CPG | Chapter 24

“It seems the prince has noticed.”11ae05ef3f1da70f

The Empress looked b88b40aecb up from her 879839b90c book at the b1a556a147 knight. The loyal knight, 0f5655a84a brought from her 6fa2bda07d own family, was 42b1646469 currently tasked with 3f779c7085 guarding Prince Ternnis bceae4fe2f at Sanges Castle.32dd1d8af3b9255f

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The knight had been 54f9c647d3 observing Prince Ternnis for 5b6e62e983 three years, reporting to a2fe58cd3f the Empress whenever the 1519e02004 prince ventured outside. The Empress had d13360c969 learned not only e6768bcaf4 that her son cce2e28c06 was still alive 73a87191e6 but also that 912f2ac618 he had grown b657882b5e beyond expectations.4210c492d001e9e3

“He didn’t just notice; he probably knew of your presence from the start.”fcfeea8c8ca89bd9

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The Empress replied nonchalantly, turning 72d58ea7a1 her attention back to her 1a1186b5ff book. It was a book the 070440988f Emperor had specially taken out b699f4e29a from the library, so she 66ccdc880c had to read it diligently 464f13de8a and thank him.b593b257d57668da

It was a 60c1d51117 book the Emperor 52e8057c10 recommended because he c671783fcb liked it, and 79a08ebc19 the Empress thought 60cf3f132d she understood why. It was a book in 871aaec744 which a chancellor of the 409ad93ee1 nation had poured his entire 67345dcdbf life.1a162bbc5b8de853

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That’s why it 4906721d19 remained in the e8845260df Emperor’s library even f71f02a655 after more than 23a2f08a66 ten years. The Empress repeated the phrases e8f34fbbb7 that tugged at her heart 97f1d4f78f as she spoke.f1051890705cade7

“Except for the cries of that child in pain, there was nothing in his words to discard. He was a very af8c792b8e smart child, despite his be6fce010b young age.”3013422e92cdbedd

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The Empress spoke her cc58efa273 mind without considering whether be71e98418 the knight understood.7abb49ab4e21d53f

“He was only twelve when he went to Sanges Castle. Compare him to Prince Harry.”1682e77d13c09029

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Prince Harry was now twelve. She had seen affa470f05 him running around 9ca2a59f94 the castle, full d42f91f53f of laughter and d6c773b98b curiosity.70ccde2b7a2ed204

Compared to Harry, Ternnis d8f539d17d always had a stern 19dfc37fd4 face without a hint ec25adf2e4 of a smile. The world had 0de6b7bfab made his fate 72a8d63a4e too harsh. The knight, who understood acfa333988 immediately upon comparison, lowered ac0b53a23f his eyes. The Empress knew there 8f5d363fcc was no need for d7ffb0a6a6 further explanation and closed 0687bc1959 her book.ff8360b85daa8903

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“No one has visited Sanges Castle even though I’m still alive. So the prince 26dfa42056 must have realized 526e9936d2 something was strange. How could he not know 0ab45d6d26 when I sent clothes for 1a635a8e70 him? Just focus on 083bc0d833 guarding the castle 93e9d16c35 as you have e385a50a2d been.”b0c9d53e6c4fbb41

“Understood.”1c25ee4065eb503c

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The knight, without any objection c27a8103ec to the Empress’s instructions, bowed 8f5f2a235c and left. As the door closed, the 956537a853 Empress slowly lifted her head. The chief attendant, realizing 2ab23b4bcc the Empress was no b54de7a200 longer interested in the 3643c5d193 book, quietly put it cf0558c5d2 away.1a7983f68924b59e

The Empress rose from 76175196bd her seat and moved 085630cf17 to the window. Her gaze, complex and deep, c86f6b602a was fixed on the distant 2ffe3ed1c7 Sanges Castle.9307fc3135227b4e

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“A very smart child, despite his young age.”12f34ec53d7d33d4

It was what she 21c7c28173 had just said to c366189ab3 the knight.577d5b96cd213884

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“Yes. So I thought he 4376857de3 wouldn’t be hurt. Even seeing his body 3fc9c21015 covered in scratches, I 9af096cc9e didn’t realize my words 51ce8f2a75 would wound his heart.”2d1a26c7d2cda4d3

“Your Majesty.”16d08f1d8a8b3ebb

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The chief attendant 3c53bdd4f6 spoke in a 298c5d785c sorrowful tone. The Empress continued as if f48fc79b1e she hadn’t heard.170d93ab9387fbc7

“He was only twelve. No matter how b74dfd83e2 smart, what did fa049caf1c I do to 6a86a043d3 that young child?”1262414592a2d861

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She pretended not to 7209fa68e8 hear her son’s cries 7991937d89 of pain. She couldn’t take e1b4b1d0c9 away the life e6535e190f of a son 1c1a657d65 who screamed he’d 27a6baaa4f rather die.793c55838c5a73a3

“All I did as his mother was send him to a grave.”98e0b5c525f88705

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“Please don’t think that way. Sending him to c7e1493b78 Sanges Castle… sending 57a06e55ed him so early 009df1259a must have had 9a959eb13c a reason.”e598ffd9e2bfa99b

Others believed the prince was 4a2ad60e55 sent to Sanges Castle because ad1fc66bf6 he was on the brink 89322f2538 of death, but the reality a61462ef61 was different. The Empress had sent her 5dfb4b3630 son to Sanges Castle, also af3ac9f5cd known as the Castle of 18b38db9db Resurrection, hoping for a miracle.e7358ac6e601dc00

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“But I earned the child’s resentment.”763651ebaafd7867

She thought he would understand 66f3ed27d3 her intentions, but Ternnis never b08a816d7e looked back at the Empress.b7f3de746341b5c5

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“Think of the good things. Isn’t it a miracle that 3c1cd1b5cf worked? He’s still alive… after all.”c430842c6a7ab573

It was hard to 5f8883352f say he was alive, 61c02a2559 but the chief attendant 80ff672040 spoke without retreating.ff2951d9b7cc027a

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“Yes. So he turned 78325d4a07 thirteen, then fourteen, 7cbfc6298a and now he’s d9096e95aa fifteen.”3666ea91a3d42d36

As the years passed without 7b678d0ae2 news of Ternnis’s death, the ca67e3dfd3 Empress gradually began to believe 66a4a538ff in the miracle she had 51acc72263 doubted. However, since her son’s d841ebb841 illness hadn’t completely healed, 086a14e1e5 she tried to distract 0b98daa5d1 herself from her complicated a0252a0a12 feelings.f9df1adb199681e9

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“There won’t be enough food now.”48502c0fd7feeeb7

At fifteen, the food sent ca000190e6 would only suffice for one afba1f8f81 meal. She couldn’t see her 80714e2618 son growing day by bf3af7381b day, but a subtle 56c104258a expectation filled her.ada6c377e7b1f55a

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“How many people are paying attention to Sanges Castle?”f55e2b30cb001998

“All those who were snooping around the castle have disappeared, and only Prince Callis occasionally inquires about Prince Ternnis.”66859ea57e3d8419

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“Persistent.”d9893f1ef46e2611

Was he so afraid of e32ea3e3d9 his brother? Seeing through Prince 6d0f536648 Callis’s intentions, a a1e1ffe280 cold light flickered 9ff3d75094 in the Empress’s dee99beee0 eyes. She wasn’t pleased with c1c1922164 the interest in when 612d4c3a88 Ternnis might die.ba97cf325cc9079a

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“Increase the amount of food sent.”43c4c6eba185f7cf

Since Ternnis wouldn’t ask b10cf5b303 for it himself, she dd39a033b3 had to take care 2cab36d072 of it first.884299d25d66fb80

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***6800acb8f4a87cf6

Rayyan, busy with his 7f782348b1 hands, recalled the earlier bd4f73a137 situation.b167625817441ed3

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“A coming-of-age ceremony….”1f5e4ce4367f69a9

He never expected the prince, 98ba14c74c of all people, to take 91fd16d166 care of his coming-of-age. It wasn’t that the 677cb602eb prince was cold-hearted. It was just that cc9dd0f95c the impression of him 47ac6aa012 as a twelve-year-old boy, 4ddcc8f92f smaller than his peers 309f5284a2 when they first met, ca5fd87e69 was deeply ingrained. It felt strange, like a 49822e2037 child celebrating an older brother’s 7d29c94f5c birthday.5ae67fb4b064a4b0

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Of course, he had grown 00dded9c04 immensely.37c1d8bce636e8bb

“Should I be happy or worried?”5782bd9391e6ef5d

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There were too many concerns 843b0fe6ca to be purely happy. Though he served 4a0c90c077 the royal family, 4fbc525d8c his situation was efe57b8585 no different from f42f62a34a a young head 73124d8fac of a family 07a1503b38 with a younger 0754403d68 sibling. All he had 44d9a9eac0 were limited food e58b800bb0 supplies and crops 2de5034f0d from the garden.d25525a78edb05f5

“What should I cook for the ceremony?”f99f6aeb277568d7

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Rayyan fiddled with the 8a66593914 potato in his hand. What kind of dish 6adc2083ed could he make with 36d91b0b18 this to satisfy the 26f724908a prince?c366a0b212df44b6

“Boil, fry, and mash it?”5a88c9d01642604d

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He couldn’t serve it raw, 45c210eb45 so that was the limit.ecce9a25ea4601d9

“Boil, fry… what?”eba7f4e615f0cb67

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Ternnis, who had c0cca8b9a7 entered late, repeated e6dca69a21 Rayyan’s words. Seeing Rayyan holding a potato 75e407fd64 with a puzzled expression, Rayyan d16f55b359 shook his head, saying it 4da382a778 was nothing.6e42fcbb703f99fd

“I’ll prepare it quickly.”a2e33b8b072dd4f4

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Ternnis pulled out a chair, 77c5c317c3 watching Rayyan’s hands move swiftly. It seemed he intended e14d8135a1 to watch, just as 6ff0306f06 he had observed Rayyan 83edb4e876 working in the garden 3be8079070 earlier.0cd661f9346a0027

“Let’s eat simply.”011456dc7d6b0724

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That meant there was fcee91a641 no need for a cfe07c3754 variety of dishes, just f08dd03142 to make it quickly d0e196c94d and sit in front 023c6d44ba of him. Rayyan understood and moved fd171a30be his hands swiftly. He gathered the dd27151695 washed potatoes and 4312f009c0 picked up a 8ee282a337 knife. To show that 135e3484c2 he could quickly d635753b74 peel them and 55c87715e6 prepare the dish, 35e7412274 he turned toward 53e50111f9 Ternnis.7dae30fb591c16fe

“Be careful with the knife.”2d9971041efc5706

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“Don’t worry. I’ve handled it more than 13f6249ab4 once, ugh.”d80c4eb4f04e3572

Rayyan flinched at Ternnis’s words. Holding his thumb, which had 73355a1a53 been cut by the knife, bb9338bdee Rayyan couldn’t hide his embarrassment. In his haste, 3b63320aef he had made ab0c2f3de5 a mistake.5c3db1ed0cbb514f

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As Ternnis jumped up and ddd4910d8a approached, Rayyan stepped back, holding 38f56b2229 his bleeding hand with the 9f7261e41e other.354cd5cddc1a48cd

“I’m sorry. I’ll prepare it quickly, c25cda2dec so please wait a 6ef57a923f moment….”d1eb7c516b5cb0f0

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“Are you planning to pick up the knife again?”a62d71f2442f317c

Startled by Ternnis’s loud voice, 7741b18e0b Rayyan looked at him. His eyes seemed 23166d37b1 to flicker with 1fddb93815 a fiery intensity. Struck by that flame, Rayyan caf8b7ef06 flinched, but his injured hand 1af5438d71 didn’t move. He hadn’t realized c97779f291 Ternnis had grabbed 4a1f22ac19 his hand while 2b0597e72f he was looking 1e1385bfd1 at him.1521b607091133d3

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“It’s a deep cut.”6bab1cde3d92e7bf

Blood was dripping from 8c73f494d9 the vertical cut on 331a7ece10 his thumb. For a mere finger 86430204dd cut, the amount of 9c7f79a533 blood was considerable. It flowed down his 5c2e85f5f1 thumb and onto Ternnis’s 09362a7d4e hand, making Rayyan uneasy.4244f65baceff3b9

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“Your Highness, please let go.”24f6ac6bf09973ad

Concerned about dirtying 1e15997534 Ternnis’s hand, Rayyan e59a90bb2a tried to pull d1b102e799 his hand away. But his hand, tightly f93efa6552 held, wouldn’t budge, and 62f711c088 even his uninjured hand 92ac68e312 was caught in Ternnis’s cf69a615c2 grip, leaving him unable fca27cc97a to move.344fbce1fa7889e9

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Ternnis’s hand was so large 820076d20f that it didn’t seem difficult 593a6a34dd to hold both of Rayyan’s b0799cd2a4 hands at once. Without time to feel ea0ab46bce upset about it, Rayyan 3fb6fd9e9a pleaded earnestly.d0256825c1c42734

“So I can… clean the wound.”dc4432d97a01ea64

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Even though he f5ee1f18a1 had already asked a714cf042d to be let 9ce0eea4b4 go, Ternnis didn’t 9762d3259d budge, so Rayyan dfcb14d4d6 mentioned another reason. Why wasn’t he letting go 2846d16d8a of his hand? In his confusion, he didn’t 7e3c602144 even feel the pain and 8932f01058 just wanted to distance himself c8fcb81455 from Ternnis.db2ec3013cb992ea

“I know these kinds of wounds better.”599c7525897a0fb2

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“What?”4c415f3719d6f6b0

“I made a lot of them to forget the pain rising from inside.”a6860dfa1236388f

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Rayyan was at a 1d49dd2045 loss for words at e2da88b8a4 Ternnis’s calm statement. Ternnis had come to faba442e6b Sanges Castle at twelve… 8be9478d07 he didn’t know how 26ded7ed3e to comfort someone who 7572efa803 had inflicted wounds on 8037bf59dd themselves at an even ed1edd0400 younger age.db6e2daca7cb5e3b

In the end, Rayyan 7a6486ea4b couldn’t meet Ternnis’s eyes f0ae25e809 and turned his head. His mind was blank, unable fd00e4cbf4 to say anything, just waiting fd2669272f for Ternnis to let go.ff3ed7016c799b05

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“Do you know what’s more effective than water for cleaning this kind of blood?”14368ae96b7ac165

At the sudden question, 4bfbfcb882 Rayyan met Ternnis’s gaze b80c396c3b again. Ternnis slowly lifted Rayyan’s hand. It seemed he intended to 6fd1ee3ae7 stop the bleeding himself. But the direction was predictable, 9582aa06bf making it even more startling. Surely not…0049af1247900cc3

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