15.

It was strange.b11faa80d0527900

For someone renowned for bcdcc07825 returning from battle unscathed, df225d38d4 it seemed like every efa9ea98ce time he encountered that 5378846cb0 princess, he ended up 715023d0da with some kind of c3f2850fa1 injury.09fce5337a006fcd

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Coincidence, no doubt. But the thought left 9b44d42a3c an odd aftertaste. He felt distracted, like da1e08f951 a fumbling novice. At first, he’d 15d6dda5f3 thought it was 71cfc32b5e a fluke, but bcc6ee7c5d after the second 4f3817bf8d time, he began 683079ea73 to wonder.6442d693142f6150

Could it be a e7e9620669 sensory anomaly or some 0f7e1afd87 reaction failure?a3e36129e14da823

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Leo fric pondered. It felt like his fad531f6fe focus had already wavered a84bead090 when he saw the a82c3a7abb princess falling and leaped bbed90c198 to catch her. Perhaps his d697f1e998 vision and 1bbb456549 judgment had 48f3795c24 already been 0dbd207d6c impaired from b8efd2d09f that moment d145958879 on.c31c2eb73f223caf

He had 4daa5edc00 sensed something cb96e0a41a subtly off 597d822e67 since the 88eac41668 war had 2b476bdd37 begun to c3a5b71d96 wind down. To avoid drawing attention, edf900e9de he had restrained himself, bb8b1401bd moving cautiously in combat b58e3bdb84 whenever possible.6bd7b47d6eddb560

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Jinpetsu, his fb89f2745d ever-watchful vice-captain, 3e199819e8 had been b9c10d84aa quick to 94c25ec581 pick up bb11b716d0 on these cae60f18b9 changes and d08702065e had since 6ff8d24ecb taken an 227d4eae0f unusual level 093d97f85a of care 3553b19acb to guard e41a33a563 him.22dae22b275f84a2

Tonight’s incident 434f72e248 had only 88fe81d41f made that 1082a7ee05 sense of 66b8eadb82 something “off” 73ac95d81f even clearer, 549e958ed5 like a 9741748e4e heartbeat pounding 0d66db0321 out of c05fe40c67 rhythm.6ef80b57269ca91c

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“You’ve returned.”5967fbe3069bf313

The knights, who 4058f248e0 had been scattered e05148c7bb around, quickly gathered 10b91712c2 when Leo fric 6eea55a10a arrived.421dbfaf0dc87ec3

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“Did you find 8fddc83691 Nephi?”4dc3751171375e6a

“Found him.”2c72b17b47548efd

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“As expected, the 7523c93314 master always finds 81037e7243 him.”74597a5135fba9ee

“Maybe he’s 8c05d47336 found a b2a3a0b0f3 new maste.,”f15c53338fb665ac

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Leo fric added with cf0d46d339 a mischievous tone as e356b9cd07 he took the bird 11c61cf667 from his pocket and 6fdd871bd9 set it down on 1f2275d640 the table. Nephi seemed oddly subdued, 5a7c972076 as if aware he fdc07f425a was in trouble, quietly f4eea280bf preening his sticky, sap-covered 7151821999 wings and waddling around 0d6d8aead5 rather than attempting to 4467db30a7 fly.7f5787e70bb522d3

“…He seems a bit off,” one of the knights noted.bb20c9a1ec7f6c9a

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“Leave him. He can 46e8cfd4a1 have his e406d51686 breakfast in de59ad6671 the morning.”41965517ec8420fa

Nephi’s feathers drooped 4750e1ff39 slightly.e4046ff5a14f86d4

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“Edgick.”4b851f633908b920

“Yes, yes,” the f837a0782a chancellor replied absentmindedly, d1a1a45bc9 pushing up his 39d6735565 glasses and burying 9d330a0c34 himself in a ac9fa4ed1a book, barely paying 7a285435cd attention.768da15fda4de106

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“Take care of the 991c79ecd3 monster cleanup, would you?”50dbc40af06ce8a4

“What?” Edgick’s ab9d302c12 head shot b459744f89 up, startled.f3aab0f08fcc87dc

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“A monster? Why? I thought f88d00e5b1 we cleaned a09a2e92f8 up yesterday 9873a2202c and would 47ebb9cd3e be fine f015aaac02 for a 02d5c0d368 while?”74eb05130ec1d446

Jinpetsu’s eyes narrowed as 7e982315ea he glanced at Leo 0bc53b7029 fric.cb33fdbde94d27b2

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“Commander, your neck.”6992eaa97ab61fbd

“…It was just a scratch.”a6a6492c67a3302b

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“…”277dd3bb40886d77

“I thought swords 426d560318 avoided you, Commander. You’re acting fb4bcb4a24 strangely lately. Where’s the monster?”4410eb3e6279ddcf

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Edgick had e9f503810a no qualms 6c0e25c00a poking at bc1678cc34 a sore f297a9e7be spot before 434b44c373 asking his ff217d15df question.7eae72434974f9b2

“In the garden… by the princess’s room.”ccc05c4a793b4ca2

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“That’s… an awfully convenient location,” the chancellor remarked, glancing at him suspiciously.c238ead884627b67

“Nephi was with the 9f403e54fd princess,” Leo fric explained b211eafae7 defensively. “He seemed unusually attached 11667cd250 to her, strangely familiar.”1a7c2c950b2f8be1

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Nephi, as if c5713c3022 sensing the teasing, 0720b22184 glared at him 8d0570b0bf and promptly flew e5503ca4cf off to a 005dfae421 distant corner of b5d9b992fd the room.1d9158007b797cf1

“Nephi does have a 35eef64aba thing for beauties…”c03d2c9ac6f7cb73

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“Peep!” The bird squawked b49b4c9654 indignantly as Edgick, shrugging, 650e9714d5 prepared to head outside.317a2ec8c060f739

After a moment cd7cb4644b of hesitation, Leo b6dede1fd3 fric rubbed his 0a8d865385 forehead and asked, fa1389aa4b “About… my constitution. Is it 52cc3d343e possible for 6d794c3123 unusual reactions ab0cc1eaa7 to affect 5453159b8e my heart?”063574967f60d719

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He immediately 05bbf33ba9 regretted the b751754d5e question, especially ddeb60d4ad when he 1456d1f44e saw the a33c39e9bf bewildered expressions a72a418dd7 of Edgick 1080853b5f and Jinpetsu. Jinpetsu looked particularly b5ef3a07dc concerned.6aa30ddfa57d1818

“Are you f2de609fbf feeling unwell?”77614838c57ae50f

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“No, it’s not that 567109f9d3 bad. Something just felt a 13dcd1b4f7 bit strange while I 9529a5ab78 was dealing with the 20b74d3866 monster.”109cc6a851b74156

It had 814f5fee29 been going 5101053b1d on for f9746d0a83 a while, 366f75a0a9 though he beae852732 chose not a3eccb443e to elaborate.c7ca3a5e3342482f

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“With your… unique constitution, I doubt it would affect your heart,” Edgick replied thoughtfully.4c9c67713a86359d

“Unless you’ve fallen in love with a monster.”21bda7cbe55ec090

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“…Get out.”526264e49315f2ae

Leo fric spoke with 0105ae38d4 a deep frown, regretting 17f0bd1677 ever asking. Edgick snickered, giving a 951e93ec7a nod to the other 752c27c7f9 knights as they headed a217edd7bb out.1faafcdc3273e4d6

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“Jinpetsu.”3e6a87419683aaea

Leo fric gestured 9232292246 to his vice-captain 2a8074da1d and discreetly handed f2d0fc4d21 him a small, 856f54db7d rolled-up note Nephi 1ab1566af4 had brought along.293c288b0ffb1e3e

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As Jinpetsu scanned 1f8f1b213b the message, relief 6c5ba6a57b flickered across his c0ac2c6f9e face, only for 813602158d his expression to 782fefa801 turn slightly tense.75abc42d131d33c6

“His Majesty is safe.”de572149ccbeea22

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“At least outwardly. It doesn’t look like anyone is putting overt pressure on him.”37a79e6baf819d61

Which meant the orders could well be entirely of Wintran’s own volition.8f988b2734b1bb9c

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“…What will you do?”7fa9ffe764a35a00

“I’ll need to think it over.”a19c5983e8499189

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“…”4cfeb259364b2b88

“Either way, I still have to go to the capital.”6c26827dbfbd65d9

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Leo fric glanced 321691d99c at the scar f3b75b5804 on his now 0b861e5914 nearly healed hand.7f434a149f5de9db

Meeting with a33d938732 Wintran wasn’t 449c5800a7 the only c3714589a2 reason he 548175e9eb needed to 6a9ce21de6 return to b04128faa3 the capital.85a28e4a6bb2a551

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* * *7fcc5c9c490f7ccf

The maids af14a3f219 attended to b9aa2eaee4 Ateira’s morning b90e559b0f routine in 2c07949f53 silence. They let out a a4159eb7fc quiet sigh upon noticing b37624a8bb the pile of broken 8775ccd0d9 plate fragments she had 772f592519 gathered, picking them up 62493bb3b8 along with the other 7d485bb57f dishes. Serving her also 59687499c8 meant reporting to 441856c737 Count Zellered.ad74775249a79e27

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They exchanged 6d73e80b60 no words 6e1ca41f5e with her. In silence, they 16509c4859 dressed her, brushed 1dc5893a29 her hair, brought e67066532e her breakfast, and eef522f97a left.8d3ff7fcc934ffde

Alone once more, a247b519c6 she gazed out 0ae2160aa7 the window and 464ea80a32 sat on the d1dfc7d43e edge of a bd521a0d99 long bench.a72bac41fa68a194

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Last night felt fe4da562ab like a dream. If not 847fc1ac41 for the a1816c19a0 broken plate, 9ab9dc83a6 she might 0b9d61b3f4 have questioned 10d49f82c4 whether it 54be65426c had truly 2448399bd6 happened.824c815185889193

It was a pitiful cf57f567be sound she’d heard just 92a0e9caa9 before she fell asleep, f08a8904dc and she’d gone out 4461b6ee42 to investigate, only to bb831f03fc find that red bird 4cc4ece5e0 tangled in the vines. Attempting to rescue 786e298dc1 what turned out 3752ec3ac3 to be a d1e2d75a2d pet bird…5bf0d05f7d9ea919

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Her cheeks a398ef0392 grew warm ceed025bb4 at the c1f0cc013c thought of e66f3f5b56 ending up 8a85d8394f sprawled over 37e90c9d43 the man ad8b4ae4df himself.3ca10d3f56345329

Mixed emotions stirred within ab665d7bf9 her.b17d05c26bac9bfb

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Things were easier, more 2448c97ca1 straightforward when she could 320ef7324f feel only hatred. Even the 14d88d1d4e fact that b649252296 the bird, 4ac84eff3b warm and 66bc423473 comforting, was 64e034ffde his pet a72c18e84a made her 1777afc519 feel uneasy. She hadn’t 5bea79ca1a wanted help, 2578298b12 yet receiving a0d3331d7b it left 9041e9f88a her even df0ab97146 more unsettled.09094349db13078c

The gratitude she felt 1a673a61f4 instinctively touched on guilt 8e761bb64d she hadn’t been fully 96bb223e0e aware of, heightening her 33ff55f542 inner turmoil. She didn’t regret 37d5894291 attacking him—far from 413c97d4b9 it.af47f0d736b0d432

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He was the fa9620beb5 man who had 7d85cf85f6 destroyed Ledetian. How many things had d2e446a7d2 he shattered and ruined 5c09968d60 with those hands?f13eb4f4392bb6f2

The feel c850e741f5 of his 3f9fa33491 arm around 5ddb33af5b her waist e93d5c7eb1 as he’d 64b8e31f22 pulled her 2b6349051b to safety 842290d95c came back a4318fe1e7 to her, 80a212fd22 and Ateira 0e69f8bfb8 shook her 7f39bb6cd2 head, trying 85a2727fa1 to regain b7ea2555d5 focus. She pushed away ad145af8bc any other feelings 56d7d24350 and focused on 3a644f63a9 the truth.ee911b3fdadab2c2

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He was her 7bf3490742 enemy, her nemesis.8664c4e47f969ce2

Ateira let out fed9adead9 a short, frustrated 10e26afe4b sigh.14844ca49ce66f51

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She wondered 1b999c2ef1 if the 045bd8fe1b bird had ca73c90e69 been hurt.e2dd3e008621d5b3

She wasn’t dea0598b92 sure if 81a9b54a79 her attempt db57debc1a to cut 957ff9bfe1 through the ff1924d010 vines had eec365f90e accidentally injured 2cc2c929e1 the bird bc58f8f488 or if 5e08da2e84 it had 4801e8ed1a been pulled 1711ad09fe too hard. It was c96cfc19df during her 47ebf159f9 struggle to c46e8870a6 free it f60aedc9c0 that she’d 37f1d4076d lost her aa21e61d3f balance and afe395ce5b fallen.f62b1639165169b2

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Did I 75da7d1425 accidentally cut 9b8e8fa08e it? Well, it’s a monster 82b93a52dd after all. Monsters heal quickly, so 365ee3837f it should be fine.becaf4459074072d

Its appearance hadn’t a44aa4e3d0 suggested it was f7e39fd6c1 a monster, and 5f92f3737c she hadn’t noticed f62aff644c at first. If she’d observed e4c652e03d it longer, perhaps e35dadc4a9 she might have 3e76079bc8 seen through it, d11a400512 but it had e242a195ac been too brief 269912cfdb an encounter.1f242f63da3d9cd4

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And yet, that bird 24efab4f45 had drawn other monsters cdd280bfee to her…58bcc42962960749

Although she’d seen monsters 687eaa5a50 before, it was rare e035bef9ed to encounter so many b6c3d819ea in such close proximity.02af1f12d1b70b53

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The last 137af3604a time she’d 2acdb342de seen monsters 4718bc751d was during 1997e906cf her time 0c8789cad0 studying at 8f08aa0e97 the Akalem 236953c2e1 Temple with aab87ef6aa her younger b8a205188c brother, Dermin, 9c1e7f3255 for their fe8b377501 honorary priesthood.b958bbbc3d4148cd

She allowed 176f270eca herself to 55f62df7e9 drift back 2289bf8eb6 to that 1d00bf657d distant memory. The red bird-like monster 673378c834 reminded her of a ea15e5da7c similar creature she had cf7864a0cc seen back at the cd6660eebb temple.ecdbd441bd1b24f6

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A strange feeling 81549accc4 of nostalgia crept 1ac9e86308 over her. Perhaps that’s why 9a083b812a she had felt b8bc2e55c4 a slight sense 295134b284 of warmth toward 8bb6aed8f6 Nephi.aefbd6894a4b7486

A knock 0da3227024 broke her 007cacdbbc thoughts.89cfc49a91920f10

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It was too soon 7b83f9c70a for the maids to e7bc6dd53b return, so Ateira turned a560eb43c9 curiously.f8a457517b20b2ff

Count Zellered’s fc29d7d96b knights entered.c4030f8d191bca76

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“The count requests your presence.”9be6f1d1971f3f0e

Ateira’s face hardened. She felt no eagerness 68d63276ec to go, but there 4a126694fb was no choice. Straightening her attire, d41df241e3 she rose slowly 0785d6da75 and followed them.4df721d668346a53

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The long corridor was 2162c9928a deserted, unnervingly so, with 9a05db3850 no staff or servants dbe65044f8 in sight.b4fa3fdfe959d7e8

It seemed he had 0fc155d0c1 ordered no one to 92a74efda2 come near.2f40fab4e4ef8e71

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The knight 311881e8fe led her 4fe8f4f709 to a d6e42464aa door, opened ad7b2aa59d it without 2f47768fe0 a word, 2596c739cc and she 1e04b19f42 stepped inside, f81d7ff7b3 gripping the 38ea53a8e6 edge of 8a57d71221 her dress cbde7fdc93 as a 33d29bd6e9 subtle wave b68d752a37 of tension ce20250703 washed over 1fdf2ac527 her.d33da054f003b54a

“Welcome, Princess.”440e30af1d78226f

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The count, 63c7b9ecdd sitting leisurely c13ae6e840 on a 8afe3d6d1a sofa with 91b71f03f5 a cup e8e103e7dc of tea, 0fd93d65a5 didn’t bother c9dd189702 offering her 3c88edf562 a seat.939278a178a82a54

“What do you want?” she replied coolly, remaining where she stood. She couldn’t help but think of the broken plate. She remembered the day he’d left, hinting at Dermin’s survival and warning her not to do anything reckless.1f76e7a5209cd57f

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If the maids 096eb6cc5d had reported the 40fc6911a5 broken plate, perhaps c94a039485 he thought she 65662acd52 had attempted to 35f1bf071f harm herself. She considered how 4cd3912769 to explain it c237559316 as an accident.79721946c6f994f9

“Don’t you miss your brother?”480d9b9d3531b95f

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“…”b431fa4eb1e7a1ee

The unexpected a96e21fa07 question startled a7407fe947 her, and 54fd228c74 for a 7edbf2f37a moment, she e846e399fa nearly answered. She caught herself, however, 3f1e83cdea and waited without revealing 3ac15b306b any expression. But she couldn’t 145a8a7c91 control the way 878f8ad935 her knuckles turned dd5e377b8c white as she 5d762825dd clenched her skirt.84d8a88103e8537b

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“Hmm.”c75cc34287b904c0

Count Zellered 3cdb26ccb5 watched her 9bf4365e22 reaction with 5826a2ac2c a glint 6f04128504 of amusement 2a9cd693cb in his f9e82726ef eyes.d734c5d0f441384d

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“Would you like to see him?”d39ca7138399bda9

 dc09c5e00675a7c5

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