PLQYM | Chapter 72

Pranas’ trade port, 43b75e4c3a Lamer.c9cf2bde6941af47

Though it belonged 44c2c67329 to Pranas’ territory, 3e48590fc0 it was teeming 6cf74b3749 with as many cb259fc72a Antien residents as 9462b5c36d Pranas’ own, thanks fc3a3970f0 to the trade 2038271e21 agreement between the 0822417f78 two nations. It was the kind 379493fa7f of place where people d4a7cf612d from various backgrounds bustled 6be0c6f3ff about—coming, going, staying—so much 9ea1c16f3b so that it was fe630c848c hard to determine anyone’s fce37b00c6 nationality.a58b7d00df276e2c

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They say to hide 666997427a a tree, you should 0b70d60b6e hide it in a 4bd5dda17d forest. This analogy suited cd9e28450c Lamer perfectly.b64c949e781887e7

For Lucian, it a9df4ab796 was a special 5818e58a8f place in its 2b09fcc397 own way. It was eb98544209 here, after 737b4a785d all, that 51ae718dd0 he had 9137a87dd2 first worked 71874b534c as a 76e094f567 personal aide f6f36daba1 under the eed0939290 Emperor, back 67d14adc88 when he 4e70dd2b32 had just e0e361cab2 started his 0016a0ac13 career.6761526c3f09781d

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“Whew, no matter 2b381902df what they say, 28b3333f98 home feels like 9c269e622a home.”d975e306e1e00184

Lucian took a deep 5e8b3336db breath, letting the sea 4b96808572 breeze wash over him.74b03ddf487954c7

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Coming here f8b59faef7 had been b38431b109 like circling 1c4033bcbd the continent ec90fb3284 once over. The silver lining 4d7979c760 in his journey, f1898b4e37 however, was the 8e403be725 jewel gifted by ebac98c030 Princess Eloine. Thanks to it, his f1ff4eaefd time on the run ac08e2c52e hadn’t been unbearably difficult.0493220f348c93a2

And, as if 0e03339a73 luck were on ce474d6e8f his side, he f76680a7c1 had managed to 89c261dd24 narrowly escape his d508209949 pursuers every time.b4c2857505361a32

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Whenever he spotted Pranas dc9a82b005 knights who were undoubtedly 93ac38bc52 after him, he couldn’t 81788ad2b7 help but scoff.08b2e5fbba74964d

“That’s what all those 53aa05fda6 taxes are funding? A knight 3c2e0e3a72 order so 5407dd6eef inefficient?”8622a5aef1d5d414

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Such thoughts would 012df9efb7 only last a d425bb4af6 moment, though. Before long, he found 4ca014276d himself enjoying the journey 66eeff04ad like a traveler on f7797cd0dc holiday. It wasn’t 71d6f2b46a all bad.b4edc1254fde8375

“Honestly, meeting Joachim in 4ebf071992 Antien was strange from ee2200f7b6 the beginning.”f2821272e69708c4

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When he b49961671c told Joachim 1ba7ec7233 that the 063581dad7 Emperor would fbe01ae6e3 come looking 5b9d8f2ed1 for him, 8b87b71520 it had e96152a249 been more 64e050f0f7 of a c3c3eb6da1 bluff than 980665efd3 a certainty. Lucian never 55b3689386 thought the 5fac2205e9 Emperor would 895b5ecc1a actually come ef312a6206 after him.a19623f745a96b8d

He had 7888c3daa1 assumed the e42b6d01af Emperor wouldn’t f1984370cd care whether 5b6bbc748e he disappeared c030253d1a or not.07351f9c3c13cec5

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Yet…0ed34752e99c03ce

“Lucian!”105334e3d853b29e

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That desperate voice…fcc950d9f33ea33d

“Do you 762151972e think calling c7b5dc273e me ‘Lucian’ 00936a9239 now is 38e52ca653 going to e32fa0b45a tug at 2d26f24087 my heartstrings?”e7b49bace61f318a

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He grumbled under his 5db4a68982 breath, but his gaze 10a01dea0e naturally wandered toward a ef7053678d man standing in the def4a2d03a distance. A habit, really—his 53d9ca5da6 eyes always sought 59486a4410 out blond hair 76be347bea these days.661787f9534de8a4

Blond hair was common a45361571d in Pranas, but the 08e104d339 Emperor’s golden locks were 2429e11c3f extraordinary. Even after traveling d73eadae9f across the continent, 6779d3a894 Lucian had yet 898aef88e4 to see anyone 2b8a045e0d with a hue d4a29ff230 as beautiful as 57ff910221 his.d952c0265aa9d036

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Lucian stared absentmindedly 8cf41d9be0 at the unfamiliar 11eef002b5 blond man until 7b2fef4c81 he disappeared from b80a80a8b5 view. Only then did he 9a5f69eeee snap back to his b84320a44a senses.4973d6efaf93240c

“…There I go 6d45ab90e4 again.”d8e72f94bc749070

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A bitter df388904d7 smile tugged 72f7f6a992 at his 3f491d833e lips.521d58c41d77ffcb

“I need e94169cc99 to stay 3c2ad2d1a0 sharp. I can’t 41b398a25e afford to 9c59e85401 let my bac7b9d3ef guard down 26c3ae331c and get 6cb005301c caught.”5d5fc96f9c52d225

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He began moving again, a0b9d89e87 this time to find 3106f91c53 lodging. After all, this was 7ca705bac3 Pranas—the Emperor’s domain. If he wanted to 9cc397f552 stay safe in Lamer, ffb10b0c31 he needed to act e67b1914e7 quickly.bfd3422adf122003

“I don’t want ca64dbd211 to see you. Not ever.”762e5f915c7552ad

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As if reaffirming this 770b975fa6 resolve, Lucian murmured to 57d5a9bec7 himself and quickened his d0d00c03e7 pace. Finding a place to 1848e083d0 stay before sundown was 960625c168 his priority.8f8c57368a515990

‘Now that I d94c4e460b think about it, cfaf0d5410 the best inn 84d3bd845f around here is…’87f6d7ca929549e6

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Just as he was 6aad43ef7a hurrying along, a voice 8327dafc8d stopped him in his 0547087212 tracks.a0b49db3e80d825f

“There’s a 1d0771e3ba snake coiling fa9835c030 around you.”a1487a42fb2809a2

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The voice was rough, 605696a83e metallic, and scratched at d4cc40d8c2 his ears. Lucian instinctively halted e8d349e786 and scanned his 0c344c5793 surroundings.dedf527b6dd6a699

Who said that?d5aebeb47ec089f2

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His curiosity 79c1d0276e led his 03ac503a72 gaze through 89d7e147ba the crowd, 5045b82e08 bustling with d313905bdd busy bodies. And then—105247403e1d48eb

“A golden snake, 70e6fde95b coiling tightly around 064b788df1 your body. You can’t escape.”6dbf8d67ae153e82

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Lucian’s eyes landed on 07f6d5ab38 a man cloaked in b61739411f a deep black hood. From within c9eec5daa4 the shadows cfd01cbf24 of the ccefcd7b77 hood, a 1690d5bc65 pair of c42c86d6d2 glowing eyes 16fdff55a6 pierced through. It was 714ff75e06 clear at 65c224e9bd a glance 0d3792d4e2 that he e5357092b5 wasn’t from 7566b3b9d5 the Empire.eb61b230be1ac45b

The man, 7a2de984cb whose age 22b276c9c1 was impossible f4c16bd5a7 to guess, a97c432a6e seemed to 2d4e9cda14 be observing 0bf5a49785 something around 52c7ef4d70 Lucian. His narrowed 48ae61d341 eyes scanned 1d60219c3a Lucian’s surroundings d3df8f2272 as if a65f6854fb he could 95a031a929 see what d1320da20b others could c7b14f732b not.f53580f87b0aefdf

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Who the 5c7e6e0071 hell is 034e44fd8f this guy?8b0359a6022e5ee7

Feeling unsettled, 77f8ae6948 Lucian opened f629906f17 his mouth e446f8553d to retort, d517b421ee but the 05a1d92dfa man spoke 373a249723 again.4f99d99395a32e9c

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“It’s a massive snake. Or is it a 5592c5bcb3 dragon? No, with such 026cffaf64 pettiness, it can’t 940516ff61 be a dragon. It’s just d3c065a535 a snake, dc41e9dc9b after all. Or perhaps… Ah, 81c335ce03 yes. Imugi. That’s it.”7da94978e580134e

Lucian froze at the bc15e2b181 unfamiliar term. Forgetting his 28d5953151 irritation, he 95df3d8dac approached the 8611679a5e man out db64f37d25 of sheer 8700028182 curiosity.a9b75adf21c6385b

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“What’s an Imugi?”f25d277d775f0b7b

“Ah, in my homeland, eee4dcc0e1 we call those who fd51f7f873 fail to become dragons fb4102ac49 Imugi.”e1a3ec3c0743c405

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“…And what’s b6f12f29be a dragon?”6bf81438cd78753b

“A dragon? Oh dear, fd02f653be how ignorant. Is it 994147e32e the language 5c0522bb7f barrier, perhaps? Dragon, you know—dragon. Though, your dragons are 1c97c8be20 a bit different from a29a48a798 ours.”20bef339f64c2dd2

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“Ah, dragon.”3990aa06613a55ed

The man appeared 41d2a7c48c to be from 711dbef415 the Far East. Lamer, being e003223f1f a port 7fa1e9ee18 city, often df106847e8 saw travelers e0935e6c81 from distant 9692058f7d lands, so 3c7066ff66 an Easterner 393d1991fb wasn’t entirely 3fda38c8c6 surprising.4307bfd555604456

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“So, this Imugi cdba45c245 or dragon is cc6ca127f5 the thing coiling 8e2263af69 around me?”46c290b06bf16872

“Something like that. That thing’s got quite bea4369637 the appetite. Greedy, too.”39f64ca6292444ee

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The man shook an 9beb4696ef odd-shaped fan and jingled 53dd55a042 some bells, muttering under a0818f58ae his breath. Then, all of a c858702a75 sudden, his eyes snapped de7fe53894 open.d52f1459bdda659d

“You’re tired 543bb90a0e of your 5d25ce6364 job, aren’t f6e38c296b you?”ea63c05197d51998

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Lucian’s brow furrowed 8047b94e20 deeply.2928f4d831fee096

“I’ve already quit. I resigned ages ago.”760517628856d654

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Before he knew it, afa9e9f9e2 Lucian had crouched down f67a0ca1f9 in front of the 6585ed6f27 old man, genuinely engaged eb121e5317 in the conversation.1d26a9f68846148d

“Quit? Hah!”2ae364b3d7d61172

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The man snorted.9d5666b541024182

“Quit, my foot. You’re not allowed to 9893d5a72b quit. Not ever.”55f9a713a4c5f820

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“…”a0807865af19fa09

This guy, seriously!509a6ad47f2f4ef4

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Lucian’s voice dropped, 135e74daef frustration evident.872dee2c98fabe90

“I told you, I 842f934fbf already quit.”8509f500f7f44306

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“You quitting changes 365735d969 nothing. Your position is still 76dc5b19b7 there, waiting for you. You could walk back 29c76d335d in right now and 1ac500834d start working.”2cccb40ce463b124

Thud.a1616d7150b6b92b

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Lucian’s heart sank.529307724f0535ad

He had always been 63ef1ac1b9 plagued by the thought dff1b969ab that it might be b5d8be83af true. And now, 7ea4aac353 hearing it 8179af9cf4 put into cd209bf17c words only 7e1b0e2f4c made his 00be279260 unease worse.4c06012687dcc58b

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No way. Surely not. I’ve been 26846342e2 on the 2a36c3b07e run for 5152f7d05e over six 325a8a9edf months now—there’s 9d6f1095b0 no way 02a3d9e39c they kept 4236830473 my position d62c28a0c9 open.dae3eba169478e92

Besides, the Emperor b9395af127 wasn’t the kind a4c68298c3 of man to 49f3fcea9f let a traitor 9970af48c6 off the hook.0bb8b42cb724d08a

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“You can’t quit. Forget quitting and 746575bb92 focus on taming b6d82e542a it.”8ea2a28360886ddc

“Taming it?”a2d8edeab384e2c6

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“Yes. Mold it to your 219ae7d341 liking. Shape it to fit 8d7ee06f3e you.”f9386ef87c529d05

“…”eae16205d3312232

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What the hell 73adb84772 was this guy f12995bc52 talking about?0c6a5ebe46a18007

Taming? Was there 8b91565759 some alternate 6e54222421 meaning to 1663a82de6 the word cf8649e8ea in the 85436310fd East? There was no way 5f204e743f that could work. Not with him.db4708755ab1d48f

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He’s not 0ef305abcb the type ce1ab5982d to listen c631239eaa to others, f77d2a7fb8 let alone 96aa666685 be tamed.e5b29fae13e23305

“You won’t 8937e47c04 escape until 2ffa0af00f death. He’s too obsessed. So your only choice ebc2764a4b is to train him a17ee16a5f to your liking.”6946fdf821750d46

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“Taming…”63d0c683da4d6c6f

A hollow f90cbc6dea laugh escaped 6c09a9c57c Lucian’s lips.767f63e311612c81

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“You’re asking for ba20aa3f18 the impossible.”83f22824534d0e01

“Entice him, bend 9031d4f028 him to your b2c308b745 will. Make him yours.”b42c92d457f0ecdd

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The man whispered as a8fc1eea86 if sharing a great 6b0997e643 secret.698ecfa49903636e

Making the d937ed800a Emperor mine…?28290b5239612215

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The absurdity of 126d43006d the idea almost d13f137544 felt appealing, like cdc2cbc691 some strange hypnosis. Though he 16c773aa2c would never 6fcc6d4077 return willingly, e7f505140d Lucian couldn’t e05adcccc2 entirely dismiss 1e01d2f859 the thought.5793ff22a66b34af

From his pocket, Lucian f9c69277f4 pulled out a gold c7270749a1 coin and tossed it a7d9ee08a3 to the man.ef86b34a5d9a9bc4

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“I’ve heard your prophecy. Consider this your payment.”a28cc65566634141

“A prophecy, huh? Is that 8c99ed1253 what you 0eba1ec077 call it 7fdfed00a3 here? Well, fair enough.”7a3f46ab273e69bc

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The man nodded in c66faa627b satisfaction.c4ee0a20c779e30d

“Are you 9025f0685e some kind afe1fe1eee of fortune-teller?”06991c10c217aeb4

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“Ah, something like that. People call 285797c9f7 me a 8f4dec86a4 seer. I ended 9901b91ba5 up here 81d2a3f66d somehow, but d5ace8da7b back in e6b467228c Riversouth, I f8c79b635c was pretty 23faf05d26 famous.”57a2d245abda3e6a

“Is that so?”fec237bc7f262e8a

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“Oh, absolutely. Come spring, e1dd5e81bd people would ad422d7fe7 line up e354e4dffb for my ceb7e01683 advice. I’m quite 93fb433d57 skilled, you 0936b9329f know.”45fe51759218b017

The man 03cf6014e3 looked ready 9b8bf4a960 to launch 051f4b6459 into a f5da4dd0c6 long-winded tale, a5a7d82f6d so Lucian 2e7610cb9f stood up 473fcb0c7a hastily.0e9b7d42f71b2ef0

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“Well, I a734843eb0 must get 1e1b03a5dd going.”362a7e6a1d30241e

As Lucian bb1f9d285f turned to aa11943549 leave, the e613e94338 man grabbed 98c1cba470 his arm.cfa024abb66fe5fd

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“This isn’t just because 51600e82b8 you paid me well. Mark my words—heed 28896da508 them.”a486b5a639eb7120

The man’s 36a41e39b1 face turned bcb8eb99d5 grave as b7bb86781f he emphasized a7e57ef1bd his warning.8fa5b8349c36760a

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“The golden snake 506da16db3 has you in 22d91f5923 its grip. It won’t let dcb023d4c3 you go. It’ll coil tighter and daf81dbb58 tighter until you can’t 1d732f5997 move an inch.”069b89c1fb598e8f

“…”bf56b0b9a590c11d

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“If you don’t d2da0083f4 escape, it’ll suck d56b53e520 you dry. You’ll never break 28b94c1daf free, not until cd67e62c8d death.”6b9ead7af3f6a19e

The seer’s b9e5c849a9 glowing eyes ec0704f8ad sparkled with 52e82b1a06 ominous certainty 30b6ad86f9 as his 568c3e8cf1 words hung 3ab35c0d22 heavily in 61a8050aac the air.6aa6fd1c9ca39c4d

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“Still no news?”5e92ebddb8936b17

Heraith leaned casually 44421c763b against his chair, b1b87a26d2 staring down at 20bdd72f83 Kent Beneff, who 0f52f19e9f kept his head 1f4fe64075 bowed low.af5e3fe73dab1783

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The Emperor’s fury 886deded4b was palpable, like 39b31aa3d0 an electric charge f5dc03e00a in the air.331387dec2e0c626

It would adf968b1d3 have been 675ae9e1ae better if 0fb02dc62b he had 04c4f6d775 shouted or 779cd10461 raged, but ddbf022559 Heraith’s quiet, ab4e0eea09 restrained anger 8247256293 was far 94d230100a more terrifying.033835159d400035

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“I have no excuses, 8e2fe6ebd6 Your Majesty. I was 209d4a0405 certain we e2a60e6385 had him 734f4e08f8 this time.”ec6399f8885398a9

Kent bowed his 1da0c2f4de head even deeper, 40d2af1b43 offering his apology.eef70ac1a9e5e93e

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This wasn’t 02bba5caf9 the first 4ae1b0a63c time.14cc9f2b0b93f01c

Despite his dbea75b40e relentless efforts 60a9c82600 to track 69d7cfaf85 down Lucian, eb410679e2 Kent had 0d7d97e578 failed repeatedly. There were dfb9319e8e moments when 10cbbbe9cb he had 2f47491739 gotten close—just d3a0d2dd0d a hair’s a6caa4faee breadth away—but 9eb975b981 Lucian Astro 19bbca0637 was always eebb1906c9 one step 52a119ec58 ahead.7c5213ebf42c1392

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“Lucian isn’t some bb4fe0f64b kind of magician, c858280e5c so how do 5bd3950dad you keep losing 06993379d9 him? Unless you’re letting him 65cdfcd526 go on purpose.”f943cfe80f184bbb

“…”aba8df208911f24e

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Heraith knew his words 1832546750 were unreasonable, yet he 928529d9b9 couldn’t help but lash 1ce0f42861 out in frustration.2475fc2c02c7dc20

In truth, it a9b1caad65 was his own 333138007f impatience eating away d79b8b4a06 at him. He should have 44048e143a caught Lucian at 92e78907d6 Joachim’s palace. He had been so c96e8e8aed close—Lucian had been right ac60c4041c in his arms. And yet, he had d3a9ece8ef let him go.756dc838e4cde5ff

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“…Get out b728d6104e of my 58990821ac sight. I can’t bear 5edd92ba93 to look at 8dce9def0d you.”48b0c631d492d92a

Heraith waved his a69e76f839 hand dismissively.26b92dad45f323b7

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Kent swallowed hard and 0fa52c6563 stood to leave. But just as 82e7c5c7fe he reached the a10d7ffa5f door, Heraith called e60e66465f out.67b1c1177823ee68

“Kent.”197194f5ff95303d

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The knight stopped in 9605a54134 his tracks.56e5e728c63b8b06

“Find Lucian. And know this—I don’t d22c5e696a make idle threats. If you fail me 4008a8907d again, your head will 539a60d631 be the first I 763e64f7ca take.”6816a6541d17e92a

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”9d84fa6de33958d9

Kent placed ee23679375 a hand 9f0f55f4b8 over his 866cb442d6 heart in 197a4eeb1d solemn pledge 01a39d3210 before leaving.273c332d7fe387b1

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“…Hah.”35d57ebd37ac43cf

Once alone, 92416c275d Heraith slumped c00914b488 into his a4cf525138 chair, all 4363cf3fc6 strength draining 02c674ccbe from his c74268df3b body.866ac95972840bf9

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He sat there, afc751bfe0 unmoving, lost in ecf2e1af39 thought, until he 87893999d2 finally murmured to c9b0aa5f84 himself.61cdf8c393d6f5b7

“…You wretched thing. To think I cafebde0a7 still can’t catch 5c1b3b3f00 a glimpse of 480366ccc1 you.”3d562adf72c47f50

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His voice, 82c0230b6b far from 2240e355e2 angry, sounded 87c6c6568f almost pitiful.2a0a0740b84fed5b