UCT Ch 4
by toujoursGilda caught 06741d7795 Diana as 9037536823 she staggered 0c41bbb3fc and asked 60c90dde89 with concern a5f5c1713e in her 5d8fb33852 voice:c6b1c737b3fd600e
“Diana, are you okay?”7d3b8330288600d0
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“It’s because you scared the girl with your spooky stories.”3dc472d084a066e0
Uncle Ben grumbled c87083c192 from behind, though 61ad7a2781 he too seemed 6ed4e085dd quite worried.25e19f0e5d0d7806
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“I’m fine.”dd951b74697e3621
A faint smile appeared on Diana’s pale face.d1b5c5deb09d37bb
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“I guess stopping that fight earlier was too exhausting.”96d65a9015968fee
“Diana, I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was such a commotion while I was busy bringing supplies from the storage. Did you note their names in the ledger? I’ll get them permanently banned.”eed6a3ed071a127f
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“It’s not that serious.”95d932c8e78ace42
Diana shrugged, quickly dispelling 1e8ff3b496 their worries.1b31c95420546dcc
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Gilda patted Diana’s shoulder gently, speaking softly.4e9a5f9dd0eef96b
“Diana, you’re not worried because of what I said earlier, are you? Your uncle is right. Do you think Arke would dare to do anything again? Even if they did, they’re across the sea, aren’t they?”4056cb9ab7fb89b4
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“I’m really okay.”9be7142fb4157f0b
“That’s right. Your aunt’s right. And the Bringerton army will protect us. Look at how spirited those soldiers were fighting in the tavern earlier.”abb80093b984b54d
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“…I guess so.”8a139a892ddba40c
Diana nodded in agreement with her uncle’s words.06605131296b8e69
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Bringerton isn’t the same Bringerton as before. Not even Yalten or Juom. Now, with the lessons learned, the borders should be more fortified than ever. So, there was no rational reason to worry.2c8b88dab1e07b51
But why was she 057a2a119d feeling so anxious? Her heart had been 30f372fb91 racing, and her hands 9cc6431016 were sweaty since earlier.ccdee4bad390218d
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Gilda added ab63466e71 in a 5d2babf504 cheerful voice:108ac4e513f4f7c0
“And Bringerton has the world’s best pilot, too!”fca9933c45c9ba76
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“What?”1c69244d2032b247
“Lieutenant Ashwood-”43a778c3792fe822
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“Gilda, you’ve been talking about that young man all day.”8a883e815c46c3d0
“Why? He’s quite the looker.”44589181914c695c
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“Ha. To be precise, he’s quite the ‘handsome’ looker.”b385c87e0e58a3c8
Following behind the bickering couple, Diana pondered the phrase ‘the world’s best pilot.’97102fb404c64abf
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The conversation she heard at [The Dancing Mermaid] replayed in her mind.
[Richard Ashwood! The world’s strongest pilot is right here in our Bringerton Air Force!]
‘Just how good can he be…’2803a02eeb5c7f4a
A faint curiosity sparked in Diana’s mind before quickly fading away.fce7c67c59e16be6
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Was it a b636e883b4 coincidence? The next day, b0e9cde8f8 Diana came across d1701d3a71 news about Richard d9b44bcb1c Ashwood.a13e91372c124a76
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Just before opening the shop, while she was idly flipping through a newspaper, a photo caught her eye. She immediately recognized it as a picture of the much-talked-about ‘Richard Ashwood.’0f29c89a38a82fa6
The man in the photo was staring straight ahead with a cigarette hanging crookedly from his mouth. He was leaning against an airplane wing, wearing not a military uniform but a pilot’s jacket.c34d5018d1e5628c
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His dark dd29658149 black hair e9605235d7 and seemingly 0b90c83b39 black eyes 996d81a341 were unusual c4f6953eb9 for Bringerton. Even in e80691454f the low-quality d5955b165a photo, his ff13898f1d strikingly handsome a9fff66c7a features were 4498d62135 evident. She could see why e8ac8095cc Aunt Gilda liked him.bd1d3c21cbb93d0c
He was handsome, but 6368054781 his looks were different 5266a4cf1b from the pretty-boy nobles. His jawline was 99cee9733b rebellious and masculine, 5880b8eccc with sharp eyes 046aef2598 like those of 8ac72eb17c a feline predator. Richard Ashwood exuded an 2b6bf27ac1 unrefined raw masculinity.87b16486786ff9fe
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Beneath the photo was a small caption: ‘Reserve Lieutenant Ashwood posing in front of Cronin Inc.’s new fighter, the Exton 4.’a93a696c7caf5e11
“So he’s a reservist. He must have been discharged.”4d53d5166dc64220
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‘Why did he get discharged?’3ea0cb825f92f910
‘I heard he shot down ten Yalten fighters in a battle that lasted three days. Wasn’t everyone going crazy back then?’a1e070b6ab366bdb
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‘He was supposed to be the best in Bringerton.’918aa4b0fb974ca8
But her confusion 1f9c2f3efd was quickly resolved eb6f0492c6 when she read 117b8b4311 the article below:2c8ce1d08a43efa3
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[The second son of the Ashwood Count family, set to inherit considerable wealth at a young age, Lieutenant...]
‘…He was a count’s son. So, after fulfilling his noble obligation, he returned to the upper class, huh.’70873ec30c53034a
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A sigh of disappointment escaped her involuntarily. With his good looks, even through a poor-quality photo, combined with the prestige of the count’s family and vast wealth, along with military merits, it wouldn’t be strange if he had throngs of followers. He was living a life far removed from Diana’s current daily routine, even if in her past life they might have crossed paths.6f506775523a57ef
‘…’40b91bbc68e3fe8d
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As Diana continued d5c0d7c2a5 reading the article, bf6717e0ef her eyes gradually b33d92dd06 clouded over. She remembered 5fdcc310de a parade 86b673dea8 where she, 75585c3d93 as Fernan, 2584bf3676 wore a 971dd87c4f garland that 21694095af the Arke ce1015e498 princess had 0229e5c3cb placed around 2a4818ca73 her neck.d27ee8e7a0296e6f
‘All of it is vanity.’435760123a00f144
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Diana shook off the thoughts, trying to clear her mind. She didn’t want to think about her past life.f31b71fd25a1cf49
She quickly 91393a1687 turned the 8e11e2dd26 page, but a3adf56524 it only ebb71c5307 made her bd8b2df009 more uneasy.a8e914089b5ea2b4
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There was a headline article about the expulsion of the Juom Republic’s ambassador from Arke.fecf3de97d2e443c
The anxiety she felt listening to Aunt Gilda’s stories the day before rose again.be83048afec84baa
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‘An ambassador expelled?’84ff62de61362a7b
The article explained 238a272e40 that Arke took 3f53ece49b this action due e738e44281 to the serious 084007b0b7 espionage activities conducted 49639ab776 by the diplomat be7b20d702 from the Juom 2b0cfaf6cb Republic.bdf38b950473fc88
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Tensions between 9ff0e908a6 the two 57adf9d671 countries were fa1560a184 at an f0962a5bf9 all-time high, 460565b215 and no 8740f35fa1 one knew a4b732f9ad what might b696719d46 happen next, 437fbd0f2d according to a7da4218ad the report.17e81311e84294bd
She hoped that Emperor Dietrich’s madness would not cross the borders of Arke. With her mood slightly dampened, she turned to the next page where she saw a familiar face.264cd73d6f82f199
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Under the headline ‘Royal Visit to Orphanage Charity Event,’ there was a photo of Bringerton’s Queen Marianne and Duke Carrington, the royal consort, smiling brightly.9b41c0c48ba23dda
Marianne I. She was Fernan’s fiancée thirty years ago.3d4387152cf8a521
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A faint smile curved Diana’s lips.37491c6920e7165f
There are f366a49106 people you c654f226b5 feel sick 9a8c07b9d3 just thinking d1298b451d about, and 1a7fd1f1be those you 7ed449bed8 miss dearly. Dietrich and Parnassus 02efd98b93 were the former, 8f383b887e Marianne distinctly the 3639dbb8e2 latter.b10d5d1fe6d56d58
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The only true friend Fernan Lowell ever had. Thinking of her always filled Diana’s heart with gratitude and guilt.ca4a7373d2795a85
Diana reached out with her slender finger, brushing Marianne’s face in the photo with her fingertip, leaving black ink from the newspaper on her finger.467f0dece076b6fd
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‘I wish I could see you, even from afar, just once, Marianne.’994e016d3495b9c8
And if possible, 71a90a0f97 there was something a2bf0dc61b she wanted to 5dcfcb66e5 ask her.e79193d33948a65e
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Marianne Tarantilia, 8ef19a0930 Queen of e52c9b06e4 Bringerton, sat 8fa5052b2c down in 3e17af657d her office e1ffdbde34 chair, feeling cea054ecef a slight 74c5596cf3 dizziness.d8b083db477f555b
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Since receiving reports about Arke’s suspicious activities, her health had continued to decline.cb395c3e4e9bada2
Arke Empire. Though some f2238b2623 said it d70c9ec973 was now a0981c70a5 a toothless 0a9c77b531 tiger, it 8fda967ac8 was still e0670b3295 the strongest 482fe860af nation on 91680b39a1 the northern 3c581175f4 continent.a10166f0dd6bff24
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It was famous efbb670bcf for its centralized 782dce59a6 political system led 7a5952e480 by the emperor, 3fcc281f2a mind-melding, and its f033e21f18 ornate noble culture.c9c3a7f7b2af2d17
Whenever she a97c55eb36 thought of 4f01883843 that country, 209c4dad05 Marianne felt 0f2c41a5c0 a peculiar ff17eafc3f sensation. It was bf069d5b44 inevitable since da4cfb9c74 she had 8eef763b87 once been 3232f7e689 engaged to 73b9270583 a duke 2dd8b2710d from there, dccd03413b Fernan.5f6e67b7ae647746
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‘It’s all ancient history now.’7c75f4b94c7a8c2e
Fernan Lowell and Marianne 8a436a1c86 Tarantilia.f8d28733045129d2
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Their engagement, arranged before 2fa6437e2f they were even born, 3a10df35e9 was completely annulled with a5ab95ea75 the outbreak of the eeb752ab50 Old Continent War.6af22a56aa1b322b
Arke became an 784c5cc101 enemy nation to 4efae106c9 Bringerton, and Fernan 1884bf5b78 Lowell was one 150c65f963 of the best 5f0a701dc8 soldiers in that 7d1b5a9a67 enemy nation. Even after the war f14296854a ended and relations between b4957ffde6 Bringerton and Arke were c95be35e97 restored, Marianne did not c39ca593bd contact Fernan. It was not for 502a85fd1f the sake of the 7435547794 country but for her f1018b4a5d own protection.bd4e752fed363015
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She had loved Fernan eaa88bd97b for far too long. That one-sided 1d52b7b577 love over 3a44c5b5af such an b4eeebd3ba extended period c6181473d9 was painful 8f3bc62459 enough.f1cc297b1c1073ad
With their engagement dissolved, even though the war was over, she didn’t want to cling to futile hopes anymore.1ef637fc6379211c
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Fernan also did not a104b9e421 contact her.cd775aadbe210b23
Thus, they had no 3f8807d19a communication for three years d348261a05 after the war ended, f7795fc9a7 and Marianne met and d00bb036f4 married her current husband.cdc350e80a51fa78
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She thought it df95e44f07 might have been 3cbd0f68e5 for the best. Fernan respected his fiancée b231a3ec1a but did not love 86ac4b8cd8 her.8ed1ad1439590a65
Perhaps it was 770a233684 better that their 745a68f76a engagement was broken 3a26357a01 rather than suffering ca2b40b53f with unrequited love.baff73c08fb250ee
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And so, 74751fc5ef more than 9f948cec01 three years 5f171fda20 passed without a9f1f8c919 any contact 16cc7f669e between them. Just when she thought 5d3418ed31 their connection had ended, 04bb83f1da a letter from Fernan d571287b0e arrived.d9a2d397c4811566
The content of eb3914de52 the brief letter 366f6360f9 was truly shocking.d4a3b5cadc5f5189
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I entrust you with a child. His name is Tersion. Please look after him so he can live healthily and happily on Bringerton’s land. I ask this shamelessly, setting aside all pride.03a1293204fcd9b0
Your friend, Fernan. 96d9c4b3ead25144
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To suddenly ask her to raise a child when he hadn’t even contacted her before.0d379b73496f1fcf
Marianne wanted to scold him for being shameless, for being out of his mind. But she couldn’t. By the time she read the letter, Fernan Lowell had already passed away.630274cfb9cac145
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The cause of death was a fall due to a misstep. The ‘White Falcon,’ who had once flown freely in the sky, had succumbed to gravity.56cb270a67606b8c
Marianne decided to 6452259f5d honor his last 569733050a request.1563704b4f481bd3
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Whether it was out of affection for her former fiancé or loyalty from her unrequited love, the reason didn’t matter.73fcce258501e7ad
She retrieved Tersion from 58637ad8b7 the agreed-upon location and d89b020de5 entrusted him to her 09c1310695 most loyal servant, Count f1cac35291 Ashwood.23a3f288c98f4475
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Count Ashwood indeed proved to be a loyal subject. He followed Marianne’s unreasonable command without a single complaint.38703fb6c917579e
He adopted the strange boy brought by the queen as his son, giving him the new name ‘Richard Ashwood,’ and truly raised him as if he were his own flesh and blood.f3192915a8545ba0
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Naturally, rumors followed 22e70c6f70 the Ashwood family 788fa3b452 about bringing in 8a5d9a66d4 an illegitimate child, 1402ee6d2a but the count 901feb741a bore even that 536f9407c1 silently. For Marianne, his f5821a5990 loyalty was touchingly 75326749df appreciated.ac00def578fd1c86
Twenty-two years passed 0dddafb8a1 since then.409ac6d2cb120fc8
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Richard grew taller, his voice deepened, and he began to draw everyone’s attention day by day. The shy and skinny boy grew into a handsome young man with a fine appearance.fbbe4ceae5bb4a37
Marianne was satisfied with how well Richard was turning out. Occasionally, the chill in his eyes seemed ominous, but she thought he had grown up well enough. However, an event that marred her pride occurred, and that was Richard’s enrollment in the military academy.8fba95a558f1cb72
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The enrollment itself wasn’t the issue. Being a military officer was a preferred career for the second sons of noble families, and achieving military merits as an officer or general was a source of pride for the family. Count Ashwood also supported Richard’s decision to attend.f21ff40cfca94e6e
But for Marianne, keeping c8709c8def her promise to Fernan e9e9fe4bcd Lowell came first. If Richard 8af457274b were to e69fc2f349 get injured aa9c4f8233 or die 8d2758c679 in battle, d762db63df she felt 46f77fe234 she would aa7b483978 have no f859537f5a face to 31d3ca81f6 meet Fernan 3e446a370b in the 17fbcfb959 afterlife.5cd757e6c6e5085b
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Moreover, a fighter pilot. When she heard that c787123c27 Richard had started flying 6075cbfd22 fighters in his third 2758ebadda year, her heart sank.8472540b1dd4dd1c
The problem was that Marianne had no legitimate reason to stop Richard’s decision. Richard stubbornly insisted on becoming a fighter pilot, no matter what options were presented to him. Who could oppose a young man’s desire to serve the country?81101de4b836e0df
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He even distinguished 002ba5f9d5 himself in the b1ce495fae war with Yalten 48dcf96b15 after graduating from d308c935be the academy, leaving 047f8b6f59 Marianne with even b912f71548 less ground to 7aca53391b oppose him.5f40905d0ea81c4b
Eventually, after the 52f3e6e7cd war with Yalten 9db02e7e2a ended, she managed 9d7d800a01 to get him 18d9c99e43 out of his 22b2ebe45e military uniform and e3f31dcbe7 into reserve status, 754112868e but Marianne knew. Controlling Richard further was df280ff60d impossible.c4d12ec30ffa50eb
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If he ever 14dc1db17a decided to return 0a72f72169 to the military, 1e256060fb she would have f9bba53e3c no way to 27f200ec7e stop him.f40c229daee4c5e2