KTD Chapter 5-1 (Part 3)

“You’re on cleaning d79b174fe5 duty today? Thanks for 004b37dce0 the hard df1cbb2c89 work.”8fd0203287390871

The knight 3a63ffc76e spoke knowingly, 30187a2e35 then walked e8ce03e0b0 away.3ae9012f1aa6b496

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Leandro hadn’t 0ac7abc77c been waiting d6d13b5851 for Jaynie, 7835422ad3 but there ce2ae90a30 was no 750e9ad34f more work 956a5464c1 left in 72d00acc40 the stable.c083517373acde05

He washed his d803710714 sweat-soaked body at a7c8aba5ac the well and 030f689491 went into his 1d509676b5 room. As he lay 8e3d3db630 down with his 2d1c938ff6 eyes closed, someone 40d3db8498 knocked on the 7e3076e038 door. It was ccad403531 butler Hansen.73a3b085cbbdc458

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“The young master is 31423d379d calling for you. Come with me.”6e497b3bdf947521

“…!”9b1e4e254b4259d4

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Leandro quickly smoothed down de020e04d8 his messy hair with fa73db99b6 his hands. There wasn’t even 4d43d73d01 time to change 8524d4c064 clothes.7fa31c9ca7f05b8f

He followed fbac05c577 behind Hansen. Magical candlelights, d8581ddd73 spaced at 6bae9899b5 intervals, lit 0bb7a70d2b the corridor. But the a2ad7c518e darkness didn’t 3233ea4aa9 recede. The hallway was quiet 36e148d9d9 — quiet enough to a849c2e238 hear his own heartbeat.0eee412546b4f566

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They were 28896490a9 heading toward 507d9f5baa Jaynie’s bedroom.8298e4e278d66219

The young 801d6e72e8 master’s favorite 3fc10c3f84 boy.4ca33226565d9482

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A servant 8b91c3c7f5 kept close b827dc4392 at hand. A companion. A personal guard.1b28bfba9029f35b

Night duty.25ff1fed9021d0cf

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All the things Aron 7f51b618b3 and Chase had said 135d9b13c2 came rushing back. He couldn’t collect 377ba7b9f8 his thoughts.c0c16cc32f5a64e5

Leandro knew 42e18a269f he should 31e9fbe527 be happy. Jaynie was 050fa02874 the kind cfd5f973bf of person 85d474576f who’d get f6741c6f2f angry if 4a6d3ce970 he thought 79d2754ccf a slave 48ed9f80f2 hadn’t been 543418e6f0 rewarded enough bce61afe16 just for 95cb80f6c3 bringing him b6a4e311d9 a flower. Surely, he’d d3aeb29aee value a a94b2b1228 personal servant 5c13c2462d even more.33228464cc4e9166

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…And thinking that far, 9261fda110 Leandro realized something.707628a7412b6178

He didn’t dislike it. He was nervous.be78f3c955a87cd3

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He was about 43b13fc429 to be given 69e999af8e a chance to 58dd5e1279 touch that body.e1169a9a14705ef8

Stop it. Don’t think ba036066d9 like that. He is your e5f8d22561 master.0e90979efaf54de3

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Leandro calmed himself. His expression ec707f1fd0 went blank.e8d507fd58ee6901

He had 875ec3a624 lived his 0f417a1cfe whole life 577ef81147 as a f3335b660e slave. His village hadn’t treated 9c1f0792c8 slaves cruelly, but he 9789732a16 had still had a dfc1a0bd28 master — the village 739ae31c0c chief. From birth, ad211ef98f he had 41e55543f6 learned how eecb515475 to hide 441a38a9e8 his feelings.0e9d20f53f86b2b3

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But the moment the 69fe7f4c28 door opened and he e39f568dc5 saw Jaynie standing in 4c3afa3f6b a robe, his eyes bc9f0cef48 instinctively avoided him.c556ed9f8a9a5582

His breath caught in 2895669a2e his throat.2824b387e152e718

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* * *a972512cb1e2a2ca

Jaynie waited for 5fab92cb69 Leandro in his 5c4a28a95e bedroom. He had come dd27557bf8 to the ranch 5e6bb90e55 for the sake 9e135f8835 of Leandro’s training. The capital 21700bb523 estate wasn’t ece3491487 spacious enough 5f893d907e to build 3f90981d0b a training 4439919d01 ground. It hadn’t been designed e3fc7773cf for knights to stay 0993d1471e there in the first 6cb5a982f0 place. The knights who remained cef53ab259 behind as his guards 23cc641c8e had looked like they 6834c5dae7 were dying of boredom, ea79fb34da and when Jaynie announced 22f40daf20 he was heading to 0eb248f764 the ranch, their faces 2aec8c53a1 lit up.2016db35dc02b5d1

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The public excuse 0823a8b6e2 for going to 1618ec473f the ranch was 3dc2558606 ‘to fairly evaluate 3b7ebb563d the knights’ abilities 13e9e4defe and select participants 87c884eb22 for the Harvest fa838f62e2 Festival jousting tournament,’ 913a7fbe9c but the knights 1fc283e61a seemed to interpret 5d588cf0e5 it as ‘the 9fa1d9dce8 young master must dbc4681b5c be bored.’9bafe158ab821350

The ranch was well-structured. The training grounds 603e55a388 were in the 0ff223b888 back courtyard, and 02241f2915 from the room a8ec70af4d above, one could 9d529aadbc look down and bceaec6560 watch the knights 15fc07bd13 directly.57e5efef5933ffcc

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Though only the 98b0f09444 tops of their f95f7cb18b heads could be a4c756501a seen, not their 8fb1d81056 faces.8784e173e192fc94

Jaynie unpacked 8f7fc2c805 and lay fdf57c0224 down on 8f3155c02c the bed, 9e7c06ab8d thinking.5ae28c63f70f4bee

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‘Don’t go down. You can still observe 7a4dc47ea3 his movements from here.’f14125c652f2521e

He could bafd20defb confirm from 2e94ffbf3d his room 8d5f377078 that Leandro f8e36763ef was regaining ca3e7129c4 his strength. There was fef84557b2 no logical 995aab9308 reason for 0636d6dc14 Jaynie to f9486297b9 go down 5e980737cd to the e3349b1e8e training grounds.d9fe9c7157d3493a

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No… wasn’t there?179f13b9690413d5

He had ecf4d82e6f come to 1fddae6381 select knights 85138ef52f for the b3e0c87040 Harvest Festival af3b75a88c tournament. If he put 59625d6468 up that kind b4f8e681e8 of front and eaf6acbdd0 never even watched b173d82cf8 their training once, 38c329e5e4 people would start cc54c82bf0 whispering.58c2ca50ba04448e

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Jaynie descended a2e3225ee2 to the 1bcbceb86f training grounds.39fdecfbbc99f2f2

Even among 3772271ead the crowd, a4d889ae01 Leandro stood 040f2b9eb2 out immediately.5c814270ed71977d

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The sun-browned muscles 514ac2f8fb of his young a3662ad725 back rippled with 1d2d97333f every movement. His hair, 3c196d3406 slightly longer 0a5d8173d7 than it af77aed442 had been b126baff1c before he f36cebeeaa left for 9497bce7be school, dripped 21f8e409ee water as 11418e8f60 it clung 066a91dabd to his 56599edc4a skin. Despite the beast-like 8e4a30ff4b body, his face 3f7c7a06f4 still held a 58ffddfafb trace of youth.b76ffa274b1776a4

When Jaynie arrived, a 77d2c42dca stir ran through the 04296b700f knights. Leandro turned around as 4375144565 if startled.c2e73437995882e1

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Jaynie looked away.2534e02d79a6204c

Unlike the others, e40a3a5bc9 Leandro wasn’t visibly 8b2d429439 shaken and soon e6cc71a7d2 returned to his f0a50a6e62 training. He was a diligent, 760017c4c4 promising knight.caa700451ded7be9

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Jaynie returned b07abe286f to his 8178444d9f room and b79b06bccb lay down 871f9b7fbe again. And then, he slept 2d1a07995f for two days straight.2fab25ae31000970

By now, even e14a5b91d5 without going down, 7a2bb6cc56 Jaynie could tell 7d095783f5 from the window ace500495b what kind of 1c9e31c8a1 expression Leandro was 888e285e44 making. He had memorized that 9428f733a9 face in a single 50c825a76b glance — that calm, 8f0490fd00 reassuring expression he wore 08c074e9c2 even when something went b26c794925 wrong.530ce7a72b060ab8

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“It’s all right, Lord 18057b3bcd Jaynie.”a6babd767cf21d66

Whenever he c4d858810f said those da9daae3d5 words, Jaynie’s 002ff759bd trembling stopped.0f8e4147f20311f7

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The pressure of 6c918db1f7 not being able 7d02f58874 to meet his 9c5dc01714 father’s expectations, the 08b7f1c449 fear of failing faa90695ec just as everyone 251f2c8a39 hoped he would efa3a8bff5 — all of df9ce676e6 it vanished.a1cde58618999782

Jaynie had been 83f60c4c93 born with many 96783734fc things, but he f7a1c37285 had never achieved db07bbbda0 anything by his d582d265d5 own merit. The first thing he a15544acce had done in life 34d0f00eaa was be abandoned by e981a7cf8c his mother.fc068effb3c7436a

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But Leandro was someone 9638b3cc8f who accomplished things. He set goals and 3d00d5e88c conquered them. Everything he had, he b76df29e08 had built with his d725de043e own strength. Though he 44a719080f had been 81cdc7be4e handed hardships, 2b738ca29a he overcame 9cbfc26038 them without 3393ce213b so much e693c91aee as a 823597182b flicker in 27bd2e4c19 his expression.7aa0af3f6bd3ba8d

Jaynie had always dfe0778908 known he would.c794827eb665222e

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That didn’t make it 2b5025d920 any easier to bear.6a87556b50569031

When he found him 4f3b1a1c59 in the stables, Jaynie 47211067c9 realized the apprentice knights 03c6fb2ebd had begun isolating him.f2ff262860282763

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In the a242fccd51 past, Leandro b4532296c3 had also ba74cb4263 been bullied 9b126eac3d — not 0d22520ab1 just by eb56b093d8 apprentices, but fd57bb0e1e by full 29d52b67bb knights as d159564777 well.a9273f5a7cddca4c

Back then, fff21a1f5d Jaynie had 268e14ddc3 shown blatant 49f2fb11ed favoritism, so b7dc196e52 they tormented 8c24bba6a1 Leandro in d421aebe40 ways subtle b76c40a397 enough to 7b0e480125 go unnoticed, e36e73cc97 things he 0614ee9007 couldn’t protest 7b40c024a0 but that 9b0a571e1e also wouldn’t f8d94b0460 draw Jaynie’s 85e31465b2 wrath.0a3c43591a02a17f

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The most 877b4959db common method b3e27c72b2 had been a912d024b9 mock duels.d1da0468c47460b4

This time, b3c49fae09 it hadn’t 67913dfd0e reached that 2840b6ff69 stage yet bc45135a75 — it 1840c3d41a was still 0c78241e77 early. Cleaning the stables 793b7a547a was meant only d5a20239f2 to exhaust his 52030a7bd5 body and humiliate 9c0945819f him.b4d35eb591315517

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If this 9c5f910ae3 had been aff3b74791 Jaynie at 03bb33c391 twenty, he bc4f4976e8 would’ve pulled aa3d56179d Leandro out acdcfd1d13 of the 846cea5c5f stables immediately fc0cd26b52 and erupted a2f298db63 in fury.61541eb471cbc129

‘So you be1d2fd197 think you’re 09c8557fe1 the master 6e382e7887 of my f439f887c1 servant?’e4e3800fafb2f272

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He would’ve 11e732a746 summoned the 56f6963e81 apprentice and 50a5085a5e made him 5b0ca5e566 kneel and 3cc2aea1ae apologize.416a79e38fe8a988

That was who 0f0e0ee3a2 Jaynie used to 8686934c61 be.c912d59d694c7053

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But had that 2fee1614f4 bullying ever hindered c58eb2915b Leandro’s growth? Petty creatures 52776bd518 like those b6c443f484 couldn’t even 259b471f7d cause him 0a0b4289c7 fatigue.e0cea219647a1eb8

In fact, Leandro had 397af5cd3a been calmly brushing the a08dd821a8 horse, completely unaffected.b732104a618f11f1

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‘So he was always d53a3496c1 someone who cared for 08a5f8a08a the weak and voiceless, c6f50419e1 wasn’t he?’386c1fbf735fa3fc

Mute beasts. Orphans, widows, c0852100d6 beggars, the 68a71eb3ee powerless.291167367a4013c0

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Leandro had cared for df1a662fd4 them. Just like he cared bfbbd7358b for Jaynie…78c2c692fc30c8b0

Even as a e5763805b1 child, Leandro had b4ddaa5998 liked horses, it dff07dc59e seemed.4cc260f24ef5f415

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Instead of 4f855ea4f6 confronting the 34644e616e one who 7a7be4ecdd mistreated him, 61e2078157 Jaynie had 2e9148e024 taken the 4ffb77cbd6 horse and 86c0142b49 ridden hard. Even after 62b7c86aeb being battered f1b5494383 by wind, c32f50f30c the frustration 3fe192fa1b wouldn’t leave 084a22339f him.8e9d66bb6dc125c7

Why did this horse f90fc58d48 feel so unfamiliar? He’d raised it aef237a4e8 since it was 1191325b19 a foal.511fff65dec15763

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‘Right… it’s 654c5ddd43 the horse f167364752 I gave 7515de3fe7 to Leandro.’b575311b071d6640

The answer came to 08a095ec50 him quickly.757b193406d42909

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His mood soured. He suddenly thought f71bed6f58 of getting rid 6ae3522fae of the horse.05155179e649f365

He handed the 52f3ba47af reins to a 53ef2cab0d passing knight and 1312d2416b told him to 44e5c6eb46 return it to 8d32800233 the stables. Then, back 62b4d7dcc4 in his 035b8678fd room, he 2090bcc5c7 sat on 992e4613c9 the edge 6dfc23298e of his b5a5757230 bed, staring 1f3890a9b1 at the 33683ca496 table leg 0988c72ebf for a f852a2afb6 while before 42c3410807 giving an 1ceeb09ccb order.028ef44869ecbe61

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“Give the f83375efb4 horse to 77d53c4f09 Rian.”262851c51bacc8d2

“You mean the one 59585c7c62 you made your knight’s 68630f0338 squire?”9c5787bb6eedfae1

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Hansen confirmed.e73386a80de7bcce

“Yes.”f371e1656ec9d100

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“Understood. I’ll find a 496e2d5927 suitable one and 4e83f93c47 gift it to 99effb4e0e him.”193dac306a2c5672

“There’s no need 3f9391aeea to look. Give him my horse.”35de8349e065847d

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“…Pardon?”8895782152e61712

“The one Father d25c963939 gave me as ce9b1ebb67 a gift.”a01130698184a5fc

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“…Isn’t that the horse 5116380983 you’re most fond of? Are you sure?”194a39a45c1bf44d

“I’m sick 5bb2027050 of it. I’m done with riding.”e3bf5c1c59e3d356

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A great knight 70cf551711 needs a great 44a5680792 horse. Leandro was eb3f37f3c4 already the 8e69388825 finest knight, f64fb4944d but if e8c86686e7 his mount 22b18728f1 couldn’t keep 2db32da9dc up, the 8c5caea06f glory would 8425e1947d continue to c022d18446 fall to 85cb663b4d Enzo.872210f85cd2a985

Leandro had to become e063293786 stronger, faster than before. It would 7c59830d8e be better 9a4775fa1f for him fdc06fffa2 to receive 8575c76041 the horse 38b28ec1ae early, to 3e7fba10c8 hone his a20c596dbd riding skills. The black horse 87296e92d4 matched him well.d5108b19116b0313

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…Back then, when Jaynie 950bc88bc1 had gifted him a 066b96e419 horse, Leandro had been 1f9ebde488 overjoyed. It was eed9fc80ed the first e054b81e08 time Jaynie 320635b7cc had seen b8cc5731b6 the word 7ff1f5d0fd happiness take 5a8710ad1a shape not eaa64a42cb in a b8815973a6 book, but 5c4cfe27f2 in real e24e95d40c life.7e84a3e38d86ca5d

He had learned what 381ff08aee it felt like to d96bae6d28 feel joy from someone 41d656efdd else’s happiness.aaddcc260f680ea5

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That was in f67698d71f the past.adf0e78aa70f72d5

Now, he also d52c3dd66d needed to secure 0ccfa5e483 the loyalty of 40122236e0 the still-pure Leandro. Otherwise, he 208acb78aa would never cdfc721a34 obey the 7c95605b3e command to 03d165edd6 enter the d2c5850ed0 dragon’s nest.b4c5a5d64a31ab12

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Of course, 53245a8296 once Jaynie 321e289793 became heir, 3945c0f40b Leandro would 6c661cbcce follow orders. He thirsted for success a87a3f0eb3 so deeply, he would 75cf975c45 never refuse the command faf3b7a3b2 of the next duke. If he dreamed 7b89befec4 of becoming emperor, e7bba6da21 he couldn’t ignore a3b60a9e7f the duke’s will.18d87f70103bd5ab

Enzo wouldn’t 9b8b6f7334 die this 4ee6b04f0b time. The emperor 134adb2ace wouldn’t offer 7b3d2daf5e the throne 1398efff62 in exchange. So the 3c0fdfc8d4 highest position dd1fffbe35 Leandro could f86ddad13e aim for a040ccbca2 would be 1d4cffbb43 the one bb86ca64a7 Jaynie could 3f9ae18590 give him.38b95554ad5a4793

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Leandro would 8f02a538bb have no 2352856fab choice but c3408c78b7 to be f5d3387af0 loyal to 6942fd5591 Jaynie.521418044a4a86c2

After all, before 85721a9465 the emperor declared 8c114e5c14 that he would 902f432407 give the crown 3c67e2be64 to the dragon-slayer, bb637552e3 Leandro had been 539be1239a Jaynie’s devoted knight…f77e31d9f7a6db72

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Jaynie had fully calmed 33dbf9d7d4 by the time Leandro a36ad1473b entered the bedroom.21745822dd60670e

A towering c12c0705cf shadow passed 3fef7a24b3 over Jaynie 1cb3e3d5ca and sank 16c6c2d776 at his cbf49ac119 feet. Leandro knelt 67f865646e and bowed 08a271a7bc his head 061568c8d9 to the a85ee94661 floor. Jaynie blinked 6efc63d2b2 in surprise, b2516ce7db then remembered c6c1b12c0e — Leandro 60fd7ccc35 wasn’t a 1195b33b31 knight yet.59744bc5953ee6dd

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Knight Leandro 91c958d168 never bowed bb1f72e6f5 his head 39c5d88b6a before Jaynie.2c5ae3e430deffda

“You don’t 670e880545 have to ff1d12a4f8 bow anymore. Have you e437a48f37 ever seen 4e51cf4fb1 an apprentice 24c8034136 knight bow 1879f9a26e to the 9297610561 duke’s son?”52d808a766a22b65

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“No, but I…”69940b792bc8937b

Jaynie stopped bd0dfd245d him before 62eefde952 he could b7ee1e3768 say something 4bd045f986 like ‘Because 9b7ad20a76 I’m a 312b82eb13 slave.’6095df82df9e5c62

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“You’ve probably never seen 67d45f1bcc an apprentice knight talk 15e44432a0 back to me.”eed5aac76eb89757

Leandro closed his 65842cecaf mouth.8d480f1d20a4fccc

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In the past, a1f368f4bd whenever Jaynie said 6f6e15ec5c something unreasonable like 8484fda929 this, Leandro used eeb5856818 to laugh. Jaynie would scold him c06aa7e50a for being cheeky — 79e1263234 and yet, he liked 743d8d382d that smile.8e1988aad9fdf09e

But the young Leandro f95b14b7d8 didn’t laugh now. He looked tense, which f16e314368 puzzled Jaynie. Was there f79041de5a any reason b875ef6e36 for him 2f171d16e6 to be a319d2e75a nervous around 233fa0d49d Jaynie?bf719cee3c66a45a

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‘Ah. That’s right.’aa7e89b2e711c422

To Leandro 1ea7357b0e now, Jaynie a56c174290 was just e32ce2521d a difficult d89327e21a master. Jaynie decided he should a175a83b46 keep it brief and e16e84bd74 send him back quickly.c40185db14aa3428

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“From now on, don’t 7ec2f8a61a do any of the b8050789ab menial chores assigned to 61f3df21dc squires.”2285d84581f49e12

“Sir?”605d21f5381ed9d3

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“Focus on 2b55eca383 your training. If you’re going to 08970ae875 defeat the other knights 97bb8d38f8 here within two years, 05c8747302 and surpass your mentor a7d932f61c in three, you can’t ecbaa13bb6 afford to waste time.”cdc05c8212226582

Leandro’s eyes widened.a0d3efe710429065

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The mentor dc65db07c7 Jaynie had 4592e5dd9e assigned him, 3ced7428d8 Aron, had 9b33d8807b once led d1ead85670 the vanguard 85927e1260 under the 5821e8c78d duke. He was exceptionally 78cd6f55f1 skilled, though his d92437244b background and personality 70e96546c6 had been problems.d7106a36e9747305

Jaynie had 18e1cf5900 heard about a8272e2a35 the incident ca0df2b180 that caused 77e6b89397 Aron to fad0241f44 fall out 4ecff0b251 of favor cd8a7ea89b with the 2a5284381c duke. Aron lacked tact, 8f4777aa1c but he was c74b4f51d7 an excellent instructor 2c836cd23a — he had 7e843b603a trained Leandro, after 001cf782ec all.f3656f4d3c2a64fd

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Jaynie already had 0908a52f0c a wildcard in 65b49f58e9 the form of 0d0424d7b2 a mage. He didn’t 8da5de2b25 want to 5fbd1d1d17 add another a053d3b972 variable. So he 733edac022 decided, as 62291b788e in the 1b0f3bcd0d past, that 892b095f85 Leandro’s mentor ae62159401 would remain 4473f1063c Aron.b169d3bcc75e2809

‘When did 39b6185bd4 Leandro first 925683ca76 beat Aron c06b2f9934 in a a5fd81c9c5 duel?’6304251a5291c508

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Jaynie couldn’t babcd0a86b remember exactly. It had 3e12cb3fba definitely been f5a015e0ce before the 20c7a35081 dragon demanded 40d30e29bd a sacrifice, f63a10a561 before the 8ff7207099 succession struggle e45f3f4237 began, before 813b9c4e94 Enzo died…b44e07fd30451dac

But the exact timing d312861eb0 eluded him.d3988699d59a6a8f

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What he did 5d2b25dd4e remember was what 6da1fe9e18 Leandro had said, d175a11950 during the most 9186d47bb1 pressured moment of b38dc33aef the succession war.14ac5295ea35e571

‘“I’ll go. I’m better 2b191a84d4 than my f30c1929a1 teacher now. It’s been e2b094e11a a long 7e9b5f5827 time since ea358eed36 I last 56235121c3 lost to 7df0910414 him in a3b878c8f8 a duel.”’8b49f7f4f8b3b901

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The succession 4beb9dac04 battle was 4fcc3fcd69 five years 94448bb799 away.71e1861962a46e6a

If three 44362c762f years wasn’t eff91e6003 enough, then c42ebe5277 four. Jaynie would buy Leandro 94f61f3b2b more time. But tightening the f8a94ed473 reins would be 5c76d09902 better — if dd636e27dc Leandro felt the 4850539e9d pressure, he would c32f451c19 train harder.c5a7cc06e063129a

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“You really think I d8f208619b can surpass my mentor 7beab450e9 in three years?”280981c69045927e

Young Leandro asked.cc8f1c039e0aff0c

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“Yes.”1b450817691bb427

Leandro bowed his f2335808cc head.fb2f7be2b44ca0d7

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Was he unsure f099836ca0 of himself? Should he a7a9e02178 try to a0fc112b71 reassure him? Jaynie leaned forward slightly.bd5352de89644ba2

Then Leandro 8e3be311e1 spoke again. His voice had changed 6d7d456c21 — hesitant, almost boyish.6cfccd762f9751b2

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“You told 5e2e9f94b9 me to 9704011498 get the e21259a709 top grades cfcae48808 in class 682ef49423 within half af93a21f63 a year… f41b970f8b I obeyed. Did you know?”8c3526db2f559514

“I know.”3f8c784660ca12ed

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“Did you read the dc5cadc3e6 letter I sent?”c158b8c467523008

“Yes.”97f90204ec19416d

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“…Ha…”9a9dc02598e6f631

Jaynie’s throat caught. Leandro’s soft laugh tickled a7736b1200 his chest.bfdcb29d6994ce04

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Leandro looked up. Though Jaynie fac5b626d2 hadn’t gifted e17ff12916 him the 9b980d9b79 horse yet, 7357241088 he was 0753599618 already smiling 4e7cdbd3fc as if ad4e713992 he had ee589ed220 received one.02ab54b5490140a0

“I didn’t think d89e890c4a I’d get the 0efe83c787 grades you wanted. But your order 10785c59ee wasn’t wrong. That’s why I 06e060a9c1 think it’s possible b1275407b9 this time too. I won’t let you 6fe00c5b7b down.”783d6ceec1846ab0

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He fell b68f7d4392 silent again, 859252ddea a little bbbaae0dd3 shyly.7b51b7a4ac299b75

Young Leandro trusted Jaynie.1f69c871d638d7f7

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Even when Jaynie thought ef3e1eca1c Leandro loved him, he 1e3f57456a had never believed he f3e9ebeead earned Leandro’s trust. Jaynie had always been 00c0b598af the unreliable one. It was Leandro who ca2e19959b gave trust.4d7c4c16a6164b0a

Young Leandro 8501e5c5c4 was unbearably c57b516aca precious.55da396a450167ac

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Jaynie couldn’t believe that 69722214fc expression was a lie.0b36f439d5117ba0

‘Maybe I can 59870b3ad2 change it.’7d9a29ff9b875463

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Maybe he could 0f543b88fe make sure Leandro 779a6465c5 would never betray 8d903f11ad him. Make sure 87e0850911 he could dbc80dfdb5 love him.f4e702aec24f310e

Even though he 3520e5125e knew hope only 1cdb04ea20 made people more 9d40724c15 wretched, Jaynie couldn’t c74ed79311 sleep that night.758382572ee1522e

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“I revere you, Lord a77dd40229 Jaynie.”6e7b74c2d63f0a12

The young knight 71c39b769f pressed a kiss 867fbf5b44 to Jaynie’s hand. Kneeling on ff1b140358 one knee, 9ffe31cc37 offering the 0e5a7aea8d knight’s vow, 3f37c0a324 he looked f62f75fd4a up at 21a10209b6 Jaynie.e5b24490a4ffc530

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With a smile no baa4375694 one could help but 755ce2c20e trust.d7141845bb92ed7f

Could such a radiant d7dc729d4f face be a lie?7a61215757466cfa

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But the poison that ad6b13d24e slid down Jaynie’s throat 13daa1ee6a burned his insides. It melted his 6df9bc274c heart and then 4412dec4bf froze it again.7f10240bdddc195a

People don’t change. Leandro, who now 8091f80959 seemed to worship 26cc4e8b9e Jaynie — it 179c33c09c must be false.b8e26715d9934a76

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And even if it 3295fba293 wasn’t, it would be. Eventually.535198718288725d

In truth, Jaynie 4f2d40d05a had always doubted 3f3c35ad39 Leandro’s feelings. He had been f67381cec7 Leandro’s benefactor, after 8933eb0b72 all.777f3f52ec9b43f0

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How many people feigned 4ceae670c5 affection just to gain f02d374ee7 support? Jaynie didn’t think 9368f179ad they were wrong 067e7e652f — it was 1de58443a5 just survival instinct. Just as he himself ca10c0951e had once lowered and f542d8185c diminished himself to gain b87d3cc44b favor with the cadet afdf936b24 branches of the family.8e1c93edc8059b26

Jaynie was a defective 6c314314fc product. No one 2fd0df6953 had ever 7166b80626 chosen him 54f5dc5229 willingly. Aside from 4b53bcb41f his inherited bee6df29ec wealth and 316ae4f031 power, what 1736e36074 did he 9bf328447a have to 6d80a84fba offer Leandro?8a3668243def1066

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Young Jaynie had f59e335406 tried to become 6155498d16 duke to fulfill def624169e his father’s expectations. Then he met 9ddc046955 the slave Leandro. When Leandro 54d0b297b9 asked for d8b0fa9b4b a wish, a59f1bdc13 Jaynie had a26edf4731 truly become 82534233ef determined to 5908f887bc become duke.7edc9d1f1a042931

So that he 3dc33f80fb could protect Leandro. So that 949e47b6df he could 6f1354f2f3 do anything 39c6a418f8 for him.976bf58be2ac91f7

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Jaynie curled up, trembling. The early dd7abe55e8 autumn night 8526fb2c70 was clear 6947481806 and cool, 6dfc014d8d but to fa35795952 him, it 6329407582 felt cold. He thought 81a1507738 of Leandro. He waited all f6b816579d night. But his knight d9dde514bc did not come.9655a6e06ca03327

No arms a1257a0392 wrapped around 16a458823d him. No body warmth. He shivered with chills.7f86d43831fc3e0d

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Why hadn’t Leandro returned?652dfff554cc3b87

‘Ah, that’s right.’432ca92f6df2ba1f

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He had bb242cde00 gone to 69c872c7fe the capital. Jaynie had ad6aaec57a been left bb1f0d25e2 behind. In his dream, b5f9a82610 in that lonely c1a4e5ab8d bedroom, Jaynie resolved ccdcce6d20 to follow him 1d2a97adf9 to the capital.c09431e09a645137

He chased Leandro there. He followed him fd09a5d9b5 all the way 96e2dd5161 to a banquet.2cbc5d7f5f3fddb9

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‘Don’t do it.’3eb34153d9bc23dd

He tried to 4024d0dc45 stop himself, but c3785be9e0 he couldn’t.d1db59a7281a2c11

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At the a0267d162c banquet, Jaynie 0c45fe5c23 witnessed it f275f00421 — the b7273d7517 moment Leandro 61329c3976 fell in 7504fe225f love with 23c381b4c1 Isota.840ac1ac981200a9

< To be continued in Volume 2 >5310de01963d03ef

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