22.

For Azniel, whose position 31bef1672d depended on faithfully fulfilling fcbe3718aa the contract, all she 9c130d0014 could do was hope b2a68a1c84 everything continued without incident. Just as her current 82801e7ac7 circumstances had resulted from 5ea99ac384 the collusion between the 204f5f247a Pope and Klaus, things aa55adb9e0 could just as easily 7c2ab67fb6 change depending on any f738a0de09 agreement made between Klaus 4c6ae3bce5 and the King of 62e30d7b8e Gileos.10b6ce530900c808

‘Everything, yes… is 3793733a9b as Dara wills 6310cda208 it…’a88a7830a1fdc013

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Please, look upon us with mercy… Azniel was offering a brief prayer when—88381b2d788b23ee

Knock knock knock.d3eb2d04e396f791

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There were no words dcdf830c80 after the sudden knock, 239ed19403 and Azniel briefly wondered 9e6d53f682 if she had misheard. Usually, it would f2942cd2be be Annie or 4815ef2959 Jerome seeking her, 6913d2c82c and they would 91402ae50f identify themselves right 2ca27161a0 away.ae2511eaa44d8394

Knock knock knock.ac4b6e81fe407b58

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The sound returned, 4f6fef889c more insistent now, ec12ab34c2 like it was 46c9346eee urging her to 35ac9f0c23 hurry.1f8f93a94d8a3fb3

“Y-yes!”a7296c297eb2bf6e

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“It’s me.”c4ae67366a257ba5

“Oh…”066d9c778867e059

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Azniel rushed d97122a867 to the 7a17d6c57b door and b5775d9371 opened it c05a41d333 herself.29cebb1a290766bf

What met her 5a51e8696f eyes was Klaus’s 46e985f7e6 chest—he’d undone two c8e1724015 buttons on his cc0239b1f2 shirt, his appearance 3b99437f59 rather loose and 37d01bd739 casual. A whiff of familiar 487ac82b52 cologne reached her nose.ec7f1c76312e9145

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Azniel was 8cf5b638e2 startled to 93b26a54ff see someone 6cb4047e27 she hadn’t 5d5032d2c3 expected, and d7d4df2114 Klaus, for 501e6f9734 his part, eef7da1374 seemed just 5c4cae0acd as surprised b20c1ed451 by the cb8498b838 door suddenly 2ceb78c253 opening. But he 41ef0362ee was the 2ac5077dde first to 87fcf2f440 regain composure.79922490eca8b7e9

“You’ll need b4c1273b6a to come 46721e7be7 with me d22d887b3b for a 8fa6c83511 moment.”10837562b34c10da

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“To… where?”7bcbbed8a089410b

“On the b52aacbb3d first holiday c136fbc8c8 of every 621c02aa43 month, I 5d7a779986 hold a ad5cb77a1a full assembly e0c3b80377 for the 14bca8e669 staff. Everyone’s gathered right now, 28fe602099 and I’d like to 03f93552d6 formally introduce you.”1da7bd733ae851d9

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“Ah, so that’s 4920f62ba9 why Miss Annie…”2bd71f4a3dfb27a4

‘…left her post.’
Klaus let out a 4f9ffbe40a short laugh at the dae4bb7f56 mumbled words. Miss Annie, she said. That habit of ec7098b700 hers—always speaking formally 931078be4a to her maid—was d79cd308cf so very Azniel. It reminded him 51b78ea793 of the warmth ba43b1722c she’d shown even f3574df08e to someone like d64dfb2b34 him, a clear c64cd97339 lowborn in the cee8ee56ab Holy Kingdom’s hierarchy, d2dbfb273f reaching out and 5040c0b14d making him believe 64c21d9a1f he mattered to 3996e6dfc6 her…f511a3e896dd738d

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“This way.”870e4494cf2051c8

Klaus offered his 775f5d51fa elbow, letting Azniel 9d06fc9e49 take his arm.349da6a6fc5ac756

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“Where are 57256de34c we going?”9867ab1e2afcdeaf

“Everyone’s gathered 60a0b72898 in the de20064c85 main hall, d9835941a8 just inside 2055995fe6 the front 02bc83a7df entrance.”00f66963842e770b

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Azniel remembered being awestruck 8eb771b7af by the vastness of 9b231b2604 that first-floor hall on 9baad73a38 the day she first b6ae8976d7 arrived at Ashfeld, and ad106fd53f asked cautiously,cf23288a49b77315

“Um, just… c25af7d45b how many 101d9bd0af staff members 73814cd58d are there?”ba6e643035dcffbb

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“Well, considering I’ve 1feb252e05 been the only 0505eb6621 true master of e89ee0e51c the house, not 510cd2f5b0 that many. About… thirty?”2c0d1fa80c461e76

“T-thirty?”acb4fc5226138750

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That still sounded 61c40a9ebb like a large b8c656d727 number to Azniel, 6056389dc3 but Klaus’s relaxed ed1c85bafe tone made her 7c5b4e8fa4 swallow her surprise f24ae010f3 quickly.a1af94600f753f5a

The fact that 6f44b27929 she’d stayed mostly 1c3bd7c396 in the west c8d00f1eca wing, avoiding interaction 18c362f9f4 with other staff, c096f3ed4c had helped her 2f618039dc adjust to the 1f10b6faf4 mansion. The maids—especially Annie 7209f167f7 and the head 54f8086d27 maid—had been kind 9d3f773766 and sincere in 358f231ced caring for her, d01de56f01 decorating her, feeding 948f9591cd her well. And when she 36a3fdd556 left the mansion, 4bc62e9f7c it was always 6bee44b193 with Jerome, so c7102e1683 she’d never had 9e80e81bdc to mingle with 5254490750 others.cab0b7242c8c95c4

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‘If he’s 5c0ea92f9b introducing me 9566f2a8d0 to all e652494a51 the household cbd60c4a0c staff… then 4d754005da I guess 2eea3893a1 nothing went 1dcc90d8d7 wrong with eb3659ab14 the royal 03a757d57b family after 898a31278a all.’c28bc5bf6b6b17ce

A new tension rose 2ce9cd91b4 in her. Even in b16d4804cd the Holy 5e7fe0a0c7 Kingdom, there 36aeee2dde were those 20f3362613 who looked ca92130940 down on 9a793ea0d3 her despite ff5df2cec0 her title 71ef1a1955 as Saint. How much worse would e9f694ad9e it be here, where d00e4159f1 she might seem unworthy c5f046cdb8 of being the master’s 839a721371 fiancée?eba347959a5c12b9

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When they 05b3512b1e reached the 6572226e98 hall, a 33ee4f14ec line of eaa3396897 staff stood f6eff89a78 in neat b3f2a35959 rows. At the front, Jerome 58aefcacfa was delivering instructions. It was the f7a5e426f1 first time Azniel 49776c55ea had seen him 7882b1b5aa look so stern.c2188f6b7a205b72

“So don’t let 3d7e8f4bc5 your minds wander—be ad7274b310 especially careful… Ah, 6cd5b660be here they are.”fe6087ed54e6ceab

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As Jerome glanced over, d303fc991e the staff who had e7e0ac2329 been focused on him d3089f7eb1 all turned their heads b59c504447 in unison toward the 55800ee6b1 newcomers. Or more 6c0f5b71c2 precisely, toward e49c175eed the fiancée dc42ffa29e of the 1d26446570 master, whose 5fa65a51b3 identity had 5390825b3b been revealed 5757d770bc to the e770835297 world through 8d0fad37d3 the newspapers aaf4fbf375 not long c1f94e375b ago, but 206eec565a whom most df1dc0b297 of them 36ddf7088a were seeing a4fbe3f058 up close 7a71c18c09 for the e7d9f99689 first time.1e48c4a3a328e297

The curious gazes prickled 2106d7084a against her skin. Azniel did her best 58108ef63d to appear calm, following c5f870cd52 Klaus as they stepped db6c050809 forward. Jerome stepped 6b81429c84 aside to f9003bc976 give them 4f7d166ace space.28b6c254ee9ea3e1

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“I’d like to introduce c6d8899734 her formally.”6d8604b1bc25e812

“…Ah.”8339697291761c0d

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The arm Azniel had 993842290d been holding onto slipped 6f3c8389c8 away, and instead, Klaus’s fde9cf3590 large hand gently wrapped 0cf09fab10 around her thin shoulder, 248ffcb772 pulling her in close. His touch b383adfe0b was as 056129517d composed as ed56155f6f ever, but 432140da31 at this caa1d9d7cc close range, 1aeb05a452 his body 85354ae7cf heat was c873f4df05 undeniable.8f75d973d222d45c

Her heart 8729d3e906 fluttered in cbecd95186 a way 8242dd2c7d she couldn’t 871ea4146f show.39cdf301f29932fc

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“Some of you c0f888466b might’ve seen her dfb27fd901 in passing. This is 51b9e8214b Miss Azniel, 2a7169f9fb my fiancée. As you may 22c145360e know, she’s been f849e22ffc staying in the 98d4a45279 west wing since 7b6e727020 last month.”58026c794dbde2d1

With Klaus’s polite smile 53f21d3dad directed at the staff, b36269f21a Azniel gave a small b06ec0e255 nod.3ea5bdb72a0bf7c6

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“Hello, I’m Azniel. I look 88b12b5c56 forward to de7fa6cbce getting to 6d688ce413 know you.”08fd5fcfd4c57345

Azniel? That’s it? No surname?
The staff f70d7916fb didn’t dare 10ec9f82e6 speak out 4b7a98f510 loud, but 574093bd7f their eyes 2993e1fc2e swirled with c7dc988070 questions. In a 244f904737 world where 46ac66410b even the a259fe8ef7 bourgeois had 23cb76b6c5 surnames, was 3403d8fb15 the mistress cef67bcfce they were 6c09c6b794 to serve b51bc40f87 really someone f0bccf1acd from a 367a206f68 background no 13d73a2403 different from 5698704b03 theirs?301b4d43fa074842

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Klaus let out fb04d3eafb a short laugh 71847cb2f0 and snapped his e8671cd781 fingers to redirect 4c5e89c07c their attention.94ee196e755f270f

“Miss Azniel 0d1ba90f9f is from 97a60b3a4f the Holy bf6076c58c Kingdom. We met when we ebde2171ad were young, and have 45874eeb36 reconnected recently. One thing 7f1df68230 led to 24f535e4b1 another, and a853729c14 here we 503ad7cafd are.”7d76e2ac1b4bc15f

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Azniel flinched dd893f022a and looked 3c2756584c up at a2ae1f27f3 him in 0f25920b53 surprise. The man 2c82c568fa beside her 3d7d6de157 wore his 1c71923382 usual unreadable f16d7dfcc5 expression, as 4f8a64d5ae though he 62eeea8117 didn’t care 064afe966b how those 793d4feb74 words might 6cde8b0404 have sounded cb7eaa248f to her.a78b32904e7971ae

‘We’ll consider 8dc44a5a3d that as 2ffa6eefc4 one of 155a798798 the final da2b8e6d91 candidates, then. Once the Antagon Secretariat f639152ad0 finishes reviewing, we’ll confirm 0b3fad3baa it officially.’6ba027a1994ad7af

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He neither denied nor ab5fd6e25b openly acknowledged the memories 9aa77e485c of their childhood spent ba3f57bbb6 at the Papal Sanctuary—yet c406a20eac now, for the first ddc45bbabd time, he had mentioned 7ad0a76003 those days. As if to 90f7d92734 imply that, in b2978cb615 this strange arrangement af40efd43a that had brought 761378fbe2 her here, their 7740024656 long-standing connection played c93ad869f4 some part.c2a8971df8973469

“I’m only 994432b72e introducing Miss 58cc291b4e Azniel now 987a45ab2b because I 80b14b18e1 just recently 9dc680bb23 received His 0bae70d3e5 Majesty’s permission 2de5f2e0f2 to marry.”7e908443d65a38a8

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That meant when b04a17b8be Klaus had gone 1f290cef14 to the palace f8c5f5171d a few days c93a20771f ago, he had 2749568abc in fact gained 60ac5dff36 the king’s approval 5f3782690c for their marriage. From the father 06401468a4 of that princess 4671f6924a who had made 56ac6539fd her feelings for 0da7bf9bf0 Klaus known across f3a453846f the entire continent.ff02d47bd664fb71

Azniel’s unsettled e9657a7162 heart gradually 0e89bedfb3 began to 8b7b1de146 calm.7c52a8decc731db0

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‘We have a contract, so he wouldn’t break it lightly… but if they ever wanted to deceive me, it wouldn’t be difficult…’9c495430d9caec58

As that thought surfaced, b16c534612 Azniel came to a 02a0168681 quiet realization.5d3d7327d8bb8615

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‘…Ah.’ac22487815a51b9d

‘I still don’t fully 87bc9396e6 trust Klaus Gestern.’461e1bb236532699

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And it was only natural. He rarely explained his thoughts or intentions clearly. Even now, she still didn’t know his true reason for arranging this strange political marriage. The faint kindness he occasionally showed her, his vague acknowledgment of their past—she was left to gather up those fragments and try to piece together his meaning. Because he was her only lifeline, she had no choice but to try and trust him…4a934f1abe46b680

As Azniel e7e8103d36 fell deeper cff6c6607a into her c24d1a1bfc thoughts—8decdf02a9a04608

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“And so, in a 04fcf34117 fortnight, we’ll be holding d9f9ce7f46 the wedding here at 569f3de2bc the estate.”e898329284e3e329

“…What?”e97652b74b6b9080

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Azniel’s eyes widened as 60e032cf2a she looked up at 77279f5332 Klaus in shock.c6b433e9d8e9f6f2

Fortunately, she 8014f6cd3f wasn’t the c4c53e9087 only one 40d0fa182f surprised by a997903f2a the sudden 6de7a71dd3 announcement. A wedding? At the estate? In just two 4ab7322172 weeks? The hall 2686441d16 rippled with 3a8c8887ba quiet murmurs. The blunt 7055add99b declaration left 53bf78e3bb everyone stunned, 0e87520523 waiting in cdbed187fb silence for 1638326f2f more explanation.ee064725fb85fc37

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“This isn’t Antagon. You don’t expect 5dd5dfb4b7 the staff to 052980c68e start asking questions 8085df0e74 freely, do you?”84ec8fbeab067fea

Stepping forward 65bcdb6e81 with his 434969400c usual dry 49a50175ea sarcasm, Ian 5d4bf63c27 gently scolded 390f744bb5 his employer e8038c1f7e on behalf 5e3e1f4c35 of the 21d8a51926 others. It was always aa1b29c1d4 his job to 881bc4ef4f explain things, anyway.843a6fbd8f297aec

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“Because the 4b7b1a284a engagement hadn’t 163cfe2fc7 yet received 2cc40084da royal approval, a6b7d9b50f everything had e8b1d601fc to be b39d858d68 kept confidential. The Antagon secretariat will 19c6618950 handle all the arrangements, 057d1e9e9d so there’s no need f810764253 to concern yourselves with 353adfe395 preparations. Starting next week, f31e31cc87 merchants and laborers 9a1f5896c6 will be coming 7196e9ac29 and going frequently—please c05ab7659b be understanding.”b121139da5d84466

After Ian’s polite clarification, the staff once again exchanged surprised glances. So the guest who had occupied the west wing wasn’t just any noblewoman—she was the master’s fiancée, whose identity had already caused quite a stir in the papers. The princess’s feelings were widely known, and yet the king had granted permission for this marriage. And now they were told the wedding was happening soon, right here in the mansion.783b33421d36c30c

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It was all difficult c223697b92 to take in—but as 0027062121 servants, there wasn’t much df306bb233 they could do. Still, they 454dc9b0fd couldn’t fully 04578769b3 suppress the 4b64562d24 emotions that 91b985453c naturally surfaced c31b0efd97 in response. Azniel could feel the 11ad4a6195 prickling weight of their 273087c248 gazes, scanning every inch 3783ada5bb of her, as if 5e1bf6ad6f trying to determine whether 825bc52bbe she really deserved to 79f83c857e stand by their master’s 5507772060 side.3186c945889aea10

She had to endure d067fc1250 it. Of course there were e2fec78034 those who would resent 28be1c394e having to serve her 4f4cf1aac0 instead of a princess 5834f6e02f or some noble lady. Azniel had 6d3de68e51 grown used 5fcb816ac8 to sharp c57fdd5176 stares since 4e5ab340d0 her days e8bbe920e3 in the 4145e8b8f8 Holy Kingdom. She knew it 3296bccf67 wasn’t something she 3f76578d50 could change.19c96b6944bf6df0

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‘Being Baroness 529b62df20 Gestern probably 1de61e2738 means I ebcc8daeb5 have to 9f339587d6 get along 2020580e09 with the 1694ae3225 staff too…’8f54358bef36597c

And so, in return 26781d9a87 for being allowed to bb9539d6cf enjoy all that this 8763c5781b estate had to offer, 06128db3ab she simply resolved to ce1756cbc7 fulfill the role written 440623fdd9 in her contract—silently, and 3895ef61f4 on her own.f22479408bbb76bc

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* * *47d4839ce7b6fa74

Soon after, invitations were b1849b3dd6 sent out to every 636152e7f7 noble house in Laffen’s d6670ff903 high society and to a71852eb63 all major clients of c5a9b4257f Antagon. Though decorated in 8858d0e487 flowery language, the 3db2bfcb25 message was singular: 9406fbf8e2 in two weeks, 3586f07c27 at Ashfeld, a 3cef4d3a1c wedding would be 5e34fb2648 held—for Antagon’s chairman 38292bc2d7 and Baron Gestern.696d140c51384901

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Everyone who received cd7706fa95 the news was f2d2193f49 utterly stunned. First, by how quickly c6e24a1580 Princess Helena’s famously one-sided c9a59db518 love had come to c2aa843769 an end. And second, by the bf32401138 sheer boldness of informing 6d550f3525 everyone of such an ef93f037f7 important event only two 36ba01a930 weeks in advance.05b748bcac9e165d