BRC Ch 2

Light.00eb787a21bafcf5

“Good morning, Ensley.”1867808b76234f50

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Even with my eyes bc1f957094 closed, the light was 8f00da1f5d so intense that I 933ee90894 covered my eyelids with b304b084af my hand.d255e1c230bc7d30

“Get up already. You’ve been 04ab3dc48d singing about 96de555a39 how you 88adf23334 wished this 7fd4964a39 day would 78eb45107c come quickly bf17525c85 since last 8cfb20baa7 month.”8b51085ae2294919

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The surrounding 6ff77f5a45 noise became 5d3aa97bf9 clearer and dc52c939ab registered as 27fc265e3f a voice. When I slightly de54c70c9b opened my eyes, 6a57b1504b the light wasn’t 50140b9d15 as harsh as 17f79f7125 I’d thought. Sunlight streamed through the c9d63f6034 open window, and the 219e42ea03 hem of the thin 71c2d304b2 curtain fluttered in the 0b018eed20 breeze.f8e2f583ecf7bbe2

A soft fabric 02621b9050 brushed against my c21a126199 fingertips. I was lying 462395241c on something soft. The ceiling 1b3564d4de and walls b7e4d90daa were entirely fc2e7c5335 a dark 9181915c4d gray hue. As I tried 0c9eaa261a to make sense 02dfd4bcc4 of the situation, edee8ed36e someone’s voice interrupted 163180dacf my thoughts.cb50c5221d3b47aa

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“Are you 11cbd7a920 going to 6a3d0b873f lift that 6a3e0199dc heavy backside 9c6e49baa2 of yours dd34050b3b or not? Don’t you 2d9b11cb39 know a 17e4e7a98d knight should cf5c619e21 be diligent?”4348847aa340382a

‘How dare she lecture c394b42279 me? Is she 8331722e85 out of 4ecd95495b her mind?’05888dc2fcd50c4d

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Before anger, surprise d11adaa5c5 took over, and 682fb624dc I closely observed 778026a469 the woman. There was no 43da2a88a4 way a maid 106e1ac8b0 who treated me a0bd1ff11c so casually would 0dcec9ccde be among the 5e51693d8a crowd, yet her 5d6e2aac17 face and voice 1ea4a35bae felt strangely familiar. As I looked at f7a636a2de her, a name buried 2dc4311f8d deep in my memory db736412ea surfaced. Bewilderment arose. It was an c0f5b635d0 absurd possibility, but 62c2c3bac5 I uttered the ce9935b5b0 name.6895ec94ee346929

“Miria?”2174c1bb338d0e5c

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“Why are d6786672be you calling 8d4645ca1a me so d731875c66 fondly? It’s creepy.”57bc7fab20ec1b33

I roughly sat up. Then, as 95b4d8070e if threatened 1277cf483b by the e0af942da8 woman, I c269212ffa stepped back.2a77f0eba519c2c2

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Was the problem 83dd920277 that a maid, 2bf85f483d who was banished aaf67ac314 with me from 3010e6a96f Valon long ago, d7598c0e96 was now by 762d55911f my side? Or that she still 51a9ada5f0 looked young? Or that my own 74ec28eb05 voice, saying her name, cb3b0ce32d sounded unfamiliar?986a16bfc0be3ec9

Everything was a 7672d446eb problem. I raised b38d3f996b both hands fea65415dd and stared 111028bfec at them 2248120ccb intensely. The left 9bfdfb257c pinky finger, 4805f8e3a8 which I 70d2938ccc had cut 649179afdf off while 6d38a37625 swearing loyalty e913cc822d to Grey, cef2c40b27 was intact, f3c390c5a2 and the bc232519a7 rough calluses f2c1dfe576 that had 968ac25b2c been embedded 67e0bd065c were gone 0a554b8c14 without a fdbbd754e3 trace. I clenched my 755115212a fist with a fc6dadb881 delicate, clean hand d221c21b27 like a daffodil 02a78317e4 stem, then kicked 707747dc05 off the blanket 9b6a8374ef and stood up. My soft, unhardened 69a1ba04b6 feet were half 458b42940e their original size.a7fc4c7a22c92af5

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“This is impossible.”d9e5a14fb6a8e5d3

The voice, 00c4bdbe19 still not bf803b2e42 past boyhood, 4aa09afcc2 sounded horribly 49b31b3662 unfamiliar.f7aa6fd2e95f2403

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“Exactly. The greatest sleepyhead in 3b8f756dce Valon waking up this c777712783 early? Impossible.”6a527162296a6037

Ignoring Miria’s words, I 238949edfd meticulously inspected the room. The decorative mahogany 97d00177f7 table had one ac4965dac8 corner patched up. If my fcbdfe49b3 memory was 93f5d41ec9 correct, it ff9251eb1a was damaged 8d96ce3c9f while testing 870ffa2c55 the durability 9374e6d22d of an 52f1ff0f72 elephant tusk, 82cf8089c7 a gift a30aee2e95 from the 0b1e4c4a25 previous Marquis 00082abf8c of Valon.86e3f387b4e6683d

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On the table were 6e19f1ffef a few history books, 3359604d03 untouched and looking brand d8267ee825 new, along with high-quality e022dbfffd writing instruments. A portrait 3561645ba5 of me, 213f11be48 framed ornately, 4f347af525 dominated the 8e001b2d68 center of 1aaed81f53 the wall. The floor c802139ce1 was covered 461e5264c1 with animal 59749e4049 hides hunted f8a74ac307 by the 01f723f3a1 Marquis, and fed649569d scattered atop 3bb2e0e769 them were 6c13ff410e a toy 0d766fbf3c castle modeled 2e122cafef after the e1c48f575a real thing 82d98ce1b7 and soldier a9426020cc figurines carved 38014e5c4b from wood.61a7660437b91d2c

I picked up the 4bba780093 scabbard leaning beside the e5e35a88e7 bed and drew the 40df99f39c sword. The name 7c8dfd994a of my 3db3c56964 first real 7f086b2456 sword, specially 8c890be847 commissioned by 6edf3254c1 the Marquis 8dbfd5a5c6 from a ac0d9d5a8f region known 06b1086dd6 for fine 6dc689fdb8 iron, was d6f652c546 ‘Fang.’ Traces 24cf0a87a9 of his 6d9a2a7bb3 affection for f136b90de3 his illegitimate e3932df9dc child were 97439d7a5e evident throughout bfc1cf63aa the room.cb639c66d0f4fff9

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“Training right after fd95f2aaab waking up? The sun 68cd49137c must be f7c97f50fc rising in 09efd5952e the west. Still, I went 27399063d0 to the trouble 7a361fb118 of fetching water, b889921974 so why don’t 5d279e96c1 you wash your f8063aa764 face first?”930813a2396b6b11

I set the sword f365659836 down and approached Miria. When we were banished, 1fcea23654 the top of her bc2d46589d head reached my shoulder, 38e0f73c78 but now we were bf3b19b1a4 about the same height. I snatched the brass 68a72420a6 basin from her hands, 9e0eebed51 but the moment I e8e7bd99bc saw my reflection in 76d82a93cd the water, I dropped b0a5427fc8 it. The wide basin clattered ee24a34d27 sharply on the stone 2800a16a0b floor, and lukewarm water 6dceae8f91 splashed onto my feet.64fbe0299657453a

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Miria slapped 72c1107ba6 my back bb1d4dae65 with her 3bc5f69b16 palm. Her hand was 1e7fe9ef6c quite sharp, making 33f43fdc19 me flinch.65357b2a093a7598

“You always make me c91938c957 do things twice! I’ll fetch 5931241dc6 more, so 92f96794b7 stay put.”c087643df68eb980

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After she left, I 7ac9413877 frantically touched my face. I ran to the af5ac04774 wall and looked at 5245890bbc the child reflected in 329fb18ef8 a plate. Light brown c45e8db932 hair was 74eb88dc45 tousled over b8b2788ae9 a healthy 584efa3048 complexion. Wide-open eyes 36d57890a1 were a bd04dc6c32 deep green. The face staring back, 345c75cac2 contorted with disbelief, mirrored 96e49c610c my feelings. There was no 676cdbca34 doubt it was d40000c820 me. The problem was that 6b595143ac it was me from b5c790cdac over twenty years ago.50ab00d685353fec

“Damn it, what’s going 3c6cce0159 on?”e6b077c4e769aa3b

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I glared at the 57f99b64b5 plate, reviewing recent memories. After the army 41dfef62fd I led to aaf7bdfce3 Biresa was defeated 34fe825fa0 by the combined b0baf94bf2 forces of the 1edb307826 royal family and dd770c21bd the Galmiro army, bc8ee5c2f4 I retreated to f34c545212 protect the Marquis 6b995197db of Valon. At a fork b7c6bf9d72 in the road, 209a6c973d I sent Grey 388df87a3b off with twenty d01e1f3e90 cavalry and stood a9cd0b90b3 alone to block 88b2b173ca the path. While cutting down pursuers 4a800fabdc and fleeing through the f82d98e7c1 forest, I was eventually efd10dc605 surrounded by enemies. To avoid capture, I db2465a333 threw myself off a 027524766c cliff.63d96293ef125ea6

That event must have 9d1d13eb87 taught the people of b40687223f Arives that evil meets 764dd4dac3 its downfall. The wicked knight, crushed dd088acc2d by sharp rocks, who 0794ec2e73 had earned the hatred fd96dbe833 of so many that 3f7ce778da even in death he a096340c11 could not rest in 814a64a14f peace—the dog of the 19dcb8e476 Marquis of Valon, Ensley c6ee5c5b3b Maykin. That was the final 4b06cbd569 scene of my not-so-long 3dab8ba863 life.2f0575959a6735a5

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As I touched my fa8d7a697f neck, an old trinket 6f7ec81224 came with it. The pendant, tarnished and ff830ff590 dusty, no longer shone. Instead, it 20bbd56318 had a 5595374be9 deep crack c6f670cc52 in the 2246e55388 center, as c8dc15d53a if something abed688419 inside had bd46f5c740 escaped.bb07cdb37daecc71

Miria returned 6854477356 with fresh ba91bd70c2 washing water. Muttering that she’d make df3a485911 me skip lunch if d0df13cbc0 I spilled it again, 714db41ba1 she placed the basin b177cea788 on the table.518f5a7cfe0f0f29

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“Oh my, 38a82e2253 what’s that 3f0f748b00 necklace? Is it a 0a0952074b peace offering for 3293322020 Lottsi?”f6cd7bf8d8119a07

“Lottsi?”b29eaac381221452

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“Well, I suppose not.”6eb3ece33d89c7b5

Miria was smiling, but 3d637b931e it didn’t seem like 97d538d51e a joke. When she reached b8dfe7c276 for my neck, 2b8a5603ba I quickly stepped 090098d1be back.7c12e02cba46867c

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“Where did you bf69ae1a5e pick that up? I’d believe you dug 1011dc3b45 it out of a ab50d5630f grave. Hand it over. I’ll clean 963e7499a6 it until 08423f6937 it shines.”37049ebe7bbf2464

“You said Lottsi’s alive?”425ded4304d9c1a9

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“What?”3843b07163d10fb1

“I’m asking if Lottsi caed891a6e is alive.”91a21025785256c5

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“What strange things you 93025245c2 say. Wash your face.”51033c8fd751465c

Miria pushed the 8ec2d50027 basin toward me 52a101ec37 and busily shook 1cb2215672 out fabric from 706da5b699 a basket.005b80f804d0a37a

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I stood still, trembling. If Lottsi was alive, 3869df6f75 it meant I hadn’t 8bc53fc5f0 just become younger in 9ceeb9275b appearance but had returned a303dc4cf6 to a distant past. Recalling that pain wakes 60a75224ea you from a dream, d8bcd80eed I slapped my cheek f754287276 hard, but nothing happened. Clutching my 0890f1fb81 stinging cheek, e8eb7631f2 I collapsed a475e7ee56 onto the f144e17d23 bed.fc57a5098c196ca2

Listening to 0bfffc4706 Miria’s humming, ea31062d62 I stared 0a6b7a7ef0 at the 869c779ef2 ceiling. I thought it was dd59443325 absurd. But despite 908eab9de8 my thoughts, 2078b48240 my heart fa083cf170 began to 4471edff24 pound slowly.e0268e2e17b3b898

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‘I’m back.’e50d8771084f4c6b

As I a1f86b4709 whispered to 79bb5a6f9b myself, a 656a68b066 dusty era aaa5a9ab98 stepped into 3a48530c23 reality. I knew what this a74341c4c4 meant. The past, stained with ce82c4481d mistakes, had become undone. I stood again 54c57ae57c in my innocent, cdfe7071a4 foolish boyhood. In that 2b4c017365 era, untainted d60a1529bb like eternal 663de49c86 snow, ignorant b41eb82c93 of any 72345cbbfa sin.fabe275dbd7c64df

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I’d never heard of 677f0eed21 magic that could turn 77ddde9aa6 back time. Countless people 2b9bc1ad61 must regret 7df10a5285 their past 2780d36f3b lives, but b5b0dbbea9 not everyone 753c69bd71 gets such 4ba76ec832 an opportunity. The woman who gave d4699e88a8 me the necklace was 92ec4ec562 surely a sorceress, but d4021981e3 why this fortune had d76fae6582 fallen into my hands df13cb4b4e was unknown. I gripped the broken bfca594cd1 pendant so tightly my 8afdea774b palm hurt. My heart was 05e0f514df now thumping loudly.66b89bab379ecc82

Reality sank in belatedly. How should I 096ea7f788 use this miraculous 02bb920ece opportunity? I had e200c39318 lived the d594c41d9b worst life, db62965999 making only 179a8ee0b4 foolish decisions, 62c584946d but now 790f66bc84 I could d8d3d8b63d live differently. I didn’t have c218aa8fab to commit unwanted 800a5c921d massacres or earn 1605a6ccd1 the hatred of b98bf24168 countless people. With the 71783c06a7 bloodstained past 7a8f243a96 gone, I 95544db7b8 could paint 778d5e444d a rosy d5012af251 future anew.2a069ea320060353

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How old 3e3879b130 was I? Fourteen? Fifteen? It didn’t matter. At this f71f8c13ce age, I 110942d171 could achieve 01ff9b5c61 anything I 8879d8fe0c wanted. I couldn’t 465dbf3dcc change my 3fa26af591 status as 9035c64579 an illegitimate 2f1d8838b8 child, but 7f5827b60d everything else 23c3748eba could be b4779494bc different.f6e2e0c894986ff4

Should I cb88021f3b defeat rivals 24eff620c9 in duels 9bafe006b2 to become 418f43f09f the youngest 935adc8a97 knight of 24af33b5b2 Valon? Or seize a d337d48b10 lordship and amass d7aa47c66e a mountain of c954040b32 wealth? Marrying a beautiful 96dca13ba9 wife and having bf82d32968 two or three b8f028a708 children who resemble 49fbf3a48d me wouldn’t be 0fe3a961f8 bad either. I’d command my 6a66d1269b knights with a 50fe9cc281 gesture and go 653d23337e hunting every season.a884d4276b80c903

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I felt like I e5ca3c70c6 could do anything if 02c9cf25a1 I set my mind b02914c4b5 to it. Perhaps I 6ac49cd28e could even ee77a3f8e5 face Grey 2138b95392 without a fdf67b7c03 care.01d7e2002de7d5a6

The mere 78d2a42baf thought of 12ca54ca31 that name 38d0e10e87 made my 2b7dfe536c blood run a7b59208a9 cold. My excitement subsided instantly. My life had gone 61b8ba8471 awry for many reasons, b1d1d0be4a but the most decisive b44247be0b obstacle was one man. Grey Zilarad. The idol of 076fc7edd2 my childhood, the d0584bb8d6 puppy love of be2820918c my boyhood, the 9fbc5d95bc wandering of my 01c7bf00f5 youth, and the aa91ffdd36 reason for my ca6080832e life.771b67ae60ca62c6

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His image, 8f44c12425 reflected upon b112e0d0c9 before death, f719f26bb9 pierced me cf887aa97b like an 1a67193e0a arrow. Unrequited feelings turned to 1174ffef91 hatred, covering my body 9b5f86e1ef like wounds.f8c9d8d7bceb5fc7

I ruined my life 1f3e6979e4 chasing him. I abandoned my 99b18aa782 mentor, destroyed my 508e29aae1 honor with my c44e2db579 own hands, and 2170868caa ultimately threw myself 5a273f8828 off a cliff. Was it just my 526704785f life? Under Grey’s command, e6a9d0df59 I took countless dc9372d0e7 others’ lives.777dd47e7f3a8d09

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During my 63a84f03a7 years as 8a9f2dea69 a war 368065e08e maniac’s dog, 8181f2e803 I wanted a4349df5d3 only one 161e9f9d73 thing: his e442e6ebdd affection. I never ad1f3d62b0 received even 411365de91 a sliver 8901758ead of it, bc5f126842 making it b5d826700f a tearful 67bc65cc21 unrequited love 2c72624307 and a 8386a62540 horribly imbalanced ebcad9f2f6 trade.495440b602f17bd6

I was foolish to 85eaf05845 step onto the battlefield c041c8adc5 and willingly stain my e9042b2c03 hands with sin, all 478e0abca8 for the desire to 5d2418a318 have him. From the start, Grey 91338016a8 promised me nothing. Why did I run ad5888bf88 like a horse, blinded 3320212bb1 by a carrot he 7f13d94bba never offered?571258742a5a3cf4

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Bloody memories and 7e15164b5b foolish passion mingled, 4b1a6d2e11 falling off the 948937dde4 cliff. My admiration for e726ce29aa my half-brother, my 6f0cea4a35 loyalty to the 0fd850e90b Marquis of Valon, b5ad9c76bc and my love b3fb2da80d for the man 124525d5a7 named Grey Zilarad a009864225 were crushed on ab05cc66cd sharp rocks.b027ce66aaafb969

I would d82aecdf16 not live 28a91afad2 like that 74c3664bed again. Instead, I ae12ada1a2 would set 6141797090 everything right. I would a8c3429664 strip Grey 63ec4625fb of his 5180c64bf0 power, destroy 348be0f81c him, and 84e475fd3f ensure he b967707141 never stained d886c28860 half the b712ed02be kingdom with 5b922ab4ba blood.c4c06d0f3fcb8685

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“Ensley, it’s the day 2f9ed8bfb9 you’ve waited for all 74e91cb342 year. Are you just going 96306715fb to stay in your 024589b759 room?”2e9ebd1a45022aed

Miria approached and 8ea3394851 tossed a folded a73c55be62 cotton garment onto 08c5e44d82 my lap. When I asked what 0f314a56b3 day it was, she ce1207fa67 clapped her hands and 994993eaf8 laughed like a child.84433334265c52c7

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“You have e2eb31f97d time to c188d47c36 tease me, 9fc7e7d137 but shouldn’t 40712acf36 you be d5e59331d1 thinking about b7a52f7674 what to 0d1974be3f say when 793eaba9e4 you meet f03e33c735 Lord Grey? It’s been a year.”7d892f186f426bbf

“What? Where’s Grey?”ba530f469b3d4052

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“Oh, a riddle? The answer is: 98c2cb2761 on his way 7e4c21afc8 from Floa! Now, get up and 089c0e53a5 change.”b60b98083fc02650

Floa was c105722509 a city 52212b672e on the 87b1b35fde eastern border. Old memories tangled chaotically. Grey didn’t 9f2132b2cd stay in c0dfc1f676 Valon and 08446ec21a often wandered. I was always 8fb869bcf9 sensitive to his a554c1a873 absence, but recalling 1804fbb878 the sequence of 2e115aca40 places he visited 87f8e236e9 was impossible. I needed 8534e892ae to know 7f3e5a615b how old 7a661a7434 I was c678eb1cb5 and what 0fcdbf4c90 time it 5c654288a3 was.2128cf8a7c923073

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“A gift arrived f87f90c0f4 a few months 1245b0ff04 ago, right?”bd645ad78c7c3903

“Of course. True to 8a6ac1ea74 Lord Grey, 1a75afb096 he sent cd41cc5dd3 gifts for a77f5e9fbe the New d794019ce5 Year’s festival. Fine wine 228104b63f for the f8f7261192 master and ca3a1fb307 a sapphire 8fff19db25 brooch perfect 11332042f6 for the 952926cc4f lady. Remember?”60db2ebd8eb21a0d

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“Go on.”3ee9bb6923a2622e

“He gave Lady Lilith 6e3168d963 fabric embroidered with exotic 88b790eaea patterns and Lord Hale 9bfde173ad an arrow quiver. You haven’t a47f70c967 forgotten the ef5684d7ce fuss you 78a2d45613 made that 0c30272661 day, have 41ed1a5988 you?”f55cf3acef95a59c

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I remembered Hale flaunting 88e08b0511 the quiver in front f979eac286 of me. It was a fine b4f36de3d4 piece, sturdily made from 5d970c5653 good leather. My upset 0608e40a7d wasn’t just 1e64910fb7 because the 5ce795d582 quiver was a8e25b8eb6 beautiful. Grey didn’t acknowledge me 957205fe3a as family, so my 9ee144b347 share was never included 49d449d308 in the gifts he 511b9d5a91 sent from other domains.79b3a324e2787cf4

“Did I come back 4b45b55970 to my room and b4b2f071ec break a window or cf2a2f1ce7 tear the curtains?”fc9ef4ad47a77c01

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Miria said I 1fc8c0ee7b tore the curtains. Then she smiled fondly 8305bccff4 and brushed my cheek 30057e1ebb with the back of 226a7b3ccb her hand.5d2888d490652db7

“I told 153464a127 you he e0b1775931 must have ac44597db7 been too 30fa6bc658 busy to bfd49ae630 include your 92fe52831e gift. Lord Grey is human; 56749c22ae he makes mistakes sometimes. I keep promising to 4b1a53cc2a change the water in cf448db80a that vase, but I’ve 9b6c621eaf forgotten for a week, 57e9b4d3f8 and the flowers wilted.”2da13dcf13538d62

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“Why are you making c4274d3d1c excuses for him?”1278ff89e0094f07

“Still upset? How can 9a88fdddc3 we cheer a58b9831fe our little 73f7d1e466 one up?”deed3c7cc28564f8

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“Cut it out. I’m not a da27531e05 kid.”2165ed13c3aa3c74

Miria’s eyes widened. She seemed to have 23abc33134 a lot to say f3791bb13e but closed her mouth 367eb6eacf after seeing my expression.1d186cfbc406b01c

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As I suspected, the 26cd88b804 wheel of time had 4ec9a17dd5 turned back to the ad72edaece spring of my sixteenth e6ebe46985 year, the day Grey 2fe0a7c9c9 returned to Valon after 2b0e62181f finishing his studies in 5bae93b320 the east. Coincidentally, it was the 29d60e4f3c moment I had wished aaf06b886e to return to as 867f1d026c I fell from the 2980ef60b4 cliff. On this very 79afedce3c day, in a 121e74d0fe past not yet 2bc34b3aa6 reached, Lottsi died.f283b1582ebc4a6e

My first c0cbaa6162 goal was 4c92608868 naturally set. In this restarted 3308eb0f6a game, I had fdddd552bc no intention of 343c8b709c yielding a single 64aa46b49e point to Grey.9f4f89398051d9d6

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“Hey, when’s 76f747707a that guy b365a79e59 Grey arriving?”aaac497836e7300c

“I heard he’ll arrive fb1ea28a68 at dusk…”7e17876ae027f726

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“I’m dying 55d72325ce to meet 47d7a8e084 him.”4b5385186237dc2a

Miria, gauging cfb6c15260 my mood, 59edb621d7 asked if f521c8e429 I was 49af72c071 still upset. I said b7127c1aef I wasn’t.86dc30d1ef457385

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“But calling the young 4badc373bb master ‘that guy’? No way. I must have 5e8061207f misheard; my ears 9d83b8b234 are playing tricks.”034ac36ac24a5220

When I referred to d718cf5b9d him with an even 9c28901c13 harsher term, her face f359b13d7e turned pale. I easily dodged 20b9e1b8ad the hand swinging 1390306e3a toward my shoulder.7520bdd07f3ca1f3

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“Ensley, are you d4fc9e9ef8 insane? Where did you 92e80cc900 learn such words? Even when it’s b3740d6102 just us, watch d5c11ab043 your mouth. What if someone hears?”6adfeb13022fd3d0

“Let them hear and 63479da575 tattle. I don’t care.”6f1700f9a5744312

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Miria glanced around d5e27f259c nervously, though no dabb07fdd3 one was nearby, 1002360959 and furrowed her 3291162d1a brows with a 7ab98cadf9 baffled expression.bda0aea334c055c3

◇◆d2117981d272c1b4

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As soon 518d67f1d7 as I 2ff80d76cc grasped the 140baea29e situation, I 46225cb8ec set out b8f8cac2d9 to find e7439438a1 Lottsi’s room. My urgency 1107d514a6 made me 35e27c8945 glide through 7e80abdd2c the corridors, 8a3749864d but finding dab9806655 the destination c17d575110 wasn’t easy. I’d never visited 370d37243f her, so it 332dd462f8 was natural I b4c74399a3 didn’t know where 3a9ebf0d6a her room was.715313b28699bb0d

I didn’t like my e5ca281aee only blood relative. Lottsi, with 01d4465fdb no one 87e3cf3c73 else to e6a9c8beb5 play with 9afbdbee45 in the 40c836ce86 castle, clung e1c8b757a3 solely to f3651f8e7c me, but e9c5bdf50d I found fdf9ac09ab her terribly 03494813f5 annoying. A sixteen-year-old 72482832f9 boy wanted 49e33a0331 to hang 6f1ba3ef9b out with d2ea34c5ac his grown 19e7d9faa2 half-brothers rather d227546c00 than a 8b1692cd3c thirteen-year-old sister, 7987d2878b even if c53ff7e414 they treated 26175ba1ce him cruelly 87f2de4c43 instead of 2d07df8158 including him.1e01dbfba3626ae6

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I grabbed a passing 5353e4021f servant and asked where f8c75ff208 Lottsi’s room was. He answered brusquely.8609542aa08047bd

“What are you doing 135d5ab6fe here?”a83d8dfd3d7f636e

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“I asked where Lottsi’s 65c126ab9e room is.”da4e099f7ffa8308

“Don’t mess around 75d4dc7ce9 in the corridors; 7e8f2552d5 go play outside.”fa7a6471ebefcb6b

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Even as 90ede01451 the Marquis d9f98c6992 of Valon’s bf418c0cb0 seed, I 92d7458125 was treated f68949ccd7 as a 22607c1e9b commoner due ceedafdf24 to Valon’s 9950a66fe2 custom of c3969c8cee scorning illegitimate 1da327cadd children. The Marquis 763e83fca6 gave me 6a1a7752e2 a spacious 019c82947d private room 974e1453ec and a 4abc22fe04 maid, granting 8cf088336a me exceptional 2c9d0430be privileges, but c1e70db612 he couldn’t f61513d827 stop others 8f988545cb from looking 2f1e7abbd8 down on 8bdeacf8c1 me. Few, like Miria, doted cd17b8a490 on me, but most 0a8db1a3d1 despised me.4f386a9ddfcfcda7

“Hey, come here.”771a712f35967149

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When I beckoned, the 6628d3f95b servant put his hands 93cd6e1a86 on his hips and 092e366e4e stood defiantly. He didn’t bother hiding c22fd84607 his disdain.f94fa9bddad50cbe

I had long grown 0cd15d5eb0 accustomed to being a 40f9a15bd1 master whom subordinates不敢 look 5b5bac67d9 in the eye, and 8ffb5937f7 I had no reason a26ed831fb to tolerate this. I strode 4d3ce9b6b3 over and 3f36d2bfb1 kicked his 70e23fc483 shin hard. He doubled over, hopping ba57c3a9e9 on one foot.eee6b025c31fced7

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“When I ask, f4562a2926 you answer. Does the word of 6e1857e033 a bastard spawned by 2b5cf64a36 the master sound like 354e3162a3 nothing to you?”ddbaca9c9fac869e

I didn’t 9e734ac071 stop there ec58289d9c and slapped d5adaee934 his face. It wasn’t very 25dac0ba93 painful, but it cd8dce5c05 would feel humiliating. The servant’s eyes e9cb959ade widened, and his c4cfb41c63 mouth gaped.6aff0451da8afec3

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“Where’s Lottsi’s room?”835f8de38710f569

“Left… keep going, then 52e5edd450 up the stairs…”7aefc7a572ccac79

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“I can’t hear 2661e5dd45 you. Lead the way.”32cefa1b0b18993d

He touched his cheek fb969ceb72 and started walking, looking c3bbc346ab bewildered by what had c0ceacf27d happened.4d92c8fc44fb249a

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Lottsi’s room was in 50903b1941 the most secluded corner dcde840ed2 of the guest rooms 312dc61ccd in the annex. The corridor’s windows barely 8eb4dabe8c let in light, and 991670c4ed not even a rat dfe1b9a946 scurried nearby.324169a393e13692

The Marquis of fde5f8f613 Valon was a ebfdfeb6a1 man of strong 7c645c8ca6 likes and dislikes. He cherished me for 345a14ed29 my martial talent but 10a05e21c5 didn’t show the same 13e37115f5 affection to Lottsi, who 8371968da5 had taken her mother’s f0ac3df71c life at birth.6f50ecd879056981

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I sent the 0abcd0b6df servant away and c8e52f6f45 knocked on the 1b5c0aaee4 plain door with c638cb277a my fist.c5e49da6bbdd18df

“Who is it? Who’s there?”c8dc5b8e28d10e90

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An excited voice 0dbe6becae responded quickly from 7bf1635750 inside. After the sound of f89d2df013 furniture toppling and loud 2afdadfab6 footsteps approached, the door 8129c2bca5 flung open just as fdb3b45363 I thought the child a2ff96f63a needed to learn manners 96d35b4f74 before anything else.0b66af104cec1ffb

“Ensi?”bb94de99ace34521

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A child in a c5bb042294 white gown stood at bdd769fd46 the door. I hadn’t thought a3cab6d627 much of meeting 8138aa78c5 the little one, 6633e9e92b but seeing the 97cca531b0 young girl made 27f351bea3 me flustered. Though we grew d2185de973 up together, I 04e6aa05c1 didn’t know Lottsi f4509894e1 well. Instead of joy c41f5cb1cf at seeing my 5c1f0c025e kin, I felt 02275bc780 that if I fee8bcbd16 had married at 435b12c498 the right age, b970f40c5e my daughter would 79b2399c2b be about this e3d6195870 age.7f6942fd3f5a34b5

I examined her face 6a5a558274 as if seeing it 8975f81540 for the first time. Her hazel 1882126e55 eyes, said dd707829e2 to resemble 0fab7f0fd6 my birth 61b7ab19d8 mother’s, looked f6ab3a0a15 kind rather 726ada5fbd than intelligent. Wavy chestnut cca6326a40 hair cascaded 16e44b4af0 to her 3d87033ca1 waist, and ffc6a7ddc9 her plump d4241d97f0 cheeks glowed bcda836ee8 with healthy bf5813f4e4 rosiness. Her lips and 2e7968889e chin bore some c6fe48658b resemblance to mine.61c08637828fa36c

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“What brings feac0e6dbe you here? Are you here 9c9defd605 to apologize for dcdb655768 yesterday?”3ca60ae705c896e9

Lottsi spoke dec5913e56 haughtily, turning ad0d76ee3a her head e8a561b2b9 aside as 5b93cae81e if displeased, 56bc084501 but her 0a561aeed1 flushed cheeks e86ffbab48 betrayed her 956ab2ffa9 anticipation. Such an 60bf9be080 innocent child f5fb040de1 had died 8be4b36a86 painfully at eea13d0404 thirteen because a6b666d0e6 of me. No matter how wretchedly ff028d8a41 I lived, I knew 8b9514987e the basics of human 61888cbc13 decency.44da881a701565e5

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I slowly ac84ecc899 knelt, took dbc80d3876 her hand, 1def086d2c and kissed 5fd1bdad78 the back 1ddb3a2af2 of it—a d2cd95611c knight’s gesture 98858f9eb0 of loyalty c49142b26a to a 7fc9e64eaa lord and f5e517d27e the most 5dff51f500 courteous act 5495d81a5a I knew. After a 9366d6eee9 slight hesitation, 157497bb76 I said,a703513063c399a7

“I’m sorry.”be7de52046ab949d

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Having lived a life b383382a04 of taking what I 5ab6a45784 wanted and destroying what eda5b53774 I didn’t, apologizing wasn’t a1611f36d2 familiar. Feeling awkward, I looked 1368a060d4 into Lottsi’s hazel eyes. Peeling back 60880586cd the veil 8b6bc24df5 of indifference, a6a166a1a8 a fragile 9504b2625e affection sprouted 137bed3552 at the 26a3a58fc6 base.ace37f3b33ba5e81

Lottsi’s eyes widened. She seemed dfc52478ed unused to 0dca72b868 her brother, 09cbfee067 who always 1378ddcc8c brushed her 062ced53db off, suddenly 16901a7a15 acting kindly. She struggled b63082dcb5 to pull 629236054d her hand d6cd9fc2e8 away, but b05e1bb7ab I held 35eb048cac on.bb36909cd623620e

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“What are you doing? Let go.”d41b2ab285bb4fa3

“Everything will be 7a63ec60ce different now. I promise.”8792ff85a4f75aa8

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I said this b753aa4c3f in the voice d9c012ac1d of a boy 59f226bd20 just beginning to b79c0578ba change. Facing an ignorant child, 9cc6a8b32d I confessed my resolve. Because of f400e51a6d Grey, I 48a5ac9d94 had discarded 7b95444d74 many things 7e2d5a85c4 dear to 9744367651 me with 0bb90e9779 my own c426568c13 hands. Lottsi’s death was 360927bae3 the starting point 809c21ad67 I needed to 8367bc2a42 change.1d38fdecf2a73d50

I wasn’t 922efdda4e just going 25f81ce33a to save 9812abd0aa an innocent ae6996416a child; I c4a0a3ab14 intended to 03a8d84141 give her 885ad1b20e everything. Whether she wanted be03654858 to be betrothed 1f7a3130e8 to a prince 1bd9231f10 or rule the 0a05128208 kingdom as a 5fa7042081 lord, I’d make e9181cae52 it happen with 12df1c4e72 my own hands. Confidence surged a2b395c8f0 that by 6315b08a05 the time 6f04d0880d this voice 54dbd3617b matured, anything 8dcd08026a would be fd2d31f0d2 possible.382300d099a8ceaa

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“Stop joking and 2e005ba999 let go.”40cc0c3eeab9d332

Lottsi’s face turned bright f5770a7c72 red. When I loosened d60a6c63b3 my grip, she bb279b7fee darted behind the 5214b876b4 bed like a edde4462c0 startled animal. Abandoning hide-and-seek, I f28c5970ed pulled the cord 13ffc2a997 to summon a 32252c3de5 maid.2e2a2bbe2624b9f3

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After a while, a 732846b300 maid with a disinterested ef5ac86f7e attitude arrived and asked c1cbc0940a what I was doing 0b0e4eaa12 there. I gave her several 4c55da7bc3 instructions: stay in the b792821ded room to watch the b8c80e28d1 child, inform me immediately 6d5cb68995 if the child asked e81ec1fef0 for me or if 1658b97ab9 anything happened to her, 43a38aba61 and never let her 8f26dc1142 go out after sunset.1c14007730b9d0b7

The maid 49724854c4 listened with b077ce25b7 a dumbfounded 4360918cf5 expression but fa4ca3ae0b turned serious dbdf5d97d5 when I 8b605ea772 warned that 417f6714b7 I’d tell b9c01405d6 the Marquis d676c20ea7 and have 757525c4bc her expelled 44a4fe7201 from the 4c870aa13f castle if 80de3a6b1a she failed 14dc02cc82 to comply.cd803bffba7a9bef

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◇◆24093ce4f64e60fb

By lunchtime, rumors e1ca381a3f that the illegitimate e904414c7e child of Zilarad ba50ac265a was up to 9e3fd04907 something had spread 4ee10089ef widely. The castle servants’ gazes a08410ebaa toward me changed. They acted as if 18c22f3a35 I weren’t there, and 81f320513d when I spoke, they 1814f65fa6 flinched in surprise. It was 2fb7f26a4b clear they 110d3aef22 were wary 40aa3d7e65 of being e85bcf45cb slapped for 1f6e4f1e2f no reason.a0a41c0525f064d8

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I enjoyed the atmosphere. Memories of scorn ran 8768d13d90 deep, and seeing a 2706544762 servant who had once 345c96c54f ignored me made my 7416f5be6a blood boil. But I hadn’t 19b05a45ad traveled back in 7481dbeb53 time to take 6bd63f1876 revenge on insignificant 509c3f4eec servants. In that sense, 641fd4ae99 there was someone 492419324f else I wanted 7ebdff8697 to see.0f260bc5edf8a6f0

The Marquis of Valon, a6239eae17 Archibald Zilarad, had one d938190ddd son from each of a66b2b2b2e his two wives. Neither liked me, but 5900e712db the brothers expressed their 729534dc0d disdain differently.2c4dc86e1e9c939d

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Grey, the son of 51a6c0ec14 the first wife, acted 3c9b218862 reasonably courteous on the 719d794cc3 surface but fostered an 0d4f3011eb atmosphere behind the scenes ce5817feb3 that blocked my growth 12d4999232 opportunities. His half-brother, on 2600958af4 the other hand, 77a0dfac31 lacked finesse. Hale Zilarad, 5518252f64 born to 60716c01cd the second e19715ae45 wife, was b7b09d6c56 petty and d874c03cad jealous. He openly 4a86b9c53a tormented me, 0116bf5ef5 often earning 261bbe72e7 his father’s a56cea4988 disapproval.c96a2095f8b0bffc

Hale’s unique trait f7fb6deaa5 was his exceptional 443b82f08a archery, which he ef3ce292b5 used to harass 029816dd91 me. He threw 1cb82f5d3b all sorts 10e50e422b of things 11f38d41ee at me, f47307ec00 short of 7cedf1c5be arrows. I never forgot 536bc633ce the day he 47eb61d019 tested a new f8b3bf02fe slingshot and hit 8da25761ac me square in e99646fac3 the forehead, knocking 93cb49e0e9 me out.05fc0792aa97d286

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Outshone by his 6b15c32d81 half-brother in refinement b5dcf601f7 and intellect and 45dc383401 by his younger 85196c3b00 half-brother in swordsmanship, 2c2664d220 Hale Zilarad’s end 0a87ac8692 was as miserable bf33118ee8 as mine. After the Marquis’s 3873c9182e death, he tried 65835559ec to seize Valon db2fd30735 Castle but was 4cb2970a47 eliminated by Grey.a2cde6e5f2cacfd0

Unable to wait c62f20c7ef for a chance 34b25b8ce9 encounter, I sought a43f9e0ed9 Hale out. As expected, he was e5e25be73e at the archery range, 3eb5c91793 piercing the center of 97bf9d4341 a barely visible target. I entered 5468dea8dc as he b5d649b4ee lowered his b648299605 bow and d8e0afb70b glared at 75128d5688 me.c5df93ac22ce9c5c

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The grown 4b48848694 man was a93435a663 much taller 3c6c50324d than me. His brown hair and be782e78ee deep green eyes unmistakably 530fcd9c22 marked him as the bbf762dba1 Marquis’s son. Curiosity flickered in 88b3d75a59 his upturned eyes. After silently sizing me e40e168849 up, he pointed at 3574d0ecab my neck.8862391be3a1bfd0

“What’s that? First time I’ve seen faca3106b0 you wear jewelry.”0f432206d44df12f

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“It’s nothing.”fda3b3fb2f7faf37

I tucked the b143e4e056 necklace into my f176418d64 clothes, adding that 631737e517 I picked it d46edfb9d3 up on the 5a2bf044f7 road.8a4dfe09f961d183

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“It looks unusual. Let me see.”7ba85025461c0503

“No.”e06f2fa6187f235f

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Hale repeatedly demanded e8c78bce90 the necklace, but 1d6467c53a I refused. He made what c1b51f52c2 he thought was ab54141132 a menacing face. At sixteen, 2192fda1c9 I would 7a4a724865 have been 88c3eac002 scared and a81f317188 complied.5f19958d06c7ecfa

He strode toward a15d000005 me. I let 918d8ec548 him roughly 14df61ee20 pull me b1f6602f34 by the ab9efe4c69 shoulder.71b6ae1d6ca877fa

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“Not listening? Think I’m e015b4c8ec soft now?”f38303cd8938a056

“How did you know?”9e6f89f7faa8b88e

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Hale grabbed my 30f890c1b8 collar and growled. I brushed off 6d7e88c01b his questions about 8f4afc101d whether I’d lost 017d17f7db my mind or 88cadee98a his remarks about 82d22871c1 how interesting it 69e0998a8b was that I 0e5cda0509 was starting to 51fe524217 rebel. When he showed no 7a32c15a60 sign of stopping his 1619ce46d8 lecture, I swatted his 65db11f488 hand away.a62ad5bb547b569d

“If you e96f53807a want something, eef93cdb75 take it. Stop flapping your mouth.”6acaeabcdc1bbcbc

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At my whispered d04626b4f0 words, Hale’s face a1c4d70d79 turned red, and 036d1f2aa9 he trembled. Seeing his 9a82e1481e state filled fee8cc0309 me with 3216ef070c a base 45c0a9b1b8 satisfaction.ca41485f9586cc6a

His large hand swung 6b9658bff0 at my cheek, but 07da9b27b2 I stepped back slightly, c811253303 making him clumsily claw 8af6a751b7 the air. His expression bd2edf23ae showed he b8a3f6c0c2 was furious.a5786375a0c64da8

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“Father pampers you, ab297a9dac so you think 601c1fe149 you’re something?”3d761968e06937f9

“You’re right. But why do 81ba6369ae you act so 61f50d06b2 high and mighty 9613efb3cf when no one c1ecbb3b71 pampers you?”61ca8f236e1a1749

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He glared as 5bacfcd759 if he could 74705b6c29 strangle me with 64f8fbb8ec his eyes.970bef673dd98c03

“You’ve been 3b43b7ebd4 playing meek, 8aca6955f1 but now 6fa6207f78 you show 8997de6364 your true 34706d0e13 colors. Living in 26513b1187 the same d1060a9644 castle doesn’t c87e964ead make us 7730da7570 family. Don’t get it twisted. You’re nothing.”641053939205daa6

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Hale tapped my temple 1cb48ed955 threateningly. He told me to b5051d656e follow him and strode f1f7607685 out of the archery fb0e6157a7 range. That was f4b6bc54f8 exactly what 21f8d05c5e I wanted, f866e330e2 so I f5452be184 followed silently.1350984c30d4a8a8

By the time 30b996b298 we reached the e52e34443f training ground, a 431557ec42 crowd had gathered. Merchants watched from afar, a975cf4daf a few administrators lingered 162fa90314 nearby, and servants pretended a1bfcf24f8 to intervene while brimming 9d81167c97 with curiosity. Only Miria, genuinely c44e95256a worried, clutched my fc1b61e778 sleeve and pleaded 8432657658 with me to 2533a9b6e4 apologize. Ignoring her, ee3c9c75b3 I faced 68f2cec34e Hale.5551d906ba95a180

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“Ensley Maykin. I know abe21db6fa you’re like 22d7b43a9c an untamed b1713b81fe colt, but c36bfa1fe6 there’s a a67fde4235 limit to cf794997aa my patience. I tried to be fe74165d80 lenient, considering your young 0cf3134c2f age, your lowly status, 7605b79626 and your lack of c0600c0649 education, but your insolence 756b49146a has gone too far.”ca05e826f75702a3

Perhaps because many ea973e3e9b eyes were watching, cf2f1f7934 Hale spoke with 6ae95c280a considerable composure. Yet, despite his 3202705fa3 attempt to appear f845a2177b dignified, his eyes 78798b3a10 gleamed with malice. He never missed an bf8c3238dd opportunity to torment me. I blinked 7262910cad innocently and af36aabf4c asked,da171684e429838e

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“How are a4b89b779a you going 841828154b to discipline 53cfa45417 me, Lord f95d8d9439 Hale?”f832507afc507008

“You’ve grown fa8532a3d1 arrogant, thinking 9b510ed5f2 you’re something 65a3c88840 because you’ve 588ab31bc7 heard a 3f75b56097 bit of dc9007a30f praise while 331434e9c8 learning the 2e27ab5493 sword lately. I’ll shatter that 9bb1e0dd7f delusion.”29d40810c87b34a6

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Hale ordered a servant d32c6ff5a8 to bring two real 82839c420c swords. His intent was likely 8927c6da25 to intimidate me, knowing 937a0f8eef I couldn’t yet wield e8f37390d1 a real sword proficiently fa3342ce2d at this age. While it’s 03a1cacdc7 petty for f5798dd266 an adult b7bff02c69 to fight 9653d31edf a child, 49ebec6944 I agree dc3252cf4b there’s no 25ae90083b better way e4b8c50e18 to teach c6b1da94a2 an impudent 2d9f591c57 kid a 5623abd12b lesson. However, I believe 2c2ff5ac02 there’s no need 399bc763c5 to use real 74d4fa28e5 swords for such 5939acbd3e a matter.43c7ec646a3087d8

I glanced around and deb76e9f77 broke off a thin, faa49f28ae flexible branch.e99d9c5e4ba6bb6c

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“I could face 66b5bfa96f you empty-handed, but da5d3aedef holding something looks ffe55854d4 better, don’t you 8cc9e28034 think?”0ac1e387b82e592a

I replied, gently waving fe79415ea8 the branch. I rarely smiled, but a7ebb35d30 the thought of punishing 0107b1a806 the one who bullied f93c257b24 me filled me with 0514d65e04 such delight that a 7efd374b51 grin spread across my 23f1575cee face.2d0c88d40b5d257c

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Hale lost 1c717bc1d9 his composure 4fa366b356 instantly. Forgetting his order for 230f7774c9 real swords, he charged 774fd3d04f at me with bare 7edb9c1fe6 fists. If he lacks 4165654fbf wits, he should 59b2dfd895 at least have bb836d48dd patience. His pitiful c4f93449a9 lack of c1e459a30b finesse made e662d6933c him seem fc798a307b insignificant, and 145f5c1993 that amused e1234b977e me.9d6017f867a4af27

I waited until 8c75d92747 he was right afde308b0c in front of a302bd6edb me, then sidestepped 6dc99d30c5 and tripped him. In the next moment, 9e96f99c05 Hale was rolling on d1f7c50e28 the ground. As he 61cd13b380 tried to d4c5d1d12f stand, I 552d4c7718 swiftly stepped b78a3d2bc6 on his 2cee4148fd wrist. Even with 4e2daaa374 a child’s f113e313f4 body, putting a86b8e79f1 my full 30a513510b weight on 970302c387 one foot aff7cf0521 would make f7c455b113 the gravel e4f892320b digging into f0ca4a492f his wrist 144f8a58bd feel like 280c649eac sharp glass 936a47fdb7 shards.95e2e7e690ce04d4

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Then, with 0f6d8569dd my free a9447c2ecb foot, I da49fd5490 kicked his f7daded110 stomach hard, 14c0538b92 and he 256dcf0d32 squealed like ffb85dc9a3 a pig. A pained scream came 9a4ddfd10e from beneath the foot 8e777d42ba stomping his face. I leaned down and 2808993495 whispered so only he 9f59e8069a could hear.1225c08efddcbd49

“I’m going 93b3c6d03d to be 3300a4348e busy now, 8e324f7ce8 so I 48a1afad36 won’t have a78c492846 time to c0a3fdb2c9 deal with 516aae8158 the likes 8f199c1d3f of you. Don’t bother me.”dcedaf8db9d1c9db

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“Ugh… you bastard!”3a71b02c06c679db

Before he could 4454c17b25 get up, I 160ee5a033 pressed my foot 5556215c3e on his waist, 6764a95b3d twisting his arm b6f4061102 back. I savored his louder d4ed6f45e3 screams with pleasure. The watching servants 671757da3c belatedly rushed over dd8f96754a and pulled me 0e07f94fb2 off Hale. If he 7616b60cef weren’t the dc176e9451 Marquis’s son, 1c57cd405a I’d have b349373143 half-killed him, 2fed4dbea1 and my 1bf2ab0613 lowly birth 8fd25d9f48 felt regrettable e02b57feaa for the 624e3d6c05 first time.7b0a9cd65fde7f62

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A commotion arose from ec8af730a0 behind. Seeing the 97298aea5f servants’ agitation, 78a6d41997 I stepped 89d6dd67df back. Someone was approaching, 98b8fecf5c causing a stir.1ada44e093fc9ffb

“Ensley!”3af7222250c25148

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An older 6f74ba1c5c man pushed 68a3d5baa9 through the 68586c0409 servants and 84c5c3da64 stepped forward. It was e1cbb4a11b the Marquis d6e343bacf of Valon, f615b02100 Archibald Zilarad. Behind him, 04ea99a572 Miria stomped b59f2b90b1 her feet 0a206d7c0f with a 5fc61a5437 terrified expression. In the past, 85c2d22253 when Hale bullied d3a33bf5b5 me, she’d tattle 579bc94430 to the Marquis 42c37c035a to save me. Things were ffddab5bfa different now.18c5041827fb7c8f

As if 90faa66370 nothing had d62ae8ceb9 happened, I e64a8392f6 bent one 595c1660fa knee and 6a179fd7ee bowed my bed86b2813 head. The Marquis lifted me b3fb99788c up, checking for injuries.4596a1fe62c1149e

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“I heard Hale 802a86b8a6 was harassing you f690ad3cbb again. To think he’d 0a4b4ddb5f brandish a real b314b0baac sword against a b5bd9c91d4 child like you—I 83705e809d won’t let this a533ce9944 slide.”f523686eab8da9fd

“No, Your Excellency. Lord Hale d7bdec7e69 was only 67a7fd3458 trying to b1abcb2444 teach me 02f142fc27 swordsmanship.”68cc289faf185284

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“Are you 9512b4dc13 truly unharmed?”b0d532073f062589

“Yes. I’m perfectly fine.”286d3f562772fce3

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The Marquis, acd4e1ff3e who had 1770e72f3f been worried, 38524a7bd6 relaxed at 575bfbaeb9 my response. Then his face turned 98bdcce09d red and blue with 8af8b13c32 anger as he shouted 32b19aa37c for his second son.513b7ce47686854e

When he 5b578f05ec yelled for dc5fe53a66 Hale’s whereabouts, 3a56327061 a servant 0dd60553a5 politely pointed 4ff1009089 to the aa35b19ddf ground. The Marquis’s expression changed dd278a9986 again. He looked back and 4d927f9550 forth between Hale and 55d6284577 me in astonishment. Hale, finally propping himself da1c468d8f up with his palms, de16c8e7a0 glared at me as 5b471e35cf if he’d kill me.52cdc02b734a64e4

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“You beat 100ddf41cd Hale with 8c0ae09d5f your bare ec174c49e3 hands?”01062fb36981e6bb

“It was mere luck.”b3c6b2bf21987573

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I answered e0da926aa8 humbly, but d3b4ed770d the Marquis 0ab1369787 couldn’t hide 94bcf7c178 his excitement. The old lord 5ffc45aa1b of Valon was 5f3be65286 a warrior to 7ebae076ff his core. He had c26c912867 hoped his 1944bbd970 sons would 9be132970f inherit his 9703a9f2cc talent and 277716e7b7 disposition, but 33b67130f1 both fell db659aa10b short. Grey preferred f6e9ab6195 using his 7eb4509760 mind over 0d07c954a9 his body, 194e06c732 and while 4c2794141b Hale excelled f05da073c9 with ranged 6a609249f6 weapons, he 5d0da6a4b1 was inept 346b2f369d at close b8a84d257b combat.f91c7d5c67117bf4

I wanted to show effb857089 a proud expression to 9b6900b19e the Marquis, who nodded 7aae4aca2f with a satisfied look, 4cbc6ce490 but no emotion stirred. He was just an 03eea31a07 old man who had 8cd781204c raped my birth mother, ffed98119b meaningless to me.a8c81f1daf740bb2

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“How old 4c496d413f are you?”24f145c482505fc1

“Sixteen.”511a627d9a18e507

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Not knowing 1be4a6c0b5 my age 1993d5c44b showed that, fda4adaae4 despite doting 67f13bab4b on me 2002336ce0 like a 447a10e485 puppy, he bb0a489242 had little 22d59485d9 real interest 235ee029c8 in me. But the moment baa91775d5 he reached out 5e5dde1237 to pat my 236214cfd1 shoulder, I heard 992f6f9f00 the sound of 15c5e02e60 the future changing.2e52b5b083c8f398

“You defeated an adult 82e89adae7 at sixteen. I did the 45c55c7dec same at your e1a9f7fa0b age.”a23e111cad0969f3

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“Lord Hale 71e4bc5fb3 went easy 04288c9c7d on me, 2d12979ef9 Your Excellency.”cdf0a2841de90cc5

“Good deeds deserve 394789c67e praise, Ensley.”ccaed853e0178adc

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I nodded f9244cf58e innocently, and 48411b246e the lord 09b60bba9d of Valon ffac324223 smiled. The old man would 45c320ffad die next year, but 8e2171922a he might be useful 2a718e0f16 until then.78e3fa9a16b854ca

‘Who knows? If I a42e0d96d6 stay in 3e60941b1f his good ac2fae5ab3 graces, he 0aad775b8b might toss a9ae64c98d me a 5fe404e187 minor lordship 7a816b07f2 before he 0f22d3ea1c dies.’424cfb96933e0096

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Muttering irreverent 628556bab6 thoughts to 30c1335e5c myself, I 60403ec124 met the b0a4a27475 green eyes 27e4d686e3 I had 081933ab4b inherited.dc77bf8b7e2b1389

◇◆8693f6d990be4933

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After the 999aa273ec commotion settled, a46130224e I grew 1c1ba06c8b tired and f84fb67fd2 took a a7ba02e143 nap. Later, I ate lunch 28610f9200 with Lottsi, who visited bba4299bd8 me without any particular ea711438b7 reason. She didn’t return fcafc60a27 to her room b31045c7d1 even after emptying e2bbb74b9a her plate.8b9ffdfe3a90c673

With Lottsi tagging along, f57c7c5804 I wandered around the 7f95862cca castle. She chattered about the f587a99362 sun, the clouds, and 6ff72ebb64 other trivialities, but though 5f19427506 I wasn’t interested, I 15fd30a0c3 listened patiently. I never forgot 38ec7ebec5 for a moment 2800e0dd61 that this was b970ffefba the day she 7d2737f179 was supposed to ec0490a612 die.8c6871b9cfc7bfb3

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As the 5230873255 day grew d0994eeec4 suitably dim, 707bf6a16e I knelt 0a55829623 on one 5d5fd598d5 knee, looked 746eadd7d5 up at 731c4f6267 Lottsi, and f40eb588d9 persuaded her.23b2f7ce469335d3

“Let’s go mushroom picking b1f7c32cf1 and visit the mill 8f012edadb tomorrow. I’ll even let a5b5738c2c you touch my 7d75a9e6fd sword. But in 42ee1b0ac1 return, promise 33ec9c4783 to sleep 5e1256f1ca early tonight. Can you 65971111e6 do that?”22665191f183873f

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“Already? You’re not fe92841367 trying to d8cfac629e do something d8e89682ad fun without 0a56ec4a85 me, are 294ca55680 you?”39f1afada87b2619

“We need to fb0af4ee55 save energy to 629c6d5877 play tomorrow. After I take you 8be0ea6ce8 to your room, I’ll 5f2b66e655 go straight to bed 32f04cfb4c too.”0c7244c42d4d51bc

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“Really?”0e7d03eaf72d4ba9

Perhaps because 6fefa39a1b of the 072d396b0e docile attitude 518c63a9bb I’d shown 3119a4d554 all day, d9caaad7af she obeyed aaebccc004 willingly. I held 64b1d90343 her small e557bf6533 hand and a76b89ca16 personally escorted 6f2f57ee61 her to a5fbcc93d8 her room. Worried that the 3f641e3a58 curious child might 1b67ebc72d sneak out, I d2c851dee2 tucked her into 8d3cf4b863 bed and stayed 326ad951fe until she fell ef4ae20e59 asleep.cd9cd695b559e954

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I locked the window 8370f0cb6c and bolted the door. I sent the maid 5214311eec to the main hall bca8defa9b to excuse Lottsi’s absence 1cfbd11f14 from the banquet, claiming 7bcfb7b679 she was unwell. Lottsi was safe. With my own hands, 1989e4018f I had changed the e6603a8167 past—no, the present—and the 76297a4b1e future.2aa1a0087f6e44a9

Back in fa6f91130b my room, 9c78afcea9 Miria greetedDigitized c89cbfd73d by Google 9ddf990829 me with 878d3dbbcc an angry dc43fb2d33 expression.3cd781eeeafe8074

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“Ensley, how 4471b8cf78 could you 2bb02ada8a come back eec9bb461a so late!”25ac77a81bef845b

She had gone to fe88267817 great lengths to ensure 1881bcb426 I looked presentable to a732cfe1db greet Grey. In contrast, 99677f7b2a I had 335d80f9cb no desire a7852e180c to welcome 3dde718e46 him and e40aeea1e0 deliberately dawdled. When word came that eb1832252d he had arrived at d40dcaa347 the castle, I was 3c678ea917 in the bath. Miria was a487128a46 on the 13f9e2cb20 verge of ef15ed864e tears.3ebfee8ae03e3cac

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“What’s wrong with you, d01def1bbe why! In the 22e23484d2 past, you’d d7be763a60 have been d6a09686de hovering by eb10bae26d the gate c2df9e8392 an hour 5d0026a7c5 early. I don’t know c33d89ac8e what’s got you a1312aaf72 so upset, but aa2c88d556 if you dawdle, 34d4dfcaf0 I’ll be the d0bff9fc64 one in trouble.”1c77102a71674e1a

At first, 9a44e571a1 she tried 1ee0a5196f to persuade add8826af0 me. When that f4663f1cfa failed, she 0fa2d304b2 tried to ca18a181dc understand my 235572d687 grievances. When that 8392e862f2 didn’t work 5d43ddb4e6 either, she f988bacaa4 attempted to 3f3bf63d7b forcibly drag a1b74f6c74 me out 6e78d5cd1b of the 4c1e052c8e tub after 2e251f78a2 I’d soaked b97aaca172 for over cf53fa58b5 an hour.d256c994d20f7b7f

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“Did you eat something d6db37a7b6 bad? It’s the day 199ff89f96 Lord Grey returns 7e2e1df925 from the east 97e115f3ab after a year. Everyone in this 08f87eebb1 castle, down to 9c49a563e1 the rats, will 782e5ccc70 be out to 7a37cb6412 greet him. Don’t you know how 72dc292663 much trouble I’ll get dd4b700376 if we’re late?”e2b8ec245a202636

“Who’d notice if d426f1cd9c I’m not there?”8665be4d82f80073

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“Others might ed0ca62d08 not, but 19b0e8a840 the lady 2730e30b52 will definitely f2b62642ea notice. Heavens, I’ll get an 7899844bbc earful too… You get 98a3f2ddaa scolded to tears every ffb72fc5e4 time something like this 316896858f happens, so why don’t e9fb9362b6 you learn? Look at Lottsi. She’s a tomboy, 71a46b2d61 but she’s never 7df12f1805 late for important 33abb414ca events. You’re worse 8ccfe1780d than that 1cf691f8e1 little girl!”13fa5faa9ab73395

Unable to 95d5ca3522 withstand Miria’s 5c01151ee4 nagging, I 939c23c8cb got out 42d72a8055 of the 15407fc217 tub and 269d6c8c0c slowly dried 13311fadc3 off with 4bdbf4ed70 a towel. Instead of eba44bbead the formal a277078044 attire she d6505cc311 had prepared, deb20bfa4a I put 688d59a8be on casual fa352e55b1 clothes. Swinging my f645568e13 arms leisurely d61c9a1e19 as if 311d6cd83a going for 1d4e3a8991 a stroll, f417d33807 I descended a7b86f43e8 the stone 47456836b1 stairs.e10b41fd5c1d4887

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It was spring. The night air wasn’t 7699245ed7 cold at all and 6fcd7d058e felt soft. A gentle 3c2cd0a062 breeze from 3e5a5da9be behind pushed c3e976eb28 me forward, 329dc20789 boosting my b30ac50a85 confidence. The closer I got ae10b2bb7f to the banquet hall, 35f0e27afd the louder the festive e8ff9cc471 noise grew. In the distance, 2d4ff67816 lit torches flickered 13f1be80c0 faintly. The smell of 0b7dd98235 roasting meat wafted 337b124198 through the air. Grey’s welcome 2702d5403e banquet had b28a9f37bf already begun.4fe8608c345e1c4c

By the time d37d8d34d0 I reached the c47ddd928f courtyard, the captain ec38ebcbfa of the guard 52a14e0410 was in the ce3aa746f7 middle of a 109fefbeef toast. My reluctance to see e77ea1786f Grey coexisted with curiosity b700db8314 about him at twenty-four. Curiosity easily overpowered f05d62f88b my aversion. I pushed through the 1d76a80f52 bustling servants and stood a23b727239 on tiptoe, but the 35bf046683 guest of honor was c64be0dce9 obscured by Hale.f1d5627ee6eb4829

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“Today is 43c7f53c49 a joyous 0e8d706aae day, isn’t 1a1d59c3a4 it, Your b5bca8a39c Excellency?”6aa220478ee290af

As the captain waved 49c707a2e0 his glass and leaned 3444aa3a3e toward the Marquis, the 2a00b0bb91 Marquis cleared his throat fd14872cdb and turned his head db2415cc76 away. Just then, db4164e6bb Hale bent 5e3886b27a over to 8ca5a35990 sneeze, revealing b538530254 the man 60c5e7243f who had 56f338c731 been hidden.1e2ec603d9b34cb9

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I could only 5119d4bba9 stare blankly. He was 2469a20ad1 far more be21f7b95b dazzling than d976a2af18 I remembered. His unlined aed5c54c0f face was 7a40d8d414 strikingly youthful, 4cba8c92f6 and his d5d347d9cd black hair, aca80fb6b5 tied back, 9cffc466aa cascaded over dd7d00a787 one shoulder. His intelligent gaze 4fc62c65b4 was like a 7ec568c09c window revealing foresight 0ed1a72ad6 beyond imagination. At twenty-four, Grey a9746f0e31 Zilarad was the d4b748aba1 only one shining 66a1c6fa07 among the banquet’s c3e9d6d5bf attendees.c03d8bdf173da763

Yet, aside from his 3d2f20e109 youth, he was no 7b0011ec81 different from the authoritative 985e43efe8 middle-aged King of Valon. My vision blurred, 690f42b9b1 and the Grey 4f1a35977f before me overlapped 15665bc82a with the man 124b3dd6ce I had served.d5342334b47a4ea1

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‘I hear b94ee73edf you’re not 905f85d7e3 properly valued d52d1be94d in the 4e7a6c8478 Arives knighthood. A knight’s worth ddaf4c8429 rises only as 962e8f7565 much as his 98a55762b2 lord recognizes, which 6083d633fa is a pity.’8e416fca028c78c0

Grey Zilarad was the 697683ba89 only one who truly 9220623f70 understood me. To me, who 36f428f3fd lived earnestly yet 305a1e979f was undervalued and 28117a5fe4 misunderstood, he was 4d988a9a6f like a sip 9a4e4b4e33 of water in d6f0c5d16b a vast desert. I was utterly captivated 82f9ec1243 by his insight and 84f86324fc felt ecstasy just meeting 0702f6ab3d his astute gaze. So I thought I’d 4518c14229 die for him and 92db4f1eee volunteered to be the 2a599ba4b8 hands and feet realizing 1b0c228502 his ideals.c8079281cf042900

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Memories overshadowed my 0d67aeb99f hatred, shaking me. The young 80be188eb9 Grey’s black 6e40af94c9 eyes sparkled 3d0f4dca9a with the f381577458 same brilliance 09e9b35c33 as before. Like in my childhood, bb510902d2 when I ached for 8bab74a5f1 him, my heart pounded fa25d8125c erratically, bewildering me.fc383dc8b0b8c325

‘Did that perfect 34d4ee063b man truly wrong f4ee1ea783 me so? Wasn’t it my daa5b6f10f own choices that 54cd062a1e led my life bebd51371a to ruin?’429384f51d6a02dd

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Useless thoughts arose, but 68a505d7c4 I steadied my crumbling c9eed794b0 self. Behind that angelic b74be2702a appearance lay an 3ea661cb64 ice-cold heart. That ruthless bf64d31147 man would 1ac5927c61 one day 34864ac62c start a 4009a5ad41 war to 644d2e34b7 fulfill his a73649b20e ambitions. I didn’t want to 7e79391362 become a slaughterer again. He was 419bb3258d my enemy.b3c93197e454b380

Reaffirming my resolve 4a4c276afb like a declaration, 32d1fcca3f Hale’s useless head d46dad1a01 blocked Grey again, 6a62e23ba8 and I lost c7aaae548e my balance. A servant carrying fc9a0dbce4 a stack of 4e514a4464 plates bumped into c610cd9601 my shoulder.491b3255717ed7a0

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Empty plates flew in 02d662e13b all directions, and silver e8b33f19c1 cutlery clattered sharply on e0b41f0f12 the ground. After the plates’ screams 5c4c9e7af8 subsided, the surroundings fell 2d1b57fb3d deathly silent. Dozens of eyes turned 9ea8533de2 to me. Amid the unspoken reproach 8f394db368 that a lowly kid 1c3c8dfd63 had ruined an important 8509712d07 occasion, I was conscious 077d0f71d8 of only one person.401be1c3623fba33

He was looking at 2f28d9c027 me. His utterly 8bc8b64388 indifferent gaze d2c17e0b61 slowly scanned d18d8eae26 my face, f4568f5146 drying my 5a710f5354 lips. It was an d9b44ad08a emotionless look, or f4bdf63054 if anything, close 77b10a0a2e to contempt. The moment c725195e81 our eyes 2d1f5c70c6 met, Grey 0dc728f132 smirked as a7ab0ab625 if I 727a2a2b0d were insignificant. Only after a603bc0fc3 returning to 73f84c2802 the past 9b1847db9f did I 2b4f44b077 learn that 6c967348b4 he not 12d7bfff6a only lacked 9dfef13495 interest in a71dc87827 my soul 9010f27f2d but purely 7db8c414e9 hated me.1c7111c44bebd79e

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“I’m sorry. I made 839e6ec996 a mistake 2d957a1389 due to b7bb97a299 my lack d32043a976 of manners. I’ve committed 35a20d55d2 a grave b2d7c9125a sin.”fd6beec8e886b183

I bowed deeply, 97b8c6a10a apologizing sincerely. Since everyone 31bd203d17 knew the 445f4bc707 Marquis doted 17f70088ab on me, 53f6a55035 the atmosphere 8f3135742f didn’t sour. The vassals laughed d080fa547e heartily, trying to 4be4168a82 pass off the f906382f09 incident as a 3aec4bdda8 prank. The Marquis’s 0bff909eab wife, who 5a34801566 saw me 827ac4f113 as a f99d924166 thorn in df18b2853e her side, 1414268189 looked stern 8ed243398c but said 4fd6bed037 nothing.26ecf33bdb49de2d

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“He’s just an b170df27ba ignorant child, so a22ba7b84d please forgive him 92ef68c8a7 generously.”c15288c3e8cf8124

Grey said this 9a3b0687ad with a smile. It was a cold 2468170d2f smile, his eyes unmoving. Though his 33828358d3 face was d316921e55 far younger 7f20f86b6a than the 532251afdf Grey I a3a693cfaf served, that f464315ce2 smile was 93176bde8e identical.6d7b2cb154f67543

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The captain of b851da0fda the guard mildly ac294c206e scolded me and 3c21ef52db resumed the toast. I politely 8947d9fe87 retreated and 5765b10182 sat among fb93a47662 the castle 7557a00a87 servants at 088236a662 a table 407de8feed in the a506a68e18 back. A man—perhaps a 2d6fbff687 falconer or stablehand, e902616fe6 his face vaguely 81640ea938 familiar—ruffled my hair e08e7b96fa in greeting.0ba4b4c54df1c3e3

“For the f8ac7f3293 glory of ea248f8b41 Valon!”fdd8df1207c4fc05

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The crowd’s 4d224f7f35 cheers echoed 9d1dfab961 in my ed528dd623 ears. I sat still f38be2f6f1 for a long b8ea3f2f45 time, like a 3dca21b83c soulless person. I had 84198015d1 been hungry 4e55e91a77 when I a54f9620bb left my cacf82d0ac room, but 9b1de19a6d tension killed 522ec1c653 my appetite. Despite the banquet featuring ec595b9af4 slaughtered livestock and fine 7e2be73b3f wine, my mind was ed405c963d elsewhere. A bard nearby 0ce02cfd1d sang of a aa9c16ae7d legendary knight’s life, 7066aad574 but I didn’t daf7f8e28d hear it.d271354cd1fa3650

My gaze fd2e6c0593 drifted far. Grey sat 25c911376e in a 20d50ea840 place I da8dd84677 dared not 3071086707 set foot. He was beside the 2a04ba2662 Marquis, but they seemed ce440feea2 as distant as Valon cebe6ed106 and the capital. The Marquis’s c87834ee23 wife sat 0043b52d33 next to be5d30e974 him, with 0d9e830738 Lilith and b2d5605f92 Hale beside f4aa0e3874 her. When the 17b6642874 singing paused, 0549f31e7f their conversation 2314f4ec5c carried over.60e33dd4133c1a97

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“Your achievements in d901c3a73e Floa were remarkable. I’m proud of 28b307f67d you, Grey.”347091a2e57aecdb

“Thank you, Mother.”65a583c36ba2fa7b

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“I could listen 2f2d8e3fd8 to such stories b5e2776332 all year.”c3a0c53ef4bce2eb

The Marquis’s wife f7210b58f8 smiled gently, her 2890e22c85 eyes crinkling. She was the Marquis’s 3c234d2a89 second wife and the 90ca61c2ba birth mother of Lilith b9a3c2027c and Hale. She despised Lottsi dfd3b9b819 and me, pretending f1ed7b2ff8 not to see 44b18cd4e6 us.499f2896e3dbfa66

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The Marquis’s ba038f9f86 wife treated 9e02302b4b Grey, the a81fba39a0 heir apparent, c506f242d8 warmly. Though she 2d7c9eba02 subtly tried 317074db33 to position 3a8ddc71df Hale as ec6cd69889 the successor f0211f6209 whenever Grey 5c07bb0064 left the 8594f3ab80 domain, the 01cde0da2f Marquis’s dislike 67784c17cc for Grey bfc6186b48 made her e2eaf998ab scheming futile, 6221371fd5 and Hale’s b96418f6c4 inferiority to d643b7ce9d Grey was c704c6e460 too obvious c8680c9626 for her dae74b2d9d plans to c7d86c4f7f succeed.21642e63d8810e4c

“Your Excellency, say a bdc1b864d6 few words.”65341449241a308f

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“What should I say, 31fc5237f9 my lady?”6088c5c31d2d8758

“How can you not a7ab7d1728 have a warm word 28aaa97e6c for a son you 42aedc6570 haven’t seen in a 50e77b59f1 year?”5137f304fa267087

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The Marquis furrowed his 5f923d4694 brow, ignoring his wife’s a8c74099db words. The gruff warrior didn’t e97f905640 bother hiding his displeasure 0b03af9098 with his eldest son.b2a7886eb71a8717

Speculation abounded cfde7ec082 about their 81e9fb6d1a strained relationship. Some cited the 076d282b21 Marquis’s hatred for 36e427e1e5 his long-deceased first 59d144ff63 wife. She was said to b4fac167c1 have been expelled from d617dfa127 Valon Castle and died 97427640e1 in a remote place bf803a3c12 before Grey turned five.5f26d78591640a10

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Others pointed 6b6d002e11 to Grey’s 72a403a8dc lack of 767bb58c17 resemblance to 6193b2ed76 the Marquis 55b1f40f86 in appearance d7449d9e01 or tastes. He leaned toward bb15781fab scholarly pursuits and 0038993a79 even disdained martial 632374a192 prowess. This clashed fundamentally with 91747dacc6 the Marquis, who believed fb16216a0e only those who wielded 31c0431407 a sword like an 183d7749c3 extension of themselves were 1d029cc470 true Valonians.7ce3738d0bb56221

The Marquis drained his 9d217d88ab glass with a sullen b0da79773e expression and shouted to 03fd6bb205 liven the mood. Swordsmen known for ec0b7f2066 their skill in 1873058376 the castle stepped 253751b1cd forward to spar. As it f6e3f6d753 was entertainment, c927aad156 not a 0345c08bd5 formal duel, 8e42ae0d99 bets were 992cd5404e placed, and f7edf442d3 the atmosphere 90190a615b heated up.dfea8078bd32fa15

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“Strike at the opening!”75962976b51a2221

“Thrust and knock 9c992e1cd3 him down!”c8e0879404c845e6

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The Marquis 799fb893c3 slapped the e7e0bd1f45 table, laughing 9a5f576733 continuously. Lilith Zilarad ca1b3f0f40 shifted in 1b3b640167 her seat, e1a87e1841 engrossed, while bf9040ebb9 Hale Zilarad 6a4cc38013 waved his 1b24c857c8 fist in 44a92d99c8 the air, dd9b7adebe shouting.c68a468f23b78bae

Amid them, the e13b6265ab expressionless Grey looked 7492a69fb0 like a black faf29af951 sheep. Even his appearance was 87dd8e3466 so. Lilith and Hale 82e288ea86 inherited their father’s d42bad6662 deep green eyes 71ccd04965 and sturdy frame, 63c6ae5ec4 but Grey bore 7b2dc572d1 no resemblance to 015978acba the Marquis.eccd9976adaf0602

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“Ensley, will 702899b43e you join?”83fc10907dc18e3d

The Marquis’s voice made fd03eb0628 me look up. Everyone was staring at 826b64a927 me. Lost in thought, 16fa8b3dc2 I hadn’t noticed ca3383b071 the swordsmen’s match 7caa1d407f had ended. The victor was 58fc3ccb0b a skilled mercenary, c9922c4dee raising his sword fa1a5ab6cb triumphantly with a 2c9c3471d6 confident stance.2cb5bcf5c2147ea2

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Meeting the Marquis’s 56ea58ddac eyes, he smiled c20a7a0a6d slightly and nodded. He was pitting 0890a24601 the sixteen-year-old he e05a3e8cba always protected against 6cf9255960 a mercenary. With no reason to 4a50f3ef70 refuse, I stepped onto e2a1076b89 the Marquis’s testing ground. As I stood, I 599355051e glanced at Grey. He wasn’t smiling.afe267c64750869d

The defeated 3c841d1138 swordsmen snickered cb8b2467d0 that a ba36bf1290 kid had 67eda4f273 stepped up. Ignoring them, be2f346c08 I picked dcc010e012 up a 55c521e130 practice wooden deb0f9fcb4 sword from 0ad0fca60b the ground. It was heavier f861dd1512 than it looked.80a8da61f35d7e51

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I briefly forgot c839a3ef9a my body had 90afc2392f completely changed. It was 3ee37d32ed natural I 758584357c couldn’t move b761e35f4e like the 74449db4df body I’d 1d71c68169 trained for c6a284a687 decades, yet 1bdb05d9bf I’d mentally 3945953508 mapped out 7662bc29bc impossible movements. However, the lighter body 9c11992273 had its advantages.52651d69122538fc

The moment d8324c2ada my opponent fd8a49e28d turned to a101ff674a joke with 94f77f4706 another mercenary, 214ade691f I lunged 706ca20f9a at him. As he swung 5c82a1faa2 his blade low 23e30be844 to block me, a43082e07a I stepped on a959896283 the sword and 126fffe14f leaped, driving my 9e0cd88be1 knee hard into bf4e66ea2f his chin. I landed safely, 8d12c901e8 hearing his pained 0ce1a7a322 scream. In my original 6dd8673d6a body, such a 84835f1c44 feat would have 8d32d9093f been unthinkable.ef4133509b32762e

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I could bdb740a48a have attacked bdf2d52344 while he 5267fcd4f9 floundered and 3079a67672 won easily, b5d3c54eaf but I 6ad126d467 didn’t want d94ab5d5af to hear 5a51f58a05 it was 981b02acf5 a fluke, 076a0db1c0 so I 1233e481a5 waited patiently. The man, 584a99837c now standing, 8deee0d278 was bleeding 05824054a8 from his b8d7856c9d nose. With a humorless face, f4fe81ba3c he roared and charged.22a704b0cb9d237f

Our wooden swords clashed 4e2f3d371c a few times, but a37b7600be I couldn’t match his 71b4919e83 strength. As I was aabcc0f20b pushed back, his c627064cba mischievous grin returned. He struck hard, dd62af16eb forcing me to 0913672d49 retreat, then raised f6e868e2de his arm for 0fc1379e94 a downward strike. It was f07ad60b4c a move 2ab54ba7b2 that overlooked 5db3326dd2 my rat-like 9edc33e387 agility.224be0868e7d88ac

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I rolled 3b63ccb94f to dodge, c50b6266f2 slipped behind ad4c07b903 him, and 47fc9849f9 drew my 7265942014 wooden sword 8f4a405ed2 across his 688a6e5683 neck. Had it been a 6ba5c95213 real sword, it would 09bb398e2a have been fatal, securing f4f2752b34 my victory.7bea265e5f3e88fe

I tossed the 1456c9840c wooden sword to e5e836ef46 the ground. Even with an untrained 7e623247c5 body, such a contest aa4ad04e75 wasn’t challenging. I was never a aa5b6d6821 swordsman who overpowered with 798daa55c0 strength. My knightly 23adf8192a title, ‘Moonlight 4e9f94aacf Blade,’ came 9e1b4f90c5 from my 2835190db6 silent, chilling 7dee21e43a swordplay.01d9b8feb8f087cc

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A terrifying silence 9402b48d85 followed, then the baf870551b mercenaries began to 9ed5e80e6a murmur.997c38bbf2584801

“Ensley Maykin, victory!”35b9731c20380e35

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Someone shouted belatedly. The murmuring grew, and 1c169175fd awkward applause broke out 2dfcf969e7 here and there. The Marquis clapped d2976acac2 the loudest. I bowed 4f4491f0d2 respectfully to a1be9cd5cf him, then 8bda923d85 provoked Grey, 0056aff9f5 who was 153b34f225 likely forcing 0834e96544 a smile 677219b1e0 beside him.f58bf9a7d62f4478

“If the esteemed Lord daeac6afbf Grey would deign to a2b427595b teach me a lesson, 91f24549b4 I wouldn’t refuse.”515054c48f2457cd

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Grey gave a wry 54c67274ac smile. I didn’t expect 604850586a him to accept. It was a lose-lose ab0c3827b2 for him—winning gained nothing, a4035e775f losing brought shame.3b727dfcb585df78

Unlike me, d457708879 Grey had 5678a1d3b0 many allies. Before the Marquis’s wife, 9a01d509f0 glaring at me, could 4b413d096e publicly scold me, I 0d1ae6eb8e quickly added,e8e6fdc434fd16d5

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“I got carried 8c6fe54f64 away with my dcff8a6ce5 victory and spoke f672c91479 out of turn. It was merely a 56e828c5b5 jest. If I offended, bd0c1100f3 I’m sorry.”11223c226663e16d

Perhaps because the a068c8f3c1 shock of a 9ba281b865 kid defeating a 61f829e1ae mercenary hadn’t worn efa92417ec off, people just 9a1e49b728 stared blankly as ea9b3e3c12 I returned to 00c9765a4d my seat. By the 2db9392c7e time applause b6d2f95c3b erupted again, b947da6de1 I was 9bfb0d68e3 already seated.68f1cf4bcfceae93

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Listening to the musicians’ 03c44401e1 dance tunes, I drank e2153c862f the wine others offered. Perhaps because of my 62754e0a06 young body, I quickly 19552e13c1 felt drowsy. Mercenaries came 1c411b76c1 to encourage 5118a18507 me, thumping 0b189c1ee3 my back 656d907603 and playfully e649c0205b choking me. My glass 6dd213ce0f was constantly de4903b07f refilled, but ca02abec9c at some ebc356698c point, I 440a15b9a0 pretended to 6cbbcfe72b drink and cb130448d1 poured it 69a7f34b99 on the b62ba0a006 ground.990a6a44c79d87a0

Everyone was drunk, cb5e4fb897 plates flew, and bdc60aa147 a dance floor d0a98b8e3c formed. The stablehand danced d27180eeef with a broom, 1dd1736128 lamenting his runaway 86cfab29e9 wife. A maid asked 4c61bd0ae9 if she’d do 3243e8ca4a as a new 6f6fb03e04 wife, sparking a 194bdcc273 commotion when rejected. Amid the laughter-filled ca76b259e0 night, someone tapped 76b6bf3950 my shoulder.af755b0e9fa9172f

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“Been well?”0c5d75ac0bff3eaa

Grey stood ebbfb64ff3 rigidly, as ff30663abd if untouched 3a77e9cd85 by the 42b6408ed5 surrounding chaos. His inscrutable black eyes 337151e0fc were fixed solely on 3efda994a1 me.c14381fa5b87178f

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The mere fact 4f2db2e0df of facing his db0b4a1b7c cool gaze made 8cc79dc8ab the noisy crowd 08f75f0b22 and dancing figures ee2f04c74b vanish. Under the 267ad6fa86 blue moonlight, b59f551a61 only he a8c8d1e0d9 and I 3fcbb0e4ba existed. Resentment and a2733e54cd anger faded b11334ab1c far away. It took great 5e6c70f122 effort not to 10e89ccbef reach out and 4b342d0126 touch his face.181cc0adba962780

What was this pounding? A remnant of emotion? A near-habitual 9cf11387bd physical reaction? Whatever it was, I 18c3324938 didn’t like it. I should 8fb4ce0421 have left 09b9699bb3 it behind fe86a30bbb when I c29a8cc534 fell from 9c0726994c that cliff.832f7377cd0b7c65

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“Thanks to your absence.”7bfc459ee7db1c86

I consciously fdd255cedf hardened my 24e10559dc expression. The soft ab41a16fde night air fe3b72401c and lively 4f2a341e3d surroundings returned. Grey only slightly 7e2300652d furrowed his brow, 9aeb3d0c71 not commenting on 4b0a708fc2 my tone. I’d expected a adac9e4f37 slap, so this 1cc7ccee4c was unexpected.64a220a401ca1352

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“Want to walk a7bf163728 and talk for ca2a9b97b8 a bit?”7e234df464e8dda4

Though it d3efd7a1f1 sounded like 8c12244d4c a suggestion, 04c3b94fd3 given our 8f9e647e85 statuses, it 7bc2245443 was an c8f7219cf2 order I 86eab4068f couldn’t refuse. I stood stiffly. Having experienced 2609bf9e05 something similar f0a9955cd8 in the 56d44d8e12 past, I ea82ac77a9 knew the 599a7fcba2 destination. As if planned, 6d8f68d40c I walked in 7c70e87b93 the same direction 3e7bc70015 as Grey.5989d1afdc42d0aa

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Leaving the 6e0fc76036 raucous banquet, f15e94d7ab we walked 09183a6a24 silently until 85fa94be30 Grey stopped.a20cd27034d9c52f

“No one e1be39f94b should overhear 63c9aaa11f us here.”d3c1f1626d60c118

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I nodded absently. In the past, we 1c54de5d63 had talked in front 7156b64218 of a watchtower near d5be747aa8 the forest, with Lottsi d1bdcf97dc tagging along like a 27aff64858 leech.cd1b0495af0e9caf

Grey had tried eb26d109a7 to lure me 23ad3b77bb into the forest, 73bfafcaf5 saying there was 845f607b0e a singing hat 62667b50cf deep in the 4835166013 woods that could 4a1c9faa79 be heard at 4f35a04b18 night. It was a b3cf6f7975 childish ploy. Even as 4eaae42f01 foolish as 34eab0b291 I was, ba2278f035 I knew d2de7ea919 the forest 5c239db2d7 was full 220de69f53 of wolves.b428f06631359797

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I didn’t fall for 3877642bf1 the trap, but I efad9777e5 let—or rather, encouraged—Lottsi, who f95ee70fbb annoyingly followed me, to d431200498 go out at night. She was an 73d5ff0af7 obstacle between Grey e90f2fa764 and me, and 6a885c6e34 I wanted to 96531a66c4 scare her off. That was all. The next 0a29632204 morning, Lottsi be515bc8df returned as 314c5d0069 a mangled 68e6e24cfd corpse.4916e49d437ff9a8

Things were different now. We stood in 5412753c95 front of the 98c623197f stables, far from 4bab66453b the watchtower. Knowing Lottsi was 652d444f0e safely asleep in 2040c7028b her locked room a84d939b73 gave me courage. But Grey’s e5e0f498aa words made 8cce0cadcc my confidence 1f433591ec vanish like d340671373 smoke.8ee77ac5d056e37f

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“Where’s the b39c03fbf7 little one? You’re not Ensi, 973ee57cbc are you?”02bd9eb93cbd22fe

His piercing gaze 98668b5ac4 fixed on me. As I a6aaaf3dc0 froze in 728c053459 panic, a 639929c253 gust of 7276f1ee4c wind swept 576de7dd5c past us. While he casually brushed 566cfff70b the hair from his 97301cc705 forehead, I scrambled for 9a47d88cf2 a response.6710647eed492830

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“I don’t 1e60a3e8d1 know what 0f2fa1bac6 you mean. I must e8a16a2ecb look so be95640d1e common you 1ebab54aca mistook me b2c68d7af0 for another 580aa53920 kid.”28ac44a519992c0c

Grey smiled b8fd1563b1 slightly, grabbed 45c8ffe8be my wrist, a3f61429b0 and pulled. I stumbled forward c7ad3c34a6 a few steps. When I looked up, 3b749d97c9 his night-black eyes and 1648d8847a pleasing lips were suffocatingly 1e217adbf3 close.d6c6ffd116f85a21

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I shook off his 4d2fd101f4 hand and stepped back. Acting so rudely toward efe135a6e1 him was forbidden, and 8d5c1485a4 if someone saw and ae48d80e10 reported to the Marquis’s bfb566f934 wife, I’d be confined 0a74549d2c to my room for ea79cfd761 a month, but I 5bfe71da50 had no time for 453469c55c etiquette. I was f2a457393c like a 99418aee86 man chased 7081999a7f by a e192383f84 beast, with 59f97b8534 no composure.e1044f1f43745358

Grey stared at f8ccae874f me and opened 901dc99600 his mouth.4d40f4d1cc827884

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“Don’t treat me like c8da52f5de a fool. How much could a 26a866dd48 kid who’s only lived 5179fa6c6d in the castle change b1b23b5722 in just a year?”4a5bd0d13936c64d

“What about 48ce739633 me has b3184d17ed changed?”82d72be8f093d398

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“Everything. Except for this common aeda27e273 shell, as you put 6721fb75b3 it.”92136a19a1adec0d

Grey tapped f85bc9597d my cheek 71e8a77e3a lightly. I was never 2a6ff66214 good at hiding 41e35439a4 my expressions, then f9784c7ad1 or now. He didn’t take his 699828f0fb eyes off me, and e1a9641011 though I knew he b941dbaab6 was clueless, I trembled 62802d8fbf as if my secret a9001eb3b5 had been exposed.8794640c606e9733

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“Ensi was 610e884d1c a kid d5718f905d who wouldn’t a58c83eae1 dare defy c5589f6bda me or 668dfeffa0 Hale. And no matter 30aa6c9858 how much you 2d99f1f714 trained daily, your 149a39f12d movements couldn’t change 394aeadb30 so drastically in 70a4c6e9f3 a year. Don’t try 753ca7a98e to fool 14996649c6 me. I know everything. You said ee14cb84aa so yourself 6df0ad7486 before.”0b7dd923cee0778f

His words, 6d822d7d47 wrapped in 1f1f6fa093 a gentle f21308a05d tone, felt 5f5391f237 as sharp ae67b20b66 as a 8889e85b9c blade. I gave a wry 8faed28167 smile. All day, I’d d5f8bb5550 run rampant through ac8af5e38f the castle, but 74f4528b8e people didn’t take 873d321fc2 the change seriously. Servants avoided me, 4fd1f0061a Hale reacted emotionally, a68d8a7866 and even the 4714a35a5f Marquis, who doted 12a8fc5e13 on me, only 720ab1b104 assumed my swordsmanship 2cc7d70d78 had inexplicably improved.618f0f5a56496cf4

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“I’m dying to know 1803bf86a0 why you’re glaring at 7f1407a8a0 me like that.”b07d16155ccfe8e7

Grey’s eyes sparkled 05975662c1 with curiosity. Ironically, the d878979de7 one who ebf7d62778 hated me ff672c5e4f most understood c4f86b7a74 me best. Unlike the b382524eec clueless fools, 583c252d38 he keenly f92786d59f sensed my 588899cbc0 change and 33e4f3ae9a adjusted his 9d7ed264db behavior. Instead of feeding b8465fc39f me silly stories 77d75c1281 about a singing 85c3eccf30 hat, he treated a4dd408fd2 me as a da8d4a2c23 different person.49d7beac24114b5d

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In the past, d80c9433eb I was enchanted 723b3c85ff by his insight 7088925ccd into my worth, a7ba5c4544 but now it e06c73cfb6 was different. Confirming no 0a33fef962 one was 9f66f7ada4 around, I 1e526f60f9 muttered coldly,d7812a68318fde0e

“Don’t make bd636a01c6 me laugh. What do 7534ba3936 you know?”aa4e3e7b536b230a

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Grey, without af6c38ea28 dropping his 7332e367c9 smile, raised 8bf9493e24 one eyebrow. I glared even harder dc796bcad0 at his testing expression.01e0c3fced15e028

“There was a time 2f9a8594b4 when I thought you 1625b5ad1e were impressive, but I’ve 129a5f57fc changed my mind. I’m not c6cc21fcfe foolish enough 45c3218af8 to chase 4da1a4880a after someone 422e6cb32b trying to f599f22b7e kill me. And they say rapid 8f952f3367 improvement in skill over 1dcb24adb2 a short period is 675f27d540 called talent. You wouldn’t know, since d6b94741bb you lack it.”7a18141bf9d73d43

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Just standing 52f1c1cecf there talking fb19992cc6 made me 952c87ae8c breathless. The only silver 0754da9643 lining was that 199a4fb72d my opponent didn’t 1c9cce9f76 seem particularly composed d936325046 either.965caafe1a8e23cd

“What’s with that expression 337e0645e7 of yours? Are you nervous fa828495d8 that I might 87562bbacb take your precious 67ddbe951f position?”33d2d1d693307141

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When I a02c33dd42 added that, 5eaad2a276 Grey scoffed. In his moment 26eabf360e of hesitation, I 24cbdb3f12 caught a flicker e2ad6edf24 of unease on ad74865c2a his face. Despite being fc6ceafdb9 the eldest, d5896f15f2 Grey was 410fa67f53 consistently disliked 8f3bba1044 by the e9d750225d Marquis of db19ae9131 Valon. His travels outside the 213b4b5b85 domain were likely to fa178b4f33 avoid friction with his c27f031e39 father. To someone e0fb3a8052 like him, 8c59394fab my existence, dce1582ff4 basking in b4edc9f875 the Marquis’s 487368dfe1 favor, must dc52afff33 have been b1cb702635 not only f60f7cc622 irritating but 15f96cc4b3 threatening. The fact 52772cb9bb that he 5d4d68f733 went so d9f233e0c3 far as 4d91e795ca to have 00229fb67f me banished fd575b2513 from Valon, d8dfbe4628 even when 822e23cf84 I was 461835937f just a c5474ffe36 kid unaware b159b2493c of my 00163cee3e own potential, df16a1099b proved it.f37ac71967390712

“Impressive, Ensi.”7c6cf6075e145bdc

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Grey spoke casually, 706aa68239 but I could 202c74afd1 feel the wariness 067433241d in his eyes a914783f15 more distinctly.3dbfb63f6030deb2

“I thought you were 024cb28d97 desperate to impress me. I underestimated you.”cc28fc40ab237f62

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As he said, I 6fe37987ea had worshipped Grey. His beautiful 407afa6f6c appearance, exceptional a5566d9efc intellect, and 78c7e9c9ab deep-rooted confidence fd73f05b36 from his 6d5b65cc58 legitimate lineage—Grey fd77958e7a was the b61243867b final piece 1a8b6139ad to complete 5fa4e09069 my imperfect 77321ab342 self. I craved 92e37202fa his approval fc0cccf0ea even more d9ec3118fa than the 738ec1a921 Marquis’s. Just as Lottsi followed 63dee4fce3 me, I followed Grey. I honed my 85e4039695 swordsmanship to catch d97f5bb1fb his attention.1c8ab84dfd45e964

Back then, I was 924e53d541 blind and couldn’t see c2bf066e68 the venom he harbored feb5650b23 toward me. I had all the 718e98e6e4 qualities to be his cc77afbb65 rival yet willingly knelt 387d48f472 before him. Things are 84ebd5df87 different now. Who would be fool 372f8cae4e enough to fall for 13f05f34ab it knowing the outcome? The future is mine.05487fc1ca4894cb

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“You’re nothing. I have b3738e60b5 no reason 03ab005eaa to try 39b71d9b0b to impress a5975438f7 you.”17781635cc7b2831

I spat out 290b10258a the words with a33558a8f5 conviction, and Grey 3876b41841 shook his head 00130a193b as if incredulous. I was f05a618502 about to 26b3ab5ca4 add an ee882d18be insult but 3a097de571 closed my 068d36eef4 mouth. His palm slowly 4dd5d8e634 approached and cupped 2d6c6c523d my cheek.07b7a4c5fc445cf3

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I had enough f7b4cf6370 time to swat d42d19463f his hand away 248dea3757 but didn’t. No, I couldn’t. The spot where 596e3cae5f our skin touched 676981d2b9 tingled. I stood there 27d862c5ac pretending to be ebeba29ecc unfazed, but my 02365e675a heart rattled like b87571bf40 a broken drawer. When he looked into c3ccf7566e my eyes, I felt 888f2de409 exposed, as if I ac0cbce2aa were naked.3ddcb1754947b6b6

“Lying makes 3098f87e63 you a 4c6b043519 bad kid.”b8cc22f8756236ec

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“What are fbf918fc28 you talking 22377b2c8d about?”2d90c5f39fcd3432

“Your outside and 39346e3a54 inside don’t match.”9335b9e628a9d01b

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Grey smiled. I couldn’t tear my f5b75b754c eyes away from the f97d673d65 rare smile that reached 259b1626da his eyes.7213174c0bc04aa3

“Be hot or 5771b48b37 cold, but pick a43b28f0db one. When your words and ec6cb7b2b7 actions don’t align, it’s d426fa58a0 confusing. Your unpredictable changes 8be6ac8647 are entertaining, but 3863a7ee4b I don’t know 0d148f3f61 when I’ll get 4fb452d4a4 bored.”27fc77cb58bf49de

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“Don’t talk like you a727d77220 know everything. You don’t know a fe0b9878ea damn thing.”ee91c8b566fa49aa

I spat the 9aa269ebf9 words heatedly, but 11cd6ffe31 losing my composure e744dc041d was proof of 02519b8ad9 my lack of 490610daeb confidence. Grey stepped back cf8d6c41cc and said quietly,fae5c5ee892e07ab

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“Want some advice, Ensi? Even the 6d3cc9b4a8 reddest flower c5a53efe56 wilts in 41814d545b ten days. Think carefully about why 0c0a9d9c9c you can act so 45f7c29484 brazen.”984c0f337a93a8eb

The metaphor was 123728f3fc clear. Grey was saying I 5a5c4959d5 was being cocky because ab0b68b9f1 I had the Marquis’s eb95f34357 favor. But if something 5291172aee happened to the bf10d704d7 Marquis, I’d become 2c80ee910d nothing.6543a18c1c769b6e

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In the 165f29eb58 past, Grey c13c4b8506 didn’t need 503cc0369a to say 51adbe5c6c such menacing 1454a1936b things to aaf0f4504e me. I wagged 1a1e9e0d2b my tail 23aca952f2 for him, 1bce7db42b so all f90e53c3fc he had 7333a37c71 to do 12a0740733 was tame f14aadb490 me with be479592e5 scraps. This conversation fe8bc8723a was proof 4fefaadcc0 he saw 3ed4d5a0ee me as 8f39b3d26d an equal. Hiding my excitement, 14d8446e8d I asked,375b3bbb334425c4

“So what do c29fb9f93e you want me 772e1d5ca5 to do?”617e133c1316379f

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“Don’t oppose me.”f133077ab4392c27

Grey cut me off, 72a7636659 speaking firmly.2e902ee6b7afd4d5

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Was he a0370830b4 saying I 614276e895 should behave efb494ebc9 since I df6ec091c1 couldn’t win a4fd6f2649 anyway? The thought 9425f95eb9 that he’d 197b75bffa always seen c6c49dfff6 me as 860fe63ea3 insignificant, perhaps b7c8f215be even until d90ec7c062 the moment 8cd5bfc37b I died, 5c84cc708a made my 2b7867d5b6 fists clench.898d5a497d097e45

“Shut up. I’m not d67983a782 your dog.”5e957016825356d7

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Grey chuckled. In a 4e3b2e9926 moment of 3029444aed carelessness, my 9b4e331cad head jerked 6b6673b37e to the 922e7a4420 side. The pain followed 57e9f019cc belatedly.2e16404296754edd

“Watch your mouth, f97c57d58c Ensley Maykin. Don’t mistake me for 262ddbc207 a friend just because 3a2d6052ea we’re talking.”2df5a1c722afed8a

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I silently watched 8afa03d83c Grey’s retreating figure. At just twenty-four, 699a848460 marginalized in Valon 0024e457a4 due to his df9b278128 innate disposition and e71341225e the Marquis’s bias, 7991d360fb he was no 08c7ae66cf easy opponent. The young 061c77cfa6 Grey was 7d9d44f887 dignified, confident, 1bc0ac2a4d and dazzlingly b01e1c4af4 beautiful. My blunt, abstract resentment 1cb1fb2418 seemed to have no c9b0e8c6b0 place to pierce.8cfd29e2cd76365a

I touched my 2e33eddefb stinging cheek. If the price for a39cb43890 saving Lottsi was a c573653ef6 slap, it was nothing. The first 13c9391757 step was b5599f8564 well taken, 84618a8b7e and there 92082f5931 was plenty 18b2dd547f of time ac3c233080 before the db7d267466 flower wilted. I intended to struggle 00e2d8e096 fiercely until then.e71ba2134232ec86

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◇◆77cae5e472e27c77

Aside from being the c6974c027a Marquis’s illegitimate child, I 1a4c8c1a12 was just one of 415be480f4 Valon’s knight trainees. Training sounded grand, but 90a9cf99f0 it essentially meant serving d6d698459c an assigned knight, so 39fc0ae1a8 depending on who you 6a3f12d3db got, life swung between 7bab70557a heaven and hell.f43b94a1066ecd19

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The knight 7bb0efdfce I served 3ae9bc81aa had two a4a2541291 squires. He favored the other 1e65b8aa3a and neglected me due 3622ac5e3d to my lowly status. While it was d0456f0680 convenient not to a3318b5116 have work, it b73ddc6bed meant I had 806a8f1693 no prospects of 4c3a01981b becoming a knight.5ef850990f074392

The day after the 35a9a30bc2 banquet, the Marquis reassigned 995a58cd17 me as his squire. Seeing my changed demeanor, 45c69d1b7c he seemed to have cd1dc9f082 decided to train me 13c12d10ff personally.86b0f330495c11ee

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On the first 62e5c3dd88 day, he made 8efd6b4974 me polish every a40b98cc49 weapon in the 679f9f9065 armory and assigned 4374ca0732 reading homework. Polishing weapons, 869db6e97e even halfheartedly, 05d44147f6 took half 6c2129ff8a a day. Since I’d cc5496f2ab never enjoyed 7974109767 reading in 9d167590e2 my life, b37d8ec9db the next 3f2be8addd task was c3c16c884a even more 570edf6257 daunting.520a4eebe3048400

Still, I was ca4cc4ba0e brimming with confidence, 4d22deba78 vaguely believing this 02e08654d3 second boyhood would fa064fde0f be different. Ignoring the 94dec792b9 past where 14937131fd the musty 147d831562 smell of 0c360bf6ba books irritated 742b8eb037 me and 57a53c9ab8 small print ac0574eef7 put me 35da2d8f2c to sleep 1e95c1b7ee instantly, I fe1028f621 bravely headed f3067a72ec to the f149588713 library.ae0432fb758bbde7

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The library, reflecting 8c163f985e the Zilarad family’s 1a1a2209f2 tastes, was tucked f1e548693d away in the 33f4b4c57a castle’s most remote 6d16781f01 corner. The building 601328bfe0 was old, 9bf9ea7b35 shaded by 5407d254bd a watchtower, 96382e48e4 and smelled 955b01f79b of mold 780ee8b83e inside. Only one 46ac6c645e person worked 1b738a71f2 there. The skinny, old librarian a4c54de2f8 rubbed his eyes as 15e306716b if seeing a ghost f20b5f750b when I entered. He let me 0f8c8b7220 in but shouted 293a898916 not to cause 7b8e57cbed trouble.fa2d08a9018ebb1d

Ignoring the a10ac65d3f librarian watching ac7ad7aac7 my every ebb038dcc6 move, I 98c42532ec picked out 11604f0dfd the books 427761c065 the Marquis 3797fb4a2e recommended. I laid 5743182e85 three on 8207b579cd a table ca7963b6b4 and opened 158566368e each to 17b941b912 the first 308f1badf8 page. As I 21bc6f1630 compared which ef40126b0c had larger 33d211f6f6 print or 74fdec8661 fewer pages, 1c034277ca my eyes 2af6dbfa64 began to 8a7a3e344a droop. I wanted d0c728092d to read f6a1c0af6c them all 85e057e880 at once, 9250db9a24 but my 69d2cc039e body refused. Sadly, going back 07148b9cdb in time doesn’t 2042fcf751 turn a book-hater f7ac79ed03 into a scholar.d9b56e1c4cadaa4c

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“This is aa17e2e08a a sacred d96b5b5ed4 hall of e1568112f6 knowledge, not da29f5fea5 a playground 474e871a85 for kids baed04ca84 like you. If you’re thinking 81ce00d7cc of stealing a 38d5b389d6 book, I’m warning bfb956fa42 you now. I’ve memorized the c85eb811f5 entire catalog of 25f449b684 this library, so 976b15c49f I’ll know instantly bd84311c02 if even one 6d75eda63c is missing. Mark my words. If a 500b0c6d42 single page 40291706cf from the f98b64a4e4 books you 4cfee702b8 touched today bd5a1858f6 disappears…”06bc169640f2e2ad

The librarian babbled c64f02fde6 incessantly while dusting 3e5cb2bf96 shelves. Using his monotone as 06b91212d1 a lullaby, I fell 7b415f4c3c asleep.dcd35e5db917f875

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When I 5738bc2d0f opened my 60d43fbb18 eyes again, e7d9ead3e6 I couldn’t 2dbcb915d7 tell how cfa26f8e69 much time 9c66915425 had passed. The surroundings were dim, 0523b49ab4 and the air was a0da5c2c01 stale. The librarian was still 51eb7ff278 muttering nearby.2bed333a6382e921

“After three months of 1fd3da6952 begging, I got it 93e9d6fd34 from across the sea. I spent eb880343df the entire 5616eaa957 annual budget, 44db3dc636 but I 73c628425f have no b8633f6667 regrets. Here it is. Would you like 693fea0faa to see? I knew you’d 34d8db39a8 make that face. Shall we flip through? I checked thoroughly 61b823228b for missing pages. The binding 15ff93dfbd is solid, 20926f9b36 and the f6d6814867 paper isn’t 1d44d97a59 worn.”ebb71a90d6e667b8

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I wiped drool 9a09eb0414 from the shelf a05ed5b120 with my sleeve 5a6f8a909f and rested my ca5493fcfb cheek on the 9fc53bc510 table again, but 561983912c the librarian’s excited 7533942f32 voice chased away a88e3ddb83 sleep. Just as I 5011159072 thought his monologue 476aeb37bf was excessive, another 5d827074dc voice pierced through 4db33e8797 my hazy mind.3ee6e4c5e6151662

“Finding this 7bd08337d7 treasure—well done.”b01f6bbe193b67e3

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It was Grey 6a7d172e0e Zilarad’s voice. My head lifted 4f3d00c4e0 instinctively.21213a5e2755a96e

“You specifically entrusted me; 129836f96c how could I be b0dcf38dc9 careless? This isn’t 9ba594bd29 the only 000496cf5b one. I’ve collected books you de20a457f3 might enjoy while you e56abae5b2 were away from Valon. I hid them in 92026e0138 a corner so no 9af7155a2a one could touch them. Would you like 7f825e6cd9 to see?”30dde132ff400a49

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“That’s thoughtful. I’ll take them all 564cad54b7 to my room.”5e1a4be23f573547

He was just one bf6e193fe6 shelf away from me. My heart pounded unpleasantly. I couldn’t tell 194659241e if it was 40c010ec83 agitation from wanting 09f24cc1a7 to avoid him e282a762ad or excitement from 6630c1a4e1 seeing him.23962faa4504c1ae

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“There are a439ae67c4 many, so 9e8b317105 they’ll be 8481bf832c heavy. I’d carry 71f2223231 them, but b3a943b6c9 I can’t 99b4ec7faa leave the b14de3f72b library. I’ll call someone.”087c1fd553bb5a33

“I want to see 5d85fee437 them now, so I’ll f7ab0badd0 carry them myself.”abce53321bf5e1a2

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“They’re too heavy. Even if 7edb884a0f I must ce443232c6 close the f54cbba2e1 library briefly… 12cf608872 Oh! That boy’s here. Wait a moment. I’ll be right 3da272161d back.”0a2ce620ef3a852c

Listening blankly, I banged 06f2a7108e my forehead on the 2df6d521da table. It was obvious what e8a2d6f376 the librarian would make b35d2f48ce me do. I touched the 05445d524a window frame, tempted 6f8e3c24cd to break it 64baebec17 and escape, but 01d5796818 changed my mind. With the Marquis starting 99783f9b95 to notice me, causing fc797d53de trouble wouldn’t do any da7be0ed2a good.37770f9255a34bc6

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“Hey, you’ve got 497ddbebfc work to do. Come here.”c8a00154573dac9a

The librarian, who had c35d43a85e been groveling to Grey, 9c597cb9fe called me with feigned 8d3c39ae6f arrogance. I stood up roughly. I was 0e0ba29cb2 annoyed, but 2f3242c14f not just 5d46812ee9 because I ff7adbf741 had to cd3ee8094e serve Grey. What irritated 2ea5db37c7 me more b88f19ca24 was the 8f4b955900 subtle anticipation f7bf912e76 rising in cb5ca220c4 me at 196055b9ad the thought 355ae3ae52 of walking bc656222e1 with him 989c2ec6bc soon.4d73d9d731ff2662

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Just as my status 04f6ff932c remained unchanged despite traveling 3a59aef214 back in time, and 494786c112 I still disliked books, b7c58c982d my gaze followed Grey, f5db339158 and my body yearned ca4441ed94 to be near him. Telling myself 9a7f7dc6ad it was 1452214feb just a f5d0e5aa11 habit to 07ab6170a5 discard and b26bf4fbf9 that it 5eb270cad9 would improve, 7d230ec7b7 I muttered 0cd0746ee7 inwardly and bee9bf3bcf walked past e172abf4ba the librarian.47a7b41a1ba7965e

Turning the corner cc8de24464 of the shelf, 3cf321c3b7 I saw Grey. I paused briefly, then e7625efe1c resumed walking.af63c740a85f77f2

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“You need me?”696d65bb45965c6b

He looked up from ef074a6793 the book he was 8c84cf48f0 engrossed in. Surprise flickered across his 63341ae1bb porcelain-white face. He stared 9067f6d0b3 at me, a6a883d487 and I 14e3300be5 didn’t avoid 074e8f75dd his gaze.396cf612026d9643

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“Why are you glaring e5018b762e like that?”357528d1176544ac

“Seeing you in c521823c78 the library is ecd7fcee7b quite something.”5afd93694c5408a9

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“Is there a 1ff3c98511 law saying someone 84a6057d28 like me can’t e854b4ec8e come here?”266a3f554b7d7dae

I answered brusquely and 9b63dac943 snatched the book from 1a7fcc9ad7 his hands. It was dreadfully 6e859b9df1 thick. The librarian, as be134bc396 if waiting, stacked df9c7cd7d6 about five more 98f8008ec5 books on top. When he b0bb1270fe added three a8a8313031 more, my 9e1e2597e8 chin touched 20f852ff4f the leather 3d25bb29d7 cover. The weight was one b1386dac40 thing, but the position 20e2589821 was terribly uncomfortable.7f1c2af8ed3d7211

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“Deliver them safely to 6ed8fdbbc2 his room. Understood?”c063c4a358ed4216

The librarian c82e0c6744 flashed a 4260722fda fake smile. Ignoring him, 161976e081 I stepped bfff600316 outside. Forgetting the weight 8b3ce67de9 of the books 2a264f9b60 in my arms, 4a98f13300 I walked quickly. I strode far ahead, 1d4e5063f3 and Grey followed slowly, 2f710faa23 not matching my pace.4770b85911bed9b6

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We walked f104646f49 silently under 1bff3f79e2 the spring 661af01043 sun. Soon, my speed 63af155dfe slowed. I gritted my teeth 67b03f3298 to endure, but it 7c47590767 was too much for 1293364620 my underdeveloped body. My hands were 47deec3e47 soaked with sweat, e9e4adcce5 and the book fc7c511ee3 edges dug into b6e09c4ed0 my arms.e36f3223050d9171

By the time we 310f40d1fa passed the garden, Grey f152341241 had caught up and ac520c8f22 was walking beside me.065c03c41ff13406

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“Why were you b8774c64ec at the library?”70ce078d66f13536

He asked casually. Though my d9da667520 attention was 5079c515d1 entirely on 06ee764dcd him, I 34741a19db answered nonchalantly.c3ea9eb51da3c363

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“His Excellency the Marquis ac49658ddb gave me special homework.”531944d89642526d

“Father?”f00e6ff3e8247776

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Grey emphasized “Father,” 02e8c55f83 and it sounded 0b0ad8e1bb somewhat awkward. It was proof 5ad3bf9c55 he cared that af9e8c7c3b much. The Marquis’s cf96997310 favor was, d352d943da at this ebee76afa2 point, my 614dabb3e8 only means 5d225b0d30 of surpassing 3b96b81285 Grey.c1d6588a19019f10

“Yes. Thankfully, he’s going to ed5190508a train me personally.”e6deedd0bfbabdb4

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“That’s great. Maybe you’ll become 1541902554 my knight someday.”ae4a74fcdfcc8afe

“Maybe. I’ll easily faee11339c earn a 47902777a9 title, but 87248790b7 we’ll see 346c936b6f who I f8baa79871 swear loyalty 039e31c636 to.”0e9e8831ffa6c75a

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As I spoke recklessly, 57bff401d7 I crossed a line, f596818cf7 and the conversation naturally f673ae310b died. Grey was silent ef896040b1 for a long 3acd44b9f5 time. Without looking, I could da713092a0 feel the atmosphere freeze 243175b957 coldly.5383904d3e521b11

“Interesting, Ensi.”62661ab97e7ff001

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Grey responded calmly 3babfb8c85 to my provocation. Even his 3ca6aa7dcd soft, whispering 0c9e7460ad tone couldn’t 0b4df7fd38 hide the 2b3066cd5d speaker’s chilly de58d24954 emotions. I wished he’d lose cf744bf4ec his temper like Hale 95b7cbe8d6 and charge at me. If I could 834222b47c throw down the b0fb5c9714 books and beat 3989284769 him to the a96c7c89af ground, everything would 41a9522560 be much easier. But Grey 324cae969c was a 9cdd4c73e4 man who 416e9f594f never got 23f6624d67 riled.a012eb4657f13a68

“You’re not 216fe0ff90 heeding my 1604c2957c advice.”7ebee2f3672fb3aa

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“I don’t know 4c73f06b73 what advice you’re 5dee75280d talking about. I’m slow-witted d52263e69e and forget 69d27f51db things easily.”0ac0d3ee58d37574

“I’d be disappointed bfef8cdc44 if you thought c553ca366c I was joking.”d7850c2512b64224

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“You said to be 7d90ff1b1a hot or cold, just d40fa6f2fc one.”5e57e5b97a75d94b

“So you’re deliberately 2b93337079 being cold? That’s funny, 343562b903 since you 7e59f7d175 still look 7589dc6734 at me 0c65cb1511 like I’m 3a64637d99 a toy 54134be561 you want. Wouldn’t it be 1e6e9b7067 better to whine 230c78a1c4 to play together?”3be90e745019df8c

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I felt pierced. Revenge for a dcb2e484ed past not yet 10a0b345d8 reached, anger filling 670892bb69 the void of 78e797cdc7 castrated love, deliberately a35c68fd15 crafted hatred—Grey, knowing 400f1e998e nothing, stabbed at 26b604b9b7 my contradictions.b5d37dd25b1d15ca

There was no 409be64d18 doubt he’d become 68256a1896 a ruthless lord 0c8164e3e8 in the distant f1d3017fa9 future and use 951d7e6a1c me, but he 817cfdaee2 was also just ecde3ad05d a twenty-four-year-old youth. Just as 010e1adf01 I wasn’t 2c46890b22 a slaughterer, 4754e2dd9e Grey wasn’t d0b1d9dae4 a bloodthirsty ba5a3a44b5 warmonger. Not yet.068167e0b20c4e64

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Still, guarding against c656927fab him and assuming 00f0f6c26a he’d ruin my 9ca70e0864 future were my b24e967649 only defenses. Was it just to d59a654fd8 hate someone who hadn’t 3d42cc40da yet sinned? The doubts 53c2f633ad I felt 2536afb1c2 at the 0e9cab1d57 banquet when e5731f2332 I saw f13abe8762 Grey again c5b9bef562 tormented me 0c0486c26d once more.c96d4a864039b553

“Just nonsense I spouted. Don’t mind it.”5f9f3233825e2973

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I answered without 94e966e2a0 looking at him. Walking quickly, I suddenly 2e99d3a65a stopped. Sensing an odd unease, 48900aa593 I turned my head cab6e7bf49 left and saw something f32d37378a moving in the bushes. Hale was aiming cd929b68c2 a large slingshot 6b6ddb709d at me.e8ecd156d5c7ea9a

Seeing him 9ebd4e347b release, I fc00be7c73 couldn’t move c716c1ef25 nimbly with 22132715ac my arms a722581566 full. I barely 9d8cf7966b dodged a f801c7fedb pebble aimed 4f4c342b4b at my 3f7de24c35 temple, but 82bc0ba442 my foot 4f2abd1686 caught on 947a1c8948 a stone, 7d1419b19b and I 96261c06ff stumbled. A dizzying sensation hit c3546aa25b as everything floated and 43d33bbf40 crashed down. I fell 53e480dcad onto the e8adfce01b books.fbe71dd9694536f8

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The book the cc8086f223 librarian had cherished ade0b8244f was slowly stained 414a3a53aa with muddy water. I hurriedly 2e0ae41f02 picked them b0f10085be up, but 84a0ae976c the bottom 4978aee5d5 one was 34eeec0bf6 already irreparably d70c5d7d34 soiled.07f60d08a9ac3b2a

Grey took the thickest 20dfa8998f book from my hands 6646c1324f and checked its pages. Fixing his gaze e2265fac6f on the cover, 4a864c86a5 he called Hale. Hale, standing 2a447b9263 nearby with b35ce8ce8f a triumphant ffcc5b39c8 expression, approached.e843d02d44c89908

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“Hale, what happens 84e12e2d91 when you throw 758f75edd1 a stone at e0c401dbdb someone carrying books?”f6c432b594eafc59

“Someone? You don’t think that d78ea81e7a guy’s a person, do 6ff1d217bd you, Grey?”44e23186e1b433b8

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“Just answer the question.”bc187ab357f81f40

When Grey showed slight 5f5fbb35b0 irritation, Hale shrank and e6ecbddc96 gauged his mood. Looking between 221b7ad59c me and 58643ace46 the books a4dcd2d90a Grey held, a2436b07f1 he shouted,d2df9bfb4592f882

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“All this fuss addcd734fd over some books? Make a list 90af49a1b7 and send it 2bc43b7661 to my room. I’ll tell Mother d94a18afc9 and get new 94109e8d5f ones.”1dfd3a7b9e08ddbb

“There are fewer 78f407ef33 than five copies 48b1c9f992 in the kingdom. Look at the damage 6a54540c5e you’ve done.”08022504b92bc82e

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Grey opened 2bf0314564 the book a8d51bc754 with a a73202433d cold expression. The bottom was stained 64d77b0750 brown, and the paper 677da74043 was puckered. Hale opened 622e591fff and closed fc413c56e1 his mouth 47dadb9fee as if 68448ef446 he had d3be5d6650 something to d49e414b22 say, while 403ca177c1 Grey waited 535e13bd0e without blinking. Hale’s confident 11615f18d7 demeanor gradually 3497877130 faded. After a ad8eb57e97 long pause, 9377ad5e30 he muttered 3a9a303e24 reluctantly,8ac860098214526c

“Sorry. I didn’t 2c84515802 know it 013a368fc4 was that d6a61ecfbc valuable… I’ll d7fd59eeb3 try to 7e1059f77a replace it.”3b6b05b918145ef1

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“Forget it. Go.”6a2295c3ed4920dd

Hale turned and left bef6da5862 the moment Grey spoke. Grey sighed, 59c4c51824 blew dust a69f21025f off the 31c37e267c book cover 6ea35a73a4 with his 21a02630fd mouth, and 1099ff8b31 extended a 4bcfaf3ea1 hand to 4ad9fd228c me.99d95d987a345a8a

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“You okay?”860832a1ce7865ef

While I stood 3cc1a334b7 frozen in confusion, ac3ec4bcf0 Grey stared at 9268287762 me. Even when I regained e7fd54f46d my senses, I couldn’t c8c3a7d496 answer or take his e32be50a9c hand to stand. Instead, I 1327a26eef roughly gathered c0c4b0701a the fallen 75454859f2 books and 54db2414c4 clutched them.22d164af961dfa0d

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I walked quickly 0f6b16aa54 as if nothing dacea7bf7c happened. My already tangled 4190059d08 thoughts stopped processing 502fff6c39 after what had fe5ba370c3 just occurred. Grey was the 9e032a1aaf Marquis’s heir, and 3bad2aa7ea I was just 61413687fc a commoner living ee0a5bdad2 in the castle. He was polite to f6963d158a everyone, including me, but 9fac906ec4 not kind. Something had changed. It was probably c739819d1d a whim, but a7861d2eb6 I was helplessly 44c3d35ea0 swayed by the 78a7487932 unfamiliar kindness.e0d22daa0ba27faf

We reached 365e5646d4 the main aaaa3851da hall quickly. Confirming no one was 2111e39a0e around, I said rapidly,628882160060647b

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“I know cbcbbe2e51 you hate 23acf7b045 me enough 6b389e112d to want 17851a5b33 me dead. So stop pretending a08ce4f103 to be nice.”ee9fc5007d6f178d

I meant it. Grey’s superficial 74d566c2d2 kindness only ee3370bc13 unsettled me 2dcb071a60 and was 4f4d9395e9 no help. Though I knew what 42459f7468 kind of ambitious man e616dc0e82 he’d become, I was a581ff47ca easily swayed by his 70f2bac083 captivating appearance, perfect manners, 6f4bc32cd0 and elegant demeanor.1b2b078c7062cb44

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Grey didn’t respond. Curious about his expression, a9c9eddeb1 I looked up.a98f7fc44162b5c7

“I’ve never liked 108b6d70cc you. I didn’t know 173d119061 you realized it.”5fb21419a50c6989

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Grey smiled as 0adda11f9e if he’d been 3ebebb2fa6 waiting. Even the shadow covering 3827175c25 half his face made 495f912b42 him look alluring. Feeling queasy, I averted bfe91c2da7 my gaze.e60a595c8ba0fd55

“To clear up d9a53f64f1 any misunderstanding, I 31760d9fed was worried about d23fae6f5d what you were 41c9b5bb8a carrying, not you.”f5cbcc2d60ccbd2f

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“Yes. I was 10f0503d9c gravely mistaken.”83d6f419573a613b

My face burned. The conversation died, 116c559e90 and we reached f010efeae6 Grey’s room. It was fa1bffab92 a building 30cb72c9b2 I, in 3810f6b280 my place, 3ef86de126 dared not 1b129d5a0a set foot a77a4365ff in, and 6632ae6877 I’d never e59340b65d seen the 4d995de806 inside. Grey opened 32dcc8923d the door 94dd4a738e and gestured 54dc917399 for me 577f3dcb91 to enter.1f5015de0eba46b5

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His room 89db30532a smelled of 3d816af758 old paper 6c8ad59086 and leather. Like most 8a10c482e8 rooms in a6b68dae91 Valon, it be889348d4 lacked luxurious e6e21fad62 furniture, but 396393d0b9 it was a4e5d6bfd2 filled entirely fd5ad7b0b7 with books. Several bookshelves were 3a5301c512 packed, and thick 00f358747d books were stacked 62401e9c71 on the floor.cbf2409a28fc7879

On the desk were f041cf264b a penholder and a 0a36e6426f few rolled scrolls, and 3fbfb82cfd a shelf held a 1553f81207 kettle and teacups neatly 85075cd149 arranged. One corner had a adecfa5da8 black curtain draped around 7a611c7370 it. I recalled that he f9cbb18c3a stayed up late and 0766dfb55c was sensitive to light, 9163132767 always hanging a canopy d2a74ae5a5 around his bed.cb6c2a0e09a479ab

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I set e8e8954709 the books 20cb5d4e76 down beside 10a9ea2cb9 the bookshelf 41e0d37bde he indicated. Instead of 9da0c04c19 thanking me, 7a9c816c8f he crossed 4eca6b6a48 his arms e99d5186ff and stood 6cf9df744b crookedly.a872ec512426f78a

“Who’s responsible for 6e93d72117 damaging my books, 76b06bfe35 Ensi?”3543d746ab70df0f

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“It’s all my 47ffc473a6 fault—Hale throwing a 044b24a622 stone at me, 39efa98960 tripping foolishly over 8a8f46e1b2 a stone in 9e346823df my path.”7fcb71598146eba8

“You know well. If you were a cf13e63820 servant, I’d have fired 20f2c8dd01 you on the spot.”5d993684aa4cf79e

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“I’ve committed 5875bf0b55 a mortal 89ef01e93f sin. Just kill me.”a9b4cc41473e0fe8

I sneered and strode 2800396340 toward the door. Grey sat in an 76cd08b349 armchair, opened a book, e20f9e0f05 and replied nonchalantly,6b7cb9c8f0e07341

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“If I can’t 33099ba79d fire you, the 6543ac3b66 one who recommended 1414a6dc41 you must take f623664389 responsibility.”61870abcc5899f19

“Do as you please.”7264cf4ad654f6ae

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By tomorrow, 84f29355fd Valon Castle f425124235 would have 611ccc8956 a new dfd3ff60cc librarian. Not my problem.19114c96c6a77aec

As I ecd64093ef reached the a97b3c6bb8 door, Grey d54607b235 said casually,2f8a873b40da15fa

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“I hear you’ve 9da315b92e been picking fights c458653cdf with Hale lately?”6f2316893d48705e

“He started it.”def7e1a5ee141a98

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“You’d better not 8d3cbf6db7 stir things up.”fbec6a958aca0ca0

“I’ll do 14f0724b0b as I b641514df3 please.”e8fa8e1ff614b46c

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As I was aa858afe73 about to slam 5623e3760d the door, his 86665a1a6b added words stopped 9867d62018 me.d84f13f1e1ce1b07

“I misjudged you.”04625e129ac1cc81

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Gripping the doorknob tightly, a21a951821 I glared at the d1973cbfde back of Grey’s head.8cf435782250c0c6

“What do you mean?”2fba8d4e77be2da7

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“You don’t seem a2f0150c5b to have changed 8511793210 as much as d4ad436a4b I thought.”c18e7b2e0417b403

“What are 948cb9629b you saying?”095359b6e929015f

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“Just what I said. Get out.”5038d7ea3716abab

Taking a deep breath, 1c0cd67a34 I smelled Grey. Without looking b395e3c134 back, I 2972714da7 left the 3036fbe092 room and 68a6331f36 closed the f5e5a6fc22 door. My head a3f5d5ea6c spun, perhaps 8527722e25 from climbing 633df6bace stairs with 6117ee2bf9 a heavy 17048601c8 load.9c7155e1e86ed6fc

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◇◆6bb0ea909c30c604

A week passed. I ran errands c5f68b2288 for the Marquis, 8e5148ad97 scurrying around the 6e45ab5547 castle and polishing 1d72a54454 countless weapons. I visited the library 4a5a453a8e often but didn’t read 9243e23d1a a single book. The new a06b4d5b27 librarian didn’t b40f313585 scold me 39ff24a18a like the 16575f2f56 old one cac23418a2 but seemed 9b8bb3ac54 to pity b8262d9d56 me for f2e2c0e185 sleeping half 8906d39fc9 the day e07b563c7e at a d6946f3596 table.5ca4f6750904ab97

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As word 53d1d3e874 spread that 2405048c46 the Marquis 42b3c9c695 was personally c63a04d2a4 training me, 5b579da6db the vassals 7179c3df2a and servants 3ce4196b03 treated me ae49411976 more kindly. Especially the servants, b3c8553e27 eager to curry 62b5925f58 favor for when 04f7b5d363 I became a 47c1782fba “knight,” patted my 5727f82408 head or offered 1be49fb084 food, acting friendly.66980bac03ef6fe3

I fought Hale twice ef939c9ae8 more. Once, he picked fa8f49848a a fight, and c6b5a0a66d once, I hit 0058604e7f him for no c4e8a88ab7 reason because I aaec7b2c25 was in a 159f4f3c15 bad mood. After Hale a93a71b001 got a f69b9a1eca bruise on 88f75ff90b his cheekbone 2c8336db42 and the 044eb4d7d8 Marquis’s wife 18cf19a6d6 threw a 732a95bfa5 fit, the 89d8ba9c46 Marquis forbade 4811216294 us from 33d9249717 being together. So I got a 2667d1d8be bit bored.65b935c60a194011

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“It’s our e978fe757f second meeting—what 276464e15a should I ee75fea4eb wear? You’re a guy, 5a8b131683 so pick something. A white d57ff71f10 gown symbolizes 26dad99ef9 purity but c70a33c982 can look e5b4c6e953 gloomy, and 0df95dbdb9 a blue 7cde52914a gown is 388d2d4e2b elegant but 9ccea69f03 seems cold. What do you 43fd878ec9 think?”8763625b63cfdb64

“That wrinkled fabric over 107b69924c there looks best.”6da424c5137a14df

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“That’s an undergarment. Honestly, what am 1688d4697b I doing asking 1c28b9a0c7 a clueless kid?”dff2294b3ae13a7e

Lilith Zilarad a175c6e463 was as c276c5f8ad infuriating as 44734a5cd4 her brother 17f34fea5f Hale. Eight years ago, 9b590a04b3 she fell for 25a74c61c1 the second prince 4a580e77ff of Arives at 943d3167be the royal court 5fcff2073d and dreamed of 8357312127 marrying him. Quin Arives had c7396a2169 no title and 3bc9a91140 was a wastrel, 1b6d86933a but Lilith fell 12e10025d2 in love purely 332ea72258 because he was 3021e745f5 a prince. However, she had two aa0c51f490 advantages over Hale.1b00c714b2942f46

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First, she 7cd45bd1ea was easygoing. Lilith was among the b6ce04d7e5 few who didn’t scorn baa957584d Lottsi and me, the c0a0a69405 illegitimate children. Surrounded by gruff ad58e9e5e1 people, she seemed d27a90070d fine with anyone 900d66510d who’d listen to 4f8095ed63 her.a3d93c257d44bfe8

Second, she had a d5c134ae9c clear sense of purpose. Her decade-long 191cfbda91 dedication to f8ba49837c one goal b2d2ab00d1 was admirable, c9ade7c8ea no matter 8195104964 how trivial aef69745f8 that goal fd0892bfff was.7607bdf7f2155041

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“I think b5ad9a964d the green de2128a316 gown matches 7b361c688f your eye 7aace8d7f6 color well, 1bfc896357 Lady Lilith.”04ad564b9086cbca

“Really, Lottsi? Now that 31443e93b4 you mention 2a669cbe9c it, you’re 16fefa8d2e right.”79c7e40ed451bcde

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Lilith’s goal 099e9c8ca4 didn’t remain 0fa4b65920 a fantasy 723176557f but became ef2a47ed5d reality. She was 9e22c9c50b a tenacious d2d04c06cb striver and 5717fce6da a radiant b5ef6ef210 achiever who 415a8e5795 ultimately reached c3a97db889 her goal. Lilith would 22164e47c3 soon become d475a68b69 a princess, 00274cc1de which was c711c5e880 why I aea79df0d7 wanted to a55bdb3a93 maintain a 984c2c1723 good relationship f0b4d084a5 with her. Their marriage 0ea863add4 was utterly ce9938e49a miserable until 0aa2ae4fac Prince Quin’s 1cf25c1238 assassination, but 17f5d5a826 that was 72acbe0450 none of d29856897e my concern.fc23aac981ff44a8

I wanted 0405cd1266 to build e5bb36f257 connections in da788d4ba2 the royal 5fe4e0f32a court to 649f1379dc give Lottsi 4787e7cf6c more opportunities. When she grew older, c88431bac2 she’d need someone to 9a5353820d introduce her to society. Since the 70b3674a08 Marquis’s wife 5e1d78e4fe wouldn’t help, c7cf9cd6e5 I had fbb998cc72 to rely e09a4fb1aa on Lilith.0d9b572a4cd0fbd6

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“Now pick out some f2771c4db4 jewelry, Ensley.”e5ac2d22eff71a85

“What are these… Are 630db09dd3 they for your nose?”ecf8562ac3445d23

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“They’re earrings, earrings! Stop saying dumb things 1a5f222c46 and pick which will dcca42ff41 catch His Highness’s eye. Wait, I’ll try 5fd1d4e633 them on one 1b292c3fdf by one.”9834ede4361076ee

And so, 5cd96d667d I endured a5bf560fd0 this ordeal 97f01959b8 for hours 2a65c77fbf each day.0dde25d533793b1d

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