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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789
Everyone stared at me with expressions of utter shock.
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Of course—they would be. I had just abruptly told them to start a battle royale.
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I quickly added an explanation.
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“I meant for you to demonstrate your skills divided by field. Naturally, if something falls far below standards, support will be cut.”
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“Ah, so that’s what you meant.”
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“Please work hard for Delriat’s development. You are the future of this land.”
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“Snff! Y-Your Excellency the Governor!”
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Tears welled up in everyone’s eyes at once.
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You might wonder why they were so moved, but it was inevitable.
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Delriat had suffered damage so severe that recovery would take decades.
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That was the fate of a defeated nation.
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Yet here came some tall benefactor promising massive investment.
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“Go back and bring your results. Request any needed materials from the governor’s office officials here.”
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Glancing sideways, I saw the officials’ faces turn pale.
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Of course—more work was piling up. How could their heads not ache?
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With the new Labor Agency already draining staff, everyone was overburdened.
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It seemed I’d need to hire more newcomers and create additional bureaus.
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‘Time is short. Stubbornly refusing to leave forever isn’t feasible.’
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If the Emperor kept pressing, I’d have to return no matter how much work remained.
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He hadn’t said anything yet, but you never knew when our capricious cousin might flip.
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I immediately returned to the governor’s office and summoned Kuro Allegan.
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“Sorry to call you while you’re so busy.”
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“It’s fine. It must be something very important.”
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“It is, but I still feel bad.”
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“So, what is it?”
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“I’m planning to expand the bureaus.”
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Delriat’s governor’s office consisted only of the Labor Agency, Tax Agency, Court, Security Force, and Prosecution Headquarters.
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Truly minimal, with haphazard naming to boot.
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“For starters, I’m thinking of creating an Education Agency. With vocational schools under it.”
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“You plan to appoint the talents we met today as instructors.”
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“Exactly. Additionally, the Security Force will be promoted to Police Agency, and the Prosecution Headquarters to Prosecution Agency. Both will fall under a new Ministry of Justice, along with the Court.”
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“Is the Ministry of Justice a means to check the governor’s office?”
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“For now, yes.”
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To achieve separation of powers, I’d need to strip the governor’s legislative authority and hand it to a parliament.
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But that was the Emperor’s prerogative, not mine.
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So I settled for creating numerous oversight bodies between the governor’s office and the Ministry of Justice.
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“It would be good to have an agency that reports corruption in Delriat’s governor’s office directly to the Empire. Let’s call it the Audit Office.”
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Like the Sagwanwon of Joseon.
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Of course, it would report to the Emperor rather than remonstrate with a king.
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Still, it would definitely prevent the governor from acting recklessly.
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“And from now on, the administrator position will cease to exist.”
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“Then what happens to me?”
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“Since it was always temporary, you’ll return to private life.”
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“Ah… Somehow that feels regrettable. These past days have been truly enjoyable.”
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Kuro Allegan had approached state affairs with genuine sincerity.
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Of course, he might change like his brother Hozein someday.
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But what he’d shown so far was close to the ideal of a true leader.
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Who’d have thought a layabout lounging at home, only thinking of building a trading company, would grow like this?
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People truly are unpredictable.
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Watching Kuro Allegan’s bittersweet smile almost made me laugh.
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‘You won’t get to rest.’
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I planned to petition the Emperor immediately.
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That Kuro Allegan was perfect for Delriat’s governor.
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He’d be loyal now, but if he changed later?
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Like Hozein Allegan.
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‘The Audit Office, prosecution, police, and others would handle him.’
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If he crossed the line far enough, the Empire would intervene.
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Delriat was undergoing massive transformation.
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Government finances grew sounder by the day, and quality jobs kept increasing.
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The phrase “wage theft” had become impossible to find.
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People constantly said things like:
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“Is this really a country!”
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It was by no means a complaint.
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The joke only completed with the follow-up:
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“It’s paradise!”
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Delriat’s great success became an example to neighboring nations.
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Especially the Crawford Principality’s reaction was fervent.
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They even asked to send a governor to them too.
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‘Somehow I feel Princess Eustia’s influence strongly behind that.’
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For a moment, I pictured her swinging a massive warhammer with gleaming eyes.
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Shuddering once, I prepared for my final days in Delriat.
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It had already been half a year since I dealt with the Sierre family’s precious psychopath, Skyler.
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The Emperor’s return order came after only four months, but I stubbornly stayed the full term.
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To maximize the governor’s office transparency.
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“Of course, this place will corrupt eventually too.”
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“Probably. Once even a tiny bit of power falls into someone’s grasp, they want to wield it freely.”
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“I’m counting on you. Work hard to keep this system going for a long time.”
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“I certainly will.”
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“Then, why don’t you take a seat.”
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I rose from the office desk chair and extended my right hand sideways.
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To hand the seat to Kuro Allegan.
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It wasn’t strictly necessary, but it was symbolic.
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From now on, you are the governor—something like that.
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“Yes.”
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Kuro Allegan wore a peculiar expression.
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He probably never imagined rising to this position.
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I immediately pulled up his character window.
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<Character Information>
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Name: Kuro Allegan
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Status: Viscount (vassal state)
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Position: Governor
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Relationship: Strong bond
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Condition: Chest filled with passion, endlessly burning patriotism, loyalty toward the Empire and Emperor.
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Skill: Employee Exploitation
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Overall Ability: A+
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I wanted to check his current state of mind, and it was better than expected.
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Even upon becoming governor, there was no trace of arrogance or haughtiness.
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‘This time I picked the right person.’
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Relief came with a faint lingering unease.
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The character window didn’t show the future, after all.
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Well, it wouldn’t concern me anymore.
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I was leaving soon.
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“It must be quite sentimental.”
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“I feel proud, yet the weight of responsibility is heavy. I can’t afford to take anything lightly.”
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“I hope you never lose that mindset.”
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I didn’t mention names, but he’d know who I meant.
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I bid farewell to Kuro Allegan.
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It was truly time to part.
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As I stepped out of the governor’s office building, I suddenly sensed unusual movement.
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Turning the corner into the central hall, I found numerous officials gathered.
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Every face flushed with emotion.
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“Y-Your Excellency the Governor! Are you really leaving?”
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“We’re not ready to stand on our own yet.”
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“Please reconsider just once!”
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I had been Delriat’s sturdy pillar.
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A breakwater blocking imperial interference, a true ruler nurturing internal strength.
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Saying so myself felt incredibly embarrassing.
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‘But it’s the truth—what can I do?’
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In any case, these people were patriots selected through rigorous filtering.
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They must have felt pride watching Delriat grow.
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With the architect of that great transformation departing, how could they not feel anxious?
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I scanned the officials and spoke.
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“I am an outsider. Merely someone dispatched from the Empire. This is a place where Delriat’s people live. Isn’t it more meaningful if you cultivate it with your own strength?”
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“Your Excellency…”
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“My role ends with laying the foundation. But I won’t withdraw my interest in this land. Let us look forward to meeting again.”
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“Snffle!”
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It was a short speech, but the governor’s office lobby became a sea of tears.
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Quite different from when the Carius duchy staff saw me off.
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These were tears of happiness.
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Because hope had sprouted that Delriat would rise again.
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Soon, several employees handed me bouquets.
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Flowers blooming profusely in the desert.
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They must have been incredibly hard to obtain—such heartfelt devotion.
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“Thank you for everything, Your Excellency.”
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“Stay healthy, everyone.”
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The staff waved until the carriage completely vanished from sight.
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But the send-off didn’t end there.
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“Waaaaah!”
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“Long live His Excellency the Governor!”
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An enormous crowd poured into the streets, blocking the carriage.
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Then deafening cheers and uproar began.
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Opening the window, I grasped their hands one by one.
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The fervent support almost brought tears to my eyes.
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“Thank you. See you again someday.”
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***
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Having left Delriat, I set off on a quiet journey.
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Once across the border, it was straight into the Empire, and surprisingly, security here was decent.
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Of course, not for ordinary people.
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An imperial knight escort had been dispatched for me, making it relatively safe.
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“There’s really no need for all this.”
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“It is His Majesty’s command. I heard you suffered hardship during travel.”
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The knight captain referenced the Magreta volcanic region incident.
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That happened because some rotten bastard caused a landslide.
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I immediately glanced at Shugl.
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He pretended to whistle, scratching his ear with a hind leg.
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—Ah, nice weather.
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Judging by the nonsense, he must have been pretty embarrassed.
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After all, what half-demon gets caught in a landslide he caused himself?
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“That did happen. But how far will you escort me?”
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“Only to the Figeroa territory.”
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“Not much farther. Sorry to put you through trouble because of me.”
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“Not at all. We’re happy to do it. We even get to see the famous Communication Rod. Could we take a look just once?”
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“Sure.”
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Happy, my foot.
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They were following the Emperor’s order, and since the escort target was me, they accepted gladly.
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If I were some nouveau riche idler?
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They wouldn’t have spared a glance.
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‘Come to think of it, it’s awfully quiet.’
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Even for a remote trade route, was it normal to hear absolutely nothing?
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Usually natural sounds would echo here and there.
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Not a single bird chirp deep in the forest like this…
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“But, Your Grace.”
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Just as suspicion arose, the knight captain suddenly spoke.
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I answered with a puzzled look.
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“What is it?”
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“Aren’t you being a bit too flashy lately?”
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Oh.
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So the imperial escort itself was suspicious?
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By then the carriage had stopped, perfectly surrounded on all sides.
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I looked at the knights with an incredulous expression.
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“What the hell is this?”
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“A kind of retribution, shall we say?”
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The knight captain twirled the Communication Rod between his fingers with a sinister grin.
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Somehow a drawn sword now hovered at my throat.
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‘Fast. He’s got skill.’
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I didn’t know who sent them, but possibilities abounded.
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I had plenty of enemies.
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Yet it was odd.
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Did they think I couldn’t resist without a weapon?
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Their attitude was as if victory was already theirs.
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‘I’ve never surrendered, though.’
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The price of complacency is always bitter.
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I smiled faintly and grabbed the knight captain’s head.
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“Retribution sounds nice. I quite enjoy it myself.”
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Soon a picture-perfect flying knee kick exploded precisely into his face.
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Craaaack—!
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Where’s Cordell? Did author forget about him?