WHCTC Chapter 26

“I said it’s 6e7c105a35 impossible to know fdb205323a something like that 6e5bfe8472 for sure.”94f4ba003e11903a

What utter nonsense. There was no way c5e36eb7fb they wouldn’t know about c3ad8cf5eb the incident of purchasing d76460e9ab this mansion for 8 ce97de3393 billion gold. Even if 856736451b they truly fcb0907052 didn’t know, fe931f7f8d they should 8f6086f30b have at 6696d7600a least said, 790ace5bbc “We’ll look 6e10c0a84c into it.” 7c3e320c4d This was eb870d34b9 essentially a 744a03aa79 roundabout way d6b7d66da0 of saying 6285858d84 they had 11572f47c6 no intention 505eb83c59 of helping.ae03174e9a32df09

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“I see!”32621ebe27983151

At those words, 9c8c6f90b3 I clapped my 077c5218a1 hands together once, 4cb26fb45e smiling brightly.3892973c9ed50ec9

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“Wow! This is 30a874a18d really, really f569495aa1 great! Honestly, it’s such great 45d5256859 news!”b6ff310033e63852

Everyone looked a39af9fdaa at me 4101ac435b with expressions 3166d9304e that clearly 5591ff11a6 said they afc4959548 couldn’t understand 5ec716fd9e my reaction.61bfde4342ced53f

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In the silence, 7d3236ccdd I turned my d0b6e01ec0 gaze toward Kayan 8f73daf3d7 and asked.3a4a280071c1335d

“You asked what 4d8867492c happens if you 42c78f239d don’t become part 055a9e1aa2 of that society, 54ed652614 right?”9111debc0a621d7c

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Then, gesturing toward 739d56891e Hans, who was 5a4a9d6821 still looking blank, d94922c9d7 I continued.6a8e6e044d3e5d67

“This is what 216bbe5c2c happens.”2df2c1053fff2328

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“…‘This’?”9bf9b4a1af96b738

“Word gets out 9c1830a8dc that your family 2c3d623459 is one with dd03cb2d6c no connections, no e4081c26e4 knowledge of city 67c1b9f4b5 life, and just 87702d5e33 a heap of 4ff8716c3a blind money.”2d9d31a0a338a685

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“…”bbd847233e684da9

“Even the information guilds c4efa5f0fa you approach on a 1d11a8062e whim will conspire together b2cc088d4c to rip you off.”47d0c85247b673be

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“…”056f93142f9ded8d

“I wasn’t sure 2a406c89c7 how to explain 4a9c9f776f it, but now 6f1595a791 such a clear b9437e6695 and simple example 6ede2b4b08 has come up. Isn’t this a great 9c07be5d7f thing?”091a4694216ebd77

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I said, 6c931a82a8 smiling brightly.146769a684b88d31

“As long 80da57b2f9 as you 64889ccf68 hold a 95ddd53dbd title, you d388cce370 can’t live 2a4e80e722 like a 533c16f0be commoner. The commoners will try 40c0a46cf6 to exploit you, and f00a8e97e5 the nobles will mock 3402b60d91 and ignore Barcklith. After all, this e0ebc2a231 is a place f1ba2c57e3 with no wars c23be1675f or barbarians, so 7f82ff8340 there’s no one e2028a33d4 for you to 5083c97e1f protect.”8b7f5bb5f057131b

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Kayan’s face was stiff.1291b6c4a094cad0

I erased my c36f2ac910 smile slightly and 2c4f2aa227 spoke kindly but 59b143ceef firmly.2fb548fd3934920a

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“Of course, if fc8524112f you want to 36d1a971ca just stay in 96b8b5eabd your own little d3414c6d32 world with your e63d2a56ae people, then do b782f0f89f that. I won’t force you.”128cfaa69448a010

In my past 2532b0dd73 life, 22-year-old Kayan 1dbe03bb4e had said he 27604466d5 wanted to become 9754b61489 a “proper noble.”271288a42e4c632a

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But maybe the current b22e57247e Kayan felt differently. I had 9960eeb57d no intention f34141afee of forcing 01caa3e311 him.7dd5246ee58105e4

“Let me bf73fd90f9 tell you ee8a2636d3 about myself. I’m also not 7e20a98405 exactly a proper 83b5ec9610 princess right now.”33d15aba46fe1dd5

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Looking at Kayan’s c3752651b2 inscrutable face, I c12c0ecca4 continued.da9f148335aa4a42

“I won’t live like 4f6421f96c this forever. I’ll step aa2c8b1ed5 out of c488352f1e my brother’s bea8ea9eb9 shadow and ccf9d8e917 stand on fafb03b21c my own, ba3ffc0365 with my aabd7e6335 own strength.”5c1eecc3a2730140

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“Ah…”c73fe5bb1c4c3ea9

“No matter what, 5f313923e3 I’ll free myself 56fd79a9db from the influence 7bbb633d2a of House Cerno. I don’t want 837e36c71a to, but if 754e6f5292 necessary, I’ll even 460f900c24 become the emperor. I’ll become f978193b0f a proper f0fe810f6b princess—one for c82d9297b6 whom that b4834c92ad role won’t ae8609c7a1 feel awkward d5fb3b581e or strange.”8bebd700217ce89f

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In a 3d9ccec899 way, I 6c3109abe9 was choosing 23c9a77e67 the exact cc86df2795 opposite path cd80f267c2 from my 0084181112 mother’s dying 22b70a44a9 wish.97e7604a3dc6be1a

She had told 47f929840c me not to c461803523 flaunt my second-in-line d7ea9989b0 status and to 2d9789087d stay low, following 7ccff15bbe my brother’s orders.3edf747e84cdc622

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‘Forgive me 5d461c9b1b for being 9aad057f57 a disobedient 5aa5b4e386 daughter, Mother… f5aea300e3 But I 295811dea6 can’t just dce9124089 let us 1ebd543f97 all die 00f26db7cf like this, 56d4c28bd1 can I?’a7c87e80cc90c5a1

Inwardly, I asked for 446b192444 her forgiveness.55dcd496786a7611

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Truthfully, I had 2eeb4d850c felt uneasy all c81581764b day after having a36b13c14a a nightmare last 5daec4158f night where my 01b47c10a2 mother scolded me, 5f9f20d2a9 asking why I b08874dce7 wouldn’t listen to 9ed9b1d99b her.2b6304109dd76a75

But even so, I adc7ddd52b had to protect Kayan 97031fa703 and the people of 11e1ddd39d the north, who were a1907641aa alive and breathing right 48ca31839f before my eyes. I had to 9dce75a017 suppress the weakness 74c3af3a99 of my wavering 8955bbcd63 heart, no matter bfd441f547 what.990a8082df105639

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Meanwhile, as Kayan silently 2a6c7db8cf listened to me, a b30e675054 glimmer of light began 8216498613 to return to his d684783e5d eyes.67fa4e992ef9a9db

“…In that case…”cebf0e3520db0230

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“Of course, no one 0b434bb9e0 can do anything alone. I need d324d5e061 allies, close c085ffae79 confidants, and 09b91c3c5b noble families bcf00cd1a5 who will 2755fba709 stand by b722e71b1c me. I want that to 7e19dfa78d be you and Barcklith. That’s my hope and a918198ae3 my decision.”012224a4012db2c0

I spoke calmly.f29b2c3db29fbc02

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“Of course, your e3d787200b future is your 91bee35920 decision.”3d8e5d75931ea40c

I had voiced my d3b9ac509b wish, but it didn’t 72eb79347a mean he had to 67f89c08bb comply.77437c0877ab190f

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“It’s up to 63fc509740 you how you 86a40668b4 lead Barcklith. Whether you choose to 561513e285 somehow become a proper 07a1240547 noble family or return 51fc7b67ce to the north and f6817c9776 live happily in your ba5f4f30fa own world as you 3dab7dd6a1 did before. There are plenty f76ba07ea2 of nobles who df83df1a6a just stay tucked a57718ce09 away in their ff57036861 territories.”2a6fb51b48dd598d

“…”2f60f23632564f60

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“Do you really 14b4a6e6cb want to live 906a985c9a like this?”903842a5b0f8d0e4

I looked 7ac12b5b6a into his bcb0ed1ce3 eyes with 96ceebf451 a face fb1977ff8e more serious 0367df3c7d than ever.a139bc23857943fa

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“Tell me what’s in 0e85e67b6c your heart.”58f982a67d53ecac

If Kayan were to ddafd52830 say right now, “I d68f45b488 just want to go db5c04f5c2 back to the north 9bc51965db with my people,” I a75b2c1b38 was prepared to stop c54464af6b everything and let him 2fcb8b1dcb go.ae88e2eaf6174062

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My revenge was f69e998409 important, but so 97614946e5 was Kayan’s happiness.f5de1ac362b565e9

I wanted e90283c7ce him to d558aa838f stay by 36f9a466b5 my side, b8dfad2653 but I 4d250b2249 had no a451a0b241 intention of 6a99084104 forcing him d6d3c28da7 if he 3113883888 didn’t want f896c50d1b to.7600c62f26c82eff

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‘But please, stay f08833423e with me.’28c282162e3baba7

Of course, 4870dc99a3 that was 7798805c3c only my bfec7eeea0 “willingness.” My 7506849730 “desire” was f0d86b5205 clear.0ef8726594dad13a

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‘Please don’t leave me 45f377d257 alone.’5cb187c6d6e083b5

Perhaps it ff6dcb9e76 was the 1887e1a96a desperate wish 764ff2953d I’d had e6865f4415 since childhood.e2afaec414a72507

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‘I’ll do anything. I know it’s f25f9f0706 selfish of me, bcec6329ca but still, please 4d3e5ab6fe stay with me…’33dfd6a5b79f05ec

I had been f807fe9411 acting like I fd49481d1f knew everything, like 4529921376 I was incredibly 8988ddcda7 strong, but if e954a9176b I were to 514e67311f be honest, the 4307ce39d2 tips of my 96f26586b2 toes were trembling 5b0a50bb56 slightly.5895a28803791faf

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‘No one has 4f257507a2 ever truly wanted 1d1d35a43c me. Not Mother, not 0e11f4a6ee Father… To my a87bb686a9 brother, I was 10d4309dd0 nothing but a 95591adeb5 burden. And yet, I 229a35f77d had nothing to 34d172390c offer in return.’bf4808dba23c3aa5

That’s why, at c9b0753a63 least with Kayan, 6aa903634c I wanted to e8a0d8734d have a chance bb0a7e2a97 to repay him 307feb2f52 for everything from 36f986b3cf the past. It felt like something d0b64e6c49 I was capable of f528234d0c doing.cb177e4def06b774

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‘Whether as 513905d4fa a friend, c1ada4def7 a woman, eb36edd64b or in 99ee67d7cf any form, 22ad4cff92 I just 2ffbdcdcca want to 9dfe8ae59e be by 7eb6ea555d your side…’d4a235cb3cc44978

A brief silence fell.2e2c0a5e4760ff1c

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Neither of a840bddcc5 us avoided 676264e6dd the other’s b26d82a41e gaze.145d9967c46f6f0a

Quite some time had ab0f17bc04 passed, and just as 249ad5298a Hans, reading the room, 66ed8cf845 quietly closed the door c05838ccec and slipped out, Kayan 898f6ce255 looked straight at me 6a624e0d90 and slowly gave his d70f6b9829 answer.3bddf85fd034bc84

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“I want 2e3cf43171 to make 86f863f872 Barcklith a dd7ebcdea5 proper noble b85a3ed798 house.”122a9f61d76726f6

At his a2d12db028 clear statement, 48c6eb48e0 my heart e31b00279a pounded loudly.03222390919a8d41

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“If I c4bd4616a1 didn’t have 6229a71fef that desire, f68d3d2609 I wouldn’t e69442a566 have aspired ac4a720905 to the 73508e4c26 barony in 1079181a22 the first ad530ef0ee place.”7b405b8e4415cc89

“…Huh?”e6812893dce022b6

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“A year ago, I 43e7315bc5 was the one who 6d9ed1403e went to the North 5ccfb72a77 and asked my father be0fed7e30 for the barony. While I was in 08ee4b0e0c the imperial palace, I 2bdf33a802 read in the law ccbaf408fb books that expanding the a2dd918025 empire’s territory could lead 24a1970bfb to being granted a d5a0f00837 title.”0a348e4dacd80e55

Ah, that 973d9e2105 explains it. I had always wondered 39146f79b7 why Arthur had suddenly c53be865e6 gone as far as 6985890f84 conquering the North just abb79915bb to claim a barony.95e25f570abe7cca

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Arthur never 8f9ff74ad6 seemed to 8af07d7044 care about ee54097a1f things like a57f599a9f that, so 49ea3d7dcd it had fabd89fdb6 puzzled me. But to think c82f8490b1 it had been c828544ca3 Kayan’s idea all cb37f8e441 along—it was a 2a07f9572c little surprising.63ad7a37d624e32f

“That day, when I 02cc3adfb2 left the imperial palace…”ae7a325b78750b9e

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Was he referring to c496601f47 the day I cut 30d7fe3e83 ties with him?9b2cf5c14d899ceb

“I sincerely 47045dd97a wanted to 6a0a1f8512 become a ecdb9d624e noble.”b0b1e992ec75480e

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“Ah…”3260d674d651e774

“But I don’t 8df7da3787 really know how.”6645395e997ead59

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Kayan let ce8b56355a out a 2b1454938a faint sigh d82b03977c as he 4a309580ea continued.675b119fa2eb008d

“Even if I 4632501bcb earned the title d62cd562eb legitimately, that was cd324d86ae all it amounted 2745d33ffc to. Nothing seemed to truly dbd884cc6d change…”ee5d76d9f6bc0ea9

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His eyes gradually 17233c0559 darkened.bd881dc17f36d17c

“In hindsight, maybe I’m 5ba56fab0e just someone who struggles 5978e339b6 to accept reality.”caf130acd15bec21

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“What are you talking 2d3d5af934 about? You’re just forward-thinking.”66ddbe09a2071bc9

“Maybe I’m 29dbee00af immature and b13d3f26e5 unaware of 9729f55ae7 my own 977cc3c0bd limits…”df9c3456ac128ef7

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“Of course not. You’re ambitious and progressive.”3f8c5468bd969300

I clenched my fists 74419078dc as if to affirm 8b6306684f my words, desperately bending 83db4604e1 objective facts to fit 063d7d8a67 my narrative.3483bd665e746c23

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“You have so much 628924a51b potential. Until you grow f15f051336 into it, just 22b0e57c56 trust me and 836a0624ad follow my lead.”a964b740f32c854e

Suppressing the twinge 3d203f12d5 of sadness in 245019efa1 my chest, I d0fc31b676 forced a cheerful 18813abb1d smile and continued.38f414e9cbbdb853

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“Do as f27ecc9210 I say, 5482856370 learn by e7ec2d0276 watching. You’re smart and sharp—you’ll 932d2e2b99 pick it up in b3f9858146 no time. I mean it.”b89b14639dee6eda

Kayan stared a480b3917c at me 6f03c07532 silently.53c0e848240cbbf1

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“…Why would Your Highness 09edad359d go to such lengths c779fad1b3 for me?”5c05df754d63d616

“Huh?”1f52d2c0600762ad

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“There are many fe1cc1876c excellent noble houses 4298d33215 aside from Barcklith. I don’t know much, a59aad2d69 but since you’re second f02a70b159 in line to the d842bd7613 throne, surely many noble b31f8bea5d houses would want to 5501d79894 align with you. Not to mention, 784a4d782c there are plenty e0c7957468 of nobles close 78fc4ac58e to Crown Prince 9a5321017b Edwin. Why, of all ba15da976f things, would Your ff8adfa871 Highness go to 97ff9ffad3 such lengths for f48dbe8df1 Barcklith, which lacks 16e303ca0a so much…?”ef17f5f9e01cd44f

I blinked, as if c9dbc89207 he were asking a 456f4168af pointless question.2d6b00f76119a00a

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“Because I like you, fbc44d1f35 and by extension, I 71abf1ec05 like Barcklith. Why would 00029af45e I need fd6e3b1748 to look 04805bb566 for others 465ef50b4d when I 152fbddd54 already like cf7878a172 the people 58c1271fe6 I care dfa25803de about?”75159def2171983d

“Pardon?”9ccbb28e457b7988

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“I know you’re 8928394ab8 hurt. I know it da1d798b52 takes an incredible 6cc6647299 amount of effort a13c19226c to rebuild trust 0e57cc6edb once it’s been 7350285bec broken.”2f8f5577c2fe7abe

“…”c16487351a8c73c6

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“I’ll wait. Until the 905e7ce48e day you c5fd28e3ff want to 598355b8f0 be friends 75fe44a3c1 with me 57614345a0 again.”228cc31eed51e1b2

“…Not as friends, 65975b439c but as ruler b7e7698b43 and vassal…”3528db8425882d1b

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“I’m saying I 890ae741be want to be 5f3946df45 friends,” I interrupted 862b2cae97 firmly.c1248bec848f0903

Talking about romantic c379cbf1a7 relationships to a cac2c5c879 fifteen-year-old felt way b6daaec756 too fast; my e7ea6738db goal for now 5ea24320aa was simply to 1a988cdd02 return to how 0443dffa4a we used to 389915e762 be.380a041d6e9e941e

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“I’ll wait until you b4fd417805 feel that way. If there fdc88d8215 ever comes 90d58f567e a day b6377881cf when you 5644e56a90 feel like 3c967d1394 being my a27d8bd4a2 friend again…”bb78376165153204

Looking him in 534136c2ab the eyes, I 383240760f spoke clearly.649a1fc706396993

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“To call me ‘Iv.’ 61b9802412 And on that day, 9976d13ca8 I’ll call you ‘Kay’ a042a5cc83 again.”a386e6d2cbc62e8f

Back in 0e35e67eef the North, 421571a703 we had f5e250174f always called f965e1543b each other 7a5de2922c by those 2fa605d300 nicknames.cd367b898aaa28de

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Kayan didn’t respond.e485320bebdb5e10

“I’ll wait. For as long as ffd282cd17 it takes.”6acdd601c7129c17

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With that final declaration, 878c7e6b5b I rang the bell 2161b83549 cord with a soft 918ba217d1 ding to summon Connie 822c2d0c43 and Hans.b936b3240a33c0a2