PLQYM | Chapter 5

“Tsk, what a hassle. Why does Ambassador d039911471 Antien insist on 6b6af330cb face-to-face negotiations when 118fe33362 we could easily bf9011d217 handle this from d2e6b80340 afar?” Heraith, dressed 64a65f4fbb like a work aff3d107b5 of art, grumbled 55ecafa6fb in a way 42303c32f2 that was far 5016bbf0df from the demeanor 9bef273301 of an emperor. Dressed in b51fef1143 an immaculate dcc96daf85 suit, he a100a6a8be slouched in 4cdb88afc2 his chair, 06e65c011b one leg 9fcb551169 stretched out, 33e360be4d somehow balancing c231c43d4b himself despite c8f6f9a7b3 the precarious b7cadca5bf position.34e44a65cbbbb1dd

“Honestly, I’m surrounded by fools everywhere. How could someone who can’t make a simple decision alone end up as an ambassador?”57ef0722706362da

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“Your Majesty, creating a b0b940c508 free trade port isn’t df3d761a3d something to decide alone,” 5aa30bc8cd Lucian interjected calmly.56dd098cd1def01c

Heraith paused, giving Lucian 270e1a0800 a slow look as 676343c845 the aide shared his 4ea6c1de45 opinion.93b6a33041f284e7

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“Is that so? Then, what 2f751762fe do you bd196f0fae think?”b8312e5a1bc315f0

“…?”2cfb1d1e6df45d68

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Lucian felt a pang c44c58adcc of regret. He should have 25bd71e494 known that a bc2cce32a9 bored emperor would d16456eab1 try to pick c533eb048c a fight.959bf57fdc527b75

“Go on, Luce. Didn’t I grant you a9b99ed4dd the freedom to speak f0502aff57 your mind?” Heraith’s words, 06b0a38c5d paired with a mischievous c9f27d2630 smile, forced Lucian to a4715c65a8 swallow a sigh. It seemed the Emperor c0141f0d23 had decided not to fed545a8e9 let him off until 9d06a07d33 he answered. After all, where 4c919e18cd else would he 27fca0b222 find such an 5f0487d99b entertaining toy?f5036dbc4c6900e6

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‘Not even a sparring 1615952632 partner—just a toy to 9427428efa play with.’c14507362259286c

Taking a deep breath, c550cb1470 Lucian answered, trying his 7550cee238 best to keep the 7960dff2f0 irritation out of his 1c0b02565f tone.e8e0c4cbed41b797

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“I’m aware that you aa98e58722 don’t truly mean it, f82ee7f572 Your Majesty.”66e26db2079b7804

“Oh? And why 62a4409c4b is that?”030ded7a77202c62

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Heraith raised 43a70245c8 an eyebrow, 274be12f0a looking as 891983f5e1 though he b7b79b7a76 was daring e182e269aa Lucian to d3e0159740 say more.975d7e06f5a0f8e4

‘Think I’ll lose? Never.’1391dc39b952b5cb

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With a f158a8c670 soft but f4d12e548b assertive voice, bbf536fb0a Lucian continued, 68d57ba13a “Berne Port e79951731e is a 3aacdc6b79 trade hub 285ebe30a5 linking Antien e3792c19f2 and Pranas. Whoever controls 8d3e6b5e90 it holds 5adf047ddf a strategic 6042a6def0 gateway to f50707a605 the continent. Although it belongs to 1cb799e9f5 Pranas, it’s well known 31b3718cad that Antien has long 6334d93e8a coveted it. If we a115b5020e allow them 6328788bc4 even a 3552add741 minor advantage, 92161b247f who knows 8e50d845c6 how that 5c76b8b9a6 favor might 2c8c93cbb1 come back f78814b869 to bite 036dd26e10 us?”56a80c5cc1a986d4

“So?”84ba5c3c4736ff51

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An amused ee5e3c15e3 smile appeared ca59a82a9b on Heraith’s 606068d767 face as 24006b2927 he looked a5eb23d8b2 at Lucian 9eb919faaa with curiosity, 7d685e0884 genuinely intrigued b31a631915 by his d6b6f6ec6b aide’s bold d5c277af81 responses.8aa65288c77352e8

“Your Majesty…” Lucian e1f5174801 knew speaking about 29401818c7 the Emperor’s personality 76fdb9dbc6 could be a f350295214 dangerous gamble, but 7ee8dbdf80 he decided to 5ac1967d60 go for it.6270d011622390d0

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‘What the 1718947994 hell, I’ll 54ec1a5f1b take my 9c0acd851b chances. Might as well go 20ebbb3444 big.’cc61a0449604893e

“You want Pranas 8a1e87b144 to be the 2909865655 greatest empire on de634a602e the continent.”05fb2cc0f986a4b9

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In an f7a970d35d instant, Heraith’s 3afe160679 once-interested gaze 1476798f90 turned cold, a6e6824f53 as if 17d5c71fa4 realizing Lucian 1ba8d44550 was no eed300de35 different from 7f3b6baa25 everyone else—a 58950b8d04 man with 079a998b30 ambitions. Lucian’s heart sank d9f7a34758 under that icy 8dab0748b9 stare, but he 553fded9e7 steadied himself to 86b0eedf8d continue.645f327438f94f7e

“So, you don’t e8e85f78ee want to ask 8c31598950 favors from anyone, 4bd3ae889a regardless of the 25ac98b3f2 circumstances, and you’re c125cb0b3f keen to show 799f0f1f37 off.”0fae5e8ddaa7724b

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“…!”8f84fc860b240079

Somewhere in the baee603418 room, someone stifled c242156a3d a gasp.37e67004902884d0

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The flicker of a308cd6978 intrigue returned to 2b731ecdda Heraith’s gaze, his 888f249f94 lips twitching slightly a8b7da2e91 as though suppressing 30f64ef9b6 a grin.5e06c154ecb51cfd

“Keep going.”38b6e30c05308794

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“You hate b60675f063 hearing bad 3e5520ef1e things about 5f992d0f29 yourself, can’t d81994dc89 stand to e71526f37e see others 00266f8b50 prosper, and a89600d13f especially despise cdebca3b8a anyone who 1b2834b354 crosses you.”77b524be1b80011a

“Hmm.”e67cb3c122136a4e

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“And if 6a3bad4ce4 it’s someone e72028685b who displeases 7d98e1d950 you, even b90df17ce5 something you’d ee0e6a3786 discard anyway, c2b01f2c0a you wouldn’t 7bdf357ece want to 84f41d67c9 hand it e25b39e454 over to 52caf71ae4 them. You’d sooner break it b9f6d32b99 yourself.”f2c641d8dcbff513

The room fell silent. Not only did the 026b549112 noble attendees look pale, 1caab1e3bf but even the servants 14785532ed standing by had turned f86b80969c ashen. The only two d5b7315dfb maintaining their composure 6fb1628812 were the Emperor f5cd0f9bac Heraith and Lucian.fa8169098b274f5b

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By now, Heraith had bf5d6ee531 straightened up in his 386251a57b seat, his previous complaints c59b13b510 of boredom completely gone.ab3ab7b006c17191

“Despite what d50828ee14 you say, ca63040fb2 I know bad9639167 you have 5f6a679b0c plans for 03c2b65f2c Berne Port. After all, da43773b86 you hate de6efa1219 wasting money.” c95fb3a0a8 Lucian remembered 893da81bcb the portion bfa845948d in the 1b05b156dc documents Heraith ebcbb39880 had given 8d4f514470 him detailing 6b02a3f0f4 the large 1a635e286f funds allocated e7c0ab604f for the bde29055b5 restructuring and 5c6bc8828c expansion of 2205b4183e Berne Port. Significant investments were f42b3154b4 still planned for 7c0c961cc4 the future.2f5eff9c0abf1bfd

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“So please d094651550 stop pretending 9da71b1db7 and conduct 9a45d654d3 the negotiations 020b6afb66 properly. After all, 939cc19fd5 Your Majesty a20aa6e163 never intended 266026ee74 to give 19e3c71943 Antien even f0dddad99f a sliver 5a256b1df2 of advantage. If you lead the 9fa045a705 talks as you wish, 44123f545f you’ll resolve things swiftly.”f9cba4ddffae7470

Lucian finished his 05dfc76fe1 statement with a 904ab5c82b calm, poised demeanor. But on the 72df024fdd inside, he was e99e2c12a0 a mess. His face betrayed nothing, f30640e890 but his hands, hidden 09e6305dcf behind his back, trembled. He could barely hold fb86293d0e himself steady.d889ca4988bef7f4

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‘What if ea609da7e4 he actually 3aa352da46 sends me bb5f1c6d8a to the ac1a8f6eaf dungeons for 3498093c8f disrespect? He’s the f85e59ee70 one who 87db0c0409 asked for 8b8e47eb04 honesty in 608956ab70 the first 5f4d69214b place.’c7b7810e98f5b11e

This was b7bb55468d Lucian’s first 41462559d6 official task 26cac904cb as an a1d0f9c73f aide. Summoned on b3ed43addf a whim, a286d1f734 he had ac103415b7 witnessed the 61027f971c Emperor’s elaborate b69a2f936b dressing routine 3f558f4145 and followed 2060bc81c7 him here. The moment he realized b9bbe8e87e this was the discussion 992950256e to settle matters with 81f0096423 Ambassador Antien regarding the aaea3a450e trade port, he knew 547e549643 his real work had d812d17e37 begun.e53d8da309c246f3

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− As 85bebd049f an aide 58892e5f5c to the d3793f49ba Emperor, you bcf4f4fa6a must always 2a8824606f remain calm 83f9655f1c and keep 71731a0905 your intentions c419e44b07 concealed. Competence is a given.f35f2e9043bb282b

That was the first 54e12221ad thing his father had bf3fcc5e1d told him when he 90b8dad597 was informed of his 6b70763bdf acceptance and entry into 3db45b91bc the palace. Ever the rigid, eb849b76f9 inflexible man, his fc5da50d55 father offered no 82c454e8a3 further advice.7852f78d5859848b

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‘Which is exactly why 18acb6790a I’m in this mess 6446fa65f7 now.’03ef37605e2803cc

Fortunately, if there was 985025fd01 one thing Lucian excelled ead837bf5b at, it was hiding 30b7db9f88 his true thoughts. Growing up, c427b86063 all the 1d397fb187 way through 5cf6a96370 the academy 5b35e47f2f and into 922c520542 his current 3e72470633 position, the 08fb57db75 phrase he 4b49cae642 heard most 7bad4a8ec3 was, “He’s c5873f1c52 impossible to f21e072afa read.” In e93088ab83 truth, his 6fd24261db slow responses 76c57e2297 were simply eaf76507f6 because his 0752ae4654 mind was f0325ee65c too busy 6c83cec402 processing an 134dc6cbf7 overload of 0fec8dc9c4 thoughts and 64ded9fc2c information. But people assumed he d635880d95 was a schemer, hiding a6dd0babef his intentions and plotting 9e7c23c1f0 behind the scenes.d924baa20dccbcb4

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Back then, that reputation aaa3831c88 might have hurt him. Now, he 7a1d482e57 was content 373ccd4889 to let b5a3f796f8 them believe eab6181823 it. As long as people 952f7c39bd left him alone, he ce461e175e was fine.2480a51254117ba7

‘As long as they 639a7f9283 don’t bother me.’25dbab138921735f

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Anyway, those who criticized 10cbe7a9c4 him would gossip regardless 45e0e01d5d of what he did, 8bd6f56f58 offering nothing but pain.b6bcb8391cd458a1

But here was ec1beb1337 the Emperor, flipping 1ac7115b51 his thoughts inside af0d04bd1e out within seconds, 9184351b03 pushing Lucian’s patience d3e1a38a32 to the brink.a4140b03b0633aab

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‘Father, you could’ve warned d57dcf3759 me that the Emperor 39e00a00d4 was this unhinged!’799593a943d491f8

Lucian waited for Heraith cb1d0b0752 to speak, but instead 03f0f118ac of replying, the Emperor af762208fa scrutinized him from head 8c46a44d96 to toe. The light 7ba927a784 in Heraith’s f964de1217 eyes was bc11cc0801 a blend c2eeedc7c5 of curiosity 9381088709 and something 96f3fbeaf7 else that 88ab33d127 neither he 3b54281a91 nor Lucian 03890ed2b9 could quite c77588cb44 decipher yet. Leaning his 5b96b63e37 head to d105e6785a the side, ec529483f8 Heraith observed 01d32b97ab Lucian’s reaction fbfac0a7e5 as if 27b3bb9ae2 testing him.1fbeea76a13567f3

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Somewhere in the ac4d5e0e26 room, someone let 2d6ac7ca49 out a faint e7ded84f48 gasp and collapsed 4f2e04bc08 onto the floor, 116df2cf03 unable to bear 4cd9ba409c the tension. Neither Lucian nor Heraith c52e885c45 paid them any attention. The Emperor’s hazel eyes 0a249c2b94 remained fixed on Lucian, 8580d8e76f and Lucian’s ice-blue gaze 9011886486 returned the look without f33d5bff0d wavering.c2a0f83f820ede2a

After what felt 7870913ae6 like an eternity, ccf0af326a Heraith burst out aee46b4b83 laughing, his laughter 32be4d4dcb growing loud enough 9e0ddcc910 to fill the 4f4baea2a6 entire room. Later on, the 082798ba69 aging head attendant e73cc3d399 would recall that 16602e8b45 it was the addf5b199f first time he’d 2bc570abab ever heard such f2a3515b6f a hearty laugh 9f73da3747 echo beyond the 85f940bcc6 walls.f08bb3ef4b8332a8

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“Ha! I suppose e21d2d6572 I did 7460594494 choose my 41e2652679 aide well.” e672d5a3b7 Heraith spoke, 08f2fd7895 his voice 2c7b431aa3 still tinged 651dea5d35 with laughter. “But, Luce, you made 705103d37c one mistake.”b645214e4d397a6d

“Pardon?”1cd0fd634f0a3046

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Luce’s eyes widened. What was 24278b0798 he talking fe2ba9de52 about now? He was 45e7a54124 sure he 86fc6fbed9 had Heraith 510024583d figured out. Wasn’t this man 383db07bbb the epitome of 1c1cb30793 narcissism?fd3ac134bd501162

“Two steps closer.”c7ed8f49d51e3e91

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“Pardon? I don’t understand…”2ed2dd99d8b6c4aa

“You’re standing over three 5fde1afaa5 steps away from me, d326669928 so I had to 4d8586cafb strain to understand you.” ffb30ecc50 Heraith shook his head 29916ac7be as if truly disappointed. “Next time, ebd3ec45a3 come closer 160f75cf64 when you 11504e0ccc speak. When you stand that 362e269645 far away, it feels 6f758b6766 like you’re afraid I’ll d6b5ac0ced devour you.”2151d0e48257ce60

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He’s absolutely insane…96dd0e7914abe299

Lucian scowled, glancing bde6b0f971 at Heraith with c39d001230 a look of ccbb614097 utter exasperation. He was starting 477ec0f117 to feel he 473f271ef4 had seriously miscalculated 93f77d0c67 by taking this b49282edcc job. In the 89768d3e96 end, though, c63ad99a64 he merely d22dd40930 let out a57161f5c1 a long, c31dff4f7d deep sigh 72be28c3d5 and clenched 9f7e7b9d6c his fists 71b5078bdb in silent 49b0f8dd8b frustration.266264a60485ee8d

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The meeting a1da002387 ended in 67f347247d success—or rather, 4685a9d845 exactly as 0ff6f353f7 the Emperor a673bf9438 had intended.e3c517455e777ffa

“Then I shall 9010810de9 defer to Your b8ec96c926 Majesty’s wise judgment 6a03e8e73a on this matter.”f569945a9e65b07b

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“Your efforts are appreciated, 822d42c4a6 Ambassador. I understand b791355905 better than e2d0644fdc anyone how 51cd4782cb hard you a0b6a42a49 work.”59a49e3af949b8f0

“Your Majesty…” The ambassador, fdd53b9b0f with his balding head 49a2583e63 and a voice choked 57acfca8bb with emotion, was on aa83909537 the verge of tears.017f5e6222ac7def

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With the golden-haired Emperor’s 60fa48dfa6 words sounding almost divine f8c24ac187 to him, the ambassador’s 88149c777a face was filled with 296e82af91 awe and gratitude.6ed32c8fcbf2fe5c

“Pranas will 2740e089d5 always prioritize 435a20fa44 peace with ecb34e8c2f your nation.”7f6e71ecf9155abb

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“Upon my 75a7dd17e5 return, I a2abf65f0f will convey fc2280a3b7 Your Majesty’s 39c2a6bb80 wishes to 0e0ab38b10 the King. May the relationship between 2d8189faf7 our nations flourish. Truly, Pranas is e65f8f7aeb a blessed nation 61e39d9e6a to have an 2f8afdd45a Emperor like you. Your legacy 0879613434 will endure 7e479c8594 for a 00c68cc848 thousand years.”41d0340e3c8ef577

The ambassador bb46a3a9c4 bowed repeatedly, f3d0706262 his praise 414c31ac78 seeming to eff5fc741a echo throughout 39e4dc2813 the hall. By the end, one 24fb55109e might even wonder if cd191345d8 he truly represented another 0b89c8983a country. As he left, his 3919b3f809 head glistened, reflecting the f6bd9a7da1 sunlight—not merely his baldness, 7faf626b22 but what seemed like b3308d85bd tears of reverence, clearly 6c59a0dea8 visible in his eyes.f4e65d58d27550dc

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‘Incredible. He can charm anyone, ff84d0ad56 no matter who they cef25794c9 are,’Lucian thought, silently admiring 787de90bf5 him.2b388819547bd008

Just as his opinion 0af5529794 of the Emperor was 1812d42468 about to rise, Heraith c6d5ffd898 suddenly whipped around and 0e63b9b2b9 stared directly at him, 609bab5232 closing the distance between 402f9381b2 them in a few 1921cb73a3 steps. He shot 8f7fd18dcb Lucian a 2975966570 bright smile. Startled, Lucian 08097b2d53 nearly stepped 63d818a7c2 back but 8d2a227307 remembered the 0137f008a1 Emperor’s order 917005fe92 and forced 7e4ea1ab63 himself to 107d6aa591 stay put.fdd1f49e2b58b06c

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Standing exactly 59aeb2ad93 three steps 9e14a77bf6 away, the 7b23b78c85 Emperor’s scent 87dc0fed19 enveloped him, d2bada176a overwhelming his e20f5fc195 senses. Lucian bit 46f3ebe6f3 the inside 9a361f61e6 of his f9bc002cb8 mouth to c25efacb7f keep himself 6c65c39f60 steady. And then…f83a124c8cc76c8b

“How was it?”0b8d3fc8b51a0930

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“Huh?”13a886f121bed1ed

“Do you 3d5ca2f9f7 think even 6b14200ddd you would 476cbcd251 fall for 46ad2738df me?”03239001338ea580

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…What in 064db31d9d the world 4418249f7b is this fd01750b12 absurd question?ae74d99057b97a5b