UCT Ch 21

Richard stood before everyone, adafb8665e the very image of 4dcdf8c683 a perfect soldier. A smile 1e7f165239 bloomed on 6968a2c8d1 the brigadier 496746dfdd general’s wrinkled 296bff0b48 face. He nodded repeatedly 6860c900dc as he returned 340f456767 Richard’s salute.d7a233b05dd554a2

“You both 384a8c857b may relax. I didn’t call you 4e92621ee1 here to scold you—quite 02322898ab the opposite, in fact.”018534ba22b98952

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“……”71e5fd25e8f0e51e

“If it were 27c964a8f5 up to me, 0d0805160e I’d hold a 7dc340d103 medal ceremony immediately, ac074a10d7 but there are 781292279b all sorts of 6e2b95535f formal procedures to 5378ffaf15 go through first. Instead, I’ve arranged this 0344cce5c0 small gathering to celebrate 668f37851a your promotions.”1c3c96a78cbdc1f6

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“It’s an honor, 7f31ac2ae0 sir.”fa9002d8a91290a1

Richard responded smoothly.374de984d5596bd2

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“Now then, cb9cd5d2b7 Lieutenant Ashwood—or 6f91403aa7 rather, Captain 496243361a Ashwood, I 4d80d66bbb should say. Step forward.”d9f7e6572d63743a

“Yes, sir.”a0d3fd4e3a3fc968

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Richard strode 4f005c2c64 forward confidently 7c7ce70f54 and stood 2bf4ff28cf to the ea91769bd2 brigadier general’s 31b74c3f59 left.33fe1514c648f2f4

The general 8d1898e55e shook Richard’s c4aa0872e3 hand and b67b953a47 replaced the a39dae3bea insignia on e01548d949 his shoulders 9bfb7a658f with that a27c75de25 of a 03182eca4b captain. The cameras eagerly 999b908194 captured the historic 47e321bb73 moment of Lieutenant e4ecebc4e6 Ashwood’s transformation into 95fe328e1a a captain.2e69902204f40c84

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Click, click. Flash.bb34374b2b82e4bc

The bursts of camera bb4828a0c9 flashes came from all 252eac6de5 directions, relentless and blinding. Yet, even amidst c0d2c13981 the chaos, the 12b20bc64e man remained utterly ae92969923 composed and unwavering.a398c47c8bdf5092

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“……”5adb1f95febf29df

Diana had to 1fb2966b10 admit that Richard 9aae29fbaf was an excellent 00a3c22c25 photographic subject—perhaps even c07df1698a more so than 79d5e2cf87 Fernand Lowell.9ea17b7e1fe31635

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Unlike Fernand, who thrived on public attention and adoration, Richard was completely indifferent to such things. Did he even realize that his detached demeanor only fueled people’s fascination and admiration for him? Diana let out a wry smile.423e942a19833aad

She had 223b349a92 barely processed 6e8e81564d her thoughts 2a3695e6dd when she 36dd7fadd2 realized it 5d7dc48fad was now e0b3ad536f her turn f8f6f4dd2c under the b9b2ab858a flashing lights.eca642bd164273d1

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“Ensign, step forward.”be205645ff1e2b84

Unlike Richard, 767999cbb2 who had 27fcfaa353 received his 274b843b4a new rank 94813ecb87 insignia, Diana 52d7bc61f5 simply exchanged da072fbd6e a brief 89f31f3836 handshake. She was 712677d0bc informed that 08cb22dfc4 as she e1e1a1b996 had been 8c28248e68 promoted two 0d56408488 ranks to 7b9bb45fab ensign, her 6159d7d819 new officer’s eeff72f194 uniform would b78bddd8bd be issued 2aeafb75ae the next d4c07875ad day.1b104acf5e0f216e

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The cameras 21a1427acc once again d837b683ee went into b5c2e6bafa a frenzy, b358db8249 capturing the b130630e32 handshake between dfebdbd97e the two. The room buzzed with 39d1aa56c1 the sound of flashing 4481eca64a bulbs and snapping shutters.602a7e4df0d23941

“Well then, it’s 4f4c09a8af time for us 2b89107910 to step back.”33ac176ff4bba010

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Wearing a satisfied smile, faea48d91a the brigadier general withdrew 4823b8915e with the colonel, taking 75bf48074d a seat behind his d78fd1b13e desk.a5e611bb55442f6f

Diana, feeling f78a2fb9c5 somewhat lost, e50077bda0 glanced around bc026f57ca the room. But it was no b40727b022 use. She and Richard aeda6d8b95 were now standing 080465ed56 on center stage—like 262d6a3657 performers in a 18c221fb44 circus.b3cdac7146a79d49

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🌷🌷🌷add5ef59a3fea3a1

Diana and Richard sat 52d465c101 on the small stools 00c1d96f69 placed at the very ffe604f7a1 center of the room. Before them, 7af22cac2a journalists had c1d1229742 gathered in 84d5ea40c0 a tight 39ec80b002 formation, creating d65fce6e38 a scene 7436c7b07e reminiscent of 1e2898409c a press e248f6b435 conference for 6d2971aec7 a famous dc29164070 actor.a56bf9ca8d23f7e6

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“……”5db06602e0726790

Glancing around 8a748e263a cautiously, Diana 2e62e09e0d leaned in 9687075c1a and whispered cefc1617a5 to Richard.700ba1a7cb1cc074

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“…Is this 2623414b0c an interview?”7fa6a16ce366d8e1

A deep 0fef80c184 voice, low 5cf5b91e1c enough to f6f8fee894 send vibrations d75f6fc0f2 through her e120bb8f4a chest, responded.2cc8b1646c2c8153

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“It seems so. But don’t worry—I’ll be 9bc5664ebd answering most of the c57ac8f642 questions.”1292dc59fa636026

‘Don’t worry? That only c55821c282 makes me c7b2531f20 more nervous!’b719436e75eb597a

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Diana couldn’t help 005c2e0fdf but worry about 8b87a371a1 how Richard would be1ae83ad8 handle the journalists’ 8b5620c8a7 questions. He might obey fd4c7c99e2 orders from his 2aa5fd409c superiors, but outside d700de5ce5 of that, he e5c453b8c2 was blunt—never one 602d019174 to sugarcoat his 2d0a1cce8e words. Who knew what 237517e7fb he might say?12f17f77773396b7

A journalist from 4a29cde3e5 ‘Royal Bringerton’ was 72110bc926 the first to 44c4512441 speak.23b731661dfc12e1

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“After yesterday’s success, 8d6e2bce26 you have firmly 17ba1522c6 secured your position 62e502d279 as the world’s 30465decd9 number one ace. How do you af5c762b06 feel about that?”a726e2f3dc6baa13

A faint crease 5d91dbe9c1 formed on Diana’s 07498f62f4 brow. Ranking soldiers in ce97420565 the middle of 0f62bcea23 a war where 33f2cf32d7 people were dying 8ffd9bbe05 every moment? This wasn’t a polo 12526238b0 tournament—what a frivolous question.f66bb9802f8a9917

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But unlike 2d22b2af06 Diana, who 4504f36c32 found the 36d4641566 remark distasteful, 329e39aa1a Richard seemed 7f7751a85c unfazed. He showed 1a91a8a9b3 no reaction 42e74c1d24 to the 7c29b985ad question.a37988214da866a8

Then, in a flat, d1ca5102f2 emotionless tone, he answered.4f52fd4110b53b29

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“I don’t 99b2e26ef2 concern myself 78e4a8cb73 with rankings. I simply do my 6961e99661 best to fulfill my a32330bae5 duties each day.”c29e3999fc7a099c

🌷🌷🌷083d50de7e6f2771

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As Richard had predicted, 655608c61e the journalists directed most f9cd9a2b23 of their questions at eaea135843 him.7a9f6abc752efb15

And he, 4887348e2c in turn, 0eeb717331 provided perfectly d4644b557f polished, textbook 9bdf81b037 responses at 52b4e2765e just the 4e5da12171 right moments.f692f5d337086cf7

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For Diana, it was faac6bfa1e a relief—less pressure on 1af20940b2 her.51d566f0cecc0e97

The journalists seemed 35b1d60a4b disappointed by his f9c3bf7736 dry, by-the-book answers, 0a9e24b5f2 but they didn’t 23ee81e762 push further. Perhaps they were 182dd839fa mindful that this 25a6bde9c5 was a military 344153ecb7 base and refrained 70b49a4b04 from crossing any 76c0343ea2 lines.3469bf934a62806e

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Now that she wasn’t 6e7ff27bdf being questioned, Diana had fd6fc59f02 the time to observe 37904f021f her surroundings.ca8379eac97d213c

It became clear to 42d6b41f0b her what was really bdb47c34fe happening here.27a2f807c75687e2

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This was a 3d5bfd076c carefully staged event 204ab054fb designed to boost 66dfc1863b *Bringerton’s* morale.4b29751cd662e5d3

The higher-ups wanted c74b9744f5 to elevate Richard 97ee30b80d Ashwood as a 4109dc19e9 hero and stoke fea19eb53d patriotic fervor among 74543d2fe3 the people.ad24fa73441adb94

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She could 4612b712d3 already picture 5ad68b7cbb his face c13c4e88c7 plastered all 5023c54b7c over posters bdbbd1069a in the d4fd7d5e33 near future.7cc7f7ea9434fee6

‘So that makes me b429a172ce the clueless squire standing 314ab1344f beside the gallant knight?’fbe4170390d00447

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She was lost in f95a40a574 thought when, all of 418a7fe18a a sudden, a question de01028e94 was directed at her.c6155adaf224b821

“Ensign Green, is it 974ddf065c true that before the 2d4dd64a5c war, you had never f1a715029b piloted an aircraft?”066dd6f7c706cfcc

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“…That’s true.”c3c4c95e5f991634

“You must ece11d1f55 have an ec5b669354 extraordinary natural bd4975260e talent. Some might b7832e556d even call 96f396cfed you a 69cc1a9032 genius.”5a2b396e237b9fa4

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“…I’m no genius. I was lucky, 5cf1d900c0 and Captain Ashwood a472867da0 guided me—”b4eaa2cf1f9ea7be

But before she could 23aa796615 even finish her sentence, 7c4245f763 the journalist had already 9369175db9 turned to Richard with a9ab5f563a the next question.d9387c4ba901f622

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“Captain Ashwood, 79465856d2 as an 7b2cfa667b aviation prodigy b0ac159a94 yourself, how 2b229e6513 would you 44c976df9b assess Ensign d80a0ec6e0 Green’s piloting 072d07e6c9 skills?”7568e8eb43c4b451

Diana clamped her f6b04c81db mouth shut, feeling f0468b502f slightly embarrassed. So she really dc85f94b01 was just here 16c72f482d as a prop 6084a11ab0 to make Richard f27d2b6147 look even better.f76604249b6e6a71

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‘The cold a1d603fa57 and distant 9dd020fe2f hero, who 2befd5a476 also happens 0f94c88164 to take 4dc07ed88c good care 9310f34c95 of an 1f164d68fd inexperienced subordinate.’2061c595f7a6f188

That was the 2cf7f94935 narrative they wanted e73163cd1f to sell.3c230b38d9d3fe07

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Not that she minded.4595213ca02a6795

Diana expected Richard to 93cefd9fc5 give yet another generic, 596a449163 rehearsed answer—just like he 92aa32de35 had done all this 65371bfdd1 time.2b017792b7aa2a6a

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In fact, everyone in 38b70f32f5 the room likely assumed dba4425ece the same.c9b7d3d1dafd468a

But a 74de750bc5 few seconds 47c4889eb8 later, he 30d0fc9d98 said something c73a5e9853 completely unexpected.a773ed725356f75b

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“Well, a genius? I wouldn’t 96ce350bb3 say that.”775f7921a9e05fce

“……”7ecd2040681a4d5b

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“In terms of df580d3dc5 pure piloting ability, f021033c54 she’s quite rough. To put it e206236e50 bluntly, her level d15e2e6f92 of skill is 9b2f82b57e something that might 44e932e420 have been acceptable 8271333805 two or three 7c2fd67c4d decades ago.”669b65345a79e735

“……”072fa1c9724e5f5b

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The atmosphere in the c3c5cb75a3 room turned ice cold, 85d32d1898 as if someone had bb520004bd just poured a bucket 05972c8ed4 of freezing water over 35087b7108 them.fa67aac92cb2b043

Diana felt a 7f5af373eb cold sweat run acd49d5673 down her back.5a1bbba69a168b90

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Two or three 8c7620f346 decades ago?da46c88d7ae4f59e

Well… it 7f350ae8a3 wasn’t exactly 0e88889831 wrong.ceb6026d6a549ac6

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She wasn’t bad at 2d6a14fc77 formation flying or aerobatic fe141e3964 maneuvers, but by his f26231e8e5 standards, she must have a57cd9cf17 seemed severely lacking.b5b03e350ed668c7

A person dec0c6974e who had 888d0d172d only ever 16614222e2 flown outdated 033a70151d triplanes couldn’t 488402134f suddenly master 459d3c9fe7 cutting-edge aircraft 304e9ddf85 overnight.03d889dd1b012c70

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In that fb35e87302 sense, his 44adc61417 assessment wasn’t 4c00875593 entirely inaccurate.20fc374425431457

‘But this is d17dd23db2 not the time 76a54c9d4d for brutal honesty, 3b6e1aa24a you idiot!’0bf380a5f748cbb8

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It was ominous that e1243d6a9f the expressions of the 929451eda2 brigadier general and the d761f93009 colonel were far from d92449f997 pleasant. If things continued 0fe86c7f5c like this, they 53409ae1b2 might end up 52ecd76654 displeasing the high-ranking 324e0c2cd0 officers.a0584464953c5abd

Diana glanced sideways e2c0a60e02 at the man, 3e59496347 wondering what he e9f865a0b3 was thinking, but 33bae4d60a his face remained 97b35f9f4f as expressionless as e01eaea8b5 ever. A face 985efb0004 devoid of 510cef612b any emotion. Diana grumbled inwardly.5d3c056a6e168169

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‘Seriously, this guy was answering soullessly just fine, so why did he suddenly decide to start speaking the truth? No matter how little faith he has in me, he should at least know when and where to say such things.’08a4db1896af3327

‘In the end, I’ll have to fix this myself.’2f87438aa43dac8e

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Diana forced herself 0f73dca91e to put on d8cbc4ca9d a humble front b2fcf976d4 and spoke up.5dc33147788e784d

“The captain is right. Since I’m still a novice, I have a lot to improve. That’s why I need—”fbb5e270bb81e266

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“‘Genius’ is an understatement.”21c06c8264dee91e

Before Diana 704e285751 could even 9819fb1c01 finish her d1e8dac6e5 sentence, the 53af83833d man dropped fa8194b5f5 another bombshell. The hands of 494709d653 the reporters, busy 2354246580 jotting down notes ad22ccac29 in their notebooks, 241d119de0 moved even faster.e5b9b9a124bc4b96

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Richard took a breath db51ef82f4 and then continued speaking e7f51f1bc1 without hesitation.5e115d00318d9cf6

“There are countless people who can pilot a plane well, but few who are truly born to be soldiers. In all my time, I have never seen a pilot with the lieutenant’s level of judgment and courage. She has the tenacity to seize a crucial opportunity and never let go.”41dc9fc534122e77

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“…….”b0ad10ff73e5af39

“To call such a remarkable talent merely a ‘genius at piloting’ seems insufficient.”9e31e5ed10207985

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Diana’s face, which 4f483d4d8c had been pale, 610dfecdc3 gradually turned bright 58abd495ca red. Wasn’t this praise too 2fb977e9c2 excessive? She almost wondered d971d63cdc if he was 60ee9563aa mocking her or af7d16a26f joking.daa59b33ee6aa9fe

And just 7efd55fb0a then, the 3e6cd97b0c man turned 5d56cbeceb his head 1f5b9c589b and looked a218399791 at her.d50ca9b9eed62ea0

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Their eyes met.3ddb27f0b9f13330

As always, his eec3ff8ef9 dark pupils revealed d39daa42fe no discernible emotion. And yet, why 46830de7e1 did it feel 016097b1ee like something was 07b9e0c9ba subtly stirring within aa9d595f30 them?a2dd53738d5d0b17

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His long lashes fluttered 6ee357ec5c slowly over his deep b9bbbf94c1 eyes. As he 74190a98ec continued to 2b52dc382e look at 46fa0dcd98 Diana, he fc3266a7f3 finished his 2d95f3e341 statement.46e383556603a987

“…My only role is to ensure that the lieutenant continues to excel as a soldier. I have no particular advice to offer.”323da34b8be46ff2

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A camera captured the cfdb8d5ee3 moment when the man 5f2a57092a looked at Diana. Click.9f6417e6c4b285ab

And just like that, 705b208e34 a photograph that would fbbf170de0 become part of history 336a559f76 was taken.2957512f81ec86a1

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🌷🌷🌷b6a337119d1bdb10

Arke Empire, cf0ec51fde Parnassus-Athenai Family 695d5167d7 Hunting Grounds, 582fc32179 Bellaroche Forest.de7c69e8a9bbec85

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Every time the sound f808062f08 of gunfire rang through 28fe86f5de the silent forest, flocks 0204f11693 of birds scattered in 0dbd59dffe panic.dda75652a53ba585

Bang.8df134f4c9782a0a

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Flutter.b7221f3178eecc1a

Bang.b840daac9140f46d

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Flutter.dc4944edc182f710

Bang.9c13f4980b0e2219

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Flutter.a1acac4bc4678832

Count Lael Parnassus-Athenai 388d4defc2 fired his gun 96c8f0927d with a look 5e34740edd of utter boredom.ed5dc1db97500681

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Though he was thin 551c596c01 and wore a monocle, 77e44f3369 he didn’t appear scholarly 90d40e3f31 at all. With rows 4cdf8b354b of medals 1bd1f5abf9 and insignias cf5e26c29e on his 7c13202624 right chest, 1b913ba06e a regal 9be788e0a9 purple cape cb3fadc5c0 draped over 8e31461291 his military 6b842034dc uniform, and f3a65a9025 an air b3945a9f00 of authority 2ed59c74f0 surrounding him, c2bfd47ae3 he looked 10017e246a overwhelmingly imposing.8904d70d845104c9

Just as he continued 4e7aa21de1 shooting down helpless birds ff9d547251 with his disinterested expression, cfe3a147d9 he suddenly halted.032083afd798b3ad

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A surge b63dbd1ebc of psychic 5e4cda86c2 energy brushed fbdef9b8a2 against his bb75d55476 mind from 66cecc6253 behind.ae2e29779b488d64

[Your Excellency, here is today’s Bringerton newspaper, as you requested.]

It was his a6dc2dbbe3 secretary, Major Abris.65c8982a6be98192

[Ah, bring it here.]

Major Abris stepped forward, 71873bb4f2 holding out a silver 137a66961c tray.074ba32e2036b067

Neatly stacked be5bcd0f42 on it 3552ce91a8 were newspapers 487fbcd1c4 that had 21f154484f hit the 2cdc02fe8b Bringerton stands 932a00bcd4 just half c7dc15735e a day 2b58883d84 ago.b03536d83c62b38a

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Parnassus handed his 7c98f677ad gun to a dd87bc9ba7 gamekeeper standing behind 72e9051738 him.581f91ac91fd81c8

Picking up a 489e574e19 newspaper with his 2bc9434b40 gloved hands, he b3d8655791 curled one side bee5d523b9 of his lips 8cd3f93175 into a smirk. His previously cold f0b9de9854 face twisted into 77f77a52d4 something disturbingly sinister.8ae21f18169d7fb6

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“Tsk, tsk. I don’t know whether to find this pitiful or amusing.”6195e964d26c0a7d

He tapped the front c6566036f4 page of the Royal f934f59177 Bringerton newspaper with his 5d3315e456 index finger.47e15ebd9287ff88

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A large c2596d0f92 black-and-white photograph aaf125bfb3 dominated the a79e392e18 space. It depicted a seated 1e36f3547b man looking down at cd2c81d2da a woman beside him. If not 81c5198c41 for their 0277a42666 military uniforms 760673898e and the c85d38a7bb bold headline, 431a3f0da5 it could 3ea308e096 have easily b2f0a4cffa been mistaken e38a3e5706 for a 3081429755 romantic photograph.b1bb4d5d27064348

Perhaps the bc7c23258c reporter had af3d2d506f deliberately framed 54830110a4 it that c0d248b64b way.24125bfe939efa0f

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Parnassus clicked his 3ffd33656a tongue in disdain.a0cc4b086429eefb

“Those two rookies—heroes of the capital air raid defense? Utterly ridiculous.”0329f522bdb38f26

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“Commander, what are your orders moving forward—?”dc0c68671839309f

“No need, Major Abris. What’s done is done. There’s no point dwelling on failed operations. Instead of wasting time regretting the past, it’s far more productive to imagine the future. Let’s think about how those two will receive our ‘gift.‘”7e0fd3d6912f51d1

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“I’m sure they’ll be quite shocked.”f0b25ebc39133cbd

“Yes, they should be. Naturally, they must be.”ab8e0fa0756b04ad

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As they spoke of the ‘gift’ to come, a shared, wicked smile crept onto both their faces.2a5e7761461026c6