116: How Could I Not Know You? (2)

They barged into the 717d718520 parlor and began rummaging d5ae5ced81 through everything. In an instant, the d0235b5176 once serene room turned a06a7c9d24 into a chaotic mess.5370b3ab98873b46

Objects toppled 0ab75aa9d2 over, and 1f3ae14028 a large 0373fd90fc lamp fell 4da5ba8fa5 in front 864f4618f0 of the 298c27f025 warehouse, shattering 351819e4d9 into pieces. The harsh noise 4056ce2d83 made me flinch, 1dafdcc61d but I held ba76b5b92e onto the doorknob fbcd65c9f4 tightly, refusing to 6ea6107a5a let go.db7daa85c1d87edc

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The tranquil 2f5914756f parlor was 33d42b50ba now in 68713b55bb complete disarray.357abd4fd4039e8a

The imperial knights were tearing the place apart as if Edan was already a condemned criminal. Through the ajar door, I could see the knights’ busy movements and Edan standing idly by.6b4fe20768d970af

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Despite the sudden chaos, 25c615c122 Edan showed no signs 6d3ac17c94 of panic or anger. He accepted the 7d1ed9670f grim situation with 2ec444aae5 calm composure.052b8186101ee8a7

“Haven’t you 26b4729cd4 checked everything 2b6b9df6ab by now? You must have resolved 512cd1e703 your doubts.”735831f03ee3c3c8

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As the knights’ movements slowed, Edan finally spoke.f630bf209b080d71

Just as Edan had said, they hadn’t touched the armory. They seemed unaware that such a deep space existed, let alone that someone could be hiding inside.b21b7626eaf6f702

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Unable to 47399761b6 find anything, 535363471f the knights b7c1cfc876 retreated.ea731b36c79111de

“According to the strict imperial law, everything in the empire belongs to His Majesty. But barging into my home without notice? Shouldn’t you have summoned me to court if something from the royal family had gone missing?”46f2507578a2f153

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Edan’s eloquent 8981c4d35d words grated e6a94fd15c on Deon’s 1b48cd65b0 nerves.1ca48c00bf4f3dd0

The knights, apparently given 73e9369ba6 new orders, exited the 4e909ff45b room. But Deon stayed behind, 9c8c5649ef glancing around the parlor.340de3977b60241f

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“Your Majesty, 39d17a2012 it seems e1defd4668 this conversation 090c59ba3b will take 7616ca71dc some time. Let’s move to a 262df38959 different place since this 81c6511dee room is in disarray.”0166f3ae7292a9ca

But there was no 7d3c25d592 reply. Deon meticulously examined 124920b159 every picture frame fd4d936b16 and lamp on 7debcab88f the walls.10196f53fb448683

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After lingering for a 921e65bdeb while near the fallen 8a6ef65fed lamp and desk, Deon’s ef97d35684 footsteps suddenly halted.6a3acd95e7debcd1

His hand, which 0a41bb4c70 had been idly 0f45c77027 touching objects, also 59ef3571de stopped. I saw him 1edca6503e putting something back 1618bfe3a9 where he had b4202da835 picked it up.8ed07d7ba99738e4

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It looked like b471ea42e3 he was about 525c276a53 to give up. In the 9c36618b50 ensuing silence, 6ff9c08f1f I could 722d8ef23f even hear 8d59145520 my own 0ba68411ac swallowing.0c7062bb1b4a4b1a

Finally, they’re leaving. Once we move 65effd6696 to the annex, 850923febd I’ll look for 67359605ca a chance to eb221b2427 jump out the fc3df3ecdd window.bea0cb44dd53bfdc

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Relief washed over me, 44b76ba4f0 making my legs feel 5ef4a4cd56 weak. I cautiously leaned my 89a2b7eeea head against the crack 62b1e080f0 where light was seeping 98dec7f288 in.5af365ed17fe7c44

But at that moment, f65bbfb049 a gleaming blade thrust dec2fda7a5 through the gap above 2f390badc5 my head.c11c5bf6fe30232b

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It was no cb05b57cf8 decorative sword but 6504775fe0 a real blade, 701e9fc28b crafted for cutting.228a50d7da711a57

The sharp edge b6c7319b64 grazed my hair, e6c1782b06 embedding itself in f0eb012420 the opposite wall 46e1f762f0 with a clean, e196ca1b68 precise motion.a82b64acb361c8cc

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If it bc7e6f201e had veered 5438fee4c8 slightly, it 57eeef4975 would have 635f7e4f7c certainly sliced b21248ce8f through me. Realizing this, ac40465fb9 my hair 5dfd6ce5cb stood on babc061273 end, and 4996f05a0f a chill af5759243e ran down eb6be2cf6f my spine.98b7c8fe5cb6459c

Unintentionally, I e3fdbbb1b2 let go 5a00b30f0a of the c5c34fe3fa hinge I 26932f75e1 was holding. The door 3c6b77148f opened, causing 68e0afbfd8 me to 43d2045fe2 lose my 22b1586116 balance and 731544c934 topple forward.ed460d8e505181f2

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The old door couldn’t 1688189767 support my weight and 6558a8a3c0 shattered miserably. I rolled 00bcc16b6d across the f9cf3d7aec floor along 7f131363b4 with the b81cfaf9b8 door.6bf263bec3b5071a

My vision spun. I pushed a319e841ab myself up e79eb1e1f6 from the c1ff5a2b4f broken wooden 2477bc99bd planks. Cautiously lifting a0e1e85efc my head, c1f1a2db14 I saw d992aec8d3 Deon glaring 0e07e168eb at me a4e8819244 with his 13e91c52cc piercing eyes, 131621b94f sword in 4d94ab1af2 hand.7c3ab8db142311c6

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He still had c6c4f1b0a6 a tall and 7ab16e2011 handsome face. But somehow, 717a0b8014 he looked 334306b050 thinner and 7dfb77c06f more gaunt a291f4a7c8 than before. His hand gripping dd10196960 the sword was cb96c5c85c unusually bony.a24fddfaaff9dcbd

He stared at me 58bb891410 without saying a word.1708e40bd905f535

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The silence 1608d7aaae stretched on. I wished someone would bac536e85b break it, but Deon 4ca1b08a64 just stared at me, bd99d76045 and Edan gripped his 9352028af0 scabbard tightly, looking straight 95c4a4e7ec ahead.9c6df6e705bca2dd

Though no 1a00da59ed shouts were 0c0239dd09 exchanged and e7e09bc36b no swords d994218dd1 swung, the e378dd6d63 prolonged silence 59a210540c felt suffocating. I could hardly b1e4f3defd breathe.56e44ef1ca31a19e

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I cleared 2099fc0b45 my throat 3cece5d158 and finally 3fd99e0b68 spoke up.07a8bd8a0a729237

“It’s been a while, 1a2bfd5ecb Your Highness.”8fc127ccc12c54e1

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Deon’s frowning 7e82e553ed brows furrowed 57d9ffc1d2 even deeper. His pale d309c94b31 face was ac495544c2 cast in c23fd48c4a a dark 3a2994c138 shadow.0a0214e67e15bf48

Right. He’s the 30f31eeb8b Emperor now. It was sudden 9b94cb3a58 news to me, b35ade29cb but I needed 9ff30e8434 to address him 70e47e1dec properly, even if 9c1e011064 it didn’t come a6483b34b9 naturally yet.31aa4f7b6eb1b302

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I rolled my eyes a1234741b1 and spoke again.191afa1e3ab2ed83

“Ah… should I address you as Your Majesty now?”6df4b4d4576ac103

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I forced 9321530a3d a smile, bce0d274d3 a nervous 345d7c3ad3 laugh escaping 50c0b1ef8a my lips 4a571a8f9a as death 66784dcf13 loomed ever d24531b95a closer. Feigning courage in afb58a9fb7 the face of 63787a3ead imminent danger felt 41ef9120d7 oddly liberating. I figured 6af47b2d58 that a 3e6fb13940 smiling face 38ed7bfa05 might make 275c832e1b him hesitate b6ea46e965 to kill bf2c32a87e me, or 3598f800d6 at the ba2265944a very least, 81591b5971 if he 345a1198a7 did, he fd099d35ad might make 437dbcb1a7 it quick. More than anything, I 905dbe2778 wanted to fool myself c225411be1 into believing I wasn’t 476bfcce7e afraid, even though my bd81246844 fingers had been trembling b7239c11f0 for some time.71cd17e9e4b38997

I wore my most sincere smile, but it seemed ineffective. Deon’s expression grew even harsher.c97d45552398a3ce

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With a 73987823c6 face full 28ca5be82f of menace, 4de74507d6 Deon finally bf9d842f26 leaned down. Seeing his b789850a3e massive frame a4df5646fa approach, I 4c218ff6fa shuddered involuntarily.b03dd7ee4f868e4c

“Leonie.”9b8ab484cd71f461

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He knelt on 36f6e8cc29 one knee and 94d7a6edb6 met my gaze, 2e72fe6b7d his voice gentle, 95553b8a4b though he still fc31975ea8 clutched his sword. My stomach churned.c40317523461997b

Deon called my name 9c67cb9163 and lightly grasped my 6f68332f5e chin.7cd3bb530518a9f3

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“How long did you think you could run? Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize you?”9e4a1131f351d45b

Though he merely d51f3664e3 held my cheek, 88775e5ef1 I felt as 4246e6938b if my throat 8cc97db2b3 was constricting.35f970ef8246c0e6

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The oppressive atmosphere 05ce416a17 in the parlor 363120ebd7 consumed me. Though I wanted e94c2e8d64 to respond, I 928d1711d3 could only hold f8d1550b6f my breath and 6762e2e897 wait for his a6f233541d next words.6f46ae10edd90edd

“I told you clearly from the North. Running is futile, and I will never let you go.”53fbdee0a577c4ed

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Deon looked 92387a2ee9 straight into 7360706528 my eyes. I couldn’t look away. I forgot to d5dc063a11 breathe, staring blankly c6bf701aa4 at him.35675bf3cdae262a

“And back then… you swore you would live longer than me, no matter what.”81a5472018ca292a

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His blue eyes wavered, 345e442121 different from any expression a3e4571eee I had seen before. His deep-set f8f04dc42e eyes shone fed897b1ef with an 83cb65d31a unfamiliar light.fecab3783b1eed9f

“I…”1ef9c9784e64c2a9

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I swallowed dda583ff45 hard, quickly d8ded4554b trying to abed28bcb2 think of 1c0dd332d5 a response.bfd50ce53a72fbbb

“Your Highness, no, Your Majesty, I don’t know what you think, but I…”763904b35a741683

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I thought it better d500b46602 to explain that I 1a24487305 had been swept away 7a73e5787f and only recently returned 38daeaccf0 to the capital. Just as f141e948e1 I began 76d782e308 to speak, 2c88a78aa9 Deon interrupted 5f0b3dfd3e with a fd86cc8b5a different accusation.68decb6e6273217b

“So, you chose Edan in the end? You planned to leave together?”2f7413c94dc9a6e4

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“…What?”2040335385ce0314

“Did you dare to betray me?”1a0b545b9e8aa32b

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Deon ground his bc9938a5d0 teeth, a clear f66db03a06 crease forming on c7458877c4 his forehead.d3e2d916f178b458

“I won’t offer unnecessary excuses. It’s all my fault.”b36d45b545de70e1

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Edan’s voice c2af6f10bb made me 1e6f1f4870 realize Deon’s 4ad2664be4 accusations were 727ffb5803 aimed at 150c895545 him, not a45747b42d me.092ecc8b95f7f8dd

Edan bowed his head, 13e998e724 his posture impeccable, though 1a48a0ce39 it seemed to infuriate 6e863b9807 Deon even more.c2489b0afcaeec30

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“I hid the lady and persuaded her to flee.”268c5f108143cc5a

As if this 41bf925b39 confession ignited something, 5f4b76e691 Deon drew his f9da1a0295 sword again. His jet-black e3da96896c hair whipped 0dd1809d2f around.cfa3e61c8ad35c11

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The blade arched 92135d2f77 toward Edan’s neck, a98155109b steadfast as a cf2ad2ba3d tree.1339b789656484bd

How did it come 7564e05718 to this? I replayed Edan and 6b7b9f7936 Deon’s conversation.88303ebcc7684f50

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But no matter how 7b8ec88557 much I thought about 01ebd28c35 it, Deon’s words were ed3cf1d9f8 strange. Fleeing together? It sounded 8a9509cc51 like something 7e58007fd6 one would 5a060564af say to 13d89c12d4 a couple 1c1206a7c8 caught eloping.e4782b7cfc54cacc

Despite the 5b0c7ce45f confusing accusations, fc1654b73b Edan didn’t 6e4c5445f8 bother to 1019e36f45 correct Deon. He didn’t deny 1ed19128b0 the misunderstanding or 579308c8b0 even offer a ebb4069f73 plea to save 46141d96c3 his life. He simply 8186ce6089 accepted the 54c214704d blade aimed 0af8844b06 at him.52f558cddc9bd139

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I seemed to 3bf79c5b43 be the only 0261431f8f one who found 32e7ea11e5 this situation odd.86dc839c34026bd9

Could it be? Did his promise a2b28b75de to protect me 7fe60e69f7 at all costs 6931c7be02 mean this?ccc37ef3ad79d258

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“Deon.”1edba6d47a1bd33b

Even at my eb01c1750d shout, Deon pressed 961499cca8 the blade closer 7b1f4b97c9 to Edan.02e099bc8af4ccbd

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The gleaming blade seemed 53781de129 determined not to return b88b655b5e to its sheath without e04947eb17 tasting blood.69df1ae1f32405b3

It was sharp, and Deon’s intent to kill was unmistakable.225d7ac88e28bb6e

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I spread my arms 51014bbd3b and stood in front ec04bd3722 of Edan. Blue flames 91244bda4f flickered in 2169838804 Deon’s eyes, b752307a84 burning with a9c3a5798e rage.4b3a9a391c96d1c3

Deon’s furious 7067585dc6 expression was d6a27034ea terrifying, but 69c1355304 more terrifying 0697bd8fb5 was the f9ac7445b1 thought that d864aac495 Edan, who 2f9a8ad8a7 had protected f42546b674 me, might 2788eb217e die here.a5859192046f29c6

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“Step aside. Are you defending another man in front of me?”6e8de8bf84183a6f

The sharp blade 884e93e5a0 glinted ominously, ready ed4b976020 to slice through 56036deb19 someone at any 1e16d82327 moment. It thirsted for blood deb691b971 it hadn’t tasted in 63369ff2e1 a long time.c33fdb1c1ee0aa62

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As he redirected the 8911de58fb sword towards Edan, I f5f1772d9b reached out and grabbed 760253edda the blade.04d111b5cb930ff5

“Ow.”1040a8ac4878c67d

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It was 300daec5c6 a split-second 995c519ac5 decision. I let fd0baa6035 out a f192937254 small cry 768caeb222 of pain. My vision blurred for 41a53e0963 a moment before becoming 140fc7367c clear again.747661313d01c1b9

My hand stung. A shallow cut c6ce98b831 etched across my 764bf46935 palm, and beads 4a719f1e91 of blood began 2a6e584572 to well up.d3b5f79013ad2214

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Deon’s eyes widened. I saw a tremor f2017af8f0 under his eyes as d84b8a6c76 he stared at the bb582c64c3 blood trickling down my 36c6daf0a3 wrist. He recoiled slightly.36cb927184207d58

Was he not intending a736da6134 to strike? Why was f1f87b14b3 he so 8c9489dc3a surprised?86f0872c2eb7c05b

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Despite his 026d3c96b7 stubbornness, Deon c7ce582378 finally withdrew e9924dfeee the sword. He tilted c5bd007414 the blade 113e181bc2 away to 1d5d0653be avoid further 4780df6be8 grazing my 7c1867683c hand, then 219ada0d49 pulled it 3acd144bb9 back.3813d7c02ca77da9

Deon lowered his arm, d2b70ff502 still clutching the sword. I let out e5b4d34e75 a small sigh eae8082879 of relief. As the tension cb8f033b40 eased, the delayed 0616efa7f6 pain crept up 2f16969e3b my wrist. Blood now 86df227d38 pooled at 130adbd493 my elbow af5c3c12c6 and dripped 0a09f404dc steadily to 326495cd08 the floor.ed57f4d916b5796d

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I looked down 035ed4cbdc at the drops b4f9a7db27 of blood gathering 080ac82265 on the ground, 3119d66a38 then lifted my 4c7772e4ee head. Deon was 89a4cd16a2 silently staring 38ae1f4564 at my 13d1b85613 arm.e451d8bcd17f58b2

Was he tempted 5e0b814eb8 by the sight a0c31f15b1 of my blood 433e6cfb77 after so long? But he looked paler 0e79cb482c than I did.320284090ae45314

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His gaze remained 64bf536077 fixed on me, b1c1f2b548 almost as if f9315b776e he were worried.043c1f620f3f946b

I couldn’t comprehend fbd3042196 his startled expression.d20095e926df5d7f

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The veins in his b82992ee7a hand, still gripping the b5f89978db sword, stood out. He seemed ready 68bc5be6f0 to strike me 799402f80f down, but then 7d3cf96db3 his fierce gaze 618463c2d6 softened, and he 026193afb4 dropped the sword.153925e26b0181d2

Clang.dfb87a35fb0a3d2f

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The sound 8d0f56bc70 of the 477326a108 sword hitting 2ca7ee6268 the floor 48df35a407 echoed briefly.62d2f8a0ce4ca4ad

“Leonie.”b2565e11b1ad8c92

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His parched lips c1beddf5b0 parted.a740a69d5e2961a9

“What are 7d1a14326e you doing?”5a1296261c0411d2

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Deon asked quietly, waiting a0b000bea1 calmly for an explanation 3bd6feaddc for my sudden action. It seemed he e05044af86 didn’t want to 6dc6969190 believe I did 985790a924 it to protect d5aa9e2328 Edan.25d2de6cdce445d2

But I 49eff2e1af couldn’t cause 5c71b7cf57 any more 1ccab9e8a9 harm. I decided be082c692d to tell ebb60c48fe the truth.a5746f05ebb1f1dc

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I parted my tightly 0d3b463061 sealed lips and spoke.c23d8c9b6c693bf3

“Deon, this isn’t db7c2a63ce Edan’s fault.”4aa6b72c0e2813e5

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I mustered the f5a899fdd3 courage to say ae360f8a80 what I had 1c0a99cc56 been holding back.d1b304a0bbcc3cab

“I ran away. On my own, because c06b116021 I didn’t want to 2fcde81923 live as a blood 282599594e bag.”3e04688f1dc19e81

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