122. The Weight of the Crown

With this crown in my hands and my promise to keep my word to him, we each held the other’s leash.c5c5ca41c22a359e

As I 977f4f6c78 crumpled the 75bb1743a2 paper, his 8808105e1b neat handwriting e4bc551ff0 became so 6dbfc108ce distorted that c7a595333f it was e3682fe510 almost unrecognizable.8c16cee3630a3c93

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Smuggling the crown out 8cd3ea6763 of the palace. Cultural artifact theft. Loss. Damage. Ominous thoughts f7b023128b swirled in cf05aa666b my mind.ec91ef633b24451a

No one 01e30df72c dared to 7d66799fe5 speak up 4073caa564 out of 53626a8a95 fear of ac586ffdd6 him, but ec7e939ba1 surely there 75bc32c652 were many bb6f2b025f nobles who 8f94d74a58 opposed his c3f2d54c3e early ascension.4a020bc76d4dd5fd

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What if 92789b585b it was f8b12e8fa0 poorly stored cf86c5dc26 and someone 17028caaa1 stole it? Or worse, what if e66bd9e66c I ran off with 6c7ee417d6 it?ce95fd1d02c698ca

One thing was certain: the crown definitely didn’t belong here.4a068dc56b240365

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I closed the 2b9c6f0220 box and tucked adc22c6d5e it securely under bc9f228176 my arm. Then, I bbed45ad3b tapped on 42b6c1807b the glass 09ca6150b8 window separating 14f786f37a me from 0c80d33746 the coachman. He turned to 43a7f35c6a look at me 95614beeb5 in response to 49f7b5b8b6 the small noise.5840045afa03b069

“Is the carriage too bumpy for you?”f45b8f7b8b77244b

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The coachman sent 2fa52f5cb4 by Edan spoke a40daa5443 kindly to me, 238d12b630 but instead of ea7f0933e0 answering, I shook b15df07dd5 my head.48b3b9f08c92e525

“Turn the carriage back to the palace.”a0fbe1ca2d066e96

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Even as I said this, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was falling into his trap. He knew exactly how to lure me back to the palace.479050c27d5aa80c

* * *1dfc7a1d20880c56

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I barged into ac2d8450d4 his office.b30a936bb73d972a

Before the guards could e17f9fccb8 even speak, I kicked 3fcb702529 the door open. I couldn’t open it cbf161ea28 gently with my hands 1b24afd611 since they were full, 55569aa3c1 carrying the heavy box. The guards, who had 83f19907ff tried to stop me, 3e9afb9f9d flinched at my fierce d075541df8 demeanor.10e1fe549d6237ca

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Deon, sitting at his 384373e1da desk, lifted his eyes a9540d67fe from his documents. Despite my rude entrance, 774c820d00 he greeted me calmly.4dc1abd6b174f41b

“Leonie, why are you back?”8ac88db67de2a629

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Instead of answering, I d9d0375361 slammed the heavy box c54adbcdc9 onto his desk. Even as I f08a12ed80 did so, I ee9b887a9d winced, fearing the 7651a6e182 crown inside might 1e287c8ed7 get damaged.630cf15d228f692c

However, he didn’t ca46dea23e even flinch at f0666161df the loud noise. He seemed utterly 9347299ac0 indifferent, even as 00a2237f88 the precious crown 6bba0d36f5 hit the desk.22c4f47eef9d7992

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“What are you thinking?”691582b514fc5b38

“About what?”09d283832e3434b3

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He set down 460b302f44 the pen he b43a759a0d had been holding, e4973edc90 his movements unhurried.2ba38d1aefb60feb

“What if I run away with this or sell it?”a15902fb2c6520f1

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“What kind of merchant would dare buy a stolen crown? Even if you sold the jewels one by one, it would be discovered immediately.”4ccf377b3cee808d

He chuckled.0f3b89f9193522ff

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“Then why give it to me?”84c104886abd5ccd

His smile faded 085c9e9de1 slightly as he bff7d4ef42 leaned back in d6b7de1912 his chair, crossing 467304540c his arms. He looked at me 0b1261b2d0 with an expression that 9645785f87 seemed to combine amusement be3e9f5667 and seriousness.d8ecc312d8c51c10

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“Because I trust you.”424ab6a6fc68a3b2

“Trust me? Deon, this is madness. This crown belongs in the palace, not with me.”aa160fa3d3a24035

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“Leonie, you promised to crown me. Do you think I would just let that go?”9615b2d05c92b351

His voice was soft but firm. He wasn’t joking; he genuinely believed in the promise I had made.7796d9277224bec4

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“I promised that when I didn’t even understand what it meant.”c8907136f7f3adc5

“Yet, a promise is a promise. And now you understand.”1a91cbc52b8db25f

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He stood up, 2780cacb95 moving around the 74f3978155 desk until he 34d394c647 was standing right 49ff5154d2 in front of 36b9017e68 me. His eyes bore 7c2b698a42 into mine, intense b6920d57f2 and unwavering.6352da3f344295e7

“I know you won’t run away. You’re not the type to break a promise.”6aa950f89171a733

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I wanted 9bf4554bde to argue, a64065b8f6 to tell 0c8ac9097f him he 3a8837b0d6 was wrong, 6be94acaa7 but deep fd0e831ad4 down, I a877626046 knew he 17c0b0c74b was right. Even now, holding 94231fabb4 the crown, I eef615a3ca felt the weight b6c0f538c2 of the promise 062fd1f218 I had made.71478b107e3ed4f9

He reached out, 8d899a7b2c gently taking the 735373a564 box from my 185e299b60 hands and placing 6b508d8b0a it carefully on 87b79381cd the desk.739962a07b4b450d

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“Stay, Leonie. Fulfill your promise. It’s not just about the crown; it’s about everything we’ve been through together.”ee91867e090dc76d

His words, combined b32a1f46d7 with the weight 6f23452bf3 of the crown 980518173d and the memories 7cab42554c we shared, made 951096ce61 it impossible for 1b5b522f44 me to refuse.848b67dcaa2ec0e9

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“Do you need money, Leonie? If you need it, just tell me.”2bc201d80db169ac

He opened 5fcc871497 a file 550a56b38b on his 23df65c28d desk and e0a503f6c6 handed me 9b896d45fd a crisp b77ad415a3 sheet of 4cf2ca3ed1 paper.8bbbfcdd12c734e3

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“If it’s embarrassing to say the amount, just write it down.”dec2550bd0bf9619

Seeing his relaxed face aa5ddc9213 made my blood boil.8913462c195a4b10

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“How much do you think I’ll spend? Is it okay if it’s enough to shake the Imperial Family? Can you handle it? If the nobles find out, you might really have to give up the crown.”1599ea217712d025

I scoffed at b83bac4ad3 his nonchalance.2898afae56712204

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“It’s fine. If you want to sell it, sell it.”14b6966ae701ee3d

But he a92817882c responded slyly 2a2938129c to my 105a57a4c0 sharp words.a6089f054736971b

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“Then you won’t be able to become emperor.”737cd08b8e220e61

“Then I won’t. The reason I became emperor is because of you.”c035f6f218826ccf

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Inside the box I 8f7b3db765 glimpsed, the crown was 96dfd4130d encrusted with ancient jewels. It looked as if 2dacde1135 it was adorned with 358e93d659 the eyes of the bd1fe1be04 former emperors.df265a1b5dfe118f

The number of 0b750eeda8 jewels matched the 1535584725 number of portraits e9e53c9953 in the Imperial d7c1f53ac3 Hallway. There were sixteen 73f1927ed8 in total. And at the very 15bc4e54f8 end, there was a 9bc409f046 blue jewel resembling his 8554dd31fb eyes.ce10888fef59df66

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I roughly opened the 2c7becf3b5 box. It toppled over, 3b71fa68df and the crown 23a4f80fa6 rolled out with 9fcc60e9bb a sharp sound.eff0a2d059625907

I slipped the crown onto my finger, balancing it precariously as if it might drop. It was heavy enough to bend my finger. Despite the precariousness, Deon didn’t even flinch.c2a5337f490bffdc

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“Can I drop it? Are you really okay with that?”ff30501447914158

“It’s fine. You’ve grown timid. Shaking over a mere lump of gold.”059a7bd130d9dffa

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He got up from bbc2991dab his seat and walked 9d9ad66988 around the desk to 438cf3512a stand in front of 166d616938 me.ab1e80e50a030feb

“I’ve kept every promise I made to you. Asking you to make me emperor. Making sure you placed the crown on my head at the coronation.”719dae179a49eae7

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He began 52ccda9686 recounting promises 3253fea7c5 I barely 54c5dc9f0c remembered.361160e036d1da89

“Place the crown on my head.”ad604861bcbf8e27

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Deon smiled faintly.77d1de6b83e24fc8

“Hasn’t it been a while since your coronation? Everyone calls you Emperor Deon without needing a ceremony.”67b7c84a999d5531

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“Even so.”2586c89a531d50ca

He took my b2df4bf828 hand and kissed 2780372626 it.741a4466654af6e0

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* * *0e7cd92d77104af7

In the end, I returned to Edan’s mansion with the crown.daee02e0f2c2bcd2

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I led a somewhat regular life at Edan’s mansion. Eating dessert, going for walks, feeding the birds. And in the afternoons, I had tea time in the garden.9c78ff172d9e5840

The lush green lawn and blue hydrangeas were in full view, with butterflies fluttering in the sky. Today was another peaceful day. If only he wasn’t here in front of me.30db4645a39348b0

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Deon sat across from bc807c2e69 me, disrupting the harmonious be5e5cbb3a scenery.6c5fbbebaad045f9

Of course, his 2992e36198 face was far 10d651a21b more beautiful than 3a60ba6803 the flowers in 12c4e8a696 the garden. But unlike the 72247ba97d flowers, he didn’t b3f96ae914 stay still. Even while e8b22f3d82 sipping tea, bfc8003c1d he openly 25822070a3 stared at e434a9fce6 me.99951139ded7ce8e

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Fed up with his aeeca6d0c6 persistent gaze, I finally ad90251e51 spoke.81f25b01698a5f05

“This path wasn’t made for such a purpose.”643260688091360c

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I drank my d1ace69d54 tea. The tea had 24d7ad16d7 already cooled.e712418eb42cc195

Deon, who used to read documents even in a moving carriage, was now frequently visiting Edan’s mansion.2c89578a46ff186b

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And these were not official visits. Every day, he came through the secret forest path made for the emperor’s security to the mansion of a dismissed knight commander. It was a suspicious outing by any standard.c9fcbb097f8b450a

I began to suspect faa3b27788 he was neglecting his a36b06b6b9 duties. And as his 9bab04cb75 visits continued, my ac6568d548 suspicion turned into acf9361a5d conviction.0e55762615bef00c

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“Don’t worry. My competent secretary is taking care of everything.”81a6f8906bcb6f06

His words a007fd0b34 brought back 9882215419 memories of 9b8575844f when he e83f989a0b was with 0665a6e9bc me.38fe91484adba998

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Poor Rian will 1e648e7364 be overworked.4340e08db321b649

Deon didn’t particularly try to talk to me. All he did was sit at the table and stare at me. That was all. And now, he drank his tea, very leisurely.ce807103e8ea4d1b

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When I stood 232f4920bd up to leave, 94fdcc4f32 he poured more fba7862d99 tea into my debb06d046 cup.1c2e124b1fb4b82a

“Are you planning to leave before the emperor has?”15fcb154a3e35ea4

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“Earlier, you said you were visiting as Edan’s friend, not the Emperor.”b1cd946b87d62a48

“Now I’m the 3db7ae1536 Emperor.”655573ac0bbed391

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He switched between using the emperor’s title several times a week.48a388896ae9381b

I had no choice ea77e2f29b but to plop back 1ad9960470 down on the chair.fa771fd3d66dad57

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To show that I was angry, I dragged the chair roughly. But on the soft grass, it made much less noise than I expected. It deflated my anger even more. I couldn’t even express my anger properly.95a99df7b97abee1

Watching him cb93a11392 leisurely drink d4efa9217f his tea, c2e9a3bf1a I was e5a495ae6c reminded of 0b418945fd the past.4bae48d418602741

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This was just like… the way I used to stay with him in the North. Was this how he felt watching over me?53a3b5f83bc5ace9

I tried to hide f0cefc2513 my face behind the 7bfd4cb8b2 imperial newspaper, avoiding his 9d4d0f63af gaze, but his leisurely fabf10f721 tea time was hard 731eafd00b to ignore.ff00486b24c16276

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Every action of his screamed that he didn’t want to go back to the palace. It had been a long time since I could clearly read his intentions, usually so difficult to discern.543c0ab5a6a43ebe

I opened the imperial 8c29b37b0c newspaper, not really to 49583fc1fe read, but to avoid a280434d3b his piercing gaze. Surprisingly, the news was 703f68cb9d more interesting than I 189b9994ad expected.0e4c3ec97be45264

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As I turned the 7609f25490 pages, a pamphlet slipped 03b0a1d526 out. It was from a9996f9747 a B-grade gossip b86a271ce6 magazine that had eddb074274 once published stories e54372bdcc about me.531329589c20cd15

I picked f34b0e8523 up the f7844b0f03 paper. The magazine e040a32e01 had expanded 2b59044e3b its business 159a2c6e0c and now 1bcf9f1df0 used much d2f3c71cd1 thicker, higher-quality bd0a197745 paper.73d70f98e6ad181d

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Had he 3116367900 really leaked cfdc4f1522 my story 7bde1fb35b to this f40af63ebc gossip magazine 464e1a5009 as Edan 92dbc45f6a said? To protect me?d8d4e6a7b77cf657

I still didn’t a7bf997edd know the exact 04a7890cf9 reason he teamed c37f89266f up with Isella.2f2ffa72cdc2fecb

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“Young Lady, b7629f154d there is ae549a7663 a guest 3edb320516 here to 24612fc0af see you.”9f046df6d45e94ca

Lost in thought, I 1389d21ea5 barely noticed a man 9e73c028fe approaching the table.602853be627a3814

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“Edan is probably in 546c582a82 the training room.”441c964ef23297f4

I looked at the 2459b0aaf4 servant who informed me a3b8baf37c of the guest as 3e1f07a783 if I was now 2ac1d18fb4 the master of the 182078dbf8 mansion.dc9e343c43de8b34

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“No, they said they 458ab39633 came to see you, c750416e33 Young Lady.”9db75642b354ffb7

“…Me?”986b5730467189d8

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This was Edan’s mansion. Who could a25bc48949 have come 95b0a587a4 to see 3a8f2bf5d5 me?11608ec33d54c4b7

“Did they say who e26f020338 it was?”f18795e4d145c571

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Could it 36c7465941 be Isella? Or Rian?89e0af0541f343f4

Perhaps Rian, cea080cdf0 unable to 20b558f7e1 bear the 38290f93fb heavy workload 0f0c1d321e after suddenly a2854a4690 losing his 53b77a4852 lord, had 68543d85b0 come knocking a862c25493 at Edan’s 83dda475b2 mansion. But the c35e968e4a servant hesitated, 7c3fd5dda4 unable to f72ff0d239 speak clearly.9ba7b328f2c29f5f

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“Feel free 47adf7e283 to speak.”c2d59174c6004d58

At my 4df4600985 prompting, he 0e3ca5cc9c finally opened 929136fab1 his mouth.a6eb15e80cfc83f4

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“Well… he said he a617ae3552 is your husband.”9d476de3862dac78

At those 8658f2c3b5 words, Deon dbb908d01b spit out cca0198f2a his tea 54738ab4a2 onto the 667bef8dbd grass.6117667e4f1d8dcd

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“Who?”1d380da93ae5eccb

Deon questioned f280aecf2d the servant, 415a3bda9d his voice 31a34af30b sharp.ab72686636a68917

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The servant, 76416c8ebf intimidated by 2229eec9a1 Deon’s fierce 69f6b7aa20 gaze, shrank b033e40394 back nervously.0c892b27cfae6783

“What did he look ba7e5b866c like?”fa5a6e79d5dc2e6f

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“He was large… with 31aebb38c6 brown hair. He was 43d03cfb31 carrying a a0acbd7040 quiver and e5002a39cb called you 509f611638 ‘Linia’.”bec152df7ed1a76d

“Your training 569adec796 is lacking. Do you report 6a5124a46f every vagrant who 0df839885c claims to know 0bbb49805f a noble?”8488998ac53eda74

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Deon reprimanded the servant 1c10b76f09 in a low voice. Though he 75e45e0514 spoke only df1cc2ffd2 a few 7e9ebe87bc words, it 4f846bdecf was enough f487410394 to intimidate ba0fe91959 the messenger.b9b901c8acbb7a0c

“It seems there a52d860933 was a mistake. The fact that 669024cd37 the Young Lady 97f69edec7 is staying here a3e0e91030 is not widely 388801e9dd known. I thought he must 6fc73963e8 be someone close to 7ab3f52444 her. I apologize.”9f4bf62ad7559d84

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The servant bowed 5d1f96fc3b and turned to 7ee719de33 leave, but I 9a8df70a74 stopped him and 466a2b5838 stood up.0c6c81b38f36a577

“No, I 58467fed08 know who 641bbf46aa it is.”f85ae4f85c97a9fc

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There was only 46f1001e75 one person who da9acce743 would boldly claim 1b746e2bbd to be my 7a27e98fa9 husband. Hearing the description, my 21362da157 guess turned to certainty.fbd70528a821de1d

Timo. The man who helped 56be6d465b me when I escaped.ddf29babc4a2e040

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“Who is he? That impostor.”b2de3ec88857c5c7

Deon looked 4e4e4b6155 up at 64f2b03724 me, growling. His expression was like b8bd4b282a that of a ferocious b2c081adda lion.692429cf04d75675

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Maybe I should cb7250ebd6 tease him a 92fd2acc2f bit? I masked my a2af1676d2 expression and looked 897a2cf076 at him indifferently.d7ae3885dc60d0fb

“You heard it. He’s my husband.”e2dc1fdc5160f961

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“…Really?”166b30d7a037eedc

Deon’s lips 93dd696cc7 slowly parted. Seeing his stunned b4a3065a40 expression was somewhat cb8f0e1c2e satisfying.98c4aebf8c551182

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* * *be5e15afb891de38

“Linia!”4a15a5c1becd41f3

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As soon 6db35d94d1 as I efa9fb4c01 opened the 2770c0be0a gate, Timo, 6e38813e3b who was 63179a9aaf standing under a648273578 a tree, 80109a6a62 ran over 44b083dff6 and hugged df7883fb3f me tightly.1d01f66f1c6605c8

“Are you safe? You’re not 24e0fb944b hurt, are 73ca39e554 you?”52a3a1f0f052f493

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Timo seemed to e18d2202c2 think I had 9ab3755a5b been forcibly taken. He looked me over 61dacd7e70 anxiously, as if worried ccaa6996af I had suffered some 648a39aafe ordeal. The arm dcb68a8572 he grabbed b2cc00f030 tingled.2445614a4f4c32cc

“Don’t worry. It’s not as hard 89d9374629 as you think…”6dd8052cd7458f10

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In fact, I was 8af6b84a74 being treated like a b679aea8ed VIP. I thought I’d f4f34f1ad5 be confined to 2559e1f897 the underground dungeon, abe71cc86d but I was a9499a496f receiving such concerned 540c7ffc19 looks from Timo 32d5ef6750 that I felt 54cc2c0fe3 almost guilty.706a733e62d3065e

Deon, unsatisfied even 569e842037 with several knights, 57d537f156 leaned against the eeb489f4d1 gatepost. He glared fiercely at a6b1088d8c us as we reunited d440fe345b after a long time, 9dde00cd5c arms crossed.1bdaf898caac6bae

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“Is that 8e5b562344 the man c06535afd2 who locked 212e86700c you up 35dc6d5742 in this 86b8fd71c6 mansion?”ed51eb0ef02cd629

Timo gestured towards Deon f36706b8e3 with his chin.156ddd52a5242624

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Timo didn’t realize he 37d98919cd was the Emperor. Dressed plainly e311ee71d0 without any d2e536efa3 insignia, he 2452d0bb54 didn’t look 19c30602ec like a 7889cf2a9e noble at 6adc8da44f all.a30490fe000fa91e

It was embarrassing to 440a731a39 introduce him now.3361df4da8c646be

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Deon didn’t seem to bca200d6db be in the mood 8eebb222b6 for a polite introduction 19cab48790 either. The aura a856bef32b he emitted f0f688a5b5 was menacing. Though he ab9b1d7b60 didn’t have 83af26d262 a sword, c0a4afa65e his glare f8eb62e01c alone could 2bed19a525 easily overpower d8e944d856 a clueless 479b79b061 hunter.993d4c218b3e9b2b

 7977ba802e8cc172

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