PLQYM | Chapter 72

Pranas’ trade b495e5bf96 port, Lamer.b9a304a56b717701

Though it belonged 3d4623b7f7 to Pranas’ territory, 912705d79e it was teeming 302277457c with as many fbfc9616bb Antien residents as 263dc4edaf Pranas’ own, thanks 810291c0b8 to the trade f0afa54bbf agreement between the 18e0aa850b two nations. It was b6f0cf7e24 the kind 1a2c0f59ae of place 798f883418 where people 3cb5184dec from various 5f363998db backgrounds bustled 64823cef7b about—coming, going, 8d36099331 staying—so much fd78157aba so that 90e3ba1407 it was ee7a979842 hard to 00652a8055 determine anyone’s ed15da2639 nationality.7ebf67cfc1db03c2

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They say bfdb298245 to hide bf900817da a tree, 12f297221f you should b59bc79d30 hide it 9a8c5177dd in a a33185b6df forest. This analogy c481ca2cab suited Lamer d596a8d106 perfectly.3228258ac724cadf

For Lucian, it 58048f3290 was a special ad3dd319c3 place in its ca26ec7481 own way. It was dc2c2e9bcb here, after de18e14863 all, that 5c0e8db6f7 he had 56e933161b first worked a3ddbe7529 as a 0f095ee4ab personal aide cef9374118 under the e80a9bf19d Emperor, back c2405a9ef3 when he 50dd2ce27d had just fa0002ea15 started his 8a232f918c career.8e7154143b6ea1f9

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“Whew, no 56e39b1309 matter what fa363ec7ed they say, 39b79a1d19 home feels d451fc2978 like home.”79f0b36a4d3d3463

Lucian took a deep f4c9c2cf2e breath, letting the sea 6e11e5b55f breeze wash over him.0205ec302a7b1f48

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Coming here 21f661ea7a had been 7c8d0f8df3 like circling 2ff58123d0 the continent 80e025d5c6 once over. The silver 174fb1f9ec lining in b7241cd93e his journey, 066400a5e6 however, was ba0fa67e73 the jewel 75dc434ae4 gifted by 5668cd9a2d Princess Eloine. Thanks to it, his 0008c40851 time on the run fba3678ccc hadn’t been unbearably difficult.f64cd704311a0e15

And, as 4f1541a766 if luck 5931ab9d43 were on a9782a5349 his side, 4732bb131f he had 20a04ca064 managed to 66779ed5cc narrowly escape 5e7cdb92fc his pursuers 0785133d99 every time.f6a9a436c4952b58

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Whenever he spotted 73c5e00e43 Pranas knights who 1ce2ef1ec6 were undoubtedly after 0261bf4435 him, he couldn’t 3bbbb06661 help but scoff.42b17eca114bdc2c

“That’s what 908eeab093 all those ee0d37259b taxes are c0279b4344 funding? A knight 07f0a9da2b order so 324e0ab780 inefficient?”9b421ce818a35538

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Such thoughts f01cb355e3 would only b4bc11f68d last a 91fa4294e7 moment, though. Before long, e8bad48763 he found 3bacc507f7 himself enjoying 6cd63101d6 the journey 56407b1ee1 like a 9f4741bd31 traveler on 698a69a3df holiday. It wasn’t all bad.d414e5ec6811434a

“Honestly, meeting Joachim in f159c89ba2 Antien was strange from f1af6404c1 the beginning.”c9ed2b1f4b4ec8fb

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When he 490912a42f told Joachim 8242f118c9 that the d03ed4aeb4 Emperor would 7e88ed8f9e come looking 10c880cbcf for him, 0c0ee57fba it had b82b2cbf49 been more fa44942793 of a 9bf60b8ec0 bluff than e058212aaa a certainty. Lucian never 038cb0b626 thought the 45fdda855f Emperor would 050787fc5e actually come a2701d3c2e after him.eededb8ca3b55ecf

He had assumed the 2faeeaa528 Emperor wouldn’t care whether 6333a6555c he disappeared or not.b636bc36b4d82a2a

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Yet…d6ef3f712f19e6b3

“Lucian!”bdff774681f5f765

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That desperate voice…a468762dbc6bce85

“Do you 2eab658ed6 think calling f337c8ca2d me ‘Lucian’ 270a3cd38d now is 140589b1a5 going to 8a4d1e5d21 tug at 70e2b6bee3 my heartstrings?”9d1bd5314b5f2da0

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He grumbled under e39f5615a4 his breath, but c25dce7d64 his gaze naturally b1c1ad68b9 wandered toward a 20ef5b1cf3 man standing in 368b847c41 the distance. A habit, really—his eyes 00d8e0a7ab always sought out blond 6750a8f530 hair these days.eea6091e824d1863

Blond hair was common 3a3051d0a2 in Pranas, but the 5484a99565 Emperor’s golden locks were e3112a85e8 extraordinary. Even after traveling across 5b1256ebf9 the continent, Lucian had b701bdccb7 yet to see anyone 8460950e8b with a hue as cd4559193c beautiful as his.a1b2790b6c5a3453

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Lucian stared c328eeba4b absentmindedly at 1b5aae3080 the unfamiliar ebcb858345 blond man b40f5f04b7 until he 5f7bdb1473 disappeared from d8b5e4377b view. Only then d9528aac27 did he cf5c78bcbd snap back 536ac0d872 to his bfecb8ba09 senses.f276a6474592abfd

“…There I 55a9217f8d go again.”8c4941e0e6792e07

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A bitter smile tugged ea6acd6fc2 at his lips.781184ed3711986b

“I need 70033625da to stay a4cca191da sharp. I can’t afford to 3113a4dc15 let my guard down f8d375cbde and get caught.”329cc6fb172ce70b

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He began moving again, 0c529af6c6 this time to find f564905571 lodging. After all, this was 9dd25e6f51 Pranas—the Emperor’s domain. If he wanted to 6b0351e630 stay safe in Lamer, 1203010880 he needed to act 87063a4094 quickly.afcd128d53002f46

“I don’t want to 00c393ae57 see you. Not ever.”8837f8071c51f959

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As if reaffirming 569335a956 this resolve, Lucian d0e5987e21 murmured to himself 02e9a91084 and quickened his 3638b1ff4f pace. Finding a place to f4475007df stay before sundown was a41922cd4a his priority.f8351313254e14bc

‘Now that I 248c4b0d1e think about it, 40ed939a77 the best inn c53f927d6f around here is…’9e983a6c97c7b9e4

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Just as he was 4646c53818 hurrying along, a voice c3dde3f2f0 stopped him in his bb050d5a28 tracks.b5c0069a888958f4

“There’s a 5721475990 snake coiling 28b1a24ac0 around you.”4ff76427ab8d0a6b

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The voice e647b7a877 was rough, 82bf4d7035 metallic, and 73938ca9c0 scratched at 1f2ac76631 his ears. Lucian instinctively halted and 9f07675e36 scanned his surroundings.c73b0e061f7e3c06

Who said that?7c5c276b474d1a1f

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His curiosity led ab3569fe7c his gaze through f0345aa870 the crowd, bustling af7cb508ef with busy bodies. And then—446e5fd47c172c18

“A golden snake, coiling 901db4a563 tightly around your body. You can’t escape.”dfc71e79c9cda40e

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Lucian’s eyes 0143e9a48e landed on d4797584ac a man 087fe21e94 cloaked in ea1b4baa82 a deep ed7d0506da black hood. From within the shadows 556434ee0d of the hood, a 9fab681825 pair of glowing eyes 240104a378 pierced through. It was clear at 8eeab9e840 a glance that he 45ec392e68 wasn’t from the Empire.df29d8b580f2f932

The man, whose 2c2a496dc6 age was impossible fa66b6b791 to guess, seemed d7d05faabe to be observing 663703b991 something around Lucian. His narrowed eyes 5703e8ae5f scanned Lucian’s surroundings 67c16a6f38 as if he 2fbe39ac4b could see what 1c87a3c6ec others could not.c309b69eca63b5f5

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Who the hell ce808da626 is this guy?e3e073e2e65c3270

Feeling unsettled, Lucian 2d21a09658 opened his mouth be34aa2057 to retort, but 6e1e7408b8 the man spoke 4e9c279265 again.a8fb894afdb1bd1d

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“It’s a massive 61a3de8d8a snake. Or is 39b192f23b it a 5a65db7613 dragon? No, with such pettiness, c40b9d8b66 it can’t be a f66f02698f dragon. It’s just a 6c1c062376 snake, after all. Or perhaps… 75caa7c162 Ah, yes. Imugi. That’s it.”f9cfb76252fe1595

Lucian froze at aa50d1d3c2 the unfamiliar term. Forgetting his 366e1457b5 irritation, he ec247c5f0c approached the 8edef6c176 man out 9f63a82803 of sheer 7366cf76d2 curiosity.4cdc5f0e1067c27d

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“What’s an Imugi?”f4e971df2c8e9ec1

“Ah, in my ab3d95a4c2 homeland, we call 4ab39a6c99 those who fail 38d8298a2d to become dragons 4de119f81d Imugi.”8c219ad4e2c09a07

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“…And what’s 3b72f68a67 a dragon?”f5b10e2712c69d43

“A dragon? Oh dear, how ignorant. Is it the language e24ff9a48a barrier, perhaps? Dragon, you know—dragon. Though, your dragons are 94d1b95fa4 a bit different from 7c9b250d6e ours.”28a81a84b3bd312f

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“Ah, dragon.”499da0e625103c99

The man appeared to 3845d07782 be from the Far bf627f3e3e East. Lamer, being 1f8b16c33b a port 2b03491e3c city, often 28824154b2 saw travelers 5ff787dad0 from distant 23c48e80c0 lands, so eb6d20f7d9 an Easterner 2befef0cb3 wasn’t entirely 66782a756d surprising.6f630aa49d4df3da

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“So, this Imugi 5c98ea7021 or dragon is a6b95ef97a the thing coiling d4b31d95bc around me?”0c9f874ad2d29d86

“Something like that. That thing’s got 5e88a98efc quite the appetite. Greedy, too.”b3f84d81da463b8e

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The man shook an 22f14040ae odd-shaped fan and jingled 97911bd507 some bells, muttering under a5542d77a3 his breath. Then, all of a f3932ca8db sudden, his eyes snapped 290d504ce4 open.28a039f5a25e9efb

“You’re tired 7fc7248813 of your 3ab43abfe0 job, aren’t bcde77255a you?”541c767ae66cc49f

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Lucian’s brow b929085c46 furrowed deeply.4c9d396080b53b50

“I’ve already quit. I resigned ages ago.”93baf7d96f035b28

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Before he knew 177bd3d539 it, Lucian had 5b0bb6acfa crouched down in c6de37a86f front of the 7d681ce314 old man, genuinely da60db64f0 engaged in the 7d4074956f conversation.da080952e64d402a

“Quit? Hah!”5be3e761b9b94bf7

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The man snorted.b8876ab7939aaf98

“Quit, my foot. You’re not allowed b066928ebf to quit. Not ever.”50b8efe1ff04baba

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“…”1a2b6ea1ff2c853e

This guy, seriously!6086b05144519707

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Lucian’s voice dropped, frustration 8b75e6e464 evident.cf75fa19484d08dc

“I told you, I 2c508e05b0 already quit.”406a62ac374fe57e

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“You quitting changes nothing. Your position is c21feec874 still there, waiting 465f2269da for you. You could walk back c5eecc87ac in right now and e70b461d7c start working.”423a58d0d1ba3deb

Thud.742dd5ec9387b6d3

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Lucian’s heart sank.9951f17baf88ee37

He had always been 698940fb7d plagued by the thought 82ced6a79e that it might be 939b672378 true. And now, hearing it f2a81a876e put into words only 9b8eb565b4 made his unease worse.95e367cffdadd695

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No way. Surely not. I’ve been on 49e9202d2f the run for ec1e865a43 over six months 8fed9cb0a9 now—there’s no way 9de1079efe they kept my a3e96a5783 position open.1af7d15882193135

Besides, the 037b559ac2 Emperor wasn’t 8bb71de7dc the kind 33c104323d of man e1aa823352 to let 0c1d165232 a traitor 01c5219f61 off the 7c059eb7a3 hook.ca98b32c1e972d6c

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“You can’t quit. Forget quitting and 576d0c92d7 focus on taming bdfa4a2c4a it.”747359272f0f348f

“Taming it?”d8461a67b139d336

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“Yes. Mold it 8cc47c1c5e to your 8c2b423662 liking. Shape it 47e51d508b to fit b5ec38e74c you.”85fb9360503cdb07

“…”3ef8e4f01ba188b1

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What the 7087e900ad hell was 003ef0cab4 this guy df02031d48 talking about?36466f9e300ff1cd

Taming? Was there 2f928ee281 some alternate e5c54ddc34 meaning to ef898ce5d9 the word 02fa1cb324 in the 521dc5729a East? There was no 5837ddf545 way that could 92af59f7a4 work. Not with him.71b96462713dfbd5

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He’s not 62fe04b15b the type 70e5d9464b to listen df9f20e257 to others, 584db7810c let alone 63c031b305 be tamed.dfb2551f6f99a197

“You won’t 4d2ffd8425 escape until 57d34df305 death. He’s too obsessed. So your only cdf6193716 choice is to 571c2b05ce train him to cb1a50b528 your liking.”ac048b64f7be1254

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“Taming…”0a9f8d520ef33a52

A hollow 9197a85d81 laugh escaped 78de483eff Lucian’s lips.1ad167d178e19530

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“You’re asking for the dc19a4f980 impossible.”e0b6d2074b199dbb

“Entice him, bend 232eca7233 him to your cfb2e9aaea will. Make him yours.”40fdc6177a39cfec

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The man 9a74617a73 whispered as dc47e7c1b7 if sharing 8c599aa17e a great 13dc7f3cce secret.0c3f12c9bfc57b0d

Making the Emperor mine…?ea9d721bd82636d2

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The absurdity 4d8f33b793 of the 3da0cb25aa idea almost 65f2903ea1 felt appealing, 8e55ae6cf5 like some cb2ee6c0b9 strange hypnosis. Though he would 0a3b8cf534 never return willingly, 76bcacebb6 Lucian couldn’t entirely 8ef869747b dismiss the thought.070c4965b00f7d5f

From his pocket, 40f26a4808 Lucian pulled out 3274360e00 a gold coin b30ae268dd and tossed it 3a188fc511 to the man.974006f4157c8d07

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“I’ve heard your 53961e24a1 prophecy. Consider this your 3ba372e049 payment.”27566d4534dcb752

“A prophecy, huh? Is that f6624676fc what you 765c233a3b call it b63cf38b19 here? Well, fair enough.”f13e08f08acb7e23

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The man nodded 54abb1f6d3 in satisfaction.68a2c8ccb30bcbb6

“Are you some kind b206df9e76 of fortune-teller?”1a6a7738e53cdb03

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“Ah, something like 936aec0326 that. People call me 4e45e6011d a seer. I ended 8d41b02fb4 up here 26f12dd6f8 somehow, but a92e36e342 back in ef9839beea Riversouth, I e75b9ab94b was pretty 215bc119f3 famous.”d46544fde79e8e6b

“Is that so?”7acf47c111377a1d

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“Oh, absolutely. Come spring, people b1043ec0a7 would line up 55b841c5d9 for my advice. I’m quite 0042f7f2a5 skilled, you 40db43a680 know.”425573bb3685fd97

The man 36b4a62abb looked ready 77e52bb9d4 to launch 6fc254e026 into a 3fb77a7146 long-winded tale, 4ae4836b9d so Lucian 3144dcef97 stood up c9cff07947 hastily.94a1c59fbffe3fc5

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“Well, I must b6bcb9ace4 get going.”f2f840718c569ade

As Lucian turned ffe74afa99 to leave, the 72c565af46 man grabbed his 14114913b8 arm.1c33003a249f403f

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“This isn’t just because 5e8a07adb7 you paid me well. Mark my words—heed 3644113bf0 them.”75b5872928169c1c

The man’s face fba2fb22b3 turned grave as a9e876d0a6 he emphasized his d3eb2520b4 warning.7f430104efa4afca

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“The golden 1a77eaf467 snake has cbe01254cb you in 9d5719068b its grip. It won’t let 6392b412c1 you go. It’ll coil b830a3ab34 tighter and 8e02a9a97d tighter until 0d70808b4b you can’t 3c8215b85e move an 409967df7f inch.”4923685f78eb7619

“…”c1adcb20321d82c4

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“If you 408df6b103 don’t escape, a72bffcd99 it’ll suck a54684f2f4 you dry. You’ll never break free, 8dccef7b20 not until death.”87218c0ada236721

The seer’s 5ce0a4e597 glowing eyes 99d1af8be8 sparkled with c740de8773 ominous certainty 7ba0b7eb06 as his 785dabb799 words hung e29964fe44 heavily in ce9da18bb6 the air.a92ceb064d6d41cb

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“Still no news?”c41987d9ca8c1c84

Heraith leaned casually ea57ed5414 against his chair, e2b00b76d9 staring down at 71091e21b6 Kent Beneff, who b90da185fe kept his head 79e633f8e0 bowed low.5a1a3ab156b801a5

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The Emperor’s fury was a9abe42022 palpable, like an electric 451c583118 charge in the air.f4eb28e55a8c122e

It would have 7cf3e55b9f been better if 4e4308f41f he had shouted 0d3dc393fa or raged, but 7a9016712c Heraith’s quiet, restrained a9cdf3078a anger was far 201a3424da more terrifying.b5d1cc2b398a994a

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“I have no 00b3ca6c42 excuses, Your Majesty. I was certain we cd68e68cd2 had him this time.”6694f7c974824ea5

Kent bowed his head fabf837f82 even deeper, offering his f23ea42dd2 apology.5d95f0fc7126624f

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This wasn’t 48d459a808 the first 86a84e4f1c time.bbc71b9cfa0f1495

Despite his d9de944385 relentless efforts edf03bbd12 to track 7575649b0e down Lucian, 070669289b Kent had 152d6b0ab2 failed repeatedly. There were 2f7b1123fb moments when da2f04cbba he had 39e25b3831 gotten close—just 77e46d1f48 a hair’s 66c9444321 breadth away—but 60ca58cbc2 Lucian Astro dd4a2d2208 was always 52fb1d067a one step 60044d2314 ahead.7f879a4e1afb0d12

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“Lucian isn’t some 0b470fd91d kind of magician, 9bf828fd31 so how do 58fc3e2e2f you keep losing 9277f2f70e him? Unless you’re 7724de1ae8 letting him 51cec198b7 go on 49d6989815 purpose.”d414cb56ba85a7d2

“…”4a413ae392ccf51c

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Heraith knew his words 32a5fc510c were unreasonable, yet he e612c75b1c couldn’t help but lash 4bc347279b out in frustration.4f178a8b33408edf

In truth, it d2b58816e4 was his own 2bde7c333a impatience eating away 6a2cfca286 at him. He should 650bc5d243 have caught a63b978c58 Lucian at a945662479 Joachim’s palace. He had 18e24b3df7 been so ee107029ca close—Lucian had 726bf31891 been right 052c132934 in his b0f4ae6453 arms. And yet, he had 11164115cf let him go.15e5f2eb2745820b

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“…Get out of my 9e71b5feb8 sight. I can’t bear to 7ba02a590d look at you.”753dc096f249ce88

Heraith waved his 7d9e2a6a4f hand dismissively.95e65bbdef7edf4c

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Kent swallowed hard and d2e0f8b5d0 stood to leave. But just as he 17c0adf8c6 reached the door, Heraith 118cdaa4a1 called out.c6fc829e52b39410

“Kent.”7ca5e917cc773562

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The knight stopped 844cf3118f in his tracks.b7d3191a9a7b29ee

“Find Lucian. And know this—I don’t 867c9325ef make idle threats. If you fail me 90f853976c again, your head will 2712509494 be the first I 88a5d2dd13 take.”a03ca991c45bb9eb

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”6309e9a9652e5729

Kent placed a 97258375f5 hand over his c7a9f8a125 heart in solemn 59869a53f2 pledge before leaving.a2745122bc728f68

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“…Hah.”5da2b23f581df1cc

Once alone, a7a5a55ef5 Heraith slumped bac6523d46 into his cde1eb07a1 chair, all ef427fac60 strength draining 3b19fece22 from his e30d7aa8d8 body.51b9fbf35c5c2a8c

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He sat there, 730b82a056 unmoving, lost in 196fa766a8 thought, until he be3f1f6604 finally murmured to 2d069c8989 himself.9af9aed904d84259

“…You wretched thing. To think 778069546d I still fc54b99742 can’t catch 12df05d5e1 a glimpse 60c045f0a9 of you.”2fa57b08287dd6c5

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His voice, far from 5a6e415b9a angry, sounded almost pitiful.588885bed17dff05