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Rumors about the surprise hearing that took place in the imperial assembly spread at an astonishing speed.
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In just a single day, they turned all of Perias upside down.
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“Hah! Duke Carius is popularity farming so he can stage a rebellion?”
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“The old pigs in the imperial assembly must’ve gone collectively insane.”
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“No, seriously. He doesn’t even have his own knight order. What rebellion?”
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“They’re just mad he won’t dance to their tune, so they’re trying to frame him however they can.”
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“Think about how much better our lives have gotten thanks to Duke Carius. Guess that really rubbed them the wrong way.”
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“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Shameless, the lot of them.”
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The commoners’ reactions were fierce.
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They couldn’t normally even make eye contact with nobles, but cursing them behind their backs was another matter entirely.
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Whenever an assembly member’s carriage happened to appear on the street, hostile glares poured in.
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Still, no one dared to shout outright.
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What if stirring up trouble in the city led to the court getting involved?
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They might end up dragged before Duke Carius himself.
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As defendants, no less.
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Naturally, the imperial assembly members brazenly ignored public opinion.
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They likely thought it was just a passing breeze.
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But the criticism refused to die down.
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Even the knights were looking at them with unease.
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“Madness. Did something like that really happen?”
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“Yes, Vice-Commander.”
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Trevor was meeting with one of his former subordinates, hearing the news firsthand.
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“I’m not a vice-commander anymore. Just… call me senior.”
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“But you’ll return someday, won’t you?”
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“Who knows.”
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A bitter smile drifted across his lips.
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In ten years, the power structure of the imperial military would be completely overturned.
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The faction that had once trusted and followed him would have been torn apart long ago.
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Gathering subordinates who had moved on to new lives?
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That wouldn’t be easy.
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The entrenched powers of the military at that time would never allow it.
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More than that, the desire to return was slowly fading.
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“We’re all waiting for you, Vice—no, senior.”
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“That’s enough. Don’t do anything pointless. Just do your best where you are.”
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“Sir?”
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“Your loyalty is to His Majesty the Emperor, not to me.”
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The knight who had come to see Trevor looked choked up.
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The image of his once-proud superior now existed only in memory.
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Before him stood a man in plain clothes, carrying an axe.
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That confident expression was nowhere to be found.
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A heavy sense of regret filled his chest.
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“Don’t look at me like that. I’m satisfied enough.”
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“If Duke Carius crosses the line, please let us know. You’re not being punished, senior—you’re just doing community service.”
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“Exactly. So don’t worry too much. You don’t need to come visit so often anymore.”
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“What do you—”
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“Live your life.”
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Clatter!
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With that, Trevor rose from his seat.
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It was a clear sign that he had nothing more to say.
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Soon after, he quietly left the reception room.
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“Looks like I shouldn’t have come for a visit.”
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Midias wasn’t a place just anyone could enter, but visitors weren’t outright forbidden either.
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If someone came calling like this, meetings were allowed.
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Work schedules were flexible enough to make time, and taking leave was always an option.
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No one would give you grief over it.
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But Trevor didn’t want to do that anymore.
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He’d recently found a new interest.
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“I hope work wraps up soon.”
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He was hurrying toward the logging site when someone suddenly called out.
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“Excuse me, just a moment.”
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“Hm? What is it?”
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“Are you a logging worker, by any chance?”
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“I am.”
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“Could you spare a little time?”
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“I’m just back from a visit, so that would be difficult.”
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“Ah! You’re Trevor, aren’t you?”
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“You know me?”
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“Yes. I heard about you from Bernard. He said you’re free this afternoon.”
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Trevor looked at the man with suspicion.
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His brown hair was tied tightly back—hardly the look of an ordinary man.
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Imperial men usually kept their hair short.
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“I’ll need to confirm with the supervisor.”
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“That won’t be necessary. He’s right here as well.”
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“Oh? Is he?”
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“Please, come inside for now.”
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The brown-haired man led him to a newly constructed building.
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Just what was going on with this duchy?
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Something new seemed to appear every single day.
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Inside, all manner of clothing filled his view.
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Yet the styles were unlike anything he had ever seen.
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“Which country’s attire is this?”
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“The Empire’s.”
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“That can’t be right. I’ve never seen this, not in the capital or the provinces.”
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“Of course not. Only Duke Carius wears these.”
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“Hm.”
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Trevor let out an uneasy hum.
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By now, he had more or less come to terms with his situation.
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You could say he was adapting to the life he’d been given.
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Still, the knot in his heart hadn’t fully disappeared.
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After all, things had turned out this way because of Duke Carius.
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Though his own mistakes played a part.
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“Would you like to try one on?”
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“Why are you offering this to me? Did Duke Carius put you up to it?”
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“No. I just thought it would suit you well. You have a good build.”
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Even with praise mixed in, Trevor’s expression didn’t change.
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He wasn’t particularly inclined.
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The clothes were far too different from what he usually wore.
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Seeing this, the brown-haired man spoke awkwardly.
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“I suppose I should’ve introduced myself first. I’m Martin. I work as a tailor at the Midias textile factory.”
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“What do you think of these?”
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“They’re revolutionary. You won’t find anything more comfortable and formal at the same time.”
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“Is that so?”
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“I guarantee it.”
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“Then hand one over.”
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Still looking unconvinced, Trevor nodded.
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Lately, he had begun to enjoy forming new human connections.
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This, too, was one of his new interests.
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Knowing a tailor or two didn’t seem like a bad idea.
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Once he shed his work clothes, Martin immediately helped him dress.
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The zipper and belt gave him a bit of trouble, but adapting wasn’t hard.
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You just pulled them up, and with the belt, all you had to do was slot the metal pin into a hole.
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Once he had the jacket on as well, Trevor stood before the mirror.
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“A full-length mirror like this must be expensive. Impressive that you found one.”
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“I didn’t buy it. Duke Carius gifted it to us.”
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“He’s a generous lord.”
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“He really is. You have no idea how remarkable he is.”
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In truth, Trevor’s words carried a faint hint of sarcasm.
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But Martin took them at face value.
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He truly believed them.
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Feeling awkward, Trevor smacked his lips.
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“It’s not… bad.”
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The reflection staring back at him was surprisingly striking.
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And it wasn’t uncomfortable like leggings or doublets.
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Still, it felt like it might be cold outside like this.
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Spring hadn’t arrived yet.
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“Now then, you can put this coat on.”
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Dark navy trousers and jacket, an even darker tie.
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With a black coat draped over it all, he looked every bit the refined gentleman.
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Martin promptly helped him into leather shoes and even slicked back his hair with oil.
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Trevor stared at the mirror in a daze.
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“What in the world…?”
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“Looks good, doesn’t it?”
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The suit shop fell into silence for a while.
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Even after time passed, Trevor looked unconvinced.
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No matter how he thought about it, this felt far ahead of its era.
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Only now did he understand why Martin had spoken the way he did.
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“It’s real. Comfortable, yet formal. At this level, it must cost quite a bit.”
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“Of course. It hasn’t even been released to the market yet, and the fabric is top-grade.”
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Trevor shook his head and hurried to take the clothes off.
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No matter how decent a logger’s pay was, he couldn’t walk around in something this expensive.
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He was no longer the heir of House Warren, nor the commander of the First Western Legion.
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“Ah, you can keep it on.”
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“Why?”
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“Think of it as a modeling fee. Wear it whenever you come to the capital.”
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“Is that really fine?”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Yes. Duke Carius specifically asked us to take care of you.”
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“…I see.”
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That name again—Carius.
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Here, you heard it dozens of times a day.
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Always followed by endless praise.
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Perhaps because he heard it so often, it didn’t even make him angry anymore.
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Just a hollow chuckle lingered on his lips.
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“Anyway, thank you.”
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“Yes. Take care.”
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After leaving the suit shop, Trevor headed straight back to the dormitory.
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He’d skipped his morning shift anyway.
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He decided to indulge in a hobby he’d recently taken up.
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Board games.
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They were provided free of charge as part of employee welfare, so he could enjoy the latest versions to his heart’s content.
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As soon as he changed clothes, Trevor rushed to the game hall.
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“Oh, you’re early today, Trevor.”
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“I skipped my morning shift because of a visit. Why are you out so early, Marcel?”
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“I’m off today.”
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“Must be nice being security. A full day off every other day.”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Yeah, but we have night shifts.”
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“That’s easy. Haven’t I told you? Back in the First Western Legion—”
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“Please, spare me the tall tales.”
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“I’m serious.”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Ugh. Here we go again.”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Trevor greeted the young man named Marcel without reserve.
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After a few rounds of idle chatter, the game began.
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“Game choice: Abel’s Journey. Sound good?”
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“Heh. Already forgotten yesterday’s humiliation?”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Damn it, my stomach hurts. Forget it and put the money down.”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Trevor pulled silver coins from his pocket and dropped them into the container at the corner of the table.
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
“Going all in from the start? I can’t lose, then.”
SpecialCharactersAndSymbols!@#$%^&*()_-+=[]{}|;:\"'<>,.?/
Marcel confidently tossed in 1 silon as well.
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The board game created by Duke Carius was fundamentally quite gambling-oriented.
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Its original purpose was simple entertainment, but nothing was more fun than a wager.
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Putting money on the line came naturally.
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Still, this was the Midias game hall.
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Each person was limited to a maximum bet of 1 silon per day.
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It was Duke Carius’s decree, and no one dared violate it.
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No matter who won, no further bets would be allowed.
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“Let’s begin.”
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It was then—
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Clink!
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A silver coin flew in from somewhere and landed neatly in the betting container.
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Moments later, a handsome young man approached and took a seat.
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“I’ll join as well.”
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“New heroes are always welcome.”
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At that moment, Trevor looked up—and lost the ability to speak.
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The man who had appeared so suddenly was far too important.
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“Y-you are…?”
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Sitting at the table was the master of this land himself.
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Abel Carius.
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Yet Trevor was the only one who seemed startled.
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Marcel casually shuffled cards and distributed tiles.
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Abel naturally arranged his tokens.
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Stunned, Trevor asked,
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“W-what brings you here… Your Grace?”
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He nearly slipped into casual speech, but held it back with superhuman restraint.
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The reply came back, utterly unconcerned.
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“I came to play a game.”
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