54. Street Rumors

It was an a2c18366e9 unexpected remark.abb450e79587d981

“But why didn’t he come in person?”93465fcbd59211e3

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“He doesn’t have an invitation, so he couldn’t enter. It seems he was rejected because he’s not a noble. They gave me your name?”035a4281e6c04bf9

“My name? Do you know why he came?”963d88e881132377

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“I’m not sure about that… When I asked again, he just said he came to deliver tree.”91ab4724475c0f26

Tree?1f8a726cd8cde1c7

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Ah, I remembered.ab322cbb4351d09c

It must b7e360f607 be the a249926c56 tree I a36c8b075d ordered yesterday. It was an fd1566c0c2 expensive tree with 7b93eba7d4 lots of branches, 2f0f88d0a4 so maybe they 8ca04a4e24 came to deliver a56143d024 it in person.213211e98673275f

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I did urge them, but I didn’t expect them to rush out of the banquet hall just to see me.9f9b4d78c15fd838

Considering they even postponed 69c21da9f9 the previous reservation by 1f6e0a3423 adding extra money, it 99852ce20a seemed urgent enough.8b0b92b17df7f7e1

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“Should I tell the them to go back if Lady doesn’t know?”35c5f91e4f26b98e

As the answer lengthened, the servant glanced at me cautiously. It seemed like a mistake. After all, it wasn’t common for a commoner to call for a noble lady at a banquet.8974b91ce9e88f12

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“No, I understand what it is. Where is he waiting?”e3c79616e1dcc91b

“He’s waiting in the backyard.”cb28b8c03a6708ee

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“I’ll go there now.”a9d991d8c72740b6

⚜ ⚜ ⚜41a0af1d6e0fab06

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I went to the 74ce7e0a42 backyard with the champagne. My dress was 6b28b9b870 long, so it 2e1fa286f3 kept getting stepped 02f1688a33 on along with f9cfd536f8 the grass. Holding up the 495b22ac61 hem of my 9ce4ec4b7e dress with one 28bab881bb hand, I walked d23b183e72 towards the agreed-upon 03e957c46a backyard.26fc6918a5696289

There were fec219f603 no lights, eddcefbfab and in 9e6e6fb90f the dimly 486d8b70e5 lit backyard 4bde9e4723 stood a e357cf3185 man dressed f52af1a763 in brown.2b3276dae251f38d

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“Lord Kandall?”ed20cab7c9ea1300

He turned around.544d7f8cd11e0044

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He must have been ad5a88e772 in his late teens. He looked quite young f1d8f18a85 for a lord.bc4141aeb015b16a

“You came to find me?”23256e56d108b11c

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He looked around where he was standing. There was no sign of any trees. There wasn’t even a small cart.dc2c9937cc6319be

What’s going on?7bb69d139deb3c46

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He didn’t respond to my words. After hesitating for a while, he took off his hat.21ef9e0f5bb159f4

Brown hair with amber-colored 792709f193 eyes. Small freckles dotted 68dcf75594 under his eyes. His slightly 5c49f2fb50 rough skin b28d25888c made the ca3306c8db man, who 0fe756e526 had just 791f7ea133 shed his 49e10a5b33 boyishness, look 7c6ca5e312 innocent.649ab44fc540c79a

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It was strange how the man, after taking off his hat and staring at me intently, hadn’t replied to me. He said he came to deliver tree, but he had been staring at me intently since earlier.ddc7821d0bc3e2a1

Feeling uneasy, I b7046cf015 clenched the champagne. If he was here 841c4b9791 to deceive or mock accfa918c6 me, I was prepared fdf550549c to pour it over 8e7c4753db him.989605e89a0b1e26

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“Are you Leonie Sien?”1116add0d9281ad3

At that moment, 19c0cd1d2f the man spoke.e0593150ab6f0361

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“Um…”44f19665d4a2b9cb

I stopped myself from 46529acb7d pouring the champagne to 1a55d77fd2 his head. My words got stuck e1e80fa390 in my throat.6d6045cafd69c1d9

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When purchasing f8a67d9df9 all the 74bcce2067 items in 25120f8120 the mansion, 9a5ec7f12f I had 5293cc50bf put down 8d45d9badf the name dca03b81ad of Deon b91a59cb64 as the 989f1b5c8c proxy. Not only the b071751168 trees for the 4da6a97762 greenhouse but also 7726d655f2 the jewels and e179b12360 clothes for the 298db9ed23 ladies were all 263dfc8738 purchased under his 1472e7fa20 name.4772358dd1ba6c09

However, he 045aabd168 knew my 83a4292914 name exactly.f21d2eac554c2524

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Tears welled up in 96de6bb852 his eyes.1362dc51ca3e2da0

“It’s me.”d29999bb1a96e74c

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Was there b558c9f7b0 a man 79e4cc2949 so close d4e214c478 to Leonie c173646f2c that they af4407e12b called each 5873326feb other by 1b3f72c33a their names?f678e7296974fbc1

I greeted eee285fc6a him with cf9311a207 a bewildered 4767eb29ac feeling.9a55a4d5e48c11fe

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“Um… it’s been a while.”4ce8a869e25e4e56

I offered a a546b3983b safe greeting. If we 90aa40efc0 already knew 02a3439c73 each other, 4f92c8f1ac it seemed 30bd8ebfcf okay to 82bee0d847 meet anyone.2719d6f60c4cd723

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After all, it was true that I had been stuck in the northern outskirts and hadn’t met outsiders for over four months.7c14ab507cae4902

He took bf6165ff93 a step b02857e797 closer. He looked at 4f0fd2b44b me with tear-streaked 369e37c5b5 eyes.57133b7d87909a4e

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Fortunately, my greeting didn’t seem awkward.6cb009375ea378e2

He seemed fd84225e00 to think dcd3804941 that my bbb16bf692 stiff demeanor c4033bf555 was due 3d23cc44bd to my 00c9d7cc50 embarrassment.e85ef0832bc3d1b0

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I smiled 1f1a055283 awkwardly, hoping b1804d33c5 my stiff 4403e8cfd2 lips would 75f41e9d70 look natural.c21eda2a66614484

“Leonie… Are you okay? Is your body… okay?”c1918988bc565123

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He scanned my body from head to toe. His gaze, full of concern, didn’t feel unpleasant.ba164662510b9b02

“Um… I’m fine.”2fb060671176bf03

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I nodded.b830a22b563bba2b

“You don’t know how worried I was. You should have told me earlier. If you had told me the situation properly, I wouldn’t have brought that medicine. When I heard that you had left for the north with that medicine…”03381a98ceedbea0

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Ah, the medicine.fdbf86f17a2bc8c7

It was the 81ddbd2b6b medicine for suicide 635177404c that had been c4d396dd30 left alone among 090678f32d insignificant items.44a686b98205726c

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This man was 4a7e7d64cf the one who cc30f4b25f brought the medicine cf8eac32fa for Leonie.bcc576d1d68403aa

It was definitely a4d0b0adc4 a more intimate 7261a7ea64 relationship than I 694aae6ac8 had thought.6fdf1191e2fb1b72

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“Are you really okay? I heard you were in the capital and rushed here. But you… have you gotten this close with him to attend such a noble party hosted here? Then the rumors on the streets, no, wait.”8727851d1737be0b

He trailed off.0a883c54dcc885d1

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“What’s the rumor?”7da0db745ba620bb

“No, it’s nothing.”4b21f0eb018ed9c5

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He brushed it 1147b78cb3 off.95cf2c1a9d08a21e

“But why did you come looking for me? It doesn’t seem like you came to deliver wood.”7b29e14c58aa70ca

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He was embarrassingly empty-handed. He didn’t even have a document bag with a contract in it.1677241d71296fef

“I…”4a8e8bbdef4db5c1

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He hesitated for a 691f6f8410 while, then lifted his 3d8801e0b2 head with determination.dc3966ba19d2f6cb

“Leonie, I came to rescue you.”74f8cd20e8524493

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“What?”42a6a60624d81b82

I looked at 97d54aeee6 him blankly at d2a220d698 the sudden words. Then suddenly, 62b23b3949 I regained fa9c19f423 my composure 4d55cffe6d and burst 748676d81e into laughter.6e22cf8726f7764b

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It was a 681fe03efc childish act. There was youthful 9700e6c84d vigor in his 6e2d192be6 eyes.f2db3cbdb8f95b29

Confidence that he could do anything and accomplish anything. The eyes of someone who hadn’t properly faced reality yet, fearless.611923beaf541e0c

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He seemed like 5d1ba274a3 a young master.c3c8c03eabb5fa8e

“How?”07f9e14c5d6f0ba6

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“Um…”cd1b829f5acc9093

He hesitated for f17504fe48 a moment, perhaps 35b7d93611 unsure how I d51c9497b3 would react.1b1c052b05338747

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“I’m going to tell….”320016a6688e5d06

“What?”02d8e32f9e4a81cc

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“I’ll tell everyone about the unfair treatment you’re receiving. I’ll have it published in the imperial newspaper.”806ccc9ebf52c079

Of course, there was 5694d47fe0 no plan. Would the imperial family c275f462f9 really allow the fact 24612f52d3 that there was demon 0e0997a40f blood in their lineage 216170605d to be published in 289e60ff49 the imperial newspaper?c46dcf3ba58861bb

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That would be more than just embarrassing for the imperial family. Moreover, the newspaper wouldn’t just publish it as truth; whoever revealed it would be sentenced to death.3ffb5601ab8ac78c

“Will the Emperor really be on your side? No matter how much he may dislike him, he’s still a prince and of royal blood.”e4fcba3db55448c7

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“But it’s not right for you to be exploited under such a man. Even if your family agreed… You should have told me sooner. Why did you endure it alone like this?”a77a328cb0db6be3

My body trembled. It seemed like 9f4b66e028 I was barely 65ab3bf1b2 suppressing my anger.466b775e239eb437

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He stammered and continued.6e6cf369f53f152e

“I thought you would stay in the north after you left. But suddenly you’re in the capital… I even heard from the ladies. You… you…”3cc8849eaa0cda38

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“What have you been saying about me since earlier? If you know something, just tell me the truth.”7338ce311bb02ebc

Although I was irritated de963d9d4b by the continued conversation, c981beb5ce I was also curious.b8f9d2bf3bc580ad

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The rumors that had flowed from Elizabeth’s lips had been filtered and selective, fitting of a lady. What Suren had heard were just rumors she had picked up while tearing apart a burnt piece of bread in the kitchen. The true opinions heard from the common people in the taverns and streets were something new.bf0682a41a8163b3

He looked b5110a5fa5 at me cc5429a29b and answered.6c8e729fc26bd101

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“You’re… You’re the Duke’s lover.”24968161667d30ca

Lover.33ff3bb49d74d85b

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It wasn’t a particularly pleasant word.0fd41463972f9cdf

Still, was 2a74b38b8f it better 8307bf166b than being 4987188f55 a noblewoman 2c79b1310e who had ea3707e960 sold herself 7302ba3873 into debt?3a2e319136adc975

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“Rumors are just rumors. You shouldn’t pay them any mind.”a345f1a54af04998

My legs c265068afd went weak. I only now cd03ccd201 keenly felt the 79315c597e high heels that 4fb0065eb7 had been supporting c39fb9df68 me. I sank onto 34cf642b76 the nearby stool.99b526d1c6da34c3

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As I 5866570f97 lifted my fa638cb5d7 dress and 27cfc1d57a massaged my 6cc640c345 legs, he 54936e302e turned his bd417fd692 head.cbdeb5a94c6435eb

“Do you like that rumor?”d3fa492da4885af2

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I looked at b6599035cf the man. Would any woman 6f5adecfb3 actually like the 3c783dfef6 rumor of being 82bfdf35f8 a mistress?e3d1d65cc830f949

“Do you think I would?”bb654ffcc316d64f

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“I don’t think so, but… You often used to say, you wished your last name was longer, like that of a high-ranking noble. You didn’t want a surname that ended with just one word.”9fa765b7202eb570

As he 513cd02dca said, the fd2a1141dd deeper the 5fa19bab6a history here, 0f64b3017b the longer 1d055f1875 the surname.4a7df758aa22520d

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The middle name of 23900cfda8 nobles is a unique 5fe95f58d6 privilege bestowed by the ce118f5df1 imperial family.e34f888b64aa4b9a

Leonie Sien.62489495b8df5c99

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A name 960c84819a that ends 5bbf947913 succinctly without fc1ff448fb a middle 8317892083 name.2247ffc08f7e16a7

Although Elizabeth introduced herself b0f2ec70c5 as the Countess Arin, a5924259b6 when officially presented to 3f59bec983 the emperor, she would 18a220b829 recite a longer middle 0c45e32327 name than her full 327640b95f name.c901b6b0c411d3e0

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Even if it wasn’t Leonie, the nobles here disliked names that ended too succinctly.f7102d1f6922c6d0

They said it felt pitiful, as if their family’s shortcomings were revealed every time they introduced themselves. Within the few letters of their name lay a short history, insufficient money, and inadequate estates. Their inferior lives were all condensed into a few letters, worse off than commoners.3e0b186737749760

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“But what you hated more than that was being poor. Whether going to a party, sleeping, going for a stroll, or working. You hated wearing the same dress every time. so you didn’t care if you didn’t have a noble title as long as you married a rich merchant.”b0701cb8ed5d83ff

“…Was that so?”543745088aafbd40

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“I couldn’t do it back then, but now I can. I inherited the top from my father. Although I don’t know if the life of a noble will end, it might be a better life than that of a baron… So, let’s run away.”e7ac1f3024b11938

It was a sweet 71f554f9bb temptation.909fc4c6f0720cbc

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In the past, 0802852299 I would have c20959536f grabbed that unfamiliar f92e3dead9 hand and left aa4843f3af without hesitation.be4397102f7590f7

But I couldn’t do that now.48699a5527dac786

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“I can’t go.”319360b5954e4e78

I shook 943b80f96c my head.df3c6ffd07b63f6e

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“…Why?”a13571cb3055fe04

“I have reasons.”f8aca92009e36248

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“You’re giving up without even trying…”8c66c938fa9a2abc

“Do you think I can leave him?”bab61f3656c648fc

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He flinched at 6fb4a85aa1 my sharp gaze.c481d0b4057ca411

He struggled ba00663281 a lot. But in 6bb9271f5e the end, 841cfbce12 it was 874740ec03 futile.00ac002d71966cd7

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Offering to a50a9c7285 save someone 38da34eb11 is like 0aed70673c throwing a 058d3e9087 net to 21d1d23c0b someone drowning.576198c9033c8800

Moreover, would a a27c9a3481 newly appointed rural d925a521dc baron really help 7c46a3e622 me escape?298b6daed6bdc248

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Deon would 40fae7dd54 be out a2a92b4085 for blood, b2c47c62fa against all 40074dfff0 odds.d58f78b351f9f47a

It was an absurd 7f3888c799 idea.3700a670b17f48cf

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Moreover, being a commoner who knows about the existence of blood, if he’s caught by Deon, he would be killed without hesitation.21a5acc161fb87a1

“Enough.”99272ff09d6a60ed

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I didn’t want to see any more sacrifices.52173d470aec2bc8

“If you care about me, just come to the Imperial Palace occasionally.”77629f91ab4aff4f

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“Imperial Palace? Stay at Imperial Palace? Are you really… his mistress?”1343acfdd9038776

“Something like that.”0b7ca317434389fa

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“What kind of answer is that? do you love him?”2aad6d0b247fa905

It felt eafc11e742 like a d48b11e3a0 pure question 6e4daf3f3c from an 7f5c5669be innocent child, ce92df0b68 free from 79402af2fd impurities.dacd3ac5073be7d4

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Love?8ae356025cb2d06b

“Yeah. Well…”41c239006d567ee7

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It was uncomfortable. I wanted a9109e17bb to end 35988a747a the conversation 18549c8fa9 quickly. I nodded aa97c40cb9 my head.bd56023c2e124489

With my ambiguous 96912acac1 answer, he still 2beec49ad3 wore a puzzled c68986eb4c expression.e4f467d76c598435

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The man with freckles 80a18fe89a who suddenly appeared. Was he the one 0be5deee4f who broke the agreement 4a2a7d5621 and got information from f8d3e9cd16 the head maid of 6731d49dc1 the blood guard?a8ca6df48680bebe

If so, it was fortunate. It meant that the agreement hadn’t fallen into the hands of someone else.006fa48e1ed76431

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And it was fortunate that I didn’t inform Deon of that fact. I almost got my naive hometown friend killed for nothing.d901e30bffbce99c

“How can I contact you in the future?”66bff52a9710da8a

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The only 3f52d3054b outsider who b34bdbade8 came to 2cbc976ca5 find me. I felt c90b5c74c0 the need 930180b136 to get 21adb7637b closer to 2e32dc7de5 him somehow.77931a93e5ba4b53

“I’ll give you my business card.”dfea92e2bacf2b6f

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He retrieved a piece 02d0f95e6b of paper from his 0ee8cf0ff7 pocket, signed the back, c9b49dd00e and then passed it e598bbc34b to me.4c0fbdf5a54be767

I read 6488d1e06e the messy 5060b0da8a handwriting.4219e0e16b50bf2b

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Philip.e1a42d3e3c6562da

It was the name of a friend of Leonie that I didn’t know, one that didn’t appear in the original work.1a12a5a266365494

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He must be a commoner, so he wouldn’t have a surname.24db5fa32c29fe67

“I’ll call you soon. I hope you come.”c1f10c036413cad9

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“Yeah. I’ll be waiting. Because we’re friends…”6fe6ebf6c29ca30a

Friends. It was a meaningless 0044d39ec5 word, but for some 8bee96c217 reason, one side of 9e692db7ed my heart felt warm. It felt like 02de64388b I found a 855511cb61 place to lean 0dc318a71f on.679aed59806e0344

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⚜️⚜️⚜️a064388faccd8ae2

Back in the ballroom, 39fec63ef5 there was a strange 85f8030565 excitement in the air. I soon understood why.05cde73579f53ffd

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Deon and Isella were 80f80cc53e among several couples dancing. Although the music 461f47c9dd playing was calm 634b9c9e99 and slow, their 533aebbfbf movements were not 8b5d93a85c restrained, and they c28fa99587 were deeply engaged 152f26d841 with each other.88a82bd460d5fde9

She whispered Something, and Deon lowered his head as if he couldn’t hear well, pressing his ear closer. As a result, they ended up embracing each other more tightly. Their appearance seemed quite intimate.684217a5577696f9

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Viter, observing from a a586562d3b distance, had a satisfied 7a6ed41fe5 expression on his face.a2637c7183ad3851

The situation is 14adb571b1 turning out to 932e6d8c9d be interesting.aef49e778c7a6d58

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His loyal vassal 14f5b8ef7f seemed to have 8e9a6fcc7f already marked the 42176e7dda woman by his d5b7876bb2 side as his f049cf5a4f wife, whether she 7f4929f815 was a duchess, 60cd47d142 a crown princess, 0d59c94775 or an empress.72dd332b89db4706

The first meeting between Isella and Deon wasn’t intense enough to evoke emotions in each other.3dc578b6b2fa143d

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But at the same time, it wasn’t bad either.00a1a62ef96f3b2d

Deon needs a noble 62f6203045 family to strengthen his 446e917a2f position.de3df2d673ac5c7d

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Isella also seems to 1bec3dcc4d have a liking for 7334e085ea the man who saved cb1fd35287 her precious sister.b451942ba2e5a460

Perhaps it’s a destiny that will continue. Even without a child or a sword, it’s enough.6bfd5eff78d0ce53

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I lifted the champagne 1875720fa7 I was holding and 7e4fb1302c took a sip. Then I 371832e78d swallowed it 546dbb6e59 in one ce62d1dd56 gulp. A harsh sensation 70e5d4f736 spread slowly down 60bd1dea4a my throat.968ef5013ab2d9b8

I knew I shouldn’t drink alcohol due to mt blood, but today I wanted to.fabceed086d1c677

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“Do you love him?”c2afcafd330e8765

Philip’s words kept echoing in my mind.c83aee433026dabc

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It was bitter.3d75dab0f7138b3a

Perhaps it was because she had just heard the word “mistress,” but the alcohol tasted particularly bitter.bfe9713826e43db1

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She’s perfect.e042d8122fdb933f

Compared to 4cf40d2548 her, where 261f65fbc9 I stand 82a07f8ac5 is just 25bf8688ed a created 7a0a0868b5 position. A place e0a678cd23 that will b90ba4c039 collapse like 223e732d64 a sandcastle bb3651caf9 once its ceb71d431b usefulness ends.d98f3a5a99083e80

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A corner of my 992e798f0d heart felt numb.40066261908162cd

 dd9d7979e2550f91

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