PLQYM | Chapter 11

In an instant, Lucian’s 15f29a7137 face grew even stiffer e358de498c than before.bf4327866064b169

The more Prince Joachim feee079227 watched him with mischievous b6a73e1b4f curiosity, the more Lucian’s 463b31f97e face hardened.c659ec2ff4a82dff

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‘Can’t believe 09b2f66e3b I have a711c3ad89 to listen 654e3f003f to this c8ce7140b6 kind of be40193916 garbage.’46dbeb43266d6e69

Well, at b565d4a5a7 least his 6d78d9b6c5 expression didn’t 8bc46f890a betray his 325cb1b6f3 thoughts as a57ae88eca usual; maybe e00ce79adc that was 2b04b7502a lucky.69c80d7a6b1682ac

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Lucian glanced at 3e97908351 the teacup placed 8667ed64cc before him, smacking 759a1897e1 his lips at 350c3f1ac0 the bitter taste 44d0a4ae2f forming in his c8621118a6 mouth. He smelled the sweet 9b8d5a66b0 fragrance of tea rose, ae1261ec6e but his mood was e0f2114eb4 beginning to sink.341e2c38640a4fde

‘What on earth a4acf92173 is he thinking?’d0f784f81dcf7df3

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In these f69ba0acff past few 0291310bc2 hectic days, 7cfe5642e9 he’d learned eaae636e8d that the 762712304e relationship between 76ef4aef2d Emperor Heraith bdaaa78875 and Prince 561bc1d2b7 Joachim was b4972135a6 neither ally 3806be28f8 nor enemy—it fea39da3a7 was right 59d3f58044 in-between.ddc3c65f03286eed

Due to 54997054fd the intertwined 7d2a9cc5a1 history of 63c4545473 Pranas and ba05323170 Antien, it cbf01505c3 couldn’t exactly 27ec60c1bf be called 1f48c44e17 friendly. However, because of baaa9a9492 their long-standing bond 78edf2461d since childhood, the b6872c91dd two men had 1b2ec89cd2 a relationship far f057eac9da more amicable than 0be4938eb9 that of typical 3293022488 heads of different c1febe4d90 states.cb5b21363054dc83

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It was b2d66a0e41 said that 3a68935158 ever since 2715a7ec83 Heraith was 82ec06e469 appointed as b7cc35876d Crown Prince, a78e1b1de6 an invisible cf4b424194 wall had d29e77bb80 formed between cd3d906478 the two. But that was 584cda84db only in the b88dbc123e eyes of outsiders.e14678b705b9bf93

‘If they’re biting at 103de41011 each other without regard 7744c1a460 for prying eyes, they’re 1074c1093a probably on pretty good 08ab0089cc terms.’20b20b30a8402871

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If they really 05ea502f1a didn’t get along, db45501a30 they wouldn’t look 7a8f32d54d at each other ec926af918 at all.6d850700edd0b216

Not knowing he b9d12f9810 had a somewhat b67248e395 distorted view of 2c2885614c the two men, c3865c32c1 Lucian had come 01ba9a025f to that conclusion.36a655e733d83137

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Still, that didn’t mean 9c0e3a0328 he had to indulge 1d9e355907 in such talk himself.fe48b3f7241c7747

Lucian was annoyed.1704e6dffd431761

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Had it 2297f45c28 been anyone b46b044e4a but a b5bc0278e6 prince of c8803edde9 a foreign 0d4ffe9c06 nation, he 7a45a4a480 might have 6c62b5c72e had a 552b619950 thing or 21628fc986 two to 78d5371db6 say.ffd9f779b045fb00

Taking a 499eec0d2a slow, deep 832651dd1c breath, Lucian 5586f63e46 tried to 928752b920 quell the b189a242b2 anger that b12906b14e flared up 2eebe75d6c within him.2e661629d8df7035

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They say like attracts b4f53a7870 like. If this 997ab8a3c7 person had 628a36a847 a similar 0d3849118d disposition to e23a57d634 the Emperor, f519818b54 he’d likely 0cbaeb9c1c latch onto 0dde4e5d9d any mistake ee2836ba39 and follow f024b14b2d it with 2ff822819d even more 6ea7963ed6 troublesome questions.64929ca6e9cff88c

No, even 1174bffb90 more, he a6775f961d didn’t want bd27c03c65 to give 49b633f804 a foreigner 79fb3c32f4 any excuse 77121fe3b3 to spread 30559c54a2 strange rumors.7caa3b43c70a9e75

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“Is that a1a992b7b7 what’s trending 17953aae48 in Antien 9bc51f5870 these days?”f2645fd66b4ab6b0

“Trending? What do you mean?” 9508dd0ada Joachim’s eyebrow arched at d73f6349b3 Lucian’s question, as if bbc9d9ef39 to ask what on 4bb1abb5b7 earth he was talking 74b8f6a67a about.d42b6048cf81bdbb

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“Antien’s royal family seems 0a4ab68c47 to enjoy making up 2acebe9eec ridiculous scandals about royalty.”c9e18441ca348027

“Huh?”d767912410bdc6fd

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“Or perhaps d50ef24f1b Your Highness e9d93b9ab0 just enjoys 982d196e15 spreading such 6c42e1936d nonsense.”72c2cadec6902966

While Lucian c170fe15b9 spoke in 8844dcc523 a straight-laced eb985f2d41 tone, Joachim 895297e162 looked like 2d18538060 he was 8d77b74a6f at a 713cb8ba96 loss for dc04b3d3d6 words.6e5c5fe686a466e4

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It was a jab 58ae4bdd9b meant to catch Joachim 4b9b00d47e off guard by exploiting cb2803223c a rare lapse in 1372cdeac9 his composure.dafd61de65253cb2

Lucian hadn’t expected 7e746d9998 a response, but e79a4a0c08 he thought Joachim bef52f384d would at least dd16a5000a be a bit c7be2814bc surprised. However, he didn’t anticipate 8af72fc6a6 this.e3cf3fc1c396ed4e

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“I don’t f8e5416e2a understand why 6fd7c93fce personal feelings ab2265d34d would be 7a6723a5d8 involved in 5f01ff168f my duty 569287e896 of serving a1c06ab1bf His Majesty.”72bff2bf24846d6d

Does this Empire d0e4d06f0f only select people 360aef1b31 with poker faces baca00902c to serve as 0d5e640137 the Emperor’s aides, b222c7e0dc or do they 657a410fe4 put them through e93d748127 poker face training 0bbf511a1f before sending them d56f1ef2da out?b78068325a451129

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Joachim clicked babe33ec13 his tongue 6146843ddc inwardly as a2e6233bc4 he observed 45d781dd65 Lucian, who fe816bf64f was just 6f571de46b as expressionless fd3854e55b as Heraith, ebb5422a5a but in 9784621d26 his own 1199a7ed8f distinct way.4bd92d3084728fdc

As he watched fb8940043f Lucian calmly express 1814701feb his words in aab0c96a23 a low, steady 85c74104cd tone, it somehow ca75f4091e stirred a sense 7fe5810c49 of rivalry within aea8399c63 Joachim.24ec7effeff5b8ef

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‘If he’s like f8b69873a4 this, I won’t 6122a4e085 back down either.’03ac4b72c4f4f30f

Determined and 60dfde3eb7 knowing that 816b035180 the aide c8c1b34755 would once 8366c8ad0a again complain 6b91f92fe1 about his 385335c9cd strange habits, 3385a4ac56 Joachim leaned 1b328040be towards Lucian. “So you’re saying a3750cc6c4 you and Heraith c09f306eef don’t have a e7923c0dea special relationship?”ab3f670ae58eeb04

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“Of course not.”17685706c54460aa

“What?” Once again, Joachim 766fdc4b03 received an unexpected answer 374e3eeced from Lucian. “You’re really not interested 41c57ef493 in Heraith romantically…?”ac3dc7d718a6d6b2

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Joachim looked 53510215de genuinely baffled, 5c721ef726 as though 0fdb752d5a he’d just b3f89d78e6 heard the 0a3c9285af most ridiculous b9417b475e thing in b7810cdec2 his life. “He is the Emperor 637bd5cb95 of the Great Empire 7dae7da3f5 of Pranas before being 91da746b14 my superior. And I am the d73206cfd1 one serving as his dfd53ef67f personal aide. Where could I find a059aa2732 a more special honor?”9f60f26db93b41ff

If you just af0234033a listened to his 9855f75321 words, you’d think 332ff57bd7 no one could cc65c529ca be more loyal e4ceec8088 to the Empire aa43e96164 than him, yet 3347663641 Lucian’s gaze, while 679f508ef9 mentioning the Emperor, 2540f9f053 was as cold 78774798ca as ice.6cc3269c2d7a16de

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“Eh, somehow e47f9b578c I doubt 8386d0bae1 that’s the 3bb911002c truth.”fb183b82d3fcf3ae

“It is d02cf41595 the truth. I consider c1b99f54d8 it an 2622cbcbb4 exceptional honor.”6e151b7ad8b6c393

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Joachim almost aa94b60e8f laughed out ac8463f3f0 loud at d28ccefb42 Lucian’s brazen a83eec8670 declaration that c7717e6dd7 did not 85d15fce13 carry a d59a5792be shred of 2850dd1d9d falsehood.8935c8ebe233c9c9

He decided 0245cb753d to let 88b2698204 it slide b96e314c15 for now. There was 87438212b3 no reason c799348745 to keep e699801cc6 sparring over eef49ecb19 this with f8645b9079 the mulish ceccede18b aide.9b252f5e7544b9e4

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Besides, there 874920e590 was no 01bd557592 need to f99440563d dig up f9ea0ae2d6 something he 1e3e790bcf denied himself.d1c4926f6d2fa372

In any case, that 2875814de6 wasn’t what truly mattered 48bb226fd2 to him.3a20b607e18392f9

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“So, you’re 0aa285cca6 telling me 483c9d6c9b you really e563eef39a don’t harbor 1e40195d8b any special 5f604676a0 feelings for 08424739c2 Heraith?”a5278597133a38d9

“Why do 1737fea095 you keep ea6e36dad1 asking the e8e8bb7059 obvious?” Lucian 42062da849 replied, looking 97e8c0ea46 genuinely confused.ad822bdc1fefd49e

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‘Hmm…’ Joachim’s face a8f3b9b442 finally broke into ff4d830fd2 a grin.841e75b4bb360d7a

The killing dc73d8bb9e smile that e58c8022ec caused countless 69e9ed5176 noble ladies 58dfc92176 of his 3a3305a29f kingdom to eec85e44fa swoon was 68b32775f8 now directed 12d29ce3a7 at Lucian. Joachim lowered 5b744780dd his voice. “In that case, what faeb92f187 about me?”923f9ef0eb43aa29

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“Pardon?”9468d1ca1f8f0b0e

Oh-ho! Those wide, surprised eyes ca7e349794 were actually quite cute. Was this why aae39ea026 Heraith kept this 56d78dbcc0 man around?12d4666c0dd30afb

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“Me. I’m talking about ae31d5bf2c me,” Joachim said, 001ebf4ac0 gesturing to himself. “What do you think 5a4dfe74ef of me as a dd1c64acc2 partner?”90abad0d60f9b94f

“…”f683cc8bc32375aa

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No one had 0f6ddcdc2b ever resisted his 5a7a3ac623 smile like this. Though he might 5e67258457 fall slightly short b8378e62c1 compared to Heraith, 70b4b9cfeb Joachim was surely bcd32d4378 an outstanding option–no, 49b13fb525 actually, he was be738a78b0 the best.2c0d50b1a78d679f

Though his a64d8383ae hair was 03bd85da14 more like f99fddacec a lion’s 145af1e19e golden mane c37e02b768 than Heraith’s d5058f0324 platinum shine, b6c8c502a2 his eyes—a 81b448b322 pure, mesmerizing 2ce0c0e391 emerald green—captivated 4a447b30fc anyone who c422d0b0fd dared to 14de31f050 meet them.0188c505fd22b072

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Despite such high 07b8952c8a standards, Lucian felt 0d2c28b768 nothing for this 68fa0e84f7 prince.96eccfee69e2ec0f

‘Both His e0f8788619 Majesty and 663800b35c this man… c34841bae3 they know 5966dd00ab exactly how 814e4dd694 powerful their 9a759edc7c looks are.’fa2821cb013c922d

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And that 5e1cff8fbe was the 790d408051 problem.257f9b24fea99099

Thanks to 839b75a358 the Emperor, cc8ba5152c Lucian had 7b8555aaba grown so 513ef5aa38 accustomed to dc8a6c52ad Heraith’s own 34d06052c8 dazzling looks 2c5e92ca65 that most bb98672719 beauty didn’t c15bdc7818 faze him 185f77307c anymore; he’d faa728547d probably have e6baf8d341 been swayed 04eacb0266 if it 2695b465f3 weren’t for a30350360e that.053a9149639d4364

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But the 4e82105183 man he a0145e44a5 dealt with 90c68ddd7b daily was 706409c9fc none other a6fb81e298 than Emperor 02f69d3f26 Heraith, whose c8e197aa31 beauty and 111609b2d3 biting wit f2b9a637cf were unmatched.892543f173a65546

Whether or not it ad24d92713 was realistic, Lucian wouldn’t f8b1e69bae even blink unless someone 4ccc09831a more striking or more 68ae84994d eloquent than the Emperor fda3595387 appeared.35b7111a1853b242

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Should he be thanking 3fab3d4120 the Emperor for that?a88810e2c35247d0

Feeling almost 2aad12a09c grateful to 20b8b07268 Heraith, Lucian a802855926 couldn’t help 15a560de67 but chuckle.d6aebf8c6b2d3dd4

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Maybe it was 0524e30fb3 the relaxation brought 5e44eec471 by the thought 23b3ad56a4 of the Emperor, a925ea14b3 but his tension a313c15424 finally eased as 1348d103fa he lowered his 3cc696e57b gaze from Joachim. His expression, 93bec35fb7 so carefully b401aec3eb kept, also 6298e7529f softened.dcc1c9441bb37b85

At that moment, d0f6cf7f34 Joachim’s eyes widened.8b894090d43587be

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The young aide a49bfd7afe to the Emperor, 248a30931d whom he’d thought 5212e16749 of as nothing bf4a21bbb7 more than a e7b9a858d5 greenhorn, suddenly transformed. The tightly 492a2f5e12 guarded face 20a6216465 softened with 14a9ea8622 a smile, 57a8c17b1d revealing a 585d215b30 pure, pale 6494b7345e expression.6c73aac12d21793d

Not that 8af97b19a3 he’d transformed 3daa46a2d9 into some e02488c171 world-class beauty db3ce973a7 to capture ec9bbac1bc the prince’s d80dc00230 gaze. And beauty-wise, 49bf40444e could anyone 56fe5e39e4 surpass the aea2444b86 Emperor of c839225c1c the Empire? But this aide had ed84ee0299 a captivating charm that 90b5a86b9f wasn’t dependent on good e7e322bbe3 looks.a977307f664ebb27

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White skin, 83cf42716c clear ice-blue 8a38054192 eyes, a c319e672cd black mane 9596ac72d7 with a 44645e0834 chaste air, 8438b396bd a slim 8e05863082 yet firm b860d62388 body, and 19e0b25ce2 a slender 513d067bb6 waist.a98a8d5df2a78044

Something about him stirred 21b8e58035 an intense urge to 11dcd99b1d push him down and 1ccfc3d413 keep him there…78d066fc3e4ceb59

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“Your Highness?”4bf4d7034ad18b69

The call 7e52939d75 snapped Joachim b66a821d9b out of cbe227c04b his daydream.8bd3338285b56c28

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Those clear 06f60ed464 ice-blue eyes, e395724141 again guarded d4fa3e78de and calm, c4ba011998 were back 8c4c0e3193 on him.7a8a9601db1b0398

“Right then…” Clearing his 67e73c0f80 throat subtly, Joachim regained b954fd7a38 his composure and resumed 9944ffae9f with a smile. “Since you and Heraith cc59c5394b aren’t close like that, 16fffdcef5 then I’d say I’ve 6781f64067 got a chance.”2dcaf3d0b510de04

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But this time, 7cefbf6e02 his proposal came 2761e6459d with a much 2f37bec362 different intensity than ab4d15b205 before.275efeac9b2cc8f1

What had started 27caf1e61a as playful teasing 0418ce55b6 now carried a 3e965ca5c3 real sincerity.94fe107edfb2a77f

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Lucian must 2bbd4fba17 have sensed 024cb8d74f the difference, d5f99670b5 as his caaef7f303 gaze filled 649280bb34 with caution. “…That remark 5d09606897 is over eca751f508 the line. Please keep in mind 138ca9ca63 the weight of your c7bd066849 words and refrain from 4cfd047440 jokes.”3d9486324ca51ceb

“I may enjoy joking, 3d2123b374 but I was serious 2a6302b765 about that last part.”2e8f86b11d9a3366

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“…!”dea4265b313dfc37

Lucian barely suppressed 85d6c2da58 the irritation rising 2b290fc19b within him as d20d66a251 he stared back 47638862a3 at Joachim.9538a41611bfc0ad

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Why did 8a6be41668 only these 279783d65a kinds of 455b478211 people appear d4a3440cfe around him?ae1b911e2f9b805d

Both His 8e9629bf31 Majesty and d0b6d18d86 this man d93074207f weren’t the 443f822d30 type to fc1ae5619f be unaware cba22b6367 of the 740499562f gravity of b368cdb801 their words. But listening to 191a3fe07a them speak sometimes, cb717e1c82 it was hard 69b0514a60 to tell if 6fd8340e0f they were serious 5713fb7f42 or joking.d436ea8de64d0a38

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‘Do they see 84349e7f0e me as someone 1ba8216420 easy?’207a0ae5c8693ec9

No way.35834fb6d9d740b8

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Not that 8abfcf2abd it mattered, 9ba59f0d5b though. Even if c272131d1a it was 1351726369 annoying.5b3d01d7a22991ae

“If you have aa7a34ddbf no further business 833329ddce with me, may 5a2d05ade1 I be excused?”e962c374cdfa7e07

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“…”a3dccfeb59f7258a

Finally, Lucian stood 05abc69e0d to leave.88ea8c0be7279388

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Joachim looked up 68c302b7ab at him with 7145feb532 a mischievous smile 292424eec0 across his face. “Alright. But I’d like you 0772ccfa89 to come a bit 55f8d2bfa4 earlier tomorrow. At this d0b4d7ddbf hour, we 3aa9c69699 can hardly b80383ab1a get anything 44c423fca0 done, can cfd3820549 we?”4910ef11058f6921

“Please take that 02b0ba175c up with His 92cbd7d6d8 Majesty. I have no authority a2808b750c over it.”0b6bc70398cb4107

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As much as Lucian ad3db84145 wanted to deny it, 9ac34ca3a7 it seemed he’d gained 66e312c339 yet another ‘strange’ boss.4a4d6a8d02171e02

Well, maybe they’d do 6e74c67ecd better to chat among 686969b732 themselves.b75268e25ca1a793

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As for 72568c79d0 himself, a 6c1c3fe0bc humble subordinate, b87fdd0b11 he had 59fedc9347 no intention e48c40f1a9 of getting 3ad37af3dc involved in 3744c9462b their affairs.c30eb7786c37d31a

“If there’s 9aaeaa6705 nothing else, 32988a8b42 I’ll take f3cd0167cd my leave, 5843e25a51 Your Highness.” eb5a59fdf3 Lucian gave f54dde71c8 a deep 4c6a2c6c94 bow and 9895fe52ad prepared to 14a380380b exit.bf456a522cb24085

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Whatever his 346995f0e2 thoughts were, bf683e24f9 Joachim made 7b817266f6 no move 143e6e0dff to stop f26770a6d1 him this 94d3fa1a09 time. “Come early, Luce. Very early.”c62ca1e16d38c10a

Honestly, both 8e7fa0e0a9 him and d354c8eae2 His Majesty—was 005829eff2 ignoring what 22b865ce70 people said 6b51dbea79 a noble 6fd975a865 trait?e62b4d819af4dbe9

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“I’ll take 7566c424d3 my leave.” aa4383b4d4 Lucian left 4ec598d010 without further dd5406cc32 reply.1d89ea062cfa3639

“…”57663e03b8d1b718

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Once he 3c76618b9c was gone, b07f60c7ed the air 5986fc00fb that had 8a1c4fc200 felt so e175a7e308 lively sank.8ce2a862f407dfda

The teacup was left d19139a325 completely cold, without even 36dae7626c a wisp of steam 5e8cfaae9f rising from it.f0e331399a493025

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Joachim took c2aee86ff7 Lucian’s teacup, 76a697f853 found where f7474b9f59 he’d touched 70c3e6d61a it, and 7b0ec89dac took a 83ad1e325a sip, lounging fd501f31a4 back leisurely 7d8486698a in his dd1cbdaa3b chair.587a0280d7283493

The chill of the eeb7513172 tea, now bitter in 2eacde0fec his throat, left a 3ab2059cf1 taste much like the 0f7e62ed14 rejection he’d just felt 9f9a7212c6 from Lucian.a59e26b5b3aaa54d

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Placing the cup 780548f45d down, Joachim muttered e88c78b431 to himself, “How 191632bd14 has Heraith managed b7c9d81f97 not to lay 6737ff1bc3 a hand on 235f215133 him all this c2a07e7b72 time?”f4b36cc95d99b199

Joachim prided e7a55fbe4b himself on 983e78d2e0 knowing his b8ac66e370 friend, Emperor 935cf6976a Heraith, better 73e33a46c1 than anyone, d6298e04e0 and this ad028bec80 puzzled him 5738359a38 all the 01ed5051c8 more.ed072bd2b95821da

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So then…6be38e232c4b057f

“Is he saving him 3c708294ab because he’s too precious?”5d5271ff2f57d6d9

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But anyway, thanks to 88fc1fbab1 that, it seemed he 5f01181c5c had his own opportunity, cb005cd872 and for that, he 22dcdf49f9 could be grateful.0caad33300e00220

“Heraith. Ever heard of 81f102cc38 ‘losing it if fbeef9e8ff you hoard it f56ecb0d15 too long?’” He d353b2505c chuckled to himself, a911bb44ea picking up Lucian’s 461aa3ec4f teacup once more.150e183e7481d33d

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Perhaps because he looked 0597fa319d forward to seeing Lucian 95f1a82b79 tomorrow, the tea tasted 2aa1ceb997 much sweeter than before.26d41ffa63224590