IYVP CHAPTER 8

8.  f788ee0e1025a5d86c15

No, no—that da3db04456 wasn’t right.8d65288611903ae05cc2

Even a moment’s rest would cause Azniel 7038b1a14a to start replaying the absurd things that 86c6a77243 had happened to her, over and over.1e46d3f266297967439b

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As if trying to shake off those 1ad6edc1d2 thoughts, she forcefully shook her head and deddaaadd3 turned to greet the next pilgrim.7ddfdd037b95d8b65271

* * *638353f51f72c4466119

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From that day on, Azniel continued the healing rites 1d40f50173 in the Sanctuary every single day without rest. She didn’t exchange greetings 3b89d98e3a or even small talk—it 34c8dc77c7 was more like she 2817145300 was wringing herself dry. She forced her body 96323543ef to exhaustion to forget 2a710c58f0 the chaos in her 1ad5d3b909 heart.36114f6394c7a62d3fea

For some reason, there had been no word from the Papal Palace either, so Azniel f89e6fc4c8 endured each day with the feeling of waiting for an execution with no set date.1c4606b4831747805dc9

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“Saint, you look 84888539be so very tired.”0a3be6e44f0850d1d6e1

“You’ve been pushing 8019231e76 yourself for days. Please, rest d55bd7af62 early today…”b8101d5308f00529d3af

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“I’m fine.”e8fdfda9d47597aa403e

This might 7ccc200829 be the 8dc9fc75dd last day 9b65bfc0f2 anyway.f4e26ee128fce001d24e

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Azniel swallowed the e1ccb62440 bitter reply. If nothing had been 9db583321e said by now, maybe 66dde58b70 the whole thing had 66bfcb7665 fallen through. She tried to comfort c9e23a28d0 herself with such self-deception.28bcd7c6746ebd7e5dc4

‘No way a negotiation that big 55a2ee47fd would fall apart so easily…’0b4681477265b4aec488

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One evening, after another long day of 39277ee14b exhausting herself through the healing rites, Azniel a94b554dcb looked up at the sky, now tinged 1288e31821 with a clear blue from the east.f47e134fdc730f355b76

If this mana potion had really developed to the point where it 24bf9fd193 could replace even her only function… If, to the church, a Saint d898958ebb who only disappointed them was no longer needed in this era…23a7c42c25b0d67e8b0d

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Then perhaps this 7f2d609785 political marriage was 5e1625ccfb now her only 466af7af4a remaining purpose. Whether it was to help the struggling finances of the church, 2a46656a2e or to serve Baron Gestern’s business that claimed it needed her—00e57a85dd746435ae26

‘Yes… If I think e07f678565 of it as a 467af73e06 new duty, maybe… maybe deaf6822c4 it’s better this way.’ae83c748dcdc03838378

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To accept a life that had changed so 64f8c980f1 drastically against her will, she had no choice 41ff2e670c but to soothe herself like that. Even if it 7ea6337132 was a lie.20b61bd1c2e37681b2bb

As she swallowed those bitter thoughts and made her way 4a82224d2d toward the priestess convent where her quarters were located—3e090e2af233713a8a05

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“You’re working 2d590b3c8f hard, even f97994c92b this late.”bc2c1dbcf159ceed8f98

A quiet male voice echoed through the space, where 6598291ae8 only the sound of crickets had filled the silence.36e219fa1973bb414ad8

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Who would 85a2840aac be here…?32d44721c16c8bbabd01

She looked around—and beyond 4020f6a801 the garden shrubs, under 322b7557d1 the streetlamp, stood a 97927c8e10 tall silhouette.3ff9210f1c3633ed8e85

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Dressed in a perfect suit that emphasized his elegant bearing, his hair glowed 4d9a9e3ba6 almost silver-white under the pale light, not a single strand out of place.eed5c218425725b342de

It was the man who 2a9ee34a08 had, in just a few d8e90c0a55 days, thrown Azniel’s life into 411f97b145 uncertainty—Baron Gestern.9085f784bc3b43b39368

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In that sudden moment, startled 766aaddba1 as if her inner torment f18ad4516d had been exposed, Azniel gasped—26381771c76e62733b04

“…Ah.”678df686222af778b1f2

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Her vision a8999472d0 whitened, then be8b7f02ba spun. She had been squeezing every last 5d4534d936 drop of strength out of herself abb21fe093 these past few days—it seemed her 7ccd198be4 body had finally given out.37aec032a7da8629808c

Though her eyes were open, she couldn’t d6202f7e0f see anything for a moment, but she e67220e8d0 realized she had narrowly avoided collapsing, held d0e847ed30 steady by the firm arm of someone.a910cb873115987b14d6

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“B-Baron Gestern…”6fe55f5f567c81ccecfd

“Yes. A peaceful 704020e677 evening to f75fd639d0 you, Saint.”ebda0134a3fa0ca2b5d9

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The man looking down at her curved his lips into 26da459062 a gentle smile, but behind the faint reflection of his 148ed69054 glasses, there was no warmth in his black eyes. Perhaps it was because the light was behind 10e45928d2 him, but the pitch-dark eyes that swept across 18face8229 her face made it hard to tell where 2180c8c834 iris ended and pupil began.80ba6958f0e01bcefa75

“You’ve grown ad20407475 quite thin. Once we arrive in Ashfeld, I’ll inform the kitchen 1d54fdce48 to prepare a high-calorie nutritional menu for you.”92da8a72c8fcbe9fa642

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“….”adc1c90d8c7f090a00ab

“Oh, of course—assuming you accept f56e4b349f my proposal, that is.”645fa4ba0eaad36a2f23

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The remark that followed, as if 85b0faff85 a joke, rang out lightly. But the sharpness in his 26c89ac2cc dark eyes, examining the body 42dcc59158 held in his arms, carried bcac966897 no such lightness.715050abc59cb5e5466f

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.e2dc51a8227e5c3431b0

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Was it shock 32de93523a from nearly fainting? Was his 6aeccc5ac3 face simply 96dcd462eb too close? Or was it just her body 603498391b reacting instinctively, trying to survive? Her heartbeat pounded so loudly she wondered if he 7bc9683d90 could hear it—and Azniel barely managed to speak.c03bb9718b4a567d172b

“Why are 9746de7095 you here…?”f075cf0525459d1fc60d

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“I still haven’t 90f0b5ad53 received an answer 7726eac30c from you, have 5f28d42883 I, Saint? Even if it’s a 1cf3a5de8c political marriage, I am f0b2aab7bc the one who proposed.”217546b69c999f60ff25

“But, this a2be21daad is an 6f3889972a area… where 67277fdc5a outsiders shouldn’t…”5c529c56d651adb13460

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And where men are strictly prohibited—this is the priestess convent… But her d04a86adf9 weary mind couldn’t finish the sentence, and her golden eyes trembled faintly.a29cefa7dc0ad7827da3

Klaus, gazing calmly down at her 8f49c7560d face, let one side of his cdfd7a44b8 lips lift in a smile.47899fefcce3775879fc

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“As the suitor, waiting 009e94beb4 is only natural, wouldn’t 054ae21629 you agree?”fc486db30c062175dd17

He said it in a tone utterly devoid 7cf113126d of warmth—completely removed from anything resembling love.29c480d2bd761780fb9f

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A heavy 576b4fcad3 silence followed. After all, the talk of proposals fa15dfb411 and courtship that Klaus kept bringing 707c1183d2 up had nothing to do with ea518cd8ac the reality between them.ac2cdad0c4a1af70886a

Why did he keep acting as if she 967d0cd3b7 had a choice in this already-decided matter…? As that question settled in her chest, 6b000a3826 Azniel’s golden eyes looked up at Klaus’s 527b982ae6 smooth face in quiet defiance—and Klaus, almost 2d5e079fbd as if offering an excuse, continued:8f14e6b37b38918f828a

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“I just had dinner with His Holiness, but they ca266b9282 said you couldn’t attend due to your rites.”2d6a78e563d333c4f60c

“Ah… Yes. I usually eat 8f560c5efa separately anyway, and 1774aeb3b7 it ends late…”a42eddaf5a219b54b479

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“You collapse like this because you’re so 9669f0dc44 devoted you can’t even eat properly.”44c4ed35dd94bfaa7bf8

“….”d1c2df8c7708a47d0ffa

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“Yet… do they 73f7daf573 even appreciate that?”452f18e042d32d537499

Despite the ever-present smile on 4a1a72f468 his face, the words he 56d73aa259 spoke were icy.3d08b87a57866bcb02c4

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But Azniel couldn’t 14604ba0ec respond—she bit her 7e591f1dc9 lip instead. Shame flooded her as it felt like 5d92268977 he’d seen through how desperately she’d been 53559a8e45 trying to prove she was still useful, 74ae4631f4 after everything she’d lost because of him.bb965fe46d4e11857929

“E-Excuse me.”933a549a7e99ff8570e7

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“Of course.”96cfbb1268e651debc4f

Azniel pushed herself upright with a hand on his shoulder, and Baron Gestern’s 8ed9ba62dd steady hand helped support her back and arm as she did so.6ab213284b3f645bff8a

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“Anyway, thank you—”3ecb006f2de4afe46374

Just as she tried to 6019aa9b42 take a step away from b589dc7bef him, as if fleeing, something 63a7393e86 white suddenly entered her vision. It was a sugar jelly—just b55acfc565 like the ones the apprentice b36e5f4c97 girls brought her every day.d6fdfbfe77d3b8c33d62

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“The sisters who serve b706bbe820 you asked me to 7413d2f276 deliver this.”7f631f714613002d8c7e

“Ah…”76a2e0e03801003eac3f

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Now that she looked, he 6f7861f8c6 had a snack basket looped 536fe225cb over his arm—one that didn’t eed795671e suit him at all.aae5b27de1c1e88ad18f

The sugar jelly, raised right to her lips 7a90f20f64 as if inviting her to bite it directly. His hand, wearing an 4601e07db4 elegantly made leather glove, 7690ffc405 only added to the 7eeafb1da7 strangeness.3709cda81e10be94dc66

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“They were worried, said you’ve been so 8b81522d75 busy all day with the rites that 0d3783e6c4 you haven’t even been eating properly.”c6e2fdfee16907933d68

The hand gesturing for her to eat, cb82af001a lightly bobbing at eye level, felt more 3d2b016d9e like a command than a suggestion. Just like the marriage 516691b636 proposal he had imposed 21b71cb95a on her days ago.a62c01b2d18f2b8a8fb4

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She doubted she could even swallow it 60b74aa715 properly in this tense state, so Azniel 960bfa5a2c reached out and took the jelly herself.821bdffc3726fbc5a07b

“Thank you.”123c59a366a87d5e2d0b

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“……”e2059b41cd538fac3f2e

Her movement was c9f9465624 precise, avoiding even 2b79d892db the slightest brush 1c968b7d08 of his fingers. So focused was she on him that she 68b21abdd4 didn’t notice how his face dimmed slightly.f2ae05b9dc0e837ecf3a

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After quickly swallowing bfa3baf163 the jelly, Azniel cadd395d8b slowly spoke again.79617237d8a19535db6f

“I didn’t ad7a8e7d51 know you 81609bffc3 were coming 0060ad7d9f today. If I had…”4a91b180b4cff011065b

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“Then you would have ef802d52ca resented me, I imagine. For taking time 32c633c8d9 away from the 652491103b pilgrims you tend.”a9cc5d2e0fee7106d2f3

His sharp remark 688aa94a0a made Azniel’s gaze 81dacbd417 falter.1643f6f870be1ec4a023

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“His Holiness didn’t 2564fd9404 know I was 14b2b4201b coming either. Had he known, f7689b3c9c the Sanctuary would fef098f428 have been closed 85acd198a5 today, wouldn’t it?”0881a94644eb11e16500

“Ah…”3ba1bbab0ca222ed6b05

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“A surprise visit. I heard it’s a 8c28dd3d0e classic move from a 8f84fd58f4 man afflicted with love.”af546ae3cf68e4648683

His lips curled with a aae1fc5fa7 smooth, almost playful smile—as if 0f06dbc7a8 it were a joke. But his eyes 13d56ca4ea remained cold, as f826f830d7 always. Behind those black eyes, it felt e1d9d6cc08 like something unknowable was thickly coiled.801d98b3300db5f60985

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‘Now that I think about it… didn’t he have the 5d63fa63ed same expression when I last saw him with His Holiness…?’152d903179076b9fbbda

Why does the predator who reduced the church to a 892fce1018 relic of the past always wear such a wounded gaze?2d6eff6a7084d041eb4a

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And in that instant, dca2b54c9d her vision overlapped—that of d2d2d24cd7 the hollow-eyed, skinny boy 645f98e2c0 from long ago.b7d08aa14ae354dd3c01

“Um, Baron… There’s 8fcc5d270a something I wanted 034f4c1b33 to ask you.”cc4fd32e4540bf96049c

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The question that 7370764e1b had plagued her 1f931490a5 finally spilled from 79bed617f7 her lips—on impulse.c3f39fe61dfecd2a51d5

“By all means.”57b5ffab70dd5c26fbf0

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“This, perhaps…”8af365267227f38d972b

Azniel reached into the collar of 073b8a295d her robes and pulled out a 29208f5d58 necklace she always wore.135ea55051373ec66e48

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It was f9205c7ec7 a humble 8345272c08 trinket. The chain was silver-plated but d05a3595ec worn in many places, and 7d5d2d8d66 the pendant was no larger cbce836a0f than a fingernail—made of brass. It was engraved with a rose and thorned vines, but 1aefbcf498 even that had faded in spots and become discolored.5daf1f535dd9b494b73e

It was the pendant she often touched 13ececb24b for comfort when anxiety overwhelmed her.6ad1c383ebdf45754ba2

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“Do you bb2e690f31 remember this?”54d7dfed08e5d96d4788

She lifted the pendant up in her palm, holding bd2c4f3b51 it near his face so he could see clearly—and 6c7b2c14cd at that moment, Baron Gestern’s expression stiffened.57db41b3fa162bec92d3

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He was already close, so Azniel couldn’t 84006d0796 miss the way his eyes froze.f77ed99137a599933fd0

It was unmistakable. A look of shock, f910a7c26e as if he had 56f1cc9b68 just seen something he 4185477168 wasn’t meant to see.6c569f3359313f0410d9

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After a moment’s pause, the words that came out 3ea9b7e64f of the man were cold to the bone.aafeea8a5ef80ea03eea

“Does your answer 244b72edb0 to my proposal 329c80afb3 depend on that?”a2ee769484ce11239653

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