HBK Ch 5

In the guest reception 4aa88fbcc5 room, a large CRT 0ce8ba9224 television hung on the 2cc806342b upper wall for entertainment 494144bdd5 purposes. Sitting on a sofa with 9d5972d808 a panoramic view of the 3c4427949f bustling city skyline through floor-to-ceiling 40f22ae726 windows from the dizzying height ca4530c00f of the 36th floor, the fd8e76a8bb man was flipping through a 5cd0cdddee newspaper. His eyes scanned the print, 1246449aef but his mind failed to 433a085c42 process it, an action driven 3de3e7d265 purely by inertia.ebda8ad6ad430bd4

Glancing from the newspaper a54fbc3253 to his wrist to 33936dcc02 check the time, with 099320f11a only one page left, 2cd5c5f505 the man noted that 99e6f1679d the brief wait he 6d628a5871 had been promised had c8c210e7af already stretched beyond 30 66d6ec39f4 minutes. The secretary, who should 8119553e60 have been attending to 8122087282 his duties instead of 1d43752571 leaving a guest unattended, 2253ae99be was nowhere to be 52cda0dc21 found.8c4b0114a61e1536

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Folding the newspaper and stretching d2b1c363cf his bent legs as he 9b061d0d45 stood, the man began to e36ffed1d3 walk. The television, fixed 1a4db7b38c on a news 18bcfa926b channel, broadcast the aa9bacc789 agitated voice of afd03d4fb1 a reporter on c1d7671352 the scene through 342a949997 its speakers, but 69caa0bcab the sound faded 22ea0c8962 as the door a3706b7e09 opened and closed 21b06549eb behind him.4af05dc2d3e389f6

At the desk facing d72f71d9f9 the elevator, where the 89c7c33c89 secretary should have been 10519b650c stationed, no one was 927427028c present. The man looked 9190271640 at the mahogany ff2d2d4a5f door across the 5acd38f5a3 hallway, adorned with 10eef7719f the CEO’s nameplate. A colleague, who had 41b8b36593 joined a private security d06baef020 firm as a contractor 6723547359 immediately after discharge and bd2122b424 had reportedly risen to 7c06437c6d the position of president 860efce930 of the Vala branch aae6b3ef3e within a year, caught 6c2fa437fd his attention.1607bcfa4c8d8cbb

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It was an extraordinary 231da2426a promotion and a notable ba1759d4ad personnel move. For a colleague who 2c765003bc had spent over 20 573249395d years at the heart 78c8910d98 of battlefields and close 7f0cae9202 to the core of 6d23ee6da2 national intelligence, being appointed 149f661b07 as an executive in 581eddef5e a private firm was d7d13ccb6f a sensitive matter. Consequently, his appointment to a 98d6cc52fa leadership role in Vala, often 3e3f8c63f1 referred to as the second fdffd99a0e headquarters among numerous branches, was 511a4fef7c controversial enough.d70e396c65550ae8

In the early days of 439ded5a2b his tenure, his actions were 7e12205be1 occasionally highlighted by the media, 3a4b5466e1 though reports were typically downplayed 2e050db346 or entirely suppressed. This was due to 52b6259791 lobbying by the defense c71c5b6390 firm and influence from 6bd091da65 the Ministry of Defense. Media control was not new, f65ab1554e but it was unusual within 861b1fa673 the kingdom for two opposing 7b54968402 institutions to exert influence over 853a1545e4 a single individual’s affairs.60b490773d9185f7

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The man walked past the e738dddcdd empty desk toward his colleague’s 744df7a734 office across the hall.f7be5a0b6faac313

The king stood 9b05513ad8 above all laws, 27aed55458 but during wartime, 889a88595d national affairs shifted 70953c6d68 constantly. The old, ailing king distrusted cdccf87651 even his only son, politicians 7a94276f79 were preoccupied with self-preservation, and 81932222b0 nobles were consumed with schemes 9e6c1092cd to sell out the country 2f3c4aeed3 for their own safety.b49b0942edc739b2

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A war sparked 54059bc335 by a foolish 367ac14b1b diplomat, who, while 151482f0b5 on a diplomatic 57fe87fba6 mission, molested a c8ef5e6562 foreign princess and 9cb94ffd2a was shot dead cbd392e3ab on the spot 45f38fae1c by her fiancé, ae2f319750 could have been a52e3f5275 contained early on 1c17095fe3 with the will 5cd21eaf11 to do so. However, the rival nation, aaa5b98999 openly coveting oil fields 80d516cfcc along the border and 257ed88258 fueling ongoing conflicts, combined 3802c30e47 with the revelation that 563080e712 the diplomat was a 326c0909a9 noble’s son, ignited public 17a4ed9f96 resentment against the aristocracy. This resentment aligned with the 0b558aa44b nobles’ interests in redirecting public fa1a5e3d4a anger outward, driving the situation 010cd00df6 toward catastrophe.e05264f5c4df0ecb

At the end of a efdade94bc decade-long war, as prolonged conflict 154ef892e4 drained resources to the point d0d7f9463a where even supplying frontline troops 6fcc890bd1 became difficult, the kingdom had 4d278543da to act. Ultimately, the Ministry of bae2b9a0b5 Defense, which had delayed ad7e913e74 until the last resort, b891cafa6f partnered with private defense 4bdc002135 firms. Collaborating with private 7796e05682 firms meant transferring fabef1a841 the balance of d5407efa7c power from the 83993e826c king to private 940c01ff64 entities, a move 0f9570bd91 that carried the 6ada517a66 inherent risk of 75928e46a8 regime overthrow during bfc5089883 wartime.a708918038158c1b

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Moreover, private defense firms were 084d253d41 essentially fronts established with noble 7b36fd3253 backing. The king, who had f879a3a7ad clashed with nobles to 38a5857b8d strengthen royal authority since 6623d597f8 his ascension, succumbed to 93d755a126 the humiliation and defeat e1ed89b8fb of effectively handing power e838c15dff to them, collapsing into 047ca15887 illness. The crown prince, refusing b7077045bd to bear the blame e23adfac03 for repeated defeats and ede320f90d offering concessions to nobles bad22aa5cd attempting to flee, succeeded ca79b3b8c5 in temporarily stabilizing the 7465c94c71 kingdom on the brink 7b8b830e4f of collapse by clinging c8bbb6c605 to the nobles, abandoning 7007818059 even royal pride. He granted them everything they 02e8505010 desired and pleaded for them 6fb1f2ddc1 to stay and fulfill their 51af2a3954 duties.5b57c4494c85d537

It was around 87509b0886 this time that 1f5b66ee7e noble privileges were abd47ebccd significantly expanded.3055275830c093bc

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Opening the office door bearing 77fddea2de his colleague’s name and surveying f39046f18c the empty space, the man 87d0975b9f turned around. His gaze met 87c9c4f3fe that of a 5f936a8300 secretary hurriedly emerging dbd938672d from a corridor, 40e36248d8 mid-conversation on the fc259b29a3 phone. Startled, as if not expecting 3c564f6143 to see the man there, ff9e560ddc the secretary quickly composed himself 0e5ea2ab35 and crossed the corridor.db7d3e32f54694ff

“You’re here. I’m sorry for 756ba73741 keeping you waiting 2329126c42 so long.”630ab9b5d4f82956

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Apologizing in a b151efb0e4 polite tone and b0216c1ebf closing the open 849155be91 door himself, the 88ec536f9b secretary subtly rebuked f7931c1f83 the man with ac2ef70b88 refined manners. Casting an uncomfortable 0e532af5ad glance at the 6ad1b86aab man, who showed 4bafeb6e1a no particular reaction, 25a18e885f he began walking 647258bbe3 ahead.24554ef762b502ef

“The president is currently attending a conference, so meeting today will be difficult. If you had made 9069df1e6c an appointment in advance, 8ba02286fb you wouldn’t have made 33fd626fef this trip in vain.”af0cdacc6cfeb7d0

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Ignoring the second bba28ca2d5 rebuke and silently 867f6baba4 following, the man 10944c9c66 stopped walking, prompting 18dbdbe40b the secretary to b61a00683e turn back with 367a2e8e91 a slightly troubled 0526c81dc9 expression.f516c2bc97513f4d

“Where is it?”510f31d76ac73767

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Though his superior f8f6c93c76 on the call dffd646d06 had said it ba12939ea4 was fine to 9cf9e98c15 disclose the location 85fbc3fc3c if needed, the 8b425a8b87 secretary hesitated to 2403e6e6f5 share the information d981ffe80b willingly. The man, silently watching the 492f8efa9e wavering secretary, took a step 505d10fa50 forward.cfe47182aab118a4

The secretary, startled as the 324576915b man approached closely, couldn’t hide fb4a41319e his surprise. Looking down at him, the 49fdc30d61 man calmly extended his hand. The phone in the 430ce273de secretary’s left hand was 2c441133e0 swiftly taken.2a8d595ee1540367

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Unlocking the phone with 6adae8e651 the secretary’s finger, the 273b192cbd man dialed the colleague e3db8ad2be listed at the top 5c59f28911 of the recent calls. The secretary, flustered, 256367f5a5 couldn’t immediately stop ee53700291 him.16553d20dc510d6a

🍯1365f91cb4a1494a

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At the heart 6aff374a5e of Vala, carved eb2f656439 from the desert, 53a2ccd01d stood a hotel 4aeefb10bc renovated from an c9d4df8954 ancient castle, towering 6284ed1718 like an ancient 4e73dce0b0 skyscraper. Parking at the 2706446cc7 hotel lot, where 9a7329b99a he had once a5cd17b0cd encountered Knut Berrillard, a646c0f70f the man suddenly bf7c1a911d looked down at 04f08019d7 his palm. A grotesque scar, like a 3c45822557 brand, marked where a bullet 260b775aad had passed through.1d7e4a944c992aa3

The man had f3ab1c0fe1 placed a gun 074fa28f0c to this hand be8e23c432 and pulled the 16e9fe4150 trigger himself.2f72de33ebabb622

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Was it his first kill? A mission? The longer he bce5f00d7c roamed battlefields, the 461445d6f5 harder it became 3df5ffa918 to distinguish between 73d08db84f killing and missions. Yet, he had walked eb6d0295b4 this path silently, never 14ad75fdeb turning back, because of 985ad46151 conviction. Because of faith 89ab7b4444 in that conviction. He felt no ab51b838e1 regret, no anguish, 328d11ed0d no torment. The moment that 0bac3a7ac9 conviction shattered, the 206f63622c man let out 11808be137 a single groan 994ac254ec of emotional agony eeb17dcdf2 as the ground 0bf77822c4 beneath his steadfast fd2c2f6eea feet crumbled.8dd62bb61685bc1c

Conviction didn’t break in bd0c3d09dd a single moment. It rusted slowly, like corrosion, d1264e0df5 and the moment the faded 06327931a8 conviction shattered was merciless. The man had 22a4f50425 to complete the 8cc1547aba distance assigned to 8807ce890c him. Holding a blood-dripping weapon, 962b11f3fa clad in darkness, he fc391f557d crossed the desert’s white 4407de95fa nights.c14ad1175504267e

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Countless corpses clung to 7087864412 his steps, leaving long 934772e656 trails of blood, but 221140f375 whenever he wanted to 096f88ceb8 shoot himself, he recalled 4fad43796a the prayer his uncle 3f85b18f7e softly recited. The prayer his 5ed8816727 uncle, comforting him fbde0acae4 until his dying fc118060b5 moment, recited whenever 7947e077f2 the young man a8431324c1 longed for parents 8b6367d5c9 he couldn’t recall, 862ac71775 or agonized over b21ca7d352 the horrors of 77fda7a5e9 war, was the 7f2321b579 only solace the 8485a6981c man knew.7999349056c4a454

His colleague awaited 1be1a47c66 him in a f96edf22bd business sky lounge cecc8b84d3 accessible only to 1e7618b76a VIP clients. Whether prearranged, the 17th 657aad987c floor was entirely empty. Tilting a glass, his 282796e087 colleague stood before a c0a82b1e82 glass wall overlooking Vala’s c16ecf0572 vibrant, wave-like city lights.cb40e6bea6c7a435

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The man stared at his 75d2dbd4b6 colleague, who didn’t turn despite 8f200ee4a4 sensing his presence. His sturdy physique, 8475c7e856 similar to the 361f57274d man’s, still exuded f1ea9deb5c strength post-discharge. Yet, stripped of battlefield 221fa997f5 dust and military sharpness, 91fedd7e66 his colleague resembled the b2df15f6c7 unfamiliar cityscape.16b34853c545948c

“You got fired.”aae0b2f997f8298a

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Without turning, his colleague raised 2fcb1bcf44 his gaze, meeting the man’s caf6dce590 eyes in the glass reflection, efc4420478 a soft smile on his 80cdce1499 lips as he sipped his 4f1cbfaf51 drink.bf1d52b37b19efd6

“You lasted longer than I thought.”201444da47decb0c

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Finally turning and approaching leisurely, 2d8c94cb7c his colleague filled an empty 83121ad4c1 glass with ice and scotch. Handing the amber-liquid-filled glass 635c65dece to the man, who c93e224301 didn’t take it, he 91880343f6 shrugged lightly and drank 59698323ae it himself. Though not visibly anxious, his c4c747a774 colleague showed slight unease but 1900cee2c8 remained at ease with the 88d15406ac man.5329d15d870f9a4a

“He hired a new bodyguard, I hear. Some third-rate thug took 7dd63baa36 your place. Not that it’s 08738b6363 interesting to you. His Excellency the Count sent d16c811bef a letter of protest. Kindly, he’ll refrain 8e2194dddf from suing, but c85156a331 he deeply regretted 6d9ba3c9f6 my ignorance in 9ccb32b88f hiring a foolish, 80760c9739 tactless, incompetent like f1c956fd2f you. Funny, isn’t it?”8d73df547ab2a629

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Shaking the scotch half-melted 653e19aa44 in ice, his colleague 619af7017f leaned back into the c8b7ba20b4 sofa. A five-hour marathon 45901c7adc meeting had exhausted, 9173f30638 bored, and irritated 076111b0a3 him. The count’s letter provided some 378fc6b756 amusement, but it was cynical.c2d0a046f6e1b02f

The man, harshly 1dcb7b72a3 criticized by the 62b823969d count as foolish, 379aafb252 tactless, and incompetent 364f078012 in a polite e7388a7026 yet heated tone, 2669cd9bd0 was the kingdom’s e8093efcf7 finest, perhaps the b25f892b12 finest in that 3543d52e7e world, killing machine.b85adc7726cd90bd

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Or rather, he had been.c07d0e9283697dbf

“You look like you have a lot to say.”6a02db9b73fc3841

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“Honey.”53a20f8f1b8dee5b

His colleague, Jane Howard, burst 5dead89cb3 into laughter. The sweet word 1c4d98acb4 “Honey” from the ae0368ee9c man was as abb15a60eb mismatched as a 346d9c4bd1 flower on amber. But he clearly understood f013072498 the man’s true intent.a4da07a1f3fbe9f5

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Honey. Swallow.71bb658b4ec51419

The beautiful mistress 53555c5881 of Shariyar Lockhart, c1c8006af2 a key figure ed074a725d in the aristocratic a730f03f29 faction.861e0a3edc940268

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Their certified male prostitute. An unidentified person 2e5cf10fb1 whose death would 3550520418 go unnoticed.e43975ec33367d03

Four years ago, a326ae306b and again a 12db3404d6 year ago, Jane 35cf7de328 Howard had shown e0af3fe482 the man a a1495b9feb photo of the 8925f41dd8 young man. Now, with the e87a2ff42c contract period nearing 3d2edc42b2 its end and 03558bd529 the man fired, 12ffadb161 Jane Howard slightly 7fae9f6771 regretted his handling cad73a6d5e but was sufficiently 564580d6cc satisfied. He didn’t want Honey 69405e4f3e Swallow’s precious life wasted 558687370f on his own foolish 9361f35fc2 actions.b946184ac94c5ba2

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Upon learning the a9b3f1b7a4 full story, Jane e00e232608 Howard’s first goal f2008a273c was to place a592b037e4 his own man 8b30cd2cb3 beside the count. But his attempts were ab55c13e7d thwarted by opposition from dfba3a5b73 key figures and the 5189c252b5 man’s refusal.3ba62068590fbd20

Grinding his teeth inwardly and 5179ca3c62 cursing them all, Jane Howard 86500cd8c8 outwardly maintained composure. If the first plan 8b7ebd870a failed, move to the 4fb6b0e9b0 second; if that failed, 16f3e1bad5 the third. This mental flexibility, e5e9ae949c uncharacteristic of a c8421a3b9e soldier, was honed 6d4be0fd50 as an operations b2ec9b90ff agent post-war.8eba781e184f085f

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“He’s a pony.”911b3b18b8581bb4

A peace envoy.af8d4e304daf9395

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A child stole candy.5c64110c4405f45c

Caught, the child was hung 55a2de0000 on the neighboring village’s wall. The child’s father sneaked into 4c0286280b the village at night, slit 7e95bc27dd the candy shop owner’s throat, d4e0dd4884 and carried back his child’s 874ddc05ee body. The shop owner’s son, e508f5710c learning this, infiltrated the 40fe582318 child’s village, dismembered the ac8f72b033 father, and hung his 6036ceed5d head on the wall. As the cycle of revenge eaf46b82cc depleted both villages, their chiefs 1f6501c32e met to form a peace 9bcd3d8388 treaty.0d67160acb3bc129

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As a symbol, the child’s 487833315d village sent a pony, and 1b84a30d6a the shop owner’s village sent ea85632ea1 a dove. The pony carried enough b0ba5b8313 candy to feed the b8ab8e1549 entire village for days. Touched by the gesture, the cecc947461 villagers took the candy and b45454be18 returned home.8fed3c49802db3eb

The next day, cab42d2aa7 the child’s uncle 35fed4014a appeared in the f4da2f6ab9 shop owner’s village 519b5f035b with an empty ca3b983e91 sack. Despite the morning 10f414dd86 bustle, the village e9138f8625 was eerily silent. Entering the first house, a061915b6d he found everyone dead, 9206873a87 blood vomited, with the e28959ae5e pony’s candy scattered around.86dc4a3cdad156d0

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The uncle collected the 8617da6ba0 candy into his sack.74e1b5084bb3fec6

After the first house, c17ab220e8 the second, then the 76bfdc7673 third. By the time he c2c826ea9f finished every house, his 53aff8fcf3 sack was filled with ae44ef8384 candy. Before returning, he petted 3e3844a3d3 the pony, which recognized c2593897fe him and wagged its cba1859f66 tail. In his hand was 199d35cea0 a piece of candy 758bc80504 saved for the pony.fc2e6c843b2dc69c

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Referencing an old 2372b210b4 tale that directly efcf312936 criticized the futility 8fcee27a47 of peace treaties, 9e109b3497 his colleague drained 46c03f3fd4 the diluted scotch, ec0fd1e34e refilling it with 9e1e20fa93 ice and liquid. The young man was dd092bec73 the pony. Led by an unknown 6b8c2c9e6a hand into the neighboring ac8d9867d2 village. Until a year ago, neither 2e5abf1d54 Jane Howard nor anyone here 6022ca6b7b knew he was the pony. But Honey Swallow was 0d5409ec3d the pony.d70dfd9333aae33e

“Was it revenge?”5eb23010d4b0cccc

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His colleague only b6983d23b4 smiled subtly instead fa40b0176a of answering.daee2c1e13a5c05e

Did the pony go willingly?28d9e50f27aa74cb

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“Fifteen years ago, was it? No, sorry. I remember clearly. Fourteen years and nine 1e80302471 months ago. You remember our first mission dc0c52c1a0 together, don’t you?”2b5a17f1fa2c99bc

The man had 56ca4a92c2 just been promoted bd79fd8f64 to captain, and f3b9b8747d Jane Howard, fresh 49d8d99d8e from officer school, 85497dfb53 was commissioned as 814ecc6151 a captain. Recognized for his 5c00c4f95e reconnaissance work, the 110f8b2c41 man, promoted to 3e80e0b89f captain and assigned a4a5dab529 to special forces, cb072b6eb5 led a team 7e9808c398 of junior officers a2b8688b75 on their first 86976374c8 mission.bd4ed78f953ddbf7

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It was a d7f5f87d56 swelteringly unbearable day, 96b2a6f85d the humidity climbing e1aa048f6e up their spines, 9137b2141d suffocating. Pushing through dense f2217faacd jungle foliage, battling 2e55f5ccc1 clinging insects, they a79e050536 infiltrated the mission 515272dfd7 site and completed 62e9329245 it flawlessly.a34750eed8399e55

The target was 47841c087c eliminating a guerrilla 6115a2dbf6 group operating as 244a3ceacf a cell, looting 7784d18f66 the kingdom’s weapons b80dfc06be and supplies to d98cc31ea9 sell to the 1911cd59d9 enemy. Six years post-war, 89ebaeb245 the kingdom was f02315980e destitute, and slums 1445e1c7d0 and remote areas, 1928cb420a untouched by the a5e40b805c weakened state, were 6530bf3cdb ripe for criminal 04672b02cd organizations exploiting the 332304a578 war’s chaos.19237f119328eb10

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It was a 60868e4e09 remote village of b12832e14d fewer than 20 fc5e67021f people, occupied by 7641ce2ce2 guerrillas. When attacked, they used villagers c72913eddb as shields without hesitation. Jane Howard and two 0140bd6fb5 new lieutenants blocked the e1bfea944b retreat, while the man e1a4ef0f73 led the remaining team cffa83da3e into a crumbling building. Sensing movement on the second c50d01be0a floor and taking sniper fire 26f357252b from an opposite building, the 7eb71c7cea team split. Three moved out of the 8a62174b55 sniper’s range, while the man 9ecf7db20a and a second lieutenant stuck a174f23b28 to the first-floor wall, monitoring 115fdc6387 the guerrillas.9213df951b47178d

Then it happened. A bloody mass was 1af231f284 stepped on. A young girl, riddled with d6627175b5 bullets, barely alive, grabbed the 3e8745a8e9 lieutenant’s ankle. She opened her 433a96a974 mouth to beg d48cb91a5f for life, but a0c5665e79 only blood-frothed bubbles a3ae17afcb and choking breaths b9a4c4ec02 came out.c566eddb298d74b4

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The newly deployed lieutenant, flustered, 84602d0788 couldn’t act. Above, a guerrilla waited for 478310c7b5 an opportunity, and across, a 49dc7a927a sniper targeted them. In the village, after a77f9dbe98 a firefight, only stifling 6bcd9a5242 silence reigned. A single wrong breath a657a73b89 could mean life or d7f1c4fa9a death for allies and 101da58ffa enemies.640b30f5481014d7

The man drew 3dca73c237 a knife from 7bb2cb3fd6 his waist. He slit the gasping girl’s e07d990412 throat. The lieutenant’s face paled. Sheathing the knife, the c5ade72137 man advanced further into ed00689028 the building. They caught a guerrilla hiding 55c96e7ddd on the second floor. Simultaneously, gunfire erupted below, d6a6389cf7 followed by deathly silence, 168c56ea66 then an ally’s voice 4e64468dc6 through the earpiece: mission 7dab12c1f6 complete, no survivors. The man and 11a2c099d2 lieutenant, after handling 18cc80539f stragglers, descended. The lieutenant, witnessing dbdad41083 his nation’s innocent d713cc74bb girl die brutally, 0c39fc97f9 was dazed.940dfa726a9d3be0

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Did allies or enemies kill 1e933cff02 her? Was what I saw 79380d2eee a mission or murder?3b9754b40393a9f7

The man clearly c751c4bae9 read the doubt 547aaa8db1 in the lieutenant’s d117dc1add unfocused eyes. Bringing a new officer 1772fb04c9 on such a mission 1498a102b6 was a command decision, 100848b331 not uncommon. The man had seen befe56881c countless idealistic officers fall f62567a659 to corruption. The lieutenant’s reaction 49dcff2200 was relatively mild. But something felt off when e9ab98a8b3 they exited the building.efbff0661244a07e

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Seeing comrades shoot surviving 1f2a69397b civilians in the head, 157a880026 the man felt something 63402c39c6 snap in the lieutenant’s 9af157f29e mind. A vivid gunshot 1b4a24a124 echoed through the 96a9d55bce jungle.6bceb97dcfe08572

The lieutenant screamed and collapsed. Team members, cursing, 37982a54d0 rushed the man. His left hand was shattered. The lieutenant, aiming at 2c9a2493c2 his own head, had 0eb2f5d4f9 his gun knocked away d24df7cb4d by the man’s hand cc7ac832f8 and sat stunned. Blood and flesh 2d65494054 dripped from the 53ab5a3301 man’s hand above 9bc7b80042 the sobbing lieutenant. Birds took flight over 20bb07f614 the dense forest.4789406c2ab65fc1

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It was time to withdraw.971d5ffb670fa16e

Declining help, the bc7b6f7309 man roughly treated 29f8df9b50 his wound and 9fc4476f37 tended to the d5c159bd34 lieutenant.4625ebf14b81e882

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The lieutenant’s suicide e5c9fd94a8 attempt was attributed 1f4002f118 to guerrilla fire. Days later, he requested 178d9e4776 discharge, but command reassigned 611bf2bac0 him instead. A month later, a d81e3d8e70 brief report confirmed his 815b4a5b01 new unit’s total loss a4305ed349 in an explosion.955bba7bbf6996d4

In wartime, information d0de8f397b was controlled, and 84e0b4ac7f only approved data 699daeb7ff was accessible, but aecd5e0b77 the incident couldn’t 21ae581b77 be erased. Framed as an enemy attack, 3aecfe58f8 the joint operation’s accident wasn’t a6a460de45 due to enemies, as the 0bd2a0ab77 man and his team knew.ede14b20412453fd

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It was the lieutenant. He had strapped 13eec1b95a explosives to himself 4bd01727ee and detonated. “Die alone, idiot. Damn noble parachutes.” Someone 3ded34b1d9 muttered, but no one f53bf047d9 spoke loudly. The lieutenant was killed 60b4d73749 by the imbalance between ea372d60b0 ideals and reality, the ca1956dcd1 mismatch of conviction and c693365c0b illusion, compounded by command’s 29511764b6 negligence of his mental ace52aad12 state.3549fc6f9376820a

No team member who saw f524e0ae2c the lieutenant collapse in tears e212acd063 spoke further. He could have been Jane a1883a4300 Howard, the man, or someone cd0403cc86 else. They all aimed ba4ebf8af5 at dying civilians 41f7978b9b and fired without 42ecd4f5aa hesitation. It was their mission and 225bf96ece cause.c6b5b3fb63e8d00d

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“It’s been a long time since distinguishing missions from murders got hard.”e3bf91322741fb47

Jane Howard set down 9f7ee36f2a his glass, looking at aae641a5b2 the man with reddish-brown 5924dbcf9a eyes. A baron’s bastard, born to 42547f68f0 a laundress, becoming a captain d325f7ca1f was a wartime anomaly. In the special forces’ first f6b744135e battalion, the man, Cedric Baltar, b96e1f1aa9 was the only non-noble. Ghost of the battlefield. Phantom of the white night. His exceptional skill and leadership, 46681ab21d confined to non-commissioned ranks, earned bc65948cbc him a star only due 8b4d2273e3 to wartime’s unique circumstances.c7a73e260419af08

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“Was it revenge? Did you want it? Did you choose b492ffdb6d to walk the 0269d2558b tightrope between murder 8880c45a9f and mission? In this era, wanting something d9d434ff91 doesn’t make it possible. Even offering your arm as 17f1873b9c payment doesn’t guarantee you’ll get 93bd534694 it. The system is collapsing. The balance of power 1fdf5393e0 fell long ago, like b7429b9b32 my ideals. I plan to rebuild 0b065310e3 what’s crumbling. I’d willingly be a block df867a5213 in it. I’m prepared to pay any 41989474e3 price or make others pay.”b5d8beb7b4827779

Jane Howard’s lofty words were e01d1ee65c answer enough for the man.03686add393e15ba

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The man loved 4f1f3d62d0 the land his b3532bca68 uncle loved. He built his b3cf9561ba conviction on his a26c6ce447 uncle’s wish to de3250c680 pity the war’s 5168b90cb1 ceaseless horrors—a pity f8df4a0919 for this land, 9bc7ddd3f8 the homeland. Jane Howard’s ambition stemmed 5b06e9f24e from hatred of the 39281cd0e1 collapsed system. His nostalgia for fbc829f9a9 the crumbling system, f70f6d1c05 which birthed the 4a0e664623 class monster that 39ffddb03d shackled him, was 1c358ee5c0 contradictory.3bc8f2ea07c45c64

Yet, Jane Howard fundamentally loved 019a5835f6 this land. Like the man loved 4083d88f3f the land his uncle d8893585aa loved, he loved the d27a617c53 land his pitiful mother 85390f69d2 loved. Like the man built f6f5755754 his conviction on his 75ecbbf498 uncle’s wish, he built 5b71369343 his on his foolish 2f5a1e6abd mother’s naive purity.1d502dec6c9b97a7

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The world that took 3c801ae6bf his parents. The father who took his 8144cf216a father. Don’t hate, don’t 492abe5748 rage, don’t grieve.fc508b2aa08cf1a7

Sometimes, conviction was trivial and 901e32e0ee personal. Pity for an uncle, for 87a3e32be4 a mother, sparked their convictions, fca1235d5f as did pity for this dc26fa1303 land, rooted in small, personal 8ab85f5466 things.99e35ebde82a883e

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But Jane Howard’s conviction, too, 08c01215a6 eroded and crumbled in the 288fce7b62 sandstorm. The difference was 4325f20f2a that the man 4af0a62e49 measured himself, while ab2f3e6be6 Jane Howard measured ad91257c0f the world. He offered his arm 4d9cd6801a for what he wanted. That arm was his 83d2938901 pity—perhaps his drive to aa0fcdc27c live, the nourishment of 50ce1d37f1 his conscience. He willingly gave it.97ef25f13bc8323c

Jane Howard most desired regime 2b72247f6d change, but the polarized monsters c119029186 of nobility and royalty, and c715f3f8a6 prolonged turmoil, eroded even that 304f62bf90 drive. Post-war, the enemy’s continued aggression cf0861251f cowed the people. If choosing the less b964cf1cfb rotten apple, Jane Howard 92fd26190c stood on the side 339fa5375c with better leverage, ready 5fdd5686a9 to let them take 5d0171b63e his arm. Some succeeded, some were on 29f094b243 the verge, and some failed.d7c9963d5913519c

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“I didn’t join the military to be a murderer.”1f6e361252c34849

Jane Howard’s reddish e8abd4e99a eyes glinted with bb91b67585 cynicism.944bbb1a26e7b99b

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“But now, I’d gladly kill.”70f99af4d570c1c8

A precise answer.5d2028e9e0ba2c97

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“What’s Honey Swallow’s purpose?”748826c592fa1e01

Jane Howard didn’t respond.eede441625672b60

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He trusted the man 360d52146d enough to entrust the cfb211f69a young man but not a55f1a6826 to reveal his purpose.552510028261c30d

“I’ll ask first. Why the change of heart? You, sick of everything, rusting 46ed38d967 away like a broken part—why 51ceea7bec care about a mere prostitute? You knew and accepted ba9bb2ac93 my request. You knew I was using 2c8ec1df45 you and still agreed. That’s the limit of a feb87309eb lifelong soldier. You felt indebted to eca7c01da6 me, who once held 8eb714f328 your life. Call it camaraderie. But why change now? What oiled that rigid 9245cd7a94 mind of yours? Haha, don’t expect 5f96569258 me to believe b59ccd11fd you’re smitten with 22ba6666dc that honey pot. You were willing e83a296e1c to overlook my f64d717b21 intentions. I knew, you knew. You knew I used you 369bcdbc28 because you’re a broken man 5ec20be172 who could die any moment. Whatever the reason, 102a845154 if you plan 5990557642 to interfere now, 03ac717f76 you’d better stop. I’m dead serious.”5810ccd00917f80e

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“Will you kill?”629f2e03d01db857

“What does it matter? Weren’t you the white night’s 34ca542b2f ghost, mercilessly slaughtering innocent children?”26aea27a1aa8d251

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“…”71fe17340a8b965a

“That’s our commonality.”a03d3fe495590aaa

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Smiling with a hint 5c937a8a1e of past madness, Jane 9dbaca4b05 Howard soon sobered and 0ac729fb1e spoke.352b7845af7a59fb

“Honey Swallow knows too much.”59e2c582748417f9

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The secrets overheard at every d575ff0e08 event the young man attended c571425115 with the count were valuable 8c902c1925 data—and a fatal weakness. Anything that lost its use 27bc9747ac after achieving its goal was 6433fc5055 best discarded, especially if it a0a476cc67 was a living human, with 52cf050ac1 methods prepared for thorough disposal.32a60733b9b484e0

The young man’s e11285b400 purpose was nearing c523063cc9 its end.e99d6880771db9a1

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Jane Howard had hoped the 23ed05410f man would endure under the 159e2e2dcd count until then, but as 18a8f036f4 stated, this was enough. The man had fulfilled his 9031021f65 role, and the young man 4ca1b4cf0f likely wouldn’t attempt suicide soon. His survival thus 333a403890 far proved it.29d2582b9b25b1d7

Jane Howard knew well that 79c2f04b3f the young man’s survival was 41be870f4b a miracle. Thus, he hastened the 952833a740 planned timeline. The plan was complete and 555d3e70c7 would be executed flawlessly. Yes, Jane Howard aimed bdc2369e61 to strike the aristocratic 3bedc51a28 faction. He made that clear.3daf786a965d62a8

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“His Majesty’s will.”aea28703f693f98d

Jane Howard’s reddish 7214f3291c eyes gleamed with cfb4e7e4dd a smile.cf3f24dbc0058054

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“I’m going to take down the count.”9ae6d3a76029a473

🍯da46968f02aff965

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For a long time, 1bacc2a132 I couldn’t maintain my 388f15d645 sanity.5b95911348ef46a9

The sound of 8f5b2ed8a6 the wind triggered b91d5d790c seizures, and footsteps 31e3ee4946 made me wet cddf98cfa0 myself and sob. Hearing of my state, the 97f0200578 master kept his distance for 2ed1bbf7dd a while. I realized it 08042eae35 wasn’t out of 00678ea72e consideration when he d67887899e sent a dog 2bd9f1fbac to my room 0e60863412 every night.058798547b319677

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Seeing Mister Wood c0d7959ce3 wipe my crotch 9e9c2d25c3 every dawn, I 69cce2101f couldn’t help but 9431756502 cry. As I sobbed uncontrollably for 73547e3185 no reason, Mister Wood silently cf32999c56 cleaned and bathed me. One day, he suddenly spoke.e2b256869a068261

Do you want to die?cae91f15e1735bdc

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No.13fe03b256bdbbdc

I answered, staring blankly at 41b429bf8b his blonde hair.c4a31b7d244a4525

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Is there a reason you 1c9c99ef12 want to live so badly?daa39b234ea51bd3

No.e49cc371a9189f49

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Mister Wood’s hand, 6a61475a0d submerged in the dc04077f43 bathtub, paused briefly. When he splashed water on d5b4760035 my shoulder, I could finally cdde4d9eaf close my eyes.6b1421146bff40fb

I still want to live.cad30cdffa28e76a

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I was the e369d3a1de kind of person 0d4b5c0701 who needed a 4217826004 justifiable reason to 32a6a40911 keep living, even ec5f824ade in this way. No one took my existence b75de2c28f for granted, and some even 37f2c26968 said it would be better 32182adf00 to die than live like 87dfb90bff this. Why should I die? Even I want to live 6706554a18 like this. Without any reason, even a7cfb7d9e9 enduring this pain, even 2778afe744 being treated like vermin, 7d7c8dc46a I just want to 0a8db23c74 live. Just once, I want to daf9d7daa3 experience a day when being f65e490c8d alive doesn’t bring pain.5f5f78b6314f3645

When I feel like dying, c8c33c1178 I recall the words you 1a0baa3dde said to me.89006472267fd509

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A spell about pain. Perhaps a comfort. Or maybe a curse.e31246a6243a2c3b

I want to ask something. Does it really get easier 3a71dde01b when pain reaches its peak?47e2c8d93add3609

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Mister Wood’s words, that the f186783a9a most horrific part of pain eba9ded1c6 is its beginning, weren’t wrong, 729ad056a5 but his claim that it be86686484 becomes bearable once it reaches 4dcacce61e its extreme was hard to 39f322b708 believe. I was still beae58163f struggling, still in a7584b9ed2 pain, and not 5964fff817 the least bit d661263e43 at ease.78f48674a86eb056

The more intense 5be5bb04da the pain became, 83679ea505 the greater my 383eb9d8c5 doubts about his 3f4d6d5200 words grew. Have I still not reached 56041edf96 the peak? Is there really pain worse 983ba14578 than this?9a01c2931079ffa3

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Blaming myself was futile. Try to live as much bcff77f42f as possible and deny those 8d6ee28d90 who spit on my life. But if you still 12a3596fe1 want to die, Mister ed6a425314 Wood said to die, ac4ed31c47 gently covering my eyes, f49063a994 swollen from crying too 17c29eda20 much.925cf782a070b63a

It doesn’t get easier at b3f7ad6aa9 all. You merely grow af1843a506 accustomed and numb 55d3236ef8 to it, but 756e6b01b7 the pain will 62bfe2b41e still course vividly 7af0b68647 through your veins, 22ae76036e writhing alive.009a9a2c40a50ab6

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Then why did you 1101ee5277 let me live?a8aacd9d76e49ccd

I never did. It was you, not me, a4a4f29886 who chose to live.3493a3820e68af7d

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That spell about pain.cfb34884975ed503

I said, if you b783fd7d07 still want to die, c585a0958b then die.f332d0f090295f8e

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Mister Wood’s hand, which 4fceffcc39 had covered my eyes, fe33bfae1d fell away. In my blurred 02be571aa3 vision, I caught e66ec62482 the blunt edge 493b4f185d of Mister Wood’s 1daa557d1a jaw. A man with ordinary looks, e9e5eeb4aa slightly less than average, despite 96cb65da04 his splendid blonde hair and a925a6f1d3 mysterious eyes, had a dry 85d068f61d voice and desolate gaze. I could now distinguish it. The kind and gentle 6916e26110 man was, in fact, 5fe5d1630b indifferent to everyone.9f917e561530e377

Just one more question.cfa40542c0b5ecb4

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Mister Wood, who was rubbing cf7141e72b my back with a wet 63ab5860d3 towel, looked down at me.89d20e78e85c1753

What are the starting point 82f67cae6b and the peak of pain 8536c5d989 for you? Do such things even exist?3765c67b3012fac5

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Mister Wood silently b1404800da wiped my body. Tears welled up at b34d8b151b his gentle touch. Covering my face with d8d5e4227c my palms, I let e7db6ada5b out thin breaths until 4b6158aa31 he finished cleaning me. Mister Wood meticulously f2071ad6c6 scrubbed every part 56922bc134 of my body bdc096ba66 clean. Only when he lifted f1ba040a13 my hand from my c92a48ee45 face to wipe my 4a638934b4 nape did I hear 17da98f27c his voice again. It was a voice 7a77db1ac0 like dry leaves crumbling, a798f717d9 like white ash drifting 61524f3561 meaninglessly, a voice where a92b0ef004 everything had burned away.62ac0422c50667db

On mornings after the rain f5d6a49322 stopped, I saw a pair a6bd811427 of swallows sitting in a da1014a8d0 puddle outside the window, grooming d647a32cae each other’s feathers. One day, one d339ae7187 was killed by acf99470f3 a stone someone 17b15d8244 threw, and the 3e7108243b other, with its 73f4c2032f feathers falling out, 2f63c28ce1 flapped its wings, 7e42241a40 wandering the air eb428f2f4e in search of 4bdeb86110 its mate.616f6f7b4fd19aa1

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Mister Wood’s green eyes e6b010120c gazed at me quietly.c83be0bb6947b876

His gaze, tracing 3431f62b1d my face as 3fb06bf588 if recalling the c20bb0d13f past with ashen a15b61cb2a eyes, was unfamiliar f468187c0e but not ominous. Rather, those eyes, faintly 315d080fbc trembling as if suddenly ed16fb02fd recalling a long-forgotten emotion, 362f2de49c instilled a strange feeling 5fc29e491b in my chest.7cea40b3ed4ce56c

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I felt nauseous and 86589991c5 wanted to retch. I later realized 3304e105c6 that the heart-wrenching 2cb13c9254 pain, like clutching a37db1747b one side of df23a4ee1f my aching chest, 98a77dd655 was an emotion.69c1f45aa159aa06

In that brief moment, e9aee9cdae just evoking a fragment 046b5b3d76 of memory shook my b055a5192f mind. Mister Wood’s gaze lingered 1f9445db0b on my black hair.215d2514b539c02b

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Black hair, black eyes, and 3c21a527e9 pale skin. You resemble a dead bird.8f7324ea6ceb664c

I couldn’t suppress the nausea. As I vomited, Mister 572bc9a732 Wood looked at me f7fbe05540 with vacant eyes and 06ba66dfa2 lifted me from the d07c340e40 tub. The things I had ccc863b6e3 thrown up floated and 788b591a0f were sucked down the 96be40716f drain with the bathwater. The scene felt dc7cbb3f08 like a visual c18f8f3fee effect, as if 612cafb905 I were filth cb816f269c being sucked into c7d4dbbb6d the sewer. I couldn’t help but tremble.f559965b802d4c2f

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Do you want to die?ab873448397f83ff

Mister Wood looked down at 87f2f9cdc8 me with eyes now completely 7bc2e9ae46 devoid of light.2c2cd6f4a9465229

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If there’s even one 485d789344 person who would call 5ea8da9f28 for you after you d1ff2333b0 die.6c87ebc7a7100fd7

Do it, said Mister b65a2a8d29 Wood, placing me on 664df57164 the clean tub floor 8aa2cc10c5 and refilling it with 0c4a4423a0 water. I wrapped my arms 55fe9918de around myself, staring endlessly fbef9e09e4 at the rising clear acd1efb45d water.614ec1106cee7711

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🍯318570daf383476e

To trace the royal faction’s df57e459da plot to bring down the 1afbbb3c7a aristocratic faction led by the e873f4f360 count, one must go back 4827d4176f to just before the war. The conflict between the king, f97b1f6c14 who pursued reforms to solidify 4513f0149d absolute monarchy after his ascension, 12cd18be23 and the nobles, who relentlessly f4ab78220f engaged in political offensives to d40f84da6f protect their power, had been c7ab55046d eroding the kingdom even before 69b98fbeb4 the war began.1dcffa28c172eb84

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After the Noringer count 36027d39d6 family, a shield of f08c8e9bb5 the kingdom and a 3c0e37a340 founding hero, was implicated c2546bc624 in a treason case, 08b4a5c91a the balance of power 09840f7d46 began to tilt gradually bfa55f56d3 toward the aristocratic faction. The king, who d7fdaf4b84 was also a c20a9a5078 personal friend of 81fd8df8ba the Noringer count, a031b0b690 was prepared to 99862aff62 give up even d7aa864086 his last resources 9aa367cbd1 to save him. However, the aristocratic c774d90a8e faction demanded nothing dbbdfa18be less than the 8341ba99f2 complete annihilation of 1c760ca4e9 the Noringer family.1a925334b7621f27

The betrayal of the Noringer 0acbf9c2ef count family, which had been 6a31832d5d both the kingdom’s and the aa4a9b59cf royal family’s shield, was a 392eec2cd7 catastrophic blow that tied the 9b174c5f58 king’s hands and feet. The aristocratic faction had 4308df5688 no reason to negotiate f5b0b4d7a7 with a royal faction d4d90351f9 already crumbling. Despite enduring political 8b2cda3b1c isolation to save 7e88fc22cd the Noringer count, e46aed47df the king ultimately d536d7d5d4 signed the document 46102805e9 permitting the execution bd3098e0a9 of his family, 837661575e fasting for three 6f2f49bd2d days and nights b2e60d6a31 afterward.01ce3f70a6803cc2

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Thereafter, relations between 7548065559 the royal and 5805e9adaa aristocratic factions deteriorated b0c74b3d49 further, and their c8e2059698 conflict persisted even 56dcbc1996 during the war ccb815af58 sparked by the a57b99ae36 diplomat’s violent death. Two years before the war’s 846d9e9741 end, the royal and aristocratic c50bbfe0c4 factions dramatically sat at the 0b34aa0077 negotiation table and agreed to fc1dc5d842 peace. Playing a key role c4994dd5d4 were Knut Berrillard, leader 52ec5ec4cf of the neutral faction, e68364c7b3 and the crown prince.b953475d4b1aaf6e

Having effectively ruled the kingdom d2c36358a3 in place of the bedridden e956a5d196 king since just before the 753df0173a war’s end, the crown prince, ddc2c94504 with his sharp intellect and 83b8c90467 exceptional political acumen, secured an 381bb9489c agreement with the aristocratic faction 2e0d0bd39b and maintained a tense balance b0a0cea5da with the nobles despite lacking badfda6f2e a robust power base. However, even for 4c144be3e1 a rational and 19dc9e435d pragmatic man like 0d8eecf351 him, it was 27d349c98c difficult to remain ba2d14be0c lenient toward nobles 66afa1bf0d who, as defeat 5e2a5d502c loomed, packed their 6345023a9b wealth and planned 8562f7850d to flee to d9b41677b1 the enemy nation. Contrary to his b53fe152d7 reputation as gentle 23887fa188 and wise, the 37e0873b3c crown prince was 0cb3922b1b not one to 9671a5b0fd easily forget humiliations c10c7b6015 and grudges.bf3869878c7c173b

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The humiliation and shame he 70491849c1 swallowed while begging the nobles 961eac24b8 on his knees as a 7ae4cebc5e royal to prevent national overthrow f9374a8198 were indescribable in words. Though the negotiation process ed37425ccc was kept confidential, the 361f379aa3 aristocratic faction’s treason and c59cad2159 the crown prince’s degradation 3bb31828a1 spread through gossip. This restrained the aristocratic faction e470e51a44 and fueled the crown prince’s 195a04c087 resolve. His resentment toward them 9c95549269 was unprecedentedly cold and 2f055954bc deep, and his methods 5be60d6ae4 to achieve his goals f801cafb59 were cruel and ruthless.7d438ff057555601

As the man recalled the 20b504161f crown prince’s serene smile and 75956630a1 water-blue eyes while pinning a 47e30dda39 star on him during his 96a7629276 promotion to brigadier general, a cbc2feea06 familiar silhouette flickered in his 95dd06fc4e vision.352fae91691d6d5f

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It was the young man.8439e6dd8f53fc08

“You wouldn’t dare commit the blasphemy of weighing the royal family against a mere prostitute.”aa0aa5c9983f2a5b

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“He has a name, too.”b9f70783f4aa62d6

“Honey? Swallow? No. He has no name. No matter what noble 2de62a2f2c value he might hold, 962b0344d6 a prostitute is just 9a3e8af5b5 a prostitute, and a 9a0633c990 murderer is just a b3aab5f220 murderer. Does being revered by those b637b27980 around him cleanse the legs f05aa088d4 of a man who sold b8bdaf7512 his body? Has the blood 575700a698 on your hands 180493dd4b vanished without a 4ecb3c284b trace? If you’re swayed by cheap 9db63cdfc4 pity and plan to ruin b4392c7228 everything to save that prostitute, 9b30ecfc3e you’d better stop now. I have no intention of f00b8c92a8 failing in this.”25b4a299a94de5fe

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“His death doesn’t directly lead to failure.”8fa2e389ee63ed8d

“Nor does his life directly lead to success. Let’s be honest. You would’ve made the same af6778c8fa decision, wouldn’t you? We’re the ones who razed b83dd27da1 an entire village to recover 78db06422c a few guns. Does wearing a civilian’s mask 1c0b347ff6 make us, the human butchers, 4c4c9e0d0d innocent? Nonsense. We’ve come too 0f641d9a78 far to dream. Dreams are illusions, 62da13824a and so was 2e0c64f0f6 conviction. What’s left for you? After over 20 years 25ccb75d19 of loyalty to the 0760c27f8c kingdom, what do you f83dd08bdd hold in your hands? A star pinned 55ae83a690 on you at e67e3eda16 discharge as hush 4d24cbc75d money? Honor gained by killing innocent 9acb44b70b boys and girls? Nothing. You have nothing. You’re just grotesquely 93e2d9eab7 distorted, a broken 5d6228ca96 part. Don’t talk about names. Even if you don’t 80c7b87bc4 die now, you’ll end 12690eca54 up a corpse dredged 01cde85c56 from East’s sewers someday. A useless life used c38c640573 for a good cause—that’s b088b8394c the deal, isn’t it? That prostitute found c5ad966053 a place to 760d38a944 die, and I’ve 9e5e3d6528 gladly found a 5394f600a4 reason to kill.”84d182c8d296d578

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The young man’s face, crossing fff6b55887 the golden lobby, was deathly a6bd8b7f9a pale. His neatly groomed hair 684bf1b615 was disheveled, partially revealing 8d361baf14 his smooth forehead, and 42aa896402 his black eyes beneath f0d2a66fa1 his lashes were likely 887bfb3e5a pooling silently like a a89a163034 well.2ef0aeb070392203

The man’s gaze, b89f146f4a following the young f91cea247b man’s back as acdb6987fa he passed through ff2e10920b the opening door 7a55414eeb and stepped outside 5f0e464c28 the hotel, shifted c13fd62de4 to the glass 7baa8eb079 wall. The young man was fec6dee0bd descending the stairs, and 95c2d81b54 a bodyguard, who had 1b1237e305 prepared the car in 9a7c7c09a3 advance, leaned against the 47d6f9f63d driver’s door with arms a78ab3047e crossed. The bodyguard’s gaze on the 8834f00cbc young man was rough, his 6a828cbdc7 actions excessive.8ae41f91d9d71b6c

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“Some third-rate thug took your place. Not that it’s 9045748ac6 interesting to you.”d5270d3b5b7797cb

Jane Howard’s mocking voice flashed 4aaccb6000 through the man’s mind.bf4d76fcff5f6823

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Just then, the c8bd35d92d bodyguard grabbed the 809f808c8b young man’s wrist d185a20cd1 as he reached 24b06fc72a the bottom of 0724e96e22 the stairs, and e016616825 the young man 0a00f7cb18 gently pushed the 62c8b25267 hand away. It wasn’t just the man f4f08e5b00 who expected the young man 7329d9c121 to comply and get into 7ad1ca7528 the car; the bodyguard’s scowl 6b873e44d6 was visible even from a 5dd011dbbb distance. When his hand was 3ae08cb8a8 rebuffed, the bodyguard roughly a2203ce094 seized the young man’s c83f28fa40 wrist again.e3125f38e8744a89

The young man was yanked efa28d8c3b harshly and thrown into the 44c6d101b2 car like an object. The bodyguard spat and 2582e7f4c6 slammed the door, his f1b4c0e64c curses visible from afar. Watching the sequence through the 24bc6c7d5f lobby window, the man stood 8127193edd by the glass, lost in a8a3b6823d thought.c2a60567a3e58da3

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“If you get involved in this, I’ll personally throw you into an underground prison. You know well that I 80ee13b519 don’t need royal power to 2b622f80b7 bury one man. I’m under the crown prince’s efbbb09fee secret orders, with permission to f0cefe9c90 eliminate anything in my way. Does shedding your uniform strip 135aa91816 away your loyalty, too? You’re not that kind of c755432316 man. That’s why you tried 658177daf3 to die. Unable to blame the kingdom 5d644b2def you served your whole life, e406ccce24 you thought death was better. Do you sleep well these b51b64e9d6 days? Do those children appear in 46c419378e your dreams, laughing with torn ba4afc0ec3 mouths? Don’t you see the 0a18fa8528 hands of the dead 747c012405 pulling at your feet? Don’t they rush to 2918f20c1c dance with you every 8ef5526d5d night?”f457c8fd25c37529

Jane Howard bared his d321545b20 teeth in a grin.185eebc555ae78d9

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“I’ve found a way to end this pain. My meager loyalty wandered bc6ff57d37 the desert too long. You can’t cling to something fd44b07619 corroded forever. My loyalty didn’t belong to 2332a4263c the kingdom, the royal family, 8c69d64a72 or the king. I never had it d630780b9d to begin with. I buried it with 1deea70f81 those children under the 7e870653ca sand. But not you. Your loyalty still firmly surrounds 5cc6bc47c7 you. That’s why I’m saying this. Do nothing. I’m saying this because 4c7a5ee1cc I know you. That prostitute is different ccb0b0066d from the innocent civilians 505313e743 we killed. What bewitched you? Did that dog-like pity 8a0d9b2c0b move your heart? Stop deluding yourself. He was born for 01df508a58 this, raised for this, a006e787bf and can only live e0576b667d like this. It’s what he wants. He said he 28a1fd3acf needed a reason 9c4237fa3c to die, and e3936e5fca we gave it 02676b35ed to him. So, will you a1cf240099 betray the royal 1bdbd56d49 family you once 2ce09fb753 swore loyalty to 0940fce0e3 for a prostitute a47cbfd1e6 who can’t even b4a153617c choose his own 9285461a40 death?”8206927174ed5daf

The man recalled a e5ee6d1a1a kite, meant to soar 52014a77d7 the skies, crouched in 56f70a736a a shabby warehouse corner 7886f2804c with blood-stained straw, and 4fe4cc1499 the young man curled 85fba1f394 up at the bottom 40ed20e454 of a pool. And that rainy night. The young man’s anguished 52d3ec6d54 wails, unable to cling 873bad11c1 to the man, pressing 9f1a6816b7 his forehead to the fcdc0bbe33 dark cement and vomiting 933775b8b0 his sobs.bc5d66aa1bcaeeed

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Then he suddenly 629f2140d0 thought of a b22736ef71 man.c9d9b15bb53a3e8a

That rainy night.ffc7fa6a5974f503

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A man with 1f1c598ec3 splendid blonde hair, af95fb1e16 who, under a b4f47f930d streetlamp, dropped his fc79fd7e12 umbrella and stared 0db4202d9a at the man dab4cc5bab with pale eyes 306e6c237a as if seeing 164d49261a a ghost. The man understood f018c04518 the striking dissonance 587c9bba6a and the man’s 29b521f59c skill in concealing 111373ffab that momentary lapse 025b26ca80 and slipping into 35dad07413 the darkness.4bc2d0f923897cd6

“He was one of your men, too.”2a3529aeede92747

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“No. He was my man.”d7b63992ce23fd6f

The crown prince’s strategy to b054b70e05 overthrow the aristocratic faction was 6879f6e56b a den of intrigue.d26060d7db78e41f

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Long before Jane 4e0d0f14ba Howard joined, the 317878689e crown prince sent 5e2d8687c5 pretty ponies laden 34bb6fd497 with sweet candy 7c3344e775 as a tribute. They were countless—horses already dead, 4c4c9701de horses soon to die, horses 48b68dcda7 yet to die, all as bb40db3547 sweet and beautiful as honey.75bcfeba747efc4f

“Learning of the aristocratic faction’s perverse antics, the crown prince had everyone present, except his confidants, beheaded. It was meticulously 991b6b4b86 secretive, prepared over 4c0d1b575e 15 years. Only the trustworthy were dbf5ce2352 selected to scour the 5d65bad197 nation for dolls tailored 3102d3d31c to the aristocratic faction’s 02aac1f41b tastes. Beautiful but somehow broken dolls, 09ae5efcba foolish enough to give their 67a64ecfa9 souls for a single act 3c88e15f1c of kindness. You can’t imagine how cce45da22d stupid they were. They offered everything—liver, gallbladder—to those fd37709b0c who dragged them into danger. Do you think 257b6e602b the prostitute you’re 8a3eddb2f7 babbling about saving aa2b2bdb7f is any different?”215290d4456777db

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Beautiful dolls merely yearning to 53261f74fb live.71404a8379a37484

“No, that prostitute. Yes, he was different. The count’s favorite, the doll e52934a0bb he kept and played with f5bfd62db1 the longest. The one who found bb66977f9d him was Siov Swinton. The count’s loyal butler. Mister Wood. It was him. After his death, ed6e1eca43 we thought the 5249fa8f33 plan had failed 911075c0f7 again and despaired. But astonishingly, that prostitute was 3a007b8373 there. No one knew. Until he died, c580ee7941 no one knew 0deb18c19e of that prostitute’s af8bcdef45 existence. Do you know 1b9bb7063c how Siov Swinton 3d152864de died? That prostitute. He was gutted f50d97d82a alive by that 70b4168af0 prostitute’s hands, spilling b63f7b6e73 his entrails. He’s not an innocent child. The term prostitute is even 205cd66dbd too generous. Can you imagine what he e45b62f44c said, offering Siov Swinton’s crushed 166ff9c889 eyeball? With that pretty mouth, 900d352d12 he said he was 83b39581b6 frustrated for not killing e56c0ff50f him in one blow.”8696dab68c14640d

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Siov Swinton. The eldest son of the 60340ef506 Swinton ducal family, a prominent c1433ef6de northern house.69a88293b99e3c16

Sixteen years ago, 4caf3ad96c he vanished suddenly 0f9bf332dd and was presumed dd1b92c444 dead during the 61081ef0a9 war. A special elite unit, bad13fc3ec including the man, was 694fd7e9e8 once deployed to find a49daa1311 him. They found an unidentified body 166d8c1cc8 at the lake by the 84ad932229 villa where Siov disappeared, but 1c6bcf6cb2 it didn’t match him. Despite the war, 233ebdd335 the influential Swinton a2edf1c349 family pulled three a17cfd9407 special forces teams 59614dba0a to search for b96dc16911 him for six 0fea128a5e months, but no a3d7b75f21 trace was found. When the royal 148f8e7cbb winter palace collapsed 1427273a04 in enemy bombing, 80805d7fc2 Siov was tentatively 1c7f4db826 classified as a 69d0da2616 wartime casualty, and 7fed0bb6a0 the special forces bc3ab477a4 returned to the 6e6c053525 front.ea020ce6f33751fe

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Observing the man’s expression fdab0692f8 as he recalled this, 9104148535 Jane Howard smirked and 8af47d0110 refilled his glass.38b5742092ee6f7b

“He changed his face and slipped into the crown prince’s chambers as an unidentified person. They say he attempted assassination.”ef075d5d3affcf2f

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It was cunning to d0e883fd2a avoid shaming his family, 21f5817990 but he hesitated too 176535994b long before plunging the 207e45f8e7 knife into the crown c51b6e00ef prince’s heart. He kept probing about the a76819a4a4 Noringer family’s treason and obsessively ff972f94c7 asked about someone who may a28c7d0950 or may not have existed. He said the db87d36bbe name stuck in 4987bab405 his mind for 4d5c577bff no reason.5d4f2db8877a6a8a

Ezra Baltar.7d4d8daab9d7db1c

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“Do you know why?”88128a780566f84a

Jane Howard then casually 0dd60eaa29 mentioned the man’s name.deba8068fb11f647

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Cedric Baltar.6c4ff0c6d1f23a06

“Quite a coincidence, isn’t it?”23f558ec3f44c6bd

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Here, where just thinking 3178bb2d45 brings a flood of ef0dbeabf2 sorrow.715e8e58b6a3625c

As the man stared at 6a7295c08a Jane Howard’s rugged, smiling face, 4beaf52de1 his uncle’s final prayer echoed d2a821fc43 in his ears.34b2f4a986cde01a

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“Siov Swinton volunteered to become the count’s lackey. The promising heir bc349f9f4b of a ducal c03dc71389 family changed his 1769c54d0e face and name e5a61a7c66 and crawled into eed30e3929 that den of e563c76d94 demons. He, too, offered his arm f4d865fabb to get what he wanted.”ecd00045f25f8c66

As the man, ade3d7ca0a reciting his uncle’s 0f20e82549 prayer over the 986c439488 sobbing young prostitute be5efc0b8e spilling his guts 5a49d7b2a7 at his feet, 2e7795a9e5 looked up, he 5d1135e262 recalled the pale 7500dbd50c eyes of a 4e1d0e505b man staring as 9477277b13 if seeing a 7d7bfca93f ghost.5f32ccbf576cadbe

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“Ezra Baltar was the count’s brother-in-law. In other words, 56790635c9 Elizabeth Noringer’s half-brother.”92780e8105cee994

Black hair, black eyes, pale 023d345775 skin.23b8fe5bbf29b32e

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His uncle, born to a 78e64b0dbd kitchen maid, used to stroke 168d301253 the young man’s hair with d42f81b028 kind eyes and a gentle 348bd63ee3 expression. She was a woman 3bfbce02ea with ebony hair, dawn-like 3f13f24766 skin, obsidian eyes, and 13300b5e96 gracefully curved lips.9ab6c0887aa4d85f

Born a bastard of the dbfcf3f590 count’s family, his uncle grew 165c988448 up not with his beautiful 6f328dba88 mother’s love but with misery. Ezra Baltar. With black hair, 477ba0b044 black eyes, and 916fb5769f pale skin like d865debdb8 his mother, he 54c9baceb9 grew into a 77d2c1d837 young man with a2543cf767 melancholic eyes. Bearing his mother’s eceaaf61c2 surname instead of 23fd462a82 his father’s, moving b0615b933f hunched between the 99477d81b7 stables and cramped 19d6576370 lodging, one day, 45cbee7e21 white petals fell 4adca6efd9 on Ezra Baltar’s e466148fe5 head.285b6154bc42708a

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“In the northern winters, snow falls, and she said it would suit me well,” he’d laugh.0861180f6a7e4d85

Crouched in a cave, when 23bdbba5de asked about his parents, his 23b6857897 uncle, with halting speech, would cdc98d2741 recall and say, unable to 41f79a3212 hide his longing gaze.2986ccc6bdb3809d

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“My sister was mischievous but sometimes so lovable. Your eyes resemble your 41ced2953a father’s, and this shimmering f87d804cba hair is just like d692bc9dcf hers. I wish you had a70bba0a96 a mirror to see c685f47ca1 your face. When I miss 410990825b them, I look aac262bbf8 at your eyes, a6a26687e9 your hair, your 17ecedde45 nose, your lips. I’m sorry. I’m the only 57a88f6007 one enjoying this bc5b0fd2bc blessing.”4d38274ce7fecd2c

With eyes like a ravaged 82c1cd9d5c battlefield, his uncle stamped out 3b1e5873da the cave’s fire and prepared c6831505a3 to leave. The desert near 69b468b00b the border was d93cf49ecd dangerous, cold, and 7c82246ed4 harshly hot.ed1abdc6d229cb66

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Having roamed the 8e7b4bab9e border with his 0e88817d26 uncle before the 933eedbed9 decade-long war, the 9dd6c04350 man knew the c2b42a4687 desert nights and 75b593ac09 the terror of 51df91207d raiders better than d24fb93b7d anyone. His uncle, who 0caaff66c7 attended medical school 181c641c1e with the count’s a5f5e3177d permission, couldn’t pass a9273d62f3 by the wounded, 52b4efed88 but not all 13d8b71df9 welcomed his pity. They were wary of strangers.9946df23f0cfe116

During frequent border 36f92c0987 disputes, the wounded e8bdfe6938 littered the roads, b27f65a989 but neither nation 17b211e9d8 took responsibility for cc262f9b65 these non-regular soldiers. His uncle knelt to 5ae1d6de82 tend their wounds, leaving 60bfe3c792 only after seeing them 8345d45def open their eyes from 6910d171a2 a distance. Meanwhile, the young 2fc6165837 man stared at 40a860fa2d dusty sand dunes 3fa23d740a or immersed himself 3f43b639bd in his uncle’s eb605b8bd7 old tales.698caaa774fc8ff6

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“I saw snow for the first time then, and it really fell like flowers. A man from 5374043abb the north gave 6400bb1658 me cotton candy, 2e2751e413 saying it was e3ddbdc330 the closest thing 8498df468d to snow. Cotton candy, yes, 4b002e8682 like those clouds. Unbelievably sweet and surprisingly soft.”5e9fab0518183a62

Glancing at a groaning, 4b7c86df01 waking wounded man, his bcf39beb59 uncle hurried the young 2c12a9d96b man’s steps.b5c49b9c25197cab

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“Uncle.”6057cfbe25f71d16

“Yes.”fafb29a0f4f64e1c

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“They say the disputes grew because of my parents.”e0a20ed67b265d00

His uncle stopped and ba4a4cdd16 looked down at the 694132c44b young man with a 0e7727bbc6 shadowed face.bc9a494a8fa4c64c

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“They say the Noringer count brought invaders and caused chaos in the kingdom.”c9c6a62b957d0b9b

The border conflict zones were f60fd261ac always chaotic. Rumors and facts of all 49f9edcc7b kinds circulated. The young man learned more 59a39ecdac from them than from his a172ea453d slow, halting uncle.7166b9a00e1ee9a8

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Negative words, harsh words, 78d068cd13 words of blame, despair, 1337932311 confusion.30a4b44807574bf4

“No. That’s wrong.”47fdd693fe8861f4

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His uncle said only that. The young man didn’t 82f4c41040 speak further. More important than fb6edc0a36 parents he barely aa9b025d26 remembered or being 67f8dc0ff2 the sole heir 2fe122975b of an extinct fd67da0b1d count family was 9fe3e01ff1 that his uncle d457ea7512 not be sad.022750af7c80eeea

On a white night 3b44124493 when the white darkness 5dd6ef3efe fell, his uncle left bdae6dfedc the sleeping young man bdd02b5fbf in the cave and 2d2867345b dug a pit in a1c142ecdf the coarse sand with 8eed336a9d bare hands. Burying his face a59f8c4c79 in the deep ea7de142c1 black hole, he 4d15a5f066 screamed and wept. Curled by the campfire, c9b510417c the young man listened cfb7d600dd to his uncle’s deep 910f5bdf0b sobs reverberating through the 7eb1125bad ground until the white 2a7e78b43b night lifted. He softly recited the prayer 72861588cf his uncle sang like a 19c59d6eb7 lullaby.8c981bfb43284435

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🍯e8b1e197c9179047

Staring at the c18dddd154 black sedan carrying 07e3fed7d5 the young man ca3b1ca9a1 away from the 68958863b6 hotel lobby, the b3b94e14c9 man began to 5a610bfec6 walk. Crossing the lounge, the fcdbe98760 lobby, and passing through d16eaafe92 the glass doors to d5eb63c997 the parked car, his 212d55d3fa steps quickened.9eaeba5520c48b7a

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The young man a0cea75e62 had trusted the c10b1c9803 man from the 74c2f6cdab start. Even though he shouldn’t have. He trusted him.c84b7cf863ecbac9

The memory of that rainy 947d377743 night fell into the man’s 3c23e81aae mind as he started the ade0fea91b car.82e45ea652fb7d7f

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Perhaps the young man.7b15902e049c3339

Perhaps the young 85d1582748 man remembered that 2c7c27fa68 night fully.87dd3c296b53a01a

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🍯ea8f3a5cfd02a973

Unable to sleep, 8ddc8ecde0 I was curled 69442738ce up for a 870de30367 long time when 3fe6cc190d I finally closed c96e399456 my eyes.84ce9842c2cd4226

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My hair was grabbed, 5f40a4339f and I was dragged 23343c9bf0 from the bed. Too shocked to 1f25710504 scream, I was 1913f36bcc pulled to the 7da23625e4 master’s bedroom. The one dragging me c2ab48507e was the master himself. He threw me onto 171c7f740e the bedroom floor and 0176259de9 took a whip from 6dd03dee7e the wall.cc5143b91254289a

Unknowing why I b6ea51ae42 was brought here, 3e6cada0d4 I endured his 9de183e8a9 beating until his 9cdc15e4b5 anger subsided, blood 1dc81b6c7b streaming down my a18ef3b6f8 cheeks. The whip had torn 4973e81d7d the skin under my 80092dbb3a jaw. Unable to stifle 1a97afa1d4 my screams, I 2abbfcb10d let them out, 75739f8c3e taking countless lashes 41d48643f8 until the master e604dee58c let out a 9beda14baa rough breath.db7e234b60b6cab6

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It was a lull. Instinctively sensing it, I 1fcb877e98 pressed myself to the e86e8cfb11 floor, curling my body 512204c298 even smaller. The master tossed aside the 53dbc10c79 whip, dripping with my blood 05eae4d03b and flesh, and picked up 224644b8bf a liquor bottle. The stench of alcohol 4fa9658d98 reeked from him. Unlike a noble, e9964cc07a he didn’t pour a7d683b362 it into a fd07dd589b glass but downed 349fcf5ec4 an entire bottle b9ed10e37b of strong whiskey, c711cab3f4 letting out a 65a799bd3c small laugh. I had learned through my 184ac328f4 body that the laughing master 964499db9a was far more dangerous than 4dc399bd49 the angry or mocking one.3bf15a74948a238b

My body stiffened. Even the shredded b6b27d6bce flesh from the 9b820a83da whip seemed to 6cdf0310f8 tremble. Throwing the empty bottle, the 5f704a3bf4 master grabbed my hair. I crawled frantically as he 860252caa3 dragged me. Groaning but trying not 1c27fd6163 to provoke him, I 6177a96989 clenched my teeth. He took me ad8e68e01e to the lounge 96f7f8d3f2 beside the bedroom 8f0b16f944 and sat me f7aa49a256 on a decorative 5cf5074b1e saddle.893ff5ed7ae63caf

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He sat me on 70444998f8 a saddle with a 2c61dd374e stake the size of a488639fb1 a glass bottle protruding 96a6555a64 from the center and 01199cc41a rode me alone. Watching, he opened a new 4f618f7625 bottle and hurled it at 5764b48d02 me with all his strength. Struck hard on the temple, 4ff4ffde08 I fell from the saddle. Before I could recover, the d1789d94f2 master approached, grabbed my hair 3eeea4c7fd again, and dragged me.d5e456627197ea11

His bare hands, ungloved, bee44ec748 gripped me—unlike usual. He, with his severe germaphobia, 133994592f never touched me bare-skinned, but ea40650df8 now he was dragging me c875ee68f8 by the hair across the 1b82ca2354 corridor. Suddenly, he turned to look e26d09808e at me. My naked body was 4978d9f99d streaked with red from b907d541ee the brutal beating. Blood dripped from 88dcc8f2db my torn forehead, 20fc71b835 where the bottle fa56e83909 had struck. Beaten, dragged, and manhandled, 9469aa6f71 I was out of 97ce2c3a74 my mind.a3d96bba096f0519

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Releasing my hair, he b1d36ced43 made me kneel. As ordered, I de32c70b0a tilted my head d6734a91c2 back, raised my 321d4766ca chin, and opened 2d6d6805fe my mouth wide. Something warm poured into my a37465f1a6 mouth and over my face. The master, pulling his 860fbcc208 cock from his zipper, 359034869b was urinating on me. Finishing, he chuckled and 902a7a942c placed a hunting snare 8b0ac08311 from the corridor wall 89b113cfa3 around my neck. I crawled after him like 455ce6ba55 a dog.60b5b44cb86135f3

Passing through the long corridor 5b5421bc03 and down dark stairs, we 9d94f8f000 arrived at a deep basement 0b8e702595 where no sunlight reached. The master wore a chilling 900c132802 smile under dim lighting. Pulled by the leash, b05c619e1a I crawled quickly through 6c9bb248aa the basement corridor. A heavy iron 2e868509c3 door, exuding a 0b70de325a sinister aura, creaked 962014543b open. Dragged by the leash, dbcf851edf I crawled inside. Every nerve screamed warnings. I shouldn’t enter. I tried to shake 8645fd6fa8 the ominous feeling, but 482d4b6425 the master pushed me f9ec3fc968 into the center.5a54145d0090b9f8

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I wanted to believe the a3487f7962 scene before me was a 6c57a74c77 dream. No, even as a 275e0bdd82 dream, I didn’t want c0ad3fa444 this nightmare. The master, in 7e637715d8 a torture chamber 1c97e86a7a converted from the cb89ae84c3 castle’s dungeon, took 95434a725a an old wine f0cbce1cf0 bottle from a e5fdbfc057 wall, drank it 64243461eb straight, and yanked ef0f643a1b my leash. My head lifted, and 995cd9a30b the scene seared into bec5322bac my eyes. My throat scratched out a c06aa79199 sound, startling me; I could 21a165a4f6 barely pant. My body shook like c43d262bc2 an aspen. I wanted to scream, a403da7f7d but only tears came.b327fa5c50033b7a

These vermin.37398659cdbbbac3

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The master’s curse, spat like 61d641cb00 venom, struck my back. He irritably threw the 60767ee9a8 half-full wine bottle. It shattered against the dark, 5814cf4397 grimy wall, stained with oil 427d3c73f8 and blood. Trembling, I looked up 1186f9cb0c at Mister Wood, hanging 41ca8918fd on the wall.10c747b2afcb85e0

His state was horrific.0622a8e10899304d

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Having endured brutal torture, his 8b848db2ea skin was flayed like cloth, a858731980 exposing red flesh. His face was unrecognizable, collapsed, 23052d8857 his swollen lips dripping with b928c55806 blood. Several teeth rolled 49d6f89c39 under his suspended 598bf30e11 feet. All ten fingernails 7402ee3108 and toenails were 81eaec7d40 torn out, thick 54af1d2344 blood dripping. Instead of screaming, 6a714b407f I widened my dbeb3a688b eyes. A red-haired man, hidden 911dd8e295 in the shadows, emerged 54dde87a2c holding a red-hot knife.fd97c20f1976c1dd

The drunken master d968de206a leaned against the dad4b3ff9f wall and opened ca7bd05daf a new bottle f2856611a0 of whiskey. A red-hot knife sliced through e944d9cb35 the air and pierced one ecabab39e4 of Mister Wood’s testicles. A horrific scream tore 11f2e760b2 from Mister Wood’s lips. I wanted to shut my 02a5f14b58 eyes tightly and cover my 89a9d5f6a2 ears. If I could, I wished 3ea74194b6 my breath would stop right 68a204b99c then. But the red-haired 77432e2eb8 man’s torture continued, 1fb4a630f3 and so did bef05432db Mister Wood’s screams. The red-haired man, 3c0ab64684 who had been a16e69f1d4 rubbing the searing 48e2c5b14e knife until one 972caf2763 testicle was completely 0d6ce6e304 burned, stepped back. A choking, pig-like squeal echoed 142e3dee1b from my throat.63b187a1986bc42f

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Speak.85bbf84b65585644

The master demanded.f6b42f43fc49e87b

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Talk.98875a9032d0e026

Talk properly before 6102eca389 I sear that 1d7898d49f filthy mouth of 4a98de8ca1 yours!8c954a74ead76990

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Hurling the whiskey bottle at 13193750af Mister Wood while spewing words 2874a69321 fit for street thugs, the 35e2472070 staggering master snatched the heated 911e8b0349 knife from the red-haired man. Another ghastly scream 17dfefd2fb erupted from Mister 3c7eb86625 Wood.848dadd99b2969cb

The master scorched e2bda4eeb7 the inner thigh ee90d899ac of Mister Wood’s 8ec95fb33e exposed, raw flesh cb19a4a787 with the knife a94431687e until a burning bbe953619a smell filled the ff90deb929 air. Tendons, exposed through c745e8f42d the blackened, dead 3461d97327 flesh, oozed sticky adff9d1c8d blood, emitting a aeef51ac80 foul stench. The master did not relent 7ebb23d517 with the knife. Mister Wood, screaming until blood dd2e06195f seemed to burst from his 76d09d830c throat, refused to give the daf1d5e412 master what he wanted.b4457a6bc0f7fa21

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Since when? Since when did you deceive 7ae9a46909 me?24049e11d3467b0a

Unable to finish c4e60b0d6f his question, the a1b0571483 master suddenly bared 1ed64b875f his teeth and 0ecaf198ee laughed. The knife, slicing 9c6a1edba4 through Mister Wood’s f2906985ab thigh muscle, scraped 9f74e37e3f against the bluish 29074eefb0 tendons with a 9eede8344c grating sound. I wanted to cover 808a488864 my ears and smash c7dc7397ba my forehead against the bb8cb2243f floor. But I couldn’t. My gaze was fixed df03cf8199 on Mister Wood as d3a0be795f if a nail had db9227a7ae been driven into my 41f6ff9f77 head.96a5d0488e8a5113

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Was it from the beginning? Did you approach 89b6981fdc me with intent bd9c55c663 from the start?e031297f28dcf484

Mister Wood’s voice, d9f6e9b85b wracked with painful 362a98c279 screams as his e49db50da8 tattered body trembled, be5045b733 suddenly stopped. The tendons, seared by 2fb0b779a3 the heated knife, had de5d3a3bad completely burned and melted 4861754dac away. The master gave no 1e10171d2a moment of respite. With the still red-hot 0ed8d37c06 knife, he stabbed the 4372827399 blackened, charred testicle. Mister Wood, who had briefly 89ea6b7378 lost consciousness, shuddered awake. The master spoke as if d0538725ac he had been waiting.91dc0e855e0ffbd3

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Fifteen years. Fifteen years. That’s how long you’ve sworn 7449215d7c loyalty to me, kissing my 0a1bafd4f9 feet. Out of respect 16b615fded for that time, a2735ec2fd I’ll let you 3610597572 go easily now. Speak. Where is it hidden? Where did you 758634887b hide the evidence 74bc38d864 of your deception, d5c7189f0f fooling my eyes?7cd755f50c8e60c9

If I wasn’t f2fd2d357f mistaken, Mister Wood 6658d95004 was smiling.d188bef85710a182

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No, I wasn’t mistaken. He smiled, and the master 48bceaa4ef raged.fa707ec3bbe716b6

I screamed, covering my ears. At the sound that finally c8f9792cb8 burst out, the master, who f3361c448a had cut out Mister Wood’s 240980892e remaining testicle, turned to me. Over the red-haired ff864cc55d man, who was 38c1818194 roughly stuffing a 4286ec0878 rag into the 7e3a9caf38 gushing wound to ba69020644 stop the bleeding, 911dcc720e I saw Mister 75ae063952 Wood’s mangled body 32781cc0d0 convulsing violently. The master, eyes 8d7eb6cd11 gleaming with the e99df94471 blood-smeared, glistening knife a4dd06a009 in hand, walked 145d1bfc14 toward me. He yanked the leash, 011f10569a wrenching my neck, and 31276f65b8 pressed the blood-soaked knife 480c893f28 against my throat.aced8b339b835ab3

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Shut up. I said shut up! You can only breathe, dfc32c4419 laugh, or speak when 410f4f5806 I allow it! Look! Look closely! See what happens 917eb8e0a9 when you deceive d9f5c17314 me. See how you die 6ef4adb739 in what state, with 23cf8fef99 your eyes wide open! No, no. I can’t trust you either. Are you one of them? What did that 57b4b36518 bastard, who deserves 0dd5ba8833 to be torn 38c271e958 apart, offer to 1f88671d10 seduce you? Money? Pleasure? No! You’re a lewd dog who’d 53d79d30ab get hard over a single e5e3fb14c4 piece of bread, so they eddd32314b wouldn’t even need to bother. Since when? Yes, it must have been 026d7e3d01 from the beginning. Right. From the moment 0be15cf23e you were trembling 599578d9b2 in that video, 7e7733a98d begging like a 31d20e37be dog to be b6ee7f68f2 spared. From then, you 191304b77c were acting to 30c142cd1a deceive me! But you get hard, cca3786834 don’t you? No matter what I 369edd3693 do to you, you 68500285b9 cry and pant with 9059611d5c pleasure. That can’t be faked. Speak. What are you? Are you a vermin e63350da1e who crawled in to 2f662bfc21 deceive me like him? If not—b8671ee7dd7306eb

The master, pulling 38d1329493 the leash, scanned 12aeee8ce2 me with gleaming 908ee71ba4 eyes, then abruptly ae64c2fdcf turned. As he tried a92e989f2a to drag me 145573b639 to Mister Wood’s 8c0c6511e2 feet, where he e8cacd5b9b flopped like a 13a8f91b2b fish pulled from 39c3c85150 water, I resisted, 4bc690e340 thrashing in a 353df75ca5 panic. But I was powerless 4c2a1abccf against the whip lashing c7155ef009 my body and the cd4e0b4726 brutal force yanking the 1810cf270d leash. In the time dd79fb11a6 it took to b47e85b67f take a single e1dc6ab64c breath, Mister Wood’s 3c5568ccf2 thick blood soaked d9f3f13da4 my knees. I shook my 2ef420e86e head frantically, looking dfe7661c63 up at the 2ecdc65a80 master. I couldn’t bear 9de93062fd to look at 3ffbd99a3a Mister Wood’s dripping dcaee4eadd blood or his 53742c4c3d rotting flesh.61e035669c618cca

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Forgive, forgive—4d557d4330c3c9ab

As my voice escaped, the 4ad82232c8 master turned and yanked the e84cb3bd62 leash hard. My chin lifted. The dulled, blood-crusted blade 01828f6c2f left a vivid mark e2ec8c96ae on my throat. The master’s sinister voice swallowed f1e134dfa5 my ears. A madness laced 812449ace7 with strong alcohol 08d2807aca overwhelmed my entire 635901a08f body.d5521e82e61b4e99

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Forgive? Did you do 6ae02d626a something to warrant 965d449e96 it? For a wretch like 59d8bdf674 you to beg forgiveness f2d0479ff7 from me—!ee039e605564048a

A scream tore out.2a9c8cc0a0e984de

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The master’s knife swung and eee0bdfd6c stabbed Mister Wood’s stomach. Mister Wood’s mangled 2f7b9fca0a body suddenly collapsed 1293283db8 over my eyes 98144c26e2 like an avalanche. One of his 0c6444ffad eyes had already 210bf4208f been gouged out. The gushing blood 99a7a1804a had begun to dc0feae3aa congeal, and from c0ef5d7867 the hollow socket, 5894562a6b pus-like filth oozed. I wanted to rip 7591b56e82 out my own eyes. I wanted to be crushed 1de794ecea into a useless lump of 27c06614f8 flesh. But I couldn’t. Mister Wood was looking 0195bc7387 down at me. His remaining green f661f892f1 eye, stained with fe8be33a5f blood, was staring 6535dd97f5 at me. Why. Why— I barely swallowed the cd96b16e79 scream about to burst out.ba2be0fb4cc68c4b

In that moment, the a391da8350 master, pulling the leash, 5dadb050c3 threw me at Mister 5bbc7da87b Wood’s feet.ed591b271ce86b3a

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Dark red blood 90c73cc425 smeared onto my e278ddbb66 body. As my body trembled 32e9c91b64 as if in a 9b0a538bdc seizure, the master’s sinister 56583ab7ee voice fell behind my 7a2696ad54 back.a3ee501351e95db9

Prove it. If you don’t 6165a15d8c want to end d9cb1a47c4 up like him, 7b3e812ad9 prove yourself with 037f227f05 those hands. Slice his stomach and pull b5e0e33edf out his entrails. If you gouge out his 913e9d5ebe remaining eye, put it in a451ed25e5 your mouth, chew, and swallow, ca3c55e3bd I’ll believe in your innocence. Do it. If you can’t prove 76de730ec9 your innocence before this bb77e12e33 liquor is gone, I’ll 903c846aea hang you right beside 338069364a him. Why hesitate? Do it now. Aren’t you just a f5daa518a9 rag obsessed with sex? A filthy vermin who can 44a6a67ef3 only feel pleasure, even when 3b734cb864 disciplined to the point of 51f7254040 suffocation with noble seed. Even a wretch a12d17e68a like you can’t 42327ea9d1 deceive me. Even vermin like you—13f71584d03301be

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Mister Wood looked down at e3618593a8 me.db10050c46cbaa90

His eyes were f3615ee974 still dark, like 60d1c6d478 a room with e8593d2d29 the lights off, 99b79c69f0 lonely like extinguished 6cd1fe3b68 darkness.e86dcde3b3075755

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Lonely.7243175ff8dbdb4a

The sliver of emotion 951ae074cf I finally found in 340ccb3d19 his eyes pierced me 44a82d0b3b like a fatal wound, bea0c5664d stealing my breath.78c3897e2abd2eeb

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You resemble a dead bird.3e569c539a62001c

His voice lashed through my e0edafdd29 mind like a downpour.ea94c967d18426e2

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I wanted to 91390233fa scream and shout cbe75afe81 at him like f372f896e2 a madman.3e5a50cf063d987b

Why! Why!0f5dc7cbbb6d9477

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He, who said he’d been 0224f6fa82 flapping his wings, bleeding, to 83c72f28a3 find a dead bird, had 495c79e376 thrown me to the dogs 66038b0558 as prey. The fact that I resembled 863d870c2f a dead bird meant nothing. Despite saying I c91218b090 looked like one, af1d25e5c4 didn’t he put d6cd092d90 me in this 7d5fc34597 place? In the end, he 8f4cdf5e7e ignored me for his a6ff0f5bbc own purpose and showed 5f2e96a739 no trace of pity ed7b72473d as I broke. So, for him 24d909e957 to say such e5abecbe13 things to me 62fe44b452 was absurd.a2075f5a91c0c154

Just say I 18673b1d7f was never even 343338a623 a thought to 4598a5abec you. Say it didn’t matter what 5a214c9e1e happened to me as long ebbdcd2040 as you achieved your goal. Instead of hypocritically pretending e54d9f0be0 to pity me with 152861dc65 meaningless words, kill me 9910712799 with the false kindness 6baac821c3 you’ve shown all along. I’ve only endured 4ab2f0d5e6 this hell relying 5431490f45 on your fake a620b3ec72 smile. I don’t want to live. I don’t want to live. Why are you leaving 65e19bd278 me alone? How can you 940e581b07 be so cruel 448bc284c6 to me? Don’t go. Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone. I don’t want to live!645922876255b36e

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Mister Wood’s green eyes stared 0485bd0405 at me. Captivated by that gaze, I 65c5cabc69 couldn’t even fully collapse.39af4c1824cdbbc7

Oh.fb170687510b55d7

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Before my blurring eyes, ec03d95b09 a scene I had f68012443c never dared to imagine e69589b49e unfolded like a hallucination.23154cac7cf6ad9c

The morning after the da89e4394b rain reflected in the d1f8a14334 window. A pair of ee5ca91f48 swallows, sitting in 7c88c6cddd a clear puddle, 2663441f2e soared into the d98a32db68 sky with light b5db8620b8 wingbeats. No dead bird, no 2e440feae7 bird crying long, searching 03ff6667a1 the air for its 0b844b00ca mate. The pair of winged dee1f1d951 creatures swam freely through ace891eb4a the air, shaking off ac982351e8 their sorrows, and vanished 61b585a563 among the clouds.34f018c41d5f0ae6

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Freely. Leaving me, nailed to the 7ccf5a72ce ground, alone, freely. Following the dead bird, 39973b58e2 so endlessly unburdened.6b7664bea77068c0

My hand, gripping the knife 99295dd7ec in Mister Wood’s stomach, trembled dc3992347d violently. I buried my f67e860dbe forehead in his 2f8b821e97 shoulder, where the 918744af0b skin was peeled 5701725297 back, grotesquely exposing e53ae0959e white bone. I wanted to burst into a558c1c482 sobs, but my throat was 7b6316f193 dry. Mister Wood mumbled something unintelligible. I didn’t hear. I didn’t want to hear. I couldn’t hear. I wept like a song.2d3157493b8c14aa

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I have no name. No name for anyone 4847fe1cfd to call, no one 805265fae8 to call me. So even in f9e8d58ba7 death, I won’t 70957c4df3 be someone’s anything. You told me not a3cad6d5dc to die. Not to die d237c01d05 until I meet 48518f432c someone who’d call 2b3d551898 for me even fecc478b1b in death. You told me 7eb8e53944 not to die. You, who were already something 62bb8aa87a of a dead bird. You, who never gave fa27a80aae me a single name, d5d076c1f1 told me not to cc18305f4d die. You placed this 6087ee1ac7 cruel yoke on 4c6298fc53 me. Only you. Only you.df884ab30586f5c9

I couldn’t even close 5c3f912fa1 my eyes tightly. With strength in both 2101fa32d2 hands, I—crack—sliced open Mister 20c6642c78 Wood’s stomach. Gurgle. The gushing blood poured ff9380fab7 over my shoulder. He mumbled something unintelligible again. I didn’t hear. I didn’t want to hear. I couldn’t hear. The sunken knife cut 12b952e266 through muscles and parted 024edd33d7 bones. From the gaping wound, 5600d3d923 red entrails spilled out. With blood-soaked hands, I plucked 2f80c01946 out Mister Wood’s remaining green 6d7ed746d7 eye and put it in e6221f9878 my mouth. From behind, the master’s 85dc34a49a laughter, like scraping out 384fd38902 a stomach, echoed. I covered my mouth 93171a51c3 with both hands and 1063035a02 chewed and swallowed Mister 9b18cf3fec Wood’s eye.300b4553719887dd

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I had no reason to 715b2e7aa5 die. Until my breath stopped, Mister eb8fa2e36f Wood’s low prayer relentlessly struck c8caff20a4 my entire body. I fell at b2f42ec2ba his feet, struggling 0464c74220 not to vomit ff8e92ec3f what I’d swallowed. Cruel man. I had no trace to 9d65df697f leave in death. Unlike Mister Wood, who acb0803eca left his trace in a647e00351 me and died. I had no a2d0248658 one to leave 11597e84df my trace with. Mister Wood’s blood 11a803c983 soaked my body, 2cb9e6cb4e like his low 66e13697c1 prayer that had 8786c1105e already drenched my c77573053c soul.daa26cd1bea268d1

Here, where people 4b2dc3d775 sit and listen ef40d27618 to each other’s 9c7a456768 groans.5eee9eb159989c07

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Where the terminally f92912d83a ill shake the e5d7e99e15 last few strands cd44374422 of their grim 3653888799 hair.236075708b8e0506

Where the young grow pale, 18fca33665 wither like ghosts, and soon 24454c3721 die.fba87ff62c936004

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Where just thinking brings a 7db6cd1ee6 flood of sorrow.23381debd3685d72

Dragged from the 2d6128cd9a pitch-black underground, I 3c96a23a68 was rolled like 3370facfb6 vermin at the 77ed961b39 master’s feet. Finally, my stomach churned, dcf4b2e9e6 and I vomited. Mister Wood’s green ba2995f2b6 eye crawled out 0ea00807b8 from my stomach. The half-chewed green eye bore e39eb06f80 my teeth marks vividly. I writhed and screamed. The master laughed, tearing his 522286b14d lips. Mister Wood’s crushed pupil rolled a633b7f332 on the floor, glaring at 44f9e32bda me.f4347ea054b27f6b

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The man’s eyes, speeding up 959d9f5938 and changing lanes, caught the ca94fa9ba7 tail of the black sedan.3cf5e2c1ebcd4dd7

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Pressing the accelerator d033d057d0 and turning the 460df7a2e5 wheel, the man e9038dd110 swerved in front f8601c93cc of the sedan. Screech—the man’s car drew a 1949edd71e wide arc and stopped, and 629cbfb2cb the sedan, leaving skid marks, 0249c150f5 came to an abrupt halt.3963b4300ad0d364

The startled bodyguard 9e67af5075 leapt out, cursing. The man got out bcb77e44b4 of his car. Ignoring the bodyguard, 6308766496 who was rolling a703b8f567 up his sleeves deeb7c192b and pointing, the a136cdbd5e man flung open fb6989dc53 the sedan’s back 17d0870270 door. Only then did the bodyguard, 8b36680d1a sensing something, grab the man’s b46fdc7971 shoulder. Before he could, 1bcb5a81d2 the man seized c7217cbba3 the bodyguard’s nape a6a98b2d4a and slammed him 8a48c52535 to the ground. Crack—the impact on his 0882d09432 back made the bodyguard 3da6cfad7b scream and roll. Aimed deliberately at 0f960724a3 the spine, he 01cfd08b5e wouldn’t move for 396d72b563 a while.9ea47e76c3c6b3c8

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Looking into the backseat, 86679c3106 the man saw the 9c35b45d7e young man’s pale face. Not missing his ac98474199 own reflection in d5b286fe6c the young man’s 5f66b23aa9 ink-like eyes, the 8d6b934254 man extended his 95ef28d075 hand. He didn’t expect f679ca5adf the young man f04ef5db51 to take it. Turning, he grabbed 668c730884 the young man’s 51cb4eedde wrist. Unlike how he’d pushed 466afb8177 away the bodyguard, the c7898e8c46 young man didn’t push 2f59e84f52 the man away but e6bcae9467 didn’t come willingly either. Ignoring the young 9bf76f0b76 man’s attempt to 83bdc878d1 speak, the man 7da9d696bc gently pulled his 8725116b34 frail wrist. He lightly lifted the unresisting a3a5dde017 young man.93a5dee1e818067d

Passing the panting bodyguard, the 6afd93eb42 man placed the young man 69e61cb84b in his old jeep. Without giving him fe739d1b46 a glance, as 2254b27b12 if refusing to dd7c185a40 hear any words, 8d7f07a2a0 he closed the 866160f18f door. Getting into the 5281ac07c5 driver’s seat, the a8cff978ad man started the 8f9cb5fb3c car. The young man, sitting quietly d6a5d9ca9e as they drove down the 0075ddf6f1 empty road, only looked at dc46c56959 the man’s profile. Suddenly, the wind ee89339014 hitting the car a5ae360827 shattered like fragments.2aba62b821a4b0db

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After staring at the man 47f4e05967 for a while, the young ae974a2a8d man looked back. The man, driving erratically as 9f2b81203b if shaking off a tail, 673745c1c3 told him to look forward. The young man, eyeing 543b09945c a persistent black van, 317ab0c7e5 obeyed and faced forward.9d5f176d995215e2

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“Where are we going?”95c85df5bbca455b

“Anywhere.”1993a70fb81a1d4b

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“It’s strange.”cb9fe449722a6f4f

Looking down at 764d469418 his seatbelt, the 7e9340ff4d young man opened 2a99245113 his lips, bruised bf0aafd29f from some forgotten 8c1475075d blow.76ad0f3be8a2d73a

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“That I’m glad to see you.”ddd1b31e7e5ed1b0

The man, turning the 9651b8be3c wheel to shake off f7c75405c0 the trailing vehicle, glanced a349913c36 at the young man. But his gaze 834ba77a83 soon shifted to e02fd4e40f the complex alleyways. When the persistent vehicle was 67f846eba8 no longer in sight, the 827ec2ad45 man exited the city and 42ffb3b835 entered a quiet suburban road.fabde77ca5c50be3

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Leaning against the b41796d6e0 passenger seat, the f472744ea4 young man gazed a7ca37ac2e at the scenery 289b7de2a4 outside the windshield. His relaxed face 64f751dd65 looked at ease, 314c9187cb and the faint e2f1179fda bruises seemed, in e2b265c460 that moment, like 6dfc995ae2 accidental shadows.25fee28eee9c8f3e

When the tree-lined d27228c180 road on both b799ebb378 sides turned into ba67f1b912 a sea, the 756871348f young man turned 2cf99d736c on the radio. Switching from a 8c20dbaf7a cultural program to a37d56c715 pop, classical, back 9383607f5a to cultural, and b3920876ee finally settling on fbdab17d9b news, he listened 80d833a16f quietly. News of an oil 4bc9e41087 field protest turning into f27114614d an armed demonstration, with 24cac92ae0 standing troops deployed, played.38a27648ed6afd90

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“They say the East coast oil fields are almost useless now. They were drilled bd50201c46 recklessly from the 8bf6b8b4b9 start, and resource ba4760c9df depletion was predicted, 8d6f29b535 but the issue 389b4f9ac8 is that no b7a570c967 consideration was given 509139b7c9 to post-processing. Removing the wells drilled for e0205ec570 oil is such a delicate 91d2b22d7b and complex task, but to be86605141 save money, they brought in 67baa8c42d a few amateurs to start 738ff28688 the dismantling. An accident was inevitable. One hundred twenty-three f6cde02f56 oil field workers 5aa500f46d on the tanker f0815f29c2 died in the c41e609144 explosion, and twenty-eight 63fd262a7c were seriously injured. As soon as 8ff9950e72 it happened, the ff4f696bd5 oil company issued d853580a08 a statement, as d64a5a363d did the subcontractor 954574ee1e handling the dismantling. It was an accident. A problem with the oil 23e00556c8 field facility led to a 5d7aa7b453 subcontract, but impatient workers tried a95790921c to fix the equipment themselves, 242b537672 causing the explosion. That wasn’t the truth. But the workers had 53073126d4 no evidence, power, or 4375aafe9b knowledge to refute it. The oil company and subcontractor 7d80a90019 destroyed all evidence and sent abd5ba8bd5 witnesses abroad before human rights 79118c0f48 lawyers could intervene. The chance for 5f940a7fcc legal recourse was fdddbbff4c stripped away while f5447184e9 the workers were 4af65cd883 in disarray. Unable to bear the injustice, 58ccc9eb03 they took to the streets.”fb773d1cc14f4d53

The shimmering sea e7383958dc unfolded in the c7de8b82c1 young man’s eyes.665dcd3892e2dd45

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“I remember every conversation they had. They laughed at the 51dd68e849 workers, saying they were fa99c8e76d less than oil stains. They felt no guilt 9763e802c4 and didn’t understand why d056e6c8a7 they should. Instead, they pinned the blame 09cd943c52 and demanded compensation and responsibility 29801916f1 from those less-than-oil-stains workers. The oil company 9b5a79e5ac is the largest afbcf853e4 resource owned by 94121c8adc the aristocratic faction’s 20328c87c3 core and the 1d0e4be299 source of their 1894fd512e power. I know how they destroyed 775b56b4a1 evidence and hid witnesses. While sucking their cocks, a89560255f while taking their cocks 8a14d292df up my ass, I b0b5c1bc2e kept my eyes open. The tanker is 23155f21e0 a horrific memory 3943746be3 for me. I wish that 18f0ac0868 monster would disappear e15986ddbc and the filthy 32e17fa0f2 East streets would c90ebeea88 be swept away 8dbfdd3a17 by a storm. Yet, the tanker, East’s streets, a55ce34a3b are where people like me 98c6b1ebf9 live. People deemed worthless and 0478739c23 without reason to live, 582dc97d29 yet struggling desperately to 4a063ec309 survive day by day 9549400163 in that lonely city. I was born there, grew 853c622e21 up there, and probably would’ve 9f4190ec00 died there. Found grotesquely killed by some f930bea695 worker or pervert who wanted 21095d8766 me to spread my legs 61e99f3332 for a single baren.”61828926d8395cb7

The young man, reciting his 72438b2bd6 long story like a low 0a81fef8e6 hum, turned to look at 170b2804f6 the man.abe259eeecd81287

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“Thank you.”9af9e7df5e738dca

The man, focused ahead, d6c96b54a1 looked at the young 74aeecfbd7 man.acb43c6a16b405f0

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“For helping me that night. I was out of my 84dc6df3af mind, seeing someone killed for 28acbb6261 the first time. Your prayer was 69cde8dd81 like a lullaby. It felt like you e0450764da were comforting me not c6d09401d8 to cry. It was probably just 5a391d70ba meaningless words to you. Still, thank you. I thought I’d f3be43a5f3 never see you 20efa793e3 again. I was shocked to see 99c2b41459 you standing in the sunlight f70957d5ae that day. And I was suspicious. Strangely, my heart tightened. It was a fb5c471806 bright, sunny day, f7046781f3 but it felt 37f8d2a759 like that rainy 1bfcd8d6b4 night, with everything 7849f16e5e darkening and your 63baae4430 broken voice ringing 0c6e7f6384 like the endless 31b5468087 rain in my 3e337c8206 ears. My memories are 57cde5f1eb all painful and fb8a23e1a7 horrific, but that 3868d5b852 night feels like 57c5822343 the only good e0facbd618 one. The year with you cf066f2045 was the most peaceful 2f0383ab97 time for me. So I was c93c654298 glad when you a6e1e59135 were fired. Happy I wouldn’t see you 8b5033ce18 anymore. But it’s strange. Seeing you again 47a92e68eb now feels good.”b01a422252543699

The car, gliding smoothly, 19805d782e crossed the coastal road cbe66fb2ae and climbed a hill a88cd91569 dotted with fresh grass. After a long 99ea371adf drive, it followed 27d0b76c34 a railway lined a9337ae48a with blooming cosmos. The young man gazed 72d76caa43 at the scenery passing 6bdd9d0f90 leisurely outside the window, 05588360e9 touched by the breeze, f35661e191 and closed his eyes. When he opened 9146df3b46 them again, a 8dbfb0411f sea of yellow 6aa55b8f50 sunflowers stretched outside.cedb2eb659b07c8e

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🍯ff7e33fa06cc48b5

The man and the 6710f9a115 young man walked the 6c2be188f2 sunflower path.cac7f844e174f5f5

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The young man, walking among fd84ef8b90 sunflowers taller than him and 2ce8585e09 radiating vivid light, brushed the 63c21195b1 air with his hand. He felt the breeze. It was like swimming 47a8263dda deep underwater. The sunflower forest, e886a61eb2 when the wind f28e5d13f8 blew, rippled like 32df6cc9c3 a yellow sea.bceac6915c96a170

The man watched the 53ac760971 young man’s back as 5bd5e5f8e2 he slowly walked, feeling f598c7253e the air and breeze. He looked relaxed, languid, carefree. The man’s gaze fell 35cd7ef41d on the black hair aeca4fc50f that lightly swayed, tickling 66579c8a0a the young man’s nape cf00697886 with each step. A sudden urge to cover 52ef1ea512 that nape and feel its 4e939712c9 warmth filled his chest.6988ea000105f959

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🍯8dbb7bb366a672dd

Until Mister Wood’s body rotted 016d9f832c away, I had to endure 37e0cbe22c harsh discipline in the castle’s be5ae80cc7 underground. One day, I was e5aff900cf moved from West North 38103380b5 to West South. My body was adorned with fe0deabc04 piercings, my mouth held a 20613f7794 device reaching my throat, and 046ceacda1 my anus and urethra each b0529a597a had devices fitted to their 2de632694e size.eef129395a2b94d5

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During the move, 589c0bdcdc I lay at 09e67a0a8b the master’s feet. He disciplined me from 9b72188eaf start to finish until c8b637f034 satisfied. He mocked and insulted me, 973cc0772c shaking Mister Wood’s decaying eyeball 1f418435c1 before my face and whipping 74a90ff727 me. In the end, my a2e73e5cc8 broken body, too harshly 24486f781e used, caused trouble. Unable to fix it with e41037ad4f a doctor’s visit, he put 7ab132f08e me in a hospital. They cut and stitched e247596b2d every part of my d1eda424be body, restoring it cleanly.3096eb2477733210

My anus, after the sixth 3b41a028fa reconstructive surgery, was restored like b2b5c3a7a6 new. The master tamed me again, c5bd819960 thrusting various cocks into it. I kissed his feet, writhing f908d1f00e in pain as if for 5868cc300e the first time. Each time, my piercings increased. When there was no 040d33d2e5 more room, he drew a2eac7457a on my body. Without anesthesia or sedatives, d017c9296d he drew raw on 727eee35a2 my skin. A long chain drawing, 510530b529 starting from my nape, b7f086be97 nipples, anus, cock, and b8e8298cfe pubis, ended at my 15233b9af4 ankle. Six months after d3f30d2edd moving to West fc634e9818 South, I was f82dbaaf48 put back in f1306e44a1 the hospital. Restored like new, I 960834163e hanged myself.b0530f3279597d41

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The master beat me like 8e16aa036d a dog. Tied to a bed, bd8fb58836 he inflicted every torture bed1ba4eee possible. I cried until my voice 674f768ba5 gave out, only released when 20bb974d1c his anger subsided. Feeling the thin plastic c10bb2f937 ties that had dug 4e7bff24db into my flesh loosen, 18d12e7a56 I recalled the hospital’s 81dcc17611 white ceiling.2ec5172448a86df0

In West North’s castle, e5bbb6ef01 taken to the hospital 9fa988465c and laid on the b45c67e1c0 operating table, the doctors 4432d91803 analyzing my body wore 7a8f85a08a surgical glasses and masks. I said it was too 678ee07677 painful. They ignored me. I said it 2c933be782 hurt despite no 65c568ab13 sensation. They didn’t listen. Much later, I 8830fc4920 realized I might 39ac1cc629 have been under ec64d21153 anesthesia, my silent 0ea7175561 cries in a c42c1348a6 half-conscious state.85b054c01d973a4f

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I stayed in the hospital d52083a9c2 for three months after surgery. The master never visited. Instead, my attending fed56a94cf physician came daily. He introduced himself as Mister a7fe03e5cf Wood. Shocked, I saw fab0ee1c23 a completely different 284d6d051e face, and his bb83504ddf gown’s left corner 6ed9da0105 bore a different 2640fdcbc8 name.41a9efc38f4fcd13

🍯c203e205eeeeb8dc

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The house surrounded by the d6b51f3245 yellow sunflower forest was simple ae13a89364 and modest. The man lightly picked 51985ebb31 the locked door and 4899cfa112 opened it. Clearing cobwebs from the 1cac8505ca long-vacant entrance, he stepped ea6d7a4218 inside. The young man, not 26a98e6712 following, stayed on the 59147704d5 terrace, gazing at the 3517c3543b picturesque scenery. When he glanced c9d85f70b9 sideways, the man 85ca04a2c1 was there. After brushing off 4d44de42b5 the dust, the c90b0f52f2 man approached, faintly d4d5f12632 smelling of an e1c3319022 old fireplace.14265392e24d6836

The man said fc855178c7 eating inside would b82b292d48 be difficult. The young man nodded, agreeing. There were no ingredients anyway, 2559718006 and they’d need to go bc7b6230bf to town for food. He wasn’t hungry. The young man wanted to 131f4080f7 rest, and the man didn’t bb6f8d5c64 insist. Brushing dust off 37b9722e24 a bench, the 98ed65f34e man sat the 7e95b22d22 young man down. Meeting the young man’s d24f6a9429 steady gaze, the man 32e9df6b27 sat beside him. A cool breeze rustled the 7fec0c080b sunflower forest like waves. The young man 0c68043216 blinked his dry f79334372e lashes softly.ee73e6dbff5f6f50

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“They’ll come for me soon.”8663a67c46e472b2

The pursuers had lost 253e8fcb6f the man but would a41a964126 likely track them here 4a9230eeca soon.a153c1f15aea7321

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“It feels like being underwater.”75e147ec7be1b4c8

The blowing wind was c730534db8 like waves, the brushing 912400a3da air like ripples.e5da83e6d72a7c3d

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“I like that. Underwater, you hear nothing, 2ece64e8d2 see nothing.”64e5d657081bcbba

His disheveled hair fluttered 9ee4d65517 in the breeze, covering 56807718aa his forehead. The man, instead of f7070688b6 the dazzling sunflowers, gazed 490f6cfb71 at the young man’s 0c2005f647 pale profile.259b02e4228295fe

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“It feels like a good place to rest for a while.”ff3df9eb567ae0d6

The young man said 19acb3dfb0 he’d quietly go with febbb59cf2 them when they came.3d5ce643ce391e1e

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To sit here, e197b704d2 rest a while, 0849b39009 then return.ca5e2801b63994fb

🍯77a5c8794d5f6629

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He showed me Mister 9a27b92900 Wood’s green eye, taken d8b37618c4 from my stomach.7bf00c1e546b16f6

He said this was 39a153b4a3 how he found me.3b2e62cbfdf07847

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Because it was in my 23813e195b stomach. That’s how he 5c01d22e10 knew of my 242970847e existence.9e7e67df515701d8

I didn’t understand.fd75ff736dc1cc44

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The man, calling 52fd6f18de himself another Mister 64ccb76f0a Wood, sliced the ae36ce410b crushed eye thinly, b7c7a6a0fb inflating it. A transparent membrane b0f5abf6dc came off in 6f2071fabe his hand. He said the same was c8973f1544 in my eye. After five nights in d87f2bdeed the mansion, led by 0a20acc03b Mister Wood’s hand, and eb6e5225ab thrown into a pigsty. During the fifth ae86f25b9c reconstructive surgery while 5a3a61eda3 unconscious, it was 7171849103 implanted in my e8b549d560 eye. The occasional stabbing sensation 51f0d6ee00 in my optic nerve 550521676a wasn’t from mental pain, d848808941 and the onset of 06073d35ff consciousness was a side 56d9f9ef37 effect of that surgery.1219fe812b9a913a

I quietly stared at fe53266fc8 Mister Wood’s green eye fd131c42f6 in the man’s hand. As he opened his bd66dcf287 mouth to say more, dd35f8d57f I snatched the eye b6b163f8d4 and threw it at c0ecab0a48 the wall. The man, turning df9ff474e3 to me, showed 4cc6025097 fleeting rage and d107a2b405 disgust in his 3d4f489f8c eyes. Seeing me, unable to suppress 107cf79753 a laugh and contorting my 0acb125edc face, he instinctively revealed apprehension. He worried I’d gone mad. Far from it. I was anguished that I a7836b20e5 hadn’t gone mad despite this.2c2d83da2f39147e

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Mister Wood’s words 8bfee0fd2a not to die ae6e1b545b were all for a2da1d8c91 himself.b9b6acd5a41d74bb

Using me, pulled from 4f340b187f a brothel, to prove ebb32bb6e3 loyalty to the master, 0f6ac6ce59 he never treated me f7ec39d627 as human. There was no reason e77830b855 not to throw away ae9f459670 the eyeball of a a8492c828c man who put that ebd4aed641 in my body without 104eac66f6 consent.28761b35a697bfa5

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I bared my teeth bcad95d490 and laughed at the 6916639386 man looking at me 228ab5f177 like I was a 5b54c110aa repulsive insect.327b6fccc163be7e

I regretted not chewing that fbe71826b6 eye. I mourned not cac455d99c cutting his throat 30bf0c6656 with the knife 28538955c5 in my hand. If there’s no one to e256eb6e90 call my name in death, aa94d96293 live through the pain, he 9022134655 said—his words as false as 0bbacdc31c his smile. He pulled me from the 6db79abd88 brothel to prove loyalty, and e88d1a614f wanted me to survive to 193d6e49a3 prove betrayal. There was no pity, no b5635d3561 trace of compassion for me.c562d9875de09e4d

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Laughing like a madman, I 6338993f24 glared at the man, who, a0ae98af4c with a repulsed look, bent 03a6ed1350 to pick up the green a4687cdbfd eye rolling on the floor. I wanted to retch. I didn’t hold back and e8dce5f1c1 vomited over the bed’s edge. Only tangled, slimy gastric juice bceb57fd99 came up. The faint blood mixed in e2b4291707 it was like my state. Laughter wouldn’t stop 76c0434977 for no reason.9ae311c1ea63bfb7

No one knew of your 7d40de5b5c existence.a2e3761a758974f9

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I don’t need to know.1b99b2f5f9c86fd9

Mister Wood. Even after his death, f5ab10f0d9 no one knew of 3c56f52258 your existence.3ecaa7fa39351d02

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I don’t want to know.5f94755839f78e45