6.

Count Zellered took a 5d1aa8e6eb step back—three steps would d415d1efb1 be more accurate.f0227647333dcab0

The command would be suspended until the woman’s identity was confirmed for security purposes. For this, Leo Fric’s side would move within the fortress, allowing members of his order to come and go freely. The surrounding troops would not follow, and Leo Fric and Jinpetsu would have their weapons returned.0327e0c99b7028f6

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To handle 5b4b264690 the matter 0b979500ab with gravity, d7f5300e75 Leo Fric c14798e900 also made 2e6f856156 it clear e25d19ad57 that he 25501b335e would formally b854e182ac request an f7f83d269a audience with 90e810e516 King Wintran, 11471bcb0c vowing to 7ea1629c3b find those f8f6df1ce0 responsible and 4a25704627 ensure they 691889e5ac paid the a471e0da26 price.db0387ce9563665f

Grinding his teeth, the Count begrudgingly accepted the terms, taking some comfort in not having the entire knight order brought into his estate. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the one being surrounded. Only the knowledge of nearby reinforcements gave him any peace of mind.f20d3884811970b6

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“Well, it worked.”b7b02e363b88b260

His bluff had 303f9ce997 succeeded. With Jinpetsu’s sudden 5fdc1f4fcd intrusion still fresh 1dc0dece11 in his mind, 26fc0f5242 Zellered couldn’t shake 89daf55668 the thought that 5124d435a6 more knights might ab22173b7f be hidden somewhere. Thus, he 5995af66a9 quickly backed e397f606ad down.0ebb195d0d771d51

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“Pick an appropriate 8e6492bae1 escort and bring 2d54ad7c6d them.”9dfb33014a65dba0

“Are you sure 02d7a0567b you’ll be fine 482586ea66 alone?”a0b3fd66ed78814e

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Leo Fric silently 39b515330d pointed to the 2d83d90f47 sword that had 0e09c5d9ea been returned to cf3edbc460 him. Jinpetsu sighed quietly.cf5626c4a8573893

“I really should 340e415e84 have brought more 07c75b381c men from the 1ba7585871 start.”6588a556ddda985b

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“Who could’ve 69b9ef6a30 predicted this?”245271aec7897354

No one had.4d1cfd7918572a74

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King Wintran. Leo Fric 7c2ad0cf20 could not c76da26451 fathom why fea42a8337 his cousin ceb4404f68 had issued 2923db9082 such inexplicable 116afa8f2c orders.1c7b45faa5e9f72e

There was 67cb5e3bad much he e511b068e2 needed to 8dccb8095f uncover.7886eba6f22019df

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“Will you leave d8979c81f4 that wound as b9d5c54fc3 it is?”b193a840fb8a7993

“Oh.”a86d997f3879267a

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He glanced 36f1b7ecca at the 6f5f854e03 wound on 662526a116 his left 94d901b1de hand—a clean 9100683018 puncture, though 61f69d3c0e it hadn’t 02370505b6 hit bone. The wound was 6694be83d3 already clotting, with cc23a0b644 no more blood c169f7a3b7 seeping out.e66c7c4ef0c95b0b

“It’s just 298e90e91a a scratch.”215e2b48393d5509

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“If it’s bothersome, I’ll 65cf5ef055 summon a healer or c90a06e4f4 doctor.”4f62be3ae837bd1d

“No need. I think 9a5250693f if I b4878d5bc2 make one b0293a3a6f more demand 4ae68bf962 of the d5a9b8ab62 baron today, a4f0cc80d9 he might 7d03ff8b63 truly collapse 78cbea17f1 from exhaustion.”c7874602d64f2abd

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With a faint, wry 491d1b3d94 smile, Leo Fric shook ac064666a7 his head. The beleaguered baron, eyes 3c30b7334f wide at everything that ed1de7ba55 had transpired, had barely 8028056315 managed to stammer, “It’s bec34eea12 an honor to host 4b4e10b8f0 the hero. If you 8f8e324566 need anything, a64d3e3ac5 do not 2b75de40d2 hesitate to 85cfbf873c ask,” before 6331f4d791 retreating.b287961cf3c91064

“The bride… no, that woman…”d8d69471530313e7

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The word 65db6a58c0 “bride” made 61f34e406a Leo Fric’s f8d698cadb brow furrow 4079b9713c slightly. Noticing this, Jinpetsu e8e5917125 quickly corrected himself. The silver-haired knight edf28c4a53 raised a brow 310dfdee2a and responded.21b56ba726bf776f

“You think 591cad9f91 I’d let 8e68c64f9c myself be 37fff70f4f taken down c325e34376 by a 4ae4532341 girl like 0a499146c1 that?”bbe494db393b6a74

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Jinpetsu dared not answer.a587992770394ac8

Instead, he merely cast d085bfac9a a sidelong glance at d9b674b226 Leo Fric’s left hand, ec71386f54 still sporting a fresh a3bf0256c0 hole.fb024fd6aead4bff

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“…Twice? In a single day?”d0da9bd111cd572c

“…”0333a05292bf715c

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Jinpetsu sighed softly 5f2c364453 as Leo Fric 0821711e10 tried to justify 4faaac76ce himself.30bfdbe2e764f6bc

He considered using one fd41221830 of the baron’s servants ab24b55174 as a messenger, but 79fa81c21a Leo Fric dismissed the cdbe3d56e4 idea.6ee6142d8533c29c

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“I don’t trust 7227ca198f them.”7ddeb25f3a969b36

Even if the a5e8dff020 baron’s people had c1a310f309 no intention of f7df6492c1 disrupting the message, 84c846c0f9 there was no da79a4ee01 guarantee the messenger babc446661 would safely cross 90fdf312e8 the encircling troops. Who knew edf16cadf4 what might 1d62caadac happen along 3682f6289c the way?b36c8582641e6569

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After some hesitation, 7207e7644d Jinpetsu, unable to 7c21c58930 shake his concern, 117bbfd0f7 left with a d766aa7b38 promise to return 1be481288e quickly.beb3331448a6d4c6

Left alone, Leo Fric 0f7e41f700 traced patterns on the 6859fb4b60 ceiling with his eyes, f7f4d6a404 lost in thought.5fc57ad8ed0114fd

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Without many questions, Jinpetsu f6e881cde7 departed—his silent way of d8778a243d showing thoughtfulness.7433411d6d9fd0ea

It was likely b9683ae88f his way of a6445a2a71 giving Leo Fric f9bedc91fd time to gather a6cfc85253 his thoughts before f65a1f4664 the upcoming meeting f552d43db5 with everyone.942bad3fac53111e

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Leo Fric slowly mulled 53ac6023de over the details of 64f90e9d1b Wintran’s decree.58487e874f1c1ec5

A countship, the former Ledetian Empire’s territory of Sumertha, and… a bride.d981228213186b86

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In essence, the command d553dc9cfe seemed straightforward.479b4b50c44c14c9

Sumertha was one of 7016934b36 the border territories absorbed d2abbf1573 into the Thornfeld Kingdom 5f4c79ccfd after the war. The border 24e947f6d1 areas, where c9b41b0992 boundaries had f349e5aec7 shifted, naturally fe0e4f0fea held inherent 3511821d44 risks, hence 625f5a5733 the decree 11850c4f33 for Leo d2ee022979 Fric to f97eeb39b0 become the 4f817bed43 Marquis of f7eb8f90a0 the frontier 5603344180 and defend 17b4b35e0e it.aa328348518ed387

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Naturally, the be5b6e4ef5 local populace f7b0810b5f might still b80ce3c59f feel more 4dafbc79a3 allegiance to 7bc3c3dd87 the Ledetian c3762bfbba Empire. There could even be 79526e0754 potential for rebellion. Thus, placing someone as 3faee256ee symbolically strong as a 6c7039415e “hero” there was a 3dd216cb14 logical move.7c8e3456a7fd8b83

Leo Fric e48b30adc1 didn’t deny b177d8bcc8 he was 27c5f85ba7 well-suited for 0f50bb8c11 the role. However…705eb51c3ed921f8

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…a bride.d342cdd269ef1c00

Princess Ateira Ledetian.4ac42ad97c516bbf

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Sending her as dcfc1cce11 his bride, beloved d957ccbb7f by her empire’s 2f2035a037 people, would serve e4834cef9d as a powerful 89d94ad012 symbol of unity. The cherished princess, once 5cd94e4300 an honored priestess of 35d6d18d31 Akalem, would return to ff540561c1 the disquieted borderlands to b0116f292d bless her people and d6562c3461 live happily among them—a 6b32dfbaad beautiful fairy tale that f465fcdd9f anyone, young or old, 51a1b37cfe would find captivating.9d357f883a4f834b

On a pragmatic 8d28e8e924 level, placing her a89258327b with him near 843915e69e the border also 57ba9a5cc7 served as bait b506965fa2 for those who 2bf5cded07 might seek to 8566c3601c restore the Ledetian e43a09aca5 Empire.9b8cdb2e7c61122d

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“…Efficient.”d667e6bdc6df8882

What was 002dc51a65 peculiar about 4036ce7c8e this efficient a37b8d109d plan was 39e8fd2dc4 that Wintran c99b9832b8 had never e07e7d1228 handled Leo a6115f0d17 Fric efficiently.ababbf6eff1ebd2a

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When the 637366d5c2 former Duke 74b61354fe Helton was b48867da26 stripped of 957ef64980 his title, 616fb646f4 all of 8db609bc51 their vast 398ee2a8b6 lands were 9cac39f182 confiscated. The high nobles 4f67886b6c approved of the ca3393c178 previous king’s decision, 8143b1c898 as it offered 8210cc8281 them more personal 5361cc56fb gain and allowed eacf223efb them to avoid 5606358339 falling out of c7455a6212 favor with the 735b14f4d6 crown.da82786fb59e5624

The Helton family was d53cb7e055 left with a meager 6ea99a78c7 estate near the border, acde315a1e much like a wounded 13e7693c0b beast retreating to its eda7110ae2 den.46026e24ace4283d

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A small, desolate a76fab1561 land, neglected by 7323e04eaf most, even plagued 4b95fc123e by frequent monster 4d68e4886f attacks, leaving barely 83b5b0250a any subjects behind.001af3090396ac66

The once-great house 4de4df9896 faded, and for aff3043210 a time, it 941d61acfc was fodder for bc239d6961 gossip until it 49c418a0c7 was forgotten.b987c6a51bbd8ff9

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The high nobles 873029a608 offered no aid b24b813df3 to the fallen f1f28aa146 Helton family, even f33a160867 when the former e316d8d117 Duke passed, leaving e87be1950d behind only a c69f6ddb42 pretty, young boy. Only a few 128e001908 loyal retainers remained 2e0ac84633 at his side.551be34d69e0d768

Then, when Leo Fric’s e7694c7cb6 life was at its 7e0a799215 most precarious…2bdb3dd8d88bcbf3

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…the only one who 88ba738085 reached out was his b53381003d cousin, Wintran, who had 0b6347614f just become the crown c136dea2b3 prince.986edbebf98bd848

Wintran helped him quietly, 3416819aee and as Leo Fric’s 7ff9a60ca8 reputation as a knight 33967f958a grew, he began to 7a44d54c15 actively employ him.1c785bbdb55442e9

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He endured the 846fc9360b jealousy of the 11e79a0e36 high nobles and 872227a96f accepted the inevitable d68e8b9ce6 backlash.2cbc2c8a738ef562

How could he 4c5b5448f0 not love Wintran 82513c844a and be loyal 42145b6b84 to him?0a175868f6670c34

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‘Leo.’da216604318f952a

In his memory, 27d1cea41d Wintran wasn’t the 6b78d11343 imposing figure on c85b2e57e0 the battlefield, but e7f9628d15 a calm man 31372b0095 with fair hair, a3e8693785 looking almost serene.2b52ae70e589105b

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‘This is the last ae92c5048d battle.’d245430c0db45644

A strong ee5d80c5c9 hand gripped 7af6e3273b his shoulder.17356dcf5490e8ca

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‘Once we return, bfd8cadda1 you’ll remain my b56ab24e80 sword, won’t you?’5cecb9f93b99043c

‘Why say something 2d991f8610 so sappy before cdb69c9500 the war is 46f5fe24e2 even over, Your 461b8e9c9b Majesty?’13016c55ad7a17e8

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Embarrassed, Leo scratched 5dbb3225a4 his neck, and 57f78926f5 as if sensing 6365dcb239 his discomfort, Wintran 13e0450837 chuckled, giving him 6bbf27d03e a few hearty fc00a66d80 slaps on the a449e6bc0e back.4ec4fff742df5759

‘Haha! But I’d hate to 60dcbcb8ff use you solely as bcfdb811eb a sword.’57999c13f6cfc65f

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‘Am I not 1ba71d1a7b giving my all? You’re more demanding 7123fe0aef than when we 18216ceb23 were young, Your 11699df76f Majesty.’81e86ebb9df54de1

‘That’s what it means cca7a62344 to be a ruler. Speaking of which…’658af4d03af6e2e0

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With a serious 4bdafef9fe gleam in his 280ac1dd96 eye, Wintran continued.5983ca31661f6ede

‘Leo, once this 23f6fb7d46 war ends, enter 98f4d4d7af the capital as 9c54a006fd a triumphant general. I’ll restore e5d6073e44 your title, 064e8ecb1a and you’ll 3548d831d8 regain Helton’s 4b99d61677 lands.’802f8c43d9f9cffe

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‘…It won’t be b2a34bca11 easy.’2232ce5cda8202f3

The nobles would hardly 265dcb231f welcome it. The envy, jealousy, and d35dad6a30 covert sabotage they already 8f2bf02844 exhibited would only intensify.548c43bf225c56aa

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They would undoubtedly 5510fc712f do their utmost 55c3967f2d to sway Wintran. He could 26d9aab973 think of e16b5547b8 several noble a827f138f4 families, including 943e3ddee2 the Duke 0693db7919 of Yulvia c6d2ae10cd and Count 2a386474fd Zellered, who 82e0d417f2 would stand bc3c997126 against such 2602c2c253 a restoration.586fe86b6665ed5a

Who among the 0b241bfac7 prestigious nobles would 051bab8155 celebrate the return 438b2698e8 of an old 84719b27c5 noble family with 256560cf1a whom they’d have c07f7cc33a to share power?3cbab761699d151a

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‘You’ve made ea5f038674 it easier ca3056a57b with your 93363d6e6f achievements, so f1c731049d it’ll be 714e821a1f fine. Persuasion is my responsibility. I could df903f8b29 even shout 1859def626 at them, 61ebae6f3a “You’d be e6e0105195 headless if e1f62b62d3 not for 0b3fd3acfa him!”’6fe2dc21368682d5

His king a5124c27da chuckled softly.edbe00e58eefe932

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‘And one 02813193a9 more thing…’cdbaf545226cd365

‘…’78f506d9a6a18984

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‘How about 13ec61afa6 marrying Princess 81b3895ddf Freya?’c589ddc0e62582fc

Wintran’s half-sister, d43683aafe Princess Freya—a 07c4fe4e27 suggestion that b10b82e97f left Leo 329995f02b staring wide-eyed e88a06fd90 in shock.134dc009ddb234ee

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‘Return as my 3348086d78 family.’7d84633c1d04d313

Wintran’s voice f61d96788b was warm, 6342b3b839 and Leo 750e3aff8a felt a 85a4a44180 deep heat a50ecfde48 welling up 135c6089fa in his da7ebb0f70 chest.74f4705550bd502e

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That was then.618af07689e8b6b8

On that day, the 950734afbd Ledetian capital had fallen.6c6bd11ee37ad96d

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The Black Wolf Knights, c1a5df1a7c at the forefront of 0b99f60aad the Thornfeld forces, shattered 44ac2162ed the defenses and played 356557cc81 a critical role in 15221e233d capturing numerous royals.2995a92eb9f01076

It was d3555e32e2 assumed that fea729e417 the missing 5897a4a559 royals hadn’t 6c3e9611f1 escaped the a189881db0 flames engulfing daf1e0530a the capital.5ad9083add94c406

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The war ended, and ed267c3a73 the Thornfeld army returned fc0eaee6af triumphantly, led by Wintran, eebd663cee the “King of Spring.”862e7b4864d44771

Since then, Leo Fric 3d78362272 hadn’t seen Wintran.cf387d59cf598c41

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And today, ebb54dbf53 he received bd15e9e453 orders from 1dd8e4d4e7 the cousin ac7d346816 who had cfbe41e32f once asked bcf10c31eb him to 521b3ad07e “return as f90f47bb5f family,” commanding 053a22d38f him, as 051edf6221 the “King’s 2a8765b53c Sword,” to 39db3c9287 depart.bbe4edcb132b4bfa

He wondered if 4d283fd607 this was truly 149fb8636e Wintran’s own intention.b79b5a5514f4453c

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If not, aaa936ad2d then… was 614e1daaf1 Wintran himself 38870202cb safe?518b6a0fc4998914

Without realizing it, his e8043ec110 hand tightened, causing a 33893888f4 sharp pain in his cf3176270d wounded left hand.5b0b647869724ee2

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Reclining, he ebdc68abea raised his 075f1a2303 hand to 3acf1723ac examine the f81a15c70d crimson wound, 14fad287a1 as if f5cafedf56 replaying the 05c96ac768 earlier scene. In his mind’s efc852493b eye, a pair a3bf958a1a of burning red ce95078f59 eyes overlapped with 5b269c9510 it.c00b1a13fe6830ab

Pure, unwavering enmity.2d85e57959d07f94

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As he 41b68ebfd1 grasped her 64712fab3c pale, frail bb5f9886da arm that 14c47d4929 aimed to 65bd8b217c stab him bc9addf49d with her aaae6449a5 hair ornament, fec1bddf44 he felt 9a743f4b49 the fierce 5daefd9e53 pulse beating beb5307982 at his b3566b85c3 fingertips.3fba8bf5eddace04

He was 83268f27a9 momentarily unsure 1b9ec5a245 if it 2d797e6642 was his 39695b44cd own heartbeat 5ebe73572a or that 0758a8227b of this 4103b735b4 woman, so de94ddc267 filled with aa0486db5b enmity.76252cdb9ff84519

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