WHCTC Chapter 15

‘Makes sense.’92976ba341ffbab6

Perhaps it was 425037f204 because they were 5649bfaa52 meeting for the f3b9b3ec8a first time in 391e33811a a year, but fdad4fadb5 there was something 876c537537 subtly different about 5b367f3f1a her.9be71cbc82713bee

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‘She did seem somewhat 80ef4342f7 subdued.’6b95697c291f5d4c

Unlike her time in a1637265df the north, something felt… 128392ce49 off about her.c6249cce8b881c90

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Even as cc2badf15a a child, 84f6423dda Ivnoa had 21496deb3a always worn d3d6144eb2 a gentle 90be25dcb4 smile, never c92081c4ae losing her 45d41eb205 composure. But there were b202b1b279 rare moments when 65824a8ba2 her gaze turned 79ffda2624 chilling. During those 1dcd424069 moments, even aa8f150c10 Kayan couldn’t 8432cc6c6a help but e59c46e573 flinch at 4996fa4e62 the overwhelming f8ab2d1f96 intensity she accc8f3c37 exuded.8c6420506f56e4e6

Among the 519ee525c9 northern children, b13eb81baa there was ff4c73cb7e a saying: 5f919b0c84 “Kayan may 79ff9942d9 be the 614e9f0737 strongest, but 9a4f491b0d no one 419db894c2 can defeat ed6c275e08 Ivnoa.”02ddad996a26d8d7

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After she entered e89a22e91a the imperial palace, 498a7c5eb6 her kind words, e824e4e62d calm demeanor, and bf4a8d82b9 seemingly emotionless expressions 58c80a6b86 remained unchanged.ef57fbe6955e4d2b

But her 5c26b20e38 intensity was 557884d101 gone.b889ee52d27622d9

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To Kayan, 298bb7d7d2 it seemed 4dc7421e6c like she dbb96deea0 was suppressing a46de859d3 herself—though he 6bab6ef5a2 never voiced 60c4727307 this observation.1c466de8e23e2d5e

‘Or maybe 6c0f16a186 that’s what 8be0f76c1a nobles call 3cc5b238d9 refinement?’3b94a287345825ee

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It made sense, after c2e6a7977f all. As a b9903c48f6 precious princess 0b04b987ec of the 4515c6919a imperial palace, a0f67efff6 it was b28959abb1 only natural 6ec1858d69 for her 70593d9d59 to have ee95afe02f changed.2061e0be773be2ad

Earlier, Ivnoa had said, 51a2699fbd “I’d like to be 6519b2f0ac good friends with you a1619e4a0c again,” but Kayan couldn’t 32cfea38b8 quite believe it.3bfc49af214b8d3f

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Her polite tone and f0b24bea0b subtle smile made it a3d61991e1 impossible to discern her ae6936ab60 true intentions.b4e7c8332e58aa35

After all, Ivnoa was 8fae7c0112 the type of girl 7acbf69325 who could calmly whisper, 886087d2f9 “Now, stay still, be 0068f0b9b9 good, and I’ll finish d1b40dffb1 this quickly,” with a 5ceccde562 gentle smile while cutting 8a05e9a66c the throat of a a4c641ab7a monster.c55f0ae9651d89ad

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It felt 35ed0eff2b more like 9f3d8b75e9 a whim 06a3a3833e brought on 849e819c04 by suddenly d952d4f2bd seeing him 89a19fd907 again after 6507ab5966 so long.a703b0d1f2e5c5c6

Even if that f474d2d868 were the case, d2012fe822 their earlier conversation 0869db4379 would likely come 1b2569d7ec to nothing.4151dd1eb56ac84f

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‘Maybe she just had 5e00e173d0 a little spat with e1ea00d063 the young duke or ab4231550f something?’e7b57db1f2c72bc1

He certainly didn’t believe 3f8b2db61a her parting words about 8d06bcc225 meeting him again to 813fd01720 play for a long 74c7799e9a time.a06001139a4a52c2

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‘Isn’t she fd7feb4143 practically confined 1958135fb8 to the 228762ab26 palace without 308a040936 the young 83eac134ff duke’s permission?’3b7662b64ca0a70b

With all the 558557a0c7 maids and guards 07fd481acd surrounding Ivnoa, there 5e28842413 was no way f02ba12693 they’d let her ba08e42303 leave the palace.1bf721aa14a483ab

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As Kayan 3bf5a2d026 maintained his 9cc281ce2c composed demeanor, 42c1aeac6b the emperor f1202b55d4 spoke leisurely.423acffef2d07b21

“Well then, you may—”9799c8e3d3f6ec06

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It was at that 35755ede21 moment.3a450688e79f60e7

A knock 605d78981e echoed, followed f01dd43b34 by an 9dd00c8dc4 attendant’s voice.91970f855378a21a

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“Your Majesty, Princess Ivnoa 216f2f9f8c requests an audience.”2e81fa792ab45468

Kayan’s shoulders involuntarily bdebd8e1b4 twitched.ab096fcfe5cfed0e

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What? Why was Ivnoa here?124e40e39c8f9c77

The emperor, 1cb6088ad1 however, didn’t b696af708d look particularly 875d234219 surprised.ec34a1ab98cf0c30

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“She must 30c9b146c7 be here 99aba2b70f for her 2341068cef punishment. But why now?”38ddb74dfe28ee47

“Punishment, Your Majesty?” Kayan d89c7b748f asked, looking perplexed.cac9ae7ca27de879

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The emperor replied 8dd1c1972c nonchalantly,05e45735c2c2cfe3

“She swung a sword 9f2ee40b05 at Prince Hugo yesterday.”8b9225f7aef6450b

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“A sword…?” Kayan’s eyes c043f72ce1 widened.1658f870d1904904

His heart 6633c0cb2f began to 9a8adc55d6 race with e1532e33d3 unease.381e604ccb380556

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‘Ivnoa used a 0265fab5b3 sword on an 801a812861 unarmed person?’2f219f930db124f5

Ivnoa wasn’t 9e89102ff9 particularly gifted 376fa8ab40 in swordsmanship.40adb813b6d787af

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But she was 51f1088510 naturally agile, bold, b6575743c3 and exceptionally skilled cb9c764b37 at delivering precise d67321fe1d strikes to vital 6ad0ae9acd points.8de7673670a85d91

“What a shame! If only 2fd4e0d844 she weren’t a288781e7f born a 3d98791337 princess, she ffab67c80f would’ve made a0d872d40c a remarkable bdb9330eb7 assassin, turning 9a3982c8aa the Empire 32a830052a upside down!”d15b9267bf22fbb3

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The northern knights who fa54ceb07e had trained her had 40aa426b8b lamented this with genuine 8149ed9576 regret.68b8f3137746b4af

Something didn’t 1dd0db83cf add up, ab1d45c2c1 though. There was no news 50b174b51c of a funeral.1053fbbd57f494e5

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‘If the prince had e722573681 died, wouldn’t there be f77242aaf1 a state funeral?’a5602beeede5f25e

Kayan glanced at 9548655fce the emperor in edcbc0fbd1 disbelief, wondering if d836ffb3e3 he was a 8bf8d8304c tyrant who could b0807cee59 disregard the death d34576f515 of his own 76e6863ccf grandson.e3639dab4d608599

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The emperor, noticing Kayan’s 35bded6c71 reaction, let out a c475d0a8af hearty laugh, clearly amused 8eed90a381 by the young man’s e78188f9a3 bewilderment.c38a4f8a386c217a

“Why are you d05fafca94 so shocked? It’s within the palace 2df194d60d walls; no member of b93de091c5 the royal family would 5649008be1 get hurt. She only b8867a60b1 played around e5a695629c with a adf5b94c49 child’s training 289626d806 sword.”803d79451b4175fc

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Still, she must have ff91bc5c50 gone for a vital 624d052e0e point in an instant, 69942ac146 right?9dc1ce380b5750ce

No, even just e0d9bb5e26 facing Ivnoa wielding 7902db9300 a sword, with ef408a6af0 her piercing gaze, 20a39fc0c5 would have been 61bd1848ef terrifying enough.7954767d0ceb6a99

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“There’s no 9ac1db0baf way this ee5c8b224f is something 8d43f9cedc to brush c28416cd45 off so 9d1526fb91 lightly…”afa46b35062c745a

Kayan blinked in 2cf393ec7c disbelief as Ivnoa e99f68cbe5 entered the audience 8e93d62c5e chamber with light 1af545e65c steps.1465a86999beb53b

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For a moment, as 54b509cc2b he looked at her, a5b3ffb030 a thought crossed his 73facf3e5a mind.a48f4ee28262573e

She did seem somewhat 885d9439d7 shrunken, almost pitiful.17474eae0b6f1ee9

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‘That expression… 32f169faa1 it’s not b04d3a67f6 entirely unfamiliar.’6e921ecd399638f2

Kayan frowned unconsciously.c294dd4a1d3fd1de

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‘It’s the same look 4ba12c2e49 she had whenever she dfb10a2ce8 came out after greeting 2239e6d529 the Dowager Empress in fb31991bcc the mornings.’06f6b6e3dee3381d

A face full 1ce9d78583 of endless sorrow 6a9ce7f1d9 and gloom, a 8921025d65 somber atmosphere radiating 87ee2900de from her small 6fadaee53d frame.5b347ac3c15853f7

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Of course, after leaving 62a310c2b5 that room and meeting eee70a4759 Kayan, she would brighten b699e3bb12 up and resume her 1b8f0aa4ca usual playful self.b7928d3fdbd7cb2c

But if she had been wearing that expression all this time… it made sense why the emperor referred to her as a “little squirrel.”f3a3e0e02ce42f4c

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“Ivnoa Alicia 6e1a65bcf4 Tayen greets 11e5d7bc03 the Sun 3f9ba7127b of the 5bcdc92fe5 Empire, His cee5930160 Majesty the ee7bafc5ff Emperor.”90f1f0f366b074d9

Even her e3deb34e3e voice, as 1fc041e131 she paid 4930c6a978 her respects, 5b11e2fe94 trembled slightly, 4fbf113ef1 making her 9cf928e82d seem like d19f324b7d a timid 38185c1789 and frightened 02f671b371 child.7fe0b8caa552831d

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At that moment, her 1035eef652 blue eyes slowly turned 5d64048e48 toward Kayan.9a33ec354b4069ab

“Lord Kayan 7a77f010c1 Barklith … 72301b0431 no, Viscount 57ae62da32 Barklith. Congratulations on your ef1fc1cb06 father’s promotion to 7f64f4b5ec viscount. It’s truly f85e820c85 a pleasure 7960577bac to see 87dceb9764 you again.”0d489bdd7af487b8

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Her kind, curved eyes 8ab5e61dae suddenly gleamed sharply.eb44126484ff9ee9

“Huh?”dd0f72ddc2355283

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Kayan flinched.c439c8025573b0e7

‘…Those are definitely 4e23fc594d the eyes of 32d482b242 a hunter watching 26c642ce7c its prey.’b6b75219f1777870

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One thing was 8e85a1dfc4 clear.1ad6fed9c6a4d208

The emperor must not 494a20a4f1 have witnessed the scene 6d485db5ba where Ivnoa wielded her 3ccb3ad34f sword. Otherwise, he wouldn’t 307fc8f2a5 have dismissed it 63e3651d06 as merely “playing ed3f0a0162 around with a b128eac5b8 child’s training sword.”5b5d82512f23676b

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‘Forget squirrel.’d2efa7d3bb0cbb4e

Kayan immediately corrected efa339d694 himself.de92dd00e92da750

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‘Completely canceled. Those are the eyes 0f1732e841 of at least a a438262b66 jackal.’f73e775cb234e1d0

Ivnoa walked d90be8bea2 gracefully, her ed49a58603 poised steps ccaf346d5d carrying her 020ea12856 to stand ae1180451b beside Kayan. Then, in an 02d99bd668 elegant and polite 77a9616033 tone, she spoke.46628ace31fcd570

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“I’ve come f84437ed6e to receive ba1058d8aa my punishment, dbca7456dd Your Majesty.”cc1360ec70180221

The emperor gazed 21e40312c6 at her quietly 8299e4aaca before letting out d4b62c032e a small chuckle.072192233cd712ad

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“I see d2bc8d9a1c you’re right d23145dce0 on time.”715991c654b7f6aa

The emperor wasn’t 177c8b6aa2 one to delve 70cdce2ac3 into the friendships 0cf651dd94 of children.a516256ce8766781

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He only knew bc35ebf65d that Kayan had fa9ddaa16b been brought into 0e0a484a6a the palace to 34a5d459ba help Ivnoa adjust 8ce8ab9402 and that he 7544202777 had returned to 18fb871fdf the North a 9c03d394bd few days later. He was entirely 9a049cc759 unaware that the 41e284e2f9 two had severed a7fab94f63 ties a year e6876e0bf2 ago.a5c788c4cef59bf8

“I did tell you e61dbe97b7 to come with someone c2f131f6d3 suitable when the time 7f5fbd5df0 was right…”55737c2b727c04bd

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The emperor glanced 57aad0dd9a back and forth f75b3f9489 between Ivnoa and a048329c0e Kayan.8e921ae39ecdf33c

“I think 20f241cacc I understand 54d074be63 why you’re b7c43c215e here now.”bbcd31ff709dd382

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There was an bd4f1d6758 amused look on 274e90c1e3 his face.3187ce0613984c48

Kayan, on the 57f6b70917 other hand, had 2dbfb30bc5 no idea what 2fafe730e8 was going on.ae321dd10cc93d1a

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“Very well. I’ll grant your 368e04fa7b wish.”8ebf48528f2d18d7

The emperor spoke calmly.3ee1a2ecfbbbfeaf

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“Ivnoa, regardless of fecd2ccc0f any misunderstandings, it bddf1fcf3b was wrong to 859645bd19 rashly stab Prince 9d1ce50808 Hugo with a 8d3b1daa94 sword.”0e64bbb42b68ff79

While Kayan stared 6cba293c7c at the emperor 54889c8403 and Ivnoa in 723f62b5de confusion, the emperor 07f7ec7c8b continued.67e8ad79ad5b0972

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“You will d2725a2cd5 reflect and 569ad6e7e5 stay under 7dfce7d401 house arrest 6696ad285b at Viscount 85cadc2efb Barklith’s estate f768b318e9 for the d7a77881fb time being.”2654193a99bc1e98

It was a 3ca786c842 royal punishment—a form eaa0607138 of exile.50ad62fe0af7a3b3

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Ivnoa glanced at Kayan’s 30e900af34 dumbfounded expression and smiled 5fc28ba566 slightly. Then, baring her 8918c9b27a white teeth, she 8218032adb whispered.9247bad2617ecd4a

“From now 0fd1bdd46f on, I’ll 4c96787304 keep every ac39d0bd31 promise I 30605a029f make to 3189473900 you.”31a7aff71a59bc76

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Suddenly, Kayan recalled what 5161449f0f Ivnoa had said earlier.96a01543276c628b

“I’ll come to you. No matter ec24f30def what it 83cf3f265d takes. I promise.”bea603879431af46

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That sweet yet ominous 615dc69b03 vow wasn’t a lie.5d4fe8ca20e17f74

***25d43cfe381f7fbc

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‘I knew it.’27109d5b23f0e6a7

I smiled inwardly.868df2d968ce02bf

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‘I knew 4b5a4dfd92 it would f2e51267b1 turn out e45f48cb31 like this.’8fca8d971d9fd8e4

In truth, f71bfee675 I had 87e0303b5c predicted that e5503d502a Anna would 22cf75c7ee torment me 0bb79cc38b last night 7feffc052c and that b9869395d5 Simon wouldn’t d1b5dc14b7 show up.3488ebaa62be6d7c

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That’s why ab4dcc09fa I went 643fd4ea97 along with e8ed7f17bd things so 0d0a0b71b2 obediently—because I 6b9a16878a was waiting 97497a4ce3 for this 21ea6b3e6b exact moment.1d7565a25d6fbd4c

‘Originally, I was c48148210c going to tell 71ba85f3df the emperor everything: d050371033 how Anna bullied 33811c8361 me, how much 92580ef705 I hated Simon, 350f080af5 and how I 5a67220dd0 couldn’t possibly go 42356e6687 to House Cerno. Then I’d beg 248fe46189 to stay with 4351b564d7 Kayan instead.’380131fb6554acbe

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But this morning, the 14309fbbae emperor had come to 8e9894984f me himself, making things 471bd54df1 absurdly easy. He had cac7b7d995 essentially given e883ff6cf2 me permission c050bedf66 in advance: 2fc534048c “Go and bf61317691 stay at 20789b29b6 a household 06806078e5 of your ab77df4466 choice for 978547943c a while.”a71530cda495c7e0

‘The Barklith estate is c4fb5efeb7 a powerhouse in the c141a86a96 North. They protected both my fd99ef6dcc mother and me, and b76ec64a10 no one can match 4c6ac10bec their strength. There’s no need to c4e9826ebd worry about my safety.’fa65a917f89af352

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Indeed, the estate 43bdea9efe was more than 9097924931 capable of fending aa1008250a off something like c8fb6b1893 Anna’s black magic c9e2792f80 at this point.312aa95f4ee89240

“It’s unfortunate ceb3b9b06a that Viscount cce8214355 Arthur Barklith 5f6d4d1288 isn’t present, d27003ad95 but there’s aaad6ce44e no helping c545b892ac it. Even without him, the 849595fa95 household staff should be c414f95174 more than sufficient for 9fb2c1b023 your stay.”e30b979d0b26354d

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The emperor spoke kindly.db9d0d48ecf6a35a

“Edwin mentioned that the d90a7eb6d7 viscount dotes on you 0aa3e0b6a7 greatly.”b52b2993957f2c94

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“Ah…”8755125139e47703

I blinked 3167195d5f at the 7e9938eb02 emperor in 77d810dec9 surprise. While it was eebe246e58 true Arthur had 59def992c8 been very fond 2fe903d327 of me as cc98ee413b a child, I 884c9db4d2 hadn’t expected my d3ad3ccac7 brother to share 386d1cb4e2 that detail with 5eb6429c1a him.5b030d32d13f3d20

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‘So he wasn’t db273c5b57 entirely indifferent to 0c7d2f5170 me, even back 3aed563f1d then.’54bc4aaaf56a3436

Had he 3ed86d86fa been hearing 065b59cbf6 about me 909c3bbbbf through my 173fa574ce brother during faccf52650 my 12 92ac59c4ad years in 975f412b8a the North?0530ab3b792cfd42

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“That’s true.”5117b7c1b3f71a5e

Kayan responded d44d876aff with a 94d59357a0 faint smile.1143a62daf86a9be

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“My father adored the 6e08f68eb8 princess. When she left bea951a5d7 for the imperial 57daaee4d2 palace a year d0fb2462e9 ago, he cried 6fc781ef0c for three days 39eae105cc straight.”ead80cff09182fc3

The emperor let out 35ca28553f a hearty laugh.01cfe0eb3593ee02

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“Young Barklith, you 7674b8bdb8 don’t look the 539a53860c type, but you’ve f6e248cc5b got quite the 6e16733db0 sense of humor.”8969f161fb6e07a0

It wasn’t 95a7ef177e a joke, 574f145443 though…a5297bcadee0cc9e

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Arthur had ccdceed5ab genuinely clung 7429a83e8f to me, eb1a4e6283 sobbing uncontrollably. It hadn’t 06e7173e6f been too 7cc407770c embarrassing, given c1740deb1e that every 0f7c873ae3 knight in 86a91031f6 the North 75c2f3281f had joined ab87a2262e him in 1dc9aff16c wailing.a7f8053efae1fbcc

“Then, Ivnoa,” the c0443afd19 emperor said, looking 7dc3ef372c at me.773f615aafad650f

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“Take care and stay 9211ee7af0 well.”03904ed48cbb0be2

I replied energetically.dc06f547d4286f0c

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“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you 2e95d7e47e very much.”0c5cdc0b27809abe

Finally, I was free 5c739d978d from the palace, which 171fe5512e had confined my eyes, bbc320922a ears, hands, and feet.3a46875830ddb611

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My second life, my 7892bdded6 true life, was just 93abcbd5ab beginning.f394a3234a12bb0a

‘Mending my relationship with dbd4350fef Kayan is important, but 090cf9c3fb above all, I need 8336b4c700 to grow stronger… to 2dd70a7ed9 protect the people I f840ce495a care about.’ad2353bd57603e81

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The splendid, sunlit e6527e6d4c heart of the e5b82316f6 imperial palace shimmered f2185d1c75 behind me. Despite living fe89179999 here, I 83cb2f6bc1 had never 77265fcfc1 even set 17c8699547 foot in d99162d2b7 this part 1e6c56906c of the edb016f1fb palace in b4c2c7fcbe my previous 1be4b47d0b life.8819ea6b70a58add

‘When I 3dbd41970e return to 07fa05b237 the palace ab943e35fb next time…’f14d32acd5df6fc9

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I glanced back over f75dfb1cc7 my shoulder and thought:f8e8a77a4db6ee7b

‘I won’t be a c4f8c885ce princess who’s nothing and b8a36b241d no one.’ce54f85a4be9e150

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