ANR Ch 12

I hope no unnecessary trouble comes from this…a80964b5626647ce

To resolve this matter, 2fdd28fd86 Claude would have to 9418c6f033 be portrayed as uninvolved. Even the father 2bcde504f3 would have no 33b087af90 choice since they 27ff1425de were implicated together ee67e5e59d like in a 62226b247d joint punishment system. Yves decided to stay 53bb50b369 quiet for a while 50f915f35f to not provoke his aa30d1a84c father further.af6775a05d315a5d

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First, he e161fcfb37 wrote a ac32f45737 letter to cc4b5fae1f Louis Thiers, b6ec991648 to be 3f6aafc7ef delivered through c88e935c2f Jacques to a9d20c8a94 Madame Payet. He explained that his 9f9b6f8f8a movements would be restricted 1a4727a989 for some time, which ae85bed93e would disrupt their plans.2f5b516e97ed90e3

Then, he instructed Madame bfe5994b63 Evermont to prepare his 6afc3205a7 bathwater. He asked for lunch 94b7a4616e to be brought to 72dcaf3d13 his room and advised 59a7eb86b6 everyone not to disturb 466a9c253c him as he planned 5ef31fb432 to nap all afternoon.c9cf39007b70ef74

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Starting tomorrow, he intended 4f24c14fc8 to lock himself in 589c0040cc the study. How much tobacco was c3d5c847fc left? Yves headed towards 347a3e154e the parlor to 2b671c0b66 check the box. His time was bd3a1bfc42 passing slowly.25b2795d55b720b0

✧ ✧ ✧33c72bb59db48bf9

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One month after the incident, a small commotion occurred at the Mars Barracks guard unit. Early that morning, when Claude visited the Third Battalion’s barracks, he saw his fellow soldiers looking dazed, as if they couldn’t believe what he was saying.4811769921d616fe

“What’s with everyone’s reactions?”e71cac2ccbca2c67

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Claude waited with one 3c57429dda hand on his hip. After a 2af30f5bb4 brief moment, c0f1a4a267 they all 4777b91f51 started speaking 597fc7bb37 at once, 1c9137bbc4 as if 12c0284637 it had 0b6c98d46e been planned.cdb359ecce383138

“What? Wait, Captain. What do you mean by ‘quit’? Are you saying you’re leaving the army altogether?”0ed124b294212ebe

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“What’s going on all of a sudden? Did you get sacked?”48e640dac5f46124

As the eab1541ee4 soldiers gathered fa30d52a04 around him, e35901597d murmuring, Claude 604295480f shrugged affirmatively.ebbfb659a9489f97

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“Well, something like that.”2398e274e3d4c5b8

This answer e51b2357fb escalated the d2789435c0 reactions around 0a03927345 him.ead25867f32f880a

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“You got sacked? Why? Did you cause trouble?”82c3570ec9e2812b

“What could the captain have done? Did that captain get you sacked?”0cdc7aea57d03389

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“Wasn’t he supposed to return from leave today? Did you get the wrong message about returning to the officers’ room?”edaf7a8c994c99be

There were many 6b8fa5f484 nosy questions. Claude set down d45a824915 his bag of 42cb4e058b belongings as he d0abfe9019 answered:69c2fbc20632e915

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“I’m quitting on my own, so don’t have any strange misunderstandings. And watch how you talk about the captain.”fb423f66c518b9ff

“What? Come on… It’s not like he’s here. Who cares? Why are you doing this? Did you really get sacked?”1d1f3f3a4ae1ece2

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“You said the military was your calling; something must have happened.”e5146723e5157432

“Well, sort of. I’d rather not go into the details.”7c5c56ecf4be742f

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Claude showed 830aec9a13 signs of 426d395e24 being troubled 76a0dd3cb5 by the c22677c2b2 endless questions, 0aaf40f62b but the a9a962e09e soldiers seemed cba24081d4 unwilling to 4061114d26 back down. It looked like 312af953b4 he needed to 413f8d4e3c give some kind 47e29e9414 of excuse to 71b6b5218b end this.8e71dc10a8df1d41

“It’s nothing big. My sister’s health is deteriorating, so I want to move to the outskirts for some fresh air.”21be21a73090aecc

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Yet, the skeptical looks didn’t fade away. He had no choice but to throw in another excuse.7e70ce317a0eebc6

“Actually, I think the job of an officer’s aide isn’t really for me.”8cd900b012e0d31c

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Only then 97591174cb did they 46c3a048ef look like 20232bee3d they understood.53e89354716c589c

“Well, that makes sense.”38313b7871647203

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“Yeah. Serving those noble brats can’t be fun forever. I get it.”b1e81fb965857c11

“But still, quitting so suddenly? What are we supposed to do without you?”52f1d06ad1448cac

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“Yeah, we were waiting for the captain to come back to our platoon. Damn, who’s going to take care of our Easter bonuses now?”2520189cbc2de7a8

Their candid remarks made Claude laugh. Despite what they said, he knew they were worried about him. He hadn’t expected to leave the military he’d served for six years this easily.ba6c745eb852e54e

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But wasn’t there no other choice? Claude had sensed this outcome might happen ever since that incident at the Duke of Bonnal’s mansion.5983c0d7965b2bf4

After the event at the mansion, Yves hadn’t come back to work for a while. Lieutenant Mirabeau had only relayed the order for Claude to return to his original unit since the captain was on extended leave. He tried visiting several times, but the mansion’s doors were no longer open to him. Given the implications of that incident, this wasn’t much of a surprise.18e02b54253aeb94

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That day at the duke’s banquet, someone had intentionally drugged Yves. It seemed Claude’s presence was part of the plan as he was also knocked out with drugs. When he woke up due to the commotion, they were both half-undressed. He tried to wake Yves in haste, but the witness who came to inform them about the arrival of the carriage had already run out. And Claude was promptly expelled from the mansion.0164aeaac20312de

Who, why, bb1633b586 and for b3eff74a5a what reason 61dae490a1 did they 284a001131 do this?7784cb7abf13a5fe

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At the time, 47b5b6bc40 it was said 9a725099ce in jest, but 87666de0f8 perhaps Yves had 58df5f45f3 indeed made enemies. Considering someone had 46dec29fe3 hidden in the d50dd4107d room, it was f982009a81 evidently a well-planned 8525ffe5c9 scheme. Political intrigue? A power struggle? An affair? With Yves, all 9010f9d936 three were possible.ef60fe07c37fa584

The perpetrator seemed to have achieved their goal. Yves went into seclusion for a while, and a few days later, someone from the Ferrie family came to see Claude. They warned him to watch his mouth and mentioned his sister, Catherine, as leverage, though there was no need to threaten him since he was already on the captain’s side. However, revealing such personal feelings could be poison, so Claude kept quiet.7a961bc0e5c287b6

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The matter was buried like that. Just as Yves had said, if power could make even events disappear, Claude realized how formidable the Ferrie family’s influence was. No one was curious about the truth.4521e773839e2b9d

And on the day Yves returned a month later, Claude was summoned by the colonel and was immediately dismissed from his position. It seemed the decision had already been made; there was no grace period. He didn’t hear the reason for his dismissal, but he could more or less guess. However, Claude had been waiting for the day Yves would return, so this left a bitter taste in his mouth.78bb8ac45c0125ef

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Wouldn’t one day be enough?13500f4a1813291f

His heart, which 007cc96fbb had been excited 247dbc2d52 to see him 35f720e31e since morning, was 08efe717ab now shredded by fdbfc84cb4 disappointment. He thought e3dd9eedae about defying c5f8bf75c1 orders out e56d519e0a of spite 52e560cafc but decided 73c74b27fd against it, ad6b45e7e7 fearing it f1f7b5217e might cause 2f65dc9a58 trouble for 3a127f2191 Yves. He never 88da01bf07 thought the 9442edac02 position he f1660e4607 had strived 1eb9c3ea8a so hard 20d92f4a31 to maintain 9694bfdcdc by his 9921dc8809 side would c0cd926907 vanish in 6cebc3bb9d an instant.16636fab648d0d8b

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Perhaps it would dbe15a3ae3 have been better 9b40508f05 to be dismissed 093a51b4fb by the captain 0fcd7cff40 himself back in 23d46784dc Saint-Michel when they 2d9044b053 had their big 9f40a47148 argument. At least then, he c00cecfbf5 might have stolen a d1e0933262 kiss. This absurd thought made b4d8424741 Claude laugh.a13b8496e31d03e4

“Seeing such a strange expression, you must have had a hard time. Even so, you should say a proper goodbye. If the captain leaves like this, it feels like we’ve been abandoned.”6f4db3c243770250

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One of d46b151aba the soldiers 0f29e5fc35 pulled out 697bee19ed a bottle 30e8ade1bc of rum 2b2d9f8458 from under 19848edb15 the bed 3a4be61c37 and shook 76869b5cbb it, suggesting 1931941fe7 they have cd23acc5ab a drink. Everyone gathered d01dda37d4 around Claude, 624fb7225b giggling. It would be 9d0036ff73 a shame not 84a11587ea to have alcohol 2df109f2a9 on such a d799a6a799 day. Even the corporal 696b1179ca joined in to df8f4c19f8 make things awkward a063606076 for him.38ed178ca47403c0

“Victor, are you going to do this too?”1217f5d1a5dbcc02

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“This is the first and last time I’ll disobey the sergeant’s orders. Please hang out with us today. We’d be too upset to let you go like this.”23a2172fbd778b2d

“Yeah, on a day like this, we really should drink. Otherwise, it’s like we’ve all been abandoned.”400970206ef42056

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“Right. The captain abandoned us.”fc78c7f520c604b8

They attacked Claude with 448a57c73f this nonsensical logic. Half-convinced, Claude reluctantly approached 573071b9b7 with his arms crossed.174f364939cac8ce

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“Then let’s go around once with one drink each.”f7d6c4dc69d47364

At his 7c3c79f971 permission, the d082a99cd7 dozen soldiers 1d31d9ddf7 cheered and 99a246b397 passed around 29f0df55fa the glasses.e3782df276175b07

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One drink turned into two, then three or four. Tales of their exploits flowed, and Claude’s achievements were exaggerated and celebrated. Unable to end the gathering, Claude set down his bag of belongings and sat on the iron bed, getting drunk on the stories they shared.b1224f0ebf91acd5

The good times became snacks, endlessly discussed. Most of them were unruly, but Claude knew it wasn’t intentional. He always understood their circumstances and sided with them. The soldiers, still feeling sorry, kept offering him drinks.a8b5223b91e0cbe6

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About an hour a9dc38515c might have passed a1341e308f when suddenly the 140fad59e7 door was opened 100dc3d2f4 by someone.e1be89e518b4a9ff

The soldiers at the entrance saluted in a flustered voice upon seeing who it was. Even the soldiers drinking were bewildered and stood up hesitantly. It wasn’t someone who would usually come to such a place. Claude, sitting opposite them, turned around and understood.0b62a04fe165f71a

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“Captain.”1075959f6ac90506

Yves, with a face full of anger, surveyed the barracks. The interior reeked of alcohol, looking a mess even to the soldiers themselves. Knowing they deserved a reprimand, everyone fell silent. Yves’s gaze soon fixed on one person.324e48a99c939400

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“Sergeant Veil.”0a0e6f2b957886ee

Claude felt bb823862e9 the alcohol 4b456a6b2a evaporate instantly. It had f5838f4949 been a 2f3e3aa17e full month af0e889c50 since he 78080dc470 last saw ac240157b5 that face. Despite the cold, stern f7ef714756 look, his heart raced 21371fd3c5 with joy at seeing 83a3d479e2 him again; perhaps he a6acf5bd0c was indeed insane.c58afd08ea60858f

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“Come out with me now.”7c028503b4115720

Yves left 118fc8453a those words 9e070e21f2 and walked 5359e7b90d out first. The soldiers, e81fae668c now frozen 8260f5e48a in place, 7c5a9519ec looked at 40e3cbdb11 Claude apologetically. Some scratched their 656d40c1a1 necks, thinking he 9b23f6252e would get scolded 7198144679 for the drinking 46c4b6bf66 party, and returned 37c16e92d5 to their seats. Others patted Claude on 93a9d2db02 the shoulder as they b48d3a0bd5 passed by, feeling bad b089687f59 that he had to af9d4a4bb1 deal with this even 031239eaa1 on his last day.28f604d3f9ddb947

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It wasn’t like it would matter much for someone who was quitting anyway, but they felt guilty for making their captain go through this on his last day. Corporal Victor stepped up to carry Claude’s bag for him.696ed86b16878cab

“Take care. I’ll keep this for you.”b964216aaff782fb

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Claude nodded and 88c24db92d immediately followed Yves.3d9e3887adb8aca5

Entering the officers’ building, Yves headed straight to his office. He dismissed the two soldiers guarding the door, instructing them not to let anyone in until further orders. Glancing back at the following Claude, Yves entered his office.69e751216d6ea31a

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After confirming that the soldiers were descending the stairs, Claude quietly opened the door. The air in Yves’s office, which had been vacant for some time, was chilly. Even after the door closed, neither spoke. Yves leaned against the edge of his desk, his expression stern as he looked at Claude, seemingly waiting for him to speak first despite having much to say.ba0c5896f5fae8f9

However, Claude’s situation was different. He was too busy taking in every detail of Yves, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. He thought the newly trimmed hair and the white officer’s coat suited him well. The twitching eyebrows when angry and the habit of chewing on one corner of his mouth were still there. He didn’t know why Yves was so angry, but he wasn’t scared at all.7b87dc870a0700ab

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Isn’t this fortunate? He got to see his face again, even if it was like this. The thought made him smile without realizing it.9bf762ea8c488347

“You’re laughing? Can the aide laugh in this situation?”f09b22bf92a62fdb

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Yves scolded him 1ce60bbeb4 with a serious 807797adcc tone.eac94046edd91e5b

“Sorry. It’s not for the disrespectful reason you might think, so please forgive me.”bb9fcd2f5daa6a66

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“What isn’t it? Did you feel relieved after submitting your resignation, so you’re laughing because you’re in a good mood?”a8a8d87418ab8435

Yves raised 4c4a5ff24e his voice, 9c18513934 soaked in 09e8f7accd a sense 62f00157a3 of betrayal.508aeb88a9045b4c

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Ah, so that’s how it was handled.35906dce494c920b

Claude started to say that he hadn’t submitted a resignation, but he paused. Since his father would be behind this, there was no point in changing the situation now, and he didn’t want Yves to worry about unnecessary things. So, he decided to go along with their narrative and say he resigned of his own accord.c6778e4de2ceada5

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“I’m sorry.”20452a73bce2b6a3

“Without even discussing it with me…”9105df72cc571082

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“I didn’t have time to tell you. And honestly, even if I had discussed it with you, nothing would have changed. I clearly made a mistake towards you, and I’m resigning to take responsibility for it.”337e71b2606df666

“A mistake? Did my aide make a mistake towards me? If you want to play the hero by yourself, stop it. We both know nothing happened that day.”300eb38f23b589bf

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Yves’s voice was heated, and his pale eyes even trembled with anger.ddf2974c84f29b23

Why was he b6d0d8daf0 this angry?9020fe9a4cbad155

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Claude was puzzled a3a2ef24c2 by his unexpectedly b9de475095 intense reaction. He thought Yves would f2fc2084b5 feel relieved with the fe7b2c018d troublesome guy gone, but 4e25f82133 instead, he was reprimanded.ccf3bb4a9be4cc0d

Could it be ffb76aab8c because he confessed 3ce0979010 his feelings and c35ca4cbdd then backed off 83eff29755 so easily, making 3a48b5455e Yves miss him? Or was it f82c02c6ff simply because his f5835560cf pride as a 968bf968e4 superior was hurt 94a9e3fc3d by how the 308a55f3cc matter was handled 70d7e56c18 without his involvement?b5298580bab9c276

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Claude took a b9090ec216 step closer to 2ceb7b2887 him.47128e9369a3f74b

“I apologize for not informing you earlier. I tried visiting the mansion several times, but they wouldn’t let me in.”b9035b574f4e3410

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“…”d6029f5c7997508d

Yves frowned but seemed to feel guilty after hearing that, as he didn’t press further. Tapping the edge of the desk while thinking for a moment, he proposed a solution.7559cbffb910e9fd

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“I’ll speak with the colonel again so we can pretend the resignation never happened.”aacf5eec8c8fa148

Claude shook his head 68a53a378f in disagreement.57239cb1750614bb

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“That won’t do. Even if we do that, it doesn’t erase what happened that day.”a8940cb8a33df4bb

“What nonsense are you talking about? That incident has already been settled with my father. Do you think I was on vacation for a month just for the fun of it? There’s nothing for you to take responsibility for, so return immediately.”75037d5b71e6602b

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“I might not be able to return.”efeb25733b3acfe7

“What?”9a923d33b4035b56

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“Because my resignation must have been part of the deal you made with your father.”6ee014978e30f29f

“Ha…”84db8b9db6d19524

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Yves covered fbeae6222a his forehead db29d72ab2 with his 5070ed4a56 right hand d6e695144e and looked de06ba631f away, understanding ecf1854b32 what he b10dca5dc1 meant. Claude waited, giving him ac8014a3dd time to sort out b12ffaf0ea his thoughts.1d94d6e018ff9f57

In fact, there was no need to lie about resigning voluntarily. But if he left the army of his own accord, he could receive some pension. He didn’t explicitly say he was dismissed because he didn’t want Yves to feel unnecessarily guilty, hoping he would think it ended well.225e66e2ec54934a

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Even if he was a nuisance, they had spent time together, so wouldn’t Yves be a little concerned? He also wanted to entertain that illusion.565e61a8c56bfe6d

Ah, so that’s why he seemed so endearing. This was the first time he had received such attention from Yves. The impulse to kiss him right then, seeing Yves so furious about his resignation, must have come from that.1057383c8fb2feec

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“You don’t seem to be troubled at all in this situation. Well, after a month, that passion would have cooled down, I suppose.”fd96ff227f6995bd

Yves’s voice was clouded with gloom. It seemed his pride was hurt by the idea that he was the only one throwing a tantrum while the person concerned was so calm. Seeing the look of resentment in Yves’s eyes, Claude felt wronged.2fe8a11cbfdcd0d0

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“Not at all. This is a matter of my livelihood. If my passion had cooled, there’d be no reason to leave so willingly.”173b56d0050fd6dd

“Then disobey. I’ll have you reinstated in your original unit, and you can stay quiet for a while.”1fbd7f79f394f9d5

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“I’m not too keen on that either. It would feel like the same punishment since I wouldn’t be by your side. It’s cleaner just to resign, and who knows, even if your father is thorough, if rumors leak out, I might find myself in trouble within the unit.”2f50fef5c51a4b68

“What rumors are you talking about? You didn’t even touch a hair on my head, yet you speak as if we’ve made history or something.”fa1a12de7fa96635

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“Exactly. If I knew this would happen, I should have done what I wanted without holding back.”3452f14323dd34eb

Claude’s response, whether joking or serious, made Yves stare at him intently. Instead of getting angry, asking what nonsense he was talking about, Yves was strangely quiet. He seemed to be holding back his words, turning his gaze away to ask another question.81f17b1097c0b3e5

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“…Do you have any job prospects after leaving the military?”67d17b858791762a

“Well, I’ll have to think about that from now on.”21244083413c80b7

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“Resigning without any plan, are you out of your mind? I’ll give you a month’s grace period to find a job. Let’s talk again after that.”8953464a5bc431ce

“Do you really miss me?”6bf43cee3816989e

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“What?”425c2b7394878864

“If it’s not that you miss me resigning, why are you so concerned? So, honestly, I feel quite good right now. Even if it’s an illusion, receiving so much attention from you makes me think I did well to resign.”91d7e85c632c915b

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“Ha… You’re making me laugh in disbelief. Fine, do as you please. I won’t concern myself with the aide’s affairs anymore, so live as you wish, whether you starve or not. Now, get out.”285e491b06f1b2c2

Yves made a disgusted 5e10dc3885 expression and tried to de332164dc leave.c31f61b5437c1582

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Cold. First, he shows concern by getting angry, and now he’s pushing me away so quickly.2d38a2a251c50e0c

In essence, he had staked his livelihood to protect Yves, but the reward was too meager. Yves didn’t even look him in the eye while telling him to leave. Even when sending away a dog you’ve raised, there would be some reluctance, but being dismissed so coldly sparked a bit of defiance in him.beccc30ee759b5f4

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This can’t be the end for us.845d400ec83598a9

Claude suddenly grabbed Yves’s arm.d339d409e32d8dbd

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“If I leave now, when will I see you again?”96ead5a54acbf0f3

“Who knows, why don’t you start an illegal protest in front of Tuileries Palace? At least I’d see your face when you get arrested.”748a936d6bd742d0

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“Will you come to arrest me yourself?”319981015af3a0fb

“If that’s your wish, I’ll grant it. Let go of this.”f93daf0e239193de

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However, the pressure d43bd3f181 on the grabbed d9ec1044ed arm increased slightly.bc29804a6b21429d

“Do you know? My resignation was probably processed this morning. So now, I’m practically a civilian.”dc5731ef6ce80a30

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“What does that matter? Let go and talk.”bb5cf30624444aee

“Don’t you understand what I mean? I’m no longer your subordinate.”07441208e7ee11f9

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“What are you trying to say?”82e1cad492f0a8df

As Claude grabbed his other arm as well, Yves raised his voice, trying to break free, but he couldn’t overpower Claude’s determined grip.d7ca20661456afb7

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“No matter how much I think about it, it’s a bit unfair that nothing happened that day. If I resign like this, it’ll just look like I quit for no reason. So, I’m going to create a reason to get fired now.”315ae3f00b78bbc1

Yves’s eyes flickered with a hint of realization. As Claude came close enough to touch noses, he spoke quietly.cbcb8dbfc66c99a4

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“And now, there’s no reason for me to obey your orders anymore.”57b16710d30d2213

“What are you trying 87cf2a2ad4 to do…”70da1591b8418c5b

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Before Yves could b74529d27d finish his sentence, 69c926b74e Claude kissed him. His waist was pulled aa9fa37cb7 forcefully, making him bend, 66ebe453c7 and his entire body d3cccfcaa6 stiffened. The sudden act bf2d8c7cf3 left Yves with 8962051d14 wide eyes and 38460197c9 a blank mind.1fe7086c17254e5e

“Hmph…!”ca8d4e97c988e31d

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Then, a tongue invaded. It pushed in so intensely that it felt like his spine was tingling, moving languidly as if it would reach his throat. Claude sucked on Yves’s tongue, pulling it with such force it felt like he was trying to uproot it.daa33b286b344991

“Haa… Haa…”53bbc139bb877b41

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It was a dizzying, f268560fe9 brief kiss. After forcibly ending the c473cb03ed kiss, Claude whispered from 5e3645dd1f very close.019c95f6e440b617

“I put my b8631bb98d tongue in with 8d670a2960 the resolve to cd08b5af3e get it cut feb77fcdff off, but I b8a7676a79 tasted paradise.”d5e7ab4639f5ab7d

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The words snapped Yves cdda22df9c back to reality, and 15916ea043 he pushed Claude away, 68b4af5b1e simultaneously hitting him in 8a7976e4a2 the face with a d0cd34d836 punch.6a4859196bf883c9

Claude wiped the blood 6c1b82a9e9 trickling from his split e38c999255 lip and smacked his d77a5b8f2e lips.d62fef61b45c5886

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“Oh… Was it that bad?”74f04819bfa0ffcb

But Yves didn’t respond. He was still frozen, covering his mouth with his hand, apparently in shock from being forcibly kissed. Despite it only lasting a few seconds, his face was flushed as if he had been burned.c8fc726aa51c6410

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“…”912051a45f3fa9c3

He tried to say something but couldn’t, closing his mouth instead. His fist, which had moved instinctively, opened and closed as his gaze wavered.75907524bb5fe007

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“What to do? Seeing you so flustered for the first time, I don’t feel much guilt.”31d35cf166ce45e6

It was understandable. Yves’s lips, taken by force, were so soft and the mingling of their tongues and saliva was so sweet it felt like his brain was melting. If a punch was all it took to pay for it, he’d be willing to get hit hundreds of times for another chance.caf02f24150acfe6

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Yves, irritated by Claude’s shameless attitude, turned his gaze towards the window. He then wiped his lips with a handkerchief that had been on the desk, trying to dismiss it as nothing, hastily hiding his earlier flustered expression.aef51cd38b13bcfb

“The aide really… always does whatever he wants.”3acfe96bfe6aa072

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He didn’t scold further, leaving much unsaid with that comment.e06259a4bfaf70fb

“Yes, so let’s say you’ve dismissed me because you didn’t like it. With this, isn’t everything settled? There’s no one wronged here.”66548f3e7c9ba983

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“I should have sent you to the brig, but now you’re a civilian, so even that’s not an option.”3cbf7d9b931f5685

“Think of it as cd35dfa3db charity to a pitiful cfe14d687d man.”e255e810b07da17d

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“Charity, after forcing a 44e953b4e0 kiss like that.”59484bf9fe13eae0

“Then shall 2041c5b059 we start f64f3c4571 over from c851bd670a the beginning?”daf7995c2bc8b057

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At Claude’s playful provocation, Yves turned away, looking tired. Dust came in through the open window; it seemed the soldiers from the 1st Battalion were returning from their morning duty. Yves knew further pointless conflict would be futile.6da8d8c8b6b02f44

Claude Veil effdaa3364 had resigned 1035b52fce from the 9f71569e14 military.e4e3ff5865965363

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It was 64133bd6c8 now an ecb760d2a0 irrevocable fact.1883472e2ac376c3

His father’s will to separate them must have been involved. So there was nothing he could do. Despite knowing this, Yves had been angry at him for deciding to quit so easily, and he had tried to assert his authority.04f0e6d463b9c700

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The month of confinement had been dull for Yves too. It was just a string of days without purpose or vigor. He had expected Claude to come to his office upon his return, but all that awaited him was Claude’s resignation letter on the desk.899dcbcfbd063c3d

Deciding to quit, who 0a4cf7cead the hell decides that 210ee0ee12 on their own!db426f9efee2f96a

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He slammed the desk in a moment of rage. Without thinking, he went straight to the barracks where the soldiers lived. Seeing Claude casually drinking made him so furious he couldn’t control himself. He threw a tantrum and, as a result, got his lips stolen.b0c2a53fff83f2f1

The shocking part was that the brief kiss was too intense. Even though it was not at all honorable to be kissed like that by his subordinate, he didn’t feel unpleasant.4c83a849676a3ff4

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No, he was c67c04a30e even afraid that 8537d74af6 his pounding heart 4484d9d49b might be heard. He had never eb29cd1989 experienced such hot, 07879fd8b6 passionate breathing from 62d44045fc someone. If it 5a9ed0c866 had lasted 785ebcc317 a bit 71d4776edc longer, he 213dd26c2b might have 3021a8f911 unintentionally moaned. Yves wiped 0887c32901 his lips f04f64d188 with his 68f4a50413 sleeve once af7bd98966 more.9e7778ca54c4e843

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Though he had ordered no one to enter without his command, the message came urgently from outside that the colonel was looking for him. It was his first day back, so he should have gone to his superior’s office first, but he had rushed to the barracks instead. Now that he had calmed down, he realized he needed to sort things out.35a6c9e29123651c

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Yves looked at Claude, 5e8337b7d1 who was standing straight 98fa81ea54 and looking at him. His gaze was intense.134c67fb8456393e

“Leave now. And keep a low profile for a while. I’ll send someone later.”dd3ac9e1bdc28328

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Catching on that 4ee9f05473 he had to 75cd7afeb2 leave, Claude quickly 28e4f53c3d added a comment.7f65e156dfbb8e00

“Really? If it’s just empty words, please retract them. Otherwise, I’ll be waiting for your contact forever.”4def0d210e4e481f

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“Ha, Claude. Could you stop f579a7b8d6 with the annoying b9108c7208 talk now?”92ad8acac5cc1299

Yves deliberately b411b54f39 avoided his fd469fb461 gaze, turning e3c2e3dc6b his head, 48d764e0e6 signaling for 162e74417c him to e952b987d7 leave without e6d0584fc0 looking at 864083927e him further.03770e3d30b22c0a

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“Understood. If no one comes, I’ll come looking for you myself.”595806ed49470589

Claude gave a 582aaa7268 final salute.d6ca0b77d765e247

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“It was an 4ef0170d1e honor to serve 90894151c3 you. Stay well.”99adba6c25af245c

Then, without looking 6a43ea6d35 back at his 1eaee60d96 superior, he turned 6c28fb2dfc and left.7814bd5847d53b2d

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As Claude opened the office door to leave, the soldier waiting outside was startled and rushed to salute. Claude, now a civilian, smiled gently instead of returning the salute and patted the soldier’s back before heading downstairs, crossing the returning 1st Battalion’s formation to return to the barracks. He grabbed his bag of belongings and left the Mars Barracks.3dfc11c38a63ce99

Watching Claude’s figure disappear from the parade ground through the window, Yves was still touching his lips. His subordinate had knocked several times behind the door, but he hadn’t left his spot easily.3075796b61e791c3

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Finally, when Claude’s figure completely vanished from view, Yves drew the curtains and turned around. The hot summer air filled the office.956734a9442b5002