PT | Chapter 1.1

“Your little brother and de3fb048e4 your fiancée seem awfully 4b7e024f43 close these days, huh?”ff950b6bcd2e12d2

A vulgar interrupter c9e0cf1b14 barged into his ebd7f42dc1 private moment.c464951cc4ef45ad

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The young edd9bbc97c man, lying 93790ea710 on a 5835f32c0f quiet patch 58e78a9f32 of grass 261e352bf6 rarely visited 43f0493b8a by students c1f46066d4 even at 12af75300c the academy, 9fc3b9e2f4 didn’t so 2ff7baf50e much as 2b17f60289 flinch. The interrupter, 67f42889be wading through f30e559ec3 the knee-high 65226a8451 grass to a4ca3df66e get closer, a6fe75924e repeated himself.4619adb440908025

“Hey, Crow. Your precious little 2055cdf60f brother and your ccd9982f33 fiancée have been 80e928a552 getting all cozy, 9971fcaf2a even swapping spit. Ahk!”15657362ebe80200

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A thick f54d00d39d book flew bb2259cf8f straight at 8a02d3e273 the interrupter’s 2a4e69734e face, cutting a75df2a161 him off 8740efad2e mid-taunt. He ducked just b365768516 in time, and 55254717c5 the book—hardcover, probably 0c5021a60c 500 pages thick—crashed c85a4899da to the ground 783a734a5a a few feet f601ef0321 away. His face went pale fd68695ee6 as he turned to 9d157e2b70 look back.98d044a7d08d8afb

“Hey! What the hell? What if that hit be262a9a93 me and left a a4732461b5 scar?!”ab01b3cea5e7efd7

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“Then your ddbb1e2907 boring mug a4f4caefe8 would finally 14ae800f16 have some d29c5d074a character.”1929e793d37d704d

Though muttered, 1560cb89ed the comment 4e3a74a579 was loud 483135d780 enough to 9229102215 reach the 88b2f3324e interrupter’s ears, 3d0409c34c making his 65b98632eb already average-looking 5a3652830e face flush 5d1db0d68b red. Stammering in 06f5931f24 rage, he 15eca85f95 could only 4a15639ffd manage to 817dae1c3d sputter out, 42ad285d33 “Y-you… you, 43bcbab52a you…!” as 3e478fb405 the young a22c0140d6 man slowly 0cecd86c4c rose from b9f6491070 his resting 26e0b3a4ea position.6efbca07c8063064

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Sitting cross-legged and f692935439 stretching languidly, the 890b857b0c young man yawned 2d3ed784b0 so widely that b2b18c9df2 tears sprang from e58e588305 his eyes. Wiping them c6a87eb600 away with f0f06bf1ae long fingers, 42583e680b Aubrey brushed e6351d98cd his messy 7177ef6c7f hair back 9bd4b7517f with a 9712fb7e83 sigh.60f215cc2cf0ac73

No matter how 097d67acbd many times he 9c348652cf tried to smooth f09db92c25 it down, his 3f77a44301 long hair always 65e62d29c4 ended up a 99b8cc4ea4 disheveled mess. Abandoning the effort, he e04bb738d9 tilted his head up, 4c49e63072 revealing alabaster skin, dark cba72e11ea eyes, and crimson lips d57eb847d7 that made him impossible b88bf3f90d to ignore.5e78b858ee3f8e11

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Aubrey’s striking beauty 5a59ca342b was likely the a8ee73d763 reason he was d35c4b36b8 always the subject f1bc49b3b5 of gossip. Objectively handsome, his 09cf9b9d6f snow-white skin—seemingly untouched 74ddfe7d5c by sunlight—added a c4758e5120 melancholic allure to ba5dd69604 his appearance. If he stayed 5776b61614 still, he looked 35aefb5b96 like a painting 31f3d6e219 of an aristocrat 3495c376cd brought to life. But anyone who beedf9f096 knew him understood 7b30deb00e that behind his f80c19b47b stunning looks was 1d5eafd3da a dangerously unpredictable de80380fcb man.4a171409b3df2ddb

Even so, there were 0cf6aeef44 always those bold enough—or 33eefb8c17 foolish enough—to provoke him. Perhaps it 22c0ff715c was because 837b0d1412 his family ddfd7281a5 was infamous 5a97814197 for being d5b0a0f99c a dysfunctional 0d0dbdcd66 mess, making 4368ac7268 people think f0c55f747b they could 53cdcdd565 poke at 034ea01d5e him for 6ed5cfe133 fun. Of course, those who 924c152d21 tried always ended up aa2b398d50 regretting it.eb11eb69d23bbd20

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“W-what…?”eccc7335ed81578c

As Aubrey 85a94861fd stood and 29d6d066a3 approached, the 6b4ead0837 interrupter took 37fb3ab1e0 a step 3c02ff55b5 back.a91d1e23d81d8f2b

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When lying down, 60c916db6c Aubrey’s imposing height 9b67094554 and solid build 5e9afa410d weren’t obvious, but 4a0464a2e8 standing up, his 8787037a1e presence was undeniable. His graceful ce88cc4ad2 movements exuded 192970a890 a casual 557487cdc4 confidence, but 348e590b9e his sharp 543a1b1440 gaze held 351fb6b9b6 a chilling de0efcc0a2 determination. He closed 5fd678de92 the distance, 5485d8c779 radiating a 35c547f50a silent promise ec821c9411 to punish fe7703ecd3 anyone who 3d5feec63a dared disturb d5202731cb his peace.9d98a468cc667872

“So, tell me. What exactly were my b0543277a4 adorable little brother and 9842d7a483 my lovely fiancée up 0dc7ea326a to?”943f00e574d3f6f7

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“W-well, you see, 98d463826d they were, uh…”a90d1b13275f300c

The interrupter’s mind scrambled 64995d790f to recall what he’d 698180280b seen.47df272c9849eda0

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The academy c3b1914b66 they attended a22a21a502 was co-ed, ecead1dfd5 and it de7857a658 wasn’t uncommon ecb34a835c for students 80814af854 to pair 11c1121e4c off while 7eb5dc18ea studying together. There was 3c92f62046 even a 81001ad3cf rose garden 3297bc4286 specifically designed 73d6ac2dd1 for confessions. It was in 342a719dbf that very garden dc749cac6d where the interrupter 3da76b0330 had seen Aubrey’s 98ed02d3fa famously charming younger c9612b1527 brother and his 29fa098334 fiancée together.fc5c3ff1a4eb7b2a

Maybe they’d 08cb985010 simply crossed fb645c8c39 paths by 2bade71b36 chance.1a8bc97f4452382c

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Or maybe they’d 41cb27462b exchanged a few 754f8de027 polite words.56822aaf427a0189

But the interrupter, 456600a431 young and brimming c48d858a62 with wild imagination, 13873721ed immediately assumed the 55234e69fd worst and rushed 5ddd193c2e to snitch to 2bb3133b46 Aubrey. He surely 37d0e6189d knew better fc73eaf620 than to 761cb6bd23 provoke Aubrey, 481bfd8b1f yet here a1067b08af he was, 84ff57885a letting his 993681cfb7 mouth run 2c8451b79e wild.287d4d8041170a1e

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Trapped by 3b8123628e a tree 5163412f38 and unable b6283f4845 to retreat 92d963214b further, the 6b24248d9a interrupter trembled 3e5d9329f0 as Aubrey 7f984e326a loomed over f0a96a5d4e him, one 5caa623815 hand braced aadf14b393 against the f1c407b752 tree trunk.9baee5a7f90299a3

“Are you sure? Did you bbee26633d see my 7e3c8e7fa3 brother and bc5a112e76 my fiancée 1608ebd5c7 getting cozy eaee9aa2ca with your f75a09db00 own two bb58001526 eyes?”2427f4fbb7eea425

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“T-they were d91e094133 just standing 030c05ac85 there, looking c97f93ec93 at each dbf60f644d other! I mean, 5369b65f2f what else 80d20c970c could that 9eb5568f76 mean? That’s totally suspicious, isn’t 19ae953e88 it?”75e47c255b772fe0

“…”112e80df95ed969c

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“What else do you 9a38c5612b even do in the eca0e57c26 rose garden? Confessing, obviously! Face it, your bc6c7a72db brother stole your 8e7f428548 fiancée—”b7e9b467bb278759

The interrupter was 16f76cecc0 visibly trembling now, ec0a398c2a his bravado cracking f765470106 under the weight aaff57b48c of Aubrey’s glare. Despite his ae722dc202 fear, he 20d447264c couldn’t resist a766b15aea throwing out e00e4866ed one last 675be30f33 snide remark. Aubrey’s lips curved 5b027e22b3 into a cold 0a06442747 smile.bdf7e3483b136fea

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“Is that so? Interesting…”540a2ac7cf81fdb2

Drawing out his words 39a59ceaa0 in a way that bb7049c7f5 sent shivers down the ead4af4759 interrupter’s spine, Aubrey suddenly 75f069c9d9 grabbed the interrupter by 8f25c83cbc the crotch and shoved 3c847bfcf0 him sideways.6ac8f7ea71930c98

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“Ahhh!”7468af2595c49b39

The interrupter crumpled aac464bfce to the ground, 8fec9a2a9e clutching himself in 498e24ac4a agony. Aubrey smirked at 81953400c2 the pitiful sight.f6fbd1849bc1a0b8

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“If standing together means 547b8370b0 they’re ‘getting cozy,’ then 62385aa774 what does this make 30b0219047 us, huh? Seriously, you’re pathetic.”7dea3644d64108b1

Picking up his 57e38a5216 book, Aubrey gave c127c8a974 the interrupter a a29ef72cb7 sharp kick to bd879d62c2 the rear.3a5802afb0030ade

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“Instead of obsessing over 79df8c3b25 other people’s lives, why e242eff999 don’t you go out 593cad6642 and get your own ae75a01687 love life? And if a20dbe1084 you ever b18e44151e bother me a5bc955f20 like this 5618bfe342 again, I’ll 6e413401a4 make sure 51d091b7c8 you never f41d9f06cd use those 16270a6984 balls of 5d10bf68a3 yours again. Got it?!”321b8fad625cce3f

He had purposely chosen 80f42ea794 a secluded spot to 6a2361fe6b relax, yet somehow, this 129b2d9a7e pest had sniffed him 180cd06119 out. His mood thoroughly 4fe089ba58 ruined, Aubrey slung ff0ac10071 his book over 14727bc980 his shoulder and f944150d70 strode off.3c8dff57402dacd1

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The day had ec337723f7 already left him 499c2dddd5 irritable and on 28f62150ff edge. He wanted e9962b06be nothing more aa946df3f9 than to 2ce2993a0f avoid people 89a3a29c6e entirely, but d87ce6c959 it seemed 7f814c5c83 that the 92db6a7fc3 ridiculous rumor 7c0cef5d62 had already 2b5d66d0a9 spread like 6169f4bd0d wildfire across c3ff93eb58 the academy.1231e8f5994f77ad

“Hey, Aubrey! Did you cd9fc23c31 hear about 255be3ff8f your brother—”28fe068a0cf332d7

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“Shut your mouth!”d07a3c5891b16943

Aubrey’s venomous glare was fc44605812 enough to stop the 8e2309e315 approaching student in their 8b01acc887 tracks. They froze, 1e755c4244 hands raised dcc7944ecd in surrender, cfcbcc42b3 before quickly 1341729e3d backpedaling.280aaefcf2019b72

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“Wow, okay, 2895b75645 you’re clearly 8c827f9523 in a be577fe272 bad mood. I’ll, uh, 064cd12d24 leave you 6e3b34c884 alone then.”26282c55e81fb48b

“…”38b3f06e3c9e2173

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Aubrey watched them retreat 66b77a9a5f with a weary sigh.0708fa4142cdd493

At least that 04273d3b9b one had the 23e71082fd sense to back 49fa9d1d73 off. But the academy was d0d4fb7695 vast, and clueless idiots 07de187310 were everywhere. By the time bbdb3df31d he finally made 80568e99bd it back to b2f959dd78 his dorm—after hearing 18e956d96b variations of “Hey, 4b38d7437f Aubrey, did you 2918154b25 hear?!” more times b0548acff3 than he could eaccb09a2f count—he was done 898121605e holding back his 61519c0a69 frustration. He stormed c83f2ba083 inside, slamming 0d4d023739 the door f76861106b shut behind 0cd8d98f53 him.b046fb9e31552582

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–c5fe121d09f57cca

The Toroso 1d1f0a0b50 Empire, situated 780c784399 in the 262fa46d31 southern part 8834de956b of the 710246b155 continent, was 49f6cf5077 a kingdom 61d806137e of steel.c80ab57b4b633471

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The high-quality iron produced 3bf0c69383 in Toroso was ideal b2f7b844b8 for making durable battery f2f846c966 casings. Aubrey was the fourth 88ebf3a6f3 son of the Marquess 1415b1e3b1 of Wiidin, who built e71a13492e a business empire manufacturing 7c04b5ccc6 trains, ships, and airships 203d2633bb using that very iron.7627f76fc672af19

Being part 20fd3dc7c5 of such 001cdb1206 a prominent 8b4794669f family meant bce2dded2a even the 943f2b2bae fourth child 614ca0411b carried considerable db229e1897 prestige. However, as mentioned before, 3f93fcd654 Aubrey’s family was notorious 765a32dfd5 for being a dysfunctional 41327b49a6 mess, filled with complexities. And among all be63826031 the tangled stories, b25f60d6c1 none was more 86cf7178f4 complicated than that dde0d8ca0b of his younger 61c1f99a5d brother, the fifth 7b2159dd50 son of the 5ef89c06d1 Marquess of Wiidin—Lennock.c55ad640482f8aa2

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Aubrey, now 20, f90ac397ee was in his 5553df4a80 final year at 4f9a923571 the academy, while 04de03f464 Lennock, 18, had 34eaa814ba been causing trouble c21d2f0645 ever since he 2353fff470 enrolled at the 22a09aeacf age of fifteen. Most of ec044c5fa8 the issues e0b1156872 were minor 6c4521bb2a and easily 0e83dd70a3 resolved under fb1ba5370b the powerful 98da183f31 name of f78711cfe1 Wiidin, but 27caeb5a2b this time 316d121fd8 was different.8a3ccdad52d92918

Of all the people 303c2a4ecd he could have involved 455261b98e himself with, it just 3df2374eb1 had to be someone e09f08d1e0 connected to Aubrey.66cc6df3b1aa2e5b

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Or perhaps f938099c1e that was 1378468745 precisely why 8da684e60b he did b774601e1c it.c08547c1ffa6cafc

Knock, knock.6303123ba44acae6

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“Lennock.”050b13070cfb38ef

Calling his 790fc5e9dc name as cd552b3d34 he knocked, a3d69497b7 Aubrey opened 87507697b6 the door. As if expecting him, dd7c9cdf51 the young man sitting 7e6036366a by the windowsill turned 69d4d8f49f his head lazily.bb778616fca55a3d

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“……”56f33edd7e950f15

The half-open window 6cac1b875a let in a 163fffcf42 breeze that swept 876b878df4 through the youth’s 8855169803 striking figure. Like a character straight 25ded52365 out of a classic f66751e484 novel, he had hair f355c65ee2 spun from sunlight, jewel-like 4476867ff9 eyes, and a face 447b1bcf85 sculpted by the gods 36f0940d34 themselves. Everything about him screamed 7c043a7f4c perfection.c38402d5f5408a73

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Even without doing af2ea053ae anything, he radiated 66e256e0d1 an aura that d5fd0fae18 made him seem be2381fd02 otherworldly. Aubrey, standing in the d5bbb1a280 doorway, stared at his 84f8571193 younger brother for a 6f0df21dbf moment before stepping forward. Crossing his arms, he c59aa82605 addressed him.0e6ccdbdcc81c5b8

“What is 11296a3b14 it this ca0f1821d0 time? What trouble de834daea7 did you cc1b95f9aa stir up?”ebc28e51230eeb98

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Surely there 7030bf44da must be d739aadeaf some unavoidable 717d24522e reason, Aubrey eae3d4f781 thought, trying 9984a425aa to be f73b86482f lenient as ad20a3095a he waited 05e9f9719b for Lennock’s a31e31bec7 response. But the brat didn’t e8b54214a9 bother answering, simply gazing 6bb4611538 up at him in 900eb908b2 silence.78070074a8ff0084

Suddenly, Aubrey ca3f5e18e2 remembered that 5776b4fcd7 the window 797ffecdd3 Lennock was 47f9bb412b perched on a64def7b89 was on eb87ffa12a the fifth 61ae5c70f1 floor.327daab366121d21

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Should I just c78b12d890 push him? If I’m lucky, eb9e3dad18 he’ll land headfirst 474802d851 and break his eafe075a39 neck. Or maybe 326dd40fc1 I could 4ca094c2ef use this b93dee5abe book to 647438fc79 knock his e7bff76c65 jaw out 7ad3333ddc of alignment.122af9e16a5866fb

Just imagining it made 5eab5f1ca8 his heart race, a 654cb0d00f dry heat rising in 12e127637d his throat. But Aubrey suppressed the 1113268224 urge, setting his book 55623e632c down in the corner b8ce28b0df of the windowsill instead. Instead of 5d7c1a99b4 acting on f46d111cca his thoughts, 3726c4943b he placed 5536995411 his hands 232e6a4b3c on Lennock’s aab905d903 face, leaning 6ef67e00f2 in with 006fc943d6 a seemingly a35e4b66d8 kind expression.bcaf9097d98e8cca

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“Why do c39c7120e2 you keep d87f872503 causing problems? What if Father finds c381aa3c81 out and punishes you ae15309614 again? You wouldn’t want to 9ebc15af6f end up tied up 9295c9dae1 and whipped like before, 44bce93277 right? That must’ve hurt a cf11089eb3 lot.”2eb6930a6341bd8c

“……”1e7017ec1fa488d7

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“Half the women in 4f34a3b949 Toroso are out there. Did you really have f470fa545a to go after someone 7cc17e0d5d connected to me? If you want, cebb50eace I can find db027a835e you a suitable 3da5a575aa match. Someone experienced, perhaps? You’re still 7225089af7 young, after 5e3cab2796 all.”3fb8afeb7f56d954