50424 with sweet candy f0d6cb2f5a as a tribute. They were countless—horses 1b042541ea already dead, horses 62d36fcf89 soon to die, f41b8b6a25 horses yet to 49893e4c82 die, all as 521b2f1f5e sweet and beautiful a3ff308063 as honey.5b50cafb6fef8004

“Learning of the aristocratic faction’s perverse antics, the crown prince had everyone present, except his confidants, beheaded. It was meticulously secretive, 8e8155cabb prepared over 15 years. Only the trustworthy were f015baf4ac selected to scour the 1adbcbdbb1 nation for dolls tailored 5c26b0d6d0 to the aristocratic faction’s 9ccf648662 tastes. Beautiful but somehow broken 968b09d5b5 dolls, foolish enough to 209d57cfec give their souls for e815d3a576 a single act of ef45b239ae kindness. You can’t imagine how stupid d464de9913 they were. They offered everything—liver, gallbladder—to b935ca4c30 those who dragged them 001c7e1b01 into danger. Do you think 9d4c45ad6d the prostitute you’re 1f11780bd5 babbling about saving c0ab4ac83d is any different?”0d7b2a7eac9d4119

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Beautiful dolls merely yearning to 5a88962567 live.c8a79a9c8b6571d4

“No, that prostitute. Yes, he was different. The count’s favorite, the doll fe6b87f160 he kept and played with fc0317b2ae the longest. The one who found him c9e28639e7 was Siov Swinton. The count’s loyal butler. Mister Wood. It was him. After his death, 81f8495dfc we thought the 1780f411be plan had failed a2af465092 again and despaired. But astonishingly, that 1f199f7f62 prostitute was there. No one knew. Until he died, no one 1791d5da65 knew of that prostitute’s existence. Do you know how ee903c90ec Siov Swinton died? That prostitute. He was gutted alive 02c4189d20 by that prostitute’s hands, 3d8caf3b44 spilling his entrails. He’s not an innocent child. The term prostitute is e70cea824e even too generous. Can you imagine what 775b3eb62f he said, offering Siov 7c0c7e7f8c Swinton’s crushed eyeball? With that pretty a52d634455 mouth, he said b8504859fc he was frustrated 5960a71e2e for not killing 253ccdb6c3 him in one e189f15a39 blow.”a1782e75efda2a8e

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Siov Swinton. The eldest son c6376795c6 of the Swinton 79a501aa81 ducal family, a deb44387e8 prominent northern house.4f03558b6ecd6e78

Sixteen years ago, he 05fed47b26 vanished suddenly and was c500a85171 presumed dead during the 714963f669 war. A special elite e4dded042f unit, including the 1ef5070c9e man, was once 0b97391a4e deployed to find 9cc09410fd him. They found an 06f2eea089 unidentified body at d20b395fb0 the lake by 0f18cc7dbb the villa where 2690861fa2 Siov disappeared, but c126c6cf93 it didn’t match f8b4c0b022 him. Despite the war, 3a09734be2 the influential Swinton 3acbd482be family pulled three ba1866af22 special forces teams 4d40469af6 to search for d7fc2c5d41 him for six e2c9c3f159 months, but no 0782b4849b trace was found. When the royal winter 0b8cd28459 palace collapsed in enemy 4272715cd5 bombing, Siov was tentatively 2dac8226b7 classified as a wartime 5c3dfd5c09 casualty, and the special c8f16e7608 forces returned to the 973685e377 front.7b0768e138e01244

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Observing the man’s expression cb2b3acd9d as he recalled this, 21fb98f452 Jane Howard smirked and e2da6ee204 refilled his glass.8ab4e5ce4c6912b1

“He changed his face and slipped into the crown prince’s chambers as an unidentified person. They say he attempted assassination.”5e5cdc5608083472

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It was cunning to avoid c7b9836bad shaming his family, but he e786d95e57 hesitated too long before plunging 7ddc00ec32 the knife into the crown 10f663e6bf prince’s heart. He kept probing about 56eb6afa7b the Noringer family’s treason b58f076c13 and obsessively asked about 3716401586 someone who may or e4556e61a1 may not have existed. He said the 5b00e7a37a name stuck in 0a72734b78 his mind for f321a23962 no reason.f30e451be0747f7e

Ezra Baltar.2d2de38615f99812

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“Do you know why?”52445d3a381a6213

Jane Howard then 05a8733930 casually mentioned the a2987c6cab man’s name.b0846da1dc744cf6

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Cedric Baltar.7c432d7ff53bdcad

“Quite a coincidence, isn’t it?”d9e12145e4a75650

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Here, where just a8b475a546 thinking brings a 8487b8e8b0 flood of sorrow.9585166e06d56c4a

As the man stared at 9ec6dbe21d Jane Howard’s rugged, smiling face, eb2f5c31d0 his uncle’s final prayer echoed e30995c384 in his ears.5c3ca99a41254b64

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“Siov Swinton volunteered to become the count’s lackey. The promising heir of a 7bd83311a7 ducal family changed his face 7557bdb2be and name and crawled into b640505ceb that den of demons. He, too, offered his 389c3e352a arm to get what cb994a1460 he wanted.”7cc12aeeff92fb67

As the man, reciting his a5c79574bd uncle’s prayer over the sobbing 3b611ab038 young prostitute spilling his guts 24ad80d98d at his feet, looked up, 71c4e913cd he recalled the pale eyes ef52b58dcf of a man staring as af4195fc59 if seeing a ghost.0f4265e4054dd80b

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“Ezra Baltar was the count’s brother-in-law. In other words, 38fe1de1ec Elizabeth Noringer’s half-brother.”5c8c3b101269e30e

Black hair, black eyes, 4369cccb0f pale skin.dc49b882913e2b3c

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His uncle, born 9701426e5c to a kitchen 8eaaa7d27c maid, used to 155b59bb00 stroke the young 5fe2b5f78a man’s hair with f98b2c3afb kind eyes and 0fec53048a a gentle expression. She was a woman e98b66e91f with ebony hair, dawn-like 281adc813b skin, obsidian eyes, and e7a972f913 gracefully curved lips.1739326b684d7f2c

Born a bastard ef8f3c6b2b of the count’s ab30ef2f2f family, his uncle 61483507b0 grew up not cb41974106 with his beautiful b8c8cc351f mother’s love but b59476a279 with misery. Ezra Baltar. With black hair, black a5d3018e66 eyes, and pale skin f5a8f29a7a like his mother, he 88620e8042 grew into a young 996d66d4db man with melancholic eyes. Bearing his mother’s 4f3673ed76 surname instead of 97733d6513 his father’s, moving 2ecb9f3d16 hunched between the 7cfa6ec0cc stables and cramped e8f5802959 lodging, one day, 2d104df91f white petals fell 0786e904d2 on Ezra Baltar’s 4b28e82776 head.2d24f2201e520083

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“In the northern winters, snow falls, and she said it would suit me well,” he’d laugh.44acf66b864fb691

Crouched in a 9c85824fca cave, when asked 4ad52b65b1 about his parents, eb1f23e7c6 his uncle, with 3e8b9df9be halting speech, would fa5f65dbe6 recall and say, af6c7420f7 unable to hide 41fbbf2465 his longing gaze.5f0a37a9239dffea

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“My sister was mischievous but sometimes so lovable. Your eyes resemble 03dc4ceac6 your father’s, and bf9fc8007a this shimmering hair 18b819cdf1 is just like d6d971537f hers. I wish you had 15aff989ac a mirror to see 9a02cafe11 your face. When I miss them, I 34075ffd44 look at your eyes, your 027f1f33d0 hair, your nose, your lips. I’m sorry. I’m the only 153272b9c1 one enjoying this f02dc4ab4c blessing.”f51eda990718f77c

With eyes like a ravaged b8dc56c630 battlefield, his uncle stamped out 6f9a740783 the cave’s fire and prepared d5c2242508 to leave. The desert near the e8a8e41de0 border was dangerous, cold, aa452202c9 and harshly hot.749271100059e025

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Having roamed the dd3b290bd8 border with his d90b85f8bd uncle before the 901fa59533 decade-long war, the 3c43af0652 man knew the f082ae85c7 desert nights and 46ddbed0c1 the terror of 5f0701219d raiders better than cb27c4cd24 anyone. His uncle, who 691ea82774 attended medical school 9475ed01af with the count’s 13d6fa8e81 permission, couldn’t pass 46763b2982 by the wounded, aae4147200 but not all d9647afcb4 welcomed his pity. They were wary of strangers.54b27eb990cbcfc3

During frequent border disputes, 08a8867a42 the wounded littered the 285721e126 roads, but neither nation bab6fc3b3e took responsibility for these 91005da24c non-regular soldiers. His uncle knelt to tend ef9c6277be their wounds, leaving only after b75c2fa632 seeing them open their eyes af68d9a27c from a distance. Meanwhile, the young man stared a9c718fe05 at dusty sand dunes or 74936e49d6 immersed himself in his uncle’s cd6aec7fa1 old tales.35a8cadfd337c779

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“I saw snow for the first time then, and it really fell like flowers. A man from the e548762720 north gave me cotton e37ce47c5f candy, saying it was 74d6ca83c5 the closest thing to 9873b9b6ea snow. Cotton candy, yes, like those c4c19e9d51 clouds. Unbelievably sweet and surprisingly soft.”13481a98ac864cc4

Glancing at a groaning, a10f51e75b waking wounded man, his d9f4862454 uncle hurried the young 209a627cfc man’s steps.58e4272bb2eaeeef

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“Uncle.”945033144e8b91ef

“Yes.”becb61bfd6c8ff5b

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“They say the disputes grew because of my parents.”cacedba273074416

His uncle stopped and looked a9002b8f19 down at the young man 2110077a97 with a shadowed face.0a787286b00f7d09

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“They say the Noringer count brought invaders and caused chaos in the kingdom.”07c0132cb5afefb2

The border conflict zones e1a3608c0e were always chaotic. Rumors and facts of 558b9f26b8 all kinds circulated. The young man learned more 169ca304c6 from them than from his 978535219b slow, halting uncle.dbf1cc5d3f81e320

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Negative words, harsh words, db30cd95e2 words of blame, despair, 781d19a2f9 confusion.060db9ddd14cf8f5

“No. That’s wrong.”39027c9fc7890607

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His uncle said only that. The young man 59454e0cd6 didn’t speak further. More important than parents he 93b28ee5aa barely remembered or being the abfbc8fdb3 sole heir of an extinct 17f70cd9f0 count family was that his d108cda5c4 uncle not be sad.fa153a67ed62097b

On a white night when 68db18d251 the white darkness fell, his 5585829f62 uncle left the sleeping young 4e0a4d6e13 man in the cave and b626d76088 dug a pit in the 1206766574 coarse sand with bare hands. Burying his face 0b15b42d07 in the deep 88af092977 black hole, he 4c76686e2a screamed and wept. Curled by the d2c55209fc campfire, the young dddb89983b man listened to 3ac7fb9cff his uncle’s deep 1cd487b961 sobs reverberating through 60814d8746 the ground until 606087c0c2 the white night 0502b566fb lifted. He softly recited the prayer 1f765ba7c4 his uncle sang like a ddd7adc679 lullaby.108046b89eab46ae

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🍯20b17c38359c2fb9

Staring at the black sedan b922df5fbe carrying the young man away 85f2743459 from the hotel lobby, the 018a95e5ca man began to walk. Crossing the lounge, the lobby, 24cfe28dd6 and passing through the glass 343fd31d83 doors to the parked car, cd676da03c his steps quickened.9fd573b46ba5e8df

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The young man had 347d428c67 trusted the man from 7e22e37371 the start. Even though he shouldn’t have. He trusted him.2369f478020f2bee

The memory of that 4f75ccb812 rainy night fell into a3c968784d the man’s mind as 25b5787270 he started the car.4a0cd3a7eed77a8c

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Perhaps the young man.1a25da7ac6404cfa

Perhaps the young man remembered e3c0ab4fd7 that night fully.e9813cd5298d5f0d

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🍯98678197a10a84e8

Unable to sleep, I 419c2b0a8f was curled up for 41dfb8173c a long time when 7cedeaaa35 I finally closed my f32fb02ab0 eyes.644b271f5691e4fd

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My hair was ad6de64370 grabbed, and I 39de47e436 was dragged from 2b9d731e03 the bed. Too shocked to d67d1f8227 scream, I was 60de2ecda8 pulled to the 3cd93ae00c master’s bedroom. The one dragging me was 207c193504 the master himself. He threw me onto the 17c39c73b0 bedroom floor and took a f3a48c21f7 whip from the wall.9a85cd4609eba452

Unknowing why I was c64a60bee0 brought here, I endured 581110f5f9 his beating until his 752b356715 anger subsided, blood streaming 26507c389e down my cheeks. The whip had torn the c7debdb014 skin under my jaw. Unable to stifle 009dddbd46 my screams, I 0a6ce866a6 let them out, 0d144fa0de taking countless lashes 7830917581 until the master e357faab18 let out a 976623549c rough breath.2fc07328b56cc258

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It was a lull. Instinctively sensing it, 6e334f7457 I pressed myself 41d786d776 to the floor, 7d549268ff curling my body 2ff2c443b4 even smaller. The master tossed c835100106 aside the whip, c232331632 dripping with my dba8453a7f blood and flesh, 6e268f7d3d and picked up fed8d42b2e a liquor bottle. The stench of 8937f116ba alcohol reeked from 97d107ee37 him. Unlike a noble, he c4852e4d9b didn’t pour it into 81d5300844 a glass but downed cebffdfa82 an entire bottle of 670e465a40 strong whiskey, letting out cac34bfe24 a small laugh. I had learned through my e8786dd423 body that the laughing master 0066be3ffe was far more dangerous than a85308f0a3 the angry or mocking one.bef86256783e33e2

My body stiffened. Even the shredded flesh from 7ba67f40c2 the whip seemed to tremble. Throwing the empty bottle, the 9d9f04693b master grabbed my hair. I crawled frantically as he d00322bb81 dragged me. Groaning but trying not 41c0f20852 to provoke him, I c84c153ba6 clenched my teeth. He took me 62a3510578 to the lounge d710722ece beside the bedroom 91aa17dbfa and sat me 832ca90811 on a decorative 3deac4e271 saddle.399a3d8dade4409f

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He sat me on a 946acdd24b saddle with a stake the abaa995b72 size of a glass bottle 5a797bf100 protruding from the center and faa3a0c560 rode me alone. Watching, he opened 667d899173 a new bottle b5b96a871f and hurled it f6db649326 at me with ccee88b5ca all his strength. Struck hard on 608212ff74 the temple, I d40d1173d9 fell from the afb2986206 saddle. Before I could recover, the 9064892439 master approached, grabbed my hair 3e67b4ae31 again, and dragged me.98ed7c069d91d649

His bare hands, ungloved, 6bfd4b6674 gripped me—unlike usual. He, with his severe e3fe301d7e germaphobia, never touched me 62ca5506ca bare-skinned, but now he 004032f60b was dragging me by ed50ab7848 the hair across the f336ce5e6b corridor. Suddenly, he turned to 3d561916db look at me. My naked body 426f4c5d86 was streaked with 82df163ddf red from the 0c76614a1e brutal beating. Blood dripped from 2355d056f3 my torn forehead, 56e6ac1e74 where the bottle 979e94e81a had struck. Beaten, dragged, and manhandled, 77a229980a I was out of b9ee951fe7 my mind.307b5fcf72c184fb

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Releasing my hair, 1f2cd80712 he made me ccc7bfbe52 kneel. As ordered, I tilted my 103ff13683 head back, raised my chin, e8e39430f2 and opened my mouth wide. Something warm poured into my 91ea50f1e5 mouth and over my face. The master, pulling his cock 0a85f158f0 from his zipper, was urinating 92d01fb5e6 on me. Finishing, he chuckled and placed b5e91268aa a hunting snare from the 4c95ba075d corridor wall around my neck. I crawled after 597881483a him like a ee183099ce dog.9d1bf81d951f3523

Passing through the long corridor 537c565823 and down dark stairs, we 9fedabb293 arrived at a deep basement ca99ff0928 where no sunlight reached. The master wore ca54eef2d2 a chilling smile 9738a19b7b under dim lighting. Pulled by the leash, I 9a526fd83b crawled quickly through the basement 033e4cc2fd corridor. A heavy iron door, exuding 538f381915 a sinister aura, creaked open. Dragged by the leash, I 375a9a016d crawled inside. Every nerve screamed warnings. I shouldn’t enter. I tried to shake 21a7fcbc62 the ominous feeling, but 7b0ac38698 the master pushed me 6fc46a2596 into the center.d2ed2efbc776f357

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I wanted to believe 4b2653fc1c the scene before me 4fd6c05fad was a dream. No, even as 3eba2370b9 a dream, I f41f20ddf4 didn’t want this 30e566f1be nightmare. The master, in a torture b571afc567 chamber converted from the castle’s 0fdf106a91 dungeon, took an old wine a02c4acaa1 bottle from a wall, drank a26f2b5942 it straight, and yanked my 3830cc7a4d leash. My head lifted, f50b933463 and the scene 99aa252bdb seared into my 99d897b9b0 eyes. My throat scratched out a 903ec9d344 sound, startling me; I could c17d4e70ce barely pant. My body shook like an 9e5b5e2d1d aspen. I wanted to scream, fbe9435a51 but only tears came.185a95ec9317d92d

These vermin.443574a1c7bebcc9

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The master’s curse, spat 133245fb59 like venom, struck my 3d4777d16f back. He irritably threw 8732a11bdf the half-full wine e745d28a96 bottle. It shattered against the 1aaac4b162 dark, grimy wall, stained 4b2edca2cc with oil and blood. Trembling, I looked up at f1e32e3e9f Mister Wood, hanging on the 2910dd2a35 wall.194b463e50b1e342

His state was horrific.7d04c46628431386

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Having endured brutal torture, b38aee0b0e his skin was flayed 61bf799fa2 like cloth, exposing red 336ab9ea06 flesh. His face was e7ff1c0b6b unrecognizable, collapsed, his c5795e7a3f swollen lips dripping 8ac8f7546a with blood. Several teeth rolled under his 95666d0af2 suspended feet. All ten fingernails 80bd0ce9b1 and toenails were 50e9571bff torn out, thick 3c596e2b2d blood dripping. Instead of screaming, 5277039232 I widened my 833e8a9387 eyes. A red-haired man, hidden in e9e8841045 the shadows, emerged holding a 78edc7c301 red-hot knife.127c25a4726fab79

The drunken master leaned 3b97e8818c against the wall and 388302575e opened a new bottle 043f574387 of whiskey. A red-hot knife 89948b1ea7 sliced through the 178e5877eb air and pierced 3b6e113036 one of Mister e043381765 Wood’s testicles. A horrific scream tore from fe9decfde1 Mister Wood’s lips. I wanted to shut f4cdceaca2 my eyes tightly and aeb81e254b cover my ears. If I could, da84d0654b I wished my a1c9f087ad breath would stop 656fabc68a right then. But the red-haired man’s 2cb3598d09 torture continued, and so a5f2015adb did Mister Wood’s screams. The red-haired man, who f96ddec775 had been rubbing the c4c42844af searing knife until one cae0b4dd41 testicle was completely burned, 463038c264 stepped back. A choking, pig-like 157428a029 squeal echoed from 4cce48c6ef my throat.21898b8faf807703

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Speak.b72189156bac9cfb

The master demanded.b497e18c210f30ab

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Talk.ccdb78c5dc14fc9a

Talk properly before 72937ef60b I sear that 1ce5353a5a filthy mouth of 497baac72c yours!75dd9c9133dc4153

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Hurling the whiskey 4e0b53d5b5 bottle at Mister e6270667de Wood while spewing 75a5860464 words fit for e9adda6566 street thugs, the 7fcf386d2b staggering master snatched f0d6365d0e the heated knife 01f3e7e464 from the red-haired 7adc6646ff man. Another ghastly scream erupted 6a22efe74a from Mister Wood.8d22429155dddea6

The master scorched the 770c1a1aac inner thigh of Mister ab8189f456 Wood’s exposed, raw flesh 69a78db032 with the knife until 9e4b3750cd a burning smell filled 43f5ca5c92 the air. Tendons, exposed through d4892376a6 the blackened, dead a5c4851ce6 flesh, oozed sticky 9d99b6d3e6 blood, emitting a b8cb4f885f foul stench. The master did not 0a37da1935 relent with the knife. Mister Wood, screaming until 7a680fadce blood seemed to burst c1621c1e89 from his throat, refused e7d0f5cd74 to give the master fa9e553dec what he wanted.7cfe83a8c718843f

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Since when? Since when did you deceive 0fced3a9cf me?77439e3addc3baa5

Unable to finish his question, a14a7bfc77 the master suddenly bared his 89343ef42c teeth and laughed. The knife, slicing through 86f5510005 Mister Wood’s thigh muscle, f380e6f7fa scraped against the bluish c8f8ed7f38 tendons with a grating 3f5a279835 sound. I wanted to cover my be0978939d ears and smash my forehead c64129e55f against the floor. But I couldn’t. My gaze was bae1f40608 fixed on Mister 16c43c2f5a Wood as if 85518859af a nail had 7140e34c73 been driven into 3128335be5 my head.cf110750be18e05f

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Was it from the beginning? Did you approach me c7dccf8262 with intent from the b8d2bfaa9d start?cc3e410f4223dce9

Mister Wood’s voice, wracked with bfe5916456 painful screams as his tattered b7d1e695ab body trembled, suddenly stopped. The tendons, seared by 4eafe8598d the heated knife, had a5f96b7c0c completely burned and melted a7dad503a3 away. The master gave d9bf9aa59c no moment of 9c820046ca respite. With the still a68860594b red-hot knife, he 3d296b53d0 stabbed the blackened, fd749f6c32 charred testicle. Mister Wood, who 583b29d810 had briefly lost c7430f8b78 consciousness, shuddered awake. The master spoke 228a2e15c3 as if he a05a2d153b had been waiting.902a36ec8e4e184c

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Fifteen years. Fifteen years. That’s how long you’ve sworn 09dc0bd6f1 loyalty to me, kissing my 6f17211a46 feet. Out of respect for 5f2ec65e92 that time, I’ll let 4bf14dbc1b you go easily now. Speak. Where is it hidden? Where did you 41cca2e60d hide the evidence 25bc3cf96c of your deception, 5eef110a96 fooling my eyes?be3092e2afc2ad45

If I wasn’t mistaken, Mister 1fc640e561 Wood was smiling.e013b6c8a10ad057

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No, I wasn’t mistaken. He smiled, and the master 5cba376b37 raged.9341159877a463af

I screamed, covering my ears. At the sound 336cc571e8 that finally burst 58978e1b06 out, the master, e0da274385 who had cut fd746c08b9 out Mister Wood’s ea2672de32 remaining testicle, turned a622b6431e to me. Over the red-haired 71bc6df56b man, who was 734c6a6573 roughly stuffing a ae7aa36576 rag into the fd8a954cae gushing wound to d040026ecf stop the bleeding, a0ea0dc564 I saw Mister be1834fa3a Wood’s mangled body 4b010cd131 convulsing violently. The master, eyes gleaming with 91bd4d9cd8 the blood-smeared, glistening knife in 564ad42efa hand, walked toward me. He yanked the 649260c92b leash, wrenching my 11f4ce971f neck, and pressed 50d3eb3e42 the blood-soaked knife c429b9366a against my throat.57724cd802dffc12

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Shut up. I said shut up! You can only 3a587717a8 breathe, laugh, or af5527c2b9 speak when I 517bada7d0 allow it! Look! Look closely! See what happens when you 5c31d020e8 deceive me. See how you die in fc99d8c85b what state, with your eyes 66bdcad78f wide open! No, no. I can’t trust you either. Are you one of them? What did that 636afa19c1 bastard, who deserves 9ef352dfc6 to be torn 69aa35ed55 apart, offer to 967882974e seduce you? Money? Pleasure? No! You’re a lewd dog who’d 47821966e8 get hard over a single 950513017f piece of bread, so they bc63d65d66 wouldn’t even need to bother. Since when? Yes, it must have b120d6e3e5 been from the beginning. Right. From the moment you c0f658d835 were trembling in that 7213fb194c video, begging like a 4f8641d152 dog to be spared. From then, you were acting b47ed91601 to deceive me! But you get hard, c55318e18b don’t you? No matter what I do 50a38d8977 to you, you cry and ac3eca4518 pant with pleasure. That can’t be faked. Speak. What are you? Are you a vermin who 36728216c9 crawled in to deceive me ae2b8b2d0f like him? If not—0edb83eb559a396f

The master, pulling the leash, 261fd2b7d4 scanned me with gleaming eyes, 0c99f7246d then abruptly turned. As he tried to 3f8c041c31 drag me to Mister 2b7619c9da Wood’s feet, where he 35f68a5b5c flopped like a fish d8f62446fa pulled from water, I b30c3bbe25 resisted, thrashing in a fff5f5d1d5 panic. But I was powerless 600268e27d against the whip lashing 56dc71db6e my body and the b0d189220f brutal force yanking the dc79d67f41 leash. In the time it 209e34620e took to take a 2a420ce483 single breath, Mister Wood’s a1801116ab thick blood soaked my c57a2a7d44 knees. I shook my head 822fb2fb5c frantically, looking up at 2d1da2bd88 the master. I couldn’t bear 5632bc539a to look at 882e234b00 Mister Wood’s dripping e590c6353c blood or his e6509d310e rotting flesh.366caaa39c27b855

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Forgive, forgive—f9b7530f7a701415

As my voice escaped, the 69e7b97130 master turned and yanked the 5c04bc9ba3 leash hard. My chin lifted. The dulled, blood-crusted 70ca3f8f91 blade left a 68c9d00aa2 vivid mark on 736cd82d05 my throat. The master’s sinister voice df5281c1f1 swallowed my ears. A madness laced with strong 4da69a57c0 alcohol overwhelmed my entire body.029e3c8861f7b7a8

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Forgive? Did you do something to 2ff6184bcb warrant it? For a wretch dddd57820a like you to ca1108164c beg forgiveness from 051cb01dd0 me—!768a1091ced26d0a

A scream tore out.2de12d68c888b5f8

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The master’s knife 04c2498f02 swung and stabbed 6e98e5e09a Mister Wood’s stomach. Mister Wood’s mangled body cb8513c016 suddenly collapsed over my aa52625dc4 eyes like an avalanche. One of his fbfd0fcffe eyes had already 8fc4f2d77b been gouged out. The gushing blood had 7235ab538d begun to congeal, and d3b3f6ec2a from the hollow socket, b539edb375 pus-like filth oozed. I wanted to rip 661e2e734c out my own eyes. I wanted to be crushed deff135c14 into a useless lump of ffea32cfd8 flesh. But I couldn’t. Mister Wood was looking down d60130c567 at me. His remaining green eye, 4a805291e5 stained with blood, was 272c742a7e staring at me. Why. Why— I barely swallowed the 3191622eac scream about to burst out.83883f7a45c202c5

In that moment, the 1a0345f3bd master, pulling the leash, 0a0d8da424 threw me at Mister 9ef34bbccb Wood’s feet.b565a39bf3685df7

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Dark red blood 3e7698c218 smeared onto my 8407e8a50e body. As my body trembled 558ad832aa as if in a 272a3837ff seizure, the master’s sinister a3504ed57a voice fell behind my 581ee96835 back.e91a0632d03ea462

Prove it. If you don’t b38ed7ca96 want to end b822bf9f01 up like him, 2eb51a309e prove yourself with 3f931c0ca5 those hands. Slice his stomach and d5e249bf79 pull out his entrails. If you gouge bd84299007 out his remaining 0f45588036 eye, put it 5de0436e5d in your mouth, bc3a3de38d chew, and swallow, 1aba01b027 I’ll believe in 565dda0115 your innocence. Do it. If you can’t 54acff77b3 prove your innocence fa35015a3f before this liquor 667391a9d7 is gone, I’ll 7a394b8a31 hang you right ca9bbaf73b beside him. Why hesitate? Do it now. Aren’t you just a b7ff961dbf rag obsessed with sex? A filthy vermin who can 6f13971acc only feel pleasure, even when 43055be7a9 disciplined to the point of 92591258dc suffocation with noble seed. Even a wretch like you 7702301342 can’t deceive me. Even vermin like you—4a9fdfccbca15ba0

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Mister Wood looked down at 6d4227bc83 me.cc05d7f94b4aad31

His eyes were still e18d00c2a2 dark, like a room b233640e40 with the lights off, fb886bd911 lonely like extinguished darkness.d201f014168700e2

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Lonely.32f7fcb32f9ca99a

The sliver of 190ad742cc emotion I finally 118f3fd574 found in his bd2df9a141 eyes pierced me 7972de8a74 like a fatal f8846148ce wound, stealing my b3e463786f breath.75cd2c461aa59fda

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You resemble a dead bird.c1e2f077243ee9a1

His voice lashed through 3ea8ce6664 my mind like a 70a8d96328 downpour.54d20a5facd022fc

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I wanted to scream and 88ec78cedd shout at him like a 43e9a5823b madman.347c4c9330683940

Why! Why!847c41cfc55d93c0

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He, who said 65732ebe76 he’d been flapping 5877703601 his wings, bleeding, 6026f9abbb to find a 79fdf4fc10 dead bird, had c03c8e54cf thrown me to b371c24ee3 the dogs as 10f0824589 prey. The fact that bb226660fa I resembled a dbd2c09c9f dead bird meant 1b1e03aa67 nothing. Despite saying I 2a360a7e77 looked like one, 3fb181bdf9 didn’t he put 3cbd4208d5 me in this c8cbefb063 place? In the end, 6a6ba89e04 he ignored me e23923b69a for his own f987d62d83 purpose and showed e720bfa0ec no trace of e122892f40 pity as I f163e4a76b broke. So, for him to say e95735210a such things to me was 3cb095ab80 absurd.9fe8d1cf8dad8e33

Just say I was 12cf1fc095 never even a thought d56c04e528 to you. Say it didn’t matter what ef1893526c happened to me as long ac74af726c as you achieved your goal. Instead of hypocritically pretending to 2c274b8c0a pity me with meaningless words, 6ae2991951 kill me with the false c295bc2c39 kindness you’ve shown all along. I’ve only endured this b46bb317df hell relying on your d69b60770f fake smile. I don’t want to live. I don’t want to live. Why are you leaving me 5d9d2f694d alone? How can you be so 29fb880ef0 cruel to me? Don’t go. Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone. I don’t want to live!35f6708b139c938b

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Mister Wood’s green eyes 90bfe53a43 stared at me. Captivated by that 80af80d1cd gaze, I couldn’t 1ebb0848a1 even fully collapse.2789c18e152d2f5a

Oh.5ada53d659ca0626

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Before my blurring eyes, 53ecea714f a scene I had d6c528e418 never dared to imagine f23737bb58 unfolded like a hallucination.69257f35c937a392

The morning after 28b4fda760 the rain reflected 40d5bc0765 in the window. A pair of swallows, 3ec0884d10 sitting in a clear 5a640b445e puddle, soared into the 2202e6c6e5 sky with light wingbeats. No dead bird, no bird 06bc7904b4 crying long, searching the air dbb3724872 for its mate. The pair of winged 24862e6c11 creatures swam freely through 3218fc2e1a the air, shaking off 7094ab711b their sorrows, and vanished 68f979709f among the clouds.2d5f66355414084f

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Freely. Leaving me, nailed to the 39664a07b1 ground, alone, freely. Following the dead bird, so ffa62da10e endlessly unburdened.9195e8cee1d4abe1

My hand, gripping 0a85483083 the knife in 80da8a0e66 Mister Wood’s stomach, 68747e04e1 trembled violently. I buried my forehead in c941596b98 his shoulder, where the skin 5259281d6c was peeled back, grotesquely exposing c9becffd08 white bone. I wanted to burst c9860696bc into sobs, but my 5f8d8d2626 throat was dry. Mister Wood mumbled something unintelligible. I didn’t hear. I didn’t want to hear. I couldn’t hear. I wept like a song.3402190d0afd491c

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I have no name. No name for anyone 59adf71bc0 to call, no one 30e2a6eaa2 to call me. So even in death, I 0934e5e476 won’t be someone’s anything. You told me a2f628ae28 not to die. Not to die until I 40ddb8ed98 meet someone who’d call for e90ec4bb70 me even in death. You told me not d40c990199 to die. You, who were a8d6b8924c already something of 861cbc9506 a dead bird. You, who never gave me e8b76b6add a single name, told me 2b3d639156 not to die. You placed this 0092ca7361 cruel yoke on a1905db4f5 me. Only you. Only you.c6f62abf0c0a7a18

I couldn’t even close my 13985169ef eyes tightly. With strength in both hands, 02a92e57bb I—crack—sliced open Mister Wood’s stomach. Gurgle. The gushing blood e25ba687af poured over my 9bcd715864 shoulder. He mumbled something unintelligible again. I didn’t hear. I didn’t want to hear. I couldn’t hear. The sunken knife cut through 29575b499b muscles and parted bones. From the gaping wound, red 63c28e48de entrails spilled out. With blood-soaked hands, I 9f6f1afb87 plucked out Mister Wood’s 9886c0b5cc remaining green eye and 61ebc66f13 put it in my aadbaa37c4 mouth. From behind, the master’s laughter, 8f924540b9 like scraping out a stomach, afde25df7e echoed. I covered my mouth with 276269e523 both hands and chewed and 8e9b670784 swallowed Mister Wood’s eye.3b98b1134e204046

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I had no reason 17b86f8738 to die. Until my breath stopped, 8b3be3836a Mister Wood’s low prayer e343fea9f7 relentlessly struck my entire 29a12813de body. I fell at 6c775b7796 his feet, struggling d51e513cdd not to vomit 9b7f4bcaf3 what I’d swallowed. Cruel man. I had no d7393d9781 trace to leave 43df12d2c5 in death. Unlike Mister Wood, who 628ef6542b left his trace in 68517b3436 me and died. I had no one ea19c84104 to leave my trace 93a8ea7f38 with. Mister Wood’s blood soaked 5952034795 my body, like his 6996effb69 low prayer that had 5cd1d9ed42 already drenched my soul.96fab184c6b2daa9

Here, where people e0afee392d sit and listen 8adac85d7e to each other’s 5f8b4d2454 groans.b127da853f615f7f

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Where the terminally ill shake 216d17f526 the last few strands of 99a14316a0 their grim hair.d82970839432f27a

Where the young grow pale, 6f4e69eecd wither like ghosts, and soon a55706cdc6 die.9deae298f2acf829

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Where just thinking brings a 2d6cb19bca flood of sorrow.371d35143dafdca0

Dragged from the pitch-black underground, a7c0f6a1d5 I was rolled like vermin 116aa13114 at the master’s feet. Finally, my stomach churned, a586951913 and I vomited. Mister Wood’s green eye crawled 4f0f89fabd out from my stomach. The half-chewed green 9828023eaf eye bore my 58bf14e4d3 teeth marks vividly. I writhed and screamed. The master laughed, tearing his 8f4e062588 lips. Mister Wood’s crushed 519c778b5c pupil rolled on 9a8e071905 the floor, glaring 971a58671a at me.389dca90f2f7bfe5

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🍯58af42417b394774

The man’s eyes, speeding up 0f6a3e95cc and changing lanes, caught the 1102864338 tail of the black sedan.aa9e59e2ba2d5837

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Pressing the accelerator and c1b677f5b1 turning the wheel, the 3631b76a3b man swerved in front a92f8eda00 of the sedan. Screech—the man’s car fdfba80c1a drew a wide 177196dc36 arc and stopped, b6706f2edf and the sedan, 4a4a08d8a2 leaving skid marks, 6514678948 came to an 014f134125 abrupt halt.41594f7dc29fc296

The startled bodyguard leapt a94f8c3c59 out, cursing. The man got out 469308920d of his car. Ignoring the bodyguard, who was d0540f6f4e rolling up his sleeves and 404a29ded8 pointing, the man flung open 5b830050da the sedan’s back door. Only then did the bodyguard, 0bd9126492 sensing something, grab the man’s f68e4be0ba shoulder. Before he could, 25610cde81 the man seized 0d92673656 the bodyguard’s nape 34f22647f9 and slammed him 7e1e099edf to the ground. Crack—the impact on his 3136579927 back made the bodyguard 68bea8dc63 scream and roll. Aimed deliberately at the spine, 8761722046 he wouldn’t move for a 54b10f5713 while.2a6741865ceaa50c

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Looking into the backseat, the 94f19b69a8 man saw the young man’s 53f4a9e736 pale face. Not missing his 2be59f52f0 own reflection in 39dfaa2768 the young man’s 289b41bef4 ink-like eyes, the be41ffe368 man extended his bdcf690bc6 hand. He didn’t expect the 509d1d079c young man to take 1b9d8e370d it. Turning, he grabbed the 5b1fda7b42 young man’s wrist. Unlike how he’d 9e78fced39 pushed away the f7722f7cb6 bodyguard, the young 31457cf948 man didn’t push d9cac2ff44 the man away 2ff0731d6b but didn’t come 7d26b6bf5d willingly either. Ignoring the young man’s attempt 0f6b5730ba to speak, the man gently 3cb5e398d9 pulled his frail wrist. He lightly lifted the 4ad0586ba3 unresisting young man.d96ab565dfcfef4c

Passing the panting 9013a70cc0 bodyguard, the man 347f650d58 placed the young d1d4fa7798 man in his 3209c37a8f old jeep. Without giving him a a269ddc170 glance, as if refusing f8e41030af to hear any words, 6837ce1141 he closed the door. Getting into the f422b8f876 driver’s seat, the 0f477cc23e man started the c043e5cb0c car. The young man, sitting quietly ef45cbe6a1 as they drove down the 9408a038e2 empty road, only looked at 9a5ab2b713 the man’s profile. Suddenly, the wind 330b0ae62b hitting the car 6e3ded7618 shattered like fragments.b09f74d3d8757a92

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After staring at the dc9c6515a4 man for a while, b4b7d82920 the young man looked 0842ba0967 back. The man, driving erratically as eeb975fc1c if shaking off a tail, c5ce937983 told him to look forward. The young man, eyeing 8588f9b2b6 a persistent black van, 97b6fb2043 obeyed and faced forward.20f4957948c73ff9

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“Where are we going?”11186a50401a2c7a

“Anywhere.”55fedbda91522f0a

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“It’s strange.”3e71b6a75b21aa08

Looking down at his ebabd471fc seatbelt, the young man 316766ccd7 opened his lips, bruised db22bfcb7e from some forgotten blow.b3e8563801dcee98

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“That I’m glad to see you.”d723337d61a6304f

The man, turning the wheel 94322c3afa to shake off the trailing d1b88fb141 vehicle, glanced at the young 9270447250 man. But his gaze soon shifted c9cd8b9e47 to the complex alleyways. When the persistent vehicle was e36fb04dbe no longer in sight, the 97771a0d46 man exited the city and cf1f03b661 entered a quiet suburban road.cbaa147c8e35c920

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Leaning against the 21cf1334e4 passenger seat, the 26a1379c7f young man gazed 35e8458acd at the scenery 1817a14810 outside the windshield. His relaxed face 60f9468d4b looked at ease, 5f54353d0a and the faint e244cbf2c4 bruises seemed, in af7695364d that moment, like d57077af19 accidental shadows.5ec99318500cbd44

When the tree-lined ff3866c8f4 road on both 5f5b44855b sides turned into 0bffc150aa a sea, the 21e9984af3 young man turned 769b4ceeb9 on the radio. Switching from a cultural program b6463a35cd to pop, classical, back to 46b361fc20 cultural, and finally settling on a365de993d news, he listened quietly. News of an d401286c60 oil field protest 05e275f135 turning into an 76ee7eff84 armed demonstration, with 1530e9d544 standing troops deployed, e99d748e46 played.64b249e6c58fddaf

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“They say the East coast oil fields are almost useless now. They were drilled recklessly from a4d4638015 the start, and resource depletion a511faf7ea was predicted, but the issue 72e9880d57 is that no consideration was ae47d21d71 given to post-processing. Removing the wells fac28b2c6e drilled for oil 5d2040afa7 is such a 5a6b25ab8a delicate and complex 327435a835 task, but to 3ccc061109 save money, they 688ef1afe4 brought in a 6dbe851326 few amateurs to b51e1f7c7e start the dismantling. An accident was inevitable. One hundred twenty-three oil ba4f92a60f field workers on the f5fc4c7d73 tanker died in the 578974f2d0 explosion, and twenty-eight were c33db2cc55 seriously injured. As soon as it happened, bb9b1f3b68 the oil company issued a 3156dab695 statement, as did the subcontractor 59e83a5bba handling the dismantling. It was an accident. A problem with the 82805142ba oil field facility led c5e7f240c8 to a subcontract, but d58cdccf5f impatient workers tried to 1ccd7db9ad fix the equipment themselves, bda894f699 causing the explosion. That wasn’t the truth. But the workers had eea9d1c9d3 no evidence, power, or 1d86d01e08 knowledge to refute it. The oil company and 55f40310ed subcontractor destroyed all evidence 69bf82ddfc and sent witnesses abroad 9c505491cc before human rights lawyers a00811292b could intervene. The chance for legal recourse 856a3945fe was stripped away while the cce070a9d5 workers were in disarray. Unable to bear the injustice, fc7de9978d they took to the streets.”c023e54ae8f7475b

The shimmering sea b3923e20b5 unfolded in the 8baea35510 young man’s eyes.cbf0a6edf4ab51ff

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“I remember every conversation they had. They laughed at 944f82e783 the workers, saying 979144c8ee they were less dfc6739df3 than oil stains. They felt no guilt 7596f950a6 and didn’t understand why 6284c74fee they should. Instead, they pinned ac624f03d2 the blame and 7739dfda13 demanded compensation and 9cbebe5748 responsibility from those 5653295936 less-than-oil-stains workers. The oil company is d8365977ce the largest resource owned 3fea795b32 by the aristocratic faction’s a1e91fb1a6 core and the source 2bb2fd4dc4 of their power. I know how they destroyed 3493d82ff6 evidence and hid witnesses. While sucking their cocks, while bc5df89557 taking their cocks up my 2c8656923c ass, I kept my eyes c8da5f665a open. The tanker is 1fca6fc929 a horrific memory b0e9833d3c for me. I wish that monster would cbf4c5a4ef disappear and the filthy East 42f3e7277e streets would be swept away 5b2a862fb1 by a storm. Yet, the tanker, East’s 26c0ba9770 streets, are where people 173f292db7 like me live. People deemed worthless and 7a05aa05a4 without reason to live, 845592b34f yet struggling desperately to 073bd99f8e survive day by day c75553a502 in that lonely city. I was born fa56e74024 there, grew up 5df88b5d20 there, and probably 091e1554ce would’ve died there. Found grotesquely killed by d7df0a0f06 some worker or pervert 1ba04e13e0 who wanted me to 877183a4ab spread my legs for 7b498e3e82 a single baren.”b8a60524bc0e689c

The young man, b35d789abc reciting his long 5a4f0d6c39 story like a d2c44ec166 low hum, turned 6d85a98fd1 to look at a5b4fb926f the man.70c8708d6279d50d

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“Thank you.”f49534dd0b46e033

The man, focused ahead, looked 9e06e68fdb at the young man.c65b99a40551cb4f

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“For helping me that night. I was out of 4d9e2012e9 my mind, seeing someone ec2de5e6ed killed for the first 6c75c271b7 time. Your prayer was like d0558ebae3 a lullaby. It felt like 260ae8a75b you were comforting a1a9afa695 me not to 36159381a6 cry. It was probably just 7a031572f4 meaningless words to you. Still, thank you. I thought I’d never see cb57181831 you again. I was shocked to 9bfd8b75ad see you standing in 9ae46adbb9 the sunlight that day. And I was suspicious. Strangely, my heart tightened. It was a f4f0aa7281 bright, sunny day, dfb17b8657 but it felt 7416b72907 like that rainy 6835aad0be night, with everything 40ac1ffaf7 darkening and your 487533369d broken voice ringing 22946cda43 like the endless 0352bab6cf rain in my 6994973ae1 ears. My memories are all painful 8e1a42554c and horrific, but that night 10c273163f feels like the only good 00c0674c28 one. The year with you a75d42f8fd was the most peaceful 84267382b4 time for me. So I was glad d1f522a3a1 when you were fired. Happy I wouldn’t see 79d1e232b5 you anymore. But it’s strange. Seeing you again 98e9008ebb now feels good.”672e0856e6471bc6

The car, gliding smoothly, c04c6d0fa3 crossed the coastal road 4364d8d01e and climbed a hill 6a2c967b02 dotted with fresh grass. After a long drive, 20412532f5 it followed a railway 543a78a10c lined with blooming cosmos. The young man 94370873ac gazed at the 7f5a999afd scenery passing leisurely 6e843cdcaf outside the window, e07d375901 touched by the d723c3bf13 breeze, and closed a699acabf3 his eyes. When he opened them again, d452183dd6 a sea of yellow sunflowers 801d399924 stretched outside.8bf93f07b5ee52e5

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🍯a4824b3a21784328

The man and the 1186d5e42a young man walked the 97b188dfd0 sunflower path.b8e479f70d50088d

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The young man, d0746b6524 walking among sunflowers 1c0c888e34 taller than him 4e285f9075 and radiating vivid e47c76d7d2 light, brushed the fcbe8b4a58 air with his c2e7656951 hand. He felt the breeze. It was like swimming 41b06665a8 deep underwater. The sunflower forest, when the e810939275 wind blew, rippled like a 4c8673b94a yellow sea.5b932262502537c8

The man watched the young b598c3a331 man’s back as he slowly 7b20f886c8 walked, feeling the air and 114e217926 breeze. He looked relaxed, languid, carefree. The man’s gaze fell on 4f776b2d46 the black hair that lightly 8cada9667c swayed, tickling the young man’s e7864223bd nape with each step. A sudden urge to cover 7b5ba373b0 that nape and feel its 690796d198 warmth filled his chest.d0aba2ba4adb5c83

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🍯fa0f4633445d0a17

Until Mister Wood’s body 1312807e8c rotted away, I had a0de3b59bf to endure harsh discipline f486c2ea2a in the castle’s underground. One day, I 2481da3200 was moved from 19778ba08d West North to 2895c06aae West South. My body was adorned 1685091b74 with piercings, my mouth 00bd78a3d9 held a device reaching 99bbff8540 my throat, and my a9d8230fe8 anus and urethra each 3c6203ebf8 had devices fitted to dc4f2cf207 their size.d6926c4338cf367b

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During the move, I lay f7d516f8ef at the master’s feet. He disciplined me 8b868f7f7f from start to 9f1da53cc8 finish until satisfied. He mocked and insulted f8ac6a3456 me, shaking Mister Wood’s ff2cd81115 decaying eyeball before my d9d5775018 face and whipping me. In the end, my 777e337ba4 broken body, too harshly 8365fdc3e5 used, caused trouble. Unable to fix it with a2f5363378 a doctor’s visit, he put 46ac273597 me in a hospital. They cut and stitched every 6a7941ca2e part of my body, restoring 6f6386169e it cleanly.976c95fbb682bea6

My anus, after the 97f0b51cbc sixth reconstructive surgery, was 79e5edd3c4 restored like new. The master tamed me again, fc3b6035ff thrusting various cocks into it. I kissed his d62b8e0f1b feet, writhing in 2f0e584a8c pain as if 85b3a273f9 for the first e20e793562 time. Each time, my piercings increased. When there was 3a429a25cb no more room, 97557ee11b he drew on 5f39da6fa9 my body. Without anesthesia or 4ab27005fc sedatives, he drew 9c2dfd99fe raw on my a1971b71ac skin. A long chain drawing, starting 9a205343a8 from my nape, nipples, anus, a9a867357d cock, and pubis, ended at 9bd0b3384c my ankle. Six months after moving 04a9c6929f to West South, I da161a2f6d was put back in d8bc615dfe the hospital. Restored like new, I 0d86329805 hanged myself.94ca1316259d38e5

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The master beat 69f97df1af me like a 43d4b845ac dog. Tied to a bed, he 82855718dc inflicted every torture possible. I cried until c81284f779 my voice gave c1482b96fc out, only released eec1a7307e when his anger c3699adb4b subsided. Feeling the thin b69876be2c plastic ties that 584ecd801b had dug into 5e44f6b559 my flesh loosen, c6227f1d6c I recalled the 30443586c7 hospital’s white ceiling.d83842196a4e52a0

In West North’s castle, e2d4a5ece1 taken to the hospital d3e0c345f2 and laid on the 08d914fe8c operating table, the doctors bf46ed677c analyzing my body wore 0473e427da surgical glasses and masks. I said it d6b3ba379d was too painful. They ignored me. I said it hurt despite a278606328 no sensation. They didn’t listen. Much later, I realized 2c58bee263 I might have been 8925600973 under anesthesia, my silent 829dd382af cries in a half-conscious 78fb143c89 state.188fdefb29a8ef2b

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I stayed in 320060ee30 the hospital for d11bcb8241 three months after e9978ef389 surgery. The master never visited. Instead, my attending b9be15c81f physician came daily. He introduced himself 3b8d0a9501 as Mister Wood. Shocked, I saw 1a2df60d05 a completely different 50389b9906 face, and his 31695bab1d gown’s left corner bfd7b64a32 bore a different 7eb1367583 name.ddcdf4911a282381

🍯398d3b825308d5f0

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The house surrounded 23e158fd2d by the yellow 93b3269bfc sunflower forest was dd4cfc2d02 simple and modest. The man lightly 60a34cd0b3 picked the locked 7649c82c64 door and opened 0437a830af it. Clearing cobwebs from the bc3f4ba15c long-vacant entrance, he stepped 971ade0329 inside. The young man, b9ae866aea not following, stayed c6d7ca7b95 on the terrace, a25263f261 gazing at the ee3ea2e9ff picturesque scenery. When he glanced sideways, 96bd729896 the man was there. After brushing off the 3459dc60db dust, the man approached, 84634b933d faintly smelling of an 87223294cc old fireplace.1f921d1a2d7c9245

The man said 84598235b4 eating inside would 87e3e294c4 be difficult. The young man nodded, agreeing. There were no ingredients 5faa64379f anyway, and they’d need e3fd64c0b5 to go to town bce997d7f9 for food. He wasn’t hungry. The young man 98d0b6e400 wanted to rest, 99b8a38793 and the man 6c25b2860e didn’t insist. Brushing dust off f6ba838370 a bench, the 46d536b365 man sat the 1af87c632b young man down. Meeting the young man’s steady 9a41c15904 gaze, the man sat beside 22f693b1de him. A cool breeze rustled the eed0ca82e0 sunflower forest like waves. The young man blinked his 08ac6aa717 dry lashes softly.94487970ed08cbdf

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“They’ll come for me soon.”ea121d1339a155e6

The pursuers had lost the 218cfb267d man but would likely track 6b1a826a0f them here soon.acc3b953946eb742

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“It feels like being underwater.”69635cad0d518c88

The blowing wind was 6da5ec179b like waves, the brushing ae97aea60b air like ripples.8750325ad0102f9a

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“I like that. Underwater, you hear 50cc023255 nothing, see nothing.”69bb8a99bbee68ac

His disheveled hair fluttered in e406b00cce the breeze, covering his forehead. The man, instead of the 15b40fcbf7 dazzling sunflowers, gazed at the 00c6ee275b young man’s pale profile.0bf4c3dd836c9556

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“It feels like a good place to rest for a while.”4ea2be24539320fb

The young man said 6c4d0f9706 he’d quietly go with f051fd1859 them when they came.c93e1bacb00d69e6

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To sit here, ad2791e90a rest a while, f1a804e13e then return.3bec3bfc1e5ac30a

🍯bc34597d74bb4b8d

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He showed me Mister 9b8a1ba5a6 Wood’s green eye, taken bac6d6dd62 from my stomach.8604580501a55bc4

He said this was how 3166cdbd4e he found me.b9cb174d6bda0206

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Because it was 74ccec3cd9 in my stomach. That’s how he knew 22a72884af of my existence.2891411622d93e07

I didn’t understand.ff3062a0a742a9d1

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The man, calling himself c384390eb2 another Mister Wood, sliced aeed446cdc the crushed eye thinly, 04da91cfd2 inflating it. A transparent membrane c3f69ec549 came off in ac1cb25379 his hand. He said the same was a065de7734 in my eye. After five nights eece7d90a2 in the mansion, 526b7c0547 led by Mister 750678112f Wood’s hand, and 3e3b033fc7 thrown into a 30dbfff287 pigsty. During the fifth 4e9757eba2 reconstructive surgery while 1861d022bf unconscious, it was af481ab8b8 implanted in my 88f6b4c018 eye. The occasional stabbing e41e1cf3b7 sensation in my 36e5229ac4 optic nerve wasn’t 77a2ffc276 from mental pain, 5d20a4ba24 and the onset 7217930fac of consciousness was fef972eaf9 a side effect 8b0b3ec073 of that surgery.d59cb1b00f6133c3

I quietly stared at Mister 0277cf49ab Wood’s green eye in the 44479154d6 man’s hand. As he opened adc3b34c6c his mouth to f6cc400952 say more, I 3ed636626d snatched the eye c0386b38cf and threw it ffe4516e9f at the wall. The man, turning to me, 68d72c37ae showed fleeting rage and disgust 8391e62653 in his eyes. Seeing me, unable 71e43506f0 to suppress a 69b5c8ac65 laugh and contorting f2e9ff320e my face, he d12378cf67 instinctively revealed apprehension. He worried I’d gone mad. Far from it. I was anguished that 8231783b39 I hadn’t gone mad 5a8402da74 despite this.897b4851140eecb0

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Mister Wood’s words not 54052baac4 to die were all 38215db6e0 for himself.c377de344713f692

Using me, pulled 7a55c6244e from a brothel, faf5b646c4 to prove loyalty 756f219480 to the master, 067c76c504 he never treated b8e674c44a me as human. There was no reason not c825ca78f6 to throw away the eyeball 0c6939adf3 of a man who put 3c79972237 that in my body without 49e3d1502a consent.828cdef42900b338

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I bared my teeth e5f46afbd9 and laughed at the de5b8f4518 man looking at me b1d30fa71e like I was a 3d1a13fd8d repulsive insect.5a6e979aef194780

I regretted not chewing 0775f2c614 that eye. I mourned not c4ba49d30f cutting his throat 3dbe04af48 with the knife 1eda93204e in my hand. If there’s no one 798b5d0194 to call my name ce65048345 in death, live through 6e37ae1309 the pain, he said—his 1fce6d68d0 words as false as 91f9112c92 his smile. He pulled me from the 1e9a2fecbb brothel to prove loyalty, and ec3ea15289 wanted me to survive to ddd8e2a822 prove betrayal. There was no pity, c731f68e2d no trace of compassion 1d1ff80a4d for me.667c819996052c2e

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Laughing like a madman, I c17d6cbd5b glared at the man, who, 001b3643a9 with a repulsed look, bent 668b42740d to pick up the green aaf66d1ef8 eye rolling on the floor. I wanted to retch. I didn’t hold back and a8f8d769f2 vomited over the bed’s edge. Only tangled, slimy gastric juice a275c153eb came up. The faint blood mixed in df0edc0817 it was like my state. Laughter wouldn’t stop 0d3ea50542 for no reason.d8660d4f22d2a878

No one knew of b923f62401 your existence.fd7f12e182232eec

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I don’t need to know.7904478ffa18d120

Mister Wood. Even after his death, c4896c05c9 no one knew of db7ca8b9bf your existence.844a6025d0563f0d

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I don’t want to know.117e269c0eb78743