Flaerin
Stories
20
Chapters
1,543
Words
3.2 M
Comments
507
Reading
11 d, 5 h
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Dinner never happened. Waking from a shallow sleep, Lucien found Kosha slumped against his shoulder, unconscious to the world. Slipping into his trousers, Lucien propped a pillow behind the frail mage and rose to part the curtains, revealing the dusky, gray break of dawn. He should have found a way to force a meal down the man's throat. Kosha’s wrists looked barely half the thickness of his own, and watching the mage’s soft, rhythmic breathing sent Lucien’s thoughts spiraling into a tangled mess.…-
458.3 K • Ongoing
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Before dawn that day, Lucien returned to the castle carrying a severely weakened Kosha bundled securely in his arms. A meeting then convened without delay. Advisors and servants flitted about in a flurry of activity while Kosha watched them consign several bundles of paper to the flames. Amidst the chaos, his eyes caught the fresh, unmistakable traces of death staining the hands of a few knights. The entire court hummed frantically with the name of Arabelle, and no doubt the world outside the castle…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The princess's stride as she marched resolutely into the throne room was commanding. She wore well-fitted plate armor, and since they were in the king's hall, she naturally carried no sword. Her height hovered around the average for women, but she possessed a presence that far surpassed it. Her lustrous black hair was braided and neatly pinned up without a single stray strand, completely devoid of ornaments. She was rumored to be nearly fourteen years older than Lucien, yet she looked younger than him. At…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Although the courthouse's official dungeon boasted better management than the clandestine cells tucked into the castle's darkest corners, the subterranean vault still reeked of a foul medley of odors mingled with the ragged moans of prisoners. Someone of noble standing would never voluntarily set foot in such a wretched place. The agonizing groans of tortured inmates and desperate cries of innocence had echoed ceaselessly through the night, only to fall into an abrupt, unnatural silence. A moment later,…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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For the first time in an age, the state council finally convened. Beyond the sprawling grandeur of the audience hall, deep within the long gallery that intersected the very heart of the main tower, two massive tables flanked a vacant throne in strict, symmetrical opposition. Seated around these imposing oak structures were the highest dignitaries of the realm: the King's secretary, the Minister of Finance, the Head of the Judiciary Court, the term-limited tribune, Lord Lucien of Carlot, and Lady Arabelle…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Settling into a shadowed corner of the secret chamber, Kosha scanned the windowless expanse. A strange familiarity washed over him before the sudden realization hit: this was that place. The very room where they had performed that intimate act—the one which, owing to Lucien’s fierce opposition, could never officially be acknowledged as their first time. Buried deep within the heart of the West Wing, the chamber remained entirely invisible from the outside. Devoid of windows, it relied on flickering…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The sheer tedium was excruciating. Lucien had spent the morning processing a mountain of paperwork while bureaucrats spouted uniform idiocy. To make matters worse, that odd bastard simply refused to die. Having barely fended off the chaotic fallout from the news of the king’s critical condition, Lucien now strode toward the main tower corridor. Did the old geezer catch another curse? If he is on his deathbed, why the hell is he looking for me? Outwardly, he maintained a mask of pristine composure;…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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"Clear everyone out. Postpone all reports until evening." The office door flew open with a resounding crash as his low, clipped command filled the room. Striding aggressively across the study, Lucien threw himself into the armchair behind his desk. His close aides usually made free use of the office space, but it was not uncommon for the foul-tempered master of the study to unceremoniously chase everyone out without warning. The staff calmly rose from their seats and began gathering their documents. Amidst…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Truly, the king's eldest daughter was no ordinary individual. Her day commenced with receiving a report on the previous day's interrogation of Bastian before conveying the findings directly to the king. The document contained absolutely no useful information, offering mostly detailed descriptions of the gruesome torture process. Although the king shrieked for someone to summon the other regents, his attendants valued their lives too much to budge a single inch. Following such a chaotic morning, she…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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At the precise hour Lucien stepped into the East Wing's acrid drawing room, Kosha finished a light meal and began his evening rounds, trailed by four geese waddling in a strict line. To call it a mere stroll would be a mistake, considering these were the mage's actual working hours. He rigorously inspected and fine-tuned the defensive magic woven through every corner of the West Wing, ensuring anyone harboring ill intentions toward Lucien could never casually breach the perimeter. He had engineered this…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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It was not until all four geese were safely secured back in their pen that the party finally returned to the office. Oblivious to the mage's inner turmoil, the geese proudly clutched Alpheisa's torn hems and plucked tufts of hair, only to be ruthlessly stripped of their plunder by the practiced hands of a former gooseherd. Gosrick grimaced in disgust, telling him to toss those filthy scraps straight into the brazier. Kosha hesitated, carefully wrapping the red hair inside the fabric scrap and slipping it…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Shadows clung to Gosrick as he slipped into his lord's office well past midnight, his solitary arrival prompting Lucien to furrow a tired brow. "Why are you alone?" Lucien asked, setting his work aside. "Where is Mailot?" "I figured that fellow’s remaining hair would fall out completely if I dragged him here at this hour," Gosrick replied smoothly, stepping fully into the candlelight. "I told him to rest, and I shall gladly accept the punishment for arbitrary insubordination." Releasing a short,…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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As spring blossomed to its vibrant peak, the King of Izeland hosted his grand hunting festival. Because agriculture formed the bedrock of the nation, the sprawling central plains were cultivated almost entirely into rich farmlands. Officially, this festival served as a royal ritual to cull pests and pray for a bountiful harvest, honoring an ancient tradition stretching back to the mythic era. For three days, attendees pitched their tents in the plains south of the capital, enjoying festivities that…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The two guards stationed outside the Prince Regent’s tent, where the emblems of Carlot and Izeland hung side by side, stood at stiff attention and snapped crisp salutes. Lucien ignored them completely, shoving the heavy fabric door aside and hurling Kosha onto the bed. The bed had been prepared for two from the beginning. It was wide and plush enough that a simple tumble would cause no harm, yet Kosha struggled awkwardly to rise, his limbs tangling helplessly among his heavy robe, the thick blankets,…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Meanwhile, inside the tent, Kosha drifted in and out of a dizzying stupor. Pinned to the mattress by the oppressive weight of the Idelma gold severing his mana, the mage eventually pried his eyes open to face a thoroughly unexpected guest. Lucien had promised to send someone to keep an eye on him, but Kosha had naturally assumed he would simply post a random servant or a low-ranking squire at the door. He had certainly never expected to see Mailot. A brilliant strategist whose talents were far better…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The sun had long since slipped beneath the jagged teeth of the western mountain range, surrendering the final bruised remnants of twilight to a deep, icy blue. Across the pitch-black expanse of the silent plain, broken only by the flickering torches of distant sentries, three figures moved in absolute stealth, masking their approach beneath the cover of intermittent, howling winds. Tall and powerfully built, the trio wore plain, unadorned garments concealed beneath heavy, hooded cloaks of midnight black.…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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A gust of unfamiliar wind finally roused Kosha from his solitary slumber. Mailot had proven to be a surprisingly decent conversationalist for nearly half a day. In fact, Kosha had never encountered anyone capable of discussing so many topics without pausing for a single breath, yet every word contained genuinely useful information. Through this ceaseless chatter, the mage learned not only about the monstrous nature of the Lord of Maleste but also the tedious history of the Izeland throne disputes and the…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Naturally, fate refused to treat him with such softness. Had his life been simple, he never would have survived long enough to reach his current heights. The second day of the hunting festival proved to be a complete and utter disaster. True to his warning, the festival schedule mandated the literal unleashing of the hunting packs. An ancient Izeland adage proclaimed horses and dogs to be a knight’s oldest friends, a belief reflected by the massive kennels maintained by the local military units.…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The hunting festival ground to an abrupt halt. It was the first time the event had been suspended in decades, not since an unprecedented spring rainstorm had swollen the Elga River beyond its banks and flooded the surrounding region. Even now, the decision provoked a brief clash among the officials. The festival was more than a royal diversion; it was a major national observance held to pray for the prosperity of Izeland's central agricultural heartland. Commoners beyond the castle walls followed it with…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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"How on earth can we agree to this?" Mailot demanded, his face twisting with profound distaste. "Drilling a hole in His Majesty's skull? That is no simple procedure. We need to discuss this," Princess Arabelle had remarked in a slow, deliberate tone, a sentiment Lucien had silently shared at the time. "If it must be done, it should be attempted as soon as possible," the royal physician had added in a panic shortly afterward. None of those words mattered now. In truth, the King's swift recovery held no…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Wrapped tightly in a heavy robe against the unnatural chill, a lone mage made his way through the deserted stone corridor of the North Tower. It was Kosha’s first time setting foot in this wing since his visit to the Royal Mage’s quarters, a day steeped in unpleasant memories that still gnawed at his nerves. Even so, he pressed on, determined to intercept the Gaecrux Tower Master. Their previous encounters had been marked by such profound mutual indifference that he had never even learned her title,…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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“So, you heard her terms... and simply came back.” Lucien’s voice flowed soft and agonizingly polite, yet every syllable cut like a razor. Deflated, Kosha shrank into the plush upholstery of Lucien's private chair and managed a pathetic nod. Despite Eleonora’s parting taunt, his attempt to meet the Gaecrux delegation had ended in spectacular failure. After surviving the Maleste’s princess’ interrogation, he had dragged his battered nerves to the top floor of the North Tower. He hadn't even…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The process of dying proved agonizingly slow. The experimental surgery to drill into the skull was never actually attempted; Princess Arabelle had abdicated the final decision to Lucien before vanishing into hiding. Lucien intentionally dragged his feet, feigning deep conflict without ever issuing a clear directive, until the designated physicians ultimately concluded the window for surgical intervention had permanently closed. Nobody wished to shoulder the blame for a monarch's demise. Surrounded by…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The funeral dragged on for over two days. While the late King had hardly been beloved by his inner circle, the proceedings were remarkably dignified for a monarch whose reign had been so erratic. Naturally, this smooth facade was largely thanks to the children who had acted as regents during his bouts of madness; however, the common people needed no such details. By custom, royal authority had to appear absolute and untarnished. Inside the grand audience hall, the embalmed body lay in state as the…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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An aged tavern anchored the intersection leading into the Osterbrache market district. Although the capital strictly monitored the entry of outsiders, Osterbrache remained a major mercantile hub teeming with a constant influx of travelers. The tavern itself had weathered the centuries alongside the city, expanding into a remarkably massive establishment to accommodate the endless tide of patrons. Well past the lunch hour, the creaking wooden door swung inward to admit a massive man draped in a heavy…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Had there been a clear successor, the coronation would have followed immediately after the funeral. Yet, almost no "successors" had ascended the throne smoothly in the history of the kingdom. Even the citizens did not expect an immediate coronation; through long experience, they had grown accustomed to waiting, treating this power vacuum as an extended mourning period. The ruling class was equally accustomed to this delay, though their reasons were hardly born of grief. When a King dies, the Regent’s…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Meanwhile, Kosha remained cooped up in Lucien’s inner chamber. Several days had passed in this manner. The bedroom and the connected inner chamber represented the absolute extent of the range of motion allowed to him. Since there was no need to wander outside, the robe he had worn like his own skin hung quietly on one wall. He sat wrapped in a soft blanket like a cape over his thin tunic. There was no particular pastime to speak of, leaving him with nothing to do but study. He did not strictly dislike…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Princess Arabelle proved far more vicious than anyone anticipated. She wasted no time; the King’s personal physicians were dragged away in rapid succession. Custom dictated that physicians attending a sovereign until his passing receive an honorable discharge and generous severance, provided no clear negligence occurred. The Chief Steward of the Royal Household attempted to protest this unprecedented cruelty, but Arabelle possessed a masterful grasp of the petty, lethal methods required to silence…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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"Is that so?" The red-haired mage bowed his head and stepped back at the end of a long whisper. Holding a brimful wine glass in one hand, the princess gave a short, cynical giggle. "I knew it. It is working better than I thought. Monitor the situation and have them stir the pot a little more." "I will attend to it," Alpheisa replied. Nodding vaguely, the princess drew a long puff from the pipe in her other hand and exhaled slowly, turning the air in her already murky inner chamber even cloudier. Such cheap…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The daughter of the Lord Maleste knows about the love potion. Left alone in a drawing room that felt as though a storm had just ravaged it, Kosha bit his lip and sank into deep thought. When the attendant peeked in timidly following Eleonora's departure, Kosha flicked a finger to banish the servant. He was in no mood to play along with anyone other than Lucien. How did she know? Listening to her speak, it did not seem she merely knew of it as some aphrodisiac secretly circulated among apothecaries. If…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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His earliest memory involved a glowing reptilian creature coiling affectionately around his tiny finger. Back in his infancy, he never would have recognized the beast as a mere lizard. Children born as complete mages developed far differently from normal humans or the unawakened. To spare the mother's life during childbirth, they entered the world resembling normal infants, but their growth immediately accelerated. Depending on the purity of their lineage and the raw strength of their inherent power,…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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"Actually, I remain unsure if creating a fake physician and handing him over to them was the right move." Mailot received no answer. The silence stretched heavily through the dim office. "It is an opportunity to see their cards, yes, but the risk to our side is substantial. No matter how much I think about it..." Mailot frowned, leaning forward over the desk. "Your Highness?" The silence persisted. "Your Highness!" A hand fluttering frantically in front of his face snapped Lucien back to reality. He…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Kosha snapped his eyes open in the dim, quiet hours of early dawn. For the first time in his life, his mind felt remarkably, almost unnervingly clear. A hollow emptiness had replaced his usual chaotic thoughts. He shifted his blank gaze to the window to check the ambient light, then turned his head to inspect the opposite side of the mattress. He distinctly remembered falling asleep alone, yet a massive man lay fast asleep beside him. Radiant golden hair spilled in chaotic waves across the pristine white…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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"Did some accident happen last night?" Mailot asked, his tone laced with a calculated, delicate caution. They were striding down the dimly lit corridor toward the political assembly hall, having just concluded a brief summary report. Lucien’s brow furrowed reflexively at the sudden, intrusive personal inquiry. "What are you talking about, all of a sudden?" "Nothing, it’s just... I heard a physician was summoned to the inner chambers in the early hours of the morning." Lucien felt his brisk stride…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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"Why haven't you finished off the prince yet?" A sharp, sensitive voice lacerated his back. It was a cadence uncannily similar to his own. Kosha’s eyes flew open, and he wildly scanned his surroundings. He recognized the room immediately. It was the secret chamber. Startled, Kosha looked down at his own body, incredibly thankful that there were no strange green scales or chains in sight this time. Not that his pounding heart had settled in the slightest. "I... why am I here?" His last memory was…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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He had witnessed a terrifying vision in a brief span of time. Calling it a mere nightmare felt woefully inadequate. In this dream, Kosha encountered an unfamiliar King's Mage who offered him a peculiar tea. As a strange sensation washed over him mid-sip, Kosha raised his head to find the mage transformed into a decaying skeleton. Startled, Kosha dropped his teacup. The porcelain clattered against the floor just as the skeletal neck snapped and the skull rolled away. Bounding toward Kosha's feet, the…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Past midnight, the fortress city of Osterbrache lay cloaked in ink and silence. Armed patrols systematically swept the cobblestone streets, but the shadow slipping between the buildings had memorized their exact routes and rigid schedules. In a military hierarchy where unsanctioned detours resulted in flogging, the commanding officers ironically possessed the most cunning methods for exploiting their own draconian regulations. As the man who received the final security reports, he preferred to handle these…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Kosha regained a glimmer of consciousness in the bluish pre-dawn light, unable to remember exactly how the time had drifted by. In truth, he hadn't even known that time was passing. His mind had been bleached stark white like a blank sheet, rendered utterly incapable of processing any external stimuli. No, that was not it. Truth be told, his mind was brimming with thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of thoughts. Throughout the night, Kosha had been consumed by the past. A name he loathed with a…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The Tower Master gently stroked Kosha’s hand and whispered in a low voice. It was the most tender tone he had ever heard from her. “There are hardly any mages left with good bloodlines these days. It is unavoidable in a way, as proper mages simply are not being born anymore.” Kosha remained silent. “However, in a kingdom of humans that persecutes mages, one requires formidable power to protect our society. That is why I have spent such a long, long time searching for someone with the potential to…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The atmosphere at court was unusually chaotic. Naturally, things had been unsettled ever since the King’s death, but today was different. From the moment morning broke, even the very flow of the air seemed to grate on the princess’s nerves. The distance at which the attendants stood, the direction of their gazes, the cadence of their breathing, every insignificant detail struck her as subtly, persistently wrong. Was it merely paranoia, or was she unusually sensitive today? At first, she had doubted her…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The Judiciary Court’s public hearings were held in the largest audience hall. Despite the name, they effectively served as tribunals for major cases ordinarily handled by the Judiciary Court whenever the throne stood vacant. Every court noble had the right to attend, while members of Osterbrache’s twelve oldest noble houses were granted the authority to form a council and pass judgment on the case before them. This particular hearing had been convened to formally examine the suspicions surrounding…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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The solemn, immaculate room had turned into a goose barn overnight. Even when Kosha had lived in that shabby shack in Osterbeek, he had never brought the geese inside the house. For their first proper human dwelling to be a prince’s private chambers was luxury far beyond their station. He had still tried to keep them off the bed, but geese had little regard for etiquette, and Kosha lacked the energy to fend them all off. In the end, he settled on a compromise: only three were allowed on the bed at a…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Two days later, the map was finally complete. Standing in the center of a room cluttered with crumpled paper, charcoal, and ink, Kosha reviewed the parchment, scrutinizing the dense layers of drawings and text for the umpteenth time. He had crafted it by layering three sheets of paper. Although he had tried to draw the final version cleanly with ink, the lines remained jagged and amateurish, an unavoidable flaw for someone who had never formally learned to draw, let alone draft cartography. Expecting…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Lucien had occupied the West Wing’s second drawing room since early morning. He sat dressed in dark, solemn attire that felt almost suffocatingly formal, a rigid style he rarely subjected himself to. Opposite him sat a woman with vibrant red hair, her appearance providing a jarring contrast. She was draped in excessively flamboyant silks that looked less like a proper nobleman's outfit and more like cheap, ostentatious gift wrapping. Given her circumstances, that degrading aesthetic was likely her…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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Royal families of noble standing typically kept secret passages in their private quarters as a minimal defense against fire, assassination, or other unforeseen emergencies. This was not a trait unique to Osterbrache. Even the castle Kosha had lived in as a child possessed such architectural secrets. These passages were incredibly complex by design, intended to thwart any potential intruders. Perhaps that was why Kosha spent so long wandering lost despite the map he had painstakingly drawn. It would have…
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High above the hidden passages, the heavy oak doors of the main tower’s audience hall swung open with an agonizing slowness. Princess Arabelle emerged from between the two stoic guards stationed at the entrance. She wore heavy, dark-colored formal attire that mirrored Lucien’s own garments that day with strange, deliberate precision. The coordination was so obvious that Lucien almost burst into laughter right there on the dais, entirely forgetting the gravity of the time and place. The twelve nobles…
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458.3 K • Ongoing
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They barely managed to navigate the narrow passage leading to the secret chamber while supporting the unconscious Lethe between them. Kosha had wondered if Mailot had come alone, but a young man he didn’t recognize was waiting as they emerged into a wide corridor. He wore nondescript clothing and carried only an undecorated sword. His physique and demeanor, however, suggested he was a knight. He took Lethe from Mailot and Kosha without a word and effortlessly slung the man over his shoulder. "To be…
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A high-pitched ringing shattered the silence inside his skull. Lucien coughed up a short, sharp gasp and realized he was still alive. His entire body ached as if he had been thrown from a horse at full gallop. His ears were so muffled that every sound reached him as if through a thick veil. "You must find cover, Your Highness!" a man's voice echoed. "You must stay alive to ensure the future!" It did not sound like the voice was addressing Lucien. His last memory was of ceiling chunks plummeting down upon…
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They joined forces with the archers who had crossed over from Seodin two days later. The numbers were roughly a thousand. It was needlessly an unauthorized border crossing that had bypassed Oullet, the southern gateway. "Within five days, we can mobilize about four thousand more. We can capture it quickly if we press Oullet from above and below to start from there." The tedious military council continued. Kosha sat huddled in a corner of the tent like a piece of luggage with his wrists tightly bound in…
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"If Arabelle mobilizes the maximum strength of Seodin, ten thousand is possible." "Ten thousand? Is Seodin planning to starve starting this autumn?" "The coastal regions differ from the interior. Even if the harvest fails, they will not starve." The argument surged across the massive table, where a map of the Izeland territories lay unrolled. "We must assume that half of Seodin’s forces are naval," a voice countered. "Ten thousand will not be possible right away." "In Carlot, my son can move two thousand…
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