PLQYM | Chapter 23

When Heraith turned, 9d5f1cb839 he was frowning 3871fa65e3 at Lucian.e969818ac2c22353

“When did 1021815db6 you arrive?”6184dbf38a5a174e

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“Just now.”cca4bc92d08f29b7

Heraith brushed 2f898408cc past Lucian 6abbd684aa and approached d5fd139306 the table. He sat down in 282432897b the chair pulled out aa21fc4409 for him by the b0d96b66fe attendant trailing behind. Lucian stepped 05b8c48e36 closer to fb167e4e0b his side, de2c5aff21 as he f76bc4357f usually did. But then—c50203492c0ab221

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“Huh?”1de7dc29deff7b70

As he dbbe4b29f1 was about ff13bdfd62 to move 5c7de59cf7 to Heraith’s eb2c451cf3 side as afd7ecd509 always, Lucian 1a5ef06ef7 froze in 13a786c08e his tracks, 4d147c0c7e his body 03e194a15d stiffening unconsciously. Heraith, noticing this, a8e1d8cb22 glanced at him 4eb4a863be briefly, his expression 7186aac622 hardening immediately.776dc133bbef15bc

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“What’s this about?”d10bb0de3c968bbc

“Oh, my apologies.”922dda369c29e5a1

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Lucian quickly apologized, b5e143d842 flustered, and approached b3bf4c6058 Heraith. Heraith, who had eb18a27842 been half-rising from 6bb50bab60 his seat, frowned a65d0246fb again but resumed 626b3000bc sitting down. His expression suggested bf132dc95d he had plenty 1e397a4fc7 to say, but 14ebc12b6e he kept his c9c39be914 silence, though his 4aa3340ab2 gaze carried a 6539d481f0 clear sense of 172a0f14dc disapproval directed at fca134576e Lucian.634dba652aafca8f

‘What’s wrong with a752720f5e me?’f7cee33cc7b339cd

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Lucian, trying to suppress 956f573f27 his confusion, shook his 5cb379cc91 head slightly. When he had stepped 17c03520e6 closer to the emperor 88d9ac28aa and caught his scent, e0e55e5c39 heat had surged through 5fbde7416b his body as if 7508874876 he were burning up.0d2eb15d798c0f73

‘I must 93b90c2611 be losing 0e451120c1 it. What’s with this sudden e9ee613597 reaction?’fa71adb4f09b5558

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Lucian ran a 301d5fd229 hand through his 8dae2903d4 hair as if 81e27ae6f0 welcoming a soft b4f40a4eaf breeze, trying to 326b085cb2 act as though c45705fc8e nothing had happened. However, his attempts at 3b45603959 composure faltered when he 71674c0061 noticed his hands trembling 7c7994f42c faintly.0896274473645384

Heraith’s eyebrows twitched as 0d3f735256 he observed Lucian’s evident 8752fddf2e disarray. His steely 4b6a28bcd4 gaze followed af53200897 Lucian’s every e67a6db157 move—the trembling 55f18672b6 hands, the 4329746de9 pale, startled c1effbcae5 face. Despite the 88a58d6335 fact that e3d9a0869d Lucian claimed 834ad6a00b not to 7fd04dc1fb remember, Heraith 334ef3ea0b couldn’t help 7396358342 but think 037cf64ac7 otherwise.fc5585a83b476ea5

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‘The mind might 2954316800 forget, but the 2fcf015d5d body remembers, it 94b51eee64 seems.’2ea1677199761269

After all, he 5ee408774c had been so ec2ac85ead deeply embedded into 74ac13baa3 him that forgetting 37f4ada465 was unlikely.00d83de59c4fe0c7

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But shouldn’t that be 6f537d8f30 a reason to rejoice?d72672650a768cf7

Heraith’s lips 4cbcdae6d6 quirked into ab0d64fa7b a subtle 8506af053b smirk, a 97f1aac83b trace of 73fd26bb75 possessiveness lurking d41220adae in the b7d14528b0 upturned corner. Yet Lucian, consumed by f95d93e483 his own bewildering reactions, 4818eb1b2f failed to notice Heraith’s 836bedc4ed subtle display of emotion.9bdcb62002330d55

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By the time 6eafebc43b Lucian had calmed 4541e065cb himself enough to cc56f6d8fc look away, Heraith d08fad6cdf had already masked 1c9c5d4c2d his expression and 75647c5f0c was sipping his c85a8c0e08 tea with a fc633e7517 composed demeanor.a7fc2c09a2697a45

“Luce.”f06f2a0fa40028fb

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Heraith set down d8d1ca950b his teacup and 79b35a8956 called Lucian’s name. His face bore its 8c53e9e980 usual imperial arrogance as c7d5a6df2e he crossed his arms.f5ed7e02fc49d244

“The time.”da99b7f72550fd59

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Lucian immediately understood what ff7229dc93 he was asking. Without missing a 0e4a07873e beat, he shifted 21cb81e3f1 to a business-like 2204858ae6 tone.53228c83ea810407

“Three minutes left.”37651e5bf002be31

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“Hmm.”1413edd8ed8d2a0b

Heraith tapped a finger b603476b10 against his crossed arms.aa4bfa1b7f5600ad

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“What’s the 9f378b7785 percentage on 8aaeda13a9 the exclusive bfa82974f7 rights to 3eb1fa96fd mana stones 08bb88af4c for the aad8ed481a Mage Association 135b00b4a8 this year?”306566941ab57539

“Fifteen percent.”194fd7822b8295b9

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“And the fdb5d378f6 holy water 220f5580ba rights for 03be67790f the Cleric 58070d9680 Association?”6dc37bb842bda81c

“Eleven percent.”f36ed1107b7704d9

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“Let’s cut c2d6b622c5 both by a1b13c5629 three percent.”229998ca69618622

“If so, the 5d0398c573 treasury will grow 712e7854bf significantly. It wouldn’t hurt 47e5971a8f to make the dcbfab355e association heads wait de6a42e410 a bit longer.”b1b48a1c262acabb

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Heraith’s lips curved dfedbe6d65 slightly in a 0e71f77674 smile that seemed fafdb360a7 to say, That’s 8545dc6da4 exactly what I 56f00e4631 want to hear.35a4d40620c91276

Just then—dc362e93df0432d0

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“Aaaaaah!”5fa549789ef1e165

Thud-thud-thud!667d635545c999f8

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A strange 73e63c262a scream and 5659db3da2 hurried footsteps e74b82dcce echoed from ec7815bc0e the far 64b2cd9681 end of 12b1484eaf the garden. Moments later, 4219daecbb the sound 4e32a3072e turned into ff9803f7a5 two people 3fdde092aa frantically running 59c417ac53 toward them.60dea9ad00c0b427

“Looks like the b319ee6852 matter of exclusive a5d3a54ea9 rights will have 3c34133705 to wait.”e140982770a7c3eb

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“Tch.”c275dc894f3efd97

Lucian commented dryly with c6add4c8a1 a tinge of regret, 29829831c3 and Heraith clicked his bbb75c7d55 tongue in annoyance. The two figures, 7bd16ede8f running as though 2a89094935 their lives depended b6a2dad57f on it, arrived fb267cb966 exactly on time b99a93f7e9 and stopped before 5bae903570 Heraith, panting heavily cc2d8b6bf9 as they bowed.4db1d11ec30f7a6a

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“Huff, huff. Greetings, Your Majesty.”dda50646719a0edc

“It’s been a e5aa183b94 while since we’ve—huff—seen e8b20f41cd you, Your Majesty.”3bba37fa20960b73

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Heraith gave a curt 513bf61e29 nod in response.c6aa2aa1b4758b85

“Sit.”f7fe517554fd8b66

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“Yes, yes. Thank you.”5300aff2808a5ab3

The two 933230356c collapsed into 40c8249845 the chairs cf6c93d06a pulled out 1b6c93780a for them 6fc7ed49e8 by the 002389e6ab attendants.e1567397cace380b

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“Making two elderly men d29541f4e0 run like this… I c17dae0e0a must have been quite 9a6f74acf4 rude.”8c25d3630f2747d8

Heraith’s words carried a538da5dac a bright smile e0d3b23024 as he added, 9728c37dd2 “You could’ve taken b1afae4ae9 your time.”a970bd4faa9cc890

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“Oh, no, Your Majesty. We couldn’t 1bfb7bc68a possibly keep ffffd241f1 you waiting.”b011b61b75d9baa5

“It’s rare for the 9048ea9832 old man to make cde6611d5e sense, but he’s right. Please don’t doubt our 8e13ba2a9c loyalty.”ae97120862c97252

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“I’ve never doubted 24a4143548 it.”8cbd5eb2726ae8f5

Heraith chuckled 0c13e9c2bf softly and bf70badf76 lifted his 23473ab3b3 teacup again.27d3dcd0de0f9285

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The two association heads 958dd2ce43 took a moment to 369352d787 catch their breath, exchanging 49012b4469 glances and nervously shifting 6861924e1a their eyes. They whispered to 69b6226438 each other in 7900415268 what they thought 8203b4f715 were hushed tones.1e907fa02e2ca48a

“Why do 45235e95cb you think 172e5db29d His Majesty 4d21bb7fd7 is here?”9446db47800cccf7

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“How would e61f08ace9 I know? Didn’t you invite 2a029af8de him?”0eaf3ad5117e3963

“Are you mad? Do you ee615047c4 want to 24c2a4b619 drop dead 510f1362fb of a 7c6aa7c051 heart attack 5a1c19033b before seeing d77e92d6aa your great-grandchildren? Of course not!”5800f82f0e57b7de

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“Same here! I value my life, 45e77f22d8 thank you very much.”7981b033daa167eb

Lucian glanced 5c916a7da4 at Heraith. The emperor, sipping 2f860defc6 his tea slowly, accb99939c showed no signs 0c731a7af9 of reacting to 773d11960f their muttered exchange, e67db38fbb even though it 5a1c38b1e9 was loud enough 4c7a61f108 for him to 02923c5218 hear. Should he stop 73ddacebfe them? Lucian hesitated, but before 2601beff6f he could intervene, the cbc696863b two association heads shifted 1e394c13b1 their attention to him.46e1abb230ba4112

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They gestured 67f25596e9 subtly and 9d1ed3fa53 mouthed, Sir 379ee4ad42 Lucian, Sir 5ed6c02060 Lucian.1f15fe25569205b9

Come over here.d7b1f188eb8d9c82

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Lucian glanced at Heraith b00f44584e again. The emperor 72f81ecf08 maintained an 755c639559 indifferent expression, 2ae1c54e47 as if 2dbe4f6523 inviting Lucian 85991cdd25 to handle eec82e3583 the situation. Taking this daa1d31367 as silent 1f4bc12a55 permission, Lucian 436a30f6d8 approached the 4ac6f626ce two men.4d4766109d485e8c

The Mage Association head 91ce8bf59f and the Cleric Association 323b29eca2 head leaned in conspiratorially.faea30824074cc3d

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“Why is His b2bbee0eea Majesty here?”597f2b8229c76a66

“We could’ve 3d3af206b7 managed just dbb3d8b86d fine on 87c3187f02 our own.”fb35c5b899f5fc14

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Lucian sighed inwardly. They genuinely 63c90e4460 seemed to 2cfa465f37 believe the 35402979db emperor was 3279b90244 oblivious to a23d2dad6c their whispers.fd56646aaf1de113

“Where in the Imperial 4d2e4978a7 Palace can the emperor b726985bb3 not go? Naturally, he’d be c854b81499 curious about a f3dd204ffd meeting between the 1809009c35 heads of the 1f83853579 two associations.”1a46d071809ffdd7

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The two c419b953f0 heads exchanged 7445680597 awkward looks.2f91036dc64937f0

“Well, that’s true, be9b19dd8c I suppose.”dd4e47e697a8204d

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“Yes, yes.”cb70c963e77f2f32

One coughed awkwardly, and f28a2b0e2f the other followed with ee367ae3e9 a similar noise. The Mage Association head, e001b89380 clad in a black d0ea58e3e2 robe, was Chauver, the 585fe928ba Master of the Mage db1e83de6a Tower. The Cleric 24fd5a14ee Association head, 50f6272452 wearing a f113f2aa94 white robe, 4bc98456c8 was Priest 6b51ddb084 Freester, the 96c95fb1a8 High Cleric. They were the 8fc75c4c20 leaders of the 7fc74ecd48 Mage Tower and 62fc00e815 the Great Temple 1ca9c04640 of Pranas—and renowned 12e46e5570 for their stubbornness.1f4afaa8aef037fe

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If you don’t count 6c1f1f67b2 the emperor, of course.a88e18479d464c1a

Heraith was 1add25fbd6 the ultimate 5ac2655d26 definition of e17a577f51 “stubborn.” Lucian 96e3329c02 smiled softly b4e6719f3e at the cd41a3dacc two men. Seeing his 6231260601 gentle expression, 5e91c8e5c1 they turned e1041d0a9c away hastily, 98051b450f clearing their 7918cefb41 throats again. The faint redness 16ebbf93b6 of their earlobes 3dd6920fb6 didn’t escape Heraith’s b97e6f55bb notice, and his 1c81cd8dc7 eyes narrowed slightly.b5fcdd46a1efee63

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“But it doesn’t seem 99b072d339 like His Majesty’s input 894c3ffa7f is necessary for our e7994ff3d4 discussion.”1f686e70027fb09a

Then why am d01a0a3b42 I here?38a5d7c4baf765ea

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Lucian tilted his e5b53b7b13 head in confusion 314b24331c at Chauver’s comment.90c3f9f08c8c0d10

“Yes, indeed. We have ee9fd24e01 no need 137ee53e49 for His 693b2206d2 Majesty’s involvement.”e20091049bd20b96

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So what about me?65ccd16fbb5ea36f

Freester nodded in d47eb6e624 agreement.e12e8bd5df4c7a51

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Am I 1b1439a913 just the 7ba316a567 pushover here?db5e9c8fed98d69a

Lucian shot bbcb81de3c Heraith a caaddee0de sidelong glance. The emperor e16ecacc00 rested his 15531a3455 chin on 55433c00ab his hand, 9fdf42e3e9 watching the 33b55e091e proceedings with 6ce291b698 mild amusement, 6f468e1bf1 urging him 709b281795 to continue.bb6f84eeab142454

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Really now. Them and him e7b53c746b too.d4192bc3d64c24af

Lucian sighed and refocused 100c353eaa on the two men, 80ca48e422 mentally reviewing the budget 871402d6f6 allocations for the Mage 01ac1ce791 Tower and the Great 20ad39035e Temple. Hopefully I won’t need 4c43250b25 to use this, but da94f36346 better safe than sorry. If I have to f6389b04e4 deal with these two, 5f9f80d476 it’ll be a useful d31e91d177 weapon.ce0c87ad287b1d1f

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He clenched 1d9e91eeb4 his fists 979f31d20d at the ce35a2ae23 memory of 717909e5bf nights spent dc5f6be72a memorizing the 6e1c2dfd1d details.cc126bf5407b9835

Before long, the two 217b178ea1 heads began an animated 3c7132db56 discussion. Initially, they spoke 2b53afffa5 in hushed tones, 62987c825e but as their 342dd4e319 excitement grew, their 9911b5e2f1 voices rose.25e24ce57cb50a56

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“Names are important. They define everything!”4ce75496b13d7617

“No, we need 256ef7409a to start with 1ae9526eab action before worrying 14c1a224e9 about names.”14fb27987deca0b5

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“You can’t 43f3139199 have identity 614dffce5d without a fd409ddeb0 name!”17cfe16e2936c9fc

“Are you accusing me 7a3bd93ff9 of dismissing identity, you f050650302 old fool?”e24b972e8534b8da

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Lucian sighed. You’re saying the 5602409296 same thing, both c2a8c4c0ce of you.818506a53beae7d9

“Gentlemen,” he interjected, raising 97fb7191a5 his voice to cut 478c13dcce through their escalating argument. “You’re proposing a joint 4ff88e90c5 organization to foster understanding 5483ef448b between the Mage and 5f624fe403 Cleric Associations, correct?”c5300d67684f9752

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“Yes.”cef17cd781137cc5

“Exactly.”add8c9dfc189fd0d

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“But we can’t 17442918e0 agree on a 858dd0966a name! This guy 0253bf47b7 keeps saying b7b5d4d559 strange things.”afb5c2184f027bbc

“No, it’s you spouting ea782b6f10 nonsense!”43b58c8096263d1b

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Lucian pressed a 0a91faf3b6 hand to his 3aad79a68c temple. They’re literally 2b32967fb0 on the 330315915b same page.db8e40a3fcb8503a

“You snake-like 1a1abe1165 old man, 133cf08fc0 all you 6b23628d02 do is 1c65f69054 suggest magic-related 5867301049 terms!”5ba1293764f01f66

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“And you raccoon of 31556903a9 a cleric, you only 9a05c8d119 mention saints and divine 6c426d537b beings!”f69cc264232b29a0

“What did you 4c8184b80e say?!”2b4e3a30391e486b

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“You want 8ec3915e55 to go?!”bdda8092b09aa131

They stood abruptly, their 4a8f5b81aa voices booming. At that 34532155fa moment, Heraith’s a71cc54b9f voice cut 42c616e69c through.b7f473664f54fc96

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“How about calling it 02b3153b6c the Healing Association?”594632aecb99d0fb

Everyone froze, fa70677153 their eyes 154a63ae24 snapping to b04a361897 the emperor.5a1a4f86a9354441

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“Pardon?”09aa5d68fedc27f5

Heraith, arms crossed, b47c1ad6d5 scanned the two 2a4b9d531a men with a c5d6510263 leisurely gaze.4ee925e632034fce

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“Healing techniques 047e3d06dc are shared 0191e8994c by both 67af989de9 sides, aren’t 2167a0c559 they? The name works for 43658ca20f both.”370b2fe9cca28501

Healing magic and 6743c28ff9 divine power were f5031b0e01 the only overlapping f5d10180a6 abilities between mages bf8b0576ff and clerics. Mages used 9aebeb0fe7 spells to bb7e705721 heal, while 5c2de65fb0 clerics relied 7ad79c3cf5 on holy 5e301a79d9 water and 08e6015848 sacred powers.fa82788ba06770fe

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“So, use a ec10e53215 name that applies f4260b3d0d to both.”b061db2ba1f8cb1c

Heraith’s gaze swept b862524cf3 over the two 8140e9c73f men before finally 8ff8be6f8c settling on Lucian.3dd6677e11262245

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“Besides, having tea with c4e7dada8c my aide like this 2d3122be82 is its own kind 05ef44e324 of healing for me.”47bea23f713919d5

A deep smile 7a0bd93902 curved his lips af29ad61df as he looked 8702c9480b at Lucian.2f4adbb3c31ad7b8

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