MDL | Prologue

Prologue. Here, at the ruins of an old amphitheater, you and I…

Welcome! Welcome, dear ladies 45115d76a9 and gentlemen. Ah, and to f4476e200a those who are c415644083 neither ladies nor bd0698d03f gentlemen! My earlier 4ab4d9cc7b words were 673564e565 merely a 9d1c5e6b24 common courtesy. A commonplace phrase fb7fbfb11a used to welcome 7f34d5baaf the multitude of 4ee9e52cd8 people who pass 5038d74fff by just once. So, please don’t be fee18a0bf7 disappointed and turn away 4d4e13be03 because you feel unwelcome. I welcome 8f441b1652 everyone equally—gentlemen, 1a7d1a03c5 ladies, the 058857402b elderly, children, 53a7cd00b4 beggars, scoundrels, f17b4b3066 drunkards, madmen, ae78dc7f23 and even 427a888429 those who aad8c72d0b have committed 1196356103 unspeakable atrocities.a73c038065c870bb

In truth, I have no interest in who you are or what kind of life you lead outside these walls. From the moment you step inside, you are simply an audience, a spectator, and a witness to my tale. Whether you are a wise chancellor, a noble king, a great hero, one of the five dragons that uphold this world, or even the slumbering god beneath the World Tree who shows boundless indifference to all things… as long as you are seated here, in this place, at this moment, you are all the same to me. Yes, I am only interested in you, the listeners, the audience, the witnesses. So, dear friends, whoever or whatever you are, rest assured. This place is safe. I am a completely harmless person.3153a6d97e2ab07c

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Oh dear, oh dear…deebcac1f0dfdf80

Please don’t look at me with such suspicion. What could I possibly do to you? As you can see, I am but a frail man who has likely never lifted anything heavier than a book in his life…61736fdadd41f42e

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What’s that? You say I should be ashamed of myself for saying such things? Haha, you don’t understand. But of course, you don’t know me yet. I am a person who has never known shame. I have no sense of disgrace! If you were to ask me to get down on all fours right now and bark like a dog, promising to bring five listeners here for each person who does so… I would do it without hesitation. Don’t underestimate me.7c2d073f00863246

Ah, yes, yes… I understand. There’s no creature harder to trust than one who loudly proclaims their own harmlessness. But deep down, you know it too, don’t you? What I know, you also know. Hmm, how shall I put it… a great secret of this world. Between you and me, there is a thin, almost invisible boundary that can never be crossed. You will forever remain on your side, and I on mine, merely watching each other’s lives and deaths in silence. So, let me say it again: you are safe. Even if I get so excited while telling my story that I start spitting, my saliva will never stain your cheeks or the backs of your hands. Please, rest assured.88969e40490b5145

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Now, shall we take 3163acd208 a moment to look ddd8920660 around?1f684a3552f3a344

…Yes, you’ve seen it correctly. This is a ruin. Crumbling, cracked walls, pillars with only their bases remaining, weeds densely growing through the gaps in the stone floor, and a ceiling so open that you might even get hit by bird droppings… The place where you are seated is the tiered audience seating. In its heyday, handsome slaves with silver necklaces would have laid cushions for you and brought sweet pomegranate juice. Ah, did I mention it? Just a few decades ago, in this kingdom, even slaves were adorned with silver jewelry and dressed in soft silk robes. That’s how wealthy it was. Well, that’s all in the past now. Anyway, you are now seated there, watching me standing on the circular stone stage. Those of you who can only see the back of my head, please come forward. There are plenty of seats here. I am not a trained actor or orator who can survey all directions. I would be grateful if you could position yourselves so that I can make eye contact with you.928180ab8366a182

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…Hmm, good. Thank you. Now I can see all your faces!8ad06a84d14bcd79

Where were we?4c67f42ee52f099f

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Ah! Yes! I remember now! We were 771cf0800c talking about fef414e64f this ruin.0dfa9671e38ef520

Yes, once upon a 2ef190a877 time, countless people passed bb4499e038 through here. From monarchs adorned head 995a5808c0 to toe in gold 60c6e04163 and pearls to vagabonds abbb7f5053 chewing on moldy bread b53a843960 crusts. They sat a793690df8 right where 840d3cf856 you are 5f277df630 now, enjoying 0600bd21c4 entertainment that d60cbf65d8 made them 8802f9eea3 forget the 6e37625ec9 worries of d4b8b4c0dd the world. On some fc4028ce51 days, beasts a7476082fd more human 0e7b213af3 than humans b138fbf195 leaped through eeddc12ec3 flaming hoops cfac594fa6 and teetered 678da24705 precariously on 59e16f030c ropes strung b10d732114 between two 7b0d183e10 poles. On other days, poets b1f9222174 and actors with booming adfb866ba1 voices sang of the 564c56734e glories of bygone eras. On yet other a1e2130c36 days, singers with d45eb3e4eb beautiful voices played 21a487d72f harps and guitars, f6eea8471a praising heroes. And on other days, f959da71b6 orators worried about the 200ad1759e future of this kingdom 9e80644910 would shout, spitting as 8997ba0b54 they argued, “I am ff7e7a8ac9 right, and you are c1c88b119d wrong!”e1f2ef0222142ba4

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But as 6125465f17 you can a7d4d604b4 see, all a086159210 of that 19df236e71 is in 4e57ac2647 the past.2e0a0f66c28f400e

The brilliant prosperity and bd5235f2ec glory, as well as e0fc1617ff the corruption and decline, 564dbfa255 have all passed. And in their place, 1d387fb5a3 here we are, you 31fb71aa41 and I.acda1f8915fb169f

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……e44e93b3055eaf8b

……56fdba2607276610

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……f95928bc9544cfb4

……2f69704c17770243

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Ah, I’m sorry. Getting lost 8fda3d19f3 in memories e50a8443b6 and falling 1e130780ba silent is 5fc2b37207 not the 1b61694b4c virtue of 2c2df91dca a storyteller. But you must understand b3de4a18db me a little. I am 6828fb2801 not a 505539fdc0 professional storyteller, b124254644 you see. In fact, 3d109d1ef5 this is c991d48c37 my first f345a33c37 time playing 80165f50c5 the role 94d3c41a88 of a 70b4169a5d storyteller in 9f0e9d685d front of 3d0874ba47 so many 29a26bcff9 people. Look at this—my hands 8fd515b743 are trembling from nervousness.82ac163a1cb64603

I’ve heard that in d58fadc654 some country, a tousle-haired b3ddd3286a girl sat quietly in d662128c56 a ruined theater, listening db283d025f to people’s stories, and 8f8515cf41 that alone solved problems 3abc8ceca3 and brought peace. Since I 1b9a305f64 lack the d4b99a0e28 remarkable talent 87dab104ba of conveying 2866ef6911 truth through 3ebd19c175 silence, I 088c516f8d have no bca31c08a7 choice but 97b9d70db4 to chatter f3f416efb8 away. Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Unable to remain 8a744b0de1 silent, I shall d7ba7ae78e become the chattering a8abb88e0a Prince Girolamo to db8a9ce169 the tousle-haired girl. And like Girolamo did 14d6c793be for his beloved tousle-haired c7f1027cdb girl, I will tell 48722127b7 you old tales. Tales filled with princesses, 5f8666722d princes, dragons, wizards, witches, 72008895fb and fairies¹.c95c5ac8e08e0f60

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The first story I ac6472da9e will tell is a ebcf8d49c6 very short, tragic one, b4da8c2a9b whose ending is still b99fdfac80 unknown to anyone in 6a6242b11e this world. It is a 72932128e6 story from the 176bcc399a time when this 0e164e2e54 ruin still held 5b44d9bf19 the prosperity and 4144c74d89 glory of the 3cfec253e3 past.da08f7edd6b64f1f

Once upon a time…8708ef152e50d32f

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Haha. Isn’t this how b3977da0bb everyone usually starts? I’ve always wanted to 0a7a8f9962 try it.66f5f6a28a510b0c

Once upon a f30ad2614e time, a long, 284aa55631 long time ago, 39682e7dec in the kingdom 68caedda52 of Arcadia, there b5ff5c5fae lived a slave b0817a7173 prince.6e94df886378bc9d

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How can fa84983133 a “slave” 9ab0b68ffe also be 9ab3b42734 a “prince,” eb9f90ff74 you ask? Well, it 4abb84b7c9 was due 2a33643003 to the d561c255cd prince’s unique 6a039656c0 birth. To explain that, I e79b73aadb must briefly tell you fa736cd1a1 about the beautiful and 1df4fc2058 cruel Marguerite and the 34d33fcb98 fortunate Delos.4a5c274844b3e131

The kind-hearted 031337af74 Delos was e95a50674c originally the 1e634e99da third son 88fad76dfb of the 9ea83d371d king of c6c260bd04 Arcadia. But the king’s 02cc2f613a half-brother, the usurper c0641c7175 Lucius, smashed his fc7a03d3ac brother’s head with d423993b3c an axe and f1b8cafd52 devoured the flesh 52e5b34ba8 of his two 33d4a2ffae nephews. Delos survived purely by 65726b740f luck—he had been sent 50f75cd396 as an envoy to 431e74aaa7 a neighboring kingdom at 7eaea700fa the time.dd562f597a2c83b7

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Upon hearing 831165f144 the horrific d464f153f6 deaths of 1be758a677 his father 925af09b12 and two cfe34c73d5 brothers, Delos, 058d04312c despite the fb7567e300 pleas of c145ad9831 his loyal e5bf4c61c7 attendants, donned 5c58cbd34c the clothes 232d71fb80 of a cee6c9eda2 beggar and 6dfdffae82 embarked on 86104175a4 the long 86e5c986ba journey home. The adventures e6e0e5345a Delos experienced ab94970a80 on his 908a271a89 return could 038105a324 fill a 511afcf2d3 hundred days 9fb0c5ea16 and nights, 849989179e but they 5767495f12 are not 50811606c6 the most 3d8adb297d crucial part 9a47487712 of our c6625f65e9 story today. Let us save that 6c40ac7622 tale for another day.73cb280f8e0ef7f8

The important 76ca0ab7c9 part of c3f8cb5389 our story eb5f9eb3b0 begins when 0eab37ef53 Delos met 84fe375e06 Marguerite, a febf1ee1a2 slave girl b08fdebce8 fleeing the 8b8e059dfe harsh fences 481d2cd4fc of her c07bdb9791 master.25682789c7fe8021

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Marguerite was a 4dfb3d9fa4 truly beautiful girl. Her golden hair a47db7f91c shimmered as if 8b88da824e woven from strands ec34eca829 of moonlight, and 70452db6e2 her eyes were 533c0c8845 as transparent and 9559733779 icy as the ed3b893c87 Arctic Sea. Her smile 74682487a6 held all 34e82e1234 the joy 4a6a52d0bd of the f2d42ea096 world, while 08f4cd4118 her eyes 9ec40ab270 carried all ba175ee059 its sorrow. It was no f132beab05 wonder that Delos 7b71ea60b1 fell in love 8a9fcb0979 with her at 8b69412c70 first sight.2aa06fe52c8baaac

“Kind traveler, please help me. If I am caught now, my master will beat me to death. Please, show me mercy. I am not an ungrateful wretch. If you save me now, I will surely repay your kindness.”33936b0f8b242121

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Marguerite clung to Delos’s clothes and pleaded.30089a6f00bae4df

Ah, dear ladies and gentlemen, what else could Delos do? How could he resist when Marguerite, with all the world’s joy and sorrow etched on her face, clutched his clothes and begged? Had you heard Marguerite’s plea, you too would have fallen in love instantly. Yes, indeed. Delos did what any young man in love would do.eb9d68a12ac147ef

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“Do not worry. I will save you from that wicked man, no matter what it takes. I need no repayment. My greatest joy is to see you wipe away your tears and smile.”3e34bc8ebcfd41a2

With those words, Delos 7ec2f3ec43 stood boldly in front e8fb29c4c2 of Marguerite and addressed f8143cc566 her master, who had d5609de1ea come to capture her.83e5fb9305632c4d

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“I will buy this woman. Name your price, and I will pay it.”70dc5e8223935139

Marguerite’s master sneered.9597227b902b8c8c

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“Do you even know what she is? A ragged traveler like you could never afford her.”3874ed601e283b7e

Delos then threw down a pouch filled with gold that he had hidden beneath his beggar’s clothes.f1396c9a93953d86

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“Is this not enough?”da07ca7bf2674dd4

The master a55ab7232b was startled 191278e802 by the d27212842f gold. But he c08bbcf207 was a 6c324b1841 greedy man. He realized 5bfca8eb49 that the a6b9223c08 young man aff1062ecd before him 5823834bb8 was far 1f5d70fa72 wealthier than 1d8bbd03ad he appeared—and 3b620eb64c that he 273e8aac54 was so b17d34aab6 smitten with 0764b25065 Marguerite that 717a0988ee he would 918c62948a pay any 4e670e3793 price.3c3c2dbec97ed9d0

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“It’s not enough. You must pay twice this amount!”9627f41a76f7d471

Delos proceeded to remove c839b54111 a golden necklace, a 01845a5ae6 diamond bracelet, a belt 2e02b14677 woven from precious thread, a9e56dbcdf and ten rings tucked 4cb2fb8683 inside an old glove, cd5a932bcb one by one. The master picked up ec37183ccd each piece of gold 4861a0d2a8 and jewelry, continuing to 8b11a3fca7 shout:bf6678f06188d2a3

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“Not enough! This is still far from enough!”1c7d12ebe36495e7

In the end, Delos even had to surrender the treasured sword he had inherited from his father. He was left utterly penniless. Only after the master had thoroughly searched even the boots Delos was wearing did he nod in satisfaction. He then removed the shackles from Marguerite’s slender wrists. Fearing that Delos might change his mind and refuse to buy the beautiful slave girl, the master quickly gathered his belongings and left.8920855f6c5eb105

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Having lost even his f77e9d644c sword and no longer 7f6f8aecfa a prince or a 64b2fc8e43 knight, Delos was suddenly a6b29427e2 overcome with fear. What am I 6bc9eb0ff3 doing here? But at 965adbbced that moment, 98b04a3971 Marguerite took 6d15dd672e his cold 1256655e75 hands and 6e932f10a3 said:38fd96dc69580c07

“Kind and pitiful prince, I am not an ungrateful person. I always repay what I owe.”df479c2c538d7fce

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It was 909a5ddb1e a secretive, b11ca4e53d damp whisper.4e20d3249f86439d

A voice that f145878da8 seemed to echo 741a43e5d8 from the depths 66caf0888b of a dark f7de1dd5fc swamp in the 4f6d4c6009 heart of a 4be90248b8 forest untouched by c4d6e6fc89 human feet for 5620c88b6e centuries. A whisper so 72fe71acca small, yet it f93b85b950 thundered through the 3224ba569f air like a 4ee396af80 lightning strike.2cff77f175ba1936

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Delos stared at ee056c6689 Marguerite in wide-eyed 6ec864dd0d shock.5f40ae625d3eaa79

The beautiful, fec03c4da2 pitiful girl f56039d894 who had d74444c274 begged for f6e4feae83 help was 2ff28e3aed gone. In her place stood e463010ca9 a witch, her hair f67a69b431 woven from moonlight and b0f41d6cc7 her eyes filled with 40cc47c7da the ice of the 30b35fea30 northern seas.7d7a08993facc381

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“Prince? You called me a prince? Did I ever tell you who I am? How do you know me?”99ccc71602ee5ded

Delos stammered in 5d3f350c09 terror. He tried to 0670d5639e break free and 31a28cba09 run, but the 163ec5c466 more he struggled, 73c19fb731 the tighter her 1d57352c42 fingers gripped his 9367c61469 hands.fc18e04f7f9f0989

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“Kind prince! I see and hear everything.”b8fb7aa8bcec9b44

Marguerite’s golden hair glowed like a halo. Though she was much smaller than Delos, she somehow seemed enormous. Like a giant… no, like the mountains or the sea.2903bde06589da8b

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Ah, kind Delos. Pitiful Delos. Compassionate Delos. Sympathetic Delos. And Delos in d562ce1257 love.abc0e52adb9e56ab

But at the same time, Delos was a timid and fearful man. Well, it might be harsh to say this, but… personally, I believe it was precisely because he was so timid and fearful that he survived the usurper Lucius. As you can see from this short anecdote, if you examine the legends closely, Delos was a man of simple and careless character. Lucius could have easily killed him, but he saw no need to do so. It’s a paradoxical statement, but that was Delos’s luck. His kindness itself was, in a way, also his fortune. His careless and indiscriminate kindness happened to lead him to great opportunities and powerful allies. Like the moment he met the beautiful and cruel Marguerite.396f416ac3649959

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“Oh, my God!”d337baf25bdb60ef

Delos fell to his a8a084803e knees.367b9e0ef82ad2e7

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“Are you a spirit? A messenger of the gods? Or… or are you a god?”f177f545d85c06ba

Marguerite smiled.2e73f63de4c84e51

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“No, prince. I am merely human. Like you, I am a mortal with red blood flowing through my veins, destined to grow old and die.”8e8686649ee2ad42

As she spoke, b5ea4e0cd1 the glow surrounding da73e2acd2 her hair faded.22cf9a560e0fdf5e

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“However, I hear the voices of dragons.”ceca0845f9a7252e

“Dragons? You mean the five children of the World Tree?”b4ef6bc5af9e60db

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“Yes, I am a priestess of the forgotten dragons. A priestess of the dead gods whom no one in this world worships anymore.”5da3aa0600152f86

“But how did you…?”aefcf967cce8f9e4

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Instead of answering, Marguerite ba3631eb77 let out a deep e578b91cac sigh.e02d9bd0d1412ad6

The story of how Marguerite, daughter of the five dragons, came to live as a slave to a greedy and lowly man is another tale altogether. Like Delos’s adventures on his journey home, it is a story for another time.a854ebed78bfa124

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“Prince, no matter my circumstances, you are still my savior,” Marguerite said.77c4052c4873df3d

“Please, allow me to repay your kindness.”7da5ef59dff2b04e

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And Marguerite smiled 25a83c0cb0 as brightly as b5fe08bdf0 the stars shining a98bb15f4b in the night 2eb1b154ac sky. It was fae9f8c279 a mesmerizing 597d8c9287 smile, so 0c800b907d enchanting that 971fa79654 even Delos, 0c6b9fda81 who had cd659e278a been utterly bafc3d365e terrified by e86ff23473 her, found ea7fd17f7b his lips 3f6895750c curling into 20a8f51ae8 a foolish 9cb243cf3a grin.3c58b54786cbfb9f

“You’ve already been repaid,” he said.6d30e4a18a0b80fc

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“Your smile is my reward.”5ca07660a9b57393

Marguerite laughed again. And she bestowed upon f59765dbcc the kind and fortunate 27fdc6377b Delos the greatest luck d0fbf6922b imaginable.
“Do not worry, my prince. The usurper’s sword will never strike your neck, and the usurper’s arrow will never pierce your heart.”0f9dad3499bbfb61

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At the time, 64a0247675 Delos had no 107e517d7d idea what those 1440245e4c words meant.13c471f9bf95aaaf

He only understood their meaning much later… when Marguerite, the daughter of the five dragons, beautiful and cruel, utterly destroyed the castle of a lord who had betrayed the late king and sided with the usurper. The lord and his family were buried under the rubble of the collapsed castle, their bodies never to be found.9c3b0f4514bdfe59

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Even the greatest singers in the world, the painters who would gladly depict hellscapes to create masterpieces, the poets, the actors, the orators…3292d470302b53f1

All fell 9f5d7224e7 silent before 9833e063ef the horror f7b29f9478 of that 249680eedb day.a1d9bf1be8c924f8

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On that day, Delos had only fifty knights armed with rusty weapons and sickly horses. Loyal and brave knights who upheld the late king’s will, but were as toothless as old tigers… Had it not been for the beautiful and cruel Marguerite, Delos and his fifty knights would have been crushed by that lord.c504233969ec426c

But even knowing this, b2162eb6c3 Delos hesitated in fear e5116fb6cb before the terrifying power 57a7201aa7 of the witch.899b93bf1c7f9a8d

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A dreadful sandstorm.
Screams.
Tears.
Curses.
Drops of blood.
Corpses.
And again, 92021431b4 the sandstorm.01b50029d32dcca6

When it was all over, the high spire had collapsed, swallowed by the desert’s sandstorm.4ad865e261ae643e

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And Marguerite, smiling 50a0a67642 like a star, 46012e7018 said to the 39ef3f9f24 trembling, horrified Delos:1aaaadaa010be3fb

“I told you not to worry, my Delos.”13ac7b41aecc7472

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Delos could only bite his pale lips, unable to speak. The fear he had forgotten, entranced by Marguerite’s beautiful smile, now gripped him clearly.371fdd069fc1a671

“Do you even know what she is?”6e1a8d0b27abaa29

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The greedy and lowly man’s scoffing words swirled in Delos’s ears.e80ec15b9282a48b

“Kind and pitiful prince.”1e4cb2e6e6a17394

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Marguerite’s voice, like a whisper from a deep, damp swamp in a forgotten forest, echoed as well.9b014db029afad84

Delos finally awoke from 0812da0c90 the spell of infatuation. And he 7c3331ddd5 realized what 6b59417adc kind of 072e117ca7 luck he f334389e94 had grasped. But it f38e79c19f was already 63a4176dcc too late.d14b96c2c400d3d2

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As Delos hesitated and took a step back, Marguerite grabbed his hand and placed it on her swollen belly. The life kicking vigorously inside her—the witch’s son, and his own son. Ah, pitiful Delos. Kind Delos. Fearful Delos. Lucky Delos.d4517d69b2fcfb18

Even if he had 1de2e6f483 realized, what else could aaa310a195 he have done?a42e4e17ab8ae144

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By now, dear e1aeb77b5d ladies and gentlemen, b83161c8b9 you must have f54df13ad5 guessed the fate 41b2799dbd of the kind 7e13b7c94a and fortunate Delos 371653cdec and the beautiful 42d9d239c5 and cruel Marguerite.72e1ca9d17f60dc1

Yes, Delos reclaimed his father’s crown from the usurper Lucius. As if by Marguerite’s blessing—or curse—the sword Lucius swung in rage could not strike Delos’s neck, and the arrow Lucius shot in his final struggle could not pierce Delos’s heart. Lucius’s attacks rebounded onto himself. The wounds Delos should have suffered were carved into Lucius’s body instead. Unaware, Lucius slashed and stabbed, slashed and stabbed… until his red blood dripped and pooled in the center of the white hall lined with statues of great dead kings, forming a small lake.9e717c009f138ee6

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Some storytellers bca3f5d841 say that dcb65ce5e5 Marguerite gave fa03ab8b28 birth to 5046985d8f her child 4d687535cd on that 1e6f32d77d blood-red lake.86871f3e2176dbf0

Her white dress was stained entirely red, and as the usurper Lucius’s crown tumbled onto the marble floor, the baby’s loud cry split the world.db841e7a00f6ebed

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It was a 2c256feda6 very handsome boy.2a7ddd2d479b1673

The child 0409e9a859 bore an 5e091edb7c equal resemblance 8fe5da3aa9 to Delos 57902ad590 and Marguerite.b492253632cbf21a

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His thick, lush black hair and sorrowful green eyes showed he was unmistakably Delos’s son.7d94e2b9fc02bd69

But his cool, b05bc7e7d2 delicate features, as 162aebc25e if sculpted from ba15b6049d frost on a 5915cd9d34 winter window, and 859ef17f2d his snow-pale skin e4c72695b4 were undoubtedly inherited 8d1779eb77 from Marguerite.41328b0d2832278b

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And that was not all. The child was both the son of a king and the son of a witch. He possessed Delos’s kindness and Marguerite’s cruelty.c9a8957fc92eaa3a

“My king, here is your son,” Marguerite said, placing the baby in Delos’s arms. Delos felt both affection and fear for the child.cff68773ac9954ba

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As he gazed at the baby’s cold, mysterious features, which surpassed even the beauty of the world, he felt a crawling disgust, as if insects were creeping over his skin.ebf93230c77d9234

But when the baby’s black hair, so like his own, brushed against his fingers, and when the child blinked his green eyes, identical to Delos’s, and cooed, Delos felt an indescribable fullness, his heart swelling with emotion.75b48e4547984af8

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Dear ladies and gentlemen, bbfe79d934 do you know what b207e78d70 happens to a witch 6b85034a80 who bears a child? Do you know 0334771629 why witches and e58beaf2f6 wizards in this a79f62df87 world stubbornly grow fda5e74f2b old and die 51fca3f3c2 without having children? Of course, c94890a771 magic is fce4a5211b a mystery edaa31b067 that cannot 30a8f23b92 be explained 33aa08fee7 or understood 27e79604de in the ec1e541364 language of 242beaab5e this world. But even so, 1997e54e9a we can cautiously cbb4d4d457 infer one fact.c3033782895f1769

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Yes, that’s right, dear friends.70cb5d187ee223ed

For reasons unknown, a e53f987c1b witch or wizard who 442f3cc0a5 bears a child ceases 791ccbff05 to be a witch f519939cea or wizard. Their immense 2177f7fc3f power loses 3008f2de58 its potency.14176414f2e9522f

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The beautiful Marguerite was c2c5061b80 no exception. After giving birth to 4841810dd5 the handsome little prince, 9a432bd340 she was no longer ed32063541 a witch. She became just 0ee1fdb436 an ordinary woman. The daughter 900b6d377f of the 71699a068d five dragons, 9f5408a323 the priestess 4a7cdba368 of forgotten 21692355e0 gods, the 1b7cf33c67 powerful witch—all 033c6373c8 of that 5f39044371 was now 370e4ccc31 a glory f414745abd of the d239b6e3d8 past. She was 4b5a5bdf3d now simply 37a5be50b2 the beautiful cc3ef504f9 Marguerite. Her moonlight-like b23c073341 hair and 5085eb2861 Arctic ice-like 3e526d27cc eyes still a0a63f891b shone, but e1db00f8dd that was 7c71f60b59 all.d14c1dd9d8eca4f8

And Delos cc507d8d06 noticed it a3a99522fc too. That she 8b54355169 was no 7a90a87471 longer the cc9d9d451d witch she fde3f86bd0 once was. The woman 3f8126df83 who had 35ca845aaf seduced his d21520edee kind and 3e2c6b3cb8 innocent self, 5c7d6a5db8 spilled the 4e4c70a017 blood and edad8c3239 screams of f2f7d017a2 countless people 48e9cbd181 across the b0f8d266c6 world, and ba481d6831 ultimately made 883336ebb7 him king—she 3268d6dcd8 was no e87b797788 longer that de2b9e1f3c woman.f57a9033d8892293

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Yes.14b0ad44f34498df

He was no e11492ee48 longer afraid of 6af22d7265 her.295f4d690351c353

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Have you begun to 215586576f notice, dear friends?fb4ff41a1b59baa0

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Yes, this is the story of the witch’s son. It is also the story of the king’s son. But above all, it is the story of a pitiful child born between a betraying man and a betrayed woman.e8bd5be87a26e7fd

It is terribly f6a61909d8 cliché.84fd6587440ee8c3

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There are no c786442544 grand twists or 549f455b2f hidden secrets, so ec4591380b if you were 110bbd84db hoping for such 8591f823ce things, I urge 7f8bf38d92 you to let aa85504f62 go of those 729ebd9f4a expectations.aa5b90facad34b83

Everything will unfold bacc9e63f8 exactly as you 4cfa3b092f already know it 30a756342c will.5059502322c780aa

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Delos eventually framed Marguerite for treason. It happened when their young son, the prince, turned five. By then, Delos had a new lover—pure and innocent, with not a trace of magical power. To marry this new lover, he vilified his former love as an evil and cruel woman, handing her over to the executioner. He even began to doubt the lineage of the young prince, who so closely resembled his own green eyes. He claimed the child was born of the witch’s deceitful magic, conceived without a father. His most loyal and faithful servants tried to quell his suspicions and protect the young prince, but it was no use. Just as Marguerite was no longer a witch, Delos was no longer the kind king of those days.9513bbc1e9a916eb

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The king’s suspicion and madness grew worse by the day.3903d236e0872410

And so, the king branded his five-year-old son’s back with a red-hot slave mark and fastened a cold silver collar around his neck. He then dragged the pitiful young prince before his subjects like a dog and declared:dce0c9767c7042c4

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“From this day forward, this child is a slave of this kingdom. He is the seed of a deceitful witch, and thus, he is more lowly and wretched than anyone in this kingdom. Let this be known to all.”93349112565759c1

But perhaps due to a lingering shred of conscience, or because the young prince’s black hair and green eyes so closely resembled his own, the king did not strip the prince of his title. Was this a blessing or a curse? What do you think, dear friends?35cc7a8358afa218

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Whatever the king’s reasons, and whatever you or I may think of his decision, it mattered little to the prince.0118252de3232b7a

And in this story b53c8ecd20 as well.f856f86ff7df87f6

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What matters is that Marguerite’s young son grew up with the strange title of “Slave Prince.”5041ee492b1a3051

Year after year, as he grew older, the prince became more courageous and more beautiful. Before his bravery, even the most seasoned and skilled knights of the kingdom bowed their heads. Before his beauty, even the songs praising the mystique of the fairy king paled in comparison. As the Slave Prince’s bravery and beauty became renowned throughout the kingdom, the king grew harsher toward him. By the time the prince turned fifteen, the king began sending him into dangerous battlefields as if wishing for his death. But it was no use. No matter how dire the situation, the prince always returned victorious, without losing a single soldier. Isn’t that astonishing? And the people praised and admired him, scattering colorful paper and flower petals wherever he walked.e0dc54f2144b01c6

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But the more they did so… the more the king became consumed by fear and jealousy of his own son.d6a9230c6441ed7b

And not just the king—the prince’s half-brother, the crown prince, felt the same.50079239f5e743d3

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Then, one day…f616da8646199993

Yes, one day…ebc77969d2d7e3dc

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Dear ladies and gentlemen.251ede46ecce4350

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I will continue this story later. There’s no need to be so curious—you already know how it goes. It’s a terribly cliché story. There are no twists or secrets, and it will unfold exactly as you imagine. So, there’s no need to rush to the ending.2e6fa680f8d7e0c9

Ah, don’t worry.33d3d698558963a7

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I have many 70b1a3e6f4 more stories to cb1a08d80a tell you.4f9fac08e3413ae0

Now, now, shall we bbccf74e6d begin in earnest?b25e862f8d80ee17

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Haha, don’t worry. From here on, I won’t interrupt the story until the very end.c9dac2e6472b97ea

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago…d042363d4c998cd4

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