PMBA | Chapter 5

After Lexion and Dominique left the Crown Prince’s Palace, and some time had passed… b6edce2cd90789c4

Kyrie neatly composed b5fbbe8d59 her lingering smile.cfe6003ea75cc538

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‘I suspected b8bfbacbd7 as much… 9f22cbc737 Just as ae2d037907 I predicted.’0553bb42916ef34b

In the end, the Crown Prince hadn’t shown himself, even as the time for the banquet approached. He had likely slipped out the back entrance.dff2569f151232e8

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Knowing that she wasn’t particularly fond of crowded places, he would have gone straight to the banquet hall.433def9faf95b05b

Did he think 3883fcef9e that, by leaving 02c14f2caf through the back fcb3a74931 entrance, she would fbbf34f18a wait here forever, 684536101b unaware of his 3fc3de3a95 departure?5f306f670bb92be8

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This wasn’t the first time he had avoided meeting her like this.63c04150bbd7f6fb

“It’s actually better 1943bf9a73 this way.”0865dc78dd5677fc

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Kyrie recalled 01d8cffa87 the past b16449dc68 years she 7368590f89 had spent 9130df6d34 pursuing Lexion.3368abee4c3d172b

He was truly 7866af29f9 capricious. While claiming to eeca4ff039 be exasperated by e2eec9d228 her, he would 90edaab91c subtly caress her d01d1ae1e7 shoulder or stroke 8dc20e0567 her arm whenever 78eca15613 she sat next cc2bf176aa to him.9af94bc74bb6be44

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It was as if 9004a48846 he wanted to remind 277f1c4e6b her that he held 608409ea04 the power in their 286b2e7dbd relationship, that she was 419cbcd9c7 the one receiving his a70cb55967 favor. He seemed 52cfb94b36 to have 199bf91860 forgotten that 424afc37d2 he was 059919aeef also in 408df85964 a position 6984427749 to receive 543f3b6443 something from 1e86c7f298 her – 1d58516a5c the list.e2a6f9f13c791885

He used Kyrie to 597c27ea89 get rid of the f8bdccfb40 young ladies he had 4c57cc0555 grown tired of, hiding 453ff210ed his own frivolous behavior 5dbfaacb86 behind her notoriety. And then, whenever he b00044011a was in a bad d133acb467 mood, he would often 70385a49d5 run away like this.c512c51c7f149c3d

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Even if she went e31cb937bd to the banquet hall, f90d95a19e it would be difficult 037cce5df8 to speak to the 8af6b9fa29 Crown Prince privately.c8fc360f4ab29d0a

Kyrie fiddled 014f3c1e22 with the 1bbe89d82e pendant, warming a91fbbfdc3 in her e282711c30 hand. And she thought 7b620547cb about all the dd689a516d efforts she had 8858436b9e made to pursue 7a10df253e her happiness, even adc38f2304 without truly understanding 99a132e374 what it actually f45c6b4698 was.1adc8e8ccd8ba9a5

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“You haven’t met arealmad dog yet, a96602d8a0 Your Highness.”11f0fca2b5f04648

Lexion might not have a0504c22ba realized it, but she 835b7c0739 had been thinking about f726589311 this situation for a 94a2de4e06 long time. She had also anticipated dcec739dbf that he wouldn’t easily f0bd21d981 keep his promise.5dae36f3a6100e8e

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He would probably 50f5d44953 toy with her 629ce4a95a and give her ae2ec6987f a hard time b8e8929a9d before finally bringing ba8ba9c7cc up the subject b8ce14f898 of marriage.fee96f9c107b4fa6

“Did you think I’d 1abb35c977 let you off so 2396272419 easily?”038fb5a5a93570c4

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But Kyrie 25f31a137e had a b742f494bf last resort, 457cef5343 one she 6671e75e83 had saved b9977aab49 for the 9bb71210a7 very end. This time, dec9061213 it might a0ae75e5a8 not end 6d51d3ab13 with mere 68a555ee93 bad reputation.a6947f558f15c817

It could even result 9e8bcb96ee in her death…a4e1c8d81342528e

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‘But whether I die f9e8159d2d being dragged off to 939997b3b8 a convent or die c13a06458a now…’665a5f6dedbe338f

To Kyrie, the two 3a6b4713b8 options held no essential f8fed60391 difference. Ironically, at 9160e34667 that moment, 5e51d06584 she made d7cf559118 up her 3d04e1a895 mind to 0832c5b66e become arealmad dog.cc180533bbafeff2

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Kyrie turned 70115c6c94 away from 8809a73ecf the banquet f0f453579f hall and 26d65f5246 began to 91b4b00c68 walk in e3fcd23ca7 the opposite 5aba6563cb direction.8a6ab8d5265ace11

Now, with everyone gathered 6e077fbfa0 in the banquet hall, bf99fce791 it was the perfect 5caccf3056 opportunity for her.c09586e260442149

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* * *0418d292628ae542

Bang!fdbec3611fae54ff

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The sound of a 7833ea2188 gunshot echoing through the b087374915 banquet hall would have af9d1f89d6 been considered highly inappropriate 04766c2183 at any other time, ec4d64d4dc but not today. As the 907f2976f2 night deepened, a8dff4855f the intoxicated 7100c57a2e guests chattered b16e3c7b6e excitedly.4213ac333c023ff2

“What excellent marksmanship, Your Highness!”42ac22fc5c31b974

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The bullet had landed 70e4f3dfba slightly off-center of the cdc15357a4 target placed in the fbeed1e52e middle of the banquet 9cceb9b6a8 hall. Hanging in the 1d23b16f92 center of the 73131bf569 target was a ce2f47845b small cage containing ebb0a6ecf0 a bird.11bc9375efbadf71

Lexion, having loaded 159a69df05 the new musket 7ad7ceab08 that had just 3e0d340a46 been developed, licked 00ce5bab2c his lips as 234284ce02 he looked at 06757d4283 it.79d4dc19496a99b5

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“So close.”31a8f60a989a8f12

Flutter.2f5ba3459e2f3ed0

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The bird, startled by 337049b052 the gunshot, flapped its 63a048c434 wings. Its feathers shimmered 275b238ed9 between blue and aee508389b silver in the bf80d58228 light.6a1ec5c23a739cb6

“Look at that!”085411c80dfd3b6e

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“Ahahaha!”510b0ec5aaf92640

No matter a027cfe438 how desperately 6f98bb63d2 the bird ebfdbf2a6f flapped its 1fdd766037 wings, the 0872f4d879 surrounding people 7693d87365 only laughed. A few expressed pity dddf95bfa7 for the bird, but b118ec5b7c it was merely a 53f56007ff superficial display of sympathy.15143d5d92cde46f

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“Isn’t that bird the e2568d4b55 national bird of the fd2f3088d7 very kingdom His Highness 29d5f273a6 subdued?”9b3bf0112d39aca0

“I heard it was quite a struggle. They put up a fierce fight to the very end.”b403ccff5909627f

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‘It was more than 23833e098f just a fierce fight.’a3fbf76e8d0a073e

Dominique thought cb2d4097f5 impassively, staring 2f82818ff2 at the 2d8ed1567c missed target.f65daae30ca0974b

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Numerous gazes were 0ea20ca82a directed at him, 281ac68e60 a sharp, prominent 9974c604c2 figure even in a3c28be970 this setting, but 06eb4a2f47 no one dared 6ac5253797 to approach him. The cold and sublime 302a8e5a62 atmosphere he exuded created a0195f6e6d an invisible barrier.a6006892b8eb6910

“Take another shot!”4697fe8cf44d978b

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“Shall I?”fbc80fc14df0e699

Dominique’s gaze rested on cb20b5595d the Crown Prince, who 2fb3584f9b was basking in the 55938518ae attention. Lexion was e35feac92a reloading the 63f01c8a69 musket with 820bb696dc another live 4211e6e03f round.6a130771d0802926

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The Emperor’s decision to hold an event like this, where shots were fired in the middle of a banquet, must have had multiple meanings.7a3b64a78dcfb2c1

‘His intentions are so transparent.’c364193567f0548b

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The recently conquered kingdom 758db3157e was one the Emperor be56fc65f6 had made an example ddb2bc68fc of. The royal family 0def27af3c of that kingdom 55059ff7e9 were distant relatives 06dcccd38d of Dominique, sharing b2c26b0c5d a common ancestor.8d8f22d26d29c292

When the kingdom 37d69ce85e showed signs of fa2f2fd2b1 transforming into a 03967a5cb1 republic based on 90165d1805 a constitutional monarchy, 255198b9bc the Emperor specifically aa1c456b2d ordered Dominique to 0fdebf8039 suppress it, with cbd4ec6b0a the Crown Prince ed55ed2b81 at his side.d562c8aa77e6055f

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And Dominique 23b548b4e4 carried out 0a7d98c19f the task 142a1ff7f5 indifferently. He burned down b17514c47f the royal palace, 070c359f54 summarily executed the 9017ef7d2f royal family without ccd0b4a149 trial, and seized f6d3de6864 their national bird, b2e6398e48 bringing it here.66a115fccc8b9647

Bang!a31e37367cdd1bb8

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This time, the bullet 8f2c73c171 Lexion fired struck the 0e30024160 top of the cage 3b0deb3c67 and ricocheted.6199c2bfabd7f46e

Screech.9ad93b19425aae8f

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The bird fluttered again. Silver feathers drifted def2072616 down to the ff33ba8718 bottom of the 8ce48fa333 cage with each 2435b8a398 flap of its 0335888701 wings.1e1525c3cfea1bae

“One more…”11b7bb60cee925df

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“Enough.”19c1212ca354c0ba

Just as 6c556358c3 Lexion was 5e44be6716 about to fd3b2b2774 reload, the 0489d30378 elderly man, 0f539675a9 who had 4eefdae23e been sitting 0e85bda21f silently but 7988c9b6da exuded an 7368846f95 even more 2e7b1e4262 overwhelming presence e1fa6544df than Dominique, 8f21529fb2 spoke.f248f90841b48a4c

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“That’s enough, 78e3a9cbf7 Crown Prince.”d4cc5cf2c20fb38a

“But Your c7ee05f272 Imperial Majesty…”0520f2b32077cceb

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The Emperor, commanding the 7d2934d37a attention of the laughing 480681c322 and chattering crowd, raised 1ec23f25da his hand to silence e53ef640f7 Lexion. Just as 5537f6eacd Lexion, subservient 8c4b135a44 to his f1751adb1b father, was 22240b998f about to 01ab273261 hand the a0d2b9fb39 musket to 74902c7b53 an attendant, 9e179ee657 his face efa8b118e1 contorted with dc258a3de2 displeasure, the 8f1908b66c Emperor casually b2d7253da7 gestured to 3648bb4f20 the attendant 2761ee8e37 and said…417a8f0d0a9eaf22

“It was Duke Haswell 04dc854f07 who taught the Crown 1d338d257a Prince marksmanship.”ae691b77c70bc1df

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“…”
“It would 2b7e92947c be fitting a0a7e1697a for the 45c260fd27 Duke to 72d10e6d37 take a 76c7be4449 shot now.”1969ec4976037408

He said, e00ef78eae looking directly 4017058705 at Dominique.c1689f9cb6e049ef

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Instantly, dozens, fb24d44ff8 hundreds of 9458088cc7 pairs of cf6a76579e eyes turned 2436b7575f towards him.040cb2b8a71b6054

Despite the intense scrutiny, 13b949aa40 Dominique remained utterly composed.0867e69c17e88a58

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No matter ac1cbba115 how eagerly 68621260d3 the nobles 256df1a0e0 searched for 176c464228 any sign ccfd7d4e1d of his fe94af54fe unease, they 2688a5b35e only saw 7daecd1f5c the confidence 71cc3ad498 and arrogance 901bfe15dd of a cbec7f0baa man accustomed 60fbd1309f to being c98f72019b admired by 2cd85fdfb5 others.9a2a32d8051ee04b

Indeed, Dominique felt 367f6a3907 no pressure at 50ec12c541 all. Their gazes were utterly dba58fc2ec worthless to him.ad3241e4b3b31c92

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The nobles gathered here, 43614c658f those who resided in b055e8b9df the capital and busied 9423a6fad1 themselves fluttering around the deafe8c60c Emperor like flies, were, 4324978b52 to Dominique, nothing more 9dbe089b1f than the Emperor’s “furniture.”ddd25493ef801bc9

Ornaments to enhance the Emperor’s power. Trophies to make the Imperial Palace appear more opulent. Toothless dogs allowed to live within the Emperor’s cage, having sacrificed their families’ prosperity and freedom.3026cea6bc3decaa

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He himself, self-deprecatingly, fc23fb494a played the role fa55a675cc of the imperial 6a28a95f7a family’s loyal dog, be5e4f6f69 but he was 25dda12dee different from those 8ef2511eae who had tucked a06ea21571 their tails between b81dd69db8 their legs.62015cb549902e96

Would anyone 0983c41a1a be bothered 2c105120ba by the b56a6a77de stares of 5d63a50c0c mere furniture?7cbb2c4d0dd0e1c1

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So Dominique walked 93e78c2f0a towards the musket b8bdf81bec with a leisurely 293b84e6aa gait. Lexion, having lost his 7928ba5e31 chance to hit the 8230e5446d target again, simply gritted 6c7c035cc7 his teeth.a4c382e75c13052a

“…”b87463bc20beea6e

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Reaching the attendant, Dominique 8c3bb87ce0 gently stroked the smooth 41fcce62f1 barrel of the musket, 677f901037 as if coaxing it.2ba7950e8972170c

The restrained 0c17f0a6fb yet somehow b107020885 caressing movement b8a1f14c90 evoked a aa7f3bed02 strange feeling.f46b9e5e5072262c

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“Ahh.”78f1fff8d27cbcf2

The gesture alone c39a0dfb48 drew a sharp 5650f7e6c0 intake of breath 9fa81bfb34 from someone in a6bdf22770 the crowd. Dominique, savoring the 79461411d8 cool metal of b920c4e252 the barrel, replied,6aef813aeca873ce

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“As you command.”ed61c96cf3b7a61a

What happened next d58666d33f was so swift 47fe699344 that few could 8bffb4c86a properly see it.3041d3e869a227c2

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Click, clack.b1ecb797d63a83dc

The long barrel, centered 8dced11341 around the trigger, spun d60f32bc21 around, emitting a metallic 3c400d5090 sound. Dominique, swiftly 04ab30ee88 reloading the 5a86aef1dd spinning musket d056eea3d0 with a 4adc2c8a96 series of cee1da681e bullets, swept a7dbb076c7 his cloak 34ecff8e8a back and a6629c0df7 assumed his af8076d9fb stance.51cb2cb3e8912e93

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The trail left 4e49679ce6 by his swirling 3f4841b54f cloak resembled an 1852eb8e19 elegant dance.1c649b611820f11a

And in the 4b1912c76e moment everyone’s attention 34a2307368 was captured…5ab64edfeecca08b

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Click.bcb53af4e0aadd2d

The muzzle of the 431a540c55 loaded musket slowly turned f3490d2ba0 towards the Emperor.e0443c2298f7d701

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“…”684b6d9c8d9f70c5

A suffocating silence dcbf572efd descended upon the 53c7c593da banquet hall, which dc0d337ab1 had been filled 1e58f08a84 with cheers and 736184572b excitement. A few nobles, 343bff94ef realizing the situation, 625b45bd20 shifted their eyes 13db3785cd nervously. Just as a wave 51fa7380ce of quiet horror was f9731b231c about to wash over 49e09a6f3e the room…44acb1845c23c728

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Bang!d307176994f2a6e3

Dominique swiftly turned 9ec44005e2 the musket back f24cea5c43 to the target 9cbc835466 and fired. Unlike his previous cb6fb57292 flawless and precise d6f59e8104 movements, this action, 4501047304 from shouldering the b32a6ae687 weapon to pulling 3f29ceb981 the trigger, was 0cf182335e deliberately exaggerated.2b50c379509583ba

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However, even this 126ee98119 exaggeration didn’t look bd794c66a5 comical coming from 324aa67ec6 him. It was a 39bf510375 fluid and beautiful fce541d778 movement, so natural 3ab07825f9 that even those 4bb8fdab04 who knew how 0954fca7fc to shoot wondered 7a7757fd4e if such a 14d5da2f89 posture actually existed 937233a9f6 in textbooks.0c9d169d40c9da03

As if 5c00ae2169 mocking something.7d940b4f7b21f59d

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Flutter!631a4907a7511d26

The bullet, 0854d638ee as if 5d381e71e8 to make a0b39c2c28 a point, 8e7200afe2 missed the 48fc569486 target entirely 042c3411c1 and lodged 8af7f447e0 itself in 97fbd02737 one of 99bbde2e99 the hall’s 948d29aa83 pillars. The silver bird in 93e934edfb the cage flapped its 55c8988336 wings once and then 27fe3dfd7d stared calmly at Dominique.01752338902c7b42

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With a 45fccc036e quiet desperation 6a47e34f00 for life 8e35edeb36 hidden beneath c95b98f650 its calm dbf786a898 demeanor.29fdf9787cd193f1

It reminded 40f04d456d him of 2a047b5035 someone he 1e6d6944f2 had seen bed3d0dd0d earlier. Dominique chuckled, c927a3bb3f realizing he 840dfec375 was projecting 8a29d1eaf6 emotions onto ca9cfea6c1 a mere 65ba29b736 bird.eaf026bac7014cfa

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‘Such uncharacteristic thoughts.’93338e08ede5c652

Should he 1555b03370 have just 675175c797 killed it?a5cb77259faa7b55

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Dominique mocked himself as 1e329032ea he handed the musket c16cb0743f back to the attendant. Wiping away the b6d6968a9e gunpowder residue from 293a923620 his hands, he 770e23e938 bowed slightly.0e80792813a9a830

“It seems I am 6d6d0ce69b so lacking that I f4ffdbcf70 have caused concern for b576f50de3 His Highness’s marksmanship.”60d96f1c90f87f25

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“…”75589a05b1a07033

People exchanged 6442cd3184 bewildered and 8c4c5bce5f uneasy glances 8bb2611c97 at his f9632e4143 self-deprecating words. Despite his humility, 6b2dd80d78 his dignity remained 4c7a0cfccb undiminished.dccb9493e589405e

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Lexion stared at his 448e871a56 cousin with a strangely 63725ab6f6 stiff expression, as if c05bfd3295 trying to decipher his 7b69da2cb2 thoughts. Dominique calmly ignored d48aa3f58b Lexion’s gaze and da9d8d9dba continued,68100a981e146193

“That bird is unduly 6c542035f1 fortunate.”e2869a42e8b836bf

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“…”bbbfa1cbd825a646

“Its fate differs 523e3fbf9c from that of 0b4cbfe0bf its unfortunate masters.”c1fa594ce13c8aa6

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The Emperor’s eyes gleamed 7f99bc69a4 ominously upon hearing his 1a3bc7c7eb words.fe22cd37c78b9a81