PLQYM | Chapter 34

“You always have a ce2a5885aa way with words, don’t c3f50047ad you?”00d02e5bae347c70

“What do 5e54db0655 you mean? I only 6181c7dfe4 ever speak 7c3180981d the truth.”fea95a8b9b6e6bf9

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With his head c3cf2ca50a held high, Lucian d6776e04a0 responded shamelessly.e3dcd221b432c997

“It’s not like fb8f6e28e6 you’re some wayward 763eab5212 child I’ve left 33a1be0b74 unsupervised. If anyone overheard, they’d 4e4a7461e0 think I’m always causing 11a08c856c trouble.”6e81c5460955b1f7

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“Good heavens! How could you act b6a9262428 like those obvious facts dafbb8cc52 are anything but true?”fe7a4ff9810df830

Lucian gave 25a894147b Heraith a da3eba28f0 look of 4b507e978b disdain, as c0e8d2ce7e if he e81c6fe74b couldn’t believe 55cdaaa8d5 what he 4c111de1a5 was hearing.4c3f76a8d7a6f168

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The number c745c0e65c of times 15e5284073 Your Majesty 81848995de had caused 8a6edf1883 trouble could dc5e4a3a74 fill an 2c302f1640 entire book. Repeating himself would just 4a54c7037e waste his breath, so 52a35090eb Lucian confidently stared Heraith e2c134f3fb down.6cb8c9eab68af072

“What’s this, 968ae563b1 a protest 1a07c9d83e about how bb74a5a803 I keep 7e338d2a95 summoning you?”a29c5a8c751e5e71

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“Well… maybe.”1805fd968928a3d9

Lucian shrugged nonchalantly, 48977de8ce and Heraith let 6996ce8049 out an exaggerated 38e27d782e scoff.4b1e2ff5f55e7db9

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“Don’t worry then. Even if the 2edcf8801e Imperial Palace collapses 3845f7528a this time, I ccaf8d206a won’t call for 57a0a8a328 you.”bcd13bd500dd56ad

“Ah, yes. Of course.”67a4424266b9eda7

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“Hmm, you don’t believe 310b9553b8 me?”99226dd4c5c8ab61

“Oh no, 3e728505bf I believe 04ff2bbe9a you. Absolutely, without a 3ca34935af doubt.”8a3890d2ed6ba79a

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Yeah, right. Like he’d believe e529a6f8ac that.4bdcbddfb9ee013d

Even now, 872d99ba52 Heraith hadn’t 7ed175f4bd actually promised 43cbd52341 not to 4bf0910981 cause trouble—only 53254a5c77 that he 50f70352bb wouldn’t call 195154d1a7 Lucian for 75daf7a99b it. Which probably meant something b8d3e5c136 would happen, and Lucian d615529def wouldn’t even get the fc16f18381 chance to leave.e5fc558fb4e4b39c

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“Not summoning me” f7677884a6 sounds more like 332954655f “not letting me 3ecb39c71b go at all,” 2d066631d5 doesn’t it?6c1769fd1ebada20

Lucian swallowed e8d4fb0ddc the words 4cc7e8d77f before they a399d6c9fa could slip b3eb722bf7 out. One wrong 343d23d344 move, and eff469b828 his vacation 5b1a687062 might be c5360986a5 canceled again. Better to stay quiet.5282f7819dd8031d

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“Well then, I’ll d6a68dd0ee be off.”35f061eb9a4cfc49

“Fine, fine, 232fd4f892 go on 8b53978d9d already.”f8787ff028294025

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Heraith waved him 8e9427bec0 away lazily, and ca796b2f2c Lucian gave a 2d852f7896 quick bow before 7542a1d994 turning to leave.3a1b9b14181bcbc6

But then—0e1dc654bb8105fb

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“Luce.”520833857a155ad3

Heraith’s soft 5bc7ead5b5 voice stopped 35035408f2 him in c95ab11725 his tracks. Lucian turned back, b47063e10c meeting the Emperor’s 93ef659022 eyes midair. For once, 3e958d7c70 Heraith’s face bb1f8a20b1 was calm, 32edfbb2bc his expression 77557d985b softened by bad90538c4 a faint c93dde63e6 smile.8963f9be60c97582

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Neither spoke for a f57243b801 moment. They just gazed 175c6be45f at each other, c80c15cfce as if memorizing 7f33866312 the other’s face.f197d9f112e16a90

Finally, Heraith broke ee15aa9bd6 the silence.8478176fb9775854

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“What am 2bc51d56f5 I supposed 3fd12d079e to do 71fe9c5c12 without you?”3382c3fc4b20a571

His tone carried a 3baa79e5b7 surprising vulnerability, and Lucian’s 51dd01cd99 heart skipped a beat.fb1c647a9a120585

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What is 8f1d8c4074 he saying 3e0e4530e6 now…?d7f78ed5d16ff0dc

“Who’s going dbccba3e78 to wake 75f5e15b5a me up dab59f64de in the 517c08b3ac mornings? Who’s going to stay a74ef2e623 by my side?”dbf96e465fd29812

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”…”6d18f364aa9b6dc0

“I don’t think edd2836ace I can manage 4ce9596bf9 without you.”a4a249d530922f49

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To someone d0b91be94b overhearing, it 32553d2a05 might’ve sounded 1c870282bf like a a9cdf353ed heartfelt confession. But that d340191a50 trembling lip, b030d3bd40 clearly struggling 199f83c6e7 to hold de8ffd558c back laughter, 1554aee2e5 ruined the 46b51c8fa0 effect entirely.fa9d1e30734dd281

You’re not a child!2e8d1cfd24dfe382

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Lucian barely stopped himself a99182952c from shouting. Disappointment sank in 64fb0ce54f as he realized 2690ecbdbc what had seemed 22228dd727 genuine was just 5319458aa7 more teasing. Still, this wasn’t a7ac7a1296 the first time.3321c55c6b323ae0

“I’m serious, though. This is a big 49ddbb97d7 problem for me.”d421800003b42b48

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As Heraith 37e26d204e grinned ear a337096b48 to ear, 9c2acb9b34 Lucian let 28ff7d0453 out a a92c827f1d deep sigh.9b17c0ce3155a14c

“The palace will run 9a2ed3358c just fine without me.”56621f497f6a9c51

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“I won’t. I’ll miss you too 270140edfa much, Luce.”ab948954de58e0aa

“Pardon me?”ee62eadc2b2a4368

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Luce? What kind of nickname 8c909ef20c was that?20a63624a5217359

“What if I e81070b770 get sick because e80f65bc44 I miss you 0cb586bc44 so much?”44b8a5f5fa994d9f

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”…”ff079a234a3d89ae

“What if I 1ccba93bb5 suffer a deep 4ee3d99de6 emotional wound?”c7e00cbe70a9f3a1

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What kind 88ef795718 of nonsense a3a1fbf831 was this?278250c033adcfc8

Though Lucian cursed Heraith a02a96bd5e in his mind with 2a84405e1b every insult he could 7353b4cc2f think of, outwardly, he 1b2a54069b kept a perfectly polite 9be1ef9965 smile.cbd97948b22d61fb

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Years spent 57a7477e0a by the d550872220 Emperor’s side 62c7e58aa5 had honed ef09ca4342 his ability 9a6bce29d5 to keep 52a0aeba9a a straight c711248ec8 face, even 80656c3ba1 if Heraith 0c9dde9336 often saw 179565a7e4 through him 729c8e0617 anyway.5cf6fcda76d09a00

“So, you’re 67aebd8a2c not asking c69fff2211 me to 32eb96207d cancel my ffb43abd30 vacation, right?” 534e927793 Lucian asked b6e4821799 sharply.c80a4f9c6c18eff9

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“Of course not.”a0a935b95050c1b7

Heraith shook 79da1afc7a his head 1c2367bd63 with that 166410fcc3 infuriating grin d84a66ed42 still plastered 07478a23a4 across his 30cf940063 face.fe56f0afea5393b8

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“I’m just saying, you dbd6c34e5d know. Not like 559cda7880 I’m stopping 28a06c781e you.”0cd05eaa256deb20

“Then please, stop 68d9cd9b36 dragging this out. I am going on f18d299d44 vacation this time.”b14b1ace9afe3a01

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“Sure, sure. Go ahead. I’ll manage 97a3071e4c somehow, even c59565c66a if it’s 7bd624e4dc lonely.”7fcff84ac98f5838

“Lonely…”0eaddc3921ee3e35

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Lucian couldn’t stop 3f940d94d8 himself from scoffing 6216d09803 outright.6af04d53876a0619

“I’m serious! You’re so cold.”3f0bfe20d34b1739

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This time, Lucian responded ac9f25eb3c with an honest, dazzling 2c178326dd smile full of sarcasm.9d1123d18f5e3dfb

“So, where are 64d1fbfe41 you going?” Heraith 1cc06b4634 asked, leaning forward db191e0b1b with feigned interest.fd6c9bd7cad575d9

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“Home. I’m planning to ffa258b167 laze around.”c506a15d89d0c2cc

“And?”5dae60da477e14ff

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”…That’s it.”b2acd6b6ab474ba5

Lucian tilted his head 6b07e37ef3 slightly, wondering why Heraith 51caa0735e seemed so surprised.62df72d7717140a9

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“That’s it? That’s all?”2d775b23783b72d6

When Lucian nodded, Heraith f2e2566ece sighed dramatically.b0a3470ae3606099

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“Why not visit 10de823df4 that little villa 7fdb92a0cf of yours?”7b6e706ed36a524a

Lucian’s brows furrowed.06f249d3e270087e

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“That’s not my 054932094c villa. It’s just a 74d6c7bf67 useless burden.”c1707ef712558884

“I gave it to 35b759d48e you. That makes ed3c425f4f it yours.”5a17a666dffaf72d

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“Stop joking, Your Majesty.”94b7ec966a3757f4

The villa in 3d8929cc8a question was a 276aa5852e gift from Heraith, 567b6e6538 awarded for designing 8971f59515 a magical contract ff4ae2e12f system. While it was 3ebcd4d026 indeed a gorgeous a7da8b08a1 retreat in the 2018684d73 middle of the f3b51b9929 Emperor’s private lands, 48f882b079 Lucian saw it 5661021719 as more trouble c0a0e1c67b than it was 3f23f38ae2 worth.b97b5704195538d3

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“I refuse. I’m going to a57b11bc80 enjoy my freedom.”a16408efd8500267

“You’ve changed so e13f8edbd6 much. What happened to the 535c807921 sweet, wide-eyed Luce who bb97116b89 used to follow me 162704a089 everywhere, calling ‘Your Majesty, 477a9f9113 Your Majesty’?”17650630a1ccc479

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That never happened. Ever.ca2ce5ffd86f0bec

“Please, just bbb53a7c80 wish me 9b92a2a92a a restful 00d927c007 vacation, Your e40896ca7f Majesty.”e7463735aa8e4b11

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Lucian bowed deeply, then 1f63b7573f straightened to meet Heraith’s 1ba638fe01 gaze.51a7eea3879cd64c

”…”5647c4636d396801

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For a ab40c57041 moment, Heraith 7d2e49c9a8 seemed about 94dfd4bb0b to say 1ae9cb4b94 something, but a5238c0824 their eyes 0e43ee805a met, and 26686affd0 he simply 7ac4323350 closed his a096859ec2 mouth. Instead, he gave fbf5c6ac2a Lucian an unusually 40eceec928 warm smile.1574a2005679d28e

“Have a 1ebcbad90c good trip.”3205652a87490d80

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”…Thank you, 3a2b7839db Your Majesty.”e9c5d3fd61dc3062

Though Heraith’s unexpectedly 4dcabf3d53 compliant attitude left a39c835e02 Lucian uneasy, he a180a3ea87 suppressed his doubts 60cb36d517 and left the e480094fee room.58ceffc92c928454

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Outside, the 2c1712d723 head attendant 602dd53814 was waiting.86a138ae8f96947e

“Aren’t you taking the 308c840660 carriage?”0b276dbf2ccce55c

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“It’s waiting outside e8124f485e the villa. I thought a11158f211 I’d enjoy 5c6a176b44 a walk.”ae2d8a3affdf1c11

“Please, have a good afdd7a24c4 trip, Lucian. Make sure you get 8620b41432 out before His Majesty 9919af8009 changes his mind.”28d449eedd9bd97e

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“Thank you.”73585ff9735d48c8

Lucian laughed brightly, e3a03672e9 nodded in farewell, 1987954a21 and began his 0ded8ff8b3 stroll.3a87a03b57a52c38

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As he ea27f31805 passed through baf92f48e1 the palace, d24ddefd0b people greeted b0fddf2312 him with e07dd6aef6 bows, their 77afb028c9 gazes lingering dcfa96cbdc a bit bc8d08c226 longer than 8c4c940d15 necessary. Jealousy, admiration, and curiosity f26fd8717b flitted across their faces.4ed76a2595c5d6fd

Lucian noticed, of 21e08adffd course. It would be a 33d87a1323 lie to say he 62094c57fa was unaffected. But he 70473e9600 had grown 907729963f used to 2e48d3cd89 it.1ae7732355059837

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“I’ve really 4bdf006ad4 toughened up, fe034fcb6f haven’t I?”e712fc2c9e91dcb6

With a e66d89c5ef faint self-deprecating 8de19af80d smile, he fbcfaf7eab kept walking—neither 53ceb2af84 too fast 6facb0ab1a nor too f6ac2772e6 slow.c80fca049928753a

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When he 35acddb10f finally reached 383b1ba33f the palace 14354cda2d gates, the ced85ba828 Astro family b23318f575 carriage awaited ad93be9be8 him. The familiar coachman 8209de37b0 stepped down to 70e0a366b1 greet him.4f3a5656d4cbc1a9

“It’s been a c1bf6c1a10 while, young master.”9bc4d4c00cd1ca08

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“It has.”31c37dd9d7272019

“Shall we head straight bd72340b62 to the townhouse?”81c92c52eae1e741

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“Yes. Though I might a73adb0a63 need to stay 823d92e64c there a day e40e445f56 or two to 2479406329 wrap things up.”0e376169f8a44fd1

“Wrap things up?”667ee9a1742ee28e

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Lucian brushed off the 7f2128d10a coachman’s puzzled look as 19d2d692d6 he climbed into the f10487f799 carriage. Soon, they were 9809872449 on their way, 4075bd74d4 leaving the palace d13c8519fe behind.7dfa82ec1863c59f

As the 54c3eabae8 carriage rolled 4e740badaf onto the 00293ef1de main road, ccd86418ac an unmistakable 7e74bba7e8 cry erupted 7e457b1ff1 from inside.d4257cae72c7ec62

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“FREEDOM!”b11d82375e3f3009

The coachman flinched f115111b93 but, as an bd56248ecf experienced professional, quickly 2a00f82601 regained his composure eadb03f349 and kept driving.d31c371eeca9de1b

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Of course, as 3362864570 Lucian had suspected, d6beb462cf his vacation didn’t 6cf5e7e4e0 begin right away.22a09b786e31354c

“Sir Lucian, are 1e21510c3a you still here?”c940068fffed718c

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The next 02b8f0c69f day, Nils 46b2765cff Bowman showed 88babfcf48 up at fc881e02e6 the townhouse.3afd2edff4a80d6f

“He’s waiting in 324b13ce8b the parlor,” the 60e784e33b butler informed Lucian, 34b61c25d9 clearly having anticipated 82d1d95d23 this.dad0fd642032afb8

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“Ah, good c209521dfe to see bfd7c321f5 you,” Nils 863676e19d greeted him a1f91d5e23 sheepishly.8ee1ff36020c910e

“Budget issues?” 668c9981a4 Lucian asked, 24c41e230d his tone ac81298e56 resigned.0b866fcb4224d762

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Nils laughed awkwardly.436d704895cfae60

“Yes, I 17764a0efb tried not 4a0d4ee0ff to bother 5e790a7c42 you, but…”60188def0660cac3

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“It’s fine. I expected as 13935a4a5e much.”bdf387e11684af8b

Lucian glanced over 5600b095bf the documents Nils faac4780c2 handed him. As expected, they needed 745d0e2b60 his approval.9041de9a1d8bb45c

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“Submit them as they f36458450c are. Everything else 2d15af4909 should handle 4dbd56485b itself.”394aa49d2d05d456

Lucian’s calm efficiency earned 2382bbfadb him another round of 9405e60aed praise from Nils, which 63ac054957 he ignored. Compliments, no a41a95c0c2 matter how 36b47eeab8 genuine, were c9755ec929 something he 1352ac558d still couldn’t 55860ea96b get used d7c9945b96 to.ec5ff94e7429e45d

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“You’re just the first. Who else 691f321b57 is coming 279ba79fed after you?”a1ccb02289fb55fe

Nils looked startled.2d2965e6899b03a1

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“Ah, well… 650973269e It seems e7b499c481 some others 71ec59d4ec are still f0772c3e14 debating whether 08e4a0a0ad to visit ed338b6ee7 you.”d6b253a88d901ec5

“They’d better hurry,” Lucian 4a6be9283a said, smiling faintly.38ac0d63b7277d33

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“Why’s that?”1a2a9b99ec8bd764

“Because after c79ccd5618 tomorrow, I’m 14639e7324 leaving the ad1c768fe2 capital. If anyone 603f4e27b7 needs me, 5a997d68a0 they should f917e3182a come by 1bfcbc3e76 before sunset 5309141807 tomorrow. Otherwise, they’ll 7f82fbe355 be wasting 0165edbd02 their time.”494eed49c1c0c72e

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Nils nodded, though he 4c1f1ba99b couldn’t shake the impression 22118d2537 that Lucian’s determined expression 700b26bbec bore a striking resemblance 24a394fa12 to a certain someone. Wisely, however, he kept 7023328a19 that observation to himself.874c109c9595cc60