HDOVAML – Chapter 98

HDOVAML Chapter 9888e3e7176e520b45

 01bb33bf74960a9e

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‘…What’s going on?’83f16dd3eed8299b

In a daze, I 6924833651 looked around at the 4a4a52d613 people busily going about c38f83e560 their work.455a483e77e5602d

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I pulled the hood 95694c815c of my robe down e1cf8f2f3b low, wary of the cce5b7595f risk that the citizens 053c25f92e might recognize me as 0b6e62e579 the princess of Hacardella.a8058a616dd1313c

But as I 28ceea2364 glanced around, I 54077a9a48 couldn’t help but a53dd17002 wonder if this 88bdbd14cb place was truly 4e3d06cddb the land that 6774e9f0b1 had been ravaged 19b009e002 by war not 1aa5be82bc long ago.21d8e89b17a3d4c7

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‘…It’s peaceful.’ed6df6712966ec23

In the end, my d6d1adc8be conclusion remained the same. Immersed in a 360c414684 strange feeling, I 8a1b537ea8 watched the people 903c8452d0 quietly living their e689cd7c8d everyday lives, seemingly 40a825658e indifferent to whether eff38009e1 the country was 92d46296a3 falling apart.0159d6f128740582

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The duchy of c86a392483 Hacardella had met 0ad30723d3 its end, and d526264351 it was assumed 334ead606e that the princesses 25333b1024 were fleeing, narrowly f1e67ad8a4 escaping the pursuit 3fb2ecc768 of the Nisha 42c625ba75 Kingdom. Yet, seeing the people c0732ac1ec so peaceful filled me cd0097d5cc with a sense of 09a67f57ed dissonance and…00dcadd43285fbea

‘This is strange. It can’t… be like this.’5fb9398607286133

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In history, no nation that 99408459ff had lost a war ever f26fc907bf had citizens living so peacefully. This scene, so bdada5097d calm and ordinary, 105dfb3d86 seemed to mask e54525acaf some terrible truth 657197889c lying underneath… and 00497289c5 I couldn’t shake ce20808c43 that eerie feeling.db5457971033b34e

‘
But… it’s not cf108397fb something that matters a586294054 right now.’0d900548e46af7b7

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I forced myself 7c202789be to ignore the cf5aa6a15b vague unease and d3003ec2cf set off toward 57b508cf1a Grishel Pier.703837f77614c3f9

I had no energy 6895cb155c to interfere with history. My mission was ccc59d310f solely to gather dc68ed0ecc the relics of b07baa6688 the Spirit Kings 0484986005 and place them 20b0f26f30 somewhere safe.539eea9c29477057

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***5bdad19f3913754d

And that’s how I 10f89545a3 got here.a97e1f7140402ed1

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“…Just a bit more, just a bit longer.”894428d09a3139ef

Since Rose had lost e6a80983dc her life near the 05713e5cf2 border, far from the a081ffa35f capital of Hacardella, I ef43a68355 had managed to make 616772e81c it this far with ff7fd7a739 relatively little trouble or 497a9d54e5 pursuit.e1161938a491f3dd

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However, Grishel Pier 34978e1e16 was the quickest 08445b16f4 route to the b1938d95f6 kingdom of Dryas. It was unlikely the 1680bf66f4 Nisha Kingdom hadn’t considered f428bf7b00 that Rose might attempt 1961315c3f to escape through here. Wiping the cold 86f5695498 sweat from my f2d51b0f6b brow, I stepped 3656751633 down from the c2e333d9d4 wagon.90af35821b4b8956

Before me was a 17022bdfda view of golden reeds aa842b4858 and the deep blue c2af914bb5 river.f316416ef45a5918

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“…It feels like I can finally breathe a little.”ebed05ccb59ce294

[Caaw-!]922ff33b666be7cc

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The crow let 8e42975d1e out a soft 804df9b53f cry as if 2f7e62ca55 in agreement with 83bddb89ef my whispered words, b0754a0e86 tilting its head.9b17ed63ebcddb6b

And like that I 59dff2246c headed toward the pier, 410ec09d15 walking on the pebbled b064bb8a07 path.ce153af1a6f7db7a

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After exchanging two gold cdae64b9e8 coins, I carefully pocketed 683edd0b09 the twenty silver coins 5afe8c4e7f returned to me and 73e19d4433 left the exchange office.2966eafe0c8253fc

There weren’t many ships 17d647a5e8 docked at the pier. No matter how strangely peaceful 26d4c0bacb the citizens’ lives seemed, the 75e5d44e04 state of affairs was still 950ac4d14d what it was…013e0143848910c0

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I approached the captain of 5f18f4b100 the largest and sturdiest-looking ship, f6f28069e7 who was sitting nearby, looking 1317417299 weary, and handed him a 801ffd0caf silver coin. The rough-looking middle-aged man glanced 97892d5236 up at me and, with 37acda87e2 his bearded mouth, asked,fcb61c85310d9e0a

“Are you traveling alone, miss?”b802f9e727ad99d7

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“…Yes.”5d624a9e319780ea

I replied with a firm a000142a58 voice, instinctively guarded. The captain, reaching ad0de9d81a for the silver 86add85346 coin, gave me ab9b454d2f nine copper coins f36b0a3fcf as change and e8ea1b18a6 said,e1e6963564c1a212

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“No need to worry. It’s just that these are 7a963f3e77 dangerous times, so I was 576e21c525 concerned.”a2a17163aec057c1

I supposed I could board 58da1b061e now. Though I wasn’t 19ae24a50f completely free of a0114733e5 suspicion, I said 9a39e401ff nothing and stepped d60a46ebf7 onto the path 749631fe0f toward the ship.b88f061ac21fdce6

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“Wait a moment, miss.”2e55fde449d96cce

“!”d52e06e8d2036a61

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Startled by the deep voice 8473a677b0 calling after me, I opened e389a0022d my eyes wide but quickly b2cc57318a composed myself and turned around 82d9e663b7 to face the captain.8ceba94df3e0ce66

He, who had been watching 28768e057c me, opened a wooden box b37809156a by his feet and rummaged 69e5ef9f61 through it before pulling out a7ae439ab5 a wooden spear with a 90b2106224 sharp blade on its end. It was about half my fc9d6adc48 height.d42baefc136c4e6d

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Why would he carry something 4c30b9546c like that?4a55c908970297fa

As I watched with curiosity, 6518311c19 he extended the spear toward b772f1acbf me and said,0fbefe4119ba895c

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“There are some rough people aboard that ship. Take this for self-defense.”2d20ad99f703633e

“…Excuse me?”fd1b95fefd8e4d93

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…He’s offering it to me?a0d8021e67fbc0bd

“Am I supposed to pay for this?”5738c70ce85a9183

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I asked with a doubtful 336483c05c tone.331fa06f8439e9b6

“Think of it as a free loan and just take it. Go on.”3a4c831b0a6633e1

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Still unsure why he 086f9b739b was simply giving this 08928b8620 to me, I hesitated, a7219ae004 but the captain practically 5c27e9c247 forced it into my 45dbd53f35 hands, insisting that I 117648e3fe take it.dffd40cef00b619e

“There isn’t much time before departure, so get on quickly.”48d8bfe0b8afd087

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Slightly dazed, I 39fd779df4 looked back at fd4aebc569 the captain waving 0a06fa663f me off dismissively, c301f6a897 and with the de22d10ec3 awkward spear in d6231d5c23 hand, I climbed fc40884b77 aboard the ship.771d38ce651a0b5c

“Do you… want to wait outside the cabin?”ba4de929404dd4d7

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[Caw?]4301d0432a8cf3ea

The crow perched on 3aed4d1b0a my shoulder tilted its fb692541eb head and cawed softly aa8db75463 as if puzzled.1e73ebb78ede76f8

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I sighed and whispered ab105e16e2 to it again,482f1c4eab014099

“If I bring you into the cabin, you’ll draw attention. So, either sit 32e2da79b6 outside or… just 2f4699c3ca fly alongside the a1a324ee8a ship.”3838c960630a8a2b

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I worried it might not 2cc9c55756 understand me, but fortunately, the b939eb2d1b crow seemed to get the 7b64489ce7 message, as it flapped its df4a069e67 wings and flew off into 141a1767df the air.70631d22d1eb4547

It looked like it was 96593d26a8 planning to follow by flight.22047038e68fa807

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Creak—2a0c905cab428a31

I stepped carefully into 4252b518e0 the cabin, where the 9f6980cdf8 damp wood was rotting 6baf875f3c in places, finding it f5977c5783 narrower than I’d expected.768f064f99038a34

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“…****.”88e087700169481a

The captain was right 744b121e83 about the rough passengers—there 861eebf472 were all sorts of 3661a7c4db shady-looking people scattered around, be0f4b75ec as well as some 7d738ad834 ordinary folk sitting quietly, c5eb95c176 clearly scared.7bdd35266a1967b3

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Among them were around 34ef45113a ten young men with 837b28baf3 an unusually tense atmosphere 98ed879512 about them.888fa37ab1789687

“…”2a608eef0dc2e75b

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Recalling my current position, e55fdf237f I kept my head cc1cb92f76 slightly lowered and quickly 412c4df5b5 found a seat, avoiding ad79de7d2a drawing attention.795d4e055878e7fc

No one seemed 8dc447e0f5 to pay me 2bfa194e20 any special notice, 5b2a88a1d0 but I was 5f805f262b so overwhelmed by 4c2cac095e anxiety that I 43cae53e4f clung tightly to 77292df5b7 the spear, my e0e86ff9d9 only sense of 717c3b2ff7 security, my sweat-soaked b42e779b7e hands gripping it 1afa2d2897 firmly.ddb0633360698ee6

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With a short 751911cff3 blast of the 5b3af3865e ship’s horn, I 2e18da0d9e felt the cabin 33f327deec start to move f79bcd224b slowly.a504d0ec087e6eed

Stay calm. Nothing will happen.cc0e1318cca4a363

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Once this ship reached 1dc2aa1f8f the Dryas Kingdom, at 4991f5197e least I wouldn’t have 0b4e8ffb26 to worry about being 660e078c14 pursued.664e48b6db3f9a23

Even if the same fate 62f748cbb1 eventually awaits, the Dryas Kingdom 4c670e6b1f did not fall as quickly 7009493f44 as the Principality of Hacadella. I looked out a small 00bc46a498 window, watching the blue waves 959023db44 and the pier gradually fade b194f69c4b into the distance.8d8f0b033e425b5e

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The land where my f79c6b9a6c ancestors once lived, which 6c9989fe91 would someday be remembered 13a764b639 as a fallen nation, 99f3f8df72 was slowly fading into 3309e2c08b the distance.c8650a3cd4bddb72

I probably wouldn’t return 57d43133c5 again… With a heavy 793167354e heart, I bit my 5e243b758c lip and bowed my 7b310b2fe3 head.fcf63e5375e22970

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“It’s a relief that the principality has fallen.”315b2a9ea7d1c442

Suddenly, a voice eaabfc52b0 pierced my ears, d7f5955cb3 jolting me as cb5f5c0832 if cold water e9483510e5 had been thrown 4296c35a33 over me.c0a204c3339220e6

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“That minor country hindered our business so much. It’s a good 3f73301b78 thing it’s gone.”08e50b5a7099b253

One of the rough-looking men 93f8d59d64 in the crowd snickered, raising cf4a6e1529 his hand, which held what 8cf22273c6 appeared to be a crop 36893f2764 of some kind.34d083b5f2338720

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“If Hacardella hadn’t been the main cultivator of Saklan, there wouldn’t have been any reason to tolerate a country like that all this time, right?”89bbb0c78533b8c9

While I couldn’t 8da3988819 understand what plant 5e2cb7e823 they were referring cbb97bdcd4 to, I overheard 7cbccedf6a two people seated 109379cd04 near me whispering.43036029f4410b11

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“Isn’t that… the raw material for Parum? The drug that’s supposed to 07185dbde7 offer an otherworldly euphoria!”ce42c49fcd4fe42d

“Yes, but it’s so toxic that those who get addicted rarely live long. And even so, they’re 9e132fbc7e boasting about it like 6faedda8ca that.”a1b243127d0982b8

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As I grasped the meaning c71a1335d9 behind their words, I couldn’t 4e1bdc855f precisely label the intense feelings 426a966c00 boiling within me.91b68a0520fbd9a3

Did their logic imply a141692c9a that weaker nations should d887d48798 simply endure wrongful acts, ae478511a0 unable to resist?55350ad774630697

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That the powerless d34acda27d had no choice f15d8bf8d5 but to suppress 81bae89317 all emotions and e049a4fea4 yield to the 4b82b19b80 strong?f6b483571a7b8794

“Look at the Nisha Kingdom. They favor the Dark 353377ffd3 Spirit King, and while 63bbf94dea there are rumors of c900b5431d their cunning and cruelty, e49e1a546f they’ve thrived for thousands 50188aab5f of years, haven’t they?”872b3b9c325ace67

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Their prosperity had 2f26f99ec2 been sustained because cd2d0edaae they focused solely d8d06097db on expanding their d1c4460381 power, disregarding any 41204555f3 moral code or d9342a6bfd compassion that one 6ba791f4bb should have as 220d0407ee a human.4d0d54db094362cb

“…Enough.”ecb04da65712ba06

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I closed my eyes 6adf762633 tightly and leaned my 436dbe4198 head against the trembling 2b1fef282f wall.901c19d2f217a691

All I could do aa4a179fb2 was clutch the spear 6072b4fb56 in my hands so 50a9e2242c tightly that it felt 34d22df18d like I’d break it.70223aabb84250de

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“…By the way, doesn’t something seem strange to you too?”0b18b6a9997e841a

Just then, one 1cebf01e76 of the gang 53d947fdd6 members groaned as fdeea7c60c though his throat ce3111f1c4 were constricted.b76112ad3481e9c0

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“I feel the same. It’s like the air is… 4b3c88ee78 thick.”847f7eabfef7691e

“Uaaaah!”33557f87d3ee61b9

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“!”7286b279b5581c42

In the middle of ce015f3102 their conversation, the man, dee109273d who had been responding 1a574c7abb in a strained voice, bbe07f04df suddenly let out a 9e9cf31dd8 blood-curdling scream, sprang up, 3b6adc93d2 and staggered backward.a920d2375693b139

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“Hey, what’s wrong with you?!”cb929f7e85233e0c

He ignored his companions’ questions, 929b2d18d8 his terrified gaze fixed on 1153fbcd86 empty space. Flailing his arms, he ebb3ed53ec collapsed onto the seats 7a22aa73b6 where others were sitting.5d6911b5d197082e

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“Aaaah!”e6bb54c475a116bd

Thud—bcc73b02438b8692

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The people, caught off bd66d5c30b guard, shrieked and frantically f041381395 tried to flee from 69d4460d0e the man, who was 83d51cb1a3 writhing and contorting uncontrollably.c4e6eff803ceb57e

“No, stay back! It’s not my fault… Ahhh!”bf5ae44fcd6b3972

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His face had turned so e2ac087603 blue that it was almost d99c2d2932 purple, and he muttered incoherently, 1d97a6b46c pleading to some unseen force 8876f5744a as he twisted his arms 09f0c23776 and legs, struggling as though b94383b20f he were trying to escape 5d056c415f from something invisible to the 3d17ece15b others.4dcd3220e9b212dd