Chapter 9

She had ca61d17274 a nightmare.a7dd1c1b7198311c

“Ah…!”e23b5fe1a89fa893

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Velita woke 2497ddbcb8 up with 22cbaa97f3 a sharp 4f55021ffa inhale as a3296ce09d if she dcd4ff17cd had barely e98a99ef77 surfaced from c7ef652b24 the depths e65b5b39ca of dark, 5fb3cbe0c0 suffocating waters.cabbb43a69a675c1

But the nightmare 5d225364ca she had wasn’t 550b44e6db so simple.f9bf2d7553081a72

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“I’ve lost my mind. Truly lost it. To dream about bcab7fb784 doing that with 140607e773 Jeremy, as if d46681cbfe he were some a9ba6e0da4 naïve boy…”7d956cd4d754843b

As the thought crossed a5804fab52 her mind, she attempted 67373b58a9 to climb down from 977218b789 the sofa.c3c340da757c560c

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“…Ah.”7d94f310cdb6ccd2

The moment her c1956ef5de feet touched the 798c73c664 floor, her legs 33a3b03aa5 buckled beneath her, cbfa609e21 and she collapsed.c8c5a8eb41481c84

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It was then that 9795caed08 she noticed her surroundings—the e81176849d same as in her 8d5ae251c2 nightmare. The ceiling, the 44f13e30b0 floor, the sofa… c62196b5a7 everything was identical.abe9c1e5b4ab97a2

“…Ah.”597fd585e9d62a3e

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Velita looked 72311c924b down at 5dae67265d herself. She was covered, 14172ee111 technically, but not dfe77e5761 in a way 3009253190 that could be 7b413677f2 called fully dressed.2b9001bbe7f0a1a4

Ridiculously, it was 2e5739181f only at that 89b74c1244 moment she came 683d20ee0b to terms with fa8d346fd7 reality.b49cf941f391f170

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“It happened.”987101d0ceb571d4

She had spent the 0ab016549c night with Jeremy Ryles.13a88c66db058ab7

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The man 808b0af402 who had 95953c96ba played the 694143bd90 perfect gentleman bb6f806f8f before things 9ef336aa76 began had 7eb5b85278 shown no 35faba1d91 such consideration f365ae7958 once they 850806594d started. And now, as morning 3cc56a30b9 broke, he was nowhere ba1258a675 to be seen, leaving 117bf512c1 Velita alone in her 79bca9a7c6 disheveled state.cd9749079a7b4b4e

As if to e192b6def7 remind her that e372fec058 it had been b1c66796a7 nothing more than 9c9668f028 a one-night affair.fe755ed65efaaf23

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There was no lingering cc8a7fe2dd sentiment about having spent b81b9f9e56 her first night with af1b0bd6ff a man. She thought it had 7d3f6c8c12 been painful at times, 67a257a026 maybe pleasant at others. That was all.488d3b2cd805333a

“Well, did he at 70af12dc2a least leave anything behind…?”c7a3cbbde31f534a

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Muttering to a0065ac77d herself, Velita 6def928bd6 tidied her 5a5380420a clothes and 8f424515cc searched around 83d5cbbb1c the room, 4a00e4eb82 checking the 95908e12f6 table and a397866016 even beneath 8ec69df281 the sofa.11a75e6374a37b69

Jeremy Ryles, d78261f08b who spared aa7b382ba0 no expense 0ca0052161 on Emma 14fb164afd Collin, hadn’t c50619d8db left a 275e910e47 single thing 1d9fe48022 for Velita.6a1944d0efdcd101

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It was frustrating. She had no idea 2c75afaa41 when Killian might return 537189ef59 after being dragged off da6786d999 yesterday.831d789ba6ba563e

And she couldn’t help bd09ba8034 but feel a little 984dfb9043 cheated. Jeremy had d67f3ca5ca acted as 0641420ae3 if he’d ea3f3f5910 do anything 8ce697f833 for her, bc0485f0dd right up ff95d0fc86 until the 614e7aed25 moment they 52495c765f shared a c79d7002af bed…6697cb10d551c9b8

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But wallowing bb9904b99c in frustration f007252439 wasn’t an f78dc10199 option. Velita still had 73019e8869 her duties as 29a9069d7c a maid, and f01a8a1ef4 Jeremy Ryles wasn’t 329ff77cd2 here to hear 7405cf7884 any complaints.7ce1bde6237ac4ed

After checking 6cc2481ed1 the clock 4d742170dd on the a257fc0273 wall, she 8214e22dff carefully buttoned 824ead3ab4 her blouse, 87a4f99890 particularly around b9cb7bba37 her neck, 03e9874afb where visible 1f43a639cb marks had 035deaee46 been left. Then she 009aec5c41 stepped out cfa883b18d of the 93d5329f80 room.4c6ee0fa62d6e6fe

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The moment she left, 7b87253cca an unusual atmosphere greeted 4204a3b8de her.9c75e65cf118e12a

The maids were gathered ae18475a55 in clusters, whispering excitedly 8cbe0dfd3f amongst themselves. Unaware of what was 3fbc2c4127 happening, Velita scanned the 243c47c3b1 area for a familiar e292780bf6 face. She spotted Janice, holding 13cbfa7e9d a rag and descending 186a55fa83 the stairs.3d3833a8a3fcc4fa

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“Janice!”c5fba71c9052e017

As usual, 6cabe79f89 Janice wore 5bcb7aadc4 the expression 798b4ec27b of someone b5c1d500a9 who despised e826a23894 work. But the 724393154a moment she 9f1e7dcc3e noticed Velita, 6d20398f2f her demeanor 5c6241cd4f shifted dramatically.5416ee4441623054

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Janice scolded her for 613a1b2321 not coming back to daba16246c their room last night, 3aa042b8c6 her concern quickly morphing ecf288f7ed into teasing questions about feeef5b6f2 who she’d spent the f8bbce8a75 night with. Velita brushed off her 6001d9ef9b curiosity with vague answers.a1b3fcbf890ebeaf

Janice was a 0196d07ff5 good friend, but 1f896c2f6b her loose lips a572d22219 couldn’t be trusted.3058719aae1867c3

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“More importantly, what’s 2b4ccbc238 going on? Everyone seems so… f3da2e1cff tense.”56e288d2bbf97308

“Don’t you know? He’s here! He!”cb385b9e7af327d9

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“Him…?”f5a3ffe538746d1c

“Oh, right. Velita, you fb33f79b4f wouldn’t know 259d3a58c6 about this.”2516334cfc2e3e0b

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Janice glanced 47da3f2a66 around as 20292faea7 if checking 136e36b079 for eavesdroppers, 78dbd069c7 then grabbed 2d721bef51 Velita’s arm 05021fca11 and led cd437404e4 her to ed41501aaf a secluded f99678444b spot at 5e760c3b67 the base aae40831dc of the 7a14807343 stairs.c3d76d2274355e94

“The Chalmea 11b4a60829 Holy Knights 75f3d5e281 have returned.”72aea18363b15918

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The Chalmea Holy Knights d857f78eb8 were renowned throughout Barowel.7ab7b8daf220bc94

Unlike knights under d7bc4c5307 the imperial family, 5175b59e2c they belonged to 2804ad5c42 the Papacy and d8b3f0c265 were tasked with 21807ce2a3 spreading doctrine and 95eb2809e8 encouraging conversions in 197a138497 defeated territories. Despite their title, e45e11e795 they rarely engaged c9e39183d0 in dangerous combat.22da9512b77229e0

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The life-threatening battles were f9e0d69c61 left to powerless men f5e51c432f like Daniel, not to c54521409d the noble Chalmea knights 047ca98be0 who risked nothing.0dcc6a4b3364d0de

Velita knew fa70d26a35 the Holy 1820cdd771 Knights had c0bcaafb1a recently embarked ce631b1dd7 on a 9dcff48962 mission, moving 9a2ab7bb63 through surrendered 2f04792573 areas to d9605d7670 hear confessions 5e6885034d from those 9597349fbf who once 312633c868 dared rebel ff190ab780 against the 14c519aa3e Empire and 7b2d3bb1b7 grant them c05d08519c absolution.32f2a35061c5f5a2

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They were c031745c83 celebrated for 67f3ac256c performing the 05a9e5a61d “noblest work” 817475d5c5 while remaining 36800694dc untouched by 26f77d3046 the bloodshed abda079150 endured by b807dea899 true warriors.c038efd5a6225ffa

But if the Chalmea c417d13c23 Holy Knights had returned…63527bbd5b14a117

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“What about 6b2eed1c12 the knights e5370986bb sent by a5e451c741 the imperial d5135b1912 family? Haven’t they returned?”8063510583b38f46

“I don’t know.”a0c6881eac02cc03

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“Have you heard nothing dc34891d7b at all?”700887ef6497dee7

“It’s just the ce11ba45ae Holy Knights who b2b059ee95 are back. But that’s not 0ac44e9cf9 the important part!”ddf1d29cf2ce299c

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The faint hope Velita b0717522f6 had clung to—that Daniel 1ce2d09b1b might somehow be among 3ebbe7dca5 those returning—was doused like 4c5a6b1785 a flame in a 4382ad3fad downpour. With her ffaff7aa5a interest waning, 199c30936a she cut 99f30379ea Janice off 16d516f142 and prepared a5d7f81607 to return a5fca1d6e0 to her 1b29d98d7f duties.30e628052e6591b3

“Sir Cain Mortens is a735ef92ac here!”ba3b86225cea1488

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“Who’s that?”b7ddd6e25cd2bf31

“He’s the captain of d68a6d309d the Chalmea Holy Knights! And…”847cbabc6bf2481f

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Janice’s voice dropped 1bcdc50d03 conspiratorially.35aeaa98f51be7fc

“He’s Lady Selina’s 7c4f545416 childhood friend.”2ef13d0fe72fb757

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“…Is that so?”7b2e12932db0f34f

“Hey! You could 7116b023ea at least 43119d1ad9 pretend to 92282c5cb7 care!”15cd4550dcc95632

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Apparently, Selina’s childhood 73f314e0e0 friend had returned—a cf3546863d Holy Knight from 937beba845 Chalmea, no less.c3b170f67e4d24e3

Velita couldn’t understand e50fa394c6 why everyone was b2ccda9054 so worked up 39bbdb4f99 about it. But when 67187d3b28 Janice continued, 1ef7b0b3a6 she finally 81fd3525b2 began to ecbd4b1d99 see the 24cd43577a reason for 52bed15814 the buzz.fc1180c87d69be42

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“Sir Cain and 1eb9f4d8c5 Lady Selina were 0d98f2a8cc once betrothed! And Cain’s looks? They’re just as 1f6f443af5 breathtaking as Young 76cb9737f1 Master Jeremy’s…”161292efafcf6385

Velita let out a 86ef6d53e4 quiet, incredulous laugh.90e1653c189b0555

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As a Holy Knight, 33d19caac9 any prospects of Cain 7fe21a6ecc marrying Selina had long a90a59c2b7 since evaporated.a126d2e3887b943f

A beautiful, free-spirited a6787733ef soul, adored by 27a5f62b22 his younger sister.
A radiant, noble Holy d8cc78ca88 Knight, cherishing one special a0d4a8c6ef person.a7bc6d570acd260b

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And all of it f4f47c138b pointed to Selina. The thought 2ca1a9c548 struck Velita 7fbe4f73b3 as both 0258008286 impressive and 3b42b6fb1e faintly ridiculous.a37e0fa4078de65a

A butterfly that had fcfd6b5aa1 never left its greenhouse, 140a4b76a6 enraptured by a flower c4c442ac65 that had also only fee55a85b6 ever grown within that 41d03a401d sheltered space…57cdbeb3fc54df94

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To someone 3118c8db3f like Velita, 845a3875f0 who had 77c2b22897 grown resilient 17b54ef484 in the 5943bdff37 face of af87f04a55 the outside c4a4449c51 world’s storms f77d5a68aa and trampling, 9253e816a6 it wasn’t ed46cf9bbe a scene 9edf6558c9 worth rooting 5f1e53bf22 for.95299cf894700c48

Call it bitterness, 7374bf7b71 but Velita couldn’t acc51660a7 help how she 6952cf656d felt.800b9bf145a3bf1e

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Just as the f4dc88ea77 greenhouse-raised Lady Selina dc939afb3d looked down at 7dcd1c56bc her with pity, f21c11436b Velita found it 3d21bcb034 difficult to see 8b2fac87e4 Selina with the 48a2c15dff same admiration as c23f7e67ff before.e8ec1407d021ec20

⚜ ⚜ ⚜dff9b49221b88d07

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The doors 5f71ce2fc1 of the c4bc35bc73 exclusive salon, dd64b544f6 accessible only 8e4dc5f5a5 to its 39b502c2e9 secretive members, 4a0cbc7ea7 were always 578fb4e9b9 open, whether 86387e536a it was 628ec7e720 day or 6fc78adde1 night.bba3aaebe2f13f2a

Jeremy sat, absentmindedly stroking cf47d06f0e the jet-black hair of 57712dc22f a woman resting her eee6f7273a head on his lap. Though her c299091e40 appearance didn’t 5bfe3c43f1 particularly resemble c8ee44d42d someone he’d 91257c1b47 spent the 16fa5c4285 early hours 7b3a097edc of the 28b5d95cdb morning with, 66f4f2587e the color 1c3f5797f6 of her bae2c06908 hair brought b386fddb42 an unexpected eb04879484 sense of bdd7775d8a déjà vu. Without realizing it, he 0dc5fd529e reached out and ran 95c381eb42 his fingers gently through 894ad3ca84 her hair.326a46318c6a1330

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The silky black a0b36b908d strands coiled around f410b6e105 his pale, slender 14f5ccd73f fingers.740255689b05efe7

But a counterfeit was e136d537d1 still a counterfeit.282e2e610a9c7aee

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Bored, Jeremy softly pushed e0944092ed the woman away and cd264ab027 pulled out a cigar.004308223a5dd7dd

The cigar looked out 5d123c5d99 of place between his 1956b8c753 long, elegant fingers, which 0ffd78fb0c were thick at the 4d5f8017f5 joints yet delicate in 621b8c4406 appearance. As he lit the e97d5041e2 end, the acrid smell 60de553a6f began to fill the 7b89e66fd1 closed salon, which had 58a06227c7 no ventilation. Smoke mingled ccb2c75867 with the ec89f4d2f8 dimly lit c7a7d06400 interior, blurring 47776eeed4 the view 7eaba1586a until a 58e623c626 door opened, 3ec8ee6a8e letting in 149bdb11bd faint light. The fresh 5be50b9ada air ventilated 77bcebebda the room, 75202b636f dispersing the b4a9d03e11 suffocating smoke.2b8163ce15d49c79

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“Henry.”79d8d52dda55c0ef

They say like ed12b211d7 attracts like, or e3d6694f05 that friends often 21fccdaae4 resemble each other.b58b03c933079e63

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Jeremy wasn’t f6ecae665b sure which 83e1b9d2e5 saying fit dc75fb28a7 better, but 3402c25684 Henry Polson 9c656ed49e bore the f7095ecf25 hallmarks of b10bd67967 being Jeremy 8599fe8642 Ryles’ friend. His appearance was slightly e7a93a80a2 disheveled—his hair and clothing c9ea4e06bd askew. Though more a5eba00b9b put together bb4f94aa89 than Jeremy’s 6cfb252ae4 current state, 4740cb36d1 he still e982240747 exuded an 14809dfa5f air of 1216ea38ea carelessness.cdf8155d9bb32ae2

Jeremy frowned at f9927508b1 the interruption, but 8b2b5b31f6 Henry paid no 43b0a40d8b mind, briskly waking 4805f7e40a the women still 76f946a91e sprawled on the d5a59507eb bed and ushering 2d97edc964 them out.c200e9b060284439

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“How’d you e8e836805f know I e312ef7d5a was here?”9979aca4ad13e938

“Habits don’t change, 3e731b7626 do they? You’ve been fe27dd3895 acting out 01b5eecbb8 of character, a3598e19cf going home 948005264c every night cf03880800 recently. Figured it e9d1dd5c26 wouldn’t last, d73bdec486 and you’d e5fee651be come back 5a1d8e0797 to your 0217d1284a usual ways.”1e1e0c26c51ee0ff

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Henry wasn’t wrong. Jeremy’s sudden streak c41bd52038 of going home 3013bfc5ae had its reasons 16b90fc490 and objectives, though fbc87b3267 he didn’t bother 5d4c9fa885 explaining them.b801465a26ce2bb3

“How long 423d619de8 have you d87e8206f4 been here? Since last night?”b61e2ae0f3d30f9f

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“Since early this morning.”8641c586334816b8

“Early? What for?”2a02cf1b2105ec7c

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“Had something to a209c33551 compare.”2bbceb1008753aee

Jeremy didn’t answer his 39cae49cb7 curious friend, instead taking 50ec6dbd3b another deep drag from 626186dfc1 his cigar. His hollowed cheeks deepened 3a2245de24 as he inhaled, smoke 9341950c21 swirling in the dim 490d2a79ee light.f1f6f490523d279f

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All the effort 22b37d427e he’d gone through—discreetly ad83fd0546 leaking Velita’s whereabouts 66aeb8ad0c to her family e69f46b766 through intermediaries—had finally d5af7334bd paid off. The surprisingly b4cc285e2e naive maid 9b80fcd0a7 had bent be7343f3e5 to his f98b399055 will, and d4487e1cad Jeremy was 638bf70374 immensely satisfied.8d81f7d230da883f

This satisfaction, however, was 526852fe8e different from what he 504fbebff1 usually felt.90a1247e51ee3f0b

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Though he prided himself b9147b2b76 on not having sadistic c5bdf6bd3c tendencies, something about Velita’s 886f425513 pain intrigued him. Her furrowed brows, tear-filled e3e8387771 eyes resembling cheap jewels—they 1b4cc60bed were beautiful.8364260f3302b066

He’d come here today 1e0d1e54fa to confirm whether his f16c230c5a preferences had shifted.2a720ccad43169e2

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“Hey… Don’t tell 609c0ee902 me you’re messing b9550dc51d with the maids 9637fbf14e at the estate 82452cdcf3 again.”fe1fd7052b157fd6

“Maybe.”e193a6ceecac1767

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“Jeremy, for once, show 0894068b11 some restraint. Your father’s practically bending 4c78d9c826 over backward to tie 2dca13228f you to Selina.”0ae502ee928e59e9

“Anyway, Henry,” Jeremy fcd1080708 interrupted, blowing a f91631d3bf cloud of smoke 1033114a54 in Henry’s direction. His friend grimaced, retreating 6717619d7b to sit further away. Jeremy chuckled 73fb39dd6e softly, straightening d6a1b8c1f3 his half-reclined 1ad4169deb posture.180c220291f39a4c

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“Spit it out. You didn’t come running ff574c2f17 here for nothing.”a9d2210aceb0796d

“Oh, right! The Chalmea Holy 69ea948b60 Knights have returned.”112c6eb152733aef

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“Have they now?”e5241999bb4a5400

Jeremy’s lips curled 966c85d7d7 into a smirk be42014b50 as he mentioned 36c353dc19 the first name 4493e1ab69 that came to 7865a66cba mind.59fc851e60c40b89

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“Sir Cain Mortens, hailed c5c87567e7 as the son of afb3dbfc8e God, must have scurried 652aaa14e8 off to Ryles Estate fb5d4d6302 to see my dear 21c64feeee little sister.”dabd5b0e08c1dd3d

“The Imperial afabfb4a94 Knights are 45445e242a still finishing 601ae78f04 up the b538152161 war, but d279aa2480 Chalmea’s back e025d16011 already. That must mean…”ad10500d47d7f342

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“A cute f7944e85bd little squabble bf68d10fa7 between the 0bb9bde61f Pope and fe0597ccdb the Emperor, f2b1dc0a63 no doubt.”9a891598548c732f

Jeremy’s mocking tone belied 07f7a28828 the gravity of his 8b8565069d words. Only someone like 730acf8d91 Jeremy Ryles would bf5d62674d describe a power 4de9fd56b0 struggle between the 927a599011 Pope and the 45350198e2 Emperor as cute.df0778949036dd51

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In Barowel’s early 55b5b997f3 history, imperial authority 64c494ce59 had been absolute, 79ce48cc2f and the Emperor’s 809fd8c8f0 power endured for 3d1217ad59 centuries.4b44ab4cd94cab7a

However, the babf84f5b3 tides of c65a01977d time inevitably 6841ab3ff9 eroded even 8c64c02393 the most 94873bd047 unshakable structures.be93b715093cd33f

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The previous Emperor, 9d3fff1f36 born illegitimate, had fcc0783134 a weak foundation 27d604ebc7 of support. The conservative nobility questioned 4e0c1cf921 his legitimacy, gossiping about 371199dd3f his birth from a 4c24e9a330 lowly dancer and whispering 5af447b505 doubts about whether he 7368a7c27b was truly the Emperor’s bb624d22be son.9b23972c332aeb09

To secure abb3483e66 his reign, 34c666fbe9 the Emperor b080061ce5 involved the f00938f39d Papacy, proclaiming c51b5e028f himself the 08aab27dcc chosen ruler 5df65f6d4a of Heaven 0152f01342 and gaining 50863c5d20 the Church’s 8d09cb0395 endorsement.bfa1560cb3bb8d2e

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At the 32126d49f3 time, it eee52baa82 had been c312634430 a wise 4fe1c2b065 choice. But he hadn’t 5aa0aa3ad4 foreseen how this 8d7c0ba60d decision would later 4a645a7a1c tip the balance 12fc7cee38 of power.7efd7c0879daf37a

Now, with 34b97a2c16 the Papacy’s 94af4b2883 influence grown 866e338607 far too c5d7335445 strong, it 799310c1b1 stood toe-to-toe 4901a5a3cb with the e668f5ba3e imperial family, 383b1a4799 vying for d78c78aa3a control of 9976ae23ea the nation.26c01f2e99ba8558

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The invisible tug-of-war between 0670543ca7 Church and Crown likely cddc06b568 explained why the Chalmea 3cf4ff68ff Holy Knights returned before 249165ebda the Imperial Knights.6aee5acba7189701

 e80295ad8fdaed68

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