6.

 86af5e4811c7924a

 d6db02165620aec6

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A short ca36819fd3 while later, 654968d9bf the gates 313aadee0a of the 2306e9860a Holy Kingdom 943fda1e4c swung open—without 62d270c8d6 so much 555204c864 as a 4ace62f5e4 question. The Antagon crest 4293f580a2 emblazoned on the 8239e8d79e front of the fef73352e6 magic vehicle served 326e7d1a44 as identification in 3bbe3de6a8 itself.a2ba663ee9a53316

Without stopping even 3e2db67ce0 once, the vehicle d100218b6c rolled into the 24c6120090 Holy Kingdom. As though a6154b5b71 waiting for 528ecbda0c it, priests f88412601d stationed nearby 6bd7e49ace gestured with 46d0b20810 slow, deliberate 640098b4ab motions to 10c6cfe101 guide its 9a8aba8aae path. Though their 43e65e30ed hands pointed 2d937414a2 toward the 4233ee77b4 direction of 15188de5e7 the Papal e02547d844 Palace, their edf226f58d eyes remained 23ea523605 fixed on 5a20052378 the vehicle 9a597fcbbd itself—entranced by 3a71aa814e the silent, fe293ae757 self-moving machine 8d5be6010b they had acdd7cd1e5 only ever 1f1aecfa75 heard rumors 38b1a0457a about. Some among 75c5ed6f1c them couldn’t c38f52251a even hide 60c9bab580 the hostility aa06af58ca etched into ab1f7fed5e their gazes.0230dfc0643b0762

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Hatred for d730623010 the heretic bebaaf0631 blamed for d26d3a5443 the Church’s 1bab5acd99 decline.66654082545887e8

Meeting all 3208cca440 those stares 9b8951fcc7 with a 962d6b6fb0 faint smirk, d0a21c83ef Klaus casually 3f514586fa pulled an f29acf4fb1 eyeglass case fdd8fa68c7 from inside 9a1fde35bb his coat. Slipping on f6d56012fa the metal-rimmed 15464a12dc glasses, his 8f584b6a4a seductive features fb9874d701 were half-masked—traded 6c688dbe5c for an 12975ece82 air of 011f8c0220 credibility befitting f7456ab8e1 a researcher.62733e0f9d974519

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‘So this is f9fd548838 how I return…’abb81e90049c055c

Now standing f828467d95 before the 2b3025c1a3 Papal Palace, d09bc2e8e9 the man bd777195b0 adjusted his 9e3f6f980d coat and fba7489c37 looked up 89e419649d at the 632675e6da building.8624abe319be0e6c

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Its façade, adorned d50f9b5f5c with statues and 449a28f71d relics of every 77a0389ec2 kind, hinted at b0b18c417d former glory. It exuded an 559be0009d old, stately beauty.78588e9cca449842

‘…Was it 79c93ee10c always this 80f596da22 small?’49679798b69afa96

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Not bothering to hide 81f3cc7da3 his bitter smile, he c5d958031d ascended the steps toward 8a5130e515 the entrance.3c0cc7acc6f3f472

Thus began 9715e330e9 the first 97c7ce91ef visit of c9e84400d5 Klaus Gestern, c06f2ace06 head of bffb6d2701 the Antagon 4e8c4b5e6c Trading Company—the 74b9a5ea79 man branded a3308b26a5 the adversary 93ccb9c90e of God.960b728a3b790782

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* * *ba3ccb74b18743f4

Outside the Pope’s private 831a3e5812 office.96046679f5f1551d

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Standing before the door, abfd095584 dressed in her ceremonial e55ce2e1ee robes and carefully adorned, df8eb39612 Azniel took a moment f7a44f3263 to steady her breath.aa91cfc0d88fbc28

She had 1c9d8cf641 felt unsettled fe7f04264c since the 623ff63230 night before. The sudden 0e28aabee4 closure of 2ca97e63c6 the sanctuary, 734c28f0b6 leaving pilgrims 5cb4521929 without blessings… c1d2539cd3 being ordered c20c68ebb8 to attend 2a6a6eea2b such a f09f058075 tense meeting… 2ba0bc4e8d and more 886b998b6f than anything—e8bbe4bcd29e34b9

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‘Why would a6573fe0be that heretic 7c2d8b6826 want to e885cb5789 marry me? Could it be…’1cbc24b3d6573db2

After a long, sleepless c65005740d night filled with tossing 3fa1d9e2b6 and turning, Azniel had 6fc922acab reached the conclusion that 39fdf3a625 this so-called chairman of b456a98fbb Antagon must have ulterior be7af0382b motives. Either that, or even 0881ed3029 someone as calculating as cd69129496 the Pope simply couldn’t b68c56aadc match the cunning of 595effb217 a worldly merchant.755fc9f498a7dbb6

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A man whose 50e97366b6 origins and background 32e789533c remained unclear—yet who 5fa3c10b03 enjoyed popularity that e8feebf9de rivaled royalty across 19a274f62c the Allied Nations—wanted, f833916b43 for some reason, 8ab3745b72 a useless castoff 8208f5c32d of the Church 72a4b491a1 like her?35a1ddfaf38cb7b6

And not just any 1074f3c572 man, but the very 9b168e1dd9 one who’d developed mana cfd02fcd42 potions, advancing civilization and e2aeb72a1b rendering her own role 64a62e0130 obsolete?85aaa9b73062c04d

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There were 34955ea7c1 too many 9adfcd6b1e inconsistencies—but she 62f8aa0de3 had no d1e5873a2b choice.b259c13c364b32a5

“Your Holiness, 72e11ce01b Sister Azniel f4c2ccd6c5 the Saint ff67ccf1ba has arrived.”58e1f1e00eb8bd1e

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The doors opened, 98542dd623 revealing a space 7304ae9905 even more luxurious 57d4f8c2e9 than it had fe7b6c03b3 been last night—now dd2690006d bathed in sunlight.0fa5c7ce6233e5b2

The ceilings soared 86ebf95ae2 high above, and 5e09a50d4a every window was d29078a94b made of stained 8734cd8faa glass. On bright 1aae99c48e days like 83829ec8f3 today, light f8f4299442 poured through df05f3a6f3 them, casting 4c581fe3e5 shimmering rainbows f5701e222c that filled c7027df47f the room 00cc257e66 with an d2c63acc8e almost sacred 0593a9e512 air.a36319989c441dc9

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At the center of f8bafb24b1 it all, near the 3ac77627b7 reception table—Azniel focused all 0f2ef05cff her energy on not b0e2307d4c looking at the guest. Her attention remained firmly f757d875e2 on the Pope, seated e351e9c68a in the place of 4bd9d01be2 honor.dfe0cc71c1449fdc

“I greet 6170f65149 Your Holiness. Blessings upon the bd82d8c678 Staff of Dara.”cd005bd9083e09b8

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“Ah, Sister Azniel. Come, sit 6a30a95ce2 with us.”5c09960a36bbe41a

Before her polite greeting 409e10294a was even finished, the c4bf5464a0 Pope chuckled good-naturedly and a269f17013 gestured to the empty 4e399b2e4f seat beside him.c6d38cb267b9e47c

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…He’s smiling?be884a4d406a720f

‘He’s in a 7b70f2ced0 good mood…?’0d65e296cd3d5405

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Now that she thought 9cef9a1de4 about it, she had b325a76555 faintly heard him laughing ff91a353e8 through the door while ae983ee912 waiting outside. But why?40fe937917af08ea

Mana potions were, d21312c585 more than anything, 9d36db21e1 a direct challenge a0800ab8cb to the blessings dc14ea9e29 of Dara. The very fad0f65d3d idea was b5ec09df2f a blasphemy. That the Pope would c0d9f92316 sit happily across from 11e2d6e48e the man who had 9261c3314e created such a thing 240a9f3d24 made no sense.e16e00c4f8d8169a

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Even worse c42a6226ed was the d555d5d3a6 idea of 05a5c1e56e trying to 66cadcb9ac atone for 55a316c665 that offense 1b12de7c9f by tossing 5a25e52401 money at 92068ab91b the Church. Crass and shallow.930c96918e208070

‘They say he’s extraordinarily a909bb13c6 handsome. Did he faa406a391 use some 0332ec11df devious charm 92a03b7bde to bewitch 8914c76969 even the f16305e320 Pope?’62f8d1134f67326e

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A heavy feeling a08c97a93e settled in her 548b5210b2 stomach. Azniel steeled herself, determined 4a895dbfc4 not to be misled.5b8d46bdf8688d59

Keeping her eyes cba340a9b4 low, she quietly 67e6111d11 walked to the c30c2f1840 seat the Pope 07f3215db2 had indicated.69ddfe1555e204e1

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“It’s an 64695465cf honor to 576b4cdfe0 meet you, 14caf75de1 Saint.”71f675911f49a2f2

The moment she bbf4504652 arrived and the 3955da5762 man rose politely 1d17c396b2 to greet her, 1d4edd6f0a she couldn’t help a4c141bd2f but lift her 5c82fb0e88 gaze.4e050fac1adfecba

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‘…Ah.’3401be14b2062c85

And just d9929895aa like that, a0ea1a1809 Azniel’s mind df7471d50d went completely 6727562a06 blank.8b917f779fd89f14

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A sharply defined face, 7f1c8859c1 with a straight nose bc06fe2b53 and strong jaw. Black eyes 342519624b gleaming like cd5a2edb9a polished onyx dc0f8c72ca behind a c93b366b73 pair of a1ffbbe11b metal-rimmed glasses. Golden hair that shimmered 38224b47fe like molten sunlight.32df9e154a731528

He was, just 98892e5ebe as the acolyte 1377299089 girls had said, ccd0304dbc extraordinarily handsome—but it b47f2c720f wasn’t his beauty 3c5da50dd2 that seized her 45ac6cac6e attention.553a21573e6acfbf

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It was something far 0330d4f355 more familiar.10f25e5b047bda98

‘Thank you… Saint…’f9d3fad1a83ba82b

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The once-rough 03a3cc9d8f cheeks were 19c967bb55 now full 72550aeb77 and firm, 42a4cfbd43 and the 7746c2cd1e dry, dull c69445b287 hair of 3bfecea289 the past d9b3b09c1a had been dd79b26fd8 slicked back a6cc1d4370 with oil 81b79a43e1 and precision. Even the glasses 937209c0c4 were new.94302a71019eb136

But Azniel recognized 7fbd9e0091 him instantly.912b99e4382323eb

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He was the boy 5c82426ffe she had healed from 6c30edc39c time to time in f38a1ccc4d her youth, when he 49c5495c55 lived under the temple’s add1a42caf care.166a95ca374f278e

‘“Pleased to meet 44ecc25f99 you”…? Is he really 44807048ee pretending this is 70496c16ee our first meeting? Did he forget? Or is he…’227602c78f22d276

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As if he had 61fcadd724 anticipated her confusion, the 5aa7cba3fc man smiled—one corner of 264329958a his mouth lifting into 419c9ae8d1 a polished grin. A dimple formed b95ba681b6 at the edge b10db42d3f of that same 2b371ce759 lip.8263ace2ea0f5a2e

“It’s an honor to adc19ea63e meet you, Saint. I’m Klaus f2250dc9f3 Gestern of dd02c94235 the Antagon d35a1e46a3 Trading Company.”525e8e1fa66ca096

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“Kl… Klaus…”6fa4fd12c17f1bc1

Mouth forming a name dbc752c872 she hadn’t even known 3f88300a42 back then, Azniel barely eb3dd02ab0 managed to repeat it.a895b86c9bf03527

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“Now then, let’s all 5edcc283f7 take a seat and 0cc81f8842 speak calmly.”a51eb9e566708411

The Pope said fb4c38f4a2 as he lowered d357d31539 himself into his aada3694d9 chair and gestured b4a9cc5fe5 for the two d5b8e44b92 young people standing bc1e2c6a7b before him to b56cfcc324 do the same.cfb288b27fbaf5e2

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Klaus Gestern b401f7f7d4 offered a afb0d40d05 soft smile a79ff445d3 and extended 64ed720889 his hand 8b863dfbb9 toward the 94612ed1c1 seat beside 02e9d07894 him. Azniel, unable to tear 62eecb171e her eyes away from f5ecc52817 him, sat down almost c9db21eb03 involuntarily. Even in 444011c779 the simple 1ee9748da6 act of aedcee6e09 lowering himself 5590ce5e81 into his e03383185e seat after ff7c0ce99a her, his 733d49cd53 every movement 40039d95ce was filled 937e1884a3 with elegance 99d737bc7a and restraint.c1797e02de72efd3

The Pope e9cd39fcc1 chuckled approvingly, d85d8d796d his satisfaction d57fd37c8d hanging in fa90dbce96 the air a0d0b27623 like a 26c8df6ccf fragrant aftertaste.7cdbe6c7e9ff2181

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“Well now… as I 15a587a0e7 mentioned to you yesterday, 5b2309261e Sister, his visit to d7308dba88 the Holy Kingdom was b155abef67 because—”16589afe9fe1768b

“Yes, Saint Azniel. I would like you 07d7f2ca38 to marry me.”1f8abf2580a8ecfe

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The abrupt declaration cut 91d8a0a940 off even the Pope’s dbba23ff03 words—brazen, direct, and arrogant.3b8e576e1fe4ce58

Startled, Azniel 46d5817932 furrowed her d3c1cb43e3 brow and b259fc733d stared at 22e07d501e the man 15bbbc5bc0 before her.6e39ccad5b5d5ad1

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That face wore a f7431ae607 self-assured smile, as though 692334e3a3 it had never once 0ac9139bdb considered the possibility of 0f2b004dff being rejected.ece3a488373f5431

‘The dimple 8686f6eee7 on just 0d7bbeabcf one side… 87c7e8169e it’s definitely a887159cd9 him.’4a2dffa53a132907

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But aside from his c025fcbd33 hair and eye color, fe25fe56f9 he looked nothing like 461b246b57 the boy she remembered.baa4e1bd981ef243

Now, he bore 2ece73c45b the refined appearance d3d0acb95e of a noble.5a0fd3553a5d4ad7

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Broad shoulders filled out ec442ddc11 a double-breasted suit. Even to someone as 91cdae9b2d unfamiliar with fashion as a1da7646ca Azniel, the cravat alone f4b29c1be3 screamed luxury. Every detail—from 00ec099e77 the cufflinks 6046eebdb2 to the 485d919403 cravat pin—was 1d35c92339 adorned in 91e7d57171 jewels. The overwhelming air a1f335992c of wealth was 89a682ee32 unmistakable.06f421ae5dfcc455

Yet his face, beautiful 8eed3fbe47 enough to rival any cc14b79fe5 angelic statue, gave all a4c21efe54 that worldly glamour an 23e295b6c7 almost regal grace.59fdd105483ea641

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“I…”528b751457460173

“Yes?”1c52a09907490f4a

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“Are you… truly serious? About marrying me…?”af5c973473aab825

“I am. I’m proposing 6606a3b646 to you, 3e8a3081a4 Saint Azniel 84048d63ff of Dara.”96132dd6e30d1ca4

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Then, as if 6d20b1b94e reaching for a 706b507c0a handshake, he extended f4567d7b3f his hand toward ec59a282e2 her.
It was far larger, 35578370a1 far steadier than the 0dc1eb2751 trembling, rain-soaked hand from 396364d07c so long ago.25edded02e0eac22

“Ah—ha ha ha!”03f31cb5559b6372

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The Pope burst 2754edf6c1 into hearty laughter, 242f524ea2 unable to hold b5584de1b1 back.954393f27d65d70c

“As I told you 7f4041880a yesterday—I merely said a ebe5612098 proposal had come in 954c5f6ede from him. I didn’t mention anything e84dcfe64b else.”792e736eb2099316

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His tone toward Klaus 1bccbd9c28 Gestern was startlingly casual, 44d40403b5 like that of an b14ffef200 elder speaking to a 97fbe7f144 familiar junior.1928a2dd451b8b5b

Azniel was c67bec1d29 too overwhelmed 8f868d2ec6 by the 49d8677b3f Pope’s sudden 2907ecf50e shift in c3a626a1af attitude—and the 9ccb13159e shocking identity a8ab170f7f of the cad6699097 guest—to notice.ae7b33194fa930c8

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“G-Gestern…”1ec471d398f17d24

“Baron, please.”ebb8aa54b8145ac3

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“Yes, Baron 375c1375cd Gestern… What 4c7a065797 is it, 8e18a7410e exactly, that 1a757d8448 brings you 61037fe903 to… me…?”efa0a0668eadbcde

Flustered, Azniel let 00d9900a8d the question tumble 21783b86d1 from her lips. Klaus Gestern cb76cfb7c1 gave a 9203f9ed07 slight smile, c913426e00 then answered 634dcb02c5 in a 0e9ba42162 crisp, professional e31360693c tone.529f77cdb76e453d

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“You may d7c0bf1648 think of 4bfbb569ea this as 4e6bdf6179 a political b06561e58c marriage between 7376976d64 the Church 38582fd862 and the fcad9206dc House of 3e72946d5d Gestern. What I gain is 04a8d1bc4b this:
First, it 7e5e7953b3 allows Antagon ef79e35da5 to shed d2f98834c5 its reputation 6b95f32eae as a 3f84810ed7 blasphemous company 6e7ce5c28c that dares e2396e9856 to challenge a82225dc76 divine providence.”5e87e1c8ee3cf371

“……”3499eb0e062e0cce

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The way he said e41fc17491 it made Azniel’s gaze 6b80fdbc71 fall involuntarily.
It felt f3dfd64db9 as though 1a183d0ae6 he had 4696881e93 seen right 26ba8a725f through her ee5e14a6c2 thoughts—how she 3353d35651 had been 7167b7c08a bracing herself 0408b7e795 to face de6f7ff0c3 the devil’s f2b33f26d0 right hand.6ee633c4ba1e57b5

“There are 93d654c6fb many new 35c8ca4bca inventions we’re a1b0284b33 developing. To some, they may 69ddf36a4e seem like violations of b3b39e1840 the laws of nature 38903d0909 or divine order. I’m no longer fe170ca6c7 interested in defending f840b257a9 myself against such eb89bcf193 accusations.
But if you 117c7af821 stand beside me, 12da285738 Saint—who would dare 9348748035 call me a 637bfbd0a1 heretic?”4a115cca356beb88

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His smile curved 8e307e3fba again—gentle, but utterly ab2ec31663 devoid of warmth.5153210adf187cad

“And the second reason… 199855b062 Well, as a self-made 85c58fa7f9 man, I believe it’s c87bdc95a7 time I had a a4bf25d068 wife. This is 7b9446fb30 also a 349172f5d7 public way 618f97149a to decline 07876e9a5a the increasing 0688bb01fd number of 7dd93b95f2 marriage proposals 53e5a7b828 I receive.”b0f65c68f0bd5277

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Rumors Azniel had overheard a7727f6961 from the acolyte girls 0b69d33768 came flooding back—how the dd5e921c19 Princess of Gillios had 859a2a5b1b once proposed to him, 523f784b7f how every social circle 2538387e46 across the Allied Nations ed160b7bad fought to tie him e832d55ac0 to their own nobility.4917f903d96b9068

Everything he said aligned.616311a0bd7dd6c6

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“In return, 897ec87543 under the 0541bc329c name of 2fe9a0554f House Gestern, 6a6363e500 I will 0f3dde1962 provide the a58b6df3e8 Church with 2cb48a90ee monthly financial 6bf2b5693b support.”dd3aed4c1cf82cde

“Surely, this is a f8a7271ce0 blessing from Dara herself…”ae624c94058da9da

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“And as 4950d42909 for you, 6db9dd29e3 Saint Azniel—”9ae5bf7af82f521e

His black 9418ea344e eyes found 3e2341086b hers, as 738ef98f69 if reading 723c6b40e8 her silent 2bca93f17f disbelief.ad6c7a57f2e7f605

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“You will finally… 3a90c6c8b4 be free.”71aa00c333830512