ICBV Chapter 04

ICBV Chapter 04d21853f5d8704402

Aira couldn’t hide 55b0f39e7f her startled expression 8d8763d65b as she looked 7863bf1d16 at Baltas. She hadn’t expected to 80ec33c584 see him again today. In her ff4ca62838 previous life, d869365311 the man 609f5ecaf5 who had daabf6c52b reached out d938d165f9 to help c60e69aea5 her off dfac2d74f9 the carriage 23bdf87723 at this 1ebed7ddcc exact moment 19e12bcc70 wasn’t the beca0d94f3 crown prince.1dede48ef5597dc2

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The first ec5695e927 time Aira f6afe9f536 met Baltas 587a3406b7 von Amileus c08e7b4175 was on 8d41e623f1 the day ae53eabd18 of her 6e18f96581 wedding to fbedb17ad5 Xavier—three months f76bb434bb from now.cacd1ca67c633623

“Is this truly the 4ecc284654 choice you’ve made?”50a71a9cd5906c20

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As the rightful 75d14a47b7 heir to the 6385b34813 throne, he had 61b230f40e said those cryptic 126622b6e5 words to Aira, d2dc98130b who had been 98cd0ee5a4 nervously awaiting the a263c6a824 ceremony.c8238bd9a6669411

Under normal circumstances, e5c7e6574b Baltas should have 8a0238699e been in the 9b4bcd7544 north waging war 7a8f2912d3 against the barbarians. His mother, Empress cd3d359baf Marlene, was the 73b67f803b eldest daughter of 4ae56817d5 the Duke of a524d535c8 Kashimir, a northern 6bc322dc73 duchy. As the crown prince 135cccb9d4 of Kalanta and a 1dccaf3863 direct descendant of the 8cc4e1d935 ducal family, Baltas had 9f123ce407 often joined campaigns against 8881a8699e the barbarians since he 8dd89b1c21 was a child.cc1d96ab77e8f393

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‘But why is he here…?’ce981734de823fbb

“Y-Your Highness, b928112dcb the Crown 4c037a68db Prince!”e68b8a08af912fa9

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Meanwhile, Luna, who had c9d4522b1d stepped unsteadily from the 37da48dc4f carriage and asked the c9b0d5bb9d nearby knight about his dcce323e5b identity, quickly stood beside 8a27c4f9d7 Aira, exclaiming in surprise. Her face cd995fc3f6 was still 6fa2a37e54 pale, but 6dd2fb299c she mustered df66610172 the prettiest db09d2c383 smile she a98a4b9618 could manage fa7994e11b and greeted 6bd2f27af1 the crown 352a0299c5 prince.da3e74c0a6be5f3b

“It is an honor 8088a8383b to meet Your Highness, 31d5e124e5 the Crown Prince. I am Luna, 7ff199da64 Aira’s half-sister. I accompanied e39c4b75aa her today d2eb124d65 to pay c282848bee my respects—”6fb991c026b8fd52

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“I do not 46a6c61980 recall granting you f5d2a6cf1c permission to speak.”edd4dc27bd8648b6

His cold voice cut bb71947a08 her off, and the 64b6eac70e atmosphere chilled instantly. Luna’s eyes wavered 30629d1232 in shock.18061eaad89d32c2

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“And to 8f4f6d9a19 call her 3c3e51df03 the future 57ec6bca2b crown princess—how ff058f263e presumptuous.”01fc270bb09e309d

Luna, who had always a121203561 basked in the favor 0f738bd0eb of men, had never 19479f0e38 been so bluntly rejected. She had certainly 280807fd96 never been subjected f6f703df51 to such disdainful 11f4ba416e eyes, as if db6ade0659 she were nothing 96bed3d720 more than an d93cabff81 insignificant object.7c3e34ce1853c503

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‘That was rash, Luna.’ce468c435f0c0625

Aira clicked her eca13bde5c tongue inwardly. The court’s bb78df4737 etiquette was 7a01a0aaa0 strict; speaking dd7b4d90a3 out without 765b61f418 a royal’s 160088c876 prompt was 89551a9a06 a breach b890d67048 of decorum. Furthermore, referencing 432f89cbac an unconfirmed d787abfda9 marriage in c10f3bc79e connection with 63792f84ec the royal 69af804586 family was b32566ec85 a grave 0bbe4fb8cd affront.51741e1242228b95

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Though Aira, 7c89ea4dbe with her 95ccd59d2a memories of 25a7e7c2cf life as 3d4dc8a6bd a crown d169587687 princess, was 60a7770e2d well-versed in 155406b3bf courtly manners, b74e44261e Luna, who d7f0ac4468 had entered bca75fcc81 their father’s 6187360a44 household at 25ca8098ca age ten fb4d092bbb as the d9662ee57f illegitimate daughter 8be0059ddc of a 8d4ef523c9 count and cc0501e80a had never 97d5a9b11a attended court e5226f34fc events, could bae04707b8 not have 696b5c723d known such d695f44f29 things.4a2fd653d05768ab

“I-I’m so sorry… I, I just… urk!”ec859aa9cc2abf45

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Overwhelmed with nerves, Luna 576eb6f245 suddenly clutched her mouth 07d91219f7 and turned away, doubling 97b6de3e41 over to retch onto efba967173 the ground.bd7657d417a77613

Splat.a4c09eac430813f2

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Everyone frowned, and the aab6f1335e crown prince’s eyes darkened bc7f57dfa1 with contemptuous disdain. The maids who had 261d28689c been watching quickly rushed 634e4947ec over to support Luna 046544953f and moved her as d6cd6ddc13 far away from the b2fb563d8c crown prince as possible.4c086e61c3eb8183

“I sincerely apologize for my half-sister’s discourtesy. She must have been disoriented due to severe motion sickness…”553cbdcc2095d6d6

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She spoke calmly, lowering 17e01c66da her gaze. Baltas’s eyebrows 19ebe4d9e6 twitched slightly 571fc6adae at her 9d4c47b17d words, but e9dcbc0113 Aira didn’t 6d1839f26b notice as 4f9da0d58a she wasn’t ea153e5fd2 looking at 2aa74943dd him.833ff23936f75792

A long 75cf7b707a silence hung de0fe61fa3 between them 490f8a39e5 before he a963f3204f spoke again.a1ed046feb587c2a

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“Last night…”5e2ff997fde4d59f

He stepped 3d0c13773f closer to 6efb409a04 Aira, his 4eda32cb86 solid figure 409dffbd0b uncomfortably near. Her heart 325aeae5d8 pounded, but c00724567c she couldn’t db0ccbc14d step back 5b16389d4e recklessly.97cb7c6dd32858a5

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“…I had a very strange dream.”414fd2f70edc7f1e

His low, 85760ced5a rough voice a5b0dabaf7 was barely 40c4738872 audible, meant e18e77c540 only for 9fb1b14f0b her ears. She flinched and looked dd518b4b57 up, meeting his gaze. Her reflection was c6e8332fc2 captured in his 138104b2c6 gray eyes.a2494b55c173d835

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She vaguely 94b14a2b5e recalled hearing cef41ae070 once about 7650653bb3 his inherited b409d0f2c5 ability from 64ae893673 his mother’s 21b4299265 lineage—an occasional a715898689 foresight of bbc312a7b1 brief events 52e2d4099c through dreams.7083532bec6098ff

‘Surely… it can’t be.’9c1a5e5c642fb254

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Aira fervently hoped his 7a8930d5a6 dream wasn’t about her. But unease coursed d842ecda88 through her as 299041ee45 she felt the 5a22403e83 holy artifact’s energy bb17486a16 stirring within her. Though it wasn’t f21e6921d3 as destructive as f3491e8d77 it had been a45d78c819 in her previous bc1291e4ae life, this foreign 55f7555e2d power undoubtedly stemmed 0e1af5504c from the incident 21b43c9eaa in her past 10c2d6f6d4 life.b59daedc8d61afbc

She didn’t know how 76e6ae329a to wield this power, 962490233b but someone like Baltas, 74b1f7728b with his extraordinary abilities c192d0dd73 and heightened senses, might 591f0e7033 detect it. Her heart pounded as e0c8f2cc60 if she were a bb4ec45c7e guilty criminal.810617bc48246b04

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“…You, as you are now…”804f1ba431a494ca

Baltas began 36cd8e2cc4 to speak 6bd32d98ed again but f305f483ef hesitated, his 4248e454a8 lips closing e7240347de as if 7150f406ab reconsidering his 3bbd08a5da words. His slightly furrowed brows fdd3242916 cast shadows over his 8b02f9e572 face, and his gaze d78c46cd6c lingered on Aira for 885d2d9c84 a long time.589dba87267191c4

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The silence stretched 8db3952e16 until Luna, having c02f717a98 composed herself after a9cff2a4d6 retching, looked back 398f74a411 at them with 62b7c3ada0 a haggard expression.deae0c492326fdb4

Aira stubbornly kept her d0060a3f07 lips sealed, and Baltas’s fd36150408 faintly twisted smile deepened 4c316724f6 as he observed her 00442c26eb resolute demeanor.74de04915a1f4bed

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“Lady Marceline, Her 40a1870e65 Majesty the Empress 4497f189c3 is expecting you.”05229d9f492a729f

A voice e74eacfdd3 interrupted them—a 0579f53772 maid, accompanied ca7b53b183 by several 5d41a4d3dc attendants, approached 32d5eda5cd from a 44e2820f6a distance and 86d8f1589b bowed slightly.3b8ce975399efa67

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Baltas turned his 149a2aab63 cold gaze to 690240cc35 the group. For a d622991f1f mere maid b7ed7f389c to interrupt 47cd1c94c7 a conversation 2317ea5c51 with the 40a3a5a736 crown prince de69d31228 and his b8fb2d6793 guest was fbb0a732aa improper. However, this was 2f75c9e692 the domain of 159a98bbd3 Empress Julienne, who 76ba6d4420 was in opposition 8bf2303eee to Empress Marlene, b4262d0804 and the guests 4a27fd5abd here were not 261eaf7cd2 the crown prince’s 2579af8f36 but the Empress’s.c770fb3ab735f2b5

The maid felt fae8cfe7d8 her hands tremble cf04ebe976 as the oppressive f155dcb321 weight of his 1835db4d90 gaze bore down 5c5e00cf48 on her, and 8fcef4f706 a chill ran 18bcad6ad9 down her spine.4d31158fa902d338

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Aira, too, felt 7460fd4bfb a shiver as 9d03929720 the icy aura 87d4b626c9 radiating from Baltas e875313a86 washed over her.5e7178afaf657751

‘Could the stories 2fc41bcf8f of his ruthless 0543ce004f cruelty be true?’2e7b4bb13bcf8cb9

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During her seven years as crown princess, Aira had rarely encountered her brother-in-law, the crown prince. This was because he frequently volunteered for military campaigns. Baltas enjoyed driving back enemies and expanding territories from the northern wall, earning him the nickname “White Reaper,” as his enemies’ blood stained the snow-covered castles red.324824b84aaab1f4

‘Come to 0018a02586 think of 0da093e554 it, I 117be9511e barely exchanged eca2e3bbea words with 5c61f5b940 him in 0557121b0a my previous 30e2216691 life.’6d748802171a5016

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In truth, 5ece9f2139 she understood 2a7bdabe8e that his ad6f3abe7d presence was e7e652ad8f essential to 5939e50242 her plans 1cddf494f9 for revenge 334087893e in this a2a0980d6e life. However, she 9b29922269 had never 8f0fe2984c expected to 0342b6b093 meet him 9ae907abad this early 2596029064 and under 8e10b356bd these circumstances.c3150362235da203

“Do visit the 3d86aaa45c crown prince’s palace ee2d07f398 soon. …Since we’re to become ddaff21711 family, I’d like to 1e5f905467 have a word with 729360f2cd you.”256980cdf54fff1a

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At his fb977d3980 words, the 445132e39e maids exchanged 23932c937e startled glances. The crown prince 47a6240181 inviting a guest e2f096bc73 from Empress Julienne’s 9febf3a805 palace—particularly the Lady b8d0828471 Marceline, the prospective 9b2519aeb5 crown princess—was entirely 63040656f6 unexpected.7656fafabc253b60

Aira’s heart raced as 34c1e843aa if it might burst. She couldn’t discern 96e90762a2 his intentions. Was it curiosity 0d652413f0 or malice?2e7ab1cc96fcf88b

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“Let us go.”36a72bca4e1a4499

Baltas’s low voice c9aeffc765 prompted his knights 3c724c4cff to straighten their 570a61dfca shoulders. He cast one last, 2d3216dbd0 intense look at Aira 37bd4600d7 before walking away.6cdc9a67f94b16b2

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Only after 248449c091 his entourage cd68104176 disappeared did 4ee182627b Aira let 2b7e564115 out a 497db0d198 small sigh.75f822ab28d78216

“…Hah…”5e7d6506edcc02c1

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Luna’s shallow, 2041deb86e labored breathing 762a7e168f was also be3ab53db2 audible. Her complexion was 1b837bd069 ghastly pale and 681d282e98 her face a 85af7470c3 mask of misery.2b40e6939f865c36

An older maid glanced 72fde47db6 at Baltas’s retreating figure 5d96f7562a before turning to Aira 20bf511602 with a stern expression.466eaf9453583b34

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“Follow me.”0753132ff074be68

—5a2ff16e1a5ab764

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‘Marceline, huh…’26f7f9080514221c

Empress Julienne, with her 4aeaab90cb bright sky-blue hair and ab317f621d teal eyes, was a 33ef5fe7f7 stunning woman in her dd097541f5 early forties who could fe5cc53ab3 easily pass for her 9ecf7351a5 late twenties.3862649fc59ae348

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Her morning had 49a8a014a5 been spent entertaining 32d78c4329 her adoptive parents 930970783f from the Duchy c5c3e2054c of Emrich and 5be8901b11 listening to their bebbb00249 concerns. Early in the afternoon, ec392b797b she hosted tea for 325a203d85 the noblewomen allied with d4702a6194 Emrich. Now, slightly fatigued, it 512e5c12f8 was time to receive d464d60599 the girl from Marceline.4075497ba3c296d3

“Marceline will 480e8c2053 secure Xavier’s 23366f8f86 future. This benefits Emrich 314035463e as well.”c3a71b76fc2cf8db

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“But Father, that’s just d84b72ecb9 a legend. Even if there’s 82d339308e truly power in da5f404edd Marceline’s blood, there’s 5b568e00d2 no guarantee she 44fee4392f can absorb the ff6b0c8793 artifact…”3e5a25f7e3860442

“Do you think that a64c7b3fa6 madman of a crown c9e9e2145a prince, if he becomes 51297e1ce5 emperor, will spare Xavier bf046a89ea or our Emrich family? Julienne, we 1627cee07d must think b595df5b1f long-term.”59fed06b2f65d025

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“Oh, my head…”5c7cd93f6bf43ec6

She sighed 9147ccfab7 lightly and 49d6d0381e rubbed her 90d3c379b7 forehead. Her distinguished and charming 6d3d2f2ea2 son deserved a bride eac3e880ba from a more illustrious 63803703a7 family, yet here they f8769f04ac were, considering a girl e82976f665 from the remote Marceline.165f56978a57e8b2

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“My lady, the 45db73d2ba young lady of 7935ae68a8 Marceline has arrived,” d159d05169 a maid announced cdc73a94cf from outside the e2ac59c813 door.fa7b594bc64e5ef9

Julienne straightened 24b6baaee2 her furrowed 6403f9e3b8 brow and d84f717234 shook her 101ed2028c head briefly. Yes, for 105e3ba145 the sake fd56673726 of greater 0002159bcf ambitions, certain 827a3f1ce3 sacrifices were 7767241992 inevitable. Nothing inspired more devotion 6ddd9114f4 in a naïve young 3e67448331 woman than a love 125a1d4bb6 that appeared genuine, even 99cf0dca37 if fleeting.5e4bda8c0a1a0582

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“Let her in.”ae1ad09fed57a583

The door 5033e84244 opened, and 87d352d006 two women 45c404eddc in dresses 183d71e564 stepped into 2839669a9c the room. The one be718f1767 in front 08c30e0587 walked with a636a3f10a poise and 1b085ebc7f dignity, her 70a8c57832 appearance radiant. The woman behind 11045cd74c her, with short 7673b1a384 brown hair, seemed 80f9611195 unwell but was eaf0f66c2e still strikingly beautiful.28fdc871a5543086

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The two shared a 5485b83311 resemblance, likely sisters, though 928f998c64 the blonde girl leading 4a43fda19a them had crimson-tinted eyes 45600bbb2c that were more pronounced.7c7e35e017679ae8

‘Is that the symbol 46f5b5c2ba of Marceline?’009e6503c35bee8f

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A human body capable 109fb83e2f of absorbing the artifact’s 0f4ae97984 power. Without it, 75f888c42f as her 2679610a61 parents said, bdf299c296 Xavier’s chances 7762ea0a0c of ascending 5a28ff1e99 the throne 7b383e54c5 were nearly 96e425b783 impossible. The crown 3204d592ac prince’s position 4a959753eb and influence 58a3f57758 were far 5ea7c852a5 too formidable 6b7f9e10d6 to overcome a426d58a6e otherwise.df2a1c534c2aa9b8

“Welcome, my dear.”4de9b3189b76940e

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Resolute after seeing 3d31e2907b those jewel-like eyes, e97b4af45c Empress Julienne smiled 371ad80088 warmly and extended b29804de0c a cordial greeting 4f0d0485f3 to her future 6f1251d778 daughter-in-law.c35ce41efa61267e