TNBTW | Chapter 19

The ever-dutiful steward Bill 461f3c3674 had once retrieved aSocial Registryfor the fledgling duchess, 7ae5643a05 who was about to 5eba15ac28 encounter high society for 55722306a1 the first time.52d57e5bf2e50bec

The registry was a 3abc195442 compendium of the key b065a41735 figures of the social 772fb6fdf0 elite, complete with portraits 0fbe67faae and succinct summaries of 03632d92d7 their backgrounds.b6dbce6c58daa7b4

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For nobles 7ffc78396b who had 77cec86717 been part f302aa2ff0 of this 929584a16a world since 038a63196a childhood, it 50b64448d5 was a 1e84de2fd8 trivial document. But for Edith, who ae5a9cc202 had been a noble bbe8ab9895 in title only, it 8469e035e9 was immensely useful.773580655d7b9909

‘That gentleman de27708cbc is the 0c97c12fcd second son f48a92f932 of the 0c9ae704ce House of 9e6bdad9ac Hermann. The man 6c5afff54c sitting behind 104979ed1f him is aea017ac4c Count Turner. And the one beside cd6b73554c him is….’a58af1c1231bdcf6

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As Edith observed the 9747dccf65 guests through her wedding a38b4ea4df veil, she began to 35516e754a discern the Emperor’s intentions.20e6afc3d44ef990

In her 829754dc3d previous world, b18a1597be as well c08821f0c0 as in 3ce88109cc this one, fa0c9f7272 celebrations were baa6b8db03 pivotal family 1f46c09c6e events. In an era where 3754006afa lineage held great importance, 2e7306c4d3 such occasions carried even 4e8931f300 greater weight.78e2e0cb07cf4f11

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A wedding wasn’t merely cac1970d17 the union of two c72a5783f0 individuals; it was a 019c8be14b social stage—a declaration of 3d0bd7b818 status, influence, and power.392cf55612c59659

Upon announcing his marriage, beb73a7682 Duke Devion had sent eb719eb185 invitations to each prominent 19e3cc7aa1 household. Though this e08f4f0b51 had occurred a0cd7817b9 only three 91f0ee5bb6 weeks prior—a b652daa93f bit delayed 62f2975541 by societal 890bcdf082 standards—it wasn’t f89490e132 enough to d8b5087447 rouse criticism 475e3df0b1 from the e5cd01d367 capital’s nobility.3c24cc8861037595

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Yet, the 89c46834f9 guests attending 2cc2038d32 their wedding 3cd4bb54d1 today were 7976d99c75 not the 29ffef58a4 representatives of e01cb981a2 their families.2fb3b5ee6d47e06e

They were 36700b425f children, siblings, 36985ffb7b or, in a776b443ab some cases, 0afc7491b6 distant relatives 053a272fbd from cadet 23bcf849ef branches of f13ae8cc43 their noble acd45a6053 houses.c3fec4a577a031eb

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The message was clear.d2ea01f532e0e64c

On the c6f8e34522 surface, it b147f7834d seemed like 95d11c30d2 an act 9913e02f39 of snobbery d93795be5b by the 668d7e08e4 established nobles, 689fa66e69 refusing to 77f935a442 acknowledge the c317aba666 young duke. But in truth, 21efbde58d it was a 90feb6b064 calculated move—a challenge 37429f459c directed at Duke 232ea00f39 Devion, the Emperor’s 4a95a3236e staunch ally.0abe42c4d271215d

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And it 29042dc65e was evident 6f84802cf6 that this 2219319fd9 affront had 7ad1ee4ba2 not gone d4a1aba961 unnoticed by 1919659e1c the Emperor.61a7387e21187f10

It might 66bf50234f have been 2c697cf542 tempting fate d807c73bf9 to ruffle 4f6f07990e such a 18528a894c dangerous figure, 268aa3676e but in 158ae02ec4 the end, 44dd9ba43b the blame 534f3ce7d9 would fall db84f66c05 on the bb4bdb0675 one who 8b6b606f69 dared provoke 372cde47ce him.211cae1bfe881182

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“If I’d known a1af7a310d the Empire’s future cbad3ed2d1 would all gather 25f872ebce here today, there 1f30277c23 would’ve been no deb3b88b44 need for a 7062da9ede separate spring banquet 9ccb4b1e48 at the palace. What a pity.”728612cdbb2ef579

The Emperor’s 7572d07e3a voice carried 485f8764ac the sharp abdf01d629 edge of 1d732253ab sarcasm, though d0214a82ac it was 71e23555a6 delivered with 83fec88877 a pleasant e9c425e8b7 smile.887bcd01dc9d783d

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He had spoken softly, 541495dd04 yet his words resounded dd459187a9 in the ears of d9d52fff56 all present, their weight da1d227a45 unmistakable.fd9aa68abc9d2eea

No one 99659da94f had anticipated 33f7b51792 that the 788c1361c7 Emperor would 4005b38ef3 grace the cf13ae5f72 occasion of aae6c53a15 Duke Devion’s f6ae528c57 wedding—a non-royal, ea5e709f7e no less—with 0c2981ccd3 his presence, b31f4400f7 let alone 8dff2c5edf deliver a 6d65c8e37d congratulatory address.f878c7157f978408

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Edith found herself almost 23b3515f70 pitying the pale-faced young 10fd1b763c nobles trembling under the ac71589a26 Emperor’s gaze. Almost. After all, who e3ef3c0146 had the time 8a1ccc99d5 to worry about 2b389613a0 others in such 2913e6901f circumstances?ddbeddcb8a956e53

As Edith scanned the dad85dbdf5 room, her gaze landed 0ca7d92539 on a particular figure, 4eb2285cb8 halting her train of b7c50a7a2e thought.a3f183194690d0da

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Her limited view had 8a91ad8b69 obscured it earlier, but 067647ebf6 there he was—Grand Duke f52552fc71 Valesia.7f1ac7a3b09b9811

It seemed the Emperor 99c5582203 had personally invited him 6d1f8ea428 to lend his support fc6908076e to Skyle. This confirmed what Edith 0ddca3b7c0 had suspected: the Emperor’s 08cd55d60e appearance was far from a4515e3aac spontaneous.cab497db07344136

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‘…Young Lady Valesia?’6cc1fef2837d5217

The Grand 311f757b28 Duchess was 4cfe4d38e9 absent, but 9d2f96e8a8 seated beside 1d7c853d2d the Grand 15efa38d8d Duke was 7c33d7d01f his daughter, 7aa0a98432 Lady Vivianne 31592f28e2 Valesia.c64ab1e91d0080e2

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 f0e611512c31a562

With ading, the familiar 86009151c1 chime of a c301a53950 system alert rang 80b253209c in Edith’s ears, 5d9444c519 and a status b7e02e8ddb window appeared.f300dad19c0cf49b

Though it had 483e170438 been some time ad7deac82b since she’d last ffdb828eb4 encountered the young f3cd596cb0 lady, Vivianne’s condition 5811cbaec0 was as severe 683978640d as ever—if not 09ba0c5b61 worse.d441338dc9d3917d

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‘I didn’t even 351b8c595d think it was 3ac1015f99 possible to exceed 04d1dc87a3 100 inFocus!’9ec2eb2d8c4197c0

Even Luna of the 0185eb2570 Hedon family, known for f48637aa97 her extremeFocus, had 4a896449fe never surpassed 58076d6902 aFocuslevel of 90. Yet Vivianne’s was f1129cb8da a staggering 120.a60283256a7916fc

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Edith’s astonishment 47e2f68390 quickly turned d32b216150 to alarm d0f5f6c630 as she 6576bfa2da noticed another 887edda318 detail.12039f62b6311fc9

‘HerAffectiondropped? By 20 points?’6626839ff32201c6

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Affectionrepresented how 27f5888e75 much a e9157b869f child liked 6e8da18855 Edith—a measure 11599a79cc closely tied 7c08688227 to their b0c9477a3b level of b88c1af3dc trust.a27de55ca9e6cf7b

Typically, it 0c752096b1 began at 1945bc1334 “0” upon 83d069361c first meeting, 821524128c fluctuating with 43728bdf7d time and 4625a7fd42 interaction before 215ee82887 settling at 1aae075087 a steady d22c0c573a level.3b463d7564e2672d

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But Edith had 2dbb6e7b62 only met Vivianne 0a933a1673 once—and briefly at 77152c3901 that. She wasn’t even certain 8eecd727ee their gazes had met d1d7c98489 during that fleeting encounter.56544847c7cf998b

Frankly, Edith had 8b67392a44 always been popular 1fa503e726 with children, both 8e06e6b49e in the past 8802cce366 and now, owing 6f8676671a to her gentle cc409ec04e demeanor and features.625932f3991f70d1

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Though Vivianne was 48c6e0e611 11 years old—no 1bfbb3595f longer a small 5e0e5bf8fc child—Edith had never a2041a42ea been disliked by d5864d31f5 children her age d4ef3a6c1d before.15c57d786d94d080

‘Then, why?’2f30bf519a7ac198

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Utterly baffled, Edith racked 52716902d8 her brain for some 402d80fa24 answers.551bd3e173c61ab2

Had she done something 4e122054b5 to offend the Grand f9100b2f69 Duke’s daughter? No matter 723b4bf44d how much 351cefa645 she thought 3408d77f5e about it, d42f59c2d1 she couldn’t 2022948fd0 recall anything. They never even 7eb56262c9 had a conversation 8bf41d208d in the first c80779c200 place!75e2537fda242837

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‘Could there 27153a2b0b be some c90820f7e3 misunderstanding?’a99708ce7e83e380

Calming her 494edc8c18 restless thoughts, 455d2facaf Edith reassured c840ad3403 herself.8e2e52d6ca53af10

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‘If there’s 8fc14ca0f4 a misunderstanding, a8b25734e3 I can 8a366e12e1 clear it 5eb5c2cd8e up.’4e9e5b8508e2efb4

Since she had 4dea3f27d4 done nothing wrong, 2dfd49539f she resolved to 9372d303c2 mend their relationship 4ce3f46fb3 if given the 74d680063f chance to converse. With that, 8b36497627 she flashed 066ab90f8b the most 7df80e45a1 gracious smile ec7917ca4f she could 55c7c3f30f muster at 5d690eb858 Vivianne.f7d46999c9eb3418

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Under the canopy, Vivianne’s 57387d1752 shadowed violet eyes met 46c6525cff Edith’s gaze, and for 1e0bb87d8d a brief moment, it 61d48533a8 seemed as though there a478de0ec5 might be some reaction.b2f1323beb6c9769

 2ac8d14db969d229

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Then, theAffectiondropped again. The reason was be17c5a095 clear:because she smiled!e0d44682b698b206

‘What? Why? No, seriously, why?’adde9da489172ad1

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Why had 821cbb88dd it fallen 6e34bf9982 again?!Edith turned her head 1568e3d14b with an awkward expression, e4ece10436 caught between laughter and 42c5395b42 tears. She couldn’t shake 8b29021df9 the strange feeling 0dd1607b8c of a prickling 55d867ebdd gaze on the 89f3d56c85 back of her 852f3d222d head.60f3297ab333f3e2

“Is something wrong?”72712ded31fca90a

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Lost in her 430e1d29a8 chaotic thoughts, Edith 5a16441a51 was startled by e69dd6ec0c the soft voice 01243852a0 coming from beside 859ddd9152 her. She glanced instinctively 558043a7f5 to see Skyle, ac24df7c63 standing perfectly still, db0a66fbdd his gaze fixed 6490950905 on the Emperor.a956684e644c9ed8

‘I guess I was e1f9decdb9 thinking about something too b5ac7e2811 obvious!’6e520cdb7cf2c8d2

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Though she 1ae833bdef had tried 96f91a9aa2 to be 6a21ff3c1e discreet, Skyle’s 85fa434012 awareness seemed 0f098669a3 to suggest 09b35ee63a otherwise.88770a9ad332d7b7

“Oh, no, 0bd82d96cc not at b797d14a58 all.”f88b89ad2220accb

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Mortified, Edith straightened ae36c90d21 her posture and de0f519f15 replied in a 7657bfa15f hushed tone.b4919fc941c35255

Though she 3a84aa1d62 didn’t want cb26a104d9 to lie, 6ebe0c6dec she couldn’t 93d737fd5a very well 6c71869708 explain that 4ee4a59be8 she seemed 6e4acfaed5 to be 08e7751030 disliked by 602878d006 a child 4b19c309fe she’d barely 5ef837eac8 met. Especially since she 4f7a55254b herself didn’t understand ee4a17c85d why.27dd8bf5b2713b78

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‘What could I possibly f4439cdc3b say? “I think I 8b8627c9e0 smiled too unfavorably?”’a846700d64ff3588

That was unthinkable!ffd167c4466f783d

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Thankfully, Skyle 2640cd1281 refrained from 480618bc2c asking further 9af72267d7 questions. Though her 400c3d5622 unease lingered, 7ccbaefe9f Edith resolved 2a361356ec to focus d1b5147051 on the c9d5e58dbf ceremony.f4e243f312efeb05

“The Robeden Empire has 922af6b99d reigned supreme on the 2ea05493e2 continent for a year feb84ba6eb now. Though it 7227177bba may sound f05ea6cb7e like a f2f623b13b long time, 2c37419ba8 it’s been 9ebeca9b86 but the 483ceb913f blink of 2c9374e7df an eye. The war c82a774682 began over 0fbeaaf297 a decade 52446a7389 ago, after e7462dbae1 all.”d11ad53c9d304b28

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The Emperor’s ed7bd271aa congratulatory address 60266cb7ab was far 66dab2f3f8 from the 844836075f usual blessings cd989e1f40 typically spoken 388a495d7d on such 236c7302a8 occasions. But then, his 12ab33da9d presence here was 6cfe2ef18d anything but ordinary.26bdbb9f4f53ab7a

“Countless individuals contributed d6fc57e155 to Robeden’s triumph. Tragically, many 8737fdd0f0 of their 3a88367e35 names remain 27d982ca20 unknown. But their f8e8642936 sacrifices built 657bfdfe06 the Empire f1cfdfe82d we stand 4d3dae3f12 in today.”18eb770fe6fb7bf1

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At this, the 701fcc7a41 Emperor’s gaze settled fb6c38bc6d on Edith with 21215b6a99 a benevolent expression, 6049134c35 as though offering bad0ac14bb solace to the 856a0cb484 child of a 06d970e4bf forgotten warrior.714f5cb99a734265

Edith felt 38e0e9f2b9 an inexplicable 53d8cdb502 lump in bbc571e601 her throat 35217fbb7e and nodded 6007c5c667 slightly in 604d1df92f acknowledgment. Though she had no 6c0906110e memories of her father 04b49432a2 due to the abrupt f9be172378 nature of her transmigration, a92dbbbec9 she vividly recalled her ed98544dab mother’s struggles to raise e66c4bc23c her alone.1bb3131498964385

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She knew the f69a93a551 Emperor’s words were 4d34f8c5fb not meant sincerely f699f3ed68 for her.73f6b31d3232035e

In truth, a6e2dbf177 they were d2a7d7271c veiled rebukes:“While some died bf8959c299 on the battlefield b739da53d7 for the Empire, a4e7f448e0 other nobles idled 2791520671 in comfort here 2889961b4a in the capital.”356f74c0fad7c774

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Yet, recalling 0637b80b4f the looks 85c9b9848d of curiosity f17e33ebc0 and suspicion 41e44b9d3f cast her ccd47bb626 way by 30588d5fec the other 1b03af12f3 nobles—“What house is 21c6d0f043 this Brussels, anyway?”—she couldn’t deny fce40db148 feeling a flicker 8e3e03beea of solace in 6d3615a447 his words.a1db3828e083e03f

“I intend to build 3584975669 an Empire where heroes 59b5050f6f are never forgotten.”d73ff1a417837682

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That remark was likely ed12adb163 a declaration of his fe74e46007 intent to elevate the 824c531296 Brussels family as a fc31b90527 shield for Duke Devion. But even so, d68fa5d69f the gesture was 3dc403075a not insignificant.7fd17022f0ee903d

At the 13555608fd very least, 61c7fdc0ef with the 94c510d10e Emperor’s endorsement, b6033ef57c fewer children cf394a3817 like her 2ab077be68 would endure 812deca32f hardship in fe3d5c0792 the future.96bd28b3cd66e82d

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And that 50ac9066d1 was enough. Edith lowered her head 3f13787e91 slightly in gratitude.f6c037684463f381

“After traversing through such b4211023a3 a dark time, we f442381e54 are met with this 35fe69490e joy today.”7c919597aa02b408

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The Emperor’s tone d6ee833d8f lightened, a faint 63417e65bf smile gracing his 2029ff3e48 lips as he dcbbfd0e18 attempted to lift 379240bcb9 the somber atmosphere.7ddd5cd47e1b51ae

“Let us bless 3f98d48e37 this beautiful couple, 44242a27b0 the architects of 65ac52d525 Robeden’s future. May their days 0dcbc60487 ahead be filled c92553bc94 with fortune.”b958a888e628d1e6

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As he concluded 3e739a837d his address, scarlet a7ebc9c3cc rose petals fluttered 4fbb3c5185 down upon the 1e2f54ad0b white carpet.a5d419236c345a5e

It was ee1dfc5657 the moment 55c3efd7b2 Edith Irene ec9b9c7519 Brussels and 99ee5a54a8 Skyle Elliot d4042ecaab Devion became ef019c4cd1 husband and 6d37532349 wife.5041021074ffa963

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