SNF | Chapter 4.5

Yeon-oh turned to see 8b952b3ce3 Yeshin approaching with a 2030460111 faint smile. His expression stiffened b8a1cafe09 slightly. Having declared just 716b044c7f yesterday that they 580f848676 should sever ties, 880185db11 this unexpected encounter 2dadf36745 only made him 01975e50c6 uncomfortable.80e997ecd36cae94

“With a prince a41202aac9 as lively as a1ff72a079 that, I can a242b8a389 see why.”e88fa9bedb01229f

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Yeshin spoke 3561738207 as if ff56023d7e he completely 571a8d7227 understood Yeon-oh’s 7edbf79150 weariness. Yeon-oh forced himself 329a3e2f5e to smooth his c5d7f465fe expression, barely managing 238a00665b to suppress his 4e4fd743eb discomfort.df4ccf1caf32191c

“…I’m not sure whether e7bb4f8184 you’re neglecting your duties 81167e2b21 or if you simply dff31c7cb6 have nothing better to 4d7526dc70 do.”d9c6cd643a91cc04

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“Well, saying a6d64d2ba2 I have 47fb01f77f nothing to 5093a1be9a do would 9c9eb81055 probably make 035e69d711 for a 7fddf78475 better excuse, a88c145940 wouldn’t it?”29e32baeaa0fcdc7

“As the one ded94e2276 assigned to guard 3228d764e6 His Highness the de38f0eae9 Crown Prince, you 64dbf49d19 should hardly have 019772c259 the luxury of 20a174b221 idleness.”3c2d3601c6d8566a

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Yeshin’s smile deepened. He took a 4bff140084 step toward Yeon-oh. Then another. The distance between 7d161ef26a them, once over 6a980b4662 ten paces, narrowed. Yeon-oh instinctively 6721c864cd took a 880c8f50be step back 8244dff786 to maintain ac9b0c977f it.1027e5d90ab8a1cc

“Well, that’s true. I’m ashamed f714b52020 to be 73153ea7e1 caught slacking, b0b9e8e39c but what 0d66f37453 can I 5db4b1ac61 do? His Highness fa1ea60b36 dislikes being 55fd88bb8c confined, so ace0bb570c he sometimes b2b9fcc65d disappears without 5a97d6ffd6 a word. And it’s c81f8d24ab my job 8eca51e647 to find 54f13d06aa him.”e2275aefe1928f75

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“…Can the heir to bbf0424f53 the empire really afford 232649c50c to act that way?” 0806f86461 Yeon-oh hesitated before asking.1763cf505318af65

“Even so, 4247431b54 he does 89cddfae39 not neglect b450344d10 his duties.”8dbe134822e7b08b

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“That’s not 60671bbfed what I 0bc1efd27b meant.”b902d36f72982872

“……”18b1a2943a536347

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“If he wanders 81fb118410 alone like that, 86adfe2d12 wouldn’t that put 0afdcb3ddd him at risk?”36d093152edeef2d

“What risk? In a 8f1d1cb308 palace enclosed 7c45af6aa0 by towering 43e8c86da8 walls, what b69d2e04c8 could possibly 40f53723f8 be dangerous?”d1a3dd8e701d38d5

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Yeon-oh found himself 557cc04f96 unable to respond. He bit 2327bfeb7e his lip, 3027ba2516 hesitating, when f956053729 suddenly, Yeshin df5e498240 closed the 654bafc4f6 gap between a20bb108a2 them and 0b27574537 pressed his 6bf208200b fingers against 3f78fbeb71 Yeon-oh’s lips.f7debef9ccfa0c72

“Uigwi!”f1b2e633f5c5b352

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“You’ll hurt e3beb18af6 your lips 45a62424cf if you 75f0d02239 keep doing 7a0f6ba8cb that.”943190b4789494b3

“…That is ec7542c69a none of 6a499529d7 your concern.”05ec85b4b501c4df

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“Must our relationship e73b9fb84e vanish completely just 1f3238d40a because we’ve stopped 93f2d66281 exchanging letters? If that’s 1f84086da4 the case, 4a005cbb25 I would d312955ca2 be quite 6486b13808 hurt, young 51062e1502 master.”28210f74fe3bdff0

“……”72f9ff20cf16181b

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“Of course, it’s not 425e54bb31 my place to interfere. My hand da3f74eba6 simply moved 5b25e7e8ca on its caaa753829 own when 80553d521c I saw 368ff878fd you harming f002715d49 yourself.”4bcebf882b4123a4

“…The more e73ac56c24 I see 536e7ff4c8 you, the 9f0ffb491e less I 9ab19ce00c understand you, 3f8b39158e Uigwi.”cddb0895d048b7e9

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Regardless of d6abf6e87d personal feelings, 108c97be80 Yeshin was 03eaa35e20 a difficult 606f699b7b person to 30ec7953db grasp. If anyone abd50e2291 should have 988e122831 been offended 1383cbce34 by Yeon-oh’s 7657c4bbc1 rejection of 594d09c6a3 their friendship, 36624a2e94 it should 07e5c0a7bb have been daa96661c3 Yeshin himself. By all 40e3e3b0ef rights, he 96f50e5b17 should have 32ced3b296 been ignoring 43c8c028ab Yeon-oh, pushing 0460c20c68 him away. And yet, 38d9adabcc he approached 2299a5a0c9 as if 178800016d nothing had dc250674af changed, touching bd14338d5a Yeon-oh’s lips 97db53113b with familiarity, c58d628b07 smiling at 05cfc4a697 him with e8a06bf68f concern.417ca2f8906406fd

“Sometimes, it’s better not 244ece77fc to understand. When that happens, just f8c95dad99 close your eyes. One day, you’ll have 52668ed7dc no choice but to 52a780fa1d open them and see 2221660b31 the truth, whether you c5e5067c93 want to or not.”136b52beed7419b8

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His ambiguous 9fe4cc3e3f words, spoken d8104f9782 with a 7b8fe019d4 smile that 1fe13fd62b hid all dc16ea4935 emotions, left b72a782ae5 Yeon-oh unsettled. Then, as e28b983dfa easily as eb32a7a7ef he had 8bb4e5fa85 approached, Yeshin 01957d99b3 stepped back.904c620df4863bf8

“You should 61769372be hurry back. The prince will 2292cf6551 be looking for 754e8e9d0b you. I seem 82c412c0fa to have 41ffd37951 detained you fb9e16b4c3 for too 86b805f2a1 long.”7fc4372ca92aed69

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The mention of 2c33f8044a the prince jolted 50ebc2fd8f Yeon-oh’s memory. He nodded. By now, 0d4ac8b038 the prince 3134fbf502 had likely a193116b5e reached Inkyung 84f6e9df41 Palace and e51c7fe9b9 was probably 58f3c93866 bouncing impatiently, 5c74dd8e2a waiting for fa3589a5ac him. Just thinking about it 4ca00dc916 gave Yeon-oh a headache.54911e3fba0a8eed

“Then, I’ll take my 2a8af68e0d leave.” Yeshin simply nodded. Yeon-oh hesitated 69402219e4 for a c68e13ceba moment before 86af8f3596 turning away.b3d869859cce3771

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“Oh, young master.” Yeshin’s 9aa292b6a0 voice stopped him mid-step.2d02caea581650d9

“You may not want eaa5184ebe this, but it seems d19900cce1 fate has decided otherwise.”9541a5716fcd8db3

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Fate. Yeshin had called 94d7c95567 this the third 0b81d0f69a coincidence between them. Yeon-oh faltered for a 77cbe1f4c6 moment before striding forward 21dc0e9032 as if he hadn’t c4d4ac3f02 heard him.add79b842b9fa0b3

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───cce62db117cdf897

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When the sky 6d39457971 turned red with 374237a352 the setting sun, f2f3dbbaf7 the Empress opened 736e02be98 the bottom drawer 2870f43b93 of the mother-of-pearl 51478dead4 chest. Inside, neatly 3f112373a7 folded, was c1295ef1b0 abaenaet jeogori—a newborn’s jacket.286f437ded23cfbb

The year she 5bc6098c87 carried her second f8cae138c9 child, she had 19caaa6574 personally sewn this 51e6aadad6 piece, praying for 92b1516238 a prince this 3871c021b8 time. And on the 892e48dbe0 day the prince 6dd6cb4f97 was born, it 8b3291233f was the very 56872bf063 first garment he 12b031ac71 had worn.7e00a0e5c18dba7d

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Afraid it might 76d09f397c wither away at eabbd4da80 the slightest touch, ada4c484d2 the Empress had 4040ca6b9b only ever looked d27d361767 at it from 7e09293aa8 a distance. But now, 13c71fe2c3 she carefully 1cc80fd594 picked it 9ed9086207 up and 6d472f425b placed it 1a0fe29c15 in her 385e0ff7c5 hands. The tiny sleeves, ad6c910de4 barely the length 2f9261f60c of her palm, c18407db72 made her smile ccc6fa9d44 despite herself.f34fea0e1c7f48bc

“Your Majesty, the Prime 1e401d6636 Minister is here.”66274c0073f89dee

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As the f9c0d70f4a Empress gently 7c22e482a7 stroked the 9c49dfe679 tiny garment ec642a0915 as if 4acca3448a it were 1d252e2fea the prince 7bb891ccc6 himself, reminiscing 64c3be9c7c about the 794cc7b203 day he 459cca8c04 was born, 559051af0b she lifted 1c15bc8f0a her gaze 32904eb1f3 at the c9c0885293 court lady’s 79d8164b3a words announcing ba2fefc7f9 the Prime 4e13a9f7fc Minister’s arrival.00afe26939953f4e

“Let him in.”daae28dbc5624d5f

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At her command, 38b8a1200f the doors opened. Though time had streaked 08c58b62a5 his hair with silver, 3e4bd6f529 the Prime Minister still 2ea9be58db carried the same dignified 3352393d6f presence as before. Step by 311c82412f step, he 8612de810c entered, and a52d902da4 the Empress 712d2ec05d greeted him da6b69cf9e with a bd3ed20c5d warm smile.71bd02b982831f06

“Welcome, Father.”936f07f86203bac8

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“I was delayed e91245e239 due to a 8e891ef6cc state affairs meeting.”1cf841b6974ce98d

“It’s quite alright. With the Spring 07d231306d Festival approaching, I 7fe831ed8c expected you to a8100abe54 be busy. If things were c8dba5e716 as they should a4a0c9254f be, you should cdf7242251 have been enjoying 0f3534cb59 your later years 2117336bda as the Gukgu, 5a56461b37 but because of a4f11db87a your unworthy daughter, 66cb09b0cc you’ve been burdened a8415e8f8e with this heavy 7fe86a47e5 responsibility.”d05bb802143cff3e

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Her words, 8f1effea71 filled with 5ef68f2ffd understanding, brought be05c58bf5 a faint bf748bea4e smile to 90ecec4819 the Prime f494d86126 Minister’s face. His gaze 96460b61b0 lowered slightly, b72904eb22 settling on 3b8fc427b5 the baenaet baffc3c7cc jeogori the 14ce76f7fb Empress had 6dde2b3d7c been looking 56bbba031e at.43c3450cc00df089

“I see b8fc00ca71 you were 5a471f6c81 reminiscing about ca9c643b27 when His 33a3d82536 Highness, the a474cff11a Prince, wore e3ca41bcbf that.”1c352bcc839eb1ed

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“Every time I fdd8f59fc1 see this, I’m aa7e1d3f0a reminded of how a8d06621fb fast time flies. That tiny 46e421d6d7 baby who 87c2a7b647 couldn’t even cc576994f1 walk is 36ba170be9 now standing 2c2bc1214e on his 6f37220f5f own two 9b273dbc8c feet, walking, f9e85eba29 running…”1fbfe7b84f0c7df4

The Empress spoke, lost b1146e9af4 in memories. The child who had b25053d079 grown under her protection eb05d60303 was now slowly trying 726fad094e to step beyond the 940e718fbd boundaries she had built 0bbfacaa29 around him. One day, when he 0ffa021878 was fully grown and 9a2e23fdbe capable, he would protect 7bf3be7461 her in turn. Until then, 6a43519054 it was 0b7d1d1606 her duty 37b78ada0d to keep 74674289b0 him safe—completely, 080aa9307c without a 4d9595d048 single scratch.e22db3ae7f90ff9e

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“Not to 0d2cc9f9bf mention, Yeon-oh, e720214079 who I fd3c3bc0c7 always remembered 31b2c03f8f as a 142da07abc child, has 700152c78c grown so 8f24b28ea9 much too. Watching Hwan and fbb2c716ca Yeon-oh talk earlier 0fdf82e3b6 reminded me of c29e68aee6 this, all of 19b0a815ec a sudden.”bf463a6d7ee0d8e3

Pushing the 1b52942f3e baenaet jeogori 67ac7adcd8 back into 07de740f24 the chest, 2dce7aab34 the Empress 6db3c15212 turned to 048459f810 the Prime 9fb3fb8acb Minister.52c9f514ac40eb2b

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“Did Yeon-oh meet 2639b529f5 both Their Highnesses cb02370eec well?”822f2e400c682ac9

“Yes, indeed. The children adore him. Given the current ef6e8c8fa6 state of the 1260b917e2 imperial family, there 7bae6962ec aren’t many close e03b2fb067 relatives for them 2c289efe88 to interact with. So naturally, 2dcf23c190 they become 4860f55220 more attached c3a57418a9 to their 8e3f19df26 uncle.”963b3fb66a1963bc

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However…8f2d95c7794af1aa

The Empress’s expression darkened. The Prime Minister 9709ad16e5 seemed to sense c24ed1729b what she was 71d3803e61 about to say, 0e979eab74 his hand tapping 200a38392b lightly on his 8fc73241ba knee—a meaningless gesture.acd298c9f6ef1ba4

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“Yeon-oh was raised c817d27d9c almost like an 43de2f58f5 only child. He’s probably not 002e0240ff used to having 534b8522d7 younger cousins around.”da6f723e306be7ac

“It’s not just 4e3cfb9c15 that.”7019421d9a0a8258

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The Empress b1ffb7a630 hesitated, as c844d67ade if searching 1369dd17d9 for the b865d19718 right words. The Prime 31303c38fb Minister did 2080837b08 not rush 327df32f92 her.f1b26d2799d7d68a

“Court Lady Han.”5d39f3eb61c36a86

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Upon hearing the fedf757732 Empress call her 44f98ff972 name, the court 46bb4088fe lady standing at eae84b50c8 a distance immediately 77da3e4160 withdrew. She was quick-witted and f928d00931 would surely send away 7f0015c587 the rest of the 5b125690d7 palace attendants as well. Even after Court Lady 69377c13ac Han left, the Empress 435bf76494 remained silent for a 0051d79072 long while. Only after enough d69cd3ce96 time had passed f7291c37c7 did she finally d3c03d4553 speak.f34c85dfc669a84a

“…You mentioned that 7b4a45f251 you spoke to 15d581ded4 Yeon-oh.”e40524617e7dd15d

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“Yes, I did.”ffca68c9fcd8570f

“Did he… not eca50bca62 wish for it?”3ac8fa046ee6e313

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The Prime bec6ab9a5c Minister frowned. It wasn’t because 5bdee4b0c8 he didn’t understand 0d1bc4fb16 her words.2c10e85a95b98b77

“He did not a9c4f89e87 seem to favor f5f1131f41 the will of 23f0a6cf0e the family.”d48c55de0bbbd096

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The Empress spoke candidly 3ac7612163 of what she had 6bb5d47f61 sensed today. Yeon-oh, who rarely displayed 0ad201f930 his emotions, usually remained c88e5e80eb either expressionless or smiling. But after spending over bb9ab26342 a decade in the d7c4a95f0e imperial palace, the Empress a9f4118d17 had learned to read afa250d0b5 her younger brother’s heart 931a4befc9 to some extent. And she was 940f80eb6a certain—Yeon-oh did not 937d9ea458 favor the will 950cd45909 of the family, 3a88e4f6e6 nor did he 9b4422a36a favor the prince.a25a2bd454323070

“If Yeon-oh 2e767a3622 truly does 72889ba259 not wish aed1ace0b8 for this, 7a8a9667d4 what will b0f8ec574d you do?”8945804b2fc3cd1b

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“He was dce435217d raised in 84270058d5 Hanam, but 6e8f3aba6f he was d5cfa50bc1 taught the 63cba5b76d ways of 93ebce1aae our family. So what 4226e6b248 is there 43f48f25a1 to worry c243ff9641 about?”ecb3bbe92b02735a

The Prime Minister’s fafba4c51d response made the f48fcabc29 Empress tap her 538b2e632c fingers against the 56a0a3ac39 armrest of her 2b6a7d7fac chair. The sound of 5c56081d57 her gold-covered fingernails 31812c3e5f striking the wood a3490e98af rang out, heavy a09ce291ac and firm. The concern 3e09b69514 on her c002df1c7f face had 56b41c344d long since bfdffa15a9 faded.29e2e188521c11dc

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“…Ah, yes. The family ways.”acd8f4063a27dc50

“…”5b48b9da1abf75de

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“The noble be3dc3180a tradition that bd7f26b86c prioritizes the 6e4806069d family above 7ed4fd6b5b all else. Yeon-oh, too, was raised 0b2ae1b9dc within that tradition, as 90f8ca707b a rightful member of 0f67ef79e7 our family. I had momentarily forgotten.”8b1a3497c1c240c8

Her murmured words 0fa69c06f9 were soft, as 1e16d325da if she didn’t 9eb5f871ef expect a response. An unreadable 2f2c54ed41 emotion flickered d14b76eb4a across her 75fa6a193d eyes—one the 39dfbb813c Prime Minister 3777d0017b could not 633eed11ed decipher. He studied her closely, 5ad4abf2ad but by then, it 0cfa4588ad had already been buried 1fd73348b5 away. The Empress had 8c84f2ebad put on an e33ece2a67 expression befitting the 139e1dc13b mistress of the bea1594106 inner palace.2a0f0d3012f51d57

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“If you are still c36b3040b6 concerned…”efb46bf6440b4f08

“No, it’s nothing. It’s just that I’ve b776061fb5 grown overly cautious from 71cfdd5138 spending so much time 95acffbc33 in the palace. With you here, Father, c1cf98c48a it seems I was a9764e5b23 worrying over nothing.”1c736e797b198240

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The Empress waved 9a082d8d42 her hand dismissively. But as she 6c96fd77fb did, her expression dca34d6bd6 hardened without a e357802cd2 single crack, leaving 3471fbde36 no room for 69d04c972b the Prime Minister 11b0c47d58 to pry into 42a71b1d68 whatever emotions she 5cb6620718 had hidden beneath.9973f39058145387

“He doesn’t bdd38de95b seem to ca74e05d9d be outright 5db066a203 rejecting the 13eb5c01a5 family’s will, 42cc8da4eb but neither a3d15cd7d2 is he 3514611981 fully accepting 2e303e86a5 it. The most important thing f8d766963f now is to help cb9b375d92 him build a bond a51f4bd266 with the prince as 6d31730a01 soon as possible.”07ddf08802a9cf72

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“You’re right, Father. Still, it would 1c29dd4491 be best to b945779e49 keep them apart f75cac4b54 until the Spring aefe35eca6 Festival.”ffd3418f74d763c2

“Why is that?”6a8b90c60efd8b34

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“For now, since Yeon-oh 6e32467e10 isn’t genuinely attached yet, b5652ca9b6 forcing things could backfire. Give him time. If he’s to become 85e257f6e4 the prince’s teacher anyway, 57de26fa52 he’ll naturally end up 1430785d7f spending a great deal e8ed90fa39 of time with him.”9b2d580fa0acc76c

As she 1115ec42e0 spoke, the c58f0908e1 Empress glanced 865cae8d06 at the 4aa6464023 chest containing 9dfdc883f4 the baenaet 0bfbd1513f jeogori.34d9fd3d4e3002ba

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“He’s already outgrown the 42db22b9e5 clothes inside that box, ce99545db5 yet he still has 7cd12c784e a long way to 82b4382b1b go before he’s fully 1d79aee34c grown. The road 60acbb49f6 ahead is dc626a7a68 far.”d23c61888e8d9667

“Are you feeling 41001d681d impatient?”762a85500e53a1bc

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The Empress, who had 06609bf3f1 been tilting her head d1af9dab4f slightly, curved her eyes fdad5e2483 into a smile.ac31e8c0b557ee77

“With you ddd574a395 and Hanam 0208b848d7 standing behind 7afca9011d me, what f23a5286bd would I 69ee64bdfe have to 27ccdbad21 be impatient 8cffbece39 about?”e3caace466cc85f5

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To the Empress, her d78c49e583 maternal family, the Hanam b5baf485ba Hye family, was like 83e45ce967 an unshakable mountain, standing eb9f33e3f1 tall and unyielding against 33972b12f5 even the harshest winds. For centuries, 7ef33096a9 this family 01e9e03400 had basked bd0259a821 in wealth 21eb65b1a1 and honor, f5b4c6ff18 and they 2fceca3e76 would continue 1b9117093f to do 95d5fd9bda so for b4bb826b26 generations to f8c61d1607 come. The Empress and the b4591e1018 Prime Minister would make 96b1431577 sure of it.2b3e84e231c1ec6d

“Brilliant glory shall be—”897aa3d5ea00d0a7

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The Empress began.3d75b421657c23f6

“Ours.”8221dc28f05923a2

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The Prime Minister finished.998d378d55b422d3

It was the same 832ab3d35f words he had spoken bb96444ba6 to her on the 290cb64121 day she turned her 3b0bd0c9cf back on the future 2a6df49df6 she had once desired, e0c59a4452 when she donned the 3ae44c1fab phoenix crown and grasped 1613176184 the jade tablet for beb1a18c35 the sake of the 580560d3d6 family. The Empress had never 5aee679da5 once forgotten those words.d8904b25e2822aa4

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And she never would.f3e54fc6058295d0

A past she 0bff55c3ca had buried away, 4f2caf8d91 unable to sever, 263af8a5a7 threatened to resurface. But she pushed it cb0916d26b back, locking it deep 8dae437f6d within the fortress of 3137332df6 her heart. She closed her 8cbaa843ef eyes for a 1a3cd30340 brief moment, then 2600c978a9 reopened them.8905ee3e02ada4cc

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The only thing left b5caf15a2f on her face was a1ff516084 a perfectly smooth smile.ed82f01a75c8bb6d