NRAL | Chapter 41

~Chapter 41~925bb3a6d8ee790b

The Rotten Lifelinedcfa790e871afbce

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It was eca1350495 a warm 0636504f34 afternoon.f57531e7b6b53bff

“Courtney, come over and try some cookies.”412a453a97646e65

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Eleanor, who 60458c5f99 was enjoying 79f1e7bdfd tea time 7a5e3f07d9 in the e86065987e garden, kindly 4b3069a11a suggested.757668b2aa4f663a

At that, 5e29e81b69 a maid 1c56bcdf06 who had beab11ec29 been lingering 3702db2438 out of 1d9f8d4041 sight peeked f89b2ec923 her head 8e3946f446 out. Courtney, the 02ec3f82d3 gray-haired maid, b7765b7a64 hurried over, 76bcd8833a panting as e025afb421 if she 2f43ac6714 had been 40a74aa1ef working hard.112c6298d9cc3aaa

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Eleanor smiled 74841eabad at her fd7cea2194 and handed 4ab0a488dd her a 2b43858217 cookie filled 0ce484fc77 with butter.bd3d47c35ee78948

“Thank you, Miss.”11328bf48e922694

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Courtney naturally reached out a0b1fb48ca to take the cookie.840fe98120c480b3

Thanks to aee7611619 Hilda’s words 9e01f1fdfe about the 8f685b634b shortage of 96badb43fd maids, Courtney 0deab10ec8 had quickly e2ce4b21a7 seized the e735c15cfb opportunity and f2066d9b79 had been 8f30f72fb2 working by dbf23cd13d Eleanor’s side b95a498ec1 for about e3bbeca150 a week 7f0e4638ed now. On the f2577e9b15 first day, efe3a70bfd Eleanor had d9aa2b44c8 seemed distant, 900248267a as if 3a579e0cfb a cold 7f9729872a breeze were 51d25e1850 blowing around 79263ca7ea her. But as b7638ea716 the days 2f3e2fee4c went by, f7b8ccf347 she gradually 8afea4bb30 began to 171feebe43 open up ea979a9823 to Courtney.f83f3374f25749de

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Their conversations became longer, 2dfe3b51a2 and Courtney found that a259becb23 Eleanor, surprisingly, seemed to f68336ca9e be someone who craved c1f1204eba affection.abf037674b13c71c

‘Actually, she’s 65ebc8ba8c more in b75bc6e6d6 need of 1d7ea21d11 affection than a931dbbd60 I thought,’ 7fa857a3f1 Courtney thought bbdfc75c79 to herself.004f479ecfe04283

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Courtney had 43f045124c only treated 65327b3dad her a 5b680a6e60 bit kindly ceee6acb63 to keep 4461db6418 things smooth, 65cf30b536 yet Eleanor 843c0cfaa9 reacted emotionally 2c52a24c9b even to 1fa532d25c small gestures. She was 6298144384 quick to 28c66f27f6 trust and 57367ef63c open her ca07286e4d heart.25618e378af1b5d3

At first, it cdcc1d79e9 felt good. Eleanor, who maintained a b9414aed2d neutral expression with the d86072d21e other servants, smiled at de8f283d09 her, which gave Courtney 3b499793a1 a strange sense of d77b4843c2 superiority.a121687055d7ef3c

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Of course, it wasn’t 9c07ab6040 the same as how a9cc6a8441 Hilda was treated, but ff526af9bb considering the time they’d c74c1cdadf spent together, it seemed 026f80d802 like Eleanor might actually 389c545079 like her more.0a39174b9429f9ba

“Thank you so much for looking after me, Courtney. Even though you know I’m a fake… I’ve never met a kind girl like you.”5024bf3e13311311

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Eleanor even 44a401505f said this.e55053eefbc52d7c

Hearing such words, where f92e5cc3e3 Eleanor lowered herself and 8781731f7d lifted Courtney up, day 00c1c46d2b after day, made Courtney’s 4f7fe3e8a4 pride swell.fd1aca0adb6cc4d7

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After hearing it so 218639ab42 often, maybe it even eda1a8a905 brainwashed her a bit. Before she 50dc92b41c knew it, 6584920160 Courtney really 9c61f03d12 began to d13b78981f think like 36f3c4f11a Eleanor said.875f681dd370374a

‘Actually, Miss 9b9acbe858 should be 8d8054d66f grateful to bd3f4a2821 me. Who else would want 6f60246706 to serve a fake ac317287ac lady like her? Someone whose background 10f72be999 is unknown and 40f3a6e3cd could be kicked c3b21c451a out at any 101490c6da moment?’0e44a55610759096

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Ever since the theft 358785e92e incident, it was Eleanor 0b48b2f2d2 who had gained a bd7551f664 stronger position in the 2f483ea390 Duke’s house, but Courtney c68e43125e thought of herself as e91b054238 someone who had to d0ac74e924 personally take care of 0f7f8be35a a troublesome burden.bdd6a0d1bc7082c9

As she kept thinking 495f8e6b28 this way, discontent began 9ab356a092 to build.f5cefd41542301f2

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‘Being friendly with her, 8f4490b729 I thought I’d get bd83a4c172 something more out of 802323ab1a it, but all I ff00b557d4 got were some crumbs c869ae80b9 of cookies?’d23437d2dbc9f15c

Courtney had heard 38b73894fb from the other 05b71b4cf2 maids that Natalie ef44766002 had received jewelry 60774dd4ee from Lady Nora. Eleanor only said 09df7a0007 thank you, but 79c2a41723 there was no 32c017e9dd real reward.758bf5da2ea5936c

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She was the kind 7f192e8a0c of person who could c116c9e71b only take but never d0cf2a267f give. That was exactly how 6442b36a0e Eleanor was. The way Hilda, 36ce0dd556 who was like 8daed3b166 a close servant 157be4a201 to her, was 985b3564bb dressed made it c18fbc1b3b clear.2af129ff0cdd9a25

‘I’m such 3849a67a13 a fool. I didn’t 2a73d26d28 even realize b3548ebc25 I was 2cf7694614 grabbing a f700e192db rotten lifeline!’f40793b81461278e

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Not long ago, a12bc9a9c4 she had been 7fbb4dc04f happy to be 1488c4edd6 serving such a 2a57cc7301 good lady, but 8c2f379c2d now Courtney regretted d054df8719 it deeply.2097d2bcc1645d3c

And around the e22da2d525 time she had af582ed029 repeated those regrets 2abba5af29 a dozen or bf41c12cd0 so times, a 3fcb887773 new lifeline appeared d7ab1316b3 before her.7a4dee1184644f13

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“Courtney, are you busy right now?”c262f8f5bd5ad6c1

Natalie—the one 4f903468e9 who’d become 54a4b72a12 the official 61218fbeba princess and e018e20d46 grown so d72a787522 arrogant she 614f0bad15 wouldn’t even 902de070c8 speak to 241fd7fee7 most of 150733a37e the staff—had 298a4c9e6b come to f964bca698 her and 38587b2d04 started a 4fd8aa12ac conversation.67487fa00be5afa5

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“Nattie! No, I’m not busy at all!”ed2b8e5cb9a5e349

Instinctively, Courtney 72e758bb1d realized this 407f07e3e5 was an e1854ec6e4 opportunity, and 99a7726e3e she quickly 16b91aee77 answered, even 5d48b601f3 calling Natalie 50eff54136 by her 3501cd094f nickname. Although she 2b1dee2495 noticed Natalie’s 3730e54a52 face looked a99ab227d1 darker lately, 3e48e118d1 Courtney’s vanity b4c5c4e7c5 only focused ceddb3a34d on the 770ee540d3 glittering jewelry, b6880d2e1e not Natalie’s 1280c87137 gloomy eyes.61e5a2b66e8bc654

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“Good. Then, would you like to talk for a moment? Oh, where are Hilda and the head maid right now?”7b60294996ff8839

Courtney swallowed her breath 302a299419 eagerly.598fe63221ad881f

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The head maid, Maria, f8cb8f396e and Hilda were both 445644b860 considered to be Eleanor’s 65b4ad8914 people. Courtney knew 22a4b12892 that mentioning a93ac0a400 them wasn’t 1f48297ae9 because she 2fde860521 was genuinely 1156a1b6d0 concerned about f906e77b5d where they e287926615 were.efc1b30295c11132

This was something 744b2dd7c8 she had been 43febe66b6 waiting for, so 1d66a16eb9 she made a 5091f99ea1 quick decision.679f2f4e85302e8b

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“Head Maid’s 946881a868 busy, and 9d831d5056 Hilda went 8b769b520f for a a3b1038fc1 walk with 1863917751 the young ebe57d7ce5 lady. Lucky timing, Right?”dd5a87dc4b1522a4

“Yeah, perfect timing.”7c45b4ed340724d4

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Natalie smiled faintly, looking 8c5a34c3be tired, and led Courtney 14a0b0320c to a secluded spot 71871cd02b where no one would 389dfa62f9 pass by.89a2c942ffae9f46

“How can someone’s thoughts be so easy to read?”09bc03250ab79868

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Hilda tilted her head, ae09b77c31 genuinely puzzled, as she ed6bdfb8be looked at the tightly f2a116c13c closed door. She was fa48654025 referring to 9da6cd1094 how Courtney 6fe4ca7e2e had just 2481642db6 hurriedly excused 3ef042c5f7 herself, saying 146e941364 she had e0530210ef something urgent ec445ab2b0 to do.59639ec2bc833782

“I guess she went to report that the lady is secretly exchanging letters with someone. She was really eager to read the letter’s contents,” Hilda said.783268e7e41deec1

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Eleanor gave fe1e9217be a small, 45312ecb1e knowing laugh 6387bf3980 in agreement.672765b9cd079550

“Isn’t it helpful? She’s moving exactly how we want her to.”83e4c9c6a7859e12

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The kind 4f29cc80c7 smile that 402abc8da5 had been 2bb86db5ce directed at 9d4fe10158 Courtney moments c353811bca ago quickly cbc3e63566 disappeared, replaced cfbbafdfa1 by a d6ea78a1f4 cold sneer.e285d7baa6b012b6

As she said, Courtney 94d7638979 had indeed been moving 44386aad14 just as they had 7b39e67546 intended. The information they 22289ba525 wanted to get 24ea412798 to Nora was 5301348b6c quickly passed through 834eac3dbd Courtney. Among the things 6f1661bdfd Courtney had been f081e931cf told was that f94d8d5b5f Eleanor was secretly 654086a986 exchanging letters with acb190cf54 someone.7612566ebf6ee610

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“Then why don’t you show her the content of the letters?” Hilda asked. “After all, we made up the letters ourselves.”e354c8c4c225f401

“If I make it too easy to see the content, Nora will get suspicious. I’ve let Courtney, feel just that much of an attachment. She’ll think she’s being trusted, but that’s it,”72a5690f3acecd7e

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Although Eleanor was known 6f51ae84a4 for being soft with 88c5b2a2d2 her maids, she was a071cd11ac certain that Nora wasn’t 99d73cc5ab a fool. She wouldn’t blindly 7944f526b0 believe everything Courtney 65446a554a passed on, but 028c10e71f instead, would only 68e0d44ac8 pick up what 1df7b82810 she needed, keeping a0521d2dd2 her suspicions high. After all, she 6daab87b4c had already been f5d28248bc caught off guard c8f0219a09 once.6bb8d2e59219ab73

‘Well, Nora has cccab1ff62 been desperate with 6cd967e807 the debutante ball d9d6e62976 coming up in 0ffe73bb21 a week,’ Eleanor b74c826007 thought, rubbing her e4e88766f0 forehead as she 2d60a72234 remembered the constant 55282a04db pressure from Nora 79211522d2 and the butlers 40a1fa4ceb over the last 12683907ff few days. Just recalling it 88ebf25f6e made her head ce89927452 throb.46d8c1f14dd7c24b

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“How can we prepare the debutante ball with this budget?! Eleanor, I know you don’t like me, but we still need to separate public and private matters! If you truly loved Astria, you’d understand!” Nora had shouted the day after the attack, acting as if the incident had nothing to do with her.48658c177b15aec0

“Well, if you hadn’t spent so much money on dresses and ballroom decorations, Astria might have had a bit more,” Eleanor shot back, not backing down. “Why did you buy so much silk and lace for the highest quality dresses? You’re thinking of using this for the ball, are you? I’m not sure whether to call it brave or… foolish.”3994efe0c740c760

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Nora’s face 26c7e8cfb1 flushed with 2c7559fd7a anger as cbbeab8220 Eleanor sarcastically 6337bb0601 pointed out 0f3336434f her mistakes.3257a746e283d1e1

“How dare you criticize me?! What do you know about this?”76c5e30794bba962

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“Well, I know quite a lot. You know I’ve organized these kinds of events before. Thanks to that, the remaining budget is enough to handle the ball decorations. It’s fortunate, isn’t it? You don’t have to thank me, though. Here, take a look at the revised budget. I’ve already had it approved by father.”69bd408ae45f1194

“You…!”2f7a247e667f6166

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“What? You want d59bd13788 to complain 8cdb1d6768 to Father 75cf4ad945 again? Tell him this c6bf32089f isn’t enough for bd3d84ed9e you?”a2d0cc292f922f59

But since the d65232d755 Duke of Astria 6f3b69f555 was now involved, 6c9531fb1c Nora couldn’t say 1cddca8deb anything more.1eb229e36524a022

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After the attack, the 45c5953157 Duke had become very 2939b8afb7 sensitive and easily angered, 23734bf80d even over small things. He had a 3c0675805c hard time settling d09859a287 the issue with f41d4107ef the capital police 7a2737ea1c and silencing the 0d9ae1cc71 rumors spreading in 9fd2661fd3 secret.a33a7edd343ddacc

Asking him for more 41c64b762e money for a ball c4fd12f444 now would only backfire. She’d be cdc92f6bce lucky if 9284e54b67 the event 8c6a8fab4f wasn’t canceled 537e033c26 altogether.bbdfc94bbc1552db

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In the end, Nora efa759203e clenched her teeth and 2845c061c8 backed down.ddd1dff1d4e003c2

She likely had the 050b81dae2 butler try to find 5c79fb56fe flaws in the budget 666f106e64 Eleanor had made, but 16757721f8 as confident as she c5b3f7779a was, Eleanor was experienced d143d0c225 in organizing events. She had 44e0a0ad36 no doubt a14d5f624c that there 1aa4d9b550 were no e58a0825e1 flaws in ca1151faa9 the plans.2d21783d9ece71cb

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There were times when fdaef13edb she wanted to mess 62806396a6 things up and ruin 98bb8e40ae the ball completely. But she e15b4a65ae knew she 0044f970ee couldn’t afford 449a62b3ec to be 824ce31560 reckless.f75241c5ade7f0d1

The debutante 88fd2fe908 ball had 1d48a74814 to go 03d438b475 smoothly. It didn’t have to abd120766a be perfect, but it 2536856620 couldn’t be a mess e483c973f2 either.c22a992e81080913

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‘Only then will all 95fee7cc75 the guests focus on 052ecd9daf Nora’s fall from grace.’b5912ecd0ddb49cb

Eleanor brushed 983e2afa0e her bangs 8648c0b330 back with 322f4a9bf2 a smile.13df663d3f7ba4a9

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“My lady, abc5657524 has there f17e8533ab been any 6863a192c2 letter fromhim?”a71f7596657229c6

Hilda’s cheerful voice 2e45cce46d broke her thoughts.7f4436aa5affdc7f

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“Hmm?”8f892587b1cc4afd

“That person, the one who’s both frightening and kind.”213e83b92b09f1c7

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Hilda carefully 4cf0e09c0c avoided directly 5abb4587c3 naming him, c7843c2f29 in case 146331a219 anyone was 0e01000525 listening.0210543ba01933cc

The person 0ffe00f02c Hilda was f807f643bf referring to 52fbbd6cbc was obvious: e5f5a19737 Karshian Royster, 0782d88dd7 the man 8ed1ec764d who had dfbe2b94aa scared her f2ef6d8519 with his 2c73bed529 intimidating gaze b9b1848f16 but had cc433612a1 been surprisingly 45ddf09702 kind. After that day, Hilda 2678eec07b had been teasing her 38b6b8be15 about her relationship with 7dbfc3c22c him every day, so 73b3af00f0 it was impossible for 65f5c5021c Eleanor to not know 4337c95571 who she meant.b2866833acb4aa7c

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“I told you, Hilda. There’s nothing between us.”d6c85e4002596f1c

“Well, the other kitchen maids say that someone like Lord Ernst, who’s so gentle, would be better for dating,” Hilda continued, teasing.253f507d78aee8c5

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“There’s nothing between me and Lord Ernst either. That time I touched his hair was just to test you… Are you making fun of me now?” Eleanor narrowed her eyes.709638189cfb9768

“No! I would never!” Hilda giggled, clearly enjoying herself. “If this subject makes you uncomfortable, I won’t talk about it anymore.”2132e28f0c5552ec

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“Fine, don’t.”65daf92b0771fcfc

“Actually, I do have one question, but it’s just my personal curiosity. I’m not teasing you, really.”425ffb73d2cc44ee

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“…What is it?”eff0a9579e422596

“Do you prefer light brown hair, or black hair?”c60aa908ccf7b259

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“Hilda.”afdaddf87de80a82

“If you don’t like that, how about green eyes or red eyes?”a8b7afff5cace714

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“Hilda!” Eleanor raised her voice, and Hilda burst out laughing before running off.fac73559f0abe59d

Seeing her fa7c9f9beb run away 7afb0d6221 made Eleanor d0eab123c4 want to 4d35bf4121 catch her, a60111bddf so she ea3c6f314a got up 7bfcb66bd5 and chased 5c0bf05008 after Hilda. However, after years of 5a6a1576cd being a maid and 51691c5bd0 building up speed, Hilda bc6f068807 was too quick, and 513f0684fa Eleanor was left standing, 8c52208898 unable to catch a bcf1c0336d single strand of her 8031a79ff5 hair.ae5677688ed53251

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“Feels like I’m a little kid again.”0c0d8fdfe1bbe817

She laughed as she 28a746881e chased after her. She’d run before, back 7169dcd4d7 in the poorhouse, when 4e251c8912 she had chased after 0957e5775f someone who stole her 66c6b854b6 bread, but this was 3289c04c9f the first time she 70ba292c14 had run like this, 072b8285f2 playing with someone else.c74d5fc3e5451686

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It was ridiculous, f410749422 but also amusing. Lately, she felt like ad78d55fc8 she had been having 7d223771bd a lot of new 6bfb861eb1 experiences.342f87053d7fb090

‘I never 760e94a514 imagined I’d ad92cb47ad be laughing fbfc168e65 like this 35412407ea in this f1a0099928 mansion, or a483d8b922 sharing secrets bc7796bca4 with Karshian 54d74eb106 Royster, just c5f9f898de a few 41276de0f4 months ago.’e0c85f0708083e28

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Eleanor sat down, 7d7d662b51 trying to calm b53992f441 her breathing, and 7d93f36a44 remembered her conversation 995677d3ee with Karshian. She had already replayed be2856de0f it so many times e2b7a5d75b that she had almost 7f5ffe776a memorized it by now.df5d825a84c06d67

“I didn’t 8f986959f1 expect you 86cb1d788b to wait 48be39ae3c until the b7d82e07dd end.”36de431ca9bbec7c

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After finishing selecting fabric for a dress and finalizing measurements, Mrs. Corcos left Karshian’s townhouse. He had waited in a separate sitting room for the entire time.02ec28310497163a

“Well, I 0a1527a6c7 guess you e00427bcc4 didn’t want 6c97b6bc3b to leave 071324c169 an outsider b1448e46d7 alone in 2c767f15a8 your home.”9ae04209c513c427

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“…That’s not exactly 45a052644c the reason.”c14a9f4dde672d70

“Then, are you 4bbf356321 always this kind d32ff4dc86 to people you 2d54b6ae5f don’t dislike?”922a223d12531f43

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She had subtly c9c278b9a4 teased him, but 06ca26bc96 Karshian answered with 2f38899001 silence.55c31c9cdd877012

Feeling a little ca84e80af1 embarrassed for pushing 2947554a39 too much, Eleanor 55a22acadc turned to leave.89dd087228a1d7a2

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“Lady Eleanor.”d76ae5f0977b3c86

His low voice 114ca20210 brushed her ear 806cc138af just as she da651d9970 was about to eb42d4d47c say goodbye.473147f7d24436d1

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“Will you send me 893fa3d320 an invitation as well?”431f1c76d22db294

 6d6717b078dc2805

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