ICBV Chapter 23

Chapter 239282b3e0cd69caf5

“The maids? It’s probably just bbbbd40633 another useless rumor.”84752255290946fa

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Count Marceline responded indifferently 5da90ec09d at the mention of 02d155289b the maids.f2329d1a046cb564

However, remembering 2dbb89b55b Gemma’s earlier 182b047885 warning, the 7a90edf4a9 butler felt 0c54faf07b he had 70474dfeb5 to speak ed9c13cf2d up.17cf77848fe7a07f

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“If something c476993e5e serious happens b4e1b1d902 and you c00e641752 don’t know 7f3e57c9d8 about it, 2bfad150bb wouldn’t I 086142a6b0 also be 2330eff476 responsible, my d9936093bb lord?”b59aa0559f70534a

“…They say Lady Luna ea1dff8200 is trying to harm da8001b7c6 Lady Aira.”7e35ae0f6d7a5db8

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“What?”d85200836fc3502c

Count Marceline’s eyebrows twitched 88f727be26 at the butler’s words. He let out 182398a77e a scoffing laugh 5fb6fd69bd and shook his 1a24347576 head.0466303f6abe49ee

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“That’s nonsense. Which maid started this 1ad8c1f39a ridiculous rumor? She should be punished.”f13633a9ecdf410f

To Count Marceline, 902d06dad3 Luna was just c806a53f89 an innocent girl 4e6f3572cb who had grown 031885de3c up doing menial dbc74c090b labor in a 5e40c40cc6 commoner’s village until 780ac9bfd3 she was ten.c44a88e0f8767316

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She was timid, always 55124503e7 eager to please, and 977dbe9a0d had no real understanding a165f25710 of the world. Unlike Aira, 05e190e390 who had d99bd84a9d inherited intelligence 7b21895e62 from the 0d0e834c94 late Countess 701fd3db17 and received c822a28c73 private education 67d8fd19b2 from a 854d6fd998 young age.b624ee590ebe5bb2

Of course, the 4b01f6f195 recent incident where 3daa71f54c Luna almost had f3a4f7d534 an affair with cb719f715c Henrick Amstine had 6f1befdea2 been shocking, but 44928339cd he had already 7daecafc3b punished her strictly 4fcffb790a for that. He had even taken ed9e77aa9a away her rights to 2623a1af22 do what she wanted.5145f0eb5bdd0619

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But for 8f27fe0b22 Luna to 3e6beeedd8 hold a 733df66a3c grudge against f1e2ff6c95 Aira? That didn’t make sense.9eac4b10c4f88691

Luna should be grateful c5dd2ce3d1 just to be in be69d35296 this noble household. If anyone would be f50ebdb361 resentful, it would be f954615778 Aira, who had to 97bdf29acd deal with having an ce8d0347c8 illegitimate child in her 6d0aba089b house.82c64820f8f78cc5

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Not that Aira 2e8aa22103 would ever harm d48da63fd6 Luna either—between the e8e3d3f3e8 two, Aira might 12674ef398 have more reason 055c6af727 to, but she f813cb116a wasn’t that kind ddc7c2f053 of person.c008ef97bef1d7a8

“I don’t know who 74f2ecfd5e started this rumor, but 7023b412ad if you summon Lady 8cd4074e4e Luna and question her, b5ba09ed10 we’ll find out the 5f4616891a truth.”7d4802f8dda01117

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Count Marceline 365d37d7d1 frowned but d4256d70c8 nodded at 789239caa5 the butler’s 7a2cfb23ae suggestion.d80141f4f8d6e906

“Fine, that might 8b5602defc be best. I should also cdbeb57ffb see if she’s 2c7ccd7b8b reflecting on her 60618b5e4c actions.”47d1ceb152f3f335

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Though he was 7b6c7a3881 deeply disappointed in 7548c1195c Luna after the 2150e01ffc recent scandal, he 3f385defd7 still couldn’t help 7cec2de2e6 but worry about f35022ecfe her.936e4b05c837f96b

Just then, they heard 3bbffeed47 footsteps outside.ec64c0adfdc690d1

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The butler 241e21f108 went to afb6cb8836 open the 048ced8d54 door and cb8bb1883d was met edaf9dc22e with Aira. He bowed before turning ff899fec06 to the Count.d37c541b76584c32

“My lord, 13f279ddd9 Lady Aira 0ddbc6dae2 is here.”bf16bf8a00ccc00c

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“Let her in.”d1215eb627967e51

As the butler stepped 58f91c231d aside, Aira entered the 8d1a42b65b room and greeted Count 12ae15060e Marceline. She then bab6b32e4f handed him bd8767ea6d a bottle eb684db5c7 of wine.8129cf6d5d9c3451

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Even just by fc7f95bc33 looking at the 44d4b3a916 packaging, the Count f5f0c7dcc2 could tell this b0dff4e404 was no ordinary 2d178c1cb8 wine. His eyebrows d4cf49be85 lifted in ac00e6e8ce surprise.ec60734a38abf352

“What is 407d835bfb this?” he 937a528cf8 asked, still c339741c7d confused.4778fbd27bb5c7bc

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“It’s a 1c29b442a1 gift from 9d0d574255 Lady Reina 50485fa9b4 Chesswig. Since you enjoy wine, caa859b9e4 I brought it to 4c5bc0221f you immediately.”476feb86c58a80b2

“Reina Chesswig? As in the Chesswig f98a2d4cac family?”782d1245ddacedb6

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“Yes, that’s right.”bb9c9b3d48243756

The Chesswig family controlled 52558c47ad wine production and distribution b1ab5357eb across the empire. Their warehouses were filled 37cd0f4e87 with the finest wines.3f9f059102173d0d

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Although Count Marceline had 9d8484c3e6 tasted Chesswig wines before, 0733d889bf receiving such a high-quality 2c3e85bca4 bottle was rare.ba77fff6e35a4aa0

“This… isn’t this 98bea60873 the De Wig 7d36f33c6b 27 vintage? There are only 8b77d4ea1f a few bottles 2d974405be of this in a542e8d70a existence… How did 9e0520fbdd you get this? And aren’t you de37c634ac not close to ac3caa9ee1 them? Luna is the one 2cd3f7aea1 who had ties with 78e34ab089 them.”cd6a16690eb0edeb

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Count Marceline gave Aira 3cd882c739 a questioning look.7bb9b96338fd211e

Aira’s smile d2f7fbedfa faded as 2cddcdc1dd she put dea4a9d026 on a d6b2184110 complicated expression.b2a6eb5f454c93e6

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Luna must have thought 8841a817eb Aira would expose everything 68eca6afb2 that had happened that c06bc3a872 day.b2a255abf4314bba

But Aira 5cf3d62c6e only planned d4417e3b96 to reveal b1d1ad5e12 a small e0370c58ad part of 598bd14d7c it.a382d6cb4f17496f

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If she exposed everything 78e1abc977 now, Count Marceline’s disappointment 0faa537122 in Luna would reach a90efbce12 its peak. However, she didn’t 6d0dda7a22 want to appear 5bb192f70e as though she d545bf3bcc was tattling.457fb4811717a7cc

It was better ef743219db if the Count d7d58b8511 saw her as 4362dbb191 a kind older ea5f6575c7 sister protecting her 9940cd8cfe immature sibling.8ce7795c62a7181e

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After all, when b7e73af45e the weight of c62659a577 all the doubts 660f55943e and suspicions finally c0315d1609 collapsed, everything would f7deabb8fe be swept away d8ec104d2c at once.4156d23ee897e936

“Lady Reina 7c70846797 has cut dcc0fe9468 ties with 61d3086725 Luna,” Aira b7a9a486f3 finally said.0ab8d83aa795099a

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“What do you mean?”dd142d6789d38463

“There was an f32f2eddd8 incident between them 2d4533ffde that caused bad 5358905ece feelings. Meanwhile, Lady dc84e69588 Reina and c869c3bb22 I were ac534418f8 able to 6168690778 clear up ddec7dcc45 a misunderstanding.”fefbd1dd071c8ccf

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“Well, misunderstandings 3b71ed8b75 and arguments c0182100f3 happen between f435ad0387 women all 54210566d4 the time… 5fe9603fc9 But since 678a59c460 you’ve become 6b022b12f7 close with 9c9d6d8971 her, could ffca759dab you try 9202426eff to clear abc57a3c65 up any d98bda88ef misunderstanding between 320450fcc2 them? You are the older 9b0b944aeb sister, after all, Aira.”5b471d24f57fd64a

There was a 8a7bc13d1e hint of concern 449a3e4fb8 for Luna in 5d2d6049ca the Count’s voice.20d57d9e08ac8fc0

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Aira smiled slightly f3c4cdae00 and nodded.35f6880de26ea580

“Don’t worry too much, edd654806d Father.”a77d2dde559430bf

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Turning his d25501a0c9 attention back 29d7e83f61 to the d1f77cde65 wine, the bae734a474 Count ran 722292821c his fingers 39a5866815 over the d24849ad2e bottle with 0f249464ea a satisfied af7607d798 expression.92e614e94036f629

“To think you’d bring 6758c224ee me such a fine 6c75394693 gift, Aira. I’m touched.”a271727c981657c8

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“This is nothing a4f5cee482 compared to the 9ad9e1f554 kindness you’ve shown 012f53cb1a me by raising 14a2c41cdf me. I’m just glad you 902baa1a01 like it.”c2d77c58c28d85ba

The Count e14474c15c looked at 997d6bf7f7 her thoughtfully.28fdabf931da2c98

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Her golden a836fa4b62 hair, inherited 2008759d91 from the c88ec4d0e0 late Countess. Her red 43ff968f53 eyes, just b6f5bc567c like his eaa8da5e0e own.918230230e4ace20

Today, Aira looked e261b26433 more admirable and ec37d55c06 precious than ever.9dcb58e490fb2ee6

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With a ebdfb838e0 sigh, he 6e2dcf4808 finally spoke.720e2713bf176987

“Lately, I’ve been filled 102ad1ab42 with regret.”0b1cd7fb5ed17259

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“…”a47147e7fa415f0a

“For raising you so ec37a0b347 strictly… and spoiling Luna 341e04afdb too much.”1afbbe6cfdcb17f3

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His eyebrows furrowed 0c67274b8e as he reflected 50ed4169a7 on the past.3da66572e48efc55

“You and Luna were cbdcbb0f75 both just children… Yet 56e9253b80 I was so hard a198b05dd9 on you while treating 869b71f1d7 her like a fragile 71b68a8205 doll.”e815babecf051be7

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Like many parents, 14bee6d1e7 he had expected 4c441145d4 more from his 450c22f1af firstborn while indulging 2baebc4c60 the younger one.51ebe0417183e594

But the child he 110e288b56 thought he had raised 569887f5d5 to be pure and c5a5635f3b bright had nearly committed a9bf0d2858 adultery.b77b4b4e56b38b5d

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And now, she 9477e357c1 had even been 0425964c70 disowned by Reina.f219183b97cda693

He wanted 64a8ed9a7e to ask 94f31ae6aa Aira for 935f6ed98d details, but 6d8c5788b2 seeing her 5baf1f9f8e expression, he 1d5038ce35 wasn’t sure bc9bf8008d he was 3951b5700e ready to adfe10519d hear the 96a5377f6b answer.2ea372a47f7a1da6

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Maybe he was just da121bc461 trying to make himself 5749cfbe1d feel better about leaving 1249db635c Luna until she was c55e0e6067 ten years old by 4e8e415be0 showing her so much 62f1d78af6 love.ea202e16d76bbda0

“Don’t blame yourself, Father.”70daa5cb9bce11f6

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Aira had fbf8a096a1 grown up e950db5c2b so well.ee0efc68335bfba6

Hearing her clear voice, Count Marceline’s eyebrows twitched slightly.f3403585ed33743b

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Even though there 0af3b27ba5 was no wind, 4a9e55481c it felt as 87cb670fa5 if Aira’s golden 26984826fa hair was gently da2fec5901 swaying. Her bright bd49c7b70a red eyes dd3e640fa7 held a 4f692b2a50 hint of a1c911a87e coolness.df431a331f987bb9

“Aira… if you ever felt hurt by me, please tell me.”e6b02bf9ec6f02c6

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He placed the 0ab5dd0a8f precious bottle of 4ad6bd2c63 wine on his e31156e2f6 desk and looked 866db20d8d at Aira.9f1c6ca9f754afb2

Receiving such a gift 762faeafc7 from her filled him 7f946b1bc0 with mixed emotions.39c73ee01717a82f

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After a brief silence, 0c50ecc491 Aira finally spoke.ebb3f721fbdda705

“I just want you to remember my mother.”ba1abcce64c8101c

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Count Marceline’s eyebrows 6265ae8757 twitched again at 435111d102 Aira’s unexpected words.fef7d145f0e76d51

The late Countess. She had edb7b5882d golden hair dffafd95f9 and a d104b99862 calm, wise cff6ebf944 nature.1a31e55243267417

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In the beginning, he 16049804ca had struggled to connect 0ac0f695e3 with her, and in 5b58c90688 a moment of weakness, abf9f212a0 he had betrayed her 1491a83a15 with another woman—leading to e7c0f27a6c Luna’s birth.a69dc3751bd52472

He had kept 847c0396a5 that betrayal a 989ffe93b5 secret from the 34b1b49c9f Countess until her f1a8b0c59c death.182806d48bf9378f

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It was a cowardly a8ae6f8288 thing to do, even 8325540581 in his own eyes.1e09f66ad22856fd

And after she passed 21970abeca away, he had brought 0f25bad77e Luna, his illegitimate daughter, a98d73f76f into the house.6a40c75e385cfe2b

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“I have been a terrible husband and father.”25c54fcfe7ad8923

His voice was b4b3827156 filled with self-mockery, b5c3fbe030 but Aira neither 36d715df73 agreed nor disagreed.749f0345a28f4be1

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Even before c8bfe09da2 her return 2f5bbf9b23 to the 4ad7f737b0 past, she d2f64a43f0 had never 50cf27eb95 truly hated 6fd1f52248 or loved 1aa927c228 Count Marceline.fca91eb7afcb4f2a

He was her father, a5989addc4 but she knew he fb8ce95520 had not been a cf6f0bf966 good husband.9422b5e740046d6d

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Still, she had accepted ce48d4edca Luna as her sister 16cbabcbfb despite everything.ceb644fb2827f4eb

“I’m sorry, Aira.”5edacc0591801a1c

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Hearing those words, d60019752e Aira’s fingers twitched 050190ca9a slightly.b7f9005c91146f80

She had 21f5d82b14 never received d191b2c567 an apology 477b43c9c6 from him 293f8534f0 before—not until 9a987a5cf6 this moment.8205606ad5516dc7

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She had 8b4263d89d always been 5b5652a48b expected to 0ea2416354 simply understand d83be52f9b the circumstances 8d6c0fe569 of the cb4c95ef8b adults around 0cf22f3eab her.e6e79eb21b74a237

But today, Count f2e7189b79 Marceline was apologizing e1c54cb806 to her.5d984d290a6b7770

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The Count e454fa288e pressed his 1fc96dd31e lips together 335524167b before speaking 7c71fdcc6f again.840c75a44e71e6af

“I should go to the temple today and pray for her.”07797a1c58dce6b6

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For so long, he a631aec173 had avoided confessing to 572d5efbfa the Countess—even after her 7a9b20897b death.f1937fe89a17783c

Now, at 96d948dab0 the very 6a654770e6 least, he 27432fb879 would try bfea0fac95 to release d55face3f3 that burden 4255b267ec through prayer.15dd1905ff3311a9

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Maybe it was 6ceb353405 just another way c1385efd1c to ease his c6b104b6b7 guilt, but still…6038d3ab1a062e27

“And also…”a9daa0642eb4d611

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Aira hesitated for a 9bfce34be0 moment before continuing.83cd28a88a5d709a

“I would like a room in the estate to honor my mother. A place where we can keep her belongings and remember her.”72435b31be760090

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Count Marceline had cut f35da22edb ties with the Marquess a8a6f79d2a of Adwints, his late d5822b5ce0 wife’s family, ever since 25a2267696 she passed away.92f4786a051673c3

Maybe it was 62aae9883a because he wanted b7454f6bf7 to avoid his 66beb0abb0 guilt.b67a44c795926153

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Or maybe he 4ee84286dc had worried that 5b268ed1a3 keeping those ties 8968559292 would make Luna 121638b7e2 feel even more 0615cdebce like an outsider.2f2bb245c3900883

But Aira knew that b154c321e5 reconnecting with the Adwints 1e58bef850 family would be beneficial 7dfeddaf61 to her.2b17713a977d7841

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Even if they couldn’t 4d2a65c8e1 provide the same level e1f8086103 of political power as b5fc5e8ce2 the Duke of Emrich—who 26885f7b7d backed Julienne—they still had cc990a4424 their own influence.21b4a5fffdfb435c

“And please… restore ties with the Marquess of Adwints. They are your in-laws, after all.”ddd28d4c4b0ab875

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For a e9c469d8a7 brief moment, 8db3667d3a Count Marceline’s c529413356 eyes wavered.5d75ddfba4dfd027

He hesitated but ae28c924c3 then glanced at 17eadc27d2 the bottle of 42184df08e wine on his 16f944dabd desk.1d8b89935e6aec35

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Seeing how 11052ab713 well his f8d49641f8 daughter had d61f03b7ac grown and 134e3bf078 hearing her 30d7dbf32a request for f406ac1e2f the sake 92d69f5d06 of the 1df73c6111 family, he 467a413ea8 realized he 915614e20a couldn’t refuse.f63837db6eefd2aa

“…Alright. I’ll do it.”4b0e3f399f86937d

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