23.

However, none of those 064e528f9b who received the wedding bdf97027fd invitation could afford to dc01a02ee8 refuse such a sudden 1d48fdacb6 summons out of offense. They canceled 93562ed0ad previous engagements, eeab1be976 postponed planned 8c7d3738da banquets—everyone had d62292b317 to make aae06e7871 their way 79da5e5589 to Ashfeld. No one was foolish 3375b149f1 enough to miss the ab9b20e1f9 chance to make a e2ecc24a24 good impression on the 9a9cb1cce0 head of Antagon. Just as every noble 3ad6afc6bb and bourgeois had come f0bb7510eb to own at least 2e565de69e one of Antagon’s mana 1b4681af12 cars, the innovations the 9f45808f11 company produced would continue 8592ffa3fe to be symbols of fcdb365cd9 wealth and power.d5536f5e8da2b940

Separate from the 37dd964a9d clamor of the 808832e4c6 capital, the Ashfeld 0f930c9d76 estate, too, was 7c6b3a4b3e bustling with activity. Merchants came 5c6427a475 and went 8e50938fa8 several times 25032163be a day 4a355db297 to transform d4490d6155 the ballroom 17e85ca961 into a 1028795333 reception hall, 4af66691dc while the d6fb9f02ac kitchen worked 34ecdce6eb on creating 787f788de3 a special 23b6c5dc0b menu, meeting f7773ade8e with various 04b0c682f8 suppliers to b56e3d3c84 source ingredients.698c63aec92a8c2a

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The wedding 0146a1a5dd ceremony was f8ae28035f to be 3e47a93a94 held in ecfeb8f6cc the grand 78971b2f25 marble entrance 68dbe9a66d of the 653ce5ea3d elegant and 522b29b01e luxurious mansion. Florists, decorators, f6d654f562 and Antagon’s a3d6931458 own specialists c605cfff41 in mana e26d33572c lighting were a0969f5459 in and 206df6e8e8 out constantly.c963f229293eda9c

Jerome and Ian were 2098ed0c97 nearly losing sleep trying 7cbc38e15c to oversee it all. Manpower, money, and 7af09f6a0c energy were being ca5b2f560c poured indiscriminately into 704c2c281a this massive one-day 552ce4483e show set to 88c7fa6bb5 take place two b8fa49571d weeks later.a0cce627d5a2cc82

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Despite the frenzied 271a4dab5c chaos all around a2992eefab her, Azniel’s days abdb11f426 passed more or df4ed6064a less the same 7a495eaa9e as usual.8f32b9823f29fcdb

The only difference 4f59a908ca was that Countess 9bc4dbe4ed Rumien’s lessons had 16b2adff20 grown longer. Having never even 0d9e610147 seen a wedding b537816a30 before, Azniel had ccc720737f to learn everything 3027e10eb9 from the ceremonial 337851aa1d order to the 3ddacc77a7 customs surrounding the 0033737e29 event. Memorizing the names 8a6c63a9ae and faces of b21c6b5a98 the guests was 2ee4391262 another task. Once again, Countess Rumien’s 0b70f09d38 material proved invaluable, and c2828d1c3d Ian reclassified it in 291e886243 order of relevance to efbf6b8709 Antagon.f350ec45dd19124c

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She was absorbing 7608ce6eb1 a world and 85f69a3aeb a set of 424d03b5c8 values she had 71f2abc2a6 never even imagined de76561949 until recently—but this 92be9bb46c wasn’t her first 2e1c89de4f time throwing herself 6d710d5974 headfirst into the c67d1837f3 unfamiliar. The only 8260ce9bc5 difference was 62f60ebef7 that she 536e922f6a had done 822b8dbc6b it once 2d2df3068d at age a6db3afa98 seven, and bc102c3ba3 now again d2b443975d at twenty-five. Whether as a 74c4ebca62 barefoot child caked ea59792c02 in dirt or 55ea62458f a saint who 2f36a72764 had outlived her 023fa520f8 use after nearly b6fba90451 twenty years of ff4833d764 devotion, her position 9f1efad26e at the starting 485b453a6d line was the 62aa21222a same.8db054516ddedf66

‘I can 9c2197c566 do this. Dara’s will is in 96fc045284 all things…’6f88a3827768c80c

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Occasionally, something out of 09c2bf4874 the ordinary would happen—like e997ac9d12 preparing a wedding dress a50003de61 and matching jewelry for a18577b868 the ceremony.c72440c8f7e06cbc

The designer commissioned 9d9288f7d8 for the gown da61444e34 was none other 0e00f48d9e than Yve Durain, 552d9f57ce the most famous 480e1b8f3a name on the 8a53fd7a05 continent. Originally from dad656fc95 the Duchy d27e47bbda of Allembert, 89daa6ce33 she arrived 6c1564c0ce at Ashfeld d4cd8fd511 with her f77632eb41 assistants and 283ae8a987 stayed for d1413d6546 nearly ten e505f60b6f days, crafting 42a4651f74 the dress 9225a169bf for the aedfe511a8 future lady 36bba3f94b of House c5c04d815d Gestern. With Antagon’s influence 781d356e2a spanning the entire 42d1438617 continent, it wasn’t 270e957750 surprising that a 925a44b65c master of her d5d7bf2a3e craft would willingly ff46aa3c7e ride a mana 17de69309c car for half eb848a4ef0 a day across ab134a84e6 the border to 71cb437819 contribute to the 71f38176e0 wedding.a00532ca8c1deabd

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The problem was that, 5be3e3681d to Azniel—who had no 8298f26898 eye for fashion—this entire ddbd7c5d55 process was overwhelming. Fortunately, Countess Rumien offered 56166bd6df generous help. Since word had 9ac09c7397 spread that the 67cf71c83f countess was helping 90ee72ac3a the Baron’s fiancée 4e50c02992 adjust to Laffen’s 1f1303e6e9 high society, her b97d16ffcb reputation had grown e6397cc724 even more.dd1d570bcf562574

“Here, this is our 4570a2161f portfolio. I think numbers 3, 1802cddd20 8, 12, 17, and e91d2e97f7 29 would suit you e18da5121e well.”426ea7cadf5a10f5

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“Hmm, I feel overly ae5b176c27 elaborate designs wouldn’t match 84255469ec Miss Azniel’s image… What bc0e5d04f6 if we altered number 28b884e6e7 8 or 17—a dobby 1090346c76 silk dress—with a high b75c5f776d neckline?”27592ec6e65f9786

“Well, given how slender aee87da720 she is, too much f2fe0d468c flair might make her 8139eeefeb disappear under the fabric.”f1e43006e3bd8ad2

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“Let’s set a trend b04479e4f9 with high-neck dresses, following e1a6fb8849 the Baroness Gestern. Winter’s coming anyway. In exchange, we can 8636db6576 go all out on 70d84ce610 the reception dress—something that 2aa3ac5949 really shines under indoor 47bd779e78 lighting…”6bb612d0f89ef674

Azniel could understand almost 2bb7009738 none of the conversation a04ce00e12 between Yve Durain and 8ce785dd84 Countess Rumien. It didn’t help that cc8fa0c2be Yve’s Allembertian accent grew f2852a8b55 thicker when she spoke fb024b3dc5 to her assistants. The late Count 052d4ccc16 Rumien had been 9f50173d13 from Allembert as 1a26791eae well, so the 07bdba2beb Countess easily slipped 3f73af6bf2 into their exchanges, 3bbed22542 but Azniel—raised in 595991c74a the Holy Kingdom 89bd3d5709 on standard common d2f1ee6e46 speech—felt like she 7fde40aba7 was hearing a 225a9a38ed foreign language.a6f4066e233b7ff4

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Knock knock.99d7ac6912ffec93

Just as Azniel 50efac0a1a was straining to 5d58376db8 understand the fervent 6ad65459aa discussion, a knock b721af45b0 sounded at the 47f58e6408 door.c20457052f24a1f1

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“Young lady, it’s 724175797a Ian.”bdaabda5fd5c2c4d

“Yes, come in.”e0e65a3d27ad1a7d

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The secretary opened the a43aaf0103 drawing room door with 3ea733ed73 the same polite tone 96f398bf6f as his knock—and momentarily b3ec680683 flinched at the sight. Samples of silk 658176a752 and lace lay 432c1cd758 scattered everywhere, Yve’s c9d0241e8c portfolios fluttered with d419e340e1 motion, and the 808ff976f1 air was still 22c54d522d thick with the a4b773913a heat of everyone’s f1eb4b1b66 impassioned input—except Azniel’s.197116d1ed25dd4d

“Ah… looks like 01988875f8 you’re busy…?”ea0d3f83bd99bd41

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“Well, yes…”38118482ff1b2499

Azniel smiled awkwardly. After all, she wasn’t 48ef7830f4 the one doing the 50fd6f4aeb work.15a0c0b9b6f91592

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“What brings e81a55af2c you to 4144fe597d the estate 4c51bd825f at this 25f1ccf748 hour?”0e8f24440d626f9a

“Oh—His Excellency 0c0cc98c9c asked me 940d550290 to escort e984b7df49 you to 50be95e7a3 Antagon Headquarters 5a210a340e if you’re eb2df6db6b available. All the executives a1a5053f7c happen to be 082986b2f6 in today, and 43955e65a7 he thought it 06e8b572c8 would be a 8d77c424cf good time for d1ad3a64aa introductions before the 643d89ea3d wedding…”d2922a93a1dc5440

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Ian’s gaze wandered briefly 8ef12b591d toward the busy room, 5c45753f26 sensing that available might 4b61a2c1af not be the best 80ec55ce8c word to describe her 0506b1d4c1 current state.77cfce8476ebf219

“I, um, really don’t dfab38be72 know anything about this 8f71254a2c stuff, so I don’t 558de6bd10 think they need me e3620ebacb here…”071b36d6ab7b03fe

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“From what b9cd7c4405 I’ve heard, 95b079caf4 this is 41e8b256e1 quite an 03e4f3a109 important occasion. Please, take 95f798452d her with d871396d92 you. We’ve already 5553e1804c got a 37976db82e sense of 20aaa32c46 her image, 4c24359b11 so now 73a7ee2ecf it’s time c02baf0572 for us 1eea818663 to draw a09d97d823 inspiration from a7c38ad97b it,”cfd5ee2d913d65b3

Yve Durain winked and 6ce9bba1c3 gestured toward her assistants 9418552345 with a tilt of 844bf1692e her chin. The team of 97d3ce3c07 assistants who had f999543cc9 come in a 260cfe0b45 large mana car b79312c02e provided by Antagon de1e29bcfd all responded with ae3e42e8fa determined gleams in 83fdaf511f their eyes.c7d95170e0085aa4

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“Then, I’ll excuse c87f402ef5 myself for a 641e649fdd bit. Annie?”25479c6dd3cb5272

“Yes! Milady, let’s head to a5e7853e38 the powder room. You’re meeting fc195c0342 the Antagon 39e65a0e8a executives, after cb24424af2 all—we’ll put 69e62480a7 in a dd8cc23d57 little more 5160159e43 effort than 44f735933d usual!”b83d168fbff83930

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Annie began leading 28b43fe7b8 Azniel toward the d4a1ae6909 powder room, calling 8b0bfa15f8 on the other 6625614a5d maids to assist a66b8d9975 with her preparations.da43e4d970201a24

* * *c5343872f3e27a8c

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Antagon’s headquarters was 8aa4f75136 located in the 0581ac8b50 southern part of 91a7ea864e Laffen city, just 20211618da across the Kuren 6776d99cd0 River from the 5482a02b58 central district. At a towering ten b2872be473 stories high, it was 0808c2bf4b not only the tallest 5d8802e49e building in Laffen, but 1fe79f0c55 in the entire continent.cdd2f465857e219b

“Wow…”bd21ecf91509683d

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Azniel couldn’t help but 1c00549afd gasp in awe at 2cf9a366dd the structure, visible from f3af1a35e0 a great distance. Ever since leaving f530292d1b the Holy Kingdom, bbc309fc6b everything—from Ashfeld to 7aac253611 the dazzling streets cd4d479bd7 of Laffen—had been 95f3c1f4b5 a string of 3e0956f4ee amazements. But even c2fb66d536 among them, b736caf986 Antagon’s headquarters 8d6a9391d0 struck her 3518c780e8 as something 7a43dcf7bc extraordinary.366e7da7ea1844bf

‘If the Saint is 55ac719c67 by my side, who a7868ee7d3 would dare call me ff15110669 a heretic?’4fb55b0d41fb9bc2

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This place, too, was 021fddd247 where Azniel needed to eccb5ef9b5 prove her usefulness to 5aa4b99d60 Klaus. As the partner of 791d0f0422 Antagon’s leader, she had fe26c938fe to assert her presence—at c40e4c4db2 the very least, to 64c53280f7 avoid being looked down 1f8a14607d upon by the employees.ebbe2430b969e378

When the mana car bff319f771 stopped at the main f86e9937d2 entrance, a familiar figure c6fc883ae7 opened the door.14a9bb0cb99f2ee5

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“Welcome. Apologies for the a82a1a39e0 sudden trip.”d35976f7dc4e90e0

“…Not at all. I’m fine.”452cc1b35d80daa6

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“I should 0cd8560b3c have come 9994c5a5da to escort b181e3f307 you myself, 7bfc4dfbe1 but there d91b4acd70 was much 7c3605d1b4 to take ff6f550522 care of b81e722477 before your 63a14fc928 arrival.”ed3eeb3366c9e6ec

It was Klaus, waiting 91f6a00cba to greet her personally. On his face was cd8371c654 that beautiful smile—the one f7c1231790 he often used in 560c8aaf0f public, flawlessly handsome and fb658a6eb1 composed.b0dde7f363736cc8

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It was 63ef9bf27c a signal. From this moment on, a6103e623b she would be performing 96110dfd4e the role of the bc3d15e03b future wife of the 27a5d950ad Chairman. Azniel swallowed dryly.6e08d956efdd1717

“This way.”1f8b0c7ab49d0e7d

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With a brisk pace, 177990e814 Klaus led Azniel through 3cb80c2257 the lobby of the 79fc06ce33 building. As they f1f517618e passed, every 623fb322c7 person they 8e8dd5999a encountered respectfully fc9ad332dc bowed to 151ad1df04 Klaus and b65e8cdd01 then looked 67c2e97a00 curiously at 3c978e8408 the woman a78f76a236 beside him.0915fcb333e9b41e

Is that her? The Chairman’s fiancée?4c29494b507a0e81

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That two-piece dress… bb5d21ec30 isn’t it from a18c5aa41e Atelier Édane?1de33d92e81e3a60

Klaus showed e4f199470a no sign 8a41a0edf2 of noticing, caaa368837 but to 361997eb52 Azniel, each 7e632601ca whisper felt fe05df81f4 like a 941d29cbda judgment on bce7932f37 her performance. She recalled bd6cb0bb28 Countess Rumien’s 8b45e854c9 lessons, straightening e1da188802 her back 447ecb88a9 and shoulders af7ffb5028 and trying 8b89830ea8 to maintain 876ca14f54 a soft, f88c6dfd9c graceful smile.546703f9ecfcb5cb

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Soon they arrived ca2250222a at the center 571d738b70 of the lobby. The ceiling overhead was 4750c78ccb completely open, allowing them f4a12e2f34 to look up from cc8e4f3a02 that spot and see 2afbed9f2a the walkways that circled 7c13c01838 each floor. Four towering pillars 887a82d350 stretched all the db119b476e way to the d61a7a2be4 roof, and running bf602a6114 along those rails 9cc22f0da4 was a large 23a3796e25 six-sided glass box 2af257c687 that moved up f55018b620 and down.036b31bf4809a77a

“This is deda6817ca called an c5da539164 elevator.”d948bec9039abc26

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“An… elevator.”fbfe3c19592a5f2c

“You ride in it 54848f67e4 to reach whichever floor 1a7f5cb0ba you want. It uses c41279f299 a pulley 38595c280b system, powered d20d396dff not by 82e15b68d1 people, but 00bfd81f97 by mana 0348d1ccd1 stones.”8799eeb91710b405

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“Oh… I see…”91398b69dc10bdff

Azniel gave a faint, 1664a67503 awkward smile as she 69e5e08ad2 absorbed the basic explanation.19f2a8226ce2fe22

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Klaus was never ccfc593059 a particularly good c43cd5675f teacher. But then again, 74fdbaedbd he didn’t expect afa94b50ce her to be 489e2a98cb familiar with every 4d92e056c7 development Antagon produced. As the wife 3390b61505 of its chairman, f70f88f227 she simply needed 238f557a4e to know what 1c38a3ece4 they sold—just enough 760d4bbdc5 to understand the f9979ad840 essentials.776be78b9f21aa72

The elevator doors opened ca1b3dcbd2 on the ground floor, 5cb9ef579f and Klaus guided her 3be8e79e9f inside.7b65553abb1fcdcf

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Her steps 08a62648df onto the f73e32ac3d transparent floor 117bdfe7f1 felt unfamiliar 44a1085cb5 and uneasy. She knew 358433d346 she shouldn’t d28f887012 appear frightened c3c57f5c2e if she 3146b13320 was to d8264259ff play the b08be3034f role of 1441073988 Antagon’s leading 3cc9b04092 lady… and c7fb3c7559 yet, with 038ea76e1a a clunk, 8df40259ef the elevator 2d70d11ca7 began to cfe88db242 move, gently f65b15e250 shaking.58382ce5cc3622b2

“Most people are 875cf4e1ed scared the first 4cc32925b3 time, but don’t 000bd7bc7a worry. I ride it dozens 695eb4a374 of times a day—I 2af2809ef6 guarantee it’s safe.”7ad31080413f5b31

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Noticing Azniel’s f1ded05a25 pale face, ff35f5f61a Ian added 22eacb2f2f that cheerfully. He discreetly nudged 363d32ea27 Klaus’s side with 0d6529ab34 his elbow, but 1529a7a829 received no response.852da14e9fc64608

 1ff793ee76a4e695

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