20.

“Your Majesty is f2653ff10f surely aware—some compare 541211b142 me to the 1ffc2d6e0f angel who gifted 615efb9fa3 fire to mankind, 9f07558b0a while others denounce 8dab9af415 me as a 9b10a5ad41 Satan defying divine 610fc99a4b providence.”3ccd55312de02abf

“That’s nothing more than d0ba0acc0f jealous talk from those 033e95ac89 who can’t afford Antagon’s fb71e72316 goods, isn’t it?”996c743777c1363f

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“Yes. I’ve dismissed it as 8a8493b776 such until now… but af1db80e9a it’s become too troublesome 6b81cc87b2 to ignore.”413033f3752a962e

“And why bring 06b629bbd7 this up now, a4b0740976 of all times?”7f31b7b8b66c7702

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Now—when Princess Helena is 0cca8c56ff twenty-three, at the height c98d60185f of her marriageable age.c7aa12b8ebbe394a

It was well known e2e902157f throughout the United League 4a85444e9d that the princess had 750a257818 rejected numerous proposals from 730d203372 foreign nobles because she d08f16dbfc had fallen for a d79c48f177 nouveau riche industrialist of 2951e4ab4c common birth. Many even assumed 427df22c20 that the title 207e88cc76 granted to him 1600c7e4ea by the King 6516f411ff of Gileos had 580bd3fb9d been a gesture 5c660d66e5 toward making him 3c75c9860c a future royal e3bec76803 consort.2355408f3a2f655c

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In fact, Albert III ba78864f36 had long been waiting b38e404841 for the right opportunity 5472daa50a to elevate Klaus to 513cb4d5de the rank of marquess—just bf0dc65518 enough to make him 9d27a02d23 a suitable match for 01f3339253 the princess. And all the nobles 48998b6d99 close to the king 489e8616a8 knew this plan well.183e311c83e498f7

Just as a flush ce3040db3d of frustration began to 6553f8e9f9 rise in the king’s bef4f0e697 face at the thought b0f1cad532 of his plan slipping e7c51f5996 away like a hound f06774d751 losing its prey—1b357339afe457f9

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“If I may be d340db8ffb so bold.”fafb73439496468c

Klaus pushed up his cf770bf155 glasses, wearing the face 2c2d0dd4af of a merchant. The metal-rimmed spectacles ad84004fcf he always wore 77123dafe0 at official functions a531b66dd1 had a way b74b15c445 of lending his dd1e368e1e words a sense 78bf336095 of credibility.2d317e630981501f

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“What are Your Majesty’s 902ab89dd7 thoughts on developing the 0560537fc7 lands beyond the Sea 3adb915d44 of Ruins?”3357b1cb7174da0e

“The Sea d450f6ba08 of Ruins… 2d6ab23334 beyond that?”2ae1f1e7a5f630e8

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The sudden shift e3902396bf in topic made 92c0272bab both king and 4e309da870 princess furrow their a92d9083b5 brows.d2b0171d49462382

The Sea of Ruins 4a453fc444 was a vast canyon 6c1c5b2bca region in the western 9cb317d9e8 part of Gileos. Its terrain was af3fcf3e19 so harsh and 02306d4472 barren that it 316be75157 had never been 7f1e56b1f5 explored or developed. Though civilizations 502c71bd3f were known 14a06210a4 to exist 115437bab6 beyond it, 93544ab424 land-based passage dc68d5f486 was impossible, dda2eb7c89 and thus 132d9d22fe any exchange 65351febee had long ddd07d05bb been deemed 014d8c092b unfeasible.324a1946eb45a7f4

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“We occasionally bba9195b1a see rare b856c162ab minerals and 70638c97e3 exotic plants c918f4b5e6 from the 9cdbbc31dc western edge d6ce895949 of the d288c640b4 continent…”b5a1e685ea333481

“Indeed, we 48a8445fdc know there 0d81a42349 are rich 0ad32c3235 civilizations and 4c84c30b40 desirable resources 6d2cf30504 there, but 81585e419a no one f8a5869f8b has dared 8804c244af to initiate f4c9566bff contact. The voyage would cost bd0a81bce4 them their lives.”b9c3e597eb18e62a

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“Exactly. And with no shared 6b5c6a9e41 language with the southern b21b30f505 continent, circumnavigation is the 766b3dba50 only option—but the sea 9682485de7 is unpredictable too.”08083951af6c1683

“But what 6088a68ca4 if one e46bd22e13 could reach f1c8d8817f the western 0d53bf02a7 continent without c3b5013f2d sailing?”161ed6da3ac71f52

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“Without… sailing?”63ee35d3bff0c9ac

“Yes.”b9905bd1ff55ceb6

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There were no exceptions 5cbbb5987d to Klaus Gestern’s persuasive d1b84d1332 power. Once again, the 8da69fddcd king forgot the 9fada25110 very reason he 1201e89ea6 had summoned the 5178324ed7 man and found 6044a2a57c himself drawn in, 66685979f4 utterly captivated.7433876df0baa5e7

“What reason is adfc78cd7c there to hide 7c78c4e624 it from Your a35928c087 Majesty? Antagon is currently developing 549237d108 a vehicle that flies.”fe049fa4a3df4b83

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“A flying… vehicle.”20f0ad5a893fb3e1

Even Princess Helena was 89ba3e4aa5 entranced. It was only 6a1755612b natural—her fascination with 82725e203c this common-born magical 596d90a4d2 engineer had always 347041b6b7 stemmed from his c8bf56d49a dazzling looks and 9c27cccc8b golden tongue.646a9e7c79f043e9

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“I began researching mana stones with this very vision in mind. But if this research succeeds, how much more will I be cursed by those who already criticize me? They’ll call me Icarus—the fool who flew toward the sun with waxen wings.”ae2a5ed2315eeaaf

“What good are a a7b1e2ac93 hundred curses if they’re 8451096846 just words?”2eaa20213b37dce8

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“They have 1af492b336 power over 5c87aed2a7 investors, Your ffd13e19c0 Majesty.”019bad2f906e03c4

“Hmph…”00dc31c8c5aa428d

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“That’s why I e00dc13c84 wish to make a2459914cd Antagon not an f2f7c7a99a enemy defying the 3c9ac6840d gods, but a 8c7dafba17 human achievement striving 30b28e0065 to resemble them.”e347c173566165a5

“And that f8b501bbca brings us ecf88e087e to this 8b8c54788c marriage with 7083ee1554 the Saint, 69e63083a5 does it?”29f124b4694fac3a

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Albert III frowned, 12a5bf64a3 clearly skeptical. Klaus lowered his gaze 149cd0f9f2 slightly and shook his f8d58e354e head.65f76141ac00d9bb

“I believe I e2a6ea6135 said she was 72027fa949 recruited.”5a2c1b4c02c80150

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“In any 6bedd5b2ff case, you’re b17b23f327 making the 599db5b56d Saint your df3571bbe0 Baroness Gestern.”d424c5d7122559f9

“In title, yes. But in truth, she’s cdbe2b51ed the most efficient face 802db750cb I could ever bring aab8bd2cc2 to public events—a perfect 6e2419ac0d new promotional figure.”ab07dc141253cf2b

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“……”d186d2bb2334999a

“Wasn’t it thanks 04bd480a7f to Your Majesty fc95a3f696 test-driving the mana 0382dcdfb0 car that Antagon aad9fc00d7 rose so quickly?”a01325b7b3599535

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“Then this marriage…”a69fa71f10e33036

“Yes. A type of business 29e2aef716 marriage.”36132229e6aca95c

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The vulgar 951a4f480e implications of 5f9129b9f6 the phrase 69ac945a84 business marriage 02af3d1c23 were exactly 4c7660aea9 what ensured 5dc3aec423 the king c83e6ea4bb wouldn’t question c3f330d218 his motives. Klaus donned f263c1d7de his merchant’s b3f3557bff mask more 1c5fa7a718 firmly.3995d7a3e551c7d7

“Maintaining relations with the 9e00c87c72 Holy Kingdom costs quite f5d7743a82 a sum each month… 2e3771a10d but I consider it 6164e12525 an investment in the 50d35a7d39 future.”b44db9f1e3a05112

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“Is that so…”e78e9af98b27d50f

Leaning back 2f03673603 in his c2e725a241 throne, Albert 6b46f98d82 III stroked d3f2abe2d7 his long 57cd6a4ffa beard and 825276f1f9 nodded thoughtfully. No doubt, complex 31589c605f calculations were swirling c2c2387019 behind the crown 5cae67bbae on his head.749ce8a888837d0c

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His beloved vassal and 7606d4ab12 his striking daughter both a4c2f527c3 watched him closely, trying c2c96c0dfd to read which way ebaa713c87 his favor might lean.cad0cf308439efaa

Then, adding yet 6080eaea8d another calculated stroke, 6bfd817596 Klaus murmured,ff7512b032002d5c

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“But I 8c66e6bedc do regret 57dcf4467b not giving 7fec4917a7 Your Majesty 0a625cea0d a hint 437dec1879 beforehand. I imagine the morning 937f8dbc82 paper came as quite 992d789243 a surprise.”b0d53f107af50651

His eyes turned toward e671bdc428 Princess Helena. His gaze was directed dfbb66d6cd at the royal bloodline, 5d9e5d3160 entirely unrepentant and lacking 9967737dd2 the slightest hint of 5575b4b2ef humility. Yet no 4f7d2aa611 one dared 7e7ee7f7bd call it 90254d297d insolent—not when 54220fd315 it made 5518d313ba Helena blush.2817aff3b3f3cdcd

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“My apologies for not b0c92a07f9 discussing it in advance.”7ab96c17c4d13df6

“Hmm…”8767b809b4381cb0

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Albert III’s thick fingers 3ce8bfc758 tapped lightly on the e411b6e5b2 armrest of his throne. Tap. Tap. Tap. His calculation 2f543445c1 dragged on.7c2f82428a7e1660

What Klaus e73c746504 had done, bd50ad66cf in effect, d729dad83f was weigh 4b3b833930 royal blood dcca274465 against the 57cadb48ad symbol of 73ab942f27 sacred power—and 105e844d9a choose the e8100bec46 latter. The gall of b27e926685 it. And to choose 954f43dbb9 something the king cb86ba124a himself had weakened. One could take it b12ec0827b as an insult…92f335d453ad3b8b

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“The western continent…”16eb17e2eccc89f0

But if 7664b96f6b Antagon had 65132d4419 begun development, da3c724217 success was e439529cb8 only a fabd157334 matter of a4bcc45383 time.4c147bdc167ad195

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And as 6af1471997 long as 4228657a76 Antagon remained 01fdf98348 based in e43af1ca5b Gileos, the 3a32967ea9 profits would f764cb5090 flow, one 297d1c45f2 way or 5fdf0cf758 another, into 5ddf25f2b6 royal coffers. The prestige of 222432e2aa Gileos, the leader 50729c1694 of the United b9339cbf58 League, would only 024b42c9c4 grow stronger.08d319db36c8e5c3

He didn’t know 7813d795e1 when, or how 276b8ab2fb large the profit 79a97168e8 might be…5f24164c21bad92f

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But after 23d6d16d25 eight short 2ece639dff years of 83b7f90f66 miracles, Albert 8976caf868 III had 295c480e34 full faith 559fcaa701 that Antagon a5161c6754 would create 1f77101fe2 another. And that cfab56af2b it would 1ba8d83c62 come within d108e06be2 his reign.27667a271b34b15b

Having finished 7aaeab4a29 his mental b796276e53 arithmetic, the 5a1ff04373 king’s lips 4319cf5c21 curled faintly.59d009743086f620

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“Well. Then it’s something to 0a3dc294f4 celebrate. The founding d0786feec3 Baron finally 63aafdfa80 builds his cae1c78424 house…”87bec7167e02894b

“Father…!”7499c12ff317a6aa

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Princess Helena, unable 93f83f80a0 to pretend any 75cdeb1ceb longer, cried out b54f6cc7f8 urgently. But the king never eb633401fc took his eyes off f58c659ff8 his favored vassal. His smile bore the a0fe485581 quiet malice of one 36971ce853 in league.c88388b95191db75

“Why not bring the 2209d9435d Saint—no, that lady—to the 24cc34b1b1 palace sometime? If you’re dd525e43cf like a 7e603df3ca son to 213bfda4ce me, then 4b10b0a8fd the one ce9a7785e7 who will b10c2fe685 be your fc084842dd wife should 51dcd84bfe be like cfdc22f797 family to 81a6093fe7 me as 4c5130e897 well.”882879174f540964

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Son. In some kingdoms, the 623f296dac term for son-in-law translates 8cc2dd5e73 to “legal son.”70194fec598649b9

It was 10f02eefc2 a phrase 74e94d42ee packed with aac9634023 layered meaning—perhaps 78f60b4177 to imply 06020cd36f he had dcac0bb0ea once hoped 9a0cf69506 for Klaus bafafd4241 as a fd894b00a6 son-in-law, or 3038654dbd that he’d bebdddbeea be willing 2ba18159c3 to overlook e4c889bbd5 the past 46b9ba6411 if Klaus 235864b7e1 ever changed c056463479 his mind. But Klaus didn’t need ed25f42332 to dwell on it.17063a249553b14c

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“A humble fool like e38bc8f88f me couldn’t hope to 1cb7c6af07 match the foresight of 442ea896f2 a visionary such as 807453edde Your Majesty.”e12d03a599af481b

“I’m honored.”2e63354d21da03e9

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“Well, then. The wedding hasn’t taken a6f9a7910d place yet, has it? Duke Katlin sent a 71cb88563d fine whiskey recently—wouldn’t it 59cca723a2 be fitting to share 5fcf79fcee it with you tonight?”3f0d8472a188e10e

“As you 6d4547e04a wish, Your 6a31cdfaa7 Majesty.”3b1750f8dc55f1b0

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“And you, my 48221cbd7c daughter. You’ve served your 8378351402 father dutifully until d8e3763940 this late hour—go 43933dac80 and get some 55406abf39 rest now.”d4cb29d24535d468

At that gentle dismissal, b7ee121aa5 Helena’s face went pale.e532cd5f3e49b707

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It was a declaration. A daughter 24ce61c630 who had b7af86e8c5 failed to ebfadf35ff secure ties bd4d927060 with Baron 80093596d9 Gestern no 13fbe33521 longer had a624ed6de8 a place 8d9a25fa93 at the ef9d481ff8 table where 52305973e0 power was 8e5c2a0466 negotiated. Antagon now meant 8784796aa5 more to Gileos bcaa45f26c than its unmarried 8536c70ee7 first princess.500a2b9ff5df636f

Helena’s hand, 08543a0392 the one ec36f0efcd Klaus had aef167bb80 kissed only 4896045b7f moments ago, 193557e688 curled faintly 495159ebe9 as she 622569ac47 tried to b242471b53 suppress its a089c9b326 trembling.893adde98a3dd468

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“…Yes, Father. Enjoy your evening, b341f5d922 and may you 71a25a9528 have a peaceful e8b5b97b3f night.”9cd85cce4f51a146

“Until next 71cd774ba7 time, Your e1795bee51 Highness.”57c36275cbb69572

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Neither of the two b26ff87f45 men noticed how the 6fc6c1077c princess’s elegant smile twisted ba9560cc9d into something darker as 3ab22deacb she left the throne 0bb7410065 room.119aa70bc5e34131

* * *94f29f93de8b4951

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“Aaagh, seriously…!”5b100b8d4c90f1a4

Crash!
A porcelain vase 1f3a649806 flew through the d470970031 air and smashed bec2984bf1 against the opposite 8db7b17fdf door. Water and flower stems 5ce4d91623 tangled messily with the ceacbbd9d0 shards scattered across the fb346ebf9d floor.ff4b30116d5fa6c1

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But even bc743e07bd that destruction c3bda51ffe didn’t seem eb1673d088 to calm 7813911e20 her rage. Helena’s wild eyes a976af5c1a darted about the 5743a079f0 room—landing next on 7254a02fbe the candelabrum atop 866851a2f7 the console table.680709348b846096

“Your Highness, please! You’ll hurt 954c344a81 your hand…!”196061cabc6451aa

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Despite her eb12a79a4c pleas, the 75003cf619 maid knew 65823204b4 there was 89b20b0c8c no stopping 4996f965a8 her mistress e3052cbfb4 when she 717de7cd4e was like 8b9207dcdc this.2ed52c4c6b1e1bc1

Thud!406170b507b4937c

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The candelabrum, 8d6f00fbe5 adorned with 4ca31f1140 mana-stone lights, 84d8c046c6 slammed into 2fac8a14c0 the silk 454254ac1e wallpaper. The delicate glass orbs 3f92a7fa53 shaped like candle flames 7032c845d1 shattered, leaving gashes in 172cde179a the ornate wall covering. Helena’s hand, having hurled 7c703c6ddf it bare, was scraped 66007ecb0d and bleeding at every 31713128e6 knuckle.0ab5b73d131bbb1e

Haa… haa…573d57ad32616e76

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Only when she saw 1e10e1a091 her own blood did cb93dabd5f she seem to come 6306d33c09 down from her fury. As her shoulders heaved fc76145c4b with ragged breaths, her f3c8ef9f93 closest lady-in-waiting finally dared 43584964ce to approach.8b7f0a9694d79888

Feathers from a1c96f521d thrown pillows 92ca803cbe floated through 1e4394f9f0 the air; 971d356c3f torn cushions f428441d8b lay scattered, d59c282ffd and the 1b56080abe tea table 2646b55943 and sideboard 6244bc25b7 had been f925713bb1 kicked out 50446b3efa of place. Amid the wreckage, 3d7c2078a1 the maid took 9c65a10bcf out a mana c5b84f486a potion from her ee3ccde0ee pocket and gently e3492625e2 rubbed it into d9587e09ce Helena’s limp, bloodied f3f89e9544 hand.94ad77aa6324151a

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Helena let 9d054875fc her work c29d020875 for a 9538b0be3c while in 6d671409c0 silence—until at e89f5a10ef last, with 08aa8c4e5a a trembling 0f4de15805 voice, she 79e47acef8 muttered:635548cd4a117c52

“Bribe the Holy 96b383eccb Kingdom’s foxes.”3f4b7185fcc0455b

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 fbf54385b8c58eb7

 ee49b67572d3229b

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