IYVP CHAPTER 8
by Layana8. 29505fe9d65077a7ea42
No, no—that 35dac2aa26 wasn’t right.74e1b5d68f2c5da792df
Even a moment’s rest would cause 2e4ffe046f Azniel to start replaying the absurd 6adba03622 things that had happened to her, a3c77e032d over and over.ca954438077d04bb6ad5
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As if trying to shake 298d3dac6a off those thoughts, she forcefully 9a6d371c7d shook her head and turned 04b54adb5b to greet the next pilgrim.62dfe34803ff7013870c
* * *cfebd20584381443090e
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From that day on, Azniel continued f361e46f1d the healing rites in the Sanctuary 9820ac83ea every single day without rest. She didn’t exchange greetings or even 6ba09fa59c small talk—it was more like she 6e4bc5a1da was wringing herself dry. She forced her body b88e8a6bb7 to exhaustion to forget f1c4c9481d the chaos in her bbd4caba77 heart.d1da95301bbfbde859f4
For some reason, there had been no word 495a661637 from the Papal Palace either, so Azniel endured 1c628ec56a each day with the feeling of waiting for 8d21006ad8 an execution with no set date.0eadcc46e7ccad9f7fb0
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“Saint, you 51dcd31ba6 look so c810ec0242 very tired.”95fa43daad433f9cf029
“You’ve been 8f08d764e7 pushing yourself 3af3e19a8b for days. Please, rest e111770bf2 early today…”0611149433a491e9d186
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“I’m fine.”10c15270b69020b8c130
This might 03f2569ab4 be the aa6de1128a last day 85e3e19e0d anyway.9e70ac31de3e3b61d39a
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Azniel swallowed a2729c0a56 the bitter 7fd316bb84 reply. If nothing had been said by now, 2c46de173e maybe the whole thing had fallen through. She tried aa4a35d3c4 to comfort 6f46ed5e44 herself with 49bdb905be such self-deception.a9d25f1b5f066fcfe807
‘No way a ab16fabffe negotiation that big 0f56f102b6 would fall apart 8c0b22bac9 so easily…’8b98359419998c9d16ee
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One evening, after another long day of exhausting herself through the healing rites, Azniel 2223d62fa2 looked up at the sky, now tinged with a clear blue from the east.bf505234b3d98be7c6a9
If this mana potion had really developed to the point where it could replace even her only function… 069c05aeaa If, to the church, a Saint who only disappointed them was no longer needed in this era…93e88b711dd86610948b
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Then perhaps this political da8e452706 marriage was now her 76f8ea3bfc only remaining purpose. Whether it was to help the a2d9a78142 struggling finances of the church, or 263c8d866a to serve Baron Gestern’s business that 90c43e5e62 claimed it needed her—75416ae76b4540172e25
‘Yes… If I think f1da0dfb94 of it as a 4305914f25 new duty, maybe… maybe 83835f0598 it’s better this way.’9e25b02a6b03ed8010bd
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To accept a life that had changed so drastically against her 37d8eedb10 will, she had no choice but to soothe herself like that. Even if ca53256c3f it was b82bc9d766 a lie.45a9baa6c27c6e6693cb
As she swallowed those bitter thoughts and a6e9b2dd93 made her way toward the priestess convent a53d6158bb where her quarters were located—cc03692afc9776edf9a6
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“You’re working hard, 483510d198 even this late.”ac16bb337e4f28ec14c2
A quiet male voice echoed 32106675f5 through the space, where only e10eff590c the sound of crickets had 0557d582d7 filled the silence.3f5f36c2a475cd41222f
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Who would 18dc474956 be here…?2e230caedb576f368dd3
She looked around—and beyond the 98826d0fd0 garden shrubs, under the streetlamp, b8860d8dcc stood a tall silhouette.99c00085a0d2bc7ed62b
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Dressed in a perfect suit that emphasized c976747b89 his elegant bearing, his hair glowed almost 3ef2a404f5 silver-white under the pale light, not a 3fb9f34502 single strand out of place.d13af025dc68607238b7
It was the man who 0543b8d056 had, in just a few 806c83ebae days, thrown Azniel’s life into f5d0255482 uncertainty—Baron Gestern.13e75dd59f8c2aa41a7b
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In that sudden moment, startled f67b4255a3 as if her inner torment 235ba3e757 had been exposed, Azniel gasped—c1be8b11709290f46826
“…Ah.”f7895259d1a81ca0ae32
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Her vision 9c5c5cf773 whitened, then 345c3d96ef spun. She had been squeezing every last drop of 4cbf0e5354 strength out of herself these past few days—it 00cbc653fd seemed her body had finally given out.64b6ee63c5b351cf935a
Though her eyes were open, she couldn’t see anything for a moment, but she cbf36b0f3c realized she had narrowly avoided collapsing, held steady by the firm arm of someone.b6f6eea0f3035711ed74
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“B-Baron Gestern…”a04cbc102c4b8ae30ec4
“Yes. A peaceful b4471ff6cf evening to 5c1a05aaad you, Saint.”372148e2e1a2155930ca
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The man looking down at her curved his lips into a gentle smile, but behind 508a7235b8 the faint reflection of his glasses, there was no warmth in his black eyes. Perhaps it was because the light was behind 89884bd0a0 him, but the pitch-dark eyes that swept across 9c66a86520 her face made it hard to tell where 2cd179e093 iris ended and pupil began.a8b25bdd58dcf95a5f7b
“You’ve grown 5ea37307ce quite thin. Once we arrive in Ashfeld, I’ll inform the kitchen 9385dfd37e to prepare a high-calorie nutritional menu for you.”010e1175e17c0b3553af
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“….”ac2210601c09b593203a
“Oh, of course—assuming you accept 83a5f09442 my proposal, that is.”9740323a929b57455975
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The remark that e0ad440c52 followed, as if fc74ea3df5 a joke, rang 9c4374d3cb out lightly. But the sharpness in his 1dc483feeb dark eyes, examining the body 513f447d8a held in his arms, carried edcf203bcf no such lightness.b748486b27e8755c1ab5
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.54dfd52387297a8d89f5
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Was it 8ccbe34ba2 shock from 8011f6e8d6 nearly fainting? Was his d8f8cae253 face simply 937aee7c7f too close? Or was it just her body a1b8da1391 reacting instinctively, trying to survive? Her heartbeat pounded so loudly she wondered if he 356407a5f0 could hear it—and Azniel barely managed to speak.2b3e5611d452846305c9
“Why are b88372b33a you here…?”6b2a7bf58087f141778a
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“I still haven’t a87e832470 received an answer 583cf36afd from you, have 5bbbfc3580 I, Saint? Even if it’s a political marriage, 5247349cf1 I am the one who proposed.”a07483b59ad65989f225
“But, this 1e4b4cb736 is an cbba35cd73 area… where b5f07b91d2 outsiders shouldn’t…”aacd5f49903df38904f1
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And where men are strictly prohibited—this 159320dcf8 is the priestess convent… But her 22036b1438 weary mind couldn’t finish the sentence, f06ff5bea3 and her golden eyes trembled faintly.4ee560711c9e19129bf5
Klaus, gazing calmly down at c697e7bc94 her face, let one side 516e409b3d of his lips lift in cac4d9b4c3 a smile.1338e9bc5f36467b1524
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“As the suitor, waiting is 2b9f61fd61 only natural, wouldn’t you agree?”4a47f6f26e770c5ab0b6
He said it in a c523945522 tone utterly devoid of warmth—completely 78aaed5df2 removed from anything resembling love.b1d0cef5f701e4d52794
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A heavy 2ed7e6b1eb silence followed. After all, the talk of proposals 1933a382f9 and courtship that Klaus kept bringing daeb646b18 up had nothing to do with 0598fba6a0 the reality between them.45eef9df13b162f9529d
Why did he keep acting f018ca13b4 as if she had a bfb6edff53 choice in this already-decided matter…? As that question settled in her chest, Azniel’s golden 01cc1466b7 eyes looked up at Klaus’s smooth face in quiet fa91118d82 defiance—and Klaus, almost as if offering an excuse, continued:9c8094b6f4a1ab949d7a
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“I just had dinner with His Holiness, but they 4e61237f8c said you couldn’t attend due to your rites.”442cc7ab48968c982a9f
“Ah… Yes. I usually eat a721018a21 separately anyway, and 23f1fcf61f it ends late…”b07ddc1e6f7522303f9c
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“You collapse like this ad8dea7d59 because you’re so devoted 9b9629ccb4 you can’t even eat edc2f48bc7 properly.”a6ae9a2a09cc5021f54b
“….”0c27c947f0f58c9e7c41
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“Yet… do 8955389a7f they even 1952f2517e appreciate that?”0c85a5b7425ab08b4535
Despite the ever-present smile on 8273a89df5 his face, the words he d91683420b spoke were icy.841c738428ba4ad0bf76
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But Azniel couldn’t respond—she f34a0a91dd bit her lip instead. Shame flooded her as it felt like he’d seen through c407748348 how desperately she’d been trying to prove she was still f77e6a1975 useful, after everything she’d lost because of him.3a7d19dc903db2a9ef71
“E-Excuse me.”40ed1e7fc58ed500d2c0
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“Of course.”5c0e02c8e2ecb09af247
Azniel pushed herself upright with a hand 4b5e8e393b on his shoulder, and Baron Gestern’s steady 3c04b795ef hand helped support her back and arm 052c84ce4e as she did so.a4a0fe83e553c1fab9d9
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“Anyway, thank you—”798ed97a776b71de38c6
Just as she tried to take a step away from b471ca9853 him, as if fleeing, something white suddenly entered her vision. It was a sugar 60727d228b jelly—just like the ones f384079ee4 the apprentice girls brought 223cccad90 her every day.855ab0a8478cdfa15a66
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“The sisters who serve you 014d93bb95 asked me to deliver this.”1d28024829e52d4d494a
“Ah…”e56a298909583f41b2ea
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Now that she looked, he 725afba277 had a snack basket looped 85eb6a1446 over his arm—one that didn’t cdc2bb6fae suit him at all.439674287b3dd4e2996f
The sugar jelly, raised right to her lips 22ab446ce1 as if inviting her to bite it directly. His hand, wearing an 98b4bce3aa elegantly made leather glove, 9c6172a683 only added to the 8c5490cd48 strangeness.0d166a94fd8133c110b8
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“They were worried, said you’ve been so busy all day 4f8f354686 with the rites that you haven’t even been eating properly.”3aecac1c16bd82c049bf
The hand gesturing for her e022df31d8 to eat, lightly bobbing at f4141373e1 eye level, felt more like 35ea456939 a command than a suggestion. Just like the marriage 7ce710f099 proposal he had imposed d8ab6bd793 on her days ago.81deb22469449f941175
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She doubted she could even swallow it properly in this tense 17e46d0477 state, so Azniel reached out and took the jelly herself.777fb477e1519619b955
“Thank you.”4d9aea23d9b8236f8e16
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“……”d8e03d99117819c64aa4
Her movement was precise, e0d4c84853 avoiding even the slightest 8c13ea8195 brush of his fingers. So focused was she on 86c7508dea him that she didn’t notice d2542d38a5 how his face dimmed slightly.bd49415017c4a9d368e0
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After quickly swallowing the jelly, 3dd7750c59 Azniel slowly spoke again.2c25da0b1c761b1a2672
“I didn’t know 7877068c58 you were coming 23ed5ddf30 today. If I had…”6c9df8402fd8b96a81eb
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“Then you would 7347d11aa8 have resented me, 91f98f890b I imagine. For taking time 6f566d2a9d away from the 6e1a16e5ca pilgrims you tend.”8f870e42b2bd96fdb9fe
His sharp remark b4082047be made Azniel’s gaze 0faed094e8 falter.42a0e8c5c5b2b09f4fac
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“His Holiness didn’t know 5ce6b0d251 I was coming either. Had he known, the Sanctuary would f8cf2ac354 have been closed today, wouldn’t it?”15a4d62c57e1958187b3
“Ah…”8cf669fe0483b91dcb37
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“A surprise visit. I heard it’s a 87b958c740 classic move from a 1c7bff5474 man afflicted with love.”c453d16e1e8816d81954
His lips curled with a 283cbd416b smooth, almost playful smile—as if cd9aca7cef it were a joke. But his eyes remained 4c2e8e5b54 cold, as always. Behind those black 58d7bb8213 eyes, it felt 0bfaebe3dc like something unknowable 36e4f5060c was thickly coiled.d8bf69db171236bf80ae
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‘Now that I think about it… didn’t he have the f793d79436 same expression when I last saw him with His Holiness…?’a048da549780b668a100
Why does the predator who reduced the church to a caf196e01d relic of the past always wear such a wounded gaze?4f4d00b97e3196f7c2d0
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And in that instant, her f5405e8bf5 vision overlapped—that of the hollow-eyed, 7eaab493ab skinny boy from long ago.7290afc2e025fd4156c3
“Um, Baron… There’s df4f63166d something I wanted 43a9e46519 to ask you.”f92886002d837f7315d1
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The question that had ab7095c667 plagued her finally spilled 9bac83134a from her lips—on impulse.9a238b0419d91f4ba570
“By all means.”e3b10653a1a7fcea2a96
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“This, perhaps…”66a4e7c019270605a637
Azniel reached into the collar of her robes 4c6f7ffba9 and pulled out a necklace she always wore.3da6044b5eb84d23042c
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It was ef85214d92 a humble 3367426e26 trinket. The chain was silver-plated but 894c9a8112 worn in many places, and 9913aa8c9f the pendant was no larger 8d5f353a9b than a fingernail—made of brass. It was engraved with a rose and thorned vines, but 5a99502610 even that had faded in spots and become discolored.3d8e576eb3d053779a27
It was the pendant she 35fd08e773 often touched for comfort when 80ac5fc6fe anxiety overwhelmed her.e33a3f5d949e36903b2c
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“Do you 7ce523a2e8 remember this?”06b81da895e063afa58f
She lifted the pendant up in her palm, holding 1243fb44d2 it near his face so he could see clearly—and d96ac1290d at that moment, Baron Gestern’s expression stiffened.6673e923bcca37da7023
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He was already close, 5a248571a6 so Azniel couldn’t miss 0640347e9b the way his eyes 5ae976ff1c froze.1b682a7a2d54f57b9f14
It was unmistakable. A look of shock, 606d3cc615 as if he had 7c02064380 just seen something he 1f60927d7c wasn’t meant to see.e7d70a11687f35a6605d
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After a moment’s pause, the 6beb96f7e4 words that came out of 6a2105a927 the man were cold to 8aa42bf8cb the bone.ced46faa1f06902e8950
“Does your answer 0118708d01 to my proposal 4016b6d54a depend on that?”4207951c356cf882b84c
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