Translator: Pai_

"Well, well! Look at you, lad! Impressive!"

"I watched the whole thing from up on the wall when you caught that bomber today!"

"Oh. That gatekeeper was this guy?"

The place was buzzing.

The guards instantly assumed a classic you're-the-hero-of-our-village formation and swarmed around Mun Su-ho.

Su-ho himself had no idea, but he'd actually shot up in fame among the guards.

Since when? Since today. The guards who'd been on the morning shift had spent lunch and dinner chattering to their colleagues about "the absolutely insane highlight reel I witnessed today", and that was all it took.

"Hold on. Now that I get a good look, this kid doesn't have a single scratch on him!"

The guards made a bit of a fuss, as if they'd stumbled upon a celebrity by sheer luck.

"That escaped prisoner had to have been a Gang Qi User. How in the world did you take him down alone?"

"The suspect was already wounded. It's all because you fine members of the Royal Capital Guards softened him up for me first, which is the only reason a grunt like me could win so easily. Thank you for your hard work this late at night."

"We⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠ll, I'll be......"

And with that humble display, the guards took an instant liking to this gatekeeper.

In truth, Su-ho could have been as arrogant as he pleased right now, and no one could have said a word. Objectively speaking, the Royal Capital Guards had made an enormous blunder.

Su-ho had a razor-sharp opening for the kill shot in his mind. He could have gone with: 'Wow, I caught a smuggler and handed him over to you guys, and you bungled the job so badly he broke out?' 'I even stopped a bomber today and got praised by the higher-ups for it.' 'Typical Royal Capital Guards.'

No matter how much mockery he poured on, the guards would have just stood there trembling, unable to so much as talk back, forced to simply eat the hits. What could they do? If it bothered them, maybe they shouldn't have let the prisoner escape in the first place.

But instead, Mun Su-ho consoled the guards!

Naturally, the mood became lighter at once. The guards who, just minutes ago, had been wound tight with tension now began sharing warm laughter. The magic of social skills and a silver tongue was nothing grand; it was exactly this.

"Kind of you to say that, young man. We appreciate it."

"What credit do we deserve? The moment we report back, Guard Captain's going to line us all up nice and friendly-like and snap our shins."

"At least thanks to this lad, it'll only be snapped shins. If that bastard had actually escaped outside the Capital? Whew, we might as well start ordering coffins."

Su-ho flashed a hearty grin and casually swept his gaze around.

His eyes traced the darkness brightened by torchlight. Let's see, how many guards were here... roughly thirty?

'That should be enough. Plenty of ears listening.'

Su-ho gave a small nod.

Then he flipped over his next card.

"Everyone, my job is simply to inspect those who pass through the gates. Guarding prisoners and handling their disposal is the Royal Capital Guards' domain. I'll hand this body over to you all."

"......!"

The guards were stunned.

Every last one of them had been racking their brains over what to do with this corpse. The mood had been too pleasant for anyone to broach the subject, that was all.

First of all, in principle, what Su-ho had just said was undeniably correct.

But if this kingdom ran on principle alone, would six separate rebel factions have sprung up? When the house isn't kept clean, the cockroaches run rampant.

The guards, well accustomed to living alongside said cockroaches, had already mapped out the scenario in their heads.

The young man before them claims the body as his spoils of war and takes it. They'd have no choice but to hand it over. Then someone at about the Guard Captain's rank would have to run back and forth trying to get it returned, and somewhere along the way journalists would catch the scent and come tearing in to rip them apart, conveniently ripping into their salaries while they were at it.......

That was more or less the standard flow of events.

And the guards were no hack screenwriters. Not a single one of them had expected Mun Su-ho to hand the body over this magnanimously!

"A-are you really sure about that?"

"Of course. We all serve His Majesty and protect the Royal Capital together, don't we? I look forward to working with you in the future."

"No, come on. This is making us feel bad here......"

The guards fidgeted with guilt.

From one angle, this was the kind of situation where he'd easily get played for a fool. But Su-ho's thinking was entirely different.

He was convinced that this grand gesture of generosity would, in fact, bring him a return.

An overwhelming return, at that.

'Right now, the lord is undoubtedly keeping a close eye on me.'

It was a decision made precisely because the Obsidian Baron was in the calculation.

'My competence was already more than proven today, right in front of the lord's own eyes.'

'Now that I've even killed a Gang Qi User on top of that, there shouldn't be any more doubts about my abilities.'

'But what about my character? My temperament? My integrity?'

Mun Su-ho was an illegitimate child.

In this backwater kingdom, birth status mattered above all else. Skill and merit aside, good bloodline was the baseline for being entrusted with anything important. In that regard, Su-ho was perpetually at risk of being subjected to malicious slander and smear campaigns.

Up until now he'd lived in blithe indifference, unbothered whether people tore into him or not, but if he wanted to prevent the kingdom's destruction, he needed to climb the ranks as quickly as possible.

'From here on out, I need to get serious about reputation management!'

Renown. Trust. How people assessed his character.

So what if he'd caught a Gang Qi User? If he stubbornly insisted on claiming the body here, sure, he might get a moment's satisfaction from putting the guards in their place, but it would be the worst possible move. The losses would far outweigh the gains.

It was obvious what would be branded across the Obsidian Baron's mind once he received the full report:

A one-line review reading [Outstanding ability, but blinded by ambition, hoards credit, and is incapable of cooperating with others].

Once a prejudice like that set in, it wouldn't be easily erased!

Someone like him, born with the inherent weakness of illegitimate birth, could do a hundred things right, but one single mistake would immediately become a case of "I had a feeling, and sure enough", haunting him like a label for the rest of his life.

'If there had only been two or three guards here, handing over the body would've just gotten me treated like a pushover.'

'But right now, there are over thirty guards standing in front of me. Far too many eyes watching. The fact that I handed over the corpse can't be hush⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠ed up by just one or two people putting their heads together.'

'The full account of this incident will definitely reach the Guard Captain. They can't deny the debt they owe me!'

'With this, I buy the guards' goodwill. And beyond that, I pass the lord's character evaluation. That has to be tonight's greatest spoil of war!'

A visible corpse. An invisible reputation.

Between the two, Su-ho chose the latter without hesitation.

And that was precisely why he could laugh so openly and so genuinely.

"Now, now. Everyone, midnight is approaching. Someone already died tonight, and if we all stand around outside the walls like this, we might attract some wicked spirits. Let's get back inside before the Trapdoor opens."

"Oh, r-right! Yes, let's do that."

The guards followed Su-ho's suggestion and returned inside the walls together.

The gatekeeper's point was valid. In this world where magic and Dragon Emperors were real, monsters and ghosts roamed about as a matter of course, and they grew bolder the deeper the night became.

There was still plenty of time before 1 a.m., so the danger wasn't great, but it never hurt to be careful.

"Mm. Ahem."

"Hmm....... Hm-hm."

Yet even after re-entering the walls, the guards remained restless. It was just so painfully obvious they owed this young man a debt.

In an era where nearly every young, able-bodied person was being dragged off to the front lines, the guards defending the Capital's walls were mostly on the older side. They expressed their gratitude with every fiber of their being.

"Thank you, young man. Truly, thank you."

"We won't ever forget this. May the grace of His Majesty and the blessings of the Twelve Gods be with you!"

"Come have a drink with us sometime!"

The guards took custody of the body. A boisterous round of farewells and send-offs followed.

Once the guards had disappeared into the distance, a silence befitting the night suddenly descended. The abrupt battle, followed by the shower of gratitude, and now, with all that commotion fading away, it seemed Su-ho finally had a moment to reflect on his day.

And so, Mun Su-ho sank into solitary contemplation...... or so it would have gone.

Tap-tap-tap-tap!

Footsteps came from the same direction the guards had departed.

"H⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠m?"

A figure drew closer through the darkness of the night.

While every other guard had headed back, just one, a single member noticeably smaller than the rest, had turned around and come back to Su-ho.

'What? Did they drop something?'

On closer inspection, wait. It was their first time meeting face to face, yet there was something oddly familiar about her.

Su-ho's memory clicked. The guard from earlier, the one who had flipped the escaped prisoner's body over to show the arrow wound. That guard. A pint-sized guard girl, small as a chestnut.

"Today was really impressive! Gatekeeper Mun Su-ho-nim!"

She bowed deeply, dipping at the waist with gusto.

Before Su-ho could even ask why she'd come back, the guard rattled off her business.

"I was on duty so I didn't get to introduce myself sooner! I'm So Cheon-ri, Mid-rank Guard, youngest daughter of Guard Captain So Oe-geom of the South Gate branch of the Royal Capital Guards!"

"Huh?"

This time it was Su-ho's turn to be surprised.

'So Cheon-ri! The Guard Captain's legitimate daughter!'

Just as Mun Geum, the head of the gatekeeper clan, had a son and a daughter, the Guard Captain had children of his own. Now that he looked, the girl before him was none other than the Guard Captain's doted-upon youngest.

Su-ho, having been the odd one out in his own clan, had never had the chance to interact with this girl. Even so, he'd come across her name very recently, which was why her self-introduction triggered instant recall.

It was none other than the Prophecy Newspaper article that had given him a glimpse ten years into the future!

『Obituary Column』

「Princess Mang Ryeon-hwa: Killed by concentrated archer fire while withdrawing after the second charge.」

「Warrior So Cheon-ri: While supporting Princess Mang Ryeon-hwa's charge from the left flank, was the first to take the concentrated volley in her stead. Fell from her horse. Died instantly.」

That's right.

So Cheon-ri. This person currently serving in the Royal Capital Guards was also destined to join the Kingdom Revival Army in the future and, just like Mun Su-ho, die in the final battle!

'On top of that, she's a talent with a high chance of being selected as the princess's closest aide!'

Su-ho's mind, which had been cooling down, suddenly heated up with excitement.

According to his Transcription Notebook, this guard girl wouldn't betray the kingdom, either.

That meant she more than qualified for the "loyal subject certification stamp" that had, until now, been reserved exclusively for himself and his little sister!

'When charging into battle, you entrust your flank to your most trusted confidant, and she's the one who filled that role.'

'I absolutely have to get close to her. If luck is on my side, she might even be the connection that leads me to the princess!'

His thoughts raced at full speed. Wasn't there some way for fellow loyal subjects to, you know, bond? Would the quickest route to friendship be to bring a portrait of His Majesty and then prostrate themselves before it together?

Fortunately, Mun Su-ho did not need to demonstrate the art of the full formal bow again. The guard girl beat him to it.

"Oh! And just so you know, I'm personally close with your sister Mun Si-ah-nim! We're like big sis and little sis! Forget about rank, please just talk to me casually!"

"Wha..."

What a small world. Who would have guessed she was his sister’s friend?

But everything made perfect sense now. Birds of a feather flock together. Just as traitors hung around with traitors, loyal subjects naturally gravitated toward loyal subjects.

He himself, his little sister, and the guard girl before him were all loyal subjects who would share the kingdom's final stand. So it wasn't strange at all that they'd be running in the same circles from this point on!

'And since she's friends with Si-ah, she's going to go back and tell her all about how dependable and cool her oppa was tonight!'

'Ah, handing over that body was the right call a hundred, no a thousand times over.'

In a sense, this was classic networking. The youngest daughter of the gatekeeper clan and the youngest daughter of the Guard Captain being close friends? It gave off the unmistakable scent of factional politics at a glance.

If the kingdom's intellectuals had witnessed this scene, they'd have clicked their tongues and unleashed scathing criticism, lamenting that commoners with no connections would never be able to build a career or find any path to advancement.

“Wow! So Si-ah had such a polite friend. I had no idea!”

Of course, from the perspective of Mun Su-ho, a man who did have connections, the career prospects of the common folk were none of his concern. Her cartel was his cartel.

"Our Si-ah is actually really sweet when you get to know her. Oh, by the way, would you mind if I asked your age?"

"Yes! I'm one year younger than Si-ah-unnie!"

“Oh my. Then that makes me three years older than you.”

“Yes, then I’ll call you sunbae-nim from now on! Sunbae-nim!”

This was a lie. Mun Su-ho's real age was 19, the exact same age as the guard standing in front of him. This age fraudster was playing the senior without batting an eye.

"I'll make absolutely sure to tell my father about the kindness you showed us today, sunbae-nim! Personally, I think it's such a shame that someone like you is still stuck at the rank of Lower-class Gatekeeper!"

“No, haha. It’s not like I was hoping for that.......”

Also a lie. This was exactly the outcome Su-ho had been hoping for, and internally he was cheering at the top of his lungs.

'A recommendation from the Guard Captain!'

Given the multiple achievements he'd racked up today, Su-ho's promotion was practically a foregone conclusion.

But whether it was a promotion driven solely by the Baron's personal favor, or one accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the Royal Capital Guards, made a world of difference for the person's reputation.

For Su-ho, something far more urgent and valuable than money was following in its wake: connections and renown.

"No, no! Not at all! If you don't get promoted, sunbae-nim, that's the kingdom's loss! I'll speak to my father about it today, so just sit tight and wait for the good news!"

'Is this girl an angel, by any chance?'

The more they talked, the stronger Su-ho's feeling grew that he'd stumbled into an unexpected windfall.

It was true that he'd attempted a charm offensive on the Royal Capital Guards. But how could he have possibly known that the guard wounded by the escaped prisoner would happen to be the Guard Captain's own family, and that he'd end up forming a connection with her?

'......No. This isn't some lucky windfall.'

'Heaven has looked upon me, Mun Su-ho, with favor, for I have always devoted my loyalty to the kingdom, shown filial piety to my parents, and generously donated points out of nothing but pure goodwill.'

'It pays to live a righteous life.'

This guard named So Cheon-ri also happened to be a younger sister with an older brother in her family, which made Su-ho feel a natural affinity welling up. The two happily exchanged small talk before parting ways.

"Hmm."

Then, lost in thought, he glanced back over his shoulder. As it happened, So Cheon-ri had also turned around at that exact moment, and their eyes met.

She dipped her head in a quick bow, flashed a small smile, and waved goodbye with a little flutter of her hand.

"......"

Watching the guard's figure grow smaller and smaller in the distance, a deep pensiveness settled into Su-ho's eyes.

At last, he was alone. Standing at the end of a day where coincidence had piled upon coincidence, he sank into deep thought.

Mun Su-ho stood still beneath the night sky, swallowing a long, contemplative silence, and after extended deliberation, arrived at the conclusion for his day.

"Hmm. Still, I think my little sister is way prettier and smarter, though?"

Gatekeepers vs. the Royal Capital Guards.

Little sister versus little sister showdown.

Gatekeeper clan wins by (biased) decision!

* * *

The following dawn.

The Obsidian Baron woke from the most refreshing sleep he'd had in a long while.

But when, barely any time after the last incident, a vassal came rushing in to report about the previous night's events, he couldn't help but wonder if the world was playing a joke on him.

"That boy Su-ho killed a Gang Qi User? By himself?"

"Yes. And he readily handed the body o⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠ver to the Royal Capital Guards, I'm told."

“Ho⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠h.......”

A hollow laugh escaped the Baron's lips before he even realized it.

****

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