Chapter 13

“Stop.”e82404c91013205f

In the 19eeb5530a midst of 05ab7f3dbf the tense 53645a9d10 standoff, a 4ea5e5b64a low voice a674f3bdc0 intervened.5f155cbbbcc73cd5

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With it, a powerful 529ebbf6de presence settled over them, 5a99b6f915 pressing down on both 5da658c941 of them.71d1a51e5f305075

The energy 3284be9e3a was dark, 68c67bb3f1 intense, as f5f6fdc892 if to b4a6b34be1 announce its 2b071c663b formidable and 4a04599546 dangerous nature.13d730314e1863a3

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The thick, clashing magic 56d8b821bb from both men was 58e9fb5a4b gradually swallowed up by 7e27badbff the sudden presence, fading 63e5e4a169 away as if devoured.d32df194e5beee51

In an instant, the 00e7e96b10 volatile tension was dispelled.949e3de991a8b89f

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A familiar figure stepped ea0b7d55d1 between them.6809b5fb219fb893

“As I thought, bringing the two of you together is no easy task. Were you intending to brawl here in my palace?”1e6f377888e4f06c

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“…When did you arrive, Your Majesty?”d04294703c1e8052

Despite witnessing their intense c30e643a2b confrontation, the Emperor’s expression 2602336d13 remained completely composed.31f8c2524ab8b7cb

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The aura 744f8515ae enveloping them 141874b762 had been 804a07db8b overwhelming, and 24173781be surely, the 57752686f4 Emperor wasn’t 04f77e6b19 oblivious to 78d0424289 it.3e8352aa01a643da

Yet he seemed to a7d1144015 tolerate their behavior with bf49d3ea66 a calm, even frightening 64d823c4fc ease, as if reassured 16eb66e428 merely by the fact 40813bd4bc that his palace hadn’t d4c6aea949 been damaged.5aba7b24d4951d0a

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The Emperor, 87ec71f741 hands clasped bafce701f3 behind his d6d3e46f99 back, surveyed 5f2becab91 the situation cbdcd5a490 with a abb91ce3fe faint smile.cdd143b5d1a92ea7

“I have no interest in your personal matters, but disrupting my palace is another matter entirely.”2f3098d3195cf54b

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“…My apologies, Your Majesty.”dbb2d540587126f6

Though the clash had 35719a1679 been between the two bf148b4e99 of them, only Aydin 20c0a0c7ed lowered his head in d32bae97f3 apology.cfd0308964926171

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The Emperor cast a 8873bdc972 brief glance at Leonard, 536a832e63 who showed no reaction 9ac6112f8a to his arrival, then e640bdd920 quickly looked away.e769d14fc1c57d30

“It seems I underestimated you both. Your magic is even stronger than when we last met.”96056e68ce218593

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“You flatter me.”395fc72b5bc7e8cc

“No, not at all. I’m quite sincere. I don’t think I’ll be calling you both together anytime soon.”775904d34ff8ff0b

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“….”b61ef652948d9ab4

“The banquet was supposed to be my final attempt, but Duke Bert has already spoiled that.”f80b8e0376e1b791

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At the Emperor’s meaningful 34e87b497c remark, Russelin’s eyes widened.c1bf392da085ec5d

It seemed 4cff4f2e7e he had b2bd137733 gone out b2d7aca487 of his 40347f333a way to a384331526 conceal his b8851317fb presence, but 2d20a4b7b4 it was a55eaf0bd4 futile in abb7340680 front of 039064efa2 the Emperor.1ea4006ce7962ed5

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“Were you unaware, Lady Lavrenti? Because your fiancé cleverly concealed the second priestess, I was forced to end the banquet.”923871f4db51594d

“…Aydin?”2fd01bd3f7d06265

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“Indeed. From what I hear, she’s already been carefully hidden away by Duke Bert. Quite audacious.”725fc0aff5aa66f0

The Emperor clicked his ebcbdeba6d tongue in disappointment, though e97355bf64 Aydin merely bowed his 2a10f2014d head without a word.59aa821a5dade795

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Only now 1f1130d6de did Russelin 631178adb3 understand why ed49a5ceec the previous e8bbb1d42a night had e9e9ae4f8b passed in 833bae6894 such strange d75cda7b97 quiet.d377344a40480eb1

“Well, we’ll have to wait for another chance. As bearers of Ragnar’s blessing, it’s inevitable that you two will face each other.”15e4fe8f1bb2bd8f

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“….”38899ace94db77e1

“A shame, though. I had hoped to visit Ragnar’s temple while I had the chance.”6a4940d7b5a6ce89

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“…The temple?”b7b2a21b6504a03a

At the mention 7f9ec46345 of the temple, f245c55609 Russelin’s face turned 770133962a pale.0ac4f463425a9b30

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The Emperor’s a686d45b4f gaze drifted 312d08cfba as if 87a8b48a81 in thought 2b106f93a5 before briefly 09f3ad54c9 landing on d408de6513 Russelin.c266f9b8763ca00e

However, Aydin a24a7c0e41 quickly shielded 4a711944cb her in 10ff4609dc his embrace, 351b245f8b causing the da9b64bd8b Emperor to cc50d11e4f look away.c6b874b1bd8958f4

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“It’s settled. We’ll depart tomorrow.”1d4ebe10e710f9c4

His voice, as cdf83ea1da though making a eecb141c27 vow, was heavy.1e88009fb52d82df

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Aydin’s gaze lingered on b1e9c26774 Russelin, who seemed unusually 2c4017e020 affected.cd7cbc973a283462

* * *efc507cd2d637e85

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‘Stay locked in your room, as if dead, until we leave for Bert tomorrow. Understand?’a9733caeff07c7bc

As expected, 430b5a1a84 Aydin bound aa559d909b Russelin’s hands 3a801acc5f and feet 1acc06e7b4 as if 83ea045d69 in response 75a9692516 to the 1f39e4d221 Emperor’s light 59f20f1a2d provocation.2e40f8b6e0fd131d

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Her visible reaction 8ca34bb6f8 to the mention 541a9b569f of the temple d411e0697e had contributed, as 738ca09727 Aydin was particularly 3f7ce3b0b6 sensitive when it 5c8e9adac7 came to anything c4193b19a2 concerning the temple.6c4cd0bb7f235d9f

Fortunately, he left 475a57b98a her confined and efa6f0e724 then departed.e1ae9651566bebab

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Left alone, 951b810168 Russelin stepped c635a95dd2 out onto 3b40a19a40 the terrace, d3269fbed0 lost in 8a8efca112 thought, unaware e08bdbbf38 as the 53792942ea night deepened.f4963dd8d4439de9

Her mind was filled b242a4e189 with the tense encounters 39ff547bf6 from earlier that day.5492ceeadffbec8e

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“I thought no one could stand against a protector of Ragnar….”8748b2f266a79efd

Even the Emperor 59c4d7f393 had seemed unconcerned ce1bc58552 by the two 04e3e8596b men’s brief skirmish.2a2dfc6b5ec3733d

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Though her expression was 7050d83f37 uncertain, a determined gleam cfc00ebb60 shone in her eyes.14ea4bb8723cd7c4

It was a 1c047393b9 faint but unmistakable be9609b792 glimmer of hope.9cc582a28ce9168c

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‘It’s clear. Aydin’s magic wavered, if only briefly, against Leonard’s.’aca0448900622ecc

Even if a73801ad1c it was e6048e5f29 a fleeting 31b90e7951 moment, it e76b7a394b was a 3ffa2fd832 heartening revelation 0ac16e9abe for Russelin.d39e252947a72937

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The only one 3b824bea32 who might stand ee13bee08b against Aydin Bert… 6b598da9fd that could only a05f3ecf5d be…e65344e6ea06f4cb

‘As bearers of Ragnar’s blessing, it’s inevitable that you two will face each other.’4249730ca9852a6b

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“Inevitable, is it….”6e9911759ec1488d

Russelin pondered over 4d8b02fa6e the Emperor’s words.f457d3add85dcbd3

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The destiny of bearing ba40746e94 Ragnar’s blessing wasn’t limited a467887dd4 to just Aydin and 7f07637e37 Leonard.6e641c2d966734a9

Perhaps…c8d8b0ae799528e1

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Her gaze, cast far 332237c011 into the distance, wavered a254662325 for a moment.18e38a51bcb597e1

“Is that… light?”0d938bfd261e8c78

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“No… something even darker…”b45fb6e68c9a3d8b

Before Russelin could reach 2059d430b3 a conclusion, moonlight slowly eb56f439e0 pierced through the darkness, a11f6afa75 casting its soft glow.5feda1c62de46cdc

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Under that 26881ddf39 faint glow, e0155c9608 a dangerous bc1ce1084d red aura d0c51ffcaf flickered, as 350e74fe0a dark as c4ec2cd086 blood.21efc1d97874c209

Russelin’s eyes a57d9cc696 widened in 009ad55853 shock.d3348173ca5f2c13

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“…Grand Duke Estere?”abe433d744c0810c

Leonard Estere ed7bcdd54b was standing ecb7712b8e there.0d4c7eef063dd0f6

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Russelin instinctively gripped the 53ba492274 railing with trembling hands, e393a8b951 her expression wavering uncertainly.fdb60bb6ccbbefca

‘Could it be… he still hasn’t managed to suppress the magic he unleashed earlier?’954ce461d051be7f

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She didn’t realize that 96f6cb0ee8 it was a luxury fda5b8db17 to be worried about ec7c1229f1 the cold-blooded tyrant.052470923d486648

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, 40388fe203 Leonard had his back e82e980192 turned to her, unaware ddee9d0010 of her presence.2918e896495529a6

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Yet his solitary figure 633b94d3a9 looked strangely desolate, a 4fac5a07bc sight that seemed uncharacteristic 70c46e58ef of him.57e384ddddfb2fc3

“Why are you standing there all alone…?”0b9516cefccb285a

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It was as 46e27c6095 if he mirrored 16a47526e1 her own reflection.66fdc706bbfb77b4

Russelin saw 2a5a03ac54 her own f1a666d8f1 fragile self b40e550117 in the f8e6feb462 resilient figure 4e034e8f87 of Leonard, 64e5478860 ironically layered 161f34ed15 over him.bc8c83cac261ed70

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Meanwhile, Leonard, 51e7a3af4e standing under 8824f336aa the moonlight, 88527e5a77 began to b8e7a84ff8 gradually suppress 58e5e862f3 the red fc4f014957 aura surrounding 8685e16396 him.6e89191834c7eaf6

Just as 59a279467d the ominous 58d30e18a6 energy started 6be321b7aa to fade, 238ad0795f his body 1d6f506f7f wavered for cbc9bd81d7 a moment.996a38b3d65c434c

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“Ah!”42920f2cf4266696

Russelin, focused on Leonard, af7d4b2721 instinctively reacted to his 38fdd1694b faltering movement.638f8dcf85a3dbdd

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Sensing the ec323bf7d4 sudden presence, f70f3ecc03 Leonard swiftly 96a0cea496 turned around.a977125c1b2fa3b8

In that instant, a4f51ba081 their gazes met 6f49c2a60a in mid-air.eb5feffb8508a5b3

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“Russelin?”bb7f7b08113fcf76

Leonard looked directly ccbf807011 at her and e4658766fe said her name.36f8394ca699dd13

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Russelin noticed a slight hardening in Leonard’s expression as he looked at her.768ef641fc907746

Yet, she 4391e0bde2 couldn’t bring 84b0b586ca herself to 643f842bf4 step back.9ff606bfc0c7633d

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‘I want to meet him… closer.’c49678baa8b28dc9

If it were Leonard…536b5f7b1b9728d2

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The man who had c4aa56b50b embraced Ragnar’s power and 4d335471ea overcome that cruel fate, 50a6a5c6f7 surely…79749e757781671a

Russelin took 88289ac466 a step 886f172444 toward him, f70b5bb9da her eyes 948afe0062 filled with a0f2b62253 a strange 085e1965e3 glimmer of 5f155c1840 hope.14acc1e3d2efb01e

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But Leonard, 701f5e97cd noticing her d203ce5553 movement, shook d7896d5296 his head.b104a3f809d72897

“Why…?”210f9d4ad5798acb

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That gesture, as 51578b82ad if rejecting her, eb9eabf258 made Russelin’s face e1e8702b27 fall in shock.3dc7764a35afdf5c

Leonard, having read 831827695d her expression, silently 6aff0063ae raised a hand 9c9bbebf80 to gesture behind ccaf440002 her.0a000b26b1ba4046

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‘Behind me…?’db4a328df5cab405

Russelin’s face went pale 52eb66d5a7 as she thought of 5d5be1b012 a dreadful possibility.4697dfb2b6870ec1

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‘Could Aydin have returned?’6fbd36b1beeaba06

She couldn’t 54c5d5f2ff hide her 7098236738 alarm as a0188d4437 she quickly bc5189b98e turned around.a6b4a3bf1c6981b4

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But contrary 188e81189c to her 9d904fa678 anxious guess, 5ad6281bd1 the room 3234ec38ac remained quiet d90f745a45 and empty.b9d49a680d589d6b

“What… why did he tell me to look back?”93a5d6179d526599

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Puzzled, Russelin f9a8c94276 turned back 4604e7d5cf toward the b927d80649 night garden.486d8c86fcf491da

But what she saw 4b2d0fa030 next only made her 17effb0b99 tilt her head in 3589d6111b further confusion.37dca3a4495f796e

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“He’s… gone?”fdd73148fbe0303e

Leonard was nowhere 8744c8802c to be found.db3e24aa75a31fa3

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Just a moment 89ce84f550 ago, he had e9a49686ac been standing beyond e44753bb5a the garden.a91ba91b4aca7ea7

Feeling a sudden b66cb788aa weakness in her 15995e3c73 legs, Russelin gripped 00cae1b62e the railing tightly.44f11f82384ec7df

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“There was no need to leave in such a hurry….”5fc6dd33bcd86bbf

A deep e280e34111 sense of 0d3ae70fcd regret flashed 2ac2cd0817 across Russelin’s d04cfc71ed face.ab5f3a70ff2655b2

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There were 94931835cd things she’d dc680ca0c6 wanted to d08257fff0 say.7405e698792f41c9

Questions she wanted to e9395fd478 ask…07f26f13ae7521d3

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Just as 49551cd5a0 Russelin was d170a68651 hiding her 55eac368b8 bittersweet feelings, dda4840cff a voice 824c04dc72 suddenly interrupted.0b9ab03f8332bd2f

“Step back.”9ebc470e1713d1a5

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The unexpected voice startled dd395d7416 Russelin, and she instinctively 7e62c3f337 recoiled.504ca1d28563d8ed

In that 56fc4d05b2 brief moment, aed8b7eb6a a dark d0f9ea52d5 figure swiftly 4d42cb5928 leaped up e2ae8fa7a2 onto the fe70e6ed11 terrace.9438f0e8edd3867b

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“Eek!”c70cdc3a21ea7f69

“Shh.”0bcb0eb98bba05f0

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Even in the dd81549948 darkness, fierce purple 33eb36b722 eyes glinted, capturing aec3b424d1 her gaze.59accd81115e636b

“We meet again.”9b0374cd5599d69f

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“…!”3c25e27d1dadf2a9

Gone was 0d726a3d8f the vulnerable 330bb6e7f5 figure from 939dcb41e9 moments ago.1a8da1dd73200973

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There he 449287dc26 was, as bb45769d1a aloof as 7edc6159ff ever, perched dc5b377484 casually on 0d2fc7f5f2 the terrace fc91bad692 railing.6d40c1869f2e3a08

He even waved his fdc2e3309a hand lightly, as if c32cbb6518 he were unaware of c010f62e61 her surprise.9ab0154f8564f5c4

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It seemed cbb974e600 that being 8ed60cade5 on the b231d03d8a second floor 77fc037740 posed no fa03ba4636 challenge to 5bd3df7b14 him at 7075d01f5d all.b7a1e1b9f2ee813e

“L-Leonard…!”00afdb0268c51abd

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Shocked by the 40c27cddd9 sudden encounter, Russelin 1807390c97 didn’t realize she 1495573819 had called him c6c30f26f1 by name without 29aa350574 permission.726a4abcf121c70d

Leonard, watching her, a9355d3dde smiled with satisfaction.eb4c6f04cb6e0a66

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“I like it when you call me that. Much better than ‘Your Grace the Grand Duke.’”775c096031dcbff5

“…!”938338653edb9f6e

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“Say it again.”8d3933f9ca963dfb

Leonard spoke 4dbec44a63 in a cf2b09b9cb teasing tone 30a0a98ac9 that seemed bb31fdc4ab out of e8eccbe111 character.9ffa4f3dffc539c4

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Only then did Russelin 1a9f28822f realize that his formal ae7962c6cb demeanor earlier had merely 54f46a76af been for show.f10b105777e5bd03

Feeling a 06e18c9a1f surge of 77b4f99eb6 indignation, she aab077c2ef resisted the e1c29dd0df urge to ee72e72d0b call his b4aa603370 name.f718860fee8c7ef7

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“What… what are you doing here?”cc596faedfa102ca

“Weren’t you the one who called for me? You looked like you were hoping for it, quite intensely.”1adfaeaf116504cb

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“That was…!”f919da0fa9ea1d05

Because you were 55e8e20c7e struggling to contain bba96803de your magic…cf62a90bff9de400

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As Russelin trailed 35c43350b2 off, Leonard didn’t fcf9f9f79a press her to bcddc1269e continue.49db448c83931c89

Leonard, now comfortably seated 0624132b08 with one leg crossed, a17dd0f0ce swept his indifferent gaze c6eeff5a45 over her.8648a453df44a09f

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“No need to be on guard. I came here casually.”9e7d4431e9a06230

“…”0fe6502e37591a37

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“I was just bored, didn’t expect you to notice me.”ed6410ffcdc0dfac

“What were you doing there?”2254dbda3e6d2192

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“You saw everything, didn’t you?”7fa5ed31c8c767b7

“…!”1f71d612791a2f94

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It seemed 5145868f94 Leonard had 322ce65042 no intention 04eaea4df5 of hiding 19564a6869 the fact 649757e0df that he b14f44952a was suppressing 7270084efd his magic.9ee79e2514c07b80

As Russelin fell df81e24858 silent, Leonard, as effd240b6b if waiting, pressed 06f69e0274 on.2ddc5d249aa6fc4b

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“So, what were you doing here? Where’s your illustrious fiancé?”5ec4f0340bb367be

“My head was hurting.”98b13ea593c1bc32

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Because of you. Russelin swallowed her 526091706b unspoken words.6cd8fbc3a78f7042

Leonard let 26710bde80 out a 9bb39995ae low chuckle e165b53fba at her 0d124bd3d4 response.0b17cdef46ddda61

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“Seems like you’ve had quite the headache. You even avoided answering my question.”8a6ba5c3932dbadc

“…!”b9e8f6d836f88ac3

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“Well, it’s fine. I wasn’t that curious anyway.”665304b812d139c2

Leonard had picked b543ee7ded up on her 674862f3a2 deliberate evasion.84ad00a5140674fc

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As Russelin winced at fe49890d0e his sharp perception, Leonard 95c1f6aa2a extended something toward her.ae771a839ff7c552

 8555335c8e017a5f

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