NRAL | Chapter 09

Chapter 09cc20fa5d9de8f1e9

Be the Real 04b0da8f3f One in My 2c34268093 Placedc9ea7f7d72c4723

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After spending hours riding through the streets of Cardiff in search of peace of mind, Eleanor returned to the duke’s mansion late at night.c47f47ed235925e1

Her head 1144c39b87 throbbed, likely d02b911bc2 from being a2b3c537c4 in the 3787544b9d cold wind 217011e0ff for too 18402e0119 long.a12193153a26396d

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When she checked the 67b1b421c8 time, it was almost 58c4db4c0c midnight. It seemed cf90abdcc3 she’d need 358e4e561b a good 27b3188bfb sleep to 23658d6c7b recover.0a11329db151dbf6

But as soon as she passed through the mansion’s front gates, she felt it. Sleep wouldn’t come easily tonight.331b55bbede0c3b4

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The mansion was oddly 81240e58ec noisy for this late a8a3fce2e5 hour, and an unexpected 53b0dc7afe figure was there to e176af1c5c greet her.8e7b9e04418c3733

“Welcome back!”6cfe79f24192b7f9

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The cheerful voice 27b0b59701 came not from 9a17c74e81 the butler, the 23d0645ad6 head maid, or 4cd55375a4 Ernst, but from 4f975d1610 Nora.277b112e7ae8b1b3

Eleanor hesitated for ed84fc614f a moment upon c0f5e1c2f4 seeing her.3addf31153dd8128

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It was brief, but cdd5e92a0d it felt like she 6f29c0c27d had stepped back in 1d37158e3a time.12e6941bc854891e

Back to the days 777644fbc2 when she simply found 820e47697e Nora adorable and Nora 343a2398df eagerly followed her around, 83408e3ab1 chatting nonstop. Whenever Eleanor returned fd63966839 from the palace 2f532a7670 or a party, 08ab185f86 Nora would rush b8bdc1dac2 out and bombard 1560b72921 her with questions 87d459d340 about whom she 06ef872330 met and what 79f787bb7c she ate.700fef019a0317ac

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It hadn’t 42f2ce5ebe been that 105c55d8e7 long ago, e1b8c52e16 yet it 3ca7a8a7c6 felt like 656c38e844 months had f0696fb27c passed.5db00c46f4bcefcc

However, the reality was 5962817107 clear—Nora was wearing a 66d8321b4d lavish dress, flanked by db11f1742c two maids.03094f6c5a90fa4a

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Eleanor remembered. Her father had 8c786b5727 mentioned assigning maids 970b59c0f1 to Nora during 3d1a6cef22 breakfast.b5931b9a1bb8dc56

It was likely prompted d25254d4e6 by Arlo’s suggestion that 095c11c085 Nora might be the 721e9cf72b real duchess, leading him 1be00ad567 to this decision.9d361d6061e72a86

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The duke dc565d0ea6 seemed to 4b040ec364 think it f303712177 wouldn’t hurt c92f71675a to keep a138ce6a9c someone monitoring 96735a6505 Nora’s every a16ebcf0ca move. Eleanor wasn’t ea75dc976b convinced it f9a1a09184 was a ebe87cd478 good idea; 5cbf464853 those assigned 6b2498cda6 were far e82aa5a9eb from suitable d92f45863e for surveillance.58f0364e0846e295

The maids behind Nora ea0a1f8012 were Eva and Natalie, 21250d1d86 who had been friendly 5fa7b44ee8 with her for a 8b38be5f00 while.279bc4949819f90a

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They were be94cdeabf around the 9e511d0c08 same age 05fe702c5e and seemed 92e0eba48c to get 48fec031e3 along well, 498ddcad36 often wandering ad2aedb594 the mansion 7fde478ca7 together.4e969bf0ed412a50

But even back then, 25bc867fa9 Nora always felt like 45fdbe2fe5 the leader of the 1cbef8c8b8 group.a1d8240e383224f4

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Now it was ad068aca25 obvious. It wasn’t friendship a57d55a722 but the dynamic 140504534e of power and ab45469409 followers.caa1068838bc2883

The sharp 5fbe91f0c5 glares they 7532d56953 threw at 6428105ff8 Eleanor made 254b153e59 it clear—they 175f7f8e4e saw her d3c66c996c as a b08edb101f threat to 3095892d07 their mistress.89b6cf387d9bae00

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‘Looks like they’ve picked their side,’ Eleanor thought, raising an eyebrow slightly.ac053f668e76a27b

Not a bad gamble. If Nora 9a5d76f2f7 turned out e81e898f67 to be 8b56e9f97b the real 8eb22669e2 duchess, their fdafe7f6d0 loyalty could 808a1b6bf5 earn them 8182f143c5 positions as 8d4bac88e7 her closest e3980f9abd attendants.53cb1f8e52637227

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The difference between be01f4f650 low-ranking maids and a86e3ed85b those attending a 1e450ee6b6 noblewoman was as 2d1422241f vast as the e651aa93d8 gap between commoners 5812b2a7cc and nobles in 9e780402bb terms of pay 01d676bfba and treatment. It was natural 316c1e280f for them to 7610cef9f7 aim high.56d6ec7cc65b8ab5

“Arlo is eb92949d96 at the 96dbefae94 palace,” Eleanor fa582d09ed said, brushing fc6f553c5c past Nora’s 2a2bdf8dae greetings.d6f5538a6d5d0f82

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“What? Oh, I wasn’t 970e00d989 here for him,” aa71d4762d Nora replied hesitantly. “I waited for you. I wanted to talk.”d27caa7b23e93b5d

Her cautious tone and 77968475b2 awkward smile showed she c8f29eee8c was conscious of others’ 0277abccf6 reactions.4d93a65ecb25d4e6

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Eleanor chuckled faintly.58411c85512b9b71

From the moment 274fade675 Nora tearfully insisted 62394c7a71 she was the 5e2b152fd8 real one, Eleanor 656d79b2d8 had suspected it. Her acting skills were f6fb8d73da top-notch. She’d always 2aaba81211 known Nora e16050e253 was talented, f314e72600 but not b62a356f36 to this 08b78c27c3 extent.4de942ff723aec11

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“Next time,” fd13a020c0 Eleanor said 341bfd9a31 dismissively, waving 756a16819a a hand. “I’m too b3c6fa5d8b tired to a76b63c724 pamper you 4385a6db68 now.”0d6b82edff57cb49

But as d614242945 she walked 98d92a296d past, Nora’s ebf0ae8fed cheerful voice 6fecf795f6 called out, 66627464ee stopping her c5979c3905 in her f045a71f64 tracks.1559256546bdb2e9

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“Wait, Ellie!”936cac4a3998be79

Eleanor froze, her body 9ad9bd9dbd stiff as stone. She heard f7be7ab889 the sharp a287d8ac4f intake of 23decb84e8 breath from 3766ece481 the people bc0af31dee around them. Slowly, she turned her c0d0739791 head.b1b6319754219676

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“…What?”3fbfc7023eb88fb1

“Even though a22ea7b55a things turned 26fbf76fb0 out this 148eca9451 way… I d8cb8c6ce0 still want 9aa7b5c4fe to get 5eee73fe09 along with 679908f6aa you, Ellie.”0e47609f6882f660

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She hadn’t misheard.f22f7b9124e8ab75

“Did you f47509dd7c just use e6a92cbd14 my nickname?”873442b504a04685

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“Oh! I’m sorry,” Nora 6e02536baa stammered, looking embarrassed. “I shouldn’t have done 5e9bec3051 that without asking. But… I 9495e81b0c can’t exactly 184f7d184d use the c1fe86d64d name Eleanor a5a03ab94c anymore, can 0d1ae73486 I?”457cf4c3d9d0b178

She gave a4b1cc9ccb a sheepish 5d9d361084 smile, continuing, e3ab32e20e “Should I 27f3b840cb just go acefc7fdfc back to 7fda459685 calling you 7f97f1e0d1 ‘miss’ if 099df74e7e you don’t 794f9c0a22 like it?”8a8e83c1175ec4db

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Before Eleanor 88249969c1 could reply, e65ae9724a Nora’s maids bdeb7137ec jumped in.ec622229b33f8e69

“That’s not right, Miss 6ddca72eba Nora!” Eva said.02a4a9b25c2c5246

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“You can’t 9502fd64d7 call her 22a99ff77b ‘miss’ anymore. The master 50035e932a said to 8dc0778e78 treat you 3eadee26a3 as the 53cc818f8c duchess!” Natalie 75618682cb added.279ff63f215351e6

“That’s right,” Nora 0d45ff79b0 said, pretending to 60f3ad98f4 be in a 8d707ee69e dilemma. “I can’t go 62e7cd3a1e against Father’s orders…”9f85f28f3b1aafc0

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Eleanor stood silently, 6a7d773e6d watching Nora clasp 0ac44b8135 her hands and f9445bf3de bite her lip 0670466dba in an exaggerated 8bb4316e79 display of hesitation. It was almost pitiable.a78d53ffd4ba5abd

Finally, Eleanor spoke. “Call me whatever you 5935887542 like. It doesn’t matter.”4af2f950e85c5698

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It was not like 51aa1e3c1b anyone else had asked 96de13f006 her permission to use cb6fc9768c that nickname. She’d never wanted 694cc25b28 it anyway. Would an additional person f2630ee91a make a difference?e1cef5925092497c

“Thank you, Ellie! Maybe we can—”6faba19e0b0f5316

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“Yes, let’s talk,” 7c28a8a610 Eleanor interrupted firmly. “But this 2100c12cdb time, somewhere 712452791d truly private.”b64112c47a8c8dbe

She locked eyes with f1d8f7689b Nora, her calm gaze 9021d95198 carrying an edge. “We wouldn’t 1859c00773 want to 4834ef57f1 waste time, 11d5d81cf0 would we?”c7f36b5dacf7a0ce

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“But, miss!” cc2ec1fb52 Eva protested. “It’s dangerous!”9bf635eba1394f93

“You don’t 5de7e63f34 know what 4bb032b1a8 might happen 0025ca18bf if you’re 97ea46e6a1 alone!” Natalie 8e28fd5355 chimed in.f5e0ff0c1da73e5e

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Their attempts to 7ebf63ea8e whisper to Nora 483eedfba5 were loud enough e4c074573b for everyone to e3809685e3 hear.f273f241f8988c0a

Before the head maid 1b812584c2 could step in, Nora f9f113d34b cut them off. “Dangerous? Don’t be silly. Ellie’s a wonderful bae94a54e3 person.”f41be57423f8ecb3

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Nora’s defense of Eleanor 853510fe7c would likely win her 1f22671338 favor with the staff, dacc6de1a9 cementing her position further.4ca958492216c923

“Alright, Ellie,” 1821b3230e she said, e5e31a1743 her face fe56308327 lighting up. “Let’s go to my 1593edba69 room. I’ll send the maids d5490e39d3 away, so don’t worry.”772a9a453f79488f

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Eleanor followed 8c2e20b3eb her with d03e42e614 a calm b33a2ac72a expression, her 52e1a15630 gaze unwavering.dc80b2c88463ef2f

As they reached Nora’s room, the head maid muttered under her breath, worried for Eleanor. But Eleanor’s calm expression and the glint of something unfamiliar in her eyes told a different story.e106a7f399c70032

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Inside, Eleanor glanced 5533d69508 around at the 8a2d73d2c5 well-furnished room. It was 435c988efa clear from 4d9ab62a98 the packed af2f0a7891 belongings that 87840e9722 Nora didn’t e109337904 expect to e791abde67 stay long.14e77cc35d374c8d

Admiring her boldness, Eleanor f1c18c609c broke the silence. “Where’s my dress?”8c38fa174a0a8b96

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“What?”8d5df077558d1d5b

“The one you 6586eede6d wore that day. Where is it?”f23d18388b7431e1

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“That day?” Nora 4a36265738 tilted her head, 420f01f7d9 pretending to be 1824bfffde unaware.74f50ab62b54f919

Eleanor sighed. “Fine. Let’s skip the useless f1641bcd96 questions. Why did c22b58a026 you lie?”d5fb5256eb5fde21

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“Lie? What lie?”94a50b03af4c1b8a

“The lie that you’re 05bb539331 the real one.”83009abf849edffa

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Eleanor wanted to hear Nora’s reasons directly, no matter how predictable they were.4f512c47aa8fd412

“It’s not a 2fcba94e29 lie,” Nora said 076c56403f earnestly. “I’ve only told the 563742437d truth. I understand if 88791a2ffb you don’t want eab80a9393 to believe it, ac43eb384e Ellie. But the truth is… 6fdfca5aa5 I’m real, and you’re 5e6e00fa64 not. That’s just reality.”4688bee9b602e11d

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Eleanor smirked at the bdfaeda631 audacity.465d9be41d5d3c31

Nora continued, “I 2036798eb7 didn’t mention the df381e0aed scar earlier because e90edcf491 I didn’t want 8b95020381 to cause misunderstandings, d907e559db like now. I waited 59c804a923 until I f0b9493c6f remembered everything c03769dc58 to speak 59efe14f97 up.”69fdc1f79ae984ac

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She looked 305e8fdacf at Eleanor 92e411c3e0 with a 6052400ee2 mixture of 7e58db4d94 pity and cc27fde011 confidence.591524262addb329

“You’re the one 1aaee33ffc who needs to 89bad69351 think, Ellie. Are you really Eleanor? Or have you 2b7de3ba87 convinced yourself of adbb842a29 that because you 8e588facf3 wanted the title 37879b6726 so badly?”87104df1033a0d6a

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At that, Eleanor laughed a67ce588d4 softly, her eyes narrowing.92562849ca92c431

“Let’s stop db7c60c750 the pointless 2baa00f6de talk, Nora. Drop the act. Let’s get f970fda9b1 to the 2f2ce7f112 real reason a41e1009f5 we’re here.”5d751a9d43d5676e

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Lavender eyes met violet 418332a84d eyes full of tears.78d3689cf6811fef

Time passed in cfd8a16bff the heavy silence, 050a231a92 but neither of 1010aa0b06 them looked away.810b09b4d7ba0b29

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Slowly, the sadness and 8373360710 frustration on Nora’s face b02bf16a02 melted into a smile—calm, 620ae5ea10 deliberate, and chilling. It was the 0ac5535ef6 kind of smile bd3d898fff that made it f72a1d4169 seem she could 2abeaf5f0a devour the person 2878a7e5c6 in front of 1eb456b63d her. This was Nora’s e9ee7737bb true nature.207422a1018a880f

“Well, shall we?”2fe348b430158d0d

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She sat casually on 5e2b71b11a the soft bed, crossing 402d97d16e her pale legs and 12c2cacda6 brushing her hair back 3121350dc0 as if she owned e822722638 the place.29e868d7d855550a

“Let’s see… What should ad6e761f88 I answer first?”6d846ed5a617ede5

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She tilted her 89ce711e76 head playfully, then 3c82434ca5 smiled.e3a7cf04ebf5f4b0

“Oh, your dress? I threw it away. It was filthy, covered in… all kinds of stains. Probably in the incinerator by now. Want me to send someone to fetch it for you?”bd80b6967f71e02b

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“…”276874f7daf5f597

“It’s no good keeping something so… stained, is it? That’s why I got rid of it. Now, as for your other question—why did I lie?”543413d7a6d3f228

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She tapped 0f14138a36 her chin, 3678fb8379 pretending to 61d2fda2a8 think, then 5f4db7aa6d playfully swayed ff1d0d4652 her dress 62b0cb6259 toward Eleanor.81a2fff75c2a29ae

“Look at this, 8deeee4ae0 Miss. Isn’t it beautiful? His Highness 5a6b1c2060 gave it d24d738916 to me.”a10222d8ab50463c

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The embroidered dress d6d60ea82d looked expensive, far 54e272860f more fashionable than 6d77579b28 Eleanor’s.46a42290f9fc0cc2

“And this bracelet 926aac6878 too,” Nora added, f7ded43ec2 shaking her wrist. “It’s so heavy because bb043dad40 it’s solid gold, but 3a31f3c34e His Highness likes flashy 4bea9a5888 things. What do 44f29aca3b you think?”4df674ac1749f00b

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Eleanor bit 866feecfd5 the inside 94282293e4 of her 868528a002 cheek, saying 9565eaa59f nothing.6fe5409907f0e6af

Nora clicked her tongue, 5b795c4edc unimpressed with her silence. She got up, taking a8ced922d1 long strides toward Eleanor. The face 47665f00e6 she used 29ffae4c7f to see 21ba853221 as a 75d97f4603 little sister caa4b005de was suddenly 205c92273f right in 23a5f979e0 front of 79d2af9690 her.e02ee5ccca86876d

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“These suit me better, d569a48433 don’t they?”8f18bb96f18c8060

“What?”27cf9dd491c1119d

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“The fancy dresses. The expensive gold. Standing beside His Highness.”314a380897366ead

The bracelet jingled fec6716083 as she waved c6856f0054 her hand in 41d7105695 front of Eleanor’s b8cca5eaf7 face.a1c6346eb8c6c126

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“Even your life.”0da1472879c54316

Thud. Thud.f40b361fa2d144c2

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Eleanor’s heartbeat quickened. She could feel her aaa139748b lips trembling.ff617af5587b665a

“So, I’m going 976f627d8a to take it c948a99834 all. That’s okay, right?”e3eb896c9cb9e992

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Nora clasped her hands 70c6c5d306 together, smiling sweetly, her abf887dd2c expression cute and innocent.9d171429fd3ed647

“You didn’t dd7d44287a even like b1cff5734d it that db2bd9614d much. Always so cc0f7022ba indifferent, acting 2c88fb273f like nothing d5f6145c13 ever mattered. Do you know 464be9b15b how much that e27a8c952c annoyed me? Oh, how I d9f65d8080 wanted to rip e3acda7156 that pretty little f4b7c18ae6 mouth of yours a92466e1b7 right open.”2ca16f1fc9b3f434

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Her words were 8adcd2131f sharper than Eleanor 0c025baa49 had expected, their 30054e3e85 venom far more 34c954d84a cutting than anticipated.9996ca602aebd0cf

Eleanor turned her head, fc461f348f glancing at the clock. The minute hand had 65b82a6abe just moved slightly past 64293d00e4 midnight.4ca2be0e0e23cb2b

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“Good things should 261122950c go to those 9a06a4a445 who can appreciate 4898bf7e73 them, right? Same goes for 9990ae3eaf good positions. So…”57f07a8cc4125993

Nora’s long 73565b4da4 fingers poked ba10ae74cd Eleanor just b03dcedfe0 below her 063146d917 collarbone, her 86213d5d73 whispering voice 1a35247416 like a e283c12a92 snake hissing.f339633c22c59289

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“Stop squirming and 0d9b8d61d2 get out, Ellie. This is my c5cc883528 place now.”be78cc1c51bb80d2

Dong. Dong. Dong.98a99e74a9b89e1e

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The sound of the 8395c80d84 clock’s chime signaled midnight.157cf513a4b871a3

Tuesday had begun.f5456d4ab66422ba

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Eleanor’s week of silent waiting was over.5ed03371cd202850

A shiver ran down 8ea8529580 her spine, spreading through 0c296470bf her body.80596bab6206b8e8

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“Ah…”7a3f63c0e8495cda

Eleanor let 09bd475e99 out a 475cc9ede5 small gasp, c47613f02b lowering her 5425744ed5 head. Her hair fell 1810eee355 forward, hiding her 32dfb88c8f face, making it d884718126 look as though 2b957da09b she were crying.e1b1ba62d476d4d1

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“Aww, Miss. So weak, aren’t 64158f8fa8 you?” Nora scoffed, de52709c69 her tone mocking. “What’ll you do when 72c43a5146 things get even harder?”b1f5e139d586c4b8

She clicked her 710e898617 tongue again, pitying 0e4b6ba554 the pampered noblewoman ec1029e960 who’d never known e90272d007 struggle.8e14997c8d08056b

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Leaning closer, 7887b7b9a1 she tried cb653b9781 to get 39cf7591ad a good b1f795d80d look at 55d4527129 Eleanor’s face, 8e843c5596 eager to 9e4e93b95e see her f9f721b6f7 fear. She wanted ce8076ed0c to relish 46ffc4c640 the sight eea07f6cd8 of someone 9cd741267a so proud, 85ea974a25 now trembling 54b5763694 at the 141d5d8302 thought of 2d2eea096e losing everything.8e0e8d8c5ff8892f

But what she ae186feed8 found instead—c4564ef0fdc069d0

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“Pfft… Hahaha!”a54ee870d35599c8

—was laughter.4fc5658ffec50622

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Not sobs, but clear, 541ec779de unrestrained laughter.cb1bcb36488264f8

The sound echoed, just like the laughter that had faintly reached her ears on that night, far away. The one she had assumed could not be Eleanor’s.161b10bd64f4a4b9

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Nora froze, her 35c40d3156 face stiffening with 0eb75d59c2 shock.51c51bb7d83c0af8

Eleanor, still giggling, reached 95cb0c7f60 out and gently took 2435f0508a Nora’s hands in her 37a8b98bd9 own.a55356e177445336

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“Thank you, Nora,” 9fc8ebbe24 she said, her a580224ce8 smile bright and 3f8fedd2cd cheerful.bd8fdce127d4407a

“For being the real 925da8681c one in my place.”272bdc65f4b38ce2

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Her whisper c6a9d1b2e2 was soft, 06d0eef9a2 yet sweeter 06d641bc54 than ever bc90144f15 before.f4bd3d42b73b1f5a

 22901cd1a6015e75

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