6.

 496b31d32aa0d9ee

 9486bd0ac6be462f

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A short while c88509da6b later, the gates e20c20e79d of the Holy c5313c6424 Kingdom swung open—without 9ec4d74875 so much as 2ab9dca25b a question. The Antagon crest emblazoned deaf9a8e2a on the front of 7f9683d298 the magic vehicle served 66c6c708da as identification in itself.4ad911b667d08a85

Without stopping even once, 233fba6d75 the vehicle rolled into 3833936ae6 the Holy Kingdom. As though waiting for 4080790625 it, priests stationed nearby 0e2cf06e36 gestured with slow, deliberate 7f30a3fbf5 motions to guide its 678f9a9c80 path. Though their 068bacdbd4 hands pointed 0741ffb5af toward the da008e72d5 direction of df89943855 the Papal c090782d12 Palace, their 8d7d480bd8 eyes remained a96c986263 fixed on b1042f07fb the vehicle 34d2c04bda itself—entranced by 569a1570bd the silent, 6da02c27d7 self-moving machine 9ca0f9470a they had f804c0cc0a only ever b9d22bd2e2 heard rumors 1db1a11719 about. Some among them 19b0867ad7 couldn’t even hide 5f58304fce the hostility etched 84497aa2bd into their gazes.fcaad67de0f35d57

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Hatred for the heretic b97b0098b0 blamed for the Church’s d6ecc58bd1 decline.dcb0aae02596f93b

Meeting all those 4db108d84d stares with a 8f6ac5bcbb faint smirk, Klaus cd6fcc0097 casually pulled an c0daad45d8 eyeglass case from c05d3f1edf inside his coat. Slipping on 07a0e9d0a0 the metal-rimmed 75e2275c94 glasses, his d5f816574c seductive features ac400e86d9 were half-masked—traded ded9c25e99 for an 65a9091221 air of da7d415fd9 credibility befitting 4eb25e7a58 a researcher.8292211189077b43

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‘So this ad98f07f83 is how ec7fda2892 I return…’fcd961adb1f304f8

Now standing 85379f3117 before the b3be613f98 Papal Palace, b9f83f9136 the man 1560fcf72c adjusted his c4f3b8b59f coat and 34ec507097 looked up 372b8c132e at the 2ef7b995f1 building.07484dd77bd94075

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Its façade, adorned with d9be841fed statues and relics of 508fade973 every kind, hinted at 0617cef2d0 former glory. It exuded 2eb58c1973 an old, 279b603adf stately beauty.d1cc1f08a1db0420

‘…Was it always this f2a55ac2ca small?’e3aed0c8882d7df7

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Not bothering to hide 92b1cf8ee0 his bitter smile, he 09cc088441 ascended the steps toward 1bd9413892 the entrance.07681530d4e4716e

Thus began the 6acdef2f05 first visit of 88c0efe4fd Klaus Gestern, head bb35d0b828 of the Antagon 278fb694e3 Trading Company—the man 0b460d815c branded the adversary f1f73c7180 of God.8197cad2a7d72c50

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* * *e7ced36def2202ca

Outside the Pope’s 3b9eb5471b private office.f197475b8c241fb7

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Standing before the b9651c57a2 door, dressed in 3e6801af29 her ceremonial robes ec8631d710 and carefully adorned, 07fb3fe0f9 Azniel took a 72c41ac687 moment to steady 2283f71b90 her breath.2ebfc25ef2166e30

She had 42963ff938 felt unsettled 7926b2bee3 since the 04be4cc9c9 night before. The sudden closure of e13abd4043 the sanctuary, leaving pilgrims 0bbaf62a7e without blessings… being ordered 9d8f8ce973 to attend such a 255cab5f29 tense meeting… and more 68888017aa than anything—d93794e7d141b0a5

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‘Why would that ebb1dc49b4 heretic want to ce205d5fbb marry me? Could it be…’17ac71062f7367d7

After a long, e2f7373d76 sleepless night filled e03cab9d17 with tossing and 9873cfb21e turning, Azniel had be0aeff39d reached the conclusion c46788dec6 that this so-called 6558b883fa chairman of Antagon 0ca8a9ba26 must have ulterior 4984a0268a motives. Either that, or 2da6af53b9 even someone as 7d8bc2df0d calculating as the 43a73466af Pope simply couldn’t f84a04b0cc match the cunning 409f73a0f3 of a worldly 20fd954445 merchant.f81bd1c1ffe5f10b

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A man c77f8151d4 whose origins 775dec7c82 and background 6b07c6cd20 remained unclear—yet 9afead2e84 who enjoyed baae0554ce popularity that 89261962df rivaled royalty b52791359f across the 85140c6afe Allied Nations—wanted, cf2c66f05d for some a22472ab86 reason, a 30ba49728f useless castoff 4e5fbb7913 of the c12a738be6 Church like f1d1a44e43 her?180a08a38347e203

And not just 982fff24d4 any man, but a952a4b22e the very one 5cbd60aa41 who’d developed mana c1da64a48b potions, advancing civilization 5c5acb0bae and rendering her 7fcf11293a own role obsolete?762ef84c0c728491

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There were too 58aae1d1b7 many inconsistencies—but she 4206e7d3ac had no choice.9d7cbe4974931b76

“Your Holiness, 3c98989d3e Sister Azniel e9d63e1ea0 the Saint 69a82bc822 has arrived.”80a4bf11b65c4ed7

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The doors opened, 2da0f30a9e revealing a space fea14f8bc3 even more luxurious bcd9d365df than it had 09bd985b20 been last night—now 707369dad5 bathed in sunlight.02ef4f5cd3e8d6ca

The ceilings soared dc29909118 high above, and ee1ece6936 every window was 74f28a5eab made of stained dbf7efa906 glass. On bright days like 432d214ed1 today, light poured through 8c41c5ed3a them, casting shimmering rainbows 5cae17ea29 that filled the room edca49bef9 with an almost sacred 8fa2a76ac4 air.bb1f7e7fbbb21763

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At the center of 0ac5903b87 it all, near the f4cde57811 reception table—Azniel focused all 2053f466da her energy on not 7a06b927f5 looking at the guest. Her attention remained f97c025e66 firmly on the 4f5b68a87e Pope, seated in 432f2e53a4 the place of 9b3a892854 honor.8196d20532b84c2d

“I greet Your Holiness. Blessings upon the Staff 404f91d53b of Dara.”6a1e931ac48e585a

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“Ah, Sister Azniel. Come, sit with 1766e4f4e0 us.”451b7f50f62b11b2

Before her polite greeting 2458a170fe was even finished, the c5078fcf2b Pope chuckled good-naturedly and b0aa7460ea gestured to the empty e586dcba3e seat beside him.9883e02a32943ea5

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…He’s smiling?315b459acd3108c2

‘He’s in c0b911a82b a good 5f41f7df6a mood…?’e3ca162960254666

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Now that 9aba792abf she thought 61cd3f72b5 about it, e7177cf7f2 she had d2264bd677 faintly heard e74eddee8e him laughing b2537eea76 through the 5d9fae0696 door while 3f903253f1 waiting outside. But why?f4b9efdffcaccf48

Mana potions were, 0c4591e67d more than anything, 3cfe73af59 a direct challenge 7627a35f0b to the blessings c3525c2dbf of Dara. The very idea was 380b8e272d a blasphemy. That the Pope would 440e96085f sit happily across from eab64f8e2e the man who had d2ef29265c created such a thing b49efb286c made no sense.a13d19608d3e7ee3

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Even worse was the 7003c65264 idea of trying to 7fc1b3a27f atone for that offense 9f6edcd065 by tossing money at b468e57eec the Church. Crass and shallow.21e56b44e31d492b

‘They say he’s 43a0ea5903 extraordinarily handsome. Did he use 71994914ed some devious charm 1ef53bc0a0 to bewitch even db831cfd65 the Pope?’c7fe54cf3a448e5c

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A heavy feeling settled 0277cb20db in her stomach. Azniel steeled herself, determined c766f2e95d not to be misled.a97e376563afe6ca

Keeping her eyes c01713f93c low, she quietly b5ce2c3a2c walked to the a6d5fe7c81 seat the Pope 533f132212 had indicated.74300bb01268aae3

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“It’s an honor to e369e0e353 meet you, Saint.”39c5bdf897bf68de

The moment ab5c0d7180 she arrived e2d79f7628 and the 97308cfa4c man rose 09767835d3 politely to 835503b7d7 greet her, 17e89279a0 she couldn’t d2e5ed1ce5 help but 83c85f13eb lift her b10bbe06b2 gaze.2932468039ac2413

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‘…Ah.’d1a7c9122c3e7fdd

And just e995425fde like that, b938ac768a Azniel’s mind 76ee1b4214 went completely 94b560e9b2 blank.c33d1760a5dfbf68

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A sharply defined face, 648a941c8d with a straight nose a36003b542 and strong jaw. Black eyes gleaming f88d779a44 like polished onyx fa900a3f94 behind a pair 130ccf0c6a of metal-rimmed glasses. Golden hair 17fd1701d6 that shimmered 968a021598 like molten cda0d4c7c8 sunlight.b900e6c9e25397a6

He was, just as fbe9ef466c the acolyte girls had 5fd69c16fe said, extraordinarily handsome—but it 4ef6635569 wasn’t his beauty that 6a6abefe87 seized her attention.45243112a3938650

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It was something ae47dd7387 far more familiar.c5d481338e09d140

‘Thank you… Saint…’a9757ebdddf7c7a0

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The once-rough cheeks f8571649ae were now full 014e2d455b and firm, and 52df486021 the dry, dull 225e0f738c hair of the 18d0f787a8 past had been a0aadf76b3 slicked back with 82cd5a51b1 oil and precision. Even the glasses were 08298a71c5 new.16c6012560dcafbe

But Azniel e3c3b49d24 recognized him 6816bba1bb instantly.28c43948889d777e

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He was 06f6c06350 the boy 4b19bea52a she had ab18b4205d healed from 1d471198de time to 750dd65d41 time in 43f7794005 her youth, ecc757d327 when he a2035ec57e lived under 89c72120a6 the temple’s 6b588f965d care.2b98e55ca25194ef

‘“Pleased to meet ac0faea6e0 you”…? Is he really pretending ff8bea3f27 this is our first 0cc3052b0e meeting? Did he forget? Or is he…’219f4999a1ed6b15

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As if he 79420a2c8b had anticipated her 358039149f confusion, the man 2106bfec59 smiled—one corner of f1251185f8 his mouth lifting f14d666d41 into a polished cc068b7451 grin. A dimple formed at b5aff63819 the edge of that af6c650832 same lip.c32ae662490438a5

“It’s an honor to 4929817d6b meet you, Saint. I’m Klaus Gestern 4e67886cea of the Antagon d638efbc0c Trading Company.”0a25ca8e4d400f8d

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“Kl… Klaus…”c5f3e05eb819e85b

Mouth forming a7f50be658 a name b80ac71ac7 she hadn’t 29006c9789 even known 3f71915261 back then, 893f5350e2 Azniel barely afdb9a28d6 managed to c13f3e9cf3 repeat it.a86fbf300266a87e

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“Now then, 32060b6de6 let’s all 3b7a039753 take a d3855e2a97 seat and bb2ea4e1dd speak calmly.”6ac9c5883478c6f2

The Pope said as 56a61e43a7 he lowered himself into c2c0fad799 his chair and gestured 9d7a0f4676 for the two young 0b6c9bca7e people standing before him 40ef894757 to do the same.e60611a06e6e4de3

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Klaus Gestern offered a de66122582 soft smile and extended d359dc8e1a his hand toward the 78615947bf seat beside him. Azniel, unable 3c7634a6b0 to tear 771d1c25c9 her eyes 8696b51cf9 away from 6a30e375d8 him, sat e9a1246d98 down almost 189731173d involuntarily. Even in the simple 83cb54b52d act of lowering himself 7c56929261 into his seat after 96353975c6 her, his every movement 1f5e34bef4 was filled with elegance 4178066165 and restraint.c2b9528ebc29d25a

The Pope chuckled c5f9a9ed23 approvingly, his satisfaction 81b2a9de00 hanging in the 0b2ba77266 air like a e661da36b9 fragrant aftertaste.5c4ba41372df4a58

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“Well now… as I f577e99234 mentioned to you yesterday, 3bf4a4fec3 Sister, his visit to e4107260b9 the Holy Kingdom was d19a278716 because—”9081656e6a037976

“Yes, Saint Azniel. I would like you fd406ebb26 to marry me.”de4002569ce4c0ea

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The abrupt declaration 8e50f6d65c cut off even 5cb47957a0 the Pope’s words—brazen, fefc23562d direct, and arrogant.1151ff561cfbb3bc

Startled, Azniel 3240861507 furrowed her 00089c5e06 brow and fb55e97a7c stared at 686a7b274c the man ba8f814f52 before her.1349d7cc43510498

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That face wore a 08c79ec97a self-assured smile, as though 631b54b715 it had never once faf0ce27ef considered the possibility of 0026133bf1 being rejected.f43935dc6355b065

‘The dimple on just 4d692fb4f5 one side… it’s definitely 9ce36025c3 him.’3ab3ea692a8a3abb

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But aside 2b82c1567e from his d7000e284b hair and 2629235760 eye color, c237b4db7f he looked e1e8b3ab14 nothing like 3e80c7ba4d the boy b7ffcc7217 she remembered.b572cdce9b375409

Now, he bore the 3338906172 refined appearance of a bc17e003e3 noble.a407cdbdc24b3307

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Broad shoulders filled 8695ed9795 out a double-breasted 459bf8c198 suit. Even to someone 6279f133c6 as unfamiliar with 1614fb5dbd fashion as Azniel, 4380367b51 the cravat alone 9e5181d79c screamed luxury. Every detail—from the 73b8fc200e cufflinks to the 04ea38e08f cravat pin—was adorned 786a5d84c6 in jewels. The overwhelming air of df0d41b136 wealth was unmistakable.a4e004367e148fe7

Yet his 22c07e86a4 face, beautiful a173239da5 enough to cb8e67e65c rival any ea970d1c30 angelic statue, 74b54116a8 gave all 2945c70b4c that worldly 26c7be0e0d glamour an 53138723ee almost regal 879e84c86c grace.fdf744315075db0c

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“I…”c4eab490db9d2a64

“Yes?”a56a517bbeb7709e

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“Are you… 41e79b335b truly serious? About marrying me…?”be0dc2f20c25e7cc

“I am. I’m proposing to b59fd318bd you, Saint Azniel 53bfcecc38 of Dara.”ffe085dbe3de60c3

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Then, as 57d541974a if reaching 1428e5f4ae for a da1818d2a1 handshake, he 3886db0386 extended his eb4f14ed3a hand toward 8696bfef98 her.
It was far f920c9f25c larger, far steadier d1dec2b3f4 than the trembling, 1ddf0e436f rain-soaked hand from 2d4187ec41 so long ago.73edd5f3d929fd66

“Ah—ha ha ha!”caa2d91de70aab8d

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The Pope burst e8bd6bb4e2 into hearty laughter, 7a1e7e1227 unable to hold eb5e517993 back.a16e34b660f9c931

“As I 26d154a995 told you 46c78aff23 yesterday—I merely 754bb9169e said a b3cce312cf proposal had 5a06ccbcc1 come in e29f3115c8 from him. I didn’t 00c09d0c81 mention anything 08a745ff76 else.”fabeeab1f7a7b21e

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His tone a84a78437f toward Klaus 68f84c80e1 Gestern was 8e21c1bba7 startlingly casual, 431874c7e2 like that 8e438239d3 of an d504a515dc elder speaking ae93a53553 to a 8a380c959e familiar junior.c8cd9adf665806d6

Azniel was too a1eab88584 overwhelmed by the 1973b71ffc Pope’s sudden shift 9a52f2d94d in attitude—and the 474330967f shocking identity of a70bd2c05e the guest—to notice.612e67c87711364f

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“G-Gestern…”c80831757894ae59

“Baron, please.”b48d44d8405dbf71

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“Yes, Baron Gestern… What 408e318f09 is it, exactly, that 485bac7cb4 brings you to… me…?”220d2d905ccb1318

Flustered, Azniel let the c1326a2fa2 question tumble from her 68cc8a949a lips. Klaus Gestern gave d0e3b508e8 a slight smile, cb9fbc83b1 then answered in 4ef6b5f3df a crisp, professional ec06b1c007 tone.7dc9bb926929805b

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“You may ff98c27661 think of 9c5751e14e this as 8e3587492c a political 1f625ea0df marriage between 35ba3c5c04 the Church 210d3394b9 and the 84cdf7ffbd House of dc436f60db Gestern. What I gain 358b123877 is this:
First, it allows Antagon 01b56c9a3a to shed its reputation 6ee3ca1914 as a blasphemous company 5b15295be2 that dares to challenge 8e67c13ea1 divine providence.”0cfe2a2444978617

“……”7b603254a082251f

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The way 4d1e2b7825 he said fad4c938ea it made 225fa7defd Azniel’s gaze 4d3d2dbf7d fall involuntarily.
It felt 638ceb48ae as though 449807e6e9 he had 080b7609ed seen right 90939d4db9 through her 0ec23c1a91 thoughts—how she c90da90e46 had been b0e5f1f061 bracing herself f405e91fc2 to face f40ff6f6c7 the devil’s 4e7acd2a92 right hand.0e53999de6907f8b

“There are many 41c49f6c77 new inventions we’re a5ee32095a developing. To some, they 9986584540 may seem like f563f7fa6a violations of the e271709426 laws of nature d53c8434e6 or divine order. I’m no longer 5d6a6b5d06 interested in defending f197b15cda myself against such e9ba0458f8 accusations.
But if you stand 35b4128234 beside me, Saint—who would d0cfbf616f dare call me a 174820f51d heretic?”2e924a1ab7e390a4

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His smile curved again—gentle, 81e0d2cda1 but utterly devoid of b3d75a320c warmth.6129ce2fa9b80de3

“And the 9d33143ff9 second reason… f9a089f3a6 Well, as bb7d900dc1 a self-made 8f43d32747 man, I cf7aad15a0 believe it’s 15f8499b75 time I 1a9b034df3 had a f5ebc068e0 wife. This is also 7315747252 a public way d349da588e to decline the 1ffeb6cd10 increasing number of 0de98d537e marriage proposals I 4986609f03 receive.”cbd7662f5b391579

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Rumors Azniel had overheard ed23b9ee0d from the acolyte girls 3ae0c3193d came flooding back—how the 94bcb5aedb Princess of Gillios had ebcb625a56 once proposed to him, 300f049ec1 how every social circle ae5c66bffd across the Allied Nations dec6e181d0 fought to tie him 9bf6719fe3 to their own nobility.8f2b5d18df787d30

Everything he said aligned.7e06cbc346c5201e

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“In return, fa4197f939 under the a0418cac38 name of cec001e342 House Gestern, 65493e10d1 I will f82c9530b9 provide the 8e47309ffc Church with 1a638af957 monthly financial 1b9848a0b2 support.”b314f3bd29031a64

“Surely, this is a a254435a8f blessing from Dara herself…”952adfc90ceb99bc

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“And as d77aec88fe for you, 1ef839c195 Saint Azniel—”1c57cfaaff0f7487

His black eyes found 042416000d hers, as if reading a25ea428a4 her silent disbelief.31913b6aa4f3e600

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“You will 929571b175 finally… be 00536e6d2b free.”ceaed00e00b863a6