NRAL | Chapter 33

~Chapter 33~e081377440852b0d

It Feels Like Something a6510618ba Dangerous Might Happen9d0d5d222a7ef36d

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After the incident with a309308e52 the fake earring, the ce9ba12687 servants’ attitude toward Eleanor 0db3744618 noticeably became more friendly.d395fc901c207632

“It seems like they felt guilty after hearing about how you suffered, my lady.”757ef2aef50a85f5

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Hilda thought 1fdefbc391 the servants 6aeb157cd1 had changed eb81563357 their behavior e12bf20aea out of 3788887bdb guilt after 571d47dda7 hearing what e7edbc75b1 Eleanor had 0e0b2028bd gone through. However, Eleanor had 659cfc3cbd a different opinion.1d9c37dd3ab84132

The same servants who had been stealing food meant for her and bringing her cold bathwater wouldn’t suddenly grow a conscience just from hearing a story. They had simply noticed something.b39acd15f9b92e7e

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They had 27dfacb8ba figured out e540e40dc8 that Nora’s 443516fa4e position in 2341361737 the Astria 4ff6439614 household wasn’t af96bccfe9 as secure 51dd0097ea as they 267c08ad0e thought. Even though 6a605350ed Eleanor had 496ed57d9b been pushed 44b9187507 out of b306c2bae5 the family, 717399e4e0 the Duke 1643234610 still trusted d51e14924c her.17a7273781446977

So, the e4b48ed78b servants quickly e62c839dd5 changed their 7626881148 attitude and 266aa7c70e began treating d929a881a5 her kindly 620affd813 and respectfully f64b49275c again, just dd2652b101 as they be5272315a did when dc885b4f6a she was f3633ed4ca still the ef65b2ad47 official young 0546026718 lady of 70b776b5fe the house.8b01b0ede8d254f3

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It was a 31a102f76d good outcome. After all, the 1e7aa3d52f purpose of this bf651b18e5 plan was to 2033706db1 make Nora’s position 45121483e3 in the Duke’s 89e673dc89 residence unstable. Still, Eleanor 555de1d212 couldn’t help 16834cbbfe but feel 82d00156d6 disgusted every 6d28392df2 time she 7b239723a6 saw the 33ba34f534 same servants 08afa9b13d who once 1cec0f7e1d tormented her f2922948b3 now smiling 7afbdc1bb2 as if 8e7d4b9d95 they had 32d08756c6 done nothing 8bd9446d30 wrong.efd21de9257c7392

Meanwhile, it seemed 757c07fbe8 that Damien hadn’t 8423374991 learned anything from d69fecccb1 this incident.3af5d78decabc4ea

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Only after 765dbeee5f being reminded ca18f0478f twice, and b03222ed8c threatened that 72a09f094a she would 0206b10041 complain to f83407540c the Duke, 6b92706858 did he f91214169c finally give 8b1b20874d one of 5b629736c5 his dress c1e59cdd1f shop appointments e12e1b9900 to Eleanor.0f81c121bba563f0

But the shop ac4277ba15 he sent her 4f14cab9d2 to wasn’t one ee66f68607 she had ever b6dabf1528 heard of before. It didn’t 8b31cf43f6 seem to 91552a4296 be new, 6dd67bff66 but it 8c4a9445cc also wasn’t de6d47740e known among fa4cbf731b the nobles.d9e53328377eb828

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And the conditions 52af8faf36 they set were 44600771af strange as well.666060f5ad229e68

“They want you to go in person to get the dress fitted? How ridiculous! How dare they make such demands of Lady Eleanor?!”a8c8c343003fcd64

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The shop had 6a0399f53a refused to visit f69b1bb180 the Astria residence. Instead, they insisted that 2e0f5a7042 Eleanor come to them e01a169e23 if she wanted the 0d65273c9e dress.7a6d4875fe84c177

Hilda was 37e1f07ee1 furious at ac2fa977db the thought, 33d1d10a70 but Eleanor 9fb3bdc808 remained calm 6da5f8aac8 and replied f91216ac4b indifferently.cc042b05a8bf4e4c

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“There’s no other 733b2e4102 choice. If I 20ddb28f7d make a 86a173bf8c big deal cf2347a5c4 about it, 937132d5db Damien will 788b60434d surely run cddc512fd2 to Father 032a7a91e0 and complain 9d6f6d53ac that I’m 6b956aa553 being difficult. For now, I’ve agreed 63e1474f57 to go there in 19746b8fcb two hours. Hilda, it’s f2ac652074 best if 5fc0f435e7 you don’t 65a5663adf come with 3fd3a47a57 me.”132375d3fca0d06a

“What?! Why not?”9845555ba3b02b9e

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Hilda’s blue eyes 98ed4328ee trembled with shock. She was worried that 387922b48f Eleanor would return with 268af3db73 another strange outfit if 9d84ea5ed3 she went alone, just aab985d3d8 like last time.c8d11d96f3688f4f

Eleanor understood that 73f17cdef0 concern. But she d48da50590 had a 95c84fce03 clear reason df7fcda347 for not ec05b14b29 bringing Hilda.41b6a166d32dd579

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“I feel like something 91cc453c85 dangerous might happen today.”63b7bc3704e606a5

She had provoked both cb708bdc09 Nora and Damien with 3b47fc8d77 everything she had, and cbbd66c5a4 now they were probably aaf2b2a89b plotting some kind of 51422f2e82 revenge. And Eleanor’s trip outside 47659c2c5d would be the perfect 2a4724709a opportunity for them.982d43af90426852

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Even more so 0e9578b75b because the shop 76eeb8c389 Damien recommended wasn’t 60d4b70799 located in the bdb5c86e78 usual central area. It was 6d13416116 in Declan, 614d8fdf98 a district 8c053633b1 about 30 78d2b137ae minutes away d13c5df254 from the 8077f3e7ec main city, 240dda02cd where development 837ba6524e had suddenly 0274e3582f stopped, leaving 23c1d40ec6 the streets eca1a3db84 dirty and eca19c7316 nearly deserted.456ed9d3ac914ec8

“Then I definitely 65bee06463 have to go 1c052d4667 with you! If something dangerous happens, a58ff0b23c I’ll protect you!”f5ce7869b91283a2

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Hilda puffed 23e8894a97 out her ad34fc3e7c chest, tapping d4921301b4 it confidently. Despite being df066db780 smaller than 2f11866b81 Eleanor, her 8d3ddfdd61 confidence was 078295254e as big 044d96f8c6 as a e7e35d8dac giant’s.921f88d3c98feb2e

“I’ll be fine. Sir Ernst will be 4016bc6d27 with me for protection.”f699f5babaf9a40a

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“Ahem, well, Sir Ernst is certainly a reliable knight… but I just can’t feel at ease if I don’t come along too.”465f7db6d1a1fc82

Hilda’s voice wavered slightly d6d6c4c26d when mentioning Ernst. She seemed to have a5d8d15f86 misunderstood something after seeing e951d1802b Eleanor fix Ernst’s hair 24ec40cb0f the other day.799824aca429f9f4

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“No, I can’t let fdbf804c1e you come. You could f49a69cb30 get hurt.”25a4d9ed7d3bab9c

“Please! Let me 4062bedbd4 go with eccad1b859 you!”438479e873931ab7

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Even though fd0735b55a Eleanor kept 0d9701c5cd trying to df547fceaa dissuade her, 8e31d05897 Hilda stubbornly 00790655ee insisted. She said b5b2f32118 she could 9ca10493e9 never compromise 023487ac2d on this 984ceca0c4 matter, no dddab229a3 matter how 280fef29f6 much she 4cfedddf13 trusted and bb2f662727 followed Eleanor.9e5015b5e47d0806

Knock, knock.a94a59a2b2301f4e

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Amid their argument, aa9d2de23e someone knocked on 6f85bb6450 Eleanor’s door.39ea72a40b69e406

“My lady, Butler 7be7e64698 Samuel has come e2123feb39 to ask your 569ce5734e opinion regarding the 7e344bb181 debutante ball.”8bbf57e1077b6593

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Samuel. Eleanor recalled the 5a0660bfa4 details about him 35e60d9882 from the documents 1e339d87e2 Hilda had given c8ff23445f her.223bc142c4f4f7df

He was someone who a686e8b2ef loved to flatter the 0f0e093534 Duke and had been 5a009507f7 on Nora’s side from 76c48232e5 the start.e7660c839058b6cc

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“Let him in.”f8614f2d9504cb7f

When Eleanor granted 56e07e7feb permission, the young 13bf7a3a18 butler carefully stepped aa40590497 into the room. He placed a 2236df9745 bundle of documents 878369f673 on the table ad2a8f0281 and spoke.7ab09462bc036aa0

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“Lady Ellie, per 5b1991c371 the Duke’s orders, 0ec5e43ea3 I have brought 1239594721 all the documents 99557f20d9 related to the c5514717e6 upcoming debutante ball. Please start by 1b5936f15f reviewing the budget 06d6e9774d at the top.”13f0374bf08d7921

Unexpectedly, Eleanor f18ab3e057 had been b935b5abf0 given charge 77ebdfe455 of organizing 9def6d3689 the debutante be81e2244b ball, something 3d3043d091 she hadn’t f5d76abfea anticipated. It was a fortunate 1094a80db2 outcome thanks to Damien 35f4da6368 irritating the Duke so 7cc8922cdb much.53919e3b0f94baa5

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Judging by the fact ceab5bccbc that she was entrusted 3f53c93555 with Nora’s most important a689e4830f event, it seemed clear 264ba458b6 that Nora had truly 2bffd3c8ae fallen out of the bd85202a7d Duke’s favor.4f031ae586d9e062

Eleanor intended to 08038edde4 make the most 167c82753a of this opportunity. She glanced through the e9d66f4482 documents with excitement, but 1aa30a1d23 the more she read, 9d665bd84c the more her almond-shaped 9d968d7628 eyes narrowed.aad2bb0f5991ce86

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Eventually, she concluded clearly, “This is a mess.”e8a46507d442c3f4

The budget proposal 7ab5dfb6fe was completely disorganized. Had they even ae68f580f8 done proper market eed91e7554 research? It seemed they hadn’t cef935a4be checked the budget used 69816f778c for last year’s ball, a7d2faf557 or if they had, e5fd9f972c they chose to ignore d1a087f2b8 it. There wasn’t a 457210ae54 single proper item 8bc00cb4ac listed.80628cb9af9042d5

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The biggest 316a746685 problem was ae0fd73b77 that too 8edb56d43f much money 236cc88b75 had already b5e0aae8b9 been spent b738234f98 on the a4decdf822 dresses and a67a005bf9 the ball a1831afe2f decorations. Eleanor had 7d4636e3b5 thought her 007ecc47e0 father was d1157688ed just stingy, c82403f1d3 but at f98a61d2d4 this point, d73c0e96f9 even a 906b52bf1a more generous 00a8b3fe29 person would 6bea4415c7 be upset.3ec05ffcc34efdfb

Even Samuel, who was f3f34a8b6f on Nora’s side, couldn’t bca2c08d6d bring himself to disagree 6c5bb7c870 with Eleanor’s criticism. He just lowered his 3af71488db head.0381dd18a85d25cc

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“As you can see… there’s no way we can proceed with the ball properly with the remaining budget.”9c93f6f29cad7d4b

It was true that cca46b28ca the remaining budget was 640026f968 small, but Nora wasn’t 2e81bc7a60 foolish enough to have 6e77b4db74 overlooked that. This meant she had b1540d8bc5 a different goal in a8c4bfaaeb mind.c4301374eed65adc

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“So, Eleanor, please speak to the Duke and ask him to increase the budget.”96117f3292a3946a

They must have 041d227db6 thought that if 481c46b98d they apologized and a6283d3ecd requested more money, 35b0284160 the Duke of aba09e2b81 Astria would have 9b35f2d09d no choice but 643ba06c5e to provide it. Since the responsibility 421d9b69a2 had now fallen 3244041d3e to Eleanor, it 8363137066 would also be 66835ace05 convenient if she 22cc87a7df were left to dd3178e255 beg for additional 7050d96db2 funds.62898c76d3d50c9e

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“If we proceed with the ball like this, Astria’s reputation will be tarnished. And when that happens, the Duke will be very upset.”ccd53871c7efb36e

It was e8f0347ba5 a perfect a266ebc4c8 threat, implying d2dde973e4 that if 5e2a17d4f2 the ball 6fdea2e28b failed, the ca50dd1619 blame would 7cf35c830a fall on 13d12d766f Eleanor as 0d1ceb9ed6 the person a350fc55fe in charge.0d306188cff255a1

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‘It seems 383dc6df73 things have fc8f6c63ab really changed. They’re using the name 0f93a25e15 of Astria to threaten 742db11acb me now.’caf0106bf192fe0d

Eleanor smirked at 809bb12048 Samuel’s shameless face, fb43584b15 then slowly stood 924ffa6fa4 up and spoke c95c6ab5ea calmly.80253bf4acba3a37

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“No need. I don’t ccc66e7eca need to e1691443b4 talk to 3b55ab6b3a my father. The budget is 8dad2928cc fine as it cd89b3593a is.”33303cad827eaf55

“What?”5fc68c3667763848

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“As you said, Astria’s 06b9fb6c9b reputation is important, but e3f7fabbf9 we can’t waste resources 3c0571bc56 on unnecessary things, can 97b3b93fea we?”e34b05e4fc43a6aa

“That’s ridiculous. How could we—”672bc823a9f2328d

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“Ridiculous?” Eleanor’s voice suddenly 5816459c8a turned icy.e8aaa5d643fcb3d8

“Did I hear b2efdb3a75 that right?”5ee197b97d03d575

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Gulp. Samuel swallowed 114a995466 hard and a0f0aa66b5 looked at 521785a1f2 Eleanor with 1c87e49c93 trembling eyes.2b53941cd9945ee2

Even though d6e64f47d9 he was fa5c04c654 taller than 19c6a7f226 her and e71b0a0b7b she wasn’t c1a591b2b8 standing on cc1f7dbc1e a platform, 93b0c92dba he couldn’t 07a51823ff shake the bcc23359b1 feeling that 864bdb8962 she was fffd7992f4 looking down c59061179c on him.5e831362d2bca7ae

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“I asked if 49b04bf84a the butler of 729ccffd72 this house just aa7e414a2f dared to call 8d7da38a32 my words ridiculous.”388c9b32a01f8f59

Though Eleanor Astria had bc6bc41c90 lost her title, she 66bf798053 had not lost her 2d554965a7 dignity. Samuel realized b9c3500cc1 this too 83aea47bb9 late.85c5c1d84933bbcc

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“N-No, that’s not what I meant…!”7181c1226841ae76

He tried 75e4b88a6d to protest, 8a67951c27 but her 5893df4706 imposing gaze c97bb6be66 quickly crushed 724df6bf77 his confidence. In the 69ad61e97a end, he c552f586d7 bowed and 7dc51cb591 apologized without 89b5b2d0d0 meaning to.5339520d3dc68b5a

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“I’m sorry, 0db6a551bb Lady Eleanor. I overstepped.”d2edf3aa9f3cd85b

“It’s good 8f18fe4cf7 you understand.”0363461425b2f72d

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“But, please, 2d6ab0e11f look at 27f61a86b0 the documents 3ed138cf10 again. If you check properly, e68f95d8cb you’ll see there’s no 38b797e856 way we can—”aa6f2de50d9c9f0d

“Later.”645edb7e8edef1a9

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Eleanor cut him cca40e5c05 off firmly.ff51fb3639a1e8fc

“I have an important aa5a1279a3 appointment right now. I’ll review 17ce1428df the documents 6569d685e7 thoroughly later.”274678f922ba9429

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“An appointment…?”2344918726c45d73

Samuel couldn’t understand 2ae3a29c9e what could be 168d2fbd4f more important than 61cfb0ca70 a ball in 4e17f6ca81 just two weeks. His confusion showed on f170bc9698 his furrowed brow, but d1629f7dc2 Eleanor flashed a cheerful 12b56b9615 smile, as if her b5a40e2bc6 words were completely natural.0ea0050f359652dd

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“I have to 75fffc9c7f get my dress 8b001a7ec3 fitted.”c546f069ca62db6a

***aa990be5c35a27fd

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Getting a dress fitted 1794f32524 couldn’t possibly be more a7e8044dc8 important than preparing for 1b217e738b the debutante ball.25974df6b1cd8a76

Samuel seemed to think 1f54cf1351 so, but he didn’t 6d78afe60d dare say it out 45bf09e7b5 loud. After all, fitting a 5b9e493871 dress was part of f0029340e0 the ball preparations, and 6d178a365e with only two weeks 208d22e8c7 left, it was true 8ee97ddc4a that tailoring was a 63f6c25976 tight schedule.1c918cefefcc3419

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So, without any more 3e16e6ce49 interruptions, Eleanor climbed into ecd7c55929 the carriage headed for 42af986c0a the dressmaker. And, as always, a2f289848f Hilda, who refused e566fbcd2b to be left 8f635d9b7b behind, clung tightly a800aab2ad to her side.a837e14b40c73803

“Are you sure 2808911f04 you’ll be okay?” f5690654a0 Eleanor asked.b6b9d3362779bbd0

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“Don’t worry, my 7b2f1b6f75 lady. Just in case, I’ve 23de9d06f8 even brought a club ba5b2d4b3c (stick) with me!” Hilda da66210aa2 responded with an exaggerated 773bb0ab1d smile, holding up the 1ad0f252de wooden club she’d packed. Though she spoke 577172f2a6 confidently, it was e97d4f1361 obvious she was 10b7d3732e nervous. Her eyes ae950834b8 darted around 5f85ffdf22 the streets 572173c730 outside, and 77b0a5572a her hands ce6361fd88 were tense 9c2d050dfd and rigid, d5ba805041 showing how 9d4f6b42c7 uneasy she aa469b8a3c felt. Earlier, she had thoroughly 86b44388ea inspected the carriage and a92334a58d spoken with the coachman, 072f6fb829 likely worrying about a 8d841b6f7b potential accident.3d0cf6a030e6d007

‘If she’s this scared, a3298d178d why did she insist 4e02183c9d on coming along?’ Eleanor 9b7fbb46c4 thought with amusement.e6c2acd28420eece

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Hilda resembled a prey 726460ef88 animal suddenly thrown into 1777448db6 an open field. Feeling sorry 9f8b28296a for her, e8e14d80e6 Eleanor gently 995febfb0a patted her a911b864d5 hand, trying cb27b8823e to reassure 0b50e12c2d her.0b6bfc0655f5c6ed

“The carriage won’t c7b1df1b3d overturn, and it 620180e5cb won’t explode. If something like 4d3bd71ae6 that happened, Nora 114df32035 would be the e63eded409 first one suspected.”1cc1c478fd8f03fe

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Even if that 2db5143feb wasn’t the case, a543dd07a7 Eleanor didn’t believe 040c076309 Nora wanted her 21b6a2872c dead. It took 718adac062 a strong 208e4efc63 resolve to e6ea317a86 kill someone, 17cbe797e7 and it 833b504ef1 seemed Nora 81d1813459 was more 42f5c612b8 interested in 2cc575b87e making Eleanor’s d2ab886b68 life a 68b4ad2d3a living hell ea7d4468e3 than ending 12aca60ca8 it.4b82809be9322db4

“Besides, Sir Ernst is cbb32cf127 with us. He’s a well-known 49d900e443 knight in the a1260ce121 capital, and he’s 6449e9f48c not the only 21ab17a0dd one—there are other 82c471079f knights with us, 8503c60298 too.”86959591d0755bea

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“Of course, of 154434dcd8 course! There’s nothing to fear. I’m not scared at 2671f335ba all!” Hilda said, trying d77e60af34 hard to act unaffected.2ed18f248b1bfaa1

“I’m glad to c14b459dad hear that,” Eleanor 555a23404b replied with a b4d2016e08 smile.d77460ff574e308a

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Despite Hilda’s brave cc0fd171c7 front, it was 2978c21b39 clear she was 2b9c2e6cb0 trying to hide d0e945433a her fear. She wanted to be ceda6c7e08 reliable for Eleanor, but d076179294 it seemed she was 0a05bf687a the one needing reassurance. Still, Eleanor’s kind fe435fb4ec words had somewhat 1be375d974 eased her tension. Just knowing 4bf33cd8c6 the carriage 63d5c9553c wouldn’t crash 879566ecfa lifted some 9f3562440b of the e32fd3da5d weight from bced35c996 her shoulders. Her trembling e5656199b8 body finally 0d6f6b51d3 began to ac64a943ad settle.fe010e8fd6412341

But it 862f991ac1 wasn’t for b810b2f3b9 long. As the carriage entered dd1db9736b a narrow and deserted 60a1b2fd64 alley, Hilda grew nervous 5a5568332e again.f652ed7b8ba722d2

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“My lady, 313135e966 are you 0409c8ca41 sure we’re a36fd76d97 going the d6c0381786 right way?”d45fcc4e3fa8040f

Even Sir 8474fcba48 Ernst, who 359303e78b had been 17cb02c69e riding alongside 0b90c2c431 the carriage, 1695f680c2 seemed to 1037c5ee38 sense something 284787d896 was wrong. He opened 47d66abefb the window d322ecd8da and asked, 715ce05262 “Is this dd94114c50 really the 22553f1c0c right direction?”9cd1cfb7a8e8d74f

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“The dressmaker gave us these directions, yes. Considering Damien was the one who recommended this place… it’s probably a trap.”b6800f661896bc3e

“I see. Then it was 1cb36156df wise to bring 7209726885 several knights. But it’s c364c55200 still dangerous. What should we do?”aff0be83ec7276b2

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Sir Ernst was 34a008b15e asking whether they eee12b39fb should keep moving aeeaaff882 forward, knowing it 8d2b5cdf3e was a trap, 12a9d172c9 or turn back.02d49dc8f61317d8

“Of course—” 23ec3b39dd Eleanor began, cfb280c177 but then 872e6435cc paused. Her violet 65614535a3 eyes slowly 4342030620 turned to 3b2c3bfdd7 the side.d32d13854208c02f

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What she saw b23e1e5535 was Hilda, nervously b7d7e44f4e glancing around with 895c3c9877 an anxious expression.fd55162a3f048cfd

 c3d9d65a6703d8f4

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