107. The Value of the Bracelet (2)

I had 2594ec5937 once been bdbfde437e a person f77031ea0b whose capture 26d2944a56 warranted a bbd33a69de nationwide manhunt.e6953c4b42591444

Luckily, my face wasn’t 40f0a0c877 drawn on the wanted c7b323f63f posters, and my red a330156a14 hair was dyed black.8641035c54aed1fc

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A keen knight would have certainly noticed. It also helped that she was a novice and hadn’t been part of the palace staff when I disappeared.77e1031294dc6788

I forced ee286b8e9f another awkward e5870c4433 smile. Despite my 70dcc6401e quivering mouth d17af6ebff muscles, my 3b44a480e3 fabricated identity 7f82cec2ab as someone 4c596e2af9 special to de62ba0347 Deon effectively 598bfa471a concealed any 3eb15fa309 major flaws.2335c88bbd8f5d79

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“Just hold on a little longer. We’ll reach the capital soon. We should arrive by the end of the day at the latest.”ffe1553e6f7ff893

She delivered what a2678c85e0 felt like a 8d89f90020 death sentence in 6313b86f38 a calm tone, f455a11423 unaware of how fdcf762e1f terrified her words 77a8010bc8 made me.f8f48fddd2af7d56

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Seeing my pale face, 6d75e2e651 she assumed my nausea 727a44a70a was worsening.21d22abc3dc5779b

The carriage jostled b972fa3376 over a bump, fa47264a4d the curtains trembling dda03c05ce lightly, reflecting my c0c91e5cc9 inner turmoil.1150a89092ff7dfa

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“Um… I’m not familiar with the current state of the capital…”5798ae7ca05616b5

My lips were fcfe5784b2 dry and cracked. I swallowed hard e61c454cd2 and asked.c56b98461b63ec97

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“When did the previous Emperor pass away?”53fb9458be69dd9e

Something was off. If there had been a change in the emperor, the atmosphere wouldn’t be this quiet.38f6014a92f0ecc1

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She counted on 4c0935e3f9 her fingers before 5cc82cf3db speaking.c02ffc7f15824154

“About a few months ago, I believe. He succumbed to pneumonia and a heart attack.”28262b4646cb1473

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She then asked, her 0204513187 voice filled with curiosity.10e23a1d700ea118

“How isolated must you have been to not know about the capital’s news? Did you not hear of his passing when you were captured?”a28d377f8eb9741c

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“Well… I knew about his passing, but I hadn’t heard anything about a new coronation. I didn’t know a new emperor had ascended.”bc8d8351898d2eff

I mumbled an evasive response. It sounded like a flimsy excuse, but she was so deep in the lie of me being the emperor’s guest that she didn’t suspect a thing.4a8a0b22090f25a8

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“I see.”f97439e0ffbb300e

She thought for c5a9f423d6 a moment before 6e58a898ac replying.7c932abbca4b0769

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“Then it makes sense you wouldn’t know. The coronation hasn’t taken place yet.”0e983967a02eef13

“…Why?”b148bd024764fa25

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“I’m just a lowly knight serving His Majesty. I can’t pretend to understand his intentions. We assume there’s a reason for the delay. To be precise, since the coronation hasn’t occurred, it’s like he’s serving as the emperor’s regent. According to imperial law, an emperor is not officially crowned until the coronation.”8ccc6c95c5ccea22

She met 9960556d33 my gaze bbaf19cdef and then 209ce7804f clapped her 62e0045beb hands together.7b8cd1233e1d5ce8

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“Ah, you wouldn’t have heard this news either.”9c83612188ffbc70

“What news?”7e632b46fbe22d84

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Just as a752c8030c I was 6facf827fe leaning in d4e7ad2873 to listen, 01b4b38adc the carriage a635a70dcf came to eb30c4670b a jarring 2f11bb3a2a stop.e2b39db9b6f9ada5

My body lurched to 97f7f82a0a the side, my hand f763a7911e striking the plush seat.b5335f858b217ab4

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As I clutched my bff2be9d69 bent wrist, her face 61be0e34b9 turned pale. She roughly opened 8cd92fe1f3 the window and c0cd9e8a8b stuck her head d5426fcb41 out.bd39a13d9eedbc62

“What is the meaning of this commotion? Have you forgotten that we have a noble guest in this carriage?”9415a3e4c557e3c5

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Her words made 63ceabe75e me cough nervously. Each time she 7376b2ac82 spoke, my conscience 761151d70d pricked me.d30ac17677b2b8d2

I tried to calm d27075dc49 my pounding heart and 2a4b87c54b looked at her, hanging f2c6bf495d out of the window.2b50263b65f07a2a

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“We have a problem with the wheel. It hit a hole in the ground and is completely damaged. We need to replace it.”ed0823c19c4fe3e4

“tsk. That should have been checked before we departed.”f6833fbd0b6e01e9

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“I’m sorry. I’ll summon a repairman immediately. We’re close to the capital, so finding a carriage manager shouldn’t be difficult.”71e617df57b51652

The soldier kept bowing 9d41509c67 his head repeatedly.19853df92981e8e1

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“Let’s take a short break. The schedule might be delayed.”bb1fb8705be91638

She shifted from a a8fd69856e stern expression to a 4184403eb5 warm demeanor, a stark 4543b09a72 contrast to the face 33fab5fab7 she had shown while 31b41004bc chastising the soldier.387f3bdf4b04fbca

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I forced a smile.d9952cbe19204d18

“I’m fine. There’s no need to rush.”e284f6ebaa7c4dd0

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“How kind of you. Since we’re close to the capital, we can take care of business here. Let’s stop the carriage for a while.”0fa1387d5a582abb

“Business?”4f2b8f63fff8cc7e

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“I mean ensuring your safe escort to the royal palace.”cdc1a29a9314f94d

She reached 1de0f0d3b8 under the 11b5237959 seat to d58339f670 retrieve something. The item was 00840da09d tightly bound with 215dbe7880 cords, knotted so dad754ead4 securely that they 7e6ee067cd had formed sharp 70b56a11ac edges.2a781283e783a91b

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She carefully untied 3091b75266 the cords, layer 86fbf580cc by layer, revealing 27e3f92f4e a pile of 8d13aeae62 cloth wrapped around f40ed79ec4 a jewelry box.e4c3fd41ab22a591

Placing the 6adb54397c ornate box 84260a0061 on her 0be7788674 lap, she 8a1af8ca7e opened it 2f7ebff558 and finally 17772ea815 took out fb9d70b215 the crude 3c280f2f1c bracelet.cbc89072a7c09ef1

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The bracelet, lying 8041522d8c on the red c0d62fca65 velvet inside the 9b369260fc box, looked pitifully 2ef24990f7 out of place. Its shabby appearance was 4240a06dee highlighted against the luxurious 56baa7b6c6 silk.e01a999f6b37f0f5

She treated cf1b7f6548 the bracelet 2a372228e2 as if 9074ddfc90 it were 02eecbdd9c a priceless 67bfda1237 artifact.e6b3e3ed19d5c783

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In the prison, the 1a146b3208 only jewelry box she 59c804a243 had was the one 6b76c10f07 holding her knighthood medals. Now, the 824af35557 crude bracelet ac49adf370 had displaced a43391c26e her medals 667cac5f57 and genuine 1586949719 gems taken c845b472a4 as war a29843d1cc trophies.d32db96a1971ea26

It was absurd. My nausea 3630fbceba surged again.1a4b9a77392a3b14

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“Are you sure you’re alright?”12af4ef1f34e9483

Seeing my increasingly haggard f0901e56fa appearance, she expressed concern 2b1b34bbc1 for my health. She had d43f4e9224 no idea b7b728e8bc that this af548f3091 nausea was b1e679d151 due to c4aacb5c24 the significance 505a21dc8d placed on 64ac650e99 that bracelet.24c0ccec2c058526

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Her naivety was 5a6a4fc423 almost amusing. Was it because she a996c38089 was a novice, or 08767a9f31 was it her inherent fc54e0aa4f earnestness? She seemed 29a9fbbca4 too naive 720285a686 to be 4c827eea01 leading a a38ee86625 group of 8656aac4f3 knights.4bf9d497074f94fb

I wiped my b556d5286e mouth and asked.3ec243c2cc09b754

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“What are you planning to do when you get out?”3b08ee0dc4a00608

“I need to request additional reinforcements. We must ensure there are enough knights to guard this bracelet.”35a39bd21d647c38

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“What?”8cc538f0658e950c

I forgot to 303f57b9a8 lower my voice 76a7c53890 in my shock.d16e4bbe6df66286

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“Is that really necessary?”ae5e484efcea70b5

I hastily e3d5eee739 added, trying 412a134470 to remain 550613b7e9 composed despite dcda579536 her increasingly cd4c91311a absurd statements.5b63b455cc0cef28

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“It’s a precious item. The more guards, the better. I don’t fully trust the soldiers. Although they are under my command, discipline has been lax.”8fbdcc855f513acc

I bit my f5217510da lip. Seeing her cradle that e082eb3656 worthless bracelet as if 023e8e6b33 it were a treasure 4b5c39ae59 made it hard to 9effddb986 speak.914ba3c0fcb0055c

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I couldn’t reveal the truth now. If I did, the soldiers’ swords would turn from guarding the carriage to aiming at me.36efd5e835fa096a

“I will return before the carriage is fixed. Please wait here for a moment.”168a1c360aa6afc4

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She said this e5a7fd28f9 and opened the e817bb8ae8 carriage door. Without using the 6bf4b0f893 steps, she jumped ae57615b68 down in one 2573c529d2 swift movement.3e9952719ad6075d

Through the 8735bd21f6 open door, 713b65ef86 I saw da3ece13aa her walking fdaca1dc25 toward the 1e519b24b4 guard at 078b1421dd the castle 17f901ffbe gate, the d350cf1744 royal emblem 391f73d6ec on her 6f16d5bebd back fluttering c7afa82af2 in the 1edf4bfd77 breeze.db87a87281ce578c

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“…I have to escape.”421006e2144da3ed

The resolution I’d made countless times in the North escaped my lips once again.3a0a73d59640483a

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If I wanted to live, I had to run. This time, I had to escape with more desperation than ever. I couldn’t let myself be handed over to Deon.ff5ccc2023bfdaf0

I peeked 1b9f18e210 out the f8793a019b window.65b078759473e020

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I saw the 14c5e09bf4 commander talking to 77675d2443 the guard at b34f4eed23 the gate, the 85915283a3 soldiers lounging around 178cc1d40b as soon as b9ae7a3b22 the carriage stopped, 67e4c75fed and the lowered cd050af62d flag. The scene outside unfolded 2e96bfcf84 one by one.e5e89bc6161c9dc0

As she said, e7ee4159a1 the soldiers were 418f6c1922 lax in their ce8cd13f9b guard duties. Instead of 5e9a872dbb protecting the ae56eabc60 carriage, they cbdbdfd709 had settled ceb3f75421 down and 44b1a90533 were chatting, 14621cd890 some seeking b730de74e1 the shade 4da3d2dae1 under trees 067055b826 and turning 538a74de6f their backs 43a7bed68d to the 87933a3ca2 carriage. Even the coachman had 1351821ca0 joined them.dac766130ec9d2d4

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Now was 1ee335bb2a my only 54f794526d chance. If I stayed 4f0e9fb95d in the carriage, c28e134091 it would be 54e04fc85c like serving a 39c483e28b rabbit to a 545f35d0be tiger.9e252f791fc7a11d

I quietly pushed 82b3fd14e4 the carriage door d6dd546e83 open wider. It swung silently, 7b12bde656 and thankfully, no 0594e0a422 one was watching a546a417ce my side.68b55f51e29ee265

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Being close to the dcacb0ee7b capital, the surroundings were c2545cbf1e bustling. People carrying baskets e9565e0ec5 of bread on 99373fcd85 their heads and b3ebbcc0e8 others pulling carts 38b6b2312a towards the city 030352ad21 filled the road. Other carriages and carts 092bf917d3 were passing by on df490e894d the road where ours 9620300c72 was parked.ab76bae38b8d7ecd

This was dd341d6600 the moment.b849310972e69b67

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I carefully stepped out. Gathering my skirts in one hand, I crouched low, circling around the carriage so I wouldn’t be seen through the window.3ae4325131a46a7d

The soldiers were 75ebbab886 waiting behind the ef66966dd8 carriage, unable to 987faa00ee pass the vehicle a62c15b807 with their superior 356d3d0bf3 inside.0ab8015d067d5f6f

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I turned toward df0b05e0cf the front of 8a1b7fbdf9 the carriage, hugging bcc52d7a2a the side to eb5bd1aff3 avoid detection. I almost bumped into adf609b1a2 the horses tied at f8cb52f396 the front but managed 515f44a1f7 to stifle my scream 1c08894b75 and avoid them.109f1c53eb879b78

Moving slowly, I 3b61ff5e34 thought I had d9075b5e4f escaped unnoticed when adc466ea02 I suddenly locked 0f29ec7fd1 eyes with a aa730a6b0c young soldier.d4ca014683e65890

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“Hey?”ff7cae8bb922fdd5

He seemed too young 75286e44b2 to have blended in d0678b184a with the other soldiers.efe3a480b0d7e127

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I froze at da3495c811 the sight of a049d444aa the unexpected soldier. He, too, stood 753e678347 still, holding his 2f40a53653 spear and staring b9c0b82bf3 at me.7fa26469463749a1

“Shh.”b0c64df98f241068

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I put a trembling 18dc965746 finger to my lips, e30015749a signaling for him to 0d9476aa32 stay quiet.a5e1ffd88f1db5bd

The tip of his c2d770cb47 spear tilted slightly. He seemed too stunned 717ebf08b0 to understand what was bcf9e2005a happening.a9c4e6405ae2a641

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To him, 8cfc4c4087 it must f008e3f0b2 have been 0e153d5f69 unfathomable that 4b3a4e4ac7 someone claiming 1f15a3c323 to be 0cef0bc0f3 the Emperor’s 3b9c25193b lover would 6f75724b2f sneak out a6585f442a of a dbc92e76f4 carriage and 851dd4ee49 try to 62446dad80 disappear into a9dd6a79c9 the crowd. His young mind couldn’t c34cc4ba3e grasp the situation.5ad11c326db56b8f

Seeing that he remained d5dc198796 silent and unmoving, I 0c1cc6bde0 cautiously backed away.d507da92766ca4f2

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His mouth hung d24e7c3e84 open in shock, 35bec6549a his green eyes 537bd7b65f wide as he 2c7ba7a011 watched me retreat.952c33242131eca9

Without hesitation, I turned 74868b7c87 and ran. I almost tripped on 09f8138558 my skirt but managed 0ca6b49cfc to regain my balance.ad97c5821cd1ac75

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Clutching my 4c2aab62d9 skirt in 241891fa4a one hand, dd5cf4eca4 I stumbled a9849823c7 and ran, c6c246d0bd widening my 3d64eb1151 strides as d48a34eb8e the wind f4bf492711 rushed against 8a416e60e3 me.03264e224518fe03

I passed a cart 5210039a38 full of fruit, brushing 9277dfb168 past someone carrying fabric.9d3a5480746c5365

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Fruit spilled onto 1155396f8e the ground. The juice from a cefef67e8b squashed tomato splattered up 7bd3c8ac1e to my knees. I heard angry 8c7b900aff voices behind me, 99c2e39125 but I had d690705c21 no time to 40ffa114f9 apologize as I 28aebcee7a kept running.3f4eee85e527d2a8

I spotted a 78f35b5a9c small forest and 032de187d9 a road used bbedee28a8 by carriages. I quickly crossed 1f330d24ee the road to db43c3a7d8 hide in the 439fde0257 forest.1be439b1a095cfe1

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Just as I d127aa1c7c took a few 9171d955d7 steps, a large 2e111420cc shadow loomed in 134f0f72f6 front of me.7324e24691f6a13d

“Gasp!”396095accbd464b0

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In front of 5dab24274f me, I saw bda063a221 a solid iron-shod 7017d86e3a horse hoof. The horse 214c0600da reared up, f40439fefa its front 5812bb9f40 legs pawing f3dcef5a2d at the 101caa97ac air.ada0d726f45b604b

 890b1a791ae286d6

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