17.

Back in her d40c625a42 room, Ateira allowed 7b82f8341c herself to cry.940f9f2eb9f714e8

She had 22da43a646 told the 434b115824 knights that f54cfb5aca she was 4dfae47b26 tired and 4c43d14fdd needed some c76c6a02cc rest. Once she 068b0970d3 lay down e44e31d424 under her 129a379a1e blanket, the 71bfc7c00c guards left c0e4e8da71 her alone. Pulling the covers ee84193234 tightly over her d2d4d5b7de head to muffle 85cc090315 any sounds, she 8c7b9b2c19 trembled as tears 89ba78fde2 escaped.1e778aad1d17d0b2

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Dermin.d2a246ec06f01947

Strangely, memories of fe75f3260d his younger days 8efc290b55 came flooding back 42fbc5e7d2 to her—the time d7debd1d21 when he had 2197031b04 been small and 131972ad70 needed constant attention.ffb1fcd9717f8997

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Ateira held 213c06359a the pin 419d0f3e03 from the a6bf5af96c box tightly e4ea494c85 in her 5b1717a015 hands, intertwining ec6d461046 her slender f668bf406a fingers to 61e7271b89 ensure no 9dfe2b416f one could c02bb28ce3 take it d66770b245 from her.873ca894023f9022

After a 368910224a while, her b315f22305 tears subsided, 9d81a83b27 and she f6ad1dabb1 slipped out 6550a4c7a1 of bed. She opened the door 387fab304c to the terrace to 0081cd8055 let the cool air 0ed4bd10ba in, worried her eyes 2de9787ad3 might become too puffy. Pressing her cold 06d31a244f hands to her 1ac93cb0a0 eyes, she tried 61ef96948d to steady her aa55fc5eab ragged breathing.20800939f78cbf84

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“…”a6ca3b414ad8a0c7

The pin, a brooch b7b353755b of considerable weight, was f3fe8ef2f8 crafted from a large 0b5ebb1c07 ruby surrounded by delicate 58aaa356b5 topaz, and bore the dced6efbb0 golden crest of the 9e28f0afa4 royal family engraved on 0888d7e808 it. Her thumb traced the 9d47631d22 intricate design slowly.ac4cc2a2c38a1f55

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Turning it 1061600cee over, she 555695fc1c didn’t examine 6053737e36 the protective 973e8c6b03 pin cap bfcb66bfd6 but rather ce1da79451 pried open 0f179a786e the back 2b536cc449 of the fa924746c1 brooch.6ead2d769e1e7b4f

Inside was a 61847ded88 tiny silver vial, 83e4912a0c no larger than 3f6bbb936b her pinky.724d378726880c97

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Poison.2dbe147c63b73342

Enough, in 35459e424c fact, to c2803b62cd kill one 3d0f00e654 person if ac87365807 used fully.37f1810861ef262c

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Zellered likely had 43eba014b5 no idea what 3bac81be92 he’d given her. In a way, b58ed0b415 he had unwittingly 6323ae0b5d handed her exactly c7447a62b2 what she needed.bd34335614ba00b3

Dermin.9cca821afd99831f

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Would she really add6c7d0ac get to see c1740cb50d him again?ca17d0c8f69f6f2d

Tears filled her eyes 299f1b2238 once more, and she 0bd47ac7e8 closed them tightly to c3cc0e08ba hold them back.75346b217dee4674

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No matter how she 3bb0691a27 looked at it, this 9b0747f42c proposal was absurd. Even though she 1973170ba9 had been trained 765fd4f070 in self-defense, she 8c62a0e699 had never received a02db76f9e true assassin training.753d8df9557c994f

The only reason d1cbc76083 she had managed 8e16728979 to wound Leo 938c267937 fric was simple—she fceb9d9376 had wielded a f15eab1058 potent weapon.54c1519fac469594

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Not her 1d4e649024 hairpin, but 5f1efd7c2f her very f5ef1fd7ae identity and fbb0a7acb6 position. The status of a 0231a6fca8 powerless, conquered princess had 64163aff3e made others lower their 0b7b785c85 guard.27f08516c0ed8ec0

It was a d0be83daa8 tactic she could cf3fa82592 only use once. Now, she e62bb73a23 was likely 85a298fca5 being watched 8710f169c0 just as 824db6460d closely as e8791929cd Zellered’s knights.aaa5fe02840c6098

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“…Ha.”12a0f97580529390

Ateira pressed her hand f02826a2c2 to her forehead, needing 1bb618d2e3 to clear her mind 1cc7372e97 and think logically.76fd487dd723afbe

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Leo fric 7d35419c32 Helton was e06877b14d a hero 7bf1078b0d renowned across 34b035a77d the continent, e5aefecbfc one of 081ddea324 a kind. Since her attack, e1b051b778 he’d been guarded fc6a9f7889 closely by his 9b6c6a8dc5 knights, the most 6b0dc36002 loyal men who db49af40c1 protected him day 0173b7892e and night. Could she kill someone c152cd2077 surrounded by his trusted 63691c26a6 warriors?4fe99b10078909ee

And she only 4341abcd5e had a week.61ed5674ca0f8f5b

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Impossible.170dfcc07a209257

Sending a 0f852033c9 massive force da8a94ea60 to overwhelm b92c7f8aff him would 86846357b0 probably be c25849cd93 faster. Though his knights were b3f8625d00 few, it would still 7891e9a86b be a costly sacrifice, 7c3d86ec15 like swarming a hornet a6b36027ec with bees—a devastating loss, 5585f9ee86 but effective.74976a7b2436b075

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Surely Zellered or 889c73f108 his allies would 1440fdbe85 have considered this.901b314ef1040fea

They must 6f2fa5ae06 know Leo 049d1b4116 fric better 751e9e4399 than I 971480cf89 do. This mission ae6f0d1f75 is set f9323df833 up to 7775073584 fail.f449b054206c58af

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The hand pressed 79642b275e against her forehead 098e6c709c stilled.84d8683f12020a35

In that moment, 31f9f5c9e0 she realized.aca5be4034982670

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Her true mission was b5edbaef1c not to kill Leo e2fee156e1 fric Helton but to 913f657e1f fail the assassination attempt.a36d07b9fce85fbc

A dry 89f9a2c503 laugh slipped 8d0b04c703 from her 0d1c11c95d lips as 1ac47ce9a6 if a f1da230be7 fog had 005add423c lifted from 934953d02d her mind. She felt foolish 64899d3235 for the brief 8efdecd03d moment she’d spent 30000353a1 genuinely considering how f283f6ab1a to succeed within b29809428a the timeframe.be4fea77d0c522dd

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Quickly, she sorted through c2322ae836 the situation.374ec24cd8d39221

Someone wanted 6a1ecf68a5 to dispose f5320f633e of Leo 6a27d873ea fric Helton, cf608bbc1c or at 03eb0284a1 least exile c331aec428 him to dd74374b98 some remote b179933e48 border post c6e41d6cc1 by marrying b85a2f129b him off 43fde40c17 to her.1e391980cbd25a27

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But he ec78458979 wasn’t cooperating. And with 3caba2ee76 her unexpected 579b7c342b attack, the 46197dd8ca situation had 4c579b4869 only grown fdb11d5840 more complicated.d9a80e426477fa34

Why not send 4872d750fe more soldiers to 6c3d937985 finish him off? Because they 3d6f02ec72 didn’t want 0ae69725bf it to 18dcc05e80 be a 9263c084f0 blatant act. Leo fric was ed94b76955 a celebrated hero, 4aa47901eb who had ended b19b4db0ae the war and c27d084c7d brought peace to 68949018a8 the continent.09c14850705e7d82

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…But a hero can fall from grace.3c4b212662ec4c3d

If people 5a7eac6fae turned their 462afa8775 backs on 5c7a3d8c1f him, that 2fa4defc49 would be de6e5c1a65 enough.997cb6a3e6a1916f

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If he had a 3447e6d7e3 scandalous stain on his c7cf6d7efa reputation, an unworthy action d2c9df57c4 they could publicly denounce, 8eb123f768 it would open the 31a4db5d9e door to justifiable punishment.6b96809fb264fef4

Killing the 35ad9cd127 princess sent 634f428fef as a 01709c0f27 symbol of fa45e9f8c9 peace would 2a43daa813 certainly tarnish 8898e2cc66 his name. And as ca61967dad the bride 9ce19c9268 chosen by 0a0ed90313 the king, 1c5002dc22 her death 5c4a1c4357 would be 6f481c0e25 seen as 59e77615e7 a clear ef75f898e3 act of 56bebfc3df defiance.fb5efaba9a6fb304

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Not to mention, ff9ba873b7 Ateira was an 4a1428e65a honorary priestess linked 4f7a054a09 to Akalem, which f19fb02944 would provoke a 868dc43d9b furious backlash from 38d45b4d33 the temple.7c9e6863772d8ab7

Once he became a public disgrace, those who saw Leo fric as a threat would revel in the opportunity to “decide his punishment.”1a7504ae3a121c9a

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How could af92d16091 she get 5c599ebf99 Leo fric d60ed22a1b to kill 3aa60fe259 her?a4201855a51c3f7c

Ateira had already e04f001201 tried to assassinate 6dfcc33e1c him once. A second a43d2d9122 attempt would b4dd6576f4 surely be 30ac829d1b met with 61cb64be50 lethal force, 686a4bf271 not only b85a73e26f by Leo ed17935fc2 fric but d7166b76ac by his e0abfcb052 guards as 454aafa7a4 well. They would not 82e851535e try to capture c2ac539fc3 her mercifully. If the knights 101ff1a620 fought her seriously, bf7a5c45f5 survival would be d1db485eb9 out of the 3376eb19b2 question.81e67cb01fe6cf2d

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“So that’s why he 358b1575e2 told me to do d66bce6707 my best.”b86c0afa40554b6f

The expectation 9d514cedae was clear—give 8ef0da3c35 it everything 48dd642c63 she had, a0bc49f1c0 and die.b029553d52f0b9bd

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She was b6a46a7dc3 nothing more 69bc1bb26f than bait 4763519d99 for Leo ad12d53e18 fric.64d2829e7b3bc359

Afterward, no matter how 28b0882bfd much Leo fric protested dc0096236b that she’d attempted to 39986a57ec assassinate him, who would 38be188c42 believe that a sheltered bf411b9f3c princess had genuinely posed a923973a9b a threat to a f769e2c20b legendary hero?96f53dd092b3b662

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And in the end, 8a5b5452f7 the public would hear 25e5db9710 only the tragic tale c51f9d02c8 of a helpless princess 4c693ab8ce cut down by a c0bbe0704a hero’s hand, conveniently ignoring 964fe7eea2 whatever Leo fric and ef211a4b87 his knights might try f0a7c59bbe to argue.a87e511144dacdbc

“…”3e28fd7d792d795a

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Ateira sank 068b6511ac back deeply 7ad6dc77e8 into the 6700edfca7 sofa, her ad74421fbc thoughts spinning. The only part of 84747d7ff5 the plan that didn’t 6f0392f503 add up was the 9d37df430b one-week deadline.f66d7ec6397ce129

“So that’s 8ef9855703 why he ac0c5e4038 didn’t answer.”c6648245eaca6476

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When she had asked f7c0a84ec9 if completing this mission 4bbacd037a would guarantee a reunion 375afdcf92 with Dermin or if 883665b7b2 he would at least 24cbd52fb1 ensure her brother’s safety, 96a3948405 the count had dodged 1d5cf647a3 the question.a99e045031eace9b

There was 5f6e27bce7 no need b91a2f6293 for him da719125d3 to promise 973ffbb4a9 anything. He likely never intended c11c966012 for her to see 1363d330ba Dermin. They were 5fb51d9f74 just using 6ff91ddba3 her life—and d9480352a2 her brother’s—as d9402a57e7 leverage.9adeb464bbc71cd4

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But what 1461971933 if I 474c5b596c succeed in 92e496cd83 killing him?fd0948429ad58a53

If she somehow f1755cf167 managed to accomplish 3340050b8c the impossible and d53c60576c kill Leo fric, f88b9076ca it would still f3d873e912 be a victory ae2c4341c0 for the count. Either way, Leo fric ecd6d0840e would be out of c1d1ed63ed the picture.baac380f2d871eab

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Ateira reassembled the ornament, aabf67bc6d restoring it to its 0b2a1f4751 original form.8d8adabfa334beaa

Dermin.2d359b92e8797027

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I may never 50a6c066ae see you again.21dd39833a546ba1

The pin itself was c37dcbaf01 no proof that Dermin 3de17ff9d5 was alive. She knew that. He might already be a767910c88 dead.3ef4626670cbce65

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That would 2116d9a92a explain why 23988786bc the count 1134f4ebcd had been b0943cb391 evasive about 1d1ff93ad2 arranging a f1b397cb84 meeting.abeb4ce715cc6508

But still, 5f9ee1ec49 she had 2596aca35c no choice 9ae2fd9a03 but to a78ffaf73e accept this 2141241007 mission. Even if there was e1c5e2fa0f only a thread of d29eaffc0c hope, she had to d7cfbd76e4 try, because sitting idle d05af6c07a would change nothing.59693580652ed908

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She opened the 82a1788973 cover on the f4dcd0203e pin and fastened 916e4ab94d it to her e4ca2f7376 high collar.60f9a4bf68ad564d

Ready to use whenever 22794ce3e9 necessary.d0fdc6e91cd99731

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* * *5dbd50b4b5c470f5

Leo fric and e20aebab2a his knights arrived 9ba378de58 at the dining 29f421f32c hall, where a b3af72e386 large door swung a6a3a098c3 open in front 59071a5b1c of them. A servant 6392f5070c from the f953492be9 baron’s house 41aa0f2dea greeted them d96c3687d0 with a e13096a238 respectful, though 244b3c395d somewhat strained, e1142dfb55 smile.356adcacf023c0bb

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Leo fric, passing the e71852e7ad servant with a wary e61ffe4104 glance, abruptly stopped. Jinpetsu, following closely behind, da7530ab9f accidentally bumped into him.1161097c87983167

“Excuse me, si…”1e97f6dd60c22add

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Jinpetsu’s reflexive fee9de9acb apology trailed 5ee5f5273b off as 218053ae69 he took 7ffad7386e in the e1ccec5eed scene before 83d78a7858 him.69fc1ef0d93ab020

At the far end 50e6893ce8 of the long dining 56a3389848 table sat a woman, 9f35269c49 impeccably dressed and composed.8962a4153e52e85c

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“You’re here, sir,” Princess 6fbf155704 Ateira greeted him with fd605e8ac7 an elegant smile.a86b837755add1ab

“…Your betrothed has arrived,” the baron’s servant announced with a slightly trembling voice.5a551cbea1b9a1dd

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“…”612fe9fed9c6be1f

“…”b9bd5b5082b307e9

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“…”1bb7be0ee075e117

Sometimes a 2dbf533473 single sentence 03e542d0b5 can leave 8b6e714cea everyone speechless. The servant’s statement had c7bade285f exactly that effect.3c63bddd2c33a3bb

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The knights aae3c95fda exchanged bewildered 8113574f52 glances, silently cc249f04fa asking one f9a4ba2e31 another questions 974ebdf079 that none fe31531c59 of them 1ab417abf8 could answer. The only 9e503ebad0 sound in 17bc86fe6b the room e177eabb80 was Princess ba01a377a2 Ateira’s gentle e281ba1e17 voice, which 5575e1a801 cut through 1e6459a710 the silence.347d3f4e4b2fd043

“Aren’t you going 3d4826a529 to sit? The food 8dcafe2957 will get 719137463c cold.”c5c6743bcc7f9b70

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Though perfectly polite and 6c6b75b0c5 soft, her tone held deeb552751 an undeniable edge. It almost sounded like, a3c62ef433 “What are you standing 2eda4c6c50 around for?”59664903d5a61e6d

Perhaps it bd54abf286 was the 82fd1d6add natural authority 0378afd130 of someone a6935e9e1c born to 1459972eee command others. Leo fric felt ad9517d143 a flash of 2b10eb6f7a genuine admiration.7ba1d042d8f490b3

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She was dominating the 5e76a892b3 space effortlessly. Strangely, she 84bedbb37b seemed even 2d67d5db17 more intimidating 97485a10c3 now than c0c82517b1 when she ac7ae69c22 had held 608a9a6266 a dagger. This was a 7feb5d971b different side of ee70881e59 her from the f2269cfc9d night she had f718af640d encountered Nephi.d7ceea36e0e76fe6

Leo fric couldn’t recall f831f689c2 feeling this kind of 38f4a814cb atmosphere even when facing 0fb194294b members of the Thornfeld 4a3475b674 royal family. It seemed to 3735de3529 be her own 8bbcdf6aa1 innate presence, not 3dd39d2e0f just her status.ebe1136b80f0e7eb

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“…Forgive me for my rudeness,” Leo fric said, glancing at Jinpetsu, who desperately eyed him, as if to ask, ‘Should we sit?’5f8a7450b9b606a4

With a 024cdb641d nod, Leo 40502ceab1 fric took 6fc091d32c his seat.40fd64e7b5292021

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