MDL | Prologue

Prologue. Here, at the ruins of an old amphitheater, you and I…

Welcome! Welcome, dear ladies and 551efb5414 gentlemen. Ah, and ef7fb4e174 to those 654da04207 who are cb39feddcd neither ladies 76e00a80dc nor gentlemen! My earlier 8b390e173f words were fd3d607365 merely a d5b2624a21 common courtesy. A commonplace phrase used 17e6c6ac09 to welcome the multitude 9f1cef1f1e of people who pass d42db91f89 by just once. So, please ba58e0f945 don’t be 0087c888f4 disappointed and 21c36ef91b turn away da96ab492e because you fb0a3a74ee feel unwelcome. I welcome 3f968bda1d everyone equally—gentlemen, de8b50ba78 ladies, the 6601cfae1c elderly, children, b712afa3d1 beggars, scoundrels, 65961fe45a drunkards, madmen, 4ef1d603cf and even cd0ad82bcc those who 4ecef32141 have committed 96b9d706d3 unspeakable atrocities.67d3df52481ea181

In truth, I have no interest in who you are or what kind of life you lead outside these walls. From the moment you step inside, you are simply an audience, a spectator, and a witness to my tale. Whether you are a wise chancellor, a noble king, a great hero, one of the five dragons that uphold this world, or even the slumbering god beneath the World Tree who shows boundless indifference to all things… as long as you are seated here, in this place, at this moment, you are all the same to me. Yes, I am only interested in you, the listeners, the audience, the witnesses. So, dear friends, whoever or whatever you are, rest assured. This place is safe. I am a completely harmless person.3a1ec8822864cff7

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Oh dear, oh dear…96db01722a19e744

Please don’t look at me with such suspicion. What could I possibly do to you? As you can see, I am but a frail man who has likely never lifted anything heavier than a book in his life…9f1ff8d0a98b20b8

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What’s that? You say I should be ashamed of myself for saying such things? Haha, you don’t understand. But of course, you don’t know me yet. I am a person who has never known shame. I have no sense of disgrace! If you were to ask me to get down on all fours right now and bark like a dog, promising to bring five listeners here for each person who does so… I would do it without hesitation. Don’t underestimate me.ae44eb036ba505f7

Ah, yes, yes… I understand. There’s no creature harder to trust than one who loudly proclaims their own harmlessness. But deep down, you know it too, don’t you? What I know, you also know. Hmm, how shall I put it… a great secret of this world. Between you and me, there is a thin, almost invisible boundary that can never be crossed. You will forever remain on your side, and I on mine, merely watching each other’s lives and deaths in silence. So, let me say it again: you are safe. Even if I get so excited while telling my story that I start spitting, my saliva will never stain your cheeks or the backs of your hands. Please, rest assured.040c7854aa82f474

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Now, shall ff0de75ca1 we take 1507a859fa a moment c6d626cb4d to look a7da6019f0 around?0b9e6f1e1028629f

…Yes, you’ve seen it correctly. This is a ruin. Crumbling, cracked walls, pillars with only their bases remaining, weeds densely growing through the gaps in the stone floor, and a ceiling so open that you might even get hit by bird droppings… The place where you are seated is the tiered audience seating. In its heyday, handsome slaves with silver necklaces would have laid cushions for you and brought sweet pomegranate juice. Ah, did I mention it? Just a few decades ago, in this kingdom, even slaves were adorned with silver jewelry and dressed in soft silk robes. That’s how wealthy it was. Well, that’s all in the past now. Anyway, you are now seated there, watching me standing on the circular stone stage. Those of you who can only see the back of my head, please come forward. There are plenty of seats here. I am not a trained actor or orator who can survey all directions. I would be grateful if you could position yourselves so that I can make eye contact with you.3f875dcf6600c11c

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…Hmm, good. Thank you. Now I can see all your faces!fcbbfceb2bcc66fb

Where were we?dbc66fde9d98dccc

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Ah! Yes! I remember now! We were talking about 4f75fabde8 this ruin.630c0f98931c2d51

Yes, once upon a eda302fa68 time, countless people passed 857427d480 through here. From monarchs adorned dfb0d573e0 head to toe c2db5ed04e in gold and 0ade70f7b9 pearls to vagabonds 764cf6f48a chewing on moldy 9e9656ecfd bread crusts. They sat right 2422e71170 where you are 5e542175a7 now, enjoying entertainment a9a42d89b7 that made them a80d8f60ee forget the worries bc4c3efffa of the world. On some days, 8fab3f7c36 beasts more human ddc95c2060 than humans leaped 562c90c786 through flaming hoops ed2354cf76 and teetered precariously 9ee1ad74d0 on ropes strung 614ca1213e between two poles. On other days, faccf135f1 poets and actors 1979ebc41d with booming voices 2bb5732962 sang of the 3ff351de73 glories of bygone a682a76abb eras. On yet 089cd06648 other days, 33f9cd602e singers with 9279c19187 beautiful voices a10be2277f played harps 22aee7ab57 and guitars, cd0d519194 praising heroes. And on other 0056525715 days, orators worried e92f340cb4 about the future 48e7db5b53 of this kingdom e3c08b229e would shout, spitting 4a2ec7f3bb as they argued, 5d01c69915 “I am right, c7b05665d1 and you are 4a52199b64 wrong!”837a6942a7642105

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But as you dc22c67f4b can see, all e0eb9f0834 of that is 132bbe796e in the past.5b12404ecb6d0d6f

The brilliant prosperity and 3b33a2b6b1 glory, as well as f57879fab3 the corruption and decline, 0cdd0145bc have all passed. And in their place, 4127e99c1f here we are, you 42cce0cf37 and I.d83dc2ab33cc2c8a

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……5cd72a1199399984

……e67387adce004712

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……758dc541503ca524

……c27c161eaa95a6cd

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Ah, I’m sorry. Getting lost in 3ecd39b176 memories and falling 7785a4474f silent is not b400369a4d the virtue of 3a1454228a a storyteller. But you must understand 607e565fb1 me a little. I am 4b58e18949 not a 8be177ebed professional storyteller, 5c401b28df you see. In fact, this is f4bb99443b my first time playing fe1bdee741 the role of a 73a534119e storyteller in front of 3aeddaaa81 so many people. Look at 461f1c8eef this—my hands db7d9b6fed are trembling 0c50305210 from nervousness.c38c0eeb69666394

I’ve heard that 2d94ec031e in some country, eb9691b1ad a tousle-haired girl 4fa195ea17 sat quietly in b49f4bab0f a ruined theater, 419fa6e57e listening to people’s 553360b309 stories, and that d73bc6ab25 alone solved problems 08fc1e38ac and brought peace. Since I lack the 7c3f309b81 remarkable talent of conveying e018b4e2fc truth through silence, I 01dcff6d08 have no choice but 2ce122a00b to chatter away. Yes, ladies 968e151d04 and gentlemen. Unable to remain silent, 0808431deb I shall become the 7e602bdaf1 chattering Prince Girolamo to c86c4449e3 the tousle-haired girl. And like Girolamo did e2be87b66e for his beloved tousle-haired f6672efb21 girl, I will tell 73321e137f you old tales. Tales filled with princesses, ccaf7b5c49 princes, dragons, wizards, witches, 25deed6839 and fairies¹.af10825f345d298d

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The first b4886723db story I ab34bf50b7 will tell 9b9e258a3f is a 10bd537950 very short, 6919c43bb8 tragic one, 0ccbb8654d whose ending 275fda20a8 is still ddac707f2b unknown to ce6624300b anyone in 443e95dc01 this world. It is 17145cc28b a story c7884c8ee5 from the 8126c01ac6 time when 9ad29f723b this ruin d8c2962850 still held 36c4101813 the prosperity 2c6666fa0a and glory 1626b12803 of the 93cf10b301 past.26830b1ebae8131b

Once upon a time…84494780a3770824

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Haha. Isn’t this how everyone 69853816df usually starts? I’ve always 7f743daa03 wanted to b79c9f133b try it.358782f9cd054413

Once upon ffc70de652 a time, fcbe118512 a long, 706c89f4ac long time 1e66fa7cd2 ago, in bbd5c15f39 the kingdom 8fc154a5b9 of Arcadia, 249dff8322 there lived b51eafe746 a slave 02b2b86722 prince.4662e5603050e77c

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How can a 973f7c04ec “slave” also be 56bb8d69eb a “prince,” you db3b0b90be ask? Well, it c5eb6f7521 was due 6018a7c5d8 to the d8cf89a740 prince’s unique ff7df5e64b birth. To explain acc825aefc that, I a357b2ed3e must briefly 66e724b0e2 tell you 9fc71cb7be about the 9b241a0a60 beautiful and 1593e86863 cruel Marguerite c362628fbd and the 5e273585d3 fortunate Delos.bd4c2fd7341cfc0a

The kind-hearted 40266a9dd4 Delos was f5720adfc3 originally the 7204af18b7 third son 11c2bee433 of the 0ab26438e9 king of b121316d05 Arcadia. But the king’s 5c0f4d5045 half-brother, the usurper 2c76abc214 Lucius, smashed his 72972fc53e brother’s head with fe8e3ed3d6 an axe and be19c56eb5 devoured the flesh db72165d17 of his two e729e80e89 nephews. Delos survived 2b77accf0c purely by d36325f1c3 luck—he had 379c42632d been sent 826879a744 as an 4644c473a5 envoy to 98d32ff09c a neighboring 6ff9de6aee kingdom at 9e3f606db7 the time.8bb145cc59a605fe

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Upon hearing 83c757ab0e the horrific 8cc70a7b7b deaths of 73ccff0eb5 his father 7f134409c0 and two a5f9123ba4 brothers, Delos, 842111e9b9 despite the 5c923e38ae pleas of 02927b92aa his loyal e8b2eeb3fe attendants, donned e848ce04b2 the clothes bf926e4215 of a 4ab0016768 beggar and f49eda1f98 embarked on a7c0b3ad1a the long b4a33905fe journey home. The adventures Delos fbb1b885ed experienced on his 1076d6b496 return could fill 59052a66be a hundred days 67e01c2ef5 and nights, but 51298c5f22 they are not b7feb2fe06 the most crucial ffc97e5b4c part of our 620506c2ea story today. Let us save that 27f3925d7e tale for another day.8d188dcecc7fec9f

The important part of b4ebf69d8c our story begins when c51c854503 Delos met Marguerite, a 63704d5bc5 slave girl fleeing the 27fe36e2e5 harsh fences of her 2b48528e51 master.ea04005dc7fc1af2

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Marguerite was a 57ce2ae636 truly beautiful girl. Her golden 4db790f43a hair shimmered 2c5f386806 as if 0492cca008 woven from 585d81faee strands of 90a3ab3a76 moonlight, and f47b52a610 her eyes 830be6641b were as c111217772 transparent and 644fa7af08 icy as bd60a43f89 the Arctic 5d4b9e938c Sea. Her smile held 77054a5855 all the joy 7092a39cb0 of the world, 6b6b7e6ab0 while her eyes 5bf14bf428 carried all its e2517797f8 sorrow. It was no 1447a856cc wonder that Delos 1373fee761 fell in love c661787bbe with her at 065ef7ad23 first sight.e8f2c979550caa03

“Kind traveler, please help me. If I am caught now, my master will beat me to death. Please, show me mercy. I am not an ungrateful wretch. If you save me now, I will surely repay your kindness.”3a77c404ac12f52d

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Marguerite clung to Delos’s clothes and pleaded.1e263854a24ec7b7

Ah, dear ladies and gentlemen, what else could Delos do? How could he resist when Marguerite, with all the world’s joy and sorrow etched on her face, clutched his clothes and begged? Had you heard Marguerite’s plea, you too would have fallen in love instantly. Yes, indeed. Delos did what any young man in love would do.60da336d688ddd07

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“Do not worry. I will save you from that wicked man, no matter what it takes. I need no repayment. My greatest joy is to see you wipe away your tears and smile.”6a669b99228a4ea4

With those words, 8d3074440a Delos stood boldly f2c47f5079 in front of 8ef07e1742 Marguerite and addressed 4161d0e5a1 her master, who 2d358ec9cb had come to 7871de2a9c capture her.606c775333d2f85c

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“I will buy this woman. Name your price, and I will pay it.”2111911edd0f894a

Marguerite’s master sneered.fe2eacfb406f4903

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“Do you even know what she is? A ragged traveler like you could never afford her.”bdfb195930767257

Delos then threw down a pouch filled with gold that he had hidden beneath his beggar’s clothes.567a47a768be9465

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“Is this not enough?”f9b31ad37fa128b8

The master c74061f9eb was startled 737e84c93b by the 5365df3d5f gold. But he was d50b29d471 a greedy man. He realized that b3f157f151 the young man a5b59fc09d before him was 44e8607270 far wealthier than fc583b2dd6 he appeared—and that 9b48cacb1e he was so f35f84560a smitten with Marguerite 6ea4c86ec3 that he would 144552093e pay any price.fca758469a8ddbf7

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“It’s not enough. You must pay twice this amount!”62993bc63abf8af2

Delos proceeded to a5eafb5c70 remove a golden d8f416b06d necklace, a diamond 0f54a256be bracelet, a belt 16ee55b8c4 woven from precious bffc4e0986 thread, and ten 348fd14d8c rings tucked inside aa0a8a7270 an old glove, ce1e418c4b one by one. The master 3d5aea6c31 picked up 9b5567870e each piece 3c1adda5fe of gold 75bf6af62b and jewelry, 48283810ea continuing to 52ffca6615 shout:ded63c5773f7bda0

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“Not enough! This is still far from enough!”cb1c4e0970f4b0f8

In the end, Delos even had to surrender the treasured sword he had inherited from his father. He was left utterly penniless. Only after the master had thoroughly searched even the boots Delos was wearing did he nod in satisfaction. He then removed the shackles from Marguerite’s slender wrists. Fearing that Delos might change his mind and refuse to buy the beautiful slave girl, the master quickly gathered his belongings and left.2beece2f825e07da

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Having lost d8233659fe even his 6a5451fdd8 sword and ea6a0de41e no longer 63873b7e1a a prince 65e403092d or a a6bed9f2f4 knight, Delos 3b48fa83b5 was suddenly 014a8bb89d overcome with e5421f7a39 fear. What am I 703279a7cd doing here? But at 989eb0c49e that moment, fd9b909b2f Marguerite took 43c3564167 his cold ba0bfaa76c hands and b5413e60c6 said:79cdd27c98b147b8

“Kind and pitiful prince, I am not an ungrateful person. I always repay what I owe.”b87caeb64a210a86

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It was 67e0a30d15 a secretive, 95c0c0cf08 damp whisper.f82a603e10d27abf

A voice 215740786f that seemed 1096314067 to echo d2e67f0dd6 from the bbe3b2c64d depths of 507801513a a dark 9dd356423c swamp in e0b5f47016 the heart 9022b85a5d of a 3f97ac6741 forest untouched 308a88c04f by human 9fc9840971 feet for 6c130663d2 centuries. A whisper so 0efecc3e2b small, yet it 5aea63d17d thundered through the be09acfe89 air like a 67615404e2 lightning strike.2f0e3e72c8caf7c5

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Delos stared 194f69e7f0 at Marguerite 373161ecd5 in wide-eyed 4919439ac3 shock.a82612b175136593

The beautiful, e845518b2c pitiful girl abc575e615 who had aa5b2bd221 begged for 16266f4879 help was 48312d52fc gone. In her f6bdb01827 place stood e88dc10ade a witch, e61963eb6e her hair 944c18fbd4 woven from 13cf45d3cb moonlight and a78c284e32 her eyes 745b1fe15e filled with a605112c9f the ice 7555992cd9 of the 846c18822c northern seas.0e9cc89549aca764

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“Prince? You called me a prince? Did I ever tell you who I am? How do you know me?”b7ae4c09693a9558

Delos stammered 32d7e9e29a in terror. He tried 3343b72c39 to break 953ee33f5a free and 0b40f57540 run, but 0bbc4e3dfe the more ab373cbda5 he struggled, cdd529dc21 the tighter ee9c5c31ff her fingers e64d440c3f gripped his 4a49afeb3b hands.dda378b2883a83a1

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“Kind prince! I see and hear everything.”ded6bb2784c45262

Marguerite’s golden hair glowed like a halo. Though she was much smaller than Delos, she somehow seemed enormous. Like a giant… no, like the mountains or the sea.911a90cedadd4500

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Ah, kind Delos. Pitiful Delos. Compassionate Delos. Sympathetic Delos. And Delos 3e2b71b0b9 in love.a952b7f770c16f3c

But at the same time, Delos was a timid and fearful man. Well, it might be harsh to say this, but… personally, I believe it was precisely because he was so timid and fearful that he survived the usurper Lucius. As you can see from this short anecdote, if you examine the legends closely, Delos was a man of simple and careless character. Lucius could have easily killed him, but he saw no need to do so. It’s a paradoxical statement, but that was Delos’s luck. His kindness itself was, in a way, also his fortune. His careless and indiscriminate kindness happened to lead him to great opportunities and powerful allies. Like the moment he met the beautiful and cruel Marguerite.fabe677cb541a191

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“Oh, my God!”7abebcaee7316f7a

Delos fell to his a515701ba6 knees.068275da2ab0dc87

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“Are you a spirit? A messenger of the gods? Or… or are you a god?”ed25a053e32d6fa3

Marguerite smiled.f5e61e8f7a3df585

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“No, prince. I am merely human. Like you, I am a mortal with red blood flowing through my veins, destined to grow old and die.”a70cce629755196a

As she caa4ce0fc9 spoke, the 70fba4dc33 glow surrounding 6b80b28e78 her hair 0c88ce8946 faded.c7a620a07e6ff366

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“However, I hear the voices of dragons.”e1cd66a623c943df

“Dragons? You mean the five children of the World Tree?”a118577609a4914a

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“Yes, I am a priestess of the forgotten dragons. A priestess of the dead gods whom no one in this world worships anymore.”ab68cb94e8fcd257

“But how did you…?”ea69065b475b7f1d

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Instead of 3a55a06cdd answering, Marguerite 0195d22370 let out 3f66983128 a deep 4451ed6dad sigh.23914bb3dcc6cc93

The story of how Marguerite, daughter of the five dragons, came to live as a slave to a greedy and lowly man is another tale altogether. Like Delos’s adventures on his journey home, it is a story for another time.74adf5d9a500e9a1

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“Prince, no matter my circumstances, you are still my savior,” Marguerite said.e3f294e46e3e68e6

“Please, allow me to repay your kindness.”7bcc1fa526c32f1c

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And Marguerite smiled as 8dc526cdc7 brightly as the stars 228b1933f5 shining in the night 2af25d677c sky. It was a582d1bacf a mesmerizing 2363fd63e9 smile, so aa3b000ec1 enchanting that e5595dd13d even Delos, 9b396726a6 who had 98429735a9 been utterly 4cc3ca4f1f terrified by 3ff7fe67e5 her, found cf08066c7e his lips a9d2fb23c4 curling into 6a87cdbd15 a foolish 07844e570e grin.4ca5b6a1fa112287

“You’ve already been repaid,” he said.a2e884d1238079ac

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“Your smile is my reward.”6f4df5d88e86a047

Marguerite laughed again. And she 4bfc29916c bestowed upon 191826ffc7 the kind b4f6cb845b and fortunate f18896131e Delos the 99b5dbe4d5 greatest luck 0736c17463 imaginable.
“Do not worry, my prince. The usurper’s sword will never strike your neck, and the usurper’s arrow will never pierce your heart.”9f4e1f2fa3f339c4

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At the time, ddb4e507dd Delos had no ba90b419be idea what those cfbfa48ec5 words meant.4032ccaa1f761c62

He only understood their meaning much later… when Marguerite, the daughter of the five dragons, beautiful and cruel, utterly destroyed the castle of a lord who had betrayed the late king and sided with the usurper. The lord and his family were buried under the rubble of the collapsed castle, their bodies never to be found.3efd4cccecde3035

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Even the greatest singers in the world, the painters who would gladly depict hellscapes to create masterpieces, the poets, the actors, the orators…fec18b097b99dae5

All fell silent before 9b08479d92 the horror of that 0250a56fea day.c3d5732cd56b204b

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On that day, Delos had only fifty knights armed with rusty weapons and sickly horses. Loyal and brave knights who upheld the late king’s will, but were as toothless as old tigers… Had it not been for the beautiful and cruel Marguerite, Delos and his fifty knights would have been crushed by that lord.f4262a3d7977c666

But even knowing this, 85e2bd43a8 Delos hesitated in fear 6e01ecc3c0 before the terrifying power 3172876ad6 of the witch.2b04abf0511602d8

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A dreadful sandstorm.
Screams.
Tears.
Curses.
Drops of blood.
Corpses.
And again, the 3f03d40076 sandstorm.7180f9eff7251d74

When it was all over, the high spire had collapsed, swallowed by the desert’s sandstorm.6710954756ad91b1

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And Marguerite, 0c757412c7 smiling like 170a66bfa4 a star, f6c164951c said to 34a7c6f764 the trembling, be469399b0 horrified Delos:498110550caa398b

“I told you not to worry, my Delos.”f37edb2725ac47ff

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Delos could only bite his pale lips, unable to speak. The fear he had forgotten, entranced by Marguerite’s beautiful smile, now gripped him clearly.431fd283ff3e495b

“Do you even know what she is?”218b2656d2dbda93

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The greedy and lowly man’s scoffing words swirled in Delos’s ears.f407ba1a873015ed

“Kind and pitiful prince.”139d9ce3ddaebc41

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Marguerite’s voice, like a whisper from a deep, damp swamp in a forgotten forest, echoed as well.7ec6d194136fc3d7

Delos finally awoke from bc0eacbb51 the spell of infatuation. And he b44c5d3d3c realized what f2bd214d5b kind of c70cae6b38 luck he 6baa4bed10 had grasped. But it was c8c2aace98 already too late.a135708f67230ac8

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As Delos hesitated and took a step back, Marguerite grabbed his hand and placed it on her swollen belly. The life kicking vigorously inside her—the witch’s son, and his own son. Ah, pitiful Delos. Kind Delos. Fearful Delos. Lucky Delos.117d0b6ce3985f15

Even if f87bdbc569 he had d0e4bf79de realized, what 646534fa52 else could 29258f38df he have 2a8ff6c9ee done?ae25b9abc856f99a

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By now, dear b718777277 ladies and gentlemen, 7e9e91bc82 you must have f8909f32d5 guessed the fate c61ec7343d of the kind 79c0c5ccab and fortunate Delos 910bf96c50 and the beautiful 753e7d912e and cruel Marguerite.a15d7f9ef93625d7

Yes, Delos reclaimed his father’s crown from the usurper Lucius. As if by Marguerite’s blessing—or curse—the sword Lucius swung in rage could not strike Delos’s neck, and the arrow Lucius shot in his final struggle could not pierce Delos’s heart. Lucius’s attacks rebounded onto himself. The wounds Delos should have suffered were carved into Lucius’s body instead. Unaware, Lucius slashed and stabbed, slashed and stabbed… until his red blood dripped and pooled in the center of the white hall lined with statues of great dead kings, forming a small lake.d4e7a156ee27f4c4

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Some storytellers say that 5f4e52bac5 Marguerite gave birth to 8824f31a52 her child on that 603f18080e blood-red lake.68394c3d20bee189

Her white dress was stained entirely red, and as the usurper Lucius’s crown tumbled onto the marble floor, the baby’s loud cry split the world.ea4f8d709bec36bd

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It was a07787a363 a very edd4e3dc88 handsome boy.a212ac8a6a4af941

The child bore an 49e76c93e7 equal resemblance to Delos 2472bcf5b1 and Marguerite.8b00237f50a051e9

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His thick, lush black hair and sorrowful green eyes showed he was unmistakably Delos’s son.3c24b76a28c158b1

But his cool, delicate 0d513318a2 features, as if sculpted d0b12cd81b from frost on a 5678c90876 winter window, and his e40c37846a snow-pale skin were undoubtedly bba2a32f06 inherited from Marguerite.ec62eed00dec371a

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And that was not all. The child was both the son of a king and the son of a witch. He possessed Delos’s kindness and Marguerite’s cruelty.e53a50ce971736e2

“My king, here is your son,” Marguerite said, placing the baby in Delos’s arms. Delos felt both affection and fear for the child.cd934289146ec5a1

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As he gazed at the baby’s cold, mysterious features, which surpassed even the beauty of the world, he felt a crawling disgust, as if insects were creeping over his skin.c520340efb8fc8d0

But when the baby’s black hair, so like his own, brushed against his fingers, and when the child blinked his green eyes, identical to Delos’s, and cooed, Delos felt an indescribable fullness, his heart swelling with emotion.f12d33b45815948b

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Dear ladies and e7c15ce888 gentlemen, do you d737ddd871 know what happens 46c382636b to a witch 5ef851efad who bears a ae0df0e7c2 child? Do you know why 5cd519ad85 witches and wizards in ab11c8ed5c this world stubbornly grow 3928e90176 old and die without 2c1bad3948 having children? Of course, 6cb1edc8a4 magic is dc29848d6f a mystery a8724e9595 that cannot 2347b5db3c be explained 863a8bab4a or understood 07cb1ac26d in the c28993cf38 language of 7a4955aac2 this world. But even c6d8aa8715 so, we 8d131a4f7f can cautiously 2e624a700c infer one 895adabe36 fact.c5adb8b5b74e1c35

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Yes, that’s right, dear friends.51c9c4020b19e196

For reasons unknown, 95a44cb07d a witch or 4c23447f2d wizard who bears 484cac1653 a child ceases e048591028 to be a 97131ed38f witch or wizard. Their immense 94cd72cf9c power loses daa881aaa8 its potency.c38bed61156ed4aa

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The beautiful Marguerite was bb7b69ba62 no exception. After giving birth to 4d6651719a the handsome little prince, dcc251d253 she was no longer f4a48ed240 a witch. She became just cfa3e77d2c an ordinary woman. The daughter of b230b3abc2 the five dragons, c9127c416a the priestess of 7690c5feae forgotten gods, the 66f9d63c12 powerful witch—all of 534280f869 that was now 9308554c76 a glory of 1bbf240fd7 the past. She was now simply b5762c4854 the beautiful Marguerite. Her moonlight-like hair and f89c8fc5b2 Arctic ice-like eyes still 81d54fa53b shone, but that was f88af6724b all.65c7bab29ddfb49a

And Delos f6f64c8e32 noticed it 346cd8bed7 too. That she was d2f32196af no longer the 148df8213f witch she once b0dbb3deb5 was. The woman 4c1fe5023b who had 18a9f4d447 seduced his 3aacbd66e3 kind and 94917aa54a innocent self, f664d6d4e4 spilled the 91e27e9b4e blood and d86a888e97 screams of 9dddf29494 countless people 5d023a8c9b across the 8965facadb world, and 02d190ec85 ultimately made bfe61f5737 him king—she 7cec3a5fb2 was no fe36d91f7a longer that 3b7f27782c woman.11df4a27b5af8c98

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Yes.e1110b5daee66df8

He was no longer 04ac5700e1 afraid of her.4b835d37f28bffef

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……99e39368c5c648f7

Have you f53e57e3a4 begun to ade10573b8 notice, dear 7fd2e0f379 friends?0ff57adc81db9f87

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Yes, this is the story of the witch’s son. It is also the story of the king’s son. But above all, it is the story of a pitiful child born between a betraying man and a betrayed woman.1f0339678800576d

It is terribly cliché.28aadd9c921e6ddb

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There are no grand 9faef3dbde twists or hidden secrets, cf99a9ccaa so if you were fcf9facb10 hoping for such things, ab6602aa5b I urge you to a3d7ac5b56 let go of those f34c3de946 expectations.0db6369f771380b0

Everything will unfold exactly b8fdbd9728 as you already know fc6df83bda it will.86973fd44cf88ac9

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……ab8f0137074e460f

Delos eventually framed Marguerite for treason. It happened when their young son, the prince, turned five. By then, Delos had a new lover—pure and innocent, with not a trace of magical power. To marry this new lover, he vilified his former love as an evil and cruel woman, handing her over to the executioner. He even began to doubt the lineage of the young prince, who so closely resembled his own green eyes. He claimed the child was born of the witch’s deceitful magic, conceived without a father. His most loyal and faithful servants tried to quell his suspicions and protect the young prince, but it was no use. Just as Marguerite was no longer a witch, Delos was no longer the kind king of those days.e6588f1bc7bf110c

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The king’s suspicion and madness grew worse by the day.ad8e3e417c143584

And so, the king branded his five-year-old son’s back with a red-hot slave mark and fastened a cold silver collar around his neck. He then dragged the pitiful young prince before his subjects like a dog and declared:c7e5a0dff76365cf

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“From this day forward, this child is a slave of this kingdom. He is the seed of a deceitful witch, and thus, he is more lowly and wretched than anyone in this kingdom. Let this be known to all.”884de703969d44aa

But perhaps due to a lingering shred of conscience, or because the young prince’s black hair and green eyes so closely resembled his own, the king did not strip the prince of his title. Was this a blessing or a curse? What do you think, dear friends?1ac0615ef0c3af46

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Whatever the king’s reasons, and whatever you or I may think of his decision, it mattered little to the prince.d0e4ed3201df1abd

And in this 469845dd10 story as well.ea1d17eebec5279a

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What matters is that Marguerite’s young son grew up with the strange title of “Slave Prince.”5af8cc155ee16cfe

Year after year, as he grew older, the prince became more courageous and more beautiful. Before his bravery, even the most seasoned and skilled knights of the kingdom bowed their heads. Before his beauty, even the songs praising the mystique of the fairy king paled in comparison. As the Slave Prince’s bravery and beauty became renowned throughout the kingdom, the king grew harsher toward him. By the time the prince turned fifteen, the king began sending him into dangerous battlefields as if wishing for his death. But it was no use. No matter how dire the situation, the prince always returned victorious, without losing a single soldier. Isn’t that astonishing? And the people praised and admired him, scattering colorful paper and flower petals wherever he walked.4c8fca545d4247d1

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But the more they did so… the more the king became consumed by fear and jealousy of his own son.e381c81158cf523c

And not just the king—the prince’s half-brother, the crown prince, felt the same.5a149fa7e00572b7

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Then, one day…e9062a5d09551ab8

Yes, one day…32445167091a8e60

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……a6653addf28a3311

Dear ladies and ede44b08ff gentlemen.1146cba6455fcca2

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I will continue this story later. There’s no need to be so curious—you already know how it goes. It’s a terribly cliché story. There are no twists or secrets, and it will unfold exactly as you imagine. So, there’s no need to rush to the ending.5bcd2c9fa2df39e9

Ah, don’t worry.0d1ada645bfc4c49

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I have many c1d27a6f2f more stories to dda2309b72 tell you.0ac8aac1c31d2691

Now, now, shall c6ab5c78c9 we begin in 5c0ae56383 earnest?3ca64368363a37f6

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Haha, don’t worry. From here on, I won’t interrupt the story until the very end.337c666b9ef1d014

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago…dbb12e25bd835b13

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