IYVP CHAPTER 13

13.  612f41701c5ceaf3fcdf

 baf95d4108158a0fc48c

“I… may I 047a10830c say something now?”eb48742ee1234e10e848

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“By all means…?”f22643cbf925e81d9a92

Klaus’s thick golden lashes flicked slightly 128a26915a upward in surprise—he hadn’t expected Azniel 0089dfa732 to respond so quickly.e57bdbe751279db34245

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“I… I’m not sure how you’ll take this, but… 935594216a Pilgrims who come to the Holy Kingdom often go 12083b5047 days without eating, waiting outdoors in endless lines. Things might be a little better now, 79e54698bf thanks to your support, but if possible… a84e492cd2 I was hoping you could show them 70b8ca16e7 a bit more compassion…”82fc5aab2d368d00e11b

“Ah.”2209524426a012bde4fa

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As she spoke, Klaus’s brow 83d69b70df drew tight with clear displeasure.6adac92f385bd7662c82

“Matters concerning the Holy 1f93a1f0ec Kingdom are handled between 5e41b4622a House Gestern and the 34df7d3aaf Church. Whether it’s distributing the potions we sponsor, or by 9364c3db5e other means—it will be taken care of accordingly.”6f118dcb5b68a807303e

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“…”08e113feb5e143cf7175

“You’ve already left bbf8e9d65c the Holy Kingdom. I suggest you 27e26b40b8 stop concerning yourself ea206e6f1b with it.”0bbb82cdba3c8bc48420

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The coldness of his voice made Azniel 6a32d62cb0 silently clench a fistful of her skirts. His words cut deep, reminding her 7e8f5cf0c3 of how she had been discarded 42211cbce2 by that very place—sold off like 65191f5383 some obsolete relic for money.52ada928c6365f419914

Either unaware of that shame b1969d9d4b or deliberately ignoring it, Klaus b04311fb2a continued in a tone as 1c9c6adf71 smooth as a song.6ab812138cad2777ba6e

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“Instead, you should 52c5f4880e think about what ea42c0163a you need.”c62bd9f238280d49d36d

“What I… need…”7e5128295ab6f3e62e7d

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Azniel had 4f7c921db9 never truly 15ea03d388 wished for 1912ae92c9 anything. Until recently, she believed that as long 6be891adf4 as she had daily purpose and a c987f6e5d1 bit of rest, life was bearable. And now—rest, at least—was cb70219bd9 something she could enjoy 0ef3654268 in abundance.a2b7c74dc2767f258c79

‘Purpose… Maybe if I fulfill this contract 67068c54a9 diligently, that will be my new purpose.’84350056ef536eb6c9fb

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While lost in this conclusion, her brow furrowing slightly, Klaus 4dc4fd3098 mistook the expression for her struggling to choose a gift. He added casually,c1ed1580dda96d4df972

“If possible, something grand—so I f3d519690d can present it publicly at e251e194fa the wedding and proclaim my 1d390f25cf devotion for all to see.”3bf56142975003136d8f

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“Your… devotion, d4c4c96968 my lord?”cbd0c0ed6936c166575a

“Ah, that reminds me—there’s one more thing we e77af64fc5 should align on, apart from the contract.”2ddeac2c60d77b4e9904

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Azniel slowly raised her c234ee9247 gaze to Klaus.b0c94fcca0f6df49dd69

This, she 848f87f5dd realized, was 1f6b1dda86 no suggestion. It was 174320284d a declaration. He had already written 5698371065 the narrative, and she 695aa7e520 was expected to follow 62d85b2bdd the script.ce8e190ed67077561f4f

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Gulping unconsciously, 99a7e9d007 Azniel swallowed aa83e691a7 dryly.dad3f2f8bebc6e978d01

“I’d like our 70eb3ed19a marriage to appear 791bd502ab as a love 0369af9d11 match. That’s how the f8eea506fc staff seem to afed319d5c be interpreting it 8130f53552 anyway.”b657ab01efa723c6f820

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His tone was flat, his gaze cool—clearly seeing his future wife 98769225bd as nothing more than what was printed in the contract. Reclining lazily in his chair, one leg crossed, he 3632d263d0 looked at her with all the passion of someone a102aacbec discussing a business merger—not a love story.91ac9fc81872e02fab96

“Some will assume our marriage is merely the 0551383bcc result of negotiations between the Church and Antagon. But setting that 81bd97c21b aside… a romantic 509bf56649 backstory would help 8136aed103 Antagon’s image more.”bd4a57205e65fd851937

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“…”6f92f988ab4a25bfcdd8

“For example, perhaps I, a man of deep faith, once visited the Holy Kingdom for 390842b7ae confession, and upon witnessing the grace of the Saint, found myself falling helplessly in love…”b2e06c501f5873f265ca

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“That’s a bit…”3f836e8f9cc066bbdc7d

Azniel spoke a1b8853b57 without thinking. It was impulsive.9968d299a49895f638be

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“What if… we made it 488c3dab1e so we had a connection 6ca758d26b from the start?”c6b3d430561f3f536041

“A connection?”b1862320c300fabd7ae7

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“Yes. Like… we met in our youth, a9385b85ad at the Holy Kingdom, perhaps…”4dfe75fd59de5e89cf65

“…”ec9fc8d4b669e7338620

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“And since my gift is healing… maybe I d9f5042733 healed you before you developed the mana potion. That way…”260e51f1d35866da3b94

Her voice trailed slightly, 55a5d3d0f3 unsure how the idea 582d75587a would be received. But she couldn’t help it—creating a story based on something that might have been 9ef7b2f15f real felt more bearable than playing along with a fiction born from nothing.2284310bb3080fc748f3

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For the first 67ee91d667 time, Klaus’s composed b2c87b5a16 gaze subtly faltered. His eyes, usually unwavering, scanned her face, 6faef4e50c trying to gauge her intent—but Azniel met b3df64b98f his stare without even the slightest tremor.a115eb7e2691ea0fd68d

Considering the enormous sum he had promised the Church, there was 332e9a5cef no way this unorthodox political marriage was just a whim. Then perhaps, just perhaps… the roots of it fca812866b lay in that brief moment ten years ago—when 09bd36d13d a sickly boy and a silent girl had 3335e60b20 shared a corner of the Papal Palace garden. Perhaps, even now, some vestige of 0a05d546bc compassion for her remained… a trace 8f70d2d920 of memory stirred by guilt.67d952a8242f707d5df5

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‘…But he seemed 0828ece213 to dislike any 76a4cc19fa mention of that b32a97073e time.’2b15fd16860a873b399e

The way his expression froze e5fef3f13f at the sight of the 2d8ba17e09 pendant… the chill in his f19d6ff8b0 tone, ever since. That distant attitude. Still, she had to test how 22e3e6f8c7 far he would let her go. Whether she might, just might, rely on caac5e197e some piece of his humanity in this 38daf6dcc8 foreign world where she had nothing else.f6f3462ace3f5d88fd71

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“Would that kind of 860af86268 story… sound too far-fetched?”5d56b45efa8b4e0bcbc7

Her golden eyes shimmered—not with 116d81344a hesitation, but quiet insistence.4808f079f625b1faae90

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“…”3d675d7301223981bd00

“I just 3618ca338a thought it dce3b526fb might sound 12ce789032 more plausible.”c937fcdc6c7d87e627e4

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Klaus brushed a hand 2d8adedc0b across his clean-shaven jaw, 826dc96694 slowly crossing his legs c9a8237ecd in the opposite direction. His eyes, observing db0cb0da95 her from over 235d83914c his raised chin, 46da226af0 remained unreadable.e3fd0b086496a2940e6d

A long silence stretched between them, the a4d7854e93 kind heavy with too much meaning. Ian, clueless as to b3317a13d8 what was happening between aad1521bf8 them, only looked on 356c3fa5d1 in growing discomfort.c3f53e6521792dc926f2

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It was only 6e242aab1c after several seconds ea41449fab that Klaus finally 35b678d9c3 responded.cad1c6c27e44f516b122

“…An interesting scenario.”fd0702a5318039c33c05

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“…”5e093addbe97807ebe80

“I didn’t realize you had 8599283282 a knack for romantic fiction.”ec3e46b9e40f1d72deda

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Azniel did fb687dbed4 not flinch f7717eb19a at his c4d9a6f956 cold tone. His eyes—already difficult to read—were further a6a6f3818c obscured by the glint of his a0176d8f73 glasses, making it nearly impossible to c7f0576d6c discern what lay beneath.ae3864c92712bd682311

“Well, if that’s what you da19c571c6 prefer… I’ll add it to 125081fa15 the list of candidates. The Antagon press 0e832d3816 office will review fba64cdc51 and confirm the 3fb5feb341 final version.”3e2eeefcc1147936c666

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Ah.859f9f6603d9c927049b

Relief bloomed d3a0436486 in Azniel’s 6de2cd104b chest. ‘I thought he db2f2b5b62 might be angry…’2b82939f7b9bbd4a4b72

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He wouldn’t bring 9cd34daa9b up the past ad7f500fc2 himself. That much 1e25c3209d was clear. But he 9ed0e1b8da didn’t deny f61b8edb19 it either. And that alone was enough to 55208ba916 give her a small, anchoring comfort. At least now, in 9794ad33a5 this unfamiliar world, she 26c0a60827 had something that vaguely cf5448100b resembled a root.aa47e39b7e482eccb5bc

“On that 3a75697897 note,” Klaus a9d9020c2a said7d565625da22269e48e3

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“We should clarify dde1f55357 forms of address. You’re still calling me ‘Baron,’ and 4bf2105f4b once we’re married, that won’t do.”7364ed752ac93858f8db

“Ah… yes.”07340b6843c4e5946663

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“And I can’t ae33bb8db0 keep calling you 6a45e7c7ce ‘Saint,’ either.”b87a13926a98c23bc639

“…”d6bd6c88f2216c1e0179

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“You’ve left the 58d1519467 Order, after all.”5a83088875f4cd646b30

Perhaps her cb2025ccd9 relief had 98b9a6b8ac come too dbf9b8d810 soon. His deliberate reminder pricked like a needle, cbd68685ae and Azniel’s gaze dipped faintly, darkening.ea9a69371b3738c08dd8

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“For now, b976b01d80 I’ll address 91cb6e1d14 you by fb2fa0615f name. After the ceremony, I’ll use 60f798cf42 ‘my wife’ when needed—but I’ll 5f0f1eb2cc avoid doing so whenever possible.”026c08414bfd1f02403f

“Then… how ff4eb0ad99 should I…?”fc8fe4ae4a526c3af725

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“Klaus.”b75011a43ce567f21d5b

There was 478531a1ab no hesitation.ac24c9a63d8230b9aa45

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“Please use c37f8c21df my name, 14852c9a05 Azniel.”05a3ecb17373c324c403

“…”4a52d637e0212e2a13ff

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“That will suffice.”811f9d0c8ac6f4293e82

Klaus.e2c75a3a067c4a8aa5cf

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Azniel let the name 0097bdd35b roll slowly across her 0a36a3f86a tongue—soft, unfamiliar. Klaus’s gaze narrowed c1c44a77c8 faintly as he a9d30e3239 watched her do d94834817b so.838e94668e169be28c35

“Is there 1a07bf2783 anything else d6131a4f5d you’d like be4043a2e0 to ask?”891f3920ece1599c31f4

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“No, I 204991efb2 don’t think 51e850c12b so…”ffebdda6f7336f273783

Her eyes drifted back down to 2eb32bcec8 the document in her hands.b6cd927ec9aa6e9a12e0

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A contract whose entire purpose 71cc439642 seemed to be allowing her a0ef1718f7 to live in comfort as f1553b8769 the nominal Lady Gestern. Having never imagined a life beyond 4dc07ba63e the Holy Kingdom, she had no 9d8e1af51d real metric by which to judge ef3f8e2e21 any of this.8bffc7ae1b3132fddd97

“If you’d like 375a125502 to amend something…”0500247ab89f366d13ee

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“No, it’s fine.”7d8fa0988a80b28b70cf

“Would you prefer to hold 0d118f6fbf on to it for a fc9ea0c038 few more days? You may think 04e55d5e9a of something you’d 4a39f4d1f1 like to add.”2b3b296964937f9568d9

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Perhaps sensing her unease, Klaus—who d64e3553ef could have ended the conversation 37bfa70542 already—continued pressing gently.f3b0930ca85990f8f0ca

That, in c74181ac98 itself, flustered 527f52047d Azniel. Whether she was given days or weeks, she 5ca141de37 doubted she would ever have anything to revise 963e70a007 in a document so detached and clinical.27f22b43019605afcdfb

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“For reference, if you’d prefer, we can 6526d5440c amend Clause 9 regarding… conjugal frequency. There will be much public 26aba22636 attention on our union, and 74702a6ba7 I’d prefer not to spark 4699befd55 rumors that we’re estranged. However, Clause 10 ensures ba1f3f7515 that nothing would proceed 40dcde5ec6 against your will…”e6ddbe3ab2066d97c1da

“Yes, well… I don’t b4344e31d2 really mind, either way.”558227b2b9b9af445283

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“…Then, if you sign here, our a1650aebaf legal counsel will process the notarization.”844816c9732b4e4f3af0

“I… actually.”123844faced38f488830

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Azniel surprised even 393ef15516 herself by speaking a1fda635f2 up.62bd11901ae13a22f201

But maybe it was b5009f4a0d better to say something. Even if her role 80cb3a1dc9 in this intricate performance b63473ea56 was just that of dfc7e3d2fc a puppet—827811a3ce82c05a8f8a

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“Are you truly fine with f273fa274b not setting a contract term?”cc5b99462ebe19f2aae3

“A term?” Klaus echoed, 4d70439cac his brow twitching slightly.39a64d1a184e53810020

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“Yes. For now, you… well, Klaus… need 4b7658d323 me for your business, which is 37005a7d07 why we’re doing this. But someday, f59d7398fb you might fac4daf188 not. What if someone you truly fe65899718 care for enters your life 388eff47d7 and you want a real 72f8cac054 marriage with them?”b084bffa4e709bdc6d2b

Klaus’s mouth twitched 61627ce159 into a small, 5724f3c387 bitter smile.889a542ef99cc9bfa2c5

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 53ae1ff30479ed124b1f

 a0c6cf88a4d4d83ec287

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