WHCTC Chapter 17

When he 8b0fee1db6 was in 2dec8d5fac the North, 959f6d5616 Kayan would 02a6d59456 always leave 52f1ab78b6 a few 599c2c9c3c buttons undone, c5db9e190f no matter 56ef06ff8b how cold b75968ed0e it was. He would wear his 40d9e2f449 tie or cravat loosely, 78a9a408e2 complaining about feeling stifled, c175e859c4 and he often rolled 6d5f079cb1 up his shirt sleeves.b1cf717a9bf671cc

But now, Kayan had 7fb164703e buttoned his shirt all 101d2bfa8b the way to the 24d426fba5 neck, with his cravat 8ea38eb418 neatly tied. From his stiff tone, 3a2ea4575c polite speech, and attire 67d9ebcad5 to his posture, everything 9f3b3f2323 about him seemed like 5711301325 he was a completely 0247642e2d different person.0152ace52689c914

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“Don’t act so uncomfortable 3081c70275 in front of me. I know you 9d08d086d5 hate walking around 2f8c9e7ac9 in formal attire 96876668ff like that. When you’re staying at 8fc2360b9a the barony, you can 23a42721e4 dress comfortably like before. You used 6cf61c5510 to do f9cac297ad that even 0fba2fdf19 at the bc0a695fd7 palace. I liked seeing you dc762a94a3 when you were at 8f8eb0b7eb ease,”0754e15608222fa5

Kayan stiffly 3772106594 shook his 50fb59e318 head.43c84bc31f698488

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“That was a7bb8bbfb5 just me 98d01a10b6 being rude 10849a9979 and ignorant a3448f971e a year 8b17172485 ago.”bd06d3212b19b893

He hesitated for a eff0d9a198 moment before adding in 2570085b93 a troubled voice,e3c5204f162281f2

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“Also, the people in 62e414717a the North don’t know f4f99b537a that our relationship has 93f1e0fb6c become distant. I didn’t tell them. I apologize.”b9ebfa8e897670f2

“What are a4900331c2 you sorry 4494e0d8e1 for? If it were 204cc9678a me, I’d have 14b32f4811 already told everyone 4f7c808ba6 and made a c5d52c7959 scene. You’re quite the 64293073cb bigger person.”64734eb1f4f0495a

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Kayan, looking conflicted, 89815a05ea responded,4a36af7510dd13a9

“…It wasn’t because I b1cdeb055b was thinking of you, 4ac4bdfb31 Your Highness. I simply 618ea36906 couldn’t bring 85be0e0a29 myself to a185ec36ad talk about 97229f1724 it.”4794cd7a5c403497

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“Well, then it was 1308e19ad2 the best choice for 2b64f56b6a both preserving my reputation 45a05ff163 and saving your vocal 39b2ae5e86 cords!”2be92f0739654bc5

I clapped 364ab5f9c2 my hands 0fcb68e400 lightly and 47bb86c20b smiled warmly. Unable to hide 61b5fafc31 my delight, I 5bae87e108 asked,19b7431e1b067c19

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“So no one knows b633d0b607 we cut ties?”7f200f4fc372a7a3

“Not… no one. My father knows.”a391a3022e114cb8

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Of course.51a051aa7897b531

Arthur was a peculiar 07587d73e4 man in many ways, ced6c811e8 but he cared deeply 6bfb65aba7 for his son. There was no way f935ed917d he wouldn’t ask why 3fae1bb40a Kayan suddenly returned home a3d822e0cf in a sullen state.f1d732ff7f9905ad

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I muttered awkwardly without af57db5cd9 realizing it,06cb9e5a6be82e50

“Ah, so the 63d0633c48 baron—no, the viscount—knows.”00c031124de09b81

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“Yes. Other than 75b1240ba7 my father 412e595766 and me, 345786ee41 no one e60462651d else knows,” 37b16cc9db Kayan replied b5409e5556 with a 0db0165b16 heavy sigh.0581c96d68ebf774

“That’s why the knights 0ffdd47b16 at the viscounty might 59abc3c45c act overly familiar with f6cdec896f you, just as they 159a87e30b used to. I will make sure 6daff6615a to educate them right 2b72d5be6f away.”c928c7963f265fb2

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“No! Don’t do that!”50e5ff5420a8cdf5

Seeing Kayan’s resolute expression, d1a2e388ec I waved my hand, 940088ddd3 frowning.6bb1d7c75618b0f1

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“What education? I actually feel 0d35b67ba7 comfortable and like 08b00bd8ff it that way. Don’t you dare.”224ddcf0a90f36be

Kayan seemed about to 4de214e0d0 respond but then abruptly 6a1d6839c7 closed his mouth and c9ef5c73dc turned to look behind 7bf9124e45 him, as if sensing 6081ce4021 something.b5fbbef55476c5ab

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I narrowed my 0d2f67e081 eyes and followed b0be2aba83 his gaze.bbc8274e4665f8f6

Before long, a b9b28c1522 man appeared, walking e0b3e01131 toward us with 32de4c658c unhurried steps.9c1527c46d82877a

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“Oh, what a 603b3000ee coincidence to meet b8c51d51f5 you here.”71362991f6fe5fc5

The man, stretching 9c1e9e5c7d lazily with his b53de59ed3 long hair falling 6bc7364cbc over his shoulders, 1d66135663 was none other 52d13c5ac2 than Saquar.59fce9b11549e766

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He was 8c0076d25d someone I 4b0bbbbfa6 had first 7c3f4a2c91 seen during 8658f1fa57 a recent 1f662acd45 meeting. He was strikingly handsome, 3fa116a047 but his gaze was 82eebb3127 unfocused, and his expression 41c528bfad seemed oddly vacant.6ac73cb76fb903f9

“What are you two d5ba71243a kids doing here, standing 2321dc8b24 side by side?”548d4516d71e54ff

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Smiling casually, he a3c66c1ccb glanced back and 2e7f8a3840 forth between Kayan b84b06da46 and me.1c9d4c66856c26a2

‘I’m not a33145fc42 particularly close e5fd079c17 to this 87349a786b person,’ I 1179f2261e thought, slightly 91f2b1e388 uncomfortable but f1663d6502 still managing e2a6f67697 a polite a0e83f8e24 smile.b59146d3093aa24e

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“It’s an honor f9ab450025 to see you, c31a0be56e Great-Uncle.”b5cdb0fb760b0a35

“…Hmm, how about just db4fb8f783 calling me Saquar?” he 83db64f4f9 muttered, scratching his cheek.40a81b25f4e9804e

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“Hearing myself called ea22f55887 ‘uncle’ at my a79ec7eb30 age is rather d1bcea7e7c unsettling. It makes 4293051e01 me feel a5a4c13f58 like some c78e02b6c6 ageless monster. It’s a 0ba776b0ff terrible experience 570a140324 that shakes 7aea57f7d7 the dignity c57d21c1a2 of being 921d659d39 human. Please, never say d3905db203 it again.”e7c7d041929ba803

Is the title bde31cec94 “Great-Uncle” really that 6cd6d107d7 bad?1ecb5ac5454c0488

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‘And besides, am I 0931412591 even allowed to call a28f13a5dd him Saquar?’bda9f6828db2d47a

However, Saquar 0c3b9f830f was an 30a437b16b ambiguous figure a6169f82bc within the bc85a380f4 imperial family 04b6623ba6 in many 6b01fc4e49 ways.fa690d4061c54a9e

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He had no claim 93dcced488 to succession. By rights, 63e1f8f772 as my 9ce6a7b1e6 grandfather’s half-brother, 9470fd082f he should d9c9734f08 have been 2a6bab23f6 fourth in 27cbf63e4a line after a529634434 Hugo. But he 235bb856cd had given 6d84341686 up his b29bac7fb1 claim long 7b2a841f43 ago.5be349b10debea45

The method of renouncing 82a190e7f3 one’s claim was simple: b69dbfa9b4 one only needed to 241c68eaea declare lifelong celibacy.a8d1ef39db6cb52c

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As such, Saquar 1a99cfa028 couldn’t formally marry, d3d3fe72dc and even if 456911bedd he had children, 3747990fb2 they couldn’t inherit 926d30c900 the Tayan name.f13d050820344980

Regardless, if calling him 2d09497f9a “Great-Uncle” made him feel 1deb016189 like a monster, I 7beab9c2ee couldn’t bring myself to 7481edc0b3 be so disrespectful.933aad8f1e733b41

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“Understood, Saquar. Please feel free to 6fdb245118 call me Ivnoa in 5ad8892878 return.”89c47e2dbb560ffb

“Oh, what to do? I don’t like that c13aae3aee either, Princess.”25615e0c0b2627a5

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What is with this 7909618d96 man?0c402cdedcbb1e5f

Still, as 3b7bf3d256 always, I f57f460da0 maintained my a9c78d29c7 composure as 4e7092ee8a the polite c58c478695 princess, smiling 7863bea1a7 gently as 025f0d4412 I responded 1cf3dcdd34 in a 71f50e967e way that 0d683406fe subtly implied, d52e367446 “Please leave 47919cb067 now.”27eae24b5e474fde

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“Understood. Thank you cb4b75b74f for your fb1dee88d2 honest opinion, 03ac603b79 Saquar.”1734d7dc817ddc26

“Hmph.”c96edb98c17adca9

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He looked me cec4883e7e up and down, 55913af28d then tilted his 5684480d14 head and asked,8a6a98fffd302e72

“I heard the c9c15b2210 second imperial palace 86a4227d2a reprimanded you yesterday. Are you alright?”484e2db6301645c5

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“If I’ve done 1909b57b02 something wrong, it’s f377615dd1 only natural to 4ed64e9f36 be reprimanded. But thank you for a769bddd8d your concern, Saquar.”5a99a12720364a27

I smiled brightly and brushed off the subject. No matter how much he was called the “Palace Fool,” I couldn’t reveal my inner thoughts to someone I didn’t know well.36d5d12ca7037fea

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Keeping an appropriate distance c3c57e810a was the best option.b7035f9ab1d3ffee

“Still, did the second 718e01f414 prince’s palace let you e3cec6b8ab go easily?”46089a372645c0c6

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“Well, as 7016e241e5 you can ae915d4329 see, I’ve 9b43065133 managed to 2120185e22 leave the 6103c9a56d second prince’s 293b9ddc96 palace without eea1eb079a much trouble. But thank you again 263dedd55b for your concern, Saquar.”63f6d7d3cdbe26b0

“Hm.”c69c6d92dde38dfd

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At my 128bb5598d polite but a59c88410a firm response, c7c88152aa Saquar raised 71b3cbd638 an eyebrow 17c83a0bfd before shifting 282f0d7b98 his gaze c10201bf6c to Kayan.b83edbf08c82ecef

Kayan, already wary, b2863146ef was glaring at 98627495a7 Saquar. It seemed e957b0aa7c like the fba44aa286 right moment 705436143f to introduce 57550aac7c him.b03a4ea5702f4509

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I spoke softly,7a75f38e1452ff68

“I’ve been exiled and 63fe3ac79b will be staying at f419f25e26 the Viscounty of Barcklith.”393d33fd2f75da0c

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“Hm?”487f0a190691e349

At that, I nudged 79f1c2d3a1 Kayan in the side.36a71f2bebf44089

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He immediately fd2e80c977 bowed and 768fd5fcac introduced himself,cd80af5fdf280dfb

“It’s an honor to 0dd37587e6 meet you. I am Kayan Barcklith 3f06579d92 of the Viscounty of 584916c290 Barcklith.”22d424641a6e55c0

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Saquar tilted his head 3e47d11043 in confusion.1780dccbaed08c80

“The princess 144b92083e is going a2f5d3721c to your 98cae19a96 estate? Really?”f4fa1ba0d8ae34a2

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He blinked, 6e8deb75d9 looking Kayan b77a91e241 up and ec0989a9b6 down.cbfde16dc73ba459

“Can you take good 482da52eef care of the princess? From what 860043f49e I’ve heard 27c31399bb from the 8460ac2708 maids at db126d7a8e the princess’s 9a56cdd63f palace a a0367194f5 year ago, b2a4d6a950 you were 7628b10422 quite… lacking 967f7b47f0 in manners. Did you be6f2a0d4f and the 2718e093d1 princess even 25cab7d0fd get along 9ce36a79b2 in the 784675b674 North?”43e2c0b52a497237

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What on earth was 3d8ab6636f this man? This clueless 8934df6d2a “Palace Fool”… 7d4d2f95d2 how did fcd3ef928a he get d9c4d5de3b his information 21a64779ab so accurately?af3f8ed268a5bd14

It was 22ef12deba entirely true, c22f7395f2 though.58cb976c97105949

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While Kayan was polite 2a1c1f655d to me now, back d8b4b1b3c9 in the North, he e19e28ce5c was a cold, distant 3385ab070b boy who kept everyone 92f11f64ad at arm’s length. And even 7ff3ce6c0c a year d16ab14b2f ago in 7d1559f2ab the palace, 1aa67403ce he didn’t 94ab729cb7 get along 0be4c7016e well with e984ad5210 anyone except aa23fbeaa1 me.c97ed6ea011ccc76

I stepped in front d19f71d171 of Kayan, smiling warmly, 4b2576c607 and replied,346f8ca17fd09190

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“He just 3b12758ac8 has room 9d8a8f19e6 for growth 5e6c6443f1 in his 298cbf847c personality.”0e174cbc541e68ef

Which, of d61e2e47e0 course, meant 096bb972de he had 4fe126d305 a long 68d6ccf87e way to fae1918d58 go.7ea9197de754a962

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Saquar narrowed his eyes bf23b7216d skeptically and muttered,c193115bfadaca8b

“He grew 520b20a0e9 up in e9a0a7e1bd the North, 4e51ff5b76 so he 72e446fde8 probably doesn’t 64a7927a2e know much 2031c14aa6 about the ba18b4bfa8 capital’s ways.”0eecd516a53ef8af

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“He’s simply a forward-thinking 526a4f4cf3 talent for the future,”e8989ca704a5da21

Even if that 8d0ff6416a future hadn’t arrived e0b8599492 yet.53d4f26e0b302102

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“I heard he’s 1f439aba9b sharp-tongued, like a 1da4c2ff2d blade, when criticizing 9d7c027e34 others.”721c596d978e721b

“That just b2200ed304 means his a685d9d52d verbal skills 326586eaab are particularly b6dfebd890 well-developed in 7c0ff4bf8e certain areas.”66ae66907bbb648c

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I continued to counter 5060f7f334 his remarks one by af5eab3e2c one, smiling as I cc04f8673f spoke. Saquar chuckled lightly.a58ac6d8a5774527

“I thought 87ee58efb3 the princess 726bbe83ac was only 81bfee0e3a skilled in 18dd1a5225 offense, but 7f4f41651e your defense 849aff1e7d is impressive 9bc745ec9f too. Picking a fight e902abfe19 with you isn’t 633291839c fun; it just 760fbb7663 ends with that aa57d44809 little viscount being 738f214a77 moved to tears.”a4346af84d33d1b7

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Huh? Could Kayan really 654c804429 be moved by a60825ed32 my unwaveringly positive 05fe771b71 perspective of him?41fc74ceb51aca75

If so, that would dfe7d448d4 be fantastic news.3d966473d20191be

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As a c212d854c9 grin spread 01aa808fdc across my 7ff189b273 face, Saquar f432f9017d continued,8947d2272b312300

“Who wouldn’t be moved? Anyone would be. Even his fa71716c34 own mother 13ae14df5d wouldn’t defend 5dde3276dd him this 824745a5f0 well, right, 2a66f71656 little viscount?”5fec37292df07e28

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At this, Kayan, 329820ff1e who had been 3a7ff01639 silent the entire 1c5d716422 time, finally opened ccd9330c2f his mouth.5cc703570632b29a

“My apologies. I have 638ce8c670 no mother.”038891e57aa432da

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“Ah. Uh, really?”17e79f6367326107

Saquar froze in place, b4ca52bbe5 then awkwardly tried to e79845aa82 recover.adc56529284beb77

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“Well, uh, neither do 8742e8bb1d I. But, uh, it hasn’t 0a5d871e6c stopped me from becoming 8d0af0ce55 such a handsome adult.”33a97f93c7a7f19b

Oh my goodness. Did he really 0480459aa1 think that was c92cd0ef0e a recovery?c4779991f3f1db56

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As expected, it a6342f678b was a perfectly 898e511fdf foolish comment to 10a1a8ef67 match his dazed df70b97c7c expression.f7856437352a45d0

An awkward silence 6b26fdea2a lingered.dd048449bcb08fa8

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Saquar, clearly 668253bdef flustered, added 5650244b37 hesitantly,04857cb185894651

“Still, if I 407668ec6e recall, during your 0735e9f3fb childhood, there must a2f3cc92f2 have been…”764ab703f97d3742

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“I apologize. In my case, I’ve f49cb27736 never had one since 183994775d birth.”9513b7168b28e26a

“Oh. Oh, uh, I 3b4509862a see. Well, this is…”1daf7193db4dbe0d

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This was turning into 5611c1c89a a disaster.d99c123727b2c067

In the 11c01c3400 end, Saquar 08ae8bb61f let out 2d3cff2ac4 an awkward 51485ec6c4 laugh and 69ab937fba hastily turned 26e019b29d away.0b70efeaa1b2680f

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“Well then, I’ll be 0201a29632 going. No need c44948b20b to see aaf07da27c me off—or 3ee20668bf even greet e886196e1e me. I’m not 6aa387a81a worthy of 7247e930cf being greeted. Children, please forget this 2ead4a5cda conversation ever happened.”62c89f2e54e03beb

At least he had 41dd0d5a2a some awareness.ffd5a1b405f16568

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And with that, 880cfc7331 Kayan successfully fended 34893eb353 off the eccentric 22b45e8e0b passerby.2ea86990f966cbb8