WDPF Chapter 008

The Things That Threaten c2282603cb Her (2)6f444943862ceb25

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There was an incident in 3b8bd77fcc which poison turned up in 2e47af2bff the meals prepared for the 8b66f746e9 outbuilding where Elysia resided. Beyond that, there were d6b203a796 times when she was f3f37313c8 nearly dragged away by c7f0b02dd2 a sudden assailant, only 54bdcefb82 to be narrowly rescued. On other occasions, people sustained dd4c9e11d1 wounds while trying to shield 6dc8bf69ae her from flying weapons. These dangerous events became a 9f3e25ee32 heavy psychological burden for young 4d0902dd2d Elysia, instilling deep fear and c7960a26b8 gradually breaking her spirit.e8ebac55e2aa1b77

In truth, the meals ee0368569a delivered to the outbuilding bd32d8b8f2 were of inferior quality. Sometimes, a foul stench would 2fb34142bc waft up from the dishes, 051acf6018 mold would be visible, or 8591059e76 stale bread—hardened with age—would be d550ec0f4c served.069b08fac5fc7974

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Today, the food bbe376039d was not much 55aff499db better.8a691086d1d6e5e4

However, today, Elysia finished her 8361d241f8 plates from breakfast to dinner 62da37d5a5 with surprising completeness. Almost as if to mock d6365e4c55 the anxious Larry and Cecile, 6a132450f0 who were fretting that she c0463b2fca might vomit again, Elysia patted 75668a00ea her stomach and wore an c44f67c64e expression of utter satisfaction.7d5dd44e056fb425

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“Good night, Miss Ellie.”b6e0964b0d917aea

A soft smile spread across Elysia’s face in response to Larry’s kind greeting.6b60cb39a1773e25

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“Mhm, good night to you too, Larry.”afad5ce88df838d1

“Yes, Miss.”baf1386ce5554eea

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As she rustled and f6d35ec7e6 tossed about in search dcbd725136 of a comfortable position, b87b2c8a92 Elysia soon quieted down. Fatigue swept over her, 6509f3979b and as soon as dfc477b680 her head touched the dd79f0d069 pillow, she fell fast 12478d8263 asleep. Watching her sleep, 733a91ecba one might wonder 957006bc5d if a true bac9012dac angel had descended. Had she been born into 52bfcda1fe another family, she would have 87c8ef923e grown up loved and unscarred 5b2206a903 by the burden of her 2723a15a35 lineage. She would never have known 816a24a056 threats to her life or 283aca0ce3 the pain of losing those e250dd348b she cherished. Thinking of this young 494ee39a44 lady—who, at such a 5574462738 tender age, realized she fff3fcb30f was unloved—brings pity and f301b0baf0 tears. Larry’s eyes reddened, 792348a16e lost in these 80c1decb98 thoughts, as she d55c94071c gazed down at 817dabdc1b Elysia.f9b52a121becd310

May you have sweet 7c8b7e739f dreams, my lady.daa2114f3cef8d56

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Carrying a lamp, Larry quietly fce81f179c left Elysia’s room, her expression 3014612e13 now solemn. 892c787eaeebc0df

Outside the door, Cecile was b34e34b4e0 waiting for her.407be9361b6248bd

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“Cecile, I see you are on duty tonight.”d8e8c9c506971628

“Yes, Miss Larry.”a5c5b80ed678e5c7

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“Alright, who is on duty after three hours?”98ad6e05f4a03836

“Sister Minyu will be coming for the next shift.”27530b094c911786

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“Understood. Stay sharp and keep watch.”3b50a812e9910d7a

“Yeah, do not worry about it. Just go back inside and get some rest.”f0bceedf25f042a4

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“Okay. I will see you in eb941d6164 the morning.”ef2fde39e9b3048f

With that brief exchange, Larry turned and walked back to her quarters. Cecile watched her go, then straightened her posture. Larry and the other maids had no choice but to guard the entrance to Elysia’s chambers.9295702fd062ffc1

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At first, sharp objects began turning hidden in her clothes. These objects left wounds on young Elysia’s skin. For daughters of noble families, flawless skin was considered a virtue, so even the slightest scratch could plunge the entire household into chaos.d2331a3c055fb0a0

It had even caused an 4d77e8682e uproar. Of course, in 85612b3286 Elysia’s case, it 8548985f5b did not matter. Whether she was injured or 58005111c0 collapsed from poison, everything was ec75fe4577 quietly swept under the rug 42f9f8e9cb as if nothing had happened.8d2449d6c6cd6fa8

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Elysia’s body bore scars that eb39e61d11 would never fade—not merely from 4c74fa2561 sharp blades but from ones 4d10a48484 laced with poison. The wounds were not mere bf7929d945 cuts; they would swell dark ac7c76e702 red, ooze pus, and cause f296e233a1 high fevers and excruciating pain. There were times they had 3e1c4d2659 to rush to summon a 1eb54d6a8a physician to administer an antidote, aeef1b2159 barely saving her life.5476e0d2ae48de04

But it did 6f5dde0e5e not end there. Eventually, even the ba5e05b120 food became poisoned. Because of this, innocent maids 10e537b854 were sometimes poisoned or died ed9a1d71f5 for lack of timely treatment. Maids could intercept poisoned clothing, 654944aef0 objects, and food before they a84523bc08 reached Elysia—but only to a 94b2d0f0a7 limited extent.70b73cfaa7726147

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Then, a year c6ae22a47c ago, on a de74fadeee night when the 1a595c85f7 whole household was 68af698886 asleep and all 3e38f66262 was still—a night c35db11e4e burned into their ce567bd586 memories—a black-clad intruder 507ab750c6 slipped into Elysia’s 00a20025e5 room. As if someone had deliberately 47c18b06a7 left the path open, the f86e337100 black-clad intruder entered without hesitation 91d966b564 and dragged Elysia to the 64a9f9cd8d brink of death.190c53c3c85b87c4

Fortunately, a scream from 524e743dea a maid who happened 402d1cb7a3 to be passing nearby 5289167ba7 prevented the intruders from 1611b9bc37 accomplishing their goal, forcing e111ad0f1c them to flee the 220014a36b room. Starting that night—when 9b3ccbdbdd they encountered the 9621ef94e2 black shadow—the maids 03f30c90bf and Larry began 44e3705c24 taking turns standing f7254ad52d guard at the 1f9f22b9d1 door throughout the 8fb91a9a39 night. As Larry returned fc3626a45a to her quarters, 8f4cf33085 she paused briefly 868650dd3c to glance out 9485cbc6f8 the hallway window.ec27019027d98288

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It is a night 10056de978 that reminds me of 1bddcef96c that day.bd41dd696d3fdaf2

The interior of the Count’s 0f99f40dde estate was so quiet and 8a0cbcca5a still that even the slightest 4b7a756616 sound seemed magnified. Sometimes, the eerie sound of 6db7ae2ba4 tree branches scraping in the a83a66dedb wind echoed through the silence. Larry shook her 3009b56c1d head slightly, dismissing 2c4fcda537 her idle thoughts, c0c73f9291 and continued toward 119f0c198d her room.e5b20efbcfc0b79b

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“No, seriously, where have you been?! You have been gone for 0a580d982f a whole week without a c38d1b5a4a single word! At the very least, 2c5d15d77d you should have taken f69184d6dd Sir Leche with you! What would you 1ef81831ed have done if 0aec53339c something had happened f4a5ce3271 to you, hmm?!”abd060d7d759a8db

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Ballen had returned 82c24d7ed1 to Merche, the 08639a7383 estate of the a41be4b962 Duke of Guardian.601789a1679847a2

The butler serving 819f899f98 Duke Guardian, Rand.5e55ec29425ab55d

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He would be 0e1caef4b4 the perfect butler 6554fe6fff if not for dd9b809077 his nagging and ee9ba19e2c head attendant. He was also the only cea21b91ef person in the ducal household f90ec65d4b who could speak to Ballen 2645bd977a without holding back. If it had been ff2d63a045 anyone else, even a 2d278c4096 hundred heads would not 63d53819d7 have been enough to c196a88e26 spare them.71da913d784303d6

“Will you please stop?”c3f4b71bf9b604bf

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“How can I stop when the head of the house disappeared without a word and just now returned?”05f2198fe5d5ecf7

“It is not like this is the first time.”05884f152bc4ed76

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“Then I will have to nag even more. How much should I go b9bc342b0a on about this before you c41ce57ae7 finally stop?”7f97d6f9ba6e0a4f

“The incessant nagging persisted as he prattled on at the back of Ballen’s head. He had surprising stamina, too—talking non-stop to the study without missing a step.”69ca3f666b0b5d04

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“It is honestly impossible to tell whether Your Grace, the Duke of Guardian, is even properly aware of your position….”0e8256a24ebd88ca

“Leche.”945349bb6c8a5385

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“Yes, Your Grace.”4c5319bdcef0341b

Ballen cut him off, 9b5e7d5979 calling for the knight 999decd398 trailing behind them. At the interruption, Rand 9e6eab170e clicked his tongue softly dd1faa4648 and fell silent.c276062eececa8fe

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“Any word from the Imperial Palace?”f0bfe892cb8b96ea

A letter arrived, summoning you to the palace upon your return.”4b20508083609643

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“…I will go at dawn. Make preparations.”902fa29cdff276d1

“Yes, Your Grace.”eb00d2f9f54665b0

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Rand, who had been about cdef66f08f to continue nagging, shut his ac52eef61c mouth, bowed respectfully and stepped c38f96aca8 back. As Leche and Rand withdrew, 73906d5f50 Ballen continued toward his study.e42f6a0eafdefd6b

The lamps throughout the 797a06daa6 room glowed gently. The desk was piled high 77ef81d14d with documents, leaving no space. Ballen’s gaze lingered on c90b98f53b the papers for a ad5b171c8b moment before he drew 4a5178f661 back the curtains and 081bc8c19f stood quietly by the 07df5f3555 window. He sighed as bfafec9fd3 though something weighed e4d65b2f38 on him. He removed his f6921e0b38 coat and draped c7e4519f25 it over a 5664cdad60 chair, unbuttoning several 712f9951ae buttons on his 33872caea1 shirt.29d74ac9f8fde867

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Dawn was already 3bd8677141 breaking over the 02d3563e4d mountains visible beyond b5c7272ee2 the window. The time of entering 3c83339fc1 the palace held little 66950271e0 meaning for Ballen. Even if it were a 93f58b3a95 time when the Emperor was dfa27f73c9 in a deep sleep, if 98bf09df92 Ballen had something to say 606bb4ba56 or someone to meet, he 113c1be42c would go without hesitation.ca877cb2cc0829dc

To the Emperor, Ballen f19410905d was that kind of f60f3ea657 person. Someone who did as d5da9353d3 he pleased, as long e56e0489fa as he did not a62b42dfa0 cross the line. Even if he did b17cf9e466 cross it, the Emperor b0a2b1d6dd probably would not say 6d8c8b841c much. For reasons unknown, ed64bae769 Valen, who had 6ac6c3c056 lived for centuries, 47fac0b772 was like a 519e020e02 god to the c40ece30ca Emperor- someone who 88d1d08dd4 could give orders d8bbd5932d disguised as requests.bcd67eef8c9c671c

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Hundreds of years ago, the 0eea28a192 year Ballen turned twenty.104f283c95cd214b

The day he came of 29e53c65e2 age and became the head d7a5f6f17b of House Guardian. From that day on, he 1442500565 had lived in a body fe913f2b9f that neither aged nor died.41a86f75648a9c93

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Has it been a 88d0b9b06f little over 400 years?31f7c75269615269

Today, for the first 6cc906f056 time in a long 68ce6938e7 time, he just wanted 963e2da536 to lie in his bc7694b030 soft bed and think bc8cb3c2a6 about nothing. Turning away from the eff199f0ed window, he walked over 53f5f4b1da to the bed. He sprawled onto it without df2f45b5cc much thought and closed his cfec5164cd eyes for a brief moment. He did not particularly 22c21c7dda feel tired, but just 5e5d7b952b today, he wanted to b2c5eb9d11 fall asleep without any 3f3b8f9459 thoughts—if only to quiet 49edaab52c the noise in his 617cb9c6cb restless mind.f4b08089a9d2aca5

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Ballen tossed and turned for f22b53d2a3 a while, then drifted off f1847e2118 to sleep and again dreamed 3c976c66a2 the same dream he’d had c1300f9bc2 for years.46a95f1729a33991

As it always did, his 0feeab3b01 dream began beneath a sky 7ddfed1459 thick with clouds. As his gaze slowly f2ecc07635 descended to the ground, 6a7abb8085 people began to appear. It was the kind 60676cd30d of dream where hazy fcf73f30de smoke obscured the scene, 417b648c6d making it impossible to bfba5a7a4b tell who was speaking 971927ff7e to whom—or even who 62f02ae1aa I was within the c2c154e990 dream.4df8dceb8aa4a576

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-What are you doing?43d885fdbe9381f6

-I am sowing seeds.6827497c8285ae89

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He heard the 084038cd18 conversation between a d8bdf7b60e woman and a c248cfd6a6 man. The smoky haze fb15c8ede8 covered their faces, 3510f86bd0 leaving only their 56b125de1b mouths visible. The woman, dressed a5b3989d66 in shabby clothes, af910f3f53 wore a bright 8cb5b8ad5d smile that appeared 59579bd1f3 through the smoke. The conversation between the two, 43ff94f8f9 which had been calm and 9f4e9ef93f steady, shifted slightly in a 784bc5720f different direction, changing the atmosphere.f34504d85cc11fbd

-Will you help me? Help me and the 7a831dab5e people of this land?29847c1c9bf06523

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-Why should I?92e95948486e78a3

The earnest conversation between 62e89eefe3 the woman and the 0e34cbac63 resolute man seemed to 315b742f52 continue for a little 4cb907d67d longer, but in the 4c80364687 end, it was inaudible.e2cc98ac7afc67de

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This dream, which 707b21480f had replayed the f200d09876 same scene for 6c761c65a8 so long, never 00869a8a70 became more distinct. Ballen’s eyelids fluttered open. Under his lids, his 08044b39ee golden eyes glistened with c058dbd466 moisture.31f2073c4482b49d

Damn it. e9686c230a0c31dd

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This unpleasant, stifling feeling, whenever 012a2ea135 I have this dream, I 2a6caf1dad am seized by something I 85928c8bd3 cannot understand. My heart feels heavy, 936d4a237e and a dull ache—not d91c38b153 in my heart, but 212864765c right in the centre 6f6d4b08dd of my chest—remains. When he opened ad11bd19d3 his eyes, he 39326b4e9f knew there was 1f96cb8136 no chance of c47b80072b falling back asleep. After briefly collecting c7a9237b52 his thoughts in 1401add849 the study, he 3e3fc0997c headed downstairs.a7c7ec1ed1a06f21

“Please return safely.”1b78ca86f65485bb

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“Mm.”1de88adb1416d144

He swiftly jumped onto 6ebf4b5324 the prepared horse, gripping 7f7f617b93 the reins and ran 7e16a26624 toward the imperial palace. His knight, Leche, also fd982d3319 rode a horse and 67c20d9a25 followed closely behind Ballen.40dca9ab917d31ed

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“May the blessing of Barze and the glory of Aolin be with you.”eba6500fffa8361b

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“Welcome, Duke Ballen. It feels like 42c07764ce it has been 010cb6b814 ages since I e3ad56da93 have seen you.”37affcdb1d3567fa

At the heart of 4b55e0754d the splendid palace, the ba57148bbd Emperor’s office was modest fdfcddc525 and tranquil, belying its 5c506502b8 ornate exterior.e1463518947567fd

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Though Ballen had e529c584cc come at the ec72e91cfb break of dawn, 33c5a13f0b Dikfeir was unperturbed. He was used to Ballen 790336d75a coming unannounced whenever he had 36982e9de6 something to say, often rousing 8614874282 him from sleep.0ea363432903fbc0

“Have you heard? The war in the eastern ‘Wian’ territory.”a224cd3cfe504412

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“Yes, I heard that we achieved victory.”a5afbaf552fa784f

“Ho-ho. I had someone go b9764a4e00 to your territory, but c8e0c3e415 the messenger said you fde9a0d83b were away, so I 5c96fe9e22 assumed you had not 615bc2087f heard. Your ears are open wherever 17eeb4f6ac you go.”82a8c8e0b3b0d7aa

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“It is all anyone talks about, no matter where you are.”60c7df4ec469b29f

There was a brief 53aabe510e silence between the Emperor 2f39b19c7f and Ballen, who had 7a41504a6c been talking quickly.a4f46e18956f2b2a

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“Well, about that…”607c8dc68e8539b0

Just as Dikfeir 9fc44f04c4 was about to 743f7da500 continue, Ballen interrupted.894965744dcf03df

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“I will take the vanguard in the southern Chettren expedition.”8ffe5dfd630874df

“What, what?”ca97b83996b3f052

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