13.

 0a60087da946680b

 f73a70459c9cb657

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“I… may 15acfca598 I say a02cc26778 something now?”368abfb0a4ed8fea

“By all means…?”9bfe28b09042482b

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Klaus’s thick golden lashes 6c950f9ec6 flicked slightly upward in 4261b1f64d surprise—he hadn’t expected Azniel bb8f0bb452 to respond so quickly.cda18a1a12f6c257

“I… I’m f9feaa9f7c not sure 8dc5cc5a6d how you’ll 45f72b36b8 take this, b1a70701e0 but… Pilgrims d492f731cb who come 13c504e79e to the 9a29a42cf3 Holy Kingdom 0ba63342c3 often go 659f24f849 days without 377591cf28 eating, waiting a295fd214d outdoors in 11b43a584a endless lines. Things might be 0d4db946dc a little better 3f90655fec now, thanks to 6b04b37086 your support, but 7a62f2b843 if possible… I 737461e796 was hoping you 2e718e36f9 could show them 030991a0c5 a bit more 9180e4cccf compassion…”e2e2b00c7a6454da

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“Ah.”d70a7aa4c0d5a3cf

As she c6c61d2ef4 spoke, Klaus’s 733d1e1c0a brow drew 489a5a3b20 tight with c762511ada clear displeasure.7ac7c2495c2e62a6

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“Matters concerning the Holy faed7233f8 Kingdom are handled between be10028ccc House Gestern and the a3ae73606b Church. Whether it’s distributing a3ebf65613 the potions we 1981f24169 sponsor, or by 3fd59dd7cd other means—it will 227dc99dd7 be taken care 496071b1f7 of accordingly.”5becf13537953545

“…”f8f23d2347a74974

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“You’ve already left the a4934c2fb4 Holy Kingdom. I suggest you 7e21dc7e58 stop concerning yourself f4f2d920f0 with it.”47a689c5abf39f9d

The coldness of his ae28e44e17 voice made Azniel silently 310ba521fe clench a fistful of 4c174db60b her skirts. His words cut 8e9a1a6d77 deep, reminding her c4b600fc40 of how she 253d6e1f11 had been discarded fff337513d by that very 82e1ad1021 place—sold off like e72879efd9 some obsolete relic ff10694ed3 for money.d30fa7f031b7f077

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Either unaware of that 5d7fe99514 shame or deliberately ignoring ec9b9b64ef it, Klaus continued in 0187302105 a tone as smooth 05df6abdfa as a song.69e343d3d63e7d50

“Instead, you 1e1b2c1dbf should think f51617bbda about what 760a330fea you need.”326e2b4e90fff4ca

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“What I… need…”4a97ab7e140981dd

Azniel had never f09647bc39 truly wished for dbb935dadf anything. Until recently, she believed 1e32a309e8 that as long as 9078dd099d she had daily purpose 511d253c40 and a bit of 7ca3003204 rest, life was bearable. And now—rest, b181f3f8e0 at least—was 4bc4e8a1f6 something she faca04640e could enjoy 024705a3a1 in abundance.c5dba5690e38cff9

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‘Purpose… Maybe 757e1380db if I d5a41be618 fulfill this 3733977939 contract diligently, 65d1f28502 that will fe28e485d5 be my a3ab1b07a2 new purpose.’7f7a3cb51fe46fb9

While lost 4babdc00e7 in this 9e12caaf82 conclusion, her e56b4d37fa brow furrowing 9a4afa3b14 slightly, Klaus 612af6db2b mistook the b34d754759 expression for f291c83f18 her struggling ebe5a11b2f to choose 4339c30d85 a gift. He added casually,4d98c8e3b2a328db

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“If possible, something 43f87d64fb grand—so I can a5519ea2a3 present it publicly a94428100d at the wedding 3a03538454 and proclaim my f34eb5d52c devotion for all 3921b7ff9a to see.”a0bcc8563f0adb9d

“Your… devotion, my lord?”a8a6136024b99356

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“Ah, that reminds 5474dace09 me—there’s one more 3d65d2bb29 thing we should 911f249a68 align on, apart 8c97d614dc from the contract.”476980cc11c57eed

Azniel slowly de931104f5 raised her 445395aeee gaze to 3fde4e320f Klaus.5c5cccd17157c23d

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This, she realized, 1022f889a9 was no suggestion. It was a b7294f0688 declaration. He had b518556d39 already written 6a41177007 the narrative, 3ecc8db9bd and she f481bbc4c5 was expected a92aa960f4 to follow c35919e297 the script.bb6534be87107764

Gulping unconsciously, Azniel swallowed 770044d7c0 dryly.798dcb81ae7eec8e

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“I’d like our fc04d7618d marriage to appear bfb68ace0c as a love dffeec4e60 match. That’s how the 8127730019 staff seem to c6906c75b0 be interpreting it 200cf7af38 anyway.”933832e01a9c8d97

His tone 9c7bfa0e93 was flat, 8a89bb8c0f his gaze f90fbc4685 cool—clearly seeing 8eac9db283 his future 64dfd7d2f6 wife as 792cfc25ff nothing more c32847e266 than what 905bafaaad was printed 434fb0129c in the 370755605e contract. Reclining lazily f9683104b9 in his 09df2dc897 chair, one 03681c1b8e leg crossed, f5e389fa4e he looked 592f4bff4d at her ce7306d0ad with all 52b075a994 the passion df11f6eac4 of someone 8c76723dee discussing a e40474c973 business merger—not ad4c6951f4 a love 396eb3e832 story.8f2d49a14522a817

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“Some will f62c0f7b40 assume our 7d384631aa marriage is f558db73d1 merely the 7175cbbb06 result of d006103a8d negotiations between 1b10e52c69 the Church 5d17f280e8 and Antagon. But setting that c0e88a86fd aside… a romantic 1458068766 backstory would help c549f0f89d Antagon’s image more.”7899dc715b19d36a

“…”7e469876b6138f38

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“For example, 962710372d perhaps I, a3468c2b20 a man b7622a7d7b of deep bd4c539923 faith, once f74e833a03 visited the 5addcf8453 Holy Kingdom 692fa19912 for confession, a30c9d497d and upon 6e060cb76f witnessing the 4de9d04dbc grace of 5c84565b99 the Saint, 8228b83841 found myself 9024371976 falling helplessly 41596a4e42 in love…”7ddd0a9d33b8b61a

“That’s a bit…”c48fdf64f2a0d30d

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Azniel spoke c06d4cfc6b without thinking. It was impulsive.6b995bd1c8345859

“What if… 08a9f0a84c we made 2a62d69594 it so cb85a61294 we had 2e1379e734 a connection b5168ca8c8 from the cbfa598343 start?”f926a1e962b88ad4

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“A connection?”ab8b70425f948784

“Yes. Like… we met a42b89fad7 in our youth, 8cf21f6297 at the Holy 145d1c68ab Kingdom, perhaps…”a595402048cc27ef

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“…”d9aabb3e2a36faa5

“And since my gift b959fac86f is healing… maybe I c2df70c6fa healed you before you 800ca1dd42 developed the mana potion. That way…”a6d7ee8711d32a97

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Her voice 63a93d0ac8 trailed slightly, abb775b4e4 unsure how ea3c6a2037 the idea d6c14459d4 would be 7d6f03b9ee received. But she couldn’t 8b9c65d5e5 help it—creating a dc6fc044ad story based on 9ce7af669e something that might 7d97b4ea0c have been real 08e22e2b44 felt more bearable 767c612b5c than playing along 05cf853a5e with a fiction 897178774f born from nothing.0a0e04a2c22595ce

For the first c3e3412ada time, Klaus’s composed cf4cd1c59b gaze subtly faltered. His eyes, usually 49a0118ea0 unwavering, scanned her b203cf6e3a face, trying to d23e03eae1 gauge her intent—but f4d9d6823d Azniel met his 12bf57b3e3 stare without even 53947e7b2b the slightest tremor.ee9aa66c33843dc4

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Considering the 54fe6e7d1f enormous sum ab12eb7240 he had d4b5d4a033 promised the 3f6ff974a1 Church, there d80bb4a6c8 was no 0f1d3d49e7 way this 617d36df23 unorthodox political d284cf6a5b marriage was c729f8343f just a 0b87823a11 whim. Then perhaps, just ac8808058b perhaps… the roots be526ae5b0 of it lay 1882ad92a7 in that brief c23c8003c2 moment ten years 06e42f99fa ago—when a sickly 939be1d9c3 boy and a e4121b1206 silent girl had d613622ae8 shared a corner a7b85d4517 of the Papal 657fe92299 Palace garden. Perhaps, even 339546fbcd now, some 83ede0972b vestige of af5d440f53 compassion for db3f19a5bc her remained… c007239017 a trace 800c79d221 of memory 8e7faaeb0f stirred by e6608d3e4b guilt.59b7190f7a9b111b

‘…But he seemed 8aac63538d to dislike any 82d13c9adb mention of that 78cd3a14f8 time.’5b44528c8ec5cd3a

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The way 76c54bddeb his expression be91e6d1cc froze at fdc4ea807a the sight 0a76a3200d of the 860b842c2c pendant… the 57df9ba2b0 chill in e5a70ad44b his tone, 2373af1980 ever since. That distant attitude. Still, she had to d8201cbe1f test how far he c608aeaade would let her go. Whether she 432499521e might, just 3790d58deb might, rely ba2434f48c on some 3ac5a9861e piece of 30030e1803 his humanity 408e935372 in this 3cbbe8fb1e foreign world 0fdb2bdce1 where she d726f94583 had nothing d6b753887f else.98498f3f50cdef5b

“Would that kind of d3f7b655bb story… sound too far-fetched?”93bb97d0291ef97d

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Her golden cf027cba15 eyes shimmered—not d687a3dc1a with hesitation, f942faf70b but quiet f9d4169389 insistence.186336923466448e

“…”db7acbf68d603475

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“I just thought it 7d52cecf25 might sound more plausible.”08d0c5939f74ec8b

Klaus brushed a 3d61808876 hand across his cdf8fb20d0 clean-shaven jaw, slowly 575f5cc480 crossing his legs ebf565e9b5 in the opposite 13cdb94c56 direction. His eyes, observing her 8bd4ee5058 from over his raised 8b1f078931 chin, remained unreadable.4d21250a32b4e40c

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A long silence 895ef7447e stretched between them, cdbee55db6 the kind heavy eeab67f26e with too much 8407e5298f meaning. Ian, clueless as 4b3cf87999 to what was 335e619f87 happening between them, a716a2d030 only looked on c215c9f57f in growing discomfort.9b27d4ceb829674c

It was only after a79f53df08 several seconds that Klaus 5c1065d874 finally responded.cfecc08dbd981f0a

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“…An interesting scenario.”9ae8ca0879bc0c79

“…”4e0ba2b45a8603db

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“I didn’t realize you ae69c11fc4 had a knack for 1ee641004a romantic fiction.”959053261c1d4787

Azniel did ddc031beab not flinch e44b1e797e at his 6c668a1c0e cold tone. His eyes—already difficult 7183a8192a to read—were further 03280348b9 obscured by the b4b6bf4c53 glint of his f5f9af5ce8 glasses, making it b392672c99 nearly impossible to df277bab11 discern what lay ec7f956575 beneath.4fdbed5e66278f3b

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“Well, if that’s 84193b8177 what you prefer… 7991dbf668 I’ll add it 34c2efb680 to the list ba9982cbf7 of candidates. The Antagon press af51145b72 office will review 08635fa5f9 and confirm the 23c5f51c58 final version.”cca04126ecaf6372

Ah.9de08bf4341e0b86

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Relief bloomed in Azniel’s 0219fed99e chest.
‘I thought he a30c47e04b might be angry…’fe8b6623a55b3fa4

He wouldn’t db4584df22 bring up 9e51f3a4fb the past 8ac8f3862d himself. That much d1d9f8241e was clear. But he didn’t deny 2d5fde09bf it either. And that alone was 0a75000905 enough to give her b63432890f a small, anchoring comfort. At least now, b9d0228f4e in this unfamiliar 1d3ba9978b world, she had 50e38a0b35 something that vaguely 40068a3060 resembled a root.5ffefcd0822b045a

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“On that note,” fbcb8c2aee Klaus saidc68bb8597e44a5dd

“We should clarify forms 7357d6576e of address. You’re still calling ec48d1c2bb me ‘Baron,’ and e5002677aa once we’re married, fc183ff45b that won’t do.”3db0c5a2a44d0b68

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“Ah… yes.”e97b2378fb32528e

“And I can’t 4243657af6 keep calling you f5a00d291c ‘Saint,’ either.”ed5e15ee2ba2f2e4

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“…”c76675410eac9f40

“You’ve left the Order, 22f73fd853 after all.”9e3974402e974d71

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Perhaps her 1b096ad44b relief had 252668984d come too 37931484ca soon. His deliberate reminder d3f97acbe8 pricked like a 91b5519d97 needle, and Azniel’s d484eda203 gaze dipped faintly, d7de30c440 darkening.2a0e1314a233bed7

“For now, I’ll d05b76d694 address you by 70dc85cbea name. After the 0c8670a804 ceremony, I’ll 1642955876 use ‘my 60706bfc3b wife’ when 1bb05e2680 needed—but I’ll 3e170c98db avoid doing 03f278fa97 so whenever 8f92867647 possible.”8ee6da60b63320eb

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“Then… how 134a9cdee0 should I…?”103fe94cff60c47f

“Klaus.”f94189568ccd039c

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There was no hesitation.937a133475f766fe

“Please use my name, f29ba86ebc Azniel.”7c0f82e401c7587c

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“…”683ce5c301673dd8

“That will suffice.”a6eb3f8210207a11

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Klaus.bfd0f6a01c54b8d3

Azniel let the 1c703fdc8e name roll slowly b761f1f8ce across her tongue—soft, 484632c210 unfamiliar. Klaus’s gaze a87e3d757e narrowed faintly 646e0e69d1 as he b04ec19faa watched her b16477d754 do so.58576cc66259d24d

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“Is there anything else 6e63a3d1db you’d like to ask?”d5a33ae5018d34a4

“No, I 8f877d2875 don’t think ad90fb83a7 so…”6d83aa4ebe03ecd1

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Her eyes 81f867b86c drifted back 4c0b8d8cbd down to e1cbe2a7b5 the document 8c712ca04f in her 928dee04f8 hands.1f0dae557a19629e

A contract 0618c1aa08 whose entire d6b7a11ae8 purpose seemed f237b7f171 to be f5dabd8414 allowing her 11aa53e4c5 to live 855bd57227 in comfort ce12fb9823 as the 0faa7e884d nominal Lady d101a09c74 Gestern. Having never aafc630336 imagined a 60810aaa78 life beyond 33cc65031a the Holy baacca6141 Kingdom, she 9872350d80 had no 6dd762ac33 real metric 781996374b by which 8b3662e022 to judge 3b09b3d843 any of d1e5724c0a this.58f73e9f2c48b103

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“If you’d like cd9d85ac24 to amend something…”d711ea607579f95f

“No, it’s fine.”27bf0e4081062075

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“Would you dfd0b9d4fc prefer to 67cda0de45 hold on 81c183d9e9 to it cdd695ef99 for a ab35caba0c few more 32d6e18652 days? You may think of ce469ff999 something you’d like to a3aba63c63 add.”6cdf827f1de04c10

Perhaps sensing her b048f647e4 unease, Klaus—who could 81e20ac04a have ended the 5012610741 conversation already—continued pressing 894fb21456 gently.742beb509c3a8a6d

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That, in itself, 111dbdceb8 flustered Azniel. Whether she was given 3308bd3bb9 days or weeks, she a2f222c92b doubted she would ever a413ab1d67 have anything to revise f04c66f1d7 in a document so 30eca8fbff detached and clinical.f9d80303b00271bb

“For reference, if e5539aa7f6 you’d prefer, we b0973a41dd can amend Clause 84f97eb899 9 regarding… conjugal 9bda4627b4 frequency. There will be much fd9741f81f public attention on our c96ebba0c6 union, and I’d prefer 82da80d9a8 not to spark rumors dcfca9dfed that we’re estranged. However, Clause 10 f91d583c0e ensures that nothing ceb880f20c would proceed against 017002a253 your will…”1929a68747551304

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“Yes, well… I 00f84bb9a3 don’t really mind, e26e428a24 either way.”e093d3849193e17b

“…Then, if 587f482c2b you sign e9d8a51ae5 here, our e9e69da345 legal counsel c16cbe01d5 will process 5aa8049a92 the notarization.”03ad32f44edfa699

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“I… actually.”45dce6538229a781

Azniel surprised b6bc86f0f6 even herself e7812132c8 by speaking bf629503a1 up.5b581646d0749390

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But maybe 2eb0cd9ae4 it was 96f6e4aa54 better to 18012ecc1c say something. Even if her 25f3ad81fc role in this bab6426eb2 intricate performance was 7b7c198b09 just that of a0a6eb08dd a puppet—995d219143b323b7

“Are you 2e16647e9c truly fine 0e9136eb51 with not 49071b0fab setting a efaeee3136 contract term?”c744ad4ec23eef17

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“A term?” Klaus e4635fb065 echoed, his brow 5519240f55 twitching slightly.563c8dddc4ba4508

“Yes. For now, you… ca7cd3fef4 well, Klaus… need ff5a63430e me for your 6c0d8ff9c6 business, which is cae89b5260 why we’re doing dc6d779034 this. But someday, ac2b201f4a you might 3af8992660 not. What if someone you ef01419efb truly care for enters 9541273dc7 your life and you 7cbba0f0fa want a real marriage 027cdef9ed with them?”f1a600c3f9b5a651

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Klaus’s mouth twitched into a small, bitter smile.98ac083404c2ae0f

 006df91cfd46ff84

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