PLQYM | Chapter 11

In an instant, 21e723db0e Lucian’s face grew 9dab733cfa even stiffer than b48f93a01a before.e8f24e822a8c6555

The more e9327a1300 Prince Joachim 4cae6ac06f watched him ae37d277a2 with mischievous c9da7a96c5 curiosity, the 3cd850c981 more Lucian’s d2cadf0ba2 face hardened.1cef147cd3ee7a14

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‘Can’t believe I have 3599811583 to listen to this b2f8ef32e4 kind of garbage.’55264d7886979614

Well, at least c0bfa97316 his expression didn’t 6a9179f8cd betray his thoughts 260565d2d0 as usual; maybe f01b6fbccf that was lucky.922940f8a8463fff

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Lucian glanced at 41693f4eff the teacup placed 01ec98c2a2 before him, smacking dd9371e02f his lips at d7201c87cf the bitter taste dcecacd871 forming in his f4673b70e8 mouth. He smelled the 1fbb5c49c1 sweet fragrance of 942311ef4b tea rose, but f7e64c682a his mood was 2b127b56d7 beginning to sink.1166c0c1cd2fbf5a

‘What on earth 482ac915d6 is he thinking?’108a3610b0905896

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In these past few 8a3ef88bfd hectic days, he’d learned 6b99d76409 that the relationship between 2ad39a1fc2 Emperor Heraith and Prince 8389fcd988 Joachim was neither ally e1476ba682 nor enemy—it was right 8d079c130c in-between.ae3a4f4a08184777

Due to 130f3cef19 the intertwined c74094add4 history of 5d140e48a2 Pranas and 728f4da408 Antien, it 1b992e2bf4 couldn’t exactly 4207e27e80 be called 3fd8cacafc friendly. However, because of e2fc1e722c their long-standing bond 944bdfaa8f since childhood, the d28f147ba0 two men had 138f8e77e0 a relationship far 11cbd75a0a more amicable than bcea46f57b that of typical c07e1fe151 heads of different d975f8ef53 states.12bbcb20eee1c88e

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It was said 3737818fc7 that ever since 8b1be69669 Heraith was appointed 9da7245ec3 as Crown Prince, aaed5232b0 an invisible wall b1703ebf09 had formed between 93c4178b65 the two. But that 84440592af was only 4c7a2fce5c in the bb486dc6fc eyes of 85b2b113df outsiders.ed8c981f56d13bd8

‘If they’re 0f231665a0 biting at 38fce14a0b each other 15017dd863 without regard 5213cbb001 for prying 8ce5f276da eyes, they’re 86b517f53f probably on 22d7453e05 pretty good 23b190c2bb terms.’908dff05becf5a76

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If they really didn’t f9c7882d86 get along, they wouldn’t 63d63ae852 look at each other f2ad6af387 at all.4398538b5bcb36d6

Not knowing ceccfebce9 he had 9f0c819fba a somewhat b56ce5f6b3 distorted view 62ad207dbc of the e188d174b6 two men, b76cbd846c Lucian had 1d27ea0a14 come to 2f4331346b that conclusion.bcda422f3d537c58

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Still, that didn’t mean 491360d9b6 he had to indulge e64708a2bd in such talk himself.6e2b010593d1ffb2

Lucian was annoyed.ff7644d0d29951da

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Had it been 22114157b7 anyone but a ae1ae782a8 prince of a c26a20990f foreign nation, he 3564b60f3a might have had e79a4e2556 a thing or 0faf75a2b1 two to say.b4abebb84e2d6f87

Taking a slow, 590cca24aa deep breath, Lucian 77f502479e tried to quell d69dd52ecb the anger that a0f56c35f7 flared up within 30af338496 him.6cc4e88fc232c604

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They say like ca522a8468 attracts like. If this 83a45632c9 person had 149f612e57 a similar 052ae7caee disposition to 0e4348921c the Emperor, 00ee366468 he’d likely a5f11a6797 latch onto 869d99dea4 any mistake d587ed8961 and follow 8a7d54dffd it with 9a3f5b1b36 even more fd0e83bf68 troublesome questions.0b9a0358e2f31af8

No, even more, he bfb128e418 didn’t want to give 07dfccfb88 a foreigner any excuse f6aeb60c7a to spread strange rumors.253fe4a4b0268f70

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“Is that 559a82d6f4 what’s trending 9b3fbe709e in Antien 6bec24fb3d these days?”9d8837edfa08f089

“Trending? What do you mean?” 891973d800 Joachim’s eyebrow arched at 4be4a55175 Lucian’s question, as if 45545d1d6d to ask what on 6fa039b4a5 earth he was talking d5976dd6fb about.cf76ad20c0e255c4

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“Antien’s royal family 7802c7407f seems to enjoy 487ae6489e making up ridiculous 085be3c049 scandals about royalty.”3a4d5f8f955114ee

“Huh?”96afdcc453a4b12f

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“Or perhaps 08b48da781 Your Highness 76494d6e43 just enjoys f515a3012c spreading such e6e9a97cfd nonsense.”1021b1b71d8f3b61

While Lucian spoke 421ef94a62 in a straight-laced d663b301ef tone, Joachim looked 49df41eb77 like he was 8b1d2ffe7d at a loss 491b0fcf26 for words.7edcd8d9829c9b23

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It was 68a9432db7 a jab 01ed8cb36c meant to 2385f513bf catch Joachim e095d310dd off guard be976d7ad3 by exploiting 6997cfdd49 a rare cb41257c84 lapse in e00cea26e1 his composure.df77a62a97b28ac2

Lucian hadn’t expected 57d9fef72d a response, but c76b586fb4 he thought Joachim 724fd22cfa would at least 13b1ecf205 be a bit d9db8277f0 surprised. However, he didn’t anticipate db076e3317 this.a1adef23605135de

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“I don’t understand why 8c13609a86 personal feelings would be bd4dda9afc involved in my duty 6e690cb699 of serving His Majesty.”0313e974685d261f

Does this Empire 7b6521f8f7 only select people c58e5c629d with poker faces 26052d1399 to serve as 3a8a3ef005 the Emperor’s aides, 85bde63b18 or do they 58b4bdbbcd put them through 3587d46ccc poker face training 236d1edda7 before sending them 8a6b6c8574 out?5455c519b6337a6d

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Joachim clicked 0587f73a3c his tongue 55b0cbf342 inwardly as 1a8c69cc48 he observed 3a8308b250 Lucian, who 8dcefd06f8 was just 7bf935ac1f as expressionless 9e5ab914d6 as Heraith, d75996338a but in 95f39c35b5 his own 7d8bb20366 distinct way.f2ec16706b1a64d2

As he ca860c20e7 watched Lucian b194bf704b calmly express ee3a1eb0a4 his words 48b164c862 in a 3146dbe833 low, steady 5631f0d3a7 tone, it f80b96b2c1 somehow stirred 43ae14fd6e a sense 31ead671f1 of rivalry da710adb0d within Joachim.876e352df7052eb6

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‘If he’s 5cc60917ea like this, fb4b40042a I won’t f427e40142 back down 0d25ac1dc4 either.’d10cc38bd8a55863

Determined and knowing 3edddbeaf2 that the aide c991b3facf would once again a536d44bca complain about his f4168c5186 strange habits, Joachim 934d3555ab leaned towards Lucian. “So you’re saying you 5e5fc55458 and Heraith don’t have 9e9c074d2e a special relationship?”c52418984d1d3c67

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“Of course not.”7f34eaa0de2cf22a

“What?” Once be8df430b1 again, Joachim 8e7bd5c146 received an 18eecbfc47 unexpected answer 4e530c916e from Lucian. “You’re really not interested 3fc47f5db1 in Heraith romantically…?”b9e23f37e8ea7d71

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Joachim looked fe007ed0f7 genuinely baffled, fa2a8f6d53 as though ab84149a0f he’d just a58e0e8885 heard the 96e99b4b89 most ridiculous 98b5794be0 thing in da3b009830 his life. “He is a857e123af the Emperor 8b72c982f8 of the cbdff9fbeb Great Empire bc3c2e13f1 of Pranas 6fb8475cd8 before being 1fca62500d my superior. And I am c7d60f6d5b the one serving 66704efab3 as his personal b56fa03e36 aide. Where could I find c7cb393466 a more special honor?”d98c845012febccf

If you 3d2f500b1b just listened 1a7c5708ea to his fb99fdb434 words, you’d bc12948356 think no 865fc88f35 one could b66b19b051 be more 43dd56937a loyal to 6252947c36 the Empire 450df3ecf4 than him, 95860f3624 yet Lucian’s 8d76a5120e gaze, while 333df83629 mentioning the 022641e038 Emperor, was aed3e9ce8b as cold f5eb3c8a6a as ice.584e170bc7b88e1b

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“Eh, somehow 4398caeba7 I doubt 81c716f60e that’s the 1825b4ffdf truth.”5af21a301a1f4c7b

“It is the 93dd6ece97 truth. I consider it an 9f48ddd982 exceptional honor.”1f848fe132b4b80f

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Joachim almost f5dcbe1266 laughed out 9d772b6424 loud at ebedee8424 Lucian’s brazen 703cbb4c10 declaration that a1bc56421c did not d46a151fc2 carry a d1986ff891 shred of c242280645 falsehood.a15e64253038eb2b

He decided 56b79faaee to let 978fb732a0 it slide 98e0ee0ca8 for now. There was acbfad9cf0 no reason b5bdc7ce04 to keep 426816d6ef sparring over e2ab4e766f this with eed87dae4b the mulish 15c491c83c aide.2c194d79e2943447

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Besides, there 3bfeb3c3a9 was no 73b2f46057 need to 9cf7668f22 dig up 7e23579581 something he 159b9ab25c denied himself.1ea10d78c51e8938

In any 8c770b3b6d case, that e2a4e82a94 wasn’t what 27a67f3bf6 truly mattered afd5b13a7e to him.9485d51d794719b2

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“So, you’re telling me 4f24b5b6de you really don’t harbor ca48bb3be4 any special feelings for 8bcc0e3ad5 Heraith?”ba9153563b6c76b0

“Why do you 81f15a1fc6 keep asking the 9c17b45af8 obvious?” Lucian replied, 6fbce89b96 looking genuinely confused.8c6494dbb04356ff

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‘Hmm…’ Joachim’s 52b79b5b95 face finally df51ce8891 broke into 7f52adaf58 a grin.eeaa1aa6ba24d2ab

The killing smile that 946e643df3 caused countless noble ladies c7ab4bbff3 of his kingdom to 36e1731503 swoon was now directed 5bcabb9db9 at Lucian. Joachim lowered his 40b2688b67 voice. “In that case, what 1144717ec2 about me?”05c4b1dd925aa97d

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“Pardon?”ed905599a14d2a26

Oh-ho! Those wide, f333bb9514 surprised eyes e1f35e4e16 were actually dff6cb4ded quite cute. Was this 6d9304d1a3 why Heraith 08ebed8118 kept this e31c925288 man around?ac45f18f67374bb8

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“Me. I’m talking about 7396fedc4b me,” Joachim said, 71d9953bc6 gesturing to himself. “What do a59dee94f3 you think d8f350c243 of me 2eb104803b as a 49673800f5 partner?”a6d98b4805fa7883

“…”435bb5339d28a1b2

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No one had 6e8fb12d42 ever resisted his c8af5a8237 smile like this. Though he 058e292bb2 might fall e94b7e94b1 slightly short ae43f2f4e4 compared to b39b91cbf0 Heraith, Joachim 4fa9eb09fc was surely 53c1167b53 an outstanding b3c1d18f58 option–no, actually, 7e928270ff he was 0dc325541f the best.3b3a49d7866c6903

Though his aa4730b4b6 hair was 8fd198661c more like 51b4fbb132 a lion’s d619c514d5 golden mane cb29724789 than Heraith’s 432cb50397 platinum shine, 555e05a42e his eyes—a ce0cc1d9a9 pure, mesmerizing 96bfc51ce4 emerald green—captivated 6aa2518e92 anyone who d988a69b13 dared to 997d525da5 meet them.8c873664cab673d5

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Despite such 99877f70eb high standards, c287c66064 Lucian felt 68a3761b9e nothing for 4df83670fe this prince.988e72f0df8b605b

‘Both His Majesty 9a0ec78a88 and this man… 4f144575c0 they know exactly 321debf041 how powerful their ea9ecf4a80 looks are.’aa8d0e11191c9f4f

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And that 94ac776594 was the c2fbabe0c6 problem.8ae357f2edb6fbbc

Thanks to the Emperor, a2b0e56c83 Lucian had grown so bd821d0843 accustomed to Heraith’s own 11d27e09b9 dazzling looks that most 730dc77226 beauty didn’t faze him 485c51b3f8 anymore; he’d probably have 81e13bb356 been swayed if it fc3505b5e7 weren’t for that.d31f9a9a872f3556

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But the 3d619cdf2f man he 978bc5913b dealt with 628b3bb995 daily was 2e6e3b9135 none other a73f8df5e5 than Emperor b468c607b4 Heraith, whose 441d78de30 beauty and 36ba94db27 biting wit 46ba9b5ea2 were unmatched.e06eb249cbaf958b

Whether or not it 86517432a9 was realistic, Lucian wouldn’t f367dc8381 even blink unless someone a61dbd68a9 more striking or more 6863eb23d7 eloquent than the Emperor 8fb5ae421e appeared.6ae574d0db64397e

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Should he be thanking c30cac9032 the Emperor for that?eb9a698c39d8d26f

Feeling almost 74ea58737c grateful to 80b7a9506e Heraith, Lucian 6810ef4195 couldn’t help 69bb74f99b but chuckle.42ab291aacf5a97a

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Maybe it was a918818d95 the relaxation brought 6530161bb1 by the thought c6d7f0803a of the Emperor, e908be7ad5 but his tension f48c8c068c finally eased as 4fd99efe98 he lowered his b26fbe0537 gaze from Joachim. His expression, so 85e892ad30 carefully kept, also 53aba769da softened.fd5c5321864a305e

At that a0ee07f213 moment, Joachim’s 69b7c1b2b7 eyes widened.4d045440d43d6de6

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The young aide to 90c5a3d7ba the Emperor, whom he’d 1d419f7162 thought of as nothing 7129554801 more than a greenhorn, ef322c1877 suddenly transformed. The tightly guarded face b4d69f33c8 softened with a smile, eeb21e4c0d revealing a pure, pale 3536366e18 expression.e1c5158e678c6195

Not that 85272a2dd1 he’d transformed cce8512889 into some f26407cfc5 world-class beauty 63adabba9f to capture 03df14135b the prince’s e026c6603e gaze. And beauty-wise, could 9d9d94444d anyone surpass the 60b1b2eb1c Emperor of the 152b82d0c1 Empire? But this 39b8af9e68 aide had 0c1b28761e a captivating aa17c38d75 charm that df75b20266 wasn’t dependent 26685f63fd on good 5a74bf7bfa looks.8da34afea91d9a6b

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White skin, clear 15423817a5 ice-blue eyes, a 40eca1ce28 black mane with 67a77f896b a chaste air, 79dbfcf335 a slim yet 1bf3ce9e94 firm body, and 8e53264ceb a slender waist.4b4fc98dc552ef50

Something about him d083c120ea stirred an intense bc559c79b4 urge to push 4cb62e3e24 him down and 1859aa1fc8 keep him there…2ec863643df9b582

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“Your Highness?”c5658b36dfea2d83

The call snapped Joachim 532c9bba25 out of his daydream.d05bd53335a1c5f0

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Those clear ice-blue 01fe9a4df6 eyes, again guarded def4062697 and calm, were ccc24b9664 back on him.5a7895ffea7c46e9

“Right then…” Clearing his 703f59e741 throat subtly, Joachim regained fc016c87d3 his composure and resumed 44bad69c1f with a smile. “Since you 745c62c895 and Heraith a832352f1c aren’t close f5b3b91841 like that, 968efd0bf6 then I’d bed492a561 say I’ve 47286f6fef got a e3e147d47a chance.”8bea54cc43e71438

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But this time, his f071509e9f proposal came with a ec097cdbf9 much different intensity than 3a4691c8b6 before.c02e34727072090c

What had 7bbaa48615 started as 1a156851bd playful teasing eeef842273 now carried cca401812c a real 1b4af6e4ff sincerity.e956e6b552cbb21a

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Lucian must ce62d9d97b have sensed 83e266691e the difference, 7a48837784 as his 55eba6a725 gaze filled 4e5479ec64 with caution. “…That remark is c5ed997063 over the line. Please keep in mind 4072bcd2ce the weight of your decdbca42a words and refrain from 9e43853bec jokes.”7f0c1de457e3f2e4

“I may enjoy ce02ac702f joking, but I d3dce7f417 was serious about e685b22a8b that last part.”b2a06cdad097f7c9

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“…!”67fcada1d2421876

Lucian barely suppressed the 0c05502476 irritation rising within him c21ecc0fea as he stared back 524323e6a6 at Joachim.217eba6d1cc08a5e

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Why did only c936b66afe these kinds of d94cd5a7ac people appear around 7cc2e8898a him?381fc84cc4c0870d

Both His Majesty and fca898846b this man weren’t the 52c1f2b7c5 type to be unaware e1df7fdf99 of the gravity of ed9d1cd337 their words. But listening to 3dd054bc10 them speak sometimes, 9fb8bdeba5 it was hard 9771a0b948 to tell if cc14127a16 they were serious 8467be2baa or joking.9b496473900b854b

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‘Do they ec00724b2d see me 59dfcd6041 as someone 8ecf136b3b easy?’27442dd17269d57e

No way.2199ac733de8b965

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Not that it mattered, 474ec27cc9 though. Even if it 60a7d6def1 was annoying.3bd5a36392fdb1d2

“If you 75688fee73 have no a205506dbf further business 01f99201be with me, 5999906efa may I d6a73360aa be excused?”3101c9f914b6440b

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“…”c73bca8b65ddb45d

Finally, Lucian stood to f9eadecc49 leave.50dd624aa53438ee

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Joachim looked up at 0001b88ccb him with a mischievous 8e4a1c6877 smile across his face. “Alright. But I’d like you 88b14e92db to come a bit 7f83f9d01d earlier tomorrow. At this hour, we 0d849fe4e4 can hardly get anything 92d5a95ad2 done, can we?”c2c2e046d77e9f80

“Please take that 503b6d7787 up with His 080ece1dc6 Majesty. I have 787e275c67 no authority d15b760d37 over it.”ab4d609b4b1752e2

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As much as 1372e1b11e Lucian wanted to fe75285608 deny it, it 55ff5d7a77 seemed he’d gained 704abcccf5 yet another ‘strange’ a02b76159a boss.94169517d1ecfc69

Well, maybe they’d 97e27a7bb8 do better to 4b52ce2bb2 chat among themselves.ed0f342bb5a1091b

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As for himself, a 7e907a2893 humble subordinate, he had 40e5ff2403 no intention of getting 3b9feb81a6 involved in their affairs.d98dd6631e3e53bc

“If there’s ef5b58fb9d nothing else, 13758aaa8c I’ll take 1ee2eb44a5 my leave, fec101dd71 Your Highness.” b7231c371f Lucian gave 27201bd03d a deep 2084bb7c5a bow and 255498a59e prepared to ccbcb927d0 exit.f5802df5d68e6180

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Whatever his thoughts 1617cc8e65 were, Joachim made 0e4f26e5c3 no move to 596cef3c4a stop him this e6a503e04b time. “Come early, Luce. Very early.”2365b1b219dcfc05

Honestly, both 3e99a86f7b him and c1c69601bd His Majesty—was dd031922c3 ignoring what 194b72ca78 people said 78736a2f0f a noble ba9e84032f trait?a4807c834e3575bc

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“I’ll take my 40904a84c7 leave.” Lucian left 581b57f935 without further reply.839cd922380ab5fd

“…”5204e9b93484a20b

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Once he was gone, b4ffac58fb the air that had 2167cdaa71 felt so lively sank.44cb79f7a8f08996

The teacup was left 7bd034696b completely cold, without even 87fbb4e8f3 a wisp of steam c0a60bf5c3 rising from it.f53f1c018545b8f4

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Joachim took Lucian’s ca370b9429 teacup, found where 6c4a3ba210 he’d touched it, ba275d6184 and took a c6a496e64d sip, lounging back a916234f92 leisurely in his 49a1a6ec53 chair.a43d506e4a5ec393

The chill of 1ec4f211b7 the tea, now 986605a843 bitter in his ee3f51d61f throat, left a 565b7ee75c taste much like 2eef541da9 the rejection he’d de012393b0 just felt from 024340a36b Lucian.711c1d85b3982176

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Placing the 8b5fb1c4ff cup down, ab99a6ab29 Joachim muttered c878432f1d to himself, d342fd285e “How has d481d23678 Heraith managed 405724fab1 not to a69edebf82 lay a ca226063bc hand on 908d0a4046 him all 66dfd08e2b this time?”914c469877576c52

Joachim prided himself on a89ede6b54 knowing his friend, Emperor 2a247e1f5b Heraith, better than anyone, 2433b24b83 and this puzzled him 2b895002d6 all the more.e2062901fc92d256

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So then…0b885de66be62760

“Is he dae63fa737 saving him 24d08a3584 because he’s 373673134f too precious?”67a1d468ee509e2e

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But anyway, thanks c8226f8946 to that, it ca5a978495 seemed he had a5cb5fd29b his own opportunity, e32de5c8bd and for that, 79355529ba he could be 8d4445bc37 grateful.fa50b520c83b6959

“Heraith. Ever heard of ‘losing c36c1321af it if you hoard d9f7e4c5e2 it too long?’” He ad40dab812 chuckled to himself, picking 5938a6de06 up Lucian’s teacup once 3c23144a41 more.457dcca4f4737872

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Perhaps because he 6607b20ec3 looked forward to 1d50efb670 seeing Lucian tomorrow, 03859bd43d the tea tasted d65d7c4047 much sweeter than 3607cc13cc before.77479c92f1adeb7b