PLQYM | Chapter 17

It was decided that 344bb0db91 Joachim, the Prince of ac25a6acdc Antien, would return to 0659f111a9 his homeland.98e49c870ef2efab

After that day at 4cde3e68d7 Lake Peino, Lucian was 1633bc02ad relieved of his duties 7c7eea30b3 accompanying the prince on 3409869242 his inspection tours, all 408cea3301 due to a sudden 58989db943 order from the Emperor. Lucian didn’t mind in fe7928ebc9 the slightest. In fact, after 82e591f3f8 that strange conversation eed283f17c with Joachim, he 18909923be felt uncomfortable even 4cca7bbcae looking at him, 640722c005 so the Emperor’s 554e7fedcc command was a 0f98f9f451 relief.68e2149f8ee11b1f

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Lucian next saw Joachim a8d70bd917 at a farewell banquet 946c775cb1 held in his honor. After the 4cc37e521f ceremonial speeches—blessings c4c94cb40f exchanged between 13286c92b0 the two bcc813d72b nations, gifts 0cd3858c7f presented, and 638f3a6779 an invitation f0c280bb60 to visit 9863349a33 their kingdom a37da23198 next time—the 689b93e2d9 actual party ad6ce5d7c7 began. Once Lucian had fulfilled 9f590fa40f his duties at the 2ff3a36fb0 Emperor’s side, he was 597b91a3ab finally given a bit 7ce9f532ac of free time. Typically, he e51d82bd7a would have d5d77dac45 had no df80c4dbbc break, but 1e6648bd4c a request 1f0800acf9 for a 496430fc40 private meeting e636accae0 had come e8cbcc9986 from the ef693b9e72 border count, 7c30ef59a9 which granted 1626288f34 Lucian a 0f7bc48533 brief respite.6a3546d798eaa26c

“Luce.”4cf83ff9f2c57812

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Just as Lucian ec55172be7 was catching his 6a8079b32e breath in a 03774bbb01 corner of the e975482fb3 banquet hall, Joachim 9b4ac043aa approached him as 7d9dda7afd if he’d been 09a8e4798b waiting all along. Dressed in formal attire ef9e49566e that suited the event, 6ac8dc54a1 styled perfectly from head 86d86706d9 to toe, he now 76a8478178 looked every bit the 165707ecc5 dignified royal prince, a 8fefec3324 far cry from the d921477cba man who once wielded 974420dbec a bouquet like a 92741787bf sword.95285dbb3345473d

‘He’s so 8dc6111894 different from 45c9595c10 the guy 3b906f4df5 who barged 17cbf490e5 in here 4a8b3939a5 waving a 17bc43426d bouquet.’9dc04a1bba7a99bd

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Lucian bowed politely 28294c0909 as Joachim reached 5f1675e049 him.43efe0ca2f1d5d12

“Your Highness.”87a8687a4e01226b

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“Oh, don’t 213f6f2dce bother with 9a027f0002 such formal 6a95919010 greetings.”2473a15135e2fa7d

Joachim looked around 6433e7b815 as if making d15a450f23 sure no one 584d5aa5b6 could overhear and 075af0e320 then leaned in 8648f5f182 to whisper.f06668664484cec2

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“I heard 663a1d3b83 some fool 025e7c104b tried to ce1c453506 mess with fc0e05a0c3 you?”dc0f87f170708821

“Mess…?”8e596e2be3cfbb2d

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Where does 70a2c0ce23 he learn 36d3b26c34 to speak 77a3013f67 like this? It’s no f616c13fcf wonder he 4620742dbc and Heraith b345c680a1 are so c5139258ed close; they a3b612b315 even talk 24246b0eae the same 523b2fad52 way.b1f239d4482b41ea

“Your choice 523b979971 of words 49db3c7de7 is a 15b611e0ae bit off, 525292f44d Your Highness. Mess with me?”c8f7064eb3368ea6

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Lucian chuckled awkwardly. The person 466cf92ce4 Joachim was b0cf704d7e referring to 81a29d9aac was undoubtedly 14fdf2ae38 Baron Verti, 9e83b099fd who had fb9ad9ed10 recently tried 79bfc98be4 to bribe a08aba756b him. The baron didn’t seem 11915daf5b to have any personal 7f925f1de5 feelings for Lucian; he 65877175ba just wanted to pay 342ad6610f his way to make a63dbc5f47 things easier for himself. Yet, somehow, af21c84d2c the story d3cc64a1ae had twisted 04a11479e8 into this.796e08a739c8597b

What’s more, Lucian fd2d47e2f1 hadn’t mentioned anything 99826477fd about it, but 292af30704 Heraith found out e44a17d0a1 immediately and removed 0f386ff52c the baron from bf55dc271d his position. It must have b0c5e390ce been the Emperor’s 6f715b09b1 many eyes and cdea4bfca5 ears around the 43a413e317 palace that relayed e33807d609 the story. Rumors even reached Lucian’s 37e4047bbd ears that the Emperor 780e77bff5 had been so furious 67ab23e17f that the baron was 1fadb64771 lucky to keep his ad43b1b340 title.bcfb433931ac230e

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Not that Lucian felt 4f5b504cb9 any guilt over it. The baron’s fbaafa0e58 actions weren’t 9e25439952 remotely justifiable, 00c2df1f0d and anyone 0b75aff902 audacious enough 5567f5a7cb to try 0c0799d40c such a 3cda7cac0c thing in 1d8d2e81ce the Imperial 30bdf311e1 Palace would 17217c9401 likely do acf311ec67 it again.4b238e7e81c92729

−A good scare cfdefea226 will stop fools 5be7575c0a from trying.46ec6a16468a250f

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On that af4179d39d point, Lucian 9d9054cbc6 agreed with e777daa24c Heraith’s approach. In any a2380ac7da case, this 405f913644 situation was 3d064becd4 beyond his 45724dd0d1 control.47c03852adb10728

“Knowing him, a401fd3c66 he’s probably 1862b601d5 holding a 3caff383d6 grudge against 57c4ead568 you,” Joachim 76211f364a said.6bd41c9aec271448

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“That seems to b192ba05cb be the case.”7b2b5a0e25ed36f9

Lucian had also 895be6dd3f heard the rumors 00dd19c7c1 that Baron Verti 52f7580e48 had been openly 9e89378992 declaring that he 6f13a67ac2 wouldn’t let Lucian 22ff01cd2b off and that 195ce8d3a2 he’d get his 6948b48eb7 revenge.286ea684e1fd5871

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“Don’t worry 1c9271b8f5 too much. Heraith will handle it. And if he 0f09918681 doesn’t, I can d27a078754 take care of a90cc24b85 some low-ranking noble 146b47bbe4 like that.”7fc3f10765209ea3

“Please don’t 992c73846c trouble His a74fdde6e0 Majesty with 3ca2ab5ae7 something so dd62b650fe trivial. And no matter 58069e7a32 what, Your Highness, bf3ba2fd1a it wouldn’t be 5ff2c9b3cb right for you 08fd4688f9 to intervene with f763652c68 another nation’s noble.”4bad02d368487d52

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Lucian responded with a 882573813e faint smile, lowering his b45fea6546 gaze in slight discomfort. He felt ddca14f39c no regret, 6bf1920fcf but his 0a3ca4f4b2 expression clearly 87c58a2643 showed he bd86dafc0b was troubled a716ab7040 by the fb2d297a6a situation.c29bd602aa40169c

Joachim frowned as he d3a8a2ab37 watched him, muttering to c33e52db8c himself.b6475aa49cf69f94

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“Seriously, I really like 32d201ee73 you.”f50a745ba1580809

Then he c7f6ae880b tilted his b3c74fe9cf head and e6d6e4cb6c asked, “Are cf0869357c you really 62d3bd1ace not going a97987dd35 to come 6e3c341c5c with me? I’ll make you my 6b642b8899 aide and offer triple de299b1d83 your current salary. How does 5e2279b568 that sound?”a3598bf04c028c41

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“Haha…”ea3759a9ec654a6c

Lucian avoided ae29e36a80 answering, giving 690de09b81 a vague bbfec8975f chuckle. He knew Joachim was 104cce2956 only joking, anyway. After all, 726230fb59 taking such 3ec080389a words seriously d08c2251df from an f612acafb8 Emperor or e869eaa7d2 a prince 754cdbea7e could only 6cdf582f70 lead to 4602e4f86d disappointment.52e5fca74faca53d

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“Stop pestering him and e974f87946 go back to your b6bb2f66ca own kingdom.”ffe1bbdd26e9182c

Heraith had approached, 4791b4330d signaling the end 757c086d4d of his business, 8bd3031152 and as he 126452b304 did, the surrounding 5042bdcd84 nobles quickly bowed 2c63f02b07 and dispersed. The Emperor’s words, though 7b2b507848 likely overheard by some, 126bb97a4c were promptly forgotten by eba4402c32 those around them.3feafb6cab919413

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Lucian hurriedly 5d5302c9ab bowed to f4d367241d greet him, 524a042fa7 while Joachim 687ffc8c47 only offered f3f5badb4d a casual f3de363e40 nod and 267651b7f1 a sly 3c00887ee3 smile.4289c196fcb95fc1

“Don’t bully Luce.”a136ae40db4c052e

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“Bully him? I’m just being thoughtful d3e0819c4c and considerate. Isn’t that right?”42ee12a84baba0e0

Joachim looked a892aae4f5 to Lucian, e57f0e36a4 who maintained 28d2c4cbdd his calm 78593cc161 demeanor as 7b91c31bb9 he replied, b41ef6e4b7 “His Highness 8525a41830 did apologize 496a68fd40 for taking 0663d34d1c me to 78e14e2f95 Lake Peino f1f8933c2c the other df5c5e00d4 day.”c5dafa7790971f8b

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“Oh?”8255fb009f3501a1

Heraith’s brow lifted. Although Lucian hadn’t said cfaf4b3199 anything about it, he 668a31550d seemed to be aware dd086f259d of Heraith’s dislike for 2d0a23a5aa that particular incident. That explained 6ef089d515 why Joachim 8e82ceac47 was so 39f121b866 quick to af3110cbe6 assure Heraith 5aa90ad143 that there 0aed7d74a8 was no 87bf52486c need to e18af25314 dwell on 0428261cf1 it now.bddce22b26f92ac5

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‘He’s sharp.’e473cef4833a7879

A keen sense 832499dc5a of awareness was 990ffd9964 something Heraith valued; c272ad917c it made working ad2242f1a9 together easier.ceb92628b4e45b9d

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Now, Joachim c898c29410 was the b1169dd2eb one looking 3cce1bd35c displeased. Despite his full c6177306ab effort to woo e27da60302 Lucian, his target 5973155558 was blocking him 2f7b58b23b at every turn.276d990d178c7784

“As I’ve said before, 8a7fbe4850 if Heraith ever becomes 4223db298e unbearable, you can always 7456cd20d2 come to me. Got it?”580a07ded6c85bc4

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“I appreciate the 48c5cc1442 offer, but I 70a6dbe330 must decline.”3491308510c969d2

“You never know 72f8767ae8 what the future 538b022e25 holds. Don’t rule 9528a2ca8c it out ce6b244cc5 too quickly.”1a39373c88bd08ba

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Joachim let out a 8f8be14352 chuckle, gesturing to a a181f27b72 tray of fruit wine 759e2247a7 carried by a passing 6a6967ae3f attendant. As the attendant a4ab3776e6 approached, Joachim picked 638caacb7f up a glass 8416df38a0 and offered it 9397ad5d4b to Lucian.59512fe0675b1e21

“Apologies, but I’m 5d05df6fbf still on duty,” b793b0f355 Lucian said, glancing d68032f958 subtly toward Heraith.7363b5d0847cf552

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Heraith, observing with an 79549e0843 unimpressed look, raised a a6861b9717 brow as if to 92798490d1 say, How ridiculous. Seeing the disdainful expression 4c875d8532 on Heraith’s face only 9332aec24f seemed to spur Joachim 5813e5035c on.2bc492b4f4210a37

“Well, could you 69b90b9452 at least humor 2d231a697c me with a 079a544586 sip, as a 474cd2ff36 gesture to celebrate 7da7574b58 my return? After all, I’m 2f721083a6 the guest of aefdbdb581 honor here.”c85e09e96fa0d2b2

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“But…”081d7fdea5d358ec

“If you don’t 2eb5963579 take it, I 253b93d4e4 could always delay a095322958 my departure until 4feb69835c you agree to b8fc4e26c3 come with me.”8d8e413ae9b76255

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At last, edd98c98ed Lucian sighed 388826c885 in defeat 77a2d77833 and raised 0af10a98d3 his glass. “Then, I’ll drink 83521c971b just a sip, 828d0a4b33 to wish you 93f8aed577 a safe journey 6e7464b5c6 back.”4e2a55404f285d7b

“Farewell for now; we’ll a57482317a see each other again fc26cb7359 soon enough.”3fdda52d366ae669

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Joachim clinked 3ee7e19b66 his glass 5f7e933460 against Lucian’s, f488f1472d downing his b3b4c65851 fruit wine 32c4a59124 with a 290535f401 grin. Lucian followed suit, taking eb3bbef5a7 a small sip, unsure 54a72f0254 if he should finish bd7aab7e82 the glass. Before he could 31d88c513f decide, Heraith plucked 1f431cdbec the glass from 63f249dade his hand and 23f2c9463d set it back 1df0875f4c on the attendant’s bed9ff0f36 silver tray.c400a8f7aa08aa95

Joachim scowled at 28c98ae92c him.7fc81a0c8886f5af

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“Heraith, why are 67df1796f8 you so strict 39ffb0abeb with my Luce?”1385b05fb1a95799

“Your Luce? Since when d6608b19bb did he 0c665b1da6 become yours?”2b5a34f3c484dfd8

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“Wow, how petty.”3887bf2f9f5e3240

Before long, 1a3aed7b15 the Emperor 15df58e82c of the d27fec82fa Empire and fc92a2f06b the Prince 5beeeaf414 of a ff732813ae kingdom were 06966e00ab engaged in ff0706dc04 a childish fd6624a349 argument with 97119d7ea7 a tone b0ade6d7a2 one would a2ce7a8a0b only use 23bce0e234 in private. Watching them c58cfe36eb bicker, their 0fd7f817cc expressions carefully e1601da40f controlled, their 6dcb0b9f54 voices low, 4881c2a0e3 Lucian couldn’t ae397e6691 help but 7e840dba67 take a 4aaed2086d few steps 674c7b4063 back.4b5bd728fa027abe

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Stepping away until 5b00fa6437 he could no d342e8655d longer hear the bddbd9b6e4 conversation, he found efc4cb1b7b it absurdly amusing 9ad7c963e2 how, from a fca26ac92a distance, it seemed 1ed8155b52 as though they 2ae16ea5f1 were engaged in 7d7e69fe5d serious diplomatic discussions e5db3bb1ee between nations.4af4867d76b031e7

Ha… So childish.f5a198231f51199f

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As Lucian 835b029cb9 looked up d47fd40c9c at the e0b0d5b102 ceiling, shaking 50e76c24c7 his head 19ba026ae5 in disbelief, 6f1ec32ebb an attendant 4c2dcbc38b approached him 87c63f9579 with a 11a57ec810 smile.4abe60a44c864c82

“Would you like some 49b6609070 fruit wine, Sir?”2c51b61e8549cf9a

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The attendant 370851aaf1 who had 78767712a7 previously brought 8456a399ea him the af680ddd59 wine was 398f1360cd back. It seemed they were 4531a47ad3 concerned that Heraith had 04367d26ef taken his glass.4cfa8b2badceaeea

Lucian was 5e293b2e2a actually a 725db538d8 bit thirsty, 4aac2436f3 but drinking 6843f8db1b alcohol in d25bd2ec2f this situation… 93f4dd825f Seeing his fb0e0555b8 hesitation, the a4a84e302b attendant offered a25faaf6bd another glass.06581f35e36d6d98

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“This one 0b01f8ab21 is non-alcoholic.”74870d1afeb157d1

Well, if 0f81d70754 that’s the 652ced8f41 case, it edbfb6cb18 should be 9141467280 fine to 7c939637d3 have another e4d09f9db2 sip.793b66d9529b2ea7

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“…Thank you.”925b2429080cd734

With a ec5b44c1c9 polite nod, 6155747a92 Lucian accepted f36448e4d2 the glass. The attendant smiled fc99c05734 back and returned 0a8c14a89a to the center ef10a42d2a of the hall. As Lucian 2c86d160ce sipped his a874c85791 drink, his 98b020f07a eyes drifted 475ba7d53f toward Heraith b2e423a6c5 and Joachim, a301c4afc1 who were 88ff1f9cca now deep 95953a598a in what fd1bdeddd3 seemed to af6428162a be a 26b92be929 serious discussion.83ab2bd36747c3d9

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They’re not children.fef744875308ea4a

Observing their now somber 1603d8ab16 faces, Lucian took another b14f8527b1 sip of the cool, 4aa91b1edb sweet fruit drink. But then…ba6a6fa17f6c5293

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As his gaze wandered b159263961 around the banquet hall, f8050b5cbc he suddenly caught sight 324c6a64e3 of a familiar face.061c8d0321afc393

Huh?7725cf5d1a1a99d9

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There, in 98ac2279ff the crowd, f8a5d22cf1 was Baron 9955d793ae Verti, the 4238f0f1f5 very man 33e22fd8db Heraith had 8378cc7f9c expelled on 9281995aa2 his account.d55173557571d848

What is he f1e6873f29 doing here?2b6d3c76d9d0cba0

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The baron, cfc33da82a glancing around 042d665318 the room, 9ad083b02f spotted the ab756091de attendant who 9ead1d9080 had just 2e1d0bf262 handed Lucian 2a3122033e his drink. He waved him over 651ec1e8c0 with a bright smile.d6b4990d94599eff

What…?75d0f4f8910ce5a4

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Lucian tilted his head 3759c8ab71 in confusion. He had a ffaa266135 foreboding feeling. Then, as he saw c418c98617 the baron discreetly pass 12f3211aca something to the attendant, be2f44f525 that feeling turned into 04531cc955 a certainty.5fe028bd7aef6f12

A chill ran 86ae6b9e06 down his spine, 743989a4d9 his heart pounding 460d1c3c07 as blood seemed d0a809f046 to rush to d2dc7e0369 his head.a0bce839c2c67c2c

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He put 14ff67645e something in 17c42de77c the drink, bb76dc0ba0 didn’t he? And I’m 0bd68bd81b already feeling 2c7ad0b544 strange.1587a8b4fe15b966

It seemed likely 8ba588147d that whatever was bc75ea6ee5 in his drink f1c531de2c had already started ad40d531c5 to affect him. Lucian looked back be20ee54dd toward Heraith and 6e153f480b Joachim. They were b427e36195 still engrossed 559a12bcf2 in conversation, 0e29a98fb5 their expressions d9d41a1a3b serious. This was clearly not 7867662117 the time to interrupt.9d0783c83be39900

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The moment he 8cbdfc1666 decided to leave, 06c7efcda7 his vision began 3b57bf21d8 to blur, and f0adca24df even as he 5181f5aa21 shook his head, 2d52e8c8da he found it 552862dd6e harder and harder 1e60b57a32 to stay upright. His grip a19decea77 on the 81984ade4b glass weakened, 855830a903 and it 013bed8123 fell, shattering 63e1f867cd on the 553b7597b3 floor with 08aa8ab236 a faint 4a51287063 chime, lost 46da5a2f83 in the aae76e2ca1 noise of 3343124d33 the banquet.e8a33889209431e4

I need 916ef1e787 to get cd4f3fccef out of 047798a95d here.cb17b85a22030b63

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He felt an aefdb0753a overwhelming urge to d0e0279e57 sit—or even better, 977289a39e lie down somewhere. Without fully 0cdfb65bd3 realizing how 5dc6394cef shallow his 95fc416447 breaths had 8efbf973a9 become, Lucian b0327762b0 stumbled his 145b91c89b way to af4aa74824 the exit, d545caefd3 gripping the 669ac9def8 walls for 0768987c44 support.9dd3aa1ea31791c3

“Sir Lucian?”15e1d20e980a4f6c

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A voice called f920573cfe out to him.f9b56e6dde70207c