Chapter 10

fb426562201d319f60f1Perhaps it was nothing more than a pointless power struggle, but it was still worth paying attention. Small and seemingly insignificant events often had a way of triggering larger, more consequential reactions later on.

492f1969236f9f7656a5Of course, that didn’t make it any less dull.

8da80f0c9fd189f4f769“Don’t make it so obvious how bored you are. Makes me feel like I wasted my energy bringing you this news,” Henry grumbled.

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78f78299a6bee4687a47“Well done, Henry,” Jeremy replied with a smirk.

9d9faf082c9dbb0e4c7d“Did I seem like a loyal hound?”

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4fbb1e026090b3fdfa94“Should I pat you on the head?”

9d27a7db12e8a8129f3d“Ugh… Let’s not.”

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312f809b40b8789aa736Jeremy, who had no interest in indulging such theatrics, nodded casually at Henry’s remark.

870e35cf0e18e851ec94“Oh, and I have one more piece of news. Not particularly important, but it’s amusing.”

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8313ac2f64ae0426ec44“Can’t wait to hear what tedious story this one is,” Jeremy said dryly.

f1270a6e1b86ad6ca488“You’ll be surprised once you hear it.”

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da4cddf522ad1d6bb244Henry sounded confident, but Jeremy wasn’t expecting much. Taking another deep drag from his cigar, he exhaled a cloud of acrid smoke that diffused through the salon, mingling with the red drapery and dim light.

c149f25f08f49fb0566a“The Imperial Knights… one of their members has made quite a name for himself.”

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715ad71cffcda50e4186“A knight, you say? A commoner?”

26254fcf3d80e38bb432Henry nodded.

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064cbdcd003b48a09ec2Barowel’s vast territories and colonies were spoils from wars waged long ago. Since the reign of the previous Emperor, the nation had enjoyed an extended period of peace. But when the defeated nations of old rose up again, the Imperial Knights were dispatched to suppress them.

9244c16286427075ad4dYet, the nobles—long softened by this peace—were hardly eager to volunteer for the battlefield.

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02dc8ddfd9381b47098eAnd with the Emperor reliant on noble support in his ongoing power struggle with the Papacy, he couldn’t afford to force their involvement.

317c2fa1710bd03d5738Thus, commoners began to be admitted into the Imperial Knights. Men desperate to change their fates—knowing full well they were marching toward death—risked everything to join the knights.

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eafeb528bd25ca157071Strong adult men enlisted, as did young boys, barely old enough to carry a sword.

81292c8d6770476f23e5It had been three years since then.

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047ae8a0727a2e575fab“One of those boy soldiers has been promoted to vice-captain and will be returning soon.”

d2adfd143f6f31ba9765Henry’s confidence in his news was justified. This, at last, piqued Jeremy’s interest.

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b8e6f4959b69ee04db5f“And, get this—the promotion was personally granted by Roswell, the epitome of conservatism and head of the knights.”

a6e3198c3f46c77f4649Jeremy’s lips curled into a smirk, intrigued.

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40b9649fe0b2f570892b“Now that is interesting.”

6c0c820c381f676cf989Unlike most of the ruling class, Roswell was a man firmly rooted in the ideals of chivalry. He was notorious for passionately criticizing the nobles who avoided active participation in the war. Originally, he had vehemently opposed admitting commoners into the Imperial Knights. He argued that commoners, untrained in honor and pride, would easily show their backs to the enemy, kneel in surrender, and cry out for mercy.

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0bcd69877173808969d4And yet, this same Roswell had personally appointed a common-born former boy soldier as the vice-captain.

8b2d0c3e1a07d172f636It was a stark departure from his previous convictions, a bold and surprising move. It piqued curiosity about what kind of person could have compelled Roswell to make such a decision.

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00af237fe5ee90017dc4Still, Jeremy refrained from showing any further interest to Henry.

b5df278d39d8ec5a7939If that former boy soldier had truly risen to vice-captain, Jeremy would meet him eventually. With the Chalmea Holy Knights already back, the return of the Imperial Knights couldn’t be far off.

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34b9a5796fd539a3595cFor now, there were other matters to attend to.

47d80e0199b0460ef07a“It’s true that the Shard of the Moon is up for auction this time, isn’t it?”

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fc8b60d51494a043ccb2“Yeah, it’s the necklace your precious little sister wants so badly. It’s definitely up for bidding.”

65f9da959f234b1d7e6bThe diamond necklace with the grandiose name Shard of the Moon once belonged to a princess of Barowel’s imperial family. She had worn it when she married a king from another kingdom. Their romance was legendary, remembered for generations, with the princess famously having loved the king from afar for many years.

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c8cb9bce8950588dc8beNow, with that kingdom long fallen and the royal family in ruins, even the necklace had become a mere item to be sold at auction.

ac7b559760dfdefbc508[That… that diamond necklace… give it to me.]

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c14b2262676f5f81d3bcJeremy recalled Velita’s words.

6649e0b1a1c936945e27The Shard of the Moon had become more than a mere trinket—it was now tangled in his tangled web of intrigue.

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26edc98d0b27017ab5d5Jeremy suddenly thought of the maid who had been beneath him, her voice daringly provocative as she whimpered.

4f4f61775ec5930181f8Though her compliance had been deeply satisfying, that was all it amounted to.

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8ac32461d8e8425bbd14For his sister, someone bound to him by blood and destined to remain a part of his life, he needed to secure the Shard of the Moon. Gifting her the necklace would give him a reasonable excuse to face the Earl of Ryles without feeling indebted.

96a699e5e98f870efe7eAs he recalled the tears that had glistened in Velita’s red eyes, Jeremy smirked faintly. It was the last thought he allowed himself before snuffing out his cigar carelessly on the side table and rising to his feet.

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a872723a139f2c84da61⚜ ⚜ ⚜

a5597fffb880ec8cb689Everything had been a series of unexpected events.

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92e061ec3f3506778cafKillian finding her, Jeremy helping her, and even now, being assigned as Jeremy’s personal maid—it was all beyond anything Velita could have anticipated.

c9a50b7eeddfa7f15103And yet, today brought another twist: on a day when she was already drained, she was tasked with assisting Lady Selina again.

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84e80365be4c1f9b9982This was all because the butler had specifically called Velita aside to give her instructions.

97e1488b52df5fded94f“Sir Cain prefers to avoid unnecessary attention. You’re good at keeping quiet and unobtrusive, Velita, so you’ll attend to Lady Selina while he’s here.”

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1cf20f8b501abb03dcd6Selina was kind to everyone and, because of her frailty, spent most of her days in the mansion. She treated the maids as friends, leading them to feel more comfortable around her than they would around other nobles. The butler, however, seemed concerned about the potential for the maids’ casual attitudes to offend such an important guest.

fcb0ccd8d588a3995e1eVelita, who was already an outcast among the maids, had always been careful to stay out of trouble. Perhaps that’s why the butler thought she’d be the safest choice, though Velita herself wasn’t thrilled about the decision.

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6a392dc9a5c1a70e8757Approaching the shaded garden where Selina was enjoying tea, Velita tapped the shoulder of the maid standing behind her mistress. After sending the other maid away with the excuse that the butler wanted to see her, Velita silently took her place.

50f3211e0f39dc7fcce9Selina, engrossed in her conversation with the man before her, didn’t even notice the change. The man, however, glanced briefly at Velita, noting the switch, before refocusing his attention on Selina, who chattered on like a sparrow.

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6d3c969ea0ac54e9e810‘No wonder the servants couldn’t stop talking about him.’

b66c2cbdec9f93d52388The man was stunning.

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c3e214fb0e803311bb59His golden hair gleamed as though spun from liquid sunlight, and his clear green eyes held the refreshing quality of a summer forest.

cec55a760704272365f9He was similar in height and build to Jeremy—both tall and lean, with a hint of solid strength beneath their clothes. But Cain Mortens differed from Jeremy in some key ways: his hands were calloused, his gaze and overall demeanor were gentler, and his perfectly slicked-back hair, along with his fully buttoned, pristine white clerical attire, gave him a polished, composed appearance.

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84dbb18118061256c8b4His face, too, contrasted sharply with Jeremy’s sharp, restless features.

81ad435f211455d189f0“Cain, you have no idea how worried I was that you wouldn’t make it back in time for my birthday.”

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6a72ec2e13dc56be5de2Selina’s voice, filled with innocence, expressed her relief and joy at his safe return. Though Velita stood behind her mistress and couldn’t see her face, she could easily picture it in her mind.

c4dbdf0743004c47bb76Selina was likely smiling in that pure, radiant way of hers, her expression full of sweetness and charm.

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06ceeb1da2f7af5fd2a7It was a kind of purity and lightness that Velita could never hope to possess, not in this life or any other.

2cc8c045dd3394e7d7c0For a maid standing silently by her mistress’s side, there was little to do except observe. Velita’s gaze naturally fell on Cain as she studied him quietly, trying not to draw attention to herself.

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776780c5ab77c52146d5Cain Mortens was smiling. His smile reminded her of someone.

2b00af48db1f5c1367bdBut who? Who did he resemble?

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93eb4067f9473a5016a9‘Ah, I remember now.’

84b7715e7da2d61cf2cdThat smile—it was strikingly similar to the one the Earl of Ryles often wore when he looked at Selina. It was the kind of smile that emerged naturally when gazing at something impossibly small, precious, and cherished.

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4ee60f023520f85b9275In truth, before yesterday’s events, Velita had often experienced similar feelings while watching Selina. But the emotions Cain Mortens displayed seemed to carry more weight than the fondness of an outsider admiring someone lovely.

2d1e4f434093986ac3f8Even though the dangerous tasks were left entirely to the commoners enlisted in the Imperial Knights, Cain, as a Holy Knight, carried an air of purity and dignity. Yet, his gaze on Selina seemed far from detached. His eyes softened as if his focus had melted away, and his lips parted slightly, curving into an easy smile at even her most mundane remarks.

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4488b172270c32691a96As Velita observed him, she recalled what Janice had told her.

6a299051e9250d873979“Sir Cain and Lady Selina were betrothed when they were children! And Cain is just as beautiful as Young Master Jeremy…”

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1601400813df1cd38d50Indeed, the two had once been promised to each other in marriage.

5e8302a915032561e183Of course, now that Cain Mortens was a Holy Knight, such a promise meant nothing.

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c11aafa89b77e3a8f56bA Holy Knight was expected to maintain purity of body and spirit, dedicating their soul and flesh solely to the service of the divine.

9fc80dd1b1c17fa6a7b5And yet…

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60a148cddb3afd4931d9“You have no idea how much I missed you back then.”

5a04b4466bb2fec3fce1“Did you really?”

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a9c9a6e80c7b8302172aWhile his body might belong to God, his heart clearly did not.

6031390b81806de81370The tender way he responded, his eyes brimming with affection, wasn’t how one would treat a former fiancée whose engagement had ended long ago. No, it was more fitting for a fiancée in an ongoing relationship.

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352cc416b3c7ce3ebf9d“Anna, could you pour the tea?”

478969f7571e5330e937During their conversation, Cain called for the maid who was supposed to be attending Selina. Without a word, Velita stepped forward and tilted the teapot over a delicate cup.

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9bf2d5fc43fd8bcf0393“…Velita?”

96e94767e05ed33ed09cSelina’s eyes widened when she finally noticed that Velita, not the original maid, was behind her. Then, her expression brightened with unmistakable delight.

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9b2961f3dce9ffb5d7c1“Why didn’t you tell me you were here!”

c3ae981021c98cfb4cfc“The butler called the other maid away, so I thought I’d attend to you instead. I hope that’s all right?”

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7e386eb5d4d7af5cf780“Of course! I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

9900ac4d6d39bc0d3559“Me…?”

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e71f342df1838ce27d3cSelina clasped Velita’s hands with enthusiasm, momentarily forgetting the presence of her guest as she looked intently at her maid.

ead6f63565abba7cddfd“You disappeared after dinner yesterday, and I didn’t see you at all today…”

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d1d4ff92c899a74584f8It was Velita who felt the need to be cautious, glancing at Cain to gauge his reaction.

150a3adff0159001fd95“Ah, well, I am Young Master Jeremy’s maid now. You entrusted me to him, so I must focus on my duties.”

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957a3e4f5016e195a427“I suppose that’s true…”

b4c90715530d4adde118Velita’s words were a subtle defense, driven by an inexplicable unease.

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9ff6a6afe7359b3f9891Selina’s usual radiant smile suggested she was utterly unaware of what had transpired between Velita and Jeremy. Even so, Velita felt compelled to offer more explanation.

5173e772c4fc9e96b115“At dinner, you looked troubled. Then, when you disappeared afterward… I was so worried…”

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a6145fef8661aaa6a65a“Um, my lady…”

4c6227ebc378a3660e2dSpeaking privately in front of a guest was undoubtedly rude. Velita cautiously glanced at Cain. It was only then that Selina, realizing her mistake, turned to him with a slightly flustered expression.

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e9f716e02349bde252b6Cain, sipping his tea, met Selina’s gaze and smiled warmly, as if it was no big deal.

dd5030e521c9d9f9b454“Is this the maid you mentioned earlier?”

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ffa37eb521089362804b“Yes.”

d8f05c0152ccd249e9a7“Selina told me about you. She said you’re quite diligent.”

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601055ce9c435ff375f7Velita could imagine exactly what Selina had said about her: pitiful, unfortunate, but hardworking.

52a9e9ccb155c38a2ca2She glanced briefly at Selina, who smiled gently, before bowing her head to Cain and offering a forced expression of gratitude.

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5e70ef5b1ceb35a610b1“Oh, right! There’s something I need to grab. You two stay here for a moment.”

696b12b61d48a4595ca4“I can fetch it for you, my lady,” Velita offered quickly.

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8d43cadb3bc86b009ebf“No, no. Just stay here and chat for a bit!”

423f2dce3b45d436e8e4Seemingly struck by some sudden thought, Selina sprang from her chair.

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14f67446d7e73cc24b92Velita couldn’t fathom what a mere maid and a Holy Knight with unrequited feelings for her mistress could possibly have to talk about. Awkwardly, she insisted she should go instead, but Selina was adamant about fetching it herself and left, hurrying off with determination.

c28fd8b8f47a738e32f7“…”

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83ffc6a358115953e485“…”

402911f7a1954c74581bAs the sound of Selina’s footsteps grew fainter, the silence between them grew heavier.

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e45f6f5409091a02c22aCain Mortens, naturally, said nothing to Velita. And Velita, being nothing more than a maid, kept her lips tightly sealed.

3ee8ac82ef7ed62206fcBut the silence didn’t last long. Cain fumbled, and a fork slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground.

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83dd9608b336965dba0bTrue to her role, Velita approached silently, knelt by his feet, and picked up the fallen fork.

6c34003e3cff460c86a3“Selina sees you as a kind and pitiful child,” Cain murmured, his voice calm yet distant.

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0bc02fae8a3c49d951e3Velita stiffened as she felt his gaze on her.

6f84389381462511b723The collar of her blouse had shifted slightly, revealing the faint marks left from the previous night.

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96a6ab5f35c7f4e38b8a“That’s why I said she shouldn’t let just anyone get too close to her,” he muttered, almost to himself.

9a6b937af1832125d1f1His eyes lingered on the marks on her neck, the evidence of her encounter with Jeremy. His tone wasn’t sharp, but there was a weight to his words that made Velita’s chest tighten.

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977bd427911315fd5400