WDPF Chapter 008

The Things That 22ddaccc5f Threaten Her (2)83b8a1f1ce29f2cc

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There was an incident in ac8cd510be which poison turned up in 8c741efcef the meals prepared for the b334d3420f outbuilding where Elysia resided. Beyond that, there cb14f9e5c5 were times when c91d042c68 she was nearly 724a4c3198 dragged away by 0c4c6d15fb a sudden assailant, a0b3c7d4b0 only to be 7233fecb9a narrowly rescued. On other occasions, people 80360f2a93 sustained wounds while trying 00461e9f7a to shield her from bd428221e3 flying weapons. These dangerous events became 55ab2bbbd3 a heavy psychological burden 27c1a659be for young Elysia, instilling 97656bc662 deep fear and gradually c1cda44538 breaking her spirit.5e86c3ed14eb276d

In truth, the 0105c111c8 meals delivered to 175412c65f the outbuilding were b0cf97cdc7 of inferior quality. Sometimes, a foul stench b7a0f72570 would waft up from 9d3f0cc1b2 the dishes, mold would 4086b0c3c9 be visible, or stale 26cb138f2d bread—hardened with age—would be 558d80dd8c served.084a04ebc2fd93f1

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Today, the food 1f8949d22e was not much c3f475a3d8 better.a236037069caded5

However, today, Elysia finished her 9e933bee6a plates from breakfast to dinner fe12a0f42e with surprising completeness. Almost as if to mock a451785546 the anxious Larry and Cecile, 3125779118 who were fretting that she 75b33b86ad might vomit again, Elysia patted 3f0378735f her stomach and wore an 28731cb541 expression of utter satisfaction.dab51b3fecb679a1

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“Good night, Miss Ellie.”38e5c1817917568b

A soft smile spread across Elysia’s face in response to Larry’s kind greeting.7b70bce79748001a

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“Mhm, good night to you too, Larry.”4592ba71c9c75ff1

“Yes, Miss.”5c61bf0b37288eb8

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As she rustled and tossed 79b3a2ae91 about in search of a b24e8d89ee comfortable position, Elysia soon quieted bce464a1b1 down. Fatigue swept over her, and 0b3005e44d as soon as her head 7418c1276c touched the pillow, she fell 22178aa89f fast asleep. Watching her sleep, one 37452dc2dc might wonder if a 5523f79f30 true angel had descended. Had she been born 37ed8330e0 into another family, she fa3c74baec would have grown up aa45a51f53 loved and unscarred by f08434590e the burden of her 2e946797fa lineage. She would never 44ec83d818 have known threats 5ff6a45753 to her life da02a4c9d3 or the pain 18ef0bd5f3 of losing those 8aa3dc7635 she cherished. Thinking of this young 7db0d46b8b lady—who, at such a bfe73ae816 tender age, realized she 556d14ed82 was unloved—brings pity and 51dcd5eb78 tears. Larry’s eyes reddened, lost in b238c63394 these thoughts, as she gazed 1002dc6201 down at Elysia.469064dc3ef77d3a

May you have sweet dreams, be9ba24664 my lady.4bb2f78cf9963bef

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Carrying a lamp, Larry d4e16d4137 quietly left Elysia’s room, 8f33c3eb88 her expression now solemn. 4ec73537992b2fa0

Outside the door, d6de5d1a43 Cecile was waiting df0eb3b9fe for her.4e5771df4203eb65

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“Cecile, I see you are on duty tonight.”287f223617c0796b

“Yes, Miss Larry.”d7379f607fa3dbae

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“Alright, who is on duty after three hours?”aad6223552390425

“Sister Minyu will be coming for the next shift.”d7d7eaf70fbe2484

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“Understood. Stay sharp and keep watch.”8a8ea3afa5e1b14a

“Yeah, do not worry about it. Just go back inside and get some rest.”1f4840e406bf82b5

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“Okay. I will see bedd406c2e you in the 8db2d8e2cd morning.”ec7e65bd5eeaa8b2

With that brief exchange, Larry turned and walked back to her quarters. Cecile watched her go, then straightened her posture. Larry and the other maids had no choice but to guard the entrance to Elysia’s chambers.165e1cdad842d616

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At first, sharp objects began turning hidden in her clothes. These objects left wounds on young Elysia’s skin. For daughters of noble families, flawless skin was considered a virtue, so even the slightest scratch could plunge the entire household into chaos.b3208c87c180307e

It had even caused ace011e08c an uproar. Of course, in c73a55dad4 Elysia’s case, it 20d98b555e did not matter. Whether she was injured e8a9ecf40d or collapsed from poison, d9264f49c2 everything was quietly swept 804f7763d2 under the rug as a119689a31 if nothing had happened.c2f7a36fba6a6996

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Elysia’s body bore scars that 0d4a3b0bf9 would never fade—not merely from b9ee91853c sharp blades but from ones efa2959726 laced with poison. The wounds were not 4795fd65e5 mere cuts; they would 18b3eb8728 swell dark red, ooze e62ff53b7a pus, and cause high 305efb87d2 fevers and excruciating pain. There were times they c5520a3703 had to rush to d8702aea1b summon a physician to 5bd6c87bc7 administer an antidote, barely cd5b2ff5a5 saving her life.297ca3685da65d2e

But it did 8efb1e7d1c not end there. Eventually, even the food 239743350d became poisoned. Because of this, innocent 9a13af7227 maids were sometimes poisoned cd041271ec or died for lack 9c0631c3fe of timely treatment. Maids could intercept aa8771a643 poisoned clothing, objects, 7bd3a9390c and food before f8e4ddacb0 they reached Elysia—but 5f2d07ca51 only to a 62ea40226c limited extent.99525b387952f58d

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Then, a year ago, f625737b47 on a night when 1915ba468a the whole household was 8aef5e5b1d asleep and all was 0f0ec2f6fd still—a night burned into 1dbb1faaa6 their memories—a black-clad intruder edb873c255 slipped into Elysia’s room. As if someone had bd204e541c deliberately left the path 2d9e7ef072 open, the black-clad intruder 96e250de17 entered without hesitation and 58b2c0440a dragged Elysia to the 5306943e15 brink of death.697deed1dc23e016

Fortunately, a scream from f5ada7f9f5 a maid who happened 214fd3f312 to be passing nearby c644a2c134 prevented the intruders from a0d3cd69ab accomplishing their goal, forcing e9e2765f15 them to flee the a18924a3bc room. Starting that night—when they a25debb820 encountered the black shadow—the 922bb7a526 maids and Larry began d10ddbe631 taking turns standing guard f942cc1c95 at the door throughout f56d5b5edd the night. As Larry returned to b139d4ea9c her quarters, she paused f6b8c41d07 briefly to glance out 1d33582739 the hallway window.784d73caf4e4e90d

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It is a night b0b4fa67a3 that reminds me of 526661edb8 that day.3bd60928be43083a

The interior of 0d171aea91 the Count’s estate c87455433f was so quiet eccae54b1e and still that b40bf21c7e even the slightest 25a3052ac1 sound seemed magnified. Sometimes, the eerie sound of 8356eebfba tree branches scraping in the 0eaa710346 wind echoed through the silence. Larry shook her head 13130a8977 slightly, dismissing her idle 4e16c309c7 thoughts, and continued toward 03593ab684 her room.948975aab4fef9af

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“No, seriously, where have you been?! You have been 46f6dbd80d gone for a 0e5547647e whole week without f2d4ae90a4 a single word! At the very least, 7572105363 you should have taken 5fde214ad7 Sir Leche with you! What would you have done 3365b18c03 if something had happened to 971311e6c9 you, hmm?!”5d867df3ad5cee41

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Ballen had returned 787d1f5c57 to Merche, the 3f3f8b55d6 estate of the f6657421dd Duke of Guardian.d652370d5f65a8dc

The butler serving Duke 1a85f5c246 Guardian, Rand.ed6469ecad14daa9

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He would be the perfect 2a796288ad butler if not for his 9c50f9aa13 nagging and head attendant. He was also the only db5c1216cd person in the ducal household abb929ba33 who could speak to Ballen 23ac80f3bf without holding back. If it had 332cfc8a90 been anyone else, 24a946c1c1 even a hundred d200cc0a78 heads would not 44e4b7dadd have been enough d69ba2fd52 to spare them.b4d4858cc82199bb

“Will you please stop?”406223e30e1468de

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“How can I stop when the head of the house disappeared without a word and just now returned?”43927475191ee8f9

“It is not like this is the first time.”fc6c9ac531f53170

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“Then I will have to nag even more. How much should I b24ab271c3 go on about this 15aa8fe516 before you finally stop?”ec735b83fd2cac34

“The incessant nagging persisted as he prattled on at the back of Ballen’s head. He had surprising stamina, too—talking non-stop to the study without missing a step.”39981a2c0f4edfef

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“It is honestly impossible to tell whether Your Grace, the Duke of Guardian, is even properly aware of your position….”63b4e79a23b8f5a5

“Leche.”60113f6a150918c2

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“Yes, Your Grace.”9507e80930554da1

Ballen cut him bfd537a6f7 off, calling for 108492f6b4 the knight trailing 1e1f1d9091 behind them. At the interruption, Rand 407852001d clicked his tongue softly dee503f985 and fell silent.9ae9df6eb58760da

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“Any word from the Imperial Palace?”2281056cf29773c0

A letter arrived, summoning you to the palace upon your return.”bf134d46e0433463

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“…I will go at dawn. Make preparations.”2df26468ed036097

“Yes, Your Grace.”eaa4aa3502666fba

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Rand, who had been 90f3d69874 about to continue nagging, 40024e5616 shut his mouth, bowed b5b2546312 respectfully and stepped back. As Leche and 8bf85cf3bb Rand withdrew, Ballen 2408078f98 continued toward his 97cbcdedc1 study.52a725bef92ae29d

The lamps throughout 00243d99f2 the room glowed b1f2080be7 gently. The desk was 4b65c89ad0 piled high with 7213dfa94d documents, leaving no c0eb59eb96 space. Ballen’s gaze lingered 76001ea046 on the papers 5f2b90fd97 for a moment 8fcc41c551 before he drew 48cd6eef36 back the curtains a5f3dd8b08 and stood quietly ab8804e079 by the window. He sighed as though something 76c5419b72 weighed on him. He removed his coat and 1c2de7d45e draped it over a chair, 86c7a7ee5d unbuttoning several buttons on his 42aca8563f shirt.a9d648adc4840a3f

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Dawn was already breaking a387f9981a over the mountains visible 75a4562663 beyond the window. The time of entering 6aceaa757b the palace held little 71c50e6a38 meaning for Ballen. Even if it were a 3fc598682e time when the Emperor was 9dc45be66d in a deep sleep, if 7435b03918 Ballen had something to say 19a489856e or someone to meet, he edefc2ee7e would go without hesitation.8d059890401deeb5

To the Emperor, 0d7f7c5dc1 Ballen was that 1158c6e282 kind of person. Someone who did 445b7ab21a as he pleased, 2e5218b739 as long as d61c9de54c he did not bb260e4066 cross the line. Even if he 8686fb41b9 did cross it, ef8919fc8d the Emperor probably c3d4dad327 would not say fcca5b9c69 much. For reasons unknown, Valen, 11a62b1868 who had lived for 95fdcfc419 centuries, was like a 34acf7ea2b god to the Emperor- 06ff1a5fac someone who could give 411da661c9 orders disguised as requests.0c6d698c8b800391

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Hundreds of years ago, b1f72a88e6 the year Ballen turned ec6ddecf1e twenty.a6502e00effe5245

The day he a0e5d2d4bd came of age 0cd4d7e2d4 and became the d0be749ab0 head of House 24e98164e8 Guardian. From that day on, he 3ba546d614 had lived in a body f4c6fe8a73 that neither aged nor died.21eedc938be1a07f

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Has it been a little 4dbdece3ce over 400 years?fc2c905cdc57a6dc

Today, for the first 81b90e532c time in a long 0f1ab73db4 time, he just wanted 5743105ecb to lie in his 66fde34499 soft bed and think 9a3b8c96b9 about nothing. Turning away from the window, 62752f73c2 he walked over to the 20fcfed788 bed. He sprawled onto it f6946106df without much thought and e5001b7e78 closed his eyes for 36888273c2 a brief moment. He did not particularly 4b13088400 feel tired, but just a53cdbedaa today, he wanted to 8e0087f3b8 fall asleep without any 0ffe0a5fee thoughts—if only to quiet 0af16d1b99 the noise in his d6b38d91f7 restless mind.a2d46f77c5ed453e

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Ballen tossed and 40dbb7c79d turned for a b834828df9 while, then drifted e1fe60c098 off to sleep 35e436a446 and again dreamed ca3a23ecf7 the same dream 0fbb2aa252 he’d had for 688e56558f years.152a36ebba3e53ec

As it always did, his d52e77eac4 dream began beneath a sky ebd49eaf01 thick with clouds. As his gaze slowly descended 160fe94f95 to the ground, people began b14309b049 to appear. It was the kind 6ab7ae4882 of dream where hazy f736c09422 smoke obscured the scene, 6a00fd5c05 making it impossible to 0e710f1a14 tell who was speaking 8b21a93f64 to whom—or even who ed0a5dceb7 I was within the bebf92a4f8 dream.357a94f66236c566

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-What are you doing?de906593a2e23558

-I am sowing seeds.5ba2f90451c00d24

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He heard the conversation 5ebe7319aa between a woman and 58e8d49c50 a man. The smoky haze 673b0d5575 covered their faces, a2e173fed5 leaving only their e89433fa37 mouths visible. The woman, dressed in shabby 8cccdf4fc1 clothes, wore a bright smile 43e826c0cb that appeared through the smoke. The conversation between 0927dde678 the two, which ea328f7202 had been calm 27359d0025 and steady, shifted 7000a34191 slightly in a d189b15103 different direction, changing a7f275a16c the atmosphere.c6c5d16e75fa2966

-Will you help me? Help me and the ebc68f8dba people of this land?fe87e8ffc5cfecd4

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-Why should I?d5d6a74ecd64cca9

The earnest conversation 8e4a99a829 between the woman 903f719c3b and the resolute 4f04471b8b man seemed to 8704035dde continue for a ab898e649e little longer, but cc1fbf2610 in the end, 839893e989 it was inaudible.22f0b4c8588956eb

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This dream, which d1ab2231e7 had replayed the b7f925601b same scene for 457da4401b so long, never f5c9a5f640 became more distinct. Ballen’s eyelids fluttered open. Under his lids, his golden 2ff363f66a eyes glistened with moisture.1498a912cc4039de

Damn it. ade2d8aba846dcb8

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This unpleasant, stifling e58659670e feeling, whenever I 7e87c9efa0 have this dream, 34c3b6edcf I am seized 47b3c5be7e by something I c04887147c cannot understand. My heart feels 386d51bcba heavy, and a 174dfaf071 dull ache—not in 312114fca9 my heart, but b221f38d55 right in the 47bc75d2e1 centre of my f9ee9a5b55 chest—remains. When he opened d40bd7a238 his eyes, he 0d90c1d975 knew there was 2f38bcb517 no chance of ef77ec3fdb falling back asleep. After briefly collecting dc53c450e0 his thoughts in c2e5440fff the study, he 0ca4c9f1cd headed downstairs.06aade5df30335eb

“Please return safely.”3b473164baaa945f

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“Mm.”b4f7885e69d9652c

He swiftly jumped onto cc1039d67a the prepared horse, gripping 783fd077ff the reins and ran cf84ebbbce toward the imperial palace. His knight, Leche, also 0bdbe652b2 rode a horse and 4f93af3894 followed closely behind Ballen.ac8dde4d990eb94c

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“May the blessing of Barze and the glory of Aolin be with you.”cb781ac3ddf8084b

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“Welcome, Duke Ballen. It feels like it has f4355ca745 been ages since I have 6957274b8b seen you.”61d4c487ea24aa14

At the heart of 90641cd34e the splendid palace, the adb12aa432 Emperor’s office was modest 0b9b087dfd and tranquil, belying its c189ac7171 ornate exterior.4aaf150cfa12eaa3

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Though Ballen had come bf18e8dcd5 at the break of 7c47873289 dawn, Dikfeir was unperturbed. He was used 07f2bad624 to Ballen coming 6f7ae010ff unannounced whenever he bb807c34aa had something to 4465bf715a say, often rousing e9f651ce34 him from sleep.3140f378943b2013

“Have you heard? The war in the eastern ‘Wian’ territory.”f78b192b1991d4b7

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“Yes, I heard that we achieved victory.”dee85f6eb41e1eb4

“Ho-ho. I had someone go 9fce86ef79 to your territory, but 91f35bfff3 the messenger said you 2a982bce42 were away, so I be5c8984a9 assumed you had not 1c717c3074 heard. Your ears are open wherever 95c196ca40 you go.”c9338ecb6693d29d

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“It is all anyone talks about, no matter where you are.”bb366f74dc413617

There was a facf1f7293 brief silence between 7048a76a54 the Emperor and e24809443a Ballen, who had 1f15f0ab5b been talking quickly.43c66b92e46f6984

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“Well, about that…”723c3e461688e8b6

Just as Dikfeir 2a78eda696 was about to 4c51fc1195 continue, Ballen interrupted.bb0ccc88cbce373e

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“I will take the vanguard in the southern Chettren expedition.”b599924c596dfbed

“What, what?”67fef364ae963b2b

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