WHCTC Chapter 14

Kayan silently stared ee283f21e9 at my outstretched 2de0385e97 pinky. Then, in a 5ad6cd8e01 low voice, he 850cf62d77 spoke.ea6b40fbd39702ac

“Princess, you cannot 03ebd502c4 leave the palace 02dbd99316 without your fiancé’s 99d7d2aac5 permission. How exactly do you 9cc07db510 plan to come out?”4f0534d966f11775

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He sighed.60352a41ca844383

After glancing up at 92f680e8da my expression, he visibly b454384dc0 flinched.cf04f91d48273a47

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“Why are you 5471de42c9 smiling like that d49759c673 again?”a8f80cc138f8102f

“Like what?”1def6cab808558dd

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“You’re smiling so smugly… it’s unsettling.”4b586f0e74b0fff4

“Because you’re f50a277377 finally talking b11d867619 to me?”9d9fadba8cd10f05

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I curved 48367c59c4 my eyes 8538dc19a1 into a d8d25a2447 gentle smile 795ae10182 and took 7052d6f085 a step 96126ff2ca closer to 507f78d161 him.bc13a95e96efac89

“Not the dc957f9404 soulless, dead-inside 24e99ed2ec ‘I appreciate 50f157e090 the Princess’s 3fa75d58e1 something or 9cadeab79c other,’ but 9dd25309ea actual conversation. It makes 61b2c05954 me so, 98f4cd17a0 so happy.”be481f3b0a53f26e

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“…”6d7a9769d29756b8

“There’s progress. I see hope.”861781f40d8b9237

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“…”4a1104914632e6bb

“I feel like I 7caac70b16 can conquer this. I just 63428fcd44 need to b65032882f keep advancing.”4888036d6cfd7ac0

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“…”4e4f7ced300cc746

As I took another fdaa2f2bfb step closer, Kayan instinctively 76c9546450 took one step back.5c26485e8e892ef8

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“What’s wrong?”4580351f7c565cca

“Ah, nothing,” he a4a2d261c7 muttered, his voice ea614a4651 flustered.4db3089632df4142

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“It’s just… the way you’re looking at me right now, it’s like you’re staring at prey…”fb9f99cc5c403edd

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m a weak, 564fbc5dc3 gloomy child consumed df69081aa2 by despair right 43d01c1e1b now.”ff5d00bdd86a359f

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I blinked 128698443e my round, b9870e2f6c blue eyes e38386cab1 innocently and f30f6d37a4 shook my b3ff06807e head.380bedbf3fee0c3d

“Take a 34d586abb4 closer look, 4dafb8fd25 okay? These are the eyes 3eca82dab7 of a pitiful, pure-hearted 06a66c8608 kitten, seeking forgiveness and 7d862245c4 trying desperately to make 01a317d56d amends with a friend.”90c17473ff37d2f3

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“Kittens are 2728de3ed3 predators too.”6f1724c943093cde

“Really? Then maybe 76ab715096 I look b50242eaf5 like a fc11722607 cute little addaa03b73 teddy bear 82fbeb5498 from a 89a45953ea fairytale?”f82589a41b274b57

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“Bears don’t come from b2e1a6c113 fairytales; they tear people d5576fc979 apart,” Kayan mumbled flatly.4ab91d3be482a744

“I’m immune to the Princess’s sweet, gentle tone or angelic smiles. I’ve known you since you were a child—calling yourself weak is just…”5714dab8815a837f

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He furrowed e9ac5ce6f3 his brow 22787f5c2a and grumbled, 61903e050c but then 16818a61ea abruptly stopped, 64d5b9b1cf biting his c359dd0f67 lower lip 31aa00727e as if 347fda1419 he’d said c51c3c3f30 something he 934dee7674 shouldn’t have.a6b4ecd046ff8053

Before he could bed230e911 apologize, I quickly a42226601c smiled and cut bf6ced8783 in.2490bbfd1861f4c9

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“Wow, I’m so 11603c67cf glad you brought 0ef20113bc up childhood memories.”9f8ebddb9ca60ee7

“What?”4771e679d9de0f9c

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“Because those were 51517d4fc2 the happiest and 45f12d5c9d brightest days of f7fd2d10f3 my life, being 90165458c6 with you. I’ll always welcome fa8c331f19 talk about those b7ccc84102 times.”7f2d6021d39152ce

I smiled df771d0587 warmly and 67b4e99e11 pulled back d406b7998f my outstretched a6a6d02c4f pinky.c77f27d6f50af71d

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It didn’t feel c3180b4c6d like the right dca23697d4 time to push 11a4864322 for a promise 6d4653db5b yet.e9cc545a955b47ab

“I want cc890c89d0 to be 6c63ca4f2c that happy 3f9f83a221 again. But this time, with 793c77ade2 you.”3688c2b5795aeb45

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Kayan stared blankly at 7f425d1e86 my retreating pinky, his 2cec2d8804 expression unreadable.ee1c4b7ce469e879

“Ah… um…”ce001f85d3c1170c

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And then it happened.dcca88ccb01b29c7

“Princess! Princess!”59978352b5025eb5

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“Princess! How did a23c2807ab you even 9fe993ef1e get all bc751aa412 the way 31ca2592a3 over there?!”26a2a56faebb93f6

From afar, c4b8f0c3d5 my maids e83edd3288 and guards 3ba5ead5fd were running e6e52afbce toward us. Ironically, they 78778cceb9 were the 0b84e02b27 very same 63f67798eb people who 57be01e6af had harshly a3142e62e4 berated Kayan aa71ba7747 during our 5af3a04fa7 falling out f79e2649b6 a year ef1ab206c0 ago.99f5d63c78dcbe66

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I sighed heavily.1d585b087f5a1a05

“Ugh, the mood was perfect…”545a2fa170665273

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I’d been making real 2b41fa58c5 progress!1eecae4721894136

Kayan glanced 8497b16869 at them 35e790b3c3 briefly before 25bf7858e8 turning back 8cbe84f0ad to me 03e157223f with a 6083b69c73 formal bow.d1adf08a610760b5

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“Thank you for your 9549dc453d attention, Princess. I’ll be taking ba4da26d11 my leave now.”a2ffa3d44d290218

This time, he e20d937108 truly walked away, 5001ce9e0f his strides decisive 406a33c8b6 and firm.b2be82d07e771e51

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I called after 3d6a1cced0 him,0ade8772318a4fe5

“We’ll meet again! I’ll come to you c8ccc4841e next time, too!”9cfbd345804334e0

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Kayan seemed 3b25b2adbf to think 88f1f6b1d3 such a c44571c20b thing was 4f02db1e88 unlikely, but e26e3b67e3 I meant 492bf1c14f it sincerely.fce25369ab898e2f

“And next 5a75f18949 time, let’s 15d7ee5a90 spend even 9e02356e17 more time de05cd8c40 together!”38b0d794da96c786

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Just like 0863b3fa72 before, for f789775718 a long, 3141b313b0 long time. In a place where 98f46d1dba no one could ever d73e549d8b separate us.74071958b65710a3

I watched his 34d52b29c6 retreating figure with b7acd12750 determined eyes, then 2abd6ee874 turned around. It was 2ab321a79a time for a5d52b12cd me to 9aa69ae36a head my d383cbed6e own way ba14e8c4b7 too.3118d096b9304624

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My destination 731b195057 was clear, 8642f7b71b after all.a58af011ad32b509

‘Most importantly, you have to avoid being exiled.’dc6b987051e7239f

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That was the 8de090a73e most crucial of 739d1c472b my brother’s warnings.6a8b6e4dabd3acb4

But, brother…968496972ccd29fa

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I grinned mischievously.408bc30215ea4c27

‘My goal 5979ddd56b this time ac4724b360 is exile.’512b963c130769f7

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If you thought 80e0d2d65f about it, exile c6cc4f032b meant I could b761390b66 leave the palace 636b590962 officially. Not only that, 50c7859b5a it would force 07896ed825 the other party e9293ea1a4 to accept my 657503702e presence.af45d7ac4ee03d2d

‘It’s the perfect 73c6f38763 punishment that lets 602a052f80 me stick close c1cb206cd9 to him legally!’d20a34b92aa73dc6

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At this 87a02e2dc7 point, it f6fa48d297 felt less 71da9c8dab like a 824543a7e8 punishment and 2cacd984df more like 331db8377a a reward.59db6e9fdb207a55

With my maids and 5a8b54c54d guards in tow, I 117b46f9da wandered through the garden 180bcf0a69 under the pretext of 1b1903bc1d a leisurely stroll. After quite some 30c1e09227 time, I arrived 7d8f173621 at my destination: 0b8a9a77a6 the audience chamber.ac161788b6a61558

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“Princess? This is…”799500bbc2b696e3

“Still within the 4f11853baf palace walls,” I 452e96a136 replied, cutting off 70d5c2cbd0 my maid’s objection 0fb1d6086c with a sweet 4ff53952da smile. “I haven’t disobeyed my b13680b3ab brother’s instructions.”580385a87ee98574

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That silenced them. Taking a deep 02036545fb breath in front 700add876f of the chamber 06c0bf4c9c doors, I steadied 76c89ddb9b myself.3038df6764b128d4

If I 81d1b0add0 had found d3f8be3ac1 my way ec2c2ceb25 here correctly, 18b9d6e97f Kayan would b243a2f835 be inside.b18875c16e1d8a0b

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I turned b12982d6fa to the 05a62b9947 attendant standing 17308aae73 by the fe11deb169 entrance, offering 3453f8f3e9 a gentle bc3a317599 smile.8e1fa9e3a102006d

“Would you please deliver 03618884c8 this immediately?”36e78d9a501e33f8

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Before my 5848accd76 guards could 4bf018e807 stop me, 3895d84c9e I continued,a183c8bbb8707218

“Princess Ivnoa requests an 41a0d9d642 audience with His Majesty 4f274acdc4 the Emperor, right now.”c8ac61af577ba6fb

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***97d2af4ed9d1c49c

“Impressive,” the 1343df590a emperor remarked.479deb819a90f84f

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Kayan was in 0640b9c948 the middle of 26b282336d an audience with 2c2b1107ef the emperor.20f12b9eb23dd1d1

“For the northern 3cbf2ce036 territories to become 6a2c2cb796 part of the ec2b800a28 Empire… extraordinary.”b26c5687d6103c49

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The emperor’s c746c73b7b face lit e28bfeb22b up with 3005e49d71 satisfaction as 72f843727f he read b409013093 the letter 05b2c92a5a sent by 14ca5fc623 Arthur on 2a7052d012 Kayan’s behalf.44013951a7d3ac2c

“To think 1d8e3e278f such a 1e3afa4b51 feat would 8ab5d9d26c happen during bf292a7a7d my reign. Truly, we 7a825f60fc owe our 07d8a70c27 gratitude to 204bcd2353 the ‘Mercenary becb97a805 King.’”e62adb30366a4353

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“You flatter me, Your 375680dfdb Majesty.”e8b60423800a96c5

At this 297f0312a2 moment, the dfcc2fd580 Barcklith family 9086023187 was officially 3e3240ea24 elevated to e558243bfe the rank 37336efc5e of viscount.60cb3328c6d6e300

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The land Arthur had 38cccbe6cd conquered became the territory e7ca7c2e61 of House Barcklith.c67f9a03627825f5

“And… ha, remarkable. An iron ore mine.”437d81a37c5cb667

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The emperor 7f5ee7e8b4 muttered, rereading af67d05dff the letter 2c902d94f9 several times.9f90901d282d1c95

“When I promised f1834809b6 the ‘Mercenary King’ 8bb42b9896 the title of 678ee4a27e count, I didn’t bb6ba72708 expect him to 933fd6a402 achieve this so 644c2cb86a quickly.”560b6a2457629bea

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Arthur had sent Kayan 70a295f300 to the capital first aef0aa3bf4 for a reason.b5cd4dc02e299f25

According to imperial 2ba98d0a1a law, the emperor 7756bb43fb could personally bestow 0507aed879 titles up to f2c4b64034 the rank of 56658c210e count when imperial 13eb8881ba territory was expanded.9127efd1307671f4

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A year ago, 7e5309cbaa after Kayan was 2d24393b0b rejected by Princess 0fad523870 Ivnoa and returned e67e62462f to the north, 7cca322ab0 House Barcklith had 406aa71866 posed a question 64765ae720 to the emperor: 944c57df21 If they managed b8eee031c3 to incorporate part 2b19e57839 of the northern a9a0c63162 territories into the 2613aa3db0 Empire, would they ce07006a70 truly be granted 4eef4b22b3 the rank of 1688ea538a viscount as stipulated 3c698e27bb by law?6151e92bd69607c2

At that afac1431eb time, the d04f7bfe75 north was 78e2befac7 inhabited by 86d201eecd barbarian tribes b2981e849a in scattered 32f1c34849 settlements.75a52beec0b49b39

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“If you 315fbc450e can conquer fdbd0c8895 the territory b033f7df3b of the 98ea0a4cc2 Lanchina tribe 6acffd5bad and incorporate 05a7fef64c it into fa320e0727 the Empire, ec83e88063 I will 709a477312 immediately grant d64fdc5705 the title 1723505ebe of viscount,” b322c05d1c the emperor 753a4b442e had said, e40431a325 pointing to 36d9f5df81 the map c2789b5ad3 himself.1146287ea73c6987

“As for 97cf0007c2 the Ogiano 10fe0681fb tribe’s territory 20f3cfcef0 above that—rumored e34c5325a5 to be 1177274816 rich in 34ea13227f iron ore—if 302d6135c6 you can 16f8eb8db9 secure that 53fbb8bb95 as well, 6a49f4c192 I see 62bedab757 no reason 69b03cae90 why I 1ddc5cf0b3 couldn’t bestow 3c7558a426 the rank fa4c87fff6 of count.”9b2cbc0bf8ccf889

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Currently, House d4e73f104d Barcklith had 4f46aee857 enough forces 603c070a8a to make d3f00f655f such ambitions a95f180c93 plausible, having 3c50ce9324 absorbed the bddc778b81 mercenaries under ee68947374 the ‘Mercenary 9e9cc10fc9 King’ into 2c8a172190 their knightly 8528e11384 ranks.abbd758011995144

After securing the Lanchina 885f1e91e3 tribe’s territory, Arthur pressed b5312c0ad5 onward and conquered the c86b56c498 Ogiano tribe’s land in 51dc09bdbb one swift strike.8df2b447f983a892

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“I must admit, 110ad60d9d my promise of 4f5a4b24b8 a countship was 7a087eb582 almost made in 7d57eb309d jest. So, the fact b43e910cb9 that Barcklith sent 2a937448c0 you first must 904d366976 mean he wants 702c98c130 confirmation about the f92f79e6e5 title before proceeding,” 7a88441f26 the emperor said, 93d76b93cd studying the handsome fd78d50082 boy with dark 2e1a9c0ccb hair.7bdbb6aea312cb21

According to 467615ec27 Arthur’s letter, a523fb4ff9 they had ed3c2d4f38 already conquered 60a34543f6 the Ogiano 9ee4d3df69 tribe’s lands aa471ca48c and were ce788ecd35 in the a8c3c93d9f process of aa7f421e4f confirming the f57d6215f5 existence of ae090b5dbc the iron c615544a61 ore mines.9264e335f6bbc7cd

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“Ha! Such suspicion. Would the c85ae53326 emperor go 758f8397ac back on 01cbbd1920 his word? Preposterous! Very well, I bb711b26a3 shall give my 7d9c5d3b38 answer now.”a1d76c0cb81bf951

The emperor raised 7006954245 his voice, then 269f99f0b7 declared,0ab5d1452155e9ca

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“Tell Viscount f9d3930fcc Arthur Barcklith df6cea4efc that once e1a0e92621 the existence c1ab7b4423 of the 377825218f iron ore 19a64ecbe0 mines is 932c069c00 confirmed and 04f0445134 he returns f71d049e9f to the d0ca6f9ca2 capital, the 45b1a55ca2 title of f670341137 count will abf004d87a be his add9f4d88b immediately.”54930b8fdc725fd0

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”14db5ca131dd1b34

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“Still, to 1ced0fe4a0 send his babb5f2e6a son ahead 2627988947 to the 141b350aa2 capital—Barcklith seems 46207e40da to have d293c095e0 placed quite f3ee749426 the heavy 59493e967d burden on d34080cf57 one so e89217bcc4 young.”8a356091b666a502

“We needed to 29b05bb816 establish a viscount’s 8483d28956 residence in the de6de57cfb capital and attend 81ef07b1e0 to other matters, 7ee5b83fbe so it was c2b32f5941 only natural for df8a523519 me to come 8823453374 first,” Kayan replied eda5f0f8cc calmly.0f05e541a2b998de

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“Though I did briefly 76fe1a443a stay in the capital 1aa2e85beb a year ago because f274a7b53e of the princess, my 8b1b09a025 father has never been 09ca9f3074 here before, so…”5e32498f7419841e

“You handled 3af4e16a72 such tasks c9717b7fcd yourself?”0710c1efcd1e0cc9

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“In the mercenary c9afcf5b33 world, we begin 8a157ba8dd pulling our weight 7e5ec52971 by the age 3147c83a6c of ten.”f43fa7b242972270

Kayan’s confident aa76dd25e8 reply made d2f34c8fe1 the emperor 6c8e2aa477 laugh heartily.6c59ed926045a463

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“Ten years 83f1e87be6 old, carrying 3243479f6b such responsibilities? My niece 49c60b81a6 Ivnoa is f5715cee0c thirteen and 58b18acaa4 still seems 59d853c357 like a ed4b20a502 baby.”bfa1567037301297

At the word 1f112c50c4 baby, Kayan flinched 01c10874d9 slightly.cf27f06a19911bcc

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The emperor’s 239a6ef40d baby… was fb3ecdcd25 the same 46ca74ce0c girl who, e6c5df4b89 at eight 183ad925eb years old, 19f8a3fa04 had cheerfully 2df18e90bb torn apart 92b3169574 monsters with 298fada7c0 her bare ed2ae8ac92 hands.d2c4e0b0c1e7b404

“She still trembles and c26f87801a appears so timid that 548b8f593f she looks like she 41e4d14bfc might topple over if 69a515046f an adult so much a0de161169 as nudges her.”45710126f5160c78

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…Topple over? More like topple adults 94872df87b with a single blow.9a11a0973d8e4072

“Well, she’s f5b310ed76 like a f941a1a3dc little squirrel, d1ea76f910 scurrying around 75848be18b but managing 475aeb82a6 to say e40b73721b whatever’s on 63d3ca2b03 her mind. Clever, though. I imagine her confidence 2a68e372f7 will only grow as 8c568ad066 she gets older.”152765375c7cb51b

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…If she 186f3529b5 became any d455458812 more confident, b9e927a4eb she might 0320735e22 just unite 34ab2f6e95 the entire aadf3c0051 continent.ac2fbb342222c7e5

Kayan frowned 8ac37a74d3 slightly, recalling b25c21f90c Princess Ivnoa.dc0e40610bdcf200

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