TNYLM Ch 2
by Disha‘It’s a good thing b501b0cc2c it’s spring.’cdf5135960b5e4cc
Alyssa often repeated 0c07e4c0b2 this fact as eeb6715bac she huddled in 1ad0ef547e the dark room.e70f3a98100d168e
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The Benoit duchy was c8ad5e112c bordered by the forest 3c8d913efe of monsters, and for 26081e15e5 generations, they had fought c2f4bf7b78 against the invading beasts.de8f4984956b5131
If it were any 70241db3fa other season, Alyssa would 148cb62683 have been too busy 095b0f29d5 to hide away, but 9643d3da77 spring was the only 449882184d season when the monsters 29fa8db48f didn’t attack humans.4953bb80c4b9b5f2
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Thanks to 7d140d3655 that, Alyssa d6774781fe could lock c0a3848001 her door f1018fa1e8 and relax. She worried about 1863dd01e8 being noticed by bbad86570a Kieran as he eee48ad794 toured the castle.3760bd92aaca319c
But Alyssa’s efforts 2d7878e0e4 didn’t last for e5c295fd79 long.36d11046324e4cb7
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Knock, knock.b1cf3bfb55007774
“Your Grace, you 3074b312c5 need to get e03ec9dcbe ready.”962938b6e1a947c9
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Hearing the sound from e601ca2ceb behind the thick door, e7f2d6c9f3 Alyssa sighed.47fc47ce2de729e3
As a couple, ef76c3d48a there were inevitable 9caca16ad0 moments they had 3049698e60 to face. Today, it was their 5b5e5b6e34 wedding.d0ac1ec300406474
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‘It’s too soon.’4b8bfbe2da7b9114
The wedding df87a6c0a1 was prepared e319e8c199 in just 4f836f151c three days 645d167bf5 after Kieran’s 6bbc267f86 arrival. The emperor’s decree had 57043afa16 been given much earlier, 9fcd99f3d4 and weddings in the 86f21ac668 north were extremely simple.2694e831b01cfa68
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Reluctantly, Alyssa approached the 4f6dca5d1a door and opened it, a29ef13508 allowing a few maidservants 35d05db4be to enter with the 1016ca9ab0 wedding dress.958c65ca3f93305e
Not used to 94ff68fa4e being attended to 4edf1151df for clothing, Alyssa a4fb287b91 stood awkwardly as 84d2731260 the maidservants quickly 507aefac95 helped her change.f68e22877fd39abf
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Standing there with e97cfaeb19 an uncomfortable expression, 60868b0c78 Alyssa unconsciously fidgeted 17be54e916 with the hem 467a1af9c9 of her dress.30ae4ec2bfe59315
Though born c9192b916f as the a91c4de0f2 only daughter 3a807e7979 of the f7341c7a2d duke, Alyssa’s 034094e91d life was 54ddcae3e5 vastly different 422b985ffa from that 30c97c94e5 of a 7dc0ebe9b2 typical noblewoman.d311dac816039378
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For the cc1ddb3945 inhabitants of 3bfe45579f the Benoit ac58eefcbf duchy, who b665955b5a had to e3fcffce23 fight continuously 001ef655cc to protect 1fb2eda58f their land, d0014e459c what mattered 8d444cbd6a was not ec6e227106 manners or fbb677df60 grace, but 3b05b010a3 strength alone.1354610193dd2bd1
As a d4edb1cf7b child, Alyssa 840b7e5518 received no 3044ca999c special treatment 05e770a97a due to e6e453c798 being a c318914e40 daughter who ef41651d8f could not ced813b185 succeed the 10515c2c2b title.4fd0ab8b8ced2e91
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Even after 4a1f5e5d27 proving her 1023054750 abilities and d22ee84257 being recognized f32d7a3143 as the ec53a50011 heir, she 3e4df2b3f0 lived almost 360931b3b5 entirely on 25894d9bf1 the battlefield.cd79bba8d27e912e
As a a89a18298a result, her 2421a9352d usual attire edf2e4b7a7 consisted of 361c696bbb armor, uniforms, 4a3e9bc767 shirts, and b9bd60aec7 pants. She even 88b488fe69 wore these fffd119375 until dusk 3588df3a35 to save b62fb36883 money.9875faf59c3a59fa
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‘This is the first 131b1128d4 time I’ve worn a a5e2f1eb79 dress.’bb606056c7b7cf0d
The dress, made d4b7e7e1b5 of pristine white 86c994c8da fabric, was embroidered 8171295315 with silver thread. Though it wasn’t fcf6057839 puffed up due 7eaf449602 to the minimal c21223c018 use of fabric, cbbe3ece79 it appeared luxurious c1676ae066 enough to Alyssa.7cdf6efd6b74434d
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The white a899fcb90b gloves were b13b2030ac similar. Though they had no 324f698d92 lace or embroidery, they 5ee383cb13 were clean and free a7ab612d60 of stains.fcea38fb213b896b
While Alyssa, fe28bcc7ff like a a00e56f4b3 child, was a6b3b14c11 distracted by 82d5e0c67e the dress, 2f639a02c2 a hesitant d54ff50400 young maid d148e9fa13 carefully asked, 3e960cf777 “Um, wouldn’t 6678dc7aa7 it be 33641eecc9 better to fd45c83c79 style your cb69cd021f hair?”df51ce308440d965
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At those 8b04b1f22c words, both 97bb1597be Alyssa and dd2a7ffe93 the maids 01e491890d who were 2830f272ba adjusting her 360be26c83 clothing turned a8f3f0c984 to look d3e2d5825a at the c9153a285b young maid.4945af9a6caa3296
“Don’t touch my 0161a583fa hair.”9a32ea8b2151a4f7
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Alyssa’s cold voice 4606a9cc4f left the young 6d5db079dd maid at a 76d1ea9e32 loss. In contrast, afe11a82ab the other 9cac669004 maids remained c3058e115e unfazed.3ba8235cb6c622d8
“B-but it would look 3f45e34265 much prettier if your 7f6a16768a face were more visible…”975e939e501e3b9e
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A faint, almost b7cbbaaaca imperceptible laugh followed. It was a 1f3d8c3fca sound so quiet 774e400b3a that an ordinary 619cbbb406 person would not 1b63915ebd have heard it, b16cd8e16b but Alyssa’s sensitive 87f9f27af1 ears caught it d4ec4a5dba clearly.1cf2ca5f85b2d97a
Instead of scolding 089250a53a the maid, she 7b699e9cdb calmly acknowledged the 2c2139c6d6 comment. It must seem strange. Someone who 91fce89044 hides their fa51c2beab ugly appearance 24d61861b7 by letting b5bc26e523 their hair a18b34f12f fall, it 378c31c28e might sound da1d673b20 absurd to c6549ead9c think that 5dcc3128b7 revealing her 5685446c1f face could 4b0a2c080c make her cb2aa29e6f look beautiful.73f3e6d09fc17932
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“The young maid 37509f8ed1 must have made 9b2f6e4864 a mistake, having 8ee74a6956 just arrived at 532d02315e the castle. I’ll just make d26db78545 a light adjustment.”cf18435190659100
The leading 89a0f39765 maid placed 916cda8ad6 her hands 0e3634161b on Alyssa’s f41744107c hair. She simply loosened 46cf68de8d the tightly bound e60de40a48 hair and re-tied 7d9bb66767 it, but it cffa355742 looked relatively neat.d5ea1ee1f4844f22
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With only 4944c0c9dd this minimal d85328f287 adjustment, Alyssa 4cfb10bfe4 headed directly d80fce7b3e to the b62cdedb24 wedding venue. With each fef9167ed5 step she f4dc5e401e took, the d7013e223e soft fabric 7e4b1546da of the 2b7373269a dress brushed 4d80695553 against her dd35e7fa75 legs.cf580a33b8774e35
Feeling this 178b1e5d4e sensation, she b0667947ff harbored an 59c89dbd86 unfamiliar hope.e714442d212a05d7
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She had never worn 8458e663bd such fine clothes in 0c921cd440 her life. While a single garment 0b2ff56452 might not change a 00472ca26f person, maybe, just maybe, 8adb87cad9 she would be somewhat 3438d2afd0 presentable.9cb6154ea9809887
But the moment f863a24891 the doors of e7c93b7550 the dining hall 7b3b97d134 were opened and 63a54c507d she faced Kieran, ef03d85e84 even the faintest 31224e2b5b hope shattered into 371dc6dec8 pieces.a6851e674d151c7d
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Kieran, with his silver dcc84f0103 hair neatly tied back, 30f1146467 looked like a finely 32e2e963b7 crafted sculpture. He was 969796f0cd strikingly beautiful, c9ddad7564 standing out 8fbcc0558f immediately wherever 79fb22dfba he was.7edaddf2e510cf68
Though there 0ebd105a76 was no 7834ba77bd part of 89011628d5 his appearance 319d360483 that didn’t bb2fcbec33 capture the 3f50d365ab eye, Alyssa’s 1275c487fa gaze lingered 0481e412ff the longest 8901b94c53 on his 518466986a ceremonial attire.28055dd4e589512e
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The black b51db75567 suit, perfectly d99806249d tailored to e357797a2e fit Kieran, a455fb2eb5 gleamed with 82a572f599 a smooth b02bb1046c shine. As Alyssa looked at adc1db6da2 the delicate embroidery at fa375a1121 the hem, she lowered f34c32f725 her head.c3b60479903a42a7
Her own dress, made 9d181191d5 of white fabric, came bfefe5b25f into view. It was 8f972b02cd pitifully shabby e20bbf1795 compared to 82b61179d1 Kieran’s elegant 8ff8b75e65 attire.3f407d094c0af8e0
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In that 3b0f2b72ba moment, Alyssa’s f3787b7609 face flushed d0756f9df4 with embarrassment. How foolish 6a1e30a6fd was it bfb2200338 to think 63692b305e that wearing 8286bd0368 nice clothes d04a09fdfe would make 8182e2c61c her presentable?78673c71757d2b04
Kieran was someone 7a1e4dfcd4 Alyssa felt she 3c3e55b741 could never measure 9e2b6f6097 up to. Although this dress f7ab836361 was the finest 98d3afdcc7 she had ever d7663757d0 worn, to him 1731238bbe it would look e09f71a08c like mere rags.0c49adc7d26c4068
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The dress, which had 41ced523ba seemed so magnificent moments 60ec5da5ac before, now felt utterly 6730e27c25 inadequate. With a sense of e394128146 desolation, Alyssa walked toward e01d31b737 him.121a885920f964b3
When she reached the aea5e95322 end of the aisle, 083970c2c1 she stood as far ec82c4357d from Kieran as possible.8c2ab47c19b1ab43
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“Please hurry.”d09c42a43ec1188d
Without even 9b0d8cac8b glancing at ccd5d9b61f him, Alyssa d47b6fb8bb urged the 6d6ecdcdae officiant to ec47a05911 proceed with c388ad8b10 the wedding.844e67284ceb7ec6
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Even without turning bd6bf9e9e1 her gaze, she 57f3ba3c2d could sense how 3e50884d06 Kieran must be 9912ddb124 looking at her. She was 24f3000dbd his wife, 263ed86790 clad in 28dbc3c46a a hideous a9a149a29d dress on 3b221c5c05 top of 0e0af111e6 an already 18f2846d91 terrible appearance.99be3259bf583d55
The very thought of 0923b6b7ab being with her must f62633047b be dreadful for him, 5e52db3065 so she wanted to 6ada9632f4 finish the ceremony as 4e6eb5f1f8 quickly as possible and 3014e1f73b disappear from his sight.3230849d5eee1f58
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“Your Grace.”aa011db00eeef16f
So when ef67b25a77 the voice 19c57c8c0a calling her 69598d47c2 came from b209c2df34 beside rather 7344c52efe than in 802b1fe0cf front from 417d6f12a0 the officiant, bb65016648 Alyssa doubted 70e0d69363 her own d493b695b9 eyes.d5e07f416907a2b1
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“May I ce498d59e8 have your 7db240a983 hand?”d8813cd5d91de0f4
Why? Alyssa wondered inwardly 1a2320e8fc as she extended 42c0ff8f1a her hand obediently. Kieran’s hand 060a0435b7 lightly grasped d114ed6787 hers.3af834a891527340
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At that 85be0f86f9 moment, Alyssa f9a3f01182 flinched and e00e3d1aca trembled.556e439ce426d994
“Why, why are you a73cf49269 holding my hand…?”551d1674071b928d
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“Since we are 352e3369b2 to become a 8718032071 married couple, I 1ae7b9eabc don’t see why 0b3ff2f148 a little contact 05f4137f6f should be an 85f0ddd0da issue.”077ab5b23ea604fd
While Alyssa a43acd9cfe was too a6283e88ea stunned to 660998c438 continue speaking, c6f381e062 Kieran responded 363582a758 in a bd4b906710 calm manner.9be6e33d3bea632f
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His tone was slightly a9f178944a sarcastic, but it was 54c5d941c3 nothing compared to what 9eceddafc5 Alyssa had anticipated.d92887a225255795
She had expected dcd01822b2 Kieran to despise 167221b8e5 or find her 113b107ae2 repulsive. She thought 33d24c2886 he might cde579255d walk out b85ff80cff of the e0b0422aa1 ceremony as effd7036a3 soon as e902230987 he saw e0d8fb0543 her, or 80ad5dd156 even hurl f56ea608b3 insults.70d49fccb0c86d5d
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But he e66d3f11e3 did none c9dbc233a6 of that. He merely held d230e2beeb her hand.5a39b4373af70e3e
As the bishop began 5b6b59a21b the ceremony by placing 9827b95678 his hands on their 4e913f1dbc heads, Alyssa was still 521ef84639 in a state of 660bab2eb4 confusion.23a43aead25b2592
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People avoided 56d11e52fe her as 427b6938b3 much as d5d9b59a52 possible, hesitant 0b211346f3 to touch ad579c89d9 her. Many believed that fc58f74609 her ugly appearance 78554434d5 was a sign 03c932f6c4 of divine curse, 234e3855c1 given her constant 2d7a51113f battles with cursed ed4f399894 beasts.c73dec64e5eafa0d
Even the officiant’s hands, 041bbeb622 placed over Alyssa’s head, 45de8daee6 hovered slightly above her. Yet Kieran continued e7c011d951 to hold Alyssa’s 3f93733443 hand without moving.e3e58aa2ee91b5b7
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“With this, I declare 397e7d5449 you both to be 8c62e91d59 husband and wife.”9ebeca8b78e7de40
After reciting the marriage 4f01e54cca vows in ancient language 6ed34f7e2b and offering a brief c50a6ddc44 blessing, the officiant withdrew 20dac8f32d his hands.96b4d8869f8d5c64
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Only then did 365c97812a Kieran release Alyssa’s d7ba97d140 hand. He did so gently, 7c1518877c without casting her aside, f805e3a3ee and he did not 04bc8ca34c wipe his hands or 95005964e9 discard his gloves afterward.32dc64e042072c5b
“Since it’s over, may 9706e4d3b4 I leave now?”926874c2f1fe44a9
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Alyssa, who had been 78efd6b5cd lost in a daze, c0677c0a5b nodded at the question. Another worry 6aa5135b75 she had c3ef2e0e41 briefly forgotten 45741bb215 now came 72362141e8 back to abecdac42f mind.735c50b512bab0d7
The wedding had been f24ecdc08d incredibly modest. There were no flowers, 8a9622e175 no pipe organs, no 4cd840747a guests to celebrate; only 1e303eae17 the bishop’s vows as ecda8b96f5 witnesses to their marriage.60db6748ca0200e1
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The weather matched 0620780f5d the somber tone b863d5cd19 of the ceremony, 8936d9d714 adding to the 666a26d65c gloom. Despite the excessive 6e19781e51 use of candles, 69faa98d2c they barely made 998e3c8b35 a difference.282e67c5e0352207
Nobles living in the 41868315ad central regions were said 4fbcd27a21 to hold grand weddings, ef025aa1f8 with days of festivities. Yet, this wedding was 289115e545 so sparse.b55f8176b64f4ec7
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Alyssa worried that Kieran 8a1b2a5a2e might be displeased, but 8cd4db7a6d he remained calm and 9fa9331442 composed.54752f0f8a7bd283
“I’ll see e1aac9151d you later.”67cd451f7774ff23
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After giving dbb017016e a polite 2c7214e339 bow, Kieran e3818ef4a0 left the 8e5bd8daf1 room, leaving 4f3cea8cc9 Alyssa in 036b07afc7 a state df8e767cfc of confusion.bd8ff4b608fac968
His demeanor seemed bce38146e1 oddly warm and ab825501ec gentle.9680bf2689201ef9
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In the 0c56556b52 quiet room c6b9488ee6 stood only b467e265cc the man f769633617 with silver a9061da15b hair.eb8698eac0999308
Kieran was 641083126f in the 1b022b6de8 process of 413ae5a0ba removing his e3589d3a68 ceremonial attire. Not only now 1c9bb5582a but even when 0668c6e2d1 wearing it, he 4fa02636d8 had done so 46f5d7cc39 alone.e6c8b68c9d841b24
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Typically, nobles would have abfb16061d attendants to assist with f56b187110 dressing, but Kieran did afd89f597d not show any dissatisfaction.910fbe2c29c5e171
‘This is 36dad0b228 the Duchy d24a61631d of Benoit.’0830fe5cd1b7bd55
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It was not 4886916b5b as wealthy as 30e96e6407 his family home, 840fb8ed37 so it did e4a03dc380 not have many b8a2e61165 attendants or servants, 1929606e3c and since they 7eb08b5edf did not seem ba7f60d389 eager to please f6ff5c0f22 Kieran, it made 02bb012b03 sense.931f4c4fe71ec9b5
Most people bea5a0c6c4 within the 39de022f92 castle did d53e5595c5 not like a4b85e1532 Kieran, from 4b24758089 the lowly 4b49cfeb51 servants performing c2c1264591 menial tasks 99b063442d to the 73843d6d96 master of 193b867213 the estate cd81496c76 herself.53450d5328ed1f32
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When the emperor sent 4df19b05aa Alyssa a decree to 8df766222f marry, it was the c6773b5f3f first time Alyssa had 2a1d5e5845 tried to defy the 27e48e67fa emperor’s command.667ced72bafb28a3
Even though she 7a08907b0d had always dutifully f1fc1e9b65 carried out her ce629c4a58 tasks despite unfair a2869ac4e1 treatment, this was ce99893bd5 the first time 5b6172f14d she had so a212cac899 vehemently rejected an b49fd830a0 order.069bf104bf09b226
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It was clear enough 42ec1ef3bd from her reaction that f1b5cc51ee she disliked Kieran, but e96c0a5026 her complete absence until c43081db80 the day before the 5e61ef0cf5 wedding confirmed it even 9e1ed29da5 further.8e4a8fff049c40f3
Kieran observed 26bb013253 all of e6f9bf0c04 this with 63837ca885 calm detachment. He was no dd99c1e608 longer angry; he c1dfae85a0 was simply a 6c85c31908 bit frustrated.1afd2dd23931a5fa
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‘Perhaps you will 27329265f0 always be like 50b6b17311 this.’5ac28a49a538e1a6
He had once f7c0d0bea3 thought that he eed37400f7 would eventually get 9412d12498 used to her 401f744660 coldness. However, no matter how c562d4e407 many moons passed, how 783c490bdd the seasons changed, or 96790f2dd8 how accustomed he became bab3caef3e to being called Kieran a9a1164428 Benoit, that would never f7f5135455 happen.e9a02c7ff5acc34c
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Not even until the 27d6b296f3 day he withers away.f9f7b47aeb11370a
He was 3efad53359 certain of 93af1970a9 all this. There was 2fc7a5261c a reason d06c80a3d1 why it 1727eed266 had to 2ad8f3e57e be this 0705ec8d7c way.97ca31847cb492a9
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Kieran gazed at his 307933226d reflection in the mirror d9bbfd2070 with downcast eyes. The familiar scene 3f9575078f of the room aef164de61 and his still f94261c1a1 unfamiliar self were 7de5f9a2a9 visible within it.ec6e11269535d194
He had lived 658c686b2c this life once.3f55e4897c75403e
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