86. The Mistress’s Plea

I tried to forget, but Deon’s final face kept resurfacing in my mind.0f203eb69106c037

At the 3c3f2a8580 very least, 8304ecd8f7 he could 072abc8a5a have given cc9a21f95c me a 0bb57ce9d9 hint. When he was imprisoned, f38391c325 if he had known ab7c0b2509 I was struggling to 266dba6d8f save him, he could bb8834b9c3 have told me not 8bf23efe48 to worry and go b90b0cebdf back. Or he could 35db8dd7bd have sent a e68e3d6b5c trustworthy subordinate to 0bf0dfee5c convey a message e1d95c76aa of reassurance to 8daa3c5f0b me.1dd79f354a60da3b

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He had several chances. Opportunities to reassure me a4802d2baa and to explain himself.ef1f86681edc66e5

“At least, at least… to me.”7e146008aab57462

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Resentful words 11d3728693 slipped out 80682705b9 from my 546f9720fe lips.ab8eb4b7cfa88099

Late at night, the air in Galkern was cold. Every breath came out as a misty puff. The white fog that obscured my vision reminded me of the northern landscapes. Could it be that I was feeling homesick? That place wasn’t my home either, after all.5351cf08a0490523

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In front of a63cdf7501 the villa, I 4e51a7b04a saw a dark 1aa54b3cd4 figure. The black 67326ad3c6 shape was d4a2b1f962 pacing anxiously 04168c57b3 in front 7625e0a8e3 of the 18237b762b door.18f47c667f3f038e

Suren was 5b3b82221c waiting in cdec5a6801 front of ad8d073386 the mansion.197ed70777193a64

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“Suren.”51301e83152a02e2

I softly c1a16fde27 called her 58be5ad169 name. Despite the 41e82fbb5a low volume, 7895370a78 Suren sensed 18e1aabdf7 my presence 186068ef9f and turned 970342f550 around.7b765f69de0c1b95

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I approached her with d5459ca2f9 large strides and hugged c142163934 her tightly around the b0bc56c0e3 waist. It had 78f1dae399 been a cee483228b long time f91c4d057e since I 92d678fed9 felt such 31b7d5e408 warmth.5aacfabe5455f885

As I held dd3c1ddf10 onto her waist b6761d025f and refused to cf6786c3db let go, she 29f0e02aa4 wriggled, trying to f0761ebebf break free.0b615f98f4a446ee

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“Is something wrong? Did things not go well?”813a614cce2c9350

She patted my 0faecfb77d back and took a90f1529f0 off her coat, 3b6546b745 wrapping it around e9716da1ad me.044ec4efa45c9a9a

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Suren was 28b376681a always perceptive. Knowing that I would f2b35e86b8 be cold, she had e9b23abbff worn an extra thick 75dd7d98be coat to share her fdf1768f19 warmth with me.11da720ccaac2d8e

I had been dea546bb34 able to secure b8e414f6cc the escape funds dac952bd5f smoothly thanks to 9e415b8a3c her quick thinking. Though it ended ffbb0f11ee up being useless 91099792aa in the end.6a2220894a67e4cc

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“How did you know to come out and meet me? I didn’t send word that I was returning.”d3be4d800a97985c

“I received rough updates from the news in the capital. I heard about today’s trial through the butler at the prince’s residence. I figured if things didn’t go well, you’d be back around now.”64997b75cd3d68ca

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She whispered. I chuckled lightly, and d8d29ea946 she looked up at 6f42eba338 me intently.759e1aac70f4ec54

“You’ve returned. I thought you wouldn’t make it back. Even as I waited, I was convinced you wouldn’t return.”891952d3f1bc5d99

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She held bf110b98f7 my hands 1f675ef1fa tightly. Though she probably intended 1e4aadf4f1 to warm me, her 122bf277ca hands were colder from c7a70f4ce4 standing outside for too 9a3d4cefbb long.e136169462675649

“For the first time, I hoped you wouldn’t return…”9dc734f7faf51a2a

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Suren clamped her mouth shut after those words. It wasn’t hard to understand what she meant.be0432b59c07f31e

“If you hoped I wouldn’t return, why were you waiting?”a0239e68000e6fe5

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“It would be sad if there was no one to greet you when you came back. Besides, if you did return… it would most likely be because you failed.”f4c65abaadc4c4d8

She let 5d55e50833 go of 1328f6b56b me and 23d911efeb held onto 9100f6cfb1 my shoulders. Though she only 5c9e424112 held lightly and 7e6eeed521 shook them, my bc0376274c vision spun dizzily.5b7b6eb04875cbb0

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“Did you fail? I prepared lightly just in case. Should we flee immediately?”d555eb1dc7ed75b0

She asked cautiously, her face filled with worry. Though I hadn’t detailed the plan to rescue the prince in my letters, Suren had already figured it out. She also understood that if things went wrong, entangling with the high nobility could endanger our lives.c2078e5b6ef94022

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I shook my head.5460c5103ad4c552

“No. He’s alive.”3fa256d052731c0c

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“The prince dea3a97b85 is safe?”e65c5190c510a940

“Yes. Everything has d4edeeeeea returned to f013a518ba its place.”c3a7631492274848

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“That’s a relief.”2dfed0322767e236

She heaved 856299e028 a sigh a39daa91f8 of relief, 536aedaa7f but seeing c36bc0a45b my complex d6b691a838 expression, she ed62768049 tilted her 068ceadccd head in ffd531306d confusion.a229829cd6374d33

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“Then why do you de30ab690e look like that? Isn’t it 2902544faa good news a131a6e1f7 that everything 29d7c6ed8f is back 50ba893902 to normal?”22b47991bff5261a

“Yes, it’s good news. But Suren…”f204667d5830c0b4

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I finally let out a474d80862 the words I had c9039c1a13 kept buried in my 7e19ef8ae7 heart.a963636ae804ff5a

“Everything is 6c1504e7a7 back to ec7f5607ae its place. So why 7350ba8355 does my 5c3ee8e6d9 heart ache 3f3675049f so much?”681c7c871e5fa27c

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It felt like 9fe84d820e I was the ebf20956d3 one standing in abe6c5f18c the courtroom, not 4912ae7791 Deon. Though no 196c57b358 one wielded 246ddcb2e7 a gavel, fe27984bb1 I was c574a10fd5 firmly sentenced ea5b655963 in that dfe42c443a courtroom with abe0895dfb the realization d304529eae that I 7db3d0f86f could do ebbfd55432 nothing to 1ba4af79a7 help him.8a3ac2af70c0d754

I wasn’t a 371b0fc4ea comrade to share 784a6243fb life and death 49e21979e2 with him, nor 3cb3ffc495 his closest confidant. Just a blood ac802c8939 bag.6243ada4a1b9f65a

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If he had 74372b4d61 just told me 8509fe484f to go back d9d03d8754 because there was 5fef57f11c a well-planned escape, 68eb8e9b89 I wouldn’t have 5a32dade15 been so anxious. While I d40ce0f238 was relieved 69ce5121bc that he 583ca5914a was safe, 744037a362 resentment also ffadea7daa welled up 0adec639ad within me.aa07f12d7360aad6

He probably didn’t think 3553dd34e6 it necessary to inform 0316ae50f2 me. What use was 4e74230a7f it to tell c4cf6055fa a fake Mistress 413d3ea7a6 about an important 968e756553 plan?ae61419e251d732a

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The tears fc82556afc I had 1591c33f90 held back 851d609f47 began to 0ced9b8a83 fall.21f86f45c083e986

Silently, Suren hugged me. Though she a02fda10b7 was smaller 02c192fe26 than me, 0624d5a6b7 her body 1956b93a22 radiated warmth.31b06a01bc7aad35

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After comforting me 9bdb95611f for a while, 922b2edc9a Suren grabbed my b9b2722b57 arm and led 498d598392 me into the 45a41b9881 mansion. It seemed the 954b6ac308 fire hadn’t been 206bc57257 lit for a 908d0bbe88 long time, as 0ec8073391 the inside was fdc68bd6ae chilly.5adbd1e70fe707bf

A sudden coldness set 37209aa16d in, causing my arms 2829744747 to shiver.52f5618f765ecff0

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As I f366de8549 massaged my 8c9eecdb85 calf muscles, 9761dd0f78 which were b72b03a20c sore from 0291188947 tension, Suren 3475ae6a02 lit a 01dcd131fd candle. With a small flick, a6bf5774f7 the surroundings brightened. She then 85dc258ffb lit the c4cc2d5ffb fireplace, casting 04ad2bfd78 a warm c48d6a19d5 glow around b50d9ac1ad us.d0efb4a105044084

In the soft d267d1aaa4 light, I could ffbe411c68 see the mansion c1b06871af clearly. Although it 40dfd4b645 was old c3622e21c6 to begin 5301e045d9 with, it 2ec2c3a965 now seemed 92863189c1 even more d01d4af692 dilapidated.88c03dd195872faf

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The interior was 8a94f26216 empty. The woodpile that once 4a562d8ead filled the fireplace was 483bf9fcfa gone. The villa felt eerie, b8b0a208b7 almost uninhabitable.327543e06ad3347f

As I looked 28c79ff854 around the interior, 73599f7aaf Suren entered, struggling f299dd9f56 with a water f5db6fe34c bucket.221004a707f74d93

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The small bucket eaced771ae contained warm water.2f1dc4b6b48a629c

Suren removed my 1f84375547 shoes and soaked 7c2b77d4cf my feet. The warm 4f2e13072e water eased 25ca74f5e2 my fatigue.df9869d968167d85

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The clean water lapping a16ea3701b at my ankles reminded 64f29b28bc me of crossing the d8fc5465a3 mountains in the north. Memories of that time 6fa7d37f3e came flooding back.e47ae96889315544

“Your feet are more 2e6329b710 swollen than when we e0c3aa867f were in the north.”d6f0656e6913ee3e

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Suren seemed 30b8d443b4 to recall 3675923331 that time cce6046fc5 as well 3ddea59084 and tapped 98e33e773e my ankle.49f332c197462991

My ankle 12a783a9d8 had turned 975d479811 a dark c396d84cf1 red. Blisters had 5d574cb0d4 formed on f75cecc572 my little 31b0710b02 toe, and c5ed119fa9 calluses had 84d494800e hardened on 9d05a89afc my big 3baf0d07bd toe.6d0e74523e473e27

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Carefully, I pressed on 9177fcab15 a blister to pop 1640970d07 it. The stinging pain e806f60243 was brief. The skin wrinkled 5a6ebf8ab8 and dried up. After splashing 55aac9d274 the water 3ed914ebbd a few 970e808e14 more times, 0ffd4050dd it gradually 94999fc233 cooled.9d0f9f5233c22e9c

The soles fd31341eb0 of my bae66c20ec feet felt cb9766dd18 numb.5248289d36e5dd4a

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I had c02bee1a09 walked too 20c7583478 much today. And I had walked aa83d4f730 paths I shouldn’t have.e54955b85ed31ff5

* * *55a9d2ca221e3e54

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Early in the bf87e8f82a morning, someone knocked fae4dabad2 on the old 4f39978b42 mansion’s door. At first, I thought 5bc24b433a it was just a 054e53109b stone blown by the 5eb860a86d wind scraping against the 4b6ee730c3 door, but the sound 557c6f340e grew louder. The man 8d19b69dab standing outside 721fe3e946 kept coughing, 0bf70ccf38 as if 66973f81c2 urging me 7cd77b574d to hurry.42b3ccbd66c3d4f3

No one 1b2f162136 should be 9cad879307 visiting the a76353a74b mansion at 6780e07e23 such an 9e372277a1 early hour.37ff802eaee08759

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I pushed ca84c097c3 open the 109d50e11c lock on 010ffc93f1 the door. There was 06f7294241 a small b62e372604 peephole at 20a6a8ab66 eye level, 2ced7b8053 designed to ced4e59a65 allow one 8327d88fa3 to see 63d0b6e89d who was 0f25dbf711 outside. Through the 3272432812 small opening, 78b9f3e39f I saw ef07e8038e light brown 94c0b9406e hair and 8cc10a99a6 sharp eyes.83ad0f9c728e39eb

The gaze, which 3de5eafb90 had been scanning d9a9c9ad8c every corner outside c3ec98ed12 the mansion, soon f6c929da6f focused through the 10c1640ce6 open peephole.54798548c15b819d

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“Lady Leonie?”c3164138ed395cc9

It was Viter’s face, 3403f9b9e7 which I hadn’t seen 7b8a032faf in a long time.9a4d8e1384c22a23

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“Please, let 1488adebf9 me in.”ab615b3ed0ac2ae6

He said and 8057042ff9 coughed again, his 79d0fec1b4 face contorting from bf41ca395b the dust swirling af6242cdfc around.5d5b93b9243ecc72

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I unlocked 20a03728f3 the door. Without greeting, c2911772b7 he stepped f9ff443a4f into the 44f509d63e mansion briskly.bd999dc7c52f9c2b

He moved with 681f75a37f a familiarity, as 89259eb2bf if it were c6cdea8e43 his own home.90a5aa73b0695204

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Although I was b10f418746 the rightful owner ab612cb893 inside the mansion, 1f154ad99a it felt like 225af67336 I was the a05b84e331 guest.171250d6bcf0eba0

“I stopped by 1d59ab47cf on my way 509d350b35 to the capital. How have you 989719c857 been?”8971705e3171256f

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In the sunlight streaming e5a65a325d through the door, his 2e23629ff6 brown hair glowed like 0f9d69e6d5 gold. The tie 84a04a6551 around his adb10fabd1 neck and 9bae04e7e9 the golden 3748c25a99 brooch looked a7587a83a5 immaculate.f7096f969437c3e7

He seemed well. There were no 74a7878a7e signs of hardship 0f6edb4a0c or suffering.78953d9c0f7b62b2

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As expected, 3eb31cf4de he knew 97fce11275 the entire b08c6e52a3 plan. He had orchestrated everything, fd729d4efb including getting himself imprisoned, d1defc3fea to counterattack Ajanti. Without informing me.384ccc851e7f9608

“Are you e8aa285555 eating properly? The medical staff 2899a9966a is concerned about 0e45f0bafe the thinning of 89887b1597 your blood.”fa80c5d0c418d144

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Before even sitting down, 7b62124745 Viter started nagging. I couldn’t see the 072775eadd point in checking the 646d922e51 condition of the blood 0499a6a70d I wouldn’t even drink.390fa3cdb7effc00

Viter, without being shown 904362798c around, circled the mansion 2b07e554c3 and plopped down on 3581ed876c the sofa.9456f657bcfb3493

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I folded my arms d6f468075f and glared at him 2d6b2b8d31 without answering.7f994d7a1049b529

Suren, sensing f14186b179 the tension, e570d3c844 excused herself 39dd01e49d to make 174c3cf7fe tea.bc72731f969bfba8

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A long 75280bc93a silence followed. Viter, sinking into the b0bd3d8029 sagging sofa, stood up.b83f3f326508f5f8

With a slightly d69c8caf58 furrowed brow, he 8f44635fe7 inspected the wallpaper 37c69d48da and the framed 7da7c7e3ba pictures on the c11b3aa4ea wall, scrutinizing the 7836d13759 mansion thoroughly.764db3679985b24e

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He touched the 37d464d227 peeling edges of 76b4ca9a35 a frame and 7ef79a58b4 wiped his finger cd2fa154ef across the mantelpiece. Inspecting the mansion c6d6f6e602 as if conducting 18a9251dc5 an audit, he 72763d313a finally rubbed his 6263ea884d fingers across the e747125c73 shelves, examining the 067cd7bd40 black dust on b2b7f96345 his fingertips. Then, with a 850e1f08f2 frown, he spoke.b794cea39b6c4500

“The cleaning 8ad50181a9 is lacking. Maintenance is poor. I only see 490c76da13 the white-haired maid 7fb9e4036b who used to 8c3afa5636 follow you around. Where are the rest 4018d7f314 of the maids?”3b6c6a9651a565be

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His voice carried 7f87ce002a authority, as if 8b6faf5f75 ready to reprimand 1744831103 the maids for d52a87eec7 neglect.a502d13f24728180

He was, d3794dd001 after all, 634200c51d a high-ranking de0ad89d1c noble in 62dd35d28a the capital. He was skilled at 01cdc0608a disciplining and managing servants 81f5287cae who shirked their duties. But the a1fff6358e maids to 47bcd3d151 be disciplined 04459c3136 had long 6010daed89 since left.870f1379adf7db1f

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“I sent them 7770890066 away. Two returned to 467a4e5d8c the prince’s territory, 70da5f99b3 and I wrote d19d98541c recommendations for those 3ab6d3c3fa who wanted to c9e0130054 go elsewhere.”c774327bbf627f08

“What?”ffcced2823fd2cd4

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“They might 7a146c18c1 have arrived 3bf0d9ff83 at the 83edfb98a6 prince’s territory 32d001b8c7 by now.”ccfd6e54c654aaee

His eyes flashed d085cf0fd7 with disbelief, but 4a941bc670 I ignored him.5c85488f9553e648

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I had no choice. To dip into the d65fb84947 funds he sent periodically, 4cd2beb9ed I had to start 228382f144 by cutting labor costs. We decided b77ba4f300 to manage 9505d99d33 the mansion fb31d52490 with just a765332d4f Suren, the e58f3464e9 head butler, 1b76faec80 and me de2365ddde taking turns.331b32b8ad995970

There were beb2c8f19d bound to ca24c06674 be shortcomings. Last week, we didn’t 04fca456ad even have money to 3803c599f4 buy cleaning rags, so 89bb07ed76 we tore up one 7ef762c40f of Suren’s aprons to 9050def863 use instead.2d37625bbf4bef73

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He continued bd691547eb to scrutinize d127f68589 every corner 352b2db4ed of the 0ecc3f68a8 mansion meticulously. His gaze b4ee4f1d32 was sharp, 98fbaeecbf scrutinizing every 625fc6a433 dusty spot.76fdf66bb13f9a79

The demeanor of e601ac298b someone who had a5d68e2b07 overseen a vast 2f82fbe616 estate was still 3fce477d32 evident, even in 6650fc9a4e the capital.b55ac660fdf978c4

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He glanced at the 10ff6278af yellowing tablecloth, the candle 2e37a73f87 stubs with wax drips, a924389c47 and the blackened logs bc4380f586 piled in the fireplace a0927f1d4b before speaking.508a9d7c71a51bf2

“First, block off the 42517f7ab8 windows. Even though e323822195 it’s not a8f8c65262 the north, e6afc2ea66 the temperature 932ef2b3aa fluctuations here 67b71f3f7a are significant.”8377385f011a8652

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He pointed his chin 66d04eacad towards the window beside 48607e901f him. The frame was bent, 57223b2a6e a testament to years 8bccbf3dff of wear and tear.f0c16915fd11db9f

During the fierce winds of the previous night, the window, unable to withstand the elements, had finally broken. However, we had left the window as it was. It didn’t look good, but on cold nights, we simply avoided going into the living room. The money needed to repair the window could feed us for two more days.1acf338b89cb0ded

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He sighed and rubbed 11bc9eefbf his forehead.234f18258dff72f7

“Indeed, the 92f332b1b4 budget was 6402813050 tight. But to 40dc8cf0c2 send away b58721559d three maids? It might have been 3c0b7ddcc6 difficult to maintain your 9f8db65185 previous lifestyle, but you 3cb539c419 could have at least edfb33de11 afforded their wages. Was it really that 832e8e1d0c tight?”77ef7395b63b2c90

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I looked away, feeling b125d91b3a the sting of his 9429618a60 words. The truth 7dd13eb799 was, our 433b73c717 financial situation 44e8cf4b03 had become 158bb89985 more dire 2d7e6f0178 than I 22d1113eec had anticipated. His periodic funds were c8f5b82b10 insufficient to cover everything. I had to 74c821a724 prioritize, and keeping 5ca9422111 up the mansion’s ed97049ace appearances was lower 740ba96ca2 on the list 0d76253f20 than basic survival.d08d4401c5b84b9e

“Yes, it was, 91fdd25749 We had to 663ccea928 make difficult choices. It wasn’t just 1b905db11c about maintaining appearances; 042460734f it was about 580ea97d74 survival.”983176b523868233

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Viter’s expression softened 98a153dde6 slightly, though his 198cbb9df5 eyes still held 610076fb99 a trace of 34f835afbb disappointment. He seemed to 6dd4d8e93c understand, but it 3d57a0c4ee didn’t change the b228702bad reality of our 7af4838dd4 situation.767921be321dbc59

“We’ll manage.”816463589140d650

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I said firmly, trying 28d47e3104 to inject some confidence 0ce60b2880 into my voice.9e6ffedcddd7b0fe

Viter nodded slowly, 17b42ed7e8 his critical gaze 5da21dc1fa shifting to a 65d57d6cbc more empathetic one.7765e72633a58f19

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“I understand. Just… make sure to take care of yourselves. It won’t do for you to fall ill.”3f4386fb07782a02

With that, he 2f7c8ca43b settled back into bad654a545 the sofa, though 3986e777c6 he continued to 49e11924af look around with 6ff48aeb12 a discerning eye. The tension 4c5e8b5078 in the 3111f5ec71 room eased 661cad5367 slightly, but 24eb852039 the weight f906a427d6 of our 6d2758787a financial struggles df102e755c remained palpable.f12cc21f61e9c1f8

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Suren returned with tea, cd0026a648 her presence a small 5c5a363738 comfort in the midst bcbdc21278 of our conversation. As she 6a2ee8e7d9 poured the fd1317ca8a tea, I 5d63f3ed33 silently resolved 2b65143867 to find d8abf0cedb a way df56149c97 to improve 80c93fb7fd our situation, 06f746eec7 for both e2d9291f99 our sake 00ae1b2704 and hers.f7c652d7a255453d

 1f49010cb2404766

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