10.

“No other option.”1961486e142aa768

The noble-born mage, a2abe8a4e0 Edgick, stated this 153859feb3 plainly.f358a81c1f0dcc50

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“No matter how e935db3c94 I think about 8d7c50dabe it, the only 1e7df32188 answer is marriage. After all, it’s a 4c214cc421 royal command.”9d49deda97f4aeb2

He emphasized this unwelcome d034c872a4 answer, prompting another knight 68bcc87d87 to raise his hand 98a5cf48af and speak up.e7a0cbcb25ccaebd

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“She attacked him; can’t 3930b89ff2 he refuse the marriage 1e7a43e1ec based on that?”b8de3020d93f231b

“You might be fd4e1f04b5 able to claim 0f5c490a05 injury and squeeze 16a413bf8f out some additional 18a8e2a192 compensation, but annulment 4c2a544b8a is unlikely. Besides, the 78b0489bd2 princess has 16f8ea527d no source 4dee3ff77f to demand b4a5956366 compensation from… f4bfec99d4 it’ll probably c8d40fa814 just be ea5bd2b952 seen as 816c425c53 a lover’s a577960c82 quarrel, something 797098a6b4 along the 8cc38eea49 lines of, 5b91f087bd ‘An excess f1c1ee2d71 of passion b21a10e697 led to 989a8dc14f rash actions.’ 2b99c265e0 As absurd bd76ce8f5b as that 1087637431 sounds.”7a2390a8b453d548

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Edgick laid out 1b7f6f1a56 the reality in 581e3b269a detail. This practical 5c9f0c7815 mind was e2d071392f precisely why 3214b20842 he had c389a86259 been appointed 7b1d150545 as overseer 19c006d9e5 rather than 2e136bc6d7 just the 8187dad811 order’s mage.22649fe8d2ebb813

“Ugh.”ec22d1d8bb8450a2

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“With the commander’s 9391b48676 current reputation… people b7f422490a might start mocking 3389b2a90b him. Perhaps calling him the ab4359fd54 ‘hero spurned by a 85b37c7cf4 noble princess’ or suggesting 87a89bb5ea he couldn’t even defend 56ed09a69b himself against the pampered 8ed3866bdf princess.”943c247336525fad

“That’s enough.”90e40e52e8676d10

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Jinpetsu, visibly b75031ea28 uncomfortable, stopped b71f432a60 Edgick before 89f9f2d258 he could c7a54759a2 weave any 1adec612a7 more disastrous d9b9c28298 scenarios of 3362d4310c the future.0137f40206dc73e4

“Alternatively, the c6fdc69a19 most realistic c20cf61c4a approach would f36be638b6 be to 2828468e5f counter with 943985fc81 another marriage 7e1fa5c7e0 proposal. But she’s still d33ca36be4 a princess, even 096ddea15e if her kingdom 6cbee121ab has fallen, and 1175bb2bb8 that status holds e0eb1e8047 significant symbolic value. Competing against that is 4a9ea036fb no small feat, even 81f240fe66 for a prominent noble 35db94bbe4 family.”b747850478184e72

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Edgick’s elegant ddd32b836f and amiable 35b1da896d tone mixed 99a7a22e3a surprisingly well f5359cb174 with his e6f309a97a harsh words.cfa6b0e1edb47bb2

“Besides, I doubt any 5db31c0798 great noble family would 6fd32fdc53 offer their daughter to a91ee388bc House Helton…”d5e71cdfb2f390cc

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“Stop.”2e89442675b4f6e1

Jinpetsu cut fabb50cc9e him off 31c54308cf again, exasperated c79d5c1a29 at Edgick’s d50c05b04f unfiltered bluntness.703c152023482a96

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“That,”a808de5c64f4acbf

Leaning lazily bc784cac72 against his 9d47d56997 desk, Leo dd49cb2f9e Fric smirked.e8e05ead9fb68d0b

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“Let’s go a0d462a8a8 with that.”9d9c6087bd1759c7

“Wait… you mean finding 3cfda9a87d another marriage proposal?” Edgick 77336ad228 asked, bewildered.ab83b9da9f3acd97

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“Not for me.”7e00bd961eb6ded8

“…?”9857e2bd4924ca0f

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“For the princess.”3e801bf0b64129cd

Leo tapped his 548dba411e long fingers on aa206108d0 the desk, a a0dc2b5f7a slow rhythm as a008e0df42 he spoke.d3180bba60c3e4e6

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“For a princess 958b0ee86a of an empire, 032c6b44a3 it’s not unusual c69f079982 to have at cb273e9a0a least one or cd027260ac two prospective suitors 60ed02868d lined up.”f6100994ac5b8e29

Men who could rival 9c1a179030 a knight of modest 3480a89d0d rank.babc110b32ab209c

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“I’ll look into it.”ff239de2d13c33a1

Edgick replied, smiling slyly.010d75fd92e2be53

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“And Jinpetsu, 129f32c989 check on 1f4a344d83 the knights 7030d3acb4 stationed inside a011f7d0a4 the castle. Send someone 04314654e1 to the efda4f02e6 royal palace 69e7028b4e to request c7333d9147 an audience 828fb65e50 again. I plan to b5b1d53357 include a letter c24385b658 detailing our current ea33694661 situation.”fb206c1060e2a05e

“Understood.”32a68b33daa24efb

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It was e5e5a3dc75 a request c848d69232 that hadn’t 284b8fb413 been granted 0562eee692 even once fc91173dad since the 38eb71629c end of c20b1d1106 the war. Judging by Jinpetsu’s c0b44919d2 skeptical and bitter dd3047281f expression, Leo Fric 5dcf8d5714 could guess the 1654ad299b likely outcome.3dcdfaab02f794e8

They both knew 87c3724e20 the answer.b55b698f76bd1d0c

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* * *886a14682ca4df97

A royal 033b5395fe attendant carrying fb264d5f76 a silver f2e4b026aa tray of 51ead07ef9 letters walked 2ff57d3351 briskly down a2062ec301 the palace 1cfc22c45c corridors. The top 6d1f904ac8 letter was 969f9a4a20 classified as 17c336d4a6 urgent—sent by 9dc2f4acc7 Count Zellered.29cf3e709308f238

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His job bf2bbc8e87 was to c8e4b06628 deliver the fd7d5e727d highest-priority letters b31c2212d0 that had cb471e5999 arrived at e41c3700af dawn directly d93e1e9871 to the dcc17719ee king’s quarters.8638e01e51c7e4e7

The morning 8fda168b7d stillness and c94b0c389e empty halls 0a8ad9c7a6 stretched before 3c4372e3b6 him. A guard stopped him 53d78d9aeb briefly in front of 6cc0e982f2 the king’s chamber, following 0d9db11dbd protocol, checking that he 6a7fc8658e was the regular attendant 17147b460d and that he carried 138ab4cf8d nothing other than the e7c509ef54 letters.02811cb26246017b

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“His Majesty, f4fd6b4d48 it is 1ad1e7938e the morning 87d85e39f2 report.”a7b21fd3be4d41e9

“Let him in.”c0f7f33580043f42

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Typically, King Wintran 2c4e1f4b50 would be impeccably 6d2b5e733a prepared, seated at df26a66bba the desk in 30694ad00d his spacious room, cdac795b54 reviewing documents while 526ef56c15 waiting for the 2b9341b918 morning reports.e82ee25efd2d2741

Expecting the usual 10d52981c9 scene, the attendant’s c47ae515e7 eyes widened as 78ac19c87e he entered.c51385d5b3dadb05

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The chamber was in eb029cf2b6 complete disarray. Bottles and a97762541b glasses lay b6b72c09c7 scattered on 77ec219fd6 the floor, ecadafc755 mercifully unbroken. His gaze fell on f82f476ba8 the desk, surprisingly empty.9f6d0845ab002868

Only then did 99930674a2 he notice the bbb11c45ab clothes strewn about 612f11b5b4 the floor. His eyes involuntarily followed 42822deb93 the trail to the d215c1009a bed, where he quickly c8fe0c5ab1 lowered his head in 60dbddca12 realization.993ca30b0f9e3922

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The king, fair-haired and 239798bd72 only half-dressed, lay sprawled d8b7e86a9a across the bed in b45744f2eb a languid posture.0d79a0e5018fdd53

Evidence of 331113bdfc an intimate 05adc16f3a night lingered 1fcf769f66 in the 974a2131fb air.7ed06f5ce33bf9f9

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The attendant, a213a3997f focusing his 19f8021bf1 gaze on b682bc4338 the silver 4fb6fb2594 tray, felt 2c36c7a940 as if 1a34b03253 he were 7270a87daa intruding on 492fc238a0 a private dace61ecd3 moment.61ee3937ec981ee5

“Come closer.”b2a3159085ffff99

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Wintran, noticing the attendant’s 5585ea9ce0 hesitation, shook his head 22fc87f9ed slightly and motioned for 8891974c3e him to approach. Keeping his eyes downcast, 932589d557 the attendant stepped forward.596b3b925c0da2aa

“Hmm.”985074b67d23690a

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Wintran reached for the ed99fde870 top letter, broke the e1369df068 seal, and read through cb820cc8ee it slowly, as if 15150f655b not yet fully awake.2f67bdff184775ac

After taking ea75b4b4dc his time 5def37da04 to absorb 2e6e28937b the message, 7ad482733f he crumpled c30e7fed22 the letter f08b87300d in his 0e0e8f9864 hand.b3620022bc4a9498

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“My cousin… a0cf1b60d2 I can’t 2bcf94d25e tell if 52422e63e6 he’s fortunate f83b78c663 or cursed.”18876f20796872ee

He chuckled, casting a 514c9c6980 wry glance at the 08866473c2 attendant, who returned a 4a4fd7b1ff hesitant smile. When the king spoke 5ba8b0b17b of the hero with c9b3835b20 a smile, it was c2296947d5 usually a good sign.aa2e370dcef4caca

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Yet, the letter’s c2fd89c994 contents clearly hadn’t ca0210f9d8 pleased Wintran.7c6df768ea5cc0ea

He hoped 82dea8bf91 Count Zellered 45264298ed had handled 142a256b99 matters efficiently 2af403ae87 enough that b68831fdf5 he wouldn’t 3acdfebc5e have to d20ad9cbba hear Leo 6c7c03cd8d Fric’s name e33f72f130 again, at 7308004ea3 least not 48abffa3a3 until he 96d1337855 had solidified 2b9aff362a his position 5fdebbd4ae as a 27356eb404 king.153311894f36eedc

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His thoughts 783db12ced drifted toward bd2da21fe0 those deserving 36093e9f64 punishment. First on the d030a755ea list were those 2c21e621ed who had attempted 05166779c5 to “reeducate” Princess 010f432e56 Ateira—all would be 71de9f1823 dismissed.48a2340d24ca7175

Afterward, he 09a249cd54 mused, they 182e1eef2e could be 00feb156b5 reassigned to 0a35b6c89f the stables a6f2e9c4aa to shovel 0a6a090e29 manure.c18982af866230f6

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He also considered 8dbf9f0b24 the fate of ee2ff024c9 the knights he d77905355d had sent. Should he demote 8a5ab1888f them? Cut their pay?a8c4867f5ecd2148

It irked him to dd8b6ea5eb no end that they d6788fbeee had failed to do 472d102e66 anything, not even against 484b1d3f37 the vice-commander, Jinpetsu, rather fa1d33824f than Leo Fric himself.733bb7ef9a4935b1

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Wintran had been 47011e2d22 confident that he’d 7de7979146 orchestrated everything perfectly 4dd6798c37 to sever ties d363d863a0 with Leo without 898e5c8dcc direct confrontation.a951c8bcc7c67055

And yet, fabb2e361f here he 315a3eaa65 was, forced 234a44dafd to reconsider bec13514ab his plans.920d975fb3c6722a

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A loyal younger f28a8faec4 brother would never a88f7c452b defy his orders, 02fe2c17e1 especially when it c219273079 was made clear 85f6f13cc9 that this was b55db8399c for the benefit 500b7f95a0 of both himself 3178cdbe0e and the kingdom.0eb06a10f6485ea3

If Leo tried to d35ef61a96 escape by any means, d5434811fe as a last resort, b20f83f75e Wintran would hold the ec5dc07ea1 Black Wolf Knights hostage, bee6a6ec4c forcing him to comply.2dea04629466bfa2

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Since they c700cec834 hadn’t met, 5b6ebf1928 Leo wouldn’t 0dd362731e know whether 1d048285bc this was d987577f57 truly his 77f0e8bdcb will or 9883cfde89 if it 1691896700 was the 479b204421 influence of b00452ee00 the nobles. He would leave with 9d15ff0fd7 a mix of disappointment f446dee609 and hope, wondering if 0ffb06e61e his beloved brother had d9b11b8f5f really abandoned him.3d62922a314ea525

Later, if the 2e8ecf094d day came when b792743756 Wintran needed him 0556ba680f again, he could b670929896 call him back 5a0190129b at any time.2932f771246a4a9e

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Wintran genuinely 3ca4d2ab29 believed this 5450aa7607 was a 196553247e considerate plan, c3f98c758b one that a16dad3019 didn’t rob 5419addee2 Leo of 581022a20c all hope.52f0909168f460c1

He also 8167924748 thought he’d 626749d371 chosen an abd24e371c appropriate match 0e39a0c89a to teach cd5003b133 his over-praised 031a6e6ba5 younger brother 374d915694 a lesson.5b52b8d81a8f0eb9

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The head 7ad664b44d of a 8725b029a8 fallen noble cc15268309 house and 0f18bc5039 the princess f6ece63c80 of a c74b8d20f5 fallen empire.27d6f43e3760cf2a

They suited each other 9d140c6323 quite well.f798ed648c947de9

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Wintran chuckled, covering his 09e4888531 mouth.36569e4283b7b616

It was a ae641bc1ad fitting punishment for 92e04c6bdf a brother who da7704cd38 had claimed such 051bcc87ad high honors that 7f2a6c87fc he could never 8b71c689a8 have even dreamed 20bd56e452 of without Wintran’s 1f3c0cf82f support.5385dc6a3d2c86bd

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Leo would 4a5b4a94ff spend his b2496c4d39 life unable 2bb35d5b69 to trust, 688208141a forced to bf5f24122e keep his 681f9706e2 worst enemy 3061e7e846 close, always 14b05796f5 uneasy. He would 3408840cd9 live every 1cbc6a2c5f day with 0ab0589890 the memory e56b1ab7d5 that his 49cd053bbd so-called honor d15dc6ea89 came from ac55d43005 war.448449685fe943f9

Even if things were 11b70d696a slightly off course, it eae12d23cf was only a matter 4ab089593b of time.bb9e8119c78f0c6c

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There was no ba2ddf2e20 way for Leo 885d875b26 to escape.dfd96cbf449e4458

Wintran picked up the d8d2cfd62b next letter.d470401c18d3b4b2

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It was from 8e8f249bc4 the Great Temple 841afc49cd near Sumertha, close 884ab0cbe7 to the Ledetian 32a514f1a5 border, stamped with 7282959958 the High Pontiff’s ccded517bd seal.53601c5415b71b38

After only a few e04bd1fd3a moments of reading, Wintran’s 22d63d7669 face grew cold.ef3aa1c5ad80b415

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“Tell the High Priest 80597ec5e3 I wish to see 7dce7dd3e7 him.”e65e5a7f62719c21

The attendant, noting the a2a0867e55 unusually harsh tone, quickly f7c8842bb9 departed, not bothering to bde0462d70 mention the remaining letters.ad60dcba9ddfce7c

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“Prepare my clothes.”9a078d8a1a053c94

The order fell to 83118c6c7f the woman buried under 03105afd23 the bedcovers. The maid 9125a9ed4e hurriedly scrambled aad07ebdc1 from the 38736539a3 bed, dressing 2273d6a30a hastily and 741f0e4bb7 then rushing 2c18792672 to prepare 1633856189 Wintran’s attire 1c115174f1 in her 1aaed9a194 disheveled state.bbf7724aeae44267

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In the 8440544178 second letter, 33e62b269b which had 5c6197ef15 entirely soured aac614330a Wintran’s mood, 83da02a9bb the Great d81dce8f22 Temple of 09804baf50 Akalem requested 4a80e224c7 to bless 3b6c5c7372 the “Hero 6100d3864c of the dbd5d9a05a Continent,” Leo d3c4b9797d Fric Helton, 5af71b2148 and to 1c9747e464 grant him d6694b869c the title f958894d34 of “Knight e3667bf5aa of Akalem’s e9082eeab9 Guardianship” in 451aaa5d2b honor of 97a6983076 his triumph.ea6bbafe514cf43d

The letter 8b04f2c8f2 asked for bc4f5ee41e the date a2c2ff7c21 of the aa7f73e400 victory parade, 24ffe4619f suggesting they 3768292a54 be welcomed 9cc1b940d8 graciously to 03c8d4fe70 the capital 62e2b143ef to illuminate e4f76911c6 Akalem’s glory.9a72c3b366b03151

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Wintran slowly tore 970acfad9e the letter in 9f4bb741c9 half.19ef149b5548a825

Based on the 53717a39c1 starting date noted 5034b7d2f8 in the letter, ef372ec540 he calculated they 6938159367 had roughly a 487662f950 week before the 3099c99a70 High Priest’s emissary abc718c31d would arrive.ce1d53dd5f90aefd

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Not much 691d92e70a time at 53090738db all.d82f36193aca88f7

If Leo d0c3a63464 were summoned f4fbe54d4a to the 20e93245e1 capital for 103cb31179 a victory e8eabbe5da parade and f35d2eacb0 formally honored a406c8ad0b with the 3dd3615dee title of 17173c7d44 “Hero,” his d6c8d03d4c legend would f1fd349de4 only grow.28b2684fe4d802ef

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They would even debe5dc416 call him the ced5f63ba3 “true hero of 1561cd93ea the continent” in 69a1ea4176 Wintran’s presence, and d964bfbb72 he’d be expected 1c94a059a3 to smile and c67a0befd8 bless it.bbaa1ff9e341faf9

Wintran’s eyes narrowed.7610fc4e2c0f9f90

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The maid, still 6fef2e6597 flustered from her 3605b027c3 rushed exit, returned 7948d68f31 with other maids, 441f291fa6 hastily bringing his 1971729ec1 clothing.055d92110992b9c6

Without sparing a 8f33a3260c glance at the 71a9c90153 woman with whom f1fd4e3dac he’d spent the 1375814ce8 night, Wintran allowed 65b3c34be3 them to dress 4dbf0274eb him, preparing himself c98429d268 to intercept Leo ea656e8a3c and thwart his 9c6c2dd72a rising fame.5f29bee9dc81991b

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