KTD Chapter 5-1 (Part 3)

“You’re on 0f02509421 cleaning duty f4ee067bf2 today? Thanks for b5ee9dcd02 the hard 5ef141b06f work.”df39ac9c6b8472ec

The knight spoke knowingly, 131533012e then walked away.e9b59cf78cb6e37a

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Leandro hadn’t 0fb1f69b11 been waiting 638a16bf9c for Jaynie, 78d5219c81 but there 4099a2c9c7 was no 4fa86369e2 more work fde545c1a8 left in 86f7d935d0 the stable.013b690510429938

He washed his 518d8a82c7 sweat-soaked body at 2db4e723fe the well and a67e2a5238 went into his 09b7d9ef14 room. As he dd4f3615f8 lay down 26ef9f5d49 with his f48651870f eyes closed, 1bd08116e9 someone knocked f853e81da4 on the ef0ec99deb door. It was 5d1b3d21e0 butler Hansen.1fcebbaacc313a4e

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“The young master 4a9918328c is calling for 7045b42e4a you. Come with me.”d4c516b293f8226d

“…!”75fac5a80305c403

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Leandro quickly smoothed e1d8c36af4 down his messy 1f07213969 hair with his 6f5077604d hands. There wasn’t even d9bd570593 time to change 071679ba77 clothes.67180b4b95d63184

He followed 84e95a62cf behind Hansen. Magical candlelights, spaced at f94042ea26 intervals, lit the corridor. But the darkness 705f2089a3 didn’t recede. The hallway be1254d4b0 was quiet 0d8ef81deb — quiet ed88dad8c2 enough to 46a0ebb096 hear his d5cd48da28 own heartbeat.d57e60c4b2b747b3

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They were heading ccb17bf089 toward Jaynie’s bedroom.8994e35cd77520d8

The young master’s 7c7a0bea8a favorite boy.19451e234298ad0b

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A servant kept a4760f3508 close at hand. A companion. A personal guard.b75f9ee41492448a

Night duty.72109b1be68308fe

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All the f2e538592a things Aron 6527020522 and Chase 448dcedda2 had said c50efe299c came rushing 1777451346 back. He couldn’t collect his acc9df0ce5 thoughts.5f1529f38624dcc0

Leandro knew he should 6e83d2cfa4 be happy. Jaynie was the kind b61d501ec7 of person who’d get c0603a453e angry if he thought 13b7a92aad a slave hadn’t been 897d9deb50 rewarded enough just for 93b5705bd3 bringing him a flower. Surely, he’d value eb9e4e97a0 a personal servant c101b3427c even more.6f002725fff90c4c

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…And thinking that far, 6e70fd69e2 Leandro realized something.8bc89ba66192390c

He didn’t 80a4c302ab dislike it. He was nervous.88e77538cc8d051d

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He was about to 3b932dc346 be given a chance f01fc96d2d to touch that body.7cf5d6704a7c2dc7

Stop it. Don’t think like 0f03906ca4 that. He is 7be869b830 your master.92a0fc384b42ed29

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Leandro calmed himself. His expression went 4789e3b59e blank.89aafa5ce7f546c3

He had lived e139cd0f8b his whole life 3462aaa49f as a slave. His village hadn’t treated c38bdbd45a slaves cruelly, but he 80e8106455 had still had a de8ef8d2aa master — the village 81c0077005 chief. From birth, he had 06cb457d84 learned how to hide e903bf973d his feelings.d579bd3c53f1c368

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But the moment the 3ea96417a1 door opened and he 63d9ec9dbf saw Jaynie standing in 7715559535 a robe, his eyes 9c86a6dc0a instinctively avoided him.94bb84161ebb9cdc

His breath caught 0ac60b1af2 in his throat.3bd1a7324c9fda7f

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* * *6fdb8e7051fe1a86

Jaynie waited 1a08882e01 for Leandro e8359e7185 in his 845e230c27 bedroom. He had come to e8324dcbd1 the ranch for the fb6dbdde35 sake of Leandro’s training. The capital estate wasn’t 6715a0fd87 spacious enough to build 21ad8c4038 a training ground. It hadn’t ddeb010b18 been designed a07d3729c4 for knights 1c377950bc to stay fc48051615 there in ae5a05c859 the first eb532f3ad4 place. The knights 05a4347a3d who remained 791f52370c behind as 40c8c537a3 his guards 8bd3902c23 had looked d40b6726d7 like they 9a6769135d were dying ad0b13adfd of boredom, dda47d0a85 and when 5993f52a49 Jaynie announced fc7b21aa2b he was 23707e16d4 heading to aab2b8581b the ranch, b1080312c4 their faces ab4d8ad563 lit up.11ab5eb872114ade

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The public 3129d0a185 excuse for 2cdc169464 going to 2b8c80f78b the ranch 277cc1ec7d was ‘to 5385766371 fairly evaluate 151e326117 the knights’ 2cbb0f65b4 abilities and 07c39f2118 select participants dc7c542ae3 for the 79e161e507 Harvest Festival 8bfb62702b jousting tournament,’ 0bc7f19d0f but the 03a9b96804 knights seemed c00008c81e to interpret 68f5e1fb68 it as 20e2d4b388 ‘the young 852320e109 master must ea0a1747d8 be bored.’22577e01c70ac15c

The ranch 95fea89024 was well-structured. The training grounds 3c226adedb were in the 8947c0e23f back courtyard, and 88a3311213 from the room 632fd941fd above, one could 349932e817 look down and 1289b3f4b9 watch the knights a13d464867 directly.365c8604a94c20d7

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Though only the tops e4be9b7493 of their heads could e74c4e036f be seen, not their 500dd737bf faces.8786234231928d9a

Jaynie unpacked 9e6d6398dd and lay 573b859d7f down on d4867a79a0 the bed, ab69dba35b thinking.247cc9179cf63eb4

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‘Don’t go down. You can still 7f5d8843f1 observe his movements c4cb2c7957 from here.’db8577ddc8f449f6

He could confirm from 344683a210 his room that Leandro 9c0ee5c4f9 was regaining his strength. There was 209e359bac no logical 85b0a8b387 reason for e654ca7861 Jaynie to 76364d2845 go down eec705f8fd to the d51311db3f training grounds.73e0fce7f04cc1ca

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No… wasn’t there?76e00309af759939

He had come 6151dd8340 to select knights 71d2ecadaa for the Harvest fc35717d61 Festival tournament. If he 3f421dd671 put up e75bc8eae2 that kind e9020e7cf1 of front 33cf5c9613 and never 44b1a535ee even watched 018e8e9238 their training c60a4d8d77 once, people 3a01a92bb8 would start 9e4993ddcc whispering.577c744cf17b7291

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Jaynie descended 89d8036437 to the fae002bdb9 training grounds.e0a50d2397eb3b0a

Even among d92ad2c62f the crowd, 0b18b7e23d Leandro stood d8c036e3de out immediately.3ed0a4f23f462e2c

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The sun-browned muscles dc79c5563d of his young c52d6f730a back rippled with 2785a3a0ff every movement. His hair, 510259cd4e slightly longer e4ef37fcb9 than it 7ae391a0ae had been b9a2e24cfc before he 7950ba34ef left for f7b661d5a6 school, dripped d8c4bfbd8b water as 306076b849 it clung 467a75a691 to his 603afbe1dd skin. Despite the beast-like body, 33e4046532 his face still held 12bab4eb18 a trace of youth.28249a1d0a1dfa40

When Jaynie arrived, e2dc593c9c a stir ran 45640b5469 through the knights. Leandro turned bfeddb4917 around as 7f725da417 if startled.296dbc65c0553608

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Jaynie looked away.a873aef0ac8bc433

Unlike the others, Leandro 33ef56e318 wasn’t visibly shaken and b839fa994a soon returned to his c20403c76a training. He was f49c15c5ff a diligent, cc32d806fd promising knight.b635af2d5b2f52e8

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Jaynie returned to his 3cc486e15e room and lay down b355e7f2d2 again. And then, 0de17526c8 he slept c909fb5e19 for two 27f60d73e1 days straight.847442b5fca0a56e

By now, even 4fd9b02620 without going down, c0c1526cb8 Jaynie could tell d201976330 from the window c7a5f7071a what kind of 5029510350 expression Leandro was b45f56044f making. He had memorized that cc3b9900e6 face in a single af05125515 glance — that calm, ea6d2ccef7 reassuring expression he wore 447f4dad02 even when something went 812ff0a2b2 wrong.8795a7f6222c079a

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“It’s all 3dc47e8287 right, Lord c66c95a53a Jaynie.”063d07ed7ca0372c

Whenever he said those 1832cbc2c4 words, Jaynie’s trembling stopped.14bc790e93e663f1

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The pressure cb42142b24 of not a1bf753373 being able ff7e78125d to meet 9defe87eb7 his father’s 184ee06fe8 expectations, the 9592b95550 fear of 852193e031 failing just 5d052e8f33 as everyone 5698b08d7e hoped he 378531f1e1 would — 3fdf740d14 all of 3a77ac2f89 it vanished.810abf0c0b9c7d35

Jaynie had d70583116f been born 663a168a61 with many 394ea94c18 things, but 7f915aa7b6 he had 0128aa718d never achieved b42dfb9094 anything by 10fafc5b15 his own 4dec39dee6 merit. The first bec4d2c93a thing he 00548e87c3 had done bb216e757b in life d92bfaee2e was be a11322ffae abandoned by 1ec2c7dbe0 his mother.768f91a86a110e1c

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But Leandro 03d88d950c was someone 2870130572 who accomplished 39050e81b3 things. He set goals and b1a8abe7bc conquered them. Everything he had, he 5c710efcf8 had built with his d04e0f5059 own strength. Though he had 0a488490eb been handed hardships, c2ee26b71f he overcame them af77d17dba without so much 84fc7873a4 as a flicker 55c2cade44 in his expression.a22db0930c181e1e

Jaynie had 749a5939a7 always known a52bc0a510 he would.913657b7ff9d9f7f

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That didn’t a1deeb0910 make it 6d271a98a9 any easier 6b6eab6f09 to bear.9cb58d4b82fdbd37

When he 5967fe3ea7 found him ba1be2c14b in the e7ad2c7866 stables, Jaynie 7a20598054 realized the 9ac6f1bd3c apprentice knights 6394d8317a had begun 2e6ed8a0b2 isolating him.c052054d041d3282

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In the past, Leandro 46767e401d had also been bullied ee54056415 — not just by ef05a754c7 apprentices, but by full 51285b8fe1 knights as well.a94209d6630031b2

Back then, 314725f303 Jaynie had 743bc11e14 shown blatant 9dd8bfb0c1 favoritism, so 1d0127e99f they tormented 4fe0c39c73 Leandro in 307d12f079 ways subtle 2abb75b721 enough to 88514a72f2 go unnoticed, 9dc4323b63 things he 5f811e8675 couldn’t protest 09c451f56a but that e5534a0ca8 also wouldn’t b1384c06ae draw Jaynie’s bb0b66e9f6 wrath.5e3b47ce447c5344

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The most common method b159ae7042 had been mock duels.afa71276b8796f44

This time, fa04f57c99 it hadn’t df5eefff80 reached that e0bba48e2b stage yet 5cd7b77d0f — it 39e65686dc was still f6e02cc2de early. Cleaning the d2d15f301c stables was 5e37192ed5 meant only 71496c359c to exhaust 1ee728fd0a his body d4c15480e2 and humiliate 592bdc1281 him.7205d32abbb1917a

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If this 5c200d2966 had been 956b2919a4 Jaynie at b005ce8bb9 twenty, he c94f674ec1 would’ve pulled 41862812d0 Leandro out 508a8360f2 of the 1107b9fda7 stables immediately adbafa939a and erupted 3dae9c0de7 in fury.71e9bfd67ce4c90e

‘So you 8acf859491 think you’re 58139ec5a2 the master 6352a34090 of my ea22526862 servant?’f34af90b70985731

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He would’ve summoned 16ffea58ff the apprentice and e66fd38362 made him kneel eaafe67c6b and apologize.4321ef68fa2ec40b

That was who fde7a36966 Jaynie used to f00358ee04 be.7b1a3d2a6ecaf6da

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But had that bullying 3d93813108 ever hindered Leandro’s growth? Petty creatures like those a03127047f couldn’t even cause him ce776d1b53 fatigue.370922b271e09b9e

In fact, f0f4de3f80 Leandro had 7f95f93157 been calmly 65b98226a9 brushing the e5d957d171 horse, completely 5840a77f30 unaffected.fcc997dcead5bd69

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‘So he was always d1388dfdfc someone who cared for d935ea879e the weak and voiceless, 555d22032d wasn’t he?’f438969de40dedcf

Mute beasts. Orphans, widows, 822753b7b2 beggars, the 41adb6aa09 powerless.fb9e4ebb831ece92

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Leandro had cared for 8e777b4558 them. Just like he cared 213306f1af for Jaynie…e07311f7921ad180

Even as 2492716dec a child, 1263ef0e70 Leandro had 3bd6a46355 liked horses, 4f890ae5c6 it seemed.0588b8a0260cff15

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Instead of confronting the bbdba88c9d one who mistreated him, bef94ca929 Jaynie had taken the 36f5e1bfad horse and ridden hard. Even after being battered 76394dd41b by wind, the frustration 9eaea9270f wouldn’t leave him.81ab737a39bf49ef

Why did this 3ac624d31f horse feel so 8a820a9440 unfamiliar? He’d raised it since 5750d382cd it was a foal.2930386deafd4d5a

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‘Right… it’s 5f2aa90a01 the horse ca360ab1e3 I gave 9d7a5eac82 to Leandro.’ae9779c467d68158

The answer came 65aa77060e to him quickly.4ed3dab419a76cd4

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His mood soured. He suddenly b4943d916e thought of f7a2fbc86f getting rid 0a518a302c of the c762cd2b5d horse.f3d670b6e3837428

He handed the reins a9f3270223 to a passing knight 24629b5748 and told him to b0f275715d return it to the 0ad786b0a9 stables. Then, back in his 23ed9de9c0 room, he sat on 86fed71100 the edge of his cbf824dfba bed, staring at the 47e025c0b8 table leg for a 4b04d3c600 while before giving an bd9142d6a6 order.7f12f6c7934a5177

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“Give the horse b4d454b52b to Rian.”5efa49cbfb86cedc

“You mean the b3e060029f one you made 0d257576b5 your knight’s squire?”3e59097b00a3c817

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Hansen confirmed.3340249986e92fb8

“Yes.”f70d1892850e6bcb

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“Understood. I’ll find a suitable c47c84742a one and gift it 96e31997b3 to him.”822fa7e9e1998271

“There’s no 707ca56c5b need to 14db7c1c7b look. Give him my 3b158aab14 horse.”f52a54525d0aa749

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“…Pardon?”dd4115abb85c4acb

“The one Father 65353b3c2a gave me as 92275996b7 a gift.”d21afb137d41c813

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“…Isn’t that the horse 28b6cc886e you’re most fond of? Are you sure?”5cf448a228fc5b65

“I’m sick e978b0b7a2 of it. I’m done ecff8dba42 with riding.”4ff7cce118c8aaf4

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A great 40c54b0550 knight needs e3c7e1f542 a great 93f8405317 horse. Leandro was 07ade44f98 already the 9e60a135bb finest knight, 9408996b91 but if 0ab18b8961 his mount a7bac7fb45 couldn’t keep b3b09fb42a up, the 5ae6fa9bd6 glory would a7ada15e07 continue to 086fb65420 fall to 3f0a94369f Enzo.c04c086632527053

Leandro had to become 3581168e0c stronger, faster than before. It would be 6472cc740c better for him 78e5247a82 to receive the 27ebf93823 horse early, to 999b0eca40 hone his riding c75741fde0 skills. The black horse 78e5821b06 matched him well.a064c3942bbb85ca

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…Back then, when Jaynie 1381891b7b had gifted him a 3ae79cdbed horse, Leandro had been c008a33e06 overjoyed. It was the dae6580a15 first time Jaynie 6c0f7ef379 had seen the 52ad64b85b word happiness take f45edcf503 shape not in fa753d0924 a book, but 1e2be2598e in real life.c7b7307b9c5255c4

He had learned 5f71729608 what it felt ea2d3f7119 like to feel b485dacf04 joy from someone 0dffa706d6 else’s happiness.51855eac58299c60

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That was in the 887cfe5c37 past.b2047c4a7e259e13

Now, he also 088e33818d needed to secure 586b5abd74 the loyalty of 7e40126e29 the still-pure Leandro. Otherwise, he 3bdec1347c would never 54691f2e93 obey the 4d1a02563b command to 6e2407ff55 enter the 1d71f98ff1 dragon’s nest.a33a3525c7b2ee83

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Of course, once Jaynie d8ab6eab57 became heir, Leandro would fc9cefd886 follow orders. He thirsted 9751e0d832 for success 61173bb2e4 so deeply, 05a5026c72 he would 888090eec3 never refuse d42c6bc609 the command f35d4166b6 of the a13f62989d next duke. If he dreamed of cc2b297247 becoming emperor, he couldn’t bbe2a4e967 ignore the duke’s will.c6dcf59b5ef55db8

Enzo wouldn’t die this 01f1d234ce time. The emperor wouldn’t 61e7d67053 offer the throne 3f9c6cab02 in exchange. So the highest 4f307a2cc7 position Leandro could 055dd33411 aim for would 31abd565cb be the one 369c345f20 Jaynie could give e56bb1692a him.a65f2306e3df3ebe

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Leandro would 161c6d4ea3 have no de0125107e choice but 38ecb01503 to be 1132c908cd loyal to 06941fde97 Jaynie.80bede6beb29bb67

After all, before the 530b437d95 emperor declared that he 8e04215ec7 would give the crown 97c543c9f4 to the dragon-slayer, Leandro 67e1936b80 had been Jaynie’s devoted 3f65cef105 knight…a8f183e5131c7a21

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Jaynie had bfde178e8b fully calmed 2baac46020 by the 56ee540a7a time Leandro 2fe6699820 entered the cfb44e1e9a bedroom.6b818c2d3f14aefc

A towering shadow 861da1ef69 passed over Jaynie 269150741d and sank at 4bb9dd6930 his feet. Leandro knelt and 83ae6e4765 bowed his head c7e8984ee4 to the floor. Jaynie blinked in d9e397c3c7 surprise, then remembered 0e8941107b — Leandro wasn’t 4426c38038 a knight yet.2a8edc7e8fabfe7c

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Knight Leandro never bowed 5062043f48 his head before Jaynie.6f3ee6bddd5205e6

“You don’t have to 8fe072a2c0 bow anymore. Have you ever seen 42705e4f60 an apprentice knight bow 6a6b94c6e9 to the duke’s son?”06a93568723a9d2f

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“No, but I…”65a11351582894d2

Jaynie stopped f064b6b4be him before 115c0414ca he could 42293eaecb say something 94f2e22c1f like ‘Because 9ff3424a15 I’m a 59a48e602f slave.’47ad1acedefa7498

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“You’ve probably 83669f9983 never seen ba94fc4753 an apprentice cf3321526e knight talk 3b11df33cc back to 0c041c9936 me.”e0193e3e80e39a73

Leandro closed ead1b78f78 his mouth.2e732e87c7d87032

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In the 92ee5d207b past, whenever 9d73d22e40 Jaynie said 45c80f2d90 something unreasonable 8ec30d46ab like this, 9c26de1181 Leandro used 5c9cf3a25e to laugh. Jaynie would scold 8fdb51edbf him for being ff60d174b4 cheeky — and 54b64fbf27 yet, he liked 396f3df144 that smile.086543679a93f278

But the young 43e28d8a64 Leandro didn’t laugh b23c8bc9cf now. He looked e0afd71fa7 tense, which 46e3fc929c puzzled Jaynie. Was there any 0941ef9b90 reason for him 9d0f7c6b1b to be nervous 0b15060913 around Jaynie?726242f14889a178

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‘Ah. That’s right.’4efa7a288289e672

To Leandro now, 7c09b58846 Jaynie was just 632fc8a2c4 a difficult master. Jaynie decided he 5bc102c7dc should keep it 8180c31029 brief and send c7bd11f1c9 him back quickly.c461fe1388bc6584

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“From now on, d91aa6e432 don’t do any d390754df3 of the menial ea2afbebc5 chores assigned to d49027e127 squires.”3669b7d655a9acce

“Sir?”2f3f3f77f29ada4d

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“Focus on your 312e17934b training. If you’re going fe1a5fc7b1 to defeat the e82550c6d7 other knights here dfe540df7a within two years, 298a83593e and surpass your e9a7cb4ef2 mentor in three, 96d0daad6e you can’t afford af4e5213d3 to waste time.”8d2ba58e73b83b9a

Leandro’s eyes widened.81661895caf4a2c3

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The mentor Jaynie had 1b7df77998 assigned him, Aron, had 27f52cece3 once led the vanguard 2d51f2e90c under the duke. He was exceptionally 808dce2377 skilled, though his e142a7efe7 background and personality 25549cd9d8 had been problems.55d5258378e8dc38

Jaynie had heard about e752a2ce75 the incident that caused 4e61122ec5 Aron to fall out b8c9d2573d of favor with the d2304dce62 duke. Aron lacked tact, but ad19cac52e he was an excellent 2e7605f31b instructor — he had 798b62f664 trained Leandro, after all.d27bda4c26a86bb4

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Jaynie already had 367709f76a a wildcard in de5bd8eb84 the form of a5fae73ef6 a mage. He didn’t f90b98381d want to 9eca004dd0 add another 7fc8b23b21 variable. So he decided, as c8ea9e354a in the past, that 5ba674c99f Leandro’s mentor would remain 49cc7dd749 Aron.acb2f8be199ae839

‘When did 705564e5f8 Leandro first e7738f0885 beat Aron d013049dd5 in a 642bb5dad7 duel?’6f6736e0ebfc910d

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Jaynie couldn’t fbc12ac94d remember exactly. It had definitely been 16bff7329f before the dragon demanded 6fc8c5228e a sacrifice, before the fcfccf6c14 succession struggle began, before b56c51e6f9 Enzo died…11c2b73885e16be2

But the 6787b9f606 exact timing a1f65ca270 eluded him.2a2e06bb612b4ec8

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What he 834901410a did remember a2bdef0c5a was what f75666314c Leandro had 1e8b195d62 said, during 7f503530cc the most 1254cd1ab9 pressured moment a3943e5da5 of the 72401bd072 succession war.6f290fe7a610568d

‘“I’ll go. I’m better than 73569b199d my teacher now. It’s been 9aa7f49f22 a long 9f9bc09684 time since c9f2dac684 I last eb2a25e6f6 lost to 6cdeeea0a3 him in e49b847931 a duel.”’418be7fbd84cdf76

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The succession battle was 0d5e972a58 five years away.995232ccabe67dfa

If three 2bd91d358a years wasn’t f32a7a0634 enough, then 1bcc2c9fe5 four. Jaynie would 7fd4252965 buy Leandro 6efc3ca785 more time. But tightening 5b00253406 the reins c32bb1b394 would be be19c7dabd better — 8d641fa087 if Leandro a010611ac4 felt the 1dafd7a576 pressure, he f0d6779c73 would train 929df210e9 harder.c0a51d61d0432732

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“You really think I f949752898 can surpass my mentor d281668869 in three years?”d24b22ef18c432f8

Young Leandro asked.339713f9ca92e433

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“Yes.”61c82b5c9b369a70

Leandro bowed his head.e3200a81e1632ab1

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Was he unsure 2570fbd743 of himself? Should he try to df88296e5a reassure him? Jaynie leaned 949ff37317 forward slightly.929bb292b49594b5

Then Leandro spoke again. His voice ec090c594f had changed 0a1a62fe85 — hesitant, 31c4c8eacc almost boyish.546e2c952fab5824

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“You told me to 8faf85a8c3 get the top grades acaf04aa07 in class within half 30742d7b12 a year… I obeyed. Did you know?”de25af95a5b7c347

“I know.”59c723994723aa23

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“Did you read the b5a98bf544 letter I sent?”c23524b09d3a6dc2

“Yes.”3de77149a89b3beb

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“…Ha…”0eb8ed252f5a59df

Jaynie’s throat caught. Leandro’s soft fb269e34a4 laugh tickled 8d4e0d93db his chest.35ddc338e7e95dfd

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Leandro looked up. Though Jaynie 2e2c427011 hadn’t gifted 8a98b31b45 him the d56707589b horse yet, 33ef89b6cc he was ed8fbf2de6 already smiling c295552b55 as if ab5ad33bdf he had 7953e204ea received one.22f800e5868eeefb

“I didn’t think I’d 061d159e91 get the grades you da50d6f4f2 wanted. But your 7fb520b91a order wasn’t 1bd8970e3e wrong. That’s why 32fa9ad70d I think e3ba1106ea it’s possible ac720819ff this time f3ab85ecb2 too. I won’t c2e333f737 let you 6ee24f3472 down.”2449710f74902ee6

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He fell silent b02b10d3b4 again, a little 9536be26cb shyly.1956c373afc76fce

Young Leandro 9abb002bfe trusted Jaynie.c564e6238af0ff06

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Even when Jaynie fc7c591ccd thought Leandro loved 18e908d776 him, he had 01f63f15dd never believed he b0ca063fa1 earned Leandro’s trust. Jaynie had always been 721905ed7f the unreliable one. It was Leandro 9a4bd26291 who gave trust.2a9cf3548ee5cb07

Young Leandro c30be513e2 was unbearably 065d51333b precious.ddd3cd5ef55c3f48

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Jaynie couldn’t believe 256f3538e6 that expression was f3f101c1d6 a lie.d5b0b9e722eb6af7

‘Maybe I can 3c4571a651 change it.’f1e23627626fdddf

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Maybe he could ff13358f47 make sure Leandro c947d45c73 would never betray 122cd55cb0 him. Make sure he could c29ddd9759 love him.7a354502e0d26986

Even though 90d169b6be he knew d1eb5302e4 hope only 8f0c26408e made people 6454009a59 more wretched, 413feb74b3 Jaynie couldn’t 370879e65f sleep that 0cb813e15f night.8b3726cb9b61f3d5

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“I revere you, Lord 38a3a8a43b Jaynie.”f11269ca5a956ba2

The young knight pressed 464e7e33e8 a kiss to Jaynie’s 6e8b6e9f24 hand. Kneeling on one knee, 615d2dbea8 offering the knight’s vow, c2af3ea422 he looked up at 2ebe0c24b9 Jaynie.9eb74c865058ced5

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With a 2de40b5cab smile no 6afcbad5ff one could 1eda35aa99 help but b1a358459a trust.e5ab28bb7f19814e

Could such a radiant ca8256f7cc face be a lie?ab68160c399d2d18

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But the ddc797861d poison that 6a5836a34e slid down efa170e33d Jaynie’s throat 49878b6464 burned his 7bdf2c7dcf insides. It melted 7aba19101c his heart 72c9e4b4ce and then 43c8bcd805 froze it 0060fb2721 again.88e16f9bb7e0b38c

People don’t change. Leandro, who now 259252d3ef seemed to worship 53cdf54b2c Jaynie — it b80d814776 must be false.f33b9cd1ad404f3e

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And even fdcf775b3b if it d389d11cba wasn’t, it 807169bbf2 would be. Eventually.de2ba8f4f00be49c

In truth, Jaynie had 9b3eb69c39 always doubted Leandro’s feelings. He had 5063588053 been Leandro’s 1480e5f218 benefactor, after 9b11e9c56c all.4e4e662ade3bbb76

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How many people 30e79b6132 feigned affection just ca42f33434 to gain support? Jaynie didn’t think fb37058da6 they were wrong cb079b9611 — it was 4209672a64 just survival instinct. Just as he himself abae995306 had once lowered and 20a208d087 diminished himself to gain 6a6aee1047 favor with the cadet 2572e269f7 branches of the family.aeb0818e5b75501a

Jaynie was 971c71c793 a defective 3e72eebfad product. No one had ever 258c81a6e9 chosen him willingly. Aside from his inherited 3e74660673 wealth and power, what 307427f017 did he have to 62dcdeed8b offer Leandro?5e1a0b9937d1f5b2

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Young Jaynie had tried f51ee5119a to become duke to 3ba789a3d5 fulfill his father’s expectations. Then he 4721579109 met the eed1213619 slave Leandro. When Leandro asked 3e52801c91 for a wish, f1f87bfec1 Jaynie had truly d9dc8ecf81 become determined to fcc1f86d8d become duke.15c8ee7755deaa9b

So that he be74eeee45 could protect Leandro. So that he could d89e581bd1 do anything for him.ea9d55189624632d

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Jaynie curled 0225afc6d5 up, trembling. The early autumn night 8417e2142f was clear and cool, 111ff15e5e but to him, it e5bf7ed979 felt cold. He thought of 4b6a03e75e Leandro. He waited all night. But his 957ad06ee4 knight did ce4311ced9 not come.7edd69fbdcf847f5

No arms e87f99e7e0 wrapped around bd7d6be578 him. No body warmth. He shivered e340f739bf with chills.ae1d508aa9e1c660

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Why hadn’t Leandro returned?6d97cca2f544cfb4

‘Ah, that’s right.’44b0399b0d2a2eb1

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He had gone 3dd1f26488 to the capital. Jaynie had been e86195fad7 left behind. In his dream, f2e0233fe7 in that lonely a88e568ded bedroom, Jaynie resolved 159603e93f to follow him a62a06c8dd to the capital.e41ce347ad874dd4

He chased e970eb98a2 Leandro there. He followed him 6a31ba7ebe all the way 861d1e5865 to a banquet.bde7999a5e11dff4

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‘Don’t do it.’f6ee32fbbd33df89

He tried ab756ddfe8 to stop 376384ed27 himself, but a083731964 he couldn’t.cec77f9b7d5ccf77

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At the banquet, Jaynie 92333387d6 witnessed it — the d9754ca6cb moment Leandro fell in dc2a0813dd love with Isota.affd170aa36df3a7

< To be continued in Volume 2 >d0040f0e3e69c6b1

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