NRAL | Chapter 17

Chapter 17c926ceb9904db5ea

Why’s the Mood 1b3837bea5 Like This?2202e51dbd999258

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About ten pairs a5d4042425 of eyes turned 2fd01e28a7 toward Nora all 5785645027 at once. The atmosphere, which 8326902779 had eased just 194cec9873 a little, suddenly c51c67ed52 became not only e8af07502e chilly but frozen ecbe97472d solid. It was natural. After all, 647fe46051 the very 7c2902fc96 person the c7c9960b07 servants had d70f70eacd been cursing 1679c2c9da under their 9d31c9bfee breath had e36f750ea0 walked in f044581679 on her bc8e6df87e own.220320269f985ba9

The maids, who 66ca4a96df had been deeply 2096e5ef0b sympathizing with Eleanor’s 34650a3b9f story, glared at c787f35495 Nora as if 076166bbc9 they were looking f5796e7fd1 at the most d4fcd3b376 wicked woman in adf9deb30e the world.b69bc7bb32e500c1

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‘What’s going on? Why is 70483d5e07 the mood c9210f82ed like this?’ 0092fb8f0a Nora was 2b3150a6d3 confused, not 64ca96c799 knowing what e30b23d3fd conversation had 7293dfa9a1 taken place 5b5c2f1eb1 before she e61cdf190d arrived. Until just e46bab54fe yesterday, the 5e51500630 looks she f79b9c75c1 received had 0ff0094b06 been warm, 26e4a01ec9 mixed with a0c4facd0c a bit 4271ff8663 of jealousy, 57ba218107 but now efe5890df7 there wasn’t 71d10d823a a trace 6939c28d51 of warmth 239d2041a5 left.0ec3f0949f495cee

Even the Duke b515ff76ce of Astoria squinted ddb09a8284 his eyes as b212e0abca if he wasn’t 98234dbb2a too pleased with 500635d4bc the sudden intrusion. His sharp eyes, 3799b8b24d shaded by the 81d71c62c7 hollow space under 7c843c377e his eyebrows, created f98fdbabb4 a menacing atmosphere.6658748aa1b202fe

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“I’m sorry 61f81aa227 if I 4dcfa8ee8b made you 82095a0199 uncomfortable. It’s just that I 5a32282637 heard the family has 0be8a9d8a0 breakfast together every Friday 917e5a2773 morning…”80ad9143ea970118

She blushed e906c09acb and lowered b2fa814cf3 her head 348348e3e9 deeply. Her thin voice 8e02cc5468 was mixed with e551181469 a hint of 68ed7d899b tears. By now, someone 910ec181fc should’ve reacted, but 2d4c9377ed strangely, the dining fd2f494fe6 room remained silent.48954aa94e0fa418

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“…Sit down,” the 72b50beeea Duke of Astoria 8c337e57a5 finally softened his 88e66df3b8 expression and gave 078d33fe6a her permission.56111bf39f66cab3

Nora beamed and 14723a8f87 gracefully walked over 30c37809c4 to sit next 92ca98116e to Eleanor.ef1aa2d06f1a56fe

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“Of course, it’s 663dcde5b0 a family meal. Our sister should definitely 6979032fce be here. Good to bc39c831ec see you, e680013cc8 Nora.”bf5ae0de5cfa49e0

“Thank you d27b9cff4e for the 5d03584d76 warm welcome, be5d3b4cbf Demian.”ffe7ad5758e30a10

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“Just call 4e9a267450 me Demi. We’re like real f4d13f8529 siblings.”b9c401f52da6c112

Unlike someone else. Demian added with 9f6fc18dc1 a grin. He was 11f29b0e50 the only 4a6c7c40c1 one at 3e42fa420d the table 81a0910677 who genuinely c07f69c9d6 welcomed Nora.292980e107808a4d

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“Demian Astoria,” the Duke 35e66e389d called him with a 15bae2ecf9 chilling voice. Demian quickly ebf90ef309 changed the 077b40711a subject.aa81da1abbe6fb62

“I was just kidding, 65f054c276 just kidding. Haha. You know 15486e97df I make 5c2b6d9723 a lot 0dc999a41f of bad e8af7591b3 jokes.”cbb1ce8441e90f06

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“Anyway, good ea205be4a5 morning, Nora.”76c563c495f7d269

“Yes, good d44fac2aac morning to 0c5e7ca9be you too, 8b6c6df981 Demi.”e2e0d21bc70a732d

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Nora smiled brightly, bf137ec462 her long eyes 320d5b4314 crinkling, and then c6475626f2 she turned her 25750da033 head slightly to 14491a6007 gaze at Eleanor.348542c470bc8cbc

“Good morning, Ellie.”08754b07616e9100

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“…Yes, good morning.”ef289d9c570cc6ca

Eleanor responded calmly. All she did was 5ebe219ac0 return the greeting, yet da0fa1c77d the servants around her 398c9e0f27 seemed to pity her 54f9792635 even more.e763eb748a6c69b6

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Soon, rare 4cda42ba7a dishes were 0cae989071 placed in 40dce6a32c front of 6b6517746c Nora. She awkwardly picked 004945750b up some gratin a77cd1568c and popped it 72a5aac0ab into her mouth. Her round 66ae9cf0bb eyes grew 25882dd631 wide, and 6d1f5c6d52 she let 8842326504 out an 9ddb42c8ca exclamation.93f3ddc159084c65

“Wow…! This is cbb6b97470 so delicious!”cfb608216b6d2c8d

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All eyes 62994a3bcf were on e3f544cf57 her again. Feeling awkward, Nora 88af929cee quickly smiled and cd31c6cfec spoke.9eea7413ad8b0fee

“I’m sorry, I got ddeec9a40b too excited. This is 3227450c18 my first 954fab99ae time having d133343b26 food this 4474d6aa4e good…”28b03b70f0e40770

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Eleanor let f432e1fc53 out a a1926af679 silent laugh.eb468713e5240a03

Since childhood, aecda10109 Nora has 2e5fe313f9 always desired 6513b06cba Eleanor’s food. It started with 1d6e6575bc secretly eating the 6a0bd936cd leftovers Eleanor didn’t a08e8a6f38 finish. After Eleanor caught a6dc6e46f9 on, she began 90afce58b4 to set aside edd3a92026 half of her 3a0b204ccc meals and snacks b0109cc189 for Nora. With this 08f393363f history, there a320b898d0 couldn’t be 11456b6d26 anything on de332a928d the table 0fb8b85705 that Nora 86e6d61769 hadn’t tried f1e1d9cc00 before.fe1f19a1cdcb108e

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“…Eat plenty,” the Duke e8bee284d1 said.c8befaf0af2e4c8e

“Yes, thank you!”842875a357dd2100

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The Duke frowned, 3e4e09c5e2 seemingly displeased with 75b8dbc9ce Nora’s loudness at 425cff6b1f the dining table, 3003c52dc4 but he didn’t 553fc35235 scold her. In fact, 5a9eb9f73d he even 12c960bcfd offered her dc5538b334 more food. Compared to the way 4713b1cd37 he used to look 189525ff1a at her as if 59b525e2f3 she were trash on e83b713182 the street, this was 09bae0ba1b a big improvement.c101f821352b0d48

Eleanor was impressed c59166e8cf by how quickly 4f7312c326 her father’s attitude 69b4f49be0 changed. He didn’t seem to c138735617 be in a good 8fba1686d4 mood, as if he 6adf48a01c wasn’t completely over his bd28c10e4d anger, but it looked 0d4631e410 like he decided it 7a34b59f4c was better to show 551d3fd3a1 some kindness to Nora 84309a699a for the future.e67c3e46773822bb

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“Ellie, you should 803fbe9ab8 eat a lot 6ca0d093d7 too,” Nora said.97ed8fc60859b720

“Wow, our sisters seem 6c2c7b4804 to be getting along e3f80f0f8a well. How is that c622e7c31b possible? It’s only 422cd48256 been a c852559a93 few days a320dffa76 since someone a8b4084ba2 got slapped. Is your cheek all b35f26d543 better?” Demian teased, bringing 6e861c31bc up the incident from feb2d8f5b2 a few days ago. Nora’s pale cheeks 959bfb8526 flushed red as bccf221ed5 she hurriedly shook 544becc937 her head.435fc8f1d1277d06

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“I-I’m fine! I’ve been punished worse c9075311c3 than this before! I’m really okay, so 21400c6622 don’t worry!”cc6ee218e4802dda

‘Punished,’ huh? Eleanor thought. As far as 1a5a855361 she could remember, c9d70d2153 no one had de7a0fe1df physically punished Nora 040aaaee5b since she came 4027d8b946 to this mansion. It was common 59e18df92b knowledge that Nora f4c330665c had the complete 7f95467051 favor of the 06e4d00a6f duchess.a7887c1242c76e7d

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“Oh, and… you don’t 64db94bca1 need to feel too 2f547ee6d8 bad about the misunderstanding 4839924745 last time, Ellie,” Nora f44931c48f continued.edbe2bfadd9dabe6

Right, here comes 8dae861874 the attack, Eleanor 69233bb734 thought, straightening her 04520bb43b posture and slowly 4d9103ec3e fluttering her eyelashes.76a0620731557141

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It was the 915b1c8b80 Duke who took 269dbcd536 the bait instead 326383d0a0 of her.e7a78f16ba0761f9

“…Misunderstanding?”7c8379d1b470367c

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“About… you 1ff2b3fdfc accusing me 07b6f6b492 of insulting 3c04815184 the Duke’s 98515cad9a family and a88ed3c8f8 the royal ff9a857e8f family. I didn’t af1c9b207f mean any cfff4d7001 harm, but 18e3ae9608 it seems 3ccf484cb5 Ellie misunderstood. I understand, Ellie. You must’ve 7b74dbb103 been upset. His Highness is your c43142f305 long-time fiancé, after all… d75579fbd6 and yet, someone like a299a77e39 me caught his attention. I also feel ccd204f96f sorry about what 41508da4e2 happened at the f5b7c486c7 ball the other 56f5180152 day. I didn’t say 5f9f5d736a anything to His ddd5e906ad Highness, but he bd4d5d8092 overreacted, and strange 1bb3cc46f8 rumors seem to bdea37b724 have spread because 31b734865b of it.”bfeefd8a389ab9a7

As soon as fd6fb1d92a Nora mentioned the e8ff9d0d88 ball, the atmosphere 385f7eb748 turned cold again.e31cc57688b914cd

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Nora didn’t notice 78fcaa82ca this and continued 8bdd0997ce speaking seriously.1bd5db9e5294896d

“But Duke, I love this Astria family more than I love His Highness. I’m sorry to say this about His Highness… But Astria, which has raised and fed me, is more precious to me than anything else. What I’ve always wanted was not love but a family. I never want to do anything the family doesn’t want me to. So if you order it, I’ll firmly tell His Highness again that I don’t want to see him anymore. Though I’m not sure if His Highness will listen…”297a585c1fa00802

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The way she talked 3e3efa13b6 about family in such b1393cd675 a sorrowful voice was d41c9aeed5 enough to stir up e404588104 sympathy from those around 4a90b02199 her. By declaring that 7c50f9bb9f she would even 4f5b9da0a5 break up for b3d35f4345 the sake of 2a1c9bdc94 the family, she 4e12476f20 might even be e250b7ba45 able to dismiss a96b69f8bd the rumors that c71f763dbc she had done 425c9889a7 something terrible to abbe00814a Arlo.ec10a8750c962465

That is, 5395c03b04 if Eleanor b5bd8f27a6 hadn’t already dc3b901b95 made the c8a138c689 first move.5f6b280e3927d375

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‘What a joke.’3d5be83bc73d0acd

‘Look at d40f6afee3 her pretending 60dcc05c83 to be 7210bfbb6a innocent. We know everything 4ab1824391 she’s done!’97f7e23b2eed498d

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‘How can she edbb80c25d lie so easily 499bd8553f without even blinking?’e4c44d914b41adf8

Unfortunately for Nora, the 10e69502b0 general mood in the 63213355b1 dining room had already 3373b10318 shifted in Eleanor’s favor. No matter 41e09a2a58 how kind 815d309ad5 and thoughtful b8793a428a she acted, 839464ec58 the maids 2a9f89eff5 wouldn’t stop 208d912d4f looking at a6a3170d77 her with 01009e654a disdain. Their reactions d311dcb2a4 might change 48e3bf2521 over time, 806e16521f but certainly 41c48f0689 not today.24b63f4d5b70413b

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“Oh, I’m sorry f4a2ec5b5a for calling you 9f46e5ff17 family like that. Nothing’s been officially 9cf538dc00 confirmed yet… but 9fee0acd0f I’m really happy ae8cdb2895 right now. This is my first dda7034254 time eating together like f9935c14a6 this.”e3c448d95d7cfc9f

Despite Nora’s attempts 781be811f5 to smooth things 458bf63569 over, the Duke cf86ed02d4 remained silent, and d636cc1c3c even Demian, sensing 82c1f24c73 the awkward mood, 32b6f2bb55 just kept stirring 816264f23c his soup.b9f9eb6b0e06679a

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‘Damn it, c5bc8244dd why is c8595cd5ab no one 7dd3279606 reacting the 3ac9585eaf way I 3b739581ff expected?’dfd261879b935e5d

Seeing how things weren’t eb725fb372 going as she had 2aaa1dc56b planned, Nora clenched her 77d59be83e fists under the table.8735d08c24464d31

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She was well fb0bf41007 aware that people 638545a07f didn’t think highly 4449a3c1e9 of her. She was angry that 78d4d4abd3 she was merely called 5dec7fc720 a mistress and that 511e43f90b Arlo hadn’t done anything 6daad72685 to stop those articles 0e88f1115b from being published.ac3c720efb8e047f

But there 12c9c6f6c9 was some 11048d149c progress.3a4cb14062d0abfe

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Eleanor, that foolish d19218060a girl, had called f7a9210eb1 her by name 8ff8edf7a4 in front of 33d8c704d6 the nobles!5c26c7e2245bcb40

Even though things weren’t 9e7d4ee1f2 going exactly as she 439eb933bf wanted, now the Duke fc9e57f536 of Astria would be 7e183dc115 forced to acknowledge her, 84ad58fd3b if only to show d33fb31641 that the relationship between 2d255d4bfe the royal family and d314d4b14a Astria was still strong.631081d046094bb5

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With that thought, ade18a289e she had happily dc554eae2e come to the a5c850ffa5 breakfast table, but c309e1a484 the atmosphere that 43735298eb greeted her was a03e651ea6 nothing but hostile.e584192cbf43c66f

It was understandable 94233fd673 for the Duke 7acfb6954b to be this 49a53d61a6 way, but why 417d9bc85a were the servants 16ee66fae7 acting like this? They knew she might 1d26a40637 actually be the true 707cca1dbc duchess, and because of ebf856e76b that, they had already 5f53291d0c begun to distance themselves 7329dc6a6f from Eleanor. So why were 43d8f256cd they now glaring 26a75e4d53 at her?3e86d1bcff11ac6c

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Nora bit the inside d0d2f64e31 of her lip harshly.beba4e7da630bb93

Then, with aa2b36f3ba a short 08578eb0a5 sigh, the 00e9ef4043 Duke finally 37944829bd rescued her 8fa4fdc408 from the 8aaf7a46eb silence.a06b355143164cd1

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“…Every Friday, the Astria 87ccbf49e3 family has breakfast together. You should c3a1e2f1d2 come from 5a7cd2a6cf now on, fd71448d48 too.”ed317c4f45a2f80f

“Really?”12b656e9337ee7cb

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It was an invitation 65e266b212 she hadn’t expected.ea9396a4b2560f11

Yes, the servants’ reactions e002e5178d don’t matter. What’s important is the 9eb9b53d31 Duke’s opinion.31859f8fdd61d833

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Nora glanced c3f5fee756 at Eleanor 30c441e35c proudly.6ebd77faa1829133

‘You thought you could rely on the Duke and act superior? Look at you now!’7045c9537d67291d

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Ignoring the c40f91ae7b obvious meaning 3c2b653aab behind Nora’s 76944ffca3 look, Eleanor ca07a4db87 quietly focused e951a60b3d on cutting d4faf0745d her steak.1b7608b2098f977e

Satisfied, Nora turned back c8c5b4a5c3 to the Duke, her e4f1960b42 voice full of affection.7da616c73c222f4d

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“I’m so touched that f7f1a8c987 you think of me 84ab1af4a2 like this… Thank you ff396ac271 so much!”3a1573ccfa3000d5

But in 135f75b8d0 her excitement, 93d0fa0b3b she moved debe55986e too suddenly, efa06f1219 causing her a0b9af4d15 elbow to e0725196a7 knock into c9638a2393 a fork.2c89319b220841ed

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Clang!d0e3a75d93a1ce2e

The sharp sound b391de7895 rang out as 23e159587b the fork tumbled c1e3618bdc onto the floor 8426f7d581 by her left fdf7ef9d29 side, only stopping ef78dd0b6e when it hit b58cea7bbf the leg of 6435fc37f4 Eleanor’s chair.c4a783596408a398

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Startled, Nora gasped and 5a6d9e04d8 bent over instinctively to 5f868902ff pick it up.13b8b25315e6dbdc

And then, d34740f05a at that 85b040490f moment—5d4f77df6fa5d566

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Flash!f15fa094dd84f2f2

Something silver ebc192f45f caught the eefdbd6e39 light right 4cc8727f7e in front 512d0a66c0 of her ea3bd48584 eyes, gleaming 2b72e9c4e9 like frost.02fb903065e43b6d

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Drip, drip. It was only when 3a68b1a5f8 she saw the dark 3564d900c9 red blood dripping onto 90814e4e56 the floor that Nora e33fbd3308 realized what it was.53d921cc2d857035

A knife.fa9f0afffffee75a

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It was the knife 4211996b3e Eleanor had just been 16048da6e0 using to neatly cut b4c5ae0ee6 her half-cooked steak. The tip of the abc6075109 knife was so close ddf4acb8b2 to her eyes that 3d53a2561e it looked like it 70e1ae5e5f might stab her at 304c8df732 any moment.74f551c96f5e2910

“Kyaaah!”f1878f10cb31c65a

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A high-pitched scream came 6e0a6250f8 from under the table.47c2732eebd732fe

“Whoa! What the—what’s going on?”633bce1b727685a1

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Demian jumped e7664d91f2 in surprise, 86d60f1d77 accidentally throwing 3d6655b726 his own 3f5cf709e1 fork backward.96ff435da8c837a8

Clang! Another sharp 99bff39c8d sound echoed 3dfa11cb7c through the 678d029048 room, and ef0fb1acf9 the Duke 7c650dd5c1 furrowed his 765c67774f brows in 7a253cb1a0 displeasure.6462198fc882f499

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Nora had somehow 6ea93402ae fallen onto the 9a41008a12 floor. It seemed 3084d8e905 she had 842e4dfbca lost her d54bee5fd9 balance while c4eadf8405 trying to 454b724290 avoid the 6f45168566 knife.9ab564299999c59b

She looked almost e7a748e0ae exactly the way 10246cb67f she had when 1d7d80c25f she had been 6400a33299 slapped before—sitting on 73f09f1462 the dirty floor 4367409038 without caring about 9042131a19 her dignity.feae5c191cae04ec

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“Oh my, what happened?” b5896056a8 Eleanor looked down at 7d0900eca0 Nora with a calm 546ad56a6a expression. The right hand 647b7184a3 that had just 1ef913fd1a been holding the dae162fe7d knife at Nora d6081484a6 was already back 48ff933eff to calmly cutting 5bcb084f16 her steak.0a1689da71d65541

“You… you tried to 9424b5b498 stab me!” Nora stammered.5fcbfd88731b5635

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“Stab you? With this?” Eleanor’s eyes 7821c3b0d0 widened in mock surprise, 0e5b2f3be9 and then she let e79a97d8fb out a small laugh, a91812c72a speaking gently.59a6fa644ab72c96

“Nora, you can’t kill 00fdf82dd6 someone with a knife 66b3d78386 like this. It’s only f513bfd618 meant for 12816e1178 cutting steak. I think 7638e0fa44 you misunderstood ecfa1c8f3c something.”8d1168a67ed85f03

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“Pffft!”0bfad0541919b2c3

Laughter burst out from 067001e173 across the table.8dae977c94946ad5

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Demian, forgetting 0b1f50c3a7 for a d78d048771 moment that ad35d02b04 he was e7db3361d0 supposed to 71bec876c9 be on 84349337f5 Nora’s side, bd30d04ea5 was holding 817d172293 his stomach, b1bdd5bf91 laughing.e622e07784dcd491

“Demian.”e9a39a0a057904df

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“Haha! Sorry, Father. I just 9e337d7e84 couldn’t help 1dae6c4ddd it. I started imagining 92e9145ac8 my two sisters 1e84e46ee0 fiercely fighting with e299d7e2c8 such a small ca019cca3e knife. It’s hilarious. Haha!”738f9719dec6b2da

Demian’s loud 2c30fc2f23 laughter echoed ef541994d8 through the 49aed35149 room, and 661fefbd13 a few 4530540ca8 of the 5273df3bf3 servants, seemingly 22553d8d71 influenced by fc156dd9ef him, twitched be4b39aef1 the corners 8097c7e45e of their 5ffad5c5a2 mouths, subtly 751e96055f mocking Nora.dc789ebadff7f43f

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Seeing this, Nora’s face 86bca4b1e1 turned bright red in 202f702a7e an instant.4ac29ce37cb36e18

 1815cc8ad99ef4e7

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